About me

I am a fun loving girl who likes to be around a group of friends all the time. After moving  with hubby I started missing being around the loved ones a lot and it started driving me crazy and thats when I came up with this hobby to keep me occupied and busy ! Eventhough I have been blogging for more than 5 years now, I took a big 2 years break in between when motherhood embraced me, now my little boy is 4 1/2 years old and is  keeping me busy all the time but nonetheless I have taken up blogging bit more seriously and I am trying hard to be regular with blog posts :)

When I started my life with hubby almost  8 years ago, little did I know about cooking and on contarty he who has been living a bachelor life for a long time abroad was a better cook than me and  I should say he was my first cooking guru ! But once I learnt few basic things from him he handed over the kitchen to me and slowly I picked up the pace. I started exploring different cuisines,baking  and now cake decoration has become my new passion.On the otherhand  my cooking guru had become little  lazy now and getting him to kitchen to cook something  is not easy these days :) My lil one has already started showing interest in cooking and always wants to help me with cooking although I try to keep him in bay to avoid the mess in my kitchen !

Talking about the recipes I post in my blog, it has all been tried and tested by me and I only post the recipes which comes out well and ofcourse taste good too.So dont be hesitant if u want to try a recipe from here :) And  if u ever try a recipe from here and please do let me know how you liked it :)

Photography is something which I started experimenting very rescently .Upon my constant demand my hubby gifted me with a Canon DSLR 600 D camera and a canon 50 mm f 1.8 lens in January (2013) and I am loving my camera so much now.

If you would like to know anything else or would like to get in touch with me do write to me at vineethasush@gmail.com

Cheers
Vineetha

Cauliflower kheema / Gobi Kheema

 

 

 

Long time ago while  watching a cookery show in TV, the presenters Hairy bikers were trying to promote the veggies the Brits ignored and I was suprised to see cauliflower among the veggies they were trying to save as they  dont sell well in Britian as people here preferred  Broccoli ,the closest relative of cauliflower over it. In my case eventhough  I  preferred cauliflower over broccoli we too were not  picking up cauliflower often like broccoli and the show really made me think about it and now cauliflower is always there in our weekly shopping bag :) Thanks to the show !

 

Ingredients (Serves 5-6  )
 

Cauliflower - 1 large

Onion - 1 large

Tomatoes - 2  medium

Ginger - garlic paste - 1tbs

Frozen or fresh Green peas - 1/2 cup

Whole garama masala

 Cinnamom stick - 1 inch stick

Cloves - 2 no

Cardamom - 2 nos

Bayleaf - 1

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp

Aniseed - 1

Kashmiri Redchilly powder -1 tbs

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbs

Garam masala powder - 1tsp

Salt

 Coriander leaves

Method

1.Grate the cauliflower and keep aside.

 2.In a wok add some oil/ghee and fry the grated cauliflower for about 10 minutes until it turns light brown colour.

3.In a saucepan add some oil and sputter cumin and fennel seeds and add whole garam masala's and saute for 1-2 minutes.

4.Add finely chopped onions and saute until light brown.

5.Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1- 2 minutes.

6.Add finely chopped tomatoes,spice powder and cook until tomatoes are mushy.

7.Add frozen green peas and cook for 2-3 minutes.

8.Finally add sauted  cauliflower and cook for 5-10 minutes and garnish with corainder leaves.

Serve with some rice/roti  and dal :)

Tomato rice

 

Simple and quick recipes like this are always a blessing  especially for packed lunch box. I was never   a  tomato fan all my life but still I love this rice. I was inroduced to this recipe by one of my friend about 2 years ago and has been making this every now and then and now even  my liking towards tomato is  changing, I am learning to love tomato based dishes :)

 

Ingredients

 

Rice - 1 cup

Onion - 1/2 of an onion

Tomatoes - 4 small
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tbs

Curry leaves - few

Redchilly powder - 11/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Raisins - fistful

Salt

 

Method

1.Cook rice and keep it aside.

