Carrot Cake with Chocolate filling and Cheesecream frosting

 

 

 

 



My hubby loves carrot cake. I remember he would always buy a bar of carrot cake from publix and eat it all. I remember once I tried to bake a carrot cake but the cake turned out like a pudding. Very moist, had way too much cinnamon and oil and worst part is after eating it hubby dear fell sick. The recipe I followed off the internet claimed that it was the best carrot cake recipe ever and I realised it wasn't my favourite. After that I never tried to bake a carrot cake and continued making other kinds of cakes. Yesterday, somehow I had a bunch of carrots left in the refrigerator and decided to give one more try. The cake turned out super light, moist and very tasty. It was a great hit among my neighbours too. This is now my favourite carrot cake recipe and I know it will never fail. I made a few changes to the recipe I had followed earlier and the cake turned out perfect. Also, I used light brown sugar instead of white and that gave the cake a lot more depth and flavor. I used chocolate filling and cheesecream frosting. If you want you can just use cheesecream filling and frosting and omit the chocolate filling. Here is the recipe.

 

Ingredients:-

4 eggs- (at room temperature)

1 1/4 cups- vegetable oil (I used canola)

2 cups- brown sugar

2 tsps- vanilla extract

2 cups- allpurpose flour

2 tsps- baking soda

2 tsps- baking powder

1/2 tsps- salt

1 tsps- ground cinnamon

1/2 tsps-ground nutmeg

 3cups- grated carrots

1 cup- chopped walnuts

1 cup-coconut flakes (unsweetened)

1/2 cup -raisins

 

For the Cheesecream frosting:-

1/2 cup- butter, softened

8 ounces- cream cheese, softened

4 cups- confectioners' sugar

11/2 teaspoon- vanilla extract

 

For the chocolate filling:-

3 cups-water

21/2 cup-sugar

1 tblsp- maple syrup

1 1/2 cups-unsweetened natural cocoa powder

2/3 cup-cornstarch

6 tblsp-unsalted butter cut in small cubes

1/2 tsp-pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9x13 inch pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
4. Stir in carrots. Fold in walnuts, raisins and coconut flakes. Pour into prepared pans.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
6. Let the cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To Make Cheese cream frosting:-

1. In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

For the chocolate filling:-

1. In a big pan combine 2 1/2 cups of water with sugar, maple syrup and cocoa powder and bring it to boil on a medium heat. In another bowl combine cornstarch with 1/2 cup of water until smooth. Whisk this into the cocoa mixture stirring constantly until the mixture is very thick. 
2. Take off the heat and add the butter, vanilla extract and salt.
3. Transfer the mix in a bowl, cover it with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm for about 45 mins 

Set one cake on a cake plate and spread with 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate filling. Top with the second cake and cover with the cheesecream frosting. Spread the cheesecream frosting all over the cake top and sides.


Tips/notes:-If there is any leftover chocolate filling store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be used again as a filling and frosting for any chocolate cake.

 

 

 



Aloo Gajar Matar Subzi with Methi leaves

A spicy mix of potatoes, peas, carrots and fenugreek leaves

 

 

A very simple wholesome yet very tasty dish, aloo gajar and matar subzi is a must during cold winter days in Punjab. Main reason being fresh carrots and peas are easily available during winters. Whenever I cook aloo gajar and mutter I always add fresh fenugreek or methi leaves. This sabzi has a slight sweet taste because of juicy, sweet carrots and peas. The fenugreek leaves are subtly bitter but offers a very strong unique and distinctive flavor that cuts down on the sweetness of peas and carrots. Here is the recipe.

 

Ingredients:-

2 large carrots peeled and chopped in cubes

2 large potatoes peeled and chopped in cubes

1 cup- fresh peas

Half a bunch of fresh methi leaves (you can also use frozen ones)

One large onion finely chopped

1 tblsp- ginger garlic paste

3 green chillies finely chopped

1 tblsp-cumin seeds

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp- turmeric powder

1 1/2 tsp- red chilli powder

1 tblsp-punjabi garam masala

Salt to taste

4 tblsp oil

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, let it splutter and then add the onions.
2. After the onions turn nice and brown add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are tender.
3. Add the methi leaves, ginger garlic paste and green chillies and let it cook for about 10 mins.
4. Now add salt, turmeric, garam masala and chili powder and cook until the oil seperates.
5. In then end add carrots, potatoes and peas and cook on a high heat for about 7 mins without cvering the pan. Keep stirring often as you don't want it to get burnt at the bottom.
6. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Do not add water at all. This keeps the vegetables firm and crispy.

 

 

 

 



 

Chocolate Blackout Cake

 

 

 

This is one of the best chocolate cakes you will ever eat. The cake is super moist and fudgy with dark chocolate cake layers sandwiched and frosted with a rich, creamy chocolate pudding. Chocolate Blackout Cake was developed in Brooklyn, New York during World War II, named after the blackout drills performed by the Civilian Defense Corps. A Blackout was performed so Ships when sailing off to battle could not be spotted by enemy planes. City lights were turned off and windows were covered with black material. I came across this recipe in the latest issue of "Food and Wine" magazine. Made a few changes and must say this cake recipe is a keeper! Everyone in the family and my friends loved it so much, Try this super delicious, gooey and decadent chocolate blackout cake.

