Amitabha's Kitchen Chronicles

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...

Ingredients 1 kg doodhi1 1/2 litre milk400-500 gm sugarelaichi powder (cardomon)saffron few flakes1 tbsp ghee Method Peel and grate DudhiPut milk and dudhi in a heavy saucepan. Boil till thick, stirring occassionally. Once it starts thickening, stir continuously. Add sugar and cook further till thickens. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out. Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.

Ingredients 500 gms. khoya125 gms. plain flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda1/4 cup milk 1/4 tsp. cardomom powder1 pinch saffron strands250 gms. sugarghee to deep fry Method Crumble the khoya. Sieve in the flour and soda together. Mix in the cardomom powder and crushed saffron. Mix well to form a soft dough. Use as much milk as required for kneading. Make balls of even size. Makes about 25-30. Heat the ghee very well. Take off fire and cool a little. Let in some of the jamoons. When they rise up put back on fire and fry till medium brown. Remove from ghee and put in the syrup. Soak for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a glass bowl. Repeat for all the balls. When done pour the remaining syrup over the jamoons. Microwave lightly or warn over boiling water before serving. To make the syrup: Take the sugar in a heavy pan and add water to just cover the sugar. Boil and add a tbsp. of milk to separate the dirt. Strain and boil again. The syrup is done when , while dropping from a spoon it falls in a...

Ingredients 200 gms. plain flour (maida) 20 gms. gram flour (besan) 200 gms. sugar few drops yellow colour 2 tbsp. milk ghee to deep fry a plastic easy squeeze bottle Method Sieve 100 gms. maida and besan together. Make a batter using warn water. Keep aside for 24 hours. Add remaining maida and food colour and more warm water if required. The batter should fall easily when poured - Not too thick not too thin. Keep aside. Make syrup of the sugar by adding water and boiling. Add the milk and all the scum to form while boiling. Make one string syrup. Strain. Fill bottle with batter. The nozzle should have a hole the thickness of a knitting needle. Heat ghee well in a shallow frying pan and form jalebis in the form of concentric circles about 2 inches on the outside. Fry till crisp, drop into hot syrup. Drain with a perforated spoon, serve hot. Makes: 30-35 pieces

Ingredients For boondi: 2 1/2 cups gram flour (not superfine variety)500 ml. milk1/2 tsp. cardamom powder3 cups ghee for deep fryinga fineholed shallow strainer spoon For syrup: 2 1/2 cups sugar3 1/2 cups water2 tbsp. milk few drops saffron (kesri) colour Method For syrup: Put sugar and water in a vessel and boil. When sugar dissolves, add milk. Boil for 5 minutes till scum forms on top. Strain and return to fire. Add colour and boil till sticky but no thread has formed. Add cardamom powder and mix. Keep aside. For boondi: Mix flour and milk to a smooth batter. Heat ghee in a heavy frying pan. Hold strainer on top with one hand. With the other pour some batter all over the holes. Tap gently till all batter has fallen into hot ghee. Stir with another strainer and remove when light golden. Keep aside. Repeat for remaining batter. Immerse boondi in syrup. Drain any excess syrup. Spread in a large plate. Sprinkle few tsp. hot water over it. Cover and keep for 5 minutes. Shape in laddoos wi...