To day is the last day of 7day Blogging Marathon and I wanted to close this marathon with a sweet dish. In British cuisine there are many sweet dishes like cakes,biscuits,pastries,pies and Dumplings.In British cuisine Dumplings are baked pastry stuffed with some fruits and jam or marmalade.Among those dumpling Hereford Apple Dumpling are most popular in British cuisine.Hereford is a towm in the border between England and Wales.Hereford is famous for it's Apples, many delicious dishes with Apple was born in this place.Imagine a crunchy pastry stuffed with lightly cooked apple with wonderfull flavour of cinnamon and sultanas ummmm delicious we enjoyed them as it is, if you like you can serve them with Ice cream or cream or marmalade sause.
Today is the finel day of Blogging Marathon so let's check what our friends are doing..
Srivalli,
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena

INGREDIENTS:---

• Flour -- 125 g
• Butter --- 55 g
• Salt a pinch
• Cold water --3 tab sp that is 45 ml
• Apples -- 2
• Grated rind of an orange
• Coarse caster sugar -- 4 tea sp
• Sultanas or risins -- 50 g
• Marmalade --- 4 tea sp I used orange marmalade
• Sugar and milk for glazing

METHOD:---
1. Take flour,salt,butter in a mixing bowl rub well with your hand till it turns in to bread crumbs texture.
2. Then add water and make a frim dough and wrap the dough in a grease paper and leave it in the fridge for 10 minutes this helps to bake pastry more crisp.
3. Roll the pastry dough ad long as possible that should be 1/2 inch thick and cut the rolled pastry in to 6 inch squares and leave a side.
4. Preheat the oven at 200 degree c or 400 degree F or gas mark 6
5. Peel and core the apples don't cut them in to half leave them whole.
6. Sprinkle 1 tea sp sugar on each pastry
7. Combine the sultanas with grated orange rind and marmalade and fill it in the center of the appeles.
8. Place the apple in the middle of the pastry.
9. Wet the edges of the pastry with little milk and gather up the edges to enclose the apple and seal the edges tightly.
10. Place the dumplings up side down in a greased baking sheet,brush with milk and sprinkle sugar on top.
11. Bake the dunpling for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 180 degree C,350 degreeF, gas mark 4 and bake for 30 minutes till dumpling turn in to golden brown on top.
12. Serve with custard ,cream or warmed marmalade sauce I enjoyed it plain ...
This is my one more entry for A.W.E.D-BRITISH at Revas Kaarasaaram event by DK

Source: Plantain leaf

I am not a big fan of fried rice since it is not spicy like Biriyani or pulao.My husband is a great fan of fried rice,if it is vegetarian or with chicken.When ever I ask him for his choice for lunch(we don't eat rice for dinner) always his choice will be fried rice.Yestarday I have cabbage left in the fridge so I thought of making kuttu but hubby dear wants to eat fried rice when I said there is no other vegetables,he told me to make with only with cabbage that's it no other choice for me I have to make fried rice. Here is the recipe how I made it....

For Rice:--

• Rice --- 1&1/2 cup
• Water ---- 3 cups
• Oil --- 1 tea sp
• Salt ---- 1/2 tea sp
• Wash rice and pour 3 cups water add salt,oil and soak for 20 minutes.
• Now cook rice till done.
• Spread rice in wide plate to cool and leave a side.
• By the time cut the vegetables
• Vegetables for this rice:--
• Spring onion --- 1/2 cup chopped
• Garlic ---- 1 tab sp chopped
• Ginger --- 1/2 tab sp chopped
• Cabbage --- 1 cup chopped or shreded in to thin pieces.

Other Ingredients I Used:--

• Soya sauce --- 1 tab sp
• Salt --- 1/2 tea sp
• Pepper powder --- 1 te asp
• Eggs --- 4 you can reduce the eggs as you like
• Oil -- 1 tabsp
  

Method:
1. Break eggs in to a big bowl,add a pinch salt,a pinch pepper powder and whisk well to blend the egg white and yolk in to a homogeneous liquid.