2.In a wok add some oil and sputter mustard seeds followed by urad dal.

3.Add curry leaves ,chopped onions and saute till onion are soft.

4.Add Chopped tomatoes,spice powder , salt and cook until tomatoes are mushy.

5.Add some raisins and stir for 1-2 minutes.

6Add cooked rice ,mix  well and turn of the flame.

 

Vanilla cake with Strawberry mousse and White chocolate ganache ...

 

First of all let me say a big thank u to all my FB friends who wished me for my special day and those who havent got a clue  what I am talking about ..let me explain. I grew one more year older yesterday and to celebrate the day  I baked this cake for me ....Baking our own birthday cake may sound silly right ? But if there was somebody to bake a cake for me I wouldnt have botherd to bake a cake for myself, jabbers apart I thoroughly enjoyed  baking it as well as eating it and so did S and my  lil one.

 

When I planned to bake this cake I was a bit confused which filling to choose for the cake  and the when I posted about my dilemma in  my FB page , my fellow blogger friends came to the rescue...thanks friends ! So filling was finalised and Manju from Manju's eating delights even  shared her idea how to decorate it..she is a  great friend indeed ! Those who havent been to her space do check her space out, she has some wonderful recipes and beautiful cakes in her blog ! 

 

Coming back to the cake, it was 2 layered  vanilla cake with strawberry mousse filling and White chocolate ganache frosting with drizzles of melted chocolate and swrils of fresh cream topped with strawberries...Decorating it is as easy as it sounds !

 

 

Ingredients for vanilla cake
Plain flour (maida) - 1 1/2 cup
Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup(softened)
Eggs  -2(large )
Sugar -1 cup
Baking powder - 1 3/4 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Preparation

1.Sift flour,baking powder,salt and keep aside.
2.In a bowl beat butter for 1-2 minutes.
3.Add sugar and beat again until fluffy .
4. Break eggs in bowl a beat it lighly with a spoon.

5.With beater running add the eggs little by little to the butter-sugar mixture.

6.Add vanilla extract and beat again.

7.Now add flour and milk alternately and fold in beginning and ending with flour.
8.Pour the batter into to two 8 inch greased pan dusted with some flour and bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

9.Cool the cake completely  in a wire rack.

 

Ingredients for Strawberry mousse ( recipe adapted from here and here )

 

1.Egg yolks - 3

2.Milk - 3/4 cup

3.Double cream - 3/4 cup

4.Sugar  - 1/2 cup

5.Vanilla extract - 1tbs

6.Corn flour - 3 tbs

7.Strawberry puree - 3/4 cup

8.Gelatin - 1/2 tbs

9.Water - 4 tbs

 

Method

1.In a large mixing bowl add egg yolks ,sugar,corn flour,vanilla extract and whisk it until sugar is dissolved .

2.In a saucepan add milk and cream on a low flame and when it starts to boil switch of the flame.

3.Add the hot milk cream mixture to the egg very slowly with one hand  and continously strirring with other hand ,this is to make sure that egg doesnt get  scrambled  !

4.Once all the milk is added pour everything back to the saucepan and on a very low heat cook it by continously stirring it with a whisk or spoon until the custard gets thick.

5.Seive the custard to get a smooth custard .

6.Cover and chill the custard, meanwhile puree the srawberries .

7.Melt gelatin in a microwave adding 4 tbs of water for about 30 seconds and add this to strawberry puree.

8.Add strawberry puree to custard and chill well.

9.Place the starwberry custard in a electric mixer and   beat it  for 2-3 minutes on high speed  ,it will become light and fluffy as it has cream in it.

10.Chill it again until its ready to use.( This is delicious dessert too, so if u r tasting it be careful ,u wont be able to stop yourself from eating it and u may end up with very less filling for the cake ! )

 

 

 

Ingredients for white chocolate ganache

 

Double cream - 100ml

White chocolate - 100gms ( I used Greens and Black's)

Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Butter - 1 tbs

Method

1.In a pan simmer the double cream  when it starts to bubble,turn of the heat.

