CHAMPINONES AL AJILLO

CHAMPIÑONES AL AJILLO
(garlic mushrooms)
verry nice veg spanish tapa...easy to make

INGREDIENTS
500 grams white mushrooms , washed n chopped
1 pod garlic, crushed
3-4 birds eye dried red chillies, crushed
parsley, lemon juice and salt
a pinch of paprika powder

METHOD
heat
about 10 tablespoons of spanish olive oil in a pan and when heated add
the crushed birds eye red chillies, and then the garlic. sautee tll
galic begins to change color,( please do not burn garlic) and then add
ur mushrooms, stir fry on high heat and when mushrooms have reduced in
size means they r done. turn off the fire, add salt, parsley, lemon
juice and papkrika powder. serve with french baguette. u ahve to dip the
bread in the garlic parsley infused oil. ITS YUMMY!!!!!
source:

PANCHRATNA DAL(5 lentil dal((indian)

my favorite sindhi dal..

Panchratna Dal|Mix of five lentils

Ingredients
1/4 cup whole Urad dal (black lentils)
1/4 cup Chana dal ( Bengal gram split)
1/4 cup moong (whole green grams)
1/4 cup masoor dal (Egyptian lentils)
1/4 cup Toover dal ( Arhar/ pigeon peas )
2 small onions chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp (Garlic is optional )
Green chillies 2-3
Tomatoes 2 large
Salt as per taste
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Ghee/oil 1 1/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
A pinch of asafoetida powder (Hing)
Coriander leaves to garnish
Method
Mix, pick, rinse several times and soak the lentils in water for 1-2 hours.
In a pressure cooker ( or slow cooker ) add the mix of lentils and pour some water, till the water level reaches above the level of lentils. Add salt and turmeric and pressure cook ( or cook it, if using slow cooker) till 3-4 whistles of cooker.
If cooking in a pan, let the water reach the boiling point and then simmer on low heat for 30 -40 minutes.Be sure to cover the pan and to stir the dal occasionally. Add some more water if needed.
Meanwhile in a frying pan or kadahi, pour 1 1/2-2 tbsp of ghee or oil and let it heat up. Carefully add a pinch of hing and some cumin seeds.
When cumin is brown, add ginger garlic or just ginger paste, saute well, then add onions and saute again till slight brown in colour.
Add tomatoes, green chillies, coriander powder and cook well till oil separates out or till tomatoes are cooked well.
Now just whisk the dal slightly and pour it in the pan or kadahi ( you can pour the onion- tomato mixture in the cooker if your frying pan cannot accommodate the dal).
Mix well, add some water if needed and cook on low flame for atleast 15 minutes or pressure cook it till 3 whistles of cooker.Simmer for 5 more minutes
Adjust the consistency of dal. This dal is supposed to be of creamy consistency.The longer you cook it on low flame , the more creamy texture is obtained.Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve it with rice/ roti and enjoy a hearty meal. We had it with plain roti , along with Tawa aloo (Recipe coming up next), on the bed of salad 

ARAGULA WITH FETA AND FRESH FIGS

ARUGULA WITH FETA AND FRESH FIGS SALAD by arti sabharwal

INGREDIENTS
4 cups arugula leaves
1/2 cup crumbled feta
8-10 cherry tomatoes
1 cup fresh figs quartered
2 tbs pine nuts 2 tbs extra virgin olice oil
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
fresh ground pepper
grated parmassen cheese
METHOD .....
in a large bowl place the arugula , cherry tomatoes and figs and crumble feta on top and pine nuts , in a bowl mix the dressing ingredients and put on the salad and sprinkle with cheese , to garnish sprinkle chopped mint leaves

FETA MINT AND STRAWBERRY SALAD

FETA MINT AND STRAWBERRY SALAD BY LATIKA KHANEJA
Ingredients
500 grms french beans
500grms strawberries
1 bunch of mint leaves
2-3 tablespoons of pistachio nuts
500 grams feta cheese
DRESSING
2 tbsp raspberry/balsamic/ white vinegar
2tsp castor sugar
1tbsp dijon mustard
salt
125 ml olive oil
METHOD
Mix the dressing ingedients slowly whisking in the oil. Boil water and cook beans for 5 mins or until tender. Refresh with cold water. C ut strawberries in half and add beans, pistachios and mint leaves. Coat lightly with dressing. Break feta cheese into chunks and scatter over the salad. Add a good grinding of pepper.

