Palak Tuvar Dal/Spinach with split pigeon pea

This is a mildly spiced dish which contains no onion or garlic.

Recipe Courtesy:Tarla Dalal

Ingredients:


Spinach - 2 cups washed thoroughly and chopped

Boiled toor dal - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 2 tsp grated

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 2 chopped

Dry red chillies - 2 broken

Bay leaf - 2

Cloves - 3

Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil  - 1 tsp

Procedure:


Pressure cook spinach in 3 cups of water along with toor dal,ginger,green chillies,turmeric,and required amount of salt for 3 whistles.

In a pan heat the oil.When hot,add cumin seeds.When it splutters,add bay leaf,cloves,broken red chillies and asafoetida.

Add the tempering to the spinach/dal mixture and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with plain rice or roti.

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Merry Christmas with a Simple Chocolate Fudge!!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday Wishes to all the readers of Simple Vegetarian Recipes!!

This is the first time I have tried my hand in candy making.It was a snap to make.Got this recipe from Joy of Baking website.

Ingredients:

Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 can(14 oz)

Nestle semisweet chocolate chips - 1 bag(12 oz)

Butter - 2 Tbsp

Vanilla essence - 2tsp

Walnuts - 1 cup

Method:

Line the bottom and sides of a  8 baking pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil leaving extra foil on the sides hanging down.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.Place the walnuts in a cookie sheet and toast for about 8 minutes,
When cool,chop them roughly.

Combine the condensed milk,semisweet chocolate chip,butter in a stainless steel bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water.Stir the mixture until the chocolate melts and the mixture becomes smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla essence and walnuts.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.Cover with foil and refrigerate till it becomes cool enough.

Cut into 1 inch pieces.Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

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Mili Jhuli Subzi/Mixed vegetables in spicy gravy

When I found this recipe in the newsletter of Tarla Dalal,I was so sure that Iam gonna try this.It is  a combination of vegetables in a spicy gravy.The spices are not store bought,but freshly ground.That tempted me to give it a try.This is a real comfort food for the harsh wintry nights.

Ingredients:


Boiled mixed vegetables - 2 cups(carrots,potatoes,beans,peas,baby corn,cauliflower)

Paneer - 1/2 cup cubed or tofu

Tomatoes - 2 medium chopped into small pieces

Corn flour - 1/2 tsp mixed with 2Tbsp of milk

Salt to taste

Oil - 4 tbsp

To be ground into a paste:

Onion - 1 medium

Thick Poha - 2 tablespoon Soak in water for 5 minutes.Drain and then grind with other ingredients

Coriander seeds - 4tsp

Black pepper - 5 or 6

Cumin seeds - 2tsp

Dry red chillies - 5

Poppy seeds - 1tsp

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 2 inch piece

Garlic - 2 or 3 pods

Ginger - 2tsp grated

Method:

Heat oil in a skillet.When hot,add the ground paste and saute till raw smell goes off.

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are pulpy.

Then add the boiled vegetables,paneer,required amount of salt and 1/2 cup of water.Simmer for 2 minutes.

Now add cornflour mixed with water and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Serve hot with roti.

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Kara Thenkuzhal/Spicy Blackgram Chakli

This is a very simple chakli/murukku recipe with all store bought flours.

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2 cups

Urad Dal/Black gram  flour - 1/2 cup

If the black gram flour is not available in store,you can make your own by dry roasting 1 cup of black gram Dal in a pan till it becomes slightly red and a nice aroma comes from the Dal.Grind it to a fine powder in a mixie/food processor.Use as needed and store the remaining flour in freezer.

Chili powder - 2tsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Melted butter - 3tbsp

Asaofoetida - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Water required to make a soft dough

Oil - 3 cups 

Method:

In a medium sized bowl,add the rice flour,black gram flour,cumin seeds,asafoetida,chili powder,required amount of salt and mix well.

Add the melted butter.Add water little by little and knead into a smooth dough.

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.

Place the thenkuzhal disc(the one which has three small holes) in the press.Fill about three-quarters of dough into the press.

Hold the press over the oil and squeeze the press in circular motion.Cook one side till it is slightly brown and turn the other side and cook for a few more minutes until both sides are golden brown in color.

