Daring Bakers December 2014: Dutch Sweet Bread (Kruidkoek)

Kruidkoek is a Dutch sweet bread made with warming spices and brown sugar. This bread is commonly eaten at lunch or breakfast, but it can also act as an accompaniment to any meal. It makes for a great snack. If you love Gingerbread Cake of any kind, this is the recipe for you. Toast the bread and enjoy with lashings of butter - perfect with a tall glass of milk or sweet milky coffee.

Classic English Tea Time Scones | Eggless Baking

With the winter finally setting in here, we are experiencing a real chill - the temperatures are dropping and there is a cold cold breeze about. My oven has been pressed back into service and I have been baking a lot. I baked some delicious cakes and cookies for sharing this holiday season. Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Cookies, Biscotti, Armenian Nutmeg Cakes, Cranberry Bread, Scones, Rustic Bread Loaf, Pizza Rolls, Pies have all been on the menu. Today I am sharing my recipe for Classic English Tea Time Scones.

Masala Moongphali | Batter Fried Peanuts

Who does not like deep fried peanuts? Add a coating of savory, spicy batter to the recipe and they make for the tastiest snack time treat you can ask for! I love to make these during the holidays, when winter sets in, its snowy, rainy, and cold. This holiday season try these Batter Fried Peanuts alongside your favorite honey roasted almonds or maple roasted pecans. Enjoy them with family and friends when you get together to watch Frosty or play you favorite board game:)

Kodubale | Kodbale | Crunchy Rings

 

Kodubale is another one of our favourite namkeens or crispy snacks. These highly addictive snacks are something I make occasionally at my home. They never survive beyond a day as they are so tasty that we are always looking for excuses to munch on them! Last month they were the favoured namkeen for Diwali. Though I made so many different Diwali snacks and sweets, these were the first to disappear, with demands being made for a second round!!

Namkeen Kulkul | Karam Ghavalu | Spicy Crisp Shells

Namkeen Kulkul or Karam Ghavalu is a delicious snack that comes from Western India. My first introduction to Kulkul was in its sweet form. The spicy one I came to know of many years later. I love both forms of Kulkul and this Diwali I made the spicy one for family and friends. I love to add sesame seeds in Namkeens and I chose to add a good handful in this version of Kulkul. The result was really good - the Kulkul was crunchy with the seeds adding some extra flavor and texture to this snack.

Poori Recipe | Puri Recipe | Indian Fry Bread

No festive meal in India is complete without Pooris. Poori or Puri is the much loved Indian Fry Bread. Made with atta or Indian Chappati flour, it is savored with festival favorites like Chole, Aloo Rassa, Raita, Rasedaar Gobhi, Paneer and the like. As a breakfast favorite, in the North of the country it is often eaten with sweet treats like Kheer, Amras, and Halwa.

Badam Nariyal aur Rava ki Barfi | Melt in the Mouth Almond Coconut Fudge

Barfi is the one classic Indian Sweet that graces festivals, birthdays, and all joyous occasions. Its also a wonderful tea time treat and a dessert that can be enjoyed on any day. I had planned to originally prepare this Barfi for the Navratris, but ended up making Badam aur Nariyal ki Barfi | Almond and Coconut Fudge!! This morning, as I was sifting through various ingredients in my pantry, I found two packs of dry coconut - one dessicated and the other shredded. I tend to use the shredded coconut to make chutneys and the dessicated is saved for cakes and cookies.

Almond, Dates, and Oats Laddoo | Healthy Festival Sweets

Navratri is here and its time to get cooking!! I have a long list of delicious treats that I want to make and this list only gets longer each year:) Hey, what's a festival without delicious sweets and savories to tickle the taste buds. If you are looking for Fasting Recipes | Vrat ka Khana, you are at the right spot too as I have a great archive of some delicious Fasting Foods.

Badam aur Nariyal ki Barfi | Almond and Coconut Fudge

I made Almond and Coconut Fudge | Badam aur Nariyal ki Barfi for Ganesh Chaturthi this year . This is a very simple and quick recipe to prepare. Needless to say it tastes really yummy too. This barfi tastes best when you let it sit overnight. Though it might be difficult to do that once you have tasted it!!

