Spice and Curry

Eggless Pineapple Upside Down Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:17:00 +0000

Growing up years are filled with so many memories of vibrant colors like a rainbow. And like a vibrant rainbow, it keeps showing up after every spell of rain. And when you start exploring different shades, your thoughts keep you wandering in lanes and by-lanes of joyous past.Isn't ?

One such memory was to see my ma making cakes in her old Bajaj OTG which was small, round and made of metal, aluminum with a glass top may be. (These days OTG is now part of a microwave or a convectional oven.) She used to make sponge cakes with eggs and butter- sorry Amul butter. And then after my marriage, came my ma-in-law who never used OTG, but made light fluffy sponge cakes in pressure cooker. I have blogged about that recipe a slight variation for cupcakes which was back in year 2008, you can go and check it Here

All over these years I have slowly started baking myself routinely, driven by some passion obviously. These days I am making baked goodies even if there is no special occasion and whenever I feel like. My sister-in-law is vegetarian. So, she likes cakes but if its eggless cake. This time my ma made eggless cake and used whole milk instead of eggs. The basic guidelines I got from my ma about the cake over a phone couple of weeks ago and improvised it by adding different flavors/fruits to the basic cake recipe. I hope my sister-in-law tries this out someday and even better if I visit them, would make sure they taste this cake.
I am slowly discovering the benefits of eggless baking and with normal cooking oil instead of butter or shortening. This eggless pineapple upside down cake is a light cake.Calories are less in this cake as it’s made of corn oil and is eggless. Corn oil is a great alternative to butter or shortening so watch out, it is a hidden treasure for you that I am sharing with you.

Here is the picture taken in night, just right after I flipped the cake over the plate.

And here is the left-over cake after our morning breakfast. This eggless pineapple upside down cake recipe is a keeper recipe.

Eggless pineapple upside down cake

Recipe requirements

2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of milk+2 tbs more
1 tsp of baking powder
¾ tsp of baking soda
1 can of pineapple rounds
¾ cup of sugar
3/4 cup of corn oil

Method

Preheat oven at 175 deg C.
Prepare 9 inch round cake tin. Place one big round in the centre. And cut other 3 rounds in to half. Place them all around the central round circle of pineapple.
Mix sugar and corn oil.
Now add 2 rounds of pineapple all crushed.
Mix in flour+baking powder+baking soda.
Start mixing milk and flour mixture slowly with the sugar+oil+pineapple mixture.
When the cake batter is all set and prepared. Transfer this to the baking pan. Smooth out the surface evenly.
Bake the cake for about 40-45 mints at 175 deg C or till a skewer/toothpick come out clean when inserted in to the middle of cake.
Now take out and let it cool. Flip the cake over a plate and it’s ready to be served with evening tea or as part of your morning breakfast menu.

Note-

This cake recipe is made of corn oil. I do think in India sunflower oil is available; you can make cakes with sunflower oil as well. Sunflower oil is a great substitute for butter or shortening in cakes.
If you like fresh pineapple, use it. I felt it was too much of a job cutting a pineapple so, I preferred canned/tinned pineapples.

Sending this to Kid's Delight - Eggless and Vegan Bake, event hosted at Priya's Easy N Tasty and originally started by Srivalli at Spicing Your Life

and also to Healthy Diet Events at Raji's Vegetarian Tastebuds,originally started by Priya's Easy N Tasty.

Happy Cooking Friends

Oven Baked Chicken Tikka with Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:47:00 +0000

These days if you ask me what goes in Oggy and the Cockroaches or Waybuloo, I would say yeah that’s my kind of girl. And I would even oblige you with loads of home-made goodies if you happen to live in our neck of the woods.

And by any means or chance if you happen to ask me about the latest saas-bahu serials, I would say pardon me, this is not my cup of tea and I take my tea very seriously.

Then there are some exceptions like this which caught my attention out of nowhere. And oh! This also reminds me of my feminine traits as well. Eh! And look at the plight,I am now writing here in my blog with a big time heartache. Some would say these are tissue paper movies or serials.I would say a human devoid of emotions is a robot, a robot just performing his or her tasks in this meta-physical world.

Anyways, well this is supposed to be a week revolving around love and well only love what else.
Just thought when you need to tell how much you love, you don’t need any particular day for that matter
.
These chicken tikkas were well appreciated by my folks especially my kiddo. I would say go ahead and make them and enjoy them in company of friends and loved ones. And you don’t need any particular or special day for this. It could be any day, any day made special with the love of people those matter to you most.

Oven Baked Chicken Tikka with vegetables
Recipe Requirements
2 chicken breast cut into about 2 inch pieces
For the marinade
4-5 heaped tbs of yogurt/Greek style yogurt
2 tsp of red pepper powder
½ tsp of red chilly flakes
2 tsp of MDH kitchen king masala
1 tsp of cumin powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of black pepper powder
1 tsp of garam masala
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of fried herbs

Method

Clean chicken breast pieces. Trim excess fat if any. Pat dry with kitchen towel. Cut into 2 inch pieces.
Now make the marinade
Mix all yogurt+red pepper powder+kitchen king masala+cumin powder+coriander powder+garam masala+black pepper powder+salt+red chilly flakes.
Preheat oven at 170 deg C.
Now marinade chicken pieces with above made marinade.
If you wish you can use mushrooms,onions and green bell peppers/Shimla mirch also.
Soak some toothpicks in water which helps in piercing chicken and vegetables.
Line chicken and vegetables pieces accordingly over the soaked toothpick.You can use large bamboo skewers or metal skewers.

On a baking tray, line up grease proof paper. And place the skewers neatly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 mints, then take out and brush them with left-over marinade.
Transfer again in the preheated oven and bake further 15 mints or till chicken pieces are properly cooked.
Serve with some Tartar Sauce.

Note

This recipe is a no-oil method of baking the chicken tikka. However if you wish you may add any cooking oil in the marinade itself and let the chicken pieces soak up the flavor.Then when it's all done after proper baking just drizzle some oil or butter over it.
Leave the marinaded chicken overnight in fridge and bake next day for best result.
This recipe is no onion, garlic and ginger recipe.If you do think you can add the onion/garlic/ginger paste at the time of marination.
You can go ahead and prepare some gravy also to go with these tikkas.Click here for a no stir/fry gravy or click here for a wonderful rich and creamy gravy.
Vegetarian can substitute chicken pieces with paneer or tofu.

Happy Cooking Friends

Subah Ka Nashta – Matar Kachori and Kabuli Chane ki Sabzi

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Past week has been crazy here as temperature dropped drastically. Temperature hitting as low as -5 deg C.So, you can imagine the kind of weather we have for the past few days here.

We witnessed first snow for this winter season and perhaps last one also.We were out in snow for a while on Sunday morning and it felt magnificent except for the cold.

What a beautiful site it becomes, when you woke up in the morning and snow clad trees and parks around your home, greet you first thing in the morning.

DD was excited to see snow out there and so were we! These are some of the pictures of snow around our locality.

Life with all it's vigour and beauty....When life with all it's vigour and beauty is there to uplift your mood and spirit.Who needs any other addiction in life.Isn't ?

Soft cotton like feelings..Thats what DD told me while trying to get hold of some snow to play.We did make a snowman.It was not picture perfect but we did enjoy making it.What matters more and important is the attempt itself, failure and success comes last.Isn't ?

You can catch some more pictures of snow in our neck of the woods about a year ago ...Here

Shall we proceed now to some cooking.........
It goes a phrase in UP -Subah- e- Banaras and Sham- e- Awadh...Well all I can say both have breath-taking views.And so is the diverse cuisine it offers..
.
Anyways I have always said in past our daily eating and upbringing has been greatly influenced by the land we inhabited while growing up.UP has been on my mind always and not to mention even my DH.Both of us have almost spent our entire growing up years in UP.So, our day to day affair and talks do revolve around UP and it's simple cuisine which we both like a lot.

The recipes that you see in this post are not a regular feature in our home especially the fried stuff "the dreaded kachoris".This has been on our holiday breakfast menu provided I have the enthusiasm for all this and more.

It’s not that I don’t like making them, but our daily morning affair is, well a roller-coaster ride for me. And this needs little bit of planning and time. Perhaps that’s why this has been part of our holiday breakfast menu, particularly on a lazy Sunday brunch menu. And that day it was special.

Now to the recipe

Matar ki kachori/Koraishutir Kachori

Recipe Requirements-

About 2-3 cups of frozen green peas
1 onion
4 garlic pods
½ inch ginger
Seasonings
2 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
2-3 green chilies
½ tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of salt
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of hing/asfoetida
3-4 cups of whole wheat flour/atta

Method

Knead the flour with some water+1 tsp of cooking oil and pinch of salt.
Now m/w at high for 1 mint to defrosts the frozen peas.
Now pulse through in mixer/grinder- green peas, onion, garlic and ginger and green chilies.
Now add oil in a frying pan, add the green peas paste and add in hing/asfoetida.
Adjust seasonings with salt+sugar+red pepper powder+black pepper powder+cumin coriander powder.
Keep on frying till the peas mixture starts to collect well. When the mixture has been properly fried and has become dry transfer to cool in a separate bowl.
Make even round size balls from the kneaded atta dough.
Roll in to small discs, place about 2 tsp of fried mixture, and secure from all ends and then roll into small rounds with your palms by pressing gently.
Dust the working surface with flour, and start rolling the rounds into small discs, pressing gently.
Meanwhile you keep on making kachori.Heat up a saucepan with enough cooking oil. Drop in some cumin seeds to check if the oil is properly heated.
Now fry the kachoris one by one at medium flame.Raise the flame once in a while if the oil tends to go cool and kachoris are not puffing up well.Take out over a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

Now to the making of Chane ki sabzi

Chick Peas with Potato Curry/Kabuli Chane Ki Sabzi

Recipe requirements

1 can of garbanzo beans/chick peas/Kabuli Chana
1 medium size potato
1 tomato chopped finely
2 medium size onions
4 fat garlic cloves
1 inch of ginger
2-3 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of black pepper powder
1 tsp of garam masala
1 tsp of salt or as per required
2-3 tbs of cooking oil

Method

Heat up a saucepan, add cooking oil.
Now add in chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Keep on frying till the rawness is gone.
Add in chopped potatoes.
Now add the seasonings-cumin+coriander+red pepper+black pepper+turmeric powder.
Add the chick peas with the water from the can. Check for salt, if required add salt accordingly as most of the canned products do have salt already. Alternately you may use dried chick peas. Soak them overnight in water, next day discard the water. Then pressure cooks them.
Add about 1 cup of water.
Add in chopped tomato or you may use jarred pasta sauce, whatever is available.
Cover and let it simmer for 15-20 mints or till all becomes soft and mushy.
Serve and enjoy with warm matar kachoris.

Other Related post from Spice and Curry

Happy Cooking Friends

Baby Spinach and Beet Lentil Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:22:00 +0000

We have been trying many new soups these days. Our traditional Bengali moong masor’er dal got recently a new twist. I happened to have some beet and baby spinach, in pursue of introducing healthy vegetables in to our meals, I decided may be I should go ahead and try adding them in dals or lentils.

Now I am sure everybody has their own versions of these dal or lentil soup. The recipe below is my way of incorporating flavors together. I skip tempering the dal with onion, ginger and garlic, instead I do like to add them right with the lentils and pressure cooks it. It saves whole lot of effort and flavor wise tastes wonderful.

Now to the recipe

Baby Spinach and Beet Lentil Soup

Recipe requirements

1 large bowl of baby spinach
1 large beet with tender leaves if possible
½ cup of massor dal/red lentils
½ cup of dhuli moong dal/yellow lentil
2-3 tbs of pearl barley
1 medium size onion
½ inch ginger
2 garlic cloves
2 medium size tomatoes
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of crushed black pepper

Method

Chop and wash beetroots. Wash and clean baby spinach leaves well in water.
Now chop in garlic, ginger, onion and tomato roughly.
Clean and wash the lentil mixture of moong and masoor dal , couple of times in water.
In a pressure cooker, add enough water say about 3-4 cups . Add in lentil mixture, when a white froth appears, scoop out and discard that.
Now add in all the chopped vegetables- beet, tomato, onion, ginger and garlic and also pearl barley. I have added barley to give a little more filling touch otherwise it’s not necessary to add it. Do not add spinach now.
Now lock the pressure cooker and put it to cook. One whistle at high, lower the flame – 1-2 mints and then takes it off from the flame.

Open the lock once the pressure subsides. Add in baby spinach leaves. As spinach leaves are tender, it will get cook easily.
Now adjust the seasonings, add salt and also add freshly crushed black pepper. This imparts a great flavor.Or you may add cayenne pepper for some extra spice in the soup.
Let it cool a little bit, then pulse thro half of the soup mixture in a grinder/mixer, reserving the beet root pieces. Otherwise leave it and serve without making a puree whichever way you prefer. Personally I do feel making a puree adds some great color and texture to the soup, making it more creamy sans cream and thick.
At the time of serving, sprinkle some dried herbs over it. Even Kasoori methi can work great here as an alternative to Italian dried herb or oregano.

Sending this soup recipe to Priya's Healthy Diet Event- Warm Soup at Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes...............

**********************

These two pictures below were clicked by our DD, while we were roaming around in a park in Cambridge.

Aren't they gorgeous!!

Well can’t believe entire week has gone and now it’s finally Friday.Enjoy your weekends friends...and

Happy cooking friends.

Baby Spinach Mushroom and Barley Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:55:00 +0000

Tomorrow India celebrates it's Republic day and to all the Indians living and spread across the globe and in homeland also.Wish all of you a very happy Republic Day..Even we are far away from our home..we always carry a small portion of it wherever we travel or live in abroad..