2. Heat little oil in a pan, pour egg mixture and leave it like that till egg mixture starts setting lightly.

3.With a spoon strat to scrape the eggs from the edge of the pan to the center, forming large soft curds.

4.Continue scraping your spoon along the bottom of the pan to redistribute the eggs as they cook.

5.When the egg s look wet but are no longer liqied,gently mound the eggs in to the center of the pan and switch off the heat, leave the eggs like that.

6.Now heat oil in a frying pan add garlic,ginger and fry for a while then add spring onion, cabbage,salt fry till the cabbage become tender,don't over cook the cabbage the crispyness of the cabbage should remain this will take 5-7 minutes. in a high flame keep strring.

7.Then add srumbled eggs, rice,pepper powder,soya sauce stirr well to combine every thing remove from heat.

8. Garnish with chopped spring onion green part serve hot.

Serve with any side dish like gobi munchurian or chilli garlic sauce I served it with mixed vegetable and oats balls and chilli garlic sauce, check out my Bottle gaoud munchurian recipe.

Source: Plantain leaf

It's always a headache everyday to decide fixing on a meal. Earlier my mom used to have this and now it's my turn . I've learned my lesson and realised how she (my mom ) would have felt when she had to make meals for us.. ahh, it's gonna get better n better as my baby grows !! No idea what he s gonna ask.. oh yeah, "What goes around comes around ..." is true.. The problem is, it's not only with child , also with my dear hubbie , again he doesn't eat egg plant..on the contrary, I love egg plant. So I had to play some gimmick and make him eat .. How long am i gonna do this ??? here comes a Great PAUSE....

Ingredients :

Table 1 :

• Boiled rice -- from 2 cups (make sure each grain is seperate ,add oil while cooking )
• Egg Plant ( long one ) -- 2 nos.
  

Table 2 :

For seasoning :

• Oil -- as needed
• Mustard seeds -- 1 tsp
• Channa dhal -- 1 1/2 tbsp
• cashews -- a handful
• Curry leaves -- 1 sprig
• Hing -- a pinch

Table 3 :

To roast and grind to a powder :

• Dry red chillies -- 4 to 5 nos.
• Coriander seeds -- 1 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal -- 1 tbsp
• Urad dal -- 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon -- 1 inch piece
• Poppy seeds /khus khus -- 1/4 tsp
• Sesame seeds -- 1/4 tbsp
• Dry coconut -- 1 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds -- 1/4 tsp
• Clove -- 1 no. (optional)

Method :

Heat a tsp of oil and fry all the items given in the table 3 one by one seperately and grind to a fine powder. Chop the brinjal into chunk pieces and keep in the water. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wide botoomed vessel and heat it. Do the seasoning. Add the mustard seeds and pop it. Then throw in the hing,channa,urad,curry leaves and fry. drop in nthe brinjals now and finely saute in the low flame for 5 minutes or until they cooked. u may sprinkle some water to cook it. ( I cooked the brinji's until they gets mashed so that my VJ would eat ). Add salt while cooking and mix it evenly. U may now add the raosted ground masala powder and finely saute along with the egg plant so that the masla gets infused. Saute for a couple of minutes , not forget to stir though !! Finally add the cooked rice and mix it with the masala ,adjust the salt...(pls keep the flame in the low flame ) Combine well and u may remove from the heat. Fry the cashews seperately and add it finally to the dish.. Mix and serve it with raita ...Sure, it's yummy for ur tummy..

Happy eating guys !!!

Source: Kitchen Secrets

Today am gonna post for " kid's friendly recipes" and am sure every kid would love this..Cos, u know what ? It's loaded with cheeeeeese, oh yep, their fav.. Actually, I've already made some Indi sandwich for this marathon but I got so eager when heard abt this.. French baguette is required for crostini but having plenty of blead slices @ home, made me want to toast and the final product was absolutely delicious, glad I listened to my heart !!! Crostini is nothing but mini bread toasts dressed with an assortment of toppings that is great for kid's parties.. Sure , it's a treat for them.. Njoy kids ...

Check out the recipe here ...

Sending this to "only cooking with bread " event by Pari

Happy eating guys !!!

