Sweet Somas

Yay! Its diwali time, I know most of the house wives will be thinking about what to make and impress their families and friends, like me. I wanted to try something, very different and tasty as well and I ended up making my mind to prepare these incredible “Sweet Somas”. Believe me it may look little difficult but when you do it with right measurements; you will get it absolutely fantastic results. I most important factor in making this “Sweet Somas” is the time you keep the dough before you go with the making. I kept the dough for 2 and half hours. I more time you keep the dough, the more fluffy it become while frying. The powder that I prepared for the stuffing can be kept in the refrigerator, as that can be served by itself, especially many kids love by eating by itself.

The most tedious process is bringing the shape, I used poori press to flattern maida, as it may shrink when you do it by hand.It is an excellent sweet to serve on special occasions like diwali, as it is crunchy and you won’t end up just having one or two. Yes feel free to comment how many you ate (lol). I know most of you are very curious to know about my “Diwali Special Post”, I dedicate this to you all. “I wish you and your family a wonderful Diwali”. You still have 4 more days to go, so get yourself prepared to make this Sweet Somas at your Diwali Sweets List.

Ingredients:

• Maida-1 Cup
• Corn Flour- 2 Tspn
• Oil- 2 Tspn
• Salt- a Pinch
• Roasted Gram/Potukadalai- ¼ Cup
• Sugar- ½ Cup
• Coconut grated- ¼ Cup
• Cardomom-few
• Oil- For Frying

Method:

• Mix Maida, Corn flour, Oil, Salt with approximately ¼ cup of Water and make a soft dough and set aside at least for 2 hours
• Meanwhile grind Roasted Gram (Pottu kadalai) coarsely and keep aside
• Grind Sugar along with Cardamom to fine powder and keep aside
• Dry roast Coconut in a separate pan, just for 2 minutes
• Mix the all the above grounded powder along with coconut and keep it separate (this serves as a stuffing for Samos)
• Now,make balls and flattened the Maida dough and keep the stuffing powder at the center as shown below

• Close the dough a shape of Somas and close the ends tightly
• Drop the stuffed Somas to the Hot oil and fry until it turns to golden brown and transfer it to a paper towel to set it dry

Notes:

"Make sure to close the flattened dough completely without any opening, as the stuffing may come out while deep frying

You can also use the poori press to flattened it right

Make sure to keep the Somas in a air tight container to stay fresh and crunchy"

 

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Orange Sponge Shortbread

Here is a new variety for you all in my pastries page,for many days I was thinking to post something with orange, but couldn’t get a rite pastry recipe, after long trials, got this one from my baking class book, which I did during my college days. though I couldn’t able to recognize the taste, i tried it on my own, and got the real taste of the shortbread, you can bake this as a cake or even a shortbread as I did. This is a very simple one, easy to bake and tasty to have as well.

All you need is the common ingredients of making a cake and frehly squeezed orange juice and the orange zest(the outer skin of the orange,as it in the below pic), you may wonder why every time I use the outer skin of a lemon/orange in many of my pastries, the reason being it gives a very good flavors of the fruit and tempts you to have more. Make sure to wash your oranges thoroughly before grating and while grating do not grate the white pith underneath, as it adds a bitter taste to the shortbread. After you squeeze the oranges, pour the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds or pulp if any.
 

Initial Specification:

• Temperature:325 Degrees F(170 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)

Ingredients:

• Eggs- 5 (Separated yellow and white)
• All Purpose flour- 1 ½ Cup
• Sugar- 1 Cup
• 2 Large Orange squeezed juice.
• Oil(Any)- ½ Cp
• Vanilla Extract- 1 Tspn
• Baking Powder- 1 Tspn
• Orange Zest- 1 Tspn
• Cream of tartar(optional)- ¼ Tspn
• Salt-1/4 Tspn

Method:

• Mix all the dry ingredients well I,e flour,sugar,orange zest and baking powder(Step 1)
• Add the oil, orange juice,egg yolks and the vanilla extract to the flour and beat highly for about 2 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites in a very high speed until it becomes like foam at high speed for about 4 minutes.
• Add the egg whites to the batter (Step 2) and mix with a ladle(do not beat)
• Pour the mixture to the loaf pan(Step 3) without any lumps.
• Bake it for the said time and transfer to the wire rack and set it until it becomes cold.

Before serving, you can dust the bread with the icing sugar however its purely optional.

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Bisi Bele Bath

I was bored of cooking the same recipes at my kitchen, and yesterday my Bf just gave me a spark of thought to cook something other than a Tamil nadu or Kerala recipe.. at that moment just remembered my hostel menu, and bisi bele bath clicked my mind. If you had ever visited Bangalore or any part of Karnataka, this recipe is the master of all variety in any Restaurant’s Menu.

Its nothing but the Sambar rice, which is in Tamil nadu however it's a enhanced version of it, being a Non-veg lover, even I have a passion about this, and that’s the reason to share this recipe to you all. You can see this recipe served in most of the udupi sagar restaurants in Bangalore served with the peanuts or kara boondi.You need to prepare the bisi bele bath powder just like the sambar powder and you are all set for the making, here comes the Signature dish of Karnataka.

