Christmas Sweets for Sale

Rainbow Pound Cake

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
400 gms butter
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
9 eggs



Preparation Method

Cream butter & sugar until light and fluffy.

Lightly beat the eggs one by one. Now add the vanilla essence.

Slowly add little by little the flour & salt to the above mixture and mix till nicely incorporated and there are no lumps.

Now divide the batter into 4 parts. add your choice of colours.

Grease a 5x9 2 loaf pans . Add the batter to the greased pans layer by layer with each colours.

Bake it in a preheated oven (180 Deg. C)for 1 hour or the wooden skewer inserted in the center of each pans comes out clean.

Remove from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.

Crunchy Chicken

Ingredients

500 gms Chicken Breast (sliced into thick long peices)
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups cornflakes
100 gms grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 bunch coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Oil to brush the baking tray

Preparation Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Take the sliced chicken pieces in a bowl. Add salt, black pepper powder, red chilli powder & turmeric powder. Mix and leave it aside.


In another bowl take 1 egg, beat it and keep it aside.



In another bowl take all purpose flour and keep it aside.



Take another bowl, add crushed cornflakes , cheddar cheese, coriander leaves and the breadcrumbs. mix it well and keep it aside.



Arrange all the bowls in a row. Take the marinated peices of chicken roll them in the flour now roll them in the beaten egg and then in the cornflakes mixture.

Roll all the chicken pieces.



Grease a baking tray with little oil, arrange the chicken pieces on it.

Bake the chicken for 15 minutes. Now turn the chicken and bake for another 20 minutes till nice and golden.

Enjoy the Crisp Golden Crunchy chicken.

Yummilicious Chewy Brownies

Ingredients
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons instant coffee powder
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water
1¾ cups sugar
1¾ cups flour
450 gms dark chocolate, finely chopped
½ stick unsalted butter, melted
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large eggs
¾ teaspoon salt
30 gms Walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Preparation :

Add cocoa, coffee powder, and boiling water together in large bowl. Add chocolate and mix till melted. Add butter and oil. Add eggs and mix until smooth. Now to this mixture add sugar until dissolved, flour,salt & mix well. Now add the chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a square baking pan with foil, and grease it with butter lightly.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approx 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out with few moist crumbs.

Let it cool completely. Cut into 2-inch squares or as big as you like or any shape you like and serve.





If you like it the way I like it then cut a biggg peice, put it in a big bowl/plate, warm it in the microwave slightly for 7-8 seconds then add on top a dollop of chocolate or vanilla icecream, garnish it with chopped toasted nuts of your choice. Voila warm chewy gooeeey brownie is ready for walloping..

Honey Roasted Leg of Lamb

Ingredients
2.5 kg leg of lamb



For the marinade
2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp lemon juice
4 inch pc of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
15 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp water

For the honey rub

100g almonds, blanched
100g labneh (or you can use hung yoghurt)
5 tbsp honey

Preparation method
Blend together all the ingredients for the marinade in a blender or food processor.



Trim the excess fat and membranes from the leg of lamb. Make deep cuts all over the flesh with a sharp knife. Rub in the marinade, making sure you get it into the deep cuts. Leave it in the fridge to marinate for 24 hours.



For the honey rub mix together the ground almonds, labneh/yoghurt and honey.



Take the lamb out of the fridge and now rub the honey rub into the lamb and leave it for another 1 hour covered, in the fridge. Remove the lamb from the fridge and bring to room temperature before cooking.



Preheat the oven to 225C and place the lamb on a rack with a roasting tray underneath. Cook for 15 minutes then lower the heat to 180C and cook for another 2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour.



Check if the meat is cooked by piercing a thin knife deep into the flesh. If there is no blood or any juices running out of the meat then it is cooked.

Remove the lamb from the oven. Cover it with a foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Carve the lamb into thin pieces & serve it with roasted potatoes or any vegetables of your choice.

Fish Majboos (Kuwaiti Cuisine)

Everyday morning big question mark??? WHAT TO COOK TODAY????? Either to please your husband, daughter/son, Motherinlaw, Fatherinlaw (My f-i-l- no worries, he will never complain even if there is more salt/less salt or no salt. The thing that matters is the food to fill his stomach) I'm sure this is the biggest problem for all the housewives or whoever is cooking daily.

