"DEJHAROO" a lovely Kashmiri Ornament...

Kashmiri women generally love jewellery,"Dejharoo" is the typical Kashmiri ornament that comprises of a pair of gold pendants that hang on a long gold chain which passes through holes in the ears.Dejharoo symbolises a married woman much like the "mangal sutra".

The above pictures are of Kashmiri friends of mine, the mother above is wearing a "dejharoo" with a pendant which is much heavier and elaborate, I came to know she got her inner ears pierced when she was a child whereas the daughter is wearing one which is much more delicate and has just got her ears pierced recently when she got married.

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MALAI~KOFTA (COTTAGE CHEESE BALLS IN A THICK GRAVY)

These melt-in-the mouth kofta's are great for vegetarians, as the name suggests they are not actually malai(cream) but are made up of soft paneer(cottage cheese) which literally turns into cream in the mouth, hence the name Malai~kofta.The technique of making these is simple and they are great with naans, paranthas or chapatis.

• INGREDIENTS-


• for koftas/cottage cheese balls


• Cottage Cheese-250 gms


• Flour-2 tbsp


• Chopped green chillies-2 (deseeded)


• Chopped coriander- a handful


• Cashews- a handful, broken (for stuffing in the koftas)


• Salt and pepper to taste


• Garam masala-1/2 tsp.


• Soda-bi-carb- a pinch


• for the gravy-


• Onion-1 large, pureed


• Tomatoes-2 large, pureed


• Ginger -garlic paste-1 tsp


• Garam masala-1 tsp


• Cayenne pepper(deggi mirch)-1 tsp


• Cumin-1 tsp


• Refined oil for frying

METHOD-Crumble the cottage cheese, add flour and with the palm of your hands knead down and continue doing so till really it turns into a soft and pliable dough, add the rest of the ingredients listed under koftas and shape into rounds, stuff each with a cashew, keep aside.Heat oil in a kadhai and fry these balls till golden(always shape a small ball first and fry that if it breaks up then add some more flour and fry again, then shape the rest of the dough).In the below pic you can see the dough, the balls and a fried one too.

Fry all the shaped balls and keep aside.Heat about 2 tbsp oil and fry the cumin and onions till light brown, add ginger + garlic paste and stir well, next add the tomato and fry well till oil separates, add the rest of the ingredients listed under gravy alongwith seasoning and just before serving, thin down gravy with little water and after some rapid boils add the koftas.(do not add koftas beforehand or they will break).Garnish with coriander and/or fresh cream and serve hot.Serves-4.

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VELVET POUND CAKE

I had earlier posted a recipe for my favorite Butter pound Cake, this is an improvisation of the same, only that this one is really velvety and has a finer crumb.The addition of Cornflour makes a world of difference, I loved the fact that how much even a single ingredient can vastly improve the end result of a dish and could not wait to share it with you all.

• INGREDIENTS-


• Flour -1 and 1/2 cups


• Cornflour-1/2 cup


• Powdered Sugar-3/4 cup


• Salt-1/2 tsp


• Baking powder-3 tsp


• Fresh curd-2 tbsp


• Milk-3/4 cup


• Butter-1/4 cup melted


• Egg-1


• Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp

METHOD- Mix all the ingredients together and bake at 200C for 40 minutes or till done.

.

I really enjoyed a slice of this gorgeous cake with some fresh and juicy sliced mangoes and whipped cream, hmmm delicious!

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HOT FAVORITES:PEACH~MANGO COBBLER

I enjoy peaches and I enjoy mangoes and when the two combine, it makes for the most delicious possible combination!Here the taste is further enhanced by a crisp buttery topping and some whipped cream.This dessert is incredibly simple and ready in a flash provided you have the ingredients at hand, you can also vary the combination of fruits according to your liking.Everyone in the family simply loves this dessert, and it is my Hot favorite too:).

• Ingredients-


• Ripe peaches- 2-3 large, (you can find a step-by-step tutorial on cleanly slicing peaches here)


• Ripe mangoes-2- large(peeled and sliced)


• Fresh cherries- 1/2 cup, pitted


• Powdered sugar-3 tbsp or according to preference


• for topping-


• Salted butter-50 gms


• Flour-1/2 cup


• Powdered sugar-2 tbsp.

