Happy Valentine's Day!

Though I started baking sometime back, and have made many heart shaped cakes in my heart-shaped tray, I was never inclined to post the cake recipes. Mainly because I never got to take any good pictures.

Even today's picture has been taken from my mobile camera, so the quality might not be that great. I baked this cake yesterday, but hey, it is Valentine's Day, so here's wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's day.



Recipe is adapted from Sunita's blog, and what caught my eye was the name - nutty chocolate cake. My daughter will not have any other cake than chocolate, and some grounded nuts sounded great, since she doesn't eat whole nuts either. I followed the recipe except for the sugar, I just powdered normal sugar.

Of course, the batter was more, so I also had enough to bake a small 6" round cake from it.

The colour of the cake is a mystery to me. I have noticed that every time I use Hershey's cocoa instead of the Cadbury's cocoa powder, the colour is extremely light after baking. Has anyone had the same experience?

I just served the cake with some Hershey's chocolate syrup. I do not have pictures of the slices.

Diwali Wishes

Hope everyone had a safe and Happy Diwali!

3-Fruit Salad

As I hope the name suggests, I recently prepared the 3-Fruit salad with 3 different fruits. After the healthy salad I posted earlier, I have been trying different ways to include a salad in my daily diet. The recipe (I watched on TV) called for just two fruits. However, I started sympathizing with the third fruit that had been left solitary in the fruit bowl (notwithstanding the 3 days of languish in it), and decided to cube and use the fruit in the salad.


Of course, you can guess the recipe from the picture above. Let me just pen... err...type it down though.



To prepare the 3-Fruit Salad, you will need:

Oranges - 2-3 medium sized
Pomegranate - 1 large
Pears - 2

Coriander leaves - chopped - 1/2 cup (optional)

Method:

• Cut the pomegranate into two halves and squeeze each half into a salad bowl to separate the arils from the internal white pulp membranes
• Peel the oranges, deseed, remove the skin and pith and add to the salad bowl
• Cube the pears and add the pieces into the salad bowl
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve

Note: The original recipe also calls for an extra virgin olive oil dressing and salt. I did not use any in my version, and yet loved it! Unfortunately again, I did not click a picture after plating and garnishing with coriander leaves.


Serve as it is, or pack it for a quick healthy snack when you are traveling.

Updated: With everyone hinting that this is perfect for summer, I have to send it to Priti's Festive Food: Summer Treat event.

Coriander Chutney Sandwiches

The pictures in this post have been languishing in my drafts section for quite a while now, and I remember thinking of sending them to a herb event, but somehow missed out on a post.

While the first picture (above) shows pav used to make a veg burger of sorts, I mainly made coriander chutney sandwhiches with brown bread and some vegetables thrown in. To make the coriander chutney (as seen in the picture below) for the sandwich, you will need:


Coriander leaves - chopped - 3 cups
Coconut - grated - 1.5 cups
Ginger - chopped - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2-3 large
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients in a mixer to a coarse paste (Do not add water)

For the sandwiches, you will need:

Bread of your choice (I used wheat bread)
Tomatoes - sliced round - about 2-3 large
Onions - sliced round - about 2 large
Cucumber - sliced round - about 1 large (I did not have at the time, so did not add this)
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp (optional)
Pepper - to season per taste

Method:

• Toast the bread slightly if you wish, especially if you are not going to use a sandwich toaster like me
  

• Spread the coriander chutney (generously) on one side of one slice of toasted bread as seen in the pictures below

• Arrange vegetable slices of your choice and taste

• Sprinkle lemon juice and pepper on the vegetables before making the sandwich with another slice of bread on top

Note: If using a toaster, do the same with the bread and vegetables and keep in the toaster

I had some fresh pav at home, decided to try the method on them as well, and they ended up looking like mini burgers minus the vegetable patty with chutney and vegetable slices.


A couple of pictures more:

I did not toast the pav in butter, but you may do so to make them tastier:-)


We thoroughly enjoyed these sandwiches which we had for an early dinner, but I guess they can be served as snacks for tea or as a party snack too.

