Sweet Modak (Kozhukattai)

Hi... Sorry for posting this after two weeks of Ganesh Chaturthi... But I was so held up that I could not post it at that time. I made these & came out to be very tasty on Ganesh Chaturthi. This is especially for those who do not know how to make modaks. It is very simple recipe taught by my Chachi (Chitti) Radha.. who is one of my inspirations to cook..

This can also be made during Navarathri especially on Saraswathi Poojai which falls on the 9th day of the Navarathri Festival.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

Grated Fresh Coconut - 1 cup
Grated Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Cardamom Powder - a generous pinch

For Dough:

Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Oil - as needed

Method:

1. For preparing the stuffing, heat a heavy bottom pan, add Coconut & jaggery
2. Keep stirring till the jaggery melts & combines well with coconut. Saute till both are mixed well & forms a lump. Add Cardamom powder & remove from heat to let it cool. Make 10 to 15 small balls from it.
3. For preparing dough, boil water in a pan rigorously, take a tbsp. of rice flour & mix with 2 tbsp. of boiling water separately in a bowl.
4. Add this mix to boiling water to prevent lumps when you add entire portion of rice flour (This tip was given by my Chachi!!)
5. Add the entire portion of rice flour gradually while stirring it continuously.
6. Stir until Thick lump is formed. Let the rice flour mix cool
7. Dab some oil on your palms & knead the rice dough
8. Make 10 to 15 small balls, make small cups out of those balls & stuff the prepared coconut stuffing, thereby, making modaks.
9. Steam those modaks for 10 mins in a bamboo steamer/idly cooker

Tips:

• Step no. 4 is very important to avoid lumps in the rice flour dough.
• Measurement of Rice Flour to water is 2:1.

Kesar Pista Cookies

This is the third variety of Cookie I made with the same Cookie dough but with a traditional twist of Kesar & Pista:

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp.
Powered Sugar - 1/3 cup
Saffron - 1 big pinch soaked in warm Milk
Pista - 2 Tbsp powdered & 20 to 25 for decoration 


Method:

1. Cream Butter & Sugar till Sugar is mixed properly
2. Add Saffron Milk & Pista Powder
3. Add Flour & knead to a soft dough
4. Divide the dough into 15 to 20 equal portions.
5. Make rounds & flatten each ball. Press it with a Pista piece
6. Pre-heat oven at 160 deg for 10 mins. Bake at 160 deg for 15 to 20 mins
7. Store it in air-tight container after cooling

Tips:

• You can cardamom powder for extra flavor
• The cookies might crack while pressing but that will add to the look of the cookies.

Mr. Brown & Mrs. Pink Cookies

This is the second variety of Cookie I made with the same Cookie dough but with a slight variation:

 

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp.
Powered Sugar - 1/3 cup
Rooh af zaah - 2 tbsp. (Rose sugar Syrup)
Cocoa Powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
Milk (as required) 


Method:

1. Cream Butter & Sugar till Sugar is mixed properly
2. Add Flour & knead to a soft dough
3. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
4. To one portion, add Rooh af zaah (Knead well & add Flour if required)
5. To second portion, add cocoa powder (Knead well & add Milk if required)
6. Roll each portion in elongated tube
7. Attach the two elongated tubes together & roll light till they stick together
8. Refrigerate for 45 mins & Cut into thin slices with a sharp knife
9. Pre-heat oven at 160 deg for 10 mins. Bake at 160 deg for 15 to 20 mins\
10. Store it in air-tight container after cooling

Tips:

• You can add nuts to enhance taste & texture  

 

Tutti Fruti Cookies with Marbled Chocochips

Its Cookie Time again... I made 4 different variations of Cookies with same cookie dough... I will share all of them with you....

