VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIPS ROSE CUPCAKES - MY GUEST POST ON MANJU'Z KITCHEN

Hellow friends!!!

A few days back, my friend Manju Modiyani, a wonderful food blogger and author of Manju'z Kitchen had contacted me to do a guest post for her blog. I accepted her request and the first thing which popped into my mind, as this is a very first guest post on her space, so why not I start with a sweet / dessert, which will be very simple, yet yummilicious, favorite to each and everyone from kid's to adult.

The recipe I shared today is a very simple and easy to make, but quite satisfies our taste buds. It is "VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIPS ROSE CUPCAKES", an exceptional yummy dessert loved by all chocolate lovers. Thank you so much Manju, for giving me such opportunity. Today I really honoured by you dear.

So, friends please do visit my guest post on Manju'z Kitchen and leave your comments "CLICK HERE"

VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIPS MUFFINS & CELEBRATING 300th POST

Hellow Friends,

When I started this blog, never dreamed of reaching 300th post. Today I am so happy and excited. Very special thanks to each and everyone who visit my space and who always supported and encouraged me through their valuable comments and showering awards on me........thank you a ton my dear friends. So my today's recipe, a quick snack, full of chocolate that is very easy to make and these chocolate chips muffins are truly a dream of chocolate lover's. 

INGREDIENTS (For Making 12 nos Medium Sized Muffins):
2 Cups Flour / APF
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
2 eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Melted Butter
2 tbsps Plain Yogurt
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Regular Sugar

METHOD:
Sieve flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder.

Mix 2-3 tbsps flour with chocolate chips very nicely. (So that while it will bake, chocolate chips will not go to the bottom of muffins) Set aside.

Take a large bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, regular sugar, milk, melted butter, plain yogurt and vanilla extract in it. Blend it nicely with hand blender.

Slowly add flour mixture in it. Fold it well.

Now add flour mixed chocolate chips in it. Fold well again.

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C. Arrange cupcake liners on a muffin tray. 

Take an ice-cream scoop. Pour a scoop full mixture to each cup cake liner. 

Now bake it for 20-22 minutes, till a toothpick plunged into it and comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes.

Turn out onto on a wire rack to cool and serve warm or completely cooled.

Enjoy my 300th post with soft, spongy and yummy muffins. Thanks you for visiting and viewing "Sanoli's Kitchen" and I hope you will continue to reading it in future too. Today also I am a learner cook, hope many more culinary adventures to come.

Sending to: Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

Sending to: Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13

JODHPURI GATTE KI SUBZI

Chickpea flour (gram flour / besan) dumplings flavored with lots of spices, steamed and cooked in a tasty yogurt gravy, is a traditional as well as versatile Rajasthani speciality. This is such a recipe, without which a 'Rajasthani Thali' is simply incomplete. It always makes for a hearty, homey meal in every Rajasthani household. One of my lovely friends 'A' narrated this recipe to me, while we visited her place. Her native is Jodhpur, accordingly I given the name of this curry, 'Jodhpuri Gatte Ki Subzi'. Just tryout and enjoy this toothsome Rajasthani delicacy....

INGREDIENTS FOR GATTE:
1 Cup Gram Flour / Chickpea Flour (besan)
1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwaan)
3/4 tsp Fennel Seeds (saunf)
1 tsp Dry Roasted Cumin Seeds (lightly crushed)
1/2 tsp Dry Roasted Coriander Seeds (lightly crushed)
1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (kasuri methi)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsps Sour Curd / Plain Yogurt (dahi)
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
Water as required

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY:
1&1/2 Cups Sour Curd / Plain Yogurt (dahi)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
3 tsps Coriander Powder
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Gram Flour / Chickpea Flour (besan)
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste
Cilantro / Coriander Leaves - few sprigs (chopped) for garnishing

HOW TO MAKE GATTE:
In a large bowl, combine gram flour, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, carom seeds, fennel seeds, red chili powder, kasuri methi, asafoetida, oil, sour curd and salt.

Mix nicely. Knead the mixture by adding very little water to make a medium soft dough like chapati dough.

Divide the dough equally and make four balls. Grease your palms with little oil, press and roll out each ball into a cyllinder of 3/4" diameter. Keep those aside.

Heat 3-4 cups of water in a pan, boil rolls for 15 minutes. Remove from water.

Allow those cyllinders to cool before cutting them in 1/2" pieces or gattes. Here, don't discard the boiling water, preserve it, as it will be used in the later step.