 

Ingredients for the Cake:-

1stick plus 1/4 cup- unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 cups- cake flour

2 cups- sugar

3 large- eggs

2 tsp-pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup-unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 tsp-baking powder

1 tsp-baking soda

1/2 tsp-salt

1 cup-milk

 

Ingredients for the filling and frosting:-

3 cups-water

21/2 cup-sugar

1 tblsp- maple syrup

1 1/2 cups-unsweetened natural cocoa powder

2/3 cup-cornstarch

6 tblsp-unsalted butter cut in small cubes

1/2 tsp-pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375 deg. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and coat with flour.
2. Using an electric or hand mixer beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy for about 3 mins
3. Add eggs one at a time beating well  between the additions. At low speed beat in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the cake flour and milk alternating in 3 batches.
5. Divide the cake batter equally between the pans and bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile in a big pan combine 2 1/2 cups of water with sugar, maple syrup and cocoa powder and bring it to boil on a medium heat.
7. In another bowl combine cornstarch with 1/2 cup of water until smooth. Whisk this into the cocoa mixture stirring constantly until the mixture is very thick,
8. Take off the heat and add the butter, vanilla extract and salt.
9. Transfer the mix in a bowl, cover it with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm for about 45 mins.
10. After the cakes are done, cool them on a rack and take them out of the pans. Using a sharp knife peel the uneven top cake layer horizontally and transfer to a food processor, Be careful as you don't want to break or cut the cake, just slightly scrape off the layers.  Now you have two cakes with smooth tops. Just beat the crumbs in a food processor until they are fine.
11. Set one cake on a cake plate and spread with 1 1/2 cups of the filling. Top with the second cake and cover with the remaining filling. If you think the filling is too much store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
12. Spread the filling all over the cake top and sides smoothly.
13. Pat the crumbs all over the cake.

Tips/notes:-
Use natural cocoa powder to make this cake, Its bitter and adds intense chocolate flavor to the cake. Don't use dutch process or any other alkalized cocoa as combined with baking soda it can make a cake taste soapy.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

 

 

 

Malaysian Egg Curry with Eggplant

 

 This is my neighbour's recipe. She is from malaysia and just like me she loves to try out new recipes. Once she made malaysian fish curry and she gave us to taste. I absolutely loved it. The curry had a very different taste than most of the Indian fish curries I have tasted. The difference was in the curry powder. Its a very famous brand from malaysia called "Baba's" curry powder and is available in select stores in Asia and Europe. Here in the US you have to order the curry powder online as its not available in stores here. Too bad this brand is not popular or easily available in the US. Their marketing team should step up their marketing efforts. The curry powder makes the curry very tasty and flavorful. Here is an egg curry recipe using Baba's curry powder.

 

Ingredients:-

1 eggplant diced into 1/2 inch discs (grill and set aside)

6 hardboiled eggs. Make small slits on 4 sides.

1 large ripe tomato, skin removed

4 scallions-finely chopped

1 tblsp-coconut flakes

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 large red onion-finely sliced

1/2 tsp-cumin seeds

1 whole garlic peeled and crushed

A small piece of ginger grated

1/2 green pepper sliced fine

Few curry leaves (if available)

1 tblsp-Baba's fish or chicken curry powder

1 tblsp- tamarind pulp

1/2 tsp-turmeric powder

1 tsp-sugar

1 tblsp-coriander powder

1 boiled potato cut in 4 pieces

4 tblsp-oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro leaves chopped

 

1. Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, cumin seeds and onions. Keep stirring and cook until the onions turn brown.
2. Add tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, garlic and cook till tomatoes are tender and mashed
3. Add the scallions and pepper, cook until pepper is soft.
4. Add coriander powder and baba's curry powder and cook until the oil seperates and its aromatic.
5. Add coconut flakes, tamarind pulp and salt.
6. Add 1 cup of water, stir and cook on a low flame.
7. Add lemon juice and sugar and stir. Now add the grilled eggplant, eggs and potato.
8. Stir gently and cook until you get the desired consistency.
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with rice.

 

 

 

 

Fresh Homemade Pancakes with Chocolate chips and Blueberries

 

 

I know its always easy to make pancakes using the store bought ready to use pancake mix. But try this homemade batter and you will never buy pancake mix from the store. Why spend money on something that is lying around on the shelf with so many added preservatives when you can  make the same thing fresh at home and it tastes equally good. Just mix up the ingredients below, keep them in an airtight container and then every time when you are in a mood to eat fresh hot pancakes just scoop a bit of the mixture and mix with some fresh ingredients and serve it to your family. I read this recipe in Alton Brown's book "Good Eats". I just made a few changes of my own. These pancakes are super easy, super tasty and super fluffy.

 

Ingredients:-

6 cups All purpose flour sifted

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp- baking powder

1 tblsp-salt

2 tblsp-sugar

 

Combine all the above mixture and store in an airtight container. Use within 3 months.

