Modak

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all my readers. Since childhood I have grownup-hearing loads of stories about Lord Ganesh and his favourite Modak. And theres no doubt why Lord Ganesha loves Modak so much and so do all the kids and even me too.  

Modak is sweet dumpling, which can be made with rice flour, wheat flour or all-purpose flour. It can be steamed or deep-fried. In our side in Goa modak is mostly deep-fried.

By practice only we can make better pleats or fluted shape on modaks. Here I have tried my best to show you how to give a shape, but still again even im learning to give a perfect shape.

Ingredients:-

For Outter covering of Modak:

2 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

Salt as per taste

Water to knead the dough

Oil (Optional. I didn’t use it)

For Stuffing:

2½ cup freshly grated coconut

1 1/2 cup grated jaggery (adjust sweetness as per ones sweet tooth)

5 -6 Green cardamoms powdered

Few raisins and broken pieces of cashewnuts

1 tblpsn Khuskhus (Optional)

Method:

1. Take kneading bowl add wheat flour and salt as per the taste and knead till it becomes soft smooth dough. (Dough should be soft like of chapathi dough). Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 - 20 mins. 

2. In another bowl take freshly grated coconut to which add jaggery, cardamom powder, raisins and broken pieces of cashew nuts. Mix it well.

Preparing and Shaping of modaks:

1.    Divide the dough into 4 equal sized balls. Take one dough ball and press it in between the palms to flatten it a bit and coat it nicely with wheat flour.

2.    Place it on a roti making board and roll with the help of rolling pin into a big round chapathi/ shape.

3.    Take a small sharp edge bowl or anything that has its edges sharp and is in circle shape.

4.    Place the sharp edge circle on the rolled out big chapathi and make impression of it by giving slight pressure so that we can remove those small disc later from the big chapathi.

5.    Remove those small disc and keep them in a plate. You will need such 21 small discs if you need to show naivediya to Lord Ganesha.

6.    Gently take one of the disc on your palm. Add the filling in the centre and start pinching the edges of the disc one by one. (This comes by practice, keep doing it, you might not get perfect pleates but you will feel proud that atleast you managed to try to get the shape of modaks). The more you pinch the edges the more pleates you are making for your modak.

7.    Now try bringing the pinched edges all together slowly slowly and taper it at the top. Seal the top of the modak propely or else there are chance of opening while frying them.

8.    Place it on a plate and continue the same process with the rest of the disc. Keep them always covered to prevent them from drying.

9.    Heat the oil in a kadai and deep fry those modaks on medium temperature till they turn nice golden brown in color.

10.  Drain them on kitchen paper napkins and they are ready to serve.

NOTE:

• Do not let the modaks get dried while you are shaping the other disc into modaks.
• They should be fried immediately or make them in small batches to prevent them from getting dried.
• Seal the modaks properly. If theres any opening  all the filling from inside will start coming out which will spoil the oil while frying.

Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is a tangy, thick, soft and velvety cream that can be used as a spread instead of jam. It can be used to fill scones, tarts, pies or in cakes, no bake lemon cheese cakes, etc.

It’s a perfect recipe to use up those extra egg yolks after making meringue, angle food cake, etc.

Ingredients:

2 nos. Large Eggs

150gms Caster Sugar

60ml Fresh Lemon Juice (Do not use bottled lemon juice)

50gms Unsalted butter (At room temperature)

1tblspn Fresh finely shredded lemon zest

Method:

  1. Using the double boiler method (steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water) whisk together eggs, sugar and fresh lemon juice until blended well.

  2. Cook stirring it constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick.

  3.   Add the butter and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted.

  4.   Add the fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice and whisk nicely until well blended.

  5.  Remove from the heat and immediately put the cling wrap on the curd to prevent skin forming on it and refrigerate till it cools.

NOTE:

• This can be preserved up-to 1 week.
• While double boiling the water in the saucepan should be simmering and not boiling. The water should not touch the steel bowl.
• You can also strain the lemon curd once its thick and ready to remove any lumps if they have formed.
• Lemon curd continues to thick as it cool, if you want a lighter curd in texture, add whipped cream to the chilled lemon curd and use it as required.

Red Velvet Sponge Cake

This recipe is sure no fail recipe. And every time I bake using this recipe, results are awesome superr spongy and moist cake. Today I have baked this cake on my families request for a teatime snack with just whipped cream filling. You can also use the same recipe for cup cakes but the baking timings will be for 20 – 25mins. Till the skewer inserted comes out clean. Friends excuse for the poor picture quality.

Ingredients:

100gms Softened Salted butter

90gms Caster sugar

100gms Self raising flour / Maida

2tblpsn Coco powder

2 large eggs

3tblpsn Buttermilk

1tblspn Red food color

1tblpsn Vanilla extract

3/4^th tspn Baking Soda

11/2 tspn White Vinegar

Method:

   1.   Preheat the oven at 170 degree for 20 mins. Grease the cake mould with butter and line them with parchment paper, later dusting them with extra flour. Keep them aside.

   2.   In a mixing bowl sift flour and coco powder and keep it aside.

   3.   In the other mixing bowl beat butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy (For about 2/3 mins).

   4.   Add eggs one at a time and keep beating well after each addition. Now add buttermilk, vanilla extract and red food color and beat until well combined.

   5.   Now add the flour in three batches and mix it using cut and fold method till it is evenly mixed.

   6.   In a small cup combine baking soda and vinegar; the mixture will start fizzing. Add this to the cake batter and fold it nicely.

   7.   Pour the cake batter into the mould and smooth the top with the help of spatula. 

   8.Place the cake in the centre rack and bake it in a preheated oven at 170 degrees for 30-35mins or until the skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

   9.   Cool the cake on wire rack with their pans. After 10mins invert the pan on the wire rack and remove the cake from the pan.

   10.   Once the cake is completely cooled wrap it in cling wrap and place in fridge for 1hr. (This step is done to make the filling and frosting the cake easily).

   11.  I have filled the cake and decorated it with whipped cream.

NOTE:

• If using unsalted butter add 1/4^th tspn salt. I always prefer to use salted butter.
• This recipe can be always doubled.
• Same recipe can be used to make cupcakes.
• Before filling and frosting the cake always brush the cake with simple syrup to keep the cake more soft and spongy.
• If using the convention oven do not ON the fan of the oven just heat the top and bottom coil. To get evenly baked cake.
• Oven temp differs from one oven to other so always keep a eye while baking the cakes.

Imli ki chutney

Tamarind chutney is delicious with samosas, Fritters, or when drizzled over chaats like bhel puri, dahi vada, dahi puri, pani puri, or any kind of chaats.

Ingredients:

100gms cleaned Tamarind

2cups Boiling water

1cup Dates Syrup / Jaggery

2- 3 tblpsn Red Chilly powder

¾ tspn Salt

Method:

  1.   Soak tamarind in boiling water for an hour. Later squeeze out the pulp of tamarind.

  2.   Strain the pulp in a pan. You can add more water if you need thin consistency.

  3.   To this pulp add red chilly powder, salt and dates syrup.

  4.   Keep this pan on the gas and boil nicely.

  5.   Let it cool down to room temperature. Its now ready to serve or fill in the jar.

  6.   This chutney can be served with chaat items, Samosas, Pani puris, etc.

NOTE:

•         Dates syrup/ Sugar/ Jaggery can be added as per ones taste for sweet and sour.
•          This chutney can be filled in jar and stored in fridge for up-to 1 year.
•         Always use dry spoon do not bring it in contact with water or it will get spoiled.