"Pat a Cake"- Rainbow Zebra Cake with Chocolate Ganache

'A' is already 10 months old! Can't believe how time flies. It won't say that it was just yesterday that she was born and now she is already this old....but even with all the hardships...it really feels that it wasn't long ago that we got her home finally from the hospital...after those long cruel 48 days....
Anyways....All is well in the end.

For her 10 month b'day..I decided to give 'Zebra' cake one more try.But this time is was going to be a  colorful....rainbowy....beautiful ..'RAINBOW ZEBRA CAKE'!!!
 http://www.sailusfood.com/2011/01/03/eggless-rainbow-zebra-cake/

For the  basic recipe,I followed :
http://www.azcookbook.com/zebra-cake/

I made little changes...
1) I used Red and green food coloring instead of the cocoa powder
2) Sprayed the cake with 'sugar syrup' for more moisture and 'sweetness'
3) Iced it with 'Chocolate Ganache

Here is how I assembled the cake:
1) Divide the white cake batter made by above recipe into 2 parts. In the 2nd part divide again into 2 parts.Add red coloring to one and green to the other.Mix well.
2) In the buttered 9 in cake pan add 3 tbsp white batter in the 'center' of the pan

3) On that add 2 tbsp of green batter in the center of the white batter

4) Again add 3tbsp of the white batter to the center of green batter.
5) Then add 2tbsp of the red batter to the center of the white batter.

6) Repeat 3tbsp White ..then 2 tbsp colored... then 3 tbsp white...till all the batter is used up.This is how the batter looks after assembly. The batter will spread on it's own.All you need to do is add the measured batter to the exact center of the pan.

7) To get a 'floral' appearance , run a toothpick from the center of the cake to the end on regular intervals.

8) Bake as directed in the recipe(http://www.azcookbook.com/zebra-cake/)
9) After cooling, spray with a 'Spray' bottle the following syrup:
Boil 1/2cup water and 1/4th cup sugar for 7-10 mins.Let it cool Add few drops vanilla essence.
10) Let the cake soak up all the moisture
11) Chocolate Ganache

http://www.joyofbaking.com/ganache.html

12) For decoration, add 'sprinkles' on the edge of the cake.Cut the cake into 'Wedges' to see the dramatic effect of the 'Zebra Cake'

                          
                              Happy 10th month Birthday my beautiful flower 'A'!!!

"For Little Tummies"- Mix Vegetable Tikki/ Vegetable burger/Mix Vegetable Tikki Chaat

When you want to sneak in Veggies into the little tummies, something like this really works for my little guy.
The more 'colorful' (with veggies) you make this tikki the more nutritious it will be.I also add various spices to make it more flavorful and mask the 'sulfurous' odor of cabbage.

I use this recipe for making mix vegetable tikkis, mini burgers with vegetable patties, mix vegetable tikki chat etc etc.The 'Cabbage-Corn-Carrots'  along with Potatoes and Ginger-Garlic paste -combo is my favorite,but I also add spinach, black beans, peas as per availability in my refrigerator.

Ingredients:
1 cup boiled mashed potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
1/4th cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup corn kernels
1tbsp boiled black beans
1/4th cup chopped spinach
1tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp fennel seeds
1/4tsp Garam masala
1/4th tsp Turmeric powder
1/4tsp chili powder(use as per desired spiciness)
2tsp oil
salt
Plain bread crumbs for coating
Oil for shallow frying

If making burgers: Burgers buns/bread rolls
If making Mix vegetable Tikki Chaat- all the fixings for chat- Chopped onions,tomatoes,tamarind chutney/yogurt, sev etc

Method:
1) Heat 2 tsp oil,add mustard,cumin seeds. Fry the cabbage, carrots, spinach, corn till tender.Add the Ginger garlic paste,spices, potatoes, black beans, salt and fry for few minutes.
2) After cooling, roll into small 'tikkis/ Cutlets'.
3) Roll into bread crumbs and shallow fry in oil on both sides till golden brown.

