tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77149179631684631492012-01-29T14:58:56.045+03:00Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.comBlogger2521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-88875975627745756382012-01-26T18:37:00.000+03:002012-01-27T00:23:25.802+03:00

It’s been unusually cold here for the past one week and the temperature had dropped down to -1C for a couple of days and I was simply sitting without doing much:).... I had planned to post this a couple of days ago when my blog turned 4 years but was too lazy to type all the recipes :D.... Let me take this opportunity to thank each and every one of my dear readers and friends who have visited

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-91631192618400909962012-01-22T16:05:00.000+03:002012-01-22T16:09:36.336+03:00

This potato curry is made with the same gravy recipe of my Paneer Tomato Curry from my previous post.  This simple curry goes well with Indian flat breads and pulao. Aloo Tamatar Subzi / Potato in Tomato Gravy Ingredients: Aloo / Potatoes – 250 gm, cut into cubes Onion – 1 big Ginger – 2 x I” piece Garlic – 4 cloves Green Chilly -2 Tomatoes – 2, medium, chopped fine Tomato ketchup -1 tbsp

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-29171622357261264532012-01-16T15:04:00.001+03:002012-01-22T16:10:47.118+03:00

Long back soon after our wedding we were settled in a place called Gomia, in Bihar. I am sure many of you may be hearing of this place Gomia for the first time :D... There we had an amazing cook named Alku from whom I learned many basic North Indian recipes for the first time... he taught me how to make perfect paneer at home and severalpaneer recipes too... His main paneer delicacy was

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-83163783828511026572012-01-12T19:48:00.000+03:002012-01-13T18:01:04.621+03:00

Another cookie I made during Christmas season..... This is the first cookie I baked while I was a kid and you can ask your kids to make this on their own and they will be very happy with the experiment .... You can bake these cookies in a microwave oven too .... Butter Biscuit Ingredients: All purpose flour / Maida – 2 cups Butter / Vegetable shortening – 1 cup Salt – a small pinch Sugar –

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-40482308555050811692012-01-08T14:50:00.001+03:002012-01-08T14:50:53.081+03:00

When the Sweet Punch for the month was announced I was all excited and on cloud 9 as Divya selected my Banoffee Pie recipe for the challenge…. It’s a great dessert and like one of my friends here says “highly recommended out of the world dessert”!!! … And no wonder it has all the delicious high calorie ingredients in it ;) it’s not for the weight watchers out there ;)…. Since I had posted the

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-68875801505643187022012-01-06T19:05:00.004+03:002012-01-07T23:24:29.805+03:00

I made these Gingerbread men for my little one’s school Christmas party. I adapted the recipe from Joy of Baking with slight changes as I didn’t have molasses at home and I didn’t want to buy one full bottle just to make these cookies. So I substituted molasses with brown sugar dissolved in water. These cookies tasted really good and his friends loved the shape and the icing :) … I got around

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-21579503311403680552012-01-04T16:05:00.003+03:002012-01-04T22:41:50.067+03:00

Hope you all had a lovely holiday..... During this holiday season I baked a couple of cookies and this Iced Cherry Rings was one of them..... The recipe is from The Big Book of Baking which I won from Divya’s blog..... It is a good book with lot of recipes..... These buttery cookies studded with glazed cherries and lemon glaze were a perfect holiday treat :)...... Iced Cherry Rings (Makes

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-31039752277650132452012-01-01T02:32:00.010+03:002012-01-02T08:33:20.108+03:00

Wishing you all a blessed, peaceful and Happy 2012!!!  We love Irish Cream Liqueur and when I saw this recipe few days back I thought of making it for New Year. It has all the things we love....condensed milk, cream, chocolate & alcohol..... Believe me it was one of the best drinks I have made recently... So here I am ringing in the New Year 2012 with Irish Cream Liqueur.... Irish Cream

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-24858765580430282402011-12-30T01:43:00.001+03:002011-12-30T01:43:37.006+03:00

Another year comes to an end and it’s time to look back and see how the year was.... 2011 was a fantastic year for my little blog as It got its own domain, a year I blogged the maximum; 100 posts this year from me!, featured four times on the Foodbuzz Top9, a year many of you tried my recipes in your kitchen and send me feedback via comments, messages and e-mails about how you and your family

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-38336779565529317972011-12-27T16:07:00.003+03:002011-12-27T16:07:52.305+03:00

Our Daring Bakers Host for December 2011 was Jessica of My Recipe Project and she showed us how fun it is to create Sour Dough bread in our own kitchens! She provided us with Sour Dough recipes from Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley as well as delicious recipes to use our Sour Dough bread in from Tonia George’s Things on Toast and Canteen’s Great British Food! I am pretty good at baking yeast

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-76378981657914838652011-12-25T14:41:00.001+03:002011-12-25T14:41:50.398+03:00

"May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace, The gladness of Christmas give you hope, The warmth of Christmas grant you love." Merry Christmas to all..... As a tradition every year, I make Christmas Fruit Cake and decorate it with icing. Earlier I have posted another fondant icing recipe and in the last couple of years I was using the same icing for my Christmas cake. But a lot of my readers

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-88180186121369529222011-12-21T09:10:00.002+03:002011-12-28T09:46:41.794+03:00

Recently on a visit to a book shop, I grabbed a copy of Australian Women’s Weekly… I am a huge fan of AWW and I couldn’t resist this "Little Squares and Slices" book which has a collection of heavenly indulgences, some are very rich and some are very healthy ....  All are completely irresistible recipes.... and as you know, naturally, I will go for the rich desserts first... So I made this

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-37915897184739368752011-12-18T13:48:00.001+03:002011-12-18T13:48:25.065+03:00

