HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2012

When the clock strikes twelve on December 31st, people all over the world cheer and wish each other a very Happy New Year. For some, this event is no more than a change of a calendar. For others, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. So, if you look forward to a good year ahead, start the New Year with happiness and Love.

I wish you Good Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generosity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.

Wish all my visitors a Wonderful, Healthy, Prosperous & Happy New Year, 2012!

(Picture & Message Courtesy: Unknown Fwd. Mail)

Tea!

If you ask me Dog or Cat? I would say Dog,

If you ask me Action or Romance? I would say Romance,

But, if you ask me Filter Coffee or Instant Coffee, I would say Tea always! Not just for the benefits it posses, but also for its taste.

A cup of Tea, a morning opener, a stress buster, a companion and many more...to make our moments perfect! On a drizzly day or a winter evening, sitting amidst a greeny lawn with your favorite book in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other...what more can you ask for!

 

From the 3-Roses Ad. endorsed by Trisha-Vikram, we know that Tea-Drinking is not just a habit, but healthy as well. Believe or not, Tea by nature is rich in flavanoids, amino acids, vitamins (C, E and K), caffeine and polysaccharides. Also, tea drinking has proven to be helpful in cell-mediated immune function of the human body.

With few intricacies added to our regular-tea-making (boil water, add tea dust, milk and sugar), we can make it medicinal for healthy living!


 A. Perfect Masala Chai

Its not just chai...but the timely infusion of the leaves in hot water, with the blending of the grounded masala along with milk and sugar, makes it a perfect 'Masala Chai'!

Benefits:

High in Antioxidants

Helps Protect Against Cold & Flu
Helps Restore Mental Alertness or Wakefulness When Experiencing Fatigue
Promotes Healthy Digestion
Alleviates Abdominal Bloatedness, Fullness and Pressure
Aids in Weight Control

For the Masala, you need:

1/4 cup cinnamon, cut into small pieces

1/8 cup cloves 

1/4 cup black peppercorns

1/4 cup cardamom 

6 black cardamoms

1/4 cup mace (javantri), broken into pieces

1/2 nutmeg (grated)

1/4 cup dried ginger powder (Chukku)
a pinch of fennel seeds

 

Method:

1. Mildly roast all the above for a minute, cool and grind to powder form
2. Store in air tight container, in refrigerator
3. Life time upto 3 months.

Making the Chai - 

Ingredients:

Milk - 1cup

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Tea Leaves - 2 1/2 tsp

Chai Masala - 1/2 tsp

Sugar to taste

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add the tea leaves
2. Now, when the leaves are infused, add the milk and chai masala
3. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar and simmer for 2 minutes and filter to cup
4. Masala Chai is ready to be served

(Pour tea back and forth between the pot and the cup once, to make the froth)


B. Pudhina (Mint) Tea

Benefits:

Improves digestion, helps recover indigestion, and daily intake after meals helps Weight Control

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add the tea leaves
2. Now, when the leaves are infused, add the milk and fresh mint leaves
3. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar and simmer for 2 minutes and turn it off
4. Allow it to stand in the pot for 1 more minute and then filter to the cup

(Note: Pudhina Tea wihout Tea leaves, milk and sugar is more effective i.e. only the pudhina leaves infused in hot water)
C. Ginger & Pepper Tea

Benefits:

Good for digestion, helps recover from common cold, and acts soothing on the affected throat

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add 1-2 cm sized peeled-crushed ginger/ or 3 crushed pepper corns/ or a combination of both
2. Now add the tea leaves and 1 crushed cardamom
3. When the leaves are fully infused, add milk
4. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar and simmer for 2 minutes and turn it off and serve


D. Omani Tea

Omani Cuisine means richness, in all its recipes. Whether it be a simple bread or rice, each recipe will be rich in its own kind. Likewise, their tea has no exception! The Omani Tea with its unique aroma and ditinguishing flavor redefines the usual or original taste of tea.

Benefits:

Presence of Oregano makes it high in Antioxidant vitamins and antibacterial as well
Saffron is a golden spice that provides numerous medicinal benefits
Helps Restore Mental Alertness or Wakefulness

Ingredients: 

Milk - 1cup

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Tea Leaves - 2 1/2 tsp (Preferably Mumtaz Tea, Omani)

Saffron - a pinch

Rose Water - 1/4 tsp

Oregano - a pinch

Cardamom - 2 Nos.

