Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Banana Pancakes


Ingredients :

For the Pancakes :

1. Wheat - 1/2 cup
2. Banana - 1 small
3. Nutmeg Powder - 1/2 tsp.
4. Black Salt - 1/2 tsp.
5. Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsp.
6. Milk - to make batter
7. Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp.
8. Salt - as per taste

For the Syrup :

1. Milk - 3 tsp.
2. Jaggery(gur/sharkara) - 1 small
3. Water

Method :

For the Pancakes :

1. Combine all the ingredients for the pancake and make the batter. It should not be runny.
2. Heat a pan and spread around 2 tsp. oil on it.
3. Spread a small portion of the batter in a circular manner. It should be slightly thick.
4. Cook both sides till brown.

For the Syrup :

Heat jaggery in milk and water till it completely melts.

Pour the sweet syrup over the pancakes and serve hot :-)

Dhaniya Pakode


Ingredients :

1. Wheat flour(gehun ka aata) - 1 cup
2. Rice flour(chaaval ka aata) - 1 cup
3. Corriander Leaves(Dhaniya) - a bunch
4. Red chilli powder - 2 tsp.
5. Black pepper powder - 2 tsp.
6. Garam Masala - 2 tsp.
7. Methkut - 1 & a 1/2 tbsp.
8. Salt

For Methkut :

1. Bengal gram(chana dal) - 2 tbsp.
2. Urad dal - 1 tbsp.
3. Rice - 1/2 tbsp.
4. Wheat flour - 1/2 tbsp.
5. Cumin seeds(jeera) - 1/2 tsp.
6. Dry red chillies - 2
7. Corriander seed - 1 tsp.
8. Asafoetida(hing) - 1 tsp.
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
10.Dry ginger powder(soonth) - 1 tsp.
11.Nutmeg powder - a pinch
12.Salt

Method :

1. Dry roast all the ingredients for Methkut and grind.
2. Mix wheat flour, rice flour, corriander leaves, Methkut, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, garam masala and salt.
3. Add water and make a semi solid mixture.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Take a small portion of the patter and drop it inside the pan.
5. Deep fry till the pakodes turn brown.
6. Enjoy with green chutney and sweet chutney :-)

Easy Creme Brulee


Ingredients :

1. Thickened cream - 200 ml
2. vanilla essence - 3/4 tsp.
3. Egg Yolks - 2
4. Caster Sugar - a little less than 1/4 cup + 6 tsp.

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 120°C.
2. Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat, add vanilla essence and bring to boiling point, then remove from heat.
3. Whisk together egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl for 2-3 minutes or until pale.
4. Pour hot cream over egg yolk mixture, continuing to whisk until well combined. Strain mixture into a jug, evenly divide between ramekins(I used cupcake molds).
5. Carefully place ramekins in a deep roasting pan lined with a folded tea towel. Pour boiling water into pan to come halfway up the sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with foil.
6. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the custard has just set. Remove ramekins from the water bath, and set aside to cool.
7. Sprinkle sugar evenly over the surface of the baked custards. Run a kitchen blowtorch over the custards, or place under a preheated grill until the sugar bubbles and caramelises. Serve.