الأربعاء، 31 ديسمبر 2014

Microwave Fruit Cake/Eggless Plum cake recipe in 3 Minutes-Microwave Recipes

Eggless microwave fruit cake

I wish all my friends and readers merry Christmas and a very happy New year,2017 Party.I should have posted this cake recipe before Christmas.But i couldn't do it as i was busy with some personal workWorried.Better late than never,here is this easy microwave plum cake/ dry fruit cake recipe for you all.Try this cake for your kids as evening snacks or for this New year 2016 and have a great celebration Dancing.I tried this recipe from “The Hindu” Christmas special recipes edition.I made some changes in the actual recipe to make it more soft n flavourful.It came out really spongy and crumbly as well.I tried this cake twice with and without cocoa powder too.Both came out well but i liked the one without cocoa powder.Its a very easy n awesome cake recipe that can be made in 3 minutes using a microwave.It can also be done in pressure cooker i guess.Please check this link for my cooker cake recipe to get some idea.Also check out my Christmas fruit cake recipe using convection mode if interested ! Lets see how to make this easy,yummy,eggless,no butter,no condensed milk microwave fruit cake recipe in 3 minutes at home easily !

Microwave plum cake

Microwave plum cake recipe/Fruit cake


Microwave plum cake recipe/Fruit cake Microwave plum cake/Fruit cake recipe for Christmas !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Cakes
Serves: 10 pieces
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 3 Minutes
Total time: 13 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
For 1 cup = 250 ml
  • Maida - 1 cup
  • Sugar or brown sugar - 1/2 cup ( 100 gms )
  • Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
  • Curd - 1 tbsp ( semi solid,fresh)
  • Cooking soda - 1/2 tsp
  • Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Oil - 1/4 cup / 60 ml
  • Lion dates syrup - 4 tbsp
  • Water - 1/2 cup/125 ml + (2 tbsp extra,only if needed)
  • All spice powder OR powdered cinnamon,cloves & nutmeg – 1/2 tsp
  • Cocoa powder – 2 tbsp (optional)
  • **Finely chopped dry fruits n nuts - 1/3 cup (add more if u wish)
  • Orange zest - 1 tbsp
** I used cashews,badam,pista,walnut,plum,cherries,tutti frutti,raisins
METHOD

  • Heat 1/2 cup ie 125 ml of water in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute.Put the finely chopped nuts & dry fruits in water and let it soak for 10 minutes.
Eggless microwave fruit cake-1
  • In the mean time,sieve maida,cocoa powder,baking soda,baking powder and set aside.
  • To the soaked dry fruits mixture,add sugar,oil,curd,vanilla essence,orange zest and lion dates syrup.Mix well till sugar dissolves.
Eggless microwave fruit cake-2
  • To this, add the sieved maida mixture & all spice powder .Fold it well in one direction.Cake batter would be slightly thick but pourable.If u feel the mixture is very thick,add 1 –2 tbsp of warm water to it and mix well.
  • Grease a microwave safe bowl with oil generously and pour half of the cake batter till half of the bowl.Cake will rise till the rim.So you should bake in two batches.
Eggless microwave fruit cake-3
  • Microwave in high power for 2-3 minutes ( mine is 800w.It took 3 minutes ).Please keep an eye after 2 minutes based on the power of your microwave.If u over bake it,cake will burn or the sides will be dry n chewy.Please be careful.
  • Remove the bowl after 2 minutes & insert the back of spoon.If the spoon comes out clean or with little crumbs,cake is done.If u see the uncooked batter in the spoon,keep it for another 30 seconds and test it again.If not done,keep it for 30 seconds more.Cook till your cake is done.Remove the cake bowl from microwave as soon as its done and keep it outside for 5 minutes.Run a knife all through the sides and loosen it.Invert it in a bowl.Cake will come out easily.Some of the portion might be sticking to the bowl.But that’s fine.Serve hot if u like or keep the cake completely covered and set aside for an hour.It tastes the best when served after 1-2 hours as the cake needs some standing time for all the flavour to infuse well.But don’t keep the cake open.It will dry soon.
Eggless microwave fruit cake-6
  • If u want to make the cake without cocoa powder,do refer the pics below.U will get some idea.Also check out the cake batter consistency which is missing in cocoa version.
Eggless microwave fruit cake-4
Eggless microwave fruit cake-5
  • No need to refrigerate the cake.You can keep it outside for 2 days but keep it covered else cake will become dry.( I always store my cake covered with a lid inside the oven after it cools down because that is the safe place to avoid ants)

Enjoy !
Note

  • This cake takes maximum of 3 minutes to cook in microwave 800w power.So keep an eye after 2 minutes if yours is more than 800w.
  • Over baking makes the cake hard n chewy.Take care.
  • This cake remains soft even for two days if properly covered and stored.Else the outer layer will turn dry.
  • Adding cocoa powder is optional.U can skip it and use the other ingredients as given above.No need to reduce the quantity of water or oil.



