Masala Peanuts

Today is the last day of this marathon. I am really happy that i made it. I had a lot of fun baking.

I have made the Masala Peanuts in oven and thoroughly enjoyed it. You could add the spice powders according to taste and preference

Ingredients

Groundnut / Peanuts - 1 cup
Kadalai Maavu / Gram Flour / Besan - 4 table spoons
Rice Floor - 2 table spoons
Red Chili Powder - 1 tea spoon
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Asafetida - 1/8 tea spoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Salt - 1/2 tea spoon
Oil - 2 table spoons

Method

Soak the peanuts in water for 5 - 10 minutes
In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and set aside
Drain the water from the peanuts completely and sprinkle the dry ingredients
Toss it to coat evenly.

Grease a microwave safe plate with a tea spoon of oil
Spread the peanuts in a single layer on the plate and drizzle the oil
Microwave on high till it becomes crispy in 2 minute intervals.
Every 2 minutes take the plate from the oven, mix the peanuts and keep it back
It takes about 6 - 8 minutes
Allow it to cool and store it in an air tight container and enjoy!!

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Baked Vada

Second last post in the series of this baking marathon. 

I saw this baked version of vadas during this baking marathon and tried it on vishu day. This is a very good guilt free version of vadas. In my house everyone thought this to be another version of cookies by the looks before tasting it.

Ingredients

Channa dal - 1 cup
onions - 2 medium
green chillies - 3 nos
ginger - 1 small piece
salt - to taste
saunf - 1/2 tsp
jeera - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - few finely chopped

Method

Soak the channa dal in enough water for about an hour.
Drain the water and grind the channa dal alongwith onions, green chillies and ginger. Grind into a coarse paste, do not add water.
To the ground paste add salt and the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Grease a baking tray with little oil.
Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius for 10 minutes.
Make small patties of the ground mixture and line them in the baking tray.
Brush the top side of the vadas with oil.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Take the vadas out of the oven, flip them, brush with oil and bake again for 15 minutes.
Take the vadas out of the oven and cool them for 10 minutes.

Crispy vadas are ready!!!

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Stuffed Bun

3 more to go in this baking marathon. Come to think of it, I am posting all savoury items on the last week of the baking marathon. 

I had some dough leftover after making the dominoes style garlic bread. I was thinking for a while what to do with it since the dough was not enough to make another bread. I came up with this idea of stuffed bun.

The stuffing I used contains meat pieces. Vegetarians can probably replace this with potatoes or paneer. We enjoyed this with plain tomato ketchup.

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour - 1 1/3 cups

Instant Yeast - 1 packet (2 1/4 tea spoon)

Milk - 150 ml + to brush on top

Milk Powder - 2 table spoons (optional)

Honey - 1 tea spoon

Sugar - 1 tea spoon

Salt - 1/2 tea spoon + 1/2 tea spoon

For the stuffing

Onion - 50 grams (finely chopped)

*Meat pieces - 40 grams (chicken or mutton)

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

salt - to taste

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

chilly powder - 1/4 tsp

* I had marinated the meat pieces earlier with salt, turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste.

Method

• Warm the milk in microwave for around a minute or until its temperature reaches 115 to 120 degrees F
• Add sugar, yeast and honey to the milk and mix well and cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes or until double in volume and frothy
• In a mixing bowl, add flour, milk powder and mix well
• Add the yeast solution to the dry ingredients slowly and run the mixer on low speed until all combined and once a ball is formed, allow it to knead for around 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth and soft.
• Grease a big bowl and place the dough covered for an hour or until doubled
• Now to prepare the filling, in a kadai add one teaspoon of oil and fry the onions.
• microwave the meat pieces for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and mince the meat either in a mixer or with hand
• add the minced meat pieces to the fried onions, mix well.
• add all the powders and mix well and dry fry the meat mixture. Let there be no warer.
• remove from heat and cool
• after about an hour take the dough, punch it to remove the air.
• make 4 pieces of the dough.
• take one portion, make it slightly fat. Place 2 tsp of filling into it. Close it from all the ends and roll it into a bun using the palm of your hands.
• repeat with the other 3 portions.
• bake at 180 degree celsius for about 30 minutes
• cool and serve

Enjoy tasty stuffed buns

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Baked Upma

Yay this is the final week of baking marathon. When I started this and also until last week I was not sure that I would be able to make this. But now I am sure. Even though this week I am travelling and the whole week I am not at the comfort zone of blogging yet I should be able to meet the minimum requirements of BM I beliefe.