This is another snack Kerala Christians make during Christmas time. It is a diamond shaped deep fried snack coated with cardamom flavored sugar syrup. It was a regular snack at home when we were kids; and I always used to pick up and eat the ones that are fully drenched in the sugar syrup :)..... Even without coating in sugar syrup it is a great snack especially with drinks.... Diamond Cuts

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-15270075220808579082011-12-16T19:07:00.001+03:002011-12-16T19:07:23.647+03:00

Since I get a lot of messages and e-mails expressing doubts and seeking clarifications on wine making, I thought of sharing these tips that should help while making wine at home. I am not a trained wine maker or chemist...... These are tips learned from books and several years of wine making...... Wine fermenting in a bottle If you are a novice at wine making, its best to stick to a trust

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-52514415729934555862011-12-13T10:10:00.000+03:002011-12-13T10:10:27.122+03:00

How are your Christmas preparations coming up? Have you made any wine or baked your Christmas cake yet? I plan to bake my fruitcake tomorrow... Today’s recipe Nellikka / Gooseberry wine is very familiar to most Keralites.... It is a very common wine like Grape wine back home.... Like my earlier Grape Wine, this is also a “No Yeast” wine.... so it is very mild.... if you desire you can add 1

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-7507938277973378472011-12-11T19:15:00.007+03:002011-12-11T19:24:32.733+03:00

Unakka Erachi or Sun dried beef is a specialty of Kerala cuisine especially among Kerala Christians but not as popular as unakka meen / sundried fish that is easily available in shops. My grandmother and aunt used to sun dry beef and we used to always get a share of it. With that mom used to make these awesome side dishes that goes very well with boiled rice and kanji (rice gruel) which is

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-54141908842853808742011-12-07T13:55:00.005+03:002011-12-07T13:56:24.792+03:00

Whenever I ask my son what would he like to have when he gets back from school, I always get an answer like cinnamon rolls or doughnuts! He loves cinnamon flavored buns/ rolls..... So I am always on the look-out for similar recipes..... When I saw these cute Cinnamon Bursts at Betty Crocker’s site I knew he would love them.... it’s tastes very similar to the Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread I posted

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-6397697602440400132011-12-05T17:32:00.001+03:002012-01-04T16:51:37.238+03:00

1 There are plenty of ways to make biriyani and every household has their own unique recipe for the same. This recipe was used by my mom and I have always followed it for mutton or beef biriyani. It’s easy, can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving. It’s a great dish especially when hosting a party or if you are cooking for the weekend ahead of time like me… Mutton Biriyani

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-42908723013848631842011-12-02T18:27:00.001+03:002011-12-02T18:28:02.068+03:00

I first tried Gnocchi during our recent visit to Italy and fell in love with it … after coming back I searched for the recipe and tried a couple …. but nothing came close to the taste we enjoyed in Rome & Venice… finally I found this recipe in Lucy’s Hungry Carvings which tastes exactly like what we ate in Italy! In the last 4 months I have tried this recipe several times and every time I got

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-28238870807700964802011-11-28T22:26:00.004+03:002011-11-28T22:27:18.460+03:00

I took a picture of cheeda for changing a picture from an old post. Then I realized I had made sweet cheeda this time; so I thought of posting the recipe …. Aamma used to make both the sweet and unsweetened versions while we were small….. This is one of the snacks Kerala Christians make during Christmas time and can be stored for almost a month. Sweet Cheeda / Maduramulla Cheeda Ingredients:

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-47363549757545489692011-11-27T01:24:00.003+03:002011-11-27T01:26:34.823+03:00

Catherine of Munchie Musings was the November Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged to make a traditional Filipino dessert Sans Rival cake. And for those of us who wanted to try an additional Filipino dessert, Catherine also gave us a bonus recipe for Bibingka which comes from her friend Jun of Jun-blog. I chose to make Chocolate Sans Rival and I only made quarter batch of the recipe. My

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-24853998615885108152011-11-22T09:45:00.002+03:002011-11-22T09:45:27.280+03:00

I made this White chocolate terrine recently for our guests..... It’s an easy dessert that can be made and frozen ahead of time and you only need to remove it from the freezer 15 minutes before serving...  You can cut this into neat slices and can serve with fruit coulis of your choice...... White Chocolate Terrine (Adapted from the book "Chocolate") Serves 8Ingredients:2 tbsp granulated

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-80885355413922273662011-11-17T21:20:00.001+03:002011-11-17T21:20:19.594+03:00

Have you all started your Christmas preparations? Making wines, soaking fruits for Christmas cake etc.... to be frank this year I have not even soaked the fruits for my Fruit Cake which I used to do in Sept/Oct every year.... now I have just started chopping fruits and will have to finish it in a couple of days.... but I am happy that my wine stock is ready..... I have five different types of

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-76734134319170985502011-11-16T10:48:00.000+03:002011-11-16T10:48:46.574+03:00

My first ever entry to Susan’s Black and White Wednesday - A weekly culinary photo event.

