Chocolate cupcakes!!!

I think there is no need to say for whom i made this!!!! To finish my large tin of cocoa powder many chocolate recipes will be coming up in this blog!!!

My daughter likes everything in chocolate flavour! Well my son is only 2 + now im wondering what his requirement will be when hes 4-5 yrs!!!

I saw these cup cakes in another blog but forgot which one and in that blog there was a link to the original recipe 

I didnt do the frosting but i topped my cupcake with vanilla ice cream.  I followed the exact recipe and it was soft and fluffy! :)

Marble cakes and cupcakes!

I have been baking and grilling a lot now a days but unfortunately my camera is dead and my camera phone is not so good in taking pics.. By the time i wait for my hubby to come home to take a pic from his iPhone half of the thing is eaten by mu kids and then i think ok may be i'll post this next time... i have a lot of drafts and im wondering when im going to post all of this!!!

today my daughter told me lets make a cake together! Its really hard to resist a almost 5 yr old! :D

So i decided to make my first marble cake from scratch! i have been baking a lot from www.Allrecipes.com so i decided to go there and search for this recipe. And i think this is the perfect recipe

then she said she wants cup cakes.. So with 3/4th of the batter i made a marble pound cake and the rest i made marble cup cakes.. i even mixed a little more cocoa pwdr in one or 2 cupcakes to make it chocolate cup cakes and some into plain white cup cake. 

I followed the recipe exactly but reduced the flour by 1/2 cup as some of the reviewers suggested but kept everything else the same. 

Garlic Bread toppped with eggs!

Now that i brought an electric oven i have been in a mood to bake n grill... :) so fa i made choc chip cookies and oatmeal cookies.. both of them have been so fast moving that i didn't even have time to take a pic and post it! LOL!!

today morning i thought i would make some garlic bread.. But then i thought it would be very light so i decided to cover it up with some eggs.. (my friend Afroze's idea) so that everyone will get some carb,proteins,fats etc all together!!!!
Blend 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp of olive spread, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 small bunch of parsley into a smooth paste.

2 hard boiled eggs cut into thin slices

2 slices of cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Cut the bread half and apply the blended paste on it. Top up with cheese and the eggs.. im sure kids are gonna love it!

Easy Veg Pulav

Another of my fav rice varities! well actually not mine my picky eater son loves this! He'll eat this without yogurt!! A rare thing otherwise with any type of rice he needs yogurt!!! :) This is also easy and packed up with all the vegs. I usually cut the vegs into small pieces so that he wont even notice that he is eating it :)

You'll need

Ghee - 2 tbsps
cardamon and cloves - 3-4
cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
bay leaf - 1
onion finely chopped - 1
basmati rice - 3 cups washed and soaked
mix vegs finely chopped- 1 cup (carrots,beans,corn,peas) or what ever u like
turmeric pwdr - 1/4 tsp
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
water - 6 cups
salt to taste

Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan and add the whole spices. When the smell comes out add the onions and fry till brown. Add water to it. When the water boils add the rest of the ingredients and close the pan and cook for 15 mts. Serve with raita, pickle,pappadam.

I usually finely chop all the vegs so that the kids wont notice it.

Another entry for the Rice Mela and Wholesome Lunch Box Event!

Neyichor/ Ghee rice

Neyichor/Ghee rice is another very famous rice in malabar. And my kiddos love it. I was late today from my daughter school so i though i'll make this because its easy and fast and i had chicken curry to go with it!!

I usually make neychor and biriyani with kaima or kola rice, which gives an authentic malabar taste! but as didnt have it at home i made it with basmati rice.

Well another reason is i wanted to send this enty for Srivallis Rice Mela!!

All you'll need for this is--

4 cups basmati rice
4 cardomons
4 cloves
a small piece of cinnamon
1 small onion
2 tbsp of ghee
salt to taste
8 cups of water

Heat the ghee in a nonstick vessel or any other heavy bottom vessel.
Add the spices to it.
When the smaell comes out of the spieces add the onions and saute till brown.
After that add water and salt to it.
Once the water boils add rice to it and cook till all the water drains off.

Its so easy and ur kids will sure love this with or without any curry!




Heres the pic of neyichor with chicken curry.

Lauki Halwa

I have been thinking to make soething sweet for a long time. And when i had a really large Lauki i thought ok then i'll make Laki halwa today. This is the first time i'm trying it and this is a combination of 3 recipes i got from google!

i made it like this...

3 cups of grated lauki
1 and half cups of milk
1/2 cup milk maid
3 cardomons
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp ghee
a pinch of salt

Heat ghee in a non stick and add lauki to it. Once its soft and translucent add milk. And cook on slow fire till the milk reduces. As it reduces all a pinch of salt and milkmaid. Mix well. when it reduces again add sugar and mix till its thick. Garnish with almonds and cashew nuts.