I have felt a sense of discomfort whenever we come across people back home..you know oh! you live in abroad so obviously you lack "prem for your matrobhomi"..why ?

I have seen most insensitive people even living in India and having an unsympathetic feelings for their own country....It's just so easy to criticize the present norm there..but if you can bring on changes and is capable of doing it then take proper interest in doing so..and changes always start from your own home..Don't they? ..Treat your own ladies and children in home well first ..society automatically will get molded for better later on....
But come on not all NRI's are bad ...It's the fact ..take it or leave it ..up to you!! End of rant!!

Now to the Recipe

Another day and a new soup recipe for all of you.This time made the soup with baby spinach and mushrooms and of course pearl barley.This soup tends to fill you up and it's a great way to warm up your cold and rainy evenings which is what we have been seeing for the past few days or so.

Baby spinach mushroom and barley soup

Recipe requirements

1 large bowl of baby spinach
2-3 cups chopped mushrooms
1 tomato chopped finely
½ cup of barley
5-6 penne pasta
2 garlic pods
half inch ginger
1 onion chopped
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of crushed black pepper

Method

Wash and chop tomato, mushroom, onion, tomato, garlic and ginger.
Now fill in 4-5 large cups of water in pressure cooker.You can use chicken broth or vegetable broth as wel.
Add in all the chopped vegetables except the baby spinach leaves.Add in barley and penne pasta.You may add some bread chunks in place of barley and penne pasta.Barley or penne pasta or bread chunks gives the thick and creamy look.A good alternative to cream or potato in soups making it even more healthy.
Adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper powder, cumin powder.
Lock the lid and put on for one whistle.Lower the flame and let it cook for 4-5 mints.
Open the lid once the pressure subsides.
Take out and after cooling little bit , pulse half of the soup in a mixer.
Now transfer this soup mixture in to the soup pot and add the baby spinach leaves.
And let it simmer a little bit.This will make it smooth and thick making it even more filling.

Serve pipping hot with toasted bread or whatever way you prefer.

Sending this soup to Priya's Healthy Diet Event- Warm Soup at Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes...............

Happy Cooking Friends

Pearl Barley Sweet corn and Carrot soup

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:13:00 +0000

How many times you can watch a movie? Two times .Three times. I ,we have been watching “Lion King” for 10 times now and each time we see it, we find something new and amazing about it.

We slowly have started liking, watching cartoon films (yeah that is how most of our weekend evenings are spent now).Credits goes to our adorable DD who insists on watching it with us.

But interesting thing to mention here is that each time we see it, there is always some hidden message. So, will go with what Timon and Pumbaa sings “Hakunamatata”…You will think we have gone nuts. But trust me “Hakunamatata” philosophy does help…so for the time being I am in that mood “problem free philosophy” even in cooking food. So, I do think soups needs less tension and time to be prepared but when it comes to nutrition and benefits they excel...don’t they...

This week it’s soup week here. Barley as you all know is a healthy alternative to rice or wheat. So, whenever I feel like having something different other than eating rice for lunch, most of the time I end up eating soups made with barley.

Sweet corn and carrots do add nice and healthy nutrients and some color also to this soup. And this is really will be great way to eat healthy after last week’s filo pastry indulgence.

Pearl Barley Sweet corn and Carrot soup

Recipe requirements

½ cup of barley
1 cup of sweet corn
2 carrots
8-10 penne pasta
1 tomato
2 garlic pods
½ inch of ginger
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of crushed black pepper

Method

Cut and chop vegetables roughly. Finely chop garlic and ginger.
In a pressure cooker add in 4-5 cups of water. You can use vegetable or chicken broth in place of plain water.
Now add in all the chopped vegetables- tomato, carrots, garlic and ginger. Adjust the seasonings with salt and crushed black pepper. Add in sweet corn.
Now add in washed barley and also penne pasta.
Lock the pressure cooker and let it have one whistle. Lower the flame and cook for 3-4 mints. Switch off, open when the pressure subsides.

Serve warm with some toasted bread.

Sending this soup to Priya's Healthy Diet Event- Warm Soup at Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes...............

Happy Cooking Friends

Mince Pie Pinwheels - Vegetarian

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:47:00 +0000

This will be my last recipe with filo pastry for the moment. It’s been really great to know that a readymade filo pastry can be used to create many delicious recipes and it does look pretty as well.And also as far as the ingredients that goes in for manufacturing the filo pastry is concerned , this can be good as vegan food as well.

I have been eating the mincemeat pies but boxed and store bought which I do get from M&S here .Of course its vegetarian though, as they use various assorted dried fruit mixture as meat replacement.

However when I was working with filo pastry , I searched on the internet about filo pastry and dried fruit mixture. I came across many recipes that look quite like pinwheels.So below recipe that got formulated at the end, is the adaptation of many recipes out there in net.

I have spiced it up with whatever ingredients I had in my pantry at the time of making them.So, a different flavor was quite evident.And also I had some left over dried fruit mixture even after I made Christmas Cake and Cous-cous and dried fruit stuffed chicken breast.

This was another great hit with my family.

Now to the recipe

Dried Fruit Mincepie pinwheels

Recipe requirements

1 packet Jus Roll long puff pastry
½ cup of caster sugar
pinch of red pepper powder
2 tsp of cinnamon powder
2 tsp of nutmeg powder
About 2 tsp of mixed spice powder
1 cup of assorted dried fruit mixture

Method

Preheat oven at 180 Deg C.
Now sprinkle sugar and some flour over your working area.
Roll out the thawed puff pastry to more about 1-2 inch further long but still in rectangular shape.
Now sprinkle nutmeg powder+cinnamon powder and some caster sugar evenly over the rolled pastry.
Use the rest of sugar to coat the dried fruit mixture very well. Add in mixed spice powder and red pepper powder.
Place the dried fruit mixture on one side of the pastry. If you wish you can finely chop the fruit mixture and then add it.
Now start folding the pastry so that it ends up being a long sausage sort of shape. Seal the other end with some milk or water.
Put this into refrigerator for about an hour.
Take out and again sprinkle some flour and sugar evenly over it.
Cut it into rounds of equal sizes of about 1 inch thick. You can make them little bit more fat of about 3 inch or even more thin.
Transfer them over the baking tray. Bake those 30 mints or till barely golden.
Take out and let it cool.
Serve hot or cold with cream or honey or whatever way you prefer.

Note-

You can add muscavado sugar in place of normal caster sugar to increase the shell life.
I have added red pepper powder to spice up little bit, but if you don’t like it then skip it.

Have a Nice weekend friends

Happy Cooking

Petite Cinnamon Puff- Black and White Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0000

When I was making these, elephant ears or palmier was on my mind. But I end up making small replica of palmiers as I used half of the puff sheet and also cut wise I have left the pieces little fat.Anyways the end result was gone in one day, thanks to a very picky eater who loves to gorge on these fast foods. She is my DD and has demanded another batch....

Kids I tell you are so unpredictable. What goes in their mind who knows? She even helped me, sprinkling cinnamon powder and caster sugar over the pastry. And also in melting chocolates in M/W.

More of a play thing for her than some serious stuff. We made these way back when DD had long winter holidays.

These are quick to make and a great way to engage your child if one has nothing to do any positive or creative work or some challenging brain sensitizing stuff.

Now to the recipe-

Petite Cinnamon Puffs

Recipe requirements

1 package puff pastry
3-4 tbs of cinnamon powder
3-5 tbs of caster sugar
For the glaze
½ cup of milk
2 tbs of double cream
3-4 tbs of icing sugar

Method

Line up a baking tray with grease proof paper.
Preheat oven at 175 deg C.
Cut the sheet into half.Roll out little bit to spread it out. Sprinkle generously cinnamon powder+caster sugar.
From one end start rolling the sheet towards middle. When you have reached to the middle, start working from the opposite end coming towards the middle of the sheet. The shape will look elephant ears.
Now you can refrigerate it for half an hour to firm up the shape. I didn’t this time.
Bake the petite puffs for 20 mints or just barely golden. Take out and let them cool a bit.
Now make the glaze
Mix in milk,cream and icing sugar very well.

Drizzle this over the cooled petite palmiers.If you wish you can drizzle chocolate as well.
I happen to put some chocolate shavings this time.
Serve as snacks or breakfast accompaniment what ever way you prefer.

Sending the picture below to Susan's Black and White Wednesday......... at The Well Seasoned Cook.

Happy Cooking Friends

Vanilla Cream and Chocolate Puff

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

This week I will be posting recipes with puff sheets or filo pastry. I have prepared quite a lot of recipes with this pastry during the long winter holidays.They have been patiently lying there in my drafts since then.

French Napoleons were on my mind when I was making these cream puffs .Napoleons not something to do with Napoleon Bonaparte, is a classic French desert made with puff pastry.

Although I must say I really think I need some more practice before I should claim them authentic Napoleons. So I would let it remain cream puffs as that is what my DD and DH told me while eating them.

Napoleon is made with many layers of creamed filled pastry and is also known as mille-feuilles. Sometimes fruit preserves are also used along with cream. I have left out the fruit preserve part and made only with cream and chocolate.

Now to the recipe

Vanilla Cream and Chocolate puffs

Recipe requirements

1 packet puff pastry
For the cream stuffing
½ cup of double cream
¼ cup of sugar
5-6 tbs of thick custard
1 tsp of vanilla extract
For the glazing
½ cup of icing sugar
½ tsp of vanilla extract
3-4 tbs of milk or as desired to make glaze
4-5 dark chocolate pieces or 3-4 tbs of melted dark chocolate

Method

Preheat oven at 175 deg C.
Line up a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Now cut the pastry into half. I have used half pastry sheet for making the cream puffs.
Now cut half of the sheet into equal size squares approx of 1 inch wide.
Place them over the baking tray.
Bake them for 5 mints. Take them out and prick them with fork so that puffs don’t rise much.
Again transfer them in oven. Bake them for 15- 20 mints at 175 deg C or till they turn out barely golden. Transfer them over a cooling rack.
Meanwhile the puffs are baking in oven. Mix in milk and icing sugar properly for the glaze.
Prepare the instant cream filling
Mix in a bowl, double cream, caster sugar, vanilla essence and thick custard .You may use only vanilla custard in place of double cream. But cream does add a good texture. Beat till they turn out thick.
Now take the puffs, with gentle hand or with the help of tines of fork, try to separate them from the middle. Place generously the instant cream filling and place the other end over it.
Now prepare the glazing. Mix in milk and icing sugar and vanilla extract. If you think the glaze is thick add some more milk or if you think this has turn out thin.
Now glaze the evenly over the baked puffs by drizzling the mixture over the baked puffs.
Melt in an M/W safe bowl, dark chocolate pieces for 1 mint.
With the help of a small desert spoon, drizzle chocolates over the glazed cream puffs. You can make marbled appearance if you wish to decorate more.
Keep them covered in refrigerator till all is set.

You are ready with chocolate cream puffs. Best if eaten within 2-3 days.

Serve and enjoy.

Note-

The amount of cream and glaze can be adjusted, we don’t like much cream and sweetness, so we use bare minimum of what is required.
In place of double cream, you can use only thick pudding or vanilla ambrosia custard as well.

Updated

Sending this post to Srivalli's Chocolate Mela.....

Happy Cooking Friends

Poush Parbon 'er Recipes -Sankranti/Lohri Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Here is a list of recipes for Sankranti/Lohri/Poush Parbon that I had prepared earlier . Just thought it would be nice to group together in single page.

Ranga aloor pantua

Sedho Puli

Shoro Chakhli - Mong dal dosa

Noton gurer Payesh- Semiya Payesh

Narkel Nadu

Darbesh

Pati-shapta

Payesh- Kheer

Lohri Recipes

Mungfali ki chikki

Till Ke Gajak

Poha ke kurmure ladoo

Granola Ladoo

To all my readers -

Wish you all a very happy Poush Parbon ,Makar Sankranti and Lohri.

Happy cooking friends

Couscous and Dried Fruits Stuffed Roasted Chicken Breast

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:06:00 +0000

Usually we do like to eat chicken as Hassle Free Chicken curry and / or Roasted Chicken , but sometimes just out of sheer eagerness and being experimental in nature, I try to explore new dimensions in fixing up chicken. Well, then comes this stuffed chicken breast recipe, which we prepared way back during one of the days of long winter holidays. I kept reminding myself that I have to post this recipe and must clear my drafts at least before New Year, but somehow it didn’t work out.

Now with this, comes to an assumption about festive foods. I must add to that, I really don’t know if you think these recipes should always tag along during Christmas and New Year celebrations or for that matter any other celebrations. But to me whenever you feel like celebrating, I would say go ahead, who’s stopping you to celebrate as celebrations don’t need any reasons. It just what you feel in your heart when you do feel celebrating. Right?

And celebrations mean good food and in company of your loved and near ones even if it’s not a usual festive day or for that matter festive season.

