Espresso Chocolate Truffles

I came across this recipe on the Sprinkle Bakes website.  And I just had to add it to my list! And now the day is finally here!

These make about 60 truffles, give or take a few! I made these smaller than those on the Sprinkle Bakes website since these are so rich! I also adapted the method a little.

• 24 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 8 oz package mascarpone cheese, softened
• 2 tsps of espresso (or 2 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tsp hot water)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder for rolling the truffles

1. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler
2. Blend mascarpone cheese and coffee mixture
3. Fold everything together with a spatula
4. Refrigerate to chill until firm enough to scoop into balls (I used a tsp to scoop, and another one to shape)
5. Using a teaspoon, scoop a little chocolate (like how ice-cream is scooped - it's actually rolled into a tight curl) to make a ¾ inch ball. (You may need have make a few until you know how much truffle mix to scoop)
6. Gently roll into a ball with your hand and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. (It will stick to your hand. If it does, then chill the mixture for a little longer, or don't use too much pressure when rolling into a ball)
7. Chill for 15-30 minutes. 
8. Add a couple of tbsp of the cocoa powder in a bowl
9. Take the rolled balls out of fridge, and roll balls balls again to smooth them out (roll 3, then go to next step)
10. Roll the balls into cocoa, gently lift out, and place on parchment paper. I placed each one in a small foil candy case (like the ones Ferrero Rocher are in!).  Repeat steps 9 and 10! :)
11. Store in parchment lined container

Don't these look adorable?

You could also try coating the truffles in melted chocolate rather than a dusting of cocoa powder. Or how about some chopped nuts? Shredded coconut? And oh oh oh - instead of coffee, how about some orange and orange rind? :))  The possibilities are endless!

Appey (Marathi) / Paniyaram (Tamil) / Ableskiver/Ebleskiver (Dutch)

Appey (Marathi) / Paniyaram (Tamil) / Æbleskiver (Dutch) / "OhMyGod! ThisIsSoooGood" (Deewanese) :)) This dish is wonderful! And I know I'm going to make it again! This dish is the savory version, but it can be made sweet too (like a donut!) The inside is a spongy texture (think of dhokla, idli, handvo) and the outside is crispy (as shown in the picture). It's cooked on the stove in a special pan called an Aebleskiver pan.

The beauty of this recipe is when it is cooked, you do not need any oil! Well, it could be due to my Aebleskiver pan - which is non-stick! :)

• ½ kala channa (or any lentil, soaked overnight)
• 1 cup soji (semolina)
• ¼ rice flour
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 1 medium tomato
• 3 cloves garlic
• ¼-½ piece of ginger
• 1-2 serano chillies
• ½ red onion
• 10 springs of coriander leaves
• Salt - to taste
• A big pinch of turmeric
• 3 tsp lemon juice (I used fresh, but if you use bottled, then add just 2 tsps then taste. You don't want the batter to be too sour)
• ½  cup sour cream
• ½ cup yogurt
• ½ tsp soda bicarbonate
• 1 ½ tsp eno

1. The day before you wish to make these, soak the kala channa. If you're using a split lentil, then you can soak these on the same day for 4 hours.
2. In a bowl, add the soji, rice flour and corn flour
3. After soaking the kala channa (or lentils) drain them, wash them, then puree them into a paste. Add to the flour mix
4. Grind the garlic, ginger and tomato. Add to the flour mix
5. Chop the onion finely, and add to the flour mix.
6. Chop the coriander finely (and you got it -) add to the flour mix
7. Add in the salt, turmeric, lemon juice, sour cream and yogurt to the flour mix and mix well. You may need to add a little water if the batter is too thick. The batter should be the consistency of cake batter (not runny, but not too thick)
8. Heat the Aebleskiver pan.
9. While it is heating, add in the soda bicarbonate and eno to the mix and blend in well.
10. Put one tbsp of the mix in the center hole of the pan. After a minute, the batter will have puffed up, and you should be able to flip it over using two toothpicks or skewers.
11. Cook on the other side for a minute too. (Test the Appey by piercing the center with a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the Appey is cooked.)
12. Fill all the Aebleskiver pan holes with the batter, and continue cooking these. One you have the hang of this, you won't have to check each one. You'll also need to flip them over quite quickly since they'll all be cooking at the same time, and you wouldn't want these to burn1
13. Enjoy these hot! (I must have ate 20 or so while I was making these!)

You can even make these with leftover dosa/idli/dhokla batter and just add finely chopped vegetables.  OR a sweet version with Nutella in the center! YUMMY!  Watch this space! :))

Oh! Oh! Oh! And in Thailand, the sweet version of these is called kanom krok - and I'm so looking forward to making these too!

