Blogger Vs Grammar

Frankly, I'm not a master in English language and at the same time... not bad too.  I try my best to give all my posts with proper grammar. I take it seriously. 😇.  "Perfection is not a skill; it's a compulsion." 

It has become a habit that even after days of publishing, I go back and read my old posts and find out something odd. Again, I try to correct or add in some more and update. 😓
Is this experience same with all other bloggers or only me?😯

English grammar... Fine😞... But Tehnology Grammar is a bit complicated😨...like is it 'in my blog' or 'on my blog'? Recently learnt that it's 'on my blog'. Still a lot more to learn. As I've mentioned in my first post, I am new to the blog world. Taking baby steps... 😊 👍 

Hotel style tiffin sambhar

Recipe adapted from Rakskitchen

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1/3 cup

Onion - 1/2 cup (chopped) 

Tomato - 1 (chopped) 

Carrot (any vegetable(s) of ur choice)  - 1 (small, chopped)

Tamarind extract - 1 tblsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp

Jaggery - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves,chopped - 2 tblsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt - to taste 

Sambar powder: 

Channa dal - 1 ½ tbsp

Coriander seeds - 1 ½ tbsp

Red chilli -  4 

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Coconut - ½ tbsp

** Roast in 1/2 tsp oil and powder coarsely. 

To Temper

Ghee - 3 tsp

Mustard - ¾ tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig 

Red Chilli - 1

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Heat a pressure cooker and add 2 tbsp of oil and generous pinch of asafoetida.
Saute chopped onions with a pinch of salt for 2-3 mins. Add tomatoes and carrot and stir well.
Add turmeric and the sambhar powder. Cook till the oil separates.
Add dal and 2 ½ cups of water. Let it boil.
Close the pressure and cook the dal. Keep aside.
Heat a Kadai with ghee and temper.
Add cooked dal, tamarind extract, jaggery and salt. Mix well.
Add required quantity of water to get sambhar consistency and let it boil.
Finally add the curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Notes:
For this recipe, my 1 cup measures 240 ml. 

Simple Vanilla Cake

 My son's vacation has started and he's at home. Do I need any other special reason to bake a cake? 😊

So I decided to make a plain n simple cake with his favourite whipped cream frosting. 

 I'm a beginner in baking... Yeah, I know. The cake's icing exposes that😜.. Please excuse 😆 

Ingredients:

Butter - ½ cup

Sugar - ¾ cup

Eggs - 2

Maida - 1 ¼ cup

Baking Powder - ¾ tsp

Hot Milk - 3-4 tbsp 

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Method:

1.Preheat oven at 180 C. 

2.Sieve maida and baking powder together. 

3.Beat butter, sugar, vanilla essence and salt, till it's creamy. 

4.Add eggs one at a time. Whisk well for 3 mins. 

5.Fold in the maida gently, adding little by little. 

6.Add milk (as required to get a pouring consistency) and mix gently. 

7.Pour the batter in a greased and lined deep rectangular baking tray (7 * 5 * 2 inch) .  

8. Bake it for 30 to 40 minutes. 

Notes:

1. The ingredients must be in room temperature. 

2. My cake was done in 35 mins. 

3. For this recipe, my 1 cup measures 240 ml

Rich Plum Cake (Eggless)

RICH PLUM CAKE (EGGLESS) 

Recipe adapted from Marias Menu

INGREDIENTS:

Maida –½ cup + 2 tbsp

Baking Soda – ¼ tsp

Baking Powder – ¼ tsp

All Spice powder (cloves+cardamoms+cinnamon +nutmeg) - 1 tsp

Brown Sugar – ½ cup (loosely packed)

Butter – 3 tbsp 

Whisked thick curd – ¼ cup

Hot Milk – 2 tbsp

Dates syrup - 1 tsp or caramel - refer notes

Vanilla Essence – ½ tsp

Cardamom essence - ¼ tsp (optional) 

Cashews + Almonds - ¼ cup (chopped) 

Cherries - 5 (halved) 

Candied orange peel (chopped finely) - 1 tbsp

Dates (chopped) + raisins - ½ cup 

Apple Juice - ½ cup

METHOD:

1. Soak dates and raisins overnight in Apple juice. Before making the cake, drain the dry fruits and mix it with Cherries, candied orange peel, cashews and almonds. Toss it with a tbsp of maida to coat and keep aside 

2. Mix maida, baking powder, baking soda and all spice powder together and keep aside. 

3. Now whisk butter with brown sugar till light & fluffy. 

Add hot milk, curd, dates syrup (or caramel), Cardamom essence & vanilla essence and mix well. 