Couscous and Dried fruits stuffed Roasted Chicken Breast

Recipe requirements ( serves- 3-4 people)

2 large chicken breast
For the seasoning of chicken breasts pieces
½ tsp of salt+1 tsp of black pepper
For the stuffing
½ cup of couscous
½ cup of assorted mixture of dried fruits
1/2 tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
Salt as per taste
1 cup of water to cook couscous
For the sauce
3-4 tbs of butter
3-4 tbs of cherry jam
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of nutmeg powder
And 3-4 tsp of dried herbs

Method

M/W a cup of water at high for 1 mint .Add red pepper powder and cinnamon powder in the cup and stir well .This gives a nice cinnamon flavor to the cooked couscous and also the required amount of spiciness.And then add in the couscous into it. Cover it and let it sit there about half an hour. Cous cous will tend to swell out absorbing the water. It will make double the amount of cous cous you have soaked in water.
Clean the chicken breast pieces in water and then pat them dry with kitchen towel.
Now cut into 3 equal pieces depending on the size and weight of chicken breast pieces. Now place one piece in greaseproof paper, roll over from the opposite corner of greaseproof paper covering over the chicken breast piece.
Now gently start pounding/patting the chicken pieces, make sure the strokes are gentle otherwise the tender chicken breast meat will tear out. Tip- you can use rolling pin to gently pound the chicken pieces.
Sprinkle salt and black pepper. Keep aside.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce and put the oven to preheat, preheat oven at 175 deg C.
Soak about 6 toothpicks in water, this makes them soft, so easy to work with them.
Melt in butter and jam in a melting pot, adjust salt if required, then add cinnamon powder+nutmeg powder. Add in about a cup of water. This will make it thin. Cook it for 5-8 mints till all gets well mixed up.Make sure the sauce don't get burnt.

Now in a mixing bowl, Mix in assorted dried fruit mix + cooked couscous. Taste for salt. Now this mixture is sweet and savory both, as couscous lends the savory part and dried fruit mixture gives a sweet texture. How ever if you think you may skip any one and make savory filling or sweet filling as well.
Now place about 2 tsp of stuffing mixture on one side. Start rolling gently from that side, and when you have reached the other end with the help of toothpicks, seal the gaps and hook it well. You can alternately use thread for sealing the sides. Make other rolls similarly.
Place aluminum foil/greaseproof paper over a roasting tray. Line all the rolled and stuffed chicken breast neatly.
Sprinkle generously dried mixed herbs over each stuffed chicken breast.
Transfer them in the oven. Bake them for 10 mints at 175 deg C.Take them out, drizzle generously the jam butter sauce over it.
Transfer again to the oven and bake another 10 -15 mints at 175 deg C.Take out when done.Again drizzle the sauce generously.Reserve some sauce for serving with the stuffed chicken.
Serve and enjoy.

Note-

You can either make savory or sweet filling. You can use only cous cous for savory stuffing or the dried fruit mixture for the sweet filling. The recipe above is a mixture of savory and sweet filling which we liked a lot.
You can use cheddar cheese+ finely chopped mushroom for the stuffing as well. That is another way stuffed chicken breast can be made.
Another sauce which goes well with this recipe is cranberry sauce.Use fresh cranberries in place of cherry jam and while cooking up the sauce, add brown sugar or caster sugar to it.Cranberries are sour in taste so requires proper sweetness and texture which brown sugar tends to add.

Happy Cooking Friends

A Special Request

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:24:00 +0000

I have been getting a lot of comments from fellow food bloggers who are new to food blogging world with links to your food blogs and food events.
I have been blogging for the past 5 years with some decent page views a month. So, I know at the end of the day all we want is some readers whocan read our posts.

I have created a page just under the header- Food Blog List , Food Events and More

This tab/ Sticky Post - is dedicated to thriving Indian food blog community. This will be a one stop point for me and perhaps many to find out what goes in food blogging world.

If you are interested to promote your webpage and food events, then drop me a comment in that post. I will be gladly updating the post with links to your WebPages and food events so that more people can read your blog and participate in your food blog events.

This is my way of appreciating your precious food blogs friends.

Happy Cooking and Blogging Friends

Baklava- New Year Sweet Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:10:00 +0000

A new year, a new phase and in the back of my mind playing "Here I am " sung by Bryan Adams.
And on a new start in a new year what could be more appropriate than a sweet post. And I don’t need much to say about Baklava. Well blame it all over, our indulgence in having sweets or deserts this holiday season or these tempting Baklava which we were eating like anything.
This holiday season I have put on weight.There, there it goes to drain, all my efforts of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. But whatever be the reason other than eating baklavas, do you think we food bloggers tend to put on weight faster than the normal jet speed is, as we have been blogging well about food or is it just me?

Scene 1- Somewhere in a suburbs office, at 8.45 a.m on a boring Monday morning. - So what is the first thing you see joining back to office/workplace after these relaxing holidays is over? You make notes of people around your cabin/cubicles.And what you take notes of? Well, how much weight one has put on. And again you feel elated when you see someone nagging about putting up more weight than you did this time. It well, makes you a winner in your own eyes. Well see I am doing little better than you. Oh! That again calls for some more sweets. Now where is my snack box with sugary walnut Baklavas…?

Scene 2- Somewhere near a school at 3.30 p.m. on a tiring Tuesday afternoon - While picking up your kid from school on the very first day of school after these long festive holidays, what you realize? You realize that some of the playground gossipers have picked up clothes that were put on sale at bargain prices on the great Boxing Day. No it’s not the clothes which are the problems, it’s the weight again. Those clothes do not fit them now and they need to exchange or return it. Again that makes you a winner in your eyes. Again that calls for another piece of having those royal baklavas.Now where is my snack box with some Baklava pieces tucked inside neatly...Was it in the car or was it in my purse..?

Scene 3 – Look, there are hundred reasons to eat Baklava and I don’t need to add much on that.And even if I keep on eating another piece of Baklava, well world will not come to an end.And again on next new year, we will be discussing about weight gain and its adverse effects on our lifestyle. It’s just like circle of life. As simple as that.

Baklava is traditionally a Turkish desert or may be a Lebanese or may be an Armenian desert or may be a Mediterranean Greek desert or whatever.What matters is you can make them in home and that too with the flavours you wish to add. I generally like to make these during festive times. Now I don’t think filo sheets is that much easily available back home. I don’t know about supermarkets there.If you any place , do share the Information here.

But here in abroad, you can easily get filo pastry/sheets from the frozen section of supermarkets. Usually a packet has 8-10 sheets which is what this recipe calls for. Take two packets to make double layer baklava.

These individual pieces, when brought from local café or cake outlets burns hole in the pockets. But if you can make them in home it’s much more economic and more importantly you know the stuff that goes inside it.

Now to the recipe

Baklava- a sweet treat
Recipe Requirements - makes- 20

1 packet of frozen filo pastry
3-4 cups of crushed walnuts and almonds
½ cup of pistachios crushed very finely and some more for garnishing
½ cup of melted butter
2 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tbs of lemon juice and some lemon peels
7-8 tbs of caster sugar+ some more to mix with dry fruits about 2-3 tbs
¾ cup of water

Method

Thaw the frozen puff sheets/filo pastry prior of making the baklava.
Now crush toasted walnuts and almonds with rolling pin over a chopping board or in a mixer. Always prepare the dried fruits mixture first.
Flavor it with cinnamon powder+ little bit of caster sugar
Before you start making the baklava, it’s better to make ahead sugar syrup first. This time I almost forgot. Tip- I have to cool it over a pan, a larger pan than the pan/pot with sugar syrup with ice-cold water stirring it.Well, kind of a quick chill. Just crush some ice in water to get ice-cold water; anyhow the water here is almost freezing in the month of December.
Ok, now after you have made the sugar syrup, taste it to check the sweetness. Add more sugar and let it cook a little more or till sugar dissolves completely.
If you are big fan of rose essence in your Baklava, I would recommend using it in sugar syrup, otherwise skip it.
While making the sugar syrup, add cinnamon powder, about a tbs of lemon juice and some lemon peels if possible and make a good stir. Let it cool a little bit.
Now start assembling the baklava.Filo sheets tends to become dry quick. Cover it with a towel while working with it.
Melt butter in M/W.Melt just required coating the base layer of baklava. Then another batch when you are coating the top layer. The layering depends on the kind of how much thick or thin baklava you want to make. Traditionally a 38 – 40 layer baklava is made. No, I don’t think I can make that much so ended up using a single packet which has only 8 -10 sheets perhaps. So my base layer has 4 sheets and then the top layer has 4 sheets, and dried fruits are tucked inside precisely.
Place a grease proof paper over a 13* 9 inch baking tray. If you wish you may cut the sheets into half. I thought just as folding the excess part over the sheet was much easy and besides it is quick and don’t get tear .Even if the sheets gets teared, don’t fret the end result hardly shows any impact.
Now keep on coating/brushing the filo sheets and then placing it over against the last one. After 4-5 sheets, spread the dried fruit+cinnamon powder+sugar mixture generously and evenly.
Now start covering with other sheets. Top layer will have at least 3 or 4 sheets. If you want a double layer of dried fruits then use two packets of filo pastry/puff sheets instead of one.
Brush the remaining filo sheets with melted butter. Cut into diagonals like pyramids or into square of about 1*1 inch.
Preheat an oven for 4-5 mints at 175 deg C. Transfer the assembled baklava into oven and bake for 15-20 mints or till the sheets turn little golden.
Take out the baklava and then slowly start pouring the sugar syrup over it.Tip- Please do not hurry while pouring sugar syrup. Drizzle over the sides and along the diagonal cuts slowly about a tsp at a time.
Let it sit there for overnight for better flavors next day. And if you don’t want to wait then enjoy.

Note-

If you are not a big fan of spices, then skip cinnamon powder in sugar syrup and just drizzle plain sugar syrup. Adding rose essence or rose water also enhances the flavor.
The dried fruit mixture can be pistachios or walnuts or almonds making them different types of Baklava.
As a garnishing you can sprinkle pistachio powder.Just my two cents on Baklava.

Happy Cooking Friends

The Year That Was- Bye-Bye 2011- Welcome 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:59:00 +0000

Another fabulous year coming to end soon. And as a customary for the past years or so like in 2008, and in 2009 and last in 2010 , just thought of posting a recap of recipes this year as well. Sending this post to Srivalli's Best of the year-2011 food event .One food event I really look forward to.

In case you have missed any post, this is perfect time to catch up with those missed post.Also my food blog turned 5 this year.So, many things have happened and I tried many new things, many new meal ideas and cuisine.

Starting in reverse order from the very first post in the year 2011,

Lentil soup with Bengali touch- a simple urid dal /korai’er dal with a soupy texture. A perfect bowl of soup to warm up the cold evening.Recipe Link
Creamed Spinach tomato and Chestnut soup- a healthy soup to warm up a cold evening with toasted chestnut for a change.Recipe link
Traditional pati sapta- Pati sapta made from scratch with basmati rice. If you are little experimental then can check kheer patisapta recipe as well.Recipe Link
Mungfali ki chikki/badam chakti/peanut brittle- Well these are quick snack preparations in case a hunger pangs strike you at odd hours of the day. Give it to your lil ones lunch box as sweet treat or pack it in your travel bag, where ever you go these will remain with you ready to be eaten.Recipe Link
Runner beans cooked in mustard sauce- shorshe runner beans, an easy side dish to make in hurry.Recipe Link
Aloo Marrow’er Ghaint- Marrow is a kind of vegetable belonging to squash family I guess, so the texture this end up is kind of very mushy in any sabzi.Marrow ki sabzi or ghaint in Bengali is one flavorful recipe that can be very well paired up with luchi or paratha.Recipe Link
Vegetarian oats aloo ki tikki- Oats are a healthy option, a very basic aloo ki tikki is enhanced and made healthier by adding quick oats to it. And who doesn’t love tikki chaat right? Recipe Link
Eggless Banana Chocolate Muffin- this is one of my DD‘s favorite muffins and is eggless too.Recipe Link
Poha ladoo/rice flakes ladoo- When some cravings suddenly creep up, have this healthy crunchy poha ladoo.Recipe Link
Oven baked tilapia in coconut milk and tomato sauce- a very quick fish curry with coconut milk and tomato sauce.Recipe Link
Mango flavored sponge cake- a simple vanilla sponge cake is made more flavorful by adding mango puree to it.Recipe Link
Cream of chicken and mushroom soup- a classic soup made in comfy of a relaxed home environment, a soup to fill your heart with much warmth in the cold season.Recipe Link
Gajar halwa- I don’t think I need to add any write up to it!! Recipe Link
Pineapple banana coconut coffee cake- one of the best cakes I have ever made in my entire life.So you can guess about that cake.Recipe Link
Sea bass with cauliflower- an experimental take on traditional bhetki phulkopir torkari as the texture of sea bass is quite similar to our very own bhekti fish.Recipe Link
Fish keema curry- Mach’er keema with loads of spices and flavors.Recipe Link
Fish shammi kababs- a classic kabab recipe with fish as the main ingredient.Recipe Link
Banana blueberry walnut loaf- very delicious breakfast bread.Recipe Link
Keema kofta curry- Chicken mince balls in spicy and tangy sauce.Recipe Link
Spicy sea bass and lentil curry- Masoor dal fritters and sea bass fish curry with tomato, a perfect way to brighten your lunch table with warm cooked rice.Recipe Link
Choto aloor dom- Baby potatoes in spicy tomato gravy.Recipe Link
Wheat bulgur pilaf with chick peas- inspired by Turkish cuisine.Recipe Link
Bori sojne data diye pona mach’er jhaal- Fish curry with wadis and drumsticks.Recipe Link
Lobia curry- black eye bean in spicy gravy.Recipe Link
Koi mach’er jhaal- To me Koi fish is quite exotic as we don’t get fresh supply of this fish back home, but we do get it easily here.Recipe Link
Paka amer ambol- ripened mango sweet sour chutney.Click here
Mach’er dim ‘er jhal- fish roe curry a very flavorful recipe.Click Here
Tartar sauce- made with Indian touch, can be a great dip with shammi kababs .Click here
Curried mushroom tortilla wrap- When in no mood to cook, these wraps saves my day. .Click here
Carrot soup- a healthy soup to brighten our day.Recipe Link
Fried rice with yellow peas and carrots- left –over rice is used in a very innovative way of frying and spicing it up with yellow peas and carrots.Click here
Tomato chicken- a very tangy and flavorful chicken curry in spicy tomato gravy.Click Here
Wheat flour ladoo- Atta ladoo a healthy alternative to besan ladoos in case you wish to try it out.Click here
Apple pear oats smoothie- a request and a cute one from my DD and the result was this smoothie.Click Here
Sea bream fish curry- never made anything with sea bream before i tried making thisSo, was not sure how it will end up but to my surprise this was something a really great discovery for us, the fish and the curry which it goes with it.Now a frequent in our menu plans.Click here. also completed five years in food blogging.
Dal chicken pilaf- This recipe is inspired by kedgeree where fish is used with lentils and rice. Instead of fish I have used left over pieces of roasted chicken and dal.Click here
Egg curry made easy- dim’er jhal a classic Bengali recipe with absolutely no fry method.Click here
Sweet corn stuffed paratha- paratha with spicy sweet corn, an easy paratha for dinner or breakfast whatever way you prefer.Click here
Sweet corn kasta kachuri- traditional Upean nashta/breakfast recipe with sweet corn.Click here
Pan fried spiced haddock sandwich- a very filling lunch with haddock fish and Italian herbed cheese bread. A flavorful sandwich when you run out of options and are looking for some experimental recipe Click here.
Pearl barley soup- a very healthy and easy breezy soup for a very cold evening.Click here
Kolkata biryani and kosha murgi- my take on this very famous meal combo.Click here
Salmon fish curry- salmon fish curry with potato and red bell pepper.Click here
Chocolate chip muffin- an easy muffin recipe for any festive season.Click here
Christmas fruit cake- a non-alcoholic and kid friendly recipe for the traditional Christmas fruit cake recipe.Click here

