Amla Murabba

Amla Murubba

This year the winter was pretty severe in all parts of the world...even in India certain parts had very low temperatures and almost snow like conditions.

Mumbai which generally had very mild winters - was also showing signs of unusual weather - colder than norm - but the main problem here was that it was not uniformly cold.....the temperatures kept fluctuating - warm - to pleasant - to cold - to chill...brrr.....

Nyways the above is just so that you know the reason for almost everyone coming down with cold, cough, flu....and the sniffles is the most irritating thing to go thru....
My sister who generally has morning sniffles had come up with a few remedies to take care of it...and so she decided she should share it with me too...and that is how I landed up with a big bag of amla.

Now I have never tried eating amla raw - do not know if you have - but it is very sour ( khatta )....tried to have it like a medicine....buuuuuuuuuut....not too successful...

So then what do you do with the whole bag minus the one I tried to eat.....T came up with one option - it seems when they were young they used to immerse amla in salted water - and after a couple of days eat it - so that was what we did with 2-3 amlas...( it is still soaking ....)
The balance I decided to try and make murabba....went thru the net - got a few different recipes - but generally got the gist of the method and ingredients and proportions ...then set out to make my own...
Murubba makes a very nice accompaniment to any meal...it's sweet sour combination gives a different tang to the taste buds...and so it is greatly appreciated.

Measures, Weights, Conversions....

I had been wanting to do a post on measures for a long time, love reading recipes, but find it very difficult if the measures are not in the same .....as the country in which I am at the  moment...when I was in US it was very easy to use pounds, ounce, quart or whatever...whereas after I moved back to India - it is back to grams, kilograms, or litres etc...

Love it if the recipe is in cup measure  - or tsp or Tblspn... then it is universal - some of the recipe do give both grams and ounces, some cups and grams...and some recipes have conversion inbuilt...this does help a lot...I have a couple of sites I go to for conversions...though by now I have a little bit of an idea of the approximate measures - I would rather have an accurate conversion - esp. in baking....does not matter as much in curries etc...( anyways I find that for curry etc...I tend to have a general idea of the ingredients, quantities and method - and then do it my own way ) ....one of the reasons I do not always have the expected output...but then I feel cooking is all about innovation and creativity - if you have to copy page to page and dot to dot...then ?!?

Well having said all that let me get down to the conversions as I have it...


1 cup       =   16 Tablespoons ( Tblspn )
1/2 cup    =     8 Tblspns
1/4 cup    =     4 Tblspns
1 Tblspn  =      3 Teaspoon ( Tspn )

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Volume Conversions : Normally used for liquids

1 Tspn      =   5 ml
1 Tblspn   =  15 ml  =   1/2 fluid ounce
2 Tblspn   =   30 ml  =     1 fluid ounce = 1/8 cup
4 Tblspn   =   60 ml  =     2 fluid ounces = 1/4 cup
1 cup        =   240 ml  =   8 fluid ounces  =  1/2 a pint
2 cups       =   475 ml  =  16 ounces         =  1 pint
4 cups       =    950 ml  = 32 ounces         =  2 pints = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon = 3.8 L

Note : In case a higher precision is not required these approximations work

1 cup = 250 ml 
1 pint = 500 ml
1 quart = 1 litre
1 gallon = 4 litres

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Weight Conversions : ( Ounce here is different from fluid ounce )

1 ounce   =  28 grams
4 ounces  =  113 grams  = 1/4 pound
8 ounces  =  230 grams  = 1/2 pound
16 ounces = 450 grams  =    1 pound

2 pounds =   900 grams 

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Some common items in cups & grams as follows :
( i.e. given in volume & it's weight )

Flour             :  1 cup = 130 grams
Flour sifted    :  1 cup = 110 grams
Sugar             :  1 cup = 195 grams
Brown sugar   :  1 cup = 180 grams ( not firmly packed )
Butter            :  1  cup = 226 grams
Oats              :  1  cup =   90 grams


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The other very important conversion is of course of temperatures
esp. with re. to the oven for baking purposes...

I generally stick to the approximations given below :

320 F          = 160 C
340 F          = 170 C
360 - 375 F =  180 C
400 F          =  200 C

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Here's hoping the above will be of some help to you in deciphering the recipes given in various sites ....and am hoping to update the same in case I encounter any problems myself and am able to resolve the issue....

