Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Strawberry Santas


 Ingredients
1 dozen strawberries
200 grams softened butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
few chocolate sprinkles
Method

  • Whip together the butter and sugar until pale.
  • Wash the strawberries and pat them dry. Slice off the leafy end of each strawberry, so as to form the base of our little santas.
  • Slice of the tip, to form the tiny hat of our santas.
  • Pipe off a dollop of whipped butter icing on to the top of the base part of our santas. 
  • Place the tiny hat on top of tthis dollop.
  • Using a toothpick, place a small dollop onto the tip of the hat of our santas. Put two tiny buttons of butter icing as buttons on the front of each strawberry.
  • Put eyes for our santas with the chocolate sprinkles. Yes, that's it, our cute little santas are ready for this Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all!!!!










Monday, December 23, 2013

Doughnuts


How about some strawberry, cheese, sugar crusted and chocolate coated doughnuts for this Christmas? Easy doughnuts that can be made in no time, don't have to wait for the dough to rise up. Knead it, roll it, cut out and fry it. Top it with your favourite flavours and there you go!

While browsing through the net I happened to find this recipe,and one interesting ingredient that caught my attention was the usage of mashed potatoes here.So decided to give it a try, and the outcome was not at all bad. Kids relished it,and as for me, I felt the yeast could be reduced a bit, but otherwise it was a quick doughnut that could be made in no time with very few ingredients.
 With the onset of the Christmas holidays, the kids are at home, bored with all the TV,games, gadgets etc. So the topping on the doughnuts was done by them, totally as per their ideas. Some were drizzled with some strawberry syrup, some with cheese, some with chocolate, some with nutella etc. They had a great time decorating their doughnuts and munching them off. 

Recipe adapted from secretdonutrecipe.com
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 potato
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoon yeast
1 cup milk
2 tablespoon vegetable oil + more for deep frying
Method
  • Prick the potato with a fork and microwave it for 5 minutes. Peel and mash the potato and keep it aside.(You can boil the potato and mash it too. That is up to you.)
  • In 1 cup of warm milk add the yeast and a pinch of sugar and keep this aside.(the milk should just be warm, not hot, or else it will kill the yeast).
  • In a bowl, mix together, the flour, sugar, mashed potato and sugar.
  • Now add the wet ingredients i.e the milk with yeast and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
  • Mix everything with a fork until it starts to ball up. Add more flour as it will be sticky and knead into a soft dough.
  • Dust some flour on the kitchen counter top and knead the dough.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into 1/2 inch thickness.
  • Using a doughnut cutter and any other suitable round edged cutter(or even a glass), cut out rounds. Cut out small rounds from the center to make a doughnut shape.(if you are not using a doughnut cutter).You can fry these small rounds that are cut off from the center and serve them as munchkins!


  • Heat enough oil for deep frying.
  • Fry the doughnuts in the hot oil, turning around until both sides are golden brown. Drain onto a paper towel.
  • Sprinkle sugar on the warm doughnuts and serve or give them to the kids and let them do their innovative toppings.



Saturday, December 21, 2013

Pancit Canton


Pancit canton is a noodle dish of Chinese origin that has become very much a part of the Filipino cuisine. A yummy stir fried dish with meat and vegetables.

Ingredients
1 pkt(230gms) pancit canton flour sticks(wheat noodles)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1  tender chicken breast, boneless and sliced thin
1 1/2 cup water or chicken stock
2 tablespoon shredded cabbage
2 tablespoon carrot julienned
2 tablespoon green beans julienned
2 tablespoon sliced capsicum
1 tablespoon crushed pepper corns
salt to taste
2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce


Method
  • Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 1 minute.
  • Add the shredded chicken and stir fry on high flame for 2 minutes. Then add the vegetables. Stir fry for a few minute(vegetables should be crisp).
  • Then add the water or stock. 
  • Season with salt and pepper. Add the soy sauce and bring this to a boil.
  • Now add the pancit canton and cook stirring occasionally until the noodles absorbs the water completely and is cooked and dry.
  • Serve hot.






