Baked Custard

I am on a dessert making spree I guess…Just feel like.I baked a custard today and it came out darn well.I just got it out of the oven and waiting for the custard to cool as I type this post.I cannot wait to dig into the custard.

Ingredients:

Eggs-2 nos

Whole milk-2 cups

Sugar-1/3 cup

Salt- 1/4 tea spoon

Dash of ground nutmeg

Dash of ground cinnamon

Method:

1.Whisk eggs, milk,sugar and salt in a bowl.Pour into 4 ungresed custard cups and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

2.Place cups in a baking pan.Fill the baking pan with 3/4th dept water.

3.Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes.Serve warm.

Serves:4

Read Full Post »

Chocolate Pudding-its vegan

I was looking for a vegan chocolate pudding recipe on the internet and I landed here.It was so easy-ingredients wise, procedure wise and time consumption wise.

Ingredients:

Soy milk-2 cups

Vanilla Extract-1 tea spoon

Sugar-1/2 cup

Corn starch-5 table spoon

Cocoa-3 table spoon

Method:

1.Combine milk, sugar, vanilla extract,corn starch and cocoa in a cooking pan.Whisk it well and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until all the lumps dissolve.

2.The mixture gets thick over a period of 5 minutes , reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for a couple of minutes before switching off the stove.

3.Transfer to a serving dish and chill for 3-4 hours.Sprinkle some cocoa on top just before serving.

Serves:4-5

Read Full Post »

Sesame Seeds Rice- Ellu Sadham

Ingredients:

Rice-1-1/4 cup

Water-2 1/2 cup

Chana dhal-2 tea spoon

Dried red chillies-5

Cumin seeds-1 tea spoon

Sesame seeds-2 table spoon

Curry leaves- few

Urad dal-1-2 tea spoon

Green peas-1/4 cup

Salt

Method:

1.Dry roast cumin seeds,sesame seeds,chana dal, red chillies, urad dal, curry leaves until they give out a nice flavour.Set aside to cool.

2.Once cool,powder them in a blender.

3.Cook the rice with water, green peas and salt, adding a tea spoon of oil.Once the rice is done, fluff it with a fork .

4.Add the ground powder and mix well.Add oil if needed.Serve warm with pappad and pickle.

Serves:2

This sesame seeds rice is of to Priya’s cooking with seeds event

Read Full Post »

Mushroom Manchurian

The first of anything is always special..but the 2nd is even more special..The first year took a while, but the 2nd, went in a jiffy.As much as I soaked in the feelings of being togther,it all went by way too fast.Time flies is more than a cliche!

I prefer romance, you prefer action

I love scenery, you cant get a hang of it

I can go on and on about the differences..but there have been numerous times when I say something and you nod your head saying you were just thinking of the same.8 years of knowing you, nothing has changed one bit.You still walk over things that are lying on the floor,you leave your clothes piling up.But you always like to lsiten to me, my needs and wants,you love growing in our relationship.You are so perfect for me.Its only with you I can be myself.Its only with you, I can call names about anyone , even you and yet be so normal.

Many a times, I choose the channel on TV that we will watch, I choose the house we live in,I might not give you the tv remote all the time,I might undercook the veggies, I might shoot up the telephone bills..but

I know my heart will always feel

one love real

that love of yours

the one that only soars

Weeks and years will roll by

love will be the same between you and I

Happy anniversary dahling

TH loves mushrooms and I made a manchurian out of it..after all, its a day where you try to eat and make merry.

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms-about 25 nos

Onion-1/4

Capsicum/green pepper-1

Garlic cloves-8

Ginger-an inch piece

Green chillies-4

Spring onion- for garnish

All purpose flour- 4 table spoon

Maida-2 table spoon

Red chilli powder-1 tea spoon

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tea spoon

MSG-a pinch

Pepper powder

Salt

Corn flour-2 tea spoon

Oil- for deep frying

For the sauce:

Corn starch-1 table spoon

Soy sauce-2 table spoon

Tomato chilli sauce-3 table spoon

Water-2 table spoon or more accordingly

Method:

1.Slice the mushrooms.Mix all purpose flour,maida,ginger garlic paste,salt,corn flour,red chilli powder with little water and set aside.

2.Heat oil in a wok and coat the mushrooms in the batter and fry them.Set aside.

