Blueberry Choco chip and Coconut Cake

Our family loves cake as afternoon snack and lunch box treat. The daughter does not like blueberries, she eats them only if they are in a dessert or in cake. We have also been watching Is it Cake? on Netflix these days so this snack fits in perfectly for this work week. 

Ingredients:

- Self Raising Flour - 1 cup

- Oil (Veg/Canola/Olive) I used vegetable oil, but its up to your choice and pantry - 1/2 cup

- Sugar - 1/2 cup

- Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

- Chocolate chips - 2 tbsp 

- Coconut flakes - 4 tbsp and extra for sprinkling on top

- Eggs - 2

- Milk - 3 tsp

- Fresh Blueberries- 100gm

Method:

- Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

- Line a cake tin with butter paper and keep it ready.

- Crack 2 eggs in a big mixing bowl.

- Add sugar and beat with a spoon until there are no granules and sugar is mixed well with the eggs.

- Add oil and mix well until everything is mixed and forms a batter.

- To this add half the flour and fold it in.

- Add the next half and fold it in too.  

- Add in and mix vanilla essence and milk at this time to get the right consistency.

- Mix in coconut flakes, blueberries and chocolate chips. Keep some aside to sprinkle on top

- Pour this mixture into the cake tin evenly. Sprinkle the extras from top, the ones we kept aside in the previous step.

- Once the oven is preheated, put the cake on the middle rack and bake for 30 min.

- Do the toothpick test, if not completely baked, bake for another 5 mins. Baking time will vary based on the strength and design of your oven.

- Once baked, take out of the oven and let it cool.

- Cut and serve. 

 

Thai Green Fish Curry

A regular from my kitchen, this curry is almost addictive My daughter just loves this curry. This is very easy to prepare and I will be very surprised if she does not look for this recipe when she grows up.

I have been following the same recipe for a while now. I have posted the chicken version of this Thai curry a while back (Thai Chicken Curry) The ingredients for the paste are the same and I have just replaced chicken with Basa fillets (cut into cubes). Let me give you the ingredients quickly.

Ingredients:

For the green curry paste:- 

- Green chilli (2-3)
- Lemongrass 1-2 pods
- Coriander Seeds (2 tsp)
- Garlic (4-5 cloves)
- Fish Sauce (3 tbsp)
- Kaffir lime leaves (2-3)
- Salt (acc to taste)
- Sugar (acc to taste)
- Galangal (a small cube). Can replace with ginger if galangal is not available.

For the fish preparation :
- Coconut Cream (I used Ayam brand 300 ml)
- Basa Fish fillets - 3 cut into cubes
- Green chillies (1 slit)
- A handful of Brown mushrooms - cut into halves

- Broccoli - a cup of florets

- Green Beans a handful - Remove the edges and the string

- Carrots - 1 cup (feel free to skip this. Its not green and is not traditionally added to green curry. My daughter loves carrots, hence they are added to everything.)

- Any white oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt (acc to taste)
- Sugar (acc to taste)

Method:

- Add all the green curry ingredients into the mixer jar and make a fine paste. 

You can make the paste ahead of time and store it in the fridge. I generally make it on weekends and store it in the fridge for dinner on weekdays.

- Add oil in a pan. Fry all the veggies.
- Add the green curry to it and stir for about 3 mins.
- When the veggies and curry paste is fully cooked add sugar, salt and the coconut milk.
- Add a little water if you want and let it boil.
- Serve hot with white rice.

Agnolotti Pasta

 I was introduced to Agnolotti pasta after coming to Australia. Agnolotti is very similar to ravioli. The difference between the two is that ravioli is prepared from two pieces of pasta cut into squares, while agnolotti is made from a single piece that is folded over. My daughter calls it wonton pasta 😃.

You can make agnolottis from scratch or use the store bought ones. I used store bought one for this recipe as it was for a weekday dinner. I got spinach and pumpkin agnolotti from Aldi but you also get a variety of these in Coles and Woolies too.

Ingredients

- Agnolotti - 3 cups

- Broccoli cut into florets - 1 cup

- Carrots cut into wedges- 1 cup

- Chicken mince- 1 cup

- Chicken stock- 1 cup

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Garlic powder- 1 tsp

- Olive oil- 2 tbsp

- Butter- 1 tsp

- All purpose flour- 1 tsp

- Mint leaves- 1/2 cup

 Method:

- Boil enough water to cook the pasta and put 1 tsp salt in it. Add 1 tsp oil too as this prevents the pasta from sticking to each other.

- When water comes to a boil, add in agnolotti.

