Mutton Mince and Aubergine Rolls Recipe

The Mutton mince and aubergine rolls work as a perfect starter with a twist! The recipe is easy and serves as a kebab made with eggplant and mutton mince. Most importantly it is baked, but you also have an option of deep frying in absence of oven. Being baked makes it oil free and guilt free to enjoy. Perfect idea for party starters or snacks when served with a green salad. The following portion can serve 5 to 6 and takes 30 to 35 minutes to cook.

Ingredients for Mutton Mince and Aubergine Rolls Recipe

Aubergine (big brinjal/eggplant) - 1 to 2, should weigh 500 gm each
Mutton mince - 500 gm
Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
Mint leaves - 1/4th cup, roughly chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/4th cup, roughly chopped
Green chilies - 2 to 3
Black pepper powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Egg - 2
Breadcrumbs - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method for Mutton Mince and Aubergine Rolls Recipe

Lightly brush aubergines with oil and roast on live flame until well cooked. Once done, remove in a bowl and allow it to cool down.Once cool remove the skin and gently mash the flesh with a fork.

Mix the mince with the eggplant mash. Add to this mint leaves, coriander leaves, pepper, salt and finely chopped onions. Mix well.

Beat eggs and add them into the aubergine-mince mix. Divide the mix into equal portions and shape each portion into long rolls.

Gently roll each in breadcrumbs and place in a greased baking dish. Keep distance between each rolls.

Pre-heat an oven to 200 degrees C and then bake the mutton mince and aubergine rolls for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with a green salad. 

Aatish - E - Tandoori Murgh Recipe - Tandoori Chicken cooked in creamy style

(Tandoori Chicken cooked in a creamy style with combining curds and fresh creams)

Ingredients for Aatish - E - Tandoori Murgh Recipe:

Chicken - 1, around 800 grams cut in four pieces
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 2 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Fresh cream - 3 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt, as required

Method for Aatish - E - Tandoori Murgh Recipe:

Wash the chicken and make slits all over it. Rub to it salt, chili powder, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste and set aside for at least an hour.

Mix together the curd, cream and garam masala powder and apply to the chicken. Set aside for 1 more hour.

Grill the chicken till done.

Microwave Anjeer Barfi Recipe

Ingredients for Microwave Anjeer Barfi (Fig Squares) Recipe:

Dry Figs (anjeer) - 250 gm
Fresh cream - 400 gm
Coconut - 100 gm, desiccated
Sugar - 100 gm
Almonds - few, sliced
Pistachio - few, crushed
Water - 120 ml
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp

Method for Microwave Anjeer Barfi (Fig Squares) Recipe:

Wash the dry figs, chop and soak them in 120 ml (1/2 cup) water for half an hour. Add to this fresh cream and sugar. Mix well. Transfer the mixture into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for 15 mins. Keep stirring the mixture every 5 mins.

Crush the figs into pulp. (Although a few may remain slightly big, but no problem). Mix coconut and cardamom powder to this mixture and continue to microwave HIGH for 5 mins more. Stand for 5 mins.

Take the mixture in a greased pan and spread evenly. When cool, cut the Microwave Anjeer Barfi in squares. Sprinkle almond and pistachio on top.

Microwave Green Peas Barfi Recipe

Ingredients for Microwave Green Peas Barfi Recipe:

Green Peas - 1 cup, slightly crushed
Mawa - 1 cup, grated
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 1/4th cup, coarsely chopped
Coconut - 1/4 cup, dessicated
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp

Method for Microwave Green Peas Barfi Recipe:

Place the crushed green peas in a microwave safe dish and roast on HIGH for 3 mins.

Roast cashewnuts on HIGH for 3 mins. Also roast coconut on HIGH for 1 min. Roast the mawa on HIGH for 2 mins as well.

In a microwave casserole heat ghee for 1 min. Add one by one each roasted ingredients. Also add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Saute on HIGH for 3 mins, with stir every minute. Let it stand for 5 mins.

