Even better Banana Walnut Muffins!

Why even better? because this has fewer calories, more fibre and less sugar....

As suggested, I'm sending this across for the event "Only low oil, or low calorie" hosted by Priya Mitharwal

Ingredients:

Plain Flour - 1 1/2cups

Brown sugar - 1/2cup

Baking powder - 1tsp

Baking soda - 1/2tsp

Salt - 1/4tsp

Mashed ripe banana - 1 cup which is about 2-3 bananas

Egg - 1 large one

Olive oil - 2tbs

Buttermilk - 1/4cup

Canola oil/ Vegetable oil - 3tbs

Vanilla Extract - 1tsp

Walnuts - 1/3cup chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C. Coat 8 of a standard size muffin pan with oil. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl..Mix banana, olive oil, canola oil, egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk in a large bowl and mix until smooth. Gradually add in the flour and stir till well blended. Add the walnuts and mix through. Fill each of the muffin cups about three-fourths full. Bake until skewer comes out clean which is approximately 15-20minutes.

Chicken Fajitas wrapped in Tortillas

Bored of the normal roti, daal and chaawal at home....so had to think of something not too much out of the genre of food liked by all at home, but a wrap is definitely acceptable....

Ingredients:
[Serves 4]
Chicken - 4 skinless breasts

Maple syrup/ Honey - 3tbs
Red wine vinegar - 1tbs
Garlic - 5-6pods crushed
Red Peppers - 2 de-seeded and cut into 1inch strips
Oregano dried - 2tsp
Red Chilli Flakes - 1-2tsp
Olive oil - 3tbs plus extra for drizzling.

Place the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste into a large bowl. Shallow dish and mix together. Slice the chicken into1inch strips and toss into the marinade. Mix well to coat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours turning occasionally. Heat a pan until hot. Lift the chicken strips from the marinade with a slotted spoon, lay on the pan and cook on medium- high flame for 3-4minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a serving plat and keep warm. Add the peppers, skin down to the pan and cook for 2minutes on each side. Transfer to serving plate. Place the chicken and peppers into a wrap, along with a salsa to dip and enjoy.

Tortillas
Ingredients:
[Makes 12]
Plain flour - 350gms
Salt  - 1tsp
Baking powder - 1/2tsp
Shortening - 75gms
Hot water - 75gms

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the shortening and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough water to form a soft dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape into a ball. Cover with a clean towel and let it rest for 15minutes. Roll out each ball keeping the remainder dough covered. Heat griddle or pan over a high heat for a minute and cook the tortillas for 1-2minutes on each side, or lightly browned in places and puffed up. Serve warm.

Coffee Walnut Ring

How often do you simply smile at the sweet moments you may have had, those little thrills, quixotic moments maybe?, a sense of achievement at doing something noble for a cause, a person, maybe a situation - simply inexplainable..well this was one of my moments of joy. And sometimes you cannot contain it within yourself, so I just put to baking for the day!!

Ingredients:
Plain flour - 175gms
Butter - 175gms

Castor Sugar - 175gms

Eggs - 3

Baking Powder - 1tbs

Coffee Extract - 1tsp

Walnuts - 70gms chopped roughly

Maple Syrup - 4tbs

Sieve the flour and baking powder and keep aside. Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy and add in the eggs one by one, and then the coffee and extract and beat well. Add in the sifted flour little by little and continue to beat well. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Spoon the mixture into a greased 10inch ring tin. Smoothen the top with a palette knife. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-50minutes at 160C. Leave to cool in the tin for 10minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish off cooling. While the cake is still warm, spoon in half of the maple syrup. Once completely cool, drizzle rest of the maple syrup.

