Masala Potatoes

Another super delicious recipe with potatoes...

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash and scrub the potatoes and boil  till fork tender.
2. Heat oil in a wok and fry the onions till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.
3. Add the spice powders to it and fry till raw smell goes.Then add the tomatoes , salt and cook till oil starts to ooze out.Add the capcicum and cook for a minute.
4. Then add the potatoes to this and mix well and cook for 2 to 3 mins in this.
5. Serve warm as a side with rice.

The spices that went into the making.....

Notes:
1. I used the mix of red and yellow colored potatoes.
2. Peeling the skin of potatoes is your wish.
3. Adding capsicum is optional.

Kara Sev

Crispy and crunchy snack for anytime of the day...Tried from Rak's Kitchen.

Gram Flour/Besan-1 cup(seived)
Rice Flour-3/4 cup
Black Pepper-2 tsp(crushed)
Asafoetida powder-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/8 tsp
Jeera-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter-2 tbsp
oil for deep  frying
Water as needed(to make dough)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Melt the butter and keep aside.Mix all the ingredients except oil and butter.Now add the melted butter to it and mix well. Add required water to this and mix well till u get a stiff smooth dough..
2. Heat oil in a wok and when its hot  using a murrukku press which is filled with dough press it in a circle to hot oil. Do not crowd it.Fry in medium flame till it looks done.Drain to a kitchen paper and cool.
3. Enjoy with tea or store in a air tight container after cooling.

Feel free to grab few....:)

Fiery Shallot curry/Mullagitta ulli curry

Shallots-1/4 cup(cleaned and cut to 1/2)
Red chilli powder-1tsp
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Tamarind pulp-1/4 tsp
Tomato-1 big(cut lengthwise)
Curry leaves-2 sprig
Coconut oil-1 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Heat a wok on low and add the chilli and turmeric powder, mix for few seconds and then add the tomato slice with salt. Mix well and cook it till tomato turns mushy.
2. Then add the tamarind pulp along with 1/2 cup water and boil it for few mins (appro. 5 mins)till raw smell and taste of tamarind goes.
3. Then add the cut shallots and cook it for 2 mins.Add the curry leaves and cook for 2 more mins.Turn off the heat and drizzle the coconut oil.
4. Serve the spicy delicious curry with rice.

Notes:
1.Shallots should not be overcooked.
2. Tamarind pulp can be replaced with one more tomato, but see that the tomato is sour.
3. Add chili powder according to spice tolerance level.
4. Coconut oil should never be avoided and same applies to cooking curry leaves for a minute or two, as these add lot of flavor.

Marbled Chocolate Bark....Shapeless diary milk nuts and fruits..:)

Happy Valentines Day to all dear friends...
Love is in the air around and is very well expressed with chocolates...So here is a quick and simple..Crunchy and delicious chocolate...

Semisweet Chocolate chopped-6 square(6 ounce)
White Chocolate-4 Squares(4 ounce)
Almonds-1/4 cup
Pistachios-1/4 cup
Golden Raisins-1/4 cup

Method Of Preparation:
1. Toast pistachios and almonds for 5 to 6 mins until lightly browned.Let cool
2. Melt semisweet chocolate and white chocolate in two pans on low heat.Remove both pans from heat once it is melted and smooth.
3. Stir half of the nuts in semisweet chocolate and mix well.Now spread it on a cookie sheet to a thick layer(1/4 inch). Now drop/drizzle the white chocolate on top and give it a swirl with a fork or knife to get a marbled effect.
4. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top of it...Refrigerate until firm.
5. Break into pieces.Serve
6. Refrigerate in box lined with  wax paper  for future use.Stays good for 4 to 5 weeks.

Poached Pears

A simple yet elegant dessert...Tried it from ecurry which is originally from Tartelette.. I halved the  chocolate sauce...and some how it was a bit runny while warm...That really dint matter as the taste was awesome and I was the only one who was digging into chocolate...My hubby and kid preferred eating it with the cooked flavored syrup drizzled with very little chocolate...

Pears-2(Pealed)
Cinnamon-1 stick
Cloves-3 no
Citrus Zest-1 tbsp(Lemon+Orange)
Ginger-1/2 inch(cut to smal pieces)
Orange juice-1/2 cup
Nutmeg-small pinch
Water-2 1/2 cups
Lemon juice-1 tbsp
Sugar-1/4 cup+2 tbsp

Chocolate sauce
Semi sweet chocolate-2 oz
Honey-1/2 tsp
Heavy Cream-1/2 cup
Nuts to garnish(I used Almonds)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Peel the pears with stems on them.
2. In a vessel add the water, orange juice and sugar and bring to boil Then add all other spices.
Simmer it on low for 7 to 10 mins and then add the pears and simmer it for 20 mins or till it is soft and holds its shape.
3. Remove from the sauce and cool.