Method- In a baking tin combine the fruits and sugar together, mix well and keep aside like in the pic below.You can also add spices, extracts, liquor of choice.

Combine the ingredients for the topping and with your hands break in the butter till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, layer onto the fruit evenly, bake at 180C for 20-30 minutes or till top is golden and crisp.Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla Icecream.

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SUMMER FRUIT CAKE a recipe from my Armenian friend

If you have been following my blog for a while you might remember my Armenian friend who is a professional baker in Armenia, her other recipe which I posted earlier was the superb Armenian Chocolate Cake with Almonds, it was my pleasure to learn another lovely Cake recipe from her which is a light-as-a-feather sponge soaked in a tangy lemon syrup, sandwiched with mangoes and topped with chocolate and cherries, a slice of heaven if you ask me, and downright delicious...We picked up and ate the chocolate enrobed cherries while the cake was chilling in the fridge and they were fabulous, the Cake is perfect for hot Summer months as it is light and refreshing and full of fruity goodness.

for the sponge-

1. Eggs-3


2. Sugar-3/4 cup


3. Flour-3/4 cup


4. Baking powder-1 tsp


5. Vanilla essence-1 tsp

for the lemon syrup-

1. Juice of freshly squeezed lemons-2


2. Sugar -2 tbsp


3. Water-1/2 cup

for the filling-

1. Fresh mango slices- from about 2 mangoes

for butter frosting

1. Butter-50gms


2. Powdered sugar-2 tbsp


3. Cherries-a handful, fresh

The recipe and method for chocolate frosting can be found here

for the sponge cake-

Beat whole eggs together with sugar, preferably with an electric beater for 20 minutes or till stiff peaks form, fold in the flour sifted with baking powder gently(she folds it in with clean hands, without using a spatula), add vanilla essence and bake in a PRELINED tin for 30 minutes at 180C till well risen and golden, take out from pan and leave to cool .

for the lemon syrup-

Combine sugar and lemon juice and water and boil till thick and syrupy, keep aside.

Make the chocolate frosting and keep in fridge to cool, this can be done a day ahead also.

Beat softened butter with sugar and adding a little bit of lemon syrup till light and fluffy, set aside.

for assembling-

Slice cake carefully into half and sprinkle the lemon syrup evenly on both halves,spread thinly with the butter frosting, layer fresh mango slices and cover with the top half of sponge.Now cover the entire cake with the butter frosting, spreading it very thinly.Add the rest of the mango slices and the fresh cherries on top, pour the cooled chocolate frosting on top and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, Slice and serve.

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EGG FRIED RICE a quick,healthy dinner...

I am always looking out for these kind of dinners, especially after a long,hard day at work.A similiar recipe was demonstrated on TV by Kylie Kwong and I have been wanting to try it out for quite a while-it was finally bought to life when I chanced upon Hooked on heat, the blog that has been chosen for this month's Tried and Tested event, she had posted a recipe that I already had brewing in my mind, so this lovely, healthy, ready in a jiffy meal was on the table ready to be devoured...

You can find the recipe here on Meena's blog

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This fried rice is off toKitschow for Tried and tasted event brainchild of the lovely Zlamushka.

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CRISP CHEESE FINGERS/BISCUITS

If you love cheese as much as I do, you will simply adore these...that coupled with the bite of fresh black pepper and I am floored! These biscuits are perfect with Tea/Coffee and are a fun snack to munch on, very addictive too, they are gone even before you realise it...

The basic recipe is the same as- Puff Pastry biscuits...from a scratch, all I did was grate some cheddar cheese on top and sprinkle some freshly ground pepper, baked them to a crisp (the aroma is heavenly as these bake) and enjoyed them with a cup of Tea, yummy!

Here I would also like to add that it is not at all difficult to make the Puff pastry, in fact it is really a breeze,and the texture is beautiful, do try these out-they will not let you down I promise...

