Yellow Pumpkin with Black eyed Peas in Coconut Curry / Mathanga Erissery

Pumpkin Erissery / Mathanga Erissery is one of the dishes served during Onam Sadya. It is a traditional recipe of Kerala, a state in South India. This is the first time I am preparing this dish. I followed Rajani's recipe from her blog at mykitchentrials.wordpress.com with few changes. 

 

 

Preparation Time : 20 Min
Cooking Time : 20 Min
Yield : 2 Servings
Overnight Soaking required for black eyed Peas

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Yellow Pumpkin (peel off thick skin, wash and dice evenly)
• 1/2 Cup Black Eyed Peas ( soak overnight in 1 Cup of water)
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk ( I extracted milk from a fresh brown coconut. If you are using from the tin, take 1/4 Cup coconut milk and add 1/4 Cup Water to make it thin. Store bought coconut milk in the Tin is usually very thick)
• Salt as required 

For Grinding

                                    

• 1/4 Cup Coconut
• 1 Green Chilli
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds / Jeera
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tablespoon Water

For Seasoning

• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 5 Curry leaves
• 1 Red Chilli
• a pinch of Hing
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oil

Directions

1. Boil Black eyed peas : If you have not soaked it overnight, there is a short cut. In a pan over medium heat, dry roast black eyed peas till you see brown spots on them or till nice aroma comes. Then soak these dry roasted peas in 1 Cup water for 30 Min. Pressure cook them with 1/4 Teaspoon salt for 3 whistles on low flame
2. Grind all the ingredients listed under grinding to a smooth paste
3. In a pan over medium heat, add oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop, add curry leaves, red chilli and hing and switch of the flame immediately. Transfer this seasoning to the serving bowl in which you are going to serve erissery
                                                  
                                      

4. Now return the pan to the stove and add diced pumpkin along with ground coconut paste , salt and cook on medium flame until pumpkin is almost cooked
5. At this stage add coconut milk and cooked black eyed peas to the pumpkin and give it a good stir. Cook for 5 min more
6. Switch of the flame and transfer the erissery to the serving dish in which we have the prepared seasoning. Mix evenly so that seasoning is coated evenly
7. Serve it as a side with Rice / as part of Onam Sadya Meal

 

Cinnamon Flavoured Banana Fritters - Gulgula

I have been keeping 3 bananas to ripe , I mean to 'over ripe' so that I can make flavourful banana bread for my neighbour. Today they were perfectly ripe and turned dark and looked ugly :) I was happy that it would make the moist banana bread. Unfortunately I did not have power all day and could not bake bread. I do not want to throw away those ripe bananas. That's when banana fritters quickly flashed in my mind. My mom makes these fritters for tea time and we gobble all of them before she brings the next batch of fritters. They are crispy outside, soft and moist inside. Coconut bits adds crunch to the bite. However adding coconut bits is optional. If you have over ripe banana, don't throw away. Make these banana fritters and serve hot with tea / Coffee

Ingredients 

• 3/4  Cup All purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Wheat flour ( if you don't have wheat flour use 1/4 cup All purpose flour itself )
• 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Sooji / Semolina / Rava
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder (add more if you like cinnamon flavour )
• 2 Pinches of Cardamom Powder ( Elaichi powder )
• 3 riped bananas (mashed )
• 2 Tablespoon fresh brown coconut bits
• Oil for deep drying 

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl combine AP flour, wheat flour , Semolina, salt, sugar, cinnamon powder, baking soda, baking powder

2. In a separate bowl mash the bananas with fork

3. Add mashed bananas and coconut bits to the flour mixture and combine until it is smooth. I did not add any liquid to make the batter. However if you feel your batter is not combined well , add milk one tablespoon at a time and make it a thick batter

4. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, we can drop batter in the shape of balls
4. Using tow spoons, try to create a ball of the batter by moving the spoons back and forth and drop the balls directly in the hot oil. You can directly pinch batter in your hand and make balls and drop them in the oil . Drop 5 to 6 balls in the oil and fry them until golden
5. Change sides of the fritters and fry until the other side is also golden
6. Drain on the paper towel and serve hot with Tea / Coffee

Tomato and Shallot Chutney - perfect side for Indian Crepes / Dosa

Dosa is a staple dish of South India. It is a crepe / pancake  prepared using fermented batter made of rice flour and lentils. Batter is prepared by soaking rice and lentils for minimum 4 hours and later it is  ground finely to a smooth paste. Proportion of rice : lentils is 4 : 1 or 4 and 1/2 : 1. Ground batter is allowed to sit overnight to ferment.

