Crunchy-Topped cocoa Cake

Ingredients :

All-Purpose flour - 1 1/2 Cups

Sugar - 1 Cup

HERSHEY'S Cocoa - 1 Cup

Baking Soda - 1 Tsp

Salt - 1/2 Tsp

Water - 1 Cup

Vegetable Oil - 1/4 Cup + 2Tsp

White Vinegar - 1 Tsp

Vanilla Extract - 1 Tsp

Broiled Topping(Recipe Follows)

Method :

1) Heat oven to 350 degree F.Grease and flour the pan and keep aside.

2) Stir together flour,sugar,cocoa,baking soda and salt.Add water,oil,vinegar and vanilla;beat with a spoon or whisk just until batter is smooth and well blended.Pour batter into prepared pan.

3) Bake 35-45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.Meanwhile ,prepare the Broiled Topping; spread on warm cake.Set oven to broil; place pan about 4 inches from the heat.Broil 3 minutes or until top is bubbly and golden brown.Remove from oven.Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Broiled Topping :

Softened butter or margarine - 1/4 Cup[1/2 stick]

Packed Light Brown Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Chopped Nuts - 1/2 Cup

MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes - 1/2 Cup

Light Cream or Evaporated milk - 3 Tbsp

Combine everything in a bowl until well blended.

Recipe Source :Easy Baking HERSHEY'S COCOA by Publications International Limited.

Soyballs With Corkscrew Pasta

Ingredients :

Soy Chunks - 10-15 Count

Chili Powder - 1/2 TblSp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Finely Chopped Onion - 1

Worcestershire Sauce - 1 TblSp

Ground Red Pepper(cayenne) - 1/8 Tsp

Garlic,finely Chopped - 2 Cloves

Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley - 1/4 Cup

Tomato Paste - 1/4 Cup

Dried Basil leaves - 2 Tsp

Salt - 1 Tsp + 1Tsp

Whole Tomatoes - 2-3

Cooked Corkscrew Pasta - 4 Cups

Reserve The Pasta Drained Water

Method :

1) Keep immersed the Soy chunks in hot water for 5-10 minutes.When the soy chunks absorb water and become fluffy,wash these twice in fresh water and marinate with little chili powder,turmeric and salt.

2) Keep a tawa on stove,spread 2 tbsp of olive oil and fry these soy chunks,till all sides r done well.

3) Mean while,cook the pasta in hot water with a pinch of salt.when done,fish out the pasta from the water and spread on a plate.Reserve the water for masala.

4) In a separate pan,add olive oil and all the other ingredients except pasta.Use the pasta stock as and when required to make the masala.When the masala is done,add the fried soy chunks and cook for 5 mins with the lid on.The masala is ready,you can serve the masala on the pasta and enjoy this dish or put the pasta into the masala and toss for 1 minute.Serve hot and enjoy!!!

Yogya Fried Chicken/Ayam Goreng Yogya

Ingredients :

2 3/4 - pound fresh chicken,cut into8 pieces

2 - cups water

Oil for deep-frying

Spice Paste :

1 tablespoon - coriander seeds

3 cloves - garlic, peeled and sliced

3M inch - fresh turmeric,

1 tablespoon - chopped palm sugar(optional,I dint use it)

2 tablespoons - oil

A handful - Chopped coriander Leaves

Method :

1) To make the spice paste, grind or blend all ingredients except oil and coriander leaves, until fine. Heat oil in a wok and saute the spice paste for 3 minutes.

2) Add chicken and cook. stirring, until well coated. Add water and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is almost cooked and sauce is dry.

3) Leave to cool.Just before chicken is required. heat oil and deep-fry chicken until it is crisp, and golden brown in color.

That's it,Yogya Fried chicken is ready.Its an Indonesian Dish.I had this book,The Food Of Asia,wanted to try out different dishes from Asia(tried a little,to be on safer side :-)) )So,tried and it was yummyyyyyyy....Actually after trying out and tasting this,I felt,its just like,deep frying the left over chicken from the thick chicken gravy.Its a simple version of this dish.There were 2-3 items which i dint have and I don't know where we get,so omitted it,but still,it was finger licking tasty :-)

Recipe Source : "The Food Of Asia" by Kong Foong Ling.

RASAGULLA / CREAM CHEESE BALLS IN SYRUP

Ingredients :

Syrup :

Sugar - 4 cups

Water - 3 cups

Flour - 1 Tsp

Chenna(Chenna is a crumbly, moist form of Paneer) - 8 Ounce

Method :

1) Make the syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil. Turn off the heat and set aside.

