Vanilla cake with mocha pudding

           Happy Valentine's Day

"Life without love is like a tree without blossom and fruit." Kahlil Gibran

For this wonderful valentine's day I made a cake which was filled with love ( Vanilla Flavored Cake ) & affection ( Mocha Pudding ). Vanilla cake recipe was same as my previous post. But the pudding was borrowed from food network website.

I was just crossing fingers for the recipe to come out perfectly & it was just yummy....

In my husbands words "Itz very delicious..Reminded me the taste of my fav pudding in my uk days"

Ingredients

For Cake

11/2 cups of all purpose flour

11/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt 

2/3 cup sugar 

2 Large eggs @ room temperature 

3/4 cup unsalted butter melted

1/2 cup milk ( Used 2% fat milk)

2 tsp vanilla extract

For Pudding

4 Egg yolks 

2/3 Cup sugar

1/8 Tsp salt

2 Tbs corn flour

1 Cup milk ( 2% milk)

1/2 Cup black coffee

1 Tbs Vanilla extract

1/2 Cup choco chunks

Cake recipe
Preheat oven @ 350 degrees F.
Dry Ingredients
Sift all purpose flour & mix baking powder,baking soda,all purpose flour & salt together in a bowl. 
Wet Ingredients
In another bowl beat eggs & sugar together till the sugar has dissolved.Then add melted butter & Vanilla one after another to the same bowl & keep mixing it with a hand mixer.

Mix the dry & wet ingredients along with milk.Once the batter is ready grease a pan with butter & pour the cake batter init.

Place cake in oven and bake it @ 350 degrees F for 20mins or till the stick comes out clean. ( I used a tooth pik)

Once done cool it on a rack.  

Pudding
In a bowl beat egg yolks,salt, sugar & corn flour to a smooth paste.Heat a bowl with milk,black coffee,vanilla extract & Choco pieces. Mix them till chocolate is melted & then slowly add the yolk mix to it. Keep mixing it till the pudding comes together. Refrigerate it for min of 1hr or over night. 

Later I used pudding as frosting to cake....
The leftover cake crumbs I arranged them in a cup with layers of pudding & njoyed it.... :)

Note:

1. Instead of butter you can use corn oil as a replacement. 

2. For more rich pudding replace 2% milk with whole milk or half creme & half milk.

Poached Egg Curry | Shakshouka | Anda Curry

Talking about poached egg they are just yummm to me.Aren't they ??? Call me crazy or whatever I Lovee Eggs...Just not that I do research on different recipes based with them too.While one of the researches I came across this Libyan recipe "Shakshouka". This is very much similar to Indian egg gravy but instead of boiled egg we add raw egg to pan & allow it to cook with the curry juices & steam.

Shakshouka with a Indian twist. 

Ingredients

2 Eggs 

1 Medium onion chopped 

2 Tomatoes cut in cubes

2 Green chilli's sliced

1 Garlic minced 

1 Tsp cumin powder

1 Tsp chilli powder

Corriander leaves finely chopped 

salt 

For a Indian twist I added a seasoning to the dish with... :) 

2 Tbs oil

1 Tsp mustard 

1 Tsp jeera 

1 Tsp channa dal 

1 Tsp Urad dal

Heat pan with oil add urad ,channa dal to pan & fry them till they turn light brown. Then add mustard & jeera to pan. Once mustard starts jumping add garlic, green chilli & onion to pan. Fry them till onion turns transparent. Then add tomato to pan with salt. Close pan with lid & allow tomato to cook. 

Once tomatoes are cooked add cumin powder & chilli powder along with 1/2 cup of water. Bring it to boil & break eggs directly in to pan.. Allow them to cook for 3 mins & switch off heat. Garnish it with coriander leaves & curry is ready to serve. 

* Serve with rice or roti... 

Note: 

1. If you want to you can cook them for some more time for a hard boiled yolk. 

2. Avoid adding green chilli's if you feel it's too spicy. 

Kandi Pachadi | Thuvaram Paruppu Thogyal | Toor Dal Chutney

As I mentioned in my previous post I'm stuck with arranging my house for In-Laws. All I want to do is make them feel comfortable in our house. I'm all most done & gearing up on making some recipes ahead to blog uninterruptedly. 
Today I wanted to share a Andhra delicacy "Kandi Pachadi"with you all. This chutney goes well with rice & dollop of ghee. I love it having as a side for roti & naan too.

