Tuesday 31 July 2012

Bake Along Challenge #5

Hi there....Thank you for dropping by...This month the Bake Along Challenge kicks off from 1st August till the 31st...

And the Theme for August is : BANANAS

Yup, this versatile fruit can be used to make awesome and delicious baked goodies...
So, do join in and make some yummy treats for breakfast and tea ;)

The simple rules are :
1. Follow my blog
2. Bake anything using Bananas
3.Add your post to the linky tool provided and also post a link of this on your page.
4. Usage of logo is mandatory.
5. Any number of entries are allowed.

Happy Baking ;)






Baking Partners

Glad to be a part of this group ;)

Baking Partners: A new Baking Group
A group of home bakers helping each other to achieve perfection.

Baking a home made Baking a homemade bread, cake or cookies will give the best outcome. However in order to achieve the best results, a perfect recipe and right techniques are required.

We are a small group of home baker friends, who love and want to learn more about the nook and corners of baking.  We are planning to try out recipes from books/magazines and cooking shows.  Every member gets a chance to present their choice of recipe and share important points with the rest of the group.

Main purpose of this group is to learn the techniques, critic the procedure if there are ways to improve, and to eat a delicious food.

Rules are simple, we will choose one recipe and send it out to the group by 16th of every month and the reveal date will be 15th of the next month. On that day we will blog about it. A linky tool will be open during that time and each member can link their post.

First month we are going to do a recipe, 2nd and 3rd month will be a theme and the 4th month we will be back at a recipe. By doing in between recipes, we will able to learn more.

All enthusiastic bloggers interested in baking are welcome, please email Swathi  at favoriterecipes12@gmail.com.

We will appreciate the use of logo or worded link that will help to spread the word.  A bunch of thanks to Tina for designing this beautiful logo

If you   want to make it a gluten or vegan free diet, you can do those modifications also.

.


Baking Partners are

2.    Julie Erivum Puliyumm
4.    Priya (Priya's Versatile Recipes)  
5.    Suja ( Kitchen Corner Try It)
6.    Archana  ( Tangy Minds)
7.    Reshmi  ( EasY Cook)
8.    Prathibha ( Cook Ezee)  
9.    Priya R ( Cook Like Priya)
10.  Sweatha ( Tasty Curry leaf)
11.  Vidhya (  A Portion to Share)
12.  Usha Rao ( My Spicy Kitchen)
13.  Divya Prakash( Divyas Culinary Journey)
14.  Swasthi Blank ( Swasthi The Health Freak)
15.  Sanoli Ghosh ( Sanolis Kitchen)
16.  Jayasiri ( Samayalarai )
17.  Pam Capone ( Live Ranch Delux)
19.  Mirellie( Gourmet Global Creations)
20.  Nicole ( The girl who ate at Boston)  
22.  Nandita ( Nans-Yum Yum)
23.  Reshwani ( Daily Cuppa)
And

Swathi ( Zesty South Indian Kitchen)    Creator and Owner of the group

Sunday 29 July 2012

Flourless Choc Chip Peanut Butter Cookies


This is a very easy recipe...yummy cookies ;)


All you need :

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup brown castor sugar
1/2 cup semisweet choc chips
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder

All you need to do :
Combine all ingredients together...Drop spoonfulls on a tray lined with baking paper and press it down lightly...

Bake for 15-18 mins at 180C.....


Linking to :
Favorite Recipes Event : Cookies

Bake Fest

Let's Party : Go Bake It


Eggless Choc Walnut Cake

I made this to bring to a friend's house when she invited us over for dinner....we had it for dessert...served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...it was moist, chocolatey and everyone loved it ;)


U need :

1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp Nescafe powder
1 cup yogurt
3/4 cup brown castor sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 cup sunflower / canola oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

for the topping :
chopped walnuts
1 tbsp castor sugar
2 -3 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix together flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder and keep aside.
In another bowl, beat together sugar and yogurt till creamy. Add in the baking powder, soda, vanilla and mix together...leave for a few minutes till there are bubbles on the surface...Add in the oil, flour mixture and mix till smooth but do not overmix it..
Pour batter into a greased pan...
Arrange walnuts on top and sprinkle with choc chips and sugar.
Bake at 200C for 10 mins and reduce to 170C for 30 mins or till cake it done.

Cool on a wire rack...Serve warm with vanilla ice cream...


Linked this to :

Let's Party : Go Bake It
Bake Fest


Thursday 26 July 2012

Roti Jala

This is a Malaysian lacy pancake recipe...an awesome treat for breakfast, tea or dinner...it's easy to make..tastes awesome with curries....














Ingredients :

1 cup wheat flour + 1 tbsp rice flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water (adjust to the pouring consistency)
1 egg
1/3 tsp salt
yellow colouring (if needed)
butter or ghee to grease pan

mix all the above ingredients to a consistency that's not too watery or too thick as you need to pour it through the mould,....using a whisk helps..

