How to make icing

How to make icing

Take an egg while in a bowl. Add 250-300 gms of icing sugar and beat it. Remember to add sugar in small amounts slowly to the egg. If the mix appears too watery. Keep adding more icing sugar to it. Keep beating the mix until it appears to be glowing and becomes firm. Check by taking out some mix on the spoon. If you want to give your icing a flavor, you can add cocoa, coffee or vanilla powder

Chocolate mud cake

Chocolate mud cake
Ingredients for Chocolate mud cake:
220 gms unsalted butter, 220 gms dark chocolate, 6 tsp instant coffee granules, 160 ml water, 125 gms self-raising flour, 125 gms plain flour, 50 gms cocoa powder, ½ tsp bicarb soda, 480 gms castor sugar, 4 eggs, 7 tsp vegetable oil, 110 ml milk
Method for Chocolate mud cake:
Preheat the oven at 160 degree C. Put the butter chocolate, coffee and water in a pan and stir over low heat till melted. Remove from the heat. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, caster sugar and bicarb soda and beat until combined. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs mixture and carefully whisk to combine. Grease and line your cake tin with non-sticking baking paper and make sure the collar for the side extends 2 cm above the cake tin. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture. Mix well to combine and then carefully pour into the lined cake tin. Bake for about 45-55 minutes. Leave the cake in the tin until completely cooked. Spread the icing over the cooled cake. Leave to stand for 30 minutes until the icing is firm. Refrigerate and serve

Vanilla sponge cake

Vanilla sponge cake

Ingredients for Vanilla sponge cake:
4 eggs
200 gm white sugar
125 gms flour
¼ cup cold water
1 tsp baking powder
Method for Vanilla sponge cake:
Preheat the oven at 190 degree C. In a bowl beat the eggs and slowly add sugar to it and beat until smooth. Add the cold water, baking soda and vanilla essence to it. Sieve flour and gradually pour it into the mixture. Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes. In between, keep checking for the golden brown colour. Once baked, take the cake out and leave it in room temperature to cool down. Serve

Pineapple cake

Pineapple cake

Ingredients for Pineapple cake:
2 1/3 cup flour
3 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
400 gms of crushed pineapple
1/3 cup of pineapple juice for icing
8-9 cut pineapple pieces
1 cup milk
2/3 cup butter
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Method for Pineapple cake:
Preheat oven at 190 degree C. Separate flour together with baking powder and salt and set aside. Add the pineapple juice with the milk. To the mixture, add crème butter and sugar and beat until smooth. Break the eggs into the batter slowly and add vanilla essence to it and beat till fluffy. Fold in the drained crushed pineapple. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake at and bake at 350 degree F in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes. Place the cake at room temperature. After the cake has cooled down. You can add the icing and the cut pineapple pieces. Refrigerate and serve

Oatmeal pancake

Oatmeal pancake
Ingredients
Egg whites: 4
Oatmeal: 1/3 cup
Protein powder: 10 gm and flavor of your choice
Golden banana ripe: ½ mashed
Cinnamon and honey as required

Method
Put all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well
Lightly grease a frying pan and pour the mixture into it
Turn and cook on each side to make the pancake
Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon and honey

Green Curry chicken with jasmice rice

Green Curry chicken with jasmice rice

Ingredient for green curry paste
Onion 60 gms
Garlic 40 gms
Galangal 60 gms
Green chilli 25 gms
Big green chilli 30 gms
Kaffir lime leaves 20 gms
Lemon grass 30 gms
Coriander root 20 gms
Coriander 20 gms
Coriander seeds 20 gms
Cumin seeds 20 gms

Thai green curry chicken
Curry paste 70 gms
Coconut milk 100 ml
White eggplant (diced) 50 gms
Pea aubergines 50 gm
Thai chilli diamond 10 gm
Sweet basil 15 gms
Chicken 200 gms
Light soy sauce 10 ml

Jasmine rice
Ingredients
Jasmine rice 100 gms
Water 2 times of rice

Method
Boil together onion, garlic and galangal. Blanch green chilli and keep aside. Blend the ingredients to a fine paste. In a heavy bottom pan, add oil, saute paste, coconut milk and stock. Keep cooking till curry starts leaving oil. In a seperate pan, add curry and pea aubergine, white eggplant and boil the curry. Add chicken and cook. Finish with thai chilli and sweet basil and light soy sauce. Serve hot with jasmine rice

