Simply cooking kitchen

Milk bread recipe

2018-10-14T11:33:00.000+05:30

Its been quite sometime that i have fed my blog as i was concentrating on few other things in life. The interest ans enthusiasm in cooking or baking did not vanish as few of my friends thought and asked. Been baking with different combinations and flours, happy with the outcome too. Whenever my family craves for bread i just bake it few hours in advance. Must tell you that the process of baking bread is so therapeutic and is healthy for mind, body and the family if i may say 😀.

So yes coming to the recipe... i have tried baking with whole wheat and few millets too. The trick for a good bread lies in the type and quality of yeast ( i use prestige brand yeast) , kneading and hydration of the dough.

For this bread I have used organic maida ( all purpose flour) .

The measurements or the ingredients is as follows

Organic maida - 1/2 kg

Yeast 3 tspn

Sugar - 2 - 3 tspn

Salt - 1 tspn or as required

Milk- one cup

Water- one cup

Butter - 50 gms (melted and cooled)

Olive oil - few spoons

Method

Throw in all the ingredients in a huge bowl except the olive oil, yes all the above ingredients except the olive oil.
Use the spiral attachment of the egg beater and knead the dough ( i dont use my hand for kneading as this dough is a wet dough and i dont enjoy it sticking on to my palm) . Hence i use the hand beater with the dough hook and knead the dough for 10 - 12 mins pulsing in between.
Once the dough has come together and well kneaded add 2- 3 spoons of olive oil and smear over the dough using your palm and just bring the dough in a shape of a ball, pat and leave.
Cover the bowl with a lid.
Let the dough rest for 1 hour or 1 and half hour. The dough should double in size( it should rise).
Once the dough is risen punch it down with a spatula ( again i dont like the dough sticking to my palm and hence i use a spatula).
Once the dough is punched down divide the dough into two loaves.
I used a 9 inch round silicon pan and kept the loaves in it ( rugby ball shaped loaves)
Now switch on the oven to preheat at 200 degress Celsius for about 20 minutes.
Once the oven is preheated keep the dough in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Check the colour change, remove from the oven, brush some butter and slide the bread in the oven again and bake for about 5 minutes to let it holden brown.
Remove the bread and slightly knock and check whether you hear a hollow sound. If you can manage the heat lift rhe bread and knock the bread from the botton too to hear the hollow sound.
Leave the bread in the wire rack to cool completely.

Dont risk slicing the bread before it cools down as cooking happens even after the bread is removed from the oven in the trapped heat.

Once cooled slice the bread and proceed enjoying it the way you prefer.

Happy baking

Thankyou

Chaithanya

Mint and garlic pull apart bread recipe

2018-02-24T16:44:00.000+05:30

Mint and garlic pull apart bread recipe

I have almost forgotten how to login into blogger as its been that long I have blogged.

Been creating new recipes as I love doing it and it helps my creative brain to stay alive as I get older ;) , but not been recording as I was caught up with few other activities in life. When I posted the picture of this bread few friends insisted on having the recipe and hence this push to blog this recipe.

This recipe happened last week when i was reading something and was craving for a warm piece of bread. I was anyway planning to bake some bread, garlic bread and was so tempted to add mint to this garlic bread and hence this recipe.

So for bread baking few pointers are knead the dough well irrespective of what flour you use, i have experimented baking breads with all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and few millet too and the basic rule I have noticed is a well kneaded and hydrated dough.

Coming to this recipe

Ingredients

Flour - 3 cups all purpose flour (maida) plus1 to 1.5 cups atta
Sugar - One tsp
Salt - one tsp
Yeast - one tsp
Milk - half cup
Water - 1.5 cups
Olive oil - one tbsp
white and black sesame seeds one tspm each
Turmeric powder - one big pinch
Garlic butter - 100 gm
Mint - one cup (tightly packed)

Method

Take a big bowl and add 3 cups of A.P flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour ( hold the remaining half cup flour to add later if necessary), add salt, sugar, yeast, turmeric powder, milk and water and olive oil to the flour.
Knead well using a dough whisk for about 10 - 12 minutes until the dough is well kneaded and elastic and leave the dough in a bowl coated with oil and let it rise for about an hour or two or until the dough rises and double in size.
Meanwhile chop the mint leaves finely, melt the garlic butter and add the finely chopped mint to the melted butter and mix well.
After the dough has risen punch down and make small balls of the dough.
Flatten the dough balls and then brush the mint and garlic butter mixture on one side. flatten all the balls and layer it one by one and brush each layer with the mint and garlic butter mixture.
When all the dough is brushed and stacked lift it carefully and place it horizontally in a loaf tin or any pan suitable to place the stack.
Once it is place just brush over the remaining butter mixture on top of the dough.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes and in the meanwhile the bread is left for a second rising.
Once the oven is preheated place the loaf tin in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes until the top of the bread is golden brown.
remove the bread from the tin and preferably serve it hot.

So that's the bread which is best served when hot or warm, i served this bread for breakfast accompanied with some scrambled eggs and coffee.
Happy baking
regards
Chaithanya

Whole wheat dil leaves crackers recipe

2016-08-24T16:07:00.002+05:30

Akki roti is one my fav Karnataka delicacies and last week I learnt the recipe and tips and techniques to learn from a friend and made it two consecutive days in full excitement. I am saying about akki roti here because I love dil leaves in akki roti and I placed an order for dil leaves with my grocer but when the leaves arrived I realised I ran out of akki roti flour. Hence this idea popped up in my mind and since I love the flavour of dil leaves dint waits to try out the recipe which was playing in my mind.

Recipe follows

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 1.5 cups

Dill leaves (finely chopped) – ¼ cup (packed)

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp.

Ghee- 1 tbsp.

Sugar – 1-2 tbsp.

Pepper powder – 1 tsp.

Garlic powder – 1 tsp.

Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp.

Salt – ¾ tsp.

Baking powder – a pinch (1/8 tsp.)

