White Cake

It was Josie's birthday yesterday and this time I made a simple white cake with buttercream icing. And for brkfst I made simple pan cakes and rasgullas. For rasgullas, I didn't follow any particular recipe. It was good but just wanted to make a note about syrup. I used 1 and half cup sugar with 2 cups of water and it was right at the end. But I think we can reduce sugar to one and quarter cup. Let me see next time.

So to the cake now........

Ingredients
--------------
Self Raising Flour - 2 1/4 cup
Sugar                     - 11/2 cup (bit sweeter. can be reduced to 11/4 cup)
Egg whites             - 6
Butter                     - 170gm
Vanilla Extract      - 2 Teaspoon
Milk                       - 1cup
Salt                         - a pinch
Butter cream icing

Method
----------
1.Preheat the oven to 180 C. Sieve SR Flour, baking powder and salt together.
2. Mix Egg whites , vanilla extract and milk with a beater in slow speed for 1 min..
3. Cream butter with a electric beater.
4. Add sugar and beat till mixed.
5. Add flour mixture and all but a cup of milk mixture. beat for 2 mins.
6. Add the remaining milk and beat for 2 mins.
7. Pour into two 8 " inch pans and bake for 20-23 mins.

Once cooled decorate with butter cream icing and top it with jellies.

Notes
--------
Since I used the yellow butter, cake was little bit yellow rather than white. So, have to choose  white butter next time.
For the same reason of yellow butter, the blue icing turned into green.

Simple Chicken Curry

Yesterday prepared this simple curry. There was just 1 tomato left in the fridge and I was too tired to go to shop again. So made this curry and made my mind to compromise on the taste. But it was too good.

Ingredients
--------------
Chicken - 500gms
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Teaspoon
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Kulabu Milagai Thool - 3 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Saunf - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Masala Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Gingelly Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Curry leave
Salt

Method
----------
1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Season with saunf and curry leaves.
2.Add sliced onion and ginger garlic paste and fry till golden brown.
3.Add chopped tomato and fry for 3 minutes.
4.Add Turmeric power , Kulambu Milagai Thool and chicken pieces one by one and fry for 5 minutes.
5.Add curry masala powder.
6.Add salt and 1/2 cup of water.
7.Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
8.Serve hot with rice.

Upma

This is the usual  upma, but my family loves this. We have it at least once in  a week.

Ingredients
--------------
Rava - 2 Cups
Green Chilly - 2
Ginger - a small piece
Cashew - Few
Curry leaves - Few
Channa dal  - 1 Teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Ghee or Coconut Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Salt


Method
1.Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and roast rava. Remove from fire.
2.Heat the remaining oil in a pan and season with mustard, curry leaves, channa dal and cashew nut.
3.Add Green chillies and finely chopped ginger.
4.Add roasted rava and mix them. Add salt.
5.Boil 4 cups of water in kettle.
6.Once it is boiled, add the water to the upma mix. Mix nicely.
7.Keep it in medium fire till rava is cooked.
8.Switch off the stove and add Ghee/coconut oil.
9.Serve hot with sugar or Coconut chutney.

Paal Kolukattai

Amma used to prepare this atleast once in a month when we were kids. It was a sweet memory , sitting together with sisters in kitchen and rolling small balls out of rice dough.

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Cardamom -1
Coconut - 2 Tablespoons grated
Milk or coconut milk -  1 cup (optional)
Salt - a pinch

Method
1.Boil water.
2.Mix pinch of salt in rice flour, add boiled water in rice flour. Mix with a spoon.
3.When it cooled down, knead it to a smooth ball.
4.Make small balls out of this mixture.
5.In the mean time, boil water(+ milk if using) in a pan.  when it is boiling, put a handful of these small balls in the water.
6.It'll float after 2 -3 minutes. Now add next batch of balls. wait till they are floating on the top.
7.Finish with all balls.
8.Add powdered jaggery. Add more if you want. Add the crushed cardamom.
9.Once jaggery is melted, mix  2 teaspoon of rice flour with 1/4 cup of water and add it to the mixture.
10.keep it medium flame for 5 minutes.
11.Swith off the stove.
12.Add grated coconut( and coconut milk if using).
13. Serve after 5 minutes.

Mutton Kola Fry

Whenever Amma prepares mutton kola urundai kulambu, she makes kola fry along with it. It is super easy.

