pav bhaji

Ingredients :

Pav buns   12 no 
Onions    2 nos 
Tomatoes   5 nos 
Potatoes   3 nos 
Peas    1 cup 
Carrot    1/2 cup 
Beans    1/2 cup 
Cabbage   1/2 cup 
Capsicum   1/2 cup 
Cauliflower   1 cup
Ginger    1' inch piece
garlic    optional
Green chillies   2 nos finely chopped

Masala Powders

Dhania Powder   3 tsp
Jeera Powder   2 tsp
Chilli powder   2 tsp
Pav bhajji masala  4 tsp
salt    Acc to taste 
cilantro   for garnish
lemon juice   2 tsp

Methods :

Heat a pan with oil & add the onions.Fry till translucent.
Add tomatoes,salt,add all the powders and fry till the oil floats on top. Steam all the other veges seperately & add them to the onion mixture.

Add a cup of water & let it cook to boiling consistency.
With a potato masher keep mashing the mixture &
let it cook nicely. When all the vege are cooked thoroughly garnish with coriander & lemon juice

Serve with Pav.

for the pavs:

Dinner rolls can be used as pavs.
Slit Open the dinner rolls .Apply butter in the inside &
microwave for 30 sec

Serve hot with Bhajji.

gongura pachadi

GONGURA PACHADI Ingredients:
gongura: 2 bunches
choped onions: 1/2 cup(optional)
red chillies: 8
dhania: 1 tsp
fenugreek: 1/2 tsp(menthulu)
tamarind: little
garlic flakes: 4
salt

for popu:
oil: 2 tsp
mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
urad dal: 1/2tsp
chann dal: 1/2 tsp
curry leaves

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Method:
heat oil in a pan and add choped gongura and fry for 10 mts with low flame and keep aside.

fry dhania, menthulu, red chillies, salt and tamarind for 5 mts without oil and make powder by using a grinder and add gongura and grind one minute.

for thalimpu: heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them flutter.
add chana dal, urad dal, crushed garlic flakes and curry leaves.

add gongura to popu and mix well.
add choped onions (optional)

dark chocolate cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp water
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 5 large or 4 extra large/jumbo eggs
• ¾ cup water
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Frosting:

• 1 box powdered sugar (1 pound or 454 grams)
• 3/4 cup cocoa (use Van Houten, Droste, or other dark, high quality alkalized unsweetened cocoa)
• A flavoring liquid (water, vanilla, rum, cognac, kirsch, or amaretto)
• 1 1/2 cup butter - firm, not cold, not too soft

Method

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
1 In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and cocoa.
2 Add 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of water and 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Mix for 1 minute.
3 Add eggs, 3/4 cup of water, vanilla. Mix 5-6 minutes with a whisk, 3-4 minutes with a hand mixer, or 2 minutes with a KitchenAid mixer.
4 Pour into three 10" cake pans, bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes (adjust for convection); test by placing and removing a toothpick through the center at 25 minutes. When toothpick comes out clean, loosen from pans and then put back in the pans. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes. Keep in the pans, wrap in foil, and put in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
Frosting:
This part is a little harder as it is really done to taste.
1 Put powdered sugar and 3/4 cup cocoa into a food processor. Pulse until blended.
2 Drizzle in, until about the consistency of firm butter, several tablespoons of flavoring liquid (water if you aren't looking for flavor beyond the cocoa and butter). To not put in too much liquid, but if you do, add cocoa or sugar. Taste. When the flavor and consistency is right,
3 add 1 1/2 cup of butter (firm, not cold and not too soft). A good rule of thumb is that both the butter and the sugar mixture should be slightly firmer than you would want it to be to spread it, since the mixing action of the food processor will warm it slightly. Pulse until blended.
Assembling the cake:
Remove the cakes from the freezer and from their pans. Stack, frosting each layer as you go. Let sit for an hour before serving

homeade pizza

Homemade Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package)
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Pizza Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)

• Tomato sauce
• Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Feta cheese
• Mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
• Italian sausage, cooked ahead
• Chopped fresh basil
• Pesto
• Pepperoni, thinly sliced
• Onions, thinly sliced
• Sliced ham

Special equipment needed

• A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty
• A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet
• A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza, not required, but easier to deal with than a knife

Method

Making the Pizza Dough

1 In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.

3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.
At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the Pizzas

1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.

