Banana Bread

 

Ingredients :

Banana - 3 (big)
Butter - 1/4 stick
Egg - 1
Maida/All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 tsp

Method -

Preheat oven 350 Degree F

1.Take a big mixing bowl, add bananas and mash them well.
2.Melt the butter and pour it in the mashed bananas. Mix it.
3.Add sugar and mix.
4.Now add Baking soda, salt,vanilla ess.,egg, milk and mix well.
5.Finally add Flour/Maida and fold them until mixed.
6.Grease a Bread Loaf pan. Pour the mix into it & bake it  for 1 hr.

Upside down Eggless Chocolate Almond Cake

I have made slight modification  to the Egggless Chocolate cake recipe to make it more rich and yummy.

Additional Ingredients :-                

Sliced almonds - 1/2 cup
Light Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
honey 1/4 cup
butter - 1/4 stick

Method :-

Preheat Oven at 350 Degree F

Prepare the cake mix by seeing my earlier post for eggless chocolate cake.

1. Grease the sides of the cake pan.
2.Melt  the butter and pour it in the cake pan. Swirl the pan around so that the bottom of the pan is coated well.
3.Now sprinkle/spread the brown sugar above the butter.Coat it evenly at the bottom. Sprinkling would be better.Not necessary that it should be even.
4. Pour the honey in circular motion above that.
5.Layer the sliced almonds above. Spread it evenly.
6.Pour the prepared cake mix above it.
7. Bake it for 35 to 40 min until a toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean.
8.Once done remove the pan and let it cool for 10 min.
9.Insert the knife at the edges and make sure the sides are released.

10.Invert it in serving plate and keep for 5 mins so that the caramelised almonds settle at the top. Slowly remove the pan from the serving plate.If few almonds stick to the baking pan,you can remove and stick to the top of the cake. If the almond are very sticky to the pan, heat the pan so that it melts the caramelised almonds. Then its easy to take.

This cake is super moist and stays moist too..Enjoy !!!!

Bake Off

There was an event in my community yesterday named " Bake off ". This is my first ever participation in a Cooking / Baking event. So I was excited and nervous as I have just started baking few months back.The categories were,

Cakes
Cup Cakes
Bread
Cookies
Pie

I participated under 2 categories, bread and cake.
Bread :- Banana Bread

Cake :-  Upside down Eggless Chocolate Almond cake.

It turned so well so thought of sharing the recipe here.Check out the link beside for the recipe.

40 participants totally. The prize went for New York Cheese Cake. I am happy that i participated and many enjoyed my cake and bread. I have few snaps which i took during the event which i would like to share here

Chepankezhangu / taro root fry

This recipe is from my dear friend Praveena Srinivasan. Thanks to her for this mouth watering recipe. :-)

Ingredients :-

Taro root - 4 to 5 pieces
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Tamarind juice - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Method :-      

1. Cook the taro root in cooker for 1 whistle.peel the skin and slice them.
2.Mix all the other ingredients in a separate bowl and form a paste.
3. Now dip the taro root slices into this so that paste coats well.
3.Take a pan and shallow fry the paste coated taro roots.
4. Very little oil is enough if you use non stick pan.Fry them in small to medium flame until golden brown.

Paneer peas curry

Ingredients :- 

Paneer - 15 to 20 small size cubes
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 1 big chopped
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red cilli powder - 2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Corriander powder - 2 tblsp
Kastoori Methi - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

1.In a kadai add oil and temper jeera. Once jeera is done add chopped onion till they are transparent.
2.Then add tomatoes with little salt.Allow it cook until it mashes well.
3.Then add all the Masala powders,add peas with little water and allow it to cook.
4.Add paneer along with needed salt for the curry and mix well.Cover and cook for 5 min.
5.Add water if needed. Finally add kastoori methi and stir.
6.Turn off the flame and serve hot.

Note:

1.Take the paneer out of fridge atleast 30 min before you start cooking so that it is soft and easy to cube them.

Brinjal/ Kathrikai Masala Curry/Kozhambhu

Ingredients :

Brinjal - 4 to5 (chop them lengthwise)
Tamarind - lemon size (Extract Juice)
Coconut gratings - 4 tsp
Cashew nuts - 5 to 6
Peanuts - 4 to 5 (optional)
Onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 1 chopped
Sambhar powder - 1 tblsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chili - 2
Salt to taste

Method

1.Grind Coconut grating, cashew nuts,peanuts, red chilli with water and make a paste.
2.In a kadai add oil and temper musturd seeds, hing then add onion.
3.Once the onion is translucent add brinjal pieces.
4.Cook in medium flame until the skin turns color to brown and add tomatoes, fry till they blend well.
5.Add the tamarind juice, sambhar powder, salt, turmeric powder and bring it to boil until the brinjals turn soft.
6.Finally add grinned paste to it and boil for 5 min.Remove from stove top.

