Tiramisu

Tiramisu is quintessentially Italian, it's smooth, fluffy (like a cloud) and sinful, i'd like to thank Anisha (my sis) for this recipe, it's amazing !!

The recipe below serves six, I've halved the recipe & it works brilliantly. When halved, I layer the tiramisu in large wine glasses instead of a deep serving dish.

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separate yolks & whites

200 gms sugar

250 gms mascarpone cheese

sponge fingers or graham crackers - about 1 packet

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1 - 2 tablespoons frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or kahlua or brandy

3/4 cup warm water

Method:

1. The Coffee mix:

Mix coffee, liqueur & warm water, leave aside.

2. Custard mix:

Whisk egg whites till they have soft peaks (fluffy), leave aside.

Whisk egg yolks with sugar till its mixed then whisk in the mascarpone, gently fold in the whisked egg whites to this mix.

Take a deep serving dish (8 inch square with 2 inch depth is adequate for 2-3 layers)

Layer with sponge fingers and spoon a little of The Coffee mix on these, topped with a layer of the custard mix.

Repeat the process till the custard mix is over & is the top layer.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder or grated dark (70%+) chocolate.

Refrigerate for atleast 4-5 hours.

Serve cold.

Basil Pesto

This is really versatile, over toast with or without an egg, mixed into pasta as a dip for crackers or water thins. Use good quality ingredients, it really makes a hug difference. The basil can be replaced with parsley, works as well as the basil.

Ingredients:

1 large bunch basil, washed & roughly chopped.

1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Zest of one lime

1-2 cloves of garlic (more or less, depending on the strength of your garlic and your love of garlic)

1/2 - 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

salt, to taste

Method:

In a blender mix all the ingredients, except the olive oil, salt & pepper.

When everything comes together roughly, slowly add olive oil till everything blends well.

Store in a sterilized jar.

This will last for about 2 weeks, refrigerated.

Pasta with veggies !

This is really really easy, absolutely delicious & very flexible. Initially, I use to make this using spinach and its gradually evolved to a mix veg pasta !

Ingredients:

300 gms pasta (for two)

1/2 red capsicum, chopped (big pcs)

1 - 2 zucchini's, chopped (big pcs)

1 big broccoli flower chopped to relatively big florets

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4-5 large mushrooms (swiss browns taste really good with this), chopped

1 large clove garlic finely chopped

1 red chilly (optional), finely chopped

Olive oil to cook

dried mixed herbs

pepper, to taste

salt, to taste

1 large pot of boiling water, well salted (to cook the pasta)

Parmesan or Cheddar cheese, for garnishing.

Method:

In the large pot of well salted boiling water, add the broccoli, cover & cook for 1-2 mins, take out the broccoli & refresh under cold running water. Keep aside.

Then, bring the water to a boil, again & add the pasta & cook as per packet instructions (normally 12-14 mins for dry pasta), if you're using fresh pasta, follow the instructions !!

While the pasta is boiling,

Put a large (non-stick) pan on high heat, add olive oil then garlic (to flavor the oil)

Add zucchini & mushrooms. Stir fry till the zucchini starts browning up and the mushrooms start to shrivel down, add onions, red chilly, dried herbs, pepper & salt to taste, reduce heat and cook till onions soften up.

Add red capsicum, broccoli & cooked pasta, mix & warm everything through.

Serve up, garnish with grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese.

You're gonna love this !!

Banana Bread

This is delicious .... another winter warmer, for your heart & your tummy :)

Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup brown sugar (pack the cup down)

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs (lightly whisked)

50 gms butter, melted & cooled

3 over ripe banana's, mashed

walnuts, handful - chopped

Method:

Grease a loaf tin & preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Mix - flour, baking powder & cinnamon, sift this or mix with a whisk

Add sugar to the Flour mix

In a separate bowl (large) mix milk, eggs, butter and mashed banana's

Add flour into this mix gradually

Add walnuts in the end

Pour batter into loaf tin & bake for 45 - 50 mins

Check at 40 mins with a skewer.

