Egg Salad Sandwich

Easy to follow egg salad sandwich ideal for breakfast or a for a quick lunch. This egg salad recepi is one of the perfect egg spread for sane a sandwiches or crackers. Top them with a bunch of greens and crunchy zucchini and here you have a filling,creamy,fresh homemade sandwich. With just six ingredients you can make this healthy sandwich in a jiffy. I used French bread for my egg salad sandwich but frankly, any good bread will be great to go with it.

Ingredients

1 loaf of French bread
5 large eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp pepper,crushed
1/4 tsp paprika
1 zucchini,thinly sliced
1 bunch of butterhead/salad leaves,washed and roughly tear
Salt to taste


Methods

Boil water in a pot. Switch off the flame. Let the eggs stand in hot water covered for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water, peel off the shell and mash the egg roughly.

In a bowl, add the mashed eggs,mayonnaise,paprika,salt and pepper

Halve the French bread, spread a generous amount of egg salad on both sides of the bread, Arrange butterhead leaves and sliced zucchini over the egg spread.

Serve immediatelt

Orange Sweet Rolls With Orange Glaze

As always orange sweet rolls comes with a rich orange flavoured filling but this time i'm baking orange rolls without filling. Too much orange in a roll is not my idea for a lazy Sunday breakfast. I want a fluffy, glaze dripping soft and sweet orange rolls at its simplicity.

This orange sweet rolls are lightest and best serve for weekdays or weekends breakfast. I got a dozen of sweet oranges resting in my fridge and i made a good use of them by baking this irresistible gooey orange sweet rolls and to enhance the sweet scent of orange flavour i made a orange glaze to drizzle over the rolls. The wholesome goodness of oranges in a humble sweet rolls for the extra boost of vitamin C.

Ingredients


3-3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp butter,room temperature
1 large egg,room temperature
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp salt


Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp orange extract
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest


Methods

Line the bottom of 9x13 inch baking tray with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for 3-5 minutes or till the yeast foamy.

In a stand mixer bowl, add the flour,orange juice,butter,egg,sugar,salt,orange zest and the yeast mixture. Beat with low speed till and scraping down the sides of the bowl. The dough should be sticky and springy to a touch.

Lightly dust a clean working surface with flour and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a large greased bowl and cover with kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough onto lightly floured work surface and roll the dough using a rolling pin into 10x15 inch rectangle.

Tightly roll up the dough and cut into 14 even rolls. Arrange them on the prepared baking tray and cover them with kitchen towel. Let them sit in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven at 375'F or 190'C and bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or till a skewer inserted in a middle of the rolls comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool them on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.

For The Glaze

In a bowl, combine together the confectioners sugar,orange juice,orange zest and orange extract. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.

Serve along a cuppa

Ghee Ball aka Nei Urundei

When i think of Deepavalli aka Diwali nei urundai(ghee balls) is a must on our sweet table. Nei urundai is my father's favourite Diwali sweets thus, mom always make them in huge portion and store in a giant sized container. It will take only few days for dad to finish it off. He will snack them throughout the day...that much love my dad have for this cute little ghee balls. Wrapping them in a coloured paper has been a tradition in my household and during my childhood, i love to be in charge of the wrapping task/

Cardamom powder gives an aromatic spice note to the melt in mouth ghee balls. Golden fried cashew nuts added into the dough gives a nice crunchiness and the raisins compliment the rich taste of ghee in this humble sweet balls. Wrapped attractively ghee balls aka nei urundei is ready to be served to your family and friends

Ingredient

1 cup ghee
2 cups green gram flour
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 tsp cardamom powder
4 tbsp chopped cashews,fried till golden
3 tbsp raisins


Methods

In a pan dry roast the green gram flour for 5-7 minutes over a medium heat

In a large bowl, combine green gram flour,confectioners sugar,raisins,cardamom powder and cashew nuts. Mix well

In a pan melt the ghee and add ghee to the flour mixture little at a time and start making balls out of the dough.

Make equal size of balls

Store in an airtight container

Notes

The ghee should be hot enough to dampen the flour mixture so that it will be easier to shape the dough into balls.

Samosa

Piping hot samosas with a steaming cup of tea on a rainy day is a pure taste of heaven. Making samosas at home is not a difficult task with simple to follow methods. Crispy outer with spicy soft potato filling  samosas are mostly serve at roadside stalls and cosy restaurants. Samosas are one of many popular Indian snacks. Crispy,light and burst with delightful flavor samosas are great to serve as tea time snack.

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp carom seeds/omam
Vegetable/canola oil for deep frying
Water as required

For Potato Filling

3 medium potatoes,boiled and mashed slighly
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger,finely chopped
1 green chilly,finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilly powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste


Methods

For The Dough

In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour,salt,carom seeds,oil and mix well. Add water little at a time and keep kneading to form a soft dough. Cover with cling wrap and keep aside.

For Filling

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. Once cumin seeds sizzles, add chopped onion,green chilly and ginger. Saute till the onion translucent.

Add the turmeric powder,chilly powder,cumin powder,coriander powder and salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add the mashed potatoes and coriander leaves. Stir well. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Mix well.

