Eggless Chocolate Cake - Vegan

This ( the search for the recipe ) started when we were to have some guests from US....one of T's cousin and her family...which included a granddaughter who was allergic to diary...

I had a couple of favourite cakes - one date, and the other chocolate - but both had milk, butter, or eggs or yogurt....so checked the net ...and found this one in all-recipes site...

It is such a simple recipe and yet it turns out into an amazingly delish cake - it is a little chewy sort of brownie type...really liked it...after which I have made it many times - even for regular ( i.e. non allergic ) folks...and everyone has loved it too...

There are some changes that I have made to the original recipe....one is to reduce the sugar...we like ours to be just sweet...not too sweet...sometimes I replace a quarter cup of sugar with brown sugar - that gives it a more caramelised taste...
I also like to reduce the oil - so my standard substitution for that is to skin and grate an apple ( small ) - and then micro it for about 4-5 minutes with a few drops of water till it becomes soft and pulpy...cool and use in the cake batter...this increases the taste, nutritional value besides making it more healthy by reducing the oil...and of course cannot do without some nuts, so chopped walnuts it is...( this is optional and can be omitted )

Mango Kulfi

Mango Kulfi

I have to tell you all that it is my birthday today....but that is not the main reason I made this today....I have a long story for this...as usual...  :-)....please do not say "not again"...just bear with me...I promise to cut it short...

I had been eyeing the kulfi molds in the shops time & again...but somehow did not get around to buying it for some reason or the other...was not too sure how much I would really use it...have loads of stuff that I purchase with the vague plan of using it "some day"...

Then once T & I had gone grocery shopping and they had the cutest kulfi molds on sale...so tempting - this time T himself picked it up...so I decided to get it... and since then it has been laying around my cupboards...(I know, I know...but see I have used it finally)

Nyways..so the plan was that I would make kulfi soon...but that has been quite a while ago....and now about say 3-4 mths or 6...who knows..it was still not inaugurated...

Decided to get down to business...and b'day being a good day for a new beginning...kulfi it was...and being mango season ...my first foray into this was with a mango kulfi....

But as I said in my first line...it was not made for my b'day cause I had already planned a chocolate cake ( by popular demand ...my Mom actually )...so this morning was very hectic with me making both the cake and the kulfi and attending to messages, calls, what's app...etc...and also getting ready to go out for lunch & some shopping with sister dearest...

Phew! somehow managed, took the cake to my parents place, all gathered there - cut it, ate it, left some crumbs for our respective spouses...sorry guys...was really melt in the mouth...( I think I make it for almost everyone's birthdays...this is what all seem to want )...and kept the kulfi in the freezer in my new molds...cannot wait to see hubby's face when I take it out... I am bound to hear an "At last"...

So anyways after having patience to hear(read) me out...the least I can do is give you the recipe...here goes...sorry guys no pictures this time...was too busy this morning to get it..this mould has 8 kulfis - before the last one is over if I get the pictures taken I will update this post...

This turned out so great ...makes a good dessert or can be had just when the mood strikes...so cool and delish.

Ingredients:

2 and half cups milk - half a litre - 500 ml
1/4 cup milk powder
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 sugar to be added if required (depending on the mangoes)
1 cup of mango pulp (about 3-4 alphonso mangoes depending on size)
1 Tblspn of crushed almonds & walnuts ( can use any nuts )
a few sprigs of kesar (saffron )


Method :

1) Bring the milk to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer till it reduces to about half.
2) Add the rest of the ingredients except the mango pulp & sugar. Mix thoroughly.
3) Let it cool down completely - then add the mango pulp to the mixture. 
4) At this stage do the taste test...and add sugar if required as per your requirement. 
Since the milk powder I used had been sweetened, and the condensed milk is sweetened and the mangoes were sweet enough I did not require any additional sugar.
5) Pour the kulfis into moulds and keep in the freezer for 8 hrs or overnight.
6) To demould, run some water over the outside of the moulds, and gently twist the stick to remove it.

Enjoy !!!

They were so amazing...that I am very happy with my purchase...feel it was totally worth it, even if I do not make it again ( which will not be the case...as hubby was already making plans as to which flavour should be next...maybe badam pista kulfi )...this is a total paisa-vasool purchase...

I do urge you all to try out this delicious recipe...and you do not need the kulfi moulds ...it can be set in any dish...I had some leftover which I poured into a couple of other containers too...had to cut and serve them up...tasted just as good...yum !!!

So let me know how it turns out for you...
P.S.....as you have guessed from the pictures above that I did manage to take some before we finished it all off...and hence the update...

Homemade Buns with Filling - Sweet / Savoury

Savoury Buns

Maine pehne party shoes...
Gonna let my body loose....
Karli hai.-----------------.....
There's party on my mind....

This song from the movie Race 2 ...which translates as follows "I have worn my party shoes,  and am all carefree...etc etc...with partying on my mind...." comes to my mind, as I get ready to greet the next batch of visitors from overseas who plan to drop in to see us....

If you have been following/reading my earlier posts - you would know that we had quite a few guests recently...and it truly was like one party after another....good fun to meet and spend time with our near & dear ones...also gave me an opportunity to try out my culinary skills...ahem.

