Dry fruits and nuts spiced cake

Winters are at least for me very depressive. The day for me begins with darkness, sun out for a while and darkness again by the time you reach back home. It is the season when I succumb to cold and cough and that circulates within the family. I am just waiting for spring. Baking a spiced cake was in my mind for a long time, and Christmas here gave me a valid occasion to bake one. I was out in search of small gifts for my kid, when I accidentally noticed a bundt baking pan.
Yes, I say accidentally because Mr. S was like if you go shopping you will pick up many things that are not really required on a daily basis. Yes, baking happens very rare at my place, so he was right at that point. I still managed to get the bundt cake pan home and just couldn't resist baking. The very next day on 25th December, I and my kid baked an aromatic egg less cake filled with dry fruits, nuts and spices. That way I could get her eat some dry fruits and nuts. I followed the recipe from show me the curry website, I did alter the measurements according to my choice based on the availability of ingredients.

Cardamom flavored condensed milk muffins

Baking cakes or muffins is something I hardly do. But I had an unopened pack of condensed milk, my willingness to use that and the sight of the muffin pan lying by the side, tempted me to to try some baking. Cardamom is one of the spices I love. I am so generous with adding them in Indian milk tea. My tea is always a little more milky, more edge on sweetness too. That is the way I like my tea.
Now for these muffins I used no fancy ingredients, just the normal ones available in pantry did my job. My daughter too was interested in seeing how they come out, hence we spent solid one hour in the afternoon baking them. The aroma that filled in the kitchen was overwhelming. That is the best part of baking for me. Here we go.

Ingredients:
Makes 12 muffins
Dry ingredients:
All purpose flour/Refined flour - 1½ cup
Powdered sugar-1 cup
Baking powder-1 tsp.
Crushed cardamom-1 tsp.

Wet ingredients:
Condensed milk-340 gms (4% fat)
Clarified butter- 1 tablespoon

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degree Celsius. In  a bowl add the wet ingredients and mix.
2. Followed by that sieve the dry ingredients together except cardamom. 
3. Now add cardamom and mix lightly.
4. Transfer the dry mixture little by little into the wet mixture and fold the dry ingredients into the mixture.
5. Do not over mix. once well folded, line the muffins or cupcake pan with the paper muffin cups.
6. Pour in the cake batter just up to ¾ of the cups.Place them in the oven and bake them at 175 degree Celsius for around 20 mins.Once done take them out and let them cool.

Notes:

• I added only one cup powdered sugar, but I think it would have been better if I added another ¼ cup of sugar more as I feel it would have made them little more sweet.
• The condensed milk I used was unsweetened, if sweetened one, adjust sugar according to your taste.
• I had no butter, hence opted for clarified butter/ghee, but if butter is available, I guess same portion of room temperature butter would serve the purpose.

Enjoy the dish! n don't forget Eat and Eat little MORE.. :)

Tortilla roll ups

Days passed by, never got time to look back here into my space. How much ever I try to hold back, there is something in this space that pulls me every time to engage myself for some time here. Yes today I sit after many months, to scribble what I want on and on. My bubbly turned 5 on April 8th this year. Every year the passion in me never lets me order food from outside for my kiddo's party. It was like it has to be prepared by me however difficult it is, irrespective of the count that would be joining the party. Not keeping well for past few months couldn't let me risk myself, hence our main course was vegetable pizza from a pizzeria nearby. Still the mother in me told I must do something for her party and hence the idea was to prepare some simple starter before the main course and a dessert to follow that.
The starter was Tortilla Roll Ups. It was my first try and turned out to be delicious that I was craving for the same after the party. Hence I tried again and sharing the detail step by step pictures for a simple starter to just add that extra shimmer to your party!

Ingredients: to prepare 20 roll ups

Tortilla rolls (ready made) -3
Capsicum/paprika (any color) -1
Spring onion -1 chopped
Cream cheese/ Cream cheese with herbs - 200gms
Red cabbage -grated 1 cup
Lemon juice-2-3 tsp.
Sugar-½ tsp.
Salt to taste
water-1 tbsp.

Recipe:

1. Cook grated red cabbage with water and little salt to taste till it is well cooked and water content is evaporated, add lemon juice and mix well.
2. Chop capsicum and place them on a baking tray and roast on around 200 degrees Celsius for around 5-10 mins.
3. In a bowl add cooled cooked red cabbage, chopped spring onions. Give a good mix.
4. Now add roasted capsicum to it. 
5. Followed by that add cream cheese. Mix well, add salt just enough to taste.
6. Place a tortilla wrap on a flat surface.
7. Now place some portion of the  mixture on top of the tortilla wrap and spread well.
8. Spread them evenly so that it is easy to roll.
9. Roll them, tucking the ends.
10. Let them cool in refrigerator till you are all set for the party.
11. Just before the party cut them into small rolls. Serve chilled

Notes:

1. This was my attempt for party, I added varieties of bell peppers as I had to prepare in large numbers.
2. You could use vinegar instead of lemon juice.
3. I used both plain cream cheese and cream cheese flavored with herbs. You could use either of them.

Enjoy the dish! n don't forget Eat and Eat little MORE.. :)

Mumbai street style Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji
A delicious street food from Bombay .If at all one visits Bombay must never miss eating out this street food. Any one would love to eat them any time. And with me it is anytime of my day. Pleasure is to eat them with some great friends. A dinner it could be or a brunch anytime, anywhere. Yesterday was a dinner with friends. Our platter was only Pav bhaji and we enjoyed to the core. I enjoyed when they had an extra servings of pav and bhaji.

Paneer Ladoo

Paneer ladoo is something all kids and even elders would love to have. Melt in mouth kind delicacy it is. My kiddo's kindergarten here had informed us that if there is any festival that we celebrate in India with pomp and fervor, it would be great if I could just pen down the importance of the festival and pass that to them so that they could let other kids know the importance of these festivals.
I too was excited to pen down few words about the festival and pass on some homemade paneer ladoos for all the kids. It is an easy delicacy which could be prepared within 30 mins if you have paneer (cottage cheese) ready. I prepared fresh cottage cheese at home and then prepared the ladoos.
Here goes the recipe.