2) Combine the chenna and flour and shape into balls. Reheat the syrup and when it is boiling, add the balls and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add another 2 table spoons of water to the syrup every 5 minutes to replace water evaporation: this is essential to avoid having the syrup become too thick.

3) When the cream cheese balls are cooked, remove from the syrup. drain and keep covered in water until required. Serve with one or two spoons of the syrup poured over the top.

Recipe Source :"The food Of Asia" by Kong Foong Ling.

BUN SURPRISE

Ingredients :

Small size buns - 1 Packet

Onion - 1 Big

Tomato - 1

Green Chili - 3-4

Ginger Paste - 1 Tsp

Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp

Minced Chicken/Shredded Boneless chicken - 1 Pound

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tbsp

Turmeric Powder - A Pinch

Salt - As Required

Garam Masala powder - 1Tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Shredded Coriander Leaves - 2 Tbsp

Egg - 1-2

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Method :

1) Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a pan,fry the sliced onion till translucent.Add ginger-garlic paste and fry well till the raw smell goes off.

2) Add the slit green chilies and tomato,fry till the tomato becomes soft and cooked well.Now add all the Masala powders mentioned above,including salt and fry well till oil separates.

3)Add the minced chicken to the pan and fry well for 5 minutes.Add little water,cover and cook till the chicken is cooked properly.

4) Check for taste,add required ingredients,if needed.Before you turn off the gas,sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.Now you are done with the chicken filling for the bun.

5) Beat the eggs(1-2 depending on the number of buns) and set aside.Now cut the back of the bun to make a small square hole.Remove the cut part of the bun.

6) Stuff the 1-2 Tbsp of filling inside the hole and close the hole with the cut part of the bun,which was removed while making this hole.Repeat this procedure for the rest of the buns.

7) Keep a Pan on the stove at medium flame,add 1 Tbsp of oil.When the oil becomes hot,dip the backside of the bun in the egg mixture and transfer it to the pan.Repeat this procedure for the rest of the buns.Let stand for 1-2 mins,remove from the pan,arrange it on a plate and you are all set to attack the "Bun Surprise" :-)

Recipe Source : Friend

CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO FINGERS

Ingredients :

Butter/Margarine - 3/4 Cup

Sugar - 1/3 Cup + 2 Tbsp

Almond Paste - 1/3 Cup

All Purpose Flour - 1 2/3 Cup

Semisweet Chocolate Chips - 1 Cup

Finely Chopped Pistachios - 1/2 Cup

Method :

1) Preheat the oven to 350 Degree F.Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease and dust with flour.

2) Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until blended.I have added 2 extra Tbsp of sugar since I found it not sufficient.Add almond paste and egg yolk;beat until light.

3) Blend in flour to make a smooth dough.(If dough too soft to handle, cover and refrigerate until firm)

4) Turn out into lightly floured board.Divide in to 8 equal pieces;divide each piece in half.Roll each half into a 12 inch rope;cut each rope in to 2 inch lengths.

5) Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.Remove to wire racks to cool.

6) To give the elegant finish,melt chocolate chips in small bowl over hot water.Stir until smooth.Dip both ends of cookies about 1/2 inch into melted chocolate,then dip the chocolate ends into pistachios.Place on waxed paper;let stand until chocolate is set.

Yummy,chocolate pistachio fingers are ready to be munched any time.

Recipe Source : Choclate Lover's cookies & Brownies by Beekman House

COUNTRY CAPITAIN

Its an Anglo-Indian speciality,Country Captain is essentially leftover meat warmed in a curry and veggie sauce.Its an easy and quick technique that produces delicious results.You can also make this dish with left over tandoori chicken,Roast duck with cinnamon-plum Glaze or any other roast poultry or meat.



Ingredients :
Leftover Cooked Chicken Meat - 3/4 Pound
Unsalted Butter/Olive Oil - 3 Tbsp
Finely Chopped Garlic - 1 Tsp
Chopped Onion - 1 1/2 Cups
All Purpose Flour - 2 Tsp
Worcestershire Sauce - 1 Tsp
Chicken Stock or Heavy Cream - 1/3 Cup
Green Bell Pepper(Cored and julienned) - 1
Red Bell Pepper (Cored and julienned) - 1
Pineapple Cubes,1 inch - 1/2 Cup (Optional)
Roasted Cashews or Almonds - 1/4 Cup (Optional)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper - As Required


Method :
1) Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
2) Heat the butter in a large heavy nonstick pan over medium high heat.Add the garlic,curry powder and onion and cook,stirring occasionally.For 2 minutes or until the vegetables are barely soft.Add the flour and cook,stirring for 1 minute.Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and cream and bring the sauce to a boil.
3) Add the green and red bell peppers.Reduce the heat to medium and cook,stirring and tossing,for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are barely soft.Fold in the chicken and cook until heated through.Fold in the pineapple(I have not used here).Transfer to a serving platter.
4) Sprinkle with pepper and scatter the cashews or almonds on top and serve immediately.