Microwave fruit cake


Try this easy microwave cake recipe for New year,2017.Have a fantastic year ahead !!
Eggless-microwave-fruit-cake-recipe

الاثنين، 29 ديسمبر 2014

Spicy Portobello Mushroom Chili

spicy mushroom chili

It might seem strange to call this chili, as it contains neither meat nor beans. Nevertheless, the portobellos add a meaty texture to this spicy dish that is reminiscent of traditional chilies. The mushrooms are simmered in a rich and spicy tomato base, along with some red bell pepper, resulting in a comforting dish that will heat you up and satisfy any cravings for spiced up food. Needless to say, mushroom fanatics like myself with also get their fungus fix. I served this alongside some sweet potato fries, but it would be quite good with brown or white rice too. To fill it out further, serve with a leafy green salad on the side.

portobello chili

Spicy Portobello Mushroom ChiliSpicy Portobello Mushroom Chili with Sweet Potato Fries
Recipe by
Adapted from The Chubby Vegetarian
Published on December 29, 2014

Simple hearty no-meat and no-bean portobello mushroom chili served with zesty sweet potato fries

Print this recipePrint this recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 oz (14 g) dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon coconut or other cooking oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 fresh chilies or jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 3 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1 teaspoon coconut or brown sugar
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
  • fresh cracked black pepper
Sweet potato fries (optional):
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
  • sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions:
  • To make the chili, begin by soaking the dried mushrooms in 2/3 cup hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking water, and roughly chop the mushrooms. Set both aside.

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion to the pan and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is nicely browned. Add the chilies or jalapeños, ginger and ground spices. Stir and fry for a few minutes, then add the tomato and sugar and cook until it thickens a little — roughly 5 minutes. Add all of the mushrooms to the pan, the red pepper and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until thickened to your desired consistency.

  • Meanwhile, if making the sweet potato fries, toss the sweet potato strips with the olive oil, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 450° oven for 15 minutes. Make sure not to crowd the potatoes on the pan. Flip the sweet potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes until golden. Season with more salt and some black pepper.

  • When the chili has finished cooking, season with salt and plenty of black pepper. If it is not thick enough, remove the lid and simmer for a while longer. Serve hot over rice or sweet potato fries, topped with pieces of avocado, accompanied by a leafy green salad on the side.

  • Note: Adjust the amount of chili powder used according to your preference. The intensity of heat varies depending on what kind of chili powder you are using. Here I used Kashmiri chili powder, which tends to be a bit milder than most chili powders.

Makes 6 servings

portobello mushroom chili

Other chili recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Black Bean and Quinoa Mexican-Style Chipotle Vegetarian Chili
Black Bean Chili with Mushrooms and Toasted Spices
Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

الأحد، 28 ديسمبر 2014

Millet Flour Porridge Recipe/Millet Sathu Maavu Kanji-Millet Recipes

Millet-porridge-recipe

Last month i shared our homemade mixed millet flour/energy mix powder/sathu maavu recipe here.Using that flour,i have shared an instant sathu maavu dosa recipe too.Recently i tried sweet & savoury porridge/kanji using my millet energy mix powder for our Sunday breakfast.It came out really well and it was flavourful too.Making this millet porridge is just a 10 minutes job.You can try sweet or savory version based on your liking.If u have less time in hand to prepare your breakfast,this millet porridge is an easy & healthy option with health benefits of all the millets in one dish.Its one of the ideal recipes for weight loss too.It keeps u energetic and full.Do try it n let me know your feedbackHappy.If u don’t want to make millet powder on your own,u can also buy the organic millet powders available in stores and prepare this porridge.But homemade millet powder is economical always ! You can try this porridge for one year old babies too.But keep in mind,u should add just 1 tsp of this powder for 2 cups of water,make it really watery and give them for the first time.If it suits them,u can increase the quantity of powder gradually.Check out my millet flour ladoo/Sathu maavu urundai recipe using jaggery if interested !