3.Mix soy sauce, corn starch, 2 table spoon water, tomato chilli sauce and keep aside.

4.Mince ginger, garlic and green chillies. Dice onion and bell peppers.

5.Heat oil in a cooking pan,fry green chillies,garlic and ginger.Add the onion and fry until translucent and crisp..add capsicum and fry until crisp and cooked.

6.Add a pinch of MSG, pepper powder,salt,and finally the sauce mix.Cook it for  a minute until a gravy like consistency forms.Add the mushrooms to the gravy and remove from fire.

7.Sprinkle chopped spring onions and serve with rice.

Serves:2

Read Full Post »

Vegetable Soup

This is one of my most favourite soups.Very light on cooking as it does not require even one drop of oil and filling on the stomach with all the veggies loaded.You can basically play around with any veggies of your choice just like I did!This soup and a couple of reposts are all definitely off to Usha’s Healthy inspirations event-soups.

Ingredients:

Onion-1

Carrot-1

Beans-6-10 nos

Green peas-a handful

Ginger garlic-1 table spoon

Potato-1

Salt

Black pepper

Milk-1/2 cup

Corn flour mixed in water-1 table spoon

Spring onion-for garnish

Method:

1.Finely chop onions, carrots,potatoes and beans. Mince ginger and garlic.

2.Pressure cook all the veggies giving it 2 whistles.

3.Add milk and corn flour mixture,salt to the pressure cooked veggies while retaining the cooked water in it.Give it a light boil before removing from fire .Serve hot garnishing with spring onions and pepper powder.This is absolutely creamy because of the milk added.

Serves:4 servings

The reposts:

1.Squash Soup

2.Spinach lentil soup

3.Sweet Corn soup

4.Creamy Carrot celerey soup

Read Full Post »

Rava Pongal

I am not a wake up early person..but today being Pongal,I had already made plans of waking up early, cooking something apt for the festival.And ya, I plan to make it a tradition for every single festival, starting this year.But before that, heres wishing one and all a “happy pongal- pongal nalvaahzthukkal”

Ingredients:

Semolina/rava-1 cup

Water-2 cups

Moong dhal-1/2 cup

Curry leaves- a few

Cashew nuts-a handful

Black pepper-whole or powdered-whole-10 nos, powdered-1 tea spoon

Cumin seeds-1 tea spoon

Crushed ginger-1 tea spoon

Salt

Oil/Ghee-2 table spoon for roasting semolina, 2 table spoon for seasoning

Method:

1.Dry roast the moong dhal for a couple of minutes, let it not change colour. Pressure cook the roasted dhal giving it 2 whistles.Set aside.

2.Heat 2 table spoon of oil in a pan,roast the semolina for a couple of minutes, again let it not change colour.

3.Add 2 cups of water to the semolina and cook until done.

4.Mix the semolina and pressure cooked moong dhal when it is hot adding salt.

5.Season with cumin seeds,pepper powder,curry leaves, ginger and cashew nuts.Serve warm with  a dollop of ghee if needed and some chutney.

Serves:2

Ps:Pls donot mind the poor quality pic, was taken on dot @ 6.47a.m.

Read Full Post »

Spicy Tomato dip ( thakkali thokku)

This is amma’s recipe and it used to be a favourite amongst all at home. It goes the best with hot idlis and dosas.

Ingredients:

Ripe tomatoes-5 -6

Mustard seeds-1 tea spoon

Fenugreek seeds-1 tea spoon

Turmeric powder-1-2 tea spoon

Red chilli powder-1-1 1/2 table spoon ( I made it real spicy, but the measurement totally depends on the taste buds)

Tamarind paste-2 tea spoon

Oil-1/4 cup

Salt

Method:

1.Finely chop the tomatoes.Set aside.

2.Heat a table spoon of oil in a cooking pan,splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and throw in the chopped tomatoes.Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes become pulpy and mushy.

3.Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and tamarind paste, mix well and continue to cover and cook on a low-medium flame.

4.Check the consistency every5 -7 minutes and whenever the tomatoes mix was getting dry, add a little oil and mix well.Its better to add salt in the end as the mix would thicken in a period of time and adding salt in the beginning could ruin the taste

5.Add salt when the mix thickens to form a semi gravy consistency .Remove from stove and set aside to cool.Once cool, store in a air tight container.Lavish usage of oil helps retaining the mixture for a couple of days atleast.