Make size ball from the dough. Roll the dough to a round shape with a rolling pin. Cut the rolled dough into half. Wet the sides of the dough with little water and fold it into cone by bringing both side of the edges to the center and overlapping the first.

Fill the cone with the prepared potato stuffing. Seal the edges by wetting it with little water and pleat the edges to secure the filling. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Heat oil in a wok or pan for deep frying. Drop a small piece of the dough into the oil, if it raises to the surface immediately, the oil is hot and ready for deep frying.

Reduce flame to medium, and fry the samosas both sides till golden brown.

Serve with a hot cuppa of tea

S'more Cookies

My very first blog in the year of 2015. Been exactly 3 weeks i'm away from blogging world and blame it for my hospitalization and the recovery process. It's a blessing to return to my blog and able to write my first blog of the year.

Enough story of me and we should talk about this gorgeous looking cookies. S'more cookies is one my long pending cookie recepi i wanted to try my hands on. Finally, i made them and it turns out perfectly. This cookie is the kind of gooey and melt in your mouth. The cookies packed with rich chocolate chips and gooey marshmallow bits and the goodness of graham crackers. No more campfire s'more with this one as the whole family will love it especially the kids. Serve with a glass of milk and watch them gone right under your nose.

Ingredients

3/4 cup graham crackers
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter,room temperature
1/2 tsp salt


Methods

Preheat oven to 350'F or 180'C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a food processor, crush the graham crackers till fine crumbs.

In a large bowl, whisk together the graham crackers crumbs,baking powder,all purpose flour and salt

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter,granulated white sugar and brown sugar for 2 minutes till light and fluffy on medium speed .

Add the vanilla extract and egg. Beat for another 1 minute.

Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat till well incorporated.

With a spatula, fold in the marshmallows and chocolate chips to the cookie dough.

Using a tablespoon, scoop and drop the cookie dough on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool the cookies for 10 minutes

Serve with a glass of milk

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

A perfect breakfast to be served during Falls. Bright yellow pumpkins are everywhere during the season and you can use them from making breakfast,brunch,lunch,tea,snacks,dinner or supper. I bought a pretty giant sized pumpkin and used up most of it in my cooking and baking and, with the small quantity of the leftover i pureed them into my pumpkin pancakes. If you can't get pumpkin puree, simply remove the pumpkin seeds, dice the pumpkin,place them in a steamer and steam for 8-10 minutes. remove from steamer let it cool. Peel off the skin and puree them in a blender or mash with potato masher. Easy right? Now you can have fresh pumpkin puree anytime and forget about store bought.

This bright coloured pumpkin pancakes are fluffy and warm with the hefty dose of pumpkin spices blend. The sweetness from the pureed pumpkin and the warming scent of the spices filled the air of my little kitchen. Drizzle with smoky maple syrup and sprinkle with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds indeed a total package of an ideal Falls breakfast.

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice blend
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs,room temperature
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter,melted
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
Maple syrup for serving

Methods

In a large bowl, sieve together flour,baking powder and baking soda. Set aside

In another bowl, combine pumpkin puree,melted butter,eggs and vanilla extract. Stir well

Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Add pumpkin pie spice blend,sugar and salt. Add the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.

Rest the batter for about 5 minutes

Heat a non stick pan over a medium flame. Pour a laddleful of the batter and cook till the edges a little dry and bubbles appeared. Carefully, flip and cook on the other side for about 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and continue with the remaining batter

Stack up the pancakes on a serving plate, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and a a generous amount of maple syrup.


Notes

• Pumpkin pie spice blend consists of, ground cinnamon, ground cloves,ground ginger and ground nutmeg. You can buy them from store selling spices or simply make your own

Molasses Muffins With Dates And Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are known to protect against cancer and heart disease. It goes well in muffins,cereals,breads and almost all baking goodies. Molasses muffin studded with chopped dates are quick and easy to bake at home. This muffins are perfect for breakfast with perfect sweetness from the molasses and natural goodness of the sweet and sticky dates. Its a perfect dates muffin recipe to mix up and bake in less than thirty minutes.

Molasses can be found in most hypermarket or shop selling baking goods. Molasses are known as black treacle in the West and produced by refining sugarcane or sugar beets into dark substance of moist granular sugar. The muffins were super moist and soft to every bite. Bake some of this yummy molasses muffins with dates and flaxseeds for your family and enjoy the wholesome goodness.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup molasses
1 cup chopped dates
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange rind
1/2 tsp salt


Methods

Preheat oven at 350'F or 180'C and line 12 muffin mould tin with muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine molasses, buttermilk,egg,flaxseed meal,dates and salt.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.

Gently add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the vanilla extract and orange rind

Stir to combine and fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Garlic Muruku

This recipe calls for gram flour/kadalai mavu which is lack in an ordinary plain muruku and that makes it special. The star ingredients in this garlic muruku, is the humble garlic which lends tons of flavor to the dish. With the right balance of spiciness from the dried chillies and aromatic spices, garlic muruku makes an ideal tea time snack on a rainy day.