Avial

Ingredients :

Assorted Vegetables preferably Carrot, brinjal, Yam, drumstick, snake guard, raw banana, all evenly cut in lengthwise pieces.
Coconut - 1/2 cup grated
green chilies - 5
red chili - 1
Coconut oil - 3 tblsp
turmeric powder - 1 tblsp
cumin seed - 2 tsp
tamarind - little
mustard seeds - 1tsp
urad dal - 2 tsp
curry leaves - few

Method:

1.Grind Coconut gratings,cumin,tamarind and green chilies into nice paste.
2.Take heavy bottomed pan add the vegetables and turmeric powder.Add water and cook the vegetables.
3.Once the vegetables are cooked add salt, grinned paste and mix well.
4.Just bring one boil and turn of the stove.
5.Temper mustard , urad dal , red chili, curry leaves in coconut oil and add to the vegetable mix.

Note :

If you add raw mango to this you can skip the tamarind while grinding..

Besan Ladoo

Ingredients :

Ghee / Butter - 8 tblsp (1/2 cup)
Gram /    Besan Flour - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 10

Method :-

1.Take microwave safe bowl add the ghee and microwave it for 45 sec.
2.Add besan flour and mix well with the ghee and microwave it for 4 min by stirring after every 1 min.
3.Add nuts and microwave it for another 1 min.
4.Let the mixture completely cool down , then add sugar, cardamom powder and mix well.
5.If you feel the mix is very dry add ghree to it.
6.Make small balls or ladoos.

Crispy Rava Dosa

Ingredients :-

Rava - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Maida - 3/2 cup
Black Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method :-

1. Mix rava, rice flour , maida with water and make the batter so that the consistency is very watery.
2. Add Jeera, black pepper salt to the batter and blend well.
3. Heat the dosa pan, spray oil then sprinkle the batter in the pan so that it fills the pan.
4. Allow it to cook well,it takes more time to Cook than the normal dosa.
5. Flip it over and cook the other side.
6. Crispy rava dosa is ready.

Note:-

You can add cashews, chopped onions and make it rich.

Chow chow Kootu Curry (Chayote)

Ingredients :

Chow Chow -2 (cut into cubes)
Channa dal - 3 tbspn
Coconut gratings - 3 to 4 tbspn
Jeera - 1 tsp
mustard - 1 tsp
urad dal - 2 tsp
red chili - 2
green chili - 3
turmeric powder - 1 tsp
salt to taste


Method :-

1.In a pressure cooker take chow chow cubes, channa dal, turmeric and cook it with little water for 2 whistles.
2.Grind the coconut, jeera and green chili to fine paste.
3.Add the grinded paste to cooked chow chow and bring to boil in medium flame.
4.Remove from stove once it starts boiling.
5.In a kadai take 1 tblsp oil and temper mustard seeds,urad dal, red chili and add it to the kootu curry.

Note :

You can do the same without adding channa dal also.In that case in order to bind everthing you will have to add little rice flour.

Avocado/Butter fruit Milk Shake

Ingredients : 

Avocado - 1
Milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tblsp.








Method :

1.Cut the Avaoado into half and remove the center seed.    
2.Scoop the inner portion using a spoon or knife.
3.Add sugar,milk and avocodo pieces to a mixer.
4.Make it into smooth paste.
5.To consistency of the shake depends on the milk you add.You can reduce or increase the quantity according to your wish.

Tip :

Avocado's are rich in Potassium, so it helps in controlling blood pressure. It is also a good source of  Vitamin  B & E. High fibre content too.

Pineapple Cake :-

Ingredients :

Pineapple - 2 cups (crushed with juice)
eggs - 2
All purpose flour - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tblsp




Method :

Preheat oven to 350 degree F

1.Beat the twoo eggs and keep aside.
2. In a mixing bowl sieve all purpose flour,baking powder and add sugar.
3.Now add eggs , vanilla essence and mix well.
4.Finally add the pineapples and fold them well.
5.Grease a cake tin and pour the mixture to it.
6.Bake it for 45 min.

Dal Fry

Ingredients :-  

Moong Dal - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 1 (chopped)
green chilles -3 to 4 (according to your taste)
black pepper - 1 tblsp
jeera - 1 tsp
ginger - 1 tsp (chopped)
oil - 1 tblsp
corriander leaves foe garnishing.


