Deepam Kolams / Agalvilakku Kolam

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Eggless Mocha Cookies

     People love biscuits with chocolate added to them. Mocha has chocolate mixed with coffee and has an odd yet attractive dark brown color. Mocha which means mix of chocolate and coffee has a unique memorable taste as well.

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Recipe Cuisine : International | Recipe Category: Cookies

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 12 mins | Yields: 20 cookies

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour	¾ cup
Icing Sugar	½ cup
Coco Powder	2 tbsp
Corn Flour	1 tbsp
Instant Coffee Powder	1 tsp
Wet Ingredients:
Butter / Dalda	½ cup

Procedure:

1. Sieve wheat flour, coco powder, corn flour and instant coffee powder for 3 times. Keep it aside.

2. Beat the butter with electric beater or wire whisk till it becomes fluffy.

3. Then add icing sugar and mix them well. Then beat till it reaches fluffy consistency.

4. Now add the flour mixture (from 1) little by little and mix them well. Knead it into a soft and pliable dough.

5. Wrap this dough with plastic cover and keep it in fridge for 10 mins.

6. After 10 mins, make small gooseberry size balls from the dough.

7. Place the balls on the ungreased tray and leave ½ inch distance between balls.

8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius for 10 mins.

9. Then bake the cookies for 12 mins at 155 degree Celsius. Allow it to cool down completely and then serve.

          Delicious and mouthwatering Mocha Cookies are ready to serve.

Note:

1. You can use maida instead of wheat flour.

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Ivy Gourd / Kovakkai / Tindoara Fry

     

      There are many different ways to prepare kovakkai fry. But this is a quite different and aromatic variation which induces even those who have not tried kovakai fry also too try it once. I learnt this recipe from my friend Devi who runs a 3 star resort in kodaikanal.

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Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Fry

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Ivy Gourd / Kovakkai	¼ kg
Turmeric Powder	¼ tsp
Salt	Required
Sambar Powder	1 tsp or required
To Temper:
Oil	2 tsp
Mustard Seeds	½ tsp
Chopped Onion	¼ cup
Curry Leaves	1 spring
To Grind:
Grated Coconut or equivalent	3 tbsp
Garlic Pods	7 – 10
Ginger	1 inch piece

Procedure:

1. Wash and dry the ivy gourds using the kitchen towel.

2. Trim the edges and cut each pieces into 4 lengthwise pieces as shown in the picture.

3.  Pressure cook the ivy gourd with ¼ cup water, turmeric powder and little bit salt for 1 whistle in high flame. Then allow it to cool down till the pressure has gone completely.

4. Meanwhile, grind the grated coconut, garlic pods and ginger into a little bit coarse powder without water.

5. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping.

6. Then add curry leaves and sauté for few seconds.

7. Add chopped onions and fry till they become translucent.

8. Now add the cooked ivy gourd (from 3) with its cooked water, sambar powder and remaining salt. Mix them well and cook till the water evaporates completely.

9. Now add the ground powder (from 4) and mix them gently. Cook them for few mins. Then switch off the flame and serve.

    Yummy and aromatic Ivy Gourd / Kovakkai is ready to serve.

Note:

1. Adjust the sambar powder level. You can use red chilli powder and coriander powder instead of samabr powder.

2. Don’t waste the vegetable cooked water.

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Eggless Orange Cake with Fresh Orange Juice

          Cakes with fruit essences are always special and different. Eggless Orange Cake is a good option for Christmas Season Cakes. Since you can use tin readymade juice also for the Orange Juice, all the ingredients are also readily available only. Try this if you are want to make quick and sweet cake.

     Click here to view more Cake Recipes.

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Baking

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Baking Time: 25 mins | Yields: 7 inch squares

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat  Flour	1 cup
Curd	¼ cup
Fresh Orange Juice	¾ cup
Oil	¼ cup
Powdered Sugar	¾ cup
Baking Powder	¾ tsp
Baking Soda	½ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Orange Zest	1 tbsp
Vanilla Essence	1 tsp
For Dusting (optional) :
Powdered Sugar	1 tbsp

Procedure:

Orange Zest:

1. Wash and dry the orange with kitchen towel. Grate the skin of the orange with grater. You should not grate till the end of the white part of the orange.

Cake Procedure:

2. Sieve the wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda for 3-4 times. Keep it aside.

3. Add curd and powdered sugar in a wide bowl. Mix them well with wire whisk.

4. Then add fresh orange juice, salt and vanilla essence. Mix them well.

5. Add sieved flour (from 2) and orange zest. Mix them gently with whisk without lumps.

6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 200 degree Celsius for 10 mins.

7. Grease the cake pan with oil and dust with wheat flour.

8. Now pour the cake mixture (from 5) into the greased pan (from 7).  

9. Bake the cake for 25 mins at 185 degree Celsius or inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

 10. Allow it to cool down completely and then take it out from the pan. Make small pieces and serve.

11. Finally garnish with powdered sugar. This step is optional.

            Really aromatic and delicious cake is ready to eat!

Note:

1. You can use maida instead of wheat flour. But reduce orange juice level from ¾ cup to ½ cup.

2. Take orange juice from fresh oranges. You should not add water with the juice.

3. You can use tin juice also for the recipe.

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Herbal Rasam / Mooligai Rasam

Warm yourself with Herbal Rasam during winter seasons. Herbal Rasam is also a good remedy and precautionary measure for cough and cold.

Check out more home remedies here.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Rasam

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 10 mins | Yields: 3 cups

Ingredients:

Tamarind	Small gooseberry size
Big size Tomato	1
Salt	As required
Rasam Powder (Click here for homemade Rasam Powder Recipe)	2 tsp
To Temper:
Oil	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	¼ tsp
Curry Leaves	2 spring
Crushed Garlic Pods	4
Grated Ginger	1 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing	¼ tsp
Red Chilli	1
Herbs:
Sweet Basil	5 leaves
Ajwain Leaves	3
Solanum Trilobatum	7
To Garnish:
Chopped Coriander Leaves	Handful

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water. Leave it for 10 mins.

2. Then extract the juice from the tamarind pulp and keep it aside.

3. Wash and chop the tomato into small pieces.

4. Add this chopped tomato with the tamarind pulp (From 2) and smash them with your hand. Then add 2 cups of water and mix them well. Keep it aside.

5. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping.

6. Then add curry leaves, broken red chilly, crushed garlic pods and grated ginger. Sauté them for a min.

7. Now add the Rasam Powder and sauté for few seconds.

8. Then add the herbs ( sweet basil, aswain leves, solanum trilobatum) and fry till the raw smell goes off.

9. Now add the tamarind and tomato mixture (from 4), salt and coriander leaves.

10. Keep the flame at simmer and cook till the rasam becomes frothy. Switch off the flame immediately when it starts to boil.

    Healthy and yummy rasam is ready to serve.

Note:

1. Adjust the water level according to your level of sour taste of the rasam.

2. Adjust the red chilly level according to your spice taste. 

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