I am feeling very lazy to write new posts....i have reposted few soya based recipes for a quick view....
other soya recipes in this blog
Marble Fruit Cake
It is Christmas season …(well too early to say that…though….) and time to indulge in some cakes. Infact there need not be any reason to prepare this cake but to prepare a fruit cake I think you need a seasonal inspiration.
The idea of a marble fruit cake has been in my mind for sometime and I tried it with some skepticism. But the result was fabulous with lots of appreciation from all quarters…. to whomever I shared. This is an easy cake since the amount of fruits is comparatively less and does not require long preparation time for chopping or soaking ….it is just all quick.
The flavors of vanilla and chocolate alongwith the flavors of orange rind and rum complement well to give a really nice taste.
the recipe
Butter – 120 gms
Flour – 3 cups (300 gms)
Baking powder – ¾ tsp
Egg- 3
Caster Sugar – 2 ¼ cup (240 gms)
Combination of fruits & nuts
Dates – 10
Raisins – 20
Cherry – 20
Walnuts – a handful
Almonds – a handful
Rum – 2 tbsp or orange juice – 2 tbsp
Salt – 2 pinch
Cocoa powder -2 heap tbsp
Milk – 3 tbsp
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Orange rind, chopped – 1 tbsp
Blanched almonds - 10
the method
# Chop the fruits and soak them in rum or orange juice for 2 – 3 hours.
# Prepare a baking pan (butter the pan and dust it with flour). Place a round sheet of paper on the bottom of the pan. I usually prepare the pan and leave it in the refrigerator so that the butter does not melt and lose its consistency.
# Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder three times.
# Mix the soaked fruits and nuts. Dust one fourth of the flour mix with the fruit and nut and roughly mix.
# Add the cocoa powder to the milk, mix well and keep it aside.
# Since this is a marble cake, two bowls are required for the cake batter.
# Preheat oven at 170 C.
In a mixing bowl, place the butter and beat it with an electric mixer until soft. Add the sugar in 3 batches and continue mixing. Once all the sugar is added beat in high speed for 5 minutes until the butter sugar mixture has doubled in volume. Add the egg one by one. Beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Add the flour in 2-3 batches and mix with a spatula. Add the orange rind and flour coated, fruits and nuts.
Pour half of the cake batter into another bowl. Add the cocoa mix and mix well.
Take the prepared pan and first place one third of the vanilla batter in the middle of the pan. Then place half of the cocoa batter followed by a third of vanilla, another half of cocoa and finally the third portion of the vanilla batter. Make sure the batter is place in the middle one after another.
To spread the batter till the edge of the pan and to get the marble shape use a knife or your pointing finger, dig into the middle of the batter and gently move it in circular motion. Tap the cake pan gently so that the batter smoothens itself on top.
(At this stage I was slightly in a hurry and that is why the marble shape did not appear clearly. For a better understanding of the marble design please take a look at the simple marble cake which I have prepared earlier).
Decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds. Bake at 170C for 30 – 35 minutes. Check after 30 minutes till a skewer inserted comes out clean. Take out the cake and let it cool.
This is a very moist and super delicious cake. Do try it this Christmas season and let me know.
Malpua - banana malpua, the Indian deep fried pancake dessert
This is yet another dish which I have been wanting to prepare for a long time and have not been confident enough even to read a recipe thinking that I can’t achieve the finesse the malpua demands. Finally I tried this recipe from Vatsala’s blog ‘Show & Tell’ when I got the opportunity to participate in BlogHop Wednesdays. I was infact searching for a recipe which includes ingredients which is readily available in my pantry. The Malpua thus happened and I was happy with the outcome. Frying the first one or two taught me how to go about the temperature of the oil and also learnt that you should have patience while frying the malpua.
