CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO MUG CAKE

Ingredients

1. All purpose flour- 3 tbsp
2. Instant coffee powder-1 tsp
3. Drinking chocolate powder or sweetened cocoa powder-2 tbsp
4. Sugar- 2 1/2 to 3  tbsp
5. Baking powder- 1/4 tsp
6. Milk- 2tbsp
7. Egg- 1 no
8. Oil-2 tbsp
9. Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp

Method

• In a mixing bowl combine all purpose flour,coffee powder,sugar and baking powder.Mix well.
• Add milk,egg ,oil and vanilla extract,stir with a fork ,just until combined.
• Pour this into a greased mug and microwave on high for  90 seconds( or a few seconds more) until cooked through.(DO NOT OVER COOK)
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or simply dust with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!!!!!

NOTE: you can use cocoa powder instead of drinking chocolate mix ,in that case add 1 or 2 tsp more  sugar according to your taste.

sending this to any one can cook event at taste of pearl city

Green Poha

A nutritious breakfast taken early in the morning holds you in good stead throughout the day. I  was getting late in the morning, and there was absolutely no time to make any lavish breakfast, and with minimum ingredients at home. Green poha which is very simple, flavorful and highly nutritious!!  The rice flakes are seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Addition of coriander paste give nice flavor. I found this recipe from Dee's Kitchen. Thanks Deeksha for this lovely recipe. 

Ingredients :

Rice Flakes (Poha) : 1 1/2 cup
Onion : 1, medium, chopped
Potato : 1, medium, chopped
Carrot : 1, medium, chopped
Fried Peanuts : 1/2 cup
Green Chillies : 2, chopped
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing : a pinch
Red chillies : 1 or 2
Sugar : 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste

To grind ~

Coriander leaves : 1 cup
Green chillies : 1 (as per requirement)
Curry leaves : 4-5
Lime Juice : 1 tbsp.

Method :

Place the poha in a sieve and hold it under running water for a few seconds. Toss well to drain out all excess water and keep aside. 

 

Grind coriander leaves, green chillies, curry leaves and lime juice in a grinder to make green paste.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and green chillies and stir for 1 minute.

Add the onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.

Then add the potato, carrot, salt and a little water. Cover and heat on medium flame till the vegetables are cooked.

When the potatoes and onions are cooked add the green paste, saute for a couple of minutes.

Now add the poha, fried peanuts, sugar and a little more salt and mix well, cook for 2-3 mins. Switch off the gas.

Serve hot with some extra drop of lemon juice if needed.

Sending this recipe to Umm Mymoonah's "Any One Can Cook: Series 40" event, Radhika's "Let's Cook #11 ~ Rice" event and Priya's "Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 78) " event



Spicy Samosa

The 'KING' of indian street food...hot yummy samosas are the first thing that comes to mind when you think of indian appetizers. Samosas are perhaps the most popular vegetarian Indian appetizer, snacks. Samosas are available in most places in the world as little triangle pastries filled with a variety of fillings but only a few places make them the traditional Indian style. They can be made of vegetarian or non-vegetarian fillings.  They are eaten as a snack with a cup of tea, served as a starter at some meal. It is often served hot with a mint, tomato or tamarind chutney.

Ingredients :

For the dough :

Flour (Maida) : 2 cups
Refine Oil : 2 tbsp
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder : a pinch
Warm water as needed

For Stuffing:

Potatoes : 3, medium
Cauliflower Florets : 1 cup, cut into small size
Peas : 1/2 cup
Peanuts : 1/2 cup
Onion : 1, medium, finely chopped
Ginger : 1 tbsp, grated
Garlic : 1 tbsp, grated
Green chilli : 1-2, finely chopped
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 3/4th tsp.
Roasted Cumin-corinder powder : 1 tsp.
Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Preparation :

Dough for samosa ~

Mix flour, salt, baking powder in a bowl.

Now add refine oil and rub until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add water and knead the dough until it is smooth.Cover it and set aside for 30 minutes or longer. 

Stuffing for samosa ~

Pressure cook potato. Peel the skin of the potato and chop it roughly.

Heat oil in a pan, fry cauliflower florets with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. When florets half done then add peanuts and saute for 5 mins in low flame. Keep aside.

In the same oil season with cumin seeds, add chopped onion, stir fry until golden brown in medium heat.

Now add peas, ginger, garlic, green chili, cooked potato, fried cauliflower, salt and all spice, mix and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Do not forget to stir while cooking. 

