Tag: snack

Butter Biscuits

I love biscuits that are very light flavored, so I thought of baking something easy like the butter biscuit. I had this at Texas Chicken and I loved the idea of making it on my own. This recipe is similar to the recipe I found in allrecipes.com of Kentucky biscuits but I made some adjustments in the ingredients.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Makes: 13

Ingredients

Parchment paper for lining the tray

Top flour/Cake flour/Self raising flour – 2 cups

Baking powder – 1 tbsp

Cream of tartar – 3/4 tsp (see notes for a substitute)

Unsalted butter (solid cubes) or vegetable shortening – 1/2 cup, 4 oz

 

Milk – 2/3 cup

Sugar – 3 tsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp

 

For Brushing the biscuits:

Melted unsalted butter – 1/8 cup or 2 tbsp

Honey – 1/3 cup

melted butter and honey mixture for brushing the butter biscuits

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 200 degree Celsius. Coat a 12”x 8” (can use a bigger size) rectangular tray with butter and line with parchment paper. Grease the paper lightly with butter.

2. In medium bowl add the sifted flour, baking powder, solid butter cubes, salt and cream of tartar. Mix with your hands until crumbly.

preparing the mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and butter

3. Pour milk and knead to make a dough by pushing the dough down and out until it gets less sticky for 5 minutes.

dough for butter biscuit

4. Scoop out the dough by tablespoons and roll into balls. Space the balls 11/2 inches apart on baking sheet. Brush the balls with the melted butter and honey mixture.

balls of dough for butter biscuit

5. Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 – 15 minutes.

6. Bake until golden brown or until puffy. Remove the tray out of the oven and brush again with melted butter and honey.

Fresh butter biscuit from the oven

Butter Biscuit

 

Note:

*If you do not have cream of tartar just substitute fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.

 

 

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Jackfruit Fritters (Mangalorean Cuisine)

Jackfruit  is an exotic produce popularly found in South India. If you haven’t heard of this fruit before, you sure must be wondering what in the world is that and how does it look like?  Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the whole jackfruit to share but will surely post it here when I do. It is extremely delicious, sweet and chewy. I have known of 2 varieties: One variety has a harder flesh with crunchiness. The other variety is very soft, stringy, juicy and slips easily through your fingers as you hold them. One can just swallow without biting.

I grew up in my native with these 2 varieties of Jackfruit trees in my granny’s yard. We rarely ate the softer jackfruits during those days. We used to just sit down for lunch with a big jackfruit and eat it until we became full.  My granny and mom are experts in cutting open a Jackfruit and it is a laborious one as it gets very messy because of its sticky white fluid that oozes from its core. To cut it,  a traditional Mangalorean Implement  called ”Adalo” in Konkani, which is a small stool that is attached to a sickle at one narrow end, is commonly used to cut big fruits or vegetables that would be usually hard to cut with a hand held knife.

I prepared Jackfruit Fritters (also called as Ponsache Gariyo in Konkani) from rice grains, a traditional way my mom used to make during the season of jackfruits. Also, make sure to check out my previous post on Banana fritters in case you haven’t which can be prepared using flour. Jackfruit fritters are brown and crispy on the outside. The inside is yellow and soft, full of fruity sweet flavor. You can double the ingredients for more fritters.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Makes: 15 – 20

Ingredients

Raw rice/white small grain + dosa/idli rice or Surai – 1/4 cup (mixed together in equal proportion)

Jackfruit – 280 g / 10 bulbs

Cardamom pod – 1, seeds to be used

Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp

Jaggery cubes – 50g, powdered (for sweetness as required)

Pinch of Salt

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions

1. Soak the raw rice and dosa rice mixed together covered in water for 2 hours.

Raw rice, ponni rice

Raw rice

idli rice, surai

Idli rice or Surai

2.Remove the seeds from the jackfruit bulbs.

jackfruit

Place the jaggery cubes in a zip lock bag and pound them to fine powder.

jaggery cubes

jaggery mash

3. Combine the rice, jackfruit, cardamom seeds and puree in a blender until smooth.

Jacfruit

Jacfruit batter

4. Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl. Add coconut, jaggery, salt and mix until well combined.

coconut

palm sugar, jaggery

2. Heat oil in wok on medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a pinch of batter. If it bubbles around then its hot enough.

oil

Now, drop in a tablespoon of batter. Cook several at a time, but do not overcrowd the wok or the temperature of the oil will be lowered. Flip the them after it turns slightly brown until it turns golden brown let it cook. Lower the heat and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve warm

Jacfruit Fritters

Jacfruit Fritters

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Pineapple, Honey and Pistachio Flapjacks

It’s been a while since my last post. I have been out of town and hence didn’t find time to post. So, hold your horses, because soon I will be posting about my getaway experience.

