CHOCOLATE MUFFINS/CHOCOLATE CUP CAKES

Wonderful. rich chocolate muffins are super easy to make in our home. These muffins are so tempting to anybody who is a chocolate lover. 

This recipe and its perfect measurement of ingredients that are used to prepare these extremely moist and fluffy cuties will give you a dozen perfect muffins.

These muffins are enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a hot cup of tea.

Ingredients we need:

All-purpose flour 1.75 cups or 375 gm

Brown Sugar powdered 375 gms or 1.75 cups

Baking powder 1.5 tsp

Cooking Soda 1.5 tsp

Himalayan pink Rock Salt powder 1 tsp

Eggs 2 pcs

Milk at room temperature 1 cup/125 ml

Cold-pressed Sunflower Oil 1/2 cup or 120 ml

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Instant coffee powder 1 tsp

Boiling water 100 ml

Unsweetened Cocoa powder 1/2 cup/3 tbsp/100 gm

These muffins stay soft and moist for days. They also can be frozen well so we can have them for a quick kids party or anytime we want. These are no-fail. muffins with rich chocolate goodness 

Supportive tips:

Sifting of the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt five times help the rising and making soft fluffy cakes. This is the most important tip.

You can use any odourless oil.

You can use any sugar like white sugar, country sugar or brown sugar.

You can make these muffins eggless also.

The addition of hot water blend with coffee powder really does the magic on the cakes to rising and doming beautifully.

Procedure:

Sift together all-purpose flour, Baking Powder, Cooking Soda and salt five times.

Add sugar and mix well.

Add eggs, milk and oil.

Mix well using a spatula to form a thick paste.

With an electric mixer, blend on medium speed for three minutes.

Add Vanilla essence and boiling coffee to form the batter light and thin.

Pour batter in each paper mould placed in a muffin tray.

Preheat the microwave oven in convection mode at 180-degree Celcius.

Place the muffin tray on the lower rack,

Bake for 26 minutes.

Beautifully turn out choco muffins,

Cooking Time: one Hour

Yield 12 muffins/cupcakes

SUPER SOFT AND CUTE BUNS/DINNER ROLLS

The Supersoft cute buns can be prepared quickly by following this recipe. Accurate measurement matters here. The pillowy soft textured buns take the time of lesser than two hours to prepare in home.

We can prepare soft buns without adding an egg.  But the role of egg in bread making is very essential to support the rising of the dough along with yeast. The egg acts as a leavening agent helping out softening the crumb and lightening the texture.

We can make these small buns by working the five simple steps.

Step 1: 

preparing yeast activation. 

Powdered organic brown sugar 1.5 tsp

Active dry Yeast 2 tsp

All-purpose Flour 4 tsp

Warm Milk 125 ml

Stir well to mix.

Let it stands for 10 minutes to bloom up the yeast.

Step Two:

All-purpose flour 2.5 cups

Powdered brown sugar 2 tsp

Himalayan Pink rock salt powdered 1 tsp

Egg one

Cold-pressed Sunflower Oil 2 tbsp

Milk Powder 4 tsp

Sift the all-purpose flour in a dry mixing bowl.

Add powdered sugar and salt.

Mix well to combine.

Whisk the egg to combine both yolks.

Add to the yeast mixture.

Add Sunflower Oil.

Mix to combine.

Now add the all-purpose flour mix in three batches to the yeast mixture.

Add milk powder.

Mix all the ingredients to gather into a shaggy mass.

Step three:

Now the kneading process begins and continues for about 15-20 minutes.

Add little oil over the mass and knead using hand.

Knead until the dough gets non-sticky and elastic texture.

Shape into a ball and seam all the sides down.

Place the ball-dough in the oil-smeared bowl by seaming sides down.

Cover with a clean towel.

Set aside for nearly 45 minutes.

Step four:

Now the dough doubled in size.

Gently deflate the dough to release the air.

Don't knead again.

Just eyeball it, while cutting into even pieces.

Roll out each piece into the even-sized balls (seam all the sides of the ball and roll out on your palm.

