Dried Fruit, Nut & Seed Cake

March 11, 2012 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 6 oz dates
  • 4 oz dried apricots
  • ¾ cup hot water
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 oz raisins
  • 4 oz butter at room temperature
  • 4 oz castor sugar
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Juice and peel of one orange
  • 4 oz all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup sweetened desiccated coconut
  • 2 oz chopped cashew nuts

Method

  • Add dates and apricots to a bowl and add hot water.  Sprinkle baking soda on top and cover and leave for about 20 – 30 minutes
  • Drain the water from the dates-apricots and chop them into very small pieces and leave aside
  • Sift flour and baking powder and set aside.
  • Pre-heat oven to 350F
  • Generously butter a 9x9x2 inch cake pan and set aside
  • Add butter and sugar to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on speed 2.
  • Add one egg at a time and beat until soft and the mix looks glace
  • Add vanilla extract, orange juice, orange peel and beat on low speed
  • Now beat in flour and date mixture alternately in 3 batches
  • Add coconut, sesame seeds and cashew nuts and mix well
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about one hour or the tooth pick inserted comes out clean

 

  • Cool on a wire-rack
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Orange-Lemon Scented Cookies

February 12, 2012 — Chelvi S

 

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
  • ½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon orange extract (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar

 

Method

  • Add butter and sugar to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy
  • Beat in vanilla extract, and orange extract
  • Beat in flour, and corn starch
  • Mix in orange and lemon peel.
  • Shape dough into a about 6 – 8 inch log and wrap in a plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes to ½ hour
  • Preheat oven to 375F
  • Cut log into about ¼ inch thick slices
  • Place them in an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or edges are lightly browned
  • Cool on wire rack for about 15 minutes
  • Add powdered sugar to a plastic bag and add the warm cookies and shake gently to cover them with sugar
  • Cool completely on wire rack
  • Yields: about 15 cookies
Posted in Cookies & Bars, Snacks, Sweets. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Skillet Bulgur Cakes with Vegetarian Chili

February 11, 2012 — Chelvi S

I have been making bulgur with different vegetables.  I kind of started getting bored making the same bulgur dish again and again.  So I thought to make this new and interesting version of bulgur dish.  Grilling in butter gives this dish a distinct flavor.  I used salted butter (I know too much sodium).  But it gives even a better taste.  But if you are a health conscious person and want to avoid any fatty stuff, you can use oil spray instead.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup uncooked bulgur
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • About 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 4 oz white mushroom
  • 1 small green squash
  • 1/3 cup dried kidney beans
  • 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Sri Lankan chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • Butter for skillet

Method:

Cook Bulgur

  • Bring water to boil in a covered saucepan
  • Wash bulgur thoroughly and add washed bulgur to saucepan and bring to a rolling boil
  • Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer until all water is absorbed
  • Let for about 5 – 10 minutes
  • Transfer bulgur to a baking tray and level with a spoon
  • Cool to room temperature
  • Cover and chill in refrigerator for about half an hour to one hour

Cook Vegetarian Chili

  • Soak beans overnight.  Drain water and wash them thoroughly
  • Add beans to a saucepan, add enough water and cook until soft (I used a pressure cooker since its fast.  I cooked for about 8 whistles).  Let cool.
  • Meanwhile thinly slice onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
  • Chop squash into ½ inch cubes
  • Add oil to a saucepan and add onion and garlic and sauté until soft.
  • Add mushroom, squash, beans, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ½ cup water, tomato paste and salt and cover and cook on medium flame for about 10 – 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the gravy has thickened

To Serve:

  • With a sharp knife, cut chilled bulgur in to diagonal pieces (about 6)
  • Melt about 1 tablespoon butter in a non stick skillet
  • Add bulgur cakes to the skillet and cook on both sides until lightly browned and crisp
  • Drain on paper towel
  • Place 2 bulgur diagonal pieces on each plate and top each serving with vegetable chili.