Now since I’m back, after settling in, I tried this delicious easy snack, flapjacks recipe like an oat bar which makes it simply the best and perfect recipe to try out for family and kids with a fantastic combination of buttery sweetness that gives it a heavenly taste. It is crispy and chewy, good for all-time lunchtime or tea time snack. You can add any fruits, nuts and still get a great taste.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Dried pineapple – 90 g

Pistachio nuts – 40 g

Rolled oats – 120 g

dry fruit, pistachio, oats

Unsalted butter – 160 g, plus extra for greasing

Brown Sugar – 160 g

Honey – 2 tbsp

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius / 325 deg F.

2. Put the butter, brown sugar and honey in a small saucepan. Heat on medium until melted for 3-4 minutes.

brown sugar,honey, butter

3. Into a mixing bowl, tip the oats, dried pineapple and pistachio. Pour over the melted melted butter mixture and stir to combine.

dry fruit, pistachio, oats

Dried pineapple, oats and pistachio nuts

butter, brown sugar, honey

Melted butter, brown sugar and honey

4. Tip the above mixture into a 12”x 8”- rectangular greased and lined with parchment paper baking tray. Press down to flatted the surface. Bake for 30 minutes, at 160 degree Celsius or until golden brown.

flapjacks

5. Remove baking tray from the oven and cool in tray until crisp. Slice the flapjacks into desired pieces and serve.

Pineapple, Honey and Pistachio Flapjacks

 

 

Storing

*Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

 

 

 

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Baked Jaggery Pancake Muffin

I love this version of baked muffin, as it gave me a taste of all the flavors of snacks we used to have as a kid and even now. The main components being jaggery and cinnamon, is just a lovely combination! It’s an evening snack recipe, easy to prepare in less than an hour.

In South Indian Mangalorean cuisine, the same recipe is used to make “Appa” (pancake balls) traditionally  prepared during festive seasons mostly by the Hindu households. It is sweet and light. It is cooked/steamed on a stove top in a aebleskiver pan, with a distinctive shape of a sphere.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 7 minutes

Makes: 6

Required Appliance: Electric Blender

Ingredients

Beaten rice – 1/4 cup

Jaggery – 1/4 cup, pounded into small pieces

Fresh grated coconut – 1/4 cup, (can use desiccated coconut, if fresh coconut is not available)

Salt – 1/8 tsp

Baking powder – 1/4 tsp, (or baking soda 1/8 tsp)

Coarse semolina – 1 tbsp

Cardamom pods – 1, seeds crushed

Chapathi flour – 1/2 cup, if necessary can add more

Ghee to coat the pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 200 degree Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Place the beaten rice in a strainer and wash under cold running water so that the beaten rice flakes are wet and soft. Tap to strain excess water.

beaten rice

3. Now, using an Electric blender, add the beaten rice, jaggery, coconut and salt with 1/4 cup (75 ml) water. Blend for 2 mins to form a thick batter.

beaten rice, jaggery, coconut

batter

4. Transfer the batter to a bowl  and add  1/4 cup water into the blender to recover the rest of the batter. Pour this into the bowl.

5. Stir in the baking powder, semolina, cardamom. Gradually, stir in the chapathi flour mixing between each addition.

baking powder, batter

Batter, semolina

cardamom, batter

Batter, flour

6. Make a thick batter of pouring consistency. After they are well combined. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Baked Jaggery Muffin

7. Prepare the muffin pan by brushing it with ghee.

muffin pan, cup cake tray, ghee

8. After 30 minutes, pour the batter into the pan and insert it into the middle of the oven. Bake at 200 degree Celsius for 10 minutes or until you see it starts browning. Remove it out of the oven and flip them upside down. Place the tray back in the oven and bake for another 2 minutes.

batter

9. Remove the pan out of the oven. Carefully remove the each muffin and place it on a serving plate to cool. It tastes good when it is hot or cold. Enjoy!

