Achu's Recipes

Battenberg or Battenburg is a light sponge cake held together with jam. The cake is covered in marzipan and, when cutting in cross-section, displays a distinctive two-by-two check pattern alternately colored (source: Wikipedia ) Ingredients All-purpose flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 cup Baking powder - 1/2 tsp Eggs - 3 nos: Sugar - 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter - 100 gms: (in room temperature) Salt - A pinch Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp Milk - as required Mixed Fruit Jam - 4-5 tbsp Whipping Cream or Fondant - as required Preparation Method Grease a 9x9 rectangular baking tray with butter and dust with flour. Using aluminum foil, divide the tray into 2 equal parts, and keep aside. (I used 2 identical small bread tray).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees Celsius). Beat the eggs using a handheld electric mixer in a large bowl. (Use glass bowl for more soft cake) Add sugar and beat till stiff peaks are formed. Add b...

We, (myself, my husband, and our ten years old daughter), travelled from Bangalore to Dublin through Paris on 13th August 2020, as my husband got an employment offer from Ireland. We all were excited about the relocation but cautious. When our friends and relatives came to know that we travelled during the pandemic, many, who wanted to join their spouse or family abroad, but concerned about travelling with kids, started pinging us asking for the precautionary measures we took and the travel details. This is my humble attempt to write down the preparations for the travel and how we travelled.  Preparation       As soon as we came to know that we have to travel from Bangalore to Dublin any time in August, we started our planning.      We avoided going to any shops for purchase, in order to avoid the interaction with the public so that the risk can be reduced. We purchased all the items which were required for our travel, including shoes, from Amazon...

Ingredients Prawns - 500 gms: (cleaned and deveined) Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Garlic - 20-25 petals Onion - 2 medium (cut into cubes) Tomato - 3 medium (cut into cubes) Capsicum / Bell Pepper - 1 (cut into cubes) Oil - 3-4 tbsp Salt - as required Vinegar - 1 tsp Sugar - 1 tsp (optional) Coriander Leaves -1 tbsp (finely chopped) Preparation Method Marinate prawns with ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt; keep aside for 1 hour (refrigerate overnight, if possible). Heat oil in a thick bottom pan. Add garlic; saute in low flame till nice aroma comes out. Add onion and saute till onion become translucent. Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes become mushy. Add capsicum and saute for 2 mins: Add marinated prawns, mix well and cook for 4-5 mins:, keeping the lid closed (if you overcook prawns, its meat becomes chewy). Open the lid, adjust the salt...

Ingredients Banana Robusta - 3 (ripe) Whole Wheat Flour (Atta) - 1 cup Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil - 1/2 cup Sugar - 3/4 cup Milk - 1/4 cup Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp Salt - a pinch Preparation Method  Sieve together wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; keep aside. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 mins: Line baking tray with butter paper and keep aside. To a mixer jar, add banana, vegetable oil, sugar, and milk; blend without any lumps. Transfer the banana mixture into a mixing bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture; combine using a spatula and prepare a smooth batter. Transfer the batter to the lined baking tray and tap the tray 2-3 times. Bake the cake at 180 degrees for 25-30 mins (insert a toothpick to the cake; if it comes out clean the cake is ready, otherwise, bake for another 5-10 mins). Remove the cake from the oven and keep on a wire rack and allow it to co...

Ingredients For Batter Fine Rava / Sooji  - 1 cup (roasted) Thick Curd - 1 cup Green Chilli - 1 (crushed) Ginger - 1 tsp (crushed) Salt - as required Water - as required Eno Salt - 1 tsp / 5 gms:  For Thadka Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp Green Chilli - 2-3 (slit) Curry Leaves - as required Asafoetida - a pinch Sugar - 2 tbsp Water - 1/4 cup For Garnishing Grated coconut - 2-3 tbsp (optional) Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) -  2-3 tbsp (optional) Preparation Method Mix rava, curd, crushed green chilli, ginger, salt; make a thick batter and keep aside for 30-45 mins: When rava becomes soft, add water and make a thick batter (batter consistency should be as that of idli batter). Grease a deep bottom wide tray with ghee and keep aside. Prepare the steamer and heat it up. Add Eno salt to the rava batter, mix well, and immediately transfer to the greased tray; tap the tray 2-3 times to remove the air bubbles. Steam cook the...

Tamarind / Imli Chutney is an essential accompaniment for snacks like Dhokla, Samoosa, or Chats. It is easy to make chutney and can refrigerate up to 1 week. Ingredients Tamarind - Lemon size Jaggery - 100 gms: Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp Oil - 1 tbsp Ginger Powder - 1/2 tsp Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp Sugar - 2 tsp Salt - as required Preparation Method Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 1-2 hours; squeeze the pulp from the tamarind, strain and keep aside. Dissolve the jaggery in 1/2 cup water, strain, and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and splutter cumin seeds. Add tamarind pulp and jaggery syrup and cook in medium flame for 5-6 mins:. Add ginger powder, asafoetida, red chilli powder, sugar, and salt; mix well and cook for another 3-4 mins: (till the mixture thickens). Let the chutney cool down. Tamarind Chutney / Imli Chutney is ready to serve with snacks or chats. Tamarind Chutney can refrigerate in an airtight glass container and ca...

Ingredients Urud Daal - 2 cups Rice Flour - 2-3 tbsp Onion - 1 small (finely chopped) Green Chilli - 2 nos: (finely chopped) Pepper Corns - 2 tbsp Curry Leaves - 2-3 tbsp (finely chopped) Salt - as required Coconut Oil - as required to deep fry. Preparation Method Wash and said urud daal for 4-5 hours. Transfer the urud daal to a strainer and remove excess water. Crush peppercorns and keep aside. Grind the urud daal to a smooth paste. Add 1 tbsp water at a time if required to grind. Transfer the urud daal paste to a mixing bowl.  Add rice flour, onion, green chili, curry leaves, salt, pepper; mix well. Leave the dough aside for 2-3 hours. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. Wet your hands, take lemon size dough, roll with your palm, gently press and flatten, make a small hole in the middle with your thumb and slowly place the dough to the oil. Fry in medium flame till the fritters become golden in color. Remove the fritters from the oil and keep in a kitchen...