5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.

6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.

7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.

ginger cookies

Giant Ginger Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger*
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves*
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar

* Can substitute the ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves for an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.

Method

1 In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
2 In a large mixing bowl beat together butter with the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in the flour mixture, using a wooden spoon.
3 Shape dough into 2-inch balls using 1/4 cup dough. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar. Place about 2-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4 Bake in a 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Makes two dozen 4-inch cookies.

choclate cookies

Chocolate Cookies with Cocoa Nibs and Lime Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of butter
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of heavy cream
• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 3/4 cup of cocoa nibs
• Zest of one large lime

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter and sugars together for about two minutes at medium speed or until well incorporated and light in color. Add the egg, cream, and vanilla extract until well incorporated, about a minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl halfway through.
2 Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture slowly, and beating at medium speed, stopping once all of it is incorporated (do not overmix). Fold in the cocoa nibs and lime zest.
3 Take small spoonfuls of the dough and roll into one inch sized balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Perfect for dipping in homemade limeade or lemonade.
Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

chocolate bourboun cake

Chocolate Bourbon Cake Recipe

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting pan
• 5 ounces high quality, unsweetened dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup instant espresso (can use instant coffee)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup bourbon whiskey (can use 1/2 cup), more for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), for sprinkling

Method

1 Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a large bundt pan (10 cup capacity), or two 8- or 9-inch loaf pans. Melt chocolate in a microwave oven or in a double boiler over simmering water. Let cool.
2 Put instant espresso and cocoa powder in a 2-cup (or larger) glass measuring cup. Add enough boiling water to come up to the 1 cup measuring line. Mix until powders dissolve. Stir in whiskey and salt; let cool.
3 Beat softened butter until fluffy (2-3 minutes on high). Add sugar and beat until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, baking soda and melted chocolate, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
4 With the mixer on the lowest speed, beat in a third of the whiskey espresso cocoa mixture. When liquid is absorbed, beat in 1 cup flour. Repeat additions, ending with whiskey mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes for Bundt pan (loaf pans will take less time, start checking them after 55 minutes).
5 Transfer cake to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes and sprinkle warm cake with more whiskey. Let cool. Sprinkle powdered sugar through a mesh sieve over the cake before serving

caramelized nut tart

Caramelized Nut Tart Recipe

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons ice water
Filling Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
Whipped cream (optional)
9 1/2 inch tart pan with removable bottom

Method

Crust:
1 Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in processor. Add butter. Using pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in vanilla and enough ice water by tablespoonfuls to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
2 Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll dough out on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9 1/2-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in and press, forming high-standing double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes.
3 Bake crust until set but still pale in color, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
Filling:

4 Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat. Boil without stirring until caramel is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.

Gradually whisk in cream (mixture will bubble). Stir until caramel is smooth. Add butter, honey and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Mix in all nuts.
5 Pour caramel mixture into crust. Bake until entire filling bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on rack.
Serve with whipped cream (optional).
Serves 10.

butterscotch cookies

Butterscotch Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon sized slices
• 1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Sugar Dredging Mixture

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

• Fleur de sel, Maldon, sea salt, or Kosher salt for sprinkling*

*Do not use fine grain table salt (aka: iodized salt) as the flavor will be way off and unpleasant.

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. Mix together the sugar dredging mixture in another bowl and set aside.
2 Place 10 tablespoons of butter into a thick-bottomed skillet over medium heat. The butter will foam a bit before subsiding. Once the butter takes on a tan color and begins to smell nutty take it off of the heat. Add the other two tablespoons of butter and mix it in until it melts. (See tutorial on how to brown butter.)
3 Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar and salt and mix. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix together, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once. Add the flour mixture in three increments being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom once or twice. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. The dough will be very thick.
4 Take 1/2 to full tablespoon-sized pieces of dough (you can make them a bit bigger or smaller to your liking, just make sure the pieces of dough are all the same size) and gently roll them into ball shapes. Dredge them in the sugar dredging mixture until well-coated. Place on the baking sheet and sprinkle with a little bit of the sprinkling salt (be reserved with the salt as very little goes a long way).
5 Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges have browned a bit. Be careful not to over-bake. Allow to cool on the sheet for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Tastes best with a glass of milk for dipping.