Milk – enough to knead soft dough

Method

In a huge bowl put the whole wheat flour and all the rest of the ingredients except milk.
Mix all the ingredients well with a fork.
Slowly add the milk to make a soft dough, neither too wet nor to dry or hard.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes
Take an empty food grade cover with three sides closed or you could simply take two food grade plastic sheets. Keep the dough in between and roll out into thin sheets. Take a cutter and cut squares of the rolled dough. Place these squares in a greased baking tray or a silicon sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes until the edges slightly turn golden brown colour.
Remove the crackers from the tray and place in a wire rack to cool. Once cool the crackers will turn crisp and crunchy.
If not place the crackers in the tray and place it back in the oven for another few minutes but be careful it doesn’t get burnt!!
Once cooled store in an airtight jar

Note : you could vary the spice measurements to your taste.

Done :)

Thanks

Chaithanya

Whole wheat chocolate and almond cookies with chocolate chunks

2016-08-03T12:46:00.000+05:30

My boy loves anything sweet specially when its chocolaty and cookies top the list and he has been requesting me for a long time to bake some chocolate cookies. And off late he stopped requesting too, guess he thought amma wouldn’t bake as I have been emphasising on other better options of snacks recently.

Anyway today I thought of giving him a surprise and I made the cookie dough before he was back from school and baked it when he went out to play in the evening. And when he entered home he straight away walked into the kitchen to gobble up the cookie, of course I had to remind him to wash his hands. Also the little sister was also right beside him and they drooled at the melted chocolate oozing out!! He also counted the cookies and made sure he gets a fair share .. lol

In the meantime I took a bite on one and wohoo when the chocolate oozed out the child in me jumped with joy.

It was not a very different recipe from my usual cookie recipe yet I wanted to record this recipe.

Though I started off with a simple chocolate cookie it dint quite end up so.

Let me get to the recipe

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Almonds (I use mamra variety) – ½ cup

Egg – one

Sugar – ½ cup

Butter (salted) – ½ cup (100 gms)

Baking powder – one big pinch

Cocoa powder – 2 – 3 tsp.

Milk – ¼ - 1/3 cup

Chocolate chunks – 125 gms

Method

Wash the almonds well and soak for about ½ hour
Grind these almonds using milk and make a paste and keep aside
In a large bowl throw in the butter, sugar, flour, egg, cocoa powder, baking powder and the almond paste and mix it well using a fork and keep aside for about 30 mins
Chop the cooking chocolate into large chunks and throw in the cookie dough and mix well.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius for 10 mins
Grease the baking tray and scoop out the dough and place in the baking tray leaving a gap of at least an inch.
Place the tray in the top rack of the oven (that’s what I do for cookies) and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
Remove the tray and carefully remove the cookies and place it in the wire rack.
Store in an airtight container once cooled.

The chocolate remained soft even the next day but not gooey, may be I could microwave for few seconds and leave it for few minutes before taking a bite and get the oozing chocolate effect

I used organic raw sugar in the this recipe, the granules are crushed sand and not crystals or fine powder.

Happy baking!! :)

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

3 flour murukku it is!

2016-06-22T11:07:00.002+05:30

That day when I realised there are no munchies at home and me being me don’t like my family feeding on store bought munchies hence checked my grocery. And I remembered I had bought urad flour from the market last week, so just went on to exploring making some crispy snack. If we check on to murukku recipe there is no dearth for it with the variety of combinations it has. Hence I thought of going my way.

Picked out rice flour , gram flour, and rice flour and mixed and kneaded with some spices and extruded using using the chakkuli maker and used the thick seviya strand moulds.

Anyway the The recipe follows....

Ingredients

1 cup urad flour
1 cup gram flour
1 cup rice flour
Ghee – 2- 3 tsp.
Water – as required
Spices – (jeera, ajwain, asoafetida, turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder, sesame seeds)
Salt

Method

In a huge bowl throw in all the flours, ghee and spices and mix well and then add water little by little and make a not so soft dough, dough will be sticky so use a fork to start mixing the dough and use your palm at a later stage. Let the dough rest for 10- 20 mins.

Heat the oil and fill the dough in the murukku press and then hold the press above the hot oil and squeeze out the dough in the hot oil. Turn the murukku over and remove it it to a kitchen towel once it stops bubbling.

Note :

The dough will be sticky use a little water to put out just enough dough to fill in the mould.

Fry in high flame

If the dough turns out to be watery add any of the flours little more since wet dough will absorb oil.

Thanks you

Chaithanya

Recipe for Chiwda - a dry roasted snack using beaten rice

2016-06-07T18:38:00.001+05:30

A Marathi friend sent a box of delicious spicy chiwda last week and that’s what motivated me to try this amazing snack. I was unsure as to how authentic my chiwda would taste while I thought of trying it out. I googled for some recipes but I realised none of the recipes are the same so I thought of giving it a try in my way and yea no regrets about the taste.

So this recipe is what I did and will note what I could add or modify in my next trial.

Ingredients

Thin beaten rice (paper poha) – 500 gms

Cashew nuts – ½ cup

Peanuts – 1 cup

Roasted gram dal – ½ cup

Sliced garlic – 2 tbsp.

Curry leaves – 1 cup packed (yes!!)

Asafoetida – 2 big pinches

Sesame seeds – ½ cup

Salt

Powdered sugar

Red chillies

Coriander seeds – 1 tspn

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp.

Oil – ½ cup

Method

Take a huge kadai and dry roast the poha (beaten rice) for about 10-15 mins ( when you snap it should break).
Take another kadai and pour in the oil and heat up.
Fry the cashew nuts, peanuts, garlic and curry leaves and keep aside.
In the remaining oil fry the sesame seeds, red chillies, asafoetida, turmeric powder, coriander seeds and pour in this seasoning over the roasted poha along with the fried cashew nuts, peanuts, garlic slices and curry leaves.
Add salt and powdered sugar and mix the whole mixture thoroughly until all the flavours and ingredients gets mixed up well.

