Home made Ladi-paav and Buns

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Hot cross buns, hot cross buns,

One a penny, two a penny

Hot cross buns!

I learnt this rhyme after my first daughter was born. Being a Kannada medium student, never dared to learn English till I was in fifth std. And then I had to learn to teach my daughter. I took the help of video tapes. 

Why am I sharing this with you all is, I took years to learn a rhyme on buns, and now it's 45 years to learn to bake a bun and  paav.

It's not that I never tried before, but in vain. I was failed many times, wasting all the money to buy the ingredients. But never left my hope though got disappointed every time.

Jiske paas ummeed hai, woh lakh Baar haarkar bhi nahi haaratha!

And here I am today, with no fail recipe of ladi paav. Of course, I too have followed the recipe from other blogs, But I got the perfect recipe that I am happily sharing. 

The most important ingredient which plays either the role of hero or many a times a villain is the "YEAST".  After this experiment I have come to the conclusion that "Yeast is like husband or his mood!!! if you have good yeast, then your paav or bun or bread will come out the best or else!!Same with husbands too!!

Coming to the recipe,

I browsed many blogs and websites to learn to bake these paav and ended up happily with two sites. One is HOMEMADE LADI PAV AND BUNS FROM Ruchi's Kitchen. She is an excellent blogger. Her recipes are filled with all the information and her pictorial post will help any new comer to learn cooking. And one more is from ladi paav from Tarla Dalal. What I liked about Ruchi's recipe it's more clear and her special tips will help you and boost your confidence to go ahead with the recipe. 

Ingredients : 

All purpose flour(Maida) : 3 cups

(Planning to use Wheat flour next time!)

Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt : 1 1/2 tsp 
Oil - 2 tbsp (any oil except the oil from nuts)
Little Milk and Butter  for brushing

Yeast Preparation: Luke Warm milk or water  : 2 tbsp(water should be luke warm, neither hot or cold as hot water kills the yeast)

Sugar 1 tbsp 
Active Dry Yeast :1 tbsp 
Oil : 2 tbsp 

Soft Butter : 1/2 tbsp

Warm water - approximately 1 cup

To prepare yeast, follow the measurement and the method very strictly. 

Method:

1. Let's prepare the yeast mix first. Because if the yeast is not good or active and we don't get proper frothy solution, the outcome is disaster. Just throw the mix and restart the whole process.

Take all the ingredients under yeast preparation in a deep bowl. Mix well and keep it aside for 10 minutes or till you see the froth or boils. It may take another 10 more minutes.

Next steps:

2. Mix the butter and Oil in another bowl.

3. Take All Purpose flour, salt and baking powder in a big bowl. Mix well.

4. Add the yeast mix into the flour. Mix well. 

5. Knead the flour with little warm water(depends on the quality of maida. Start with half cup)

6. knead into make soft dough for 4-5 minutes. 

"KNEADING IS VERY MUCH NEEDED" 

If your finger comes out clean when you insert in the dough, then it is ready for next step.

7.Now add the butter and oil mix to the dough and start kneading for 6-8 minutes. Knead it by stretching, folding and the way you wash the cloth.

This is very important step. 

8.Cover it with a damp muslin cloth and keep it aside for 2 hours(again depending on the season, During summer it takes less time) But wait till it is doubled. Check the dough by inserting your finger. The dough should not bounce back. 

9.Take the dough and again knead it for another 5 minutes. 

Divide into 12 equal balls. 

10.If you like it in the bun shape you can just take a bigger size and give round shape and bake. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the buns. 

place the balls in to baking pan at equal distance. 

Cover it with damp cloth again for 45 minutes.

Bake these Paav in a pre-heated over on 200 degree centigrade for 20 minutes. 

11.Remove from the oven. Allow the paav to cool. Brush the paavs with milk and butter. 

Cool completely,

Enjoy it with butter, make Bhaji Pav,  vada pav,  Dhaabeli, Missal.

If you follow my recipe and try this, please let me know. I would be the happiest to receive your comments.

Next from my kitchen is Vada for Vada paav. Stay tuned. 

Keep Smiling,

A quick Coconut Burfi or Laddu

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Old is gold! Books, food, wine are the best when they are old.

I have a good collection of cookery books since many years. Some were purchased, I borrowed few from my aunt, few were the Xerox copy of original ones, and the most favourite ones are the gifted books. This reminds of my marriage. When my relatives came to know that I am Getting married to a Sindhi guy, though they were little upset, but they gifted me a Sindhi cookery book when I went to meet them first time after the marriage. That too, two of them gifted the book by same author. So sweet of them, I am always grateful to them. I learnt most of the Sindhi dishes from those books as we never had internet to refer .

And another best gift was from my brother, which is a collection of five books by Sanjeev Kapoor.

But today's recipe is from a book which I borrowed from my aunt.  She took it after her marriage. It's first edition was published in the year 1971. It has a huge collection of all the recipes

When I remembered the event of cooking from the books, I played a game.  I closed my eyes and picked up a book. This one came in my hand. Then blindly I opened a page thinking that whatever recipe I get in that page I will make that one. And I got this Burfi recipe. Though I was little disappointed, I thought let me not cheat. And then when I checked my blog, some how this recipe was never posted.

This is my most favorite sweet since childhood with lot of sweet memories. I will share some other day as the post will be too long.

Coming to the recipe,

Ingredients:

Grated fresh coconut : 1 1/2 cup

Sugar : 3/4 cup

Milk : 1/4 cup

Cashew nuts and almonds : 1/4 cup, cut in to small pieces

Cardamom powder from 1 pod

Cashew nut powdered: 2 tbsp

Dash of salt(this is my addition)

Ghee : 1tsp+1tsp

Method :

Mix grated coconut, salt and sugar in a bowl and keep it aside for 15min .

Take a thick bottomed kadai(I have used wonder chef kadai)

Heat 1 tsl ghee and roast the cashew and almond pieces. Transfer it to a plate.

In the same kadai, add the coconut sugar mix and milk. Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5-8 minutes, stirring it in between.

Now lower the flame, add cashew powder, cardamom powder and ghee. Mix well and keep on stirring. When it starts leaving the edges,  add fried nuts, higher the flame for half a minute (if you want the Burfi to be brown). Now cook on a slow flame for half a minute. Transfer it to a greased plate, cut into squares. Take little from it and make small balls. I love to eat these round ones than squares.

A quick dish to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Hope you all enjoyed my post and the recipe. I would be happy if you ever try this recipe and share your experience with me.

Keep smiling,