100% whole wheat and oats seeded bread

Bread baking is an art as much as it is a Science. 

The gluten development, how the yeast behaves in different climates is all a science. And it takes some practice to understand this perfectly. 

I have always baked whole wheat breads, and resist to try with APF. I'm no expert, am learning myself. 

Beginners find it easy to use APF for breads since it gives a great crumb and a soft and pillowy texture. But I do not use APF since it is not as healthy as whole wheat. As a result, Whole wheat bread that I bake is slightly more dense, but a lot healthier. Bread needs good quality yeast and perfect kneading. Whole wheat breads always are more dense than APF breads.

If the yeast doesn't become frothy, toss it. Good quality dry active yeast should get frothy in lukewarm water in 10 minutes. 

The water content depends on the climatic conditions. Dry and cold areas might need water slightly more than humid climate. That is why this is a science. Means after some trials (and may be errors) you will crack the correct technique!  

Here is the Recipe.

What went in

3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oats (i used the instant variety)
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil ( I used Rice bran oil)
2  tbsp sugar
Seeds - 3-4 tbsp ( I used a mix of  flax seeds, sunflower seeds and black sesame seeds) Roast these well. 

Wheat flour for dusting 

Oil for greasing 

Milk for brushing on loaf top. 

Directions

1. Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water. Add the yeast, give it a quick stir and let it proof for 10 minutes. The mixture should become frothy.
2. Mix the flour, oats, salt and oil in a big bowl.
3. Add the proofed yeast-water mixture and mix exerything with a wooden spatula. It will look like a shaggy mass. Leave this for 10-15 minutes, which is when the wheat absorbs some of the water ( I did all this by hand and used up a lot of my energy (read calories)... you might want to use your Kitchen Aid or food processor ) 
4. After 15 minutes, the dough should look better and will start becoming one mass. ( I accidentally added more water hence had to add some flour) Start kneading it on a lightly floured countertop. Push it away with the heel of your hand and fold. Then repeat. Knead for about 10-12 minutes till it is smooth and elastic. Add the seeds till it gets uniformly mixed in the dough. Continue kneading. Kneading is complete when the dough bounces back when slightly prodded.
5. Once kneading is done, shape the dough into a smooth ball. Place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a dark place. The oven is a good place.
6. The dough should rise to double. It took 90 minutes and I let it rest for 30 more. This is the first rise. 
7. Take the dough and punch it and knock down on a wooden surface. This will release the air bubbles. Knead for a minute or two till it is soft and elastic. 
8. Grease the loaf pan and keep ready. Flatten the dough into a rectangle with the loaf pan as a guide for the measurement.
9. Fold one edge inside and fold the other edge on top of this just like you would fold a letter. Pinch the edges and sides so that it sticks well. This will prevent formation of carbondioxide pockets at the folds as the loaf gets baked. 
10. Place the log shaped loaf into the greased loaf pan and cover with cling film. Allow this to rest in a dark place. If you live in colder climates, you might consider covering the film wrapped pan with some thick kitchen towel as well. This is the second rise. Let this sit for one hour.
11. Preheat oven to 170 deg. Brush milk generously with a brush on the top of the loaf. This will make it soft. Sprinkle some seeds. 
12. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or so, or till the pan sounds hollow when tapped from outside. If you find that the top is browning fast, place an aluminium foil loosely on the top and continue baking. 
13. Once done, remove from oven. Brush some butter on the top. Yields a softer crust. Let the loaf cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then unmould it and let it cool.on a wire rack completely. 
14. Slice after it cools completely.

Instant Corn Dhokla (Savory corn cake (steamed))

Corn is still in season (the american corn variety), and this Dhokla is a fantastic way of being able to enjoy corn in a different look.

This Dhokla is super easy to make, under thirty minutes, and there's no way this recipe cannot come right. Yes, that's what I can confidently say after trying and testing this recipe multiple times before posting this here.

