Olives & Basil

DOBOS TORTE

2009-08-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

Dobos Torte was first introduced at the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885; Franz Joseph I and his Empress Elisabeth were among the first to taste it. The cake soon became popular throughout Europe as it was different from all others. It was simple but elegant, as opposed to the multi-storey, flaming cakes of the age. Its other secret was its use of fine buttercream, which was very little known at the time; cake fillings and frostings were usually made with cooked pastry cream or whipped cream. The chocolate buttercream and the batter of the cake were both invented by Jozsef C. Dobos.

It is a five-layer sponge cake, layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with thin caramel slices. The sides of the cake are sometimes coated with ground hazelnuts, chestnuts, walnuts or almonds but the original cake is without coat, since it was a slice of a big cake. Dobos's aim was to make a cake that would last longer than other pastries, in an age when cooling techniques were limited. The caramel topping helps keep the cake from drying out. The cake is also often called 'Dobos-torta' or 'Dobostorta'. **Thanks to wiki

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonfulof Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular DobosTorte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: ExquisiteDesserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Yes sure this is one time consuming project, but once you have planned everything it could just fall into place without any issues.
So lets get along with the recipe, you could use any variation you like in terms of flavour and the basic genoise as well, i choose a lemon genoise with lemon butter cream on the inside and chocolate butter cream ganache on the outside.
The Recipe that i used for the genoise is by Vegan YUm YUm
2 1/2 Cups All purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
r1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine
2 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest of 1 whole Lemon
1 Cup Water
3/4 Milk
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add butter, water, and lemon juice and beat well . Add the remaining ingredients and beat again. Pour the batter into the lined jelly roll pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the top is lightly browned.
Allow to cool in pan until just warm.
Remove the cake from the pan on a heat proof plastic sheet and roll a rolling pin lightly over the whole cake to make it a little more thin.
Once done let it cool and then cut the cake into 5 equal layers. Keep this aside and get your butter cream ready.

Lemon Butter Cream Frosting
2 ½ tablespoons softened butter
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice Cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, add the lemon juice and lemon zest to it, combine well and keep aside.

Chocolate Butter Cream Ganache
2 cups dark chocolate, 1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup sugar
Melt all the above ingredients in a pan on low flame. Mix well and let it cool.

Caramel topping
1 cup (200g) caster (superfine or ultra fine white) sugar
12 tablespoons (180 ml) water
8 teaspoons (40 ml) lemon juice
1 tablespoon neutral oil (e.g. grape seed, rice bran, sunflower)

Lightly oil a thin, sharp knife and an offset metal spatula.Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved into a smooth syrup, turn the heat up to high and boil without stirring, swirling the pan by the handle occasionally and washing down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet brush until the syrup has turned into an amber-coloured caramel. Pour this over your layer and let it cool.

Assembling the Cake:
Divide your lemon butter cream into 5 equal parts, take one layer of your sponge and spread lemon butter cream evenly on it, sandwich it with the other layer of the sponge... repeat till all your 4 layers are sandwiched. Cover the cake with your Chocolate Butter Cream and decorate with the caramel layer. Refrigerate until cool. :)

Well never heard about it until this months DB's challenge. This awesome layered cake is heavenly. The rich butter cream makes it apt for calling it a celebration in it self.

Rava(semolina) Coconut Ladoo

2009-08-05T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ladoo is a delectable Indian dessert made with variety of flours and nuts. Some time back i visited a friend's place and was complaining about my daughter not eating her meals well, and after some time she offered her Semolina coconut ladoo's, Unbelievably she ate all of it :) the very next thing i did after coming home was made those for my daughter.

I have never made any kind of ladoos before and this is my first attempt at making these.

Rava(semolina) Coconut Ladoo
Rava / Semolina - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup

Milk - 1/4th cup

Cardamom powder - a pinch
Raisins - a handful

Grated fresh coconut/Dry coconut - 1/2 cup

Pour ghee in a pan and raisins until till golden brown color and keep aside. Roast the semolina in the remaining ghee, Once u smell the semolina being cooked ( basically the raw smell should go)add the grated coconut also and saute for few minutes. Add sugar and the turn the heat off.

Cool it ( warm enough to mold) and make this mixture into small round balls it by pressing gently with your hand. Use milk spoon by spoon in case u cant form balls.
Keep in airtight dry container.

Milano Cookies

2009-07-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Milano Cookies, yes have seen them a lot in the imported food section but never tasted them as Eggs!! were mandatory. Gave it a shot for the Daring Bakers July challenge.

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

Well .......... they are so simple to make and the same goes for the taste, very very delicate crispy,chewy and as you chew u get this awesome chocolate swirling along your mouth which is sandwiched between two crisp layers of cookies....mmm heavenly!! yes that's what i would call it. I could not attempt on the Marshmallow cookies because of the vegetarian factor. Also the vegan mallows have corn syrup which is not easily available.. but will give it a hand once i grab this syrup from some where.

I added a tinge of lemon rind as well as lemon juice just for a little zest. Ive tried chocolate and orange a lot of times now it was Mr lemons turn :) n ya lemons and chocolates go very well for sure. I almost used the recipe for Eggless Milano's from here except for a few changes.

Eggless Milano Cookies.

3/4th cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon rind

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all the dry ingredients and gradually add the wet ones while mixing the batter well. It should form a cake like batter. Whisk well for a few minutes and fill in a piping bag.Meanwhile Pre-heat your oven at 180 deg C and also prepare your baking tray with a parchment paper. Squeeze you piping bag to make desired shape's. Well the original shape of milanos is a Elongated Oval kind... but i was all in for hearts :) and small rounds which look like macaroons :)Its fun cause once you start piping shapes you want to do so much it.. so explore your creativity. :)

Bake them for about 20 min or until golden in colour. Baking them less will give them a cakey texture so be careful not to burn them or leave them undone.

While they bake Make your chocolate filling.

Chocolate Filling.

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 orange, zested ( i did not add)

In a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools). Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies

Whole Wheat Eggless Walnut Brownies

2009-07-13T05:40:00.000-07:00

My hubby loves sizzling brownies, also had to think of a dessert for a lunch so gave a try to Wheat Brownies, yes they are egg less and awesome. They turned out to be pretty soft and chewy.

Every bite had crunchy walnut bumping in my mouth which made the taste more interesting.

I am slowly trying to adapt some of my recipes to make them healthier by using more of wheat flour, using less butter .. etc

And to motivate me Madhuram always has a ongoing event !! here is another one for you Madhuram for the Whole grain eggless baking event.

Whole Wheat Eggless walnut Brownies

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup water

1/3rd cup butter

21/2 cup coco powder

2cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

2tsp baking pwd

3/4th cup w walnuts

1/4th tsp salt.

Mix water with 1/3rd cup flour and heat in a nonstick n low heat until a smooth paste.

Let the mix cool. Along side mix butter with coco pwd and heat to a smooth paste on low low flame.

Add sugar to the cooled flour-water mix and add rest of the flour, vanilla essence , salt, baking powder,Mix it along with butter and coco mix. Blend all of in a blender until smooth.

Mix in your nuts and pour into a greased tin. Bake at 180deg for about 30 min.

You can make variations by adding almonds, choco-chips etc etc :)Server hot along with cold ice-cream!!

Eggless Wheat-Choco Muffins

2009-07-09T02:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Maaaaaaaa :)Wish u all the love and luck in the world and Thanks a lot for everything! u all mean the word to me :)
This post is dedicated to my Maa :) i got late today to wish her :( sorry for that :) here's a small lil way we enjoyed your day!! With some Low fat Wheat-Choco Muffins!! Hope u had a great day today!!
I am also forwarding this post to Madhuram;s Event for this month!! Shes hosting this wonderful event to use Whole Grains as ur main ingredient! i m absolutely going to try hard and post as many recipes as i can :)
Here is the recipe for

Eggless Wheat Muffins.

1Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Sugar
1/4th cup Coco-pwd
1/4th cup Oil
1/2 cup water
1/4th cup Milk
1/2tbs Baking Pwd
1tbs Vanilla essence
2tbs Honey

Mix all the above ingredients and blend well until smooth. Pour in your muffin moulds and bake at 180 deg for about 30 min.
Garnish with M&Ms :) and loads of love!

Happy Birthday Nani! :) from Kaira and her friend Kishi :)!!!

Malpua/WHole wheat pancakes.

2009-07-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

These sweet wheat pancakes are my favourite. I had not made or u can say had them in ages, So yesterday was one occasion i thought was perfect to make them on. It was Guru purnima, and had to make some prasad and the first thing in the morning when i woke up was MALPUA :) so it had to be it ! :)

I made a very instant version of it just mixing the batter and frying them. Its pretty instant so ya u don't have to wait too long to eat this yummy treat :) which u have to otherwise until u make ur sugar syrup. Traditionally they are deep fried and dipped in sugar syrup to sweeten them.

SO here's my instant recipe for :

Malpua's/Whole wheat pancakes.

1 cup whole wheat

½ cup sugar

1 tsp fennel crushed.

¼ cup curd

½ cup milk

Pinch of cardamon pwd.

Ghee

Nuts to garnish

Mix all the ingredients except the nuts and ghee, blend well in a blender or mix well until smooth. Let it stand for 10 min or more, In the mean time heat some ghee in a pan on medium low heat. Pour a tablespoon worth of batter in the pan and let it cook, Flip on the other side to cook evenly until golden brown. Remove on a kitchen paper and plate them, while garnishing with ur choice of nuts :)

Thats the pic of my daughter while her mouth is stuffed with malpua;s 2 at a time :)

The best option is to serve it with chilled RABDI :) (Indian sweet made with milk)

BakeWell Tarts

2009-06-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

Well ive been wanting to live in London...the UK ... since i was a kid, and still dream to be settled there . :) But guess ive not done my research well enough, well i did it now :) The Bakewell tart is a traditional English baked cake native to the town of Bakwell. The tart consists of a shortcrust pastry shell, covered in jam and covered with a sponge style filling enriched with ground almonds. This is known as Frangipane. Traditionally the cakes are also covered with nuts such as almonds and peanuts. Normally eggs are a must have in this recipe but chucking them out from recipe's is my mission :) So here is another month of challenge from the Daring Bakers for me! BAKE WELL TARTS :)

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England

3 Major elements of a Bake well tart are- Tart, Jam & Frangipane.

Tart Crust(short crust pastry):
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Pour ice water into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. .Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax. Preheat the oven to 180 C .Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, and then remove the foil and weights.Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling.,so it should be baked until lightly golden. the second bake. Set aside to cool

For the Jam i used a store bought Strawberry Jam.

Frangipane: This vegetarian recipe is inspired from here.
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sugar (you could add more if u like it more sweet)
1 cup strawberry puree (just crush fresh strawberries in ur blender)
2 tbs Cornflour
1/2cup all purpose flour
1/4th cup almond flakes
Few drops of lemon juice
Few drops vanilla essence
Mix butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the strawberry puree and mix well, add rest of the ingredients except flour and almonds, and mix till smooth. Add the flour and blend till mixed well, lastly add the almond flakes and mix it gradually. Pour in the filling in your jam spread ed tart base and bake for about and hour in a pre-heated oven at 180deg.
This might feel like a little shaky even after baking for an hour. But will set after its cool. The best way to know is inserting a knife/toothpick and check if it comes out clean or not.

