arabic desserts: May 2010

Summer Fruit Pie

Although we are towards summer, it's bit hard to get sunshine here in Germany but in markets we can definetely get lots of summer fruits. All these summer fruits reminds me of the summer fruit pie in Britain with a hot pouring ,yummy custard. I served this pie with my Soy Banana Ice cream but you can also serve it with a scoop of lovely vanilla ice cream.
Also i made this pie using some summer fruits, those who think summer fruits are too sour, you can replace it with apples and blackberry.

This recipe goes to the Bake-off event by Champa.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
For the pastry
Plain flour-125g
Egg yolk-1
Butter-60g
Icing Sugar-25 g
Iced water-1 to 2 tbsp
Roasted and chopped pistachios-1 tbsp
For the filling
Raspberries,strawberries and black berries mixed or any one of the fruit-200 g
Icing sugar-1 tbsp
Method:
Prepare the pastry first since the pastry has to be chilled in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Sift the flour in a bowl, add the butter and rub using your finger tips until the mixture resembles looks crumbly. Add the egg yolk and mix well, add iced water 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture holds together, do not knead the dough too much, it might harden the pastry. Add the finely chopped pistachios and gently knead it into the pastry. Wrap the pastry in a cling film and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile prepare the filling. Add the fruits in a saucepan, then add icing sugar and 1 tbsp of water, cover the pan and gently simmer it until all the fruits get mashed up. Allow it to cool down.
Take out the pastry from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 200 degree celsius. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper. Grease a muffin tray. Cut out round disc just enough to fit the muffin tray. Press the disc inside the muffin tray and press it around the edges. Place the filling inside just below the rim, cover the tray with another disc and seal the edges tightly. Repeat with the remaining pastry, you'll get about 4 mini pie. Bake it in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve the pie warm with a pouring custard or vanilla ice cream.

Hello Everyone :-D

Hello Everyone i'm back after a short break with a big smile and an award . Az of Desi Zayeka has passed me an award. Thank you very much Az, it really means a lot to me. This is the first ever award i'm receiving .
Desi Zayeka has lots of mouthwatering Indian recipes and a few interesting articles too. To check out her lovely blog please click here.According to the award i have to post one of my favourite pictures and pass this award to my fellow bloggers.I pass this award to Manju,Sushma mallya, Prani's kitchen, Sathya, Sailaja,Priya ,Menaga , Mamatkamal and all my fellow bloggers who encourage me with their lovely comments. I think the names which i have mentioned might have received this award earlier, please kindly accept it from me again. I really want to mention all the names who inspire me and encourage me a lot.

This is my favourite picture at the moment, the picture may not look so good or something spectacular, but this house carries lots and lots of memories for me. I had my most precious moments in this house.

I would like to thank once again Az for kindly passing me on this award.

Next Sanyukta of Creative Sanyukta has passed me on her Thank you card. On the ocassion of her award she has kindly passed this beautifully created Thank you card to all her fellow bloggers. Creative Sanyukta the name of her blog is just like her recipes and presentation. Her recipes looks great, it's like an work of art in the plate. I have no idea how she is able to come with such creations. She is a women of creative recipes.

To check out all her creative and lovely recipes please click here.

Below is her beautifully presented Thank you card.

Thank you again Az and Sanyukta.

I also like to congratulate the winners of FFSL

Soy Banana Ice cream

Normally i used to make pancake or muffins in this combination of flavour, this time i have tried with ice cream and it worked ta da. I have used here ice cream machine to churn the ice cream, but if you are making it without icecream maker once the custard is ready, let it cool down, pour it in a box and keep it in the freezer, after one hour take it out and beat the ice crystals, then put it back again. Repeat this process for 6 to 7 times for every 1 hour then keep it in the freezer for about 6 hours. Take the box out from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving. Hope i have made it clear without ice cream maker, if you have any doubts or questions, please feel free to comment.

Ingredients:
Soy milk-600 ml
Egg yolk-3
Cornflour-1 tsp
Sugar-150 g( the amount of sugar which i have added here is bit less, if you wish you can vary it according to your taste or replace it with honey or agave nectar)
Banana-1
Ground cinnamon-1 tsp
Vanilla extract-1 tsp
Ground Nutmeg-1/2 tsp

Method:
Beat the egg yolk, cornflour and sugar together until the mixture looks pale and creamy. Heat the milk just under boiling point, pour the milk little by little into the egg mixture beating continuously. Heat the mixture again, stirring continuously until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Switch off the flame and add all the flavouring, let it cool down.
Blend the banana with little bit of the custard mixture in the blender. Add the banana puree to the custard mixture and stir well. Add the mixture to the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer instructions. It takes approximately 30 minutes in the ice cream maker. Chill in the freezer until you serve.
For serving i have used some fresh bananas and strawberries, you can use any selection of fresh fruits of your choice or even with jelly or some dessert.

White Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies

No matter whatever healthy options i look for my kids, they are always inclined towards this chocolate,that's my kids:-) This is a classic recipe for white chocolate chip cookies. This recipe goes to the event Baking From The Book-Cookies by Champa.

Recipe adapted from the book The Australian Women's Weekly.
Ingredients:
Plain flour-225 g
Caster Sugar-55g
Firmly packed brown sugar-75 g
Butter-125 g melted
Egg-1
White chocolate-100 g coarsely chopped
Hazelnut-50g coarsely chopped
Bicarbonate of soda-1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract-1 tsp
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degree celsius. Grease and line two oven trays with baking paper.
Sift flour and soda in a large bowl, add the sugar and stir well. Stir in butter, extract, egg and then chocolate and nuts, mix well. The mixture will be quite sticky.
Drop a teaspoon of the mixture in the oven tray leaving 5 cm gap between each cookie, as the cookies spread well when they are cooking.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool on tray.
Note:
Do not taste the dough when your making cookies, you'll stop making cookies and start eating the dough :-)

Spicy Idly Podi Pasta

This is a very simple and easy to make pasta in minutes any time of the day. It can be a quick breakfast or can be served as a snack in the evening with tea. I got this recipe from one of my friend, they call this as sangu because they make this using shell pasta, you can also use penne pasta or even the small macroni type pasta.

This recipe goes to the event Global Kadai- Pasta hosted by Thayirsaadham originally started by Cilantro.
Since this recipe is been cooked under 20 minutes it also goes to the event Twenty-20 by Niloufer.

Ingredients:

Shell type pasta-1 cup

Idli Podi-1 tbsp

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Curry leaves-1 stalk

Dried red chilli-2

Oil-1 tbsp

Salt as required

Method:

Cook the pasta in boiling water, drain and keep separately. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chilli. When the mustard seeds start spluttering add the idli podi, then add the well drained pasta and stir well until the pasta is completely coated in idli podi, add salt if required. Switch off the flame. Serve warm with chutneys or sambhar.

Curry leaf Chicken Curry

When my grandmother said if you have curry leaves in your food, you'll get nice long flowing hair, i used to adore curry leaves. I never leave curry leaves in any of my food. When i was in college my friends and college mates used to think i'm a freak about curry leaves. Curry leaves from everybody's plate will be on my plate at the end, i used to sit and finish it on my own :-) I can sense what you are thinking about me now, that's ok:-)
Anyway this recipe, i got it from one of my Srilankan friend from UK.

Ingredients:
Chicken-500 g
Fresh Grated Coconut-2 tbsp
Fresh Curry Leaves-2 stalk( please use fresh curry leaves for this recipe, the dried one will not give any flavour)
Green Chilli-3
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Yogurt-1/2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon-1/2 inch stick
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt- as required
Method:
Wash and cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Marinate the chicken in yougurt,ginger garlic paste and fennel seeds. Dry fry the coconut and curry leaves until the coconut looks bit dry without changing the colour of the coconut. Grind the coconut and curry leaves along with the green chilli in a blender to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon stick, then add the marinate chicken and turmeric powder. Cover the pan and cook the chicken in medium heat. When the chicken is almost done, add the ground mixture and salt, stir well. Cover and cook till oil separates and floats on top.
If you want a dry gravy, cook till all the water evaporates and the gravy looks dry.
Serve the curry with rice or roti's.
This recipe goes to Cooking With Seeds- Fennel Seeds by Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes.

