Eggless Chocolate cupcakes for halloween

Looking for some not too scary Halloween cupcakes? Perfect for preschool and kindergarten Halloween celebrations, these adorable cute cupcakes are more sweet than scary. These creative Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes with Butter cream frosting.  

Prep time 15- 20 minutes
Cook time 20  to 25 minutes
Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 cup thick dahi (fresh yogurt)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup oil (vegetable/canola/olive)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For Butter cream frosting:   

•     1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened 
•     3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
•     ¼ teaspoon salt
•     1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
•     2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

For Decorating:

I used here pastry tip "Wilton 2D / 1M", butter cream frosting, royal icing, sprinkles, fondant to decorate...

Method:

1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a muffin tin with paper cases.

For the cake:
2)Add all purpose flour, cocoa powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
2)In a large bowl, take yogurt and sugar. Beat on medium speed by using hand mixture until combined well.
3)Then, add baking powder and soda and again beat on high speed until you see the bubbles.
4)Then add oil and vanilla essence and flour mixture, mix together and beat on medium speed until well combined. If the batter is too thick then add little hot water (near about 1-2 tablespoons). 
5)Divide the batter among the cupcake molds. Fill only 2/3 full. Bake in the oven preheated to 350° F. for about 20-25 minutes. Out of oven, let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and transfer to a wire rack and completely cool.
6)Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
7)Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn over the cooling rack and cool completely.
8)DECORATE:
Pastry tip “Wilton 2D / 1M” should make perfect swirls. Start piping in the middle and slowly pipe around until you cover the whole surface of cupcake. Just pipe with confidence. Pumpkin is made using fondant and acorns are made using HERSHEY’S chocolate and mini cream filled biscuits.

Instruction for frosting: 
    
Beat butter for a minute with a stand mixer on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes. Add clear vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.
 If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add more powdered sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add more milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Note : You can do any frosting of your choice for the cake...

Some more related recipes are below:

• Strawberry clown cake
• Chocolate Cake (Using yogurt, Eggless, butter less)
• chocolate Pecan Fudge
• Date chocolate balls
• Bread chocolate pudding
• Chocolate buttermilk cake

Read More

Mathri (Whole wheat flaky biscuit)

Mathri is a popular 'any time' Rajasthani snack. It is a kind of flaky biscuits from India's north-west region and is part of most marriage cooking or religious occasions like Karva Chauth, Diwali and even as tea-time snack. It is made from flour, water, carom seeds and cumin seeds (optional). The origin of this snack was more out of necessity than choice. Crispy, flaky and flavoured deep fried 'mathris' can be stored for several days. Mathris are eaten with a spicy mango pickle and are often served with tea. Rajasthanis are fond of storing large jars of mathris which they can munch at any time of the day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup whole wheat flour (maida)
• 1/4 cup Semolina (rava)
• 1/4 cup oil / ghee for moyan 
• 2 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• 2 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds (jeera) (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper (kalimirch powder) (optional)
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying
• warm water to knead dough

Method: 

1. Combine all the ingredients and knead into a stiff dough using enough warm water. The dough should not be soft, but a little tight and hard.
2. Cover and keep the dough aside for 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into small equal portions and make small balls from the dough.
4. Roll out each portion of the dough thinly into a small puris.
5. Lightly prick them equally all over with a fork so that the mathris do not rise like puris.
6. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai and deep-fry, a few mathris at a time, on a low to medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour or crisp.
7. Drain on an absorbent paper and when at room temperature store in an air-tight container and use as required.

For more Diwali Recipes, do check Gujiya (Karanji), Gulab Jamun, Quick Milk Pedha , Paneer coconut  katli , bournvita coconut laddoo / balls  and Kaju Katli

Notes / Tips:

• 'mathris' should never be fried in a very hot oil otherwise they become browned from the outside but not get cooked from inside.
• Always use warm ghee or oil for moyan for more flakiness of mathri.