A thin layer of batter is ladled onto a hot griddle and spread out evenly into circles to form a crepe / pancake. Dosa is served hot with chutney and Sambar. Dosa is served at breakfast and at dinner in most of the South Indian families. Tomato and shallot chutney is my family's favourite side for Dosa. This chutney is on the spicier side. You can adjust red chillies according to your taste if you want less spicy chutney

Preparation time : 20 Min
Cooking time : 10 Min
Yield : 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 Cup shallots ( peeled and washed )
• 1/4 Cup fresh grated brown coconut
• 2 Ripe tomatoes chopped
• 2 Tablespoon Cilantro chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Urad Dal
• 3 Red chillies
• Pea sized Tamarind
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
• salt as required

Seasoning

• 1/4 Teaspoon Vegetable oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• a pinch of hing / Asafoetida
• 4 to 5 Curry leaves (I did not have curry leaves and skipped adding )

Directions

1.  First prepare the seasoning : In a pan on low flame add 1/4 Teaspoon Oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop open, add hing and switch off flame and pour this seasoning in to the serveware you  are going to serve chutney
2. Return the pan to stove top and keep it on medium flame. Add 1 Tablespoon Sesame seed oil. when the oil is hot, add urad dal. Roast dal till it is light golden. Add red chillies , shallots and fry for a min
3. When the shallots become soft, add tomatoes and coconut flakes. Let it cook on medium flame for 5 min. coconut flakes will be browend slightly. Add cilantro leaves, tamarind and roast for 1 min more and switch of the flame
4. Let it cool completely. Once cooled add salt and grind it in a blender to smooth / coarse paste by adding 2 Tablespoon of water
5. Add the ground chutney to the serveware where we have the prepared seasoning. Give it a good stir and the chutney is ready to be served with hot Dosa

Candied Fruit Loaf

 

 

 

 

Preparation Time : 10 Min
Bake Time : 45 Min
Yield : one 9 Inch Loaf
Recipe Source : mykitchentrials 

Ingredients

•  2 Cups All purpose Flour + 1 Tablespoon for coating candied fruits
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Egg at room temperature
• 3/ 4 Cup Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup Milk at room temperature
• 1/4 Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1 Cup Candied Fruit ( I used Tutti Frutti ) 

Directions

 1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease a 9 Inch Loaf Pan and set aside
2. In a mixing bowl combine AP flour, salt, baking soda and granulated Sugar
3. In a separate bowl add yogurt and whisk it for few seconds. Now add 1/2 Cup milk to the yogurt and whisk again. Then add vegetable oil, egg and mix everything together
4. Pour this wet mixture in to the dry ingredients and mix everything together. This batter was thick
5. Add 1 tablespoon of AP flour to the candied fruits and coat them evenly. Add the flour coated candied fruits to the batter and mix gently
6. Pour the batter in the prepared loaf pan and bake at 180 C for 45 Min or until the toothpick inserted comes clean
7. When the loaf is done, remove it from the oven. Let the loaf remain in the pan for 10 min. After 10 min, invert it on the wire rack. Let it cool completely
8. Slice the loaf and serve it with Coffee / Tea

Coconut Rice - South Indian Style

Coconut Rice is a delicious South Indian Style rice where steamed rice is mixed with toasted coconut flakes and spices. This is a very simple recipe and can be made quickly if you have steamed rice / left over rice.

