How to make whipped cream - from commercial powder

     Yes, in this post, I will explain how to whip up an delecious cream, from instant powder.  One magic of this whipped cream is not only that it is instant, but, requires exactly three minutes to prepare.  You can even prepare them the day before, trust me, this can  do wonders to your cake.

All you need is Whipped cream - instant topping (I used BLUE BIRD - 50 gm) and 90ml of ice-cold water.

Refrigerate the vessel (into which you are about to whip) and blender blades for atleast an hour.  Dissolve powder with water and begin to whip.  First minute the liquid will slowly rise to top.  Second minute, you can see lovely curls which swings according to the direction you are whipping and by the end of third minute, you can detect soft, fluffy frosting which has expanded almost, thrice in volume, forming stiff peaks over the blender

As soon as you get  this stage, cover them with cling wrap and refrigerate atleast fifteen minutes, before you use them for frosting.  This will yield you 11/2 cups of frosting.

Happy cooking :)

Authentic Kolhapuri Masala Recipe | Traditional Maharashtrian Spice Mix

Kolhapur, a beautiful city in South-West Maharashtra, is widely celebrated for its rich and flavourful cuisine. From the fiery Tambda Rassa and soothing Pandra Rassa to delicious dry preparations and vegetarian delicacies like Misal Pav, Bharleli Vaangi, and Ghavachi Kheer, Kolhapuri food holds a special place in Maharashtrian cuisine.

The region is also famous for its large-scale jaggery production, thanks to the vast sugarcane fields surrounding the city. Beyond food, Kolhapur is renowned for its traditional jewellery, handcrafted leather chappals, and wrestling culture. Spiritually too, the city is highly revered and is often called “Dakshin Kashi” because of the divine presence of Goddess Mahalakshmi.

But the true soul of authentic Kolhapuri cuisine lies in one magical ingredient — Kolhapuri Masala.

This traditional Maharashtrian spice mix is known for its deep aroma, vibrant colour, and bold flavour. The masala is prepared using a unique combination of dry roasted spices, sesame seeds, dry coconut, garlic, and whole garam masala spices like cinnamon, cloves, mace, and star anise. The authentic flavour mainly comes from two special chillies used in Kolhapuri cooking — Bedgi Mirch, known for its rich red colour and mild heat, and Jawari Mirch, which is lighter in colour but intensely spicy.

When I came across this recipe by Prachi Joshi from GOOD FOOD Magazine (May 2014), I simply couldn’t resist trying this homemade Kolhapuri masala recipe in my kitchen.

And here it is — a wonderfully aromatic and spicy homemade masala powder that can instantly elevate curries, gravies, Misal, Tambda Rassa, and many Maharashtrian dishes.

The recipe yields approximately 250 grams of Kolhapuri masala powder. You may reduce the quantity by half if preparing a smaller batch. When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, this masala stays fresh for almost a month and when refrigerated they stay good for 6 months. 

Preparation time: Around 1 hour (including cooling and grinding time)

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Ingredients for Homemade Kolhapuri Masala

Oil Roast – Batch 1

• 2 tbsp oil
• 5 tsp turmeric powder
• 2½ tsp hing (asafoetida)

Oil Roast – Batch 2

• 1 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp finely chopped onions
• 1½ tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1½ tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 large bunch coriander leaves

Oil Roast – Batch 3

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 14 green cardamoms
• 4 black cardamoms
• 5–6 bay leaves
• 2 star anise
• 1-inch dagad phool
• 1 mace

Dry Roast – Batch 1

• 7 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp shah jeera (caraway seeds)
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds

Dry Roast – Batch 2

• 3 tbsp grated dry coconut (kopparai)
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

Other Ingredients

• ½ cup chilli powder
• ½ cup Degi Mirch powder
• 2½ tsp salt

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How to Make Authentic Kolhapuri Masala