Upma is my favourite breakfast item. I just love it.  When I got to know that upma can be baked I immediately tried it.

This would be ideal for travels I guess. We can store it for 3-4 days and use it. We had it with fruit juice and that was a lovely combination. 

Ingredients

Semolina - one cup
chopped vegetables - 1 cup
baking powder - 1/4 tsp
chopped coriander leaves - little
water - 2 cups
salt - to Taste
green chillies - 2 finely chopped
ginger - 1/2 tsp finely chopped
Butter - 1/2 tsp

Method

Grease a cake tray with butter or ghee.
Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius.
Warm one cup of water in microwave for 3 minutes. Mix the semolina in this warm water and keep aside for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile microwave the chopped vegetables alongwith chillies and chopped ginger.
Mix the soaked semolina, boiled vegetables and salt alongwith one more cup of water. Also add the baking powder and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the greased pan and garnish with coriander leaves.
Bake at 180 degree celsius for about 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool in a wired rack.

Cut into desired pieces and enjoy....

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Stuffed bread roll

This baking marathon has really proved fruitful to me. I have started inventing recipes. Thanks to Valli.

I often make rolls from chapathis which we take with us during our travel. Its easier to eat without making our hands dirty and also easier to pack - just wrap it in a foil. I tried the same in a bread and the result was awesome. Do try this. This would be a great kids lunchbox idea or a very good start for a picnic.

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 1 1/3 cups

Instant Yeast - 1 packet (2 1/4 tea spoon)

Milk - 150 ml + to brush on top

Italian Seasoning - 1 tea spoon + 1 tea spoon + 1/2 tea spoon

Milk Powder - 2 table spoons (optional)

Sugar - 1 tea spoon

Salt - 1/2 tea spoon + 1/2 tea spoon

For the filling:

Capsicum - 1/2 cup (chopped)

Onion - 1 cup (1 inch pieces)

Tomatoes - 1/4 cup (sliced)

Chillies - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Garlic - 5 cloves  (adjust to taste)

Chili Flakes - 1/2 tea spoon (adjust to taste)

Olive Oil - 2 table spoons + 2 tea spoon

tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Warm the milk in microwave for around a minute or until its temperature reaches 115 to 120 degrees F
• Add sugar, yeast to the milk and mix well and cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes or until double in volume and frothy
• In a mixing bowl, add flour, milk powder, 1 tea spoon Italian Seasoning, chili flakes and mix well
• Once the yeast mixture is frothy and bubbly, add salt, 2 table spoons olive oil, 5 cloves of minced garlic and mix well
• Add the yeast solution to the dry ingredients slowly and run the mixer on low speed until all combined and once a ball is formed, allow it to knead for around 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth and soft.
• Grease a big bowl and place the dough covered for an hour or until doubled
• Now to prepare the filling, saute the onions, chillies, garlic in olive oil. After about 5 minutes add the capsicum and tomatoes and seasoning with little salt. Saute well until the veggies are cooked and the water evaporates. Lastly add the tomato sauce and chilly flakes and mix well.

• Once the dough is doubled, grease a round pan with a spoon of olive oil. You need to grease only a semi circle and not the entire pan.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
• Using a rolling pin spread the dough into a big rectangle or an oval shape.
• Spread the filling uniformly on the rolled dough.
• Now fold the dough from a shorter side and make it into a roll and seal the edges.

• Brush with milk and sprinkle very little Italian Seasoning on top
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
• Remove to a cutting board and cut in the same places where we scored earlier. Enjoy!!! 

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Dominoes style stuffed garlic bread

We love garlic bread and the stuffed one from Dominoes is even tastier and more delicious. Dominoes is a very famous Pizza outlet in India.

