HAPPY HOLI - THANDAI ON TIS COLORFUL DAY!!

Thandai is a very popular drink during Holi festival in Northern India.

This is my first try on thandai from US Masala it turned out so well. The richness of saffron, rose flavor, almonds, cashews, pistachios makes this drink delightful.

What you need:
3 cups - Milk
1/2 cup - Sugar 
2 tsp - Rose water or rose essence 
Saffron strands 

Soaked in water for 2 hours drained and ground to fine paste with 1 cup milk:
1/2 cup - Almonds 
8 nos- Cashew nuts 
10 nos - Pistachios 
1 tbsp - Poppy seeds 
1 tbsp - Fennel seeds 
5 - 6 - Cardamom pods
8 - 10 - Black peppercorns 

How to make:
Boil the milk with sugar and and allow it to cool.

Add the ground paste to the milk and rest for 2 hours in refrigerator. Before serving strain the milk through a fine sieve.

Sprinkle chopped pistachios, almonds, saffron strands and dried rose petals and serve!!

CHETTINAD CHINNA VENGAYA POONDU KUZHAMBHU

Spicy chettinad style chinna vengaya poondu kuzhambu with many spices gave so much flavor and with white rice and spoon of gingelly oil to top with rice was yumm. Aviyal and sutta appalam was perfect with this one.

What you need:
1 cup - Shallots
8 pods - Garlic
1 no - Tomato
1 tsp - Chilli powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 tsp - Thoor Dhal
1/4 tsp - Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp - Tamarind paste
Pinch asafoetida
2 sprig - Curry leaves
1 no - Red chilli
3 tbsp - Gingelly oil

To roast & grind to smooth paste:
3 nos - Shallots
2 nos - Garlic
2 tbsp - Coriander seeds
5 nos - Red chillies
2 tbsp - Coconut grated
1/4 tsp - Fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp - Channa dhal
1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 tsp - Peppercorns

How to make:
Heat oil add mustard seeds, thoor dhal, fenugreek seeds, red chilly and curry leaves and roast well. 

Add shallots and garlic saute well add tomatoes, salt and cook until tomatoes soften.

Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida mix well add 1 cup water, tamarind extract cook till raw smell goes. Add more water as per reqd.

Add the paste cook in simmer for 5 mins and its done.

Serve with hot rice and aviyal!!

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM W/O ICE CREAM MAKER

Strawberry Ice cream without cooking n no ice cream maker needed. Just instant and yumm!!

What you need: Recipe from Maria's Flavors of Mumbai

200 ml - Amul cream

1/2 cup - Milk

15 - Fresh strawberries (cleaned and hulled)

10 tbsp - Sugar/ organic sugar

4 nos each - Cashew, pistachio, almond, walnut and raisins (chopped)

1 tbsp - Strawberry essence 

Salt a pinch

Few chopped strawberries n nuts for garnish

How to make:

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a processor on high speed for 2 mins.

Add the nuts chopped strawberries and pour the mixture into the tin and allow to set in the freezer.

Topp with sliced strawberries and serve!! Loved the nutty crunch in every spoon.

COCOA WALNUT BROWNIES WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Yummy brownies simple to make and they are so addictive. Made these on women's day for my sis n for my mom they loved it so much. 

What u need : Adapted from Vimi's blog
Flour - 1/4 cup
Butter - 50 gm
Sugar - 3/4 to 1 cup
Vanilla - 1/2 tsp
Egg - 1
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cooking oil - 5 tbsp
Cocoa powder - 2 1/2 heaped tbsp
Baking powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt a pinch
Walnuts - 1/4 cup, chopped

How to make:
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence. Add egg and beat well . Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and add this to the egg mixture and fold in gently.

Add the nuts and spread in a greased pan and bake in a preheated oven @ 175 C for 15-20 mins. Check after 15 mins.

Chocolate Sauce:
Cocoa  - 2 and 1/2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp
Sugar  - 5 tbsp + 1 and 1/2 tsp
Milk - 4 tbsp
Water - 2 tbsp 
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp 

How to make:

Combine cocoa and sugar in a small saucepan.  Slowly add in milk and water.

Reduce heat and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool the sauce.

ORANGE GREEN TEA GINGER LEMONADE

Made a tangy orange green tea ginger lemonade for a hot evening!! 

Measurements are approx and it depends as per our wish but this turned out good.

What you need:

Green tea bags - 2
Ginger syrup - 2 tbsp (to 1/4 cup sugar add 3 tbsp ginger, 1/4 cup water boil it, discard ginger cool it and use)
Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Orange Juice - 2 cups
Orange slices

How to make:

Prepare green tea as per instructions and cool it.

Mix ginger syrup, orange juice, lemon juice, green tea, water and mix it.

Add orange slices ice and enjoy!!

ADAI PANIYARAM | ADAI MAAVU KUNUKKU

Made adai paniyaram from the leftover adai batter which was bit sour so added couple more onions n chiilies n used my red chilli garlic chutney.

Adai Maavu recipe: http://lifewithspices.blogspot.in/2012/08/brown-rice-vegetable-adai.html

Pour the batter into Kuzhi paniyaram pan and cook until done.

Red chilli garlic chutney: http://lifewithspices.blogspot.in/2012/09/brown-rice-idly-n-red-chilli-garlic.html

VEG KURMA n IDLY

Bored of sambar for idlies n badly needed a change so heres a simple veg kurma n some hot idlies with filter coffee...

What you need:

1 cup - Mixed veggies (Potato, carrot, green peas)
1 no -Onion, finely chopped
1 no - Tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp - Ginger n Garlic Paste
2 tbsp - Fresh coriander, chopped
1 sprig - Curry leaves
1 tbsp - Oil
Salt as reqd

For Paste (add water for smoothness):
1/4 cup - Grated Coconut
1 each - Cinnamon,  Cardamom
2 nos - Cloves
1 tsp - Fennel seeds
6 nos - Red Chillies (or 4 green chillies)


How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add onion saute well, add ginger garlic paste mix well and add tomatoes and saute till they soften.

Add the paste and mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add 1 cup water, par boiled veggies, salt and cover and cook for another 5 mins. Switch off and add chopped coriander.

Serve with hot idlies and enjoy!

EGGLESS VANILLA SPONGE CAKE with VANILLA BUTTER CREAM ICING

It's Daddy's birthday on Feb 28th!! No plans to surprise him because it was on a weekday!! Geared up the last moment baked a cake for him with ingredients avbl at home.

He was very much surprised and the whole family too.. Now orders are queued up (in family for birthday cakes)!! 

A Simple eggless vanilla sponge cake with vanilla butter cream icing some sprinklers n fresh fruits!!

What you need: Recipe Source(My culinary trial room)

All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cup

Thick Yogurt - 1 cup

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Baking powder - 1 and 1/4 tsp

Vegetable Oil - 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For the Icing:

1 Cup - Butter

150 gms- Powdered sugar

¼ tsp - Vanilla essence

For decoration:

Sliced Strawberries, Kiwis

Chocolate vermicelli, Chocolate chips, Sugar candies, Sugar balls

How to make: 

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a cake tin with oil and dust with flour. Set aside.

Beat the yogurt add sugar n combine well. Add the baking powder, baking soda, vanilla and oil. Mix well until they combine. Add the flour and fold the mixture.

Pour into the pan and bake for 30 - 40 mins or until its done and cool it.

For the Better cream Icing:-

Whisk butter, powdered sugar, vanilla essence and apply on the cake and decorate as you wish!!

Refrigerator for couple of hours to set!!

It got vanished in less than a min!!