Pour the mixture in a greased dish and level it evenly. Once cool, cut the Green Peas Barfi into rectangular pieces.

How to get best out of your Microwave Oven

Microwave ovens can definitely cook good food but you still need to know how to get best out of them. Recipes that are provided for microwave cooking can come out perfectly the way they are mentioned only if you pay attention to the food that is been cooked with your microwave oven. So here's how to get best out of your microwave oven:

Always pay attention to the food you cook inside a microwave oven

You need to pay attention to the food that you plan to cook inside the microwave oven. Always watch the food while it cooks to achieve success with microwave cooking. All microwave usually has the feature of light turning on while food cooking inside the microwave. This helps us to watch the food while it cooks.

If the recipe calls for stirring the food do so!

Most of the recipe provides with instructions such as 'stirring the food twice' or 'elevate', 'turn the fish' and so on. Follow the instructions thoroughly.

Learn to make your own adjustments

In case if the recipe instructions suggests that the food will take cooking time of 15 mins, but you find the food isn't cooked well, then you should be able to make your own adjustments as required. This happens due to various reasons, for example the food measurements, water measurements or even the cooking time and temperature.

Working with cooking times

One more reason why the cooking time required may vary from cooking time mentioned in any recipe could be due to any of the few mentioned reason:

1. If the butter added within the recipe is ice-cold

2. The milk added in the recipe is ice-cold. Same may apply to eggs.

In such cases you should allow the food some extra time to cook.

Follow the instructions carefully

If a recipe recommends instructions like the food that is to be cooked should be removed from the oven slightly under-cooked then do follow the same. Such recommendations are called for recipes including breads, cakes and even custards. There is a valid reason behind so, including the standing time. Most of the recipes get cooked during the standing time, i.e. the food still continues to cook with the heat that is trapped inside the food so in case you don't believe in removing the food fro the oven until its cooked thoroughly, remember you are over-cooking the food.

How to make Coconut milk in microwave

To make coconut milk using microwave follow these simple instructions:

In a microwave safe dish place grated coconut and water in 1:1 proportion, i.e. 1 cup grated coconut and 1 cup water.

Microwave on HIGH at 100% power for 3 minutes.

Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.

Strain the mixture and the coconut milk is ready to be used.

Microwave Rawa Laddos Recipe

 Rawa Laddoos (Semolina Laddoos) form integral part of Diwali Sweets and is favorite among children too. This laddoos can be easily made with perfection in microwave. Follow the simple steps to cook Microwave Rawa Laddoos with ease:

Ingredients for Microwave Rawa Laddoos Recipe:

Rawa (semolina) - 1 cup
Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp, powdered
Milk - 2 tbsp
Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
Almonds - 1 tbsp

Method for Microwave Rawa Laddoos Recipe:

Preparation: Before you start cooking these laddoos in microwave you need to do some preparation. First, sieve the rawa twice for any lumps. Second, sieve the powdered sugar twice for any lumps as you did in Besan Laddoos recipe. Third, roast the dry fruits till golden in little ghee.

In a microwave safe dish roast the ghee on HIGH for 30 seconds.

Remove the microwave dish from the oven and add semolina to it and mix well. Place in the microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Remove out and stir well. Place it back for 1 more minute till you get the desired color (light pink).

Remove the dish from microwave and allow to cool (not entirely). Once done add powdered sugar, powdered cardamom, dry fruits and mix well.

Sprinkle some milk on the mixture and roll out rawa laddoos.

Tip: As an option you can also add some desiccated coconut to it. To do so fry desiccated coconut on MEDIUM in a separate microwave safe dish for 2 minutes and then mix with the semolina well before rolling the laddoos.

Microwave Besan Laddoos Recipe (Diwali sweets)

 Besan Laddoos are part of traditional Diwali sweets cooked in every Hindu household. Cook Besan Laddoos with much perfection, ease and rather quick with microwave by following these simple steps:

Ingredients for Microwave Besan Laddoos Recipe:

Besan flour (gram flour) - 1 cup
Powdered sugar - 3/4th cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 1/4th tsp, powdered
Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
Almonds - 1 tbsp

Method for Microwave Besan Laddoos Recipe:

Preparation: Before you start cooking your laddoos in microwave there is some preparation you need to do. First sieve the besan flour for any lumps twice. Once you do this sieve the powdered sugar for lumps twice. Roast the dry fruits till golden in little ghee on a pan.

