All new Cooking Recipes: December 2013

Luchi ar Aloo Sabzi (Fried Indian Flat Bread & Potato Curry)

Luchi is deep fried flat bread which is a very famous as a Bengali breakfast. However, it is the same recipe which is known as 'Puri' across India. Luchi mainly made with maida i.e. all purpose flour. Aloo curry made with minimum ingredients with it. This potato curry is one of the easy and flavorful recipe. I saw this in a Bengali paper. This is a perfect Bengali breakfast combo by adding some Bengali sweet.

Ingredients :

For Luchi / Puri ~

All purpose flour/ Maida - 2 up
Ghee - 2 tbsp (for moyan)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Warm water to make the dough
Refine oil for deep frying

Method ~

Take a large bowl, add maida, ghee, sugar, salt, mix well. The mixture should be crumbly. Now add warm water to the mixture but not too much water at a time. Now gradually add water and knead them with hand very well to make a smooth and soft dough.

Divide the dough into small equal balls. Using rolling pin make small circle, to avoid sticking use little oil while rolling them.

Meanwhile add refine oil in a kadai and heat it very well. Once oil is heated properly then add luhi one by one and press them little with spetula.

When one side of the luchi turns golden brown then turn it and fry other side well. Repeat this process with the rest of the balls.

For Aloo Sabzi (Potato Curry)

Potato - 2 medium
Green chilli - 1
Panch phoron - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Green peas - a handful
Bhaja Masala - 1 tsp (Dry roast 1/2 tsp panh phoron and dry red chilli and make a powder)
Salt and sugar as per taste
Oil (White/Mustard) - 2 tbsp

Method :

Wash, peel and cut the potato in small cubes.

Heat oil in a kadai, add green chilli and panch phoron for tempering. When it starts to splutters then add potato, green peas, salt and turmeric powder, mix well on medium heat saute few minutes.

Add water, salt and sugar, cover and cook until the potato becomes soft. Adjust the gravy and turn off the flame. Sprinkle bhaja masala over the potato curry.

Serve hot with Fulko Luchi / Puri.

Sending this to Srivalli's "Cooking From Cookbook Challenge"

Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event With Cookbook Giveaway

New year is around the corner. The holiday are a time for gathering with family and friends to enjoy their company. I really love this time of year. The weather gets cooler and it's time to really enjoy great food with family. I love hosting family get together and parties during this time. This year I need to come up with creative and festive menu ideas for the parties. Calling all the bloggers, home chef and homemaker and passionate cook to come and submit your "Holiday Recipes".

Rules for the event :-

1. Prepare anything during holiday from any course, starter, main course, dessert, snacks etc. Veg and Non-veg both are allowed.

2. Post it in your blog between 24th Dec., '13 to 31st January, 2014. Archived posts are allowed but re-post newly with this announcement link.

3. All posts should include this announcement link and the logo. The use of use is mandatory as it helps to spread the word. Add a link on your side bar (right or left) about this giveaway with the picture.

4. You have to like Cuisine Delight's Facebook Page. Only after your first entry, share the event details at facebook page and tag 5 friends including me @ Chandrani Banerjee . (Compulsory)

7. Follow Chandrani Banerjee via Google Friend Connect (Compulsary)

8. Non-bloggers can also send their recipes. Send your recipes to below mentioned email address cuisinedelightsevent(at)gmail(dot)com with a picture.

9. Use the linky tools below to link your entries...if you are having any problem linking your entries, send them to my email address with the subject line as "Holiday Recipes" and with following details:

Your Name
Recipe Name
Blog Name
Recipe Url
Picture of the recipe (if it is not on the blog)

In celebration of the blog anniversary, Cuisine Delights is giving away Sanjeev Kapoor's "Party Cooking" cookbook to one Lucky winner. I will choose one lucky person with maximum number of recipes. The giveaway is open for all who can give their Indian mailing address.

So what are you waiting for, wear your apron and start cooking with Holiday Recipes for your family and share your recipe with us & win wonderful cookbook.

