Home Made Doughnuts

Anyone will go crazy if see a hot Doughnut dipped in hot chocolate or with a sugar glaze!!. I was surprised to see the doughnut making process in one of the doughnut shop here at US which tempted me to make it at “My Kitchen”! It’s ultimately easy to make tasty doughnuts without a doughnut maker. The only point to remember is home made donuts should be served on the same day or the next day after made as it may turn more soft and non crispy. There are different types in it, like the sugar, chocolate. My favourite is always the plain one. Chocolate donuts are loved especially by the kids.
 

The most important factor in making the donut is about the temperature of the oil as it should not be too hot or with less hot. As too much of hot will break the donut and doesn’t properly cook the inner part and if the oil is low heat it observes lot of oil and taste bad. You could decorate your doughnuts in what ever way you want it :)

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour – 2 Cups
• Sugar- 2 Cups
• Eggs- 2
• Ground nut powder – ¼ Cup
• Vanilla Extract- 1 Tspn
• Baking powder- 2 Tspn
• Melted and cooled to room temperature Butter- ¼ Tspn
• Milk- ½ Cup
• Salt- ½ Tspn

 

Chocolate Glaze:

• Chocolate Powder- 100 Grams
• Heavy Cream-1/2 Cup
• Melted hot Butter- 2 Tspn
• Vanilla extract-1/2 Tspn
• Icing Sugar- 1 ½ Cup

Sugar Glaze:
 

• Icing Sugar- ½ Cup
• Cinnamon Powder-1/2 Tspn

Method:

• In a bowl, mix the all purpose flour, Ground nut powder, Baking powder and salt and keep aside (Step 1)
• In another separate bowl, beat the sugar and the egg to high speed for about 2 minutes(Step 2)
• After it raises, add the milk, melted butter and the mixed flour in 3 additions and beat it again for about 3 minutes just to form dough (Step 3)
• It forms a sticky dough at this time as shown in (Step 4 & 5)
• Keep the sticky dough for about 20 minutes.
• After the said time, work with the dough adding more flours to it to form a thick dough as shown as (Step 6).

Shaping It:
 

• Roll the dough with the rolling pin and flatten the dough.
• With the help of a cookie cutter or with a lid as I used in the picture you can cut the dough to get the shape.
• Place the dough pieces (after cutting) in the tray spread by the flour.
• In the hot oil (Oil should be moderate heat) gently drop the dough and flip both sides to cook carefully until its cooked well inside and turns brown.
• Transfer the Doughnuts to the paper towel and let it cools down.

 

For Chocolate Doughnuts:

• Mix the ingredients under Chocolate glaze and keep aside
• Doughnuts should be gently dipped in the glaze prepared after it becomes cool.

For Sugar Glaze:

• Mix the ingredients under Sugar glaze and keep aside.
• After the Doughnuts cool completely, dust with the mixed sugar.

Karuvadu Vattichathu & Kappa

This is another variety of dry fish fry recipe at Minu’s Kitchen. Comes with unique its taste. This is a dry spicy recipe which absolutely tastes so good with kappa and definitely would not need any introduction too and it’s a best recipe to serve in times of you thinking “what to cook for today??” as it’s a very simple and taste awesome.
 

The kappa recipe along with the dry fish is very simple to make and this is the way of cooking followed in most of the houses in Kerala. It’s definitely a traditional onaka meen (Dry fish) fry recipe with mouthwatering taste.

Ingredients:

• Any Dry Fish- 1/4 Kg
• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Crushed Red Chilies- 3 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Vinegar- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste
• Small Onion- 10 Nos
• Curry Leaves-Few
• Crushed Ginger-Few
• Crushed Garlic- 2 Tspn

Method:

• Soak the dry fish in hot water for few minutes to remove the dust from it.
• Heat oil in a pan, add crushed ginger, garlic, curry leaves and small onions Saute until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add crushed red chillies and turmeric powder and the soaked dry fish and saute again
• Add vinegar and salt to it.
• Cover and cook it for sometime until it baked well.
• Cook uncovered on low flame until its fried well.

Kappa:

Ingredients:

• Kappa- ½ Kg
• Salt- To Taste
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn

Method:

• Slice the kappa to small pieces and pressure cook it along with salt and turmeric powder for 3 whistles.
• After the whistle goes off, open and dry out the excess water and smash the kappa with a wooden ladle just to loosen the texture.

 

Tips:

"Do not use the vinegar more than the measurement used in making the dry fish fry as it may bitter the taste.

You can cook the dry fish fry with any oil, however cooking it in coconut oil will give a proper taste."

