Butter Murukku

I prepared this small batch for xmas and I am happy with the results..

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 Cup
Urad flour - 1/4 Cup
Butter - 1 Table spoon
Coconut milk powder - 2 Teaspoon
Salt - a pinch
Sesame Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Jeera - 1 Teaspoon
Oil - As required to deep fry

Method
1.Roast 1/2 cup of urad dhal in a pan till you get the smell.
2.Cool it and grind it to a smooth powder and take 1/4cup of flour in bowl. Sieve it once.
3.Mix it with all other ingredients except oil.
4.Add water little by little and make a dough.
5.Put the dough in murukku press and make round murukkus and fry them in hot oil.

 

Xmas 2010

This time, I prepared quite a lot of sweets and savories for xmas. First time, I have tried so many varieties and all of them are good..

In picture, from bottom left corner..

Muruku

Ribbon pakoda

Macroons

Star cookies

Badusha

Mysorepa

Kaju kathli.

Apart from these, I prepared rich fruit cake and orange sponge cake, which were finished before taking snaps..

On the day of xmas, we had vada, idli, coconut chutney and mutton salna for brunch. And for dinner, I prepared chicken biriyani, baked chicken drumsticks, pepper chicken, white rice and rasam. We had some friends for dinner and it was all fun.

Over to the recipes...

1.Muruku

I prepared easy muruku, recipe from arusuvai. It was very good .

Ingredients

Urad dhal - 1 cup

Rice flour - 3 - 31/2 cups

Butter - 1 tablespoon

salt - to taste

oil - as required

Method

1.In pressure cooker, cook 1 cup of urad dhal with 2 cups of water for 2 whistles. Open the pressure cooker, and mash it with the hand blender or food processor.

2. Add rice flour, butter and salt to mashed urad dhal and knead it into muruku maavu consistency. I used 3 cups of rice flour but since it observed more oil , next time going to try with 3 and half cups of rice flour and will update here..

3. Put them into muruku press and fry it in hot oil .

2. Ribbon pakoda

Ingredients

Rice flour - 2 cups

Besan flour - 1 cup

Asafoetida - a pinch

Chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Butter - 1 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - as required.

Method

1. Sieve rice flour and besan flour.

2. Except oil , mix everything together with little water to a thick dough.

3. Put it in muruku press with ribbon achhu and fry them directley in hot oil.

3.Macroons

Ingredients

Egg white - 4

Sugar - 250gms

Almond or cashew powder - 250gms.

Method

1.Beat egg white with electric hand mixer for 10 minutes. When you turn the bowl upside down , it should not fall down.

2. Now add sugar little by little and continue to beat with mixer in medium speed for 10 - 15 minutes.

3. Fold cashew or almond powder with a spoon without breaking the air.

4. Use a spoon or piping bag and arrange them in a lined a baking sheet as circle or as cones.

5.Bake in preheated oven(150-175) for 10 minutes or till the knife comes out clean. try to bake them without changing colour.

4.Star cookies

This is the recipe from Deeba of PAB. Kids just love these cookies.

Ingredients

Maida - 400gms

Butter - 200 gms

Sugar - 200 gms

Egg - 1

Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon

Orange extract - 1 teaspoon

Method

1.Bring everthing into room temperature.

2.Cream butter and sugar together. dont over mix it.

3.add the essences and mix sieved maida little by little. knead in to thick dough.

4.Divide it into 3 parts and wrap them in cling film and refigerate for 30 mins.

5.Roll them out and cut with cookie cutters. since it is very cold here, I just baked them immedietely. But in hot countries like india, it is better to refrigerate the cookies in baking tray for 20-30 mins.

4. Bake them in preheated oven(175) for 15minutes or till done.

5.Badusha

This is jayashree govindarajan's recipe from thalikum oosai.

Ingredients

Maida - 4 cups

Butter - 100 gms

baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon

baking soda - a pinch

curd - 2 teaspoon

sugar - 2 cups

lemon juice - 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Sieve maida with baking powder and soda.

2. Add butter, curd and mix it till it resembles bread crumbs.

3. Add little water and knead it like chapathi dough.

4. Knead well for 20 minutes.

5. Keep the dough aside and prepare the sugar syrup by heating sugar with 1 cup of water. when the sugar is complteley dissolved and sticky(before 1 string consistency), remove from fire and add lemon juice.

6. Now take small ball from dough and shape it like a circle and put some pressure on top with thumb. Make them as flat as possible. prick it with some fork till bottom.