I have finally created the much awaited sticky page – my food blog list. You can check it here
If you also want to be included to the food blog list just let me know, I will update the page.

All said and done, be safe in this New Year eve. Be responsible, do not mix alcohol and driving; remember some one is waiting for you in home.

Wish you and yours a very happy, prosperous, healthy and appetizing new year.

Happy Cooking Friends

Christmas Fruit Cake and Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:10:00 +0000

We decorated our small Christmas tree with dazzling decorative. Our symbols for hope, peace and tranquility. In this world of many conflicts, if we can find a little peace within ourselves then perhaps half of the problems would vanish. And peace and joy is the message festive season brings to us all. When we light up candles in a dark cornered room, little we realize that we have lighted candles of hope.

A quite corner of the living room, which otherwise goes unnoticed , but the moment you keep a Christmas tree all decorated and lighted , that corner of the room becomes special. That quite corner is perhaps the most peaceful part of proximity; one can create for himself or herself to connect with ones true inner self.

The laughter of a loved one running around that tree. And the tender hands trying to reach out to the top of tree for implanting symbol of peace and tranquility either an angel or a star. Then putting up twinkling lights all around the tree and finally dusting it off with artificial snow flakes. Whatever you can think off, it brings a sense of peace within you. Isn’t?

Sit back, hold your breathe and try to soak this ray of hope, love and laughter that surrounds you and your loved ones. Feel blessed for the little things that happen and will happen to you. Life will go on like it used to be, but you wont find these golden moments again perhaps. Live life with full vigor and zest. After all it’s that special time of the year again.

Our DD made her own magic wand this holiday. She has been experimenting with it quite often and says it works!!

Well we have to believe for the little amazing things she says. And “believing” is what we need these days. Don’t we?
She asked me two riddles the other day, so I am going to ask all to you

What is Santa’s real name?
And what are the names of Santa’s reindeers?

Well, I have no answer to that, I know I can easily google search but just for festive season spirit, I am asking it here. Do let me know if you know the answers to riddles.

Now to the recipe part

Well it’s a sort of a tradition to make rich fruit cake for the Christmas eve .With festive season there is sudden upsurge in having sweet tooth all across the globe. Well, we are no exception either. Over a period of time we have started liking this Christmas fruit cake. This fruit cake recipe is non-alcoholic and kid friendly.

Generally Christmas fruit cake is made at least 4-5 days prior of Christmas Eve so that the taste and flavor gets fully matured in a densely packed very sweet cake. We tend to like less dried fruit and less sweet in our cakes, so I end up using less both.

I have always followed basic guidelines from this cake recipe and adjusted the amount of sweetness and use of dried fruits according to our taste buds. There are other recipes out there like this , this and this , which do give concise instructions on Christmas fruit cake but all depend heavily on alcohols or some other ingredients which are not that much available back home.

I have made few changes to make the recipe alcohol free and kid friendly. This has results which are more superior to the Christmas fruit cake you get easily at your local cake shops. Believe me, if you try once in your home kitchen, you wont go back again to your local cake shop to get the Christmas cake.

Christmas Fruit Cake
Recipe requirements

300 g of dried mixed fruit assortments (sultanas, currants, dried apricots, dried pineapple, raisins and cherries)
15-20 walnuts
15 -20 almonds
½ cup of California raisins
15-20 shelled pistachios
1 cup of mango peach juice/ or orange juice
3-4 tbs of cherry jam/or marmalade / or apricot jam
125 g / 1 cup of plain flour
125 g /1 cup of self raising flour
125 g/ ½ cup of butter
140 g/ ½ cup of caster sugar /or 140 g of brown sugar
3 free range eggs
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of nutmeg powder
1 tsp of mixed spice powder

Method

Crush walnuts, almonds and pistachios while working with rolling pin over your chopping board. If possible slightly toast them on med flame for 6-7 mints in a wok or kadhai.
Now soak the dried fruit assortment mixture+crushed walnuts, almonds and pistachios with juice and jam. I happen to have Tropicana- mango peach and papaya juice, so used that. You can use plain orange juice as well. Again, apricot jam or marmalade is good, but I didn’t have any so end up using cherry jam. Since jam and juice already has sugar, I would suggest using less sugar in making the cake. And also if you are planning to make marzipan topping in case, then stick to using less sugar. As marzipan is well quite sweet and rich.
This dried fruit and juice mixture needs proper soaking, I have soaked them overnight , but would love to see if it possible to soak this for 3-4 days. Some, Ok, most of the people love to drench this with brandy/rum/sherry. I happen to think otherwise so didn’t add none. But if you do like strong alcoholic flavors in fruit cake then definitely go ahead.
The other day, take your time out for making this cake. In a separate bowl, beat in egg one by one. It would be better if eggs can be taken out earlier or at room temperature.
Now cream butter and sugar very well. Now, add the egg mixture gently all mixing all through with sugar and butter.
Now sieve the flour, mix self raising and plain flour very well. You can use only plain flour as well skipping self raising flour part.
Now, add in baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice powder. Add raisins now if you wish to add little bit more.
Add the soaked dried fruits to the flour mixture.
Now start mixing the flour mixture and the sugar+butter+egg mixture.DONOT beat the mixture, we need the air so, gently fold it and mix.

Preheat oven at 150 deg C. Prepare cake tins. I have two small sandwich tins, so end up using both, resulting in two cakes. However, if you have square cake pans or round Bundt pan, use them to make the cake. TIP- Line the cake pans with greaseproof paper. This will help in even cooking of cake. Cakes otherwise tend to cook quickly around the sides as compared to centre of the cake.
Place the cake pans in middle of the rack. Bake them for about 30 mints.
Now transfer them in lower rack and switch the oven temperature to 140 deg C.
Bake the cake for 1 and half hrs at 140 deg C.
Now take them out and cover with aluminum foil and bake them again for 30 mints at 140 deg C.
Switch off the oven and let it sit there for about 1 hr covered with aluminium foil.

Note-

Take out and again drench them in juice. If you are using alcohol then drench in alcohol. The cake tends to mature well till Christmas day. You just need to brush with juice or alcohol everyday once .Alcohol drenching also increases shell life, however with juice I am not sure. So, after keeping it covered all through the night, open the foil other day and enjoy. And if you don’t have that much of patience then well I don’t need to tell you what you have to do. Right!!
If you wish you can make marzipan topping and decorate it. We just thought it would be nice to avoid even more cream and dried fruits so; a plain slice was just perfect for us.
Christmas fruit cake with all that dried fruits is well, very heavy so keep in mind that you are dealing here with a high calorie desert, so eat well and don’t over do it. But all said and done, once a year it’s quite OK to indulge yourself. After all festivity and good food are co-related.
You can add brown sugar in place of caster sugar; even muscavado sugar works very well.Muscavado sugar also has long shell life.You can make your own caster sugar by grinding the granulated sugar you have in home in a heavy duty mixer/grinder.
This Christmas cake is non-alcoholic and kid friendly. You can very well adjust alcohol content and make it even more flavorful. But trust me on that, if you have made this cake once in your home kitchen, you won’t intend to buy the Fruits cake available in cake shops. And plus point is you know what goes inside this cake.
While serving, add a dollop of vanilla ice-cream or just drizzle double cream all over it .Just perfect for a warm evening on Christmas eve with your loved ones.

Updated

Updated to answer the riddles

1) What is the real name of Santa Claus ?
Ans- St.Nicholas and one interesting name is also Kris Kringle.Interestingly a famous movie was made on believing about his existence and which also referred to his name as "Kris Kringle." Movie was "Miracle on 34th Street" which got many academy awards.

2) What are the names of Santa's reindeers?
Ans- Dasher, Dancer, Prancer,Vixen,Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolf.Among all of them Rudolf is the most famous I guess derived from a famous story of "Rudolf the red nose reindeer.All other names are from a famous poem " Twas The Night Before Christmas " a poem written by Clement Clark Moore.

Wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and happy cooking friends.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:20:00 +0000

We like eating various types of muffins.DD has been particularly asking for quite some time now to make chocolate chip muffins, like the ones available here in supermarkets. Now, I have tried making Eggless Chocolate Muffin in past, which always turn out moist whenever I have had baked them.

Kids tend to develop flavors with each passing years I guess. Initial few years, it was apple muffins/buns .So, was making these Apple Buns quite a lot. Then it was time for egg less chocolate muffins and now her current favorite is Chocolate chip muffin. Well, I thought why not make them. What are Christmas holidays without Christmas goodies?

I have never used self raising flour to make muffins earlier, so never knew how that might end up. I have made pancakes, ice-cream cake rolls with self raising flour earlier. To be honest I do think good quality flour is sufficient to make decent muffin. But in case, you expect kind of a texture angel cupcakes have, light and spongy soft , I would say go ahead make muffins with self raising flour.

Here is how the recipe goes

Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes- 12 large muffins

Recipe requirements

About 2 cups of self raising flour
¾ cup of granulated sugar
½ cup of cooking oil
½ tsp of baking soda
½ tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 cup of chocolate chip preferably milk chocolate chip
3-4 tbs of thick yogurt
2 large free range eggs

Method

Sieve in flour and then add cinnamon powder, baking powder and baking soda.TIP- Use premium quality self raising flour for soft and light muffin. Add in the chocolate chips to the flour mixture and reserve some to be used later at the time of baking.
Now mix in cooking oil and sugar in a separate mixing bowl. Add egg one at a time mixing very well.
Add in yogurt and mix well with other wet ingredients.
Add chocolate chips to flour mixture.
Now start mixing the flour mixture with oil+sugar+egg+yogurt mixture slowly, till all the flour mixture has been used up.
Preheat an oven at 175 deg C. Line up the muffin tray with muffin cases.
Scoop about 1 large tbs of the above prepared batter and fill the muffin cases. This much of the batter makes 12 large size muffins.
Bake for 20-22 mints or till a toothpick when inserted comes out clean. Let it cool a bit 10-15 mints on wire rack. Now transfer the muffin in air tight containers and store them in refrigerator. When having it for breakfast or as a simple snack. Pop it in M/W and microwave at high for 10-15 sec.Viola you are ready to eat.

Happy Cooking Friends

Salmon Fish Curry with Red Bell Pepper and Potato

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:29:00 +0000

School holidays have started here. So for couple of weeks, my mornings would be little relaxed for a change. And who don’t love relaxed atmosphere and especially if it’s Christmas coming near.
This year we got a small Christmas tree and few bunch/packets of decoratives.DD had been enthusiastically thinking various ways to decorate it since the day we got it. Today we finally managed to finish decorating our small tree. I have always felt that being religious is different than being spiritual.

The country and the culture which it offers and that we live in, we should try to imbibe the better aspects in every possible way. There is such a warm feeling about Christmas especially revolving around kids. So, when kids are involved, I do think we should go ahead and make the most out of it.

I am sure you all have started making/baking Christmas goodies. Well I haven’t yet started anything special, so will post the recipes in coming days later. For the time being its flavorful salmon and red bell pepper curry.
We do get salmon steaks here easily. A packet of frozen wild salmon comes with 5 steaks, which serves the purpose well for a small family like us. We slowly are getting adjusted to the new flavor of salmon. As back home, we never tried making or eating salmon in any possible way.

I generally like to smear holod (turmeric) and noon (salt) to every steak pieces, and then put them marinating for about an hour. And then I deep fry the steak pieces in hot oil. DH prefer mach’er jhal (fish curry) with properly fried fish pieces. So this curry always satisfies and serves the purpose very well.

