Rava Ladoo (semolina/ Sooji)

Ingredients: (makes 10 -15 small ladoo)

1 cup of rava 
2 tbsp. of ghee  
1/2 cup of grated coconut
A handful of raisins and cashew nuts 
 1/3 cup of milk 
1/4 cup of fine powdered sugar 
A  pinch of cardamom powder 

Method:

1.   Roast the rava in ghee on low flame until the colour changes to light brown and keep aside.
2. Heat the ghee in a pan  and add the cashew nuts and raisins on low flame and fry until the nuts  turn slightly brown and the raisins puff up. 
3. Add the coconut and roast for a few mins., then add the roasted rava, coconut and sugar and roast for a few more mins.
4. Switch of flame and add the milk to the rava mixture little by little and keep mixing it well. The mixture starts coming together.
5. When the rava is warm enough to handle divide the mixture into equal parts  make small balls of it.
6. When cool store in airtight container. Can be stored only for 3 to 4 days as milk is added.

Coleslaw

Yum

Ingredients: (Serves 10 to 12)
8 cups (1 head) of shredded cabbage
1 medium shredded  carrot
2 table spoon of onion (i used sprig onion)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Method:

1. Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, salt, vinegar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, pepper in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Add cabbage, carrots and onions and mix well.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight or atleast for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

* The taste is similar to that of KFC Coles Slaw    :)

* Increase the lime juice according to taste

Kerala Palappam

Yum

Ingredients:


 2 cups Rice Flour
 2 tablespoon Semolina 
 2 cups Medium coconut milk 
 1 cup Thick coconut milk 
1/2 teaspoon Yeast 
 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 
 2 glass Water 
Salt according to taste

Method:

1. Add 2 glasses of water to semolina & cook. Cook until it becomes loose. Keep aside to cool. 
2. Add 1/4 cup lukewarm water to 1/2 teaspoon yeast & sugar and mix well.Allow it to rise. 
3. Take 2 cups of rice flour in a bottom deep vessel. Add the cooked semolina and mix well. Add the yeast & sugar mix and mix well. Add the medium thick coconut milk little by little. Mix well. Keep it overnight. (Do not keep it in fridge)
4. Next day morning,first mix the batter well and add the thick coconut milk little by little. The batter will be thin. Add salt & sugar to taste.
5.  Heat Appachatti ( Appam Kadai) and pour one small ladle of batter into it & rotate the appachatti and make sure that the batter is spread in a circular form. Cover & cook. 
6. Once the middle portion is cooked, remove from fire. Serve hot with Chicken curry or your favourite dish.

Black Forest Cake

Yum

Ingredients:(Serves10 - 12)

Cherries

700 ml jar of Cherries in syrup

4 tablespoons Kirsch or Cherry Brandy

50 grams granulated white sugar

For the Chocolate Genoise:

42 grams hot melted unsalted butter

60 grams cake flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

30 grams unsweetened regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

4 large eggs

135 grams granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Frosting:

600 ml heavy whipping cream 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

35 grams granulated white sugar

Method:

1. Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid. Place the cherries in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons Kirsch. Cover the bowl and set aside.
2.  Place 240 ml of the reserved cherry syrup in a small saucepan, along with the sugar, and heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons Kirsch, and let cool.
3.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom of pan with parchment or wax paper.
4. In a bowl, sift the flour, salt and cocoa powder thrice . In a heatproof bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar.
5.  Place over a saucepan of simmering water, and keep whisking constantly, heat until lukewarm (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of your electric mixer.
6.  Beat on high speed until the mixture is thick (the batter will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon-like pattern). 
7. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then sift  one-third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold using a rubber spatula or whisk. Sift and fold in another third, and then fold in the rest.
8.  Take 1 cup of the batter and fold it into the melted butter (to lighten it). Then gently fold it into the egg batter. 
9. Pour into your pan, smoothing the top.Bake for about 20 -25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (cake starts to shrink from sides of pan). Cool on a metal rack before removing from pan.

Whipped Cream Frosting:

1.  In your mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. 
2. Cover and chill the bowl and wire whisk in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then beat the mixture just until stiff peaks form.

Assemble Cake:

1. Using a sharp knife, cut the genoise, horizontally, into two layers. Turn over the top layer of the cake (top of cake becomes bottom) and place on your serving plate. Brush the cake layer with 60 ml cherry syrup.
2. Take 1 cup of whipped cream and spread on the moistened genoise .Place the cherries evenly over the cream. 
3. Brush the cut-side of second genoise layer with 60 ml syrup. Place cut-side down on top of the cherries, gently pressing to compact. Reserve 240 ml of whipped cream and spread the remaining cream over top and sides of cake.
4.  Place reserved cream in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe rosettes on top of cake. Cover and refrigerate the cake for several hours (or overnight) before serving. Decorate with fresh cherries and shaved chocolate.