Red Chilli Thokku

lanned to make pesarttu for dinner today. When it comes to this idly, dosas the side dish is always a big thinking!!!

I was checking Kitchen chronicles and Think Spice - Think Red Chillies, caught my eye. Headed straight to my kitchen and got this chutney ready for dinner and also for the blog.

Ingredients

15-20 round red chillies

small lemon size tamarind
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp hing
2-3 tbsp jaggery
2 tbsp gingley oil.
salt to taste

Method

Grind red chillies, tamarind, garlic, hing and salt to a fine paste using little water.

Heat Gingely oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, add the chilli paste.
Keep the flame low. When the mixture starts to boil add jaggery. stir occassionally.

when oil starts leaving the sides, take it off the flame.

Can be stored up to a week.

makes a great combo with hot idlis, u can even have it with steaming rice and ghee.


I m Sending this recipe for Think Spice - Think Red Chillies event hosted by Ms. Laxmi Venkatesh of Kitchen Chronicles and Sunita's World Think Spice 

Walnut Halwa

I m not a good writer, i can talk (its go with my profession)  but when it comes to writing, its ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
I m trying my level best to keep it good. Lemme C, hope to go better with every new post.

Walnut is a good source of all important omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids has a lot of health benefits ranging from cardiovascular protection, better mental function, anti-inflammatory benefits in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory diseases like eczema and psoriasis.

Some dont favour Walnuts for its bitter taste. They say the bitterness is due to high tannin level in the skins. I never had a problem coz i normally buy Nuts and Dry Fruits from souq (Market place).  Fresh walnuts are light-colored under their skins.

when it comes to any festivitiy there is this tradition of making sweets, i was getting a bit bored of making the same old  paal payasam (its our family dessert:) ). Got this recipe from a magazine. Tasted great.

Here goes the recipe . Will post the pics soon!!!


Walnut Halwa

Ingredients

Walnuts - 2 cups (Soak in warm water and peel the skin)
grated carrot - 2  cups
Milk -1 cup
Sugar - 1-1/2 cup
ghee - 1/2 cup
cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Garnishing
roasted cashew nuts

Method
Grind Walnuts and carrot adding little milk. Heat a heavy bottomed pan add walnut-carrot paste, the remaining milk, sugar and ghee. Keep the flame low and Stir occassionally.
when ghee start leaving the sides add cardamom and mix well. Take it off the flame and garnish with nuts.

Honey Coconut Buns

Here is a combination of two recipes from honey buns and coconut buns. At my first attempt on the honey bun, I felt the texture might goes well with coconut fillings so I've just got an experiments yesterday and it's really a good combination.

The texture better than the first coconut buns I've made months ago. I'll stick on this recipe next time. May be red bean paste will goes well with this bun too! My friends and family loves it. There is no reason for me to buy coconut buns from the bakery shop anymore :P


For the Coconut Filling:
1 tbsp cooking oil
60g raw sugar
100g coconut sugar (gula melaka)
100g coconut water
2 tbsp plain flour
4 tbsp water
300g shredded coconut




For the Honey Buns: (recipe fron HHB)
300g bread flour
4g (about 2/3 tsp) salt
4g (1 tsp) instant yeast
1 egg lightly beaten plus enough milk to make 200g
50g honey
30g unsalted butter

How I made it:

1. Heat the oil in a wok at low heat, add in raw sugar, coconut sugar until it nearly melted then add the coconut water to prevent sticking. Cook until everything melt then add shredded coconut. Make sure the shredded coconut coated with the melted sugar. Keep stirring to prevent it burn.
2. Mix the water with flour then add into the coconut mixture. Keep stirring until everything well combine and you could smell the fragrant of coconut mixture. It'll start become dry and you'll know it has done. Let it cool down on a plate before use.
3. For the honey bun, place all ingredients except butter in the dough hook mixer. Knead at low speed until everything come together. Add in the butter and let the machine continue to knead the dough at medium speed until smooth and elastic about 30 minutes.
4. Shape the dough into a smooth round and place in a lightly greased mixing bowl , cover bowl with cling wrap and let it rise till double in volume for about 60 ~ 90 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces of doughs and roll to form 'ball' shapes. Then, cover with cling film let it rest for 15 minutes.
6. Flatten each dough and wrap in the coconut filling and shape it into smooth round shape. Prepare some water on a clean plate and place a kitchen towel on the top. Damp the surface of each dough and run the damp surface around a bowl of desiccated coconut.
7. Place the doughs on a baking tray with baking paper for 60 minute proofing. Bake approximately 20 minutes at 200'C preheated oven until nice and light golden brown.