Nimi's Culinary Ventures

Oats and Coconut cookies to sweeten a happy moment!

Appetizers, Baking, cookies, flour, Snacks, veg | April 12, 2012 | By

56 comments

I have been trying to update my food court since last month and the moment to write out came today.It was a total hectic month with my kids down with sickness and the happy moment was a write up  on me in a magazine called FWD LIFE(march 2012 issue).Heres the link to the online issue of the magazine(page 58)http://www.fwdlife.in/emagazine/march2012.html

To celebrate this how about a cookie recipe?Its a very rich  Oats and Coconut  cookie recipe for my foodies to munch on..:D
Coconut and Oats Cookies
 
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of dessicated coconut
1 cup of Cornflakes
2 cups of oats
780gms of sugar
1/2 kg of margarine
50 ml of honey
100ml milk(hot)
20g baking soda
3g baking powder
1 1/2 tsp of vanill aesssence
25g of glucose powder
25g of milk powder
1/2 cup of broken cashew nuts
Preheat oven to 170degree Celsius.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
In an other bowl mix margarine, sugar,honey till well blended.
Stir baking soda into the hot milk and blend it with the  margarine mix.Fold in the
dry ingredients  and make small balls.
Place them on  a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes.
Let them cool and store in an airtight container.
Munch on your healthy cookies!

A scoop of vanilla with Chocolate nd Coffee..

Baking, cakes, Desserts, flour | November 13, 2011 | By

8 comments

Here in Munnar the winter is on its way with misty evenings and quite chill nights.So how have all of u been?Although 6 days late I really wanted to post in this months Sweet punch.If you love chocolate and coffee like me this recipe is a real knock out and to top all this you can have the tang of vanilla with ice cream.
So hop on to the recipe with a scoopy scoop..

Saucy Coffee and Chocolate Pudding

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cocoa
Pinch  of salt
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
50g almonds , chopped

For the topping

½ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 cup strong black coffee
 Preheat oven to 180°C.  Sift together dry ingredients. Stir through butter, milk, egg and hazelnuts until well combined. Spoon batter into 4 ramekins. Sprinkle over brown sugar and cocoa then pour over coffee but do not stir. Bake for 20 minutes. Dust with cocoa powder or cinnamon and sugar; serve with vanilla ice cream.
So happy saucy bakin;)!

A Birthday note Buttered with Badami Chicken and Puffy Baturas!

Breads, chicken, flour, Indian recipes, Non-veg | October 25, 2011 | By

5 comments

This year’s birthday was a very very special one to me with my best buddies.Thank u guys for all your sweet wishes through FB.Luv u my TMS pals for giving me a special birthday wish and as part of the b’day I had no idea of making a cake and that too for my bday..the main thing was that  I was damn lazy.If it was not for my friend Dhans I wouldn’t have ever made one:P

It was a total dillemma on who’s going to cut the cake with the cake almost done.Both my kiddos were on to cutting the cake and at last the three muskeeters were cutting the cake singing in chorous “Happy Birthday to you  Amma!”….and I was clickin all this:D
What better way could I have my birthday celebrated!:D

Baturas the puffed yoghurt bread is one of my favs and when you have Badami chicken to accompany it the taste really gets richy rich.

Batura/Puffed Indian yoghurt bread

2 cups of all purpose flour
4 tbsp yoghurt
1tsp salt
1tsp sugar
1tsp yeast
3tsp of ghee
1 egg whisked
Oil for frying

In a bowl measure in the flour and making a well in the center,add in all the ingridients and mix well to make a soft dough.You can add up to 1/4 cup of water if you feel the ingridients dont come together.Let the dough rest for about 2 hrs covered,so that it gets doubled.Punch and knead the dough into balls and roll them out in to discs of about 5inch with a rolling pin.Heat oil in a kadai and fry these flat breads till puffy and golden on both sides.

Badam Chicken/Almond Chicken
1/2 kg chicken pieces
1 cup large onion sliced
2 tsp of ginger garlic paste
1/2cup of yoghurt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp chilli powder
3 cloves
2 cardamom
1 piece of cinnamon
1tsp sugar
10-15 almonds soaked and  ground into fine paste
3/4 cup of tomato paste
2 tsps of chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Marinate the chicken pieces with yoghurt ,turmeric powder and salt keeping it for about an hour.Heat about 4tsps of oil in a kadai and add sugar and when it browns saute in the sliced onions till slightly brown.Transfer 1/4th of the sauted onion from the kadai and keep it aside.Add in the whole spices,ginger garlic paste,chilli powder and saute well on medium flame.Add in the tomato paste and mix well till the oil seperates.Add in the chicken pieces to the masala and stir well on high flame.Pour 2 cups of hot water and cook covered on medium flame.When the chicken is well cooked,stir in the badam paste and when the gravy thickens,garnish with chopped cilantro!