Cinnamana Toast

This recipe is for the event CFK-WWF. CFK is cooking for kids started by Sharmi of Neivedyam. This month's event is hosted by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipe. It's true that cooking for kids and making them eat healthy food is very hard. Kids are our most tough food critics. Most of the kids no matter how fuzzy they are, they like bananas and strawberries. In this recipe i have made the regular french toast with bananas and strawberry sauce. You can also omit the strawberry sauce and serve the bread by itself.
Ingredients:
Wholemeal Bread slices-8 to 10
Whole milk-250 ml
Egg-1
Banana-1
Honey-1 tbsp
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
Butter-1 tbsp
For the topping:
1/2 tbsp of cinnamon mixed with 1/2 tbsp of sugar
For the sauce
7 to 8 strawberries
Icing Sugar-3 tsp( optional)
Method:
Blend the banana in a blender along with egg,honey and milk. Blend the strawberries with sugar and keep it separately. Heat a non stick pan, grease it slightly with butter. Dip the bread in banana milk mixture and place it in the hot pan, keep the flame to medium to low, since you have added banana it might easily burn. So watch out for it. Cook on both sides for about 2 to 3 minutes. Cut into half,dip the bread in cinnamon sugar mixture and drizzle over with strawberry sauce. Hopefully the kids enjoy it.
Variation:
You can also add apple or pears instead of banana.

Banana,date and rolled oats cookies

These cookies are soft centered cookies with yummy banana flavour with the goodness of dates and rolled oats. From kids to grown up will love this cookies, even my little one will have it in the morning. I have used brown sugar for sweetning,you can replace with agave nectar or honey.
This recipe is for the Bake-Off event by Champa.

Recipe adapted from the book The Australian Women's Weekly.
Makes 28 biscuits
Ingredients:
Plain flour-225 g
Butter-125 g
Rolled oats-90 g
Brown Sugar-175g
Dates-75 g chopped
Egg yolk-1
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
Bicarbonate of soda-1/2 tsp
1 mashed banana
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
For the topping
4 seedsless dates chopped
60 g of rolled oats
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Beat butter,rind,essence,egg yolk and sugar with a electric mixer or using a wooden spatula until well combined; stir in mashed banana,then sift the flour and soda, add the oats and dates mix together. The mixture will be quite sticky. Roll level teaspoon of the mixture into a ball. Roll each ball in the oats ,flatten it slightly, place on oven tray 5 cm gap between each cookie, press a piece of chopped dates on top of each cookie.
Bake it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.Cool on tray.
The cookies can be stored in a air tight container for upto 3 weeks.

Energy Giving Green

After a long day running around with my kids, when i sat down to enjoy a glass of fruit juice, relaxes and brings my energy back for the rest of the day. Avocado is an execellent fruit for high energy drink. If you have any doubt about avocado in fruit juices,forget it, it taste really good. The sweetness of the melon combined with the creamy texture of the avocado, now that's a perfect way to relax and gain your energy back.
I haven't added any sugar to this juice,but you can add any sweetner according to your taste.

Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients:
1 Whole Galia Melon
1 Avocado
2 Kiwi
Juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime
Crushed few ice cubes if required
Method:
Cut the melon into half, remove the seeds. Scoop out the melon into the blender. Cut the avocado into half, remove the seed, scoop out the flesh part into the blender, add juice of 1/2 a lemon. Peel and chop the kiwi fruit, add it to the blender. Add few crushed ice cubes, blend all the ingredients together without adding any water. Serve it in a glass immediately. Since you have added avocado it's better to serve as soon as possible.

Kinnathapam

Kinnathapam is a steamed pudding made with coconut milk and rice.It's a speciality dish in Kerala and Kanyakumari district.It's a special sweet served for wedding occasions,may be now the trend has changed.
I made this dish specially for Shabitha's Celebrating Mom Event.
I called my mom last week for the recipe and i made this,actually i thought it was a quite easy recipe,but for me ,it ended up in disaster.I wasted almost half of the mixture,whenever i waste food i feel very very.... guilty about that.I din't have a proper cooker pan,so i used my cake ring,in a cake pan, all the mixture started flowing outside and my cake pan got stuck at the bottom of the cooker,what a disaster! Hardly i rescued half of the mixture and transfer it to another pan and steamed it.So friends please use a proper pan.After all these drama i finally got something delicious to eat.
Makes 25 to 30 slices.
Ingredients:
Thick coconut milk-400 ml
Eggs-5
Sugar-200g
Cardamom pods-5
Raw rice-120g
Salt a pinch
A few almonds or cashew to garnish
Ghee or butter to grease the pan
Method:
Soak the raw rice in warm water for 1 hour,grind it with little bit of water to make it into a smooth paste.For coconut milk if you are using fresh coconut ,take the first set of milk or if you are using powder follow the package instructions to get thick coconut milk.
Beat egg,sugar and coconut milk together with a beater until they are mixed together well and the sugar is completely dissolved,add salt to it and then add the ground rice and mix well.The mixture should be like a pouring custard consistency.Powder the seeds of the cardamom and add it to the mixture.
Grease a round cooker pan or similar to that which you can use in the cooker,pour the mixture,place a plate on top of it ,keep it inside the cooker with water.The water level in the cooker should be just below the pan.Steam in the cooker without whistle for 30 minutes,insert a knife or skewer to check if it's cooked.The skewer should come out clean.Take it out from the cooker,allow it cool a bit,cut it down into slices garnish with cashew or almonds.Serve warm or cold either way it taste delicious.
Please feel free to comment or mail me if you have any doubt about this recipe,i don't want anybody to go wrong with this recipe.