I have been planning to try this bread at home for a very long time and I utilised the baking marathin as a good time for this. Finally I have done it today. Everyone were happy with the result and it has vanished in minutes. I made only 1 10 inch semi circle out of this recipe which was a complaint from others - they got only one serving. Filling is more a personal choice

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 1 1/3 cups

Instant Yeast - 1 packet (2 1/4 tea spoon)

Milk - 150 ml + to brush on top

Italian Seasoning - 1 tea spoon + 1 tea spoon + 1/2 tea spoon

Milk Powder - 2 table spoons (optional)

Honey - 1 tea spoon

Sugar - 1 tea spoon

Salt - 1/2 tea spoon + 1/2 tea spoon

Capsicum - 1/2 cup (chopped)

Cheese - 1 cup (1 inch pieces)

Olives - 1/4 cup (sliced)

Corn - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 5 cloves + 5 cloves (adjust to taste)

Chili Flakes - 1/2 tea spoon (adjust to taste)

Olive Oil - 2 table spoons + 2 tea spoon

Method

• Warm the milk in microwave for around a minute or until its temperature reaches 115 to 120 degrees F
• Add sugar, yeast and honey to the milk and mix well and cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes or until double in volume and frothy
• In a mixing bowl, add flour, milk powder, 1 tea spoon Italian Seasoning, chili flakes and mix well
• Once the yeast mixture is frothy and bubbly, add salt, 2 table spoons olive oil, 5 cloves of minced garlic and mix well
• Add the yeast solution to the dry ingredients slowly and run the mixer on low speed until all combined and once a ball is formed, allow it to knead for around 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth and soft.
• Grease a big bowl and place the dough covered for an hour or until doubled
• Now to prepare the filling, heat the corn in the microwave with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes or until soft
• Mix together corn, capsicum, 5 cloves of crushed garlic, 1/2 tea spoon salt, 1 tea spoon Italian Seasoning and olives
• Once the dough is doubled, grease a round pan with a spoon of olive oil. You need to grease only a semi circle and not the entire pan.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C
• With the help of a rolling (or with hand), roll the dough to a 10 inch circle. 
• Spread the filling to the semi circle leaving an inch of gap in the edge and fold the circle to get the semi circle
• Score the dough with knife in the same place that you will be cutting after it is done.
• Brush with milk and sprinkle very little Italian Seasoning on top
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
• Remove to a cutting board and cut in the same places where we scored earlier. Enjoy!!! 

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Eggless paneer spinach muffins

I saw a couple of not-so-sweet muffin recipes which has spinach and tofu as the ingredients. Now, I don't favor tofu much. So I replaced tofu with paneer. I had a lot of greens growing in my kitchen garden - now that its summer. So collected a handful and made these paneer and spinach muffins.

 I love trying out savory bakes and these spinach and paneer muffins were simply delicious. The next time I would surely like to add in some spicy kick to these muffins by adding some ground green chillies. They taste great immediately out of the oven, but were equally good on warming in the microwave for a minute the next day. I served these with some tomato kurma.

Ingredients: (makes 10 muffins)

Maida/All Purpose Flour – 1.5 cups

Spinach Leaves – 1 cups, finely chopped

Paneer – 1/2 cup, cubed

Tomatoes – 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Baking Powder – 2 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Milk – 1/2 cup at room temperature

Buttter – 3 tbsp

Plain Curd/Yogurt – 2 tbsp at room temperature

2 tbsp of mozzarella

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 200 degree Celsius. Line a muffin tray with liners and set aside.

In a wide bowl, add the all purpose flour, salt, baking powder and mix well.

Next add the chopped spinach leaves, mozarella cheese, tomatoes and mix well.

Melt the butter in the microwave. To this add the milk and curd and whisk well.

Pour this mixture to the other spinach flour mixture and combine well.

Lastly add the paneer cubes.

Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tray until ¾ filled. 

Bake for around 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick and make sure there is no unbaked dough.

Remove and cool.

Serve warm.

Note:
We can also top this with some grated cheese and make it look like pizza muffins.

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Banana Coconut muffins - 200th post

Yippeee !!!! 200th post of my blog. I am so happy..

