Eggless Choco Chip Cupcakes

Eggless Choco Chip Cupcakes

I somehow can’t seem to stay away from chocolate. After baking a few myriad cakes I simply have to make something chocolaty. This is a very simple choco chip cupcake recipe. The cupcakes will be dark and decadent because we are using cocoa powder as well as choco chips for the extra chocolaty taste. 

The recipe is an eggless one. The required aeration will be given by the curd and baking soda mix. As soon as you mix the wet and dry ingredients you will see the batter become light and fluffy. The baking soda reacts with the acidic yogurt to make the batter light. While baking this will make the cupcakes soft and spongy.

Ingredients

¾ cup flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter

¾ cup milk

¼ cup curd

½ tsp vanilla essence

¼ cup choco chips

For garnish

2 tbsp choco chips

Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.

Add the flour and milk-curd mixture alternately, starting and ending with flour. Mix well after each addition. Add the choco chips. 

As soon as you mix the wet and dry ingredients the baking soda will be activated. Now you have to put the cupcakes to bake as soon as possible.

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Line a cupcake tin with paper cup. Fill the paper cups half way with the batter. Sprinkle some choco chips on top for garnish.

 Bake them for about 25 minutes. 

Chicken Tikka Makhani

Chicken Tikka Makhani

There are many different variations of this dish. When I make it at home I grill the chicken pieces very lightly so they are still succulent and juicy. Cooking them in a tandoor tends to make them a bit dry. It is simmered in a rich tomato gravy and can be eaten with roti, naan, paratha or rice. 

Ingredients 

1 kg chicken, cut into pieces

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste

For the makhni gravy

4 large tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

¼ cup readymade tomato puree

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp kasuri methi

¼ cup cashews, soaked and made into paste

½ cup cream

1 cup milk

1 tbsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

1 tbsp chicken masala powder

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

Marinate the chicken pieces in salt and ginger garlic paste for 2-3 hours. 

Preheat the oven at 220 degrees Celsius. Grill the chicken pieces for 15-20 minutes. Remember to place a drip tray beneath to catch the juices.

Wash the tomatoes. Make small slits on top and put them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Skin the tomatoes and purée them.

Heat some oil in a wok. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté. Now add the tomato purée and cover and cook till all the water evaporates.

Add the ready made tomato purée and tomato ketchup. Sauté for some time.

 Add the garam masala powder, red chilli powder, chicken masala powder, kasuri methi, salt and sugar. Fry well till all the masalas are well incorporated.

Add the cashew paste and stir.

Now add the chicken tikka pieces and mix well. Add some ½ cup water and bring to a boil. As soon as the water starts boiling, lower the flame and start adding the milk. Add the milk in small batches, mixing after each addition. 

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Also add the juices you had collected while the chicken was grilling. Once the chicken is cooked well switch off the flame. Add the cream. Serve garnished with a dollop of cream.

Peanut Chutney

Peanut chutney

There are times when you want some dip or chutney in a jiffy. I usually don’t have any coconut in my kitchen until and unless I plan before hand. This peanut chutney is appreciated every time.

Ingredients

1 cup peanuts, roasted and skinned

1 small onion, chopped

1 small tomato, chopped

3 garlic pods, chopped

2 tbsp curd

Salt to taste

Heat some oil. Add the chopped onions, tomatoes and garlic and fry for some time. Put together peanuts, onion mix, curd and salt in a mixer and blend to a smooth paste. The mixture will be thick. Add some water depending on how liquid you want your chutney to be. 

Khoya mushroom

Khoya mushroom

Mushrooms enveloped in the creamy seduction of khoya..an unusual combination but one that totally works.

Ingredients

2 cup green peas, boiled

300 gms mushrooms, sliced

100 gms khoya

¼ cup cashews

¼ cup curd

1 tsp turmeric powder

 2 tsp Kashmiri reed chili powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala

Pinch of sugar

Salt to taste

Make a paste of

2 onions

2 tomatoes

5 garlic pods

Small piece of ginger

Make the paste using a little water if required.

Heat some oil. Fry the paste till the water evaporates. 

Add the spices, khoya, salt and sugar. Sauté well till the khoya is well mixed. 

Now add the mushrooms and peas. Sauté till the masala coats the mushrooms evenly. 