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-20792607006049601172011-11-14T18:35:00.002+03:002012-01-04T16:50:45.835+03:00

Kebab (or kaabaaab, kabob, kebap) is a wide variety of meat dishes. Kebab includes grilled, roasted, and stewed dishes of large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local tastes, it may be beef, goat, chicken, pork; fish and seafood; or even vegetarian foods like falafel or tofu. (wiki) These kebabs can be served as an appetizer

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-80835593157070270182011-11-10T08:37:00.004+03:002011-11-10T23:49:42.265+03:00

It’s been a week since I updated this little space of mine…. Even though I have several recipes ready, I was not getting enough time to type and post…. It’s been a very busy week as we are in the middle of a 9 day Eid break which we are enjoying to the maximum in this lovely weather. Two days ago it was my birthday and I made this checkerboard cake. I didn’t have any checkerboard pans with me,

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-26243759912906201392011-11-01T15:44:00.001+03:002011-11-01T15:44:24.404+03:00

This is a delicious Pork curry that goes very well with Sanna, Palappam, Vellaappam, Indian flat breads or Indian spiced rice… It’s similar to the famous Pork Vindaloo….and in our view it tastes better… Pork VeenjaaliIngredients: Pork-2kg Onion-2 medium, sliced Tomatoes -2, medium, chopped Curry leaves- few Oil-2-3 tbsp Grind to a fine paste: Raisins-50 gm Garlic- 1 whole pod (15-20 small

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-82625397389798627272011-10-29T00:13:00.003+03:002011-10-29T00:29:08.492+03:00

I always wanted to join Daring Bakers.... but somehow never did till finally last month I signed up. My first challenge Povitica, which I had never heard of nor eaten in my life.... Daring Bakers October 2011 challenge was hosted by Jenni, of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica (pronounced po-va-teet-sa) is a traditional Eastern European dessert bread that is traditionally served during the holiday

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-31427190558304270952011-10-25T17:09:00.001+03:002011-10-25T17:19:49.115+03:00

Rasgulla / Roshogolla is a famous traditional Bengali sweet dish. I first tasted Rasgulla in Calcutta soon after my wedding and that time I was more fascinated with other Bengali sweets like Chum Chums, Sandesh (Shondesh) and Mishti Doi. Those days I used to buy Rasgullas only to take back home in Kerala to distribute it to relatives. I once tried to makes this and failed terribly. Recently

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-50061678536901858072011-10-23T17:55:00.003+03:002011-10-23T18:10:40.952+03:00

Panna Cotta, a creamy and delicious Italian dessert which can be whipped up very easily and served with fruit coulis / sauce of your choice..... A dessert you will get addicted to and with which you can wow your guests....... Recently when we had guests for dinner I made this Orange Buttermilk Panna Cotta adapted from Jungle Frog ...... original recipe was with lemon instead of orange and I

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-64157368988127479992011-10-18T15:08:00.002+03:002011-10-18T15:10:56.038+03:00

On a recent hunt for some healthy cookies I come across Miryam’s Oatmeal, Coconut and Almond Cookies... I loved the recipe as it has all the healthy ingredients.... oatmeal, whole wheat, almonds and no egg.... We really loved the coconut, almond and oatmeal combination and will be baking it regularly..... Do try these eggless, healthy and tasty cookies..... Oatmeal, Coconut and Almond Cookies

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-12588953387950070372011-10-16T18:21:00.002+03:002011-10-16T18:22:11.471+03:00

I had posted this Lasagna recipe during my early  blogging days. We had guests over this weekend and this was one of the dishes I made for them. While clicking pictures of other dishes, I thought of taking some pictures of Lasagna as my earlier pictures were really terrible ;) LasagnaIngredients: Lasagne sheets-12 squares or 6-8 rectangle sheets Olive Oil- 2 tbsp Bring plenty of water to a

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-71785762736047033792011-10-15T18:02:00.002+03:002011-10-17T10:02:45.504+03:00

IndusLadies has compiled an eBook for this Diwali consisting of "100 Yummy Sweets & Desserts recipes", contributed by various Food Bloggers! Go ahead and download it. Feel free to share it with your family & friends. You can find my Rasmalai recipe too:)Click on the picture to download the e-bbok....

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-80015462840512757172011-10-10T15:05:00.002+03:002011-10-10T15:05:41.630+03:00

We are a huge fan of truffles and it’s been quite some time since I made any…. We had a guest for dinner last weekend and I made Lemon Truffles … These truffles are very easy to make and not difficult to handle or roll… I halved the recipe and got almost 30- 35 small truffles… also I used powdered sugar to roll the truffles not cocoa powder like in the original recipe….  Lemon Truffles (

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-51568032561707530122011-10-05T13:10:00.001+03:002011-10-05T13:10:15.153+03:00

Like I mentioned in a previous post I brought a packet of chakkakuru /jackfruit seeds back from Kerala and this is another popular dish with chakkakuru/ Jackfruit seeds. It is one of my favorites and the most difficult part of making this dish is cleaning the jackfruit seeds. When I was young my grandmother used to prepare this dish for us and Amma only had to stir-fry it in coconut oil. It’s

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-71084711247161683672011-09-30T22:29:00.001+03:002011-10-02T22:46:07.106+03:00

Indus Ladies is the largest online community for Indian Women. Indian Women from around the world visit Indusladies to ask questions, get help, read and write blogs, engage in a dialogue and along the way build authentic and enduring friendships. Now they are compiling a Diwali E-book featuring 100 lip-smacking desserts by bloggers. I have contributed my Rasmalai recipe for the E-book. If you

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-34790717024331168832011-09-27T01:15:00.026+03:002011-10-09T18:15:56.255+03:00

Kuzhalappam, another famous Kerala delicacy my aunt made for me when I was in Kerala. It is a traditional snack of Kerala which can be made in bulk and can be stored for a couple of months. Nowadays it’s common to get Kuzhalappam in bakeries and my home town Kottayam is very famous for Mammi Cheduthi’s Kuzhalappam and Churuttu (another Kerala snack). Usually the store bought ones are made of

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-24042946254205859542011-09-24T22:28:00.003+03:002011-09-24T23:11:18.513+03:00

An unusually colorful sunset in Kuwait…..