Jasmine rice
Method
Wash drain jasmine rice. In a rice cooker, placed drained rice and add two times the water and cook till rice gets done

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse: Bittersweet chocolate finely diced about 200 gm
Unsalted butter diced in cube about 2tbs
Espresso or very strong coffee 2tbs
Cold heavy cream 1 cup
Large eggs : 3
Sugar 1 tbs

Method for Chocolate Mousse:

Whip the cream to soft peaks and refrigerate
Combine the chocolate, butter and espresso in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring every now and then until smooth. Remove from the heat and let it cool but not less than room temperature. Once the melted chocolate cooled slightly, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until they look fluffy. Sprinkle the sugar and beat until soft peaks form. When the chocolate has reached the proper temperature stir in the yolks. Gently stir in about one third about whipped cream. Fold in half the whites just until incorporated, then fold in the remaining whites and finally the remaining whipped cream. Pipe the mousse into a serving bowl

Mushroom Masala Bhaji

Mushroom Masala Bhaji

Ingredients for Mushroom Masala Bhaji

50-100 button mushrooms
1 coconut, grated
2 onions, roughly chopped
2-3 onions, finely chopped
A little turmeric powder
Tamarind

Masala for roasting in oil:

4 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp aniseed
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 dagadful
1 piece mace
8-10 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
8-10 peppercorns
1-2 bay leaves
10-15 red chillies
2 big cardamom
1 tsp shahijeera
½ inch nutmeg

Method :

Roast above masala in oil for minute or two. Remove and keep aside. In the same frying pan, dry roast grated coconut and chopped onions till light golden in color. Grind to a fine paste the roasted masala, coconut, roughly chopped onions along with turmeric powder and a little tamarind. Remove masala water separately. Wash and clean mushrooms. Cut into quarters. Fry mushrooms and finely chopped onions in a little oil for 2-3 minutes. Add masala water and masala paste. Cook till one boil. Add salt. (Do not overcook mushrooms). 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 egg yolks
2 tbsp cornstarch
salt and ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
vegetable oil

sweet and sour sauce:
1 onion, sliced
1 small red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small orange pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb can pineapple cubes in natural juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
handful of fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish
Mix together the egg yolks, with a tbsp of water, the cornstarch, and some salt and pepper.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Toss the chicken in the cornstarch mixture and deep-fry in batches for 5 minutes or until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.
Empty the oil from the wok to leave a thin coating in the pan. Stir-fry the onion and peppers over a high heat for 3 minutes.
Drain the pineapple cubes (reserving the juice), add to the pan, and cook for a minute ot two.
Mix together the cornstarch and a little of the pineapple juice to form a paste, then stir in the remaining juice, the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Pour this into the pan and bring to a boil, stirring until the mixture thickens.
Stir the chicken pieces into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes until cooked through. Check the seasoning then divide between bowls.
Scatter the cilantro on top and serve.

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1 (8 ounce) package macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded good quality
1/2 cup breadcrumbs, buttered

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.
2 Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions; set aside.
3 In a large saucepan melt butter.
4 Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended.
5 Pour milk and cream in gradually; stirring constantly.
6 Bring to boiling point and boil 2 minutes (stirring constantly).
7 Reduce heat and cook (stirring constantly) 10 minutes.
8 Add shredded cheddar little by little and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.
9 Turn off flame.
10 Add macaroni to the saucepan and toss to coat with the cheese sauce.
11 Transfer macaroni to a buttered baking dish.
12 Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
13 Bake 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
14 (You can also freeze this recipe in zip-lock bags for later use - once you have mixed the macaroni along with the cheese sauce allow to cool to room temperature before adding to your freezer - I generally pull it out the night before and allow macaroni and cheese to reach room temperature; I then add the macaroni and cheese to a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs and then bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling.