Now to the recipe

Salmon Fish curry with Red Bell Pepper and Potato
Recipe requirements

5 wild salmon steaks
1 red bell pepper
1 large potato
1 medium size onion
2 fat coves of garlic
About 1 tsp of grated ginger
2-3 green chilies
1 tomato
Seasonings
1 tsp of grounded turmeric+1/2 tsp of marinating fish steaks
2 tsp of coriander powder
2 tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of salt+little bit more for marinating fish steaks
Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Thaw the salmon fish steaks if using frozen steaks.Tip- Run some cold tap water for quick thawing otherwise do it in fridge for about 20 to 24 hrs.Just shift it from freezer section to fridge section and then wait.Generally if you intend to make fish curry for dinner , thaw it slowly in fridge from morning.Or run tap water specially cold tap water for quick thawing.But never hot water as it may damage the texture of fish and also may contaminate it with bacteria growth.
Then wash them well in water once they are properly thawed and pat them dry. Now rub grounded turmeric and salt generously over each steak pieces. Set aside and leave it for marination.
Meanwhile chop the vegetables- bell pepper, potato in equal size. Cut and chop onion, tomato, garlic and grate ginger using mandolin or grater/”kadokus”.
Now heat up a large saucepan, add cooking oil.Fry the fish steaks properly both side till it turn out nice crisp brown. Take out and drain on kitchen towel.
Now add more oil to the saucepan, add in chopped onion, garlic and grated ginger. Keep frying it for 3-4 mints at med-high flame, gas mark 5.
Now add in chopped potato and red bell pepper. Add the dry seasonings- red pepper powder, turmeric, coriander and salt. Mix in well and sprinkle some water.
Add finely chopped tomato and slit green chilies. Keep on frying the gravy for about 5-8 mints stirring in between.
Add about 2 cups of water. Slowly add fried salmon fish steak pieces. Cover and let it cook for 7-10 mints or till potatoes turn out soft.
Serve and enjoy with warm cooked rice.

Note

Many a times I do like to add thick coconut milk instead of water only, making it more like a coastal/Malvani coconut milk fish curry.
Salmon Steaks needs careful attention while deep frying.Give them enough time for proper deep frying before you flip and turn to other side.Try to maintain a constant flame at med-high or gas mark -5 for proper deep frying.

Happy Cooking Friends

Kolkata Biryani and Kosha Murgi/Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:55:00 +0000

Its almost mid of December and soon another year will be gone.Yesterday DD had an active school day with Christmas production in her school.Well she has been very excited about her performance and has been rehersing a lot.DH joined us later in the evening for the performance.DD has been constantly persuing her father to come and watch her performance which incidently he had missed earlier on two occasions for the past two years.
This time DD has been impatient and little bit complaining.So, when she finally saw her father right there from the stage, her face was all lit up even with more confidence.A small request from her side but the memories will going to last forever I am sure for that. This is one of those rare occasions when DH even switched off his cellphone during the performance.Never it was an easy thing to do, but at least just for few mints.

That makes me really wonder are we loosing out the oppurtunities where we can truly seek out happiness in doing simple things or chores as simple as watching our children perform for the function or just going out for a walk together.Well I will leave out to you, to decide.

Now to the recipe

Kolkata biryani – does it ring any bell. Well even it doesn’t, I would say no problem with that. I , We ( DH +Me ) have been an avid lover of light and fluffy biryanis churned out from the various kitchen of modern dastarkhans in Kolkata read here Shiraz/Arsenal/Rehmani a etc..I really can’t remember when we first had our first brush with those delicately and lightly flavored fluffy biryanis.What goes inside those kitchens I really don’t know, but they have been serving Kolkata people for a very long time now with all those delicious food.
I don’t want to endorse any particular restaurant but if you ask me, I would prefer any day going to these food chains rather than to a very posh, articulate and sober restaurant where things are way too much dramatized. When I mean food, I mean good food at affordable price. You eat and enjoy the taste slowly hitting your palate. As simple as that.

I have been thinking about a delicately flavored biryani for a long time now. I remember going to one of SBM’s Pishima’r house (paternal aunt’s home) and being served with 7 course meals at lunch time. Those were our initial married days and every one was rushing to call us home for a lunch or dinner date. So, we have been eating quite a lot of rich foods but of course home-cooked meals. We Bengalis have this inner feeling of showering love and affection by serving food to newly married couples. No, and we also feel offended if the newly married couples don’t eat properly. I was very thin then so my eating portions were less. They all used to say then “Boumar Khaba ta Pakhir khaba, bhalo korey khete shikhte hobe.” Meaning -She eats like a bird, got to improve her appetite. Now, things are different, I am no more thin (ah! distant dream ) and well about appetite, what more can I see, you all are reading this blog for the past 5 years.

Coming to the important part here. What I remembered was a very delicately flavored and aromatic fluffy biryani served with a fried half potato. They called it Kolkata Biryani.Now, my introduction to Kolkata culture had just started then. So, everything which was intriguing always caught my attention. I had never heard of Kolkata biryani , may be that was something to do with the upbringing part which was outside Kolkata and in the northern belt of India. I remembered a 7 course meal was served. All the recipes were cooked to perfect 10.There was bhaja moong dal, aloo bhaja, begon royal (SBM’s cousin sister M made that from a popular Bengali magazine-Sanonda) Then it was chingri malaikari, kosha mangsho, delicately flavored Kolkata biryani which had every rice grains cooked to perfect 10.Then it was all sorts of assortment of mishti-chom-chom, langcha, sandesh, rosogolla and not to mention chatni and mishti doi. What a feast that was, but then it ended up on taking medicines like Digene.Thats another story.Well which Bengali home doesn’t stock Digene. Right?

That delicate flavor of Kolkata Biryani lingered on our taste buds for long time. And then that urge to re-capture, re-create that lost flavor hit me so hard that I decided to made it all by myself here far away from home. I don’t have a luxury to call my favorite food chains (arsenal/rehmania/shiraz) for a quick home delivery. And the kind of food that is made in restaurants here in abroad, I would say I am at least better doing it in my small kitchen in this small apartment with limited set of appliances/pots etc - which I call, BTW my home now.

So, this is how I made it.

Calcutta biryani and Kosha Murgi/chicken

Recipe requirements
A base masala paste used for both the recipes
2-3 large white onions
5-6 fat garlic pods
½ inch ginger
2-3 green chilies
5-6 walnuts
10-12 almonds
10 -12 cashews
Before you pulse through to make a smooth paste, it’s necessary to blanch the walnuts, almonds and cashews.
M’/W at high a large cup of water to make it warm enough. Soak all the dry fruits for 15-20 mints or till they become soft and you can easily peel off the skin.
Now pulse through in heavy duty mixer grinder all- onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, walnuts, cashews and almonds.
Divide the batter in two portions. Use more for Chicken kosha and less for Kolkata biryani say just about 2-3 tbs.

Kolkata/Calcutta biryani

Recipe requirements (serves 3-4)

1 and half cup of basmati rice
2-3 tbs of above prepared masala paste
Yogurt -2-3 tbs
½ tsp of Nutmeg powder ( jaiphol goron)
2 tsp of Garam masala ( or use cardamom/elaichi powder+ cloves/long powder – I didn’t had cardamom and cloves so used packet garam masala available here)
2 Potatoes cut into large cubes with skin on and properly fried
½ cup of raisins (optional )
3-4 tbs of cooking oil/ghee
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of sugar
Saffron strands (8-10 ) soaked in lukewarm milk (optional)

Method
I will go with how I made it, irrespective of various other methods of preparing Calcutta biryani.

First of all clean rice twice in water, not more than that as it may turn the rice grain more prone to breaking at the time of cooking.
Soak them in some water, again not more than 10-15 mints which I would recommend doing it.
If possible dry them over news paper or kitchen towels, but not necessary as I always do make the pulao skipping this part, well not an excuse but always end up short of time.
Ok when the preparation of rice is complete.
Now shift your attention towards frying the masala paste which you took it out from the main paste you prepared earlier.
Heat up a large pot enough to hold and cook the rice. Add little bit of oil and fry the potatoes well.take out and drain.
Add cooking oil, add the masala paste and fry very well. Add the fried big potato dices as well. Kolkata biryani is incomplete without a portion of fried potato. Trust me on that.
Add dry ingredients like turmeric powder (holod), red pepper powder (lonka goron), nutmeg powder (jaiful goron) and garam masala.Or use elaichi powder+long powder in equal portions.
And add whisked yogurt as well. Adjust salt and sugar.
Keep on frying the paste till it releases the oil or becomes a little dry.
Now add the rice and fry. Do not stir it continuously as it may break the rice. Stir at frequent intervals so that it doesn’t get stuck at the bottom. If you need to add some more cooking oil then add it right at this moment.
Add about 2 cups of water or the level of water should be at least 1’’ inch above the rice level.

That is how my father always showed me cooking dum ka biryani.It’s a basic rule I always follow while making dum biryani.OK, to be on an adventurous note- my Baba always used to put Nora over the large dekchi which was used for making dum ka biryani…We had a large joint family and the dekchi was quite something huge, if not small or large. Feeling nostalgic!! Coming back to recipes here

Add the raisins to the above.

After adding the water, seal the sides of the pan (my poor steel saucepan pan looks nothing near to elegant as compared to the huge petol dekchi/ brass pan I was referring to) with some kneaded atta dough. This locks the moisture essential for dum ka biryani.
I happen to cook this over my iron tava.But again it’s not necessary. You can put the pot on very low flame and cook.
Put the flame at low or gas mark 4 and cook the rice for 30-35 mints. Do not hurry and try to open the seal. I would say open after 1-2 hrs later.
Before serving biryani, sprinkle the saffron flavored milk generously. And close the lid. Let people enjoy what they get at the dinner table.

Note-

This recipe is truly a basic attempt to recapture all the biryanis I , we have eaten pleasurable in many food chains back in kolkata.Arsenal/Shiraz/Rehmani are just few names. I really don’t know what goes behind those kitchens which churn out such delicately flavored biryanis and kabab years after years. But for me this recipe was very delicately flavored and light.
Kolkata biryani is incomplete if potato is not added. As this is the distinctive part of biryani which separates from other regional biryani.Why?? I would say then it must be something to do with recession at the time when Awadhi cuisine was making its presence felt in Bengal. Meat was replaced with an easily available option and that was potato.
Tomato is not added in this biryani ,so in that place I have used thick yogurt to give the proper texture.
Again coriander leaves/mint leaves or curry putta is not added as many relative biryanis do include them. I would say if you prefer adding them, do so just for decorating or garnishing. I have never come across Kolkata biryani even with garnished coriander leaves.
Many a times I do cook the rice initially ¾ ways and then leave rest to cook with the masala paste. If you like even more light and fluffy biryani, then precook your rice grains and then mix in with the fried paste and seal it with very little aromatic water –you can read the recipe for akhnir jhol/aromatic water here. M/W at high for 4-7 mints covered or pop it into oven .Bake at 175 deg for 10-12 mints. Take out and sprinkle the saffron flavored milk and cover again. Do not open the cover from now on. Let it remain covered for 1 hr.At the time of serving open the cover/lid of pan or whatever you are using and then enjoy.

Kosha Chicken recipe ( my way )

Recipe requirements (Serves- 3-4 )

4 large pieces of chicken or 4 drumsticks or leg quarters
The masala paste which is prepared above
Seasoning
3 tsp of coriander powder
2 tsp of garam masala
2 tsp of nutmeg powder
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of sugar
4-5 tbs of cooking oil

Method

Clean the chicken pieces very well with water. And then pat dry them. I happen to use the chicken pieces with skin on. I trimmed some major portions for fats and then cut the skin leaving some traces here and there little bit. I would say the skin of chicken do release some rich oil when it’s cooked which do add to the flavoring of gravy. However if the smell of skin puts you off, then skip it completely. Again I would say the final product what you do eat is excellent without any skin smell as we will be using loads of garam masala for making kosha chicken.
Marinate the chicken pieces with the basic paste you prepared earlier, reserving about 2-3 tbs of paste.
Heat up a saucepan, add cooking oil and let it heat properly. Add the reserved 2-3 tbs of masala paste.
Season it with turmeric, red pepper, coriander, nutmeg powder and gram masala.Sprinkle little bit of water.
Add the marinated chicken pieces with the entire marination. Now keep on cooking the chicken uncovered for about 30 mints. Stirring frequently so that it doesn’t get stuck at the base. Add about ½ cup of water if the chicken has become too dry. Cook further 10-15 mints or the chicken is tender and juicy. Prick with a fork to assess the softness of chicken.
Drop in about 2 tbs of cream or butter to enhance the flavor. Mix in well.
Kosha chicken is ready to be served with mild flavored Kolkata biryani.

I do hope you all get some time to make this light and delicately flavored Kolkata biryani some day and try the kosha murgi also.

Updated
Updated to include other recipe version of Kolkata Biryani.

Updated on 3/01/12

This time made the biryani without cooking it over tava/skillet.
Added some chopped potato cubes, mushrooms and carrots , just to include more vegetables.
Omitted adding turmeric powder completely.
Used extra long high quality rice grains.
Cooked at med-low flame.Added water just above half inch to the entire rice mixture level .Well that includes milk+saffron mixture.
Cooked it , till all the water is used up.Then took it off from the flame.Allowed to remain covered for about 10-15 mints and then open it.

Happy cooking friends.

Winter Vegetarian Pearl Barley Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:35:00 +0000

As gusty wind is hitting furiously in our neck of the woods past two days, temperature has predictably gone low. Well in this weather all we need is this comforting bowl of piping hot soup. Luckily it was sunny today but there was a sudden amount of chill in the air.

