A simple yet elegant Black forest Cake. This Black Forest Cake/Black Forest Gateau was one of my favourite birthday  cakes since childhood ..As a kid I used to only like Black forest and pineapple cake..Now i love chocolate cakes..This  Eggless Black Forest cake is actually the most easiest cake ..I have used an eggless chocolate cake for this recipe the cake was soft and just super yummy

You can use cherry pie filling or fresh cherries I had glazed cherries so i used  them .So make home your very own Eggless Black Forest Cake and see the smile on your loved ones  .I'm sure once you bake your own cake you will never buy a birthday cake from a bakery.

Ingredients:
for the cake
1 cup Flour/Maida
1/4 cup milk powder
1/2 cup coco powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp vinegar
1/4 cup Oil/Melted Butter
1 tsp Vanilla extract /essence
1 tsp Baking powder

for the cream layer
1 cup whipped cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

to garnish and for soaking
cherries as needed
sugar syrup/cherry syrup/pineapple juice to soak
1/2 cup chocolate shavings/grated chocolate

Method :

• Mix the flour,baking powder,baking soda ,Coco powder and sieve it add Milk powder and sugar along with it in a bowl
• Then add Oil vanilla and Water.
• Mix together with a whisk or a spoon ,mix well so that there are no lumps.

• Then add water and vinegar  mix well,the mixture will be runny.
• Pour it in a greased 6 " pan lined with parchment/butter paper
• Preheat the oven for 10 min at 180 degree Celsius  and bake for 35-40 min or till toothpick inserted comes out clean.

• Remove the cake room the pan on wire rack and allow it to cool.
• Let the cake  cool completely before dividing into half
• I use the thread to cut the cake in two you may use a knife/thread.
• Whip the cream with icing sugar and vanilla essence ,beat till soft peaks are formed.
• Soak the cake with 1 1/2 tsp of /cherry syrup/sugar syrup/pineapple juice.
• Apply whipped cream all over and place some chopped cherries.

• Cover it with remaining half layer and apply whipped cream all over and crumb coat.
• Let the cake cool in the fridge for an hour,then remove and cover the cake completely with whipped cream
• With a piping bag make some designs with a star nozzle
• Place cherry on every design and sprinkle the chocolate shavings in the middle
• Also cover the sides of the cake with chocolate shavings.
• Let it refrigerate for 2-3 hrs before slicing

Notes :

*You can use  1 cup brown sugar instead of powdered sugar ,i usually add both but here i used powdered sugar.
Use a knife /grater to make your chocolate shavings.I used dark chocolate compound.
If you have chocolate chips ,use that to decorate the cake or you could use chocolate sprinkles alternatively.
Always keep the bowl and the beaters in the fridge before whipping the cream

Continue Reading

This pulao is a protein rich tasty one pot meal serve it with raita it taste yummy no less than a biryani .Chicken is my fav and so are Chana/Gram but i love the Desi ones more.I  read of many Chana pulaos on the net and thought of giving it a try my way.Now i had marinated some chicken breast  in green masala and kept it ready in the fridge which really saved lot of time
.So I  just soaked chanas and used the chicken and this delicious pulao was ready.

This Chana and Chicken Pulao went really well with onion and tomato raita.It was a very satisfying one pot meal .There is nothing fancy used in this Chicken and Chana Pulao .I just added fried onions/barista for a nice taste.Do try this easy and delicious pulao which gets ready within 30 mins if you have soaked chanas and marinated chicken ahead. Make it in a pressure cooker as I did cos it saves time and is best when you are pressed with time.

Ingredients
1 cup boiled kabuli chana/chick peas
250 gms chicken breast /boneless chicken
2 med sized onions sliced thinly
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp oil
3-4 tbsp curds
1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder
1 tsp chicken masala/biryani masala powder
2 1/2 -3 cups hot water
salt

for the chicken marination
4-5 cloves
4-5 green chillies/as needed
1 inch Cinnamon
8-9 black pepper
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup coriander leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Method:
For the chicken 

• Wash the chicken breast pat dry apply salt and keep aside
• Grind everything under the chicken marination with little water to a paste
• Apply the paste to the chicken and keep aside
• This can be freezed in  airtight container for a week
• When required remove the container bring it at room temperature and use the chicken for pulao/just fry/steam.

• Soak the chana/chickpeas overnight and pressure cook with salt and water for 2-3 whistles.

• Wash and Soak 1 1/2 cup rice for 10-15 mins

• In a pressure cooker vessel add 2 tbsp oil and add sliced onions and fry over med flame till the onions turn golden brown .
• Add the marinated chicken pieces along with the masala and saute for 4-5 min over med flame.
• Add the curds and the masala powder and saute for 2-3 minutes.