White Asparagus Chutney

Asparagus known as Spargel is grown in France,Italy,Netherland and Germany.What's interesting about this white asparagus is the plant is deprived from sunlight to grow.When i first came to Germany,i was able to see many fields covered with white sheets,then i learnt that it was white asparagus.The plant is completely covered with white sheets to avoid sunlight.White asparagus is slightly less bitter than the green ones.
Asparagus are high in folate,the stalk is high in antioxidants.The second century physician Galan described as 'cleansing and healing'.To read more about asparagus click here.

Normally these asparagus are served for breakfast or as a starter with poached eggs or hollandise sauce.The recipe which i have made here is South Indian style spicy chutney which i discovered from Yasmeen's Healthnut,a blog full of healthy,creative dishes.The sweetness of asparagus and hot chilli married well each other.This chutney is a best accompaniment for dosa's or idli's,even as a spread for bread.To see the original recipe of Yasmeen Healthnut click here.This recipe is for the event BlogBites 3 Adaptation.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
White Asparagus-5 to 6 stalks
Tomato-1/2 chopped
Dried red chilli-2
Garlic cloves-2
Curry leaves-a few spring
Salt as required
Oil-2 tsp
Seasoning(optional)
Oil-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Method:
Prepare the asparagus first,snip the edges off,peel and wash well.Cut into small chunks.Heat oil in a pan,add red chilli,garlic,asparagus,tomato and curry leaves,cover the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Switch off the flame,add everything to the blender along with salt and little bit of water,blend it to a smooth paste.Pour it in a bowl,heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds,when they start to splutter,pour it on top of the chutney.Serve with idlis or dosas.

Beet Cumin Pitta

Home baked bread with vegetables ,i simply love those combinations. Trying out different breads with different vegetables is really exciting. Particularly when you have fuzzy eater kids ,you have to hide the vegetables like this.

This recipe is for the event CWS-Cumin Seeds started by Priya, a very creative cook,everytime when i check out her blog for recipes,it's always with surprises,i really admire at her cooking skills.This month's proud host is Sara of Sara's corner a blog full of yummy recipes.To check out the details for CWS-CuminSeeds event click here.
Beet cumin pitta is a similar recipe to my previous post wholemeal pitta,the only variation is i have used beetroot puree and cumin seeds.
Ingredients:
Unbleached white bread flour-350g
Warm water-180 ml
Olive oil-1 tbsp
Honey-2 tsp
Dried Yeast-1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Beetroot puree-2 tbsp( 1 small beetroot cooked and pureed)
Method:
Combine flour,yeast,salt and cumin seeds together and mix well. Make a well in the center,add oil,honey,beetroot puree and warm water knead it together to make a smooth dough.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface,knead it well for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean and oiled bowl,cover the bowl with a cling film,leave it in a warm place and allow it to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Take the dough,punch the air back.Divide the dough into 6 to 10 rounds,cover it and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.Meanwhile preheat the oven to 230 degree celsius.Take the balls and roll it out into oval shape ,cover the dough and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place the pitta's in the hot baking sheet 2 to 3 at a time and cook for 2 minutes or until puffed up.
Serve warm with curries and salad.

