Rich Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing

Yes... Yes... It was a Chocolate Friday for us.... I made this Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing.. I came across this recipe from MilkMaid Recipes and Anyone can drool for it.. My husband & daughter loved it

Ingredients :

Sweetened Condensed Milk- ½ tin (200 g)
Milk- ½ cup (75 ml)
Fresh Curd - 100g
Butter- 100 g
All purpose Flour- 1 cup (100g)
Cocoa - 50 g
Baking Soda- 1 tsp
Walnuts , chopped- ½ cup

For Chocolate Icing:

Sweetened Condensed Milk- ½ tin (200 g)

Butter- 50 g
Cocoa- 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Grease and dust an 8” baking tin and preheat oven to 180 degrees. Sieve together maida, cocoa & baking soda.
2. Beat butter and curd until light and creamy. Fold in the sieved ingredients, alternating with milk and sweetened condensed Milk. Fold in the chopped walnuts & pour into greased tin.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes till tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes and remove onto a wire rack.

For Chocolate Icing:

1. Mix together butter, cocoa and milkmaid and beat well. Microwave for 20 seconds. Mix thoroughly.
2. Spread over cake & leave to set.
3. Slice & Serve with chocolate balls & Walnut.

 Tips:

•  Chill the cake completely before spreading the Chocolate Icing
• You can slice the cake horizontally & spread the Icing in the middle of the cake & sandwich it for extra taste
• Tastes best with Vanilla Ice-cream :)
   

Melagu Kozhambu (Pepper Sides for Rice)

This Kozhambu reminds me of the time I delivered My daughter.. Post delivery we are supposed to have this with rice as pepper & garlic are good for digestion and heals pain. It is a very simple & easy to make dish.

Ingredients:

Gingelly Oil - 5 tbsp & 1 tsp
Garlic - 15 to 20 pods
Salt to taste
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - lemon sized soaked in water

To Roast & Grind:

Toor Dal - 2 tsp
Channa Dal - 2 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Pepper - 3 tsp
Jeera - 2 tsp
Dhania seeds - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in Kadai & add all the ingredients in "To Roast & Grind". Add Tamarind to it. Grind it to a smooth paste
2. Heat 5 tbsp of oil in same Kadai. Add Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Garlic pods & stir till they are light brown in color
3. Add Salt & pepper paste. Add Water if required.
4. Cook with closed lid in low flame till the oil separates.

Tips:

• This can be kept for 2 days (without refridgerating) or 1 week if kept in fridge
• This is very good for digestion & upset stomach
• For kids, pepper quantity can be reduced.

 

Cabbage Koora (Andhra Style)

 Hi.. for last four years I have been trying to learn loads of Andhra recipes. However, I have tried many of them. I will post those recipes very soon. Andhra-ites generally eat lots of pickles & vegetables.. I made Cabbage Koora..My daughter loved it.

 

 

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 3 cups (Shredded)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida -  a generous pinch
Curry Leaves - 10 to 12
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To Grind:

Coconut - 3 tbsp (grated)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Green Chilli - 1

Method:

1. Grind the ingrdients mentioned in "To Grind" in a mixer without adding water
2. Heat oil in a Kadai, add mustard seeds & urad dal and let it splutter. Add Curry leaves and asafoetida
3. Add Cabbage. Cover and let the cabbage soften & cook on low flame. (You can sprinkle water if it is too dry)
4. Add Salt to taste and then add the coconut mixture in it.
5. Saute for 3 to 5 mins on low flame.

Tips:

1. Do not cover after adding coconut mixture
2. Serve hot with plain rice or sambar rice.

 

Poricha Rasam (Fried Rasam)

This is my all-time favorite.. This is one rasam which reminds me of my childhood and how my grandmother would prepare for us...

