Search This Blog

January 27, 2010

Very moist carrot cake



Hint for baking cakes :

Whichever cake you are making, preparation is important. Use good quanlity ingredients, pay attention to measurements and check the heat of your oven.

Happy baking :)


Ingredients :
  1. Plain flour - 2 cups
  2. Baking soda - 2 tsp
  3. Baking powder - 2 tsp
  4. Cinnamon powder - 2 tsp
  5. Salt - 1 tsp
  6. Castor sugar - 2 cups
  7. Chopped walnuts - 1 cup
  8. Vegetable oil - 1 1/2 cups ( I used sunflower oil)
  9. Eggs - 4 nos
  10. Grated peeled carrot - 3 cups
  11. Chopped walnuts or icing sugar for decorating

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line the cake tin with non-stick baking paper.

2. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl with the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. Stir in the sugar and chopped walnuts. In another bowl, mix the oil and eggs until well combined. Stir in the grated carrot.

4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 60 to 80 min or until cooked through. Cool for 5 min before turning out onto a rack.

5. When completedly cold, decorate with cream cheese & with chopped walnuts or dust the icing sugar.


Enjoy !!!

January 25, 2010

Paruppu kari fry

Paruppu kari fry is the perfect snack for kids little healthy & rich.

Ingredients :
  1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
  2. Urad dal - 1 tbsp
  3. Greenchilly - 3 nos
  4. Oil - 1 tsp
  5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  6. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  7. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
  8. Salt to taste

Method :

1. Soak the toor dal & urad dal in the water for atleast 1 hr.

2. Grind toordal, urad dal, greenchillies & salt coarsely.

3. Steam the grounded toordal mixture in the pressure cooker.

4. Once steamed, cut them in the cube shape.

5. Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal & curry leaves.

6. Add the steamed dal & stir fry them till crispy. Add salt to taste.

Serve hot.

January 22, 2010

Classic Vegetable lasagna in white sauce


I was recently reminded by pravin to make a perfect vegetable lasagna (little mild). I normally use red sauce variety but this time I made it with white sauce. In this excitment, I neglected to remember that I didn't have most of the vegetables or cheese. As usual, emergency trip to the nearby grocery store. I used frozen spinach & egg is optional. Be generous in sprinkling the cheese to eat a nice & solid meal of vegetables with cheese toppings.

Ingredients :
For white sauce :
  1. Butter - 1 tbsp
  2. Bay leaf - 1 no
  3. Onion - 1 small sized
  4. Garlic minced - 1/2 tsp
  5. All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
  6. Milk - 1 cup (more or less)
  7. Salt to taste
  8. Black pepper powder to taste
  9. Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
For vegetable stuffing :
  1. Frozen spinach (or fresh) - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
  2. Egg - 1 no
  3. Vegetables - 1 cup (carrot, beans, squash, bellpeppers)
  4. Olive oil -1 tsp
  5. Salt to taste
  6. Black pepper to taste
  7. Garlic minced - 1/2 tsp
  8. Lasagna sheets - Prepared according to package direction
  9. Shredded italian cheese - 1/2 cup (or 1 cup)

Method :

1. Heat butter in the saucepan, add bayleaf, minced garlic & finely chopped onions. Saute it for 3 mins.

2. Add the flour & stir it for 2 more mins. Add milk & bring it to boil. Keep stirring continously.

3. Filter the sauce & bring it to boil again. Add salt & pepper to taste. Keep aside.

4. Heat oil in the pan, add minced garlic & the vegetables. Add salt & cook till done. Finally add the pepper powder. Switch off the heat.

5. In a bowl, mix the spinach & egg. Keep aside.

6. Lightly grease the baking pan with the white sauce onto the bottom of the dish.

7. Cover with a layer of lasagna sheets.

8. Top the lasagna with a layer of cooked vegetables, a layer of spinach, a layer of cheese and a layer of white sauce.

9. Repeat layering the lasagna, vegetables, spinach, cheese and sauce in this manner until all ingredients have been used, ending with cheese on top.

10. Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 F. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Happy baking :)


January 18, 2010

Bean sprouts lentil vadai (Masala vadai)


Masala vadai is most popular south indian snacks served with chutneys. Bean sprouts are mostly used in the thai preparation especially in fried rice. Thin & shinny bean sprouts gives additional taste from the normal lentil vada. Channa dal needs to be soaked in the water & grounded coarsely without adding water. Here is the little handy tip when the batter becomes little watery - add pottukadalai powder (split roasted gram dal) to make it thick. Crispy snack little healthy & perfect with tea.

Ingredients :
  1. Bean sprouts - 1 cup
  2. Channa dal -1/2 cup
  3. Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
  4. Onion - 1 no (Finely chopped)
  5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp (chopped)
  6. Corriander leaves - 1 tbsp
  7. Mint leaves - 1 tsp (chopped)
  8. Green chillies - 3 to 4 nos (as per ur spice)
  9. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
  10. Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp
  11. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
  12. Salt to taste
  13. Oil for deep frying

Method :

1. Boil the bean sprouts & drain the water.

2. Soak the channa dal for two hours & drain them. Retain a tsp of drained channa dal & grind the remaining channa dal & boiled bean sprouts coarsely (without adding water).

3. Add the remaining ingredients & mix well.

4. Take a small ball of mixture & slightly flatten them between your palms and deep fry them in the oil till golden brown in either sides.

Serve with chutney or tomato ketchup.

January 15, 2010

Baked Roly poly swiss cake

Happy pongal to all my viewers !!!
Festivals is all about sharing sweets each other. I would like to share this delicate & tasty swiss roll on this special day.
Ingredients :
  1. Eggs - 3 nos
  2. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
  3. Castor sugar - 110 gms
  4. Flour - 75 gms
  5. Chocolate for decorating

For butter cream filling :

  1. 1 pound powdered sugar
  2. 1/2 cup milk
  3. 1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt
  4. 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  5. 2 sticks butter, cut into ½ inch slices
  6. 1/2 cup shortening

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 210 C & grease the swiss roll pan.
2. Seperate the egg yolks & whisk it with vanilla essence & sugar till creamy.
3. Sift in the flour & gently fold them in the egg yolk mixture.
4. Whisk the egg whites till stiff & gently fold them in the cake mixture.
5. Gently pour the cake mixture in the prepared pan & bake it for 10 min or until done.
6. Immediately, turn on to a cake rack covered with clean tea towel. Allow the cake to cool.

For the buttercream filling :

7. using the whisk attachment on your electric mixer, mix the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and milk at low speed until smooth.
8. Add butter, one slice at a time, until incorporated add shortening and whip at highest speed 10 to 12 mins.
9. Peal off the baking paper (if any) and spread the butter cream filling as the first layer & raspberry jam as the second layer throughout the cake. With the help of tea towel, tightly roll the cake. Refrigerate the cake for one hour & remove the tea towel gently & carefully.
10. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate (ur choice) & decorate it over the swiss roll & refrigerate it.


Serve cool.

January 11, 2010

Bread pudding


I have been postponing this dish for many months. Finally, I made this weekend to host my guest. It was superduper hit & within 2 days my tray was empty. It taste simply divine. Raisins & a tsp of brown sugar made my dessert extremely delicious.

Ingredients :
  1. Bread slices - 5 nos
  2. Brown sugar -1 tsp
  3. Warm milk - 2 cups
  4. Butter - 2 tbsp
  5. Custard powder - 1 tsp
  6. Eggs - 3 nos
  7. Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
  8. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
  9. Sugar to taste
  10. Raisins
  11. Almonds

Method :

1. Combine custard powder in a tsp of cold milk & keep aside.

2. Now combine warm milk, butter, custard powder mixture & lightly beaten eggs together. Bring it boil on low flame. Stirring continously. (Bring it to room temperature)

3. Add cinnamon powder & vanilla essence to the above milk mixture.

4. Grease the baking pan with butter. Roughly chop the bread to pieces & arrange them in the greased pan. Spread the raisins, almonds & brown sugar over the bread pieces.