Ingredients :

Shelled Corn - 1 cup
Semolina (Rava) - 1 cup
Thick curd - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp
Ginger - Chilli paste - 1 spoon  (Or chillies and ginger)
Salt - to taste
Tumeric - 1/4 tsp
Fruit Salt (Eno) - 3/4 - 1 tsp
Oil - for greasing
For the tempering
Oil- 4 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Sesame Seeds - 1 Tbsp
Curry leaves - 8-10

For a vegan version, cut out the curd, replace with 1/2 cup of water + 1 tsp of vinegar ( I haven't tried this, but logic tells me this should work perfectly and give similar results)

Directions:

1. Get a Dhokla plate and steamer ready on the stove. The right time to pour the dhokla batter is when the water in the steamer starts boiling. Keep the greased plate in the steamer so that it gets warm to hot. (Gujaratis do this, and their dhoklas turn soft always, so I see no harm in following this) Till this is ready, we can get to the other preps.
2. In a blender, fine grind the corn, curd, chilli-ginger. 
3. Pour this into a bowl, add salt, turmeric, Semolina, water and mix well. 
4. Add the fruit salt, and mix throrougly in quick movements.
5. Pour the batter in the greased dhokla plate 
6. Steam for 15 munites. 
7. Remove from flame, and allow to cool
8. Prepare the tempering - heat oil, add mustard seeds, allow them to sputter, add asafoetida, sesame seeds and curry leaves. Remove from flame. Allow to cool. 
9. Pour the tempering over the Dhokla, cut into squares and enjoy.
10. This goes well with Dry Garlic-Groundnut Chutney (recipe coming soon) and a glass of buttermilk! 

Enjoy! 

Paalak Shorba - An Indian twist to Spinach Soup

Rainy Sunday Evening, organic Spinach that's freshly plucked, and this at 5 PM. 

How would you want to have Spincah for Dinner?

Well, the choices are many! 
Spinach Rice for a sumptuous dinner, or Spinach Fritters - the humble and indulgent Palak Pakoras, or the healthy spinach soup!! 
And when the rains make you lazy, or rather make you admire nature that you do not want to leave your couch overlooking the outdoors, wouldn't it be great to have a recipe that's done in less than 30 minutes??! No, there's no magic wand that I possess, but just the want to eat healthy on a rainy day! :-D
So, then Soup/Shorba it is - in less than 30 minutes! 

Here's the recipe : 

What goes in: 

Spinach - 1 big bundle 
Onion - 1 chopped lengthwise 
Garlic - 5-6 cloves - chopped finely
Bay leaf - 1 
Peppercorns - 8-10 - crushed coarsely 
Green chilli - 1
Salt to taste
Oil or Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1 tsp 


How you make it: 

1. Pick and wash the Spinach clean, two three times till the water is clear. 
   
2. Take a big vessel with some water and place the spinach in a colander in the vessel of boiling water, such that the colander doesnt touch the water. You might want yo use a colander with a stand, or a ring that sits in the bottom of the big vessel on which you can place the colander. Cover this vessel wit a lid.
3. Steam the spinach for about 7-8 minutes. Once done,
4. In the meanwhile, heat a saucepan, add oil/ghee. I used Ghee, it gives a nice rich taste. Once it is hot, add the crushed peppercorns and bay leaf.
   
    
5. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chilli. Add some salt and saute till the onions are translucent. Once done, turn off the flame. 
6. In a blender, blend the sauteed onions and the steamed Spinach until fine. You might want to add some water to ensure it gets blended smoothly. 
   
7. Empty this blended mixture into the saucepan, add water - about 2 cups - you can really adjust the quantity of water. Add salt to taste. You might want to add pepper powder for an extra kick. 
8. Bring this to a boil. Shorba is ready! 
   