My  blogging journey so far has been a very memorable one. It has been almost 3.5 years now since I started blogging. I took a long break - close to 9 months last year. It wouldn't have been possible without all you wonderful readers, friends especially my fellow marathoners. I should also thank my family whom I put to test always and who always patiently wait until my photo session is over. So a big Thank you to one and all. A special thanks to the readers who take the time to leave their valuble feedback here.

Now muffins recipe is very versatile. So I was thinking what would a keralite do if asked to make muffin. Most of kerala's sweet and easy snacks are made with maida, banana, coconut and sugar. So I combined all these ingredients and made a wonderful muffin. We all loved it to the core. This is a very easy recipe since all the ingredients are easily available at home.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter - 65 grams

Eggs - 2

Milk - 175 ml

All purpose flour - 260 grams

Banana - 75 grams

Baking powder - a pinch

Coconut (grated) - 75 grams

Sugar - 125 grams

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or line with paper liners, 12 muffin cups.

In a bowl whisk together the eggs, and milk.

In another large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon fold the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter, into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are moistened and combined. (Do not over mix or you will have tough muffins.) Finally add the grated coconut.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

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Hyderabadi chand cookies | eggless

The moment I saw the video of making these cookies in vahrevah I decided to make it. These are lovely , melting in mouth cookies and very easy to make. 

These cookies are very famous in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. I heard in vahrevah that the seller would put these cookies in a basket and shout "biscoot biscoot" and sell it from door to door.

The name Chand cookies is because the cookies are shaped half moon and they also look white. Chand in Hindi means moon. 

INGREDIENTS:

All purpose flour   ----  200 gms

Butter   ----- 125 grams

Baking powder  ----  1 pinch

Sugar powder   ----  75 grams

Vanilla essence ---- 1 tsp

Salt  ---- a small pinch

METHOD:

I checked the stores for white butter and bought it so that the chand cookies really look white.  You can also use yellow butter.

Cream butter and sugar powder in a bowl.

 


Then add vanilla essence and blend well.

Then add flour, milk powder, baking powder, vanilla essence and mix well to make crumb like texture.

 

Knead it for a wile to make soft dough.

Now take a rolling pin and roll the dough in to a 1/4 inch circle or an oval shape.

Now cut with a round cookie cutter and cut them in to half moon shape (crescent shape).

Pre-heat the oven at 170 degree C for ten minutes and bake this chand cookies at 170 degree C for 15 minutes.

See to it that the cookies don't become brown. Mine one set of cookies became brown. The chand cookies will loose its beauty - thats all, there would be no compromise in the taste.

Enjoy these cookies with a steaming hot cup of tea.

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Veg puffs

Today is the 17th day of the blogging marathon. Two more weeks to go.... After this I have a huge task of checking my fellow bloggers recipes and commenting on them. I have managed to do a very few until now...

Vegetable puffs are one of my favourite snacks from the Indian bakeries. Come to think of it - I enjoy any type of puffs whatever be the stuffing... the crunchy outside and the soft layered bread inside ooohhh.... I never imagined I can make one like these.. When I was younger I thought such items like the cake, bread, puffs etc can only be store brought ... can never be made at home. With experience now whenever I pick any processed food off the shelf in super markets I start thinking of how can I make this at home.

Ingredients – (Makes about 8 large puffs)

Puff pastry sheet – 1 package (2 sheets)

Potato – 2 large (cooked, peeled and mashed)

Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)

Tomato - 1 medium (finely chopped)

Oil – 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Amchur powder – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

Please find the preparation of puff pastry sheets here

To make the filling:

Wash, peel and cook the potatoes in the microwave until soft. Mash it up using a fork.

In a pan, heat the oil and then add the cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions, Sauté them until golden brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute until the water from tomatoes is consumed. 

Add the other spices, add the cooked/mashed potatoes. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle some water, if needed and cook the masala in low flame. The filling should be dry. Keep it aside to cool.

To make the puffs:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line 2 baking sheet with foil or parchment sheet.

Divide the puff pastry sheets to 6 pieces. 

Place about a tablespoon of filling on one side of the pastry sheet and fold it over itself, seal the edges well.

Repeat the same with the remaining sheets. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up.

Serve warm with ketchup or Tomato sauce!

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