Colourful and Healthy Salad

These days I have been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and reduce the intake of rice and roti (wheat), especially in the evenings. Being a South Indian who is used to typical Idli/ Dosa/ Puttu/ Appam/ Upma breakfast menu and a minimum of 2-3 dishes served with rice for lunch, I decided to stop eating anything heavy for dinner. Also, I have been eating more dry fruits and totally avoid fried food stuffs, including packeted chips/ biscuits and anything sugary.

For the first time in my life (it is never too late!), I actually prepared a salad without just slicing cucumber, carrots, cabbage, and beets, and also used sprouts and a fruit! Below, you can see some of the ingrediets.



Now, let me get to the recipe.


To make the salad seen in the picture above, you will need:

Mung bean sprouts - 1 cup
Cucumber - 1 medium-sized
Carrot - 1 large
Beetroot - 1 medium-sized
Pomegranate - 1 medium-sized
Lemon juice - to taste
Coriander leaves - chopped
Pepper - to taste
Salt - to taste
Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp (optional)



Method:

• Peel and chop all the vegetables into tiny cubes and keep aside
• Cut the pomegranate into two halves and squeeze each half into a small bowl to separate the arils from the internal white pulp membranes
• In a mixing bowl, add the sprouts, then add the chopped cucumber and carrot pieces and toss
• Mix the pomegranate and then add the beetroot pieces
• Add the olive oil, lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix well
• At the time of serving, season to taste with salt and pepper

R loved it and asked to make salads more often, though A just played around with her portion for a while and gave up. Guess it really will take some time for her to eat salads.

Diwali Celebrations and Events

Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali (belated). Though I am away from home this Diwali, I am lucky to be with my parents and my brother and family, that too in a country that celebrates Deepavali and has a national holiday for the same:-)

This Diwali season has been very eventful for me. Apart from being able to spend 3 full weeks away from home but still feeling at home with parents and family, I got to meet my classmate and friend from school after 12 years, with her family! Also, I was extremely pleased to meet Priti and Nags. On the flip side, this is my first Diwali without R to celebrate together, he is away for work.

Apart from traditional simple diyas, we also got some brightly painted Diyas from the Little India market.

The previous eve, we applied henna on our hands with the Mehndi cone we had bought. The picture below shows the Mehndi butterfly tattoo on my daughter's hand. I made a similar tatto for my niece who is a year older than my daughter.

And an impromptu design with a diya on her palm.

The children also enjoyed lighting sparklers, without which Diwali celebrations would have been dull.

Of course, no festival celebration is complete without a Pooja and offering to the Gods and Goddesses. We made Murukku and Unni Appam for the festival, which are usually made during Vishu. Below, I share the recipes for the two snacks.

Murukku - A Savoury Snack

To make the Murukku seen in the picture, you will need:

Rice flour - 3 cups
Urad Dal flour - 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Asafeotida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp
Ghee/Butter - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying (we used Canola oil)


Method:

• In a mixing bowl, knead all ingredients into a thick dough adding only enough water
• With a murukku press or mould, start pressing out the dough into circular forms of medium size on to cut papers or a plate
• Slide them into the oil for deep frying and fry until both sides turn light golden brown

Note: Murukku can be stored in air-tight containers. Children love to this, but if you prefer a spicier hot version, just add red chilly powder while kneading the dough.


Serve with tea/ coffee

Unni Appam - A Sweet Snack

Traditionally, this snack is deep fried in ghee, and is also known as Neyyappam. However, we did not use ghee or butter while preparing it.



To make the unni appams seen in the picture, you will need:

Rice - 2 cups
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Black Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
Cardamom powder - 2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 cup
Coconut - chopped into small pieces - 1/2 cup
Oil - for deep frying (we used Canola oil)

Method:

• Soak the rice for 2-3 hours, drain and grind it to a thick batter
• Melt and strain the jaggery, and mix it along with cumin seeds, sesame seeds and chopped coconut pieces in the rice batter
• Ensure that the batter consistency is not too thick, and it can be poured into the appam griddle
• Heat oil in the appam griddle, and start pouring the batter into it using a ladle
• Usually, the appams turn automatically within the mould after one side is done. If this does not happen, just turn the sides after one side is done, and take the appams out after both sides turn dark brown
• Dry them on kitchen napkins

Note: You can also add mashed bananas to the batter and make Banana Appams.

Serve with tea/ coffee

Now, to the events.