FOR THE BASE OR GRAVY:
Take the curd in a bowl and mix turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt in it. Whisk it till smooth. Set it aside. Take two cups of reserved boiling water in a separate bowl, add 1 tbsp chickpea flour (besan) in it. Keep the bowl aside.

Heat clarified butter in a pan or wok. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds in it. Let cumin seeds to sizzle. Add ginger paste and cumin powder in it. Fry for a minute. Add gattes in it and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

Now add the curd mixture and stirring continuously, till the gravy leaves oil.

At this time add 2 cups boiling reserved water with chickpea flour (besan). Cover and cook for low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat now.

Silky and creamy textured gatte ki subzi is ready to serve now. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or missi rotis.

Sending to: Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

Sending to: Gujarati zaika

RICH CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

Tomato soup is my all times favorite soup, ingredients are also easily available in each and every pantry. So anyone can make it anytime he/she desires. There are lot of versions of making tomato soup, I made it in a easiest way; yet it is too tasty and flavorful. So, here is the recipe of ever popular tomato soup with creamy touch.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Cups of Tomato Cubes (take red & ripened tomatoes)
1/2 Cup Tomato Puree
1 tbsp Corn Flour
3-4 Black Peppercorns
2 Pods of Garlic, Crushed (optional)
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper (according to taste)
2 tsps Sugar
2 tsps Fresh Cream (for garnishing)
2 tbsps Butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat a deep fry pan. Add tomato cubes, garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns and 1&1/2 cups water in it. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes on lower medium heat, till tomatoes turn mushy. 

Turn off the heat and let it cool down a little. Pour everything on a mixer jar. Grind it to make a smooth paste. Now strain the mixture and keep it aside.

Heat butter in a pan now. Add tomato paste in it. Dissolve 1 tbsp corn flour in 1 cup water and pour it on the pan. Add sugar, tomato puree, salt and ground black pepper in it. Let it boil for 4-5 minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat now. Tomato soup is ready to serve.

Divide it equally in two bowls, topped with 1 tsp fresh cream to each and serve immediately with bread sticks.

SERVES: 2

NOTES: Instead of using water, may use chicken or vegetable broth, that surely makes soup more healthier and tastier.

Sending to: Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

Sending to: Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13

CASHEW (KAJU) CHICKEN

The lunar cycle determines the Islamic calender and "Ramadan" is the ninth month of the Islamic calender. Fasting in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims all over the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, as well as participating from anything which is ill-natured or excessive; from dawn until sunset. They are developing characteristics of patience, self-restraint and God consciousness. Though, fasting is compulsory for adults alone, young children are exempt from fasting. Every Ramadan culminates with the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. Ramadan highlights Muslim brotherhood and customs and brings about a special feeling of closeness. So, today I am offering you a tasty and healthy Ramadan recipe, "Cashew Chicken" that will surely add a variety, colour and nutrition to your 'Iftar Table'.

INGREDIENTS:
800 gm Regular Chicken, Cut into Medium Sized Pieces
3/4" Ginger (paste)
6-7 Pods of Garlic (paste)
200 gm Onion, Cut in Thin Slices
100 gm Cashew nut
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
A Bunch of Coriander Leaves (paste)
1 tsp Sugar (not for sweetness, but for flavor)
1 tsp Freshly Pounded Garam Masala
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Clean and wash the chicken pieces nicely. Make those pat dry. Marinate chicken with turmeric powder, red chili powder, lemon juice and little salt. Keep it aside.

Take out handful of whole cashew nuts separately for frying. Soak remaining part in warm water for 5 minutes.

Grind cashew nuts to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Heat oil in a wok or pan. Add whole cashew nut, fry for 2 minutes till it turns golden in colour. Remove fried cashew nuts from oil and keep aside.

Add sliced onions in the same oil. Fry till onion turns into light brown.

Now add ginger-garlic-coriander leaves paste in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes till spice leaves oil from the sides of the wok.

Add chicken now. Fold nicely. Cover and cook chicken on medium low flame for 10 minutes.

Open the lid now, add cashew nut paste, garam masala, sugar and salt in it. Mix well. Pour 1 Cup of warm water in it. Again cover and cook for 15-20 minutes on medium low heat, till chicken is well cooked and gravy thickens. Stir occassionally. 

Spread additional fried cashewnuts on the top and fold very nicely. Turn off the heat now.

Serve hot with any rice dish, roti, paratha, naan, anything you like. It is always yummilicious!!!

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: "MONER MOTO RANNA" (Sananda Publication)
Sending to:  Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013