Tofu Pad-Thai Veggie Stir Fry

This dish is not Thai, nor Chinese. I just like to think its "Deewanese" :) Because it is a little crazy with everything I just threw in terms of the sauce and seasoning. Basically, whatever I could find! All the spices and seasoning are "according to taste", so here goes:

• 1 14-16 oz packet of Medium/Firm Tofu
• 225g uncooked Pad Thai noodles
• 1 large red onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 ¾ inches of ginger
• 3 serrano chilies
• ¼ cup Soy Sauce (I use Maggi Soy Sauce Seasoning)
• 1 tbsp Chinese 5 Spice
• ½ jar Mango-Lime marinade (this gives a little sweet & sour taste. You can use another sauce if you like!)
• 2 tbsp Asian plum sauce
• 1 lb stir-fry vegetables (any kind, fresh or frozen)

1. Open the packet of tofu, drain the water out, and pat dry on kitchen paper.
2. Cube the the tofu - approx ¾ inch cubes.
3. Lightly fry in a little oil, so that all the sides are crispy. Set aside
4. Boil some water in a large pot. Switch off and add the Pad-Thai noodles. Follow the packet instructions (approx 3-5 mins), then drain (add cold water, leave for a few minutes then drain again)
5. Cube in onions into ½-¾ inch pieces
6. Peel and slice the garlic so that its 1/16-inches thick
7. Peel and julienne the ginger
8. Slice the serrano chilies into ½ inch pieces
9. Add a little oil in a wok once heated, add in the onion, garlic, ginger, and chillies. allow to cook for 2-3 mins until the onions are just a little tender (but still have their shape)
10. Add in the soy sauce, and Mango-Lime (or other sauce) and plum sauce
11. Add the vegetables, and mix and allow to cook. If these are frozen, then just add in the frozen vegetables. (You don't want to overcook the vegetables, they should still hold their shape.)
12. Add in the Tofu, mix so that the pieces are at the bottom of the pan, and the tofu can start absorbing some of the juice. (You may need to add in some more soy sauce or sauce, if the dish is dry.
13. When the vegetables are cooked, add in the pad thai noodles and toss gently, so that all the strands are coated, mixed in well with the vegetables and tofu.

This dish tastes even better the following day! Yummy!

Jalebi

Jalebi. This is the second time I'm making this recipe. Jalebi is a deep fried (thin) pretzel, which is then coated in a sugar syrup! These are fun to make! And so So SO easy! The original recipe and video can be found here. I've made just a little change to the recipe and method, based on what I found worked well with me!

Prep Time: 5 minutes plus 30 minutes fermentation time
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes approx 35 jalebis

Jelabi Batter Ingredients

• 1 cup All purpose flour
• ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
• Several strands of saffron
• 2 tsp Corn Starch
• 1 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast (Regular yeast can be substituted but must be proofed in the warm water for 5-10 minutes, until foamy, before adding it to the flour)
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp Yogurt
• ¾ cup warm water

Jelabi Sugar Syrup Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 cup Water
• A pinch saffron
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder

Jelabi Batter Method

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, cardamom powder, rapid rise yeast and corn starch and mix thoroughly. This becomes the dry mix.
2. Heat the saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool for 2 minutes, then crush completely until its a powder (in a mortal & pestle, or as small as you can get it)
3. Whisk the oil, yogurt and water, and mix well until there are no lumps. This becomes the wet mix.
4. Mix the wet mix into the dry mix well, 
5. In a larger bowl or pot, add very warm water and place the mixing bowl with the batter inside the larger bowl (be sure that the water does not fall into the batter). Cover the larger bowl and allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
6. After the batter has been resting for 15 minutes, start on the syrup and start to pre-heat oil for frying the jalebi. (See the method below.)
7. After 30 minutes, mix the fermented jalebi batter well and put it in a ketchup or mustard bottle with a spout (zipper bag or piping bag can be used too)
8. Squeeze out the batter into the hot oil in approximately small circular motions so that each Jalebi is about 2-3 inches in diameter.
9. Fry until the bottom side looks golden and flip once to cook the other side.
10. With tongs, remove the Jalebi, shake off excess oil and allow to cool for a few minutes, then place directly into sugar syrup, flipping over so that both sides are coated. Shake off excess sugar syrup and place in another plate. (I found that the first time I made the Jalebis, taking them out of the hot oil and then straight into the sugar syrup make the Jalebis go soft. Hence, I let them cool inbetween the oil and sugar syrup steps!)
11. Continue frying remaining jalebis.
12. Once all the Jelabies have been fried and cooled down, store in an air tight container.