 

 

Read More

Back to Blogging After a long Break – new recipe Diwali special "Kaju Katli" / Cashew nut Fudge

It’s been almost a year that I was out from blogging and let me tell you this was not easy for me. I started blogging with so much excitement. I had lots to share! I was in fact busy with some other aspects of my personal life. As I had to come back to my homeland "India", hence could not give much time to blogging and keeping this site fresh with new recipes. I got the possession of my apartment and was busy with home interior, shifting and many more....So I was dealing with a lot of things going on at the same time. And it is after a year that I am logging in to my blog. I do not know what happened, except that I was literally in a different world!!!!

Please accept my sincere apologies for keeping this site inactive for a year. I totally understand the disappointment that you guys must be feeling each time you would be visiting this site. However I am back and I promise you regular updates going forward. There is always a lot to do in blogging. I know I have missed a lot, but it is never too late..........

Thanks all of you for encouraging me, through messages and emails, to get back to blogging.
Do keep visiting and give your valuable feedback and comments. We will surely try to keep up with your expectations.

And here is my today's post.. Diwali Special "Kaju katli" or "Cashew nut fudge"

Diwali is just a week away. I just wanted to try kaju katli and it turned out excellent, smooth and melt in mouth.... The silver topped and diamond shaped kaju katlis are one of the most favourite Indian traditional dessert made with Cashew nuts and sugar.

Preparation Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 15-20 min

yield : 25-30 slices

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups or 250 gm cashew nuts (kaju)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon ghee (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder (optional) or 1 tablespoon rose water
•  silver foil / chandi warak (optional)

Method:

1) Powder the cashew nuts using dry grinder. Do not over powder the cashew nuts, keep checking in short intervals, whether the cashews are powdered or not. It should be in powdered form and not become oily.

2) For syrup, heat a pan, mix water, rose water and sugar and boil them. Soon after the sugar water starts to boil, add the cashew powder to the syrup and keep on stirring the mixture on low flame to avoid lumps. Meanwhile grease a plate and keep aside.

3)After some time, the cashew mixture would start thickening. Cook the cashew mixture on low flame till the mixture starts to come together (about 4-5 mins ). Switch of the flame and let it cool for 10 minutes.
4) Grease your palms and when the mixture is hot enough to handle, knead the cashew mixture about a minute till the dough is ready to roll.

5) Flatten the dough and Spread on a clean greased plate. Place a butter paper on the dough and then roll gently with a rolling pin to 1/8 " thickness. (about 3-4 mm)

6) Remove the butter paper, apply silver foil (optional) and let cool.

7) When completely cooled, using a sharp knife cut the rolled cashew dough into diamond shaped katlis. Using butter knife gently remove the kaju katli and serve or keep in an air tight container.

For more Diwali Recipes, do check Gujiya (Karanji), Gulab Jamun, Quick Milk Pedha , Paneer coconut  katli , bournvita coconut laddoo / balls and Mathri

Note:

• The Ratio between Cashew Powder and Sugar is  2 : 1.
• Do not grind the cashews for long time, if over powdered they become oily and may form lumps when added to sugar syrup.
• If the dough is too hard to knead or it gets cracked on rolling, add 1 or 2 teaspoon of warm milk to the dough and knead well.
• Rose water is optional. You can also add cardamom powder or fresh rose petals to kaju katlis and also you can simply skip flavourings in the kaju katli and use just cashews and sugar.

 

Read More

Black eyed peas fritters / Pakore

Black Eyed Peas Fritters are tasty, delicious and easy to make snack. In the evening, when you crave for something along with a hot cup of tea, these  fritters can be served with tomato Ketchup or Coriander chutney as a satisfying snack.

Ingredients:
For grinding:

• 1 cup Black eyed Peas (soaked for 4-5 hours)
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• 10-15 mint leaves (optional)
• 1-2 green chili
• 1" ginger piece
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (jeera)

 Other Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Grind all the ingredients listed under "For Grinding" into a coarse paste with little water if needed.
2. Empty into the bowl. 
3. Add fennel seeds and salt. Mix well.
4. Heat oil in frying pan on medium flame.
5. Drop a spoonful of batter in frying pan.
6. Fry till golden brown.
7. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Read More

Diwali Speacial - Gujiya (Karanji)

Dear Friends,

Wish you a very happy and prosperous Diwali!!!