I was doing grocery shopping the other day and when I passed near the world food cuisine section, I picked up my favorite couscous as usual. And then my eyes got stuck on simple white shinning grains. When I picked it up it looked more like wheat kernels but then they were white not golden yellow.
I looked up the label and it said pearl barley. Pearl barley is -well why I should tell you. Jokes apart read read here in wiki to know more about it.
Not to be confused with hulled barley where the outer important shield is retain which gives even more nutrition.

There is nothing royal about this recipe, no exotic ingredients being used, but believe me this taste just heaven. I mean a simple soup can really fill you up and it’s ridiculously simple, what more can I add about it. I really wonder why I haven’t come across this great source of nutrition earlier.
DH finished his bowl of soup like hot cake and helped himself with second helping. Then it was my DD’s turn to have her second helping. And I was so delighted that how a simple dish like this can bring our dinner table alive. I started wondering why pearl barley hasn’t received its due credit.

I searched our reliable source internet for various barley recipes. And many of them have beef, or lamb or chicken, but were looking for a vegetarian option. So came up with this recipe. However I would suggest reading this, this and this post for other interesting pearl barley soup recipes as well.

Although any root vegetables like carrot/parsnip etc or leek/celery is used to make barley soup, but I had none at the time of making this soup. When I opened my fridge I saw some mushrooms and carrots. Well of course I had onion and garlic. So, based on these ingredients I started to make this soup.
I do think pearl barley need 35-45 mints of proper cooking. I was in hurry so, I pressure cook the pearl barley. And it was ready in 10 mints.

All you people just try making it, you won’t be disappointed.

Winter Vegetarian Barley soup

Recipe Requirements (Serves 3-4 )

Pearl barley- Roughly 1 to 1 and half cup
1 cup of pasta ( fusilli or penne works fine)
Vegetables of your choice
I happen to use about 2-3 large carrots and
About 200 gms of mushroom
1 yellow bell pepper
2-3 large tomatoes

Seasoning

1and 1/2 tsp of Salt
½ tsp of Crushed chilly flakes or 1 tsp of black pepper powder
2 tsp of dried thyme or fresh thyme which ever is available
Little bit of sugar (optional)

Method

Chop all the vegetables roughly into equal size.
Pressure cook barley for one whistle at high. Stop the flame and then open when pressure subsides properly.
Meanwhile chop tomatoes in half and make roughly 4-5 slices. Transfer them to baking pan. Drizzle cooking oil over them.
Preheat oven at 200 deg and roast tomatoes for 20-25 mints.This way they tend to retain even more flavour.
Now bring a large pot with water to boil. Add all the chopped vegetables, pasta and half of roasted tomatoes.
Open the pressure cooker lid; add in other half roasted tomato. This time add more water about 2 large cups.
Mix the ingredients in two pots in to a large cooking pot. Cover and cook until pasta is tender , about 10 mints.
You may wish then puree the ¼ part of the soup for the thick and creamy soup version.

Note -

One thing should be kept in mind is that since this soup has barley and pasta both this tend to soak the gravy a lot. So, you may see that at the time of serving it turns out thick. So, keeping in mind this it’s necessary to add enough water or any broth/stock before hand in ample amount.
You may use ready-made vegetable or chicken broth for this soup. I didn’t wish to do, so I made it all from scratch.
Serve warm with some cheese. I didn’t like it with cheese but my daughter likes this soup with mozzarella cheese. Enjoy this warm bowl of soup after a day’s hard work or even just for yourself as a real soul warming treat.Don't tell me you need a reason for that.

Have a nice weekend and Happy Cooking Friends.

Pan Fried Spiced Haddock Sandwich with Tartar sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:07:00 +0000

There are some times when I really don’t like to cook anything and that too specially for me as DD is off to school and DH in office. I would say those lunch time, this Couscous salad comes handy or a Curried mushroom tortilla wrap, just works fine for me.
These days I am quite addicted to pan fried spiced haddock. I like it with a side dish of warm cooked rice even. Now, there are some days when I generally like to try out something different but with pan fried spiced haddock. That time Italian cheese bread comes handy for me. No, I haven’t baked them but got them fresh from our local supermarket where they make fresh breads, rolls etc daily.Some day may be I would try my hand in making fresh Italian herbed bread in home too.

If you plan accordingly, you can assemble this sandwich quickly. I do generally like to marinate the haddock fish fillet in night with all the spices, so that next morning I can pan fry them and assemble this sandwich quickly. And there are plenty other options of using other sandwich like soft dinner rolls or a plain Italian herbed bread.

I really don’t know if puritans will allow me to have the liberty of calling this food as a Fusion food of sort. But given a choice I would definitely make the fish with Indian spices, then pan fry it and serve with my favorite Italian cheese or herbed bread for a change of flavor and new twist.

Now to the recipe of

Pan Fried Spiced Haddock Sandwich with dressing of Tartar and Mustard sauce
Recipe Requirements

For the pan fried haddock fish recipe

1 large Haddock fish fillet with skin on – cut into 2 inch *2 inch long portions and not more than ½ inch in width- often the portions near the tails are less in width and fry out well. But the portion at the tummy is quite thick and needs proper marinating time to absorb the marinating flavours. If using portions near tummy then make small parts of 1inch * 1 inch.
You can use smoked haddock as well.They do give a nice touch to this pan fry spicy haddock.
For marinating the haddock fish fillet-
1 tsp of crushed red chilly flakes or use more for more spice
3-4 tbs of lemon juice, freshly squeezed in from lemon
2 tsp of MDH kitchen king masala
1 tsp of dhania powder/coriander powder
1 tsp of garam masala
1tsp of salt
About ½ cup of roughly chopped fresh tender parsley

For frying the haddock fish fillet

½ cup of all purpose flour
½ tsp of baking soda
½ tsp of red pepper powder
¼ tsp of salt
¼ tsp of garlic powder
Mix well the dry ingredients

Method

Wash the haddock fish fillet and then pat dry them with kitchen towel.
Now mix all the marinating ingredients-red pepper flakes, Kitchen king masala, garam masala, and coriander powder, salt and chopped parsley. Cut a lemon and squeeze fresh lemon juice from it. Use generously. Mix all the dry marinating ingredients with lemon juice. This forms our marination. Now coat well all the portions of haddock fillet very well with this marinating sauce.Cover with foil, and then refrigerate it at least 1-2 hrs. Tip- overnight marination yield best result and this is what I generally do.
The other day at the time of assembling the sandwich, take out the marinated haddock fish fillets at least ½ hr before you do start pan fry them.
Now make the flour mixture over a serving plate, this way you can easily coat well all the fish fillet. If you would like to have a more detailed instructions then visit this post of Bhekti Fish Chop . The recipe is quite similar but with a fish called as bhekti fish ( a quite similar type of fish is Sea Bass which is available here easily )
Mix flour, red pepper powder, salt, baking soda and garlic powder. Tip- you can use self raising flour as well, then it’s no need to add baking soda.
Heat up a frying pan well, and then add 4-5 tbs of cooking oil.
Coat very well the haddock fish fillet with the flour mixture. Dust off excess flour and then again coat well the haddock fish over flour mixture. This twice coating helps to seal the flavor most. Or you can use an egg wash after first coat. Then again dumping those in flour mixture after you have coated them in properly fluffed egg. Some even try the beer batter coating but I haven’t done that.
Frying the fish is tricky here. Fry them med-high flame /gas mark 5.
Each side should take at least 3-4 mints max and when properly browned, fish can be flaked easily with the fork. Fry maximum of two fillets together this way, giving them enough room for proper frying.
When both the sides have fried well. Take out and drain over tissue paper.If you have done it this way thro, then another 5 mints and you will be having your lunch.

Now to the assembling of sandwich

Cut vegetables of your choice. I like to have onions/cucumber/tomato and lettuce leaf for the filling along with these pan fried spiced haddock.
M/W for 30 sec to 1 mint to warm the Italian cheese bread.
Generously spread tartar sauce.For the detail recipe of tartar sauce Go Here. Or you may use simple mayonnaise and mustard sauce dressing for this sandwich. Dressing the sandwich is essential as this gives some extra kick to the dish.
TIP- You can use “Kashundi” in place of mustard dressing as well.”Kashundi” is a traditional Bengali sauce preparation with mustard seeds. It has a very strong flavor of its own. People say an authentic “kashundi “when eaten should give an instant kick/hit to your palate.
TIP- You can also use Peri-peri sauce as well for dressing purpose that also adds whole lot of flavour and kick.
Now place the pan fried spiced haddock over the toasted and warmed Italian cheese bread.
Then layer the cut onions/cucumber and spread some more tartar sauce as well.
Serve along some fried potatoes or steamed sweet corn.

A perfect easy and lip- smacking lunch is ready.

I couldn’t resist myself so the corner is already eaten in all the pictures. Hope you all, don’t mind!!

Happy Cooking Friends

Sweet Corn Khasta Kachori and Black and White Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

It’s generally simple roti/chappati for us on most of the nights as part of our dinner menu.And occasionally some parathas especially aloo, or gobhi or methi or gajar etc as winter has started in our neck of woods. And even once in a while keema paratha.I have seen my ma and ma-in-law making enormous efforts during winter to make koraishutir kachori/green peas kachoris.So, every winter when we do get fresh green peas pods, we have seen many afternoons being spent shelling peas together amidst some gossip and tea.

But with fast paced life, everything has become so instant. Instant mashed potato, dissolve warm water and it’s ready. Instant coffee, dissolve warm water and a cup of cappuccino is ready. Put frozen potato bites in oven and it’s ready in minutes. Green vegetables all neatly chopped and cut and sealed in a bag, ready to be eaten or stir/fried.
You need mango in winter, no problem, get back home canned and sliced mango or use a can of pureed mango, all available entire year. And if I have to list frozen food, my lists will never going to end. You need green peas, and then go to a supermarket and come back home with packaged frozen green peas or for that matter sweet corn.

.
Well, it does save time and our efforts in kitchen so that we can juggle our professional life and family time and do things which almost a decade ago was never heard off. Read here blogging and social networking. But with every milestone there comes some prices to pay.
When I try to recall some memories from past, I do miss those healthy interactions with family members, a little chit-chat, some neighborhood gossip while shelling peas, you know when all the kakimas, jethimas or mashimaas, cousins, nieces etc would gather around a table and start shelling peas amidst all the talking.
Then somebody would come up with hot fried onion fritters and tea. Or even sometimes would be healthy sibling rivalry where one would compete with brothers and sisters about piling up heaps of shelled peas at a stretch.

Small Pleasures, but it did give us great happiness; and I am sure which a frozen packet of green peas or sweet corn can’t bring along with it.
This time, I didn’t have options, so end up using frozen sweet corn for these Khasta Kachoris.

( "Kachoris" are kind of a pastry stuffed with any dry filling mainly vegetables and then deep fried in oil.Although the shape is different but it's quite similar like a Mexican Empanadas is or perhaps a Italian Calzone is , but it's then deep fried and not baked.)

You can make it and pack it when you are traveling in trains or by car.And even give them in your kid’s lunch-box as once -in –a- while- savoury treat.

Sweet corn khasta kachuri/kachori
Recipe requirements
For The stuffing of kachuri

Roughly 3-4 cups of frozen sweet corn
1 inch ginger
1 tsp of cumin powder
2-3 green chilies
1 large onion (optional)
1 tsp of red pepper powder
¼ tsp of grounded turmeric
2 tsp of dried oregano or carom seeds powder (Ajvain in Hindi, Jowan in Bengali)
½ tsp of salt
Pinch of hing/asafetida

For the dough
3-4 cups of whole wheat flour/atta
1/2 tsp of baking soda
salt
1-2 tsp of cooking oil (moyen )

Method

Take sweet corn in M/W safe dish and Microwave at high for 1-2 mints till they turn soft.
Let it cool a little bit, transfer sweet corn in the mixer jar, and add in ginger, green chillies, onion, red pepper powder, grounded turmeric, cumin powder.TIP- you can add in freshly toasted cumin seeds if you wish to get a nice aroma of cumin. Many a times I do like to add whole black pepper when I am not using green chilies. That addition of black pepper gives a different flavor. Pulse through till they turn out little coarse. I do generally like to make a coarse paste rather than smooth paste as it leaves some crunchy bites after the kachori is fried. If you do wish to make niramish (vegetarian kachuri during one of the festive season, then skip adding onions)
Now add 2-3 tbs of cooking oil, add the above made coarse paste. Add hing as well.
Now fry the paste for 8-10 mints till it becomes dry and leaves oil by the side. If you need to add more oil then do so.
Take out when it’s almost dry and have become quite dark. It will take 10-15 mints at med-high flame. Check in between if they do not get stuck.
Now knead the dough for the kachori.Take about 4-5 cups of whole wheat flour or atta. Generally a Bengali kachori is made with refined flour, but I have always seen in my Upean friend’s home, they do like to use atta/whole wheat flour for making kachori. I end up using atta in this case.
Add in about ½ tsp of baking soda and salt to make the kachoris all crunchy and kasta.If you think you want a soft kachori then do not use baking soda but knead the dough very well up to a palpileable consistency.
Add 1-2 tbs of oil (moyen ) and knead well with splashing little bit of water in between. Set aside and cover it. Let it sit for 2-4 hrs before you start making kachori.
Divide the kneaded dough into small balls, size of a golf ball. Roll one small ball with rolling pin, place the stuffing in middle and seal the sides working with your palms. Again roll while dusting with some flour, into small disc.
Ok, now after that, heat up a saucepan, add oil up to half. I do not have any kadai or wok, so end up using flat saucepan. However, I would strongly suggest using kadai/deep bottom pan or wok for frying kachoris, as this gives ample space to kachoris and they do fry well.
Now take out when both the sides have become golden to light brown. Place them over tissue paper so that it soaks up extra oil. Keep on frying rest of the kachoris.Serve warm with some chutney or aloo ki sabzi.