• Mix in the soaked rice and saute for 3-4 mins
• Mix the boiled chanas/chickpeas
• Add hot water

• Cover the pressure cooker with the lid and cook over medium heat for 2 whistles
• Release the pressure then open the lid,fluff the rice with fork .
• Serve hot with onion tomato or boondi raita .

Continue Reading

If you love seafood I'm sure you love crabs at least most of them do..I am die hard fan of Crabs I just love Crabs..This Crab Curry is my favourite and its simply mouthwatering .The roasted coconut and spices gives this curry a nice kick to the curry .Have it with Hot Rice or Bhakris/Rotis it goes well with bread /kadak pav too..Try this recipe and you will definitely love the flavour and taste.

Ingredients
6-7 Crabs
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup dessicated coconut
4-5 green chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
6-7 pepper corns
1 tsp heaped bottle masala/malvani masla/fish masla
4-5 cloves
7-8 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger chopped
2 onions sliced
tamarind paste

Method:

• Clean the Crabs but don't throw away the small legs/fangs this is to be ground fine and the juice is to be added in the masala ,it will bring out real flavour.
• Dry roast the spices and chillies till nice aroma comes
• Dry roast the scraped coconut and fresh grated coconut on low flame till it turns light brown.
• Remove in a plate and allow to cool ,then add 1 tsp oil and add sliced onions and roast till the onion turn light golden.
• Grind together coconut,spices and onions and ginger garlic by adding little water to a smooth fine paste.
• Heat oil in a vessel ,add ground masala and the ground paste of the legs/fangs 
• Now add the bottle masla/malwani masala/fish masla
• Saute on med flame for 5-7 minutes till the oil separates.
• Add the crabs and mix well.
• Add about 2- 3 cups water depending on the consistency of the gravy you want.
• Cover with a lid and bring it to a nice boil.
• It will take 10-12 mins till the crabs cook well.
• lastly add tamarind pulp and simmer for 3-4 mins
• Switch off the gas ,curry is ready to be served Enjoy it with rice/rotis/bread.

Continue Reading

The most gooey and chocolaty cake i have made till date I rather call this a pudding its a cake poked then filled with chocolate pudding ,melted chocolate and then covered with ganache..though its time consuming but worth every effort..A treat for Chocolate lovers...

Ingredients
For the cake
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup hot water  1 tsp coffee
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil

For the pudding layer
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
1  1/2 tbsp cornflour
1 cup + 1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp butter

second chocolate layer (optional)
100 gms chopped chocolate (melted over double boiler

for the frosting/final layer
1/2 cup fresh cream( i used amul)
50 gms chopped chocolate ( i used dark )
 chocolate chips to decorate

Method

•  In a bowl sift together APF/Maida ,Cocoa powder,Baking powder and baking soda
• Add lime juice to the milk and keep aside
• Add in eggs and mix well
• Then add milk,oil and  Hot water mixed with instant coffee.
• Also add sugar and mix well

•  Mix all well with a whisk then pour in a prepared pan greased well and lined with parchment paper/butter paper.
• Bake in preheated oven at 180 degree for about 40-45 min or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Once done ,allow it to cool for 10 min then poke holes in the cake with back of a spoon or knife.
• Mix the ingredients under pudding layer and place it on the gas on low flame let it boil for a minute the mixture will start to thicken ,switch the gas off and remove the pan from the flame and add butter .
• Pour this on the cake .let it seep into all the holes
• Then Pour in the melted chocolate (optional)

• Let it cool at room temperature then keep it in the fridge for 3-4 hrs.
• Make ganache by putting the cream in a saucepan and place it on low  flame,you will see bubbles at the edges ,add the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 min then mix well till the chocolate is melted.
• After 3-4 hrs ,pour the ganache over the cake .
• Sprinkle chocolate chips and let it set for 2-3 hrs before cutting the cake and enjoy

the cake is moist and gooey so don't try to invert it..just cut it and enjoy

Note:
If you want to make it eggless simply skip eggs and proceed.
The cake may take 45 to 50 min depending on the oven  make sure the toothpick comes out clean .
If you dont want to cook the pudding you can add 1/2 cup condensed milk and about 50 gms melted chocolate and fill the holes..i didnt do as i ran out of condensed milk and I didnt want it to be very sweet.

