Breakfast Parfait ~ Muesli, yogurt and mango

Give me a hot savoury breakfast each morning and I am a happy camper… but there are the summer (now gone) months to get through when I will eat anything that is below room temperature! I made this simple breakfast parfait, actually just assembled everything because this is a no cook recipe. It was healthy, filling and very yummy. The muesli is also a no cook one if you discount the minimal hot dry pan roasting that is needed. You could make the Muesli and store to eat as is without the parfait trappings.

Breakfast Parfait with Mango

Serves 4

For the Muesli

Cornflakes                             100 grams (or wheat-flakes, whichever is preferred)

Oats                                          100 grams

Dried Fruit                            ½ cup (use dried dates, cranberries, figs etc)

Nuts                                         ¼ cup (use almonds, cashews, pistachios etc)

Sesame Seeds                       ¼ cup

For the Parfait

Yogurt                                    500 grams

Mango                                     2 cups, peeled and chopped

Honey                                     4 teaspoons (optional)

Method

To make the Muesli, dry roast the oats and chop the dried fruits into small bits. Roast the nuts and sesame seeds till they are changing colour. Cool it and mix together with oats, cornflakes, dried fruit and nuts. This can be stored in an air tight container and eaten with yogurt or milk and a dash of honey.

Put a muslin cloth over a wide soup strainer and add the yogurt to this. Set aside in the fridge for 2-3 hours to allow the water to drain away from the yogurt. I usually do this overnight. Once done, if using, add the honey and whisk the yogurt till no lumps remain.

To serve, assemble the parfait add a few tablespoons of the yogurt at the bottom of the serving bowl. I used a juice glass. Add the second layer with 4 tablespoons of the granola. Add another layer of yogurt, top with chopped mango and granola. Repeat till everything is used up. Chill for 10 minutes and serve.

Breakfast Parfait ~ Muesli, yogurt and mango

A breakfast muffin is a misnomer. Make and enjoy these tasty little muffins any time of the day. They can be ofcourse had for breakfast, warmed slightly with a little butter, or as a tea time snack, post workout indulgence or snack box item for an adult or child.

I was almost entirely inspired by this recipe of fellow blogger who I endlessly stalk. I added chopped mango pieces instead of making them into a pulp. Remember how I gushed about her Masala Bread and made this Wholewheat Spinach Bread? Anyhoo, prolific bloggers make me mad. How do they churn out yumminess, take amazing pictures and have the post up before the season is out? Beats me…after all these years of blogging, I still can’t get my posts up and running.

On a side note, how many of you have food pictures from 4 years ago that you haven’t blogged yet? (*raises hand guiltily).

Whole Wheat Egg-less Mango Muffins

Makes 6 muffins

Mango                                     1 cup peeled and chopped (about 1/2 a large mango – I used Bananaganapalle)

Whole Wheat Flour            1 cup

Milk                                          1/2 cup

Jaggery/ Sugar                    ¼ cup (grated if using jaggery)

Baking Powder                     1 teaspoon

Baking Soda                           ½ teaspoon

Cardamom                             2 pods, skin removed and powdered smooth

Vegetable Oil                        2 tablespoons

Salt                                            a pinch

Vinegar                                   1 teaspoon

Coconut                                  2 tablespoons (fresh coconut grated or use dried)

Granola                                   2 teaspoons (for the topping)

 Whisk together the flour, coconut, salt, cardamom powder, baking powder and soda.

Add the vinegar to the milk and set aside for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 C and lightly coat the insides of the pan with oil.

Add the oil and grated Jaggery/ sugar to the milk and vinegar and mix till the Jaggery has melted

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently in a few strokes till a batter is formed. Add the mango pieces and mix.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tray till about 2/3 full, top with the granola and bake for 26-28 minutes. Insert a skewer into the muffin at 25 minutes, if it comes out clean, remove from the oven.

Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with a little butter.

