Basic Sponge cake turned to Pineapple cake

I wanted to make a very spongy soft and delicious pineapple cake for my daughters 5th month birthday (Yeah we do celebrate it monthly as she is precious and not an year old yet :P) .

I had to make it by evening and i knew this would take quality time.So i wanted to reach out to few of the cake experts
Option 1: Google ofcourse as its always handy and by my side .So i googled for some recipes and to my surprise i always found eggless cakes.Huh are eggless cakes in most menus these days ???So not much help out here to nail down a specific recipe

Option 2: I called up a friend of mine who bakes awesome cakes.I love the cakes she bake and there i go!Yippeee!!! i got to make this awesome cake with her help.

If you wanna bake a cake for a party,you gotto try this recipe! Trust me it turned out awesome and if you grow up in india this tasted quite like the soft pinapple pastries you find in Bakerys.My husband and guests savored it till the last bite.

Ingredients

- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs(at room temperature preferably not mandatory)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt

Pineapple cake Ingredients
- 1 medium sized pinapple cut into small cunks
- pinapple essence (optional)
- 1 cup pinapple juice
Icing
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sugar(as per your taste
- 2 tsp Hersheys chocolate syrup

Notes :Incase you need to make a black forest cake,use 1 Tbsp cocoa powder in your basic sponge cake

Recipe

Step 1: Separate the egg whites and whip the egg whites with a electric blender until a thick froth forms.You should able to make cones on the froth.

Step 2 : Now add the egg yolks one by one to the egg whites and blend for another minute.Add sugar and blend for 2 minutes.Now add vanilla extract.

Step 3: Sift together flour,baking powder and salt.(Please dont skip this step as its very important to sift the dry ingredients so that there are no lumps).I missed it once and actually ended up a small lump uncooked all the way at the end.

Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients .Add flour mixture little by little and stir in a single direction.
Pour the batter in a greased baking tray and add half cup of pineapple chunks to the batter.

Step 5: Preheat oven to 350F.Place the cake in the middle rack of the oven and bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until done.(the cake is fully baked if you insert a knife/toothpick and it comes out clean)

Step 6: Cool the cake and cut into two halves.Let the cakes cool completely.
Now sprinkle some pineapple juice on the cake halves.The cakes should be just wet and not very wet.So pour the pineapple juice with a teaspoon.

Step 7: Beat the whipping cream with sugar and pineapple essence/vanilla extract and keep aside for icing.
Spread some whipping cream on a cake half and top it with pineapple chunks.

Step 8: Place the other half of the cake on top.

Step 9: Spread the remaining whipping cream on the cake and decorate as needed.

Most simple recipe for Chicken Biryani (Hyderabadi)

This is a very easy and a no fail recipe for a yummy hyderabadi chicken biryani which each of you must try out in your kitchen.
I am sure everyone might feel lazy to cook biryani as many of the recipes call for long duration and are a many step process.
However i have always loved making this biryani as its so simple to make and yet tastes so delicious

All it takes is to marinate chicken with lots of aromatic spices ,cook rice,layer them and recook .
Lets see what are the steps to cook this recipe.Ingredients follow.

Ingredients

- 3.5 cups basmati rice (I found India Gate Basmati rice as the best for biryanis)
- water to cook rice(atleast 8 cups)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- whole garam masala(2 cardamom,2 cinnamon sticks,3 bay leaves,2-3 cloves,4-5 whole black peppercons)
- 1/2 cup mint leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fried onions(if you dont have this,cut 1 onion lengthwise and fry them in some oil till they turn completely brown)

Marinade
- 1 whole chicken cut into small pieces(go for bone in verses boneless)
- salt to tase
- 3 Tbsp biryani masala(i use shan bombay biryani masala)
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 3 tsp chilli powder(as per your taste)
- 1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 4 green chillies
- 2 Tbsp oil
- juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup mint leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves finely chopped


Recipe

Step 1 :
Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and drain all the water.Mix all the ingredients under "Marinade" and marinate it in an airtight/closed container for atleast 2 hours or overnight in a refregirator

Step 2:
Soak the basmati rice in lots of water for atleast 30 minutes.

Step 3:
Drain the water from the rice,cook the rice in a large pan with lots of water.Add salt,cumin seeds,whole garam masala to the boiling water.Make sure the rice is half cooked,it should be slightly hard when you feel it.Drain all the water and it aside.

Step 4: Take a wide nonstick pan.Place the marinated chicken on to the pan and spread evenly.
Now spread the half cooked rice over the chicken and layer it evenly.
Sprinkle some biryani masala/whole garam masala , fried onions,mint leaves,coriander leaves and lemon juice over the rice.

