Archana's Feed

Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Spicy Strawberry Sauce

Archana — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:41:00 +0000

Tapioca Pudding simmered in milk and sugar with a dicoction of lemon grass and ginger topped with a spicy strawberry sauce is an absuolute delicacy.
Make it along with an Asian Meal with curries and noodles and this dessert is sure to complete the spicy meal.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
5 Thai basil leaves
6 fresh coriander sprigs
1 tablespoon sliced lemongrass (1 stalk approx)
1 cup water

1 ½ cups of milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup small pearl tapioca, soaked 4-5 hours
200 ml unsweetened coconut milk

2 ½ cups strawberries, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ cup sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Thai basil sprigs for garnish

METHOD
Combine first 4 ingredients in food processor; blend until combined. Transfer to medium saucepan; add 2 cups water and bring to boil. Remove pan from heat and let steep uncovered 20 minutes. Pour mixture into strainer set over heavy large saucepan; press on solids to release flavored liquid. Discard solids in strainer.
Add milk and sugar to flavored liquid in pan; bring to boil. Drain the tapioca from the soaked water and stir in soaked tapioca into the milk mixture; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until pudding thickens and is reduced, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes. Stir in coconut milk (pudding will be runny). Transfer to bowl and allow it to cook.

Toss strawberry cubes, sugar, lime juice, and cayenne in medium sauce pan bowl and set it over medium heat. The strawberries will begin to soften and give you juices. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow it to cool.
Divide tapioca among 6 stemmed glasses or bowls. Top with spiced strawberry mixture; garnish with basil sprigs.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Administrator — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:10:00 +0000

Pad thai is one of thoe dishes that cant have advanced preparation. The vegetables, sauces and noodles all stir fried on high heat gives the noodles the perfect texture and authenticy. And there is no way you can omit the bean sprouts as these add a distinct flavor to the vegetarian version of the dish. As you continue to make it you will notice that you like it bit less sweet or a bit more spicy, so continue to later those tastes and have a fun time cooking one of my favorites from my kitchen.

MAKES 5 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
350 grams dried Pad Thai rice noodles
4 eggs or 1 cup soft tofu
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup onion, finely chopped
3-4 "heads" of baby Bok Choy, roughly chopped
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup spring onions, sliced
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 cup roasted pounded peanuts
A few red chillies, chopped

OTHER:
3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 tablespoons water or vegetable stock
lime wedges for serving

PAD THAI SAUCE:
3 tablespoons of tamarind paste
1 cup hot water
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha (Southeast Asian chilli sauce)
¼ cup brown sugar

METHOD
Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from heat. Soak noodles in the hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Tip: Noodles are ready to drain when they are soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little bit "crunchy". The noodles will finish cooking when they are fried.
Dissolve tamarind paste in the hot water. Add the other pad thai sauce ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add as much or as little chili sauce as you prefer, but don't skimp on the sugar (you need it to balance the sourness of the tamarind). Set aside.

Place your wok over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil plus the garlic and onions. Stir fry for about a minute to release the fragrance.
Add the bok choy plus the two tablespoons water. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy is bright green and slightly softened.
Push ingredients to the side of the wok and add a tablespoon more oil to the center of the wok/pan. Add the eggs and stir-fry briefly to scramble them.
If using soft tofu instead of egg: Add it when you add the noodles. It will break up into small bits and be distributed throughout the dish, just as egg would.
Push eggs aside and add a little more oil to the middle of the wok/pan. Now add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute using 2 ladles and a tossing motion (like tossing a salad).

Add a little more sauce and continue stir-frying in the same way for 1-2 more minutes, or until the noodles begin to soften and become sticky. Reduce heat to medium if they begin to stick and burn.

Add the bean sprouts plus the remaining sauce. Stir-fry to incorporate everything together for 1-3 more minutes, or until noodles are done. Noodles are cooked to perfection when they are soft but still deliciously chewy and a little bit sticky. Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more pad thai sauce or soy sauce or chill sauce if desired for more salt or flavor.

To serve, scoop noodles onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with the green onion, coriander/cilantro, and ground nuts. Add wedges of fresh-cut lime on the side. Serve immediately and ENJOY! Thai chili sauce can also be served on the side for those who likes their noodles extra spicy

Pad Thai Tip: When I make this recipe, I like to double the sauce. Then I keep adding more as I fry the noodles until I'm happy with the taste (I like the flavor strong).

