Creme' Brulee' Sugar cookies

Holidays are always festive with a lot of eating, singing and bonding with your family and friends. I wanted to do something different this time. I usually love gifting my friends with a bunch of handmade goodies, including both food and non-food items.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 15 min
Baking time: about 40 min

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES
3/4 Cup. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Cup. All-purpose flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt


FOR THE FROSTING
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 Cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 Cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350° and line two cookie sheets with parchment. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, then add mixture to wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Dough will be thick. Using a small cookie scoop ( I used 2 teaspoons- 1 to scoop the batter and the other to slide it out), place tablespoon balls of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Press down lightly on each cookie to flatten slightly. Bake until edges are just starting to brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

For the frosting: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth.Put sugar into a small bowl. Spread about a tablespoon of frosting onto tops of each cookie, then press into granulated sugar, coating frosting with sugar.Just before serving, use a kitchen torch to caramelize sugar on top, then set aside to cool. Store cookies in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you do not have a flaming torch, your broiler works just fine.

Mango Peda/Mango Fudge

Peda is a very traditional Indian sweet. It can very well be made instantly at home with a little bit of  patience and elbow grease. I wanted to combine the flavour of mangoes to give it a twist. Who doesn't like mangoes? I have made minor changes to the recipe from Archana Hebbar here. This stays in room temperature for a week, so feel free to make plenty to share. 

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Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 30-40 min

Ingredients

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Ghee( clarified butter)- 2 tbsp

A few strands of saffron
Mango pulp- 1 cup
Granulated sugar- 1/4 cup
Milk powder- 1 cup
Powdered cashew- 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp

In a large frying pan heat 2 tbsp ghee, ¼ cup milk, few thread saffron and 1 cup mango pulp.

Stir well making sure everything is well combined.
Now add ¼ cup sugar and stir until sugar dissolves completely.
Further, add 1 cup milk powder and ¼ cup cashew powder.
Mix well making sure the mixture is well combined.
Mash well making sure there are no lumps present.

keeping the flame on low, stir continuously. the mixture thickens after 5 minutes.

Further, add ¼ tsp cardamom powder and mix well.
After 15 minutes, the mixture starts to separate the pan and holds shape. do not overcook as the peda hardens.
Transfer the prepared mixture into a greased plate and spread uniformly.
Cool for 5 minutes, and start preparing ball-sized peda.
Design using the flower mould if you happen to have it. you can also decorate using a toothpick or fork. I have kept it naked here.
Mango peda stays fresh for a week when stored in an airtight container.

Cheesy straws

With the kids studying from home due to the pandemic, there is an insatiable need for a variety of snacks at home. I decided to whip something up with things I had in hand. The more cheese you add, the yummier it gets. And who doesn't like cheese....

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 15 min

Baking time: 25 min

Ingredients

Puff pastry sqaure sheets- 10

Shredded cheese- atleast 1 1/4 cups(I used cheddar & parmesan combined)

Italian seasoning- 2 tbsp

Fresh ground black pepper- 2 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Thaw the puff pastry sheets for atleast 3 hrs. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

Combine the shredded cheese, Italian seasoning, fresh ground black pepper and salt well and keep aside. 

On a working surface, spread some the cheese mixture evenly. Put one of the puff pastry sheets and press down lightly so that the cheese mix sticks to the sheet. Spread more of the cheese mix evenly and pat down. Make 1 inch wide strips using a pizza cutter. Twist the strips to make them  curly. Transfer to a baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and and the puff pastry has turned crisp. Enjoy them right away. 

                                         

                                                    

Chilli Baby Corn

It has been a year since I started this blog. How time flies. I want to thank you all for your support and well wishes and hope I can continue to count on it in the future.

Most people would choose a sweet dish to celebrate an anniversary, but given that I like savory dishes more, I decided to go with that.


Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 30 min
Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:


Baby corn : about 150 gms (20 numbers), cut in half width-wise

For the batter:
Corn flour(corn starch): 1/4 cup
All-purpose flour: 1/4 cup
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste, if needed (soy sauce already has salt, so keep that in mind)
Oil: for deep-frying
Water

For the gravy:
Oil: 1 tbsp
Ginger: 1" cube, cut into long thin strips
Garlic: 2 big cloves, cut into long thin strips
Bell peppers/ capsicum: 1/4 cup, chopped into about the same size as baby corn
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Green onions/ spring onions: 1/4cup, chopped
Red chilli paste: 1 1/2 tbsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Corn flour/ corn starch: 1 1/2 tbsp, mixed with 3 tbsp water (making sure there are no lumps)
Salt: to taste

Heat oil in a skillet. In the meantime, mix the ingredients for the batter with enough water to make a slightly thick batter. Drop the cut baby corn pieces and mix to coat. Deep fry until light golden brown. Drain onto platter lined with paper towel. Keep aside.