Sugar to taste

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add the tea leaves
2. Now, when the leaves are infused, add the milk and crushed cardamom
3. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar, saffron, Rose Water and Oregano, and simmer for 2 minutes & turn it off
4. Allow it to stand in the pot for 1 more minute and then filter to the cup

(Note: Like all other beverages/medicines, even tea has its own negative effects. So for better results and healthy living, consume Tea in limited & controlled quantities, without becoming addicted to it!)

Kozhi Kozhumbu (Chicken Curry)

May there be a flower without fragrance, or a movie without heroine...but can there be a food blog without a chicken recipe?...incomplete right!

Here is my first chicken recipe, to make it complete!

(Warning! Prepare yourself with adequate Idly/Dosa batter, or be ready to slurp uncountable Appams...as this Kozhi Kozhumbu is sure to deplete all your batter with its incredible taste and mesmerizing aroma)

Ingredients: 

Chicken: 1/2 kg (washed and marinaded in 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbs curd and little turmeric powder)

Sesame Oil - Adequate (sesame oil gives the traditional taste of kozhikozhumbu; you can even use oil of your choice)

Onion: 1 cup

Tomato: 1 cup

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Corriander Powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala/Meat Masala - 1 tsp

Aromatic Spices - Cardamom - 3 nos, Clove - 3 Nos, Cinnamon - 2 medium sticks, Bay Leaf - 1 medium, Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Poppy Seeds - 3/4 tsp (freshly roasted)

Bengal Gram (Potukadalai) - 2 tsp

Cashewnuts - 6 Nos.

Coconut Scrapped - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - a bunch

Cilantro - as required 

Water - 1-2 cups

Preparation:

1. In 1/4 cup water soak the cashews and roasted poppy seeds for a while

2. Marinade chicken as mentioned above for 1-2 hours

3. Using less oil finely saute the chopped onion, tomato, Ginger-Garlic Paste, followed by fennel seeds. Cool, grind and keep aside

4. Make a fine paste of the coconut scrap, soaked cashews, poppy seeds and potukadalai

Method:

1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed wok, fry the aromatic spices

2. Now add the grounded onion-tomato paste and cook till done

3. Now add the chicken, and after 5 minutes add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and corriander powder along with required quantity of water

4. Now, when the masalas and spices have blended well with the chicken (takes approx. 10 minutes), add the garam masala powder and give a good mix

5. Add the coconut paste at this stage, and cook till the oil starts to separate

6. Now add salt, curry leaves and drizzle 2 tsps of oil on top, and cook for 2 more minutes

7. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro; Kozhi Kozhumbu is ready!

Burgol Kesari

For those who want a change, who want something new!...Heres a new "Kesari"!

Unlike the usual kesari made from Semolina (Sooji/Rava), i have used Burgol for this discovery of mine. Yes, it is easy to make, simple to eat, all the more palatable and healthy too!

You Need:

Burgol (Broken Wheat/Wheat Rava/Gothumai Ravai): 1 cup
sugar: 3/4 - 1 cup (as per your taste)
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Saffron/Kesar Powder - a pich for the color & aroma
Ghee - 3 tbs
Fennel Seed Powder - a pinch (optional, you can even use clove powder/ or aniseed powder)
Cardamom - 3 pcs
Cashew Nuts - 4-5 pcs
Raisins - 4-5 pcs
a pinch of salt

Method:

1. Using 1 tsp of ghee, roast the bargol, cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom along with Fennel Seeds Powder, and keep aside

2. Now bring water to boil along with the saffron powder and salt

3. Now, add the roasted bargol along with other items

4. stir well without any lumps

5. close the lid and allow the burgol to cook  (process similar to rava kesari/ or rava upuma)

6. Now, when burgol is fully cooked with all water being absorbed, add the sugar and rest of the ghee

7. Turn-off stove after 3 minutes, or when sugar/ghee separates in the pan (when reaches the kesari consistency)

8. Top-it-up with few more ghee-roasted nuts (optional) and enjoy!

Time to bake some buns!

I love exploring about food, cooking them, blogging about them, and...not surprisingly, my food list has buns too!

Well...Iam still an amateur when it comes to baking buns. I tried baking these delicious ones...and believe me, nobody can now stop me from baking them again or eating them! Though it leaves behind a messy kicthen with alot of dishes in your sink...it is all the more fun, with little patience involved!

Click on, for the Recipes!

Morning Buns & Croissants

Cinnamon Rolls & Poppy Seed Rolls

Karamani (Black-Eyed-Beans) Kozhumbu

I know its been a real long time since i posted any Madras Recipes...heres one!