Continue Reading

A very tasty dish which is very easy to prepare the cashews give this dish a nice crunch I have tried this many times but had not taken pics so finally made it last week to post it here.It goes well with herb rice/fried rice.I served it with Chicken Fried rice .

Ingredients
1/2 kg chicken cut in  strips/cubed
salt
1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp pepper crushed
1 egg beaten
1 tbsp cornflour
1.5 tsp chilli sauce/chilli paste/ as needed

1 Capsicum
4-5 spring onions both the green and onion chopped
3-4 green chilli chopped
6-8 cashews
1 tbsp chilli paste/as needed
1 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2-3  tbsp oil

Method

• Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry.
• Marinate chicken with ginger garlic paste, chiili paste,salt ,pepper ,cornflour and egg and keep aside for 20 mins.
• Mix the chilli paste/chilli sauce ,soy sauce and tomato paste/sauce in a bowl and keep aside.
• Shallow fry the chicken pieces over medium flame till done.
• Heat a pan add oil then add cashews fry and keep aside
• Add green chillies,chopped garlic and saute
• Mix in capsicum and onion and saute for 3-4 mins
• Then add the mixed sauces
• Add the fried chicken and toss well till the chicken pieces coat well with the sauces.
• Add in the fried cashews .
• Serve hot with Fried rice or Noodles

Notes
If you don't have chilli sauce soak 5-6 kashmiri red chillies for 10 min in hot water then grind with vinegar to smooth paste thats what i do.
You can adjust the amount of chilli sauce and tomato sauce as per your taste.
This dish is usually served dry but if you want make a gravy ,add 1 tbsp cornflour on 1 1/2 cup mix well so that no lumps are formed then add this slurry to the chicken after you add sauces and cook for 2-3 mins..the gravy will thicken .

Continue Reading

I just can't believe its 2 years since I started this little blog.. It has been a roller coaster ride indeed there were  days when I thought of quitting blogging but somehow manged to go on..I must admit I feel lazy and loose interest in blogging when i don't post anything fro long ..so i have decided from now to  be persistent in blogging by posting atleast thrice in a week ..let see how it goes with gods grace..

I would like to thank all my blogger Friends and readers with their support i have reached so far..special thanks to all who comment and boost my morale by their support...

Thanks a lot for showering your love by commenting and trying the recipes..continue to shower your love and blessings in the blogging journey ahead.
Coming back to today's post here's a delicious dessert a  Fruit Custard which is enjoyed by both adults and kids.This is a simple and easy to make Fruit custard using custard powder and milk .You can add whichever fruits you wish to.Serve it chilled and I'm sure you will love it.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cup/500 ml/half litre milk
5-6 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp vanilla custard powder
2- 3 tbsp milk
2 -2 1/2 cup mixed fruits

Method:
Chop fruits and keep aside I used apple,chickoo,grapes strawberry and banana.

Bring milk to boil .

In a small bowl mix 2-3 tbsp milk with 2 tbsp custard powder to a smooth paste.

Add the sugar and Custard powder to the boiled milk stirring all the time .

The milk will begin to thicken ,switch the gas off once custard is thick.

Let the Custard cool completely.

Take mixed fruits in a serving bowl ,add nuts if you want ,pour the cooled Custard over.

Serve Chilled.

Continue Reading

This is the most simplest and yummy fried prawns which I love to have always.The recipe is very simple and there's nothing fancy .It goes well as a side dish with rice bhakri or chapati .I enjoyed this with Prawn curry and rice. Do try this you will love it.

Ingredients:

12-15 Prawns deveined

1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp bottle masala/fish masala

8-9 curry leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt

oil 

Method:

Clean the prawns and wash well

Drain the excess water and pat dry

Apply salt turmeric powder ,ginger garlic paste ,masala and lime juice.

Leave for 15-30 mins.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and add the curry leaves followed by the marinated prawns.

Fry on medium flame till done.

Serve as a side dish with rice curry or bhakri.

I have used my homemade  East Indian Bottle masala,you can use any brand fish masala or malvani or koli masala too

Continue Reading

Vermicelli/Seviyan  kheer is one of most popular dessert made on festive ocassion in India.Its my  fav dessert I often crave to have something sweet after dinner .This is when Imake this delicious kheer which is very easy to prepare and gets ready in a jiffy .I use milk powder and homemade mava to make this even more rich and yummy.You can use condensed milk as well./

Ingredients
1/2 cup vermicelli /seviyan
1 lt full fat cream milk
1 tbsp heaped milk powder
50 gms mava/khoa/khoya
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar/as needed
dry fruits as needed
 1.5 tsp ghee
1 tsp rose water
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method:
Heat ghee in a vessel fry the nuts for few minute I used charoli/chironji ,raisins and cashews
Remove the nuts and keep aside for later use
In the same vessel add the vermicelli and saute for 3-5 mins If using non roasted ones fry till vermicelli turn brown.
Then add the milk ,sugar milk powder and khoa/mava.
Cook on med flame the milk will begin to thicken as the vermicelli is cooked.
Add cardamom powder and dry fruits and  add sugar only if needed.
Lastly add rose water and serve warm/chilled.

