Feb 20

Pesto Prawns

IMG_1997 1

Prawns are an all time favourite and pesto is an all time favourite too. So why not combine them and give a sinful starter.

IMG_1995 1

Pesto prawns, sautéed or grilled. A perfect starter.

IMG_1996 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup Pesto sauce

20 pcs of prawns

olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1-2 red birds eye chilli – slit

Lime

 

  1. Marinate the prawns with the pesto sauce and birds eye chilli for 1-2 hours.
  2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté garlic in olive oil.
  3. Add the prawns leaving aside the marinade and cook on both sides till nearly done.
  4. Add the leftover marinade and mix to coat well.
  5. Serve hot with a squeeze of lime

 

Feb 20

Inayas Bday bakes

 

My daughters 10th bday cakes & return gifts

The first one is a mud cake layered wit Nutella chocolates and frosted with Belgian chocolate

IMG_1871 IMG_1873

The second one is an icecream cake. Mud cake with (Baskins) cotton candy and gold medal ribbon flavours and a salted caramel ganache on top

IMG_1779 1 IMG_1775

Chocolate and strawberry cake jar as return gifts

IMG_1732

Feb 18

Eton Mess

Eton mess

Eton mess is a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries or bananas, pieces of meringue, and cream, which is traditionally served at Eton College’s annual cricket game against the pupils of Harrow School.

IMG_2043 2

Look at this beauty. A perfect share for a bunch of mad friends or even on a romantic date share or a cosy get together with family. It took less than a few minutes to polish this plate off

IMG_2046 1

Ingredients

1 cup Whipped cream

1/4 cup cake crumbs

1/2 cup strawberry compote

1/2 cup strawberries sprinkled with icing sugar

4 meringues

handful of pomegranate seeds

 

  1. Scoop whipped cream on a plate and sprinkle cake crumbs, some crushed meringues, strawberry slices, compote and pomegranate seeds. Serve

IMG_2045 2

Feb 18

Meringues

Meringue

Sometimes, before we venture into the Unknown, we worry about it. Think Oh this is impossible or is it worth the effort. And most times we procrastinate or avoid trying something new for fear of failure.

meringue

Meringues was something I wanted to try since quite a while but always hesitated as was worried that they would flop. After months, I chose the strangest time to give it a go. The eve of my daughters bday. Wanted a couple of meringues to decorate her cake. And was surprised as to how easy it was.

Asked a few friends and with guidance from a brilliant baker Anuja Sule set about making it at 9 in the night. Yes am a fool. Something that takes a long time to make esp using a hand mixer and the long baking time involved it was a bad idea but went ahead with it. Took me a long time to whisk it but still need to get the right consistency. Maybe a kitchen aid would help 😄. Anyway slept super late but landed up making millions of meringues as didn’t judge the quantity I needed.

meringue

The blue ones are peppermint flavour and sandwiched them with some Belgian chocolate ganache. Waiting to try so many flavours and fillings in the new future.

Ingredients

100 gms egg whites

180 gms castor sugar

pinch of salt

flavour of your choice

gel colour of your choice

 

  1. Separate egg white and yolks ensuring that not a bit of the yolk gets into the white. Its advisable to do one egg at a time and separate the whites in another vessel to ensure minimum wastage. Put the whites in a dry clean vessel.
  2. Slowly add sugar in increments and start whisking your egg whites.
  3. When u reach soft peaks, add the salt and continue to whisk till u get stiff peaks. When u overturn the vessel, the whites should hold shape and not drip.
  4. Add 1-2 drops of flavour and fold it in. repeat with colour.
  5. Put it in a preheated oven at 125 C for about 40-45 mins. Top, bottom rod with fan on, center rack.  Basically we need to dry the cookies out.
  6. Once done, leave the oven door slightly ajar and let the meringues cool in the oven.
  7. Once absolutely cool, store in a airtight box upto 10 days.

