Monday, December 31, 2012

Mini Banana Pie



  Pie is a type of pastry that consists of an outer crust and a filling. It is a baked dish usually made of pastry dough casing that covers partially or completely, contains a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients.
 The pies are named generally by their crusts. A filled pie is one in which a pastry lining is on the baking dish , filled on top with the filling and baked .
 A top crust pie / cobbler , has filling in the bottom of the baking dish and the crust on top.
A two crust pie has the pastry on the bottom and top with the filling in between. The upper  crust of which may be a circular shaped crust or  a pastry lattice woven of strips.
Pies can be of any size ranging from bite size to large ones for multiple serving.
 Here , I am sharing the recipe of mini Banana pie. Fruit pies are served along with a scoop of ice cream , a style known in North America as pie`a la mode. Any fruit can be used , mostly apple is used.
 I used wheat flour to make the pie crust to make it more healthy usually all purpose flour is used. Banana filling I made for the pie is also simple to make this dish easy.



Requirements :
For crust :
Wheat flour -2 cup
Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 4 tbs
Salt a pinch
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Baking soda – ¼ tsp
For filling :
Banana – 2
Brown sugar – 4 tbs
Butter – 1 tsp
Method :
Mix the wheat flour ,baking powder , bakind soda , salt , sugar and milk. Knead a soft and firm dough.
Let the dough rest for 20 - 30 minutes in refrigerator.
For filling :
Chop the banana into fine pieces.
Melt the butter and sauté the banana till golden brown.
Add the brown sugar and mix well to coat on the banana pieces.
Making of pies :
Take a small portion of the dough and roll it using the rolling pin by dusting flour.
 Roll into a diameter of 6 cm and place inside the mould. I used cupcake mould to make this pie.
Fill the banana filling on the pie crust.
Roll the dough and cut into long strips , attach this strips diagonally intersecting each other.

Repeat the same with the remaining dough.
Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius.
Mix half cup of milk with 4 tbs of castor sugar .
With the edible brush give a wash to each pie.
Bake for about 20 minutes or till the upper crust becomes golden brown.

Take off from oven and let it cool.
Serve with ice cream or custard.

Note :
Any fruit can be used as the filling.
Egg wash can be given on the pie , as i want it to be vegetarian i used milk wash.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Multigrain Dosa


Dosa are southindia's favorite breakfast . Every southindian will love to have either idly or dosa for their breakfast with any chutney or sambar. This multigrain dosa will be a healthier option for breakfast.
  I had already posted the multigrain paniyaram , check the recipe here.
Ragi contains the valuable aminoacid methionine. Thinai contains vitamin E . Sorghum is a rich source of fiber and vitamin B complex.

Requirements :
Parboiled rice – 1 cup
Finger millet ( Ragi ) – 1 cup
Foxtail millet ( Thinai ) – 1 cup
Sorghum ( cholam )  - 1 cup
Urad dhal -  ¼ cup
Fenugreek – ½ tsp
Oil
Salt

Method :
Soak rice and grains for two hours.
Grind into a smooth batter along with required salt and allow to ferment for overnight.
Heat the griddle and pour a laddle full of batter and spread into a thin dosa.
Sprinkle a spoon of oil and cook on both sides.
Serve with chutney or sambar.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Winner of sara's kitchen



I am happy to announce that i was choosen as the winner of $ 20 gift card for the Dish in 30 minutes - sweets event happened in Nov 2012 @ sara's kitchen. check here for the roundup . Thank you sara's kitchen.
Dish in 30 minutes ~ Round UP & Winner Announcement.



Dish in 30 minutes ~ Round UP & Winner Announcement.

Manathakali keerai poriyal / Black Nightshade Stirfry



   Manaathakali keerai is called as black nightshade plant in english. in our kongu region , we call it as milaguthakkali keerai. It may called because of its berries resembling tomatoes and in the size of pepper corns.
  This green is best treatment to cure mouth ulcer and peptic ulcer. It can be taken as raw / cooked . when taking as raw , it will be slight bitter in taste.
  In our home , we will make at least once in a week as we are having this plant in our garden.
Requirements :
Manathakali keerai – 2 cup
Shallots – 5
Green chilly – 2
Curry leave – a sprig
Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seed – ½ tsp
Grated coconut – 2 tbs
Salt as required

Method :
 Wash and chop the leaves into fine pieces.
Heat oil in a kadai , add the mustard seeds and let it crackle.
Add the chopped shallots and slit green chillies. Sauté well.
Add the curry leaves and the chopped keerai , sauté well.
Sprinkle required salt and cook on medium flame.
The leaves will shrunk and become dark green.
Remove the lid and stir well till the poriyal will be dry.
Add the grated coconut and mix well.
Manathakali keerai poriyal is ready to serve.
Serve with plain rice / sambar rice.




