August 2013 ~ ASIAN INDIAN PAKISTANI RECIPES

Friday, August 30, 2013

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

11:19 AM

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This cake reminds me of a chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients include sour cream for an
extra-moist cake.

I get to use my new Nordic Ware Classic Bundt Pan.
I loved how well their Swirl pan worked
on my Lemon Lover's Bundt Cake.
Truly no-stick. A must when bunting!

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl,

adding the mini chocolate chips last.

Pour into a sprayed bundt pan.

Bake @350 fo about 40 minutes.

Let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes,
then invert. Nothing sticks in this pan.
It releases the cake with ease. Love that.

Dusting with powdered sugar is all it needs.

But you could also drizzle with
Vanilla Butter Glaze.

Mix until creamy and add vanilla.

Scoop into a small baggie and snip off one corner.

Starting on the inside, squeeze on the frosting.

A stripe of glaze with each slice

Loaded with chocolate chips. Enjoy a slice with

your favorite go-with cake beverage; coffee, tea,

or a glass of cold milk.

Bring a slice to your neighbor, friend or someone
you love, like, or just tolerate!

That's my favorite part of baking.....the sharing.

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box instant vanilla pudding

1 C (8 oz) sour cream

1/2 C water

1/2 C oil

3 XL eggs

1 t vanilla

1 C mini chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except chocolate

chips in a large bow.

Mix to combine on low and then beat

on on medium for 2 minutes. Add the

chocolate chips and mix in on low.

Pour into a sprayed bundt pan.

Bake @350 for 35-45 minutes

Cool on rack for 15 minuted before

inverting onto a cake plate.

Let cool completely before glazing.

Vanilla Butter Glaze

3 T butter, melted

2 C powdered sugar

2 T milk

1 t vanilla

Mix until smooth.

Drizzle on cake, or put into a small

baggie, snip of a small corner

and squeeze on stripes.

Enjoy!

Check out my other bundt cakes:

Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake

Oh Baby! Carrot Bundt Cake

Root Beer Bundt Cake

Links: Coastal Charm,
Confessions Of A Plate Addict,
Jam Hands, A Stroll Thru Life,
Between Naps On The Porch,
Dwellings, Mossberry Cottage,

Pavakkai Podi / Bitter gourd Spice Powder for Rice

7:00 AM

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I am not generally an elaborate meal kind of person. A simple rice dish with a thovayal/rasam and a vegetable curry would be suffice. I will have a happy belly. This podi is one such recipe, from grandma which is a great make-ahead condiment and comes in handy for a quick, hot yet homemade meal. It can me made on a free weekend and stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It only really takes about 15 minutes of the stove time and you are good to go.

Ingredients:
Makes about 1/2 cup of podi
Bitter gourd / Pavakkai - 2 medium sized
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Dry Red chillies - 3
Garlic - 1 big clove
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:
Wash and pat fry the bitter gourd. Cut into half and core the center. Slice thin and cut into quarter. Add salt and let it set for about 30 minutes. Blend the coconut, chillies and garlic until ground well. Do not add any water while grinding. Drain the bittergourd pieces and squeeze the excess juice really well. Heat oil in a pan and fry in medium-high heat. When it turns light golden color, reduce the heat to medium and add the spice mix powder. Continue to fry until it takes a dry texture. Take care not to burn. Allow to cool and store in a dry glass container. To serve, mix couple of teaspoons of this powder with hot steaming rice and gingelly oil. Mmm... Heaven in a morsel...
Notes: This podi would not need any salt other than the one which was used for macerating.

Linking this up to South Indian Cooking by Anu and Eat seasonal Food-Fresh by Jagruti.

Chicken Waikiki Beach

6:53 PM

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A little retro, vintage recipe today. A tropical dish
with pineapple and green pepper in a

sweet-and-pungent sauce.

Chicken Waikiki Beach is from the McCall's

recipe card collection from 1973.

Does anyone remember collecting these?
I still have mine, though I now keep them

in my antique file drawers.

I had chicken breasts, but you can use any chicken
parts. I skinned them and left them bone-in.

Shake the chicken in a bag with 1/2 C flour.

Drain the pineapple chunks and add enough
water to measure 1-1/4 C.

While you brown the chicken combine the sauce
ingredients in a medium pan.

Bring to a boil, stirring for 2 minutes.

Put the browned chicken in a 9x13 casserole
and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pour the cooked sauce over the top.
Bake for about 20-30 minutes.

Cut up a large green pepper

I reserve the pepper and pineapple in the
now-empty sauce pan until needed.

Take the chicken out of the oven after 20-30
minutes and add the green pepper and pineapple.

Return to oven and bake another 20-30 minutes.
Until the chicken is done. Total time was about
45 minutes for me. It depends on how big the
chicken pieces are. Breasts take less time.

The sauce gives the chicken a nice glaze.

Serve with rice

and a spoonful of the sauce from the bottom.

Chicken Waikiki Beach

1 Chicken-cut up:

(2 whole legs and 2 breasts, or

4 breasts; or your choice)

1/2 C flour

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Skin chicken, wash and pat dry with paper towels.

