Search This Blog

December 25, 2019

INSTANT FRUIT CAKE - SPECIAL FOR THIS CHRISTMAS


This fruit cake was the cake that you get at Christmas and weddings…and conventionally soaked in a strong liquor like brandy or rum. But I didn't soak the dry fruits in the liquor instead, I added 2 tbsp of rum to bring the taste as rich as soaked. I suggest to cover the cake for the first  1/2 hr of baking with foil to prevent them from overbrowning.

The smells that engulfed the house when it was baking was really yummy…so warm and heady, what will all the spices that went into the batter. And it was quite a fuss-free recipe too.
.
Ingredients :
  1. 250 gms - All purpose flour
  2. 1 tsp baking powder
  3. 2 tbsp Rum (or) Brandy
  4. 250 gms butter
  5. 230 gms brown sugar
  6. Lightly beaten eggs - 4 nos
  7. Nutmeg powder - 1 tsp
  8. Cloves, grounded - 1/2 tsp
  9. Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
  10. Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
  11. Nuts & Fruits, combined- 2 cups
  • walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • Raisins 
  • Currants 
  • Cherries
  • Chopped pineapple
  • Chopped dates 
  • Almonds  

Directions to bake :


1.  Preheat oven to 150 degrees C. Grease the pan & line with the parchment paper.

2.  Sieve together flour & baking powder.  Keep aside.

3.  Cream butter and sugar together till creamy.

4.  Add in eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition to prevent curdling.

5.  Add the nuts & mix.

6.  Add nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, cloves & ginger powder. Mix.

7.  Fold in the flour mixture & pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

8.  Cover the baking pan with aluminium foil & bake it for 30 mins.

9.  After 30 mins, remove the aluminium foil and continue baking for next one hr or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.


For best flavor, wrap and store in refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.

December 21, 2019

Egg Bread Roti / Toast



Egg bread toast is a savoury toast made with eggs & grounded onion masala.  This can be served with ketchup.  Need just 5 mins to prepare this delicious breakfast/snack with goodness of eggs.  Perfect for a quick anytime snack for kids too. 


Ingredients :

  1. Bread slices - 12 pcs
  2. Onion, sliced - 2 medium sized
  3. A small piece of ginger
  4. Green chillies - 4 nos
  5. Eggs - 3 nos
  6. Besan (Chickpea flour) - 2 tbsp
  7. Salt to taste
  8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  9. Coriander leaves 
  10. Oil
Method :


1.  Grind together onion, ginger & green chilly to smooth paste using little water.

2.  Transfer the grounded paste to a plate, add eggs, besan, salt, turmeric powder & coriander leaves.  Mix well without any lumps.

3.  If the mixture is thick, add water or milk to make it little thin.


4.  Heat pan, dip the bread slices in the batter and cook them on either side.

5.  Drizzle some oil around the bread & cook till golden on either sides.




Serve it with ketchup.

December 18, 2019

Super hit Classic Chocolate Brownie


Classic chocolate brownie is always a super hit treat.  Crispy top crust & moist texture with wonderful chocolate flavour.  All we need is just a bowl to melt the chocolate and butter and mix all other ingredients together using the wooden spoon.  It taste wonderful with a scoop of vanilla icecream.  Coffee powder is optional which gives additional flavour for this brownie. Good way to start the baking :)


Ingredients :


  1. Semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate - 140 gms (5 ounces)
  2. Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup (115 gms)
  3. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
  4. Sugar - 1 cup (200 gms)
  5. Vanilla sugar or extract or essence - 1 tsp or 1 packet
  6. Instant coffee powder - 1 tsp
  7. Eggs, at room temperature - 3 nos
  8. All purpose flour (Maida) - 3/4 cup (95 gms)
  9. Salt - 1/4 tsp
Method :


1.  Preheat the oven at 180 C.  Line up the baking pan with foil & grease the foil with butter.

2.  Melt the chocolate & butter together over a saucepan of simmering water.

3.  Remove from heat & cool the chocolate mixture.

4.  Sieve the flour, cocoa powder & salt.

5.  Stir in the sugar, coffee powder & vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture.

6.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time to the chocolate mixture.

7.  Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. 

8.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan.  Bake it for 25 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 


Happy baking.

December 15, 2019

Hyderabad Chicken Curry - Very Authentic


I make this Hyderabadi chicken curry for special occasion.  This curry is rich in flavour & taste great with rice and rotis.  Special kind of paste is prepared using peanuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and red chillies and cooked along with other spices.  Addition of coconut milk makes this dish outstanding and perfect menu in any party table. 


Ingredients :
  1. Chicken - 1 kg
  2. Bay leaf - 1 no
  3. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch 
  4. Green cardamom - 2 nos
  5. Cloves - 3 nos
  6. Hing - 1/4 tsp
  7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  8. Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
  9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  10. Onion - 1 no
  11. Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
  12. Peanuts - 2 tbsp
  13. Dry red chillies - 4 nos
  14. Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
  15. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
  16. Salt to taste
  17. Chilly powder - to taste 
  18. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
  19. Coconut milk - 1/4 cup
  20. Water
  21. Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
  22. Oil - 1 tbsp
  23. Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method :



1.   Soak poppy seeds and dry red chillies in water for 10 mins.  Grind them along with sesame seeds and peanuts.  Keep the masala aside.