Note: Fry finely chopped green chillies if you want to make it spicy

This is specially made for a guilt free evening snack for me and my selves (actually)...Lol

Try and let me know

Thank you!

Chaithanya

Wholewheat mini cupcakes sweetened with jaggery syrup

2016-03-29T23:43:00.001+05:30

That day I was feeling low for a reason and was craving to do something new or different and that usually gives me a high. So that day I just picked up my mini cupcakes pan and kept out all the staples for cake baking. After couple of hours while I was making dinner for the family I got into mixing the batter and then this recipe evolved. Husband dear had just got back from the office and he loved the aroma filled in our home :)

Following is the recipe

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour -1.5 cups

Eggs – 3 no.s

Butter – 2/3 cup

Jaggery syrup – ¾ cup (refer notes)

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp.

Baking powder – 1 tsp.

Method

Take a huge mixing bowl and throw in the softened butter, crack the 3 eggs, sieve in the flour and the baking powder, pour in the jaggery syrup, drop in the vanilla essence and mix well using a whisk until all the ingredients have just come together. Yes, you read it right. That’s exactly what I did. Don’t over whisk.
Once the ingredients have come together gently scoop out the batter into the cupcake moulds and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when pierced.

Note: Jaggery syrup is made by melting one kg of jaggery with one cup of water, sieve and and measure ¾ cup from it for this recipe. You can store the remaining syrup in the refrigerator and stays good for weeks.

I used coarse chakki ground atta for this recipe.

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

Methi capsicum masala reccipe

2016-03-20T19:57:00.002+05:30

Another weekend comes up and thought of going out for lunch but was looking difficult due to kids’ classes. Also there was hardly any vegetables at home except for some basic stuffs. Hence thought of putting a meal of jeera rice, dal, eggs and a capsicum curry.

This capsicum curry has a nice flavourful base and is different from the usual curry base I do. Though I served it with jeera rice hubby dear is of the opinion that it will go well with rotis and parathas.

Anyway let me share the recipe.

Ingredients

Onion - 1 , roughly chopped

Tomatoes - 2, roughly chopped

Green chilli – 1/2

Ginger – 1 inch

Garlic – 2-3 cloves

Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp.

Peanuts – 1 tbspn

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Kashmiri chillies – 2 whole ones (you can more if you want more colour)

Jeera – ½ tspn

Methi leaves – ½ cup (fresh leaves)

Capsicum – 2 medium ( chopped into cubes)

Turmeric powder – ½ tspn

Salt

Water - One cup

Method

Keep a thick bottom kadai on stove and add oil, add the cashews, peanuts, coriander seeds, tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and whole kashmiri chillies and sauté for a while, you can sauté it together until everything just wilt away and no need to brown it. Remove the contents to a mixer jar and let it cool.
Make a paste of the mixture in the mixer.
Keep the kadai on the stove again and add oil/butter/ghee
Add jeera and once it splutters add the chopped capsicum. Sauté it for a while and then add the methi leaves (you could chop it if you want) and followed by the ground masala.
Add turmeric powder, salt and required amount of water and bring the curry to a boil.
Garnish with a pinch of garam masala or you could add whole spices in at any stage of cooking the curry
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips and notes: You may increase the number of kashmiri chillies for colour and heat.

You may also increase or decrease the level of water and adjust the consistency of the curry.

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

Tutti frutti and coconut flakes bread recipe

2016-03-09T11:15:00.001+05:30

Love baking bread these days and today a jar of tutti frutti and a jar of coconut flakes tempted me to bake this bread. I used whole wheat flour for this bread.

Initially I used to find it difficult to bake bread using just whole wheat but now have got the hang of it! And doesn’t get terrified for not using maida. The trick is you have to make sure that the dough is wet enough. As I have always said in my previous bread posts the bread dough should be wet enough to get a softer bread. As a secret I would also say don't blindly follow the recipe but follow your instincts.

I have a reason to say this, as even the texture of the flour changes from packets, brands, batches and so on.

So don’t worries if your dough happens to be mushy...be happy that you get softer dough provided you have good quality yeast to react with

Was doubtful whether to blog this crazy recipe but when husband returned from office he was gobbling it one by one along with tea and that made me decide, yes i should blog this recipe .. lol

Now onto the recipe

Ingredients

Whole wheat four - 2 cups

Yeast - 1tspn

Olive oil - 2-3 tbsp.

Sugar - 1tbspn

Salt - 1 tsp.

Water – 1.5 cups

Tutti Frutti -1/2 cup to 1 cup (I have used 1 cup)

Coconut flakes - 1/2 cup to 1 cup (I have used 1 cup)

Method

Take a huge mixing bowl and sift in the flour, add the yeast, sugar and knead using water. You could use your hands, fork or dough hook attachment of the egg beater for kneading the dough. Then add the salt and add the olive oil little by little and knead for about 10 minutes. This dough will be quite watery, but worry not!
Close the bowl with a lid or a towel and leave it to rise for about 0ne hour. You will see the dough has doubled in size. AT this stage add the tutti frutti and coconut flakes and mix it gently into the dough. Take a pan and spread out the dough evenly ( I use a silicon sheet ot spread out the dough) and press out using olive oil smeared palm.
Preat heat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes and meantime the dough will rise.
Once the oven is hot, place the tray in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the top turns brown and you hear a hollow sound once you knock the bread.
Remove the bread and let it cool on a wire rack.
Slice the bread once the bread cools down.

Bake and enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee

Thanks

Chaithanya

Raw cashew curry recipe

2016-02-28T23:41:00.000+05:30

Last week just happened to drop in one of the Mangalore stores in the city. They usually store and sell goodies which are popular in the Konkan belt. This store serves buns, goli bajji, pathrode etc. So while we were browsing through the snacks, sweets and savouries we spotted a pack of raw cashews. I have heard about raw cashew curry from a class mate of mine during my college years. Asked few tips from the store keeper as to how to wash and clean those cashews. Further I checked with my friend for the recipe. She was delighted to know that I still remember the curry after so many years. I happened to find a recipe on the internet too. But thought of going ahead with my friend’s recipe.