Coat with flour. Heat oil in a large skillet.

Add the chicken and brown on all sides.

Remove to a 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over chicken.

Sauce

1 can (20oz) pineapple in juice

1 large green pepper, cubed

3/4 C sugar (up to 1C)

3/4 C cider vinegar

2 T cornstarch

1 T soy sauce

1/4 t ginger

1 chicken bouillon cube

Drain pineapple, pouring juice into 2-cup

measure. Add enough water to make 1-1/4 C.

In a medium saucepan, combine the juice,

sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce,

ginger, and bouillon cube; bring to a boil, stirring

constantly. Boil 2 minutes. Pour over chicken.

Bake @350, uncovered, 20-30 minutes. Add

pineapple and green pepper. Bake 20-30 minutes

longer. Serve with fluffy white rice.

Enjoy!

Links: Savvy Southern Style,
Stone Gable, No Minimalist Here,
Confessions Of A Plate Addict,
Between Naps On The Porch,
Common Ground, The Charm Of Home,
Rattlebridge Farm, My Romantic Home

Lemon Rice with Potato Fry ~ A Classic Combo | Indian Lunchbox Recipes

7:00 AM

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My post today is a classic combo of a south Indian lunch recipe. Lemon Rice and Potato Fry. There cannot be anyone who wouldn't love this combo. Back in my school days my face would light up on seeing this in my lunchbox and I would be a happy person after a typical busy day at school. My friends wouldn't mind digging in to pick up a spoon of this tasty mix.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Lime/Lemon - juice from one - preferably fresh
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Cilantro/Coriander leaves - handful
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chilli - 1 or 2 - slit
Salt - to taste

Method:
Cook the rice and spread on a plate to cool. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds. Add the urad dhal and chana dhal and fry for a min followed by the curry leaves and green chillis. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Add the cooked cooled rice and mix well with a wooden spoon or fork. Check for salt and add more if required and mix. Serve with Spicy Potato Fry.
Notes: Make sure the rice is cooled completely before it is added to the kadai. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the most preferred for preparing this rice.

Potato Fry
Ingredients:
Potato - 2 - medium sized
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Onion - chopped - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry Powder / Karimasala powder - 1 tsp or to taste

Method:
Boil the potatoes. Peel and break into little chunks and set aside. Heat oil in a non-stick kadai and splutter the mustard seeds, urad and chana dhals. Add the chopped onions and fry until they start to brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the curry powder and salt. Now throw in the potatoes and mix until the masala is well coated in them. Continue to mix in medium heat until it forms a thin crust.

Sending this lovely combo to Healthy Diet - Lunchbox recipes event by Priya; South Indian Cooking event by Anu; and to Healthy Bite event.

Rajma Sundal / Kidney Beans Stir Fry

7:00 PM

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I and DH are chai lovers. So our evenings should have chai. Often DH would want something to accompany his chai for he will be hungry after a long day at work. Deep frying is a strict no-no from me except festivals due to health reasons and I do not buy any snacks other than digestive biscuits for me and Parle-G for Kavin. So I make a simple salad, sundal or baked veggie cutlets for tea. I made this simple kidney beans sundal and seeing that this frequent snack never made it to my blog, I clicked it this time.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Rajma - cooked - 2 cups or 1 can of Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Onion - 1 cup - chopped
Ginger paste - 1/4 tsp (can substitute asafoetida)
Grated Coconut - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
For Tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Dry red chilli - 1 - broken

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and splutter the items for tempering. Add the chopped onions and saute in medium-high heat until it turns soft. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ginger paste. Fry for a couple of minutes and add salt. Add the cooked, drained rajma and mix well for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with grated coconut. Serve warm.
I am linking this up to Vardhini's event Dish It out, happening in my space with the theme - Onions & Chillies. Also to Kid's delight - After School Bites and Whats with my Cuppa 2 by Nupur and My Legume Love Affair by Lisa and Susan, guest hosted by Siri this month.

Cauliflower Varuval / Cauliflower Dry Curry

7:00 PM

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My favorite way of eating cauliflower is to have it crispy as in a manchurian or as in gobi 65. But those ways are not always good for my health. So I tried to make it a bit healthier using less oil but my ultimate aim of eating crispy cauliflower isn't sacrificed in this method.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Cauliflower florets - 2 cups - Rinsed and drained
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp + more for spraying

Method:
Heat oil in a wide non-stick pan and place the cauliflower florets in a single layer. Fry until lightly roasted turned over the florets occasionally. When the florets are three-fourths cooked, add the kashmiri chilli powder, garlic powder and salt to taste. Cook in medium heat until the florets are completely coated in the spice powder and well roasted. Serve hot as a side or snack with yogurt dip.
Notes: I used kashmiri chilli powder for the color, regular chilli powder can be substituted. If the florets tend to dry out while roasting spray with some oil as needed. Make sure not to crowd the pan as it would result in steaming the cauliflower as opposed to roasting.