Cooking Escapades

Pâte à Choux with blueberry cream cheese filling

2012-02-22T08:05:00.002-08:00

Pâte à Choux (pronounced as paht ah shoo) is a light airy pastry. It was on my list for a long time but somehow I was a little scared to try it since I felt it is very complicated. Michael Ruhlman came to my rescue once again with his rather simple formula and elaborate instructions which ensure you cannot go wrong.

These small airy puff can be made savoury by reducing the sugar in the batter. Next time I am going to try them with some spicy mushroom & cheese filling. I used a rather basic cream cheese and blueberry jam mix as my filling since I was unsure if I would get the pastry right. The outcome was a not too sweet simple and light dessert which was savoured by all.

The formula is easy to remember : Take Milk:Flour:Butter:Eggs in the following proportion 2:2:1:2

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup softened salted butter
1/2 cup eggs (2 eggs)
1 tsp sugar

Method

Bring the milk, salt, sugar and butter to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium. Add the flour all at once and stir it rapidly. Keep stirring it till the flour absorbs the water and starts resembling dough. Once the dough starts pulling away from the sides, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Using a hand mixer, add one egg at a time until each is combined in into the paste. The paste will not look like one mass initially but when you add the next egg, according to Ruhlman it will go from shiny, flat, slippery to furry. Well I did not notice all the stages but the paste did become light and pale.

Fill the paste in a icing bag and pipe small balls on a parchment paper. If do not plan to bake immediately refrigerate it. Preheat the oven to 220C. For the first 10 minutes allow the pâte à choux to bake at 220. Reduce to 180C and allow it to bake for another 10 minutes or until it the pâte à choux are well browned. Turn off the oven and leave it open for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

If you cut them open, you will find a big hollow portion in the pâte à choux. You can fill this with the filling of your choice. I liked the blueberry jam and cream cheese mixed together as a nice and refreshing filling.

One Pot noodle soup

2012-02-18T05:20:00.000-08:00

I am on a mission to complete my backlog of blogging. I barely get time to blog due to the work pressures, so today is one such day when I have the house to myself and free time in hand. I posted some recipes some time back and I hope to complete my backlog in a very short time, until my next break from work :-) On my recent trip to Singapore, I saw many stalls with noodle soup in malls and did not have the guts to try it since I could not identify most of the ingredients on display next to soup stalls. Inspired by my experience, I decided to try it at home with ingredients, I am familiar with. It may not be original but it is surely a hit. My daughter loves it and now prefers it to Maggi noodles (I am really glad to know that).

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 tsp Knorr chicken soup seasoning
1/4 cup chopped cabbage
1/3 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1/3 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/3 cup sliced peppers (red, yellow, green)
4-5 spinach leaves chopped
Uncooked Rice noodles about a handful
salt to taste
1 tsp naturally brewed soya sauce
1 tsp mushroom soya sauce/ oyster sauce
1 tsp green chill sauce
a dash of rice vinegar
1/4 tsp vinegar
1/2 chopped garlic
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1/3 cup sliced onions
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp sesame oil for frying

Method

In a wok, heat the oil. Fry the ginger, garlic for 1 minute. Add the onion and fry for another minute. Add the carrots and corn and fry for about 2 minutes. Pour the water, add sauces, salt, chicken stock powder and pepper. Put the noodles in the hot water and soak it completely. Adjust the seasoning as desired. Add the rest of the vegetables, cover and allow it to cook for about 10 minutes until the noodles have softened and the soup has become slightly thick.

Top with sesame oil/ chilli oil and serve in a large bowl. Enjoy.

This is a versatile recipe, you can add mushrooms or chicken, change the sauces to bring in a different flavour. Add some lemon grass for a tum-yum flavour. On a wintery night, curl up in your chair with a book while you savour this rather hot noodle soup.

Sabz-e-bahaar Khichdi

2012-02-18T04:49:00.000-08:00

'Kichdi' a one pot dish of lentils and rice brings up memories ranging from"ugh" to "aha" depending on your experiences with it. Kichdi, a mish-mash of rice and lentils is generally served lovingly by your mother when you are sick. But by the time you are well, you just don't want to even hear the word khichdi anymore. It is also served in restaurants as a speciality dish and patrons love to finish off their meals with kichdi and a huge dollop of ghee.

Kichdi is generally made when you have want to make something in a jiffy. It is healthy, mildly flavoured and eaten with just a spoon of ghee.

Kichdi whether it is mushy or not varies from region to region in India and also each house prepares it differently. The twist to the traditional kichdi has been brought to me by a student who lives in a hostel and needs some quick wholesome and tasty meals that will take her through the day. I liked it for the same reasons, it provides all the necessary elements of a complete meal, carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, fats. This khichdi recipe is a combination of a pulao and a khichdi. Good for a lazy weekend ;-)

Ingredients
1/2 cup rice (I prefer wada kolum to basmati)
1/2 cup mix lentils without skin (yellow- moong, red-masoor, white-udad)
1 tsp fenugreek/ methi seeds
2 cups water
1/2 cup coriander chopped
6-7 garlic pods
2" ginger sliced
2 green chillies
1 large onion sliced
1 tsp jeera
4-5 black peppercorns
2-3 cloves
1" piece cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1 small potato cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped vegetables (cauliflower, peppers, carrots, french beans)
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/3 cup oil

Method

Clean and wash the rice and lentils and keep them aside. Let them soak in some water to soften them.Pulse the corainder, chillies, ginger and garlic in the grinder.

Heat oil in a deep dish pan. Once it is hot, fry the potatoes till light brown. Remove the potatoes and keep aside. Now add the dry spices. When it starts spluttering add the onions and fry till soft and light brown. Add the ground green masala, turmeric and fry till the oil separates. If the masala threatens to burn, add some water. Add the chopped potatoes and vegetables and saute for a few minutes.

Add the water and let it come to boil. Add salt and adjust the seasoning. Add the rice and cook on medium heat till the water has nearly evaporated.

Now add chopped spinach and lemon juice. Give it a good stir, reduce the heat, cover it and allow it cook in it's steam (dum).