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-45981502862451109722011-09-21T18:10:00.002+03:002011-10-05T13:12:04.072+03:00

I brought a big packet of chakkakuru from Kerala this year. Side dishes with chakkakuru are my favorite and I have already made Chakkakuru Manga Curry and Chakkakuru Mezhukkupuratti out of it….. This Chakkakuru manga curry is a traditional vegetarian side dish of Kerala….. A plate of boiled rice with this charu curry, a piece of fish fry and some mezhukkupuratti / stir fried vegetable or thoran

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-66868026885119895972011-09-19T22:41:00.001+03:002011-09-19T22:41:45.573+03:00

Hope all of you have noticed the new address of Swapna’s Cuisine J…. Yes we have moved to our own domain and I am thankful to all my readers, friends and family for the love and support you gave me all this time and I hope to get the same in future too…. This Rasmalai recipe I had posted during my early days of blogging and last week when I made it, I thought of taking a decent picture and

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-72687532346150709932011-09-13T17:00:00.003+03:002011-10-05T13:13:56.365+03:00

Either my grandmother or my mom’s sister would keep a packet of chakka upperi for me whenever they make it at home. This time also I got a big zip-lock packet of upperi when I went to Kerala…. So the credit to the hard work behind this upperi goes to my aunt and not me ;)… only credit that comes to me is munching it while typing and clicking photos… here is how she makes this Chakka Upperi/

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-73825470179652080192011-09-09T20:09:00.001+03:002011-09-25T13:32:34.239+03:00

Wishing all my readers a Very Happy Onam! Gothambu Payasam / Broken Wheat PayasamIngredients: Broken wheat / Nurukku gothambu / Sooji gothambu -1 cup Jaggery / Sharkara - 400 gms Water - 1 cup Thick (first extract) coconut milk - 2 cups Medium thick (second extract) coconut milk -– 4 cups Thin (third extract) coconut milk - 5 cups Cardamom Powder - ½ tsp Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp Dry

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-72380387986383302502011-09-06T08:28:00.002+03:002011-09-06T08:30:44.279+03:00

Hi everybody…. I am back home after a hectic three weeks in Kerala. After our Europe trip we went to Kerala and it’s been almost 2months since I am away from my blog. Even though I had scheduled some posts, I was not able to respond to your comments or queries on time or to visit your blogs ... School re- opened for my son yesterday and I am trying to settle down slowly…. Since I have not really

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-64735514819082966222011-08-29T06:30:00.001+03:002011-08-29T06:30:00.778+03:00

Spinach and Avocado Salad(Recipe Source: Pam’s For the Love of Cooking) Ingredients:Baby spinach 1-2 avocados, diced Cherry tomatoes, quartered Red onion diced CraisinsOrange Croutons Parmesan cheese, shaved Simple Vinaigrette (recipe below) Place the baby spinach in a large bowl then top with the avocados, tomatoes, red onion, craisins, croutons, and Parmesan cheese. Vinaigrette:1/4 cup

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-87902330223717374482011-08-23T10:45:00.001+03:002011-08-23T22:45:26.356+03:00

This is one of the best baked doughnuts I have had till date. Baked Chocolate Cake DoughnutsRecipe Source: (Lara Ferroni)Ingredients:130 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 75 grams (1/3 cup) sugar 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil 1/4 cup

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-50347206294598672412011-08-15T06:00:00.003+03:002011-09-21T10:56:34.886+03:00

Vegan Popcorn Chicken (Adapted from Soma’s e-curry blog) Ingredients:1.5 Cups Dry Soy Chunks or Nuggets/TVPWater2 Garlic Cloves, Mashed1″ Ginger, GratedSaltFor the coating:3.5 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour1/2 Cup Corn Starch/Corn Flour1 Cup WaterSaltBlack PepperGarlic PowderAny other spice if you want to use (Optional)1 Cup Bread CrumbsOil for deep frying Method:Boil about 4 Cups of water

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-85423227465512187882011-08-09T06:00:00.002+03:002011-08-09T06:00:04.122+03:00

Sausage Rolls (Adapted from Kirbie’s Cravings originally from Christine’s Recipes)Ingredients:2½ cups bread flour 3tbsp+2tsp sugar1/2 tsp salt1 large egg½ cup milk120g tangzhong (recipe below)2 tsp instant yeast3 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature) Method:Combine the flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast in a bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center. Add in

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-80163039824712016872011-08-06T08:00:00.000+03:002011-08-06T08:00:05.595+03:00

If I remember correctly I got this recipe from Sanjeeve Kapoor’s Khana Khazana TV show long back. Ever since then this is a frequent dish in my kitchen. This goes very well with Indian flat bread or with poori or Batura. Muglai PotatoesIngredients: Small potatoes, peeled-10-12nos Yogurt- 2/3 cup Ghee-1/4 cup Onions- 2sliced Coriander powder -1 tsp. Cumin powder -1 tsp. Chili powder -1 tsp.

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-47157536606512124082011-08-02T17:16:00.011+03:002011-09-06T08:30:05.013+03:00

We are back in Kuwait after an awesome trip to Europe starting with historic Rome, romantic and enchanting Venice, a fairytale cruise on Costa’s brand new flagship “Favolosa” with port calls at Bari (Italy), picturesque Katakolan / Olympia (Greece), ancient port of Izmir, captivating Istanbul and the amazingly photogenic town of Dubrovnik (Croatia); and finally a 3 day stay at Disneyland Paris

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-68220891721169082192011-07-28T10:00:00.002+03:002011-07-29T22:48:31.706+03:00

Even though we don’t eat pickle on a daily basis I love to make and store pickles. I always have a stock of dates pickle and Lime pickle in my pantry. Dates pickle goes very well with Biriyani and also with Aloo Parathas. Dates PickleIngredients: Dates –1/2kgGreen chillies-15, cut into thin roundsGarlic – 3 pods, mincedGinger –2 tbsp, mincedTurmeric powder-1tspChilly powder-4 tbspFenugreek