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only side dishes   @ foodelicious

Friday, December 28, 2012

Mixed bean sundal



This sundal will be colorful as I used five colors of beans. It will be more healthy. Pulses and cereals are protein rich . I used five different beans to make this sundal colourful.
 This sundal will be appealing and makes everyone to taste it .
  This will be perfect snack for teatime .

Requirements :
 Chickpea – ½ cup
Kidney bean – ½ cup
Peanut – ½ cup
Peas – ½ cup
Brown chickpea – ½ cup
Shallots – 10
Green chilly – 6
Curry leave – a sprig
Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Grated coconut – 2 tbs



Method :
Soak all the legumes separately and cook.
Heat oil in a pan , add the mustard seeds and wait till it splutters.
Add the chopped shallots and green chilly. Sauté well.
Add the cooked beans and sauté well.
Add required salt and grated coconut. Mix well.




Thursday, December 27, 2012

Snake gourd masala poriyal / stirfry



  This poriyal is a simple modification of  the usual poriyal. It is easy and simple to make . 
Snakegourd is a vegetable with high water content. Usually it is used in making kootu , i made this masala poriyal  by adding the freshly ground masala.
 Requirements :
 Snake gourd ( chopped ) – 2 cup
Shallots – 10
Curry leave – a sprig
Coconut – 2 tbs
Green chilly – 4
Cumin – ½ tsp
Oil – 1tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Salt to taste


Method :
 Grind coconut , cumin and green chilly to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds and allow to splutter.
Add shallots and curry leaves sauté well.
Add chopped snake gourd and cook under low flame .
Add grounded masala and required salt .
Cook for another two minutes.
Poriyal is ready to serve.

chen
Happening @ siris food flavours

Show Me Your HITS - Festive Food Happening @ Roshini's kitchen and hosted by sangetha




Happening @ lemonkurry
only side dishes   @ foodelicious


WTML DEC 2012 OF GAYATHRI'S COOKSPOT HAPPENING @ NITHU'S KITCHEN

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Batata poha / Rice flakes with potato



  Batata poha was a famous maharashtrian breakfast recipe. It is also taken as a evening snack. It is one of the street food too.
Batata means potato and poha means rice flakes.
  This is a simple yet filling breakfast. It is easy to make with easily available ingredients.
Requirements :
Rice flakes – 2 cup
Onion – 1
Green chilly – 4
Potato – 1
Curry leaves – a sprig
Oil – 1 tbs
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Roasted groundnuts – 2 tbs
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves

Method :
Finely chop the potato.
Wash and soak the rice flakes for two minutes and drain the water completely.
Heat oil in a kadai , add the mustard seeds and wait till it splutters.
Add the chopped onion and slit green chillies , sauté well till the onions become translucent.
Add the chopped potato and sauté well.
Add the turmeric powder , roasted groundnuts and salt , mix well.
Cook in low flame with closed lid , sprinkle little water and stir in between.
After five minutes , take off from flame .

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve.


Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas cupcakes ( Eggless )


 Happy Christmas to all of you 
A Cupcake is a small cake designed to serve one person , frequently baked in a small thin paper / aluminum cup. Cupcakes are cute and appealing to eye and it will be great to munch with tea / coffee.
  Cupcake is called as fairy cake in British English and as patty cake / cupcake in Australian English .
    The making of cupcake is same as the larger cakes and decorations like frosting are also done on cupcakes.
  As this cake are baked in small cups , these bake much faster than normal layered cake.
 I named this cake as Christmas cupcake because of its colour resembling to Christmas like red and green. This cake is simple patterened cake .

