KIFLI - HUNGARIAN PASTRY

My favorite Kifli is a traditional Hungarian pastry, which means 'Crescent Moon', made by cutting sheets of soft flour dough into triangular wedges and wrapping those wedges and gave a crescent shaped morsel and then baked. There are lots of variation of Kiflis. These Kiflis are buttery, flakey, very tasty and look very cute. 

INGREDIENTS (for making 12 nos pastries):
250 gms All Purpose Flour / Flour (maida)
1/2 pkt of Yeast
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Luke Warm Water (not too hot)
50 gms Unsalted Butter (melted)
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds (shahjeera) & 1/2 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds (For Decoration)

METHOD:
Add yeast and 1 tsp sugar with warm water. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, melted butter and mix it thoroughly.

Add luke warm water in it and knead it nicely to make a smooth dough. 

Cover it tightly and keep aside for 30-40 minutes, till it enlarge double in size.

Now takeout dough, sprinkle little flour on it. Again knead it for a minute or two. 

Divide the dough into three equal balls. Now cover it and leave for 30 minutes.

Flat each ball like a large and thick chapati, a circle of 8" diameter. Cut into 4 equal parts. Fold each part as it is shown below to make each pastry.

Preheat oven to 190 C. Line up parchment pepper on cookie sheet. Arrange pastries on it. Brush butter on each pastry, sprinkle little caraway seeds on few pastries. And also sprinkle little sesame seeds on the rest of the pastries.

Bake it for 25 minutes. Place on a wire rack and let it cool naturally. Store in a air-tight container.

Serve with warm soups. Its delicious!!! 

NOTE: May use warm milk instead of warm water.

Sending to:  Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13

Sending to:  Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

Sending to: Gujarati Zaika

CRISPY POTATO BREAD TOAST

Here is a simple recipe to make crispy potato bread toast. The masala is made from boiled and mashed potatoes, tempered by Indian spices, a delightful recipe for breakfast or kid's lunch box. It is very easy to make, specially if you have leftover dry potato curry or aloo-gobi. I modified little according to my taste. Tryout and enjoy this delicious bread toast on your breakfast palate.

INGREDIENTS:
8 pcs of Brown Bread / Whole Wheat Bread Slices
3 Medium Potatoes (peeled and parboiled)
1/3 Cup Hot & Sweet Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds
3/4 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tsp Finely chopped Green Chillies (according to taste)
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (according to taste)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds (powdered)
1 tsp Roasted Coriander Seeds (powdered)
1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
4 tbsps Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste
4 tbsps Butter

METHOD:
In a large bowl, mash potatoes nicely by using your hands.

Add grated ginger, green chillies, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, dried mango powder, lemon juice, coriander leaves, garam masala and salt in it.

Mix everything thoroughly. Keep it aside.

Cut each bread slice diagonally and make two equal pieces. Follow the same for rest of the bread slices. Set aside.

Put little tomato sauce on each bread slice and spread it nicely.

Add potato mixture on it and try to spread it out evenly on the bread slices.

Sprinkle little sesame seeds on the top of bread slices.

Now we have to roast all those bread pieces. Heat a non-stick tawa/griddle. Add 1/4 tsp butter on the griddle and immediately place a bread piece on it. Keep potato spread side on the top. Allow it for 2 minutes on medium heat to make roasted crust on that side.

Now add 1/4 tsp butter on the top of potato spread and flip it over gently to roast otherside. Allow it for 2 minutes on medium heat to roast it properly.

Take out from the griddle when they are golden and crispy from both sides.

Serve immediately with chutney or ketchup.
For Original Recipe Click Here

Sending to: Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13

NAN KHATAI - AN EGGLESS COOKIE

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: Homely Food

'Nan Khatai' is nothing but eggless cookie, very famous in India and Pakistan. Cute looking short bread cookies are melt-in-mouth. They are very rich, crispy and buttery. These nan khatais are absolute delight with a cup of piping hot tea or coffee. The cookies are really simple, easy to bake and perfect in taste. So lets get started....

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup All Purpose Flour / Wheat Flour
2 tbsps Corn Starch (optional)
1/2 Cup / 115 gm Unsalted Butter, at room temperature (or clarified butter)
1/2 Cup Confectioners Sugar (or powdered sugar)
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
1/8 tsp Salt
Few Almonds & Pistachios, chopped (for garnishing)

METHOD:

Mix confectioners sugar with butter.

Mix butter and sugar with a spoon, until light and fluffy. It takes approximately 1&1/2 minutes.

Sieve all purpose flour with baking soda. Mix salt in it. Now pour flour, salt and baking soda into the butter-sugar mixture.

Add 1/2 tsp cardamom powder in it.

Beat it again till it incorporated well. First the mixture would resemble bread crumbs.

Slowly knead it in a smooth dough.

Make small gooseberry sized balls (I made 24 nos.) and make sure balls don't have any crack on their outer surface. Place the balls on a alluminium foil lined tray with space of 2" apart. Put some horizontal mark on each ball with the tip of your knife.

Press them down with pistachios and almonds slices on the top and flatten them very slightly.

Preheat oven to 170 C / 325 F for 10 minutes. Place the baking tray at the center of the oven. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove it from the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes on the cookie tray.

Now remove them on a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Then store them in air-tight container.

Serve it with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy it anytime!!!

Sending to: Guru's Cooking Giveaway Kid's Special '13

CRISPY STIRFRIED ARBI (COLOCASIA)

Stirfried crispy seasoned "Arbi" is a mildly spiced and a wonderful side dish or you may serve it as a snack too. I am so fond of arbi/colocasia root, that I make it oftenly atleast once in a week. The main aroma comes from the carom seeds/ajwain, which makes the dish more inviting. This is also a 'Vrat' or a 'fasting meal's recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms Arbi / Colocasia (taro root)
1 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwain)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
2 tsps Coriander Seeds (roasted and then pounded coarsely)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
3/4 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
3-4 Chopped Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1&1/2 tsps Grated Ginger
7-8 Curry Leaves (chopped)
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3 tbsps Oil + Oil for frying arbis

METHOD:

Wash arbis nicely. Put arbis in a pressure cooker. Let full pressure comes, then cook 2 minutes more on low heat. Cool down the pressure cooker normally and remove the peels of arbis. Place a arbi within your two palms, press a little to make arbi little flat and keep it aside. Follow the same with the rest of the arbis.  

Heat enough oil for frying arbis in a pan. Add few arbis in it. Fry till arbis turn golden and crispy. Follow the same process and fry rest of the arbis. Keep those aside.

Heat 3 tbsps oil in a wok or pan. Add cumin seeds, carom seeds and asafoetida in it. Saute for few seconds. Add grated ginger, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute for a minute.

Now add turmeric powder and coarsely pounded coriander seeds in it. Add fried arbis now. Add dried mango powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala, salt and sugar in it. Sprinkle little water in it. Ensure that spice powders do not burn. Stir gently for 3-4 minutes on low heat, so that all arbis are coated well with the spices.                      

                                                                                                                                                             Add chopped coriander leaves in it. Fold nicely and turn off the heat now.                                                                                                                                      

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rotis, parathas or rice as you wish. You can serve it as an appetizer/snack with any kind of chutney.