Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Cut round thin slices of ripe pineapple/ or use tinned ones. Heat 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup pinapple juice, 1 tsp of cinnamon powder and a drop of vanilla essence. Replace pineapple juice with orange juice or use same amount of plain water for different flavours.
Heat this mixture till sugar dissolves and mixture becomes slightly thick. When I am using fresh pineapple I simmer the slices in this mixture for 5 minutes before using.

Pour out on a greased dusted pan. Arrange pineapple slices on top. Leave aside while you prepare the cake batter.

To prepare batter beat 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup castor sugar till sugar kind of dissolves and mixture looks light and fluffy. Beat 2 eggs till light. Fold into the butter-sugar mixture. Add a drop of vanilla essence.

Sieve 1 cup of flour with 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Gently fold into the butter-sugar-egg mixture. Do not over mix.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Check if done. If not then bake for another 10 minutes or till done. Keep checking every 5 minutes after that though.

Decorate with cherries and serve with vanilla icecream.

Spiced Strawberry- Banana Jam

I am not a jam person. But I just had to try and make this once. I tried adding spices like cinnamon and dried red chilly flakes to cut the sugariness of the jam. Worked well. I didn't even bother spreading it on a toast. Simply took a spoonful (or two... or three...) and licked it off watching tv. I shouldn't have added the banana at all though. It has a really strong flavour and even a little goes a long way. Banana lovers may make this jam using just banana.

400 grams of small strawberries, washed, patted dry, chopped

100 grams of banana chopped
350 grams of castor sugar
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Cinnamon 2 tsp, 3 Cloves, Red chilly flakes 3 tsp

Place the strawberries, lemon juice, zest and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat over low heat and simmer gently until the sugar dissolves.
Boil the jam jar for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and boil the mixture rapidly for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spices (powder the cloves)
Place a tsp of jam in the fridge and after 20 minutes wrinkle the surface using your fingers .If the jam doesn't wrinkle the first time but sticks to your finger like a thick liquid rather than jam, keep boiling it for another 5 to 10 minutes and then test again. If jam is ready then remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes or until the edges of the jam sets slightly. Pour jam into a warm jam jar till the brim (warming will ensure moisture is not present) and then let it cool completely before sealing.

Keep refrigerated.

I do not know how long this will keep. A month maybe. We'll find out. It's been about 20 days and the jam is stil fine. Maybe it'll last longer.

Experiment with spices you like. Add dry ginger powder if you like.

Strawberry Shortcakes

In a sudden flash of inspiration brought two packets of fresh strawberries. Baked a chocolate strawberry cake (threw strawberries in the chocolate cake batter, was quite good actually), made some strawberry jam (recipe shall follow shortly) and was still left with some. So I tried a hand at making shotcakes.

Mix

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 stick butter, chilled
2/3 to 3/4 cup half and half, milk, or cream

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and cubes pof chilled butter. Mix using your fingertips. Mix on until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with few pea-size chunks of butter left in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a fork stir in the cream or milk, just until dough is moist. Be very careful not to overwork. The dough doesn't have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough stand for a minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough 2 or 3 times, until it is holding together and is less sticky.
Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick and cut into biscuits with a floured round cutter. Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Brush on a little milk or cream and arrange some strawberries in the center. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees, until risen and golden brown.

Let cool before sprinkling some icing sugar on top. Serve with whipped cream.

The texture of a shortcake was a cross between a cake and cookie. I felt , as I do with puff pastries as well, that too much effort goes into making them compared to the speed with which they vanish from the plate and you are left wondering whether toiling for an hour was worth it!

Rich but Subtly flavoured Grilled Prawns- marinated in white wine, cashew and cream

Prawn marinade:
For 16 prawns
a pinch of ajwain+ 1 tbsp hung yogurt+ 1 tsp green chilly paste + 1 tbsp cashew powder+ salt+ 1 tbsp white wine + 1 tsp oil+ grated cheese + 1 tbsp cream. Mix the Marinade and rub all over prwans. Leave for 15 minutes. If you wish you add some chopped coriander leaves. But thats optional.