Banana Oats Breakfast Cake | Eggless Baking

Banana Bread or Banana Cake is a favorite in our home. I bake it at least once a month - and have many variations of  this delicious cake on my blog. I have baked Banana Cake with raising, with nuts, multi-grain flours, with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips - the list goes on! This latest is a wonderful Breakfast Cake as it is made with oats. Its dense, healthy, and nutritious and packs the power you need in a breakfast food. I love baking this Cake on weekends, for road trips, or to take along on hikes. At home I just warm a glass of milk and enjoy the cake with it. For the road I pack individual slices in cling film and add them to our snack packs. They are perfect with a hot glass of tea after a good long walk.

Pithi | Peethi | Pitha | Lentil Filled Rice Flour Dumplings #Bihari Kitchen #Vegan

Its been ages since I made any steamed food. After our move, I had parked our steamer away in the back of my pantry. But with the coming of the festival season, we are all craving snacks! This year I decided to begin with making steamed snacks. I began with some Dhokla and the next on my list to make was Pithi | Peethi | Lentil Filled Rice Dumplings.

Til ke Laddu | Sesame Seeds Laddoo

Its Ganesh Chaturthi and I have been cooking up some yummy celebratory dishes. This year I made Til ke Laddu | Sesame Seeds Laddoo for the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Followed it up with Mumra Chikki, Amimi Kozukottai, and today I have made Dal Pitha. However, I have been slow to post all the yummy dishes that I have been cooking up for this festival season. In fact its been many days since I wrote a post at all. Last month was quite busy and while I made some great dishes and took the photos, I just could not find the time time to sit and get the writing done.

Blueberry Coffee Cake | Eggless Baking

Are you looking for a recipe for a really easy fresh fruit cake? Here is a no fail recipe that I use when baking with berries. A very simple coffee cake that is eggless, rises well, and has a beautiful crumb worthy of a Coffee Cake.

Vegan Mango Cake | Vegan Baking

Cake baking has been a passion of mine. I began experimenting with baking when I was not quite in high school and have never looked back since. As I always followed the recipes from my grandmother's very English book and magazines, all my baking was with eggs. I never even dreamed that one could bake without eggs - they play the role of both providing moisture to the dough and act as a raising agent. Of course, there are some recipes that cannot be attempted without eggs or even egg whites. But there are many many recipes that can be attempted eggless - or so I discovered many years when I decided to take my experiments to a different level.

Puran Poli | Flatbread with Cardamom Infused Sweet Lentil Filling

The first time I heard of Puran Poli was as a kid visiting a friend's home in Bombay! It was coming up to Holi and we had just popped in after an afternoon of skating. The home was replete with the aroma of ghee and cardamom and there was much bustle in the kitchen. On the dining table were large plates piled high with what looked liked parathas. But these parathas were sweetly fragrant, incredibly soft, and oozing with butter fat!!

Sada Namkeen Seviyan | Savoury Indian Vermicelli Noodles

I always to try to keep our refrigerator and stocked up with fresh home made meals. Yet every so often I also need to rustle up a really quick meal. Something easy yet delicious that we can enjoy hot off the pan. Seviyan or Indian noodles are my one on my favorite quick cook foods. With a pack or two in the pantry I assure you, you too can feed your family a hot meal in minutes. There are so many ways of preparing the seviyan - just go with your mood and instinct.

Oats and Whole Wheat Bread | Atta Oats Dabal Roti | Bread Recipes

Baking bread is always a pleasure. Bring together the ingredients, make a dough, allow it to rise, shape, rise again, and bake!! Fragrant yeasty aroma wafting through the home and delicious loaf for supper!! This loaf is one of our favourites and whenever I plan a crock pot meal I try to bake this bread. Its great for dunking and sopping up the soup. Eat warm, straight out of the oven, or toast, slather with butter and enjoy:)

Condensed Milk Cake | Easy Vanilla Cake | Eggless Baking

Is there anything quite as yummy as condensed milk? Thickened milk loaded with sugar - just pour it over fruit, buttery hot toast, crackers and jam, anything you fancy for that loaded sweet satisfaction. Condensed milk goes back to my childhood. I remember my Mum would buy tins of it and open one as a treat after school. I loved to dip a teaspoon in the can, let the thick syrup coat the spoon entirely and then slowly lick it up, savoring every bite!! Then we would pour the leftovers into a covered glass dish and refrigerate it. The pleasure of eating chilled, yet more thickened condensed milk can only be experienced:)

