Happy New Year 2011 from Khaugiri

Wish you all a Very Happy New year!!!

This is a creation of my Co-Sister, "Shrawni Biniwale"

Merry Christmas with Plum Cake

Wish u all A Merry Christmas!!!

From Last year I was planning to make Plum cake for Christmas, but some how I missed it. But this year I prepared it wel in advanced. Soaked the nuts in Rum 5 days back. And yes My plum cake turned out very nice.



Ingredients


Chopped dry fruits - 1 cup (dates, black raisins, walnuts, dry cherries, cashews, almond, Tuty fruity)

Rum - 1/2 cup

Orange peel - 1 teaspoon

Maida - 1 cup

Powdered sugar - 1, 1/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1 Teaspoon

Nutmeg powder - 1/8 teaspoon

Dry ginger Powder - 1/8 teaspoon

Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Butter - 100 gms.

Eggs - 3

Orange juice - 1 tablespoon Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon

Sugar - 1/2 cup for caramel



Procedure

Soak all chopped nuts and orange peel in a Rum for 4-5 days. You can store it in a fridge for a longer.

For Caramel
In a nonstick pan heat 1/2 cup of sugar on low flame. Continuously stir till it melts fully and caramalised. Now add 1/4 th cup of water and stir it immediately. Boil it for another 1 minute and let it cool it for some time.

Now the main part. Beat butter and sugar till becomes fluffy. Now add eggs one by one and beat it for 3-4 minutes. Mean while sift Maida and Baking Powder. Now add sifted maida and Baking powder in the beaten batter Then add all spice powders, then caramel syrup. Mix it properly with cut fold. Now add Soaked dry frits, orange juice and vanilla essence. Mix it with moving spatula in one direction. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease the Square baking tray or place a grease proof paper or Butter paper. Pour the batter in the tray. Bake the mixture for about 25 - 30 Minutes or when you pierce the tip of the knife and it comes out clean. Cool it on a rack . For authentic taste sprinkle some rum on the cake and then serve it.

Choco Strawberry

Today is a Birthday of my dear friend Pari. I am wishing her a very happy birthday and a wonderful year ahead. This lovely Choco Strawberry is for you dear on your Birthday!!!!

One more Dessert …….. It's really very easy and Quick. Strawberry with chocolate goes very wel. It's really a party and strawberry season … so lets enjoy it.

Ingredients


Chocolate chips - 1 cup

Strawberry - 15-20

Oil - 1 teaspoon


Procedure
Wash strawberries and dry it completely. Take chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and add oil in it keep it in microwave high for 40-50 seconds. Take it out and mix it wel. It will become very smooth. Now hold from the green part of strawberry and deep it in chocolate bowl. Once rotate it so that chocolate will get coated everywhere. Place it on a butter paper. If you want you can further decorate with silver balls. Now keep in fridge for half an hour. Lovely combo dessert is ready. Serve as one of a dessert in party.
 

Caramelized banana Sandwich with Vanilla Ice-cream

As December is already started … and party fever is already spread. My big trouble of deciding party menu is a dessert part. I am very bad in that. I regularly in search of some quick and easy desserts. This caramelized banana, I tried when I read it in one blog (sorry I don't remember the name of blog or blogger). So I modified it with stuffing with coconut & jaggery stuffing. Tastes awesome with Vanilla Ice-cream.

 
Ingredients
Banana - 4 (I used small one)

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 1 teaspoon

Orange juice - 1 cup

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 teaspoon


For Stuffing

Grated fresh coconut - 1/2 cup

Powdered jaggery - 4 tablespoon

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Vanilla Ice-cream - 2 scoop

For decoration - Chopped pistachios, almonds and walnuts (optional)



Procedure

For Stuffing
On a slow flame add 1/4 teaspoon pure ghee grated coconut and jaggery in kadai and cook it till the mixture becomes dry (stir in between). Then add Cardamom powder , mix it and remove it from flame. Allow it cool for some time.

In a nonstick pan heat sugar on low flame. Continuously stir till it melts fully and caramalised. Now add ghee, orange juice and again stir continuously. It will start boiling. Reduce it till it becomes thick like sauce.

Now slit the banana vertically. Stuff the coconut mixture into it. If you are using big banana then cut the banana into two pieces. Arrange it on a baking dish. Pour the sauce over banana. Bake it in preheated oven for 15 minutes at 180 degree Celsius. Serve banana with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and spred chopped nuts on it. (I have not used the nuts because I don't like it). You can make banana sandwich wel before the party and serve with ice-cream on the spot.

 
This goes to aipi of  US MASALA's "Veggie/Fruit a Month - Banana" event and Priya.
 

Zunka

Pithala Bhakri is a very popular Marathi recipe across the world. I have already posted the recipe. Today I am posting recipe of Zunka, which is a dry version of Pithala. You can make it with some vegetables or if you don't have any vegetable at home then also you can prepare it. Today I am showing Zunka of Onion, Capsicum & Methi leaves. But you can also make Zunka with grated cabbage, Spring onion or any green leafy vegetable. In some place of Maharashtra it is called as "Pith perun Bhaji"

Ingredients

For Kandyacha (Onion ) Zunka

Chopped Onion - 1 bowl

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste.


For Methi Zunka

Chopped Methi (Fenugreek) leaves - 1 bowl

Chopped Garlic cloves - 2-3 teaspoons

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste


For Capsicum Zunka

Chopped green capsicum- 1 bowl

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste



Procedure

For Kandyacha (Onion ) Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Now add onions and saute it. Cover it and let it cook till it becomes transparent. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


For Methi Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Add Garlic and saute it till it becomes nice brown. Now add Chopped Methi leaves and saute it. Cover it and let it cook Properly. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


For Capsicum Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Now add Capsicum and saute it. Cover it and let it cook Properly. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


You can have it with bhakri or Chapati. Very much appropriate to carry in travelling.





This Goes to Sara's  "ONLY GREENS" Event a brain child of Pari.



Zucchini Vadi

I had Zucchini in my fridge and wanted to try out something new out of it. As per the Song "Phir bhi Dil hain Hindustani" I made vadi like Kothimbir vadi of Zucchini. And tried Pari's "Zucchini Chutney" with it. Combo was tasting awesome.

Ingredients

Peeled and grated Zucchini - 1 large
Besan (Gram flour) - 1 cup
Fine rava (Semolina) - 1/2 cup
Green chilli+ginger+Garlic paste- 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Black sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil for shallow fry
Salt to taste


Procedure
Mix all ingredients except oil. By adding little water make a dough of it. Apply some oil if you find it sticky. Now grease 2 steel plates with oil. Divide the dough into two portion. Spread the dough evenly on the plate. Steam it in steamer or in pressure cooker  without wistle for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool down. Now cut it in diamond shape. Now shallow fry these vadis till it turns to golden brown. Have this Zucchini vadi with Zucchini chutney. Perfect as a Winter snack.