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.

Multigrain Jeera Kali Mirch Namakparey/Nemki and Happy Diwali

 

Greetings for a very Happy Diwali.

May festival of light brings loads of happiness and peace to you and your family.

I often think festivals brings out much positivity among us, as we gather around and mingle with family more and spend quality time. We share generously and reach out to friends and family members, whom we haven’t met or talked for a while now. This pandemic is turning out more challenging for each of us, as we slowly try to adjust and live our ‘new normal’. That doesn’t take away the spirit of festivity within us. We are home bound, restricted but not lacking the festive spirits. We lighted 14 prodeep/Diyas yesterday to celebrate' Choto Deepawali' and today also we lighted candles. And festivals without some ‘pet puja’ is incomplete as well. Here is our platter for this Deepawali.

I have made Kaju katli and Balushahi and these multi grain Kali mirch jeerey wale namakparey in Hindi or nemki in Bengali and these are delicious. We always make some savoury snacks for Deepawali. These multi grain nemki were crunchy and bustling with flavours. I have added freshly grounded cumin seeds and whole black pepper to give a nice kick and flavor.

 Now to the recipe

Jeera Kali Mirch Multigrain Namak parey/Nemki

Recipe requirements

• 2 and half cups of multi grains flour
• 3 tsp of cumin seeds
• 10-15 whole black pepper
• 1 tsp of red chilly flakes
• 1 tsp of sonth (ginger powder)
• 2 Pinches of hing (asafetida)
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3-4 tbs of cooking oil
• ¼ tsp of baking soda

For deep frying namkin/namakparey

• 2 cups of cooking oil

Method

• Take a big mixing bowl. Add all the multi grain flour.
• Dry roast 2 tsp of cumin seeds and whole black pepper for about 2-3 mints. In a mortar and pestle, dry grind, toasted cumin seeds and whole black pepper.
• Now add all the spices in the mixing bowl with multi grain flour. Cumin and whole black pepper coarse powder, rest of cumin seeds, ginger powder, red chilly flakes, hing, baking soda and salt.
• Mix all well. Now add in 3tbs of cooking oil. Knead the dough with water. Just enough to hold it together. Cover it and leave it to rest for about 2-3 hrs.
• Now divide the dough in equal portions.
• Meanwhile, heat up a fry pan, add cooking oil. Let it heat up properly.
• Take one portion and roll into big round just like chapati.
• Cut them into diamond shapes out of them and fry the namakparey in hot oil. Take out and drain over a kitchen towel.
• Store in air tight container and it stays fresh for about 4-5 days.

Recipe Mentioned 

Kaju Katli

Balushahi

Enjoy Deepawali with your friends and family.

Happy Diwali everyone. Have a good one.

Multigrain Laddu - Happy Vijayadashmi and Shubho Bijoya

 Festivity invokes myriad feelings. The feelings which takes you back to growing up years, recalling the food, laughter and joy shared with friends and family. Even though, we are in midst of a Covid pandemic, the surroundings around us have become somewhat pleasing with beautiful fall colors. Besides that, it brings much relief to us these days, amidst the chaos, we sometimes observe around the globe happening in present time.

And autumn coincides with Dussehra, Bijoyadashmi and Kojagori Lakhsmi pujo, Halloween and then, soon festival of lights- Deepawali. Autumn season imparts a lovely sense of calmness and a festive spirit. May the festive spirit linger on to give us courage and strength to carry on our daily life.

These days, we are mostly confided to home as social gathering is restricted or we have left with limited options, either with morning walks in local parks, occasional local super-market rounds and compulsory school days over here. 

‘Sharadoutsav’ had started couple of days ago and a Bengali in me, was yearning for that ‘Pujo- Pujo’ feeling. So, we caught up with Live telecast of Durga Puja at Belur Math, Kolkata. We missed the Pujo buzz surrounding Pujo pandals this year just like many of you. So, we tried to recreate the atmosphere with home-made Bhog er khichuri, labda and tomato chutney and offered Pushpanjali in home listening to Mantra chanting by Priest, of course there are many videos on YouTube,which came to our aide and also caught up with some other old telecast of local “Sarbojonin” Durga Puja as well. This created a magnificent ambience for us -It says “Something is better than nothing.”. 

