Dec 3, 2012

Aashirvaad Atta Banana Muffins


















Aashirvaad Atta Banana Muffins

A tasty and healthy muffins, made of wholewheat (atta), well ripe bananas, egg, powdered sugar  and also without butter / oil / ghee !!

Preparation Time - 10 minutes
Baking Time - 20 minutes
Makes -9 in small paper cases

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure wholewheat and sugar.

1 cup / 200 ml Aashirvaad atta (wholewheat) Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup powdered sugar

1 egg, beat well

4 small size or 2 big size well ripe bananas bananas (net weight 150 g)

3 tablespoon milk

Method

Sift twice flour, cinnamon powder, salt and baking powder into a wide bowl. Then mix with powdered sugar, beaten egg, mashed bananas and milk. Mix together using a wooden spoon  or a thick tablespoon until well combined. (muffin mixture should be thicker than normal cake batter).

Preheat oven (OTG) at 350 * F or 180 * C.

Spoon mixture into paper cases. Bake for 18 -20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with butter or with milk / fruit juice.

Vazhuthananga Thoran

















Vazhuthanaga Thoran

A tasty side dish with rice in Kerala cuisine !!

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For the coconut mixture ( thenga thirummiyathu ):

1/2 cup ( 5 tablespoon ) grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder

6 cloves garlic, chopped and crushed

Mix all the ingredients together and keep aside.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

¼ teaspoon urad dal

1 onion, finely sliced

3 - 4 medium size vazhuthananga (brinjal / baingan), cut into cubes

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 tablespoon water

Method

Heat oil in a non - stick kadai. Add mustard seeds. When they start splutter add urad dal, jeera and saute on a low heat for 2 minute or until they turn brown.

Add sliced onion and fry till golden color.

Add vazhuthananga  pieces and sprinkle 2 tablespoon water. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 8 minutes until tender. Now add grated coconut mix and salt to taste. Mix well, cover and cook again for 7- 8 minutes until done and water dries up. Serve  as a side dish with rice / fish curry meals.

Dec 2, 2012

Egg Stuffed Bun



















Egg Stuffed Bun

A very delicious bun, goes well with fruit juice / milk or serve as a snack !!!

Here's the recipe of stuffed bun and other photos.

Here's the recipe of Parker House Rolls and other photos.

For the stuffing (or you can use any filling of your choice veg or non veg):

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

2 medium size onion, finely chopped

6 curry leaves

¾  teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon pepper powder (or to taste)

2 boiled eggs, cut into cubes or any desired shape or ½ cup boiled and shredded chicken pieces

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and fry till golden color.

Add curry leaves and fry for 1 – 2 minutes.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and pepper powder. Stir well on a low heat for 2 minutes until well combined with onions.

Add boiled egg pieces or shredded chicken pieces and salt to taste. Gently stir well. Cover and cook on a low heat for 7 minutes until all the ingredients well combined.

This is basic recipe for normal bun, dinner roll …

Makes: 8

Please use standard measuring cups and spoons. Fresh ingredients for best results.

Ingredients

For  the yeast:

A piece of advice at the start itself (this is the lesson learnt from my many disasters) – If the yeast is not fermenting as described / also shown in the picture – never go any further. The flour won’t rise. Get a new pack of yeast and start all over again.

5 tablespoons warm water (75 ml)

3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast (please use fresh packet)

Dilute 1 teaspoon active dry yeast with 5 tablespoons warm water and 3 teaspoons sugar. Gently stir well. Let it stand for 15 minutes, until it fermented / well risen and doubled in quantity .

For the dough:

400 g / 2 cups (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity) all purpose flour (maida)

2 teaspoon butter

50 ml milk + extra 3 teaspoon milk

1 egg, beat well

1 teaspoon extra butter (to grease baking tray)

1 small egg (for final stage of baking)

1 teaspoon milk

1st stage:

For the dough:

Melt 2 teaspoons butter in 50 ml medium hot milk and keep aside.

Beat 1 small egg with 1 teaspoon milk and keep aside for final stage of baking (egg wash ).

Place 2 cups of flour in a large bowl (or first add 1 1/2 cups of flour and later adjust with remaining 1/2 cup flour), and stir in salt. Make a well in the centre, and pour 50 ml milk – butter mix , fermented yeast mixture and beaten egg. Knead into a dough. Sprinkle extra 1 - 3 teaspoons of reserved milk if required until you have a soft moist dough that can be handled well and soft. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for at least 10 minutes (make an extra soft dough – softer than a soft toy). Return to the bowl, cover with a wet towel (wet towel and dough should not touch each other) and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

2nd stage:

Punch the dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

3rd  stage:

Divide dough into 8 parts. Shape each into a round bun / ball. Repeat with remaining dough.

Make cup shape of each bun (fill like aloo paratha) and carefully stuff 1 – 2 tablespoon filling – do not fill too much of the filling and again make a perfect ball and place it over the greased baking sheets. Cover it and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, for about 30 minutes. Leave 1 - inch gap between each bun.
Preheat oven (OTG) at 375 * F or 190 * C.

Beat egg with 1 teaspoon milk; brush over rolls. Sprinkle white sesame seeds if required. Bake at 375° *F or 190 *C for 18 - 22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Serve with any accompaniment of your choice.

Curry Puffs Style  Egg Stuffing:

Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles with a 2 1/2 inch cutter. Spoon 1 tablespoon mince mixture into centre of each pastry round. Fold pastry in half to enclose mixture, folding edges over to seal.

Press lightly to encourage sealing. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with a towel and allow rolls to rise 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven (OTG) at 375 * F or 190 * C.

Beat egg with 1 teaspoon milk; brush over rolls. Sprinkle white sesame seeds if required.  Bake at 375° *F or 190 *C for 18 - 22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Serve with any accompaniment of your choice.


Dec 1, 2012

Dates Nut Bars


















Date Raisin Bars

An easy recipe of a  delicious snack !!!

Makes – 9 – 12 bars

Please use same measuring cup to measure flour, sugar, dates and nuts. I've used 1/3 cup to measure flour, sugar, nuts and dates. 





















Ingredients

For the flour:

2 cups all purpose flour / maida (please measure in  1/3 cup)

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Sieve twice above ingredients and keep aside.

Other ingredients

½ teaspoon butter (to grease a baking dish)

2 cups sugar (or 1 ½ to 2 cup – according to taste)

2 cups finely chopped dates (please use good quality soft dates)

2 tablespoon finely chopped  cashew nuts (or chop 12 - 15 cashew nuts)

1 tablespoon raisins

1 egg (big size - 55 - 60 g) beat well

2 tablespoon melted butter

1 tablespoon milk

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

In a wide bowl, mix sugar, chopped dates, cashew nuts, raisins, beaten egg, melted butter, milk and vanilla essence with sieved flour. Mix it with a thick tablespoon until all the ingredients well combined. Consistency should be thicker than normal cake batter.

Preheat oven  at 350 * F or 180 * C. Grease a  baking pan with ½ teaspoon butter.

Spread  thick batter in prepared  pan, and bake  for 18 – 20 minutes  / golden brown color / until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean / leaves from the sides of the pan. Keep aside to cool for half an hour and cut into desired  shape and size.