Spongy Walnut Pound Cake

Try this new dessert and my tea time favorite "Spongy Walnut Pound Cake". When I first tasted it, it was very indulging, spongy and nutty served with fresh fruit. This is a classic recipe in Indian bakery's made without nuts.

My friend Neha taught me this recipe. I was extremely overwhelmed and blow away when I took a bite of this cake for the first time. Though I don't bake often, I made this cake several times in last couple of years.

Ingredients

3 Eggs

1 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Cold Milk (optional)

2 tsp Vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

Method

• Beat together eggs, sugar, milk and butter using a electric mixer on high speed until it is fluffy
• Add vanilla extract, salt and baking powder. And then beat the mixture
• Reduce the speed of electric mixer and slowly add the flour in batches. Mix until the batter becomes creamy
• Now add chopped walnuts and fold the batter
• Preheat over at 350 F
• Pour the batter on a greased cake pan and place it on middle rack in the oven. Bake for 1 hour until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow 30 minutes for cooling time
• Serve with fresh fruit

                                          

Khara Papdi

Try this quick recipe  to devour. An easy tea time snack to munchkin. Khara papri are thin crisps deep fried spicy squares paired with tea. It is spicy, light and easy to prepare.

I make papdis to prepare chats like masala puri, dhahi papdi, papdi chat or sometimes serve it plain with tea or coffee. Another innovative use is to add it in salads. Just crush papdis and add it to salads. It is crispy in every bite. I also liked the idea to eat it like chips and salsa or just dip with tangy chutney!!

Ingredients

1 cup Flour

1 tsp Pepper corns

1/2 tsp Ajwain (caraway seeds)

1/2 tsp Salt

Cold water

Oil for deep frying

Method

• Coarsely grind pepper corns and ajwain
• Whisk together flour, pepper powder, ajwain and salt
• Add cold water to knead into stiff dough. Cover it with a damp cloth and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes
• Now divide the dough into equal shaped balls. Roll each ball into thin circles., Prick papdi using fork
• Use cookie cutter to cut into different shapes
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed deep dish
• Gently drop each papdi into oiol. Fry evenly until it turns golden brown
• Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil. Set aside until it cools. Store in an air tight container for future use

Thalapakatti Veg Biryani

Minty, peppery, spicy and flavored vegetable biryani from Dindugal. Its an appealing dish cooked for masses. Thalapakatti is a regional cuisine from Dindugal in Tamil Nadu. 

Me and PG had Thalapakatti Veg Biryani at our friends place. Our dear friend Kamalesh and his newly wed wife Sukanya made this charming and enticing dish. 

This recipe is infused with flavors of several spices such as bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, mace, star anise and coriander.Vegetables are cooked with a perfect blend of all these spices. Truly a delectable dish!!

Ingredients

2 cups of mixed Vegetables (carrots, peas, mushroom, beans, potato, cauliflower..), diced

1/2 cup Oil

2 Bay leaf

6 Cloves

6 Cardamom pods

2 Sticks of Cinnamon

1 Mace

1 Star Anise

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp Pepper corns

5 Green Chilies

a Sprig of Curry Leaves

3 tsp crushed Ginger and Garlic

1 large Onion, Cut lengthwise

1 small bunch of Mint, only leaves & chopped

1 small bunch of Cilantro, chopped

1 Tomato, diced

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Biryani Powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam Masala

4 cups Seeragasamba Rice / Basmati Rice

4 cups of water

Salt

Method

• Wash and soak rice in water for 15 minutes
• In a large pot, heat oil. When it is smoking hot, add these ingredients - bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, mace, star anise, fennel seeds, pepper corns, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger & garlic. Saute for few seconds
• Then add onions and  tomatoes. Saute until onions and tomato softens
• Add coriander leaves and mint
• Add the vegetables, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, biryani masala and salt. Cook vegetables on medium heat without adding water. About 15 minutes
• Now drain water from the rice. And transfer the rice to the pot. Add water and adjust salt as per to the taste. Mix well. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. 
• Serve hot with raita

Thalapakatti Chicken Biryani

Minty, peppery, spicy and flavored chicken biryani from Dindugal. Its an appealing dish cooked for masses. Thalapakatti is a regional cuisine from Dindugal in Tamil Nadu. 

Me and PG had Thalapakatti Chicken Biryani at our friends place. Our dear friend Kamalesh and his newly wed wife Sukanya made this charming and enticing dish. 

This recipe is infused with flavors of several spices such as bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, mace, star anise and coriander. Chicken is cooked with a blend of all these spices. Truly a delectable dish!!

