Cornmeal Donuts

Donuts are loved by all to have anytime. We have tasted Donuts in many different flavors. But today I have done Donuts using Cornmeal which is more healthier. We have been given challenge for performing a Cornbread , so I just wanna a try a Donut using a Cornmeal. This really had a good taste and turned out well. My hubby and my kid just loved it.

Ingredients :
All purpose flour - 1/3 cup
Cornmeal - 2/3 cup
Eggs - 1 ( Lightly Beaten )
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Curd - 3/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Brown sugar - 3 tbsp
Butter - for applying the donut base ( @ room temperature )

Preparation :

• Preheat oven to 180'C and proceed with the below steps.
• Apply some butter in the Donut base.
• Combine all the dry ingredient together and keep them separately
• In a separate bowl , add all the wet ingredients except butter.
• Make a small hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients little by little to for a dough.
• Fill in this mixture into the pipping bag and and pour into the donut maker.
• Allow them to bake for 4 to 5 mins for mini donuts or until 10 mins.

Note :

You can add your preferred topppings on the Donuts , such as Lemon zest sugar coating , Chocolate Iced coating , plane sugar syrup with caster sugar coating, Cinnamon sugar.

Banana Raisins Cornbread

As every month we used to perform some tasks given by Swathi , this month we were challenged to do Cornbread. So I wanna try this recipe with dry fruit and gave it a short. Cornmeal is nothing but Maize flour. Cornmeal does not contain gluten , so it makes safe cooking ingredient and also Corn meal also benefits your health by boosting your iron intake.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 11/4 cup
Cornmeal - 3/4 cup

Banana ( Smashed ) - 1
Brown sugar - 1/3 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Eggs - 2
Milk - 3/4 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Black Raisins - 1 cup

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 180'c , apply oil on the pan.
• In a large bowl, stir flour, cornmeal, sugar,baking powder, salt until combined well.
• Add eggs, milk & oil, smashed banana and beat with a spoon until they are combined well.
• Add the required  dry fruits and fold into the batter. Note : you can use any combination of dry fruits or even fresh fruits ( ie. Cranberry , Blueberry etc )
• Bake for 25 to 35 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Mutton kozhumbu - Traditional Way

This is a traditional kozhumbu. I learnt this recipe from my MIL and also my husband loves this a lot. The main ingredient is the kozhumbu powder which gives the traditional flavour out of it. You can check my Kozhumbu milagai thool or powder.

Ingredients :
Mutton - 1/2 kg
Kozhumbu milagai powder - 2 tbsp
red chili powder + Coriander powder - 2 tsp + 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Curry leaves - few
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1"
Salt - as required
Oil - as required

Ground paste :
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Gram dal - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

• Heat oil in a pan , add fennel seeds , cinnamon , curry leaves , Onion and saute for 2 mins.
• Add ginger garlic paste , cook until raw smell disappears.
• Now add the mutton and continue to cook for 2 to 3 mins until it becomes pale color.
• Add the dry masala powders and combine well with mutton.
• Tomatoes can be added at this stage and make sure the masala's do not get burnt.
• once the tomatoes are smashed well , add little water and ground paste and bring it to a boil and then close the lid. Bring for 4 to 5 whistles or until the mutton becomes tender.
• Serve hot with Rice or Chapathi.

Chocolate Chunk cookies

Ingredients :
All purpose flour - 100 gm
Plain Chocolate - 300 gm
Milm chocolate - 100 gm
Brown Sugar - 100 gm
Butter - 85 gm ( @ room temperature )
Peanut butter - 100 gm
Egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Salted peanuts - 100 gm

Preparation :

• Preheat oven to 180'C
• Roughly chop the plain chocolate ( 200 gm ) and milk chocolate and keep them separately.
• Break the remaining plain chocolate and put in the bowl and melt them using double boiler ( ie. boil water and keep the chocolate bowl on top of this and melt the chocolate ). 
• Now stir the chocolate until melted , then add sugar , butter , peanut butter , egg and vanilla extract. Mix them well.
• Add the flour , milk chocolate chunks , salted nuts and halt the plain chocolate chunks.
• You can check it with a spoon , the mixture should drop from spoon.
• Place on the butter paper or parchment paper with each spoonful of this mixture  and bake for 10 to 12 mins. 
• Allow the cookies to cool down , to get the crunchiness of the cookies.