Tandoori Chicken

I am sure you would have tempted after seeing the picture of this recipe!! It’s a great starter to serve in a perfect dinner, often loved by most of the non vegetarians. Among all the dishes of chicken,tandoori wins the heart of most of us because of its unique grilled taste and crispy layer. From some where I read, I remember the name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a “Tandoor”, in which the dish is traditionally prepared. We could make this recipe by using the conventional Oven.

Coming to the making part, you need to be little planned as the marinating process carried out for overnight or atleast you need to keep it for 4-5 hours. Goes well with Chappathi and Roties.
 

Ingredients:

• Chicken legs - 5 pieces
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Chicken Masala Powder- 1 Tspn
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tspn
• Rice flour - 1 Tspn
• Corn flour - 2 Tspn
• Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
• Lemon - Few Drops
• Yogurt - 1/4 cup
• Salt - To Taste
• Red color - Few
• Spray Oil

Method:

• Marinate the chicken with all the other ingredients and keep in fridge overnight.
• Arrange the chicken in a baking tray covered with aluminium foil at the bottom of the leg pieces.
• Pre heat the oven 400 degrees for 10 mins and set the tray into the oven.
• Turn around the chicken for For every 10 mins sprayed with oil.
• Turn the Oven mode to broil and keep the chicken in it for about 15 minutes.
• Check the tray often to see if it is cooked well.

Tips:

"Oven timings vary to oven brands, hence check the chicken often to get the best result."

Non Vegetarian Soups

Bored of making curries every time?? Why not this time, try for Soup recipes as they are healthy too. Remember when you had a bad cold as a kid and your mom made you chicken soup? It always made you feel better, right? Soup is the only recipes found common in all countries, traditionally, soups are classified into two main groups: clear soups and thick soups however, there are different kinds of soups like dried, fruits and cold soups. Perhaps, Indian soups are extremely different from all these.. Indian soups certainly tingles your taste buds. Each soup tastes different as it involves different masala.
 

Indian soups tastes great as it comprises a lot of masala and spices, At home, we prepare the soup at times when some one fall sick at home with cold, fever and bad whether and served hot. In south India, Chicken and Mutton soups are very much famous, as in Tamil Nadu, we have varieties like Eeral soup,Nenju Elumbu soups. For grinding masala of the soup I used the mortar and pestle as it gives a wow taste to it.

So, let me serve you all with the three ultimate simple and easy Nandu Rasam(Crab Soup), Sweet corn chicken soup and a plain chicken soup/Village Style. All the three soups are very easy to make and especially the village style soup is easy and tasted terrific. Pic appam1

Few Nutritious Facts:

Best for Runny Nose-Rhinorrhea or rhinorrhoea is a condition where the nasal cavity is filled with a significant amount of mucous fluid. The condition, commonly known as "Runny Nose", occurs relatively frequently. Rhinorrhea is a common symptom of allergies or certain diseases, such as the common cold or hay fever.

Best for Weight loss-Eating Soup fills your stomach and prevents hunger pangs because combining foods with liquid prevents the liquid from being passed through your intestines as quickly, meaning you feel full for a longer period of time.

Village Style Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• Chicken with Bone pieces- few
• Tomato- 1
• Garlic- 3 Pieces Crushed
• Green chilies- 2
• Small Onion Smashed-few
• Salt
• Oil- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Coriander Leaves- Half Bunch Crushed between palm
• Pepper Coarsely powdered- 1/2 Tspn

To Grind:

• Black pepper Seeds – 3 Tspn
• Garlic pieces- 2
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn

Method:

• Cook covered the chicken along with the onion, turmeric powder, green chilies, crushed garlic and tomato with little water
• After the chicken is boiled well, add the items under “To Grind” list and add the paste to it.
• After the masala smell goes off completely add the pepper powder and salt and garnish with the crushed coriander leaves.

 

Tips:

"You can adjust the level of the spices according to your spice level.

You can add asafetida a Tspn for adding flavor to the soup."

Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• Small pieces of Chicken – ¼ Cup
• Sweet Corn canned or fresh corns- ½ Cup
• Green chillies – 1
• Onion – ½ Finely chopped
• Eggs- 2
• Cream of chicken (Optional) - 1 Tspn
• Chicken Stock or Broth- ½ Cup
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tspn
• Corn Starch – 2 Tspn
• Salt- To taste
• Carrot pieces- 4 or 5
• Pepper coarsely powdered- 2 Tspn
• Spring Onion – Few

Method:

• Bake the chicken pieces along with the ginger garlic paste, green chilies and onion and keep aside, once its cooled, cut the chicken pieces to small cubes.
• Mix the chicken broth/Stock, corn, carrot pieces with the baked chicken pieces with little water and boil in stove for about 5 minutes.
• Add the cream of chicken to it and stir well.
• Add one egg at a time into the soup and stir continuously for the egg to form as thick white pieces.
• Now, add the corn starch and stir continuously for the soup to thicken.
• Add the pepper and the salt to it and serve hot sprinkled with spring onion

Tips:

"For best taste I used the Del monte Sweet corn or you can skip this by using the fresh corns.

