Chocolate brown Idlis - கேழ்வரகு இட்லி

Idli brownies
Ingredients:
Ragi flour - 2 1/2 cups
Urad dal - 1 cup
Oil for greasing idli plates
Salt as required

Method:
Soak the urad dal for 2 to 4 hrs.
Mix ragi flour and water in a bowl to make a thick batter. Keep it aside.
Start to grind urad dal soft and fluffy.( like grinding for regular idli)
Mix ground urad dal with soaked ragi flour.
Cover and keep for fermentation overnight.
After fermentation, mix required salt to the batter.
Grease the idli plates with oil.
Pour the batter in idli plates.
Steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
When it is warm, remove gently.
recipe source:aayisrecipes.com

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Onion Chutney

Ingredients:
Red onion - 1 ( big - diced)
Tomato - 1 ( medium - diced)
Tamarind - Cadbury's gems size
Whole dry red chilli - 3
Salt
Oil for sautéing

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
Urad dal - 1/4 tea spoon
Curry leaves - 5 foliages
Oil - 1 teaspoon

Method:
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add onion and fry.
Then add the tomato and fry.
Add salt and mix.
Add dry chilli and fry for 2 minutes.
Remove from fire and keep it aside.
After cooling, add all the fried ingredients in a mixer.
grind.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a kadai.
To the oil add mustard seeds,urad dal,curry leaves.
When the mustard seeds starts to crackle pour in the chutney.
Serve with idlis or dosas.

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Potato Samosa

Ingredients:

For pastry:

Maida - 1 cup

Warm oil - 2 teaspoons

Salt as required.

Water

For Filling:

Potatoes - 2 (boiled & mashed coarsely)

Green Peas - 1 tablespoon (boiled)

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon

Red chilly flakes - 1 teaspoon

coriander leaves - 1 teaspoon ( chopped)

Salt as required

Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Onion - 1/2 ( chopped)

Grated ginger - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil for deep-frying.

For samosa:

Oil for deep frying.

Water for moistening the pastry.

Method:

Part -1: Preparing the samosa pastry

In a bowl sift the maida and salt.

Add warm oil and rub till it becomes like bread crumbs.

Now sprinkle water little by little and knead into a dough.

Knead for 2 minutes. Cover and keep it aside.

Part 2: Making the stuffing

Dry roast the cumin seeds separately

Dry roast the coriander seeds separately.

In a spice grinder, grind the cumin seeds and coriander seeds coarsely.

Then add the chilli flakes and grind for 10 seconds.

In a kadai heat the oil and add the onions.

Fry the onions add ginger and stir for 1 minute.

Add the potatoes and peas.

After 2 minutes add the cumin,coriander,chilli powders,salt,garam masala,coriander leaves and stri for 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from fire and keep it aside.

Part 3: Rolling and stuffing

Again knead the dough for 1 minute.

Divide the dough into key lime size balls.

Roll the dough into oblong circle about 6 to 8 inches

Cut it into 2 halves.

Lift the edges and bring to a triangle shape. Dip a finger in water and run the finger thru edge to seal the open end of triangle

Take it on the hand and form the cone.

Stuff the masala to about 2/3rd portion of the cone.

Close the bottom of the cone and seal the bottom edge.

Part 4: Deep frying

Deep fry the samosa in a flame between medium and high.

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Coriander and Mint chutney

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 ( small)
Yogurt - 2 tablespoons ( optional)

Tamarind puree - 1 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:
Grind all the ingredients in blender.
For creamier chutney add yogurt also.
This chutney is perfect for snacks such as samosas!

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Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:
For the cake:
Sifted cake flour - 2 1/2 cups
Granulated white sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Dutch processed cocoa powder -2 tablespoons
unsalted butter - 1/2 cup ( at room temperature)
Large eggs - 2 ( at room temperature)
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Buttermilk - 1 cup
Red food coloring - 2 tablespoons ( liquid)
Pure vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
White distilled vinegar - 1 teaspoon
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon

For Cream cheese Frosting:
Heavy whipping cream - 1 1/2 cups
Cream cheese - 8 ounce(227 grams) ( room temperature)
Tub of Mascarpone cheese - 8 ounce (room temperature)
Pure vanilla extract - 3/4 teaspoon
confectioner's sugar - 1 cup

For garnishing
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut

Method:
Part-1: Preparing the cake pan
Use two 9-inch round cake pans. Grease the cake pans with butter. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Keep it aside.

Part-2: Sifting the flour and powders
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.

Part-3: Preparing the batter
In another bowl, beat the butter using mixer. Let the mixer run for about two minutes. The butter will become soft.
Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 more minutes).
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
In a measuring cup whisk the butter milk with red food color.
With the mixture on low speed, alternatively add flour mixture and butter milk in three additions beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup, combine vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and quickly fold into the cake batter. Working quickly divide the batter evenly between two prepared pans and smooth the tops

Part-4: Baking
Bake in the pre heated oven at the center rack for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or the toothpick test comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the pans onto a wire rack. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in freezer for at least 1 hour.

Part-5: Frosting
In a hand mixer, process the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and process until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl. Whip the cream using hand mixer until stiff peak forms. With the large spatula gently but quickly fold a little of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream in two stages. Cover and pace the frosting in the refrigerator for an hour or two or until the frosting the firm enough to spread.

Part-6: Assembling
With a serrated knife cut each cake layer in half horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers top of the cake facing down on to a serving platter, Spread the cake layer with layer of frosting. Place another layer cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers, Frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish wit sweetened or unsweetened coconut.

Note:
1. To make your own buttermilk: add 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar, cider vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let this mixture stand 5 to 10 minutes before using.
2. I just used one 1 tablespoon of liquid red color.
3. I kept the cake with frosting in the fridge overnight to firm up.
4. You can get Mascarpone cheese in international cheese section at local grocery store. It is an Italian cheese.
5. Recipe source: joyofbaking.com
6. Usually this is a 3 or 4 layered cake. I had to manage with only one cake for two layers. To force my husband on diet, I kept the other cake without frosting.

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Pineapple rava kesari

The lemonish spots in the kesari are pineapple chunks.

Ingredients:
Rava (or) Sooji - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Canned pineapple chunks - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tablespoon
Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon
whole cashew nuts - 10
Black raisins - 7 to 9
Hot water - 2cups
Orange Food color
Saffron

Method:
Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and keep it aside.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of orange food color to the hot water and mix and let it stay aside.
Heat the ghee in kadai and add the rava.
Fry the rava till the raw smell goes off.
Pour the hot water and mix well without any lumps.
Keep mixing till water and rava blends together.
Add sugar, pineapple chunks and mix well.
Remove when it reaches desired consistency
Add fried cashew nuts, black raisins, cardamom powder, and saffron.
Sent off to the 15-Minute event.

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