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Seeing kids play cricket in the blazing hot sun in our park reminds me of my childhood days.How carefree and fun-filled those days were..coming back home in between for a quick snack and lime juice and then back again in the sun to play.Amma used to make dabba full of mixture,chakkuli and banana chips which got over as soon as they were made since we kids were perennially hungry!
The first time I tried making Murukku,it was a big flop.I messed up with the dough and got brittle sticks in the name of murukku,couldn't blame the recipe since it was probably only me who got it wrong.I found a better option,blamed my murukku press instead,now who can argue with that!But I wanted to learn to make such pretty looking murukkus,I mean how tough can it be?
I called up amma and asked her for the simplest murukku recipe and tried it.I should say it came out great for a start.Now I am looking at some complicated recipes..oh when will I ever learn??
Simple Chakkuli/Murukku Recipe
Ingredients
Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup
Potato - 1,medium
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Method
Pressure cook the potato till soft,mash well with a potato masher and make sure there are no lumps.
Steam the maida[tied in a muslin cloth]for 10 minutes,remove and mash well with a spoon and sift.
Mix together the maida,mashed potato,jeera,hing and salt to taste with your fingers till the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Add water just enough to make a smooth dough[about 1/4 cup].
Keep aside for 10 minutes.
In a kadai add oil for frying the murukku.
For making the murukku - amma presses the murukku directly into the oil,something which sounds impossible for me.I take the easier route--
Grease a plate with a tsp of oil and start pressing the murukku in a concentric circle.You could also make them into finger-sized pieces if circle sounds difficult.Don't overdo the circling part though,2-3 rings should be fine because it helps in cooking evenly.
When the oil is smoking hot,simmer the flame to medium and using a spatula or a flat ladle drop the murukkus one by one into the hot oil.If you do not want to use more oil,use just enough for frying 2-3 murukkus at a time.
When the murukku starts browning,flip to the other side using a perforated ladle.Each batch should take 5-7 minutes.When both sides are evenly browned,transfer the fried murukkus to a tissue paper or a perforated vessel.Let it cool and then store in airtight containers.
Notes
- Make sure there are no lumps in the mashed potato as well as the steamed maida.
- Keep the dough covered at all times,take out only the required amount of dough.
- If the murukkus are not coming easily off the press,try adding a few drops of water and knead the dough again.
How did we like it -This murukku tastes quite different from the regular ones.Crispy and melt in the mouth with a faint taste of potatoes.Ajay said it almost tastes like Batate Happol,a papad with potatoes which his amma used to make.Since this recipe makes a small batch,it got over the day it was made.Try this if you are not confident of making a murukku,if I can do it,anybody can!!
At times,I find cooking for two quite daunting.I mean,what do I do with that half beetroot,or carrot or kaya[raw banana] or chena[yam]?Most of the times,I refrigerate the leftover vegetables.Once I had grated a few carrots for something and kept aside two in the fridge and completely forgot about it.Few days later,as I was cleaning the fridge,I saw this strange looking thing and was about to scream when I took it in my hand when just in time I realized it was Carrot!Don't believe me,try it yourself!
So the first thing I decided to cook with the leftover red cowpea bean from Olan and half of the kaya from the Koottukari for Vishu was make this thoran.I remembered the recipe from an earlier issue of Vanitha and making a mental note about it.Glad it served its purpose today!!
Kaya Vanpayar Thoran - Raw Banana & Cowpea bean Stir-fry
Ingredients
Raw Banana/Pacha kaya - 1/2 of 1 big,sliced
Red cowpea beans/vanpayar - 3 tbsp,cooked
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
For the Masala
Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Cumin/jeerakam - 1/4 tsp
Haldi - a pinch
Small/pearl onions - 3,chopped
Method
Wash the chopped banana under running water and cook in enough water till soft.
Cook the cowpea beans till soft.
Grind the ingredients for the masala coarsely.
In a kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds,saute the ground masala for 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the cooked banana and cowpea beans and salt to taste and stir till everything gets mixed.
