Venetian Wafer Cake

Wafer cake is my Hubby's Faaav Dessert, he likes to have it after Dinner. I usually make custard n caramel for him, it's soo simple n quick one. Wafer Cake is Light dessert looks soo colourful and soo soft, while making and baking it looks little bit different but after cut into pieces look beautiful ones. If anyone planning for a party or get-together then this one will be the perfect dessert easy n quick one for more persons. Usually, my Wafer cake looks plain this time i planned to make it colourful and i tried that it came out right. Here, is the recipe for you.

Ingredients for making Wafer:

1.Cake Flour - 2 cups
2.White Sugar - 1/4 cup
3.Eggs - 2 medium
4.Butter - 4 tbsp
5.Baking Powder - 2 tsp
6.Salt - 1/2 tsp

Ingredients for making Custard:

1.If you got tetra pak thick custard then it is fine can also use that.
2.Milk - 2 cups
3.Custard Powder - 2 1/2 tbsp
4.Sugar - 2 tbsp
5.Food Colour - Red n Green ( i got only red and green, can also use your favourite colours)

Preparation for Wafer:

1.First melt the butter in one deep bowl, add the sugar beat it well follow with eggs beat it well together. In another bowl sift the cake flour, salt and baking powder mix together n keep it aside.
2.I didn't used my electric egg beater to this wafer, use fork or egg beater.
3.Now add the dry ingredients to the egg bowl use your hand and mix it together like a cookie dough.
4.The same consistency the dough should not stick to the edges of the bowl.
5.Knead it well together, make into small balls like we do for poori.
6.All balls should be in same size and roll down the each balls into very thinly in round shape.( roll it very thin first grease the surface with margerine n then roll down then only its easy to take from the surface)
7.I used my aluminium pot lid to bake, cos it is perfect round shape i couldn't fit the rolls in my baking tray in big tray i can keep only 1 if i put another its touching each other.
8.So, i used my Pot plates for baking, you can use your comfortable trays.
9.Preheat the oven to 350 deg F, grease your trays and place the rotis and bake it for 5-10 mts ( till it turns light light brown it will start to bubble on top no need to leave it till golden brown)
10.Like the same do it for all rotis and place it in cloth to cool.You can see the cracks on sides of the rotis don't worry it will become right while we are serving.
11.Atleast one biscuit roll will tear or turn light brown , make it into crumbs for toppings.
12.Now place one biscuit roti in plate apply red colour custard on all sides then place another roti apply green colour custard on all sides follow with another roti apply the plain custard like the same do it for all biscuit rotis like doing for Lasagna layers.
13.On top pour all colour remaining custards and sprinkle the biscuit roti crumbs over the sides and top, leave it cool inside the fridge for 1 or 2 hrs.
14.Now cut the wafer cake into pieces you will see the difference, the custard will set into the rotis it will turns soft and it looks like jelly.

Preparation for Hot Thick Custard:

1.Heat the milk in medium flame , add the custard powder and sugar.
2.Mix it gently continuously it will turns thick.
3.Cook in medium flame or else it will burn at the bottom.
4.Now take out the pot from fire after it turns thick hot custard, pour food colours in 2 bowls n pour custards to the bowls and keep remaining custard for yellow colour.
5.Mix the custard well with the food colours, now its ready to make the wafers.
6.First bake the biscuit rotis then try to make this hot custard.

Koeksisters - South African Dessert

Our Weekend went on very well, enjoyed a lot and have done our this Month's Candle Light Dinner at Restaurant enjoyed a 3 course meal with dessert me n my Hubby's faaaaav Cheese Cake. After a long time, we went to Restaurant for our Candle Light Dinner to Indian Restaurant " Bhanjara" this restaurant got very good ambience, in the evening time it will be pleasant to spend time for couples with Candle Light Dinner. On Our Dinner day evening, the weather was pleasant outside drizzling, nice breeze and our table was in the Balcony side with melodious live music inside restaurant wooooow!!!! simply superb evening. Last week, my Hubby was busy with his work, we couldn't find time to spend each other in the evenings so we planned to stop other works and spend our weekend only both of us.