The difference between other Karaikozhumbu and Authentic-Madras-Karakozhumbu is, we strictly do not use sambar podi, roasted kadali parupu powder and any other aromatic spices cinnamon/clove/fennel) or their masala (garam masala) for our kozhumbu. Also, our karakozhumbu is much spicier and will have a thick consistency compared to the other avatars of the same family.

If you visit any house (bearing nativity) in Chennai, you will not be surprised to see a traditional-thick-black-wok full of freshly-prepared or a day or couple of days older karakozhumbu...yes, it is always there for the simple reasons:

* It goes well with any thing (rice/idly/dosai)

* Stays for longer days (without refrigerating...but requires reheating twice a day...and yes it becomes more thicker and tastes like honey)

* Is economical! compared to sambar that needs dal, which many of our people cannot afford.

Each time I prepare this, I try to keep up my mom's and paati's (Vembuli paati) taste...Am still trying!

Here i go!

You Need:

Karamani/Black-Eyed-Beans - 1 1/2 cups (soaked in water for 3-4 hrs), Pressure cooked for 3-4 whistles
Small Lemon Sized Tamarind - soaked in 1/2 cup water
Sesame oil - adequate
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 6 seeds
Onion - 1 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Garlic - 6-7 (crushed)
Curry leaves - a bunch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tsp
Asfoetida - a pinch
Salt - as per your taste
Water - 1 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat oil, fry mustard, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, and when done add the onions

2. Meantime, extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind without using much water (keep in mind it should be thick, so use only 2 cups of water for the entire recipe). Now, to the extracted tamarind water add turmeric powder, chilli powder, corriander powder, asofetida and little curry leaves, mix well and keep aside

3. Now when onions are nicely fried, add the tomatoes and garlic, close the lid and cook till the tomatoes are finely cooked without being watery

4. When tomatoes are done, add the cooked karamani (if you wish to use vegetables, you can add them at this step) cook for 2 minutes (or till the vegetables are fried enough)

5. Now, add the tamarind-masala water, mix well, add salt and close the lid

6. Cook till the oil is left separately (this will take app. 10 - 15 minutes)

7. Now, add the remaining curry leaves and sprinkle over the cumin seeds powder and pepper powder, (without stirring) cook for 2 more minutes and it is done

8. Keep the lid closed for sometime...when opened, the aroma is sure to float around your kitchen!

This Kozhumbu has no limitations for the choice of vegetable to be used...you can use any vegetable (brinjal, potato, pumpkin, drumstick, yam), or any dry seed/sprout (karamani, mochai, kondakadalai), or even karuvadu (dry fish)...its your creativity & taste!

Ven Pongal & Rava Pongal

Ven Pongal/Pongal

Iam sure this dish will be a favorite for many of us. Though the main ingredient of this recipe is rice, we would not hesitate to have it for breakfast or dinner! This one among the VIP (Vadai-Idly-Pongal) combo, is a staple in all our South Indian Hotels' menu, festivals, auspicious days, as 'prasadam' in temples, marriages...and the list goes on!

This festive food is easy to make and rich in taste as well! The blend of finely cooked lentils with mashed rice and some fried nuts, spices along with the magical aroma of ghee makes it all the more delicious and lip-smacking!

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/4 cup

Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 split

Black pepper corns - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Ghee - 3-4 tablespoons

Bunch of curry leaves for seasoning

Roasted cashewnuts - 12

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Water - 4 cups normal water, 1 cup hot water

Boiled Milk - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal and rinse completely. Cook the rice and moong dal with 4 cups of water, cumin seed and salt in the pressure cooker for upto 6 whistles

2. Meantime, heat ghee in a small wok, fry the pepper corns, curry leaves, ginger, chilli and finely when done add the asafoetida

3. Now, add the hot water and milk to the cooked rice and dal, and mash-mix well (more hot water can be added depending upon the pongal consistency)

4. Now, add the fried items to this and mix gently

5. Pongal is ready!

Rava/Sooji (Semolina) Pongal

1. For this pongal, substitute rice with 1 cup of ghee roasted rava

2. Cook the roasted rava in 3 cups of boiling water

3. Pressuse cook 1/4 cup moong dal

4. Mix the cooked rava and dal along with the fried items (same as above) and salt

5. Rava Pongal is ready! (the taste of this pongal is as good as Ven Pongal made of rice)

Pongal goes well with many sidedishes, whether it be a simple coconut chutney or kathirikai gotsu (egg plant curry), it tastes like heaven!

My personal choice is kathirikai sambar, along with medhu vadai!