 I have some more to share with you all too.... I have started my own photography page on Facebook - Sree's Photography.  Do check it out friends. I would love you all dropping by there & reviewing me.

Ingredients 
1 Cup toordal 
Red chilli 4 or 5 ( Depending on your spice level)  
1 Tsp jeera seeds 
1 Tbs tamarind pulp 
1 Tbs oil
Salt 
Seasoning 
1 Tsp mustard 
1 Tsp jeera 
1 Red chilli
1 Tbs oil
Hing 
.....
Heat a pan with oil & add toordal, red chilli's, jeera. Fry them till toor dal slightly changes it color Remove from heat & cool them for some time. 
Grind fried ingredients along with tamarind & salt.Grind it coarsely by adding little water.
Heat a pan with oil & to that add mustard, jeera & red chilli's to it. Once mustard starts jumping add hing and switch off heat. 
Take chutney in a bowl & mix seasoning to it.Chutney is ready to serve. 

Note: 
1.You can add little more water while grinding chutney if it is too dry. 
2.Chutney can stay good for 3-4 days when refrigerated. 

Pudina Idli / Mint Idli

I thought of making some thing special for this republic day.. But you know I'm all time busy with cleaning & setting house for my In-Laws who are coming next month.This is a old post I made for Independence day & reposting it for republic day. 

Coming to recipe these Idli's are filled with flavor of pudina/mint in every bite. If you allow the batter to ferment a bit for one day it tastes even better. 

You can serve them for breakfast or dinner along with coconut or peanut chutney.

Ingredients

For Idli

11/2 of urad dal

3 cups of Idli rava

Salt

For Stuffing

1 Cup pudina finely chopped

2 green chili's

1 cup finely chopped onion

Carrot for garnishing (optional)

Soak urad dal overnight or attest for 6 hrs to 8 hrs. Soak the rava for 1hr.

Grind dal to a fine paste. Now squeeze water from rava and add to the batter. Now add salt to the batter and mix it well.

*** Allow the batter to ferment for 1 day to get better taste. You can make atleast 40 Idlis with this measurement. 

For Mint Idli  

  

Mix mint, onion & green chili's to the batter. 

Now greese idli plates with little ghee ( Idlis won't stick to the plate. They come out clean.) and fill plates ith batter.Garnish with carrot on top if you like.

Heat the idli cooker with 11/2 cup of water & place the idli plates inside. Close it with a lid. & allow it to cook for 20mins to 30 mins.

Switch of heat and allow it to cook. Now remove the idli's and serve them with Ghee. 

Out Come: Those Idli's were heavenly. 

Egg Shells

This pic goes to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays !

Besan Ladoo

Happy Sankranti/ Pongal Friends... 

I was just breaking my head on what should I do for Sankranti. Giving a end to my thoughts I decided on making " Besan Ladoo" becoz hubby dear loves them. 

My mom use to make "Ariselu & Murukulu" for this festival. I don't know if there is any relation to "Ariselu" & to this festival, but all our neighbors would be busy making them. 

I was planning for drawing some "Rangoli" tomorrow in my balcony so that I won't be missing any part of the festival in US. I know we can't replace India, still got to adjust with our customs in new environment.

Adapted this recipe from Manjula's Kitchen.I followed her recipe & it came out perfect. 

Ingredients :

1 Cup besan/ Senagapindi / Kadalai Maavu flour

1/2 Cup ghee melted 

1/2 Cup sugar

1 Tsp elachi powder

2 Tbs sliced cashew

1 Tbs sliced almond for garnish (Optional)

Heat a pan with 1 tbs ghee. Add besan to pan & keep stirring it. Besan will turns golden color or a nice aroma comes once it starts turning golden color. 
Switch off heat and cool besan till you can handle it with your hand.Mix sugar, elachi & cashew to besan. Now add the rest of ghee to the mixture & mix the ingredients well.Now take a hanfull of mixture & shape it in to a ladoo. Repeat the same with rest of the mixture.Now dip them Garnish them with almonds on top & ladoo is ready to serve. 

