Chicken Stew - My kids' fav

This dish gets made atleast twice a week in my household. The ease of preparation, health benefits and the fact that my kids simply love it is the reason behind its frequent appearance. Chicken in the star ingredient with veggies of choice or veggies available are simply dumped per convenience. I had learnt it from my sis-in-law as she used to make it for my nieces. Then I even saw Kakima (Bhabi’s Ma) making this with only butter and no oil which tasted simply out of the world. I follow this method now and the stew turns out yummilicious.

Ingredients:

Chicken legs – 2

Onion – cut into cubes

Carrot – 2 small, cut into cubes

Potato – 2 small, cut into cubes

Ridge gourd – 7-8 cubes

Soya chunks – 7-8

Capsicum – 7-8 cubes

Spinach leaves – 8-10, roughly chopped

Ginger paste – 1 tsp

Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Tomato – 1, finely chopped

Salt – to taste

Butter – 2 generous tbsps

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Cloves – 3

Cardamom – 3

Cinnamon – 1”piece

Bay leaf - 1

Method:

1. Coarsely pound cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
2. Heat butter in a pressure cooker pan. When it melts, add bay leaf and pounded cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
3. Add ginger and garlic paste and sauté till raw smell disappears.
4. Add tomatoes and sauté till they turn mushy.
5. Add chicken legs and sauté for a min. Add all the veggies and combine.
6. Add cumin powder, coriander powder and salt.
7. Add a cup or two of water and close the lid.
8. Cook on high flame for 2 whistles.
9. Reduce flame and cook for 2 more whistles.

Note:

1. You may use any vegetable of your choice.
2. Try to use chicken pieces with bones. As the stew is cooked for about 4 whistles the juices from bones will be incorporated in the stew which is very good for health. And also the bones become soft and children can easily chew it.

Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake

Hard to believe it has been a year since I hopped on to this baking adventure called 'A Sweet Punch'. I was a newbee in this blogging world then. I accidentally fumbled upon Divya's blog while looking for Konkani recipes. When I saw the galore of baked goodies she had in her kitty, I was taken aback. That was a time when I did not possess a single baking tin. I was trying my hand at baking in my Microwave cum Convenction oven, by following the recipe book and using a bake and grill proof pan that had come complimentary with it. One of those days when I baked a cake and was disappointed at the disaster that came out of the oven, Divya announced 'A Sweet Punch' and it sounded as though it was meant for me. Without further ado I shot a mail to the group conveying that I wanted to participate. I wondered if I could sustain in this event! A Sweet Punch completed a year and I'm glad to say that I did not miss a single challenge so far. I have grown as a baker and I see myself pursuing baking as a passion, it relieves of my stress. There are times I set out to bake at midnight when the baking bug in me wakes up!!! Yeah, my family thinks I've gone nuts at times like this but those of you who bake would identify with such craziness. I now possess a bunch of bakewares which I treasure more than my jewelleries. Well this, I believe, is just a beginning. There's a long long way for me to go and I'm loving it.

I had so many plans for this month' Punch as the choice was left to us to choose anything to bake.Several things kept me from baking till yesterday. Finally I came up with this cake. It's one of the best chocolate cakes evah! Yes I do mean it. I baked it in my Bundt pan. and soaked with some aerated Cola. Dusted with some icing sugar and decorated with a few cherries.

Cake recipe source:

It's the 'Perfectly Chocolate' Chocolate Cake by Hershey's (I halved this recipe for an 8" bundt pan")

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa (I used weikfield)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

For assembling:

Pepsi / Coke – 1/2 cup

Icing sugar - 1 tbsp

Cherries - for decorating

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. 
3.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

For assembling:

1. Once the cake is  cool, cut  horizontally into 2 layers .
2. Place the first layer on the serving plate. Drizzle pepsi / coke all over it. Place the top layer and repeat.
3. Dust the top with icing sugar and decorate with a few cherries.