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 Cup Steamed rice ( you can use left over rice)
• 2 Tablespoon Grated brown coconut
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
• 1 Teaspoon Channa Dal
• 1 Tablespoon Ground nuts
• 1 Tablespoon Cashewnuts ( optional)
• a pinch of Hing / Asafoetida
• 5 Curry Leaves
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seed oil / Vegetable Oil
• 2 Red chillies
• Salt as required
• Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Directions

1. In a non stick pan heat oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop open, add ground nuts and sauté for a min. When the ground nuts are fried, add Cumin Seeds, urad dal, channa dal and fry until light golden. Then add cashew nuts , red chillies and curry leaves. Saute for a min
2. Add hing and immediately add grated coconut / coconut flakes and salt. Reduce the flame to lowest setting and let the coconut brown for about 5 min
3. Once the coconut is toasted to light golden color, add cooked rice and give it a good stir so that rice is mixed with coconut and spices
4. Switch of the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves (optional)
5. Serve hot with chutney

Fried Cauliflower

Fried Cauliflower is a great appetizer, it is Crispy, Crunchy and delicious. Tiny Cauliflower florets are quickly blanched in microwave and then battered and deep fried. The batter is not heavy, it just adds crunch to the cauliflower. We serve it as a side to steamed rice and curry. In other cuisines, fried cauliflower is served with Tahini sauce, lettuce with pita bread / bread sandwich. Pair it with your favourite dip / sauce and its perfect finger food for your cocktail parties or just snacking :)

Ingredients

• 2 Cups tiny florets of Cauliflower
• 1/2 Cup water for blanching
• 1/4 Cup Chickpea flour / Besan / Gram Flour ( available in Indian Grocery Stores / Asian Grocery Strores)
• 1 Tablespoon Corn Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder ( adjust according to your preference ; you can skip adding chilli powder and add just ground pepper)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper Powder (Optional)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala (Optional)
• a big pinch of hing / Asafoetida
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• salt as required

Directions

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Add cauliflower florets to a microwave bowl along with 1/2 Cup water and salt. Microwave on high for 2 min 

                                  


2. In a bowl mix together chickpea flour, corn flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, garam masala, hing, salt with 2 Tablespoon of water. This batter will be runny
3. Add all the blanched cauliflower florets to the batter and coat each florets with batter

                            


                             
                     

4. In a frying pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot add 5 to 6 batter coated florets and fry on medium flame until golden brown. Fry rest of the florets in batches

                    


5. Serve hot as an appetizer with tomato sauce or serve with steamed rice and curry as a side

Carrot Halwa - Quick and Easy Microwave method

Carrot Halwa / Gajar ka Halwa is a sweet pudding / dessert made out of grated carrots and sugar and garnished with nuts and dry fruits. It is a famous dessert in North India and served as part of Thali during festivals. It is very light and nutritious dessert and less in fat. Traditional carrot halwa is made on stove top method. This recipe is from the microwave cookbook 'The Joy of Effortless Cooking' and you can make yummy halwa in just 20 min

Preparation Time : 20 Min
Cooking Time : 20 Min
Yield : 4 Serving

Ingredients

• 1/2 Kg Carrots - Peeled and Grated
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Sugar or less as desired
• 3 Tablespoon Condensed Milk
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Ghee ( original recipe uses 2 Tablespoon Ghee; I added 1 Teaspoon ghee just for flavor)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Nuts ( cashews or almonds)
• 1 Tablespoon Raisins

Directions

1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix grated/ shredded carrots, sugar, milk. Microwave covered on High for 10 min
2. Now mix 1 teaspoon ghee and condensed Milk and stir well. Microwave again uncovered for 10 Min stirring 2 to 3 times in between. Keep an eye on the mixture. It might get dry quickly
3. Add cardamom powder and mix well
4. In a small pan, add 1/2 Teaspoon ghee and fry nuts till they are golden. Add raisins and fry till they plum up
5. Add fried nuts and raisins to the carrot halwa and mix. Serve the halwa hot

