CHOCOLATE COOKIE / WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR CHOCOLATE COOKIE

These chocolate cookies are full of chocolate indulgence. Previously I made chocolate chip cookies with chewy and soft texture.

This time I tried making with melted dark chocolate. They taste super yum and have little crunchy and little soft texture. The best thing as always is it's made with whole wheat flour.
Do try and enjoy these tasty and easy to make chocolate cookies.


INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder


1/4 cup melted chocolate (I used Morde dark compound)
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp milk if required

METHOD
1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda.

2. In a separate bowl, beat together sugar and butter till light and creamy. Add melted chocolate to it.

3. Add sifted flour. Mix well.


4. If the dough is too dry and you are not able to make dough add milk and combine. I didn't use milk.

5. Combine everything together.

6. Make balls, flatten it between your palm. Top with some chopped chocolate.

7. Bake in preheated oven at 170�C for 10 minutes.

8. Let it cool completely on rack.

9. Enjoy these whole wheat soft and chewy cookies with a glass of milk.

Pictorial:









1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and soda.











2. Beat together sugar and butter till creamy and light.

3. Add melted chocolate.

4. Add in flour.










5. Mix well.

6. Combine to make a dough.

7. Make balls and flatten them between your palm.

8. Bake at 170�C for 10 minutes.

9. Enjoy with warm glass of milk.

10. Closer look.


















11. Do try!!

CHEESE MALAI KOFTA

Malai kofta is a popular as well as most sought after vegetarian Indian dish in restaurants. malai means cream and kofta are fried dumpling balls.  They are made up of mashed potatoes and paneer. This oval and crispy koftas are generally stuffed with dry-fruits but this time giving it a different touch with cheese filling. This cheese malai kfota makes it favorite among kids. 

You can even try this different version of kofta during together  and parties. 

I make many varieties of koftas like regular malai kofta, spinach paneer kofta, and paneer stuffed kofta. You can find the recipes of these koftas by simply clicking on the respective name.

INGREDIENTS
For kofta:
1 cup boiled and grated potato
1 cup boiled and grated paneer


1/2 cup grated or sliced cubed cheese
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 TSP coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
1 TSP cumin powder (jeera powder)
1/2 tsp dry mango powder (amchur powder)
Salt and red chili to taste

For gravy:
pinch of grated nutmeg (jaiphal)
1 roughly crushed mace (Javitri)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera powder)
1/2 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
8-10 cashews (kaju)
1 tsp coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
1 tsp cumin powder (jeera powder)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi powder)
red chili to taste
1 cup roughly chopped onion
2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
1/2 inch roughly chopped ginger
8-10 finely chopped garlic pods
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup fresh cream
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp roasted and crushed kasuri meethi


METHOD:

FOR KOFTAS:

1. Grate boiled potatoes or mash it. Grate or mash paneer.

2. Add all the ingredients mentioned under Kofta. Mash it well.

3. Using your hands give it Kofta shape. You can make both oval and round shape depending on your preference.

4. Take a dough dough in your palm, spread it flat and keep grated or sliced cheese cube. Cover it by giving round or oval shape. For melting cheese, add grated cheese in filling and for solid cheese put sliced cube.

5. I took out a small amount to check the binding, before frying koftas, drop the little ball to check if it's not breaking, in case, it breaks or slits add 1 more teaspoon of cornflour.

6. Keep it in fridge without covering for 10-15 minutes or till you prepare gravy.

7. Roll the ball in cornflour, dust the excess flour and deep fry in hot flame. Keep in absorbent paper. Add in gravy just before serving.



 FOR GRAVY:
1. Heat some ghee or oil in pan, add grated jaiphal, crushed javitri, 1/2 inch cinnamon stick and jeera. Saute for a minute.

2. Add chopped onions and let it turn brown. When onions are halfway brown add ginger-garlic paste.

3.  Add roughly chopped tomatoes and handful of cashews and tomato sauce. Add little water if tomatoes are not juicy. I didn't add water as tomatoes were too juicy. Cover with lid and let it cook on low flame till cashews and tomatoes are soft and tender and all the water is absorbed.

4. Open the lid once water is absorbed let it come down to room temperature and grind to make a fine paste.

5. Using same pan, add some ghee, add coriander powder, jeera powder and red chili powder. Saute add little water and add puree.

