Ingredients
1. cinnamom: 1 inch
2. cloves: 2
3. cardamoms: 3
4. bay leaf: 1
5. black peppers: 6
6. cumin seeds: 1 tsp
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
3 onions sliced
a few cashew nuts (optional)
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 big carrots chopped
2 handful french beans- trimmed and chopped 1.5 cms long
peas
mushrooms
peppers
any other veggies
For Chutney
1/3 bunch coriander
2 chillies
2 tsp coconut (desicated/ shredded frozen/ fresh)
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1/2 onion
Grind the chutney ingredients to a paste using very little water (maximum 2 tbsp)and keep aside.
In a deep pan fry the whole spices (1 to 6) in 2 tbsp of ghee for 2 minutes. Add the sliced onion and fry till light brown. Add the cashew nuts and fry more till the onion is golden brown.
Spoon out the onion into bowl. Add 1/2 tbsp of ghee in the same deep pan and fry the vegetables till cooked. Add to this the chutney and fry a bit more. Add salt and the onion and rice and let it cook till the rice is coated with the paste (about 3 minutes). Add 1.5 cups of water and cover. Keep checking and take the pan off the heat as soon as the water has evaporated.
Serve with a raita.
Quick Chocolate Fix
Another one of my google search wonders...
We make this on busy weekday nights when we crave for pudding but cant wait to bake it in the oven.
I found this on recipe Bazaar. Here is the link :
http://www.recipezaar.com/10-Minute-quick-and-Easy-Chocolate-Brownie-Pudding-Cake-88740
Thanks Fifi for this wonderful recipe.
I have also pasted it in my site because of my paranoia of never finding these good recipes again.
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water, with
3 tablespoons sugar, added
1Boil water with 3 tbsp of sugar and set aside.
2Combine all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) in a bowl, then add eggs,melted butter and vanilla until well blended, mixture will be thick.
3Butter a 9 inch microwavable pan or tupperware, even if its a tad smaller it's ok.
4Spread mixture evenly into the buttered pan.
5Very slowly pour water into the center of the mixture and do not stir!
6Cover well, with plastic wrap or lid.
7Cook in microwave on regular power for 5 minutes, check it to make sure it's set and if not put back in microwave for a couple more minutes.
8Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with your favorite toppings.
9Enjoy!
We make this on busy weekday nights when we crave for pudding but cant wait to bake it in the oven.
I found this on recipe Bazaar. Here is the link :
http://www.recipezaar.com/10-Minute-quick-and-Easy-Chocolate-Brownie-Pudding-Cake-88740
Thanks Fifi for this wonderful recipe.
I have also pasted it in my site because of my paranoia of never finding these good recipes again.
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water, with
3 tablespoons sugar, added
1Boil water with 3 tbsp of sugar and set aside.
2Combine all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) in a bowl, then add eggs,melted butter and vanilla until well blended, mixture will be thick.
3Butter a 9 inch microwavable pan or tupperware, even if its a tad smaller it's ok.
4Spread mixture evenly into the buttered pan.
5Very slowly pour water into the center of the mixture and do not stir!
6Cover well, with plastic wrap or lid.
7Cook in microwave on regular power for 5 minutes, check it to make sure it's set and if not put back in microwave for a couple more minutes.
8Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with your favorite toppings.
9Enjoy!
Chocolate Brownie
We hate dark chocolate the two of us. When the airhostess on our flight back from germany handed out Lindt Intense Dark Choceolate we carefully packed it into my hand bag with a plan to melt it into something delicious back at home.
Two weeks later, Mohit and myself scanned the internet for a good Brownie recipe that would use less than 80 g butter and about 70 g chocolate.
A careful research of 8 recipes and Mohit's recipe was born. It turned out very moist and dense.
Two weeks later, Mohit and myself scanned the internet for a good Brownie recipe that would use less than 80 g butter and about 70 g chocolate.
A careful research of 8 recipes and Mohit's recipe was born. It turned out very moist and dense.
I made this again on Valentine's day and hence the picture....
butter - 46g
chocolate - 70 g 70% plain dark lindt
mascavado 100g
caster 25 g
eggs - 1.5 big / 2 small
flour - 50 g
choco chips 30 g plain
walnuts 30 g
baking pdr - 1/3 tsp
vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
1/5 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar syrup
Preheat the oven. Line a baking tray (I used an 8 inch) with baking paper.
