Jewish White bread

This bread is SO good that I am strongly thinking of not buying any more from the store here on.

Water (room temperature) - 1 1/2 cup

Active instant Yeast - 1/2 tbsp

Honey - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp 

Oil (olive or vegetable) - 2 tbsp + more 

Egg - 1 large

Salt - 1/4 tsp

All purpose flour / Maida - 4 cups

Strong liquid coffee - 2 tbsp

(opt) Til seed - 2 tbsp

Mix the water with yeast, honey, sugar, oil, egg and salt. Beat well.

Into this add 3 cups of flour and start kneading.

Add more flour and make a soft, elastic non-sticky dough.

Coat the dough with oil on all sides and leave covered for minimum 2 hours to double. ( I left it for 3)

Cut the dough into 3.

Make each piece of dough into a thin long rope.

Pinch the 3 ropes at one end together firmly and start braiding.

Cut into 2 loaves or make a large loaf.

Grease 2 loaf tins and arrange the braided loaves in it.

Leave aside for an hour.

Paint the loaf top with the strong coffee and sprinkle some til seeds on top.

Preheat oven to 190C and bake loaves for 30 - 40 minutes.

Leave to cool for an hour and then cut into slices with a serrated knife.

There are different ways to braid this bread .
I have done a three braid and then a four braid. The photo of the four braid dough has taken just before it was put inside the oven.

Toasted salt and pepper

Peppercorn - 4 tbsp
Sea salt - 2 tbsp

Heat a heavy bottomed pan and fry the salt and pepper together till the pepper pops.
Cool and pound coarsely.

Star Fruit Gateau

Sponge cake - 2
Whipping cream - 1 cup
Star fruit - 2 ( Chop 1 finely and the other one into stars)
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Rum / Whisky - 1 tbsp (opt)

Boil the water with the sugar and mix until dissolved. Turn off flame and add the rum / whisky.
Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Line a serving dish with a baking sheet and keep a sponge cake on it.
Drizzle half the cooled sugar syrup over this.
Layer 1/3 of the whipped cream over this cake and add the chopped star fruit evenly.
Arrange the second sponge cake on top and drizzle this with rest of the sugar syrup.
Spread 1/3rd of the cream on top and the rest over the sides.
Decorate with the star slices.
Chill for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegetable cutlet Sandwich / Burger

Vegetable Cutlet - 1
Bread slices -2
Cheese Slice - 1
Onion - 1 small - cut into thin half moons
Lettuce or Chinese cabbage - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 2 slices
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
English Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Chilli sauce - 1/2 tsp (opt)
Eggless mayo - 1 tsp

My daughter added Barbecue sauce (No idea why!)

Mix the onion and cabbage with a little pepper and salt.
Arrange all the above as in picture over the bread slices and enjoy.

Vegetable cutlet

Who does not love Cutlets!!

It is an all-time favorite snack at home and I just love it that all these vegetables are ingested by the kids!!
Usually I make a large batch and freeze the bulk.

How to freeze: Just before the deep frying step, shape each cutlet, crumb it and store in a freeze-proof vessel. Between each layer of non-fried cutlet, lay a sheet of aluminium foil.
About 4 hours before you are ready to fry, take it out of the freezer and keep in the lower compartment of the fridge to thaw.

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 kg  - steamed,  peeled and mashed
Carrot - 2 large -  grated
(opt) Beetroot - 1 large - boiled , peeled and grated
Green peas - 1 cup - boiled and mashed
Onion - 3 large - chopped fine
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
(opt) Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli paste - 3 tbsp
Coriander leaf - chopped fine - 6 tbsp
Mint leaf - chopped fine - 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 2 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Oil - 4 tbsp

Corn flour (or a mixture of maida and corn flour) - 100 gms
Bread crumbs - 2 cups (May need more)

Oil for deep frying

Method:
For making cutlets NEVER immerse the potato in water, just steam them. You can pressure them, but see to it that the water does not touch the vegetables.
Heat oil and add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste.
After a minute add the onion and saute till golden brown.
Reduce flame and add the salt, chilli powder , garam masala and turmeric powder.

Mix well and when the raw smell goes, add the coriander leaf and mint leaf.

Add the grated carrot and saute for 1 minute.
Then add the mashed potato, green peas and beetroot (if using).
Mix well. Turn off flame and allow to cool.

Make a slurry with the corn flour and keep the bread crumbs ready in another plate.

Make small balls and flatten them into cutlets and coat them with the corn flour slurry
If you feel that the patties are not holding shape add some bread crumbs into the vegetable mixture and mix well.
And you may have to first roll them in bread crumbs , then in cornflour and then re-coat with bread crumbs.

