Parippu Pradhaman / Parippu Payasam

Ingredients:

Cherupayar Parippu               --    250gm
Jaggery                                        --   300gm
Thick coconut milk                  --   1½ cups
Medium thick coconut milk --   4 cups
Light coconut milk                   --   4 cups
Ghee                                                --   2-3 tbsp
Cashew nut/Coconut pieces --   a handful

Preparation of Payasam:

Fry the parippu without oil for few minutes on a medium - low flame, until they are golden in colour. Also when you try to bite, it should be hard and not chewy.

    

Let it cool completely. Once cooled, wash it well and cook with 2 cups of water and 1 cup of light coconut milk. I used a pressure cooker and it took me 2 whistles to cook it well.

Meanwhile, melt the jaggery by adding 1 cup water. Let it cool slightly.

Strain and add the melted jaggery to the well cooked parippu and stir well. On a medium flame, let it cook until the parippu - jaggery mixture is thick.

Add the remaining light coconut milk and keep stirring until it thickens. Then add the medium thick coconut milk. Keep stirring and let it reduce to almost 2/3rd or half. Now add the thick coconut milk and stir for couple of minutes and switch of the flame. Leave it on the stove for another 5 - 10 minutes and keep stirring.

In a pan, heat the ghee and fry the cashew nuts/coconut pieces and pour it into the payasam. Serve hot.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma 

Chocolate Flan Cake / Magic Cake

 

Ingredients (Serves 12 - 15):

12-cup capacity Bundt pan
Softened butter, to coat pan
Dulce de leche or caramel sauce --   ¼ Cup

For the cake:

Butter                        --    10 tbsp. at room temperature
Sugar                          --   1 cup
Egg                              --   1, at room temperature
All purpose flour  --   1 ¾ cups
Baking Powder       --   ¾ tsp
Baking Soda             --   ¾ tsp
Cocoa Powder        --   1/3 cup
Butter milk              --   1 ¼ cup

For the flan:

Evaporated milk    --   1 can (12 oz)
Condensed milk, sweetened --   1 can (14 oz)
Cream Cheese         --   4 oz, at room temprature
Eggs                            --   3
Vanilla Extract      --   1 tsp

For garnish:

Dulce de leche or caramel sauce --   ¼ Cup

Preparation:

Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F / 180°C.

Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup dulce de leche and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)

For the cake: Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated.

For the flan: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg powder and dulce de leche. Blend on high for 30 seconds.

Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan.

Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 to 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Cool completely then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Place bottom third of Bundt pan in bowl of hot water for a minute. Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp     tightly together, giggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and scrape any remaining dulce de leche from the pan onto the cake. Serve with extra caramel sauce drizzled over the top.

Recipe Courtesy: Swapna's Cuisine