5. Now pour the milk mixture & bake them at 180 C for 30 mins.

Serve warm or cool.


January 8, 2010

Plain dal curry


Simple & quick dal curry taste good with rice & chapathis. Taste of tomatoes with green chillies bring the different flavour to the dal curry. I make this often especially when I make spicy non-veg dishes.

Ingredients :
  1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
  2. A pinch of hing
  3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  4. Water
  5. Oil - 1 tbsp
  6. Ghee -1 tsp
  7. Methi seeds - 1 tsp
  8. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  9. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  10. Onion - 1 no
  11. Tamarind juice - 1 tbsp
  12. Coconut finely grated - 1 tsp
  13. Tomatoes - 2 nos
  14. Green chillies (as per ur spice)
  15. Garlic - 1 pod
  16. Red chillies - 2 nos
  17. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
  18. Salt to taste
  19. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Method :

1. Pressure cook the toor dal with a pinch of hing & turmeric powder. Keep aside.

2. Heat oil & ghee in the pan, add methi seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies,curry leaves & urad dal.

3. Add finely chopped onions & saute for 5 mins on medium flame.

4. Meanwhile, cook the tomatoes with green chillies & garlic. Smash & add them to the onion.

5. Add the toor dal, grated coconut, tamarind juice & water. Allow it to boil.

6. Once done, garnish it with freshly chopped corriander leaves.


Serve it with rice or chapathis.

January 5, 2010

Spicy Egg masala fry

Sometimes, it becomes little difficult to think & cook really fast in the mornings. In such situation, spicy egg masala is the best & easiest side dish which goes with all gravies. And the taste differs on the seasonings we use. I try to use different seasonings each time & this is the standard recipe. Alternately, mustard seeds & urad dal can be used. I like to have this with rotis too.

Ingredients :
  1. Egg - 1 no
  2. Oil - 1 tsp
  3. Methi seeds (Fenugreek seeds) - 1/2 tsp
  4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  5. Finely chopped onion - 1 no
  6. Tomato - 1 no
  7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  8. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
  9. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
  10. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
  11. Salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat oil in the pan, add methi seeds, cumin seeds & chopped onions. Saute till golden brown.

2. Add finely chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder & corriander powder.

3. Meanwhile, boil the egg in the water & slice them in half.

4. Once the onion masala is done, add the boiled egg & garam masala. Stir them for 2 mins.

Serve.

January 2, 2010

Rich old-fashioned fruit cake


Happy New year 2010 :)

Fruit cakes are normally baked during christmas & New year seasons. I soaked the nuts & dried fruits in whisky overnight. Flavour of soaked nuts & fruits along with the spice powders makes this cake taste just awesome.

Ingredients :
  1. 1 kg mixed dried fruit
  2. 1/2 cup finely chopped glace ginger
  3. 1 tsp grated orange zest
  4. 1 cup apple puree
  5. 2 tbsp apricot jam
  6. 2 tbsp orange juice
  7. 250 gms butter
  8. 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  9. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  10. 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  11. 3 cups plain flour
  12. 1 tsp baking powder
  13. 1 tsp mixed spice
  14. 1 tsp ground ginger
  15. Glace cherries
  16. 2 to 4 tbsp whisky

Method :

1. In a large bowl mix fruits, glace ginger, orange zest, apple puree, apricot jam and orange juice. Cover and allow to stand overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 150 C. Lightly grease a 20 cm round tin and lin with two layers of non-stick baking paper.

3. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Add sifted dried ingredients alternately with fruit mixture.

4. Put into prepared tin. Decorate with rows of cherries. Bake for 3 to 31/2 hours. Cover with baking paper for the last hours to prevent burning.

5. Remove from oven and pour whisky on top. Leave in tin to cool completely before removing.

Enjoy :)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...