Ingredients
--------------
Same mixture we prepare in mutton kola urundai kulambu  in step 6- as required
Boiled potatoes - 2 or 3
Oil
Egg - 1(optional)
Chopped onions, curry leaves, Green chilly - optional

Method
----------
1.Mash the boiled potatoes and mix them with the mutton mixture.
2.If required add extra chopped onions, curry leaves and green chillies.
3.Make small lemon size balls out of mixture.
4.Flatten them in palm and arrange in  a plate.
5.Heat a tawa.
6.Arrange the mutton patties in the tawa and cook them by turning them frequently and add oil.
7.If it is breaking, beat the egg. Dip the patties in egg and then fry.
8.Instead of shallow frying, can deep fry in oil.
9.Serve hot.

Potato Peas Subji

This is a north indian style subji I tried yesterday. Goes well with roti's.

Ingredients
--------------
Potatoes - 200gms (Boiled)
Green Peas - 200gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Cinnamon - 2
Star anise -1
Chilly powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander powder  - 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 Teapsoon
Garam masala  - 1/2 Teaspoon
Ginger - 1 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Oil - 2 Teaspoon
Salt

Method
---------
1.Heat oil in a pan. Season with cumin seeds, cinnamon and star anise.
2.Add finely chopped onion and fry till it becomes golden colour.
3.Add finely chopped tomatoes and ginger and fry till the oil comes out.
4.Add chilly powder,coriander powder , turmeric powder and fry for 3 minutes.
5.Add green peas and boiled potatoes and fry.
6.If required add 2 Tablespoon of water and cook.
7.Add garam masala powder and add water to adjust the consistency.
8.Switch off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves.
9.Serve hot with roti.

Meen Kulambu

Saturday I prepared this simple meen kulambu with minimum no of ingredients. And without coconut, as my mixie is out of order. So, the recipe follows..

Ingredients
--------------
Sea Bream - 2
Gingelly Oil - 1 and half Tablespoon
Onion - 1 (preferably shallots, if available)
Tomato - 1 ( can be 2)
Methi Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Saunf - 1 Teaspoon
Curry leaves - few
Garlic - 3 crushed
Tamarind - Size of small lemon
Kulambu Milagi Thool - 5 heaped Teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly - 2 slitted

Method
----------
1.Clean the fish with turmeric powder,salt and little vinegar. Drain the water completely.
2.Heat oil in a pan. Season with methi seeds, saunf and curry leaves.
3.Add chopped onions and a pinch of salt and fry till they become deep golden brown.
4.Add garlic and chopped tomatoes and fry till the oil comes out.
5.Add masala powder and fry till the raw smell goes. If it is too dry, add a teaspoon of water.
6.Now use a hand blender and coarsely grind the mixture for 2 mins.
7.Add tamarind water , green chillies and salt.
8.Let it boil till the raw smell goes..
9.Add the cleaned fish, close the lid and cook for 7 minutes.
10.Serve hot with rice.

Note
------
1. A fish with fat gives taste to this curry..
2. A teaspoon of gingelly oil and fresh curry leaves can be added at the end after switching off the stove.
3.I used the kulambu milagai thool prepared by amma. Can substitute with aachi kulambu milagai thool.
 

Black Channa Curry

Yesterday prepared this simple kadala curry as a side for chapathi. Didn't have time to take pictures. May be next time, I can add the picture. Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients

Black Channa  - 1 cup (Soaked overnight)
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 teaspoon
Cumin - 1 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder  - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Kulambu Milagai Thool - 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Masala Powder - 1/2 teaspoon(can substitute with Garam malasa)
Coriander Leaves
Oil - 1 Tablespoon

Method
1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker and season with cumin seeds.
2.Add onion and fry till golden brown.
3.Add ginger garlic paste and tomato pieces and fry.
4.Add soaked channa and all masala powders(except curry masala), and coriander leaves and fry for sometime.
5.Add water (I usually add boiling water to reduce the cooking time). Close the pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes in medium flame.
6.Open the cooker and add curry masala powder.
7.Serve hot with chapathis. But I hope this goes well with rice too.


Note.

Can add coconut milk at the end if we need a change. I liked it this way..

Chicken Dum Biriyani

I prepared this biriyani for last week end. Just wanted to note this down as it was so perfect.