Mutton Fry

Mutton fry is one of my favourite,my mom used to make these dry gravies to make me eat non-veg.Now i'm trying to do the same things for my little ones.
Serves 2

Ingredients:
Boneless lamb-300 g
Onion-1 sliced
Tomato-1/2 chopped
Ginger garlic paste-2 tsp
Green chilli-2
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick- 1/2 inch stick
Curry leaves-a few spring
Lemon juice-1/2 tbsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt as required
Method:
Marinate the lamb with ginger garlic paste,chilli powder,coriander powder,pepper powder,salt and lemon juice for 30 minutes. Put the lamb pieces in a pressure cooker along with the cinnamon stick,add just enough water to cover and cook for 5 to 6 whistles.
Open the cooker,if there is any water in the lamb,cook it again in the medium heat until all the water is evaporated and the gravy is dry.
Heat oil in another separate kadai or pan.Add the lamb pieces and shallow fry for 2 to 3 minutes,remove the pieces from the pan,to the same oil add curry leaves,green chilli,onion and tomato,sprinkle some water and fry well. Cover the pan and cook till the tomato gets mashed up.Add the lamb pieces and stir well.
Serve hot with rotis or rice.
Note:
Don't burn the onions while frying it will give a bitter taste.Sprinkling water is to loosen the residues sticking at the bottom of the pan while frying lamb,this will give a nice taste to the gravy.

Whole meal Pitta Bread

If you have never tried fresh home baked naan or pita breads,you are missing out something in your life. There is nothing else to beat the taste of fresh and straight from the oven bread.
Recipe adated from the book Bread by Christine Ingram.
Sorry guys in my earlier post ,the measurement for water was wrong,i'm extremely sorry about that.Now i have corrected it so you can follow this recipe.

Makes 6 to 10 pittas
Ingredients:
Wholemeal flour-100g
White Bread flour-250g
Dried yeast-1 tsp
Olive oil-1 tbsp
Warm water-210 ml
Honey-2 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Method:
Combine flour,salt and yeast together. Make a well in the center add oil,honey and water, knead it together to make a smooth dough. Transfer to the work surface,knead it again for 5 minutes. Place the dough in a oiled bowl. Cover it with a cling film,leave it in a warm place and allow it to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Take the dough,punch the air back,divide the dough into 6 to 10 balls,shape it into smooth balls, cover and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 230 degree celsius. Take the dough,roll each ball into oval shape.Cover it and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.Place the pittas in the hot baking sheet 2 or 3 at a time,cook for 2 minutes or until puffed,it doesn't have to look brown on top. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve the bread warm with curries and salad.
Note:
If the pitta's doesn't puff up,don't worry ,take it out after 2 minutes. It will be still soft and nice to eat.

Peanut Butter Savoury Bites

Peanut Butter is a super sports food said by Nancy Clark an internationally known sports nutritionist and nutrition author.Peanut Butter is satisfying and perfect for dieters. It also reduces the risk of heart disease,high source of protein,it's also good for diabetes. To read more about peanut butter click here
This recipe is for the event Food for Ailment and Old Age by Food For 7 stages Of Life

Serves 2
Ingredients:
For the savoury bites:
Plain Flour-150g
Rolled Oats-30g
Peanut Butter-60g
Egg yolk-1
Zuchinni-50 g grated
Olive oil-1 to 2 tbsp
Baking powder-1 tsp
Bicarbonate of soda-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
For the topping
Cumin seed-1 tsp
Egg white-1 beaten lighly
Method:
Sift the flour,baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl,add turmerice powder,chilli powder to it mix well.Now add peanut butter,oats and mix well.The mixture should look crumbly. Then add the grated zucchini and olive oil,the dough should come together like a sticky dough,if not add some water.

Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper,cut them into diamond shapes,brush the egg white on top,sprinkle cumin seeds on top,cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.Take it out from the oven,separate them into individual pieces,increase the oven temperature to 200 degree celsius,place it in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Serve warm with tomato chutney.
Recipe for Tomato Chutney:
This is the basic recipe for tomato chutney almost every South Indian will know this,it goes well with the savoury bites.
Ingredients:
Tomato-1 roughly chopped
Onion-1/2 roughly chopped
Dried red chilli-2
Curry leaves-a few spring
Garlic-2 cloves
Salt-to taste
Oil-2 tsp
Method:
Heat oil in a pan,add curry leaves and dried red chilli.Add the onion,tomato and salt,cover the pan and cook until the tomato gets mashed up.Remove from the pan and blend it into a smooth paste in a blender. Serve with savoury bites.

Berry Fool

This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson's cooking programme in BBC.Nigella is known for her easy and quick recipes. This dessert is made easily in minutes and you can attract your guests.
This recipe goes to the event Twenty-20 by Kitchen Samraj. A very nice theme which suits Indian summer.