Well got up this morning removed a packet of Sole fish (leppo), another packet of 2 silver pompfrets thinking will make Leppo Curry, rice & Pompfret fry. Sabu hates fish so it was a BIG NO. Adrian was not very happy with the menu, gave me a suggestion why don't you make Fish Majboos (Kuwaiti Cuisine) & some Dakkous (tomato sauce-Kuwaiti style). It was a great suggestion, Sabu loves Majboos & so does Adrian. So that is it the menu for today's meal was fixed. Here goes the recipe for Fish Majboos & Dakkous - Kuwaiti Ishtyle.


Ingredients :
2 medium size silver pompfrets

Removes the scales. Trim the sides. Put 6 to 7 gashes on the fish. Pull all the dirt out without damaging & keep the fish whole. Remove the gills. Wash it with ample cold water. Strain the water & keep it aside.

Take a bowl, add 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 2 tbsp vinegar. Mix it well. Now add the silver pompfrets in the marinade. Leave it aside till you finish making the rice. Once the rice is ready & garnished. Shallow fry the fish till crisp.

4 cups of Basmati Rice
1 big onion thinly sliced
4-5 green cardamom pods
1" cinnamon stick
4 Knorr veg. stock cubes
6 cups of boiling water
2 big lemons (squeeze the juice)
4 tbsp oil

Wash & clean the rice well. soak it in lukewarm water for 1 hour.
Take a Pot put it on high flame. Add oil, once hot add the cardamom, cinnamon stick.
Add the sliced onion and fry till it slighlty browns. Add the boiling water, veg. stock cubes, lemon juice. After one boil add the rice stir it once. Close the lid tightly and leave it on very very slow flames for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes open the lid & lightly loosen the rice with a fork. Keep it aside.


For the Rice topping :
1 big onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp sumac
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp cummin powder
2 tbsp oil

Put a frying pan on high flame. Once hot add oil, now add sliced onion and fry till it lightly browns, now add the remaining spices. stir & put off the flame.

To Assemble the Majboos :
Take a big bowl or plate. Spoon the rice in the bowl.
Garnish it with the rice topping. Now place the fried fish on top & serve it piping hot with dakkous.

To make Dakkous :
4 med tomatoes
5-6 big cloves of garlic minced
1 med onion minced
1 green chilli , cut it into 4-5 pieces
4 tbsp tomatoe paste
1/2 cup of water

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 5-6 minutes untill the skin starts peeling.
Peel off the skin & once cooled puree it.
Take a pot, put it on high flame. Add 1 tbsp oil. Upon heating the oil add minced garlic & after a minute or two add the minced onion. Now add the green chilly, tomato paste, tomato puree. Add 1/2 cup of water, salt to taste. Leave it on slow flame for 10 minutes. Dakkous is ready to be served.




Enjoy the yummy Zubaidi Majboos with dakkous.

Chicken Frankie

I had few leftover baked pieces of chicken breast. Was wondering what to make. Didn't want to make the same boring sandwiches. Wanted to try something different. How about some quick delicious Frankies (spicy, tangy chappati wraps).

Ingredients
6 chapatis (wheat or maida)(Can use leftover chappatis)
2 eggs beaten (for egg wash on the chappati)

1 chicken breast (boiled/roasted/baked) any leftover
1 medium capsicum sliced
2 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 green chilies, finely chopped (if u want it less spicy add only 1 chilly)
5-6 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp chaat masala
juice of ½ lime
salt & pepper, to taste
2 tbsp oil
1/2 onion minced (additional)






Preparation Method:
In a large pan on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion fry until translucent. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Add the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). Add the of Capsicum juliennes. Toss the chicken. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside to cool the filling.



To Assemble the Frankie :
In a large skillet on medium low heat, add 1 tsp of oil and add the chapati. Brush the egg wash on the chappati and turn. Let cook for a few minutes and brush the egg wash on the other side, turn again and cook for another minute.

Remove the chapati on a plate, Add few table spoons of the filling, sprinkle some finely minced raw onion (only if u like), sprinkle some chaat masala & roll the chappati. Serve it with green chutney or tomato ketchup or eat it plain.

