Banana Walnut Bread

When I tried it first time, it was white may be cause I didn't wait for bananas to turn black. It was little moist too, as if in need of more baking but the toothpick came out clean. But this time it was purrrrrfact & brown ;) except that it took little extra baking time :)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Maida
3 Ripe Bananas
1/2 cup Walnuts
2 tbsp raisins
3/4 cup Sugar
2 1/2 tsp Butter
2 tsp Curd/Yogurt
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

Method
Pre Heat oven to 180˚C.
Sieve together flour, salt, baking powder & soda. Keep aside.
Mash the bananas, add sugar, yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon and mix well.
Now add butter and beat till incorporated.
Add flour & milk alternately along with walnuts & raisins and fold.
Pour this batter in a greased bread tin and bake for about 60 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted comes out dry (give it time to get brown).
Delicious Banana Walnut Bread is ready.

Tips
*Original recipe had 1 cup sugar but I like it less sweet so removed 1/4 cup.
*Always add nuts along with flour, they won't sink to the bottom.
*Always FOLD when adding flour & milk, never BEAT.
*Don't purée the bananas in mixer, mash them with spoon.
*My oven took 1 hr 30 mins to bake this bread (I have no idea why it had that attitude towards such a lovely bread!!!).
*If you use brown sugar instead of white, colour of bread will be awesome ;) OR
*Sprinkling 2 tbsp brown sugar on the top before putting in oven will give beautiful brown color and crunch to the bread.

Parwal Ki Mithai

The sweet made with Parwal (Pointed Gourd) is very delicious in taste and commonly made in North India during festivals and marriages.This recipe is one of the winners in an online Holi Special contest for March 2013.
 
Ingredients
500 gm (14-15)Parwal
200 gm (1 cup) Sugar
1 cup water

For Filling
250 gms (1 1/2 cup) Khoya
50 gms (powdered) Sugar
30-35 Almonds
1 tbsp Pistachios
8 (peel and grind) Cardamom

Method
For Parwal
Buy fresh, good quality parwal from the market. Wash and peel them. Now cut the parwal from the centre lengthwise and Take out the seeds carefully, so that the shape is not affected.

Take a vessel and heat some water in it. Once the water starts to boil put the parwal into it . Let the water boil again and then boil the parwal for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the flame and cover the vessel with a lid. Leave it for half an hour. Now strain the water from the parwal and put them on a strainer or on a plate. Tilt the plate so that the entire water drips down.

Take another vessel and put sugar and water (1 cup-200 gms) in it. Let the mixture boil to make a syrup (chashni). Make a one string syrup, which is not very thick and do no settles down instantly. Put all the parwal into this syrup and boil until their colour changes. You will experience a beautiful change in the colour. Flip the side of the parwal while boiling it. Turn off the flame, cover the vessel and leave it for 1 hour in the syrup. Let them get sweet.

For Filling
Put khoya in a pan and roast it on a medium flame till it turns light pink in colour. Let it cool down. Grind almonds in the grinder and cut pistachios in long pieces. Add ground almonds, cardamom and sugar into the roasted khoya. The filling to stuff the parwal is ready.

How To Proceed
Take out the parwal from the syrup and put them on a plate. Tilt the plate so that any excess syrup drip off from the parwal.

Now stuff each parwal with the filling and Press the filling with light hands so it settles down inside the parwal. Put pistachios to decorate.
Prepare all the sweet in the same manner.

Tips
You can consume this sweet for over a week when stored in the refrigerator.

Lauki Barfi & Ladoo

Lauki (Dudhi / Ghiya /Bottle gourd) halwa or barfi is a different & a very delicious dessert. The more popular use of Lauki is as a vegetable – whether in a curry or when added to dal. Here I am giving out a simple recipe WITHOUT GHEE.

Ingredients
2 cups grated lauki
1/2 cup sugar (adjust according to taste)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
4 tbsp milk
Few roasted cashew nuts
1 tbsp desiccated coconut powder
1/2 tsp ghee (to grease)

Method
Grease a dish with ghee & keep aside.
Peel & grate lauki.
Pressure cook lauki, milk & sugar for 3 whistles.
Open & dry on slow flame, stirring in between.
When almost dry, add cardamom powder & mix.
Pour in greased dish, sprinkle coconut powder & garnish with cashews.
Cool & refrigerate for an hour.
Cut pieces & enjoy :)

Tips
Use fresh lauki as far as possible.
After grating don't wait as the lauki will start turning black.
You can mix 1 or 2 drops of green color along with cardamom, but personally I avoid adding colour.
You can either set it as barfi or just eat as halwa.
You can add ghee in this while cooking but I made it without ghee & I can assure you that you won't miss that in it :)

My Dill Salad

I am so in love with smell of Dill that's why I thought of adding this one. An easy to prepare and nutritious salad at anytime of the day.

Ingredients
8 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
8 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3/4 tsp grated lemon peel

2 cucumbers
2 boiled potatoes
2 tomatoes

Method
Mix the first six ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl.
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Cube cucumbers, tomatoes & potatoes.
Add this to the marinade.
Toss well to combine flavours.
Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, stirring a few times to makes sure everything is equally marinated.

Tips
You can adjust sugar, salt, vinegar and pepper according to your taste.
Can use any vinegar.