Snake Gourd Chutney / Pudalangai Thuvayal

Snake Gourd is a long narrow soft skinned fruit most popular in the cuisine of South Asia. In Tamil it is called Pudalangai. Chutney or Thuvayal is a condiment / accompaniment to steamed rice with curry. Chutney is made of roasted lentils and spices. This is a variation of chutney where we use snake gourd along with lentils to make spicy tangy chutney. This chutney goes well with hot steamed rice and rasam or dosa. Never tried thuvayal with pudalangai ? what are you waiting for ? I bet everyone at your home is gonna love it

Preparation Time : 10 Min
Cooking Time : 10 Min
Yield : 4 Servings as condiment

 Ingredients

• 2 Snake Gourds tender and young ones
• 2 Tablespoon Grated / sliced fresh brown coconut
• 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
• 1 Teaspoon Channa Dal
• 2 Tablespoon Ground nut
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 3 Red chillies ( you can use pepper corns if you don't have red chilli )
• 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Seed oil
• a small pea sized Tamarind ( optional) / Tamarind Pulp
• a pinch of Hing / Asafoetida
• Salt as required 

Seasoning

• 1/4 Teaspoon Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Urad Dal
• 2 or 3 Curry Leaves 

Directions

1. Peel and remove skin of snake gourd. Wash them thoroughly and chop them in to small pieces

2. In a microwave safe bowl, add chopped snake gourd, 1/4 Cup water and 1/4 Teaspoon salt and microwave on high for 3 min or until they are cooked half way

3. In a pan on medium heat setting, add oil. When the oil is hot , add ground nuts. Saute for a min and then add urad dal, channa dal and cumin Seeds. Saute everything together till lentils are golden. Now add red chilli, Hing, grated coconut and half cooked snake gourd pieces. Give it a nice stir

4. Reduce the flame to lowest setting / Sim and let it cook for 5 to 6 min. Switch off flame

5. When it is cooled, grind it along with tamarind, 1 Tablespoon water. Thuvayal should be thick in consistency. So add more water if required to grind into a thick grainy paste
6. Tempering : In the same pan we used for sautéing , add 1/4 Teaspoon oil. When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. when they pop, add udal dal and curry leaves. Fry until golden. Add the tempering to the ground thuvayal / chutney
7. Serve with Steamed rice and Rice. Heavenly !

 

Roated baby potatoes with spices

 

 

Ingredients

• 500 Grams baby potatoes
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup water
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala (optional)
• 1/4 Teaspoon or lesser Cumin Powder
• a pinch of Hing
• salt as required

Seasoning

• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Teaspoon Jeera Seeds
• 1/4  Teaspoon Urad Dal
• 1/4 Teaspoon Channa dal
• 1/4 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 4 to 5 curry Leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Wash potatoes and Pressure cook the potatoes with 1 cup water, 1/4 Teaspoon turmeric powder and salt as required for 3 to 4 whistles. Alternatively you can cook the potatoes in a pot also along with salt and turmeric powder, water
2. When the potatoes are cooled enough to handle, Peel and remove the skin
3. Cut each boiled baby potato into two. If the potato is little bigger, cut them into quarters
4. In a heavy bottomed non stick pan, add oil. When the oil is hot add the seasoning one after another. Let the mustard seeds pop
5. Reduce the flame to sim or lowest heat setting. Add coriander , red chilli, turmeric, cumin, gram masala powder, hing and salt. You can take the pan off the heat , add the masala powders and return the pan to heat. This way you wont burn the masala powder in hot oil
6. Immediately add chopped potatoes. Mix everything together so that each potato is covered with spices
7. Leave them in the pan at lowest heat setting/ Sim for 10 to 15 min stirring every 1 min
8. Adjust salt if required
9. Switch of flame when the potatoes are roasted and has nice golden crust
10. Serve as accompaniment with steamed rice and rasam



 

Eggless Butterscotch Cake topped with Butterscotch Sauce

This is a eggless version of butterscotch cake topped with homemade butterscotch sauce. Butterscotch is made of two main ingredients butter and scotch... oops sorry Butter and brown sugar :). It tastes similar to toffee or caramel. This one is a simple easy to make cake but tastes divine !