I always cool any desserts and home made halwas coz my kiddos like it that way. I hope u guys will like it!!


im sending this entry for the Sweet Series!! Look out for more halwas and burfies in my blog!

Winter Melon Curry

This is another entry for the Curry Mela hosted by Srivalli.. Im wondering what Mela will be next month!

Winter melon curry is my sons fav curry with rice. He likes all yellow curries.. i still wonder why! LOL!! i make this curry once a week for him. And this, as most of my recipes are very easy to make!

2 cups winter melon cut into small cubes
11/2 cups grated coconut
2 springs curry leaves
3 green chills
1/2 tsp turmeric pwdr
1/2 tsp jeera
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
3 tbsp yogurt

In a mud pot or chatti cook the winter melon with curry leaves, green chilis, turmeric and salt till soft.
Grind the coconut with jeera to a fine paste. And bring it to a boil. Turn off the stove and add the yogurt to it and mix well again
In a kadai add oil and splutter the mustard seeds and curry e and add it to the winter melon.
Your curry is done. serve it with rice.

Egg Curry

Im reposting this entry for the Curry Mela hosted by Srivalli.. You rock girl!!!!

I love this one because its very easy to prepare and my kiddos loves it. So when im lost thinking what to cook i just make this because this goes well with all types of rotis! Today i made Neriya Pathiri and to go with it i made this egg curry.

This is how i made it. You'll need

• 1/2 of a medium sized onion
• 1 cup coconut
• 2-3 shallots
• 2 eggs
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

1. Grind the coconut and shallots to a fine paste.
   
2. Heat up a Kadai or mud pot (we call a mud pot Chatti in malayalam)!
3. Add oil and then onions.
4. when the onions are light brown add the eggs and keep on stirring for 1 minute
5. Add the grinded coconut mixture and let it boil.
   

You can also add green chilies to it if you want to make it spicy but i dont do it because my kiddos dont like spicy.

Poha - Beaten rice

This is another express breakfast i prepare.. its so easy and very nutritious. Thanks a lot to Kesar for sharing this recipe with me.. My whole family enjoys this!

2 cups poha/beaten rice
3/4 cup frozen mix veggies
1/2 tsp jeera
3 tbsp onions chopped finely
1/4 tsp turmric pwdr
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp peanuts

Soak the poha in water for 2-3 mts and strain it.
In a kadai heat the oil and add the jeera.
Add onions and peanuts to it.
Then add the turmeric pwdr and mix veggies. It should be thawed according to the instructions on the pack.. i just put them in boiling water and let it boil for few mts
Then add the poha and salt and mix well..

Your breakfast is ready!

Semiya - Express breakfast!

My breakfasts all are express and very easy to make be it puttu or upma or semiya or poha all i make with 15-20 mts because mornings are a rush for me!! juggling with 2 kiddos, packing the lunch box for hubby, breakfasts, lunch preparations..... goes on my list of things i do in the mornings... i try to keep breakfast preparation time as short as possible so that i can make other things also..

here is one of my breakfast recipe Semiya with both my kiddos like and is easy to make

3 cups milk
2 cups thin semiya or sevaiya
5 tbps sugar
1 pinch salt
3 cardamon pods/elaichi

• Boil the milk and add elaichi to it
• mean which boil the semiya separately
• when thr semiya is cooked add it to the milk
• then add the salt and sugar to it.
• Bring it to boil for few mts and your break fast is ready!
  

Fried Rice and Gobi (Cauliflower) Manchurian

This is another thing i love to make during week ends because its easy to make and it has all the proteins, carbs, vitamins, minerals... LOL!! u name it.. my kiddos love it too.. so i usually save this kinda things for the weekends...

For the fried rice you'll need

• 2 cups cooked Basmati rice
• 11/2 cup finely chopped veggies (celery,capsicum,beans,carrots)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger& garlic
• 2 eggs (optional)
  
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (optional)
  
• light soya sauce to taste
  
• 4 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Heat oil in a non stick pan and add the ginger and garlic. When its slightly brown add the cooked chicken. Let it cook for few minutes and then add the veggies. Mix well and let it cook for another 3-4 mts. When its done add the soya sauce and salt. Be careful while adding the salt because soya sauce is quite salty. After that Add rice and mix well.. This is really tasty!!! LOL! Serve hot with any Manchurians or chili chicken..

A variation for the veggie eaters..

If you want to make the veg fried rice drop the eggs and chicken. Add the veggies straight after the ginger and garlic.

