Happy Deepavali 2009

This year is a special Deepavali to me as I get to celebrate it for the first time in my own place after marriage. Though busy at work, I still managed to make some festive delicacies.

Clockwise from top: Ghee Balls, Achi Muruku, Pineapple Jam Tarts & Muruku
Centre from left to right: Blackforest Cookies, Orange Cookies & Custard Cookies

Wishing Hindus Thoughout The Globe a Very Happy & Prosperous Deepavali

Happy Deepavali

Wishing Hindus Throughout The World A Very Happy & Prosperous Deepavali

Ponggalo Ponggal!!!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy Ponggal. Like what they say "Thai piranthal vazhi pirakkum", I hope that this ponggal brings all the luck and prosperity to everyone in the whole.

Iniya Ponggal Nal Vazhthukkal

Weekend Baking Session # 26

After such a long gap, I am so glad that I could continue with our Weekend Baking Session. Besides the traditional delicacies, Malaysians and Singaporeans bake cookies for their respective festivals. Therefore, I would like to share a cookie, one of my favourite, which I baked for Deepavali. Despite not feeling well, I still fought with myself to bake them. Though I could not bring the Deepavali spirit that we experience back home, I wanted to create a different environment than any other day.

This is a slightly different kind of cookie. Icebox cookie also known as refrigerator cookie is a type of cookie that is made by forming the dough into a log or a rectangle or a cylindrical block and chilling until firm, for 12 or more hours. This stiffens the dough, making them easier to slice them into rounds or squares. After they have been sliced, the cookie dough is then baked in a moderate oven. When baked, icebox cookies are buttery and usually thin and crispy, showing off a bit of a chew inside, especially when just baked.

Icebox cookies are a great prepare-ahead-of-time dough because it can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for a month or so. Then, cookies can be cut and baked at any time, even if directly from the freezer.

We could use any dried fruits for this cookie. I have used a combo of dried cranberries, raisins, candied pineapples, dried apricot and glazed cherries in this cookie. I have also used desiccated coconut as a main ingredient to create a light and crispy texture.

Tutti-Frutti Cookies

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup mixed dried fruits

How do we do it:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat again. Stir in flour mixture, coconut and mixed fruits. Mix until dough forms.

Divide the dough into 2 portions. Shape into rolls and wrap them in wax paper or cling film. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Slice the dough logs into thin slices with a serrated knife. Bake them at 175° C for 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden.

Remove and let cool on wire rack.

Weekend Baking Session # 8

It is a long weekend here. Starting from Good Friday to Easter Monday. I am having such a wonderful time resting and being with my daughter.

As it is Easter, I have thought of baking something in line with the theme. Weekend Baking Session this time is going rich and fudgy.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

What do we need:




Cake:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
50g cooking chocolate
1/4 cup yoghurt
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract



Fudge:
200g cooking chocolate
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp butter

How do we do it:

Boil some water in a pot. Add a teaspoon of salt. Place a glass bowl on top of the pot. Ensure that the water level is lower than the bottom of the bowl. In other words, make sure that the water in the pot does not touch the bowl. Break the chocolate and put them into the bowl. When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from heat and let cool. This method is called double boiling. The reason of melting chocolate by this method is because chocolate tend to get burnt when exposed to direct heat. So, secondary heat has to be used.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate and yoghurt. Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the water, starting and ending with the flour.

Pour the cake mixture into a greased or lined 7" round cake pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake and let it cake cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, on a low heat, stir the whipping cream and butter until well blended. Add broken chocolate pieces. Continue to heat until the chocolate melts. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and let the fudge cool completely.

Slice the cake horizontally into half. Fill with some fudge. Cover the cake with the rest of the fudge. Decorate as per desired.





Happy Easter To All

Happy New Year

A very happy and prosperous new year to all the Tamils and Malayalees around the world. Varusha Pirappu has never been greater than being celebrated at home.

During new year's eve, amma would prepare a tray filled with fruits, sweets, jewelleries, money and a mirror at the altar. At dawn, she would wake us up one by one and guide us to the altar while reminding us not to open our eyes. As soon as we reach the altar, we were to open our eyes, look at the filled tray and to look at ourselves in the mirror. The reason is to start the new year properously. So that the whole year would be filled with prosperity. It seems that whatever we see and do on the new year determines how the year would be.

Later, after having our bath and prayers, we would help amma with her massive cook out, of course vegetarian. We would invite our neighbours for lunch. Everyone has to sit on the floor. Rice, sambar, rasam, yoghurt, ghee, an array of vegetable dishes and pappadam served on fresh banana leave. Then, on the same curry stained leave, ulundu vadei and payasam would be served as dessert. Ahhh........ nostalgia.

This year, luckily varusha pirapu falls on the same day as Good Friday. Which means hubby and I do not work. I planned a week ago to celebrate it with morning prayers, a vegetarian lunch with vadei and payasam (my favourite indian dessert combo).

On this auspicious day, I would like to share amma's ulundu vadei recipe with everybody. She is indeed a vadei pro. I hope to make vadei half as good as her.

Ulundu Vadei (Black Gram Vadei)

What do we need:
1 cup black gram
1 onion
1 green chilli
1/2 inch ginger
1 tsp salt
oil
water

How do we do it

Finely chop the onion, chilli and ginger piece. Set aside.

Soak the dal for about 2 hours. Grind it with minimum water. Gradually add little water at a time, if neceassary, until it becomes a very soft, smooth and fluffy paste. Ensure that the paste is not watery. Mix the dal paste, the chopped ingredients and salt.

Heat oil on medium. Place a piece of cling film at the back of a flat surfaced bowl. Take a small portion of the mixture and place it on the cling film. With wet fingers, flatten the mixture and shape round. Then, make a hole in the centre. Slowly slide the vadei into the heated oil. Fry it until brown, turning around once.

Remove and serve hot.

Ulundu Vadei with Payasam

இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்