Heat a non-stick pan and grill the prawns till done. Or you can barbeque the prawns.

Serve and enjoy the delicate flavours. This is a favourite with me. More than a starter I like to have it as a main course along with some good breads and soup/salad maybe.

Pista Kulfi

Its crazy hot in Bangalore. Eating this calorie rich kulfi isnt goin to reduce the fat layer on me (that makes me sweat more) but atleast it'll make one feel better about it being summer season!

So for 6 people boil 1/2 litre of milk
Add 200 grams of crumbled Khoya to this and continue cooking till Khoya dissolves in the milk.
Add 3 tb sp of Bandam- Pista powder (Thandai mix works great or use the flavoured Milk shake mix powder)
Chop Pistachio finely and add to mixture
Add a pich of Cardamom powder
Taste once (the readymade podwer has sugar in it) and add sugar as per taste.

Take it off heat and beat the mixture with a ladle like mad. Or you could run in a food processor (in which case add the chopped pista after done beating). Well beaten Kulfis are lighter. Let cool completely.

Pour into air tight moulds. Freeze for 6-8 hours. Serve

Thai Prawns with Lemon Grass

I have been craving spicy foods. That part about these few months wasn't a myth. I usually love simple continental fare but these days its mostly Indian and Thai. Now that I am over my meat and fish aversion I can cook them again. I was thinking of what to do with the prawns I had brought and I rembered the Thai curry paste lying in the cupboard. I usually have a stalk or two of lemon grass in my freezer. They are absent from the shelves most days in the supermarket so when I do find them, I buy in bulk. They freeze really well and last for 2-3 months easily.

Thai Prawns with Lemon Grass

You will need enough prawns for two people. Never purchase prawns that are curled up. They are not fresh.

Red Thai Curry Paste, about 1/2 tbsp for 12 prawns.

1/2 tsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Soy Sauce

Fresh garlic, ginger, coriander and lemon grass

Salt, Red chilly powder/ flakes as per taste

Lemon juice and Lemon rind

Marinade the prawns for 15 minutes in a few drops of lemon juice, soy sauce and fish sauce.

Heat 1 tsp sesame oil or vegetable oil. Add thinly sliced fresh ginger, garlic and lemon grass.

Saute for 2 minutes. Add red thai curry paste. Cook for a minute. Add the plump pink prawns, red chilly. Cook for 7-8 minutes till prawns are done. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on top. Grate rind of half a lemon on top. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Serve.

Penne in Gorgonzola and Mushroom Sauce

Hi, I have been away for more than 2 months! Well, I have a good excuse...but that news can wait. For now, lets get cookin.

I have been afraid of trying out recipes that involve any cheese other than the 'regular' ones. 'Exotic' has been limited to mascarpone and ricotta to make cheesecakes. But recently I had a chance to sample a divine salad with blue cheese dressing at a restaurant called 'Ambrosia'. A new light dawned and enlightenment occurred that I do like 'stinky' cheeses. if it is used right, of course.

Gorgonzola is similar to Blue Cheese and imparts a delicious creamy flavour. Try it in this simple recipe and it won't go wrong.

You will need enough pasta for two. Use pasta of your choice. I prefer penne for heavy sauces such as this.
1/2 cup mushrooms
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup grated
Gorgonzola, 1/2 cup crumbled
3/4 cup Cream
1/3 cup milk
2 tb sp butter

Pinch of nutmeg
2-3 cloves of garlic

Heat butter and add crushed garlic. Cook for just a minute. Add sliced mushrooms. Cook till mushrooms are done about 6 minutes. Add cream salt, pepper, milk and gorgonzola. Cook while stirring occasionally. Add half the parmesan. Grate a pinch of nutmeg in the sauce.
In the meanwhile, boil 1 litre of water. Add salt and 1 tb sp of olive oil or vegetable oil. When the water the boiling, add pasta. Follow directions on the packet for cooking time. I used Delmonte Gourmet Penne Rigate and it was done in 10 minutes.
Strain out the pasta from water and gently mix it with the sauce. Serve with more parmesan grated on top.

