Peanut Candy/ Peanut Brittle/ Peanut Chikki with roasted sesame seeds

I was never a big fan of chikki until quite recently. The month of February changed it all. I ate nuts candy from St.Maarten, almond candy from China and sesame candy from Dubai. Not that I traveled to China and St Maarten, let's just say it is simply the benefit of staying in a country with so many nationalities. This was a trigger enough to try making this candy myself.

The resolve was made stronger at Dubai Mall last week with the sample of peanut candy coated with sesame seeds that we got to sample at one of our office lunch outings.

The candy looks complicated and anyone might think twice before even looking up this recipe.My assumption was the very same till I actually tried it out. Making a chikki ,as it is commonly called in India is just a 10 minute job if you have all your ingredients in place.

Here is your ten minute recipe.

Ingredients

1. Roasted peanuts -1 cup
2. Sugar/grated jaggery - 1 cup( I used sugar, you may substitute it with jaggery)
3. Butter - 2 tbsp
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup

Method

Roast and peel the peanuts in case you do not get to buy roasted ones. Halve the peanuts, spread onto a flat surface and crush it lightly using a rolling pin. Lightly roast the sesame seeds till the color starts changing lightly.

Grease a flat surface -could be your cutting board, kitchen slab or inverted steel plate with butter. Spread half the roasted sesame seeds on the greased surface evenly.

Heat a thick bottomed pan. Add sugar and cardamom powder to this and stir it using a ladle till the sugar melts and the color changes to brown.

Switch off the flame and add the crushed peanuts.Mix this well and quickly, it will harden very fast. Transfer this mixture from the pan to the greased surface and roll it out using a rolling pin. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on the top.

Let it cool for 15 minutes, cut and serve in sizes of your choice.

Now, did I not say that it was a ten minute job.

Mangalore Buns/ Banana Poori

A small tea shop in front of our college campus was the favorite hangout place during our free hours in college at Brahmavar. This is where we have feasted on the Mangalore Buns as it is popularly called. Do not go by the name Buns! It is nowhere similar to the normal buns baked out of the oven. It is deep fried in oil and usually served as tea time snack along with chutney. It is sweet, hence can be eaten without a chutney also. That is precisely what I did roaming around with a piece in my hand and preparing for our trip to Al Ain Zoo. That is a long awaited trip and we finally did it this weekend Yay!

Guess what we were lucky too! Got to see the majestic White Tiger and White Lion in all its glory and majesty. I had packed a few buns for our evening snack time which we gorged on after the visit to the Zoo. I hope you guys too try out this recipe, you could make it a tiffin box recipe for your kid too:) A simple way to use the overripe bananas which you do not feel like eating! 

So here is my version of the recipe. Though generally made with Maida/ All Purpose Flour, I chose the healthier Wheat Flour.  Hence ate it guiltless:)

Ingredients

1. Wheat Flour - 2 cups + 3 tbsp for rolling the dough
2. Banana - 5 ( I used elaichi bananas)
3. Sugar - 5 tbsps
4. Jeera - 1/2 tsp
5. Yogurt/Curd - 3 tbsp
6. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
7. Ghee - 2 tbsp
8. Salt - 1 pinch
9. Water as required

Method

Mash the bananas along with the sugar in a bowl. Riper the bananas, the easier to mash. You could user a blender or a spoon would also suffice. To this add the wheat flour, salt, baking soda, jeera(lightly crushed) and mix it well using a fork. Add the yogurt and roll it into a dough. Generously rub ghee on both your hands and fold in the dough once again. Keep it covered for atleast two hours or refrigerate it overnight. In case you refrigerate, make sure that you keep it out for atleast two hours before you make it.

Make balls out of the dough. Roll it out using a rolling pin using the flour when required so that it doesn't stick. Avoid overusing the flour as it leads formation of residue in the oil.