Hence the recipe follows

Ingredients

Raw cashew – 200 gm

Shallots – 1 cup (3/4 cup +1/4 cup)

Ginger – 1 inch

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Curry leaves

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.

Coriander powder – 3 tsp.

Chilli powder – 1 tsp.

Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp.

Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp.

Fennel seeds – ¼ tsp.

For seasoning

Shallots

Mustard

Red chillies

Curry eaves

Method

The raw cashews will have a brown outer skin, so soak these cashews in hot water and after sometime peel off the skin, wash it thoroughly a couple of times and keep aside.
Now take a kadai or a thick bottom vessel, add few spoons of oil. When the oil is hot add chopped ginger, ¾ cup ofshallots and curry leaves and sauté until the shallots turns to a pale colour. Add the grated coconut and all the spices and keep stirring until the mixture turns dark brown in colour. Please be careful not to burn the mixture at this stage.
Transfer this mixture into a grinder and once cooled grind the mixture to a fine paste adding required amount of water.
Now take a thick bottom vessel and pour this mixture into it and add sufficient water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Add the washed raw cashews at this stage and also add salt.
Let it come to boil and let the cashews cook for about 15- 20 mins.
Once done remove from the stove.
Now take another pan and keep it on the stove and add oil, splutter mustard seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves and ¼ cup of finely chopped shallots. Pour it over the curry and it’s done.
This curry can be served with rice, chappathi, appams etc

Note: you could also do the seasoning first as then pour the gravy paste and cashews and cook.

Pickled Strawberries recipe

2016-02-04T16:51:00.000+05:30

Some fresh strawberries have been lying in my fridge for the past few days and it had become not so fresh anymore…jam and milkshakes have been in my mind but I dint want to make those. Cakes, cookies, scones too went thru my mind, dint want to do that either.

All of a sudden thought of pickling it … has no idea how that spark came in. I was quite uncertain about the outcome too... But yet just gave it a try. I must say I am digging the berries from the jar whenever I pass by.

And the best thing there is no added sugar, efforts or any other frills attached. Simply chop add salt, sugar, green chillies and few spoons of vinegar.

Now the recipe looks like this

Strawberries (cut into 4 ) – 250 gms

Water

Salt and sugar – as per taste

Vinegar – 1-2 tbsp. (depending on the sourness of the strawberries)

Green chillies – 2-3 (finely chopped)

Method

Take a clean glass jar and fill in with the chopped strawberries. Add the salt, sugar and chopped green chillies and shake the bottle. Add water just above the level of the berries. Add the vinegar too.

Shake again and leave it aside.
Let it sit for few hours and then enjoy nonstop

Note: You may reduce the heat by reducing the number of green chillies you use

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

Mushroom and paneer masala

2016-01-21T17:41:00.000+05:30

So that day when I had gone for grocery shopping had picked a packet of fresh mushrooms and fresh paneer ( cottage cheese) from the nearby store. Whenever these two ingredients are at home I try to cook it the same day. So was thinking of coming up with a side dish for rotis for that evening. Since I was craving for something with spicy flavours yet tangy and sweet , started thinking of a curry base with onion tomato and coconuts.

Hence the recipe

Ingredients

Mushrooms – 200 gms

Paneer – 100 gms

Onion – one large

Tomato – 2 large

Ginger - an inch

Garlic – 3- 4 cloves

Green chilli – 1 or 2

Grated coconut – ¼ cup

Oil

salt

Spices

Coriander powder - 2 tspn

Chilli powder - ½ tspn

Turmeric powder – ¼ tspn

Whole pepper corns – ½ tspn

Fennel seeds – ½ tspn

Method

Keep a kadai on the stove, once its heated add a spoon or two of oil and add the grated coconut to it. Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, saute well until the coconut turns brown and the onions and tomatoes turns its colour.
Switch off the flame and add the rest of the spices and mix well and let the whole mixture cool.
Once cooled grind it well using little water to a fine paste.
Now keep the kadai on the stove, add a little oil and add the chopped mushrooms, stir well until its cooked.
Add the ground masala paste and add sufficient water and salt to the curry.
Add the paneer cubes and bring it to boil.
Mean while add some curry leaves and let it get cooked in the curry.

Serve hot with some warm phulkas/rotis.

Note: Change the spice level to you preferences.

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

Horse gram tadka recipe

2016-01-19T00:08:00.001+05:30

The main ingredient of this recipe is horse gram, which we like to consume during the cold seasons as it gives warmth to the body and as a bonus helps in weight reduction and is an excellent source of iron too!

The whole seeds of horse gram are generally utilized as cattle feed. However, it is consumed as a whole seed, as sprouts, or as whole meal in India, popular especially in southern Indian states.

I learnt this recipe from my mother in law and it’s a quick dinner for us on some days and we can avoid carbs during this meal as this is quite filling and healthy too!

The recipe is as follows

Ingredients

Horse gram – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups

Chilli powder, turmeric powder – as required

Salt – as required

For seasoning

Shallots – finely chopped

Garlic – finely chopped

Chopped coconut pieces

Curry leaves

Red chillies

Method

Dry roast the horse gram in a thick bottom kadai/wok for about 10 mins in med flame until you get a nice aroma and the shape and colour of the horse gram changes slightly. Soak this roasted horse gram in sufficient water for about 3- 4 hrs.
Wash it well until the water is clear, that’s for about 3-4 times and put it in a pressure cooker.
Add 2 cups of water, salt and spices and tsp. of oil in the pressure cooker.
Pressure cook for one whistle at high flame and reduce the flame to min and leave for about half an hour before switching the flame off, as it takes time to cook well.
Once the pressure releases on its own, get ready for the tadka/seasoning.
Keep a small pan on the stove, add oil, add the finely chopped shallots, garlic, coconut pieces, curry leaves and dried red chillies, saute well until the shallots and garlic turns golden brown in colour.
Add the tadka to the cooked horsegram.
Serve hot with rice, philkas or just as it is!