• First, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add turmeric powder and hing. Roast on low flame while stirring continuously for about 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes glossy, aromatic, and thick. Keep aside.
• Wash the coriander leaves thoroughly and allow them to dry completely.
• In another pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté onions, ginger, and garlic until lightly browned. Allow the mixture to cool. Grind it together with the dried coriander leaves without adding water. Keep aside.
• Next, heat 2 tbsp oil and roast all the whole garam masala spices listed in Batch 3. Once aromatic, cool and grind them coarsely.
• Dry roast all ingredients from Dry Roast Batch 1 on low flame for about 4–5 minutes. Cool and grind into a fine powder.
• Similarly, dry roast coconut, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds together. Cool and grind them.
• Finally, combine all the prepared masalas along with the roasted turmeric-hing mixture, chilli powder, Degi Mirch powder, and salt in a large dry vessel. Mix thoroughly until everything blends well.
• Store the homemade Kolhapuri masala in a clean airtight container.

Your flavourful and spicy Maharashtrian Kolhapuri masala is now ready to use in curries, gravies, Misal Pav, Tambda Rassa, Sukka dishes, and more.

I’m now happily stocked with a big batch of this aromatic spice blend and can’t wait to experiment with it in my cooking :D

Sending this to CCC Challenge by Srivalli

Whipped ganache

 I had plans to bake an awesome cake for my wedding anniversary, and so inspected my refrigerator for my available ingredients.  With cream and white chocolate lying around, I happily proceeded to make ganache sauce...  Later, I was shocked to realize that instead of planning an icing for my cake, I had settled for an sauce :/  sigh..... So, as I started browsing around, I had,  understood that this ganache sauce can be whipped up to form an icing.  OMG, that was sooo close, an blessing in disguise, actually :)

Ganache, an sauce is used as sinful filling in truffles.  Dark chocolate and cream are usually added in 2:1 ratio, but milk and white chocolate can alternatively used too.   It is an myth to refer white chocolate as an, 'chocolate' because they have an lot of cocoa butter content in them than the actual cocoa iself.

Care should be taken that ganache should be an smooth pudding-like (ie, an thick sauce) before whipping, if they harden after refrigeration, they must be brought under room temperature till they become saucy.   Alternatively  overwhipping might also result in grainy textured output.  So, whipping till they increase in volume and become fluffier might be suggested.

How to make an small batch of buttercream?

     There is always an need to stay in shape, isn't it?  Most of us are foodies and we try to explore with high-calorified contents, forgetting about their impact with our waistline:P  So, what happens when we make more than needed buttercream or any other sinful delights? We try to consume them someway or the other, adding more fat to our peaceful life.  So, as an extra-cautious tip, let me start my post about making an small batch of buttercream for your delicious bakes.

And, what is extra special about this batch is that, it has cornflour, which stabilizes the cream from high temperature. Also, due to hot summer, I prepared them with an touch of 'icebath'.   The resulting buttercream was super-creamy and delecious.  They can be cling-wrapped and stored in refrigerator, for upto two weeks.

Whipped cream - From Amul tetrapack

Whipped cream is essential in any baking.... sandwich them between cake, pastry or top in your favourite puddings, trifle... this cream enriches every dessert  :P  Though they are also made from non-dairy cream (which is far less expensive and requires lesser time to whip), the latter's  reduced reach or availability makes it an tougher part to execute.

Though, whipped cream is said to be undone with tetra packs due to those  interrupting stabilizers , separating the liquid cream from solid one helps us to recover from the same, also increasing the fat content in the cream.  I just went through the fact, when I had an glance at Nita Mehta's Cakes and Cake Decorations. She has clearly explained that separating liquid cream, and whipping up the solid one might result in good outcome and all thanks to her, it did :D

So, here comes the mighty solution for all-time-bakers.....

You will be needing 200 ml of Amul fresh cream, 2 tbspn of castor sugar (or icing sugar)

Do not shake the Cream, refrigerate for minimum two hours.  Open the Amul Fresh Cream pack, and separate the creamy part, reserve liquid in separate bowl (You can use liquid cream for cooking purpose)

And this creamy part is placed below ice-bath (an large bowl filled with ice-cubes)  and we start to whip using electric blender.  

After five minutes, when volume almost doubles, add icing sugar and continue to whip.

It will take another ten to twelve minutes, and there you get nice stiff peaks.

Aren't they lovely??

DO NOT OVERBEAT THEM, as there are chances of butter separating from the mixture.  Use them as such.  If you want to store, freeze.