Remove from the oil and drain in a paper towel.Store when they are cool in an air-tight container.

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Coriander/Kothamalli Pulao

This is a recipe of Mrs.Revathy Shanmugam,a great culinary expert of Tamilnadu.
It reminded me of the coriander rice which is served in Saravana Bhavan restaurant .The aroma of the pulao was appetising.

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice - 2 cups washed and soaked in water for 15 minutes

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Oil - 2tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Salt to taste

Water -  3 cups

To be ground into a smooth paste :

Coriander leaves - a big bunch washed thoroughly with the stalks removed


Coconut - a small piece

Ginger - 2 tsp grated

Garlic - 2 cloves

Green chillies - 4

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Cloves - 4

Star Anise - 2

Method :

Heat oil and ghee in a skillet.When hot add the fennel seeds,cumin seeds and bay leaf.
Then add the finely chopped onions.

When the onions turn slightly brown,add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes off.

Now add the basmathi rice and saute for 2 minutes.Add required amount of salt and water.Wait till the water starts to boil.Transfer the contents into a rice cooker and cook till done.

Alternately cook in a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

Serve hot with your favorite raita.

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Eggless Banana Crumb Muffins

This recipe has become my favorite banana muffin recipe.Ive tried banana muffins recipes before.But this one has the crumb topping for that extra crunchy and sweet top.I found this in allrecipes.com and it has been listed as one of the top recipes with a five star rating.I made my muffins egg less by adding an extra banana.I also added cardamom powder instead of cinnamon for the crumb topping.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

For the crumb topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon butter
 
Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.




Ready to go into the oven


In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cardamom. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.




Fresh out of the oven


Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

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Pasta Primavera

Primavera means "season of spring" in Italian.This dish usually is packed with vegetables which are available in spring.But any vegetable can be added to the pasta.The vegetables should not become  soggy but should retain the crispy texture while cooking.There are so many versions of this recipe.A common recipe uses heavy cream and butter.Since I wanted it be light and healthy,I skipped adding those.

This is my kid's favorite lunch box dish.

Ingredients:


Rotini Pasta - 1 pound

Tomatoes - 1

Zucchini - 1 sliced

Carrots - 2   cut into 1 inch pieces

Broccoli  florets - 8

Onion - 1 chopped

Garlic - 3 pods minced

Green bell pepper - cut into thin strips

Marinara Sauce - 1 cup

Oil - 4 Tbsp

Pepper powder - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp optional

Even vegetables like peas,eggplant can be added.

Method:


Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.Add the pasta and and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente.
Drain them in a colander.

Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic.Then add the onion and saute till translucent.

Then add the green pepper,zucchini,carrot and saute for 5 minutes.

Now add the pepper powder.Add the marinara sauce and 1/2 cup of water and allow it to boil for 2 minutes.

Now add the pasta ,required amount of salt.

Sprinkle  Parmesan cheese if you prefer.

Serve hot .

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Peerkangai Masiyal/Ridgegourd Masiyal

This is a recipe of Menurani Chellam who is very popular in Tamil cuisine.
I like the way she explains in detail all the recipes.She is an expert even  in International cooking.She hosts the show called Arusuvai Neram.This was featured in an episode.

Ingredients:


Ridge gourd - 4

Boiled toor dal - 1 cup

Green chillies - 4

Ginger - 2 tsp grated

Lemon - 1

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Sal to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:


Wash,peel and cut the ridge gourd into 1 inch pieces.Cook them in a pan filled with water to which little bit of salt and turmeric powder is added.

In a pan,mix the cooked toor dal and ridge gourd,required amount of salt and 1/2 cup of water.Allow it to boil for 3 minutes.

In another pan heat the oil.Add mustard seeds.When it splutters,add the green chillies and ginger.Transfer them to the ridge gourd.Extract the juice of a lemon and mix with the masiyal.

Serve with rice.

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Back after a long break with Butter cake!!

Ive been in hibernation for a loooong time.. We relocated to a nearby city called Arcadia from Pasadena,the reason being my elder kid's education.
Arcadia boasts having one of the best school districts in California.