7.Make atleast 7,8 balls and heat the oil in a big pan. when it is in medium heat, switch off the stove and put 7,8 badushas in hot oil. they will go down and after some time, start coming up to the top. when all the badushas have come up,switch on the stove and fry them in mild heat for atleast 7-8 minutes. After it is done, remove from oil, put it in colander and after 2 minutes when still hot, put them in sugar syrup.

8.Like this finish all the dough. After 20 minutes, we can remove the badusha from sugar syrup.

6.Mysorepa

This is also a easy recipe by mrs.jayasree of thalikum oosai, I have tried this 3,4 times and it resembles srikrishna mysore pa..

Ingredients.

Besan flour - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1 1/4 cup

Ghee - 1 cup

Method

1. Sieve the besan flour.

2.Fry the besan flour in hot pan for 2-3 minutes till you get the smell but without changing colour. keep it aside.

3.Heat sugar in a nonstick pan with 1/4 cup of water till it dissolves completely. when touching with finger, we should not feel the sugar like sand grains. it should be completely dissolved. Do this process in low flame.

4.Now add fried besan flour little by little and mix without any lumps.

5. when it thickens , add the melted ghee(yes ghee should be melted . I just microwaved for 1 minute) in 3 - 4 intervals.

6. when mixture coming out of the side , remove from fire, pour in to greased tray. level the top with greased spatula. After it cools down, we can cut it into different shapes.

7.Kaju kathli

this recipe is from saffron hut. very easy and you can eat it without guilt as there is no ghee or oil..

Ingredients

Cashew - 1 cup

Sugar - little less than 3/4 cup

Method

1.Grind cashew into powder in a mixie.

2.In a nonstick pan, heat sugar with little (2-3 tablespoon) water in medium heat. when sugar dissolves compltetely and come to rolling boil, add cashew powder little by little without any lumps.

3.Mix them thoroughly till it cooks and thickened. Take a small amount into a plate , and once cooled you should be able to make a small ball. Now remove from fire, and transfer into a plate.

4.Once it cools down, knead well to the chapathi dough consistency.

5.Roll them and cut into desired shapes.Enjoy...

Baked chicken drumsticks

Ingredients

chicken drumsticks - 12

Lemon juice - 2 tablespoon

Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tablespoon

Chilly powder - 1 tablespoon

Soya sauce - 1 teaspoon

Chilly sauce - 1 teaspoon

Olive oil - 2 tablespoon

Butter - 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Wash chicken drumsticks 2, 3 times in water with lemon juice and turmeric powder.

2. Drain them well with a kitchen towel.

3. With a knife, make 2,3 slits in the chicken.

4.Mix olive oil,lemon juice, salt, chilly powder,ginger garlic paste, soya sauce , chilly sauce and make a paste.

5.Apply this paste all over the chicken pieces and refrigerate overnight(atleast 4 hours).

6. Arrange chicken pieces in a greased baking tray and bake them in a preheated oven(220 degree) for 20 mins.

7. Now take the tray out, turn the chicken pieces and apply some melted butter over the chicken.

8. Bake for another 20 minutes or till done.

Mutton salna

This is a recipe of Mrs.Jaleela from arusuvai. Very tasty and goes well with idli and biriyani.

Ingredients

Mutton - 1/2 kg

Onion - 3

Tomato - 1 or 2

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Curd - 3 tablespoon

Mint - a small bunch

Coriander - a small bunch

Lemon - 1

Chilly powder - 1 tablespoon

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Green chilly - 2

Cinnamon

Cardamom

Clove

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Soft sponge cake

Today I prepared this super soft sponge cake for teatime snack. Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients

2 eggs
75g self raising flour
75g sugar
75g melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops of lemon flavour

Method

1. Sift the flour.
2. Boil water in a kettle and pour the boiling water in some medium glass bowl.
3. Keep a large bowl over the small bowl with boiling water and break the eggs into large bowl.
4. Beat eggs with a electric mixer for 4-5 minutes till it become white..
5. Add sugar and keep beating for another 2 minutes. By this time the mixture should be doubled in    size.
6. Slowly add the melted butter and mix with beater.Add vanilla extract and lemon flavouring.
7. Now slowly mix the self raising flour into the mixture with a wooden spatula without disturbing the air bubbles.
8. Pour the mixture into the greased cake pan and keep in the preheated oven(180 C) for 20 minutes.
9. Take it when the knife comes out clean. Leave it in cake pan for 5 mins and then cool it in the wire rack.
10.Enjoy with a cup of tea.