Sweet Corn Khasta Kachuri and hot tea, heaven !!

( "Kachoris" are kind of a pastry stuffed with any dry filling mainly vegetables and then deep fried in oil.Although the shape is different but it's quite similar like a Mexican Empanadas is or perhaps a Italian Calzone is , but it's then deep fried and not baked.)

and kachoris in B/W mode.Today is wednesday so sending this to Susan's Black and White Wednesday.....

Happy Cooking Friends

Sweet Corn Stuffed Paratha

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:43:00 +0000

Whenever we go for grocery shopping I end up purchasing huge bags of frozen sweet corns. We like them steamed, with dash of red pepper powder, lemon juice and butter .These cold wintery days, this has been a frequent side-dish as part of our dinner menu. If you wish to get into the details of steamed sweet corn, then there is particularly no recipe for a very manageable easy steamed sweet corn. I am sure all you need is just have a look into your pantry and some imagination to churn out various versions of steamed sweet corn.

When it’s cold wintery days, what I like most when we are strolling around in some corners of big shopping malls whether in Delhi or may be in Kolkata, is that one can taste so many variations of steamed sweet corn. I happened to taste my first cup of hot steamed sweet corn in Ansal Plaza a big shopping area in Delhi which was almost a decade ago. From then and now this has been our favourite street food. We have gorged on steamed sweet corn in Noida Sec-18 markets and last I remember was when we were perhaps in City centre -1, Kolkata. Well City Centre-2 in Kolkata is even ready and is an upcoming big area with lots of good shops and eating joints as well.

Never imagined a simple recipe of steamed sweet corn can be so appetizing and soul warming. These days there are many places even in London (South hall high street and Hounslow high street) where you can easily get steamed sweet corn selling food corners just like a hamburger food cart in NY or any other place.

If I have to make a list of my favorite street food I would definitely pick steamed sweet corn as my top 5 street foods. But then if you don’t like street food version then hop onto your nearest supermarket and get back home with huge economic bags of frozen sweet corn and then some imagination and yeah you are ready with the steamed sweet corn in jiffy.

But this post is not about steamed sweet corn only. This is a little more evolved form of utilizing the spiced sweet corn, they end up being used as stuffing for our breakfast parathas or dinner kulcha parathas.Since winter has started in our neck of the woods, I would be making more sweet corn parathas and steamed sweet corn that’s for sure.

Now to the recipe of sweet corn paratha

Sweet Corn Stuffed Paratha
Recipe requirements

3 cups of whole wheat flour or atta
1 cup of frozen sweet corn
2 tsp of red pepper powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
2 green chilies chopped very finely (optional)
¼ tsp of grounded turmeric
salt as per taste
Oil to make paratha+some more to fry the stuffing

Method

Knead the atta/whole wheat flour as semi soft dough with little bit of water. Keep it covered and proceed to prepare the corn stuffing.Let the atta dough sit for at least 1 hr.And before making the paratha just add few drops of cooking oil and knead well again.
M/W at high frozen corn for 1 mint.
Heat up a pan, add oil and sauté gently sweet corn. Add all the seasoning- grounded turmeric, red pepper powder, coriander powder and salt.
Add green chilly now. Fry till sweet corn becomes soft. This stuffing is spicy as loads of red pepper powder and green chilies is added, however if you are not too keen on handling such heat in your paratha then half the quantity of red pepper powder and green chilies, to be honest ,I prefer heat from the green chilies in parathas as they turn out very flavourful that way.
Now divide the atta dough in equal proportions. I end up making 5 parathas out of the dough.
Roll out small disc, place the sweet corn stuffing in middle and then seal the disc from all side working with your palms.
Dust some more flour over the rolling board. Now with the help of rolling pin, gently start making rounds.
Place it over hot tava/iron skillet, and then cook evenly from both sides. Add oil with a spoon from the sides and fry well. If you are generous in accepting fats in your diets, then fry it with desi ghee. Or place a teaspoon of butter at the time of serving.
Note-One thing which is necessary is that the Tava/iron skillet should be properly heated before hand; otherwise parathas don’t turn out crisp and cooked evenly. I have found cooking with electric hob is quite tricky as compared to gas cooking; it takes much time to cook on electric hob.
For variation I do like to add some grated carrots as stuffing also.
You can easily make them beforehand and pack them as picnic lunch or as a lunch while you eat and go or are traveling or may include them in your children's lunch box menus.Many ideas to explore for you.

Happy Cooking Friends

Dim'er Jhal/Dalna- Egg Curry Made Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:54:00 +0000

The time and moment seems to freeze for a moment there. As I sat on a wooden bench near the River Thames, something inside me started to correlate the similarities of Outram Ghat and Millenium Park along the banks of river Ganga/Hooghly and river Thames flowing out there .It was high tide time and waves were dancing, bouncing more as if it were trying to convey some sorts of a message. The sun was shining but it was still very cold. I was trying to spot perhaps a bhuttawalah, but no bhutta walah was there, but yes there was a lady selling pink cotton candy. And yeah people preoccupied with lots of other activities to keep oneself busy. My mind again started to wander past the by lanes of Kolkata

A sudden gush of chilly wind breezed past and it woke me up from my day dream. Yes, I was there physically but my mind was lost somewhere else. I was there sitting on this bench soaking up fresh sunshine, enough to warm me up physically and emotionally.
I looked up in the sky, and this is what I spotted, London Eye, the giant wheel with these small passenger capsules.

Each capsule can accommodate at least 25 people and there are 32 such capsules representing 32 boroughs of London.

And then my vision got stuck on this river cruise ship.

A small hand mischievously closed my spectacled eyes, I smiled .Those small hands were familiar and I knew who it was.My eagerness was to get hold of those little hands ,but this bundle of joy, was in a different mood that day, more interested in playing some silly games.”Freeze” she said and then she ran away hurriedly. I turned back and two pairs of eyes were looking at me so fondly.
I thought may be this is what simple joys of life means, sometimes let yourself freeze for a moment, soak up the moment and then walk ahead, move ahead in life.

Oh! and this egg curry is what my folks like to eat after coming back from a river Thames trip usually.Dime’er dalna as it is called in every Bengali home, has been a frequent star of our dinner menus. But I do think I haven’t mentioned dimer dalna here. This dime’er dalna is little bit different. As I generally don’t stir/fry the masala paste which is a must for every dalna, jhaal or jhol etc...

I would say if you are in good mood after your days out like me, then why not unwind the evening with your folks instead of sweating it out in kitchen. You can probably prepare this masala paste in the morning and keep it refrigerated till you are ready for making dim’er dalna or egg curry...

All you need is to hard boil eggs and de shell it. Meanwhile put the masala with about 1 cup of water, 2-3 tbs of oil and whatever seasonings you like. Cover it and then put the flame on low and then do spend time with your family. Half way through come back in the kitchen and check the gravy. If required add some warm water, again cover it to cook. About 35-40 mints, add hard-boiled eggs. And you are ready with your easy breezy dim’er dalna.And if you fancy something alluring, then why not fry the eggs a little bit to give the authentic dim’er dalna touch. There is no hard and fast rule about this recipe. This is very flexible; add tomatoes if you wish or loads of fresh coriander leaves .Sometimes I do add chopped mushrooms and green peas as well.

Dim’er Dalna – Bengali Egg Curry made easy
Recipe Requirements- (Serves -4 )
2 large onions
4-5 fat cloves of garlic
1 inch of ginger
2-3 green chilies
1 tomato
2 medium size potatoes cut into cubes (optional)
3-4 tbs of cooking oil
Seasonings
1 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of hot red pepper powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
Salt as per taste
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp of ghee
1 tsp of garam masala
Method

Put a pot with enough water+4 eggs on a high flame .Add pinch of salt. Let it come to a full boil and then let it boil for 7-8 mints at lower middle flame/gas mark 3 or gas mark 4.After 8-9 mints , take it off and run through some cold tap water.
Now let it sit for 1-2 mints, till you feel you can easily de shell the hard boiled egg. Make soft knife marks with a cutting knife all over the egg that way eggs will soak up the flavor of gravy. Some people are very particular about the marks/cuts –some say 3 marks are good, some prefer 4. I mean does it really matter how many incision you make over the egg? Readers any clue about it?
Meanwhile the eggs are boiling, prepare the masala paste-
Pulse through- in a heavy duty mixer/grinder onion, garlic, ginger and tomato and green chilies.
Add oil to a saucepan.
Now add the masala paste with the dry ingredient like- turmeric, red pepper and cumin+coriander powder. Adjust salt and add pinch of sugar (a must for every dim’er jhaal/dalna)
Add about 1-2 cups of water depending on the consistency gravy.
You may like to add potatoes cubes or some chopped mushrooms or green peas, then add it at this time. No need to fry the vegetables. Remember this is classic no stir/fry recipe.
Now cover the gravy and lower the flame/gas mark 2.And let it cook through till the oil starts separating and floating. Add in hard boiled eggs and cook again another 4-5 mints.
When the gravy has turned out like a mush or I Bengali “makho-makho”, remove the pot over the flame.
Add in loads of coriander leaves for garnishing. Add in 1tsp of ghee and 1 tsp of garam masala.
You are ready to eat.

Note-
This recipe is easy version of dim’er dalna or egg curry. No need to fry the gravy. However, if you feel, you may go ahead and fry the masala paste and then add water for the gravy texture accordingly.

Other recipes to refer-

Happy Cooking Friends

Dal Chicken Rice Pulao/Pilaf - A Recipe With Left-Over Food

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:17:00 +0000

I am sure just like me; you all have different means of using the left-over food. If not, then perhaps there are times you wish you had clues how to use the left-over dal, left-over sabzis or anything related to our daily Indian cooking.
I have inherited this trait of never wasting food in any possible way or form. Have seen my Ma and my MIL putting the left-over food as some sort of a treasure in refrigerator so that they can consume it next day without wasting the food or "Anna" in Bengali. May be in the due process I tried to imbibe this trait from them. Well, these are sort of trade secrets passed from one generation to other may be. And I am still trying to build up the other possible ways to use up our left-over food.

What do you think a trifle can possibly be? If you have any portion of chocolate cake left and nobody in your home is in great mood to have that final portion of cake anymore. How would you like to use it, if not thinking of eating it all by yourself? Make Chocolate trifles, layer of a cake slice, then a berry fruit filling (which is nothing special- chop up some seasonal berries and make it sweetened with dash of packed brown sugar) then a layer of whipping cream or home-made thick custard and then top it up with chocolate shavings and viola, you are ready with a home-made instant chocolate trifle in just 10 mints to please your family and your guest sweet taste bud.

But this was very western way of utilizing left-over food, when I do talk about left-over food; I mean to say our everyday recipes like a dal, rice, sabzi or chicken pieces, kababs and paneer pieces etc.

From this post onwards, I will try to include more these types of recipes where one can use the left-over food with new innovative ways. I would say this practice of saving starts from the very basic level, you save a penny and that makes a pound one day. So, don’t take things lightly when you can really whip up some great food with whatever you have in your pantry for that particular day. In these days of recession, uncertainties and slow economy anything which you are saving will definitely going to reap benefits someday in future.

There are many occasions when we have left-over rice and is still not used as part of our dinner menu – you can check a recipe utilizing left-over rice Here) I would then meticulously pack it and refrigerate it in the night, so that next day when I make rice again, I can add that portion when the rice is bubbling or ready to be sieved. And I still do cook the rice by sieve the starch/water method, this way more flavor and rice feels very light, except when we crave for pulaos which is a different game here-then the slow/simmer method of cooking.

But I find that there are some times where I don’t know how to use the left-over food in any possible way. I had some left over chicken kababs and a large bowl of cooked masoor dal.This recipe is the outcome of that serious urge never to waste food .This is an amalgamation of some left-over food from our weekend cooking. So, I end up making this dal chicken pulao, a one pot meal for our Monday lunch. I would say this pulao has its very unique flavor due to masoor dal and chicken kababs.

Dal Chicken Rice Pulao/ Pilaf with left -over food
Serves-2-3 people
Recipe requirements
About 1 cup of Tandoori Chicken Kabab or 1 breast fillet or left over portions from this Roasted Baby Chicken
about 1 cup or 1 and a half cup of rice
Vegetables of your choice- I used green capsicum
1 medium onion
2 large pods of garlic
½ inch of ginger chopped
1 small tomato
2-3 tbs of yogurt
Seasonings
½ tsp of turmeric powder
½ tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of garam masala
1 tsp of sugar
2-3 tbs of cooking oil

Method

(Marinate the chicken pieces with little bit of turmeric, red pepper powder and salt. Leave aside for 10-15 mints.) or you can refer this Roasted Baby Chicken recipe.Well I had made chicken pieces just like this the other day, so used the left-over portions.
Meanwhile chop all the necessary vegetable for the dal chicken pulao.Clean the rice three-four times in clear water. Soak it up in water not more than 10 mints. Too much soaking in water can break the rice at frying time. Generally I like to soak up the rice at the initial most stage, meanwhile I prepare other things for pulao.It simply makes sufficient time for absorbing the water and then a last wash with water before adding rice for frying up.
Chop onion, garlic and little bit of ginger.
Add cooking oil, add in onions, garlic and ginger .Fry well for another 5-6 mints at high.
Then add the vegetables you wish to add. I had green peas and green capsicum/bell pepper for a nice flavour.Then add in chopped tomato.
Now add in soaked rice, fry well till the moisture dries up and rice turns out shining. Make sure you don’t break the rice grains while frying.Add in yogurt and all the seasonings.
Add salt and sugar to adjust the taste.
Now add 1 and half cup of cooked masoor dal.Here I have used the left-over masoor dal, left from yesterday night meal.
Add the fried chicken pieces or use the left over kababs or portions left from roasted chicken pieces.You can use grilled portions of chicken breast pieces or paneer/tofu as well.
Cover and cook at low till all the dal water is absorbed and rice is cooked well. Take off the pot over the flame.
Let it sit for about 10-12 mints before you start serving. Serve along side some Raita and Salad. A perfect Monday lunch made in easy breezy way.
Vegetarians can use Paneer/Tofu/ or other vegetables.