Buttery Croissants ..perfect with your morning Coffee!

Baking, Breads, flour | October 1, 2011 | By

14 comments



Croissants have always fascinated me..there were times when I used to think that if I would ever be able to make them at home.This flaky buttery beauty is quite time consuming ..but you are sure to forget them in taste.Thanks to Sarah for choosing ‘Croissants ‘ for September’s DB challenge!I loved trying it and tasting it whole heartedly!










Croissants




1¼ teaspoon  of dry-active yeast
3 tablespoons  warm water (less than 100°F/38°C)
1 teaspoon  sugar
1 3/4 cups of strong plain flour
2 teaspoons  sugar
1½ teaspoon  salt
½ cup  milk
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup chilled, unsalted butter
1 egg, for egg wash



1. Mix the yeast, warm water, and first teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Leave aside for the yeast and sugar to dissolve and the yeast to foam up a little.
2. Measure out the other ingredients
3. Heat the milk until tepid (either in the microwave or a saucepan), and dissolve in the salt and remaining sugar
4. Place the flour in a large bowl.
5. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and milk mixture to the flour
6. Mix all the ingredients together using the rubber spatula, just until all the flour is incorporated
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and let it rest a minute while you wash out the bowl
8. Knead the dough eight to ten times only. It’s a little difficult to explain, but essentially involves smacking the dough on the counter (lots of fun if you are mad at someone) and removing it from the counter using the pastry scraper.
9. Place the dough back in the bowl, and place the bowl in the plastic bag
10. Leave the bowl at approximately 75°F/24°C for three hours, or until the dough has tripled in size.
11. After the dough has tripled in size, remove it gently from the bowl, pulling it away from the sides of the bowl with your fingertips.
12. Place the dough on a lightly floured board or countertop, and use your hands to press it out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches (20cm by 30cm).
13. Fold the dough rectangle in three, like a letter (fold the top third down, and then the bottom third up)
14. Place the dough letter back in the bowl, and the bowl back in the plastic bag.
15. Leave the dough to rise for another 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This second rise can be done overnight in the fridge 
16. Place the double-risen dough onto a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the plate in the fridge while you prepare the butter.
17. Once the dough has doubled, it’s time to incorporate the butter
18. Place the block of chilled butter on a chopping board.
19. Using the rolling pin, beat the butter down a little, till it is quite flat.
20. Use the heel of your hand to continue to spread the butter until it is smooth. You want the butter to stay cool, but spread easily.
21. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured board or counter. Let it rest for a minute or two.
22. Spread the dough using your hands into a rectangle about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
23. Remove the butter from the board, and place it on the top half of the dough rectangle
24. Spread the butter all across the top two-thirds of the dough rectangle, but keep it ¼ inch (6 mm) across from all the edges.  Fold the top third of the dough down, and the bottom third of the dough up.
26. Turn the dough package 90 degrees, so that the top flap is to your right (like a book).
27. Roll out the dough package (gently, so you don’t push the butter out of the dough) until it is again about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
28. Again, fold the top third down and the bottom third up.
29. Wrap the dough package in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for 2 hours. 
30. After two hours have passed, take the dough out of the fridge and place it again on the lightly floured board or counter.
31. Tap the dough with the rolling pin, to deflate it a little
32. Let the dough rest for 8 to 10 minutes
33. Roll the dough package out till it is 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
34. Fold in three, as before
35. Turn 90 degrees, and roll out again to 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
36. Fold in three for the last time, wrap in plastic, and return the dough package to the fridge for two more hours (or overnight, with something heavy on top to stop it from rising)
37. It’s now time to cut the dough and shape the croissants
38. First, lightly butter your baking sheet so that it is ready
39. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for ten minutes on the lightly floured board or counter
40. Roll the dough out into a 20 by 5 inch rectangle (51 cm by 12½ cm).
41. Cut the dough into two rectangles (each 10 by 5 inches (25½ cm by 12½ cm)) 
42. Place one of the rectangles in the fridge, to keep the butter cold
43. Roll the second rectangle out until it is 15 by 5 inches (38 cm by 12½ cm).
44. Cut the rectangle into three squares (each 5 by 5 inches (12½ cm by 12½ cm))
45. Place two of the squares in the fridge
46. The remaining square may have shrunk up a little bit in the meantime. Roll it out again till it is nearly square
47. Cut the square diagonally into two triangles.
48. Stretch the triangle out a little, so it is not a right-angle triangle, but more of an isosceles
49. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle up towards the point, and curve into a crescent shape.
50. Place the unbaked croissant on the baking sheet
51. Repeat the process with the remaining squares of dough, creating 12 croissants in total.
52. Leave the tray of croissants, covered lightly with plastic wrap, to rise for 1 hour
53. Preheat the oven to very hot 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9.
54. Mix the egg with a teaspoon of water
55. Spread the egg wash across the tops of the croissants. 
56. Put the croissants in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are browned nicely
57. Take the croissants out of the oven, and place them on a rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving. 