Heat a tava till hot..grease with ghee or butter...Take some batter using roti jala mould and pour in circles on the heated tava...turn once the bottom part is not sticking..cook for few minutes and transfer it to a plate and fold into a triangle...continue with the remaining mixture...

Serve with kurma or curry....;)



Linking this to :
 Flavours of Malaysia

Sunday 22 July 2012

Gobi Manchurian

Ive always wanted to give this a try and managed to do it over the weekend...turned out delicious ;)


Ingredients :

For frying:
cauliflower florets (I used 1/2  a cauliflower)
7 tbsp plain flour
4 tbsp cornflour
1/2 tsp chilli powder or paprika
2 garlic cloves (pounded)
a bit of salt
enough water

For the sauce :
1 big onion (sliced)
2 green chillies (sliced lengthwise)
2 1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 1/2 tsp chilli sauce or 1 tsp green chilli sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp cornflour (mixed with some water)
salt to taste

Method :

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry onion and chilli till onions are soft and chilli turns colour. Add in garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
The add in the ketchup, sauces and mix well. Later add in the vinegar. Mix for about 10 seconds and all in the cornflour mixture and cook till sauce thickens. Add salt if needed.

Next make the batter by combining all the frying ingredients with water. Heat oil. Dip cauliflower florets in the batter and fry till golden brown.

Once the cauliflower is fried, mix it all with the sauce till well coated. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.


Linked this to :

Kitchen Chronicles : Only Vegan

Saturday 14 July 2012

Eggless Strawberry Brown Sugar Ice Cream

Since my fridge has been filled with strawberries this past week...I made this yummilicious, easy ice cream using brown sugar...
I have never been a fan using eggs and making custard for ice creams..so this recipe is a keeper for me....

U need :

8 ounces of fresh, sweet strawberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix strawberries with sugar and salt in a nonstick pan....Heat till sugar dissolves...mix well..Take it off heat and let it cool...Then puree the mixture in your blender....Heat it in a pan for about 3-5 minutes...Leave it to cool again, add cream, milk and vanilla...mix well and refrigerate overnight (do not freeze).

The next day, switch on the ice cream maker , pour the strawberry mixture and freeze according to manufacturer's instruction...mine took less than 30 mins...Serve immediately with fresh strawberries or freeze overnight....;)




Saturday 7 July 2012

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Cups


All you need for 2 cups :

4 digestive biscuits (or more)
3 tbsp melted butter
100 gm cream cheese (room temperature)
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp icing sugar (or more)
1 1/2 tbsp orange rind
2 tbsp orange juice

fresh strawberries (for topping)
1 tbsp castor sugar

Method :

Crush digestive biscuits, mix with butter, divide and press into 2 serving cups.
Beat cream cheese and cream. Add icing sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice and orange rind and mix it together. Spoon it into the cups. Close cups with cling wrap and leave it in the refrigerator.

Cut strawberries and mix it well with castor sugar and keep it in the refrigerator.

When ur ready to serve, bring out the cups, top it with the strawberries and that's it..dessert is served ;)

Note : u may add some dissolved gelatine powder (in warm water) to the cream cheese mixture before refrigerating if u prefer a firmer consistency..

Tuesday 3 July 2012

Bake Along Challenge # 3 Round-Up

The theme for Bake Along Challenge # 3 was Berries....and got some lovely entries from my blogger frens....here's the round-up and do visit their blogs and try out their recipes ;)

Those who baked with Blueberries :

Sugar n Spice : Eggless Blueberry Muffin / Cake


Zesty South Indian Kitchen :  Blueberry Oatmeal Sour Cream Coffee cake with Oats Pecan Streusel


Taste Buds : Blueberry Cake with Blueberry Syrup


Now for those who baked with strawberries :

Simple Baking : Pear and Balsamic Strawberries Tart with Frangipane


Taste Buds : Strawberry Bars


Divya's Culinary Journey : Strawberry Muffins


 






And those who baked with mixed Berries ;)

Tangy Minds : Rainbow Fruits Cake


Taste Buds : Triple Berry Cheesecake


Lastly...with Cranberries...

Recipesmine : Wheat Banana Cake


Thanks for all those who joined...do take part in the next challenge using Peanut Butter ;)

Sunday 1 July 2012

Bake Along Challenge # 4

It's July and time for another Challenge..thanks for all those who participated in the 3rd Challenge with the main ingredient : Berries...I will post the round-up soon...

Well, for this month, it's hosted by Divya from Divya's Culinary Journey....and she has chosen Peanut Butter as the key ingredient in this month's challenge...I'm already thinking of all the wonderful things I can make with Peanut Butter...hmmm...time to try out something new.....so, do check out her page for the rules and hoping to see some yummy entries...Happy Baking, folks !