Go Nuts!!!!!! [Black & White Wednesdays]

Hi....My next post for Susan's Black and White Wednesdays

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Spices [Black & White Wednesdays]

B&W pics have always been my fav....infact we had done some of our marriage clicks in album to B&W...For me it gives a  touch of history....a look that the color cant give...Some subjects look very beautiful in B&W...Anyways I am posting my first B&W click on my blog for the purpose of participating in the event hosted by Susan...Every wed when I see clicks on my friends blog I feel to post but due to various reasons it never happened until today....So here's my click...do give ur valuable suggestions...likes,dislikes,improvements etc etc...I would really love to hear...

This goes to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays

Veg Bowls or Cute bowls..

I know..I know...its very bad to run away without telling anyone....but no way...I am ruled by a man in my house who decides what? When? and How?... I am just an obedient mom/friend/object/toy....who has to go accordingly...and for time being I have allowed that man to rule me..;)..Now if I start telling about that man...there is going to be a book of atleast 100 pages...sure the title..."Hitler Returns.."

    Now to the recipe...I had made these cuties 2 weeks back....wanted to post then itself...however atleast got a chance to do it now ;)...I was attracted by these when I had seen it in aipis(us masala) space...long back....somehow it got erased from my mind...then again nash(plateful)  tempted me...so I just made them immediately... The filling can be modified according to ur taste, time,occasion,mood etc etc...They are cute as well as very delicious...hey I think photogenic too....Ya taking a bail before boring you guys with the clicks.....dint feel to remove any...:)
 
    So here's the recipe....

Puff pastry-1 sheet
Egg-1 beaten
Muffin pan


For stuffing:

Potato-1 medium(boiled and cut to cubes)

Onion-1 small(cut to small pieces)
Green peas-2 tbsp(boiled)
Green chili-1 no(minced)
Chicken Masala- 1 tsp
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-1tsp
Cilantro and pom seeds for garnish

Method Of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a wok,Add onion and fry for 2 min.See that onion doesn't change color. Add the green chili and spices. Mix well and add the potato.Mix for 2 mins till the spices are mixed and then cool it.
2. Heat the oven to 375F. Grease the muffin pans.
3. Cut the puff pastry sheet to squares.I used the size of sticky note paper(got 9 squares). Press these into muffin cups and apply the egg on surface.Use a fork to prick the center. Bake for 15-20 mins or till golden and puffed.
4. Take from the oven, Using a tsp press the center a bit and let it cool for 5 mins.
5. Fill the stuffing into the center and garnish.Serve warm.

And finally here's a mix....

Sending this to  cooking concepts#2-Appetizer at srav's culinary Concepts.

Butter Cookies

Its my first attempt at making cookies and I will be making them again and again....I am sure many of you are very familiar with this one....many of you  including Me have seen these beauties and immediately bookmarked them at this space... plateful...and yes I am glad that I did so and finally made them...Infact made them twice and they got over quickly...Thanks Nash for such a easy recipe and ya for tempting me  with those beautiful clicks...

Now about the recipe...I have tried them with corn flour once as well as with custard powder and cashew bits and both of them tasted great...Do try them..

All Purpose Flour-1 nd 1/2 cup(sifted)
Corn Flour/corn starch/custard powder- 1/2 cup(sifted)
Unsalted Butter- 250gms
Icing Sugar-1/2 cup(80gms)(sifted)
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
Cashew bits-2 tsp(lightly fried)(optional)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, vanilla and sugar till light and fluffy.Add the flour mixture, cashews(if using) to this and mix. If the mixture is soft and  sticky to handle  refrigerate it for 30 mins.
3. Dust your hands lightly with flour, take tsp full of dough and roll it round with hands, place it on the baking sheet with space for spreading between them and press it slightly with the back of  lightly dusted fork.
4. Bake cookies for 15 min or until lightly golden.Cool for 5 mins on tray and then on  rack. Store in airtight tins.

Notes:
1. The cookies has slight sweetness only...so if you want add bit more sugar or dust it with sugar before serving.
2. I got the cookies baked at 30 mins..but be careful after 15 min..as original recipe calls for that time.Ya time depends on the baking sheet/oven etc etc..A slight golden is the baked color.