Yummy Weekend Breakfast

Trust me to suddenly wake up from my slumber when mangoes are on their way out and post a recipe that is elevated to the status of divine because of the fruit topping. I have slacked off this entire summer. Most of my whines have been because of the heat and the terrible ways in which it has tortured me. Just getting through the days chores was herculean and I acted the whole season like I was doing life a favour by just living it.

The only solace for me in the summer months are Mangoes. My favourites are Banaganapalle & Imam Pasand. But I will eat anything else that is spelt “MANGO”. We are fortunate to get more than 20 varieties of mangoes in Hyderabad, although the quantity that they are available in are dwindling because some of them are non commercial. I try and buy as many varieties as I can to enjoy at meal times or as dessert.

Most of the fruit eaten at home is fresh and as is. I very seldom venture out to do anything adventurous like bake or cook with fresh fruit. These pancakes are similar to the ones I made years ago here. Topping them with fresh fruit was something I enjoyed.

Make these for your weekend breakfast, or to celebrate Father’s Day today!

Whole Wheat Egg-less Pancakes with Mango

Makes 8 Pancakes

Whole-wheat Flour            1 cup

Baking Powder                     1 teaspoon

Baking Soda                           1 pinch

Melted Butter                       2 teaspoons

Powdered Sugar                  2 Tablespoons

Milk                                          1 cup

Vinegar / Lemon Juice      1 teaspoon

Butter                                        2 teaspoons additionally

Mango                                       2 cups, peeled, chopped and chilled

Add the vinegar/ lemon juice to the milk and set aside for 15 minutes.

Mix together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, powdered sugar.

Add the buttermilk and melted butter to the flour and mix lightly with a spoon till it forms a batter. Do not over mix. It is ok if the batter has a few smallish lumps.

Set aside for 10 minutes

Heat a non stick pan to medium and add a little butter to it. Add a ladleful of batter onto the hot pan and do not spread it. The batter will spread of its own. Cook on medium heat till the edges are turning golden brown and crisp.

Gently flip the pancake over. Cook for 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat with all the batter.

To serve, stack up 3-4 pancakes on a plate, add the chopped mango on the top and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

If you are a food Blogger and follow a few forums on social media, you would not have missed the Blogger’s Table. The brainchild of Sid of Chef at Large which is a forum of people who are passionate about two wonderful things – food and writing. It is a marriage made in heaven. As a Hyderabadi watching the shenanigans of the bloggers from the more active cities of Bangalore and Delhi, I was filled with a fair bit of envy. A few weeks ago though, I was excited to share the very first invite to do a restaurant review from the Hyderabad Blogger’s Table with my very talented friend and photographer extraordinaire Siri who blogs at Cooking with Siri. If you all know me and my blog, you also know that I am terrible with timelines! So this comes a few weeks late!

With a lot of messages across fb, twitter, whatsapp, email, phone calls and any other possible mode of modern communication, the fixing of this lunch date went back and forth. Siri and I finally managed to land up at the designated time on a Saturday afternoon at the Thai Pavilion at the Taj Vivanta. This hotel is the latest offering from the renowned Taj group that has firmly made its presence felt in food loving Hyderabad. I had on earlier occasions been to Viva, their all day diner to dig into one of the most beloved Hyderabadi preparations of Khichdi and Kheema. Truth be told, for a pucca Hyderabadi this is a dish that seldom makes the cut outside of a home kitchen. So if the dishes I had eaten earlier were any measure of judgment, I was sure I would have a good meal.

The Thai Pavilion by Taj Vivanta

We arrived and were immediately ushered into the pleasantly lit restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Welcomed by warm smiles of the staff, we chose to sit near the open kitchen to get a better look and feel of how the food was being prepared. It’s always tricky to have an open kitchen especially in an upscale establishment. It leaves very little room for a mess, leaving the chefs vulnerable to scrutiny. The kitchen looked impeccably maintained with a large steamer occupying pride of place. After all what is an Asian kitchen without its steamer!

