Cooking, Craft and Sewing............. by Zeenathul Mufliha

PUDINA THOKKU

PUDINA THOKKU

INGREDIENTS:

Mint Leaves - 1 bunch

Green Chillies - 3

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Salt - to taste

Tamarind - lemon size

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Dry Chillies - 3

Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 tsp

Gingelly Oil - 6 tbsp

Method:

Take a frying pan heat a tbsp of oil.

Add mint leaves, green chillies, tamarind, ginger and salt.

Saute for a 5 min and grind coarsely and keep aside....mint leaves can be left out from grinding if prefered. its optional..

Heat the remaining oil in a pan.

Temper with dry chilli, urad dal, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder.

Add the ground pudina and mix well.

Remove from heat to cool.

Store in a glass jar like pickle.

Serve with rice.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Making Macarons at home was my dream .... initially I had some failure in getting the perfect shape..... one of my friend taught me the consistency which helped to reach the perfect shape and taste.... Consistency in the main factor for Macarons if missed then the shells will lose their shapes........

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

INGREDIENTS FOR FILL MACARONS:

Cream Cheese Frosting

Powdered Sugar - 1 cup

Unsalted Butter - 5 tbsp

Cream Cheese - 8 tbsp

Salt - a pinch

METHOD FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

Add together butter, cream cheese and salt in a large mixer bowl

Beat it until light and fluffy.

Gradually add powdered sugar slowly and beat just until smooth.

Once done set aside.

INGREDIENTS FOR MACARONS:

Large Egg Whites - 5

Caster Sugar - 70gm

Icing Sugar - 300 gm

Almond Powder - 100 gm

Cocoa Powder - 30 gm

Salt - a pinch

METHOD FOR MACARONS:

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C

Add egg whites and caster sugar in a bowl and mix with electric mixer.

Beat until stiff and glossy....

Turn the bowl upside down the fluffy batter should not fall out.... this method of checking the consistency will be perfect for good shaped Macarons.

While the egg whites are whisked sift the almond powder, cocoa powder and icing sugar slowly.

Once it is ready transfer half the batter to pastry bag.

Slide circles on baking sheet. Hold piping bag vertically and pipe batter in circles. repeat with remaining batter.

SHELLS BEFORE BAKING

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Place the shells on wire racks and cool completely before removing.

ASSEMBLING MACARONS:

When ready to assemble, add the filling mixture to a piping bag with a round tip and fill with frosting.

Pipe about a tablespoon of frosting on the bottom side of half the macaron we call it as shells before assembling, sandwich with remaining shells.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day.

Bring to room temperature before serving.

STRAWBERRY KESARI

STRAWBERRY KESARI

My friend Nammu's Son Shiva decorated her kesari with Strawberry which inspired me in trying strawberry kesari.... my try has given a good result...would like to share my yummy kesari with u all...and method of making is just like pineapple kesari and here it goes........

INGREDIENTS:

Semolina or Rava - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 cup

Strawberry chopped - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Raisins - 3 tbsp

Cashew nuts - 5 tbsp

Food color - pink

METHOD:

Heat a tsp of ghee and roast cashews till golden brown then add raisins and let it bubble up remove and set aside.

Add a tsp of ghee and roast rava.set aside

Add the chopped strawberries in a same pan add 1 tbsp of ghee and saute for 4 minutes or until the strawberries gets soften.

Boil water in a separate pan.Add a drop of pink color.

Add the sauted strawberries to the boiling water. then

Add the roasted Rava to boiling water. Keep stirring while adding rawa to avoid lump.

When rava is cooked add sugar and keep stirring continuously.

Add remaining ghee and keep stirring till the mixture comes together leaving the sides of the pan.

Now add the ghee fried cashews and raisins and switch off.

Grease a plate and level the kesari.

Cut it to desired shapes or can be had in cups too...

Yummy Tasty Strawberry Kesari is ready to taste...

SAGO AGAR AGAR

SAGO AGAR AGAR

INGREDIENTS:

Agar Agar Powder - 10 gm

Sago - 70 gm

Caster sugar - 200 gm

Thick coconut milk - 300 ml

Water - 1 litre

Food color - as per wish

METHOD:

Cook sago until transparent. Wash drain and dry.

Divide into 3 portions and color one portion with pink, one with blue and other portion with green.

Cook agar agar with water and sugar.

Add thick coconut milk at last. Don't allow to boil after adding coconut milk.

Divide as 3 portions with same food color as sago.

Add each colour sago into same portion.

Pour first portion into a mold. When slightly harden,

Pour second portion in. Let is set a little and followed by third portion.

Do this until all three portions finished.

Keep refrigerated for an hr.

Remove from mould and serve.

Yummy and Tasty Sago Agar agar is ready to taste.

VAZHAKKAI BAJJI

VAZHAKKAI BAJJI

INGREDIENTS:

Vazhakkai or Raw plantain - 2

Besan or Gram flour - 2 cups

Rice Flour - 2 tbsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Water - for thick batter

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

Slice the raw bananas lengthwise long and thin slices.

In a wide bowl mix besan flour, rice flour,turmeric powder, red chili powder and asafoetida.

Add water to it little by little to make a thick batter.

Heat oil in a frying pan.

Dip the sliced plantain in the batter.

Make sure batter is coated well on all the sides.

Drop them into the oil and after 2 minutes gently turn them over.

Fry them till golden brown.

Yummy Tasty Vazhakkai bajji is ready to taste.

Serve them with coconut chutney and hot ginger Tea.

CARROT KHEER

CARROT KHEER

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 5

Milk - 1 cup

Evaporated milk - 1/2 can

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Saffron - few strands

Cashews & Raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

METHOD:

Fry Cashews and raisins in a tsp of ghee and set aside.

Dissolve the saffron strands in a little bit of warm milk.

Peel the carrots and cut them into small slices.

Pressure cook the carrots with about 1 cup of milk until well cooked.

Once cooked let it cool.

Grind it to a smooth puree in blender.

Take a heavy bottom pan.

Add the ground puree and sugar and mix it well.

Now add the evaporated milk and let it to boil.

Add the dissolved saffron strands and remove from flame.

Garnish with the nuts.

Serve cold.....

Yummy Carrot Kheer is ready to taste....

LAVA CAKE

LAVA CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

All Purpose flour - 150 gms

Butter - 110 gms

Eggs - 3

Castor sugar - 150 gms

Dark Chocolate - 100 gms

Chocolate Powder - 5 tbsp

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400 degree.

Grease muffin tin.

Melt the chocolate and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high together for 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add 1 egg at a time and add all 3 eggs.

Add vanilla essence.

Switch mixer to lowest setting. Add the flour and Chocolate Powder and mix well.

Add the melted chocolate and mix on low until thoroughly combined.

Fill each muffin tin almost to the top as this cakes will rise only very little.

Bake for 10 minutes.

The cakes will look done on top and will jiggle if you give the pan a light shake.

Remove from oven, let it set for 10 mins.

Serve warm with vanilla Ice-cream.

Yummy Lava cake is ready to taste.

When the cake is cut the lava oozes out and that the amazing part of this cake...