Ingredients
--------------

Basmati Rice - 4 Cups ( I used Kohinoor)
Chicken  - 800gms
Onion - 2
Green chilly - 2
Tomato - 2
Curd - 1 Cup
Cinnamon - 4
Cardamom - 5
Cloves  - 4
Bay leaves - 4
Star Anise - 1
Chilly Powder - 1 and half Teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 Teaspoon
Ginger Garlic Paste - 3 Teaspoon
Coriander - A handful
Mint - A handful(I substituted with a teaspoon of dried mint)
Oil - 2 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon
Milk - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 or 3 Teaspoon
Lemon - 1

Method
---------

1.Clean the chicken and marinate with half of curd and salt.
2.Wash the Rice and soak them for 20mins.
3.Heat  2 Tablespoons of Oil in a pan and season with 3 Cinnamon, 3 Cardamom, 2 Cloves, 3 Bay leaves .
4. Add sliced onion and fry till they are dark brown. Do not let them burn.
5. Add Ginger garlic paste , green chilly and fry till the raw smell goes.
6. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and fry.
7. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till the oil comes out.
8. Add chilly powder and garam masala powder.
9.Add  Chicken pieces and fry for 5 minutes.
10. Now add remaining curd, milk and salt and cook till the chicken is almost done. Add 1/4cup of water if necessary. It should not be too thick.
11.In the meantime, boil water in a big pan or pressure cooker and add the soaked rice, salt, remaining spices(cinnamon, cardamom, cloves,star anise , bay leaves) and a teaspoon of oil
12.Cook the rice for 7-8 minutes. It should be cooked only 70%.
13.Drain the water and spread the rice in  colander.
14.Spread little ghee in a pan of electric rice cooker.
15.Put a layer of rice in cooker pan  then top it with chicken gravy. Repeat this until all the rice is done.
16.Spread some chopped coriander, mint leaves and sprinkle lemon juice. Add Ghee.
17.Switch on the electric cooker. After some time, it will go to warm mode.  Let it be in warm mode atleast for 15minutes.
18.While serving, Gently mix the rice with a plastic or light wooden spatula.

Notes
-------
While cooking chicken, after adding each ingredient , close the lid and cook.
Instead of milk , we can add coconut milk.
Even though , it looks like a elaborate process, it is easy as we can cook chicken and rice side by side. We can make sure rice is not over cooked. No need to worry about the water ratio.
Do not mix the rice with heavy spoons or spatulas. Use lighter ones and handle gently.

Fairy Cakes

This is a simple cake made by my DD during her summer holidays. It was so yummy and so soft..

Ingredients

Butter - 100gms
Self Raising Flour - 100gms
Castor Sugar - 100gms
Egg - 2
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 Teaspoon
Readymade Icing - As required

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2. Mix all the ingredients with a beater for 3 minutes with a electric beater.
3. Spoon the mixture into 12 cup cases arranged in a muffin tin.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or till done.
5. Once cooled down, decorate with icing.
6. Enjoy ..

Mutton Kola Urundai Kulambu

Amma is an expert in making this and it's Appa's all time favourite. Here, goes the family recipe with little secrets.   

Ingredients

Minced Mutton  - 500gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Coriander Powder - 2 Tablespoon
Chilly Powder - 1 Tablespoon
Curry Leaves - Few
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Cinnamon - 1
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Coconut - 1 Tablespoon
Mutton bones - 100gms (optional)
Oil - 1 Tablespoon

Paste 1
Cinnamon - 1
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 2
Poppy Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Saunf - 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut - 1 Tablespoon

Paste 2
Onion - 1(Finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 1
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - little

Method

1. Keep Oil in a kadai and when it is heated, add 3/4th  of mutton mince and fry them with little bit of turmeric powder till it changes colour.
2. Fry ingredients in paste 1 in little bit of oil and keep them aside.
3. Fry ingredients for paste 2 in remaining oil.
4. Grind the fried mutton mince, uncooked 1/4th of mutton mince, ingredients of paste 1 together in the mixie to a coarse paste.
5.Now add ingredients for paste 2 and pulse them together till they are mixed.
6. Make golf size balls with this mixture. We can take half out of this mixture for a fry if we want.
7.If using bones, boil  them in water with salt , take the the stock and discard the bones. If we add bones, it'll break the mince balls.
8. Heat oil in a kadai, season with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, saunf seeds, curry leaves.
9. Add finely chopped onion, ginger garlic paste, tomato and fry them nicely.
10. Add coriander, chilly and turmeric powders.
11. Add 2 cups of water or bone stock and let it boil.
12.Grind coconut into a smooth paste and add it to the kulambu. Add salt.
13. When it is boiling, add 2 minced mutton balls and wait till they are floating on top. Now add next 2 balls. This way, add all the mutton balls 2 by 2.
14. Boil it for 5 minutes.
15.Switch off the stove and serve hot.

