BEST OF 2007 AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

When Nupur announced this event it made me think really hard as to which one's I would choose, each of the recipes are unique and are like babies, you cannot say you love one sibling more than the other!, all need love and care, in fact this is also what I think of my blog- a baby needing constant nurturing and love and attention, and I just love it, ever since my foray into the blogging world I think it has been a constant source of encouragement and support, BLOGGING SIMPLY ROCKS!!!

Still let me pick some of my absolute favourites to send to lovely Nupur

 

1. Kashmiri Dhaniwal Korma

2. Fresh Orangey Fruit Cake

3. Macaroon eggs in spun caramel nest

4. Instant Donuts

5. Divine banana bread

6. Plump jam filled muffins

7. Lajawab dahi wala meat

I THINK THESE ARE MY MOST LOVABLE BABIES! THANKS NUPUR FOR THE EVENT!!!

                

        WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

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MICROWAVE MAGIC ~ MUSHROOM MALAI CURRY

Another delicious dish for those who want to use their microwave for simple, rustic everyday cooking, this dish is for the very talented Srivalli (http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com/2007/12/microwave-easy-cooking-with-side-dish.html)who hosts her MEC (Microwave easy cooking event) every month.The theme for this month is gravies.

           

                                              Mushroom malai curry

Ingredients-

• Fresh mushrooms- 1 packet ,washed and sliced
• Onion- 1 medium, finely chopped
• Tomato puree- 4-5 tbsp
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Ginger+garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
• Fresh coriander for garnish
• Fresh cream- 1 tbsp
• Desi ghee- 2 tbsp
• Cayenne pepper-1/4 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method-

Heat ghee in a large microwave proof dish, add onions+ginger and garlic paste and microwave on high for 5 minutes or till onions are slightly golden ,add all the other ingredients except for cream and coriander , alongwith 1/2 cup hot water and microwave again for 10-15 minutes , stir in cream , garnish with coriander and serve with hot chapatis or rice.... SIMPLE, EASY AND DELICIOUS!

Add tender peas too if you like!

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A VERY FESTIVE NUTTY "CLICK"

Today I thought what could be better than a picture that epitomizes the spirit of the season, the gaiety and festivity all captured in one shot.

Here is what I came out with, as my entry to adorable Bee and Jai's event(http://jugalbandi.info/2007/11/click-december-2007-the-theme-is/)

                                                 FESTIVE PISTACHIOS

 

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CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AROUND ME!

First of all I would like to thank all of you for your warm wishes on my Wedding Anniversary, the number of mails I got was simply amazing!, It was truly a memorable day!!

Now for spreading some Christmas Cheer!!, just wanted to share with you all the Celebrations going on around me here in Delhi and as far as  Gurgaon, YES!!, I went scouting till there and -here's a look ,ENJOY!!!

                               

                        

                            

                                   

                          WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

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CHOCOLATE ~ CINNAMON CAKES and a Wedding Anniversary!

It's my Wedding Anniversary tomorrow and so I made these delicious little cakes...

Will be going out to celebrate, I am sooo excited!!!

These little cakes are basically feather light sponge roundels, sandwiched with cream topped with chocolate sauce and milk chocolate flakes ,Yummy! here's how I made these beauties...

                   

                                               Chocolate cinnamon Cakes

For the sponge cake-

• Eggs-4
• Sugar- 3/4 cup granulated
• Flour-3/4 cup
• Vanilla essence- 1/2 tsp
• Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp.
• Cinnamon- 1/4 tsp.ground

Method-

Separate the whites and yolks and whip whites till very stiff peaks form ,alternately add the sugar and yolks, continue beating, lastly fold in the flour lightly, turn out into a swiss roll tray and bake for 10-25 mins.., your basic sponge is ready.Cut into desired shapes.

For cream topping and filling-

• Fresh cream-2 cups
• Cocoa powder- 1 tbsp
• Confectioners sugar- 3 tbsp.

Method-

Whip cream with all the ingredients till stiff, sandwich the cake/roundels  with this and spread on top also.

for chocolate sauce and garnish-

• Melted chocolate- 3-4 tbsp.
• Bar of plain chocolate- 1

Method-

Take tablespoons and drop on the cake, take a bar of chocolate and grate on top.Your little cakes are ready!