Serves 3

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Quinoa with Crunchy Sprouted Beans

February 3, 2012 — Chelvi S

Bean sprouts has a crunchy and nutty flavor.  They are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, protein and phytochemicals.  Usually I add these sprouts in salads which give a nice crunchy taste.  But due to the recent outbreaks of salmonella, or Escherichia coli I started cooking them in high heat so it will at least kill the bacteria to some extent.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Quinoa
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • About 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • ½ lb mixed vegetables (such as bell pepper, mushroom, squash etc)
  • About ½ inch piece of ginger
  • 1 small red onion

  • 1 cup mixed bean sprout
  • Few cashew nuts (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon chili paste
  • 1 teaspoon crushed pepper
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Roast quinoa on low flame for a couple of minutes or until fragrant (make sure not to burn it or turn brown)
  • Add water and salt and bring to a rolling boil.  (When adding water to the roasted quinoa, it might splatter since the pan is quite hot).
  • Reduce flame and cook until all the water is absorbed. When quinoa is cooked you will see a tiny tail coming out of the grain.  (See my image for recipe quinoa with vegetables).  Let cool
  • Chop ginger into very small pieces (you can also grind and crush them)
  • Chop bell pepper, squash, and mushrooms into thick sliced.
  • Add oil to a skillet and add ginger and fry for about a minute.
  • Add red onion and sauté until lightly transparent.
  • Now add the rest of the vegetables and sprouted beans and stir fry on medium to high flame for about 5 minutes
  • Reduce flame and add chili paste, crushed pepper and mix well and cook for another minute
  • Transfer cooked quinoa to the skillet and mix well.
  • Season with salt.
  • Roast cashew nuts and sprinkle on the top and mix into the quinoa.
  • Serves about 2

Note: you can use any vegetables you want for this dish.  For example snow peas or sugar snap peas can be another option (I did not have those).  If you are non vegetarian, you may want to try a bit of fried shrimp on the top.

Posted in Grains, Lunch, Main Courses, Main Dishes, Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Vegetarian Baked Ziti

January 29, 2012 — Chelvi S

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz pasta such as Penne, Rotini etc.
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1, 10 oz pack frozen mixed vegetables
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 ¾ cups pasta sauce
  • ¼ cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • About 1 cup or more mozzarella cheese
  • Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Method:

  • Cook pasta and drain.  Set aside
  • Add pasta saucepan and ricotta cheese to a saucepan and cook on medium heat until ricotta cheese is melted and sauce start bubbling.
  • Set aside
  • Pre heat oven to 400F
  • Add oil to a skillet and when hot add onion and sauté until soft
  • Add garlic and sauté for another minute or two
  • Now add cumin and fry until fragrant.
  • Thaw vegetables and add to the skillet and cook until all the water is absorbed and the vegetables are soft.  Add chili powder
  • Now add the cooked sauce to the vegetables and mix well.
  • Add cooked pasta to the vegetables and mix thoroughly
  • Transfer to a oven proof dish and sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake for about 15-20 minutes or the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly
  • Let cool and when serving sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese
  • Serves: about 2 – 3 as a main dish
Posted in Main Dishes, Pasta Dishes. Tags: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Eggless Banana Cake

January 26, 2012 — Chelvi S

I have always wanted to make eggless cake.  I found this eggless banana cake recipe from  http://www.egglesscooking.com.  I modified that recipe quite a bit for my taste.  I reduced the amount of sugar and replaced castor sugar with brown sugar.  I like the taste of brown sugar since it’s not too sharp.  I also added  lot of orange juice which gives a nice flavor in combination with bananas.  Following is the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar
  • 2  oz butter melted
  • Juice and grated rind of one orange
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup mashed banana
  • ¼ cup pureed dates
  • 2 oz walnuts chopped

Method:

  • Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Butter a 9x9x2 inch cake pan and set aside.
  • Sift flour and baking powder and set aside
  • To puree date, add about ¼ cup hot water to dates and leave aside for about 15 minutes
  • Puree dates in a blender
  • Make juice from orange and add enough hot water to make 1 ¼  cups liquid.
  • Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  • Now add orange juice, vanilla extract, mashed banana, pureed dates and beat on low speed
  • Add the flour and beat mix well.
  • Now add chopped walnuts and mix until all the ingredients are mixed well
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about one hour or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
  • Cool on wire rack.
Posted in Cakes. Leave a Comment »

