EGGLESS CARROT CAKE WITH HOT TOFFEE SAUCE

After a long time, i baked a beautiful cake yesterday. I can say this eggless carrot cake is one of the best cake i have baked. The hot toffee sauce makes the cake more tasty. I wanted to make an carrot cake for a long time and this recipe i adapted from here and the yummy hot toffee sauce i adapted from Nags space. So go ahead and try out this easy eggless carrot cake with hot toffee sauce.

INGREDIENTS: FOR CARROT CAKE

CARROT (GRATED)	1 CUP
CONDENSED MILK	1 TIN (14 OZ)
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR	1 AND 1/4 CUP
BAKING POWDER	1 TSP
BAKING SODA	1/2 TSP
MELTED BUTTER	1/2 CUP
VANILLA ESSENCE	1 TSP

FOR HOT TOFFEE SAUCE:

BROWN SUGAR	1/4 CUP
BUTTER	2 TBLSP
CREAM	1/2 CUP
VANILLA ESSENCE	2 DROPS

METHOD:

• Sift the all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder for even mixing.
• Grate the carrots and add the condensed milk, melted butter and carrots in a bowl. Mix it gently and evenly.

• Add vanilla essence to this.
• Now mix this wet ingredients to the flour mix and gently mix it.
• Grease a pan and pour the cake mixture to this. I used a bundt pan to bake this carrot cake.

• Bake this in a preheated oven at 180 degrees. Mine took 40 minutes to bake this beautiful cake.

• Allow this to cool in a wire rack.
• To make the Toffee sauce,combine all the ingredients under the table “Toffee sauce” in a sauce pan.
• Gently mix this  let it simmer for 5-7 mins until the mixture thickens. Switch off the flame and keep it aside.

• Just make  holes in the cake with toothpicks and pour the toffee sauce over the cake.
• Cake is ready to serve.  Do not skip the toffee sauce as it enhanced the taste of the cake very much.

This beautiful cake i baked for a special occasion today as we are celebrating our 13 years of togetherness today.
        
Note:

• Do not skip the toffee sauce as it enhanced the taste of the cake very much.

Technorati Tags: eggless baking recipes,carrot cake,carrot cake without egg,moist cake,cake with toffee sauce,condensed milk recipes,carrot recipes

ROASTED CHICKPEAS | SPICY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Chickpeas or channa generally we make Sundal , Channa masala or Channa puloa but this roasted chickpeas i tried  a month back when i have some visitors for tea time snack and they already told me that they are coming just for a coffee. But i just tried this Roasted chickpeas with the canned Chickpeas. I added the Indian spices like red chilli powder, Tandoori masala ,  little garam masala and jeera powder. It tasted good and my friends too loved this with coffee.

INGREDIENTS:

CHICKPEAS*	2 CAN( 1 AND 1/4 CUP)
RED CHILLI POWDER	1 TSP
CUMIN POWDER|JEERA POWDER	1/4 TSP
TANDOORI MASALA	1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA	A PINCH
SALT	TO TASTE
OIL	2-3 DROPS

*If using dried chickpeas, soak in water for 8 hours and pressure cook it till 3 whistles and then proceed.

METHOD:

• Drain the water from the canned chickpeas and wash it thoroughly .
• Pat dry the chickpeas to remove the excess moisture.
• Just add 1-2 drops of oil to grease the baking tray.
• Throw in the chickpeas to the baking tray and add the salt,(the canned one may contain little salt),red chilli powder,tandoori masala, garam masala and jeera powder.

• Mix it evenly with clean dry hands.
• Preheat the oven at 180 degrees.
• Bake it for 35 to 40 minutes or till  it gets nicely roasted. Do not forget to saute this in between. You can do this every 10 minutes.

• Once done, take out and allow this to cool.
• Store it in a airtight container and enjoy this guilt free snack with tea or coffee.

Note:

1. You can add chaat masala and some herbs like thyme , rosemary too to get more flavour.
2. Even red chilli flakes or oregano can be added. Kasoori methi can also be added.
3. Baking time differs from oven to oven.

     

Technorati Tags: Roasted Chickpeas,roasted chickpeas with Indian spices,Fat free snack,tea time snack

THAI GREEN CURRY | VEGETARIAN THAI GREEN CURRY RECIPE

Thai green curry or Kaeng Khiao Wan, is an easy and interesting Thai recipe which i learnt from a friend . I have tasted this recently when i visited her house and it was a long time due for me to taste this Thai green curry as my friend was inviting me for a quite long time to her house. Most of the vegetarian Thai dishes are similar to the Indian  dishes. . I have made the Thai green curry paste at home. Even this Thai green curry is a similar one like South Indian aviyal ,loaded with flavours. Lemon grass , Thai ginger, Lime leaves are the 2 ingredients makes this Thai green Curry more flavourful.

INGREDEINTS: ( for Thai green curry paste)

Here we get the Tom Yam Set. I just bought that set , which includes few lemon grass sticks, few lime leaves, shallot, green chilli, and Thai ginger.

 

LEMON GRASS	1 STICK
THAI GINGER ( can use normal ginger)	SMALL PIECE
SHALLOT	1
THAI GREEN CHILLI	3-4
LIME LEAVES	4-5
SALT	LITTLE
OIL	1 TSP

METHOD:

• Wash the ingredients except salt and oil and grind it into a smooth paste adding the salt and oil.