            

These will be my entry for "my favourite things event" (check sidebar) ,JFI- Chocolate( Jihva for Ingredients - Chocolate) and to Sunita too for- Think spice-think cinnamon(http://sunitabhuyan.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-monthly-event-think-spice-think.html)

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KASHMIRI "DHANIWAL KORMA" (Lamb in a yogurt gravy garnished with coriander)

I have already acquainted you all with WAZWAN- Traditional Kashmiri Cuisine in this previous post and about basic recipes and ingredients in this one, and for all those who are visiting this blog for the first time ,I would just like to say that this Cuisine is unparalleled and the recipes are closely guarded secrets, here I have coaxed my mother- who learnt from the great Waza's (head chef's) herself during her stay in Kashmir to pass them to me as heirlooms!!!

Yes, that's how precious they are!!!!!

I can only just imagine how my mom , a shy young bride then, who had never set foot in the kitchen earlier would meticulously go about learning the nuances of a totally new culture and cuisine , and serve it up on the dinner table to a huge new family .... all for love!!

Now let's get down to cooking this heavenly mutton curry which is so very welcome in this freezing cold-

                         

                                             Kashmiri Dhaniwal Korma

Ingredients-

• Leg of lamb- 1/2 kg (washed and cut into pieces)
• Pure desi ghee- 1/2 cup
• Cooked yogurt- 1 cup (find recipe for this here)
• Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder-1 tsp.
• Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp.
• Cloves- 3-4
• Green cardamoms- 3-4
• Saffron (zafran)- 1/4 tsp.
• Onion- 1/2 cup (pureed)
• Garlic- 1 tsp (ground)
• Salt to taste
• Cayenne pepper (deggi mirch)-1/2 tsp
• Fresh coriander leaves- a handful

Method-

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan and add the onion and  the garlic and fry till onion turns golden brown , at this stage add the yogurt and all the spices (masalas) and fry very well till ghee separates, now add the lamb pieces and cook on a slow flame stirring frequently.The authentic recipe now calls for the mutton to be cooked, by adding hot water as required till it is tender (will take atleast an hour or more), for all of us hard pressed for time, can make use of the pressure cooker , simply add 3/4 cup HOT water to the cooker ,tip in the lamb which has been previously cooking in the yogurt mixture and give 5-6 whistles ,let pressure drop by itself, garnish with coriander leaves, serve hot with fragrant basmati rice or chapatis.                                       

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HEALTHY AND EASY FRIED RICE

If you had a choice between rice and roti -what would you go in for???,I would definitely go for rice!!, here I have made them nutritious and high-fibre simply by using brown rice instead of the polished white one and adding lots of vegetables.

The secret of making good fried rice in which each grain is separate is - always boil rice beforehand in plenty of water, drain excess water and spread out on kitchen towels to dry for few hours  or use a day-old leftover rice, this way the grains will be separate and you will get perfect fried rice.

                   

                                Healthy and easy fried rice with- yogurt

Ingredients-

• Boiled brown rice- 4 cups, spread out to dry for 2-3 hours
• Fresh vegetables ,(carrots, beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, spring onions and mushrooms) chopped- 2 cups
• Soy sauce- 1 tbsp.
• Vinegar -1 tbsp
• Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tsp
• Ajinomoto- 1/4 tsp
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• Onion- 1 large chopped
• Oil- 1 tbsp

Method-

Heat oil in a wok or kadhai and add the ginger and garlic paste, as well as the onion, saute, add the rest of the veggies and fry till semi cooked but still crunchy, add the rice and rest of the ingredients, toss around to mix well, serve hot.

I had these steaming hot with an unusual palate cooling accompaniment- yogurt.

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"MY FAVOURITE THINGS" EVENT-Chocolates are calling!

If there is something that makes me go weak in the knees-its CHOCOLATE!, wouldn't you agree! I am sure it has the same effect on so many of us, here I clicked some pictures of ONE of my all time favorites- it's good ol' Cadburys!, this is their new festive pack but inside the taste is the same- that so many of us have grown up with.

I think as a child ,all that chocolate meant to me was Cadbury's, now after all these years and all the education and brain freeze DO  I get to know that there exists-Diva and Leonidas and Belgian and Lindt and Hersheys and Mars and Ferrero Rocher and so on!!!!

