Double Chocolate Torte, with almond flour

Blanched Almond Flour - 1/2 cup
Dark Chocolate Chips - 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Large Eggs - 3
Raw Honey / Turbinado Sugar - 1/2 cup
Melted Butter - 1/2 cup
Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Preheat oven to 350F.

Put ½ cup chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground to the texture of gravel

Mix in almond flour, cocoa powder and salt and pulse for 10 seconds to combine everything well.

Add 3 eggs and vanilla to the food processor and pulse again.  Then add raw honey and butter. Pulse all ingredients together until smooth

Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the mix.

Transfer the batter into a well buttered round cake pan.

Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and cut into triangles and enjoy this rich, dense, moist, decadent slice of cake.

Sending this recipe to the following event http://culinaryvibes.blogspot.com/2012/08/event-cook-eat-delicious-desserts.html

 

Black and White Wednesday - Sprouts - Beginning of a new Life

This picture is my entry to Susan's Black & White Wednesday - Culinary photos.

Urad Dal Papdi / Lentil Crackers

Adapted from http://www.sailusfood.com/2011/10/04/navratri-special-chitti-budagalu-recipe/

Brown Rice Flour - 1 cup
Urad Dal / Black Gram Flour - 1 cup
Water
Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Nigella Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Extra Brown Rice Flour for rolling the papdis
Peanut Oil for deep frying

Mix brown rice flour, urad dal flour, salt, cayenne and nigella seeds together.

Add water little by little and knead to make a soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Apply a little oil to the palms and knead the dough again. Make marble sized balls out of the dough.

Heat peanut oil in a kadai on medium low flame for deep frying. Take 2 plastic sheets, apply a little oil and sprinkle a little brown flour. Take each ball and place it between the 2 sheets. Press with the back of a small tumbler to make a small round. Prick with a fork all around.

Remove the top plastic sheet and drop the round papdi in the hot oil. Repeat this for the other balls. Fry around 10 papdis per batch till golden brown on both sides and remove on a paper towel. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

These crispy gluten free papdis taste like Bengali nimkis and can be had as it is as a snack or can be used as a base for papdi chat.

Layered Brown Rice, Chickpeas and Eggplant

Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/layered-picnic-in-a-jar-recipe/index.html

For Rice Layer :
Brown Rice - 1 cup, cooked
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Salt

For Chickpea Layer :
Chickpeas - 1 cup, cooked
Yellow Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 pods, grated
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Turmeric - a pinch
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt

For Eggplant layer :
Baby Eggplant - 10, cut into quarters
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Curry Leaves - 5
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Tomato - 1, chopped
Jaggery / Palm Sugar - 1 tsp

Mix a little salt, lemon juice and chopped cilantro to the cooked brown rice and keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic. Cook till soft. Then add chickpeas, ginger, salt, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon and cook for a few minutes till the spices mix together. Sprinkle a little water if the spices start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the mustard seeds and once they begin to pop, add curry leaves, onion and garlic and cook till soft. Then add the sliced eggplants, salt, turmeric and cayenne. Mix well and cover and cook on low flame till the eggplants are cooked. Midway, lift the cover and add chopped tomato and grated jaggery.

To assemble, layer a jam bottle first with rice, then chickpeas and then eggplant. To serve on a plate, serve rice, chickpeas and eggplant side by side.

Capsicum Zunka / Bell Pepper with roasted chickpea powder

Green Bell Pepper - 2 small, cut into small cubes
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Yellow Onion - 1 small, chopped
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Spicy Chickpea Powder - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the mustard seeds and once they begin to splutter add the hing, green chili and chopped onion. Saute till the onion gets soft.

Add the chopped bell pepper, salt and turmeric. Mix well. Cover and cook on low fire for around 7 minutes till the capsicum is cooked.

Add the spicy chickpea powder and paprika. Cook for a few minutes more till the spices mix together.

Serve hot with steamed brown rice.

