WHOLE WHEAT AND FLAX MUFFINS

Ingredients( for 12 muffins)

1. Whole wheat flour-1 1/2 cup
2. Milled flax seed-1/4 cup
3. Sugar-1/2 cup
4. Baking powder-2 tsp
5. Baking soda-1/2 tsp
6. Salt-1/2 tsp
7. Egg ,beaten- 1 no
8. Finely chopped apples(optional)-1-1/2 cups
9. Vegetable oil-3 tbsp
10. Milk-1/2 cup
11. Vanilla essence-1 tsp
12. Chopped nuts(optional)-1/2 cup
13. Light brown sugar-3 tbsp

Method

• Blend dry ingredients together.
• Combine egg,vegetable oil,vanilla essence and milk,in a separate bowl.
• Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir until just blended.
• Fold in apples and nuts.
• Fill well greased muffin cups  2/3 full.
• Sprinkle chopped nuts and light brown sugar on top.
• Bake at 400 deg F for 18 to 20 minutes or until top springs back when touched.

Recipe source-Hodgson mill recipes

MORU CURRY (TEMPERED BUTTERMILK)

Ingredients

1. Buttermilk(moru)-1/2 ltr
2. Mustard seeds-2 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
4. Crushed cumin seeds-1 tsp
5. Red chillies-3 nos
6. Curry leaves- 1 sprig
7. Ginger-1" piece
8. Garlic-3 nos
9. Chopped shallots(chumanulli)-6 nos
10. Green chillies-2 nos
11. Turmeric powder-1/4 tbsp
12. Chilly powder-1 tsp
13. Oil
14. Salt to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a pan
• Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Add fenugreek seeds,crushed cumin seeds ,red chillies and curry leaves.Saute.
• Add crushed ginger and garlic and saute till the raw smell leaves.
• Add green chillies and and shallots,saute till it turns golden brown.
• Reduce the flame to low and add turmeric powder and chilly powder,saute for a minute.
• Switch off the flame and add buttermilk and salt and stir for a minute or two.

KERALA FISH CURRY / MEEN CURRY

Ingredients

1. Fish-1 kg
2. Kashmiri Chili powder-2 1/2 tbspn
3. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
4. Coriander powder-1tbsp
5. cumin/jeerakam powder-1 pinch
6. Mustard seeds-1 tsp
7. Fenugreek seeds/uluva- 1/2 tsp
8. Shallots/chumannulli chopped-10 nos
9. Ginger and garlic-crushed- 1 tbsp
10. kokum/kudampuli(soaked in 1 cup water)-4 nos
11. Curry leaves-2 sprigs
12. Salt to taste
13. Water
14. Oil

Method

• Mix  together chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder  cumin powder and water , grind to form a smooth paste.Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan/manchatti  and add mustard seeds and let it splutter,add fenugreek seeds,1 sprig curry leaves ,chopped shallots and ginger garlic.
• cook till the shallots turn golden  brown in colour.
• Reduce the flame to low.Now add the paste and saute till the oil separates.
• Add 2 cup water(more if required),Kokum/kudampuli pieces ,one sprig of curryleaves and salt to taste.
• Mix well,cover the pan and let it boil.
• Add the fish pieces and cook on a medium heat  till the fish is cooked.
• Uncover and simmer till the gravy is thick.

Sending this recipe to kerala kitchen event june 2011 hosted by Rose of  magpies recipes.

CARAMEL CAKE

A simple vanilla cake with caramel filling

Simple Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

1. Flour -1 1/2 cups
2. Cornflour-4 tbsp
3. Salt- a pinch
4. Baking powder - 2tsp
5. Butter-125 gms
6. Granulated sugar-3/4 cup
7. Light brown sugar-1/2 cup
8. Eggs(medium) -4 nos
9. Butter milk-3/4 cup
10. Vanilla -1 1/2 tsp

Method

• Sift the flour,cornflour,baking powder and salt together.
• With an electric mixer(or a wooden spatula),cream the butter,granulated sugar and the light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in 3 batches,alternating with the buttermilk.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Spoon the batter into the greased pan and bake  at 180 deg ,until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean,for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Let the cake stand in the pan for 5 minutes,then unmold and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• With a long serrated knife ,carefully slice the cake in half horizontally.
• Sandwich the layers with some of the caramel filling and spread the remainder on the top of the cake.

Caramel Filling

Ingredients:

1. Granulated sugar-3 tbspn
2. Brown sugar-2 tbspn
3. Butter-2 tbspn
4. Condensed milk-3 tbspn
5. Thick cream-250 ml
6. Vanilla- 1/2 tsp

Method

• Heat the pan and add both the sugars,let it melt and turn golden.
• Add butter and let it bubble.
• add the condensed milk and the cream.
• Bring to boil over medium heat,stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat and simmer until thick ,stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla.
• Spread on the cake while warm(the filling thickens as it cools)

Pipe Italian meringue rosettes on the cake if desired.
You can also cover the sides of the cake with caramelized nuts.
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KERALA BEEF FRY

Ingredients

• Beef-500gms
• Tomatoes(chopped)-1 no
• Onion(chopped)- 1 no
• Turmeric powder-1 1/2 tspn
• Chilly powder -2 tspn
• Mustard-1 tspn
• Curry leaves-10 nos
• Fennel seeds- 1/4 tspn
• Green chillies-3 nos
• Ginger garlic paste-3 tspn
• Pepper powder-2 tspn
• Meat masala-2 tspn
• Corriander powder -2 tspn
• Oil
• Salt

Method

• In a vessel Cook beef with salt ,1 tspn chilli powder and 1/2 tspn turmeric powder ,until the beef is tender .
• Heat oil in a pan, saute the mustard seeds,curry leaves,fennel seeds ,green chillies and ginger garlic paste .
• add the onion and fry till it turns golden brown.
• Add the chilli powder,turmeric powder,meat masala ,pepper powder and corriander powder ,stir constantly.add salt to taste.
• add the tomatoes ,saute.
• After a few minutes add the beef and fry till it turns dark brown

Serve with rice and tempered yoghurt

BUTTER HORN ROLLS

Ingredients

• Yeast-2 1/4 ounce
• Warm water-2 cups
• Sugar-1/3 cup
• Salt- 1 1/2 tsp
• Butter- 1/2 cup
• Egg- 2 nos
• Flour- 7 cups

Method

• Put yeast into the warm water and let it rise(it tales almost 5 minutes)
• Make a dough using all the ingredients and the yeast.
• Place on a greased tray and refrigerate it in a tightly closed container for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
• Take a portion of the dough and roll it into a circle of almost 20 cms dia(almost 1 cms thick)Brush with butter
• Cut it into wedge shape pieces.
• Roll the wedge shape piece towards the sharp edge starting from the wide side.
• Brush with butter and bake for 8 to 10 minutes till the top turns light brown.

BROWNIES

Ingredients

• 14 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 11/2 cup flour
• salt - a pinch

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Degree F.Line the bottom and sides of 12" square baking pan and grease
2. Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan.Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder.
3. Beat the egg and vanilla until light and add to the cocoa butter mixture.
4. Add sugar and mix well.Add a pinch of salt.
5. Sift the flour over the cocoa mixture and gently fold in.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes .Do not over bake.Leave in the pan to cool before cutting into 2-inch squares and removing.
7. The brownies should be soft and moist

(for fudge icing,add 100 gms icing sugar,50 gms melted butter,1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder,3 tbsp of milk and heat.stir well to get paste consistency.pour the icing on the brownie.)

(Recipe:American baking heritage-Patricia Lousada)