Homemade Marinara/Pizza Sauce!

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes (Large) - 7 in number (6 Cups when coarsely blended)
2. Olive Oil - 2 Tbsp
3. Garlic (Minced) - 2 Tbsp
4. Oregano flakes - 1 Tbsp
5. Parsley Flakes (Optional) - 1Tsp
6. Chili Flakes - 1Tsp
7. Bay leaves - 2 Small 
8. Brown Sugar - 1Tsp
9. Salt - 2 Tsp

Procedure

• Wash the tomatoes and put a cross on top (see the image)

• Boil 5 to 6 cups of water in a deep container and put the tomatoes in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes (the skin will start to come off)
• Take them out and peel off the skin 

• Mash the tomatoes with the help of potato masher (do not use blender because we need chunky pieces of tomatoes in the sauce) 

• Now Take a heave bottom deep sauce pan and heat the olive oil in it for a minute
• Once hot, put the minced garlic and bay leaves and cook it only for a minute (we are NOTgoing to brown fry the garlic)
• Now put the mashed tomatoes into the container and stir it thorughly
• At this moment thrown in the Sugar, Salt, Chili Flakes, Oregano Flakes and Parsley flakes and cover the lid and cook the entire mixture for 30 minutes at low to medium flame
• After 30 minutes, open the lid and give the sauce a good mix 
• Now cook the sauce for another 15 minutes at high flame (Or until you see oil floating on the surface and the sauce have become thick in consistency)

At this point your marinara/pizza sauce is done. Completely cool it and store it in a glass container/mason Jar inside your fridge for up to a month!!

Breakfast Pancakes - Oh So Yummy!

Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour - 1.5 Cup
Sugar - 3 Tbsp (You can add more sugar if you like your pancakes very sweet)
Baking Powder - 1Tsp
Salt - 1/2 Tsp
Eggs - 2
Melted Butter - 1/4th Cup
Buttermilk - 1/2 Cup
Oil Spray for cooking

Procedure

• In a big bowl, shift in the all-purpose flour+baking powder+salt and keep it aside. Your dry ingredients is ready
• Separate egg yolk and egg whites
• In another bowl, mix the egg whites+buttermilk+sugar together 
• Now add in the melted butter and egg yolk into this mixture and mix well. Your wet ingredients is now ready
• Add your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and mix very well with the help of a spatula 
• The consistency should be like of a cake batter type
• Cover and let the pancake mixture rest for 15 minutes before you start making them

Making the Pancakes

• Spray oil on to a skillet 
• Take a spoon full of the pancake mixture and put it on the hot skillet
• Cook on one side for 2 minutes (or until bubble starts to appear on top)
• Turn the pancakes upside-down and cook for 2 more minutes on another side (or until they have brown crust)
• Take them out in a serving plate and stack them on top of each other
• Pour on generous amount of chocolate syrup/maple syrup/honey along with a dollop of sour cream and serve it hot

Oh this is the best breakfast one can imagine!! Enjoyyyyyyy :)

New York Style Cheese Cake!

Ingredients

For Crust:

1. Oreo Cookie Crumbs - 1 1/2 Cups
2. Butter (melted) - 8 Tbsp (1 stick)

For Filling:

1. Cream Cheese (softened) - 1 Cup
2. Fine Granulated Sugar - 1 1/4 cup
3. Vanilla Extract - 2 Tsp
4. Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp
5. Eggs - 4 
6. Corn Flour/All-purpose Flour - 1 Tbsp

Procedure

• Take a spring foam baking pan and cover it with aluminium foil

• In a bowl, mix the Oreo cookie crumbs and butter and then put the mixture inside the baking pan and press it with the help a spoon or hand.
• Keep it aside!

• Now in a big mixing bowl add in the cream cheese and sugar + Lemon juice and thoroughly mix the whole mixture into thick paste kind of a consistency
• Start adding egg one-by-one and mix it as you go along
• Now add in the Flour + Vanilla extract and give it a good mix 
• Transfer this mixture into the Oreo crust lined baking pan of yours

Baking The Cheesecake:

• Preheat the oven to 370 degree F or 180 degree Celsius
• Take a baking pan and fill it with water (put this pan in the lower rack of your oven)
• On the top rack of your oven place the baking pan 
• Reduce the temperature of your oven to 300 degree F or 150 degree Celsius 
• Bake the cheese cake at this temperature for 1 hour 
• After 1 hour, switch off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for another 2 to 3 hours
• Take the cheesecake out of the oven once it is completely cooled down and refrigerate it overnight

Voila!! Next morning you cheese cake is ready to be devoured... Just don't forget to add some chocolate syrup to your cheesecake to take it to a different level of TASTE satisfaction...

Okra-Onion Fry for Busy Mom's

Ingredients

Okra/Bhindi - 1.5 Cup
Onion (Chopped) - 1 Cup
Dry Red Chili - 1 or 2
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Salt to Taste

Procedure

• Heat oil in a non-stick pan
• Once the oil is hot, throw in the chopped onion and red chili
• Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt over the onion and fry it on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes
• Now add in the okra/bhindi (chopped into 1 inch rounds) and give it a good stir
• Close the lid and lower the flame to low and cook the Okra for 10 minutes or until soft 
• Open the lid after around 10 minutes and fry the Okra-onion mixture on high for 2 mintes or until they start to leave oil

Serve this delicious Okra-onion Fry with chapati or rice. Enjoy!!

