Bakar Bhaji

Bakar Bhaji Recipe is a mild spicy, tangy curry made from chunks of pumpkin with the skin on. It goes well with chapati or curd rice. Bakar bhaji is made in Vidarbha (eastern region of Maharashtra) during festivals. So, if you are looking to make something new with Pumpkin, then do give this a try. Grateful to my mother-in law for teaching & sharing this family favorite recipe with me, its one of my favorite now :-) Thanks Aie

Ingredients

1/2 kg Pumpkin , chopped with skin intact

2 tbsp Poppy seeds

2 tbsp charoli (Chironji nuts)

2 tbsp Sesame seeds

1/4 cup freshly grated Coconut

4 tsp cooking Oil 

8 Curry leaves

2 Dry Red Chillies

1/2 tablespoon Methi Seeds

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1 pinch Asafoetida

2 teaspoons Turmeric powder

1-1/2 tablespoons Tamarind Paste

2 teaspoons Red Chilli powder

Salt , to taste

2 tablespoons Maharashtrian Goda Masala

1/2 teaspoon Jaggery

1/2 cup Water

Coriander Leaves , chopped, for garnishing

Method

1. To prepare the bakar bhaji dry roast the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, fresh coconut & charoli all separately. Grind them into a coarse powder in mixer grinder. Keep aside.
2. Wash the pumpkin thoroughly & cut the pumpkin with the skin into chunks of roughly 1 inch cubes. You can use the pumpkin with yellow & green skin, as it is very tasty and fits perfectly for this recipe 
3. In a kadai, heat oil on medium heat and once it is hot enough, add fenugreek seeds. Once they splutter, add mustard seeds, hing & turmeric powder.
4. Add the curry leaves immediately & red chillies. Give it a quick stir and add the chunks of pumpkin.
5. Add the red chilli powder, jaggery, salt, goda masala, powder of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dry coconut & chironji & add the tamarind pulp. Add about 1/2 cup water & give it a quick stir & cover the vessel for the pumpkins to cook, the pumpkins doesn't take much time to cook. 
6. The Bhakar bhaji shouldn't be too watery. garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
7. Bakar bhaji is best served with poori's or plain roti/chappati

Popsicles for Summer's

                                           Strawberry-Watermelon & Mango Popsicle

Orange & Kiwi Popsicles

Shakshuka

Shakshuka- A hearty, easy recipe made with eggs that are gently poached mixture of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions & garlic with a hint of spices and some fresh herbs complete this satisfying one-skillet dish! Goes well with Pita Bread
My twin sister Mini shared this recipe. thank you mini for the recipe

Ingredients

* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1/2 red onion, peeled and diced
* 3 clove garlic, chopped
* 2 bell pepper- chopped (I used half of red and half of yellow)
* 2.5 cups ripe diced tomatoes,
* 2 tbsp tomato paste
* 1 tsp chili flakes
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp paprika
* Salt and pepper- to taste
* 5 eggs
* 1/2 cup baby spinach finely chopped
* 1/4 cup yogurt (whisk well and add 2 tbs water)
Method
1. Heat a large pan on medium. Pour olive oil, Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.
2. Add the diced bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
3. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir until blended. Add spices and stir, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it starts to reduce.
4. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add yogurt and stir well.
5. Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce.
6. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an watch on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning.
7. Some people prefer their shakshuka eggs more runny. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste. Garnish with the chopped spinach.
Tastes best when eaten with pita bread.

You can serve the shakshuka with crumbled feta cheese.

Mango Cheesecake (No Bake)

The simplest & the quickest cheesecake ever! I've used the same recipe of the Oreo CheeseCake which my mil shared with me to make this one ;)
I have 0% artistic skills, please ignore the mango flower on the top, I  had a tough time making it, my hands were literally trembling while making that mango flower.

Ingredients 

1. 1 can of condensed milk tin(375 gms)
2. fresh cream 200 gms
3. 2 tbsp gelatin (3tbsp hot water to dissolve gelatine)
4. 12 marie biscuits
5. 1½ cup fresh mango puree
6. 4 tbsp melted butter, 
7. Paneer made from 1 liter milk, 2 tbsp vinegar to make paneer

Method

1. Bring the milk to boil & add vinegar to make paneer.  If you are using a cheese cloth to make paneer make sure you wash the paneer to remove the sourness from the vinegar. Keep aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
2. To make the crust take marie biscuits & grind them in food processor to make a fine powder. Pour crumbs in a bowl & add melted butter & combine the mix until it looks moist & buttery. Press the mix firmly into the base of a spring form pan or wide glass bowl(you can use baking dish). Leave this in the refrigerator for 10 min.
3. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water and keep aside to cool.
4. In a bowl of the grinder add the paneer, fresh cream, fresh mango puree, gelatin dissolved in water and give it a quick spin to make a smooth paste, this will make the mixture a smooth texture, now add the condense milk to this mixture and mix it properly.
5. Pour this cheesecake mixer over the biscuit crust. Cover the spring form pan with a plate or the wide bowl (baking dish) with a cling film& transfer it back to the refrigerator for 6 hrs or overnight.

Notes

1. I used 2 envelopes of Knox gelatin. 
2. Bakers gelatin which is available in India also works well for the above recipe
3. If you don't have spring form you can use a baking tray to make the cheesecake
4. Follow any YouTube for making the mango flower. Tons of videos available on the net. 
5. Mix the gelatine 2 minutes before you mix all the ingredients, otherwise it will become lumpy and go waste.
6. Use exactly the same recipe to make strawberry cheesecake. Make 1½ cups  strawberry purée.
7. This is the strawberry cheesecake made by my twin sister. Thank you mini for sharing the pictures and this cheesecakes so divine !! ♥️
   
   
   
   

Pita Bread- No Yeast & No Oven

Ingredients 

1. 1½ cup Maida
2. 1½ cup whole wheat flour
3. 1 tsp sugar
4. 1 tsp salt
5. 1 tbsp baking powder
6. 3/4 cup milk or water 
7. 3tbsp vegetable oil/ olive oil 

Method 

1. Mix the flours, sugar, salt baking soda well. Using a shallow bottom plate make a well & add the milk, start making the dough, add water as required. 
2. Make a soft dough, don’t make it very stiff. Grease a bowl with olive oil, and keep the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl with a cling film.
3. Keep this dough aside for 3 hours in a warm place. 
4. After 3 hours the dough will Slightly rise. 
5. To make the pita breads, make small 8 balls and keep then aside. Start rolling the pita bread, make thick chapati & fry it on a skillet, the pita will puff up
6. Store it in a kitchen towel and cover it with the towel to keep the pita bread soft.