Ingredients:
Whipping cream-200 ml
Strawberry,raspberry or blackberry-100g
Meringue or macroons-about 10 biscuits
Method:
Blend the berries in a blender until smooth,save two or three berries for garnishing.
Whip the cream until soft peak forms with a electric blender,fold in the crushed biscuits and berry puree to make a ripple effect.

In a serving bowl,pour some left out berry puree at the bottom of the bowl,pour the cream on top and finally pour some puree and garnish it with some fruits on top.
You can make this dessert earlier and put it in the refrigerator covered until ready to serve.

Berry melody

As we are approaching towards summer we can find lots of berries in market. Most of the berries are rich in beta carotene and vitaminC.I have used a mixed selection of berries,you can use mixed or just one berry,either way good to have it.

Nutritional Value:
Melons:
Melons are high in beta carotene,vitamin B complex and little vitaminC. Melons give a calming effect on the digestive system with a mild stimulating action on the kidney.Melons are also good for the immune system.
Strawberry:
Strawberry are rich in vitaminC and folic acid.A good cleanser for the whole body.
Raspberry:
Raspberries are also good source of vitaminC and folic acid.Excellent uplifting properties and good for convalescence.
Cranberry:
Cranberries are a good source of beta carotene,B complex vitamins,vitaminC and folic acid.A natural diuretic and urinary tract cleanser.
Blueberry:
The skin contains high concentration of compounds that can destroy harmful bacteria in the gut and keep it healthy.
Blackcurrant:
The skin contains compounds that have the ability to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.The high vitaminC content gives powerful antioxidant properties.
The above information is from the book 'Good Housekeeping'.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Mixed Berries-1 cup
Apple juice-1 cup
Melon-1 cup chopped
Sugar is optional according to your taste.
Method:
Blend the chopped melon without adding any water,keep it separately.Blend the berries and apple juice together.
To serve: In two separate glasses,pour the berry juice first,then top it up with the melon juice. Add crushed ice cubes if required.

Peanut Butter Pastry Pie

Pie,pastries,bread have become our usual diet in recent years.Bread i feel like it's ok but pastries with lots of butter OMG i always have a guilt feeling at the back of my mind, so this time instead of normal butter i tried with crunchy peanut butter and Surprise Surprise it turned out to be good. May some of our creative foodies have already done this , but for me this my first experience with peanut butter pastry and we all enjoyed it.

This recipe is for the event My Legume Love Affair 23 hosted by The Well Seasoned Cook. To know more about the event click here.
Ingredients:
For The Pastry:
Plain flour or All Purpose Flour-250g
Crunchy Peanut Butter-100 g
Egg yolks-2
Iced cold water-2 to 3 tbsp
For The Filling:
Boneless chicken-1/2 kg
Green pepper-1
Spring onion-2
Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Lemon juice-1/2 tbsp
Soya Sauce-1 tsp
Cornflour-1 tsp mixed with 2 tbsp of water
Salt as required
Oil-2 tbsp
For The Glaze
1 egg white beaten lightly
Method:
First prepare the pastry dough,combine flour and butter to make a crumbly texture,add the egg yolks and mix again,the add 1 to 2 tbsp of cold water until the pastry is just combined.Wrap tightly in a cling film and chill in the refrigerator for atleast 1 hour or until you use it. You can also prepare the dough the previous day and keep in the refrigerator.
Next prepare the filling,marinate the chicken in ginger garlic paste,chilli powder and lemon juice.Shallow fry the chicken in oil,when they are almost done,remove the chicken from oil.
In the same oil add chopped green pepper and spring onion,then add chicken,pepper powder and soya sauce.Finally add the cornflour mixed with water and allow it boil until it becomes thick and saucy.Add salt according to your taste.

Take the pastry out from the refrigerator 10 minutes before preparing.Preheat the oven to 200 degree celsius.
Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper.Cut them into circles of 8 cm diameter.Place the filling inside,seal the edges.Brush it on top with beaten egg white.Bake it in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Serve the pie with salad and tomato ketchup.

Avocado and Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

Avocado with chocolate is a bit of known combination ,but if you have doubt about avocado's in frozen yogurt ,you can totally omit that part and use vanilla flavouring with same procedure.

