Potato Rosti

The first time I came across this dish was on our honeymoon in Switzerland. The country was beautiful as expected, the cuisine too didn't disappoint us. Since  this picturesque country shares its border with Germany, Italy, Austria and France, its cuisine too has a large influence of these countries as you go towards the respective borders. We enjoyed the famous cheese fondue, Swiss Cheese and Chocolates, Swiss meringue with cream and last but not the least our favourite breakfast item....POTATO ROSTI!! During our week long stay, Rosti dominated our breakfast plates.

It was way back in 2007 when I experienced the dangling sound of metal Cow Bells hanging around the necks of the cows, the beautiful alpine meadows, the charming old houses decorated with coloured flowers, the diplomatic capital of the World Geneva where we visited the United Nations office, Jungfraujoch - my first snowy experience at the top most point of Europe and more....everything still remains fresh in my memory!! 

Ingredients:

• 4 large starchy potatoes (which are used for baking and roasting)
• 1 large spanish onion (those white ones)!! (But I used the regular red ones as I ran short of the whites)
• Your favourite herbs (Thyme, rosemary & Oregano preferably)
• salt & pepper to season
• Butter for shallow frying

Method:

1. Peel and grate the potatoes coarsely with hand. Do not use the food processor as this will make the potatoes more wet.
2. Put the grated potatoes in a muslin cloth and nicely squeeze it to take out all the water. Keep aside.
3. Finely chop the onions and mix with the grated potatoes. 
4. Now season them with salt and pepper. Also add lavish pinch of all your favourite herbs. Mix well.
5. Heat some butter in the frying pan. Take a portion of the potato mixture and make a round ball.
6. With the help of a round cookie cutter or a food ring, place the ball inside the ring and gently flatten it like a round fish cake.  Take out the ring. 
7. Repeat the same with other remaining potato mixture. 
8. Fry the rosti for approx 4-5 minutes on each side on a low heat. Since the potato is raw, it will take time to cook till inside, so you keep the fire low. 
9. When its golden both sides, remove from the pan and place it on a kitchen towel to take off the excee oil.
10. Serve hot potato rostis with toasts, eggs and beans. 

Hills, Chills and a Bit of Welsh Sunshine gone into baking a "Madeira Cake"

It was a chilly yet Sunny Sunday morning in the countryside called Newtown in Wales where I had gone to spend a weekend at my Best friend Meghana's place. Though she never gives a damn  about this place, I get a sense of serenity, tranquility and at peace whenever I come here. (May be because, I live in a city and I don't get to see those meadows, sheep and mountains anymore).  Sunday was well spent as we made some hot masala chai, poured it in a flask, took some crisps and drove to a tourist spot in Mid Wales called Llanidloes (Don't take effort to pronounce it, its Welsh...and the spellings have no connection with the pronunciation..:P). We stopped at a beautiful man made reservoir called the Llani Lake and what a sight it was. The river Severn was locked inside the dam and tinge of snow covered hills surrounded it. I could only imagine, how beautiful it would be in peak summer. The picture below will give you an idea of how postcardish view it was. 

We spent some time there and drove back home and my friend was in a mood to bake something in her oven. She has never baked in her life and she wanted to start from somewhere. I, a cooking enthusiast was waiting for a push. I immediately took out my baking bible (I carry it anywhere, everywhere...;P) from my suitcase and suggested her  that we bake a MADEIRA Cake....Simple, Spongy and a first Start at Baking!!

 

 (view from Meghana's Balcony)

                                                       

 The Cake came out perfect as expected and what delighted us was that we used our hands and muscles instead of an electric beater. Our hard work paid off and the result was just YUMMY Yum!! 

 Ingredients:

• 180 gm unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 185 gm caster sugar (plus 2 tsp extra)
• 165 gm self-raising flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• icing sugar to dust (powder the caster sugar in a blender)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 Degree Celsius. Grease and flour a deep 18 cm round cake tin.
2. Beat the  butter and sugar with an electric beater until pale and creamy. Add the eggs gradually, one by one, beating well after each addition. 
3. Fold in the flour, lemon zest and lemon juice until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and level it with a spatula. Sprinkle the extra caster sugar on top of the mixture. 
5. Bake for one hour. 
6. Remove the cake from the oven and insert a skewer to check whether the cake is done. If it comes out clean, the cake is well done. 
7. Allow the cake to cool for fifteen minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack. 
8. Sprinkle the icing sugar on top of the cake before slicing them.  
9. 

Hot Cross Buns

"Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns,
     One a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns,
         Give them to your daughters, Give them to your sons
                 One a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns,

                        Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns!!"