Sausage Fried Rice Served with a Crispy Sunny Side Up

It's been pouring the whole day, the climate only lulls you to snuggle under your bed-covers, or maybe just do some cozying up by reading a book with a nice cup of coffee to be by your side. I was not wanting to cook anything at all, but you gotto you know especially with my toddler around, who could be finicky with what he'd like for the day. This is a recipe I had bookmarked in my usual routine of blog hopping by Sig with a little of my variation too. And it only lead to me making everyone happy for dinner..:)

Ingredients:
Long grain Basmati Rice - 1 1/2cups cooked and cooled
Sausages - 1/2 cup diced
French Beans - 1/2 cup cut into 1 inch pieces
Shallots - 1/4 cup thinly sliced
Light Soy Sauce - 2 tbs
Ground Pepper and Salt to taste
Eggs - 1  fried per person
Spice Paste
Shallots- 2
Garlic - 5-6
Dried Red Chilly - 2
Galangal/Ginger - 1 inch


Grind the shallots, garlic, red chillies and ginger with a little water to form a smooth paste. Into a wok, add vegetable oil swirl the wok and when hot, add the sausages, fry till brown, remove and keep aside. Fry the shallots till crispy brown, remove and keep aside. Then add the beans, fry till done, remove and keep aside. Add the ground spice paste and sauté till the liquid is evaporated. Tip in the cooked rice and coat well with the spice paste. Then add the soya/ tamari sauce and pepper and mix the rice well. Then add the beans and sausages to the rice, cook on medium heat for another 3-4minutes and serve onto a plate. Then into the same wok, add oil enough to fry the egg, break an egg to get a nice crispy sunny side up, season with pepper and salt and carefully mount onto the rice.

Mini French Loaf for A Special Couple

I was driving like a mad woman, hoping and praying she wouldn't have left the office, I knew she was working half day, I called up Criss to confirm the timing, and criss said, "Ally go now before..12pm the gurl is working only half day"....note the time was already 11am. It's Saritha's and Aboo's first wedding anniversary on 29th, and they are off to Kerala, so I decided to make a  surprise appearance at Sari's office with a baby loaf, just enough for the two of them to savour. It's the least I could do for the lovely two..

Ingredients
Caster Sugar - 55gms
Self Rising Flour - 55gms sifted

Small pinch of salt
Eggs - 2 small
Butter - 55gms
Finely ground almonds - 25gms
Vanilla pod split - 1/2
Apricot jam to glaze - 2tbs
Icing sugar to dust

Mix the sugar, sifted flour and salt together in a bowl. Melt butter, but not do not brown and set aside to cool. Lightly beat the eggs and mix them into the sugar and flour mixture and gradually add the cooled butter, ground  almonds and the vanilla pod seeds (reserving the empty pod).Mix well but not too vigorously. Cover and refrigerate for 30minutes to 1hour..Preheat the oven to 160C. Spoon the mixture into a lightly buttered and greased 3/4pt loaf tin and level the batter with the back of a spoon. Lay the reserved vanilla pod on top of the mixture and bake for 25minutes until golden brown. To glaze the cake, lightly warm the apricot jam and brush it over the warm cake and leave to set. Then before serving dust with icing sugar and arrange into slices onto a serving plate

Coconut Crisps

It's one of those days when you want to bake, yet bake without a hassle, not to much to do...kind of like a lazy bake mood....and this biscuit recipe is bang on....

Ingredients:
Egg white - 1
Castor Sugar - 50gms
Desiccated coconut - 100gms
Few Glaced cherries, sliced

Whisk the egg white until stiff, gradually whisk in the sugar until all is mixed and the mixture is thick and glossy. Stir in the coconut to give it a stiff mixture. Using wet hands shape into 12 balls about the size of walnuts and place onto greased baking tray. Bake in a moderate oven of 160C for 15-20minutes until golden colour and firm to touch. Remove and cool on a wire try, decorate with a slice of glace cherry.

Marbled Chocolate and Vanilla Ring

Elijah kept screaming cake, and for his want, made this brilliantly soft cake. And by evening except for two pieces to satisfy my son's needs, took the whole thing over on our visit to a dear family friend and their two daughters....nothing like sharing something with people you love..especially when you bake with love.

Ingredients:
Plain flour - 175gms
Butter - 175gms
Castor Sugar - 175gms
Eggs - 3
Baking Powder - 1tbs
Vanilla Essence - 1tsp
Cocoa powder - 2tbs
Milk - 2tbs

Sieve the flour and baking powder and keep aside. Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy and add in the eggs one by one and beat well. Add in the sifted flour little by little and continue to beat well. Transfer half the mixture into a separate bowl. Mix the cocoa powder and milk into one bowl mixture. Add vanilla to the other bowl mixture and mix evenly. Alternate tablespoonfuls into the the prepared, greased ring tin/ bundt tin. Lightly swirl with palette-knife to give a marbled effect. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-50minutes at 160C. Leave to cool in the tin for 10minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish off cooling. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Carrot & Pumpkin Curry

When the meats out and the veggies in....is when I get the grumpy looks from people at home. But sometimes you really can't help it, it's a forced effort....my son happily eats his veggies, while the rest of the household eats grumpily...this is an easy recipe I fished out from the book "Essential Thai - everday dishes for you to enjoy". Easy to cook up, with familiar flavors and worth the effort....

