Wednesday 20 August 2014

Mushroom Garlic Soup

This soup is positively delightful! If you enjoy mushrooms and like garlic this is the soup for you. Making this garlic mushroom soup will saturate your home with tantalising smells of herbs, mushrooms and a hint of garlic. Taking a taste, you lose yourself in the layers of flavor. The warm and comforting aspects of this soup make it perfect during the cold months, and yet the light and refreshing qualities, make it perfect for warmer days. No matter what the time of year, the temperature in the air. Whether there's snow on the ground, birds in the trees, or your feet are dangling in a pool, this soup seems to be appropriate. You can serve this soup as you like, but there are a few things to remember when finishing it off. Mix together a pinch of salt and pepper. Whether you are cooking a special soup course for a dinner party or using up mushrooms bought on special at the market, this soup is satisfying, delicious and easy to make. Good to serve with some Gluten free bread. This is a stunningly rich and satisfying soup.
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 large heads of garlic, cloves peeled and chopped
  • 1 apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 qt. homemade chicken broth or stock or canned chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 herb bundle of 5 parsley stems, 4 sprigs fresh thyme (tie together with string)
  • ¼ tsp. salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp. mustard powder
  • 1/4 tsp. dill weed
  • 1 pound button mushrooms, sliced vertically (if slices are too big, cut in half vertically)
  • 1 Tbsp. butter, divided in half
  • ½ cup cream or half and half
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh-ground white pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
• Chopped parsley
• Croutons
• In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over low to medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to turn brown, about 25 minutes.
• Add the apple and continue to cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the stock and herb bundle. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
• Remove the herbs. Puree the soup until smooth with an immersion blender or regular blender.
• Add the mustard powder and dill, and pepper and salt to taste. Return the soup to a low heat and continue to simmer.
• While the soup is simmering, melt 1/2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add half of the mushrooms and spread the slices out across the skillet.
• Cook the mushroom slices on both sides until lightly brown, but not dry. Pour into soup.
• Repeat with another 1/2 Tbsp. butter and the remaining mushrooms. Add these mushrooms to the soup and stir.
• Add the cream and bring the soup back to a simmer, stirring. Remove from heat.
• Ladle into soup bowls and top with chopped parsley.

Friday 15 August 2014

Potato Cheese Balls

I am going to show u how to make potatoes cheese balls. It’s a very simple easy and tasty snack dish. This is something Indian, Italian and mixture of all of things. Kids specially love this dish. Because cheese and potatoes loved by all kids.
  • Potatoes - 3 large boiled and mashed
  • Peas - 1/2 cup ( I used Frozen)
  • Spring Onion - 1 chopped
  • Tomato Ketchup - 1 tblspn
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper Powder to taste
  • Corn Flour / Cornstarch - 2 tblsp
  • Breadcrumbs - 1 cup
  • Mozzarella Cheese - as needed cut into small cubes
  • Oil for Deep Frying + 1 tsp
  • Heat oil in a kadai. Add in spring onion and peas and sauté for a min.
  • Add in tomato ketchup, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
  • Add in potatoes and mix well. Allow this to cool down. Divide this into equal portions.
  • Take one ball and stuff it with small piece of cheese in the center and cover from all sides. Do the same to every ball.
  • Mix corn flour with some water to form a thin liquid. Take breadcrumbs in a plate and set aside.
  • Now take the cheese stuffed ball and dip them in corn flour liquid and then roll them tightly in breadcrumbs. Do the same to every ball.
  • Now heat oil for deep frying and fry these balls till golden brown.
  • Drain in a paper towel and serve with ketchup.


Tuesday 12 August 2014

Soft Sponge Cake With Coconut Icing

  •  1 cup cake or pastry flour
  •  1 tsp baking powder
  •  1/4 tsp salt
  •  4 eggs
  •  1 tsp almond extract
  •  3/4 cup sugar
  •  1/4 cup coconut milk
  •  Line the bottom of a cake pan with parchment paper. Prepare a wok for steaming.
  •  Place the flour in a medium bowl. Sift in the baking powder and salt and set aside.
  •  In a separate bowl, add the sugar to the eggs and beat until they are frothy (about 3 minutes). Stir in the almond extract.
  •  Gradually add the flour mix to the egg mixture, stirring. Add the coconut milk. Stir until you have a smooth batter that is thoroughly mixed, but do not beat.
  •  Pour the batter into the pan (ideally it should only come 2/3 to 3/4 up the side of the pan). Steam for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and remove
  •  from the pan, turning the cake over. Cut the cake into squares or diamond shapes.
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 TB plus 1 tsp pineapple juice
  • 1 TB plus 2 tsp cornstarch
  • In a small bowl, mix the pineapple juice and cornstarch and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the pineapple juice/cornstarch mixture, stirring. Cook for a few minutes on medium-low heat to thicken. Cook for another minute, then remove and use to ice the cake.
  • Chill the cake until the icing stiffens. Refrigerated in a sealed container, the icing will keep for a few days. It can be used again to ice another sponge cake, or as a simple (but sweet!) dessert for one to two people.


Wednesday 6 August 2014

Malai Paneer Recipe

This is a very simple yet tasty recipe. Best part is that it hardly takes any time to prepare this dish and is loved by all. You could use home-made paneer or store bought paneer for this dish. We had malai paneer with some salad and raita along with rice and rotis. The reason I tried this recipe was simply it’s so quick and could me made easily when you have guests at home or lack of time. Hence I was tempted to try this dish. This is semi dry dish but if you like it more gravy then add more cream. If you like the dish dry then add less cream. It is a creamy delicious curry that has two different kinds of methi, fresh and dried and the creaminess is achieved from a paste of almonds and finished off with a drizzle of milk or cream. This was a super delicious curry, the creaminess from the almonds, milk and cream and the slight sweetness of the paneer is perfectly balanced with the bitterness from the methi leaves. The kasoori methi adds a great depth of flavor and makes the dish.

  • 150 gms Paneer (cottage cheese)
  • Almond paste 1 teaspoon
  • ½ cup cream or low fat cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
  • 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
  • 4 Almonds
  • 4 Cashew Nuts{ Optional }
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated Ginger
  • 2-3 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon Oil
  • Water
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped Coriander Leaves
  • Salt

• Cut paneer. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in non-stick pan over medium flame. Shallow fry paneer triangles or strips until its edges turn light brown. Drain and transfer to a plate.

• Heat remaining 1-tablespoon oil in same pan. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until light brown. It will take approx. 1-2 minutes on medium flame. Add grated ginger and crushed garlic, sauté for a minute.


• Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt; stir and sauté for approx 30 seconds.


• Add dry-fruit paste (prepared in step 1) and sauté for a minute.


• Add 1/2 cup water and let mixture boil over medium flame.


• When mixture starts to boil, reduce flame to low and add paneer, garam masala powder and dried fenugreek leaves.


• Mix and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup fresh cream over it.


• Mix cream with curry and cook for a minute or little less. Do not cook for long time after adding cream because it curdles if cooked more.


• Turn off the flame and transfer prepared malai paneer to serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

1. You could make this dish dry or semi gravy as per your choice. Just add a dash of cream towards the end to make more gravy.
2. If you aren't fond of paneer then add mushrooms instead.
3. If kasuri methi isn't available then just add a pinch of fenugreek powder instead.