Let’s keep our traditions alive in our hearts and try to adjust and live with our ‘new normal’ as of now.

Moving on to our recipe of Multigrain laddus’, I have made these laddus on Shashti and these turned out moist and delicious. I have made whole Wheat Laddus  and Boondi Laddu earlier as well. These laddos are much more flavorful with multigrain. Multigrain atta is easily available everywhere these days, so no need to dry grind all grains in home. This flour mixture of grains had-Oats, Wheat, Maize, Quinoa, Channa, Spelt and Soya. Please read labels if you are allergic to any ingredients before making these laddos. You can create your own version of multigrain flour as well. You need a heavy-duty grinder/mixer for that purpose. 

Now to the recipe.

Multigrain Laddus

Recipe requirements (Makes approx- 16)

• 3-4 cups of multigrain atta/flour
• 1 cup of granulated sugar 
• ¾ cup of desi ghee
• 4-5 cardamom pods

Method

• Put a deep pan on flame. Add 2-3 tbs of ghee to it. Add multigrain flour and roast them for 10-15 mints at medium-low flame, stirring in between.
• Add in sugar and mix well. Add in freshly crushed cardamoms. You can use cardamom powder as well.
• Add ghee slowly and keep mixing. When all the ghee is poured into the flour sugar mixture. Keep stirring, till it starts to collect well.
• Stop stirring and take it off. Let it cool a bit.
• Clean your hands with soap and water. Start shaping laddus with some portions. I have made approx. 16 laddos with this much of quantity.
• Store in cool and dry place. Stays fresh for 3-4 days. Further, if required after 4 days, please put them in refrigerator.

Enjoy festivity and wish you all a very Happy Dussehra and Shubho Bijoya.

Cod Fish Fry with Harissa

I wrote my first blog post in 2006 and it never occurred to me that I am inviting myself for a whole new experience. I thought it was more of a fluke for me at that time and other recipe posts written thereafter. For me, it was like a toy given to pacify a child. I was super excited that there is something called ‘Blogspot' and where I can write my ramblings and share recipes. This also happened in a spur of moment, never planned it and still it remains the same, even after fourteen years. God! its fourteen years in food blogging world. In between all these years, food blogging procedure has changed and so is the norm now. It has shifted its base readers to Instagram and other social platforms, but I being a stubborn, continued food blogging here.

Initial years, it was exciting to know about number of people subscribing to this blog. But now the initial euphoria has subsided, almost like gone with a wind. I have let go of the urge of updating the blog routinely and strictly also. When I feel like I need to write a post, then only I update. I know many of you who are regulars here may feel disappointed. There lies a virtual world and a real world and many go on to balance it well and few can’t. I will add another name in the last ‘few’. Well who else? The author herself!!

Let me write a thank you note starting from my sabziwali to dudhwala to machiwala, who made their contributions in their own way. After all what is a food blog, if I don’t mention them for providing me with their supply of choicest of fresh vegetables, fish and poultry. All that which looks good in pictures in this blog, should taste good as well, otherwise there is no point being a food blogger, well at least for me. I should also thank my readers who find some sort of familiarity when they visit here and try out recipes,or many can relate to the ramblings written over recipe posts. The intention is to have rough estimations and precise procedure for that particular recipe.

Thank you readers for being part of this fourteen years journey with me!!

Food has been integral part of many cultures, actually whole gamut of cultural revolution happened due to food – either its shortage or its availability. Spice routes were created to discover hidden treasure islands, from Columbus to Vasco Da Gama who explored sea routes to mysterious countries where spices can be found in abundant. And to discovery of Balti cuisine in a country known for eating mashed potatoes, Sunday roast and fish fry. Who would have thought our very own ‘Topse Mach Bhaja’ can be competing with deep fried Cod dressed in flour beer batter. Well dressing really makes the difference, isn’t? A Bengali Bhadra Lok Dhoti Clad and an English gentleman, both can devour their versions of fish fry in seconds. Last part is a bit exaggeration. But guess what, fish fry remained staple for both of them. Here comes a new version for this staple fish fry recipe.

