Quick & Easy Fiery Mutton Curry

The process may be a bit long..but its very simple and quick if you can do both processes together

Pressure cook the meat with the below mentioned ingredients:

1 kg lamb / mutton (meat with bones)

1 large onion chopped

3 chillies slit

4 to 5 garlic cloves chopped roughly

3 bay leaves

5 to 6 pepper corns

3 to 4 cloves

3 cardamom pods split open

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp haldi

Pressure cook the meat in a pressure cooker with the above ingredients until tender. You can discard the bay leaves and full spices. Keep aside to mix in your gravy mixture.

For the gravy

2 tbsp oil

4 large onions chopped finely

1 pod garlic chopped finely

2 green chillies slit

2 tbsp ground Kashmiri chilli paste

1 large tomato chopped

1 tbsp vinegar

Brown the onions well in oil. Add garlic and fry till garlic has cooked through or till it has turned lightly brown. Add chopped chillies and chilli paste and fry well for 5 to 10 minutes till the chilli paste is cooked and oil starts leaving the pan/dish. Add tomatoes and let it simmer till cooked. Add a little water if required to break down the tomatoes and to avoid burning. Once tomatoes are cooked add the vinegar.

Finally mix all the contents of your pressure cooker to this mixture and let it simmer on slow fire for 20 to 30 minutes to absorb the flavours. The gravy is usually a thick gravy and water may be added if required to make the gravy thin.

Prawns in Schezuan Sauce

15 large prawns shelled with tails on, and butterflied (split open from the back)

Marinate Prawns in 1 tbsp soya sauce, pinch of salt, pepper powder & sugar, mixture of red and yellow colour preferably foster clarks for 15 min

Add 1 egg yolk, 1 tbs of flour, 1 to 2 tbsp of rice flour to the prawn marinade. Mix well and deep fry for a few minutes till cooked.

For the Sauce

2 pods of garlic finely chopped

5 green chillies finely chopped

2 tbsp red chilli paste ( I use a paste made of Kashimiri chillies as it is mild and gives a deep red colour)

2 tbsp Soya Sauce

5 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp vinegar

½ tsp pepper powder

In a wok fry garlic till lightly browned. Add chillies and red chilli paste and fry well till the chilli paste has cooked through or else the raw smell of chilli paste will linger in your sauce.

Add soya sauce, ketchup, vinegar and pepper. Fry for a few minutes till well combined.  Toss Prawns in it and stir well till the sauce has coated the prawns.

If you need extra gravy, add some water to your sauce mixture and then thicken with a mixture of 1 tbsp cornflour and 3 tbsp water before adding prawns.

Serve with fried rice or noodles

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients 1 cup / 110 gms Milk powder
2 tbsp/ 20 gms all purpose floura pinch of soda bicarb
4 1/2 tbsp Milk
1 tbsp ghee
For frying the Gulab Jamuns enough oil and 2 Tbsp ghee to deep fry.


For Sugar Syrup2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Take sugar and 1 1/2 cup of water in a pan , put it on medium flame till it becomes thick. Add the cardamom powder and keep it aside.


Method :
Take the milk powder,all purpose flour,ghee,soda bicarb and mix it well. 

Now slowly add the milk and knead it gently to a soft dough,keep it aside for 5 minutes. 
Divide the dough into 12-13 balls equally and roll it in your palms gently to form into balls, making sure that there are no cracks.



Heat the pan with oil and ghee on a very slow flame, once its little hot drop 10 balls into the oil and keep stirring lightly with a ladle so it gets evenly cooked and there is nice dark brown colour.



Strain it and now add it to the luke warm sugar syrup. Let it soak in the syrup.. Enjoy

CHOCOLATE CAKE

125 gms butter (room temp.)

100 gms icing sugar
200 gms sugar
160 gms flour
30 gms cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
25 gms grams dark chocolate grated
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs ( room temp.)
1 cup milk (room temp.)


1.  Preheat Oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 5 inch deep  round or

     square pan. Line the base with butter  paper.
2.  Beat butter and sugar till light and creamy approx. 5  minutes. 
3.  Mix the flour, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder. Pour  it slowly

       in the sugar and butter mixture. Beat until smooth. 

