Plum Cake/Fruit Cake

INGREDIENTS

Maida/All purpose flour	1 1⁄2 Cups
Sugar	3⁄4 Cup
Caramel syrup	7 - 8 Teaspoons
Dry Fruits (chopped)	1 Cup
Dry Nuts (chopped)	1 Cup
Eggs	3
Unsalted Butter	8 Teaspoons
Baking Powder	1 Teaspoon
Baking soda	1⁄4 Teaspoon
Cinnamon powder	1 Teaspoon
Vanilla essence	1 Teaspoon
Orange juice	1⁄2 Cup STEPS 1 Soak dry fruits and nuts in the orange juice for approximately half an hour. Sieve maida, baking powder, baking soda into a big bowl. Keep this aside. 2 Take butter and sugar in a bowl and beat it well using an electric beater. Beat well till sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. 3 Now add eggs and beat well. Add cinnamon powder, vanilla essence and caramel syrup. Beat well. Pre heat the oven - convection mode - 190 degree Celsius. 4 Add the soaked dry fruits and nuts. Mix well using a wooden spoon. Pour this mixture into the maida mix. Mix well so that everything is combined properly. 5 Pour the cake mix into a greased baking tray lined with butter paper. Put this in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes. 6 Check in between using a tooth pick whether the cake is cooked or not. Once done, take off from heat and give it a standing time of 5 minutes. 7 Transfer it on a wire rack and let it cool before serving. Decorate it with dusting some powdered sugar on top. 8 To make Caramel Syrup: Heat 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tbsp water in a pan till it turns golden colour. Take off from heat and add 3 - 4 tbsp warm water. Mix well. Caramel syrup is ready.

Subz Chai or Gubali Chai

Ingredients

• Green tea leaves 6 teaspoon
• Seeds of green cardamom 15
• Ground cardamom 1\2 teaspoon
• Bicarbonate of soda 1\2 teaspoon
• Milk 1\2 liter
• Full cream or Fresh cream ( malai)
• Pistachio , grounded 6 teaspoons
• Water 6 cups

• Directions

  1. Pour water in a heavy based large pan.
  2. Add tea leaves, salt, seeds of green cardamom and bicarbonate of soda.
  3. Bring to boil reduce heat and simmer briskly for 45 minutes or until it reduces to 1\3 its quantity.
  4. While it is still boiling pour in it about 2-3 cups of cold water or enough water to make 4 cups in all.
  5. Bring to boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat, strain and keep aside.
  7. Boil the milk with ground cardamom over low heat.
  8. Pour prepared tea water (Qahwa) in the milk.
  9. Bring to boil, add salt and simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat.
  10. Remove from heat and pour into 6 cups.
  11. Pour 1 tablespoon of cream or malai.
  12. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of pistachio over it.
  13. Flavor of the tea depends on the quality of the green tea leaves.
  14. Serve hot.

The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever.

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• ½ cups Buttermilk
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• _____
• FOR FROSTING:
• ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1-¾ stick Butter
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

Preparation

Note: I use an 18×13 sheet cake pan.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.
Cut into squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve just made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever.

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.