Making Samosa ~

Now again give a gentle knead to the dough and divide into medium sized balls.

Roll your dough a big circle and cut in 2 equal parts with knife.

Then take half in your hand and make a cone shape.

Fill the cone with about 2.5 tablespoons of the aloo gobi masala.

Stick the top of the cone together with a little water.Close the cone and seal it properly. Repeat until you finish making all the samosas.

Cooking Samosa ~

Heat about 2 inches of oil for deep frying over a medium-low flame. (You may use a wok, Indian kadhai).

When the oil is hot, carefully put in as many samosas as it fits. Fry slowly, turning the samosas until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain excess oil in paper towels.

Enjoy these Spicy Hot samosas with either green chutney or tomato sauce!  

Sending this to Anusha's "Cumin (Jeera) SYF &HWS Series" event, Vardhini's "Healing Foods - Cauliflower " event and Indrani's "SPOTLIGHT: Winter Vegetables" event

CHICKEN TIKKA WRAP

Ingredients

1. Chicken breasts(cut into bite sized pieces) -2 medium 
2. Onion (chopped)- 1 medium
3. Cucumber (chopped)-1 small
4. Tomato (chopped)-1 small
5. Lettuce (chopped)-1 cup
6. Pita bread-3 to 4 nos
7. Yogurt/Mayonnaise-1/4 cup
8. Pepper powder-1/4 to 1/4 tsp

For marinade

1. Lemon juice-1 tsp
2. Ginger paste- 1 tsp
3. Garlic paste- 1 tsp
4. Kashmiri chili powder-2 to 2 1/2 tsp(or to taste)
5. Ajwain seeds(crushed)-1/4 tsp (if not available substitute with cumin powder)
6. Kasurimathi (dried fenugreek leaves) (crushed)-1/4 tsp
7. Garam masala-1/4 tsp
8. Yogurt-1/4 to 1/2 cup
9. Oil-2 tsp
10. Salt to taste

Method

• Combine all the ingredients for marination and rub it onto the chicken pieces and refrigerate for about 2 hrs.
• Arrange this on a greased baking pan and bake at 250 deg C for about 20 to 25 minutes ,turning sides in between.
• Combine yogurt/mayonnaise with pepper powder and spread it on to the pita bread.(you can also use green chutney instead of this)
• Now place a few spoons of cucumber,onion ,tomato, lettuce and chicken tikka on the bread,roll it up and enjoy!

Chickpeas Curry Kerala Style

Garbanzo beans or chickpeas is known as Kabuli chana in Hindi and Velutha Kadala in Kerala. Chickpeas has good nutrients and a lot of health benefits. It's a good source of protein, zinc, folate, vitamin E, potassium, dietary fiber and iron. Contains soluble fiber which helps in lowering cholesterol and helps in stabilizing Blood Sugar. It's low in fat.This curry is delicious with batura. It also pairs well with chappathi, puri  Rice, Puttu, Uppumavu etc.

Ingredients :

White Chickpeas (soaked overnight in water) : 1 and 1/2 cups
Potato : 2 medium, cubed
Onion (sliced) : 1 large
Ginger Paste : 1 tsp
Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
Tomato (sliced) : 1 large
Green Chillies (slit) : 2
Coconut : 1/2 cup, cut into small pieces
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Chicken Masala Powder : 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil : 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves : A spring

Method :

Soak the Chickpeas overnight or for at least 4 hours. Wash the chickpeas and drain the water.

Pressure cook the chickpeas with salt, a pinch of turmeric for around 20 minutes. Add enough water so as to cover the chickpeas.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok fry coconut pieces with a pinch of salt until brown.

In the same oil add musturd seeds when seeds are splutter then add sliced onions and saute till the onions are translucent.

Add slit green chillies, chopped tomatoes and curry leaves and saute till the tomatoes are cooked well.

Next add ginger paste and garlic paste and saute for a minute.

Then dd turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, meat masala powder, fried coconut pieces and saute for two minutes.

Add the pressure cooked chickpeas along with the leftover water from the cooker. Add more water required to make enough gravy.

Cover and cook on low flame for another 10-15 minutes, till the gravy is thick and finely coated on the chickpeas.Sending this to Kaveri's "Kerala Kitchen" event and Sukanya's "Cooking With Seeds : Chickpeas" event, Amy's "Hot & Spicy Treats" event

Serve with hot rice or chappathis.