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 Cup
Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Tutti Fruti - 1/3 Cups
Marbled ChocoChips - 4 tbsp
Milk - 2 tbsp. (if required)

Method:

1. Pre-Heat Oven at 165 degrees for 10 mins
2. Cream Powered Sugar & Butter till sugar is mixed well with butter
3. Add Tutti Fruti & half of Chocochips
4. Add Flour & knead to a dough. (if the dough is too dry add milk otherwise not required)
5. Chill the dough for 10 to 15 mins.
6. Make 25 equal sized balls from the dough & flatten it.
7. Sprinkle & press the balance chocochips on cookies
8. Bake it for 15 to 20 mins at 165 degrees. Cool it on Wire Rack for 1 hr & store it in Air Tight Container

Tips:

• You can use other types of chocochip or raisins with this.

 

Strawberry Sponge

Hi.. I was kind of bored of preparing white & brown cakes... thought of going for colors.. My nephew loves strawberry cake.. so thought of trying strawberry sponge.

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 100 gms
Eggs - 2
Sugar - 1 cup (powdered)
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Strawberry Essence - 1 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Pink Color (edible) - 1 pinch
Milk - 1/3 cup

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven at 175 deg. Sieve the flour & baking powder twice. Line the baking tin with butter & dust with flour
2. Cream Butter & Sugar till it is light & creamy
3. Separately beat Eggs till it is light & fluffy along with Strawberry essence & Vanilla essence
4. Add eggs to butter & sugar mix.
5. Add Sieved flour & baking powder to it & mix it in cut-fold method. Add the Pink Color.
6. Add milk to loosen the mix. Pour it in the lined tin
7. Bake it for 35 to 40 mins till toothpick comes out clean

Tips:

• You can grind & add real strawberry puree to the cake mix to get real strawberry sponge
• You can also use strawberry preserve/jam to excite kids. :)  
• Goes very well with Vanilla Butter Cream or Chocolate sauce

Chana Dal Manchurian

Hi... I made Chana Dal vada during week end, however there was some batter of that Vada left over. I made small dumplings... fried them & made Manchurian out of it.. It was really tasty especially who love Chinese & South Indian food.

Ingredients:

For Chana Dal Dumplings:
Chana Dal - 1 cup
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 4
Salt to taste
Onion (finely chopped) - 1 medium sized
Asafetida -  generous pinch
Curry Leaves (finely chopped) - 10 leaves 
Ginger (finely chopped) - 1.5 inch
Oil for frying

For Manchurian Sauce:
Capsicum - 1 medium sized cut into 1/2 inch squares
Onion -  1 medium sized cut into 1/2 inch squares
Spring Onion (finely chopped) -  1 small bunch
Ginger - 1 inch (Grated)
Salt to taste
Pepper - 1 tsp
Sweet Chilli sauce - 1 tbsp.
Soya Sauce - 1 tbsp.
Tomato Sauce - 1 tbsp
Chilli Vinegar - 1 tbsp.
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. For Chana Dal Dumplings: Soak Chana Dal, Toor Dal & Urad Dal along with dry red chilli. Coarsely Grind above with Salt, Asafetida, and add Onion, Ginger & Curry Leaves. Make small dumplings & fry them and keep aside.
2. For Manchurian Sauce: Heat Oil in Kadai, Add Onion, Capsicum & Half of Spring Onion. Saute for 1 min, add salt, pepper, sweet chilli sauce, tomato sauce, soya sauce & chilli vinegar. Add 1 cup water and separately add corn flour mixed water to Kadai & let the sauce thicken. Add fried dumplings & cook for two minutes. Add balance Spring Onions & Serve Hot.

Tips:

• Loved by kids
• Can be made dried or with sauce so as to eat it as starter or sides for rice
• Very high in Protein because of Chana Dal dumplings 

 

Chocolate Pound Cake

Hi... The recipe is the same from my Marble Pound Cake. The Variation is that instead of using 100 gms of Flour. You need to use 75 gms of Flour & 25 gms of Cocoa Powder. You need to skip the step of Mixing cocoa powder to hot water & adding while baking for marble cake..

Tips:

• Serve it with vanilla ice-cream or hot white chocolate sauce
• Best for Kiddie Snack box