Chocolate Cake (Pressure cooker made)

I am a huge fan of bakery products and love baking. But not having an oven or OTG put me at a disadvantage of not baking at home. A few friends suggested baking using pressure cooker and I tried. It was a huge success!! :) Now, nothing can stop you from baking a cake. Not even an oven/OTG. Follow this simple recipe to make cakes in our pressure cooker!! You can follow any cake recipe and bake it using a pressure cooker. 

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

Eggs                                  - 3 

Brown sugar/Normal sugar - ½ cup 

Wheat Flour                      - ½ cup 

Powdered Almonds            - 1 cup (loosely filled)

Baking powder                  - 2 ½ teaspoon

My Favourite TV Series

Now that its officially the awards season, from People's Choice Award, Critics' Choice Awards, Golden Globes to Oscars for the year. So, it is only customary that I announce my list of favourite TV shows and movies (Top fav movies coming up soon in another post). I have once mocked people when they go crazy about TV Series. But having been introduced to this world by my friend, I am no more that girl. I am crazy about certain series. Here is a list of shows that are my favourites**. Let's begin with comedy series... 

A Tribute to BRO

Border Roads Organization (BRO) of India makes commutation in The Himalayas easy for locals and travellers alike. Landslides, rain, snowfall, avalanche, floods - nothing stops these brave men and women who dedicate their life's work so that people can move from one place to another. They have laid roads where I wouldn't dare to keep even a foot. It is only because of their relentless effort, be it opening of Rohtang/Zojila Pass to ensuring that they stay open during the peak season, I had the opportunity to fall in love with Himalayas. 

I am in love with Himalayas. She has charmed me, and she calls me every few months to see her. She doesn't realise I live 2000 km away from her and long vacations are hard to come by. 

God made Ladakh and BRO connects it to rest of the world... How True!!!

Memories of Pongal

Pongal for city-bred Tamilians like me is a three day holiday filled with wonderful food, non-stop watching TV debates and movies that are advertised as "india tholaikatchigalil mudal muraiyaaga" (roughly translates to first time in the history in Indian TV channels) and maybe catching up of new releases in theatre. 

Apart from these, I have special memories of eating Boli on Bogi (Boli is a flat bread sweetened with coconut and jaggery), planning elaborately for kolams that are drawn infront of my home, colouring them till late in the night along with neighbours, admiring our previous night's handwork on Pongal day.

Now after few years of corporate life, they all seem like a distant dream. There are no photographs, just memories. I no longer have a three-days vacation nor draw such kolams. Here on Pongal Eve, it upsets me that I am not even able to find my kolam notebook. I simply hope that the future is better. 

How to make Chocolates?

Chocolates... Those dark little chocolate pieces, melting in our mouth, giving us instant energy, making us feel good... I simply love chocolates in any form and any flavour from fruit & nut, orange peel, crackles, melted chocolates to even chocolate filled pastries. 

Home-made Chocolate with lots of almonds & pistachios

It was during one of my birthdays (way back in 1990s), I was gifted a dappa (box) of home-made chocolate. They didn't have any particular shape, but tasted divine. I got the recipe from the aunty so that I could make them one day. It wasn't until 2008 before I started making them. The recipe is very simple.

Home-made Chocolate with butterscotch balls

Ingredients

Cocoa powder    - 1 measure (100g) 

Unsalted Butter - around 1 measure (80-90g)

Powdered sugar - 6 to 8 teaspoons (optional if you need 100% dark chocolate)

Chocolate Krishna....

Have you imagined what would God do if He needs a break? Or how His vacation would be? Well, look no further. Head to the nearest place where "Chocolate Krishna" is played to get to know more about it. Chocolate Krishna, a humorous play by Crazy Creations' Mohan is where I spent New Year's Day with my family. This is the second time in five years that I am watching it. Apparently the play has been performed over 700+ times so far. 

The plot revolves around Madhu, a salesperson for chocolates & his family. Madhu, a worshipper of Lord Krishna, prays for his job promotion. And on Gokulashtami, The Lord Himself arrives (enacted by Crazy Mohan) to Madhu's home. Krishna is depicted as a human being with many wives (Bama, Rukmani, Meera - who all end up calling Madhu to talk with Krishna) and Krishna says he is on vacation taking a break from all of them. 

The first half of the play moves swiftly with witty dialogues delivered promptly. Here is a conversation between Madhu and one of Krishna's wives Rukmani over phone - 

மாது       : கிருஷ்ணா, ருக்மணி கூப்பிடறா... என்ன சொல்லட்டும்?

கிருஷ்ணா: நான் இல்லை-னு சொல்லிடு. 

மாது       : நீ இல்லை-னா அது நாத்திகம் ஆய்டாதோ? 

கிருஷ்ணா: அப்போ, நான் ஆத்துல இல்லை-னு சொல்லிடு. ஆத்திகம் ஆய்டும்.