Cucumber cake with Gin icing

I Love September! It marks the baking calendar for me. And till March I'll be indulging in one luscious birthday bake after another! Mum's birthday falls in September, and I love adding an element of booze in her cakes. A rather generous element if I may add 😜 

In past years, there has been a very potent Chocolate Rum Cake, and a milder Beer Chocolate Cake. This year was a departure. I had been eyeing Kate Hackworthy's rather intriguing Cucumber and lemon Cake. It looked so pretty and refreshing. And of course, it came with a tempting Gin frosting. That cinched it for me! We had a bottle of Bombay Sapphire just begging to be used. It would be the perfect complement. My folks were less convinced! 

But I was going to convert them for sure. This recipe was popular and there had to be a reason.It was fairly easy to make. So that was definitely reason number one! It looked delicate and pretty. So reason number two. The frosting! Oh soooo good!! That was reason three, four and five! Then, the first bite! A refreshing summer party in my mouth! Reasons? Do we need anymore?! 

To those who are curious whether the cucumber taste carries through, I would say... Yes. It does. But not in a weird way. With the gin frosting and that light lemon aftertaste, the cucumber still remains the star. But the marriage of flavors is just fantastic. And may I add, addictive! Very addictive! I kept slicing thin corners to ward off temptation. Then, kept going back for more. The non believers were all converts. I can definitely see myself making this cake again and again. Coz it tastes brilliant even minus the frosting. So, if you need a wow factor for your next do, this is just the thing to try!

 

 

Ingredients:

Cucumber                   200 gm

Lemon                         1, zest and juice

Butter                          150 gm

Granulated sugar         150 gm 

Vanilla essence            2 teaspoons

Flour                            200 gm

Eggs                             2

Baking powder            2 teaspoons

Icing:   Gin                  4 tablespoons

             Icing sugar      200 gm

            Butter               75 gm

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Wash the cucumber. Leave the skin on and slice vertically. Scrape out the seeds and puree. Add the lemon juice. Beat the butter, sugar, zest and vanilla till light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating really well after each addition. Sift the baking powder and flour together. Now, alternating between the dry ingredients and the cucumber puree, add a little at a time to the batter. Mix well after each addition. So basically, add some flour, then mix. Add some cucumber, then mix. Continue till all combined. Pour into a greased tin and bake for 40 minutes. When done, allow the cake to cool completely. For the icing, just beat all the ingredients till smooth and fluffy. Refrigerate till the cake is ready to be frosted. Slice the cooled cake horizontally. Sandwich the layers with the icing. Swirl the rest of the icing on the top. And your Cucumber cake is ready!

 

The Leftovers Cake

The Diwali frenzy has died down. The diyas have been washed and stored away. The fairy lights have been brought down and carefully returned to their boxes. The din of the crackers had quietened. The belts have loosened a notch. And the fridge is groaning under the weight of the mountain of mithais!

While we wait an entire year to indulge in these special Diwali sweets, the week long exchange makes us groan at the sight of yet another laddoo or barfi. 

Short of giving it away or crumbling it into yet another kheer or dessert, there aren't too many options around. But this year I decided to be inventive!

 

While the overdose of mithais had everyone gagging sweet, the realm of cakes had been untouched. If I could reinvent the barfis into a less sweet, unconventional tea cake, I was sure it would  find many takers. 

My inspiration came from the delicious Mawa Cake. This east meets west fusion was perfect for the cake I had in mind. After all, most mithais had a generous base of mawa to complement the dry fruits tucked within. Armed with a random mix of Kaju katlis, anjeer barfi, pista rolls and lavang latikas I set out to bring my experiment to life.

The result you ask? This gorgeous golden hued, light as air cake. The crust was crisp and inside was all soft sweetness. Redolent with the fragrance of mawa and dry fruits, this cake was an instant hit with the young and old alike. People came back for seconds. And thirds! Dipped into tea. Warmed for a quick snack. Topped with shrikhand for a rich dessert. This was definitely the most versatile product of my Diwali Leftovers! 

My fridge is emptied of all the excess mithai that lay unwanted. And I have a house filled with cake satiated tummies! Now if only someone can find a way to recycle all that Son Papdi!

Ingredients:
Leftover Mithai                200 gm
Maida                               200 gm
Butter                               200 gm
Powdered Sugar               150 gm
Cardamom powder          1/4 teaspoon
Baking Powder                1 teaspoon
Eggs                                 4

Method:
Pre heat the oven to 180 C. Beat the butter and sugar well, till it is light and fluffy. Mix in the crumbled mithai. And beat well, till the batter is smooth. Sieve the maida, cardamom powder and baking powder and fold into the batter. Beat the eggs and incorporate into the batter. Mix everything well to get a smooth, consistent batter.
Alternately, if effort is not your thing, just whizz everything together in a food processor or mixie. Pour into a greased baking tin and bake for 45 minutes till a skewer inserted comes clean. Cool and slice!