Whole Wheat Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Archana — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Home made breads have become a way of life for dinners and snacks. From bringing the ingredients together and looks at the beautiful rise and knowing that no preservatives or class action aditives go into the bread makes me feel I am feeding my family the purest!. I have been working with whole wheat breads and try my best to get the best recipe online. Working with whole wheat and getting the perfect taste to the palate that pleases many is a tough task I challenged myself. But this time I was able to please a crowd of 10 at home who simply loved the freshly baked bread from the oven! I hope you enjoy it too and will look forward to your feedback
As you bake this you might feel there is a lot of water, but dont fret, that sometimes gives in moistness inside and crispiness outside. Enjoy and dont feel bad if you dont get it right the first time. I used the Pillsbury Multigrain flour that you get in the Indian Stores for making Roti's (Indian Flat bread), but you can use the whole wheat flour as well.

Ingredients
6 cups multigrain flour or whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup honey
2 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil and more for coating and brushing
3 cups water

Method

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, honey, yeast, and rosemary. Gradually add in the oil and water and knead well until all the ingredients are well combined. I use a KitchenAid mixer and it takes less than two minutes for me to get the ingredients together and mix it all up into a complete mass. Having said that your hands work well as well and you would build some good muscles. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a bowl with a light fitting lid and let it rise in a warm place for two hours. Sometimes I make the dough rise for two hours and then place the same bowl in the refrigerator to be baked for the next day. This kneaded dough will stay in the refrigerator for at least 5 days, so you could bake a small portion of bread for every single day of the week for dinner or a snack.

Preheat oven to 250 C. Punch dough down and place on floured baking sheet. Pat and spread into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle and make finger imprints over the bread. Brush the top with olive oil and you could optionalyl sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese or even ringed onions.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Roasted Red Pepper Parcels

Archana — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:38:00 +0000

I like to call this special hors d'oeuvre as parcels as the halved red peppers get filled in with some really fine ingredients that make it very special, simple yet elegant. I love it for the fact that sometimes when I host parties I pre make the parcels the previous day and barbecue them when I am ready to serve. You could do this as well. It is absolutely simple, easy and tastes delectable.

Makes: 8 parcels
Ingredients
4 red peppers, halved from the stem and de seeded
1 cup of zucchini, cubed
½ cup of onions, diced
1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese, crumbled
10 leaves of basil, torn into pieces
½ cup of finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Method
Heat oil in a pan on high heat; Add in the onions and zucchini and stir fry on high heat until it releases a roasted aroma and you see brown spots on them. Turn off the heat and transfer the zucchini mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool completely. Once cool stir in the black olives, sundried tomatoes, ricotta cheese, and basil. Drizzle some olive oil and season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Divide mixture into 8 portions.
Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 200C. Fill each pepper with the filling mixture and wrap each of the filled peppers with aluminum foil. Arrange them a baking sheet, cook it in the oven or on a rack over the barbecue until the pepper is grilled and tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or if you have pre-grill them then serve cold.
Stove Top Method: When using the stove top method, I like to roast the peppers before I can fill them. Heat oil in large pan on low heat, place the halved peppers on the pan and allow it to slow roast until slightly tender. Once they have been roasted on the stove top (the roasting takes about 15 -20 minutes); allow the peppers to cool completely. Add the filling into the peppers and serve.

Goat Cheese with Mint Pomegranate on crisp bread circles

Archana — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Tiny rounds of toasted bread topped with goat cheese and pomegranate that is tossed with finely chopped mint, olive oil, and black pepper. The combination of the minty pomegranate with olive oil and a dash of salt makes this canapé simple and delectable that you can serve at your next party.

Ingredients
6 large bread slices
butter for toasting bread
½ cup of goat cheese
½ cup of pomegranate
¼ cup of finely chopped mind
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Cut the bread into 2 inch diameter circles, using a cookie cutter. You will get about 12 circles (Two circles per slice of bread). Lightly butter each bread circle on one side and toast them in the pre heated oven for about 3-5 minutes, until crisp and golden. Remove from oven. Allow the bread to cool. In a small bowl, combine the pomegranate, mint, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread a spoon of goat cheese on top of the toasted bread, spoon the pomegranate mixture on top and serve.

