Kasoori Gobhi

One of the easiest vegetable to cook is Cauliflower. My brother is very fond of this dish. It is the highlight of our Sunday lunch. Everyone in our family is in agreement when it comes to this vegetable. This dish is nice change to your regular Aloo Gobhi (Potato and Cauliflower Curry).

Ingredients
Serves-4

• 1 Kg. Cauliflower cut into 1" florest
• 2 Potatoes Cut into medium chuncks
• 2 Onion Finely Chopped
• 2 Tomatoes Finely Chopped
• 4 Green Chili Chopped
• 1" Ginger Grated 
• 1 Tablespoon Oil + For Shallow Frying
• 1/2 Cup mild sour Yogurt
• 2 Tablespoon Kasoori Methi ( Dry Fenugreek Leaves )
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric
• 1 Tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
•  Salt to taste
• Coriander for garnish

Directions

• Heat oil in a deep pan. Shallow fry Cauliflower and Potatoes till golden brown.
• Dry roast kasoori methi on a tawa or  in microwave. Cool it and powder it.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan add Onions and saute until golden brown.
• Add Green Chili and Ginger. Saute along with Onions.
• Add Tomatoes and stir. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder and mix. Add beaten Yogurt to it and cook it in a high flame for few minutes.
• Add Cauliflower,Potatoes, Salt and powdered Kasoori methi and garam masala. Mix well.
• Cook for 5 minutes and garnish with Coriander.
• Serve Hot with Chapati (Indian Bread ).

Watermelon, Feta cheese and Olive Salad

A refreshing summer salad ! I saw this recipe few years ago in Nigella's show. Since then I have become fan of Nigella's . This recipe has some odd ingredients to go together,like onion and watermelon. I cannot think of these two ingredients to be together, but once you mix them  you will get all your taste buds tantalized. I was little skeptical about trying this recipe, but after making it, this is a regular feature of my potluck, dinners and parties. This salad is fabulous to look and tasty to eat.

Serves 6-8
Ingredients

• 1 Small red onion
• 3 Lime juice 
• 4 Cups Watermelon Chunks
• 1 Small Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley ( Coriander )
• 1 Small Bunch Mint Chopped
• 3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Black Olives pitted
• 200 Grams Feta Cheese cut into Cubes
•  Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions

1. Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half moons and put in a small bowl to steep.
2. Tear of sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf.
3. In a wide shallow bowl combine, water melon chunks, feta cheese cubes, black olives. mint, parsley and tip the now glowingly puce onion, along with their pink juices over the salad in the bowl, add the oil, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that feta and melon won't lose their shape.
4. Add good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime.
5. ENJOY !

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas are good source of protein, folate, fiber and iron. This chickpea salad taste so light and flavorful using fresh herbs and vegetables. Fresh vegetables will add crunchiness to this salad.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Soaked, Boiled Chickpeas
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 1 Red Pepper, Chopped
• 1/2 Red Onion, Chopped
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Corn, Boiled
• 1/2 English Cucumber, Chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 2 Tablespoon Fresh Coriander/Cilantro, Chopped
• 1 garlic Clove, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Red wine Vinegar
• 2 Teaspoon Honey
• 1/2 Teaspoon Coarse Salt
• 8 Whole Black Peppercorns, crushed
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

1. Add chickpeas to a large bowl.
2. Make a paste of garlic and 1/2 tsp salt. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in crushed peppercorns, red wine vinegar, honey and extra virgin olive oil.
3. Pour dressing over chickpeas. Let stand for 30 minutes.
4. Toss in tomatoes, corn, cucumber, basil and cilantro. Season more if desired.
5. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Cupcakes!! Cupcakes are hard to resist and guilty to eat ;) . I love to cook but my passion is in baking. My friend "Amy Klassen"  always would carry all varieties of Cupcakes whenever she would visit us. This inspired me to bake. I am not a professional baker but I am learning and I hope one day I will open my own Bakery Shop :) . I believe Cooking or baking is learning and inspiring each other to cook or bake. This cupcake is very light, airy and fluffy. I frost it with Butter Cream Frosting. This cupcakes are best for birthday parties or any other special occasion.

Yields- 24
Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 1/4 Cups Warm Milk

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180 C degree.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder.
• Add flour and milk in batches, starting and ending with flour. Stir until batter is smooth and satiny.
• Fill paper-lined muffin tins with batter.
• Bake at 180 C for 18-20 minutes.
• Cool it completely and frost with Butter Cream Frosting

Butter Cream Frosting

This butter cream frosting is very yummy, light and fluffy. Enjoy :)

Yields 3 Cups
Ingredients

• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter Softened
• 3 1/2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
• 1 Tsp Milk
• 1 Tsp Clear Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 Tsp Salt

Directions

1. In a bowl combine butter, sugar and salt. Blend till blended
2. Add the milk, vanilla and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Notes:-

• Using clear vanilla extract is essential or else the frosting will turn brown.

About Me

Swati Zavery is author of Swati'sCulinare!

 I am a passionate foodie. I love to cook, bake and entertain. I want to share my ideas with others. I will share my recipes that I have learnt from my mother, cookbook, browsing the internet and some that I have created. All  recipes are tried and tested. Feel free to contact me if you have any doubts or request. Please leave a note if you like any recipes, it will motivate me to keep going ... :)

Microwave Khandvi

Khandvi is very popular Gujarati farsan ( type of snack). Traditionally Farsans were always served as a part of full meal, but because of its popularity people have it as a snack that can be had at anytime of the day.Khandvi is also a very light dish and has very little oil. It can be prepared in real quick time with the use of Microwave. The only difficult part while preparing is the rolling of the Khandvi, but a little practice can help in becoming perfect.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup of Chickpeas flour
• 2 Cups of Buttermilk
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Ginger Green chili paste
• A pinch of asafoetida (Hing)
• Salt to taste

For Tempering

• 3 Tsp of Oil
• 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 Tsp Sesame Seeds
• Few Curry leaves
• 1/2 Tsp finely chopped Green chilies 
• Coriander for garnish
• Grated coconut
• Few Pomegranate

Direction

• Combine the besan, butter milk, turmeric, ginger green chili paste, hing and salt in a deep microwave proof bowl and whisk well so that no lump remain.
• Microwave in high for 3 min. Remove, mix well and again microwave on high for 3 minutes.
• Again remove, mix well and microwave on high for 4 minutes.

• You can spread small amount of batter and see if you can roll it easily, if does not roll properly cook for more 2-3 minutes in the microwave.
• Spread the cooked batter back of a greased thali ( you will need 3 thalis approx. 10" ) to a very thin sheet, while its still hot.

• When cool cut the khandvi on each thali lengthwise into equal portion and roll up each gently.
• For the tempering, heat the 3 tsp of oil in a small non stick pan add mustard seeds, when the seeds crackle, add asafoetida, sesame seeds, curry leaves and finely chopped green chilies.
• Saute in a medium flame for few seconds.
• Pour the tempering over Khandvis.
• Garnish with coriander and grated coconut.