BEETROOT HALWA

Ingredients for Beetroot Halwa:

Beetroot : 2, grated 

Condensed Milk : 1/2tin

Milk : 1/2Cup

Cardamom Powder : 1/4tsp

Ghee : 1 1/2tbsp

White Sesame seeds : 1tsp

Method :

Heat ghee in a nonstick pan and add grated beetroot and saute on medium flame. When the raw smell goes(Around 5minutes), add sugar, milk and condensed milk. Cook until soft. When the mixture starts to leave from the sides of pan, add cardamom powder and stir continuously for another 3minutes. Turn off the flame. Transfer the beetroot halwa to a greased plate and garnish with sesame seeds.

PRAWNS VINDALOO / Goan Shrimp Vindaloo

Ingredients for Goan Prawns Vindaloo:

Prawns : 500g

Potato : 1, finely chopped

Onion : 2, finely chopped

Vinegar : 2tbsp

Ghee : 1tbsp

Sugar : 1/2tsp

Salt

Goan Vindaloo Masala :

Cumin Seeds : 3/4tsp

Mustard Seeds : 3/4tsp

Garlic : 5flakes

Ginger : 3/4inch piece

Dried kashmiri red chillies : 6-7

Pepper Corns : 3/4tsp

Curry leaves : 2springs

Cinnamon : 1 inch piece

Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp

Cloves : 4

How to cook Goan Prawns Vindaloo: 

1. Using a mixer, grind together the ingredients listed under the 'vindaloo masala' and 1tbsp vinegar to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

2. Heat ghee in an iron skillet / heavy bottom vessel and add onion and fry till they turn to brown in color.

3. Now add ground masala and fry for 3-4minutes. Add potato, 1/2cup water, salt and cover the pan with a tight lid. Cook till the potatoes are 90% done. Now add cleaned and deveined prawns, remaining vinegar  and salt. Cover & cook till they are soft and tender. Sprinkle the sugar and combine well.

4. Serve this goan prawns curry / prawns vindaloo with rice / chappathi.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Celebrating our 4th Wedding Anniversary with this Chocolate Fudge cake :)

Ingredients for Chocolate fudge cake :

Unsalted Butter : 175g

Powdered Sugar : 175g

All Purpose Flour  : 175g

Egg : 3

Golden Syrup : 3tbsp

Ground walnuts / Almonds : 40g

Cocoa Powder : 40g

Baking Powder : 1tsp

Salt  : A Pinch

Method for Chocolate fudge cake :

1. Preheat oven at 180˚C. 

2. Grease and line an 18cm round cake tin and keep aside.

3. Sift the flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder thrice. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in Golden syrup and ground walnuts / almonds. Now fold in the flour mixture slowly.

4. Spoon into cake tin and bake until the cake pulls away from the sides (about 35minutes)/ a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the fudge cake cool completely.

5. For layering, dip a bread knife in boiling water and wipe it with a warm cloth. Make layers carefully without breaking the sides of the cake. Apply chocolate fudge frosting / icing on the layers, sides and top of the fudge cake. Garnish the sides with chopped walnuts / almonds.

For the Chocolate fudge cake Frosting / Icing :

Butter : 145g

Icing sugar : 150g, sifted

Cocoa powder : 4tbsp

Milk : 3tbsp

Method :

Melt Butter in a shallow pan. Remove from fire and add cocoa powder and heat again for 1minute and add icing sugar. Add the milk gradually and keep stirring until you have a glossy, smooth paste. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Cover and chill for 40minutes-55minutes. Your chocolate fudge frosting is ready to apply on cakes  / cupcakes :)

GOTHAMBU PAYASAM / Broken Wheat Kheer - Happy Vishu !!!

This Vishu Special, Gothambu payasam is made from broken wheat cooked in thick jaggery syrup and coconut milk. It is garnished with golden fried cashews and raisins.

Directions for Gothambu Pradhaman / Broken Wheat payasam Recipe:

Broken wheat : 1Cup

Jaggery : 10 medium blocks, 188gms

Coconut Milk : 1st, 2nd and 3rd extract from 1 coconut

Water : 1Cup

Cumin Powder : 1/2tsp

Cardamom Powder : 1tsp

Dried ginger Powder : 1/4tsp

Ghee : 1tbsp + 1tbsp

Coconut slices : 1/4Cup or cashews : 10 & Raisins : 10

Method : 

1. Clean and pressure cook broken wheat with 1/2cup to 3/4Cup water and third extract of the coconut (thin coconut milk11/2Cup) for 1whistle and keep aside for 5minutes.