Almond Butter Oats Cookies | Eggless Baking

I am back to Sunday baking and loving it!! So many delicious breads, cakes, and cookies to be baked. I love that I make these baked goodies at home, instead of buying them in the store. The number of ingredients in an average muffin have always scared me. But over time the difference in fresh home baked and store bought has become so apparent that the sweet and salt levels in these goodies have begun to bother me. I love to tinker with ingredients when I bake so that I get the healthy balanced treat. Here's to home baking and guilt free eating:)

The Best Banana Chocolate Chunk Cake | Eggless Baking

Three months ago in the throes of packing up to move, I baked a delicious cake. Yes, it was a banana cake, but this time I added a good cup of large chocolate chunks to it!! Banana and chocolate are undoubtedly made for each other and I generally like to pair dark chocolate with banana when I bake. Some of the recipes that are a favorite at my home are banana chocolate chip muffins, banana chocolate cookies and banana chocolate smoothie. The latter I always make with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce, mmmmm:)

Lemon Oats Bhaat | Savoury Lemony Oats

After publishing the Oats Pohe recipe earlier this month, I got many requests from my readers for more Indian Style Oats Recipes. I use Oats in so many recipes that I was surprised to see only two Indian Oats recipes posted to this blog! So here goes another favourite at my home - Lemon Oats Bhaat | Savoury Lemony Oats. In this recipe, I substitute old fashioned oats for rice in the traditional South Indian recipe of Lemon Rice. The result is delicious.

Zeera aur Ajwain ki Mathri | Baked Mathri Recipe

With Holi just round the corner, I have been mulling over what treats to make! Holi in these parts is celebrated with a puja and sharing sweets. Holi colours are rarely available and some states like the one we live in have banned them for environmental and toxicity reasons. In the first few years we were here, I found that no Desi grocer carried these colours. However, in the last couple of years, some companies have started selling organic, environmentally friendly and non-toxic versions of the Holi colours. They may not have the brightness of the colours we grew up with but they serve the purpose!! Water colours and a wet Holi are out of the question with snow still on the ground and temperatures barely out of freezing.

Oats Pohe | Oats Poha | Savoury Beaten Rice and Oats Porridge

In my last post, I mentioned the Oats Pohe we had for weekend breakfast. Pohe is a breakfast or brunch favourite at my home. Its the go to breakfast food whenever we tire of cereal and milk, or toast and spread. I usually use thick rice flakes to make pohe. I also love making it with a super thick beaten rice called Dagdi Pohe which we sometimes get in the stores here. While both do justice to the pohe by not disintegrating while cooking, the latter is a more robust flake of beaten rice and takes up the flavour of the spices in the pohe really well.

Gajar Adrak Chatni | Carrot and Ginger Chutney

Sunday breakfasts are always slow and lazy. I always like to make something slightly different and special. I believe that cereals and milk were just not made for the weekends, were they? Working with this theme, I made some Oats Pohe last Sunday. Filling, super tasty, and nutritious, they made for a wonderful weekend breakfast. As an accompaniment, I made some delicious Carrot and Ginger Chutney.

Veganising the Louisiana Po'Boy Sandwich | American Sandwich Recipes

Back in 2012. I saw a program on PBS about Sandwich favorites found across the USA. The program was  called Sandwiches That You Will Like. It was a deliciously well made program with favorites from many American stated being featured. One of the sandwiches that intrigued me both for its history and its saucy taste was the Louisiana Po'Boy!! The original Po'Boy Sandwich is a New Orleans favorite that is made with a spiced meat, chicken, or fried seafood filling of choice. This filling is stuffed into a French Baguette like loaf famous for a soft fluffy interior and crusty exterior. If you like your Po'Boy dressed, it comes with salad vegetables including lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise. Onions tend to be optional and the Po'Boys made with meat are accompanied with a coarsely ground mustard and/or gravy too.

Masala Sev | Crispy Gramflour Noodles | Indian Namkeen Recipes

One of the things I loved growing up in India was the variety of Namkeens (dry snack mixes) that were available. Apart from the delicious namkeem my Mom made at home, the stores always stacked so many crispy and crunchy snacks!! In Mumbai especially, namkeens catering to all needs and communities are available - south and north Indian style namkeens are available just round the corner. But lip smacking namkeens and snacks enjoyed by the Parsi community, the Gujarati community, the Jain community, the Punjabi community, the Bengali community can be found in areas dominated by such populations.

