Eggless Multi Grain Cookies

Maida is used in mostly all cakes, cookies and brownies. For a change instead of Maida I used multi  grain powder  to make cookies. It combines the goodness of various grains to give you a healthier and nutritious diet. They are very easy to make and taste delicious. I  Made these Multi grain cookies with goodness of butter, and refreshing Cardamom flavour and pistachio on top makes these cookies more flavorful and cookies are light and crispy. They are great with tea or coffee.

Multigrain powder: Take 50 gm of Ragi, bajra, jowar, channa dal, saboodana , maize,whole wheat grains, and barley . Clean and Dry roast the ingredients except oats and  till nice aroma comes. Remove from heat and let it cool. Combine all ingredients and grind in flour mill. Let the flour cool to room temperature after grinding. Your multigrain flour is now ready. Store it in an air tight container and use when required. you can make Porridge also.

Ingredients-

Multi Grain flour-2 cups

Powdered sugar-1/2 cup

Butterat room temperature-1/2 cup

Baking powder-  1/2tsp

Cardamom powder- 1 tsp

Badam Pistachio flakes for topping. 2 tbsp

Method-

1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2.In a bowl sieve together multi grain flour, baking powder and Cardamom powder.

3.In bowl beat together butter  and powdered sugar till light and creamy.

4.Once done combine dry and wet ingredients and using your hand mix them well, ensure not to knead the dough.

5.Rest the dough for 30 minutes in fridge covered with plastic wrap.

6.Then start taking small portions of the dough between palms shape them like a ball and then press a little between your palms

7.Garnish them with desired Badam pistachio flakes.

8.Place them on baking tray at some distance apart.

9.Bake at 180 degrees for12 to 15 minutes or till you see a light golden crust on top of the cookies.

10.Transfer the cookies carefully on to cooling rack and Cool them completely to room temperature.Store in airtight container.

11.Enjoy these melt in mouth cookies with your cup of tea/Coffee

Whole Wheat Bread

Whole Wheat Bread

Instead of buying bread from market I wish to try at home. With minimal ingredients and a very easy method,making bread is quite easy and once you start making it at home you will not buy it from the market.So, I thought to try my hands in bread making process. I baked breads But wheat bread Initially, it was a failed attempt just can't get the bread bake accurate the dough never rises. It's because the yeast is either expired or the temperature of water is not perfect for yeast to rise.  but I was determined to try  and  go through so many videos and recipes .finally I tried with instant yeast which can be mixed with the dry flour and kneaded into a dough, and came out perfect..It’s a 100% whole wheat bread which is soft, moist and flavourful. Freshly-baked Whole Wheat Bread is a delight to bite with butter jam!

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour -400 gm

Water - 170 ml

Instant Yeast -1 tsp

Sugar / Honey   2 tbsp

Vegetable Oil -/butter-2 tbsp

Milk Powder- 2 tbsp

Salt         1 tsp

Mixture of Milk and Vegetable Oil /Melted Butter

 

Method:- 

1. In a bowl take the wheat flour and make a well in it. To this add, instant dry yeast, sugar, milk powder lukewarm water and mix it well until you see small bubbles.

2. Now add more water and form a dough. Once the dough comes together, mix vegetable oil and salt and incorporate it in the dough properly. 

 

3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for around 10 minutes.    Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with wet cloth and set aside for 30 minutes [ first proofing]

4.After 30 minutes, transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured  on table. Gently knead the dough for 10 minutes. You can add the little flour if required.

 5. After 10 minutes of gentle kneading, the dough will be smooth and flexible. Again, place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it rise at a warm place until it’s doubled in size. Usually, it will take 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon the weather. [ 2nd proofing]

 6.After the dough doubles in size take it out on lightly floured surface and knead it for a minute and round it up again and leave it on the board for another 15-20 minutes covered with a damp towel.

 

7.Then shape the dough  in a rectangular shape.Place the log of bread, into a well-greased bread tin of size 8 inches x 4 inches. Place the tin in a plastic bag for 30 minutes and keep aside for the dough to rise. .  [ 3rd proofing]

8.Just 10 minutes before the completion of 3rd proofing, pre-heat the oven at at 180°C

9.Brush the top of the loaf with a mixture of milk and vegetable oil.