4.  Add the eggs one by one then mix in the milk.
5.  Add vanilla essence. Mix well.
6.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin.  Bake for 40   

     minutes or until skewer comes out clean. 
7.  Let the cake stand in the tin for 5 minutes now turn it on wire

     rack & cool. Sprinkle Icing sugar. Decorate it with Choco 
     leaves.


For Choco Leaves :

50 gms of grated white or dark chocolate as you like
1 tsp unsalted butter.
Fresh rose leaves , washed and dried.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave for 20-25 seconds. (Note : Keep this melted chocolate glass bowl in another bowl of little boiling water to keep the chocolate in melted stage or else it will harden).
Take a  new painting  brush with thick bristles, dip in the chocolate and apply on the leaves and leave it to dry in a tray covered with foil.
Peel the choco leaves once completly dry and use it to decorate.

Double-Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients :

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa Powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
445 gms semisweet chocolate, chopped (melt it in a microwave , keep stirring every 15 seconds intervals  till its completely melted. Please do not overheat or it will coagulate)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
141 gms butter, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups  packed light brownsugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Method :

Sift  together and mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly, set aside.

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, the mixture will look granular. Reduce the speed to low and  beat in the egg mixture until mixed, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally add the chocolate chips and fold in lightly.  Cover with a plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for  30 minutes. The consistency of the batter will be like fudge.

Adjust the oven racks to the center, preheat oven to 180 deg C.  Line 2 baking trays with butter paper  (this is very  important or else cookies might get stuck to the baking tray). Take an ice cream scoop , scoop the batter on the tray  keeping the space of 1 1/2 inch apart as they will spread while baking. If you don't keep enough space the cookies  will stick to each other. 

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-11 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 5 minutes or until set and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Butter cream Frosting

Ingredients:

50 grams cocoa powder

240 ml  boiling hot water

175 grams all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

200 grams granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence (I use Fosters)

Preheat oven to  190 degrees C. Lightly butter, or line 15 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room 
temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Then in the bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. 

Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter. 

Bake for about 16 -20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) 

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with butter cream frosting or chocolate frosting. 

Buttercream  Frosting

113 gms unsalted butter ( at room temp.)

2 ½ cup icing sugar

4 tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla

Note : If you want to make  Chocolate Frosting ( add  2 1/2 Tbsp sifted Cocoa Powder to the  Butter cream Frosting)

Beat butter until smooth and creamy for 6-7 minutes.

Add sugar, milk& vanilla. Beat until spreadable consistency.

Fill it in the icing bag and pipe it on the cake and decorate it with chocolate sprinkles or dust it with Cocoa Powder or  sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Butter Cake

Butter Cake is one of my all time favourites.  I can wallop pieces after pieces. Love the soft texture and the buttery flavour .

Do try, you will fall in love with this yummy soft cake.  Your family will keep demanding and you will be tired baking.

Ingredients:

250 gm unsalted butter, at room temperature

200 gm all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

200 gm sugar ( I reduced the sugar to 175 gm)

4 eggs

½ tsp salt

4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

Lightly grease the pan with some butter.

Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in salt and mix well. Set aside.

Use an electric beater and beat butter and sugar until light  and fluffy for 5-6 minutes.

Add egg and beat one at a time. Scrape down the sides.

Add in vanilla essence and mix. Add  flour into the mixture and mix well. Finally, add in the milk.

Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Tap the pan lightly to level the mixture evenly.

Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40-45 minutes. Use a skewer to test if it’s cooked. 

Remove it from the oven and let cool on the wire rack for another 5 minutes. Slice and Serve warm.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

 Ingredients :

1 ¼ cups flour  (160 gms)

¾ cups sugar (150 gms)

½  tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

11/2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp Cocoa powder

¾ cup veg. oil

½ cup buttermilk (  or ¼ cup yoghurt + ¼ cup water)

1 egg

1 tbsp red colour

½ tsp vinegar

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder.

In a separate bowl whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, food colour, vinegar & vanilla.

At medium speed while mixing, add the dry ingredients gradually to the wet mixture until well combined.

Add paper cases in a cupcake baking tray and add the batter with a spoon  into the paper case. 

Makes 12-15 cupcakes. Bake @ 180 degree C for 18-20 minutes.  Insert a toothpick  in the center, it's done if it comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Icing

113 gms Philadelphia cream cheese at  room temp.

56 gms butter

1/2 cup icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese  and butter until smooth and creamy for 4-5 minutes.

