Festive Greetings with Chicken Parcel Recipe and Choco Chip Cookies

 We are facing a very challenging pandemic year so far and each of us have their versions of challenges. However, festivals bring hope and happiness and we start anticipating nice things in progress, forgetting about the obstacles and challenges of a pandemic year.

Hope this Christmas lightens up your day with joy and laughter. Merry Christmas!!

I have made these Chicken parcels and dear daughter has made Choco chip cookies on Christmas eve yesterday, so likewise it has featured in the blog. These chicken parcels are easy to assemble with ready-made short crust pastry dough. These parcels reminded me of Cornish pasties, although not entirely similar but has uncanny resemblance, perhaps a little shape is lacking here and there. The crescent shape Pasty was replaced with a rectangular chicken parcel. I have avoided doing egg wash for each parcel. But next time will do that for a nice even shinny and crusty layer.

Now to the recipe

Chicken Parcel

Recipe requirements

• Short crust pastry block- 500gms
• 400-500 gms of chicken thigh portions
• 1 medium size potato
• 1 medium size onion
• 1 cup of green peas
• 100 Gms of baby chestnut mushrooms
• 1 medium size tomato
• 3-4 heaped tbs of chicken gravy granules
• 1 tsp of black pepper powder
• 3-4 tbs of cooking oil
• 1 tsp of salt

Method

• Clean and cut chicken thigh portions into bit size portions. Chop potato, tomato and onion. Cut potato into small bite size portions.
• Now put a fry pan on medium heat. Add cooking oil, add in onions, baby chestnut mushrooms, green peas and cut tomatoes. Add in potato and chicken pieces as well.
• Add in chicken gravy granules and salt. Add in black pepper powder. Add in a cup of water. Cover and cook for about 15-20 mints or till chicken turn out soft and the content starts collecting well somewhat more like semi-dry.

Now to the pastry

• Take out pastry dough from the packet and divide it into 4 portions. Roll into a long rectangular slab. Please follow package direction for thawing and rolling the dough.
• Divide the cooked chicken and potato mixture into 4 portions.
• Place the mixture at one side and roll over from other side. Press with fork and seal the ends. (At this time, you can even do an egg wash for each parcel)
• Preheat an oven at 180 deg C.
• Put the parcels over baking tray and bake 25-30 mints depending on the make of oven. Take out once the sides of parcel start to brown out. The sides of the parcel should nicely toast and center should remain little bit soft but cooked well.
• Serve warm and enjoy. Vegetarians can make it with soya chunks or Paneer pieces.

These Choco Chip Cookies were made by dear daughter and these turned out very delicious.

Choco Chip Cookies

Recipe requirements

Recipe adapted from (Here)

• 125 gms of softened butter
• 100 gms granulated sugar
• 100 gms light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 and ¾ cup of self-rising flour
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• ½ tsp of salt
• 100 gms of chocolate chips

Method

• Cream softened butter and granulated sugar, light brown sugar in a big mixing bowl.
• Now add egg and vanilla essence and mix well.
• Sift in self raising flour and salt. Keep mixing this flour mixture with creamed butter and sugar till all the dough starts to collect well. Dust off more flour if it gets sticky.
• Put the dough to rest in fridge for about 2-3 hrs. Take out when you are ready to make Choco chip cookies.
• Preheat an oven at 180 deg C. Line up a baking tray with grease proof paper or baking paper sheet.
• Now make walnut size small balls out of the dough and roll them nicely rounded. Put them apart on baking tray. Sprinkle some chocolate chips over and gently press to secure them on cookies dough.
• Bake in the oven for about 10-15 mints or the make of your oven.
• Take out once sides are just starting to go light brown in color. Delicious Choco chip cookies are ready. Enjoy. This dough can be put in deep fridge and it will stay fresh for about a month, Use it accordingly.

May this Christmas bring you loads of happiness and laughter. 

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year everyone.

Baked Puff Pastry with Cranberry Sauce

We are into last few days of December and today being Christmas gives me a reason to update the blog.

I have tried some recipes with puff pastry sheets, store bought though in past and they had been a hit with my family. Dear daughter even asks for a repeat of the recipe like this one, every festive season.

These puff pastry with cranberry sauce and topped with cream frosting was again well received at our dinner table. And this version is inspired by Brie and Cranberry puff pastry. I haven’t included brie cheese for this recipe though but still it’s very flavorful.

These looks pretty and with white cream frosting a very delicious combination. Now to the detailed recipe

Baked Puff pastry with Cranberry sauce

Recipe requirements

1 pack puff pastry sheet

½ cup of cranberry sauce

½ tsp of cinnamon powder

Some flour to roll the sheets

Method

Take out the puff pastry sheets and let it thaw for a while.

Then dust off with some flour and roll into a rectangular sheet. Just to even out the surface of the puff pastry sheet.

Cut the sheet into half. Now put cranberry sauce on both the sheets.

Sprinkle cinnamon powder.

Now from one end start rolling towards middle stopping at middle. From the other side start rolling and let it come in touch with the other rolled sides. The puff pastry sheet will look like a log at this stage.

Secure the two sides well with each other. Now cut these rolled puff pastry log sheets into ½ inch thick pieces. From each log at least 5-6 pieces will come out. The shape will be more of a mini palmier.