2.   Heat oil in the heavy bottomed pan, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom & cloves.

3.   Add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves and finely chopped onions.  Saute till tender.

4.   Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt to taste.

5.   Add cleaned and cut chicken pieces and grounded masala.  Cook for few mins.

6.   Add chilly powder, coriander powder, tamarind paste and water around 2 cups.   Cover and cook till done.  

7.   Once the chicken is cooked, add coconut milk and switch of the flame.  Garnish it with coriander leaves.


Serve with hot steamed rice / rotis /  naan / parathas.

Note :

Homemade Tamarind paste link :
https://www.cookingwithswapna.com/2019/11/tamarind-paste-from-scratch-no-cooking.html

YouTube link :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRs9Co-704g&t=7s

December 11, 2019

Soft & Fluffy South Indian special Kancheepuram Idli


Try this soft and flavourful  traditional Kanchipuram idli with coconut chutney.  It's delicious..


Ingredients:
  1. Idli rice - 2 cups
  2. Raw rice -2 cups
  3. Urad dal - 1 1/4 cups
  4. Salt to taste
  5. Ghee - 1 tsp (optional)
  6. Oil- 1 tsp
  7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  8. Grated ginger - 1 tsp
  9. Crushed black pepper -1/2 tsp
  10. Crushed cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  11. Green chilli, optional
  12. Broken cashew pieces - 1 tsp
  13. Curry leaves

Method:



1.  Soak the idli rice and raw rice together overnight or at least 4 hours.  Also, soak urad dal for 4 hours.

2.  Grind the rice and urad dal separately and mix together along with salt.   Ferment the batter. (Overnight is preferable).

3.  Heat ghee and oil in the pan, add all the seasonings and fry.


4.  Mix the tempering in the idli batter.  

5.  Grease the idli pan with ghee/ oil and pour the idli batter and steam cook them for 10 mins or until done.


Serve with chutney.

December 7, 2019

Authentic South Indian Fish Kuzhambu - Moms special !!!


This fish kuzhambu is very quick to make with freshly ground spices and goes well with rice, idli/dosa or chapati.  This curry is chettinad based and without coconut.  It taste super good & loved it for the rich tangy taste.



Ingredients :
  1. 750 gms fish (can use Butter fish ,king fish,anchovy,salmon,catfish etc.Dont choose shell fishes for this preparation.)
  2. Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
  3. Water - 2 cups
  4. 3 Medium sized tomatoes
  5. Onion - 2 nos
  6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  7. Chilly powder - 1 tsp (adjust as per ur spice level)
  8. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
  9. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
  10. Garlic - 4 pods
  11. Black pepper - 1tsp
  12. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  13. Sugar - 1/4 tsp
  14. Fenugreek (methi seeds) - 1 tsp
  15. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  16. Salt to taste
  17. Oil - 3 tbsp
  18. Vadavam (Southindian spice ball) (optional)

Method :


1.  Apply turmeric powder and salt on fish, keep aside.

2.  Wash it properly after 5 minutes. 

3.  Grind together onion - 1 no, tomatoes, curry leaves, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, garlic pods, chilly powder, coriander powder & salt to taste to smooth paste.  Keep aside.

4.  Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds & fenugreek seeds.  

5.  Add finely chopped onion (1 no) & sauté.

6.  Add grounded paste & cook for 5 mins.

7.  Add 2 cups of water, tamarind paste, sugar & salt to taste.  Cover & cook for 10 mins over medium flame.

8.  Add fish slices & cook for few more mins or until done.  Switch off the flame.

9.  In a separate pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, vadavam & curry leaves.  Add it to the fish kuzhambu.


 Enjoy!!!


Please check the below link for Homemade Tamarind paste :

YouTube link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRs9Co-704g&t=7s

Recipe link : https://www.cookingwithswapna.com/2019/11/tamarind-paste-from-scratch-no-cooking.html

December 4, 2019

Orange Peel Tea - Very delicious & healthy!!!


Orange peel tea has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine to heal lots of different ailments and to keep a person healthy. It’s full of Vitamin C, contains lots of pectins to lower cholesterol, it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, lowers blood pressure, helps with insulin resistance, boosts up our immune system, and heals lots of health challenges.

Oranges grow all over the world and most people throw away the peel… but perhaps it’s time we make some very healthy orange peel tea. 


Ingredients :

  1. Peel from 1 small sized orange
  2. Water - 1 1/2 cups
  3. Tea powder - 1 1/2 tsp
  4. Sugar to taste
  5. Milk - 1/2 cup

Method :


1.  Boil water along with tea powder & orange peel.

2.  Add sugar & milk.  Keep boiling until done.


Serve immediately.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...