4) Kids love it with Ketchup.

Veggie Burgers:
Serve the patties as 'mini veggie burgers' in mini bread rolls/ buns
Add Cheese and sliced cucumbers,tomatoes etc

Mix Vegetable Tikki chat:While Serving the above patties as 'chaat', top them with ketchup/yogurt/ Tamarind chutney, chopped onions, tomatoes, Cilantro and Sev.

"Pat a Cake"- Zebra Cake

Zebra Cake- A 'semi' successful attempt

Lately, some of my friends have been baking 'eggless' and 'vegan' cakes. 'S' is making these amazingly professional looking 'Vegan Chocolate Cakes' and the other day 'R' baked 'Eggless Pineapple Pastries' which all loved at the Potluck. Since I am a non-vegetarian and a 'nervous' baker....I haven't tried my hand on eggless baking.After all the hard work of baking the cake, if it 'fails'....I get really disappointed.
Couple days ago I had seen this 'Zebra Cake' online and really wanted to try the 'technique' myself and I had this recipe for 'Eggless cake with Condensed milk' that I had to try out. I decided to do ' ek teer me do nishane' and bake the zebra cake with the eggless recipe.
The pattern came out really well, but the texture failed miserably:(

So I won't write the recipe here.I am going to try a different cake recipe soon.
But in short all you need is:

1) Cake batter made from 2-3 cups all purpose flour
2) Dark cocoa powder to mix in half the batter.

Divide the batter into 2 parts. Keep one 'white' and add dark cocoa powder to the other (dark cocoa is necessary to get good distinct patterns)

Assemble the cake with your favorite 'cake batter' recipe as follows-
1) 1 scoop white batter in center of the pan

2) Add one scoop 'chocolate' batter on top , in the center

3) Again 1 scoop white batter in the center

4) Repeat the process 'patiently' till all the batter is used up.

5) Bake at 350 F for 40 mins.Let it cool for 20 mins before cutting

6) Sprinkle with powdered sugar

"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest- Vidhya Souresh)- Carrot Kheer

 

Guest: Vidhya Souresh

Dish: Carrot Kheer

 

Vidhya is my friend  'V' that I mention in many of my recipes. We spend a good 6-7 years together in Ithaca,NY. In those years...I must have learnt a lot of recipes, techniques from Vidhya and had her delicious food countless times!Oh how I miss those days :( 

When I was pregnant with 'A', Vidhya made this really nutritious and delicious (at the same time)..Carrot kheer for me. She said this kheer was made by her mom when she was little. The Carrot kheer  can be had as a 'warm dessert'/ or cold with a scoop of ice cream or even as a 'drink' for the kids. Either ways.... it tastes "AWESOME!!!

 

Ingredients:

carrots-3cups

sugar -1cup or little less

cashews-10nos(soaked in milk for 20 min)

ghee-1tbsp

sliced almonds-4tbsps(garnishing)

cardamon-1tsp

saffron-1tsp

milk-5cups (healthier version)

or

half & half-1cup & milk 3cups(occasionally.........to jazz up your taste buds)

1/8 tsp -salt.

vanilla ice cream(optional).

Method:

     

-grate the carrots and saute in ghee until raw smell disappears.

-pressure cook the carrots with enough milk and puree the carrots.

-make a syrup with sugar and add the puree.
- cook till the mixture turns transparent.

 -make a coarse paste out of cashews and add to the mixture.

 -pulse the milk in the blender for 2mins(this gives a creamy texture to the milk)and add to the mixture.

  -add half&half, cardamon,salt and saffron.

  -boil it for 10mins.

 -serve warm or cold with a scoop of ice cream.

 

~ Vidhya

 

"Sweet Treats"- Shrikhand/ Fruit and Nut Shrikhand

HAPPY GUDHI PADWA 2011!!!