Makes 4 dozen

buttermilk biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits with Goat Cheese and Chives Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of freshly chopped chives (can also use chopped green onions)
• 1 5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup buttermilk (plus an extra tablespoon for finish)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.

2 Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until coarse meal forms. Stir in the chives. Add cheese and buttermilk; stir with fork just until a sticky dough forms (bits of cheese will be visible in dough).


3 Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8 times with floured hands. Do not over-knead! Form into a round, about 3/4-inch to an inch thick. Cut the round into 8 wedges. Use a pastry brush to brush on some extra buttermilk over the surface of the wedges.

4 Arrange wedges about 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased large baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Makes 8 large biscuits. Best eaten just baked and warm, with a little butter.

blueberry pie

Blueberry Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

• One double recipe for all butter pie crust dough

Filling ingredients:

• 6 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries, rinsed and stems removed (if using frozen, defrost and drain first)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp butter (unsalted), cut into small pieces

Egg wash ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Method

1 Prepare the crust. Roll out half of the dough to 1/8-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured work surface, about 13 inches in diameter. Fit the dough over a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch over the edge all around the pan. Put into the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
2 Gently mix the blueberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Transfer them to the chilled bottom crust of the pie pan. Dot with butter pieces. Roll out remaining dough to the same size and thickness as the first. Place on top of the berry filling. Tuck the top dough over and under the edge of the bottom dough, and crimp the edges with your fingers. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator to chill until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 425°F.
3 Whisk egg and milk together to make an egg wash.
4 Remove the unbaked pie from refrigerator. Brush the top with egg wash. Score the pie on the top with 4 cuts (so steam can escape while cooking). Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven with a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking pan positioned on the lower rack to catch any filling that may bubble over. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more or until juices are bubbling and have thickened. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let cool completely before serving.
Makes 8 servings.

blue berry cake

Blueberry Cake Recipe

 

•  
• Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon of flour (plus more for prepping cake pan)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained (if using frozen blueberries, thaw and drain first)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and dust with flour. Or use a 9-inch round cake pan, butter and dust with flour and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2 Combine 1 cup of flour with baking powder and salt and set aside.
3 Using a mixer, beat the butter on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Then add the sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, a couple minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
4 Combine the berries with the remaining teaspoon of flour and the lemon juice in a bowl. Spoon the berry mixture over the batter.
5 Bake on middle rack in oven for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully slide a thin knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. Transfer the cake to a platter, berry side up. Dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Serves 6.

baklava

Baklava Recipe

Ingredients

For the baklava:

• 1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)
• 1 lb of phyllo dough
• 1 cup of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

• Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)

Method

1 Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set the oven to 350°F.
2 Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions (this may take overnight). When thawed, roll out the dough and cut the dough in half so the sheets will fit in the pan. Cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.
3 Process the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.
4 Place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Repeat 7 more times until it is 8 sheets thick, each sheet being "painted" with the butter.
5 Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo until the nut mixture is all used up. The top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each sheet being individually buttered. Do not worry if the sheets crinkle up a bit, it will just add more texture.
6 Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.
7 While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.
8 Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired.

 

apple upside down cake

Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe

 

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups white, granulate sugar divided (1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)
• 1 1/2 pounds Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples (about 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1-9-inch cake pan with 1 1/2-inch high sides

Method

1 Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the sides of the cake pan. Line the pan with a 10-inch round of parchment paper. The paper will come up 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Butter the parchment paper.
2 Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns golden brown, stirring occasionally (use a wooden spoon), about 6 minutes. Add apple wedges to the pan and gently stir to distribute the caramel evenly across the apples. Cover the pan and cook until apples release their juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until apples are tender and caramel thickens and coats the apples, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes more. Remove apples and caramel sauce and place in the prepared cake pan.
3 Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Place cornmeal in a large mixing bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over the cornmeal and stir to blend. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 6 Tbsps (3/4 stick) butter to the cornmeal mixture. Beat until well blended. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder mixture alternating with the milk. Pour the batter over the apples in the cake pan.
4 Bake until top is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate or dish, and remove the parchment paper. Cool for 15 minutes.
Makes 6 to 8 servings. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

apple turnover

Apple Turnovers Recipe

Apple Turnovers Recipe

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Ingredients

1 large tart baking apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 Tbsp dried currants
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed OR 2 pâte brisée dough recipes (enough for a double crust pie)
2 Tbsp butter, cut into bits
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon milk

