Marble Cake

Yup, its time for a cake and i made a marble Cake. This is the first cake that i am making. I really love the Marble look of this cake. Even though we have had this earlier, we never thought of making it.
So i got this recipe from another cooking Blog. Its called "Cooking With Alia". I have used the exact recipe while making this

Ingredients Serves 6
Eggs - 5
Sugar - 125 gms
Salt - a pinch
Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
Baking pdr - 1 tsp
Unsalted Butter - 1 stick (8 tbsp)
Flour - 128 gms
Milk Chocolate - 125 gms
White chocolate - 125 gms (Optional)

Whisk in the eggs and sugar till you get a thick mixture which is pale in color, allmost white
It took me 30 mins for that with a speed of 3-4 in my electric mixer Uffff.
Now add the salt, Vanilla Extract and Baking pdr and whisk it well.
Now melt the butter and add it into this mixture. Mix in well
Now sift the flour into this mixture and mix it.
Now divide this into 2 portions and keep aside
Melt the chocolate in individual pans.
Mix in the milk chocolate into one portion of the batter and White chocolate into the other portion.

Take a pan and grease it with butter. layer the parchment paper and press it well.
Now add half of the White chocolate batter and spread it evenly.
Add all of the Chocolate batter and spread it evenly
Now add the remaining white chocolate batter and spread it evely

Take a butter knife and make swirls in the cake batter to get the marble effect

Now Bake it in 360 degree F for 45 mins
A toothpick or knife inserted should come out clean to ensure its done

Notes

• While mixing the flour to the batter, mix it slowly with a rubber spatula. That way the cake will remain moist and fluffy while baked. Do not overmix.
• White Chocolate is optional, if not added it will have a Vanilla Flavor
• Start checking from 35 mins onwards so that you dont burn it out
• This batter was enough for a 8 * 8 baking pan
• Let the melted butter and chocolates cool down a bit before mixing into the batter

Happy Baking Guys!!!

Cherupayar / Mung Bean Curry

This is the simplest curry you can make as a side dish for Puttu. It really very easy, all in one pot :- )
Needless to say, i got this recipe from my Mother In Law as usual

Ingredients Serves 2
Cherupayar /  Mung Bean - 3/4 cup

Water - 2 cup

Salt

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Green chilly - 3-4 nos slit lengthwise
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - few

Pressure cook the Mung Bean with Water, Salt, Turmeric and Green Chilly for 2-3 whistles
The Cherupayar should be cooked well but not mashed out
Now add the curry leaves and pour the oil on top of it.
Keep it closed for 5 - 10 mins.
Mix well and serve hot over Puttu :-)

Happy Eating!!!

Velarikka Moru Curry

Ingredients Serves 4
Velarikka - 150 gms
Red Chilly Pdr - 1 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin - 1 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Red Chilly - 4-5 nos
Curry Leaves - few
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp

Pressure cook Vellarika pieces with red chilly pdr, turmeric, salt and water for 2 whistles

Meanwhile grind coconut with Cumin into a fine paste by adding few tbsp of water and keep aside
Beat the curd well (add a tbsp of water if needed) and keep aside.

Once the vellarika is cooked, add the ground coconut paste into this and let it boil.
Now add the curd and mix well and take it off heat.
Do a taste test
Heat the oil in a pan and splutter mustard followed by Fenugreek, Red Chilly and Curry Leaves.
Add this to the curry and mix well.

Note:
If the heat is too much, the curd will curdle, so take care (mine did curdle little)
If you dont like to bite the Fenugreek, then sprinkle powdered Fenugreek after adding the curd
You can also make this without adding the coconut paste, just reduce the amount of spices used.

Happy Eating Guys!!!

Rice Kheer / Payasam

When we went for a Lunch Buffet, i got this payasam there and it became our favorite at that instant itself.
From that day onward i have been searching for its recipe and got it from Padhus Kitchen.
I have made this twice till now and am sure that the number is going to increase a lot.
I have not made any changes to the recipe but still will add how i made it.