4. Fold in the flour mixture in two batches.

5. Add the dry fruits and nuts mixture. 

6. Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined round baking tray (6 inch) . 

7. Bake it in a preheated oven @ 180 °C FOR 45 mins or till done. 

Notes:

1. For this recipe, my one cup measures 240 ml

2. I used store bought tetra pack Apple juice for this recipe. 

3. Coating the dry fruits and nuts in maida prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the baking tray.

4. Caramel recipe :Heat 4 tbsp of white sugar & ½ tbsp water and let the sugar melt. When the color  becomes dark brown, carefully (to avoid hot splashes and burns) pour 2 tbsp of warm water immediately and stir well. Remove from flame and let it cool completely.

A cake wreck rescue operation 😆

An eggless cake, with overwhelming milk-powder taste 😔...it was an 'Okay' cake...but still... I was not satisfied😕

Didn't want to leave it just like that... 

So,  I sliced the cake and sandwiched it with mango buttercream icing 🍰. A total saver💃✌

My son liked only blackforest cake, but after I started baking... He eats anything that comes out of my oven😀... Ha ha😊... 

And that goes for this cake too... He loved it... What else do I need? I'll definitely keep baking... For him👦😚. 

Butterscotch Swirl Cake

Butterscotch-swirl-cake

This recipe was bit complicated for a beginner like me, but luckily the cake was perfect. All you need is a little patience and planning. And you end-up with a delicious n yummy cake 😊.

Recipe adapted from Marias Menu and Leave room for dessert...

Ingredients:
For cake:
Butter - ½ cup
Sugar - ¾ cup
Eggs - 2
Maida - 1 ¼ cup
Baking Powder - ¾tsp
Milk - ¼ cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch

For Butterscotch Swirl:
Brown sugar - ½ cup
Custard powder - 2 tbsp
Milk - ½ cup
Unsalted butter- 2 tsp

Egg - 1

Method:

1.Preheat oven at 180 C. 

2. First prepare the buttscotch sauce:

- Combine brown sugar,  custard powder and milk in a saucepan. 

- Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens (ketchup consistency) 

- Stir in butter and remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. 

- Stir in egg. Use while warm.

3. For the Cake

- Sieve maida and baking powder together. 

- Beat butter, sugar and salt, till it's creamy. 

- Add eggs one at a time. Whisk well for 3 mins. 

- Fold in the maida gently, adding little by little. 

- Add milk and vanilla essence and mix gently. 

4. Grease and flour a 20 cm (8 inch) bunt pan or 20 cm round pan. 

5. Spread ⅔ of  the cake batter into the pan. 

6. Pour butterscotch sauce evenly over mixture. 

7. Finally top it with remaining cake batter and spread it with the help of a fork swirling it slightly.

8. Bake it for 30 to 40 minutes. 

9. Butterscotch Swirl cake is ready to serve. 

Notes:

1. The ingredients must be in room temperature. 

2. Use a Whisk to prepare the butterscotch sauce to avoid lumps.  

3. The sauce should be thick, ketchup/sauce consistency. 

4. Pour 2/3rd of the cake batter into the base of the pan to avoid the butterscotch sauce from sinking to the bottom. 

5. Use a fork to swirl the top cake batter layer. 

6. My cake was done in 30 mins. 

7. For this cake, my 1 cup measures 240 ml.  

Quilling - My First Project

It's my first quilling work, so kept it simple. 

I start anything and end up doing it awesome...  It's all because of my Mom's excruciating pressure... 

Ha ha... I owe it all to her... Only her... 

She keeps pushing me to my limits... And gets the best out of me. 

This project is one such thing. 

Framing it in a ferrero rocher box was her idea. It's cool... Isn't it? ... 😊 

Coral Hibiscus - My Click - Chennai

Japanese Lantern 

Camera : Samsung Galaxy s5 

Location : Kilpauk, Chennai. 

From Wikipedia:
Hibiscus schizopetalus is a species of Hibiscus, native to tropical eastern Africa in Kenya,Tanzania and Mozambique. Its common names include fringed rosemallow, Japanese lantern, coral hibiscus, and spider hibiscus.
For more:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_schizopetalus 

Colours and Shades

Colours and Shades... 

Isn't it so pleasant to see... When simple drawings turn vibrant with colours and appropriate shading... 