Ingredients:
Yogurt-500 g
Egg whites-3
Honey-2 tbsp(you can replace honey with 75 g of sugar)
Dark chocolate or milk chocolate-50g melted
Avocado-1/2 of 1 avocado mashed
Method:
Strain the yogurt wrapped in a muslin cloth for 6 hours until all the water is drained out and yogurt looks like curd cheese.Take yogurt in a bowl and mix the honey with it.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.Carefully fold in the egg whites with the honey mixture.
Separate the mixture into half, leave one half plain and to the other half add melted and cooled chocolate.
Churn the mixtures separately in the ice cream maker according to your machine instructions for about 20 minutes.
Now mix the mashed avocado to the plain mixture,at this step if you wish you can omit avocado if you don't want to.
Take your freezer box spoon the mixtures into the box,swirl it with a spoon to give a ripple effect,close the box and return to the freezer.
Take the box out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.

Stuffed and Twisted Bread

This bread is for the event Bread Baking Day 30 hosted by Living in the Kitchen with Puppies originally started by Zorra of Kochtopf. Ever since i saw about this bread baking day in various blogs i wanted to participate too, but somehow i use to miss everytime so this is my first time in bread baking day.
Recipe adapted from the book Bread by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter

Ingredients:
White bread flour-450 g
Luke warm water-230 ml
Egg-1
Sugar-2 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Olive oil-75 ml
Dried yeast-1 1/2 tsp
Silvered almonds and sesame seeds for topping(optional)
For the Stuffing:
Mince meat-200g
Onion-1/2 finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Garam masala-1/4 tsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Method:
Combine flour,salt,sugar and yeast in a large bowl.Add egg,olive oil and water to make a smooth dough.Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.Place the dough in a clean and oiled bowl,cover it and leave it in a warm place to rise for about 1 to 2 hour or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile prepare the stuffing.Heat the oil in a pan ,add ginger garlic paste and onion. Saute until the onion turns into slightly brown in colour.Add the meat and spice powders,stir well,cover the pan and cook until the meat is cooked and all the water is absorbed.

Now take the risen dough,knock the air back.Roll it out into a rectangle of 50/40 cm.Cut the dough in half lengthways.Spread the filling on each piece of the dough.Roll each piece of dough like a swiss roll.
Place two pieces next to each other and twist them together.Brush the ends of the dough with water. Loop the dough and place it inside a greased 23 cm springform cake tin.Cover the dough with cling film and leave it in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until puffed up.
Preheat the oven to 200 degree celsius.Srinkle some sesame seeds and silvered almonds on top of the bread.
Baking it in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until gold on top.Leave to cool slightly ,then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Serve the bread with hummus and salad.

Vanilla Hazelnut Meringue

I always had a doubt about this meringue,the first time i tried this it turned out to be really well.You can have this by itself or use it in various.Recipe idea for dessert using meringue will be posted later,for now just recipe for meringue.You can also try out other flavours like chocolate,coffee,rosewater,almond essence and various other flavours using the same recipe.This recipe is for the Bake-Off Event by Stories From an Indian Kitchen.

Makes 30
Ingredients:
Egg whites-2
Caster sugar-110g
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
Roasted hazelnut-30 nuts
Method:
Preheat the oven to 120 degree celsius,grease and line two baking sheets.
Beat the egg whites with a electric mixer until soft peaks form,add sugar gradually beating until dissolved.Stir in the vanilla essence.
Place teaspoonfull of meringue mixture in the baking sheet leaving 2 cm space between each meringue and top it with hazelnut on top of each meringue, bake it in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Leave it in the oven to cool down with the door open.After completely cooled down,store it in a air tight container.

Summer in a glass

Smoothies and juices are must in everyday diet to maintain your system healthy.I was really excited when i saw Divya's 'Show me your smoothie' event.This recipe is my entry for the event.

This smoothie is the one normally i used to make almost every week.The combination oranges,pineapple,mango and kiwi is my all time favourite.
Oranges are rich in vitamin C and folic acid,they also have the highest amount of beta carotene.Oranges help to cleanse and improve the digestive system.It also helps to maintain a good healthy skin.
Kiwi is also excellent source of vitaminC and good source of beta carotene and minerals potassium,calcium,magnesium and phosphorous.It's also good for circulation,digestion and skin.
Mangoes are excellent for energy,vitality and promoting healhy skin.
Pineapple contains enzyme bromelain,which aids the digestion of protein and therefore is excellent for digestive problems.
The above information about the fruits is from the book Good House Keeping Smoothies and Juices.
Ingredients:
Pineapple-2 tbsp chopped
Kiwi-2 fruits chopped
Mango pulp-1 tbsp
Orange freshly squeezed-2 cups
Crushed ice cubes-3 to 4 ice cubes
I haven't added any sugar to the juice ,the natural sweet from the fruits should be sufficient ,if you wish you could add some sugar or honey.
Method:
Put all the ingredients together in a blender,and blend well until nice and smooth.Pour it in a serving glass,top with some extra ice cubes if required.