Beetroot Dip

Archana — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Beets are typically overlooked as one tends to not know what to typically do with them. Salads and slices between burgers have become so boring that not many want to venture into having a beetroot. Here is a dish you could probably relish with various dishes, as a spread, a dip or even a canapé with some fine cheese. This recipe can’t get more simple and delicious as it gets.

Ingredients
1 cup of peeled and cubed beets, boiled
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dark raisins
2 tablespoons sour cream
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil

Method
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Your beetroot dip is ready.

Rosemary Crostini with Fine Cheddar, Beetroot Dip and Avocados

Archana — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:19:00 +0000

The delicious homemade Rosemary Crostini’s are topped with a slice of sharp cheddar, a delectable beetroot dip and sliced avocados make a perfect finger licking party food. The crisp crostini’s handle the wetness of beet and avocado so well, that they remain crisp for hours together.

Ingredients
1 baguette, thinly sliced – drizzled with rosemary infused olive oil
10 to 12 avocado thinly sliced, tossed lightly in olive oil and salt
10 to 12 sharp cheddar cheese thinly sliced
1 cup of beetroot dip
¼ cup of parsley, finely chopped
Cayenne pepper for garnishing

Method
Grill 10 to 12 slices of the baguette on each side until golden. First place the sliced cheddar on the grilled baguette slice. Spoon the beetroot dip on top of the cheddar slice and place the avocado slice on the dip. Sprinkle some cayenne pepper and chopped parsley and serve. There are multiple ways you can arrange this, based on the size of your crostini, so go ahead and try out your best layering.

Roasted Vegetable Pesto Tart

Administrator — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:05:00 +0000

A delicious pie crust that has a touch of sweetness and salt, baked to a flaky perfection and filled with roasted vegetables and pesto is a perfect one to make for one of those days when you have a large gathering of guests over. The crusts can be made about a week ahead and the vegetables and pesto can be roasted and kept a day ahead as well. Make it into tiny bite size tarts or four inch tarts or even wedges cut out from a large tart - it is simply delicious.

Makes: serves 12

Ingredients
1 crust recipe
1 cup zucchini, chopped
1 cup red bell peppers, finely chopped
½ cup pitted black olives, chopped
1 cup chopped spinach/mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon herb pesto
1 cup shredded cheese
1 egg
¼ cup milk
½ cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Chilli powder or Cayenne Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Method
Pre heat the oven to 180 C. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, chilli powder, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Keep aside.
Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a stir fry pan; add the zucchini, mushrooms and red peppers and sauté on high heat until tender and releases a roasted aroma. Turn off heat. Stir in the pesto, sprinkle some salt and keep aside.
Arrange vegetable filling over bottom of par-baked tart shell. Top with half of the cheese. Gently pour egg mixture into tart shell. Top with remaining cheese. Carefully slide tart pan into oven. Bake until set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack, 10 minutes. Remove side of tart pan. Serve warm cut into wedges.

Roasted Vegetable Pesto Tart

Archana — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Easy Pita Bread

Archana — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:45:00 +0000

Pitta or Pita is a round pocket bread that is predominant in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cusines. Tradionally called as khubz (ordinary bread) similar to the Indian flat puffed flat bread (Phulkas ) which is also an ordinary bread of the common man. It can be made in various shapes and sizes, although if you are going to use it as a pocket for filling then the circular shape is prefered.

Tradionally and even now in most middle easterns countries, the bread is prepared in the tannur which is similar to the brick oven or the mordern tandoor. Pita bread is baked in the oven at very high temperatures (450F / 250C) causing the flattened bread to puff quickly, retaining moisture and softeness. Different countries use the bread differently, some along with dips, some use it to fill in with pockets and others bake such that there are no pockets.
I have over the years noticed that the flour you use is very important to get the right texture. The more fresh the flour the better the bread, the more the flour has sat in your flour box or an opened packet, the less fresh it feels. The flours also have been differing from region to region, so it takes time getting used to a flour from a particular region and before you know you get adapted to the new flour.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast/rapid rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method
If you are using active dry year (look like small round balls) - flollow the instructions given in the packet. If you are using fast action yeast (look more like fine semolina). In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and sugar and gradually add in the yeast and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, adding little flour if it tends to get sticky. Once all of the ingredients form a ball; add the olive oil and place the ball on a work surface and knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes. Repeated kneading combines all the ingredients well and will help the bread rise well in the oven.