Butter Chicken or Butter Paneer

This is how you kill a bird with two stones, I adore multi purpose recipe's and this is definitely multi purpose. If you're in the mood for chicken or vegetarian and would like to replace the chicken for paneer !

Butter chicken (not paneer) is a little bit more complicated coz it's made from chicken tikka, but this recipe prepare's the chicken, tikka style and cut's out all the drama of marinating overnight, making tikka and then making the butter chicken.

This really works, and unlike the commercial butter chicken / paneer this is NOT sweet and does not have cream and butter is strictly optional, so it's my version on butter (not) chicken :)

Ingredients:

Chicken 300 gms or 150 gms paneer - cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic paste

1 teaspoon chilly powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion - finely chopped

1 teaspoon kasoori methi

1/4 cup cashew, pureed with milk or water

2 large tomatoes

1 green chilly - finely chopped

salt to taste

2 pinch's sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

Oil to cook

1/2 teaspoon ghee or 1 teaspoon butter - both optional !

Preparing the chicken:

To the chicken, add, 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, salt to taste, 1/4 teaspoon chilly powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder.

Set the chicken aside for 5-10 mins.

Add oil to a pan on med-high heat and stir fry the chicken till its golden brown on the outside.

Preparing the paneer:

Here's the thing, in an ideal world the paneer is cubed & deep fried - restaurant style (so that the paneer holds together), if you have access to fresh paneer & are serving this for a dinner party, cube the paneer & deep fry it, if all you have at hand is cubed frozen paneer, don't bother !!

Method:

In a pan, on medium heat, add oil & ghee or butter.

Add cumin seeds, let them crackle and then add onions.

Sorte till they're transparent-ish

Add ginger garlic paste, stir about !

Add coriander powder, chilly powder, kasoori methi, cashew paste, green chilly, sugar & chopped tomatoes.

Cook on medium heat till the oil splits.

Turn off and let the mix cool till it's ready to blend.

Blend the mix in a blender and add back into the pan.

Add chicken or paneer, add salt to taste & milk.

Cover & cook for 5-7 mins

Sprinkle with garam masala & cover and cook for 2-3 mins.

Serve hot with Parantha / Naan and 'any' quintessential Punjabi Bollywood movie :)

Brussel Sprouts !

This is unbelievably delicious and unbelievably healthy ..... it's the only way i know how to cook brussel sprouts (as of now) ..... enjoy !!

Ingredients:

300 gms brussel sprouts

pepper to taste

1 pinch sugar

dry italian herbs (optional)

olive oil 1 tablespoon

Method:

-trim the brussel sprouts and drop them into, well salted, boiling water for 3-4 mins, they'll turn bright green !

-refresh them under cold water

-cut the brussel sprouts into half, lengthwise

-add olive oil to a frying pan (med. heat) and throw in the sprouts.

-add pepper, sugar & herbs

- cook for 3-4 mins till the surface of the sprouts start to caramelize

Serve hot !

For a change, grate some Parmesan over :)

Kada Halwa

My masi makes the best halwa, this is her recipe ....... it's simple and spectacular !

Ingredients:

1 cup fine sooji (semolina)

1/4 cup besan (chickpea flour)

1/4 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 cups water

2 tablespoons of pure ghee

Garnishing: Slivered almonds, raisins/currants soaked in warm water (optional)

Method:

-Dry roast sooji, besan & atta in a wok/kadai/nonstick pan (whatever you have at hand) on low heat, stirring continuously, till light brown and fragrant.

-Take off the heat and pour onto a plate or bowl, leaving the dry roast mix in the roasting pan will burn the mix.

-Add water & sugar in a pan and put on low heat till the sugar dissolves in the water, don't boil !

-Leave the sugar mix aside.

-Place a pot/wok on medium heat and add ghee.

-Then add the dry roasted mix and stir the mix !

-Add the sugar syrup & stir continuously till the semolina mix swells up, it'll only take 2-3 mins.

-Garnish with slivered almonds or soaked raisins or chopped cashews or nothing at all !!

Best enjoyed hot !