Braided Bread

Baking breads and trying out diffferent recipes using vegetables,stuffed bread are real fascination to me.The actual recipe was a sweet version but i tried it out with non vegetarian,you can also use vegetarian stuffing.I have also suggested a curry recipe for the stuffing,but offcourse you can vary it according to your taste.This bread can be served as starter or even for maincourse.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
White bread flour-280g
Luke warm water-90 ml
Dried yeast-1 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Sugar-2 tsp
Olive oil-50 ml
Egg-1
For the curry:
Boneless chicken-1/2 kg
Onion-1 finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste-2 tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Garam masala-1/4 tsp
Grated carrot-1/2 cup
Peas-1/2 cup
Salt as required
Oil-1/2 tbsp
For the toppings
1 egg yolk mixed with water
Sesame seeds and poppy seeds for sprinkling(optional)

Method:
Prepare the dough by mixing the flour,sugar,salt and yeast together,add egg,water and oil together to make a smooth dough,transfer the dough to a flour covered work surface knead again for 10 minutes.Shape the dough into a smooth ball,place it in a oiled bowl,cover it with cling film and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile prepare the stuffing, wash and cut the chicken in to small pieces. Heat oil in a pan,add ginger garlic paste and onions saute till the raw smell goes.Add the spice powders and chicken,cover the pan and cook the chicken in medium heat.When the chicken is almost done add the vegetables and salt,cook till the vegetables are cooked and all the water is absorbed.
Take the risen dough ,knock the air back,roll it out into a long rectangle,make slashes on both sides of the rectangle,place the filling in the middle from top to bottom,starting from the top fold in the end piece of the dough strips over the filling.Tuck in the end to seal.Place the braid on a baking sheet,cover it with a oiled cling film and leave it in a warm place to rise for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degree celsius.Make the glaze by mixing the egg yolk and milk together and brush it on top of the bread.Sprinkle sesame seeds and poppy seeds on top of each strip alternatively.Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes,then reduce the temperature to 190 degree celsius and bake for further 10 to 15 minutes or until the braid is well risen and golden in colour.
Serve the bread with garlic yogurt and salad.

Sweet Carrot Pudding

Carrots will be available in almost everybody's kitchen,usually used for salads,soups,curries,halwa,kheer etc.
This time i have tried this carrot along with the combination of apples.Apples and carrot together make really a sweet treat.This pudding can be enjoyed as a dessert or even with a cup of tea .This recipe is for the event A.W.E.D by Food For 7 stages of life originally started by DK of Chef in you.A.W.E.D. is A Wordly Epicurian Delight.This recipe is adapted from the book 'Recipes From Around The World'.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
Carrots-250 g
Apples-2
Eggs-2
Semolina-25g
Granulated Sugar-3 tbsp
Ground Almonds-2 tbsp
Butter-40g
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
To Serve
1 small red apple
1 tbsp of icing sugar to dust
Method:
Peel and slice the carrots,grated the rind of the lemon to it,add 1 tbsp of sugar.1tbsp of lemon juice and add just enough water to cover and boil the carrots for 15 minutes or until the carrot is nice and soft.
Puree the carrots in a food processor or a hand blender.Peel,core and grate the apple,add the remain lemon juice,puree it along with carrots once again.
Melt the butter,let it cool for a while.Separate the eggs.Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form,when you take the electric beater,it should hold it's shape.
Mix the yolks,sugar,semolina and butter together along with the carrot mixture.Fold in the egg whites gently each spoon.

Preheat the oven to 170 degree celsius.Grease 4 ramekins and dust it with ground almonds.Divide the mixture equally between four ramekins.Place the ramekins in a roasting tin,fill the roasting tin with boiling water such that it comes halfway to the sides of the dish.
Bake it in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until firm to touch.Remove from the roasting tin.Leave it to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.Run a knife around sides of each dish,turn it upside down on to the plate.
Serve with thinly sliced apples dusted with icing sugar or with warm custard.
Serve the pudding while it's still warm.