Storing Gorgonzola:
I have half the gorgonzola left and have just dicovered a beautiful shrimp recipe with gorgonzola. Hope to try it this weekend.
BTW ideally you should use up gorgonzola within 2 weeks of opening the packet. If you need to store it longer, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminium foil. Don't freeze it. It will last 2 months. Freezing will change its soft, crumbly texture but it does still taste good and last uptill 6 months...If you see black moulds on the cheese throw it away.

Peetha- Dal Stuffed Rice Bites

This makes for a great vegetarian snack/appetizer, tasty and healthy. And frankly, quite filling.

Heat water till just under boiling point. Use the hot water to make a soft dough with rice flour, salt. Use a ladle to make the dough as the water is hot.
To prepare filling soak chana dal for 2 hours. Make a paste of the dal along with ginger, garlic, green chillies, salt and fresh coriander.
The dough is very soft so u can shape it using just your fingers and palm. Flatten out balls of the dough and place some filling center. Shape them like gujias or empanadas.
Boil some water. Place the peethas in the boling water. Cover and cook. They will be cooked in 10-15 minutes.

The peethas in this boiled state taste great too and are traditionally had as a main course.
To prepare a delicious snack though, slice them into cross sections and deep fry till slightly golden and crispy. Serve with coriander chutney.

Chocolate and Walnut Cookies

100 gms of butter
1.5 cups flour
1 cup Castor sugar(fine sugar)
1/3 cup cocoa
1 egg
1.3 cup broken walnuts
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven at 250 degrees. Soften the butter. Sieve the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.
Work the butter and sugar into the flour mixture using your finger tips. Once the butter and sugar is mixed well with the flour mixture make a center and pour a beaten egg. Mix everything into a soft dough. Stop working the dough once it comes together.
Make desired shapes. the cookies and press in some walnut pieces. Bake at 150 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool before removing from baking sheet.

Strawberry and Cream Sponge Cake

Strawberries and Cream are the quintessential pair that can never go wrong. So when I decided to cover a sponge cake with the two I dint go through any nervous birth pangs- I knew it will be good.

The question for many is- will the sponge cake in question will be spongy enough? I want to share how I make sponge cakes. I have followed recipes that have gone wrong but with this method you have a good chance of ending up with a light, airy, very spongy cake.

Heat oven at 250 degrees for 10 minutes. Grease and dust an 8 inch cake tin.

Separate yolks of 3 eggs. Cream together all 3 egg yolks, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1/3 cup butter or malai (the layer of cream that settles on boiled milk as it cools down). Using malai here sounds odd but you have got to trust me when I say it results in the moistest and softest of cakes. Continue beating egg yolks, sugar and butter or malai, whatever you are using, till sugar somewhat dissolves and mixture looks creamy.

Now seive 1 cup self raising flour (maida), 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda together. As you seive this dry mixture, keep the seive few inches above the pan in which the mixture seives and falls. This will capture more air into it.

Mix the dry ingredients into the egg yolk, butter/malai and sugar mixture. Mix well but avoid overmixing.

Now beat the 3 egg whites you had. Beat swiftly in one direction till it becomes frothy and light and soft peaks start to form. You must always beat the egg white just before using them because it doesnt stand well. After just a few minutes it will loose all that froth you worked so hard for.

Fold in the egg white mixture gently into the batter. Mix into a homogenous mixture. Again, dont over mix.

Your batter is ready. Pour over the lined cake tin from a distance of a few inches or a foot. As the batter falls in sheets in the tin, it will capture more air.

Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

You can use smaller cake moulds and bake two of these instead of one big one. With two cakes, though smaller, you can have more layers.

