Cranberry Spice Muffins

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

CRANBERRY SPICE MUFFINS
(COPYRIGHT 2011)

Makes 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line muffin tin with baking cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and granulated sugar. Scatter brown sugar over flour mixture with fingers, then whisk to incorporate.

Mix in pecans and cranberries with a spoon.

In a small bowl, gently beat egg with a fork. Mix in milk and butter.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. It's a thick batter.

Fill muffin tin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Thattai / Savoury Rice Crackers - Basic Version

We call this snack at home as Chekkalu(Telugu name) but it is very
well know for its Tamil Name - Thattai. It is nothing  but a flat rice
savory crackers deep fried in oil which is mostly prepared during the
festival seasons in India.



A week before Diwali festival, I thought of preparing thattai as one my Diwali snacks and I called my granny to get notes of it. She suggested me few versions. After checking the availability of the ingredients for all versions, I chose this version as I found it was easy. I had helped my granny many times to make thattai but this was the first time I prepared it without anyone's help. Though this version sounds easy, It needs quite a lot patience to make perfect shaped thattai and it is again depending on how better you make the dough. So, while making dough take care at each step when you add water.



If you love thattai with a cup of tea, then,
you will not prepare only for festival. :-) 



Here comes the recipe!!!

Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Makes : 30-40 Thattais (approx count)

 

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2 cups

Channa Dal - 2 tablespoons (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drain while adding)

Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Butter/Vanaspati/Hot oil - 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves - 3 strings

Oil - for deep frying

Water - 1 cup



Method:



1) Combine all the ingredients except water and oil in a mixing bowl.

2) Heat water and add to the mixing bowl little at a time till you form a smooth dough. See to the salt and spicy and adjust accordingly. The temperature of water should be above luke warm and below the boiling point.

3) Divide the dough into small  size (approx 1 inch) balls. Place the ball in oil coated ziploc bag or cling wrap or any food wrap. Press in evenly with your fingers to form round shape. Below are few other methods that you can try to make thattai. Choose any one to which you are comfortable.

      (3a)  After placing the ball in oil coated Ziploc bag, place another Ziploc bag above it(I used large cling wrap and in one corner placed the ball and used the other corner to cover it) and press it evenly using a flat 2-3 inch diameter cap of container.(I used Nutella bottle's cap) This way you can get a even, round shape.

      (3b) Roll like chappathi and cut them into round shape using a cookie cutter. But for this version, It is little difficult to do this method.

4) Once you made the thattais, place them in a clean white damp cloth or in a newspaper.

5) Now heat oil in a wide pan. check the oil temperature by dropping a very small pinch of dough. If it comes out to the surface of the oil, drop the thattais one by one and deep fry them in a batch. At a time you can add 4-5 thattais. Fry it in medium temperature for best results.

6) When the thattai turns to golden brown remove from oil and place in the bowl containing a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

7) Cool to room temperature and store in a air tight container. It can be stored upto 2-3 weeks.

Note:

1)  If you are not getting round shape, don't worry but make sure you are getting some shape and able to place in the oil without breaking it. If it breaks, the dough is not in the correct consistency.

2) Increase the channa dal quantity to your personal preference.

3) Adding hot oil instead of butter will make the thattai to absorb less oil while deep frying.

Hara Bhara Balls and Mawa/Khova Peda for Blog Hop Wednesday

It is Blog Hop Wednesday!!!! I m happy to post on time this week!!! :) For this Week, i m paired with Sukanya of Saffron Streaks. She has an amazing Food and Travel Blog!!!! I chose to make Hara Bhara Kebabs and Mawa Peda. I have made so.me changes for the Hara bhara kebab recipe, so please follow the link for the Original recipe

Ingredients : Hara Bhara Balls

1 Big Potata

1/4 Cup Green Peas

10nos Stalk of spinach

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Coriander Powder

2 tbsp of Roasted Sooji/Semolina or Bread Crumbs

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Mince together

2 cloves of Garlic

1 small piece of ginger

2 Green Chillies

Method

• Boil Potatoes and Peas and drain the excess water. 
• Blanch Spinach and Drain.  Both the Veggies should have no Water at all, or else the batter might turn watery
• Mash the Potates, peas and Spinach together. 
• Add the minced ingredients and the masala powder and adjust salt. Mix well.

• Divide the mixture into equal portions. Shape them each into balls and flatten them inbetween your palms. 
• Roll them over roasted sooji/bread crumbs and Deep fry in Oil.
• Serve hot with Tomato Sauce.

Ingredients : Mawa Peda

To Make Mava/Khoya/Khova

2 Litres of Full Cream Milk ( i used Amul Double Cream Milk)

• Take Milk in a Wide Non-Stick Pan and Boil it. 
• Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame and Continue to boil till it reduces to Khoya/Solidified Milk/Milk Solids. 
• It takes about 2 hours and a Watchful Eye for making this. 
• Keep Stirring frequently to avoid burning and to scrap the solids on the sides of the pan. For this much quantity of milk i got 1 and 1/2 cup of Khoya.

Ingredients : For the Peda

1/2 Cup Khoya/Khova/Solidified Milk

1/4 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Pods of Cardamom, Crushed

Some ghee for Coating your palms

Method

• Take Khoya/Khova/solidified milk and Sugar in pan and add milk to this mixture and keep stirring.
• The Mixture would come together as a mass. Take it off the flame. Let it cool for few minutes.
• Coat your palms with little ghee and pinch the mixture and make small balls out of it and make a small dent in the middle. 
• Garnish it with any nut flakes and Serve.