I like my  kitchen in this apartment  a lot cuz its bigger and it is well lit.Well lit means.... Brighter and better pictures for my blog:)

So coming to the recipe..It is one of the simplest tea cake.Rich,soft and moist and it tasted even better the next day.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 3/4 tsp

Sugar - 1 cup(you can reduce to 3/4 cup if you want)

Melted Butter - 1/4 pound

Vanilla essence - 2tsp

Eggs - 2

Method:

Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
Mix the flour,baking powder.
In another pan mix the butter with sugar.Then add the eggs,vanilla essence.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients.It would be lumpy.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs up when touched.
The cake would be golden brown in color when done.
Allow it to cool completely.

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Schezwan Paneer

I bought a jar of Ching's Schezwan sauce recently.On the back I found this recipe and found it quite interesting . It came out too good.Here goes the recipe

Ingredients:


Paneer - 120 gms

Capsicum - 1 diced

Onion - 1 chopped

Ginger - 1tsp chopped

Garlic - 1 tsp minced

Tomato sauce - 2 tsp

Red chili sauce - 1tsp

Schezwan Sauce - 2Tbsp

Oil  - 1/4 cup for shallow frying paneer

Cornflour - 1 1/2 tsp

 sugar - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:


Shallow fry the paneer and drain excess oil.

In the same pan add the ginger and garlic and saute till the garlic is slightly brown.Add the chopped onion and saute till light brown.

Now add capsicum and saute for 2 minutes.The capsicum should be crunchy.Now add the salt, sauces and saute for 2 minutes.

Then add 1 cup of water and allow to boil for 2 minutes.Now add the fried paneer and simmer for 2 minutes.

Mix  1 1/2 tsp of cornflower with 6tbsp of water to thicken the sauce.

Finally add sugar and mix well.

Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

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Strawberry Shortcake Muffin

Ive been MIA for a while because my kid's summer vacation has started and I'm frequently hearing the "Iam SO bored, Ma"  dialogue.This summer is even more challenging, taking care of 2 kids.I barely log on to blogger.

I managed to squeeze some time to post this recipe.I love browsing the foodgawker website.Whenever Iam in need of a recipe, I browse this site as it has so many versions of the same recipe posted by many food bloggers.When I was searching for strawberry muffin recipe this one grabbed my attention.The name itself was catchy.It tasted so good.

This recipe was posted by Jennifer of Seasons and supper.Thanks Jennifer!!

I tweaked the recipe a little bit.


Ingredients:


All purpose Flour - 2 cups

Baking powder - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Brown sugar - 1/4 cup

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Butter - 1/2 cup cold and cut into cubes

Egg - 1

Whole milk - 1 cup

Strawberries - 10 cut into small pieces.

Vanilla - 1tsp

Method :


Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.Line the muffin pan with liners.

Grease or line12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder,salt and sugar. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender (or two knives) until it is in small pea-size pieces.

In small bowl mix the egg, vanilla and milk. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir with spoon until just blended. Gently mix in the diced strawberries.

Spoon into muffin cups, making sure each muffin has some strawberries and bake for about 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing.

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Spicy Oven Fries

These are the healthier version of french fries because they are baked and not fried.It can be served as a side or a snack.

Ingredients :

Yellow potatoes - 3(Peel the skin and cut into cubes or cut into long strips.You can leave the skin on  if you wish)

Oil - 2tbsp

Salt to taste

Chili flakes /Chili powder - 1 tsp

Kitchen king masala - 1/2 tsp(optional)You can even use garam masala or Italian seasoning .

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 425 deg F.

In a medium bowl pour the oil.Toss the potato cubes,salt,chili flakes,Kitchen king masala  and mix well.

In a cookie sheet,spray non-stick cooking spray and arrange the potatoes taking care not to overcrowd them.

Bake them for 15 minutes and then turn the potato cubes and bake for about 10 minutes.The potatoes will be light brown on the outside and soft on the inside when done.

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Aval /Poha Paruppu Usili

Aval Paruppu Usili is one of the interesting dishes of Tamil Brahmin Cuisine.It contains no onions or garlic.

The first step is to make Usili made of grounded and steamed toor Dal.Then poha should be mixed with the usili/dal mixture

Ive blogged about Beans paruppu usili long back.The procedure is the same except we have to substitute Poha for Beans.