Dipping into the cornflour slurry

 Roll them in the bread crumbs.

Repeat with the rest of the vegetable base.

You can freeze the cutlets at this point.
Place one layer cutlets on a freezer proof vessel.

Spread a sheet of aluminium foil, and place another layer of cutlets.

Spread another sheet of aluminium foil and repeat if your vessel is large, or just cover with lid and place inside the freezer.

How to proceed:
About 3 - 4 hours before serving, take out the required quantity out of the freezer.
Otherwise, place the required numbers in the lower compartment of the fridge to thaw.

Frozen cutlets

Cutlet after thawing

Deep fry in hot oil and enjoy with tea.

4 Minute Vanilla Sponge Cake - Microwave recipe

Use the following recipe to make an array of cakes.
I have made Star-fruit Gateau, White gateau with berries like the Cranberry cake (pic above) with this basic sponge cake recipe.
Re-make this recipe 2 or 3 times for the number of layers you need upto a day or 2 in advance. Cool and store well covered in the fridge.

This cake is baked in the microwave. It requires just 4 minutes on high. But follow the recipe well. Total time required is 15 minutes to make 1 cake.
If you plan on making 2 or 3 layers, then please wash, clean and dry all your vessels before repeating the making process.
Give 15 minutes before you re-start making your recipe batter for the next layer, or the cake will never rise.

If you want to make a Black forest or any other layered Chocolate cake, follow the link for the 4 minute Chocolate sponge cake.

Ingredients:
Flour - 1/2 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 2
Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup

Method:
Sieve the flour and baking powder and keep aside
Beat the eggs with the sugar.
Add the oil and continue beating.
Add the vanilla essence and mix well.
Add the milk and flour alternately in batches and beat well.
Transfer into a microwaveable greased vessel immediately.
The batter must be only half way up.
Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Leave in the microwave for a further 5 minutes.
Invert after 10 minutes.

If baking in oven , then preheat oven at 200C and bake for 15 minutes.

Cool, decorate and serve.

White sauce (or) Bechamel sauce

This is one of the most used sauces in European / American cuisine (I know it is sweeping statement, but it is used only in Non-Asian recipes!). Mac and cheese and many other pasta recipes like Lasagne, Cannelloni use this sauce.

I have reached the following measurements after much trial and error. My sauce is not too thick. If you wish to use it as a dip, then reduce milk.
The original recipe uses ONLY butter. But since my husband is VERY health concious, I substitute it with olive oil and sometimes a mix of both.
And French chefs swear by Nutmeg as the spice to be used. But me, being an Indian,add an array of spices!!
Cheese can be added to the sauce, if you wish. Just remember to keep aside some of the cheese for decoration.
Similarly the flour can be fried in the butter till it loses it's raw smell or till golden brown or till it turns caramel brown. And depending on the color of the fried flour, your sauces color changes and so does it's name! (Dark brown is Roux.)

Ingredients:
Butter / Olive oil -  5 tbsp
Flour - 5 tbsp
Milk - 2 and 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cheese - 1/2 cup grated (optional)
(So the ratio is something like this.... for 1 tablespoon of butter, use 1 tbsp flour  and 1/2 cup milk)

Various spices which may be used:
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Chilly flakes - 1 pinch
Thyme - 1 pinch
Rosemary - 1 pinch
Nutmeg - 1 pinch

Heat butter  in a thick bottomed pan on a low flame, till it melts and add the flour.
If you are using olive oil, just add in the flour.
Stir constantly.
The raw smell of the flour must go (around 2 minutes on very low flame).
Add the milk slowly while stirring constantly.
No lumps must form. If lumps occur, turn off flame and sieve.
When the mixture starts to boil / thicken, add the salt and rest of the spices you wish to use.
Keep stirring until mixed well and turn off flame.
Add cheese now, if using and stir well.

Tomato Chutney

Tomato - 2 large
Red chilli - 5 or more (depending on spice level)
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 1 pod (opt)
Onion - 1 medium
Coriander leaf - 3 tbsp
Mint leaf - 2 tbsp (opt)
Curry leaf - 5
Oil - 1 tbsp
salt

Heat oil and fry the red chillies and keep aside.
Now fry the rest of the ingredients , except salt.
Cool and grind into a fine paste.
Serve with dosa.

We do not add spluttered mustard to this, but you can if you wish.

