Sticky Toffee Chocolate Pudding

Sticky Toffee Chocolate Pudding

A quick recipe I learnt from a friend came handy when my best friend from Delhi visited me last Sunday. On the short notice, I found my freeze stuffed with the ingredients of this recipe. And I loved her compliments like anything.

What you need is:

Dates 100gms finely chopped

Egg 1 in number

Refined flour 100gm

Refined sugar 100gm

Butter 50gm

1tsf baking powder

For sauce

Roughly chopped extra dark chocolate

100gms thick cream

Refined sugar 20gms

In a bowl, take roughly 50ml of boiling water and soak dates for two minutes. Drain the water (but save it). In a food processor, crush the dates; add egg, butter, sugar and flour. Add baking powder. Add the water (from dates) to make the consistency thick enough to flow.

In an oven bake it in ceramic bowl at 180C for 20min.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate, add cream and sugar. Mix well.

Take the bowl out of oven. Spread the sauce over the pastry. Bake it again for two minutes. Serve it hot.

Cottage Cheese and Spinach Balls

Cottage Cheese and Spinach Balls

Last Sunday, there was a dinner at my house for the close friends. I had planned a black and white menu theme for the dinner. My flour miller promised me that he will deliver me the buckwheat flour by 5pm. But it turned out, that the shop was closed a little early. The guest were expected at 7pm. I had to prepare the main course and there was no time to create an elaborate starter.

I came up with the idea of a quick starter from the ingredients out of my main course. It blew away my guest and so did me.

I made a quick starter from cottage cheese and spinach. No need to mention that it was rich in proteins, minerals and iron(good for anemic patients).

Another thing to mention here is that I steamed the balls instead of frying. Hence it was calorie free. ( ok! I am calorie freak).

Here is the recipe:

Cottage cheese: 200gms

Spinach: 50gms

One small onion finely chopped

Garlic one clove finely chopped

Green chilies finely chopped

Chaat masala

Salt

1 tsf vegetable oil

In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil till caramelized  Blanch the spinach and finely chop after removing excess water.

Switch off the heat, add minced cottage cheese, spinach, green chilies and spices to the pan.

Make small balls of the batter. Steam them for 5 to 7 minutes in a steamer.

Serve hot with coriander chutney or salsa.

Banana and cottage cheese pudding

Banana and cottage cheese pudding

Being a North Indian, I don’t feel satisfied if there is no dessert after meals. Years gone, this has been a ritual that I need atleast one sweet post my dinner.Following recipe is my innovation, in the sense, that it is less calorie enriched compared to the original one. I have fortified it with protein. Isn’t it good, a dessert packed with protein as well. 

Here it goes:

Digestive biscuits 1pack

Condensed milk 50ml

Cottage cheese 200gms

Dark chocolate (melted in double boiler) 200gms

One banana : sliced

In a bowl, crumble the cottage cheese and mix it with half the amount of chocolate (melted in double boiler). In another glass bowl, put a layer of digestive biscuits (crumbled to powdered form in a mixer). Apply gently the thick layer of condensed milk (make sure the layers do not merge). Gently make a layer of crumbled cottage cheese mixed with molten chocolate. Pour the rest of molten (cold) chocolate syrup on the cottage cheese layer. Garnish the top layer with banana slices.

I use banana, as it goes well with chocolate and condensed milk. Any fruit can be used.

Keep it in refrigerator for an hour to set in layers.

My notes:

This recipe looks good when set in layers. (Make sure you set the layers gently)

CRISPY POTATOES WITH HERBS

CRISPY POTATOES WITH HERBS

 The launched of my first poetry book VOICES & VICES was a big deal for me, so for my friends. Their support and motivation has led me to this giant step. After the release and success, comes the party time. Friends of my poetry club insisted a homemade supper. This is a delight when you see friends talking about your poems and food. It feels like I am the centre of their appreciation. Apart from self bragging, the menu was simple but with some innovation.

Here is the recipe of starters I served with almond broccoli soup. Though preparation takes time, but trust me the efforts are fruitful. I made crispy potatoes with herbs like oregano, parsley.

What you require is:

200gms potatoes (selectively the tiniest one, there this is another variety available in the section of your supermall, which people doesn’t easily relish)

50gms butter (yes, calorie counts)

Green garlic (few stems, diced)

Oregano, onion salt, garlic salt, chilli flakes (as per the taste)

SALT (only use while serving, not in cooking, explained below).

The recipe:

Few hours before the actual cooking, marinate your potatoes. In a zip lock pouch, put potatoes (rinsed, well dried and unpeeled). Add butter, garlic stems and herbs. Lock the zip pouch and mix the contents vigorously. Keep aside for 2-3hrs. You can mix the contents few times in the pouch itself.

In a pan, bring the contents on medium heat. Cover the pan. Occasionally stir the potatoes otherwise they will stick to bottom. It might take half an hr to get the potatoes golden brown and crispy.

Just before serving add the salt. If added before, the potatoes will release their water content and they won’t be crispy enough. Rather they will taste like wedges.

Garnish with oregano, diced garlic.

Goes well with soup, side salad and for a change with sandwiches (instead of regular French fries).

Hope you enjoy. I will wait for your feedbacks.

My take away on recipe:

1.      Time consuming. Not an instant recipe when guests knock your door uninformed.

2.      Calorie rich. But sometimes you can relish.

3.      Unpeeled potatoes, preserves the roughage content.