Linking this to CCC Challenge, hosted by Srivalli

Hari boot/Green garbazo beans/ Pachai kondai kadalai

Eversince we moved back at hydi, i see this bunch of green stems floating throughout the market.  Local residants, do drop by, purchase few stems and pop up a green capsule-shaped shell into their mouth.  I, always wondered what they were.. and yes, finally gathered courage previous week and brought few.  The leaves were rich in green capsules, when pinched insides were hari boot or pachai colour kondai kadalai.  I was surprised, because this is first time i am seeing them without packets ;)

And yes, for the next few hours, anybody wud have guessed my pain, it is sorting out green capsules, and then lateron pinching them to release hariboot (the residants here called it as the same)

But, my lovely daughter do helped me in collecting these precious beans.. three cheers to varsha!!!

After collecting them, I googled them and found out they were rich in dense nutrients.

• Fresh green garbanzos are full of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and contain no trans or saturated fats.
•  They are “nutrient dense”, containing good amounts of vitamins A,C,& E, potassium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc and calcium as well as being a good source of folate, which is important for growing oxygen-carrying red blood cells. 
• With only about 120 calories per half cup serving, they can play a role in weight management by delivering excellent nutrition with a feeling of satisfaction that prevents overeating.
• Additionally, fresh garbanzos are excellent for low sodium diets because they are minimally processed without the added salt found in canned garbanzos.

So, why wait friends, you can go ahead and drop them in few of ur

• Vegetable pulao/rice preparation

• Fresh salads

• Soups

• Curry

• Stuffing in ur dosa (call it masala kadalai dosa :p)

• Sundal recipe/dry beans recipe

And yes, will prepare my own dishes using the same too.. watch on for more updates

Puliogare powder

Hi guys, today we are goin to see how to make basic puliogare powder...
This powder, when dropped in airtight container can be stored in for 2-3 days.. If you are interested in preserving upto a month, then avoid jaggery,coconut and powder rest.
Just prepare it and refrigerate... u can do puliogare rice in instant... will be posting puliogare rice recipe soon ..

Ingredients required

• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp raw rice
• 4-5 red chillies
• 2 tsp grated fresh coconut
• 1/2 tsp whole jeera
• 1/4 tsp peppercorn
• 1/4 tsp methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp whole dhanya
• 1/2 tsp hing
• Few pieces of jaggery/gur

Leaving out jaggery and hing, dry roast all ingredients untill they become dark coloured and emit nice aroma.

Then powder them along with hing and jaggery, store in airtight container

Soy milk

Soy milk is most nutritious drink made by blending the soya beans and straining the liquid left behind.  These are easily available in packets, and there are also machines used in making them called soy milk maker that are found abundant in Asian homes.  These soy milk can be flavoured and had as such.  They are also used in making smoothies, dosas etc.  So, let us learn how to make soy mik at home...

Ingredients required

• 200 gm soya beans
• Water, as required
• Fine muslin cloth (to filter)

Method

Soak soya beans for about 12 hours.  Wash them, and heat at moderate flame for ten to fifteen minutes.  This is done to destroy any harmful enzymes, if present.  Then blend it in blender along with 2 cups water and filter using cheese cloth/muslin cloth.  This process will exactly resemble the coconut milk extraction.

After extraction, heat the milk till boiling point and again for five to ten minutes on simmer flame.  Remove, cool and refrigerate.  You can store for three days...

Condensed milk

Ever thought about making condensed milk at home??? yes, it is possible and there is nothing so wonderful than making ur own condensed milk and using them in desserts....

Ingredients required

• 2-3 cups milk powder
• 3-4 tsp butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water 
• Electric blender, of course :)

Method

In a blender, take water, butter and sugar.  Beat it thoroughly till butter and sugar dissolves

Now add in milk powder.  When adding milk powder, be careful to add in batchwise, like adding one cup of milk powder and blending.  After sometime, add another cup and blend such that milk powder gets incorporated into fluid very well.  

Now, our condensed milk is ready.  Store in air tight container and refrigerate!!