Pizza Roll-Ups

January 16, 2012 — Chelvi S

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb frozen pizza dough
  • ¾ lb potatoes
  • 1 medium carrot shredded
  • ¼ cup green peas
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1-2 teaspoon canola oil
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red chili
  • Few curry leaves
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Thaw dough according to package directions or lightly oil the dough and leave at room temperature for about 6 hours
  • Boil potatoes until three-quarter done
  • Drain and let cool.  Peel off the skin and chop them roughly into very small pieces
  • Heat oil in a skillet and add onion and sauté until lightly golden
  • Add cumin seeds and sauté for another 30 seconds
  • Add potatoes, carrots and green peas, chili powder and cook on low flame mixing thoroughly
  • If needed sprinkle little water at a time until vegetables are quite done
  • Add crushed red chili and curry leaves and cook for another minute
  • Let cool
  • Pre-heat oven to 375F
  • Take the thawed dough and place on a floured surface.
  • With a rolling pin spread the dough into square about 10 inch x 6 inch

  • Spread the cooked vegetable on the dough evenly leaving about 1 inch around the edge.
  • Roll the dough carefully and seal the edges

  • Snip off the excess dough from the ends and seal them firmly
  • Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes
  • To serve, cut them into thick slices.

Note:

Instead of rolling like this, you can also make buns – take the thawed dough and make small portions.  Make a well in the middle and add a spoon full of cooked vegetable and seal it to make a bun.  Bake as mentioned above.

 

Posted in Breads & Muffins. Leave a Comment »

Zucchini and Mushroom in Coconut Milk

January 10, 2012 — Chelvi S

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 6 oz sliced white mushroom
  • ½ cup red onion sliced
  • 1 green chili slit lengthwise
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½  teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ cup coconut milk

Method:

  • Slit zucchini lengthwise and cut diagonally into thin slices and set aside
  • Dry roast coriander and cumin seeds lightly and let cool.  Once cool grind to a fine powder
  • Add oil to a covered saucepan and sauté onion lightly golden
  • Add green chili and sauté for one more minute
  • Add ground coriander-cumin and chili powder to the saucepan and mix well.  Make sure the flame is set to very low.  Otherwise it will start smoking
  • Add zucchini, mushroom, and coconut milk and cook on medium flame for about 6-7 minutes.
  • If the curry starts drying out, sprinkle a little water – about 1 – 2 tablespoons.
  • Serve warm with rice or Rotis

Yields: 2-3 servings as a side dish.

Posted in Curries, Dry Curries (Fry), Side Dishes, Side Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Quinoa with Roasted Veggies

January 8, 2012 — Chelvi S

I like to roast vegetables instead of sauteing them on a stove top.  Especially with the cold weather and windows shut, sauteing in oil makes the whole house smell.  So this is one of the most easiest way to cook vegetables which is quite healthy and time consuming.  Once you put the vegetables in the oven, you don’t have to stand next to it.  So here is a quick version of Quinoa dish.

 

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb vegetables such as green beans, bell pepper, cauliflower, mushrooms.
  • ½ lb sweet potato
  • 5 red radishes
  • About 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons flax seed grounded
  • ½ teaspoons roasted cumin seeds
  • ¾ cup white quinoa
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Pre-heat oven to 400F
  • Slice bell pepper into thin slices.  Break the cauliflower into small florets.  Slice mushrooms into thick slices.  Chop green beans diagonally into 1 inch pieces
  • Cut sweet potatoes into about ½ inch cubes
  • Add all the vegetables to a cookie sheet with salt and sprinkle with olive oil and mix well
  • Bake for about 45 minutes
  • Let cool
  • To cook Quinoa: add quinoa to a skillet and roast lightly on medium flame.  About 5 minutes.
  • Stir water and salt to quinoa and bring to a rolling boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed.  About 10 minutes
  • Let cool.  Now mix vegetable with quinoa and season with salt and pepper
  • Serve with mango pickle.
  • Serves 2 as a main dish
Posted in Grains, Main Dishes, Quick Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

December 20, 2011 — Chelvi S

I got this recipe from the better homes and gardens website (http://www.bhg.com) and modified a little bit.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground pumpkin spice mix
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup castor sugar
  • ¾ cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

Direction:

  • Pre heat oven to 350F.  Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan and set aside
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice mix and set aside
  • In a medium bowl beat egg, sugar and vanilla extract.
  • Add oil, and pumpkin puree and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed
  • Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
  • Stir in chopped walnuts
  • Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean
  • Cool completely on a wire rack.

Note: I usually reduce the amount of sugar when I bake cookies, cake etc.  So if you would like it to be quite sweet, add extra 1/3 cup of sugar.

For a variation, add about ¼ cup of chocolate chips or raisins into the cake mix.

Posted in Cakes. Leave a Comment »
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