Zaiqa

A true American delicacy~brownies and chocolate chop cookies are my weakness. Oversize and dense with chocolate chips, these cookies are thin, crisp and slightly chewy in the center.

I got hold of this recipe for these indulgent cookies which are so easy to prepare from my darling dear sister, which she got from one of her close friend. I keep preparing them quite frequently at my home whenever the craving hits me. She deserves all the compliments for these delightful cookies.

Crispy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 15 jumbo cookies

All-purpose flour – 1 1/2 cup
Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Granulated white sugar – 1/2 cup
Brown sugar – 1 cup, firmly packed
Eggs – 2, large, at room temperature
Canola oil – 90 ml
Vanilla powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter – 1/2 cup, melted and slightly cooled
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – 1 1/4 cup

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Add all the first 6 listed dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mix using a whisk. In an another mixing bowl, add the next 4 wet ingredients and lightly whip using a whisk for approx a minute. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well until dough like. Mix in the chocolate chips using a wooden spoon. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop onto prepared cookie sheets.

3. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Keep a close eye at the last minutes, they can get burned or overdone easily.

4. Leave to cool on tray for 5 minutes. Using a flat spatula transfer them to a wire rack until they are cooled completely, approx 1 hour. Store in an air tight container at room temperature.

Tip: You can also freeze the cookie dough for later use, and when required bake them at a moments notice. Simply, scoop the cookie dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour. Later, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into to an air tight zip-lock plastic bag and freeze for later use for up to 3 months. When guests arrive, or your kids desire them, simply transfer the frozen unbaked cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake as directed above, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time, keeping a close eye.

Note: Vanilla extract (vanilla in liquid form) is non-halal. Only powdered vanilla is Halal.

Luv,
Mona

During my visit to the market for the weekly groceries today, I saw this huge pile of sweet potatoes that were so fresh with earth still on them and they were huge in sizes and I could not resist buying it. On the way back home, the only thing I was thinking about was that absolutely delicious Ratalu ki kheer my Ammi used to prepare for us during my childhood.

Sweet Potato

Kheer is Milk pudding, flavored with a hint of cardamom seed powder, or a few saffron threads and various fried nuts and dry fruits for a little crunch and aroma. Several kinds of vegetables and grains, which do not have a very strong flavor of their own are used to make kheer. Sweet potato, White potato, Opo squash(kaddu), Rice, Vermicelli, etc., which have an affinity to milk are preferred.

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, potassium, and an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A helps our bodies fight infections and lets us see better in the dark, promote healthy skin and hair. When I was a kid, I remember I and my siblings enjoyed boiled sweet potato cut into cubes and dipped in sugar. Those morsels were ultimately delicious and an occasional treat.

The subtle sweetness of this humble tuber~Sweet potato, also called as Ratalu in Urdu, is perfect for preparing a delicious kheer out of it. Today I tried to recreate my Ammi version of this dessert in my kitchen. الحمد لله it was good, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Ratalu ki Kheer – Sweet Potato Milk Pudding (Low fat Version)

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato – 700 kg (I used orange fleshed sweet potato, you can also use white fleshed sweet potato for this dish)
Evaporated milk (2% partly skimmed) – 370 ml (I used Carnation brand)
Sugar – 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder – 1 big pinch (optional)
Toasted slivered/chopped nuts like pistachio and almonds – 1 tsp, for garnish

Ratalu ki Kheer – Sweet Potato Milk Pudding

Method:

1. There are two ways to cook a sweet potato.
Pressure cook them: In a pressure cooker add the sweet potato and pour in cool fresh water enough to cover the sweet potato and pressure cook until it is tender, approx 10-15 mins on medium heat. To check if it done, pierce the tuber with a knife, if the knife goes into it effortlessly, it is done, if not let cook for just a further few minutes. Once done, drain in a colander, let cool slightly, peel the skin while still warm.
Steam them: Slice ½” thick slices (peeled or not). Place in steam basket over a pot of water. Cover, turn heat to high, bringing water to boil, cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Fork test for completion, they should pierce easily and the skins will be very tender.
I pressure cooked them.

pressure cooked sweet potato, ready to be peeled

mashed sweet potato

2. Mash the sweet potato in a bowl and keep aside.
3. In a milk saucepan, pour in the evaporated milk and add sugar and bring it to a boil at medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer, add the mashed potato and using a heavy wooden spoon, mix it well, mashing it well in the milk so that there are no large lumps. Let cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the cardamom powder and remove from heat. Serve in small bowls and garnish with toasted nuts. You can also sprinkle a few fresh rose petals for a gorgeous look.

This low fat and creamy Sweet potato pudding goes to Meeta’s ‘Monthly Mingle‘. Sudeshna of ‘Cook like a Bong‘ is the guest host this month for this event with a theme of ‘Winter Fruits and Vegetables‘.

Luv,
Mona

Healthy and nutritious, badaam ka harira used to be enjoyed as a regular breakfast durng my childhood in Hyderabad. Ammi served harira along with warm parathas, which were torn and soaked in it. Roasted flour in ghee gives a distinctive taste to the harira and also helps thicken it.

Badaam ka Harira – Thick Almond Milk

During fall/winters I prepare this quite often to warm up my body and nourish it. It is also immensely good for kids and expecting mothers for its nutritional benefits.

Badaam ka Harira – Thick Almond Milk
Makes – 1 cup

Ingredients:

Ghee – 1 tsp
Durum wheat flour – 1 tbsp
Almonds/Badaam – 1/4 cup, finely powdered (you can also use pistachios/pinenuts/walnuts etc)
Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Almonds – roughly chopped, for garnish (optional)

Method:

Pour ghee in a milk saucepan at medium heat, and as soon as it is warm, add the flour and roast it for a few seconds in the ghee stirring frequently using a spoon until it is biscuit colored. Pour in milk, little by little, whisking it well so that it does not form lumps. Add sugar and mix well. Let the milk boil once. Add the powdered almonds and lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped almonds and serve warm along with Roti or Paratha, or sip it as it is.

Badam ka Harira goes to Health Nut Challenge 3, which Yasmeen of Healthnut is hosting on her wonderful blog. Do mail her your entries before January 2010.

Luv,
Mona

Rote (also referred to as roat), are baked~cooked on dum, sweet and crunchy semolina flat cookie sort of delicacies made especially in Hyderabad city, which are deliciously crunchy from the outside, but soft in the center. This confection has the all goodness in them, including exotic saffron, nuts, khoa and glorious ghee.

Semolina -Sooji rawa (fine variety)

The following is one of my friend Saba’s recipe, which I have changed just a little bit here and there. My hubby loved these rote a lot الحمد لله and I plan to make them again soon inshallah.

My mother-in-law’s version is simpler. Inshallah I will post my Mother-in-laws version for this confectionery sometime in the future.

Dum ke Rote – Baked Sweet Semolina flat breads
Makes: 13 large rote as shown in the picture below

Ingredients:

Almonds – 3/4 cup
Pistachios – 1/2 cup
Saffron threads – 2 pinch
Semolina/Sooji (fine variety) – 3 cups
All-Purpose flour – 3 1/4 cup
Granulated Sugar – 3 cups
Baking powder – 1 1/2 tbsp
Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Homemade Khoya – 3/4 cup
Ghee – 1 cup, warmed
Warmed Milk – 1 cup

Dum ke Rote

Method:

1. Soak the almonds and pistachios together in cool water overnight. The next day, peel them and keep aside. In a blender container pour in 1/2 cup warmed milk and the peeled nuts and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside in a bowl.
2. Add the khoya and the remaining warmed milk in a blender container and blend to a smooth paste.
3. In a mixing bowl, add semolina, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and cardamom powder. Using a whisk, mix well. Add the nuts+milk paste, and the khoya+milk paste and ghee and mix well. Knead to form a dough. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour for it to rest. Later, knead again until dough is pliable and cover again and let rest for 1 more hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F and knead the dough a final time. Pinch out fist size balls from the dough and shape into smooth balls. Using your fingers flatten them into discs (approx 6 inches in diameter) and arrange on greased foil lined baking sheets leaving 2 inch space all around each of the discs. Gently press few sliced almonds on top of each disc. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the sides and base are nicely browned (but not burnt). Keep a close eye. Immediately switch to broil on low setting for 2-5 minutes until the tops are browned (but not burnt) and the nuts are toasted. Keep a close eye.
5. Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Leave to cool on tray for 5 minutes. Using a flat spatula transfer them to wire racks until they are cooled completely. Store in an air tight container at room temperature. Finish within 3-4 weeks.

If you prepare this delicacy at home too, feel free to send me your recipe for Dum ke Rote. I will be happy to try it out.

Luv,
Mona

Light and fluffy, tender and slightly tart buttermilk pancakes, what better way to start a lazy weekend morning.  This classic American breakfast/brunch will surely delight you and your family.

Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe Source: Chatelaine
Makes – 12

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter – 1/2 cup,melted and cooled + extra for cooking
Buttermilk – 2 cups (or mix 2 cup milk + 2 tbsp lemon juice and let stand 5 minutes until it thickens)
All Purpose flour – 1 cup
Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
Granulated Sugar – 1/4 cup
Baking powder – 2 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Eggs – 2, large, at room temperature
Vanilla powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. In a bowl, add eggs, buttermilk (or the milk+lemon juice mixture), butter and vanilla.
2. In a bowl, using a fork mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add the above wet mixture. Mix until just blended. The flour should be lumpy in texture for fluffy pancakes. Mix as little as possible.
3. Pour little butter in a non-stick frying pan at medium high heat. As soon as it warms up, pour 1/3 cup batter into the pan. Make 1 or 2 pancakes at a time depending on the size of the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top of pancake and edges begin to brown, 2-4 minutes. Using a flat rubber spatula, flip and cook the other side until the other side is golden-brown, 2-3 minutes. Do not press or they will not be fluffy.
4. Serve right away. To keep warm, keep them stacked in a warm oven until all are cooked. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve.

Tips: Pour batter into the pan, gently push in a few seasonal fruit slices (sliced banana, peaches, or berries), pinch of spices (like cinnamon powder, cardamom or nutmeg etc) or you can also add a few chopped toasted nuts (pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds or even shredded coconut) or chocolate chips into the pancake batter before you flip it.
Freeze leftover pancakes in a freezer bag and reheat it when fancied in a toaster or toaster oven.

Luv,
Mona