Gulab Jamun Cake

Traditional Indian Mithai and Cake? Doesn't sound quite right does it?! To most it seems incredulous that one carry marry the flavours of the Indian dessert palate with that of the European ones. But having successfully attempted the hugely popular Mawa Cake, I knew not only was it possible, but it was absolutely divine! A warm homecoming with the heady aroma of baking. 

Now those who have read my very first post, know that baking for my grandfather can be quite a challenge. But I hadn't been around for his birthday in a long time, and I really wanted to bake him something special. 

My news feed of late had been flooded with stories of Rasmalai Cake. While I personally don't enjoy rasmalai, it did give me an idea. I knew I had to make a cake that had its roots in the familiar. It really was a no brainer then. No dessert is ever as popular as the Gulab Jamun, and I knew I had to attempt yet another G-jam makeover.

I started my research and realized there had been a few attempts at recreating the magic, but nothing I looked at really hit the note. I read on and picked the brain of another Baking Diva I know. Also, Monster Munchkin would want to be part of the process, so I needed something simple yet drool worthy! This recipe seemed about right. But it needed a little more to make it truly festive and celebratory. I played with a few suggestions that would complement and not overpower the actual cake. And most importantly not push it to the realm of the too-sweet-for-seconds shelf. 

To be honest, I had my reservations even when I put the finishing touches. What if it was a total disaster? It seemed perfect on paper. The cake was light and baked to perfection. The frosting was not just a mouthful of oversweet fluff, and very consciously incorporated the only mithai my munchkin deigns to eat.  But what if my instincts were a little off! Heart in mouth, I carted it to my grandparents' place. Sure, it looked good. But aah! The all important taste test was still waiting. 

The first forkful, and my grandfather declared it a success! And it had nothin to do with the fact that his granddaughter and great grandson had baked it. For once, even my worst critic (Me!), had to nod in agreement. This was one for the kitchen heirlooms. A dessert that was going to grace my table many more times in the future!

Ingredients:

Cake:

Gulab Jamun Mix             3/4 cup

Whole Wheat Flour          3/4 cup

Sugar                                 3/4 cup

Milk                                  1 cup, warm

Vinegar                             1 tablespoon

Baking Powder                 1/2 teaspoon

Baking Soda                     1/4 teaspoon

Oil                                     1/4 cup

Salt                                    a pinch

Green Cardamoms            6

Frosting:

Kalakand                          200 gm

Almonds                           8

Cream Cheese                  180 gm

Gulab Jamuns                   8 small

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Mix the vinegar in the milk and keep aside for 15 minutes. Powder the sugar with the cardamoms. Sift all the dry ingredients together and give it a twirl with a wire whisk or spoon. Make a well in the center and add the rest of the cake ingredients. Whisk it well by hand or electric whisk till well blended. Bake in a greased 8 inch round pan for 35 minutes. Let it cool completely.

Upturn the cake onto a plate and slice horizontally in the middle. Liberally soak the two halves with the syrup from the gulab jamuns. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Lightly beat the cream cheese with a fork till fluffy. Spread a thin layer over the soaked halves. On the lower half, arrange sliced gulab jamuns to cover the entire area. I sliced my gulab jamuns into three parts, but it depends on the size if the jamuns. Now place the top half of the cake over this layer. The two halves reconciled, it was time for the final touch. Run the Kalakand in the mixer till smooth and mix into the remaining cream cheese. Generously swirl over your cake, letting your inner artist run free. Slice the almonds into chunky flakes and drop all over the frosted cake. 

I refrigerated the cake overnight and then brought it to room temperature before serving. But if your will power is being tested, you can dig in right away!

Almond Cheese Spread

We shook off the snow and tumbled into the house. We were cold and hungry. And you know what's my comfort food on a cold, snowy day? Hot, buttered toast! Nothing can make me feel as good. So aunty put the griddle on and liberally coated it with butter, placing two slices of bread to crispen to that beautiful gold. 

When she flipped it over to the other side, I thought we were almost done. But, nope! She had an ace up her sleeve. She dolloped on some cheese spread and let it just melt into the crisping toast. Dotted with ketchup. And then judging my impatience correctly, let me wolf it down straight from the pan.

I waited for the salty, slightly plastic cheesiness of store bought spread to hit my tastebuds. But instead was surprised by subtle flavours so generously complimenting the creamy goodness that could only come with homemade love!

It was so good, I wolfed down six toasts before my foodie brain could form the words, " May I have the recipe, please?"

That was 12 years ago, and I still slather this spread with the same reverent wonder. For me it has the same joy as my grandma's home made white butter. Another dairy addition to my toast I can't get enough of!

