Thursday, April 18, 2013

Chocolate Cake Balls

This is an item which I did when my cake didn't come out as well as I thought it would. There was some flop show in between and so ended up with chocolate balls. These balls were an instant hit. It is very easy to make and kids will love it. I always had this chocolate ball affinity whenever I saw it inside bakery glass boxes. So this did satisfy most of it.



 Ingredients
  • Chocolate cake - 1/2 kg
  • Chocolate syrup - as required (I didn't use any)
  • Hershey's semi sweet chocolate chips - 100 gms
Method
  • Melt chocolate chips on a double boiler. When it starts melting mix well using whisk so it melts well and doesn't get burned.
                                                             OR
  • Microwave chocolate chips for 30-40 secs on high power. Take it out. Use a whisk to mix well. If the chips have not melted again keep for 10-20 secs. Don't keep on microwave too much as chocolate will get burned.
  • Break the cake into fine crumbs. My cake was very soft and sticky so there was no need to add chocolate syrup. If yours become bit dry add little chocolate syrup. Mix with hand and make small gooseberry sized balls.
  • Using a fork and spoon dip each ball in the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate fall down. Keep on a wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours. 
  • You can keep these refrigerated and thaw it as required.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Coconut chutney

Again I thought of hibernating for sometime and then wake up with a new set of recipes. It was not actually hibernating but a series of cold and cough. All three of us were taking shifts and taking medicines. I've been trying many dishes but became too much lazy to draft it and publish. The snaps are there and so will soon appear here. When I brood it is very difficult to bounce back. This time there was another tension of sending my son to playschool. I had a bad time for almost a week sitting at home without him and adjusting. He also had difficulty to stay away but is ok now. I've been trying different kinds of coconut chutneys and this is one them.


Ingredients
  • Coconut grated - 1 cup
  • Chana dal - 2 tsp
  • Kashmiri chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Shallots - 2
  • Garlic - 1 clove 
  • Salt to taste
  • Water - 1/2 cup
For tempering
  • Oil - 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Shallots - 2
  • Curry leaves - as required

Method
  • Dry roast chana dal
  • In the small jar of mixer put all the ingredients and the roasted chana dal. Grind to a very fine paste
  • Move to a clean bowl
For tempering
  • Heat oil
  • Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter
  • Add sliced shallots and curry leaves
  • Saute for a minute or until shallots turn lightly brown. 
  • Switch off the flame
Pour the above into bowl of chutney and mix well. Serve with warm idli.