Chocolate and Almonds Muffin

I couldn't stop myself from exploring more and more of baking after a successful first cake. I went ahead and made a batch of muffins for evening chai..

I didn't have enough flour and I realized then only when the rest of the mixtures were prepared.. I still  managed to scape through the muffins and they turned out to be DELICIOUS!!

Here's the recipe, nothing grand but totally hearty

Ingredients:

All purpose flour : 3/4 Cup
Cocoa Powder: 1/4 cup
Almonds: 1/4 blanched
Baking Powder: 1 tsp
Eggs: 2
Olive Oil: 1/4 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Honey: 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cream Olive Oil, Sugar, honey, Vanilla essence, eggs together.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder together and add to the wet ingredients.
3. Add almonds to the mixture.
4. Prepare your baking tin, line with muffin liners and spoon in the batter.
5. Preheat the oven at 180C for 10 min
6. Bake the muffin for 15 min at 180 or until done (follow the skewer method)

Final pic when done :)

Next time, I will click step by step pics :)

Cheers,
Amrin

New OTG and its first cake - Vanila Sponge Cake, Lemon Butter Cream Icing with Mangoes

 The current microwave oven I own, was giving me uneven baking due to a rotation problem. I have been eyeing an OTG oven for a while now - "the cooking range gas oven effect" you know!!! I ended up buying my very first OTG oven - a long time dream!!

It's a Morphy Richards 24" oven - nothing fancy. I found that one of the blogger Sharmi from Sharmi's Passion had mentioned this in her blog about baking, oven and some tips. After tons of research on the size, blah, blah, I ordered it from Amazon

To start with I baked my simple vanilla sponge cake and used butter cream icing. I was a little scared to be honest, after reading some first OTG baking disasters.. But the cake came out spongy and nice..  I was looking for a simple cake, but adding mangoes to top made it  a super star!! I also made chocolate muffins, recipe to be shared soon!!!!

I didn't manage to click pics in the making - no plans on blogging it, but here is the recipe I used..

Sponge Cake:

Butter - 200 gm (approx)
Sugar - 1 cup
Flour - 1 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Eggs - 3
Vanilla Extract - a dash

Butter/Oil for greasing the tin

Butter Cream Icing

Butter - 200 gm
Icing Sugar - 200 gm
Lemon Juice - Tbsp
Lemon Zest

Topping

Half a Mango cut into Tiny Pieces


Method:

Sponge Cake

• Whisk eggs and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until ribbons are formed. I used a hand blender for this.
• In a separate blend cream butter and sugar until a smooth creamy paste is formed
• Add the butter sugar mixture to eggs and slowly incorporate them
• Add flour using cut and fold method.. Don't use the blender at the stage. I used a silicon spatula ensuring the incorporated air doesnt escape
• Pre heat microwave at 180C for 10 min.  Grease the tin - transfer the mixture to the tin and bake for 30-35 min (mine was done in 25 min)
• Cool the cake for atleast an hour or two before you proceed to the next step.

Butter Cream Icing

• Mix together the ingredients for the icing and blend until a creamy paste
• The temperature was too hot causing the butter to melt and become all goey.. I was keeping the icing in and out of the fridge to maintain the consistency.

Now the final Picture.. 

No doubt, it tasted super yummy.. It was a visual treat.. Didnt want to cut the cake - but nevertheless, total yummitos!!

Confession: Adding mangoes was due to sheer laziness of icing the whole cake, lol... 

Next post, Chocolate Almond Muffin, Alas final pics only :(

Cheers,
Amrin

Chettinad Chicken Masala

My family is spread across the globe and with the fast paced life - I have lost access to some simple yet soulful dishes we used to make at home - those that were regulars at home, once upon a time. From simple daal to shaami kebab, khattey saalans made by naanima, idli sambar, gajar ka halwa, veg biryani, macroni made by my Khalas (maternal aunt) , sheer khurma by my grand dad , all types biryanis to rumaali dum ke sevaiyyan made by my phuppu (paternal aunt) and of course, the pearl on the crown - Prawn Biryani and Crab fry made by my mom!!!! Oh yeah - I am a great foodie


I have planned  to pen and recreate their classic recipes and create a recipe journal here, so my cousins/aunts/friends or maybe my kids would someday reference this blog for their favorite gal's recipes ;) However I will be posting authentic Chennai Muslim recipes and a few recipes that is cooked at home.. Soulful home food and some gourmet at times.. Which goes unsaid - mostly non vegetarian dishes!!!

I recently learnt to make Chettinad All spice powder, a.k.a Garam Masala Powder from my SIL's mom - which happens to be a closely guarded recipe.. Though this type of chicken is not made at home, I still gave it a try - Though this is not called Chicken Chettinad, but known as Chicken fry/chicken thokku in common households. I will post the recipe for making the garam masala - Duh! I didn't click pictures when I made the masala last time.


Ingredients:

Chicken - 250 gms approx (since its just for 2 pax. with little appetite)
Onion - 1 big sized
Tomatoes - 1 mid sized
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 1 split and cut
Coriander - a handful chpped
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Garlic - 5-6 cloves
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Chettinad Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder -  1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tsp


For Marination:

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves -  a handful (I used the stalks)
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Yogurt - 1 tsp


Method:

Prepare the marinade with the ingredients for marination and chicken. Keep aside for 30 minutes

Prepare the ingredients for curry.

Heat oil in a pan and add 3 tsp of oil. When the oil is hot, add 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, garlic cloves, curry leaves, green chillies followed by onion and cook until onion turns golden brown

 

Add ginger garlic paste, and when the raw smell goes away add tomatoes. Close the lid and cook on low flame until oil separates.

Add chicken pieces, followed by coriander leaves and dry spices.

Let the chicken cook in its own water - add water if required.

Tadaaaa.. The final Presentation!!!

You can serve this with rice, chapati, paratha.. However I served this with Ghee rice (Bagharya Khaana), Aloo Gosht ka Khurma, Chettinad Chicken and some Raita to beat the heat!!

Hope you enjoy and do let me know your comments on how this turned out to be !!

Cheers,

Amrin

Hands on Microwave baking - chocolate orange cake with chocolate butter cream frosting

Its been a while I tried baking, thanks to my not so good oven that is mostly a trouble maker these days..

I had bookmarked a page on microwave baking, I saw some cakes, quiches and a lot of other good stuff.. I tried to make a chocolate cake and went upscale and made it in a tupperware box.

Here is a sneak peak and how I made it...

Its a simple cake, I sifted 1 cup of flour with 1.5 cups of sugar, 1 tsp baking powder , 0.5 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2tsp orange rind and 2 eggs..  Mixed wet and dry ingredients and cooked it in the microwave for 5 minutes. Voila, here is the end result..

Frosting:

200 gm butter, 1 cup icing sugar, 2 tsp cocoa powder and a few drops vanilla powder.. I also added some walnut and chocolate shavings for that ooomph!!!

Final Product:

Just keeping this simple to record my cooking and creations in this space!!!

Amrin