Another good thing about this cheese spread is that it sneakily incorporates the wholesome nutrients that  growing tots may screechingly run from. But ever know a kid to turn down cheese and toast? Nope! So say hello to our hidden superfood friends- Almonds and Garlic. Even Keto Hubby gave the spread a big thumbs up! It was just the thing he needed to jazz his Keto Bread :)

So I'll go steal a spoonful from the jar, while you go whip up your own batch of yummy health.

Ingredients:

Cheese           200 gm (grated)

Cream            1/2 cup

Milk               1 cup

Almonds        20

Vinegar          1 tsp

Sugar             1 tsp

Red Chillies   5

Garlic             5

Pepper           1/4 tsp

Method:

Soak the almonds and red chillies for half an hour. De-seed the red chillies. Remove the skin from the almonds and discard the water. Run the almonds, chillies and garlic in the mixie to make a coarse paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth. Refrigerate and use within a week.

Notes:

I used fresh cream (malai) skimmed off the top of our milk. You can use packaged cream as well. 

Since the chillies are soaked and de-seeded, they are not spicy and are mild enough for kids. You can however reduce the chillies if you like.

For the Keto version replace the sugar with Stevia. 

Ripe Mango Raita

Summers are here with their blistering cruelty and endless lethargic days. Yawning in the heat, food is really the last thing on anyone's mind. Unless it is a long sip of icy coldness. Sharbats, curds and salads rule the day. And of course, the king of fruits, the sweet sweet mango! Summers are practically synonymous with mangoes. The popularity of this royal fruit transcends all boundaries, and paens have been written in its praise! 

I remember summers in my uncle's orchards where the ripe mangoes had been tossed into the well to cool. Anytime we needed a mango fix all we had to do was lower the bucket and draw up some juicy goodness. Most households in India had a designated bucket in the corner of their kitchen. Filled with cool water and luscious golden mangoes. A friend of mine narrated an interesting custom at grandparents' place in Himachal. Once the mango season started, the kids would go visit, but would only be allowed once they had finished their allotted mini buckets of mango! 

Each household has mango based recipes they guard with the preciousness of jewels. Pickles, salads, jams, chutneys... all find a place in their repertoire. Now the best part of army life is that not only do we traverse diverse regions, but also form close bonds that last a lifetime. Over the years mum has amassed a treasure trove of traditional recipes via her fauji family.

One of mum's closest friends is Bhavani Aunty. She is one of the sweetest, most wonderful human being we've had the joy of calling our own. Not only is aunty a fabulous cook, but also an immensely creative one. She has the talent of spinning the most mundane into something exotic and drool worthy! And when mum tasted the Ripe Mango Raita at her place, she knew it was a recipe she would recreate time and again.

The traditional raita is made either with salad veggies like tomatoes and cucumber or with crispy fried gram flour boondi. But aunty's mango version was unusual and delicious! And really, what could be more summery than chilled curds swirled with chunks of sensational mangoes!

  

Ingredients:

Curds                      500 ml

Water                      150 ml

Mangoes                 2, medium

Onion                      1, small

Green chillies          3

tempering: Mustard seeds       1 teaspoon

                   Curry leaves          3 sprigs

                  Red chilli powder   1/2 teaspoon

                  Oil                           1 teaspoon

Method:

Whisk together the curds and water till smooth. Add salt to taste. Finely chop the onion and green chillies. Mix into the whisked curds. Cube the mangoes and gently toss into the mix. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and letting the mustard seeds splutter. Throw in the curry leaves and let them crisp. Turn off the gas and add the red chilli powder, Swirl the tempering over the prepared raita and chill in the refrigerator for a while. Serve as a side with pulao or biryani. And to be honest, it tastes fabulous on its own!

Keto Bread

A low carb, gluten free bread? It never did sound appetizing to me. But then Hubby darling went Keto, and our entire carb approach was tossed into the can. Adapting existing recipes to fit Keto was not as tricky as most fear. Infact as Keto became norm, exciting new twists were born of old classics. 

And though he loved his rice and parathas, hubby didn't quite miss them as much as he had expected. It really was a win win for him.

There was one thing he did miss. While never a fan of regular sliced bread, he had started to crave toast. Who wouldn't when your breakfast is bacon and eggs sunny side up. After all, you need something to mop up all that gooey goodness! Thus was born the need to experiment with a keto friendly bread.

Now the most popular keto breads are almond flour based. Though delicious, almonds aren't quite budget friendly. Every keto forum had people moaning about increased dents in the pocket. So I figured let's do a keto bread that won't break the bank.

I scoured the net for dozens of recipes and finally found my inspiration here. I tweaked it a little so i wouldn't have to make a store run. A few easy steps and surprisingly I got gorgeous golden bread!