This is my entry for the Mixed Rice Event and AWED Chinese.

Here is the recipe of Gobi Manchurian to go with it!

Nutritious Mix Subzi/Vegetable in Palak/Spinich gravy

This is something i would make when mu kiddos dont eat well through out the day. this dish is full of all veggies... greens, yellow,and even orange. And its easy too.. here goes the recipe..

1. 1 bunch spinach
   
2. 1 medium sized tomato
3. 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
4. 1 tbsp grated copra
5. 1 medium sized onion
6. 1/2 tsp jeera
7. 3/4th cup frozen mix veggies (corn/carrot/peas)
   
8. 1 medium size potato thinly sliced
9. 1/2 cup paneer cut into small pieces
   
10. oil for frying
11. salt to taste
12. 1 tsp redchilli pwdr
13. 1/2 tsp daniya pwdr
14. 1/4 tsp turmeric pwdr
15. 1/2 tsp garam masala
    
16. 1 tsp Everest Kitchen king masala
17. hara daniya/corriander leaver to garnish.
    

Dont get scared seing all these ingredients this is really easy to make!
How to make:-

• Steam up the spinach and tomatos together and grind it into a paste.
• In a kadai heat the oil and add the grated copra.
• when it is brown add the jeera,onions and potatos.
• By the time the oinons are brownish the potatos will also be soft.
• Add the palak gravy and the frozen veggies to this.
• Add salt and all masalas except garam masala. .
• Close the kadai and let it cook for some time.
  
• Add the paneer and cook again for few mts.
• Add garam masala and hara daniya and turn off the stove.
• Keep closed for some time and serve with rotis.
  

Tender Coconut Pudding/ Ellaneer Pudding... yummm yummm!!!!

Tomorrow im going to one of my friends house for lunch and i decided to make this for her. First i thought about making kheer but then i though everyone makes kheer... i wanted to make something different!!! Then i thought about puddings... bread or mangos or what???? Then my darling daughter reminded me i havnt made coconut pudding for a long time.. So i deciede ok thats it! This would be a treat for both... my frined and my kiddos!!!

This is one of the easiest pudding one can make and all u need is very few ingredients!

• 1 litre whole milk or full cream milk
• 3-4 grms of china grass (im still doubtful about the qantity because it was very tough to measure it because its so light!)
• 1 tin milkmaid
• 2 tender coconuts
• dry fruits (cashew and almonds to garnish)

These are the steps

1. Soak the china grass for 1 day in water.
2. Grind the coconut pulp with some coconut water.
   
3. In a large vesse lboil the milk and china grass till it dissovles.
4. Add milkmaid after that.
5. Turn off the flame and add the grinded coconut pulp and rest of the water
6. Shift it to a serving dish and let it cool.
   
7. When its half cook garnish it with the dry fruits.
   
8. Cool it before serving..
   

I hope u all enjoy it.. my kiddos love it!! This entry goes to the cool dessert event!

Easy Bread sandwich..

I made this for the potluck chai party at my place. Im glad everyone liked it.

First you have to make a green chutny for this. You'll need

1. Green Chutny
2. Red mix
3. White bread
4. Lime
5. salt to taste
6. Thinly sliced tomatos and cucumbers

To make the green chutny you'll need -

• Equle amounts of corriander and mint leaves. I took a handful of both.
  
• Juice of 2 limes
  
• salt to taste
• Grind all to a fine mixture

For red mix -

• Equle amounts of tomato ketchup and melted cheese or u can use mayo instead of cheese
• mix both and set aside

Ok now comes the bread

1. Cut the edges of the bread. Also cut it into a triangle.
2. Apply the green mixture on one side .
3. Place a thinly sliced tomato and cucumber on it
4. Apply the red mix on the other slice and keep it on top of the veggies.
   
5. you can also add finely chopped lettuce to it.

Yummilicious sandwich thayaar!

Egg Curry with coconut

I love this one because its very easy to prepare and my kiddos loves it. So when im lost thinking what to cook i just make this because this goes well with all types of rotis! Today i made Neriya Pathiri and to go with it i made this egg curry.

This is how i made it. You'll need

• 1/2 of a medium sized onion
• 1 cup coconut
• 2-3 shallots
• 2 eggs
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

1. Grind the coconut and shallots to a fine paste.
   
2. Heat up a Kadai or mud pot (we call a mud pot Chatti in malayalam)!
3. Add oil and then onions.
4. when the onions are light brown add the eggs and keep on stirring for 1 minute
5. Add the grinded coconut mixture and let it boil.
   

You can also add green chilies to it if you want to make it spicy but i dont do it because my kiddos dont like spicy.