Aval / Poha payasam

Easy & delicious payasam best for any seasons.

Ingredients :

1. Aval - 1/4 cup
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup or to taste
3. Ghee - 1 tbsp
4. Milk - 1 cup (or little more)
5. Powdered cardamom - 1/4 tsp
6. Nuts (Cashewnuts, almonds ) - 1 tbsp (Ground to fine paste)
7. Condensed milk - 2 tbsp
8. Saffron strands - 2 nos (optional)

Direction to cook :

1.   Roast the aval / poha in the ghee.  Add sugar & milk.  Bring it to boil & cook till done.

2.   Now add the cardamom powder, condensed milk, nuts paste & saffron strands.

Serve warm or cold.

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Eggless chocolate cake with chocolate cream icing

This is a perfect moist eggless chocolate cake with rich and creamy chocolate icing, for the chocolate lovers.

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Baking powder -  1/2 tsp
3. Baking soda - 1 tsp
4. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 6 tbsp
5. Granulated sugar - 3/4 cup
6. Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
7. Hot coffee - 1/4 cup ( 1 tsp of coffee in 1/4 cup hot water)
8. Milk - 1/4 cup
9. Yogurt - 1/4 cup
10. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For Icing :

1. Whipping cream - 500 ml
2. Powdered sugar to taste (I used arround 5 tbsp)
3. Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp (Sieved)
4. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
5. Glazed cherries for decoration

Direction to bake :

1.   Preheat the oven at 170 C and line up the baking pan with parchment paper.

2.   Sieve together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & cocoa powder. 

3.   Mix together the vegetable oil, hotcoffee, milk, yoghurt, vanilla extract & granulated sugar.

4.   Combine both dry and wet ingredients on low speed.  Bake it for 30 mins or until done.  Cool the cake completely.

For Icing  :

5.   Whisk the whipping cream along with powdered sugar until spreadable consistency and slowly mix the cocoa powder & vanilla essence.

6.  Now sandwich the icing between the cake & over the cake.  Decorate it with the glazed cherries.

Happy baking.

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Aloo jeera

Very easy to make & taste perfect with rice.  I like to serve this with curd rice in my busy days.  It taste really great and awesome traditional Indian dish.

Ingredients :

1. Potatoes -  4 medium sized
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Red chillies - 2 nos
7. Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
8. Onion - 1 no
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Red chilly powder to taste
11. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
12. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Boil the potatoes & dice them.  Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and chopped onions.  Saute till tender.

2.   Add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and salt.  Saute.

3.   Add red chilly powder, corriander powder, cumin powder & little water.  Saute till cooked.

4.   Add the potatoes & saute.  If needed, garnish it with finely chopped corriander leaves.

Ready to serve.

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Toor Dal Chapathi / Roti

My plan was to  make a plain rotis for the dinner yesterday.  But, I had some leftover boiled dal & finally made this delicious dal rotis which taste great with spicy and hot tomato chutney.  Very healthy & protein rich rotis perfect for everyone.

Ingredients :

1. Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
2. Boiled toor dal - 1/4 cup
3. Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.  Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough with water.  Keep aside for 1/2 hr.

2.   Divide the dough into equal balls & roll them like disc shape.  Cook them on preheated pan on either side until done.

Serve it with hot tomato chutney.

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