Sunday, May 27, 2012

Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread



If you love pastries from Starbucks,you would definitely love this.The other day I was searching for recipe of banana bread and I found this recipe in this blog .I never knew Starbucks actually hands out recipe cards to their customers.This recipe of Starbucks is surely a keeper.

It turned out very moist,soft and tasty.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cups

Baking soda - 1tsp

Salt-1/4 tsp

Sugar -1 cup.But i added only 3/4 cup and still it was sweet enough

Vegetable oil -1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 1tsp

Buttermilk - 2 tbsp.I substituted sour cream

Banana -3 mashed

Walnuts -1/2 cup and 1/3 cup chopped

Method:

 Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. 
 
 Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and dust with flour.

 Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

 Mix together the egg, sugar, and vegetable oil until combined.

 Add the flour mixture and when blended, add the sour cream, vanilla, and mashed bananas and mix until combined.

  Fold in
½ cup chopped walnuts and pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top batter with remaining chopped walnuts.

 
Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.



 Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Chettinad Vegetable Curry



Ive been blogging soooo many baking recipes of late and I realised that my blog needs more south Indian recipes.So I decided  to publish this post which was in my draft for about 2 months.This recipe is authentic chettinad recipe.It is from Tarla dalal's "Popular Restaurant Gravies"book.This book has all the copycat restaurant gravy recipes.If you like making restaurant-like gravies,go on and buy this book.

First basic chettinad paste should be made.It can be made before hand and can stored in freezer.If doing so.avoid adding coconut and while the subzi is being made add coconut milk at the end.

Ingredients for the paste:

Poppy seeds- 2 TBsp

Cashew nuts - 1 Tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 Tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies  - 2

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 3

Cinnamon - 2 inch

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 2tbsp

Method for making the paste:

Combine the poppy seeds and cashew nut and soak in warm water for 10 minutes.drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and fennel.

When they crackle add the coriander seeds,red chillies,cardamom,cinnamon,cloves and coconut and mix well and saute in a medium flame till you can smell a nice aroma.Allow it to cool.

Mix with 1/4 cup of water,salt,poppy seeds and cashewnut and grind into a smooth paste.


For the curry:

Chopped and boiled mixed vegetables - 2 cups (a combination of carrots,cauliflower,beans,capsicum)

Onion - 1 chopped

Tomato - 2 chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 4 tbsp

Milk - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Prepared chettinad paste as required

Method:

Heat oil in a pan.When hot,add the onions and saute till translucent.Now add turmeric powder,chilli powder and saute for 1 min.

Now add tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become mushy and oil seperates.

Then add the paste and saute.Now add the vegetables and little bit of water and allow it to boil for 3 minutes in a medium flame.

Finally add milk and salt and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Serve with steamed rice or roti.