Ingredients:

Eggs                                             6

Dessicated Coconut Powder        3/4 cup

Flax Seed (Powdered)                   3/4 cup

Salt                                               1 tsp

Baking Powder                             1 tsp

Psyllium Husk                              4 tablespoons

Baking Soda                                  1/2 tsp

Warm Water                                   1/2 cup

Apple Cider Vinegar                      1 tablespoon

Oregano (optional)                         1 tsp

Method:

Whisk together all the dry ingredients, except oregano. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Put it in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease a rectangular baking pan. I used a 13x6. Bring out the batter. Give it a good mix and pour into the dish. Top with crushed oregano. Bake for 40 minutes on a low rack. Cool and slice into 14 squares. It stays happily refrigerated for upto two weeks. Bring out a slice or two. Grill them, toast them, pan fry  them or simply slather cold with some cream cheese and fix that bread craving!

Keto pork

Love is in the air. As are chocolates and all things sweet. Now I could make a grand Valentine gesture with a cake. But that would be more for me than Hubby Darling. He's never had a sweet tooth, and now that he's on Keto he happily gives desserts a miss. 

He does ecstatically indulge in his favorite foods, though. The ones that make Keto a dream diet for him. Over the past few months, we've been happily experimenting with varied versions of deliciously rich meats. And the most Keto friendly has been Pork. Needless to say Hubby is over the moon! The Goan Pork Sorpotel had been a firm favourite, but we've had to retire that as it wasn't very keto. That left us with the Arunachal style and the mince with spinach. Now Hubby doesn't mind eating the same day in and day out, but how could I let this creative challenge slide?!

Inspired by the simplicity and clean flavours of the Junglee Maas, the Keto Pork was to take a similar direction. Only this time I wanted the flavours to be fresher, sharper. And also closer to the Bhutanese Ema Datshi. 

The Keto Pork has minimal ingredients that are easy to find and yet maximize the taste. It has a familiar warmth reminiscent of Maa ke Haath ka khana. Even if your Maa didn't cook pork! Like most recipes, this one is pretty adaptable. If pigs make you squeal, use meat or chicken. Just amp up the fat factor as they don't have the same amount of fat as our Oink Oink! You can tone down the chillies. Swap the herbs. Play around and make the flavours truly your own!

Ingredients: Pork with Fat                      1 kg

                      Ghee                                   8 tablespoons

                      Green Chillies                    20

                      Garlic with green tops        12

                      Coriander leaves                 1 bunch

                      Peppercorn                          20 (coarsely crushed)

                      Salt                                      to taste

Method: Grind together the green chillies, garlic and coriander. I prefer it coarse for a rustic flavour, but you can keep it as coarse or fine as you like. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the pork pieces and saute till the edges turn a little crisp and golden. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add water just below the level of the meat. Turn the gas down to sim. Cover and cook till done, stirring occasionally. Soup it up or chow down with some cauliflower rice. Happy Ketoing!

Not Just Any Hot Chocolate!

Growing up on a healthy diet of Enid Blytons and Archies, I was besotted by the seemingly exotic Hot Cocoa. Sipped steaming with a tossing of marshmallows, seated on a warm rug in front of a roaring fireplace. A dog cuddled next you and a throw carelessly wrapped around the shoulders. Really, that was the romanticism of winter for me. I dreamt of staring out the window, watching the snow fall softly as I warmed my palms on my very own cup of Hot Cocoa, the aroma of chocolate wafting through my senses. 

Mum didn't laugh off my fantasies. She indulged me with her shorthand version of the Hot Cocoa. But warm milk with drinking chocolate just didn't have the same magical feel. Dad would add a capful of brandy and insist it was the secret ingredient to that elusive taste. But sigh! My literary tastebuds weren't fooled!

Many snowfalls and failed milky cocoas later, I found it! As Nigella beamingly stirred her pot of hot chocolate, I knew it was The One! I could almost inhale the aroma through the telly. And I wasn't wrong. I made it the very next evening. And as we sipped it under the wintry stars, my chocoholic cuz agreed every sip was a trip to heaven. We had found the Hot Cocoa of our literary dreams!

Over the past few years, I've played around with the flavours, tweaking it a lil here and there. Made it truly my own. And as the winter chill nips my toes, I tuck em under my snoring dog, pull my Naga shawl a little closer and revel in that warm, molten chocolate dreamily making its way down my throat. The magic is alive. And this is Not Just Any Hot Chocolate! 

Ingredients:
Milk                            2 cups
Dark Chocolate           100 gms, chopped or shredded
Cinnamon                    1/2 inch stick
Brown Sugar               1 teaspoon
Vanilla Syrup               1 1/2 teaspoon
Peppercorn                 4, crushed coarsely
Rum                            1/4 cup

Method:
Pour the milk, chocolate, peppercorns, sugar and cinnamon into a saucepan. Heat on the lowest flame till the chocolate dissolves completely. Take off the heat and add the rum and vanilla syrup. Whisk well. Strain and get ready to be transported to Chocolate Heaven!