Now preheat an oven at 160 Deg C. Put them on a floured baking tray for about 15-20 mints or till they come out nice golden in color.

Take out and let it cool off.

Prepare cream frosting

½ cup of double cream

1/4  cup of icing sugar

2 tbs of milk

Method

Mix cream, icing sugar and milk and whip it to make small soft peaks.

Gently put this cream frosting over the cooled puff pastry pieces.

You can refrigerate for 1-2 hrs., before you start consuming them or you can enjoy straight away.

These are delicious as snacks as well.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the festive spirit linger on and creates cherished memories for you and yours. Enjoy and celebrate.

Peach Upside Down Cake

We are embracing colder mornings and evenings last couple of days now, paving up its way for autumn season here. While, I do appreciate every season, as each has its own charm. Autumn is somewhat more colorful and enticing. I got a peek into nature’s cycle with few colorful leaves fallen on my walking trails. I tried to capture with my mobile phone and this is what I got.

 I have completely stopped using DSLR these days and all these food pics that you all keep seeing here are mobile phone camera captures. May be, I am losing the habit of carrying or using DSLR camera these days. I may like to think the quality is passable, as I don’t rely on heavy use of editing software.

 This kills the natural tones and color of that particular shots. 

Although, I can’t imagine completely shunning the use of DSLR cameras, but as of now it’s me, my mobile and my solitudes, that works fine for me.

I want to squeeze in every bit of whatever golden summer days are left over here. I have been buying peaches a lot these days and was thinking of making a cake with them. This cake turned out dense with a nice sweet peachy layer on top-absolutely scrumptious. I have used whole wheat flour with plain flour and am planning to make next batch with whole wheat flour completely. That will make the cake even more dense with a nice textured fruity and peachy cake.

Here is the recipe for peach upside down cake

Peach Upside Down Cake

Recipe requirements

• 3-4 peaches
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 and half tsp of baking powder
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• ¾ cup of caster sugar
• 3-4 tbs of yogurt
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup spreadable butter
• 3-4 tbs of light muscovado sugar
• 2-3 pinches of salt

Method

• Take out spreadable butter, egg and yogurt and let it all come to the room temperature.
• Peel the skin and destone peaches and slice them neatly.
• Sift flour and add in baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a big mixing bowl, cream together spreadable butter and castor sugar. Add in vanilla essence.
• Add in 1 egg at a time, mixing very well. Add in yogurt.
• Now mix this wet mixture with the dry mixture and make a smooth cake batter.
• Preheat oven at 175 deg and prepare the cake tin. Spread some butter on the tin and then flour.
• Arrange peach slices well over the sprinkled muscovado sugar.
• Now pour in the cake batter and tap it gently.
• Put the cake tin in preheated oven and bake it for 40-45 mints or till the middle of the cake comes out clean, when pricked with a toothpick or wooden skewer.
• Take out and cool and flip the sides.Peach upside down cake is ready.Enjoy.

Happy Cooking Friends 

Sheermal Bread Recipe

I have made these sheermal bread long time back. I almost forgot that I also had taken pictures for blogging as well, until I started clearing my laptop clutter and discarding some old pictures, specifically food related pictures. These popped up in my gallery like hidden gems. I tried to recall when did I make them, but couldn’t recall much except it was on a cold afternoon day. I happened to check the dates and it was almost 2-3 years ago, when we were still in UK. That old, Duh!! I know.

I didn’t post the recipe at that time either. I had roughly written recipe notes somewhere in my word doc as well. Now after all these time, finally sheermal recipe is now being talked about here. I always liked the sweet version of naan more, I mean sheermal more, as being a Bengali, we like everything which is sweet.

This recipe is apt balanced, not way too much sweet and not bland as well for us. This satisfied our cravings for sheermal bread at that time. Although I made it for lunch, actually now I recall it was late breakfast for us, more of a brunch time when we had devoured these beauties. We had it with chicken keema. That was a really very satisfying meal on a cold afternoon day. When eating sheermal, please don’t count your calories, just enjoy the flavours.

Now to the recipe

Sheermal Bread Recipe

 For the Bread

• 3 heaped cups of flour/maida
• 2 tsp of active dry yeast
•  2-3 tbs of oil/desi ghee
• 3 tbs of caster sugar
• 1 egg
•  ½ cup of Milk to knead the dough

Saffron infused sugar syrup

•  2-3 generous pinch of Saffron strands
• 2-3 tbs of sugar
• ¼ cup of milk
•  3-4 tbs of desi ghee/butter for garnishing the bread

Method

• Heat up ½ cup of milk for kneading purpose into a lukewarm strength.
• Dissolve saffron in ¼ cup of lukewarm milk and add in caster sugar to the saffron milk. Let it dissolve properly.
• In a big mixing bowl, add in flour, active dry yeast, oil, caster sugar, egg and lukewarm milk. Knead well all till they start to collect well. The dough should be soft and can collect well.
• Leave it to rest for 3-4 hrs or the flour has risen well.
• Knead the dough again for about 5-8 mints and divide the dough into 8-10 small balls.
• Cover the divided dough and let it sit for about half an hour.
• Roll each small balls into rounds with a roller but with gentle hands. The edges ideally should be little thick.
• Brush some melted butter over it and make marks with a fork.
• Set the oven at 175 deg C.
• Line a baking tray with foil. Place 2-3 rounds neatly and bake it for about 8-10 mints each side or they turn out nice fluffy and brown. Half way through take out baking tray, flip the sides of the sheermal bread and again brush with melted butter and put it back into the oven.
• Take out after 8-10 mints and sprinkle saffron infused sugar syrup generously and serve with butter on top.
• You may add toasted sesame seeds and chopped pistachios and almonds as well. I have used some orange colour with saffron syrup to make it look more dramatic, but it’s not that much required, you can skip it altogether.