2.Add the chocolate,once the chocolate has melted add vanilla extract ,butter and give it a good mix and allow it to cool.

 

Assembling and decorating the cake

1.Place the first cake on a cake stand /board and spread the strawberry mousse on top .

2.Place the second cake on top of it and cover the whole cake with white chocolate ganache.

3.Melt some chocolate in a microwave and pour it into a piping bag and gently snip the edge of the piping bag and do some randon drizzles on top of the cake,also draw a border with it and allow the chocolate to drizzle from the top to the bottom leaving some gap in between.

4.Whip some whipping cream and pipe some swirls on the middle and the borders and place the strawberries as u like and decorate.

 

 

 

Tadka Dal

  

       

Ingredients

Toor dal - 3/4 cup
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
Ginger -garlic paste - 1 tbs
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Green chilly -3 

Kasoori methi - 1 tsp( gently heat it in a pan until warm to touch and then crush it into powder)
Salt
Water
Coriander leaves

For tadka
Mustard seeds -  1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Finely chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Whole red chilly -2
Curry leaves

Method
1.In a saucepan add little oil and saute onions until light brown..
2.Add ginger garlic paste, chopped green chillies  and fry for 1-2 minute.
3.Add chopped tomatoes, all the spice powders and cook until raw smell goes.
4. Meanwhile pressure cook the soaked dal for 1-2 whistles. Do not over cook the dal. 

5.Add cooked dal to masala and boil for 5-10 mins.  Add in kasoori methi  powder and let the dal boil for another minute or so. Remove from fire.

6.For tadka add some oil in pan and sputter mustard seeds, followed by jeera, add ginger and once they are fried add whole red chillies and curry leaves.
6.Add tadka to dal and garnish with some coriander leaves.

Godhambu puttu / Wheat puttu ...finest godhambu puttu ever !

 

 

I have posted the godhambu puttu recipe long time ago and I was sticking to that recipe until  my mum in law showed me a new technique to make the finest puttu ever with the help of mixie /blender ! I was always a fan of rice puttu and always preferred that one over godhambu  puttu but this finest puttu has changed me and now anytime I prefer this one over rice puttu..its soft, yummy and very filling !

Posting this recipe  has been a challenge for me till today for many reasons, either it will be too late for clicking it as breakfast is always in a hurry or there wont be any light if my breakfast is ready on time but today being a weekend we all woke up late and luckily sun is coming out reasonably early so I had enough time to click it  !

 

 

Ingredients (serves 3 )

 

Wheat flour - 2 1/4 cup

Boling water - 1 cup

Salt

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

 

Method

 

1.Boil water by  adding salt .

2.Add the wheat flour to the boiling water and stir until its mixed properly.Let it cool down.

3.In a mixie/blender add the flour and give it a pulse until its becomes fine , if you find its a bit sticky add little flour and pulse again.

4.In a puttu maker add a thin layer of grated coconut on the bottom add the flour and repeat the layers with grated coconut and flour.I usually make 3 layers.

 

 

5.Steam it  for 3-5 minutes.

 

This is the puttu maker I use , I steam it over my pressure cooker !

 

 

Cupcake cake pops

Cake pops are always a hit among kids especially for kids parties. My friend Z was so impressed with them when I made them for my lil ones party last year asked me to the same for her lil ones party, so along with the birthday cake which I did   last week (my last post ) , I also made 35 cake pops for the party. I did cake pops in two ways one was just round ones and other was this cupcake cake pops and wrapped them in plastic covers and tied them with a ribbon !

 

To make these I shaped the cake balls like a log and pressed it genlty with a steel flower cutter to get a cupcake liner shape in the bottom and then dipped  them in melted chocolate and inserted the lolly stick dipped in chocolate to that end and once they were dry I  dipped the other end in pink candymelts and sprinkled some decorations.