Brinjal Dip/ Baba Ghannouj/ Moutabal

Ingredients:
1 large aubergine (Brinjal)
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tahini (Sesame paste)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 teaspoons olive oil, for garnishing
Juice of half a lemon, for garnishing





Method:

• Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF) for five minutes. Place whole Brinjal on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes until outer shell is crisp and inside is soft. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.


• Split open the brinjal by cutting in the centre, and scoop out the flesh into a medium sized bowl. Discard the skin.


• Next add the garlic, salt, lemon juice, yoghurt, tahini and mash by hand until a smooth puree is achieved, or place in a blender and pulse for 5 seconds.


• Spoon onto a serving dish. Garnish with olive oil and lemon juice. Decorate with parsley, olives or paprika. Serve chilled or at room temperature with pitta bread.

This goes to Chutney / Dip Mania at Mane Adige

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Fried Meat balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

For Meat Balls:
11/2-cups Pork/ Beef/ Chicken minced
2tblsp garlic minced
1tesp ginger paste
1 egg beaten
1/4tesp salt or to taste
1tesp Soya sauce
1/2tesp Ajinomoto
1/2tesp pepper powder
1tesp roasted sesame powder
1 1/2tblsp cornflour
Oil for deep-frying

For the sweet and sour sauce
2tblsp oil
2 1/2tblsp sugar
2tblsp vinegar
1/2tesp Soya sauce
1/4tesp salt or to taste
1 1/2tblsp tomato ketchup
1/4tesp cornflour
3tblsp spring onions chopped
1tesp ginger minced
1/8-cup water

Method:

• Heat 2 tblsp oil, add all the sauce ingredients and boil till thick. Remove and keep aside.
• Combine the minced beef and all other ingredients together and mix well with the hand till soft.
• Make walnut size balls out of this mixture.
• Heat the oil, deep-fry the beef balls, turning frequently for even color. When light brown, remove from oil and drain.
• Before serving, reheat the oil until very hot and fry the beef balls once again until golden brown. Drain on paper and serve with the sweet and sour sauce.

You can serve this dish as a short eat with sweet and sour sauce as a dip. Alternatively you could convert it into a curry by adding sufficient water and fried meat balls to the sauce mix and boiling till the gravy is thick. This dish is very good with chinese fried rice and noodles or you can even serve this with chapati.

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Cheeda

Ingredients:

Maida-1/2 kg (500gms)
Roasted Rava/ Semolina-1/2 cup
Dalda / Vegetable Shortening(melted)- 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Vegetable Oil for deep frying

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Gradually add water to this and knead well to get a soft dough. Divide dough into small balls. To shape cheeda, slightly grease the prongs of fork and hold it in one hand, with the other hand spread one small ball of dough over the greased prongs and roll the piece. Remove from the fork and keep aside. Repeat the process with all dough and deep fry the cheedas in hot oil. Keep the cheedas in airtight containers.

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Sponge Cake

A long time ago a teenager attempted to bake a cake with the help of her mom. That cake came out very soft, spongy and tasty. That was the first attempt in baking a cake for this teenager and it gave her a great deal of confidence. Now that teenager has become a more experienced baker and is confident enough to experiment with more complicated recipes. This cake is from her list of favorites .....yesterday I made this cake again after a very long time and it tasted better than in all previous attempts…. may be because of the memories associated with it…some of my best years that I spent with my mom …I got this recipe from my mom and as October is her birthday month, this one is dedicated to her.

Kerala Sponge Cake / Ghee Cake
(Recipe Source ~Mrs.K.M.Mathew's recipe from Malayala Manorama )
Ingredinents:
Maida / All purpose flour-250gm (2 1/4 cup)
Baking Powder-1 tsp
Baking Soda-1/4 tsp
Butter/Ghee-250gm
Powdered Sugar-250 gm
Eggs-4 no. (separate yolk and white)
Grated Lime/ Lemon Zest-1/2 tsp
Fresh Lime/Lemon Juice-2 tbsp
Milk- 1/2 cup (4 o|z)
Granulated Sugar-2 tbsp
Vanilla Essence-1 tsp

Method:

• Sift together Maida, baking powder and Baking Soda. 
• In a large bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. 
• Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lime juice and lime zest and beat 1 minute longer. 
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add flour and milk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
• In another bowl whisk egg whites stiff, then gradually add 2 tbsp sugar and vanilla essence and continue to beat until stiff. 
• Fold egg white mixture in to butter mix and mix well.
• Turn in to a well greased pan and bake in a pre heated oven of 180C for 50-55 minutes, or a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Nags this post goes to your event "The Saas, Bahu Aur Sensex Contest"
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Red Velvet Cake with White Velvet Icing

Red Velvet Cake with White Velvet Icing
(Recipe Source~ 365 Great Cakes and Pies)
Ingredients:

1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 (1-ounce) bottle liquid red food coloring ( I used only 1tbsp)1 tsp vanilla essence
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease two 9" round cake pans. Line bottoms with wax paper; grease paper. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in red food coloring and vanilla.
Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour, just until blended. Dissolve baking soda in vinegar and stir thoroughly into batter. Turn into pans.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and cake comes away from sides of pan. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then unmold onto wire racks and remove wax paper. Invert layers again and let cool completely. Fill and frost cake with White Velvet Icing.





White Velvet Icing
Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tap Vanilla essence

In a small saucepan, whisk flour and 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Gradually whisk in remaining milk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand, whisking occasionally, until completely cool, about 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in thickened milk mixture, 1 tbsp at a time, until icing is very light, smooth, and spreadable.