Cool the cake completely. Slice horizontally into layers using a long sharp knife or a wet thread. Heat 3/4 cup of water with 1 tbsp of sugar till sugar dissolves. Cool and pour over the layers and let the layers soak in the syrup.

Whip 250 ml cream with 1/2 cup icing sugar till soft peaks form. Apply on bottom most layer. Place the next layer on top. Continue till you run out of layers. Cover the sides with the whipped cream icing.

Slice strawberries and arrange around the iced cake and on top in any pattern you like.

Fish En Papillote

This is an incredible way of cooking. En Papillote means cooking in an envelope. This is a self saucing recipe as all the juices run out and collect. Its creative and nutritious.

You will need:
Fillets of any skinless firm fleshed fish. Salmon, Seer Fish, King Fish, Tuna are good choices. You can also do this with prawns or lobsters.
Vegetables like zucchini, bok choy, spring onions, thinly sliced carrots, bell peppers- red, yellow.
Garlic, a clove each for fillets
Lemon Juice and lemon zest OR Orange Juice and orange zest
Parsley, salt, pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
Olive Oil

Take some parchment paper or aluminium foil. Place the fillet in the center. Grate a clove of garlic on it. Place slices of veggies on top. sprinkle salt, pepper,and parsley. Grate some lemon zest and sqeeze a tsp of juice over. Alternatively grate orange zest and sqeeze 2 tbsps of juice. Pour 4 tbsp of white wine out on each filet.

Pour out about 2 tsp of olive oil all over the fish and veggies.

Fold over the foil from each side making an envelope. Seal edges to prevent steam from escaping.

Bake at 170 degrees for about 15 minutes for an inch thick fillet. Serve the parcels placed on a plate and the guest open their own parcels. Enjoy this healthy, different, delicious dinner with some herbed rice or bread.

Cognac Fruits Flambe`

Ever had those moments when your hubby comes back raving about the food that his friend's wife made and how good it was and blah blah blah? Its maddening isnt it...? And then they just dont get why we are mad at them? Sigh...

Anyway this is how you get back at them. Make them a dessert that will make them forget their favorite dessert destinations. The recipe I am about to share will make you look like a pro (with the flambe`ing and all) and will take you 15 minutes or less to prepare and serve.



Chop 1/2 cup Strawberries, 1/4 cup pineapples, 1/4 cup apples, 1/4 cup grapes(keep whole), and 1/2 cup bananas.
Heat 2tbsp butter in pan, Add the fruits and sweat for 4 minutes on high heat. Add 1 cup brown sugar and a drop of vanilla essence. Cook for another 3 minutest till sugar melts and fruits have released juices.



Now take about 1/4 cup cognac (use dark rum as alternative if cognac not available) and heat it. Do not boil just warm.
Light a matchstick or cigarette lighter. Pour the warm brandy over fruits touching the flame. the alcohol will catch fire and flambe`the fruits. Make sure to turn heat off otherwise the steam of the fruits will keep extinguishing the flame of the matchstick.

I served this on top of some roughly crumbled brownie. I am thinkin on serving this over a slice of plum cake with some icecream on the side..Yummm.. Cant wait...

Honey- Mustard and Ginger Roast Chicken

Another weekend has just gone by. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly these two precious days zoom past. After a long time I cooked on a Saturday evening on the insistence of my husband. This recipe has a preparation time of less than 15 minutes. The rest one hour your oven does the work for you. So you effectively need 15 minutes of your time on this.



Lets Go:
You'll need a whole chicken (this one was about 1.2 kilos) with skin on of course.
Wash chicken well, specially the cavity.
Rub the chicken with 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. You may replace red wine vinegar with 1/2 tbsp Soy sauce. They taste different but both work.
Keep in refrigerator for atleast 1 hour.
Take chicken out and dunk the following in the cavity: a whole pod of garlic, 4- cloves, one onion skin on.
Now grate some ginger all over the chicken. Rub enough butter to thinly cover the chicken. Tie chicken legs and wings to keep the whole chicken together. Use normal thread soaked in water.

