sago kheer

Note: Sago is type of white grain that can be found in some tree's in east asia,, and this is how it looks..


Ingredients:

250 grams of sago grain

3 small cups of sugar

small spoon of ghee

1 litre of water

a little bit of saffron

little bit of cardomom powder

Method:

- First wash the sago and drain it and keep aside

- Melt the sugar, then add a little of water to make it look like a syrup and u should get the golden color.

- then add the saffron in to the sugar syrup and mix well

- then add the ghee and the sago and mix just a little and leave it on medium fire for 20 minutes , until u see that the grain is gone and its fully watery like!

- before serving add the cardamom powder just a little only for the taste!!

TEA

TEA
*****

friends ur sillly friend sens makes tea also with perfect measurements-- one of my aunts used to say--"sahar chai bhi dawai jaisa banti hai--naap tol ker!!"..

Ingredients: [2cups]

tea powder-- right now using tata tea gold--(coz tata tea life was out of stock--this is best!)

okay

tea powder-- 2 tsp

sugar: 4tsp(teaspoon full)

milk--1.5 cup

water-- 1 cup..

malai--2 tsp

method:

* boil 1cup water in tea pan

* add 2 tsp tea leaves and 4 tsp sugar and boil

* add 1.5 cup milk & boil.

* after it bil..reduce flame to simmest & let it boil more till color gets perfect!!

* filter it in tea cup--add malai..

& relish tasty tea!!!

Cupcake Recipe

The world of cake is very wide, it has many kind of cakes and here I will outline the original recipe, flavored with vanilla.

Quantity: 24 pieces (medium size), it can vary depends on u of ocourse..
Cupcake processing time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 and 1/4 cup flour
1 and 1 / 4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
2 eggs large size
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter


Method:

- In the blender add eggs, sugar and mix well until u get a light color then pour in to a deep bowl.

- Add baking powder , salt and and vanilla

- Add butter and mix well

- start adding flour while mixing, then add milk, and mix well

- you have to have the special cupcake tray that goes in to the oven, u will find it in the supermarkets,,, and the cupcake papers (as i said sizes vary)

- pour the mixture into each paper, adjust the oven to 120 degree, and put the cupcakes in.

- leave it until it becomes golden.

Mini Tart Toffee

Mini Tart Toffee...  ...



- 1 butter - finger size

- 1 cup flour

- 1 tabe spoon chocolate powder

- 2 kiri cheese.. or the triangle cheese



method:

mix the ingredients together.. it wll be something like bread crumbs... put them together and make small balls and put each ball in the cupcake tray.and poke it with the fork.. then leave in the fridge to get cold...

then put in the oven for 7 minutes on high heat...



then leave it to cool down compleately .. so that it doesnt break on u when u take it out!

tehn bring some toffee and pour it in the midle of each one.. (then in a different pan put some cream + hershey chocolate and let it melt on the heat) add it along with teh tofee,,

this is a photo of the ready toffee.. u can buy it from any supermrket.. no need to make at home!



design it with chocolate lines...

Kushari Rice

Kushari Rice

..(famous egyptian dish.. u will find it in every arab house ) , my mom does it better than me!!!

Its an Egyptian dish containing rice, lentils, chickpeas, and macroni...

BUT

in my version i only used lentils..


First i boiled the lentils, but i didnt leave it much i dont want to be very very soft.. just medium soft!





then i fried the onions, around 7 pieces,



then in a big pan i fried another onion (chopped into small soft pieces) just one! along with 3 pieces of smashed garlic, and dill, then i added half table sppon cumin powder, 1 table spoon soft coriander, 1 table spoon black peper, 1 maggi cube, and finally teh salt.. MIX WELL!






tehn , add some hot boiled water on top, and leave to boil for 5 minuutes.



then i added half the amount of the fried onions not all of it,, cuz the rest will use it later...



and after 5 mintes , we add in the lentils, and mix it well..



again after 5 minuets of mixing, add in the rice, (i didnt explain the rice process, i thnk all of u know how to boil the rice,,!), then we mix the rice, very well with the rest, make sure water is covering around 1 cm.



first 10 minutes make the fire high.. until teh rice absorbs the water.. once that happens, then decrease the fire make it like medium to low heat... bring a small piece of butter and add it on top with out mixing and close the pan.. i want to melt by itself with the heat..s o it can give it a nice taste and smell...

+ add an aluminum on the pan and close it.. so it can cook.. like steam cook!



Finally serve it....

garnish it with teh rest of the ffried onions,, and some lemons..