STEAMED ASIAN FISH IN SOYA SAUCE

STEAMED THAI FISH tried n tested by smita aggarwal

Steamed fish

2 filets basa fish.
Marinate in 2 tsp chopped thai ginger and 2 tbs soya sauce.

In a steamer, put water, 1 stalk lemon grass, 4 galangal leaves
Steam the fish.

Prepare sauce : 2 tbs castor sugar
3 tbs fish sauce
3 tbs oyster sauce
3 tbs soya sauce
3 tbs Chinese cooking wine

put fish in platter
cover with shredded spring onion and coriander leaves

heat 1 tsp peanut or sunflower oil till smoking
add a few drops sesame oil

pour oil on fish

add some of the water you used for steaming to your sauce

pour sauce on fish.
(the gravy is meant to be v watery)

Serve with rice.

(if you like whole fish you can use that, it just grosses me out a bit, so I use basa filets)

FISH ROASTED IN GREEN PEPPERCORNS(INDIAN)

I tried this simple low fat fish roasted in green peppercorns...its spicy but delicious

fish roasted in green peppercorns

ingredients for making
.fish fillets 3 med size
.5 small onions
.9 garlic pearls
.ginger 2 inch size
..6 green chillies
.FRESH green pepper few or pepper pwdr as per taste
.lemon juice of half lemon
.few curry leaves
.salt
.coconut oil 2 tsp
.oil for shallow frying.
method.take all ingredients and make a paste.
.marinate fish in this paste atleast 1 hour
.shallow fry in a little oil and then cook over a low flame
.serve with lemons
THIS IS AN ADAPTED VERSION OF MEEN POLLICHATH

BAKED GAROUPA FISH

HI I TRIED THIS RECIPE FROM A LOVELY PAKISTANI BLOG... IT CAME OUT SUPER!!
Baked Grouper (Hamour) Fillet...very tasty and juicy!!


IF YOU LIKE FISH, THEN AFTER TASTING THIS YOU WILL LOVE IT!!
ITS MADE WITH HERBS AND REALLY TASTES GREAT..TRY IT ONCE!!

Recipe:
Serves 4
Ing-
((For fish))
4 slices of fillet, salt, pepper
((For Sauce))
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1 tblspn dried or fresh basil leaves
1 spring onion chopped along with the green
2-3 chopped green chillies
1/4 cup mayonnaise( if you don't like mayonnaise, then substitute it with sour cream)
1 tblspn lemon juice
1 teaspn mustard sauce
1 teaspn garlic paste
1 teaspn ginger paste
1/2 teaspn each of paprika pwdr, coriander pwdr, cumin pwdr
1/4 teaspn turmeric pwdr
1 tblspoon olive oil
salt and black pepper

Method-
Wash the fillets with water and lemon, then keep it in an oven tray greased with little olive oil. Now mix all the ing under sauce except olive oil. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on fish. Then put the prepared sauce on the fish and pour 1 tblspn olive oil on it. Cover with foil and leave in fridge for 30 mins. Now bake in preheated oven for 15-20mins. Serve with french bread and salad!

