Homemade Mexican Spice Mix

Homemade Mexican Spice Mix is preservative free and gluten free.
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons Red Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes
¼ Teaspoon Heaped Cayenne Pepper
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
1 Tablespoon Heaped Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic powder
1 Teaspoon Onion powder - Homemade
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Heaped Black Pepper Powder
Method

In a small bowl, stir together all of the spices, mix well and store in an airtight jar.  

For longer shelf life and to retain the color, refrigerate it.
Labels: Homemade, Masala, Mexican, Mexican Seasoning, Preservative free, Gluten Free, International Cuisine

Fresh Blueberry Pound Bundt Cake#BundtBakers

This easy and delicious blueberry pound cake is made with fresh blueberries, !! Perfecto, soft and moist, just the right amount of sugar. 

This cake is, has a lovely tender crumb, and cuts beautifully. It has a lovely taste that's perfect for an afternoon tea.  This is my hubby's favorite cake too, cause he make's me buy this whenever we visit our favorite bakery.
This month the Bundt Bakers were asked to make Berry Bundts  and our host is  Rebekah Rose Hills .

Ingredients
110 Grams Butter
110 Grams Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
140 Grams All Purpose Flour
10 Grams Corn Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
125 Grams Fresh Blueberries


Method
Grease  the  bundt pan well with butter, keep aside.

Sieve the baking powder, salt and flours keep aside. Take a tablespoon or two of the flour and fold in the blueberries, keep aside.
In a cup break the eggs and lightly beat them. Keep aside.
In a bowl cream the butter and sugar till light and creamy. Add the beaten egg little by little and continue to beat till they are all incorporated. Now fold in the flour till it forms a smooth batter. Lightly fold in the blueberries 

Pour it in the prepared pan. With a spatula even it. 

Bake it in a preheated oven at 170 C for 35 - 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted come out clean. Keep it on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Un-mould 

Slice it. Perfecto, soft and moist!!

Enjoy with a cuppa of tea or coffee. 

Isn't this recipe delicious and simple enough, you must try this.   
Labels : Bundts, Bundt Bakers, Blueberry  

Bundt Bakers August 2020:  Theme is Berry Bundts! 

• Chocolate Raspberry Bundt from Sweet Sensations
• Fresh Blueberry Pound Bundt Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Fresh Strawberry Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
• Peach Rosé Blueberry Bundt from Food Lust People Love
• Strawberry Shortcake Bundt from A Day in the Life on the Farm
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#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

Potato & Dal Khichdi - Pressure Cooker

Khichdi, is a dish in made of rice, lentils and sometimes we add veggies whatever available at home. Most people think that khichdi as bland, tasteless and as food for babies or the sick. A well made khichdi is delicious, full of protiens, satisfying, nourishing, and most of all it's a complete one pot meal . Not much of pots and pan to wash. Make this in a pressure cooker, it cooks in a jiffy and yet tasty. 

This is also perfect to make when you are tired or want to russel up something healthy and quick then this recipe is for you.  My mother used to make this very often during monsoon, when it's a rainy day, no fish or meat at home and we relished this steaming hot.

Serves 2

Measurement - 250 Ml Cup 
Ingredients
1 Cup Rice - you can use any rice, long or short grain rice
1/3 Cup Masoor dal - or of your choice
1 Veg Stocks cube
1 Large Potato - cubed
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Garam masala powder
Himalayan Pink Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Sugar
A Sprig Curry Leaves
1 Medium Onion - thinly sliced
2 Green chillies - slit
2 -3 Tablespoons Oil

2½  Cups Hot Water

Method

Wash the dal, rice and keep aside.

In a pressure cooker heat the oil and fry the potato cubes on high flame till the start to get brown.

 Add the, curry leaves sliced onions & chillies

fry till the onions start to brown, add the soup cube and mix well

Add the dry powders, salt to taste (be careful soup cube contains salt), sugar, mix all well, 

Add the  rice &  dal and fry  for just a minutes taking care not break the rice.

 Add 21/2 cups hot water cover with lid & pressure cook on medium high flame for 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and let the steam settle/slightly cool down.

Open  the cooker and give it a light stir with fork. 

Serve piping hot with pickle, papad & raita 

Cucumber Tomato Raita

Ingredients

1 Cup Chilled Thick Yogurt - whisked

1 Cucumber  - diced

1 Medium Tomato - diced

Himalayan Salt to taste

½ Teaspoon Sugar

A Dash of  Pepper powder - optional

Method

Just mix all ingredients together and raita is ready.  Serve garnished with mint leaves. 