Happy Cooking Friends

Sea Bream Mach'er Kalia - Spicy Tomato Sea Bream Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Jaya) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:50:00 +0000

My Blog- “Hello! Don’t you think you are forgetting something to write here?”

Me-“No, I don’t think so. Let me check The Recipe Index oh! Yes I forgot to update the recipe index list for this year I guess. I promise I will do it in next few days.”

My Blog-“No, no something different here that I am talking about.”

Me trying to figure out -“Different, what different, oh I am just another food blogger in this vast world of talented food bloggers. Just like a drop in this big ocean.”

My blog-“I agree, but this is something about the years I am talking about.”

Me-“Years, oh! No Noo...I can’t disclose my years just like that...I mean how can I?”

My blog- “ But I am not talking about your age here, well everybody and my readers specially ~~think~~ or know you to be middle aged, spectacled .And my readers know well that sometimes you like giving lectures on Dharma, Karma and Kriya.And to correct you, I am referring my age here.”

Me-“Oh! That way. But hey come-on I am not middle aged yet to correct you.” Checking myself in mirror.

My Blog finally gleaming with happiness to see me in an understanding mode-“Yes, yes, finally you are picking up the right track.”

Me-“Ok, Let me check when you were born – Introductory page .

My blog-‘See this is the problem with you, you never tend to take things (pointing towards itself) seriously in life.”

Me, almost trying to figure out the source here, glancing someone sitting across the corner of the room, quite puzzled –“Now who told you that?

My Blog, shrugging its shoulder -‘Nobody! As I know it all by myself.” I knew it, this wouldn’t me my better half but sometimes you tend to overwork your brains or perhaps wives are like that.

I, trying to reason out what my blog just told me -“But why do you think, I don’t take you seriously.”

My Blog- “You never share my highs with my readers.”

Me- “And I thought highs and lows are only something you come across while you are discussing weather and watching too much of weather channel. Overdose of anything is not healthy.And pardon me, your readers?

My Blog- “Yeah! My readers, the people who visit here are my readers...they read me not you.”

Me- “Ahem! Ok so what I have to do to rectify that.”

My Blog- “Give them details of people who read me, with that I mean number of page views and hits.”

Me-“And how will that prove that I am taking you seriously.”

My Blog- “Statistics Silly.”

Me-“Dear, my Math has always let me down, was never good with numbers.”

My Blog-“Ok Ok, I understand, but how can you forget my birthday.” Now almost giving up with this guessing game and seemed so disappointed.
Me- “Your birthday, when it was? I mean seriously, I know, now I have hurt your feelings, perhaps”. I realized what I missed this time and may be last time as well.

My Blog- “See that is why I told you beforehand, you don’t take me seriously.”

Me- “My apologies to you if I have hurt your feelings and to your readers if they expected something grand on this space on your birthday my dear blog.”

My Blog packing its bag – “I know I don’t belong here anymore.” Sad Violin tunes playing in the background from where that I don't know.Or May be my blog paid for this who knows.

Me- “Hey! Don’t go, this time in night , and it's raining you see.What you want me to do now? Realizing things are turning sour this time.

My blog- “Make a good blog post and write about all the details of my birth and my achievements.”

Me- “ But I do think your readers are your achievement.Their warm wishes are your achievements.When they respond personally thro e-mails and include you and in return me into their life for trying your recipes. When some of them leave messages that it’s a "touchy blog" or when someone sent "blessings" by e-mails far from here...dont you think those are the moments perhaps bigger than any trophies or award for that matter.”

My Blog stopped and pondered- “Yeah I know, what you want to say. But if I were you I would have made a long splashing post about my birthdays and page views etc. Did you ever bothered to tell my readers that so far my page views have crossed 5 lakh plus within a span of last three years. As you never updated for the first two years regularly, if you had probably I would have crossed 10 lakh mark as well.”

Me- “I told you I was never good with numbers.And yeah we were traveling a lot for the past five years now. I mean what you would expect when we have travelled three countries, three continents and that too in five years. But I tried to update whenever I had time for you. Didn’t I?

My blog- “Excuses and more excuses. Why haven’t you switched me to a custom domain, I could have flourished there more, generating you more earnings through advertisements and search engine optimization. You don’t seem to act properly like an entrepreneur.”

At this point of time, my head started spinning...almost murmuring to myself - “ An enterpenaur !! ,am I ? but I ~~think~~ , no I am a simple homemaker and I don’t run a bussiness here.I could have earned more money in real life doing things I am better doing at perhaps then.

My blog ( sensing I am going weak here) - “I told you, there is a problem with you, you lack total professionalism. You don’t update me 3-4 times a week. You don’t host any more good food events and you do not send my entries to other really worthy and great food events. And oh! Yeah you do not even bother to blog hop much for the past two years or so.And you don't seem to be active on Facebook and Orkut.Do you have a twitter account ? The answer is a big "No" .Everything that I wanted to see you doing , you are not doing it correctly. And if you could have done all these or perhaps more and regularly then I would have gained more page views till date .And I wish if I had controls over here on my own ,I would have taken full charge from here onwards.. …”

Me- “Eh! You have so much going against me for the past years or so now, my blog! , my dear blog are you and your readers are really so much angry with me? I do think I have been fair enough in updating you more often with recipes worthy of trying for the last three years or so. Remember I celebrated your second blog birthday you can visit Here...and then your Third blog birthday .” I do tend to become sometimes defensive specially if someone going senti here.

My Blog- “Yeah I know, but you forgot last year and this year too.” Point blank.

Me- “I apologize if that make you and your readers happy. But I adore you like anything. My blog, my dear blog, you and your readers are special to me. No words can perhaps express what you and your readers mean to me. And I must take this opportunity to thank you and your readers for being such nice people. Believe me it still gives me immense happiness whenever your readers drop by to say even a simple “Hi”. And Bonus when they leave positive feedbacks for a particular recipe. Some even say they almost feel like a second home, I would say that’s the very essence of you my dear blog Spice and Curry. A homely feeling where one can come, and discuss a particular recipe, see it, read it and then hit straight to the kitchen to try their hands in making it. As simple as that. Now don’t you think you have been so important to me? I am here known as Jaya because of you and I am incomplete without you.

Now, let me tell a real story then, I met a lady in a supermarket here in abroad almost a year ago. She obviously is a Bengali otherwise she wouldn’t have noticed my language while conversing with my dear daughter and dear husband. And we exchanged some smiles and then the ice broke some initial intro and then we went our ways. We kept bumping into each other quite often from thereafter. She started telling me about many ingredients and then the recipes she had tried up from internet particularly from a site. She herself is a great cook and writes fabulous children stories. I was curious but couldn’t disclose hello I too had a food website if you care to visit. Now, I really don’t know what stopped me from inside. One fine day we bumped into each other and that day you know what my dear blog, she mentioned you...imagine “YOU”...she was telling all the recipes you have.That day I realized you had something which meant a second home to many.With a shaky voice , I told that lady I am the person who is writing you ,,my dear blog.For a zap of second she freezed, and when she realized, she burst into laughter.She told me I don’t look like a person who is writing this blog.She found me quite different from what she conceptualised reading you.But this is truth and so , what matters at the end is you and your redears.If I ever had a image it’s just because of you, you are my own extended part.And you and your redears are very special."

Somehow my blog seemed happy, contented and convinced for the time being and unpacked its tiny bag thankfully. I really do not know if it will remain that much happy in coming years also or not .But just wanted to live the moment where I tried my best to convince my blog that my world is incomplete without it and its readers.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the readers, friends, well wishers who have stopped by here to leave responses or just dropped in to say a simple “Hi”.

When I look back, I do think my initial purpose was to maintain or to write a simple recipe diary which by luck or chance happened to be online.

Now you would say then why write a blog with recipes that is public and read by many or probably thousands every month?

I really don’t know why, but everybody likes being appreciated once in a while and I am not an exception. This blog also satisfies my creative outlets, as I would have liked to do it otherwise.

I never intended to give a professional look or touch. Being a HTML challenged person that I am, I was never a technical girl so writing a blog, and then linking, and posting etc was really very puzzling for me initially. Somehow, I managed and everything I tried was from scratch just like my most of the recipes here. These days Blogger publishing tool is much easy to understand as everything is just a click or drag &drop. I slowly started gaining confidence and posting recipes with pictures. As my initial post didn't have pictures here, here and here. I have been cooking now for almost 15 years in real life, almost thrice daily. And this blog my virtual life has been here for 5 years now.

Most of the recipes that are listed here are part of my everyday cooking which is more or less is part of my daily routine even if I don’t blog about it regularly.So, there are times when I do cook but forget to take pictures, and then there are times when there is no left-overs to take pictures with.Some days my folks are so hungry they just cant wait for the picture business.I mean why should they wait when I cooked the dish for them.Right?

I was doing my part, updating this online recipe diary just like I would write everyday a page in my diary or as per indexing my recipes in recipe diary regularly. But when readers like you started trying out recipes and leaved some very positive response, I thought perhaps there is something strong which appealed all of you. Spice and Curry was and is incomplete without your acknowledgement and encouragement friends. Can’t believe it’s almost five years, and can’t believe this blog has also travelled with us across three countries and three continents with us. It feels just like a blink of an eye, or a moment passed in jiffy.

Many of the readers who have e-mailed me told me that they almost feel like a second home the moment they come to Spice and Curry or “this blog is very touchy”. Some impressed their girlfriends and boy friends and some their family members with the recipes listed from here. I have tried to update the blog with their recipe request but I have never mentioned their names.
Two of the requests which I was unable to do is “JoyNagarer Moa” which I do really regret as this moa is made with special kind of rice and murki which I was unable to create in my kitchen. The other recipe is perhaps Gustaba.Kashmiri Gustaba has been on my mind for a while, I do think something similar on that part is Keema Kofta Curry but not authentic Gustaba.

Some do really care to drop in and add their valuable feedbacks adding upto the contents of recipes like the ingredients substitute, duration of the preparation etc...I would say friends that are the very essence of Spice and Curry for you. This is a place where you can come, ask freely any question regarding a recipe, discuss it and then leave to try out in your kitchen and then come back and leave your response how you made it etc….

I really don’t know if this sound anything surprising but yes many of them do come regularly and almost spends 2-3 hrs browsing recipes here. I am sure many a times cooking in kitchen while peeping into their laptops/computers checking the steps/ingredients in a recipe here etc...

I would say if you are one of them, then I would request you to drop in few lines here on this post. Come on don’t you think I deserve a little attention on your part on completing five years in blogging?

Here is a recipe with Black Sea Bream fish. A firm fish that is Bream for you and which is available here in a very affordable price. Also known as Dorade.There are many recipes out in internet where it is baked, broiled with olives, lemon, parsley,garlic or Thyme or other dry herbs.But being a typical Bengali something inside me was not convinced, so made Sea Bream Mach'er Kalia just like a rui mach’er kalia would do .The texture of this fish quite resembles our very own Bhekti fish.

Sea Bream Mach’er Kalia- Spicy Tomato Sea Bream Curry

Recipe requirements

2 Black sea bream fish, cleaned and cut into three steak pieces of about 2 inch long in length.
1 large onion
2-3 fat cloves of garlic
½ inch of ginger
2-3 green chilies
1 tomato
2 medium size potatoes cut into cubes
3-4 tbs of cooking oil+ some more to fry fish pieces
Seasonings
1 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of hot red pepper powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
Salt as per taste
Pinch of sugar

Method

Marinate fish in turmeric powder and salt for about 1hr.The fins are sharp especially on the dorsal side. I would say no need to cut this out. After frying the fish this portion comes out easily.
Fry them in hot oil on both sides. Keep them on a separate plate.
Prepare the masala paste-
Pulse through- in a heavy duty mixer/grinder onion, garlic, ginger and tomato and green chilies.
In that oil left after frying fish, add more cooking oil.
Now add the masala paste with the dry ingredients- turmeric, red pepper and cumin+coriander powder.Adjust salt and add pinch of sugar.
If you don’t want to make the masala paste, add in chopped onions, ginger and garlic and tomatoes .Slit green chilies and add to the above frying ingredients.
Slowly stir/fry it splashing water in between. Add in potatoes, mix well and fry it well to coat the masala well about4-5 mints at med-high.
Now add in about 1/ cp of water and let it cook at high flame. The gravy will tend to become dry. The gravy will tend to release oil by sides. Mix well all.
Now add in 1 cup of water or depend on the kind of gravy you want.
Cover and let it cook for about 7-8 mints.
Half way through, add fried pieces and little bit more water.
Cover the entire gravy and cook at low for 10-14 mints or till potatoes and fish becomes juicy and tender.
Serve with warm cooked rice, a must to enjoy the flavor of this fish with the spicy gravy.

Happy Cooking Friends and thanks once again for visiting Spice and Curry and liking this small space of mine for almost five years or so now.