Preparation Time : 15 Min
Bake Time : 35 Min
Yield : one 8 Inch Cake

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Curd ( make sure the curd is not sour)
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 Teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar ( you can use more if you want the cake sweeter. mine was not very sweet. But it tasted sweet enough with butterscotch sauce topped )
• 1/2 Cup Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Butterscotch essence
• a pinch of salt

For the butterscotch sauce

• 4 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Amul fresh cream ( original recipe uses Heavy cream. Since I do not get heavy cream where I live , I used Amul fresh cream )
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
• salt as required

Directions

1. Preheat oven to  160 C. Grease 8 inch round cake pan and set aside ( Note : I baked the cake at a lower temperature. You can bake at 180 C for 25 to 30 Min )
1. In a mixing bowl mix curd and brown sugar together. Mix well until brown sugar is dissolved completely
2. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt to the curd and mix. Set aside for 5 min
3, Curd will slightly froth after 5 min. Now add oil and essence to the curd and mix well
5. Add flour to the curd mixture one tablespoon at a time and mix until there are no lumps
6.Pour the mixture in the pan and bake at 160 C for 35 min or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean
7. Cool the cake for 5 min in the pan and then invert it on a wire rack. Cool completely

Making butterscotch sauce

1. Keep all the ingredients ready before you start making sauce. The process is very quick , so you will burn the sauce if you don't keep all the ingredients measured and readily available
2. In a Heavy bottomed pan, add butter and melt in a medium flame. Add brown sugar when the butter is half melted

3. Stir butter and brown sugar together. When the brown sugar melts completely and reached liquid form ( in about 2 min )  reduce the flame to low. Add heavy cream and stir everything together

4. Let the mixture cook on medium flame for 5 min , keep stirring the mixture once in a min
5. When the sauce is thickened enough , add vanilla extract and salt as required. Give it a good stir and switch off the flame

 

Serving the cake

1. Apply a generous coat of butterscotch sauce all over the cake top and sides. Decorate the cake with sprinkles and butterscotch chips or as desired

 

Potato Stuffed Sandwich - Potato Sabzi Recipe

Preparation Time : 10 Min
Cooking Time : 20 Min
Yield : 3 Servings

Ingredients

• 6 slices of Sandwich Bread / Brown Bread
• 2 Tablespoon Butter
• 2 Medium sized potatoes
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• salt as required
• 1 Teaspoon Chopped Cilantro leaves
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil

Seasoning

• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Urad dal
• 1/2 Teaspoon Channa dal
• 5 Curry leaves
• a big pinch of Hing / Asafoetida

Directions

1. Prepare Potato masala/ Sabzi : Boil potatoes with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder
2. Peel and remove skin of the potatoes. Chop them into small pieces , set aside
3. In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon Oil. Then add the items listed under seasoning one after another and let mustard seeds pop
4. Add chopped onion and sauté till onion is soft
5. Add chilli powder and turmeric powder, salt
6. Add chopped potatoes and mix everything together
7. Cook on low flame for a min. If the mixture is too dry, you can add 1 tablespoon of water. Add cilantro leaves and mix together
8. Let the potato masala cool
9. Butter both sides of the bread
10. Apply potato mixture on one side of each bread
11. Make sandwich with 2 slices of bread with potato sides facing each other
12. Grill it until bread is golden on top
13. Serve Hot with Tea / Coffee

Toasted Coconut Pound Cake

Pound Cake is a type of cake made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. A traditional pound cake recipe makes a cake much bigger than what a family of 4 members can consume. Hence the quantity is changed to suit the size of the cake we desire. As long as the ratio is preserved to 1: 1: 1: 1 of flour, butter, eggs and sugar , the resulting cake will be identical to traditional pound cake.

Couple of days back I came across this cake recipe on one of the groups in Facebook. The cake looked absolutely divine. It is a variation of traditional pound cake : Toasted coconut pound cake - flavoured with sweetened toasted coconut ! The cake recipe was from Soul Kitchen at the url http://cookingfromthesoul.blogspot.in/ . I followed the recipe from Soul Kitchen to make this cake. Coconut flavour is very subtle and adds a nice crunch to the cake. The cake is not very sweet and perfect accompaniment with Coffee/ Tea.