Note :
1.Some time the mixture will be to dry to roll on, sprinkle little say 2tsp milk and it will be easy to roll on. 

3. Once ladoo are rolled you can dip them in ghee for a perfect taste or you can just add the ghee as I have done.
4. Add 3/4 tsp of sooji if you are using plain besan.

Gobi Manchuria

Here comes my first post of 2012. I have to say whole heartedly that 2011 was a blast & we (Me & Hubby) rocked every minute of it.On my personal end I have blogged for most of the year, improved in photography & top of all I lost 7kgs of weight. Got to see what's there in store for me this year :)

Ingredients:
For crisp gobi 
1 Medium Gobi
2 Tbs all purpose flour
2 Tbs corn flour
1 Tbs rice flour
1 Tbs ginger garlic & chilli paste
Salt
Oil for deep fry
For gravy 
1 Tbs garlic minced 
1 Tbs ginger sliced 
1 Medium onion
2 Green chilli's finely chopped
3 Tbs tomato ketchup 
2 Tbs chilli sauce
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs soya sauce
2 Tsp vinegar
1 Large tomato puree
2 Tbs chilli powder (Adjust acc. taste)
Salt
3 Tbs oil
Spring onion for garnish

For crisp gobi
Heat a vessel with water.Meanwhile cut gobi into florets & add  gobi to hot water & boil them for 10mins.Stain water & allow gobi to cool. 
In a bowl mix rice, corn, all purpose flour. Add salt & ginger-garlic & green chilli paste to bowl. Mix all ingredients with little water till you get a paste consistency.
Heat oil in a pan. Dip gobi florets in flour mix and add them to oil. Deep fry them crisp & stain them on kitchen towel. 

For gravy
Heat a pan with 3tbs oil. Add garlic & fry it till the raw smell goes. Then add ginger, green chilli & onion to pan.Fry them till onion becomes transparent.Then add ketchup, vinegar,soya sauce, chilli sauce & sugar to pan. Mix them well & allow it to cook for 3mins. Add tomato puree to pan along with salt & chilli powder.Cook for 10mins with a closed lid.
Now add the fried gobi to gravy & mix it well.Garnish it with spring onion on top and serve it warm. 

Note: 
1.You can add capsicum with onions for a crunchy bite. 
2. For a less fat version avoid deep frying of gobi. Grill them or microwave them till they become crisp. 
3. You can avoid frying of gobi totally & can replace it with boiled gobi.

I made ghee roti's & served with onions on side. 
***To round up it was irresistible & just tasted like a dhaba version. 

Bangaladumpa Masala Kura | Aloo Masala Sabji

Christmas has just passed on & New Year is ahead of us & I am so excited that this year I have accomplished a lot compared to previous years.This year I was planning on a Christmas tree but it in the last min we changed our plans & compromised with making a fruit cake/ plum cake for Christmas.

Ingredients: 

3 Large potatoes  (Cut in cubes)

2 Tomatoes chopped

1 Large onion chopped

2 Tbs oil (Add if you need more)

Masala 

1/2 Star anise 

1 Inch Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

1 Tbs ginger garlic paste 

1 Tbs coriander cumin powder 

1 Tbs garam masala powder 

2 Tsp chili powder (Optional)

Pinch of turmeric

Salt for taste

Coriander leaves for garnish

Heat a pan with 1tbs oil add star anise, cinnamon & cloves & fry them. Add ginger garlic paste,onions to pan & fry till onions turn transparent.Then add tomatoes to it. cook till tomatoes are cooked soft. 

Switch off heat & allow it to cool. Grind it to smooth paste.

Heat a pan with 1tbs oil & fry potato for few seconds & remove them. Add the tomato gravy to pan along with garam masala, coriander cumin, Chili powder turmeric & salt to it. Add potato to the gravy & mix well.cook it with a lid till oil separates on the sides. Check for potatoes if they are cooked well.

Garnish with coriander leaves & serve.