Drizzle a teaspoon of coconut oil on top[optional] and serve.
Off this goes to Kerala Kitchen
How do you eat your cream biscuit?Well,if it sounds like a silly question,I apologize but I'd really like to know.For me,it has to be split open,cream licked off and then have the plain biscuit there after.However much I try to act lady like and eat it like a normal biscuit,I find myself quietly move to a corner and eat it as I please.Especially Bourbon and Orange Cream biscuits.
So it was no wonder that when I thought of baking these biscuits,I dreamt of licking the jam off the biscuits and then popping them into my mouth..ah and that's what I apparently did after baking these!
I had bookmarked these Jam Biscuits from Anushruti's blog long time back.But as my bookmarked folder is already bursting at its seams,I totally forgot about it.Lack of snack items at home saw me looking for some simple cookie recipes which I could make and stock up.I had some Strawberry Jam in the fridge too,so the d-day finally arrived.
Jam Biscuits
Recipe adapted from Divine taste
Ingredients
Butter - 1/2 cup/100 gms,softened
Icing sugar - 1/2 cup/60 gms[I used powdered sugar]
Flour - 3/4 cup/100gms
Vanilla Custard Powder - 3/4 cup/100 gms
Cornflour - 4 tbsp/30 gms
Yogurt - 3 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
Method
Preheat oven to 150C.Grease/line a cookie tray.
In a big mixing bowl cream together butter,sugar and vanilla extract till light and fluffy.
In another bowl,mix together flour,custard powder and cornflour,set aside.
Mix in the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture along with the yogurt and form into a smooth round ball.
Pinch walnut sized balls from the dough and smoothen it between your palms.Poke a small hole on the cookie using your thumb,but be careful don't poke too deep.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or till the cookies become crisp and golden.
Cool on a wire rack.
In a microwave safe bowl,warm 1/2 a cup of strawberry jam[or any other jam of your choice]till it becomes spreadable consistency.Fill the cookie indentations with the jam and let it cool for a while till the jam sets and gets a shiny consistency.
Store in airtight containers.
How did we like it - A simple recipe with simple ingredients resulted in great tasting biscuits.I made two batches,one plain and one filled with jam and no prizes for guessing which one we liked better!The plain biscuits had a faint greasy after taste of custard powder,wonder why.Id like to know--Which brand of custard powder do you use?
Seeing so many posts of Marble Cake recipes in the blogosphere,I was tempted to bake one too.For someone who likes to bake at the drop of a hat,it was quite difficult to stay away from baking for some time now.The reason being,many of our friends[with whom the cake would be shared with] are out of station and I fear we'd end up eating the whole cake on our own,not a good thought.
I got the perfect opportunity to bake last weekend as we had guests at home and that too kiddie guests--a friends' nieces and what better way to treat them than with a cake,so Marble cake it was!
Chocolate and Vanilla Marbled Loaf
Recipe from The Big Book of Baking
Ingredients
Semi sweet Chocolate - 55g / 2oz
Milk - 3 tbsp
Butter,unsalted - 70g / 2½ oz,plus extra for greasing
Caster Sugar - 85g / 3 oz
Egg - 1,beaten
Soured cream* - 3 tbsp
Self raising flour - 115g / 4 oz
Baking powder - ½ tsp
Vanilla extract - ½ tsp
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C / 325 F.
Grease/line a 450g / 1lb loaf tin.
Break up the chocolate,place in a small heatproof bowl with the milk and set over a saucepan of simmering water.Heat gently until just melted.Remove from the heat.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and the soured cream.Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture,then fold in lightly and evenly using a spatula.
Spoon half the mixture into a separate bowl and stir in the chocolate mixture.Add the vanilla to the plain mixture.
Spoon the vanilla and chocolate mixtures alternately into the prepared loaf tin,swirling lightly with a knife or skewer for a marbled effect.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes,then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
- For making self raising flour at home - sift together the said amount of plain flour with 1¼ tsp baking powder and use.
- *I substituted the soured cream with plain yogurt and it works out just fine.
