Instant eggless chocolate pudding

Recipe source : Sharmis passion

Ingredients :

• Vanilla flavoured custard powder - 3 tbsp
• Cocoa powder - 2tbsp
• Milk - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Sugar - 2 to 3 tbsp
• Salt- a pinch
• Choco chips - 2 tbsp
• Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
• Chocolate sauce - 1 tbsp (optional)

Method :

1. Take 1/2 cup of boiled milk and add it to custard powder , cocoa powder,sugar and salt  and mix to form a smooth paste .
2. Melt the chocolate chips in microwave or using a double boiler method.
3. Heat the rest of the milk in a pan and add the vanilla essence and custard mixture to it .Stir continuously to avoid forming lumps.
4. Now add the melted chocolate and chocolate sauce to it and stir continuously . 
5. The correct consistency reaches when the scraped the pan , the custard sticks to it.
6. Switch off the pan , once it reaches the right consistency and cool it in refrigerator for an hour .   

Tips : To make a vanilla pudding use the same recipe and avoid cocoa powder,chocolate chips and choc.sauce .And add Milk chocolate chips to get a better taste.

Chicken Sausage dry roast/Ularthiyathu

Quick , Easy and tasty Sauasge reecipe. Perfect dish for Roti, Chapthi ,Rice etc....

Adapted from : Erivum Puliyum.com

Ingredients:

Chicken sausage  - 6 (medium sized)

Onion - 1 big thinly sliced

Green chillies-3 ,Slit

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1 medium,chopped

Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Thick coconut milk - 1 tbsp

Salt

Oil

Method:

1 .Thaw the sausages and cut into round slices.

2 . Heat oil and splutter fennel seeds, add onion, curry leaves , green chillies till onion becomes golden brown.

3.Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell dissapears.

4.Add chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy

5.Add the spices and add the sausage into it.

6.Cook for 5-10 minutes and then add coconut milk to it ans give it a nice stir until it is nicely coated.

Kerala chicken roast

Kerala chicken is a must try dish and easy to prepare. Chicken along with semi caramalised onions is a great treat ...Yum Yum Yum ....

                             Kerala chicken roast -1

                                       

            Kerala chicken roast -2

Recipe adapted from :cookingandme

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo chicken (Cut into medium size)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil/ghee
• 3-4 large onions cut lengthwise
• 4 green chillies slit lengthwise
• 1 tomato chopped
• 4 tbsp curd
• 1 tsp cloves+cardamom+cinnamon pound together
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp redchilli powder or kashmiri chilli powder
• red food colour (optional)Note: If using kashmiri chilli powder skip food colour
• 1 1/2 tsp chicken masala powder
• 2-3 strands of curry leaves
• 3 tsp freshly crushed garlic
• 1 tsp freshly crushed ginger

Method:

1.Marinate chicken pieces with curd,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt  for 30 minutes or leave longer.
2.Heat oil/ghee in non stick pan ,add mustard seeds,fennel seeds and let it crackle.
3.Add onions and greenchill, fry until golden brown
4.Once onion turns golden brown add coriander powder,cloves mixture powder  and fry for few seconds.Then,add crushed garlic and ginger to it and saute until the raw smell dissapears.
5.Add the tomato,food coloring and curry leaves to it and mix well and cook tomato turns soft.
6.Add the marinated chicken and cook until chicken is roasted .Stir in frequently (.Adding water is not necessary as chicken itself seeps out the water from it and cover the pan to speed up the process)
7.  When you almost reach the desired consistency,add the chicken masala and keep for a minute and mix well.

Best accompaniment for ghee rice.

Jam cookies (Eggless)

Recipe Source : here
Makes 15 to 20 cookies
Ingredients:
Maida/APF- 3/4 cup
Custard powder(vanilla)-3/4 cup
Corn flour - 4 tbsp
Butter - 1/2 cup 
Icing/powdered sugar- 1/2 cup
Yogurt -  3 tbsp
Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp
Mixed fruit jam for filling or any jam of your choice

Method:

1.Cream the butter along with the powdered sugar.
2. Add vanilla essence to it.
3.Then add Maida , Custard powder , corn flour and yogurt to form a smooth dough.
4.Roll out the dough to 5 mm thickness and cut with the cookie cutter.Make a thumb impression and fill it with the jam in the center
5.Place the biscuit in a greased baking tray and bake the biscuits in a preheated oven at 180c for 15 minutes or till done.

