HOME MADE QUICKIE PIZZA

I was craving a pizza yesterday and it was quite late so I quickly whipped this up with whatever I had at home and forgot to take pictures once it was done! Lol so enjoy as much as you get to see!

INGREDIENTS

Ready pizza crust (I didn’t have this so just used Lebanese bread)

Quarter green capsicum, chopped

Half tomato, chopped

Half small onion, chopped

2 tbsp. black sliced olives

1 sausage, chopped (optional)

2 tbsp. ready pizza sauce

Half cup grated cheese (any will do. I used cheddar)

Tabasco and oregano (if you like having them on your pizza)

Spread the pizza sauce on the crust. Add the chopped veggies and sausages. Add olives and grated cheese on top. Microwave for about 2 minutes or until cheese melts. If you don’t have a microwave you can put it on a greased pan on low flame until cheese melts. Ensure the base doesn’t get burned though. Add tabasco and oregano.

You can add or deduct ingredients as you like because either way you have a winning combination with pizza sauce and cheese. So go crazy. This has got to be the quickest easiest pizza you can make. Your welcome.

NUTELLA COOKIES By Sarika

Once again we have a fantastic recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Laura Vitale. Sarika made these awesome looking cookies and I was so inspired by them that I had to try them out for myself.

What makes these cookies so great is the soft texture as compared to the usual cookie hardness. These are at par with subway cookies. So if you like 'em soft, always under bake them a little bit like Sarika did. I, on the other hand, baked them for as long as the recipe said I should. They were just perfect!

You can find the recipe here:
Nutella Cookies by Laura Vitale

Sarika's

Mine

Before they got into the oven

 After coming out from the oven

 After cooling.

TIPS

I thought I'd share somethings that could help you while making these.

1. I placed them on the upper most rack of the oven to avoid burning.
2. I lined the parchment paper (very important) with good amount of butter.
3. I didn't have parchment paper so I used wax paper. A lot of people said they had trouble using wax paper and it created a lot of smoke inside the oven. I experienced no such problem. But yes, wax leaves a residue onto the tray.
4. I didn't have an ice cream scoop so I made medium sized balls and placed them onto the tray as seen in the above picture.
5. My first batch didn't flatten as much as I wanted it to, so for the second batch I made smaller balls and pressed them a little in between my palms. So in the above picture you can see two different sized cookies, one set shaped better than the other.

And Sarika's cookies look absolutely perfect and delicious. No idea how she did them so well.

Feel free to ask anymore questions! Till then, Happy Baking.

IVY GOURDS WITH CASHEWNUTS

I’m not a fan of tendli, in fact I despise them. But these authentic mangalorean styled ivy gourds are irresistible.

Look at that steam!!!

INGREDIENTS

450 – 500 grams ivy gourds/tendli

2 tsp. ginger garlic paste

5 – 6 curry leaves

Few cashew nuts

2 tsp. mustard seeds

1 onion, sliced

1 green chilli, slit

½ cup fresh coconut

1 tomato, chopped

1 tablespoon of any vegetarian masala

A little jaggery (I used about 2 – 3 tbsp. of sugar as I did not have this)

1 maggi cube (I use this as a substitute for salt and it gives a wonderful flavor)

1 cup water

2 tbsp. olive oil

Heat oil, add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add curry leaves, onions, ginger garlic paste and green chilli. Mix well and sauté till onions become translucent. Now add tomato, vegetable masala and crumble the maggi cube into the mixture. Stir for 2 – 3 minutes and then add the cut tendli along with the water and let it simmer. When the water reduces to half, taste the gravy and see how you like it. Some people don’t really like sweet food, so if you are satisfied with the taste at this time, you may skip the sugar. If not, add the sugar and mix well. Finally add fresh coconut and cashews and cook till tendli is done. Took me about 20 minutes on medium flame.

Yenjoy!!

MIXED VEGETABLE KORMA

I wasn’t a huge fan of green peas until this recipe. It’s delicious and really easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

1 carrot (finely chopped)

1 potato (finely chopped)

Few baby corns (I used about 3 which was left over from my stir fry)

A cup of peas (I used frozen ones)

2 onions (finely chopped)

1 large tomato (finely chopped)

3-4 tsp. Ginger garlic paste

1 small stick of cinnamon

3 cloves

½ tsp. garam masala powder

½ tsp. turmeric/haldi powder

1 Maggi Cube (I use this as a substitute for salt and it gives a wonderful flavor. If you don’t have this, use salt according to taste)

1 ½ cup water

Olive oil

To grind:

3-4 green chilies (I used 4 and it became quite spicy)

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. jeera

6 cashews

6 tsp. freshly scraped coconut

2 tsp. coriander leaves, finely chopped

Grind the above masala and set aside. I suggest you may boil the carrots and potatoes for about 5-10 minutes prior. Alternatively, you can cook it for a longer time after adding the masala.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the cloves and cinnamon. Add the onions and sauté. Add ginger garlic paste and mix well. Now add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the remaining vegetables, turmeric and garam masala powders. Stir well and let it cook for some time. Now add the ground masala and mix. Add a cup and a half of water and let it cook on medium flame for five minutes. Now crumble the cube into the vessel and mix well. Cover the lid and let it simmer until vegetables are cooked. (It took me about 30 minutes for the vegetables to completely cook on medium flame)

So tasty!

Serves 3-4 really hungry people.

PS. You can use other vegetables too like French beans, cauliflower, paneer or anything you like. Alternatively you can use frozen cut vegetables as well.