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-53805696464854750962011-07-25T09:00:00.000+03:002011-07-25T09:00:00.150+03:00

Baked Potato and Corn Recipe Source: Vanitha Serves 4-6 Ingredients: Potatoes – 6 medium (sliced) Sweet corn kernels – 1 cup Garlic – 1 tsp finely chopped Celery – 2 tbsp chopped Cheese – 1cup grated Italian seasoning 1 ¼ tsp Salt- ½ tsp Butter – 3 tbsp Olive oil – 1 tbsp Bread crumbs – 2 tbsp Method: Boil sliced potatoes in salted water. Remove and drain. Heat 2 tbsp of butter and

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-28485805847991270772011-07-20T10:00:00.001+03:002011-08-03T13:52:01.499+03:00

This is one of the healthiest breads I have ever made.... off course being a health food it is not all that tasty but definitely good once in awhile..... For all those of you who dig health food.... here you go..... Sprouts and Cereal Bread (Recipe Source: Vanitha)Ingredients:Sprouted beans-100gmWhole wheat flour / Atta -400 gmSalt-2 tspYeast-1 ½ tspOats-2 tbsp, coarsely powderedCorn-2 tbsp,

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-79673436487389501872011-07-15T10:00:00.001+03:002011-09-21T11:00:59.151+03:00

Found this very refreshing and colorful salad at Soma’s e-curry blog. This slightly sweet and tangy salad can be served as it is or as a side dish with grilled dishes. This can be made ahead of time. Moroccan Carrot and Orange Salad(Recipe Source: Soma’s e-curry blog) Ingredients: 5 Big Carrots, grated 3/4 Cup Golden Raisins 1/3 Cup Almonds / Pine nuts, lightly toasted 3 Clementines /

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-87054531773290959642011-07-11T17:34:00.001+03:002011-07-11T17:34:01.031+03:00

I am taking a break for two months. We are leaving for our much awaited holiday in Rome, Venice, Paris and a 7 day Mediterranean cruise and after that I will be away in Kerala for a month. I will be back in Kuwait only by September. I won’t be able to visit your blogs or answer any of your comments or queries on time, but will do so as soon as I am back. I have tried to schedule some posts to

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-85970393816121356262011-07-08T01:25:00.001+03:002011-07-08T01:26:05.642+03:00

July Sweet Punch challenge is to make a Pound Cake. The recipe is from The Cake Bible, where Rose has come up with a new method of baking the cake, very different from the butter-sugar creaming and wet+dry ingredients, the usual cake route. This method, according to Rose ensures a tight crumb. The recipe asks for Cake Flour, and I didn’t have that in stock or even corn flour to make cake

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-66677199867574135562011-07-05T16:53:00.000+03:002011-07-05T16:53:23.106+03:00

I first made these crisps two years ago as soon as Deeba posted the recipe on her blog. Since then I have tried this recipe several times with different combination of fruits. Other than Apricot and Cherry I have tried apple and strawberry and with the left over fruits from our fruit diet that we have once a week :) (a mixture of mango, apple, strawberry, banana, kiwi & orange). I love this

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-81935552910916898482011-07-02T00:27:00.002+03:002011-07-03T09:38:33.584+03:00

I had referred to my passion fruit wine in some of my earlier posts and many had requested the recipe…. Made this wine about 2 years ago….. I wanted the wine to mature so that I can click the rich and clear picture and I think it’s worth waiting this long :)…. As you all know by now that I love anything which has passion fruit in it and this wine is not an exception! This is one of my favorites

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-45031771363568436972011-06-28T17:05:00.002+03:002011-06-29T16:27:42.530+03:00

Vellayappam is another Kerala breakfast delicacy similar to Palappam. The batter is almost same for both and the slight difference in vallayappam batter is the addition of cumin seeds, shallots and garlic; also the vallayappam batter should be thicker than palappam(like Idli batter). Palappam has a lace border and is made in a curved appam pan. Vellayappam on the other hand is made in a flat

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-79821761955903606492011-06-26T09:44:00.002+03:002011-06-26T09:47:13.386+03:00

Dal Makhani is a traditional North Indian vegetarian dish high in protein. Traditionally it is cooked on low flame for hours on charcoal, which gives it a rich creamy texture. Whenever I cook this I try to reduce ghee and butter as much as I can to make it healthier and also I never add cream expect if I am cooking for a party…. I can assure you even though you reduce ghee, butter and cream this

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-56174211337069987812011-06-22T20:48:00.006+03:002011-06-28T17:19:15.740+03:00

Rumali Roti is a thin bread from the northern part of India and Pakistan and a traditional element in Mughlai cuisine. The word rumal means handkerchief in Urdu and Hindi, and the name rumali roti means handkerchief bread. The extreme thinness of the bread and the fact that it is usually served folded like a handkerchief are the probable sources of the name. (Wiki) First make the dough, roll

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-37282892529607272922011-06-20T09:48:00.002+03:002011-06-20T09:53:15.422+03:00

I saw this sorbet recipe in an Australian Women’s Magazine on a recent visit to my favorite book shop here…. It was really a bliss having this when the outside temperature is 50°C…..  Lemon Sorbet with Mint LeavesIngredients: Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice-2 cups Sugar-3 cups Water- 1 cup Cream – ½ cup Mints leaves-2 tbsp, chopped Method: Combine water and sugar and bring to a boil over

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-68914771659825410102011-06-16T17:05:00.004+03:002011-06-19T10:38:01.361+03:00