Chop the butter and Chocolate into bits and melt in the microwave 10 seconds at a time. Keep mixing and stop when the chocolate has almost melted. Mix to make a smooth paste and keep aside. When cool add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Pour into the baking tray and bake at 180 for 25 mins
tips :
don't put syrup;
reduce castor and maybe increase mascavado but overall reduce sugar
may try with coffee for mocha brownies (2 tbsp strong, cooled)
can try other nuts - hazel e.g.
serve hot with vanilla icecream - yummy
butter - 46g
chocolate - 70 g 70% plain dark lindt
mascavado 100g
caster 25 g
eggs - 1.5 big / 2 small
flour - 50 g
choco chips 30 g plain
walnuts 30 g
baking pdr - 1/3 tsp
vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
1/5 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar syrup
Preheat the oven. Line a baking tray (I used an 8 inch) with baking paper.
Chop the butter and Chocolate into bits and melt in the microwave 10 seconds at a time. Keep mixing and stop when the chocolate has almost melted. Mix to make a smooth paste and keep aside. When cool add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Pour into the baking tray and bake at 180 for 25 mins
tips :
don't put syrup;
reduce castor and maybe increase mascavado but overall reduce sugar
may try with coffee for mocha brownies (2 tbsp strong, cooled)
can try other nuts - hazel e.g.
serve hot with vanilla icecream - yummy
Vegetable Pasty
Ingredients:
Ready Rolled Puff Pastry sheets (2) each cut into two
Finely Chopped:
2 Onion -finely chopped
3 small Carrots-finely chopped
10 Mushrooms- sliced
1 cup Peas
Brie
2 Potatoes- small cubes
Red Pepper- small cubes
Parsley
Black Pepper
Salt
Egg for the wash
Thaw the Ready Rolled Puff Pastry for 1 1/2 hours at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
Fry Onion is a little oil. After 5 minutes add carrots and then finely add all the other vegetables.
Throw in the spices. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the cheese (grated or chopped into tiny bits). Stir well.
Brush the pastry with egg wash. Spoon the veggies onto it. Seal from all sides. Brush the pasty with egg from all sides.
Bake until golden crisp at 200 degrees.
Rest for 5 minutes when the pasty is out of the oven before serving.
Serve with ketchup.
Ready Rolled Puff Pastry sheets (2) each cut into two
Finely Chopped:
2 Onion -finely chopped
3 small Carrots-finely chopped
10 Mushrooms- sliced
1 cup Peas
Brie
2 Potatoes- small cubes
Red Pepper- small cubes
Parsley
Black Pepper
Salt
Egg for the wash
Thaw the Ready Rolled Puff Pastry for 1 1/2 hours at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
Fry Onion is a little oil. After 5 minutes add carrots and then finely add all the other vegetables.
Throw in the spices. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the cheese (grated or chopped into tiny bits). Stir well.
Brush the pastry with egg wash. Spoon the veggies onto it. Seal from all sides. Brush the pasty with egg from all sides.
Bake until golden crisp at 200 degrees.
Rest for 5 minutes when the pasty is out of the oven before serving.
Serve with ketchup.
Ragda Pattice
This one is a definite for entertaining. The pattice can be half fried in advance then completed just before serving.
For 2 people
For the Pattice:
When the oil is sufficiently hot, put the pattice on the pan (there should be a sizzling noise when the oil meets the pattice). Keep an eye on the pan so the pattice doesnt burn. Turn sides using a flat spatula when the bottom is golden and take off the pan when both sides are crisp and golden.
These pattice (Aloo Tikki) are a snack in themselves when eaten hot with ketchup or chutney.
For the Ragda:
For 2 people
For the Pattice:
- 3 Huge potatoes- boiled and mashed
- 2 slices of bread
- 1/4 cup milk
- salt
- coriander leaves
- 1/4 finely chopped large onion
- green chillies finely chopped
- oil for shallow frying- I used mustard oil
When the oil is sufficiently hot, put the pattice on the pan (there should be a sizzling noise when the oil meets the pattice). Keep an eye on the pan so the pattice doesnt burn. Turn sides using a flat spatula when the bottom is golden and take off the pan when both sides are crisp and golden.
These pattice (Aloo Tikki) are a snack in themselves when eaten hot with ketchup or chutney.
For the Ragda:
- 1 cup white peas (dry white vatana)- soaked overnight and then pressure cooked
- 1 small onion chopped
- turmeric- 1/2 tsp
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp jaggery
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- salt
- 1 tsp ginger+ garlic- finely chopped
Heat Oil and saute the onion till pink. Add the ginger+ garlic and the dry spices and salt and fry for a minute. Next add the peas and tamarind+ jaggery and a few cups of water. Mash some of the peas against the side of the pan to thicker the sauce.
