Breakfast Chocolate Chunks Muffins..

Chocolate Chunks Muffins.. Muffins are very versatile you can keep on changing or adding the ingredients and they taste better every time. I have never baked the muffins by following the same recipe I keep the measurement same and change the ingredients each time I bake. Last week I bought a pack of chocolate chunks cookies from pound land and from there only I got this name idea and I wanted to add the cookies also in the muffins but unfortunately they were no cookies left, then I decided to save that recipe for one more day and just do with chocolate and cinnamon... I have added the dairymilk chocolate but I felt it was better if I would have added some other chocolate. No problem I will leave it to you all to choose from your favourite chocolate and enjoy this muffins for breakfast.

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Baking time: 20 minutes 

Serving: 9 medium cupcakes.

Ingredient's.

1/2cups all-purpose flour

1/6 cup cocoa powder 

1tsp baking powder

1/4 cup chocolate chunks

1/4tsp cinnamon powder 

1/3 cup milk

1tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1egg, room temperature.

Baking Method.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 9 cup muffin pans with paper baking cups.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, coco powder and cinnamon in a large bowl, set it aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat for another 1minute.

Add the dry ingredients and just mix together and slowly add the milk and just mix everything to combine. Add chocolate chunks and make sure you give everything a good stir with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn't mixed.

Scoop the batter into your lined cupcake tin, make sure it's only filled ¾ of the way up because they will rise. Bake for 18-20 minutes and let cool before serving.

Serve with whipped cream or just like that.

Dahi Vada.. (Curd And Lentil Vada With Tangy Tamarind Chutney)

Dahi Vadas are lentil dumplings topped with a spicy savory yogurt and tamarind chutney. These are great as a side dish on any occasion or served as a chat too.. This dahi vada was made by Nupur my friend on Diwali day in a different way and with different ingredients... I use moong dal to make dahi vade but she made it with urad dal, exactly the way we cook medu vada. It was very good and I'm happy to know one more recipe of dahi vada..

To be honest I'm not a great fan of dahi vada, because of that only I use to avoid cooking.. But this time it was totally opposite because of the tamarind chutney, I ate 2 dahi vada with lots of tangy tamarind chutney and chat masala.. It was awesome and I have a plan to cook it again in some time... Thanks to my friend Nupur for a such a yummy dahi vada recipe..

Ingredients For Vadas.

1 cup urad dal

Oil for deep frying.

Ingredient's For Curd.

1 1/2 cup yogurt

3tbsp milk

1tsp salt

1/2tsp roasted cumin powder.

Ingredient's For Tamarind Chutney.

1cup tamarind pulp

2tbsp sugar

3/4 cup jaggery

1/4tsp red chilly powder

1/2tsp roasted cumin powder

Pinch of salt.

Cooking Method For Tamarind Chutney.

In a heavy bottom pan, add all the ingredinets of tamarind chuteny and cook on a low flame, till tamarind pulp becomes semi thick and dark in color.. That will take about 30 minutes. (keep stirring in between to avoid sticking at the bottom) When it is done take out in a bowl and allow it to cool.

Cooking Method For Vada.

Wash urad dal several times until the water appears clear and soak it over night.

Drain the water and blend dal to very creamy texture. Just using enough water as needed to blend. 

Whip dal batter using a spoon in a circular motion for about two to three minutes until batter become light and fluffy. If needed add few spoons of water.

In a deep frying pan add oil and allow oil to become hot on medium flame. To check if oil is ready put a little batter into the oil, oil will sizzle and batter should start expending upwards slowly without changing color.

Then place a plastic sheet on to a flat surface and apply little water, then put 2tbsp batter on to plastic sheet and slowly flatten the vada and make a small hole in a centre. Take the plastic sheet slowly up and leave the vada into hot oil for frying. Fry until they are golden brown and fry the vadas in small batches

After you have made all of the vadas, place the vadas in luke warm water and soak for about 20 minutes.

Next squeeze the vadas gently to take out the water, be careful not to break the vadas.

To make Yogurt topping and Garnish.

In a large mixing bowl take yogurt, milk and mix until very smooth. add salt and cumin powder give a good mix.

Then soak all the vadas in the yogurt for at least twenty minutes, giving the vadas time to absorb the yogurt.

Slowly pick up each vada and transfer into a serving dish, pouring a few spoons of extra yogurt all over the vadas.