Baked Jaggery Muffin
After the flip
Baked Jaggery Muffin

Note

*Double the ingredients if you want to prepare more quantity of muffins.

*I used Pillsbury ‘Chakki Atta’ (Indian chapathi flour) for this recipe.

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Banana Fritters

Have you ever had this feeling when you crave for certain food, you get homesick and just want to grab certain food from your imagination and quell hunger? Well, I got hungry and saw these over-ripe bananas languishing in my fruit box which brought me into making banana fritters for tea.

Fritters are popularly used with a variety of fruits and vegetables which are usually deep fried.

Preparation time:  10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Makes: 25

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Mashed Ripe Banana – 3 long

All-Purpose Flour –  1 1/2 cup

Grated coconut – 3 tbsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Sugar – 1 1/2 tbsp

Rice Flour – 1/2 cup

Water – 1 cup 

 

Directions

1. Place the coconut, flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, rice flour into a deep container.

salt, all-purpose flour

Add all-purpose flour, salt

sugar

Add sugar

Baking powder

Baking powder

Rice flour

Rice flour

2. Pour the mashed banana into the flour mixture. Add water and mix till well combined to make a thick batter.

banana mash

banana mixture

Add banana mash and water

banana fritter mixture

3. Fill a deep-fry pan with enough vegetable oil for deep frying. Turn it on to medium heat  and leave it to heat (see notes for details).

4. Drop a tablespoon of the banana mix into the oil, and fry up to 5 or 6 at a time on medium heat (make sure not to add too much mixture as it will puff up slightly while it cooks). Keeping an eye on them, turn with a slotted spoon for a few times until they turn golden brown on each side.

deep-fry

deep-fry

Remove and drain on kitchen towels to remove excess oil. Repeat the process until all the mixture is used.

 

5. Serve warm , or let it cool completely. 

banana fritters

 

Storage suggestion

+ Store in airtight container at room temperature and use within a day

 

 

Note

*To check if the oil is hot enough, take a pinch of the mixture and drop it in the oil, it should sizzle with bubbles surrounding it.

 

 

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Cocoa Easy Cake

No matter what level of baker you are, this  quick and easy cake recipe can be done in a matter of few minutes. No butter, no eggs, no milk, no whipping! It has a dense texture.

The first time I prepared this cocoa flavored cake it was on my husband’s birthday. It was my first cake with cocoa, the ingredient which acts as a mood elevator and  natural antidepressant.

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Bake : 35 minutes

 

Ingredients

Baking pan 20 cm (8 inch)

All-purpose flour – 1  1/2 cup

Unsweetened Cocoa powder – 3 Tbsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Granulated sugar – 1 cup

Table salt – 1/4 tsp

White vinegar – 1 tsp

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Vegetable oil – 5 Tbsp

Water – 1 Cup

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius ( 340 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease the baking pan with butter and then line with parchment paper. Sprinkle some flour evenly.

2. In a bowl add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix with a spoon. 

all-purpose flour

cocoa powder, salt, sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder

cocoa powder mixture

3. Now, pour white vinegar, vanilla extract, vegetable oil and water. Mix well until the there are no lumps in the mixture. 

white vinegar, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, mixture

 

Cocoa Crazy Cake

4. Pour the above mixture into the prepared baking tray. Tap the tray for an bubbles trapped inside. Bake at 170 degree Celsius for 35 minutes. 

baking tray

5. Once its baked, remove it out of the oven to cool on a rack until its completely cooled before serving (Check if its baked by inserting a skewer at the center).

Step5_IMG_2880

 

 

Serving suggestion

+ Since I prefer less sweetness, plain was just perfect for me. Just like a brownie.

+ if you wish, topping it with a chocolate frosting gives it a rich flavor.

+ For a mid- afternoon snack

 

Note:

* Using  a smaller baking tray would turn it into a nice thicker cake.

 

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