Veg Dim Sum

Veg Dim Sum

Ingredients for Veg Dim Sum
Carrots (chopped) 100 gms
Snow peas 100 gms
Celery (chopped) 50 gms
Water chestnut (chopped) 80 gms
Bamboo shoot (chopped) 20 gms
Shitake mushrooms (chopped) 50 gms
Soy sauce 2 tbs
Oil 2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1 ½ tsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Pepper to taste
Dim Sum wrapper 12 nos
Tapioca flour 2 tbs

Method for Veg Dim Sum
Blanch all the vegetables briefly in a large pot of boiling water and set aside
Now heat oil in wok and saute chopped celery and add soy sauce and seasoning, add tapioca flour and simmer till thick

Chilli prawns

Chilli prawns
Ingredients for Chilli prawns
Prawns ½ kg
Shitake mushrooms (sliced)
200 gms garlic, minced
6 cloves
Thai chilli paste 2 tbsp
Oyster sauce 4 tbsp
Oil for sauteing
Little bit of salt
Spring onion 1 spring
Red chilli4
Pokchoy 1 bunch

Method for Chilli prawns
Mix oyster sauce and roasted red chilli paste
Heat pan, saute garlic
When half cooked, add mushrooms and prawns
Cover and let prawns cook
Lower the fire once the sauce from prawns starts to boul
When the shell is rich orange, add in the chilli and oyster mix
Stir to make sure all the prawns are covered with the chilli oyster mix
Turn off the fire
Serve with sauteed pokchoy

Tuna nicoise salad

Tuna nicoise salad

Ingredient for Tuna nicoise salad

Extra virgin olive oil: 90 ml
White wine vinegar: 30 ml
Dijon mustard: 10 gm
Garlic clove crushed: 1 piece
Salt and crushed black pepper

For the salad-
Baby potatoes: 250 gm
Ripe plum tomatoes cut into 1/6: 240 gm
Green beans split lengthwise into two: 250 gm
Onion, sliced into rings: 80 gm
Kalamata olives: 80 gm
Eggs, hardboiled, cut into ¼: 5 pieces
Tuna, poached in olive oil: 200 gm
Anchovy fillets: 50 gm
Basil leaves: 20 gm
Capers: 10 gm
Balsamic vinegar: a dash

Direction for Tuna nicoise salad

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salter water until tender. Keep aside to cool. In the same water, cook the beans until bright green and crisp. Refresh in cold water. Drain and keep along with potatoes. Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together the olive oil, garlic, dijon mustard and white wine vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper. Break tuna into bite sized chunks. Finally, to assemble take a salad bowl, add all the ingredients. Drizzle dressing over. Garnish with a few basil leaves, anchovies and a dash of balsamic.

Hilsa/Ilish/Elish with white wine

Hilsa/Ilish/Elish with white wine

Ingredients Hilsa/Ilish/Elish with white wine

500 gm hilsa fillet
100 gm butter
200 ml white wine
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp mustard paste
1 dessert spoon fresh cream
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTION FOR HILSA/ILISH/ELISH WITH WHITE WINE:

Marinade the hilsa with chopped garlic, lemon juice, mustard paste, salt and pepper. Leave the marinade fillet in the fridge for 1 hour. To prepare the white wine sauce, heat butter in a pan, add white wine and cream. Stir quickly on a low flame till the ingredients have mixed well. Heat the grilling pan and grill the fillet on both side on a low flame for 5-7 min.
Serve with the white wine sauce

Hilsa Mussallam Elish-Ilish

Ingredients Hilsa Mussallam (Elish-Ilish)

1300 gm hilsa fillet
For marinade
4 1/2 tsp ginger paste
2 1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
60 ml lemon juice
Salt

For masala
2 green chillies, chopped
a small cut of ginger finely chopped
1/4 desiccated coconut
salt to taste
3 tbsp of lemon juice
3 tbsp honey
150 gm desi ghee
1 cup yogurt
100 gm fried onion paste
45 gm fried garlic paste
2 1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
45 gm of bhuna channa
1 tsp green cardamom powder
1/2 tsp black pepper (grounded)
Butter

DIRECTION FOR HILSA MUSSALLAM:

Clean the fish, wash, slit through the center and side. Mix the marinade ingredients and rub the fish with it and set aside for 15 min. Make the steamer hot for about 5 min. Pre-heat the oven to 135 deg C. Make a course paste of green chilli, chopped ginger, coconut and honey in a blender. In a separate bowl, beat the yougurt, fried onion, fried garlic, ginger and garlic paste, add red chilli powder and salt and beat the mix again to settle down. Melt butter, add the yougurt paste and keep it hot until fat begin to appear on the surface. Then add flour of bhuna channa and sauté for 2-3 min. Remove from flame, cool and add the remaining ingredients along with the course coconut and honey paste and stir for seasoning.
Arrange the steamed hilsa in a large greased roasting tray, coat half the masala on top, turn the fish and coat the remaining masala on the other side of the fish. Thereafter take the fish and put it in pre-heated oven for 10-12 min for roasting, put butter at regular intervals

Mexican Tortilla Skillet

Ingredients for Mexican Tortilla Skillet
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 packet store-bought or homemade taco seasoning mix
6 burrito-size flour tortillas
2 cups pureed canned or fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 green bell pepper (optional), seeded and chopped
Preparation
1. Heat a large skillet over high heat until hot. Add ground beef, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook until beef is browned, breaking it into small pieces with the side of a spoon and mixing everything together.