Hopin u all will enjoy making Croissants!

Fruity choco muffins with a punch!

Baking, cakes, flour, veg | August 8, 2011 | By

13 comments

Hi foodies..I’m back after my holiday break.July has been a month with heavy rains in Munnar.The holidays fly by with ease and I’m all over again in my busy bee schedule. Today’s  post goes out to the Sweet punch team.The recipe for this month sought out for strawberries..but the sad prt was that I couldnt get hold of any to pop into my batter.So I thought of giving it a bit of twist.If you love a fruit blast for your kids heres one Banana Apple choco muffins..

Banana Apple Choco Muffins


1/2 cup unsaltedbutter, melted
2eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanillaextract

2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 cup of apple cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/4 cups all-purposeflour
3/4 cup light brownsugar
1 1/2 teaspoonsbaking powder

1/4 teaspoonbaking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup choco chips
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a muffin pan with paper liners .

In a small saucepan melt the butter. Let it  cool to room temperature.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract,milk and mashed banana. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.  
In another large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold in the choco chips and apple pieces coated with flour. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix the batter . 
Divide the batter into muffin cups and  bake them  until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 to25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 



Hopin u all will enjoy this Muffin break!:D

Luv u..Brownies!

cakes, Desserts, flour, Snacks | June 21, 2011 | By

15 comments

 I bet there might be very few who might not crave for brownies.Me and my choco freak kiddos are all huge fans of the brownie family.This is one recipe that never fails to pop in my kitchen ….at least once in a week.When I’m short of lava cakes ..I make these brownies in my microwave..Spoon it into a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream…yummmmm..Chocolate Bliss!

Now I’m gonna stop droolin..and here’s the recipe

Brownies


1stick of butter(unsalted)
2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.Line a square baking pan with aluminium foil(make  sure that at least 1 inch of the foil is overhanging the top of the pan.).Double boil chocolate and butter whisking occasionally until both are completely melted.Keep it aside to cool.
Combine all dry ingredients in  a small mixing bowl.Whisk together sugar and eggs and mix in the choco butter mix along with the vanilla essence.Mix in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake them until they are just set in the center.
Bake them for about 30 minutes and cool them on  a wire rack.Flip the brownies on to a cutting board and separate the foil.Cut them into square..these can be stored in an airtight container for about 3 days.

The rest is all Chocolatey!:P

Wheat Almond Cookies for this months Sweet Punch!

Appetizers, Baking, cookies, flour, Snacks, veg | March 10, 2011 | By

13 comments

This months punch ..Wheat Almond Cookies.. was chosen by Ria  from Manjula’s Kitchen .If you are in a mood to bake out cookies super quick and simple this is the best recipe.My modifications to the recipe was that I added almond meal to the dough  in lieu to the sliced almonds and topped the cookies with almonds.I did lessen the sugar to about 3 tbsps.

Here’s the recipe for this crunchy delight..

EGGLESS WHEAT ALMOND COOKIES

1 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp elaichi coarsely powdered
1/2 cup Butter
2 tbsp milk

  • Preheat the oven to 360 degrees farenheit.
  • In a bowl mix flour,sugar,salt,sliced almonds and cardamom powder.
  • Add soft butter and milk to the mix and knead it into a soft dough.
  • Divide the dough into 24 equal parts and roll them into balls.
  • Press each ball between palms tp half inch thickness and place them on cookie sheets about an inch apart.
  • Bake for 18 mins till light brown.
  • Let cookies cool for about 2 to 3 mins before taking them off the cookie sheets

Store the cookies in an airtight container and ..MUNCH on 🙂

A bite of the Marbled Loaf !

Baking, cakes, flour, Snacks | February 18, 2011 | By

9 comments

This year I have actually missed my blogging to a great extend.I’m trying to patch up… 🙂
Marble cakes and checkerboard cakes have always been my favs..Heres a recipe from Dorie Greenspan ‘s book..

2 cups and 2 tbsps of all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2  tsp salt
12 tbsps of butter at room temperature
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

  • Preheat oven to 325 degree F and butter and dust a loaf pan with flour.
  • Whisk flour,baking powder and salt.
  • Beat the butter until smooth.Add sugar and beat for about 2 minutes.
  • Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.Beat in the vanilla.Add in  the flour mix  in three seperate additions along with the milk.Donot overbeat.
  • Now divide the batter equally and  to one part add Cocoa mix(2tbsp of cocoa powder +1/4 cup of milk)
  • Scrape both the batters in a loaf pan.
  • I baked the cake for about an hour in my oven.Bake till a skewer inserted comes out clean.