Would love to hear from you too...so please feel free to give your feedback ...thanks !!!

Microwave Sukhadi / Gud Papdi

Microwave Sukhadi

Now this recipe is one which I had to put down in my Blog, I already have a regular Sukhadi recipe - so was not sure I should put this one too - but the ease with which this came together and the perfection of the end result - soft & yummy - absolutely delish...had to get the pen & paper out...sorry ...camera & computer...

The main ingredients are the same as original Sukhadi recipe and which can be obtained thru the link above...the method is given below,

Method :

1) Take a microwave bowl and mix in the 1 cup of wheat flour, with the 1/2 cup of ghee thoroughly.
2) Microwave on high for 4 minutes - stopping after 2 and stirring it.
3) Microwave again for 4-5 minutes - stopping now after every minute and stirring it.
4) The aroma of wheat roasting will start coming at this stage - the mixture is still very moist but the color has started to change.
5) At this stage add the 1/2 cup crushed nuts ( almond & walnuts ) along with powdered cardamom. This time I also put in some crushed saffron. Mix.
6) Microwave for 1 minute - take out and stir - now the ghee will be all absorbed and the mixture looks more together. Add the 1/2 cup grated jaggery and mix it - the heat will melt the jaggery.
7) Microwave for 30 seconds and then mix again so that all the jaggery is blended in.

Setting on a Thali

At this stage the Sukhadi is all done - spread it in a greased plate or tray and let it cool down - cut - then cover and keep in the fridge for about 1 hour - this makes it easier to remove the pieces. 

Enjoy !!!

P.S. If you like to have Sukhadi which is not so soft - you could microwave it for a minute or two after after the jaggery.

I have made Besan Ladoo in the microwave this Diwali after many unsuccessful attempts earlier ( have yet to get that down in the blog ) and now this too worked out great - so decided to make a start on posting all these recipes....it was such an easy sweet to make and one which my hubby loves ...so am happy today...
Today is Christmas - not a very apt sweet for the occasion - but anyways ...wishing all a very merry X'mas and Happy New Year !!!

Low fat Chocolate Brownie / Cake / Something in middle...

Ok, So I am doing this after a very long time - by this I mean putting down my recipe....not sure why ....
I am generally rather thrilled when I plan to try out anything new and even more thrilled when the end result ( after all my changes ) comes out successful....

I start off with quite a bit of research on the net....take on a few of the best options (with regards to the recipes & it's ingredients) ....check out the pros & cons...and then generally try out one of them with a few of my own variations....
And if it turns out to be a winner - boy am I thrilled (as mentioned above)...and that's when I love to blab about it to anyone who will give me a ear...( or think of blogging...in case the first is missing). 

And that is the cause of my confusion - why the delay ??? in posting - but anyways now that I am here - let me get on with the recipe, this time it is the brownie that I was into...
Actually this is not my first...I have used the box mix many a time with beautiful results...this was way before I started  on my adventures with baking from scratch...with cakes, muffins etc...

I have also baked a sort of instant brownie - which was supposed to be a single serve...which was not bad ....but this was supposed to be full fledged recipe.

As I said I researched and found quite a few - more true to the concept of brownie than this one...but it all had a huge amount of butter, or oil, and sugar..and then I came upon this one...
The recipe said that it was low fat - that was the main attraction for me...as for the sugar - I had my own twist on that...
The only thing is that in most brownie recipes as opposed to cake the flour and butter proportions 1/2 cup is to 1 cup - whereas this really did not fit that category, hence does not fall into the true brownie category - but does it matter...
It is quite fudgy, chocolaty, yummy, delicious - call it what u want  - brownie, cake or anything in between....but do try it...bake it...enjoy it.....cause it is fantastic......and my secret to reduce the sugar ????...to make it more amazing....Dates !!!!
And a twist to an amazing icing on the brownie - Bournvita !!!! that is a chocolaty drink which we have at our place at all times...

So when my alterations to an already amazing recipe yielded even more amazing results - I had to put it down...
Could I have used the word "amazing" any more...well ....let me see.... :-)....

