Kashmiri tea
Ingredients
10 cups water
3 tbsp Kashmiri tea leaves
½ tsp soda
1 tsp salt
6 cardamoms crushed
Milk as desired
Sugar to taste
Few almonds and pistachios crushed

Method
Boil water for five minutes. Add tea leaves with soda and cook for 15 minutes. Add cardamoms. When water is reduced to half, add cold water of the same amount. Mix well till it turns pink in colour. Cook again and add milk as desired. Serve with salt, sugar, almonds and pistachios.


Espresso coffee
Ingredients
4 tbsp milk powder
2 cups hot water
2 tsp coffee levelled
2 tbsp sugar

Method
Blend all the ingredients in a blender until foamy. Serve hot with some sprinkled coffee powder.


Green tea
Ingredients
2 tsp jasmine tea leaves
2 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice


Method
Boil water with tea leaves. When the tea colour darkens, strain and remove the leaves. Add lemon juice and mix well. Serve hot.




Dried fig with milk
Ingredients
1 cup milk
½ tsp sugar
2 dried figs

Method
Boil milk with dried figs and sugar till figs become soft. Serve hot.


Doodpati chaay
Ingredients
2 kg milk
2 cups water
1 tsp tea leaves
1-1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cardamoms
¼ ground nutmeg
½ tsp saffron

Method
Grind cardamoms, nutmeg, saffron and tea leaves together. Put the mixture in a muslin cloth and make a small bag of the cloth with a thread. Bring the milk to a boil with two cups of water while the bag containing ground ingredients hangs from the pan. Lower heat and add sugar. Cook till tea get slightly thick. Remove the bag and serve hot with biscuits.


Double chocolate
Ingredients
300 gms dark chocolate, broken
190 ml fresh cream
2 tbsp coffee
4 egg whites
2 tbsp icing sugar

Method
Put chocolate and fresh cream in a double-boiler and stir till melted. Add coffee and allow it to cool slightly. Whisk egg whites till stiff. Slowly add the chocolate mixture and icing sugar in stiffed egg whites. Pour the mixture into a glass and cool.

Source: The Review      
December 1, 2005       

Lemon chiffon cake
Ingredients

7 egg whites
3 ml tartar cream (or lemon juice)
250 gm flour (sifted)
5 ml baking powder
3 ml salt
200 gm sugar
125 ml oil
5 egg yolks
100 ml water
100 ml fresh lemon juice
15 ml finely grated orange rind

Method

Whisk egg whites and tartar cream together until stiff. Sift flour, with baking powder and salt. Add sugar, then oil, egg yolks, water, lemon juice and orange rind, one by one. Beat the two mixtures together with an electric beater until smooth. Pour into a pan and bake at 160C for an hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool.



Lemon icing

Ingredients

90 gm butter (softened)
300 gm icing sugar
10 ml finely grated lemon rind
45 ml fresh lemon juice
1 egg yolk

Method

Beat butter with half of the icing sugar. Add lemon juice, egg yolk and remaining icing sugar. Beat well. Apply icing once cake is cool.



Orange chiffon cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup castor sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup orange juice (or 1/4 cup orange squash in 1/2 cup water)
2 tsp baking powder
6 eggs
2 orange rinds (grated)
A pinch of salt

Method

Put egg yolks in a bowl and add sugar, flour, oil, orange juice and salt. Beat with electric beater for 20-25 minutes. Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until fluffy. Add egg whites and orange rind to the mixture and lastly baking powder. Bake at 160C for one hour. When cool, sprinkle castor sugar.



Chocolate and strawberry roll

Ingredients

60 g dark chocolate
4 large eggs
125 ml castor sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
15 ml water
1 ml baking soda
60 ml plain flour
125 ml self- raising flour
A pinch of salt

Filling

300 ml cream
15 ml icing sugar
15 ml strawberry juice
20-30 strawberries (cut in half)

Ingredients

Melt chocolate on medium heat for a minute. Preheat oven to 200C. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla essence till light and fluffy. Add water and baking soda to chocolate and mix well. Lightly fold sifted flour, salt and chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

Pour mixture in a 22 by 23 cm greased and paper-lined pan. Bake at 200C for 15-20 minutes. Turn out immediately onto a sheet of greased proof paper. Trim edges and roll up cake in paper. Allow to cool. Beat cream, sugar and juice until thick. Carefully unroll cake and spread it with some cream. Place three fourths of the strawberries and roll up. Decorate with remaining cream.