Recipe Source : Julie Sahni's Indian Cooking

TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients :

Tomato - 2 Large

Water - 4 Glass(1 1/2+2+1/2)

Pepper Powder - 1/2 Tbsp

Sugar - 1 Tbsp

Salt- As Per Taste

Cornflour - 1 1/2 Tbsp

Tomato Sauce - 1 Tbsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Bread Crisps - A Few

Method :

1) Wash and Chop the tomatoes.Add 1 1/2 glass water and chopped tomatoes in pressure cooker.Wait for 2-3 whistle and turn off the gas.

2) When cooled,transfer the contents in the cooker to a mixer plus add 2 glass of water and blend it properly.

3) Transfer the above mixture to a vessel and add pepper powder,sugar,salt and bring it to boil.

4) in 1/2 glass water add the cornflour and mix well to form a knot free solution.Add this solution to the soup and boil well.The soup will become little thick now.Remove the vessel from the stove.

5) Add the tomato sauce and butter,mix well.For the bread crisp,spread little butter or ghee on the bread and toast it well to be very crispy.Cut it in to bit size pieces.Serve the hot soup with the bread crisps on it.We get the restaurant slandered tomato soup :-)

This is my entry for the 'Fresh Produce of the Month' event hosted by Marta of An Italian in the US

RIBBON RICE

Ingredients :
Basmati Rice - 2 Glass
Lemon Juice - 1 Small Lime / 1/2 Big lime
Salt - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chutney:
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Coriander Leaves - A Hand full
Green Chili - 2-3
Lemon juice - 1 small Lime
Salt - To Taste
Grind with out water,if needed 1-2 sp water can be added.And Keep aside.

For Masala:
Shrimp - 1/2 Pound (clean and washed)
Onion - 1 Big
Tomato - 1 Big
Chili Powder - 1 Tbsp
Turmeric - A Pinch
Salt - As per Taste
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 Tbsp Each
Coriander Powder - 1 Tbsp
Ghee - 2-3 Tbsp
Oil - 2 Tbsp

Method :
1) Wash the rice well,add 3 1/2 glass water to it.Add salt and lemon juice,stir and prepare rice.
2) Prepare the above mentioned green chutney.It should be thick not watery.
3) Marinate the shrimp with chili powder,turmeric powder,salt,garlic paste and coriander powder.Keep it for sometime and fry in little ghee(i mixed little ghee +olive oil,to reduce the intake of ghee).Fry till the shrimp is 3/4 cooked and keep aside.
4) In a pan add ghee or little ghee+oil and fry onion well.Then add tomato,fry till the tomato becomes soft.Add chili powder,turmeric powder,salt,ginger- garlic paste and fry well,till oil separates.
5) In this mixture add the fried shrimp and fry well till there is no water content.
6) In a wide dish,spread the rice layer first,sprinkle some ghee on top.Put the chutney as the second layer and masala as the third layer.Sprinkle some ghee on top.Repeat this till the top most layer is rice.
7) Decorate with fried onions,nuts and coriander leaves.Cover the dish and bake for 10 minutes.That's it,the very tasty and much wanted Ribbon Rice is ready :-)

I think,Its named so b'coz of the 3 repeated colourful layers spread in the dish.Back home,they prepare this dish in cooker,so it will be like a 3 coloured ribbon kept spirally one upon the other.I guess, this is how this dish got this name.when u see the picture,the first thing comes into mind is biriyani,but actually while serving it, we have to cut like cake and serve, then u can see the 3 layers clearly.This dish was over with in no minute and forgot to take a good picture of it.This is the left over ribbon rice :-)



This is my entry for Neivedyam's JFI Rice hosted by Sharmi.

CELEBRATING THE AWARD WITH AVOCADO MILK SHAKE

Archana of Tried & Tested Recipes gave me two awards on Aug 16th.I don't know,what to express on this,I'm shocked,happy and motivated with the awards,which I never expected.I was so reluctant about this b'coz i don't know if I'm worth for this,that's why I took so many days to express this on my blog.I don't know what extraordinary work I have done to owe these awards!!! But Archana was sooo sweet to think that I'm worth this award.Thanks a ton Archana.So sweet of you :-)

I humbly accept these two awards.Thanks again Archana :-)


The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who “effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship.”

