Minimalist Drawing - Mom n Me

An idea from Pinterest... Minimalist Drawing - Mom n Me

Classic Walnut Brownie

Brownie... Who doesn't like a slice of fudgy, chocolaty, chewy, intense rich decadent Brownie underneath a crispy crust.  It is meant to be like that. Otherwise it would be just a Chocolate cake. 

So, here it is... A simple but perfect BROWNIE. Period. 

Recipe adapted from Maureen Callahan's Intense rich brownies. 

Ingredients:

Maida - 3/4 cup
Cocoa powder - 3/4 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup (packed)
Salted butter - 6 tbsp (melted)
Semi-sweet chocolate - 85 gms (1/2 cup)
Milk - 1/3 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Eggs - 2 (large)
Walnuts (chopped) - 1 cup


Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175°.
2.Grease and line a 10"x6" rectangle baking pan.
3.In a double boiler over low heat/microwave (for 30 seconds), melt chocolate with milk and remove from heat.
4.In a separate bowl, combine the first 5 dry ingredients. Mix the walnuts in it.
5.When the chocolate has cooled, whisk in the melted butter, eggs and vanilla.
6.Add the dry ingredients and fold gently to combine.
7.Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
8.Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.
9. Let it cool completely for a couple of hours.
10. Slice and serve.

Tips:

1. My 1 cup measures 240 ml.
2. Leave enough extra lining paper to overhang on the 2 long sides of the baking tray, so that you can grab the edges and use it as a sling to remove the brownies.
3. Use a serrated plastic knife to mark the squares and then just run over a pizza cutter to cut the brownies perfectly.
4. I got brownies of 1 inch thick.

Instant-no dal Sambhar

A very simple and fast-to-cook side dish. It's tasty too 😋. 

Recipe adapted from Yummytummyaarthi

Ingredients:

~~~~~~~~

Oil - 5 tblspn

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asafoetida - a pinch

Onion - 1 (medium, chopped finely or sliced) 

Tomato - 1 (large, sliced) 

Green Chilli - 1 sliced

Besan flour - 2 tblspn

Chilli Powder - ½ tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp

Sambhar powder - ½ tsp (optional) 

Potato -  2 (medium sized, boiled with a pinch of turmeric powder +½ tsp salt) 

Water - 2 cups or as needed

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind - 3 pods

Coriander leaves - 5 sprigs (chopped finely) 

Method:

~~~~~~

1. Heat oil in a kadai, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and Asafoetida. 

2. Add onions and green chillies. Saute for a couple of minutes. 

3. Then add tomatoes and saute till the oil starts to separate slightly. 

4. Reduce the flame. Add besan flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and sambhar powder. Stir well for a minute. 

5. Add water. Slightly mash the potatoes with fingers and add it. Finally add salt, tamarind, and sugar, and let it boil. 

6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve. 

Nargisi Kofta - Scotch Eggs - Chicken Egg Balls

Nargisi Kofta - Scotch Eggs - Chicken egg balls... A recipe from a cookery show... Tried and tested by my Mom,  with a bit of help from me. It turned out really yummy 😋 

Ingredients:

Eggs (boiled) - 3

1 whole egg and 1 cup bread crumbs for coating

Oil as required for deep frying

Outer crust ingredients:

Finely minced/ground chicken - 250 gms

Big Onion (finely chopped) -  1½

Green chillies (finely chopped) - 2

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Salt - as per taste

Coriander leaves

Method:

1. Mix all the outer crust ingredients. 

2. Divide the mixture into 3 equal balls. 

3. Take 15cm *15 cm aluminum foil. Place a ball at the centre and press gently. Now place an egg in it and wrap it around using the aluminum foil. Avoid touching the outer crust mixture with bare hands. The aluminum foil does not stick to the outer crust mixture,and that helps us to easily wrap it around the egg avoiding the clumsiness of sticking. 

4. Next crumb coat the balls by first dipping it in egg and then coating it with bread crumbs. Roll the balls gently to a perfect egg or ball shape. 

5. Finally, heat the oil and deep fry the balls in low flame till golden brown. 

Youtube link : Here

Chicken Dry Roast

Chicken dry roast... It's my Mom's recipe and one of my favorite dish from her cooking. It's so simple and very yummy. Goes with anything or nothing 😋... Yes you can indulge with a bowl of this just like that. I do that 😜. 

Happy to share the recipe with you... Here it goes... 

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/2 kg

Gingelly oil - 3 tbsp

Sunflower oil - 3 tbsp

1 sprig curry leaves

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Sambhar powder - 1/2 tsp 

Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp

Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon powder - a pinch

Cornflour - 1/2 tsp

Salt - as per taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method:.