 3. Fry cashews without oil till light golden if using them.

Kerala Puttu

Rice flour-1 cup(puttu podi)
Water-1/2 cup approx(use more or less accordingly)
Salt to taste
Grated coconut-1/2 cup

Method Of Preparation:
1.Mix the rice powder, salt in a big vessel.Add water little by little and mix together.The mixture should be moist still crumbly.Keep aside for about 10 mins.To check if the water is enough,make the mixture to a ball, then it should be able to hold that shape and when you break  it should be crumble again.
There should not be any lumps in the mixture, if there, either break small lumps with hand or just pulse it in a mixer(which I have never done).
2. Now to make puttu you need a puttu kutti/kudam(Puttu maker).There are two forms of these,one only the kutti and another with a kudam.The earlier one is attached to the pressure cooker.
The kudam/pressure cooker is first filled with water to half. allow the water to boil. Then the kutti is filled and kept on that through which the steam passes which cooks the puttu.
Now the puttu kutti/vessel has a perforated plate which is first inserted,
3. To fill puttu in kutti, layer the puttu kutti/mould first with 2 tbsp of coconut.Then put about 4 tbsp of rice mixture ,continue this by alternating coconut and rice mixture with coconut on top and close the lid.
4. Steam this by placing on puttu kudam or pressure cooker for about 7 to 8 mins.You can see high steam coming out of the puttu lid after 2 to 3 mins.
5. Then remove the  puttu from the puttu kutti and serve warm with stew/kadala curry.

To make rice flour for puttu at home follow these steps:
Raw Rice-1 cup

1. Wash and soak the rice in water for min 3 hours.
2. Drain the water using a strainer.Spread this rice on a paper to dry. When it is dry grind it to fine powder.
3. Heat this powder  till slight smell of the fried powder comes(about 5 to 6 mins).Stir through out the process. There is high chance of the powder getting burnt at bottom as well as over frying the rice powder will result in a disaster while making puttu.
4. Cool the powder and use it to make puttu.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Vidhya

Collard Greens stir fry

I love cooking greens...many reasons...healthy,quick and delicious too..Even though I have tried many, collard leaves  never got a chance to be experimented by me until today.I had eaten this once or twice when my mom cooked it..but never knew what to do when I got a fresh bunch of it...Rang up mom and got a quick recipe for it...and here it is..:)

Collard greens-1/2 bunch(8 to 10 leaves)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder-a pinch.
Garlic-3 pods
Grated Coconut-1/4 cup
Green chili-1 no(finely chopped)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Cut the collard leaves to small pieces roughly.If stem is there cut to very small pieces.
2. Add this to a wok and cook closed with salt and turmeric powder.
3. Meanwhile crush the garlic and mix it along with green chilli to the grated coconut in a plate.Crush all the ingredients together with your hands.
4. Once the greens look cooked and there is no water in it add the coconut mixture and mix well.Cook for a minute mixing well and turn off the heat.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Vidhya

Mango shake

This post had been in my draft from a long time...So finally here is a refreshing filling drink...

Mango-1 no
Chilled Milk-1 nd 1/2 cups
Sugar-1 tsp(or as needed)
Cardamom powder-pinch(optional)
Mango cubes-2 tbsp(optional)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Peel the mangoes and cut to small cubes, keep few aside.
2. Grind the mangoes, chilled milk, cardamom,sugar to a smooth shake.
3. Serve with cubes of mango on top to bite.

Notes:
1. Add milk according to the thickness you need.

White Bread

 Finally the basic white bread...:)..Its been long time I was thinking of baking this...either my laziness or the scarcity of ingredients would keep me away from that..This time I had all the stuffs, home made jam ;), and  a proper recipe to go with.The recipe is from suman...The bread was superb..Here's what I did...

All Purpose Flour/Maida-3 3/4 Cup
Active Dry Yeast-21/4 tsp
Honey-2 tbsp
Unsalted Butter-2 tbsp(melted and cooled)
Milk-1 Cup
Water-1/4 Cup
Salt-1 1/2 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Heat the milk,water ,honey till luke warm(115 deg to 120 deg)/if using microwave heat for 40 to 45 sec.To this add cooled butter and yeast and keep for 5 to 10 mins for yeast to get active.
3. Mix the APF and salt in another bowl.
4. Add the yeast mixture to APF mixture and knead well to form a stiff dough that is soft and elastic,not sticky.Shape to a ball.
5. Place it in a lightly greased bowl and coat with oil all over.Cover and let rise in warm place till it doubles.Took about 1 hour for me.
6. Punch down the dough, shape the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick.The length and width should be approx the size of your loaf pan. I used 9X 5 inch pan.Form the rectangle to a loaf by rolling the dough from narrow edge(length).Seal with finger tips as you roll with the seam at the bottom.
7. Place the loaf with seam side down in the greased loaf pan.The ends should fit properly.Brush surface with butter, cover the pan with kitchen towel and put in a warm place to rise again until it comes just above the rims of pan. It took 45 min again.
8. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 mins or till the crust is well browned.Test by tapping the top with your finger. A hollow sound means the loaf is properly baked.
9. When bread is baked remove it from loaf pan and cool completely before slicing.

Tips:
1. If top browns fast cover loosely with foil for the last 15 mins of baking.
2. Baking time depends on your oven.
3. Rising time depends on the place you stay.