Place chicken in an Oven at 170 degrees and rost for 30 minutes with the bottom (tummy) side up. After 30 minutes turn it over so that the chicken's back is on the exposed side. Roast for another 15 minutes at 170 degrees. Nor mix 1 tbsp of honey , 1/2 tbsp of mustard, 1/2 tbsp melted butter and mixed herbs. Rub all over chicken. Roast again for an0ther 15 minutes. The chicken is done when a knife is easily inserted in the thickest part of chicken and juices run clear.

Your Honey-Mustard and Ginger Roast Chicken is ready. Collect all the liquids that collect in the pan. Put heat on and reduce the liquids a little. Gravy is ready. Serve it along side with Roast chicken.

MOMOS!

Momos- Perhaps among the most popular street foods in India. A long lane in a Delhi marketplace seems incomplete unless it is dotted with a Momowalla selling these delicacies...at astonishingly low prices I might add, probably another reason why they got this popular.

Its amazing how good something so simple to make can taste. Be it fried or steamed. And its healthy too.

Recipe:

Make a soft (but firm) dough using maida (white flour) and a pinch of salt. Knead dough till it springs backs when pressed. Dont over knead. Keep aside for half hour wrapped in a cling film.

Filling:

Mix 1 small cup raw chicken mince with 1/4 cup chopped spring onions, 2 tsp finely chopped ginger, 4 tsp finely chopped garlic, 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves, 1/4 cup grated carrots, 4 tsp soy sauce, 2tsp fish sauce, and black pepper and salt to taste. I find adding about 2-3 meduim sized prawns, finely chopped to this mixture takes up the taste by several notches.

If making Sea Food Momo: Keeping the rest of the quantities same, reduce soy sauce to 4tsp and garlic to 3 tsp. Sea food reqires less salt and there is salt in soy sauce and fish sauce so be careful while adding salt.

Vegetarian momo: Use a medley of grated carrots, finely chopped cabbage, roughly chopped peas, sweet corn, spring onions, cauliflower any veggie you like basically, specially root vegetables like potatoes, even radish if you like it . Add to a cup of veggies, 3tsp soy sauce, 1tsp finely chopped ginger, 2 and 1/2tsp garlic, finely chopped coriander, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with the following sauce: Its simple to make and will stay in fridge for a week. Tastes great with momos

Heat a tsp of vegetable oil in a small pan. Fry 5 tbsp of finely chopped garlic, and 2 tsp of finely chopped green chillies. After 1 minute, add 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and let boil till vinegar reduces a little- say, 5-6 minutes. Add 1 tbsp soy sauce, tiny pinch of salt and red chilly paste. Stir. Take off Heat. Let cool completely before serving.

To make the red chilly paste simply soak dry red chillies for half hour in warm water and grind to a paste.

MUGHLAI PARATHA

Taking another step towards the world of super easy lunches I would like to share this recipe. As a kid one of my favorite favorite lunch box items though i have added my own touch to this age old recipe. Decent Health-meter rating too.

Knead dough using 1 cup maida (white flour) and 1cup atta (wheat flour), pinch of salt, 2 tbsp oil and for a cupful of flour 1.5 tsps of kalonji (onion seeds). I added kalonji as an afterthought and parathas turned out better. But its optional.

Make a largish chapati, not too thin, like you would a paratha. Spread it on a heated gridle or tawa. After 2 minutes turn it over. On both sides apply some oil.

Beat about 6 eggs. Add to it chopped green chillies, chopped onions, chopped coriander and salt to taste.

I also added a little grated ginger to the egg mix. Gave it great flavour. I had a quarter of cabbage lying in the fridge which I chopped up and kept aside.

On the side of the paratha you oiled pour the egg mixture taking care that it doesnt flow out into the pan and stays on the paratha. A little might find its way out but dnt worry about it.

Sprinkle chopped veggies if you want. You can add grated carrot, some shelled peas, sweet corn kernels... Hell! Add peanuts if you love them! Or Cheddar Cheese...Yumm. You can even add salami or boiled chicken pieces. Explore and get creative.