Sift in Icing Sugar , add vanilla & mix till nicely combined. Add a drop of desired colour. I filled half pink and half white icing in the piping bag  for two tone colour.

Fill it in the icing bag and pipe it on the cupcakes and serve. Optional decorate it with  colourful sprinkles. 

I also made this  red velvet cake (same recipe) with double quantity. 

Divide the batter equally & bake it in 2 round baking trays at 160 deg C for 1 hour  individually so the cake does not puff up too much in the middle, stays flatter giving you even layers. 

Cool the cakes completely. Prefer to bake the  cakes on the previous day. 
With a serrated knife level each cake into 2 equal layers .  Spread the icing between layers and  over top and sides of the four layered cake. (Note : You have to  triple the icing quantity).  

With a star nozzle decorate the cake with beautiful roses all around.  

I also made another red velvet layered cake but used butter cream Icing. Made it for an event at work Guess the Weight of the Cake??? 

Silver Pomfret Curry

Another yummy fish curry. You can use your choice of fish from Black Pomfret, Silver Pomfret, Fresh Bombay Duck (Bombill), Silver Anchovies. I'm using Silver Pomfret.

Ingredients :
1 Medium Silver Pomfret clean, cut into pieces, wash & keep it aside.

Masala for Grinding 
1/2 bunch of coriander leaves
5 dry kashmiri chilies
4 green chilies
5 flakes of garlic
1/2 onion sliced
1" pc of ginger
marble size of tamrind
3 tomatoes chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
5-6 black pepper corns

For Tempering 
1 big onion sliced
3 tbsp Oil


Method :
Grind the above masala with approx 1  cup of  water to a fine paste.
Take a cooking pot , heat oil.
Add the sliced onion , brown it.
Add the ground masala, stir and close the lid & let it fry on slow flame for 8-10 minutes until the masala leaves the oil. (The masala will splash so please put the lid on & keep stirring at intervals of 2-3 minutes ).

Add 1 1/2 cup of water to the masala, add 1 1/4 tsp salt (you may add salt as per your taste). Let the curry come to a boil., add the pieces of  fish. Lower the flame , close the lid & let the fish simmer in the curry for 5 minutes.

Enjoy the curry with steamed rice.

Sardine Curry - Mangalorean Style

Ingredients:

10-12 pcs. Sardines clean, wash & keep aside. 

Masala for Grinding : 

8 Kashmiri Chilies
1 tsp jeera
5 black pepper corns
1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

marble size ball of tamarind
1/4 cup coconut ( I use dessicated)
1/2 onion
2 flakes of garlic
1/4 tsp. methi (fenugreek seeds)

Salt as per taste.

Vinegar 2 tsp (as per taste - add 1 tsp first but if you like it more tangy then add another tsp)

For Tempering 

1 Medium Onion thinly sliced

2 green chilies sliced into 2

small piece of ginger finely chopped.

Method:

Grind  the above masala with 1/2 cup water to a fine paste. 

In a cooking pot heat oil, add the chopped ginger, fry till it is slightly brown.

Now add the thinly sliced onion &  green chilies till it is translucent.

Add the ground masala paste, fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add 11/2 cup of water. If you like thinner gravy add another 1/4 cup of water.

Add salt to taste, vinegar as per taste.

Once the gravy starts boiling add the sardines.

Let the sardines simmer in the gravy for 2-3 minutes till its cooked.
Serve it with steamed rice.

Goa Sausage Pulao

Ingredients :

2cups Basmati rice (washed & soaked in luke warm water for 1 hour)

1/4 kg Goa Pork Sausages

1 big onion chopped finely

1 big tomato chopped finely 

2 Veg. maggi cubes

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 bunch coriander leaves chopped finely

6 cups hot water

4-5 tbsp oil

Method 

Heat oil in a big cooking pot.

Add the onions, fry till it is golden brown.

Add the tomatoes, fry till it leaves the oil.

Add turmeric powder, add the  chopped sausages, stir well.

Add  hot water, veg. maggi cube & let the water come to a boil.
Add the chopped coriander leaves.

Add the strained rice, let it boil  on high flame till the rice absorbs the water.

Seal the pot with a foil & put the lid on the foil.

Cook it on very very slow flame for 10 minutes. 

Enjoy !!!