Method

1 Put oven rack in lower third of oven and pre-heat oven to 400°F. Butter a large baking sheet (or use Silpat).
2 In a medium bowl, mix together apples, currants, and walnuts with the sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch, making sure the fruit and nuts are well coated. Mix in the apple sauce and vanilla.
3a Unfold the thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Depending on the size of your puff pastry sheet you are going to want to cut the sheet into either four 5-inch-by-5-inch or six 4-inch-by-4-inch squares.
3b Roll out your pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 16x11 inch rectangle. Trim the edges to 15x10 inches and cut into six 5x5-inch squares.

4 Divide the apple mixture among the squares, leaving a 1-inch border. If you are using an already prepared puff pastry sheet, dot the mixture in each pastry with a little butter. (If you are using a butter pie dough, you can skip adding the extra butter.) In a small bowl mix the beaten egg with a teaspoon of milk. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg mixture on the border of the pastry.

5 Fold each pastry into a triangle, enclosing the filling, and crimp edges with a fork. Brush the tops of the pastries with more of the egg wash. Cut 2 or 3 small steam vents in the top of each turnover.
6 Place the pastries in the oven and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Cool turnovers to warm before serving.

Ingredients

1 large tart baking apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 Tbsp dried currants
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed OR 2 pâte brisée dough recipes (enough for a double crust pie)
2 Tbsp butter, cut into bits
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon milk

Method

1 Put oven rack in lower third of oven and pre-heat oven to 400°F. Butter a large baking sheet (or use Silpat).
2 In a medium bowl, mix together apples, currants, and walnuts with the sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch, making sure the fruit and nuts are well coated. Mix in the apple sauce and vanilla.
3a Unfold the thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Depending on the size of your puff pastry sheet you are going to want to cut the sheet into either four 5-inch-by-5-inch or six 4-inch-by-4-inch squares.
3b Roll out your pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 16x11 inch rectangle. Trim the edges to 15x10 inches and cut into six 5x5-inch squares.

4 Divide the apple mixture among the squares, leaving a 1-inch border. If you are using an already prepared puff pastry sheet, dot the mixture in each pastry with a little butter. (If you are using a butter pie dough, you can skip adding the extra butter.) In a small bowl mix the beaten egg with a teaspoon of milk. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg mixture on the border of the pastry.

5 Fold each pastry into a triangle, enclosing the filling, and crimp edges with a fork. Brush the tops of the pastries with more of the egg wash. Cut 2 or 3 small steam vents in the top of each turnover.
6 Place the pastries in the oven and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Cool turnovers to warm before serving.

apple cranberry pie

Apple Cranberry Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
3 to 6 Tbsp ice water
Filling Ingredients
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/4 pounds of 1/4-inch thick slices of an assortment of good cooking apples such as Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious (see cooking apple varieties)
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Egg Wash
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp whipping cream

Method

1 In a food processor, combine flour, almonds, salt and brown sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more ice water and pulse again.
Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into 2 discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the result crust to be flaky. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2 Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F.
3 Combine cranberries, sugar, flour and allspice in large bowl. Mix in apples, then add brandy and vanilla extract.
4 Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.
5 Spoon in apple filling, mounding slightly in center.

6 Roll out second disk of dough, as before. Gently turn over onto the top of the apples in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.
7 Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. Brush over top of pie. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake pie until apples are tender and crust is golden, anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour 5 minutes, depending on the type of apples you are using. Transfer to rack; let stand 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.
Serves 8.