- The cake is not overtly sweet and I think the sugar can be increased to 100g.
- My cake was cracked on top unevenly,probably because I used a smaller pan than required.
How did we like it - The cake was gone as soon as it was cut since kids were around!Except for the cracked top,everything about the cake was great,nobody else seemed to notice the crack though!.I served it with tea and it was a great combo.If planning to serve the cake on its own,I would suggest increasing the sugar.
When it comes to making payasam,I have no confusions at all.There are only few payasams which we both love and I usually do not deviate from the regulars.Ever since I started baking with confidence,poor payasams have taken a back seat.For every celebration in the family the star dessert items have been replaced by cakes and baked desserts.
But occasions like Vishu,demand to be traditional and I decided to put my baking prowess to rest and whip up a payasam.
Parippu pradhaman aka 'karutha payasam' as it is fondly called is a delicious combination of cooked dal,jaggery and coconut milk.It is interesting how these humble ingredients create a dish so delicious you'd be eating it out of your hands,literally!I usually make this with Moong dal,but this time tried with Channa dal.
Kadalaparippu Pradhaman ~ Channa dal payasam with Jaggery and Coconut Milk
Ingredients
Kadala parippu/Channa dal - ½ cup
Coconut milk - 1 cup thin coconut milk,(moonnam paal),¾
cup semi thick coconut milk(randaam paal),½ cup thick coconut milk(onnaam paal)
Jaggery - 1 big ball of jaggery around 225-250 gms-melt the jaggery in a little water and filter it(no need to make paani/syrup but it should be of semi-thick consistency)the said amount should make 1- 1¼ cup melted jaggery
Cashewnuts and thin coconut slices - for garnishing
Cardamom/Elaichi powder - 1 tbsp
Chukku/Dry Ginger powder - a pinch[optional]
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Method
In a kadai,dry roast the channa dal for few minutes without browning it.Wash well and pressure cook it till soft and mushy[about 5-7 whistles].Mash it well with the back of a spoon or a potato masher till it becomes smooth.
Take a thick bottomed kadai and put mashed channa dal and melted jaggery together.Keep on stirring till you get a brownish colour and semi thick consistency.(Keep on stirring to avoid the mix sticking to the bottom)--about 5-7 minutes.
Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix well.
Add the thin coconut milk and let the mix come to a boil,then simmer it--for 15-20 minutes.
When the mix becomes a little thick,add the semi thick coconut milk,stir well.Let it cook on low heat-till it becomes a bit more thicker--about 10 minutes.
Add the thick coconut milk at this stage,mix well.
Add cardamom powder,ginger powder and switch off the flame.
Prepare garnishing in another pan by frying cashewnuts and thin coconut slices in ghee.Add it to the payasam along with the ghee.
Notes
- Use of coconut milk - You can use freshly squeezed coconut milk as well as canned coconut milk for this recipe.I have used both and both taste equally good.If you are using freshly squeezed milk,milk of one big coconut will be enough.If using canned ones( I used dabur homemade tetra pack-200 ml pack),use 2 packs by keeping one intact and by diluting the other.
- Use brown/black jaggery to get a dark brown colour for the payasam.
- Adjust the heat of the gas accordingly,preferably keep on medium heat and keep stirring to avoid the payasam from sticking to the bottom.Better still,use a non-stick kadai.
- Parippu pradhaman gets thicker as it cools down,so don't panic if its still watery after you add the thick coconut milk.Also,switch off the gas immediately after you add the thick coconut milk to avoid curdling.
- If the payasam becomes too thick,add few tbsps of boiling water till it becomes a pouring consistency.
Wishing all of you who celebrate a Very Happy and Prosperous Vishu!!
Off this goes to Kerala Kitchen!
Any sadya is incomplete without Olan,so they say.I read somewhere that Olan is the 'soothradharan'* in a sadya,since there are so many dishes served in your plate/banana leaf it becomes impossible to taste each one individually without another taste masking the original.So before you taste any curry,have some Olan,which would clear the taste buds and you can taste the curry to its fullest,without any over powering taste of other dishes,isn't that cool?