Chicken Penne Alfredo

2 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes or slice it thinly.
1 pkt of Penne pasta
3 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves- chopped finely
1 pkt of Knorr basil thyme salad seasoning
1 onion - chopped finely
5-6 Mushrooms thinly sliced or use canned sliced Mushrooms
2 chicken sausages - cut into thin long slices
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tsp black pepper powder
4 cups milk
1 cup sour cream


In a large pan add 1 tbsp of butter, once butter is melted, lower the flame. Add 1tbsp of minced garlic, once lightly browned add the Mushroom and fry it for 1 minute.



Now add the chicken & fry it for another 4-5 minutes, add the sausages stir fry for another minute. Sprinkle the seasoning. Mix it well. Put off the flame and keep the mixture aside.




Take a pot , fill 3/4 pot with water on high flame. Once the water boils add the pasta & 2 tbsp of salt and cook till tender. Once cooked strain it and pour cold water over the pasta as it will stop cooking further and avoid sticking to each other. Keep it aside.



Take a big pan, add 2 tbsp of butter once it melts add the remaining garlic, brown it lightly, now add the minced onion till it is translucent.

In a bowl add the 1/3 cup of flour, add 4 cups of milk & whisk it so there are no lumps. Add this mixture to the browned garlic & onion & cook it further for 5 minutes on slow flame. Keep stirring. Add salt & pepper, stir till the consistency is slightly thick & creamy, Add the sour cream, mix well. Add the chicken mushroom mixture & put off the flame.

Serve the Alfredo sauce over the cooked Penne Pasta. Garnish it with crisp bacon & chives.

ENJOI ;)

Karela Ghosh (Lamb with Bittergourd)

1 Kg Mutton (lamb) cut into bite size pcs ( I used boneless meat)
4-5 (approx 500-600 gms)Karela (bittergourd) cut into thin rounds, remove the seeds.
5 big onions (thinly sliced)
3 big tomatoes (roughly chopped)
3-4 green chillies (whole)
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp amchur (dry mango powder)
3 black cardamoms
2 pcs of 1/2 inch cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp Salt

Preparation Method :

1. In a bowl add 1 tsp salt , add the karela thin slices & leave it over night as it
will remove the bitterness from the gourd. Squeeze out the water from karela.

2. Take a frying pan, add 5-6 tbsp of oil, once the pan is hot fry the karela till it
is crisp & dark golden brown in colour. Keep it aside.



3. Pressure cook the mutton with 1 tsp of salt and 1 cup of water till it is tender.

4. In a pot take 5-6 tbsp of oil, once hot add the thinly sliced onions, fry well
till it turns dark brown, now add the chopped ginger and garlic, fry for another 2
minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till it is very mushy & leaves oil.

5. Add the spice powders, fry for another minute.

6. Add the boiled mutton with water stock. Add the whole green chillies. Close the
lid and leave it on slow flame for 5 minutes.

7. Check and adjust the salt. Put off the flame.

8. Add the fried karela, mix it well.

Serve it with roti, chappati or naan.

Stuffed Rice Dumplings (Mutlins stuffed with coconut& jaggery)

3 cups of parboiled rice (soaked for 5-6 hours)
5 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 tsp salt

For the stuffing

1 cup of freshly grated coconut
1/2 cup of grated jaggery

Mix the above and keep the stuffing aside.



Grind the soaked rice mixed with grated desiccated coconut & salt in a food processor to a thick dough consitency. Takee a little dough flatten it in your palm giving a little cup shape, stuff it with 1 tsp of the filling and now close the dumpling making sure the stuffing is properly sealed with a little thumb print on top.

Take a steamer add 3 cups of water, arrange the dumplings on the steamer plate.

On high flame steam the dumplings for 25 minutes.

Enjoy this for breakfast.

If you do not want to stuff it just make plain dumplings, shape the dough into small/big dumplings with the thumb print on top..steam and enjoy.

Fish Cakes

Ingredients :

3/4 Kg fish fillet (I used shark fish fillet)
1 onion (finely chopped)
3/4 tsp black pepper powder
8 tsp Mayonnaise
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp spring onions (only greens finely chopped)
2 eggs - divided
8-10 tbsp oil
1 cup of breadcrumbs

Preparation :

Wash and boil the fish with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup of water for 6-7 minutes. Once cooked & cooled mash it, keep it in a bowl.