NO BAKE LAYERED PINEAPPLE BREAD PUDDING

No bake pineapple bread pudding

Quick, easy and delicious layered pineapple bread pudding with praline.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Serves:8-10 people
Recipe source: Marias menu,you can find the original recipe here

Ingredients:

Whipping cream- 2 cups
Thick cream-2 cups
Icing sugar-3 to 4 tbsp
White bread- 14 to 16 slices
Pineapple,chopped- 2 cups(see notes)

For Praline

Sugar-1/3 cup
Water-1 to 2 tbsp
Chopped nuts- 3/4 cup(i used cashew nuts)

For Sugar syrup

Sugar-3/4 cup
Water-1 1/4 cup

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine together whipping cream and thick cream.Whip using an electric mixer.

When it starts to thicken add icing sugar and continue to whip until it form soft peaks.

Spread a thin layer of cream on the base of a large pudding dish/ or small individual bowls.

Remove the crusts from the bread and cut each slice into four.Dip the bread pieces in the sugar syrup and squeeze it well .Place them over the layer of cream.

Spread another layer of cream over the bread layer.Sprinkle praline on top of the cream.

Sprinkle chopped pineapple and spread another layer of cream .Place few bread pieces over this.

Repeat the layers and finish off with praline and chopped pineapple.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

To prepare Praline

In a non stick pan,stir in sugar and water.Heat until sugar dissolves.Cook until the syrup turns pale amber colour. Gently swirl the pan in between,if required.

Add the chopped nuts and stir well.Mix well until combined.Continue to cook until the colour changes to deep amber.

Immediately transfer onto a grease tray ,spreading it as thinly as possible.Allow to cool completely and crush it using a rolling pin.Keep aside.( This can be made 2 or 3 days ahead,store in an airtight container)

To prepare Sugar syrup

Drain the syrup from the canned pineapple and keep aside.

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan,heat until sugar dissolves.Bring this to a boil.

Let it cool.

Add the syrup from the canned pineapple and mix well.( skip this step if you are using fresh pineapple)

NOTES

If you are using fresh pineapple ,increase the quantity of sugar syrup.

Chocolate Cake

Well, there are lots of cake recipes through out the Internet but when we need a cake to be simple, soft and easy to prepare, then this one is worth trying. This recipe is followed by my friend Ramya Eswaran from the time she was studying her 7th grade - Shocking right? I have no wonder why her cake is so perfect. This is her mom's recipe that she says never goes wrong. When we prepare this cake batter you can judge how soft the cake would be. The batter simply puffs up fluffy like whipped cream does and so we get a tasty soft cake after baking.

This Blue board was a hand painted gift from my friend Radhika Vasanth of Food4sevenstagesoflife :)

I did get to taste this super soft cake and was so impressed that I asked her for this recipe and permission to post this on my blog. Simple recipe that calls for equal amount of Flour, Sugar and Butter - heard right, EQUAL AMOUNTS. This is a rich cake with lots of butter but the taste is simply unbeatable. I did not edit anything and prepared the same way she did. So happy to share this easy chocolate cake recipe as a part of Christmas month so that you guys can make this to show your love for your loved ones.

Ingredients:
Maida / All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1/2 cups or 1 Stick (Melted)
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Baking Powder - 1 teaspoons
Cocoa Powder - 3 teaspoons (Drinking chocolate or Chocolate Syrup can be substituted)
Egg White - 3 eggs (Remove egg white from 3 large eggs)

Method:

Mix Flour, Baking powder in a bowl, sleeve, set aside. In another bowl, Beat egg white to form frothy peaks. Take another bowl and beat butter and sugar until they are soft and creamy.

To the butter mixture add the flour little by little and fold in (It looks crumbled and butter will ooze out). Add beaten eggs, fold in together in a clockwise direction. Once everything is mixed, add cocoa powder and stir well.

Preheat oven at 325'F for 10 minutes. Butter and Flour dust cake pan. Pour in the batter and tap lightly on all sides. Bake at 325'F for 50 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool down on a wire rack to room temperature. serve with some ice cream or with some chocolate sauce, nuts on top.

My Notes:

Do not over beat the cake batter after adding egg, we need to just fold in the beaten egg with flour mixture.
I used a loaf pan but will not recommend it as the cake got stuck below the pan and it took longer time to cook as well. Cake pan is wide enough and spreads the cake to bake easily.
Fill only 3/4th of the cake pan with batter.