Jelabi Sugar Syrup Method

1. In a heavy bottom pan, add water, sugar and saffron. 
2. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat or until the temperature reaches 200F and then switch off.
3. Reduce flame to a low simmer and add cardamom powder and lemon juice. Mix.

I just can't help eating these as soon as they are coated in sugar! They taste warm, crispy and sweet! I think I may have eaten too many though!

Badam-Pista Gulab Jambu (Gulab Jamun)

Gulab Jambus are milk powder dough balls which are deep friend and then soaked in a sugar syrup. "Gulab" means rose, and "Jambu" means balls. Jambu also refers to the fruit from the Jambul tree, which are dark in color too! Gujaratis from the Western part of India say call this sweet dish "Jambu" whilst Northern Indians call then "Jamuns". I think maybe the South and East Indians too! So anyway, here is the recipe for Rose Balls :)

Chasni (Sugar Syrup) Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 5 Cardamom pods, slightly opened
• Several strands of Saffron

Gulab Jambu  Ingredients

• ¼ lb Soji (semolina)
• 1½ cups milk warm milk
• 1 tsp level Bicarbonate of Sosa
• 1 lb milk power
• ¼ lb almond and pistachio powder (I like my nuts to be a little roasted)
• ¼ tsp saffron
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• Oil for deep frying

To Make the Chasni (Sugar Syrup)

1. Heat the everything for the Chasni in a large pan (we'll be adding the fried Gulab Jambus into this, so the pot needs to be big) until the sugar has melted. You  may need to stir it a couple of times.
2. Switch off the stove, and allow the syrup to cool naturally

To Make the Gulab Jambus

1. Warm the milk, and add to the soji. There should be enough milk to cover the soji and allow it to expand into the milk  Leave aside for 20 minutes
2. Heat the saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool for 2 minutes, then crush with your fingers so the strands are not long
3. Add the almond powder, pistachio powder and cardamom powder to the milk powder, and just mix.
4. Once the soji has soaked for 20 minutes, add in the crushed saffron and bicarbonate of soda, and mix well.
5. Add the soji mixture to the milk powder mixture, mix well and form a soft dough. You may need to add a little warm milk, if the dough is not soft.
6. Cover with a damp towel
7. Heat the oil on medium heat
8. Make small balls of dough (between the sizes of a dime and 5cents) and set aside. Make enough to cover ½ a single layer in your hot oil
9. Put one dough ball gently into the hot oil. If it floats up within 30 seconds, the the oil is hot enough, and add the rest of the dough balls
10. Once they have all risen to the top, keep rotating them continuously, so the balls start to brown evenly.
11. Once brown (after about 2-3 minutes) take out, and allow to cool
12. Repeat rolling balls / frying with the next batch
13. Just before you're about to take the current batch out, add the previous batch to the sugar syrup
14. Repeat 8-13.
15. Each time you add the fried gulab jambus to the sugar syrup, toss them gently, so the new batch is covered.
16. Leave for a couple of hours, tossing them every 45 mins, so that all the gulab jambus soak the sugar syrup up 

You can store these in the fridge, in an airtight container for a week or more! Just warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to get to room temperature, or leave out for a an hour or so until they are room temperature warm!

Cheddar Jalapeño Bread

Today, Rads got two items baked for her. The first was an Apple Cheddar Bread. And the second one is this recipe. Well, I want to continue with my 1 recipe a day until I complete all 29, and didn't want to miss out on today, so had to have a backup! Thankfully, I did complete this one today. Think of it as a BOGOF (Bake One Get One Free) for reaching my midpoint!  I came across the original recipe on Hold the Onions, who themselves got from epicurious. I wonder who will get it from my blog? :)

I didn't have any Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, so I just skipped that ingredient! I think thats why the bread could have done with just a little more salt - but it is still edible and lush! Oh, and reading through the steps, I forgot to add a little salt to the

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (less than a ¼-ounce package)
• 1 tbps warm water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ¾ cups warm water
• ½ cup fresh chopped jalapeño (including seeds and ribs), plus 2 tbsp chopped fresh jalapeño, without seeds and ribs
• 2 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (plus 2 tbsp)
• A little milk, with some salt for glazing
• 1 ½ ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (¾ cup)

