Double layered chocolate cake

Chocolate Cake topped with strawberry and mango slices

INGREDIENTS

for cake

1 cup milk
1 cup black coffee
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs

step by step pics of making cake

Recipe for cake :-

• In medium bowl, pour black coffee(hot) over cocoa, and whisk until smooth.
• Keep aside.Let mixture cool.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt,set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at time,(thats very important) then stir in vanilla.
• Add the flour mixture alternately, beat in.
• now add the cocoa and coffee mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans
• Spread batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Ingredients for icing

1 cup semi sweet cooking chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
2 tblspn sugar
4 tblspn fresh cream
1 teaspoon dry cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tblspn milk or coffee
water for boiling

Recipe for chocolate icing :-

Boil water in a pan and put a bowl over the boiling water pan.(double boiler).
Melt the chocolate over the double boiler.
stir in cocoa then butter
take out from the heat.
Now add sugar.
Add milk or coffee(mixture will be very thick) until desired consistency is achieved.

for garnishing u need

10 strawberry(cut in half)
mango slices
some chocolate (any)

Now the icing or frosting of the cake

• Take a serving platter where u want to place your cake.
• Take four short strips of waxed paper and place them in a square on your serving plate. Carefully place one cake layer on the waxed paper. Using about 1 cup of the frosting, spread frosting over the top of the layer
• Place the second layer on top of the frosting, aligning the edges.
• Using a spatula spread frosting on the sides of the cake.
• Finish frosting the top of the cake.
• Keep the cake in the refrigerator for 2 min.
• Take out from the fridge.
• Now place the strawberries and mango slices on the top of the cake as shown in the pic.
• Carefully pull out the waxed paper strips.put it back in the refrigerator.
• Your cake is ready!!
• Enjoy!!!

Tips:-

• when making cake use buttermilk instead of milk this will give you more fluffiness.
• always add the flour mixture alternately.
• let the cake cool completely then do the frosting.
• If your frosting is thick then add liquid, if thin add sugar.

Rice kheer with jaggery(payesh)

Rice kheer with jaggery(payesh)

This is a very simple Bengali recipe of kheer.Here i used Palm jaggery(you can use normal jaggery too ), and low fat milk.So you can say that this is a low fat kheer. :)

You need:-

1liter milk
1/4 cup of basmati rice(or normal one)
(soaked in water for 10-15 min.)
1/2-3/4 cup palm jaggery
1/2 tspn cardamom powder
almonds and cashews
(roasted)

Recipe:-

• Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan,bring to a boil.
• Add rice,stir continuously.
• Simmer until milk has been reduce by half and rice is fully done.
• Add jaggery and nuts, cook for few min.
• Add cardamom powder.
• Check for sweetness.
• decorate with nuts.
• serve as u desire (i like chilled one ).

Tips:-

• Use full fat milk that will enhance the taste of kheer.
• Always check for sweetness.

Kofta Curry(potato+raw banana)

Kofta Curry

Kofta is a very well known dish in India which can be cooked in different type of curries.
making kofta is simple and one good thing is that you can use any vegetable to make kofta.
Here I have Raw banana and potato's kofta which is cooked in a mild gravy.It taste great with paratha, naan ,tandoori roti or jeera rice.So here is the recipe......Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

For Kofta:-

1 raw banana(boiled and mashed)
2 potato (boiled and mashed)
1/4 onion (chopped finely)
1/2 cup grated paneer(cheese)
1 green chili
2-4 tblspn gram flour(besan)
1/4 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn red chili powder
1/2 tspn garam masala
coriander leaves (chopped)
salt to taste
oil for frying

Making koftas:-

• Put all the Ingredients in large bowl and mix well.
• divide each into equal portion and make small balls.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Deep fried these ball till golden brown.
• take out from oil and put it on a paper towel to soak its extra oil.

Ingredients for gravy:-

1/2 onion
2 green chili
1" ginger
2 garlic
1 tspn cashew
2 tspn poppy seeds(khus-khus)
3/4 tspn cumin
2 tspn coriander powder
1 tspn chili powder
1 tspn garam masala
1 tspn turmeric powder
salt to taste
2 tomato (boiled n grind separately)
2 tblspn fresh cream
2 tblspn oil

Making gravy:-

• Grind all the ingredients for gravy into smooth paste(except tomato)
• heat oil in a pan.put gravy paste into it and fry for 6-7 min.
• Now add boiled tomato gravy,fry until oil separates from gravy(on medium heat).
• Add water according to consistency of gravy required.
• Boil for 7-8 min.add fresh cream
• Add kofta boil for 2 more min.
• Take out in serving dish. garnish with fresh cream and coriander.
• serve hot with jeera rice or paratha or naan or tandoori roti with raita and salad.