Mixed Beans Sundal

Dried Beans - 2 cups ( I used a mix of chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans. Cooking the black beans along with the other beans turn all the beans to a dark color. Doesnt alter the taste though. If you want the beans to retain their original color, avoid black beans)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Urad Dal / Black Gram- 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10
Dessicated Coconut - 2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt

Soak the beans ovenight. Drain and wash once, add 2 cups of water and cook in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles. Do not overcook as we want the beans to retain their shape well and not get mushy.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add mustard seeds. Once the seeds start popping, add chopped green chili, hing, and urad dal. Saute till the urad dal gets slightly brown.

Then add the curry leaves and the coconut. Saute for a minute more.

Add the cooked beans, turmeric and salt. Toss well and cook for a few minutes. Can be served hot or at room temperature.

Spicy Eggplant with Chana Dal

Adapted from http://tongueticklers.com/2011/09/kathrikkai-curry-roasted-eggplants/

Eggplants - 10, small, (I used a mix of small purple and green eggplants)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10
Chana Dal / Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
Tamarind extract - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Salt
Cilantro - a handful (optional)

Spice Mix :
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Chana Dal - 1 tbsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds / Methi - 10
Hing - a pinch

Dry roast the urad dal and chana dal. Once the dal gets slightly brown, add the fenugreek seeds, hing and coriander powder. Roast for a minute more. Cool and grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Cut each eggplant into 4 quarters. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add chana dal and sesame seeds. saute till the dal turns light brown.

Now add the eggplants, curry leaves, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well. Cover and cook on medium low heat till the eggplant gets slightly brown and is cooked.

Mix the spice powder, a tsp of tamarind extract and jaggery and toss well. The original recipe didnt have tamarind and jaggery in it but I added because I like the slightly sweet and sour taste they bring. Cook for a few minute more. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Tomato Rasam

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 2, chopped
Hing / Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Curry Leaves - 10
Turmeric - a pinch
Ripe Toamto - 3 big, grated
Tur Dal / Split Pigeon Peas - 1 tbsp
Water - 4 cups
Homemade Rasam Powder - 1 tsp
salt

Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Temper with mustard seeds. Once the seeds start popping, add green chili, hing and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds.

Add the grated tomato and turmeric. Cook on medium low heat till the tomato becomes mushy and the paste becomes oily.

Add a tbsp of tur dal, salt, 4 cups water and rasam powder, close the pressure cooker and cook under full pressure upto 5 whistles.

Serve as a hot and spicy soup or with steamed brown rice and a vegetable curry.

Bonde aar Muri - breakfast on Mahalaya

Processed white sugar is something which we have completely eliminated from our diet but there are few occasions in a year when we indulge a little and break this rule. This is one such occasion.

Besan /Chickpea Flour - 2 cups, heaped
Water - 2 cups

Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Saffron - a pinch
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp
Peanut Oil for deep frying
Ladle with small holes

Sift the besan with a sifter. Add water slowly and make a batter by mixing simultaneously using a wire whisk. The batter should not be too watery and should be of dosa batter consistency.

Mix oil and ghee in a kadai and heat over medium heat. The oil should be sufficiently hot before dropping the batter. This can be tested by putting a drop of batter in the oil. The drop should immediately bubble up.

Now hold the ladle over the kadai and pour some batter on it. The drops of batter will fall on the oil and immediately bubble up. Remove the boondis after 10 seconds. The boondis should not get dark in color and should not be crisp. If a boondi is pressed between 2 fingers, it should get squeezed in and not crumble. Leave the boondis on a paper towel to soak excess oil.

Before frying the next batch of boondis, wipe the ladle completely clean. If the ladle has some batter clinging to it, the next batch of boondis will not be round and they will have an elongated shape. Continue frying like this for the entire batter.

Make a sugar syrup of 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water. Boil till the syrup for a couple of minutes. Add saffron and some cardamom powder. Add all the fried boondis and mix well. Now put the syrup along with the boondis back on heat for a few minutes till all the syrup is soaked. Leave the mixture to cool down for  a few minutes before serving. We had ours with some crisp brown rice muri.

Black and White Wednesday - Cast Iron Skillet

My most precious possession in the kitchen - well seasoned cast iron skillet.

This picture is my entry to Susan's Black & White Wednesday - Culinary photos.

Banana Muffins with Almond Flour, gluten free

These gluten free processed sugar free muffins are light, fluffy and so guilt free. Once you have these muffins you will never go back to the greasy and heavy white flour muffins sold in most bakeries.