Notes: I used Monin Vanilla syrup but you can easily replace it with vanilla extract mixed with honey. And if you want a more decadent experience, substitute half cup of milk with Amul fresh cream :) 

A Spoonful of Immunity: Turmeric Amla Pickle

" Aah! You can feel the healing goodness travel through your entire being," exclaimed Mads Masi with every bite. That definitely had my attention. I backtracked to the table to get better acquainted with this health bomb I had missed. Never would I have guessed that the bowl of blinding sunshine I had dismissed as just another chutney was the reason for the health hallelujah! 

Turmeric and Amla Pickle. Yet another ingenious method Nani had devised to sneak immunity into our daily food. And its no grandma's tale, really. Science has backed the benefits of the Indian gooseberry for years. And turmeric of course, is already hailed as the super-food of 2016.

Turmeric has proven anti-inflammatory properties. It has been known to reduce the risk of cancer, normalize insulin levels, banish aches and arthritic pain, promote healthy digestion and boost brain function. Now, I could list all the proven benefits in detail, or you could just read them here and here.
As for Amla , the humble and much ignored Indian Gooseberry is loaded with Vitamin C making it ideal to stave off those pesky coughs and colds. The high iron content is great for combating anemia and getting that gorgeous glow. It is also a known agent for stabilizing blood sugar, promoting heart health and also the high fiber content means bye bye constipation.
On their own turmeric and amla are a little strong to munch. But toss them together in this super healthy and you will have the entire family lining up to get their daily dose. Bursting with freshness and flavour, who would have thought great health came in such chatpata form!
And yes, Mads Masi was right! You can truly feel the healing goodness travel through your entire being!

Ingredients:
Raw Turmeric Root        250 gm
Amla                              250 gm
Lemons                          3
Kala Namak                  to taste
Sugar                             3 teaspoon
Oil                                 2 tablespoon
Asafoetida                     a pinch
Red chilli powder          1/4 teaspoon

Method:
Grate the turmeric and amla as finely or coarsely as you like. Toss in the sugar and kala namak or black rock salt. Squeeze the juice of the lemons on top and mix well. Heat the oil in a small pan till it starts smoking. Add the asafoetida and turn off the heat. Let the oil cool a little and then add the red chilli powder to it. Once the oil is completely cool, mix in with the rest of the ingredients. Spoon into  a sterilized bottle and let it rest in the fridge. After three days, the pickle is ready to eat. It keeps well for a month if refrigerated. Just a spoonful with your lunch and let the pickle work its magic!
 

Meat pickle

I can't stop dancing. Or singing. Its that time of the year finally! Time for my annual vacation home. Three weeks of doing absolutely nothing. Three weeks of being completely pampered by mum and dad. And three weeks of gorging on all my favourite food, cooked not by me, but by mum, granny, aunt and my darling Robert uncle! And yes, I absolutely aim to overindulge!

Last Sunday as we sat making plans for the upcoming vacay, Hubby Dear issued a dire warning against pilfering his share of the meat pickle this year. You see, every year when we go home, Mads Masi bottles a jar of the most sinfully addictive meat pickle, exclusively for HD. It was great in the earlier years when I was following a vegetarian diet. But then I returned to the meat fold, with a vengeance! So when last year's batch made its way to us, HD was none to happy he had to share. But imagine his disappointment a couple of hours later when he poured himself a chilled beer and headed to spoon a few pieces of his favourite snack. The pickle jar was empty! In my defence, running after the monster munchkin all day is hungry work. And did I mention the pickle is sinfully addictive?!

He was of course mollified when Masi bottled a batch specially for him and I swore to keep my fork away. 

The memory though, remained. Hence, the dire warning! And that was what led to my sleepy sunday turning into a sweaty one. Ever had one of those moments when you share a food memory and the description is so vivid you can almost taste it in your mouth. And so strong is that sensation that you just have to have it. Like right that moment. Or your tastebuds will drive you nuts as you drool unchecked?! Well, lets just say we needed our meat pickle fix. Right that moment. A week was too far away!