Continue Reading

As I have mentioned in my Prawn Curry without Coconut post how flavorful is our homemade East Indian bottle masala which makes even the simplest food delicious..I know I have been asked by many friends and readers to post the recipe but somehow it escaped my mind I do have the draft ready but I needed some more stepwise pics and that's only possible when i make another batch of the masala which will only be somewhere around DEC or earlier in January cos That's the time we usually prepare it.
Well coming back to today's post this is a simple Prawn curry made with coconut it gets this beautiful colour because of the masala .You sure can add any fish masala or Malwani Masala to be precise which is close to bottle masala.

Ingredients:
10-12 prawns cleaned
salt

to grind to paste
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
7-8 garlic cloves
1 " ginger

other ingredients
2-3 potatoes
1 tbsp bottle masala /malvani masala/fish masala
2 tbsp oil
2 med sized onions sliced
1 tomato chopped
1 tbsp tamarind  pulp/as needed
salt.

Method:

• Apply salt to the cleaned prawns and keep aside for 10 minutes
• Meanwhile grind together coconut,cumin seeds ,coriander seeds ginger and garlic  to smooth paste adding little water.
• Heat oil ,add sliced onions and saute on medium flame till soft.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and saute
• Now add in the ground paste and bottle masala  and mix well
• Add the Prawns and give it  a good mix add water the potatoes and let it come to a nice boil.
• Add the tamarind pulp and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes
• Add salt if needed and let it simmer till potatoes are cooked.
• Add the tamarind pulp and let it simmer for 2-3mins
• Serve hot with rice/bhakris/chapatis I enjoyed it with some masala fried prawns.

Continue Reading

As I have mentioned earlier in my posts that Mutton Stew stew ,Vindaloo ,fugiyas pulao and Gavar/Cabbage foogath is a must on an East Indian dinning table  for any ocassions .This is fav amongst many East Indians excluding me .I don't eat gavar/cluster beans but every one at home love it..My friends were behind me to post this here so finally posting it today ..Foogath basically  means a stir fry with onion green chillies and scraped coconut

Ingredients
250 gms gavar/cluster beans
2 med sized onions sliced
4-5 green chillies/as needed
1 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp sugar optional
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup Fresh scraped coconut
oil
salt

Method:
Break the ends of gavar/cluster beans  then with your hands break into to 3-4 pieces. we do not use knife to cut this.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in pressure cooker and saute onions till soft.
Then add green chillies and saute for few minutes.
Add gavar ,salt and turmeric and saute then add coconut and pepper powder and  very little water and cover the pressure cooker and cook for 1 -2 whistle .
Release the pressure ,open the lid .
Serve with chapatti /roti.

Continue Reading

I love Mutton chops We always make Crumb Fried Mutton Chops at home Its our family fav..This one is very similar to the crumb fried chops except for the fact that these are steamed in pressure cooker then dipped in egg and coated with breadcrumbs and then fried till crisp.These are quick compared to the Crumb fried ones.I made these along with my Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani  which I posted earlier.

Ingredients
1/2 kg mutton chops (single rib)
1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
4-6 green chillies /as needed
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup coriander leaves
few mint leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp lime juice
1 egg
 breadcrumbs to coat
oil to fry.

Method:

• Wash the chops well then drain excess water
• Apply salt lime juice and turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste.
• Grind together chillies, coriander mint leaves, cumin seeds ,garam masala powder to a paste by adding very little water
• Now apply this paste to the chops and leave aside for 2-3 hrs.
• Then cook these chops in a pressure cooker by adding very little water ,since the chops will leave excess water from marination ,cook for 2 whistles then simmer .
• Open the lid and cook with the lid open if still there is water left.
• The chops have to be dried and well coated with masala.
• Allow it to cool for sometime meanwhile beat egg and keep it ready.
• Once the chops have cooled down dip it in the egg then coat it with breadcrumbs.
• Heat the pan ,add oil to shallow fry
• Fry the chops on both sides till they turn brown and crisp.
• Serve along with salad/raita or as a side dish with Biryani /Curries.

Continue Reading