Almond Flour - 1 cup (pyrex measuring cup)
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Walnuts - a handful, chopped
Raisins - a handful
Egg - 1, beaten well
Pure Vanilla Extract - 1/2 tsp
Raw Honey - 3 tbsp or more depending on how sweet you want the muffins
Ripe Banana - 1, mashed

Melted Butter  - 2 tbsp or 1/3rd stick
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together almond flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Mix in the walnuts and raisins.


Combine beaten egg, honey, butter, vanilla, spices in a separate bowl and add the well mashed banana. Mix wet ingredients into dry.

Grease 2 mini muffin trays with a little butter or oil and put 1 tbsp in each muffin cup.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes

Remove from oven and cool. Makes about 24 mini muffins.

Chickpea Chaat

Dried Chickpeas - 1 cup
Red Onion - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Boiled Potato - 1, chopped (optional)
Tomato - 1 small, chopped (optional)
Cucumber - 1 small, chopped (optional)
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Green Chili - 1, finely chopped
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Chaat Masala - 1/2 tsp or a mix of roasted cumin and aamchur masala
Homemade Tamarind Date Chutney - 2 tbsp
Roasted peanuts - a handful
Sev / Crispy gramflour noodles  - 2 tbsp.
Black Salt

Soak the chickpeas in plenty of water overnight.

Drain, add 2 cups of water, a little salt and cook in the pressure cooker for 3 whistles after full pressure is reached. The chickpeas should be just cooked and not too soft. Remove the chickpeas from the remaining liquid.

Add chickpeas, onion, potato, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice, chaat masala. Mix well. Add some tamarind date chutney on top, sprinkle sev and roasted peanuts and serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buckwheat and Amaranth Flour Pancake, gluten free

Buckwheat Flour - 1/3 cup
Amaranth Flour - 1/3 cup
Brown Rice Flour - 1/3 cup
Whole Milk - 1 cup
Egg - 1
Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
Turbinado Sugar - 2 tsp
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - a pinch
Butter

Beat the egg well. Add milk and sugar and mix well.

Mix buckwheat, amaranth, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda and add to the egg mixture.

Mix gently till there are no lumps.

Heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Add half a tsp of butter.

Pour a ladle of the pancake mixture, cook for a couple of minutes.

Once the bottom side has browned slightly, flip and cook on the other side. Add half a tsp of butter. Cook till the other side also browns.

Remove and serve with pure maple syrup and some sliced bananas.

Black and White Wednesday - Buckwheat Pancake with Sliced Bananas

This picture is my entry to Susan's Black & White Wednesday - Culinary photos.

Bhaja Mung Daler Bhuni Khichudi / Roasted Mung Beans Risotto

Adapted from https://foodfrombengal.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/moong-dal-er-khichuri/

Mung Dal / Split Yellow Mung Beans - 1 cup
Brown Basmati Rice - 3/4 cup
Water - 5 cups
Salt
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee /Clarified Butter - 2 tsp
Cashewnuts - 1 a handful
Raisins - a handful

Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Small Cauliflower - 1/2, cut into very small florets
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Frozen Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Take the mung dal in a heavy bottomed pan and dry roast over low heat till the dal emits a nice aroma and starts to change color to light brown.

Add the brown rice to the roasted dal and wash with plenty of water. Add 2 cups of water, salt, sugar, turmeric, red chili powder and bring to boil.

At the same time, take 3 cups of water in a sauce pan and bring it to boil over low heat. Cook the dal and rice mixture till the liquid reduces, then add a cup of warm water from the sauce pan. Cook the mixture this way adding warm water when the liquid dries up till the rice is soft and cooked.

Heat ghee in a skillet and add the cashews and raisins. Saute till the cashews turn golden and remove and keep aside.

In the same pan, add a tbsp of peanut oil. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, green chili, grated ginger and saute for a minute.

Add the cauliflower florets, salt, turmeric. Saute till the florets are half cooked. Add the roasted frozen peas and cumin powder and saute till the florets are completely cooked and start to get brown.

Remove and mix with the cooked dal and brown rice. Sprinkle the roasted cashews and raisins on top and serve with fried papads.