Coconut Icecream

Basic Ice Cream - 1 recipe
Coconut Milk powder - 50 gms
(mixed with 1 cup water)
Thick cream - 1 cup
Tender coconut pulp - 3 cups (minced)

Beat the basic ice cream mixture while placing the container on top of ice.
Once beaten add the cream and continue to beat until light and volume doubles.
Add the coconut milk and beat for another 2 minutes.
Transfer to a freezer-proof container and when half set add the tender coconut pulp.
Mix well and set again.

Garnish:
Toasted dry coconut - 1 tbsp for each scoop
Honey - 1 tbsp for each scoop
Toasted groundnuts - 5 per scoop

Paneer Curry with ground almonds

This recipe was adapted from a recipe given to me by my dear friend , Sheena Abdul.

Paneer - 200 gms, cut into small cubes
Onion - 1 large
Garlic - 1pod
Green chilli - 3, chopped  + 1 slit
Salt
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 large
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Almonds or Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2tbsp

Grind the onion and garlic into a fine paste.
Grind the coconut and nuts into a fine paste and keep aside for later.
Heat the oil and add the onion paste. Fry till raw smell goes.
Add the green chilli and the all the powders.
After a minute add the tomato and fry on a low flame till the tomato turns pulpy.
Add 1/2 cup of water and the diced paneer.
Cook on a low flame covered for 5 minutes.
Add the coconut paste and add another cup of water if necessary.
Boil and decorate with coriander leaf.
Serve with ghee rice.

Ghee Rice

Basmati rice - 3 cups, washed and soaked in water for 1/2 hour
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt
(opt) Mint leaves - 2 tsp
Cloves - 4
Jeera - 1tsp
Cinnamon stick- 4* 1inch pieces
Pepper - 10
(opt) Cardamom - 2 pods
Onion - 1 medium, sliced thin
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Almond or Cashewnuts - 2tbsp

Heat the ghee and oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and once hot add all the spices.
Add 5 1/2 cups of water, salt and mint leaves.
Once it boils add the rice and cook covered on a low flame for 10 minutes. Do not open pan for a further 10 minutes.
The rice will not stick to each other and all the water must be absorbed by then. Fluff with a fork.
Garnish with fried onions, raisins and nuts.
Serve with Paneer curry.

Raita

This is basically an accompaniment served with hot spicy food to tone down the effect of the main dish.

Cucumber - 1 , chopped or grated
(or)
Carrot - 1 large , grated

Onion - 1 small, minced
Tomato - 1/2 medium, chopped
Curd (chilled)  - 2 cups
Salt
Green chilli - 1, chopped fine
Coriander leaf - 1 tbsp
Jeera powder (opt) - 1 pinch
Chilli powder (opt) - for decoration

If grating the cucumber, you might have to squeeze it to remove its juice.
Mix the vegetables, salt and curd.
Decorate with the coriander leaf and jeera powder/ chilli powder.
Serve chilled.

Kutchi Vegetable Biriyani

This recipe has been adapted from the chicken biriyani recipe made by kutchi muslims. This recipe was given to me by my friend - Safeena Harris.

Ingredients:

For the rice:
Basmati rice - 3 cups
Cardamom - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch pieces - 4
Cloves - 4
Salt
Mint leaf - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Masala:
Onion - 2 large , sliced thin
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Carrot - 2 medium, cut into big chunks
Potato - 2 medim, cut into big chunks
Green peas - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 medium, minced (3/4 cup)
Curd - 3/4 cup
Green chilli - 2 slit
Salt
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp for garnish
Coriander leaf - 6 tbsp
Mint leaf - 4 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil (pref. vegetable) - 6 tbsp
Milk - 2tbsp
Saffron or orange food colour - 1 pinch

Method:

Wash and soak rice in water for half an hour.
Boil a vessel of water with all the above ingredients except rice.
Once it starts to boil, add the rice and cook till just done. Drain. Keep aside.

Boil the carrot, potato and green peas with a little salt till just cooked. Keep aside.
Heat the oil and add half of the sliced onion and fry on a medium flame till golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove it. Keep aside on a tissue paper to be used later.
In the same oil, add the rest of the onions and saute till they become transparent. Now add the ginger paste and garlic paste. Cook on a low flame till raw smell goes.
Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt.
After a minute add the tomato and curd. Cook on a medium flame, stirring often till oil starts to seep from the edge.
Add the boiled vegetables and green chillies with 1/4 cup water. Mix well and turn off flame. Keep covered.