Deepawali or Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. It's the festival of lights that's marked by five days of celebration, which literally illumines the country and dazzle with its joy!

Here is the farhar thali which is made for Diwali...Poha Chiwda, Makke (corn) chivda, Shev, mathari, chakali, coconout burfi, Gujiya (Karanji)....

today i am sharing the Gujiya recipe which is in center of the thali around chakali and rest will post soon...

Ingredients

For The Stuffing:
2  freshly grated coconut
1/2 cup nuts powder / choped
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder

For The Covering:
1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
3-4 tablespoon ghee / oil for moyan
1/4 cup milk
oil for frying
milk for sealing

Method

1) For the stuffing:  Heat a pan, add the coconut and sugar and saute on a slow flame till the sugar is melted, taking care the mixture does not becomes too dry. Remove from the flame and add nuts powder and the cardamom powder, mix well and keep aside to cool. Divide the mixture into 8-10 equal portion and keep aside.

2) For the covering:  Take the flour in a bowl and add the hot ghee /oil over the flour. Add the milk and knead into a soft and smooth dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes. Knead again to make the dough more soft.

3) Divide the dough into 8-10 equal balls and roll out each portion into a puri sized small circle.

Place a portion of the filling at the center of each puri and fold the circle in a half-moon shape.    Apply a little milk on the edges and seal it. Remove the excess sides with the help of knife or cutter. Cover with a moist cloth for 5 minutes. Repeat the same process for the remaining dough balls.    Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep-fry the karanji on medium heat till it turns golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper. Cool and serve.

Read More

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with chocolate frosting~basket weave

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 11/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups non-fat butter milk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (milk maid)

Chocolate Frosting:

Ingredients:
•1 cup unsalted butter, softened
•3½ cups powdered sugar
•½ cup cocoa powder
•½ teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

For flowers, fall leaves and pumpkin used buttercream frosting

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8" cake pan by buttering/greasing and lightly flouring. 
2. For the cake:
3. Combine all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large bowl. Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
4. Combine vanilla extract and buttermilk in a bowl and keep aside.
5. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.
6. Now, add condensed milk and beat well.
7. Now, add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
8. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes on 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and invert cake onto the cooling racks and cool completely.
11. Instructions for frosting:
12. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. set aside.
    Cream butter for a few minutes in a stand mixer on medium speed. Add sugar mixer and lower the speed of mixer(so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
13. After cake cools completely, place 1 cake layer on a plate, spread with chocolate frosting or you can use raspberry filling. Top with second cake layer, then crumb coat it with chocolate frosting over top and sides of cake.
14. Use 48 tip to do basket weave and then boarder it with the tip 18. Make flower using tip 80 and fall leaves with tip 102 and for Pumpkin on sides use tip 5. Your chocolate buttermilk cake is ready to eat.

Some more chocolate related recipes are below::

• chocolate Pecan Fudge
• Date chocolate balls
• Bread chocolate pudding
• Chocolate cake using yogurt / dahi 

 

Read More

Dates Chocolate Balls

Dates chocolate balls are quiet easy to make, delicious and healthy specially for kids. As all of you know Dates are highly nutritious, this is best way to sneak them secretly into your kids diet.

Ingredients:

• 15-20 Seedless Dates
• 3-4 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2-3 tablespoon coco powder
• almonds for garnishing

Method:

Heat the pan. Add dates and heavy cream together and Saute it. Mash the mixture with spoon. When it gets mashed completely switch off the flame and add cocoa powder. And divide the dough into 15-20 equal parts and make the balls of them by placing 1 almond in each ball. Keep refrigerated.

if you want more chocolate recipes, then do check

• chocolate Pecan Fudge
• chocolate buttermilk cake
• Bread chocolate pudding
• Chocolate cake using yogurt / dahi 

 

Read More

Bread chocolate Pudding / Halwa

Bread Chocolate Halwa is easy and quick recipe and delicious in taste. I had two big packs of bread and needed to finish them off. Coincidentally, while talking with my sister Shraddha she suggested the recipe for this Pudding. I quickly made this halwa and it turned out very tasty and now its one of my favorite easy to make dessert.