Okay, let me come here to my recipe today. Koeksisters comes from the Dutch word koekje, Koek meaning "Cake". It is a South African syrup-coated doughnut in a twisted or braided shape (like a plait). It is prepared by deep-frying dough in oil then dipping the fried dough into cold sugar syrup. Best eaten cold, koeksusters are very sticky and sweet and taste like honey.(source wiki). Here, Everybody makes Koeksisters for Christmas and all occassions, also Indians do for all occassions very simple and easy dessert with sugar syrup on outside and inside will be fluffy like cake.I tried many times, while i tried at first time the shape didn't came our right after getting practice doing many times now the koeksisters shape looks nice n perfect. Below, i showed my first time koeksisters and present koeksisters shape you can see the difference between my first try and recently made koeksister.

Ingredients:

1.Cake Flour - 2 cups
2.Egg - 1 Large
3.Butter - 3 tbsp ( i used margerine many times but while using butter koeksister comes soft)
4.Butter Milk - 1/2 cup
5.Baking Powder - 3 tsp
6.Salt - 1/2 tsp
7.Canola Oil for Deep Frying

Ingredients for making Syrup:

1.White Sugar - 700 gms
2.Water - 2 cups
3.Crushed Whole Cardamom pods - 4 no's ( Here they use Cinnamon sticks, i like always cardamom to use)
4.Ground Ginger - 1 tsp
5.Lemon juice - from 1 small lemon

Preparation:

1.Mix dry ingredients first, Cake Flour, Salt and Baking Powder then rub with butter nicley till it turns like Fine bread crumbs.
2.In another bowl, beat the egg roughly and add the butter milk mix it gently for 2 mts, then add these wet ingredients with flour knead it gently for 5 mts if you feel sticky in your hands apply oil and then knead the dough.
3.You have to knead the dough till you feel soft and do not stick around the edges of the pot, test the dough by making one small lemon size ball it should come soft and in shape without any crack on sides.
4.Now close the dough with damp cloth and leave it to sit for 4 hrs. Meanwhile, we can make Sugar syrup.
5.I use to prepare the syrup a day before itself, because we shouldn't put the fried pieces in the warm or hot syrup. It should completely cold while we are dipping the hot fried pieces.
6.Heat all the ingredients under making syrup put together and leave it to cook in medium flame close the pot with the lid. Stir it well frequently till it dissolves fully.
7.There is no consistency need for this Sugar syrup, just dissolved everything ( not too watery use exact amount of measurement for syrup)
8.Now leave the syrup to cool, keep it inside the fridge.
9.Now, we need to start do frying our koeksisters, Now roll down the dough to 7 cm long and 2 cm wide.
10.Cut into 3 strips, we can make in 2 ways one like our hair plait with 3 strips and other one is take 1 strip from the 3 strips twist like in the first picture and pinch together at the end of the strip.
11.Make what shape you prefer, but the koeksisters shape should be like in the pictures.
12.Now deep fry the koeksisters till it turns golden brown. Drain it in the kitchen towel and dip it in the cold sugar syrup. (Dip immediately the koeksister is hot)
13.Take out after 5mts and leave it in the plate to set well.
14.Now the Koeksisters are ready to serve cold.

I am Passing this Sweet, gooey and fluffy Koeksisters - South African Dessert to AWED - Africa hosted by PJ and to Divya's AWED menu.

And also Passing this Cardamom flavoured koeksister to Priya's CWS event.

I am passing this Sweet Koeksisters to Meetha's Monthly Mingle - South African Cuisine

Tamil New year Dinner with Mango Pachadi

Yesterday, 14th April was our Tamil New Year. We celebrated in traditional way of doing "Kani Paarthal" in the morning and in the evening after my Hubby came from the work we have done our pooja and had our dinner with Traditional food recipes Idli, Sambar, Chutney, Vadai n Payasam, Mango Pachadi and fruits. In my Mom's place, they celebrated well the New Year in traditional way.