Ingredients:
Galangal - 1 inch sliced
Garlic cloves - 2 chopped
Vegetable Stock cube - 1
Carrots- 4 peeled and cut into cubes
Pumpkin - 220gms peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes
Thai Yellow paste - 3tbs
Shallots - 5 chopped finely
Coconut milk - 400ml
Fresh/ dried basil

Into a pan, pour about 150ml water and put in the stock cube and bring to a gentle boil. Add the galangal, half the garlic and simmer for 3minutes. Add the carrots and pumpkin and simmer till tender. Meanwhile heat oil into a pan, sauté shallots and remaining garlic for 2-3minutes. Add the Thai paste and continue to stir fry.for 1-2minutes. Stir the shallot mixture into the pan and add the coconut milk and basil. Simmer for another 3minutes, serve hot sprinkle some tasted pumpkin seeds.

Moonlit Mutton ~ Chicken Teriyaki ~ Barbecue Style

When the family and friends get over....its more than just fun...its cacophony??a bunch of hooligans?? We are a gang of absolutely crazy people...is what our neighbours would have most definitely thought. It was a Friday night and we thought we'd get together and do a barbecue. Chintu and Binoy, I say without you guys it wouldn't have been possible. Ratish, your the man for having brought the actual kit all the way from home (from my inlaws place)...Meera gurl my lil sis I must say thanks for being a help throughout and of course all the rest for having come and made the rest of the evening a definite blast!!

Moonlit Mutton

Ingredients:
Boneless Mutton - 1kg cut into small pieces to skewer
Worcestershire Sauce  - 1/3cup
Brown sugar - 1/3cup
All spice powder - 1tsp
Lemon Juice - 2tbs
Green Capsicum - 2 diced

Onion -2 diced

Tomatoes - 3-4diced
Pepper and salt to taste

Marinate the mutton with the above ingredients and leave them in the refrigerator overnight. Then skewer 3 pieces of mutton alternating with the onion, tomato and capsicum. Fry them lightly over a pan for about 3minutes on each side and then grill over the coal till meat is tender.

Chicken Teriyaki


Ingredients:
Chicken Drumsticks - 2kg
Teriyaki Sauce - 2/3cup
Soya Sauce - 1/3cup
Garlic - 6-7pods grated
Honey - 3tbs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl. Make slits across the drumsticks pat dry, and marinate the chicken, cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. Grill over hot coal, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade.

Chocolate Cheesecake Gateau for the Loved Ones!

Criss just said, "come over have dinner and your staying...and you have no choice but to say yes"....I immediately got on to the phone to get the husband to agree with the plan, while Criss got Yogi bear and boo boo bear (our other two friends) to stay too...the plan was set....the dinner was beef biriyani, chicken cutlet, raita and pappad. While the food was being coordinated we got our dearest friend Lesa, PC and lil Mia to skype in from S'pore to add to the evening entertainment. I thought a meal is not complete without the dessert, and I pitched in, and got to make a cheesecake and toffee apple upside down cake with some cream. All in all the weekend was absolutely fantastic with Maash and his brilliant idea of watching the movie Inception, and then part our ways. A weekend that was truly worthwhile....it was time spent with people you love being with

Ingredients:
Base
Digestive biscuits - 100gms
Butter - 50gms melted

Filling
Cream Cheese - 225gms
Castor Sugar - 100gms
Eggs - 2 separated
Gelatine - 2tsps
Plain bitter chocolate/ chips - 100gms melted
Whipping cream - 125ml

Decoration
Whipping cream - 150ml
Chocolate curls/ sprinkles

Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and stir in the melted butter. Press onto the base of a 7inch spring form tin and chill. For the filling, beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the sugar, egg yolks and melted chocolate. Dissolve the gelatin in 2tablespoons of hot water and add to the cream cheese mixture. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture. Then lastly fold in whipped cream. Pour into the tin and chill until set. To decorate the gateau, pipe a border around with the whipped cream and decorate with curls or sprinkles.