I can not prove this though,since I made only Olan and not a sadya!
Olan can be made in many ways.Here,I have used Ash gourd and pumpkin with Red Cowpea beans.I have seen many versions which use ash gourd alone,or paired with pumpkin without the beans.
Olan
Ingredients
Ash gourd - 1 cup,thinly sliced
Pumpkin - 1/2 cup,thinly sliced
Green chilly - 1-2,slit lengthwise
Red cowpea beans - 3 tbsp
Coconut milk - 3/4 cup[1/4 cup thick coconut milk and 1/2 cup thin milk]
Salt to taste
Coconut oil - 1-2 tsp
Method
Cook the beans in a pressure cooker in enough water till tender,drain and keep aside.
Cook the ash gourd,pumpkins and green chillies in thin coconut milk adding enough water till the vegetables are soft.[do not add more water since ash gourd releases water as it cooks].
Mix in the cooked beans and salt to taste and let it come to a boil.
Simmer and add thick coconut milk.
Switch off the flame and add a tsp of coconut oil on top and crushed curry leaves.
How did we like it - Olan is a very mild curry which tastes best with a fiery thoran or mezhukkupuratti on the side.I made some hot potato roast and the combination was terrific!
*I have no clue how to translate soothradharan,probably the closest is - mastermind?
Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen,an event hosted by Ria and Magpie.
The Best Brownie Event-an event to celebrate 3 years of blogging!!
[image source]
I should begin this post by thanking each and every one of you for sending me your brownies[virtual,but still!].What a tremendous response,I am floored!When I had thought of a Brownie event,Ajay gave me a small warning,not to be disheartened if I do not get many entries,as Brownies are something which are not baked regularly,unlike cakes.But boy,was he wrong!So many of you sent me brownies which were baked exclusively for the event,I am still pleasantly surprised,thank you so much once again!
So without any further ado,let's jump to the mega-round up.Yes,scroll down real fast if you want to know the winner for the give-away!!
Here are the entries[in random order]
1.Best Brownies
Veena Arvind of Kitchen Celebrations was the first one to send me an entry.She chose this recipe from Hershey's and loved it for its simplicity.
2.One-Bowl Cocoa Bars
Veena's second entry is the super simple One-bowl Cocoa Bars.I know how it tastes having tried it out myself!
3. Nutella Brownies
Is there anything tastier than Nutella?Nutella brownies of course!Rose of Magpie's recipes sent these super easy Nutella Brownies which can be made with just 4 ingredients!
4.One-Bowl Cocoa Brownie
Being a self-confessed Alice Medrich fan,Rose sends across her second entry chosen from Alice Medrich's book Bittersweet.
5.World Peace Cookies
Rose's final entry is a World Peace Cookie which she says is just like a Brownie with chocolate bits all through..well,who am I to disagree??
6.Nutty Blondies
Priya Sreeram of Bon Appetit sends across these Nutty Blondies.Check out her blog for a step by step recipe of the same.
7.Chocolate Brownies
Priya's second entry is a gooey Brownie.She chose the recipe from Masterchef Australlia.
8.Chocolate Brownies
Sneha Benny of Art of Cooking sends across these Fudgy brownies she made for the first time during Christmas.
9.Brownie Tart
Sneha's second entry is a Brownie Tart.Now that is something doubly delicious!
10.Cream cheese Brownie
Sneha's next entry is a Cream cheese Brownie,she made these for her visiting cousins and kids..how sweet!
11.Brownies for the Fudgy Gooey Camp
Avanika of Yumsilicious Bakes send across these Fudgy Gooey brownies-just the way I like it!
12.Eggless Brownies
Sharada of Cooking Kriya sends these Super delicious eggless version of Brownies made using Whole wheat flour and Olive Oil.
13.Cream Cheese Brownies
Naseela of Journey through the Kitchen sends across these fudgy Nutella Cream cheese Brownies.