* uSUALLY: we serve it with toppings such as tomato sauce,, or garlic...

Mutton Rezala

This one here, is called Mutton Rezala, a traditional Mughal dish made known to us by a little family run joint in Calcutta called Sabir's.It is not too spicy. therefore, it engages the part of u that craves the taste of spices…the result is a heavenly soft feel of mutton in a sparse, but none the less rich and aromatic gravy which can easily slake any form of lust or gluttony!

Serving size : This serves about 6-7 adults when served as a part of a complete meal
Time Taken: Prep :15 mins; Marination:8-12 hrs; Cooking Time: 30-40 mins
What You Need
Mutton/Goat Meat ~ 5lb preferably from the raan of a khassi and not patthaor diced Beef/ prime,full-fat, stewing steak….i totally love this version too…
the 2 meats have a definitve taste of their own….however its made of mutton, traditionally.

Onion ~ 5 cups of chopped red onion
Garlic ~ 12 cloves
Ginger ~ 2" piece
Raw Papaya paste/ Meat tenderiser…i prefer papaya paste coz it gives a better texture and doesn't smell as awful as the meat tenderiser.
Yogurt 1 cup for marinade + 2 or 3 cups for later
Grind to a Dry Spice powder
Cardamom ~ 4 big black + 20 green
Mace/Javetri ~ 1 tbsp
Clove ~ 10
Pepper Powder ~ 1 tbsp


For Gravy
Onion ~ 1/2 of a large thinly sliced (Optional)
Ginger Paste ~ 2 tsp
Garlic Paste ~ 2 tsp
Kewra Water ~ 1 tsp (must for the fragrance)
Milk ~ 2 tbsp
Saffron ~ few strands
Salt ~ to taste
Oil ~ Cooking oil preferably Canola or Ghee
Ghee ~ 1 tbsp
Whole Spices for tempering
Bay Leaf ~ 5
Whole Red Chili ~ 15 -- Do not crack the red chili, use whole, this brings you the smell of the spice without excess heat. Depending on your spice level decrease this quantity
Black Peppercorn ~ 3-4 tsp whole is better or use 1 tbsp of pepper powder
Cardamom ~ 2 Black + 10 green
Clove ~ 15
Cinnamon Stick ~ 4-5




Step 1
Grind to a dry powder the spices listed under "Grind to Dry Powder" or u can buy them off a website or something…in India its quite easily available, i would presume.
Pre-marinade
Heat Oil
Fry the 5 cup of onion + 12 clove of garlic + 2" piece of ginger until onion is soft and browned at edges
Cool and make a paste.
Add to this 1 cup of yogurt and blend well

Traditional Route: Don't fry onion, garlic, ginger, just make a paste of above

Marinade


In a big large mouthed bowl (or use an aluminum tray) add the washed and cleaned mutton pieces.
Add the paste + yogurt from Step 2
Add the dry spice powder from Step 1Add Raw papaya paste/ meat tenderizer.
Add salt to taste
Mix well
Let it rest for 2-3 hours, overnight is better.


Gravy


Heat Oil + 1 tbsp Ghee in a heavy bottomed large pan


Temper the Oil with all spices listed under Whole Spice. Add about 1/2 tsp of sugar.


When the spices sizzle add 1/2 of an onion sliced thin and fry till onion starts to brown
Add 2 tsp of Ginger Paste + 2 tsp of Garlic Paste and fry for couple of minutesTraditional route: Skip this step though it is highly recommended if u haven't put brown onion paste in the marinade.

Remove the meat pieces from the marinade, shaking off any excess liquid and add to the pan. Saute the meat pieces till the raw pink coloring is gone. A lot of water will be released at this point and it will smell heavenly.


In a bowl beat about 2-3 cups of yogurt + cashew paste(cashew paste is optional). I also add a little sugar to the yogurt. Lower the heat and add this along with the remaining marinade to the pan. Mix everything nicely. Note: Use 3 cups for a lighter gravy, 2 cups for not too soupy one.


Add salt to taste.


Transfer everything to a Pressure Cooker.If you think that the liquid is not enough, add some water.Add a tsp of Kewra Water. The Kewra Water is important, DO NOT skip it, you can use Rose Water if you don't have Kewra Water.


Now close the lid and cook till Mutton is tender. Do not over cook. Since I marinate the meat for close to 18 hrs, it gets done in 10 minutes after full pressure build up.
Note: If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook the meat in the pan but it will take about 45-60 minutes. You will also need to stir in between and add water if necessary to avoid the meat from sticking to the bottom.


