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.