Keep an old tava or a thick bottomed plate on the burner and place the pan over it. This will ensure even burning. I hate babysitting rice on dum, so I transfer it to a vessel and steam it in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes.

Once it is cooked, stir it with fork to fluff up the rice. Serve with cucumber yoghurt salad, lettuce and papad. And of course, you can always have it with a dollop of ghee.

Wholegrain Pancakes with Greek yoghurt

2012-02-18T02:53:00.000-08:00

Wholegrain and healthy is the mantra of my life. So I cannot get myself to buy a pancake mix off the shelf. I have to make my own mix which is healthier and has good fat too!! So after some amount of searching for recipes and tweaking, I have a recipe that seems pretty good. Check out the recipe at Kateatsrealfood

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup greek yoghurt/ hung curd
1 cup milk
1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/8 tsp coffee powder (optional)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey/ 2 tsp raw sugar

For topping the pancakes

1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried chopped cherries
1/4 cup chocolate chips
pure canadian maple syrup

Method

Mix all the wet ingredients together. Sift the dry ingredients together and combine with the wet until just combined. Do not try to remove the lumps. Cover and leave it for about 5 minutes.Heat a griddle on medium flame. Spray some olive oil on the griddle. Using a large ladle pour the pancake batter on the griddle. Sprinkle some of the cherries and sliced almonds. Once the top seems dry, turn it over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Drizzle a serving plate with maple syrup and place the pancake on it. Drizzle some more maple syrup. Cook the 2 more pancakes and stack them on top of each other, drizzling some maple syrup on each of them. Serve them hot with a cup of tea.

For my daughter, I topped each pancake with chocolate chips too along with the maple syrup. The chocolate melts in the warmth of the pancakes and taste delicious.

Light n Healthy quiche with grilled chicken, mushrooms & spring onions

2012-01-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

Recently,I saw Rachel Allen's show where she trained participants in baking a quiche. I liked the idea of a single dish meal with salad on the side. So that started my quest for short crust pastry and I started reading Michael Ruhlmann's Ratio. According to him every dish has a ratio which ensures that will never go wrong with it. So I applied his ratio for short crust pastry 3:2:1 i.e. the proportion for Flour: Butter:Iced Water. So simple to remember :-) You now do not require a recipe book for this. So combined with the knowledge gained from both these chefs, I embarked on my mission to make a quiche. I decided to try a combination of chicken, spring onions and mushroom since this is all I had in my refrigerator.

A lot of changes were required to make it light and healthy. This was my diktat :

1) Use whole wheat flour. Use 1/3 whole wheat flour for the pastry.

2) Use less eggs. I used just 2 eggs for about 5-6 quiches that I made

3) Avoid Cream. I used white sauce made using whole wheat flour.

I could not avoid the butter since I was experimenting with ratios. Next time, will try to reduce the butter too :-)

Ingredients
Shortcrust pastry
200 gms all purpose flour
100 gms whole wheat flour
200 gms cold salted butter. cut into small pieces
100 gms ice cold water
Filling
1 bunch spring onion cleaned, chopped
10 mushrooms cleaned and sliced
4-5 chicken breast pounded and marinated with 1 tsp Italian pasta seasoning, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste.
2 eggs beaten
2 - 2 1/2 cups white sauce
1 tsp Italian pasta seasoning
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper crushed

Method
For the pastry

Cut the butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Slowly add the iced water until it is just combine. Make into 6 flat discs, cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 30 minutes). Roll the pastry and place in a tart tin. Bake blind with pie weights for 20 mins at 180C. Bake for another 10 minutes after removing the pie weights to ensure that it is cooked and dry. Brush the pastry with a little beaten egg to seal any holes and get a shiny finish. Bake for another 5 minutes. Keep aside.

For the filling

Grill the chicken and shred into small pieces and keep aside. You can also use any other roast chicken instead.

Heat a pan with a little oil. Add the spring onion whites. Soften them and add the greens and mushroom. Add salt to taste. Add a dash of the italian seasoning and chilli flakes. Stir fry until it is completely dry.

Beat the white sauce, eggs, salt chilli flakes and herbs.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 200C. Take a tart case and place the shredded chicken. Top with some grated cheese. Pour the eggs & white sauce mixture. Spoon the spring onion into a small circle around the centre of the tart. Top with some more grated cheese. Bake until the top is golden and set.

Serve warm with salad.

Racines Cake

2012-01-14T05:13:00.000-08:00

David Lebovitz's dessert recipes excite me. All of us are familiar with inspiration coming in the most unlikely places. Well the same holds true for Lebovitz, this recipe struck him in the men's room in Paris!! A wonderful flourless cake with a smooth texture so full of chocolate.

Contrary to what Lebovitz says, this taste delicious even when refrigerated. You can either heat it or have it straight cold.

Ingredients
Cocoa powder, for preparing the pan
280 g bittersweet or chocolate, chopped
115 g salted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon freshly brewed espresso
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature ( I used 7 eggs since the eggs were small)
50 g plus 2 tablespoons (30 g) castor sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa nibs (optional)
Icing sugar, for dusting the cake (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan, dust it with a bit of cocoa powder, and tap out any excess.

Melt the chocolate, butter, and espresso over a hot water bath. Stir occasionally until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Whisk the egg yolks and the 50 g sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 1 minute.

In a clean, dry bowl and with a clean whip attachment, whisk the egg whites on low speed until they begin to hold their shape. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) castor sugar and whisk on high speed until the whites hold soft peaks.

Fold the beaten egg yolks into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in half of the whipped egg whites. Fold in the remaining whites, mixing just until there are no visible streaks of egg whites. Do not overfold.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle with cocoa nibs, if using, and bake until the cake feels as though it’s just barely set in the center, about 25 minutes. It shouldn’t feel too firm. Let cool.

Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Tortillas

2011-11-12T01:44:00.000-08:00

I decided to try a mexican style recipe which would appeal to my family and is healthy. I prefer recipes from scratch and really do not buy packaged stuff. So the tortillas and salsa had to be home made. I made tortillas with vegetables and chicken for lunch (forgot to take some pics) and used the remaining for enchiladas. The tortilla absorbed the flavours of salsa yet remained firm and did not turn soggy. The simple filling of stir fried vegetables and grilled chicken made it a complete, wholesome and delicious meal.