Sangeetha of Kothiyavunnu has bestowed a couple of awards and can I be any happier than this? Thanks Sangeetha and you made my day.

Rules of the award:
1.You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2.Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3.Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4.Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5.Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
6.Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7.Leave a comment in the nominated blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

Since I have already done this earlier, am skipping it this time. Fellow partners, please take it up.And, thank you so much Sangeetha.

Read Full Post »

Capsicum Pulao

I had loads of capsicum lying in the refrigerator and I decided to make a pulao out of it. Basically, I grabbed all and sundry from the pantry ( rhyme, wasnt intended) and used it to dish out the pulao. As I fried, mixed and laoded it all in the rice cooker for the pulao to cook, I could not wait for it to finish cooking.I rushed to the kitchen when I heard the rice cooker click to the keep warm mode.One look at the cooker, I was happy and sure it is going to taste yummy.Since the end result was more than what I had expected, I thought I will click and share it here.

Ingredients:

Bell peppers/ capsicum- deseeded and finely chopped, 1 cup

Onion-1, small

Garlic cloves-2

Shredded coconut-3 table spoon

Ground nuts-2 table spoon

Green chillies-4

Almonds soaked in warm water-10

Cloves-3

Cinnamon-1 stick

Chana dhal-1 table spoon

Star seed-1

White sesame seeds-1 table spoon

Turmeric powder-1 tea spoon

Red chilli powder-2 tea spoon

Tamarind water-2 -4 table spoon

Garam masala- a pinch

Salt

Oil-3 table spoon

Method:

1.Finely chop the onion, deseed and finely chop the capsicum.

2.Dry roast cloves, cinnamon,garlic, sesame seeds,shredded coconut, green chillies and chana dal until light brown and remove from stove to cool.

3.Powder the above ingredients in a blender and keep aside.Make the almonds into a smooth paste and set aside.

4.Heat oil in a wok, throw in the lonely star seed, the ground nuts and after a couple of minutes, add the chopped onions and fry until light brown.Throw in the chopped capsicum and fry until cooked, yet crisp.Add tamarind water and give it a slight boil.

5.Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder , garam masala and finally the ground powder and the almond paste  and continue to cook until it all coats well.Add salt.Switch off  and remove from stove, when the mixture blends well and forms a thick paste consistency.

6.To make this a one pot meal, add the mixture to 1 1/2 cup rice and cook until aldente.Serve with raita or salads.

Serves:2

This is off to Priya’s “cooking with seeds-sesame seeds” event

Read Full Post »

Bread Pudding

One of the easiest desserts around and yummilicious. I baked this for the New year and from the way the baking dish got licked clean, I can declare it a hit.

Ingredients:

Eggs-3

Evaporated milk- 12 oz can, 3 nos

Sugar-1-1/4 cup

Butter, melted-1/4 cup

Raisins-1/2 to 1 cup

Vanilla Extract-2 tea spoon

Ground cinnamon-1 tea spoon

Salt-1/2 tea spoon

Bread-1 loaf, cut into cubs

Method:

1.Beat the eggs in a bowl.Add milk,sugar, butter raisins, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and salt and beat well.

2.Add the bread cubes and stir gently.

3.Pour into a greased baking dish and bake uncovered @ 325 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.Serve warm

Makes:12-16 servings

Read Full Post »

Penne in Sundried Tomato Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

Penne pasta-1 packet

Sundried tomato alfredo sauce- 5 table spoon ( store bought)

Onion-1 , small

Carrot-1

Green peas-1/4 cup

Garlic-3 cloves

Half n Half-1/4 cup

Pepper powder

Salt

Olive oil-3 table spoon

Mozarella cheese

Method:

1.Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions.Drain and cool.

2.Chop onion, carrot and garlic.

3.Heat oil in a cooking pan and when hot enough, fry garlic a couple of seconds and then the onion until pink.

4.Fry carrots and peas .Add half n half to the veggies and let them soak in it on a low flame for 5 minutes.

5.Sprinkle pepper powder and continue to cook for a minute before adding the sun dried tomatoes alfredo sauce to it.Cook for a couple of minutes before switching off the stove.

6.Pour the sauce on the pasta and mix well , transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with liberal amount of mozarella cheese.Dig into the pasta with a fork and  go “mmmm”

Serves:2-3

Read Full Post »