Eggless Pasta Dough - 15 mins

Eggless Pasta Dough

This is one of the easiest and simplest recipes to make, since it requires less time and ingredients. Most people prefer to use a pasta machine but this recipe is to those whom a pasta machine isnt available. Yup, it is eggless pasta dough without a machine



Where I learnt it from: Google

Approx prep time: 15mins
Approx cook time: N/A 
Serves: 2 people

Cuisine: Italian 
Part of menu: Not to be served raw 
Hot/Cold: N/A

Ingredients:

• 50g plain flour
• 50g all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Water
• Salt to taste

Major Equipment: None

Preparation:

1. Mix the flours and salt in a bowl
2. Use your fingers and a fork to mix the flours
3. keep adding water gradually to the bowl
4. When you notice that the flour is beginning to become stickier, add the olive oil
5. Remove the dough onto your work space and work it by hand
6. Do not over-stretch or overwork the dough 

Plating Suggestion: Use to cook different types of pasta.

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Three Cheese Bechamel Lasagna - 2 hours

Three Cheese Bechamel Lasagna

Who doesn't like a good lasagna? This one is called a Bechamel Lasagna because of the sauce used in it - Bechamel or white sauce. You can add many veggies to your lasagna but here I am putting it up with just parsley and spinach.




Where I learnt it from: From the internet
Recipe requested by : My friend, Sandeep

Approx prep time: 20 min
Approx cook time: 1.5 hours
Serves: 6 people

Cuisine: Italian
Part of menu: Main Course
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• 6 sheets of lasagna (defrosted). Alternatively you could use home-made pasta dough
• 1.5 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 0.5 cups grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup skim Ricotta Cheese
• 2.5 cups Bechamel sauce
• 100g baby spinach 
• Butter

Major Equipment: 

• Oven

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C
2. Spread flour over your work area to prevent dough from sticking
3. Make the dough into 6 equal sized ping-pong balls
4. Roll them into flat thin sheets. 
5. Use a knife to cut them into equal square shaped sheets
6. <--Start here if you are using store bought lasagna--> 
7. In a bowl, mix the three cheeses, using butter to bind them
8. Add Parsley and spinach in bowl

Cooking: 

1. Grease baking g bowl
2. Add a little of the sauce at the bottom of the tray.
3. Put a sheet of Lasagna and top with sauce and the filling 
4. Keep adding layers of lasagna and filling until 6 sheets of lasagna is used and filling is over.
5. Drizzle remaining sauce over the last sheet, covering it 
6. Bake for approximately 1 hour
7. Remove from oven and serve
8. Garnish with little grated Parmesan

Plating Suggestion: Serve in the baking tray. Let it rest for about 15 minutes after baking. Serve warm

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Bechamel Sauce - 10 min

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel sauce is a traditional Italian Sauce usually made to accompany pasta or serve as a dip. Commonly known as White sauce, the main ingredient in this sauce is Milk. Because of it's white colour and cheesy taste, It is also often called Cheese sauce; although, it can actually be made without cheese as well.




Where I learnt it from: My father
Approx prep time: 5 min
Approx cook time: 5 mins
Serves: 3 cups 

Cuisine: Italian 
Part of menu: Sauce
Hot/Cold:N/A

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• 3 cups milk
• Salt
• Black pepper

Major Equipment : None

Preparation: 

1. Melt the butter in a pot 
2. Add the flour and move to a low flame
3. Keep stiring
4. Gradually add the milk
5. Once the sauce thickens, add the salt and black pepper 

If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to post comments. Enjoy cooking!

