Monday, June 22, 2009

IDLI

Idli
Idli is a breakfast dish from tamil nadu.It is balanced and fermentation increases vitamin b content and easy digestion.Idlis can be eaten with dal sambhar,coconut or vegetable chutneys.
Ingredients:
Parboiled rice 2cup
Urad dal 1/2cup
Salt 13/4tsp
Method:
Soak rice and urad dal seperately for 2 hours.
Grind seperatelely till smooth.
Add salt and mix thoroughly.Leave to ferment overnight(appx 8hours)
Now the batter is ready for making idlis.
Grease idli plates and fill the batter .
Steam for 10 minutes.
Remove and serve with sambhar/chutney.

Parboiled rice

Parboiled Rice
Parboiled rice is "par"-tially "boiled" (i.e. partially cooked rice). In other words parboiling means precooking of rice within the husk. Paddy is first hydrated, then heated to cook the rice and finally dried
Parboiled rice is rice that has been boiled in the husk. Parboiling makes rice easier to process by hand, improves its nutritional profile, and changes its texture.
Parboiling rice drives nutrients, especially thiamine, from the bran into the grain, so that parboiled white rice is 80% nutritionally similar to brown rice.
The starches in parboiled rice become gelatinized, making it harder and glassier than other rice. Parboiled rice takes less time to cook, and the cooked rice is firmer and less sticky.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

MASALA PEANUTS

Masala peanuts

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • 1/2 cup gram flour(besan)
  • 2tsp chilli powder
  • 1tblsp oil
  • salt to taste

Method:

  • Mix all ingredients together in a bowl ensuring every peanut is coated with the masala.
  • Spread evenly in a micro proof glass plate.
  • Microwave High for1and1/2 minutes.
  • remove.cool and store in airtight container

Microwave Tips



  • To powder cardamom spread it in a glass plate and microwave on high for 30seconds.Powder in a blender/mixie and you will get a smooth powder without any fibre.
    Soften a chilled or frozen stick of butter by reducing power to 50% and heating for approximately 40 seconds.
    Melt chocolate squares by heating at full power for approximately 45 seconds per ounce of chocolate
    Soften rock-hard ice cream by heating at 30% power for approximately 20 seconds.
    Toast coconut by spreading into a thin layer and heating on high power for approximately 2-3 minutes. Stop and stir after 1 ½ - 2 minutes
    To dry lemon and orange peel, place grated rind in small microwavable container and heat on high power for approximately 30 to 60 seconds
    Microwave lemons and other citrus fruits for approximately 20 seconds to help get more juice when squeezed. Just before cutting the fruit, roll it against a countertop or cutting board surface, applying pressure with the palm of your hand, until softened.
    Crisp stale chips, cookies or crackers by microwaving them at full power for approximately 10 seconds.
    Blanch nuts by placing them in boiling water and heating on high up to one minute. Remove skins by rubbing between paper towels
    Roast nuts by spreading evenly in a single layer and cooking on high for approximately 2 ½ – 3 minutes.
    Veggies can be steamed in the microwave in just a few minutes with no added fat. Simply chop vegetables as desired, place in a microwavable container with 1 to 2 Tbsp. of water and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Cook on high until soft.
    Make great corn on the cob by rinsing ears in cold water with the husks on. Heat in the microwave on high for up to six minutes for two ears and up to eight minutes for four.

WHITE SAUCE

White sauce
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maida(all purpose flour)
1 cup Milk
salt and pepper to taste.
Direction
Put the butter in a glass bowl and microwave on HIGH for about 10 seconds.
Add the flour and microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds, stirring once in-between after 10 seconds.
Add the milk and microwave on HIGH for about 20 seconds. Do not boil.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Healthy version:
Use oil instead of butter and skimmed milk.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT CAKE

Chocolate walnut cake
Ingredients:
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
½ cup flour (maida)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup milk
½ cup oil
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
Method
Grease the dish.
Sift flour with baking powder and cocoa. Keep aside.
Mix 1 tsp. of flour with the chopped walnuts and keep aside.
Add essence and oil. Mix well.
Fold in the flour gradually till all the flour is used. Add milk to get a slightly thinner than soft dropping consistency. Beat gently
Pour into the dish and Micro high uncovered for 4 minutes.
Let stand 4-5 minutes.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before removing from baking dish.

