Tarka dal with rice

Ingredients

• 400g/14oz red lentils, rinsed in a sieve under cold running water
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 25g/1oz butter
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped, to taste
• salt and pepper
• 200g/7oz rice, cooked according to the packet instructions
• 
  

method

1. Place the lentils into a saucepan and cover with enough water to come 3cm/1¼in above the lentils. Bring to a boil, skimming off any froth as you bring it to the boil. Once simmering, add the turmeric along with half of the butter. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are completely softened and the water is absorbed, but the mixture not dry.
2. Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and dry fry until toasted and aromatic (about 1-2 minutes). Remove the cumin seeds from the pan and set to one side. Add the remaining butter to the pan and, once melted, fry the garlic and chopped green chilli for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic turns light golden-brown, and the chilli is softened. Add the toasted cumin seeds back to the pan and remove from the heat.
3. Once the lentils are soft, give them a rigorous stir to break them up a little. Stir the chilli and garlic mixture (including any butter) into the pan with the lentils and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
4. Serve the tarka dal alongside the cooked rice.

Malaysian Roti Canai

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups ( 10oz or about 300 gms) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/2 cup water, give or take few tbsp.
• Salt to taste
• Method
  1

  Method - for making the dough

  Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl.
  2

  Now add 1/4 cups of ghee into a hole made in the dough.
  3

  Mix well and gradually add enough water to bind the dough.
  4

  Next knead the dough on a greased counter top for 5-8 minutes.
  5

  It takes time and little muscle, but this step is necessary to make a pliable dough.
  6

  Place it back in the bowl and let it rest for at least 2 hours. This helps the dough to stretch well.
  7

  Method 1 - The Professional ( and traditional ) Method - Takes skill

  Take a small ball of the dough.
  8

  With the hands, press it with the hands and lightly stretch it.
  9

  Now start doing as depicted in the video.Looks easy doesn't it? Oh well, looks can be deceiving sometimes. If you tried it and you found yourself cursing that man in there for misleading you, then Go to Method 2

  Method 2 - Mostly Traditional Method - No skill set required

  Take a small ball from the dough.
  10

  On a very well greased counter top, place the dough and using a rolling pin,
  11

  roll the dough as much as you can.
  12

  Then slowly using your hands, pull at one end of the dough. You can rest one hand in the middle of the dough and using another hand pull at the ends. Be gentle to avoid the dough getting torn ( not that it really matters that much ). Slowly do this at all the ends, until you can see through the dough.
  13

  Now fold one end of the dough, by bringing the top end to the middle
  14

  Repeat with the bottom end.
  15

  Now bring the right end
  16

  and then the left.
  17

  Now slowly using your hands, stretch the dough a bit on all the ends.
  18

  In a greased skillet, cook the prata for 1-2 minutes
  19

  until browned
  20

  Turn and then repeat.
  21

  Method 3 - for making spirals/ round shapes.

  The first 2-3 steps are the same. Take a small ball of dough and using a rolling pin roll it as much as you can until they are see through ( same as method 2)
  22

  Now start with the longer end. Start pleating the dough.
  23

  Do this until you reach the end.
  24

  Hold both ends of this dough rope. Slowly twist and turn it in the air, lightly. It will start stretching between your hands. Make it as long as you can.
  25

  Now slowly circle the dough, starting from one end, until you reach the other end. BTW keep your hands greased throughout this process. The dough should not stick anywhere
  26

  Once twisted completely, press it lightly with your hand to make a flatbread.
  27

  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough as much as you can and to desirable thickness.
  28

  Cook in a skillet greased with ghee for 1-2 minutes until browned.
  29

  Turn and repeat.

Happy Easter cake

ngredients

• 425g butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 organic free-range eggs
• 125g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder, sifted
• 500g icing sugar
• Few drops vanilla extract
• 200g dark chocolate, melted and cooled for 5 mins
• Maltesers (optional) and flowers, to decorate

Method

1. Heat oven to Mark 5/190°C.
2. Beat 175g butter and the caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and fold in the flour and cocoa powder. 
3. Pour the mix into 2 greased and lined 20cm sandwich tins and bake for 20 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Cool for 5 mins, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Beat together the remaining butter with the icing sugar and vanilla extract; divide between 2 bowls. Stir the dark chocolate into one of the bowls (reserving a little for drizzling).
5. Spread plain buttercream over the top of one cake and sandwich together with the other cake. Spread the chocolate buttercream on top of the cake, drizzle with the reserved chocolate and decorate.

Red grape pizza with honey, rosemary & pecorino

Ingredients

• 1½ x 7 g dried yeast sachets
• 5 teaspoons runny honey
• 310 ml tepid water
• 500 g white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 generous pinch salt
• a few sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 lugs olive oil
• 2 handfuls red grapes
• 50 g pecorino cheese

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Dissolve the yeast with a teaspoon of the honey in half the water and put to one side. Mix the flour with a good pinch of salt and shape into a pile on a clean work surface.