Tomato Rice (Thakali Sadam)

Like every Tom, Dick & Harry will love bread...every one of us from the south would love to open our lunch boxes filled with 'Lemon Rice & Potato fry' or 'Pulisadam & Masalvadai'...Drooling right!

The 'Thakalisadam & Muttai' combo sharing one such chemistry is equally good! We (hubby & I) love it!

Out of the myriads of methods and recipes for making tomato rice, this is my fav!

Ingredients:

Rice: Basmati/Ponni - 2 cups

Freshly prepared coconut milk - 2 cups

Mustard seed: 1/2 tsp, Channa dal/Kadalai parupu: 1/2 tsp, Urid dal/ulundu: 1/2 tsp

Spices: Fennel Seeds (sombu/saunf), Bay leaf (biryani elai), Cloves (lavangam), Cinnamon stick (pattai) - as per your spice level

Masala: Chilli powder - 1 tsp, Corriander powder (dhaniya) - 1 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp, Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Vegetables: Onion (Big) - 1, Tomatoes - 3 (or 4 depending upon the size), Garlic - 4 pcs, Corriander & Mint leaves, Curry leaves - All finely chopped

Oil & Salt for taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in pressure cooker and fry mustard seeds, channa dal, urid dal and all the spices

2. Now, add the chopped onions

3. Then when onion is done, add the chopped tomatoes followed by garlic, cover the cooker with a plate and allow it to fry till the tomatoes are done withoit raw flavor

4. At this level you can wash the Basmati rice and drain the water and keep aside

5. Now, add all the masala and cook for 2 minutes

6. Now, you can add the rice into the cooker and gently stir it for 1-2 minutes without breaking the rice

7. Now add salt, coconut milk and then 1 cup water

8. Close the cooker with its lid and cook for 2 - 3 whistles (my rice got cooked in 2 whistles), wait and open the lid

9. Finaly, garnish with finely chopped corriander and mint leaves



10. Ready to go!

Tastes heaven with raitha, or boiled egg!

(Note: for pressure cooking 2 cups of basmati rice you normally need 3 cups of water, but since you are using 2 cups of coconut milk, reduce water to 1 cup (if your rice needs more cooking, then increase the water level)

Ragi-Choco Muffin

I know its been a long time since i last blogged!

A lot of Islamic-and-National holidays, along with mom-dad's visit to Muscat, the lovely rain, cold weather and some paintings...kept me busy and lazy all these days!

Now that Mom-Dad have left to India, and work also had resumed...iam back in tune with my daily chores and blogging as well.Day-before-yesterday when i was getting bored and had nothing interesting to do...just felt like baking something new!

The result was this nutritious, protien rich Muffin!

Ingredients:

Self raising/all purpose flour – 1 Cup
Ragi flour – 1/2 Cup
Light Brown Sugar – 3/4 cup
Ground Cinnamon – 1/4 tsp
Crushed wall nuts - 1/4 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Butter – 30 gms (@ room temp)
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Veg Oil - 3-4 tsps (i used olive oil)
Milk (@ room temperature): 120 ml
Eggs - 2
Cooking chocolate - 4 pieces

Choco chips - as required for the topping

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 C for 10 minutes

2. Line the muffins tray with muffins paper

3. Beat the wet and dry ingredients separately

4. Then combine them gently together and mix them

5. Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin tray, and top them with choco chips (i used some white chocolate chips too)

6. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 C

7. cool for 20 minutes, and enjoy it simply or with butter.

Orange Cake (Eggless)

Today i will be travelling to UAE for a 3-days audit program,...so yesterday I made this orange treat for my akka who lives there. I actually wanted to bake something new (apart from the choco series i usualy make) and healthy as well, for her. This recipe is again a customised-newer version of the Eggless Orange Cake shown on FATAFEAT (one of my favs., Arabic Food Channel).

I absolutely have no patience, when it comes to baking. As i would always want to see the result even before it is fully done. But...somehow i managed to wait till the end and slurped a big piece then. Wow!...we (hubby & I) liked it. Eagerly looking forward to meet my sister & family, and hope they like it too!

Ingredients:

Self raising/all purpose flour – 1/2 Cup

Whole Wheat flour – 1 Cup

Butter – 20 gms (@ room temp)

Veg Oil - 3-4 tsps (i used olive oil)

Light Brown Sugar – 1/4 cup

Honey - 1/4 cup

Warm Water – 200 ml

Ground Cinnamon – 1/2 tsp

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Whole Sweet Orange - 1 (Big)

Ripe Banana - 1

Crushed nuts (of your choice) - 1/4 cup

The orange:

Gently grate the rind of the orange and keep aside (can be added during the folding process)

Use only the juice, if your orange is full of seeds and skin. I used a seedless orange, so i cut the pulps into tiny pieces and whipped them with the wet ingredients.