VERY LOVELY VANILLA CUPCAKES

Vanilla Cupcakes tried n tested by kriti walia
Makes about 12 cupcakes
No. Ingredients Quantity
1 Flour 225 grams
2 Baking Powder 1 ½ teaspoon
3 Salt A pinch
4 Caster Sugar 225 grams
5 Vanilla Essence 1 teaspoon
6 Milk 115 ml
7 Beaten egg 2 large
8 Butter at room temperature 110 grams
You will need:
1. Mixing Bowl
2. Egg Beater
3. Spatula
4. Cupcake tray lined with paper cups
5. Sieve
6. Measuring spoons
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 175° centigrade.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients together except sugar.
3. Beat Butter and sugar together, till light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, add vanilla essence.
5. Mix the dry ingredients alternating with milk.
6. Spoon it in paper cups. Bake for 20 minutes.

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE(GREAT RECIPE TRIEN AND TESTED.I MADE THIS AS A DESSERT AT DINNER AND IT WAS POLISHED.EVERYONE WAS ASKING FOR MORE(

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS
.2 CUPS FLOUR
.2 CUPS SUGAR
.3/4 CUP SOUR CREAM
.1/4 CUP BUTTER PLUS 4 TABLESPOON FOR COCOA
.1 CUP WATER
.11/4 TSP BKG SODA
.1 TSP SALT
.1 TSP VANILLA
.1/2 TSP BKG PWDR
.2 EGGS
.4 SQUARES(1 OZ EACH UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE,MELTED AND COOLED OR(12 TABLESPOON COCOA PLUS 4 TABLESPOON BUTTER)

METHOD

.HEAT OVEN.
.GREASE AND FLOUR PANS(2 9 INCH)
.BEAT INGREDIENTS ON LOW SPEED,SCRAPING BOWL CONSTANTLY,30 SECONDS.
.BEAT ON HIGH SPEED,SCRAPING BOWL OCCASIONALLY,3 MINS.
.POUR INTO PANS
.BAKE AT 180 TILL TOOTHPICK INSERTED IN COMES OUT CLEAN(35 MINS)
FROST

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING

1/3 CUP SOFT BUTTER
.3 SQUARES 1 OZ EACH UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE MELTED AND COOLED OR 9 TABLESPOON COCOA PLUS 3 TABLESPOON BUTTER
.3 CUPS ICING SUGAR
.1/2 CUP SOUR CREAM
.2 TSP VANILLA
.MIX BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE.
STIR IN SIFTED ICING SUGAR.
.STIR IN SOUR CREAM AND VANILLA
BEAT UNTIL SMOOTH AND OF SPREADING CONSISTENCY
.FROSTS 2 8 OR 9 INCH CAKE LAYERS.
15 SERVINGS

WHOLEWHEAT BANANA PANCAKES

wholewheat banana pancakes
 by Bairavi mani mangaonkar
Dry ingredients : 1 cup atta + 2 tsp baking powder+1/4 tsp salt, mix all. 
Wet ingredients : 1 cup milk(i used slim) + 2 TB oil+1 beaten egg+ 2 mashed banans. Mix all. 
Mix wet into dry or dry into wet, doesnt matter. 
Make on nonstick pan, no use of oil, as there is already oil in the batter. 

Makes 7-8 regular sized pancakes

ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE

Almond Flour Chocolate Cake:
by sheena dhuri bhaseen
A recipe from my Irish friend. Its so simple that her husband would make it often! Just a note its divine,rich and gooey and great to serve as desert accompanied by vanilla ice cream. A favorite amongst my friends now,as its great for people with Gluten allergy since its flour less!

Ingredients:
2 dessert spoon melted butter
300gm dark Chocolate.. Lindt or Carte D preferable,70% noir and not darker
250gm butter
250gm castor sugar
6 eggs lightly beaten
110gm ground Almonds

For the Chocolate Glaze:
220 gm Dark Chocolate chopped
4tbsp Milk
90gm Butter

Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 3/160 C/325F.
Butter the sides of a 20 cm or 8 inch cake tin or spring form and line the bottom with grease proof paper.
Place the chocolate, sugar and butter to melt simmering over a pan of water. Stir until smooth and fold in the beaten eggs and then the Almond flour spoon by spoon.
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake centre is just set.
Allow the cake to cool before taking it out.