Ingredients :

Extra Thick Poha/Aval - 1 cup

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Curry leaves - a few sprigs

Sesame oil - 2tbsp

Salt to taste;

For the usili/Dal mixture:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 4

Salt to taste

Asafoetida - a pinch

Procedure:

Wash Poha several times.Drain the water completely.Let it stand for 20 minutes.

Make the usili as mentioned here

In a pan mix the poha and usili together and set on low flame.Adjust the salt and cook till raw smell of Poha goes off.

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Mushroom Capsicum Masala

This is the easiest ever side dish that anyone can make.I love to prepare easy-peasy stir fries like this when Iam too lazy to cook.

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms - 200 grams stalks removed and quartered

Capsicum - 1

Onion - 2 roughly chopped

Tomato - 1 chopped

ginger garlic paste - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Oil - 2tbsp

Method :

Heat oil in a  pan.When hot add the chopped onions and saute till slightly brown.Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Then add the chopped tomato and saute till they become mushy.Now add the turmeric powder,coriander powder,and salt.

Then add the capsicum and saute till they are slightly cooked but still crunchy.Now add the quartered mushrooms and saute on high heat for 5 minutes.Then on medium heat,allow them to cook with a lid on for about 8 minutes

Finally add garam masala and check for salt and saute for 2 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

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Paneer Butter Masala

I love paneer dishes especially paneer butter masala.Ive tried making various versions of this recipe from different sources.This one is close to the restaurant style though Ive modified the recipe to make it less sinful.

Here goes the recipe

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gms(cut into squares)

Onion - 2(grated or chopped finely)

Tomatoes  - 3 (blanched by dropping them in boiling water till the skin peels and then pouring cold water over them .Then puree them in a blender)

Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chili powder - 2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Garam masala powder - 1tsp

kasoori methi - 1/4 tsp crushed

Butter - 2 tbsp

Low fat milk - 1/4 cup

Oil - for shallow frying the paneer

Salt to taste

Method:

Shallow fry the paneer in oil/ghee.In a pan heat the butter.When melted add the grated onions.Saute till they turn pinkish.

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

Add the turmeric powder,chili powder,cumin powder and coriander powder.Saute for 2 minutes.

Then add the tomato puree,garam masala and fry till the butter oozes out.Add a 1/2cup of water.When it starts boiling  add the fried paneer,required amount of salt.Simmer and close with a lid.Allow it to cook for 5 minutes till the paneer becomes soft.

Then add the milk and kasoori methi and simmer for 2 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

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Eggless Banana Yoghurt Muffins

Recipe Courtesy : Recipezaar

I tweaked the recipe according to my taste.I omitted the egg and added a quarter cup of applesauce instead.I used butter instead of oil.I added extra sugar to satisfy my sweet tooth.I didn't add the cinnamon powder.

Ingredients :

All purpose flour -  2 cups

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1 Tbsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla Yogurt - 8 oz(1 cup)

Applesauce - 1/4 cup

Bananas - 2 mashed

Melted Butter - 1/4 cup

Non fat milk - 2 Tbsp

Method :

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and  mix In another bowl, combine yogurt, applesauce, milk, and melted butter

Add contents of wet mixture to dry ingredients and mix- do not over mix.

Stir in bananas (you can also add chopped nuts or other fruits if you want) Place batter in muffin tins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

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Rajma/Kidney Bean Rasmisa

Rajma Rasmisa is a very nutritious preparation of rajma which goes along very well with rice or chapati.
This is  a recipe of Sanjeev Kapoor.
Ingredients:

Rajma/Kidney beans - 1 1/2 cup soaked in water for 8 hours and drained

Onion - 2  medium(grated/finely chopped)

Tomato - 3 pureed

Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - a handful

Bay leaves - 1

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chili powder - 2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Method :

Pressure cook Rajma with 5 cups of water along with salt for 4 whistles.

In a pan heat oil.When hot,add bay leaf and cumin seeds.

Add the chopped onion and saute till they become translucent.Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Now add turmeric powder and chili powder.Then add the tomato puree and saute till the oil oozes out.

Add the required amount of salt,garam masala,rajma with 1/2 cup of water.Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.




Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or chapati.