10.Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 25 to 30 min minutes. Check after 25 minutes.

11..Once the bread is out of the oven, brush melted butter on top and turn it out onto a cooling rack

12. Let it cool down to room temperature and slice it only after 2-3 hours.

13.You can slice the loaf only after complete cooling.

Tri-Fruit /Mukkani Pradhaman

Happy Vishu to all of you! . Vishu is celebrated as new year day in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu. Vishukani is a traditional ritual of arranging several auspicious things to be seen on the Vishu day in the early morning.

 

For celebrating Vishu  sweet dish will be prepared . so I made pradhaman; which is delicious It is mainly prepared for special occasions and festivals days. So, I decided to make Mukkani pradhaman for Vishu today.There are several 'varieties Payasam' or 'Pradhaman' each with its own unique taste and flavour. The difference between the two is that Payasam uses milk and sugar, Pradhaman is made with coconut milk and jaggery and it  is also mostly made with lentil or with ripe fruits.

 

Mango, Jackfruit and Banana are the most very important fruits. They are called 'Mukkani'/ Tri-Fruit As these fruits are seasonal and available all together at this summer, thought of preparing a dessert with these fruits which resulted in my MUKKANI pradhaman. Correct amount of mixtures gives the unique blend and enhance the taste of Pradhaman/ payasam. . Mukkani Pradhaman is scrumptious and flavourful. So try this dessert in this summer bcz these fruits available in summer only!

After posting this recipe in BBgroup in Fb One member of this group shared this poem . It's quite interseting.
 
"தனித்தனி முக்கனி பிழிந்து வடித்தொன்றாய் கூட்டி
சர்க்கரையும் கற்கண்டின் பொடியும் மிக கலந்து
தனித்த நறும் தேன் பெய்து பசும்பால் தெங்கின் தனிப்பாலும் சேர்த்து ஒரு தீம்பருப்பொடியும் விரவி
இனித்த நறும் நெய் அளைந்தே
இளஞ்சூட்டில் இறக்கி எடுத்த சுவை கட்டியினும்
இனித்திடும் தெள்ளமுதே
அனித்தமற திருபொதுவில் விளங்கும் நடத்தரசே
அடி மலர்க்கென் சொல்லணியாம் அலங்கலணிந்தருளே "

Ingredients:

NendraPazham-1

Ripe Mango - 1

Jack Fruit – 4

Ghee-2tbsp

Jaggery-1 cup

Sabudhana-50gm

Thin Coconut milk -3rd extract /Monnampal : 1 cup

Semi Thick Coconut milk – 2nd extract /Randaampal : 1cup

Thick Coconut milk – 1st extract /Onnampaal : 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

cashew /raisins- as desired

How to Make Coconut Milk :

Take a 1 1/2 fresh coconut, grate it finely. In a blender or food processor, add the grated coconut with1 cup of water and process for a minute, then squeeze it for milk. This gives you 1cup thick milk.

Return coconut to processor and add 2 cup water and process for couple of minutes and squeeze it for milk in separate bowl. This gives you 1cup thin milk. Like that extract  light, thin thick coconut milk.

 

 Method:

1.In a pan dry roast the sabhudhana in a medium flame and  cook it with enough water in a medium flame

2.Peel and roughly chop half the quantity of mango and banana, de-seed the jack fruit and grind these all together to a fine paste without adding water.

3.Finely chop the leftover mangoes, banana and jack fruit and keep it aside

4. Meanwhile melt the jaggery and strain it, Fry the cashews and Raisins in the ghee and keep it aside.

5. Once the sabhudhana cooked add the jaggery syrup and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

6.Now Add the mixed fruit paste and reduce the fire to low; keep stirring to dissolve and boil until the mixture thickens

7. Now add third extract coconut milk and let it cook for one boil only.

8.Add the second milk and boil again stirring continuously for about 8 – 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens

9.Finally add the first milk and cook for couple of minutes and switch off the flame. Never boil after adding thick coconut milk.

10.In leftover ghee roast the finely chopped fruits (banana, jack fruit and mangoes) until they turn golden brown.

11. Nowadd the fried cashews,cardamom powder and fried fruits to pradhaman and give it a mix.

12.Delicious Pradhaman /Payasam is ready to serve. Serve hot or chilled as you wish and Enjoy!