Orange Granita - 5 minutes

Orange Granita

It is an very easy dessert and let me warn you, very cold to. It is basically frozen flavored ice. I am going to tell you how to make Orange granita, but to make a different flavor, all you have to do is change the syrup. ;)






Where I learnt it from: Masterchef

Approx prep time: 5 minutes
Approx cook time: 0 min. (Setting time 5 hours)
Serves: 4 people


Cuisine: British
Part of menu: Desert
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• 150 milliliters Orange syrup 
• Orange peel, small pieces (known as orange zest)
• 350 milliliters water

Major Equipment: 

• Setting tray

Preparation:

1. Pour water into setting tray
2. Add syrup and stir with a spoon. Keep adding till a orangish colour is noticed.
3. Add the orange zest and keep in freezer/ blast chiller
4. After 5 hours, remove set granita

Cooking: None

Plating Suggestion: Scrape the ice with a fork. It should produce a small ice crystals. Serve in a bowl cold

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Caramel Custard

Caramel Custard

Caramel Custard is typically a 'Parsi' dish and is like a pudding. They key technique to making this is not burning your caramel or adding warm milk or yogurt to it. That, as most would know, burns the caramel making it taste bitter


Where I learnt it from: Sometime ago, from a recipe book.

Approx prep time: 5-10 min
Approx cook time: 10 - 15 mins
Setting time - 1 hour atleast 
Serves: 1-2 people

Cuisine: Indian
Part of menu: Dessert 
Hot/Cold: Cold

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cup cold milk
• 1/4th cup brown castor sugar (if possible, else use powdered sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Major Equipment: 

• Setting bowl( regular bowl would also do)

Preparation:

1. Start making caramel by adding sugar to a few tablespoons of water in a saucepan. 
2. Reduce the sauce on low heat till it gets an amber-golden colour
3. Once amber, pour the hot caramel into the setting bowl and let it set

Cooking:

1. Mix the milk and custard powder in a vessel and then bring to a boil. 
2. Add the vanilla extract. 
3. After mixing thoroughly, pour the custard into the setting bowl, over the partially set caramel
4. Refrigerate till it sets (about an hour) 

Plating Suggestion: Caramel custard is best served cold, but before doing so, always check the caramel. If it is burnt, it could ruin the taste of the whole dish

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Mushroom Stuffed Potatoes - 20 minutes

Mushroom-Stuffed Potatoes

This is a new thing I am trying, sort of like my version of boiled potatoes. It can be eaten as a starter and main both, but because it isn't very healthy, it is better in smaller quantities







Where I learnt it from: Myself

Approx prep time: 10 minutes
Approx cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Cuisine: Indian
Part of menu: Starter/Entree/Appetizer 
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes, boiled
• about 20 button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup melted cheese
• 1/4 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons flour
• oregano flakes
• salt
• pepper
• oil

Major Equipment: None

Preparation:

1. Cut the boiled potatoes into halves and scoop out most of the potato content(keep it in a separate bowl)  leaving the skin and a thin potato wall
2. Deep fry the potatoes until the skin is crisp

Cooking:

1. Cut the mushrooms into quarters and saute them along with finely chopped onions, garlic and olive oil.
2. Add some Oregano to the mushrooms before getting them off the gas
3. Mix the mushrooms with the potato scooped out in the begining (prep step 1)
4. Add the melted cheese to this mixture making sure that the mixture holds its consistancy
5. After mixing properly, add the mixture to the fried potato skins, filling it graciously. 

Plating Suggestion: You can grate some over it and serve hot. Alternatively, you can drizzle melted butter over it

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Veg Sweet Corn Soup - 20 minutes

Veg Sweet Corn Soup

Sweet corn soup is one of my favourite soups, mainly because of the creaminess and sweetness of it. The recipe below is one of the few that I have come up with completely by myself and tried to guess the ingredients by tasting it at restaurants



Where I learnt it from: Myself

Approx prep time: 5 min
Approx cook time:15 min 
Serves: 4 people

Cuisine: Chinese 
Part of menu: Soup
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Boiled Sweet Corn
• 3 tablespoons cornflour
• 3 cups vegetable stock/water
• 2 cups cream
• 1/2 a carrot
• Few french beans, soaked
• 1/4 cabbage
• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Major Equipment: None

Preparation:

1. Chop the carrots and beans finely
2. Grate the cabbage and add to a non-stick pan
3. Add carrots and saute for about 2-3 mins with oil

Cooking:

1. Add veggies, cream, stock and little corn to a wok and let it rise to a boil
2. Add salt and pepper.
3. Create a thickener by mixing cornflour with water in a 3:2 ratio
4. Use the mixture to attain a thick, soupy consistency. 