                                                                                                                                               

Pizza

Yesterday I prepared this Pizza for dinner and we enjoyed it a lot. It was close to pizza hut. For this measurements, I made 2 large pizzas .

Ingredients

For base
All purpose flour - 3 cups
Yeast - 2 and a half  teaspoon
Olive Oil - 3 Tablespoon
Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon
Water - 1 to 1 and a half Cup

For Sauce
Tomatoes - 10
Garlic - 3 Flakes
Olive Oil - 2 Teaspoon
Oregano - 1 Teaspoon
Basil - 1 Teaspoon
Salt -  To Taste
Chilli Flakes - To Taste

For Topping
Mozzarella cheese -  150gms
Chicken  - 150gms
Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - To Taste
Mushroom - a handful


Method

Pizza Base
1. Mix yeast with lukewarm water,sugar, 2 Tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl and keep aside for 5 minutes.
2. Mix salt and all purpose flour in a bowl and add the yeast mixture and make a dough.
3. Apply little oil in hand and knead the dough well.
4. Wrap the bowl tightly with a cling wrap and place it in a warm place for 90 mins.
5. Punch the dough and keep it aside for second rising for 30 minutes.

Sauce
1.Keep the tomatoes in boiling water for 3 minutes and then remove the skin.
2. Cut the tomatoes into half and remove the juice and seeds. We can use this for making tomato rasam or add them in other kulambu or gravies.
3. Crush the tomato pulp using a hand mixer. or chop them nicely.
4. Finely chop the garlic.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic. Fry slightly and add the crushed tomatoes. Add basil, oregano, chilly flakes and salt.
7.Keep this in low flame till it becomes sauce like consistency. This may take around 20 - 30 mins.

Chicken topping

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken breast cut into stripes, chilly powder and salt. cook in low flame.


Assembling

1.Preheat the oven to 225 C.
2. Apply oil in a non-stick baking tray.
3. Take a pizza dough and stretch it into the tray as thin as possible using hands. Apply oil in hands to prevent the sticking.
4. Spread the sauce all over the pizza.
5. Add the cooked chicken pieces, thinly chopped mushrooms. We can add other toppings such as capsicum, onion , boiled corn here. I didn't add as I didn't have them.
6. Cover the pizza with shredded mozzarella cheese.
7. Sprinkle oregano and basil.
9. Bake it in oven for 10 minutes.
 

Idly Sambar

This is a simple sambar we make in Madurai. I love to have this sambar with dosa. Egg dosa and this sambar is a staple sunday breakfast in our house.

Ingredients

Moongdal - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Sambar Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Green Chilly - 2
Jeera - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilly - 2
Asafoetida - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil
Salt

Method

1. In a pressure cooker, cook Moongdhal,tomato, turmeric powder , sambar powder and salt with 2 cups of water for 2 whistles.
2. Season with mustard, jeera, red chilly, asafoetida and curry leaves.
3.Garnish with coriander leaves.
4.Serve hot with idly or dosa.
 

Muttai Parotta

 

Ingredients

Parotta - 6
Egg - 4
Onion -1
Tomato - 1
Green Chilly - 1
Chilly Powder - 1Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper - 1/4 Teaspoon
Saunf - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mutton or Chicken Salna - 4 Tablespoon
Curry Leaves - Few
Curry Masal Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil
Salt


Method

1.Finely Chop the onions. Beat the eggs with little salt.
2.Cut parotta into big pieces. Mince them in  mixie for few seconds.
3.Heat oil in a pan and season with saunf.
4.Add the finely chopped onions, Curry leaves and green chillies and fry till they are golden brown.
5.Add Chopped tomatoes and fry for 3 minutes.
6.Add masala powders and cook till the raw smell goes.
7.Add the minces parotta and fry for 2 minutes.
8.Add the beaten eggs and salna to the parotta and keep on stirring tlll egg seperates from parotta.This process will take about 7 -8 minutes.
9.Serve hot.
 

Chicken Salna

Yesterday I prepared this chicken salna as a side for parotta. It was a close match to the salna we used to get from roadside parotta stalls back home in Madurai.

