Mexican Wedding Cakes

2/3 cup (65 grams)      nuts(pecans,walnuts,hazelnuts)

1 cup (227 grams)        unsaltedbutter, room temperature

1/4 cup (30 grams)     confectioners' (powdered or icing)sugar

1 teaspoon (2 grams)  pure vanilla extract

2 cups (260 grams)    all-purposeflour

2 tbs                              Chocolate powder

1/4 teaspoon                salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
2. Toast Nuts: Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown and fragrant. Cool. Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of the flour from the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste).
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract & chocolate powder. Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined. Stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour or until firm. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Form the chilled dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 -15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, place the 1 cup (120 grams) sifted confectioners sugar in a bowl. Take the still hot cookies and roll them in the sugar, one at a time. Place on a wire rack to cool. Or you can simply place the confectioners sugar in a strainer and sift the sugar over the tops of the cookies. Let cool completely before storing. Can be storedin an airtight container for several weeks. Can roll or sift the cookies in more confectioners sugar before serving.
7. Store in an airtight container.
8. Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 

Adapted from :http://www.joyofbaking.com/

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

• 
  
• 4 large (120 grams)   egg whites, at room temperature
  1 cup (200 grams)     granulated white sugar
  1/4 tp                          salt
  1 tsp                            vanilla extract
  1/2 cup (60 grams)  cakeflour, sifted
  3 cups (300 grams)  dried sweetened coconut, shredded or flaked
  
  
  Method

1. In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt. 
2. When this mixture is warm to the touch, and nice and creamy, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, flour, and coconut. Cover and refrigerate for about two hours, or until firm. 
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
4. Place small mounds (heaping tablespoons) of the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing several inches apart. 
5. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  
6. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool.
7. Makes about 2 dozen Macaroons.

Source:http://www.joyofbaking.com

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients


1. Peanut Butter, smooth - 240ml
2. Unsalted butter - 240 grams
3. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
4. Icing sugar - 450 grams
5. Shredded coconut, roasted - 1 cup
6. Salt - 1/4tsp (Optional)

Method


1. Line the bottom and sides of an 9 inch (20 or 23 cm) square pan with aluminum foil or wax paper.
2. Place the peanut butter, butter, and salt in a large heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water & melt.
3. Then, using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla extract, shredded coated and powdered sugar.
4. Spread the fudge into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. 
5. Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm (at least two hours).
6. Take out & cut into 1 inch squares.

Adapted from: www.joyofbaking.com

Gajar ka Halwa

  

Ingredients
1. Carrot, grated - 1kgs
2. Milk - 1 Litre
3. Sweet Condensed Milk - 400gm (1 tin)
4. Sugar - 1/2 cup
5. Cardamom, powdered - 4-5 nos
6. Saffron strands - a few
7. Almond, chopped - 5-6 nos
8. Raisins, chopped - 5-6 nos
9. Ghee - 4 Tbs

Method
1. Grate the carrots & keep aside.
2. In a wide heavy bottom pan, heat 3 tbs of ghee. Add the grated carrot & stir for 2-3 mins.
3. To this mixture, pour the milk, keep stirring occasionally till the milk is reduced & the mixture is semi dry.
4. At this stage, add condensed milk & sugar. Keep stirring occasionally & remove from flame when the mixture is almost dry.
5. Fry the almonds & raisins with 1 Tbs of ghee.
6. Add cardamom powder, almond & raisins to halwa.
7. Garnish with almonds & saffron strands.
8. Serve chilled.

Chocolate Fruit Cake

I have been making this cake for the last four years for Christmas. And its always a hit with my family & friends. I saw this cake been baked by Nigella Lawson on a TV program & tried it....of course with some personal touched added to it. 

I usually make this cake three weeks in advance & keep brushing it almost everyday with Drambuie Liqueur. The Drambuie Flavour mixed with the Tia Maria Coffee Liqueur to bake the cake make the cake awesome. I haven't clicked any pictures till now, but if I bake it this year, for sure, there will be a picture of the same. 