Ingredients

500 gms Chicken (with bones)

1/2 cup Oil

2 Bay leaf

6 Cloves

6 Cardamom pods

2 Sticks of Cinnamon

1 Mace

1 Star Anise

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp Pepper corns

5 Green Chilies

a Sprig of Curry Leaves

3 tsp crushed Ginger and Garlic

1 large Onion, Cut lengthwise

1 small bunch of Mint, only leaves & chopped

1 small bunch of Cilantro, chopped

1 Tomato, diced

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Biryani Powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam Masala

4 cups Seeragasamba Rice / Basmati Rice

4 cups of water

Salt

Method

• Wash and soak rice in water for 15 minutes
• In a large pot, heat oil. When it is smoking hot, add these ingredients - bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, mace, star anise, fennel seeds, pepper corns, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger & garlic. Saute for few seconds
• Then add onions and  tomatoes. Saute until onions and tomato softens
• Add coriander leaves and mint
• Add Chicken, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, biryani masala and salt. Cook chicken on medium heat without adding water. About 25-30 minutes
• Now drain water from the rice. And transfer the rice to the pot. Add water and adjust salt as per to the taste. Mix well. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. 
• Serve hot with raita

Akki Rotti

Pan fried, pancake shaped, crispy rotti made with rice flour. Akki ( rice in Kannada) rotti is a southern Karnataka based breakfast recipe. Akki rotti is usually compliments with coconut chutney and sometimes ghee is also preferred. Also , it is served with spicy mutton curry which is my favorite accompaniment. 

It's a southern delicacy where only few restaurants include rotti in their menu mainly because it is time consuming and takes a little longer to cook when compared to Dosa. But home made rotti's always tastes so good. There are infinite variations to this recipe. Any kind of shredded vegetables can be added to the dough and also increases its nutritional value. 

Ingredients

4 cups of Rice flour2 Onions, finely chopped1 large bunch of Dill5 Green chilis, chopped1 tsp Cumin seeds4 tsp Grated coconutSaltWater Oil for pan fry

Method

• Boil water in a pot
• Mix together rice flour, onions, dill, cumin seeds, green chilies and salt

• Add boiling water in small batches just enough to for the dough

• Cover the mixing bowl . The steam which is trapped allows the dough to cook partially. Set aside for 15-20 minutes
• Divide the dough into equal portions. Take each portions and shape it into balls
• Place one portion of the shaped dough on a greased flat pan. Wet your palm and  pat the dough to form a pancake working from inwards and spread it evenly outwards 

                                                 

• Add few drops of oil on the edges. Cook on medium heat on both the sides until it turns golden brown

• For the next rotti, cool the pan with running cold water and repeat the above 2 steps
• Serve hot with coconut chutney. And some ghee is also preferred 

Mixed Vegetable Sagu for Dosa and Idli

Have excess vegetables in refrigerator? An innovative solution to use all the vegetables is making this delicious mixed vegetable Sagu. If you are looking for a simple healthy eating options, then this is the recipe to look for. It is quick and one pot recipe. 

Ingredients

5 cups of mixed vegetables - carrots, green beans, opo squash, potato etc..

1 Onion, diced

1 Tomato, diced

Salt

2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

For masala-

1/2 cup Fresh coconut

1 tsp Fennel seeds

4 Cloves

1 stick of Cinnamon

1inch piece of Ginger

Method

• Make a smooth paste of all the ingredients listed under Masala. Add little water to grind the masala 
• Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds
• When the oil starts to sizzle, add onions and sauté until it softens
• Add tomatoes and sauté until it softens
• Add all chopped vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes
• Add the ground masala, 1 cup of water and adjust salt as per to the taste. Pressure cook for 15 minutes
• Serve hot with Dosa and idli 

Vada Pav

A desi veggie burger, common man's food in Indian state of Maharasthra and a popular street food. 

Spongy buns are loaded with deepfried Indian styled potato croquettes, complimented with spicy coriander chutney and pungent garlic chutney. Trust me every bite is wonderfully versatile. Vada pav is a all day recipe served for breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner.

Serving - 10 vadas

Ingredients

For Potato filling-

4 large potatoes, boiled, peeled & mashed

2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 Tsp Grated ginger

4 Green chilies, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 sprig of Curry leaves

1 Onion, diced

Handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Salt

For batter-

1 1/2 cups of Chickpea flour

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

Water as needed 

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Other ingredients

10 Hawaiian rolls or mini burger buns 

Cilantro chutney (Click link for the recipe)

Garlic chutney (Click link for the recipe)

Method 

For potato filling-

• Heat oil is a skillet. Add mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves. When it starts to sizzle, add onions and turmeric powder. Sauté until onions softnes
• Add salt and mashed potato. Mix well and leave it on low heat for 3-4 minutes
• Add cilantro and mix well
• After potatos cools, divide it into 10 equal portions. Dip your hand in water and shape each portion into balls. 

For batter-

• In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under Batter. Add enough water to make a thick batter and whisk well

For vada-

• Heat oil for deep frying
• Dip  potato ball in chickpea batter and gently drop it into oil
• Fry evenly. Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil

Final step-

• Spread green chutney on one side of the bun and garlic chutney on the other side
• Place the freshly prepared vada between the bun and serve it with a cup of chai