Pasta Bellissimo!

 

This one is my “adaptation” of one of Nigella Lawson’s pasta/linguine recipes (she did a series called 'Nigellisima', it’s in one of the episodes).

I call it Pasta Bellissimo! Super simple and quick to make, uses all fresh ingredients (none of those "ready-made" pasta sauces in jars or anything) and is filling!

So let's get started!

Ingredients –

225gm Spanish chorizo sausage; cut in 0.5cm thick round slices

1-2 onion(s); finely chopped

2-3 vine tomatoes; finely chopped

1 green chilli; finely chopped (optional)

Handful of fresh basil; finely chopped

8-10 cloves of garlic; minced (or finely chopped)

2 tsp olive oil

3-4 tbsp fresh cream (optional)

130gm Spaghetti

Water (to cook the spaghetti in)

Salt; to taste

Freshly ground pepper; to taste

Serves – 3-4 people

Method –

1) Bring a pan of water to the boil; add in 1 tsp olive oil and add the spaghetti (the oil ensures that the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan).

2) Take another pan and add the remaining 1 tsp olive oil and heat well. Swirl the pan around so that the base is coated with this oil.

3) Add the chorizo slices and let them brown (the chorizo releases quite a bit of oil which we can use to fry the onions in).

 4) Once the chorizo slices brown all over, add in the chopped onion, chilli and minced garlic. Mix in well and let them fry/cook in the oil release from the chorizo.

Note – I added a chilli as I like spicy food, but the chorizo already has paprika for the heat; so chilli is optional.

5) Once the onions are cooked, add in the tomatoes and give it a good mix around. Place a lid on the pan so that the tomatoes cook and release some water.

6) Once the tomatoes have cooked, add in the salt and pepper. Mix well again. Place the lid back on.

7) The pasta should be cooked by now, so either drain it or, run the pan of pasta under cold water so that all the hot water overflows. Leave the pasta in cold water (this will stop it from sticking together also).

8) Now add cream to the “pasta sauce”. 

Note – Cream is also optional; I prefer adding it in as I don’t like the very sour taste of tomatoes. Mix well.

9) Add in half of the chopped basil and mix well.

10) Now drain the pasta and mix it into the sauce.

And there you go….it’s ready.

Serving suggestions –

Why not serve the spaghetti with fresh baguette slices, grilled/toasted and drizzled with olive oil, along with a green salad? You can mix a little olive oil with balsamic vinegar for a lovely salad dressing!

Or with some yummy garlic bread!

Tip – If you want a vegetarian option, just leave out the chorizo and add 2 tbsp of olive oil before you start frying the onions etc.

Comment below and let me know how you liked it! Also, would love to hear if you guys made some tweaks for a slightly different recipe :o)

Happy cooking!

Banoffee Pie for 4th of July!!

 

Banoffee pie (also spelt as Banoffi / Banoffy), is an English dessert made with bananas, biscuits, cream and dulce de leche (read toffee, made from condensed milk).

So without further ado, let’s get started with the recipe!

Items -

24 inch cake tin with removable base

1 Rolling pin (for crushing biscuits)

1 Freezer/sturdy plastic bag (for crushing biscuits)

1 Large bowl (for mixing)

Baking parchment - cut out the same size as the cake tin base

Ingredients -

2 tins of Condensed milk (sweetened)

1-2 tubs (small) of Whipping Cream

6 Bananas

500g of Plain Digestive Biscuits (like McVities)

2/3rd stick of unsalted butter -

1-1.5 tbsp pure Cocoa powder or some dark chocolate (chilled)

Method -

Preparing the toffee -

1) Take a deep pot and fill it with water to the level where the condensed milk tins remain submerged either upright or on their side.

2) Bring the water only to the boil.

3) Place the sealed Condensed milk tins in it and continue to boil the water for 2.5 hours (if the level of the water lessens, please keep adding more water to submerge the tins).

** Please make sure that the tins remain submerged under water at all times, otherwise you'll end up cleaning the toffee off your kitchen ceiling!

                  

4) After 2.5 hours, remove the tins and leave them aside to cool (please don't open them until cooled completely) - this takes about an hour or so...so you can prepare the toffee the night before and leave it on the kitchen counter-top.

Preparing the base -

1) Place the biscuits in the freezer/plastic bag and crush them to an almost fine powder with the rolling pin (or anything else you can get your hands on!)

2) Melt the butter.

3) Place the biscuit crumbs in the bowl and add the melted butter.

4) Mix well so that the biscuit base become moist.

5) Line the cake tin with baking parchment and pour the biscuit/butter mixture into the cake tin evenly; press well to form a base.

6) Chill in the fridge for about 20 min.

Preparing the toppings -

1) Pour the cooled toffee over the chilled biscuit base and spread it evenly across the base (you may have to stir through the toffee before pouring it onto the base to avoid clumps).

2) Chill in the fridge for about 15 min.

3) Whip the cream in a blender/by whisk until firm (make sure you don’t whip the cream too much; it shouldn’t separate!)

4) Chop bananas into 1/4 inch round slices.

5) Remove the cake base from the fridge and arrange the bananas on top.

6) Spread the whipped cream on top and spread it evenly across the base and cover all of the banana slices (else the bananas will become black).

Garnishing -

1) Either place the cocoa powder into a sieve and garnish the cake or using a knife or vegetable peeler, make some chocolate shavings and garnish the cake with that.

2) Place the cake in the fridge until ready to eat!

           

I made this pie and took it to work and believe me half of it was gone within 10 minutes!

Let me know how your Banoffee pie has turned out…

Bon appétit and Happy 4th of July to all who celebrate!!

** Images courtesy google and carnation website

Lamb Curry

This is recipe is finger licking good.

Ingredients:
1. Lamb - 1 kg
2. Onions - 3-4 (medium to large)
3. Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Ginger Garlic (GG) paste - 2 Tblsp
6. Gram masala powder - 2 Tblsp
7. Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
8. Oil (any cooking oil would do, you can even use olive oil) - 4-5 Tblsp
9. Tomatoes - 1 can of chopped tomatoes

Recipe:
1. Slice the onions. Simultaneously heat the oil in a pan or a stock pot.
2. Fry the onion till they are light brown, they must not be brown, neither should it be translucent.
3. Add the meat and cook for8-10 minutes (gently stir till the meat gets a light coating)
4. Add GG paste, stir and cook for 2 minutes
5. Add chillo powder, turmeric, garam masala and coriander powder and cook on medium to high heat occasionally stirring the meat. Continue till the meat is cooked and tender.
6. Add tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes dissolve and make a nice thick gravy, for the lamb to cook tender it should take about 30-35 minutes.
7. (This is completely optional) Add water if you want the curry to be a bit thin. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for a bit (7-10 minutes). I personally like it nice and thick, without the water. 
8. Garnish with coriander and serve with naan or roti

Happy Cooking !!

Chilly Prawns

Fish Curry

Spaghetti with pancetta

Celebration Chocolate Cake

This light and scrumptious cake is simply a joy to eat. The most amazing thing is it does not have any flour in it. I found the recipe in my Good Housekeeping book

Ingredients
Butter to grease 
200g plain chocolate
5 eggs
125g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
1 tbsp coffee liquueur such as Baileys
fresh raspberries to decorate and some icing sugar to dust

1. Grease a 12.5cm deep round cake tin
2. Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl set gently simmering water, making sure he base of bowl does not touch water. Remove the bowl from pan and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170 degrees C
3. Separate all but one of the eggs, putting the white to one side. Put the yolks, the whole egg and sugar into bowl of a freestanding mixer or handheld whisk. Whisk at high speed for 5min or until mixture is pale and leaves a ribbon of trail when whisk is lifted
4. Set the mixer to a very low speed, add the chocolate and then ground almonds and mix until evenly combined
5.  Put egg whites into a clean and grease proof bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. beat one quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen, then fold in the rest.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake for 30 sec comes out hot. Make several holes in the cake and pour the liqueur and let it cool for 30 minutes.
7.Transfer the cake to a plate and spoon raspberries on top. Dust with some icing sugar and you can also tie a ribbon around the cake to get it ready for celebration.

Happy cooking !

Laksa Soup with Sesame Chicken

Jamie Oliver seems to have a spell bounding effect on my cooking and my senses. I find his cooking very therapeutic and also very informative. The ease with with which he connects the dots and one thing seamlessly joins with the other exploring new flavours, textures and yummy meals. This soup is happiness in a bowl and taken from Jamies 15 min meals. It takes good 20-25 min for me to make it but its so worth it. He calls it thai chicken laksa, mildy spiced noodle squash broth. Jamie says that 15 min meals are a mindset so when you want to whip up quick meals you have to keep a kettle ready with boiling water, gridle pan on high heat, large lided pan on high heat and food processor attached with coarse grater for this one.

Ingredients

for chicken
 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 heaped tsp chinese five spice
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 fresh red chilli

for Soup
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
1 butternut squash ( just the neck end) or pumpkin
2 cloves of garlic
1 thumb sized ginger
2 green chillies
1 tsp turmeric
half a bunch of spring onions
4 dried kaffir limes leaves
half bunch fresh coriander
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
3009 rice noodles
1 tin coconut milk
2 limes

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the five spice. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken with rolling pin. this will help the chicken cook quicker and absorb the flavours. Place the chicken on hot gridle turning after 3-4 mintues until nicely charred and cooked through.
Pour 800 ml of boiling water into large pan and crumble stock cube.
trim the stalk off the squash, roughly chop the neck end dont peel and keep the seed end for some other day. Grate and tip the chopped pieces into boiling stock. Whiz the garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, spring onions, lime leaves, coriander stalks, sesame oil, soy and fish sauce and tip the paste in the stock and add noodles.
Add coconut milk and soon as it boils, taste, correct the seasoning with soy sauce and lime juice, then turn off the heat. 
Drizzle some honey  over charred chicken and squeeze over juice of 1 lime and scatter with sesame seeds
Sprinkle everything with coriander and your quick meal is ready !

Happy Cooking   

Khamang Chiwda

Fried Chicken

Batatyachi bhaji

This is comfort food at its best. Batatyachi bhaji just takes me back on a monday morning when my Mom is making hot fulka's smeared with ghee and the ladle is busy cooking this veggie for my lunch box. This was a personal favourite for all of us. It goes so well with Dosa, as a stuffing for sandwich, the leftovers could also be used for aloo paratha or batawada for the adventurous cooks.

Ingredients

3-4 medium sized potatoes boiled & chopped

A bunch of coriander sprigs

1 onion chopped fine

Turmeric 1 tbsp

Green chillies 2 finel chopped

Amchur Powder (Mango powder) 1 tbsp or Lime juice 2 tbsp

3 tbsp Vegetable oil

Few curry leaves

1 tsp Mustard seeds

Salt as per taste

Recipe

Add the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to see them dance as they crackle.

Fry the onions till they turn soft brown and add the curry leaves, turmeric powder, green chillies and cook it for 1-2 minutes.

Add boiled & chopped potatoes, mix well and add the mango powder/lime juice.

Cover and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes.

Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and serve with hot phulka's

Happy Cooking!


Kadai Chicken

Chicken Tandoori

The chicken is so tender and delicious it simply melts in your mouth. I am not a big fan of spicy food so the measurements for spices should be altered according to you taste.This makes a perfect dish with friends and laughs to share with!

Ingredients -
1 kg chicken legs and breast
3 tbsp ginger garlic paste
red chilly powder (as per taste)
2 tbsp garam masala
Salt per taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup Yoghurt plain
Butter to coat the chicken

Mix the spices, paste, youghurt and juice and rub it on to the chicken evenly.
Make the horizontal incisions on the chicken so the paste get absorbed by the meat.
Put the chicken in a bowl covered with cling film and marinate it for atleast 3 hours.
Coat the marinated chicken with butter and transfer the contents on to a baking tray.
Add this to the preheated oven 200 degrees C for 30 minutes after which the chicken acquires this lovely color and juices run clear without any pink flesh in it.
Garnish with coriander and lemon rings.

Happy Cooking!

Vaalache Bhirde

This recipe is from my favourite blogger One Hot Stove, who  has a wonderful way with words and definately with food. I imagine her kitchen to always smell of mouth watering food, storage filled with goodies and garden lush green with herbs, vegetables and magic bean plant.

The recipe for Vaalache Bhirde is so clearly given and easy to follow it just makes one squeak in pleasure!

The only cumbersome part was the wait for Vaal to sprout.

Sprouting the vaal

I soaked about 2 cups of Vaal in water for about 18 hours and then tied them in a damp cheese cloth for 2 days. I kept sprinkling some water on the bag so the cloth was moist all throughout to help the sprouting.

The tiny sprouts shoot right from the cloth and you can heave a sigh of relief :)

You will have to peel the cover of these Vaal seeds, which comes off fairly easily. I did enjoy doing that one evening while being perched in front of my telly. Make sure to throw away the discolored ones.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp of tamarind soaked in warm water for 10-15 min

Half cup of oil

2 Onions chopped in chunks

2 Garlic cloves crushed/chopped

2 Green chillies

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafoetida

5-6 curry leaves

1tsp Tumeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander and cumin powder

1 tsp of jaggery

1 cup dessicated/frozen coconut

Recipe

Extract the juice from the tamarind and throw away the rest

Make a coconut paste as follows

Fry 1 large onion cut in large chunks until slightly browned. Add garlicand coconut alongwith green . Stir around until coconut is fragrant, then blend to a fine paste using a little water as required. 

 In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Temper the oil with mustard seeds, tsp cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Add 1 small onion, minced finely and fry it for a few seconds. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt to taste.
Add the peeled sprouts and stir well. Add 1/2 cup water, cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are just tender.
Add the coconut paste, tamarind extract and of jaggery. The tamarind and jaggery take out the bitter taste fromt he sprouts. Add some water if the curry looks too thick, i liked mine a bit thick. Simmer the curry for 10 minutes. Taste for the balance of flavors and add a little more tamarind/jaggery/salt if required.
Garnish with minced cilantro.

Happy Cooking!

 

Bruuuuussschetta

This is a wonderful, scrumptious Italian dish. These simple to make tomato topped toasts are a lovely way to get the taste buds tingling. My brother says 'If there was food in heaven this would sure be one of them' :)

Serves 4

1 small oval shaped loaf of white bread (ciabatta or bloomer)

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp chopped basil

4 large ripe tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

8 stoned black olives

55 gms mozzarella cheese sliced

salt and pepper

Dressing

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp clear honey

1. Pre heat the grill and cut the loaf of bread diagonally to give thick pieces. Toast the pieces under hot grill for 2-3 min until golden.
2. Beat garlic, butter and basil together in a bowl and spread onto each half.
3. Blanch the tomatoes and peel the skin the away. Chop the flesh of tomato and mix with puree and olives. Divide the mixture between the slices of bread.
4. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the thick slices of bread. Arrange the cheese on top and season with salt and pepper.
5. Return them to the grill for 1-2 min or until the cheese melts.

Happy Cooking!

Mushroom Risotto

This dish is a vegetarian delight. Coming from India where there are ever so many choices for the vegetarian palate, this is a veggie must have! The risotto rice has a unique creamy consistency once cooked and also has a wonderful ability to soak up liquids.

Serves 4

850 ml vegetable stock

3 tbsp olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

400g mushrooms, sliced

40 g butter

4 shallots chopped

250 Risotto rice

2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp lemon juice

finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsely

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

salt and pepper

1. Pour the stock into saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low heat, add garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
2. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add rice and cook stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then pour in wine and lemon juice and stir until liquid is almost absorbed. Add ladeful of the simmering stock and cook, stirring until its absorbed. Keep adding stock ladleful to be absorbed before adding next.
3. When all liquid has been almost absorbed, stir in the mushrooms, lemon rind and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until liquid has been absorbed , then remove from heat and stir in parsley and coriander. Serve immediately.

Happy Cooking!

Carrot Cake

This is a  knock-out winner with everybody and its simply irresistible. It makes most of the natural sweetness of carrots and looks so tempting with a simple icing and walnut decoration. Its a perfect mood lifter for the dull Sunday evening and a must have dish for those midnight kitchen raids :)

This recipe serves 6

Ingredients

Butter for greasing

100 gms self raising flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

125g soft brown sugar

2 eggs beaten

5 tbsp sunflower oil

125 g carrots grated

1 banana chopped

25 gms chopped and toasted walnuts and almonds

Icing

40 g butter softened

3 tbsp soft cheese

175g icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp orange

grated rind of 1/2 orange

walnut pieces to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C or 375 degrees F. Grease a 7 inch square or a medium cake tin and line it with baking paper
2. Sift the flour, salt, mixed spice and nutmeg in a bowl.Stir in brown sugar, then eggs and oil.Add the carrots, banana and chopped nuts and mix all of them well.
3. Spoon the mixture into prepared cake tin and level the surface. Transfer the tin to preheated oven and bake for 55 min or until golden & firm to touch. )The cake might feel tender but firms up as it cools down) Remove from oven and let it cool, when cool enough to handle turn the cake onto wire rack and leave to cool completely
4. To make icing, place the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and orange juice along with the rind and beat it all together until creamy. Spread icing on top of the cold cake and scatter the walnut pieces.

Your cake is ready to be devoured.

Happy cooking!!

Devils food cake

This is Chocolate nemesis. Absolutely sinful and a forget me not cake which you would end up dreaming about in the middle of the night as well. Easy to make but I find for baking using the exact mentioned quantity and bake ware really the essence of a great baked product. This is Nigella's recipe and here is where i found it Devils cake

Ingredients

• 50g/2oz best-quality cocoa powder, sifted
• 100g/4oz dark muscovado sugar
• 250ml/8fl oz boiling water
• 125g/4½oz soft unsalted butter, plus some for greasing
• 150g/5oz caster sugar
• 225g/8oz plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 free-range eggs

For the frosting

• 125ml/4fl oz water
• 30g/1oz dark muscovado sugar
• 175g/6oz unsalted butter, cubed
• 300g/10oz best-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped ( any sweet dark chocolate you prefer)

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line the bottoms of two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment and butter the sides.

Technique: Greasing and lining cake tins

Put the cocoa and the dark muscovado sugar into a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. Whisk to mix, then set aside.

Cream the butter and caster sugar together in a separate bowl, beating well until pale and fluffy; I find this easiest with a freestanding mixer, but by hand wouldn’t kill you.

Stir the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together in another bowl and set aside for a moment.

Dribble the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar – mixing all the while – then crack in one egg, quickly followed by a scoop of the flour mixture, then the second egg. Keep mixing after each addition.

Incorporate the rest of the flour mixture little by little, then finally mix and fold in the cocoa mixture, scraping the bowl well with a spatula.

Divide this fabulously chocolatey batter between the two prepared tins and put in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Take the tins out and leave them on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then turn the cakes out and set aside to cool. ( The cakes do not come out fluffy as you might expect them)

Technique: Testing to see if a cake is cooked

As soon as the cakes are in the oven, get started on your frosting. Put the water, muscovado sugar and butter into a pan over a low heat until melted.

When this mixture begins to bubble, take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, swirling the pan so that all the chocolate is hit with heat, then leave for a minute to melt. Once melted, whisk until  smooth and glossy.

Set the frosting aside for about one hour, whisking now and again – when you’re passing the pan – by which time the cakes will be cooled, and ready for the frosting.

Set one of the cooled cakes, with its top side facing downwards, onto a cake stand or plate, and spread with about one-third of the frosting. Top that with the second cake, regular way up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, swirling away with your spatula. You can go for a smooth look, but I never do and probably couldn’t.

Happy Cooking !