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KASHMIRI MUTSCH (KOFTAS/MEATBALLS IN A SPICY RED GRAVY)

My mom called up today at work to say she had made kasmiri "mutsch", my mouth started watering at the very thought and on my way back I bought half a kilo of mincemeat, that's the effect these have over you, they are absolutely the bestest you have ever had, one of those dishes that speak for themselves and all the flavors literally shine through...

She learnt this recipe from a renowned waza in the kitchens of Kashmir about 20 years back.I could regale you with a story about Kashmiri food, but I feel at a loss of words and for once let the pictures do the talking.

• To make these you require-Mincemeat (mutton)-1/2 kg (PLEASE BE CAREFUL about the quality of mince used, should be from hind leg (raan) and please ask the butcher to put it through the mincing machine thrice, THIS REALLY EFFECTS THE END RESULT)
• Thick curd-1/2 cup
• Kashmiri Garam masala-1 tsp(Grind together-Black cardamom(moti elaichi)-1,green cardamom(choti elaichi)-2,dry ginger(sonth)-1 small piece,cinnamon(dalchini)-1 small piece,Aniseed (saunf) -1/4 tsp)
• Kashmiri red chilli powder-1/2 tsp
• Cornflour-2-3 tbsp
• Mustard oil-1/2 cup
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the mince breaking down the fibres and turning it into a smoother mince like in the pic below(takes about 15-20 mins)-



Add half of the garam masala, salt and the cornflour and mix well, heat oil in a large kadhai and let smoke so that the mustard oil is not bitter, turn off heat and let oil cool down a little(although the authentic recipe always calls for mustard oil, if you dislike it , pure desi ghee can be used) shape mince into small oblongs whilst wetting the palms of your hands and drop into the oil, after the last one has been shaped,stir carefully so that they are evenly cooked , now add about 1 cup water carefully with the heat lowered, now the cooking that is going on here is half frying and boiling at the same time, let cook for at least 10 minutes.Now add the kashmiri red chilli powder, the rest of the masala and then start adding the curd, little at a time(about 1 tbsp), till it is used up.Cover and cook for another 15 minutes.Traditionally these are served hot over a bed of freshly boiled rice.

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DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

In one of my earlier posts I had mentioned how living in India we have access to limited stuff, and whilst blog hopping I have to literally skip dozens of recipes because the ingredients are just not grown/available here.Last week I got my first bar of dark compounded chocolate for cooking purposes, I know it IS available in India though only in speciality shops and I got hold of it for the first time, I had many recipes lined up and thought I would use it very judiciously, so I surfed the net for 2 hours ,until my head was spinning and STILL did not come up with a recipe I wanted, actually the confusion was whether I should put it in the batter or frost with it, in the end I did both!

From the same shop I bought another thing I have been wanting for a long time, a muffin tray, you could bake 12 muffins in one go!.Other purchases were very cute flower patterened cupcake liners, and a bottle each of lemon and orange essence, so very happy with my purchases I headed home, much to my dismay the muffin tray would not fit into the oven...

But like they say neccessity is the mother of invention, I with my own bare hands cleanly sawed the tray into half, just imagine!, and I am a very happy girl!

Coming back to the chocolate bar, it is a 500gms big slab ,I weighed it and felt it and then opened the package tasted it and loved the whole experience, now I was ready to take on any cupcake challenge!hah!

Finally I settled upon this lovely recipe from Baking Obsession, a super blog, though I tweaked it a bit, most of it is the same.

• makes 18 regular cupcakes


• 2 cups sifted (before measuring) cake flour


• 1 tsp baking soda


• ¼ tsp salt


• 1/4 cup sifted natural cocoa powder


• ½ cup lukewarm milk


• ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature


• ½ cup milk


• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract


• 2 large eggs, at room temperature


• 8 tbsp (100 gms)unsalted butter, at room temperature


• 1 cup powdered sugar


• 50gms dark sweetened chocolate


• FOR FROSTING


• 100gms butter


• 100 gms dark sweetened chocolate


• 1 tbsp Milk

METHOD-Preheat oven , line muffin trays Cream butter and sugar very well till about 6-7 minutes, you can use an electric beater but I did it by hand, add eggs beating well after each addition.Combine lukewarm milk, cocoa powder and choclate and leave to dissolve.Combine milk, buttermilk and vanilla essence and keep aside.In the creamed butter and sugar mixture combine the cocoa chocolate liquid and add flour,baking soda and salt in three parts mixing well, add buttermilk mixture, pour tablespoons onto lined moulds till 2/3 full, beware they rise very high!.Bake for 20 minutes or till a toothpick inserted omes out clean.