A frantic call to Masi for the recipe and we were raring to go! The only hitch? Goat's meat wasn't available! But as my friend said, Baa ain't too far from Oink. So pork it would be! The promise of that tangy, tasty pickle spurred everyone into action. HD took off to bring us the choicest cuts. And Oink Friend helped peel, chop, grind and stir. And stir. And stir! And...excuse me, while I go polish off that last forkful ;)

Ingredients:

Meat (boneless)       1 kg (goat/beef/pork/lamb)

Mustard oil              1 1/2 cups

Ginger                      100 gms

Garlic                       125 gm

Vinegar                     1/3 bottle

Sugar                         a pinch

Garam Masala          1 heaped tablespoon

Salt                            to rub

Method:

Wash the meat well and rub the pieces with salt. Keep aside for two hours. Grind the ginger and garlic to a fine paste. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil on high flame and saute the meat. When the pieces start shrinking, and the meat is half done, add the ginger garlic paste. Reduce the flame to the minimum. Add cook till the meat is done. Stir frequently in between to ensure the meat doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the sugar and garam masala and cook for another five minutes. Let it cool for 1/2 an hour. Stir in the vinegar and store in sterilized jars. If the weather is warm, it is better to keep the pickle refrigerated. It will keep in refrigerator for a couple of months. Provided of course, you have the willpower ;)

Orange Whiskey Marmalade

The markets are flooded with oranges. All shapes, sizes and sweetness. Tempting you with their fresh, springtime aroma. Tempting enough for hubby to haul home an entire crate! Its been a week, and there they lie, begging to be devoured.
Unfortunately, the only fruit enthusiast at our place is the monster munchkin. And frankly, I am terrified he'll choke on the pips. And no, I am far too lazy to sit patiently and peel and de-seed the segments. Let him be content with kiwis, plums and berries for now.
That still leaves me with a crateful of oranges that no one wants to eat. Its not warm enough for a fruit salad or even juiced oranges, so I decided to take the route less travelled. Do I dare to attempt marmalade?
My past efforts at jam making have always resulted in mushy, oversweet pulp. Do I dare subject these vibrant citrus to what may result in another failed attempt? Aah! But you already know the answer to that! I dared!
I dared and am I glad I did! I am always a sucker for good marmalade. But good home made marmalade? Sheer heaven! And I thought to myself, if I am going to dare, why not take it a step further? Even if it meets a disastrous end, I have a warm cocktail to drown my defeat! So now I present, not just any marmalade. But an easy, super delicious home made Orange Whiskey Marmalade!

Ingredients:

Oranges       1.5 kg

Sugar           1.2 kg

Lemon         1

Whiskey      150 ml

Water          6 cups

Method:

Wash and halve the oranges. Juice them using a citrus juicer. Slice the empty peels into thin strips, discarding any pips you may find.  Place an empty saucer in the freezer to chill.  In a heavy bottomed pan, throw in the sliced peels, the strained orange juice and the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, Once the peel turns translucent and soft, add the sugar and lemon. Stir till the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture come to a boil again and then continue to simmer, stirring every ten minutes, After about 50 minutes, the mixture will start becoming translucent and jelly like. Bring out the chilled saucer and place a drop of the orange mix. Return the saucer to the freezer, After three minutes, push the chilled drop on the saucer. If it wrinkles, the marmalade is ready. If it is still liquid and sliding, let the mix cook for another three minutes before testing on the chilled saucer again. Once the marmalade is ready, turn off the heat and stir in the whiskey. Pour into sterilized glass jars and allow to cool to room temperature before putting the lids on. Store in a cool place, or refrigerate for upto six months. 

Go ahead and dare today! Hey! If I could finally break my jam jinx, so can you!

Carrot and Raisin cake

The monster munchkin has turned two! There were days that never ended, and yet when I look back time seems to have just flown. Parenting hasn't gotten easier, just the challenges have changed. Just when I thought I had figured it out, the munchkin will throw a curveball my way. Mum rolls her eyes when I mention it. Her grandkid is an angel and I am the monster!
One thing that hasn't changed, is my obsession to provide him balanced, nutritional meals. And this includes sweet indulgences. Luckily he hasn't taken to chocolates and sugar laden treats like his dear ol' mum! Last birthday he was indulged with a blueberry yogurt cheesecake. And now it is the year of the super healthy Carrot and Raisin Cake. Now scoff all you like. I did too. But surprisingly, it was delicious. And the monster munchkin actually asked for seconds! Guilt free indulgence on his birthday? Hey! Why turn him down?!
So give this kid friendly recipe a go. Duly endorsed by an ecstatic two year old :)

Ingredients:
Carrots                                2, large
Soft Brown sugar               3/4 cup
Eggs                                   2
Butter                                 1/2 cup, melted
Whole Wheat Flour           1 1/4 cup
Baking Powder                  1 teaspoon
Baking Soda                      1/2 teaspoon
Milk                                   1/4 cup
Cinnamon powder             1/4 teaspoon
Clove powder                    1/4 teaspoon
Nutmeg powder                 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger powder                   1/4 teaspoon
Raisins                                1 cup

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C. Run the eggs and carrots in a food processor till the carrots are finely chopped. Add butter and sugar. Process again till well blended. Pour into a bowl and fold in the rest of the ingredients. Bake in 9x5 inch loaf tin for 45-50 mins. Serve up a slice of health and happiness.

