Bread Baking Bug >> Garlic Rolls and Pav for Pav Bhaji

I've been bitten by the bread baking bug and I can't make enough already. I tried two tested recipes (they are fool-proof too) made by two fabulous food bloggers, Sin-A-Mon Tales and a wonderful husband and wife duo at Chef in You. Both sites are a must go to blogs for foodies and their recipes are lovely and so simple.
The results are here for you to see.

Garlic Pull Apart buns- Sin-A-Mon's recipe. Recipe Link: http://sinamontales.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/garlic-pull-apart-buns/

I forgot to add salt!! But it tasted lovely and soft nevertheless. We had it with Singapore style chicken curry and it was a hit!

PAV for the popular Mumbai street food- Pav-Bhaji. Recipe link here : http://chefinyou.com/2009/12/dinner-rolls-recipe/

Stuff I ate and photographed over the months

Been a while I posted. Was cleaning my computer and found so many food pics!

Kangkong with garlic. 

Pumpkin, feta, spinach, chicken, olives, figs, pine nuts in spinach wrap. From Salad Stop!

Satay sticks at The leela, Goa

Strawberry Pannacotta at Bakerzinn, Singaproe

Sprouts, Pomogranate, onion, lemon salad. Lunch I had sometime..can't remember when!

Tomato and roasted bell pepper soup at TCC, Singapore

Date and almond cup cakes with caramel sauce. Made it last month.

A toast to friendship. Carrot soup made by Jaya when I was sick! With a dollop of yogurt, it was perfect!

Buttery Cinnamon Apple Cup Cakes

One of the best tasting cup-cake I've made so far. Its a must try. The result is moist and soft and the cinnamon flavor fills up the home. Divine! Waiting for my 6 year old to give me the final verdict. I suspect the lack of frosting might put her off but the sprinkled cinnamon sugar might just save the the day. Let's see. 

Ready for the oven

You'll need

11/2 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour [Sieve the all purpose flour and self raising flour together and keep aside. ]

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup Apple Juice

225 gms softened butter

3 Large eggs

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

3 tsps Demerara sugar/raw sugar

1 small red Apple, cored, thinly sliced.

1-2 tsp Pure Vanilla extract

2-3 tsps Almond flakes

Makes- 30 Mini cupcakes

Method

Pre-heat oven, grease cup cake moulds.

Cream the softened butter, Vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric beater on high speed. Add eggs, one at a time and mix thoroughly. Fold in half the flour mixture and half the apple juice. After it has mixed well, add the remaining juice and flour. Fold.

Spoon in mixture into the cup cake tray and cover each cupcake with apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture and almonds. 

Bake for about 20 mins or until brown / done. 

Be sure to eat 'em fresh !

South Indian Spice Mix

Mom is in town. Hence, kitchen and pantry is full of home-made stuff. Mom saw a packet of MTR spice mix in my pantry and gave me such a disapproving look that I cringed in guilt.  How can I buy it when the same, and even better and fresher version can be made at home? 

It took us 10 minutes to get into action. And the results are in front of you.

This spice mix is called by many names - my Andhra friends call it 'gun powder' (!) while others call it 'Idli podi', 'chutney podi' etc. By whatever name its called, this dry powder is my regular accompaniement with a typical south indian breakfast. I love it. My Bengali husband would rather have his idli with Sambaar or even dal, but then that's his stubborn bong gene ;) that refuses to go beyond Luchis and porotas for breakfast.

Ingredients:

(For Dry roast)

1. Chana Dal - 1 fist full

2.Phutana- 1 fist full

3.Urad dal-1 fist full

4. Moong - 1 Fist full

5. Dry red chillies - 1 and half fist full

6. Curry leaves - 3/4 fist full

7. Asafetida/Hing - 1/2 tsp

8. Salt - to taste (approx 2 tsp.)

Other ingredients:

Jaggrey - 2 tsps

Tamarind - 2 tsps

Oil -2 tsps

Method:

On medium flame, pour the oil and roast the dry roast ingredients until dry and fragrant. ( Takes approx- 8-10 minutes). 

Let it cool. Grind this mixture with the rest of the ingredients into a fine powder. Store in Air tight container.

It is usually mixed with oil/ghee and had with rice cakes/idlis and dosa.

Shubho Naboborsho!

Realized, it is better to cook up and celebrate than lie on the bed checking temperature every 4 hours. Am glad I made the effort, I'm feeling a lot better!

Gulab Jamuns for all my Indian friends celebrating Noboborsho, Visu, Baisakhi, Bihu etc etc.

Have a beautiful, fulfilling year ahead!

Off to make Luchi and Alu'r Dom. See ya soon.

India- Pak WC 2011 special

Another hour to kill before the match begins. I can't concentrate on a book, my daughter is engrossed with her books, husband's not back yet. I guess this is my only chance to do a quick come back post on the occasion of THE match.
Made Sanjeev Kapoor's Coconut Prawn Masala and Vegetable Kolhapuri for dinner- I wanted to make something very spicy and heady to keep with today's mood. And this recipe promises all that - very Goan and very masaledaar- just like what tonight's match will be. I don't know where my enthusiasm comes from, but I dug out my camera after ages to shoot these.

You'll find the recipe here . (I just added a whole lot of green chillies to make it really hot :-) . That's about  the only addition to the recipe. )

Here's hoping I make Rasamalai and Rasgullas to celebrate India's victory, tomorrow. 

Roasted Eggplant and Date Raita

Here's a simple yet innovative  Raita recipe that I made after having it several times at a dear friend's place. Raita is a yogurt based side dish and is usually served along with rice dishes. 

You'll need:

2 and a half cups of unsweetened yogurt (I use Yoplait)

1 medium sized onion

1 tomato

2 green chillies chopped

1/2 a bunch of Coriander leaves- chopped

1/2 eggplant cut to medium size for roasting

6-8 seedless Dates

salt to taste

1/4 tsp Roasted Cumin power

Beat yogurt in a blow and chill. Roast the eggplants until brown/roasted (preheat oven to 180 degrees and place eggplants on a tray. Bake/roast for about 10-12 minutes. Turn sides occasionally for even browning on both sides) or pan roast them with a little bit of olive oil if you desire. 

Season yogurt with salt and cumin powder and beat well. Top the yogurt with the rest of the ingredients and mix just before serving. This Raita is meant to be thick and not watery. Serve as a side with Rice or rotis, as you may desire.

See you soon!