Delicious sheermal is ready.Happy Cooking Friends.

Brownie- Easy recipe

I am not an ardent fan of brownie, as the amount of butter that goes into making them, makes me queasy. But on a lighter note, I am also not that rigid. I would rather have it as occasional treat than to never have them or never made them reality phase. Dear daughter was craving for these brownies and that’s how it was made and relished.

This is a very basic recipe for brownie. Use of good quality chocolate powder and chocolate chips makes the brownie more flavourful.

Now to the recipe

Brownie

Recipe requirements

• ¾ cup of flour
• ½ cup + 2 tbs of sugar
• 100 Gms of butter
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup of Caotina/chocolate powder
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• ¼ tsp of salt

Method

• Melt butter in Microwave for about 30-40 sec. Take out the bowl and add in chocolate powder and sugar .Melt chocolate chips also in a separate bowl.Mix ingredients of both the bowls very well.
• Now in a separate bowl, add in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
• Add in 1 egg at a time and vanilla essence mixing in very well .Add 2^nd egg also, blending well.
• Now add the chocolate powder,chocolate chips, sugar and butter mixture to the flour mixture.
• Prepare a square baking tray.Pour the brownie batter to the tray.
• Bake brownies at 160 deg C for 30-35 mints or the middle of the brownie cooks through well.
• Take out and cool. Enjoy.

Happy Cooking 

Coconut Cookies

When I was making these coconut cookies, I was just putting up every ingredients as per my instinct. I had about 250 Gms of freshly grated coconut which I wanted to utilize. These cookies turned out nice and brown, after I took them out from oven. These turned little soft after they have cooled,leaving a nice coco nutty flavour and that it almost reminded me of ‘Thekua’ minus the crunchiness of the Thekua.
If I would have deep fried these cookies , I am sure they would have turned out exactly like Thekua.

Anyways since this is a baked version and also I happened to add eggs, I really can’t call it Thekua.
Thekua as you must be knowing is made during ‘Chat’ Puja in Bihar and in Puja ceremonies, all preparations are preferably vegetarian.
This recipe minus eggs and baking agents can still be made into Thekua.

These coconut cookies were more flavourful the next day.I also added bit of pineapple pieces not required though if you want to skip, can do so. If kept outside these remain fresh for 3-4 days, after that the flavour starts to deteriorate, as we have used freshly grated coconut.
If you wish, you can freeze or refrigerate them and use desiccated coconut in place of fresh coconut. This way the shell life may increase. I will suggest try consuming within 2-3 days.

Now to the recipe for these delicious coconut cookies

Coconut Cookies

Recipe requirements

• 1 and half cup of whole meal flour/Atta flour
• 250-300 Gms of fresh grated coconut
• 1 cup of sugar
• ½ cup of oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 and ½ tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• ½ tsp of salt

Method

• Whisk in eggs in a bowl well.
• Take all the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Whole meal flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and mix well.
•  In a separate bowl mix in oil and sugar well. Add in freshly grated coconut.
• Now add egg mixture slowly into the flour bowl and mix. Add in oil, sugar and grated coconut mixture in batches and keep mixing till you use up whole of the content.
• The dough will be collecting well, but still will be semi-soft. Keep this dough in fridge for about 3-4 hrs.
• Take out and divide the dough into 4 portions. Roll each portions to long cylindrical shape and then cut in about a gap of 1 inch.
• Prepare oven. Preheat it at 160 deg C.
• Line a baking paper or foil over baking tray.
• Place the portions at equal distance and gently press them with a fork.
• Bake for about 20-25 mints or till they turn out nice and brown.
• Take out and cool. Enjoy these delicious coconut cookies.

   

As we are approaching Eid soon, shopping malls are all decked up with lovely Eid decorations.

Grocer stores and super-markets are filled with gift hampers as well. Eid is a major festival and is joyfully celebrated in Malaysia.

Wish you all, who celebrate Eid, a very happy and joyous Eid.Enjoy and celebrate with good food

Eid Mubarak!

Sponge cake with Chocolate Ganache recipe

I have made this sponge cake way back and it was lying in my draft for a while. So, here it is sponge cake with chocolate ganache. We all like chocolate ganache icing. Do I need to add more about this? Dear daughter made the ganache. Here it is how we made it.