My amma cooked lot of traditional food recipes for their lunch as i said the recipes on my yesterday's post. It made me mouthwatering, when i was hearing the recipes name from my amma yesterday telling over phone. I usually make paruppu vadai , cos my Hubby likes it very much than medhu vadai. But, I like Methu Vadai and Thayir/Dahi Vadai and all kinds of vadais esp my amma's aama vadai it taste good n crispy n yummy. I never tried "aama vadai" myself , i tasted only my amma making aama vadai that will taste really good with lot of taste she is having good hand in aama vadai.

My amma is always good in cooking traditional food recipes, i like all her foods if my amma make urundai ( make balls and feed us) or feeding ( ootti vidarathu) the food it will taste soooo good i will have lot of food while having like that always taste like Amrutham for me. Whenever i visit India or somebody coming from India , i always ask my amma to make murukku for me and to my Hubby everybody can buy from shop it's soo cheap and no hard work but can't compare with my amma's murukku with lot of effort she puts n making for us and with affection. My Hubby likes my amma's murukku very much, she makes very crispy it will melts like mysore paak.

In my MIL' home they have done the prayer made Sweet and traditional food for dinner. Today am gonna post my Sago n Vermicelli Payasam, Paruppu Vadai and MIL's Idli n Sambar, Semiya Payasam, Mango Pachadi. Me n My Hubby likes Mango Pachadi from my MIL's cooking, she cooks soo simple but it will taste good with correct sweet. Today, i have posted only Paal Payasam later will post all the below recipes one by one soon.

Idli, Sambar, Coconut Chutney, Kara Chutney and Idli Podi

Mangai Pachadi

Paruppu Vadai/Masala Vadai 

Semiya and Sago Paal Payasam

My MIL's Semiya n Sago Payasam

Semiya and Sago Paal Payasam:

Ingredients:

1.Vermicelli - 2 cups
2.Sago - 1/2 cup
3.Full Cream Fresh Milk - 200 ml
4.Condensed Milk - 3 tbsp
5.White Sugar - 1/2 cup
6.Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
7.Cashew nuts - 3 whole nuts
8.Ghee - approx 1-2tbsp
9.Raisins/Sultanas/Dried grapes - 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1.Heat 2tsp of ghee in the pot, roast the vermicelli and sago to light golden brown in medium flame.
2.After that add 1 cup of hot water to the vermicelli n sago to cook nicely.
3.Cook it in medium flame till it half done, then pour the milk and leave it to boil.
4.After the milk gives nice boil add sugar, leave it to cook in medium flame for 5 mts.
5.Then add the condensed milk and cardamom powder.
6.Now heat the ghee in separate pot and fry the cashew nuts and then add the raisins to fry.
7.Pour the ghee mixture on top of the Paal Payasam.
8.I didn't add much ghee n cashew nuts n raisins to my Payasam, cos of my Hubby's diet.
9.Now the sweeet n creamy Semiya n Sago Paal Payasam is ready to serve hot with Vadais, make sure in one hand keep masala vadai and in another hand keep the payasam cup sip payasam n then have vadai,,wooooowww!!! it taste divine...I like to have vada n payasam like this.

I am Passing my Yummyy Sweet Creamy Payasam to Priya's "CWS - Cooking with Seeds Event" and also to Shama's "Kheer Festival".

Masala Vadai and Rice n Dal Payasam

Vadai and Payasam are traditional recipes, i use to make both these recipes for all festivals and functions. I couldnot separate both the recipes its like husband and wife, even you can notice everybody says it together as vadai payasam. Both the recipes are perfect for all Occassions and Vadai taste good esp on rainy day evening with masala tea. My Hubby likes Masala vadai, simply he will have the vadai alone but for him it shouldn't be too strong and spicy. Here am sharing both the recipes together.

Ingredients for Masala Vadai:

1.Chana Dhal - 2 cups
2.Chopped onions - 1
3.Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
4.Garlic pods - 2
5.Ginger - 1/2 inch
6.Red Chillies - 4
7.cloves - 2
8.Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch
9.Baking soda - a big pinch
10.Salt - to taste
11.Canola oil for deep frying
12.chopped curry leaves few

Preparation:

1.Soak the chana dal for 4 hrs and drain the water leave in a large plate to get drain completely.
2.Meanwhile grind the ingredients in dry jar put fennel seeds, redchillies, cloves and cinnamon , grind it to powder and then add little bit of soaked chana dal, ginger n garlic. Grind to fine paste.
3.In another batch take the 2 tbsp of soaked chana and grind the remaining chana dal roughly n coarsely. Meanwhile heat the oil in the kadai.
4.Now mix the chana dal mixture with chopped onions,chopped curry leaves ,salt and baking soda.
5.Take a lemon size balls and flat it inbetween your palm.( the batter should be stiff not too watery, if you feel bit watery then add the rice flour to make it right).
6.Make the vadais immediately after ground the dhal, now put the flattened vadais in hot oil. Turn the vadais gently to both sides leave it to cook till turns golden brown.
7.Drain it in the kitchen towel..Now serve hot the Crispy Masala vadai with coconut chutney.

Rice and Paasi Paruppu Payasam

Ingredients for Rice and Paasi Paruppu Payasam :( Rice and Yellow Moong dhal payasam)

1.Raw Rice or Basmathi rice - 1/2 cup
2.Yellow Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
3.Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
4.Condensed milk - 4 tbsp
5.Full cream fresh milk - 250 ml
6.Coconut pieces - 4 tbsp (cut into bit pieces)
7.Ghee - 2 tbsp
8.Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
9.Sliced cashew nuts - 1 tbsp ( can also use whole nuts)
10.Raisins - 2 tsp

Preparation:

1.Dry roast the rice and dhal in a pot for 5 mts in medium flame till you get the nice aroma of the dhal.
2.Then wash the rice n dhal and pressure cook it for 4 whistles till it turns fully soft.
3.Now hot the milk in the pot in medium flame, leave it to boil till it reduce little bit thick.
4.Now add the sugar and cooked rice n dhal mixture, mix it gently till the rice mixture incorporate to the milk.
5.Cook it in medium flame after 3 boils add condensed milk ( it gives nice thick n good taste to payasam), cardamom powder. Leave it to cook for 10 mts in medium flame.
6.Meanwhile heat small frying pan, heat the ghee in medium flame fry the coconut bit pieces till light golden brown first and then add cashew nuts and lastly add the raisins.
7.Now pour the fried items with ghee on top of the payasam.
8.Delicious and yummyy rice n dhal payasam is ready to serve, it taste good while having one bite of masala vadai and sipping payasam. It also taste good with appalam.

This delicious and sweet Rice and Dhal Payasam is going to part in Payasam/ Kheer event in Shama's  Easy to cook recipes.

Ugadi Celebrations

Happy Ugadi Wishes to all my Blogger Friends.

The New year festival (Ugadi) celebrated in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Gudi padwa in Maharashtra. Ugadi festival comes in spring season, it is the first season Ugadi is the New Year and New Beginnings of all New Business on this Auspicious day. It is the season for mangoes and Sugarcanes, with these seasonal fruits we make "Ugadi Pachadi" with raw mangoes ,neem flowers and jaggery from sugar cane on this auspicious day. Ugadi Pachadi  is the combination of sweet , bitter and sour, it symbolises the true life. We get fresh mangoes from our field and my Mom makes tongue tinkling Mango Pickles in this season.

My mom use to begin the preparations a week ahead . On that day, we wake up early in the morning and take oil bathe, decorate our house with mango leaves ( Mavilai thoranam) and decorate the pooja room with jasmine flowers. She prepares the sweets a day before itself like Bobbatlu ( Opputtu) and Athirasam.

On Ugadi day, We use to fast in the morning after the prayer have our lunch with Ugadi Bhojanam ( Ugadi Feast). She cooks lot of recipes for our lunch Rice, White Pumpkin Sambar, Tomato rasam, yellow Pumpkin curry with beans,Pulihora,Udhu Vadai ( Methu Vadai), Aval Paal Payasam,Appalam and Mango Pickle.

Here, on yesterday we celebrated our Ugadi festival as in the same way. In the evening we have done our prayer after my hubby came from work. Our dinner with Ugadi Bhojanam Rice, Brinjal sambar, Tomato rasam, Potato fry,Masala Vadai, Rice n Moong dal Paal Payasam, Appalam . My hubby came early on yesterday,Once i finished all the cooking preparations we offered the food to the God and then had our dinner.