Let the egg mixture cook for a minute or two. Then fold over the chapati as shown. One fold followed by another.

This will seal the egg mxiture inside. Let cook for about 6-7 minutes on the medium flame. Add a tad more oil if necessary.

Serve with mint/coriander chutney. I like to eat this with good old tomato Ketchup, just like in school.

You can slice this in bite size pieces and have a good starter.

HOT DOGS WITH BACON AND RELISH

We had Hot Dogs for lunch last saturday. Washed it down with some thick chocolate milkshake. Simply fry your favourite sausage, slide it in a bun and there...you just made a Hot Dog. I did some additions to it to make a more filling meal.

We Indians are used to a full plate...chappatis, veggies, pulses (dal), rice. It needs to fill up your eyes before you decide if it is capable of filling up your tummy.

A sausage in a bun was too simple a lunch and my husband would have dismissed it right at the word 'GO' . Smart work was called for. So I made this multilayered, flavoursome Hot Dog. Really easy, super fast and makes it look like you did a lot of work. I added ketchup and spices to the sausage to give it added taste.

I had a packet of chicken frankfurters. This is what i did to them:

Heat a little oil. Throw in slices of good quality bacon and fry till it releases a lot of fat and cooks through. if you like it crisp keep frying till desired level of crsipness is achieved.

In this oil throw in thawed sausages. Add some tomato ketchup, black pepper, oregano and some red chilly powder. Fry till done. Take them out. You can add coriander powder and even garam masala to this while frying...it tastes good.

In the remaining oil throw in chopped onions and some finely chopped garlic.When onions turn transparent, add chopped tomatoes. You can add coriander powder to the relish to make it spicy. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add ketchup, about 1 tb sp for 3 tb sp of relish. Turn heat off and add chopped cucumber,green chillies and fresh coriander to the relish.

Lay lengthwide sliced hot dog buns on a tray. Put relish on them. Place a slice or two of bacon and a sausage each. You can wrap the suasage in the bacon. I tried but the bacon kept unwrapping. Next time will remind myself to use a long slice . Apply mustard sauce. Place cheese slices. Grill in hot over if you wish to melt the cheese. Serve. You can place raw onion rings in the hot dogs as well. Easy peasy.

Going to 'Gods Own Country' Kerela day after...so excited!!! Will stay in a houseboat in Kumarakom..yay!

LEMON POPPY SEED SYRUP BUNDT CAKE

Yet another dessert recipe. I had planned to share American Hot Dog recipe but as usual dessert took control of my soul...and the keyboard. This is great recipe for a cake that tastes wonderful, is delightfully moist and is unique. Poppy Seed cakes have been made in Europe for centuries. But you rarely find them selling in stores, which is a pity as it tastes so good. I guess this is one of those recipes which you make in your kitchen, recipe to be handed down mom to daughter.

The recipe I followed was taken from a book called 'Cakes- 1001 Classic Recipes From Around The World'. I used a Bundt mould to bake it.

You'll need:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/cup ground almonds
1/3cup poppy seeds
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar- firmly packed
1 tbsp grated lemon zest. Take care not to grate the bitter white part.
3 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice, preferably fresh


Lemon Syrup- 1 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup water

Sift the dry ingredients together- flour, baking powder, almond powder, salt.
Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest till creamy. Use an electric mixer for less effort. Soak the poppy seeds in milk. Add eggs and lemon juice to butter mixture and blend.
Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk and poppy seed mixture to the egg mixture. Spoon the batter in a greased and dusted mould. Place in a preheated over at 180 degrees celcius for about 45 minutes. Check in 10 minute intervals after 30 minutes are up. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.


Cool the cake for atleast half hour before demoulding.
Prepare the Lemon Syrup by heating sugar, water and lemon juice in a pan over a low heat. Keep stirring till it boils, simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Poke holes all over the cake and drizzle the warm sauce all over it. Let Soak.