14.Passion Fruit Brownies
Swapna of Swapna's cuisine sends across these delicious brownies made with Passion fruit.Fruits in Brownies is something new to me and trust Swapna to come up with such innovative treats!
15.Eggless Almond Brownie
Priti of Indian Khana sends these Eggless Brownies which she baked in a hurry to satisfy a Brownie craving..something I very much identify with!
16.Choco-chips Fudge Brownie
Deepa of Hamaree Rasoi sends across these Fudgy Brownies topped with melted chocolate and sprinkles.Yum!
17.Fudgy Chocolate chip Brownie
Suma of Cakes and More sends across these super Fudgy brownies with Chocolate chips peeping from inside!
18.Seriously Low-fat Brownies
Suma's second entry is a very tempting brownie which is a low-fat one.I think all of us need to bake this one after this fat round-up!!
19.Instant Microwave Brownie
Suma's third entry is an instant version in a microwave.How apt,when we need a brownie fix,we need it now and how--this is the right answer!
20.Olive Oil Walnut Brownies
Suma's final entry is a low-fat brownie with Olive Oil and Walnuts,delicious!
21.Apple Blondies with Brown Sugar Frosting
Sowmya of Creative Saga sends these delicious Blondies made with Apples!
22.Eggless Oaty Brownies
Sowmya's second entry is a very simple and low-fat Brownie which is Eggless too!
23.Beetroot Chocolate Brownies
Sowmya's third entry is a Brownie made with Beetroot,great way to incorporate the vegetable into a baked goodie!
24.Blueberry Chocolate Bars
Sowmya's final entry is a low-fat Blueberry Chocolate Bar where she has replaced the Egg with an egg replacer and substituted oil with Apple sauce..pure guilt free indulgence!
25.Eggless Sandwich Blondie
Cooking Foodie sends across these Sandwich Blondies which are making my knees go weak,Milk chocolate and nuts sandwiched between two layers of white chocolate goodness..Yum!
26.Eggless Chocolate Brownies
Jyoti sends across these fudgy Eggless Brownies which reminded her of the delicious Brownies she used to have during her College days!
27.Cinnamon Blondies
Aliena of What's Cooking today made these for her friends to celebrate a get-together.Sounds like a very simple one to make with few ingredients!!
28.Double Chocolate Brownie
Aliena's second entry is a double chocolate Brownie with chocolate in the brownie as well as a chocolate glaze..double joy!
29.Peanut Butter Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes made these Brownies to finish off the Peanut butter and in the end fell in love with these Brownies!
30.Choco-Nut Brownie
Seema of Amchi Bong Connection chose this one-bowl recipe and couldn't resist cutting through the Brownie before it cooled down,sounds familiar?
31.Eggless Yogurt Brownies
Raks of Raks Kitchen sends these super cute Yogurt Brownies.She tried it a few times before perfecting the recipe,I should say it was all worth it-I mean look at these perfectly cut Brownies!!
32.Carrot Walnut and Coconut Bars
Reva of Kaarasaram sends these pretty bars made with Carrots Walnuts and Coconut and calls it Pure Indulgence..True!!
33.Strawberry Almond Brownies
Nachiketa of The Variable quotes a very funny anecdote while sharing her recipe for these yummy Brownies!
34.Almond Mocha Brownies
Nachiketa sends in her second entry which she made to celebrate with her colleagues!
35.Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies
Rookie Cookie made these to celebrate a chunk of Giveaways she won..the Brownies look out of the world!
36.Eggless Brownies
Nithya of 4th Sense samayal made these to celebrate her sisters birthday who loves the Sizzling Chocolate Brownie Sundae,her recreation is just as good!
37.Honey Brownies
Krithi of Krithi's Kitchen made these brownies to celebrate a few hundreds on her blog.These brownies are made with Honey which is a natural sweetener instead of sugar!
38.Nutty Chocolate Coffee Brownies
Sravani of Srav's Culinary concepts made these Coffee Brownies and was very happy with the texture,just like how she wanted!