Plating Suggestion: Serve in a bowl shown in image. Add Corn kernels on top for garnish

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Maple Syrup - 10 minutes

Maple Syrup

The world's favourite sauce, Maple Syrup is one of the most common dressings for desserts. It is everywhere, on pancakes, waffles,toast and even ice-creams



Where I learnt it from: A website on the net long ago

Approx prep time: 0 mins
Approx cook time: 5 mins
Serves: 5 tablespoons

Cuisine: I guess American (sorry, will be updated soon)
Part of menu: Sauce
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• Water
• 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
• 1 teaspoon Maple essence
• 2 tablespoons Castor Sugar

Major Equipment: None

Cooking:

1. Add Corn starch, Castor Sugar and 1 tablespoon of water to a frying pan on low flame.
2. Remove off heat after 5 mins and add maple essence 

Plating Suggestion: Serve on food of your choice

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Waffle - 15 minutes

Waffle

The perfect American breakfast. It is usually served with a sauce drizzled over it such as Maple Syrup (link coming soon) . As it is made of flour, usually 1 waffle is quite filling by itself. Most professionals make it in a special waffle maker which gives it a criss-cross pattern






Where I learnt it from: A waffle maker near my house

Approx prep time: 0 mins
Approx cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 waffles, depends on size

Cuisine: British/American
Part of menu: Main Course
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• 650 mls milk
• 400 grams self-raising flour
• half a cup butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 50 grams castor sugar
• half teaspoon vanilla essence
• Salt

Major Equipment: 

• Baking Sheet
• Sieve
• Oven

Cooking:

1. Whisk butter and milk in a bowl
2. Add in vanilla essence and keep aside
3. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl
4. Sieve and add sugar
5. Add first mixture to second mixture, gradually to form a batter
6. Add lemon juice and keep stirring
7. Pour batter into circular molds and keep in pre-heated oven at 300 degrees
8. Bake for 10 minutes
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 to make second waffle

Plating Suggestion: Serve hot on a plate. Drizzle sauce of your choice on it. Good combinations could be Maple Syrup or Blueberry Sauce. But try your own combinations and let me know.

If you have any questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Olive Garlic Hummus - 10 minutes

Olive Garlic Hummus

This is one of my personal favourites. It is made mainly of chickpea and is usually served with Pita bread. Alternatively, you can use it as a dip for boiled veggies or even farmer's bread





Where I learnt it from: Learnt from a cookbook and then played around with the ingredients and quantities
Approx prep time: 10 mins
Approx cook time: 0 mins
Serves: 3-4 people 

Cuisine: Lebanese 
Part of menu: Main Course
Hot/Cold: Room temp.

Ingredients:

• 450 grams Drained chickpeas
• Half cup Pitted Spanish Olives(Black or Green)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice 
• Roasted Cumin
• Chili Flakes/Red Pepper;powdered
• *Optional* Tahini

Major Equipment: 

• Mixer(aka Food Processor)

Preparation:

1. Add chickpeas, Olives and Tahini to mixer
2. After 5 minutes, Add remaining ingredients
3. Add little water to obtain desired consistency

Plating Suggestion: Serve in bowl along with Pita Bread or Boiled veggies. Add 1 Sliced Olive over the hummus to decorate. Can be stored for upto 2 days in an airtight container

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking. Remember, be careful

Tamarind Chutney - 15 mins

Tamarind Chutney

A necessity in every Indian Chaat. It is the sourness of the dish.
Can be stored in an airtight container for 2 weeks






Where I learnt it from: Grandmom

Approx prep time:0 min
Approx cook time: 15 min
Serves: 5-7 cups

Cuisine: Indian Street Food
Part of menu: Dips
Hot/Cold: Cold

Ingredients:

• 200gms Tamarind
• 300gms Jaggery grated 
• 2 tsp Roasted cumin Powder 
• 2 tsp Red chili powder 
• Salt To Taste 
• 1 tsp Black salt 
• 1 tsp Garam masala

Major Equipment: None

Cooking:

1. Add 5 cups of water to tamarind and bring to the flame and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Strain it and add the jaggery, chilli powder, cumin powder, salt, garam masala and mix well.
3. Cook again on medium flame till jaggery dissolves completely and the chutney gets semi thick(not too thick)

Plating Suggestion: Store in airtight container

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking. Enjoy.

