Chai Coffee Cake

Recently Tartelette bug bit me and I was going through a phase of baking.She was such a wonderful pastry chef and we can spend whole day going through her blog and she is as beautiful as her pictures.Today's recipe is from her blog.This is simple yet one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted.

Ingredients:
For Topping:
Sugar-1/3 cup
Brown sugar-1/3cup
Ground cinnamon-1tsp
Ground Cardamom-1tsp
Salt-1/4tsp
Plain flour-1cup
Butter-1/2cup melted and cooled slightly.

Method:
In a bowl mix together all the ingredients except butter.
Gradually add the butter and mix with a spatula till the mixture gets sand like texture.

Cake:
Ingredients:
Plain flour-13/4cup
Baking powder-3/4tsp
Baking soda-1/2tsp
Salt-1/4tsp
Butter-2/3cup at room temperature
Sugar-1cup
Vanilla extract-11/2tsp
Sour Cream-2/3cup

Method:

1. In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients(Flour,Baking powder,Baking soda and salt) well.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and beat in eggs one at a time for 3minutes.
3. Now gently add flour and sour cream in alternate additions by mixing thoroughly after each addition.
4. Pour half of the cake mixture into 9 inch square pan and then top with topping and then pour remaining batter and left over topping.
5. Bake at 180 degree centigrade for 1 hour or till sewer inserted at center of the cake comes out clean.

Note:

I don't have sour cream.So I added 2tsp lemon juice to normal cream and it worked well.

Patoli

This is a traditional andhra dish and mom used to make it for my lunch when I was in school.It is easy to prepare and goes very well with steamed rice and ghee.The main ingredient is chana dal and you can also use vegetables such as French beans in its preparation.

Ingredients:

Chana Dal -1cup(Soak in water)

Red chillies-8-10(Adjust to your taste)

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Onion-1medium chopped

Curry leaves-few

Salt to taste

Oil-3tbsp.

Method:

1. Grind chana dal, red chillies,salt and cumin seeds to a coarse paste(Add some water if needed)
2. Now heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and fry the onion till it becomes transparent.
3. Now add curry leaves and fry for a while.
4. Now add chana dal paste, cover it and cook stirring once in while.(Be careful.You have to stir it frequently other wise patoli will get burnt.To prevent the mixture from drying add 2tbsp of oil while stirring.It will take nearly 20-25 minutes to get fry powder like texture)
5. Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Notes:

If you want to add French beans, add cooked beans just 5 minutes before switching off the flame amd stir it well.

Strawberry Cake

For us strawberries are in season and they are very juicy and tasty. When I went to market last week I bought 3 punnets. So I decided to bake strawberry cake. This is the first time I am attempting this cake and I was very happy with the result.Though the process is tedious and time taking it is worth.I simply loved the cake and even my husband who is not fond of cakes too liked it

Ingredients:
Sifted Cake Flour-2cups
Baking powder-2tsp
Salt-1/2tsp
Unsalted Butter-3/4cup
Sugar-11/2 cups
Large eggs separated-3
Coconut milk-1cup

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit
2. Line cake tin with parchment paper, grease it and dust with all purpose flour
3. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt.
4. With electric beater beat butter at medium speed until soft and light.
5. Add sugar and continue to mix about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy
6. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition.
7. On low speed alternately add flour mixture in 3 additions and  coconut milk in 2 additions.
8. In a clean bowl, beat egg white at high speed to soft peaks.
9. Gently fold one third of egg whites into batter, fold in remaining gently but thoroughly.
10. Bake for about 35 minutes or till the skewer inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean. 

For the icing:
Sugar-1/2 cup
Egg white of 1egg
Strawberries chopped-1cup
Grated dry coconut-1/2cup

Method:
Beat egg white till it is soft and fluffy and then add sugar and strawberries  stirring constantly.
Flavor with vanilla and rose water.
Cool cake completely and just insert skewer at many places in the cake to allow the absorption of icing and pour icing over it and refrigerate it for one hour.
Finally dust it with grated coconut


Notes
Never beat at high speed when you are adding flour to the batter. It will disturb the aeration in the batter and cake will become hard.Mix it gently and thoroughly.
Cake flour can be made with plain flour and corn flour. See here. Sift it nearly 4-5 times to get the best result.

Vinayaka Chathurthi

Today is Vinayaka Chaturthi. I wish you a happy Vinayaka Chathurthi.This is celebration of Lord Vinayaka's birthday.  Lord Vinayaka is very much fond of food and so many people offer different varieties of food as naivedyam to lord after pooja.I made undrallu , Plantain bajji and chekra pongali as naivedyam and for lunch we had brinjal curry, sambar and ginger chutney , puliogare along with these.Today I am blogging puliogare recipe.

Puliogare:



Ingredients:
Rice -1cup
Tamarind-1lemon sized ball(Soak in warm water and extract juice)
Red chillies-2-3
Green chillies-1(Slit lengthwise)
Asfoetida-Big pinch
Turmeric-1tsp
Ground nuts-1tbsp
Bengal gram-11/2tsp
Black gram-1tsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Cumin seeds-1tsp
Salt to taste
Puliogare powder-11/2tbsp

Method:

1. Cook rice by adding 2cups of water and cool it.
2. Now in a pan add 1tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds.
3. When they start to splutter add cumin seeds, black gram, Bengal gram and pea nuts. When they turn  nice brown add red chillies ,asfoetida and fry for a while..
4. Now add this tempering to cooked rice.
5. In the same pan add tamarind juice and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Now add turmeric, green chillies, puliogare powder,salt and boil for another more 5 minutes.
7. Now pour this on rice and mix well.(Preferably with hands)