My Verdict to this months challenge is... shown in the pics below... my 2 yr old daughter 'Kaira' could not wait until the pics were being clicked... she literally had her mouth open as i was clicking... so if the pics dint turn out well.. its cuz she could not resist eating it :)

My next variation for Bakewell Tart is going to be with Nutella filling :0 Flaky pastry crust + Cream Nutellla chocolate +Crumbly soft cake like Fragipane . YUMMMMM!!

Cream Crackers

2009-06-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

I love this low fat snack. Well surely its not low fat if you eat a whole pack of it, which i normally tend to. We get a good variety of black pepper, sesame, plain, veggie ..etc Cream crackers here. So i thought to give it a shot at home once and ya they are super duper easy and the best about baking them at home is keeping them as low in fat as you want.

I made a small batch this time as i was experimenting with my own recipe, next time its sure going to be a big ... big batch with all kinds of sprinklings on it :)

Also Madhuram has announced her Low fat Eggless baking Event. So this recipe goes to her. I am eagerly waiting for the round up, to try some awesome low cal, vegetarian recipes :)

I made basic sea salt-pepper (red and black) seasonings this time.
You can make them rich by adding a good scoop of butter or olive oil in it. I have skipped all the fat content in it. They were a little dry but well that made it taste more crisp. :)

So here;s the recipe for
Cream Crackers:
1cup All purpose flour
Salt to taste
1/2 cup milk
Few drops of oil (just to grease it while rolling)
Mix all the above ingredients to make a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 15 min.
In the mean time pre-heat your oven at 170 C
After your dough has rested roll them into sheets and using a pizza cutter cut them into squares or your desired shape. Sprinkle some sea salt/black pepper/red pepper or any seasoning of your choice.
I made small roses out of it. which looked adorable. Bake them on a parchment paper until they get a light golden glow on them, that would take about 15-20 min max.
Cool them on a wire rack and store in a air tight jar :)

Gyoza/Chinese dumplings/potstickers

2009-06-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

Seeing this month;s got a big smile on my face. Living in Japan Ive seen abundance of these but to my bad luck never got a chance to eat enough of these. You hardly find vegetarian stuff here, Japanese don't find a reason to NOT eat Egg, Meat, Fish, Beef... etc... So unlike me who has millions reasons not to eat the above i loose onto a lot of things available here to eat. Gyoza, Is my new found love for Asian cuisine, We recently found a Chinese ramen restaurant who serves vege gyoza'a and they taste amazingly YUM!!
Gyoza is an Asian dumpling, originating in China before becoming a staple in Japanese cuisine. In the United States, gyoza is commonly sold as a "potsticker," or “potstickers.” Gyoza is made from a very thin dumpling skin, and is filled with meat and vegetables. A soy based dipping sauce typically accompanies gyoza.
I have made these before at home but always used the store bough wrappers. No doubt they easy to easy but there is a whole new sense of accomplishment when you roll the sheets at home. The recipe given of the dough is amazing to work with. So ya this was a easy challenge for me and had great fun making them, and my hubby had more fun relishing them! :) He says this is like a awesome Saturday night munch to go along with drinks!! :)

Dough:
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water flour for work surface
Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).
Make the dough, Method 2 : In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.

Dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)
Few leaves of Coriander.
Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

For the filling:
2cups Chinese cabbage shredded
bunch Nira roughly chopped
1 large green onions chopped
1/2 cup Shitake mushrooms chopped
2 cloves garlic
l piece ginger grated
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 Tbs soy sauce
Green Chilli (optuional)

Mix all the above ingredients in a pan n fry over medium heat until cooked. Cool the mix and grind it to a paste.

Your filling is ready to be crimped in between your gyoza sheets.

I luckily found this very inexpensive gyoza crimper in one of our local stores here... i must say this made my job sooooo easy. I did make a few with my hand but crimping them with the machine gave it a Pro look :) The pics will explain it better.

Cooking the Gyoza:

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.
To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes
To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve

AWESOME!! is the verdict for it! All i can say is.. i already have another batch of filling ready in my fridge to be crimped up pretty soon!!! :)

Happy Birthday!!

2009-06-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

OK this post is due since months and months... i have been very lazy recently when it comes to sitting down to write.But well Better late than never :)

This post is for my 2 most imp ppl in my life, One is my Friend Rutuja whose birthday was on 17th may, and also goes a big Congratulations to you dear ...for your engagement :) Hope life brings you all the love and luck. Shes been waiting to see her Birthday cake since long.. M sorry for the delay. It was just a simple Choco-Banana cake... but well what made it special was It was For your Birthday :)

The other most imp and the sweetest Devil of my life... My Daughter :) she turned 2 on 26th April. Made a princess cake for her. Well this was the first time i made such a huge cake and a fancy one!! :) I was sooo nervous that would not get sleep for nights together but.... at the end... was all worth it. She loved it!! she kept saying OH WOW MAAA ....PRETTTYYY :)

No party celebration but just went out with our friends on her Birthday. It was a beautiful day out for Strawberry Picking, and then to a small Amusement park.

It was awesome picking awesome red Strawberries straight from the plants :) They had many variates of the, well i don't remember the names of them. But ya they tasted Sweet and tangy :)

Felt like the day was dedicated to Strawberries as her cake was a Strawberry mousse cake !!

Cheesy Green Onion Strudel

2009-05-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

A pastry made with fruit or cheese rolled up in layers of thin sheets of dough and then baked.N not to forget with oooodllllesss of LOVE, STRUDEL!! it is....
A strudel is a type of sweet layered pastry with a filling inside, that became well known and gained popularity in the 18th century through the Habsburg Empire .The most well known Strudel's are Apple strudel, Sour cherry.
But well cooking can never be restricted :) , The Daring Bakers can prove that with numerous variations of a strudel for u!! Yes u right,
The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.
Well, i choose my Strudel to be savoury, Cheese of course...
I most challenging thing was to roll the dough thin, well but i guess all of us have practised enough with the lasagna before :) so it was a little easier this time. I used the rolling pin to the max i could and then stretched it with my hand, i choose to leave it on the work surface and pull rather than taking it in my hand. I luckily dint have any tears, but well it really does not matter as the whole thing rolls up well:)
I love this recipe as it gave a beautiful dough to work with, was nice n smooth and no issues to roll with :)

Strudel dough
“Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Tips- Ingredients are cheap so we would recommend making a double batch of the dough, that way you can practice the pulling and stretching of the dough with the first batch and if it doesn't come out like it should you can use the second batch to give it another try;- The tablecloth can be cotton or polyester;- Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves;- To make it easier to pull the dough, you can use your hip to secure the dough against the edge of the table;- Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible.
Both Courtney and Linda did a trial run on making the strudel. Below are our notes:
Courtney's notes- She couldn't get it to stretch to 2 feet by 3 feet, it turned out more like 2 feet by 2 feet. But the dough was tissue thin nevertheless;- She got some serious holes, but after rolling it wasn't noticeable;- She used a large cheese cloth which helped manipulate and stretch the dough more than a heavier cloth would have.
Linda's notes- I made the dough by hand, just mixed the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Kneaded it for about 5 min like you would bread dough. This worked as well. Haven't tried using a stand mixer so I don't know how it compares.- Instead of cider vinegar I used red wine vinegar;- I used bread flour;- Picking up the dough to let it stretch didn't work well for me, holes appeared pretty much instantly. Instead I stretched the dough while it was lying on the tablecloth by putting my hands underneath and stretching it out further and further.

For the Cheese Onion filling:-
One cup finely chopped Green Onions
1/4Th cup Green Pepper
2 cups Mixed cheese
Salt
Black-pepper
Pinch of Red chili flakes.
Mix all the above ingredients and add the seasoning to taste.
Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Well i have already decided on lots of other variations that i would want to try with this strudel dough ~ :) Happy Baking!!

2009-05-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

Candied Orange Zest!! I loved em! light bittery taste mingling so well with the sweet refreshing citrus flavour! :) I had tried making these for my cheese cake recipe. A quick and tasty flavouring for your desserts. While you cook these the aroma that spreads in your house is just to die for :)

So here's the recipe-

CANDIED ORANGE ZEST

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Zest of 1 orange

In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange peeled into strips, simmer and let it cook until zest is tender. Drain, and transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle some sugar crystals or powdered sugar.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

2009-05-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

Gnocchi... a total disaster when i first made them. I always had this misconception that Gnocchi are made using potatoes, But well The Daring Bakers cleared my misconception :) like always made me learn that they are made with different ingredients.

SO for the first ever Daring Cooks Challenge they choose 'Zuni Ricotta Gnocchi' from Zuni Cafe Cookbook, But i had to alternate the recipe to my own being a vegetarian.

The word gnocchi means "lump", and comes from nocchio, a knot in the wood. It’s been a traditional Italian pasta type of probably Middle Eastern origin since Roman times. Gnocchi are widely available dried, frozen, or fresh in vacuum sealed packages. Ive tried those too but somehow they ended up in the thrash can. :( So i was pretty hesitant to try this challenge. But well had to that's what challenges are for :)
Lets get started. Firstly u need Ricotta cheese, which i made at home as Ive done it a lot of times before. It is exactly like 'Paneer' Cottage cheese widely used in India.

Ricotta Cheese.
Milk - half gallon
1/2 cup lime juice/Vinegar
Cheese Cloth.
Boil the milk in a thick-bottomed vessel on medium heat, stirring occasionally Rinse the vessel with cold water before you put it on heat, it avoids the milk from sticking to the pan. Once the milk starts to boil, reduce the heat and add the lime juice, stirring continuously.
In few minutes, you see the milk splitting into small white clouds floating on top. Let the milk stand till the whey gets clear. This process takes few minutes, so wait at least five minutes. Switch off the heat and let it stand for few more minutes. Then pour the whole thing immediately into a clean cheese cloth in a sieve. Leave the sieved cheese for a while so that the water drains. In about 15 min or more tie the cloth tight enough and hang it under the sink and leave it over night to let the water drain well. Your cheese is ready!!! If not using immediately Refrigerate it until use.

Next step is making Gnocchi- I made up my own recipe as i cannot use eggs. It still was light and fluffy :)

Ricotta Gnocchi.

1 cup ricotta cheese

3-4 tbs Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Milk as required

Mix the above ingredients into a smooth dough using milk. Add milk gradually so that you don't over soften the mix. Once the dough is ready let is stand for 15 min. Then take a small piece of dough and roll it into a elongated tube. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch size pieces and keep aside. Using a fork I rolled each Gnocchi on it to give a ribbed texture. I heard some where that they mainly give ribbed texture to gnocchi so that the sauce clings well to the pasta. In the mean while keep a pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt and a few drops of olive oil, throw in your pasta and let them boil until they start floating on the top. This takes just a few minutes. Drain them well and ... Now your pasta is ready to be tossed!!!

For the sauce-

Basil pesto

1/2 cup Fresh cherry tomatoes sliced into half

Asparagus Cut into 3's

Few pimento olive's sliced.

In a pan heat a tbs of olive oil and add your pesto sauce. Stir in the Asparagus and let it tender down a bit, Add the Gnocchi and cherry tomatoes, Salt and pepper to season. Toss well to coat the pasta well with the sauce. Ready to be Served!! :)

Well the verdict for this challenge would be 'Great' I m really glad that i tried to make Gnocchi again which actually ended up in our tummies rather than the thrash can. :) I m sure to try a different variation soon again with a more basic sauce.

