Kerala Plum Cake Recipe / Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe / Rum Flavored Plum Cake Recipe

Everyone will be busy with Christmas preparation and i cant post my plum cake recipe before Christmas. In my childhood days, my dad bought plum cake from store for every Christmas, but after marriage i miss that and i cannot find a good plum cake in my locality. so this time i searched for many plum cake recipes and found a perfect recipe. I baked it on Christmas Eve and it came out very well. My friends tasted and said that the cake is very tasty and perfect. I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy with your family

Prep time: 5 days for soaking

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 5 days and 45 mins

Ingredients:

For soaking:

Dates - 1/2 cup chopped finely

Dry Apricot - 1/2 cup chopped finely

Prunes / Dry Plums - 1/2 cup chopped finely

Dry cherries - 1/2 cup chopped finely

Raisins - 1/2 cup chopped finely

Nuts - 1 cup chopped finely ( Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews )

Tutti frutti - 1/2 cup

Rum Flavor Imitation - 1 1/2 cup

All purpose flour - 3 tbsp for tossing

For caramel syrup:

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/4 cup

Other Ingredients:

Butter - 1 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Eggs - 3

All purpose flour - 2 cups

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Clove powder - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Dr ginger powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Step by step pictures:

Finely chop the dry fruits and nuts

Add Rum flavor to the dry fruits and nuts,soak them 

Soaked dry fruits and nuts

Add all purpose flour to the dry fruits

Toss the flour well

Take butter in a bowl

Add sugar to the bowl

Add Vanilla extract to it

Beat it well with a electric beater

Creamy texture after beating 

Add eggs to it

Pic after beating the eggs

Take sugar in a pan and follow the instruction in step no 5 and form a caramel syrup

Adding caramel syrup 

Add first batch of flour

pic after mixing the flour

Add in remaining caramel syrup

Add remaining flour to it

Pic after adding 2 nd batch of flour

Add in spice powders and salt

Add baking soda and baking powder

Mix it well

Add soaked dry fruits and nuts to it.

Fold it well gently

Grease the baking tray with butter

Transfer the mixture to a tray and bake for 45 minutes

Insert a tooth pick, if it come out clean then cake is ready

Method:

1.Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C

2. Combine all the dry fruits and soak them in a rum flavor for at least one day. I soaked it for 5 days.

3. Extract the rum from the dry fruits and toss it with 3 tbsp of all purpose flour.

4. Grease the baking tray with butter well.

5. Take 1/2 cup of sugar in a non stick pan and heat in a medium heat. The sugar will slowly start to melt and turn in to a brown color.  Now remove from the heat and add water. It will crystallize again so heat till the sugar dissolve and become watery. Now the caramel syrup is ready.

6. In a wide bowl, take butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat it well with the electric beater till creamy.

7. Add eggs and again beat it well. Now add 1/2 of caramel syrup and 1 cup of all purpose flour and beat it well.

8. Now add remaining caramel syrup and another 1 cup of all purpose flour, Beat it well.

9.  Now add baking powder, baking soda and spice powders and mix it well.

10. Add the dry fruits and mix it well by a folding method gently.

11. Transfer everything to a greased tray and bake it for 45  to 50 minutes. Insert a tooth pick inside a cake and if it comes clean then the cake is ready.

Soy Bundle Recipe

Soya chunks are odorless and tasteless food item, but this unique food is high in nutritional and full of rich proteins. Soya chunks are also called as soya nuggets. Soya nuggets provides a good amount of vitamins, minerals,fiber and protein for growing children. It also contains high amount of fiber, it helps in loosing weight as well. But it is impossible to make our kids to eat this nutritional food, so thought of preparing a attractive snack. This is very easy to prepare  and tasty with hot tea or coffee.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheet - 1

Wheat flour - for dusting

For Stuffing:

Soya chunks - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Onion - 1, finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Green chili - 1

Tomato - 1, chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Cilantro - few

Salt to taste

Butter - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Take the sheets of puff pastry out and thaw them at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

2. Boil water with little amount of salt, add soya chunks in water for 2 minutes. Drain the water and squeeze excess of water. 

3. Add these squeezed soya chunks in a mixer and grind it. Now shredded soya chunks is ready.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and onion, saute till it turns translucent. Add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste , saute till the raw smell leaves.

5. Now add green chili and tomato, saute till it turns mushy. 

6. Add all the spice powders and Shredded soya chunks. Give a good mix.

7. Add salt and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, now the stuffing is ready.

8. Preheat the oven to 350F.

9.Lay out a puff pastry sheet on a floor and using a round cutter, cut round shapes in a sheet and stuff the soya chunk masala in the center and form it into a bundle shape.

10. Brush the butter on top of it. Place them on a greased tray and bake it for about 40 minutes.

11. Now soy bundle is ready, serve it with ketchup or green chutney.

Roasted Phool Makhana / Roasted Fox nuts / Roasted Lotus seeds

Looking for a healthy and quick evening snack, try this roasted phool makhana / Fox nut. It takes only 7 to 10 minutes to prepare. Phool makhana / fox nut  is good for health.  Fox nuts are considered superior to nuts such as almonds, cashews etc. It is high on antioxidant, fiber and low on saturated fats and Sodium. 