A cheerful chappie who would be at our beck and call for the rest of the lunch appeared and asked us what we would like to drink. We asked him to bring us anything he would recommend and he went off to fetch us what would be later known as a “Thai Cooler” an overtly sweet concoction of sprite, Pepsi, orange crush and kiwi syrup and “Farahaan” which was like a virgin Mary, made of guava juice with Tabasco sauce, served chilled in a glass rimmed with red chilli powder and salt. I instantly disliked the Thai Cooler because it was too syrupy and sweet for my taste and asked for another Farahaan.

Thai Cooler

Meanwhile we were joined by the ever smiling Chef Rajeev Janveja, the Executive Chef of Vivanta and the man who has brought Thai Pavilion to Hyderabad. The Restaurant is a line of signature Thai restaurants and the Taj Vivanta will have it across its various upcoming properties in the future. The Hyderabad restaurant is the second after the flagship one in Mumbai. Chef Rajeev as he is known, with over a quarter century in the food business in general and kitchens of some of the best known restaurants across the country and abroad, took us through the journey of setting up and running the Thai Pavilion and the plans he has for it. Chef Rajeev has handled the launches of some of the most celebrated restaurants in the Taj group. He has also worked in Germany and set up the food courts you encounter at the Hyderabad and Delhi airports. A genial man with true passion for what he does, it was evident he believes that god is in the details. Each item on the vast menu, which I must say has a good array of offerings for both vegetarians and non vegetarians, has been picked, honed and perfected by Chef Rajeev and his team. Some of the staff are from Thailand and they all undergo training at the main kitchens in Mumbai.

Raw Mango and Papaya Salads

While we sipped on our drinks and bantered with the Chef, our food began to make an appearance at the table. We began with two salads. Raw Mango Salad and Som Tam or Young Papaya Salad. Both had a very similar look and feel and after acting like two nuts trying to take (and failing miserably in my case) pictures, we dug into the salads. I have had papaya salad and made it too several times, so was expecting a familiar taste. What surprised me was the spice factor of the young papaya salad which for me was a little dampener.  Delightful however was the fresh taste and crisp flavours of the Raw Mango Salad. The subtle flavours and had many layered crunch added by the water chestnut and pomegranate seeds was very nice. I have never had raw mango as the main item in a salad and I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh it tasted. So for me, the choice, if I had to make one would definitely be the Raw Mango Salad if it was on the menu.

What was interesting was that Chef Rajeev telling us, that in Thai food, there was no real segregation of foods and courses and that pretty much anything can be had at anytime. But since most people are used to a pattern of food coming in as starters, soups, main course etc, for the sake of convenience and familiarity, the menu is sectioned similarly. He also told us that most of the ingredients are sourced directly from Thailand to maintain the quality and authenticity. The hotel arranges for fresh produce including seafood to be flown in weekly.

We enjoyed a round of appetizers next. For the vegetarian starters there was Mee Grob – or what I liked to refer as the Thai version of sev puri! Little crunchy cups made of refined flour filled with tangy crisp rice noodles, Corn Cakes – these were interestingly flavoured with red curry paste and had a nice robust flavour and Vegetable Spring Rolls – these were nothing much to write home about, pretty standard, though I have eaten better.

The Non Vegetarian Starters

For the Non-vegetarian bit, there was the Chicken in Pandanus Leaf, succulent pieces of marinated chicken, wrapped in a fragrant pandan leaf and steamed and then fried to finish it off. The chicken and pandan flavour is a delicate match. Satay Gai or the Chicken Satay is a pretty staple appetizer in Thai restaurants. Skewered pieces of chicken breast, barbequed and served with a peanut sauce. I must say that I have eaten better Satay and while there was nothing wrong with the Satay Gai, it was nothing spectacular either.

