Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chips Cookies

I had this cookies recipe from a book of my favarite chef "Nigella Lawson". It is a very dark rich chocolate cookies that I shall remind you to drink more water after eating it. If you like to feed it to children, please use less than 70% cocoa solids so that they don't feel too beater. As for me, I really like those dark and beater flavor when eating those chocolate dessert. This recipe is just right for those chocoholic.

Original recipe from Nigella Lawson:

125g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
150g flour
30g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
125g soft butter
75g light brown sugar
50g white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
350g semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat the oven to 170’C. Melt the 125g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.


• Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
  
• Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my freestanding mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.


• Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingrdients. Finally stir in the chocolate morsels or chips.


• Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds – an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are he best tools for the job – and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.


• Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.


• Leave to call slightly on the baking sheet for 4 -5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

Vishu Kanji

Vishu Kanji is a special traditional recipe that is prepared on the day of Vishu. Vishu represents the passing of sun from Taurus to Aries. It is believed to be the ideal time to start cultivation. In olden days, kanji was the preferred breakfast in most farming families. May be , the kanji is also made special to fit the occasion of Vishu.

We don't follow the tradition of making this kanji on Vishu day. But I get to taste that on Vishu day, thanks to my kind neighbors , both before and after marriage. When my BIL and family came down for vacation after Vishu, I decided to make this for them. They all enjoyed the kanji very much. Even those who doesn't have a liking for the regular kanji, will love this. Since then the photos were waiting to be posted in my drafts folder.

Parboiled rice preferable rose matta - 1 cup

raw rice/long grain rice - 1/2 cup

moong dal - 1/2 cup

mochapayaru/mochakottai - 1/2 cup

fresh grated coconut - 1 cup

salt to taste

I don't know the English name for mochha. With googling I found, lima beans is a close substitute for this.

Mix salt with grated coconut and keep it aside.

Dry roast moong dal and mochapayaru separately till you can smell the aroma. Lightly crush the mocha using the mixer grinder, so that the skin comes out. It should not be powdered. I use the traditional grinding stone ie. Ammikal.

Wash both the rice and add moong dal,mocha payaru cook with 6 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Since rosematta takes much time to cook, I cook it separately and mix everything later. If you are cooking on stove top, Start with rosematta, when it is half boiled, add the raw rice and grams. The rice and grams should not turn mushy. Once cooked, you can adjust the consistency by adding more hot water.

Add the coconut to the kanji and serve hot or cold. It taste good both ways. Avial pairs very well with this kanji.

Let me also join Sangeeth in her attempt to Eat Healthy-Fibre Rich.

Chawal ka Parantha

For the last few days, daily, atleast one post in TOI is on roti with varied stuffings and ingredients, thanks to Srivally and her Roti Mela. I had planned to try some new varieties as part of the on going Roti Mela. Ever since she announced the mela, I was too busy that routine cooking itself was too tedious. Now, things are falling back to routine.

This recipe is from Sanjeev Kapoor's Dal-Roti cook book. An easy one to make and can make good use of the left over rice too. Here is the recipe.



Cooked rice - 1 cup

wheat flour - 1 1/2 cups

salt - 1 tspn


curds/yogurt - 1/4 cup


ghee - 2 tblspn


red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn


cumin powder - 1/2 tspn


green chillies - 2 nos, chopped


medium sized onion - 1, chopped


oil for frying

Sift wheat flour and one teaspoon of salt. Add yogurt, 2 tablespoons of ghee and half cup of water. Mix together to form a soft dough.Cover with a damp cloth for half an hour.

Meanwhile prepare the stuffing. You can make use of left over cooked rice for this paranthas. Mix cooked rice, red chilli powder, cumin powder, chopped green chillies , chopped onion and salt to taste.

Knead the dough and divide into equal sized balls. Roll out each ball to a three-inch round. Keep a portion of the rice mixture in the centre and gather the edges together and shape into a thick round pedha. Roll out into a 7 inch circle.

Heat a tawa. Place a parantha on it. Turn over once and sprinkle some oil on it. Flip and spread some oil on the other side. Cook till both sides are well.

Paranthas were very soft and spicy too. Since these paranthas remain soft for a longer time, it is suitable for lunchbox too. Serve with some plain curds and pickle or any side of your choice.

This is my entry to Vally's Roti Mela.