'Shrikhand' is one of the favorite sweets at home.Back home in India, it was surely on the menu for 'Padwa'. Last night I had all forgotten about 'Padwa' being today. This morning when I remembered,I checked the refrigerator and found 1 can of yogurt and some fruits. There I had the sweet for the occasion!
Earlier ...Shrikhand mostly came in 2 flavors- Elaichi and Mango (Amrakhand)...but now they make various different varieties...Fruit Shrikhand, Nuts Shrikhand, Dry Fruits Shrikhand etc etc...
I decided to sort of combine all of that and make my 'Fruit and Nut Shrikhand'

 Ingredients:

1- 32 Oz can of Plain yogurt(Will make about 1+ cup of Shrikhand)
1/4-1/3rd cup sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)
1/2 tsp Elaichi powder(Cardamon)
1/4tsp Nutmeg powder
1 pinch Saffron
1tsp warm milk

Fruits and Nuts cut up in small pieces:
Mango
Apples
Raisins
Almonds
Pistachios
Cashews

Method:
1) On a cheesecloth, drain the yogurt.Tie the cheesecloth and hang for atleast 4 hrs.

2) All the water in the yogurt should drip away to give thick 'Chakka'. You can do this overnight.But 4-5 hrs will yield sufficient thick chakka.
3) Squeeze the cheesecloth occasionally to help water drain.

4) To the Chakka, add  sugar, cardamon, saffron in warm milk,nutmeg and mix well.Garnish with saffron and nuts.

5) For' fruit and nut' Shrikhand add the fruits and nuts.

"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest= Seema Bakre)-Shrimp Biryani

Guest: Seema Bakre
Dish: Shrimp Biryani
After moving to Columbus,IN....Seema's house is like my 'Maher' (sister-brother's house). I get to go there and taste all the delicious food that she makes.She is always so enthusiastic about having people over...and making really good food for them.She had promised me to make her special 'Paneer Laddos'(and I haven't forgotten that Seema ;) I am going to make her make those sometime:)) But today she shares with us,this spicy- mouthwatering Shrimp Biryani which she made on a special occasion...her husbands birthday!

Ingredients:

1 lb raw Shrimps washed and remove excess water.

2 big onion chopped vertically, fry till crisp on low heat and keep aside.

½ green bell paper chopped in 1” pieces

½ yellow bell paper chopped in 1” pieces

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

½ tsp shahi jeera

3 large tomatoes, finely chopped

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tsp red chilli pwd

2 tsp coriander powder

1-2 bay leaves

3 tbsp oil

pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsps luke warm milk for 10 mts

roasted cashews and fresh coriander leaves for garnish

2 tbsp mint coriander chutney (optional)

salt to taste

Dry roast on low flame for 2 mts and grind to a fine powder:

6-7 pepper corns

1″ cinnamon

4 cloves

1 green cardamom

1 black cardamom

½ star anise

Marinade:

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp Tandoor Chicken masala

salt

Method :

1.    Marinate shrimps with the ingredients called ‘marinade’ for 1/2 hr.

2.    Heat 3 tbsp oil add shahi jira and bay leaves

3.    Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 minute.

4.    Add dry roast masala powder and saute for 1 minute.

5.    Add chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are cooked and turn like a thick gravy.

6.    Add shrimps, green and yellow bell paper and cook till the shrimps are cooked. around 3 minutes. Do not over cook shrimps!

7.    Now add ¾ of the fried onions to this gravy and mix well.

8.    Add coriander powder, turmeric, chili powder.

9.    Adjust salt as per taste.

10.  Mix well and keep aside.

 

Ingredients for rice:

1 ½ cup Basmati rice

2 cloves

1 cardamom

1/2″ cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1/2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp salt

water as required

Cook rice in lots of water along with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, oil and salt till its 80% cooked. Strain the water and spread the rice on a large wide plate.

Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani.

1) In a heavy bottom pan, add 1tsp oil. Add 1/2 of the cooked shrimps gravy.