The actual recipe includes maida which I have replaced with pure wheat flour - just for health reasons. On the first bite itself you will realize that you are treating yourself to a royal sweet.
the recipe
Wheat Flour – 1 cup
Rava / Sooji – ½ cup
Milk – 2 - 2 ½ (add milk till you get a pouring consistency)
Sugar – 1 tsp ( I have a very sweet tooth so I added 2 tsp…..add sugar according to your taste)
Banana – 1 small
Fennel Seeds – 2 generous pinch
Veg oil to deep fry
ingredients for the sugar syrup
Sugar – ½ cup
Water – ½ cup
Cardamom – 2 , powdered or whole
Slivered nuts - for garnishing
method to prepare sugar syrup
Add sugar and half cup water in a sauce pan. Let the sugar syrup boil for a while. Take few drop of the syrup in a spoon and take a drop between your pointing finger and thumb and check whether it forms a string. Add the cardamom or cardamom powder and turn off heat.
method to prepare malpua batter
Mash the banana, ( I deseeded the banana and then mashed them). Place the sooji / rava in a bowl and add the milk. Keep it aside for some time. Stir in the mashed banana, wheat flour, sugar and fennel seeds and stir well. Gradually add the milk until you get a pouring consistency.
frying the Malpua
Frying Malpua is slightly tricky especially if you are preparing it for the first time. Pour the batter when the oil is in medium to hot temperature. Let the batter take a round shape by itself.
Heat oil in a flat pan and pour a ladle full of the prepared Malpua batter. It will take some time for the sides to become light brown. Now flip the malpua gently. Let the other side also brown. Drain it from oil using a slotted spoon. Place it on a tissue paper to get rid off excess oil. Place it in the sugar syrup for 5 minutes turning sides and then place it in another bowl. Garnish with silvered nuts and serve hot.
6 Lunch Box Recipes - - -Peshawari Naan, Stuffed Paratha, Potato & Spinach Sandwich, Kashmiri Paneer, Chilly Fried Rice, Soya Chunk Pulao
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Kerala Porotta / Parotta ( with wheat flour) + Chilly Tomato
It would be very hard to find a Malayalee who does not like Porotta / Parotta. The problem however is that Porotta is made out of Maida. The reviews that are going around even in television shows are about the hazards of consuming maida. I am trying to avoid it in day to day cooking.
This is a parotta recipe using home made pure wheat flour. We dint miss anything in terms of taste. We had the parotta with Chilly Tomato and Chicken Curry. Though the best combination is chicken, it tasted good actually with the chilly tomato. Now if you have a question why two curries....it is because i prepared this on a weekday morning and kids are not allowed to take non-vegetarian food to school.
Wheat Flour – 3 cups
Egg - 1
Warm Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Salt – ¾ tsp
Oil – 1 tsp
ingredients to roll the parotta / porotta
Oil
Rice flour / wheat flour
In a bowl, place the egg, salt and sugar and lightly beat them. Stir in the wheat flour and roughly crumble the ingredients. Knead the flour into dough by gradually adding the warm milk. When the milk is completely used and the dough is still sticking onto your fingertips add 1 tsp oil by sprinkling it into the bowl. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fingers and smoothen the dough. Divide it into 8 large lemon sized balls and leave it in the refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes.
Take out the dough, sprinkle few drops of oil on a surface and roll the ball into a thin sheet. Pour few drops of oil and sprinkle wheat flour or coarse rice flour (used to make puttu). Fold the sheets as if folding a fan. Gently twist the folded sheets to form spiral shape. Fold it into a round shape. Gently roll it into a parotta. Heat a gridle / tawa place the parotta and sprinkle few drops of oil. Cook for a minute or two. Turn and cook. Serve hot with a dish of your choice.
the recipe goes to Hearth and Soul Blog hop 73: 11/8/11 and to the Kerala Kitchen at Fajis Hot Pot
the recipe goes to Hearth and Soul Blog hop 73: 11/8/11 and to the Kerala Kitchen at Fajis Hot Pot
Cabbage Koottu (C'bge in dal and coconut gravy)
Cabbage koottu is a simple and tasty side dish for rice. Besides the cabbage, dal and coconut are the main ingredients. The only difference in the cabbage koottu when compared to other koottu recipe is the addition of asafoetida. In other koottu recipes, like the snake gourd variant there is no asafoetida though any one is free to experiment according to their taste.