Happy Republic Day

India Republic Day, 63rd Republic day

         We will be celebrating our 63th Republic Day. Republic Day is one of the three national holidays of India and the greatest festival celebrated in the country. It is celebrated every year on January 26, in New Delhi with great pomp, fanfare and pageant. While in the capitals of the States and other headquarters, it is marked with patriotic fervor. The most spectacular celebrations are marked by the Republic Day Parade that takes place in the capital of New Delhi at Rajpath. It includes march past of the three armed forces, massive parades, folk dances by tribal folk from different states in picturesque costumes marking the cultural unity of India. Further, the streak of jet planes of Indian Air Force, leaving a trial of colored smoke, marks the end of the festival.

              
           The Republic Day celebrations of India have rightly become world famous as one of the greatest shows on earth drawing thousands of eager sight-seers from all over the country and many parts of the world as well. No other country can draw on such a wealth of tribal traditions and cultures, with so many regional forms of dances and dress. And, no other country in the world can parade so many ethnically different people in splendid uniforms, all united in their proven loyalty to the Government elected by the people and in their proud traditions and legendary gallantry.

          I extend my good wishes to our citizens from all walks of life, living in the country and overseas. I convey my special greetings to the members of our Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces who guard our frontiers on land, sea and air. I also extend my greetings to the Central and State level police forces, including our internal security forces. Today is also an occasion to pay homage to those who laid down their lives for the safety and security of the nation. We owe a deep gratitude to them.

Broccoli Besan Sabzi

Broccoli with Chickpea Flour (Besan) is  wonderful combination . Saute broccoli florets coated with besan and spice mix make an excellent, easy to prepare curry.It provides great flavor and texture. Its a perfect way to get health benefits of broccoli.

Ingredients:

Broccoli – 1 big, cut into bite sized florets (washed and dried)
Oil – 2 Tbsp, divided
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Asafotida – 1/8 tsp
Garlic – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Green Chilies – to taste, finely chopped
Salt – to taste
Chickpea Flour (Besan) – 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala/Kitchen King Masala – 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/4 tsp or to taste
Lime or Lemon Juice – to taste for garnishing

 Method:

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add cumin Seeds and allow them to sizzle. Then add asafoetida, garlic and green chilies. Stir for 15 seconds.

When goes raw smell then add broccoli and mix well. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Lightly salt the broccoli and continue to cook covered for another 2-3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine chickpea flour, turmeric powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, garam masala, Salt, coriander powder and red chili powder,1 tbsp. oil and incorporate it well into the besan.

Uncover the broccoli and sprinkle the chickpea flour mixture evenly over all of the florets. DO NOT mix it, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Uncover the broccoli and sprinkle a little water (just enough to moisten the chickpea flour lightly). Mix, cover and cook for another 3 minutes.

Garnish with Lime/Lemon Juice and serve hot with chapati or rice and daal.

 

Sending this to Indrani's "SPOTLIGHT : Winter Vegetables" event and Umm Mymoonah's "Any One Can Cook: Series 39 " event

 

Malabar Chicken Curry

Kerala is the southernmost state of India famous for its food which is very hot and spicy and is generally fresh, aromatic and flavoured with coconut, chilies, tamarind,  curry leaf, mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Keralites are mostly rice and fish eating people. You can substitute tamarind with vinegar or tomatoes, but there is no real substitute for curry leaf. Malabar chicken is a popular delicacy of Kerala where chicken is cooked in aromatic spices and roasted coconut .

Ingredients :

Chicken – 1/2 kg, cut into medium size pieces
Onion (Chopped) – 2
Garlic (chopped) -1 1/2 tsp
Ginger (chopped) -1 ½ tsp
Green Chilly (Slit) – 3
Tomato (chopped) -1
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1/4 ts
Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
Fennelseeds – 1/2 tsp
Cardamom – 1
Cloves – 3
Cinnamon – 2 small piece
Shallots – 5
Coconut Oil/ Vegetable oil -1 tbsp
Salt -to taste
Curry leaves – 2 twigs

Method :

Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, chilli powder and little bit of lemon juice or yogurt, set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.

Heat a frying pan and dry roast the grated coconut,shallots and all the spices(fennel seeds,cloves,cinnamon and cardamom) on low-medium heat till coconut becomes brownin color. Remove from fire, allow to cool and grind the mix with little water to a fine paste.

Heat oil non-stick pan, saute chopped onions,green chillies and saute well.