Thank you!

Chaithanya

Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and spring onions

2016-01-11T13:00:00.004+05:30

A pack of spaghetti has been lying in my pantry for few weeks and just yesterday I harvested some fresh and aromatic spring onions.
Thought of pairing it with the spaghetti and yea also had some ripe cherry tomatoes to be plucked from the pots.
So thought of bringing all this ingredients together to prepare spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and spring onions and the verdict was super yum!

I am bad with stories and hence jumping to the recipe: P

Ingredients

Olive oil – 2 -3 tbsp.

Finely chopped garlic – 1-2 tsp.

Finely chopped spring onion heads - 1/4 cup

Spaghetti – 250 gms

Water in which spaghetti was cooked - 1 cup

Salt, pepper, chilli flakes, Italian seasoning – as per your wish

Method

Cook the spaghetti and keep aside.
Take a deep wok or a skillet and add the olive oil, throw in the chopped garlic and spring onion heads, sauté well.
Add about a cup of water in which spaghetti was cooked and simmer a while
Now add the cooked spaghetti and add salt, pepper and stir well.
Add the chopped cherry tomatoes and spring onion and stir again.
Add the Italian seasoning and chilli flakes and grated cheese at this stage.
Stir well again and serve hot!!

Note:

Spaghetti can be cooked in a huge pot of boiling water in which a little olive oil and salt is added.

Alternatively you can pressure cook the spaghetti by adding 6 cups of water to 250 gms of spaghetti, salt and cooking for one whistle. Retain one cup of water in which spaghetti is cooked for the recipe.

Cook, serve and enjoy :)
Thank you

Chaithanya

Homemade badam (mamra) milk drink

2016-01-08T11:53:00.001+05:30

This is one of the drinks I make for kids for breakfast especially during winters… Their breakfast includes an Indian breakfast and cup of badam milk to go with it.

I believe almonds provides heat to the body and also develop immunity, now that is what I have read and heard.

And yea I never believed in the store bought ‘health drinks’

Badam milk is something made at home using soaked almonds blended with sweetened milk. Earlier I use to use the american almonds but few years back I met a mom who mentioned about mamra variety of almonds , did a bit of research on it and since then been using mamra variety for making badam milk, it’s a bit costlier compared to the American variety but is very nutritious.

We soak mamra variety of almonds overnight and grind the almonds with milk, raw sugar and a pinch of home made turmeric powder. I feel so happy and satisfied when I make this and kids drink this in the morning.. :)

Coming to the recipe

Ingredients

Mamra almonds - 10-1 2 no.s

Milk - 2 cups

Sugar - 2 tsp.

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Cardamom power – a pinch

Method

Soak the almonds overnight and wash thoroughly the next day( I don’t peel the soaked almonds).
Grind the almonds with little milk, sugar, turmeric powder and cardamom powder well and then later add the rest of the milk.
Once ground strain thru a juicer sieve.
Pour out in cups and serve!

Note :

I use 'Braun' chopper to grind this quantity of almonds, have tried most of the other appliances but it never gets ground well.
We use organic milk, raw sugar, a home made turmeric powder to make the drink healthier.

Thank you

Chaithanya.

Orange and semolina mini muffins recipe

2015-12-22T15:41:00.000+05:30

Orange and semolina mini muffins

I don’t even remember when I have blogged last time, was so tied up by couple of family tasks. Today thought of trying something without following any recipe as I love such brainstorming

Thus this recipe emerged. Used couple of ingredients I have at home to make these mini muffins, its super easy and the muffins turned out delicious too

Coming to the recipe

Ingredients

Fine semolina (chirooti rava) - 1.5 cups

Brown sugar – 2/3 cup (not powdered)

Fresh juice of two oranges – about 2/3 cup

Eggs – 2

Butter – 1/3 cup

Baking powder – ½ tsp.

Vanilla essence ( optional)

Method

Throw in all the ingredients into a huge bowl and whisk well with a hand whisk. Yes trust me I did exactly this.
Once the ingredients have come together simply scoop out and pour in muffin pans.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes.
Remove the tray and let it cool for about 5-10 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.

Tip: I was thinking it will be nice if I soak these mini muffins in orange syrup, what say? . Will try :)

Bake and enjoy ..

Thanks

Chaithanya

Pressure cooker palpayasam recipe

2015-12-03T16:17:00.002+05:30

Pressure cooker palpayasam recipe

Palpayasam is one of famous south indian delicacy and in north it’s called as kheer. Traditionally it is cooked on stove top, adding rice, sugar and milk and stirred for long time so that rice is well cooked in milk and the sweet and delicious dessert is made

My family loves palpayasam and its one of the kid’s favourites too... Over the years I have started to make it in the pressure cooker. I have many friends who do the same.

Ingredients

Rice – ¼ cup

Milk – 3 cups

Sugar - 1/3 cup

Saffron – few stands (optional)

Cardamom powder – a pinch (optional)

Method

In a pressure cooker (I use a 2 litre stainless steel pressure cooker) add the rice, 2 cups of milk and sugar and keep it on gas stove on low flame. Wait until you hear the first whistle and switch off the stove after 5 minutes.
Open the lid once the pressure is released automatically.
Use a potato masher and mash the rice randomly.
Add the saffron and cardamom powder at this stage and mix well, also add a cup of hot milk to this. Mix well again.

Note: I sometimes grind few almonds (about 5-10) in the payasam.

you coudl also increase the sugar quantity depending on your taste.

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

Cinnamon bread sticks recipe

2015-11-30T14:28:00.000+05:30

Cinnamon bread sticks

I have never tried any bakes with cinnamon yet, I guess mainly because my dear husband dislikes the flavor of cinnamon. But the other day when he got the cinnamon stick from some dish I made he said the cinnamon is very sweet and full of flavor and suggested me to try something with it.