BLACK FOREST GATEAU WITH A TWIST

Baking, cakes, Desserts, flour, Snacks | June 19, 2010 | By

16 comments

These days its been raining cats and dogs !For the past two days I guess there’s been a twist in the weather.Its sunny(at least till afternoon)..so I thought I’ll go on for a Black forest gateau.Whenever I opt for an icing cake I usually have to be all eyes on my younger one coz he’s always there to tamper with the baked cake.Last day  after baking a chocolate cake I was busy whipping cream…when I checked out my cake for spreading the cream my cake was dug up  with a hole in the centre and he was laughing at me  with  the cake in his mouth..!!

For my black gateau I have used homemade strawberry wine instead of  Kirsch .I had to do my topping with canned cherries..sigh..didn’t get fresh ones!

Black Forest Cake
For the cake
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1cup of icing sugar
6 eggs
100g of butter
1tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp baking powder
For filling
Tinned cherries
Chocolate curls
2 cups of whipping cream
1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
For cake syrup
1/2 cup of water
7tbsp of sugar
2tbsp of strawberry wine or kirsch

  • Sieve cocoa powder and flour together.
  • In a bowl beat the eggs and sugar till it becomes creamy.Add vanilla essence to it and beat it again.
  • To this beat in the cocoa-flour mix slowly till all the flour is well incorporated.
  • Add the melted butter to it and mix well.
  • Grease and lightly flour the baking tin .Now pour in the cake mixture.
  • Preheat the oven at 180degree Celsius for 15 minutes.
  • Bake the cake for about 45 minutes and let it cool on a wire rack.
  • Cut the cake into three partitions carefully.
  • Prick all the three cake partitions with a fork.
  • In a saucepan on flame add in the ingredients for the cake syrup and bring it to boil stirring for about 10 minutes .
  • Let the syrup cool and slowly pour the syrup over the partitions.
  • Whip the whipping cream with sifted icing sugar to get soft peaks using a blender.
  • Deseed the canned cherries as per requirement .
  • Place the first part of the cake on a large plate and spread the whipping cream on to the cake.Now arrange the cherries on the cream .Now place the second partition on it and lightly press it.Repeat the filling process in the same manner and place the third partition on it.
  • You can use the leftover whipping cream to cream the cakes outer part.Decorate it with chocolate curls and cherries.After decoration cool the cake in a refrigerator so that the icing sets.  

CHIFFON CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE TOPPING

Baking, cakes, flour, Snacks | April 7, 2010 | By

3 comments


Hi Lidia..this is for you.Sorry for not posting the recipe with the photos.I found this recipe while blogging .Thnx shabs for the chiffon cake recipe.They had mentioned it with the black chocolate mould..as the day i tried the recipe I was short of  usual chocolates,I tried it up with milk chocolates.Here goes the recipe..

1 3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup chilled Butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cup milk
a pinch of salt

For the cake moistening syrup:
6 tbsp sugar
10 tbsp water

  • Heat oven to 180 degree celsius/Gas mark 4/350 degree Farenheit
  • Cut butter to small cubes.In a large bowl, put chilled butter,sugar with a blender.
  • Add vanilla essence and eggs(one by one) beating well
  • Sift the flour 2-3 times.Add cocoa powder,baking powder,salt and baking soda to flour and mix well.
  • Add dry mix to the egg mix ,mixing well.Add the milk and beat well.
  • Grease a baking pan of 9 inches and bake it for 40-45 minutes.Cool cake on wire rack
  • Heat sugar and water until sugar melts and syrup boils.Keep it aside.
  • On cooling place the cake on a large dish and cut it into two layers.
  • Sprinkle the sugar syrup on the cut cakes.Cover the cake in a plastic wrap and refrigerate  
  • To make whipped cream filling,add 1/4 tsp vanilla essence,2 tbsp sugar & 1/2 cup whipping cream and whip well.
  • Spread the filling paste on to the cut layers and join them together.
  • For the white chocolate topping:8 ounce of milk chocolate cut into small pieces,3/4 cup of whipping cream,2 tbsp butter
  • Boil the whipping cream and pour it on to the chocolate pieces whipping it along with the butter until it becomes smooth.
  • Spread the cream on to the cake evenly .For appearance you can decorate it with cherries..  

Hi! I am Nimi Sunilkumar…an award winning cookbook author /culinary demonstrator/freelance writer / food photographer/food blogger …spiced with the flavors of food..

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