Amitabha's Kitchen Chronicles

While I love cooking and find it extremely therapeutic after a busy work week or day, the last 6 months (after our relocation to another city) has almost been a dry season for cooking anything exotic. It has also involved getting re-acquainted with the life in the big city, cramped spaces, pollution, bad roads and being constantly on the run. We also had to settle into using a smaller kitchen without the access to our huge sunny terrace adjoining the kitchen. It coincidentally prompted a question by a senior colleague as to how am I now going to make my usual winter pickles since we do not have the luxury of a open terrace. An impending visit by a very close friend egged me to start thinking to make something special in celebration of our close friendship. And I wanted to use the Bailey's Irish Cream lying unused for sometime. In search of an inspiration, I chanced upon a recipe of a bundt cake using whole wheat. To continue the feel of healthier eating and feeling less guilt, ...

In our kitchen, the role of the baker is generally handled by my better half, D. On some rare occasions, I do sometime try out my hand on the bakery stuff. And when a cake lover comes for dinner, its worth the effort. The recipe was inspired by another formidable creative genius who had posted a thought and had enough people oodling over it. So I ended up making an impromptu 'banana walnut almond coffee and cocoa' cake. The cake lover certified that it has indeed turned out nice and I had to put aside my low carb diet for a day. Ingredients (to be at room temperature): 3 very ripe bananas ½ cup toasted walnut ½ cup almonds 2 teaspoons of Coffee 2 tbsp of Cocoa powder 1 ¼ cup unbleached flour (Wheat flour ~ aata) 1 tsp baking soda ½ teaspoon fine salt 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla essence / ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup unsalted butter + bit for pan 1 cup sugar Recipe: Soak the almonds in boiling water for about 5-10 mins. Once cooled, peel the almon...

Simple Banana & Coffee Cake In recent times, my wife D has been on a baking spree. From pizzas (flour to whole wheat versions) to varieties of cakes and muffins on demands of the younger lass at home. Of course, I had the privilege of enjoying the without cheese version. With the incoming weekend and post Pujo de-stressing in the works, thought let me also join in the baking spree. However, this was planned to be gifted for a friend visiting home. After sifting through various options, planned to bake a banana coffee cake. While most of the recipes are for various banana cakes, I worked in a bit of twist with coffee. Without doubt the proof of the pudding is in the eating and I am waiting for the feedback from the "consumers" :). The recipe is as captured below. Ingredients 1/2 cup butter 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 ripe bananas, mashed 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Coffee: 2 tsps; mixed in 1/2 a cup of luke...

For the past few years, baking a Christmas cake has been a regular affair at home. And since this has only been the last 5-6 years, I am always on the lookout for healthier recipes year on year, but unfortunately using it all the regal ingredients. This time I discovered a new recipe and added some twist to make a it a tad bit healthier. And this is how it turned out .. The recipe is here for reference: Ingredients: ·    Melted butter, to grease the pan ·   Mixed dry fruits (chopped) soaked in rum for atleast 10 days. It can be kept soaked for 2-3 months as well. Keep replenishing the rum as the fruits gets exposed. you can also add tutty fruity though I did not use that this year. This year I used o    Cashew o    Black Currant o    Raisins o    Pistachios o    Dried figs o    Almonds ·          1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind · ...

INGREDIENTS 2 cups maida 1 3/4 cup castor or powdered sugar 2/3 cup oil, butter or margarine 2/3 cocoa powder 1 cup water 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 3/4 cup milk 3 tsp vinegar 2 x 9" (23 cm) round OR 8" (20 cm) square cake tins heat at 350 F-180C then reduce to 325 F-160 C METHOD Line the base of the tins with butter paper, or grease the bases and dust either with maida or sugar till well coated. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and transfer into a mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar, fat, water and vanilla. Beat the mixture using a wooden spoon or a beater, till well blended. Add the milk and vinegar and beat till smooth. The batter looks almost glossy when done. Divide the batter into the tins and bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature and bake for another 25 minutes till done (a skewer inserted in it should come out clean). Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

8 tsp. oil 1/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. chocolate extract 1 tbsp. plain lowfat yogurt 3/8 c. cold water 3/4 c. flour 2 tbsp. cocoa 1/2 tsp. baking soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, mixing until blended. With a spoon, make a well in the center. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, mixing with a spoon. Pour into a well in dry mixture. Stir until all ingredients are moistened. Place batter in a 4 x 8 inch nonstick loaf pan or one that has been sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.

INGREDIENTS 150 gm flour 125 gm whole wheat flour 50 gm cocoa 10 gm baking powder 225 gm castor sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence 9 tbsp oil 350 ml water Decorate: cocoa powder and chopped nuts Chocolate fudge topping: 50 gm butter 3 tbsp milk 250 gm icing sugar 2 tbsp cocoa powder 1-2 tbsp milk (if required) METHOD Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl. Add sugar and essence. Gradually pour in water and oil. Beat into a thick batter. Pour into a greased and lined 8" tin. Bake at 160 degree C for about 45 minutes. Cool slightly before turning out the cake. For the icing, add milk to melted butter. Beat in icing sugar and cocoa adding more milk if required. Spread over the cake. Sprinkle cocoa and decorate with chopped nuts.

Ingredients 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 eggs 3/4 cup white sugar 1/3 cup butter 3 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Directions 1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. 2 In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend in buttermilk, 1 cup of butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 4 eggs. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. 3 Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Prick holes in the still warm cake. Slowly pour sauce over cake. Let cake cool before removing from pan. 4 To Make Butter Sauce: In a saucepan combine the remaining 3/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and the water. Cook over medium heat, until fully melted and co...

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sour cream 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons butter, melted Directions 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch pan with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 2 In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sour cream, then beat in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. By hand, fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Spread batter into prepared pan. 3 To make the Pecan Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cake batter in pan. 4 Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpic...

Ingredients Quantities Refined Flour (maida) 1½ cups; Baking Powder 1½ tsp; Cinnamon Powder 1 tsp; Lemon Rind ¼ tsp; Almonds 10-12; Tutti Frutti 3 tbsps; Glazed Cherries 12-15; Walnuts (shelled) ¼ cup; Mixed Peels 4 tbsps; Cashew nuts 8-10; Raisins (kishmish) 25-30; Currants 15-20; Rum ½ cup; Eggs 6; Vanilla Essence a few drops; Butter 1½ cups; Brown Sugar 1½ cups; Honey 1 tbsp; Oil/ghee for greasing Method of preparation Sieve flour with cinnamon powder and baking powder. Add lemon rind to it and mix. Keep it aside. Blanch the almonds. Chop tutti frutti, glazed cherries, walnuts, mixed peels, almonds and cashewnuts. Wash the raisins and currants and pat them dry. Soak tutti frutti, raisins, currants, cherries, walnuts, mixed peels, almonds and cashewnuts in rum. Break eggs and beat them with vanilla essence. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Cream butter with one and a quarter cups of brown sugar till it is soft and light in colour. Add honey and mix. Make caramel with the remaining brown s...