Rich Chocolate Cake...for a special Occasion

It had been a month or more since I baked some cakes and Cookies.I was held up with few work..Few days back HH had his birthday and I wanted to bake something special for his birthday.I had bookmarked this recipe few months back to bake but felt this was the apt time for us to celebrate the special occasion with this rich chocolate cake..

 

I was taken aback by the taste and the finish of this cake.It tasted so so yummy and happy that HH and kids loved eating it..And for the first time I tried chocolate ganache and it turned out so so well..

 

Anyone who is new to baking can try this cake.Just just follow the instructions clearly..U will bake a yummy chocolate cake...

 

Arcot Makkan Peda....Delicacy of Arcot Nawabs

Arcot is not only famous for history and Biryani..It is famous for Makkan Pedas too.Arcot is a small town which is near my hometown and  I just love eating these Makkan Peda whenever I visit my native place.Though they look similiar to that of the Gulab jamuns they taste much tastier and yummier than that..

Arcot Chettiyar Sweet stall is famous for the Makkan Pedas.They are the oldest of the town and it is about 188 years old :) which is run by an fifth generation owner..who is around 70 years!!The one who had  started this shop(Govindasamy Chettiar) was a family friend of Nawabs..He happened to taste these Jamuns with a dry fruit filling at Nawabs house  and being blown away by the sumptuousness of the Bedas he  started to introduce it in his shop.This was how Makkan peda was introduced in Arcot ....

Even E.V.R.Periyar was a great fan of this sweet..I remember my grandfather telling me that Periyar's followers buy this delicacy for Periyar when they visit him..and Periyar never fails to have this sweet when he visit North Arcot!!

If u happen to visit Arcot( few kms from Vellore)then don't forget to taste the Makkan pedas from Chettiyar Shop..If not just follow my recipe carefully,make it and relish the diwali with this traditional sweet...:))

For the ones who are not aware of what Makkan Peda is...

Makkan Peda is a sweet that is made with unsweetened Koya n Maida..stuffed with a variety of dry fruits ,made into a ball and then slightly flattened deep fried and then soaked in sugar syrup.The juicy texture and the nut content make the taste exotic...

Thukkada...A famous snack of Tirunelveli

Thukkada..The best combination to have with Tea/coffee.In south Tamilnadu they call this as Thukkada but some refer this as spicy diamond cuts.It is raining here in Tuticorin and felt like having something spicy with a hot cup of filter coffee.One of my friend who is a native of Tirunelveli was telling me about this snack which she used to prepare for Diwali.Borrowed the recipe from her and made it..Thank u G for the recipe...This dish can be prepared within a short time and can be stored for a week.

 

Usually they prepare it with All purpose flour/maida.But considering the health aspects I replaced Maida with Wheat flour and followed the same process.I found the taste to be much better than the maida one..

 

So try making this Thukkada and enjoy this Diwali and so the rain...

 

Sweet Somas/Sweet Somasi

All blogs had started posting sweets for Diwali and many of my readers keep asking to post some Diwali dishes.I had already posted some diwali special sweets like Boondi ladoo,Mysore pa, Murukku, Achu Murukku, Rava Ladoo,Kaju Lotus,7 Cups Burfi, 7 minutes Thiratti paal,Coconut Burfi, 3 minutes Doodh Beda.I will posting few more in the forthcoming days before Diwali..So stay tuned..

In this context I am starting off my Diwali Post with a Sweet Somas/Somasi.They also call it as Karchikka/Karanji/Kajjikayalu..It is customary in our family to make these during Diwali and also for baby Showers.Last month there was a baby shower in our family and my aunt made these yummy somas for her daughter.I got the recipe from her and thought I could post the same for Diwali.

 

Usually the fillings that we add inside varies according to ones taste.But I love the rava n sugar filling.I had also tried the roasted gram powder combination but I feel the crispy rava n sugar with a crispy outer layer gives a rich taste to the simple sweet..

 

It remains crisp for a week only.So make it accordingly..

 

Enjoy making this..

 

For the recipe please click READ MORE below:

 

Tutti Fruite Cake

It is almost after a month I am switching on my oven...I baked these Tutti Frutti cake yesterday.My younger daughter Y had Rainbow day last week at her school.So she wanted me to make a cake  with all the colours of Tutti frutti in it.

Browsed the recipe from Sailu's kitchen and baked it.Its nice to breathe in the nice aroma when they are getting baked.

The taste was the best I could say that I was left with an empty plate with little remains of the cake..My kids loved to have it..

Just try this recipe by strictly following the instructions..

For the recipe pls click read more below:

Puran Poli...Happy Tamil New year

 

 

அனைவருக்கும் எனது இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துகள் .

 

Wishing u all a very happy tamil new year and a happy Vishu to all keralites..Tamil New year has always been very dearer to me as they celebrate it grandly at my parents home.My mother cooks several delicious dishes on this day and it was a real treat to us to taste all delicious food..

 

But the scenario is the other way round at our inlaws house.As they are native of Tirunelveli the way they celebrate is entirely different.It starts with a vishukanni of looking at mirror and other things like gold and rice..

 

I don't strictly follow any of these as I think ...to start anything new ..I believe everyday is a new day..But still I feel these special days are for bringing in the oneness in the family.I love to engage everyone from our family in this celebration and its a way of exchanging and sharing our love and oneness to the dear ones of the family.This is one way of compelled spending of quality time with family..

 

Made a Puran Poli some days back and thought it would an apt one to get posted for the tamil new year..

 

Again wishing u all a very very happy n prosperous new year..

 

For the recipe of Puran Poli please press READ MORE..