Quickie Dahi Chicken

I love my new kitchen! It is large enough for monster munchkin to potter at one end, whilst I experiment and blog at the other. Of late though, he hasn't been content just stirring empty pots. He often wanders over to my cooking area demanding, " Mamma, Up!", to get a closer look at all the bubbling and sauteing. Do I have a chef in the making? Too early to say. But this recipe is definitely the munchkin's brainchild. I dare take no credit for it.

As I stood staring at the chicken, wondering just what treatment I mete, the lil one coolly sauntered over insisting I take the onion he had brought. He kept going back and bringing ingredient after ingredient. All I had to do was put it all in the mixer and let him grind the masala dancing on his tiptoes! Thus was born the quickest, most delicious chicken I have ever tasted. But don't  take my word for it! Give it a whirl and I am sure it will become a permanent in your repertoire. After all, even a two year old could whip it up ;)

Ingredients:

Chicken                          1 kg

Curds                              1 cup

Onion                              1, large

Garlic                              6

Green chillies                  6

Dessicated coconut         1/4 cup

Water                              1 cup

Mustard oil                     2 tablespoon

Method:

Grind the onion, chillies, garlic, curds and coconut together. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, Add the ground masala. Cook for two minutes. Add the chicken and salt. Stir well till all the pieces are coated. Add the water and pressure cook for four whistles. Told you it was a quickie!

Note: Dessicated coconut is also know as dry coconut powder or nariyal bhoora.

Oil Free Chicken Raja Mircha

• Those who have been following this blog would have realized that I am rather partial towards food that is light, wholesome, simple but packs a flavourful punch. This new recipe is no exception. I found the original on soulkitchendiaries and knew it was just what I needed to kickstart the winter weekend on a healthy note. I tweaked the recipe a little, playing around with the flavours from the North eastern part of India. It's an addiction I cannot curb! The result was sublime. Need I say more?

Ingredients:

Chicken                  750 gm

Water                      1 litre

Onions                    3, large

Tomatoes                4, large

Raja Mircha            2

Green Chillies         3

Ginger                     1 inch

Garlic                      6

Coriander leaves      1 cup

Mint leaves               1 cup

Coriander powder     1 tsp

Garam Masala          1/2 tsp

Turmeric                   1/2 tsp

Bamboo Shoots         1/2 cup

Method: 

Grind the onions to a paste. Puree the tomatoes. Grind the mint and coriander leaves coarsely. In a mortar and pestle, coarsely pound the ginger, garlic and green chillies. In a heavy bottomed pan, bring the water to a boil. Add all the ingredients, except the chicken and bamboo shoots. Add salt and bring to a boil once again. Add the chicken and bamboo shoots and cook on high flame for ten minutes. Reduce the flame to sim. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Serve hot with steamed rice, and do invite me over to slurp some!

Notes: 

1) Raja Mircha (King Chilly/ Boxer Mirchi/ Naga Chilly) is rare to source and also too hot to handle for most palates. So feel free to substitute with any regular dry red chillies,

2) Bamboo Shoots are an acquired taste. Also, like Raja Mircha they are hard to find in the mainstream markets. You can easily substitute with fresh green beans or even potatoes for an equally tasty dish.

Super Simple Pumpkin Soup

Winter is Coming! No, Wait! Winter is here! Not in the Stark way. But more of the 'dilli ki sardi' kinds. And how do I know winter's here? Well, the nip in the air and the extra layer of clothes, sure. But what positively heralds the onset of winters at my place is Soup Dinners!
It is another ritual that harks back to my childhood. The moment the weather turned, Mum would chop up those pesky veggies and dish out some awesome soup. Teamed with hot buttered toast and a baked casserole, this was the perfect weekday comfort food. Luckily, hubby dear is also quite the soup fan. Or maybe mum's soups have converted him! Either way, Soup Dinners live on in my household as well. With the toddler yum yumming every warm sip!
Mum's soups were always made fresh, light and flavourful. No gloopy cornflour from a packet for us. Infact soups are so quick and easy to make that it never ceases to amaze me that people choose the pricey preservatives to the fresh route! So, this winter here's my request. Give my soups a try. I promise to convert you! And come summers, your bikini bod will thank you ;)

Ingredients:
Pumpkin, chopped                1 cup
Onion                                     1
Peppercorns                         8
Nutmeg powder                   1/4 tsp
Ginger, chopped                   1 inch
Water                                    4 cups
Salt                                        to taste
Butter                                    2 tsp

Method:
In a pressure cooker, heat the butter. Add the onions and saute till translucent. Add the pumpkin and saute for another minute. Now add the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Cool. Run in the blender till well mixed. Heat on low flame just before serving. Super Simple, didn't I say?!