I don’t know how many of you have heard or eaten this simple dish from God’s own country Kerala.....This is a dish my mom used to make from a recipe she received from my grandma after her wedding..... It’s a dish you can have on its own without any side dishes.....I love it and whenever I buy sardines I make a small portion like this all for myself since my hubby doesn’t like it :)....A unique

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-7083752059595074242011-06-13T17:32:00.000+03:002011-06-13T17:33:05.103+03:00

I was planning on making the beautiful Zebra Cake which is famous in the blog world...... When I saw these Zebra Biscuits in one of the recipe books I have, I thought of trying it first before the cake....... Biscuits came out perfectly and my little one was really amused by the beautiful zebra pattern on his cookies :)...... Try this kid friendly biscuits for those naughty little ones and you

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-36517621463877837262011-06-10T17:27:00.004+03:002011-06-17T14:20:34.946+03:00

These are the Soft Garlic Knots from Annie’s Eats that were quite famous in the blog sphere some time back….I have been planning to make this since the day she posted it and today I tried it..… I usually don’t post anything on the same day I make it…. But this turned out so good that I did not want to wait… It’s one of the best Garlic Knots I have ever made...... (Featured on Foodbuzz Top 9)

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-59820948417925845012011-06-07T15:11:00.001+03:002011-06-07T15:11:28.465+03:00

Bhatura, also spelled as Batura or Bhatoora is a very famous deep fried puffed bread common in North India. It is usually served with Chole or Chickpeas Curry or with any Chicken curry. There are numerous recipes for chole and bhatura around the net… Some used to make Bhatura with yeast and some with baking powder… This is how my mom used to make Bhatura and Chickpeas Curry at home… and I

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-2715984174303596102011-06-01T14:35:00.001+03:002011-06-01T15:25:01.050+03:00

Summer has set in Kuwait with the maximum temperature touching 50°C in open areas yesterday and expected to touch 55°C soon…. At this temperature a bowl of Sorbet, ice creams, tumblers of fresh lime juice will be very comforting at any time of the day… saw this Strawberries, Mint and Lime Sorbet at Deeba’s blog recently and all these ingredients are always available with me; I made these a

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-21265165194674031502011-05-30T17:12:00.003+03:002011-05-31T09:19:39.551+03:00

Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food. Falafel is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-20903824819447039362011-05-25T15:42:00.003+03:002011-05-25T15:42:35.224+03:00

I have been a little busy last week stitching a dress for my little one’s fancy dress competition and he won a consolation prize for that yesterday :)... Now to today’s recipe, I found it on Jessica’s wonderful blog How Sweet It is and that weekend itself I made these burgers… it is really easy to make and you can even make the patties a day or two ahead and keep refrigerated until you are ready

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-80514520032027611182011-05-20T16:06:00.003+03:002011-05-31T08:54:17.855+03:00

When I was a kid I  first tasted  it simply mixed with sugar and loved it J … that childhood love affair continued years later and I tried it in different forms like; juice, squash, wine, truffles, puddings and finally in baking, tried it in brownies, bars and now in cakes! Loved Passion Fruit in all it's avatars! Back home Appa has a passion fruit plant in his back yard and he collects the pulp

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-78762016825035319292011-05-17T10:04:00.006+03:002011-05-25T12:36:10.929+03:00

I have never tried raw papaya salads before and when I saw this recipe I thought of giving it a try. It was really good with a mix of different flavors of slightly tangy, sweet and hot with crunchy vegetables and peanuts. I didn’t have Seitan (a vegetarian wheat meat), so omitted it. Try this simple but really good healthy salad with raw papaya. I only made half the amount and it was sufficient

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-66522284571660340612011-05-10T16:47:00.007+03:002011-05-14T00:28:24.197+03:00

This must surely rate amongst the tastiest & healthiest cookies that I have baked recently. You can make different variations by mixing dry fruits or nuts of your choice. I have already tried cranberries, raisins, and a mix of raisins and almonds.... every time it came our perfectly and delicious and filling too…Like Miryam wrote on her blog these are cookies that don’t taste like healthy

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-23937268410623837832011-05-08T22:41:00.007+03:002011-05-09T16:50:30.885+03:00

This month’s Sweet Punch challenge is to bake your choice and I baked this Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread. The moment I saw this recipe on Joy’s blog I wanted to bake this for my little one who loves cinnamon bun which I make at least once a month for him. So recently when he requested for cinnamon bun I made this pull-apart bread for him…..We loved this very soft cinnamon sugar filled pull

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-49236106188065105662011-05-04T17:23:00.004+03:002011-05-25T12:34:10.761+03:00

Today’s recipe is a vegetable stew that goes very well with Palappam, Vella appam, Idiyappam or even with bread! It can be easily converted into a non veg stew by adding egg, red meat or chicken…. I cannot say this is the traditional way of making stew in Kerala. Traditionally fennel (perum jeerakam) is not added in the stew…. I got this recipe got from my mother in law when I was a newlywed

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-49775943988820799932011-05-02T14:52:00.001+03:002011-05-25T12:32:42.692+03:00

Saw this delicious curry at Sarah’s Vazhayila blog… made this a couple of time now and we all loved it… the only difference I did was I slightly fried the meat balls in a little oil in my Appakara / Kuzhi paniyarams chatty ….. The original recipe did not ask for frying the meat balls…. I just fried due to the fear of breaking the meat balls while cooking…..This delicious meatball curry goes very

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-4433642298141519192011-04-28T19:35:00.001+03:002011-04-28T19:35:11.525+03:00

I have been thinking for quite some time to compile a complete list of recipes from traditional to western that would help readers to easily choose or mix and match menus when they plan a party… On a recent chat with Bharathy I told her about this idea and she immediately agreed with me. I have more of bakes, desserts and western recipes while Bharathy has more of traditional Kerala and Tamil

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-56546079915435330672011-04-28T09:31:00.002+03:002011-05-20T17:42:08.759+03:00

Hope you all had a great Easter! Here we also had a great time…. I made this White chocolate mousse with passion fruit from Technicolor Kitchen as our Easter dessert. You must be well aware of my love affair with passion fruit by now J  I was thinking of making this for quite some time and on Easter day I made this and it was really delicious and quick recipe to make… The only difference I did

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-28318743175556235902011-04-24T09:35:00.000+03:002011-04-24T09:35:18.187+03:00

  He has risen. Have faith in Him… And He will always be there for you! Have a Blessed and Happy Easter!