39.French Chocolate Brownie
Najla of Foodie Corner made these Brownies for her sister reminiscing of the days they used to spend together as kids..how sweet!
40.Dulce de Leche Brownies
Jayashree of My Experiments with food sends in these super fudgy Brownies with Dulce de leche which are eggless too..look at that colour!!
41.Easy Basic Chocolate Brownie
Nags of Edible Garden sends in these easy Brownie recipe which is a very basic one and can be tweaked according to our preference,cool!
42.Eggless Cocoa Walnut Brownie
Prathibha of The Chef and her Kitchen made these Brownies to celebrate the occasion of her 200th post on her blog.Don't they look gorgeous?
43.Brownies
Prathibha's second entry is a brownie which she bakes often.Looks true to its name,sinfully delicious!
44.Chocolate Matcha Olive Oil Brownies
Deeba of Passionate about Baking sends in Chocolate love with these fudgy Brownies made with Oilve oil,Matcha and Ricotta cheese!
45.Kahlua Brownies
Shumaila of Experiments of a housewife sends in these Kahlua Brownies which she made during snowfall and the holiday season!
46.Eggless Chocolate Brownie
Varshini of Cooking with Love and for Love sent in these eggless brownies which she saw on another blog and couldn't wait to bake,but of course with her personal touch to it-by adding Dairy Milk!!
47.Brownie Cupcakes
My Potpourri of Recipes sent in these cute Brownie cupcakes!!
48.Eggless Deep Dark Brownies
Gundumaami of Mind and Matters sent in these deep dark brownies which she made to celebrate the cup of joy--for the men in blue for winning 2011 World cup!!
49.Roasted Almond Brownies
Sin Foodie sends in these lovely brownies with roasted almonds!
50.Cranberry Almond Brownie
Sangi of Sangi's Food world sends in brownies loaded with Cranberries and Almonds in every bite!
51.Cake-ish Chocolate Brownies
Aparna of Apy cooking sends across these lovely cake-ish brownies.How do you like your brownies..I can never decide-I like them all!
52.Low-Fat Brownies
Laavanya of Home Cook's recipes sends across these low-fat brownies exclusively for the event,how sweet!
53.Almond Brownies
Laavanya's second entry is an almond brownie which according to her is one of her perfect bakes..looks even more so!
54.Brownie Squares with Praline Topping
Sweatha of Curry Leaf sends across these cute looking Brownie squares!
55.My Favorite Brownie - Christabel Gonsalvez[non-blogger]
Hi Divya,
I just stumbled across your blog when searching for a chocolate icing recipe.
I have lived in Australia for approximately 30 years, but am of Indian descent.
The recipes on your blog look divine, and I am looking forward to trying them out.
In my family, I am only ever asked to bring one thing to parties - brownies. This is a yummy, easy recipe.
I hope you enjoy it.
Attached is a photo of the brownies used to make a cake for my nephew's 18th birthday.
I have dusted it with icing sugar and drizzled chocolate icing and raspberry sauce over it.
Congratulations on the success of your blog.
Best wishes,
Chris
Updated to add -
56.Eggless Chocolate Brownie
Radhika of Tickling Palates sends in these Dark eggless brownies which she made to celebrate the World cup victory!
57.Best Ever Brownies
Shabs of Shab's Cuisine sends in these Best brownies which she baked to celebrate her blog birthday and sends it to my blog's birthday event-how appropriate!
and last but not the least..my entries for the event
Dulce de Leche Brownies
Eggless Brownies with Toffee Sauce
Coconut Brownies
and Salted Fudge Brownies
Now for the giveaway winner..
14.Passion Fruit Brownies from Swapna
Swapna of Swapna's Cuisine wins the Brownie event Giveaway!!Three cheers to Swapna!!
Please send me your choice of book and your shipping address[in India] and your prize would be on its way!!
I hope all of you enjoyed the round-up and are on a Brownie high!I am sorry if I have missed any of your entries,do let me know.I would add it to the round-up but unfortunately you'd miss out on the giveaway as I've already chosen the winner!Here's to more Brownies..
Much love,