1. Stir together yeast and 1 tbsp warm water in a small bowl - let mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If it doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast)
2. Mix together flour, salt, and oil, 
3. Add yeast mixture, mix, and the remaining 1x cups warm water in bowl (or mixer at low speed) until a soft dough forms. 
4. Add jalapeño, and 2 cups cheddar and mix until combined.
5. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover bowl plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk - which should take about 2-2½ hours
6. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and gently form into a roughly 11- by 8-inch rectangle with floured hands
7. Fold dough in thirds (like a letter) with floured hands (dough will be sticky), pressing along seam of each fold to seal
8. Put dough, seam side down, in an oiled 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until dough completely fills pan and rises above it slightly - which will take about 1-1¼ hours
9. Preheat oven to 400F
10. Brush loaf with salted milk, then sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp cheddar down center of loaf
11. Bake until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, 50-60 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen loaf, then remove from pan to test for doneness.
12. Return bread (not in pan) to oven and turn on its side, then bake 10 minutes more to crisp crust. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 ½ hours before slicing and enjoying!

Obviously, I could not wait ti slice this... And I knew I should have baked this in a loaf pan!!! In fact, I split my dough into 2 to make 2 loaves. BUT its still yummy! :))

Apple Cheddar Bread

Today is Sunday. I know Rads like cheese, and bread. I was sleeping at 6am in the morning, if not later, and was woken up at 2:30pm by a phone call... So, my original recipe for today (Cheesey Jalapeno Bread) won't be completed until the wee hours of Monday morning (due to allowing the bread to rise, etc.,) and cooking is therapeutic... So I decided to make this recipe which I came across. I love cheese, and I love apples, and I did have 2 Granny Smith apples. The original recipe calls for 2 large eggs, and I used Ener-G egg replacer. Writing this up now, I think I should have used applesauce instead! Well, next time! :))

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 Ener-G eggs, (or 2 large eggs, room temperature fork beaten)
• 2 cups Granny Smith (or any sharp) apples, unpeeled,  finely shredded
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
2. Coat a 9” loaf pan with cooking spray. (Or, you can insert parchment paper overlapping over the long sides of the pan)
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and Ener-G egg replacer powder into the mixture, and mix in well
5. Add in the Ener-G water for the 2 eggs, blend, then add the grated apple and cheese
6. The dough will be quite sticky - so spread evenly into the pan
7. Bake until risen and a wooden skewer comes out of the center clean, about 45-60 minutes. 
8. Cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before slicing.

This is sooooo yummy! My apartment smells sooooo delicious too! It was still warm when I sliced it, and then I just had to eat it! A little butter or sour cream on it, tastes sooooo good!

Thai Papaya-Mango Salad

I had purchased a green papaya and a green mango to make a Thai Salad. The one which is crunchy and tangy and has crushed peanuts on top.  So, I Googled, and based on the results I read, a Thai salad is either Papaya or Mango, not mixed. I thought, "Oh well. I'll make it with both!" And I think it is really yummy! And I am going to make it again. But next time, I am not going to shred the papaya and mango in th food processor! I will follow the recipe advice and grate it, so I get the long stands! (But - what to do, I was in a rush, so tried to take a very short shortcut!)

• 1 ½ lbs of a shredded green papaya
• ½ lb of a shredded green mango
• 4-5 cloves of garlic - according to taste
• 4 serrano green chilies(or Thai green chilies) - according to taste
• ¼ cup lime juice (from 2 large limes)
• 4 tbsp palm sugar(jaggery or brown sugar can be used, or even while. I used brown sugar)
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce (I used Maggi Soy Seasoning - I just love the taste of this!)
• A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• A handful of crushed roasted peanuts

1. Peel the Papaya, slice in half and remove the seeds. Grate length-ways (longest side) so you have long strips.
2. Peel the Manago, and grate length-wise all around the stone
3. Add the palm sugar (jaggery or brown/white sugar) to the lime juice and mix, so it dissolves
4. Mince the garlic and chilies finely and add to the sugar-lime mixture
5. Mix in the Soy Sauce seasoning
6. Dice the tomatoes so the are roughly ¾ sized chunks
7. Pour over the grated grated papaya and mango, and massage through with your hands for a couple of minutes
8. Add the tomatoes and coriander leaves, and massage though again, trying not to crush the tomatoes
9. Refrigerate the salad, to cool it (it tastes better cold!)
10. When ready to eat, serve and toss the peanuts over it for some added crunch!

Note: Because I shredded my papaya and mango in the food processor, the salad let out a lot of water. I just squeezed the water out and stored that separately. When ready to eat, I drizzled a little onto the salad. :)) (Aren't I clever? ) :))

Til Sankari (Tilgul) - Sesame Snaps!

