Jala Roti

Jala roti was on my mind from a very long time but couldn't make it as I didn't have the mold.

A big thanks to my friend Faisal who brought it for me from Singapore.

These lacy, net like crepes look very delicate and beautiful. They look very simple to make but they are not until you practice and master it. Both of us (me and sabu) first practiced it on a plate and finally we could make it.

Infact, Sabu made them all. Good job Sabu.

We relished them with yummy, tangy Malaysian chicken curry.

 Ingredients :

 400 gms flour
2 cups of coconut milk
440 gms water
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 tbsp cooking oil to grease the pan

 Method :

 1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a whisk it into a smooth batter.

2. Let the batter sit for 1/2 hour.
3. Place a non-stick pan over medium heat.
4. Fill the Roti Jala mold with batter and quickly move the mold in a circular motion to form a lacy pattern.  
    Leave it for few seconds.

5. Flip it over the plate, once it cools, fold it on each side and roll them.

6. Repeat the same with rest of the batter.

7. Enjoy with chicken curry.

Siopao (Char Siu Pao) Steamed Bbq Pork Buns

Ingredients for the dough: 
1 1/2 cup luke warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp dry yeast
4 1/2-5 cup plain flour
6 tbsp oil 1
1/2 tsp salt

Put 1/2 cup of warm water in a mixing bowl and add the 2 tbsp of sugar and the yeast. Stir, then leave for 10 to 15 minutes until frothy.
In a mixing bowl add flour and the rest of the ingredients and knead it well to form a soft dough. In an oiled mixing bowl, keep the dough covered with a cling film to rise in a warm place till it doubles in size (approx 1 hour). Punch the dough divide it into 24 pcs. Flatten each piece with fingers into circular disc. Add 1 tbsp of filling in the middle pulling the edges in the center.

Lay each of them in a cupcake case and leave it to rest again until it doubles in size (45 minutes). Leave it to rise properly as the buns will come out very soft.

Steam on high heat for 20 minutes.

For the BBQ Pork Filling :
3 cup of finely chopped pork roast (You can use leftover pork roast)
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 tbsp oil 1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp star anise powder
5 Tbsp Hickory barbecue sauce
 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp water

In a pan add 2 tbsp oil and heat it, now add the onion saute it for a minute. Add the chopped pork. Add black pepper powder and the star anise powder. Add the sesame oil, oyster sauce, Barbecue sauce, Stir and let it simmer on slow flame for 3-4 minutes. Mix the corn flour with the water and add to the mixture, stir well to coat it with the mixture. Leave the mixture aside in a bowl to cool.

Use the cooled mixture to fill the buns. You can also substitute pork with chicken roast. For vegetarians you can substitute it with Tofu or Paneer

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients :
400 gms beef mince
4 strips of Bacon chopped finely
2 slices of ham chopped finely
500 gms Spaghetti ( I used Barilla - size 13.)
2 inch piece of ginger minced
8 flakes of garlic minced
5 green chilies minced
2 packs of KDD tomato paste
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp dry rosemary
5 big onions finely chopped
3 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 cup of water
6 tbsp oil
1 tsp sugar

Method of Preparation : Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and chilies, frying until soft. Add the tomato paste, stir it and now add the dry spices (black pepper, oregano and Rosemary). Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef mince and ham, now add the salt and sugar. Add water, stir and cover the lid. Let it simmer over slow heat for 20 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Keep stirring in between.

Now Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water for 15-17 minutes. Drain and leave it aside.

Serve the pasta with the bolognese sauce and sprinkle some parmesan cheese over it and enjoy.

King Fish Biryani

Ingredients for Frying fish:
 5-6 Pcs of Fish Fillet or slices (wash and leave it in a strainer for 30 minutes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil
Take out the fish pcs from the strainer. Apply salt and  Turmeric to the fish and keep it aside. Now fry the fish in a frying pan with 2 tbsp oil till its brown on both sides. Keep it aside.

Ingredients for the Gravy :
7 Med. Onions (thinly sliced)
5 green chilies
2 inch piece of ginger (minced)
1 full pod of garlic (minced)
1 1/2 cup of Curds (yogurt)
1/2 lemon juice 5-6 cloves
1 1/2 inch of Cinnamon sticks
7-8 Green cardamoms
2 black cardamoms
2-3 star anise
2 tsp aniseeds
 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 Veg. Maggi cubes
1/4 cup oil
1 cup of water
1 small bunch of coriander leaves clean't finely and chopped
Add the fried Fish in the gravy and leave it aside for the fish to absorb some gravy flavors.