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Very Vanilla Muffins

What would you do if you bought a tub of Vanilla Yogurt by mistake and you don't like flavoured yogurt at all??Bake Vanilla muffins!!I found this recipe in Recipezaar.

This recipe has vanilla yogurt and vanilla essence as the main ingredient.The aroma of the vanilla  filled the  whole house while baking...It was spongy,light and smelled divine..I added extra sugar to the muffins and sprinkled little bit of sugar on top of each muffin.It gave a lovely brown colour to the muffin tops.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 3/4 cup

Sugar - 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp for sprinkling on top.

Melted Butter - 1/2 cup

Egg - 1 beaten

Vanilla flavored yogurt - 1 cup(can also use plain yogurt and increase the amount of vanilla essence)

Vanilla essence - 1 Tbsp

Baking Powder - 2 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda-1/4  tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 400º. Line 12 muffin pan cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, stir together egg, yogurt and vanilla, pour over dry ingredients. Add melted butter and stir just to blend (do not over mix). Quickly spoon batter into paper liners, filling each muffin cup to the top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp of sugar.

Bake muffins about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins to wire rack and let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

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Idly Fry

This is yet another dish made by my DH.My mom used to make fried idly whenever we refused to eat plain idlis.But she would just fry and saute with idly molagai podi.This recipe is little bit different.

Warning:You will definitely need more idlis than  you used to eat usually, to prepare this dish cuz this tastes sooooo good..When I ate this I was so guilty of my gluttony:)

Ingredients:

Idlis  - 6 (completely cooled and cut into cubes)

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Capsicum - 1 diced

Green chillies - 2(slit into two pieces)

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Idly molagai podi/Gunpowder - 2 tsp

Oil for deep frying the idlis

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Deep fry the idlis.

Deep Fried Idlies..I saved a few pices for the dish:)

In a pan heat oil.When it is hot,add the onions and saute till it is translucent.

Then add the green chillies, capsicum and saute for 2 minutes.Add the chillipowder,turmeric powder, idli molagai podi,required amount of salt.

Now add the fried idli pieces and saute.Sprinkle little bit of water,cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame  for 3 minutes.

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Oatmeal ,Banana,walnut and raisin Muffins

I have not tried baking anything with oats before.I rarely eat oatmeal for breakfast cuz I don't like the pasty texture until I bought the coach's oats.Unlike other oats this doesn't get pasty but retains the chewy texture and can be cooked in 5 minutes.Since they are steel cut,I cooked them before using them in muffins because I want them to be soft and not teeth breaking.

These muffins were perfect for breakfast.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 cup

Coach's Oats - 1 cup (boiled in 1 cup of milk for 4 minutes and cooled completely)

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Bananas - 3 mashed

Egg - 1 beaten

Melted Butter - 1/2 c

Walnuts - 1/2 c chopped

Raisin - 1/4 cup

Method :

Preheat the oven to 350 def F.Line the muffin pan with liners.

Sift together,all purpose flour,baking soda,baking powder and salt.In another bowl add the beaten egg,melted butter,cooked oats and brown sugar and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix till they are incorporated.Add the chopped walnuts and raisins.

Fill in the paper liners up to 3/4 Th of the liners.

Bake for about 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Allow  to cool for 5 minutes in the rack.

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Egg Biriyani

My poor blog has been neglected by me for almost a month because my kids fell sick and Ive been totally busy with them.Now that they have recovered,my hands have started to itch and here I am back to blogging with my egg biriyani post.

This dish was made by a guest blogger who is none other than......"drum roll please!!!!!!" my dear DH.In the coming weeks Iam gonna post a few dishes made by him.

He's a total foodie.He likes to try new dishes,though his favorite always remains the Tamil cuisine.He always tweaks a recipe and is very innovative.

This recipe was a mix and match of many recipes from the blogosphere.So I would like to give credits to all blogs who have blogged about egg biriyani.

First He made the egg masala.When the biriyani is almost cooked,he mixed the egg masala along with the rice and cooked it until it was done.

Ingredients for Egg masala:

Hard boiled eggs : 4

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Finely chopped onion - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Salt to taste

Method :

Heat oil in a pan.Add the onion and saute till light brown.Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.Then add turmeric powder,chilli powder,required amount of salt and the boiled eggs and saute for 2 minutes.Egg masala is ready.If you want you can slice the eggs.