1. Clean and wash the chicken. 

2. Heat oil in a non-stick Kadai. 

3. Add the chicken, curry leaves and salt. Close the Kadai and cook the chicken in low flame stirring occasionally. 

4.Cook the chicken till the soup water (which oozes out from the chicken)reduces to 2tbsp, then add Ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. 

5. As the oil starts separating, add all the masala powders and saute for a few minutes. 

6. Sprinkle the cornflour and saute for minute. 

7. Turn the stove to high flame, and finally saute the chicken for just 1 minute till it gets roasted. Switch off the stove. 

8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Easy and delicious chicken dry roast is ready to serve. 

Udipi Sambhar

Sambhar... My Husband's favorite. So I keep hunting for different varieties for him.  Found one different version called Udipi Sambhar. It tasted really yummy 😋. So here it is..

Recipe adapted from Hebbar's kitchen

Ingredients:

For masala:
1 tsp oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp urad dal
⅛ tsp methi seeds
3 dried red chillies (long)
¼ cup coconut (I used desiccated)

Main ingredients:
2 tsp oil
15 shallots (small onions, peeled and chopped finely/whole)
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
½ cup tamarind extract (4-5 pods soaked in water)
few curry leaves
½ tsp Jaggery (crushed)
salt to taste
½ cup toor dal

For tempering:
2 tsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 dried red chilli
few curry leaves
¼ tsp Asafoetida

Method:

1.  For the masala, heat oil in a pan and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, methi seeds and red chilies. Lastly add the coconut and sauté for a few seconds. Remove from heat and let it cool. Then grind it to a paste (not to smooth) adding 1/4 cup of water.
2. Heat a pressure cooker and add oil. Then add the shallots and curry leaves and sauté to the shapes turn golden brown.
3. Next add turmeric and chili powder, and stir for a couple of minutes.
4. Then add the jaggery and tamarind water/extract. Allow it to boil.
5. Add toor dal and 1 ½ cup of water. Let it boil. Then close the cooker and cook for 6-8 whistles or till the the dal is done.
6. For tempering the sambhar, heat oil in a tadka pan and add mustard seeds, dried red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves. Let it splatter.
7. Pour it over the prepared sambar and mix.
8. Transfer it to a serving bowl and serve it with crispy dosa or hot piping idlizzzz.

Notes:

For this recipe, my 1 cup measures 240 ml.

Viennese Rosettes

With basic ingredients, you can simply mix and bake these lovely rosettes. And they'll just melt in your mouth. Yum!!! 

Recipe adapted from Pepper, Chilli & Vanilla

Ingredients: (Makes ~ 35 cookies) 

125 gms butter (@ room temp)

125 gms maida 

50 gms icing sugar 

25 gms corn flour 

1\2 tsp essence

1 tbsp milk 

Method:

1. Sieve maida and cornflour together.

2. Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

3. Add Vanilla essence and maida-cornflour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well. 

4. Add milk and mix till the dough becomes thick, but still sticky.

5. Fit the piping bag with star nozzle.

6. Pipe the rosettes on a baking tray,  lined with parchment paper and bake at 180 ° Celsius for 12-15 mins.

7. Remove from the baking tray and place on wire rack to cool.

My Notes:

1. The cookies were mildly sweet, so I sandwiched them with buttercream.

2. If you want to have them as plain cookie, you may add more sugar. 

3. My cookie batter/dough was quite thick and so it was difficult to pipe the rosettes. You can add more milk to get the right piping consistency and use a bigger nozzle. 

4. I'd like to try this one too... 

http://www.premascook.com/2011/06/vienese-fingers.html 

Will update soon... 

A Special Cake for my Junior!!!

I had recently made this cake for my son's birthday. I was so happy with my work, I felt I ought to share this creation of mine with you guys.

This cake is actually a chocolate chiffon cake. It has then been iced with whipped cream frosting. These delicious looking roses are piped with whipped cream frosting as well. The cake is bordered with my son's favorite chocolate twisted wafers.

Happy Baking!!!

Bitter Gourd Thokku

Bitter Gourd Thokku

It's a spicy, tangy thokku with a hint of sweetness. A yummy way to eat the "BITTER" bitter gourd. 

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 1 (big) 

Small onions - 25 gms 

Tomato - 1

Garlic - 3 cloves 

Tamarind - Half lemon-sized

Warm water - 150 ml

Salt - 1 tsp + ¼ tsp (divided) 

Oil - 5 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Green Chillies - 1

Fennel seeds- 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Jaggery - 10 - 15 gms 

Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Fennel powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. First, slit the bitter gourd, discard the seeds, and chop it finely. Add 1/4 tsp salt to it, mix well and keep it aside for 10 mins. Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Mash the garlic slightly. Chop the onions and tomato and slit the green chillies. 