In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the ginger and garlic slices. Once it starts to turn colour, add the bell pepper pieces and saute for a minute. Add the sauces and saute for another minute. Add the corn flour syrup and allow to boil. Add the sugar and fried baby corn. Mix well. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, until it gets to desired consistency. Add the green onions and remove from fire. Serve immediately topped with more spring onions. Perfect as an appetizer for any gathering. Dig in!!!!

Pumpkin Cookies

When we moved into this house last October, our neighbors welcomed us into the neighborhood. I decided to make something festive to thank them for making us feel so welcome. I found this recipe for  Old-fashioned Soft Pumkin Cookies from www.verybestbaking.com.

Fast forward to this year. I was talking to my neighbor the other day when she reminded my son how wonderful the cookies were. Of course that prompted me to bake another batch. It is still a big hit with my kids ( I had a tough time saving a few for the pictures). I decided to skip the glazing though (why give them more sugar)!!! These are drop cookies, one of the easiest you can make.

On another note, this was the first thing I made in our new stand up mixer my husband bought me. I have to say it does make baking easier.



Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 18 min
Makes: 36 cookies

Ingredients:


All- purpose flour: 2 1/2 cups
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
Ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Granulated sugar: 1 1/2 cups
Butter: 1/2 cup, softened
Pumpkin puree: 1 cup
Egg: 1 large
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

For the glaze: Powdered sugar: 2 cups
Milk: 3 tbsp
Melted butter: 1 tbsp
Vanilla extract: 1tsp

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease baking sheets or line them with aluminium foil.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoons (or a cookie drop, if you happen to have that in hand) onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 min; remove to wire racks to cool completely if you intent to glaze them. If you're choosing to skip the glazing, dig in while it is still warm.

For the glaze; Combine all the ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Tapioca & salmon ( കപ്പ & മീന്‍ ) cutlets

One of the most famous traditional dishes in Kerala is Tapioca and Fish( കപ്പ & മീന്‍ ) Curry. This is my attempt to recreate that dish in a different format.

Tapioca is also called Cassava.


Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 5 min + 2 hrs. for marination
Cooking time: 45 min
Makes: 8 big cutlets (about 4 servings)

Ingredients:


Tapioca: 1 1/2 cups, cooked with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt
Salmon: 6 oz. fillet (about 175 gms)
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp + 1 tsp
Fish masala: 1 tsp
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp + for deep-frying
Onion: 1 small, finely chopped
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: a few
Egg: 1, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg-wash)
Breadcrumbs: 1 cup
Cookie-cutter; optional

Marinate the salmon fillet with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2tsp chilli powder, fish masala, lime juice and salt to taste. Keep aside for 2 hrs., the longer the better.

Mash the tapioca well, taking care to remove the middle vein. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and shallow fry the salmon until well done (about 3-4 min on each side). Pull the salmon apart into small pieces.

In another skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and saute the onion until light brown. Add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and continue sauteing. Add the rest of the turmeric powder and chilli powder. Saute for 2 min. Add the mashed tapioca and mix well. Now add the pulled salmon and mix well until everything is uniformly distributed. Keep aside for 10 min, so as to let it cool a bit.

Allow the oil (for deep-frying) to heat up on a high flame. In the meantime, have an assembly line ready- the tapioca- salmon mixture, egg-wash and breadcrumbs. Take some from the mixture and shape in the shape you desire (or use a cookie-cutter for a better finish). Dip it well in the egg-wash and roll in breadcrumbs. And then into the hot oil (on high flame) until golden brown, after turning sides once in between. Repeat for the rest. Serve hot with ketchup or masala chilli sauce or hot & sweet sauce.

This was taken by my 4-yr old son!

Peanut Laddoo

I was looking for some easy sweets to make for Saraswathi Pooja (Navrathri). A friend of mine, Arathy, was telling me how her mom used to make this for her daughter every day as tea-time snack (right as she came back from school).

This is perhaps the easiest laddoo I've ever known. The moisture from the brown sugar is the binder here.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: Nil
Makes: 13 small laddoos

Ingredients:


Peanuts: 1/2 cup
Brown sugar: 1/2 cup

Coarse-grind the peanuts and keep aside. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Shape into small laddoos. Dig in.

Traditional flattened rice(poha) sweet(അവല്‍ നനച്ചത്‌ )

This is a quick tea-time snack, and can be served cold or at room temperature. Keeping it aside for 15 min allows all the flavours to seep into the poha. But make sure you don't keep it for more than hour, or it can get really soggy. 

