Chewy Walnut Brownie

A rich, moist and chocolatey dessert mixed with walnuts that is perfect for a chocolate lover. The texture of the brownie is like a cross between cake and cookie. This shiny and cracked top of the brownie shows that you baked it just right. You can achieve the chewiness by letting the brownie cool completely before slicing. A fool proof dessert that will be hit for sure. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups All Purpose flour

2 cups granulated White Sugar

1 cup Walnuts

1/3 cup Dutch-processed Cocoa

2 oz 60% Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate (finely chopped)

1 1/2 tsp Instant Espresso

4 tbsp Unsalted Butter (melted)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Vegetable/Canola Oil

2 large Whole Eggs

2 large Egg yolks

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Boiling water

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 tsp Salt

How to:

• Spread the walnuts in a sheet pan and roast'em for 6-8 mins in a 350 degree oven. Let it cool, chop and keep aside.

• Place oven rack to the lowest position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Fit aluminum foil into a 13 x 9-inch glass baking pan by pushing it into the corners and up sides if the pan, allowing excess foil to hang on the sides.
• Sift together the flour and salt and keep aside.
• In a large bowl with boiling water, whisk the cocoa powder and espresso until smooth.

• Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until its completely melted. 

• Whisk in butter and oil, followed by eggs, egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.

• Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. 

•  Mix the flour and salt with a rubber spatula until well combined and fold in the chopped walnuts.

• Scrape the batter into the foiled baking dish and bake for 30-32 mins.

• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 10 mins, then remove it from the pan to avoid over baking.

•  Let cool for 1 hr before slicing into any desired size.

• Store in a airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Marble Loaf Cake

A marble cake is a cake with a streaked appearance like marble, prepared by swirling chocolate batter into vanilla batter. Every bite is so light, moist and oozing chocolate goodness, which goes perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. So go ahead and try this cake, you will not be disappointed. Thanks to Roxana for this wonderful recipe. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups All purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup Sugar

5 Eggs, separated

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 pinch Salt

3-4 tbsp Water

How to:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and keep aside.
• Separate the egg whites into stand mixer bowl and egg yolks into a small bowl.

• Sift the flour along with baking powder and keep aside.

• In a small bowl, add the cocoa powder and water, mix until smooth.

• Fit the stand mixer and beat the egg whites along with a pinch of salt at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

• Beat the egg yolks along with the canola oil and vanilla extract.
• Now gently fold the egg yolks mixture to the egg whites mixture.

• Once it is completely incorporated, add the flour mixture little at a time to the egg mixture making sure not to deflate the beaten egg whites.

• Then add the cocoa into the prepared batter and mix gently making swirls.

• Pour the swirled batter into the greased pan and bake for 45-50 mins.

• Cool the baked loaf cake completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

• Serve the slice drizzled with good old chocolate syrup. 

Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Hot Drumsticks Gravy)

After years of using frozen drumsticks, I laid my hands on fresh ones at the Indian store yesterday.  Immediately, i planned on cooking kara kuzhambu which i normally prepare with Indian eggplants (brinjal). It is a south indian dish served with cooked rice. This spicy and tangy kuzhambu is a variation from your usual sambar or rasam. So, go ahead and give this kuzhambu a try, i am sure you will love it. Here goes the recipe, 

Ingredients:

2 Drumsticks (14-16 pieces)

14-16 Red Pearl Onions

2 small Tomatoes

10-12 Garlic pods

6-8 Curry leaves

1 1/2 tbsp dried Tamarind

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp Sesame oil

Salt, to taste

 To grind:

2 tbsp shredded Coconut (frozen & thawed)

1 tbsp Sambar powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds

How to:

• Chop the drumsticks to 3" pieces and mince the tomatoes and onions.

• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and keep the juice aside.
• Grind the 'to grind' ingredients with 1/4 cup water and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a deep pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and turmeric powder.

• Add the onions, little salt and saute until it turns translucent.

• Then add the tomatoes and cook with lid closed for 4-5 mins.

• Now add the drumsticks, garlic and curry leaves, mix well and cook for a min.

• Pour 1 1/2 cups of water along with tamarind juice and cook with lid closed until the drumsticks cook.

• Add the ground coconut mixture and cook until desired consistency. 

• Check salt for taste and switch off.

• Serve hot with rice.

Gujarati Methi Thepla (Flat-bread)

Thepla is a Indian flat bread just like roti, but spiced up and flavored with herbs or greens. This bread can be eaten as it is for snacking or served with simple dal or pickle for dinner. It also stores well for 3-4 days at room temperature. The addition of yogurt not only makes the bread softer, it also brings down the heat from the spices. Next time i would like to add minced green chili and garam masala to my theplas. Feel free to add your favorite spices and enjoy'em warm. And here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Chapathi Flour

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 cup Plain Yogurt

1 tbsp dried Fenugreek Leaves

2 tbsp fresh Cilantro (minced)

1 1/2 tsp minced Garlic

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

3/4 tsp Salt

2-3 tbsp warm Water

 How to:

• In a big bowl with whole wheat flour, pour oil and mix well with your hands to incorporate the oil into the flour.

• In another bowl, add the yogurt, and mix together the fenugreek leaves, cilantro, garlic, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder and salt.

• Now pour the yogurt mixture to the flour and start kneading gently. Slowly add water 1 tbsp at a time and knead to bring the dough together.

• Prepare a smooth and well-hydrated dough, smear oil on top, cover it with plastic wrap and let rest for 20-30 mins.

• Take a lime-size dough dusted with flour and flatten the dough with a press or rolling pin, meanwhile heat the tawa/griddle.

• Place the flattened dough on the hot griddle (smear oil if you want to) and gently press with the back of the spatula. 

• Let cook for a couple of mins and flip the bread and cook for another min, until you see golden brown spots on the bread.

• Serve hot with pickle or thokku. Store'em in a thermal food container until ready to eat.