2) Add about 1/2 of the cooked rice on the gravy.

3) Add 2 tsp mint coriander chutney (optional) but gives very nice aroma to the rice.

4) Add the remaining gravy, and chopped cilantro.

5) Layer with remaining rice, fried onions and cashews. Sprinkle with saffron sticks in milk.

6) Close the pan with a tight lid.

7) Place the pan on a tava and then on a stove (this way the biryani won't burn while steaming)

8) Steam the biryani for about 8-10 mins Without letting much steam escape.

9) Garnish with cashews, cilantro,tomatoes and Serve hot!

~ Seema

"Sweet Treats"- Pistachio-Honey Biscotti

It's been over 9 months I haven't baked Biscotti.Since 'A' was born, life has gotten really really busy.Some friends told us before we had kids that....with 1 kid your life is 'busy' but with 2...it's 'Crazy'...and YES....I DO BELIEVE IT NOW!!!!
Anyways... today was our weekly play date for the kids, which is also a 'food date' for the moms and I decided to bake Biscottis to go along with our favorite tea!

Ingredients:
3 cups All purpose flour
1/2cup toasted Pistachios
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup Honey
2 large eggs
1/2 stick unsalted  butter
1/4tsp salt
1and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp Vanilla extract
Cooking spray/Butter for the cookie sheets.
Some sugar to sprinkle on the biscottis after baking

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350F
2) In a electric mixer, blend together eggs, sugar,vanilla and honey.
3) Bring butter to room temp and beat with whisk till smooth.
4)  Sift together flour,baking powder and salt. Roughly chop the Pistachios and keep aside.
5) Mix the butter with eggs -sugar- honey.Add the flour and mix together.Add the Pistachios to the dough. Form into a soft dough.Mix only till everything comes together well.Oil your hands if necessary as the dough will be sticky.
6) Form into a 'log' shape and bake on buttered cookie sheet at 350F for 25 mins( till it becomes hard on outside and golden brown). Let the log cool.

7) Bring oven temperature to 325F.
8) Cut diagonally and place cut side down on cookie sheet. Sprinkle little (1-2 pinches) sugar on cut side.Bake again at 325F for 7 mins.Turn on the other side and bake again for 7 mins.

9) Let the Biscottis cool.Store in airtight container.

            Enjoy the crunchy biscottis with mild sweet flavor with your favorite cup of Tea or Coffee!

"Everyday Cooking"- Spicy Green Tilapia

The other day we were watching a marathi kids movie with 'E'-----'Bokya Saatbande'.In the movie Bokya's mom prepares this special fish dish for her guests- 'Chutney Bharalela Paplet' (meaning Pompret fish stuffed with green chutney and fried). It reminded me of similar fish my mom used to prepare- Fish coated with green chutney/ marinade made up of fresh ground coconut,green chilies, cilantro.....coated in 'Rava'(semolina) and fried. This was typical 'CKP'( Hindu subcaste) style of preparing fish. The fish remains tender on the inside, and the marinade/ coating just gives it so much flavor and spiciness....you will love it!
Ingredients:
2-4 Tilapia fish fillet(depending on the size)
1/2 cup fine rava/semolina
1tbsp maida/all purpose flour
salt
oil


Green Chutney/ Marinade
This marinade/Chutney can be used to prepare 'Hara Chicken Kabobs'/ Green Chicken kabobs/Green Tandoori chicken

 

1/4 cup fresh ground coconut/frozen coconut
1/4th cup chopped cilantro
1-2 green chilies(depends on how spicy you want)
2 clove garlic
salt
1/4th tsp Tamarind extract/paste
Grind the above into fine paste

Method:
1) Wash the tilapia fillet. Dry well on paper towel.
2) Marinate the fish with the green chutney.Leave for 10 mins

3) In a flat dish mix together semolina and all purpose flour.Add little salt to the mixture.Gently put the fish in the dish and coat on both sides.Press gently to help the coating to stick.