INGREDIENTS:  (FOR GRAVY) SERVES :2 -3

GREEN BRINJAL	1
BABY CORN	2
CAPSICUM	1/2
SALT	AS NEEDED
SUGAR	A PINCH
COCONUT MILK	1/2 CUP
LIME LEAVES	1 (TO GARNISH)

• Chop the veggies. I used the orange and yellow capsicum.
• In a pan, add the veggies and saute for a minute in a low flame and add 1/4 cup of water.

• Add salt and sugar. Do not over cook the veggies. Let it be crunchy.
• Add 2 tblsp of Thai green paste(recipe above)
• Add the coconut milk. i used the store bought coconut milk.

• Let this boil for sometime(2 minutes) in a low flame.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with lime leaves.

• Thai green curry is ready to serve. Serve with Fried rice or plain rice.

          

Note:

1. You can add carrots, cauliflower too.
2. Traditionally, turkey berry beans(sundakkai) is added .

Technorati Tags: Thai green curry,vegetarian thai green curry,thai green paste,home made thai curry paste,Thai green curry recipe,Thai recipes

AGILO OLIO PASTA RECIPE | AGILO OLIO RECIPE

Whenever we go to Pasta Mania we have few options for vegetarians and one among them is this Simple Agilo Olio pasta . I wanted to try this agilo olio pasta , a simple vegetarian pasta recipe at home for a long time and finally made few days back. Let us see how to make Agilo Olio Pasta recipe also called as Spaghetti Aglio e Olio .

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 2

SPAGHETTI	1/3 PACKET
GARLIC PODS	6-8
OLIVE OIL	1 TBLSP
RED CHILLI FLAKES | FRESH RED CHILLI	TO TASTE
BREAD CRUMBS	2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Cook the  spaghetti pasta with 4 cups of water by adding enough salt to this pasta.
• Do not add oil to this while cooking.
• Once cooked drain the excess water and run the pasta through cold water.

• Chop the garlic into thin roundels.

• If using fresh red chilli finely chop this finely.
• Roast the bread crumbs in a pan till golden brown . Be careful not to get it burnt.

• In a pan, add olive oil and when the oil is hot lower the flame and add the Garlic. If adding fresh red chilli add it now.
• Toss the garlic gently in the oil without burning it. Do not change the colour of the red chilli.
• Then add the cooked spaghetti and toss it gently.
• Add the red chilli flakes (if using red chilli flakes) and bread crumbs too.

• Mix it gently and put off the flame.

• If you want you can add fresh parsley for garnishing.

        

Note:

1. Bread crumbs give a crunchy taste to the pasta. But if you do not have in hand, feel free to skip this.

Technorati Tags: Agilo olio pasta,easy pasta recipes,vegetarian pasta recipes,how to make agilo olio

VAZHAITHANDU MORKOOTU | PLANTAIN STEM MORKOOTU

Vazhathandhu or banana stem or plantain stem is a very healthy veggie which my mom used to make very often and even at my mil’s place too. I still remember the way my husband’s Grandma used to chop the Vazhaithandhu using the traditional veggie cutter, also called as “Arivalmanai”in Tamil. Me and my fil love to see the way she cuts the vazhaithandhu as the veggie contains fibre and we have to take it out without leaving anything. But after coming here, getting this vazhaithandhu is a rare thing and whenever i see this i will buy and make morkootu. We also make simple curry with vazhaithandhu too. Let me share the recipe of Vazhaithandhu Morkootu.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 3-4

VAZHAITHANDHU|BANANA STEM| PLANTAIN STEM	1 MEDIUM SIZE PIECE
COCONUT	3-4 TBLSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1/4 TSP
GREEN CHILLI	3-4
YOGURT	2-3 TBLSP
SALT	TO TASTE
SUGAR	1/4 TSP
COCONUT OIL	1/2 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
URAD DAL	1/4 TSP
RED CHILLI	1

METHOD:

• Cut the banana stem into roundels and take out the fibre.
• Cut them into cubes. and put the chopped vazhaithandhu into water. Add 1 tblsp of butter milk to this water. this is to avoid the change of colour the veggie.
• Mine was slightly dark as the vazhaithandhu was like that only.
• I chopped it previous night and kept in the refrigerator.
• Before making, drain out the water and add the chopped vazhaithandhu to the pan.
• Add salt to this and cook in a medium flame. do not add water. If u need, just sprinkle 1 tblsp of water. This will get cooked soon.

• Meanwhile, grind the coconut, green chilli and jeera into a fine paste. If needed add little water to this.

• Add this ground paste to the cooked vazhaithandhu. Mix well.
• Just let it boil for a minute.

• Temper with mustard seeds , urad dal and red chilli.
• Just before serving beat the yogurt and add it to the morkootu. Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

• Serve with any spicy gravy. We had with Applam Vatha kuzhambhu.    

Note:

1. If you feel the gravy is thin before adding yogurt, add 1/2 tsp of rice flour to the water and mix without any lumps. Add to the gravy and let it come to a boil.
2. Do not add sour yogurt| curd.

Technorati Tags: vazhaithandhu mor kootu,morkootu,banana stem,plaintain stem recipes,healthy vegetarian recipes