Sharmis Passions

2min Eggless Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake | Instant Microwave Cake

2012-06-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Craving for chocolate cake all of a sudden?! then this is for you....You just need 2mins for making this cake..Isnt that motivating?! :) I wanted to try this cake since I saw it in Life and Spice. But owning an OTG I was a bit hesitant to go ahead. But finally last week I tried this with my neighbors microwave , the cake was ready in just 2mins and we loved the texture of the cake. A must try for all chocolate lovers!

I cudnt stop myself with that, so the next day I tried the same cake in my OTG too and it took a little longer to bake, it took around 12-15 mins but the taste was almost the same.

Eggless Microwave Chocolate Cake - Ingredients

Recipe Source : Life n Spice

Maida - 3 tbsp
Coco powder - 1.5 tbsp (unsweetened)
Sugar - 3tbsp (I used powdered sugar)
Baking Soda - 1/8 tsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Milk - 3 tbsp
Vanilla Essence - 1/4 tsp
Choco chips - 1 tsp(optional)

Method:

1.Add maida,coco powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in the mug, mix well. Add oil, milk and vanilla essence.Mix well and make sure there are no lumps.

2.The batter should be creamy and in flowing consistency. Then top it with chocolate chips.Microwave at 600W for 1 minute. Then switch the microwave to highest power and microwave 1 more minute. The cake rised over the top but went down a bit when the microwave turned off.

I have tried the same cake in OTG too.....so if you want to bake the same cake in OTG : Preheat oven to 185 deg C and bake the cake for10-12mins at the same temperature. It may take even 15mins so check it after 12mins and then bake accordingly.

My Notes:

This is the best instant cake for serving guests in individual portions. You can surprise your guests with this instant cake. You can serve it with vanilla icecream or add chocolate sauce as topping.
Make sure the mug is oven proof.
Adding choco chips is optional, you can skip that too.
Do not double the ingredients and add it in the same mug - the bottom will not get cooked. So use the same measures for 2 mugs instead if want to share.

Neeragaram (Pazhayathu) / Pazhaya Satham

2012-05-31T07:29:00.003-07:00

I never had a thought of posting neeragaram here. The full credit for this post goes to my best friends hubby who suggested me to post this. I kept postponing it for the reason that I didnt have any mud pots. Last week I got them and went ahead making and clicking this.

Neer + Aagaram - Water based food. This is the diet in most of the south indian villagers and farmers house which keep them energized throughout the day and this keeps them cool as well as they have work in the scorching sun throughout the day. They purposely make more rice than needed so that they can use the leftover rice to make this for next day morning breakfast.

I should admit this is almost forgotten in the fast paced life where in readymade porridge's and cereals are used to our convenience.

There were no grass in our apt surroundings, so went 2 streets ahead to click this with the grass. This is the first time I took all the materials outside to click and I thoroughly enjoyed the fun with 2-3 people staring at me ;)

The below capture was just for the nativity feel so asked the maid of our apartment to pose for this and she did it with so much of enthusiasm.

Neeragaram (Pazhayathu) Recipe - Ingredients

Left over Rice - 1 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Buttermilk - 1/4 cup
Small Onion - 3 to 4 chopped roughly
Green Chillies - 1 chopped finely
Salt - to taste

Method:

1.Soak the leftover rice in immersing level of water overnight. Drain little water next day morning then add buttermilk / curd. Smash it well with a laddle.Add little more water to bring it to porridge consistency.

2.Add required salt, finely chopped onion and green chillies, mix well. Pour into mud pots and allow it to rest for a while. Serve it.

3.Pickle is the best combination for this else fish curry is an apt combo esp the one made the previous day :)

My Notes:

Let over rice is best to be used for this neeragaram. If you are using fresh rice, give some 2-3hrs resting time then soak it.
Actually neeragaram is just water and rice but we can add buttermilk/curd to enhance the taste.
Mud pots are natural coolant so serving in it gives a cool feeling.
You can also add coriander, curry leaves to garnish and for extra flavour.
I removed the seeds almost fully in green chillies to avoid the spice level in it.
No need to refrigerate it.