Ingredients

• 350 grams dried soft prunes, chopped
• 250 grams raisins
• 125 grams currants
• 175 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 175 grams dark muscovado sugar
• 175 ml honey
• 125 ml coffee liqueur 
• 2 oranges, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 2 tablespoons good quality cocoa
• 3 free-range eggs, beaten
• 150 grams plain flour
• 75 grams ground almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For decoration:

• 25 grams dark chocolate-covered coffee beans
• Edible glitter
• Gold mini balls
• About 10 edible gold stars
• 
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of baking parchment. When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip)
3. Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
5. Pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.
6. Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.
7. To decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange the gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.

Source : Recipes from Feast by Nigella Lawson, published by Chatto and Windus

Jeerem Meerem Powder

Ingredients

• Cumminseed powder - 100gms
• Turmeric powder - 100gms
• Black pepper powder - 50gms
• Clove powder - 3 level tsp
• Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
• Red Chilli powder - 1 level tsp

Method

• Pass the powders through a sieve & bottle.
• Use as required.

Granny's beef Special

Ingredients

Beef - 1/2 kg
Sugar - 1/4tsp
Vinegar - 2tbsp
Jeerem Meerem powder - 1tbs 
Ginger-Garlic paste - 2tsp
Tamarind juice - 1cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 4tbsp

Method

1. Cut beef into 3 inch slices.
2. Marinate the beef with Salt, Vinegar & Sugar. Refrigerate it for atleast 3-4 hours.
3. Flatten each slice with a tenderiser.
4. Heat Oil & fry the beef till done. Keep aside.
5. In the same pan, add jeerem meerem powder & ginger-garlic paste & saute.
6. Add the fried meat into this mixture.
7. Add tamarind juice & cook till meat is properly done.
8. Garnish with chopped green chillies & thin ginger strips.

Pinky Pork

Ingredients

To Marinate

• Pork with bones, cut into cubes- 1kg
• Lemon-1tsp
• Vinegar-1tsp
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 1/2tbs
• Salt to taste
• Pepper as required

For Gravy

• Tomato - 4 nos, medium 
• Onion, cubes - 4nos
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2tbs
• Green chillies - 4nos
• Garam Masala powder - 1tsp
• Coconut Milk - 2 cups
• Oil - 2tbs
• Salt to taste
• Boiled Peas - 1/2 cup
• Freshly sliced ginger strip - 1tbs

Method

1. Marinate Pork with the mixture above for minimum of 3 hours. Refrigerate it.
2. In the meantime, prepare the gravy.
3. In a deep bottom pan, pour oil for shallow frying.
4. Saute the onions.
5. Add Ginger-Garlic paste & saute.
6. Add chopped green chillies & garam masala powder.
7. Puree the tomato & add into the above mixture.
8. After 2 mins, add coconut milk & cook for 15-20mins. (Yoghurt/Curd can also be substituted, if there is no coconut milk available)
9. Take a pan to shallow fry the Pork in its own fat.
10. Cook/fry as required.
11. Once cooked, on a platter, arrange the Pork pieces & pour the gravy over it.
12. Garnish with cooked green peas & freshly sliced ginger strips.
13. Serve with Sanas or boiled rice.

Prawns Masala - Dry

Ingredients

• Prawns - 200gms
• Onion, sliced - 1no
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric pd - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbs
• Curry leaves - Handful
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Clean Prawns & keep aside.
2. Take an earthen/clay bowl, medium size & heat on slow flame.
3. Put the prawns into the bowl with chilli powder, turmeric powder, onions, half of the curry leaves & salt to taste.
4. Cook it till prawns are well done & masala is thick.
5. Remove the  bowl from the flame.
6. Add coconut oil & half of the curry leaves & mix well.
7. Serve with rice or chappati.