 

 

Feb 10

Paneer Tikka Masala

paneer tikka masalaWe all have those days where you are bored making the same old food. Kids crib too and imagine my kids who get so much more variety than their peers. I guess I give them too many options. Well lucky them, their mom keeps experimenting. 😛

paneer tikka masala

Had some paneer in the fridge and was wondering what new recipe I can try, then remembered a delicious looking dish made by a fellow foodie Fatema Talwala. When I read the recipe, the process was quite different and the twist to make the gravy richer was super interesting. Thanks Fatema for the generous share. Another recipe that will be treasured

paneer tikka masala

Ingredients

Marination:

500 gms paneer – cubed

3-4 tablespoon hung curd

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

salt

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp paneer Tikka masala powder

1 diced onion

1 diced capsicum

 

  1. Mix all the ingredients and marinate the paneer, onion and capsicum in it. Keep aside for an hour. Then grill in preheated oven at 180° for 15 minutes…

Gravy:

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp cashew

1 tsp cumin

4-5 chopped garlic

3 dry red chilli

1 tbsp coriander leaves

2 tbsp soaked fox nuts (makhana)

Puree of 4 to 5 blanched tomatoes

1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

2 tsp paneer tikka masala

1 tbsp crushed kasoori methi (dried fenugreek)

1 tbsp fresh cream

Chopped coriander leaves

 

  1. In a pan, heat a little oil, roast the onion, cashew, cumin seeds, garlic cloves, red chillies.
  2. Once it cools down, grind it to a paste with the coriander leaves and soaked fox nuts.
  3. Now In a heavy bottom pan, take butter/ oil, add the onion paste and sauté on slow flame till it turns light brown
  4. Add the tomato puree, salt, chilli powder, paneer tikka masala and cook on slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Add kasoori methi, paneer and 1 tablespoon beaten fresh cream.
  6. Cover and cook on slow flame for 5 minutes..
  7. Garnish with Corriander leaves and serve hot..!!

Feb 10

Sesame Prawn Toast

prawn toast

When I was little, my Mami who I call Aunty Mummy would especially make this dish for me whenever I visited her house for a meal. I would love it 💖

In the recent years I haven’t had prawn toast and was missing it. Read up on a few recipes and made it today. When my daughter took a bite, her expression took me back to the days when I would hog at my aunts house.

Presenting crispy Sesame Prawn toast. Dunk it with a dip of your choice and ur in heaven.

prawn toast

Ingredients

6 slices of bread

1 cup chopped raw prawns

1 egg white

1 finely chopped spring onion greens

1 tsp grated ginger

2 minced garlic

2 tsp dark soya sauce

2 minced green chilli

1 tbsp cornflour

1/2 cup roasted white and little black sesame seed mixed in

oil

salt

 

  1. Place the prawn, egg, spring onion, ginger, garlic, soya sauce, chilli in a mixer and make a chunky paste.
  2. Mix in cornflour to this paste and keep in the fridge for a couple of hours.
  3. Lightly toast the bread without letting it change colour. Use slightly old bread if available.
  4. Cut of the crusts and slice the bread into triangles
  5. Apply the prawn paste on one side of the triangle leaving a slightly higher mound in the centre.
  6. Sprinkle the sesame seed mix on the side with the prawn mix. Press a little so that they stick.
  7. Heat oil and deep fry the slices, 2 at a time ensuring that the side with the prawn mix is put face down in teh hot oil first.
  8. Fry for 1-2 minutes and turn over. Ensure a golden colour on both sides. Keep on low to medium flame.
  9. Drain on tissue and serve with a choice of sauce.

Feb 10

Chicken Pad Thai

pad thai

Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served as a street food and at casual local eateries in Thailand. It is made with soaked dried rice noodles. The key to perfect Pad Thai is in the cooking (or “not” cooking) of the noodles

IMG_1298 2

Ingredients

Flat rice noodles (boiled but little al dente)
1 pkt button mushrooms (slit to 4pcs)
5 baby corn (cut long)
1 broccoli (cut into florets)
3-4 Bok choy leaves
15 garlic flakes (minced)
2″ ginger (minced)
2 spring onions (sliced – white and green separate)
2-3 tbspn crushed roasted peanuts
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

300 gms boneless chicken

 

Sauce
4-5 dry red Kashmiri chillies (soaked and ground to a paste)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornflour soaked in water
1/2 lime juice

IMG_1297 1

  1. Soak the noodles in water for half an hour and separate it with ur fingers. Then boil in fresh water with salt for a few minutes. Be careful to keep it slightly undercooked as it will further cook in the sauce
  2. Heat a wok, add oil. Fry ginger and garlic. Add the chicken and little salt. Sauté and cover it. Cook till 80% done.
  3. Add baby corn, spring onion whites, mushroom, broccoli and bok choy one at a time letting each ingredient cook a little before adding the next. Add salt
  4. Mix all the ingredients listed under sauce and adjust as per taste preference. Be careful with the salt as all the sauces already have salt. I didn’t add any
  5. When the veggies are ready, add the sauce, mix once. Check seasoning
  6. Add the noodles, spring onion green, crushed peanuts and roasted sesame seeds. Mix well

Feb 04

Coconut and Almond Macaroon

Macaroon

Super sinful right? I died and went to heaven. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and with a drizzle of melted chocolate to this coconut and almond macaroon is the perfect lift me up.