Soft Shell Crab

The next item was the Pia Nueng Manao or the John Dory fish steamed and served with a thick spicy sauce flavoured with coriander, peanut and chilli sauce. This was a good dish and I would definitely order it again for its subtle and delicate flavours. There was also the Poo Nim Krob or Soft Shelled Crab, batter fried to crispy perfection. Crisp on the outside and soft and yielding on the inside. I loved this dish and would totally be ok to make a meal out of it the next time!

Tom Yum Soup

Next we were served soup. We tried the Chicken Tom Yum which was a sharp spicy soup with the nice taste of lemongrass standing out. Perfect for a light meal or a rainy cold evening. The vegetarian option of Coriander with Vegetables soup was lemony but not much else. It lacked both depth and personality and is something I would not recommend.

When the main course arrived, I was convinced I couldn’t eat another morsel. The staff tempted us with a table full of yummy looking items. On offer were a lot of dishes, the names of which I could hardly pronounce, leave alone remember or spell. The kind chef offered to write it all down for our reference and hence I can actually post the names of every dish!

We had Phad Thai Je (Stir fried flat rice noodles with vegetables). This is very different from any of the Pad Thai noodles I have had, tho I dont know how authentic they were, it was sweeter than most I have eaten. I quite enjoyed this dish on its own. Imagine my delight when I saw a dish made of Morning Glory Greens. A variety of this is called Thootikura in Telugu and we eat it as often as we can get it in the market. So to taste a Thai version of Phad Phak Bung Tao Jiew (Stir fried morning glory with yellow bean sauce) with crunchy garlic chips. This pairs well with a mildly flavoured rice.

The Phad Prio Warn Tao (Silky bean curd with sweet and sour sauce) was mild and I enjoyed the texture of the tofu, but the sauce was nothing spectacular. The tofu along with most of the exotic ingredients is flown in from Thailand weekly to ensure the authenticity of the recipes and maintain consistency of taste. From the array of vegetarian dishes, the Yod ma Prao Bimmapen (Palm heart with cashew nut) would easily be my pick. Tender, crisp tangy young palm hearts cooked in a sauce that balances all the flavours. I wanted more of this dish. Contrary to my love for water chestnuts, the Hei Phad Prik Haeg (Water chestnuts and cashew nuts with red chilli paste) under whelmed me.

There was also the mandatory Thai curry – Gaeng Kiew Warn Je, we had a green vegetable curry which was mild and full of flavour and went excellently with the steamed rice.

For the non vegetarian dishes, the Moo Phad Krappaw which is stir fried pork with garlic, chilies and basil was terrific. Smoky pieces of pork in a sauce tempered with holy basil and garlic. It hit all the right spots. In contrast to this flavorful dish, I found the Chicken dish Kai Phad Med Mamuang which is stir fried chicken with cashew nut lacking any particular flavour.

Later, when I for sure this time felt I would need to get a room and pass out into a food coma, came the most terrific end to this wonderfully indulgent meal – Tub Tim Grob which is a dessert made of tapioca pearls, tapioca flour, coconut milk and water chestnuts, served over crushed ice. I have had this dessert in other thai restaurants, but this was something else. Starting with the presentation – The dessert came nestled on a bed of crushed ice, and a tender coconut served as the bowl, adorned with a single purple orchid which is also associated with Thailand. The subtle sweetness of the sugar and coconut milk, creaminess of the coconut cream, flavour of rose, each of the layers sublime and delicate. Spoon after spoon of this delicious dessert was savoured in complete silence. You really do need a personal moment to enjoy this beautiful dessert. It is cooling because of the ingredients and also as it is served chilled. To help with calming the palate after fiery spicy Thai food. A fitting end to a lovely meal.

I would definitely recommend a celebration meal at the Thai Pavilion. They do know how to make the occasion special, with both the food and service.

