Cinnamon Apple cake

This Cinnamon-Apple cake was a big hit in our Sunday School class and this can be served as a dessert or a breakfast coffee cake.  The cream cheese in the batter gives the cake lots of moisture.  The cake was delicious, moist and flavorful.  The original recipe is from myrecipes.com. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter - 1/2 cup (softened)
Sugar - 1 3/4 cup
Cream cheese - 6 ounces (softened)
Eggs - 2
All purpose Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Baking Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon - 2 tsp + 1 tsp
Apples - 2 big (peeled and chopped)
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Vanilla - 1 tbsp

 

Method

Preheat the oven  to 350°.  Beat butter, cream cheese and 1 1/2 cup of sugar in a vessel until well blended (~5 minutes).  Add eggs one at a time and beating well after adding eggs.  Combine Flour, baking powder and salt and add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until well blended.

Combine 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp of cinnamon and set aside.  Combine 2 tbsps of cinnamon and chopped apples and stir the apples into the batter.  Add vanilla and pour the batter in a greased cake pan and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on the top.

Bake the cake for an hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Cool the cake completely.  Enjoy!

Banana Flower Stir Fry (Vazhaipoo Poriyal)

Banana Flower is used as a vegetable in stir-fry, cooked in soups, curries and fried foods in Southern Asia.  Cleaning the flower is a time consuming task.  But, the effort outweighs the taste and the immense medicinal benefits.  Once the flower is cleaned, the cooking part is simple.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Banana Flower (cleaned) - 1
Onion - 1 medium
Green Chillies (or Red) - 4-5
Curry leaves
Coconut - 3-4 tbsn
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

 Cleaning

Apply some oil on both hands before cleaning and this prevents your finger nails turning black.  Separate and collect all the edible part by removing the petals one by one.

 

You will see a plastic textured petal and a hard stamen. You have to remove both as shown in the picture below.  When you reach the middle part of the flower, you don't have to remove them as they become soft.  Wash the edible flowers in water and chop them into small pieces.

Method

Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan.  Add the cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the onions, green chillies and curry leaves.  When the onion becomes translucent, add the Banana Flower, salt, turmeric powder, sambar powder and cook it on medium heat (10-15 minutes).

 

Keep stirring and let the flower cook well.  When the mixture becomes dry, add the shredded coconut and mix well.  Garnish the dish with Cilantro. Enjoy!

Mushroom Fry

I like mushrooms and this is an easy recipe.   Mushroom Fry goes well with Fried rice or any rice dish.  It tastes well with Indian breads like Parottas, Chappathis, or Naans.  The original recipe is from Vahrehvah.com with some modifications.

Ingredients

Mushroom - 1 pound
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green Chillies - 3
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt
Lemon - 1/2
Curry leaves
Cilantro

Method

Heat 3 tbsps of oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds splutter, add the chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves.  When the onions are translucent, add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.  Add the chopped tomato, salt and turmeric powder.  Fry the onion and tomato mixture until the tomatoes are cooked well.  

Add the mushrooms, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and let the mushroom cook in the onion-tomato mixture with the spices.  Add the garam masala and mix well and let the gravy becomes dry.  Garnish the mushroom fry with lemon juice and Cilantro leaves. Enjoy!

Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is the most popular Chicken Starter recipe in India.  There are many theories on the internet about the origin of the name Chicken 65.  Anyway, this hot and spicy dish makes a wonderful addition to any meal. Chicken 65 can also be served as an appetizer. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

Boneless Chicken - 2 pounds
Corn Flour - 2 tsp
Rice Flour - 2 tsp
Egg - 1
Curry leaves
Green Chillies - 4-5
Cilantro leaves
Yogurt
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Marinade

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tbsp
Salt

Method

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and marinate the chicken in the Marinade for overnight.  Mix the Yogurt, turmeric, Chilli and Coriander powder in a bowl and set it aside.

Heat Oil for frying in a pan and coat the chicken with Egg, Corn Flour, Rice Flour and Salt.  Fry the chicken pieces in Oil on medium flame   Deep fry the chicken pieces until they are golden brown.

Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a different pan and add ginger and garlic paste.  Add curry leaves and green chillies and saute them for few minutes.  Add the fried chicken and the yogurt mixture.  Keep stirring until the chicken absorbs the Yogurt.

Garnish with Cilantro leaves.  Enjoy!

Coconut Burfi (Fudge)

Coconut Burfi is a popular sweet in India made with coconut and sugar.  I came across this recipe for Coconut Burfi in Saffron Hut and liked the Burfi.  The Burfis are soft, moist and chewy.  If you like coconut, then you will like this sweet.  It reminded me of the chocolate Almond Joy. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Whipping cream - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ground Cardamom - 1 tsp

 Method 

Grease a 8x8 pan and set it aside. 

Combine all the ingredients (except Cardamom) in a sauce pan (preferably non-stick) and cook over medium heat.  Keep stirring the mixture until the burfi is thick and starts to leave the pan (40-45 minutes).  Add the crushed cardamom and transfer the burfi to the greased pan.  Let it cool and you can cut it into diamond or square shaped Burfis.

 Enjoy!