Add some water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about ten minutes. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

Microwave Aloo Matar Biryani

Microwave Aloo Matar Biryani

I am a bookworm. I horde books and that includes lots of cookery books. However it is true that you always remember your first one..:)

I have had a passion for cooking ever since I was a child. I used to cut recipes out of my mom’s magazines and save them in a secret diary I had. But as I was never allowed to cook much I didn't really get the hang of it till much later on. 

The first cookery book I owned was after marriage when my husband bought one for me. It was about microwave cookery. Though I don’t use that book or don’t cook in the microwave now, I still have that book with me. Rifling through my book collection I chanced upon that very same book. It made me so very nostalgic. 

So, in fond memory of those days, I decided to make Microwave Aloo Matar Biryani.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups basmati rice, washed and soaked

2 onioins, chopped

3 garlic pods, chopped

Small piece of ginger, chopped

½ cup green peas

2 potatoes, cubed

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 bay leaf

3 green cardamoms

3 cloves

6 peppercorns

Small piece of cinnamon

Take a microwave proof bowl and add some oil to it. Add the whole spices like cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, green cardamoms and peppercorns. Micro high for 1 minutes.

 Add the chopped onion, ginger and garlic and micro high for 4 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, peas, cumin powder, garam masala powder and little salt. 

Cover with a lid and micro high for 5 minutes. Remember to stir once in between. 

Drain the rice and add to the mix. Stir well so that the rice is evenly distributed. Add about 2 ½ cups of water. Add some more salt. 

Now cover and micro high for 10 minutes. Check once. Micro high another 8-10 minutes. check again. The power output of all microwaves are different so you have to keep checking the rice to see if it is done. 

Salad Trio

Salad Trio

Its hot. Its sticky. The only food you feel like having is something light and cool. These salads are just right for the summer months giving not only sustenance but also keeping you healthy.

Fruit Salad

250 gms grapes, halved
2 apples, chopped
2 bananas, chopped
2 cups pomegranate 
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp kala namak/black salt

Mix all the fruits. Add the chaat masala, lemon juice and black salt. 

Sprouted Moong Salad

1 cup moong dal, sprouted

½ cup chopped cabbage

½ cup chopped cucumber

½ cup chopped onions

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Mix all. Refrigerate before serving.

Pasta Salad

2 cups penne pasta, boiled

2 tbsp olives, halved

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

½ cup hung curd

3 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp fresh cream

2 tbsp Thousand Island Dressing (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together hung curd, mayonnaise, fresh cream, Thousand Island, salt and pepper. Add the pasta and bell pepper. Chill.

Orange Pound Cake

Orange Pound Cake

What do you do when life gives you lemons? You make lemonade, right!! But what do you do when life does not give you lemons, to make your Lemon Pound Cake? The lemons I get in the market here are the size of marbles and hopeless when it comes to grating zest. So I have to forego all those lime n lemony cakes and tarts and biscuits.

So I decided to make an Orange Pound Cake, not that it is going to be any easier. The grandma oranges I get have wrinkled skin and again no zesting.

But where there is a will there is a way!! Or you make a way!! I had some candied orange peels left over from my Christmas Cake. Sure grated zest is nicer, fresher, tastier..but like I said if life does not give you oranges you use canned orange juice. Yup that is my next cheat’s ingredient, Orange juice. Not going to use those grandma oranges at all!!

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¾ cup butter

¾ cup milk

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Some candied orange peels

50 ml orange juice (I have used half of a small tetra pack)

Preheat oven at 160 degrees Celsius.

Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs in three batches, mixing well after each batch.

Add half the milk, mix, and then add half the flour. Add the candied peels and juice. Mix again. Now add the rest of the milk and flour and fold in gently.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured tin. Gently bang the sides to level the batter in the tin. 

Bake for 60 minutes. 

Test with a tooth pick. If required bake 10-15 more minutes.

Once the cake is done leave it on a rack to cool. 

Amazing Peanut Dip

Amazing Peanut Dip

This is a sweet, sour and tangy dip that you can have with anything, momos, kebabs, pakodas, you name it.

Ingredients

½ cup roasted peanuts

¼ cup coconut

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

 1 tbsp red chilli powder

 Salt to taste

1 tbsp butter

3 pods garlic, crushed

1 small onion, chopped

½ cup milk

1 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp soya sauce

Grind together peanuts, coconut, salt, chilli, cumin seeds and coriander powder in a mixer.

Heat the butter. Sauté the crushed garlic and add the onion. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the peanuts mix and sauté for some time. 

Slowly add the milk, soya sauce and lemon juice. Simmer on low heat till semi dry.