As is the tradition,I would like to pass these awards to few I know.


shaheen of Malluspice
Asha of Foodie Shope
Annita of My Treasure..My Pleasure
Meeta of Whats For Lunch Honey?
Seena of Simple and Delicious
Pravs of Simply Spicy


Seena of Simple and Delicious
Pravs of Simply Spicy
Asha of Foodie Shope
Priar's of Sena's Rasoi
Suganya of Tasty Palettes

I celebrated this moment with a glass of Avocado milk shake that day :-) .Cheers to me and my blog....:-) Here the recipe goes...


AVOCADO MILK SHAKE

Ingredients :
Avocado fruit(ripe) - 1 Big / 2-3 Small
Skim Milk - 1 1/2 Cup
Sugar - 1/2 Cup (According to your taste)
Crushed Cardamom - 1-2 Pinch
Nuts - 1 Tbsp

Method :
1) Cut the Avocado in to two,scoop out into a blender,add sugar,milk,cardamom and blend it smooth.
2) Check the taste,add anything if needed,if you want the shake to be more thin,add some more milk.At last add the nuts and run the blender to just crush the nuts,so that you get the crushed nuts in between the milkshake.That's it,yummy Avocado milkshake is ready.


This is my entry for WFLH's Monthly Mingle for the theme "Liquid Dreams" hosted by Meeta.

GULAB JAMUN 'N' PISTACHIO MOUSSE CAKE

Ingredients :

Vanilla Sponge Cake - 1

Pistachio mousse - 750 grams

Gulab Jamuns - 20

Pistachios(Thinly sliced) for garnish - 60 grams

Sugar Syrup - 1- 1/2 cups

For The Mousse :

Pistachios(blanched and pureed) - 200 grams

Sugar - 200 grams

Unflavoured Gelatin - 15 grams

Lemon Juice - 15 ml Egg Whites - 2

Whipping Cream - 400 grams
Pistachio Nuts(Chopped) - 30 grams

Method :

For Mousse :
1) Blanch pistachio in boiling hot water.Grind with little water to make puree.combine pistachio puree with sugar in a medium bowl.
2) Soften gelatin in lemon juice,stir into dissolve over hot water.Stir into puree.
3) Beat egg whites until foamy and add to puree.Place mixture in freezer.When partially frozen,for about 45-60 minutes,beat in a food processor or blender until pale in colour.
4) Transfer to bowl.Whip one cup of cream and fold into mixture.Add the chopped pistachios.

For Assembly :
1) Slice the vanilla sponge cake in to two layers.I prepared the cake from scratch,you may prepare at home or buy from shop.
2) Soak the lower layer with sugar syrup.Place gulab jamun cut into half to cover the whole layer as shown in the picture.

3) Cover with pistachio mousse and level,before placing the second layer repeat the process and finish off with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios and decorate however you wish.The yummy Gulab Jamun 'n' Pistachio mousse cake is ready.

This is a perfect treat for those who have a sweet tooth.This Indo-Western combinations are sure to be a hit at all social soirees.

This is my entry for SHF #34 for the theme "Going Local" hosted by the "The Passionate Cook".I prepared this lovely cake for my son's birthday and for the SHF.

KELE KA TIKKA / PLANTAIN AND POTATO BALLS

Ingredients :

Plantains(steamed until soft) - 12 Ounces

Mashed Potatoes - 1 1/2 Cups

Chat Masala Powder - 1 Tsp

Coriander Seed(Toasted & ground) - 1 Tsp

Salt - As Required

Ginger(finely chopped) - 3/4 Inch

Chopped Cilantro - 1 Heaped Tbsp

Green Chilies(finely chopped) - 2

Cornstarch - 1 Heaped Tbsp

Fine Wheat Vermicelli(broken into small pieces) - 4 Ounce

Oil - For deep frying

Method :

1) Grate the steamed plantains,then combine with the potatoes and all other ingredients except vermicelli and oil.Mix well.

2) Shape into balls and roll in the vermicelli,pressing to make sure the vermicelli adheres.

3) Heat oil and deep fry the balls until golden brown.Drain and serve with Mint and cilantro chutney or ketchup.