Tortillas
Ingredients
3/4 cup corn meal
1 1/4 cup whole wheat
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup water
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
Method

Mix all the above to get a smooth dough. Keep aside covered for at least an hour. Roll small thin tortillas/ chapatis and roast on griddle until light brown spots appear. Keep warm in silver foil.

Vegetable
Ingredients
2 cup Julienes of carrot, zucchini....
3-4 baby corn sliced
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
a large pinch of thyme
dash of brown sugar
1 onion sliced
4-5 garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
Method

In a skillet, fry the garlic in olive oil. Add the onion and stir for a minute. Cover to soften it. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook covered for 2 minutes. Remove from stove an allow to cool so that it stops cooking.

Chicken
Ingredients
8-10 pieces of boneless chicken
1 tsp Shaan tikka masala
2 tsp olive oil
Marinade
1/2 cup thick curd
2 tbsp coriander and mint paste
2 tsp Shaan tikka masala
Method

Marinate the chicken in above marinade for about 2 hours. Bake covered with silver foil in oven for 30 minutes at 250C. Allow to cool and apply the Shaan tikka masala with olive oil and grill for 5 minutes.

Salsa
Ingredients
8-9 halved, de-seeded tomatoes
1 onion peeled cut into quarters
1 whole garlic
2 jalapeno/ picked jalapeno
1 tbsp lemon
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
basil leaves chopped and fried in a little olive oil

Method

Apply some olive to all vegetables and bake in an oven at 200 C for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from oven and keep covered to allow it to soften further. Peel the tomatoes, jalapeno & about 5-6 garlic. Chop the onion and tomatoes roughly. Pulse in mixer for a minute to get a thick but chunky salsa. Adjust the lemon & salt according to your taste.

Avacado salsa
Ingredients
1 large pureed avacado
2 tsp lemon
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
Method
Mix together to get a smooth avacado salsa.

Cream salsa
Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh paneer
1/2 cup thick yoghurt
1 tsp chives
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

Method
Pulse the paneer & yoghurt to get a smooth sauce. Add the rest of the ingredients to get a creamy salsa.

To assemble the Tortilla wrap
Warm the tortilla. Place the vegetables in a single layer. Put some salsa over the vegetables. Now place the chicken on it and put some avacado salsa and creamy salsa on one side each. Wrap it neatly and enjoy.

To assemble the Enchiladas

Grease a square glass baking tray. Layer some tomato salsa in it. Dip the tortilla in the salsa. Just ensure that the tortilla is covered (not soaked) in the salsa on both the sides. Place the vegetables and chicken in the center. Top with some creamy salsa. Wrap it and place it in the baking dish. Repeat for the rest of the tortilla and place them neatly next to each other in the baking tray. Top with the remaining salsa. Grate some cheddar and monterey jack cheese so that the tortilla are completely covered. Sprinke some dried celery. Bake in the oven at 200 C for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve with some cucumber and lettuce greens salad sprinkled with roasted cummin and salt on the side.

Whole wheat Olive oil brownies with Cacao Nibs

2011-10-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

A chocolate brownie with the fruity flavour of extra virgin olive oil combined with goodness of whole wheat is all you need to indulge in a guiltless eating spree. I just loved the smell and taste of olive oil in these brownies and convinced myself that it is okay to eat about 3 pieces since it is not unhealthy!! The cacao nibs soft on the outside still retained a bit crunch which kind of takes you by surprise in every bite. I checked a couple of sites for the basic recipe and finally settled for Deeba's recipe with a few modifications to make it healthier.

Ingredients
115 g dark chocolate (70% cacao). I used Ghiradelli 60% dark chocolate
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar (gur sakhar)
1/2 cup caster sugar/ raw sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted halved hazelnuts
2 tsp cacao nibs (optional)

Method

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Add the olive oil and stir to mix well. Keep aside. Place both the sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add one egg at a time and beat it till light and fluffy. Beat the warm chocolate mix in eggs. Sift the both flour, salt and cocoa. Fold in the sifted flour in the wet mix with a spatula. Gently fold in the hazelnuts.

Preheat oven to 180C. Pour the batter into an 8x8 square pan lined with parchment paper. Top with the cacao nibs. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with a few crumbs sticking to it.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting it. Serve plain and if you do not mind some extra calories with a dollop of chocolate icecream :-)

Spinach & Cheese Borek

2011-10-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am back on my blog after a really long time. I was on a vacation to North America and since I returned there was always something that kept me away from blogging.

The trip was wonderful. Shopped for a lot of wonderful kitchen tools, ghiradelli chocolate, dried berries, etc. I guess that is what we foodies end up looking for ;-)

Got introduced to Middle eastern food during my trip and I really loved it. The cheese and spinach borek is a light and nutritious snack. I like the combination of spinach, cheese and now the latest addition to the spices in my kitchen - SUMAC.

I liked the presentation of the do-it-from-scratch borek on Ellie's blog home cooking in montana's and tried it on the same day making it completely vegetarian dish. Head over to her blog for step-by-step instructions on preparing the borek.

Ingredients

Bread Dough
4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cups warm milk
6 tbsp warm water
1 tbsp instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt

Filling
2 bunch spinach cooked and dried

2 1/4 cups cottage cheese
2 tbsp single cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sumac
2 green chillies chopped

Topping
1 egg beaten (I substituted it with milk, hence the top does not shine)
sesame seeds white or black or a combination of it to make it look more dramatic.

4-6 tbsp butter melted ( I substituted it with extra virgin olive oil)

Method
Mix all the ingredients of the filling and keep aside.

Knead the bread dough until it passes the windowpane test. Place in a well-oiled bowl and allow to rise until more than doubled. Knock down the dough and cut into 6 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a rectangle as thin as you can possible roll. Brush with butter. Spread the filling on it.

Place the next rolled piece of dough on top. Brush with butter and top with the filling.

Repeat with the third piece of dough. Brush with butter.

Fold the dough lengthwise to the center of the dough. Fold the other half over it like a loaf. Fold it again to get a square. Turn the folded side down.