Tips:-

• always add koftas to gravy just before serving.

Corn and green peas Chaat

Corn and green peas Chaat

This a very chatpata and easy to make recipe.
Have your ingredients ready then it will take only 5 min to make.

Ingredients

1 Can sweet corn
1 Cup dry green peas
1 Medium onion(chopped finely)
1 Green chili
1 Medium tomato(chopped finely)
2 tblspn tamarind chutney
2 tspn green chutney
1 lime
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tspn red chili powder
coriander leaves n pudian leaves
(for garnishing)
1/2 tspn black salt
salt to taste
1 tspn oil

Recipe:-

• Soak green peas in water for 3-4 hr.
• Boil green peas with salt until tender.
• Take a bowl, mix all the other ingredients.
• garnish with coriander leaves n pudina leaves
• Serve Fresh.

Tips:-

• you can use black pepper powder instead of red chili powder.
• You can add some more vegetables too.Like (shredded carrot,cabbage etc.)
• If you are using corn instead of canned corn then boil the corn with salt then use it.

Bread Ball

Bread Ball

Ingredients

1 medium loaf bread
1/4 cup curd (preferable sour curd)
1/4 cup gram flour (besan)
4 Green Chillies (chopped)
2 tbsps. Carrot (grated)
2 tbsps. Cabbage (finely chopped)
1/4 Onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp. Ginger (grated)
2 tbsps. Coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2 tspn chili powder
1/2 tspn hing
Salt to taste
Vegetable Oil for frying

Recipe:-

• Remove the top crust of loaf, crumble the loaf into very small pcs.
• Add curd and little water to soak the bread. leave for 2 hr.
• add all the other ingredients together and mix well.
• Make small balls out of the mixture
• Heat oil and drop a these balls into hot oil.
• Deep Fry until golden brown n crispy.
• Serve hot with sauce.

Matar dhokla

Matar dhokla

peas 1 cup
ginger 1 inch
green chili 1 or 2

• Grind peas ,ginger and chili together
• Mix with the ingredients of Instant Dhokla
• And make just like Instant Dhokla

Methi Arvi(arbi)

Methi Arvi(arbi)

Arvi might not be everyone's favorite but if properly made, it can give a pretty good competition to any other vegetable.
Today I have "methi arvi" for you.
2 main ingredients for this recipe is.....Arvi (arbi)and Methi
Here goes the recipe.Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:-

• 7-8 medium sized Arvi(half boiled) peeled and cut into 1" thick slices
• methi (chopped finely)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
• 1 tbsps cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 1 tsp dry raw mango powder (amchoor)
• 1 tsp of garam masala powder
• coriander leaves
• oil to fry
• salt or to taste

recipe:-

• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin green chili . When they splutter, first add arvi fry for 2 min.then add onions,salt and turmeric and let it cook for 2 min.
• Now add chopped methi.
• Add all the spices (dhaniya powder,chili powder,garam masala and amchur).mix together
• Let it cook till arvi is golden brown.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with chapati and tadka daal.or with rice and daal.

Bread Roll

This is my recipe of bread ball.its a evening snack which is made of bread and mashed potato in oval shape and deep fried in vegetable oil serve with green chutney or tomato sauce
i hope u will enjoy this.

Ingredients-

For Filling

boiled n mashed potato
(3-4 medium size)
1/4 cup green peas
1/2 m. size onion(chopped)
1 /4tspn garam masala
1/4 tspn turmeric powder
1/4 tspn red chili powder
1/4 tspn cumin
1 geen chilli
chopped coriander leaves
amchur (mango) powder
(optional)
salt to taste
1 tspn oil

thick Bread slices as needed
(8-10)
1cup water
1/4 cup milk
oil for deep frying

Recipe:-

• Heat 1 tspn oil in a pan, add cumin,green chili and chopped onion.Fry over a medium head for 1 min.
• Then add mashed potato and peas.
• Add red chili powder,turmeric powder,garam masala,mango powder,salt and let it cook for 3-4 min.add coriander leaves. take out from the pan and cool it.
• Now take a bowl and mix the 1 cup water and 1/4 cup milk.
• Soak bread slices in water(+milk) and squeeze gently by pressing the bread slices between the palm.
• Take 2 tspn of potato mixture and put it in center of the bread slice and seal the edges of the bread in such a way that the filling does not come out from any part of the bread.
• Give it an egg like shape.
• Heat oil in a frying pan(kadhai) on a medium high.
• Deep fry on medium till golden brown.
• Serve hot with green chutney and tomato sauce.

