Egg Stuffed Khara Bun

Whenever I would pass through a patisserie ,it would often remind me of you so very Indian bakeries selling khara buns, vegetable patties, sweet buns, khara twists and the mava cakes. 

For a very long time , I was craving for a khara bun, not where you would slice into halves and apply a spread or some desi masala. So I decided to stuff the buns and then bake it.It was worth the effort!



Egg Stuffed Khara Buns

Ingredients:

For the Buns:

Maida/All purpose flour - 2 cups
Yeast - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Olive Oil - 4 tbsp

For the filling:

Eggs(Boiled)- 2
Tomato-1
Onion(finely chopped)- 1
Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilly Powder-1 tsp
Jeera Powder-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tsp


Method:

Preparing the yeast:

1.Heat 5 tsp of water to lukewarm temperature. Dissolve the sugar and add yeast. Mix and cover with a lid for 5 minutes, until it foams up.Yeast feeds on sugar.
*If the yeast has not foamed up, that means the yeast is dead and you need to start with a fresh pack.
*Another reason, might be the water was too hot to kill the yeast.
*Also, too much of salt kills the yeast.

Preparing the Dough for the buns:

2.In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, salt, olive oil. After the yeast has been activated, mix along with the flour and make a soft dough using enough milk.
3.On a clean kitchen counter, place the dough, knead for 10 minutes using the heal of your hand.
4.Transfer the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Rest it for 1 hour. This is known as the 'first rise'.
5.After 1 hour, the dough would have doubled in size.
6.Punch back the dough.
7.Transfer the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Rest it for another one hour. This is the 'second rise'.
8.After this, the dough would have again doubled in size.

Preparing the egg filling:

10.In a wok/kadai,heat 4 tsp of oil.Add the chopped onion and tomatoes,saute for 10 minutes.
11.Add the red chilly powder,coriander powder,jeera powder,salt and saute for 5 minutes on a medium flame.
12.Once the water has evaporated,slice the boiled eggs into two halves and combine well.
13.Allow the mixture to come to room temperature.

Assembling the Buns and Egg Masala:

14.Divide the dough into equal sized balls.
15.Roll each of the balls into medium sized round shaped discs with help of your hand,as shown in the picture below.

16.Now take the filling along with one half of the boiled egg and place on the disc(as shown in the picture below).Envelop from all ends and seal from all sides.

17.Assemble all the above on a greased baking tray and let it rest for another 1 hour.

18.Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade for 10 minutes.If you have a fan oven, reduce the temperature by 20 degrees centigrade. 


18.Brush the top surface with milk or egg-wash and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees centigrade.Once you remove them from the oven,brush with butter for a shiny look.

19.Allow it to come to room temperature and when you dig in,it will bring you all the fond memories of  the Indian bakeries selling these.

If you stop by,please do to leave a comment.

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Veg Calzone

Calzone is half moon shaped folded pizza made with bread dough,one of the famous Italian Street food.This can be had on the go and is a very convenient snack for travel.

All that goes in as a topping for pizza can be used as a stuffing.Typically it would be tomatoes,olives,mozzarella cheese,mushrooms,bell peppers and the lists goes on.What I tried, was my take on a healthy version of a calzone with potatoes and green peas.

Veg Calzone

Ingredients:

For outer cover:

Maida/All purpose flour - 2 cups
Yeast - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Olive Oil - 4 tbsp

For the filling:

Potatoes(Boiled and Mashed)- 2
Tomato-1
Onion(finely chopped)- 1
Green Peas(Boiled)-1/4 cup
Red Chilly Powder-1 tsp
Jeera Powder-1 tsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tsp

Method:

Preparing the yeast:

1.Heat 5 tsp of water to lukewarm temperature. Dissolve the sugar and add yeast. Mix and cover with a lid for 5 minutes, until it foams up.Yeast feeds on sugar.
*If the yeast has not foamed up, that means the yeast is dead and you need to start with a fresh pack.
*Another reason, might be the water was too hot to kill the yeast.
*Also, too much of salt kills the yeast.