Using a rolling pin gently roll dough, being careful not to tear it. Place the borek on a piece of baking paper (oiled). Cut it into triangles right through to the end.

Allow to rise for about an hour.

Brush with beaten egg or milk and top with sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 C or until golden brown

Serve warm.The bread is flaky and really delicious.

Eggless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2011-04-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

The cookies with a dash of snow beneath the rich chocolate cookie is something that I always wanted to try. But most of the recipes, I came across had just too many eggs. I came across the recipe from Clockwork Lemon which was eggless. The instructions on her site are pretty exhaustive so will not repeat them here. The cookie did not look as beautiful as Clockwork Lemon's but they were a hit - soft melt in the mouth cookies with a rich taste of chocolate. On the first day, the outer crust was chewy and soft inside and the next day the crust softened making them chocolatey, melt-in-mouth ,fudgy bites with a dash of some powdered sugar. As usual, the recipe has been modified to use whole & healthier ingredients.

Ingredients
3/4 cup brown natural sugar (used organic gur powder)/ sugar
1/3 cup olive oil/ vegetable oil
2 tbsp date syrup/ corn syrup
few drops vanilla extract
1/3 cup low fat milk
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/3 cup caster sugar for coating
1/3 cup fine powdered sugar for coating
1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Method

Beat the sugar, oil & date syrup together. Add the milk and beat it again. Sift the dry ingredients other than the powdered sugar and flax seeds. Stir in the flax seeds and mix it in the wet ingredients in two batches. Chill the dough for 5 minutes. Make small balls of the dough, flatten slightly and roll them in the castor sugar. Roll it in the powdered sugar, ensure that it is well coated. Can be a trouble since the sugar tends to drop off. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 180C. Remove from oven and lift the baking paper with the cookies and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before peeling off from the baking paper. This will ensure that they firm up.

Vade with Chicken Sukha - Vade with Dry Chicken gravy

2011-03-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Vade made with a mix grains and lentils is a speciality of the Konkan region and is a must-have item in most restaurants that serve Konkan food. The chicken gravy is spicy with a traditional masala and topped with roasted dessicated coconut gives it a rich earthy taste It is yet another treasure from my mother's kitchen.

Vade
Ingredients
1/2 kg raw rice
2 tbsp urad dal
1/4 kg chana dal
1/4 kg wheat
2 tbsp coriander seeds lightly roasted
1 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds lightly roasted

Method
Wash the raw rice and urad dal. Drain well and spread it on a cloth in a single layer. Allow it to dry in the hot sun for about 2-3 hours. This ensures that the rice & urad dal is dry and can be ground easily. Mix the other ingredients and grind to the consistency of flour. This flour can stay for 2-3 months.

Knead the flour in water in the following proportion 2 cups of flour : 3/4 cups water. You need a firm dough so adjust the water/ flour accordingly. Add salt while kneading. Keep in a well oiled bowl covered tightly for about 3 hours. If it's winter, you have to keep it for 4-5 hours. The dough loosens up and grows slightly but do not expect an outcome like yeasted dough. You can make it ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to fry them. Heat oil in a kadhai for frying the vades. On a rolling board, place a piece of plastic and oil it. Using well oiled hands, pinch a small piece of dough and place it on the plastic. Using tips of your fingers flatten it slightly.

You have to ensure that your finger and the piece of plastic is well-oiled to avoid the dough from sticking to either. Fry in hot oil on both the sides.

Serve with Chicken Sukha

Chicken Sukha (Chicken Dry)

Ingredients

500 gms boneless cicken
2-3 tsp Chicken Masala
2 medium sized onion sliced thin
8-10 garlic pods
2" ginger pieces
1 green chilli
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1 1/2 medium size tomato chopped finely
salt to taste
1/3 cup oil
2 tbsp roasted and ground dessicated coconut

Method
Grind the garlic, ginger, chilli, mint & coriander leaves together to a fine paste. Apply to chicken and marinate for 2-3 hours. In a large kadhai, fry the onion in oil till it browns. Add the marinated chicken and stir it till it loses it's redness. Add the tomato and chicken masala. Allow it to cook on a slow flame. Keep checking it to avoid burning. When the chicken has cooked, add the dessicated coconut and garnish with coriander leaves before serving with vade.

Chicken/ Mutton Masala
This masala is used for chicken/ mutton sukha and also for just about any chicken/ mutton gravy. It adds a lot of flavour to the dish. This is handed down recipe which we use for chicken, mutton, legumes, pulses. It is versatile and adds a nice flavour to the dish with a perfect balance of heat both from the chillies and other spices.

Ingredients
100 gm red bedgi chillies
50 gms coriander seeds
25 gms cumin seeds
10 grams anise seeds
1 tbsp black pepper
7-8 cloves
2" piece cinnamon
1 bay leave
3-4 green cardamom
a large pinch of nutmeg
1/2 black cardamom (badi elaichi)

Method
Roast each ingredient individually on a slow flame. Allow to cool and grind to a fine powder. Store it in an air-tight container. Will stay for 3-4 months.

Chewy Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk cookies

2011-03-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

I came across this recipe at Annie's Eats and really liked it. The cookies are delicious, chewy as promised and white chocolate complement the dark chocolate cookie well. I substituted the all-purpose with whole wheat flour and used brown sugar to make it healthier.

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder (I used natural since I did'nt have dutch process)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar (gur-sakhar)
few drops of vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Method

Sift the dry ingredients together and leave aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour and milk alternately in two batches. Add the white chocolate and fold gently. Make small balls and place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Flatten them slightly. Remember to keep some space in between to allow the cookies to expand. Bake at 180 C for 10-15 minutes or until the tops do not look wet and spring back on touch.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cup of cold milk.

Spicy Chicken Pizza with zatar powder and marinated vegetables

2011-03-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

A bite into a warm pizza explodes your senses with so many flavours & texture - crisp, soft, chewy, spicy, tangy & crunchy. Each layer of topping on the pizza has a different flavour and the combined bite is simply heavenly. We are love a good baked from scratch pizza with a myriad of topping. Though making a pizza from scratch is quite time-consuming but it is worth the effort. I made the pizza dough, spicy chicken and pizza sauce the day before.