IMG_1276 2

Its a recipe I had saved over 9 months ago, that I kept thinking back to but never really landed making it. Finally today I needed a project to keep me busy so decided to tackle these macaroons finally and it sure was a mood changer. Did make some modifications to the saved recipe.

Macaroon

Ingredients

 

200 grams dessicated coconut powder
100 gms almond meal
160 ml water
80 grams + 170 grams white granulated sugar
4 large egg whites only at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50 grams all purpose flour
10 grams corn flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

100 gms Melted dark chocolate
  1. Put 160 ml water and 80 grams of sugar in a large vessel and bring it to boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Stir in the coconut powder until the syrup water is totally absorbed into the coconut. Take it off the heat and spread the coconut on a silicon mat to dry for 30 mins. The mixture will be slightly damp and doesn’t need to dry out completely, Just air a bit and become fluffy.
  3. Sieve Flour and corn flour.
  4. Now using the double boiler method, place one bowl below with boiling water, (gas should be off) Place another bowl on top and whisk together eggs whites, sugar and salt until they are velvety creamy in texture and warm to touch.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and then add the flour mix till it forms a paste.
  6. Stir in coconut mix and the almond meal slowly till it is coated with egg flour mixture.
  7. Refrigerate the mixture for 2 -3 hours
  8. preheat the oven to 170 C
  9. Place a dollop of the mix on a silicon sheet each spacing 1.5 inches apart
  10. Bake for 20 mins or till the outsides get a nice golden colour.
  11. Let them cool on wire rack for 10- 15 mins or untill crunchy to touch.
  12. Dip macaroons or drizzle them with melted chocolate.

Adapted from – The Lazy baker

IMG_1274 1

Jan 27

Kheema Chawal

Kheema Chawal

Another recipe that I make pretty often is Kheema Chawal. Looks like some effort went into it but its actually such a quick easy recipe. Perfect to impress guests who turn up on short notice.

IMG_0521

Ingredients

1 big cup basmati rice
400 gms kheema
4 baby potatoes peeled and halved
3 laung
6 peppercorns
1″ dalchini
1 tej patta
2 big sliced onions
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Salt
2 tsp red chilli powder
3/4 tsp haldi
1 tsp garam masala
4 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
10-12 pudina leaves

 

  1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker
  2. Add laung, peppercorn, dal chini and tej patta. Fry
  3. Add sliced onion and fry till light brown
  4. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 1 min
  5. Add kheema, potatoes and all the masala. Fry well till it leaves oil
  6. Add washed rice, dhania and mint. Fry some more
  7. Add 2 cups water and salt
  8. Close cooker and give 2 whistles. Remove from fire and fluff rice when pressure drops.

Jan 22

Al’s Meat Chilli Fry

meat chilli fry

I met Alicia when I lived in Goa. She was my bestie for the 2 years i lived there. At that time I didn’t know to cook much and would love when she would feed me all her specialities. One of my favourites was her Beef chilli fry and would crave to eat it. She is a Tamilian Christian and had such wonderful different recipes.

mutton

Our husbands got transferred and we moved to different cities but remained besties forever. Everytime someone visited her city, she would ask Vish, what should I send u and i would say beef chilli fry. And soon a dabba would be at my place.

mutton

I dont cook beef at home but have been craving this dish, so i thought why not make it with mutton instead. Got the recipe from her and realised that it’s such an easy dish packed with wonderful flavours. Dedicating this one to Alicia. Cheers to our Goa days

Ingredients

600 gms mutton pieces

10 slit dried red chillies

5 cardamom slit

5 cloves

10 peppercorns

cinnamon stick

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp soya sauce

1 tbsp vinegar

salt

oil

1 tbsp maida

 

  1. Marinate the mutton for an hour with all the ingredients mentioned
  2. Put in cooker with a cup of water and pressure cook to 6-8 whistles
  3. Check if cooked, else give more whistles
  4. Dry out the excess water
  5. Add a tbsp of maida to thicken it.
  6. Serve hot