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 200 C for 10 minutes

2. Grease a round cake pan line base with Parchment paper

3. Beat the wet and dry ingredients separately

4. Then fold them gently together and mix them

5. Now, transfer the mixture to the prepared cake pan

6. Bake it for 15 minutes @ 200 C

7. Then reduce the temperature to 180 C and bake it for 5 - 10 more minutes (or till done)

8. cool for 20 minutes, and enjoy it with butter.

Cinnamon-Banana Cake with Nuts

After the depletion of choco-fudge i baked for the guests last week, i was thinking to bake a simple yet rich one to give my new neighbors. A simple tea cake recipe (i once watched in the local arabic channel) with some of my own touches is the "Cinnamon-Banana Cake with Nuts". 

Ingredients:

Self raising/all purpose flour – 1 3/4 Cups
Butter – 100 gms (@ room temp)
Veg Oil - 3-4 tsps (i used olive oil)
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 cup
Eggs – 2
Milk – 120 ml
Ground Cinnamon – 1 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Ripe Banana - 1
Broken nuts (of your choice) - 1/4 cup (i used almonds)

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C for 15 minutes

2. Grease a round cake pan line base with baking paper

3. Beat all the ingredients using hand or an electric mixer until light and fluffy (this would take some minutes)

4. Now, transfer the mixture to the prepared cake pan and sprinkle the nuts and some sugar over the cake top

5. Bake it for 30-45 minutes.



Indulge yourself with this fluffy cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or just a cup of hot tea!

(Note: i usually don't use my hand or an electric mixer, instead i put all the ingredients into a blender jar and whip them for 5-10 seconds...it comes out perfectly, without any physical strain!)

Poondu (Garlic) Chutney

I just love this Poondu Chutney, which mom makes when she is bored of cooking the whole day, or when coconut or potu kadali (to make the regular chutney) is out of stock in her kitchen. I still remember we (sisters & I) would fight for the nadir portion of this chutney, since oil stays at the bottom only...when dipped, makes your idli even more tastier!

Ingredients:

Poondu/Garlic clove: 10

Chilli Powder: 1 tsp (or as per your comfort)

Salt to tasteOil: 4-5 tsp

a sprig of curry leaves, finely chopped

a pinch of turmeric powder
a pinch of asfoetida

Method:

1.Pound-crush the garlic and keep aside

2.Heat oil, add the crushed garlic and fry

3.When the garlic is fully fried, add the rest of the ingredients, fry for few seconds and then switch off the stove

4.The Chutney is ready to be served with idly/dosa.

I personally like to spread this chutney over my idlies, leave it for few minutes and then love to slurp them!

Since this chutney stays as fresh for 3 days, this is a good travel food too!

Kande Pohe

Ever since i heard about this tiffen in 'Pavitra Rishta' (PR) (a Hindi Serial aired on Zee TV, which is also a partial remake of Sun TV's 'Thirumathi Selvam') i was craving to taste it!

Kande means onion in marathi and Pohe is the beaten rice or rice flakes (aval in tamil)...nothing complicated! simple and easy to make, like our very own rava upuma (of course tastes much better than upuma.

(in PR more than the characters they keep talking about Kande Poha...and its Maharashtrian authenticity)

Thanks to yesterdays guests (Yashica and her mom)! I actually wanted to make something very easy and with the stuff available in my kitchen. Since i was expecting them in the evening i did not have much time to opt for a complicated snack/tiffen. So this recipe, which i came across in some unknown food blog flashed in my mind and finally i cooked this Maharashtrian Nashtah (Tiffen) for my evening guests...guess what, everybody liked it!

Ingredients:

2 cups Thick Poha (beaten/flaked rice) 
1 chopped onion
1 Chopped potato
1 tsp chopped green chillies
a pinch of hing 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Mustered  seeds
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 cup crushed groundnuts
1/2 tsp sugar 
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander, & grated coconut for garnishing
oil for seasoning
1 tsp Lemon juice

Directions:

1. Wash the poha using a colander

2. Drain water such that Poha is moist but not mashed (leave aside for 5- 10)

3. Heat oil in a pan add mustered seeds, hing, green chillies, onion, potato and groundnuts

4. After a while add turmeric powder and cook until the potatoes are cooked well

5. Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar, and cook for 2 minutes

6. Now add the poha and mix well, last add lemon juice

7. Finally when done, garnish with coriander leaves & grated coconut

Note: As shown in PR this tiffen can be had for breakfast and evening snack as well.