Notes : 

• Serve with a little ghee and piping hot! 
• Cheese lovers may add grated cheese. 
• This shorba doesnt have to be very thick, the cornflour thickener is not really needed.
• Skip the Ghee, use Oil for Vegan version

Pigeon Pea Gravy / Whole Toor Gravy

Pigeon Eye Pea Gravy (Whole Toor/Arhar Gravy)
We all have toor dal, some of us, almost daily, and Indian meals are incomplete without Daal. This gravy is a
healthy, tasty and an interesting twist to the humble Toor/Tuvar/Arhar Daal. A lot of health advocates mention that whole pulses are better than lentils. Since the lentils available in the market are all polished so fine, that most of the nutrition is lost.
SO this is a recipe to try, when you want to add taste to your meal, with totally Indian ingredients!
This gravy is very simple to make and no exotic ingredients have been used hre.

This dish is also staple in Gujarat, where it is paierd with wholesome Jowar Rotis or Rice Rotis that make up a complete meal. Depending on which part of India or the world you are located, you may have to check up with the local grocer for the pigeon eyed peas. In India alteast, any gujarati grocer would happily source it for you. This may not be available in any supermarket, though you may try. I believe this is because most of the
supermarkets stock the high selling items and Toor dal surely has higher demand as compared to its humble whole grain.

The whole grain is available in two variants - red and light coffee coloured.

In this particular preparation, I used the red variety. 

The whole Toor, when cooked, as an innate, unmissable flavour, hence does not need any spices.

Simple to cook, and finger-licking good!
Here's the recipe

What goes in: 

Whole Toor/Arhar/Pigeon Peas - 1 1/4 cup - soaked overnight and cooked until tender ( upto about 5-6 whistles) 
Onions - 3 Nos, thinly sliced vertically
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Cumin - 1 1/2 tsp 
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp 
Chilli Powder - 4 tsp - adjust to taste
Ginger - 1 tsp, grated
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 8-10
Corainder for the garnish 

How you make it: 

1.  Pressure cook the Toor with some salt until tender. Do not drain the water used for cooking. this can be used. 
2. Heat oil in a skillet, and add the cumin, asafoetida, ginger. Add the curry leaves.
3. Add the onions, a bit of salt, and sauté well till onions are translucent.
4. Add the turmeric and chilli powder, salt. 
5. Mix in the cooked toor along with the water and let this boil well for about 15 minutes. You may adjust the consistency of the gravy as you wish. 
6. And the gravy is ready! Serve Hot with finely chopped corainder.
7. This is best had with Jowar Rotis, and its the staple gujarati combination too. Chapathis/Rice also are a fine combination, if Jowar Rotis are not what you prefer. 

Enjoy! 


Note: 

• Nothing can go wrong in this recipe. 
• The Asafoetida and the Ginger help counter the bloating properties of Toor/Arhar. Make sure you add them. 
• You may add 1 tsp of tamarind paste if you wish to have a more tangy flavour. 

Choco Surprise (No cook-no bake)

Need to prepare a quick sweet-dish, out of ingredients available at home, which is a no cook - no bake variety? 

The recipe that follows is just that! 

I vaguely remember having made a Biscuit chilled cake long ago,( really long ago, I must have been in school ) and I also remember it was decently good to taste. With the recent cake baking bug that's bitten me, and having engaged into a conversion of the same subject with friends, expert tips came up that the humble Marie biscuits can be beautifully transformed into a super surprise. So,  I thought why not attempt to try out these surprise truffles.

I had some chocolate ganache, and thought this was the best way to use it up.

This was a trial and I had no exact measurements of the ingredients to be used. I was extremely happy with the results. It is definitely a surprise package! 

The recipe makes about 30 choco-surprise truffles and it took me just about 30 mins to get them ready. 