Ingredients
Pizza Dough
Pizza Sauce
Marinated Vegetables
Spicy Chicken
200 gms mozzarella cheese
150 gms cheddar cheese
olives - green & black
green jalapeno
3-4 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp zatar powder
semolina flour mixed with whole wheat flour for rolling the pizza

Method

Mix the grated mozzarella, cheese and zatar powder and keep aside

Dust the surface of the rolling board with semolina-whole wheat flour mix. Take a ball of the pizza dough, depending on the size of the pizza. Roll it using a rolling pin. You can roll it thick or thin depending on the type of pizza you like.

Grease the baking tray and dust with semolina flour. Place the rolled pizza on the baking tray. Apply EVOO on the surface of the pizza and cover with cling film and allow it to proof for about 10-15 minutes.

I made medium thick & deep dish pizza. All rolled and ready to proof.

Remove the cling film and spread the pizza sauce on the dough.

Sprinkle the zatar flavoured cheese

Followed by a topping of vegetables & spicy chicken.

A pizza without olives and jalapeno is incomplete

Bake in the oven at 250 C for 10-15 minutes or until well browned. For a crisper crust, remove the pizza from the baking tray and bake it straight on the oven rack for 5 minutes.

Slice it and serve hot

Pizza Dough
Ingredients
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup semolina flour (barik rava)
1 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp rapid rise yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup zatar powder
1 tsp bread improver (optional)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
2 cups whey left over when you make paneer/ water

Method

Pour 3/4 cup really hot whey with the semolina flour. Stir well and leave aside. Mix 3 cups whole wheat flour and the yeast in a large bowl. Make a hole in the center of the flour and add the honey, salt and oil. Heat the milk & remaining whey until luke warm and pour it into the centre. Knead the dough using a hand mixture until the flour is completely moist. Cover with cling film and let it stand for about 30 minutes. This ensures a softer bread and requires less kneading.

After 30 minutes, incorporate 1 cup flour mixed with bread improver, salt, semolina and knead to combine. Incorporate the rest of the flour slowly. You may need about 1/2 - 1 cup extra flour if you decide to use this approach. Knead well until the dough bounces back when pressed lightly and it passes the windowpane test. Cover with cling film and keep it in a warm place until doubled. When ready, punch the dough and leave it for 5 minutes. If you do not plan to use it immediately, you can keep it in the refrigerator. I generally use it with 36 hours i.e. 1 1/2 days.

Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
2 medium onions grated
10-12 grated garlic pods
10-12 medium tomatoes, blanched, peeled and deseeded
1/2 tsp oregano seeds
1 tsp dried basil (optional)
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper powder
salt to taste
4-5 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup oven dried tomatoes (optional)

Method

Chop half of the tomatoes and puree the rest. Mix and keep aside. Heat the oil in large vessel. Add the oregano seeds till it gives a nice aroma. Add the garlic and fry them for about 30 secs. Add the onions and cook them till they are translucent. Add the tomatoes,salt, sugar & pepper and cook till it becomes thick. Add the herbs & spices and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the flame and allow to cool. Top with oven dried tomatoes. If not using immediately, refrigerate it.

Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
400 gms chicken diced
2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
juice of 2 lemons
1/3 cup chopped mint
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp grated garlic
1 green chilli finely chopped
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp fennel powder (optional)
salt to taste

2 tsp vegetable oil

Method

Combine all the ingredients except the mustard oil and marinate the chicken pieces for 2-3 hours. Thread them on skewers. Line a baking tray with silver foil and grease it. Place the skewers in the baking tray. Brush with oil and cover the baking tray with silver foil. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220-250 C for 20 minutes. Drain the juices and allow the chicken to cool. Remove from the skewers and keep aside. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Marinated Vegetables

In a medium size bowl, add juice of a lemon, some paprika, dried basil, celery, oregano and a pinch of thyme. Add salt, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp olive oil.

Give it a good whirl to mix it.

Add some chopped red, yellow & green peppers and some baby corn

Onion are a must on a pizza

Finally toss them together so that the vegetables are covered with the marinade. Allow to marinate for 1-2 hour. Drain the vegetables and use for topping the pizza.

Crispy Herb n Garlic Potato Wedges

2011-03-15T00:38:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make some french fries for a sizzler, but I did not want to fry them. I thought of baking them and looked up Purple Foodies Baked Garlic potatoes. The dish definitely looked delicious but the oven was not free and I liked the recipe a lot. So I modified it to so that it did not require an oven and tried to make it healthier.

Ingredients

4 large potatoes
4-5 grated garlic
1/2-3/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp mixed herbs, I used celery and oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt, adjust according to taste
4-5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cornflour/ cornstarch

Method

Parboil the potatoes soaked in salted water in a pressure cooker for 2 minutes (i.e. allow it to cook for 2 minutes after the first whistle). Remove from cooker, drain the water and pour some cold water over it. Drain and allow to cool completely. Peel and cut the potatoes in wedges. Coat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle the cornflour over the oiled potatoes and mix well gently.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and fry till it gives off a nice aroma. Do not brown it. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool for a minute or two. Add the paprika, herbs, salt and pepper and stir well. Add the potato wedges and stir gently to allow it the herbs & oil to coat the potatoes. Ensure that the potaoes are placed in a single layer. Place the pan on a high flame and allow one side to brown. Turn over and allow the other side to brown.

Remove from the pan and serve hot. This went really well with the sizzler.

Pounded pan-grilled Chicken on skewers & a wrap

2011-03-06T05:10:00.000-08:00

Pounding chicken makes it really easy to cook the chicken fast and also allow the marinade to reach the inner most portion of the chicken (actually there is no innermost portion since it is all flat). This is a fairly simple method of making a delicious chicken skewers. Pound the chicken, marinate in the sauce of your choice, thread them on skewers and grill them in a large pan.

I make this chicken very often and use different marinades every time. I made it again today and used it in a wrap.