Celebrating 3rd Blog Anniversary With Rasgulla

It's time to celebrate, Yes!!!! My blog has been successfully completed 3 years since I started the blog. Blogging has become an important of my life. Planing, cooking, clicking, writing and then posting each activity excites me and gives me full satisfaction when I post a recipe. I have learnt so many things after I started the blog. Blogging has become our way of life and I enjoy every bit of it, learning new technique, new cuisine and new joy. I want to thank to all my readers, blogger friends for the tremendous support and love. All of you who have tried my recipes and love it.

I thought of making something special to celebrate this occasion and make Bengali famous dessert Rasgulla. It is regarded as the 'King of all Indian Sweets' which is soft, juicy and spongy made from paneer using milk and the most popular sweet in Calcutta as well as rest of India and the World. Here we go with the recipe..

Ingredients :

Milk - 1/2 ltr
Lemon juice/ vinegar - 1/4 cup
Ice cubes - 4-5
Sugar - 2 cup
Water - 3 and 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Saffron - a pinch (optinal)

Method :

In a heavy bottom pan, put milk and bring to boil. When it starts boiling add lemon juice and stir continuously until water clears and the milk curdles completely. Add ice cubes, switch off the flames and allow it to melt completely.

Take a muslin cloth and pour the curdle milk and hang it under the sink. When water filter completely and wash it well in running cold water to remove the lemon smell. Squeeze the excess water and hang it aside for 30 mins without disturbing it.

When the water is completely drained, remove the paneer from the cloth and take it in a bowl. Now rub it well using well your hands to form a smooth mixture. If the paneer is too dry then add few drops water. you have to rub it long time to make really smooth. Make form them into smooth lemon size ball and keep aside.

Heat water in a wide bottomed vessel, then add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron and keep stirring till sugar dissolves completely. When the sugar syrup boils and start boiling then add the balls slowly one by one and simmer it in 5 mins. They will expand to about double their size while cooking in the syrup. Close the heat and wait for few minutes before you open the lid. The rasgullas should be little spongy.

Tomorrow announce 3rd blog anniversary event & giveaway.....................

Palang Shaak Borir Ghonto / Spinach & Lentil Dumpling Medley

Ghonto usually means a mix of some things cook together. Palang shaaker ghonto, Muri ghonto, Mochar ghonto, Mulor ghonto and so on cooked by my mother. This palang shaak borir ghonto is one of such preparation my mother cooked in winter. I saw this recipe in bengali magazine. I want to share this simple and easy Bengali traditional shaak recipe.

Ingredients :

Palang shaak - 1 bunch
Bori (Lentils dumpling) - a handful
Green peas - a handful
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Panch phoron - 1 tsp
Salt and sugar to taste

Method :

Clean and wash the leaved in running water for about 2-3 minutes. Finely chopped and keep aside.

Heat mustard oil in kadai, add bori, fry then till golden brown. Keep aside.

In the same oil add panch phoron, when seeds splutter then add palang shaak, peas, salt and turmeric powder, cover and cook till the saag is cooked properly. Remove the lid add sugar and mix well.

Garnish with fried bori and serve hot with hot steamed rice.

Sending this to Srivalli's "Cooking from Cookbook Challenge"

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Spices

Sweet Potatoes - they stand for their name and taste. I love to munch them raw (I know it hurts your tummy if you eat too much). They give great sweetness with a crunch and for people who love sweet and spicy food, sweet potato fries are indeed a treat. I side this with pasta or a bowl of rice with Daal(Indian Curry with lentils).

My little one loves this recipe version and you can see her interest to pick one in the pictures. When you want to close your kitchen work fast but also treat the family with a great side, try this recipe.

Why did I use Honey on Herbs? Will they be too sweet? If these questions pop your mind then don't worry - Honey enhances the natural sweetness of potato and helps to enhance the flavors of herbs and spices used, so you will not go wrong with this :).

Ingredients: Serves : 2 people

Sweet Potato - 1 medium sized (Peeled and Diced)
Olive oil - 1 teaspoon
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Dry Oregano - 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Fennel powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Cinnamon powder - 1 small pinch
Garlic powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Honey - 1 tablespoon

Method:

Melt butter and oil together, when its warm add all other ingredients except sweet potato and honey. Mix well and toss sweet potato in it.
Heat oven to 425'F. Line a tray with aluminum foil and spread this sweet potato, drizzle honey on top of potatoes. Roast them for 25 minutes turning them in between.