I have done one change while preparing this dish.As I was not having vermicelli at home that day,I used rice sticks instead.But with vermicelli it will taste and look great.So the next time I prepare this snack with vermicelli,I will be replacing these pictures :-) This is a new dish to me,I never thought of preparing such a snack with raw plantain.I will make it again and again.

This recipe is from the book "The food Of Asia" by Kong Foong Ling.Great Recipe collection from through out Asia :-)

INDIAN MACARONI AND CHEESE

This is my entry for Weekend Cookbook Challenge(WCC) #19,for the theme A Dinner and A DVD,hosted by Sara.This was our dinner and watched a DVD of Big B(Malayalam Movie) ;-)This dish is from Easy Indian Cooking by suneeta Vaswani.

Ingredient :

Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp

Minced Peeled Ginger root - 2 Tsp

Minced Garlic - 2 Tsp

Chopped Onions - 1 1/2 Cups

Chopped Tomatoes - 3 Cups

Salt - To Taste

Butter - 2 Tbsp

Milk(warmed) - 1 Cup

All Purpose Flour - 3 Tbsp

Shredded cheddar cheese,divided - 1/2 Cup

Cayenne Pepper(optional) / Pepper Powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp

Elbow Macaroni / Any of your choice (cooked) - 1 Cup

Tomato sliced - 1

Method :

1) In a saucepan,heat oil over medium heat.Saute cumin,ginger and garlic for 1 minute.Add onions and cook until translucent for 6-8 minutes.

2)Add tomatoes and salt.Mix well.cook,covered,over medium-low heat until tomatoes break down,5-7 minutes.Mash with back of spoon.Set aside.

3) In another saucepan,melt butter over medium-low heat.Remove from heat and whisk in flour.Add milk in a slow stream,whisking continuously to make a smooth mixture.Return to medium heat and cook,stirring continuously,until sauce is thick,5-7 minutes.

4) Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese until melted.Stir in a cayenne pepper or regular pepper.Add tomato masala and mix well.Stir in macaroni.

5) Pour mixture in to a baking dish,sprayed vegetable oil.Arrange tomato slices on top.Sprinkle remaining cheese and some pepper powder evenly on top.

6) Bake in 375 degree F until top is bubbly and lightly browned,25-30 minutes.

As there is no spice added except pepper powder,adjust the taste according to your spice level.As you can see ,I have not used much of cheese here.For those who love cheese can use the specified cheese quantity or more on the topping.

BANANA NUT CAKE

Ingredients :

Unsalted butter, softened - 2/3 cup

Brown sugar - 1 1/2 cups

Eggs, separated - 2 large

Mashed banana (about 2 large) - 3/4 cup

Pure vanilla extract - 1 Tsp
Yogurt- 1/4 cup

All-purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups

Salt - A Pinch

Baking soda - 1 Tsp
Toasted chopped pecans or walnuts - 1 cup

Method :
1) Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heavily butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

2) In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter with the brown sugar until it is smooth. Beat in two egg yolks (reserve the whites). On slow speed, add the mashed banana, vanilla, and Yogurt.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda to combine. Add to the batter, mixing slowly to just combine; do not over-mix. Stir in the nuts.

4) In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff, but not dry, peaks. Add the beaten whites to the cake batter and stir to lighten.

5)Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the edges of the cake have pulled away from the pan, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

FISH MAPPAS

Ingredients :

Fish - 1/2 Kg (Your choice)

Onion - 1 Small

Ginger - 1 Small piece

Garlic - 5-7 Flakes

Green Chili - 4-6

Curry leaves - 1 Strand

Chili Powder - 1 Tbsp

Salt - As required

Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp

Thin Coconut milk - 2 Cups

Thick Coconut milk - 1/2 Cup

Kukum star(Kodum Puli) - 3-5 pieces

Coconut oil - 1-2 Tbsp

Method :

1) Add coconut oil/olive oil (Coconut oil tastes better though) in a kadai,when hot add chopped onion and fry till transparent.

2) Then add the chopped ginger,garlic,green chili and curry leaves and fry for 2-3 minutes.

3) Now add turmeric powder,chili powder,salt and fry for 2-3 minutes.

4) Add the thin coconut milk and let it boil.

5) When boiling slip in the fish pieces and well washed kudampuli.Cover and let it boil well.

6) Don't stir once the fish is cooked well.Lastly add the thick coconut milk ,check and adjust the taste.Don't let it boil,before boiling remove from stove.Fish Mappas is ready.Serve with hot steaming rice :-)

Variation : Instead of Fish,you can add chicken and make chicken Mappas too.But in chicken mappas omit the kodampuli.