Remember this nursery rhyme? Oh sure you do!! And how I wished in my school days, that a real Hot Cross Bun vendor should come knocking on my door and I run with a penny or two in hand to buy those delicious looking Hot soft buns...mmmm!! Then the realization strikes, that these rhymes cannot apply in India, girl! You can only run with a 50 paisa to get a delicious Vada pav or a samosa, not Hot Cross Buns!! And how I used to envy the children living in the British land. But only after coming here I knew that these were just a thing of the past. There are no Hot Cross Bun Vendors shouting on the streets any more, You just go buy a pack of machine made buns in a superstore and break your fast in the busy mornings when you just don't get time to cook. 

 

 But when I read about the origin of these soft and spicy buns, I came to know that Hot Cross Buns were made during the time of Easter and the Cross on the buns depicted the crucifixion of the Christ. People used to eat these buns on a Good Friday and considered them to be auspicious. Some believed it will strengthen the friendship between the two people who share the bun equally dividing the buns across the cross. There's so much more stories behind these little round glozzy squidgy cross buns. So I decided to bake some Homemade Hot Cross Buns this Easter to mark the end of this depressing winter (well at least psychologically)...!!

Ingredients:

• 450 gm strong white flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 2 x 7 gm sachets easy-blend yeast
• 50 gm caster sugar
• 150 ml warm milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50 gm unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp all spice / mixed spice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 100 gm raisins (or currants)
• 1 tsp salt

For the Cross:

• 4 tbsp plain flour
• little water (to make a thick paste of the flour)

For Glazing:

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp water

Method:

1. Put the flour, yeast, caster sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl with the spices and the raisins and mix well. 
2. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, 50 ml warm water, the beaten egg and melted butter. Mix everything together to form a dough with a wooden spoon. After mixing knead properly with your hands. Just add more flour or water if the dough is too wet or dry.
3. Knead the dough until soft. Transfer the dough into a clean bowl and cover it with a wet tea towel. Leave it in a warm place for a minimum of one hour until it rises in double. 
4. Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knock the dough with your hands and knead again. 
5. Roll the dough into a long log shape, then quarter it and divide each quarter into 3 pieces.  Shape each portion into a smooth round and place on a baking sheet greased with butter, leaving some room between each bun for it to rise.
6. Use a small, sharp knife to score a cross on the top of each bun, then cover again with a wet cloth and keep them again in a warm place to prove for 20 minutes. 
7. Meanwhile heat oven to 200 Degree Celsius.
8. For the Cross, mix the plain flour with just enough water to give you a thick paste. Pipe or spoon a white cross with the paste on the cross marked on top of the buns. 
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the buns are golden and sound hollow when tapped at the bottom. 
10. While still warm, melt the granulated sugar with 1 tbsp water in a small pan, then brush over the buns. Yummy Yummy Hot Cross Buns are ready!! 

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis

Oooh!! PANNA COTTA...This name gives you the feeling that it is the most intricate, sophisticated and  "Oh boy, we can't cook those at home" type of a dessert. Well, atleast that's what I thought until I tried to make it at home. Panna Cotta or "The cooked cream" in Italian is one of the easiest desserts one can make anytime at home. Less time, Less ingredients, Less hassle, No oven (That's a relief), No Egg, Voila....a great looking rich restaurant dish is cooked up!!



Panna Cotta, originally from Italy, is a jelly like, rich, wobbly custard made up of cooked cream, vanilla and sugar with a little gelatine to thicken it up. Along with it, I have made a Strawberry coulis to top it off. The silky smoothness of the cream with the tanginess of the berry sauce will make your palate go all wohoooo about it. Make this when your guests come home and earn some brownie points, I say!! ;P

Ingredients:

• 500 ml double cream
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 4 sheets of clear gelatine
• 15-20 fresh strawberries
• 3 tbsp icing sugar

Method:

1.  Cut the vanilla pod length ways and scrape out the seeds. Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the vanilla pod and seeds and bring to a boil over a medium heat. 
2. Stir in the sugar an simmer away for 15 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain or press the liquid from the gelatine.  
4. Pour the hot cream through a sieve into a bowl, then dissolve the gelatine in it. 
5. Take out your souffle dishes or ramekins and fill with the cream. Chill for about 6-8 hours in the refrigerator. 
6. For the coulis, The strawberries need to be washed first. Cook the straberries in a saucepan along with the icing sugar until pulpy thick.
7. While hot, press the berries through a sieve into a bowl and allow it to cool.
8. At the time you serve, turn out the souffle dishes onto the serving dish. Just release the panna cotta from the sides of the dish with a help of a knife before inverting it. It will wobble and slide off easily.
9. Top with the strawberry coulis and relish. 