Wheat Pav Bhaji Masala

Ingredients :
Wheat Pav - 6
Pav Bhajji masala - 3 tbsp
Cauliflower - 1 cup
Carrots - 2
French Beans - 1/2 cup
Cabbage - 1 cup
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Butter - 4 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Chopped Capsicum - 2
Boiled potatoes - 2 ( Smashed )
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Onion ( Chopped ) - 3
Asafoetida - a pinch
Tomatoes - 3
Green chilies - 3
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Preparation :

• Boil and grind vegetables and keep them aside.
• Heat butter in a pan , add cumin seeds , cloves , asafoetida , ginger garlic paste and continue to saute with Onion.
• Then add finely chopped capsicum and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
• Go ahead add tomatoes and cook until they are smashed well.
• Add all dry powders and salt once the tomatoes are cooked well.
• Cook until the oil separates or till 10 mins.
• Add the ground vegetables and continue to cook for another 10 mins.
• Then add smashed potatoes and cook for 5 mins.
• Remove from flame and add lemon juice after 10 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Toasted Pav with butter.

Healthy Mixed Grains Roti - Finger Millet(Ragi), Cornmeal(Solam),Pearl Millet(Kambu)

Nowadays everybody are more concern about health, so wanna try this roti using different healthy grains. This can be served for breakfast or dinner along with any chutney.

Ingredients :
Ragi or Finger millet - 1 cup
Cornmeal or Sola Maavu - 1 cup
Pearl millet or Kambu - 1 cup
Carrot ( Grated ) - 1/4 cup
Onion -  2
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Salt - as required
Oil - as required
Green chilies - 2
Curry leaves - few finally chopped

Preparation :

• Combine all the flours along with required about of salt together in a bowl.
• Add the chopped onion , green chilies , curry leaves , grated carrot to the flour.
• Using required amount of water mix the above ingredients to form a dough.
• Now take a plastic sheet or banana leaf and place a small piece of the mixture.
• If this sticks , apply some oil on the banana leaf and then spread the dough using hand into a roti.
• Heat dosa tawa and place this roti and flip over both sides until cooked well.
• Serve this hot with coconut chutney or hot onion tomato chutney or Tomato Ginger Chutney

Plum Cake without Oven - Using Pressure cooker

Christmas is nearing and wanna try this cake. Kids would love to have such cakes. This tastes so yummy and delicious. 

Ingredients :
All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Spice mix - 1 tsp
Butter - 125 gms
Caster sugar - 1 cup
Eggs - 3
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Caramel color - 1 tsp
Dates - 25 gms
Toasted almonds - 25 gms
Candied orange peel - 25 gms
Tuity fruity - 25 gms
Raisins - 25 gms
Colored Tuity fruity - 25 gms
Cashewnuts - as required for garnish
Plum - as required for garnish

Preparation :
1. In a bowl , sieve all purpose flour , baking powder , spice mix. Keep them aside.
2. In a separate bowl , add butter , sugar and beat them using a beater until it becomes soft.
3. Next add one by one eggs and beat them well until all the mixture becomes soft and fluffy.
4. Add vanilla essence , caramel color to this mixture and mix them well.
5. Now add dates , toasted almonds , candied orange peel , Tuity fruity , raisins , colored tuity fruity and combine them well.
6. Now combine the dry ingredient with wet ingredient. Fold them well or use hands so that they mix completely well.
7. Apply butter in the baking pan and dust with all purpose flour. Pour the cake batter into this.
8. Dust the cashews and plums separetely. Arrange them on top of the cake batter before baking.
9. Preheat the oven to 200'c for 10 mins. Firstly bake the cake for 10 mins in 200'c and then lower the temperature to 180'c and bake for 30 to 40 mins or until the cake is done.

Garlic Curry ( Poondu Kozhumbu )

I used to prepare this recipe as we do it for normal puzhikozhumbu. But my mom used to prepare it a different way and that was so delicious to taste. So I decided to learn that from her and wanna give it a shot. This really tastes good with a peppery touch.