Sponge Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Recipe requirements

Sponge Cake 

• 2 cups of cake flour/self-rising flour
• 3 free range eggs
• 4 heaped tbs of butter spread
• ½ cup of sunflower oil
• ¾ cup of castor sugar
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• ¼ tsp of baking soda
• 4-5 tbs of thick yogurt
•  1tsp of vanilla essence

Chocolate ganache recipe

• 200 Gms of premium dark chocolate
• 150 ml of double cream
• 2-3 tbs of butter
• 1 tbs of corn syrup

Method

Sponge Cake

• In a big mixing bowl. Sift flour, add in baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.
• Now in a separate bowl, mix together butter, cooking oil and sugar well. 
• Add in eggs, one at a time and whisk in gently or they all are light and fluffy.
• Now add in vanilla essence. Add in plain yogurt and gently fold in.
• Now add the flour mixture from time to time to make the cake batter. 
• Use up all flour mixture to mix in with the above mixture.
• Preheat oven at 175 deg C. 
• Prepare the cake tin. Brush butter evenly and then sprinkle flour to coat it well. 
• Tap the cake tin so that the flour gets distributed evenly.
• Pour the cake batter in to the prepared cake tin with a spoon and spread it evenly.Tap the cake tin gently on the working area so that they spread out evenly.
• Bake the cake in the middle rack for about 30 mints or till the centre of the cake is cooked through well. Check by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean cake is baked well.
• Take out the baked cake and let it cool.

Chocolate Ganache icing

• Put cream and butter in a saucepan over low flame and keep stirring in between. Once they are mixed well and warm, add in dark chocolate.
• Keep on stirring until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Take it from the flame once the chocolate is melted and mixed well.Add in corn syrup now.
• Allow it to cool before you put it up on the cake as icing.
•  Enjoy this luscious chocolatey sponge cake. 
• You can use milk chocolate in place of dark chocolate if you need to sweeten your ganache a bit more. You can even whip it up after its get cooled to make a light n fluffy frosting.

And here’s wishing my fellow Indians a very happy Independence day.Happy Cooking.

Blueberry Cake

I have been getting fresh supply of blueberry easily in many super-markets over here, although blueberry is not a local fruit in Malaysia to my best of knowledge. And we do like blueberries a lot, made this cake long ago, but couldn’t post the recipe. So, here it is a simple recipe for blueberry cake.

Blueberry Cake

Recipe requirements

• 2 cups of cake flour
• ¾ tsp of baking soda
• ¼ tsp of baking powder
•  2 tsp of vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup of fine granulated sugar
•  ½ cup of plain yogurt
•  ½ cup of melted butter
• 2 cups of blueberry

Method

• In a big mixing bowl. Sift flour, add in baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.
• Now in a separate bowl, mix together butter and sugar well. Add in eggs, one at a time and whisk in gently.
• Now add in vanilla essence. Add in plain yogurt and gently fold in.
• Now add the flour mixture from time to time to make the cake batter. Use up all flour mixture to mix in with the above mixture. Add fresh blueberries and mix gently.
• Preheat oven at 175 deg C. 
• Prepare the cake tin. Brush butter evenly and then sprinkle flour to coat it well. Tap the cake tin so that the flour gets distributed evenly.
• Pour the cake batter in to the prepared cake tin with a spoon.Tap it gently.
•  Bake the cake in the middle rack for about 25-30 mints or till the center of the cake is cooked through well. Check by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean cake is baked well.
• Take out the baked cake and let it cool. Enjoy blueberry cake or pack some slices in lunch box.

Other Blueberry recipes 

Pancake with blueberry sauce

Banana Blueberry walnut loaf

Eggless Apple blueberry nutmeg cake

Blueberry Muffin

Blueberry Cheesecake- no bake

Happy Cooking Friends 

Baked Cannelloni Pasta with chicken and cheese

What would I have to say about my vanishing act? You eager souls are wondering what can be the reasons. Oh this and that, then and when etc. …if I ever write my story …I mean ever... although doubtful, some chapters will definitely be on my vanishing act. Anyhow the exact reason is I was not keeping well. So, I didn’t feel like updating the blog. Although I did cook from time-to time, but updating the blog was not a priority at those terrible times. Anyhow slowly I am trying to figure out how to handle things. Hopefully will try to update this space more often. I can keep trying but I can’t promise.

I made this pasta recipe way back, but couldn’t post the recipe on time. This cannelloni pasta recipe was well received by my folks and also by my dear daughter’s school friends. I happen to pick this pasta while doing my grocery shopping and was intrigued. I found working with them little challenging as they tear out on a brink if extra pressure is applied. You have to work with gentle hands and be gentle with them like a true artist holds their paint-brush. Cooking this pasta is of course a piece of art. Anyhow I have used chicken and cheese stuffing for this recipe .Vegetarians don’t get disappointed, you can substitute it with spinach and ricotta cheese- absolutely delish material.

