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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