In a microwave safe bowl add ghee and heat it on HIGH for 30 seconds.

Remove the microwave safe bowl from the oven and add besan to it. Mix well and place it in the microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Remove out and mix well. Put it back in the microwave on HIGH for 1 or 2 minutes for the desired golden brown color.

Remove out and allow it to cool a bit, not entirely. Once done mix the powdered sugar, powdered cardamom and the dry fruits. Roll into small Besan laddoos and enjoy the easily made Diwali Sweet!

Please note: The best part about cooking besan laddoos in microwave is that it requires less ghee as compared to conventional cooking and thus can be ideal for people who prefer less oily stuff as well as for those who diet!

How to make easy Corn on the Cob in the Microwave

To make corn on the cob in microwave easily follow these simple steps:

Dehusk the corn and place it in a microwave proof shallow dish.

Add just 1 tbsp water per cob and allow it to cook on HIGH for 5 to 7 minutes. The time of cooking depends entirely on the size of the corn.

Don't forget to turn the corn halfway through cooking.

Do allow the corn to stand for at least 2 to 3 minutes before taking out of the oven.

Add little butter on the top of the corn and there you go!

How to melt chocolate in a microwave

Melting chocolate is considered to be a tricky jobs if carried on in conventional ways. But microwave may just finish this tricky job in matter of minutes without any mess. Here's how:

To melt chocolate in a microwave, break the chocolate pieces into a microwave safe bowl.

Heat this bowl for just 1 or 2 minutes on HIGH until the chocolate gets soft and creamy.

Once done remove the bowl from the microwave and stir until it gets melted and lump free.

Your melted chocolate is ready in minutes!

Ninaave Recipe: A Maharashtrian (CKP) Delicacy cooked in Microwave

  Ninaave or ninave, as popularly called is a Maharashtrian delicacy, exclusively made by CKPs. A very easy and delightful dish Ninanve resembles a Gram flour fudge and is cooked by CKPs during the end of Shravan and the on the first day of Bhadrapad. I am posting two recipes of Ninave on this page. Each recipes are simple and yet different from each other.

Ninave Recipe - 1 

This first recipe belongs to my mother in law Mrs Anjali Chaubal.

Ninave Recipe - 1

Ingredients for Ninave Recipe - 1:

Gram flour (besan) - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1/4th cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Coconut milk (thick extract) - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup, crushed
Nutmeg powder- 1 pinch
Crushed Dryfruits - (2 tbsp)

Mix Roasted gramflour with coconut milk and jaggery

Method for Ninave Recipe:

In a non-stick pan, melt ghee and roast gram flour and wheat flour separately on a slow fire until light brown and the flours leave amazing aroma.

Once cool, mix gram flour and wheat flour together in a mixing bowl.

Add to it coconut milk, jaggery, nutmeg powder and dry fruits.

Mix well with a blender to a smooth paste.

Decorate with dry fruits of your choice 

Pour the mixture in a microwave safe dish or tin and microwave for 20 minutes at 175 Degree C in a pre-heated oven.

Check whether the ninave is done by piercing a knife, once done remove out and allow to cool.

Your Ninave is ready to be served.

Ninave

Please note: You can also cook the Ninave on Microwave + Convection option. Just reduce the time, and do check after first 10 minutes, before cooking further.

Ninave Recipe - 2

(New update as on 3rd September 2017)

Recently I came across one more recipe for Ninave. My mother-in-law's sister, Mrs Pratibha Vaidya visited us a couple of days ago and mentioned her version of Ninave recipe. According to her the ninave really comes out very good. I followed the steps and tried the recipe myself. It was really nice, much better than the above version. The texture of the ninave is grainy and it tastes delicious. So I thought I will share the recipe with you. Typing the recipe the way she mentioned steps to me. Please do read the whole recipe carefully for the ingredients list and exact steps involved. Posting the picture of the Ninave Recipe - 2 below.