Ingredients :
Garlic - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - small lemon size
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Shallots - 6 to 7
Curry leaves - few
Kozhumbu thool or chili powder - 2 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1 ( chopped roughly )

For Tempering :
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp ( Preferred Gingely oil )
Manathakkali seeds - 5 to 6 ( Optional ) or Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Preparation :

• Heat oil in a pan , add pepper , cumin seeds , shallots and saute them until nice aroma comes. Then add the coconut and just saute for another minute and switch off the flame.
• Blend them into fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the tempering ingredients. Saute them for a minute.
• Add chopped onion , curry leaves , garlic and saute them until the garlic turns slight brown color.
• Add tomatoes and cook them for a minute. Add the tamarind juice ( extracted from the tamarind ) and  add red chili powder.
• Once it comes to a boil , add the ground paste and cook them for 5 mins.
• Serve hot with white rice.

Hariyali Chicken Roast

Ingredients :
Chicken - 500 gms
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Salt - as required
Oil - as required
White Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Tamarind juice - 1 tbsp
Green chilies - 2 to 3 ( or depending on your taste )
Curd - 1/4 cup
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

• Blend coriander leaves , sesame seeds , pepper , green chilies , cumin seeds  along with thick curd into a fine paste.
• Marinate chicken with tamarind juice , salt and the ground paste for minimum 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a grill pan , once it becomes hot , place the chicken pieces one by one and cook them util the chicken is cooked well.
• Now on a preheated oven , keep the chicken for about 5 mins to maintain or get the crunchy layer outside with a roasted flavor.

Nei Kadalai Urandai

This is one such recipe i prepared for my family during Diwali with very simple ingredients and steps to be followed. Everyone of us loved it a lot. I am sure that all the kids would love it.

Ingredients :
Roasted peanuts - 1 cup
Powdered sugar -  1 cup
Ghee - as required
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

• Grind the roasted peanuts into fine powder.
• Heat little ghee in a pan , saute the ground powder for about 2 to 3 mins.
• Remove from flame and add the cardamom powder , powdered sugar to this mixture.
• Add ghee little by little and make balls out of it like we prepare the Rava Ladoo  .

Wheat flour Biscuits - Using Pressure cooker

I love eating cookies. So I tried this one , since my hubby is always keen about health , so I gave it a try with Wheat flour. Usually they use the white sugar , but I have tried with brown sugar which gave a nice color to the biscuit texture.

This dish was adapted from Yaman Agarwal

Ingredients :
Wheat Flour - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp
Butter - 1/4 cup ( cut into cubes , make sure they are cold )
Salt - a pinch
Milk - 2 tbsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

• Preheat the cooker in low flame.
• Combine wheat flour , brown sugar , salt , baking powder in a bowl.
• Add the cold butter cubes and combine them with the above mixture with fingers.
• once they are combined well , they should look like crumble texture , go ahead and add the milk and form a dough.
• Keep this dough in refrigerator for 10 to 15 mins.
• Sprinkle some wheat flour on the plane surface and keep the dough and using the rolling pin roll the dough into flat one.
• Using the cookie cutter or just the knife to shape the cookies.
• Place these biscuits in the greased cake pan into the pressure cooker.
• Bake these biscuits on a low flame for about 20 to 25 mins.
• Once the Biscuits are ready from cooker , take them out and allow it to cool down for 10 mins to get the crunchiness of the biscuits.

Dates cake with Raisins & Tuity Fruity Filling - Using cooker

I love to bake cakes with different fillings. This time I tried the dates cake with raisins and tuity fruity fillings. Each and every bite was sooooo delicious and everyone in my family loved it. I tried this with Wheat flour instead of All purpose flour , I gave it a shot and that really turned out so well.

Ingredients :
Wheat flour - 1 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Dates - 1/2 cup
Tuity fruity + Raisins - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Ripe Banana - 1
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 5 to 6 tbsp

Note: Heat the cooker for 5 mins in low flame and then start the preparation.

Preparation :

• Firstly combine Oil , smashed banana ,vanilla essence , brown sugar together and keep them aside.
• Sieve wheat flour , baking powder , baking soda in a bowl and add them with wet ingredients along with milk until it forms a smooth texture.
• Add the remaining ingredients and combine them well ( by keeping some dates separately.
• Pour this mixture into the cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 mins.