5 minute microwave chocolate cake with nutella, in a cup

I'm trying to eat lesser sweets. It's very hard!!! So I don't buy chocolates or the lovely ghee cake we get in our neighbourhood bakery, or ice cream....sigh! Let's us say I'm still trying hard. Anyway, what with my 'not so strong' resolution, the current situation at home is, unlike earlier there is nothing 'sweet' lying around at any given point of time.

You know those times after lunch or dinner, when your taste buds and palate demand something sweet. My sister asked me to try yoghurt or just water to put an end to the craving. I stayed off  my dessert for a week. What an achievement! That deserved a celebration...something sweet obviously!

I was my usual lazy self, and couldn't bother to make a cake and was too lazy to step out to buy a chocolate. So a quick and easy, not to forget, lovely cake in cup, it was! It was yum!!! IT only takes minutes to put together and less than 2 minutes to cook! I took the liberty of finishing a cup and was generous enough to leave half a cup  for J

The next time I made them, I used my ramekins. I've been waiting for a reason. to use them. I love their pretty colours. Anyway, these mini quick are great. It would taste better with icecream or custard as Sandee suggests. I did find it a bit dry, so next time, I might reduce the cooking time by 10 seconds or so. The additon of nutella does take to higher level as you can anticipate. Sandee said it was 'brownie'ish; but my end product was more like a cake, hence the name. If you do try it, let me know how the consistency was. 

These are so easy to put together, when your lil' one decides to bring a couple of friends, have sudden guests, or feel like a home made sweet bite.

Microwave Cake in a cup in 5 minutes

What you need

• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons of nutella
• quarter teaspoon of baking soda
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 soft candy, toffee type 

Preparation

1. We put in a bowl all ingredients except candy and egg shell, which we know. Mix well.
2. We get two large cups, split the dough between them.
3. We put a couple of candy in each cup, pressing them to sink into the batter.
4. We put a cup in the microwave, and schedule 1 minute 45 seconds (full power). 
5. Serve hot or warm ideally, alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a little cream, ...

Notes

Sandee hasn't used a standard measuring spoon. You could take a look at her step-by-step pictures here. That perhaps explains the difference in consistency. 

Recipe Source: http://www.larecetadelafelicidad.com/

Parippu Vada (Lentil fritters) - from the land where the rain is born..

Pitter-patter. It's that time of the year again!! That time when the heavens descend on my home-land...home-state, more precisely. This is the time of the year every Malayali (people from the state of Kerala in India are called Malayalis; there! I saved you a google search, in case you were planning to) waits all year for.

                                

Find me a malayali who does not like to be home during the rains and I shall be VERY surprised. You get the picture. The monsoon lives in our hearts. It is part of our culture, childhood and our very hearts. I remember the years I was out of Kerala during monsoons, and thirsted for the sound of the rain, the coolness of the atmosphere, the smell of the soil and the warmth it brings to our hearts. It is pure joy to be woken up by the sound of rain the mornings

Schools here invariably open on June 1st. I remember not a school re-opening day, where mother nature hasn't drenched us in her glory. She arrives bright and early on the 1st of June, bringing joy to the soil, the trees and our hearts. ( What with global climate change things are sadly changing). But this time was no different thankfully. Schools reopened on June 4th; and mother nature changed her plans and arrived to drench all on the 4th!!!!!!

                 

Parippu vadas feature in every monsoon season dreams. The sound of rain, the chill, hot tea and parippu vadas make a delightful combination. As I write this post, I'm listening to the sound of rain, sipping into my tea, savouring the last vada and feeling happy to be home - home in god's own country...where the rain is born.....

Parippu Vada (Lentil Fritters)


What you need
Kadala parippu/ Chana Dal - 2 cups
Dried Red Chill/ Vaatal mulaku - 2
Pearl/Small Onion - 10 (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - 2 stems  (finely chopped)
Ginger - A small piece (finely chopped)
Green Chilli - 2 (finely chopped)
Salt - As required
Oil - enough to deep fry the vadas


Here's How:
1. Soak the dal for atleast an hour (2 hours will be better)
2. Drain it and grind in the mixie with the red chilli (Don't add any water). Grind coarsely. Do not grind it finely.
3. Now add the rest of the ingredients to this mixture and mix well
4. Take small portions, make a small ball, and flatten in it your palms. (Wetting your hands will do good, as this prevents the mixture from sticking to your hand)
5. Deep fry in oil and drain on a tissue
6. Best served with tea -YUM!!!

Penne with homemade Roasted pepper sauce (the easiest ever!)

I think I have told you earlier about J's love affair with Italian food. He loves his pasta! It's like his hummous withdrawal. He also gets 'pasta withdrawal' I think.

Most of J's colleagues at work, have rice for lunch and never fail to wonder how J can have pasta for lunch on most working days. He in turn wonders how they can have rice. You get the picture. He comes up with various versions of sauces, featuring sun dried tomatoes and pesto (A couple of precious bottles purchased from Chennai; sadly we don't get many gourmet products here), olives...the work. 

This recipe is ever so easy. The original doesn't have garlic in it. But I added some. Also I didn't have any thyme, so i added oregano and some chilli flakes for some zing!


Homemade Roasted pepper Sauce

What you need             
Red Peppers - 3
Red Onions - 2
Oil -  1 Tbsp
Dried Thyme - 1 Tbsp
Tomato puree' - 500g


Here's How

1. Heat oven to 220 deg C 
2. Cut the red peppers and onion into chunks and toss in oil and thyme; then roast for 30 mins until soft
3. Cool and then blend until just chunky
4, Stir in the Tomato puree, season and warm through (I heated a tbsp of olive oil, added around 3 cloves of garlic, chopped and dunked in the puree, followed by the pepper sauce and then seasoned it)
5. Cook your pasta as per the packet instructions, mix in the sauce and enjoy. J likes to add olives too!

    Recipe Source: BBC Good Food - India magazine