These Little pillows of heaven (as they are widely known as) are a must TRY!!!

Thanks to the Daring Cooks!!! for making me a better cook .......

Choco'range Cheesecake.

2009-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake says
Hedy Lamarr . Well in my case even if i was near a bakery i could not eat a cheesecake as i would not get a vegetarian one!, So the only option for me is to make one.
Well cheesecake was in my cook list since the past 10 years, ya!! u read right 10 years! A aunt of mine had made this yum strawberry cheesecake about 10 years back and i always thought id make it, somehow it never happened until the Daring Bakers challenged :)
The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

I always get hesitant when i have to use tofu as a egg substitute, i m worried about the tofu taste being dominant. So had to make sure i choose strong flavours to cut down tofu's taste.
I went a lil safe, by using the same choco-orange combo as i had done before. The crust was oreo's mixed with choco-almond digestive biscuits, made some candied orange Peel's for the orange flavour.
Trust me it just was heavenly. All my friends who got a bite worth size to taste , loved it!! I m sure to make it soon again but next time try the unbaked version.
I loveeeeeeeeeee cheesecake!!!!
I have to sincerely thank Noveleats for providing the recipe. Thanks a million for sharing such a lovely recipe with us. :)
I followed her recipe mostly, except for changing the flavours:)
Here;s my version of ..

CHOCO'RANGE CHEESECAKE.
200gms Silk Tofu
200gms Cream cheese (i used Philadelphia)
3/4th cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2tsp vanilla essence
2tbs lemon juice
4-5 tbs candied orange peel's (chopped)
3tbs Cornstarch
1 Bar of milk chocolate
1 Bar of bitter chocolate
*Melt the chocolate on a double boiler and keep aside.

For the crust-
One pack oreo biscuits.
One pack Choco-almond digestive biscuits.
* You can use your choice of crust in accordance to your taste.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Drain the tofu, Add the tofu, Cream cheese and blend till smooth. Then add rest of the ingredients except for Lemon juice, chocolate and orange peels.
Blend till smooth paste. Divide the mix into two parts. Add the melted chocolate in one and add the orange peels with lemon juice in the other mix.
Prepare the crust by crushing the biscuits and layering it on a greased cake tin. I used a regular rolling pin and a ziploc to crush my biscuits.
As far as the cake tin is concerned its always better to use a springform. I used a regular one as i dint have a springform.
The verdict to this tofu-cheese cake is DOUBLE thumb's-up!! As i read all the post;s i now feel i could have tried the water bath which i dint. Next time id know the difference if it actually makes it more creamier or not. Also one thing i really enjoyed was the pieces of candied orange zest bumping in with the vanilla -sour cheese flavour, it was some what like the classic meets the hip-hop!
One thing is for sure, Its sinful in every term!!

Mixed Marwadi Dal

2009-04-10T01:28:00.000-07:00

Somehow i get a urge to cook something different everyday. Something which is not too fancy, can be packed for hubby;s lunch-box, Tasty and goes with the theme of a weekday lunch/dinner. He loves all kinds of dal's, and it gets so boring to make the same thing again n again. I keep craving for diff kind of lentil recipes.

This was the best time to bump into the Tried and Tested event which is hosted byAparna this month which is featuring Lisa's Kitchen.I visited Lisa's blog for the first time and was stunned seeing the variety of vegetarian food. Loved her collection!! Me being a vegetarian myself made it easy to choose a recipe from her blog to blog for.

I choose the Mixed Marwadi daal.. It tastes heavenly with hot roti;s splashed with ghee. I followed lisa;s recipe to the T. Here; the recipe http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2008/04/marawadi-mixed-dal.html
Trust me its a must try!!

Mexican Stir-fry Rice

2009-04-10T00:48:00.000-07:00

Its always fun to cook for kids, they seem to relish their food if it is of their taste and the smile that comes along with it is .. priceless!! All kids love diff colours in their food, My daughter is almost 2 years now and yet understands her taste completely.She lovessssss Rice in any form. SO wen i saw Trupti;s event which she is hosting this month, which is cooking for Kids and that too mainly using Rice i was sure to participate. Cooking for Kids event is a master mind of Sharmi of Neivedyam
SO here i made Mexican stir-fry rice using read kidney beans along with some veggies.

I love this recipe for the fact that it is quick to make, is enjoyed by all, healthy, and colourful too :)

1cup uncooked rice 1 cup white onions, sliced 2 crushed garlic cloves pinch of turmeric pwd 1 sliced green pepper 1 tomato, chopped 1 cup mixed boiled vegetables 1/4th cup boiled Red kidney beans Drop of Tabasco Oil Salt

Wash and soak rice for about an hour or more. Boil the rice and set aside.Heat oil in a pan and add Onion slices, saute till golden brown, add garlic and turmeric pwd, saute for a few more minutes. Set this mix aside and in the same pan saute the green pepper. for a min. Add the remaining mix vegetables, beans and the onion mix. Saute everything well enough until veggies are tender. Add salt and a drop of Tabasco. Add Ur boiled rice and mix well. Serve hot with curry or curd!! :)

Lasagna

2009-03-18T05:58:00.001-07:00

The Daring Bakers!! TADAAAAAAAAAAAAA With a new majestic look! called The Daring Kitchen, I must say the whole team has done a wonderful job and is taken blogging as well as non blogging members to a whole new platform. Its just so wonderful to be a part of The Daring Bakers and The Daring Cooks, Oh yes Ivonne and Lisa have launched The Daring Cooks for passionate cooks :) So gather your cooking gear and get set for one astounding ride which will give daredevil challenges month after month :)
Now lets get to this months Daring Bakers Challenge.

Lasagna

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagna of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

The challenge is to Make your own spinach lasagna by rolling it with hand or using your machine.Then make your bechamel sauce and ragu sauce which is a meat sauce. Or make a sweet lasagna. Well i very predictably choose not to make the sweet one :) Yea being a cheese freak i had not much choice left.

Lately Ive been reading a bit about Italian food and happen to read this about Lasagna The etymology of the word lasagna is amusing. It starts with the Greek lasanon which means 'chamber pot'! The Romans borrow it as lasanum to humorously refer to a 'cooking pot'. Later, the Italian word lasagna (plural of lasagna) came to refer to a dish cooked in such a pot - flat sheets of pasta layered with minced meat and tomatoes topped with grated cheese. Soon, the word lasagna was applied to the pasta itself. Its always good to learn stuff about what your eat, little facts make it more fun to cook and eat as well. I Have made lasagna lots of times but never happened to make the pasta sheets at home. Well i feel its totally worth the effort because i could make out the difference in softness. The shelf pasta has a lil rubber like texture which i don't enjoy at times, Fresh pasta had this amazing soft and creamy taste. (The effort one puts in to hand roll these make the result much more sweeter than it is :) lol)

MY husband lovedddddddd it!! and that's what gave me my verdict to this months challenge!!AWESOME!

So here's the recipe,
Egg less Spinach Lasagna

1.5 cup semolina flour 1.5 cup plain flour
1.5 cup blanched chopped spinach Water as required Olive oil Salt

Mix the semolina, flour, spinach and salt and gradually add water and oil as required to make a nice pliable dough. Leave the dough for about half hour to rest, covered with a cloth in a warm place. Half hour should be the at least time i feel , more the better as it gets stiff enough to let it roll easily. I left it for 3 hours before rolling.
If you are making the pasta by hand, roll the dough out as thinly as possible. It sure takes a lot of effort but trust me u wont regret. Keep dusting some flour while u roll on both the sides so that the dough does not stick. Once done cut them into rectangular sheets. Here is also a detailed version on how to hand roll your pasta . Stretching and Thinning:If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.
Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.
Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagna, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagna pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!
Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

( I know you have to let the sheets rest after rolling but i could not wait and so added them straight to the boil.)
Meanwhile Keep a wide pan filled with water to boil, add a teaspoon of oil as well as salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water, Fresh pasta does not take too long to cook, so its just a matter of minutes that your sheets will start floating up and that's how u know that your pasta is cooked. Drain the pasta and place into cold water to stop the cooking process. Spread them on paper towels to dry.

Bechamel
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter 4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, 2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

The challenge asked us to use Ragu which is a meat sauce, so i just made my simple

Herbed Tomato sauce.
1/2 chopped onion
1 can tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
pinch salt

Saute onion in oil over medium low heat until tender. Add remaining ingredients; simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 1 cup of tomato sauce. I layered the lasagna with Grilled eggplant and cheese slices.

Cucumber curry

2009-03-01T07:36:00.000-08:00

CUCUMBERS!! This is one Fruit that we have in abundance in japan. Enjoy eating it with dips, salads, and mainly love it eating it my way! I love it as a spicy curried veggie. I keep altering my recipe according to my moods. So will share with u the basic most recipe which is a extream combination of Cool cucumber with Red hot chilies. . Try and make it just at the time u want to eat, it tastes much better.

Also i m sending this recipe to AFAM ,A Fruit A Month, started by Maheshwari of Beyond the usual, and Neha of easyandtastyrecipes who's hosting this event for the month. This event ends on 2nd April so u will surely get a amazing roundup of this cool fruit with loads of options.

CUCUMBER CURRY

3-4 cucumbers cut in your desired shape
1tsp Mustard seeds
3-4 Whole dry red chillies
1/2 tsp asofedita
1/2 tsp Turmeric pwd
1tsp Sambhar masala
Few curry leaves
Salt
Oil
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, as they crackle add hing and curry leaves. As the aroma spreads, add the chopped cucumbers sand saute well. Add salt and turmeric pwd to it. Cover and cook for about 5 min. Add the sambhar masala and stir until masala coats evenly. Cook covered until the cucumbers are tender and aroma of sambhar masala spreads. (if the veggie starts sticking to the pan add little water to it.)

Serve hot with chapatis.:)

Crream of Mushroom Soup

2009-03-01T04:16:00.000-08:00

Creamy, smooth, heavenly.... I simply adore the flavour of mushroom soup. During winters Soups are just so blissful. Loved the aroma spreading around of the house of butter sauteed mushrooms :) hmmm i know it sounds tempting. Well it sure is creamy but not fatty. I just did not have the heart to binge into cream, butter, cheese ...so made a nice low calorie soup.

It had a delicate flavour with a dash of spice of black pepper.

Lets get to the recipe:

One cup chopped button mushrooms

Half cup chopped white onion

1/4 cup chopped unpeeled potato

3-4 pods of crushed garlic

Dash of black pepper

Salt to taste

One cup low fat milk.

Water

One tsp butter

In a pressure cooker add mushrooms (leaving a few aside for garnishing), onions, potato, garlic and salt. Add enough water to cook the ingredients. Once cooked cool and blend them to a smooth paste.

In another pan heat some butter and saute the chopped mushrooms for about 2 minutes. Then add the blended veggies to it, Add milk and water. (Adjust your consistency) and let it boil for at least 15 min. Garnish with black pepper, parsley and a small glob of butter :)

Tuiles

2009-01-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

The new year is here, wish u all a very Happy New Year. Cant believe that the year has passed, so much of hustle bustle this year. oh!! i mean last year. Well now i m in my country visiting family for 2 months and its all the more hectic with my little one. I thought that i would not participate for this month's as well as the Feb challenge but, somehow could not resist. Also i know i cannot participate in the Feb challenge and so dint want to skip Jan.