Ninave Recipe - 2

Ingredients and Method for Ninave Recipe - 2 

Step One 

Gram dal (chana dal) - 2 cups
Gehu (whole wheat) - 1/4 cup
Rice - 1/4 cup

Dry roast each above mentioned ingredient separately on a low flame. Once done, allow to cool.

Mix them together and grind in a coarse flour.

Step Two

Measure the flour accurately. Take coconut milk twice as the measured flour. For example two cups flour then 4 cups milk. Do not mix the flour immediately in the coconut milk.

First add  chopped or grated jaggery to the coconut milk. Jaggery should be in the same proportion as flour. For example if 2 cups flour, then 2 cups jaggery.

Mix well. Add ghee(clarified butter). Mix well.

Step Three

Pour this mixture of jaggery, milk and ghee in a big non stick pan.

Add the flour to this and mix well.

Put the pan on heat and continue to stir on a low flame. Allow the mixture to cook and thicken.

Step Four

Pre-heat oven.

Grease a microwave dish with ghee. Pour the mixture on the microwave safe tin and spread evenly.

Sprinkle chopped dry fruits (optional). Bake till done.

Remove and allow it to cool and cut into squares.

How to make tamarind pulp effortlessly in microwave

While making tamarind pulp in conventional way, one needs to soak the tamarind in water as well as wait for sometime to allow the tamarind to soften. This method is okay when you have lot of time in hand, but what if you are in a hurry? Can you afford to spend so much time if your recipe calls for a instant tamarind pulp say if your friends drop in at a rush hour and you plan to make Sev-puri or even Indian style fish curry for lunch!

This is where microwave comes for your rescue and helps you make tamarind pulp instantly. Here's how to make tamarind pulp effortlessly in microwave:

In a microwave safe bowl take the required quantity of tamarind (seedless) and pour water enough to cover the tamarind.

On 100% power heat the microwave dish only till the water is hot (say 1 minute).

Stand for 5 minutes and then sieve. The thick tamarind pulp is ready to use. 

How to dry herbs using microwave oven

Fresh herbs like fenugreek, mint, basil, rosemary, sage, thyme etc can be easily dried in a microwave, that too with perfection. Dried herbs can be stored in refrigerator for a longer time as compared to fresh herbs and thus one can use it whenever they want for flavoring foods. There are two advantages of drying herbs in microwave:

1. The fresh herbs when dried in microwave are known to retain the color.

2. The fresh herbs when dried in microwave are known to be more hygienic as compared to readily available dried herbs.

So here's how to dry herbs in microwave effortlessly:

Wash the required herb very well and leave the leaves to drain for some time. See that you allow the leaves to dry as much as possible in natural way.

Now divide the leaves in small batches and place each in the microwave oven for 8 - 10 minutes at HIGH or 100% power.

It should take 10 minutes for 100 gm fresh herbs for drying in a microwave oven.

Caramel Custard Recipe - Microwave recipe

My child's favorite dessert, very easy to make and can be done in few minutes with microwave!

Ingredients for Caramel Custard Recipe: 

Milk - 2 and half cups
Milk powder - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 7 tsp
Vanilla Custard Powder - 1 tsp
Eggs - 3
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Ingredients for caramel:

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Method for Caramel Custard Recipe:

In a microwave safe bowl, mix milk along with sugar, milk powder and vanilla custard powder till soft and smooth. Microwave on HIGH for around 10 minutes. Do stir in once in between after an interval of 5 minutes. Once done remove from the microwave and allow to cool.

In an other bowl, beat the eggs along with the vanilla essence till the mixture gets light and fluffy. Add to this the milk mixture and mix well lightly. Keep aside.

