Parippu Pradhaman Payasam

Ingredients:

Cherupayar parippu/Moong Dal - 1 cup

Water - 1.5 cups + 3/4 cup

Jaggery - 1and half cups

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cashew - 10 no

Small Coconut slices - 2tbsp

Thin Coconut milk - 1.5 cups

Thick Coconut milk - 1 cup

Method:

1. Dry roast moong dal in medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the color turns golden .

2.  Allow it to cool down. Then wash it and add it to pressure cooker along with 1.5 cups of water and 1.5 think coconut milk. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high flame and then 2 whistles on medium -low flame.

3.  Meanwhile make jaggery syrup. Add the jaggery and 3/4 cup water to a pan. Bring it to boil till all the jaggery pieces are dissolves. Strain it and keep it aside.

4. Once the moong dal is fully cooked, add the jaggery syrup to the it and mix well and bring to boil.

5. Boil it for 2 minutes. Then, turn off the stove and add thick coconut milk and cardamom powder and mix well. 

6. Take a small kadai and heat 2 tbsp of ghee. Fry the coconut slices till golden brown and keep it aside. Then fry cashews in the same ghee till golden brown.

7. Add the coconut slices, cashews and the remaining ghee to the payasam and mix well.

Serve hot.

Simple Chocolate cake

My daughter wanted a cake similar to the birthday cake with animals on it. So we made a chocolate cake this time and frosted it with chocolate frosting.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 3/4 cups
Sugar - 2 cups
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 2 large
Warm water - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Oil(vegetable, canola,safflower) - 1/2 cup
Vanilla - extract - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or butter the bottom of a 9"x 13" cake pans(or you can use two 9" pans).Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter.
2. In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients( sugar, all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder).
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk,water, oil and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix or whisk until combined.
4.  Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 27 - 35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Source: Joy of baking

Nutella Mousse

Ingredients

Heavy whipping cream - 1 cup
Nutella - 3/4 cup
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Shaved dark chocolate for garnish

Method:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
2. Add nutella and fold in with a spatula until fully incorporated.
3. Pour into 4 cups or bowls and refrigerate for about  2 hours.

Garnish it with shaved chocolate and enjoy!!