RIDICULOUSLY EASY CHEESY PASTA

Don't we all love easy, quick dinners?? I sure do, this is one such pasta recipe which is ready from scratch to the table very quickly!.. and is nutritious to boot...

To make this ridiculously easy pasta you need-

Ingredients-

• Pasta of choice (I used tubes)-2 cups boiled till tender but not mushy, if you are a first timer, follow instructions here
• Frozen mixed chopped veggies of choice(carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflower)-1 cup (u can use fresh too)
• Fat free/reduced fat mayonnaise-1/2 cup
• Ready tomato puree-1/2 cup
• Oregano-1/2 tsp
• Garlic- minced-1/2 tsp
• Sugar-1 tsp
• Onion- 1 small diced
• Olive oil- 1 tbsp
• Grated cheese- 2-3 tbsp 
• Salt and black pepper

Method-

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, saute garlic and onion for a minute till fragrant.
2. Add the tomato puree and fry till oil leaves sides of pan.
3. Microwave the mixed veggies on high for 5 minutes till tender, or simmer in open pan till tender but still crunchy even upto 1 day before.
4. Add the sugar and oregano to the tomato puree and mix well.
5. Now add in the vegetables, the pasta and mayo along with salt and pepper, combine thoroughly and cook till heated through
6. Sprinkle grated cheese (I skimped on the cheese but really you should not) on top and serve with toasted garlic bread.

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TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

 I baked this Cake recently for a colleague at work, isn't it surprising that you can just close your eyes and bake a chocolate cake and be rest assured that it will be a roaring success!That's the power of chocolate on mere mortals :)

Though the recipe may seem lengthy it is really an extremely simple cake to make and put together, give it a try!!

Ingredients-

 For the cake-

• All purpose Flour-1 & 1/2 cups
• Cornflour-1/4 cup
• Castor Sugar-3/4 cup
• Cocoa powder-4 tbsp
• Butter- 1/4 cup, melted
• Baking powder- 3 tsp
• Egg-1
• Vanilla extract-1 tsp
• Milk-3/4 cup
• Curd-2 tbsp
• Salt-1/4 tsp

For the chocolate syrup-

• Sugar-2 tbsp
• Cocoa powder- 2 tsp
• Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp

 For the chocolate topping-

• Semisweet chocolate- 30 gms
• Butter- 50 gms
• Plain Flour- 2 tsp
• Silver balls, Chocolate leaves &  a tbsp of melted chocolate for drizzling over.

For the Cake-

Preheat oven at 180 C, grease and flour medium cake tin.Combine sugar , flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder & Cornflour and sieve together.Combine egg, melted butter,curd, Vanilla and Milk and whisk.Gently mix the dry ingredients into wet and mix well with a rubber spatula.Pour the thick mixture into pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cool

For the syrup-

Combine sugar, cocoa , vanilla and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan, and boil on medium heat for 5 minutes till thick and syrupy, poke holes in cake and pour over the syrup, let soak for 15-20 minutes.

For the topping/icing-

Melt butter in a heavy bottom saucepan, add flour and let cook on very gently heat till pale, about a minute, next add water and let it come to a boil, add chopped chocolate and stir continuously, it will begin to thicken like custard, tip in the sugar, let boil, remove from heat and let cool, use while still warm.

To assemble-

Carefully invert the soaked cake over serving dish, and pour warm icing on it, it will drizzle down into a glossy cascade.Let it sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, place chocolate leaves in the middle, sprinkle silver balls and drizzle some more melted chocolate on top, you can add cherries or jam too.Chill overnight.

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RIDGE GOURD PEPPER CHUTNEY

Saw these beautiful pink flowers in full bloom in the garden today, can anyone tell me their name??

I have never cooked with ridge gourd before, only seen pictures of it on a lot of blogs, so the other day after getting a couple of them from the farmer's market decided to look up what to cook with them.The search led me to Mahanandi with Indira taking this humble gourd to new heights, I had to make this unusual Low calorie and nutritious chutney soon...it was delicious, tangy and really hot! Try it!!
There were a couple of things I did differently, like I added like a bit of cayenne pepper and more onions and also blended the chutney to a smoother consistency in a blender.
  RIDGEGOURD PACHADI (Beerakaya) recipe adapted from Mahanandi
Ingredients-

• Ridgegourd-1 peeled and chopped
• Onions- 2 medium, peeled and chopped
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper-1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp
• Cayenne pepper (deggi mirch)- 1/4 tsp
• Oil-a splash

Method-
Heat a kadhai and add a splash of oil, add cumin seeds and black pepper and toast for a few seconds, next tip in the onions and ridge gourd pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring well, add cayenne pepper and salt and mix well, lastly add tamarind paste and let cool to room temperaure. Cool and blend till smooth.Enjoy with rice or paranthas.