2. Make jaggery syrup with 1cup water. Strain and mix this with cooked broken wheat. Add 1tbsp ghee and keep stirring till it starts to stick to the bottom of vessel. 

3. At this stage add the second extract of coconut milk and combine slowly. When it boils and starts to become thick, add the first extract of coconut milk and cook on low flame for 1-2 minutes. 

4. Add the cardamom powder, cumin powder and dry ginger powder and combine well. Turn off the flame.

4. Heat ghee and golden fry coconut slices or cashews and raisins. Add this along with the ghee to the hot Kerala godhambu payasam / lapsi kheer / Dalia Kheer and combine well.

You might also like,

• Pazham Pradhaman
• Palada Pradhaman
• Paal Payasam
• Pineapple Payasam
• Semiya payasam

Enjoy,

Lena

EASTER CUPCAKES / Moist Chocolate Muffins

Cupcakes baked in pretty paper cases,decorated with whipped cream and miniature Easter eggs.... Celebrated Easter by baking these cute muffins. These moist chocolate muffins can be served with coffee in the evening or as a simple dessert after dinner :)

Ingredients for Spongy Chocolate muffins :

Unsalted Butter : 115g, at room temperature

Egg : 2, at room temperature

Sugar : 115g

Maida : 100g

Cocoa Powder : 25g

Baking Powder : 1tsp

Salt : a small pinch

Milk : 1tbsp

Vanilla Extract : 1tsp

Method :

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a 12 Cup muffin pan or use paper cups.

2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until blended. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating until the mixture is creamy.

3. Sift together the flour, salt, cocoa and baking powder.

4. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Add milk and Vanilla essence to the batter. Combine well.

5. Scoop the batter into muffin cups almost 3/4th of it and bake for 15-18minutes. Keep aside to cool.

Ingredients For the muffin topping :

Whipped Cream : 50ml(whip for 3minutes)

Mini Sugar Coated Chocolate Eggs : 24

Method :

Put the whipped cream in piping bag with a large star nozzle and pipe a circle around the edge of each cupcake to form a nest. Put 2 chocolate eggs in each nest to decorate. Enjoy !!!

AVIYAL - Kerala Sadya Vibhavangal

When you hear Kerala Sadya the first thing that comes to   mind is aviyal. 

Ingredients for Kerala Sadya Special Avial :

Tapioca : 1/2Cup

Yam : 1/2/cup

Raw Banana : 1

Drumstick : 3

Carrot : 2

Long Beans : 4

Beans : 4

Shallots : 4

Fresh Grated Coconut : 1Cup

Cumin Seeds : 1/4tsp

Green Chillies : 3 to 4

Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp + a pinch

Curry Leaves : 2springs

Curd : 1/4Cup to 1/2Cup(if you want to make it a gravy add 1/2Cup)

Salt

Coconut Oil : 1tbsp

(you can add any vegetables of your choice : Ivy gourd(kovakka), broad beans(amara payaru), snake gourd(padavalanga), Ash gourd(ilavan) )

Method :

1. Wash and cut the vegetables lengthwise(1.5inch long & 1/2cm thickness).

2. In a kadai add tapioca, yam, a pinch of turmeric powder, and approximately 2cups of water. Boil tiil they are 50% cooked and then add remaining vegetables, salt, 1green chilly and 1spring of curry leaves. Cook till they are done and water evaporates completely.Do not overcook.

3. Using a mixer grind together shallots, green chillies, curry leaves, cumin seeds and 1.4tsp turmeric powder. Now add coconut and just coarse grind it. (Do not make it a paste). Add slightly beaten curd to this coconut mixture and add to the cooked vegetables. Stir well without breaking the cooked vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn of the flame and pour the coconut oil over the aviyal. Combine well and close with a tight lid for another 1minute.

4. Garnish with curry leaves and serve this Kerala sadya special Aviyal with hot rice, paapad and pickle :)