Do refer the video)

Place the fittable parchment paper on the baking tray.

Arrange the balls in rows.

Cover the tray with a clean towel.

Let it rest for 10 minutes. (Second Proofing)

Now all the raw balls rose up.

Step Five:

For egg-wash, we need one egg and one teaspoon of milk.

Whisk to combine.

Coat the raw balls with egg wash using a dry brush.

This coating gives shiny appealing to the buns.

Preheat the microwave oven at 190-degree celsius in convection mode.

Place the raw buns on the lower rack of the oven.

Set the temperature at 190-degree celsius for 22-24 minutes.in convection mode.

Let baking. 

Wait until the oven beeps.

Turn off the switch.

Take out.

Let cooling for one hour.

Ready to serve.

We can serve these pillowy soft buns with any veg and non-veg gravy, with butter spread, Nutella spread, any fruit jam spread or dipped in any sauce, or as a sandwich  with omelette or cheese or even as plain buns. All age groups will love to eat irresistibly

Preparation time 30 minutes

Passive time: one hour.

Baking time 24 minutes.

Yield 15 cute buns.

BROAD BEANS STIRFRY/PORIAL/அவரக்கா பொரியல்

Porial is a traditional recipe of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. It is named as Palya or Sukka in Karnataka, Thoran in Kerala and Porutu in Andra. Beans porial is best served with Hot steamed rice, Sambar, Rasam and curd or buttermilk.

Shallow-fried with few spectacular spices along with Curry leaves, Coriander greens and shredded Coconut.

Ingredients:

Country broad beans 250 gms

Groundnut oil 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Whole urad dal 1 tsp

Chopped shallots 8-10 pcs

Green chilly one optional

Curry leaves 10-15 pcs

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Water 25 ml

Himalayan pink rock salt 1/2 tsp

Chopped coriander greens a fistful

Shredded coconut 1 tbsp optional

Procedure:

Step one

Snap off the both the ends of beans veggie and pull off the fibrous strings along the both sides. Discard them. Cut into fine slices. There will be no strings and seeds developed in the beans. So we can simply cut off them If we chose young beans. 

Wash the slices thoroughly and set ready.

Step two:

Heat the wok or pan with groundnut oil.

Throw mustard seeds.

Once they start crackling, add whole urad dal.

Let them fried for a while.

Heat should be checked then and there on low-medium flame.

Add chopped shallots, green chilly and curry leaves.

Saute them until shallots fried tranparent.

Add turmeric.

Saute for a second.

Transfer the rinsed beans slices.

Add rock salt.

Add 25 ml watee.

Mix to combine.

Cover and cook around 8 minutes until veggie cooked soft.

Open and check if  water exhausted.

Add coriander greens.

Mix to infuse its fantastic smell.

Add shredded coconut (Optional)

Turn off the heat immediately.

Note: If we add coconut, it will be fresh for around four hours. 

If we don't add coconut, it will be fresh for more than five hours.

Mix to combine.

Lovely green beans stirfry/Porial is ready to serve.

It can be paired with Rotis and Chapatis.

Cooking time 20 minutes

Yield 2 liberal servings

 

FRIED GARLIC RASAM/POONDU RASAM

Step one:

Ingredients:

Pepper 1/4 cup

Cumin Seeds 1/2 cup

Asafoetida 2 pinches

Himalayan pink salt powder 1/8 tsp

Garlic cloves 15 pcs

Procedure: 

Dry roast all the above ingredients respectively on medium heat.

Set aside to cool down.

Grind to a fine powder.

Shred the peeled garlic cloves.

Set aside.

Step two:

Ingredients:

Toor dal 75 gm.

Water 300 ml

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Castor Oil 3-4 drops

Procedure:

Pressure cook the dal with washed dal, water, turmeric and castor oil until three whistles.

Medium heat is always recommended.

Set aside to cool down.

Step three:

Ingredients:

Tamarind a marble size

Water 200 ml to soak the tamarind.

Tomato one

Cooked dal

water 2 cups to liquidize the cooked dal

Procedure:

Soak the tamarind in water for 1/2 an hour.