After Rakhi, Krishna and Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam and Navaratri celebrations, Priti of Indian Khana is hosting Festive Food event again with Diwali Celebrations. This entire post and the two recipes go to this amazing event.

The Unni Appams, a sweet snack, goes to

Vaishali's Sweet Vegan, as it has "no butter, milk, cream, ghee or other dairy products, no eggs, and no honey" .

Another great event this month is Easy Craft's WYF: Party Food.


I am sending both the snacks, as a party calls for savoury and sweet dishes, and the murukku and unni appam are ideal for family get-togethers, children's parties, freinds' parties, etc.


Finally, these two different-shades-of-brown goodies go to a lovely colourful event hosted by Sunshinemom at Tongue Ticklers, Food In Colours; the FIC-Brown event for October.


PS: I am not able to visit all your blogs as I am on a kind-of-vacation-like mode, which means though I could blog this post, the next post will most likely be after a week or two when I return home and settle down. I promise to catch up on all your posts and the comments in the previous posts

Saas Bahu And Pakora

I have been watching a lot of movies after moving to Mumbai (not anything to do with being closer to Bollywood town) and that too in the theater/ multiplexes. I love watching movies, and most of our let's-watch-a-movie-tonight outings here were abrupt,unplanned decisions which worked better than organized, planned outings in Hyderabad. The last movie I watched in the theater and one of the first that I watched the same day of release (we went for the late night show the day this movie was released) was 'Saas Bahu Aur Sensex.'

I am not a movie critic, and I will only say that I liked the movie, especially Farooq Shaikh. I went for this movie only because of him:-), and I am glad I did. When I read Bharathy's lovely post for her sis, and remembered Nag's contest, I so wanted to post before the deadline. I am so forgetful, I never will be an early bird!

In the entire movie, the stockbroker and his ladies are not shown having chai together, but yes, they do meet close to tea-time to discuss stock market investments. The gossip ladies who follow Mrs. Bineetha Sen discover her 'interest' in the stock market while 'waiting and watching' over a cup of chai. I also liked bits of the 'Saas-Bahu' tiffs shown in the movie, especially the kitty party scene where the Saas belittles the Bahu on her Samosas (another chai snack). Somehow, I feel a nice hot chai snack is what goes for this contest, and therefore, decided on Pakoras.

And this post is dedicated to my friend J, who moved to a different city just when we were getting to be very good friends and our children were getting to fight with each other more often. We still are good friends, but distance doesn't help us have hot pakoras along with chai and discuss how to invest better for our children.


Finally, to make the pakora seen in the picture, you will need:

Besan/ gram flour/ garbanzo flour - 2 cups
Baking soda - a pinch
Onions - 4 large - sliced round and halved
Ginger - 2 tsp - peeled and pounded
Curry leaves - 2 strands
Cilantro - 1/2 cup - finely chopped (Optional - I didn't have at the time:-(, but I recommend it)
Green chillies - 2 - finely chopped (Optional - R doesn't like to bite into green chillies in any dish)
Red Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - per consistency
Oil - enough for deep frying

Method:

• Take about 2 tsp of oil and mix well with the baking soda in a mixing bowl, before adding the besan and remaining ingredients
• Make a thick batter with all the ingredients
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan and drop spoonfuls (I used a tablespoon) of batter into the oil
• Adjust heat to ensure that the pakoras do not get burnt, and keep frying until both side are done to a nice brown colour
• Drain the excess oil on kitchen napkins or tissues

Note: First, you can do a test fry, and see if it is absorbing too much oil, or the insides are cooked right, and adjust batter consistency with more besan, or more water accordingly

Serve hot with chutney and chai

Edited to add:

I just realized I missed another great event that I could send the pakoras to. Hima of SnackORama is hosting Sunday Snacks event with the theme Fry It for this month. I just love this event and followed the previous Bake It theme with awe, not to say that I missed it because I don't bake (yet! :-().

Chole Mur Mure Sev Chat and Gud Appam

I have been unable to blog the past few days, and missed wishing my dear blogger friends a very Happy Independence Day as well as Happy Raksha Bandhan. Hope everyone had lots of fun and food, and celebrated the occasions at home with friends and family.