Today is Makarsankranti. It is one of the Indian festivals which always falls on January 14th. All our other festivals follow the lunar calendar and thus, are on different dates every year! :)

Makarsankranti has many significances for many people, and you can read about it here on wiki :) People fly kites in India, and you can listen to a beautiful song Kaipoche (it is cut) from the movie "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" (I Have Given You My Heart)

The recipe is really simple, and I watched it on Show Me The Curry (a delightful YouTube channel!)

• 1 tbsp clarified Butter (Ghee)
• ¾ cup grated/crumbled jaggery (Gud/Gor)
• 2 tsp milk
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 cup dry roasted sesame seeds (Til)
• ½ roasted unsalted p-Peanuts

1. Have a tray ready - (I used an 8x8), grease it or line it with parchment/wax paper. (If you're using parchment/wax paper, cut an extra square to go on top on the mixture when it is in the tray)
2. In a pan, add the clarified Butter and heat on medium heat until it melts
3. Add in the jaggery and stir continuously till it melts and starts to bubble
4. Add the milk and mix, take the pan off the flame and allow it to cool for just a couple of minutes
5. Add the cardamom powder, sesame seeds and peanuts and mix well
6. Put the mixture in the tray evenly, and place the other parchment/wax sheet over it, and press firmly using a flat spoon. If you've greased your tray, and don't have parchment/wax paper, coat the back of the spoon with some melted ghee and press...
7. While the mixture is still warm, cut it into shapes (I had 36 squares in my pan. One score down the middle, and then two scores either side. Turn the tray 45 degrees and repeat)
8. Allow it to cool and harden, then take the shapes out
9. Once it is hard it will easily snap and the pieces can be separated.
10. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container, and eat when you feel peckish!

Note: I found that my dish was very soft and crumbly - because of the jaggery. My pieces would not hold. So  I made a thick sugar syrup (½-tar) with about ½ cup of sugar and 2 tbsp of water. I added my mixture back into the pan of sugar syrup, and mixed everything up again, then repeated from step 6 onwards. My pieces are still soft, but they hold their shape this time.

"Meethe gud mein mil gaya til, Udi patang aur khil gaya dil, Har pal sukh aur har pal shanti, Wishing you all a Shubh Makarsankranti!" ♥

Which mean - "The sweet jaggery has met with the sesame seeds, The kite has flown high and my heart has swelled, Wishing you peace of mind and happiness and a happy Makarsankranti!"

Mango-Cardamom Vegan Cupcakes!

Since I had mango puree left over from yesterday, I wanted to use it up. And since I wanted to make eggless cupcakes, and I had a recipe for vegan eggless cupcakes, I just had to make this recipe! However, since I'm not vegan and I do eat milk products (milk, cheese, yogurt - otherwise known as a lacto-vegetarian) I did substitute the vegan ingredients with my lacto-ones.

This is one of the simplest cupcake recipies I have come across! And from the original recipe, I did not follow the all the ingredients for the Mango Buttercream frosting, and changed it a little. However, the original recipe is here

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups mango puree
• ½ cup bakers sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• a pinch of salt salt

Mango Buttercream Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter (vegan or vegetarian)
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1/3 cup mango puree (more or less)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Cupcake Method

1. Switch on the oven to 350F
2. Have 12 cupcake cases, or a 12-pan cupcake/muffin pan (greased) ready. (Or, as I did , place the cupcake cases in the muffin pan. This stops the cupcakes from spreading out!)
3. Mix the mango puree, bakers sugar, canola oil and vanilla well. This becomes the "wet mix"
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt. This becomes the "dry mix"
5. Gradually, add the dry mix to the wet mix, and mix in well.
6. Pour the batter evenly into each cupcase case (or pan hole!) If you use an ice cream scoop, it is easier.
7. Bake in the oven for 27-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool

Mango Buttercream Method

1. Mix the butter, canola oil and mango puree and vanilla extract together until well blended
2. Add the confectioners sugar, cup by cup, blend, scrape down, add another cup
3. If your mixture is too runny, you may need to add more sugar
4. Once mixture is thick (leaves peaks) and the cupcakes are cool, decorate the cupcake.

I sprinkled some colored sugar over the cupcakes. The taste of the cupcakes remind me of the Gujarati dish Mango Srikhand. Absolutely tasteful!

Avocado Chaat with Pomegranetes & Mango Drizzle

I had Avocado Chaat when I went to Monsoon Masala a while back (at that time, they were only serving this on a weekend, and it's not on the menu. Things may have changed since!) The chaat had avocado, potatos, onions, chaat masala and mango-tamarind chutney.  Then, a couple of months back, I had Avocado Jhalmuri at Sakoon. This one had avocado, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, sev (chick pea fried vermicelli) was tossed in a mint-tamarind chutney.