Open the cooker and add 2 cups of water and one chopped tomato.

Allow boiling until the tomato cooked soft.

Step Four

Ingredients:

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Sesame Oil 1 tbsp

Slit red chillies 2 pcs

Curry leaves 15 pcs

Asafoetida 2 pinches

Tamarind+tomato extract

Ground Rasa powder 1.5 tsp

Jaggery powder 1 tsp

Cooked dal contents

Himalayan pink salt 1 tsp

Coriander greens a fistful chopped

Shredded garlic

Ghee 2 tbsp

Procedure: 

Heat the pan with sesame oil.

Add mustard seeds to crackle.

Switch off the flame in this stage to avoid burning.

Add slit red chillies and curry leaves'

Saute for a while.

Sprinkle asafoetida.

Transfer the tamarind-tomato extract.

Now switch on the heat to medium level.

Add jaggery powder.

Allow boiling.

Add the dal contents.

Add salt.

Switch off the flame while the rasam is about to boil.

Fry the shredded garlic in ghee on medium heat.

Transfer the shredded garlic to hot rasam.

give good stirs to infuse the garlic-aroma.

Garnish with chopped coriander greens.

Garlic rasam is ready to be served as starter/appetizer/accompaniment to hot steamed rice.

MILK BREAD//WHITE BREAD/SANDWICH BREAD/HOME MADE MILK BREAD

Super soft and tasty bread can be done in our home. The bursting smell, while we bake, is just amazing. 

Homemade bread is healthier than storebought bread. Home-bake bread contains accurately what you want to eat. Store-bought bread contains additives and preservatives. 

If you are a new baker, this is the right recipe for you.

Ingredients we need for making one loaf of bread:

For yeast activation:

Active dry yeast 2 tsp

All-purpose flour 4 tsp

Milk 8-10 tsp

 Other ingredients that we need:

All-purpose flour 2.5 cups

Egg one

Powdered brown sugar 1.5 tbsp

Milk powder 2 tbsp

Powdered Himalayan pink salt  tbsp

Milk 100 ml

Sunflower oil 2 tbsp

Water 25 ml

All-purpose flour for dusting the work surface 3 tbsp

Sunflower Oil to prevent the dryness of the dough 2 tbsp

How to make this super-soft and fluffy bread loaf at home?

It involves four steps.

Step one:

In a dry mixing bowl, add two tsp yeast, four tsp all-purpose flour, 8-10 tsp milk at room temperature and powdered brown sugar. Mix well to combine. Let it stand for 5-0 minutes to activate the yeast.

Whisk one egg and set aside.

In another mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour 2.5 cups, powdered sugar 1.5 tbsp, powdered Himalayan pink salt, Milk powder 2 tbsp. 

Mix to combine.

Set ready.

In yeast activated mixture, add the whisked egg.

Add 2 tbsp Sunflower Oil.

Mix again to be well combined.

Add the dry flour mixture in 3 batches and mix using a spatula.

Add the remaining 100 ml milk and mix using a spatula.

Then using your hand, knead the sticky dough until it becomes non-sticky.

Add water 25 ml and knead to form a nonsticky and soft pliable dough.

knead for another ten minutes to get the elastic texture.

This is the most important step we have to follow to get airy locules spirally inside and crust top of the bread.

Shape into a ball and place the ball in the oil-smeared mixing bowl by place the seam side down.

Apply little oil over the ball around the sides. 

Step Two:

Cover the dough with a damped cloth 

Let it rest for 40 minutes.

Now the dough volume increased double.

Deflate the dough to release the excess air inside the dough.

Dust the work surface with some all-purpose flour 

Place the deflated dough and just spread out the dough into an elongated shape.

Don't give pressure or punch to the dough.

Handle it softly.

Sprinkle little flour on the elongated flat dough and roll it gently.

Seam the edges down and make a fittable dough and place it in a loaf pan.

Step three:

Apply little oil over the dough using a brush.

Cover it with a cloth or towel and wait for ten minutes to second rise up.

