Monday, December 26, 2016

Drumstick Soup - winter warmer

Drumstick Soup
pic:sanjana kodical



Ingredients
Drumsticks – 4
Onions – 1 or 2 medium sized
Garlic flakes – 6
Black salt – to taste
Black pepper powder – ½ tsp (adjust according to taste)
Cayenne pepper - ½ tsp (adjust according to taste)
Lime juice – 1 tsp

Method
Cut the drumsticks and slit them
Cut onions and garlic
Sauté onions and garlic in ½ tsp oil
Add drumsticks
Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles
Cool and blend in a mixie
Strain to take out all the pulp
Add water to adjust the consistency
Add black pepper powder, cayenne pepper and lime juice
Heat it for 5 mins
Serve hot

Health Benefits of drumsticks
Has calcium - builds strong bones
Rich source of highly digestive proteins, calcium, iron, Vitamin C, and carotenoids
Helps to control any kind of chest congestion, coughs and sore throats



Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake


Ingredients
Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
Jaggery (powder) – 1 cup
Cloves and cinnamon (powdered) – 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder – a pinch
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Cashewnuts, Walnuts, Raisins – ½ cup each
Candied peels (mixed) – ½ cup
Butter – 60 gms
Eggs – 3
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Dark Brown colour – 2 tsp
Dark Rum – 100 ml



Method
Soak the nuts and peels in the rum for at least a week
Sieve together the dry ingredients
Mix well
Beat eggs and fold into the mixture gradually
Melt the butter and add to the mixture
Add essence
Add 3 tbsp flour to the nuts and peels to coat well
Add to the cake batter
Mix slowly
Bake in a preheated oven (170 degrees C) for 15 to 20 mins
This time may vary from oven to oven
Or
Microwave at 50% power for 12 mins and then at 100% for 1 minute

Check to see if a skewer inserted into it comes out dry

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Fig and Chocolate Cake

Fig and Chocolate Cake



Ingredients
Cake
Raw Banana Flour – ½ cup
Cocoa Powder – ½ cup
Raw Sugar– 3/4 cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Eggs – 2
Butter (melted) –1 tbsp
Curds (sour) – 3/4 cup or more
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Fig Compote – ½ cup

Fig compote
Ingredients
Figs – 2
Jaggery (powder) - 2 tbsp

Method
Fig compote
Slice the figs
Add jaggery and little water
Cook on slow fire till figs soften
Cool and mash well with a spoon or in a blender
Cake
Mix the dry ingredients well
Beat the eggs well and add to the dry mixture
Add curds, essence and melted butter to it
Mix. Add more curds if required
Pour the batter into a bundt pan
Spread the fig compote
Cover with the batter
Bake in a preheated oven (170 degrees) for 35 to 45 mins till a knife inserted into it comes out clean
Let it cool in the oven



Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Cabbage Parantha


Cabbage Parantha





Ingredients

Dough
Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Liquid obtained after making cottage cheese - 1 cup (more or less as required)
Salt- to taste

Filling
Cabbage (shredded fine) – 1 cup
Garlic–green chilli paste - 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 tsp
Oil - to roast paranthas

Method

Knead the dough using the liquid
Add salt (optional)
Keep it aside

Filling
Saute the cabbage with garlic–green chilli paste
Cool

Making the parantha
Take a small ball of the dough
Roll it out
Put the filling in generously
Roll out to form a parantha
Fry it using one tsp oil
Serve sizzling hot

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Fig Cheesecake

Fig Cheesecake

pic: sanjana kodical

Biscuit Base
Ingredients
Marie biscuits – 10
Butter – 2 tbsp
Jaggery powder – 3 tbsp
Method
Crush the biscuits and mix with butter and jaggery powder
Spread the biscuit mixture at the bottom of a jar
Refrigerate for an hour

Filling
Ingredients
Cottage Cheese (low fat) – 200 gms
Gelatin – 1 tsp in 1 tbsp warm water (let it stand for 5 mins)
Jaggery powder – 5 tbsp
Fresh curd – 1/4 cup
Method
Blend all the ingredients till it becomes creamy

Topping
Ingredients
Apple cider vinegar - 2 tbsp
Red wine - 2 tbsp
Jaggery – 1 tbsp
Fig slices – 8 slices
Method
Mix the first three ingredients
Heat slowly till it is reduced to half
Cool
Dip the fig slices in it

Fig compote
Ingredients
Figs – 2
Jaggery (powder) - 2 tbsp
Method
Slice the figs
Add jaggery and little water
Cook on slow fire till figs soften
Cool and mash well with a spoon or in a blender 

Assemble the cheesecake
Scoop cheese filling over the biscuit base
Spread fig compote on it
Scoop the remaining cheese filling over it
Top with fig slices
Refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours
Cut into slices or scoop out of the jar and enjoy it chilled


Health Benefits of Figs
Regulates blood pressure
Very rich in vitamin A
Also contains little vitamins B and C
Its iron content is easily digested and assimilated in the body
Eliminates blood impurities
Contain plenty of sodium
Contain good amounts of potassium, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine
Mild laxative and removes and windiness
Soothes irritated bronchial passage
Best source of vitamin B6