Kitchen Corner-Try It

Victorian Pound Cake Baking partners challenge for this month is Pound Cake. This cake is known as quatre quarts or four quarters in France meaning four equal portions. The traditional  recipes calls for a pound of flour, sugar, butter and eggs and hence the name pound cake. The most important step in making this cake is the creaming and softening of butter and sugar which results in light even textured crumb. Pound cake are rich butter cake and you can add any flavor of your choice. Victorian pound cake uses rose water as flavoring. I found this in Sherry Yards- The Secret of Baking .Thanks Swathi for suggesting this months pound cake challenge. Ingredients Eggs- 4 Cake flour- 1 3/4 cup Butter- 1/2 pound Sugar- 1 cup+ 2 tbs Rose water- 2 tsp Lemon zest- 1/2 tsp salt- 1/3 tsp Allow butter and eggs to come to room temperature. Sift flour and salt 2-3 times and keep aside. Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with butter. Line bottom with a strip of parchment paper an...

Duck Mappas Tharavu/ Duck mappas is a delicious curry made with aromatic spices and coconut milk. If you are a fan of mild creamy curries cooked with coconut milk, you have come to the right place. Duck mappas is a spiced duck stew, with a peppery undertone and with a touch of sweetness from coconut milk. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. It is a delicious accompaniment with appam, or Kerala style laced pancake made with fermented rice and coconut batter. Together the flavors and taste are simply unique- a classic Kerala flavor and taste that is hard to describe. I grew up eating this curry, and my mom makes this special stew for Christmas. For many Malayalis, this is a must-have dish on the Christmas menu. Indulge yourself with this delicious creamy curry with appam, puttu, chapati, or freshly baked bread. Tharavu/ duck recipes are more popular, in central Kerala and regions like Kuttanadu. Water fowls like duck and geese are popular in the Kuttanadu region, and thei...

Pineapple Rasam Pineapple rasam is quick and easy to make. It is tangy, sweet and flavorful. Usually at home we make the quicker version without dal. I got this recipe from vanitha magazine. Try this,you will surely love it. Ingredients Chopped pineapple- 1 cup Cooked dal (mung dal)- 1/2 cup Tomato- 1 ( or one tbs tamarind pulp) Shallot- 2  Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Sugar- 1/2 tsp salt to taste 2)To roast and make a paste Dry green chilly- 3-4 Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp Urad dal- 1/2 tsp Kadala parippu- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Kayam- a pinch 3)To temper Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds- 1/3 tsp Dry red chilly- 1 Garlic- 3 pods crushed Curry leaves- a few Chopped coriander leaves- a little Oil - 2 tsp  Cook dal/parippu till it is soft and mushy. Into the same pot add the chopped pineapple, chopped shallots,turmeric powder, sugar and salt. Add one cup of water and cook till soft. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for two to three...

Baked Chicken Pinwheels Baked pinwheel with chicken filling can be served as a savory appetizer or tea time snack. This recipe has yeast dough,you can substitute it with ready made puff pasty dough.You can be creative and use any kind of filling-vegetables, spinach, tuna or meat stuffing.   Ingredients Flour - 1 cup Yeast - 3/4 tsp Warm water- 1/3 cup Salt - a pinch Sugar- 1 tsp Egg-1 melted butter- 2 tsp For the filling Cooked and shredded chicken-1 cup Roasted pepper- 1/3 cup Sun dried tomatoes chopped- 1 tbs salt and pepper to taste Garlic powder-  1/2 tsp Parmesan cheese- 1 tbs Chopped parsley- 1 tbs In a wide bowl, mix flour salt, instant yeast and sugar. Now add the milk,melted butter and egg and knead into a smooth and soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and allow it to proof until doubled in size (40 to one hour). To make the filling first cook chicken and shred into thin pieces. Add chopped roasted bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes,chop...