Thursday, December 19, 2013

Lettuce wraps

Made this inspired by the lettuce wraps from P.F.Changs!
Recipe adapted from www.food.com
Ingredients
3 tbsp oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup water
2/3 cup mushroom
1 onion chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hot mustard
2 tsp water
1-2 tsp garlic and red chili paste


Stir Fry Sauce

2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
salt (if required as soya sauce has a good amount of salt in it)

Method
  • To make the special sauce dissolve the sugar in water in a small bowl.Add soy sauce,rice wine vinegar,ketchup,lemon juice and sesame oil.
  • Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you are ready to serve.
  • Mix the mustard with a little hot water and keep this aside.
  • Add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.(add less if you don't want it too hot)
  • Heat oil in a large frying pan and roast the chicken breasts for about 5 minutes each side or until done. Remove from the pan and once cooled mince the chicken and the mushrooms.
  • In the same pan that the chicken was roasted, heat 1 Tbsp of oil and add the onion, garlic, chicken and mushrooms. 
  • Add the stir fry sauce and saute the mixture for a few minutes.
  • Spoon this mixture into each lettuce leaf and drizzle over the special sauce on top. Wrap and serve.

The original recipe uses water chestnuts too other than chicken and mushrooms. I skipped that as I didn't get it.



Sunday, December 15, 2013

Bread Potato Fritters

Sharing today, a perfect tea time snack for those cold winter days.
Ingredients
2 medium large potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
3-4 slices of bread
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 green chilli, very finely chopped
a handful of coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder(optional)
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

Method

  • Dip each bread slice in water and squeeze out the water. Crumble it with your hands and add it to the mashed potatoes.
  • Add all the other ingredients to the potato bread mix. Knead well until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • Take small portions of this mixture and shape them into round, oval or any other shape as per your wish.
  • Deep fry these balls in hot oil until golden brown in colour.
  • Drain onto a kitchen towel and serve hot with tomato ketchup.





Thursday, December 12, 2013

Lemon Yoghurt Cake

We are turning 'ONE" today!!!

Exactly one year ago on 12/12/12 at 12:12:12 we were so excited to click the 'publish' button for the first time. Now, after one year, we are filled with immense pleasure and contentment looking back at all our published delicacies. 
Our greatest achievement is the number of blogger friends we got during our one year of food journey. We feel so proud to have become a part of the beautiful blogosphere.
 We take this moment to thank all our friends who have supported us and encouraged us with their lovely comments and likes. Thank you one and all.
Today, as it is a time for celebration, we have decided to celebrate our anniversary just as every one else does.
 Yes, with a cake!!! Lemon Yoghurt Cake

Ingredients
180 grams unsalted butter
250 grams sugar
3 large eggs
juice of  1 lemon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice for icing
1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon rind
250 grams all purpose flour
3/4 cup yoghurt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoon icing sugar

Method
  • Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius
  • Sift flour along with baking powder and keep aside.
  • Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy.
  • Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
  • Add lime juice,zest ,yoghurt,salt and beat for 40 seconds.
  • Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add flour.
  • Mix everything well and make sure that no lumps are formed.
  • Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Mix well icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl  and brush the mixture on top of the cake once it cools down.

Monday, December 09, 2013

Palak Rice




Ingredients
A bunch of palak/spinach,cleaned
2 cups basmati rice
1 tomato chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon garlic chopped
1 teaspoon ginger chopped
1 green chili chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Method
  • Cook the rice with a pinch of salt and keep aside.
  • Boil water in a pan with some salt.
  • Turn off the fire and add the palak leaves to the boiling water.
  • Let the spinach leaves remain in water for a minute.
  • Drain the spinach and allow it to cool down.
  • Puree the spinach in a blender and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a kadai.
  • Add onions and stir until it turns translucent.
  • Add ginger,garlic,green chili,tomatoes,turmeric powder and stir for a minute.
  • Add palak puree and salt (if required) and cook on low flame for a minute.
  • Stir in the cooked rice and cook under cover for 1-2 minutes and turnoff the flame.
  • Serve  hot with pickle and pappad.


Saturday, December 07, 2013

Bhagaare Baingan

Ingredients
250 grams brinjals(very small round purple colored ones)
2 onions, roughly chopped into big chunks
2 teaspoon roughly chopped ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon grated jaggery or sugar
1 lemon size ball tamarind, soaked in 1 cup of hot water, then mashed and strained
few curry leaves
oil as required
salt to taste
Dry Roast
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds/khus-khus
3 tablespoon roasted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 inch piece of dry coconut/kopra
a pinch of fenugreek seeds
Method

  • Wash the brinjals and make cross slits along the length of the brinjal making sure that it is held together at the stem. The brinjals should not break open. Keep this aside.
  • In a hot pan roast the onion chunks for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until the onions turn soft and slightly brown.Keep this aside.
  • Dry roast all the items under 'dry roast' until they darken slightly and give out a roasted aroma.
  • Grind the roasted onions and roasted spices along with ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and jaggery into a fine paste.
  • Stuff each brinjal with a little of the grinded paste. Mix the remaining paste with the tamarind water and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add the curry leaves and after two seconds add the stuffed brinjals. Roast the brinjals by shaking the pan(instead of stirring) so that the brinjal brown evenly on all sides. Roast for about 10 minutes on a medium flame.
  • Now add the ground paste and tamarind water mix to the brinjals. 
  • Cover and cook on a medium low flame for 5-7 minutes. 
  • Add half cup of water and stir occasionally till the brinjals are tender and oil separates from the sides. 
  • Baghaare baingan is ready to be served with hot rotis.


Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Grilled Amritsari Machli



 Ingredients
500 grams fish fillet
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon gram flour
Salt as required
For Batter
3 tablespoon flour/maida
4 tablespoon cornflour
3 tablespoon gram flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon ajwain
2 teaspoon kasoori methi /dried fenugreek leaves.
2 teaspoon garlic paste
2 teaspoon ginger paste
1 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil (approximately)
1/4 cup water (approximately)
Salt to taste
Method
  • Rub fish with turmeric,salt, lemon juice and gram flour.
  • Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
  • Wash well to remove all smell.
  • Pat dry on a clean kitchen towel.
  • Mix together all ingredients of the batter to get a pouring batter which is of a thin coating consistency.
  • Leave the fish to marinate in it for at least 1- 2 hrs in the refrigerator.
  • Pick up the fish pieces and shake off the excess batter.
  • Brush some olive oil on top. 
  • Grill until golden colour on medium low heat until the fish is cooked and crisp.




Thursday, November 28, 2013

Egg Rice


Another quick dish for those busy days, when there is no time to spend in the kitchen and you don't feel like feeding your kids with the restaurant food. 
Ingredients
2 cups cooked basmati rice(cooked with enough salt)
1 egg
3-4 cashewnuts
5-6 shallots, sliced thin
1 green chilli, slit lengthwise
few curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili
1/4 teaspoon crushed pepper
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1-2 tablespoon oil/ghee
salt

Method
  • Heat oil/ghee in a deep bottomed pan. Add the sliced onions and fry until golden in colour.
  • Add the cashews, green chili and curry leaves and fry for a minute or until the cashews are slightly roasted.
  • Move this to a corner of the pan. Break the egg into the middle of the pan and scramble it, adding the crushed red chili and pepper.
  • Mix the scrambled egg with the cornered onion masala.
  • Add the ketchup and mix well. Now add the cooked rice and stir contionously for 2-3 minutes. Add salt if needed.Your quick egg rice is ready to be served. 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Soya Mutter Kadi


Ingredients
1/2 cup soya chunks
1 cup boiled green peas
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes,chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
3 cups curd
1 cup water
4 table spoon basen
6 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon ginger-chili paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste
Method 
  • Pressure cook soya chunks with some salt until the cooker gives off 2-3 whistles and keep aside.
  • Wash under cold water and squeeze out the water from the soya chunks.
  • Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan and splutter cumin seeds.
  • Add asafoetida,ginger-chili paste,garlic and onions and saute until the onions turn translucent.
  • Add tomatoes,chili powder,turmeric,coriander powder and saute for 5-10 minutes on low flame.
  • In a bowl,beat curd,besan and  milk until smooth and add to the above mixture.
  • Add soya chunks,green peas,salt , water and bring to a boil.
  • Cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
  • Turn off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with plain rice/roti.


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Egg Chettinad

 Ingredients
4 -5 eggs, hard boiled
2 onions, medium sized, chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup thick coconut milk or grind 2-3 tablespoons of grated coconut into a fine paste
salt
 To roast and grind
3 dry red chillies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel/perumjeerakam seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek/methi/uluva seeds
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
2 cloves
1/2" cinnamon
1 green cardamom
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 green chillies
few cashew nuts

 Method

  • Make slits on the boiled eggs and keep aside.
  • Dry roast all the ingredients under 'roast and grind' for 1-2 minutes.
  • Once cooled grind the roasted ingredients with a sprig of curry leaves, by adding little water into a fine paste. Keep this aside.
  • Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard.
  • Add the chopped onion and remaining curry leaves. Saute until translucent.
  • Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Fry for a minute.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes. Mix and cover and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
  • Now add the grinded masala. Saute well and simmer on low flame for 10 minutes or until oil layer comes up.
  • Add 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the eggs and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
  • Pour the coconut milk or coconut paste. Mix well. Once it starts to boil, remove from the flame and serve hot.