Serve the pattice with ragda, sliced onion, tamarind chutney and yogurt.
Bliss.
Guacamole
2 ripe avodaos
2 green chillies
1/4 red onion
1 pod of garlic
1/4 large tomato
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsps yogurt
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 bunch of coriander leaves
Scoop out the insides of the avocados and dicard the pit and shell. Grind this along with the other ingredients. Adjust salt to taste.
2 green chillies
1/4 red onion
1 pod of garlic
1/4 large tomato
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsps yogurt
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 bunch of coriander leaves
Scoop out the insides of the avocados and dicard the pit and shell. Grind this along with the other ingredients. Adjust salt to taste.
Rice Kheer
This was my second attempt at rice kheer. The first time, I googled a recipe off the net and followed it from start to finish.It turned out to be a tasty mismash of cooked rice, milk and elaichi-but not kheer. A final post mortem was conducted. The verdict: Rice needs to be cooked before it is finally added to the milk.
A few months later, I tried again. This time I opted for one which sounded like a good combination of the phirni and rice kheer. I must say I struck gold with this one.
Rice kheer
Ingredients
Rice - 1/2 Cup +1 tbsp
Milk 4 cups
Condensed Milk 1 cup
Sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Cashews, Elachi powder and Saffron
Method :
Pressure cook 1/2 cup rice with 1 cup water and 1/4 cup milk.
Meanwhile, boil milk, in reduced flame, add condensed milk.
Soak one spoon of raw-rice and 10-15 cashews in milk for 10 minutes. Grind it to a coarse paste. Add to the boiling milk. Add the sugar, stir till it dissolves.
Then add the cooked rice, and boil for a few more minutes. Finally add Saffron, Elachi powder and cashews and almonds (fried in butter/ghee)
Can make this kheer in any consistency you want. Can be served hot or chilled.
A few months later, I tried again. This time I opted for one which sounded like a good combination of the phirni and rice kheer. I must say I struck gold with this one.
Rice kheer
Ingredients
Rice - 1/2 Cup +1 tbsp
Milk 4 cups
Condensed Milk 1 cup
Sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Cashews, Elachi powder and Saffron
Method :
Pressure cook 1/2 cup rice with 1 cup water and 1/4 cup milk.
Meanwhile, boil milk, in reduced flame, add condensed milk.
Soak one spoon of raw-rice and 10-15 cashews in milk for 10 minutes. Grind it to a coarse paste. Add to the boiling milk. Add the sugar, stir till it dissolves.
Then add the cooked rice, and boil for a few more minutes. Finally add Saffron, Elachi powder and cashews and almonds (fried in butter/ghee)
Can make this kheer in any consistency you want. Can be served hot or chilled.
Fish Cakes
Salmon 1 fillet
Haddock1 fillet
Potatoes 4 big
Green Chillies as per taste
Garlic 3 pods
Ginger 1 inch
Coriander Powder 2 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Mustard (optional)
Coriander leaves 1/2 bunch
Haddock1 fillet
Potatoes 4 big
Green Chillies as per taste
Garlic 3 pods
Ginger 1 inch
Coriander Powder 2 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Mustard (optional)
Coriander leaves 1/2 bunch
Banana Bread
With the influx of overripe bananas in my fruit bowl, I set out to bake a healthy banana bread.
This one is a really easy recipe and can be finished within an hour from start to finish (by finish I mean eating the last crumb).
It is a bread recipe but its more like a cake, only mildly sweet.
I have made this over and over again since the most memorable of them all was for our trip to Berlin when I forgot to add the quitessential ingredient from the recipe---the bananas. Must say it is a forgiving recipe and even that turned out quite good.
Wet ingredients:
2 over-ripe bananas mashed
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon milk,
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
Nuts and raisins (optional)
Dry Ingredients:
1½ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. The add the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients and pour into a well greased bread tin.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or till done.
This one is a really easy recipe and can be finished within an hour from start to finish (by finish I mean eating the last crumb).
It is a bread recipe but its more like a cake, only mildly sweet.
I have made this over and over again since the most memorable of them all was for our trip to Berlin when I forgot to add the quitessential ingredient from the recipe---the bananas. Must say it is a forgiving recipe and even that turned out quite good.
Wet ingredients:
2 over-ripe bananas mashed
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon milk,
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
Nuts and raisins (optional)
Dry Ingredients:
1½ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. The add the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients and pour into a well greased bread tin.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or till done.