 

Ingredients:

• Rice (any,preferably sona masoori)- ½ Cup
• Toor Dal- ¾ Cup
• Tamarind - lemon sized (squeezed in water)
• Grated dry coconut – 2 Tspn
• Squash- ½
• Carrot- 1
• Green peas- ½ Cup
• Capsicum- ½ Cup sliced
• Tomato- 1
• Turmeric powder- ¼ Tspn
• Asafoetida- ¼ Tspn
• Peanuts - ¼ Cup
• Jaggery- a small piece.
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Peanut Oil- few
• Salt-To Taste
• Ghee- 2 Tspn
• Mustard seeds- 1 Tspn

For the Bisi Bele Bath Powder:

• Dried red chilies – 10 Nos(adjust as per your taste)
• Coriander seeds- 1 ½ Tspn
• Chana Dal- 1 Tspn
• Urud Dal- 1 Tspn
• Cardamom- 2 nos
• Fenugreek seeds- ¼ Tspn
• Mustard seeds- ½ Tspn
• Black pepper- ½ Tspn
• Poppy seeds – ¼ Tspn
• Cloves- 2
• Cinnamon- small piece
• Curry leaves-few
• Grated coconut- 2 Tspn
• Cumin seeds- ½ Tspn

Method:

• Pressure cook the rice and the dal with turmeric powder for 3 whistles.
• In a separate pan, dry roast all the ingredients under the bisi bele bath powder except coconut, after its fried set it cool and grind to fine powder.Add coconut while grinding,keep that separate.
• In a separate pan, add peanut oil, add tomatoes and sauté well, followed to it add all the vegetables in the ingredients and sauté well, add salt and give a stir.Pour little water to it and cook it covered with a lid.
• After the vegetables are nicely cooked, add the ground powder and sauté again until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the tamarind extract to this and cook it uncovered until everything combines well.
• Add this mixture to the cooked rice and mix well.
• In a separate pan, add oil, peanuts,mustard seeds and curry leaves and sauté until the peanuts are turned brown.
• Add this to the rice, followed by jaggery and give a quick stir.

Tips:

"Do not cook over cook the veggies as it will smudge into the rice.
Add adequate water while making the curry, so that the rice will not be so thick. Adjust the chili usage as per your spice level."

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Village Style Karuvattu Kuzhambu / Village Style Dry Fish Curry

Imagine a spicy dry fish curry with curd rice!!! I bet no other non-vegeterian recipes could get that taste. Anyone will crave for it when served hot, or the best way of all is serving it on the day next after its cooked, believe me it tastes awesome. Its similar like how you make a fish curry/meen kuzhambu. You can try making it with any kind of dry fish, and you will love it when it’s served with hot white rice.

           You could use any variety of vegetables, but brinjal and the drumstick are the common veggies used.I still remember how good my Ammuma prepares it, as the flavors and aroma will remain in the hand even you wash it. It is most commonly prepared in coastal villages. Some people have a loathing to dry fish, however some just love it just like me:)

Ingredients:

• Dry Fish- Cleaned (half Cup)
• Tomato- 1
• Small Onion- Few
• Brinjal/Brinjal- Half Cup
• Tamarind -(Lemon size)
• Chili Powder- 2 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 2 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Green Chilies- Few(Sliced lengthy)
• Garlic- 6 Pods
• Curry Leaves-Few
• Fenugreek Seeds- ¼ Tspn
• Gingely Oil- 4 Tspn
• Mustard Seeds-Few

Method:

• Keep the dry fish in hot water for about 10 minutes to remove the impurities.
• Extract the tamarind in water,in the same water smash the tomato and all the powders(1 tspn each) and keep it aside.
• In a separate pan, add the oil,kasuri methi, mustard and curry leaves.
• In a separate pan,add the gingely oil, mustard,fenugreek seeds and curry leaves, add the small onions,when it becomes translucent add the brinjal pieces and sauté well until it becomes soft and mushy.
• Add the tamarind water to this and let it boil for sometime.
• Add the dry fishes and add the rest 1 tspn of powders and let it boil until the gravy gets thicken.

Tips:

"You could add few coconut extract to make the curry more thick.

Adjust the chili powder as per your spicy level."

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Spinach with Dal / Keerai Kootu

It’s been long time that I couldn’t post anything here, don’t ask me if its because I didn’t cook any healthy foods at home :)... Here I come with an another spinach dish, but this time as a dry recipe, and you have a choice too to add, I would not suggest to use it but if you are concerned more on the taste then yes, you can add few baked potatoes to this recipe.

As I have presented the nutritious facts about Spinach in my Keerai Sambar, jumping on to the recipe.. So, today’s healthy menu is the spinach with daal dry recipe, its tastes so good with chappathi or with the rice. This recipe is excellent for people like me, as I don’t like it as a main course but as a side dish to my rice/roti and you can do this recipe with any kind of spinach you wish..

