FRESH ORANGEY~FRUIT CAKE (Low fat!)

An extremely refreshing, light fruit cake which is low fat too, only about a half cup oil is used for 2 cakes ,so that makes it 1/4 cup per cake!, the best part is that it is so quick- no elaborate beating ,folding, just dump everything into one large bowl it is ready to go into the oven!!

                        Fresh Orangey~Fruit Cake

 Ingredients-

(makes 2 cakes)

• Orange juice- 1/2 cup
• Milk- 1/2 cup
• Flour- 2 cups
• Baking powder-3 tsp
• Candied mixed fruit- 1 cup
• Orange rind, grated- 1 tsp.
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Eggs- 3
• Sugar- 1 1/2 cups
• Vegetable oil- 1/2 cup
• 1 orange, cut into segments

For the fat-free glaze-

Combine half cup fresh orange juice with 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cornflour, boil till it thickens, let cool .

Method-

Combine everything together in a large bowl and stir well, pour into prepared pans and bake for 45 mins at 180 deg.C .Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and decorate with orange segments. I am sending this one to Zlamushka for her spoonful of christmas event-http://www.burntmouth.com/2007/10/spoonful-of-christmas.html

Technorati Tags: fresh orangey frut cake , cakes and bakes

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A DATE WITH CINNAMON ~ HEALTHY SUGARFREE COOKIES!

Cookies!, again! and if you have  had enough of my sinful, buttery pistachio cookies then do balance it out with this HEALTHY and most importantly SUGAR-FREE Apple-cinnamon-date combo, I am sure post diwali, these would be more than welcome!

This is a soft ,moist cookie, with the natural sweetness of dates AND honey and a dash of cinnamon flavor. I have used a combination of wholewheat and plain flour as well as apples to make it fibre rich.

Ingredients-

(makes 1 dozen)

• Dates- 1/2 cup (pitted and chopped)
• Apple- 1 , chopped
• Honey- 2 tbsp
• Egg- 1
• Wholewheat flour- 1 tbsp
• All purpose flour- 2 tbsp
• Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
• Milk- 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon- 1/4 tsp
• Oil- 1 tbsp
• Vanilla essence- 1/2 tsp
• a pinch of salt

Method-

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients together and mix well, drop teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 deg.C, till edges turn golden.

 

These are off to Chandrika for AFAM-Dates:

http://akshayapatra.blogspot.com/2007/11/afam-november-dates.html

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PISTACHIO COOKIES WITH ICE-CREAM

"A crisp, buttery cookie studded with pistachios and served with Ice-cream!"

That sums up this gorgeous combo, I am at a loss of words to describe the flavors , but they are so unique and delicious that you gotta HAVE IT TO BELIEVE IT!

All in all -highly recommended! have with Ice-cream(use flavor of choice-here I used store bought Cookies-and-cream ). The cookies are irresistible enough on their own, dip-dip-dip  them into garam masala chai and enjoy!

                    Pistachio Cookies with Ice Cream

Ingredients-

• Butter- 1/2 cup
• Confectioner's sugar- 3/4 cup
• Egg- 1/2
• Vanilla essence- 1 tsp.
• All purpose Flour- 1 1/2 cups
• Baking soda- 1/2 tsp.
• Cream of tartar- 1/2 tsp.
• Salt- 1/4 tsp
• Pistachios- 1/4 cup (whole, unsalted)

Method-
Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl, gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture.
Shape the dough into one of the following ways:

Roll out the chilled dough and cut with cookie cutters.
OR: This is what I did- Form dough into logs 2 inches in diameter flatten into a squarish shape and slice 1/8 inch thick WITH A VERY SHARP KNIFE  when chilled ,bake for 7 to 9 minutes

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SHUBH DEEPAVALI!

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DEEPAVALI!, ENJOY!

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SOOKHA MASALEDAAR KATHAL (SPICY DRY JACKFRUIT)

      Jackfruit tree            a jackfruit- split wide open     the outer spiny cover

From hating to loving this veggie (fruit???), I have come a long way-as a child I could never have so many of these vegetables ,the ghia/lauki family in particular and karela and kathal.

But now... I love them all, and ever since I have started blogging I feel my sense of taste has become keener than ever- do you all , fellow bloggers feel the same or -felt the same (here I am talking to vintage bloggers :) )???I look at unfamiliar veggies with new respect and want to try my hand at making eh! -parval? ghia? karela? tori? tinda? yup -all of em! haha!

 

                          Masaledaar sookha kathal

Ingredients-

• Jackfruit- 250 gms(chopped)
• Onions- 2 medium(chopped)
• Tomatoes- 2 medium(chopped)
• Ginger and garlic paste- 1/2 tsp.
• Garam masala-1 tsp
• Salt and red chilli powder to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method-

Deep fry the kathal pieces, keep aside. Heat two tbsp. of the same oil, pour off excess, add ginger and garlic and saute , add onions , let cook . Lastly add tomatoes and cook till masala leaves oil- add the fried  kathal, salt and red chilli powder, give it a good stir, serve with chopped coriander leaves on top and a twist of lemon along with hot chapatis ,delicious!

Just writing this post and thinking how great tasting this sookha kathal IS -is making my mouth water! seriously!!

            COUNTDOWN TO DIWALI- 4 DAYS TO GO!

Technorati Tags: kathal , jackfruit , sookha masaledaar kathal

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FINGER ~ LICKIN ' FRIED CHICKEN

This is my husband's favorite snack and he can have loads of it! In fact now he prefers to have chicken this way rather than the regular gravy chicken, try it out you will know why!This is my desi version of fried chicken -very rustic and simple!

                                                             Finger~lickin' fried chicken

Ingredients-

• Fresh chicken- 1 kg
• Deggi mirch (cayenne pepper)- 1/ 2 tsp
• Garam masala- 1 tbsp.
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp.
• Chaat masala and lemon juice for sprinkling over
• Onion salad
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for deep-frying

Method-

Marinate the chicken in all the above ingredients( except for lemon juice and chaat masala) for 15-20 minutes, deep fry ,sprinkle lemon juice and chaat masala, serve hot with onion salad YUMMY AND UNBELIEVABLY SIMPLE!

Technorati Tags: chicken , snacks

                                            COUNTDOWN TO DIWALI - 7 DAYS TO GO !!!

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