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Phool makhana / Fox nuts / Lotus seeds - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

chaat masala - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1.Heat oil in a pan, add lotus seeds and roast till it turns crispy.

2. Add all the spice powders, salt and give a good mix till all the seeds are well coated by masala.

3. Sprinkle chaat masala before serving. Serve it with hot tea.

Ghee pongal recipe / Ven pongal recipe/ Khara pongal recipe

Venpongal is a most popular south Indian dish hat we often prepare for breakfast. In temple, they offer venpongal as prasadham and also most of them offer venpongal as neivedhiyam to God in festival days. In most restaurants, they have a combo of venpongal, sambar, chutney and vada in their menu. The taste of rice and dal with ghee and seasonings will give a excellent taste. Try in your home and pour your comments.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1 cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Peppercorns - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Cashews - few

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt to taste

Water - 6 cups

Method:

1. Heat i tbsp of ghee in a cooker, Roast the moong dal for 2 minutes and then add rice to it.

2. Add 6 cups of water and enough salt, close the lid of cooker.

3. Cook for 3 whistles. Remove the lid after pressure gone.

4. Heat remaining ghee in a pan, Temper with ginger, asafoetida, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cashews and curry leaves.

5. Add it to the cooked rice and dal. Mix it well.

6. Serve hot with sambar.

Semiya Payasam / Vermicelli kheer / Sweet Vermicelli Pudding

Last Saturday afternoon, I thought of preparing a small veg feast for my family. My husband always like veg dishes especially the combination of sambar, Avial, Tomato Pachadi and Appalam. So i prepared all these dishes, moreover how it can be a feast without a dessert. I prepared my favorite Semiya payasam. It is the easiest dessert to prepare with awesome taste. I always prepare MTR vermicelli kheer mix which i like very much but this i tried on my own without any mix and it came out very well too. I hope you prepare this on any special occasions and enjoy with your family:-)

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Ghee - 4 tbsp

Cashews - few

Raisins - few

Vermicelli / Semiya -3/4 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Cardamom pods - 2

Sugar - 1 1/4 cup

Method:

1.Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan, roast the cashews and raisins. Remove them from a pan and keep it aside.

2. In a same pan, roast the vermicelli / semiya for 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Add 1/2 cup of boiled milk to it and allow the vermicelli to cook. 

4. When the vermicelli is cooked well, add another 1 1/2 cups of milk to it.

5. Add cardamom pods and sugar to the milk and cook in low flame for 20 to 25 minutes.

6. The milk will get reduced to certain amount. Now add the remaining ghee, roasted cashews, raisins and Saffron.

7. Give a good mix and switch off the flame. Serve hot or chilled.

Chocolate Coffee Cupcake Recipe

One day evening, suddenly i felt craving for chocolate but i don't have any chocolates in home:-(. I had cocoa powder so thought of making chocolate cup cake. While taking my cocoa powder container from my shelf, coffee powder also sitting next to it and i got an idea of combining cocoa and coffee powder which resulted in delicious and moist chocolate coffee cupcake. It is very easy to prepare and the taste is awesome with tasty whip cream. Kiddos will sure fall for it and ask you to make it often. 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup

Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup

Melted Butter - 1/2 cup

Milk  - 1/4 cup

Coffee powder - 2 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Whip cream for topping

Method:

1.In a large mixing bowl, Combine milk and coffee powder. Add butter to it and mix it well.

2. Now add all the dry ingredients and beat it well with spoon or use electric beater.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F.

4. Grease the cup cake moulds and place it in a muffin tray

5. Now pour the batter into each mould and bake it for about 12 - 15 minutes.

6. Serve with whip cream topping.

Fish Tikka Recipe

Last night I planned Fish for dinner, thought of something spicy and healthy. So tried Fish tikka and it came out very well. Seriously it is a very easy recipe and i used just 1 tsp of oil to prepare this.  Those who are looking for healthy at the same time tasty recipe, prepare this fish tikka and enjoy it. 

Prep time: 2 mins

Marination time: 2 hour

Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Tilapia fish fillets - 2 ( cube into small pieces)

Bell pepper / Capsicum - 1/2 ( cube into small pieces)

Onion - 1/2 ( Cube into small pieces)

Thick Yogurt - 2 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 1/2  tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Chaat masala - 1 tsp

salt to taste

Oil -1 tsp

Method:

1.In a large mixing bowl, add yogurt, all the spice powders, salt and lemon juice. Mix it well.

2. Add Fish pieces, onion and bell pepper to the masala and give a good mix till the fish pieces are coated well with masala.

3. Refrigerate it for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350F.

4. In a tray, Place the silver foil and grease it with oil. 

5. Put the fish,bell pepper and onion on to wooden skewers alternatively. Place the wooden skewers on tray and bake it for 15 mins.

6. Sprinkle chaat masala over it and Serve hot with green chutney.