2 MINUTES CUP CAKE DHOKLA | NO ENO OR FRUIT SALT

Before sharing the recipe, I would like to say something.Dhoka is my "the favorite snack".But I was never successful in making Dhokla ever since I started cooking.Be it home made batter or Store brought batter,My Dhokla making was always a disaster.But some where in my heart, I was not ready to give up on this recipe.

So I decided to try this recipe for the first time.I was not sure it it was going to be a success or not.It was all experimental.But still decided to click the step by step photos.Because my inner voice was telling me that I was going to succeed today.And yes!!!! I finally made it.

Another challenge was "Not using ENO or FRUIT SODA" in the recipe.So I decided to go with traditional method of making batter and instant method of baking it in Microwave and new method of making in Silicon Cup Cake Moulds...SO,I would say the method is kind of fusion here and hope that you all will like it.

The Reasons for not adding ENO is :

1. It is a medicine.So I prefer not to use in food as a short cut.Let us allow it serve it's real purpose.And hence I have never been comfortable with using ENO as substitute.I am sure,many of you have that feeling too.Hence I am going to use the ingredient that is meant for Baking.
2. Baking powder is meant for baking so why not use it
3. You do not have to depend on ENO all the time to make Dhokla.Just a little preparation and have your dhokla with proper ingredients.Also,Baking powder helps for better bindng.Dhokla will be fluffy and firm.
4. I could make Pure besan Dhokla and did not have to use ingredients like Rawa or Semolina for binding.Rawa gets soggy and we think that Dhokla is fluffy.But this is not the case.One should be able to see the pores when cut in the middle as you can see in the photo number three below.

I am giving step by step recpe of how I exactly did today.As it does not have ENO in it for instant raising, we would need soaking the batter for 6 hours.But, after that each batch (set of 6 cup cake moulds with batter)  took only 2 minutes to bake in the Microwave (Mine is 1000 Watts).

If you want to make as evening snack, Make the batter in in the morning and keep it aside.You all set for evening.Ekdum Tension Free :D

The steps look lengthy becuse I ahve entered every detail of my experiment here.But it is very easy and hastle free to make.

Serving : I was able to make 16 Dhokla Cakes with the measurements below.

INGREDIENTS :

• BATTER

1. ChickPea Flour or Basan - 1 Cup (Sifing is recommended here )
2. Plain Yogurt  - 1 Cup (Beat the yogurt and microwave for 45 seconds).It becomes to room temperature and gets little sour.
   
3. Sugar - 1 Tbsp
4. Salt for taste
5. Lime juice -  from One whole Lime (Makes around 4 Tbsp of Lime Juice)
   
6. Baking Powder - 1 - 1/2 Tsp (We are going to need it at the end)

• SWEET SYRUP

1. Water - 1 Cup
2. Sugar - 2 to 3 Tbsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Lime Juice - from Half Lime/Lemon

• TEMPERING OR TADKA

1. Oil - 3 Tbsp
2. Mustard and Cumin Seeds - 1 Tbsp each
3. Hing - A Pinch (Optional)
4. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp

• GARNISHING

1. Grated Cocnut  - 1/4 Cup (I have used the fresh one)
2. Finely Chopped cilantro - 1/4 Cup

STEPS : 

• MAKING BATTER

1. In a large bowl Take besan.Add the beaten Yogurt,Salt and Lime juice. (DO NOT add baking Powder at this point).
   
2. Mix everything well, such thatt all the lumps disappear.
3. The batter should not be too runny.The consistency should be like Idli batter or little thicker.
4. If you think you need to add little water.Use the warm water and add spoon by spoon.
   
5. Keep the batter closed for 6 hours (The time was around 10 AM in m clock when I kept the batter in the Oven for soaking and fermentation.I took out the batter at 4 PM to make the Dhokla)

• MAKING DHOKLA

1. Keep Silicone Cup Cake Moulds Ready and greased.Mine did not need greasing though.We are going to keep 6 moulds at a time in the Microwave for 2 minutes.So you can keep ready the next batch of 6 moulds with batter filled in them.
2. Now you will see that the batter is thickend so you will need few sppons of water to loosen it.Again,use the Warm water.
3. Once you get the good consistency of batter,add Baking Powder and start stirring immediately.You will bubbles when you add it.
4. Now start stirring and mixing well.You will see that batter is becoming fluffy and lighter.Let it be that way.Make sure that Baking powder is really mixed well.
   