Make a well in the centre and, when the yeast and honey mix has frothed up, pour it into the well and mix gradually with the flour until it's all soaked up. Pour on the rest of the tepid water and mix in all the flour to make a nice, moist, soft dough. Place in a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, bash the rosemary in a pestle and mortar, add a little olive oil and bash again. Cut the grapes in half and put to one side.

When the dough has doubled in size, place it on the work surface and knead until smooth. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, knead each piece again briefly and shape them into 4 small pizzas.

Brush the pizzas with the bashed rosemary sprigs, leaving them smeared with rosemary oil, then scatter with the halved red grapes. Drizzle each pizza with a teaspoon of honey, and, finally, shave some pecorino over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the pizza bases are cooked and the cheese is bubbling and melted.

Easy chocolate cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g/8oz plain flour
• 350g/12½oz caster sugar
• 85g/3oz cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 free-range eggs
• 250ml/9fl oz milk
• 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

ethod

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
   Technique: Greasing and lining cake tins
   Watch technique0:33 mins
2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
   Technique: Removing cakes from a cake tin
   Watch technique0:32 mins
8. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
9. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.
   Technique: Icing a cake with chocolate ganache

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients 

• 
  
• 
  
  2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  
  6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish, and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
3. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Belorussian Salad Recipe 


Ingredients:
 40g dried ceps 200g beef liver 2 salted cucumbers 3 onions, finely chopped 2 eggs 180g mayonnaise 3 tbsp vegetable oil salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste mixed greens, to serve 

Method: 
Wash the dried mushrooms 3 or 4 times through changes of water then allow to soak in cold water for 3 hours. Wash thoroughly once more then place the mushrooms and the soaking liquid (filter this through muslin or cheese cloth) in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain the mushrooms and chop finely. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a boil, add the beef liver and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove the beef from the water, allow to cool then dice quite finely. Heat the oil in a pan and use to fry the onion for about 6 minutes, or until soft. Mix in with the beef then add slices of salted cucumbers, half the mayonnaise and the mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then toss to combine. Arrange on a bed of salad greens, pour the remaining mayonnaise over the top and serve.

SATAY AYAM MADURA - MADURA CHICKEN SATAY

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Chicken breasts, skinned and deboned
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped finely
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 kemiries* (candlenuts), grated
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened grated coconut
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons sambal oelek* (Indonesian hot pepper paste)
• 1 teaspoon sereh powder* (lemon grass)
• 1/2 inch trasi* (shrimp paste) softened in 4 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons Gula Java or Melaka* (Indosian palm sugar)

DIRECTIONS

• Cube chicken into portions and set aside.
• Heat oil in frying pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well.
• Marinated chicken cubes in this mixture for about 2 hours to allow the aromatic and pungent spices to be absorbed.
• Skewer the meat and cook until well done over grill.
• Serve over rice and fresh peanut sauce.
• These ingredients can be purchased at an Oriental food market, such as 99 Ranch Market.
• Selamat Makan!

Coconut Basmati Rice

ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups basmati rice (about 13 ounces), well rinsed, drained
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted

preparation

Combine 2 cups water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer, then stir in rice. Cover, leaving slight opening for steam to escape. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 12 minutes. Cover tightly, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer rice to bowl; sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Mutton Do Pyaza

Ingredients

• Mutton 1 kg
• Sliced onions 4
• Yogurt 1 cup
• Bay leaves 2 - 3
• Whole red chilies 8 - 10
• Chopped green chilies 8-10
• Ginger chopped 2 tbsp
• Garlic chopped 2 tbsp
• All spice powder 1 tbsp
• Black cardamoms 3 - 4
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Black pepper corns 1 tsp
• Ghee 1 cup
• Salt to taste

• Directions

  1. Heat ghee in a deep skillet, add cardamoms , whole red chilies, bay leaves, red chili powder, black pepper corns and cinnamon, Fry for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the chopped ginger and garlic.
  3. Then add in the beaten yogurt and cook for another 2- 3 minutes on high flame.
  4. Add the mutton and a sufficient amount of water and cook till almost tender.
  5. Mix in the sliced onions, all spice powder, chopped green chilies and salt.
  6. Cover and cook until all the water dries and the oil floats on top.

Mushroom Tartar with Truffle Kelp Caviar

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. coffee mushrooms (regular button mushrooms will do too)

3 ½ oz Truffle-flavoured Kelp Caviar

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 small shallot, chopped

unit salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice mushrooms in ½ cm size cubes. Add two healthy table spoons of Truffle-flavoured Kelp Caviar. Mix is all other ingredients.

2. Put the mushroom tartar in a ramekin or a round mold. If using a ramekin flip upside down to form a perfect round shape on a flat plate. Add a small dollop of Truffle flavored Kelp Caviar on each serving and enjoy with crackers or toast points