Scones

A scone is a single-serving cake or quick bread. They are usually made of wheat, barley or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent, and are baked on sheet pans. They are often lightly sweetened and are occasionally glazed.

They are a part of the English high tea.

‎ Ingredients:

Wheat flour or maida   - 250 gm (for 12 scones)

Baking powder - 1½ tsps

Salt a pinch, but not needed if you are using salted butter

Butter   - 20 gm, cut into small pieces

Powdered sugar (optional)        - 2 tsps

Milk     - 75 ml

Water   - 50 ml

Extra milk for brushing

Method:

-         Preheat the oven to 220 degrees

-         Sieve the flour with baking powder

-         Rub the butter into the flour

-         Blend in milk and water and lightly knead

-         Spread it out to 2 cm thickness

-         Cut into small rounds

-         Arrange them on a lightly greased tray and brush their tops with the extra milk

-         Bake at 220 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Scones need to be baked at a very high temperature - the hottest part of your oven will give the best results.

-         To test whether they are done, tap the center of scones firmly with fingertips, they should sound hollow and look evenly browned.

-         Turn the scones onto a wire rack to cool. They remain crispy like this

-          If you want scones to be soft, wrap them immediately in a clean towel.

-         Serve them with jam and cream.

Rajma (Kidney beans) curry

Kidney beans offer outstanding benefits for brain. It contains high amount of vitamin K which provides essential nutrition for both brain and nervous system. Kidney beans are also a good source of vitamin B, which is essential for brain cells. It nourishes the brain nerves and cells which prevents age related disease like Alzheimer's.

Ingredients:

Rajma              - 1 cup soaked for 12 hours

Water   - 3 cups

Bay leaf            - 1

Big black cardamom     - 2

Coriander leaves to garnish

Onion               - 1 large

Tomatoes         - 2 medium sized

Garlic               - 5,6 flakes

Ginger              - 1 inch piece

Oil                    - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder          - ½ tsp

Red chilli powder          - ½ tsp

Coriander powder        - 1 tsp

Dried mango powder    - ½ tsp

Garam masala powder  - ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

-         Pressure cook the soaked rajma with salt, bay leaf and black cardamoms for 15 minutes. Cool and open

-         Meanwhile, grind the onion and tomatoes

-         Crush the garlic and ginger

-         Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add the crushed ginger garlic. When it browns, add the onion tomato paste. While the rajma is being cooked, do this.

-         Let the onion tomato paste cook on low fire, till it thickens and starts separating from the sides of the pan.

-         Add all the masala powders, stir well and add the cooked rajama and let it simmer for about ten minutes

-         Garnish with cut coriander leaves,

-         Goes with chapattis, but rajma and steamed rice is an awesome combination.

Stuffed Ridge gourd

Ridge gourd contains good content of cellulose and high in water content that helps to relieve from constipation and healing piles.It is extremely rich in dietary fiber and enriched with all the vital elements that include Vit-C, Zinc, Iron, Riboflavin, Magnesium, Thiamin and traces of another minerals.

It is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and contains insulin like Peptides and Alkaloids that helps to reduce the sugar levels in both the blood and urine. It is high in Beta-carotene which is good for enhancing eye sight.

Ridge gourd acts effective in purifying blood. It boosts up and nourishes the liver health and protects the liver from alcohol intoxication. Ridge gourd juice is used to heal jaundice and to strengthen your immune system against any infection.

It is good for skin care, as the blood purifying qualities in it ensures you to stay clear from pimples and acne. Ridge gourd helps to manage acidity as well as ulcers.

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd      - 8 lightly scrape off the ridges, slit partially and cut into two

Oil        - 2 tbsps

For stuffing:

Aniseeds          - ½ tbsp

Turmeric powder          - 1tsp

Red chilli powder          - 1 tsp

Coriander powder        - 2 tsp

Garam masala powder  - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

-         Mix all the powders and salt and fill them into the slit ridge gourd.

-         Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add the stuffed ridge gourds.

-         Cook them covered, on medium flame, stirring in between.

-         Remove from fire when done

Poha

This is a very quick and delicious breakfast item. It is made with beaten rice (rice flakes or flattened rice), which needs to be washed and kept for at least ten minutes (preferably half an hour) before making the dish. Three types of beaten rice are available and the soaking varies with each one.