In the meanwhile, preheat the oven in convection mode at 180 C.

Step Four:

Remove the cloth and place the loaf with dough on the lower rack of the oven.

Let it bake for 35 minutes at 180 C.

Switch off the oven let the loaf stand on the lower rack for 2 minutes.

Remove from the oven.

Let it cool down for more than 30 minutes or one hour.

Cut into desired size slices.

Enjoy!

IVY GOURD GREENS/TENDORA GREENS SABZI/MASOOR DAL WITH TINDORA GREENS/கோவைக்கீரை கூட்டு

Whole Masoor dal with Tindora Greens is the unbeatable combo for hot steamed rice/Chapatis/Pooris nourishes and nurture your health with folic acid, iron, high profile protein and other antioxidants.

For more quantity of iron, eat masoor dal with greens. here we present the low-calorie version of dal greens kootu with bursting flavours and tastes with a dash of Desi Ghee.

How to make?

Ingredients:

Ivy gourd greens fresh and young leaves one big bowl.

Masoor dal (Whole) 1/4 cup

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Castor Oil 3-4 drops

Water 2 cups

Groundnut oil 2 tbsp

Shallots 10 pcs chopped

Curry leaves 15-20 pcs

Green Chilly one or two (optional) halved

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Himalayan pink rock salt 1/2 tsp

Water again 2 cups

Procedure

Pluck the leaves and chop them.

Wash thoroughly with water.

collect them in a bowl and set aside.

Pressure cook the whole masoor dal (thoroughly washed)

adding 2 cups of water, turmeric and castor oil until 3-4 whistles.

Set aside to cool down.

Heat the heavy bottomed vessel or cooker with groundnut oil on medium heat.

Add mustard seeds to crackle.

Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add shallots, green chillies and curry leaves.

Saute until the shallots turn transparent.

Add cumin seeds to fry.

Mash the cooked whole dal and set ready.

Add the chopped tindora greens.

Saute until the volume of the greens reduced without losing its lovely green colour.

Now transfer the mashed dal along with 2 cups of water.

Add salt.

Stir occasionally to infuse the flavours.

Allow cooking until the greens cooked soft.

Ready to serve.

We can serve with hot steamed rice or chapatis.

Tastes best with full of nutrition.

Serves four

Cooking Time 30 minutes

Refer to the video tutorial for the visual procedure.

RAW MANGO RASAM/மாங்காய் இரசம்/कच्चे आम का रसम

 

Raw mango is a wonderful natural remedy to treat gastrointestinal problems during summer days. It instigates the secretions of digestive juice and maintains the proper functioning of the whole digestive system. It treats constipation,  indigestion, acidity, heartburns, morning sickness and nausea of pregnant/  mothers. It promotes liver health. 

It maintains the teeth health.

The presence of Vitamin C, A and E in raw mango triggers the whole immune system, improves vision, and lowers the risk of prostate cancer.

Raw mango rasam in our kongu style is something different and tasty version. we add cooked dal contents to serve as the best accompaniment with hot steamed rice. It can be relished as a starter or You may call it as a mild tangy soup.

How to make this rasam?

First step:

Ingredients:

Any dal like Toor dal or green dal or Masoor dal 1/4 cup

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Castor oil 1/4 tsp

Water 2 cups

Procedure:

Pressure cook the dal by adding above ingredients until 2 whistles.

Set aside to cool down.

Step Two:

Ingredients:

 Raw mango 1 and semi-ripe mango 1

Procedure:

Select one semi-ripe mango and a green raw mango one.

Peel the skin and shred them.

Transfer to the mixer jar and blend to a smooth paste.

Set aside.

Step Three:

Tempering process:

Ingredients:

Sesame oil 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves 10-15 pcs

Red chillies two slits

Cumin powder 3/4 tsp (roasted)

Pepper powder roasted 1/2 tsp

Grated garlic 1tsp

Rocksalt 3/4 tsp

Coriander greens a fistful

Asafoetida .two pinches.