Tastes good with fresh curd, or with tea. 

Easy Oat Cake

Want to bake your own cake...but scared that your baking would become a disaster? Don't worry! For even i had the same feel when i wanted to bake my first cake, and at then i didn't even have the conventional oven for doing it.

Now i know cake baking is no chemistry or magic. All you need to have is the right ingredients, proper meauring & mixing, good practise and the confidence to do it. With all these you can make it. Reason? even i can bake a proper cake!

(Small Trivia! Cake making began in ancient Egypt as round, flat, unleavened breads cooked on hot stone. Their evolution had travelled over many centuries, along with new ingredients, technology, innovation and creativity.)

Here I have given the recipe of Easy Oat Cake. The name itself would justify it is easy to make, and the taste and health facts are amazing...as you must be knowing the value of oats!

This oats cake does not require any skills, unusual ingredients or a conventional oven. This has a dead easy recipe that can made from the stuff already available in your kitchen.

You Need:

1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (as per your taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 whole egg (if you like to add only egg white, then take 2 nos.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup milk
a pinch of cinnamon powder (to give a lovely aroma when baked)

Directions:

1. Coarse grind oats and keep aside

2. Add the rest of the ingredients (sugar, salt, butter, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon powder and milk) in a mixer jar/food processor and whip for 3 - 4 seconds

3. Now mix this well with the grounded oats (dry nuts and other flavorings are optional, and can be added at this stage)

4. Grease in a baking tray with butter and pour the mixture

5. Microwave it for 5 minutes

6. Now switch on the oven to grill mode and cook it for 2 minutes (increase the time to 1 - 2 minutes if necessary, but never leave it unattended...as microwave would easily dehydrate and scorch your food)

7. Now you can indulge yourself with this heavenly soft oats cake

(Note: Cake is done when it springs back to the touch)

Aatu Kaal Paya (Madras Style)

Aatu Kaal Paya is a very delicious curry made from goat/lamb legs. Paya curry is believed to have its origin in the asian culinary tradition. This spicy-scrumptious 100% non-vegetarian dish is my all time favourite (dad's too!), and no wonder i always insist my mom to make it. Even during my recent visit to mom's place...i had it three times!

I'm not sure how the name paya originated, but heard Paya means the feet of Lamb. It is considered a delicacy for breakfast in Southern Part of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. During olden days when wood or coal was used as a cooking fuel, it is believed that women would start this dish at night and slow cook it in until the morning.

Recipes for this dish vary slightly from region to region. In madras we usually eat it with appam, iddiappam, idly, dosa, kal dosa and similar varieties for breakfast, other avatars of paya can be had with naan, roti, phulka...

Mom usually makes paya during the winter months, as it is believed that consumption of peppered paya removes phlegm/sputum from the chest and heats the body. If you love to discover something new on your table, then it's time to try this dish. It is a much enjoyed side dish, but still if you are not comfortable in eating the skin or chewing the bones, you can still enjoy the taste by eating only the curry!

Here I have given the recipe of Aatu Kaal Paya (Madras Style).

Ingredients:

Paya: (Lamb's/Goat's Legs) - a dozen
Onions: 4
Tomato: 1
Oil: 2 tbsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste: 5 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Green Chilly: 3
Poppy Seeds: 1 tsp
Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds: 2 tsp
Bay Leaves: 1 or 2
Cinnamon: 1
Cloves: 4-5
Garam Masala: 2 tsp
Coconut Milk: 1 cup
Curry Leaves: handfull
Freshly Ground Pepper Powder: 1 tsp
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Clean, wash and pressure cook the washed Lamb Legs with little turermic powder and water on simmer flame for about an 1 hour (usually takes more time to cook. So my mom pressure cooks it the previous night and would reheat the cooker the next day morning and would use the cooked legs for the next day morning's breakfast)

2. For the masala: grind Sauted onions and tomato, ginger-garlic paste, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala

3. Now heat oil in a pan, fry Bay Leaves, Cinnamon and Cloves...Now add the grounded masala and cook for a while

4. Now add the cooked Lamb legs to this mixture, mix it well and add required amount of water and close the pan, allow it to cook for atleast 10 min on low flame

5. At this stage add the pepper powder, sliced green chillis and salt to taste and cook for another 5 minutes

6. Sprinkling curry leaves is the last step before switching off the flame

7. Now you can relish this wonderful curry with appam, idly, dosa or anything of your choice.

Spicy Madras Mutton Sukha (dry)

Facts About Mutton..