Ingredients

Chicken - 1/2 Kg
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Teaspoon
Green Chilly -2
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera  Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Masala Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Corianer - half handful
Mint - 5
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 3
Coconut Milk - 1/2 Cup or Coconut paste - 2 Tablespoon
Oil
Salt

Method

1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker and season with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
2.Add finely chopped onion and fry till it becomes brown.
3.Add ginger garlic paste and slitted green chillies and fry for few minutes.
4.Cut tomatoes into big pieces and add them. Try not to mash them. Just stir it gently.
5.Add  coriander and mint leaves.
6.Add chicken pieces and all masala powders except curry masala and fry them for 3-4 minutes.
7.Add 2 cups of water and let it to boil. or we can pressure cook for 1 whistle.
10.After the chicken is cooked , add the coconut milk and curry masala powder.
11.Switch off the stove after it starts boiling.
12.Serve hot as a side for parotta,chapathi, idli or biriyani.

 

Authentic Chicken Fry

It's a simple chicken fry I used to make some years ago. And one of our friends who tasted this referred it  as authentic. I forgot the recipe and somehow I remembered this word and manged to get the same taste again.

Ingredients

Chicken - 1/2Kg
Onion - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Crushed pepper - 1/4 Teaspoon
Cinnamon - 1
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 3
Saunf seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves - A handful
Salt
Oil

Method

1. Wash the chicken and dry them completely with kitchen towel.
2. Heat oil in pan and season with saunf (sombu),curry leaves, cinnamon,cloves and cardamom.
3. Add chopped onions and fry them for 3 minutes with little bit of salt (only for onion).
4. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken pieces along with all the powders and fry them.
6. After chicken pieces are browned (takes about 6 minutes), add salt. It's important to add the salt at this stage. It helps the chicken to retain its juices.
7.Reduce the flame and cook till the chicken turns red and oil coming out.
8.Swithc off the stove and add the crushed pepper.
9.Serve hot with rice.

Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 Cups
Carrot - 1
Beans - 6
Cabbage -  Small piece
Ginger - 1/2 Inch
Garlic - 5-6 Flakes
Green Chilly - 4
Pepper Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - To taste
Soy Sauce - 1 Teaspoon
Chicken Stock Cube - 1(optional)
Chicken - 200gms
Egg -2 
Sugar - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil
Spring onion - a small bunch.
Chilly sauce, tomato sauce, Sweet chilly sauce- Optional

Method

1.Boil water in a large vessel  and when its boiling add washed basmati rice. Add salt and 1/2 teaspoon oil and cook till its halfdone. It would take around 7 minutes. This is very important.  Rice should be seperate. When you feel it has to be cooked little further, switch off the stove and drain the water. Spread rice in a large tray and seperate them lightly with a fork. Handle them gently, because when rice is hot, if we keep on stirring with a heavy spoon, it will become mashed. Once the rice is cooled , store them in a tight container in fridge. This step has to be done on the previous day. Or if you are planning to prepare fried rice in evening , you can do this in morning.

2. Boil chicken with little salt and pepper powder. When done, shred them into little pieces. Or we can use the left over fried chicken.

3.Beat the egg togher with salt and little pepper.  Make scrambled egg with this mixture and keep it aside.

4.Heat oil in a pan , when its hot add sugar. After the sugar melted in oil , add the sliced white part of spring onion.

5.Add finely chopped ginger and garlic. Add slitted green chillies.

6.Now add finely chopped carrot, beans and cabbage. Fry them for 1-2 minutes in high flame. Add soy sauce and crushed stock cube.

7.Add Shredded chicken pieces and scrambled egg and fry them.

8.If you want to add chilly sauce and tomato sauce , add at this stage.

9.Now, slowly add cooked and cooled rice from fridge and mix it gently.

10.Add chopped green portion of spring onion and adjust with salt and pepper.

11.Serve hot.

Chocolate Cake

I baked this cake for Jane's birthday and I have to say that this is the best chocolate cake  I've ever tasted. Even far better than the cakes we get from bakeries. It was so moist and we enjoyed every bit of it. I used the recipe of Nigella.  Here it goes..

Ingredients

For the cake

•   100 gram(s) Plain flour
•   100 gram(s) caster sugar
•   1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
•   1/4 teaspoon(s) bicarbonate of soda
•   20 gram(s) cocoa powder
•   100   gram(s) unsalted butter (soft)
•   1 large egg(s)
•   1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
•   75   ml sour cream

For the icing

•   40   gram(s) unsalted butter
•   85   gram(s) dark chocolate (broken into small pieces)
•   150   gram(s) Icing sugar
•   60   ml sour cream
•   1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven 180C. Grease a 20cm Cake pan  and line with a butter paper.