Mashed dal with two cups of water

Mango paste

Procedure:

Add sesame oil and heat on medium flame.

Temper with mustard seeds  followed by curry leaves and slit red chillies

Sprinkle asafoetida.

Pour the dal contents

Add cumin powder, pepper powder mixture and grated garlic.

Add mango paste and rock salt.

Allow  just-boiling

Garnish with coriander greens.

Switch off the flame.

Ready to serve.

AVAKKAI PICKLE/ஆவக்கா ஊறுகா/RAW MANGI PICKLE

Mango season is thoroughly enjoyed and relished with variety of mango fruits and raw mangoes.  There are more appreciated health benefits on raw mangoes that we didn't learn about. They are very high powerhouse vitamin C. They help in supporting weight loss since they are low in calories and contain less sweetness and good for diabetic people.

They prevent dehydration due to excess sweating during scorching summer days.

They treat stomach disorders like constipation, bloating, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion.

Raw mangoes cleanse the liver and promote the secretion of bile acid.  

Raw mangoes are not only rich in vitamin C but also have a considerable amount of Vitamin A, Calcium and magnesium that promote healthy bowel movements in the digestion process.

The most important message we have to know that raw mangoes are high in niacin content that is responsible for regulating our cholesterol levels.  Niacin boosts up our blood circulation and stays the heart with regular and smooth heartbeats,

Raw mangoes are good for our teeth by preventing tooth decay. and bleeding of the gums. 

The very interesting fact of science that raw mangoes are good for pregnant mothers by providing important nutrients they supply, making the delivery easier and safer.

They are good source of fibres that lower hypertension and regular function of colon.

It is said that eating raw mangoes  is lowering the risk of prostate cancer since they contain beta carotene, 

Raw mangoes contain an antioxidant known as zeaxanthin that is required for optimal vision health.

Are you craving for the best tasty side to the rice for all the forthcoming seasons?

This is the right time to prepare and preserve Raw mango pickle throughout the year. 

Pickling is an ancient preservation technique that our mothers followed. The only unwanted thing is it contains more sodium since they made with some excess salt to preserve its shelf life. Except for the people having high blood pressure, it is a tasty and spicy alternative while consuming their regular food for others. 

How to make this hot and spicy avakkai pickles?

This is a little bit elongated but the time-consuming step is sun-drying the cut-mango chunks for five days.

First step:

Wash the mangoes several times and pat dry thoroughly.

Cut crosswise into two equal halves and remove the nut.

Cut each half into four chunks.

Peel off the thin paper-like part. 

Step Two:

Set the mango chunks to sundry for two hours or pat dry them with a clean dry cloth.

Step three

Mustard seeds 1/4 cup

Fenugreek seeds 1/4 cup

Coldpressed Sesame Oil 250 ml+20 ml

Himalayan Pink rock salt powdered 5tbsps

Red Chilly powder 2.5 tbsp

Asafoetida 1/4 tsp

Dry roast the mustard seeds until crackle.

Dry roast the fenugreek seeds until fine aroma out.

Set aside to cool down.

Grind to a fine powder and set aside..

In a dry mixing bowl, add powdered salt 5 tbsp

Add (Mustard seeds roasted+Fenugreek seeds roasted ) powdered spice mixture 4 tbsp

Add red chilly powder2.5 tbsp

Sprinkle asafoetida 1/4 tsp

Pour Coldpressed Sesame oil 250 ml over the ingredients of mixing bowl.

Give a good mix to combine.

Add 2 tbsp Black channa to the mixture. 

Mix well.

Now add dried mango chunks.

Mix well until mango chunks coated with the mixture.

Pour 20 ml of sesame oil to a dry storage container.

Transfer the mixed mangoes along with the oil mixture to the storage container.

Cover with a clean cotton cloth and put a rubber band around the neck.

Step four:

Set under sunlight daily for five days for 3-4 hours.

It supports the quality of the pickle and shelf life for 3 months and more if we use a dry spoon.

Ready to relish.

It goes very well with any meal.

Video recipe: 

Click the video below and watch for the detailed visual preparation.