Hyderabadi Murgh Biriyani (Chicken Biriyani)

Well the recipe of "Panna Cotta and Strawberry Coulis" will have to wait for some time because the King of all Rice Dishes..."Biriyani" suddenly agreed to honour my blog page. Now who can say no to a "Biriyani"? :) I was in a mood to make a lavish Chicken Biriyani this weekend so I dedicated my entire Sunday for it in spite of my runny nose and sore throat. Long time back I had posted the recipe of "Prawn Biriyani" and slowly I thought of sharing the recipes of all the types of Biriyani made in various parts of the sub-continent. The Awadhi Mutton Biriyani of Lucknow, My very own native's Malabari Biriyani, Sindhi Biryani, Lahori Biriyani and various other lip-smacking varieties of it. Today I tried one of the delicious and my very confident recipe of "Hyderabadi Murgh Biriyani" straight from the City of the Pearls "Hyderabad". 

  

You will get a ten on ten with this recipe. It has never gone wrong for me even once, only just that you have to stick to the exact measurement of all the spices and other main ingredients. So here's "Hyderabadi Murgh Biriyani" for you, a real Gastronomical delight!! 

Ingredients:

• 600 gm chicken ( with bone, washed & cut into bite size chunks, legs can be included with the pieces)
• 300 gm basmati or any long grain rice (soaked in water for a minimum of 30 minutes)
• 3 large red onions (very finely sliced)
• 3 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 6-7 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• 4 inch of ginger (finely chopped)
• 5-6 whole cardamom
• 8-10 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks ( 1 inch long each)
• 1 star anise
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 3 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 cup fried onions (you get it in any super store or you can make it at home by deep frying 2 finely sized medium onions until golden and crisp) 
• 2 cups freshly chopped coriander leaves & mint leaves
• 1/2 cup milk
• generous pinch of saffron threads
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• salt to taste

Method:

1.  Take a big bowl & put the chicken pieces to it. Now add the yoghurt, half of the chopped garlic, half of the chopped ginger, one and a half tsp red chilli powder & 1 tsp salt to the chicken. Mix everything with hands till the yoghurt mixture has completely coated with the chicken pieces.Cover and let it marinate for at least an hour. 

1. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the Biriyani rice. Boil 4 cups of water in a big sauce pan. Add 3 cardamoms, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, i black cardamom and 5 cloves to the water along with a tsp of salt. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan of boiling water. Cook the rice till its 80% done. Drain immediately and set the rice aside in a flat plate which will help the grains not stick to each other. 
2. Heat the oil in a deep based pan.Add the remaining cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon to it. Add the chopped onions & saute till its golden brown.
3. Now add the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, coriander powder, remaining red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and required amount of salt to the onions. Saute for 30 seconds. Now add the chopped tomatoes and allow it to cook till they release oil on the sides. 
4. After 5 minutes, add the marinated chicken and cook with the tomato gravy for 5 minutes. Add half cup of water(100 ml) to it and let the chicken cook in low heat for another 15 minutes. Make sure the gravy has less water after the chicken is cooked. It shouldn't be too runny. Do not close with a lid. 
5. The chicken will be cooked by now. At this stage add 1 cup of the mint and coriander leaves and stir well. Switch off the heat.
6. Spread the earlier cooked rice evenly on the chicken. So the bottom layer would be chicken and the top layer would be rice. 
7. Warm the milk in a microwave for 30 seconds with the saffron threads in it.
8. Sprinkle the warm saffron milk on top of the rice along with the remaining cup of the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Sprinkle the fried onions over the rice and lastly dob some ghee all over it. 
9.  Cover the pan with a tight lid so that the steam doesn't escape from the sides. Some people seal the sides with a string of atta dough but if the lid is tight, you can avoid sealing it. 
10. Place a flat tawa or a griddle on a low heat and place the  pan on top of the tawa. Cook in a medium heat for 10-12 minutes till the rice is fully cooked.  
11. The Biriyani is ready to be relished. You can either mix the rice and chicken together with a large fork or serve as a layer itself. Anyway, its going to be super delish! A Raita would go very well any Biriyani. Also boil an egg for each person and place it on top of the Biriyani while serving.

PS: Click "Prawn Biriyani" to get the delicious recipe. :) 

Peppered Lamb Steaks with Asparagus in Herb Butter

Aah! Its so good to be back to my favourite place..My Blog!! Its my ultimate comfort place. I didn't realize it is more than three months now after my last blog post. I had been on a two month long, relaxing vacation with my family and friends in India and what a fine Holiday it was. The three Fs...Friends, Family and Food blended well each and every day of the ninety days I spent In India. I gorged on to some of the delectable delicacies of my native land made by my mom, my mom-in-law and my aunt. Also, I explored the new food joints which had come up in the last two years. 