 

amaretti cookies

Amaretti Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of almond flour -or- 3 cups of blanched slivered almonds, finely ground up
• 1 1/4 cup of baker's sugar (superfine sugar)
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• Extra sugar for dusting

Method

1 Preheat oven to 300 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2 In a food processor mill together the almond flour and sugar. Add the vanilla and almond extract and pulse for a few seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to process until the dough is smooth.
3 Place teaspoons of the dough on the parchment paper and dust with sugar. Bake for 24-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before serving. They will be slightly chewy at first, but they will be nicely crispy as a day or two goes by. Store in a cool, dry place. (Note: I usually underbake mine since I like them chewy. If that's your preference, bake them for about 20-24 minutes.) Makes about 30 cookies.

almond crescent cookies

Almond Crescent Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 cup of almond flour (can substitute ground almonds*)
• 1/4 cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling

*You can use slivered, blanched almonds and grind them up, but you will have a very crumbly, hard to work with dough. It’ll still taste good though.

Method

1 Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix.
2 Add the flour and almond flour. Mix thoroughly.
3 Take generous tablespoons of the dough (it will be slightly crumbly) and roll it into a small ball, about an inch in diameter, and then shape into a crescent shape. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown.
4 Dust with powdered sugar.
For added decadence let the cookies cool and dip one end of them into some melted chocolate, then let the chocolate harden.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

uthappam

IngredientsIdli Batter - 2 cups (see recipe for idli)
Onions - 4 (finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 4 (minced)
Oil – ¼ cup

Method 1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a frying pan.
2. Pour1 big spoonful of the idli batter in the center of a heated frying pan. Let it spread on its own to take a round shape.
3. Sprinkle few chopped onions and green chilly on top of the batter.
4. When the base is golden brown i.e approximately 2 minutes, turn the side and cook well.
5. Serve piping hot with sambhar and/or chutney of your choice.
Tips       - For crispier uthapam, pierce a hole in the middle and pour little oil while cooking.
      - Similarly, you can make tomato uthappam, carrot uthappam, podi uthappam etc

gobi manchuria

Ingredients
Batch-1
Cauliflower - 1 Big
All purpose flour- 2 tblsp
Corn flour - 2 cups
Chilli powder - 2 tblsp
Pepper powder -1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Water- as needed to make a thick batter

Batch-2
Onion - 1(Sliced)
Grlic - 3-4 cloves (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1"(finely chopped)
Colored peppers - (as needed)
Green chilli - 1 or 2
Tomato sauce - 4 tblsp
Chilly sauce - 1 tblsp (optional)
Soy sauce - 3 tsp
Oil -2 tblsp


Method
1.Seperate the florets and put in hot water for 5 minutes.
2.Mix all the other ingredients from batch-1
3.Dip the florets and deep fry in oil and drain excess oil on the paper towel.
4.Take a non stick pan. Pour 2 tbsp oil and saute the onions, ginger and garlic.
5.Add the colored pepper and saute for 2 mins .
6.Add the tomato sauce, chilli sauce and soy sauce and mix a little.
7.Finally add the fried cauliflower florets into the mixture.
8.Mix it and garnish with finely chopped green onions or cilatro.
9.Serve it with fried rice, pulav or chappathi.

Tips
- Instead of deep frying the florets you can fry on the non stick pan with enough oil.But the flowerets will be crispier in deep fry.
- To get the chinese flavour add a pinch of ajinamoto to the gravy.
- Add the fried cauliflower just before serving to maintain its crispiness

chilli toffu

Ingredients

Batch -1
Panneer/ Tofu - 15 small cubes
Salt -1 tsp
Ginger Garlic  paste -1 tbsp
Corn flour -2 tbsp
Water -little to form as a paste
Egg -1
All purpose flour -1tbsp

Batch -2
Oil -for frying
Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic  paste -1 tbsp
Green chilli -1 or 2 chopped
Onion    -1/2 chopped
Coriander Powder  -1 tbsp
Chilli Garlic sauce  - 1 tbsp
Colored Peppers  - Red or yellow Chopped 1/2 cup
Chilli powder -1/2 tsp
Soy sauce -1 tsp
Cury leaves - 2 strands
Salt   -as per taste
Lime juice -2 tsp
Coriander Leaves -chopped for garnishing