2. Now, mix all the ingredients for cake in a bowl and mix them together with a electric beater.

3. Transfer to the cake pan and bake in the hot oven for 25-30 mins or till the inserted knife comes out clean.

4. Cool the cake in a wired rack.

5.Now, for the icing, melt the butter and sugar in a glass bowl in microwave for 1 minute. Repeat again till chocolate is melted. Take care not to burn the mixture.

6. Sift the icing sugar.

7. Now add sour cream and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture and mix them. Add the icing sugar.

8. If the mixture is too thick , add 1 tablespoon of boiling water to the mixture.

10.Spoon the icing on the cake and with a spatula spread it gently. Enjoy.

 

 

Meen Sothi

It's another traditonal recipe from our native Rameswaram. Amma used to make this with Vaval(Pomfret) or Vilai Meen. She usually makes this instead of rasam with a regular meen kulambu on special occasions. It's mild and rich.

Ingredients

Fish - 1/2 Kg
Coconut milk - 1/2 Cup thick milk + 1 cup Thin Milk
Coconut - 2 Tablespoon
Jeera - 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Tomato - 1
Tamarind - Size of a blueberry
Shallots - 2
Green Chillies - 4
Mustard - 1/2 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves - Few

Method

1.Grind coconut, jeera and turmeric powder into a smooth paste.
2.Add shallots and 2 green chillies to the coconut paste and crush them together in the mixie.
3.Soak tamarind in water and take juice after sometime. Mix it together with thin coconut milk, sliced tomato, coconut paste, 2 slitted green chillies and curry leaves.
4.Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard and fenugreek seeds.
5.Add the coconut milk mixture in to the pan.
7.When it is boiling , add the fish and let it cook for 5 - 6 minutes till the fish is cooked.
8.Add the thick coconut milk and switch off the stove.
9.Serve with rice.
 

Rich Fruit Cake

This is the fruit cake I baked for Christmas. It was wonderful.
Here goes the recipe for future reference.

Ingredients
1.Plain flour - 250gms
2.Butter -250gms
3.Sugar -200gms + 50gms
4.Baking powder - 2 tsp
5.Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
6.Egg - 5
7.Mixed Fruits - 2 cups
8.Orange and Lemon Peel - 2 tsp
9.Rum Essence - 2tsp
10.Vanilla Essence - 2tsp
11.Orange Juice - 1 cup
12.Cashew Nuts - 1/2cup Chopped + 15 to decorate
13.Mixed Spice powder - 2 tsp


Method

1.Mix orange juice ,rum essence with mixed fruits 1 day before. Next day , drain juice from fruits.
2.Heat a heavy bottom pan in a low flame. Put 50gms of sugar into the pan and slowly heat it till it melts and change into dark golden colour. Switch off the stove and carefully add 1/2 a cup of water. Switch on the stove and heat it till the caramel melts. cool the syrup.
3.Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2 cake pans with 3 layers of baking paper.Sieve flour,baking powder ,baking soda mixed spice twice. Mix a handful of flour with the drained mixed fruits.
4.Mix Butter and sugar in a bowl.
5.Add egg and a teaspoon of flour. Beat well with electric beater.
6.Continue with all the eggs.
7.Now mix flour into the egg mixture with a wooden spatula.
8.Mix Caramel syrup, vanilla and rum essence into the cake mixture.
9.Add mixed fruits and nuts into the cake mixture and mix slowly in a single direction.
10.Pour this mixture into cake pans. Cover the cake tin loosely with 2 layers of baking paper and tie it around.
11.Bake for 1 hour or till the knife comes out clean..

Prawn Roast

I made this simple prawn roast yesterday as a side for vegetable biriyani.. We enjoyed a lot. Surely, this recipe is a keeper..

Ingredients

Prawn - 225gms
Chilly Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Lemon Juice -  Few drops
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - As required
Cornflour - 2 Teaspoons
Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves - Few

Method

1.Clean the prawn and mix with all ingredients except oil and curry leaves. Let it rest for 30mins.
2.Heat oil in a tawa and arrange 10 prawns in a single layer.
3.Turn them after 3 minutes. Transfer it to a plate and cook the next batch of prawns.
4.Add curry leaves in the last batch.
5.Serve hot with rice..