Here is how cannelloni pasta recipe we made

Baked Cannelloni pasta with chicken stuffing

Recipe requirements (serves 3-4 people)

• 12 – Cannelloni pasta

For the Chicken stuffing –

• Roasted chicken 2 cups- thin and small bite size pieces
•  1 large onion
•  1 medium potato
• 1 tomato
•  2-3 tsp of dried Italian herb seasoning (can use dried sage and dried rosemary)
•  3-5 heaped tbs of Pasta sauce

For Béchamel sauce –

• 3-4 tsp of butter
• 2-3 cups of milk
• 3-4 tbs of flour
• White pepper powder
• Quarter tsp of nutmeg powder
• ½ cup of mozzarella cheese
• some more to mozzarella to form the nice brown crust
• 2 free range eggs
• Salt as per taste

Method

For béchamel sauce

•  Heat butter add in flour and stir mix. Add in milk and keep stirring .Add in eggs one by one and mozzarella cheese and keep mixing till it thickens. You can use Parmesan cheese in equal quantity as well like half mozzarella and half Parmesan cheese. This way it adds a nice texture and flavour to the sauce. Adjust salt as per taste. Add in white pepper powder and nutmeg powder.
• Reserve some portions of this sauce to be used later on while baking cannelloni.
• Now add in roasted chicken, finely chopped onion, potato and tomato to the above simmering béchamel sauce to make the stuffing . Add in dried Italian herb seasoning.Mix well and cook for 15 mints. This form a thick stuffing for cannelloni pasta….

Bake and Cooking of Pasta

• Cook pasta al dente for 7-8 mints. Now quickly take out the pasta and let it dry a bit over a plate. Carefully lift the pasta and fill in the stuffing inside of the cannelloni pasta with the help of spoon.
• Prepare a baking tray. Layer rest of the béchamel sauce first evenly at the bottom.
• Now place stuffed cannelloni pasta to fill the space in baking tray. Put some pasta sauce over them.
• Now again put stuffed cannelloni pasta one by one neatly over this layer. Spread some more béchamel sauce if you have any leftover or otherwise you may spread some pasta sauce as well.
• Bake at 175 deg C for 10 mints...Take out sprinkle mozzarella cheese and bake further 10 mints or till the cheese evenly melted and a nice brown texture is formed.
• Take out and serve.

Tips

You can use lasagna sheets in place of cannelloni pasta as well. As working with cannelloni pasta can be tricky.

Happy Cooking Friends

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe

We have been craving for some cheesecake for a long while now, so thought of assembling this blueberry cheesecake. Last time when I went for grocery shopping, saw these fresh blueberry and I couldn’t stop myself from buying these little cute blue gems. This recipe is no-bake cheesecake recipe. Although I happened to bake the crust/base only just to firm up a bit, so technically it’s a no-bake cheesecake recipe. I had chocolate biscuits, which I end up using for the base. Another great substitute can be Oreo biscuits as base and who doesn’t like Oreos. Traditional cheesecake is made with any salty biscuit or crackers. There are many variations, you can even use strawberry in place of blueberry with this same recipe to make Strawberry Cheesecake.

Now to the recipe

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake

Recipe requirements

For the crust

2 and half cups of chocolate biscuits crumbs/ Graham Crackers crumbs

4-5 tbs of butter

For the filling

400 Gms of cream cheese

200 ml of whipping cream

3 tsp of agar-agar powder

100 Gms of blueberry

5-6 tbs of caster sugar

For the top glaze

2 tsp of agar – agar powder

5-6  heaped tbs of sugar

1 cup of blueberry

Method

For the crust/base

• Make crumbs of chocolate biscuits either running through in grinder or pressing with rolling pin. In a big mixing bowl, add these crumbs and butter and mix well.
• Now take 9 inch round baking pan or any other vessel you will be using to make/set cheesecake.
• Rub about a tsp of butter evenly on baking pan and add all the biscuit crumbs, pressing gently to even out the surface. TIP- you can use Oreo biscuit crumbs as well for a delicious base.
• Put in to bake for 5 mints at 175 Deg C. Take out and let it cool a bit.

For the cheesecake frosting

• Now in a separate and clean mixing bowl, add in cream cheese, whipping cream reserving about 50 ml of cream. In a separate cup take this 50 ml cream and add in agar-agar powder. Microwave it for about 30 sec. We require lukewarm cream, just enough to dissolve the agar –agar powder. Let it come to room temperature and cool a bit.
• Keep on folding cream cheese and whipping cream. You can use mixer as well. Now add in blueberry if you like chunks in the top frosting of cheesecake, otherwise you may skip. Add in the agar-agar and cream mixture and slowly mix in all. TIP- you can use Greek style thick yogurt in place of cream cheese to make it lighter, the taste will be little different, but will be less in calories.

For the top blueberry glaze

• Meanwhile make the blueberry top glaze. Put a melting pot on cooking and add in blueberries and sugar and let it cook for about 7-10 mints. Crush blueberries with spatula and add in agar-agar powder. Cook further 2-3 mints and take out. Let it come to room temperature.
• After the base is cooled, add the cream cheese +whipped cream mixture over the baked crust. Even out the surface with a clean knife.
• Now add the blueberry top glaze, even out the surface and let it set and cool a bit.
• Leave the blueberry cheese cake to cool and set in fridge for about 7-8 hrs or overnight.
• Take out and cut slices and enjoy delicious blueberry cheesecake.

Wish you all a very Happy Holi. हैप्पी  होली !

May festival of colours bring you loads of happiness and enjoyment in your life.