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Baking Soda and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf.They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

The name 'tuile' is a french word meaning 'tile,' and when presented in rows are supposed to resemble the curved tiles on the tops of buildings. In their traditional form, a tuile is a flat cookie which has been set over a curved surface while freshly baked and allowed to cool, giving its characteristic curved-tile shape.

And a Nougat is actually a darker candy, made of caramel syrup and nuts. This is rolled into thin sheets and formed into cups or bowls to serve as a vessel for other candy or fruit.

Well this was another experience , not so difficult and time consuming like the last one. It was fun, I wanted to try the nut version as well as the Savoury ones, so i decided to use the Chocolate nut recipe for the sweet one and for the savoury ones, i altered Vegan yum yum's recipe a bit. I simply love her blog, her presentations are simply amazing.

My mom is a amazing cook so i got a lot of help from her to finish my challenge. My sister, cousin , brother.. love eating so i did have some handy Ginnie pigs to test my cooking skills on. :) Trust me they were glad to do it. But it was a lil disastrous and panachey for me, cuz firstly i was not in my cooking space and had to ask mom for each and everything as to where it was kept, then kids running around, etc etc in that havoc i forgot to measure my butter, while i just chopped it and kept aside to get it to room temp and in a rush mixed my flour to it, so basically it was all by eyeball after that. Once i put the tuiles in the oven the lights went off .. yes!! that too for 4 hours! so i was holding my head with terrible panic attack, and could do nothing by wait. Finally the lights came and i popped a batch of savoury tuiles. I decided to serve them with a dollop of cucumber curd dip topped with a olive, and some salad on the side. The sweet ones dint need much as i love the mingle of almond with chocolate. Its just the best combination ever according to me. My little hearts were topped with a dollop of whipped cream, a slice of fresh strawberry and a drop of apple jam! Trust me the combination tasted heavenly.

I tried capturing a few expressions of my family:)

Lets get to the recipe:

CHOCOLATE TUILES

Michel Roux’s Finest Desserts.

Makes 30 Preparation time: 15 minutes!

9 oz/250 grams dark or white couverture or best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup/75 gr slivered almonds, toasted and cooled

Temper the couverture, and stir in the toasted almonds. Place the template on a sheet of rodoïde (or use a clean sheet of sturdy plastic such as a folder) and fill with about 1 tbs of the mixture. Repeat the process a little distance away from the first one. As soon as you have 5 tuiles fit, slide them onto a mold or rolling pin (side of a glass) to curve. Let cool completely, lift tuiles off the plastic only after the chocolate has set and just before serving, so that they keep their shine.This has a nice crunch of toasted almonds to it. And a beautiful feel of creamy chocolate.

Here's the recipe for SAVOURY TUILES:

Source-Veganyumyum

1/2 Cup Butter/margarine, softened

2 Tbs Flax Egg*

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp mixed herbs

1/2 tsp chili flakes

*Flax Egg 1 Tbs Flax Seed +1/4 Cup Water

Grind the flax seed to a powder in a spice grinder. Whisk with water and set aside. Use 2 Tbs of this mixture for the tuile cookies. Preheat oven to 375°F. Whip the butter till soft.Mix the herbs, flakes and salt with the butter and whisk them well. Add the flax eggs and Butter. Add the flour to this mix and knead it till soft, add little milk to this mix to make a paste like texture.

U can buy tuile moulds and templates or else just use a cardboard to cut ur own template.Put your template on a parchment paper and put a spoonful of your batter on it. spread it evenly using a spatula, remove the excess. Remove the template and put them for baking until golden brown.As soon as you remove them from the oven, shape them on a greased rolling pin. ( i wanted them to be flat so i did not put them on the rolling pin.)You can then serve them with desired dips, salads. I used cucumber dip and salad on the side.

It was a great challenge, i honestly enjoyed making these and will try diff variations soon.:)

A French Yule Log.

2008-12-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

Phew!!!!!! At last i did it :) Never heard before or say Never thought would make something of this sought ever!!
Yes THE DARING BAKERS "actually" "literally" means u need to DARE to do stuff!

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux.They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand

When i first saw the recipe that long i knew so that i will have to skip this month;s challenge, though i just dint want to quit. So on a one fine noon i put my daughter to a nap and started with the first thing the Dacquoise Biscuit, then determined that i would go alongside the Oder of the recipe given and try to finish all the elements in that day and yes i did it :) i completed all my elements by evening and started to assemble by night. I let the buche freeze and then the next day noon iced it :) I felt a sense of achievement, trust me.

ŏn'trə-mā', -mĕ' (entremets ) is a french word which means dishes served in addition to the main course of a meal ; especially desserts. Or it could also mean a specific dessert in this case.

The best part about this recipe is the medley of Smooth creamy mousse along with the praline crisps, the creaminess of brule, all of them combined to a perfect Bite.

I decided on a all chocolate Log except for the Brule , well i know its sinful but someone has rightly said "I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter. " and i firmly believe in this quote.

So lets start with the recipe: (i have had to change a few things because of me being vegetarian)

The six elements needed to make this log are :
1) Dacquoise Biscuit
2) Mousse
3) Ganache Insert
4) Praline (Crisp) Insert
5) Creme Brule Insert
6) Icing

Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible. Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups white self-raising flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 tbsp fat-free yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp almond essence

1/4 cup almond meal

Preheat the oven to 170C, Line your baking dish with a parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, Sift the flour and baking powder into another bowl. Mix the yogurt and the milk together. Add 1/3 of the flour mix to the creamed butter and beat in thoroughly. Then pour a third of the milk mixture and beat it in. Finish up the remaining flour and milk mix the same way till you get a fairly thick batter. Make sure you beat well after each addition now stir in the almond essence and almond meal .Pour this batter into piping bag and pipe an even layer on your baking dish. Bake until golden brown.

Variations on the Almond Dacquoise listed above:
Hazelnut Dacquoise :Substitute the same amount of hazelnut meal for the almond meal.
Chocolate Dacquoise :Add 3 tablespoons of sifted unsweetened cocoa powder into the almond meal/caster sugar mix in Step #1 of the Almond Dacquoise.
Lemon Dacquoise: Add the zest of 1 Lemon after the flour in Step #2 of the Almond Dacquoise.
Coconut Dacquoise: Substitute ¼ cup of almond meal and add 2/3 cup shredded coconut in Step #1 of the Almond Dacquoise

Element #2 Dark Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time: 20mn

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Ingredients:

1 + 1/4 tsp powdered agar-agar

1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar

0.5 oz (15g) water

6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

Soak the agar agar in water for about 1 hour and then dissolve it in about 3/4th cup of boiling water.). In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.Pour the melted chocolate over the agar agar mixing it well . Let the mix cool slightly and then stir in the whipped cream.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate Mousse

White Chocolate Mousse :Substitute the same quantity of white chocolate for the dark chocolate in the mousse recipe listed above.

Milk Chocolate Whipped Cream (Chantilly):(Can be made the day before and kept in the fridge overnight) 2/3 cup (160g) heavy cream 35% fat7.8 oz (220g) milk chocolate 2 1/3 tsp (15g) glucose or thick corn syrup1 1/3 cup (320g) heavy cream 35% fat .

Vanilla Mousse

Mango Mousse

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped

3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Make a caramel Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge). While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate Ganache :

White Chocolate Ganache Insert

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

5 oz (135g) white chocolate, finely chopped

4.5 oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small sauce pan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge). While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

Dark-Milk Ganache Insert

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

2.7 oz (75g) milk chocolate

3.2 oz (90g) dark chocolate

3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Cinnamon-Milk Ganache Insert

4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream

A pinch of cinnamon

2.7 oz (75g) milk chocolate, finely chopped

3.2 oz (90g) dark chocolate, finely chopped

3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).Heat the cream with the cinnamon (use the quantity of cinnamon you want to infuse the cream, a pinch is the smallest amount suggested) until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the milk and dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:

3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter

2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline

2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Variations on the Praline Feuillete (Crisp) :

Chocolate Crisp Insert

3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter

2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline

1 oz. (25g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Coconut Crisp Insert

3.5 oz (100g) white chocolate

1 oz (1/3 cup/25g) shredded coconut

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter

2.1 oz (60g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Spread the coconut on a baking tray and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375°F (190°C) to toast (a different temperature might work better for you with your own oven). 2. Melt the white chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and add the toasted coconut. 3. Add the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, etc...

Ingredients:

lb. silken tofu

4 tablespoon milk

3/4 cup sugar plus 2tablespoon sugar (reserved)

2 tablespoon cornstarch

dash Kosher salt or sea salt

Pre-heat oven to 375. Press tofu until a little water leaches out Put tofu and all other ingredients (except reserved sugar) into a blender and blend until a smooth, creamy texture has been created. Pour into custard cups or a pie tin and bake in a water bath until the tofu mixture browns a little and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove mixture from water bath spread sugar on top and place under a hot broiler until the sugar melts and browns and begins to harden.

Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component

Ingredients:

4g / ½ Tbsp powdered agar agar

¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)

2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (50g) water

1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

Soften agar agar by soaking and boiling it in water, once dissolved ,Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling. Add agar agar to the chocolate mixture. Mix well. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate :

Milk Chocolate Icing

3g / 1/2Tbsp powdered agar agar

4.2 oz (120g) milk chocolate

2 Tbsp (30g) butter

¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)

1 2/3 Tbsp (30g) glucose or thick corn syrup

Soften the agar agar . Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together. Bring the cream and glucose syrup to a boil. Add agar agar . Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

White Chocolate Icing

.3g / 1/2Tbsp powdered agar agar
4.2 oz (120g) white chocolate
2 Tbsp (30g) butter
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
1 2/3 Tbsp (30g) glucose or thick corn syrup
Soften the agar agar . Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together. Bring the cream and glucose syrup to a boil. Add agar agar . Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different. THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP. You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.

You have two choices for Step 2, you can either have Dacquoise on the top and bottom of your log as in version A or you can have Dacquoise simply on the bottom of your log as in version B:

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.

3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.

4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.

Freeze until the next day.

2B)Pipe one third of the Mousse component into the mold.

3B) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

4B) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

5B) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

6B) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

7B) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

8B) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight edge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

9B) Close with the Dacquoise.

Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:

1) Dacquoise

2) Mousse

3) Creme Brulee Insert

4) Mousse

5) Praline/Crisp Insert

6)Mousse

7) Ganache Insert

8) Dacquoise

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with ONE piece of Dacquoise on the BOTTOM ONLY the order is
1) Mousse

2) Creme Brulee Insert

3) Mousse

4) Praline/Crisp Insert

5) Mousse

6) Ganache Insert

7) Dacquoise

If you are doing the assembly RIGHT SIDE UP in a springform pan the order is:

1) Dacquoise

2) Ganache Insert

3) Mousse

4) Praline/Crisp Insert

5) Mousse

6) Creme Brulee Insert

7) Mousse

8) OPTIONAL Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY..

Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan.Cover the cake with the icing.Let set. Return to the freezer. You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

I chose to decorate it with Dessert Cherries which my friend gifted me. The sides were sprinkled with chocolate sprinkles and to add a little glitter as it is festive season i sprinkled some silver sprinklers, i absolutely love the combination of brown, red and silver :)

I am absolutely sure to make this again with new variations next time.

Tandoori Pizza!

2008-12-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

My hubby loves a lot of colour in his food. And his favourite food is PIZZA :) so yes, i Indianized my pizza!! Mixed in a whole bunch of colourful veggies and Indian spices to make this Tandoori Pizza.