Ingredients for biriyani:

Chopped vegetables - 1 cup(carrot,beans,potatoes,peas)

Mint - a few leaves

Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise

Onion- 1 finely chopped

Tomato- 1 finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Basmati Rice - 1 cup (wash and soak in water for 15 minutes and drain completely)

Water - 1 1/2 cup

Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2tbsp

Ghee - 2tbsp

Oil - 2tbsp

Yoghurt - 2tbsp

Spices :

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Cloves - 2

Star anise - 1

Bay leaf - 1

Method :

Heat oil and ghee in the cooker/heavy bottomed vessel.When hot, add the spices.Then add the onions and saute till it becomes light brown in color.

Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.Now add the tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy and cooked.Now add turmeric powder,coriander powder.

Then add mint leaves and saute till they wilt.

Add all the chopped veggies and keep on sauteing till they are slightly cooked but still crunchy.

Now add basmathi rice and saute till aroma comes.Then add the yoghurt and mix well.Add the required quantity of salt,1 1/2 cups of water and when it starts boiling,simmer the flame and close with a lid.Keep on checking the rice and stir occasionally and when it is almost cooked add the egg masala and switch off when the rice is fully cooked and the grains are separate.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

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Rise and Shine Muffins/Mocha chocolate chip muffins

Coffee + Chocolate,always a winning combination.These muffins surely will surely recharge you  in the morning.This is one of my favorite breakfast muffins.
It was perfect with a cup of coffee.
Ive used Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso coffee/powder .

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4  teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in 2 TB boiling water

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups  all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2  teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

Method:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease /line a muffin pan with liners.

2. In large bowl, beat on medium speed: butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, dissolved coffee powder,  until blended.

3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Divide batter among muffin-pan cups. Bake 25-30 minutes or until centers spring back when lightly pressed.Serve warm with a hot cup of coffee

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Vegetable Korma

 

Vegetable Korma is a spicy and creamy gravy of mixed vegetables.I am sure everyone would have their own version of preparing kurma.

Here is another interesting version.I found this recipe in Dheeraj Paul's Indian Menu Planner Book.The speciality about this recipe is, it uses homemade freshly ground spice powder instead of whole spices which are normally used for seasoning.No garlic is used.Still I found no difference at all and the aroma was heavenly

Pardon me for the hazy picture.It was shot at night.It would have been better if my korma was basking in the sun:).Anyways here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Butter - 2 Tbsp

Cumin seeds - 2tsp

Pressure cook the following for 1 whistle.

Beans - 6 snapped at ends and chopped into 2 inch pieces

Carrot - 2 peeled and diced  into big chunks

Potatoes - 1 peeled and diced into big chunks

Peas - 1/2 cup frozen

Tomato - 1 big quartered

Bay leaf - 2

For the paste:

Blend the following to a smooth paste

Onions - 2 roughly chopped

Ginger - 2 inch piece

Coriander leaves - a handful

Coconut -  4 tbsp grated

Green chillies - 2 chopped

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

For the spice powder:

On a hot griddle dry roast the following ingredients one by one and grind it into a fine powder.You can double the quantity and store it in airtight box and use it for other gravy or even in biriyani.

Cardamom - 2

poppy seeds -2tsp

Cinnamon-2 inch piece

Cloves - 2

Star Anise -2

Fennel seeds- 1tsp

Method:

Heat butter / oil in a tava.When hot,add cumin seeds.

When they splutter,add the ground paste.Saute till raw smell goes off.

Then add the boiled vegetables along with a little bit of water in which the vegetables were cooked.Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Then add the spice powder and allow it to boil for 2 minutes.

Serve with rotis/rice.

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Blondie Cupcakes

I hope most of you would be familiar with blondies.These are same except they are baked in a muffin pan.
Recipe is taken from  Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.I made some changes.I didnt have tofee bits.So I added same quantity of chocolate chips.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2  cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1  cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup unsalted cashews

3/4  cup tofee bits (I used chocolate chips )

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line muffin pan with liners; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture, and beat just until combined (do not over mix). Fold in chopped toffee (or other add ins).

Divide batter among prepared cups, filling each about halfway. (Mine were filled a little more than halfway)

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.