Tangy Red Chicken Marinade

Ingredients
2 tsp National malai chicken masala
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/2 cup thick yoghurt, beaten till smooth
1 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1 tsp dried mint leaves
1 tsp grated garlic
1 tbsp roasted chana powder (optional)
1/2 tsp date syrup (optional)

Method
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep aside

Emerald Chicken marinade

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup mint leaves
10-12 black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp jeera powder
1-2 green chilli
3-4 garlic pods
salt to taste
2 tbsp roasted chana powder

Method
Process all the ingredients in the mixer until smooth. Add the chana powder, mix well and leave aside.

Pounded pan-grilled chicken on skewers

Ingredients
250 gms chicken
marinade of your choice

Method
Wash and clean the boneless chicken breast. Cut in them in 2" pieces. Do not bother if they are small or too big. Take a mallet and pound the chicken. The chicken may tear at place but it's fine. If the piece turns out to be too big after pounding, you can cut it into two pieces.

Place it in the marinade and toss it well to cover each piece. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours. Remove from refigerator and thread it on the skewers. Since the pieces are flat you will have to actually sew them on the skewers.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan. Add about 1/2 - 1 tsp oil, just enough to grease the pan. Place the chicken skewers on the pan and cover the pan. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes on slow or until you see the steam coming out from the sides of the pan. Lift the cover, turn the chicken over and cook the other side covered for another 2 mins. Now turn the heat to high and continue to cook the chicken for about 30 secs. Now the water would have evaporated and the chicken starts to brown. Turn over, remove the cover and allow the chicken to brown on the other side. Remove from the pan, place it on the serving plate. You can serve it plain with some salad on the side or use it in a wrap like I did.

All ready to be used in the wrap

Place the chicken on the wrap

Add some coleslaw and salad of cucumber & tomatoes tossed in chaat masala, roasted jeera powder, extra virgin olive oil, salt & dried mint.

Top with some iceberg lettuce for some crunch and mustard sauce or red pepper sauce.

Wrap it and enjoy...

Grilled Spicy Breaded Chicken

2011-03-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to try breaded chicken but most of the recipes that I came across were rather bland and to spice it up, I decided to use a combination of marinades which worked really well. The chicken was juicy, crunchy when you bite it, slightly tangy and as you continued the flavour of mint which works so well with chicken.

Ingredients

6-7 cleaned, boneless chicken breast; cut in medium size pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
pinch of salt & pepper

First Marinade
juice of a lemon
4 garlic cloves
2'' ginger
1 cup mint leaves
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
dash of all spice (optional)

Second Marinade
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To coat
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated cheese
1 tsp dried herbs (mint & basil)

Method

Prick the chicken all over with a fork and keep aside. Process the first marinade in the mixer. Apply all over the chicken and marinate for about 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven at 220C. Grease a non-stick baking dish. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover with silver foil. Bake for 20 mins. Remove from oven and allow it cool. Remove the chicken and allow the juices to drip away so that the chicken is dry. You can bake the chicken a day ahead. I baked it in the morning when I prepared lunch and refrigerated it.

Mix all the ingredients for the second marinade. Apply the second marinade to the cooled chicken and leave it aside for 20 minutes.

Beat the egg and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese and dried herbs. Dip the chicken in the egg and place it on a wire rack to allow the excess egg to drip away. It does not take a long time just a few minutes, so by the time you finish coating all the pieces, the first one is ready. Press the chicken into the breadcrumbs mixture. Turn over and press the other side. This ensures that the chicken is well coated with the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a greased baking dish and grill in a pre-heated oven at 180C (set the oven to grill i.e. only the upper coils are heated and place the chicken on the topmost rack). When one side is grilled and golden, turn over to allow the other side to turn golden. Takes about 10 minutes for each side.

Remove from the oven and serve with mustard sauce.

Oatmeal Bread

2011-02-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

I just hate oatmeal porridge so I have to think of better ways of incorporating it in our diet. This is a wonderful bread, soft, sweet and really tasty.

The first bite reminded me of Moshe's honey whole wheat bread. For me Moshe's bread were simply amazing though I do not really miss them now.I can bake my own breads at home which are equally good ;-)

The original recipe required buttermilk but it works well even without it. Head on to Clockwork Lemon for the original recipe. I made this recipe a couple of times later too. Sending it to Yeastspotting this week.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup boiling water
3 cups wholewheat flour
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 cup brown sugar (I used gur sugar)
1 tsp bread improver (optional)
1 cup lukewarm milk
3/4 cup lukewarm water
some oats for sprinkling

Method

Stir the boiling water in the oats, mix and keep aside covered.

In a large bowl, mix the wholewheat flour and yeast. Make a well in the centre and add the oil, sugar and pour in the milk and water. Stir to form a rather wet mix. Cover with cling film and leave aside for 20 mins.

Add the oatmeal mix, salt and bread improver mix with some of the dry flour and keep incorporating the flour 1 cup at a time. Knead to get a soft dough and until it passes the window pane test. Form into a tight ball, apply oil to it and allow to proof in a well grease bowl for about 1 hour or until the dough has more than doubled. This dough rises just too fast so keep a watch.

Lightly punch the dough, allow to rest for 5 minutes. Divide into two pieces and shape as desired. I made an oval loaf slashed to make it more attractive and a sandwich loaf. Cover with cling film and allow to rise for 20 minutes or until just doubled.

Preheat the oven to 220 C and keep a small pan of water at the bottom of the oven to allow steaming. Brush the top of the loaf with milk, sprinkle some oats and again the brush with milk to make the oats stick to the bread. Sprinkle some water on the side of the oven and pour some water on the floor of the oven. Place the loaf in the oven and allow to bake at 220 C for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, brush with milk once again, sprinkle the sides of the oven with water and reduce the temperature after 5 minutes to 200C. This entire process ensure a thinner crust. Just happened to gather this from the googling on bread baking :-)

Bake for 40-50 minutes. It is quite likely that the top of the bread starts browning. Cover with a silver foil and continue baking until well browned and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Allow to cool, slice it, lather with some butter or marmalade and enjoy it for breakfast.

Note : I use the bread improver since I reduce the all-purpose to just 1 1/2 cups as against 3 cups and the whole wheat flour available in India is regular atta dough which is really low in gluten. You can skip it depending on the quality of whole wheat flour being used. If you plan to use a 50:50 proportion for whole wheat v/s all purpose, the bread improver is not required.