Source: Kitchen Secrets

Orange juice is said to contain a high percentage of VITAMIN C which our body really needs to build the immune system. I came to know one more important thing while searching for its health benefits, is that, it helps lower both cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels.. Isn't that awesome ..? I'm on a mission not to eat sweets , cheese as I feel some changes in my system and do feel I've put on some weight. While talking to my mom last day , she asked me to follow a particular and a regular diet from now on.. Hope, I'll follow my mom's word ,atleast ,lemme try .. Thinking of starting my diet with some fresh juice..Howz that sound guys !!!

Ingredients :

• Orange -- 3 nos.
• Honey -- a tbsp
• Sugar -- 1 to 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice -- few drops (optional)

Method :

First microwave the orange for 7 to 10 secs to get more juice. But this step is totally optional. Else, u may smack the oranges on the counter . Cut each orange into half and squeeze out the juice.. U may add the orange slice in ur blender after removing the seeds, if there is any, and blend till it's smooth. Pour the juice into the serving tall glass and add few drops of lemon juice, if u wish, and add thehoney and the sugar. Mix well. U may keep this in the fridge for few minutes and serve chill with a slice of orange inserted on the glass side.

Sending this to Dish name starts with F event by Akila

Also sending this to cooking with fruits event going on in Taste Buds













Note : Akila, Hope u've received my mail..

Happy eating guys !!!

Source: Kitchen Secrets

Just made this jelly to make trifle.. I know ,it's not a big thing to blog about, still wanted to do it for beginners.So, din't take much efforts in arrangements also.. Well, I've one more agar agar mousse recipe to share with u guys..Thatz bit diff from the usual one..will share later..

Ingredients :

Rasna Pudding :

• China grass -- 10 gm
• Water -- 2 cups ( alomost 500 ml )
• Rasna powder / any mix u like -- 2 tbsp
• Sugar -- as needed
  

Method :

Mix the china grass in the water and boil until it dissolves completely. U may filter it and pour it back in the vessel. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the rasna powder . combine well. Give it a boil .Transfer the mixture onto the mould and keep aside. Rest this 1/2 hr to 1 hr and then keep inside the refrigerator.

Using Coconut water :

Ingredients :

• Agar agar -- 10 gm
• sugar -- as needed
• Coconut water -- 1/2 cup
• Food colour -- few drops (optional) ( I used red colour )
• Water -- 1 1/2 cups

Method :

Same as the above except add the coconut water after removing from the stove and mix it. Transfer into the mould and set aside. Serve chilled..


Happy eating guys !!!

Source: Kitchen Secrets

I make this chaat exactly the same way I make chana chaat. I just use Kabuli chanas (garbanzo beans) instead of green chanas.

Kabuli Chaat

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry garbanzo beans, soaked for 6- 8 hrs
• salt to taste
• 1 potato, boiled, peeled & chopped
• 1 small red onion
• 1 small tomato
• 2 tbsp cilantro, minced
• 2 green chilies, minced (more or less per taste)
• Chaat Masala as needed
• 1 lemon, squeezed

Garnish

• 1 tbsp nylon sev per serving

Method

1. Drain the garbanzo beans. Add salt to taste and water. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

2. Let it cool down.

3. Add remaining ingredients except sev.

4. Just before serving, add sev per serving bowl.

Note -

1. You can also add chopped raw mango in the season

2. You can boil garbanzo beans and potatoes in the pressure cooker together using separate containers.
3. Remember that chaat masala has rock salt in it. Adjust salt accordingly.

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Last Wednesday, I decided to make full meals for the dinner. I made vegetarian dishes & when pravin returned back home he strongly denied to have the brinjal fry for sambar. Finally, after a long arguments I made this spicy prawn fry with all the spices I have. I cant believe it was too good & perfect for rice and rotis.