This is the thinnest variety and you have to put it over a sieve, and let the water run over it. Shake off excess water and let it stand for ten minutes.

The medium variety needs to be washed once, then drain excess water and let It soak and swell up.

The thicker variety should be washed, then leave some water, just above the beaten rice and let it stand to absorb the water and swell up.

Ingredients:

Beaten rice       - two fistfuls for two people, soaked for at least ten minutes.

Onion   - I small cut fine

Green chilli       - 1 cut small

Curry leaves     - a few

Tomato (optional)         - 1 small cut fine

Oil        - 2 tbsps

Mustard seeds  - ½ tsp

Roasted ground nuts – 2 tbsps (you may peel them too)

Turmeric powder          - ½ tsp

Garam masala powder  - ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar   - 2 tsps

Green peas cooked (optional)   - 1 tbsp

Coconut scrapings (optional)     - 2 tbsps

Lemon  - 1/2

Method:

-         Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the cut onion, green chilli and curry leaves.

-         When the onions turn transparent, add the roasted ground nuts and stir a little.

-         Add the soaked beaten rice, to which the turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and sugar are added.

-         Add the cooked green peas, stir well for about a minute, remove from the fire.

-         Squeeze the lemon over it and mix well

-         Garnish with the coconut scrapings while serving.

Brinjal Potato quick sabzi

The nutritious eggplant, also called brinjal or aubergine, belongs to the nightshade family of fruits and vegetables that includes potatoes, peppers and tomatoes.

They are highly beneficial for regulation of blood sugar levels and also to control the absorption of glucose, making them a good option for people suffering from type 2 diabetes. The cholesterol levels are brought down to a great extent by the brinjal, which helps to stabilize the level of blood pressure.

Brinjal contains phytonutrients which keep the cell membranes protected from any kind of damage and facilitates the message transfer from one part to another, thus preserving the memory function.

Ingredients:

Brinjals             - 4 medium size, cut lengthwise

Potato              - 2 medim size, peeled and cut lengthwise

Oil                    - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds  - ½ tsp

Udad dal          - ½ tsp

Garlic flakes     - 4,5

Whole Red chilli           - 2 break into 1 cm pieces

Curry leaves     - a few

Turmeric power            - ½ tsp

Red Chilli powder                     - ½ tsp

Coriander powder        - 1 tsp

Garam masala               - ½ tsp

Salt  to taste

Water               - 3 tbsps

Method:

-         Heat the oil in  thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds

-         When the seeds splutter, add udad dal and stir till they brown lightly

-         Add red chilli pieces, crushed garlic and curry leaves.

-         Add the cut brinjals and potatoes.

-         Stir and when they soften a bit, add all the masala powders, salt and mix well

-         Add the water, cover and cook for about ten minutes. Check in between and add more water if required.

It is a good accompaniment for rice or chapatti. I found it good as a filling for rolled chapattis for packed lunch.

Coconut biscuits

Here is an item which is very easy and fast to make and is an excellent accompaniment for tea or coffee.

Ingredients:

-  Maida (Refined flour) - 200 grams (1 cup). Makes 20 biscuits

-  Baking powder - 1 tsp

-  Grated Coconut - 1 cup

-  Ghee - 1/2 cup (100 grams)

-  Powdered Sugar - a little more than 1/2 cup (125 grams powdered)

-  Vanilla essence - ¾ tsp

-  Raisins – 1 tbsp

Method:

- Sieve the maida with the baking powder

- Take the ghee in a vessel, add the powdered sugar and mix well.

- Put flour in the ghee-sugar mixture and mix well, without any lumps.

- Add the coconut, vanilla essence and raisins to this mixture and knead to make dough.

- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

- Grease baking tray with Ghee.

- Take small portions of the dough, roll it between the palms into a ball, flatten it and place it on the tray.

- Place the biscuits away from one another as they double in size during baking.

- Place the tray with biscuits in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes

- When they are baked, take them out from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.

- They may look very soft after baking, but after cooling, they become very crispy.

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3 Sept 2015  Today I wanted to bake more healthy biscuits. Instead of refined flour I took 3/4 glass wheat flour and 1/4 glass oats lightly powdered, and two tablespoons of whole oats. This time I added cinnamon powder 1/4 tsp and  pinch of nutmeg powder in place of vanilla essence. Here's the result: