Home made Pav

How about surprising your husband with homemade Pav? Well, that is what I did few days back. Although this recipe demands a lot of fineness and time, but it’s really simple and easy to make. Try this one and check out the “WOW!” expression on your husband’s face. Simply serve with bhaji and chopped onions and enjoy at any point of time.

                       

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour (Maida)-3 cups + little more for dusting

Dry active Yeast-2 ¼ Tsp

Butter-3 Tbsp

Milk-1 ¼ Cups

Luke warm water-1/4 Cup

Sugar-2 Tbsp

Salt-1/4 Tsp

                       

 Method:

1.Mix the yeast and sugar in Luke warm water and give it a stir. Keep it aside and let it stand for 10-15 mins to ferment. (It will rise and double in quantity.)                                                                                                                          

Note: Water has to be Luke warm otherwise the yeast will not ferment. For more info do watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksziuzwLuGY .

                   

                    

2. Warm the milk and add butter to it.

                   

3.Now add the salt, milk-butter mixture to the fermented yeast and mix well.

4. Slowly add the flour to the above mixture little at a time and mix with a wooden spatula.

                   

5.Once all the flour is added the mixture might look sticky and you may feel like adding more flour, but it’s not required. Start kneading the dough on a lightly floured surface till you get a smooth non sticky texture.

                 

6.Once done it will look like this.

                  

7. Now grease a steel/glass bowl with little refine oil and keep the kneaded dough covered and let it rest in a humid place for 1.5-2 hrs.

                  

8. Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Make it a big square chapatti. And cut it into 12-15 pieces. I made it to 12 pieces.

                   

9.Now take each piece in your palm and give it either a square or round shape. If its square it will look like a Pav and if its round it will be a Bun (Like mine!)

                   

10.Place them side by side on a baking dish with 1 ½ inch apart. Let it sit for another 10-15 mins till it again doubles.

Note: I baked it in three batches.

               

11.Bake them in a preheated oven at 180C for 15-20mins.

Note: Just before putting it in the oven you can grease the top of the pav with either melted butter or egg.

Let it cool and its ready.

Perfect Sandwich

While travelling in one of the domestic flight, I ordered a sandwich and came across this recipe printed on the pack. I found it really sweet and hence sharing it in my blog. It goes like this.

In a big crystal bowl, mix a spoonful of your sweetest memories with two cups of projects for the future. Stir in a handful of dreams, a tablespoon of happy thoughts and keep blending until you get an even mixture. Add a glass of joy, a few drops of funny stories and a pinch of your biggest accomplishment. Cover the bowl with a handmade lace cloth and let the dough rest under a star shaped cloud for twenty exciting minutes, then transfer it into a golden pan and cook it under the sun of a nice springtime Sunday.

Chill for ten minutes with marine breeze. Garnish with flakes of your favorite melody and serve with the warmest of smiles.

Badam Halwa

Yesterday night I soaked a few almonds in a bowl of water. I thought both of us (Hubby and Me!) will have it in breakfast. But neither of us had it. And frankly speaking, I’m not very fond of dry fruits. I don’t like if it’s added in Pulao and Kheer. And I was wondering what to do with the Almonds/Badam that we have received as Diwali Gift. That’s when the idea of Badam Halwa came into my mind. So here is an another recipe to satisfy my sweet tooth :-)

Serves-4

Ingredients:

Almonds-1 Cup

Milk-1 cup

Sugar-3/4 Cup

Ghee-3-4 Tbsp

Cardamom Powder and Saffron is optional

Few extra almonds for garnish

Method:

    1. Blanching the almonds-Boil around 2 cups of water in a pot. Turn off the gas and add the almonds to it. Cover it up and let it get soaked for around 15-30mins.

                             

   Now take out one by one and remove the skins. It will come out very easily.

                               

    2. Now grind these almonds with sufficient milk to a fine smooth paste.

                       
3.       Heat the ghee in a non stick kadhai and add the above almond mixture to it. Please note to keep the gas flame in low and keep stirring in order to avoid lumps.

 

4. After few mins of stirring add the remaining milk and continue stirring for a while.

5. When all the milk is absorbed add the sugar and continue mixing.
Note:Milk and Ghee can be required little more.

    6. Now the mixture will turn into brown color. You will know that the halwa is done when the mixture will take the texture of “Sooji Halwa”. This entire process of stirring needs to be done for at least 20-25mins.

                                                                               
                                                                               

     Can be served hot as well as cold!