Adai

Very healthy & nutricious dish made by soaking & grinding the lentils of all varieties.  Perfect for kids.  I like to serve with this hot & spicy tomato chutney.  It taste sinful !!!

Ingredients :

1. Channa dal - 1 cup
2. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
3. Urad dal - 1/2 cup
4. Idli rice - 1 cup
5. Raw rice - 1/2 cup
6. Red chillies - 6 nos
7. A pinch of hinch
8. Finely chopped onions - 1/4 cup
9. Curry leaves - handful
10. Green chillies - 2 nos
11. Corriander leaves - 1 tbsp
12. Salt to taste
    
    
    

Direction to cook :

1.   Soak together the channa dal, toor dal, urad dal, idli rice, raw rice & red chillies overnight.  Grind them coarsely.

2.   Add the remaining ingredients & combine well.

3.   Heat a heavy dosa griddle, smear oil and spread one ladle full of this batter to a thick circular shape.  Pour oil on the sides and in the center, cover and cook over low heat. Turn over and pour the oil and let it cook till it is crisp all around and golden brown in colour.

Serve with chutney.

Tree Fu Tom Chocolate cake with beets

Happy Birthday Vishy !!!  Celebration continues...

Vishy wants to have Tree Fu Tom cake for his birthday this year & he was too happy to make this cake for his friends in his school.  This unusual combination of ingredients make a surprisingly good, moist and chocolaty cake.  

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 11/2 cups
2. Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup
3. Baking powder - 1 tsp
4. Baking soda - 1 tsp
5. All spice powder - 1 tsp
6. Large eggs, lightly beaten - 3 nos
7. Brown sugar - 1 cup
8. Sour cream - 1/2 cup
9. Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup
10. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
11. Coarsely grated beets - 2 cups

Whipped cream frosting :

1. 3 cups heavy or whipping cream
2. 5 Tbs. granulated sugar
3. 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

Whisk together until stiff peaks.

Method :

1.   Preheat the oven to 170 C.  Grease and line up the baking  pan with parchment paper.

2.   Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and all pice into a medium bowl.  Beat the eggs, sugar, sour cream, oil and vanilla in  a large bowl until smooth.  Beat in the mixed dry ingredients.  Stir the beets in by hand.

3.   Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center.  

4.   Cool the cake completely and frost the cake with the whipping cream.  

Happy baking :)

Angry Bird themed Celebration cake for Visisht B'day

Happy Birthday Visisht !!!

Adding a little glycerine to this delicate almond cake helps it retain its moisture for longer, so you can make it ahead of time.  The cake is ideal for any type of celebration, and you can vary the icing colours to suit.   

Ingredients :

1. Self raising flour - 21/2 cups
2. Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Ground almonds - 50 g
4. Soft Margarine - 11/4 cups
5. Eggs - 5 nos
6. A few drops of almond extract
7. Milk - 1 tbsp
8. Glycerine - 1 tbsp

Whipped cream frosting :

1. 3 cups heavy or whipping cream
2. 5 Tbs. granulated sugar
3. 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

Whisk together until stiff peaks.

Method :

1.   Preheat the oven to 160 C.  Grease and line up the baking pan with the parchment paper.

2.  Sift the flour, baking powder and almonds into a large bowl.  Add the margarine, eggs, sugar, almond extract, milk and glycerine and beat for about 2 mins until smooth.

3.   Spoon into the prepared tin and bake it for 50 mins or until done.  

4.   Cool the cake completely and frost the cake with the whipping cream.  

I used gum paste for making the angry birds.

Happy baking :)

Fudgy chocolate brownie

I’m a brownie fan. Give me a dense, fudgy brownie over a cake or cookie any day.  Brownies must not be overbaked if you want them dense and moist – these will begin to pull away from the edges of the pan, but still be very moist in the middle. You’ll want damp crumbs sticking to a skewer poked in the middle – or judge by sight and feel. If the edges are set but the brownies are still soft in the middle, they should be done. Remember they’ll firm up as they cool. These brownies freeze well if you want to bake them ahead 

Ingredients :

1. Semi sweet chocolate - 700 gms
2. Almonds - 1/4 cup (Chopped)
3. Butter - 1 cup
4. Eggs - 6 nos
5. Sugar - 11/2 cups
6. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
7. Flour - 1 12/ cups
8. Baking powder - 1 tsp
9. Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method :

1.   Preheat the oven at 180 C.  Grease & line up the baking pan with the parchment paper.

2.   Melt the chocolate and butter together & set it aside.

3.   Sieve together the flour, baking powder & salt.

4.   In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla essence & sugar.  Fold in the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

5.   Fold the dry ingredients & almonds into chocolate mixture & bake it for 40 mins or until done.

Happy baking :)