Lunch with a Book and Chicken Sandwich

I just joined Just Books, I love books and love the smell of new books...it's  been on my mind to join a library and I did that....to satisfy my excitement of starting on my new book and to satisfy my hunger pangs...I got on to make something that's easier to manage, while reading my book so that  I don't have messy fingers flipping the pages. Had some boiled shredded chicken already in my fridge, an apple, light mayo....and potato chips....and some orange juice to wash it all down.

Ingredients:
[Serves 3]
Boiled chicken - whole boneless chicken shredded
Apple - 1 chopped finely
Onion - 1 medium chopped finely
Garlic - 2-3 grated
Light mayonnaise - 4tbs
Tobasco - a dash
Lettuce to pile your bread
Pepper and salt taste
Burger buns/ Brown bread/ Pita bread

Into a pan sauté the onions till pink. I sautéed the onions because none of us like the raw onion taste except in a raita. Add in the garlic and sauté in the pan for a minute. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl. You may use more mayo depending on one's taste. Serve onto a bed of lettuce as a salad, or pile your bread and lettuce for filling the sandwich.

Corned Beef Omelette

This was a post that was long due....after all those late night action packed football frenzy on television, nothing to like to kick start your day with a heavy breakfast or rather brunch....

Ingredients:
Eggs - 5 beaten
Corn Beef - 1 tin
Onions - 2 small finely chopped
Pepper and Salt to taste

Saute onions till pink, and then add corn beef and saute till it becomes brown. Add pepper and salt to taste and set aside. Into a large skillet, lightly coat with oil, pour in half mixture of the beaten eggs. Tilt the pan so that the eggs spread out evenly. Cook over a moderate heat.ensuring the omelette does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook till the bottom is set and the top is still moist. Spoon a generous mixture of the corn beef into the middle of the omelet. Using a spatula lift the sides of the omelette to fold it into half. Tip onto a plate and serve immediately. Use the remaining egg mixture to make one more omelette.

Moist Butter Cake

It's the recipe from my new round 9inch silicone round baking ware. It's  a cake pan my husband picked up from Singapore and I blindly followed the recipe given on the card....I tell you its a winner all the way....and goes well with chocolate sauce and some good vanilla ice-cream for little of a sweet indulgence.

Ingredients:
Self Rising Flour - 2 1/4cups (sifted)
Butter - 250gms
Eggs - 3 eggs
Caster Sugar - 1 1/4cups
Vanilla Essence - 1tsp
Milk - 3/4cup

Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease the cake mould. Beat sugar and butter and vanilla extract with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and beat well. Using a spoon stir in flour and milk until well combined. Bake for an hour or until skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the cake pan for about 4minutes before turning over onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Peach and Cinnamon Cobbler

Mum has finally turned 50 on June 30....somehow for me she was always in her forties....(lol). Though mum and dad are right now holidaying in Kerala, it didn't stop me from making something for her children and grandchild to celebrate the joyous occasion. Though we are about 500kms away. Mummy, this is for you!

Ingredients:
Plain flour - 175gms
Castor Sugar - 175gms

Butter - 175gms
Peaches - 500gms stoned and roughly chopped
Eggs - 3 beaten
Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
Baking powder - 2tsp
Vanilla Extract- 1tsp
Cornflakes -70gms crushed
Whipped cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease a 9inch spring-release cake tin and line with baking paper. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon powder into a large bowl, add in the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is smooth. Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the surface using a palette knife. Arrange the peaches on top, Stir in crushed cornflakes into the remaining mixture and drop spoonfuls of the mix over the peaches. Bake for an 1 hour or until risen firm and golden brown.

Ripe Mango Curry ~ Pazha manga Curry

Mangoes in season and this is is a side dish you've would love to have for an afternoon. A sweet and sour curry which is an excellent combination with rice.