Nutella and Chocolate Cupcakes

I don’t have to write poetry and poems to brag about how Nutella has changed my life. It’s here, now a recipe in my blog and that shows itself. Jeez what I am writing, as if I am talking about my new crush- new crush or old crush- or whatever crush, I am now on a Nutella crush.  So my life is Nutella this ….Nutella that …Nutella how… Nutella why …..Nutella oh! where …..There you go. Nutella fever has risen….you all would say, can you stop being a drama queen. Yes, yes I can try, so now to the recipe.

Nutella Chocolate cupcakes  

Recipe requirements

 1 and 3/4  cup of flour

½ tsp of baking soda

1 tsp of baking powder

 2 tsp of vanilla essence

2 eggs

½ cup of fine granulated sugar

 ½ cup of plain yogurt

 ¼ cup of melted butter

½ cup of Nutella

½ cup of chocolate powder

 2-3 tbs of chocolate syrup- Hershey or any other brand

Method

In a big mixing bowl. Sift flour, add in baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.

Now in a separate bowl, mix together butter and sugar well. Add in eggs, one at a time and whisk in gently. Now add in vanilla essence. Add in Nutella (Keep Nutella at room temperature for about 10-15 mints. This will help in mixing with butter and eggs. We will just need to mix in, and if it doesn’t mix, don’t fret, with Nutella everything is delicious.

Add in plain yogurt and gently fold in.Add in Hershey chocolate syrup.

Now add the flour mixture from time to time to make the cake batter. Use up all flour mixture to mix in with the above mixture.

Preheat oven at 175 deg C. 

Prepare the cup-cake/muffin tin. Brush butter evenly and then sprinkle flour to coat it well. Tap the cake tin so that the flour gets distributed evenly. Or use cupcake liners/moulds.

Pour the cake batter in to the prepared muffin tin with a spoon. Bake the cup-cakes in the middle rack for about 20-22 mints or till the centre of the cake is cooked through well. Check by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean or even if some crumbs are there, cup-cake is baked well.

Take out the cup-cakes and let it cool. I haven’t made the Nutella cream frosting but if you wish you can do so. Enjoy Nutella cupcakes.

We came across Hari Raya decorations here in Kuala Lumpur. I haven’t carried my camera with me but had my smartphone…

and 

To all the readers who are celebrating Eid. Wish you all a very happy Eid. And as in Malaysia people say – ‘’ Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri '' .....

Happy Cooking 

Cherry Banana Dates Cake

Last time I made cake, perhaps it was in UK. I have mentioned in my last blog-post, we have moved into a new country- Malaysia, it is rather enigmatic, but full of all the beautiful possibilities for me. Things which were once familiar to us in UK, have become almost on a verge of extinction for me. When I first thought of about this cake, fresh cherries were on my mind. And ripened juicy cherries are so abundant in UK, that god knows how many times I have bought them and made cherry cake umpteen times also. 

Now comes the challenge, new kitchen, unfamiliar oven, and here I am again struggling with basic cooking instructions. Add to top of that, I didn’t get fresh cherries here as well. I happened to pick glazed cherries packets on my last grocery shopping rounds here. I kept pressing all the oven buttons desperately, perhaps wrongly, even oven timer wasn’t following my advice. And as I huffed and puffed, stream of sweat started flowing down my cheeks, and I started feeling anxious. And as I was about to make a frantic call to our landlady, the oven on its own decided well, yes it’s time to rise and shine. Phew! The day was saved and the cake was made, as if I conquered that lost Treasure Island. My gold and my platinum was, seeing this cake beaming out of hot oven- fresh and moist, ‘ Cherry Banana Dates cake ‘, as if an oasis has opened up right in front of me and that enigmatic mirage just vanished out of my sight. One worry off my shoulder now!

Here how I made this cake.

Cherry Banana Dates Cake

Recipe requirements

 1 and ¾ cup of self-rising flour

¼ tsp of baking soda

¼ tsp of baking powder

 2tsp of vanilla essence

2 eggs

½ cup of fine granulated sugar

 2 fully ripened bananas

 ¼ cup of plain yogurt

 ¼ cup of melted butter

½ cup of chopped fresh cherries or glazed cherries (whichever is available)

½ cup of chopped dates

Method

In a big mixing bowl. Sift self-rising flour, add in baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.

Now in a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar well. Add in eggs, one at a time and whisk in gently. Now add in vanilla essence.

Add in ripened banana and mash them properly, keep on mixing all .Add in plain yogurt and gently fold in. Add in chopped glazed cherries and chopped dates. If you can get fresh cherries, you can use them.

Now add the flour mixture from time to time to make the cake batter. Use up all flour mixture to mix in with the above mixture.

Preheat oven at 175 deg C.

Prepare the cake tin. Brush butter evenly and then sprinkle flour to coat it well. Tap the cake tin so that the flour gets distributed evenly.

Pour the cake batter in to the prepared cake tin. Bake the cake in the middle rack for about 30-35 mints or till the centre of the cake is cooked through well. Check by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean, cake is baked well.

Take out the cake and let it cool. You can make frosting if you wish to, otherwise the cake is moist on its own.

Happy Cooking 

Festive Greetings with Stollen

It does feel astonishing to recall how a year has gone. And at this crossroad, I really would like to take a U-turn to live all those happy moments again but can’t, as there is no option. The only way to move is, move straight ahead, where I see a blurred image of a brand new year, waiting patiently to be discovered.