Semolina delight
Thats what I call it. When I was a kid, I was invited to an Aunt's house who had made this. I loved it instantly and probably scoffed off a whole lot of it. i never thought that one day I would make it myself. It might not be the exact same possibly because the aunt had steamed it rather than baked it but I cant be bothered to go through the whole steaming process as it would take just too much time. Baking is very easy and quick. The best bit about the cake is that it can get whipped up in minutes with ingredients readily available at home at all times.
I finally found the recipe on a fellow blogger's site. Here is the recipe: http://annaparabrahma.blogspot.com/2006/12/shravani-cake.html.
The only thing I changed is replaced saffron with cardamom and added a bit more sugar.
A bit fancier than sheera?..whot say!
Baked Patra ni Macchi
I love parsi food. This recipe is inspired by Patra ni Macchi but is really my way of finishing off leftover Coriander Chuntney.
2 Salmon fillets
for the chutney
One bunch Coriander
handful of dessicated coconut
green chillies
1 clove garlic
Jaggery
salt
jeera powder
Lemon
Rub the salmon with lemon and salt and keep aside.
Gring all the other ingredients for the chutney.
Rub the chutney into the salmon and bake in a preheated over for 20 minutes.
2 Salmon fillets
for the chutney
One bunch Coriander
handful of dessicated coconut
green chillies
1 clove garlic
Jaggery
salt
jeera powder
Lemon
Rub the salmon with lemon and salt and keep aside.
Gring all the other ingredients for the chutney.
Rub the chutney into the salmon and bake in a preheated over for 20 minutes.
Oven baked Tandoori Chicken-It couldnt have been this easy
This is my version of tandoori chicken without oil.
I used Chicken Breast and drun sticks. Cut slits into the chicken pieces lengthwise. Rub salt and lime into the pieces and keep aside for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile grind the onion, ginger, garlic and chilly into a thick paste. Add to this red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, jeera powder and yogurt.
Rub this mixture into the chicken. Cover with cling film and marinate for a few hours (or overnigh) in the fridge.
Preheat the oven. Pick out the chicken (retain the leftover paste to use during baking)and place in a foil covered baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. Brush the chicken with leftover paste from time to time. Brush with oil if required (I do not bother at all).
Broil for 10 minutes turing sides after 5 minutes.
The chicken can be served with onion slices and lemon.
I used Chicken Breast and drun sticks. Cut slits into the chicken pieces lengthwise. Rub salt and lime into the pieces and keep aside for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile grind the onion, ginger, garlic and chilly into a thick paste. Add to this red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, jeera powder and yogurt.
Rub this mixture into the chicken. Cover with cling film and marinate for a few hours (or overnigh) in the fridge.
Preheat the oven. Pick out the chicken (retain the leftover paste to use during baking)and place in a foil covered baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. Brush the chicken with leftover paste from time to time. Brush with oil if required (I do not bother at all).
Broil for 10 minutes turing sides after 5 minutes.
The chicken can be served with onion slices and lemon.
Simple Coffee Chocolate Cake
This one was an improvisation of a cake my mother in law's sister makes.
'Maasi' bakes brilliant cakes and that too without an oven. As I came home from office one friday evening I sniffed out this aroma of fresh baking from the windows of one of my neighbours.
Next morning, completely motivated, I set out to bake my version of Maasi's cake.
The batter quantity wouldnt have fit onto my 8 inch cake tin so I divided it between two 8 inch tins. It was my hubby who came up with this brilliant idea of adding instant coffee and chocolate to one of them and whoa the coffee cake was born.
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1.25 cups of sugar
1.5 cups of Plain Flour
4 eggs
1 tspn Vanilla essence
Additions
Cooking Milk Chocolate (cut into tiny chunks)
1 Tsp instant Coffee mixed in 1 tbsp hot water
Preheat the oven. Beat the sugar and butter till it is mixed well. Add an egg and a little flour alternately beating all the time. Add baking powder and beat a bit. Finally add vanilla essence coffee and choclate and beat for some time.
Pour into two 8 inch pans and bake at 150 degrees celcius for 45 minutes.
Psst: Spread chocolate spread on top of both cakes and place one on top of the other.
If you are not a chocolate or coffee lover then avoid these and just add walnuts and raisins instead.
'Maasi' bakes brilliant cakes and that too without an oven. As I came home from office one friday evening I sniffed out this aroma of fresh baking from the windows of one of my neighbours.
Next morning, completely motivated, I set out to bake my version of Maasi's cake.
The batter quantity wouldnt have fit onto my 8 inch cake tin so I divided it between two 8 inch tins. It was my hubby who came up with this brilliant idea of adding instant coffee and chocolate to one of them and whoa the coffee cake was born.