Its healthy and spicy kinds. The mix of spices adds to the flavours of cheese.You could choose to bake your own bread for the base or use the ready ones.

1 Onion diced

A can of mushrooms(or fresh) diced

A small head of broccoli

Garlic - 6-8 cloves

Olive oil - 2 tbs

2-3 Green Pepper diced

2-3 Green olives sliced

Handful of basil leaves

7-8 Baby tomatoes halved

2 Tbs Tomato paste

1/2cup Cottage cheese

1/2 cup Mixed shredded cheese

2Tbs Tandoori masala

Salt

Red pepper powder

Dash of lemon juice.

In a pan add some olive oil and garlic, let the flavour of garlic infuse in the oil and add all the veggies, coat well in olive oil and then add salt + tandoori masala. Let the veggies cook till almost done, and add the basil leaves, tomato paste along with red pepper pwd. Cook on high flame till u get a aroma and add lemon juice.

Top this Mix on your pizza base and sprinkle the mix if cheese & cottage cheese generously, Top with olives and grill for about 10 min or until cheese melts.

Serve hot!!

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

2008-11-28T21:09:00.001-08:00

This is my first daring bakers challenge, and i really enjoyed being in one.

I first attempted on making the candies because they sounded so yum!

Altough This months challenge is a signature Caramel Cake courtesy Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater. Our hosts this month are Dolores @ Culinary Cusiosity, Alex, ie Brownie of the duo @ Blondie & Brownie , & Jenny of Foray into Food.

There was a lot happening with my life lately and thought i would actually miss this challenge but somehow dint want to. Managed to do it in nick of time but did not manage to get right pictures cause the weather was so dull that hardly got daylight for proper pictures.

My cake was a veg version and so was dense. I used silken tofu to substitute eggs. Otherwise the recipe was the same. I don't have much of a sweet tooth , and this cake is immensely sweet , so honestly i don't know if i would bake this cake again.

Well here is my version of:

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
Recipe Source: Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater, as published on Bay Area Bites

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 Cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)

1/2 Cup silken tofu pureed

splash vanilla extract

2 Cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add your pureed tofu and vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.Sift flour and baking powder.Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

For the CARAMEL SYRUP

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelizing process)

In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted

4-6 tablespoons heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons caramel syrupKosher or sea salt to taste

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.

GOLDEN VANILLA BEAN CARAMELS-

I absolutely love these buttery heavens, I added a little coffee powder to it and i belive it made it more intense.

also instead of cutting them into pieces i poured them in silicon moulds :)

I know for sure that i m going to make these buttery toffees soon with many other variations :)

makes eighty-one 1-inch caramels -

Ingredients

1 cup golden syrup

2 cups sugar

3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinders, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened

1/2teaspoon of instant coffee powder

Equipment:

A 9-inch square baking pan( i used silicon moulds)

Candy thermometer

Procedure:

Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil. Combine the golden syrup, sugar,coffee powder, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. (Meanwhile, rinse the spatula or spoon before using it again later.) Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305°F. Meanwhile, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot. When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245°F. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260°f for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F; for firmer chewy caramels. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, if using it. Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm. Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane.

Pita Bread

2008-11-15T22:44:00.001-08:00

I am in love with lebanese food, Pita is the first bread i ever baked and trust me it is just so easy. I could eat this fresh bread raw from the oven without any accompniment. And ya, if u bake this ur house would smell like some amazing bakery :)

PITA BREAD

1 pkt of yeast or 2 tsp yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 cup lukewarm water

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water along with sugar and stir until dissolved. Let it sit until yeast gets frothy.Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Make a well and pour in the yeast mix along with olive oil. Add little water and knead the dough till firm. Let the dough rest for about 3 hours or more covered with a wet cloth in a warm dark place, it will double in size.. Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and cut them in equal parts. This quantity of flour will give you about 10 breads. Place balls on floured surface and roll them . Bake them in the oven until puffed up or put them in your gas griller. Cook evenly on both the sides.

Peppery Basil Spaghetti

2008-10-24T03:16:00.000-07:00

I love the flavour of paprika. The colour and the flavour both add a zing to the dish. This spaghetti is one of the most quickest and delicious recipes, Its spicy and creamy at the same time. the sweetness of basil brings out the flavour of the dish.I don't think i have ever cooked any dish without this particular ingredient. :) Paprika !!
So this ones for MIMI

Enjoy!!

Peppery Basil Spaghetti
For the sauce:
7 to 8 leaves of fresh basil
1/4Th cup of almonds
1/2 cup fresh cream
Crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to ur taste)
Olive oil
3-4 tbs of Chopped garlic

Grind Almonds, basil, fresh cream in a blender, add some olive oil to it.Boil Spaghetti mean while.In another pan add garlic and saute well, add the blended basil paste. and saute for about a minute. Then add crushed chili flakes and boiled spaghetti.Saute well till the paste blends well with spaghetti. Sever hot!

"not so fiery Chilies"

2008-10-11T03:44:00.000-07:00

One more for Sensational Sides!! Monthly Mingle ends on 13th oct~
This one is a sure Hit for me. Goes well with any Indian meal, May it be a simple Dal
rice combination , Paratha's or a nice heavy meal like paneer or so.

This is " not so fiery Chilies!"
The blend of mixed spices that merge with the flavour of chili itself is amazing!I always tend to make more of it for a reason cause its snappy and i always love to
have it in my fridge.I eat this with absolutely anything!!
Enjoy!

8-10 Long green chillies (not the spicy ones)
4 tbs of coriander pwd
2 tbs of mango pwd
1 tbs of red chili pwd
a pinch of garam masala.
1/2 tsp of gram flour
salt (adjust to ur taste)
Oil
Cumin seeds
asafoetida

Firstly blend all ur spices in a dry bowl, except cumin and asafoetida.Mix well, Make a long slit in the chilies and fill in this spice mix generously in each one of them.
In a pan heat some oil and add your cumin seeds, as they begin to crackle put in a
pinch of asafoetida.Put ur stuffed chilies and turn the heat to low. Add gram flour and stir occasionally. Cook until chilies are tender. And ur "not so Fiery Chilies" are ready to eat in a snap!!

Grilled Cheesy Shitake

2008-10-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

This one is for Meeta & Ruth :) for the monthly mingle.
Ive been wanting to always participate in one of "What's for lunch Honey?"'s Monthly Mingles and well at last ....
So it is Sensational Sides this time.... i love side dishes... continental, Indian,.... all of them are just so well relished!
I made Grilled Shitake :)
I love the rustic flavour of shitake, Wild mushrooms are in abundance in japan, Diff
kinds have very typically different flavours. I used shitake cause it has a nice chewy flavour. Also for vegetarians it gives u a nice meaty taste.
I love it when the meaty taste mingles with cheese and mint!

6 sitake mushrooms
Half a onion
1 small clove of garlic
2 tbs of chopped mint
Black pepper
1/4th cup of cheese of your choice.
Salt
Olive oil

First De-stem the shitake and chop the stems very finely.In a pan heat olive oil and add finely chopped onions and garlic, saute well and then
add the chopped stems, saute until tender and add rest of the ingredients. Turn of the heat and let it settle for about 5 min.
In the mean while rub some olive oil on the shitake caps, and then stuff them with
the above mix. Grill on low heat for about 10 min or cheese melts :)

Trust me its a tastes like n looks like a luxurious side dish!

Italian Tofu Frittata

2008-10-07T00:45:00.001-07:00

I have seen a lot of recipes on TV of Spanish frittata;s which look absolutely yum with those potatoes, cheese, zucchini and loads of egg;s..... wait a min!! eggs!!!
Well that's what it is made of.
Its a Spanish omelet using lots of veggies cooked on the stove and then baked in the oven to finish it.
I have substitute tofu to eggs and the end result pretty amazing :)!
To give it a little more special "Me" effect,,i tried to add more of Italian ingredients to it like fresh basil, tomatoes, etc...
So here is my version of Frittata!:)
This one is for Madhuram 's event!

1 pack silk tofu (about 200 gms)
1/4th cup flour
1/4th cup cheese (u can avoide cheese, i did)
Chopped jalapenos
Chopped olives
Chopped tomatoes
Half onion finely chopped
2-3 fresh basil leaves finely chopped
Few stems of spinach finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
Salt
Olive oil

In a pan heat some olive oil and add garlic and onions saute for about a min and then add rest of the ingredients to it. Add little salt and turn off the heat.
In a mixi add the flour and tofu, blend well.
Add this paste to ur veggies and cook for about a min stirring continuously.
Grease a pie pan or a cake tin and fill this mix of tofu and veggies in it.
Bake it for about 40 min at 180 deg C or till a stick comes out clean.
OR
U could mix all the ingredients and cook it on a nonstick which will make it more crispy :) and that crisp part tastes like cheese even if u dontt add cheese to it.

Also i would recommend to eat this with mustard sauce and a spicy chili sauce :)
Trust me ud love it!!

The end result is pretty soft, i guess adding some boiled potatoes would give it a more cake like texture. I did not want to add potatoes cuz i wanted it to be low calorie.

Vermecilli Upma

2008-10-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

I simply love this simple and healthy dish :)
Its sooo quick to make that ud b shocked trust me!
I like it spicy so i made it vvv spicy :) n that made it more appetizing :)
U can vary the content of veggies in it to make it wholesome.
I used minimum cuz i enjoy the taste of vermicelli a lot.:)
A must try!!

1cup Vermicelli Roasted (if u don't have roasted then first dry roast the vermicelli until brown)
1 tsp Chana dal
1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 medium Onion thinly sliced
Green chillies
Ginger
1/4 cup Peas
1/4 cup Beans
1 Carrots chopped finely
2+ cups Water
Ghee
Curry Leaves
Salt to taste

Heat ghee and add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they start to crackle , add peanuts sand saute for a min.
Then add chillies, ginger & onions, saute until onion is translucent.
Add carrots, peas and beans. Cook until tender.
Add salt and vermicelli, saute well and add water, keep adding water until vermicelli is cooked.
Mix well and Cover with a lid, cook on low flame for about 5 min.
Serve hot with chutney :)

Zesty Lemon Bars

2008-10-01T03:06:00.001-07:00

OK! now this is my first ever Blog event that i m participating in and trust me i m just so excited about it. I did have to rack my brain but the best part is It turned out YUM!! :) well that's the result one always wants and gets often if you do it with all your heart :)

Coming to the challenge, this event is hosted by Madhuram

You can find more details here

Well the recipe that you have to create should be using egg and u have to replace egg with silken tofu.

Honestly Ive read a lot of recipes using tofu which are sweet and i never read the recipe further after seeing tofu being used in it :) i could never imagine tofu being used in a dessert, so this one was a big apprehension for me.

I never have eaten eggs or used eggs so i have no clue that how would my recipe taste with eggs, all i know is i have seen this being baked on a Japanese channel with eggs , Also not knowing the language well i could make out just a few obvious ingredients in it one of which was egg, but it looked so tempting that i had to try it and i thank Madhuram for giving me this opportunity, so here is my version of Zesty Lemon Bars using silken tofu :)

It was fun baking this and the best thing i love about these bars is the "tangyness" of it .

Crust:

2 cups +2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 Tbs Sugar
1/3 cup margarine or unsalted butter

Filling:
2 Tbs Silken Tofu
3/4th cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice

2Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs rind grated
1/2 tsp baking powder

In a bowl mix in flour, butter and sugar, mix well with both hands to form a crumbly texture.