Now whenever I go to my mother's place.. this rasam will top my list of food prepared by my mother & grandmother

 

 

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1/4 cup Boiled & mashed
Tamarind Water - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1 medium sized (chopped)
Curry leaves - 10 to 12
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 tsp (homemade or store bought)
Green Chilli - 1 cut into 4 pieces
Salt to taste

To Temper:

Oil - 2 tblsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Dhania Seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 1 cut into 4 pieces
Appalam (south indian urad papad) - 2 nos. cut into small pieces

Method:

1. For Rasam, Take a deep dish and add tamarind water, tomato, curry leaves,  asafoetida, sambar powder, turmeric powder, green chilli, salt & bring it to boil till raw smell goes
2. Add a cup of water to boiled & mashed toor dal to make it watery
3. Boil it for 2 to 3 mins in low flame
4. Heat oil in small kadai, add mustard seeds, Jeera, dhania seeds, dry chillies & appalam till appalam fries.
5. Add this temper to prepared rasam

Tips:

• Serve hot with Steamed Rice
• No accompliments required
• Not very spicy & can be given to kids easily  

Ennai Katarikai (Spicy Oily Brinjal)

Hi... I made Ennai Katarikai Kozhambhu... It is my ONLY resort when I am out of Sambar Powder to make Sambar or Vettai Kozhambhu...

Ingredients:

Small Brinjal - 8 to 9
Tamarind Water - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10 to 12
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Salt to taste
Jaggery (grated) - 2 tsp
Gingelly Oil - 4 tblsp + 1 tsp

To roast & grind:
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Toor Dal - 2 tsp
Channa Dall - 2 tsp
Dhania - 4 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 5 to 6


Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp Oil in a Kadai, add allingredients in "To roast & grind". Roast it till it changes color to light brown & grind it to powder.
2. Cut the stem of brinjal & make a slit till half on top to stuff the roasted powder.
3. Heat balance Oil in Kadai & shallow fry the stuff brinjals & keep them aside.
4. In the same Oil, add Mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt and 2 tblsp of roasted powder.
5. Add Tamarind water and let it boil
6. Add shallow fried brinjals to it & let it simmer for 10 mins till the oil separates
7. Add Jaggery & just give a quick stir

Tips:

• Serve Hot with steamed rice
• You can add water if the gravy is too thick
• You can use the left over roasted powder for orka or potato curry

 

Sweet Lemon Pickle - No Oil

How many of us would like to have pickles but with no oil. Or when we adults have pickles & kids insist having pickles.. Here is a way to give kids sweet home made lemon pickle. :)

Ingredients:

 

Lemons - 8 pcs cut into 8 pieces each

Roasted methi powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 1 cup or more (depending on the sweetness)

 

 

Method:

1. Mix all the above ingredients in a steel box, cover it tighlty & pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles.
2. Let it cool. Taste the pickle. If you find a bit bitter, you can add more sugar and salt.
3. You need to keep it in air tight container for a week before use. Keep it in cool & dry place. Mix it with a cleam & dry spoon. 

Tips:

• Goes well with Masala Kulchas or Paranthas
• Very popular pickle amongst kids
• If stored in cool & dry place, it will last for a year !

Creamy Baby Corn Curry

Hi.. Today I made Baby Corn Curry with Cream.. A perfect side dish for Rotis/Paranthas or Steamed Rice...

 

 

Ingredients:

Baby Corn - Half a dozen
Onion - 1 medium size sliced
Carrot - 1 julienned
Capsicum - 1 julienned
Cream -  3 to 4 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tblsp
Turmeric Powder -  1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1.5 tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander for garnish

To Grind:

Soaked Cashews (in water) - 2 tblsp
Tomato - 2 medium size
Ginger - 1/2 inch (optional)

Method:

1. Make fine paste of the ingredients mentioned in "To Grind"
2. Head Oil in a Kadai, Add Jeera.
3. Add Baby Corn Sliced, Onion, Carrots & cook for 5 mins with closed lid till the carrots & baby corn become tender.
4. Add Capsicum, Turmeric powder, Red chilli powder, Coriander Powder and Garam Masala and Saute for 2 mins
5. Add salt & Tomato - Cashew paste and cook for 5 mins
6. Add Cream & crushed Kasoori Methi & bring the Gravy to a boil
7. Garnish with chopped Coriander

Tips:

• You can add milk instead of water if the gravy is too thick. It adds to the flavor
• It tastes best with Phulkas