So back to the thought processes, shopping for groceries, planning the menu...you would think I am planning a huge dinner or lunch with four courses, salad & dessert...nope...not really...just tea & snacks...what ?!?  :-) ...I know ....but still whether the party is small or big - it is fun planning it out.

Our guests were to join us for tea and snacks - and I thought these buns with savoury filling of cheese, garlic, and cilantro (coriander leaves / dhania patta ) would be just the thing to prepare...
I had tried it out before ...and it had turned out amazing...it was so lightweight, and the taste of the filling - cheese, garlic, with cilantro is a very good combination. I got this recipe from Divya's easycooking...her easy and simple style and pictures makes it very convenient to follow and adapt.

Does this ever happen to any of you - that you try out a new recipe and make something amazing, and at first shot the results are so outstanding that it even surprises you...and then you decide to replicate that success with guests...and guess what - not that great....
Well that has happened a few times to me...so I was a bit wary of trying this one out for our visitors...but the results was so good, maybe even better ( with a few minor changes from the first time around ) that I had to put it down for all of you.

You could try making these plain or with any other stuffing you like - including onion, or even add some veggies mashed - like potatoes, peas etc...

These can be made with a sweet filling of sugar, coconut, chopped dates, chopped nuts etc. too....the main difference between the two with regards to the dough is the amount of sugar and salt you add to it.

Sabudana Kheer / Sago Pudding

Sabudana Kheer

Normally on the 1st of Jan - as a sort of celebration (New Year Day ! )  I make something sweet - or at least have been doing so for past some years now.

During a chat about what we had the previous year, and what we should make for this year, Mom came up with kheer ( which is like a sort of pudding - but without the egg )....and I got to thinking. Years ago, one of Mom's favourite kheer was the sabudana kheer...which like so many of her regular dishes was sort of forgotten as we discovered & adopted new recipes from others around. So thought let me surprise her with this kheer this year.

So as always trolling the net ( get a lot of ideas from there ) - and having some idea of how Mom used to prepare it - and having  had a fair bit of idea myself from all the different kheers that I have since prepared ...and thus armed with all the gathered intel...went about making it...
It was an eye opener - I had totally forgotten how amazing this kheer turns out - so smooth - so melt in the mouth...it can be had hot or cold ( though I prefer it cold, it becomes better the longer you keep it - say the next day... ) - the starch in the sago (sabudana) makes it yummy - that you just cannot stop at one bowl. It is like a comfort food...like a good soup...or chocolate - you get a long and lasting pleasure when you have it...

Nyways - so back to present day...why did I go down memory lane...cause we were expecting my hubby's friend to come over for lunch - and while planning the menu, and since he has a sweet tooth - decided to make this kheer (since it had been bought back to our notice this year)....
So within a span of a month I was back to boiling and reducing the milk, soaking the sabudana, frying the cashew & raisins, crushing the cardamoms....and this time managed to get a few pictures taken...so that this blog could be complete...with text & the pictorials..

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.... :-)....

Sukhadi

The aroma of roasted wheat has filled the entire house bringing with it memories of Dasera spent at my sister-in-law's co-sister's place ...confused ?....

Well I am not sure whether it is a common term but in South the term co-sister is used for wives of 2 brothers...so my husband's sister whose brother-in-law's wife ...the one I am referring to here is her co-sister...

Now I think I am confused too....so anyways moving on...let's call her S....we had all gathered at  S's  place for Dasera and she had made the most amazing, mouth-watering Gud papdi or as it is also referred to as Sukhadi...

And even though we are all now conscious of what (& how much )sweets we have ....we could not resist it and it was soon polished off...

I asked her for recipe and have since made it many times with delicious results and here I go making it once more...while it is cooling on the kitchen counter I decided to log it in ...the recipe given below....

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup jaggery
1/2 cup ghee
1/2 nuts powdered - (optional) ( I used a mix of almonds and walnuts )
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
broken cashews to garnish

Method:
1) Melt ghee in a non-stick or heavy bottomed pan

2)Roast the wheat flour and powdered nuts together till it changes colour to reddish brown - it will also give a heavenly aroma at this stage - and you will also see the ghee starting to separate a bit.
This takes about 10-15 minutes approx.

3) At this stage add the jaggery ( jaggery should preferably be grated )
4) Stir till it is all blended well - you will see that the mixture starts coming together - switch of the flame and put the mixture in a greased thali or baking dish.
(After adding the jaggery - you do not have to keep it all flame for long - just till it all mixes in and the mixture comes together - about 1 minute.)

5) Sprinkle cardamom powder over it - cool it for about 10 minutes then cut into diamond shapes...decorate with cut cashew pieces...
6) Let it cool further completely before removing from the pan and storing it in an airtight container...
Enjoy !!!

Tips: You can put a little less ghee if you would prefer - but then you may need to add a couple of tablespoons of milk in the end for the sukhadi to hold it's shape...

The addition of powdered nuts is optional - but it does raise the level of the sukhadi and brings out the nutty flavour of the roasted wheat...besides increasing it's nutritive value.