In a skillet heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, slowly slip in the rolled out sheet one at a time.  Using a spoon, keep splashing oil onto the top as it raises. Ensure that the flame is on medium. Flip over to the other side once it is uniformly brown in colour. Once both the sides are done. Transfer this to a tissue paper so that the excess oil seeps onto it.  

Buns do not absorb much oil and hence you can be judicious while pouring the oil into the skillet.

Serve it hot with chutney of your choice.

Boli/Holige/Puran Poli/Indian Sweet Flatbread

I am not much of a sweet tooth, neither is Soumya, my sister. Despite this, one sweet dish that both of us would love to snack on is Boli or Holige as it is called in Karnataka. Boli and a splash of warm milk is just beyond yum. 

My sister often comments on my good memory, be it with the dates or my ability to connect different incidents and the day it happened. My memory with food is not bad either. That gives me the right to comment on my Boli memories as well. Boli is a snack that my father often buys from local bakery and I loved taking it to Bangalore during my college days. More recently on our visit to India, my sister introduced this to Shibin as well. He loved it too which inspired me to try out this snack.  

Boli is made of All Purpose Flour/Maida. To make it more healthier, I tried out the with wheat flour. Not much of a difference in recipe, just replace maida with wheat flour.

There it is the recipe -

Ingredients

1. Wheat Flour/ All purpose Flour - 1 cup
2. Bengal gram dal/kadala parippu - 1 cup
3. Jaggery - 1 cup grated
4. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
5. Ghee - 3 to 4 tbsp
6. Rice Flour - to roll
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt
9. Water

Method

Pressure cook the Bengal gram dal in a little water till soft. Do not overcook. Drain the water and grind it till a smooth paste. 

In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and add the gram paste, grated jaggery and cardamom powder. Roast it till the water drains out, the color changes and the mixture holds together. Roll this into lemon size balls and keep aside.

In a separate bowl, add the flour, pinch of salt, turmeric powder and slowly pour warm water. Use a fork to mix this gently. Keep it covered for 15 minutes till the moisture holds together. Uncover and make dough out of this. Roll this also into lemon size balls. Rub your hands in a little ghee, in case you find it difficult to make the dough.

Lightly roll the dough balls into sheets and place the gram mixture balls onto this. Bring together the edges of the sheet using water to hold this together until the gram mixture balls are completely covered.

Flatten this with your hand and turn it over on rice flour. Using a rolling pin roll out sheets like chapati, apply more rice flour in case the dough sticks on.

Heat a pan and place the rolled out sheets on the pan on medium heat for a minute. Flip it over and let the other side also get cooked. Add ghee to either sides and flip it over twice more. Transfer to a plate and serve with a cup of milk.

Generally. Boli is served along with payasam/kheer. But trust us milk is an excellent replacement!

Crunchy Oats Chicken with Sweet and Sour dip

I happened to leaf through the pages of my diary and came across this recipe taking me back to my PG days in Bangalore. With a lot of time in hand, nothing better to do and whenever I managed to overcome my lazy mode, I stepped into the kitchen for my adventures. Crunchy Oats Chicken was the result of one of these adventures.My friends and I spent quite a time debating on what the name of the dish should be. Chinese Oats Chicken we named it, is what the diary entry says! And one day we said, we will all look into this recipe journal and cook for our husbands'.

Well my Mr. Husband did not find the name catchy enough and we renamed it to Crunchy Oats Chicken.

So here we have the Crunchy Oats Chicken and a dip that goes along. A quick recipe -even your kids will enjoy, it is only mildly spiced with a sweet and sour dip.

Ingredients for the sweet and sour dip

1. Tomato sauce - 3 tbsp
2. Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
3. Honey - 2 tbsp
4. Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped
5. Ginger - 1 tbsp chopped
6. Onions - 3 tbsp chopped
7. Green chilly - 1 chopped and crushed
8. Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
9. Spring onions - 1 tbsp
10. Water - 1/4 cup

Method

Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry the onions, garlic, ginger and  green chilly until cooked.