4) On a non stick flat pan, heat some oil. Fry the fish on medium heat for 2-3 mins on both sides or until cooked. The coating will turn golden brown. Handle the fish gently otherwise it will break.The rava/ semolina will give it slight crispiness.
5) Serve as a side dish/ Main dish or even with Chapati (that's how we mostly ate it back home)

<>For Green Chicken Kababs/ Green Chicken Tandoor

1) Marinate the chicken in the above green marinade for 2-3 hrs in the refrigerator.Add few drops of lemon juice/ 2tsp Yogurt to the marinade.
2) Roast in the oven at 325 F for 40-45 mins or until well done.

"Fusion Cuisine"- Paneer Chili,Grapes and Asiago Cheese Loaf Panini

A Sandwich gone a bit 'Wrong'....
I had a great lunch at my favorite restaurant....'Panera Bread' with some friends.I love all of their Paninis and soups.....I am on a mission to try each one of them, every time I visit Panera! While coming back I picked up this loaf of 'Asiago Cheese Loaf' from Panera.

While driving back, all I could think was....what kind of Panini can I make from this? Came home ...found 'Paneer' in the freezer and I knew what I was gonna fix for dinner! Paneer Chili, Grapes and Asiago Cheese loaf Panini!!! Sounds exotic isn't it!!!!

What went wrong then?: Did not taste the bread before making the sandwich.The bread had kind of a strong 'cheesy' and mild 'tart' flavor.The bread on it's own would taste good but it over-powered the Paneer Chili filling and the whole combination did not quite come together as I thought it would :(

BUT.......Make this sandwich with a plain Italian bread or a french bread...and I guarantee...IT WILL BE A WINNER!!!!!

How to make Paneer Chili:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2010/05/appetizers-paneer-chili-fry-paneer-fish.html

I added few extra veggies: Carrots, Corn this time

How to make the Panini:
1) Slice the bread into 'thick' slices
2) Slice the grapes into halves. The grapes offer a surprise 'pop of sweet-sour' flavor when you bite into the sandwich.
3) Place spoonful of filling onto the bread, top it with your favorite shredded cheese,sliced grapes and place another slice on top.Grill the panini on a grill pan.Panini maker/ plain pan. Serve hot!

" Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest= Bhavana Paralikar) -Mushrooms Stuffed With Prawns

Guest: Bhavana Paralikar
Dish: Mushrooms Stuffed with Prawns
 I know Bhavana from college years. We studied together for 3 years, but never did we realize that we share 'love for food'.But after coming to USA and getting in touch through facebook...I realized how amazing Bhavana's cooking is. She is an artist.She makes these lovely chocolates (I will have her share those here next time) and delicious non- vegetarian and vegetarian dishes.
Today she shares this signature dish with us:

Ingredients:

Mushrooms : big 10 pieces

Prawns: 200 gms small ones

Onion: 2 medium sized

Peas, corn(optional)

Oil (2Tablespoon)

Garlic, dry coconut coriander paste

Red Chili powder, turmeric, salt to taste

Cheese

Recipe:

1.Heat oil in a pan.

2.Add garlic+coriander+dry coconut paste.saute'

3.Add finely chopped onion and turmeric, red chili powder, salt to taste

4.Add prawns

(If you want you can add corns and peas..just to make your dish colourful.)

Cook the Prawns and try to make it dry ..masala prawns and keep aside.
5.Take mushrooms (the ones which I had got were really palm sized..that's why I thought of stuffing them)

6.Now clean the mushroom from roots and keep in salted water for 10-15 mins. Remove from water and apply little butter to mushrooms

7.Add the stuffing of prawns and grated cheese on top of stuffing.

8.Microwave it till mushrooms become tender.

9.Serve it with tangy homemade chutney or tomato ketchup.

10.It s a good starter !!

~ Bhavana