Chocolate cake

Ingredients

• Butter - 2/3 cup 
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
•  Eggs - 3
• All purpose flour - 2 cups
• Baking powder - 1 tbsp
• Baking cocoa - 2/3 cup
• Salt - 1 tbsp
• Milk - 1 1/2 cups

Directions

1. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder,sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix it well.

2. In a bowl, add butter and eggs. Beat it well. Add the above powdered mixture to this alternatively with milk, beating until smooth after each addition. 

3. Pour batter into a greased pan.

 

4. Preheat oven at 350 degree. Then bake at 350 degree for 35-40 minutes.

5. Once again, in a saucepan - add the cocoa and the butter and melt, then remove from the heat, add milk and sugar, then mix until they are well combined. Once it is done, decorate the cake with it.

Enjoy your cake!!!!

Mutton Biryani

                     A quick special one pot meal for busy days. Simple preparation, not at all complicated and can be made in less than one hour.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Mutton - 1/2 kg (washed and drained)
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon stick - 1/2"
• Cardamom - 2
• Onions - 2 (finely sliced)
• Garlic - 5 pods
• Ginger - 1/2"
• Large Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
• Red Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Corriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp
• Corriander leaves - 1/4 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Salt - to taste
• Oil/ Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Soak Basmati rice for atleast 15 mins, set aside.

2. Wash the mutton well and chop into required size pieces.

3. Heat oil/ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds, after it splutters add mutton and a tbsp of salt. Saute till the oil comes out.

 

4. Heat Oil/ Ghee in a pan. Add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds and dry red chilli. After cumin seeds splutter, add the chopped onions. Saute till it starts browning.

5. Then add the grinded ginger, garlic, corriander and mint mixture into it. Saute it till the raw smell goes. Then add chilli powder, turmeric powder, corriander powder and garam masala. Fry it for 5-6 mins.

6. Now add the chopped tomatoes, saute till the oil separates. Then add the mutton pieces and saute for 3 mins.

 

7. Add a cup of water and cook it in pressure cooker. After whistle comes, let it be in low flame for about 15 mins. 

8.  Once the masala is nicely blended with mutton , add basmati rice - give a quick stir. Then add required water and pressure cook for 3 whistles (after the first whistle , lower the flame). once the pressure releases, fluff the rice with fork carefully without breaking the rice.

Serve it hot with Raita or any gravy.

Happy cooking... 

Porotta / Paratha Recipe

                          Paratha is a very popular Indian dish. Paratha can be plain or stuffed with green, vegetables or cheese. Plain parathas are usually layered and are served with any gravy. It is a very filling and tasty dish.

Ingredients

• Maida Flour / All purpose Flour - 2 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - as required
• Baking soda - a pinch (Optional)

Method

1. Mix maida flour, salt, oil and prepare a soft dough by adding warm water little by little just as you make dough for chapati. Make smooth equal sized balls out of it. Pour some oil over it. Let it sit for 1 hour.

2. Roll them out in oval shap. Roll it holding on one end to form a round. This is done to get the layers. Then roll out to make it like a chapati. 

3.  Put this on a pan on low flame till the paratha is ready. Once done, use both hands and pat on the sides of the paratha to get the layers. 

Serve it hot with any gravy.

Happy cooking..

Shrimp with Snow peas Stir-fry

                      The simple combination of shrimp plus fresh snow peas are always delicious and also very easy to prepare. I love them with flavored rice.

Ingredients

• Shrimp - 15- 20 counts
• Snow peas - 2 cups
• Onion - 1 large
• Yellow Capsicum - 1
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Corn flour - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Marinate shrimp in cornflour and salt mixture for 20- 30 mins.

2. Chop onion and Capsicum in lengthwise. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onion and capsicum into it. Fry it till onion starts browning.

3. Wash the snow peas well and remove the stringy part at both ends of the snow peas.

4. Add snow peas into the pan with fried onion, fry it for 2 mins.

5. Then add the marinated shrimp into it. Cook it in medium flame for 15 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste. As soon as the shrimp is cooked, serve it hot with rice.

Happy cooking....

Corriander Chutney

Ingredients

• Cilantro / Corriander leaves - A bunch 
• Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Shallots - 2
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Green chillies - 3
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Tamarind - about a small gooseberry/ cranberry size
• Salt - to taste

     For seasoning

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - a few

Method

1. Take all the ingredients in a blender and grind with 1/2 cup water until smooth and in the consistency of chutney.

2. Heat oil in a small pan , add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dal and curry leaves. Fry until the dal starts browning. 

3. Then pour the grinded chutney into it. Let it be in medium flame until the raw smell of cilantro goes. 

Serve it hot with Chapathi. 

Happy cooking... 

Egg Slice Masala

                           Egg slice masala is a gravy based dish where hard boiled eggs are sliced, shallow fried and simmered in a spicy, tangy and fragrant onion-tomato base.

Ingredients

• Eggs - 4, hard boiled, peeled and sliced
• Onion - 1 (large)
• Curry leaves - 5
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic - 3-4 pods
• Tomato - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Corriander powder - 3/4 tbsp
• Cumin powder - pinch
• Fennel seed powder - pinch
• Garam masala powder - pinch
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tbsp ,optional
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 3-4 tbsp

          For coating of egg slices:

• Egg - 1, lightly beaten
• Milk - 4 tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Mix all the ingredients called for 'coating' of egg slices in a bowl. Add egg slices in this mixture and coat on both sides. Place each coated egg slice in the hot oil and cook on both sides till lightly browned. Remove onto a plate and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute for 4 mins. Add ginger and garlic, saute for 3 mins. Add curry leaves and mix.

3. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, fennel seed powder, corriander powder and cumin powder and mix. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 4 mins or till oil separates.

4. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce flame and add the tamarind paste and fried egg slices and place lid. Cook on simmer for 8-10 mins.

5. Add the garam masala powder and mix. Cook without lid till you achieve the desired gravy consistency.

6. Serve it hot with flavored rice or chappathi.

Happy cooking.... 

Capsicum Masala Rice

                         This flavorful dish is easy to make and so tasty. Fresh crunchy capsicums, masala flavor and crunchy peanuts increase the taste of this dish and make this recipe a real winner.

Ingredients

• Cooked rice - 3 cups
• Ghee / oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - 6-8
• Green Capsicum - 1 (large)
• Red Capsicum - 1 (large)
• Roasted peanuts -1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

      To Grind:

• Dry red chillies - 2 - 3
• Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Black gram dal - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
• Roasted peanut - 1 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat ghee in a pan on medium flame, add cumin seeds and black gram dal and fry till the cumin splutters and the dal turns light brown. Add the corriander seeds, curry leaves, cinnamon stick and red chillies and fry for 1-2 mins. Finally add roasted peanuts and combine with the other spices for few seconds , then turn off the heat. Once cool, grind to make a fine powder.

2. Heat oil/ ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves and let the flavor of the curry leaves come out and the leaves turn crispy.

3. Add sliced capsicums and fry them for approx 3-5 mins. Add salt to taste.

4. Reduce heat and add the cooked rice and combine with the spice mixture.

5. Add the roasted peanuts and ground masala powder and combine with the rice till its well mixed.

6. Serve it hot with any gravy of your choice .

Happy cooking...

Pasta in Tomato sauce

Ingredients

• Pasta - 2 cups
• Yellow onion - 1 (large)
• Tomato - 3
• Jalapeno pepper - 2 ( you can use green chilli)
• Ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp (optional)
• Olive oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt and pepper - to taste

Method

1.  In a wide pan boil water and salt. Then slowly add the pasta and cook till the pasta is all done ( it should be soft but firm). Stir in between to prevent the pasta from sticking together. After it is cooked, drain it and pour cold water in it. This is done to prevent it from getting cooked further.

2. Chop the onion, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers well.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add jalapeno pepper,onion and ginger-garlic paste into it. Saute till onion starts browning.

4. Then add the chopped tomatoes, saute till the raw smell of tomato goes. Then add 2 tbsp of tomato ketchup into it. 

5. Cook it till you get the consistency. Then add cooked pasta into it. Mix it well in medium flame for 7-8 mins.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve it hot.

Happy cooking......

Strawberry Smoothie

                         This is the first time I am making smoothie at home. This drink has a beautiful baby pink color and was really refreshing and very delicious. The sweetness was also perfect.

Ingredients

• Strawberry - 12 - 14
• Thick yogurt - 1 cup
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 2-3 tbsp

Method

1. Chop the strawberries into bite sized pieces and blend it with milk to a smooth paste.

2. Then add sugar and yogurt and blend it again till a creamy smoothie consistency is reached.

3. Pour into glasses and refrigerate it before you serve.

Happy cooking....

Ulunthangali / Black gram Porridge

                          Ulunthangali is a traditional sweet of Tamil Nadu made out of Jaggery, Gingely Oil and Black gram. It is highly recommended for women because of its medicinal values, the most important is it strengthens the pelvic bones and uterus of young girls. Have a look at the ingredients, urad dal which is rich in proteins, jaggery rich in iron and gingelly oil rich in Vitamin E.

Ingredients

• Black urad dal (splitted) - 1/2 cup
• Rice flour - 1/4 cup
• Fenugreek seed - 1/4 tbsp (optional)
• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Gingelly oil / Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Water - 4 cups

Method

1. Dry roast the urad dal for 2 - 3 mins and grind it with fenugreek seed to fine powder. Also dry roast the rice flour for 3 mins. Mix them together.

2. Dissolve the jaggery in one cup of water and filter it (you can use warm water).

3. Now add the remaining 3 cups of water with the jaggery water. Add the grindered powder little by little and dissolve it , avoid any lumps.

4. In a pan add Gingelly oil / Ghee and add the above dissolved mixture and stir it continuously till it reaches the semi solid state.

Happy cooking.. 

Shrimp Peas Gravy

Ingredients

• Shrimp - 15 - 20 counts
• Peas - 2 cups
• Green Capsicum - 1/2
• Red Capsicum - 1/2
• Onion - 1 (large)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Corriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Mix rice flour, salt and turmeric powder in a bowl. Marinate shrimp in this mixture for nearly an hour. 

2. Chop onion and capsicums lengthwise. 

3. Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and capsicum into it. Saute it for 10 mins.

4. Then add the marinated shrimp into it. Cook it with required water for about 15mins.

5. Add green peas and cook it with closed lid for 10mins.

6. After it is cooked well, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve it hot with chappathi.

Happy cooking....