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CHOCOLATE DATE CARAMEL CAKE (eggless)

 I love anything with caramel in it and this cake is a classic combination of great flavors, it is one of those rare occasions when I bake a cake without eggs, and really loved the end result.
 Ingredients-
for cake:

• Flour-300 gms
• Baking powder-1 tsp
• Chopped dates-150 gms
• Chopped walnuts- 50 gms
• Melted butter-4 tbsp
• Brown sugar-115 gms
• Skim milk-300 ml

for the caramel filling and icing:

• Sugar-2 large tbsp
• Double cream-1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp
• Cooking chocolate-30 gms
• Icing sugar-1/2 tsp

Method-

1. Sift flour and baking powder.Stir in dates.
2. Preheat oven to 180 C.Grease and line cake tin.
3. Mix the melted butter, sugar, dates and milk and stir into dry ingredients.
4. Spoon into prepared tin and bake till golden brown and firm approx 45 minutes.
5. for filling and icing-
6. Take a heavy bottom pan and add sugar along with 4 tbsp of water to it, put on flame and let caramelize, stirring frequently.
7. When sugar is golden take off heat and add a splash of water to cool down, next tip in the cream reserving 1 tbsp for the decorative piping, add vanilla and put back on heat, stirring well till thick.
8. Let the cake cool, then split into half with a sharp knife, spread out half of the caramel filling and sandwich cake.
9. Put the rest of caramel filling back on low heat and add the chopped chocolate, stir well till chocolate melts, let cool till warm and then pour on top of cooled cake.
10. Let the cake chill in the fridge, then combine the reserved cream with 1/2 tsp icing sugar and whip, pipe a trellis pattern on the cake with a plain small nozzle.Let the icing set

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SAGAR'S PERFECT APPLE CINNAMON CAKE

As is apparent from my earlier posts, we are a family always interested in food and all things related, my nani, though she did not know at that time has produced a progeny of cooks into this world, both her children are naturals, and so are some of her grandchildren, some explored it professionally like my brother- Sagar (a Hotel mgmt grad from IHM, Pusa, went for further studies to Palm Beach Resort, Florida and is currently working with Woodlands Restaurant, London), and some like me passionately blog to live!.
Living in London, Sagar has developed a particular penchant for British food and has invariably adopted their love for baked treats.
This Perfect Apple Cinnamon cake is from his secret repertoire and he does not stop raving about it, the recipe I am posting just as he sent to me, enjoy!

RECIPE FOR PERFECT APPLE CINNAMON CAKE
Dear Bindiya,
This is my recipe for the Perfect Apple and Cinnamon cake that I like to have with my friend Lily Chatterjee for our special afternoon tea!!!

Ingredients-

• 100 gms Flour
• 100 gms Sugar
• 50 gms Butter
• 3 nos Eggs
• few drops Vanilla essence
• pinch Baking powder
• 2 no apple (peeled, cored and halved or quartered)
• handful Sultanas
• 1/2 tspn Cinnamon

Method-Preheat the oven at 180 deg. F Melt the butter in the baking tin...remove the melted butter and line the tin.Peel and core and halve or quarter apples,mix with raisins and dust them with some cinnamon and flour. Double sieve the flour with baking powder. Beat eggs and sugar and vanilla essence till peak consistency .Divide the flour in 3 portions. Add the sieved flour in the beaten egg and sugar mix, in 3 parts, use a wooden spatula to mix well, use the cut and fold method(full circle and cut in the middle) .After adding all the flour, add the sultanas to the mix, then add the cinnamon.Mix gently. Add the melted butter in the end, just pour from the side and one final gentle mix. Pour half mix in to the lined baking tin, place halved apples gently and top with rest of mix. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes at 180 deg C. Dust with Icing sugar.
Best eaten slightly warm so just warm in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving. Tastes great with Chantilly cream or honey or ice cream or on its own.

Love,
Sagar Varun
Needless to say the Cake came out perfect!

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WHOLEWHEAT FLAXSEED AND SESAME BREAD

Flaxseeds are the best vegetarian source of Omega 3, a decade ago this ubiquitous little brown seed was used as fodder for cattle, now you can find it on the list of Top 10 Superfoods!
I bake my own bread and try to make it as healthy and nutritious as possible and believe me it REALLY does not take time neither is it too complicated, all that you get is pure, simple pleasure...
Ingredients-(makes 1 loaf)

• Wholewheat flour (atta)- 200 gms
• Plain flour-50 gms
• Flaxseeds-3 tbsp
• Milk-1/2 cup
• Fresh curd/yogurt- 2 tbsp
• Butter- 30 gms (diced) Salt-1/2 tsp
• Sugar-2 tsp
• Fresh yeast-2 heaped tsp
• Egg-1
• Sesame seeds- for sprinkling over

Method-

1. Roast flaxseeds lightly, cool and grind to a powder reserving some for sprinkling on top.
2. Combine milk, and curd, add sugar heat till milk is lukewarm, stir in the yeast and wait for 10 minutes till frothy.
3. Measure out flour in a large basin, rub in the butter so that it is like breadcrumbs, add salt and flaxseed powder.
4. Break egg in a bowl and reserve little for egg wash, add rest to the milk mixture, now knead a dough by making a well in the center and adding the milk mixture, knead into a smooth dough.
5. Oil a bowl and put the ball of dough, turning over so that the oil coats the ough, cover with cling film and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place till double in bulk.
6. After an hour remove cling film and punch down dough, now shape and leave for second proofing and then bake.
7. Brush with reserved egg wash and sprinkle flax and sesame seeds, bake shaped dough in a preheated oven (200 C ) for 35-40 minutes or till golden on top. Slice thickly and enjoy slathered with butter.This healthy bread is off to Yeastspotting- a weekly showcase of baked goods
   

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