Kofta Pulao

Kofta Pulao

Recipe

Ingredients:

For Koftay

• 225 gm minced meat (I used chicken)
• 3 long green chilies, finely chopped
• ½ bunch of coriander / parsley, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp garam masala powder
• 100 gm besan / chickpea powder

For Pulao

• 500 gm basmati rice
• 500 gm peas
• 2 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• Salt, to taste
• ½ - 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp white cumin
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tomatoes, chopped / sliced
• Few green chilies, julienned
• ½ bunch coriander / parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• Few whole cloves, black pepper, black cardamom and cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Method:

• Mix all kofta ingredients and make small balls.
• Fry them till golden brown and set aside.

• Soak basmati rice for 15-30 mins after rinsing thoroughly to remove surface starches.
• Meanwhile make a small bag of fennel and coriander seeds using thin clean cotton cloth and tying it with a thread.
• In a sauce pan, add ½ cup oil and fry white cumin, bay leaves, cloves, black pepper, and cinnamon sticks for a couple minutes.

• Add onions and fry till golden brown. Set half of the fried onions aside.

• Add minced ginger garlic, tomatoes, half of green chilies, ared chili powder and salt in the pan and fry for few minutes.
• Add peas and stir for 1 minute.

• Add the little bad of whole spices and koftas and chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil.

• Remove the cotton bag after few mins and add soaked rice.
• Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 mins till only little amount of water is left.

• Sprinkle rice with fried onions, julienned green chilies and chopped coriander.

• Cover the lid of the pan for ten mins and steam cook on low heat.
• Serve hot with salad & green raita.

¬ Enjoy!

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble; with sweet warm apples spiced up with cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with crispy, buttery golden crumble. And when served with Vanilla custard... it's like Foodie heaven! 

Recipe

Ingredients:

For the filling

• 3 medium sized Bramley / Pink Lady / Granny Smith’s apples
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick

For the crumble

• 175g plain flour
• 110g caster sugar
• 110g cold butter
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

For the topping

• 1 tbsp rolled oats
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• Double cream, clotted cream or custard, to serve

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 ‘C.
• Peel, slice and core apples. Cut each slice into 1-1.5 inch pieces.

• In a pan add half cup water, apples and filling spices and cook on medium flame for 5-8 mins until apples are a bit tender.

• Now put this apple filling in a 23cm round baking / pie dish at least 5cm deep, or a 20cm square dish. 

• Put the flour and 110g sugar in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg and slice in the butter.

• Rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like moist breadcrumbs.
• Shake the bowl and any big bits will come to the surface – rub them in. Alternatively, pulse in a processor until sandy (don’t over-process).

• Pour the crumb mix over the apples to form a pile in the centre, then use a fork to even out.
• Gently press the surface with the back of the fork so the crumble holds together and goes crisp, then lightly drag the fork over the top for a decorative finish.
• Sprinkle the oats and demerara over evenly, if you wish.

• Set on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples feel very soft when you insert a small, sharp knife.
• Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with Vanilla Custard or Clotted Cream.

~ Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from BBC Food with a slight twist.

One-pan Salmon & Veggie Dinner

One-pan Salmon & Veggie Dinner

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 servings

• Aluminum foil
• Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 pounds new potatoes (small red and yellow potatoes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 bunch / 1 pound of asparagus

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
• Cut potatoes in half  and drizzle them over with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle 1 clove minced garlic and 1/2 tbsp. thyme over the potatoes.

• Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread out your potatoes on the pan and bake for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for another 10 minutes.

• In the meantime, create your salmon glaze. Combine 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. honey, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tsp ginger, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1 Tbsp. thyme. Set aside.
• Take the potatoes out of the oven and push them to the top or side of your pan. (Don’t cramp them — Make sure to still space them out a bit.)
• Season both sides of your salmon fillets with salt & pepper.

• Place your salmon fillets on the pan and brush on the glaze onto both sides. Place your asparagus on the pan and top with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, salt and pepper, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1/2 Tbsp. thyme. 

• Bake for 8-10 minutes. (The salmon should flake easily with a fork when it’s ready.)

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from: #Tasty!

Lemon & Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes

Lemon & Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g/4oz self-raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• For the buttercream icing:
• 140g/5oz butter, softened
• 280g/10oz icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• Few drops yellow & pink food colouring
• 2 tbsp strawberry syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Few drops lemon & strawberry essence essence

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
• In a mixing bowl add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and flour. 

• Beat with an electric mixer until well combined and mixture is of dripping consistency adding more milk if needed.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.

• Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. 
• Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
• For the lemon & strawberry buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
• Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Divide this into two equal portions.
• In one portion add lemon juice, essence & yellow food color.
• In second portion, add strawberry syrup, essence and pink food color.
• Spoon the icings into separate piping bags with star nozzle.

• Pipe the icing over cupcakes using a spiraling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.
• Sprinkle the cupcakes over with edible cake decorations of your choice.

• Serve with your evening tea or brunch!

~ Happy Baking!