Mutton is a common red meat, which is not only delicious in biryani, kurma and kebab but also has a high nutritional value and is a good source of easily absorbed zinc and iron.

It has unsaturated fat, which is good for our body and Palmitoleic acid, a 16-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that possesses strong antimicrobial properties. My mommy always insists that taking them at least once a week would strengthen our bones and infact the whole body.

Mutton enables tissue repair, formation of red blood cells and a healthy immune system. Lamb is rich in B vitamins, especially B12. One serving can provide 74-100% of the daily requirement for Vitamin B12, which is essential for the body's metabolic reactions. Lamb is also nature's best source for an amino acid called carnitine, which is needed to generate energy from fatty acids.

Trace elements such as copper, manganese, and selenium are also found in this meat, and it contains a rich supply of high quality protein.

The diet conscious ones need not worry about putting extra pounds, as these days there are low fat Lamb too!

Ready to Cook..

As the name suggests, this is one of our traditional dish made from fresh mutton. Think of the name, my mouth starts watering! Learnt this recipe from Udaya akka (my mama's wife), who is one of the best cooks in our family. Though everyone compliments my Mutton Sukha, but i really feel this is not the best like how akka makes. I know...only practice makes one perfect!

You Need:

Boneless Mutton: 250g (chopped into tiny pieces)

Onion & Tomato finely chopped

Ginger (as desired), Garlic (4-5 cloves), 3 green chilies, 3 tsp Cumin Seeds and 2 tsp fennel seeds: Grounded into a paste

Turmeric powder, pepper powder (3 tsp), garam masala (1 tsp) and salt to taste

Cashew nuts: 8-10

Curry leaves: Handful

Method:

1. Pressure cook the mutton along with turmeric powder, chopped onion, chopped tomato, grounded paste, 1 tsp garam masala and sufficient water (for the mutton to be cooked)

2. Close the cooker lid and allow it to cook for 6 – 8 whistles (depending upon the mutton texture) and keep aside

3. Now take a non-stick pan, heat 4 tsp oil in it. (keep the pan in simmer till the end of the process)

4. Now pick only the mutton pieces from the cooker (keep the stock aside), put the pieces into the pan and keep tossing

5. Now add 3-4 tsp (or as desired) freshly ground black pepper powder, salt and 3 tsp stock from the cooker, and allow it to cook for 3 minutes

6. At the end of the 3rd minute, again add another 3 tsp of stock and keep tossing. (Repeat this 3 times, after every 3 minutes)

7. Now add the curry leaves and cashew nuts, and keep tossing for another 10 minutes or until the mutton pieces become very dry after absorbing all the poured stock. (Total cooking time in pan will be 20-25 minutes)

Serve with plain rice, roti or as a snack (tastes best with rasam rice).

This tastes just as good even after a week (refrigerated).

Madras Filter Coffee/Degree Kaapee

"Madras Filter Coffee" also known as "Degree Kaapee" is made from first decoction.

Most of the Madrasis are coffee lovers, each day is started only with the cup of a filter coffee. The aroma of traditional-authentic "Madras Filter Coffee" is magical and will take you to the heaven!

My akka is an avid coffee lover who would never compromise her first cup of coffee for anything, and believes that her day is incomplete without coffee. For many people like my akka coffee means everything for them and feel time is no barrier for having it.

The traditional Degree Kaapee is brewed using a metal coffee filter that has two containers, the upper container with perforated bottom and lower container to hold the decoction.

Serve: 2 cups

All you need is:

1. Filter Coffee powder - 3 tbsp

2. Water - 3/4 cup

3. Milk - 1 - 1/2 cup

4. Sugar - as desired

How to make it?
1.Add the coffee powder to the upper container

2.Boil water and pour it slowly on top of coffee powder in the upper container till it is 3/4th

3.Allow decoction to drip in lower conatiner (a slow process

that would take around 20 to 30 mins, then allow it to cool down to room temperature)

4.Boil milk and Mix 1/3 cup of dripped coffee decoction with 2/3 cup of boiled milk and sugar as desired

5.The mixed coffee is traditionally served in stainless steel tumbler and cup called the dabarah set

6.Now, pour coffee back and forth between the dabarah and the tumbler in arc-like motion to make the froth

7.Once the required froth is formed, Serve hot and enjoy each sip

Points to remember:
1. Preparing decoction is a technique which is perfected only by practice

2. Vivekanandha/Narasus coffee powder are good choices for the original taste

3. customise your coffee powder by choosing the right proportion (i like my Filter Coffee powder to be in the proportion 70% coffee + 30% chicory...coz i don't like much caffeine)

4. Do not boil after mixing, or reheat the coffee (as the aroma and taste will be lost when reheated)

Know About Madras...

