Eggless Tiramisu and Kopi Coffee review

Life's been crazy busy over the last couple of weeks and I haven't taken a food photograph in a while. I haven't even recharged my camera battery which died on me 2 weeks back, to be precise, right after I took pics of the Tiramisu. I had my two BB team mates over 2 weeks back to sort out our goody bags etc etc for the event and I made an Italian spread. I usually make Tiramisu in a baking dish, but this time decided to do individual portions. I think its more convenient, both to serve and to eat, when its just 3 or 4 that you need to make. 

I have been making Tiramisu for a really really long time, and I think its one of the most easiest dessert recipes ever..that is, if you can get ready made sponge fingers (Savoiardi) and mascarpone cheese easily. I would never attempt it in India where I know I will have to make them both from scratch. Its possible, and there are loads of bloggers who have done the same. Just google it and you will not be disappointed. I had tried a recipe with eggs before and as good as it is, I somehow prefer the one without eggs, since you know the eggs are not cooked and such. I recently attended a bloggers day where we had to make the "authentic" tiramisu and boy we sweated it out whipping egg whites using a whisk. So that recipe used both egg yolk and egg white, and the outcome was really good, with absolutely no taste of the eggs obvious, and it was as creamy and silky as you'd imagine it to be. I shall try that out another time.

I also decided it was the best way to make use of the Kopi coffee samples that were sent to me, which I must say are simply amazing. The husband and I are hard core coffee drinkers and I for one need a really really good cuppa first thing in the morning. Kopi is an exclusive monthly subscription coffee club wherein each month the experts hand pick the finest single-origin coffee, freshly roast it and sends it over for you to enjoy. You can choose from different types of subscriptions and since the coffee is ground just 14 days before delivery, you can be sure of how fresh it would be. I was sent two different roasts to try. The Kenya Micro-lot Gatomboya AB with festive notes of marzipan, caramel, nutmeg and redcurrant is the kind of the coffee you'd like to wake up to on a Christmas morning. But my favourite however was the Java Jampit Estate Arabica which had very faint chocolate flavours, perfect for those after dinner coffee sessions. I decided to use the Arabica in my Tiramisu and it was a winner. The fact that the coffee packs can be sealed well even after they are opened, impressed me, and each time I opened the pack a strong whiff of the freshly powdered coffee used to hit me. Now that's what a good wake up call should be like :)

Coming back to the recipe...it is so easy to put together and the best part, you can make it a day or two ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Serve it cold or leave it out on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes, so its not tooo cold for your liking. 

Recipe adapted from here (makes 6 individual portions)

Sponge fingers- around 12 to 15

Cocoa powder- to dust

Mascarpone cheese- 220 gms

Vanilla extract- 1 1/2 tsp

Powdered sugar- 3 to 4 tbsp (as sweet as you prefer)

Double cream- 1 cup

Strong coffee/ espresso powder- 1 tbsp (I used the Java Jampit Estate Arabica coffee)

Boiling water 1/2 cup

Kahlua coffee liqueur- 1 tbsp (optional)

Sugar- 1/2 tbsp

 

Make the coffee, dissolve the sugar and keep aside to cool. 

Once cool, add the coffee liqueur (if using), stir well and keep aside till ready to use.

In a free standing mixer, using the paddle attachment beat the mascarpone cheese with the sugar and vanilla extract till just smooth. Don't over do it.

Change the attachment to a whisk and add in the double cream.

Whisk well till soft, peaks are formed. Don't over do it, or the cream will split and then you are doomed. (has happened tonnes of times)

To assemble, have the individual glasses/ ramekins ready.

Break each sponge finger into two and dip them in the coffee mix. they should not be completely soaked, but still slightly crispy on the inside. 

Line them (rather squish them) into the base of the glass. If you need smaller pieces, just break them off from the remaining fingers and use as required. Make sure the entire base of the glass is covered.

Add a generous dollop of the filling and even it out as much as possible and dust some cocoa powder on top.

Layer again with the sponge fingers dipped in coffee and continue till your glass is full. The top most layer should be the cream.

Dust with some cocoa powder and keep in the refrigerator, covered with cling film, for at least 5 to 6 hours for the flavours to catch on.

Notes: Use a thin sponge base instead of the sponge finger biscuits

While making the filling, if you don't have a stand mixer, then first mix the mascarpone with the other ingredients using a spatula, then in another bowl whisk the double cream till soft peaks form and then fold it into the mascarpone mix using a spatula.

Use the same measurements for a single dish of Tiramisu that would serve 6.

With thanks to Kopi Coffee for the review samples

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Blueberry-lavender gin and tonic

For the past couple of months a whole bunch of us (Nupur, Suchi, Preeti and I) have been busy planning Bloggers' Buzz- a food blogger meet, and its been pretty overwhelming thinking that the big day is in 2 days time. We have managed to rope in 25 bloggers and food enthusiasts and a good number of generous sponsors for the event. We will just have to wait with fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong on the day and the event is deemed a success.

There is a competition up and running for the event and its being judged by Jeanne of Cooksister, who is a well established blogger and photographer. In between all the BB work and some deadlines on the work front I couldn't whip up anything spectacular or innovative for the event, but the thought of winning a Hotel Chocolat gift hamper made me post something anyway.

