Chocolate Cookies with Cream filling - vegan recipe

Make cream filling:
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar

To a mixing bowl with vegetable shortening add vanilla extract mix, add the powdered sugar gradually, mix each time until the sugar is fully absorbed in the shortening.  When all of the powdered sugar is added add oil in the end mix and keep it aside until ready for use.  Do not keep the cream filling in the refrigerator.

Melt chocolate:
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar

To a pan on medium heat add almond milk, chocolate chips and sugar.  Heat until all is melted.  Keep it aside and let it come to room temperature.

Prepare Cookie dough:
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Whisk the all purpose flour in a bowl.  

Add the unsweetened cocoa powder to the all purpose flour and continue whisking, add baking soda, baking powder, salt.  Switch to a spatula, add vegetable shortening, sugar and vanilla extract and mix.  

Slowly add the melted chocolate to the flour mixture a little at a time and make a dough.  

After the dough is ready divide it into four parts and shape each part into a log.

Wrap each log in parchment paper and freeze it for 15 minutes.  

After it has been frozen remove the wrap and cut each log into 1/8" inch thickness discs.

Place the disc on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 330 degrees in the middle rack.  

Watch it while baking it can easily get overdone.  After baking remove it from the baking sheet and place it on a wire rack for further cooling.  

After the cookie is completely cooled, to the side that was facing down while baking apply some cream filling and cover it with another cookie. 

These cookies are easy to make and a special treat.  Box them up and give it as a gift, these are so delicious any time.  Kids and adults alike will love to dunk these cookies in milk.

Makes 45 to 50 cookies.


Note:  Baking is tricky.  Use this recipe as a reference only and adjust it to the area you are living.  The ingredients will be different in your area.

Quinoa idli - Kanchipuram style recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup urad dal
water as needed

The proportion of urad dal to quinoa is 1:3.

Prepare Batter:  Rinse and soak quinoa and urad dal 4 to 8 hours or overnight.  After soaking grind the quinoa into a slightly coarse batter in 1 cup water and the urad dal to a fine batter in 1/2 cup water.  Adjust the water as needed.  Do not make it too liquid.  After grinding, mix the two and keep it in a warm place for fermenting.

When the batter has fermented one hour before making the idlis season it and keep it aside.

Seasoning:
3 tablespoon of til oil or gingely oil or use any oil or ghee
4 teaspoon channa dal
3 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 green chili or to taste
2 tablespoon broken cashew nut
a few curry leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, when hot add channa dal, urad dal and mustard seeds.  When the mustard seeds crack add ginger, green chili, cashew, curry leaves saute for a few seconds, add ground black pepper and turn the heat off and add the seasoning to the fermented batter.  Add salt to taste, mix the batter thoroughly and keep it aside for at least an hour.  The seasoning need to soak for some time for the flavor to develop in the batter.

Prepare idli in the microwave:
Use a greased egg poacher or a microwave idli maker.  Fill the cups of the egg poacher with batter and insert it in a bowl with a little water.  Microwave it for 4 to 5 minutes until the idli is cooked.  Adjust the the cooking time to power of your microwave.  When a knife it inserted in the middle of the idli comes out clean, it is cooked.  Remove it from the cups and serve fresh.

Serve warm with sambar and chutney.  These idlis are very filling, you may not eat as many as rice idlis.  They taste close to wheat rava idli.  They do get hard when they are cold.  However, if they are warmed in the microwave they become softer.  

Alternatively you can make these idlis in an idli steamer, in the usual way.  See also Idli, sambar, chutney and other snacks.  You can use regular idli batter to make Kanchipuram idli.

If the dough does not ferment use some yeast or fruit salt.

For days when you want to eat something different, these spiced up idlis are delightful and healthy.  

Kaalan

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz package) of Chena ( sold as frozen Suran)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of black pepper powder
3 cups of yogurt (ideally use sour yogurt)
a few curry leaves
1/4 red chili powder or to taste
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon clarified butter
1 cup water

Grind and Keep aside:  
1/2 cup of coconut
2 green chili or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds

Grind coconut with green chili and cumin seeds and keep it aside.

Cook chena in 1 cup of water, add turmeric powder and ground black pepper.  When the chena is cooked and the water has evaporated takes about 15 to 20 minutes, add yogurt, curry leaves, red chili powder and the ground coconut mixture, cook until the water content in the yogurt has evaporated and a dry curry is formed.  Add salt mix thoroughly and season

Seasoning:  Heat clarified butter when hot add mustard seeds.  When mustard seeds pop add to the Kaalan.  Mix and serve.  

Serve with rice or adai.  Serves 4

Served as a side dish with rice.  This is a Keralite dish, popularly served during festivals and auspicious occasions.  This dish can also be prepared using green plantain (vazhaka).  My mother used to make this dish during summer when the yogurt used to get sour.  The cooked yogurt balanced with spices gives this dish a very delightful taste.

Note: If the yogurt is not sour add some fresh squeezed lemon juice at the end.

Vegetable Korma

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Ingredients For Grinding:
10 cashew nuts
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic
1" piece of ginger
green chili to taste
2" Cinnamon stick
6 cloves
1/4 cup water
Grind the above ingredients with a little water and keep aside after grinding.

Other Ingredients for Korma:
Some cilantro leaves
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups cubed potatoes
3/4 cup carrots
2 cups cauliflower
1/2 cup peas
6 tablespoon oil
3 cloves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoon of coconut milk powder or substitute with coconut milk from a carton or can
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
water as needed
   
Wash and cut potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and onions.

To a pan on medium heat add oil, onion and clove, saute for a few minutes until the onion is translucent, add turmeric powder, the ground ingredients saute for a few seconds and add cilantro leaves.  

After a minute and when the ground spices give an aroma, add vegetables mix cover and cook for 2 minutes.  After which add coconut milk powder, a cup of water cover and cook until the vegetables are done.  Takes about 12 to 15 minutes.  While cooking keep stirring now and then so that the bottom does not burn. 

When vegetables are cooked add salt mix and cook for a minute add lemon juice and remove from heat.

Serves 6

Serve with lacha paratha, chapati, puri or rice

A mixed vegetable specialty dish.  This dish is aromatic, flavorful and tasty.  Popularly served in South Indian restaurants with chapati.