I have never celebrated Rakhi, and I am glad to have learnt so much about the festival and how it is celebrated through the first FF event: Rakhi – Thread of Love. I prepared Chole Mur Mure Sev Chat (as I would like to call it) when my brother visited on Thursday, and this is how it looked up-close:

To prepare the Chole Mur Mure Sev Chat in the picture, you will need:

White chickpeas/ garbanzo bean - cooked soft - 2 cups
Mur Mure / puffed rice - 1 cup
Sev- 1 cup
Onions - chopped - 1 cup
Tomatoes - chopped - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - chopped - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Tomato Chilly Sauce - 1tbsp (optional)
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt -to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, add 1/4 cup of chopped onions, saute until light brown, add the boiled chickpeas and the powders along with salt to taste and mix well
• Add water, and keep on low heat until gravy becomes very thick
• Take a serving plate and serve the chickpeas masala on it and spread to form a base
• Add the Mur Mure and Sev on top (preferably with hand)
• Top it with chopped onions, tomatoes, and coriander leaves
• Lastly, sprinkle pepper (and salt, if you wish) on the entire dish

Notes:

• If you have Chat Masala, you can use that in the dish. I did not have it at home, and normally do not use it.
• If you have leftover chole, or white chana masala nothing like it.
• Squeeze a wedge of lemon on top, or mix lemon juice with chopped onions and tomatoes before adding. It tastes even better, but I did not add it as we were having it for tea (with milk).

Another click, top view:

Serve with hot Elaichi/ Cardamom Tea

You may also be interested in: Bread Aloo Sev Chat

Now, let me get to the sweet dish. This is traditionally called Kalathappam, but my version is a variation, and I'd rather not call it by that name, for fear of ridicule from the 'purists,' and more importantly, it has never turned out as good or tasted as good as my mother's! I will call this Gud Appam, for more reasons that I will explain later. First, a look at the dish:

You will need:

Rice - washed and soaked for atleast 4 hours - 1 cup
Cooked Rice - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup (adjust for sweetness)
Coconut - grated- 1/4 cup (optional, a variation)
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cardamom pods - pounded - 3
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Salt - a pinch

Method:

• Grind the soaked rice, cooked rice, grated coconut into a batter of dosa batter consistency
• Melt the jaggery in as little water as possible, bring to boil, and strain into the rice batter while it is still hot
• Add the baking soda to the batter and mix well, and leave for 15-20 minutes
• Heat a pressure cooker on low flame, and grease the bottom and sides with ghee
• While the pan is hot, pour the batter and cover the lid without the whistle
• Leave to cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes, and check if batter has risen and cooked evenly (insert knife, it should come clean)
• Let it cool, and with a greased flat ladle take the appam and lay on a clean dry muslin cloth/cake paper?/ aluminium foil

Notes:

• You can try adding roasted nuts or roasted coconut pieces in the batter. The badam/almond you see on top is one that I added for the picture.
• Normally, caramelized onions are used in the recipe
• The batter is similar to Appam batter (without yeast and fermentation process), and jaggery is also added, which is why I like to call this Gud Appam

The picture below is a version I had made earlier, with the caramelized onions, which did not turn out as good, and was not cooked evenly:-(

Serve with hot tea

Both these dishes, without further ado, go to the first Festive Food Event: Rakhi- Thread of Love.

Bread Aloo Sev chat

Now, I really don't know if I can call this a chat item, but I have no option. Anyway, this snack, which I prepared as an evening snack on Sunday is courtsey the potatoes that were leftover after boiling them for the Aloo Methi.

There was wheat bread too, and I just improvised again, when R asked for a snack in the evening. It was raining outside, and I too felt like having something a little spicier, than what we normally have.

Things you need:

Wheat bread - cut into small pieces - 4-5 slices

Potatoes - boiled, peeled, and sliced - 3

Onions - finely chopped - 2

Green chilly - 1

Ginger paste - 2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Sev or bhujia - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - chopped - 1/4 cup

Lemon - 1/2

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in pan, and sautee the onions with the green chilly and ginger paste
• Add the potatoes and all the powders and mix
• Mix the bread with salt into the pan and keep stir frying on low flame
• Add pepper, and squeeze the lemon slice evenly over the mixture
• Garnish with the sev/ bhujia, and the coriander leaves

If you have imli chutney or paani, you can add that too to the dish

Serve hot with tomato sauce