Credits: Colour combination...guided by my Mom 😊

Spicy Chicken Gravy

 Spicy Chicken Gravy

Adapted from Solaiachi's Kitchen

Ingredients:

List 1:

Chicken - 500 gms

Tomatoes-2 (medium-sized, chopped finely) 

Gingelly / coconut oil - 5 tbsp

Salt to taste 

List 2:

Turmeric powder -  1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

List 3:

Ginger - ½ inch piece

Onion - 2 (medium sized) 

Garlic - 10 pods

Green chillies - 1 (2 inch) 

Chillie powder-1 tsp

Coriander powder-3 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

List 4:

Coconut grated - 5 tbsp / coconut milk powder - 3 tbsp

Cashew nut - 5 / kasa Kasa - 2 tsp

List 5: 

Cinnamon - 2 pieces

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Clove - 3

Cardamom - 2

Kalpaasi - A small piece 

Birinji leaf - half leaf

Curry leaf - 15 leaves

Mint leaves - 10 (optional) 

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and marinate with the ingredients in list 2. 

2. Grind the ingredients in list 3 and keep it aside (paste 1).

3. Grind the ingredients in list 4 and keep it aside (paste 2) . 

4. Heat a Kadai and add oil. 

5. Add the ingredients in list 5. 

6. Now add the ground paste 1 and salt. Cook well till the oil separates. 

7. Add the marinated chicken. Cook for 3-5 mins at high flame stirring occasionally and then cover and cook at low flame for 5-7 mins. 

8. Once the chicken is almost done, add the finely chopped tomatoes. Cook till the oil separates. 

9. Finally add the ground paste 2 and cook for 5 mins. 

10. Again cook till the oil separates. 

11. Add water, If you need a watery gravy. 

 Note:
1. As the chicken is marinated with salt, so while cooking please take care of salt level when adding extra.
2. At each stage wait patiently and cook till the oil separates.

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Adapted from Jeyashri's Kitchen

A simple, butterless, eggless cake, and it was porous and spongy too. 

The original recipe called for 160°c... But I raised it to 180°c. 

The cake's crust was bit dry... Not sure if it was due to the temperature I baked it at.

So I just trimmed the outer crust and frosted the cake with simple chocolate butter icing. 

It was so yummy 😋. 

My hubby (not much of a cake lover) and son gobbled all the slices... 😊

Recipe follows... 

For the cake... 

Ingredients:

Maida - 1 cup

Fresh cream - 1/2 cup

Milk Powder - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Baking Soda - A pinch

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp 

Hot water - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Sieve together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Sieve milk powder separately. 

2. Beat the fresh cream, milk powder and sugar . Add the vanilla essence and hot water. Whisk well. 

3. Now add the flour mixture little by little and fold gently. Mix this evenly.

4. Bake this in a greased and floured 6 inch round baking tray in a preheated oven at 160°c for 20 to 25 minutes or till done. 

For the Chocolate Butter icing... 

Ingredients :

Icing sugar - 3 cups

Butter (@ room temperature, softened)  - 1 cup

Cocoa - 2 tbsp 

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Fresh cream - optional

Method:

1. Sieve icing sugar and cocoa powder. 

2.Whisk the sieved mixture and butter together. 

3. Add the essence and cream well. 

4. If the buttercream is not in a spreadable consistency, add fresh cream and mix well. 

5. Simple chocolate butter icing is ready. 

Note:

1. The cake was not too sweet, but the Frosting balanced it. 

2. If you are not frosting, then add sugar (a couple of tablespoons extra). 

3. For this cake, my 1 cup measures 240 ml. 

4. Update : when I baked this cake once again on another occasion, I baked it @160 c. And this time, the cake was perfect. 

Perfect Rava Kesari

Perfect Rava Kesari 

Adapted from Rakskitchen

Ingredients:
Rava - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Water - 1 & 1/2 cup
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 7-8 nos
Raisins - 10
Kesari colour - A pinch

Method
1. In a non-stick Kadai, roast the cashews and raisins in 1 tbsn ghee. Drain the cashews (when turns light brown)  and raisins (when it gets puffed up)  and keep it aside. 
2. In the same Kadai, now add the remaining ghee and rava. Roast rava by stirring constantly until it turns light brown.Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside. 
3. Add the water to the kadai and bring to boil. Add the fried rava little by little to the boiling water and keep stirring simultaneously.Take care no lumps are formed, stir well. Cook it covered for 3-4 minutes or until the rava gets cooked. 
4. Add the sugar,kesari colour and Cardamom powder.  Stir well for 4-5 minutes or untill the kesari forms as a whole mass (doesn't stick to the pan).
5. Grease a plate with ghee. Transfer the Kesari to the plate and spread it. After cooling down, cut it into diamond shapes. 

Note:
1.The entire recipe was cooked in slow flame.
2. For this recipe, my 1 cup measures 240 ml.  

*You can read my first exciting experience making this recipe... Here...😊