Requirements :
All purpose flour – 2 cup
Powdered Sugar – 1½ cup
Butter – 4 tbs
Curd / Yogurt – 1 cup
Vanilla Essence – 2 drops
Pista Essence – 2 drops
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Baking soda – ¼ tsp
Method :
 Sift the flour , baking powder and baking soda  twice.
Mix the butter and sugar well till fluffy.
Mix in the yogurt and mix for five minutes.
Add the flour mixture into wet ingredients and fold into it.
Mix on one direction for five minutes.
Divide the batter into two halves.
To an half of the batter add the green color and to the other red color.
Mix well till the color and batter is blended well.
Add the vanilla essence to red color batter.
Add the pista essence to the green color batter.
Preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius.
I used aluminum molds for making cupcakes.
Grease the molds with butter and dust with flour.













Add a small ladle of green batter on the mold , then add half ladle of red batter.

With the fork slightly stir to mix the two colors of batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Let it cool and serve.Look at the lovely pattern of the cupcake. 

I topped the cupcake with lemon glaze and some sprinklers.



Colorful Christmas cupcake is ready to serve.
Notes :
If using powder color means, mix 1/8 spoon of the color in a tablespoon of water and use as required.
Any flavoring  agent can be used.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Tutti Frutti Cookies / Icebox Cookies



 Icebox cookies / Refrigerator cookies are made from a stiff dough that is refrigerated to become even stiffer. The dough is typically shaped into cylinders which are sliced into round cookies and then baked.
 Tutti Frutti is an Italian term refers to a preserve made with various diced fruits mixed with sugar.
These Tutti-frutti cookies will be perfect for festive season with lovely colours.
Requirements :
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Powdered Sugar – ½ cup
Tutti Frutti – ½ cup
Melted butter – 6 tbs
Baking powder – ¼ tsp


Method :
Whisk butter and sugar together till fluffy.
Add the tutti frutti and mix well.
Add the flour and baking powder knead well.
Roll the dough into a log and roll in the butter sheet.

Refrigerate for 30 – 60 minutes.

Take out and cut into small round cookies.
Arrange in the baking tray.


Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius and bake for 20 minutes.


Let it cool on wire rack for 30 minutes and store in air tight container.

Ice box cookies is ready to serve.

 happening @ RECIPE JUNCTION 
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@  zesty south indian kitchen

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  sending to 60 days to christmas @ cook like priya and  my friend divya's space

Show Me Your HITS - Festive Food Happening @ Roshini's kitchen and hosted by sangetha


linking it to Foodomania’s Christmas Cook-Off Contest

Merry Chritmas Celebrations sendind to sheelu's space

Happening @ lemonkurry

 linking to divya and jagruti.


WTML DEC 2012 OF GAYATHRI'S COOKSPOT HAPPENING @ NITHU'S KITCHEN


@ jagruti's space


MISSION: BAKE WITH FRUITS  happening @ yashodha's kitchen forMISSION EXPLORE FOOD- Hosting Event which is hosted by Sheelu fromCOOKCOOKANDCOOK and Pallavi from COOK-EAT-BURP



 happening @ good food recipes



 OF SRIVALLI HAPPENING @ VEGNATION

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Eggless Chocolate Cake



 Chocolate will be everyone's  favorite. Chocolate cake is made with chocolate / cocoa powder. Chocolate cake is a cake flavored with melted chocolate or cocoa powder .
 The history of chocolate cake goes back to 1764 , when Dr.James Baker discovered how to make chocolate by grinding  cocoa beans between massive circular millstones..
 I made this chocolate cake as egg-less . It tasted great and everyone in my family liked this cake.
Requirements :
All purpose flour – 1 ½ cup
Cocoa powder – 4 - 6 tbs
Butter / oil – 5 tbs
Powdered sugar – 1 cup
Milk – 1 cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Fruit vinegar / lemon juice – 2 drops
For Icing :
Icing  sugar – 4 tbs
Lemon juice – 2 tsp



Method :
Sieve flour, cocoa powder , baking powder and baking soda twice.
Melt butter , add the powdered sugar and mix till frothy.
Add the flour mixture , vinegar and milk , mix gently for five minutes and in a single direction.
Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
Grease the baking tray with butter and dust with flour.
Pour the cake batter to the tray and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or till the knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool and reach the room temperature.
Icing :
Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice and make into a paste.
Apply this icing on the cool cake.
Arrange the cherry on top.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes and serve.
Eggless chocolate cake is ready to serve.

Notes :
Always mix the cake mixture in the same direction.
Adding vinegar activates the baking powder.
Always mix the flour mixture to the wet ingredients just before baking to get soft cake.