CREME CARAMEL

One of the simplest and  easy dessert to enjoy for any occasion. I have seen many of them making this in different ways, some of them steam this in cooker as well. I always love this baked  the way I have done it here. Also I love to have with little less sugar on the custard and enjoy with the caramelized taste more.

Love to make this with fresh milk rather than using it with  condensed milk.

This is my last post for this year. Everyone is busy bidding farewell to 2012. A year towards the end which has given too many heartfelt sad incidents for the Indians to brush it aside.  After the recent Delhi incident somehow I don’t feel happy nor any mood for a kind of celebrations.   My thoughts are always thinking of the poor family how they would accept this huge loss of their beloved daughter. I wish God gives them all the courage and strength and my special prayers for them to overcome this huge loss.  Not boring you guys more.

WISHING YOU ALL  A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.

GOD BLESS!!

Cinnamon Rolls

Every time we pass by the Cinnabon store my daughter would inhale  deep breath and say maa I love this smell. In return I would close my nose and move away from there as the pungent smell of the cinnamon  would drill my nostrils  and not a fan of this. I would stay far away from the store and my daughter would pick up her share of the rolls. I would sit and see her how she would enjoy every bite of this roll.

However, recently  I surprised my daughter  by making this rolls for her, believe me as the smell was coming she asked me what was I baking. She was so curious and she was so happy seeing her favorites getting baked in the oven. She enjoyed the whole lot and told me it was so soft and yummy. I made some small change like  I did not frost them on top after the rolls were baked as my daughter did not want it.

On going through  several websites on the internet and cook books  I have arrived here with this recipe.

Misal Pav

This is  a very famous street side food of Maharashtra, specially Mumbai. A thick and spicy gravy made with peas called the usal is served with Indian bread known as Pav Buns. This recipe was this month's SNC challenge for Southern team, from Meenu of Random Ramblings, on behalf of the Northern team.

This is my first post in participating the  SNC challenge. I am so happy to be a part of the team through  SNC.  I got new friends and  also good opportunity to learn more  recipes from the North. My sincere thanks to Divya  Pramil for all her excellent support in helping me join this challenge, also would like to thank all the members of the SNC for giving me such wonderful  learning opportunity here and for all their kind support.

We at home loved this dish, infact I made little more spicy and a bit tangy otherwise just followed the recipe what Divya  Pramil had posted. Truly I have never tried this recipe from outside, although I have heard about this dish but never made it at home. During my next visit to Pune I want to try this from an authentic center and see how close was my dish to their taste.

  

Serves 3 people
Total Preparation Time - 40 minutes (Apart from soaking peas overnight)

White peas - 200 grams 

Big onion - 4 

Tomatoes - 2 

Garlic pods - 2 

Ginger - 1/4 inch piece 

Green chillies - 2 

Coconut - 1/4 cup (grated) 

Cumin seeds - 1/2 spoon

Red chilli powder - 1 spoon (use 1/2 soon if you don't want it to be spicy)

Coriander powder - 1/2 spoon 

Garam masala - 1/2 spoon 

Turmeric powder - 1/4 spoon 

Dry mango powder / Amchoor powder - 1/2 spoon powder 

Salt - As per taste 

Oil - 5 spoons 

Palak Paneer

Its been a while that I wanted to post this recipe and somehow it got moved on as I had some baked recipes to post. Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. Now looking forward for the New Year.  One way its nice that we have something or the other to look forward right.

Holidays got over and back to the routine again. 

Ingredients:

Spinach – one big bunch

Paneer - 1 cup cubed

Cumin seeds – ½

Asafoetida - a pinch

Oil - 2 tbspns

Onions - 1 medium, finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1 small finely chopped 

Garam masala – ½  tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp or to your spice level

Salt -  to taste

Turmeric powder – ¼  tsp

Evaporated milk or cream  - ½ cup (you can  reduce to few spoons or skip upto your taste)

Eggless Blueberry Muffins Recipe - My 150th Post

I still cant imagine how the days  are passing  by.  we are reaching the year end in few days from now.  Well I had bookmarked this recipe for sometime as I  loved the blueberry and wanted to make it and I finally got an opportunity to bake them.