 

Now for instant pancakes:-

1 cup instant pancake mix

1 egg-beaten

2 tblsp melted butter

1 cup buttermilk or milk

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Butter for greasing the pan

1. Heat a pan or griddle, grease it with butter.
2. Combine together buttermilk, egg, melted butter, chocolate chips and pancake mix  in a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. If the batter is too thick you can use more milk or buttermilk. 
3.  Don't overbeat or try to  smoothen all the lumps. It's ok to have a few lumps.
4. Check to see if the pan is hot but not too hot. Gently pour the pancake batter and sprinkle with fresh blueberries.
5. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and is golden underneath, gently flip the pancake. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is fluffy and done.
6. Serve hot with maple syrup and fresh strawberries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maa di daal

Whole black gram lentils cooked with spices



When I think of Maa di dal also known as kaali dal in north India I always think of the gurudwara. Although we punjabis make Maa di dal at home all the time, honestly the gurudwara dal is the best. I love the langar ka khaana - I don't know what's the secret ingredient in their kaali dal, maybe it's faith, maybe it's love or the gurudwara has some special recipe, they serve the best kaali dal in the world. After the gurudwara its the Dhabas in Punjab that serve the most mouthwatering maa di dal. I remember whenever we went to visit our relatives in Punjab, we ate at the roadside dhabas, they served hot Maa di dal with dollops of fresh homemade white butter( No amul butter here), tandoori roti or paranthas along with aam kaa achaar. And to wash down all the mouthwatering food, they would always serve a huge glass of lassi (buttermilk) topped with fresh cream, Guess what ,the bill was always below 100 rupees for a group of 4 people. You will never get such amazing food in that price anywhere in the world. Also Maa di daal doesn't mean dal makhni. Dal makhni is maa di daal  cooked with loads and loads of butter and tomato puree and is served in the restaurants. Dal makhni is not made in Punjabi homes all the time, its the Maa di dal that is our all time favourite dal and made during auspicious occasions or festivals.

Ingredients:-
2 cups black Urad daal (whole)
1/4 cup Rajma (kidney beans) soaked for 2 hours
1/4 cup chana dal
2 onions -finely chopped
1 large tomato-finely chopped
2 tblsp- ginger garlic paste
3 green chillies finely chopped
1 tblsp - punjabi garam masala
1 1/2 tsp- chilli powder or as per your taste
1 1/2 tsp- turmeric powder
1 tblsp-ghee or clarified butter
1tblsp-fresh cream
Salt to taste
Few bunches of Cilantro leaves chopped

1. Pressure cook the dal along with rajma, chana dal, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker using 3 times the water. If you do not have pressure cooker you can slow cook the dal in a pot. Cook till the dal is tender. The time varies depending upon the pressure cooker but it will take approx 45 mins on a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile in a small wok heat ghee, add the chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for about 5 mins, now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are very tender and almost mushy.
3. Add the green chillies in this mixture. Add the red chilli powder, garam masala and cook until the ghee seperates.
4. Add this masala to the cooked dal and let it boil until its nice and thick. You can add water if you want a thinner consistency.
5. Garnish with fresh cream and chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with a tsp of ghee and fresh hot phulkas/rotis.

Punjabi Pindiyaan! 

 (Okra, ladyfinger/Bhindi masala)

 

 

A very simple yet very tasty Punjabi dish that can be made in minutes. Okra is my all time favourite. I always stock it up in my refrigerator just in case I have unexpected guests and I need to cook something quick. You can make bhindi in minutes along with daal, rice, salad and rotis and you have a complete meal in few minutes with ingredients easily available at home. I know a lot of people who don't like okra because they think its slimy. Okra never turns out slimy if cooked right. It has to be crunchy, green and crisp in-corporated with all the right flavors. You don't need too many spices, just the regular basic spices you have at home for this recipe. Here is how we Punjabi's make okra at home all the time. Its crispy, spicy, flavorful, green and very tasty.

 

Ingredients:-

Okra (bhindi)- 1/2 pound

3 large onions - chopped lengthwise

3 green chillies - finely chopped

1 tblsp- Punjabi garam masala powder

1 tsp-chilli powder

1 1/2 tsp-turmeric

1 tblsp-amchur powder (dried mango powder) available in indian store

1 tblsp-cumin seeds

1/2 cup oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnishing

 

1. Wash and dry the okra completely with a kitchen cloth. Very important if you do not want mushy okra. There should be no water on them at all.
2. Slice okra in thin round discs.
3. Add oil in a wok, add cumin seeds let it splutter, add the chopped onions and fry until golden brown and crisp.
4. Add chopped green chillies, turmeric, salt, garam masala powder,chilli powder, amchur powder and mix well with the onions.
5. Now add the sliced okra and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Do not cover the okra while cooking.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with hot rotis.

Tips/notes:-

Never cover okra while cooking that leads to steam build up and okra turns out mushy.

Never overcook the okra, it looses color turns brown and mushy. Fresh okra gets done in 5-7 minutes.

I never use tomatoes for the same reason as tomatoes give out water too. plus if you add amchur powder you don't need to add tomatoes.

Ginger garlic is optional, some people like to add it, I don't. A delicate vegetable like okra doesn't need too many spices.