Personal Favourites from this meal: The Guava Mock tail – Farahaan, Raw Mango Salad,  Soft Shell Crab, Palm Hearts with Cashews, Morning Glory Greens with Crispy Garlic Chips, Stir Fried Pork, Tub Tim Grob (Dessert of coconut milk with tapioca and tapioca pearls)

The Thai Pavilion

Hours: 12 noon to 3 pm, 7.30 pm to midnight.
Location: 1st floor, Vivanta Taj, Begumpet, Hyderabad
Attire: Casual
Credit Card Accepted: Yes
Vallet Parking: Available
Telephone: 91 40 67252626

I made these cupcakes recently. The flavours were fresh, the cupcakes light and buttery. These can be served as tea cakes, snacks for children or even as dessert served warm, with icecream.

Carrot Cupcakes (Makes 12)

Maida                                                            11/4 cup

Sugar                                                             1 cup

Baking Soda                                                ½ teaspoon

Baking Powder                                          1 teaspoon

Cinnamon Powder                                   ½ teaspoon

Nutmeg Powder                                        ½ teaspoon

Salt                                                                 A pinch

Melted Butter                                            100 ml

Eggs                                                               2 or replace with ½ cup yogurt

Milk                                                               ½ cup

Finely Grated Carrots                            1 cup

For the Frosting

Cream Cheese                                             100 grams

Icing Sugar                                                   3 tablespoons

Few drops of vanilla

Grated Carrot                                             2 tablespoons

Carrot Cupcakes

Sift the Maida with the cinnamon and nutmeg powder, salt and baking powder and baking soda. Mix in the grated carrots.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C and line a muffin pan with paper cups or grease it lightly.

Beat together the milk, eggs, melted butter in a blender for 2 minutes and pour it into the flour and carrot mix.

Stir gently till everything is mixed well. Spoon about ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake case.

Bake for 22-24 minutes and check with a toothpick at 22 minutes. If it comes out clean, your cupcake is baked.

Leave the baked cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla essence till smooth. Pour it into a zip lock bag. Snip off the end and draw designs on the cupcake. Add a few strands of grated carrot as garnish. Serve.

Chocolate Eggs in a Basket

It is the easy way out that i like…and in keeping with the theme, no long drawn story. I wanted to make nests filled with chocolate eggs. Everything is store bought and just assembled. no cooking except melting the chocolate. Will make for nice kids party offerings as well.

Chocolate Eggs in a Basket

Eggs in a Nest (Makes 8 – No Cooking)

Wheat Flakes or Corn Flakes                     2 cups

White Chocolate                                            100 grams + 50 grams

Round Chocolate Candy                             24 pieces (I used Cadbury’s shots)

• Melt the White chocolate in a double boiler. Whisk to remove any lumps and make it smooth.

• Take the wheat / corn flakes in a wide bowl and pour the melted chocolate over it. Mix gently with a spoon to coat fully.

Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons into a muffin pan or use small individual steel bowls. Spread the wheat flakes around so that it forms a shallow nest shaped dish.

• Keep it in the freezer for 20 minutes or till you are ready to serve. Remove each cup gently using a blunt knife, easing out the edges. Be gentle and do not break the cups.

Grate the 50 grams of white chocolate and sprinkle on the wheat flake nests. Add 2-3 chocolate ball candies to the nest. Serve immediately.

I’ve been wanting to bake these cookies for years. Just plain laziness that I haven’t done it till now! Somehow I give cookies a very step motherly treatment. Am not very fond of cookies, I simply find cakes and cupcakes much more satisfying to make and eat! But even if i may say so myself, these cookies are very good. they have a cake like taste and texture. they are crisp and buttery and not very chewy. They are almost the perfect cookie.