5. Now Fill each Cup Cake mould until half with the batter as you see in pic.Keep those moulds (6 of them) in the Microwave safe palte and let it bake for 2 minutes on the highest wattage.
   
6. They are ready in 2 minutes.
   
7. Now, again keep the next batch.

• TEMPERING OR TADKA

1. Heat the Oil on medium flame.Add Cumin and Mustard Seeds and let them fry well.We do not wan them to remain raw.Or else,mustard seeds taste bitter.
2. Once they are fried well,put flame off and add Hing and urmeric Powder.
3. Tadka is Ready.

• SWEET SYRUP

1. In a bowl (Big enough such that you can easily dip Dhokla Cup cake) add Water,Salt,Sugar and Lime juice and stir well until sugar and salt are completely dessolved.
   

• SERVING DHOKLA

1. Take Dhokla out of the Silicone Mold
2. Dipping In Sweet Syrup - So instead of pouring this syrup,I did little different.Dip teh Cake in the syrup upside up for few secinds,so that syrup is well absorbed by cake and keep it in the plate. 
3. Sprinkle Cocnut and Cilantro.
4. Now sprinkle little bit of Sweet syrup (Optional)
5. Then add Tadka
6. Cupcake Dhokla is all set to serve to your loved ones :)
   

TIPS : 

• Make sure to check the wattage of your Microwave.Because time needed to bake may varry depending upon power of the Microwave.
• Youcan also garnish with finely chopped Green chillies.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

नाचणी सत्व | रागी सत्व | Ragi Malt |Ragi Satwa |Finger Millet Malt

Ragi is a nutrition rich grain.It is a good source of Calcium and Iron.Also, Ragi is a GLUTEN FREE grain. Ragi Stava is a very famos and regularly used powder for energy boosting.It is mainly given to kids and aged people to stay energised.But it is good for everybody.Also, used to recover from weakness.

Basically it is powder of sprouted Ragi.And it can be used in various ways.
NOTE: Ragi Malt and Ragi flour are NOT THE SAME.

TIME REQUIRED : It takes around 48 to 72 hours including soaking,sprouting and fianlly making the powder.

INGREDIENTS :

1. 1 Cup Ragi grain or Ragi Whole
2. 1 TeaSpoon Ghee or Clarified Butter.
   

STEPS :

• First, make sure that Ragi does not have any impurities like small stones.
• Then soak in the water for 10 to 15 hours.
• Take out all the water.
• Then Take a big plate.Spread the cheese clothe or khadi (Cotton) clothe and transfer the soaked ragi.
• Now tie the clothe and use the ramainig clothe for coveing the ragi.This helps ragi get the warmth needed for sprouting.spinkle little water over all the clothe.
• Keep in a vessel and and keep this vessel and leave it for around 24 hours atleast to get the good sprouts.
  
• You can also keep the vessel in the Oven as there is less chance of reaching the cold.
• After it is sprouted, spread the Ragi srpouts on paper for Drying.make sure you dry it in the shade.That means, do not keep in patio on in the sunlight.Give 5 to 6 hours for drying.
  

• Sprouted Ragi after completely dried in the below photo.
  
• In a Pan, add Ghee or Clarified butter.Keep Heat on madium Flame and transfer the dried Ragi Sprouts to the pan.Start sautéeing slowly.After few minutes you will start to feel the aroma of roasted Ragi.
• Roast it for 15 to 20 minutes or until you see the color has been changed to dark brown.
• Let it cool down.You can spread on the paper again to cool down as seen in the photo below.
  
• Then grind it to the powder.
• This Powder can be used with jaggery or Sugar to make the malt.
  

TIPS : 

• Time taken for Srouting may vary.
• Also, make sure you take the vessel out of Oven before in case you need to start the heat in Oven

CREAM CHEESE व गुळा च्या कारंजा व मोदक | CREAM CHEESE के गुजीयां और मोदक | CREAM CHEESE AND JAGGERY EMPHANADAS AND DUMPLINGS

"MODAK" is sweet dumpling that mainly consists of Coconut and Jaggery as Stuffing.It is fevorite sweet food of 'Ganapati Bapp" or "Lord Ganesh".It is must thing in Ganapati festival.

I have made Modak using Cream Cheese as stuffing instead of Coconut."Karanji or Karanja (Plural) or Gujiya is just another form because the stuffing and dough is the same.Basically,both can be made using any kind stuffing.

