Chocolate Chip Scones

These buttery scrumptious chocolate chip scones are tender and moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside and they make a tasty breakfast treat.  They can be served with lemon curd.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter - 1 stick (Frozen)
Egg - 1
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup (packed)
All-purpose Flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 21/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Heavy cream - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1tbsp
Chocolate chips (mini) - 1 heaping cup.

Method 

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the Flour, Baking powder, Salt, Cinnamon, and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk the cream, egg and vanilla together.  Add the brown sugar and combine until the brown sugar is dissolved.  Combine the flour mixture slowly and gently mix everything together.  Grate the frozen butter and add it to the mixture and combine it with a pastry cutter or your fingers.  Gently fold the mini chocolate chips into the mixture.

The dough may be a little wet.  Work the dough into a ball and press the dough into a 8 inch pie pan.  Cut into equal wedges using a sharp knife and arrange them in the baking sheet.

Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow them to cook for few minutes.

Scones are best enjoyed when you eat them right away, though leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 extra days. Scones freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat up to your liking before enjoying.

Masala Vadai (Lentil Fritters)

Masala Vadai (Lentil Fritters) is a popular South Indian snack.  It is available in all the hotels and road side shops in TamilNadu, India. Here is a simple recipe for a crispy and crunchy masala vadai. Masala vadai is served with coconut chutney and a cup of masala chai. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Bengal gram (Channa dhal) - 2 cups
Onion - 1
Curry leaves
Mint leaves
Cilantro leaves
Salt

 To grind

Green Chillies - 4-5
Fennel seeds - 11/2 tsp
Garlic - 5 pods
Ginger

Method

Soak the Bengal gram (Channa dhal) for 3-4 hours.  Grind the green chillies, fennel seeds, garlic and ginger and keep it aside.  

Drain the water completely from the Channa dhal and grind them coarsely. You can leave some whole channa dhal in the mixture. Add the chopped onions, cilantro leaves, curry leaves and the ground chilli mixture to the ground dhal.  

Make small balls and shape the balls as small patties and fry them in the oil and let the Vadai cooks on medium heat.

Drain the Vadais using a paper towel and serve the Vadais with coconut chutney. Enjoy!

Note : Soak the dhal for at least 3-4 hours. You don't need to add any water. If you feel that the dough is watery, you can add a teaspoon of rice flour. 

Vazhaipoo Vadai (Banana Flower Fritters)

Vazhaipoo Vadai (Banana Flower Fritters) is a popular snack in South India. It is made with bengal gram and banana flowers and the addition of the banana flower enhances the taste of the snack. The only drawback is cleaning the banana flower is a time consuming process. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Channa Dhal - 1 cup

Banana Flower 1 cup (Cleaned and Chopped)

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 1 medium

Green Chillies - 3-4

Ginger (crushed) - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Cilantro leaves

Salt

Method 

Soak Channa dhal for 3-4 hours. Drain the water completely and grind coarsely. Combine the rest of the ingredients to the dhal and form a thick dough.

Make small patties from the dough.

Deep fry the patties in oil. Enjoy!

Ribbon Pakoda

Ribbon Pakoda is a popular snack in India. It is a simple, easy to do snack for any occasion.   The main ingredients are rice flour and gram flour (besan).  This has become our family snack for long drives. My girls love this snack very much and I am sure you would too. You need a Murukku mould (picture) for preparing this snack.

Ingredients

Rice Flour - 2 cups.
Gram Flour (Besan) - 2 cups
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp.
Salt  - 2 tsp.
Hing  (Asafoetida) - a pinch.
Butter  - 2 tsp.
Water

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and add butter (room temperature). Add water to the mixture and gently knead it into a soft dough. The dough should not be watery. Also, you should be able to press it with the mould easily.

Heat oil in a deep wide pan and fill the mould with some dough. Now squeeze the dough from the mould in the hot oil. Let the pakoda cook for a couple of minutes. Turn the pakoda and cook both the sides till it becomes golden brown.

Remove from the oil and keep them in a paper towel to drain the oil. Repeat the procedure with the rest of the dough. Let the Pakodas cool and store them in an air tight container.

Enjoy!

Murukku

Murukkus are one of the popular snacks in our house especially during Christmas time.  It can be prepared in a simple way.  Murukkus came out crunchy and tasty.  You need a murukku mold to prepare Murukkus.

Ingredients

Rice Flour - 3 cups
Urud Dhal Flour (Fried) or Fried chickpea flour - 1/2 cup
Salt
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Butter - 3 teaspoon (room temperature)
Oil for Frying

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a wide pan.  Add water slowly to knead it to a stiff dough (like chapathi dough).

Take a small amount of dough and put it in the mould (I used the 3 star attachment).

Heat oil to fry the Murukkus. When the oil becomes hot enough, press the dough right on top of the oil. Press it until a sufficient amount has dropped into the oil.

Fry them until the Murukkus are golden brown in color.  Drain them, let them cool and store them in an air tight container.

Rosettes

My Mom made Rosettes every year during Christmas and I liked helping her making those Rosettes.  Now, it has become our family tradition to make Rosettes during Christmas.

Ingredients

1 egg
5-6 Table spoon sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk ( you can use half cup coconut milk and half regular milk)
1 cup rice flour
3 Table spoon all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Rosette mould (picture)
Oil for frying.


Method

Beat egg, salt, sugar, vanilla, milk and water together, till well mixed.  Add rice flour and all purpose flour, little at a time mixing well. If the batter is too thick, add a little water till it's like dosai batter.

Heat oil in a Kadai. Immerse the Rosette mould in the oil.  When the Rosette mould is well heated, dip in batter (do not let the batter come all the way to the top and cover the mould).

Lower the mould into frying oil and gently shake the mould till the rosette falls off into the oil.  Fry till golden brown and remove and drain on paper towel.