Note: 

1. Skip frying potatoes & instead add cubed potatoes directly to gravy.
2. You can exclude star anise from the recipe.

Sev Puri

I have  been thinking of BHW for quite a some time like what should I make for this week & all. After thinking, sorting & revamping I decided I would go with "Sev Puri " for this week. So I planned a head & got some puri from Indian stores & did a snack mela for couple of days till we our taste buds satisfied or say till all the puri's are done.

I made pani puri one day, sev puri the other & dahi puri the same day. But was able to capture these pics before attacking them as this is my BHW post :) 

It's been a long time since we had a nice chat. Say when we were in " Seattle " we had a nice place where we use to njoy all these chat items but after moving to CA it's been hard to find a good place.This week I was paired with Vidya of Sweet Karam Kapi 7 I chose " Sev puri " for blog hop.

Ingredients

7 Puri's

1 Cup sev

Sweet chilli sauce 

Coriander leaves for garnish

1/2 Cup onions

For aloo stuffing

1 Potato/aloo boiled

1 Tsp cumin coriander Powder

Pinch salt

Mash aloo with a spoon.Mix Salt & cumin coriander powder with aloo.

Curd Mix 

1/2 Cup curd 

1 Tsp cumin coriander Powder

Salt 

1/2 Tsp chilli powder 

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl & keep aside.

Take all puri's in a plate and make a hole in middle of them.Stuff them with little potato masala in middle and  sprinkle onions, sweet chilli sauce, curd & sev on them as shown in figure.Garnish them with coriander leaves & serve with extra sev sprinkled on them.

Note: 

1. I excluded tomato but you add it for extra flavor. 

2. Add the wet ingredients before you serve them. 

Veggie Dumplings

Ingredients

For Wrapper (Yields 20 Wrappers)

1Cup all purpose flour/ maida

1Tbs oil

Salt to taste

Luke warm water 

Veggie Stuffing

1/2Cup green cabbage chopped

1/2Cup red cabbage chopped

1/4Cup carrot chopped

1Clove garlic chopped

1/2Cup cooked vermicelli

Salt to taste

2Tsp olive oil

Dipping sauce 

3Tbs white wine vinegar 

3Tbs water

1Tbs chili powder 

1Tsp brown sugar

Salt 

Directions
Wrappers

- Mix flour & salt in a bowl along with water. Knead them to make a soft dough. Allow the dough to sit for 30mins.

- Divide in to 20 balls & roll out as we do for roti. You can shape them as you like. I made round & square shapes.

Making the filling

- Heat a pan with with little oil and add garlic and saute it. 

- Then add the rest of veggies along with salt and saute them for 5mins and switch of heat. 

Stuffing 

- Take a spoon full of filling & place it as shown in figure. close it as you like. I made triangles & half circles.

- Now steam cook them for 15 mins. Once removed from steam place them in a pan & fry them on each side with little oil.

Sauce 

Take a pan with above ingredients & bring them to boil. Cook it for 15 mins till it becomes thick. 

Serve dumpling along with dipping sauce & enjoy them :)

Note:

1. You can enjoy steamed dumpling with out frying them. 

2. Use sesame oil for enhanced flavor. 

Rice Salad

This year I had well spent my long weekend.. Guess why ??? We have been to Las Vegas with our friends & it was just a awesome trip. But once I'm back I was all tired & lazy to come back to blogging..

Lately today I realized that  I'm suppose to blog for Blog hop & I was searching for recipes which I could make it in no time. 

This time I'm paired with Rajani of "My Kitchen Trials" & I chose to make Rice Salad. Just to mention I was reading her blog for 2 to 3 hrs. The commentary she gave in some posts was very amusing & I just couldn't stop reading it.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots 
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red cabbage
• 1/2 cup sweet corn boiled
• Cilantro for garnish  

     Dressing  

• 2 Tbs white wine vinegar 
• Black Pepper powder 
• Sugar
• Salt

 

Take a small bowl with vinegar, salt, sugar& pepper.Mix them with up.

Now take a wide bowl with rice and add all veggies to it. Mix the dressing with Rice.

Allow it to sit for 15mins.That allows all flavors to blend with each other.

Garnish with cilantro & salad is ready to serve.

** I made this for my dinner & it was just Yumm... 

Drooling for chocolate then check this choco falls...