Once mixed well press it into a greased and dusted baking tin, bake in a pre-heated oven for about 20 min or until light golden brown.

This recipe can fit well into a 8inch tin well.

For the filling :

In small bowl mix in all the filling ingredients and using ur comfortable device mix well. I put all the ingredients in a blender and blended until i got a smooth paste like texture. Once blended well pour the mixture into the crust and bake for about 30 min or until light golden. Cool and cut into squares/bars.

Ive used orange along with lemon to balance out the sourness and bitterness of lemon's. It gives a more intense taste along with a mild sweetness :)

Me being my impatient self i could not wait to taste so i de-moulded it white hot, and ended up with creased top.

To conclude with my understanding of tofu as a egg re-placer is AMAZING. Some issues come along with it like it leaves the end result a little moist and soggy, while a egg would make it more fluffy and light. While beating the mix with tofu it does not emulsify like a egg would.Well for people like me tofu as a replacement is a Boon! :)

Sukhadi

2008-10-01T00:51:00.000-07:00

A rich Sweet made in a jiffy :)

I love this sweet. I know of a restaurant in ahmedabad where Ive eaten it a million times n would love it eat it more. They serve it hot in a brass plate the traditional way... i can never get that taste! never!! Yet i keep making it cuz i love it, my family loves it. The best part about this sweet is that it can be stored for a long long time say more than a month. Ideal filler to carry when travelling, healthy too.

2 cups wheat flour

1 cup ghee/ clarified butter

1 cup jaggery/Molasses - shredded (u could make it a little less if u want it less sweet)

Pinch of cardamon powder

Firstly shred Molasses and keep it aside.

Place a thick bottomed pan to heat and add ghee in it, once melted add flour and cardamon powder, Keep stirring for about 10-15 minutes till you get a pleasant/cooked aroma and it turns nice golden brown. Turn off the gas and Add crushed Molasses to it and stir until it melts and mixes well with the flour. Pour it in a greased tin and let it cool.

VEG BURGER

2008-09-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Its been really really long since i posted anything.

Life;s been terribly busy with my daughter growing up and demanding more and more attention. I miss being on my blog, but now again my motivation is up high and would want to take time out for my blog.

Food has been a little off list lately with the increasing waist line :(

I need to come up with more healthy low cal options now on :)

One of it is ...

VEG BURGER

My dad eats fada (wheat grain) khichdi , he says its good for weight loss :) so i tried making burgers out of it. In case u dont get this u could use Bulgur wheat.

Half cup wheat grain soaked over night and then cooked in a rice cooker or pressure cooker just like rice.

Mixed veggies of ur choice (try to steam them rather than boil to retain the nutrition)

1 boiled mashed potato.

Dry spices.

Once ur wheat grain is cooked mix in all the boiled veggies and potato. Mix it well enough and add all the dry spices like salt, red chilli, garam masala, mango powder. As we have used less of potato we need more binding to add about a tablespoon of wheat flour and mix well and make patties. Roast them on a non-stick with or without oil. If using oil try using olive oil... it sure changes the flavour.
Now to assemble the burger you will need Wheat buns, lettuce, Thinly sliced tomatoes, onions, cheese slice, and thousand island dressing.(if u don't have thousand island dressing just mix mayo with some tomato ketchup and use that as ur sauce)

Grill the buns and assemble the burger with the above ingredients :)

Enjoy.

For those who are not counting calories serve these with sauted herbed potatoes.

I used pre cut ribbed fries.

Mixed dried herbs.

Chilli flakes

Butter.

In a non stick add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter, add the mixed herbs and ur chopped fries, mix well and add let them cook for about 3 to 4 min, then add chilli flakes and season with salt :)

serve hot!!

MIX VEG MUTHIA

2008-05-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Being born and brought up in Gujarat i fell i m a gujju in every way. I miss gujju food. Its sweet yet its spicy, that's the best part... u could eat gujju dal which would be sweet and yet ur nose would water cause its equally spicy. My hubby does not enjoy sweet food, the thought of sugar or jaggery in food makes him run miles away ..
I wanted to make a wholesome meal for myself, was not in mood of rice or chapati ..
My major points were... i wanted healthy, easy, low cal, tasty, gujju, no oil or say extremely less oil, filling.
Hmmm now wat would that be..? MUTHIA;S. i used to eat these a lot as evening snack during my school days :)
So here i share a simple yet tasty recipe with u all :)

Mix Veg Muthia;s

2 cup Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Rava flour
pinch of Soda bi carb
1/2 cup shredded Squash
1/3cupshredded Cabbage
less than half cup of finely shredded carrot
1/2 tsp crushed ginger
green chili according to ur taste.
pinch of sugar.
1/2 cup curd.

For Vaghar:
Vegetable oil
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves

Mix all ingredients and dough, normally u wont need water but in case it is too dry add water.
From dough make round 6" long dough sticks
Boil some water in a steam pot, put the sticks on a plate that fit in ur container.
And keep it on steam for about 20 min or until cooked. To know its cooked insert a tooth pick and check, if the tooth pick comes out clean ur muthia;s are ready.
Let them cool and cut them into rounds.
In a pan add some oil and add the vaghar ingredients once they crackle add the muthia;s and serve hot with coriander chutney :)

CHEESE CHILLI TREATS.

2008-05-15T02:33:00.000-07:00

These cheese biscuits are my all time fav snack. Totally sinful in terms to calories, but then, sometimes .. who cares :).

I used to bake these easy biscuits long back. N now i thought id bake some and give it to my hubby to keep in his office for a evening snack :) He took a box full and by evening i got a picture mail by him of a empty container :) he had finished all of them by evening :) yum yum snack, if kept in a air tight jar will last for months (only if u can resist.)

1 cup flour

1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice

1tbs red pepper (adjust the quantity according to ur taste)

2 tsp baking powder

4tbs butter

1tsp salt (adjust according to the salt of the cheese)

1tsp sugar.

Mix all the above ingredients and for a nice dough.

Pre-heat the oven at 180 deg C , and while the oven gets heated roll your dough into a log or a block and plastic wrap it and put it in the freezer.

After about 15 min remove the dough and cut it into rounds or blocks.

Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or untill crispy brown.

Id suggest you to rotate your baking try to get them evenly cooked.

:)n u done with ur yummy snack!

Enjoy:)

MOCHI DANGO

2008-05-09T01:32:00.000-07:00

I love to try new things :) Food is my weakness and if i get something veg i will not let it go, i have to try it.

Here in japan i hardly get the opportunity to try new things but recently on our hiking trip to MOUNT TAKAO i got to try kushiyaki dango.

I cannot explain much about the taste, it was bland, sweet, sticky...

Let me brief u a big about what it is.

Its made of Mochi (sticky rice) which is basically powdered rice made to a ball held on skewers and dipped in soyu sauce. later its grilled on coal in a different way. The pic explains it better :)

The steal about this is after u finish eating and if u give the skewers back you get 10 yen back for your skewers :)

Happy Birthday

2008-04-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

My daughter turned 1 year old on the 26th of April 2008 :)

Time flies, but when i sit and think do i even have any time? Well Mommies are always on the run i believe.:)

Back to the topic.. Birthday cake :)

Well there was no party for her as i felt that she is too small to understand a birthday party so y not do something she loved, She loves animals so we took her to the zoo:) n it was the perfect decision to spend the day with her seeing her smile.

So it was a obvious fact that the cake had to be some animal. I have never done a deco cake ever in my life. Or say I've never done a icing cake in my life:) this was the first and i dint want it to be a disaster. It was her FIRST birthday, how could i ruin things... Well here is what i made for her ...

KOMATSUNA (japanese mustard)

2008-04-11T05:07:00.000-07:00

KOMATSUNA

One thing common between JAPAN and PUNJAB?? GUESS??Sarson :)) can u believe it? Yes it true u do get green mustard here :) known as KOMATSUNA:)It has a lovely sharp flavour to it and recently its been in my weekly hit list :)its yum, easy, and low cal :)) like i want it to be.No pre-preps needed :)

2 bunch Komatsuna chopped and washed.
3 pods crushed garlic
1 tbs wheat flour
green chili lengthwise slit (acc to taste)
1 tomato chopped or 4 tbs canned tomato.
salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
pinch of asefodia
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin and asefodia. Once crackled add crushed garlic
and green chili, and saute for few seconds, then add the chopped komatsuna to it.
Add salt, turmeric and wheat flour to it. Mix well.Adding wheat flour will make a semi thick gravy for the veggie.Keep it covered on medium heat for about 5 min. As the green's simmer down add the tomatoes and cook on high flame :)
Serve with Hot chapatis :)

CHOCOLATE TART

2008-03-25T00:27:00.000-07:00

CHOCOLATE TART

Yes yet another sinful treat. Just cant resist this one. NOTHING but chocolate again. This dessert is pretty simple. No pre preps required. The trick to the taste is using the best quality chocolate for a more intense taste.

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup powder sugar

Mix the above ingredients, n knead the dough. the butter will warm up when in contact with your hands and will allow you to form the dough . Wrap in plastic and refrigerate
while you prepare the ganache.

Ganache filling:
1 cup dark chocolate (chopped finely or u could choco chips)
1/2 cup cream.

Heat the cream over low heat and wen hot remove from the stove and add in the chocolates, let stand then Stir to incorporate the chocolate and cream and let it stand in the
room temperature.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it gently. Fit the dough into the tart or pie molds, prick with a fork and bake until light gold in colour at about 170 deg. Let the shells cool completely. De mold and fill with the ganache. Refrigerate until the ganache is completely set.it ideally takes about 3-4 hours. i.e if u could resist :)
U could decorate it with fresh fruits like strawberries and kiwi.. or caramel. :)

FRUITY ALMOND HEART's

2008-03-05T01:40:00.000-08:00

FRUITY ALMOND HEART'S

The Aphrodisiac food... "chocolate" Hardly know anyone who does not relish the taste of chocolate. I always have to have something nice in my fridge... so this quick n easy fudge is a blessing to me :) I love fruity flavours so i experimented this fudge with 2 diff juices, you could add the juice of your choice or not. Also traditionally fudge;s have walnuts in them.. but i love the combination of almond and chocolate :) so here;s my fruity fudge:)

2 cups bitter chocolate pieces
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon mango juice
1/2 roasted chopped almonds.
1 teaspoon vanilla essence.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and juices.
Microwave high for 1 minute and stir well. If the chocolate pcs have not melted micro again for about 30 seconds. Add in the chopped almonds.
Pour this mix in greased moulds or a pan. Refrigerate it for about 1 hour or more :)
Sprinkle with powdered sugar to decorate.

Dal Khichdi,Indian,

2008-02-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

Normally Khichdi sounds boring , but this one NOO! trust me it could do wonders for ur palate:)
This one pot meal, is eaten by my dad almost everyday. Its a Gujarati dinner tables must have.
If you are a spice lover! don't get scared to add in a extra kick, it will make it taste better. I would highly recommend you to prepare this dish with "ghee"only and while serving drizzle it with a spoon full of it whole heartedly.:)

MIX VEGI KHICDI
1/2 cup Tur dal
1 cup Basmati rice
2 cups Water
2 .Cloves
1"piece. Cinnamon
pinch of Turmeric powder
Salt To taste
pinch of red chili powder
pinch of garam masala
Ghee
asafoedita
1tsb cumin
few curry leaves
Mixed veggies cubed. (onion, potato, beans, carrot)1tbs crushed ginger garlic paste.
Rinse the dal and rice with enough water to clean and soak them for about an hour or more.
In a heated pan, add cumin seeds, asafoedita, and curry leaves, then throw in the
clove and cinnamon .As you smell the fragrance add ginger and garlic paste, saute for few seconds and
add all the mixed chopped veggies. stir them for a minute or more and add all the
dry spices.Let the spices cook for about a minute, then add rice and dal to the pan.
saute the mix well with the veggies and add salt.