Mix the soya sauce, tomato sauce and honey in 1/4 cup water. Add this to the skillet and switch off the flame. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with spring onions

Ingredients for Crunchy Oats Chicken

1. Chicken - 400 gms
2. Egg - 1 no.
3. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
5. Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
6. Kashmiri Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt - as required
8. Oats - 1 cup
9. Oil

Method

Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces. I used the pieces with less bones for this recipe.

Marinate the chicken pepper powder, chilly powder, ginger garlic paste , soya sauce, salt and 1 beaten egg. Leave it covered for half an hour to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Roll the chicken in oats and coat it completely. 

Heat oil in a skillet and fry the chicken. You may choose to shallow fry or deep fry it. I, generally prefer shallow frying to reduce the oil usage.

Transfer the fried chicken to a plate and serve along with the dip. Don't let it go cold, eat it hot and juicy!

Chicken Sukka

I am back from my vacation !
3 beautiful weeks and so many memories - just the perfect start. A new year and a lot more resolutions. A growing vigor and enthusiasm to do a lot more this year. While I ponder on where my resolutions and vigor takes me why don't you guys go ahead and catch my latest recipe.

Chicken Sukka - a Mangalorean style chicken preparation that uses plenty of coconut and quite a bit of spices - name it and you have it. The dish goes along well with dosa, neeru dosa, sanna, chapatti to name a few.

So here is the recipe - straight out of my akka's kitchen.

Ingredients

For the masala - (you can choose to make the masala and refrigerate it. Lasts for 4-5 months.

1. Kashmiri Chilly - 50 gms
2. Pepper Corns - 2 to 3 tbsp
3. Coriander seeds - 2 to 3 tbsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Fenugreek Seeds - a pinch
7. Ajwain - a pinch
8. Turmeric Powder - a pinch
9. Garlic - 2 pods

For the dish

• Chicken - 1 kg cut into small pieces
• Coconut grated - 1 whole coconut
• Curry Leaf - 2 sprigs
• Onion - 2 medium chopped
• Tomato - 1 small chopped
• Tamarind - 1 lemon sized
• Oil
• Coriander leaves - a handful

Preparation

Dry fry each of the ingredients from 1 to 3 separately and fry the ingredients from 4 to 7 together.

In a grinder, powder all the ingredients mentioned above together and keep aside.

Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and sieve the tamarind water. Set it aside. Pour little oil into a skillet and saute the onion and tomato. Once the onion is translucent, add the curry leaves along with the chicken. Sprinkle salt, mix it well and let the chicken cook till it is half done. Now add the grated coconut and the tamarind water. Mix on high flame and add the ground masala. Mix it well and finally add the ground masala. 

Keep it covered on medium flame till the chicken is cooked and the masala has set in well. Garnish with coriander leaf and serve hot.

Christmas Fruit Cake

Christmas is fast approaching and I am so excited. It is vacation time, a wedding in the family and a lovely festive get together. It is the best time of the year in so many ways this year and I have begun my countdown! 5 days to go for Christmas and 5 days for me to shop, pack and catch the flight. 

It is another wonderful season and like I said in my previous blog entry, I hope you are enjoying the season to the full. If not here are some perfect movies to watch this week - 

• Santa Claus trilogy, a perfect family entertainer to watch with your family.
• 12 gifts for Christmas, reminds you that festive season is the time for your loved ones.
• Deck the halls - a comedy that keeps up the spirit of Christmas.

Have you put up your tree yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Hurry, put up your tree and star. hang your stockings, adorn your door with wreath, finish your Christmas shopping, let the baking begin and let the carol bells chime all the day through - because it is the best time of the year again.

I finally baked my own Christmas fruit cake this year :)

No more buying cakes for Christmas because I have already baked 4!

Here is the recipe for you - 

Ingredients 

For soaking - 

1. Cashewnuts
2. Almonds
3. Prunes
4. Raisins
5. Apricot
6. Candied fruits/tutti frutti
7. Cherry
8. Dates
9. Red wine - 500 ml

I have not specified the specific quantity since you could use any number as you like. One cake would require 1 cup of dried fruits.

