Dinner rolls (Indian style)

Ingredients :
For Roll:

2 cups flour
5 tsps sugar
1 tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1 cup yogurt
½ cup vegetable oil

For Filling:

1 cup mashed potato
½ tsp salt
½ tsp red chilly powder
½ tsp chat masala

Procedure:

1. Add the ingredients for the roll in a bowl & blend them thoroughly.
2. Preheat the oven to 3500 F.
3. Grease a baking tray & dust it with flour.
(Ensure a thin film of evenly spread out flour on the tray)
4. Shape the dough into 1” thick rolls (3-4 inches in diameter) & place them on the greased tray.
5. Place the tray in the lower rack of the oven & bake at 3500 F for 25-30 mins.
6. Check if the rolls are baked completely by inserting a needle into 1 roll. If the needle comes out clean then the rolls are baked.
7. After they are completely baked, place the tray in the upper rack of the oven & allow it to cool for 30 mins.
8. Add the ingredients for the filling & mix them thoroughly.
9. Slice the rolls horizontally & add the filling in between.
10. Bake for another 5 mins in the upper rack.
Now you are all set to enjoy the rolls.

Paddu (Spicy Indian Waffle)

Ingredients :
For the batter
1 cup rice (raw grains)
½ cup Urad dhal ( split black gram)
½ cup cooked rice
1 teaspoons red chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
3 teaspoon coconut powder
2 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil for cooking

Procedure:
1. Wash raw rice grains & urad dhal in water & then soak the mixture in water for 4 hours.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients with this mixture & then grind this into a batter of the same consistency as pancake batter.
3. Leave the batter at room temperature for 8 hours
4. Now the batter is ready to be baked
5. Smear the paddu tava with oil & put in the stove with medium heat for 2 mins.
6. Pour the batter into the tava & cook for approx 5 mins until the lower side of the paddu is golden brown.
7. Turn over the paddus & cook for approx 5 more mins until the other side is also golden brown
8. If paddu tava is not available you could use a Waffle maker. Smear a little oil on both sides & bake the batter similar to a waffle until both sides are golden brown.

Now you are all set to enjoy Paddu (spicy Indian waffle)

Presentation:
Arrange 3-4 paddu in a plate & savor them with tomato sauce , salsa or traditional Indian chutney (coconut sauce)

Smart Cooking with Ash – How it all began?

Does ‘Ash’ stand for Aishwarya Rai – Indian super model? Nopes… Don’t go by the name. Lets all be smart.;) :) I’m Ash, alias Asha Aradhya, a homemaker residing at Tumkur, a serene town adjacent to Silicon valley of India- Bangalore.

“Smart” is my mantra. With over 2 decades of experience in cooking & homemaking I have been always striving to achieve smartness in every walk of my life. Cooking is a major area where everyone has to be smart. Being a smart cook is a great way for anyone to eat healthy food & to stay fit. Preparing mouth watering delicious recipes from different cuisines by adopting quick & easy methods & using balanced blend of nutrient-ingredients is the way to Smart cooking. Smart cooking is the first step to a smart life.

I know for sure that there are many people like me out there aspiring to lead a smart life. Here are my two cents to help all those smart people to become a little more smarter.

Watch this space for lip smacking traditional Indian recipes that can be prepared in little time with quick & effective techniques.