Millet porridge-sweet
Millet porridge-savory

Millet flour porridge recipe


Millet flour porridge recipe Millet flour porridge recipe/Millet sathu maavu kanji recipe for breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Breakfast
Serves: Serves 2-3
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 15 Minutes


INGREDIENTS

For sweet porridge
  • Grated jaggery - 1/3 cup
  • Cardamom seeds - 2nos ( crushed)
  • Boiled milk - 1/4 cup ( as needed)
For spicy version
  • Thick curd - 3 tbsp
  • Salt - as needed
To temper
  • Cooking oil - 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
  • Hing/asafetida - 1/8 tsp
  • Red chilli or mor milagai - 1 no ( pinched)
  • Curry leaves - few
  • Coriander leaves - little
METHOD

  • Take 5 cups of water in a big bowl and mix the millet powder without any lumps.Use a wire whisk.Add a pinch of salt and let it boil well for 10minutes in medium high flame.Stir it once or twice in the middle because it may overflow.The porridge will thicken slightly and its color changes with a shine.It shows that the millet flour is cooked well.
Millet porridge recipe
  • Now remove half of the porridge to another bowl for making savory version.Let it cool.In the mean time,add grated jaggery to the remaining half of the porridge and boil well in low flame.Jaggery melts and mixes with porridge.Color of porridge changes to golden yellow based on the color of jaggery.After the jaggery is melted,allow the porridge to boil for 2 minutes to remove the raw smell of jaggery.Lastly add the crushed cardamom seeds.Mix well and add little milk before serving.Mix well n serve ! ( Do not add milk when the porridge is boiling.It will curdle the mixture.So add boiled milk only after u switch off the flame)
Millet porridge recipe-sweet
  • Take the porridge reserved for savory version. To this,add 3 tbsp of lightly sour curd.Mix well with a wire whisk or beater.Add the required salt and temper all the above said ingredients.
    • You can also add finely chopped raw mango pieces & green chillies,ginger to this porridge to make it more flavourful!
  • Add the tempered items to the porridge.Mix well and serve !
Millet porridge recipe-savory

Enjoy !


Note

  • If u are trying this porridge for the first time,just follow the above measurements.This would give u medium thick consistency porridge.
  • If u want thicker porridge,add 1 tbsp more millet powder Or if u want thinner porridge,add 1 cup of more water.Adjust as per ur liking.
  • You can also add sugar in place of jaggery.In that case,add 2-3 tbsp.Check for sweetness and add more.
  • Adjust the quantity of jaggery as per your taste.
  • You can also add finely chopped raw mango pieces & green chillies,ginger to this porridge to make it more flavorful!

Try this quick n easy millet flour porridge for your breakfast and have a healthy start of the day !
Millet-flour-porridge-recipe
 

السبت، 27 ديسمبر 2014

30 Kuzhambu Recipes-South Indian Kuzhambu Varieties


30 kuzhambu recipes
(Updated)
Generally people of Tamil nadu love to make different varieties of kuzhambu for their lunch.We don’t like to eat the same sambar,vathal kuzhambu or rasam everyday.Even in my home,both mom & MIL make at least 7 varieties of kuzhambu for a week.They don’t repeat a kuzhambu at least for 10 days.For my MIL’s kuzhambu varieties,few tsp of our homemade sambar powder is all u need.There are no or very less grinding work.Whereas my mom’s kuzhambu varieties have some grinding job but it tastes flavourful & awesome as most of them are freshly ground with Nellai touch.Both are completely different in procedure and taste.Here i have shared nearly 30+3 Vegetarian kuzhambu/gravies recipes of my mom & MIL under one page for easy n quick reference.Most of these gravies are simple & easy to make for beginners and bachelors too.Among these 30 gravies,u can find some varieties of vegetable sambar recipes and brahmin style arachuvitta sambar.Similarly u can find varieties of Vathal kuzhambu like sundakkai vatha kuzhambu,Poondu kuzhambu,Puli kuzhambu,Manathakkali vatha kuzhambu,ennai kathrikai kuzhambu,brinjal masala kuzhambu & Kara kuzhambu recipes along with an iyengar style milagu kuzhambu recipe.Other than this,u can also find mor kuzhambu,paruppu urundai kuzhambu,Poricha kuzhambu,bittergourd/Pavakkai pitlai,Vazhaipoo kulambu,Yam,pumpkin and ridge gourd gravies too.Please click on the picture to view the respective recipe.I have given most of the recipes with step by step pictures.Soon i will update the remaining kuzhambu recipes in my blog and add them here.Thanks for visiting this page.Do try all these kuzhambu recipes and enjoy cooking varieties! Very soon,in the year 2016,u can expect some yummy n easy lunch menu recipes in my blog.Stay tuned Cool.Ok,lets see the collection of South Indian kuzhambu recipes !
Please don’t forget to leave your feedback in the comments section if you try any of these kuzhambu recipes.It will help others too ! Thanks Happy.


South Indian Kuzhambu recipes


South Indian Kuzhambu recipes Tamil nadu style kuzhambu varieties for lunch !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Gravies
Serves: Serves 3
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 35 Minutes

UPDATED WITH 3 MORE KUZHAMBU RECIPES


 Vendhaya kuzhambu/Masala kara kuzhambu Easy mixed vegetable sambar Thakkali kuzhambu/Tomato gravy