Holiday Cookies

I found a wonderful recipe for eggless cookies last week on Madhuram's Eggless Cooking website. After unanimous praise, I've decided to make them again. I altered the recipe the first time around, and I'm happy to say that I'll be sticking with those changes. Here's my version of the delicious oatmeal cranberry cookies:

Oatmeal Cranberry & Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies:

(Makes approximately 40 cookies)

• 3/4 cup of butter
• 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup mint chocolate chips

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter and sugars until they're smooth, then beat in the vanilla extract and milk. Now add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the cranberries and chips, and keep combining until a dough is formed. Shape the cookies using your hands and place them on a lined cookie sheet. They don't have to be too far apart, as they wont expand very much during the baking process. Bake the cookies in the oven for 12-15 minutes, allow them 10 minutes to cool.

These are the perfect cookies to leave for Santa this Christmas - enjoy!

For the original vegan recipe, click here.  

Bon appétit!

Simple and Tasty: Aloo Mutter

One of the things I like most about aloo-mutter is that at any given time, I probably have all the ingredients at hand. If I'm not mistaken, there was a time in the not-so-distant past when Pranav and I ate either aloo-mutter or mutter-paneer every weekend. There's just something about the spicy tomato gravy, the soft green peas, and the delicious chunks of potato that make this dish feel like home. The following recipe will guide you through making a simple yet tasty version of aloo-mutter.

Aloo-Mutter (serves 3-4)

• 2 small diced potatoes
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups defrosted green peas
• 2 medium chopped tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tsp shaved ginger
• fresh coriander or dhania for garnish
• some freshly chopped pepper of any kind (optional)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric or haldi
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder or lal mirch
• 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds or jeera
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander powder or dhania 
• 2 tsp of ghee or clarified butter (may substitute olive oil or any other vegetable oil)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt to taste
• 3/4 cups water

Start by heating the ghee in a pressure cooker. When it's hot enough, add the whole cumin seeds. You can test the temperature of the ghee by dropping one seed first, and if it crackles, then the ghee is hot enough. While the cumin is still crackling, add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Stir these together and let the mixture cook until the onions are translucent. Now add the tomatoes, the fresh pepper, and the remaining spices.

Stir the ingredients together and cover the lid of the cooker, but don't close it completely. Let the contents simmer for a short while until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Now go ahead and add the potatoes. After stirring gently, add the water and some salt. Close the lid, and let everything cook for 1 or 2 whistles. 

Remove the cooker from the stove and wait for it to finish hissing. Check the potatoes to see that they're cooked - a knife should go right through. Now add the defrosted peas, and any additional salt. Combine everything by gently stirring, and close the cooker once more for the peas to absorb the flavour of the curry.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf and garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Aloo-mutter is best enjoyed over basmati rice, but can be eaten with naan or chapati as well. For a great combination, try a side of raita or spiced yoghurt. 

Bon appétit!