Puliogare powder:
Dry coconut(Shredded)1/2cup
Coriander seeds-2tsp
Pepper corns-1tsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Sesame seeds-11/2tsp
Curry leaves-few
Black gram-1tsp
Bengal gram-1tsp
Peanuts-11/2tsp
Red chillies-6-7
Asfoetida-Pinch

Method:
Roast all the above except coconut and sesame, till they emit nice aroma.
Then add sesame,coconut and fry till they brown.
Now grind it to fine powder.(This can be prepared a head and can be stored up to 15 days)

Notes:
You can prepare this with even without puliogare powder.
Add tamarind juice according to your taste.I have added a little less to suit to our taste buds.
As soon as you add puliogare powder to tamarind juice keep on stirring to prevent the formation of lumps

Idli

Idli, one of the  most favorite breakfasts(At least for me)on this earth is easy to make and healthy because it don't need  oil and rich in proteins.What more you need to describe it as best breakfast?. Spring has started here and we are having warm days and cold nights. I am very happy for two reasons as I am sick of winter  and  in this warm weather the batter can be fermented quickly unlike in  winter where I have to wait for 2 days for batter to ferment and rise.

Ingredients:
Urad dal(whole)-1cup
Idli rava-11/2cup
Salt to taste

Process:

1. Soak urad dal and idli rava in water  seperately for 5-6 hours
2. Now grind urad dal to fine paste by adding water.
3. Wash idly rava 3-4 times and mix it with urad dal paste.
4. Let the batter to ferment.(An indication that batter is well fermented is batter will rise and there will be lot of aeration in batter)ans add salt to batter
5. Grease Idli trays with ghee and  pour the batter into trays in equal proportions and cook them in pressure cooker(Without whistle)o idli stand for 10-15 minutes.
6. Serve with chutney or sambar

Notes:

1. Wash idli rava thoroughly.
2. For softer idlis the batter should be fermented well.Batter will take less time to ferment in warm environment than in cold environment. In winter generally I keep the batter in oven(Switched off).
3. Adding salt to batter before fermentation will effect fermentation

Bok Choy Noodle Soup

My husband has brought two bok choy bunches as he want to try these leafy vegetable from many days.This Bok choy also known as Chinese cabbage is a good source of vitamin A and C. On go-ogling  for its recipes I found this recipe interesting and has made soup with it.It is not only comforting soup in cold weather but also acts as good natural remedy against cold flu or bug.

Ingredients:
Vegetable stock-2cups
Rice noodles-120gm
Ginger grated-1tsp
Soft tofu-Nearly 1/4 package  made into medium sized cubes
Bok choy-1bunch chopped into bite sized pieces and vegetables of your choice(I have used red capsicum and snow peas)
Soy sauce-2tbsp
Coconut milk-1/2 cup
Fresh Basil-1/4 cup
Chilly sauce-2tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook noodles according to instructions and keep them aside
2. Place stock in soup pan together with bok choy, ginger and all the vegetables.
3. Brig it to boil and simmer it till all the vegetables are cooked.
4. Now add coconut  milk and stir it well 
5. Add  the tofu.gently stirring so that tofu does not fall apart.
6. Now add chilly sauce.
7. Finally add salt and do the taste test.
8. For serving pour several ladles of soup over each bowl of noodles.Sprinkle fresh basil leaves over each bowl.

Notes:
Be careful while adding salt because soy sauce also contains salt. If the soup has become salty add some lime juice.
Pad thai noodles are the best noodles for this soup.

Vangi Bhath

Vangi Bhath with Cucumber Raita

Vangi bhath is a  maharashtrian food that is also popular in Banglore and Andhra Pradesh. There are variations in preparing Vangi Bhath spice mix but I stick to the following masala most of the times.This dish is very easy to prepare.When my friend tasted this dish at our home she said it was one of the most delicious dishes she has ever tasted.So I am very happy to share this recipe.


Ingredients:
Onion -1medium chopped
Cashew nuts-2tbsp(Broken into pieces)
Brinjal-1medium size(Cubed into 1 inch pieces. Cook the brinjal in microwave on high for 4 minutes or till they become soft )
Salt to taste
Vangi bhath spice mix
Rice -2cups
Oil-2tbsp

Method:

1. Cook the rice with 3 cups of water.
2. In a pan add 1tbsp oil and fry the cashews till they turn nice brown. Remove them and keep  aside.
3. Now in the same add 1tbsp oil and fry the onion till it becomes transparent.
4. Now add the brinjal and fry for awhile.
5. Add the vangi Bhath spice mix and cook for 1 minute.
6. Now add salt and cooked rice and mix it well.
7. Garnish with fried cashews and serve with raita of your choice.

For spice mix:
Bengal gram-2tbsp
Urad dal-11/2tbsp
Coriander Seeds-11/2tbsp
Red Chillies-7-8(Adjust to your taste)
Sesame seeds-1tsp
Ground nuts-1tbsp
Dry coconut-1tbsp
Turmeric-Big pinch
Asafoetida-Pinch

Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients(Except turmeric and Asafoetida) till they turn brown and emit nice aroma. Then add turmeric and asafoetida and grind it to fine powder.


Notes:

1. If you don't want to cook brinjal in microwave add cubed brinjals in pan  after frying onions and cook till they are done.
2. Be careful not to burn any spice while dry roasting them(Initially roast Bengal gram, urad dal,groundnut,Sesame seeds. When they turn golden brown then add dry coconut,coriander seeds and red chillies)

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