As its time for Holidays and Christmas Celebrations, Here are more varieties of Holiday Side dishes from my other Fall Fest Friends....

Feed Me Phoebe: Stir-Fried Collard Greens with Ginger and Jalapeno
The Heritage Cook: Sweet & Lightly Spicy Corn Pudding
The Lemon Bowl: Sweet Potato and Corn Hash
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Clean Eating Holiday Side Dish Recipes
Weelicious: Cranberry Apple Chutney
Dishing: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Spices
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Cranberry-Pistachio Pilaf
Taste with the Eyes: Fresh Green Beans, Mexican-Style
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes and Pesto
Red or Green? Green Chile Pork Stew (v2) and Tamales
Virtually Homemade: Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate
The Sensitive Epicure: Butter Dipped Radishes with Sea Salt
Daily*Dishin: Best Holiday Dressing
FN Dish: No-Brainer Holiday Sides

Not just this much but will be back with more events through Food Network.

Eggless Chocolate Cake

My hubby completed his 10 years in TCS this October 29th and when I saw him narrating his happiness and proud feelings about his successful years, my mind triggered to give him a surprise. This was the cake I baked for him. Eggless and Butterless so that he can have slices without any hitches. For the man who served ethically in his work - this was a deserved surprise.

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 1-3/4 cups

Cocoa Powder - 3-1/2 Tablespoon

Baking Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Baking Soda - 1/2 teaspoon

Sugar - 1 cup + 1 tablespoon

Instant Coffee Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Vanilla Essence - 1/2 teaspoon

Olive Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Yogurt - 1 tablespoon
Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon

Whole milk - 1-1/4 cup

(Use all Ingredients in Room temperature)

Method:

Mix and Sleeve All purpose flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt together into a bowl. In another bowl whisk Sugar and Milk until sugar dissolves completely.

In a small bowl beat Yogurt, Coffee powder, Vanilla Essence, Lemon juice together(until smooth and fluffy). Fold in sleeved flour little by little to Sugar Milk mix.

Add Yogurt mix and Olive oil, Fold in to get everything together. Pour the batter to a Greased and Flour Dusted Cake pan (I used 8x2 inch round pan).

Pre - heat oven at 350'F for 10 minutes then place the baking pan in the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a Tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let it sit in the cake pan for 10 minutes. Move the cake to Cooling rack to cool down completely. I poured melted chocolate on top and served them.

7 EASY CHRISTMAS DESSERTS AND SWEETS RECIPES

Easy Christmas desserts and sweets - Click on the below pictures for the recipes

Easy one bowl brownie

Eggless chocolate cake/Vegan chocolate cake

Eggless carrot cake/Vegan carrot cake

No cook choco rolls

No cook spiced date truffles

Eggless vanilla cake

No cook double layer fudge

Soya Keema Matar ~ for CCChallenge

This was something I have to wanted to make for a long time. I bookmarked this recipe from paper clipping. A great recipe if you are a vegetarian or are having vegetarian friends lover. Keema is traditionally made of minced mutton or chicken and a very popular mughlai dish. This is a veg version of it without compromising a bit of taste, texture and flavors. So here's a simple Indian style curry of Soya keema matar.

Ingredients :

Soya granules - 1 cup
Matar - 1/2 (Frozen/fresh)
Onion - 1, mediun, finely chopped
Tomato - 1, medium, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Roasted cumin-coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Bay leave - 1
Cumin seeds
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method :

Soak the soya chunk in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the water and lightly squeeze and mined the chunk into chopper. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan add bay leaves and cumin seeds, when seeds are splutter then add finely chopped onion, saute till it turns to pink. Add ginger-garlic paste, cook for another few minutes.

Now add chopped tomato, a pinh of salt and all spices except garam masala powder and cook till the tomato turn soft. Add few drop of water if the mixture dried up.

Now add soya keema and green peas, mix with masala. Cover and cook till the peas are soft well. Add garam masala powder, mix well to ombine and turn off the heat.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapathi.

Sending this to Srivalli's "Cooking with Cookbook Challenge"