Ingredients:

• 12-15 white bread slices
• 2 cup milk
• 1 can (14 oz) condensed milk (sweetened)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoon butter
• 1-2 tablespoon broken cashews
• 1-2 tablespoon chopped almond

Method:

Grind the white bread in a blender or food processor. Heat the nonstick pan and add the crumbs, milk, condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter. Mix well. Cook it by stirring till thickens. Then add vanilla extract and add broken cashews and chopped almonds. Serve hot or chilled.

if you want more chocolate recipes, then do check

• chocolate Pecan Fudge
• chocolate buttermilk cake
• chocolate date balls
• Chocolate cake using yogurt / dahi 

Read More

Strwaberry cake with buttercream frosting

This is a great moist cake with fresh strawberries, slather with the homemade butter-cream frosting that's truly out of this world. . I made this cake for my daughter's fun party and done icing decoration with clowns theme. It was a major hit! 

Made three clowns and one tiger....decorated with ballons and star sprinkles...

Ingredients:

•     2 cups (approx 1 lb) roughly diced strawberries,
•     2 tablespoon sugar
•     juice from 1 orange
•     2 cup all-purpose flour
•     1 cup sugar
•     1 teaspoon baking powder
•     1 teaspoon baking soda
•     ½ teaspoon salt
•     ½ cup oil (canola/vegetable)
•     1 teaspoon strawberry essence

For Butter cream frosting:   

•     1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
•     3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
•     ¼ teaspoon table salt
•     1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
•     2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Method :

1) In a stainless steel sauce pan, add the diced strawberries, sugar and orange juice. On medium-high heat, allow the fruit to simmer and slightly soften for about 5-7 minutes.
2) Remove from the heat and set aside to slightly cool. Once the mixture has cooled sufficiently, empty into a blender and puree to a fine pulp. Refrigerate till needed.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9" cake pan by buttering/greasing and lightly flouring.
4) Add all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a bowl. Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
5 )In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar on medium speed by using hand mixture until combined well. 
6)Then add strawberry essence,1 cup strawberry pulp and flour mixture, mix together and beat on medium speed until well combined.If needed add more strawberry pulp (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup).
7) Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
8) Pour the cake batter evenly in the prepared cake pan.
9) Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick / cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
10) Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn over the cooling rack and cool completely. When cool, top with butter-cream frosting.

Instruction for frosting: 
   
Beat butter for a minute with a stand mixer on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes. Add clear vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.

If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add more powdered sugar sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add more milk 1 tablespoons at a time.



 

Read More

Banana Flower Vada - my 4th guest post by Sathya Priya

Hello Friends,

Today i am here with my 4th guest post "Banana flower vada" by Sathya Priya. She is a new fellow food blogger and she blog over 'mykitchenodyssey' which talks about authentic Chettinad cuisine. I came to know about her, when she left a comment on google+ on my post. When She asked me for a guest post, i immediately said yes and here is her wonderful post. Guys please visit her blog and thanks for your support.

Now over to Priya,

When I started this blog, I looked for some support. Pooja was very kind and 

accommodating. I thank her very much for this great opportunity. Pooja has a 

wonderful cooking blog "Daily Swad Sugandh". I love her recipes a lot and I 

have tried quite a few of them, one among them is babycorn-cashew-curry. It was super tasty and yummy. I hope you guys also enjoy her recipes.

Hi readers my name is Priya. I was born and raised in Tamil Nadu. I got married in 2009. Before marriage my cooking skills were at a very basic level.  After we had our daughter I stayed at home and that’s when my interest in cooking picked up.
After our move to US I got to try different cuisines and I wanted to recreate them for my husband and daughter. In my spare time I wanted to share my experiences with you all, hence this food blog.
Almost all of my Chettinad recipes are from my Mom, Mother in law and my Grandma. They are great cooks and I learnt a lot from them.  I watch cooking shows for menu ideas and to learn new techniques.