Gem Studded Cookies (Makes 12)

Maida                                                              11/2 cup

Egg                                                                  1 (lightly beaten)

Sugar                                                               1/3 cup

Softened Butter                                              ¼ cup

Baking Powder                                               11/2 teaspoon

Coloured Candy                                             36 (use gems)

Grind the sugar to a fine powder.
Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. You can use a hand beater or do this with a whisk.
Add the egg and whisk till it is creamy.
Sift the Maida with the baking powder. Add this slowly to the butter and sugar and mix gently till you get a sticky dough.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a baking tray with foil.
Drop one tablespoon of the dough onto the baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are at least 1 inch apart from each other. Do not overfill the cookie sheet.
Press in 2-3 candies into the cookie dough and bake for 12-14 minutes or till the edges are turning golden.
Remove from the oven and cool completely. These can be stored for a week in an airtight container.

Mangalore Style Potatoes with freshly ground masala

I made this for the weekly recipes I write for Hans India. It turned out fabulous even if I say so myself! I took inspiration from my dear namesake’s recipe. Who by the way, visited me last month from Singapore, baby A and husband in tow. We spent the whole day together, talking, shopping, talking, eating, talking and shopping some more! What can I say, apart from the fact that we share the same name, we apparently have a deep abiding love for our voices. After we were done with all the talking and other stuff in between, we headed to my place, to be joined by her child and our respective spouses for a lovely evening that ended too quickly at roughly 3 a.m. These are the things blogging has given me…friends…for life.

Here is the recipe. Make it on a day when you are bored of plain fried potatoes. The coconut and red chillies really jazz it up. Tastes best with hot rice and dal or rasam.

Potato Sukke (serves 2-3)

Sukke is a semi dry preparation made with freshly roasted masalas.

Potatoes                                              6 medium, boiled, peeled and cubed

For the Sukke Masala

Freshly Scraped Coconut            ¼ cup

Dry Red Chillies                               3-4

Tamarind Paste                                1 tablespoon

Whole Coriander Seeds                 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek Seeds                              ¼ teaspoon

Turmeric                                             ¼ teaspoon

For the tempering

Oil                                                          1 teaspoon

Mustard Seeds                                  1 teaspoon

Curry Leaves                                     a few

Asafetida                                             a pinch

Dry roast the fenugreek and coriander seeds in a pan. Grind them along with the coconut, red chillies, turmeric, tamarind paste and a little bit of water to a smooth paste.

• Add the masala to the boiled, peeled and cubed potatoes and mix to coat them like a marinade

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, curry leaves, add the asafetid.

Add the potato mixture to this and a little water if needed. Cook this covered, stirring a couple of times for about 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and cook a few more minutes till it is almost dry. Serve hot with rice and sambhar, dal or rasam.

Accompaniment Suggestions

Pepper Rasam

Tomato Dal

Dosakaya Pappu (Lemon Cucumber Dal)

Sambhar

Whole Wheat Masala Spinach Bread

Summer is upon us. No two thoughts on that. I am functioning like half my brain has melted already. Copious amounts of ale has been drunk in the name of managing the heat! and power cuts for 3-4 hours a day are a reality (also very annoying in the mornings when breakfast has to be made).

A few months ago, I began Oding on this blog. I like the writing style… the recipes and the pictures…. no styling, no set up, no fluff… really good pictures of easy to do recipes… just up my alley… so a light form of obsession took place.

In between all the whining I have been doing, I baked this Whole Wheat Masala Bread. I swapped out a few ingredients for what I had on hand. It turned out fabulous… toasted or not, plain or with butter… it was yummy!

I’ve been using wholewheat (chapati) flour for a lot of bread baking and also cakes and the like. I think because I use the food processor to make the dough, I do not get a crumb as fine as is shown in the original recipe… not a deterrent tho because the bread itself was delicious. I also had to bake it in a tin because my dough was too, how shall I put it – loose? it wouldn’t hold shape.

The only thing I wish I had not done, was to leave the loaf in the tin to cool off for a couple of hours. the steam trapped between the bread and the tin, made it wet. Once the loaf was removed from the tin and left to air dry, all was well again.