Tilapia Fish Cakes/Tikki/Pattie!!

Ingredients

Tilapia Fish Fillet (Boneless) - 4
Onion - 1 Small
Coriander Leaves (chopped) - 2 Tbsp
Green Chilli (finely chopped) - 1 to 2
Crushed Black Pepper - 1 Tsp
Olive Oil - 2 Tsp
1 Egg
Chili Flakes As Per Your Taste
Salt to Taste

Procedure

• In a food processor, blend the fish fillet with green chilis 

• Take out the blended fish mixture in a bowl and add in rest of the ingredients 

• With the help of spoon, mix the entire thing very well
• Clean your palm and apply some oil on it
• Make medium size cakes/tikki/Pattie (whatever you want to call them) and keep it lined on a baking tray
• Bake the fish cakes/tikki/pattie at 350 degree F for 15 minutes
• To give it a crispy edge, I broiled/grilled it for a minute on both sides

Enjoy these delicious fish cakes with sauce of your choice. You can make fish Burger or fish sandwich with these fish cakes!! The result is going to be YUMMMMM!!! 

Gobi-Mutter Ki Sabji - Super Quick Version!

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets - 1 Cup
Green Peas - 1 Cup
Onion - 2 Medium Size
Turmeric powder - 1 Tsp
Red-chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Salt to Taste

Procedure

• Cut the Onion into long thin slices 
• In a non-stick pan heat oil and once the oil is hot throw in the sliced onion and add turmeric powder and salt 
• Fry the onions for 3 to 4 minutes on high 
• Meanwhile take a microwave safe bowl and 1cup of green peas with 1 cup water and boil it for 3 to 4 minutes 
• Now once the onions appear brown add in the boiled peas (strain the water) and cauliflower florets 
• Sprinkle red-chili powder and give the entire thing a mix and cook it with lid on (i.e., covered) for 7 to 8 minutes on medium flame 
• After 7 to 8 minutes, open the lid and cook the sabji on high flame for 3 to 4 minutes. This will help you get rid of extra water and your sabji will look fried than soggy 

PS: You can add green chili while frying onion if you wish to....

Enjoy this delicious sabji with chapati or naan :)

Easy-Peasy Mutter-Paneer Bhurji!

Ingredients

1. Paneer/Cottage Cheese (Grated) - 1.5 Cup
2. Green Peas - 1 Cup
3. Onion (Chopped) - 1/2 Cup
4. Tomatoes (Chopped) - 1/2 Cup
5. Green Chili - 1 or 2
6. Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
7. Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp
8. Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
9. Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
10. Oil - 2 Tsp
11. Salt to Taste

Procedure

• Heat Oil in a non-stick Pan and once hot put chopped onion and green chili into it and cook it for 5 to 6 minutes on medium to high flame
• Meanwhile, take the peas in a microwave safe bowl and pour a cup of water in it and boil it for 5 minutes
• Once the onion is done, put chopped tomatoes along with all the spices and cook for 2 minutes on high flame
• Now put the grated Paneer/Cottage cheese and peas into it and mix very well (add salt at this point)
• Close the lid and cook the whole mixture at low flame for 5 to 6 minutes

TADA!! Your delicious Mutter-Paneer Bhurji is ready to be served with hot chapati... Oh, it's Yummmm...

Chicken Candy Sticks - Super Easy and Delicious!

Ingredients

1. Minced Chicken Breast - 2 Cups
2. Onion (Finely Chopped) - 1/2 Cup
3. Coriander Leaves (Chopped) - 1/2 Cup
4. Green Chili (Chopped) - 1 Tbsp
5. Black Pepper Powder - 1Tsp
6. Salt To Taste
7. Oil - 2 Tsp
8. Ice-cream Sticks - 8 to 10

Procedure

• Take a big mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together
• Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 350 degree F for 10 minutes
• Now take a handful of the mixture and give it a candy shape (like in the photo). You can make them of any shape whatever your heart desires
• Now take an ice-cream stick and insert it into the mixture and shape again if need be
• Layer all the chicken candy sticks on a baking sheet and bake them for 15-20 minutes 
• To give it a nice look, just grill it/broil it for a minute on each side on high

PS: In case you do not have oven, just shallow fry them in a non-stick pan. they taste divine too :)

Enjoyyy this delicious and super easy snacks!!

Instant Rava Idli Mix!

Ingredients

Sooji/Semolina: 2 Cups
Split Bengal Gram: 2Tbsp
Cashew (Split into half): 10-15 pieces 
Curry Leaves: 12-15
Mustard seeds (Black): 1Tsp
Cumin seeds: 1Tsp
Oil: 1Tbsp

Procedure

• Take an Iron Wok and heat oil in it
• Once the oil is hot, add in the split Bengal gram and roast it for 2 minutes on medium flame
• Now add curry leaves and let it splutter
• Add in the Cashew, mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it fry for a minute (or until the seeds splutter)
• Now lower the flame and add in the Sooji/Semolina and roast it on medium to low flame for at least 10 minutes (do not forget to stir continuously)

 You can store this mixture in a air tight jar for at least 3 months. Stay tunes for the next recipe on how you can use this mixture and make super tasty rava Idli :)