I just baked some 6 cup cakes and a loaf cake out of this cake mixuture and they were delicious...
 

கோழி மிளகு பிரட்டல்

கோழி மிளகு பிரட்டல்



தேவையான பொருட்கள்

கோழி - 1 கிலோ
வெங்காயம் - 3
தக்காளி - 2
இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுது - 1 மேஜைக்கரண்டி
மிளகாய்த்தூள்- 1 தேக்கரண்டி
மல்லித்தூள் - 2 தேக்கரண்டி
மிளகுத்தூள் - 1 மேஜைக்கரண்டி
மஞ்சள் தூள் - 1/2 தேக்கரண்டி
பட்டை - 2 துண்டு
கிராம்பு- 4
ஏலக்காய்- 3
பிரிஞ்சி இலை - 2
சோம்பு - 1/2 தேக்கரண்டி
கறிவேப்பிலை - சிறிது
எலுமிச்சை சாறு - 1 தேக்கரண்டி
நல்லெண்ணெய் - 2 மேஜைக்கரண்டி
உப்பு - தேவையான அளவு

செய்முறை

1. நறுக்கிய கோழியில் 1 தேக்கரண்டி இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுது, மிளகாய்த்தூள்,1 தேக்கரண்டி உப்பு, மஞ்சள்த்தூள் கலந்து 30 நிமிடம் ஊறவைக்கவும்.

2. வாணலியில் எண்ணெய் சூடாக்கி பட்டை, கிராம்பு ஏலக்காய் பிரிஞ்சி இலை சோம்பு கறிவேப்பிலை போட்டு தாளிக்கவும்.

3. பொடியாக அரிந்த வெங்காயத்தைப் போட்டு பொன்னிறமாக வதக்கவும்.

4. பின் மீதமுள்ள இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுதைப் போட்டு வாசனை போகும் வரை வதக்கவும்.

5. பொடியாக அரிந்த தக்காளி சேர்த்து கரையும் வரை வதக்கவும்.

6. மல்லித்தூள் சேர்த்து வதக்கி 1/4 கப் நீர் சேர்த்து 5 நிமிடம் மிதமார தீயில் மூடி வைக்கவும்.

7.இப்போது ஊற வைத்துள்ள கோழியைச் சேர்த்து நன்கு வதக்கவும். 1/4 கப் நீர், உப்பு சேர்த்து மூடி 10 நிமிடம் வேக விடவும்.

8. பொடித்த மிளகு சேர்த்து இறக்கி எலுமிச்சை சாறு பிழியவும்.

ரசகுல்லா

செய்முறை

பால்- 5 கப்
சர்க்கரை - 1 1/2 கப்
வினிகர் - 1 மேஜைக்கரண்டி
தண்ணீர் - 4 1/2 கப்
ரோஸ் வாட்டர் - 1/2 டீஸ்பூன்

1. வினிகரை 1/4 கப் வெதுவெதுப்பான நீரில் கலந்து வைக்கவும்.
2. பாலை காய்ச்சவும். பொங்கி வரும்போது கலந்து வைத்துள்ள வினிகரை கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக ஊற்றவும். பால் நன்கு திரிந்ததும் அடுப்பிலிருந்து இறக்கவும்.
3. ஒரு வெள்ளைத் துணியில் திரிந்த பாலை ஊற்றி வடிகட்டவும். துணியில் உள்ளவற்றை குளிர்ந்த நீரில் ஒரு முறை அலசவும்.
4.பின் துணியை ஒரு மூட்டையாக கட்டி குழாய் நீரில் நாலைந்து முறை அலசிப் பின் நன்கு பிழியவும்.
5. துணியைப் பிரித்து பனீரை ஒரு தட்டில் கொட்டி உள்ளங்கையில் அழுத்தம் கொடுத்து நன்கு பிசையவும். பின் சிறு சிறு உருண்டைகளாக உருட்டவும்.
6.குக்கரில் தண்ணீரும் சர்க்கரையும் கலந்து நன்கு கொதிக்கவிடவும். கொதிக்கும் சர்க்கரைப் பாகில் உருண்டைகளை போடவும்.
7. குக்கரை மூடி ஒரு விசில் வந்ததும் 7 நிமிடம் சிம்மில் வைக்கவும்.
8.குக்கரை குளிர்ந்த நீரில் காட்டி பின் மெதுவாக திறக்கவும்.
9. சர்க்கரைப் பாகில் இனிப்பு குறைவாக இருந்தால் குக்கரை மூடாமல் அடுப்பில் 10 நிமிடம் வைக்கலாம்.