It's not that I don't love these too (greedy person that I am), but there is some sentimental value attatched to a bar of Cadbury's , as a child I remember every Sunday we used to watch a movie on Television (in those days TV was a  rare commodity), since there was no cable or DVD's or anything else and every Sunday all three of us ,that is my elder sister ,myself and my younger brother were treated to a bar of Cadbury's a Coca Cola (Campa) and a packet of Uncle Chips lol :)! that was it a grand Sunday treat, no big deal Shopping malls or Play stations for us and I think we grew up just fine!

How I miss those days ,now all of us are so far apart, shall I say Oceans apart , busy in our own lives- but one thing still remains constant in my life -that is the good ol' bar of CADBURY'S CHOCOLATE.

HMMM.... KUCH MEETHA HO JAYE! THIS GOES TO MY EVENT-"THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS"                        

                           

                                   Cadbury's Celebrations Gift Pack      

Well my next post will be about Toblerone's hehe! love them all despite the battle of the bulge  (sob!) :)

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SIZZLING LEMON CHICKEN

It's so very cold out here, so all I look for these days are quick winter-warming foods much like this Chicken recipe, which is  is a delight in all aspects and both me and my husband enjoy it very much,it has a lovely ginger-garlic infused, yogurt based masala and the fresh tang of lemons, an excellent snack with drinks.

                             Sizzling Lemon Chicken
The key to really making delicious food is the freshness of ingredients,so make sure that you get the best and freshest possible always.
Ingredients-

• Fresh chicken- 1 kg (small pieces)
• Yogurt/fresh thick curd- 2 cups
• Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp
• Cinnamon- few sticks
• Cloves-2-3
• Butter- 2 tbsp.
• Fresh cilantro/coriander- a generous fistful
• salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon juice-2 tbsp

Method-
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet till bubbling, add the cinnamon and cloves as well as the ginger-garlic paste, saute for a few minutes ,next  add the chicken pieces and gently fry them till a light golden brown, add curd and transfer to a pressure cooker, put on heat , switch off the heat just before the whistle and immediately put the pressure cooker under running water to release steam.
Transfer again to the skillet and let all the juices dry up ,sprinkle lemon juice, garnish with the cilantro and some fresh lemon slices, serve hot and sizzling.

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ANNOUNCING~"These are a few of my favourite things" EVENT

"This event is actually about your favourite things and sharing those favourite's with everyone!"

Looking forward to some fab innovative ideas, which we can all cook up for Christmas and New Year incidentally this is also to celebrate my 50th post today!.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT     CHRISTMAS AND A ROCKIN' NEW YEAR!

                                      

 

CALLING ALL CHOCOHOLICS OUT THERE!!

THEME FOR THE MONTH OF DEC 07~ CHOCOLATE,

( feel free to use the above logo!)

RULES ARE ~ IT IS PROBABLY THE SIMPLEST EVENT YOU EVER PARTICIPATED IN -JUST POST A PICTURE OF YOUR FAVORITE CHOCOLATE OR CHOCOLATES OR YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT/DISH USING CHOCOLATE/COCOA with the recipe and link it to this post,YOU CAN SEND IN AS MANY ENTRIES AS YOU LIKE , SEND IT TO ME  AT-bindiyasingh7@gmail.com BEFORE 7th January 2008 and we will be celebrating a big CHOCOLATEY NEW YEAR TOGETHER!

SOME DROOL WORTHY OPTIONS-

         

good ol' bar of chocolate                    a selection of filled chocolates

        

choc cake                                         choc pie

        

choc chip cookies                          hot choc sauce

      

choc fudge                                     choc donuts    

REMEMBER TO HAVE LOADS OF FUN DOING IT!

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STUFFED GREEN CHILLIES

These big, stuffed chillies are a breeze to make and a pleasure to serve.The best part is that they are ready-to-serve in 10 minutes and will keep refrigerated for upto two weeks, so all lovers of spicy (teekha) food ,make these right away,they will perk up any meal!These are stuffed with a mixture of spices ,so serve as a pickle or a side-dish whatever you please!

                          Stuffed green chillies

Ingredients-

• Big green/red chillies-8-10
• Dry mango powder(amchur)-4 tbsp
• Refined oil-2 tbsp.
• Cayenne pepper powder(deggi mirch)-2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1tbsp.
• Garam masala- 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste.

Method-

Slit the green chillies lengthwise, combine all the above masalas and stuff into the chillies carefully,heat oil in a skillet fry the chillies for two minutes ,let cool and bottle,serve.

                          

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