Just before serving, sprinkle red chilly powder and chat masala finish off with a drizzle of tamarind chutney.

Rasmalai..

Rasmalai is a very famous milk-based dessert of India.This dessert is rich in its texture, flavour & can be made easily by everyone at home. I had made this Rasmalai along with few more sweets on Diwali to impress my hubby and his college close friend and his wife. As I have mention in my earlier post that this is my hubby first diwali away from home, that to in a unknown country. Thank god we had his friend family and little kid to make it even more special, we really had a blast and never felt like we are not in india... I can easily count this diwali into one of the most memorable day of my life..

 Ingredient's For Paneer

5cups whole milk

2tbsp sugar

1tbsp lemon juice

4cups water.

Ingredient's For Rasmalai (milk mixture)

4cups whole milk

1cup sugar

10 to 15 saffron strands

1/4cup chopped almond and pistachio (for garnishing).

Cooking Method For Paneer.

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.

Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.

Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.

To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth till all the water has come out.

Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.

Knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard on the paneer. Keep scooping it back to together and knead more. 

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and roll them in smooth balls.

Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about seven minutes.

Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the (rasgullas), as they will expand to about double in the volume while cooking in the syrup!

Close the heat and wait a few minutes before opening the pressure cooker.

Then take out the rasgulla from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.

Cooking Method For Rasmalai (milk mixture)

Boil the milk, sugar and saffron strands in a deep frying pan on medium heat until the milk reduce to about 2 cups.

Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.

Once the milk is ready, switch off the flame, then add the rasmalai into milk. and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours

Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.

Rasmalai is ready to serve.

Serve the Rasmalai chilled.

Choba Ki Poori..(Diwali Snacks)

Choba Ki Poori.. You can call them as a (Big Gujia). choba ki poori method is same as gujia but without khova and they are big in size. This is muslim family recipe, they cook this on special occasions like marriage. From a bride side they have to cook this and send it to the grooms house before the day of marriage.. There are many other occasions we cook this if I start then I don't think one post will be enough to tell every thing.

This is my Husband's first Diwali away from home and I don't want him to miss anything because of that only I'm trying my best to make him not to miss anything. I cook gujia very often as he loves to eat them , but this time I wanted to try out something new for him so I thought of this recipe and it turn out to be tasty and he loved it. This is not the only thing, I have lots of plans and many dishes to cook. Hoping for the best :-)

Happy Diwali to my all blog readers and to my friends. May god bless you all with lots of happiness and many more years like this with your family and friends :-)

Ingredient's For Filling.

100gm dry coconut

1+1/2 sugar

1/4cup dry fruits (almonds, raisin, pistachio and cashew)

Ingredient's For Poori.

2 cups of maida

2tbsp ghee/oil

Water (to make a dough)

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method For Filling.

Grate the dry coconut.

Chop the almonds, cashew and pistachio into vertical small pieces.

In a vessel, add sugar, grated coconut and all the dry fruits. Give them a nice mix and set it aside. 

Filling is ready.

Cooking Method For Poori's.

Mix maida and ghee. 

Now add water and make dough.

Take small amount of dough and make a small chapatti, put the filling, apply water to the corners of chapatti and fold it giving a semi- circular shape. Press the corners of the puri with your nails.

In a deep frying pan heat oil, and deep fry the pooris to golden brown. Take out on to a paper towel.

Choba Poori is ready to serve.

Store them into Airtight container for more then a week..

Banana & Dry Fruits Bread...

Banana & Dry Fruits Bread... Banana is a fruit which I can never say no and can eat as many as I can in a day. Most of the time I add banana in my baking and it always gives me best results. First I was thinking will just bake banana bread, then I ended up adding dry fruits because it is very healthy. I think adding banana to cake, bread or muffins is one of the best choice and it gives a very soft and fluffy texture. This bread can be served in Breakfast and in Tea time also. One of the best bread I have bake till now...

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 50 to 55 minutes

Yield: One loaf.

Ingredient's.

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup mix dry fruits

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour.

Baking Method.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk in the butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt over the mixture and mix.

Now add the flour, dry fruits and mix it nicely. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle some chopped almond from top and Bake for 55 minutes (mine was done in 50 minutes). Cool on a rack.

Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Baby Corn Pizza.. (Home-made Pizza)

Baby Corn Pizza.. I had made this pizza for my friends on Monday, they liked it so much and we finished the large pizza in just 5 to 10 minutes. We three were eating like as if we have not eaten pizza for ages. The best part was, one of my friend was not at all allowing me to take the pictures also. I have hardly taken 4 to 5 pictures only. The moment I finished taking pics, she was the first one to jump on it and by seeing her I din't even bother to look at the pics and started eating... Some how the pizza also had come out very very tasty and awesome looking... Making pizza at home is so easy if you have pizza sauce ready and I always make pizza sauce and keep it. So when ever we feel like eating then I just make it. Making pizza at home is healthier then store bought... I want to suggest everyone start baking pizza at home and you'll really enjoy..

Ingredients For The Pizza Base

Makes 1 Large Pizza Base

1/2 cup warm water (100 degrees to 110 degrees)

3tbsp warm milk

1/4 tsp sugar 

1+1/8 tsp active dry yeast

1+1/2cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp salt

2tbsp oil, plus more for bowl.

Ingredient's For The Topping.

Pizza Sauce ( recipe follows)

10 black olives (cut into circles)

1/2cup baby corn, 1 large tomato, 1 medium onion, (thinly sliced)

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, (grated).

Ingredients For The Pizza Sauce

Make For 2 Large Pizza

2 tsp oil 

6 large tomato's

3tbsp tomato puree

1tbsp chopped ginger and garlic

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

3/4 tsp dried oregano 

1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Directions For The Pizza Base

Pour warm water and milk into a small bowl. Add sugar, and sprinkle in yeast. Using a fork, stir the mixture until yeast is dissolved and water has turned a tan color. Let yeast stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Then add yeast mixture and oil. Mix until the dough comes together, adding more flour as needed until dough is smooth, not tacky, when squeezed. Transfer to clean surface; knead for 5 to 10 minutes.

Brush the inside of a medium bowl with oil, and place the dough in the bowl, smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1hour. Remove plastic wrap, and press your fist into the center of the dough to punch it down. Fold the dough back onto itself four or five times. Turn dough over, folded-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot to rise again until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Knead the dough four or five turns into a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface, place the dough pat into a flattened circle, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rest 5 minutes. Using your fingers, begin to flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center until it measures about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Do not press the dough all the way to the edges. Leave a slightly raised border, about a half-inch wide, around entire circumference of pizza dough.

In a mean time pre-heat the oven for 20 minutes at 250c. 

Arrange the pizza dough into a circle on top of the baking flat tray. Leaving the raised edge uncovered, pour 8 to 9 tsp of the pizza sauce onto the dough. Using the back of a tablespoon, evenly spread the sauce leaving a half-inch border of dough uncovered. Arrange half of the mozzarella slices on top of the sauce and arrange all the veggie's on top, then cover with left over mozzarella slices.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and crisp on the edges and the bottom, 7 to 8 minutes, turning the pizza halfway through baking. Using a pizza wheel, slice the pizza into eight pieces, and serve immediately.

Directions For The Pizza Sauce

Pour oil into a large skillet, and place over medium heat. Using your hands, squeeze tomatoes to crush them. Add to the warm oil, along with the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is thick, 40 to 50 minutes. Allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth paste...

Sauce is ready to use, after using the sauce to pizza you can store the remaining sauce in a fridge for the next time use..

Khaja.. (Sweet Pastry)

Khaja ... Khaja is called Pheni in oriya, this is an Oriya sweet made from maida or wheat flour, sugar and oil. It is made and eaten all throughout Indian subcontinent, though it is known by different names. It is prepared in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka etc...

I wanted to try this at home from a long time but use to fell bore for the long process, actually after cooking this I really felt it is a very easy and can be done in 30 to 35 minutes. I use to eat this alot in my childhood days but my mom use to not allow me to eat from out side. So when ever my mom use to go to my aunt's place I and my brother use to run to the shop buy and finish it there only before even anyone see us.. Those days use to be the wonderful days eating out and not telling anyone...

Ingredient's For the Pastry. 

1 cup all purpose flour

2tsp hot oil

Oil for deep frying

2tbsp butter or ghee (to apply on pastry)

Ingredient's For the Sugar Syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water for syrup.