For Chocolate Sauce:
1. Heat the heavy cream with honey on medium heat and give it a strong simmer.
2. Keep the chocolate in a bowl.
3. Now add the heated cream to the chocolate and keep it for 5 mins. After that stir it slowly.

To serve:
1. Keep the pear in individual plates and add the chocolate sauce on top. Sprinkle some nuts and serve with ice cream, whipping cream or the cooked sauce.
ummmm....yummmy....

Sending this to Sweet Somethings @ Tickling Palates

Soya Chunk Pulao

Soya chunks-1 cup
Coconut milk-1/4cup
Curd-1/2 cup
Ghee-1 tbsp
Onion-1 1/2
Chilli pwd-1 tsp
Garam masala-1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp
salt to taste
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Oil-2 tbsp


For Rice:
Rice-1 1/2 cup
water-21/2 cup
Coconut milk-2 tbsp
Mint-2 sprig
Coriander-5 sprig
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
cloves-4
cinnamon-1 inch
Cardamom seeds-1/4 tsp
Bay leaves-1
Biryani masala-2 tsp
Ghee-1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice-1 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash the rice and soak it in water for 30 mins.
2. Soak the soya chunks in boiling water for 25 min.Wash and squeeze the water and keep aside.
3. Fry this soya chunks in ghee for about 3 mins on medium flame.Now Remove and keep aside.
4. Pour the oil in same wok and fry the onions till translucent.
5. Add the Spice powders and fry till raw smell goes,Mix  soya chunks with little salt and cook open with 1/4 cup coconut milk and curd till soft and the mixture becomes dry.
6. Now heat little ghee in cooker and add  cloves,cardamom,bay leaves, cinnamon fry for a minute.
Then add the rice, turmeric powder,biryani masala and fry for few mins.
7. Now add the soya chunk mixture and mix well. Throw in the mint and coriander leaves, salt, and mix well.
8. Add 2 tbsp coconut milk and water to the rice, mix  and check for salt.
9. Keep the stove on high and put the cooker lid.when high pressure starts to come, reduce flame to low, put the weight and cook for 5 mins.
10. Turn of the heat and once the pressure goes fluff the rice using a fork and transfer it to another vessel.
11. Drizzle  the lemon juice on top of rice and mix.
12. Serve with raita.

Whipped Cream Cake

I had seen this lovely and delicious cake here...Her clicks made them so much yummy that I wanted to try it..So finally the day came..and here it is..I halved the recipe and made two small bunt cakes and 3 cup cakes.Making the recipe half is not so easy when it comes to egg, but I succeeded...If any of you want to try...half the recipe at your risk..Cupcakes vanished before I could click..;).

Sources: Rose Levy Beranbaum, Collaborative Curry, Magpies Recipes
All Purpose Flour-2 cups(sieved)
Baking Powder-11/2 tsp
Salt-1/2 tsp
Super fine Sugar- 1 cup+1 tbsp
Heavy Cream-11/2cup
Egg-3 no
Vanilla Extract-11/2 tsp

Method Of Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F if using dark colored tube pan else 375 F(source Beranbaum).Grease the pan and keep aside.

2. Mix APF,BP, salt and whisk.
3. Mix egg and vanilla extract lightly in another bowl with a spoon/fork and keep aside.
4. Whip the heavy cream till peak forms. Now add the egg mixture slowly to it and
mix on medium speed.
5. Add sugar and mix.
6. Now fold half of  the flour mixture into it and whisk until everything is mixed well.
7. Add the remaining flour and mix until no traces of flour is found.
8. Pour this to the baking pan and run a knife to remove the air bubbles.See that knife doesn't touch bottom of pan.
9. Bake it for 25 to 30 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean.
10. Cool cake for 10 mins in the pan and then on greased wire rack and then serve.

Notes:
1. Original recipe used 21/4 cup cake flour,which can be replaced with 2 cups APF, which is what I did.
2. Rose says not to chill the bowl in which the cream is whipped as mixing the egg mixture would be real difficult in that case.She also says that to get finer crumbs use a high butterfat heavy cream.
3. I halved the recipe and used  2 small bundt pan and 3 cupcake cups.

Sending this to Dish for Loved Ones at Srav's Culinary Concepts and Sweet Luv at Zesty Palette