Naan Khatai

Nan khatai is an Indian version of western cookies & are loved by one and all.These light and crispy biscuit are perfect to serve with tea or coffee.

Ingredients (makes about 24)
3/4 cup plain flour or maida
1/4 cup wheat flour
2 tbsp fine sooji or semolina
2 tbsp gram flour or besan
1/4 tsp baking soda
5 green cardamom seed coarsely powder (elaichi)
3/4 cup pure ghee (can take 2 tbsp less)
3/4 cup sugar powder (can take up-to 1 cup according to taste)
1 tbsp crushed or sliced almond
1 tbsp crushed or sliced pistachio

Method
Pre heat the oven to 180 C
In a bowl, mix the plain flour, gram flour, sooji, baking soda, cardamom powder & sugar.
Add the melted (not hot) ghee & knead them together to make smooth dough.
Divide the dough into about 24 equal parts & make them into balls.
Press each ball between your palms lightly; every piece should be about 3/4″ in thickness.
With a sharp knife softly draw a cross design on the top & put few pieces of almonds & pistachios and press them into the dough gently.
Put Nan khatai on a lightly greased cookie sheet bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until Nan khatai are lightly gold brown.
Let the Nan Khatais cool down for two to three minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.
Cool completely & store in air tight container.

Tips
* Original recipe had only plain flour, you can make it with half plain flour & half wheat flour.
* Softened Butter can be used instead of melted ghee.
* Amount of sugar depends upon individual taste.
* Cardamom seeds can be powdered along with sugar.

Ahoi Ashtami Recipe

This fast is observed by mother for her child's long & good life. As per a belief, this day is considered as the beginning of Diwali. The mothers observing this fast, wake up early in the morning a keep water in a utensil made of mud (Kora Karawa). They worship Goddess Ahoi, made on wall with wheatish color. Khingri & Meethi poories are the two things that are prepared on this day. Mothers fast for the whole day & story of Goddess Ahoi is told to kids. In the evening, stars are offered the pure water stored in Karawa, ending the fast.


Khingri
200 gm maida
Water to make dough
Oil for frying

Make a semi soft dough using water, make puries & make slits & deep fry.
These can be eaten just plain with little salt or as chat-

5 khingris
1 cup thick curd
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 boiled & chopped potato
Coriander or imli chutney (can use both too)

Mix together curds, jeera powder, chilli powder, salt & potato.
Arrange khingris on a dish & pour this mixture over them.
Sprinkle little extra jeera powder.
Pour chutneys on top & serve immediately.
Prepare this just before serving time as it becomes soggy if kept long.


Meethi Poori
1/2 kg aata (3 cups)
100 gm ghee
4 tbsp saunf

200 gm sugar
Mixed in water required for dough

Add sugar in water & heat for sometime to dissolve it. Cool it.
Rub ghee in aata ,add sauf.
Make a stiff dough using sugar water.
Make puries & make slits & deep fry in medium hot ghee.
These can be kept without refrigeration for upto 15 days.

Apple Sauce

Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and a variety of spices (commonly cinnamon and allspice). Flavorings or sweeteners such as sugar or honey are also commonly added. Apple sauce is an inexpensive and readily available food. Here is the simple recipe for home made apple sauce.

Ingredients 

3 Apples, peeled, chopped & cored

About 1 cup Water

2 tsp lemon juice 

4 tsp sugar (optional)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Method

Place the apples in a pan & pour water.

Bring to a boil; then, cover & reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Use a potato masher to mash the apples to your desired consistency.

Add the lemon juice and any sugar or cinnamon that you wish to include.

Tips 

* Can be served as a dessert or used as spread. 

* Apple juice can be used in place of water.

* Taste and then add sugar & if apples are sweet then you can avoid sugar altogether. 

* You can make this and deep freeze for later use.

* It has been suggested that it can substitute for fat (e.g. butter/oil) in baking.

* Read on Wikipedia, that since it is high in pectin apple sauce is a homemade remedy to combat diarrhea.

* Use more than one apple variety, & avoid sour apples like Granny Smith to get the best flavour.

Apple Pie Cake

I love apple & cinnamon combo....& when you bake it...your home smells soooooooo yummy ;) .....  Here is the recipe of a very simple cake with Apples.

Ingredients 

For Cake

1 1/4 cups Flour (OR 1/4 cup whole wheat + 1 cup plane flour)

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 cup Olive Oil, or 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened

1/4 cup Soymilk + 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (or lemon juice)

1 tbsp Cornflour mixed with 1/2 Cup Water

1 tsp Vanilla Essence 

1/2 tbsp Sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, for topping.

For Apple Pie Filling

3 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup regular sugar

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp cornflour 

Method

For Apple Pie Filling

In a saucepan, place the apples, sugars, lime juice, cinnamon powder & cook on medium heat until the apples are cooked through.

Once the apples are cooked, mix the cornflour with the water to form a paste & add this paste into the apple mixture. 

Cook on low heat until the liquids thicken & form a smooth mixture. 

Keep aside to cool.

For Cake

Preheat oven to 180º C.

Combine all the dry ingredients of the cake & mix well. 

Add all of the liquid ingredients & fold the batter until just combined. 

The batter should be thick & nearly dough-like, as this will prevent the filling from sinking to the bottom of the pan.

How to Proceed

Spread 1/2 of the batter in the bottom of a greased baking dish.

Add apple pie filling evenly over the top.

Spoon the rest of the batter over the top.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Be sure not to under bake. 

Cover the cake with aluminum foil for the last 20-30 minutes to prevent over-browning.

Remove cake from oven and let cool before serving. 

It’s just as good or better the next day.

Tips

* If you are in a hurry, you can use ready made apple pie filling instead of making it fresh.

* You can make the apple pie filling a day before & refrigerate it.

* You can also use normal milk or water instead of the soy milk.

* If using salted butter then avoid adding pinch of salt.

* You can spoon the second layer of batter in clumps, leaving some of the apple filling showing through. (Batter is thick so sometimes it's not easy to spread it evenly).

* This cake really taste better when served warm with vanilla ice-cream.

* Sprinkling sugar & cinnamon gives a beautiful finish to the top so don't forget to do it before baking.