You can skip using the cream of chicken as its an optional ingredient but it gives a nice taste to it.

If you don’t want to use the chicken broth, you can use the water used for baking the chicken for the recipe."

Nandu Rasam/Crab Soup

Ingredients:

• Crab legs- 1 Bowl
• Tomato- 1
• Garlic- 6 Pieces Smashed
• Small Onion Smashed-few
• Salt
• Oil- 1 Tspn
• Tamarind paste- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Coriander Leaves- Few

To Grind:

• Black pepper Seeds – 3 Tspn
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Coriander seeds- 1 Tspn

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients under “To Grind” and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour oil, add the smashed onion and tomato and garlic and sort for about 2 minutes.
• Add the crab legs, salt, tamarind paste and turmeric powder to it and add water and cook covered for about 10 minutes or until the crab is baked well.
• Open the lid and now add the grounded paste and garnish with coriander leaves.

 

Tips:

"You can skip adding the tamarind paste as it is optional ingredient.

You can add asafetida a Tspn for adding flavor to the soup."

Kadala Payisam

I always carry the wonderful moments with me, the days our whole family together for every year Vishu and Onam!!. On Vishu,the most important thing we do at home is is the Vishukkani, which literally means "the first thing seen on the day of Vishu after waking up". The Vishukkani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like vegetables,mirror and the key element is the yellow flowers konna poo (which will bloom only at vishu days), with nilavilakku is also placed alongside. This is arranged the night before Vishu. On Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight in the new season.
 

Interesting is it!!! Yes, the full day will be fun to be with all these and Sadya off’ coarse! In sadya Payasam is the main factor, as I already mentioned about sadya in my Aviyal post. So, for vishu special comes the kadala payasam :)

Ingredients:

• Channa Dal- 1 Cup
• Jaggery Powder- 1 Cup
• Thick coconut milk- ½ Cup
• Thin Coconut milk- ½ Cup
• Cashews,raisins- few
• Coconut cut pieces- 10 pieces.
• Ghee- 2 Tspn
• Cardamom Powder- 1 Tspn
• Pearl Sago/Sabudhana- ½ Cup

Method:

• Soak the pearl sago in luke warm water for at least 3-4 hours and pressure cooker it for 2 whistles and keep aside.
• Pressure cooker the channa dal for 4 whistles, Smash it well, remove excess water and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pan pour the channa dal and stir for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the jaggery powder to it and stir again for about 2 minutes
• The color will slightly get changed, at this point, add the thin coconut milk to it and allow it to boil for some time until the texture becomes thick. Stir continuously.
• Now, add the pearl sago and the thick coconut milk to this stirring continuously and let it boil until it becomes thicker.
• In a separate pan, pour ghee and add the cashews, raisins and the coconut pieces and roast until golden brown.
• Add the roasted cashews to the payasam and add cardamom powder to it.

Tips:

"The coconut pieces should be very thin and should be nicely roasted, which gives the payasam the unique taste.

Stirring is most important to get the right taste and care should be taken as not to burnt at the bottom."

Thiratipaal

Why not a traditional authentic south Indian sweet to celebrate the Tamil New Year!!and are you confused to make a unique sweet recipe to make during celebrations??

Thiratipaal,is the best option for you in that case, Its one of a very famous and delicious sweet recipe which most of the south Indians love to have it, it just melts in your mouth, with regard to the making its really very simple and easy, if made precisely with the correct measurement and the consistency. If you use the proper cow milk the result will be awesome, however for people who lives in places where you get only get bottled milk the taste will be slightly vary but still we can get the taste of the Thiratipaal. I am very new to make this recipe, and was much excited to see the result and it was awesome when it’s done.
 

Ingredients:

• Whole Milk- 0.5 gallon/ 2 Ltr
• Curd or Vinegar- 2-3 Tspn
• Brown Sugar- 2 Cups
• Ghee- 3 Tspn

Method:

• Boil the milk in medium flame in a heavy bottomed pan and stir occasionally say in every 10 minutes add a tspn of curd or vinegar to it.
• After some time the milk will start thickening and will start reducing the quantity, now add another tspn of curd or vinegar at that time.
• Add the curd or vinegar at regular intervals.
• After the milk is curdled completely raise the flame a little more to dry out the excess water in it, now add the brown sugar and stir continuously.
• It forms a thick paste now; add the elachi powder and the ghee to it.

