Fish Fry - Recipes for Akshara

boneless salmon or tilapia
tilapia-
defrost in water and bowl
cut and clean

salmon-
clean with vinegar

chili powder
manja podi
salt
black pepper
lime juice

and put in fridge
use fish fry bowl
fry with vegetable oil (less then 1/2 pan)
high heat

Daal ~Recipes for Akshara

1/2 cup thin daal washed
2 cups water
put in charlie the crockpot 

high temp- 2 hrs 
-1 1/4 hrs it turns soft put
-turmaric (less then 1/4 tsp)
-chili powder (less then 1/4 tsp)
-salt (pinch)
-garlic powder (sprinkle)

low- 4 hrs
2 1/2 hrs it turns soft
^same stuff



after cooked
add two leaves curry leaf, and ghee

Moist Chocolate chip Muffins

ngredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Special equipment: Muffin tin with paper muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into a large bowl. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a measuring jug. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together, remembering that a lumpy batter makes the best muffins. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top and then bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Fluffy and moist Lemon poppy seed muffins recipe , perfect for a summer picnic .


Ingredients

1 & 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter ( softened )
2 eggs ( separated )
1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk or yogurt
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tblsp lemon juice
2 tblspn poppy seeds
1 tsp vanilla essence

Preparation ~ Preheat oven @ 35o degrees. Line 12 muffin pan with liners .
In a medium bowl stir the flour , baking powder , soda , salt , lemon zest and poppy seeds.
Beat the sugar and butter until creamy . Slowly add the egg yolks one at a time and beat well . Add the flour mixture alternating with sour cream in 2 additions. Add the lemon juice and vanilla.

In a separate bowl beat the egg white till peak forms . Gently fold the egg white to the batter . Pour into muffin pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let it cool for 5 minutes.

Verdict ~ Always use fresh squeezed lemon juice. Tried with buttermilk couple of times , but sour cream renders an excellent fluffiness.

Blanco Lavender festival

Couple of weeks back I was checking out books from our local library and happened to notice this book " The unlikely lavender queen " by Jeannie Ralston . Got really surprised to know that Jeannie and her husband were the pioneer in growing Lavender in the Texas hill country. As a true Lavender lover I got really hooked on to the book and finished it within couple of days. Later that week I came to know about the Lavender Festival in Blanco and made sure that I'm not going to miss this year's festival .

Some snaps from the festival

Hill Country Lavender farm

Red velvet cupcakes

My favorite Red velvet cupcake recipe

Ingredients:

2 eggs ( room temperature )
1 cup buttermilk ((room temperature)
1& 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tspn Vanilla extract
1 tspn distilled white vinegar
2 Tblspn Red food color
2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1& 1/2 cups sugar
1 tspn baking soda
1tspn salt
1 tspn cocoa powder

Preparation : Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour , cocoa powder , baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl . Add sugar and mix well . set aside. With a hand mixture beat the liquid ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.Gently add the flour mixture . Mix well . Pour into cupcake liners and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool . Frost with cream cheese icing or use whipped cream.

Cream cheese frosting :

1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Gopi / Cauliflower Manchurian

Cuisine : Indo Chinese

Recipe :
Cauliflower ( cut into florets ) – 1

Marinade ~ All purpose flour 2 to 3 tblspn
Cornflour / Cornstarch 2 tblspn
White pepper Powder !/2 tspn . Salt to taste.

Sauce : Onion – 1 big, chopped
Ginger – 2 " piece chopped
Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves , sliced
Green chillies / Serrano peppers – 2 to 3
Soy sauce – 2 tblspn
Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
Red chilly sauce – According to taste.
White Pepper powder – 1tspn.
White Vinegar – 1tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

Heat salted water in a big stock pot. Boil the cauliflower florets for 4 to 5 minutes and drain the water completely. Make a thick batter with the marinade ingredients. Dip the cauliflower florets in the batter and deep fry into golden brown. Drain them on paper towel . Set aside.

In a wok, heat oil, add onion, ginger , garlic and , green chillies Saute till the onion becomes brown. Add all the sauces, pepper powder, vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well and heat for another 1 min. Add the fried cauliflower pieces and mix well. Make sure that the cauliflower pieces are well coated with the sauces. Remove from flame.

Garnish with finely chopped Green onion leaves. This a dry version of the recipe. If you want more gravy. Mix 1tspn cornflour with 3/4 cup water and add along with the sauces. Let everything boil together. Then add the fried cauliflower pieces.

PS No need for Ajinomotto. Black pepper can be substituted for white pepper. Don't use tabasco for red chillie sauce.