Ingredients - Serves 4
Whole Milk - 4 cups
Basmati Rice - 2 tbsp (Yes that is enough)
Sugar - to your taste level
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cardamom - few pods (to your taste level)

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a skillet and roast the Basmati rice and fry for 1-2 mins
Now give a quick pulse to this rice in a grinder just enough to break them
Take care not to break it a lot
Smear the remaining ghee on the bottom and sides of a pressure cooker and add the rice, milk and cardamom seeds.
Drop a steel spoon into this to avoid the milk getting burned.
Heat this in very low heat (in a range of 1-10 heat level, i kept it in 2) for 35-40 mins.
If the rice is not cooked through or if you want it be more thick, heat it for some more time
Add the required amount of sugar and heat it for 5 mins more and take it off heat.
Serve it hot or Cold

You can substitute the rice to Rose Matta, but when i tried, it took me 1.5 hrs to get the rice cooked, so i felt its not worth it.

I love it when its cold

Happy Drinking Guys!!!

Sausage Kheema

I got this recipe from Food Network Channel, it was originally a Beef Recipe but i used Sausage to save time :-)

Ingredients Serves 2
Sausage - 1/2 lb
Oil - 3 tsp
Onion Minced - 70 gms
Garlic minced - 4 gms (almost 2 cloves)
Ginger minced - 4 gms
Coriander pdr - 1 tsp
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Ground Cumin -1/4 tsp
Tomatoes chopped - 100 gms
Salt & Pepper
Frozen Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Cilantro - few chopped

Heat oil in a pan and saute the Onion
Next saute the ginger and garlic and once done, add in the Coriander, Paprika, Garam Masala and Cumin powder and cook til the raw smell is gone.
Now add the sausage and mix it into the Masala mixture.
Let the sausage get cooked. Keep stirring in between
Add the tomato and stir well. Sprinkle the salt and pepper.
Add the peas and cook it closed with a lid till the tomato and peas gets cooked.
Now add the Vinegar and Cilantro and mix well.
Do a taste test and take it off heat

Serve hot with Rotis or Dosa.

If using any meat other than Sausage, add in the required amount water to help the meat get cooked
If using fresh peas, add the required amount of water to get it cooked.

Happy Eating Guys!!!

Bittergourd / Kaypakka Upperi

I dont love Bitter gourd that much, but i really loved this upperi when my father made it. I had it with rice and curd alone and it was always tasty.
To make as my father made you will require lots of oil, but trust me you wont even know that its bitter gourd.
Still for our health sake, i have used only 4-5 tsp oil :-)

Ingredients- Serves 2
Bitter gourd / Kaypakka - 200 gms
Shallots sliced - 2-3 nos
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Red Chilly Pdr - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 4-5 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - few

Heat half the oil in a pan and splutter mustard followed by Curry Leaves
Add the shallots and saute them.
Add the bitter gourd , salt and turmeric and mix it well
Now cook it closed with a lid in medium heat (Stir in between)
Once its cooked, take off the lid, add the chilly powder and the remaining oil and let the bitter gourd pieces brown little.
Keep stirring in between
Do a taste test and take it off heat once it reaches your preferred level

It tastes more better with more oil which helps it to get fried better. But it depends on you :-)

Serve with Hot Rice and curd or Moru Kachiyathu

Happy Eating Guys 

Dal Tadka

A Curry that goes well with Rotis and Rice. Its really very versatile, goes well with anything .
I know that this doesnt need much of an introduction, so lets directly go to the recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Toor Dal  - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Salt
Onion chopped- 75 gms
Tomato chopped - 100 gms (Tangy ones)
Green Chillies - 3-4 nos
Garlic - 3 cloves big sliced
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilly - 2
Hing - a big pinch
Cilantro - few chopped

Pressure cook the dal with salt, water and turmeric for 2-3 whistles and keep aside

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard followed by Cumin and Dry Red Chilly
Add garlic and fry them til a light brown color
Add the Onion, green chilly and saute them for 1-2 min followed by tomato
Now add the hing and then add the cooked dal
Let it boil for a minute.
Do a taste test and take it off heat
Add the chopped Cilantro and keep it closed for 5- 10 mins
Serve hot with Rice or Rotis

If you are having it with Rotis, you can adjust the gravy accordingly

Happy Eating Guys!!!