So, as usual, I wanted to make this, and made it with a twist using pomegranates and mango puree. You purchase the mango puree form an Indian grocery store.

• 3 medium sized russet/idaho potatoes , boiled and cubed (approx ¾ inch cubes)
• 3 small avocados, ripe but still firm, cubed
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small pomegranate 
• ¼ cup mango puree (you and purchase this from an Indian grocery store)
• 1 tbsp tamarind chutney (you and purchase this from an Indian grocery store)
• 1 cup bhel puri mix (you and purchase this from an Indian grocery store)
• Chaat masala to taste
• Cumin powder to taste
• 10 sprigs of chopped coriander leaves

1. Mix the potatoes, avocados, onions, pomegrante seeds and chopped coriander leaves
2. Mix the mango puree, tamarind chutney, chaat masala and cumin powder in a separate bowl (the taste should be strong as it will be mixed fruit+veggie mix)
3. Add the wet mix to the fruit+veggie mix and mix well. Taste, and more of any of the these items according to taste
4. When ready to eat, add the bhel puri mix, and enjoy!  I like to layer my mixture with a think layer of the bhel puri mix!

Enjoy the avocado chaat. In the summer when fresh mangos are available, I think I'll add that too. Sweet succulent mango - hmmmm.... :))

Khandvi

Khandvi is a cooked chick-pea batter which has been lighly seasoned with chilli and ginger, spread thinly and then sliced into 1-1½-inch strips which are then rolled up and finished off with coconut and chopped coriander.

Ummm... sounds confusing? Well, it is one of the easiest recipes out there, and it does take some practice to know when the batter is cooked and then spreading it out thinly. But, if I can make this, then so can you! And there are so many other recipes out there for Khandvi too! Just ask Googlebhai. :)

• 1 cup besan flour
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup yogurt
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp finely minced green chiles (paste) - according to taste
• 1 tsp finely minced ginger (paste) - according to taste
• 1 tsp salt - according to taste
• ½ tsp tumeric powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• ¾ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• A couple (4-5) curry leaves
• 4 Thai green chillies, ends chopped off, and slit in half lengthwise
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut (or fresh if you have some)
• 10 sprigs of coriander leaves, finely chopped

1. Sieve the besan flour in a bowl
2. Whisk the sour cream and yogurt, add water and whisk
3. Slowly add in the besan flour and keep whisking until you have a smooth batter
4. Add minced ginger, minced chilies, salt and tumeric, mix well
5. Heat in the microwave for 90 seconds, once done, take out and stir well so that there are no lumps
6. Repeat step 5 another 2 times
7. The mixture should now be thickening up well. While it it still hot, take a little bit, and apply a thin layer on the back of a metal spoon. After about a minute, the batter should have set on the spoon and you should be able to peel it off, or roll it off. When you can do this, the mixture is ready... If not, then microwave for another minute
8. One done, apply the mixture on the back of a cookie sheet, or a pastry sheet or a large steel thali. Spread the mixture so that it is about 1/16 - 1/8 of an inch thick. You need to do this quickly before the mixture sets (I used the back of 2 cookie sheets)
9. Allow the spread mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes
10. Run a knife (cut) into 1 inch strips
11. Roll each strip up and place upright in a dish
12. Heat the oil, and temper the black mustard seeds and cumin, curry leaves and sliced green chilies
13. Drizzle a little oil over each rolled Khandvi
14. Carefully, lay each Khandvi on it's side, and sprinkle the coconut and coriander leaves, and drizzle the rest of the oil (You don't have to use all the oil, but try and spoon out the black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies and curry leaves.
15. Enjoy!

Hmm... You can see the rolled on the top and the sides. Yummy!

Pandan Jasmine Cookies

Day 10. Sweet day. I was going to take the day off, as this is hard, but know I must continue in order to complete all 29 "edible items" by the end of this month! While I watch TV, I Google and surf for recipes, and then add these to a list I have so it's easy for me to select from. Well, I had seen this recipe a while ago and had ordered the Pandan extract. And some Jasmine extract while I was at it. I had not intended to use these together. But, well, this is me, and I do tend to muddle things together. As I mentioned in the "About Me" section (unless I have changed it) that "I see cooking as a science, chemistry, an experiment to arouse the senses: sight, smell, taste..." And sure enough, this recipe does this! The green. The sweetness. The nuttyness. It also arouses the mind - in that it takes you back to Thailand! Or any Thai restaurant you may have been to. It's that scent and taste which you'll find in Thai iced tea too! And, because I *think* I added a little too much Pandan, I used the Jasmine extract to mute its smell.