Cooking Method

In a large mixing bowl add flour and oil mix it well, then slowly add water to make stiff dough.

Knead it for 10-15 minutes or until it’s smooth and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

Roll the entire dough into a big rectangle and then spread the ghee or butter smoothly over the rolled dough.

Then roll the dough into a big rope, cut into 1′ size pieces. Take each piece and roll it again into 5-6′ size khaja.

Heat oil in a deep fry pan, medium-high first. Then turn the flame to medium-low once oil is hot.

Fry the khajas until it turns golden brown annd take out on a paper towel.

Then make sugar syrup (as you make for gulab jamun). Switch off the heat when syrup feels slightly sticky. When the sugar syrup is still hot dip the khaja one at a time and take it out on a wire rack.

Allow the Khaja to cool completely before serving..

Breakfast Walnut Muffins..

Walnut Muffins!!! After getting my hand set on oven I just feeling like keep baking and baking.. I have tried many recipes in last 1 week which I will be posting it soon.. I'm trying to bake everything in a less quantity so that I get a change to bake more and was thinking that this muffins will go for 2days till then will think of some other recipes, but it just got over in a day.... Now again i'm in a same thinking processes:) Adding walnut to muffins or a cakes I just love it, they taste so good feels like having more then one.. Try these tasty muffins for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or tea..

Yeilds: 8 to 9 medium Muffins

Preparation time: 10minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes.

Ingredient's

1/2+1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup butter

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts.

Baking Method.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line muffins tin with liners and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder, set aside. 

In a another mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and cream together until you get a smooth mixture.

Add the dry ingredients and walnuts, mix together and slowly add the milk and just mix everything to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX! 

Make sure you give everything a good stir with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn't mixed.

Scoop the batter into your lined muffins tin, make sure it's only filled ¾ of the way up because they will rise.

Then sprinkle some more walnut from top and Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for sometime.

Serve for Breakfast with your favourite drinks..

Lemon Zest And Vanilla Muffins..

Lemon Zest And Vanilla Muffins...I baked this muffins on Monday just to get my hands on oven, because I have been always using OTG not oven and I was very scared to try also it took me a long time to start baking here... I have baked this muffins many times but I have not got the result as this muffins gave me, evenly raise and perfect colour. Now I know why people prefer Oven then OTG. I have made myself very clear once I go back to India (i don't know when will that happen) I'm going to buy a oven first... I started enjoying my baking again and very happy with results...

Yeilds: 8 to 9 medium Muffins

Preparation time: 10minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes.

Ingredient's.

1/2+1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup butter

1/3cup sugar 

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1tsp lemon zest

1egg.

Baking Method.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake tin with liners and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, lemon zest and baking powder, set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and cream together until you get a smooth mixture.

Add the dry ingredients and with the speed on low mix together and slowly add the milk and just mix everything to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX! Make sure you give everything a good stir with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn't mixed.

Scoop the batter into your lined cupcake tin, make sure it's only filled ¾ of the way up because they will rise. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for sometime.

Shamrock Milk Shake Cup Cakes..

Shamrock Milk Shake Cup Cakes... The shamrock refers to the young sprigs of clover or trefoil. It is known as a symbol of Ireland, with St. Patrick having used it as a metaphor for the Christian Trinity, according to legend. The name shamrock is derived from Irish seamróg, which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover (seamair) meaning simply "little clover" or "young clover. (Source from wikipedia)

 

 

 

Recipe adopted from Laura Vitale.
Makes-12

 

Ingredients

1 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup of Unsalted Butter, softened at room Temperature
1/4 cup of Vegetable oil
2 Eggs
2tsp Vanilla
2 tsp of Baking Powder
1/8 tsp Salt
1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Whole Milk.

 

 

For the Frosting
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, softened
1/2 tsp of Mint Extract
4 cups of Confectioner Sugar

Pinch of green food color.

 

 

 

Baking Method
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake tin with liners and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder, set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, oil and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla, cream together until you get a smooth mixture. Add the dry ingredients and with the speed on low mix together and slowly add the milk and just mix everything to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX! Make sure you give everything a good stir with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn't mixed.
Scoop the batter into your lined cupcake tin, make sure it's only filled ¾ of the way up because they will rise. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for about 45 minutes before frosting.

 

 

To make the frosting combine together all the frosting ingredients and mix together to combine. Add the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.