With this festive season, lots of goodies to be made, cherish and share. There are probably many recipes out now in internet for this festive season. My take on this festive season is being busy, cooking Christmas pudding, blueberry muffins and of course then stollen. And once we are done with all those sugary things, we will then make roasted chicken with gravy, roasted brussel sprouts and cauliflower and colorful fruit salad. As of now, will share the recipe of German stollen.

Stollen, well it’s not at all stollen, it’s home-made to be precise. Anyhow, when I thought of doing it, their were many recipes out there. So, I read, re-read many recipes in the internet. Some of them were by professional bakers, some from home-makers and some were chefs. I don’t know what exactly a traditional stollen should taste, as I never been to Germany myself, so what goes in to making a traditional stollen in a German kitchen is somehow totally elusive for me.

 This is when I perceived two recipes for stollen-One was from here and another from here- last one seems more traditional to me. However, I did change the contents and their quantity to suit our personal preference. This turn out, soft inside and a nice crust on the outside. It was not overwhelmingly sweet or spiced, but a correct balance of it, as per our taste buds. And I don’t claim it to be authentic or traditional; it came near to the types we do get from stores over here.

However , if I do make it again I would like to follow instructions from the second link for stollen recipe.a traditional recipe I guess.

Now to the recipe- here is how we made it

Stollen – German Festive bread

Recipe requirements

• 1 ¼ cup of plain flour+ ½ cup of whole wheat flour or use bread flour
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of active dry yeast
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 heaped tbs of sugar
• 1 egg+ 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• 50 Gms of butter
• 1 cup of mixed dried fruits soaked in orange juice/rum/brandy
• ½ cup of raisins well soaked in orange juice/rum/brandy
• 1 tsp of nutmeg powder
• 1 ½ tsp of cinnamon powder

For the marzipan

• 1 cup of tightly packed almond flour
• ½ cup of caster sugar
• 2-3 tsp of rose essence
• 1 egg white
• 30 Gms of butter

Method

• Soak all the dry fruits in orange juice prior to making this bread, preferably two days ahead so that they turn out soft. Keep them refridgerated. You can even soak them in rum or brandy for extra flavorings’ have used a mixture of walnuts+dry currants+glazed cherries+candied orange peels+raisins.
• Now in a big mixing bowl- add in whole wheat flour, plain flour ,salt, and butter ( all the good brands have 25 gms marked over a 100 gms of butter block - so it’s easy to cut slabs) With clean hands you can rub butter all over the flour , so that you can get a coarse flour. Now add in active dry yeast and sugar. Mix well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk in egg + vanilla essence. Add this to the dry flour mixture.
• Start kneading the flour with lukewarm milk, about 7-8 mints, you will see the dough is starting to collect well.Leave aside and covered with a cloth or cling film, preferably in a warm place. Leave it to rise, mine took about 3 hrs.

Making of home-made -marzipan

Meanwhile make marzipan. If you have store-brought then you may skip this step. Otherwise home-made marzipans are very easy to make. Take the almond flour, caster sugar and egg white. Start mixing well and knead. Sprinkle some icing sugar over a working area and knead the marzipan well. This way it will help to collect well. Make a big circular ball of this marzipan; keep tightly packed in cling film and refridgerate.Try to use this up within 2-3 days.

Note- to get almond flour – blanch almonds – pat dry them with kitchen towel and make a fine powder in a grinder. To make caster sugar = Grind normal white sugar or granulated sugar in a grinder.

• Meanwhile take out all the dry fruits in a bowl, walnuts, and raisins etc .Add in ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon and mix well.
• After the dough has risen well almost to double if possible. Transfer that to a clean working area; sprinkle generously plain flour over the working area. Take the dry fruits mixture and start kneading, mixing in with the flour. Try to roll the dough inwards and then slightly flattening it outside. 
• When all the dry fruits are used up and have stuck up with the dough. Roll the dough into a shape of a rectangle slab of about 25 cm x 28 cm roughly.
• Take out the marzipan from the fridge, cut into half. Keep the other half back in to the fridge.
• Roll out the marzipan dusting it with icing sugar into a long rope type preferably 22 cm long which should be slightly shorter than the unbaked stollen dough slab.
• Place this marzipan along one side of the rectangular slab of the risen dough, or you may place it in centre as well .Flip the other end over it, covering the marzipan entirely and then turn the other side over top of it. Gently press the both the ends to secure and also the seams to seal the edges.
• Take out a baking tray, dust it generously with plain flour, place the unbaked dough slab over it, and seam side down. Cover it with a cloth or a large vessel. Leave it aside to rise- about 1-2 hrs.
• Preheat an oven at 170 deg C. After the dough has raised well, transfer it to the preheated oven, middle rack and bake it for 40-45 mints or until golden brown on outside.
• Melt some butter in a cup in M/W.You can add sugar as well if you wish to, I haven’t added extra sugar.
• Take out the stollen once it’s baked. Check with a wooden skewer piercing in to the core of the bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is baked properly.
• Now make some small pores all over the bread with wooden skewers. Take the melted butter and brush generously with butter all over the bread. Flip the side of the bread and do it this side also.
• Sprinkle some icing sugar all over for that magical look. Your stollen bread is ready. It keeps fresh for 2-3 days.