Chocolate oil cake

Ingredients

1½ cup flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup oil
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
3-2 tbsp golden syrup/honey-

Icing: Mix 100gm chocolate with 1 tbsp butter and melt in microwave.

Method

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Mix eggs, milk, oil and golden syrup/honey. Pour in the flour mixture and mix with hands till smooth. Use greased pan and bake at 160C for 40-45 minutes. Decorate the cake with chocolate icing.

Source: The Review      
November 24, 2005       

Chilled pinwheel sandwiches:
Ingredients
Soft uncut bread, one loaf
1 tbsp green chutney Butter
2 tbsp cheese grated
1 cup finely chopped mixture of onions, tomatoes and cucumber

Method

Cut the bread into long rectangles by cutting horizontally. Hold each slice over boiling water for a few seconds to soften. Press lightly with a rolling pin on the work surface. Apply butter, then chutney on each slice. Sprinkle vegetable mixture and cheese over them.

Carefully roll from one end towards the other as tightly as possible, without breaking the bread. Secure with toothpicks if required to hold. Chill rolls for an hour in the fridge, wrapped in a moist cloth. Remove toothpicks, cut into 1/2 circles and serve with tomato sauce.

Coconut cutlets:

Ingredients
1 cup coconut, grated
3 potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed
4 green chillies finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, finely grated
Salt to taste
1 tbsp cornflour
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp desiccated coconut powder
Oil for deep frying

Method

Mix coconut, potatoes, chillies, ginger, salt and cornflour. Knead to make a pliable dough. Divide it into 10-12 parts, shaping each into a cutlet. Mix breadcrumbs and coconut powder in a plate. Roll each cutlet in the crumb mixture. Place them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes at least.

Heat oil in a frying pan and gently drop in a few cutlets. Fry on medium flame till golden brown from both sides. Place each on a kitchen paper for a few minutes to drain excess oil. Serve hot with chutneys or tomato ketchup.

Fried peanut crunchies:

Ingredients
1 cup shelled dry peanuts
3/4 cup gram flour
2 tbsp rice flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds, crushed coarsely
1 tbsp hot oil
1 pinch baking powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup water (approx.)
Oil to deep fry

Method

Mix all ingredients well, except peanuts. Add peanuts, coat them evenly with mixture. Heat oil in a frying pan. Take a lump-full and drop coated nuts individually in hot oil. Fry on medium heat, till light golden. Place on an absorbent paper to soak excess oil. Separate any nuts stuck together. When cool, store in airtight jars.

Healthy gram chaat:

Ingredients
1/2 cup boiled chick peas
1 cup sprouted green gram
1 tomato chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
1/2 cup papri, broken into pieces

Method

Boil sprouts in water till soft and drain well. Add all ingredients, except the papri, and toss well. Add papri on top while serving, as it will become soft when added beforehand. Serve cold.

Cheese open toasts:

Ingredients
200 gms cottage cheese, grated
3 carrots, grated
2 onions, grated
1/2 cup cabbage, finely chopped
1 tbsp cornflour
1/2 tbsp butter
1 tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cornflakes
6 slices of white bread

Method

Heat butter and then add onion. Stir and fry for a minute. Add carrots, cabbage, salt, pepper, cornflour, stir well and keep aside.

Before serving: spread the mixture on each slice of bread. Crush the cornflakes and sprinkle over the mixture. Top with grated cheese.

Bake in hot oven for five minutes before serving, or until the bread becomes crispy. Cut into triangles and serve hot with ketchup.

Source: The Review      
November 10, 2005       

It’s happened to you before. You are invited to a friend’s place or by relatives and as you arrive and walk through the door a pleasant sensation greets you. Aroma from the kitchen tantalizes you. There is an excitement that lies in wait within you. Food does that to most people. So, how about planning a food inspired Eid?

The idea is to experiment with a variety of cuisines as on Eid people visit each other and according to eastern traditions we serve them with mouth watering delicacies. You can also invite the guests to enjoy your hospitality and cooking skills. Sharing food with people is as much a ritual as a social custom. It sets the backdrop for social interaction in a relaxed atmosphere.

On Eid day it is traditional cuisine on the menu. The usual sawayyan, sheer khurma, cakes are complemented with somosas, rolls and other snacks.