11. அடுப்பிலிருந்து இறக்கியபின் ரோஸ் வாட்டர் கலந்து குளிரவைத்துப் பரிமாறவும்.

Black forest cake

To celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary,I prepared this blackforest cake. It's my first experience with fresh cream icing and I couldn't believe the result..

Ingredients

For Cake

4 eggs
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup castor sugar
130g dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Cream

400g whipping cream
3 tablespoon icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For sugar syrup

1 teaspoon kirsh or cherry brandy(optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar

For decoration

a handful of fresh or glazed cherries
chocolate shavings
grated chocolate

Method

Cake

Preheat the oven to 180 c.


In a non stick pan melt the chocolate with 1/4 cup of water in low flame. Remove from fire when it's boiling and in pudding like consistency. cool it completely.


Boil 1 cup water in a pan and after it begins boiling, reduce the flame to the minimum. In a glass bowl, break the eggs and add castor sugar. Place this bowl over the pan of hot water. But, bottom of the glass bowl should not touch the water in the pan. Now with electric beater in medium to high speed, beat for 10 minutes or until the egg mixtures becomes 3 times of its original volume.

Add vanilla extract. Now slowly add the sifted self raising flour into the egg mixture and mix it slowly with the spatula. Add the chocolate mixture and mix slowly without breaking air bubbles.

Pour the mixture into a 9 inch cake pan lined with butter paper. Put in the oven in middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the pan and cool it completely in the wire rack. I prepared the cake one day earlier, wrapped it in cling film and kept in room temperature.


Sugar Syrup

In a pan, add granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water and heat till it's in rolling boil. Remove from fire, add kirsh. cool it completely.

Cream

Refrigerate electric beater and mixing bowl for 15 minutes. Now , pour whipping cream and icing sugar in the bowl and start beating with electric mixter till it forms peaks. It takes about 5-7 minutes. If temperature is very hot, we can place the mixing bowl over a bowl of ice cubes. At last add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Assembling

Cut the cake into 2 slices. Sprinkle sugar syrup in both the slices. Place the bottom layer in cake plate. Pour a big spoon of cream and spread it to a layer. Add some chopped cherries. Now place the second layer on top of the first one. sprinkle with sugar syrup. Spread remaining cream all over the cake. With star nozzle, make some stars out of icing, and place whole cherries over them. Sprinkle grated chocolate over the cake and decorate with chocolate shavings.


Note

I have made a cake with only 2 layers. If we want, we can double the quantity of ingredients and make 2 cakes. And make a 4 layer cake. since we are only 4, this quantity is enough for us..

Mutton Biriyani

I prepared this mutton biriyani for johan's 3rd birthday. I used the electric rice cooker and the result was excellent..

Ingredients

Mutton 1/2kg

Basmati Rice 4 cups

Curd 1/4 cup

Green chilli 5

Tomato 2 small

Ginger Garlic Paste 4 Tablespoon

Chilli Powder 1 Teaspoon

Cinnamon 2

Cardamom 2

Clove 5

Bay Leave 3

Oil 3 Tablespoon

Ghee 2 Tablespoon

Coriander 1 small bunch

Mint 1 small bunch

Lemon 1/2

Salt

Method

1. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 minutes.

2. Cook the mutton in pressure cooker with curd and 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste for 2 or 3 whistles.

3. Heat a nonstick pan in stove and pour oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee. Season it with bay leaves, cardamom,cinnamon and cloves.

4.Add onion cut into lengthwise and fry till it becomes dark brown.

5.Add green chillies and chopped coriander and mint and saute for 2 minutes.

6.Add remaining ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.

7.Add chopped tomatoes ,chilli powder and fry well.

8. Now, add the cooked mutton with the water and cook for 5 minutes.

9. Transfer the contents to the electric rice cooker, add rice and 5 cups of water(for 1 cup rice, 1 1/4 cup of water).

10. When the cooker changed to warm mode, add some chopped coriander and mint leaves, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon ghee and keep it in warm mode for 20 minutes. Before doing this, we can transfer the biriyani to other container, spread a butter paper in rice cooker pan and then put the rice in cooker pan and put in keep warm mode.