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.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Chewy Cocoa Brownies

Iam back after a loong break.I was bit tied up with my third grader.His state tests got over last week.So last month was a lil hectic,preparing him for his tests...

So coming to this recipe,I made these for a potluck during the spring break,spotlight being kids.So i decided to make this kid-friendly dessert.It can be served with vanilla icecream.

It turned out so good that they were gone in a flash.

Recipe courtesy:Very best baking website

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1  1/3 cup

Sugar - 1 2/3 cup

Un sweetened Cocoa -3/4 cup

Melted Unsalted Butter - 3/4 cup

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Eggs-2 large

Vanilla extract -2 tsp

Water -2 tbsp

Chopped walnuts - 3/4 cup


Method:

 Preheat oven to 350ยบ F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Combine granulated sugar, butter and water in large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.

Bake  for 18 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Nutella Banana Bread

Recipe taken from ouichef

Nutella + Banana = heavenly combo !!!!!

I halved the recipe to make 1 loaf.This recipe is featured in foodgawker and man!!!foodgawker makes me hungry all the time and I end up trying at least 1 recipe every time I browse that site.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups + 2tbsp

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - 1/4 tsp

Eggs - 2 at room temperature

Sugar - 1 cup

Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup

Mashed bananas - 2 large

Nutella - 1/3 cup

Vanilla-1 tsp

Salt -a pinch

Sour cream or yogurt -2tbsp

Hazelnuts toasted and chopped - 1/2 cup


Method:

Heat oven to 350 deg F.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

 Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl until pale.

Add oil and then mix banana,yogurt,nutella and vanilla.

Fold in flour mixture and hazelnuts.

Pour it into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 1 hr.



Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes and then turn loaf into a rack.Cool completely and then slice it.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Chinese Five Spice Noodles

I had this recipe bookmarked long time ago.But I never got a chance to make this.So last week on my usual errand to 99 ranch store,I picked up a packet of this Chinese five spice powder. Its a mixture of ground star anise,cinnamon,cloves and fennel and sichuan pepper corn.The Chinese believed that number 5 has healing properties and that it why it contains five distinctive spices.Its widely used in meat preparation.

But the noodles turned out to be tasty and aromatic and was different than the usual noodle recipes.

Recipe adapted from serious eats.com

Ingredients:

Imitation egg noodles - 1 pound(original recipe calls for cellophane noodles)

Soy sauce - 3 Tablespoon

Chili paste -3 tsp
Five spice powder - 2 tsp

Garlic minced - 4 (2 for saute and 2 for the sauce)

Ginger minced - 2 tbsp

Vegetable broth - 1/2 cup

Broccoli - 1 large stems and stalk removed

Carrot - 1 julienned

Cabbage - 1 cup shredded

Onion - 1/2 chopped(didn't use)

Scallion - 2 chopped

Sesame oil -2 tbsp(for the sauce)

Vegetable oil  - 3 tablespoon

Pepper powder - according to spice level

Method:

Heat water in a pot and when it starts boiling,switch off the stove , drop the noodles and soak for 5 minutes. Drain and keep them ready.

Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, ginger, garlic and five-spice powder in small bowl.The sauce is ready.

Place a large wok or saute pan over high heat. Pour in the oil, and then add the onion(I used white part of scallion). Cook, stirring often until translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the broccoli, carrots, cabbage, broth, and finally the soy sauce mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is very tender.



Toss in the scallions and egg noodles. Stir well, and cook until the noodles are coated in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.