Fish Padda

Ingredients

• Sardines/Mackrels - 1 kq
• Dry Red Chillies - 30nos
• Garlic, sliced - 2 pods
• Ginger, sliced - 4 tbsp
• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Vinegar - 3/4 cup
• Water - 2 glasses
• Curry leaves - handful
• Mustard oil - 1 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Clean & marinate the fish with turmeric powder & salt for half an hour.
2. Boil water & cool it. Pour vinegar into this.
3. Grind red chillies, garlic, ginger, jeera with the vinegar-water.
4. Fry the fish in mustard oil, for 5-8mins. It should only be slightly crisp. Remove & keep aside.
5. In the same oil, add curry leaves & the ground masala to form a thick gravy.
6. Once the gravy boils, add the fried fish & bring it to boil again.
7. Let it cool. 
8. Heat 1/2 cup oil & pour it into the fish gravy.
9. This is a form of pickle, so bottle & store it.

Goan Squid Chilly Fry

Ingredients

• Squids - 200gms
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice - 1no
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Capsicum, sliced - 1/2
• Tomato, sliced - 1 no
• Onion, sliced - 1 no
• Garlic, sliced - 1 tbs
• Ginger, sliced - 1 tsb
• Green chillies - 3-4nos
• Red chilli paste - 1 tbs
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Goan toddy vinegar - 2 -3tsp
• Coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Method

1. Marinate the squids with turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt & lime juice for half an hour.
2. Stir-fry marinated squids for 2-3 mins.
3. In a different pan, saute garlic, ginger, onions, capsicum, green chillies & tomato for 2-3 mins.
4. Add salt, red chilli paste, garam masala powder, turmeric powder & squids. Let it cook.
5. Add Goan toddy vinegar to this mixture & heat till it is dry & fried.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve.

Goan Fish Curry

Ingredients

• King Fish - 220gms
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger, sliced - 1 tsp
• Garlic, sliced - 1 tsp
• Onion, sliced - 1 no
• Coconut, grated - 1 cup
• Dry Red chillies - 5-6 nos
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Kokum - 2-3 pcs
• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1 no
• Green chillies - 1-2nos
• Water - 1 cup
• Coconut Oil
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Clean & marinate the fish with turmeric powder & salt. Keep it aside.
2. Grind ginger, garlic, half an onion, coconut, dry red chillies, coriander seeds &  jeera to make a smooth paste.
3. Heat a pan with oil & saute half an onion. Once slight brown, add tomato & cook till soft.
4. Pour the red paste into the above mixture. Add kokum, water & stir. 
5. Once the curry boils, add green chillies & cook for a minute.
6. Add the marinated fish into the curry & let it cook.
7. Serve with white rice.

Goan Potato Chops

Ingredients

• Potato, Boiled & Mashed - 150gms
• Green peas,  Boiled & Mashed - 50gms
• Coriander leaves, chopped - 2tbs
• Garlic, chopped - 2tsp
• Ginger, chopped - 2tsp
• Onions, chopped - 1 no
• Green chillies, chopped  - 2-3nos
• Coriander powder - 1tsp
• Chilli powder - 1tsp
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Jeera powder - 1tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Rava (Semolina) or Breadcrumbs - 1 cup
• Maida (Flour) - 3tbsp or Egg whites - 3 nos
• Water - 1 cup
• Oil
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Saute onions, ginger, garlic & green chillies in oil.
2. Add coriander powder, chillies powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder  & garam masala powder. Stir in well & heat till the aroma of the spices are released.
3. Take off the above mixture from the heat & add mashed potatos, mashed peas & coriander leaves. Mix well.
4. Make small disc shaped cutlets.
5. Mix Maida with water to form a thin paste. It shouldn't be too watery.
6. Dip the cutlets into the Maida paste. Egg can be used, as a non-vegetarian version.
7. Coat the cutlets with Rava/Breadcrumbs.
8. This can be shallow fried or deep fried.
9. Serve with tomato ketchup.