From then I have been thinking of baking something with cinnamon, for once I thought will bake cinnamon rolls then I changed it to breads sticks.

I must say if you like cinnamon it’s difficult to stop munching on these, This recipe is quick and easy too

The recipe follows

Ingredient

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Butter – 1/3 cup

Egg – 1 no.

Milk – few spoons

Sugar -1 tbsp.

Salt – a pinch

For cinnamon sugar

1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon powder

Vanilla powder – a very tiny pinch

Method

Bring together the flour, butter, sugar; egg and salt and gently knead with your fingers. Add few spoons of milk to bring the ingredients together. Once the dough is formed refrigerate it for an hour.
After an hour remove the dough and leave it outside for 30 minutes.
Mix the sugar, cinnamon powder and vanilla powder well and keep aside. (Add vanilla essence if u don’t have vanilla powder)
Take a grocery packet (plastic packet of atta or any other grocery). Put the dough in the packet and then fatten the dough, roll it flat. You should be able to roll the dough into a perfect square/rectangle as the dough is concealed in the cover. Once the dough is rolled gently cut open two sides of the cover and lift one side of the cover. You see rolled dough in square/rectangle shape.
Now sprinkle the cinnamon sugar well around
Now fold the dough sheet into half. and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar yet again on top of it.
Now using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the folded sheet into couple of strips.
Now grab a strip at the folded end and twist as though you are wringing a wash cloth.
Place each strips on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake the sticks at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15- 20 minute until the top is browned.
Remove and place each stick on a wire rack to cool.

Serve with milk, tea or coffee and enjoy !

Regards

Chaithanya

Kerala uniyappam recipe

2015-11-29T12:41:00.000+05:30

Kerala uniyappam recipe

Kerala uniyappam is a very famous sweet snack of Kerala, it’s also an auspicious snack as it is prepared in temples and also on auspicious family occasions or just any other day too. I personally was not a fan of uniyappam though my mother makes it well during Vishu. But my darling son loves most of the traditional food and one is uniyappam. Usually my mother makes it whenever we visit her and it’s been a long desire of mine to make it by my selves.

Over the years I have tried many recipes, various combinations and with various rice and flours. I tried with wheat, rava...all those came out good but I wasn’t satisfied with the taste, texture and authenticity.

One of my good friends is an expert in making uniyappam, few years back I tried her recipe too, that was yet another disaster and I just left it there.

Last week I gave another attempt with the same recipe. The taste was very close to what I wanted but the texture was close to a disaster.

So yet another trial with all the courage and prayers and it came out successful. The taste and texture was just the exact way I wanted.

Uniyappam is generally made using rice flour but here I have soaked and ground the rice to make the appams. Small well ripe banana is an essentially ingredient for making delicious apam. And a few spices mixed in the batter makes beautiful and tasty uniyappams

The recipe follows

Ingredients

Ponny raw rice or Dosa rice – 1 cup ( note below)

Small well ripe bananas ( elakki )- 3

Jaggery syrup – one cup ( note below)

Water - ½ cup

Cardamom powder – a pinch

Jeera powder – a pinch

Dry ginger powder – a pinch

Coconut pieces - few

White/black sesame seeds – 1 tbspn

Ghee – 2 tsp

Oil for deep frying ( to your preference)

Method

Wash and Soak the rice for a minimum of 2 hours.
Grind the rice using sufficient jaggery syrup and water alternatively so that the rice is well ground. Add the bananas and grind again until the rice and banana is blended well. Make sure the batter is finely ground and well mixed. That’s a very important step to get the batter right.
Add the spices and fry the coconut pieces in ghee and add to the batter. Mix the batter well with remaining jaggery pieces and water, cover and let it rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Take and appam pan and keep on flame and add oil (we use coconut oil) once the oil is hot enough reduce the flame and bring it to medium flame.
If the flame is too high the appam will burn and the centre will remain uncooked and the flame is too low the appam will soak a lot of oil, hence medium flame is advised.
So when the batter is poured, ideally the appam will rise over, and after few minutes flip the appam once and then drain from oil to a kitchen towel.
Repeat the same process with the remaining batter and once cooled store in an airtight container.

This quantity will yield about 20 – 25 med sized appams.

Note:

Regarding jaggery syrup, I usually melt one kg jaggery in one cup of water, sieve and store. Used one cup from this syrup.

Regarding appam chatti , you need paniyaram pan/appam chatti for deep frying the appam

I use a cast iron appam pan hence make sure the pan is well seasoned, else chances of the batter sticking to the bottom pf the pan is high and it will spoil the show

Tip: smear the oil and leave the pan for few days before you plan to make appams or if your pan is already seasoned well and good

Regarding rice: Raw rice preferred

If by chance you find the batter is too water add a tbpsn of chirooti rava to the batter.

Thanks regards

Chaithanya

Egg biriyani recipe

2015-11-28T22:21:00.003+05:30

Egg biriyani

Biriyani is one dish which the majority of the population look forward for, for its taste simplicity, variance and a bag full of flavours.Each region has a recipe of its own with various combinations of spices. Also its one dish which is one pot and yet full of flavors due to the various spices used in its preparation. For some, preparing biriyani is very easy and quick but I confess its not so for me. I have to concentrate a lot while making biryani than other regular dishes. More than effort biriyani has a sequence of process to be followed else the taste gets altered. You have to be careful from the right level of cooking of the rice, mixing and flavouring of the dish at every possible level.

I have been doing this recipe for quite some time but every time i make I forget to click a pic... So today decided to click and blog it.

The recipe follows

Ingredients

Onions – 3-4 med ones

Saffron – a pinch

Milk – ¼ cup

Eggs – 4-6 no.s (I use small country eggs)

Ginger, garlic, green chilli – 2-3 tsp. (crushed)

Mint leaves and coriander leaves – 2-3 tbsp. (chopped

Pepper powder – ½ tsp.