Preparing the Dough:

2.In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, salt, olive oil. After the yeast has been activated, mix along with the flour and make a soft dough using enough milk.
3.On a clean kitchen counter, place the dough, knead for 10 minutes using the heal of your hand.
4.Transfer the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Rest it for 1 hour. This is known as the 'first rise'.
5.After 1 hour, the dough would have doubled in size.
6.Punch back the dough.
7.Transfer the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Rest it for another one hour. This is the 'second rise'.
8.After this, the dough would have again doubled in size.
Preparing the filling:

10.In a wok/kadai,heat 4 tsp of oil.Add the chopped onion and tomatoes,saute for 10 minutes.
11.Add the red chilly powder,jeera powder,salt and boiled peas and cook further for 5 minutes.
12.Now add the boiled and mashed potatoes and cook further on a low flame for another 5 minutes.
13.Allow the mixture to come to room temperature.

Assembling the Calzone:

14.Divide the dough into equal sized balls.
15.Roll each of the balls into medium sized round shaped discs.
16.Now take the filling and place on one half of the disc(as shown in the picture below).Press and seal the edges properly to form a semi-circle.

17.Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade for 10 minutes.If you have a fan oven, reduce the temperature by 20 degrees centigrade.

18.Brush the top surface with milk or egg-wash and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees centigrade.Once you remove them from the oven,brush with butter for a shiny look.

19.Serve hot....Best tea time snack ever.... 

If you stop by,please do to leave a comment.

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Sabudana/Sago Murruku

One of the crunchiest chaklis I have made till date.Super easy and perfect with a cup of hot tea...

Sabudana Chakli

Ingredients:

Sabudana/Sago/Javarissi- 1 cup
Rice Flour- 4 cups
Buttermilk-1 cup
Sesame Seeds- 2 tbsp
Melted Butter-1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1.Soak sago/sabudana in one cup of sour buttermilk overnight.
2.Grind to a smooth paste with no lumps in a mixer.Add few tablespoons of water if necessary.
3.In a bowl, combine the sago paste, rice flour,salt,melted butter,sesame seeds and mix well to form a very soft dough.The dough should have a consistancy which you can press thru a chakli maker.
4.Coat your palm with oil to make equal medium sized balls, as the mixture would be too sticky.
5.Heat enough vegetable oil in a kadai/wok and press thru a chakli maker using the plate having bigger holes than the plate used for ompudi.Always cook on medium heat.
6.Store in a air tight container.

Ideal for evening snacks.
   

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Vegetable Koftas

Koftas are deep-fried vegetable dumplings dunked in a rich gravy ,commonly had with naan or chappati.The most famous ones are the Lauki Koftas,but I thought why not include vegetables !

This delectable dish is worth a try for parties or pot-lucks.



Paneer Stuffed Vegetable Koftas

 

Vegetable Koftas in Gravy

 

Ingredients:

Onion- 2 medium
Tomato- 3 medium
Potato(Boiled)- 4 medium
Carrot(Grated)- 1 cup
Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
Coriander Powder- 2 tsp
Jeera Powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Paneer(Cottage Cheese)- 1/4 cup
Cashew-10 whole ones
Almonds(blanched)-5
Milk- 1/4 cup or less
Besan(Chickpea Flour)-1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Method:

For Koftas-
1.Mash the boiled potatoes,and combine with grated carrot,salt and coriander leaves.
2.Roast the besan flour in a pan till golden brown and an aroma comes.
3.Combine the potatoes and besan to make equal sized balls.
4.Make equal number of paneer balls and envelop paneer inside the potato mixture.
5.Refrigerate for one hour.
6.Deep fry the balls in vegetable/canola oil till golden brown.

For Gravy-
1.In 1 tsp of oil fry the onions and tomatoes till the onions are golden brown.
2.Cool and grind in a mixer to get a smooth paste along with cashew and blanched almonds.
3.In 2 tbsp of oil, transfer the paste and cook for 2 minutes.
4.Now add the chilly powder,coriander powder,jeera powder and cook for another 10 minutes.
5.Season with salt and garam masala.