 

Ingredients:

• Spinach- a Bunch
• Moong Dal- ½ Cup
• Green chilies- 4 Nos
• Coriander powder- ½ Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Oil- 1 Tspn
• Mustard Seeds-Few
• Curry Leaves-Few
• Dry Red Chilies- 3 Nos
• Salt- To Taste
• Ghee- 1 Tspn

Method:

• Pressures cook the dal for 3 whistles and keep aside.
• In a separate pan, pour oil add the mustard, curry leaves and dry red chilies and green chilies, garlic and sauté for a minute.
• Add the spinach to this and sauté again for a minute.
• Add the coriander powder and sauté again for a minute.
• Pour little water, close and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the spinach is cooked.
• Add the cooked dal to this and sauté well, till all the water evaporates.
• Add the ghee to it and give a last stir.

Tips:

"If you do not want to add ghee, you can skip it.

Add more dal, as per your requirement."

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Carrot Muffins

I know I have nt posted anything new for long time on my pastries page, as I couldn’t get much time for my baking :) . Each time I think to do that, but ended with something else, this time even my Bf was anxious to have my pastry.. So, after a long time, inspite of my schedules,I found a time for baking, the reason why i am saying this is, the muffin which I made is for those who are really in the race and not getting time for baking, as this is really an easy one, and you don’t have to use any electric mixers. All you need is a whisker or just a ladle to mix the dough.The key ingredient for this muffin is the apples and carrots, so grate it to tiny if you can by a food processor or by manual grating.

At my home, everytime I end up with wasting carrots,so was just thinking to make something out of it, and this flashed into me, when I visited some pastry shops here. Not just the carrots, I have also added few grated apples, which added a extra taste to the muffins.

A muffin (American-style muffin in the UK) is a type of semi-sweet cake or quick bread that is baked in portions appropriate for one person. They are similar to cupcakes, although they are usually less sweet and lack icing. You could also do some icing if you wish else, you can serve it without anything on top of it,as I like that way :) Here you go.. Enjoy your weekend !

Ingredients:

• All-purposeflour- 1 ½ Cups
• Grated raw carrot-1 ½  cups
• Apple- 1 Grated
• Sugar- ¾ Cup
• Cinnamon powder- 1 Tspn
• Eggs- 2
• Any Oil- ½ Cup
• Vanilla Extract- ½ Tspn
• Baking Soda- 1 Tspn
• Baking Powder- 1 Tspn
• Raisins- ½ Cup
• Salt- ¼ Tspn

Method:

• In a bowl mix all purpose flour, salt,baking powder,sugar,soda and cinnamon and set aside (Step 1)
• To the flour add the grated apple and carrots and mix well (Step 2)
• In a another bowl, mix the egg with vanilla extract,oil and whisk well (Step 3,4)
• Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well (Step 5).
• If you have a ice cream scooper, use that to fill in your cup cake holes (reason being, if you take a scoop that will suffice for the complete muffin else it may over flow and the shape will not be proper) (Step 6).
• Set into the oven, and after its baked, transfer to the wire rack and serve after its cooled completely.

If you wish to make it such a way with the folded design at the end like how I did, all you need is a cup cake wrapper, I used the plastic(Oven safe) wrapper.After you all done, just prick the sides of the cake by the toothpick and it comes out without sticking in it.

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Chemma Chakka Curry / Breadfruit Curry

I hope you liked my Cheema chakka thoran, here comes another recipe from it. We had this curry on Onam, and it just tasted awesome as it really resembles the taste of Kerala, as this has a blend of coconut and all the spices, that too when served with the Kerala rice. I know I am bit late in posting this recipe, but I was little busy with our Onam activities. The breadfruit is not so tasty if you cook in any other ways, as it taste good only with this 2 recipes.
 

If you’re desperate in tasting an authentic kerala vegetarian dish, this would be the right choice. Its little tedious but if you cook with the rite coconut measures, you will win the taste. As I have already mentioned in cheema chakka thoran, you just to need to put the chakka pieces into water immediately after you cut it, else it may get darken and you will not get the rite taste.
 

Ingredients:

• Bread fruit pieces- half Cup
• Coconut Shredded- ½ Cup
• Small Onions- Half Cup
• Coconut Thick Milk(1st Milk)- ½ Cup
• Coconut Thin Milk(2nd Milk)- ½ Cup
• Cumin Seeds- ½ Tspn
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder-1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Salt- to Taste
• Dry Red Chilies- 3 nos

Method:

• In a pan, add the breadfruit pieces and water with little salt and turmeric powder and cook it covered until the breadfruit is baked well.
• In a separate pan, add shredded coconut and sauté well, when it becomes little oily, add the small onion few and add all the powders in the ingredients and sauté
• well. After it turns golden brown, set it cool and grind it to fine paste.
• Add the grounded coconut paste to the cooked breadfruit and mix well.
• Allow it to boil for a minute, now add the coconut 2nd milk and stir well.
• Let it boil until it becomes thick, now add the coconut 1st milk and mix again.
• Boil until everything becomes thick and masala smell goes from it.
• In a separate pan, add coconut oil, curry leaves and dry chilies and add all these in to the curry cooked.

Tips:

"Do not over roast the coconut as it may give a bitter taste if you do so.
You can add more coconut milk as per your need for the gravy.
Donot bake the breadfruit for long time, as it doesn’t take much time to cook."

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