Once you have finished kneading andd gained enough arm muscle; place the dough in a large bowl coated with olive oil and cover it with cling wrap/plastic wrap and allow it to rise for about 2 hours. After two hours you will notice that the dough has doubled. At this point puncht the dough down and keaned gently. Divide the dough into 10 portions and roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp cloth and let them sit for another 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 250 C. The oven should be preheated for atleast half an hour before you can bake the pitas in them. Now it should be time to work your dough into flat bread. Take one ball, dust it with a little flour and dust the work surface as well. Using a rolling pin, roll the pita into an oval or a circle. Make sure the pitas are thin; about 1/8th inch or 1/4 inch thick. Continue the same with the remaning dough balls.
Place the rolled portion on dusted baking sheets and place it inside the oven. Bake them until they puff - you will see them rising forming bubbles, to slowly puffing and fully puffing up. The whole process takes a maximum or 3-5 minutes and not more than 5 minutes. If it does not rise in 5 minutes, then take them out. They will still be cooked, but just wont have pockets. They will still taste just as good.

Have fun Baking! Do share you comments and experience in baking them.

References : Wiki

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Archana — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:04:00 +0000

Hummus is so common these days that its almost as close to having street food. But getting the hummus right, with the right flavors and using ingredients from your own kitchen shelf and making do with what is available in the market, makes this recipe different. I typically like to experiment with difference flavors when it comes to hummus and this flavor has been my closest baby. Roasted red peppers taste delicious with olives and parsely. Try it and you are sure to please your palate. I have used fresh sesame seeds here to substitute for tahini. Tahini is nothing but sesame ground to a puree along with olive oil.

Makes: 1 cup approximately
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup of chickpeas, cooked to perfection
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil and a little more
1/2 cup red bell peppers, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pitted black olives, finely chopped
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsely

Method
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium high heat; add the red pepper and saute on high heat until roasted and tender. Keep aside.

Combine all the ingredients,except the olive oil and roasted red peppers in the food processor and puree adding a quater cup of water or more until smooth. While still processing, gradually add in the olive oil until well combined. Transfer the contents into a serving bowl; stir in the roasted red peppers and olives. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Roasted Mushroom and Eggplant Lasagna with Riccotta

Archana — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:14:00 +0000

This recipe is one of the most favorite dishes for dinner at my home. Packed with vegetables and goodness of riccota and durum wheat pasta make it wholesome, nourishing and absolutely delicious. As with any pasta, I always never fail to make the pasta sauce at home from the basics. Fresh herbs, fresh vegetable, including freshly made Riccotta goes right between the delicate layers of this home baked lasagna.

Ingredients
10 sheets of lasagne (regular size), the one that needs no pre-cooking
4 cups fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups eggplant, chopped
3/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup spring onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups fresh tomato basil sauce
1 1/2 cups fresh cream
6-7 twigs of fresh basil, torn
1 1/2 cups fresh riccotta cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Keep a 8 x 8 inch square baking pan ready.
Heat 2 tablepoons oil in a large pan on medium heat; add in the eggplant, sprinkle some salt. Stir the eggplant covered partially until it gets tender and well cooked and gets a roasted aroma. Turn off heat and transfer the eggplant to a large bowl.

In the same pan heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil on high heat; add the onions, mushrooms and red bell pepper and stir fry on high heat until the ingredients are well roasted and the mushroom has skrunk in size a little bit (do not over stir fry - else it will shrink too much). Turn off heat and transfer the contents into the same large bowl where the eggplant was transfered. Stir together all the roasted vegetables in the large bowl untill well combined.

Whisk the cooked sauce and the cream together until well combined. We will spread the sauce and vegetables over three layers, so its good idea to divide them into three portions.

Spread a portion of sauce at the bottom of the pan; Then spread a portion of the vegetables and riccotta over the sauce layer. Place a layer of lasanga sheets over the vegetable layer untill all the portions are covered. Repeat the smiliar process for another two times. Finally sprinkle the mozzerella cheese and torn basil leaves evenly over the top covering the entire Lasagna. Tightly wrap with foil and place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow the Lasagna to sit for atleast five minutes before you begin to serve.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

Archana — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:36:00 +0000

How often do you think what goes into a commerical bread? we all know that a miriad of ingredients including preservatives. Now you can close your eyes and make your bread not having to worry what you are eating. Why would you try this recipe as opposed to many that use ingredients that might not be easily available in your kitchen, like bread flour. What more it is healthy, tasty and has texture. You can use any kind of milk you like for example soy milk will work great as well. There is honey in the bread, you could use a date syrup, apple sauce, some other nuts or may be an addition of another flour. So get your loaf pans, mixers and oven ready to start baking. Step one, release all fears and step into the kitchen.

Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats, coarsely ground
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup flax seeds, powdered
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoon olive oil

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease and dust a loaf pan and keep aside.
Using a stand mixer combine all the dry ingredients; gradually begin by adding the oil first, then honey and finally the milk. Mix well until all the ingredients come to gether and a soft dough is formed. Place the dough in the loaf oan and pat to evently distribute it in the pan. Bake for about 45 minutes until the the tester when inserted comes out clean. When you tap the bottom of the loaf, it will sound hollow when tapped.

Bread Pudding

Archana — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:14:00 +0000

As the weather begins to near the winters I have puddings on my mind. The most favorite among my kids is the bread pudding which ofcourse the simplest of all the puddings one can make. Soft, moist and yet have a great texture of bread. The best part about bread puddings is that you could use any kind of bread, croissants to loafs, to buns to old bread that needs to be consumed and is sitting in the fridge. Here is a simple recipe which I have modified according to the families taste buds. Although with every passing year, these taste buds change and alter the recipe as well. I have given the variations I work with this recipe. Happy Baking

Ingredients
5 cups of bread cubes, cut into bite sized pieces
4 large eggs
1 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 cups of milk or light cream
1 tablespoon rum or brandy (optional)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Additional Ingredients and yet optional
- chopped a couple of apples, peaches or any other combination of fruits excepting citric fruits
- dry fruits like raisins, dates, apricots, prunes
- imagine what you think should be there and add it in :).
Remember its all about experimentation and the love you enter the kitchen

Method
Preheat oven to 150 C and place rack in center of oven. Grease a 10 x 10 squae baking dish with butter. Place the cut bread cubes into the baking dish.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed until thick and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract; ground cinnamon, melted butter and milk/cream until well combined and fluffy.

Pour the prepared custard over the bread cubes until completely covered. Press down the bread cubes with a fork so the custard seeps into the nooks and crevices of the baking dish so they are covered fully with the custard.

Note that the pudding mixture is going to be cooked in a water bath. Place the baking pan on a roasting pan. Pour in enough hot water into the roasting pan so that the water is halfway up sides of the baking pan with the pudding mixture inside it. Bake for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once done, cool slightly and serve warm. This pudding can be served cold as well. Its your personal choice of how you would like to savor this pudding.

Mohanthal

Archana — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:32:00 +0000

Mohanthal is a sweet fudge made from roasted gram flour and ghee made more often during Diwali. Diwali cannot start or end without this sinful mithai. This is another one of my mother in laws recipes which her family and her friends rave for. They would say “We follow your recipe to the T and even then we can’t get it like you”. Some say it’s the hand and I say it’s the love with which you made a dish.

Over the years she has got so many praises for this recipe that she never fails in getting it right. With all that love she has shared the recipe with me as well, and I have not failed. This was a certificate I got from her. I noticed that there was a variation in her recipe compared to many others who used khoya while she did not use khoya and I think this was what made the sweet really delicious.

Makes: 20 pieces approximately

Ingredients

4 cups gram flour

2 ¼ cups ghee

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons cardamom powder

½ cup finely sliced almonds and pistachios

Ingredients for the Sugar Syrup

2 cups sugar

1½ cups water

Method

Add 1 ½ cups of ghee to the gram flour in a large bowl and combine well with fingers to make a mixture that feels like coarse crumbs. Add the milk and mix well. Heat the 2 cups of sugar and 1 ½ cups of water in a pan simmering it till you reach a single thread consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep it warm.

Heat the remaining ghee in a large pan and add the above flour mixture, stirring continuously until golden brown and releases a roasted aroma. Add the nuts and cardamom powder stir for about 7 -10 minutes, until well combined. Add the sugar syrup and keep stirring till the mixture turns thick and leaves the sides of the pan. Take care not to stir to for too long; if you do it will become too rubbery.

Transfer the mixture into a greased rectangular pan and level the surface. Allow the mixture to cool before you can cut into small pieces. Store the Mohanthaal in an air tight container. Serve them as it is or serve it warm by heat in the microwave for a few seconds.