This is one of my favorites and i get nostalgia about my childhood days in Valparai when i prepare this...if you ask me the reason, i really dont know...:-) sometimes it is 'just like that'
ingredients
cabbage - 500 gms
dal (toor or chana or moong) - 4 tbsp
coconut - 5 tbsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp
small onion - 4
green chilly - 2 or 3
turmeric - 1/3 tsp
asafoetida - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
for the tempering
oil - 1 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 1 or 2 sprigs
whole red chilly - 2 or 3 (broken)
salt to taste
the method
Par boil the dal in a pan. Add the shredded cabbage, turmeric and salt and give a quick stir. Meanwhile grind the cumin, small onion, green chillies and coconut to a coarse paste using about 2 or 3 tbsp water. Add the coconut paste into the cabbage and stir. When almost done add the asafoetida and stir. Take care while adding the asafoetida because the pungency differs based on the brand. Add 1/2 tsp and taste the koottu and add the balance 1/4 spoon as'da only if need be. Turn off heat when the cabbage is done. Check salt.
Heat oil in another pan and add the mustard followed by curry leaves and broken red chillies. Pour the tempering over the cabbage, stir and cover it. Serve the cabbage koottu with rice and sambar or rasam or whatever you prefer.
Ladies Finger / Okra / Bhindi Masala
ingredients to sauté the ladies finger
Ladies Finger / Okra / Bhindi – 500 gms
oil – 2 tbsp
salt – ¾ tsp
ingredients for the masala
Oil – 1 tbsp
Onion – 2 medium, julienned
Green chilly – 1 or 2
Ginger - 1/3 inch piece
Garlic - 5 cloves
Ginger - 1/3 inch piece
Garlic - 5 cloves
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Coriander powder – ¼ tsp
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Garam Masala – ½ tsp
Vinegar – ½ tsp or lemon juice – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
the method
Clean and cut the ladies finger as seen in the picture. In low flame, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add the chopped ladies finger and salt. Stir occasionally till the moisture has evaporated from the ladies finger. Reserve.
In medium flame, heat 1 tbsp oil in another pan and sauté the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies till the onion turns translucent. Add the turmeric, chilly, pepper, coriander and garam masala powder and stir for few seconds. Add the vinegar and stir. Add the sautéed ladies finger and mix well for about 5 minutes. Serve with rice. This is very delicious and aromatic.
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cheers
roshan
Rava Kesari / Sooji Ka Halwa
the recipe
Rava / Semolina - 1 cup
Water – 2 cup + 2 tbsp
Turmeric – 2 pinch (I used this instead of food color)
Sugar – 1 ½ cup
Cardmom – 4 (powder it with some sugar)
Cashewnuts, Almonds and raisins – as required (fried in ghee)
Ghee – 2 – 3 tbsp
the method
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and lightly sauté the semolina and turn off heat. Heat water in another pan with turmeric. When it come to boil, turn to low heat and add the rava slowly into the water and stir in circular motion briskly. The heat is turned to low to avoid formation of lumps. Keep stirring till the semolina is almost cooked. Add the sugar 1 or 2 tbsp at a time and keep stirring. Add the cardamom powder and fried nuts. Add one more tablespoon ghee on top and mix well.
Pour the kesari into a greased tray or plate. Cut it into diamond shapes and serve it hot or cold. I used some saffron strands just to give an appeal for the photograph.
the recipe goes to sinful delights by Vardhini
the recipe goes to sinful delights by Vardhini
Sunday Special - Third Edition
This is the third edition of Sunday Special. If you are interested in participating in this event please go through the details in the event page.
A big thanks to the participants….
...continue reading by clicking the title
A big thanks to the participants….
...continue reading by clicking the title
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