This is the best natural summer coolant for breakfast. The crunch in the onions and the hot spicy chillies makes it the best combination. This is mostly had for breakfast and it is very much filling that you will not feel hungry for the next 4-5 hours for sure.

So what are you still waiting for?! Dont throw the leftover rice and enjoy this cool neeragaram.

Comments Page for Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake

2012-05-30T20:49:00.001-07:00

As the comments section in the orginal post exceeds the max no of comments set default by blogger, have created a seperate page for it. Please proceed with ur comments here.

Egglesss Vanilla Sponge Cake

Vegetable Pasta Soup

2012-05-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

Last month, I bought a pack of pasta and was bored of making the usual tomato based and milk based ones, So I wanted to try a soup with it. I googled a lot referred many sites, finally got an idea and made the soup with the ingredients I had in hand. The soup was thick, delicious and filling too and never felt hungry for the next meal.

Vegetable Pasta Soup Recipe - Ingredients
Serves 2

Pasta - 1/2 cup(I used the shell type macroni)
Vegetables - 1/4 cup ( I used peas and carrot)
Chickpeas(Channa) - 2.5 tbsp
Pasta Sauce - 1 tbsp
Tomato Sauce - 1 tsp
Italian Seasoning / Oregano - 1/4 tsp
Salt- to taste
Water - 1/4 cup(adjust according to the consistency you want)
Corn flour -1 tsp

To Temper:

Onion - 1/2 medium sized chopped finely
Garlic - 3 pearls chopped finely
Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1.Pressure cook the veggies(carrot and peas) just for1 whistles and keep aside. Soak channa overnight for atleast 8 hours and pressure cook for 6 whistles in medium flame, set aside. Boil water in a heavy bottomed container and add the pasta with little salt. Once it turns soft(yet form enough to bite), drain water and collect the pasta in a bowl and set aside.

2.In a pan, heat oil - add onion , garlic saute till slightly browned.Then add cooked channa, carrot and peas, saute till moisture is absorbed. Then add the pasta sauce, tomato sauce and italian seasoning.

3.Stir until the masalas are well blended with the veggies. Add water, required salt and allow it to boil. Then add the cooked pasta.

4.Cook in medium flame for 2mins for the pasta to absorb the flavour, then add cornflour and mix well. It will start thickening faster once corn flour is added so switch off when its creamy and is of your desired consistency.

Serve the soup hot or warm with pepper powder sprinkled. It tends to thicken faster as cornflour is added so serving immediately is recommended.

My Notes:

Adding vegetables is purely of your choice. You can add your favourite veggie.
We loved the chunky pastas with the crunch in the vegetables
You can very well skip cornflour - It is added just to thicken the soup. If you like your soup to be slightly clear then skip cornflour.
Serve it along with soup sticks or toasted bread.

Mango Lemonade

2012-05-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

While I was searching for mango lemonade there were many recipes with just mixing the mango pulp and lemon juice with sugar. But when I saw this recipe with making sugar syrup at Red Chillies, I loved the idea so went ahead making it the same day. Refreshing drink for this summer and this is my first post this mango season :) You can check the other mango recipes here.

Mango Lemonade Recipe - Ingredients
Recipe Reference : Red Chillies

Thick mango pulp - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup (adjust according to the sweetness of the mangoes)
Water - 1 cup for sugar syrup
Cold Water - as required to mix with concentrate
Lemon juice - from 2 lemons

Method:

1.Squeeze lemon and extract the juice, discard the seeds.Collect the juice in a bowl.Keep aside. In a heavy bottomed vessel add sugar.

2.Then add water and stir continuously till sugar dissolves and it will start bubbling , allow it to boil till a single string consistency is reached(very thin string is enough). Switch off and cool down completely.

3. Blend mangoes to get a thick pulp(dont add water). Once the sugar syrup is completely cooled add the mango pulp to it, then add lemon juice to it.

While serving add cold water and ice cubes as required to the mango lemon concentrate and serve chilled

My Notes:

I am really not sure of the shelf life but ours kept well for 3 days and by then our mango lemonade was over :)
Make sure you cool the sugar syrup completely before adding mango pulp and lemon juice.