2. Later wash the bitter gourd and drain any excess water. Add chilli powder, Coriander powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and 1tsp salt to it and mix well. 

3. Heat the Kadai, add oil, mustard and fennel seeds. Let it splatter. Next add onions, garlic and green chilles and cook till the onions turn golden brown. Then add the bitter gourd mixture and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add in the chopped tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes or until the raw smell goes and oil separates. 

4. Next filter and add the tamarind extract water and let it boil for 5 minutes. Finally crush and add the Jaggery, and let it cook until the mixture thickens and oil separates. 

Note:

1. My 5 tbsp oil is a mixture of groundnut oil and gingelly oil. 

Rusk Halwa

Rusk halwa

 When I was doing my PG in Madurai, I had a couple of Sourashtrian friends. Whenever they returned back to the hostel, after attending a marriage or some other function, they would pack a tiffin container full of this Rusk halwa. It's a dessert they make for all special occasions. Those days I just ate, ate and ate the delicious halwa but never thought to get hold of its recipe. Actually they call this as Bun halwa. The taste is halfway between our gulab jamun and the traditional thirunelveli halwa. Then, what else more to say, it's an absolute yummy dessert.

 A few years ago , I was mentioning about this halwa and its taste to my aunt. She immediately grabbed a pack of buns, dunked it in milk, sugar and ghee.... Stirred everything together and made a sweet (???!!!). Yes,it was not halwa, the taste and texture was terrible. I had to put on a smiling face and had a bowl of that. But I told her it was not of the same taste. Finally my uncle came to my rescue. He asked my aunt to discard it. Phew!!!  

Then after many years, I got in touch with one of the PG friend "S" . I asked her for the recipe and she immediately mesaged it to me. Thanks Dear 😊. 

When I read the recipe, and there... I found the secret... Though it's called Bun halwa, it's main ingredient was Rusk and not Bun 😂😝. 

So, here is the recipe for the yummy 'Rusk' halwa, mostly adapted from my friend's. I slightly changed the measurements and the preparation method according to my taste. 

Ingredients:

Rusk powder - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Sugar - 2/3 cup

Ghee - 1/3 cup

Cashews - 15 (broken) 

Raisins - 10 (optional) 

Method:

1. Heat all the ghee in a non-stick Kadai.  Fry the cashews and raisins, drain, remove and keep it aside. 

2. Next roast the rusk powder in the same kadai nicely for 2-3 mins in low flame. Do not let it to get burnt, keep stirring gently and continuously. 

3. Then add water little by little stirring continuously to avoid lumps 

4. When the ghee separates from the mixture, add the sugar little by little stirring continuously. 

5. Stir well so that all the sugar melts, add the fried cashews and raisins. Cook till the mixture leaves the sides and ghee separates. Remove from heat. 

Simple n yummy halwa is ready. 

Note:

1. My 1 cup measures 240 ml .

2. Using a good quality non-stick vessel makes cooking this halwa an easy job. 

3. I used cardamom flavoured rusk. If using plain rusk, you can add a few pinches of cardamom powder before adding the sugar.

4. Ghee and sugar can be added more or less according to your taste. 

Eggless Coconut Macaroons

I was searching a recipe for South Indian "thengai biscuit" and found this. It almost tasted the same. These yummy coconut balls are mildly sweet and full of flavor. 

Recipe adapted from Saras Yummy Bites

I tried with 1/4th of the measurements and that yielded 5 macaroons. Yeah... I know... The picture above shows only 4 after baking😝... It was so tempting and I impatiently gobbled one😆. Out from the oven, straight into my tummy 😋😊

Ingredients:
Sweetened condensed milk - 200 grams
Milk - 60 ml
Maida - 16 grams
Sweetened shredded coconut flakes - 135 grams
Semolina / Rava - 15 grams
Cardamom Powder - 5 grams
Baking soda - A pinch
Salt - A pinch

Method:
1. Mix condensed milk & milk together well with wooden spoon or whisk.
2. Then add semolina, maida, baking soda, cardamom powder & salt and mix it well.
3. Add the coconut flakes to this mixture & mix. The batter will be firm.
4. Roll them into small Lemon-sized balls or spoon the batter on a greased and floured tray.
5. Bake it 200° c for 12-15 minutes or until done (Mine got done in 15 mins) .
6. Remove the macaroons and cool them on a wire rack.
7. Store in an air-tight container.

Notes:
1.This recipe yields 20 macaroons.
2. The original recipe calls for 32 grams Maida. But for me half the measurement was perfect.
3. I prefer cardamom powder to vanilla essence for this recipe.