Oatmeal Cookie Bars - Crisp & Chewy with a crunch!!

2011-01-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

I came across this recipe of oatmeal cookie bar on Tammy Recipes and I felt it was a pretty good recipe and decided to make it with a couple of changes to make it more wholesome. These bars are just wonderful, with just the right amount of sweetness, crunch and chew. Now how the hell did I get all of it...read on

Ingredients
1 cup butter softened
3/4 cup brown sugar/ jaggery sugar
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 egg
8-10 drop vanilla essence
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 cups rolled oats (you can also substitute plain muesli here)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cranberries
3/4 cup mixed nuts. I used pecan and whole unshelled pistachios. Do not use whole almonds since it would be difficult to cut them.

Method

Sift the flour and baking powder. Cream the butter and sugars, add the egg and beat till light and fluffy. Add the sifted flour and beat till combined. Stir in the oats, nuts, cranberries and chocolate chips. You will have to use your hands to combine them. Line a 11 inch square baking dish with baking paper. Spread the cookie dough evenly and bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake otherwise they would become rather hard. Remove from oven, using a pizza slicer cut into squares and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, peel off the baking paper and transfer to a air-tight jar. The cookie bars are rather crisp but not hard with the nuts giving it a crunch and cranberries a bit of tangy chew. Keeps well for a week.

Ginger Chocolate Chip Squares

2011-01-21T04:41:00.000-08:00

These rather chewy ginger flavoured squares are a good anytime snack. These have been adapted from Cakes & Bakes by Parragon Books Ltd. I substituted most of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to make it healthier.

Ingredients
4 pieces preserved ginger in syrup
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
a large pinch of ground cloves
a pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar/ jaggery sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp icing sugar (optional)
Method

Preheat oven to 150C. Finely chop the preserved ginger. Sift the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips and sugar. Stir in ginger and sugar.

Heat the butter and syrup gently in a pan until the butter melts. Bring to a boil, then pour the mixture into the flour mixture, stirring all the time. Beat until the mixture is cool enough to handle.

Add the chocolate chips to the mixture. Press evenly into a 8 X 12 inch greased square pan.Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Cut into squares using a pizza slicer and allow to cool in the pan. Dust with icing sugar and store in an airtight container. It stays well for a week.

Peushi - Traditional Konkan sweet dish

2011-01-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

Peushi is a baked sweet dish made with thick coconut milk, jaggery and raw cashew, topped with poppy seeds. I just love this dish but really have no idea on how to prepare. The poppy seed layer on this moist and rather earthy flavoured dish gives it a golden topping with a nutty taste. Most traditional recipes never have the right proportions, so my sister put in the required effort to ensure the proportions are measured as she makes it. She made this sometime last month and we relished it.

Ingredients
3 cups thick fresh coconut milk
4 eggs
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp ghee/ unsalted butter
225 gms Jaggery (can be adjusted to suit the amount of sweetness required)
1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
25- 30 peeled raw cashewnuts /broken dried cashew nuts soaked in warm water for 3 hours

Method

Crush the jaggery into small pieces & add it to the coconut milk. Allow it to stand for 15-20 minutes until the jaggery melts. Strain it to get a clear liquid, add the cardamom powder and whisk it. Jaggery at times has some impurities so you need to strain it.

Seperate the egg whites & yolk. Beat the egg whites till extremely soft peaks are formed. Add the egg yolk and beat once more. Grease nine inch deep baking pan using ghee. Preheat the oven to 180C. Add the coconut milk into egg mixture slowly whisking to ensure that it is well mixed. The more traditional way to mix it is to slowly pour the coconut milk into the egg mixture, holding the coconut milk vessel almost near your shoulder. Yes, it means you need to pour it from a height. Next pour the combined mix into the empty coconut vessel. Repeat couple of times (about 4-5 times). This ensures that you get a smooth less airy mixture. Add the cashew nut pieces to this mixture. Pour it in the prepared baking pan. The pan should be about 3/4 full to allow the peushi to rise. Sprinkle poppy seeds lightly on the entire mixture.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes or till a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. The peushi rises while baking and falls when cooled. Allow it to cool and refrigerate for at least 30 mins before serving. Slice and serve. As you cut, a sweet liquid is released from the dish. Serve a couple of spoon of this liquid too. It tastes wonderful.

Strawberry week

2011-01-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

Strawberries are in available abundance in Mahableshwar in winter. We visited Mahableshwar during thw Christmas weekend and we had a really great time. Strawberries were available almost everywhere you went, their color bright red and soooo tempting.

There are many varieties available. You get large red tempting strawberries, which look beautiful but are a bit sour. There is a variety aptly named Sweet Charlie which are small (almost tiny) but really, really sweet and juicy. We gorged on the Sweet Charlie and bought the rather large ones back home to prepare some desserts. So we celebrated Strawberry week at home. I made four desserts, one was a disaster so would not bother writing about it, since I am not going to try it ever.
Started with a simple Sticky Strawberry cake. Fairly easy and it appeals to everybody at home.

I made a strawberry cheesecake using my standard cheesecake recipe. I think the topping could do with a better decoration.

The strawberry trifle was a light and refreshing dessert which got over in no time

Life is rather busy right now and I barely get time to blog. This has been waiting to be posted ever since the Strawberry week was over. Finally I managed to get some time to post this :-)

Strawberry Cheesecake

2011-01-12T08:51:00.001-08:00

Ingredients
For the filling
2 cups low fat milk paneer processed in a mixer till smooth
1 cup well beaten thick low fat yoghurt.
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 cups fresh strawberry puree
10 gms agar agar
1 cup water
a few vanilla drops

For the base
1 cups Marie digestive biscuit
1/2 cup crushed toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup salted butter (Amul)

For the glaze
2 cups sliced strawberry
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornflour

Method
For the base
Pulse the biscuit in the mixer coarsely. Mix the butter with the biscuit and hazelnuts and pat it firmly on the base of a clean and dry 8 inch spring-form pan. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
For the Filling
Soak the agar agar in the water for at least 2 hours. Pulse in the mixer and keep aside. Beat the paneer, yoghurt and sugar in a large bowl with the vanilla drops. Heat the pulsed agar-agar and keep stirring it. Place a small drop on a plate and check if the agar-agar gels up. Heat the strawberry puree too on another flame, since you need to mix it with the agar-agar. Slowly pour it into the hot strawberry puree. Mix it well. Add it to the paneer, yoghurt & sugar mix. Whisk it as you add. Pour it on the prepared base. Refrigerate it uncovered for 1-2 hours at least or until it feels firm when touched, before you add the glaze.