Sandhagai/Idiyappam/ String Hoppers/Rice noodles

Ingredients:

1.Rice flour - 2 cups
2.Salt - to taste
3.Oil - 1 tbsp
4.Sufficient amount of hot water to cook rice flour.

Preparation:

1.Heat the hot water in the pot, add salt and oil.
2.Leave it to boil and then put the fire in medium add the rice flour to the hot water.
3.Immediately stir the rice flour with the spatula, if the water is running out means add little bit of hot water. 4.After the rice flour turns soft and  to right texture, turn off the fire and close the pot with the lid . Leave it to cool.
5.Grease the sandhagai mould with oil and fill the mould with the cooked rice flour mixture. Press it in the Idli plates .
6.Steam the sandhagai for 5 minutes in the idli pot and then put it in the separate dish.
7.Serve hot the sandhagai with sweet coconut milk or can also make lemon and tomato sandhagai. We had Aappam and sandhagai with coconut milk for our today's breakfast.

Aappam - 2 (ஆப்பம் )

Ingredients:

1.Raw rice - 1 cup
2.Par boiled rice - 1 cup
3.Urad dhal - 1 tsp
4.Fenugreek seeds - 2tsp ( to make aapam soft)
5.Coconut milk - 1 cup
6.Baking soda - a pinch
7.Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1.Soak 2 rices,urad dhal and fenugreek seeds for 7 hrs. After that grind the items nicely.
2.Add the coconut milk and salt  with the aappam batter, the consistency of the batter should be watery. Leave the batter to ferment for 12 hrs (overnight).
3.After fermentation add the baking soda in the batter and stir it well.
4.Now place the aapam chatti in the stove, pour one laddle of batter inside the chatti help with your two hands swirl the chatti in a circular direction. ( i dont have aapam chatti, so i tried the aapam in my non-stick pan).
5.Pour oil around the edges and close the chatti with a lid for few minutes, till you see the aappam got golden brown on the edges and in the center turns soft.
6.For aapam don't need to flip to other side, take out the aappam from the chatti .
7.Serve hot the aapam with Sweet coconut milk or with chicken or lamb kuruma.(I tried the aapam with coconut milk and coconut chutney).

For Sweet coconut milk:

1.Coconut milk - 1 tin
2.Sugar - for your taste
3.Crushed cardamom pods - 4

Preparation:

1.Warm the coconut milk in the pot with sugar ( i used brown sugar) and cardamom pods for few minutes. Don't allow the milk to boil, just warm it for 5 minutes in the medium fire.

Note:
Fresh coconut milk is tastes better than the tinned milk. So, try to taste the aapam with fresh coconut milk. Here, we don't get coconut usually in the shop. So, i used tinned milk.


This delicious Aappam is going to be a part of:
Jihva- Break fast  guest hosted by Veggie platter of suma started by Indira of Mahanandi

Pooran Poli ( Bobbatlu)

Ingredients:
1.Maida Flour - 1 cup
2.Warm Milk - 1/2 cup
3.Butter - 1 tbsp
For Filling(Pooranam):
1.Grated Coconut - 1 cup
2.Jaggery - 1/2 cup
3.Ghee - 2 tbsp
4.Cardamon Powder - 1 tsp
5.Nutmeg Powder - 1 tsp ( optional)

Method:
1.Heat the ghee in a wok and add the grated coconut ,saute it well in a low fire.
2.After getting the coconut roasted smell add the jaggery,cardamom powder and saute it well.
3.Saute it till the jaggery melts.
4.Take off the pan fromthe fire and leave it to cool.
5.By the time make the dough with all the ingredients mentioned above.
6.The dough should be very smooth and almost mixed with ghee.
7.Now take a small ballof dough and roll out into small circle,place te the coconut filling in the centre part of the dough.
8.Now get together the edges of the dough to the top of the filling.
9.Roll out the dough or else use the plastic sheet ,apply the oil in the plastic sheet and pat the dough by using the hands into the small poori shape.
10.Heat the pan with oil or ghee,put the dough into the pan and add the ghee or oil on the edges to cook.
11.Turn it into both sides.
12.Serve the Warm Opputu's .