Pani Puri three ways - half an hour

Pani Puri Three Ways

This is my take on the Indian Street Chaat, Pani Puri (aka Golgappe). It consists of the 'puri' filled with a filling and then Tamarind Chutney to sweeten it and the 'pani'. The Pani is a Sour, Tangy water that is filled in the puri. I have written 3 different fillings, though you may choose to not make all of them at the same time.




Where I learnt it from: My grandmom, Indian Streets and my sister

Approx prep time: 25 mins for 1 filling
Approx cook time: 10 mins
Serves: Just keep cooking in this ratio to fill all the puris you have

Cuisine: Indian Street Food
Part of menu: Snacks
Hot/Cold: Room temp.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet puffed puris
• Tamarind Chutney 
• 2 tablespoons roasted cumin seed powder
• 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
• half cup coriander
• 1 tablespoon Blacksalt 
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 3 green chilies (could use less)
• 2 medium boiled potatoes
• 1 tablespoon boondi
• half cup sprouts
• 1 cup chickpeas, soaked 
• Red Chili powder
• Turmeric powder 
• salt

Major Equipment: 

• Pressure Cooker
• Mixer/ Grinder

Preparation:
For the 'Pani' :

1. Grind Coriander, Mint leaves and Chilies to make a fine paste.
2. Add Cumin Seeds and Cumin Seed powder along with water. 
3. Strain to remove rough bits.
4. Add Boondi
5. Refrigerate

For the Potato and Sprout Filling

1. Mix the potatoes with sprouts and add salt
2. Cool

Cooking:
For Ragda filling

1. Add Chickpeas with Turmuric, Salt and 2.5 cups water to pressure cooker
2. Cook for 10 minutes on slow flame
3. Add red Chili powder

Plating Suggestion/Assemble:

• Option 1 - Stuff Puri with Potato and Sprouts filling. Fill with pani and add tamarind chutney to taste. 
• Option 2 - Stuff Puri with Ragda filling. Fill with pani and add tamarind chutney to taste. 
• Option 3 - Just fill the puri with pani.

Serve at room temperature.

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Garlic Tahini Dip - 5 minutes

Garlic Tahini Dip

Finding your Falafels to dry? Want something Middle-Eastern to dip into? Don't worry. Now you can make a Tahini Dip at your house.






Where I learnt it from: A TV show on Fox Traveler

Approx prep time: 5-10 min
Approx cook time: 0 mins
Serves: half bowl/cup
Cuisine: Lebanese 
Part of menu: Dip
Hot/Cold: Hot or Cold

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Sesame Seed paste
• 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• quarter teacup of lemon juice.
• Salt to taste

Major Equipment: 

• Mixer(aka food processor)

Preparation:

1. Mix Sesame seed past with garlic in Mixer. Add salt to taste
2. Add olive oil and Lemon juice. Can make it thinner by adding warm water if required

Plating Suggestion: Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Can last at least 2 weeks this way. Usually served with other dishes as a Dip

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Cuisines

Please read my first post which is an intro and the format if you haven't already might be helpful.

Hey all. This is a list of Cuisines to help you out.The recipes I have uploaded will show up under their respective cuisine.

Lebanese

• Baked Falafels - 1.5 hours
• Garlic Tahini Dip - 5 mins
• Olive Garlic Hummus - 10 mins

Indian Street Food

• Pani Puri Three Ways - Half an hour 
• Tamarind Chutney - 15 mins

American

• Waffle

Chinese 

• Sweet Corn Veg soup - 20 minutes

Indian 

• Mushroom stuffed Potato - 20 minutes
• Caramel Custard - 1 hour

British

• Orange Granita - 5 Minutes

Italian

• Bechamel Sauce - 10 minutes
• Three Cheese Bechamel Lasagna - 2 hours
• Eggless Pasta Dough - 15 minutes

Thanks for taking the time to read this post everyone. 