For making the caramel, heat a non-stick pan and add sugar to it. Keep heating the sugar until it turns golden. Take either 6 microwave safe small bowls or 1 large microwave safe bowl and pour in the caramel. Leave it for around 5 more minutes to set in the bowl as it is.

Now slowly add the milk - egg mixture in each of these microwave safe bowl without disturbing the caramel. Pour the mixture lightly on the top of the caramel.

Cover these bowls or 1 single bowl if you preferred with an aluminium foil.

Preheat the oven at around 200 degree C on Convection mode and bake the caramel custard for around 20 minutes until firm and done.

Once done remove from the microwave and allow to cool. Place it the refrigerator to set and to chill.

While serving slowly move a knife all over the mould around the custard and invert it on a serving plate.

Serve chilled.

Lasagne

Lasagne

Ingredients for Lasagne:

Onions - 1, chopped
Minced Beef - 450 gm
Dried Mixed Herbs - 1 tbsp
Boiling Stock - 250 ml
Lasagne Sheets - 4 large, no pre-cook
Tomato Puree - 15 ml
Butter - 25 gm
Wheat Flour - 25 gm
Milk - 125 ml
Curd - 125 ml
Parmesan Cheese, as in required grated
Oil - 15 ml
Salt, as required
Pepper, as required

Method for Lasagne:

Heat Oil in a microwave safe bowl on HIGH and drop in the onions. Continue to cook on HIGH for 3 more minutes. Do stir in once.

Drop in the minced beef and mix. Cook for 5 more minutes, by stirring at least once.
Add to this the dried herbs, tomato puree and the stock. Cook on HIGH for further 8 minutes. Stir in middle and add salt and pepper.

Layer the cooked sauce with lasagne sheets in a serving dish. See that the finishing sheet has to be lasagne.

In a large microwave bowl, add butter and microwave HIGH for 30 seconds. Add to this the wheat flour and then the milk. Cook for 3 more minutes by stirring after every minute without fail. Add the curd, and the seasoning. Mix well.

Spoon this sauce over the lasagne and finally sprinkle the Parmesan cheese.  Finally cook on a low rack on Combination (180 Degrees C + Microwave 20%) for around 35 minutes, till done.

Tip: Though the recipe looks big and full of lots of steps, it isn't complicated at all. For the first timers may find it easy with the step by step description of how Lasagne has to made. Minced beef can be substituted with minced lamb or minced chicken. Serve immediately, as piping hot lasagne taste delicious..

Tuna and Sweet Corn Crumble

Ingredients for Tuna and Sweet Corn Crumble:

Margarine - 50 gm
Flour - 50 gm
Tuna - 198 gm, canned
Sweet Corn - 340 gm, Canned
Milk - 500 ml
Butter - 50 gm
Cheddar Cheese - 50 gm
Mustard powder - 1 pinch
Salt, as per taste
Pepper, as required
Flour - 225 gm
Margarine - 50 gm

Method for Tuna and Sweet Corn Crumble:

Take a large microwave proof Bowl and melt the top most mentioned margarine on a low rack for around 1 minute. Add the 50 gm flour and mix well.

Drain the juice from the tuna and measure the juice.Repeat the same step with sweet corn. Mix the juices together and add milk to it. Add this liquid in the butter and flour mixture and whisk gently.

Microwave this mixture for around 6 minutes on HIGH and keep stirring in the middle. This liquid would thicken and boil. Remove from the microwave.

Drop in the Tuna and Sweet corn to it. Mix well. Add salt and pepper. After mixing, pour the entire content in a casserole dish.

Take the remaining 225 gm flour in a bowl, rub the 50 gm margarine to it. Rub well, until the flour resembles bread crumbs. Add the cheese, salt and pepper along with the mustard powder. Mix well and spoon it into the casserole.

Cook the casserole on the low rack on Combination (180 degrees C + Microwave 20%) for around 45 minutes till done.

Tip: This recipe can be served as a salad or a side dish. You can replace margarine with butter, if you don't like one. Wholesome recipe, preferably for Tuna Lovers. Should be served immediately after cooked.