Chilli powder – 1 tsp.

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp.

Whole cumin (jeera) - ½ tsp.

Fennel seeds (saunf) – ½ tsp.

Cloves – 2-3 no.s

Cinnamon - 1 small stick

Cardamom – 2-3 no.s

Bay leaves – 2

Curd – 1 cup

Salt - as required.

Method

Finely chop onions and fry and keep aside (you could deep fry or shallow fry to your preference).
Soak the saffron in ¼ cup of warm milk and keep aside.
Boil eggs and keep aside, for boiling eggs you can wash and put the eggs in a pressure cooker, add water until the eggs are half emerged, switch off the stove after one whistle, and open the cooker once the pressure is released on its own.
Using a knife make slits on the eggs or you could simply cut each egg to half, add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and pepper powder and mix well.
Add the crushed ginger garlic and green chilli to it. Make a powder of cumin, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and add to the egg mixture, add salt too… finally add the curd and the coriander and mint leaves and also half of the fried onion. Mix all this well and keep aside for 30 minutes.

For cooking rice

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Hot water – 4 cups

Ghee – 2 tbsp.

Cinnamon – 1 stick

Cardamom – 2-3

Clove – 2-3

Bay leaves - 2

Cashews and raisins – as per your preference.

Salt.

Method

Take a pan and add the ghee, fry the cashews and raisins and remove from the pan.
Add the rice to the pan and sauté well for about 5 mins (this is to keep the rice separate and not leaving it sticky once cooked).
Once the rice is well sautéed add the whole spices and salt.
Slowly add the hot water to the rice and close the pan with a lid and let it cook in med flame. Open and check after few minutes and let it cook until the water is absorbed by the rice and rice is almost cooked.
Remove the pan from the flame.

Assembling

Keep another pan (I used a wide cast iron pan/skillet) on the flame and add a teaspoon or two of ghee/oil.
Bring your egg mixture and remove the eggs and keep it upside down (the yolks touching the base of the pan.
Once all the eggs are arranged along with a bit of masala mixture spread half a portion of the cooked rice. Spread the remaining masalas on top along with a quarter portions of the fried onions and also the saffron and milk mixture.
Spread the remaining rice and level the rice out and sprinkle the left over fried onions.

Let it sit covered on the low flame for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes sprinkle the fried cashews and raisins on top and gently mix well. You don’t want to make a mess of the biriyani, mix gently so that the colour stands out yet there is a mix of flavours J

Serve hot with raita, pickle and papad.

Note: You could any other deep thick bottom pan for assembling the rice and egg mixture.

Enjoy!!

Whole wheat Cranberry Orange Scones with Dulce de leche coffee recipe

2015-11-27T14:00:00.001+05:30

When u have a lot of tangy cranberries and sweet oranges at home think of some whole wheat scones and enjoy them with a nice dulce de luche coffee :)

The cranberries I have at home was super tangy, some may like it but my family kept ignoring those. Finally thought of baking scones with those, also had some sweet oranges handy at home.

Came across this recipe from taste of home, while browsing the internet and used organic whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour and baked it.

The recipe is as follows

Ingredients

· 2 cups whole wheat flour

· 10 teaspoons sugar, divided

· 1 tablespoon grated orange peel

· 2 teaspoons baking powder

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/3 cup cold butter

· 1 cup dried cranberries

· 1/4 cup orange juice

· 1/4 cup half-and-half cream

· 1 egg

· 1 tablespoon milk

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 7 teaspoons sugar, orange peel, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine the cranberries, orange juice, cream and egg. Add to flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.

3. Gently knead the dough for minute and pat dough into a circle. Cut into 10 wedges. Separate wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet, alternately on a silicon sheet. Brush with milk; sprinkle with remaining sugar.

4. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack.

Dulce de leche coffee

Blend together 100 ml fresh cream, 100 ml milk, 1-2 tspn instant coffee and 2-3 tsp. Dulce de leche until frothy and serve!

Bake and enjoy!

Regards

Chaithanya

Apple, oats and haxelnut bars recipe

2015-11-05T23:22:00.001+05:30

This is something which I tried sometime back, but totally missed publishing it. Dint realise until a very good friend asked for the recipe seeing the pic I posted in the Facebook page.

Anyway better late than never they say!

Ingredients

Apples- 2 cored, and roughly chopped

Butter - 150 gms

Brown sugar - 150 gms

Oats - 50 gms

Eggs - 2

Baking powder- 1.5 tsp

Whole wheat flour- 200 gms

Hazelnuts/pecan nuts to decorate

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Grease and prepare a flat tin or preferable Swiss roll tin and keep aside
Mix the butter and sugar and whisk until they blend well and look creamy. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix until the ingredients just comes together.
Tip the mixture into a prepared tin and place the hazelnuts on top
Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until risen and looks golden, remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool down completely.
When cool, cut into bars

Easy , when u have loads of apples lying around :)

thanks

Chaithanya

Cabbage thoran ( cabbage stiry fry in Kerala style )

2015-10-08T11:07:00.004+05:30

One of my good north Indian friends was curious about our cabbage thoran (in other words cabbage stir fry in Kerala style) recipe a couple of days backs, from then I have been thinking of blogging about it. Cabbage thoran is a must have dish in the menu of kerala sadya as well.

and also one of the favourite dishes of my family too

Ingredients

Cabbage – 250 gms

Onion (chopped) – one medium sized

Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Salt – as required

Grated coconut – ¼ cup

For seasoning

Oil - 1- 2 tbsp.

Mustard - 1/2 tsp.

Urad dal - 1 tsp.