Savoury Semolina Loaf with Carrot and Sunflower Seeds | Healthy Snacks

Semolina | Sooji | Rava is great for preparing all kinds of snacks in the Indian Kitchen. I use it for Upma, Rava Idlis, Cheelas (North Indian Style Pancakes), and Dosas (South India Style Pancakes). I also add it to savoury muffins, scones, and biscuits, which I make for breakfast on weekends. This semolina loaf is just a leap away from a savoury muffin. Its a great alternative entree at breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. In fact, its quite like a quick bread only a lot tastier as it incorporates tonnes of flavour with spices and vegetables. Its wonderfully grainy texture which comes from the semolina allows it to take on a lot more flavour than any flour!!

Kesari Peda | Creamy Saffron Milk Fudge

It was Basant Panchami on the 4th of February this year!! Hard to believe with spring nowhere on the horizon this year. It seems that we are in a never ending cold spell. And this was confirmed by the local groundhog who announced bright and early on Sunday morning that we are to expect two more weeks of the chilly winter. Yet despite the frigid temperatures, I heard the sweet sound of a bird on the tree outside the bedroom window on the very same morning!! Yes, the cardinal is back. Every year we are treated to its sweet music around this time of the year. And this year is no different, there she was sitting on the frozen branch of a frozen tree, announcing her arrival. Oh, joy!!

Maple Pecan Granola | Breakfast Foods

Its so cold here that I feel we are living in the Arctic!! Every week, we see a fresh batch of snow, followed by ice rain, and then temperature drops. The ice rain freezes everything and the temperature which can be as low as -20F with wind chills of -35F keep everything beautifully frozen. This has got to be the bitterest winter I have encountered here. The upside of all this cold is that the kitchen is warm and its easier to dish out yummy recipes. I have been baking a lot and we are eating a lot of pies, gratins, macaroni bakes, and cookies. All essential to keeping up the energy and temperament while essentially being stuck indoors!! A warm kitchen does make for a warm home:)

Jowar Chivda Ver 2 | Puffed Millet Snack with Fried Garlic and Pepitas

Jowar Chivda is one of my go to snacks. Easy to prepare, its absolutely yummy and healthy to boot. I generally make lots of namkeen (snack mixes) during the festival period, but Chivda is one snack that I tend to make year round. I make so many variations of this snack that it is a shame I have not blogged more recipes of the same. This morning I made a fresh batch and I am so glad that I managed to squeeze some time out to photograph the result and share it with you.

Microwave Saeb aur Badam Kalakand | Apple Almond Fudge

Kalakand is a decadently delicious milk fudge found in many Indian homes during festivals and other celebrations like birthdays and marriages. It is generally a pure milk fudge and is indescribably creamy. One bite and you will be hooked. Its also one of our favourite Indian desserts and I love that can make it at the drop of a hat. I generally make a microwave version of Kalakand though I occasionally made the Khoya based Kalakand too. The latter tends to be time consuming as I like to make the khoya at home too.

Kele aur Saunf ka Pua | Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings | Kumaoni Recipes

Kumaoni cuisine is unique in its ingredients, recipes, and taste. The recipe for Kumaoni Puas | Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings also carries the unique taste of bananas and fennel.

Sweet fried dumplings are found in pretty much every cuisine! Today I am sharing a family recipe for Pua or a sweet fried dumpling from the beautiful hills of Kumaon!! These Puas are unique in that that are made with bananas and fennel and so packed with nutrition and energy needed to survive the cold winters in the hills. My grandmother always made these delicious Puas or Puae as a Prasad on certain festival days. But they were made more frequently to requests by her grandchildren who just love their taste and enjoyed munching them as a snack after school or sports!!

Daring Bakers' December 2013: Chocolate Whoopie Pies

December was a cold cold month here, or so I thought!! January is turning out a lot colder than anyone expected. We are in the chiller, so to speak. But I have to say that the December Daring Bakers' Challenge of making Whoopie Pies cheered me up no end. I have walked our local farmers' market every summer and gazed at the bakery stands with their delicious wares. I have looked at wonder at kids, students, and sundry adults dive into enormous Whoopie Pies of all sizes, flavours, and colours. But I have so far never been able to work up the courage to actually purchase one and eat it.