YULE LOG - Baking partners December 2013

The very same date, previous year was my first post for Baking partners ..still cant beleive it is since an year now, feeling very nostalgic :) And ever since I bought an OTG, and got many flopped outcomes, I had been scratching my head for an better alternative.  Introduction to this Baking partners was an 'blessing in disguise', through one of my friend's blog.   Let me take this as an ideal oppourtunity and list out other bakes I made,

1. Plum cake
2. Apple pie
3. French Macaroons
4. Cheese cake
5. Newyork-styled pizza
6. Chocolate eclairs
7. Chiffon cake
8. Biscotti
9. Kronut
10. Pumpkin bread
11. Pataqueta

    Don't get hard on counting, since I missed february month :)  So, each bakes listed here, has lots of tactics or lots of tips/details involved.  Since we were given links to knowledge each details, the entire baking became like an 'internal assessment' to us :P   Now, I have the confidence of baking my own cookies/cakes, thanks all to this humble community.

Coming over to this month's challenge, it is YULE LOG.  YULE LOG is an dessert/cake made especially during Christmas.  Here an chocolate cake/genoise cake is baked using an swiss roll pan, filled with vanilla icing, rolled over and again frosted with chocolate icing.  Fork impressions are made in order to make them resemble like an log!   Making them was quite interesting and nourishing the delecious outcome was the BEST DAY in my life.  Thanks all goes to Tanushree and Swathi Iyer.

Flax seeds powder

    One evening, I was watching JAYA TV programme, termed suvaiyo suvai.  The host was cooking 'Aazhi vethai podi' otherwise called Flax seeds powder.  I was completely delighted to find this, since I had bought flax seeds few weeks before :)   Flax seeds, derived from fibre crop is well known for its healthy benefits.  Not only is it source of fibre, vitamins, omega 3-fatty acids and micronutrients, they have also been proved scientifically to lower risk of heart attack, diabetes and cancer.

You can also view this wiki link which explains its consuming tricks.  Flax seeds powder made here, is an delecious fusion, I must say :D,  dry roasting  our desi ingredients and flax seeds separately, they were made to cool and thoroughly powdered.  This can be substituted with our regular idly/dosa podi.  The cook host has also requested not to mix them with oil and consume them as it is with dosa/idly.  The reason she explains is that though one mouth would feel the 'dryness', saliva will be secreated and balance the rest of the meal.  

Vuppu biscuits / Salted biscuits, Tea-time affair

    Be it latenight-weekends or sipping bed-tea, everyone is this world is habitual, isn't it??  One such is going to be our topic of the day :D  Yes, I am talking about all those, who love to crunch biscuits in between your hot n steaming tea.....  Everyone in my family does that.  Though Marie biscuits/ Digestive biscuits are available in every home, nothing can replace this vuppu biscuits available in bakeries.  At Chennai, my mother used to stock them very well. 

 

These super-soft, crunchy biscuits is known to occupy its presence at mind & heart.  I can still recollect those melting moments when they get paired up with tea.  All thanks to Sandhya from MyCookingJournal!!  When I first saw her post, it was sooo tempting that I can barely resist myself from baking them.   She has an fascinating site full of authentic South-Indian dishes, not to mention her bakes are my all-time-favourite.  :D 

 

 

The uniqueness of this biscuit is the presence of rice flour in it, which itself provides an authentic twist to regular cookie/biscuit dough.  I made an huge batch and they are disappearing....  :)  My parent-in-laws were delighted to taste this one.  Overall, baking them was one proud moment in my life :)  Try them too, will you ?  :)

 

Hiruva masala shaak / Green masala curry - POTLUCK PARTY, CYBER STYLE Dec 10

   It's party-time!!! :D  yes, back to potluck party, cyber style hosted by Jagruti mam where several bloggers meet with their party dishes online and share treat virtually  :D.  They, also pair up and prepare the other partner's dish and cherish them as well.  Isn't it interesting??   But, travelling frequently for past two months, I was not able to make up.  This time, I do proudly present the authentic curry preparation, made by my Mother-in-law - Hiruva masala shaak or Green masala curry.

 

As the name suggests, green masala curry is  very hot (Caution to spice-tolerant guys!), they differ from Nilgiri/green coloured curry because it is not the  (green) colour that matters here.  Hiruva masala shaak has many green chillies (8-10), sauted and pureed, this masala is added to regular curry-base, unlike other curries where  pureeing mint/coriander leaves is done to attain characteristic green colour.   

HEALTHY SNACKING - GIVEAWAY

Hi guys... I should mention that my giveaway had an awesome entries, all thirty links were close to my heart and hugs to all who made my day :)  But, one sad part is only three give-aways are given, I am sad because I partially feel that is demotivating to the rest :/  I wish I had thirty give-aways :)
So, without making any delay, let me present you the winners.

So, our first winner who gets Nita Mehta's FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD goes to entry ...

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result: 2

Entry 2 is Tutty-fruity muffins from Babi's recipes.  Congrauts :D

Second winner who gets Sanjeev Kapoor's KHAZANA OF HEALTHY & TASTY RECIPES goes to entry....

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result: 11

Entry 11 is Banana-apple smoothie from Savourindian recipes.  Congrauts :D

Third and final winner who gets Nita Mehta's PRESSURE COOKING RECIPES goes to entry.....

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result: 18

Entry 18 is Potato patties from Kitchen odyssey.  Congrauts again :D

    Winners kindly mail your Indian address to arthyshama7@gmail.com.  Hearty thanks to all other participants...