Sweet Potato Bean Salad

Archana — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:04:00 +0000

The combination of sweet potatoes along woth kidney beans tossed in a lemony yogurt dressing is simply delectable. The salad is not just about the potatoes and the beans; its about what it gets added along with to highten its flavors. And the ingredient here is celery, raisins and red onions. The sharpness of the red onions along with the sharpness of celery gets balaced out with goodness of raisins. At home we make this salad as our main course for dinner along with some home made baguette and a hot bowl of soup.

Makes: 4 servings

Salad Ingredients
1 cup boiled sweet potatoes, cubed
1 cup carrots, diced and steamed
1 cups tomatoes, cut in large chunks
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 cup cooked red kidney beans
150 grams of salad leaves, roughly torn
1 tablespoon raisins
1 cup red onions, thinly sliced

Ingredients for Dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

Method
In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients together and set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until well blended.

Pour over the salad and serve immediately.

Chefs tip: The salad ingredients can be refrigerated over a bowl of ice to maintain freshness. Always add the dressing to the salad only when you are ready to serve.

Strawberry Compote

Archana — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:37:00 +0000

A delicious accompaniment made from fresh strawberries and sugar, goes well a chocolate mousse, pavlova's with cream and compote or anything dessert thats need a zing.

Ingredients

2 cups trimmed and halved strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

Method

Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small sauce pan. With heat on medium high, begin cook the strawberries, stirring occasionally. You will begin to notice it giving out water and also bubbling. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Turn off heat and allow it to cool. Refrigerate before serving as an accompaniment.

Traditional Christmas Cake

Archana — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 11:24:00 +0000

A cake rich in dried fruits and nuts marinated in brandy is delicious and a must bake for every baker. There are many different ways of making this cake and this one is much close to the original, but a quick recipe. Typically the fruit and brandy mixture is made to sit for a month or even more. Then the cake is made to soak in more brandy after it has been baked for about 2 - 3 weeks. You can add a chocolate glaze to the cake topped with cherries or almonds or both. Delicious!

Ingredients
3/4 cup sultanas
1/4 cup chopped prunes
1/4 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup choped dried figs
150 ml rum or brandy
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (juice from 1 orange)
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 eggs
1 cup chopped almonds or macademia nuts

Method

Place the sultanas, dried prunes, dried dates, dried figs and dried apricots into a large mixing bowl. Pour over the rum and orange juice and sprinkle over the orange zest. Mix until well combined, then cover the bowl with cling film and set aside overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Line the base and sides of a 9 inch springfoam cake pan with a double layer parchment paper, making sure the paper reaches the top of the tin.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the flour slowly until well combined.

Slowly add in the soaked dried fruits, its liquids, the chopped nuts and combine it into the flour mixture.

Spoon the above cake mixture into the springfoam pan and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 2 hours approximately or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. The cake typically tends to darken too much during baking, if this happens cover the top with parchment paper.

Once the cake is baked remove it from the oven allow it to cool completely in the pan. Store cake in an airtight container, wrapped in greaseproof paper and aluminium foil, for two to three months.

Date Almond Triangle Cookies

Archana — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 23:05:00 +0000

These are festive cookies, rich with date and almonds and a very delicious flaky crust. Perfect for gifting this holiday season.

Recipe Courtesy: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/date-triangles

These are absolutely delicious cookies and a must try.

Grilled Chilly Pepper Toast

Archana — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:29:00 +0000

A classic favorite among the chilly lovers. Slices of breads and grilled with diced tomatoes, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, green chillies and sharp cheddar cheese. These are very quick to make, with simple ingredients off your pantry. The toppings can vary from sweet tender corn, to mushrooms, to just chillies and cheese.

To present them, cut them to your desired shape. Another innovative way would be to place the bread slices in a muffin/tart cup holder, press it in and fill it with your desired filling and bake. You get a bread basket.

Makes: 10 grilled slices

Ingredients
10 slices of whole wheat bread, with crust sliced off
2 teaspoons of green chillies chopped
¼ cup of finely chopped red and green bell peppers
¼ cup of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves
2 teaspoon olive oil
grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C

Combine all the topping except the cheddar cheese. Keep aside

Place the bread slices either on a oiled baking sheet or pressed into a muffin/tart holder.

Sprinkle the pepper mixture evenly on the bread slices. Finally sprinkle the cheddar cheese and grill in the oven until the cheese melts.

Serve immediately.