Let all the water in the pan dry. As the rice starts to stick the pan add the measured quantity of water and cook on
low flame until cooked sprinkle some kasoori methi.garnish with coriander.
You could also do this in your rice cooker.
Just saute the veggies and rice and after that add the mix to your rice cooker with measured water. :)
enjoy it with curd n pickle:)

Tofu sandwich.

2008-02-26T19:36:00.000-08:00

TOFU SANDWICHES

Another dish that i made on valentines day:) easy, low cal , tasty:)

Regular bread or long Parmesan bread sliced diagonally.

Salad mix. (you can throw in any greens u like)

Thin slices of Tomato.

Thin slices of red onion.

Jalapenos

Olives sliced.

Hummus.

One pack of hard tofu (momen tofu).

For tofu marinade.

4-5tbs Olive oil.(you could use less if you want it to be low-cal)

2 tbs finely chopped garlic

1 tbs vinegar

sprinkle of mixed herbs(fresh is better)

salt

black pepper

red chili flakes.

First cut your tofu into long rectangles and marinade them for about 2 hours or more.After its stayed on, heat a nonstick pan and put the tofu cubes on them carefully. You do not need oil in the pan because the marinade has enough oil. cook both sides until nice crisp brown.Assemble your sandwiches when you are ready to serve.Spread a good spoon full of hummus on the bread first, throw in your greens, keep a slice of tomato and onion, tofu, olives, jalapenos and cover with another slice of bread spreaded with hummus:)

p.s I love you :)

2008-02-26T19:23:00.000-08:00

This post is due since valentines day. But something or the other is keeping me occupied enough to blog down.Well old saying's never go amiss:) "WAY TO MANS HEART IS THROUGH HIS STOMACH"It hold perfectly true for me. A dull day but some delectable food can bring smile on his face:)I could not do much for valentines day for him because of my on the run routine with kaira(my baby girl) . But i knew i had to make some nice food for him. It had to be something ITALIAN for sure. spaghetti was habitual, Lasagna was not too appealing.. It had to be something I've never made before, RAVIOLI:) yes! I've never made that before, always wanted to try it, had a can of mushrooms lying around since long, had some lovely basil and fresh spinach too:)It sure is time consuming and tedious to make it but WORTH it:) trust me!

SPINACH MUSHROOM RAVIOLI

For the raviolis:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. olive oil
water
pinch salt

For the filling:
1bunch of spinach,chopped
Half cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 tbs. bread crumbs (to make it more creamier)
1 tsp fresh basil chopped
1tbs cottage cheese or any other creamy cheese u like.
salt Red pepper (as per Ur taste)

For the sauce:
1 can tomatoes
1 onion minced or finely chopped
1 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic crushed.
1 big basil leaf
salt and pepper to taste
dash of lemon
Red pepper according to taste

For the ravioli dough:In a bowl, combine the ingredients to make a dough. Wrap in a wet towel and let sit for 30 minutes.

For the sauce:
Saute the minced onion in the olive oil until the onion is pink.add garlic and saute. Add the tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer add basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and continue to simmer on a low heat. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and red pepper.

Making the ravioli:
Roll the dough into a big oval and cut out your ravioli shapes and fill with the filling. Place the top part of the sheet over the filling and close with a fork. Keep it aside fr 15 min.Put your ravioli into the salty water and cook. They are ready when they come floating to the top.When ready to serve, put a layer of sauce on the plate and lay the raviolis on top.
enjoy:)

DAL PAKWAN

2008-02-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

DAL PAKWAN

This is normally a Sunday breakfast for sindhi's :)
Yes it sure is hi on fat :) but it tastes yum :)

Pakwan

2 cups flour
1/2 cup oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp jeera
Oil to deep-fry
Knead stiff dough with the above ingredients
Roll into flat large rounds as thin as possible. Prick all over with a fork.
Heat the oil and put the pakwan in and fry to a light golden.
Once cool store in an air tight box.

Dal
2 cups Chana dal
Salt
1tbs jeera
1tsp turmeric
1tbs red chili
1tbs coriander pwd
1tbs amchur pwd
Green chilies

Boil channa dal with salt and turmeric till cooked but not over cooked, it should stay whole.
There should be very little water remaining after it’s cooked.
Transfer the dal to your serving dish. And prepare the tadka.
Heat some ghee and add cumin and slit green chilies
Pour this over the daal and sprinkle all the dry masalas
Serve with the pakwan and chutney.

BESAN CHILA

2008-02-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

BESAN CHILA

1 cup besan (gram-flour)
1 cup water
salt to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ajwain

green chillies-finely chopped
1/2 cup methi leaves-finely chopped (optional)
Half a onion finely chopped
1 tomato (optional)
Oil

Mix all the ingredients, except oil, to make thick batter.
In a non stick add a little oil and add a big spoonful of batter and spread like a dosa.
Cook on low heat and Flip it over to on the other side.:).

METHI THEPLA

2008-02-05T21:44:00.000-08:00

My love for Gujarati food will never diminish. I love sweet and spicy food. My mom would make these in bulk and keep them in a casserole on the table. And any time of the day we kids were hungry we would just grab one and dab some pickle on it and :) yeaaa yummy treat!
The bitter taste of methi and a light tinge of sugar give it that perfect gujju taste:)

METHI THEPLA
cups atta
2 tbsp oil
½ cup dried methi or 2 cups fresh methi
salt
2 tsp ginger
green chillies
1 tsp garlic
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp sugar
yogurt to knead

Knead with yogurt and make small thin paratha’s .

RAVA IDLI

2008-02-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

My cousin asked me for some quick recipes :) well here are some instant posts just for u :) Mrs. U :)

Rava idli, one of my most favourite diet foods:) Its quick and easy to prepare. Tastes yum!,

Goes well with absolutely anything at home. Just a sprinkle of podi powder, any kind of chutney, rasam ,sambar, dal.. jus dip it with anything or not its simple flavours would make you want it more.

RAVA IDLI
2 cups sooji/rava (semolina)
1 cup dahi (yogurt)
1 tbs oil
1 tbs mustard seeds
1/2 tsp hing (asafoedita)

1/2 tsp baking soda (soda-bi-carb)
1 tbs chana dal (split chickpea)
1 tbs urad dal
3 dry red chilies cut into half
Curry leaves,
Coriander
Chopped green chilies
Salt
Heat oil in a heavy pan. Splutter the mustard and hing.
Now add the red chilies and the curry leaves.
Stir for a few seconds and add the dals.
Make a paste like batter of sooji adding curd and a little water if required.
Add the tadka that uve made to the batter and at the end add the baking soda and stir well.
Pour the batter in a idli case or a cake pan n steam for about 10 min :)

KARELA VADA

2008-01-31T00:35:00.000-08:00

Bitter gourd :) KARELA people can run miles in a minute if u make them eat this. This bitter but yum vegetable has won my heart:)
The max I would have eaten this veggie was soon after I delivered... karela;s made by my mom soaked in ghee. Well that was a different recipe which ill share soon.
This recipe is my mom's actually, my mom’s mom's :) means my nani;s :)I would love to try karela in every possible way, salads, veggies, starters, munch snack :)
The best part is my husband who could never in his wildest dreams think of eating karela absolutely LOVES it now:)
If u are another fan of karela do give KARELA VADA a try:)

KARELA VADA

2-3 Bitter gourds’ (karela, Goya in Japanese)
3 boiled potatoes
1 tbs chopped garlic
1 tbs chopped ginger
1tbs chopped g.chili
1tsp cumin
1tsp mustard seeds.
1tsp hing
All dry masala's
Oil
Ghee

First Peel the bitter gourd and remove all the flesh. Cut them into long pieces and slit them. Fry them until golden brown and keep aside.

Next boil the potatoes, peel and mash them. In a pan add oil hing, mustard, cumin, garlic, ginger, g.chili and saute well. Then add boiled potatoes and all the dry masala's like red chili, turmeric, coriander pwd, garam masala. And then saute well untill masala is coated well. last add fresh corriander and some lemon juice.

Next fill this mixture into the fried bitter gourd. In a non-stick pan add little ghee and slowly put the stuffed bitter gourd in it and let it cook on low heat for 10-15 min. If you feel that the veggie is sticking to the pan add little water to it and let it cook.
Keep turning sides to cook evenly :)

SPINACH SOUP

2008-01-31T00:12:00.001-08:00

This is my dad;s recipe. He drinks this soup everyday. This trip 2 india my hubby tried this soup n he loved it.Healthy, low-cal, a negative calorie burning vegie:), quick and easy WHAT MORE do u want ?? lol Ofcourse what i make is not even close to what my dad;s recipe is, but m trying:)

SPINACH SOUP

1 tbsp Butter
2 cups Spinach chopped
2 cups Milk
1 tbs garlic paste
1 tbs ginger paste
Oil
Salt & pepper

Heat oil in a pan,
Add crushed garlic and ginger.
Add chopped Spinach and saute well.
Slowly add the milk and water.
Drizzle salt and pepper and let it boil for 15 to 20 min.

**For people who dont care of calories can add cream n hi-fat milk.

CHOCO ORANGE CAKE

2008-01-28T18:51:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO U
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO U
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PAAAA
:))
24th was my honey's birthday and as a birthday tradition a egg less cake was imp.
But this time a egg less LOW FAT cake was more important:)
So got back to my moms recipes and altered it a bit and made this cake :)
He loved it... that's all mattered then n now:)
U can eat this cake without any guilt ;)

CHOCO ORANGE CAKE.

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/2teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cups water or low fat milk

1tablespoons grated orange peel

Greese a cake pan oil or butter and dust it lightly with flour. Preheat oven to 170 deg C

Mix the flours, sugar, soda, salt and cocoa.

Add yogurt, vanilla, water, and orange juice.

Beat well to combine.

Add in the grated orange peel, and pour into the cake pan.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until cooked.

As there is no icing,i decorated it with dusted powdered sugar fresh fruits and droplets of choco orange glaze.

CHOCO ORANGE GLAZE.

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa

2 teaspoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Combine all the above ingredients in a nonstick n cook on low flame until a mild paste forms.

drizzle it over the cake.

BROWN RICE TOFU SALAD

2008-01-22T23:49:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to experiment with Brown rice, and make something healthy out of it.
So decided to make a salad of it.I just threw in the bowl what came to my mind and ended up making this:)My hubby loved it.Hope ull give it a try.

Healthy Lemony Brown rice salad.
1 1/2 cup Brown cooked rice
One bowl of mixed salad leaves.
One red pepper cut in strips.
Half a block of age tofu(fried tofu. u could use regular too) cut into small pieces.
Half a lemon skinned and chopped into cubes.

Dressing.
4 Tbs soyu sauce
2 g.chillies finely chopped
1 tsp red paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1inch ginger finely chopped
2 basil leaves finely chopped
Half squeezed lemon.