Note-There are many variations for stollen bread, some add cottage cheese to the dough, and some even add marzipan to the dough. They all are various means to make it soft. This bread turns out soft inside and with a nice golden outer crust. If that is what you are looking for in your stollen bread then go ahead and make it.

Happy Cooking Friends 

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year ....

Lamb Korma With Garlic Naan

As the winter sets in firmly, we do need to fire up our energies to overcome the cold weather here. And what could be better than eating a lamb korma preparation. For this lamb preparation, I have used white poppy seed paste in place of blanched almonds, which of course is a way of incorporating nuts to get that rich gravy based curries such as kormas.A chicken shahi korma was made earlier -Here which of course was made with blanched almonds and yogurt.

 I have made this korma little high on hotness note, which is, not what milder kormas are known over here. The Awadhi kormas are known for the right balance of hotness and spices, taking a clue from there, this is what we have made. Now, I would leave it just like that, without proclaiming it as “authentic” or “traditional” lamb korma. I have made garlic naan as well to dip into the juicy korma.

Lamb Korma – our way

Recipe requirements

• 1 kg of lamb/mutton
• 5 medium size onions
• 6-7 fat cloves of garlic
• 3-4 green chilies
• 30 Gms of white poppy seeds or 3-4 heaped tbs of poppy seeds roughly
• About an inch of fresh ginger

Seasonings

• 2 tsp of red pepper powder
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• 3-4 tsp of cumin+coriander powder
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp of salt or as required
• ½ cup of plain cooking oil- corn oil etc

Whole spices used at tempering- all slightly crushed

• 3-4 black cardamoms
• 5-6 green cardamoms
• 6-7 cloves
• About 1 tbs of whole black pepper corn

Other ingredients 

• ½ cup of yogurt
• 2 tbs of cream
• Twp generous pinch of saffron soaked in water
• 2 tsp of kewra water

Method

• I have used leg steak and rib pieces for this preparation. You can use shoulder side as well. And we will cut into bite size pieces. Marinate these pieces with yogurt, salt and red pepper powder. Keep it marinating for about 2 hrs.
• First wet grind poppy seeds in a grinder.Add in roughly chopped onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger.
• Heat up a saucepan/kadai and add in corn oil. Now add in crushed whole cloves, black cardamom, green cardamoms, peppercorns.Let it crackle a little bit.
• Now add in the prepared paste of onions+green chillies+ginger+garlic +white poppy seeds.
• In a small bowl of water- mix in turmeric powder, cumin+coriander powder, cinnamon, nutmeg powders and salt. Add this paste in to the saucepan. Keep on stir/fry another 8-10 mints at med-high flame.
• When the masala paste dries up and the oil separates out by the sides. Add in marinating lamb pieces to the above. Now keep on braising the lamb pieces for about 15-20 mints.
• Now transfer this to a pressure cooker. Add in 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Lock the lid and cook till one whistle. Now lower the flame and let it cook for 10-15 mints.Alternately you can cook slowly on a stove-top, allow at least an hour to cook the lamb well.
• Stop cooking it further, open, once the pressure subsides. If you want semi-dry gravy, then you can scoop out the cooked lamb pieces and let the gravy come to a semi dry form, and then again transfer the cooked lamb pieces to the gravy and mix well.
• At the time of switching off the flame, add in kewra water, saffron water and cream, mix in well. Cover and let it rest for a while. If you want to serve it at the dinner time, make ahead in morning so that flavors incorporates well. At the time of serving, pop in to the preheated oven and heat it again or reheat over stovetop.And if you have left-overs, it tastes even better the next day.

Garlic Naan- Home-Made 

Recipe requirements

• 1 cup of whole wheat flour/atta
• 1 cup of self raising flour
• 3-4 tbs of cooking oil
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 4-5 cloves garlic chopped coarsely
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of kalo jeerey/kalaunji/nigella seeds
• 1 tsp of active dry yeast
• ½ cup of whole milk
• ¼ tsp of salt or as per taste
• ½ tsp of dried herbs

Method

• In a big mixing bowl, mix in whole wheat flour and self raising flour. Mix in salt+sugar+garlic powder.
• Add in active dry yeast and nigella seeds to the above. Mix in well all the dry ingredients.
• Add in half cup of water to the whole milk and make it lukewarm.
• Add in cooking oil to the dry ingredients mixture.Rub it evenly all through.
• Now add in lukewarm diluted whole milk as required to knead into smooth dough.
• Once the dough starts to collect well, knead it again well. Cover it with a cotton towel and let it rest for about 2-3 hrs or till the dough has risen up well preferably in a moist and warm place.
• When the dough has raised well. Divide it into 7-8 portions.
• Take one portions, put in chopped garlic and dried herbs.
• Now roll in to tear shape or eliptical shape or what ever way you prefer pressing down chopped garlic and dried herb onto the unbaked naan.
• Preheat an oven at about 200 deg C. Place those unbaked naan on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Bake it for 10 mints. Take out, flip the naan and again transfer to bake it further 5 mints at same temperature.
• When all the naans are baked similarly, put them in a serving bowl; preferably keep it cover so that it remains hot and soft. Serve and enjoy it with lamb korma.

Happy Cooking Friends