Method1.Mix all the ingredients in Batch-1 except paneer.Now add the paneer/tofu to the mixture and toss well to coat the paneer/tofu pieces nicely.
2.Fry the paneer/tofu pieces in oil and keep aside.
(You can skip the above 2 steps if the paneer/tofu is very fresh. Frying enhances the flavour considerably.)
3.Take a pan and heat some oil. Add cumin seeds, GG paste and saute for 1 minute.
4.Add onions and saute a little.
5.Add the remaining ingredients under batch-2 and saute for 3 minutes
6.Now add the fried panneer/tofu to this mixture and saute for 2 mins.
7.Yummy dry chilli panneer/tofu is ready.

dal makhani

Ingredients
Whole Black Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Rajma (Kidney Beans) - 3 tblsp
Chopped Onions - 1/2 cup
Tomato Puree - 1/2 cup
Garlic Paste - 1 tblsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tblsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tsp
Fresh Cream - 3 tblsp
Salt - to taste
 
Method
1. Soak the urad dal & rajma overnight in water.
2. Pressure cook dal & rajma until it turns soft.
3. Mash it lightly with the back of the spoon and keep aside.
4. In a pan heat oil/butter, add garlic paste and fry until it turns pink.
5. Add cummin seeds and when they splutter add chopped onions.
6. Fry until onions turn pink. Then add tomato puree and fry until oil separates.
7. Add red chilli powder, cummin powder, coriander powder, salt and fry well.
8. Now add the cooked dal and rajma.
9. Once it starts to boil, add fresh cream and let it cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
10. Serve hot with naan/roti.

veg manchuria

IngredientsVegetables - 2 cups ( combination of choice of vegetables like cabbage, capsicum, carrot, beans, celery, cauliflower, peas etc finely minced)
Ajinamoto - 1 tsp
Corn flour - 1 tblsp
Boiled potato/rice - 1/ 1cup
Egg - 1
Ginger - 1/2"(minced)
Garlic - 4-5 clove(minced)
Onion - 1(minced)
Chilly sauce - 1 tblsp
Tomato sauce - 2 tblsp
Soya sauce - 3 tblsp
Sesame oil - 2 tblsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste










Method1. Chop/ mince the vegetables very finely and boil it. Squeeze out any extra moisture from the vegetables.
2. Add grated boiled potato or cooked rice to this along with corn flour, pinch of ajinomoto, pepper powder, egg and salt.
3. Mix everything together together, make small balls out of it and deep fry the balls. If the balls are moist it will fall apart. Just add little corn flour or bread crumbs to absorb the excess moisture.
4. Keep the fried balls seperately.
5. Heat 2 tblsp of sesame oil in a pan. Add minced onion, ginger and garlic to this and saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add tomato sauce, chilli sauce and soya sauce to this.
7. Add a pinch of ajinomoto, pepper and required salt.
8. For more gravy add vegtable stock/ water as needed.
9. Bring the gravy to a boil.
10. Add the fried balls just before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with noodles or fried rice.

rajma curry

Ingredients


Red Kidney beans (Rajma) - 1 cup
Onion - 1(finely minced)
Tomato - 2 (crushed or pureed)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chili - 1
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Chilly powder - ½ tsp
Coriander /dhania powder - 1 tsp
Channa masala/ Garam Masala - ¼ tsp
Salt - to taste
Ghee - ¼ tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnishing 


Method
1.Soak the kidney beans for atleast 5-6 hours or overnight.
2.Wash the beans and cook them with water and salt until the beans become tender. If pressure cooker is used the beans should be done in 1-2 whistles. If left longer, the beans will become mushy.
3.Heat oil in a pan and splutter cumin seeds. Next fry the chopped onions and green chilies until the onions become translucent.
4.Next add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell vanishes.
5.Add the crushed tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are nicely cooked.
6.Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, channa masala/ chicken masala powder and saute for a minute.
7.Now add the cooked kidney beans along with the cooked water.
8.Let the gravy simmer for 10 minutes until everything blends together.
9.Garnish with coriander leaves and add the ghee on top. This goes very well with jeera rice, white rice (rajma chaawal) and roti varieties