for frosting-Melt chocolate in milk , cool,whip in softened butter. It will be little thin, leave in fridge for a few minutes till thick, spread over the cooled cupcakes, for half of them I sprinkled some more chcolate shavings on top and other half I swirled some of the buttercream using a plastic bag in which a hole was cut.

I absolutely adored these, they were soft from inside and creamy ouside, I have had altogether 6 f them by now, so you can judge how great they are!

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CHICKEN PULAO- IN 20 MINUTES!

If you are craving pulao in a jiffy or unexpected guests drop by, or after a long day at work you want something quick-fix, this is for you!Just remember to boil some rice beforehand, or make use of leftovers from last night's dinner.The pulao is delicious and does not lack anywhere where taste is concerned.Gagan liked it so much that I made it twice in one day, once with leftover rice and then rice especially boiled for this!

• Fresh Chicken-1 (about 8 boneless pieces)


• Onions- 2 large, sliced


• Tomatoes -2 medium, pureed


• Ginger +garlic paste- 1 tbsp


• Boiled rice- 4 cups


• Garam masala- 1 tbsp


• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp


• Desi ghee-2 tbsp


• Refined oil for shallow frying

Method-Fry the chicken pieces in hot oil till brown, this will take 10 minutes on high heat in a large kadhai, drain.In the same oil which should be about 3-4 tbsp add the zeera, ginger+garlic and then the onions fry till brown,add tomatoes and cook another 5-6 minutes till oil separates.In a large saucepan, melt the ghee add the rice, the chicken pieces as well as the fried onions, season with salt and chilli powder, add garam masala and give a good toss, your pulao is ready, serve with raita and sliced onions in vinegar.

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PERFECT CINNAMON BUNS!

The first time I had these was in Manali available at small German bakeries that dot old Manali,and I have been addicted ever since!Cinnamon Rolls or Buns comprises a sweet yeasted dough with a filling of sweet buttery cinnamon, they are absolutely delicious!I made these at home for the first time and everyone was delighted, the aroma that filled the kitchen while they were baking was lovely.

The recipe can be found here, and though the original recipe is Vegan, I did not see any reason why I could not tweak it a bit, though either ways you can make them according to your preference,.

Makes 12 Large Buns

• Yeast Mixture
  
  
  4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (a little less than 2 packets)
  
  
  1 tsp Sugar
  
  
  1 Cup Water, 110º F


• Dough
  
  
  1 Cup Soymilk(I used regular milk)
  
  
  2/3 Cup Sugar
  
  
  2/3 Cup Earth Balance Margarine(I used butter)
  
  
  2 tsp Salt
  
  
  2 Ener-g Egg Replacer Eggs, prepared, optional(used eggs)
  
  
  Yeast Mixture, from above
  
  
  6 Cups All Purpose Flour, more for kneading


• Dough Filling
  
  
  1/2 Cup Earth Balance Margarine, melted (used butter)
  
  
  1 1/2 Cups Sugar
  
  
  3 Tbs Cinnamon,( I also added a handful of raisins)


• Pan Sauce
  
  
  1/2 Cup Earth Balance Margarine, melted (butter)
  
  
  1/3 Cup Sugar


• Cream Cheese Frosting
  
  
  1/4 Cup Earth Balance(butter )
  
  
  1/3 Cup Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese(I used homemade mascarpone)
  
  
  1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  
  
  1 Cup Powdered Sugar

Here's the list of ingredients, I have not typed out the method as a step-by-step pictorial as well as a video can be found here

These heavenly buns are off to the weekly event "Yeastspotting"at the Wild yeast blog

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