For the glaze
Heat the strawberries and icing sugar until it starts to boil. Stir the corn flour in the cold syrup and pour slowly in the hot blueberries mix. Stir till it thickens. You can mash it or leave it intact. Cool and spread on the set cheesecake. Refrigerate uncovered for another hour.

To serve run a knife along the edges of the cheese cake and remove from the spring form pan. Slice and serve in individual plates.

Strawberry Trifle with mascarpone cream

2011-01-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

This is a rather light and refreshing dessert. I layered it with strawberries to create a beautiful dessert. Best eaten on the same day or the next.

Ingredients
For the pink layer
1 ½ cups homemade mascarpone cream
2 cups homemade hung curd
¾ cup caster sugar
2 cups strawberry puree
Pinch of salt
3 tbsp agar agar flakes soaked in ¼ - ½ cup water

For the strawberry layer
2-3 cups sliced strawberries

For the white topping
1 cup mascarpone cream
½ cup homemade hung curd
½ cup icing sugar
2 drop vanilla essence (optional)

A few slices of strawberry for decoration

10 dessert glasses

Method
Clean and wipe the dessert glasses and keep aside.
For the pink layer

Whip the mascarpone cream and hung curd with ¼ cup sugar until soft peaks form. Mix the remaining sugar & salt with the strawberry puree. Heat the agar-agar flakes mix and keep stirring it. Place a small drop on a plate and check if the agar-agar gels up. Heat the sweetened strawberry puree too on another flame, since you need to mix it with the agar-agar. Slowly pour it into the hot strawberry puree. Mix it well. Line the glasses with a 1-2 tsp of the hot strawberry mix. Beat in the remaining strawberry mix in the cream slowly until well combined. Spoon it in the glasses evenly.

For the strawberry layer
Place the sliced strawberry in a neat layer on top of the pink layer.

For the white layer

Whip all the ingredients together until soft peaks form. Spoon over the strawberries, spreading so that it covers the strawberry completely.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Top with sliced strawberry before serving.

Stir fried pak choy with bell peppers in Chiu Chow Chilli Oil

2010-12-31T06:05:00.000-08:00

Lee Kum Kum sauces are something I swear by for Chinese dishes. My refrigerator is stocked with all the possible sauces from this brand. I recently bought Chow chow oil not knowing what to expect. It lends a very nice flavor to stir fries, spicy, smoky and earthy. This dish was really easy to make. It would be great with some steam rice topped with sesame oil. We had it with coriander flavoured chapattis!!
Ingredients

1 bunch pak choy chopped
1 cup paneer diced
¾ cup red, yellow & green sliced capsicum
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kum chiu chow chilli oil
1 tsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp black pepper
Pinch of brown sugar
1 large onion sliced diced in large pieces
5-6 garlic crushed
2 red chillies
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cooking sesame peanut oil (Tilsona brand)/ groundnut oil.

Method
In a wok, heat the sesame oil. Add the chillies and stir to allow it to release some of it’s spicyness. Add the garlic and stir it for a minute. Do not allow it to brown. Add the onion and fry for another minute. Add the vegetables excluding the pak choy. Stir them in the oil for another minute. Add rest of the ingredients except the paneer and stir fry it. Once the pak choy wilts, add the paneer and stir for another minute or two until it become a bit dry.

Transfer to serving plan and serve with chapattis or hot steamed rice topped with sesame oil.

Low fat blueberry cheese cake

2010-12-20T04:39:00.000-08:00

I somehow do not seem to get enough of cheesecakes. I made this cheesecake for my daughter's birthday and it got over in no time. It is a light and refreshing dessert. I picked up a tin of Oregon blueberries in the supermarket and was dying to taste a blue berry cheesecake. So much has been written about it and I must say it turned out very well. I used low fat milk and yoghurt this time and it was equally delicious.

The crust included digestive high fibre biscuits with hazelnuts.

Ingredients
For the filling
2 1/2 cups low fat milk paneer processed in a mixer till smooth
1 cup well beaten thick low fat yoghurt.
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 cup blueberry in syrup
10 gms agar agar
1 cup water
a few vanilla drops

For the base
1 cups Marie digestive biscuit
1/2 cup crushed toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup salted butter (Amul)

For the glaze
1 cup blue berries
1/3 cup syrup from the blueberry tin
2/3 cup icing sugar
2 tsp cornflour

Method
For the base

Pulse the biscuit in the mixer coarsely. Mix the butter with the biscuit and hazelnuts and pat it firmly on the base of a clean and dry 8 inch spring-form pan. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

For the Filling

Soak the agar agar in the water for at least 2 hours. Pulse in the mixer and keep aside. Beat the paneer, yoghurt and sugar in a large bowl with the vanilla drops. Heat the pulsed agar-agar and keep stirring it. Place a small drop on a plate and check if the agar-agar gels up. Heat the blue berry in syrup too on another flame, since you need to mix it with the agar-agar. Slowly pour it into the hot blue berry syrup. Mix it well. Add it to the paneer, yoghurt & sugar mix. Whisk it as you add. Pour it on the prepared base. Refrigerate it uncovered for 1-2 hours at least or until it feels firm when touched, before you add the glaze.

For the glaze

Heat the blueberries and icing sugar until it starts to boil. Stir the corn flour in the cold syrup and pour slowly in the hot blueberries mix. Stir till it thickens. Cool and spread on the set cheesecake. Refrigerate uncovered for another hour.

To serve run a knife along the edges of the cheese cake and remove from the spring form pan. Slice and serve in individual plates.