Tip : To get some yellowish color,warm 2 Tbsp milk and add saffron to it.If you dont have saffron ,add a pinch of turmeric to the milk.sprinkle this milk over the rice.

Step 5: Place the pan on the stove,cover it with an airtight lid and cook on medium flame for 25 minutes,now reduce the flame to low and cook for another 10 minutes .Increase the flame to high and cook for another 5 mins.Put of the flame and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
Mix the biryani before serving from bottom to top.

Almond and cranberry biscotti

Biscotti is one of my favorite snack to dunk in my coffee and relish it till the last bite
The name originated from italy and it translates to twice baked biscuits.
I always thought it is very complex to make biscotti.However its the most easiest thing to bake with less calories.

If stored properly in airtight bags/baskets they go a long way and stay crispy.I am planning to bake lots of them and gift wrap them and gift them to some of my friends visiting home over the weekend.

Ingredients

- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar(increase if you like them more sweet)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
- 2 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups almonds(blanched and thinly sliced)

Recipe
- Preheat oven to 325 F
- In a large bowl , mix together oil, sugar, vanilla, almond extract until well blended.T hen beat in the eggs.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and combine with the wet Iingredients.
-  Mix in cranberries and nuts with hand
- Divide dough in half. Form two logs(12X 2) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.Dough may be sticky ; wet hands or use some flour to handle it.
- Bake for 35 mins or until logs turn light brown.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 mins.Reduce oven heat to 300 F
- Cut the logs diagonally Into 3/4 inch slices.lay them on sides and bake on each  side for another 8-10 mins or until crispy.

Cool them and store them in airtight packs.

Tori aur lobia ka Mel

Tori ya Ridgegaurd or beerakaya is? Was one of my least favorite vegetable.My husband never liked it either until I made t his recipe.
I fell in love with this vegetable when I first tasted it in India which was made by aunt.
Ever since I cook it regularly and is now a favorite of my husband as well.
Well that is because of the mystery ingredient lobia or black eyed peas.
So all those folks who hate tori gotto try this combo and share your views.

Ingredients

- 3 medium sized tori sliced into small cubes
- 1 cup lobia soaked over night
- 3 green chillies
- salt as required
-  1/4 tsp turmeric power
- 1/4 cup methi leaves ( optional)
- corriander leaves for garnishing
- 1/2 tsp each cumin, mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- few curry leaves
- 1 Tbsp oil

Recipe

- Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard, cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Now add methi leaves ,green chillies,curry leaves, turmeric powder and fry for a min
- Add tori cubes and mix all ingredients well.Mix. in the lobia and fry them for 2-4 mins
- Add salt, chilli powder and mix well.
- Cover it with a lid and cook for 20 mins by stirring in between or until done.

Gobi ke gutke(spicy cauliflower fry)

This is similar to aalo gutke. I just replaced aalo with gobi(cauliflower).
It is a very quick and simple way of cooking cauliflower.This can be served with rotis or rice.

Ingredients
- 2 cups cauliflower florets (1 medium cauliflower)
- 3 garlic pods minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- pinch of asafetida
- 2 tbsp oil

Masala
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala/Chana masala powder
- 1/4 tsp amchur powder(dry mango powder)
- salt per taste

Recipe

- Heat the oil in a wide nonstick pan and add asafetida ,cumin seeds to it.
- Once the cumin splutters,add minced garlic and fry for a minute
- Mix all the ingredients under masala with some water and make a thin paste
- Add the masala from the above step into the pan and fry for 2 mins
- Now add the cauliflower florets to the pan and mix them well until each one coats with the spices
- cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes or until well done on a slow flame.

Quinoa Pancake/Dosa

Quinoa pronounced as keen-wah is a very healthy whole grain.It provides all 9 essential amino acids and hence is an excellent source of protein and calcium
I have always had it in a salads and loved it but was dreading to cook it as I never managed to cook couscous properly.
A good friend of mine suggested me this recipe and to my surprise this turned out awesome.So this is now part of our regular breakfast  due to its health benefits

Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1/2 cup  grated carrot(optional)
- salt as required
- oil as required

Recipe
- soak quinoa atleast for 4-5 hrs and grind to a batter similar to pancake/Dosa batter
- mix salt, onions, chillies, carrot and coriander leaves to the batter
- heat a non stick pan and spread some oil on it(I used no stick cooking spray)
- pour some batter on the pan and spread it to make thick pancake/dosa
- flip on the other side and cook it till it turns brown