Add the ginger and garlic in to it and saute until raw smell goes off.

Then add turmeric powder,coriander powder,red chilli powder and saute well.

Once the raw smell goes,add the chopped tomato.Cover and cook on medium flame until the tomato is well cooked.

Add chicken pieces and 1/2 cup water,stir well. Cover and cook till chicken is almost cooked.

Finally add coconut paste and curry leaves and let it boil for 2-3 minutes.
Cook till done. Adjust salt. Add  more water if the gravy is too thick.

Serve hot with plain rice,Pulao or Naan, Chapati or Roti.

Winter Mix Veg Curry

Winter is the season where you get maximum variety of fresh vegetables.This Mixed Vegetable Curry is a classy and heathy way to use up all veggies in your refrigerator. Easy to prepare and full of nutrition, this lightly healthy curry is great with plain rice or any flatbread for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients :

Carrot : 2-3
Beans : 10-15
Beetroot : 2
Potato : 1, medium sized
onion : 1, big, sliced
Spring Onion : 1/2 cup
Peas : 1/2 cup
Green Chilli : 1, slited
Sugar : 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

For Tempering :

Channa Dal : 1 tbsp.
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp.
Whole Red Chilli : 1 or 2
Few Curry leaves spring

Method :

Cut carrot, beetroot, potato in cubed and beans and spring onion cut into lengthwise.Cook these cut vegetables in a pressure cooker without spring onion for 2 whistles. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add all tempering ingredients except curry leaves, when seeds splutter then add curry leaves, sliced onion, slited green chilli, saute until the onion turn transparent.

Now add cooked Vegetables, spring onion, peas, salt, sugar and cook for 5-6 min more until the water content blends well with cooked Vegetables.

Serve Mixed Vegetable Sabji/Sabzi hot with Chapati, Roti or plain rice.

Sending this to Indrani's "Spotlight : Winter Vegetables" event



Banana Halwa & Happy Blogger Award

Banana Halwa is an all-time favorite sweets in south India. Is originate from Kerala.banana halwa is a quick and simple Indian sweet that is made with ripe bananas. Halwa is a kind of a generic name given to Indian sweets made usually with sugar that has a consistency slightly softer than fudge. Banana halwa is among the simplest of halwa's, it is quick and simple to make and other than the optional garnish requires only four ingredients with the main ones being bananas and sugar.

Ingredients:


Banana : 4
Sugar: 3/4 cup
Ghee: 1/4 cup
Water: 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder: a pinch
Broken cashews/almonds: 1 tablespoon

Preparation :

Chop the bananas into small cubes.

Mix water and sugar in a non stick pan and boil until the sugar completely dissolves.

Add the chopped bananas and simmer. Stir it for every 5 minutes.

Once the mixture becomes semi solid add ghee little by little and stir it continuously in low flame until the ghee separates out. Add cardamom powder as well.

At this stage the halwa would have turned to a nice reddish brown color and also glossy.(This process might take around 45 minutes)

Pour the halwa into a greased pan and allow it to cool. Cut into desired shape. 

Note:

With these proportions the sweet was mildly sweet not very, so you could increase or decrease the sugar depending on your taste.

Do not cook the halwa once the ghee has separated. Heating and stirring further will cause the halwa to harden. The consistency should be like jelly and little transparent. 

 
Happy Blogger Award

Again its award time..... one more Award for me....From Julie of Erivum Puliyum...I am so so happy to receive this awards..and I would like to thanks her from the bottom of my heart...She has got a beautiful space and a vast collection of recipe...All of them have supported my space with their continous encouraging comments.

I would like to pass it to the following 10 blogger friends and hope they'll accept it and pass it to all their friends.....  
1. Kalpana Sareesh of Life with spice
2. Deeksha of Dee's Kitchen
3. deepsrecipes of Deep's Food World
4. Vidya of Sweet Karam Kapi
5. Umm Mymoonah of Taste of Pearl City
6. sangee vijay of Spicy Treats
7. Indrani of Recipe Junction
8. Divya of Divya's recipes
9. Sonali of http://onlyfishrecipes.blogspot.com
10.Hema of Aromatic Cooking  

Sending recipe to Ramya's "ABC Series: DESSERTS" event, Kaveri's "Kerala Kitchen" event, My Culinary Creation's "Banana Recipes", Veggie Platter's "Cook.Eat.Delicious - Desserts # 6" and Umm Mymoonah's "Any One Can Cook :Series 38" event