This is my 150^th post and would like to thank one and all for your kind support in reaching this milestone.  Thank you and looking forward to all your support always.

Here’s wishing all of you a ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’

Makes : 12 - 1 5 muffins 

Recipe from  here

Ingredients:

Blueberries – 1 cup                                                      
2 tsp plain flour for coating the blueberries
1 ½ plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ cup milk powder                                                                                                                                        ¾ cup fine sugar (you can increase if you want)
100 gm  butter, melted
250 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Fruit Cake or Christmas Cake or Plum cake

This recipe was given to me by neighbor aunty. I have made this cake several times. I love making this with alcohol as the tastes  so different.    In order for you to keep the cake for long time, aunty had told me that once we bake the cake. When its cooled  to  moist the cake with  diluted rum with water or inject using a syringe.

Although this cake was soft and moist,  smelled and tasted gr8. I did one blunder here that I removed the caramel a bit early to what I do hence the colour of the cake did not turn to the normal texture I get.  I had to make 2 big cakes and one small one hence the quantity was a bit big to handle.

Happy baking.

Ingredients

All purpose flour  - 200gms
Dry fruits – 200gms (cashew, dates, sultanas, raisins, tutti fruity)
Eggs  -  200 gms
Butter – 200gms
Sugar – 200gms
Rum – ½ cup (I have not added for my cake instead I have added orange juice)
Mixed spice powder – 1 tsp (you can add cloves, cinnamon, ginger,  nutmeg)
Lime juice  - 1 no.
Orange  and lime zest – 1 tsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp

Chocolate Date Cake

 

 

I love adding dates to the cakes reason being it gives such lovely color to the cake and found this recipe so good with chocolate. The outcome of the came was so fudgy, moist and lovely.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream  or whipped cream to be served with will be good combi.

Bake~ 40  to 45 mints

Serves ~ 12
Adapted from   here

Ingredients:

1 cup whole pitted dates, coarsely chopped.

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups flour
¼  cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½  tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½  cup chopped walnuts (optional) – I have not used as I wanted it chocolaty
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to serve

 

Cinnamon shortbread Cookies - eggless

My daughter insisted that I made some cookies for her and I wanted to bake eggless too. She kept saying why are you not posting anything for Christmas on the blog? She loves the cinnamon flavour  in the cookies. So here it goes with my first recipe for the wonderful season.

Seasons greetings to you and your loved ones.

I have iced some cookies only as   its my first icing and was a bit nervous how it would turn out.  If you have kids at home give this  job to them as they will be in their best to come out with good designs.  I think when I make my ginngerman cookies – I will give it to my daughter for the icing. I have no patience to sit and ice the 40 plus cookies,  honestly I just did few and the rest I  dusted with  icing sugar. I have made many stars and some gingerman shapes and some dolls.

How I made the cute little  edible santa (I saw in many blogs and I feel for the cutie). Clean and wash the strawberry, gave a small cut on the base so that he can sit well. Gave a small cut on the upper portion of the strawberry and dropped a big chunk of the (sugar and cream cheese mix) and put the starwberry piece back  on the cream. Now on the top of strawberry put a  small dash of the cream for cap. With the edible black colour I  made two dots for the eyes J. I super loved him the most.

So upto you how you want to decorate J  

Recipe adapted  from Taste.com.au

Makes : 40 – 44 cookies

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature

100g ( ½  cup) caster sugar

225g (1  ½  cups) plain flour

120g (2/3  cup) rice flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Sugar icing

Icing sugar  - ½ cup

Water  - 1 tsp or just as required

Corn flour – 2 tsp

Colours – few drops of your choice

·        When you are icing the cookies please ensure it has to be chilled completely and then only ice.