Malai Sandwich

Recipe of Malai Sandwich

Ingredients

cream 3tblspn
capsicum 1medium
onions 1/2medium
tomatoes 1medium
grated carrot 1/2
green chillies 1
cabbage shredded 1/8
shredded cheese 1 cube
Salt to taste
black pepper
butter
bread slices as needed

Method

1. chop finely onion,tomato,capsicum
2. Mix all the ingredients except bread
3. brush bread slices with butter on one side.
4. Put the prepared mixture on the other side of slices.
5. Roast the slices (from the butter coated side) in a non-stick pan.
6. press them with flat spatula
7. cut diagonally Serve hot with tomato ketchup

cheese toast

Cheese Toast

Ingredients

bread slices 6-8
cornflour 8 tblsp
grated cooking cheese 4 tblsp
mustard powder 1 tsp
chili powder 1/2 tsp
soda bi carb 1/4tspn
milk 3/4 cup
oil for frying

Method

mix all the above ingredients except bread add salt to taste
keep this mixture for about 30 min.it should be like thick paste
apply this paste over the bread slices
deep fry in oil.the toast should puff very well
cut into 4 pcs.
garnish with some coriander
serve hot with sauce or green chutney

Instant Dhokla

Instant Dhokla

Ingredients:-

besan(gram flour) 2 cup
rava (suji) 2 tblsp
salt 1tspn
sugar 1/2tspn
citric acid 1tspn
oil 1 tspn
soda bicarb 1/2tspn

For Seasoning:-

coconut grate 2tblsp
coriander chopped 1/4 cup
mustard seeds 1/2 tspn
oil 1 tspoon
curry leaves 6 -7
green chili 2(slit)
sugar 1/2 tspn
water 1/4 cup

method:-

mix all the ingredients in a large bowl with some water.Mix well till light and fluffy(should not be very thin).
Place the pressure cooker on gas with 3 -4 cup of water and stand.
Grease a round cooker or cake pan Pour the batter into greased pan before the foam goes down and place in the Cooke. Close cooker.
Cook without whistle for 10-12 minutes.
Remove pan and allow it to cool
cut dhokla into desired shape.

seasoning--

Heat oil in a small pan. Add green chili (cut),mustard seed,curry leaves allow to splutter.
now add some water( very slowly )and add 1/2 tspn sugar (optional) Pour over dhokla cubes. Sprinkle coconuts and coriander. Transfer to serving dish. Serve hot or cold with green chutney.

matar dhokla:-

peas 1 cup
ginger 1 inch
green chili 1 or 2

grind peas ,ginger and chili together
mix with the ingredients
and make just like above method.

Bhindi Masala

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:

Bindi (Okra) 1/2 kg
Tomatoes 3 (medium)
Onions 2 (large)
Green chillies 3
cumin 1/2tspn
mustard seed 1/2tspn
Bay leaf 1 or 2
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tspn
Red chilli powder 1 tspn
Oil 4 tblspoon
Garam masala powder 1 tspn
turmeric powder 1 tspn
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the onions, tomatoes, Bhindi & green chillies
2. Heat the oil in pan and add the bhindi(okra) pieces. shallow fry.
3. Remove shallow fried Bhindi(okra) and place on kitchen tissue or table napkin so that excess oil is removed. Keep it aside.
4. Heat 1tb spoons of oil in a pan. Fry the cumin,musturd seed and bay leaf for 30 seconds. Now add onions, green chilli pieces and fry them until onions turn light brown.
5. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for one minute.
6. Add tomato pieces abd fry a bit ,add red chilli powder.turmeric salt, cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until tomatoes become soft. Stir twice or thrice to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.
7. Add fried okra and mix slowly. cover the for 5 minutes and then remove the pan.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

secret tips:-

Add 1 tblspn of curd at the end to make bhindi more tastier and that way Bhindi won't loose its colour.