Date & Walnut Cake (Eggless)

Eggless Date & Walnut Cake

I was so sure that I had already put down this recipe in an earlier post, so decided to run a check on my blog for cakes...to my surprise did not find any entry...What?!?  cannot believe I did not post any cake recipes at all...well that is certainly not the case, so then....duh...guess what? somehow I had not put that down as a label at all, so had to do a more thorough check thru the dessert list and found I did have a chocolate cake down ( one of the many I make regularly )...but no entry for the above date cake - which is an absolutely amazing cake and one of my favourites.
Wondering however did I miss both the label cake in my blog and the post for this date cake...anyway set out to rectify both. 

So here I am, in the process of baking this once more ( this time at a request from hubby )...took some pictures of the final product - sorry do not have any of work in progress cause as I said - did not know that this was not down already in my blog...so anyways the next time maybe I might manage to get that too...

There are a lot of recipes for the same on the net... this one was adapted from one of them - have made the original one too but this is more moist and had a more intense date taste, due to increase in the no. of dates used.

I have passed on the date cake recipe to many and all have loved it, including my friend C who visited us the other day - she had come over for lunch and the dessert for that day was a rice & date kheer ( another recipe I really need to get down here ) - nyways this started her off on a discussion on the date cake - and how simple it is to make and how amazing it turns out, and how all her colleagues and friends with who she has shared the cake and recipe loved it....etc...

All this talk on the date cake made hubby long for it too...and hence the request for it ( not that I need a reason to bake it )...

Oh and did I mention that it is egg less - a boon for when I have to take something across for those of my friends and relatives who are vegetarians ( including C ).

Rasam - Saaru ( A South Indian Speciality ) - Tomato & Lentil Soup

Rasam
 

Well this was a certainly a long time in coming...why is it that when we learn new dishes and recipes - some of the old ones fall by the wayside...at least it seems to happen to me. According to T - each of the different places that we have lived in had a totally new set of items on our regular menu...:-) .

I think maybe I do agree with him - cause there is no excuse for me not making one of my and all in our family's favourite dishes ...the absolutely mouth-watering  rasam ....more often. When we were kids - my sister used to love lunch when it was aloo ka subzi, rice, and rasam - the most simple and yummy fare...and when she was down or not too well and wanted to feel pampered Mom had to prepare this ...nothing else would do...we call it saar or saaru...and the recipe has undergone slight changes over the years...

Here's how I made it today...though this is one dish which could do with a lot of different additions or subtractions...and tastes best with plain steamed rice. It can also be had with vadas, in fact when in US whenever we went to a South Indian restaurant - we would start off with vada rasam, then move on to the rest of our meal...they would make it pretty spicy...the version given below is not as much...but that is something that can be upped if required...entirely as per your requirements. This can be had as a soup - a very tasty and spicy tomato & lentil soup.

Mango Panna Cotta

Mango Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk, sugar then mixing it with gelatin and allowing it to cool and set...it is served topped with  fruits, chocolate or chopped nuts...

Had read about this dessert and even checked out quite a few different recipes for the same...had also in my bookmarked list for an amazing looking mango panna cotta, but at that time it was not mango season here in India...and so it remained buried in my to do lists all this while....

Now the hot summer days are upon us...and mango season in full swing...this year's influx of mango has been reasonably good in terms of price and well as taste and quality...so we have all been relishing it.

T had also taken a trip to A'bad and bought back with him the most popular ras kairi, i.e. Kesar ( mango used mainly for it's pulp ). Along with Kesar kairi, his aunt also sent across leichi ( which is a paper thin roti, made in pairs then separated and folded ) - this goes very well with ras ( mango pulp ). A big thank you to G aunty....it was a delicious treat.

Well, we had a few Kesar's left and the most easy option was puri ras, but then T had some friends coming over to meet us, and I thought why not try this new recipe - though generally I am wary to try out new stuff with guests - you never know how it might turn out... right? - and then what do you do?....but then decided that with cream, milk, sugar and mango as it's main ingredients - there was not much that could go wrong...at the most it may not set properly - in that case it would be some form of ras, puddingy...thing...sort of thing...and since the taste is divine we could still eat it...