Curry leaves – one or two sprigs

Dried red chilies – one or two

Ginger (optional) – ½ inch ( finely chopped)

Method

Chop the cabbage fine (cut the cabbage vertically and slice using an adjustable slicer, I find this way easier).
Please make sure the cabbage is not very wet (that will make the thoran soggy).
Mix the chopped onion, cabbage, ginger and green chilies in a big bowl.
Add the turmeric powder and salt to the above vegs and mix gently.
Now keep a kadai/wok/pan on the stove, add oil and when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, and wait to splutter, add the urad dal, dried red chillies and curry leaves, once it’s all crackled well add the chopped and mixed vegetable mixture into the seasoning.
Mix well again and let it cook.
So at this stage if you find your vegetable mixture have very less moisture cover and cook and if you feel the vegetable has more moisture let the lid be open. We don’t want a sogy thoran anyway.
Stir once in a while, it won’t take much time to cook (also depends on how fine or thick you have chopped the cabbage)
Once cooked, sprinkle the grated coconut on top and mix well again (or you can mix just before serving)
Serve hot with a bowl of rice, sambhar and curd.

My husband and kids loves this with plain rotis ;)

Thanks

Chaithanya

Appam and Kadala curry recipe

2015-10-02T18:27:00.001+05:30

Thought of enjoying the long weekend with a typical Kerala breakfast of appam and kadala curry, its been long that I have made this.

I have another recipe of appam in my blog which has no yeast this one is a recipe with yeast and then of course the recipe of the kadala curry in the pic will also be posted.

Ingredients for appam

Rice (good quality – sona masuri, basmati) – 2 cups

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Paper poha (thin beaten rice) – ¾ cup

Yeast – a pinch (yes, just a pinch)

Sugar – 2 tbsp.

Method

Soak the rice for about 3 hours.
Grind all the ingredients for the appam together well, smoother the better; the batter has to be slightly thinner than dosa batter.
Keep the batter to ferment for few hours or overnight.
After fermentation add salt and mix well and leave it to rest for another 15 mins. The batter will puff up again, yes and that very important for good appams.
Meanwhile take the appa chatti (I use the cast iron chatti) on the stove and heat on lower medium flame.
Sprinkle few drops of sesame oil and then sprinkle little water so that the oil is dispersed and also the heat of the chatti is maintained. (My personal trick and suggestion)
Take a ladle of batter and pour in the centre of the chatti and without waiting or wasting time hold the handle of the pan and swirl so that the batter spreads around the edges of the pan and the excess batter accumulates at the centre, cover the appam with a lid.
Open the lid after few seconds .
Wait for few seconds before you remove the appam for the pan. You needn’t flip the appam.

Recipe for kadala curry

Ingredients

Brown chana – ½ cup

Onion- one med sized

Green chillies – one or two

Ginger – about an inch

Grated coconut - half a cup

Jeera (cumin)- ½ tsp

Saunf ( fennel seeds) – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ½ tsp

Chilli powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Cardamom – 1 or 2

Cloves – 1-2

For seasoning

Oil

Mustard

Dried red chillies

Curry leaves.

Method

Soak chana overnight.
Cook the chana with sufficient water, onions, ginger and green chillies.
Take a pan, add little oil and add the grated coconut, sauté until golden brown and then add all the remaining spices and spice powders.
Once cooled grind the coconut mixture to a fine paste (as fine as possible).
Add the ground coconut spice mixture and salt into the chana and mix well and bring it to boil.
Season with mustard, dried red chillies, curry leaves

Notes

I used one cup of unpolished red rice and one cup of ordinary sona masuri rice.

I used thin red poha instead of white poha.

Thanks

Chaithanya

Whole wheat and sorgum bread with black sesame seeds and sunflower seeds

2015-09-28T15:50:00.005+05:30

Bread baking is the new found love and currently experimenting on millets. Its jowar again !! Let me pamper jowar enough before I handle the next millet flour.

Bread baking is therapeutic and the aroma is sensational, if you know what I mean :) Start baking your healthy breads right at home.

Ingredients

Water – 1 cup

Yeast – 1.5 tsp

Sugar – 2 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Whole wheat flour – 1 .5 cup

Jowar flour (sorghum flour) 1 cup

Sesame seeds – 2- 3 tsp

Sunflower seeds (crushed) – 2-3 tsp

Olive oil – 2-3 tbsp.

Method

Microwave the water in a heat proof glass bowl at high for one minute ( this is for one cup of water )
Sprinkle the yeast and sugar and stir well.
After 15 mins you will see a frothy yeast mixture (else repeat this step).
At this stage keep a sieve over the bowl and sift in one cup of whole wheat flour and one cup of sorghum flour and salt into the dough.
Use the dough hook attachment of your egg beater and knead the dough for about 10 mins.
Add the olive oil and knead again for another 5 mins.
Finally add the sesame seeds and crushed sunflower seeds in the dough and knead for a minute.
Now using your fingers gently bring the dough together, use a little olive oil if you find the dough very sticky. Cover and leave the dough to rest in the bowl for about an hour or until it doubles in size.
Once risen preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius and scoop out the dough into a loaf tin. Don’t forget to grease the tin before you dump the dough. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sunflower seeds on top (optional) and also sprinkle a little flour on top (optional). Score the bread with sharp knife (optional). And just leave the bread to proof for the second time (that’s about 20 mins approx.)
Don't let the bread prove (rise) for a longer time for the second time.
By then oven would be hot, place the loaf tin in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is brown and you hear a hollow sound when you tap the bread.

Notes:

It’s safer if you could get your frothy yeast mixture right in the beginning than proceeding ahead.
Sifting is to make the flour airy and light before it falls into the yeast mixture.
Dough hook attachment is the spiral attachment which we get along the egg beater set. This is helpful in not making our hands messy while making the bread dough.
It’s safer not to go by the exact measurement in the recipe and make sure your dough is on a wet side (sticky dough). Initially put ¾ flour mentioned in the recipe and then proceed until you still get wet dough and not stiff dough.
You could alter the measurements of seeds used according to your convenience.

Enjoy baking

Thanks

Chaithanya