What goes in : 

Marie Buscuits - 25 nos,  powdered (it can be a coarse powder, but ensure that there are no big bits) 

Condensed Milk - 1/2 tin, approx 200g 

Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp - you can add more for a chocolatey flavour ( I used Chocolate Ganache)

Milk powder - 2 tbsp (optional) 

Milk - 3-4 tbsp (optional)

Dessicated Coconut - 5 tbsp - for the garnish 

How you make it : 

1. Take the powdered biscuits in a big mixing bowl. 
2. Add the Condensed Milk, Cocoa powder ( or Ganache ) 
3. Mix well till all the ingredients are incorporated well. 
4. If you fond the mixture dry, you may add some milk. Milk powder can be used to make the mixture stiff if you find it loose, and the milk powder also imparts a rich flavour. 
5. Since I had used Ganache made of semi-sweet chocolate, I did not add sugar at all. But if you use cocoa powder, you might want to add some powdered sugar. 
6. Nothing can go wrong in this recipe, you can add the cocoa and sugar to suit your taste. 
7. Once all ingredients are mixed well to a consistency where you can roll it into a small ball, and it retains its shape, its ready to be rolled. 
8. Roll away into lime sized balls or truffles. 
9. You might see a buttery sheen on the truffles and your palms. But don't worry, it will be absorbed by the biscuit mix. 
10. Once truffles are ready, roll them in dessicated coconut. That tastes great! 

Enjoy 

Additional Gyan: 

• Any biscuits that are less sweet and less buttery can be used. 
• You might want to skip the cocoa powder and rather add 4-5 tbsp dessicated coconut. Adjust the milk to moisten the mixture. 
• You can add chopped nuts like Cashewnuts and Almonds if you wish
• Condensed milk can be made at home in less than 15 minutes. Will be posting the recipe soon. Stay tuned. 

Eggless Healthy Cake

What do you do when one side of the brain tells you Flour( and processed food of any type)  is not good for health and, the other side pinching the hunger zone, telling you to somehow have the healthy cake, linking it to the picture you saw on social media a couple of days ago? 
Well to cut the long sentence short, what I did was I baked that cake! 


I am an aware and healthy eater. And, no, I am not choosy or picky to the bone, but I know I will be what I eat. So I choose to eat healthy. Simple. 

This wheat flour cake was inspired by a social networking picture bosted by a member on a group. And it was enough to let my imagination take over. Offcourse, this friend was kind to share what she had used. And once you enjoy cooking/baking, you are sure to try out different combinations all by yourself. And sometimes, kitchen experiments do give out reasonably good results! Definitely satisfying ones :-) This cake was one of them :-) 

Let me share how I made this healthy cake. I was trying out with a small quantity. I would recommend you too first try out a small quantity. This recipe is for a small 6" baking pan. 

What went in:

Over ripe Bananas - 3 ( I used the small elaichi variety) 
Whole wheat flour - 3/4 cup
Thick curd - 1/4 cup ( a little sour is better) 
1/4 - 1/2 cup powdered jaggery ( you may want to add a little more)
flax meal - 1 tbsp ( mixed with 3 tbsp water and kept aside) 
Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp 
Oats - 2 tbsp 
Baking Soda - 3/4 tsp 
Cinnammon powder - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch 
Chopped dry fruits - 3/4 cup ( Figs, dates, raisins) 
Water - 4-5 tbsp 

(For a vegan option, add 3 tbsp oil and 3 tbsp water) 

How I made it: 

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees, grease and dust the pan.  
2. Take some warm water in a bowl and soak the chopped dry fruits for some time.
3. In a bowl take the wheat flour, baking soda, cinnammon powder and sift once. Then mix the oats and salt. Mix thoroughly Keep aside.
4. In a big mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Add the curd, jaggery, the flaxmeal- water mix, oil and mix all this well till it is smooth and even. You might want to add more jaggery if you prefer this sweet. If you are fine with using white sugar in this recipe, you may use it. 
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in batches of 3 tbsp each, at a time. Mix the contents well wit a gentle folding motion till you do not see any traces of dry ingredients. Repeat till all the contents are mixed well. Do not overmix. 
6.  Strain the soaked contents and keep the water aside. Add the soaked raisins to the cake batter. If you find the batter too thick, add some water. 
7. Pour this in the greased pan, tap the pan, and bake for 40 minutes. 
8. You might want to cover the top with an aluminium foil with slits on the top to prevent the top from burning. 
9. Bake till the cake passes the skewer/tootpick test. Once its done, turn off the oven and let it be in the oven for 10 mins. 
10. Let it cool for another 5 minutes after you take it out. Invert and let it cool on a wire rack. Enjoy.

