Golden Fried Flowers

The second challenge I took for BM #49 is one vegetable different forms and the vegetable I chose is Cauliflower. This is my most favorite vegetable and with the winter coming to an end the season of cauliflower is also coming to an end. 

So the first variant I tried is a snack item - golden fried flowers. I had this at a restaurant and liked it a lot. I also got the recipe from the internet and tried it long time back but mine was never golden color. It always used to be little redder or brown. Finally I got the hang of it. The secret it seems is we need to use besan and corn flour 50:50. And also to remove the fried ones from the oil at the right time.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 250 grams

Besan - 75 grams

corn flour - 75 grams

Chilly powder - 10 grams

Salt - to taste

Garam masala powder - 5 grams

Turmeric powder - 5 grams

Oil - for frying

Method:

• Boil water with salt and turmeric and in the mean while cut the cauliflower florets. Put the florets in the boiling water and after a minute or two drain the water.
• In a mixing bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients except oil and make a batter  with water. The batter consistency should be similar to that of bhajji batter.
• Transfer the drained florets to this batter. Mix carefully.
• Heat oil in a kadai and once hot, transfer the battered cauliflower one by one using a spoon.
• Fry in medium flame until golden from all sides, turning once or twice to ensure even cooking. Drain in paper towel.

Serve with hot tea!!!

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Pink Velvet Cake

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I was supposed to be travelling today so hadn't planned anything special. But my travel got cancelled. So sitting at home I was thinking what can I do without much preparation. And the recipe in Krithi's kitchen caught my attention. This is a very easy recipe. I took just 10 minutes for the preparation and 5 minutes for the cooking and we both loved it. The cake was so soft, velvetty and vanished in seconds.

And after a long time I was able to take some fabulous pictures. So this post has more of pictures. Ok fabulous according to me. Readers can suggest how they actually look like. Over to the recipe. I made very few alterations to the original recipe like I added cardamom and cinnamon powder.

Ingredients:

Maida - 6 tbsp

Powdered sugar - 4 tbsp

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

salt - a pinch

cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Beetroot juice - 2 tbsp (check notes)

Butter - 1 tbsp

Curd - 1 tbsp

Milk - 1 tbsp

Chocolate chips - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Sieve the dry ingredients maida, powdered sugar, baking powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, salt into a bowl. 
• In another bowl, mix the curd, milk, beet juice and butter. 
• Add the sieved dry ingredients and mix well to a thick paste. 
• Sprinkle the chocolate chips and mix a little. 
• I split the batter into 2 microwave safe cups. The cups 1/4th was filled with batter.
• Microwave for 2 minutes. If the batter is still sticky microwave for an additional 20 seconds. 
• The batter would now raise to 3/4th of the cup.
• Allow a minute or two of standing time. Serve warm

Notes:

• The cake should be cooked in microwave mode, not convection mode.
• This recipe can be easily doubled. Mix in individual microwave oven proof cups.
• Beetroot juice renders just the deep red color and you wouldn't be able to taste it at all. Although if you are skeptical about beetroot juice, add a few drops of red coloring and add 1 more tbsp of milk/water.
• I prepared beetroot juice the following way. Took 10 grams of beetroot. Cut into pieces. Add half a glass of water and microwave it for 2 minutes. Beetroot juice ready.

Enjoy this valentine with this spongy velvetty cake.

Paneer Mushroom Masala

For the last day of BM#49 week 2 I am here with a paneer recipe. A flavorful paneer recipe which would be a good accompaniment for rotis. Oflate paneer has become a regular in our groceries list. Almost every week I make one dish with paneer since this is loved by all and it is easier for me also. 

I had planned to make this dish along with chapathis yesterday night. So I had kept all the ingredients ready in the kitchen and made this dish first thing in the morning. All this for taking some decent snaps :-)

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 grams (cubed)

Mushroom - 150 grams

Tomato - 100 grams

Green chilly - 2

Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds powder - 1 tsp 

Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp 

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp 

Milk  - 1/2 cup 

Coriander leaves, chopped - 3 tblsp 

Salt - As needed 

To temper:

Oil - 2 tblsp

Cardamom - 1

Cloves - 1

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

Cumin seeds / Jeera  - 1 tsp

Method:

• Cube the tomatoes roughly and grind it to make it as a puree along with green chillies.
•  In a kadai, heat oil, temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table.
• When jeera splutters, add the tomato puree, ginger garlic paste, mix well and fry covered for 5 minutes. It will splutter a lot, so better cover it.
• Then add red chilli, coriander, turmeric powders, and salt and mix well. Fry for another 4 minutes or until oil separates.
• Add the mushrooms to the masala and 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 2 minutes.
• The mushroom should get cooked. Add paneer and garam masala at this stage and mix well.
• Add milk and more water to this and keep in low flame. Never ever put the flame in high at any point after adding milk as it might curdle. Also you have to add gradually while you mix.
• After 2-3 minutes, add coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Note: This gravy is very tangy, so make sure you add cream or milk. If  you do not have cream, add lots of milk to balance the tanginess.

Serve hot with rotis!!!

Sending this to PJ, who is hosting my Kids Delight, themed on Say Cheese!
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM