Mango icecream

This is a simple and an refreshing icecream i enjoyed each spoon of it.If you like mango fruit then you have to try this,it turns out so good and that too with only 3 ingredients.

i followed this video for the recipe ...

check it out

the texture was so smooth and it was melting in my mouth...hmm yum...

easy and simple Black Forest Cake

I made this cake with readymade choclate cake mix. i wanted to ease my work a little.
if you want to make the choclate cake too from scratch check this video and the rest process of assembling is same.



shopping list :
click on the pic to zoom and see the ingredients and you can match them according to the ingredients i mentioned below.



Ingredients :

A. For cake :

1.Devil's food cake mix (pic 1)
2.Eggs - 3 (as mentioned on the cake mix pack)
3.Vegetable oil - 1/3rd cup (as mentioned on the cake mix pack), i used canola oil.
4.Water - 1 1/3 cup (as mentioned on the cake mix pack)


B. Cherry Filling

1. Maraschino cherries without stem - (pic 2)
2. Corn startch - 2 tbsp


C.Whipped cream icing

1 . Heavy whipping cream - 2 cups (pic 3)
2 . powdered sugar - 4 tbsp ( if u want to add more add it)
3 . cherry syrup - 1 tbsp (or use 1 cap of vanilla essensce )

D . cherry syrup

1. maraschino cherry syrup - 2 tbsp (pic 6)
2. sugar - 1 tbsp
3. water - 1/2 cup


E . Cake assembling

1 . semi sweet choclate shavings - of 1 bar(3.5 oz)(pic 5)
2 . Maraschino cherries with stems - 8 (patted dry)


METHOD :

1 . Mix the devil's food cake mix according to the instructions given on the backside of the cake mix.

2 . grease the pan with oil/butter or add an parchment paper and flour along the pan. i.e; add a spoonful of all purpose flour(maida) to the pan and shake the pan so that maida coats the pan evenly.

3 . bake it in the oven according to the instruction given on the cake mix pack. i baked it in two 8 inch round pans and it took 45 mins for me.

4 . meanwhile the cake in baking we can get ready with the icing and the filling.
before that ...keep an empty bowl in freezer(the bowl which u want to use for whipping cream)and keep even the beaters of the hand blender in freezer.and have some ice cubes ready for later use.

filling :
---------

5 . drain the juice out of marashino cherries and reserve the juice for later use,cut the cherries into half and keep aside.

6. In a pan add the drained cherry juice and let it boil for few minutes then add the cut cherries to it and at last add corn startch..

7. corn startch has to be mixed in water and add that water to the cherry mixture,this will thicken the cherry filling.

8. so after adding corn startch mix it for a min and keep the pan aside and let the mixture cool down.

filling is ready now lets prepare icing

Icing :
-------

9 . Use the bowl which we kept in the freezer add whipping cream to it then beat it slowly for few minutes then add icing sugar , and cherry syrup (or vanilla essensce)

10 . beat it in high now until soft peaks are formed (pic 4). do not over beat. over beating breaks the whipped cream and makes it like butter so use caution.

11 . set in in freezer for 1 hr atleast..it makes icing easier...

once the cake is ready and cooled down completely...scrap of the layer of cake if you want to level the cake..
then add the cherry syrup...to make cherry syrup..just mix all the ingredients which i mentioned above .
add cherry syrup to the cake layers to make it more moist and juicy.

finally Assembling the cake

12. take an 8 inch round cake ...Using a piping bag filled with cream,
pipe a circle of whipped cream around the cake.

13. place cherry filling that we prepared in the center of the circle and spread out evenly.

14 . also add add some icing on the cherries and spread again.

15 . place the second layer of cake on top .

16. spread the icing all over the cake and smoothing over the sides.

17 . pipe any borders for the cake if you want then add choclate curls in the center of the cake..add cherries with stems and decorate your cake.



Videos that might be helpful :
----------------------------

1 . how to whip cream if you dont have hand mixer

2 . how to whip cream with hand mixer

3 . how to whip cream with hand mixer video 2

4 . cooking cherry filling

5 . eggless choclate cake

6 . making heart shape black forest cake

7 . How to make choclate curls video 1(shavings for decoration)

8 .how to make choclate curls video 2(shavings for decoration)

Chicken Fry

will post receipe soon....

Chicken Curry

Ingredients :

Skinless chicken - 2 lbs
cinnamon - 1 inch stick
cardamom - 2 nos
cloves - 2 nos
onions - 2 medium
green chilles - 4 nos (julien cut)
ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
corainder powder(dhaniya pwd) - 2 tsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
pc powder - 2 tbsp (see recipe below)
salt - to taste
red chilli pwd - to taste
corainder leaves for garnishing
oil - 3 tbsp

PC POWDER
In short i call it as pc powder it is nothing but poppy seeds and coconut powder.
poppy seeds(in telugu gasagasalu)
dry coconut powder
take equal quantities of both and grind them in a blender .
i make this powder is large quantities and keep it in refrigerator for future use,as if we make less quantity the poppy seeds doesnt grind well.

Marination
cleaned chicken
ginger & garlic paste-1 tsp
turmeric-1/4tsp
salt-1 tsp
red chilli powder-1 tsp
yogurt -1/2 cup well beaten


mix all of them and marinate atleast 20 mins.

Method

1 . Heat a skillet over medium heat to it add 3 or 4 tbsp of oil.(adding so much of oil gives good taste and texture to the dish) then add the cardamom,cloves and cinnamon after few sec add onions and green chillies.

2 . fry until the onions become translucent then add ginger and garlic paste fry until the raw smell vanishes.

3 . then add the marinated chicken and let it cook for sometime.
all the water in the chicken evaporates and the chicken will be cooked in few mins.

4 . then add water upto the level of the chicken inside the skillet.cover the skillet with a lid and leave it to cook for 10-15 mins in medium flame.

5 . then add red chilli powder,salt,corainder powder,garam masala,pc powder and stir well.you can add more water if needed.

6 . let it cook until oil oozes out.adjust spice levels according to your taste and remove from flame after garnishing the curry with corainder leaves.

thats it ..spicy chicken curry is ready
some add tomatoes to this dish.but i prefer this way,even without adding tomatoes you get very good gravy since we are adding the poppy seeds and dry coconut powder.

Murukulu/Chakli

Murukulu/Chakli is a snack which is famous in southern part of india..whenever i prepare this at home ...they dissapear in 2 days i and my hubby enjoying munching on these in the evening.and here goes the recipe


Ingredients

Rice flour/biyam pindi - 2 cups
Besan/Gram flour/ - 1 cup
Ajwain/Carom seeds/vamu - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds/nuvvulu - 1 tbsp
Red chili powder - 2 tsp
Melted butter - 1/4 cup
Lukewarm water - abt 2 cups approx
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Makes approx 40-50 chakli's

Method

1. Sieve rice flour, besan flour together in a mixing bowl. Add carom seeds, sesame
seeds, red chilli pwd, salt and mix together. Pour the melted butter and mix.

2. Add luke warm water little at a time and make dough. Dough should not be too stiff nor too loose.

3. Cover the mixing bowl with a wet tissue paper and leave it aside for atleast 15mins.

4. In a chakli maker, fill the dough and make shapes onto a plate, prepare a bunch of them ahead.

5. Heat oil in a kadai(do not use non stick kadai)and slide the chakli's slowly into the oil and fry them until golden brown in medium to high heat..turn them to the other side in between so that it fries equally.

6. Drain them onto a paper napkin,after it gets cooled store them in an airtight container.

Prawn's Fry

Ingredients

Prawn/Shrimp - 1 lb (shelled and deveined)
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinammon - 1 inch stick
Green cardamoms - 2 nos
Onion - 2 medium size
Green chillies - 3 nos
ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/4th tsp
red chilli powder
Corainder powder(daniya powder)- 2 tsp
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Corainder leaves for garnishing
spring onion for garnishing
curry leaves - 2 stalks

Method

1 . First to remove the raw smell from prawns we have to cook them separetly.so for that mix prawns with 1/2 tsp salt,pinch turmeric.add this to the pan keep it in medium flame and cook it,no need to add oil,also no need to cover the pan.

2 . After few minutes the water from prawns evaporates and it gets cooked.
remove from flame and keep the cooked prawns aside.

3 . Take a pan add 2 tbsp of oil (can use the same pan or separate one),to it add the cinnamon,cloves and cardamom after few sec's add chopped onions and julienned chillies.fry until the onions become translucent.

4 . then add ginger & garlic paste and curry leaves fry till the raw smell vanishes.

5 . then add the cooked shrimp,red chilli pwd,salt,corainder pwd,and garam masala pwd.mix well and let it cook for few more mins,Adjust spices according to your taste.then finally add chopped corainder leaves and switch of the flame.

6 . garnish with spring onion

thats it...prawn fry is very easy to make.
many add tomato ,poppy seeds,or even coconut pwd but i prefer to do in this way.

Vada/Gareelu/Medhu vada

Vada is a traditional South Indian food which is shaped like a doughnut but doesnt taste like it,rather it is spicy.Dont ever think about calories when you want to enjoy vada's ,usally i make it only during festivals but last time i made these for Diwali gettogether and everyone liked the vada's so much that they were finished in few minutes.So here am sharing the recipe.

Ingredients :

Urad dal - 2 cups
Medium sized onions(chopped) - 2 nos
Green chillies(chopped) - 5 nos
Corainder leaves (chopped)
Salt - 2 tsp
Baking Soda - 3 pinches
Oil - To deep fry

makes approx 25-30 vadas
For two people 1 cup of Urad dal is sufficient accordingly reduce the other ingredients quantity.



Preparation :

Soak 2 cups of urad dal with enough water alteast for 6-8hrs , i usally soak it overnight if am preparing it for next day Morning. (pic 2 & pic 3)


Method :

Part 1 : ( preparing the batter )

1. Clean the soaked urad dal with fresh water and drain the water completely. (pic 3)

2. Now grind the urad dal in 2 batches ,no need to make it as a smooth paste ...here n there if you can feel urad dal that consistency will also do if you dont like to get dal pieces as surprise while you are relising the vada then grind the urad dal as much as possible .

3. If you feel it is not grinding properly then add 1 tsp salt and then try to grind again
( adding salt makes the batter to oose out little water ) if still the blades are not moving then add little water (may be 2 table spoons ) .

4. Add water very carefully ...little by little (if the batter is runny then your vadas dont turn up as it should be )

5. Add the remaining 1 tsp of salt to the batter also add chopped onions, chopped green chillies,chopped corainder, 3 pinches baking soda and mix well if you feel the batter is too tight add little water(dont add too much) (pic 4 & pic 5).



6. You can refer vah chef's video HEREto check how the consistency of the batter should be ?

7. Taste the batter if you feel the salt is less add according to your taste,if you cannot make out the taste ...after you fry your first vada taste and then add more salt accordingly.

Part 2 : (making the vada)


1. Heat oil for deep fry in a wide kadai.

2. Take a zip lock bag or a plastic sheet grease it with oil on one side ..this we will use it as a platform to make the vadas . (you can also make vada's on hand as shown by vah chef...which ever is convinient )(pic 5)

3. Also keep a bowl of water nearby...(pic 5)

4 .Check if the oil is heated by dropping a small drop of batter if it raises quickly then the oil temp is good enough for our frying.

5. Now take a dollop of batter place it on the greased ziplock bag try to make a flat round shape on it if the batter is sticking to your hand dip your hand in the water bowl and again try to make the shape...

6. Now lift the ziplock bag with your left hand carefully invert it onto your right hand plam and try to gently release the vada from the ziplock bag ...try to follow this video HERE on how to drop the vada into the oil.(from 2:50min)

7. drop it very carefully...if yours hands are watery it easily slips into the oil so be sure to dip your hands before dropping each vada.

8. Fry until golden brown,remove them with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel which is placed on a big plate.

Thats it....enjoy the hot vadas with any chutney of your choice we even have it with chicken curry it tastes heavenly...
today i prepared tomato chutney ,uploaded the recipe do check it out.