Special sheer khurma

Ingredients
1 litre milk
1/2 cup sugar or to taste
1/2 cup vermicelli
1/4 cup almonds, blanched, fried, ground
1/4 cup pistachio, fried and ground
Saffron
1tsp cardamom powder
1tsp oil or ghee

Method
Cook the milk and sugar. When the milk comes to a boil, add the vermicelli and cook for five more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, cook for a further five minutes. Serve hot or cold in individual bowls.

Muzafar

Ingredients
375gms sugar or to taste
1 cup water
Yellow food colour
½ cup ghee
250gm vermicelli
1 kg milk
Saffron
6 cardamoms, crushed
Almonds and pistachio
blanched and slivered  

Method
Cook the sugar and water till you have slightly thick syrup. Add food colour. In another pan, heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli till it is brown. Add milk and cook over a low heat till the milk dries. Add the syrup, saffron and cardamoms. Cook till dry. Sprinkle the slivered nuts on top and serve.  

Chocolate cake

Ingredients
225gms butter
225gms sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
225gms flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder  
For the filling:
375ml fresh cream
300gms dark chocolate, broken into pieces  

Method
Beat butter and sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour and baking powder together and fold into the butter mixture. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 22-cm diameter baking tin. Bake in a preheated oven for an hour at 180ºC. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning it out onto a wire rack. Set aside to cool.

For the filling, heat cream till steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until it melts. Refrigerate for two hours or until firm. Beat with an electric beater for 5-10 minutes until thick and creamy.

Halve the cake horizontally. Spread half of the filling over the bottom half, and then sandwich the layers together. Spread the remaining filling over the top, decorate and serve.  

Chocolate sundaes

Ingredients
4 scoop each vanilla and chocolate ice cream
2 ripe banana, sliced
Fresh cream
Almond sliced  
For the sauce
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup golden syrup
3 tbsp coffee powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
5 ounces chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup fresh cream  

Method
To make the sauce, place the sugar, syrup, coffee and cinnamon in a pan. Bring to a boil, and then cook for about five minutes, stirring the mixture constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate, stir in the cream and let the sauce cool. Fill glasses with one scoop of vanilla and another of chocolate ice cream. Sprinkle the sliced bananas on the ice cream. Pour the warm sauce onto the bananas, and then top each sundae with a swirl of fresh cream. Sprinkle almond on the cream and serve immediately.  

Fried wings

Ingredients
10 wings
½ tsp salt
½ tsp Chinese salt
½ tsp white pepper
2tbsp flour
2tsp sesame seeds
1 egg beaten

Method
Marinate chicken with salt, Chinese salt and pepper for half an hour. Mix well and deep fry for 15 minutes or till light golden. Serve with ketchup.

Fried chicken balls

Ingredients
1 cup chicken cut into strips
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp Chinese salt
¼ tsp white pepper
½ egg beaten
2tbsp corn flour
1 tsp flour

Method
Marinate chicken with salt, Chinese salt and white pepper for half an hour. Mix flour, egg and corn flour to make the batter. Dip the marinated chicken in it and deep fry like pakoras till light golden in colour.

Samosas

Ingredients
½ kilo minced beef
Salt to taste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp all spices
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp tikka masala
½ tsp chaat masala
3-4 green chilies chopped
1 onion coarsely sliced
1 cup fresh coriander leaves roughly chopped
1 cup spring onion roughly chopped
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste

Method
Heat little oil in a pan and sauté the onions and then add ginger/garlic paste. Add the meat along with salt, turmeric powder, all spices, tikka masala and chaat masala, and cook on medium-low heat till the water already present in it dries, stirring constantly to prevent burning. When water dries add green chilli, spring onion and coriander leaves and dry water on high heat and remove.

Take the ready-made samosa strips available in market and use this filling. Seal the edges of samosa using a mixture of some flour dissolved in a little water and cooked into a thick paste.

Shami kabab

Ingredients
1/2 kilo boneless beef cut into small pieces
Salt according to taste
1 cup pre-soaked channa ki dal
8-10 whole dried red chillies
10 black peppers
6 cloves
1 bari illaichi
1/2tsp cumin seed
1 stick of cinnamon
2-3 green chillies
1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander leaves
1 egg
1 medium sized onion coarsely chopped
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste

Method
In a pan put meat, salt, red chillies, chopped onion, black pepper, cloves, bari illaichi, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and 3-4 glasses of water and leave to tenderize on low-medium flame. Meanwhile boil the dal separately until soft. When the meat has softened and water has dried completely add the dal and mix together. Remove from heat and let cool. Grind and add green chillies, egg, and fresh coriander leaves. Form into kebabs and fry. Serve with chutney.