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1.25 cups of sugar
1.5 cups of Plain Flour
4 eggs
1 tspn Vanilla essence
Additions
Cooking Milk Chocolate (cut into tiny chunks)
1 Tsp instant Coffee mixed in 1 tbsp hot water
Preheat the oven. Beat the sugar and butter till it is mixed well. Add an egg and a little flour alternately beating all the time. Add baking powder and beat a bit. Finally add vanilla essence coffee and choclate and beat for some time.
Pour into two 8 inch pans and bake at 150 degrees celcius for 45 minutes.
Psst: Spread chocolate spread on top of both cakes and place one on top of the other.
If you are not a chocolate or coffee lover then avoid these and just add walnuts and raisins instead.
Blueberry Streusel Cake
One of the sites I visit often by way of internet 'window shopping' is Joy of Baking. This site has a treasure of cake recipes.
It was hubby's birthday and I was on the look out for a cake recipe.
I picked the Blueberry Coffee Cake (http://www.joyofbaking.com/BlueberryCake.html) only because there was a pack of blueberries in my freezer.
I followed the recipe from start to scratch and the only thing I would change is the amount of butter in the streusel. I feel using half the suggested quantity next time would make this cake a bit lighter.
The author suggested the use of fresh blueberries and had I followed the advice, a few of the blueberries wouldnt have decide to settle at the bottom.
Either way it turned out well.
It was hubby's birthday and I was on the look out for a cake recipe.
I picked the Blueberry Coffee Cake (http://www.joyofbaking.com/BlueberryCake.html) only because there was a pack of blueberries in my freezer.
I followed the recipe from start to scratch and the only thing I would change is the amount of butter in the streusel. I feel using half the suggested quantity next time would make this cake a bit lighter.
The author suggested the use of fresh blueberries and had I followed the advice, a few of the blueberries wouldnt have decide to settle at the bottom.
Either way it turned out well.
Thai Green Curry
Most satisfying making my own green curry paste. Though it sounds like a long difficult recipe the fact is that it isnt. The list of ingredients is quite big and thats all there is to it..
Here is my version of the veggie one:
For the green curry paste:
dry roast and blend-
pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp aniseeds (or fennel)
Chop and add to the above-
2 stalks of lemon grass (or 2.5 tbsp from a bottle)
10 big cloves garlic
1 bunch of coriander (stem/ leaves and roots)
15 leaves of thai basil (I used regular basil)
3 inches galangal (or regular ginger)
a few kaffir lime leaves (I used lime zest)
2 shallots (or 1 small onion)
This can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
The Veggies
Thinly slice and stir fry in a bit of oil (vegetable/ coconut)-
tofu
mangetout
bean sprouts
carrot
french beans
bamboo shoots
peppers (red/ green)
Add the curry paste to the veggies and saute for a bit
Add 1 can of coconut milk and simmer then add jaggery, salt, fish sauce.
Serve hot with rice..
Here is my version of the veggie one:
For the green curry paste:
dry roast and blend-
pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp aniseeds (or fennel)
Chop and add to the above-
2 stalks of lemon grass (or 2.5 tbsp from a bottle)
10 big cloves garlic
1 bunch of coriander (stem/ leaves and roots)
15 leaves of thai basil (I used regular basil)
3 inches galangal (or regular ginger)
a few kaffir lime leaves (I used lime zest)
2 shallots (or 1 small onion)
This can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
The Veggies
Thinly slice and stir fry in a bit of oil (vegetable/ coconut)-
tofu
mangetout
bean sprouts
carrot
french beans
bamboo shoots
peppers (red/ green)
Add the curry paste to the veggies and saute for a bit
Add 1 can of coconut milk and simmer then add jaggery, salt, fish sauce.
Serve hot with rice..
Mackerel Recheado
Here is a good recipe. This is probably the only way I would eat mackerel. The hot chilly and vinegar partners perfectly with the very strong flavour of fish.
Recipe courtesy: http://superfood.blog-city.com/mackerel_recheado_another_mackerel_barbeque_recipe.htm (for the original)
I omitted the fresh red chilly only because I didnt have any. Added lesser cloves and grilled it in the oven. I served with Lemon, onions slices and steamed basmati rice.
Yummy...
Recipe courtesy: http://superfood.blog-city.com/mackerel_recheado_another_mackerel_barbeque_recipe.htm (for the original)
I omitted the fresh red chilly only because I didnt have any. Added lesser cloves and grilled it in the oven. I served with Lemon, onions slices and steamed basmati rice.
Yummy...
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