Coming back to the usual routine was a little tough as I still had my Holiday Hangover, but aye...I managed to cope with it and here I am with a brand new post and have started my 2013 with a Bang!!  I hope to post recipes frequently as i was doing it before. 

I bought some lamb steak the other day from Tesco and tried my hands on making a quick dinner for two. Dinner was ready in less than fifteen minutes and it has a a French touch to it. I have always heard of cooking a meat rare, medium rare or well done. Well, in this recipe, I cooked the meat medium-rare so the steak still had a reddish tint in the center. The dessert that night was equally interesting and pretty quick to make. The recipe of "Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis" will soon follow. Till then, Bon Apetit!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 lamb steaks (2cm thick)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20 asparagus spears
• 8-10 lettuce leaves
• 50 gm unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp chopped parsley (can use dried parsley)
• 1/2 tsp chopped basil leaves (can use dried basil) 

Method:

1. Crush the peppercorns lightly, using a pestle and mortar. Spread the crushed peppercorns onto a wide plate and press both sides of the lamb steaks onto the peppercorns to coat. Sprinkle some salt over the steaks.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the lamb steaks and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning just once. 
3. Remove from the pan and leave it to rest for 5 minutes while you dress up your asparagus.
4. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for exactly 2 minutes and no more. Drain and keep aside.
5. For the herb butter, beat the softened butter with the chopped butter and season with some salt and pepper.
6. Just spoon some butter over the asparagus.
7. At the time of serving, Take a wide plate and lay the lettuce leaves on the base. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. Then place the asparagus with the rest of the herb butter on the sides. Thickly slice the medium rare cooked lamb steaks length wise and place it on top of the lettuce leaves. 

Mathri (Fried Crackers)

"Deepak ki roshni, Patako ki awaz, Suraj ki kirane, Khushiyon ki bauchaar, Chandan ki khusboo, Apno ka pyar, Mubarak ho apko.... Diwali ka tyohar" (The Bright lights emitted from the oil lit lamps,  Those fiery sounds of the fire crackers, rays of sunshine which showers happiness throughout, the fragrance of sandalwood & the love of our dear ones....I Wish you all these and much more on this joyous occasion called DIWALI! Wish you all a very Happy & safe Diwali. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!!

The festive season is here again and am so fortunate to experience the whole Diwali atmosphere all around me. London, like Mumbai embraces all the cultures of the world & celebrating Diwali is no exception here. The whole Desi Community are busy buying new clothes, Diyas, fire crackers & Mithais. I make it a point to go to these Desi inhabited towns regularly, to experience the hustle bustle during the Indian festive season. I do not miss anything here, except for my family and friends...they cannot be substituted with anything, anywhere. :( 

The overflow of Mithai and savoury recipes have already bugun in almost all the cookery blogs. Thought, why should I be left behind. I decided to make some Mithais & Savouries at home and got a brilliant idea to make them, pack them in a nice sweet box & send it to my 2 best friends who live here in the UK, but will not be able to meet up this Diwali. I have already couriered them some Mathris, ShakkarPara, Milk Pedas, Besan Laddoos & Coconut Barfi. It will be a total surprise for them and am expecting a "Thank You" call soon, while I write this post. Today am sharing the recipe of a popular North Indian namkeen (savoury) called "Mathri" , with all of you. It's a  popular snack at Indian homes and almost all the Hindustani naris (Indian Ladies)  are pretty good at making these crackers. But this recipe is for those first timers who are trying their hands on Mithai-namkeen making, this Diwali. Munch on....:)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1 cup wheat flour (atta)
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarfied butter)
• 1 tbsp ajwain (carom seeds)
• water to knead
• 1 tsp salt
• oil for deep frying

Method: 

1. In a big bowl, sieve the plain flour, wheat flour & salt. Then add the ajwain & ghee to it. Use your hands to mix everything.
2. Use a little water to knead into a tight dough. 
3. Divide the dough into lemon size balls. Roll each ball into flat round chapathis.
4. Now take a fork and prick the flattened round chapathi all over. This is done to avoid puffing up of mathris when deep frying. 
5. Take a round cookie cutter and cut round circles.  
6. Heat oil for deep frying. The oil should not be too hot. Fry these little circles slowly until they are golden and cooked well. 
7. Remove and enjoy these mathris with pickles on side or just as it is with your evening tea.
8. You can store these mathris in an air tight container and will last for days.

Alternatively, you can make mathris in a triangular shape as well. Take a lime sized dough ball and roll them into a size of a poori. Fold them into half as shown in the image below & bring the two ends together to form a triangle, Prick both sides of the triangle with a fork and deep fry them.

Click here, to get the recipe of Milk Pedas.