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 5 min+ 15 min

Cooking time: Nil

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

Flattened rice (poha/ അവല്‍): 2 cups

Grated jaggery (ശര്‍ക്കര): 3/4 cup

Grated coconut: 1/4 cup

Black sesame seeds (എള്ള്‌): 1 tsp

Raisins/ rock candy (കല്‍ക്കണ്ടം): 2 tbsp each(optional)

Wash and  clean the poha. Add the rest of the ingredients to this and mix well. Keep aside for 15 min (preferably) before digging in.

Variations of this dish includes one option where you substitute sugar for Jaggery. Another variation involves melting the jaggery and then mixing the rest of the ingredients into it. You can also replace the shredded coconut with coconut pieces in this version. This version also keeps for a few days compared to the version listed above.

Papdi chat

I love chat and living in Buffalo there is not much of an option but to make it at home. We recently tried a Papdi Chat kit that was not really good. So I decided to do it properly, taking the recipe from www.showmethecurry.com.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 20 min
Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

Papdi: 40

Potato: 1 medium, cooked, peeled and diced

Tomato: 1/2 medium, finely chopped

Chickpeas/ garbanzo beans: 1/4 cup, cooked or canned

Onion: 1/4 medium, finely chopped

Yoghurt: 3/4 cup, well beaten

Roasted cumin powder: to garnish

Chat masala: to garnish

Salt, red chillipowder: to taste

Mint chutney, tamarind chutney: to taste

Thin sev: 1/2 cup

Add salt (to taste) to the well-beaten yoghurt and mix well and keep aside.

Arrange the papdi on a platter. Sprinkle potatoes, tomatoes & chickpeas on top. Drizzle yoghurt evenly on top. Sprinkle roasted cumin powder, chat masala and red chilli powder to taste. Drizzle tamarind chutney and mint chutney to taste. Sprinkle thin sev to finish it off. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Popcorn

What's not to like about anything with chocolate? Even I, who is by no means a fan of popcorn,  loved  it.

I stumbled upon this recipe from a magazine (Taste of home), as I was looking for kid-friendly dishes to make for my son's birthday party.

It will be gooey and sticky when warm, but when it cools down it will no longer be.This speedy snack is great for school bake sales, group functions or potluck socials.

Difficultly level: Easy
Preparation time: 5-10 min
Baking time: 5-6 min
Makes: 3 quarts(12 servings)

Ingredients:


Unsalted popped popcorn: 2 quarts(about 8 cups)
Miniature marshmallows: 1 cup
Sliced peanuts: 1/2 cup(optional)
Milk chocolate candy bars(1.55 oz. or 43 gms each): 6

Place popcorn in a greased 15 inch x 10 inch x 1 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows and peanuts. Break candy bars in half and place on top.

Bake at 300 degree F for 5 min. Let stand for 1 min. Toss to coat. Store in an airtight container.

Baked Vegetable Cutlets

I have always loved cutlets, but used to feel guilty about eating these deep-fried delicacies. So I wanted to try if they would come out equally good and tasty when baked.

I decided to make it mild, so as to be kid-friendly, by omitting the green chillies and going light on the chilli powder. But feel free to add more heat to your desire.

I used a toaster oven to bake this. If you are using a regular oven, temperatures may vary. So keep a close eye on the patties, so as not to burn them.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 15min
Cooking time: 18-20 min
Makes: 10 small cutlets

Ingredients:


Potato: 1 big, cooked with some salt, and mashed
Onion: half of a red medium, finely chopped
Grated carrots: 3/4 cup
Oil: 4 tsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Chilli powder: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp
Bread crumbs: 3/4 - 1cup
Salt to taste
Egg: 1, beaten with 1 tbsp water

Heat oil in a skillet and saute the onions. Once they turn light pink, add the grated carrots and saute for about 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add the spices and enough salt. Keep sauteing until the raw taste of the spices have gone. Allow to cool until it is slightly warm, about 5-10 min.

Shape into small patties and keep aside. Make an assembly line- the patties, the egg-wash (egg & water mixture), breadcrumbs and the lined baking tray. Now take one patty at a time, dip it in egg-wash, then roll it in the breadcrumbs and arrange on a baking tray. Repeat with the rest.

Toast (450 degree F) the patties for 12 min in a toaster oven. Flip the patties and toast for another 6-8 min, depending on the color of the crust desired.

Easy Gobi (cauliflower) Manchurian

I think I have mentioned before that I am not a fan of Cauliflower. But in an attempt to get my kids to eat vegetables, I seem to end up with a lot of left over vegetables. Here is a handy dish if you ever are,by chance, holding a lot of cauliflower.

Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 30 min
Makes: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:


Cauliflower florets: 1 cup
Onion: 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup, thinly sliced
Green chillies: 2, cut into thin rounds
Cornflour/ cornstarch: 4 tbsp
Soy sauce: 2 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste: 3/4 tbsp
Powdered black pepper: 1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Chilli paste: 1 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup: 2 1/2 tbsp
Oil: 1 tbsp + for deep-frying

Heat oil in a skillet. In the meantime, mix the cauliflower florets,1/2 cup sliced onions, green chillies, cornflour, 2tsp soy sauce, ginger-garlic paste, salt and pepper to form a tight batter (tight enough to form balls). Make small lime-sized balls and deep fry them until golden brown.

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and saute the rest of the onion until light golden brown. Add the rest of the soy sauce, chilli paste and tomato ketchup and mix well. Add the fried cauliflower balls and mix well, so as to coat the balls with the sauces. Serve warm.

Paneer pudina tikkis (cottage cheese patties with mint)

My neighbour once mentioned that she had never tried Paneer before. She was doing a garage sale and so I decided to make her some snacks for tea. I decided to make her Paneer tikkis with pudina (mint leaves) and cilantro (coriander leaves). Both the mint and cilantro were fresh from my backyard vegetable garden.

The original recipe, from Tarla Dalal, called for only pudina but I decided to add some cilantro as well, for a change.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
cooking time: 10 min
Makes: 10 tikkis/ patties

Ingredients:


Grated Paneer: 1 1/3 cup,without pressing down
Mint leaves: 2 tsp, finely chopped
Cilantro: 2 tsp, finely chopped
Corn starch/ corn flour: 2-3 tsp
Green chillies: 5-6, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil: for deep-frying
Chat masala: to sprinkle while serving(optional)

Mix all the ingredients except for oil and chat masala well. Make 10 balls of the same size. Flatten it a bit to form patties/ tikkis. Deep fry them in medium hot oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve hot sprinkled with chat masala. Goes well with tomato ketchup.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My kids love the store bought chocolate chip cookies. So, instead of allowing them to eat all the preservatives contained in them, I decided to make them at home. This easy recipe is from The Hershey's Kitchens.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking/ baking time: 8-10 min/ batch
Makes: about 60 cookies

Ingredients:


Butter: 1 cup, softened
Sugar: 3/4 cup
Light brown sugar: 3/4 cup
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Eggs: 2
Baking soda: 1 tsp
All-purpose flour/ maida: 2 1/4 cups
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Milk chocolate chips: 2 cups
Chopped nuts: 1 cup, optional

Heat oven to 375 degree F.

Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl, with a whisk until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Sift together baking soda, flour and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beating well until well blended. Stir in chips and nuts, if needed. Use a cookie drop to drop  the cookies about 2 inches apart. If you don't have that fancy gadget, just use the teaspoon as the measure.

Bake 8 to 10 min, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

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Plantain Fritters(പഴം പൊരി )

You would be thinking what is wrong with me to post a recipe which everyone knows. But then I remember what my husband told me once. A recipe that feels easy to me may not be that easy for someone else. He thinks it is my "sacred" duty to impart the knowledge of even the simplest dish for the sake of novices such as he.

I would also like to share the joy of eating this tasty dish with my friends and neighbors in the US who have never had it before.

When selecting plantains for this, make sure you buy ripe ones (soft to touch).  Don't worry about the looks, it the feel that matters. At the same time, make sure it is not over-ripe or it will fall apart when you fry them. 

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 10 min

Cooking time: 20-25 min

Makes: 24 fritters

Ingredients:

Plantains: 2, sliced length-wise into 2" length, 1/2" thick pieces

Besan ( chickpea flour): 1 cup

Oil: to deep fry

Using enough water, make a slightly thick batter (the batter should be thick enough to coat the plantain pieces) . Dip the plantain pieces and deep fry in hot oil. Serve warm.

Baby corn pakoda

I have never used baby corn in any thing I have made in the past. I bought a packet of baby corn from the store not knowing what really to do with it. Finally decided to make an appetizer. This was indeed a new experience as I usually have a good idea of what I am making before I buy something.

Usually pakodas are made in a batter made of Besan (Chick pea Flour). This particular recipe uses a mixture of all purpose flour and corn flour

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15 min
Makes: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:


Baby corn: 32 (about 200 gms)
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Cornflour/ cornstarch: 4 tbsp
All-purpose flour: 4 tbsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp
Cilantro, chopped: 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil: for deep frying

Cut the baby corn in half, widthwise. Make a thick batter, like you would for pakodas with cornflour, all-purpose flour, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper. Add the baby corn and mix well. Drop each piece in hot oil until golden brown.