Diamond Cuts

My grand mom used to make these diamond cuts during our summer vacations. I am missing those days.... so thought of making some diamond cuts. This is how she made them



Ingredients to Make Diamond Cuts:-

• Maida - 1 cup
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 5 Tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Warm Water - 1/2 cup
• Oil - for deep frying
• crushed cardamom -1/2 tsp

Make a dough by mixing maida, salt, oil and warm water and roll it flat

















Use a pizza cutter make a vertical cut first cut and then horizontal cut to form a diamond shape



















Fry this in hot oil .Deep fry them..


































In a kadai add sugar, little water and crushed cardamom and let it bubble, then slowly add the the fried diamond cuts and leave it for a minute and then take it out from the kadai and let it cool and serve them.

Idiyappam/String Hoppers

Did you know that our popular Idiyappam's English name is String Hoppers? I learned this word from a recent conversation with my cousin.

Taking of Idiyappam, it goes well with veg stew or with yummy kerala fish molly/stew. Here's one veg stew recepie from a lady blogger and Fish Molly recipe from mallu spice.

Idiyappam is a very popular breakfast item in kerala. You get have this from most hotels in Kerala. These days it's served as a starter during marriage reception parties. If you're a vegetarian, you can have Idiyappam along with veg stew or if you're a non-vegetarian then you can try out with fish stew or with beef stew. 

Ingredients to Make String Hoppers ( Our own Idiyappam)

1 cup rice flour

1-1.5 cup hot water

salt to taste

Mix rice flour with hot water and salt and make it into a smooth dough. Now fill the dough in a idiyappam presser and press it on an idli pan. Steam for 5-10 minutes and serve them hot.

Idiyappams can be served with potato curry or egg curry but I love to eat with fresh coconut milk mixed with sugar

Toughest part of making Idiyappam

Sometimes the Idiyappam press get blocked. I put all my mighty strength to push the dough from the press. I wonder if there is any better way to make Idiyappam. I think wooden  Idiyappm press( idiyapam thaddus or Idiayappam Squeezer) is more difficult to handle. If you can't handle it, get help from any muscle man in your house.

There are other alternative pressing tools made of brass and aluminium. I feel that metalic Idiyappam press is easier to handle than the wooden press. Since I don't have one, you can tell me about it.

Your's through Delightful Idiyappamas,

Marina

Nishagandhi Flower

Nishagandhi the queen of the night flowers which will bloom just for a night and will die when the day starts.

Kerala Upma

Kerala Upma

Ingredients

Oil- 1 tablespoon
Rava- 1 cup
Sliced onion- 1
Ginger minced- 1 tsp
Chopped chillie- 3
curry leaves
Water- 2cups
Salt- to taste

Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, sliced onions, chopped ginger and chilies. When the onions turn brown add the roasted rava. Boil 2 cups of water separatly and add to the rava mix and close it with a lid for a few minutes to cook it through.

Serve warm!

Marina

Make the Perfect Pineapple Pastry

Pineapple Gateau Cake

If there're two cakes that are widely popular in India, it's Blackforest cake and Pineapple pastry. I has become the undisputed leader in India is a short span of time. Now, it's visible in any corner shop to bakeries. Sometimes, I wonder how it caught our fancy.

If you're a fan of Pineapple pastry cake, then you should be able to do it with this recipe.

For the Cake

• Flour 1 cup+2 tbsp(150g)
• Baking powder ¼ tsp
• Eggs 5
• Vanilla essence 1 tsp
• Powdered sugar 1 cup+ 1 tbsp(150g)
• Pre heat the oven at 180 degree for 10 minutes, Sieve flour and baking powder thrice.
• Beat eggs well. Add essence and sugar. Beat till it is light and fluffy.
• Fold in flour. Pour into a greased 8” pan.
• Bake at 180 degree centigrade for 30 minutes and cool.
• Cut the cake into two layers soak it with the syrup. Cover with cream and sprinkle pineapple pieces. Repeat layers. Chill and serve

How to Make Pineapple Syrup for Pineapple Pastry

• Pineapple chopped 1 Cup
• Water 1 Cup
• Sugar ½ Cup
• Pineapple essence few drops
• Mix pineapple water and ½ cup sugar. Boil for a minute. Cool and add essence(or use tin pineapple)

Icing Part of Pineapple Pastry

• Cream 200gms
• Icing sugar 4 tbsp heaped
• Whip cream and icing sugar till it forms soft peaks

Special Note:

Slowly mix the egg mixture to the batter. If it's too fast, the whole batter will curdle.

Good luck!

Learn Pineapple Pastry 
NB: Are you looking for hands-on baking class in Trivandrum or Bangalore. Check my Bangalore Facebook page for the latest class schedule. I've classes for beginners to people looking to perfect their baking and icing skills. Contact me at # 9379398865

You might be interested to know the recipe for Black Forest Cake. 

Black Forest Pastry

Do you know the German name for Black Forest Cake? In German it's called Schwarzwälderkirschtorte , which means Black Forest Cherry Torte. It has a chocolate layer cake with whipped cream, cherries , rum and topped with dark chocolate curls. For the history of Black Forest Cake, check out this site.