Banana Flower Vada:

This is an authentic Chettinad dish. In Chettinad every part of the Banana tree is used for cooking. Banana flower (வாழைப்பூ) is very rich in fiber. It is a little bitter though. This a good way to get everyone to eat Banana flower. My mom, my mother in law and my grandma all make this delicious Vada. Banana flower is a little difficult to clean but trust me it will be worth the work. In thailand banana flower is used in soups and curries.
       

Ingredients:

    1 Medium size Banana flower
    1 small onion
    A pinch of asafoetida.
    A inch of turmeric.
    Salt as required.
    Oil for frying.

To Grind:

    1/2 cup Toor dal (soaked for half and hour and dried).
    4 Red chilies.
    1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds.
    1/4 tbsp Cumin seeds.
    1 tbsp grated coconut.

Method:

1. Peel the Banana and remove the stem and cut it in to small pieces.
2. Soak the toor dal for half an hour and drain the water and dry with damp paper until moisture is absorbed.
    
   
   
3. Grind the ingredients under "to Grind" to a coarse consistency.
4. Mix the ground items, cut peeled banana flower, onion,turmeric, salt and asafoetida .
5. Make small balls out of it and flatten it .
6. Deep fry them for 2 mins on one side and flip it over and let it cook for another 1 minute .
   
7. When the color changes to brown, remove it from oil and drain excess oil on kitchen towel paper.
8. Serve hot with rice.
9. You can serve it as in an appetizer too.

Note:

After you clean the banana flower keep it in a airtight container so that it wont change its color.
If the mixture is too thin add some rice flour and mix it again.

Hope you've enjoyed Priya's delicious Vada! Thanks for stopping by my space..
Would you like to post your recipe on my space, please send me an email on dailyswadsugandh@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you soon. Be my guest! 

Read More

Black eyed beans curry / Chowlai ki sabzi

Black eyed peas curry is delicious and nutritious, eaten with plain steamed rice or vegetable pulao or even Indian flat breads, it is the comfort food for me. It is a simple, quick curry that is perfect side dish for a nutritious meal.

Black eyed peas is packed with proteins, vitamins and minerals, making them ideal for growing children.

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins

Ingredients :

• 1 cup chawali / black eyed beans
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• pinch of asafetida
• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves (lehsun)
• small piece of ginger (adrak)
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• 5-6 curry leaves

Method:

1.Soak black eyed beans in water at least 4-5 hours and next drain excess water. Boil with 1 cup of
   water with turmeric powder and salt till cooked in a pressure cooker.
2.Blend onion, tomato, ginger, garlic cloves into a paste and keep aside.
3.In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafetida and saute it for a while.
4. Next add grinded paste, saute it till it starts to leave oil.
5. Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Stir them well.
6.Add black eyed peas, salt to taste and water as required to achieve desired consistency and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain steamed rice, pulao or jeera rice(cumin seed flavored rice) or with Indian flat bread (chapaties /rotis).

Read More

Churma - Authentic Rajasthani Sweet Dish

Churma is a popular Rajasthani delicacy usually served with dal-baati. Dal Bati Churma is a traditional complete one dish and the most popular dish of the Rajasthani cuisine. Churma is made using coarsely ground wheat flour and cooked with ghee and sugar. It is usually rich in calories. 

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
• 1/4 cup fine semolina
• 1/4 cup ghee for moyan (melted and warm)
• warm water as needed for kneading
• 1 cup ghee for Frying
• cup powdered Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoon chopped almonds
• Cashews,rose petals for garnishing

Method:

1. Take wheat flour, besan and semolina in a large bowl and add hot ghee into it for moyan and mix till it resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add warm water as needed and make a stiff dough and knead well. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 8 -10 round or elongated shapes.
4. Heat ghee in a large kadhai / fry pan and deep fry these on a very low flame for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crisp.
5. Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
6. Coarsely grind them into a fine powder (churma) and transfer into a bowl.
7. Add the sugar and chopped almonds to the ground mixture in the bowl. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
8. You can also add nutmeg powder or powdered nuts if you wish.
9. Garnish them with cashews, rose petals and almonds.
10. Store them in an airtight container.
11. Serve with hot dal-baati.

Extra Tip : Add 3-4 tablespoons of hot ghee to the churma, divide the mixture into 10-12 portions and shape into churma laddoos.

Read More

Moth bean curry/ Mataki chi Ussal

Mataki / moth usal is authentic and popular maharashtrian dish. Mataki or moth beans are a high source of protein. It is healthy and nutritious curry goes well with paratha, roti or rice and tastes delicious with Misal Pav.

Preparation time: 10 minute
cooking time: 25 minute
serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Moth ussal / Sprouts:

• 2 cup Moth/Matki Sprouts
• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• salt to taste

Method- 

1. Heat the oil in a small pressure cooker.
2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, and curry leaves. After mustard seeds splutter, add chopped onion and sauté it till golden brown.
3. Now, add turmeric powder, moth (matki) / sprouts, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and water as needed.
4. Mix well and pressure cook up to two whistle or till cooked.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon wedges. serve hot.

Read More

Banana Walnut Cake (No oil / butter / Egg, using heavy cream)

Great moist banana walnut cake, with a cinnamon flavor. This banana cake has no oil, or butter or egg of any sort. The moist factor comes from heavy cream. It rises beautifully, soft  and has a great taste!!! 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1½ cup all-purpose flour / Maida
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup condensed milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 ripe banana (peeled and cut into pieces)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup walnut pieces

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9" cake pan by buttering/greasing and lightly flouring.
2. For the cake:
3. Add all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a bowl. Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
4. Blend condensed milk, sugar, milk, vanilla essence and banana pieces into a pure.
5. Then add heavy cream and again blend until combined well.
6. Now add this to flour mixture and gently mix them and in the end, fold in walnut pieces.
7. Pour the cake batter evenly in the prepared cake pan.
8. Bake the cake for 35-50 minutes until a toothpick / cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn over the cooling rack and cool completely.

Extra tip: Pour chocolate sauce over cake and garnish it with walnut pieces. You can use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all purpose flour for this cake.

Read More

Sprouted Moong beans and methi seeds curry~3rd guest post by Linsy Patel

Hello friends,

Hope you all have enjoyed Sapana's Ratatouille Kebabs. This week i am here with one more guest post, my 3rd guest post of this blog!!!

Let us meet our today’s guest…. Linsy Patel from Home Cook Food, known as Kitchen Queen in the blogging world. She has lots of unique and interesting recipes in her blog... When I asked her for the guest post she immediately replied 'yes' with the post which she had already scheduled for today. I am impressed that she is so much organized.  Her blog has wonderful vegetarian and healthy recipes. I came to know about her blog when her recipe titled as 3 Ingredients Energy Bars quickly caught my eyes and became my favorite bars. Guys please visit her space for more healthy and delicious recipes.

Over to Linsy...

Who didn't see Sabudana Pizza on Pooja's blog? If not then you are missing something, check it out. When Pooja asked me to do a guest post on her space, I said yes because you don't find such a good friend in this world who shared same interest like you and still humble. She has such a great dishes on her space, all the yummy and healthy smoothies, Indian sweets and curries, what not to love about her blog. So friends if you haven't check out her space , do check it out. 

Thank you so much Pooja for the delicious opportunity to do the guest post at your blog.

I love sprouts so I make them very often. By now you liked my Sprouts with moong vadi, Sprouts Jlfrazi,  Sprouted Curry. To add one more dish with Sprouts , this is mung bean and methi seeds sprouts. Its same way as rest , just add some vegetables to give some crunch and or not , its up to you. To adding vegetables it become complete meal , with protein and vegetables in  one dish.