Ingredients :

1. Prawns - 500 gms
2. Onion - 7 nos
3. Tomato - 1 no
4. Black pepper corn - 1 tbsp
5. Red chillies - 3 nos
6. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
7. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
9. Cloves - 1 no
10. Cardamom - 1 no
11. Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
12. Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
13. Ginger piece - 1/2 inch
14. Garlic pods - 3 to 4 nos
15. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
16. Red chilly powder - to spice taste
17. Salt to taste
18. Oil - 1 tbsp
19. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Method :

1. Clean the prawns & keep aside.

2. Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in the frying pan, add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, curry leaves (1tbsp), Red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ginger piece, garlic pods, corriander seeds, black pepper corns, finely chopped tomatoes & onion (5 nos). Add salt & cook till done.

3. Allow it to cool & grind them coarsely.

4. Now, add 1/2 tbsp of oil in the pan. Add finely chopped onions (2 nos), curry leaves & saute till tender.

5. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder & grounded masala. Adjust salt at this stage. Cook till you get the required consistency.

6. Finally, add the prawns & cook till done.

7. Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve warm.

Source: Cooking With Swapna

Ingredients:
# Chicken - 1 kg
# Rice (Basmati) - 750gms
# Onions - 5
# Tomatoes - 5
# Ginger - 3 inches
# Garlic - 1 pod
# Green Chilies - 10
# Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
# Turmeric Powder - 1\4 tsp
# Black Pepper - 10
# Cloves - 6
# Cinnamon - 2 pcs
# Cumin - 1 tsp
# Cardamom - 2
# Black Cardamom - 6
# Bay Leaves - 6
# Coriander Leaves - 1 bunch
# Yogurt - 200 gms
# Saffron - 15 strands
# Milk - 1/4 cup
# Oil - 1 tbsp & 2tsp
# Salt - To taste
# Water - 1 litre
# Cashew nuts & Raisins (optional) - To taste
# Pure (desi) Ghee (if you are using Nuts) - 2tsp


Directions...


# In a big bowl mix yogurt, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.
# Mix washed chicken in the above mixture and keep aside for at least 2 hours.
# Wash rice with water and drain them.
# Heat 1 litre of water in a pan on high flame. Add washed rice along with black cardamom, bay leaves, salt and 2tsp of oil. After a boil reduce the flame to low flame. After few minutes you will see the holes in rice, pick rice with tsp to check its readiness. If cooked then switch off the gas or if slightly uncooked then leave for another 2min and then switch off the flame and keep aside.
# In another pan warm milk and soak saffron in milk.
# Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies with 1 tsp of salt and very little water to make a thick paste.
# Roast black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom in a pan. Dry and grind them to make fine powder.
# Chop onions and fry in oil with 1 tsp of salt till they become golden brown in color.
# Remove 1/3 of fried onions and keep aside for garnishing. To the remaining onions add ginger, garlic & chili paste and fry well. Keep on stirring.
# Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes/ till mixture separates from oil.
# Add marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garam masala and mix well. Cover the vessel and cook till chicken is tender.Remove from gas.
# Take a thick bottom vessel; apply ghee to the entire inner surface of the vessel. First put one layer of cooked rice then add one layer of chicken masala then again another layer of rice and then another layer of chicken masala and so on. Last layer should be of rice.
# Pour saffron soaked in milk all over the rice (from step 5). Spread the fired onions which we kept aside in step 9, over the rice layer.
# Cover the lid of vessel tightly so that no steam can escape. Keep on low flame for about 15-20 minutes or till aroma starts spreading from the vessel.
# Remove lid and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
# Add roasted cashew nuts in 2tsp pure ghee and raisins.
# Serve hot with chilled raita and your choice of sauce/chutney.

I found this Silky Chocolate Pudding from Smitten Kitchen. i prepared this pudding for my apartment kids and they loved it so much. they came to me one day asked me to prepare again and saw me live preparing the pudding and they went home and prepared just like i did. One of the kid's Grandmom was so impressed and asked me, where i found the recipe? believe me the kids prepared the pudding more than me and even they brought me what they made to taste, it was so so Gooood!

Ingredients: Recipe for 5-6 servings

Dark Chocolate - 1 and 1/4 cup (or) 6 oz.
*Coccoa powder can also be used instead of dark chocolate. if so, Coccoa Powder - 1/2 cup

• Milk - 1/2 litre (3 cups)
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Corn Flour - 1/4 cup

Method:

Use Double Boiler or Boil water in a big bowl and fit another empty bowl over the big bowl. simmer the flame once the water starts to boil.