For the Cake - 

1. All purpose flour - 2 cups + 1/4 cup for the soaked fruits
2. Baking powder - 2 tsp
3. Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Cinnamon powder - 3/4 tsp
5. Clove powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Sugar - 1 and 3/4 cups + 1/4 cup for caramel
7. Water - 1/8 cup
8. Butter - 400 gms unsalted
9. Strawberry Jam - 5 tbsp
10. Egg - 4 no.s
11. Vanilla essence - 2 tsp

Method

1. Soaking fruits for cake is a tradition at most places and experts say that the longer you soak the fruits the better the cake tastes. Now that we do not have months to soak it, overnight would just be fine. Chop the nuts and fruits roughly and soak it in wine and keep it closed in an air tight container. If you have longer time to soak, make sure to shake the bottle every other day. Pour just enough wine to cover the fruits that you have chopped. Also make sure that you do not layer the fruits till the top of the jar as the fruits tend to swell up and would require space.
2. Grease a round baking tray(8'') and keep aside. Pre - heat your oven for 15 minutes at 180 degree. 
3. Meanwhile sift together the dry ingredients - the flour, baking powder, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder and clove powder.
4. Prepare the caramel syrup by heating the sugar in a hot pan with constant stirring till it begins to form bubbles. Switch off the flame and add water to this constantly stirring. Switch on the flame again and bring this syrup to a boil still stirring and let it cool.
5. Removed the soaked fruits from the jar and let the excess wine drain. Toss these fruits in the flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Sieve this and set aside to remove the excess flour.
6. Break open the eggs, separating the whites and yolk. Whisk the whites till it forms peaks.
7. Add the softened butter and sugar in a bowl and fold them together. To this add the egg yolk and vanilla essence. Fold them together using a whisk or a spatula. 
8. Add the sifted dry ingredients and once this is combined well, add the whisked egg whites. Avoid stirring too much once the egg whites are added. 
9. Add the caramel syrup that renders the color to the cake and fold it again.
10. Add the jam scoops, fold in once again and finally add the flour tossed dry fruits and just give a stir with the spatula.
11. Transfer this to the greased baking pan. Bake it at 200 degrees for first 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 170 degree till it is almost done and then increase the temperature again for the last 10 minutes.
12. Transfer it to a cooling rack and brush it with the wine used for soaking fruits. Keep it covered  with a cling film and keep brushing it with wine for 2- 3 days to get the most delicious fruit cake.

My Christmas Cake is ready!

Merry Christmas to all around.

Peanut Butter Sandwich with fried banana and honey

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

fa la la la la, la la la la

Tis the season to be jolly,

fa la la la la, la la la la

Christmas is here and so is the holiday season. While we  prep up our lunch and dinner menus, lets not forget the breakfast! Quick and simple recipe which the young and the old will love alike - peanut butter sandwich with honey and fried banana.

This time round we made the sandwich with homemade peanut butter!That is quick and easy too, if you have not yet tried.

Before I move onto the recipe, let me remind you to make the festive season fun filled and all the more christmasy, do not forget to watch some Christmas movies. We have already begun ours with The Holiday and Polar Express! Just so Perfect!

So here is the recipe - 

Ingredients

1. Bread slices - 3
2. Banana  - 1
3. Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
4. Butter - 5 tbsp
5. Peanut butter
6. Honey

Method

Heat a pan and add butter to this. Once the butter melts, place the banana that has been sliced lengthwise onto the pan. Sprinkle cinnamon powder over this. Turn over the slices when it begins to change color. Once done, place it aside.

Slather peanut butter generously onto a toasted bread slice. Then layer the slice with the fried bananas. Pour a spoonful of honey over the slices. Repeat the same on another slice of bread and place it over the first one. Finally, place the last slice on the top, cut it diagonally and serve with a hot cup of coffee.