My blondie cupcakes as against Martha's

Transfer to wire rack; cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn out blondies onto rack; cool completely.

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Neiman Marcus cookies

Weird name for a cookie,isn't it??If you haven't heard of the (in)famous cookie hoax email,then read this.
There are so many recipes of NM cookie all over the webworld.But I tried the recipe found in the Neiman Marcus website.The addition of espresso powder definetely is a treat for coffee lovers.

I made a few changes.I increased the amount of espresso coffee powder to 2tsp instead of  1 1/2 tsp because I wanted the espresso to dominate.
I reduced the baking time to 15 from 20 minutes but still  my cookies were crunchy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
 
 
Method:
 
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)
Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

 Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.

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Eggless,Protein Rich Banana Muffins

My blog is becoming more of  a baking blog nowadays:)Thanx to my baking obsession!!

I was really tired of baking the same old banana and walnut muffins.So was trying to get adventurous and planned to bake some healthy muffins.Though the muffins did not look pretty,they tasted really good.

Since my kid does not like to eat whole nuts,I often tend to include nuts in disguise.

Ive substituted a part of allpurpose flour with almond meal.Chopped walnuts are added too.So it provides a double dose of protein.

How to make almond meal?

Preheat the oven to 350def F.Spread  half cup of unblanched almonds in a cookie sheet.

Roast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes till the nuts become slightly brown and you can smell the almonds.

Allow the almonds to cool down to room temperature.

Pulse them in little intervals in a blender.Take care not to over grind them or it  will become almond butter.If it is too hard,a teaspoon of sugar can be added while grinding.

Ingredients:

Allpurpose flour - 1 cup

Almond meal - 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1tsp

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Light brown sugar - 1/3 cup

Medium bananas - 2

Apple sauce - 1/4 cup

Unsalted Melted butter - 1/3 cup

Chopped Walnuts - 1/2 cup Reserve a few for sprinkling on top.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350degF.Line muffin pan with muffin liners.

Sift together allpurpose flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt.Mix in the almond meal.

Mash bananas with a fork.Add the sugar,melted butter and applesauce.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and slightly mix till they incorporate well.

Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Fill the muffin liners till three-fourths.Sprinkle a few on top of each muffin.




Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

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Chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies

Iam on a baking spree nowadays.I made this batch of chocolate with white chocolate chip cookies during the winter break of my son.
Ive always loved eating white chocolate over the normal  dark chocolate because it is creamier and  the taste is somewhat intense..But its is a pity that white chocolate are not officially chocolates since they do not contain chocolate liquor.They are  made up of cocoa butter and sugar.
Recipe courtesy : JoyofBaking

Ingredients:

Allpurpose Flour -  1 cup

Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Large egg - 1

Unsalted Butter softened at room temperature - 1/2 cup(1 stick)

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Light brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

White chocolate chunks or chips - 1 1/2 cup


Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. First sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the the chocolate chips.
Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons , place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.



Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until the the cookies are still soft in the center but are firm around the edges.



Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 24 - 3 inch round cookies.

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Pongal Wishes!!

Wishing all the readers a very happy Pongal!!We celebrated Bhogi yesterday and relished all the goodies.

Here is a picture of the yummy food.Recipes will follow later.

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Eggless chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting

Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous Newyear!!I baked this cake for Newyear.

This is my first attempt in frosting.Though it was shabbily frosted :(I loved the taste of the cake with ganache.
Its been a year since I bookamrked this recipe on Joy of baking website.I was really apprehensive in making the frosting from scratch.But this recipe is so easy to follow that even an amateur baker like me was able to manage.
There are too many good things in this recipe.First of all it is eggless and the next thing is it uses only one pan.Yeah!!We mix all the ingredients in the cake pan itself and pop it into the oven.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups

Sugar - 1 cup

1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed), sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (240 ml) warm water

1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream (35% butterfat)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature


Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.

In an ungreased 8 inch (20 cm) square cake pan, stir together the flour, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the melted butter, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. With a fork, mix all the ingredients together until well blended.

Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.


Frosting: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let the ganache sit at room temperature until slightly firm (about one hour) and then beat the ganache until creamy smooth and light. With an offset spatula or knife spread the ganache over the cooled cake.

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