Grate the Dark Chocolates or cut them into small pieces.

Add Corn Flour, salt a pich, Sugar to the empty bowl and mix well. If using Cocco powder, add it too. slowly add milk one cup at a time and mix well with a whisk. see to that no lumps are formed.

Keep Stirring with the whisk in slow flame for upto 5-8 mins till the mix gets thicker, or it should coat the spoon.

Once the mix got thickened, add Dark Chocolate and mix well with the whisk. the chocolates melts and mixes well with milk and corn starch. once it all turned chocolatey, remove from the bowl and add vanilla essence and mix. If you wish you could strain the pudding in the stage, if you feel some lumps in the pudding.

Let the Pudding cool and transfer them to small cups. cover them with a cling wrap and refrigerate for upto 2hrs. Serve them chill.

Adding Chocolates or coccoa powder can be skipped and the pudding can also be enjoyed plain as Vanilla Pudding. It Tastes Good!

Enjoy the easy dessert!!

Source: Home Cook's Receipes

( Click image for enlarged view )

Coconut water is my favorite summer quencher and in chennai the summer has started. My hubby loves puddings. This weekend when I went out to a restaurant I saw a tender coconut pudding on the menu card.While shuffling through the net I got a set of recipes which gave me idea how to make this tender coconut pudding. It had a unique taste and it was gobbled up in no time.So here is the recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tender coconut pulp
• 1 cup tender coconut water
• 8 gms gelatin
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup condensed milk (or 1 tbsp sugar)

( Click image for enlarged view )

Mix gelatin in hot water and stir continously till it blends. Then add this mixture to boiling milk and stir for a while and keep it aside.

Blend the tender coconut pulp with little coconut water and shift to the container. Now add the remaining coconut water,condensed milk and the milk with gelatin.Stir it nicely and let it rest .

Once it comes to room temperature cover the container with aluminium foil and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

After 3-4 hours slightly turn it out on a plate , garnish with your choice of topping (I used grated red cherry) and enjoy.

I am sending this to bookmarked recipes a wonderful event hosted by Priya and Aipi

And to another wonderful event Hearth and Soul

Source: Super Yummy Recipes

Rice thepla , Saw this recipe in one of the cookery show episode on sunday afternoon. The recipe demands nothing but the regular items which are easily available in any kitchen. I had some left over rice today and with no more thought process , made this easy breezy rice cakes.. This goes better with theginger chutney which i also got from the same program , will share the recipe of ginger chutney tomorrow. Hope u guys also like it ...
Source : Cookery show.

Ingredients :

Cooked rice -- 1 cup
Besan flour -- 1 tbsp
Wheat flour -- 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt -- to taste
Turmeric powder -- a pinch
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves -- chopped -- 2 tbsp
Ginger --finely chopped -- 1 tsp
Shredded coconut -- 2 tbsp
Water -- as needed
Green chilly -- finely chopped -- 1 tsp
or
Red chilli powder -- 1/4 tsp

Method :

Mash the cooked rice using a hand blender or by ur hand. To this add the besan and the wheat flour. Add the turmeric powder, salt, red chillipowder / green chilly, ginger, coriander leaves, cumin seeds. Blend the masala with the cooked rice. U may sprinkle few drops of water to make a dough. Leave this dough for 5 minutes. Finally add the shredded coconut and mix well with the dough, add few drops of water to make a perfect dough. Heat a tava and sprinklw few drops of oil. Take a big ball of dough and place it in the center of the tava. Make small patties using ur hands on the tava itself , gently pat it from the center to the sides.. Be careful, don burn ur fingers !!!! . keep the flame in medium low . Cook the bottom sides for 1 or 2 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Flip to the other side and again cook for 2 minutes. Serve warm with ginger chutney.. Will post the recipe soon..

Sending this Aipi's Bookmarked event weekly series

Happy eating guys !!!

Source: Kitchen Secrets