Cakes ,Cakes and Cakes

Plum cake/ Fruit cake

Recipe adapted from: www.cookingandme.com

Ingredients:

1 cups plain flour
1 & 1/2 cup brown sugar or white sugar( I used brown sugar to get my cake brown, because I didn't caramelize)
1/2 cup dry fruits(Raisins, Tutti fruti , dates, cherries, dried orange peels ....)
1/4 cup black raisins or sultanas
1/2 cup chopped cashewnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract or (1 tsp orange/lemon zest -tastes better)
1 tsp powdered spices of(nutmeg,cinnamon,clove,cardamom) or all spice powder
2/3 cup butter
3 eggs
pinch of  salt
1/4 cup water

Method:
1.Caramelize the sugar .Melt the sugar in a pan with medium heat until it turns dark brown .Once it is dark brown add water to it and the sugar hardens.Now put the same pan back on stove and slowly heat until sugar dissolves and take it and cool it for 10 minutes.
2. Pre heat the oven meanwhile at 180C or 350 F
3 Now take the dry fruits ,nuts in a plastic bag,add some flour to it and shake the bag until the nuts and dry fruits coat completely in order to prevent the dry fruits from settling in the bottom of the pan.
4.Mix together the flour , powdered spices , salt and keep aside.
5.Now beat the butter with sugar till light and fluffy and add vanilla extract to it.
6.Add egg ,beat it and add flour to it.Alternate this egg and  flour mixture until completely used.
7.Pour the caramel into this mixture and gently fold.
8.Grease a baking tray and pour the batter into it.
9.Bake to 40-50 mins until done or till the tooth pick  inserted comes out clean.

Paneer Pakora Snack

Ingredients:
Paneer-200 gms
Ginger Garlic paste -1 tsp
Red chilli powder-1 tsp
Garam masala powder/Tandoori masala-1/2 tsp
Chat masala/Amchur powder-1/2 tsp
Curd-1tbsp
Salt
Oil for deep frying
Method:
1.Cut the paneer into cubes
2.Add curd ,Ginger garlic past,chilli powder,Garam masala,Chat masala,,Salt and mix together to form a paste.
3.Coat the paste onto the paneer and deep fry them in a  heat oil

Crispy onion rings

Ingredients:
1. Onion  -4 large
2.1/4 cup Refined flour(maida)
3. 1 tsp corn flour
4.1 cup butter milk
5.1 tsp black pepper powder
6.Baking soda/Baking powder-pinch
7.Salt
8.Oil for deep frying

Method:
1.Cut the onions into roundels ans separate it.
2.Combine the flour,Cornflour,buttermilk,pepper powder Baking powder,salt and make a paste.
3.Dip the onion rings in the hot oil till golden brown colour.
4.Sprinkle with chat masala and serve.

Choclate ganache cake

Use good quality of chocolate slab.I use Morde's choclate slab. The best I get here.

Ingredients:

For cake: Recipe here

Ganache:(Adapted from Veena art of cakes)
Dark chocolate/Milk choclate ganache:

Filling between layers:

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup dark chocolate(preferably 70% cocoa)/Milk choclate
2 tbsp butter

Frosting to cover the cake:

1 cup heavy cream
2 cup dark chocolate/Milk chocloate
2 tbsp butter

White chocolate ganache:(Taste too sweet)

Filling between layers
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups white chocolate

Frosting to cover the cake:

1 cup heavy cream
3 cups white chocolate

Microwave method:
1.Break the chocolate and put it in a microwave in safe bowl and add the cream to it.
2.Heat the microwave for a minute and stir well with 30 seconds interval until you get smooth mixture and add butter to it.

Refrigerate this overnight or refrigerate for couple of hours and use it the next day .When using bring it to room temperature and use it.Fill this between layers and whip it for frosting. Do not over whip because its hard to spread.

Malabar ghee rice

  Ingredients:

  Rice:

1. Basmati rice/Seeraga samba rice/Kaima rice- 2 cups
2. Onion big-1 (thinly sliced)
3. Ghee/Dalda /Butter - 3 to 4 tblspn  
4. Cloves -4
5. Cardamom  -4
6. Bay leaf -1 
7. Cinnamon -1"pc
8. Water -4 cups or can use coconut milk 1 cup & 3 parts of water
9. Salt to taste

For garnishing: (If necessary.not shown in above picture)

Fried onions

Fried cashewnut & raisins

Fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Clean & soak basmati rice in water for 15-20 mins.
2. Heat ghee in a pan a saute all the spices(Cloves,cinnamon,bay leaf,cardamom) and then add onions and fry till it turns translucent .
3. Now add the rice and fry for few minuter.
4. Add the water or coconut milk water mixture and allow it to boil.
5. Then add rice and salt and cook till the rice is done
6. Garnish with the fried onions,cashwenut,raisins and chopped coriander leaves.

Rose swirl cake

Recipe:Refer to basic birthday cake and icing  here

For rose swirl icing decoration :
1.Star tip nozzle
2.Silver balls sprinkles.