Raw Papaya Thoran

Ingredients:

Raw papaya  – 1 very medium size chopped in cubes                                                                                    Fresh grated coconut – about 4 tbsp                                                                                                        Green chillies – 4 or 5 depending on your spice level                                                                                     Cumin – a pinch                                                                                                                                          Garlic – 2 pcs.                                                                                                                                            Turmeric – ¼  tsp                                                                                                                                     Curry leaves – 2 sprigs                                                                                                                             Urud dal – 1 tsp                                                                                                                                       Mustard – ½  tsp                                                                                                                                        Salt to taste                                                                                                                                       Coconut/cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Award Time - Sunshine and Liebster and the Awards till now

My Awards,

http://www.zestysouthindiankitchen.com/2013/04/hearth-and-soul-blog-hop-147-4152013.html

Show your style series Award

 

Today I am going to share my Liebster awards given by my blogger friends  Babitha from www.babiscooking.blogspot.com .

Yashodha  from www.yashodhaskitchen.blogspot.com

has shared  LIEBSTER Award and SUNSHINE AWARD. I would like to personally thank you both for   forwarding me the same. 

Sorry for the delayed response in accepting the same and reacting.

Here are the details on receiving this award

<    Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

<    Answer the Questions that the nominator sets for you + create 11 Questions for the people you have nominated

<    Choose 11 deserving bloggers and link them in your post.

      Go to their blog and inform them about this.

<    No tag backs.

1. Describe u line one line?

  Very sensitive and caring person

2.Why do you blog?
 Cooking is my passion and gives me immense pleasure.

3.What is your aim?
Learn and experience new level of cooking through my fellow bloggers

4.If you have super power what will you do?
Well I am sure  I cant handle a super power like this as there is so many things in my to do list

5.One person whom you want to be with you all your life,why?(not parents,lover or children)?
Of course with the blessing of almighty its my husband, I don’t foresee a  life without him.

6.The persons whom you miss desperately?
My daughter and my mom as they are in India

7.Most memorable moment in your life?
My childhood days.

8.Social networking in your view?
Its good to make new friends.

9.Do you believe in love at first sight,if no why?
I have had an arranged marriage so unable to answer this question.

10.One thing you would to like to change about yourself?
I am too impatient and hasty.

11.Your view on my blog?
Budding blogger….long way to go.

The Second One Is The  SUNSHINE AWARD

The Sunshine Award is a lovely orange flower that bloggers give to other bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.

Rules

If you are nominated you must include the link in a blog, linking to the person/blog that nominated you.

You must answer some questions and nominate 11 fellow bloggers and link their blogs in your post. 

Let the people you have nominated know that you have nominated them!

Now as per the rules....these are the Questions!!!

Who is your favorite philosopher?
I don’t have one

What is your favorite number? 
9

What is your favorite animal?
Tiger

What are your Facebook and Twitter URLs?
FB – forknfolks Blogspot

Twitter - Nope

What is your favorite time of day?
Sun set time

What is your favorite physical activity?Brisk Walking
What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Any mocktails

What is your favorite flower?Jasmine

What is your passion?
Be a happy mom and a wonderful wife. Enjoy my time with my  blogger friends.

I am passing both the  Awards  to the following friends and you may answer the same questions.

Arthy : http://sumanarthyskitchen.blogspot.com

Viji of : http://nathivg.blogspot.com
Laavanya of     : http://www.laavyskitchen.com

Sherin of : http://kukskitchen.blogspot.com

Lashmi of : http://luckysskitchen.blogspot.com

Gauri of : http://runnergirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com

Beena of : http://cookingatmayflower.blogspot.com

Shabbu of : http://shabbustastykitchen.blogspot.com

Jillu of : http://jiyasdelicacy.blogspot.com

Radha  of : http://ifmacancooksocanyou.blogspot.com

Roshini of : http://arusuvai-kurippu.blogspot.com


The following are the awars I have received so far:

Cheers!!

Latha