Tips:

"Do not add the curd or vinegar at once, as it may not taste good."

Red Velvet Cake

I am a red Lover!! So certainly I love this cake not just because of the color but also because of the unique taste of this cake as it contains some of the unique ingredients like buttermilk. This is a four layer cake with creamy cheese frosting, normally this cake doesn't need any kind of decorations upon it once made, however I did some decoration stuffs on it just to make a look as a birthday cake as I made this to BF for his birthday :) . But Of' coarse it's a perfect birthday cake as well, so it's your choice about the decorating part on it or you could just leave it off.

The red velvet cake is very much famous in united states and Canada. Comes to the making part, the batter making is pretty easy and the tedious process would be the layering part, but I really enjoy doing it. I could definitely say it's an "Art". I was so excited when making this cake just to make sure that it should look better and even the taste. You may need a red food coloring liquid or powder to bring the red color to the cake. Anyone will love this cake as it is real moist and delicately sweet as it is filled with creamy cheese frosting.

Ingredients:

• All Purpose flour- 250 grams
• Sugar- 250 Grams
• Vanilla extract- 1 Tspn
• Buttermilk – ½ Cup
• Cocoa powder – 2 Tspn
• Butter – 113 Grams
• Eggs- 3
• Vinegar- 1/2 Tspn
• Baking Soda- 1 Tspn
• Salt- ¼ Tspn
• Red food coloring – 2 Tspn (if powder 3 pinches)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream cheese - 300 grams
• vanilla extract – 1 Tspn
• Icing Sugar – 1 Cup
• Heavy whipping cream (double cream) -1 1/2 (360 ml)

Initial Requirements:

• Temperature:350 Degrees F(177 Degree C)
• Time:25- 30 Minutes
• Pan Used: Two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans

 

Batter Making:

• Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and set aside (step 1)
• Mix the red food color to the buttermilk and set aside (Step 2)
• Mix together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside.
• Beat the butter at very high speed and when it becomes soft and pluffy add the sugar to it and beat again at high speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add one egg at a time to it and beat again until it raises its puffiness (Step 3)
• After 2 eggs are added and beaten alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour while the mixer is beating on it.(Step 5)
• Now, in a separate bowl mix the salt and the baking soda, it raises like a acid.
• Quickly you should add that to the batter and mix again with a ladle and so the batter again raises its puffiness. (Step 6)
• Quickly pour the batter to the 2 round pans and set into the oven with the above mentioned initial requirements.

Layering pic:

 

• Now, you have 2 cakes. Set it cool completely for about 15 minutes.
• Keep the cakes in the refrigerator at least for 2 hours for the cake to set well and can easily divide it.
• Once it is cooled down, divide the 2 cakes to four, using a sharp knife, cut the cakes, horizontally, into two layers. Turn over the top layer of the cake so that the top of cake becomes bottom and place on your serving plate.(Step 9)
• Beat the cream cheese at high speed for about 2-3 minutes and add the vanilla extract and beat again for a minute(Step 7)
• Pour the double whipping cream to it and beat again for about 2 minutes until it fully rises.(Step 8)
• Now, layer the cakes with the cream using a flat spatula, keep one upon the other and fill the cake completely.

As I mentioned above, if you want the cake to look more like a birthday cake with decoration, you should mix the desire color with the prepared cream cheese filling and by using the pastry cone as shown in Step 11 you can do your own arts on it :) You can store this cake for a week in the refrigerator and before serving each time, keep it at room temperature for about 10 minutes

 

 

Capsicum Chicken

Capsicum chicken is a perfect side dish for chappathi or naan recipe. The making is also pretty easy and it’s spicy too. If you are a spicy freak you would definitely like to have it. My Amma makes it so good as the recipe has a little sour,sweet and a spicy taste too.This comes like a semi gravy dish added with lot of capsicum and spring onion which adds a good taste to the recipe.So give it a try and really you will love it :)!!!