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-17061318543108513642011-04-22T22:15:00.005+03:002011-12-07T09:32:52.791+03:00

In Kerala, among the Jacobite community, Kanji is served after the long service at church on Good Friday. We spend almost 6 to 7 hours in church, fasting, and when the service is over, piping hot Kanji is served in manchatti /earthen bowl along with Vanpayar Thoran, Kadumanga Pickle and Pappad. It is bliss to have Kanji at church especially when you are super hungry!  I follow this tradition

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-81091088744889980332011-04-22T20:19:00.002+03:002011-04-26T09:01:44.465+03:00

Reposting Indari Appam with a better picture! I had posted the recipe for Indari Appam last year with an old picture that was not very good. So I thought of taking new pictures when I made it again this year…. Indari Appam or Pesaha Appam is unleavened bread made on Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) among the Jacobites and Catholics in Kerala. During my childhood, my mom used to make Indari Appam

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-30580833864004054032011-04-19T15:03:00.001+03:002011-07-07T14:17:12.803+03:00

Had this Minced Mango Pickle at my sister in law’s place on my last vacation and I really loved this slightly sweet and tangy mango pickle. Wrote down the recipe from her. Since its mango time now and I got some really nice raw mangoes I made it recently.  It is really good with rice, Kanji (rice gruel), chapathi or stuffed parathas with yogurt. A perfect companion when you are out of some

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-45082824082768967652011-04-17T15:13:00.002+03:002011-04-17T15:13:44.293+03:00

I feel the best part of blogging is you get introduced to a lot of new dishes / cuisines every day. When Aparna posted these Peynirli Poğaça (Turkish Feta and Herb Filled Savoury Buns) I made it the same day itself. Check out Aparna’s place as she has explained very well about “Poğaça” (pronounced POH-gah-cha). We love feta cheese and I already made these buns twice…. Try these if you like feta

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-17910407476423973542011-04-11T13:47:00.005+03:002011-04-14T20:17:57.655+03:00

Made this easy spicy chicken skewer recently after seeing it at Living Lou’s place. It was so easy to make with only 5 ingredients :)… I grilled mine in my cooking range…. You can either bake in the oven or grill as you wish… Next time when I make this I will thread some capsicum pieces, onion and tomatoes along with the chicken…  you can serve this as a starter or as a side dish when you plan a

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-11432152573218094502011-04-07T09:33:00.002+03:002011-04-26T09:03:06.578+03:00

You will find Jaathi / Nutmeg Tree in the backyard of many homes in Kerala. People usually collect the nutmeg and mace and discard it’s fruity yellow cover. It is really good for making pickle, wine, chammanthi etc.... Back home we used to make a lot of wine and pickle with it. When in season you can collect a lot of these fruits in one or two days and since the fruit won’t stay for long, even

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-5948416990194474652011-04-04T11:06:00.002+03:002011-04-04T11:09:56.418+03:00

World Cup Cricket fever is all over the news whether on TV, in the newspapers, on FB, blogs… I am not at all a sports person but I still enjoy this sprit and am really happy that finally after a lot of nail biting India has won the World Cup :)… A proud moment for each and every Indian to cherish in their lives… people are celebrating this victory by sharing sweets, bursting fireworks, partying…

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-26317888419769197042011-03-29T17:11:00.001+03:002011-03-29T17:11:32.655+03:00

On a sudden carving to eat a marble cake last weekend, I made this chocolate orange marble cake, and it turned out to be one of the best sponge cakes I have made in recent times!.... The cake was very soft and crumbly and we absolutely loved its taste and texture…the marbled orange and chocolate flavor was really good even my son who is a picky eater loved it! It was so good that within 3 days

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-33785167844401454962011-03-27T16:21:00.020+03:002011-03-27T23:37:48.716+03:00

Another Mushroom curry which is a lighter and healthier version of my previous post; tastes really good with Indian flat breads or variety rice which can be included in your everyday meal…. I tried this from my childhood friend’s blog which is apparently one of the most tried out dishes from her collection of delicious recipes… so here is another vegetarian recipe for you to try during lent....

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-23512120851723341432011-03-23T17:17:00.000+03:002011-03-23T17:17:12.528+03:00

Since it’s the Lent season, I make a lot of vegge dishes these days…. And also I got a couple of requests to post more vegetarian dishes during Lent… I got this Badami Mushroom recipe from Ranji’s Kitchen Corner via a dear friend Purnima… tried this several times and it is really good with chapathi and pulav…. You can replace mushrooms to chicken to make it Badami Murgh (Almond Chicken)… I have

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-49373316312754711022011-03-21T16:29:00.003+03:002011-03-21T16:37:12.768+03:00

I have tried these healthy cookies from Deeba’s blog several times. I changed the recipe a little bit to make it healthier by reducing the amount of butter, omitting and replacing to raisins…. Try these Whole Wheat chocolate chip Cookies either by adding chocolate chip like in the original recipe or by replacing it with raisins or any other fruits like I did… either way it is delicious J…

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-58664660504318193532011-03-19T20:16:00.001+03:002011-03-19T20:16:46.472+03:00