Method : In a pot take oil, make it hot. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and aniseed. Now add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown on medium flame for 15-20 minutes. Add the minced ginger and garlic, fry it for another 2-3 minutes. Add the Curds and fry well till it starts leaving the oil. Add the spices (turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala). Add the lemon juice, maggie cubes. Stir it well and fry for another minute. Add 1 cup of water and let it simmer on slow flame for 5 minutes.

For the Rice:
1 Kg India gate Basmati Rice ( wash it nicely and soak it for 1 hour)
In a pot take ample water, boil it, add the soaked rice with 4 tbsp salt. Add some whole spices like cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Strain the rice when it is a little firm. Keep it aside.

To Assemble the Biryani.
 In a large Square Pyrex put the 1st layer of 1/2 of the cooked rice, sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves. On top the rice layer the fish pcs with gravy. Layer the rest of the cooked rice. Sprinkle some more chopped coriander leaves and 1/2 tsp garam masala. In a bowl take 5 tbsp milk. make it luke warm in the microwave, to the milk add add 9-10 threads of saffron. mix it well. Now sprinkle this mixture over the rice and cover the assembled Biryani with a silver foil. Preheat the Oven to 210 deg. C. Put the assembled Biryani in the oven for 30 minutes. Enjoy the aromatic yummy Biryani with Raita.

Sweet & Sour Black Chickpeas

Ingredients 

2 cups of Black Chickpeas (clean & soak overnight in ample water)

1 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
 4 med. onions finely chopped
 8-9 flakes of garlic minced
 8-10 curry leaves
 1/2 tsp cumin powder
 2 tsp red chilly powder
 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
 2 tbsp scraped jaggery
 3 Tbsp thick Tamarind Pulp
 4 tbsp oil

Method
 Cook the chickpeas in a Pressure Cooker with 4 cups of water, Add 1 tsp Salt. Leave it on slow flame until 6 whistles are gone., Put off the flame & leave it in the cooker for 10 minutes. Take a pot, add oil. Once the oil is hot add the garlic & curry leaves. Let the garlic brown lightly. Add the chopped onions, fry till its golden brown. Add the dry spices, add the tamarind pulp, fry for another minute. Add the cooked chickpeas with the water, add Jaggery & salt to taste. Cover the pot & cook for another 5 minutes on slow flame. Enjoy with Chappati or steamed rice.

Mandeli Curry (Golden Anchovy Curry)

Mandeli is a small golden spotted anchovy fish which taste really good. It's yummier when fried crisp but I love this garlic tempered curry with boiled rice.

  15-20 Mandeli Clean the fish, wash &  keep it aside.

Ingredients for grinding Masala

 5 Kashmiri Chilies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 small lemon size tamarind ball
3/4 cup of desiccated coconut or Fresh scraped coconut
1 big flake of garlic
Grind the above with 1 & 1/2 cups of water to a fine paste.

2 tbsp oil

For Tempering 8-10 flakes of Garlic finely chopped.

Method
In a Pot take 2 tbsp oil, once hot add the chopped garlic, brown it. Add the finely ground Masala, fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 & 1/2 cup of water, add salt to taste. Let the curry boil. Finally add the clean't fish & let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve with boiled rice.

Cherry Clafoutis by Sabrina

To make this Cherry Clafoutis, you will need:

*cherries, 400gr (pitted )
*milk, 150ml
*whipping cream , 250ml
* vanilla , 1/2 teaspoon
* sugar, 100gr
* all purpose flour, 100gr
* eggs, 4
* butter, 50gr (melted)
* icing sugar
* brown sugar

Method
Pre-heat oven (180°C). Butter a mold (here I used a 23cm one) Sprinke it with brown sugar. Wash the cherries and rinse them. Pit and halve cherries.

Whisk the milk, cream, the vanilla extract, the eggs, the sugar, the melted butter and flour until well combined. Pour the batter in the mold, and then place the cherries evenly.

Bake 40 minutes aprox until golden brown. Serve warm sprinkled with icing sugar.

Meatballs in Garlic Sauce

1 pack of ready beef or chicken meatballs - I used Sadia

Fry the meatballs until nicely browned

For the sauce

1 med. onion chopped finely
2 green chillies chopped finely
5-6 cloves garlic chopped finely
1 " ginger chopped finely
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp hot sauce
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
3 tbsp oil

In a pan heat the oil. add onion, once it is translucent add the ginger garlic & chillies fry for a minute.

Add the ketchup, hot sauce, soy sauce, pepper powder and let it all mix well for a minute. Add the water and let it cook for another minute. Add meatballs and serve hot.