Homemade Coconut Cream Recipe | How to Make Thick Coconut Cream from Fresh Coconut

Homemade Coconut Cream

Coconut cream is thicker and richer than regular coconut milk and is commonly used in desserts, baking, curries, gravies and other recipes. Making coconut cream at home is simple and requires just fresh coconut and water.

Ingredients

• Grated coconut from 2–3 whole coconuts

• ½ cup water (or more, as needed)

Method

1. Add the freshly grated coconut and water to a blender.

2. Blend thoroughly until the coconut is finely ground and releases its natural fat and milk.

3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or clean muslin cloth, squeezing well to extract as much liquid as possible.

4. The first extract is the thick coconut milk. Transfer it to a clean, covered container.

5. Refrigerate the coconut milk for approximately 6–7 hours or until it is well chilled and has naturally separated.

6. Once chilled, you will notice two distinct layers. The thick, creamy layer will settle on top, while the thinner coconut liquid will remain underneath.

7. Carefully scoop out the thick creamy layer from the surface. This rich layer is your homemade coconut cream.

8. Transfer the coconut cream to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

9. The remaining thinner coconut liquid can be used in curries, gravies, smoothies, desserts or other recipes where coconut milk is required.

How to Use Coconut Cream

Homemade coconut cream can be used to add richness and creaminess to cakes, puddings, desserts, curries, gravies and other coconut-based recipes. Since it is naturally rich and thick, a small amount can add plenty of flavor and texture.

Homemade Tomato Puree Recipe | Easy Fresh Tomato Puree

Making fresh tomato puree at home is simple, economical, and free from preservatives. This homemade tomato puree can be used in curries, soups, gravies, pasta sauces, and many other dishes. It adds a rich tomato flavor and beautiful color to your recipes.

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Yield

Approximately ¾ cup tomato puree

Ingredients

• ½ kg ripe tomatoes
• 2 cups water

Method

1. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly.
2. Place the tomatoes in a vessel with 2 cups of water.
3. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the tomato skins begin to loosen.
4. Allow the tomatoes to cool completely.
5. Peel off the skin carefully.
6. Using a knife, remove the seeds and the hard white stem portion.
7. Transfer the tomato flesh to a blender and blend until smooth.
8. Your fresh homemade tomato puree is now ready to use.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freeze in ice cube trays for convenient portioning.
• Store frozen puree for up to 3 months.

Uses of Tomato Puree

• Indian curries and gravies
• Butter chicken and paneer recipes
• Pasta sauces
• Soups
• Pizza sauce
• Stews and casseroles

Fresh homemade tomato puree enhances the taste of dishes while avoiding the preservatives found in store

Home-made paneer

Fresh, soft, and preservative-free, home-made paneer is one of the easiest dairy products to prepare in your kitchen. Made with just milk and lemon juice, this versatile ingredient can be used in curries, snacks, desserts, and salads. The texture of freshly prepared paneer is far superior to store-bought varieties, making it a favourite in Indian households.

Ingredients Required

• 1 litre full-fat milk

• Juice of 2–3 lemons or 1 tsp of white vinegar

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Method

• Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
• Once the milk rises and begins to boil, reduce the flame to low.
• Gradually add the lemon juice while stirring gently. Within a few minutes, the milk will curdle and separate into curds (paneer) and whey.
• Switch off the heat as soon as the whey turns pale green and the curds separate completely.
• Place a strainer or colander over a large bowl and line it with a clean muslin cloth or moist cotton cloth.
• Carefully pour the curdled milk into the lined strainer.
• Rinse the curds thoroughly under running tap water. This important step removes the lemon flavour and stops the cooking process, resulting in softer paneer.
• Gather the edges of the cloth together and squeeze out the excess water gently.
• Tie the cloth and hang it for 20–30 minutes to drain further, or place it under a heavy object for 30–60 minutes if you prefer firm paneer cubes.
• Once set, unwrap the paneer and cut it into cubes or crumble it as required.

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Tips for Perfect Home-made Paneer

• Use full-fat milk for soft and rich paneer.

• Do not overboil the curdled milk, as this can make the paneer rubbery.

• Vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice, but rinsing is essential to remove any sour taste.

• For softer paneer, press it lightly. For firmer cubes suitable for curries, increase the pressing time.