Baked falafels- total time 1 and half hours

Baked Falafels

A classic Lebanese starter that everyone loves. It is the perfect way to start your meal along with an amazing Tahini dip.






Where I learnt it from: A TV show on Fox Traveler

Approx prep time: 5-10 min + 1 hour
Approx cook time: 25-30 min 
Serves: 15-20 falafel (4 people)

Cuisine: Lebanese 
Part of menu: Starter/Entree/Appetizer 
Hot/Cold: Hot

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked chickpeas, soaked 8 hours 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ cup parsley or basil, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• little pepper or chilly flakes
• salt
• Olive oil

Major Equipment: 

• Baking Sheet
• Mixer(aka Food Processor)
• Oven

Preparation:

1. Drain soaked chickpeas. DO NOT COOK
2. Pulse in Mixer
3. Add Onions, Garlic, Coriander, Parsley/Basil, Cumin, Pepper and Salt
4. Mix again/ Pulse till pasty 
5. Put in refrigerator for an hour. Make sure it holds together

Cooking:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees 
2. Grease baking sheet
3. Roll batter in 15-20 small balls and place on baking tray
4. Bake for 15 min.
5. Bake other side for 10 minutes more or until golden.

Plating Suggestion: Serve in a bowl or tray as shown in image. You could also do so along with a Tahini Dip. Alternatively, you can serve as a sandwich or in a Pita Pocket.

If you have and questions or suggestions (or want me to put up the recipe of something) Please feel free to comment. Thanks and Happy Cooking.

Parts of the Menu.

Please read my first post which is an intro and the format if you haven't already might be helpful.

Well, I like to divide my menu into easier to understand sections. At least I dont end up serving Lycee with Ice-Cream as a starter.

Beverages 

Soups

• Sweet Corn Veg Soup - 20 mins

Salads

Entrees/Starters/Appetizers

• Baked Falafels - 1.5 hours
• Mushroom stuffed Potato - 20 minutes 

Main Course

• Olive Garlic Hummus - 10 mins
• Waffles - 15 mins
• Three Cheese Bechamel Lasagna - 2 hours

Desserts

• Caramel Custard - 1 hour 
• Orange Granita - 5 minutes

Snacks 

• Pani Puri Three Ways - Half an Hour

Dips

• Garlic Tahini Dip - 5 mins
• Tamarind Chutney - 15 mins

Sauces

• Maple Syrup - 10 mins
• Bechamel Sauce - 10 mins

Miscellaneous

• Eggless Pasta Dough - 15 mins

Thanks for taking the time to read this post everyone. 

Cooking and my format

Hey everyone.

Over the years as i aged, i have come to realize that food and cooking is an hidden passion of mine as well apart from writing. So as I already had  a Blog, (not a very active or well maintained one though) I decided to combine my passion for food and writing on it. If you have read my previous blogs, you would know that i am a teenager, now 14, with interests in reading, writing, cooking, cricket, football and video games(c'mon im a teenager).

I am an Indian living in the city of Pune. Even though, I still like cooking different cuisines and will share recipes from across continents with you. My terminology may still be Indian or British though (I may call entrees starters for example)

Most of my food knowledge comes from both my parents and my grandmas, though some are from TV shows and my own practice. Please remember that I am a pure Vegetarian and don't consume even eggs or/and gelatin.

Anyways, so i though that before I start sharing recipes, I would like to share a basic format I am going to use. All my images are from www.google.co.in or www.google.com

Dish Name

Where I have learnt it from:
Approx prep time:
Approx cook time:
Serves:
Cuisine: For list of Cuisines click here.
Part of menu:For an ordered list of part of menu, look here.
Hot/Cold:

Ingredients:
Major Equipment

Preparation:

1.  xyz
2. xyz
3. xyz

Cooking: 

1.  xyz
2. xyz
3. xyz

Plating

Please remember that I am very untidy with my work and may stray of the format. Please pardon me if I do so. I may also make changes as per requirement.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

Happy Cooking and Take Care.