The History...

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state TamilNadu and is India's fourth largest city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.60 million (2006), the 400-year-old city is the 36th largest metropolitan area in the world. Chennai was the site chosen by the British East India Company for a permanent settlement in 1639. It is also a highly political city, as can be seen from the many gradiose memorials to politicians that line Marina Beach.

Madras boasts of a long history from the English, through the British Raj to its evolution in the late 20th century as a services and manufacturing hub for India. Also, the pre-city area of Chennai has a long history within the records of South Indian Empires. The city of  Madras, which is derived from Madraspatnam, has now been renamed as Chennai. There  are  different  versions about the name of  this  once  sleepy  coastal  village.  When the British landed here in 1639  A.D. it was said to be part  of the  empire of the Raja of Chandragiri. The  British named it Chennapattinam,  after they acquired it from Chennappa Nayakar. Gradually, it became Chennai.

The  British are said to have built Fort Saint George, the present seat of power, in 1640. It was named after the patron saint of England. The Vestiges of Old Chennai infer that the original village of Madraspatnam lay north of the proximate to Chennapattinam. In course of time and with rapid growth, the two virtually became one. It is also inferred that the English preferred the name Madraspatnam, while Indians chose Chennapattinam.

School of Industrial Art was started  in 1850, Civil Engineering College in 1834 and Madras Medical College in 1835,etc. The Madras University was started in September 1857. The Chennai High Court was created in June 1862. The Railway Company in Chennai was formed  in July  1845. The first construction work began on 9th June 1853 and  in  1858, South Indian Railway was formed having Chennai as the Railway Headquarters. Lord  Hobart who was the Governor from 1872 to 1875 initiated Chennai Harbour project.

Fairs & Festivities...

Fairs and festivals are held in different parts of the city throughout the year. The festivals associated with Hindu temple are more than 500 in a year. Apart from the traditional fairs and festivals, modern fairs such as exhibitions and national festivals like Independence day and Republic day are  celebrated in the city.

Following are some of the important festivals celebrated in the city;

The Brahmotsavam (including the Arupathumoovar festival) of Kapaleeswarar temple located in Mylapore is celebrated in the Tamil month of Panguni March-April)  and it lasts for ten days. A big fair is held near the temple. The floating festival held in January-February in Mylapore is also very popular.

Of all the festivals celebrated in the Parthasarathy temple in Triplicane, the most important is the Vaikunta Ekadari observed (December-January).

The Brahmothsavam in the month of Chithirai is celebrated for ten days. The car festivals falls on the seventh days and is attended by more than 50000 devotees..The Kirthigai (Karthigai asterism) day every month is a day of festival in the Vada Palani Andavar temple in Kodambakkam.

The annual festivals are Kanda Sashti in Ayppasi month and Uthiram in Panguni month. The floating festivals during the Panguni Uthiram is also well attended.

The Kandaswami temple in Sowcarpet celebrate twenty festivals in a year.

The Kaligaambal Temple in Parrys and Angalaparameshwari Temple in Choolai, are ever celebrated by numerous deevotees for its power and miracles.

The Jathirai festival in Adhi Mottaiamman temple attracts a large number of crowds..Some important festivals celebrated by the Siva-Vishnu temples throughout the city are Navarathri, Sivarathri, Vaikunta Ekadasi and Sri Ram Navami.

The Muslim festivals also attract crowds and give rise to fairs in the city. Easter, Christmas and the New year are  marked by impressive festivities in the  churches in the city like St.Thomas and the Cathedral Church in Santhome.

Apart from the religious festivals, the Chennai Sangamam that happens during the first week of every new year, attract huge crowd and creats a good, healthy mood in the city.

The trade fair (sutrulla porutkatchi) conducted by the Tourism ministry every year in the Island Ground for around 3 months, is another notable event!

As a kid i use to look forward for the Brahmotsavam of Kapaleeswarar temple, Navarathri, Sivarathri and the Trade fair, for the joy and fun i use to have with my sisters...now being away from the city, all those make me nostalgic!

(Photo Courtesy: The Hindu & Wikimedia)