Coconut Cake Bites

I am sure everyone would be enjoying the warm Springtime now! Hence i thought of making colourful cake bites. This is a normal coconut cake recipe and the different colours of the decoration makes it more perfect for the season :) Few weeks back I had a great time experiencing the beauty of Springtime flowers at Tulip town. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is one of the destination events for the Pacific Northwest, held each year from April 1st- April 30th. During this time, thousands of people come to enjoy the celebration of spring as millions of tulips burst into bloom! The view was simply amazing!! I have shared a photo collage below. Hope you'll like it.  And now onto the recipe:

Ingredients for the Cake

• 1 1/4cup All purpose flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1 stick Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence
• 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup sweetened Coconut Flakes
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Coconut milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Fry coconut flakes slightly & keep aside.
3. Into a bowl whisk  flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. 
4. 

In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
5. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and coconut milk. Mix well. 
6. Add the mixed dry ingredients, fried coconut flakes and combine thoroughly.  

7. Bake for 25 to 30 min.
8. Cool the cake and cut into round shapes using cookie cutter & apply frosting as explained below.

Ingredients for Honey butter cream frosting

• 2 tbsp unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until light and smooth. 
2. Add the confectioners sugar  and honey slowly  until thoroughly incorporated. 

3. Spread on the cake bites & decorate with coloured coconut flakes.

Ingredients for the Decoration

• Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• Food colours

Here is a glimpse of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival :)

Beef Momos

Momo is a type of dumpling mostly famous in Tibet and Nepal. They are made with a simple flattened dough filled with minced meat or veggies. There are different choices for momo shapes in which the most common are the basic round shapes, and the half-moon shapes. This is the recipe of a steamed Tibetan half-moon shaped Momo.

 Ingredients for the dough

• 1 cup All-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water

Directions 

1. Mix all the ingredients and kneed the dough till soft and non-sticky. 
2. Cover and  keep aside for at least half an hour. 
3. Before rolling out, prepare the 'filling' as explained below.

Ingredients for the filling

• 3/4 cup ground beef
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro 
• Oil

Directions

1. Take a bowl & mix all the ingredients well.
2. Then roll out the dough  and cut it into little circles (about the size of your palm)
3. Take one and hold the flat circular dough in your left hand and put a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the dough. Fold and  press together the two edges of the half circle. Start at one tip of the half-moon, and fold over a very small piece of dough, pinching it down until you reach the other tip of the half-moon.
4. Fill in all the rolled out dough and lay the momos without touching each other in a greased steamer.
5. Steam the momos for atleast 10 minutes and then serve hot with the hot sauce!
   

Ingredients for the Hot Sauce

• 2 Tomatoes
• 5 Red chillies
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
• 1/2 cup sliced Onion
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Oil

Directions

1. Pour oil in a pan and saute onion. Add red chillies and garlic. Saute for some time.
2. Mix in sliced tomatoes, cilantro, salt & saute for some more time.
3. Allow it to cool it a little and make a paste using a food processor or blender.

 

  

Appliance used for this recipe:

Spicy Shrimp Masala

Do you need a recipe idea for Easter lunch/dinner? Here goes a spicy & rich recipe of shrimp coated with ground Indian spices!!! This dish goes perfect with rice, paratha, roti, naan, chapati etc. This is interesting, easy to prepare and ofcourse delicious!!! Here are the ingredients for the mouthwatering dish:

Ingredients for grinding

• 1/2 cup Onion 
• 4 Red Chillies 
• 1 tsp G-G paste 
• 2 Tomato 
• Salt as required

Other ingredients

• 1 cup Cooked Shrimp  
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil 
• 1/2 cup Onion 
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric  
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper 
• 1/4 cup Grated coconut 
• 1 tsp Fish masala 
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala 
• 1 tbsp Vinegar 
• 2 tbsp Curd  
• Mustard seeds 
• Cumin seeds
• Cilantro(Corriander leaves)
• Salt as required

Directions

1. Saute all the 'ingredients for grinding' in 1 tbsp vegetable oil & grind to a fine paste. Keep aside.
2. Pour oil in a pan & put mustard & cumin seeds. Add grated coconut & saute till brown.
3. Add Onion & tomato. Saute well & mix black pepper, turmeric, fish masala, garam masala and vinegar.
4. Saute  for some time & mix the ground paste, curd and little water. Add shrimp & cook with the pan closed for 5 to 8 min till you obtain a thick gravy. Then garnish with cilantro & its ready to serve!

 

Fruit and Nut Cornflakes

Today i was craving for a chocolaty breakfast & thought of giving a twist to my usual milk & fruit combo with cornflakes. Grabbed some nuts, chocolates, fruits & tried out this delicious combo! This yummy breakfast includes:

• Cornflakes
• Cashewnuts
• Raisins
• Banana
• Apple
• Milk
• Sugar
• Chocolate syrup

Mix everything up with the quantity you desire & start a chocolaty morning with this scrumptious breakfast!! Enjoy & have a great day :) :)