In a small bowl heat 1-2 tbsp of milk. Add a few strands of saffron to the warm milk and mix. Once the meat is done and you can open the lid of the cooker add the milk+saffron and close the lid again.


Let it sit for 30 minutes….


Serve with Pulau cooked in good quality desi ghee (preferably made from fat of cows milk) or Lachcha Paratha. It is also served with byriani sometimes. But, I personally prefer it with parathas coz byriani confuses the simplicity of the dish.

For RaaBeah

VERMICELLI UPMA RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups Vermicelli
1 tsp Chana dal
1 tsp Urad dal
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Cashewnuts
2 tsp Peanuts
1 Onions
2 Green chillies
1/2 inch Ginger
1 Potatoes
1/4 cup Peas
1 Carrots
1 Tomatoes
4 1/2 cups Water
3 tblsp Oil
2 tblsp Ghee
3 sprig Curry Leaves
Salt to taste

 

How to make vermicelli upma :

• Chop the onions, chillies, ginger, tomatoes , potatoes, carrots into small pieces and keep aside.
• Heat oil and add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they start to crackle , add peanuts and cashewnuts. Fry till they turn golden brown.
• Add potatoes, carrots and fry for 4-5 minutes.
• Then add chillies, ginger , onions, peas and tomatoes.
• Cook until they are done.
• After that add salt and 41/2 cups of water, cover with a lid and let it boil .
• When the water comes to boil add vermecelli and simultaneously stir ( so that no lumps will be formed).
• Cover the upma with a lid for 5-6 minutes and then add 2tbsp of ghee and stir well.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney.

caramel Egg Pudding

Ingredients:

* 1/3 cup sugar
*2-3 Tablespoons water
* 6 eggs
*4 cups (1 litre) milk
* ¾ cup sugar
*1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

*Mix 1/3 cup sugar and 2-3 tablesppons of water and heat in a pan on moderate heat until it turns dark golden brown (caramalised). Pour and the mixture onto the bottom of a baking dish and spread it on the bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula.


*Beat together eggs + ¾ cup sugar and vanilla essence in a big bowl.

*Heat the milk and pour it in the above egg mixture while stirring constantly.

*Pour the milk and egg mixture in the baking dish containing the caramelised sugar.

*Put the baking dish in a shallow roasting tray containing 1 inch water.

*Bake in a pre-heated oven at 300 degrees Farenheit for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Check with a knife. If knife comes out clean, the pudding is ready.

*Take the dish out of the oven, let it cool, then put in the refrigerator.

*Just before serving, separate the sides of the pudding from the baking dish with a knife. Take a flat dish with slightly raised ends, put it onto the baking dish, and turn the pudding over onto the baking dish while keeping the serving dish in place.

Beans sabzi

BeaNS PaLYA

Ingredients:

* salt--1tsp

* red chilli powder--1tsp(teaspoon)

* mustard seeds--rai--1/2 teaspoon

* Curry leaves--8-10

* beans--1/4 kg(for 3 of us)

* ginger-garlic paste--1/2 tsp

* oil--1 or 2 tablespoon

* onion--1

MethoD:

* heat oil in pressure cooker

* add rai-(mustard seeeds) till they burst

* add curry patta

* add diced onion & fry for 1 minute(no making brown--just slightly transparent)

* add ginger-garlic paste.. just turn arround for 1/2 minute

* add chillipowder & salt..mix.

* add beans & again fry for 1 minutes.. just turn & mix

* add 3-4 tablespoons of water..& close cooker lid.. prssure cook for 5 minutes...

* beans ready!! open cooker after pressure lessens... & keep on falme to dry out any water if water is remaining-- else no need to do this

* enjoy with chapati... very atsty!!

cup cake

The world of cake is very wide, it has many kind of cakes and here I will outline the original recipe, flavored with vanilla. 

Quantity: 24 pieces (medium size), it can vary depends on u of ocourse.. 
Cupcake processing time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 and 1/4 cup flour
1 and 1 / 4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
2 eggs large size
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter


Method:

- In the blender add eggs, sugar and mix well until u get a light color then pour in to a deep bowl.

- Add baking powder , salt and and vanilla

- Add butter and mix well

- start adding flour while mixing, then add milk, and mix well

- you have to have the special cupcake tray that goes in to the oven, u will find it in the supermarkets,,, and the cupcake papers (as i said sizes vary)

- pour the mixture into each paper, adjust the oven to 120 degree, and put the cupcakes in.

- leave it until it becomes golden.














and since today is our national day i thought about designing with the flag colors...