Orange Raisin Muffins (Eggless)

I always thought that cakes can never be soft unless and until you add eggs till I came across Tarla Dalal's website. When I came across so many cake recipes and that too all eggless, I was awestruck. At first it was magic according to me for the cakes to be so soft in texture and that too without eggs. One such recipe of an eggless cake is this and no one will know that it is eggles....


Ingredients :

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. soda bicarbonate
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/3 cup sugar powdered
1/3 cup cream
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts ( optional )


Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift the all purpose flour and soda together and keep aside.
2. Mix the butter and sugar well with a whisk or a spatula till the sugar is infused in the butter. Mix in the condensed milk, cream, orange juice and the orange rind and mix will till all are combined together.
3. Add the all purpose flour to the wet ingredients and mix well in a single direction. Add the raisins and walnuts and mix. Scoop the mixture into greased muffin pans and bake for 20 - 22 mins. till they are cooked. ( Insert a tooth prick or a clean knife in one of the muffins and see that they come out clean.). Cool and enjoy.





Krishnaarpanam

Tofu Mutter in Makhni gravy

This weekend, I wanted to try a Vegan dish. At first I only knew about Vegetarianism, but not Vegan. Are you a Vegan ? I had been asked these questions a few times in US and I said yes as I thought I am a vegetarian, so vegan is a short form of that. Then when I entered the blog world, I realised that Vegetarian and Vegan are two different kinds that people follow. Vegan being more strict in using animal products.
Once I came upon a recipe in Tarla Dalal which used vegetables for a creamier gravy and not cream or milk. I thought of giving it a try and yes!!! its healthier and a vegan friendly too. Makhan in Hindi means butter. Therefore sometimes Makhni dishes are also called 'Buttery'. The Makhni gravy is very rich as butter, cream and/or yoghurt is also used. The following recipe avoids these dairy products and uses a vegetable that also gives a creamier gravy.
This recipe goes to Suganya of "Tasty Pallettes" for Vegan Ventures - Round 2


Ingredients :

1 block of extra firm Tofu cut into cubes of desired size
1 cup frozen mutter ( green peas )
1 tsp. jeera
1 tsp. Kasuri methi
1 tsp. chilli powder
2 tsp. Kitchen King masala
2 tbsp. oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing.

For the gravy :
1 tbsp. cashewnuts
1 cup chopped red pumpkin
1 onion roughly chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of ginger


Method :

1. Take all the ingredients for the gravy in a glass bowl, add 1/2 cup of water and microwave covered on high for 4 minutes. ( alternatively, cook the ingredients with 1 cup of water on a stove top till all the vegetables are soft and cooked. ). Cool and puree in a blender.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil and saute the tofu cubes till lightly browned on the edges. Remove and keep aside.
3. Heat remaining oil, add jeera and when it is fried add kasuri methi and chilli powder to the oil and then the puree. Saute till little moisture is evapourated and then add salt and Kitchen king masala and saute for a few seconds.
4. Add the tofu, green peas and a cup of water and mix well and allow a boil or two. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with phulkas or rotis.



Krishnaarpanam

Dill and Moong subji ( Dry )

Dill leaves or "Shepu" as it is called in Marathi are good for the digestion. It is said to be beneficial for lactating mothers too. Very few like the smell of these leaves, but if you are used to the aroma, nothing like a hot Dill and moong dal subji with hot Jowar Bhakri. Try this and you will not find the Dill aroma overpowering the subji.
This entry of mine goes to "Herb Mania" started by Dee at Ammalu's Kitchen and hosted by Lakshmi of the yum blog


Ingredients :

1 bunch Dill leaves
1 medium sized onion
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup moon dal soaked for half an hour
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. jeera
3 - 4 green chillies
3 tsp. oil
salt to taste

Method :

1. Wash the dill leaves and separate the hairy leaves from the main stem.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add jeera and when they turn pink, add slited green chillies, chopped garlic and the chopped onion. Add turmeric and little salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.
3. Next add the dill leaves, soaked moong dal and some more salt according to taste and saute for a minute. Sprinkle little water now and then and cook covered for a few minutes till the moong dal is cooked. Serve hot with Jowar bhakri or phulkas.

Krishnaarpanam

6 cup Almond Burfi

According to me, the quantity of sugar in 7 cup cakes (burfi) is too high and when I tried to follow the exact recipe, I found that the sweetness was too much that I had to do something to wash off the sugar. I reduced the sugar in the recipe and substituted coconut with almonds which gave more richness and softness to this burfi.
I used a normal heavy bottom kadai to make this burfi and one of my observation is that, if u use a non-stick pan or kadai, u can use half the ghee to make this sweet.

Ingredients :

1 cup besan ( chickpea flour )
1 cup powdered almonds ( powder along with the skin )
1 cup milk
1 cup ghee ( including the ghee to grease the plate or thali )
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

Method :

1. Seive the besan and in a heavy bottom kadai mix the besan and ghee and saute on a medium flame till the besan is fried and gives out a sweet aroma.
2. Add the sugar, warm milk and the almond powder and mix well and keep stirring so that no lumps are formed.
3. Keep stirring the mixture till it becomes thick ( approximately 20 - 25 mins. on a medium flame ).
4. Drop a little paste into cold water and try to make a ball out of it. If a firm ball is formed, then remove from heat mix in the cardamom powder and spread out into a greased plate.
5. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 mins. and then cut into desired shape.


This recipe goes to Sweet Series - Halwa, Kathli, Burfi & Peda hosted by Mythreyee of Paajaka Recipes

Diwali Goodies

This year Diwali was not so very interesting for me compared to the previous years. Food is the only way of getting into the festive mood especially when you are out of India and to top that all my kids were not well and we had to rush to the clinic on the D - day. I still managed to make some goodies to get me in the mood and to have a small celebration. "Mixture" and "6 cup almond burfi" was the savoury and the sweet that I had prepared for this occassion.