Method:

1.Add moong dal,tomatoes, 2 green chillies in a pressure cooker along with needed water and cook for 3 whistles.Once done mash them together.
2.Take a pan with oil, add jeera, 1 green chili , black pepper, ginger and temper them.
3.Add the mashed dal, salt to the tempering and mix well. Boil it for 5 to 7 min in medium flame.
4.Finally add chopped corriander leaves.Serve hot.

Note :-

While tempering you can add red chilli instead of green chilli. Also you can use black pepper powder.

Chora Daal Dosai

When i went to the indian stores two weeks back, instead of Urad daal i had picked Chora Daal. I was in a hurry so did not notice there and they looked similar. Only after a week i noticed that i have taken Chora daal and not Urad daal. I did not no what to do with it and i showed it to my mom. She gave me a dosa recipe to try and it came out well.So would like to share it. Its really simple, easy and healthy dosa too.Lets see how to prepare Choral daal Dosai..    


                                                                
                                                                                                                                                                           Ingredients :-

Chora daal - 2 cups
Ginger - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Garlic - 4 cloves (finely chopped)
Green chili - 5 to 6
Coriander leaves - few
salt - 1 tsp or to taste











Method :-

1.Soak Chora daal in water for min 4 hrs and at the max 6 hrs.
2.Grind the daal along with ginger,garlic,green chili in mixie.Add water as needed.
3.Bring it to dosa batter consistency.
4.Add Salt and chopped coriander leaves to it and mix.
5.Heat the dosa pan in stove and start making dosas.

Easy Peach Crumble or Cobbler

Ingredients :-  

Peaches - 2 (Sliced)
All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Melted Butter - 2 tblsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt - a pinch
Hot water - 1/2 cup



Method:  Preheat and the oven 350 Degree F

1.Mix all the ingredients well except for the hot water and Peaches in a bowl using hand.
2.Take a baking pan (square/circular) and grease it with butter/spray/oil.
3.Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and spread it evenly.
4. Layer the peaches at the top so that it covers the mixture.
5.Now Pour the hot water above it.
6.Bake it to 30 to 45 min or until it gets golden browm.

Tip :

1.Top it with Vanilla Ice cream , it goes very well with this one.Or you can top it with Whipping cream and chocolate sauce as i have done( see picture)

Bittergourd Pitla

Ingredients :-

Bitter guard - 2

Tomato - 1 chopped
Thoor dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - lemon size
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

To grind :-

Coconut - 2 tblsp
Black pepper - 2 tblsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dal  - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 3 or 4
Jeera - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp


Method :

1.Roast all the ingredients under ' To grind ' except coconut gratings with 2 tblsp oil, then  grind it along with the coconut gratings and make a paste.
2.Boil thoor dal and bitter gourd in cooker for 3 whistles.
3.In a kadai add 1 tblsp oil and temper mustard and add turmeric powder.
4.Add the tomatoes and fry nicely until they are cooked. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil for 5 to 7 min in medium heat.
5.Once it is boiled nicely add the grinded paste, bitter gourd  thoor dal , salt to taste and boil again for 5 to 7 min.
6.Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips :-                                              

1.You can do the same recipe using brinjal instead of Bitter gourd Or can mix both brinjal and bitter gourd too.

More kozhambhu

Ingredients :-                                                          

Buttermilk -2 cups
Coconut gratings - 1 cup
Green chilli - 3
Jeera - 1 tblsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tblsp
Tamarind - small piece
Rice - 1 spn
Mustard - 1 spn
Fenugreek seed - 1 spn
Red chilli - 1 Salt to taste

Method :-

1. Whisk the buttermilk well.Add turmeric powder to it and keep aside.

2. Grind coconut gratings, tamarind, fenugreek seed, green chilli, rice with little water.

3. Mix the grind paste to buttermilk.

4.Now take a pan add oil,when it's hot add mustard, red Chilli.

5. Now add the buttermilk mixture, add salt.

6. Just bring to a boil and turn off the heat.

7. Serve with hot rice.

Tip:-                                                     

1. After the initial tempering you can add any vegetable.The vegetables that go well for this dish are ladies finger, taro root, pumpkin.