Ingredients:

2 cups of sprouted mung beans
1/4 cup sprouted methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
1 onion chopped
1 chopped green  capsicum
1 tomato chopped or puree
2 green chilies chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
big piece of ginger chopped
1 tsp. of cumin and coriander powder
1 tsp. of red chili powder
1 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
Lime juice to taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
2 tsp. of oil

Method:

1. Heat a pan with oil in it.
2. Add onions in it and cook till it changes the color.
3. Add chopped tomato with ginger, garlic and chilies in it.
4. Cook till you get nice aroma of cooked masala.
5. Add all powder masala and mix it.
6. Now add sprouts ,capsicum and enough water to cook sprouts.
7. Add salt in it and cover the lid till most of the water is gone.
8. Add capsicum and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
9. When its done, add lime juice and coriander leaves, and serve hot with phulka or rotis.

I didn't add coriander leaves that time because I was not eating that time. Because I don't like wilted coriander leaves so I add it when I was eating. If you can handle more bitterness , sprout more methi seeds.

Hope you've enjoyed Linsy's delicious curry! Thanks for stopping by my space..
Would you like to post your recipe on my space, please send me an email on dailyswadsugandh@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you soon. Be my guest! 

Read More

Cabbage-corn Pulao / Pilaf

This is an easy to make rice dish with Julienne cabbage and corn stir fried along with the whole spices and steamed rice. It is a simple one pot rice dish, perfect for lunch box and enjoyed as a meal. garnish with chopped coriander leaves and lime juice sprinkle over the top. Here, I have used tempering of urad dal.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

To cook Rice:

• 1 cup Long grain Rice
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oil

For Pulao:

• 1 tablespoon oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon Jeera / cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 2 Cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Cardamom pods
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 2 teaspoon Urad dal
• 2 green chili, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup Julienne Onion (cut in long strips)
• 1 cup Julienne cabbage
• 1/2 cup corn
• salt on taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro 
• Lime juice to taste

Procedure:

1. Wash the rice, add salt, turmeric powder, oil and 2 cups of water and cook them.
2. Spread the cooked rice in a flat plate and let it cool down.
3. Next heat the oil, add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, cardamom pods and asafetida. After cumin seeds splutter, add Urad dal and stir fry it till golden brown.
4. Next add chopped green chili, grated ginger and curry leaves and sauté it for few seconds.
5. Now add Julienne onion and sauté for few minutes or till transculent.
6. Add corn and cabbage and again saute for few minutes.
7. Add Cooled Rice, salt and Mix well and sauté for few seconds.
8. Garnish with Cilantro and lime juice. Serve hot.

Extra tip: you can also add Julienne capsicum in this rice dish.

Read More

Strawberry Cheese cream Pie - my guest post for Sapana

Hello Friends, 

Today is my second guest post and I'm very happy to be a guest blogger at Sapana's place Cookingwithsapana. I hope you all must be knowing about Sapana Behl from my yesterday's guest post "Ratatouille Kebabs". She asked me first to write a guest post on her blog, i really admire her patience as i kept delaying it due to my busy schedule since last few days. She fully supported me to take my own time to do her guest post. How wonderful she is!!! She sent me her guest post before waiting for my guest post...:)

Sapana, I like those Kebabs a lot along with your array of mouthwatering dishes as Zafrani Pulav~With Brown Rice, Sago Tikki ~Sabudana Cutlet,Eggless Mississippi Mud Cake and so many. I hope you will like my strawberry cheese cream pie too. 

Thanks Sapana for giving me an opportunity to write a guest post for you...

Today's recipe is a dessert which is quick and easy, delicious Fresh Strawberry Cheese-cream Pie.. It is refreshing and delectable chilled pie topped with fresh strawberries and a soft cheesecake style filling over a no-bake pie crust made using marie biscuit.

The recipe is available at Sapana's place Cookingwithsapana.

Thanks for your time to visit! You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest , Google+ or you can join on Google Friend Connect (GFC)

Read More

Ratatouille Kebabs -2nd guest post by Sapana Behl

Hello Friends,

Happy to see you again on guest post series... Today here I am with my 2nd Guest post...Hope you all might have enjoyed my first guest post by my lovely food blogger friend Tazeen as Sabudana Wada. 