6. Mix well and saute puree for 5-10 minutes. Add around half a cup of water or more if required to get thick flowing consistency. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

7. Add sugar, cream and roasted crushed kasuri meethi. Mix well.

8. Turn off the flame and keep aside and add koftas just before serving.



Pictorial:











1. Grate potato and paneer, add all the ingredients mentioned under kofta. Mix well.













2. Keep it in fridge for 15-20 minutes or till you make gravy.

 









3. Take out from the fridge, take a big scoop of it, roll it flat keeping the center thick and edges little thin.












4. Place grated or sliced cube. 

 









5. Roll it in desired shape.

 









6.  Perfectly done.












7. Roll in cornflour. 












8. Deep fry in hot oil. Make sure oil is hot.

 









8. Soft and brown koftas are ready.












9. Look at this cheesy gooey inside. For melting cheese, add grated cheese in filling and for solid cheese put sliced cube. Keep koftas aside.



FOR GRAVY:











1. In pan, add ghee or oil, drop in cumin seeds, javitri, jaiphal, and dalchini.













2. Add onions and saute till golden in colour.

3. When onions are halfway brown add ginger-garlic paste. Saute till onions are little more brown.

4. Add roughly chopped tomatoes. 

5. Tomato sauce and cashews.

6. Cover with lid and cook till tomatoes and cashews are soft. If required add little water.

7. Water is completely absorbed and cashews and tomatoes are cooked. Let it cool down and turn into fine paste.

8.  Using same pan, add some more ghee, saute coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric and chili powder.

9. Add 1/4 cup water, cook for a minute.

10. Add puree. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

11. Add sugar.

 12. Cream. I used fresh cream (malai).

13. Some water to get right consistency gravy.












14. Finally add roasted crushed kasuri meethi. Mix well and turn off the flame. Gravy is ready.

15. Just before serving pour hot gravy over kofta.

16. Serve hot!

SUJI DHOKLA / RAVA DHOKLA / SEMOLINA DHOKLA

These days I am in love with Gujrati cuisine. I tried both instant suji handvo and dal handvo.  Both taste awesome. This time I tried dholka with suji, trust me it taste so good.

Many recipes call for plain dhokla but inspired by handvo I added vegetables in it, with vegetables it not only becomes healthy but enhances the taste too. I added only carrot and bottle gourd.

Below I have shared both the ways (with and without vegetables) of making dhokla.

This is a great school lunch box recipe for kids.


INGREDIENTS
1 cup suji / Rawa / Semolina
3/4 cup curd
1 to 3/4 cup warm water (or as required to make batter)
3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda or eno
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

If making with vegetables
1 medium sized grated carrot
1/4 cup grated bottle gourd (optional)
finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

For Tadka

1 tsp ghee or oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black sesame seeds (optional)
few curry leaves


METHOD
1. Mix together curd and suji. Add salt, sugar and ginger garlic paste. If using vegetables add grated carrot, bottle gourd and coriander leaves. Mix well, cover and keep aside for 15-30 minutes.

2. Add warm water little by little to make thick but flowing consistency batter.

3. Grease the plate or bowl in which you are planning to steam.

4. Pour the batter steam for just 15 minutes. Check after 15 minutes, if knife comes out to be clean remove from fire.

5. Let it cool down, de-mould.

6. Prepare tadka by spluttering mustard seeds in ghee or oil, add curry leaves

7. Add over prepared dokhla.

8. Slice and pack in kids school lunch box.

NOTES:
1. Quantity of water depends on the thickness of the curd and quality of semolina. Hence, it's advised to add water little by little to get the right consistency batter. 

2. Adding vegetables is completely optional but I always like to add one.

3. You can skip bottle gourd and garlic.

4. While steaming if you cover the lid with muslin cloth on the lower part, water droplets formed will not drop on dhokla. 

5. If you have some leftover dhokla and want to consume later, add 2-3 tbsp of water in non-stick pan, cover and warm on low flame, this will make the dhokla moist and fresh. You can use same step if your dhokla becomes too dry.

6. Over cooking will lead to dry dhokla. In case it becomes dry follow step 5.

Pictorial: 











1. Mix together suji and curd.












2. Mix well.












3. Cover and keep aside for 15-30 minutes.












4. After 15 minutes, add warm water.

 









5. This is the consistency required. Thick but flowing.












6. Add soda just before pouring the batter in mould.


Pictures of vegetable dhokla:










1. Mix curd, semolina, grated vegetables, chopped coriander and ginger-garlic paste.

2. Mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

3. Add warm water to get right consistency. Add soda. Mix well.

4. Pour the batter in bowl.

5. Cover the steamer or kadai with muslin cloth.

6. Make sure to lift the cloth from all the sides to avoid accident caused by fire.

7. Like this. Steam for only 15 minutes on high flame.

8. De-mould.

9. Prepare tadka.












10. Spread evenly.















11. Glimpse of plain dhokla.

12. My kids love vegetable dhokla. 

13. Closer look!