Batata Harara

Recipe to follow

Little Chef Cooking Class 2012

It's been more than 3 months...I haven't posted any new recipes on my blog

Have been extremely busy @ work so no time for blogging. Miss cooking and blogging, but stole some time in between the busy schedule to make few Christmas sweets (I made Milk Cream, Jujupes, Besan Laddoos, Baath Cake, Black & White mini Meringues & my signature goan multi layered layered Bebic. Adrian made Christmas Cake, Rum Balls, Baileys & White chocolate fudge. Sabu made the Chocolate Brownies) so we all 3 equally contributed in making the sweets.



It's been Party time since 24th Dec, 2011 & still on the roll. Dec/Jan is the time of the year filled with birthdays, Wedding's, Anniversaries never ending Season full of fun & love. This is the best time of the year. Tired of eating & drinking. This is it I have to get back to my Chemical diet to shed all those pounds piled up gorging on those lovely sweet meats & food galore.

24th Dec. night Party @ home..had a short & sweet time as we all had work the next day... Alll early to bed...




25th Dec. Noon Party @ Rani & Vally's House. Had a rocking time with Cointreau. I was seriously rocking. ;-) Thank you Rani & Vally for all the troubles you take to make us Happy. Rani your Signature Strawberry cheesecake rocks. Cheers ..... BAILEYS..



30th Dec Noon Party @ Raj & Freeda's House. Had a Ball. That was a ball of a time rolling the lemon in our mouth and wishing Michu happy birthday.

Freeda wanted me to decorate Michu's (my godchild)birthday cake. Since I didn't have much time Freeda baked the red velvet cake & cupcakes & I just had to frost it. Decorated it with two tone red & white roses with cream cheese frosting. Roses look awesome isn't it????







Thank you Freeda & Raj for the nice party, Not forgetting the Signature Biryani & Vermicelli Kheer) Oh I forgot the Boondi Laddoos they are mind blowing... Do you have some more... If not make some and send it for me.. Was I saying I'm going back on Diet... Yes Yes I'm going on diet.. Thanks Freeda.. I will let you rest until Christmas for my quota. :-)

It was our 16th Wedding Anniversary on 30th December but since we were invited for Michu's Birthday we didn't celebrate. Thank God for that or else one more party to our list & we would surely explode...

1st January Midnight Party : It's time for some new resolutions... I made a resolution to loose around 10 Kgs more but resolutions are for breaking instead of loosing I gained 5 kgs. But I have got to do it.. So its gonna be 15 kgs of fat shedding. What a difficult task. :( Chemical Diet here I come.

All set to go to Church for Newyear's Mass.





We had a pound party... As Usual loads of delicacies & desserts but not a very happening party as all were gloomy, tired & fedup of eating & drinking. I could see it in everyone's eyes begging for some rest to their bellies. Thank you Rani & Vally once again. We had fun... Parties are just an excuse to be together...

Sorry no pics... Can you believe we didn't click a single pic.

Still not Finished.... This day of the year is a big DAY for me. 6th Jan my birthday.. Adrian (My darling) makes all the preparations way in advance (from marinating to baking) I am just the Sous Chef not allowed to cook & the Master Chef does it all. Adrian also baked a special Opera Cake which was Yummilicous... finger licking delicious.







Made Chinese food (Mangolian Lamb, Schezuan Chicken, Mixed fried rice, Beef Roast with rosemary & wine vinegar, Batata Harara - kick on starter, Meat ball Manchurian plus the signature desert Chocolate Mousse. Thank you everyone for your kind wishes and for coming and making my DAY. Special thank you to Adrian & Sabu. MUAAAAAAH. Loved my birthday gifts....


Resolution seriously gone for a TOSS I must say :( still piling up....

In between lunches,parties & Bbq's happening at work ... OMG !!!!! I need to stop it... but howwwww???? BIG QUESTION MARK?

17th January - Freeda's Birthday & 10th Wedding Anniversary. Raj planned to give her a surprise as she was gonna be away from town on 17th.. We all jammed up at her place but instead she getting the surprise, we were surprised to see she had set up the bar & sitting inside to welcome us for her Surprise party. We had a nice time. The Cheescake from Mr. Baker was yummy... Thank You Freeda for the doggy bag.





22nd January - Vally & Rani's Anniversary...It's a week day but we wanted to give them a surprise too. Freeda out of town so Raj & Adrian decided for a surprise. We just barged in with some food & cake. Great evening but since freeda & kids were not there we have to go for lunch (Post anniversary celebrations) Just another excuse to spend time with loved ones.





Now the last 2 parties yet to come 27th Jan - Vanessa's Birthday & Raj's Birthday 1st Feb.. That's the end of our Partiesssss hopefully.


Updates to follow.


Thank You & Cheers to All for taking the time to pass by and read the happening events..