Similer Posts:

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Kofta Curry

Kofta Curry

For Koftas:1kg chopped Meat
1 chopped Onion
2-3 Green Chillies
1 tbsp Black Cardamom seeds; crushed
3 tbsp Bengal Gram flour / Besan / Kadala Mavu
1 Egg
1 tsp Red Chilly powder
2" piece Ginger
Oil for Frying
Salt to taste

For Gravy:
3 chopped Onions
2 pieces Ginger
8 Garlic flakes
3 Tomatoes, pureed
1 Tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Red Chilly powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Oil or Ghee
2 tsp Coriander powder

Method:

• Put all the kofta ingredients except the egg in a mixer and run the mixer till a smooth paste is obtained. Remove the paste and add the egg and mix well. Form kofta balls of 1 1/2" diameter and deep fry till golden brown. Keep aside.
• Grind Onion, Ginger and garlic in to a smooth paste and keep aside.
• To make Tomato puree, dip tomatoes in boiling water for 5 seconds. Remove from water and peel the outer skin of the tomatoes. Chop tomatoes and run in the mixer at high speed for 30 seconds.
• Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger paste and stir till it browns. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chillies, coriander powder and salt. Stop frying when oil starts separating. Add 3 cups of water. when the gravy starts boiling, turn heat to medium. Introduce koftas one by one. Simmer with half covered lid for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves on top before serving.
• Goes well with Sannas, Palappam, Vellayappam, Nan, Chapathi, Pulav etc

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Sannas / Kallu Idli ~ Steamed Rice Cake

 

Sannas / Kallu Idli ~ Steamed Rice Cake
Ingredients:

Raw Rice / Pachari / Doppi Rice / Ponni Rice-2 cups

Parboiled Rice / Puzhukkal ari-2 cups

Black gram dhal/ Urad dhal-1/2 cup

Yeast -1tbsp (Toddy- 500ml)

Sugar-4-5 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak both the rice and dhal for 6 hours.
• If you are using toddy grind the rice and dhal with toddy. If you are not using toddy, grind the rice and dhal with the yeast to a smooth batter.
• Add sugar, salt and enough water to make it a thick batter (Idli batter consistency).
• Allow this batter to ferment for 4-5 hours.
• Once this batter ferments do not stir the batter.
• Take spoonfuls from top only and half fill greased small moulds or idli moulds and steam them for 20 minutes.
• When cooked, gently remove from the moulds and serve hot with a curry of your choice.
• This dish goes very well with spicey non- veg curries like Pork Vindaloo, Kofta Curry, Meat ball Curry, Beef /mutton fry etc

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Happy Onam

"WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY ONAM"

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Glazed Banana Spiced Loaf

The lemony glaze perfectly sets off the warm flavours of nutmeg and cloves in this moist banana teabread!!! (Recipe source: children's party cakes and cookies by Martha Day)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 eggs,at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp freshly greated nutmeg

1/4 tsp mixed (apple pie) spice

1/4 tsp ground cloves

3/4 cup sour cream

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 tsp vanilla essence

For the glaze

1 cup icing suger

1-2 table spoon lemon juice

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180degree C. Line a 23 x 13cm/ 9 x 5in loaf tin (pan) with baking parchment and grease the papaer.


2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.


3. Sift together the flour, salt baking soda, nutmeg, mixed spices and cloves. Add to the butter mixture and stir to combine well.


4. Add the sour cream, banana and vanilla extract, and mix to just blend. Pour this mixture into the prepared tin.


5. Bake until the top springs back when touched lightly, about 45-50 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack.


6. To make the glaze, combine the icing sugar and lomon juice until smooth, then stir until smooth. Place the cooled loaf on a rack set over a baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the loaf and allow to set.

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Eggless Chocolate Mousse

I am back after Summer Holidays!!!!!

I was on my summer vacation for the last couple of months. I had a very good time in India attending lot of weddings. After coming back my dear friend Bharathy kept on asking why I don’t post something on the blog…and my answer was I will…it took one month for me to get over my holiday hangover!!! This being my first post in almost 3 months, I thought something sweet was appropriate. So here is the recipe for Eggless Chocolate Mousse!

Eggless Chocolate Mousse
Recipe source: Nita Metha's Desserts and Puddings

Ingredients:
Milk-4 cups / 950 ml
Cornflour-2 ½ tablespoons

Cocoa powder-3 tablespoons

Sugar-8 table spoons
Cream- 1 ½ cups ( 300 gms)
Gelatin- 4 teaspoons
Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoons

Method:

• Mix cocoa and corn flour in 1/2 cup milk.
• Boil the rest of milk with sugar.
• Add dissolved cocoa and corn flour to the milk, stirring continuously.
• Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Keep aside.
• Put 4 tbsp water in a small pan. Sprinkle gelatin on it. Heat on low flame to dissolve it. Do not boil.
• Mix the gelatin with the custard. Chill in the freezer till thick, but not set.
• Beat the thick chocolate custard. Add cream and essence and mix gently.
• Pour in six mousse cups. Chill in the freezer till set properly.
• Transfer to a shelf of the refrigerator, but 15 minutes before serving, return to the freezer.
• Sprinkle each cup with a little cocoa powder and powdered sugar at the time of serving.
• Decorate with whipped cream.

I am delighted to receive the Chat Award from Purnima of Fantasy Cooking. I am forwarding the same to my dear friend Bharathy!

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