Cod fish pairing up with North African spice blend ‘Harissa’ wrapped in flour beer batter.….err. I mean to say Cod fish fry with Harissa in Besan batter. When East meet West and they together meet South. The concoction formulates a perfect formula for a delicious fish fry. There you go now, north African can also join in to our cultural revolution. Presenting Cod fish fry with Harissa.

I have used store brought Harissa spice blend as its easily available in many super stores over here. World is a global village now, think Harissa spice blend is readily available in India as well.

Now to the recipe 

 

Cod Fish Fry with Harissa spice

Recipe requirements (serves 2-3)

• Cod fish Fillets 200-250 gms (approx.)
• 3 heaped tsp of Harissa powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• ½ cup of Besan/ Bengal gram flour
• 1 tsp of harissa powder
• ½ tsp of garlic powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• 2-3 tbs of cooking oil

Method

• Clean Cod fish fillets. Pat them dry with kitchen towels. Marinate them with harissa spice powder and salt.Keep aside for about an hour.
• In a separate flat plate – mix besan, garlic powder, salt and more harissa powder. Clean hands with soap and water. You can make a wet batter as well with water. Then you will need water and more oil to deep fry them. This recipe relies mainly on coating the cod fish fillet with Besan, enough to hold the dry spices.
• Now coat the Cod fish fillet with this besan+ harissa powder mixture. Leave aside for about half an hour.
• Again, coat well the fish fillet with besan mixture by pressing gently with hands. This double coating seals the moisture on Cod fish fillets.
• Put a sauté pan ( non-stick ) on heat. Add in cooking oil.
• Add in marinating and well-coated Cod fish fillets, frying for 3-4 mints each side at medium flame.
• Take out and serve.Tip- Other firm fish- like Haddock and Sea Bass fish fillet can also be used with Harissa.

Happy Cooking Friends!

Malpoas and Happy Holi

Festivals invokes nostalgia and memories. Holi/Doul Poornima was much awaited in our home. While growing up, I liked the dry colors or ‘Phag’ in Hindi, as Holi falls under Phagun month according to Hindu calendar. I was never a fan of wet Holi and in secondary school, I almost stopped playing with colours. Don’t take me wrong, I like colors, in fact I adore colors, but when it comes to playing with wet colors, I shy away. Anyways, I always liked Phag and those varied colors of phag sold in small packets- red, yellow, green and orange. When splashed in to the air, smell of Phag intoxicated many minds and souls. Those days phag used to have a sweet aroma, or may be my olfactory nerves were much active then. I could smell that beautiful aroma of Phag.One whiff and the entire mind used to get intoxicated with joy and happiness that surrounded those celebrations on every Holi Mornings.

As the day progressed, I would peek inside kitchen to see what is being cooked there. My mother used to make Gujia, namkeen, Dahi vada etc. on every Holi. Sometimes, I would see her make these ‘Bhaja Malpoas’ as well. I also recalled, once we went to meet up our school teacher in the evening. I was in junior school at that time. I would call her madam A, as she reminds me of a famous Hindi poetess. Both share same name. Madam A, was earnestly making fresh batches of ‘bhaja malpoas’ for her school kids and was serving them warm as well. Those days teacher-student relationships were very cordial and they were almost like our guardians. The joy and satisfaction on my mother’s face and my teacher Madam A’s face is incomparable. These ladies have different aura about themselves.

I have tried to re-create those same ‘bhaja malpoas’ in my kitchen as well. I don’t know if this is something to preserve traditions, or remembering and acknowledging my mother’s and Madam A’s contributions in shaping my future and developing memories, but I like to make them once in a while during festivals.

These Bhaja Malpoas makes me feel the comfort of that bygone era. Festivals indeed invokes feelings and nostalgia. Before I jump to recipe, Wishing everyone a very Happy Holi, Doul Poornima.

This is how I made Bhaja Malpoas.