I am not a big blueberry fan except if its in a muffin. So I was pleasantly surprised when the combination of lavender and blueberry in this drink made it to my top 5 (yes i have a top 5 in my mind). Lavender is quite over powering in this drink, but its such a nice and fragrant herb that I love using it in cakes, cookies and drinks. Here are two ways you can use up lavender l

Makes 6 servings

Water- 1/4 cup

Sugar- 1/4 cup

Dried lavender- 1/2 tsp

Blueberries- 2 cups

Gin- 1/2 cup

Tonic- 200ml (2 small cans)

Ice cubes- as required

 

Make a sugar syrup by boiling together the water sugar and dried lavender..

Boil, stirring occasionally, till the sugar is completely melted.

Close with a lid and let it steep for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the times up transfer the syrup into a glass and cool in the refrigerator till ready to use.

Meanwhile, wash the blueberries and tip into a saucepan with 2 tbsp of the sugar syrup and 2 tbsp of water.

Cook on medium heat till the blueberries break down and gets slightly cooked. It doesn't need to be that pulpy, just break them all down with a wooden spoon.

Cool and strain into a large bowl, diluting it with water if you find the juice is not falling through.

Add the gin and give a good stir. 

Do a taste test and if you need more sugar add the remaining sugar syrup.

Add ice cubes to the glasses and pour in the drink about half full..top with the tonic and enjoy :)

Notes: Add lemonade instead of tonic water for a change

Ignore the gin for an alcohol free version.

Muddle some mint leaves with the blueberries and I'm sure it would be great.

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Sponsored video: Samsung's Monkey Thief

I saw the above video and thought it was absolutely adorable. I mean I can soooo understand the whole 'monkey thief' campaign because during my short stint in Bangalore right after college, the apartment where I was staying had a temple next to it with a huge banyan tree and so so many monkeys (I dont know what their attraction to the place was though) and these cheeky things would just come through the kitchen windows and steal food and sometimes even spoons and the like. Needless to say I was super scared to walk out of the apartment if I could spot any monkeys monkeying around :)

This video reminded me so much of those days, and I couldn't help smiling while watching the same. Coming to which, the video describes how Samsung's new refrigerator is their target. The refrigerator, which offers a lot of new features, ends up being on their radar, that too after exploring another refrigerator that doesn't fit their criteria. 

One of the most important features of a refrigerator is space utilisation, at least according to me. This one fits the description perfectly by eliminating all dead space- large items can be put in the drawer and a wider and deeper door helps in accommodating big and tall bottles. The new bottom mounted feature has the superior digital inverter technology which means there is no unnecessary energy consumption and offers better cooling performances. Finally, the refrigerator also ensures optimal freshness which means we all get to enjoy a healthy eating style. The CoolSelect zone allows temperature control on specific compartments, the MoistFresh zone controls air circulation, maintaining the humidity needed for fruits and vegetables and the No Frost technology prevents ice build up and prevents water drop

formation which can harm the refrigerator. 

These monkeys know what they are looking for and finds its all in the Samsung refrigerator. They raid the fridge and sneak off, only to leave the owner with an empty fridge. Easy in, easy out! that sums it all.

To know more about the refrigerator and its features, check out their newsroom, website and also follow Samsung on Youtube

This is a sponsored post for Samsung

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Sour cream vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream frosting and a Tala cake pan review

As cliche as it sounds, here's wishing all you guys a Happy Valentines Day in advance. I used to get all excited about the day during my school and college days when cards, flowers, gifts etc. were all part of the fun. Now, if the husband wishes me, its celebration time :) Other than the one time just after we got married, we have never actually celebrated V-day. This year isn't any different and so the most I could do was make these cute lil heart cakes and call it a day.

Talking of which, how adorable are these hearts? I think they are the perfect size, especially in households like mine where its just two of us and don't want to bake a huge cake to satisfy those sweet cravings. Tala is a very popular brand in UK and their retro-looking products are a fave of mine. This mini heart cake pan is from their bake ware range and is perfect for a V-day treat. The springform base makes it easy to release the cake and the non-stick interior does its job really well. The only issue I had was the batter seeping through the base when it went into the oven, but like all springform pans, its better to line the interior or place it on a baking tray to catch all the drips. Other than that, I am very happy with the cake tin.

I didn't want to actually bake a cake in the pan, I wanted to do something different, but lack of planning and a busy schedule meant a normal vanilla cake it was. I had some sour cream in the fridge and thought of putting it to good use. Hence the sour cream vanilla cake. The husband will be disappointed because a lot of vanilla-ness has been doing the rounds here. He will have to bear with this one too. I, on the other hand, love plain vanilla cakes and this one was great as well. 

About the frosting...I hate butter cream icing and that's the very reason why its not made its mark on my blog. Today however, I broke my vow, and went ahead and made it. Since a very small quantity was needed, I thought it should be fine. The taste, I still am not a fan, but the fact that you can pipe it out in whichever design, shape etc makes it a winner. I shall not be trying it out again, but maybe incorporate butter into my cream cheese frostings to make it hold firmer..yes that's a possibility.

Recipe adapted from here (makes 2, 10cm hearts)

 

Plain flour- 3/4th cup

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Baking powder- 3/4th tsp

Salt- 1/4 tsp

Butter- 4 tbsp (57gms), unsalted and at room temperature

Sour cream- 1/4 cup

Egg- 1 small

Egg yolk- 2 small

Vanilla extract- 3/4th tsp

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a the bowl of your mixer using the paddle attachments.

Into it add the remaining ingredients one after the other and continue beating on medium speed everything is mixed well. There shouldn't be any traces of butter or flour visible.

Increase speed and beat well till you get a smooth and satiny mix.

Transfer the batter into the pans (greased lightly) and bake in an over pre heated at 175C for about 30 minutes or till a skewer comes out clean.

Take the hearts out of the oven and after 10 minutes release them onto cooling racks. 

Once completely cool, wrap them in cling film and refrigerate till ready to frost.

Vanilla buttercream frosting (recipe adapted from here) makes enough to fill and frost the cake as in the pic

Butter- 70gms, unsalted and at room temperature.

Powdered sugar- 85gms

Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp

Milk- 1 tbsp

Red gel paste- a pinch

Beat the butter till light and fluffy.

Add the sugar, vanilla and milk and continue beating till they all come together. It should be smooth but stiff.

Add more milk (but by bit) to loosen the mix if needed or if too loose then add more sugar.

Add the red colour and mix till the colour is evenly spread throughout the  ix.

Fill the piping bags and pipe away.

Assembly

Bring the cake to room temperature and slice into half. It was really easy to slice these darls.

If you want, moisten the cake with some sugar syrup, or even coffee.

Fill with the butter cream and top with the other half. Pipe on the sides, and also fill the top if needed.

With thanks to Tala for sending me the heart shaped cake tin to review.

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Kale- two ways

 

I was introduced to kale a while back at this PR event where they served it crispy, and I loved it. From then on Ive wanted to try it at home but never actually got around to doing it. This time too I picked up a pack of curly kale leaves to make crispy kale, but obviously my mind (and tummy) had other plans. I decided to make a thoran and then half way through I suddenly changed my mind and decide to also make dal with half of it. Yes that's how my mind works, no planning, nothing :)

I have also started freezing anything and everything possible, and did the same with this as well. Both dal and thoran were put into freezer bags and stashed away for a day I would be absolutely lazy to cook. Replace the kale with spinach for spinach dal and spinach (cheera) thoran (shall be attempting this soon).

Kale dal

 

Moong dal- 1/2 cup

Green chilli- 1, slit

Garlic- 4 pods, roughly chopped

Water- 2 cups

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies- 2

English shallots- 3, finely chopped (or 1 small onion)

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida- 1 generous pinch

Fenugreek powder- 1/5 tsp (optional)

Tomato- 1, finely chopped

Kale- 3 cups, washed and roughly chopped

Oil- 2 tbsp

Salt- to taste

 

Cook the dal with the green chilli, garlic 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, salt and water in a pressure cooking till done (around 2 to 3 whistles on medium heat).

Remove from fire, open the life once the pressure releases on its own and lightly mas the dal with the back of a spoon. 

If you feel its too thick, add more water, put it back on flame and bring to a boil. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the cumin seeds and red chillies.

Once they slightly sizzle, add the shallots and cook on medium fire till they turn a golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Add the powders- turmeric, chilli, asafoetida and fenugreek- and continue sauteeing till the oil starts to surface slightly.

In goes the tomato. Cook till they get mashed and you get a thick masala.

At this point add the kale and mix it all in. 

Add salt and cover and cook till the kale gets wilted a bit (it doesn't get wilted like spinach though).

Pour in the cooked dal and give one good stir to mix it all in. Check for salt and add more if necessary.

Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes after which you can transfer to a serving bowl and have it hot with rice, pappad and pickle.

Kale thoran (kale with coconut and spices)

Kale- 3 cups

Dessicated coconut- 1/2 cup (I use frozen)

Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp

Garlic- 3 pods, peeled

Shallots- 7 to 8, peeled

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Green chilli- 1

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Dry red chillies- 2

 

Grind together coarsely the coconut, cumin seeds, garlic, shallots, turmeric powder and green chilli and salt in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar. It need not be paste like. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed deep pan and splutter mustard seeds with curry leaves and dry red chilli.

Into this add the ground mix and saute for a couple of minutes, just to get rid of the rawness. Don't brown the coconut.

Add the kale and mix well. Pour in a tbsp of water and cover and cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame, stirring occasionally.

Check for salt, add more if needed, give a final stir and transfer to a serving bowl.

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7 layer rainbow cake with mascarpone-whipped cream frosting

We completed 7 years of marital bliss (if you can call it that anymore) last Saturday. I was, as usual, in a foul mood and then the husband surprises me with a gift, making me feel bad for not getting him anything in return. So to show my gratitude, I baked him a 7 layer rainbow cake to celebrate 7 colourful years of our lives. Actually I'm bull shitting, I baked the cake because I had to submit it to a magazine, and I just timed it right :)

However, it was a good idea since Ro had no clue what was underneath the white exterior. I'd made the cake and frosted it all on Friday (more so because sat was supposedly a sunny day and I could take pics) but no I dint tell Ro that and made him believe it was an anniv cake. All the while he kept asking me if it was a 3 layer cake and how we were gonna cut it and I went with the flow. Came 26th and I cut into it (after saying a prayer because you have no clue what its gonna look like) and voila...a beautiful 7 layer cake with all the colours of the rainbow (well, almost). Showed it to Ro and the first thing that came out of his mouth was something I cant mention here, but if you are on my friends list on FB, some of you'd know what I'm talking about :) :) I have cousins and friends who cant keep their mouths shut!!!!

Anyhoo, the cake tasted fab and although it was all pretty and such, I shall not be doing something like this again (well, unless I'm being paid to do it). I did it all in a day and it was a bit too much. If I'd split it over 2 or even 3 days, it would have made matters easier but of course I suck at planning and organizing, which is why I had to hurry and do this all one day before the big day. I also got disposable aluminium foil flan containers which made it sooo much more easier since I could do all the 7 cakes at one go in my oven. But obviously, the photographer in me didn't agree, and so while the first 3 were in the oven I set about taking pics of the remaining 4. You really don't need disposable containers, I'm just lazy to clean and reuse cake pans, and hence chose this method.

Talking about the cake, you can pretty much adapt it to whichever cake you want  (no not chocolate) and I stuck to a basic vanilla cake to not complicate matters. A lemon, coconut or orange flavoured one would work just fine. I did some major research before the expedition and all the recipes I came across had omitted the indigo shade and had only 6 layers. That meant, the cake batter measurement had to be reworked and recalculated to accommodate 7 layers. It was all too much work and so what I did was, took a normal vanilla cake recipe and made it into a 7 layer- 6 inch size cake. The trick to get even layers is to weigh the batter. I did some crazy calculations and decided my batter would be 215 odd grams per pan. I went wrong somewhere and ended up with more batter for the red layer (as you may have noticed). But by then, all you want to do is get the damn cakes baked and left aside to cool. So don't fret too much about the cake size..if you can manage to get an approximate weight into each, that's good enough.

I also wanted to keep the frosting fuss free and most importantly, butter free. I hate how much butter the butter cream and meringue frosting's take and my heart belongs to the cream frostings (not any better, I know!). So I stuck to a whipped cream frosting with some mascarpone thrown in and it was a great decision. I even got a lighter mascarpone version to justify the amount of stuff that went into the cake. Anyways, we loved the cake- its moist and does its job of being a vanilla flavoured cake beautifully. I would definitely be using this cake recipe in future experiments.

Without further rambling, here's the recipe for the gigantic rainbow cake

Moist vanilla cake (Recipe adapted from here- makes a 7 layer, 6 inch cake or 3 layer, 8 inch cake)

Butter- 1 cup, at room temperature

Granulated sugar- 2 cups

Eggs- 4 medium, at room temperature

Self-raising flour- 3 cups (*refer notes)

Whole milk- 1 cup

Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Gel colours- all the 7 colours (I used a brand called Sugar Flair)

Cream the butter till nice and fluffy, using the paddle attachment of your mixer or using a hand mixer.

Add sugar and continue to cream for about 4 minutes, till the mix is light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Throw in the flour, alternating between the milk, starting and ending with flour. Beat on low till the mix is well combined and no traces of flour is obvious.

Finally, add the vanilla extract and give one final mix

Get 7 bowls ready. Weigh the batter and transfer them into the bowls. (should be approximately of same weight)

Also preheat the oven to 175C.

Add the colours to the individual bowls. A little goes a long way when it comes to gel colours, so add bit by bit, mix and see if its the colour you are looking for. What you see is what you get as the final product.

Transfer the batter into cake pans (greased and lined if not using aluminium foil containers) and gently tap them on the counter a couple of times to pop the air bubbles.

If your oven cant take more than 2 at a time, that's perfectly fine. Just keep the other pans ready and you can bake them in batches.

Bake for about 15 to 17 minutes or till a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake should slightly spring back when touched.

Transfer to a cooling rack and after about 10 minutes remove from container and leave aside to cool completely, after which you can wrap them in cling film and store in the refrigerator for a day or two till ready to frost.

Notes: *I didn't have self raising flour so I made my own by mixing 11/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt for every one cup of plain flour. So for the recipe, I sifted together 3 cups of plain flour with 3 3/4 tsps of baking powder and 3/4th tsp salt.

Butter flavouring was called for in the recipe. I have no clue what that is, so didn't use.

If the cakes have domed, slice off the dome using a serrated knife, only after they have cooled completely.

Mascarpone-whipped cream frosting

 

Mascarpone cheese- 250 gms, chilled (I used a lighter version)

Double cream- 2 cups, chilled (whipping cream as it is known elsewhere)

Powdered sugar- 3 tbsp (increase or reduce as preferred. I kept it at 3 tbsp since the cake was sweet enough)

Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Using the paddle attachment of your free standing mixer (or hand mixer if that's what you have), beat the mascarpone cheese till smooth and fluffy, for about a minute.

Add the vanilla extract and sugar and continue mixing for another minute.

Change to the whisk attachment and start whipping, while gradually adding the double cream.

Keep whipping till you get stiff peaks and is of pipable consistency. Do this on high speed but keep a close watch as you don't want to over whip and cause the cream to separate.

Add more cream if you think its too loose. 

You can also replace the mascarpone cheese with cream cheese and you'd get an even better frosting.

Assembling

Place the first layer on a serving plate- the violet layer in this case- and spread about 3 to 4 tbsp of frosting over it, using an off-set spatula. I chose to keep the frosting thin because I didn't want too much white separating the colours. 

Top with indigo layer and repeat the process till you reach orange. 

Once you have spread the frosting on the orange layer, turn the red cake upside down (top facing down) and place it on top of the orange cake. That way you have a smooth top to finish off.

Do a crumb coat by covering the cake with a thin coat of frosting, just to seal in all the crumbs, then do a generous coat of frosting and smoothen it out as much as possible.

Refrigerate till ready to use, and about 15 to 20 minutes before serving bring it to room temperature.

Notes: As you can see I did a rubbish job of frosting it. By the time the crumb coat was over, I was beyond exhaustion. I just wanted to finish it and go sleep or something. So like I mentioned before spread the entire process over a couple of days and you wont have a cake frosted like that

The whipped cream frosting does not hold well when its warm. Its starts melting, so keep in the refrigerator till ready to use.

That also means, the cake holds good only for about 4 to 5 days max. Store in the refrigerator at any cost

The frosting also starts to crack, I think because of temperature variations. I panicked, but don't worry, just whip up some more double cream and fill the cracks.

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Coconut milk pulao

 

We had some friends staying over last weekend and it was a hell of a lot of fun. On Monday, after a day out shopping, we got back home exhausted. With the plan of ordering food from outside, we sat down and relaxed with a cup of tea for more gossip sessions. At around 5pm this sudden enthusiasm to cook came over me (and let me warn you, that's not something that happens often, or let me say ever). So I got up and said I was gonna make dinner.

This friend of mine said she would help and we got around to chopping and peeling. Pulao and a beef curry was on the cards and we started prepping. Half way through, the conversation went on to Thai and jasmine rice and coconut milk and my friend said she makes a pulao with coconut milk. She was explaining the procedure and it sounded too good to pass. Turned the whole thing around and decided to make that pilaf instead. 

It was so easy to make and absolutely delish. The whole credit for this dish goes to her and it would be one of those rice preps that will make its way through to my table more often. As I have said before, making rice in the microwave is a revelation to me and again its proved satisfactory. The recipe is quite versatile and you can add whatever veggies you please- it was my first time using potato in a pilaf but it was worth it, its a pretty nice addition. It serves 4 generously and I paired it with a side of beef and spinach curry, pickle and raita.

 

Rice- 1 1/2 cups (washed and soaked for at least 15 minutes)

Water- 3 cups

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Onion- 1 small, finely chopped

Green chilli- 1, finely chopped

Garlic paste- 1 tsp

Carrots- 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Beans- 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Potato- 1/4 cup, cut into small cubes
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Thick coconut milk- 1/3rd cup 

Salt- to taste

Lemon juice- 1/2 tbsp

Coriander leaves- to garnish (optional)

 

Melt the ghee in a frying pan and add sauté the onions and chilli till glossy, about 3 to 4 minutes. No need to brown it.

Add the garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears.

In goes the diced carrots, beans and potato. Add salt and turmeric powder, stir well, close the pan with a lid and let it cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Make sure it doesn't char.

Open the lid and add the coconut milk, making sure the veggies are all coated well. Continue cooking with the lid open for a few more minutes, till the veggies are cooked.

Drain the rice and add it to the coconut milk mix. Stir continuously for about 2 to 3 minutes, coating the rice with the mix.

Meanwhile, boil 3 cups of water in the kettle.

Transfer the rice mix to a microwave safe bowl, add the boiling water, lemon juice and more salt and place in the microwave, uncovered.

Cook on high (mine was a 750 wts) for 20 minutes.

Once time is up, take the bowl out to see if all the water has been absorbed. If not, put it back into the microwave and cook for another 3 minutes or so.

Leave the bowl covered for about 10 minutes (this is completely optional) and then fluff well using a fork. The grains would all be separate if cooked perfectly.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm

Notes: Do different versions with frozen peas, corn kernels, mushrooms and so on to make it more interesting.

The coconut milk taste is very distinct, think it out with water if you are not a big fan and reduce the water used accordingly. For example if using 1/2 cup think coconut milk, then use only 2 3/4 cups of boiling water. 

You can also stir in the coconut milk along with the boiling water and add to the rice so the rice gets cooked in the coconut milk. Shall try that method next time and update with results.

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No-yeast naan and keema {quick dinner idea}

Trying to figure out what to make for dinner these days has become a major chore. I mean sometimes I know what exactly I want to have and then I get all enthusiastic to source ingredients and make it happen. But on most other days I'm just lost. I'm bored with chapati and usual curries, bored with macaroni bakes, bored with dosa/ idli and bored with soup and bread. I ask Ro what he wants for dinner and he says two words all the time, Chinese or Mediterranean. Unfortunately I'm rubbish at both these and so the only option is to eat out. Which is what Ro means by Chinese and Mediterranean, but that's not an option always isn't it?

Anyways, on one of those days I was breaking my head over what to make, I did my usual scouting of blogs to get some inspiration and landed on this beautiful blog that had pretty pictures and some interesting recipes. The yohurt naan caught my eye and the fact that it didn't need any yeast and rising time and such made it even more attractive. I have always wanted to make naan at home, and have bookmarked quite a few recipes from experts out there. But that, I kept for another time and decided to try this no yeast naan the very day I found the recipe. It was so so easy to make and came out really well. In fact, I think I like this option better than the real deal, not just because it tastes fab, more so because it was all done in under half an hour. 

The first time I made it, I paired it with some Andhra egg curry, which was good, but not great. Yesterday I paired it with some kheema and it was fab. I'm not a big fan of minced beef/lamb, so I very rarely use them at home. This preparation was a pleasant change from the usual and so I enjoyed it. I am gonna use the left over mince meat in a stuffed bun, following this recipe. Both the recipes- naan and keema- are from the same blog and I'm so glad I chanced upon it on my frantic search for inspiration. 

On a completely different note, if you haven't entered my giveaway, do so soon, you only have 2 more weeks. And as I had mentioned before, we are having a bloggers meet in London on the 23rd of feb. Its a whole day event with lots of fun master classes, food and great company. We have been lucky enough to get some fabulous sponsors and it would be really great if you can make it to the event. Check out our event blog for details on how to register, sponsor updates and competitions.

No-yeast naan (recipe adapted from here, makes 10)

Plain flour- 300 gms (3 cups)

Baking powder- 2 tsp

Baking soda- 1/2 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Sugar- 1 /2 tsp

Yoghurt- 60ml (approx. 2 tbsp)

Water- 140 ml

Oil- 2 tbsp

Butter- to brush on the naan

 

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together in a mixing bowl.

Make a well in the centre and add the yoghurt and water.

Knead well, either using the dough hook of your mixer or using your hands, till the dough comes together.

Add the oil and continue kneading until you get a pliable dough. Don't over work it though.

Divide the dough equally into 10 and roll each into a ball.

Meanwhile, put a tawa on high heat and dust your counter with flour.

Roll out each of the dough balls into a round or oval- naan shape. My rolling skills are pathetic, which I'm sure you can see. But roll it out in whichever shape and size you prefer. 

Place the rolled out dough on to the tawa and wait till it puff up or you see bubbles appearing on top.

At this point flip it and cook for about a minute or so, and the naan is slightly charred.

Transfer to a plate and generously brush with butter.

Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top and serve warm.

Notes: Feel free to halve the recipe. have done it and it works fine.

I am sure you can improvise using garlic, cumin, herbs and spices etc etc. Incorporate it into the dough or sprinkle on top on you brush with butter.

To keep the naan warm, wrap in aluminium foil till ready to serve.

Beef keema with peas and potatoes (recipe adapted from here)

 

Beef mince- 500 gms

Cardamom- 3

Cinnamon stick- 1, 2 inch piece

Bay leaves- 2

Onions- 2 small, finely sliced

Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp

Meat masala- 3 tbsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Yoghurt- 1/4 cup

Potatoes- 2 small, peeled and diced into small cubes

Water- 1 cup

Salt- to taste

Green peas- 1 cup (I used frozen green peas)

Kasoori methi- 1 heaped tsp

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Coriander leaves- to garnish

 

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and once hot, throw in cardamom, Cinnamon and bay leaves and wait for it to sizzle.

Throw in the onions and sauté till they turn a golden brown in colour.

Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell disappears.

Turn the heat to high and add the minced beef.

Break the meat using the spoon and cook, stirring well, until all the meat is browned.

Reduce heat to medium and add the meat masala and chilli powder, making sure you mix it well into the beef.

Add the yoghurt and wait for it to get absorbed after which you add the potatoes

Pour the water followed by salt, give one good mix and bring to a gentle boil.

At this point close the cooker and once you see the steam, put the weight and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Once the time is up, take the cooker off heat and wait for the pressure to die on its own.

Open lid and put the cooker back on heat.

Add more water if its too dry or if there is loads of water, evaporate it on high heat.

Mix in the green peas followed by kasoori methi, and also check for salt. Add if required.

Sprinkle the garam masala, give one fine mix and transfer to a serving bowl.

Just before serving, garnish with coriander leaves.

 

Notes: Freeze the remaining in an air tight container and use to stuff buns, Sloppy Joe's, and keema dosa.

Feel free to use the same recipe with lamb.

You can also double the recipe.

If not using the pressure cooker, then cooking the mince would increase to about 20-25 minutes. Have tried it both ways. Works fine.

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Sponsored video: Tropical Sun's Free Vending Machine

With snow expected in most parts of the country this week, we are all getting ready to braze the minus degree temperatures and the ghastly winds. As much as I love snow, the feeling soon dies by day two when it turns to slush and walking on ice becomes a feat. With the gloom over our heads, the least we can do is enjoy this video by Tropical Sun, with the hope of better things to come. The sun, the sand, the sea..ah summer, you are so so far away aren't you?

Anyway, to not let the weather dampen your spirits, take a look at this interesting video set in the Caribbean. The team at Tropical Sun (aptly called Ray) have introduced a live wending machine which lets you choose free samples from their range of products and loads of free discount coupons which can be redeemed at various retailers. Some meat seasoning, jerk seasoning, Barbecue sauce etc. can certainly do wonders to lift your spirits I'm sure.

Watch the video to see how the 'Rays' get the vending machine stocked up. It sure is fun!

http://www.tropicalsunfoods-vendingmachine.com/

Click on the link to view the free vending machine and claim some of those goodies.

I could just spend my day watching the live web cam with a Pina Colada in my hands and pretend I was on the beach..sigh! :)

This is a sponsored post

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Jalapeño popper dip

I had major plans of starting off the new year on a sweet note, but 2 cake baking disasters back to back left me disinterested in the same. I am pretty sure I've lost my cake baking mojo and poor Ro is bearing the brunt of it, along with eating the severely dry mocha cupcakes I baked (and couldn't get myself to dump).

Instead I thought I'll blog one of my recent favourites, the jalapeno popper dip. I love Jalapeno poppers, but unlike the US, its very difficult to get your hands on some fresh Jalapenos and even if you do its ridiculously expensive. But when I do have this craving for poppers I head on over to Borough market and pick some up, but of late I have been using the pickled jalapenos for my cooking requirements. It cant be used to make poppers, but I do generously use them in my Mexican dishes as well as dips and such. 

Penn State Snacks had sent me their Christmas (pretzel) range to review a while back and their challenge was to incorporate it into a recipe. They sent me 3 different flavours, each good it its own way. The sour cream and chive was deemed my favourite and I can very proudly say I myself finished off 3/4th of the pack. Their popular salted giant stars were perfect for Christmas entertaining and I served it with a sweet apricot chutney at one of my Christmas parties. The kids enjoyed it and that does say a lot about the flavour doesn't it :). Their brand new flavour- Maple bacon pretzel knots were used in this jalapeño popper dip and I must say it was a pleasant discovery. Instead of using bread crumbs to sprinkle on top of the dip, I crushed the maple bacon pretzels and used that instead. The subtle sweetness of the maple was a good addition to the creaminess of the cheese and heat from jalapenos. I still have half a pack of pretzels left and I may use it up to coat some chicken drumsticks and bake them. 

The jalapeño dip was served as a starter along with some carrots and cucumber sticks and tortilla chips at a party we had at home and everyone loved it. I wouldn't claim this dip to be healthy in any way, but serving it with some chopped veggies kinda makes it a wee bit acceptable. Oh well, who am I kidding, its an uber cheesy dip- hot and spicy- and I don't think anyone would say no to it. So go on, give it a try and see what I'm talking about.

Recipe adapted from here (serves 8, as a starter)

 

Cream cheese- 225 gms, at room temperature (I used Philadelphia cream cheese)

Mayonnaise- 1/2 cup

Cheddar cheese- 1/2 cup (coarsely grated)

Parmigiano Reggiano- 1/4 cup (coarsely grated)

Pickled jalapeños- 90 to 100 gms, drained and roughly chopped

Maple bacon pretzels- 3 tbsp (crushed *)

Parmigiano Reggiano- 2 tbsp (finely grated)

In a mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese, mayo, cheddar and parmiggiano reggiano until well combined.

Add the chopped jalapeños and continue mixing till you get a smooth-ish mix. 

Transfer this mix into a baking dish and smoothen out the top as much as possible. Keep aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175C.

*Transfer the pretzels into a zip lock bag and using a rolling pin crush them as finely as possible. Alternatively, transfer them into a spice grinder and grind till fine. 

Mix the Parmigiano cheese into the pretzel mix and sprinkle over the cheese mix, as evenly as possible. Tap the bowl on the kitchen counter to evenly distribute it,

Place on a baking tray and chuck into the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or till the cheese starts bubbling from the sides and the crushed mix on top becomes a light golden colour.

Serve right out of the oven.

Notes: Replace the maple bacon pretzels with equal amount of bread crumbs. I have tried it both ways and cant pick a favourite. Love both equally. You can also use any other crisp/ chips in its place as well.

I dont like too fine a crumb so I left a few chunks here and there.

Feel free to halve the recipe and bake it for only about 12 to 15 minutes.

Use more jalapeños if you want it spicier. Add one fresh one along with the pickled ones for some extra kick. The heat was just perfect for us.

Add flavourings like garlic powder, thyme etc. to give it more oomph.

With thanks to Penn State Snacks for sending me a sample pack of pretzels

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Cheese and onion pull apart bread

This recipe had been doing the rounds on Pinterest a while back and I had bookmarked it then. I did make it once, since it had all things yum and was too good a recipe to keep for another day. It was so easy to put together and I did take pics with the intention of blogging it, but like loads of my recipes, this one got lost among those Picasa folders.

Yesterday I made this for dinner and that's when I realised I hadn't blogged it. Searched around and found the folder. Its a perfect appetiser idea, or if you want to serve bread with soup, then this is most certainly it. Its not something you'd want to have on a daily basis but once in a while its a treat and you deserve it. Make this if you want to feed about 5 to 6 people and like I said before its a great appetiser idea, where you can just tear and share the bread. 

The first time around I managed the whole thing on my own, but yesterday with the slicing and stuffing, I found it a bit difficult without an extra pair of hands. Ro, much to my annoyance, couldn't remember ever eating the bread. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to try new things. Well to be honest its more for my benefit, but that's rant I shall leave for another time.

What's everyone's plans for New Years. No crazy party this year for us, just gonna chill out at my sister in laws place with some Champagne and good food, and maybe if we are up to it, head out to a club (just the ladies that is). Before signing off, here's wishing you all a Happy New Year and may you have a year filled with all goodness possible. 

PS: If you want to win a mini fridge for your home, don't forget to enter the giveaway

Recipe adapted from here

 

Sourdough bread- 1 loaf (I used a French Boule)

Cheddar cheese- 250 gms, thinly sliced (if you have a cheese slicer that's best)

Butter- 1/2 cup (i used a mix of garlic butter ans salted butter)

Green/ spring onions- 1/4 cup, roughly chopped

Poppy seeds- 1 1/2 tsp

 

Preheat the oven to 176C and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.

Slice the bread lengthwise and widthwise without going all the way to the bottom. Don't fret about it too much, it doesn't need to be of equal size and such. Do whichever size is convenient, just make sure you don't go all the way through to the crust.

Place the bread on the foil and insert the cheese slices into the sliced crevices of the bread. Try stuffing it as deep as possible and between all the cuts.

Melt butter in the microwave and into it add the spring onions and poppy seeds.

Pour this on top of the bread as evenly as possible.

Wrap the bread with the foil and bake for about 15 minutes.

Unwrap the bread and continue baking for another 10 minutes or till all the cheese has melted.

Serve warm.

 

Notes: Original recipe calls for mushrooms as well. if you want to do so then saute 250gms of finely chopped mushrooms in 1tbsp of butter for about 3 to 4 minutes or till they start to sweat. Then add about 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and continue cooking the mushrooms till all the water has evaporated.

Transfer on to a plate and leave aside to cool. And just after you insert the cheese slices, pour the mushroom over the bread, again trying to stuff in as much possible between the cuts.

I have adjusted the measurements according to what the French boule could take. 

The cheese in the original recipe is Provolone. I couldn't get them here, so used Cheddar and it worked just fine. I also tried it with Gouda, but it wasn't up to mark.

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Cream cheese frosting

Here's wishing all the readers of Look Who's Cooking Too a very merry Christmas. May your day be filled with loads of good food and great company.

I shall be flambeeing my Christmas pudding which has been maturing right next to our wine collection and hopefully it would taste good, considering I steamed it for 7 hours. If not, I still have 2 more puds stashed away, thanks to Asda and Harrods. I would thoroughly miss the early morning Christmas service in church (cant go to a church here because public transportation comes to a standstill on Christmas day), the appam and stew at my grand moms, opening gifts and the rest of the day spent catching up with family and friends. Sigh!

 

I shall not dampen my spirits here, so leaving you all with this kick-ass cream cheese frosting recipe which I must say is my favourite so far and is an absolute keeper. I have tried different combinations and proportions but this is so far the best ever. The fact that there is no butter itself makes me wanna jump in glee, and anything with double cream is a hit. It is also the first time I have managed to pipe out the frosting which means the consistency was absolutely perfect. The other frosting method I have used, do work when there is no piping involved, and it was my go to recipe till I discovered this. So henceforth no more cream cheese butter cream or cream cheese-mascarpone frosting, just plan ol cream cheese and double cream. 

I made these velvets a couple of days back to gift some friends and neighbours and I'm kicking myself for not making more as Ro and I were fighting for the last cake. I also had big plans of posting a beef roast recipe, but then, laziness gets the better of me most of the time and so leaving you with perhaps the shortest recipe on LWCT. I just had to post it here for posterity. Once again, Merry Christmas and have an extra shot of boozy eggnog for me.

Recipe adapted from here (frosts 12 cupcakes)

 

Cream cheese- 226 gms, at room temperature (I used Philadelphia cream cheese)

Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp

Icing sugar- 1/2 cup

Double cream- 2/3rd cup, cold

Using the paddle attachment of your free standing mixer or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese till smooth and fluffy, for about a minute on medium speed.

Add the vanilla extract and sugar and continue beating till no traces of sugar is seen. (Is using any colour add at this point).
You can also add any other flavouring like coffee or Baileys or any other liqueur in place of vanilla extract. The consistency might slightly vary, so add double cream accordingly.

Change the attachment to a whisk and gradually add the double cream, whipping till the frosting is of  piping consistency. Do this on high speed but keep a close watch, as you don't want to over do the whisking and cause the double cream to separate.

Add more cream if your desired consistency is not reached. Mine was perfect with 2/3rd cups of cream.
Transfer the frosting into a piping bag and frost away.

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