Serve Warm!

Sweets for Festivals- Diwali ki Mithas

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus to celebrate Sri Ram's homecoming victorious after vanquishing the evil Ravana. People celebrate by lighting up the Diwali night with diyas and candles in an attempt to recreate the magic cast by Sun in the daytime. Laxmi and Ganesh puja is done and innumerable mithai/sweets are happily gobbled up. People light firecrackers as well but if you are reading this, I'd hubly request you not to.

The recipes I will be sharing in this post are:
Rasmalai/ Chenna payas
Rabdi and dry fruits Kheer with Jaggery
Easy Gulan Jamuns

Wishing you all even more sweetness in life.

RASMALAI/CHENNA PAYAS

Boil 1/2 litre milk. Add juice of a lemon and stir till milk curdles completely. Strain well in a muslin cloth. When no more liquid runs out take the chenna (the solid left is also called cottage cheese) and knead well with your hands. Add a tsp of maida/flour and keep kneading tooa very soft dough is ready. Make small balls out of the dough. Refer to pic below.

Boil 600 ml of milk till it reduces almost by half. Drop the prepared balls into the boiling milk. Boil for another 10 minutes. Add cardamom powder, 1 cup sugar, rose water- 1 tsp, saffron strands dissolved in milk. Switch gas off.

Chill in refrigerator for 4-5 hours. Serve.

Every mouthfull is a walk in paradise.

Do try this recipe with jaggery instead of sugar. Sweets are often made from jaggery in Diwali.

RABDI and dry fruits KHEER made with JAGGERY

Serve this sensationally delicious recipe to your family. Very little effort reuired on your part apart from stirring. Familiar kheer but with jaggery. Its super!

Boil a litre of milk till it reduces volume by say a 100 ml . Add well washed basmati rice- about 5 tablespoons. You need to wash rice really well to remove starch , it makes rice sticky.

Keep stirring the mixture on low flame. Add raisins and roasted nuts. Adding raisins now means they will absorb liquid and become desirably plump.

Basmati rice cooks fast and will be done in about 15 minutes. In that time the milk will reduce by half.

Add a pinch of cardamom powder 2 minutes before switchin the gas off.

Switch off gas. Add 6-7 tbsps of grated jaggery. Check for sweetness, add more as per your taste.

Add half a tbsp of rose water.

Add decadence in form of some saffron dissolved in milk and chopped pistachio.

I did not have these handy when I made the kheer so I added the Kesar-Pista mixture from a bottle. Very handy to give that special kick to any Indian dessert. I kinda use it often in malpua batter, kheer, rabdi, phirni, even mishti doi or your regular yogurt.

Using gur/jaggery is more traditional in Diwali. Also gur is more suitable for the chilly Diwali night, not to mention its health properties and divine taste.

Variation:

Replace gur with about a cupful of sugar.

EASY GULAB JAMUNS

Its easy to get scared of making gulab jamuns at home but this recipes takes less than a few minutes to make around 9 jamuns.

Reduce 1/2 litre of milk till the water has evaporated and you are left with milk solids/ Khoya/ mava.

Add about 3 tsp of Maida and a pinch of cardamom powder. Knead and knead on till you a get a very smooth, very soft, dough.

Make 1.5 cm diametre balls, small but its best to make small ones at home. They cook better and you will have to out less oil in the kadai. They will fluff up bigger in any case.

Heat enough oil to cover jamuns completely. Deep fry jamun over medium flame. This important to ensure they cook till their centres and fluff up. If the oil is too hot they will become overcooked outeside and stay doughy inside.

Once they are deep brown, take them out and let stand for 5 minutes. In the meanwhile, heat 1.5 cups of sugar with 2 tbsp of water till te sugar dissolves and you end up with a viscous sugar syrup (do tar ki chashni- put a drop between fingertips and spread fingers, the syrup should make 2 streched lines b/w fingers). Add caradamom powder and a tiny drop of kewra essence. Kewra is strong, add a really tiny drop.