Bhaja Malpoa/ Mini fried pancake

Recipe requirements

• 1 cup of self-rising flour/Maida
• 1 cup of roasted semolina/Sooji
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 3-4 tsp of fennel seeds
• 1 cup of milk or as required to make the batter
• 2 cups of cooking oil
•  2-3 saffron strands (optional)

Method

• In a big mixing bowl, mix in semolina and self-rising flour. The proportions, I generally take equal in quantity.1:1 for semolina and self-rising flour. If you don’t get self-rising flour, use plain flour but add in about a tsp of baking powder.
• In a mortal and pestle, coarsely crush fennel seeds.
• Now add in fennel seeds and sugar to the above. Add whole milk slowly and mixing through, make sure there are no lumps.Add saffron strands if you wish to add.
•  Make a smooth batter not too thick and not too thin, just like a pancake batter, easy to drop in consistency.
• Now in a deep bottomed pan, add in cooking oil. Let it heat up.
• Take about a heaped table spoon of the batter and slowly drop into the hot cooking oil. Let it deep fry for a while. Take them out and drain over kitchen towel.
• This much of the batter made approx. 20-22 medium size malpoas.
• Unlike other malpoa which is khoya based and dipped in sugar syrup, these 'Bhaja Malpoas' are very crunchy when relished warm and hot.
• Store in air tight container stays fresh for 3-4 days.

Happy Cooking Friends and Wishing Everyone - Happy Holi !!

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.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

We usually prepare pancakes for our Sunday breakfast. And we have liked simple pancakes, Banana pancakes , Pear Pancake in past. I was inclined to use sweet potatoes in our meals and thought of mixing it with pancakes. 

The sweetness of sweet potatoes gelled very well with simple pancakes. They turned out light and fluffy but when eaten, will leave tummy satisfied for couple of hours. If there is a breakfast that can satisfy the soul and hungry tummy, then sweet potato pancake is the one.

Now to the recipe

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Recipe requirements (Makes – 5-6)

• 2 large orange sweet potato
• 2 cups of self-rising flour
• 2 free range eggs
• ¾ cup of milk
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup of cooking oil

Method

• In a big mixing bowl – mix self-rising flour with cinnamon powder and pinch of salt.
• Boil sweet potatoes for 15-20 mints or till they turn soft. You can pressure cook for two whistles as well. Take out sweet potatoes in colander and drain the excess water. Keep it open for about 10-15 mints before you mash them well.  
• Now add in egg one at a time, mixing well with flour. Add in mashed sweet potato.
• Add in milk and mix well till there are no lumps left. The pancake batter should be smooth and a nice falling consistency.
• Leave it aside for half an hour.
• Heat up a heavy cast iron skillet /Tava/non-stick flat fry pan.
• Add in 2 tsp of cooking oil spreading nicely.
• Now scoop a full ladle of the batter and drop on the hot skillet.
• Let the bubble surface out. Flip the side of the pancake once you see bubbles pop up nicely.
• Cook the pancakes for another 2-3 mints. Each pancake will take 5-6 mints on low-medium flame to cook.
• Serve hot with maple syrup, honey or butter or any other sauces you like.

Happy Cooking Friends 

Chocolate Pistachio Oats Bars and Happy Diwali

Festival season brings loads of memories of our childhood days. And being away from home means, it’s even more noticeable and felt. 

The smaller things which we took granted while growing up, resurfaces with intense feeling of recreating them in my kitchen. My Ma used to make namkins and sweets during festivals and these things which went unnoticed during those days, suddenly makes sense to me now, when I myself have started to make them from scratch these days. The preparation for festivals itself was a daunting affair but a very memorable experience for each one of us. The small nitty-gritty associated with festivals added up to the much-awaited festival days. 

The Diyas, we used to soak in water the night before Deepawali, and then would sundry next day morning, to be preparing them to light up on Deepawali- the ‘Amavasya’ night. The kitchen used to smell of various sweet aromas infused with desi ghee and the atmosphere around our neighborhood was filled with various sweet and savory aromas coming from neighboring kitchens and homes as well. We used to distribute sweets in our neighborhood and would look forward to the various goodies that used to come from our neighbors and well-wishers very eagerly. 

Deepawali is festival of lights, so diyas, candles and light bulbs were part of every homes, that used to celebrate Deepawali. Let me wish everyone a happy Diwali, may festival of light brings good health, happiness and prosperity to you and to your family.
There are loads of other things which suddenly sprung up in my mind, but I will like to reserve those for some other days.