Enjoy with Potato & Dal Khichdi !!

Labels : Potato,  Masoor Dal,  Rice,  Khichdi, One Pot Meal, Pressure Cooker, Raita, Salads, Multi Cooker Monday, Vegan , Gluten Free, Healthy, Main Course, Serves Two

Multicooker Monday August 2020:
Here are other recipes using Small Kitchen Appliances

• Crockpot Lo Mein from Veggies First Then Dessert
• Cheesy Chicken Chili - Instant Pot from Food Lust People Love
• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup from Making Miracles
• Potato & Dal Khichdi - Pressure Cooker from Sneha's Recipe
• Slow Cooker Lechon Asado from Palatable Pastime
• Toaster Oven Roasted Salted Almonds from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Zucchini Chips from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Vegetarian Oats Soup#SoupSwappers

Oats is such a healthy ingredient and a great way to kick start the day. This is a easy and quick recipe. Best for morning breakfast or for a light dinner. This is soo..oo delicious and makes a healthy meal, it does not have any cream.  It's the milk that gives the creamy texture to the soup. 

As oats is rich in fiber, it will keep you full for a longer time and curbing the desire to eat more.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/3 Cup Quaker Oats
1 Medium Carrot - chopped
1 Small Capsicum - chopped

1 Small Onion - chopped 
3 Mushrooms - chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
1½ Cup Milk 
1½ Cup Water 
2 Tablespoons Butter  
A  Dash Of  Black pepper powder - optional
Salt to taste 

Method

Heat a pan add butter,  add onions and garlic . Saute till light brown, add chopped carrots and capsicum. Mix well. Saute till raw smell of carrot leaves, then and add oats and fry for a minute. Add water and let it boil till oats gets cooked, stirring continuously. When  the oats are cooked, add milk and salt to taste, on a low flame let it simmer  for 2 - 3 minutes stirring. Switch off the flame.  

Serve hot 

In my bowl I add a dash of freshly ground black pepper powder.

Labels: Oats, Soup, Soup Swappers, Vegetarian, Milk, Carrot, Capsicum, Healthy, Breakfast, Main Course, Gluten Free

Theme for August 2020 Soup Swappers is Soups With Oats - our host is Sneha  

Vegetable Oats Soup by Making Miracles
Irish Leek and Oat Soup by Pandemonium Noshery
Savory Oat Congee by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Sweet Potato, Bacon and Savoy Cabbage Soup by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Vegetarian Oats Soup by Sneha's Recipe

Lemon Cherry Muffin#Improv

I am getting addicted to making small servings, since this gives me a chance to try many different recipes and there are no leftovers.  This Lemon Cherry Muffin loaded with Homemade Maraschino Cherries and baked in ramekins topped with a sweet cherry syrup glaze. You will love this muffin. This batter is enough to hold 2 ramekins.
Cup Measurement - 200 Ml
Serves 2
Ingredients
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking powder
A Pinch Salt
½ An Lightly Beaten Egg 
2 Tablespoons Butter - melted
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
4 Tablespoons Milk
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
¼ Cup Homemade Maraschino Cherries - chopped
For The Glaze
1 Tablespoon Heaped Icing Sugar
1 Teaspoon Heaped Cherry Syrup

Method

Preheat oven to , 190°C. 

Grease two ramekins . Keep it aside.
In a small bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a another bowl, with an hand whisk, mix together the melted butter and sugar. Add in the egg ( lightly whisk the egg and then add half of it), whisk until completely blended. Whisk in the vanilla, milk and lemon juice.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently mix until combined.
Gently fold in the chopped cherries.

Pour batter into prepared ramekins. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until top is golden and center is completely cooked when a toothpick  inserted comes out clean.

Remove ramekin from the oven and place on a rack to cool.
Whisk together the icing sugar and cherry syrup. 

Drizzle over the  muffin, top it with a cherry.

Enjoy!!
Labels : Muffins, Cakes, Breakfast, Sweets & Desserts, Lemon, Lemon Glaze, Homemade, Cherry, Serves Two, Improv Cooking Challenge

Improv Cooking Challenge

August 2020 theme is Cherry and Lime

• Vodka Cherry Limeade by Making Miracles
• Filipino Crema de Fruta by Pandemonium Noshery
• Makrut Lime-Kissed Clafoutis/ by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Cherry Lime Bourbon Smash by Cookaholic Wife
• Cherry Lime Rickey by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Cherry Muffin By Sneha’s Recipe