Bisibela baath

   Bisibela baath, a two-word recitation and that dates back to my school days where my mother used to prepare on every saturdays.  Served hot with ghee, these would literally melt in my mouth. This meal, as such is heavy on ur stomach and will mesmerize your mind wanting for more!!!!!!!   Back at home, found best time to prepare, that is on sunday when my hubby (who always requested to make some) was there to support   :P  :P

     Bisibela baath, orginating from Karnataka cuisine lets out meaning like "Hot Lentil Rice" .  Here,  an array of vegetables (Brinjal, snakegourd, pumpkin, carrot, beans, drumstick etc) are cooked in dal tempered like sambhar style.  Cooked rice is mashed, added to the dal and masala comes at the end.  The much interesting part of cooking bisibela baath is its spice mix.  Since I luved my mom's, called her and got her ratios.  Tweaking a bit, I proceeded and yes !!!!!  Bisibela baath was very awesome, it got over by end of the meal!!  :)  

Chocolate modak - Potluck party, cyber style September 28

   As the name goes by, this can also form one of your kid's favourite snack.  The special filling (Made by adding cocoa powder & choco chips to coconut-jaggery combo) is what makes the chocolate modak even more droolicious and with each bite, we can feel the chocolate flavour oscillating around our head!! :) :)  This modak is tooo tempting for a single try!!!!

I had to make this modak because of this month's pairing in potluck party, guest-hosted by nivedham's food blog and owned by Jagruti mam.  This chocolate modak is from Poornima's blog.  She has an excellant blog with delecious dishes, do go through her blog for the original version of chocolate modak.

Sweet n sour cookies

    Recently, I had started to grow fond of strawberry cream which I prepared for kronut.  I am experimenting them with lots of bakeries, one such is this cookies.  I named them 'Sweet n sour' because of their blessful fusion of strawberry and chocolate chips.  You can also try replacing strawberry with ingredients like Anardhana (pomegranate seeds) in order to find an more Indian version.

One first bite of this cookie reveals its crispy texture that easily melts and the sour taste of strawberry comes at the end.  When this sour taste combines with choco chips, entire sour-sweet combo tickles our tongue, lightens mind and brings out original 'khatta meetha' version of hajmola candy.  Any kid who enjoys sourness would consider these cookies an everytime-delight!!  And yes, yes, yes varsha luved them a lot!!

Dairy cup-cakes/ Non-butter/ Non-oil cup-cakes

  Hi all!!!  First of all , I am very proud to present you these diary cup-cakes, my first successful baking experiment.  It happened once, when Shama had asked me to make some cup-cakes and I noticed that all left in my refrigerator was some fresh cream and milk.   Wasn't heart-broken, tried with available ingredients at hand and hurrayy!!!!, results were fantabulous.

Diary cup-cakes are made with milk and fresh cream as key ingredients apart from regular ones.  The advantage of non-butter or non-oil makes it an healthy alternative for adults, from regular cup-cakes.    Also I integrated a lots of chunky, healthy stuffs like grated apple, tutty-fruity, sliced almonds, finely chopped dates, which also makes it ideal as an tea-time snack (therefore, doesn't remind us the absence of buttery frosting).   So, it can  delight any kid at home, also be party booster or for surprising guests at home, this cup-cakes is quick to make and hence can find a special place on ur baking session. 

Kronut - Baking partners challenge

   What is a Kronut?  Kronut is an hybird version, combining goodness of Croissant & Doughnut.  Though they look very much like doughnut, they are crisp and flaky unlike latter. This is because of  incorporating butter into prepared dough, resembling puff pastry process.   Also Kronuts are blessed with an pastry cream filling which makes them soo special and unique than normal doughnuts.

Actually they are called Cronuts (ie Cro from Croissant and Nuts from doughnut).  Since the founder has trademarked the name, it is unusual to use the original name.   Mr. Dominique Ansel is that proud founder and it is said that people thrive in lines before his bakery to get an sweet munch of this kronut.   When Swathi Iyer announced the challenge, I was scared because of my previous disastrous attempts with puff pastry making at home.  However she was kind enough to provide me tips.  With no perfect videos, I just went on with suggested recipe step-by-step.  And yes, got an awesome result.   So, thanks to Swathi and Reeni for suggesting this godly recipe.