Hara Bhara Chicken

The weekend is here, finally! And after all the Diwali madness, it is time for some comfort food. Now don't get me wrong. As far as food goes, it is all comfort to me! But right now I feel like some warm brothy chicken with a no fuss attitude and tankards of taste. Light on the masala and heavy on flavour. The kind of soul chicken that you can dip a  couple of slice of bread in (if you are me), or drown your rice in (if you are hubby). The kind of Chicken, that on a nippy November evening reminds you of a warm fireplace and home. Oh, and the kind of chicken that does not require me spending hours chopping, frying, cleaning!

Now this chicken doesn't look the lurid green required of a hara bhara, but there are some greens in there I promise!

Ingredients:

Chicken                      1 kg

Coriander                    1 bunch

Green Chillies             7

Cloves                         4

Black Cardamom        3

Ginger                         1 inch

Garlic                          5 cloves

Mustard oil                 4 tablespoons 

Curds                          2 cups

Kasuri Methi              1/4 cup

Water                          350 ml

Method: Grind together the coriander, cloves, ginger, garlic, cardamom and chillies. Heat oil in a deep pan and add the ground masala. Once the masala browns, and the fat separates, add the curds. Cook for five minutes. Add the chicken and salt. Stir till all the pieces are well coated. Add the water. Reduce the flame to sim. Cover and cook till done. Stir in the kasuri methi. And you are done! Simple, isn't it? 

Date and Nut Balls

My parents are not traditional. This is a shocker in a country like India. As a result I grew up quite oblivious to the varied customs, rituals and festivities that colour the Hindu calendar. The only exception was Diwali. Every year the house would be lit up with pretty fairly lights and traditional clay diyas would make also make an appearance. The highlight undoubtedly were the array of goodies mum would conjure. A week prior to Diwali she would painstakingly spend hours making sweets and savouries. These included mathri, chakli, namkeen paras, gujiyas and gulab jamuns. She would then decorate a plate with these goodies, add a pretty diya or candle and gift one to each of our neighbours.
When I got married, this was the only tradition I brought with me. Though store bought sweets and attractive edible hampers are now the norm, I still prefer making atleast one sweet and savoury at home. They may not be the traditional ones, but they are made with just as much love.
This year though, I wanted to combine the traditional and the healthy. With a little munchkin added to our crazy bunch, I had to ensure the sweets were not just delicious but also healthy. No more empty calories! When I came across Sonal Chowdhury's Bliss Ball in Good Housekeeping, I knew I had found just the thing. I have tweaked and adapted the recipe a little but these are still nutritious nuggets from heaven! Utterly blissful!!

Ingredients:

Dates                                1 cup

Broken Cashews              1 cup

Almond powder               2 tablespoons

Dessicated Coconut         1/2 cup

Method:

Soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes. Run the cashews in the mixie for a coarse powder. De-seed the dates and drain the water. Mix the cashews and dates and run them in the mixie together till they form a sticky paste. Turn into a bowl and mix in the almond powder. With wet palms, form into small balls. Roll the balls in dessicated coconut. Store in the refrigerator and serve with a joyous cheer of Happy Diwali!!

Note: The original recipe called for 2 tbsp of cocoa powder but i substituted that with almonds for a kid friendly treat. However, you may choose the chocolate for a twist on taste!

Spicy Crunch

I have a confession. Every evening my husband sneaks out and cheats. I can't blame him really. I would too if I had the time. Its an affair that began as kids, and now no matter how much he tries, he always does give in to the temptation. He does feel guilty. Cheating on my cooking that way. But I object more on the grounds that he is cheating on his health. Alas! The allure of street food is a slutty siren you can't ignore!

So in the spirit of good health, I decided to recreate the street food magic in my home kitchen. It may don healthier clothes and svelter calories, but it still packs a mighty punch. The recipe below is a twist on the tangy, fiery, pungent Mudi.

Mudi is made of puffed rice like it's cousin Bhel. But unlike the Bombay and Delhi sweet- tangy bhel, the Mudi of the east is a tangy, pungent mix of puffed rice, spices, nuts and mustard oil. In my version, the puffed rice is replaced by cornflakes. Well, because I had a lot of boxes in my pantry! No compromise in taste though. After all, hubby dear has stopped sneaking out now!

Ingredients:

Cornflakes                         3 cups

Mustard Oil                        8 tablespoons

Roasted Peanuts                 1/2 cup

Sprouted Kala Chana         1/2 cup

Onion                                 1, finely chopped

Green chillies                     4, finely chopped

Red Chilli Powder             1/2 tsp

Chaat Masala                     6 teaspoons

Coriander                           3 teaspoons, chopped

Method:

 Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cornflakes and fry stirring continuously till just golden around the edges. Take off the heat. Add the rest of the ingredients. Adjust the seasoning as per your taste, Garnish with coriander, and serve!