Additional Gyaan: 

• Curd + Baking Soda is an egg replacer, 1 tbsp flaxmeal in 3 tbsp of water is an egg replacer for one egg, 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar is an egg substitute. 
• I have also read that mashed ripe bananas work great as egg substitutes. 
• I used three of the known egg substitutes. This made the cake too crumbly, nevertheless the taste was great. You might try with any one only. In other substitute, make sure you add 1/2 tsp baking powder. 
• You might add walnuts in the batter for a nutty flavour. ( will be trying this one soon ) 
• Cutting out curd makes this a vegan recipe. 

Eggless Banana Cinammon Muffins

Muffins - Who doesn't love them?


I tried muffins for the first time today, and was pleasantly surprised with the results!

Easy to make and yum looking super delicious muffins in just about 20 mins baking time! Wonderful, isnt it?

These can be prepared even with the least of preparation or planning, I realised. Easy to make, yum to have.

What goes in:

All purpose flour ( Maida) - 1 cup
Over ripe bananas - 3 ( I used the small Elaichi variety) ( If you are using the normal ones, I'd recommend use one)
Granulated Sugar - 1/4 cup
Curd - 1/4 -1/2 cup
Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Cinammon powder - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 3/4 tsp
Salt - just a pinch


How you make it: 

1. Preheat the oven at 170 degrees, and keep your tray lined with the cupcake liners. 
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder and sift twice.
3. In another big bowl, mash the bananas. To this, add the sugar, curd, oil, vanilla essence and the salt. ( I forgot the essence when I made these muffins today, and realised only when the muffins were in the oven ;) )  
4. Mix all the wet ingredients really well for about 5 minutes. You may want to use your hand blender to beat it smooth, I did not use it. Bananas are soft, and the overripe ones get mashed quickly. If you feel the mixture needs water, add a bit of it.( I added about 2 tbsp of water) 
5. One these are well mixed, add the dry ingredients mix, bit by bit. Use a spatula and a folding motion to mix, ensuring no dry flour is seen. I mixed this quantity in four batches till all the flour was mixed well. Do not overmix. 
6. The baking soda starts working and you will feel the batter becoming light. 
7. The batter would be thick, that is okay. 
8. Use a spoon to fill the cupcake liners to about three fourths of the liner. 
9. Bake for about 15-20 mins, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Enjoy! 

I was focussed more on following the recipe right, hence missd taking pics of the exact procedure I followed...;-) A Sunday Sinner, eh ??;-) 

Recipe source: www.ticklingpalates.com

Some Gyan: 

• Batter should be thick, that would give the muffin a slightly denser texture than cupcakes. 
• Since there was Banana in the recipe, I refrained from adding milk. In my opinion, fruit and milk are not a very good combination. 
• Watch the sugar. Bananas are sweet. You wouldn't want the muffins to be too sweeeet...
• Muffins/Cupcakes take lesser time to bake. Keep looking for the top crust to change colour. Depending on your oven, you may have to change the plate orientation. I had to take out the tray, turn it and place it again, so that the ones on the inner side are on the outer side (when the oven door is opened). 
• I try almost every cake recipe(baking) in fine wheat flour ( for all the obvious health reasons). Sall be trying this one too and will keep you updated. 
• The original recipe was for double the quantity I baked. 
• The original recipe called for apple pieces too, I skipped it. The sole goal this time was to use up the over ripe bananas and to soothe the sweet tooth's at home ;-)