Vanilla Condensed Milk Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

225g butter (1 cup - 2 sticks), room temperature

3 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla paste or extract

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour a medium loaf pan or any pan of your choice and set aside.

Whisk flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside.

Beat sugar and butter together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined. Add the vanilla and condensed milk and mix until well combined.

Add the flour and fold in with a spatula until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 – 55 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for ten minutes before turning out to cool completely on a wire rack.

The cake is crisper outside and moist inside. 

Sending this to  Foodomania’s Christmas Cook-Off Contest

Recipe Courtesy: http://pizzarossa.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/vanilla-condensed-milk-cake/

Marshmallow Fondant Cake

Ingredients:

Mini Marshmallows - 2 cups

Confectioners Sugar/Icing Sugar - 5-6 cups

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Water - 2 tbspns

Method:

Place the marshmallows, water and vanilla extract in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir until the mixture is smooth. 

Be prepared to be messy. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. 

Now place a parchment paper on the granite top(need more space) and dust with 2 cups of confectioners sugar. Turn the dough out onto the working surface dusted with confectioners sugar. Rub both the hands with butter and start kneading until the dough is very stiff. 

As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.

Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Adding Colors to the Fondant;

Using a toothpick, add dots of icing color or drops of flavor in several spots.

Knead color or flavor into your fondant ball. Use food-safe gloves when coloring fondant to keep hands stain-free or else rub the hands with butter. Continue kneading until color is evenly blended; add a little more color or flavor if needed. 

For deep colors;

When making deep colors, such as black, brown, or red use the food colors in larger amounts than normal. 

Can be stored in the refrigerator for a month.

Covering Cake with the Rolled Fondant;

Ingredients:

Cake - 1 round cake(your choice)

Butter Cream - 1 Box

Method:

Prepare cake by lightly covering with butter cream icing. Keep refrigerated for atleast 1 hour.

Bring the fondant to room temperature. Before rolling out fondant, knead it until it is in a workable consistency. If fondant is sticky, knead in a little confectioners' sugar. Lightly dust your smooth work surface and the rolling pin with confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking. Roll out fondant, sized to your cake. To keep fondant from sticking, lift and move as you roll. Add more confectioners' sugar if needed.

Gently lift fondant over rolling pin or slip cake circle under fondant to move; position on cake.

Shape fondant to sides of cake with Easy-Glide Smoother or the pizza spoon. We recommend using the Smoother because the pressure of your hands may leave impressions on the fondant. Beginning in the middle of the cake top, move the Smoother outward and down the sides to smooth and shape fondant to the cake and remove air bubbles. If an air bubble appears, insert a pin on an angle, release air and smooth the area again. Use the straight edge of the Smoother to mark fondant at the base of cake. Trim off excess fondant using a spatula or sharp knife.

The cake is now ready to decorate.

Roll the green fondant into small balls. Brush the corners with little water and start sealing the corners with the balls.

Cut the yellow fondant using the cookie cutter. Make small balls out of blue fondant and stick it to the yellow flower with little water. Now place the entire yellow flower in the cake by brushing with little water.

Sending this to  Foodomania’s Christmas Cook-Off Contest 

Curd Semiya/Semiya Bath

Ingredients;
Vermicelli/Semiya(not roasted) - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Curd - 1  cup
Water -2 1/2 cup

Butter - 1 tbspn

For the seasoning;
Oil - 1 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Asafoetida/ hing - a pinch
Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
Green chili - 1 finely chopped
Curry leaves - few

For garnishing (optional);
Green Bell Pepper - 1 tbspn, chopped finely
Pomegranates
Optional;
Grated carrots
Green seedless grapes
Cashew nuts
Method:

Cook semiya in boiling water adding salt and a tsp of oil. Stir now and then to prevent it from forming lumps.

After it is cooked, add milk stirring continuously. Remove from flame. Add butter and mix it well. Butter is added to maintain the consistency for a longer time.

Allow it to cool. Then add curd and mix well.

Heat a tsp of oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add hing, ginger, green chilies, curry    leaves and saute for a few seconds. Mix it with the cooked semiya.

Garnish with coriander leaves, chopped bell pepper and pomegranates.

Adapted from Padhu's Kitchen

Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice - 1 cup

Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbspn

Salt - as per taste

Method:

Wash the rice thoroughly. Drain and keep it aside for 30 minutes. Heat the ghee and add the jeera. Fry for few seconds. Then add the drained rice and fry for 2 minutes. 

Rice Cooker;

Now transfer the rice to the rice cooker and add 2 cups. Add salt and mix it gently.

Stove Top;

In a small pressure cooker/pressure pan, heat ghee and add the jeera. Fry for few seconds. Now add the drained rice and fry for two minutes. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and bring to boil, add salt and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles in medium flame.

Serve hot with Gravies or Subzis.

Aloo Bindhi with Gravy

Ingredients:

Okra - 20 Nos

Potatoes - 3 medium size

Onions - 2 medium, sliced

Tomatoes - 4 medium, cut into chunks

Garlic - 4 cloves

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Green Chilies - 2 (add one more for extra spicy)

Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Amchoor powder (Dry Mango Powder) - 1/4 tsp

Oil for shallow frying

Coriander Leaves - 2 tbspns, chopped

Salt to taste

Masalas;

Bay leaf - 1

Peppercorns - 2

Cloves - 2

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Poppy seeds (khus-khus) - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch, cut into pieces

Method:

Clean the okras and pat dry with the help of paper towel or clean cloth. Cut the head and tail of the okras and cut into tiny pieces. Peel and cut the potatoes in the same shape as okras.

Heat sufficient oil in a pan, shallow fry the okras and potatoes, until golden brown.

Drain from oil and place them in the paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and fry all the masalas one by one. Now add the onions, garlic, garlic,  green chilies and saute till the onion turns translucent. Now add tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy. Switch off the stove and allow them to cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend them to a smooth paste. 

In the same kadai, add a few drops of oil and saute the blended mixture for few minutes. Add all the spice powders, salt and mix well. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on low flame. Finally add the fried  okras and potatoes.

Gently stir and cook for 3-4 more minutes on low heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or pulao.

Keerai Pongal

Ingredients:

Ponni Rice or Basmati rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

Chopped spinach - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

To temper;

Ghee - 2 tbspns

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Cashews - 5

Grated ginger - 1 tbspn

Curry Leaves - a few

Method:

In a skillet fry the moong dal on medium heat till aroma rises. Wash the moong dal and the rice thoroughly and combine with chopped spinach and salt with 3 1/2 to 4 cups water.

Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Once cooked remove them from the cooker and mash it well with a ladle. Keep aside. 

You can also skip the roasting part and proceed cooking.

In a wide pan heat 2 tbspns of ghee, add cumin seeds, crushed pepper, cashews and grated ginger and wait till the cashew turns golden brown. Add curry leaves. Switch off the stove. 

Combine the mashed rice and give a nice stir. Serve hot with Sambar or Chutney.