2. This goes well with white rice and Rice Sevai.

Peach Pudding

Ingredients : -

Peaches - 2 (Sliced)
Milk - 3 cups
Rice - 4 tbsp
Sugar - 3/4 cup
corn starch - 1 tsp
cardomom powder -1 tsp
Almond slices for garnishing

Method :-

1. Soak the rice for 15min and grind the rice with little milk.
1.Take a heavy bottomed pan and boil the milk. Keep stiring in the middle.
2.Once the milk is boiled well, add the grinded rice mixture to it and keep stiring.Boil for another 6 to 7 min. The milk gets thickened.
4.Meanwhile grind the sliced peaches,corn starch together and keep aside.
5.Once the milk is getting thick add Sugar, cardomom powder and boil for another 5 min.
6.Turn off the heat and add the grinded peach to it. Dont stir them , just fold it gently so that they get even spreaded.
7.Transfer the contents into a glass bowl or cup and refrigerate for atleast 8hrs.
8.Serve chill by garnishing it with sliced almonds.

Pasta - Indian Version

Pasta - Indian Version

                                                                        

Ingredients :-

Pasta Any variety - 2 cups
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Capsicum - 2 (chopped)
ginger garlic paste - 1 tblsp
green chillies - 2
cumin powder - 1 tsp
pepper powder - 1tsp
tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
kasthuri methi - 3 tsp (These are called Italian herbs)
salt to taste
oil - 3 tblsp (olive oil prepferably)

Method :-

1.Boil 6 cups of water in a deep pan.Add salt and 1 spoon oil to it.Now add the pasta to the boiling      water.Once the pastas are cooked drain them and keep aside.
2.Simultaneously take a non stick pan, add oil, onion and start frying.
3.Once the onion is transperant add ginger garlic paste,green chillies and saute for 2 min.
4.Add tomatoes and saute.Cover the pan and cook for 3 to 4 min in medium heat.
5.Once the tomoatoes blend nicely, add chilli powder, pepper powder, kasthuri methi, tomato ketchup and mix nicely.Cover and cook for 5 min till capsicum is cooked.
6.Finally add the cooked pasta ,fold everthing well gently for a minute.Turn off the heat.
7.Serve hot with shredded cheese at the top.

Tips:-

1.Try to cook the pasta and the sauce simultaneously so that once the pasta is cooked you can add it to the sause and mix.
2.Time taken for the pastas to cook differ from each vareity.So check for the directions in the box for their cooking time and follow accordingly.Below shown Macroni pastha takes 15 min to cook whereas the pasta in the above pic takes only 7 to 8 min.
3.Try to use olive oil while cooking pastas as it gives good flavour to the dish and healthy too.

                                           

Eggless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients :-
All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
baking soda 1 tsp
salt - a pinch
oil - 5 tblsp
lemon juice - 1 tblsp
cocoa powder - 3 tblsp
vanila essence - 1 tsp
cold water - 1 cup




Method :- Preheat the oven at 350 degree F

1.Take a mixing bowl and all the dry ingredients together.Make sure to seive the flour and cocoa powder well without any lumps.
2.Now start adding the wet ingredients. (oil,vanilla essence,lemon juice,cold water)
3.Blend everthing well using hand/electric blender.
4.Grease a pan and pour the cake mix.
5.Bake it for 30 min.

Tip :-
1.Insert a toothpick and check if it comes out clean,if sticky then keep for few more min and check.

2.If you want you can layer a chocolate frosting and make the cake more delicious.Below photo is with chocolate frosting.I used store bought frosting.

Eggless Banana Cake

Eggless Banana Cake :-

Ingredients:-

Riped Banana -  2 (big size) or 3(small size)
Wheat  flour / All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 stick
sugar - 1/2 cup
baking powder - 1 tsp
baking soda 1 tsp
salt - a pinch
milk - 4 tablesp.
Vanila essence - 1 tspn
Cashews - Optional

Method :-  Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

1. Mash the bananas ,add vanilla essence to it and keep aside.
2.Mix all the dry ingredients together.(Flour,baking powder,baking soda,salt.
3.Take a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. (Butter should be in room temperature).
4.Add the mashed bananas to the butter sugar mixture.Mix them well.
5.Add the dry ingredients slowly and mix them well without any lumps.
6.Finally add milk and blend them well.Sprinkle cashews at the top which is optional.
7.Greace the baking pan and pour the mix into it and cook it for 45 min.

Tips :-

1.For heathy option,Use wheat flour to make this cake.i made the above cake with wheat flour.Its yummy :)
2.You can reduce the quanity of butter and increase the quantity of milk if you are diet conscious.Add milk atlast until you get the cake mix consistency. It should in semi liquid state.
3.Insert a toothpick and check if it comes out clean,if sticky then keep for few more min and check.
4.To get a soft spongy cake you need to  sieve the flour nicely.