Baked Nimki | Namak Paare | Savory Diamond Cuts | No Butter No Ghee Indian snacks

Diamond cuts are my all time favourite, but of late I am starting to love the savory ones. During my last visit to Amma's place she made me masala diamond cuts and boy I was so so excited, the deepfried kind. I still have those clicks sleeping in my draft I've been waiting for Amma to pass me the recipe. So the otherday my hands were itchy to bake, yea yea you read it right :P once you are a baker you seem to think that anything can be baked, I mean you talk and dream about baking. And I for sure am a bit nutty baker, I dream and have sleepless nights about what to bake, how to bake, what combination, which frosting :P sounds funny? well I think its absolutely normal to understand this if you are a baker too. So I thought my not do a baked version of savory diamond cuts and the result was superb. Mind you no maida (APF), no ghee, no butter and I still managed to bake decent looking and great tasting diamond cuts or Nimki or Namkeen or Namak Paare. I spiced the dough up with crushed peppers and it tasted fantastic. So during this festive season so something a little guilt free for the one's who cannot take the deep fried and no sugar goodies.

Restaurant Style Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani | Easy Chicken Biryani Recipe

Biryani is one of the most adored recipe in our family. It all started from the time I was a kid, every Sunday lunch menu would be a special biryani from Amma mostly Chicken Biryani and occasionally Lamb biryani. Long back I posted a super simple Chicken Biryani Amma Style but over the years R & me have explored so much when it comes to Biryani and one version that usually makes us crave for would be the Hyderabadi Mutton biryani and today I wanted to do a twist to this recipe make it using Chicken and a restaurant style Chicken Hyderabadi Biryani. Usually when you order for any biryani in a restaurant you will 90% not find whole spices likes bay leaf, cinnamon stick, star anise and so on in the biryani and the only visible ingredients would be rice, meat, onions, tomatoes and at times mint leaves. I was intrigued by how they can come out with such fantastic taste despite not adding the whole spices. When I did my research to find a restaurant style chicken biryani I bumped on this recipe by Vah chef and the next weekend I made this for our Sunday lunch. It was a perfect restaurant style biryani :-) you have to try it to know how great it tastes.

Palak Poori Recipe | Spinach Poori | Easy Breakfast Recipe | Step by Step

Poori is a childhood favourite for R and me :-) we both love it so much hence I make it once or twice a month as a breakfast recipe. Like always I love to have twists to usual day to day recipes and this time I tried Palak Poori (Spinach Poori) and my husband totally loved this flavourful poori :-) and what a great way to add spinach into the menu. I would not say that its the most healthiest way but a cheats' way to include greens into meals ;-) try this poori for fussy eaters and I am sure they will love it. The secret ingredient in this poori is the use of fennel seeds, it does give a lovely flavour to the poori. The biggest tip to make perfect poori is to make the dough stiff and firm and not soft like how we knead the dough for chappati. 

Kesar Nan Khatai Cookies | Flavored Nan Khatai Biscuit

I love Indian bakery goodies, and of all the different bakes my most favourite is Nan Khatai and since its festival season I thought why not doing a twist with the traditional Nan Khatai by making it a Saffron flavoured. Nan Khatai are buttery melt in the mouth cookies and have a crumbly texture. The cookies are great as a snack and can be wrapped as a treat for guests or kids. Saffron Nan Khatai are firm on the outside with a slight mithai flavour on the inside. The topped nuts add to the crunch and taste. These colourful Saffron Nan Khatai are sure a joy to taste and attractive looking. Give this a dry during the festive time. 

Kheema Cutets | Goat Keema Cutlet | Keema Starter Recipe

Mutton Kheema Cutlets are a big hit at home, Amma makes it so well and as kids we never complain to eat them :-). She made sure to do it once a month and when everyone is at home. A super simple recipe and you can even do it ahead and then shallow fry them when you want it. The minced meat is pre-cooked and made into dumplings along with mashed potatoes and spices. Later coated with batter rolled on breadcrumbs and then shallow fried. You really do not need a side to dip these cutlets they taste great on their own.

So last weekend when we had friends over for lunch I made these as a starter and they simply enjoyed these Kheema cutlets a lot and everyone wanted a second and third serving ;-) I couldn't be more happy.