Garlic buns

Recipe source: Raks kitchen

Ingredients:

1. Maida- 1& 1/2 cup
2. Dried Yeast - 3/4 tbsp
3. Warm Water -1/2 cup 
4. Salt - 3/4 tsp
5. Sugar- 1 tblsp
6. Olive oil- 1 tblsp

For garlic topping:

1. Garlic finely chopped    -5 flakes
2. Softened butter-2 tblsp
3. Chopped coriander leaves-1 tblsp
4. Chilli flakes - 1/2 - 1tsp
5. Milk for brushing.

Method:

1.Take warm water and dissolve yeast,sugar and salt completely and give it a nice stir after a minute to avoid lumps.

2.Take the flour in a bowl and make a small dent in the center and pour the yeast mixture into it.And,start kneading the dough using olive oil and add water if necessary and make a soft dough.

3.Cover the dough using wet towel or cling warp the bowl and keep it in a warm place.

4.After an hour,the dough should have doubled in Size.Then,again knead till soft.

5.Divide the dough into 5-6 equal balls  and  arrange it in a greased baking tray  and keep it aside for an hour again to make it double in size.

6.Meanwhile,for the topping mix garlic chopped,butter,coriander leaves and chilli flakes and keep aside.

7.Using your thumb press the center of the balls gently which has now doubled in size and place the topping in that impression.

8.Preheat the oven at 180c and bake for 25 mins and before the  last 5 mins brush the top of the buns with the milk to get a nice golden brown colour and serve the bun hot with cuppa tea or coffee.

Note:

1. To keep it in a warm place,you can switch on the microwave and place the bowl inside it ,so that it stays warm due to the heat of the lamp.
2. If the dough has not doubled in size,,please stop proceeding it furthur .Only if the dough has doubled,it means the yeast is alive and you get the proper bread/bun texture.
3. Brushing the milk on the buns give you a nice brown colour crust.

vanilla sponge cake(Eggless & Low calorie)

Ingredients:

1. Maida -  1 & 1/2 cup
2. Yogurt- 1 cup
3. Sugar - 3/4 cup
4. Baking powder - 1 & 1/4 tsp
5. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
6.Cooking oil- 1/2 cup
7. Vanilla extract - 1 + 1/2 tsp
8.Milk-1-2 tsp

Method:
1.Beat sugar and yogurt until it cream together and add Baking powder and soda to it.
2.Sieve Maida and add it to the above mixture.
3.Now add vanilla extract and cooking oil to it.
4.Grease the pan and pour the batter in it and bake it in a preheated oven at 200c for 10 mins and reduce the temperature to 180 and bake for 30 mins.Brush the top of the cake with milk before the last 10 mins to get a nice brown colour.
4.Decorate as per your wish if needed.

Choco banana cake

Definitely,banana and chocolate is a best combo.It taste and smells so good when it is out from the oven.  .It tasted awesome :)

Recipe source:joy of baking
Ingredients:
Maida-1+3/4 cup
Cocoa powder-3/4 cup
Powdered sugar-2 cups
Baking powder-1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda-1 1/2 tsp
Salt-1/2 tsp
Eggs-2
Vanilla extract-1 tsp
Banana mashed ,pureed -3 medium sized ;1cup
Milk-1/2 cup
Oil-1/2 cup
Warm water -1 cup

Method:
1.Mix together the dry ingredients flour, cocoa powder,sugar,baking powder and soda,salt and set aside.
2.In another bowl whisk together eggs,vanilla extract,banana puree,oil,milk and warm water.
3.Mix together with dry ingredients till you get smoother and lump free batter.
4.Pour the batter into prepared tin and bake for 40-45 mins or till a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
4.Decorate by toppings with banana and drizzle chocolate sauce over it with milk choco chips and sprinkles.

Moist chocolate cake

Moist chocolate cake

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup vegetable oil/cooking oil
1/2 cup condensed milk
few drops of vanilla essence


Chocolate Whipped cream:
2 cup whipped cream
Milk/Dark choclate - 3oz or 85 gms(chopped)
sugar-2 to 3 tbsp

Method:
1.Sift the flour,cocoa powder,baking powder, baking soda and set aside.
2.Using blender  beat the eggs until fluffy and frothy .Also,beat the sugar until dissolved.
3.Add flour mixture alternate with warm water until complete.
4.Add vanilla extract,condensed milk and oil to it.
5.Bake at preheated oven at 180C for 30 -40 mins until done.

For whipped cream:
-In a thick span boil the cream along with the sugar.
-Then take  bowl add the chopped chocolate and the boiling cream and mix well using a whisk.
Let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.(4-8 hrs)or overnight.
If you have refrigerated it for only 4 hours,it is better to whip it using an ice-bath otherwise,beat the cream well using a hand held mixer until it starts forming soft peaks.
Keep refrigerated until use.