Whole Wheat Masala Spinach Bread

Whole Wheat Masala Spinach Bread

Whole Wheat Flour           2 cups

Salt                                          1 teaspoon

Cooking Oil                           3 tablespoons

Active Yeast                        2 teaspoons (I used 1 teaspoon, as I have overactive yeast!)

Warm Water                         ¼ cup

Sugar                                       1 teaspoon

Warm Milk                            1/4 cup

Water for kneading as required

Spinach Leaves                   1 cup, washed, cleaned and chopped

Red Chilli Powder              1 teaspoon (or more if you want it more spicy)

Turmeric                               1/4 teaspoon

Cumin Powder                    ½ teaspoon

A dash of asafetida Ginger Garlic Paste            ½ teaspoon (optional but recommended)

Add the sugar and warm water to the warm milk, add the yeast and stir to dissolve a bit. Leave it in a warm corner for 15 minutes to froth up. This step is very important to make yeasted bread. If the yeast does not froth, the bread will not rise.

Mix together the whole wheat flour with the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, asafetida and cumin powder.

Add the chopped spinach to the flour and toss it about. Add the ginger garlic paste to the milk – yeast and mix well. Pour it into the flour with the oil and mix. Add enough water to make a pliable dough. I used the dough blade of my food processor to do this. This dough is easy to make without any equipment as well. Knead the dough for a few minutes till it resembles a sticky mass. Leave covered in a well oiled bowl to rise for about an hour.

After an hour, when the dough has doubled, tip it onto a clean surface, dust with a little dry flour and knead for 5 minutes, using the heel of your palm. If it feels sticky, add more dry flour, but sparingly so.

Shape it into an oval loaf and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or baking paper. Or place it into a loaf pan. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise for the second time. For about 30-40 minutes.

In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C.

When the second rise is done, place the risen dough in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. When the top has lightly changed colour, remove from the oven. Let it cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing it from the pan and leaving it on a wire rack to cool completely. I left it in the pan and wandered off for a couple of hours. The result was that the bottom of the loaf became soggy from the steam of the hot bread. I had to leave it out to dry out completely after that.

Slice the bread after it is completely cool. Enjoy with a robust gravy curry like this, or this whole masoor dal like Haathi served it with, toasted with chai or just slathered with butter. It tastes divine anyway you eat it.

This bread has a shelf life of about 24 hours in Hyderabad’s heat. You can store it in the fridge for a few days more, but I wouldn’t know, cos it did not last that long!

Curries to serve this bread with:

Mushroom Masala

Whole Masoor (red Lentils) dal

Fake Meat and Potatoes

Bottle Gourd Kurma

Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

Yes I know that Chocolate and Strawberries are a Valentine’s day cliche…. but they are a cliche for a reason. They taste so bloody good together! So if you want a really quick to put together dessert to celebrate this day of love… or a quick and easy dessert to make ahead when you have guests… or better yet, make it and hoard it in the fridge to indulge at midnight when hunger pangs hit…. whatever the reason, make these bite sized desserts, do make it to spread the love.

Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

Chocolate Strawberry Trifle - (Makes 4 servings)

Chocolate Cake                       100 grams (use store bought)

Vanilla Custard Powder      2 tablespoons

Fresh Strawberries               1 cup (hulled and sliced)

Sugar                                          2 tablespoons

Milk                                            1 cup

To make the custard

1. Heat the milk with the sugar.
2. Dissolve the custard powder in ½ cup of chilled water and mix till there are no lumps. Add this gently to the hot milk and sugar and stir continuously and cook till the custard begins to thicken.
3. If you remove the spoon from the pan, the mixture should coat the back of the spoon thickly.
4. Set aside and cool completely.
5. Cut the chocolate cake into ½ inch slices to fit into the serving bowl.

To assemble the trifle

1. Layer the bottom of the serving bowl with a slice of cake. Add a couple of tablespoons of custard over it. Layer it with the slices of fresh strawberry.
2. Repeat the entire sequence once more. Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.