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces-1/2 Kg
• Capsicum(Cut into square shape)- 2 Medium
• Spring Onions- a Bunch
• Coriander powder- 1 Tspn
• Chilly powder- 1 Tspn
• Pepper Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Green chillies- few
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tspn
• Onion- 1 Medium
• Tomato- 1 Large
• Soya Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Chilly Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Vinegar- ½ Tspn
• Tomato Ketchup- ½ Tspn
• Lemon juice- few drops
• Coriander Leaves- few
• Salt-To taste
• Oil

 

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces along with the capsicum with Soya Sauce, chilly sauce, vinegar, chilli, coriander, turmeric powder and keep aside atleast for ½ an hour.
2. Add oil in a hot pan, add spring onion, tomato, green chilies and onion and sort it well for a minute.
3. Add ginger garlic paste to this and sort again until the raw smell goes from it.
4. Add pepper powder and sort again.
5. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook covered until the chicken is baked well.
6. Open the lid and cook uncovered again until the water dries out completely from it.
7. After it becomes semi gravy pour lemon juice into this and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips:

"Squeezing lemon juice is optional. But if you are not adding vinegar then you may need to do it.

Adjust your usage of chili powder according to your spice level."

Maravalli Kilangu Appam / Tapioca Sweet pancake

Many of the south Indians like to have the maravalli kilangu, and its very much famous especially in kerala as Kappa Kizhangu or Poola (in northern Kerala) or Maricheeni and it is served most often with sea foods.In Tamil nadu its called as Maravalli Kilangu. Conventionally, tapioca, derived from the cassava plant, is best known as a creamy pudding dessert with little sustenance. However, in some in areas like Africa, Asia and South America, tapioca is known better for its nutritional benefits than as a sweet treat.
 

Certainly I would say it as a unique recipe as it tasted so good and has health benefits as well. There are quite lot of dishes made out of Tapioca.I never know that tapioca is prepared even as appam until my MIL gave me this unique recipe,so its from her cookbooks :)
 

Few Nutritious Facts:

• Carbohydrate
• 1-2% of crude protein
• Rich in calcium and vitamin C
• Contain a nutritionally significant quantity of thiamine, riboflavin and nicotinic acid. Cassava starch contains 70 percent amylopectin and 20 percent amylose.

Ingredients:

• Tapioca- half lb or 1 small
• Any Rice- half cup
• Jaggery- half cup
• Coconut-1/4 Cup
• Ghee- to toast (optional)
• Cardomom powder- 2-3 Tspn

Method:

• Dry roast the rice and blend it to a coarse powder and keep aside.
• Cut the tapioca to small pieces and grind it to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Mix both the tapioca paste and the powdered rice together and add the jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder and mix well to make a batter.
• Adding little ghee or oil to hot griddle and make appam flipping both sides.

 

Tips:

"The rice added can be any rice.

Carefully flip both the sides, as there may be chances for the appam to tear.

Allow the appam to bake appropriately before flipping both the sides else the raw smell of the rice may not goes off completely."

Banana Walnut Shortbread with Choco chips

This is one of my favourite shortbread as often seen at Starbucks!. Thought to make on my own the same cake and fortunately Minu’s Kitchen done it very well too :) Here comes very easy and simple but delicious banana walnut shortbread with choco chips in it. I said it’s easy to make as it doesn’t need any electric mixer to make the dough and it can be done only by mixing the proper measurement of the ingredients and even it involves all the basic ingredients and doesn’t involves with any special requirements.
 

It taste great with coffee and you can store in refrigerator and have it. You could also exclude the Chocó chips if you don’t like in it or you don’t get it. If you are a banana lover I bet you would definitely like this shortbread. The only simple requirement to make this shortbread is just to use ripened bananas.
 

Ingredients:

• Butter- 1 Cup
• Eggs- 2
• Sugar-3/4 Cup
• Vanilla Extract- 1 Tspn
• All Purpose flour/Maida- 1 1/2 Cups
• Salt- a Pinch
• Ripe bananas- 3 Large
• Choco chips and walnuts- half Cup
• Baking powder- 1 Tspn
• Baking soda-a Pinch

 

Initial Specification:

Temperature:350 Degrees F(180 Degree C)
Time:50-60 Minutes
Pan Used: a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan(Butter it and keep it for a while)

Method:

• Smash the bananas and keep aside.(Step 1)
• Melt the butter and let it cool for sometime
• Fry the walnut for 1 minute in stove just to remove the raw taste from it and mix with the chocolate chip and keep aside .(Step 2)
• Mix well the flour,sugar,salt,baking powder and baking soda and keep separate(Step 3)
• Mix the roasted walnut and the choclate chip to it .(Step 4)
• Add the eggs to the smashed banana .(Step 5)
• Mix and beat a little smashed bananas,butter,eggs and vanilla extract well and keep aside. (Step 6)
• Mix both both the dry and the liquid ingredients together well with a ladle(Step 7 and 8)
• Pour the dough to the pan and set into the oven with the above mentioned initial specifications (Step 9).
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean completely, transfer to the wire rack to set it cool (Step 10)