2. While beef is browning, slice tortillas into 1-inch squares. A pizza cutter or scissors works well for this.

3. Add tomatoes, salsa, and cut-up tortillas to skillet and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. If it seems dry, you can add a little water. Once this is heated through, sprinkle cheese over top and cover for a few minutes. Once cheese is melted, it is ready to serve. Sprinkle with chopped green pepper (if using) for a little color, crunch, and a healthy dose of vitamin C.

Spiced Lamb and Vegetable Kebabs with Cilantro-Mint Sauce

Ingredients for Spiced Lamb and Vegetable Kebabs with Cilantro-Mint Sauce
Kebabs:
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
16 cherry tomatoes
16 (2-inch) pieces yellow bell peppers
16 (1/2-inch) wedges red onion
Cooking spray

Sauce:
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Preparation
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare kebabs, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; add lamb, tossing to coat. Thread lamb, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion alternately onto each of 8 (8-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning occasionally.

3. To prepare the sauce, combine cilantro and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Serve with kebabs.

Ice cream with mango-cardamom sauce: Place 1 chopped peeled ripe mango, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom in a food processor; process until smooth. Serve over ice cream.

Masala fried prawn

Masala fried prawn

Ingredients for Masala fried prawn
Prawns: 10 (medium size)
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 15
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Green chilli (chopped)
Rice flour: 1 tsp
Corn flour: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder: ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Onion (chopped): 1 tsp
Tomato (chopped): 1 tsp
Garlic (chopped): 1 tsp
Oil: ½ tsp

Direction for Masala fried prawn
Take prawns, de-skin and devain leaving the tail on
Marinate with salt, ginger-garlic paste and lime juice
Add corn flour and rice flour to the prawns and mix well
Deep fry the prawns till golden brown
Take a pan, add oil, sauté garlic, curry leaves, onion and tomato
Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt
Toss jhinga in the masala and serve hot

Lal mass (goat curry)

Lal mass (goat curry)

Ingredients for lal mass

Goat curry cut: 1 kg
Refined oil: 200ml
Onions: 300 gms
Ginger garlic: 100 gms
Whole spices (black & green cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, black peppercorn): 20 gms
Salt to taste
Red chilli (whole): 20 gms
Coriander powder: 10 gms
Turmeric powder: 05 gms
Curd: 100 gms
Tomato puree: 200 gms
garam masala: 10gms

Direction for lal mass
Heat the oil and add spices, cook till it starts crackling.
Add chopped onion and cook till golden brown in colour
Add chopped ginger garlic, goat curry and cook till the oil separates from the meat. Soak red chillies in water and make fine paste and mix. Add all spices except garam masala, add beaten curd and cover it with a lid and cook on slow fire. Add tomato puree and cook till mutton pieces are well cooked. Finish with garam masala

Pasta with pesto sauce

Pasta with pesto sauce

Ingredients for pasta with pesto sauce

Basil leaves: 55 gms
Pine nuts: 20 gms
Garlic: one or two cloves
Parmesan (two years old): 40 gms
Sardinian pecorino cheese: 10 gms
Coarse salt: a few grain
Extra virgin olive oil from the liqurian Riviera: 550gms

Direction for pasta with pesto sauce

Wash the basil leaves in plenty of cold water. Leave them to dry on a towel. You can also use a hand-operated salad spinner. During this process, pay attention not to break, crush or rub the basil leaves. You need to use a marble mortar and wooden pestle when making Genoese pesto. Once clean, crush the garlic and pine nuts in the mortar until they are creamy. Add the dry basil leaves a few at a time, and salt. Don’t beat the mixture, but use the pestle with a delicate movement, rotating it against the sides of the mortar. This movement is necessary to extract the essential oils from the veins of the basil leaves, which are therefore not broken but rubbed against the side of the mortar. Continue this movement until the sauce is homogeneous and well-mixed, and the basil is very fine. Add the parmesan and the Sardinian pecorino cheese. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil and stir again with a wooden spoon until the cheese is mixed in.