Saturday 30 March 2013

Crumbled Tiramisu Pudding


Crumbled Tiramisu Pudding



Few days back, bunch of my friends planned a dinner at a fine restaurant of the city. The buffet of the day had tiramisu as in desserts. Meanwhile we finished our main course, we found that tiramisu at the bar was about to finish, I quickly filled my platter with the remaining tiramisu. The restaurant manager said that they will refill the bar shortly. So my friends dint even share with me. Unfortunately they refilled it with black forest cake as tiramisu was out of stock. Ouch! Everyone started cursing me for finishing it. (Though I was lil enjoying their disappointment).
Next day I made my version of tiramisu for myself, fortunately it turned out that one of the friends got the chance to relish it.
Here is my version:
Though it’s not an original recipe, but it’s quite easy version and quenched my temptation for tiramisu.
What you need is:
A sponge cake (chocolate or vanilla)
Whipped cream 100gm
Icing sugar 50gm
Cream cheese 50gms
Espresso coffee 2tsf
Sugar syrup 2tsf (optional)
Crumble the sponge cake with hands. Set the crumbles in a serving bowl. Pour sugar syrup (optional, you can omit to avoid extra sugar or add a pinch of coffee in syrup).
Whip cream cheese, icing sugar and coffee for 2 minutes.
Fold the mixture gently into whipped cream.
Layer this cream on the crumbled cake mixture. Dust with coffee or coco powder. Ready to serve.

My notes:
1.     It’s completely eggless.
2.     Can be made from left over cake. Or sometimes if the cake you are making crumbles in the process.
3.      Easter is round the corner, enjoy it.


Thursday 14 March 2013

KADDU KI SABZI (Pumpkin Vegetable)


KADDU KI SABZI
(Pumpkin Vegetable)
you my pumpkin pumpkin, hello honey bunny

After years of cooking, I still regret that I have never been able to produce the flavors my mom puts in her cooking. I know her main ingredient is love. Even if I follow the exact recipe and season ample amount of love, dedication and discipline in my food. At the end of the day, the recipe is not yet perfect.
My mom visits me twice a year, every time I request her to cook Kaddu ki Sabzi and Bharwa Paratha. She makes a perfect blend of sugar and tanginess of tomatoes.
Well, It started this way, that my friends planned a hangout at Drive-in cinemas along with dinner. One of my friend is little fussy about eating vegetables. I chose to prepare this recipe and asked him to trust me and try it. Amazingly he liked it. (considering he is a blunt man and gives only honest opinions. I am not gonna name him here, but il tag this link to his wall J).

Here goes the recipe:
Pumpkin medium riped 250gms (peeled & chopped in one inch cubes)
Tomatoes medium size 2 in number
2 tsf sugar
Quarter spoon fenugreek seeds (methi ke dane for tempering)
Salt, chilli flakes, turmeric powder for seasoning.
2tsf vegetable oil


In a pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add fenugreek seeds, sauté for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes. Stir occasionally till they get tender. Add sugar. Wait for a minute. Add the seasoning. In the last add pumpkin cubes. Mix well. Cover the pan with lid. No need to add water as pumpkin releases its juices. Wait for ten minutes with occasional stirring. The recipe is ready if the pumpkin is nicely tender and juicy.
Garnish with coriander.
Best goes with paratha, poori, thepla.
My notes:
My mom is the best cook ever.
You can avoid peeling the pumpkin, it adds roughage to recipe.
The correct blend of sugar, tanginess of tomatoes and exact amount of salt is learnt with time. (don’t get disheartened if it doesn’t turn out well in first trial)




Monday 4 March 2013

A Visit to Kadoli Farm



A  Visit to Kadoli Farm

Sunday 3.3.13, a bunch of friends left for Polo forest for photo shooting. It turned out to be a fun filled day with the most authentic, traditional, simple and delighted lunch treat at Kadoli Farm.
Kadoli farm, situated in the interiors of 8 acres of cultivated land owned by King and Queen of Vijayanagar, district Gujarat. The humble welcome by King Harvardhan Singh Rathore (he avoids to use Rathore as his surname owing to his personal reasons) and Queen Gargi Devi took us to the journey of royalty and its current existence.
After a quick ginger tea, we went for the work, we were scheduled for. The shoot was fun filled and tiring. The scorching heat made us dehydrated and hungry. The hunger pangs forced us to return back to our host where a sumptuous lunch was waiting for us.
I was terribly hungry; I quickly freshened up and asked the queen if I can start the meal. I complimented her as she looks like my aunt. She was dressed in chiffon sari, nicely draped covering her head. The two bangles and vermillion in her forehead, reminded me of my aunt.
I started opening the casseroles in which food was served on the wide table. I was expecting some rich spicy, dry fruits clad meal. But I was disappointed to see the simple, traditional food served in every Indian house. The menu was small and same, a paneer recipe, sabzi,chapatti, dal chawal , curd, salad and gajar ka halwa.
With a disappointed face, I started my meal. With first bolus of food, I felt the most amazing, soft buttery paneer cooked in rich green gravy. The sabzi was aloo mutter. Palak paneer was made as per the traditional authentic recipe: you blanch, blend and make spinach puree. In a thick bottom pan, sauté finely chopped garlic and onion. Add spices (black pepper and salt). On medium heat, cook the puree for ten minutes. Add cubes of paneer. The aloo muttar recipe was same as I had published in my earlier posts.
What sweeps away the heart is the dal. The yellow lentil (arhar/toor) which we regularly cook in our houses was the best part. Very simple, easily made. Just boil the lentil, in a pan sauté the diced garlic in desi ghee till burnt. Add salt. Add the tempering to the lentil. Garnish with chopped coriander. YESSS! The simplest recipe ever, trust me, it blew my taste buds.
The curd; rich creamy smooth like vanilla icecream. I asked her the secret; she told us that they get the fresh pure milk from buffalo for curd and paneer.
Gajar ka Halwa: Against my quick recipe which I make from condensed milk, the dessert here was quick too, grate the carrots, add few ml of milk and add loads of malai (the thick layer of milk after pasteurisation).cook for 15 min. Add sugar when it is almost done. Remove from heat, let the sugar melt itself. Garnish with dryfruits.
The menu was simple yet delightful, full of flavours. A savoury you rarely relish and eagerly look forward to. Moreover before completing this draft, the food is incomplete if the love is not added to food which I could see in her gestures and happiness while serving us.
Thanks to her highness Mrs Gargi Devi for the most memorable lunch ever.