Let the syrup stand for 15 minutes. Add warm syrup to Jamuns and let soak for 6-8 hours.

Serve warm.

The Easiest Crumb Fried Fish

Crispy, crunchy outside and buttery softness inside. Perfect dinner when you are short of time or breath.

You'll need:

As many fillets as you care of any firm fleshed fish. Traditionally white fish is used. Can use tuna as well.

Salt, pepper,

Flour/Maida to make batter

Bread crumbs to coat

Wash fish. Pat dry to remove as much moisture as you can. This will make the coat crunchier.

Prepare a thickish batter with flour and water. The batter should coat the back of a spoon. Add salt, pepper.

Dip filet in batter, then roll in bread crumbs. Shallow fry in a pan.

You can dip the filet first in lightly beaten egg, then coat with dry flour, then dip in egg again followed by bread crumbs for thicker, crispier coat. Add salt to egg.

Variation: You can marinade fish in a pinch of red chilly and coriander powder mixed with lemon juice before coating with batter for that spicy, Indian touch.

Serve with Mayonnaise mixed with:- finely chopped onions, cucumber, parsley/coriander and lemon juice. Garnish with lemon wedges.

You can eat this with a side of salad and bread. Chop veggies of your choice and add a simple dressing of salt, pepper, lemon juice mixed well (almost emulsified) with lots of olive oil.

Somethin Fishy!

My hubby heard of this place in Vittal Mallaya Road where they have fish spa facility. I had heard of fish spas in SE Asia and Mediteranian countries. I was immediately excited as I usually tend to get at the prospect of trying something new. There was the promise of relaxation as well. So we called up and booked us an appointment.

Kenko Spa is located in Vittal Mallaya Road just below Bouce beauty parlour. We were recieved by very attentive and polite staff (hope they maintain all the smiling and nodding and politeness). The ambience is very spa like and calm complete with a large stone figure of a smiling Buddha. There were three tanks with tiny, grey, rather cute looking fishies. I broke into a smile looking at them and anticipating what they'll be doing to my feet soon.

I choose the centre tank and after hesitating for a few seconds put my feet uptill my ankles, in. It was awful!!! Hundereds of fishes who were serenely swimming all across the tank took less than a second to rush straight at my feet. I couldnt see even an inch of my leg below the water. It was as if I had lost my feet and had sprouted tiny tentacles instead. My heart skipped at the sight. the funny/ weird feeling didn't help either and my feet were out in a second, very unwilling to go back inside.

Well, once you are out of the initial shock (may take sometime and must happen to a lot of people coz they didn't count the time it took me to adjust in the spa session), its quite nice. I put my feet back in cautiously and much better prepared this time. The sight was still grossing me out so i closed my eyes shut, my hands over my closed eyes to ensure blocking of view. It was really ticklish. I couldn't help cringing from time to time.

All this while my hubby was his feet washed and cleaned by the attendant was having a nice time laughing at me and wondering alound "why do girls over-react so much". His turn came and he put his feet in with a look of exaggerated ease on his face. Well, :-) we heards a muffled scream and Mr Macho's feet were determindedly out. "Aren't spas supposed to be realxing??". Well, he eventually put his legs back in. Didn't have to close his eyes and all like me. Have to admit he was quite OK after the initial jitters.

In a few minutes your feet adjust to all the weird feeling. I had opened my eyes and it was fun sharing this unusual experience with my hubby. There are magazines provided but its not easy to read with tiny mouths chewing away at your skin.
I even put my hands in just to feel the fishes and hold them in my hand (while keepin my hands underwater). They chew off all the dead skin. The large ones are more ticklish. But they are adorable with their tiny mouths closing and opening constantly and one feels rather grateful to them for doing in a few minutes what a long pedicure session would do.

They provide lockers to keep your purses, wallets etc in lockers and hand you a key. I managed to click the pic posted above before they politely took my bag away (There are no sighns but I guess photography is not encouraged ).

All in all it was fun. Good experience! :-) .