ALMOND HALWA

Almond halwa
This is a low cost receipe.
Ingredients:
1cup split green gram
1/2cup milk
1/2cup sugar
4tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp almond essence
10 almonds sliced
Method:
Clean, wash and soak the green gram for at least 2 hours.
Drain the green gram and grind it in a food processor to a coarse paste.
Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add the green gram paste.
Cook on a slow flame, while stirring continuously till it turns golden brown in colour.
Add the milk, sugar,saffron and 1 cup of water and continue cooking on a slow flame till the sugar has dissolved (about 10 minutes), stirring continuously.
Remove from the fire, add the almond essence and mix well.
Garnish with the chopped almonds and serve hot.

CARROT NUT MUFFINS

Carrot nut muffins
INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins, nuts, coconut, and apple.
In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean

Banana Muffins

Banana Muffins
Ingredients

1/2 cup butter.
1 cup granulated sugar.
2 large eggs.
2 large bananas, ripe, mashed.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
2 cups all-purpose flour.
1 teaspoon salt.
1 teaspoon baking powder.
1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
1cup buttermilk
METHOD
Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
Cream butter and sugar with an electric hand-held mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add bananas and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Stir flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with the sour milk or buttermilk.
Stir until dry ingredients are moistened then gently stir in chopped nuts.
Spoon banana muffin batter into prepared muffin cups or liners.
Bake at 400° for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned.

APPLE OAT MUFFINS

Apple oat muffins
Ingredients:
1 medium apple ,cored and grated.
2 egg whites
1 cup of buttermilk
.1 cup of rolled oats
1 cup of wholewheat flour
½ cup of raisins
¼ cup of honey
1 ½ teaspoons of baking powde
1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of salt.
Method:
Spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the buttermilk, the oats, and the raisins.
In a separate bowl, blend the wholewheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add the egg whites and honey to the oat mix, and blend thoroughly.
Blend the two mixtures together.
Fold in the grated apple.
Fill the muffin cups to almost full.
Bake 350°F (175°C) for about 20-25 minutes.
Cool the muffins in a pan for about 10 minutes .

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

PREHEAT OVEN

Preheat oven
Before you bake something, your oven needs to be heated to the proper temperature(say 350,375 or 400 F mentioned in the receipe).
It can take several minutes for your oven to reach the right temperature.
This is why it’s often best to start the oven during the beginning or middle of your preperation, instead of waiting until the end. Then your oven will have the required temperature and ready .
Normally it reaches the temperature in 10-15 minutes.

ALMOND COOKIES

Almond cookies
Ingredients
:
1and3/4 cup All purpose flour(maida)
1tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp Baking soda
1/8tsp Salt
1/2cup Butter
3/4cup Sugar
1 Egg
1tsp almond essence
1/2vanilla essence
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degreeF
Beat butter and sugar till light.
Add egg beat till fluffy.
Blend in almond and vanlla essence.
Sift flour,baking powder,soda and salt together.
Mix with egg mixture.
Make small balls.
Arrange in ungreased tray leaving 1″ space.Dip fork into flour flatten the balls.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350degree F.for 10-12 minutes.
Makes 3dozen

CARROT CAKE

Carrot cake
Ingredients
:
3cups all purpose flour(maida)
2teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
1teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg powder
2cups sugar powdered
1cup oil
4eggs
2cups carrot grated
Direction:
Sift together all purpose flour,baking powder,baking soda, salt,cinnamon or nutmeg powder and sugar.
Beat eggs,add oil and carrots.Mix well.add flour mix.
Pour batter into greased & dusted pan.
Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes

Monday, June 15, 2009

Chocolate cake


Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Cocoa powder
1teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar powdered
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4cup curd(yogurt)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla /orange extract

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour round or rectangular pan .(take any pan only thing you have to see is the batter should come up halfway.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda salt and sugar in a large bowl.
3.Beat eggs, milk,curd, butter and vanilla/orange well.(for 2 minutes)
4.Add flour mixture to egg mix thouroughly. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.Spread frosting.

FROSTING
1.6 tablespoons butter
2.2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
3.1/2 cup Cocoa
4.1/3 cup milk
5.1 teaspoon vanilla/orange extract
Beat butter in a bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk.Beat to spreading consistency (add more milk if needed). Stir in vanilla/orange .
Makes about 2 cups frosting.