Kerstkransjes - Dutch Cookies

I have been making various cookies this week for Christmas . Two days back I made suji-crystal-cookies  and today it is these delicious Dutch Cookies. They were so yummy , they got over in a jiffy and I had to make one more batch the same day. These cookies are for International Food Challenge by Saras .

Recipe Source : dutchessroz.com

Ingredients :

200 gm .......................flour ( maida )
150 gm .....................cold butter ( finely chopped )
1 .............................egg  ( yolk n white separated )
1 tsp........................baking powder
100 gm .................sugar ( powdered )
pinch full ...............salt
1/4 tsp...................vanilla essence
2 tbsp..................almond flakes ( to garnish )



Method :


In a mixer add flour, butter, egg yolk, baking powder , salt , sugar and essence.

Process it for few seconds.

Knead into a smooth dough .

If needed add few drops of milk .

Wrap the dough in a cling film and chill it for 1 hour.

Take out the chilled dough and roll it to 1/23 cm thick disk.

Cut the cookies with cookie cutter.

Make a small hole at the centre with another cutter.

Brush the cookies with egg white and sprinkle almond flakes.

Arrange them on a greased baking tray 1 inch apart.

Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Suji Crystal Cookies

Feeling very excited to post these colorful cookies which were instant hit with everyone in the family. Personally I don't like such colorful snacks as there is a liberal usage of artificial colors. But I think once in while we all can afford indulging in such lovely treats and be childish. After all they are perfect for this festive Christmas season.

Though the name of these cookies is Suji cookies they do not contain Suji ( semolina ) at all. Instead the are made of maida and the almond powder used lends it a very rich texture and flavor.

 Loved making these cookies for Priya's  Home Bakers Event  hosted  by Niloufer .

Recipe Source : umaskitchenexperiments.com


Ingredients :


1 cup.......................maida
1/2 tsp.....................baking powder
1/2 tsp.....................baking soda
1/2 cup ..................sugar powder
1/2 cup ..................almonds ( dry powder )
1/2 cup..................ghee
a pinch ................salt
1/4 tsp.................vanilla essence
1/4 tsp each ........ food colors (  used yellow, pink and green )



Method :

In a mixer pulse together maida , baking powder and baking soda.

Also add sugar powder, almond powder, essence and salt to it.

Now take this in bowl and add ghee to it and knead to a soft smooth dough.

Rest the dough  for 15 - 20 minutes .

Make three portions of this dough .

Add 2 / 3 drops of color of your choice to each part and knead well.

The color should uniformly be spread all over.

Now take a small ball of each color and roll them to form a big ball.

This should be done gently so the colors don't mix and you get a marbled effect.

Press this ball to get a cookie shape.

Spread 2 inches apart on a greased baking tray .

Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 150 degrees celcius.

Alu Wadi - Patra

Alu vadi or patra ( rolls made with colocasia leaves) is a very popular side dish or a snack item among maharashtrians and gujarathis. Usually this is made with a filling of gram flour or soaked n ground tuvar daal. I had already made this alu wadi earlier with onions and gram flour filling .

This time for the Shhhh Cooking Secretly  I was paired with Saras who has a lovely blog sarasyummybites and she had given me potatoes and daal as secret ingredients for this month. So I decided to give this traditional snack a twist by making a filling of gram flour and boiled potatoes.

The result was very yummy and soft alu wadis which we all enjoyed .For step wise explaination and how to apply the filling and roll  please refer to my previous post for alu-wadi.

Ingredients :

9 to 10 .....................broad alu leaves (colocasia leaves )

Tempering

2 tbsp......................oil
1/2 tsp ....................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp...................sesame seeds


Filling :

2 cups .......................besan (chana flour)
2 / 3 ............................potatoes ( boiled , peeled n mashed)
2 tbsp........................ginger paste
3tbsp.........................thick tamarind pulp
1 cup..........................finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp..........................red chilly powder
1 tsp.........................turmeric powder
2 to 3 tbsp..................jaggery
salt to taste



Method :

  Mix all the ingredients given in the filling to make a thick batter.

Wash the leaves and wipe them dry.

Spread out the leaves and smear its back side with little oil.

Now apply the 2 to 3 tbsp of filling thinly and evenly on the leaf.

Pile up two to three leaves on each other.

Roll the leaves tightly taking care that the filling doesn't come out.

You may secure the roll by tying it with thread.

Keep these rolls in a steamer or a cooker and cook without pressure.

The rolls with get steamed in 30 to 40 minutes.

Let the roll cool down, then cut the slices.

Make tempering with oil , mustard seeds and sesame seeds and pour on them.

             

Baingan / Banjan Borani - ( Layered Afghani Eggplants )

This month for the International Food Challenge an event by Saras we tried dishes from Afghanistan.

This month's event was hosted by  Pavani who suggested some very interesting dishes. As I already had some brinjals at home I decided to make this Baingan Borani .

Baingan or Banjan Borani is a baked dish made with brinjals and tomatoes layered with a thick sauce . The dish tastes delicious and even the ones who don't much favour brinjals will love it.

Do serve the dish with whipped curd as this brings out the real flavour of the dish.

Recipe Source :  Afghan Cooking.
Ingredients :

250 gm ..................medium brinjals ( thicly sliced )
2 ...........................firm ripe tomatoes ( thickly sliced )
2 tbsp ....................olive oil
2 tbsp + 1 tsp ...................minced garlic
1 tsp....................chilly powder
1/2 tsp ...............turmeric powder
4 to 5 ................maggi chicken cubes
1 tsp ................pepper powder
1 cup ...............tomato paste ( use about 3 tomatoes )
fist full...........finely chopped coriander
1 cup............thick curd ( whipped)
salt for taste


Method :


Grease a non stick tawa.

Arrange the brinjal and tomato slices on it.

Shallow fry them with very little oil till the slices are semi cooked and tender.

In a pan add 1 tbsp oil and saute minced garlic till golden .

Add tomato paste, all masala powders and maggi cubes.

Cook till the sauce becomes thick and the raw smell of tomatoes disappeares.

Now grease a baking pan .

Pour 1/3 of the prepared sauce on it.

Now arrange 1/2 of brinjal slices on it.

Then arrange 1/2 tomato slices and sprinkle some chopped coriander.

Again repeat the above three steps .

At the top pour the remaining sauce to coat the brinjals and tomatoes completely.

Cover the pan with aluminium foil and bake for 1/2 an hour at 180 degrees.

Now uncover the pan and again bake for further 10 minutes .

Mix 1 tsp minced garlic, salt and whipped curd together.

Pour this whipped curd over the baked brinjals and serve with bread or roti.