6.Now dunk the kofta balls in the gravy and add 1/4 cup of milk and mix.Kindly note, after this the gravy should not be cooked further.
7.Garnish with green coriander leaves and a pinch of garam masala.

Goes amazingly well with roti/chappati/nan.Best had when hot. 

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Paneer Stuffed Corn Tikki/Cutlet/Patty

A must have evening tea-time snack,very mildly spiced but so full of flavours.

Ingredients:

Potato(Boiled)- 4 medium
Carrot(Grated)- 1 cup
Sweet Corn Kernels(Boiled)- 1 cup
Amchur Powder(Dry mango Powder)- 1 tsp
Lemon juice of half a lemon
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Paneer(Cottage Cheese)- 1/4 cup
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1.Mash the boiled potatoes,and combine corn kernels,grated carrot,amchur powder,salt ,garam masala and lemon juice.
2.In another container,combine the panner and tomato ketchup.
3.Make equal sized balls of the potato mixture and equally divide the panner mixture.
4.Flatten the potato mixture to form a patty and keep the panner in the center and fold from all sides.The potato patty should envelop the paneer.(See pic 2)
5.Coat the same with bread crumbs.
6.Heat a tablespoon of oil and place the cutlet and shallow fry for five minutes on each side until both the sides are equally cooked.

P.S: Best when had hot with mint chutney :-D

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Kuzhipaniyaram

Kuzhipaniyaram(Salt/Kaaram)


This is a breakfast meal which is quite different from the basic idly/dosa which Southindians have.
Just a break from the normal breakfast menu.

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter- 2cups
Grated carrot-4 tbsp
Steamed Beans(Chopped Finely)-4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Grated Coconut-2 tbsp
Green Chilly(Chopped Finely)- 1

Method:

1.Mix all the ingredients together and rest for half an hour.
2.Heat the Kuzhipaniyaram Chatti for a minute.
3.Drop two drops of oil in each kuzhi.With a spoon drop ,1 1/2 spoonful of batter.
4.Reduce the flame and cook for 15 minutes.
5.Now turn each cooked paniyaram with the help of the fork.
6.Cook on low flame for another 10 minutes.Both the sides should be equally cooked.
7.Serve hot with coconut chutney/tomato chutney.

Sweet Kuzhipaniyaram(Stuffed)

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter- 2cups
Jaggery -100 gms
Grated Coconut-2 tbsp
Cashew(split)-10 to 15

Method:

1.Dissolve the jaggery in hot water until it completely dissolves.Now add this to the dosa batter along with a pinch of cardamom powder,grated coconut.
2.Heat the Kuzhipaniyaram Chatti for a minute.
3.Drop two drops of oil in each kuzhi.With a spoon drop ,1 spoonful of batter.Put one split cashew and then add another half spoonful of batter.
4.Reduce the flame and cook for 15 minutes.
5.Now turn each cooked paniyaram with the help of the fork.
6.Cook on low flame for another 10 minutes.Both the sides should be equally cooked.
7.Tastes excellent with honey.

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Chickpea Chakli/Channa Murukku

This is a very tasty deep-fried snack which my mom had tried.Its really so yumm...as they say anything thats fried is delicious...Here you go.

Chickpea Chakli/Channa Muruku

Ingredients:

Kabuli Channa(White)- 1 cup
Rice Flour- 2 cups
Seasame Seeds- 1 Tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tbsp
Aseofeotida - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter/Clarified Butter (Ghee) - 3 Tbsp

Method:

Soak the channa overnight, and pressure cook till very soft.Beat the cooked chickpea in a mixer into a fine paste.Combine the rice flour,sesame seeds,cumin seeds,aserfeotida,salt, butter/ghee and the cooked channa paste.Combine and knead with little water to form a soft dough.
Now take the chakli mould/achi.Heat oil in a kadai.Place enough dough in the mould and press into the oil .Cook on medim heat.Keep frying the same till it reaches a browish color.Store in air-tight container.

Will last a week, but am sure it will be all over before that. :-)

 

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