Chocolate Glaze:
Melt all the ingredients together again over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until smooth.
Allow to cool a little until it has thickened slightly ( about 10 mins) but do not place in the fridge as it will lose its sheen.
Drizzle on top of the cooled cake.

ONE MINUTE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE(IN MUG WITH MICROWAVE)

ONE MINUTE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE(IN MUG) BY rakhi shetty ravindran
One Minute Peanut Butter Cake

Serves One

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 heaping tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (give or take)

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, baking powder, peanut butter and flour.
Pour batter into a greased ramekin or mug . Microwave for 30 seconds.
Check for doneness...else microwave for 15 secs intervals
While the cake is microwaving, stir together milk and powdered sugar, adding more powdered sugar if necessary to thicken frosting.
Remove cake from ramekin or mug (or don’t), pour frosting over top.
Enjoy!

DEVILS FOOD CUPCAKES

Devil's food cake
 . by rina rai from another blog
Recipie:


50 gm butter
125 gm brown sugar
2 eggs
125 gm flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 spoons cocoa
125 gm sour cream

for frosting:
125 gm sour cream
2 spoons ppowder sugar
100 gm bitter chocolate
u melt chocolate & mix with sour cream (AFTER COOLING) & add sugar, then frost & spread chocolate. —

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE WITH CAFFE LATTE CREAM

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Caffe Latte Cream

tried n tested by aarti sarin jain from baking from my heart

Chocolate, Coffee and Liqueur would give any adult a smile on there face. This is the best dessert to make for any dinner party. The best part is you can make it a day in advance and just serve it without any assembly.

Chocolate Espresso Cake


I have made this cake several times but have never tired it except the last time I made it for a dinner party on 30th. It's easy to do but very tough to do if you don't have a free-standing fixer or Kitchen Aid.

Recipe: for the cake
150g Dark Chocolate,chopped
150g butter
6 eggs
250g caster sugar (just grind the granulated sugar fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract (i used vanilla essence or rum)
75g plain flour ( in India add 1/2 balking soda)
5 tsp instant espresso
4tbsp Tia Maria or any coffee liqueur ( I love Bailey's on this cake)

Recipe : caffe latte cream
75g white chocolate, broken into very small pictures
375ml whipping cream ( use RICH in India )
2tsp instant espresso powder

Method :
Preheat the oven to 180 degree C. Grease a spring foam cake pan (important as the cake cannot the taken out upside down; it is too soft)
Everything should be at room temperature. Melt the chocolate and the butter on a double boiler ( it means you warm water in a large vessel and use another vessel on top of it to warm the ingredients required to be warmed). Keep it aside and let it cool.
Beat the eggs,sugar and vanilla to a thick,pale and moussey. They should be at least doubled in volume, even tripled. This is very important.
Gently fold in the sieved flour, baking soda and coffee mixture, taking care not loose the air you have created,finally add the melted chocolate and butter,folding gently again.
Pour and bake for 35-40 minutes, the top of the cake will be firm but the bottom will be still be a bit gooey.
Immediately pour the liqueur all over the cake and allow it to cool completely before releasing it from the tin.
For the cream just melt the white chocolate on a double boiler and let it cool. Fold in the cream, using a whisk continue whipping till it becomes thicker.
Dust the cake with cocoa powder and serve with the cream.
Tip:
Preheat the oven properly otherwise you might end up with an over baked cake.
Don't be sacred if the cake breaks from the sides a bit.
Don't whisk the white chocolate and cream too much otherwise it will turn into butter. (Like I made the mistake of putting it in the Kitchen aid to whisk it. Oh! well I was in a hurry and thought it might be easier by the machine)
Place the cake straight into the serving dish; ideally a cake stand.