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ baking soda
• Pinch of salt (omit if your butter is salted)
• 1 tbsp egg replacer (such as Allergycare)
• ½ cup confectioners sugar
• 1 stick butter at room temperature
• ¼ cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp Pandan extract
• 1-2 tbsp milk (or a little more)
• Cashews, Pistachios, Chocolate M&Ms, Hershey's Kisses :*

1. Cream together the butter and ¼ cup confectioners sugar
2. Add the Pandan extract, and egg/replacer and cream really well, so that the colored extract is well incorporated
3. Sift in the flour, baking soda, confectioners sugar and salt (if your butter was unsalted)
4. Mix well, and you may need to add in a little mill to make the dough. The dough should resemble Play-Doh :)
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes
6. Set the oven to 320F
7. After 30 minutes (it can be more) take the dough out, and make 1-inch balls
8. Place each ball on a baking sheet, 1-inch apart, and press a cashew, pistachio, or M&M in the center (This will also flatten the ball)
9. Bake for 20 minutes then turn the oven up to 350F and bake for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, after turning the oven up, you don't want them to go brown!
10. Allow to cool, and enjoy with a cup of Jasmine tea.

It was really fun making these, as the cookie dough has a Play-Doh type texture, and the color is much vibrant (think Incredible Hulk) uncooked! LOL

I feel as if I'm on the FoodNetwork Show and should describe how they taste! "Hmmm... Yumm... Hmmm... The outside is a little crunchier whilst the inside is softer and a little crumblier like a cake! Reminds me of Thai iced tea, and these are so aromatic too. You can just smell a hint of the jasmine. Makes me want to have a cup of Jasmine tea now!"

Cranberry Orange Blossom Cookies

Today is a sweet day for Radhika's Birthday "Something Edible" for her 29th! cooking item! YAY! I could easily make a different type of cookie, or something sweet for all the remaining days. But then, that would not be good either! So, I came across this recipe from a website called Sprinke Bakes, and I thought, "hey, I have all the ingredients!" And I have a cookie spritz machine which I haven't used for the last 3 years! :))

And these simply are the best cookies I have made so far in this collection! Seriously! I even give myself a pat on the back! And off course, they are eggless! :))

• 3 ¾ cup of all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 sticks of butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg - or egg replacer
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp orange extract
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 drops of Orange food color (or 1 drop of red and 1 drop of yellow)
• Some dried dried cranberries (I used the Trader Joes Orange flavored cranberries, as they are a little moist too, so didn't dry out in the oven)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add egg, milk, orange extract, food colorings and orange zest, mix well.
4. Stir together flour and baking powder.
5. Add to mix until a smooth dough forms.
6. For flower cookies, load dough into a cookie press and place on cookie sheet about 1” apart.
7. Lightly press one dried cranberry in the centers of the flowers.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes.
9. Allow to cool and then enjoy these cookies! They will melt in your mouth!

And these simply are the best cookies I have made so far in this collection! 

Matoki Fritters

Growing up, my Mother used to make a delicious "Matoki nu shaak." Matoki for anyone from Africa, will recognize this vegetable as a completely green, unripe banana from the plantain family. It is so green and raw, that you cannot even peel it like a regular ripe banana. Eww, I hear you cry! That was you wasn't it? Well, let's put it this way, a Matoki does not taste like a banana or smell like a banana. Think of a potato with a creamy, wholesome and slightly nutty taste.  So, anyway, as I was saying, my Mother used to make a scrumptious curry out of it. Once, when I tried to make it, it turned out a little mushy... So I mushed it out completely, added some ground peanuts, formed patties out of these and grilled these on a frying pan. Voila! A new and tasty dish!

And I think I'm also getting better at remembering how much I put of what into the recipe, when there is no recipe to follow!

• 7 Matokis (green bananas, plantains)
• 1 large red onion, finely diced
• 3 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 can white garbanzo beans, drained and washed
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 inch stem of ginger - minced
• 4 green birds-eye chilles - minced
• 2 cups of ground peanuts (If you have a peanut allergy, then use breadcrumbs. But the nuts really bring out the taste in this recipe!)
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• Lemon juice (I used one whole fresh lemon)
• Handful of Corriander leaves, minced finely
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Salt - according to taste
• 1 tsp Garam masala - according to taste
• 1 tbsp of oil
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• A little cornflour or semolina flour - used to coat the patty

1. Peel the matokis, and slice into ½ inch pieces. Add these into a pan of water with a little salt and tumeric and allow to boil, until the Matoki pieces are a little soft. (When you peel Matokis, your hands do become very sticky, so I just put a little bit of cooking oil on my hands. Works a treat!) 
2. In a pan, heat the oil, when hot, temper the Cumin seeds, and add the minced ginger, garlic and chopped onions. 
3. Once the onions are half cooked, add the minced green chillies and the tomatoes. And then let everything just cook into a mush 
4. Add the salt, and garam masala to this mixture 
5. Meanwhile, the matokis are probably cooked through. Check, and if they are, drain, and allow to cool. 
6. Crush the garbanzo beans so that these too are mushed up, and there are no whole beans left. (A bean split into half is okay, but make sure that there aren't too many of these) and add to the mixture cooking. 
7. When the matokis have cooled, crush these and add to the mixture. 
8. Just mix everything well, and it should look heavy and like a thick paste 
9. Add peanut powder and fresh lemon juice and cilantro. (And wow! The aroma is just heavenly now! I can just eat this out of the bowl!) 
10. The texture not should be like a very soft dough. If not, then you can add more peanut powder, or even breadcrumbs
11. While the mixture cools, heat he oven to 400F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper
12. With the cool mixture, take an ice cream scoop size ball, roll it in the semolina, then flatten into a patty, and place on the baking sheet. Repeat... :)
13. Bake in the oven for 20 mins, flip over then bake for another 20 mins. The outside should crisp up, whilst the inside is still soft.

Okay, so I didn't have enough peanuts... What to do? I had hazelnuts! And so I put a cupful in the food processor, created a near-breadcrumb like grind, and then added these as well!

I did use an ice cream scoop to get the same sized patties each time, and with about ingredients, I made 15 patties each about 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick.  These freeze well. Just put a piece of greaseproof paper in between each patty, wrap the cylinder pile in foil, and then put in a zip lock bag for extra protection from freezer-burn! :))

Home Made Potato Chips (99.999% Fat-Free!) - Coming Soon!

Apple Crumble - Coming Soon!

Rosy-Lemon Cookies - Coming Soon!

Cheese-Crisps - Coming Soon!

Cheesy-Masala Bread Swirls - Coming Soon!

Wedding Mehandi Sugar Cookies

So today is day 2 of Radhika's Birthday "Something Edible" for her 29th! Since she's getting married, I thought I'd make some Mehandi design cookies.

The cookie recipe is a basic "Sugar Cookie" recipe. There are many variations, but the one I used is below.  I also made half the recipe (just half all the ingredients.) You may even be able to purchase the dough ready made by Pillsbury or all the ingredients in a box in the cake/flour section.  I also purchased my hand shapes from here - Left Hand and Right Hand. Although the price of the cookie cutter is less than $1, you'll end up paying more for the shipping, so you may want to order some other cutters from them too. The shipping costs are on the middle of this page. Jo-Ann or other craft stores may sell them too. For me, ordering over the internet is the easiest!

4 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt (if your butter is salted, then don't add any salt!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups bakers sugar (bakers suger is finer than granulated sugar, but not like powdered sugar. Safeway sells this)
2 eggs (I don't eat eggs, so used egg-replacer, and followed the instructions for these)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used Orange Extract, but I guess you could use any flavor you like)
1 tablespoon water (optional, may need a little more or less at the end)

1. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl This becomes the "dry-mix"
2. Beat the Sugar and Butter together until creamy in another bowl, and add the vanilla extract. This becomes the "wet-mix"
3. If you're using eggs, then whisk these into the wet-mix
4. If you're using Ener-G egg-replacer, then add the powder to the dry-mix, and add the water to the wet-mix
5. Slowly, add the dry-mix into the wet-mix bit by bit and making it into a dough
6. If you find the dough too dry, then add the tablespoon of water, or maybe a little more.
7. Knead the dough into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 mins
8. Heat the oven to 375 degrees
9. Take dough out of the fridge, break a piece off, knead it and roll it out using a little flour
10. Dip cookie cutter in dry flour, shake off excess and cut several shapes (before having to dip into dry flour again). If you get dry flour on the cut cookie, then gently wipe/brush off using dry finger-tips
11. Place on baking sheet, about 1-inch apart (I line my baking sheet with Parchment paper, makes it easier to take the cookies off)
12. Bake in the middle of the oven for 8-10 mins, until cookies are golden brown
13. Once the cookies are cooked, take out and let them cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack (or something else) to cool down completely
14. And now the fun part! Decorate!

I just used a Wilton Edible writing pens - like the ones here to decorate. I purchased mine from Jo-Ann or was it Safeway? It was a long time ago, and I know I didn't order them from the internet! :) Anyway, you should be able to buy them from any other good grocery store.