- In a separate pan add olive oil and all purpose flour.

- Stir the all purpose flour and when raw smell is gone add chicken mince to the pan and stir till cooked. Add the veggies and cook them.

- Check on the pasta. Once it floats to the top of the water, drain it. 

- To the chicken and veggies now and stir till half cooked.

- Add the pasta, butter and chicken stock. 

- Add salt and pepper.

- Stir well. Before switching off the flame, add mint leaves and garlic powder. 

- You can add some Italian herbs as well if you like them.

- Serve hot and fill your tummy with yummy food.

Healthy Chana Chaat / Black Chickpea chaat

 

One of the healthiest snacks that you can treat your tastebuds to. Great for lunch or evening snack or even as a side dish. This was prepared by my daughter for all of us for evening snack.

Ingredients:

- Black chickpeas - 2 tbsp

- Green moong Dal - 2 tbsp

- Onion chopped - 2 tbsp

- Tomato - 2 tbsp

- Lemon - 1 wedge for the juice

- Salt - 1 tsp

- Pepper - 1 tsp

Method:

- Soak chickpeas and green moong dal in water overnight or at least for over 3 hours.

- Drain the water and wash the legumes.

- Mix all the ingredients. 

- Sprinkle lemon juice on top and add chilli if you like spice. 

- Serve cold.

Note:

You can also add finely chopped cucumber and coriander if you like.

Malpua

How many of you have eaten this sweet snack during your childhood? Generally made at my place during Holi or Diwali, this finds a special place in my heart always. My Nani (grandmother) introduced me to this when I was a kid. My daughter likes this too. I made this recently for her and she liked it. This snack is sweet and she has a sweet tooth. You want her to like any food, the trick is to add sugar 😜.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 2 tablespoon khoya

- 1 teaspoon powdered green cardamom

- 2 tablespoon chopped pistachios

- saffron as required (Optional)

- 1 tablespoon semolina

- Sugar (1 tbsp)

- water as required

- 1 1/2 cup refined oil

- 10 gm readymade rabri (Optional)

- 1 1/2 cup sugar syrup (Optional)

Method:

- Take a bowl and mix together khoya, all purpose flour, sugar and sooji or semolina. 

- Next, add cardamom powder and mix well once again. Gradually add water to prepare the Malpua batter. Ensure that the mixture has a pourable consistency and is not too thick. 

- Once the batter is ready, keep it aside for few minutes. 

- Take a small bowl and soak saffron in water to make saffron water.

- Now, heat oil in a pan over a low flame. 

- When the oil is hot enough, pour a ladleful of the mixture and spread evenly. Keep the flame low and cook until the malpua is golden from both sides.

- Remove the cooked malpua and drain the excess oil. 

- Drop the malpua in sugar syrup and allow it to soak for 10 minutes. 

- Repeat the same with the remaining batter. Drain the malpuas from the syrup, garnish with pistachios, saffron water and rabri. Serve immediately.

Pudina/Mint Chutney

My daughter does not like mint chutney, as per her this tastes like tooth paste. If you are in the same category or hate mint then better stay away from this. On the other hand, if you are like me and you like mint then read on....

This chutney / dip is very healthy and good for the tummy. Can be used as a dip for kebabs, can be used for making mint rice, can also be mixed with curd to make mint raita.

Ingredients:

- Mint leaves - 2 cups

- Coriander leaves - 2 cups

- Tamarind pulp - 3 tsp

- Salt as per taste

- Sugar as per taste

- Green chilli - 2

Method:

- Put all the ingredients in mixer grinder and mix till smooth. 

- Done! This is ready to be served with kebabs or yummy parathas or dosa.

Note:

- Can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1.5 weeks.

Roasted Salmon and Tomatoes

My daughter's love affair with salmon started after she came to Australia. She absolutely loves the taste! Its her favourite fish and hence finds place in my menu plans at least once a week.

Salmon is a healthy fish, is a very good source of Vit B and is also known to reduce bad cholesterol and blood pressure.

Without further ado, lets jump into the ingredients of this quick recipe.

Ingredients:

- Salmon - 4 pieces

- Mustard sauce - 6 tbsp

- Ginger paste - 2 tsp

- Olive Oil - 4 tbsp

- Salt and Pepper - According to taste

- Tomatoes - 4 cubed

Method:

- Marinate the fish with all ingredients.

- Heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

- Sprinkle tomatoes with olive oil, pepper, salt. You can add chilli flakes as well if you like based on your spice tolerance level.

- Bake salmon and tomatoes for 15 - 20 mins.

- Serve hot with the sauce/gravy of your choice and salad.