Part-3 of my Papaya/ Kappalanga/Omakka Series.... Kappalangaum (Omakkaum) Payarum Thoran (Stir Fried Raw Papaya & Red Gram with Coconut) Ingredients: Kappalanga/Omakka (RawPapaya) -1/2 medium, chopped fine Vanpayar (Red Gram)-1/2 cup Freshly grated coconut- 1/2cup Chumannulli (Shallots) -8-10nos ( or Onion -1 small) Dry red chilles-3-4 nos Garlic - 2clove Jeerakom (Cumin Seeds)-1/2tsp

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-21835402150863143852011-03-17T15:26:00.001+03:002011-03-17T15:26:44.405+03:00

Last month on a fine morning I plucked my fresh grown methi leaves/ fenugreek leaves from my kitchen balcony with the thought of making Methi chicken that I previously used to make with dry fenugreek leaves. While waiting for my helper to come I happened to see in my reader that Ria had updated her blog with Methi Malai Chicken and you guessed it.....I changed my plan to make my usual methi

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-77864267187860852862011-03-13T17:33:00.001+03:002011-03-13T17:34:08.645+03:00

I got this recipe from The family Circle Cook book which I borrowed from my cousin/friend/neighbor. This book has been with me for almost a year now and I earlier posted a cake and a salad that I tried…. This swirl bread always fascinated me and finally I tried it out and I am really happy with the result…. This tricolor bread is perfect for a party to impress your guests…this is really good to

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-87041684311599324232011-03-08T13:20:00.005+03:002011-03-09T11:33:39.455+03:00

This month’s Sweet Punch challenge was to make Whole Wheat Almond Eggless Cookies from Manjula’s Ktchen. These are absolutely easy to make cookies. You can give this recipe to kids who are interested in baking as their first experiment. I am sure they will be happy to make such tasty cookies by their own :) :)… I have already made these cookies twice in a month! I am trying to cut down the butter

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-27560817719601985352011-03-06T19:52:00.003+03:002011-03-13T16:48:24.943+03:00

My cousin/friend/neighbor Saira recently told me to try making Rum Baba. It was the first time I was hearing that name. So did a search on the net and found out that: A Rum Baba or Baba au rhum is a yeast-risen cake studded with dried fruit and soaked in hot rum syrup and served with whipped cream or pastry cream. It is most typically made in individual servings (about a 2" tall slightly tapered

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-51219831124698957822011-03-02T09:30:00.004+03:002011-03-09T09:10:32.619+03:00

Fatayer is an Arabic Pie stuffed with spinach, cheese, chicken, lamb or za'atar and like Shawarma it is a commonly available street food across the Arab world. Here at a walking distance from our flat there is an Arabic restaurant from where we regularly buy fatayer and shawarma. Chicken and cheese fatayer are our favorite filling. I actually do not know what paste they mix with the boiled and

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-22980015524835034902011-02-27T21:48:00.003+03:002011-02-28T21:58:14.566+03:00

Mappas is a popular side dish in Kerala. You can make vegetarian or non vegetarian mappas like chicken, beef, mutton, fish, eggs, vendakka (ladies finger), kadachakka (bread fruit)potato, cauliflower or even mixed vegetables. I make broccoli mappas often as this is the only broccoli dish I like. Try this broccoli side dish in creamy coconut milk and serve with chapathi, appam, Idyappam, bread or

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-22723261006150433132011-02-22T20:18:00.000+03:002011-02-22T20:18:29.399+03:00

What would you do if you have some left over meen varuthathu (Kerala fish fry)? Some reheat in the MW or fry for a minute again in hot oil or some throw it away; right? I personally don’t like reheated fish fry especially Mathi / Sardine and Ayala / Mackerel fish fries. On my recent conversation with my mom’s sister she told me instead of throwing it away, make a side dish by crushing the

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-43251124315998580112011-02-20T20:16:00.002+03:002011-02-27T20:37:19.946+03:00

By now you all must have understood that I love baking cakes and frosting them for birthdays and other special occasions. It was hubby’s birthday last week and this time I opted to make a Chocolate Orange Gateau adapted from Deeba’s blog with slight changes. I always wanted to try out the chocolate lace pattern she uses in most of her cakes. Making chocolate lace was a breeze, but I need to pipe

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-71856283630457133372011-02-14T22:25:00.006+03:002011-05-20T17:42:08.763+03:00

A lot of brownies, chocolates and cakes recipes around the blog sphere these days made me crave for some brownies… well to be honest I am not a big brownie fan, but last week I really wanted to have a chocolate and Passion fruit combo…. but was not in a mood to make our favorite Passion Fruit Truffles, wanted to make something quick and easy and brownie came to my mind… did a search on the net

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-32334086552866821962011-02-10T19:27:00.003+03:002011-10-16T22:25:51.039+03:00

I usually make pizza at home at least once a month, and I have tried several recipes for my pizza base. I was never fully satisfied with the results until I tried out this recipe from Annie’s Eats…. Never tried any other base after this one… it worked very well for me and please do check out her step by step instructions… I don’t have a stand mixer, so I knead the dough in my food processer… you

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7714917963168463149.post-33583270461892176792011-02-06T23:07:00.007+03:002011-02-08T14:03:53.835+03:00

When I saw this White Chocolate Mousse at Notecook.com, I knew we would love it. I served these in small wine glasses with Pomegranate sauce. We loved every spoon of these decadent thick rich and creamy white chocolate mousse. Do try it, I am sure kids and grownups will enjoy it very much J ♥ White Chocolate Mousse ♥ ~ A perfect dessert to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Ingredients: 2 cups

Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07353365776751203911noreply@blogger.com30