Preparation Time : 30 Min
Baking time : 50 Min
Yield : one 6 inch Loaf
Recipe Source : Soul Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 Cup All purpose flour
• 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• a big pinch of salt
• 2/3 Cup Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 Cup granulated Sugar
• 2 Eggs at room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Milk at room temperature
• 3/4 Cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut 

For the glaze

• 1/2 Cup confectioners Sugar/ Icing Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Milk at room temperature

Preparation :

Prepare sweetened shredded coconut : ( I do not get shredded coconut in stores here. You can use readily available shredded coconut instead of preparing it at home)

 

 

1. Peel/ remove brown skin of coconut. We need just the white flesh of coconut. Grate/shred white part of coconut
2. In a bowl take 1/2 Cup water and add 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar. Add grated coconut to the sweet water and soak for 30 min
3. Drain and pat dry in a paper towel
4. Preheat Oven at 180 C / 350 F
4. In a oven safe tray , spread the sweetened coconut and toast them at 180 C. Watch carefully and move it around every 3 to 4 min for even browning. They may burn very quickly, so you need to watch close
5. Once coconut is browned, remove from Oven and let it cool

Directions for Baking the cake

1. Preheat oven to 180 C, grease a 6 inch loaf pan and set aside
2. In a bowl, sieve AP flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt together for 2 times and set aside
3. In a separate bowl beat butter with a hand mixer for a min. Then add sugar and cream butter and sugar for 2 more min
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat well until everything is mixed together. Now add vanilla extract and beat one more time
5. Adding dry ingredients to wet mixture : Add flour in 3 additions alternating with milk. Beat until dry ingredients are evenly incorporated in wet mixture and there is no lump
6. Finally fold in 2/3 of toasted sweetened coconut in the batter
7. Pour the batter in the greased loaf pan and bake at 180 C for 45 to 50 min
8. Start watching the cake after 45 min. Bake until the tooth pick inserted comes out clean. My cake was done in 50 min. However the original recipe was to bake it for 60 min. It depends on the oven I guess
9. Once done, remove from the oven and let it cool
10. Mean while prepare the glaze by whisking together confectioners  / icing sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons milk
11. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut over the glaze. Drizzle glaze when the cake is warm, that way it will get absorbed easily and add sweetness to the cake
12. Serve warm with coffee/ Tea

 

Fried Green Beans

 

Ingredients

• 500 Grams Green beans
• 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder ( you can use ground pepper instead of red chilli powder )
• 1/2 Teaspoon Nigella Seeds ( Kalonji) (optional)
• 1/4 Teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• Salt as required
• Vegetable Oil for deep frying 

 

For Hung curd Dip

• 1/2 Cup Thick curd hung in cheese cloth for 30 min ( if you get sour cream, replace hung curd with sour cream)
• salt as required
• a big pinch of red chilli powder
• a pinch of cumin powder 

Directions 

1. Cut edges of green beans and chop each beans into finger length pieces

2. In a microwave safe bowl, add beans and enough water to cover the beans and salt

 

3. Microwave on high for 3 min. Remove the beans, cold shock in ice bath ( In a vessel take 1 Cup chilled water and add few ice cubes to water). This is done to avoid overcooking beans and to retain the green color. Drain them in a kitchen towel. Pat dry them. If you don't dry them well, they will splatter all over when you deep fry them in oil

4. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients listed under dip

4.  In a bowl mix together AP flour, red chilli powder, garlic powder, nigella seeds, salt,dried thyme, baking powder, egg with 1/2 cup of water to form a batter

 

5. Dip beans in the batter 7 to 8 at a time and drop them in hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and serve hot with Hung curd dip

 

Carrot and Green Peas Rice - Kids Lunch Box

" What do you pack for your kids lunch box ? " is the most common question asked among parents. My kids are not fuzzy about eating vegetables. They eat all greens and colourful vegetables. I don't have to run behind them to feed as long as the food is 'Tasty'. Tasty and less spicy food is what they prefer. For my son,  I pack a one pot rice for his lunch. He does not like eating idly/ dosa or chappathi for lunch. He wants only rice. If I pack roti or bread for lunch, he comes back and asks me 'amma you forgot to keep my lunch today, you gave only bread' :)

For him rice with vegetables is the filling lunch, anything else he considers as snack. I prepare steamed rice and mix it with simple vegetable curry. Todays lunch was carrot and green peas rice.