Let us learn the Recipe.

INGEDIENTS:

• FOR STUFFING

     1.Cream Cheese - 1/2 Lbs or 400 Grams (Should be refridgerated and not thawed)
     2.JaggeryPowder - 2/3 Cup

• DOUGH

1. 1-1/4 Cup wheat flour
2. Water as needed
3. Salt -Just a Pinch
4. Little Oil.
5. Flour for dusting as needed.
   

• OIL for Frying.

STEPS:

• Keep oil on heat frying on a medium flame.By the time we are ready to fry,the oil will be hot enough.

STUFFING :

• In a large bowl,mix Cream cheese and Jaggery very well.It becomes like dough
• Now make balls of around an inch as shown in photo below.It makes around 16 to 18 balls.
• Keep it back to refridgerate again.
• Take out just when you are ready to stuff them.
  
  

DOUGH:

• Knead the dough with salt and Water as needed. Make sure that dough is neither stiff nor loose.It has to be just soft.
• At end add oil so that all the flour sticking to bowl is included in dough.
• Make the balls such that thye are little bigget than Cream cheese balls.It makes around 16 to 18 balls.
  

MODAK : 

• Roll the dough with rolling pin.Use Flour for dusting to avoid any stickiness.
• The rolled sheet is supposed to be around 4 inches in diameter.Do not rol too thin.Or else,cheese may flow in the oil.
• Keep a ball in the circle and make modak.
  
• Then deep fry until golden brown.You can deep fry more than one modak at a time depending upon how big is your vessel and how much oil you are using
  

KARANJI or GUJIYA

• Roll the dough ball just like we did for modak.
• Keep the cheese ball in any one halves and spread a little bit.
• Now cover it with remaing half of the dough sheet.
• Close the ends realy well.You can also make nice design using fork as shown in the Photo.
  
• Deep Fry and until golden brown.
• Just like Modaks, more than one Karanji can be fried at a time.
  
  
  
  

TIPS:

• Dry fruits can also be added to stuffing.
• Refridgerate them if you are planning to use for several days and reaheat before eating.

CHANA MASALA WITHOUT ONION AND GARLIC | CHHOLE MASALA |

Well,sounds little weird about hearing Chana Masala without Onion and Garlic.Because,Chana Masala is favorated by everyone because of blend of spices it has in it.And Onions and Garlic are two of the spices that are must in Chhole Masala/Chana Masala

But again,it's a good idea to try the recipes with little twist.This version I have prepared considerign Travel,Road Trip, Having Kids and Aged people for Road Trips.Not adding Onions and Garlic makes this gravy last longer.

Lets's learn the recipe.
INGREDIENTS :

1. CHHOLE or CHICK PEAS - 1 Cup
2. Tomato Puree - 2-1/2 Cups. REcipe for Home made Tomato Puree
3. Oil - 3 Tbsp
4. Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
5. Garam Masala - 2 Tbsp
6. Red Chulli POwder - 1/2 Tbsp
7. Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
8. Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp
9. Crushed Fennel Seeds - 1 Tbsp
10. Bay Leaves - 6 to 8
11. Salt for taste
12. Butter - 1 Tbsp
13. Cilantro - 1/2 Cup,Finely chopped

STEP : 

• Soak Chick Peas for 10 to 12 hours.
• Pressure Cook soaked Chick Peas.Usually needs 6 to 8 whistels to get well cooked.Let it cool down.After that,Strain the water from Chhole.
• In a Pan, Add Oil and let it heat on medium flame.
• Once it's hot, add Turmeric Powder,Bay leaves,Garam Masala.Red Chilli Powder,Cumin and Coriander Powder,Fennel Seeds,Salt and start sauteing.
• After all the spices are fried well, add Tomato Puree and let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes with lid closed.
• Now add Boiled Chhole to the Tomato Gravy.Add one cup of water and let everything cook for around 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame.
• After 10 minutes,you will see everythig is blended well.All we need to do is let extra water evaporate from gravy.
• So let it cook without lid until you get the required consistency of gravy.
• Put the flame off and leave the chunk of butter on the grave.
• Just before serving,mix well and garnish with Cilantro.
• Can be served with Poori,Roti,Rice etc.

TIPS:

 This Gravy can bemade and frozen the previous day of travel.Keep as it is in insulated food bag while you are travelling.Make sure that you eat this Chhoel masala as soon as possible in trvel.