First prepare the dressing and leave it for half hour for the flavours of garlic and chili
to combine.
Later, when about to serve mix the leaves, rice, tofu, pepper , lemon and the
dressing.You could sprinkle more salt if required.**Optional. Add in whatever veggies suit ur taste.

Thai Green Curry.

2008-01-21T01:47:00.000-08:00

The exhilarating factor of returning back from a fantastic 2 month trip from India was visiting Pattaya, For a relaxed holiday or say relaxed first holiday with our daughter, after the mad 1 year grind of delivering a baby, sleepless nites, cooking, cleaning etc.

It was insanely satisfactory, With the infinite view to Heaven it was like refueling our selves for the next year.

Thai and herbs and spice go hand in hand. Of the Thai i ate there i could taste that they use their herbs very profuse manner.

Every spoon worth bite leaves a beautiful persisting taste to your buds.

So her;s my pledge again to derive the best from this cuisine:)

Wish me luck.

Here's my version of Thai green curry. Hope u like it.

THAI GREEN CURRY.

Green chillies - According the the spice u like.

4 - 5 garlic cloves

2 shallots or half onion

One bunch of coriander

1 inch ginger

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp lemon rind

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Few sweet basil leaves

Salt

2 or 3 lemon grass stalks,(optional)

2 or 3 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

Make the curry paste, with the above ingredients.You can make more of it and store it in the refrigerator for months.

For the curry
Half an onion, chopped finely

One tablespoon of the curry paste, or more to taste.

One can coconut milk

One cup of water or stock

Tofu

Broccoli

Baby corn

Zucchini

Carrot

(u can add any veggies u like)

Basil

Juice of half a lime

Salt

Lightly cook the onions in a little oil .

Add the curry paste and saute for a couple of minutes .

Par boil the veggies you want to add.

Add the boiled veggies to the paste and saute for some more time.

Add the coconut milk, and the stock or water. (quantity depends on the gravy u
prefer.)Throw a few basil leaves in it and squeeze lemon juice in.Simmer and let the herb flavours blend in.
Serve with hot steamed rice.:)

I would strongly recommend if u are a spice lover, throw in a lil more green chilling than u would n ull love it! specially during those chili nites:)

Peperoncino

2007-11-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

This one pasta is eaten for its own sake with the minimum amount of embellishment– just a hint of garlic, chili and olive oil :)

I ate this spaghetti first ever in japan.And my affection towards garlic took a step forward.

This has been like a Saturday eve snack, lunch, dinner....

Cuz its just soooooo easy to make n soo yummy,

BUT mind you, this one is JUST FOR GARLIC LOVERS:)

Beware the taste is nuthing but GARLIC:))

Peperoncino

1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

Dried Red chili (according to the heat u like)
300 g spaghetti
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley (optional)
Salt

Cook the spaghetti with a good helping of salt, so that you do not need to add more salt later.While spaghetti is cooking Heat the oil in a pan.Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden (do not brown).Add the chili peppers (either whole or finely chopped)Add the cooked, drained spaghetti to the oil and garlic, and toss to thoroughly coat the spaghetti. Garnish with a little parsley.

Add a dash of chilli oil and parmesan cheese:)

Enjoy while HOT:)

MASALA BAINGAN

2007-11-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is one dish which i love to eat with rice, roti, bread... or just the way it is.

I m a spice freak and this dish can be made from just hot to Death hot:)

During winters Garlic Ginger and spices could warm you up:)

The best to compliment this dish is Green half moong dal, and some soft Gujarati rotis topped with lovable amount of ghee:)

I hope you try this one it.

MASALA BAINGAN

8-9 small Brinjals or 4-5 long

1 large Potato

1 medium size Onion

4 tbs of chopped garlic

2 tsp of chopped ginger1

Tsp Turmeric

2 -3 tbs coriander powder

1 tbs red chili

1tsp sambhar powder

1tsp amchur powder.

Pinch of garam masala

Salt according to taste.

Hing

Curry leaves

Jeera

Oil

Water

Fresh coriander

First prepare the Brinjals, if you are using small ones wash them and slit a cross. If using long ones, cut them in half to make it into 2 parts and then make a grid mark (checks) on them.Soak them in salt water until u prepare the filling.Peel and cut potato into 3 thick round slices and make checker marks,Also soak these in salt water.

FILLING

Mix all the dry masala with ginger garlic and very very finely chopped onion.Leave some masala aside and then add a little oil to rest of the masal so that it stays well inside the vegetable.Fill this masala in the brinjals and potato.

In a non-stick pan, heat some oil and add jeera and hing, once you get the fragrance of hing, add curry leaves and put the left aside masala in it and saute for about a minute. Then put all the brinjals and potato to the pan. simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.Then add about half a cup of water to it, and cover it to cook on low flame.If you feel that the water has dried keep adding little untill the brinjal and potatoes are cooked.Then with the help of tongs (thats the easiest way) flip the brinjals and potatoes and let hem cook for another 5 min.:)Serve with finely chopped fresh coriander:)

YUMMMMM

Herb garlic focaccia

2007-10-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

If my hubby had a option of reincarnation We'd choose to b Italians..
And id B a Italian cook:) lol
There is only one thing common between my hubby n me... n that is LOVE FOR ITALIAN FOOD:)
So i tried this new recipe for focaccia:) i wish i could master this cuisine to the best..

HERB Garlic FOCACCIA

1sachet(11gms) dried yeast
t 4-5tbs olive oil
1cup tepid water
2 cups plain flour , and extra for rolling out
3-4 Tbsp rosemary leaves , Thyme leaves. u could use fresh or dried.
1 Tbs garlic powder or fresh minced garlic is good too.
salt
sugar

Make the dough By first adding Yeast in a cup of water.
Let the yeast prove for about 5 -10 min.
Then add the yeast mix to the flour, add a pinch or more salt and sugar to it.
Knead the dough well and in a greased bowl wrap a cling film around the bowl and leave it in a warm place for about 1-2 hours to prove.
The dough will double in size.
Pre-heat the oven at 160deg C for about 10 min.
Then remove the dough and take the air off the dough, then roll it into desired shape.. round or a rectangle...Using your fingers .. make finger prints to make a nice design.
Rub a little olive oil on it, n sprinkle the herbs and garlic powder on it.
Bake it for about 30 min.You could eat it hot or cold:)The trick is to drizzle a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese before u munch on it:))Enjoy

2007-10-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

KHAMAN

Tangy, Spicy, Sweet, Sour, :))) All this and lots more is Gujarati food.

Straight out of the refrigerator, whenever........

KHAMAN (also known as dhokla in many other regions)

In Gujarat we get to eat this at every food joint, road side vendors.

This snack, soft, smooth, a mushy, tangy and sweet could b relished anytime of the day:)

My dad's friends wife had taught me this:)

Pretty simple to make ...too

A sure try!!

1 cup - Besan (gram flour)

1tsp Citric Acid Crystals, (or lemon juice about 1.5 tsp)

Pinch - Soda Bicarb

2tsp Sugar

1tsp salt

1 cup Water (u could also use buttermilk (chaas))

For the tadka:

oil

1tsp mustard seeds (rai)

Oil

chopped lenghtwise g.chillies.

1.5 cup buttermilk(chaas)

Handful coriander

pinch of salt

pinch of sugar.

coconut is optional.

First keep the water to boil in the steamer, and put the greased tin (a thick width e.g cake tin or a dibba is better to use to give it space to rise) and put the tin in the steamer to heat it little .

Mix the besan, water,oil, salt, sugar, citric crystals or lemon juice really well until no lumps remain. Now add the soda bicarb, mix lightly,and and set aside for 10 minutes.

Then pour the mix in the tin, and cover the lid of the steamer with a cloth or dupatta so as the steam droplets do not fall in the mix,

Steam for about 20 min. (try not opening the lid before to check) Once this is ready, let it cool

Meanwhile make the tadka.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, after crakckle add g.chillies and the buttermilk, then add salt, sugar and corriander.

Make slits in the Khaman, and pour the tadka... Give it some time to absorb the Tadka which will make it soft and mushy:))

Enjoy

Eggless Nut cake.

2007-10-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

I SIMPLY loveeeeeee baking... And really aspire to get the professional touch to it.
"Baking" could be a beautiful art in its own way....
What I've learnt by trying n testing is.... you just cannot go wrong with the definite measurements that a recipe provide. "Precision" is the key to flawless baking:))

Well i had to make something sweet, Was for GOD.
It was a "bhog" decided for my hubby .. after he cleared his driving test(in japan its a achievement in itself.. to clear a driving test all by Ur self:)
HE DID IT:) n i was thinking what could i make which is nice and sweet...
Mithai is something we both don't relish much, So my only option was some rich cake without icing.
And I tried a Mixed nut cake:) it turned out really rich and amazingly soft:)
Just follow the Key word and you ll never go wrong....

MIXED NUT CAKE.

4Tbs Condensed milk
¾ cup milk
1/4th cup oil
1¼ cup maida or all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
1/2tsp baking powder
pinch of cinnamon
1tsp vanilla essence
1/2cup white/brown sugar.
Dry fruits of your choice. (I used Dates, Walnuts,Almonds,Pistachios,Raisins) You could use tutti-fruity or any other dried stuff like cranberries etc..

Pre-heat the oven to 160 deg C.
Prepare the cake tin, rub butter on all sides and dust it lightly with flour. Shake off and remove the excess flour.
Chop the nuts, or just pulse them in the grinder, be cautious that it does not get to powder.
In a bowl mix to together all the dry ingredients and set aside.
In another bowl whisk together condensed milk, milk and oil. And fold in the dry ingredients and then the e dry fruits gently.
Pour into the cake tins. Bake for approx 30 Min's till a inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool off on the wire rack till its completely cool

JUST FOOD

2007-07-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

Blogging is the latest trend, so i thought y should i be left behind:) lol
Well this could be one way to share my love for FOOD. and talk about my new "Ecstasy" Babies..

Lets start with FOOD. What to eat today???????????
that's one question, questioned by me to my husband everyday:) and the best part is more thought is given to it than anything else ..
The answer to the question is always xeroxed... "SOMETHING NICE" n that lands up to "dal chawal" which is not so nice (considering eating it everyday) .. but is one of the most snappiest, effortless, inexpensive meal to eat.
Not that i end up cooking the same but as i said the answer is so.

I was a Foodie since a kid... I love eating which made me develop interest in cooking...
Cooking was a hobby, adoration at once.. but now its more like a "to-finish" daily grind.

But still this so called daily grind has not made me loose interest in the same... infact its made me more dogged towards being a more sharpened cook, not just for me but also for my husband as he relishes his food:)

Not to forget our resoluteness towards "VEGETARIANISM" has played a extensive role towards my so called chase towards being a better and a more versatile cook.
Living in Japan and being a vegetarian is not a very easily manageable task, because our vegetarianism is not just restricted to "no meat" it is more meticulous than anybody could think.
no eggs, no egg products, no gelatin ....NOTHING.
And outside India people barely have a reason not to cook without egg or gelatin .. etc...

Well i m trying hard to make my husband not miss palatable vegetarian meals, may it be home cooked simple dal chawal, or roadside vada-pav, or the fusion cooking like the Indian style Chinese :)(inspite of having limited resources).
A smiling face is half the meal:) and i belive
Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside(surely not written by me but believed notably)