Ingredients:
Ripe Mangoes - 5nos.
Green Chillies - 5-6nos chopped (some reserved to be ground)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
Water -500ml
Salt - 1tsp
Grated coconut -150gms
Shallots - 10-15 (some to be reserved for tempering)
Cumin seeds - 1/4tsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Dried red chillies - 2nos.(broken into 2-3 small pieces)

Peel the mangoes. Cook the mangoes turmeric powder, a little salt, 250ml water and some green chillies for about 10minutes. Grind the coconut, reserved chillies, reserved shallots, cumin seed and the rest 250ml water to a fine paste. Add this to the cooked mangoes.Add more salt and heat the curry for about 5minutes taking care not to boil. Remove from the fire. Temper the mustard seeds, curry leaves, shallots and red chillies and add to the curry. Serve hot.

Toffee Apple Upside Down Cake ~ Appa's 60th Birthday

Appa's 60th birthday! It's a perfect birthday wherein my folks have landed in Bangalore from Kuwait on holidays. The timing is just perfect and to savor the special moment I ensured I made this cake right before we got caught with all the family chit chatting and outing. My brother took a day off, my husband worked from home and we had the whole day chalked out. Got mum to make String-hoppers and Egg curry for breakfast, lunch being a Mutton Biriyani, and the evening to be spent at the movies....

Ingredients:
Plain Flour - 175gms
Castor Sugar -175gms
Butter - 175gms
Eggs - 3 beaten
Baking powder - 1tbs
Vanilla Extract - 1sp
Rind of 1 whoe lemon
Cream to serve
Cinnamon powder to sprinkle

Toffee Apple Topping
Unsalted butter - 55gms
Castor Sugar - 100gms
water - 1tbs
Apples - 3
Lemon Juice - 2tbs

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 9 inch baking round cake tin. For the apple topping, place the butter and sugar in a heavy saucepan with water and heat gently until melted and then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring until it turns a deep golden caramel colour. Pour quickly into the cake time tilting to cover the base evenly.Peel, core and thickly slice the apples and spread evenly onto the base of the cake tin.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and combine to a make a smooth batter. Stir in the lemon rind. Spoon in the mixture over the apples and then smooth the surface with a palette knife. Bake for 40-50minutes till golden brown. Leave to cook in the tin for about 2-3minutes and then carefully turn onto a warmed serving plate. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder. Serve with cream.

Blueberry Muffins

This is one muffin I have been wanting to try like since I have tried my hand at baking. For starters blueberries are almost quite an adventure to get here in Bangalore, if you do manage to get a can then it's like you have struck a pot of gold. My husband happened to go to Singapore on work and I had my devilish mind working, rubbing my hands in glee, simply thrilled at what he could bring me. Now that's when, my good friend Lesa just totally shocked me and surprised me with a whole bag of goodies from Singapore. From blueberries to raspberries,golden syrup to fancy muffin liners, to a pack of fresh vanilla hot chocolate, white chocolate chips.......it's a whole bag of baking goodies. I was overwhelmed at the sight of my goodie bag, totally enthralled at the stuff she bought for me and all I could think was - What did I do for her to deserve her bigheartedness and love?. It's something that is difficult to be comprehended. Never the less I got to baking my first batch of blueberry muffins and only wished that I could have given Lesa something to savor too. Lesa this is to you - I owe it to you...

Ingredients:

Butter - 150gm at room temperature

Caster Sugar - 1cup

Eggs - 2

Plain flour - 2cups

Baking powder - 2tsp

Milk - 115ml (warm)

Blueberries - 100gm (I used the canned and strained it off the syrup)

Sift the flour and baking powder and keep aside. Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one until well combined. Using a spoon alternatively mix the sifted flour and milk between each other. Gently stir in the blueberries. Spoon mixture into the muffin liners or into greased muffin moulds. Bake into a preheated oven of 180C for 15-20minutes till the muffins turn golden.

Spritz

A tried recipe from my aunt's collection. Traditionally these are Christmas cookies in Scandinavian countries. But Christmas season or not who can resist these buttery goodies...

Ingredients: (Recipe Courtesy: Freeda Ipe)
Butter/ Margarine - 2 sticks
Sugar - 1/2cup
Flour - 2 1/4cups
Salt - 1/2tsp
Egg - 1
Almond/ Vanilla Extract - 1tsp

Mix margarine/ butter and sugar. Mix in the remaining ingredients to form a soft dough. Place cookie dough in cookie press form desired shapes and place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake into a preheated oven of 400F until set, but not brown. which is approximately 6-9minutes. Once baked remove the cookies from the cookie sheet immediately.