Arranging the biriyani
Take a heavy bottomed vessel and heat till it gets hot. Turn off flame.
Add the ghee and coat the bottom of it.
Now layer the masala at the bottom.
Add the cooked rice on top and press down to get a smooth top.
Mix the saffron or food colour with the milk.
Top the rice with the milk, fried onions, mint leaves and coriander leaf.
Cover with a tight lid.
Bake in oven at 150C for 10 minutes or Keep on top of a hot iron tava. (if possible keep a hot tava on top too).

Serve with raitha and pappad.

Upma ingredient : water Ratio

Usual variants of upma available - rava, semiya and wheat.

Rice upma can be made, but it is not really an upma. It is called kozhakkatta. The rice flour is cooked like an upma, but is further steamed as balls. Find the link of this below.

The ratio of water to each ingredient is different and this is the formula I strictly adhere to.
Rava : water = 1 : 2
Semiya (fried) : water = 1 : 1
Wheat (broken) : water = 3 : 1

Serve with coconut chutney.

Links to recipes:
Vegetable rava upma recipe
Semiya upma recipe
Wheat upma
Upma kozhakkatta

Upma - Semiya or Vermicelli

Feel free to add or remove ingredients.

Semiya - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Salt*
Oil - 2 tbsp#
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Curry leaf - 6
Green chilli - 1 ; slit
Carrot - 1 medium (chopped fine or grated)
Beans or frozen peas - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1tsp
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp
*(Tip: The water must taste salted but not like sea water!)
#(Do not use olive or sesame. I use coconut, sunflower or vegetable)

Heat oil. Splutter the mustard and fry the urad dal until golden brown.
Tip in the onion, green chilli, green peas/beans, carrot and curry leaf.
Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.
Add the water, salt, ghee, coconut and coriander leaf.
Once it starts to boil, add the semiya ; mix well and cook covered on a low flame for a further 5 minutes till all the water gets absorbed.
Open and mix well.
Serve hot with pickle and/or coconut chutney.

Pitla - South Indian Bittergourd curry

There are two types of bitter gourd available in the market - one is dark green and small but very bitter; the second is much lighter in color and quite large and not so bitter.

In our home, we use the light colored one . 

When using the small green variety, slice the gourd into thin slices and knead in 1 tbsp of salt and (optional) 1 tbsp of lime juice.

Sqeeze out the juice after 10 minute and use this gourd in the recipe.

Bittergourd - 1 , deseeded and cut into thin slices (about 4 teacups)
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball soaked in water and 4 cups of pulp removed
Tur dal - 1/2 cup
Coconut - 1 cup
Channa dal (kadala parippu) - 2 tbsp
Red chilli - 6 (more or less according to your requirements) + 1 extra
Salt 
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaf - 10
Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Pressure cook the Tur dal, mash well and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadai and fry the channa dal and red chilli till dal turns red.

Grind this with the coconut and keep aside.

Heat rest of the oil, splutter mustard, 1 broken red chilli and 5 curry leaves.
Into this add the Bitter gourd and cook on medium flame until golden brown.

Take out the pulp from the tamarind.

Add the salt, turmeric powder ,asafoetida and Jaggery to this.

Then add the lightly fried bitter gourd.

Cook covered on a low flame for 5-10 minutes.
Then add the Tur dal.

After 5 minutes of simmering, add the ground mixture.

Boil and simmer for about 5 minutes and garnish with rest of the curry leaf.

Your Pitla is ready!!

Bharwan or Stuffed Vegetables

A tasty gujarati recipe of Vegetables stuffed with a beautiful light mixture of Besan (chick pea flour) and assorted spices.

Recipe Courtesy : Mrs. Shefali Arvind

Ingredients:
Assorted vegetables:
Potato - 2 medium
Cauliflower - 300 gms
Onion -1 large
Ladies finger - 8
Bhajji Chilli - 4

For the filling:
Chick pea flour (kadala mav) - 1 cup
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaf - 3 tbsp (optional)
Chilli powder - 1tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Tadka:
Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 2 , broken

Method:
Mix all the ingredients of the filling together and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Slit all the vegetables keeping the shape intact.
Stuff the vegetables with this mixture being careful to not break the vegetable open.

Steam the potatoes first. When it is 1/2 done, add the cauliflowers.

When the potatoes are nearly done, add the ladies finger and bhajji chillies.

Close lid, increase flame and turn off.
Do not open the lid till the vessel cools down.

The rest of the steps can be done , just before serving time.

Tadka:
Heat oil, splutter the mustard and add in the jeera, red chilly and asafoetida powder.
Carefully place the steamed vegetables into the oil.

Do not overcrowd like I have done.
Once it becomes golden brown on one side, flip carefully.
Serve hot.