-Cut the cake into 2 slices and  apply whipped cream and cover the whole cake using whipped cream.

-Then decorate as per you like.I used chocolate sauce to make spider web design.

Marzipan Birthday cake

I like Marzipan than Fondant cakes.Fondant is not advised to eat also.Yes,Fondant is definitely better for cake decorations but taste wise many dislike it . Marzipan is tasty and it taste like the Kaju barfi and  almond barfi we get from sweets shop.

 This cake I made for my mom's birthday. Happy birthday Mom :)

Ingredients:

Basic Birthday cake :Recipe here

Marzipan 

1.Almonds-200 gms(blanched)

2.Icing/Confectioner's sugar- 200 gms

3.1/2 cup sugar syrup

4.1 tsp vanilla essence or 1 tsp Almond essence or 1 tsp vanilla +rosewater essence

Method:

Blanching process:

1.Drop the almonds in the hot boiling water for a minute.Drain the water and then pinch the skin off the nuts.
2.Dry the almonds for sometime.

Almond paste(Marzipan)
1.Blend the dried almonds in a food processor until coarsely grounded.
2.Now add about 1/4 cup of icing sugar to it and blend again.You can actually blend it till you get a smooth powder and make sure you don't over grind it as it starts releasing its oil. But, I prefer being little oily as it is easy to work with .
3.Sieve the blended almonds so as to remove the granules and get a fine texture.
4.Now add the essence/extract to it and some sugar syrup enough to form a  soft dough.If it forms sticky,add icing sugar to make a soft dough.
5.Wrap this in a plastic ziplock bag or cover with cling film and store it in refrigerator for a month or in freezer for indefinite period of time.

Note:
-Marzipan dries quickly so make sure you cover it with plastic while you also working with it.
-Do not use entire half cup of sugar syrup because i just used only 2 to 4 tbsp to make a dough with this recipe.

Adding colours to marzipan:
If you want,you can add colours to the Marzipan by either using gel paste or liquid food coloring


To cover the cake:
-Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll the dough in whatever size you want to cover the cake.
- Heat apricot or mixed fruit jam  in microwave for 30 secs ;Apply this all over the cake completely.
-Now take the rolled Marzipan and cover the cake .Trim the left out marzipan.


You can also make this as diwali sweets .Below are some of the ideas

Variations and Flavours in Marzipan:

Orange flavoured  Marzipan:
 1 . Marzipan or Almond paste (above recipe)
2. Grated Zest of 4 oranges
3. 2 tsp orange essence
4.drop of orange food coloring

Knead the almond paste with the above ingredients.

Rose flavoured Marzipan:
1.Marzipan or almond paste
2.  2 tsp rose water essence
3. Natural beetroot juice coloring or red food coloring

Pistachio flavoured marzipan:
1. Replace  replace 1/2 cup of the almonds with 1/2 cup unsalted pistachio nuts.
2. Put the pistachios in a preheated 180c oven for about 10 minutes to dry and loosen the skins;
3.Then remove the skins of the pistachio.
4. Blend the  the pistachio nuts with the almonds in the food processor.
5.Repeat the same procedure of doing marzipan.
6.Add few drops of  green colour to it.

Cake pops

What do I do with my leftover cakes ?Yes there  is a solution , You can make Cake pops out of it.Cake pops is a cake lollipop made out of cake crumbs mixed together with melted chocolate.

                                                  Cake pops(sorry the picture is blurred)


Approximate measurements:
Ingredients:
1.Leftover cake of your choice OR Sponge cake recipe

Icing:
Butter -110 gms
Icing sugar -1 to 2 cup according to the consistency of icing
Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp
Milk-1 to 2 tbsp (dep. upon consistency)

For coating:
-Slab of Melting/cooking chocolate
-Sugar ball sprinkles

-Crumble the leftover cake using your hands.
-Now put a dollop of Icing in the cake and mix it together.Make sure that you get the consistency to make a lemon sized ball out of this mixture.
-Now after making the balls keep it in freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.
-Meanwhile,take the melting chocolate and microwave for 30 seconds-1 minutes stirring in between 20 seconds until the chocolate has melted and don' t let it burn.Be careful. (OR) you can melt the chocolate by using double boiling method.Keep a pan in stove with some water require to immerse another bowl on it,and chop the chocolate into pieces and put in the double boiler and melt it.This is a safe one compared to microwave method.
-Now,take the balls from the refrigerator and dip each ball in the melted chocolate and sprinkle the sugar balls on top of it and place it in a butter paper.
-Similarly,complete the rest of the balls and place it in refrigerator until set.
-You can use go innovative on decorations.You can use white chocolate milk chocolate dark chocolate for coating of the ball.