Stages of preparation for Black Forest Cake:

Sponge cake

Flour ¾ cup(100gm)
Baking Powder ¼ tsp
Coco Powder 4 tsp heaped
Eggs 5
Vanilla 1 tsp
Soda powder ¼ tsp
Powdered sugar 1 cup +1 tbsp (150gms)

Pre heat the oven at 180 degree for 10 mts
Sieve flour, baking powder and cocoa powder trice
Add Vanilla to the eggs and beat till thick, Add soda powder and sugar to the eggs and beat till fluffy,Fold in flour and mix well. Pour it into a greased 8” pan. Bake at 180 degree centigrade for 30 minutes
Cool the cake and slice the cake horizontally through the center.

Icing

Cream 200gms(1 cup)
Icing sugar 4 tbsp heaped
Whip cream and icing sugar till it forms soft peaks.

Filling and soaking
Cherries 1 small tin
Rum 2 tsp
Syrup of cherries ½ cups
Powdered sugar 4 tbsp
Water ½ cup
Grated Chocolate ½ cup

Mix run, sugar, cherry syrup and water and soak cake well with this syrup.
Spread whipped cream on one half and sprinkle cherries. Place the second layer and repeat cream, cherries and cover it with grated chocolate. Chill the for 2-3 hours before serving.


Prep time: 45 - 60 min
Baking time: 25 min
Decorating time: 15 min ( Watch the Video here)

Learn to make Black Forest Cake in your house!
What's stopping you from baking a beautiful homemade black forest cake! Even if you're ignorant about cake baking, you can easily learn baking with basic level cake lessons. If you're in Bangalore, then you can attend my cake baking ( basic /advanced) classes to kick-start baking in your house. Contact me : Marina # 9379398865 for class schedule.

Guten Appetit!

Marina

How to Make Microwave Muffins

Ingredient to make muffins:

• Flour 1 cup + 4tbsp (180gms)
• Baking Powder ½ tsp
• Butter ½ Cup + 2 tbsp(120g)
• Powdered Sugar 1 Cup+3 tbsp(180g)
• Eggs 3
• Vanilla ½ tsp
• Salt a pinch
• Warm milk 1/3 Cup

Preparation:
Sieve flour, salt and baking powder trice.Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffyBeat eggs with vanilla to stiff froth. Add beaten eggs to the creamed mixture little at a time. Fold in flour. Add sufficient milk to bring the mixture to a dropping consistency.Pour the mixture in to the muffin cups and bake at 180 degree centigrade for 15-20 mts

Learn to make Muffin
I take classes on muffins. It's a simple. All you need is the heart to create something new. Once you master the basics, you can create as much varieties of muffins as per your imagination or creative.If you're a working lady, you can take class during weekends, bring your daughter or son along. Give them the opportunity to learn cooking through baking classes.

I'm based at Cambridge Layout, Bangalore. Call me up Marina Ph # 9379398865 for details.

Vegetable Cutlets

Vegetable Cutlets - Finest Recipe from my Mom

Unlike other vegetable cutlets, this recipe from my Mom preserves the taste of all vegetables intact. Just try ordering a vegetable cutlet to see how different it's from other cutlets you have tasted.

Try this basic recipe or you can add/ minus few things to make cutlet your own way. Since it involves lots of chopping, I would suggest you to use a food processor to chop carrots, cabbage and onion.

         

Prawns Cutlet

Ingredients:

1. Prawns 2 cup
2. Onion chopped -1/2 cup
3. Boiled Potatos - 500gm
4. Chilly 6 chopped
5. Ginger 1/2 tsp
6. Garlic 1/2 tsp
7. Pepper powder 1/4 tsp
8. Chilly powder 1/2 tsp
9. Vinegar 1/2 tsp
10. Bread crumbs
11. Egg 1
12. Oil

Method to make prawns cutlet

• Prawns should be cleaned properly and cooked in salt, vinegar and ginger.
• Once it is done then mince them.
• Take a pan heat oil and add chopped onion, chilly, ginger, garlic, chilly powder and saute well.
• Then finaly add the minced mixture and saute well till it turns dry.
• Separate the egg white from the yolk.
• Once the mixture is cool and the mashed boiled potatos and shape them into flat round shape
• Dip it in egg white and coat it with bread crumbs.
• Fry it in oil and serve hot

.( you can add the salt and chilly as per your taste after mixing the potatos)

US Memorial weekend at Wayanad

For memorial weekend we went up to Wayanad which is around 5 hours drive from Bangalore. We went with Linu, Ajith, Aaron and Roshan. We had a great time....

Our Stay at Wayanad 

Elephant Sights behind the Trees

First Holy Communion Veils and Candles

These First Holy Communion Veils are made by my Mom. I picked few tips to make these veils and now I too started making First holy comunion viels in different patterns.I can also customize the design based on your requirement.

First Holy Communion Candles in Bangalore
Here's a pic of a decorated First holy communion candle. I've few designs which you can see and select. I supply to Churches in Bangalore, and in Hyderabad. If you've any specific design, I can customized it for you. Pls Contact me for your kid's First Holy Communion.

You can find good collection of first holy communion veils and candles with us in Bangalore.

The veils are attached to a small plastic comb which are designed with a headpiece, the veils are available in two tier.

For more details on design, availability of First Holy Communion Veils and candles, Pls contact me at this number: Ph # 9379398865. I'm put up close to Domlur, Cambridge Layout, Bangalore.

Other related item:

• Christian wedding favors
• Communion Favors