I wanted to make each one of us notice the festivity, so made batches of Besan Laddos and Kaju Katlis and these Chocolate Pistachio Oats bars and send them over to dear daughter’s school friends and better half’s Deepawali celebrations in his office. Soon it will be Halloween as well and schools over here have closed for half term break, much needed solace from daily routine.

Now to the recipe for this post

Chocolate Pistachio Oats bars 

Recipe requirements ( Makes 40 bars approx )

• Quick Oats- 3/4 cup
• 1 bar chocolate ( 150 Gms of 35% chocolate )
• 1 cup of shelled and chopped pistachios+ ¼ cup more for garnishing (finely chopped and crushed) 
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 2 cups of milk powder
• 1 can condensed milk+ 2 tbs of milk
• 3-4 tsp of ghee/clarified butter

Method

• Dry roast flour and oats for about 5-6 mints at medium flame or till the rawness is gone.
• Take out in a separate bowl. Mix together well.
• Now in the same pan, add in chocolate chunks and milk. Melt chocolate at low flame, stirring continuously. Take it off from the flame when some of the chocolate chunks starts to melt. You can microwave it also. Trick is not to burn the chocolate.
• Add in condensed milk now. Mix well and add milk powder as well. Transfer the pan over to flame now.
• Keep on stirring, the mixture will start to become more like a liquid consistency.
• At this time add in flour and oats slowly about half a cup at a time, stirring continuously. Do not stop mixing the mixture.
• Meanwhile grease a tray or plate with about 2 tsp of ghee.I ended up using 2 roasting trays.
• Keep on stirring for about 7-8 mints, the content will start to collect well. Transfer the content to the prepared tin and even out the surface with the help of your hands or spoons.
• Let it cool off a bit before you cut them into squares. Let it cool off and then transfer it to refrigerator. You can directly eat from fridge. These bars will remain fresh for about a week if kept in fridge.

Happy Cooking Friends and Have a Happy Diwali !!

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 

Posto'r Bora- Pan Fried Poppy seed paste Fritters

We have had a good spell of rain to cool off the raised summer temperature over here. And fried stuff specially fritters are integral part of rainy season /Monsoon. I generally don’t do much fried stuff specially pakodas or cutlets these days. But that was a different day. I had some poppy seed paste (posto bata) and I was reluctant to use it in a Jhinge posto( ridge gourd with poppy seeds paste - recipe link-Here) or aloo posto ( potatoes with poppy seed paste - recipe link- Here) nor I was interested to make posto murgi ( chicken with poppy seed paste Recipe Link Here).
I asked my better half and my daughter about Posto’r bora and they absolutely liked the idea of having them.

I recalled, my mother making posto r bora in a deep fry pan/kadai as kind of deep fried. However, I have shallow fried them over Tava/iron skillet. This time I had a non-stick tava, which I utilized for this purpose.

Here is how, I have prepared them

Posto’r bora- Pan fried Poppy Seed Fritters

Recipe requirements (Makes 6-8)

• 100 gms of poppy seeds
• 4 tbs of besan
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of freshly grounded black pepper
•  Half cup of chopped onion
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp of grated ginger
• Salt as per taste
•  4-5 tbs of cooking oil

Method

• Soak poppy seeds for about 3-4 hrs in water. Grind them into to a smooth paste in a mixer grinder with some water.
• In a big mixing bowl, take the smooth poppy seed paste, chopped onion, chopped green chillies and grated ginger. Add in besan/black gram flour.
• Add in red pepper powder, freshly ground black pepper and salt.
• Now whisk and mix the contents very well.
• Heat up a flat fry pan or iron skillet. Now when the pan is ready, add in 1-2 tsp of cooking oil.
• Now with the help of spoon, drop the fritter batter on the hot fry pan. Spread the batter so that they become somewhat flat. Make about 4 fritters at one time. Now drop some more oil, by sides of the fritters for an even fry.
• It takes about 3-4 mints each side for proper frying at medium flame. Take out and drain over kitchen towels. Serve and enjoy with warm cooked rice or tea as snacks.

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!