Cutlets

Ingredients
2-3 medium size potatoes boiled
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
Breadcrumbs for coating
1 egg beaten
Oil for deep-frying
For filling
½ kilo minced beef
Salt to taste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp all spices
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp tikka masala
½ tsp chaat masala
3-4 green chillies chopped
1 onion coarsely sliced
1 cup fresh coriander leaves roughly chopped
1-cup spring onion roughly chopped
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste

Method
Heat little oil in a pan and sauté the onions and then add ginger/garlic paste. Add the meat along with salt, turmeric powder, all spices, tikka masala and chaat masala and cook on medium-low heat and dry the water already present in it stirring constantly to prevent burning. When water dries add green chilli, spring onion and coriander leaves and dry water on high heat and remove.

Boil the potatoes and remove their skins. Allow to cool and then mash to paste. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Take a small amount of this mixture in the hand and flatten to a disc shape. Add the filling in the middle and cover on all sides to form a kebab like shape. Dip in beaten egg and then roll in breadcrumbs to coat well all over. Deep fry till golden brown. Serve with ketchup or chutney.

Spring rolls

Ingredients
4 spring roll wrappers
120gm boiled and shredded chicken
1cup carrot finely shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup cabbage finely shredded
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp Soya sauce
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Egg for sealing roll edges
Oil for deep-frying

Method
Heat four tablespoons oil in a pan and stir-fry the garlic until golden brown. Then add the chicken and stir well, add the salt and the vegetables and sauté. Season with Soya sauce and pepper, stirring for a few minutes. Drain the mixture in a sieve. Place a tablespoon of the mixture on a spring roll wrap, moisten the edges with egg and roll up. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Source: Young World      
November 3, 2005       

Pina Colada:

Ingredients
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1 slice pineapple
4-1/2 tbsp pineapple juice
1 scoop of strawberry ice cream
1-1/2 tbsp coconut powder



Method
Roughly chop the banana. Cut two small wedges from the pineapple for decoration and put it aside. Cut the remaining pineapple into pieces and put it in the blender with the chopped banana. Add pineapple juice and process until the mixture turns into a smooth paste.
Add strawberry ice-cream, coconut powder and a small scoop of finely crushed ice. Process until the mixture gets smooth. Pour the mixture into glasses and decorate each glass with a small wedge of pineapple and a cherry. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Cooler:

Ingredients
4 tbsp cocoa powder
Sugar to taste
1-2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup yoghurt
½ tsp vanilla essence
4 scoops of chocolate ice-cream

Method
Pour half a cup of milk in a pan and stir it after mixing small amounts of cocoa powder. Stir continuously on mild heat, until the mixture boils. Remove it and let it cool. Pour the cool cocoa milk into a jug and whisk in the remaining milk, yoghurt and the vanilla essence.
Pour the mixture into glasses and top each one with a scoop of ice cream. Decorate with mint leaves and chocolate pieces. Serve immediately.

Coffee glace:

Ingredients
2-1/2 cup water
3 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp sugar
2-1/2 cup milk
Ice cubes
Vanilla ice-cream

Method
Bring half a cup of water to a boil, then pour it into a bowl with coffee powder. Add sugar and chill the mixture for two hours. Mix milk with remaining water in another bowl. Add the chilled coffee and stir well. Pour the coffee mixture into glasses until they are three-quarters full. Top each glass with ice-cubes and ice-cream and decorate them with grated chocolate.

Chocolate sundaes:

Ingredients
4 scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice-cream each
2 ripe bananas, sliced
Fresh cream
Almond sliced

For the sauce

¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup golden syrup
3 tbsp coffee powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
5 ounces chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup fresh cream

Method

To make the sauce, put sugar, syrup, coffee and cinnamon in a pan. Bring to a boil, and then cook further for about five minutes, stirring the mixture continuously. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool.
Fill each glass with a scoop of vanilla and another of chocolate ice-cream. Sprinkle the sliced bananas on the ice-cream. Pour the warm sauce onto the bananas, and then top each sundae with a swirl of fresh cream. Sprinkle almond on the cream and serve immediately.

Source: The Review      
November 3, 2005