Garlic are well known for solving problems related to body wind and asafoetida is good for digestion. This is one of the way of snacking without guilt. The dry red chillies gives a beautiful colur to the deep fried muruku and the cumin seeds add extra kick in every bite. Should i give you more reasons to try it for yourself???

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour
2 cups gram flour
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
4 dry red chillies
1/4 tsp asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying


Methods

In a grinder, grind together garlic and dry red chillies with little water into a smooth paste. Keep aside

In a bowl, combine rice flour,gram flour,salt,cumin seeds,sesame seeds and asafoetida. Mix well

Rub the butter into the flour mixture. Add the ground garlic mixture and water. Start kneading into a soft dough.

Heat oil in a frying pan/wok. Place the dough into a murukku mould fitted with single star nozzle and press the muruku directly into the hot oil.

Fry till golden on both sides and drain on kitchen towel

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container

Churros With Chocolate Sauce

I had my first churros few weeks ago in a kiosk. Personally, i felt it was a little pricey for a dough and the chocolate sauce dipping comes with a different price. After tasting i can guess most of the ingredients use in the making and back home i started to search for churros recipe. Thousand and one recipes listed and all calls for a simple ingredients and very much easy to make.

The next day i started to make my own churros with chocolate sauce dipping. The churros takes no time to make and i love the simplicity of the ingredients used in the making. I enjoyed piping out the churros in the hot oil and they puffed up immediately (thanks to the added baking powder) to reveal their signature looks with lines in-between. They were soft and pillowy and goes really well with rich and chocolaty chocolate sauce. With a generous dip of the creamy chocolate sauce, i forgot how many i munched on...

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp granulated white sugar
1 egg,beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil

For Chocolate Sauce

1 cup of semisweet choc chips
1/2 cup cream


Methods

In a saucepan, add 1 cup of water and salt. Stir and bring to boil.

In a bowl, sieve together flour and baking powder. Add salt and mix.

Add the boiling water into the flour mixture, stirring constantly and add the vanilla extract and egg. Stir well to form a smooth dough with no lumps.

Spoon the dough into pastry bag fitted with large star tip.

Heat oil in a frying pan and once oil is hot enough for deep frying, gently pipe the batter direct into the hot oil. Use kitchen scissor to detach the batter from the pastry bag after each squeeze.

Fry for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat on both sides or until golden. Remove from oil and drain on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

For Chocolate Sauce

Boil water in a pot, place a large bowl on the pot (preferably a bowl that is larger than the pot)

Add the chocolate chips on the bowl and stir till the chocolate melted.

Add the cream and stir till the chocolate are completely dissolved and glossy.

Remove from heat.

Serve the churros with chocolate sauce

Coconut Athirasam

One of the most popular Indian sweets and favorite for many, athirasam is an authentic brown beauty to decorate sweets table in any celebration. Instead of traditional athirasam i made this coconut version athirasma during Diwali and happy that it turns out really well. After Diwali, i made coconut athirasam twice mainly because my girls are fond of this sweet treat. This time, i made quite a big portion and stored the left over dough in the freezer and deep fried it after three days and it tastes the same goodness of coconut and jaggery sweet dough.

I used jaggery in this sweets which is an ideal combination to go with the freshly grated coconut to enhance the flavor. The aroma of powdered cardamom and dried ginger lingered in my kitchen while frying the dough and good news is, the spices well known to aids digestion as well. More reason to snack on this sweet meat.

Ingredients

2 cups rice flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
1 cup grated jaggary
3 cardamom pods,powdered
Pinch of dried ginger powder
Oil for deep frying


Methods

In a bowl, stir well the grated jaggery with water till completely dissolved. Filter to remove scrum,if any. Boil the jaggery in a pan till it thicken. We are not looking for any thread consistency here. Remove from heat.

Add the grated coconut into the thickened jaggery and stir to combine. Add the rice flour,powdered cardamom and ginger powder and stir to make a dough.

When the dough cool off slightly, make a small balls and pat down with your fingers to form disc.

Heat oil in a frying pan/wok over a medium heat. Gently, drop the prepared athirasam into the hot oil and fry both side for about 2-3 minutes at each side.

Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil

Serve hot over a cup of chai

Classic Vanilla Butter Cake

Butter cake is such a classic recipe which loves by many. As the name suggest, butter cake requires a good quality of butter and strictly do not substitute butter with margarine. Butter cake never been outdated till todate, you can find butter cake in many cake shops. I'm not a big fan of cake but, butter cake and cheese cake are exceptional.

Butter cakes makes the best cake for birthdays and  great for tea time as well. This is a simple and easy butter cake recipe even a beginner can bake in no time. Serve this rich,buttery,fluffy and decadent butter cake with a cup of tea or coffee to woo your family and friends...they'll never be disappointed.

Ingredients

1 cup self raising flour
1 cup butter,room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream/buttermilk
1 cup confectioners sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract


Methods

Preheat oven at 320'F or 160'C. Line a cake pan with parchment paper. Keep aside

Using a stand/hand mixer, beat butter and sugar till cream and fluffy

Add eggs one at a time. Add cream/buttermilk and vanilla extract

Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and beat till well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from oven, cover the cake pan with aluminium foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean