Tres Leches Cake

Some Sweet Treat

Ingredients

All purpose Flour -2.5 cups
Sugar -2 cups
Eggs-5(separate the yolk)
Butter -2 sticks
Baking Powder-3 flat tsp
Salt-1 pinch
Vanilla Essence-1tsp
Milk-1/3 cup

Mix together pour after baking the cake

Condensed Milk-1 can
Evaporated Milk-1 can
Heavy cream or Whole Milk -1/2 cup

Icing

1  Tub whipped cream
3/4th can pineapple crushed
Cherries crushed or whole

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees ,spray a 9/13 inch pan liberally dust with some flour.

Separate the eggs in 2 Bowls

In a Bowl cream the butter,egg yolks and Sugar till nice and fluffy
Stir in Milk and Vanilla essence
Beat the egg whites separate
Combine the flour ,baking powder and a pinch of salt  fold in the fluffy butter mixture
Add the egg whites ,gently stir and pour into the greased pan, smoothen the surface and bake approximately for 35- 45 minutes...or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

After the cake cools pierce the cake with a fork ,mix all 3 the Condensed milk,evaporated milk and cream pour over the warm cake and chill for 30 minutes ..

Finally make the icing using the cool whip and crushed pineapple  spread over the surface of the cake ..decorate with some crushed cherries...Tres Leches is ready to be devoured.

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Heart Healthy Scrumptious Scramble

Ingredients

1 small red Onion chopped
3 florets of Cauliflower diced
Handful of spinach
1 Tomato diced
1/4 tsp of Ginger minced
2 pods Garlic minced

4 eggs (remove yolk
Turkey Sausage 1/4 pound sliced
2 tbs  low fat Cream cheese

1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
Oil

Method


In a wok pour oil approx 1.5 tbs add the onions,cauliflower florets,ginger and garlic,saute for a few minutes then add the turkey sausage ,pepper,and stir fry for a couple more minutes finally add the spinach,tomatoes fold in the  beaten eggs and cut the cream cheese gently toss and cook eggs on low flame....Heart healthy scramble eggs can be eaten for breakfast,brunch or even for lunch ....plain or with some whole wheat or grain toast.


Optional

• Any vegetable can be added to the egg to make it interesting  try mushroom,carrots,peas or broccoli!!:)
• Low sodium sausage will be a good trade off
• I don't add extra salt to taste because the processed sausage has enough sodium to enhance the egg.

Home Style Mutton/Chicken  Biriyani 

Ingredients

Mutton- 4 Lbs  or chicken 5 lbs 
Long grain Basmati Rice- 5 cups
Oil
Ginger and Garlic paste- 6 tbs
Red Onions -3 medium(chopped lengthwise)
Green chillies -10 (slit)
Tomatoes-4 medium (diced)
Mint leaves-1 bunch(optional)
Cilantro leaves-11/2 bunch

Whole spices

 Cinnamon sticks- 3-4
Cloves -6
Star anise -1
Mace-1
Cardamom-3

Black cardamom-1

Bay leaves few 
Fennel-1/4 tsp

Dagad phool or kalpasi 2-3 leaves


Spice Powders

Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder -3 tsp

Coriander powder-1 tsp

Biriyani masala 1 tsp or home made Garam masala 1/2 tsp( optional)

Yogurt -1/ 2 Cup or  juice if 1 lemon 

for marinating the meat 


Juice of 1/2 lemon
Ghee to taste -2 tbs

Cashew /fried onions 

Method

1.Clean,wash and marinate the mutton/chicken with the yogurt,spice powders and 2 tablespoon of  ginger and garlic paste ,1/2 salt.
2.Wash rice ,soak for 30 minutes in cold water....then drain.
3.Pressure cook the Mutton for 20 minutes until tender....stir fry till water evaporates and masala coats the  mutton.
4.In a separate Vessel...I use a Traditional "Dum pot" pour oil add the whole spices,add oions brown till golden brown ,add the ginger and garlic paste ,green chillies,fry till the  raw smell goes now add the cooked mutton ,tomatoes and fry for a few minutes till oil separates.
5.Finally add the mint and cilantro leaves,lemon juice check for salt and add more if needed.
6.Measure 8 cups of water to the mutton gravy let it come to a boil now add the rice and cook for exactly 12-15 minutes on low flame .
7.Turn off heat and do not remove the lid for 10 minutes .
8.Yummy Home made Dum Biriyani is ready ...Garnish with ghee some cashew nuts and fried onions .

Tips

• Place the Biriyani dum vessel on an iron tawa ..and use a tight lid while cooking the Biriyani. 
• Never over cook the mutton while pressure cooking.
• If you don't have mint on hand ...never to worry...it still tastes good!

Creamy Chicken Makhani 

(Indian Butter Chicken)

Ingredients

For the Marinade

Chicken (6-8 chicken breast / thigh pieces cubed)

Lemon juice 2 tsp

1/2 cup yogurt

Salt to taste

make your own marinade

1 tbs Kashmiri Chili powder

2 tsp chili powder(adjust to your taste)

2 tsp methi leaves crushed

1 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder   

Saute and Grind to a smooth paste

Oil -1 tbs

Onions -2

Tomatoes -2

Tomato paste -4 oz

Ginger -2" piece

Garlic-8 cloves

Other Ingredients for the sauce

Cumin powder- 2 tsp

Kashmir red Chili powder -1 1/2 tsp

Garam masala  -1/2 tsp

Kasuri Methi leaves - 11/2  tsp

 

Ketchup -2 tbs

Butter - 1/2 stick or just use oil

Whipping cream -1/2 pint

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Water -2 cups approx

Method

 Skin, clean the chicken cut into cubes.

Marinate the cubed chicken with the shan masala or make your own marinade ,yogurt,lemon juice and salt let it stand for a couple of  hours or better still over night.

Bake at 300 degrees for 30 min  and broil for 10 min at 350 degrees.

Baste it with 1/2 stick butter and keep aside or you can drizzle some oil on it.

 

Heat 1 tbs oil in a frying pan pan  add onions,tomatoes,ginger and garlic minced and fry till the onions and tomatoes are mushy remove from stove,cool at room temperature and grind to a smooth puree in the blender.

 

In the same pan add the remaining butter add the ground paste followed by the spice powders ,kasuri methi,ketchup, check for salt let it saute for 5 minutes.Add some water at this point.Bring it to a rolling boil.

Now add the broiled chicken pieces,whipping cream and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes !

Garnish with cilantro leaves!

 

Murg Makhani is ready to be served with some Buttered Naan...or any 

Pilau! 

 

Spicy Potatoes with Spinach

Ingredients

Red potatoes - 8 medium

Baby Spinach - 2 cups

Onions  -1 medium chopped

Chili powder- 1 tsp (add according to taste)

Cumin powder -1/2 tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Olive oil

Salt to taste

Method

 

Take a  nonstick pan add 2 tbs Olive oil ,add the chopped onions to it fry till transparent add the cubed potatoes sprinkle the chili,turmeric and cumin powder add  some salt close with a tight lid. 

 

Steam cook till the potatoes are tender, now toss the chopped spinach  over the potatoes let it remain on stove for a couple more minutes remove from heat.

 Voila !! yummy spiced potatoes are ready to be served .Goes as any side with some grilled salmon or baked or grilled chicken or just eat it with some hot roti,paratha or rice!!

Eggplant Curry - Yennai Kathrikkai

Ingredients 

Eggplant /Brinjal (kathirikai) 10-12 slit

Red onions 2 medium size minced

Tomatoes 3 diced

Garlic 1 bulb sliced

Ginger &  Garlic paste 1tsp

Other Ingredients

Curry leaf few

 Eastern Sambar Powder  3 tsp (can use any brand)

Tamarind lime size or more pulped 

Chili powder 1 1/2 tsp ( alter according to your spice level)

Coriander 2 tsp

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek seed powder  / Vendium powder 1/2 tsp

Pepper whole few

Salt to taste

Grind to  Paste

2 tbs coconut grated

2 tbs sesame seeds

Handful of peanuts

 Oil

Method

 In a kadai pour oil add the slit eggplant  fry till half cooked, remove the eggplant from stove and to the same oil  add mustard,after it splutters add onions fry till  golden brown . 

 

To this add fenugreek( vendhium) can be added whole or powdered ,pepper whole,   add the chopped garlic and 1 tbs ginger & garlic paste fry till the raw smell disappears  then add the powders , add the tomatoes when the tomatoes are soft and mushy  add the eggplant, salt to taste and a little water ...let it cook approx 15 min in low heat.

 Grind the coconut,peanuts and sesame seed  paste and add to the curry, finally add the tamarind juice ...let it simmer for 10 minutes....ready to eat Yennai kathirikai!!!

Optional

Add a tsp of Vinegar in the end!

Serve with Biriyani or just with any Pilaf rice .....ENJOY!

Fish Curry(Chennai style)

Fish Curry "Traditional South Indian Curry"

Ingredients

Salmon or Tilapia Fillet  2 lbs

2 onions chopped fine

2 Tomatoes diced

1/2 Bell pepper(green) cubed

1/4  Green Mango (optional)

Lemon Juice 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Other Ingredients

Oil 1 laddles (approx)

Mustard seeds few

Fenugreek seeds few

Green Chili 3 slit 

Curry leaf few sprigs

Garlic sliced lengthwise 6 pods

Tamarind -1 lemon size ball soaked and  remove pulp 

Coconut milk 1/2 can(optional)

Chili powder-11/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder 2 tsp

Jeera or Cumin powder 1/4 tsp

Sambar powder 2 tsp

Water -1 cup  or more Approx

*Add 2 tsp coconut oil or sesame  oil to flavor the curry at the very end 

Method

• Wash the fish, rinse with some turmeric and salt . Then marinate the fish with some lemon juice add salt.Keep aside.
• In a traditional kadai or a nonstick pot add oil add the mustard seed,fenugreek seed...once mustard crackles and the fenugreek gives an aroma, add the chopped onions and the sliced garlic to this and wait till the onions turn golden brown add curry leaves and slit green chili 
• Now add the tomatoes and the powders (Chili,Turmeric,Coriander Sambar powder and Jeera) add a tsp of water sauté now  add the mango and bell peppers to it, let it simmer in the tomato gravy for approx 10 min till the raw smell goes to this add  1 cup of water and let the gravy simmer and wait till it thickens, at this point add more water if needed
• Then add the fish pieces with the tamarind paste and cook for 8 to10 min on low flame...till the fish cooks and the oil separates.Finally add the coconut milk,curry leaf and coriander leaf.Fish curry is ready to serve with Plain white rice or with your favorite Indian bread.

OPTIONAL

* Fresh ground coconut can be used instead of coconut milk

Taking pulp out of fresh tamarind will also make a difference.

Hyderabadi Style Chicken Biriyani 

Ingredients

4 cups Basmati Rice

1 whole Chicken cut up

Curd/Yogurt 1/2 cup

Oil to fry

Whole spices

Cloves 3

Cinnamon stick 2

Star anise 1

Cardamom 3

Bay leaf 2

 Other Ingredients

2 medium size Onions

2 Tomatoes

4 tablespoons Ginger and Garlic paste

4 green chillies

1/2 bunch of Coriander leaves

1/2 bunch of Mint leaves

 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tsp Chillie powder

2 tsp Parampara Biriyani masala or Shan Bombay Biriyani 

Cashew nuts few

 

 

METHOD:

Soak the rice in water and keep it aside.

Wash the chicken thoroughly. Add salt, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and curds. Make a paste of coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chillies and add it to the marinade.

Heat oil in a kadai and to it add finely sliced onions and fry till golden brown and crispy.Remove from oil keep aside, fry some cashew nuts in the same oil and keep it aside.

 In a pot /cooker add oil,add whole spices  1 onion  chopped fry till golden brown add the soaked rice, water let cook till  half done flavor with little salt !

 For the chicken gravy take a kadai or any other vessel to cook the chicken add oil, spices,add the biriyani masala  then the marinated chicken cook till all water evaporates add 1/2 salt .

Take an aluminum foil tray layer the rice with  the chicken masala topped with rice again and finally fried onions and cashews..

Garnish with cilantro leaves .

Preheat oven to 250 F for 30 min.

Piping hot Biriyani is ready to be served with some boiled eggs and raita !!   

Hi,  I'm Rebecca. I love to cook and will be blogging some recipes soon ! Please check back in a few days :)