Pleased to welcome my lovely guest for today, Sapana, owner of Cookingwithsapana. She is my fellow food blogger and I came to know about her through blogging. She is a wonderful, friendly and down to earth person.The best thing about her blog is that the frequency of posts is so amazing with great varieties of recipes almost everyday!!! Simply impressive right from the taste to presentation. I like many recipes from her blog like Eggless black forest cake, Kadhai Mushroom, Samosa, Keasr Peda and many more..And do visit her space for such more delicious recipes. She has come up with delicious starter, Ratatouille Kebabs to be shared here. Enjoy!!

Let's hear from Sapana,

Pooja  is a wonderful person and a versatile blogger and mother of a very pretty and charming girl. I came to know about her via blogging and since then adore the way she cooks. She has a huge collection of exotic recipes. Her recipes are quite innovative and healthy. I  like many recipes on her blog and few of them are Sabudana Pizza, Chienese Bhel, Carrot Cake, Modak, Tomato Potato poori and many more. One thing I admire most is the neatness in her photography . So friends what are you waiting for, do check Pooja's space for healthy and scrumptious recipes.

Thanks Pooja for giving me this opportunity to write a guest post for you. I wish you all success in your life . I was thinking of making a starter , and Ratatouille Kebabs were the best choice . Ratatouille is the famous French dish , originally considered to be Farmer's food but now has taken a prominent role in hotels and restaurants all over the World .These kebabs are hassle free to prepare and packed with buckets of nutrients and antioxidants. 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes/powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper corn , crushed
• 4 finger eggplants, cut into rounds
• 1 small zucchini, cut into small pieces
• 1 red capsicum, seeded and chopped 
• 1 yellow capsicum, seeded and chopped 
• 12 mini bamboo skewers

Method:

Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least 15 minutes .

Into a small pan add the tomato paste with the chilli flakes, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper powder . Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or till cooked. Cover and set aside.

Drain the skewers and alternately thread with the eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow capsicum.

Brush the skewers lightly with oil and cook on tawa or bake in oven for 15 minutes turning occasionally, until vegetables are tender and golden.
Serve the kebab skewers among serving plates and drizzle with the tomato sauce mixture.

Hope you've enjoyed Sapana's delicious starter! Thanks for stopping by my space..

Would you like to post your recipe on my space, please send me an email on dailyswadsugandh@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you soon. Be my guest!

Read More

Bhagar Pulao (Samo Seeds Pilaf)

Happy Navratri!! 
The festival of Navratri (nav = nine and ratri = nights) lasts for 9 days with three days each devoted to worship of Maa Durga, the Goddess of Valor, Ma Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Maa Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge. During the nine days of Navratri, feasting and fasting take precedence over all normal daily activities amongst the Hindus. Evenings give rise to the religious dances in order to worhip Goddess Durga Maa.The 9 nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwina of the bright fortnight. Seeds are sown, sprouting is watched, the planets are consecrated, and on the 8th and 9th days, Goddess Durga, Vijayashtami and Mahanavami are worshiped. - source

Today, i prepared bhagar Pulao / Pilaf for Farhal . This Pulao is very delicious and rich in taste. Bhagar is also known samo seeds and sanwa millet and as sago it can be eaten during fasting.

Preparation time: 5-7 minute
cooking time: 20 minute
serves : 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bhagar / Samo Seeds
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
• 1 teaspoon green chili chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup  peanuts
• 3 tablespoons broken cashews
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 1/3 cup carrot cubed
• 1/3 cup potato cubed
• Salt to taste (Sendha namak)
• 2 cup warm water
• lime Juice to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

 Method:

1. Clean and Wash Bhagar, drain excess water and set aside. Heat the oil in a small pressure cooker, add Jeera.
2. After it crackle, add green chili and grated ginger and saute for a while.
3. Add peanuts, cashews and raisins and again saute till they turn slightly in color.
4. Now add Samo seeds / bhagar and salt and saute it for a minute. Then add carrot and potato and mix well. 
5. Next add 2 cup warm water and close the lid and pressure cook till 2 whistle on medium flame or until cooked.
6. Garnish with lime juice and coriander leaves and serve hot.

Note : you can do entire procedure in a pot instead of pressure cooker just make sure stir in between.

Read More