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup Steamed rice
• 1 small sized carrot chopped finely
• about 1 Tablespoon of onion chopped finely
• 10 to 15 green peas
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seeds 
• 1/4 Teaspoon Urad Dal
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• a pinch of Turmeric powder
• a pinch of Red chilli Powder
• 1/4 Cup water
• salt as required

Direction

1. Steamed rice should not be sticky. It should have separate grains
2. Add carrot, Green Peas with pinch of salt and turmeric powder in a microwave safe bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon water and microwave on high for 2 min
2. In a pan add 1/2 Teaspoon of oil. when the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin Seeds. When they pop, add urad dal and sauté till it becomes light golden. You can skip adding mustard and cumin if your kids doesn't like them
3. Now add onion and sauté till they are soft. Keep the flame in low and watch onion carefully. since its just 1 tablespoon of onion, they brown too quickly
4. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder , salt and immediately add vegetables. Add water and let the vegetables cook for 2 min
4. Carrot and green peas cook very fast and remember we already microwaved veggies too. Add steamed rice when you still have 1 tablespoon of water in veggies. This will help keep the rice moist or prevent it from drying during lunch time. Switch of flame
5. Let it cool in the pan. Pack it in lunch box when it is cool

Watermelon Juice

Summer is already here and its watermelon everywhere in the local market. I picked a big riped watermelon yesterday. My kids don't like eating watermelon cubes. So I had to make juice for them. A watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 91%  water by weight. As with many other fruits, it is a source of vitamin C. Watermelon Juice is the best way to beat summer's heat.

Ingredients

about quarter portion of the big Watermelon
2 pinches of salt
2 Tablespoon Honey / powdered Sugar

Direction

1. Deseed the watermelon and cut them into cubes
2. In a juice maker / blender add watermelon , salt, honey and blend it to a fine puree
3. I strained the juice using a metal strainer. You can serve as such with pulp
4. Add ice cubes and serve chilled 

Homemade Paneer

Paneer is a fresh cheese common in South Asian Cuisine. It is unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese or curd cheese made by curdling heated Milk with Lemon Juice.

 
 
 
To prepare paneer, food acid usually lemon juice or yogurt is added to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey. The curds are drained in muslin or cheesecloth  and the excess water is pressed out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance.
 
Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Setting Time : 3 Hours

Yield : about 20 cubes as shown in the picture

 

Ingredients

• 1 Litre Milk  ( 1 litre = 0.264172051 US gallon )
• 2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed pan heat milk in medium flame and bring it to boil. When the milk starts boiling , reduce the flame to low

 

2. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the boiling milk and give it a good stir

 

 
3. Continue heating and continue stirring until the milk completely curdles and the whey separately out. At this stage switch of the flame

 

4. Spread a cheese cloth in a metal strainer. Pour the curdled milk or paneer in the cheese cloth.

 

 

 

 5. Hold the strainer with cheese under running tap water for 1 min. This is done to wash off the lemon flavour from the cheese

 

 

6. Squeeze out excess water from the cheese. Bring the corners of the cheese cloth together and tie the cheese. Hang it in the kitchen sink for 30 min

7. Now place the cheese cloth in the metal strainer and place a heavy object over the cheese. I placed a vessel filled with water. Let it sit for 3 hours

 

 

 

8. After 3 hours , remove the cheese from cheese cloth and cut into cubes. Tranfer it to a airtight container or zip lock bag and freeze it or use immediately