In the same bowl add finely chopped onion, pepper powder, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, oyster sauce, spring onion, 1 egg. Mix it well.

Take little mixture into your hands and shape it into small or big patties.



Take one egg, beat it. Roll the fish cakes in the beaten egg, now dust it with breadcrumbs.



Shallow fry it putting 2-3 tbsp of oil in a frying pan. Lightly brown it for 2-3 minutes each sides on slow flame.

Serve it with tartar sauce/ketchup or make a sandwich with some lettuce & tomatoes.

Thai red chicken curry

1 kg chicken (skin it, clean & cut into 14-15 pieces)
1 can of straw mushrooms (add mushrooms of your choice)
2 cups of thick coconut milk (I make it with 1 cup of luke warm water, add about 8 tbsp of cocnut milk powder)
2 big lemons juice
1 tsp thai fish sauce (optional)
11/2 tsp salt


Thai red curry paste for grinding:

7 dry red chillies (I used kashmiri chillies for the colour)
7 thai birds eye chillies
1 inch pc of ginger
4 cloves of garlic
12-13 kaffir lime leaves
2inch pc of galangal (thai ginger)
4-5 leaves of lemon grass
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp cummin seeds
2 tsp vinegar



Grind the above ingredients to a fine paste with 1/2 cup of water, keep it aside.

In a hot pan add 2 tbsp oil, add roughly cubed 2 medium onions fry for 10 seconds. Add the ground thai red curry paste, fry for 10 minutes on low flame. Add the chicken pieces, salt, 3/4 cup of water. Add the lime juice squeezed out of 2 big lemons. Add 4/5 kaffir lime leave and now let the curry boil, now lower the flame. Add the straw mushrooms and now cook the chicken & mushrooms for another 10-15 minutes. Add the thick coconut milk. Adjust the salt & lemon juice if you like it more tangy.

Enjoy this aromatic curry with plain steamed rice.

Yoghurt Lemon Ribbon Cake

I wanted to bake a colourful cake from many days. So thought of baking this yoghurt lemon cake with a little twist. Divided the batter into four equal parts, added the desired colours to the prepared batter and poured it into a cake tin & baked. Love the colours....:)


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease a 8x8 inch cake pan with oil.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, lemon zest, oil, lemon juice and vanilla. Now mix slowly the dry & wet ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the skewer placed in the center comes out clean.

If you are in a colourful mood then go ahead divide the batter into 3 or 4 equal parts. Add the desired colours & pour it in a greased cake tin & bake.

Momo's

To make the wrappers :
3 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 + 3 tbsp water

Mix the flour water and knead it to a smooth dough. Cover the dough with a cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.


For the filling :

120 gms of beef mince (you can substitute chicken/prawns/fish/veges of your choice)
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
4-5 lettuce leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
3 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl with your hands and keep it aside.




Take the dough , divide it into 16-18 equal parts to form balls. Now roll each balls to a small circular disc with the help of a rolling pin.

Take 2 tsp of the stuffing , place it in the center of the circular discs and shape them into round or crescent shaped momos.



Now to the main part shaping of the Momos, its a bit difficult in the beginning but once you get the knack it is so easy to make and looks beautiful. I'm sure you won't believe me if I say all these momos were shaped by Sabrina (my daughter).


For the Crescent shape Momos (as shown in the pic): hold the rolled out circular dough in your left hand and put 2 tsp of the filling in the center. Fold it into a semicircle pressing the edges.You will now have the basic crescent shape. Now pinch and fold along the curved edge of the semicircle. Start at one tip of the semicircle, fold over a very small piece of dough, pinching it down. Continue folding and pinching till the end.

In a steamer, add 4-5 cups of water. Let the water boil.

In the mean time arrange the momos on a lightly greased steamer plate leaving space in between as they will swell on steaming. Place them in a steamer and close the lid. Let them steam on high flame for 10 minutes.

Serve these succulent, juicy, yummy momos plain or enjoy it with your choice of sauce or chutney.

Enjoi ;)