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Thursday 9 April 2015

Baked Qeema samosa

250 g minced meat
2 tbsp oil
2 medium onion, chopped
3 haramircha, chopped, or according to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 flat tsp salt, or to taste
2 tomatoes, puréed
2 carrots, grated, optional
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
20 strips of samosa patti or phyllodough
Method:
Heat oil in a pan, add the meat, stir. Once the color changes, add the salt, onion, green chilli, black pepper. Stir. Turn the heat to low, allowing the meat to cook. Add the tomato puree and carrots. Once done, roughly 20 minutes later, when the qeema has thoroughly dried. Turn off the flame, add the garam masala and coriander leaves. Leave aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius
Once the mixture has cooled, lay out the samosa patti and spoon out 2 tbsp of the mixture on one end, fold till the end, making sure the mix doesn't spill out.
Place on greased baking dish, 1/2 inch apart. Brush with oil and put in the oven for 20 minutes or till evenly goldened. Serve with imli chutney or plain ketchup.

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Savory Shortbread



 top this shortbread with smoked salmon and caviar






















savory shortbreadCourtesy of Martha Stewart
Yields: 12 dozen
Oven Temp: 350






  • 2 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup(s) (2 sticks) salted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 2 cup(s) grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup(s) milk
  • 1 tablespoon(s) Worcestershire sauce

Directions
  1. To the bowl of a food processor, add flour and cayenne pepper; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
  2. Add cheese to the food processor; pulse until combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
  3. Using a fork, stir in milk and Worcestershire sauce until well combined. Have ready several pieces of parchment paper.
  4. Form mixture into two 1-inch-diameter logs, and wrap in parchment. Transfer the logs to the refrigerator, and chill until very firm, at least 1 hour.
  5. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove logs from refrigerator, and cut each one into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place the rounds on prepared baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.
  6. Bake the shortbread until golden, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets between shelves halfway through baking.
  7. Transfer shortbread to wire racks to cool. Bake remaining dough. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Savoury rosemary and Asiago shortbread

Ingredients
Serves: 24 

  • 125g (4 oz) butter, softened
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 250g (8 oz) plain flour
  • 60g (2 oz) freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp dried or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Method
Prep:15min  ›  Cook:15min  ›  Ready in:30min 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Lightly grease 2 large baking trays.
  2. Beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cheese, rosemary and paprika; add to butter mixture. With hands, mix to form dough.
  4. Divide dough into three even pieces. On a lightly floured surface, slightly flatten each piece of dough and roll into a 12-in (30 cm) rope - the same way you'd roll out a piece of plasticine.
  5. Slice each rope into 16 (1.8mm) even slices. Place on a baking tray.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool completely. Can be stored for several days in an airtight container.

Savory Madeleines

can be flavored with many varieties of herbs, seasonings, and cheeses. Some options are Gruyere cheese, fresh rosemary, and cayenne pepper.


Yields: 220 mini madeleines
Oven Temp: 350
Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart
  • 8 tablespoon(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
  • 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup(s) cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup(s) sugar
  • 2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cup(s) whole milk
  • 3 1/2 tablespoon(s) finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 cup(s) finely chopped pitted olives
  • 1/4 cup(s) finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, combined with above

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter mini madeleine pans.
  2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  3. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, milk, and browned butter until smooth. Divide batter among 3 bowls. To create 3 different flavors, fold 1 filling into each bowl of batter (sage, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes). Divide batter among pans, filling cups 3/4 full.
  4. Bake until golden brown and firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately unmold, and let cool completely on wire racks.

stilton and cheddar cheese biscuits

Ingredients
Makes: 25 biscuits

  • 170g (6oz) plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
  • 85g (3oz) unsalted butter
  • 56g (2oz) Stilton cheese
  • 56g (2oz) Cheddar cheese
  • 1 egg

Method
Prep:30min  ›  Cook:10min  ›  Extra time:1hr chilling  ›  Ready in:1hr40min 

  1. Place flour and mustard powder in a food processor. Then add the butter and process until its like breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the two types of cheese and then the egg and mix until it comes together.
  3. Leave to chill in a fridge for about an hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.
  5. Roll out on a floured board and cut into shapes using a pastry cutter. Place on a baking tray.
  6. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Cheese & Chive Biscuits



 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 

Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1¾ ounces grated parmesan (3/4 cup)
  • 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, in ½" chunks
  • 1 bunch chives, finely sliced
  • 3 ounces fresh goat cheese, plus 3 more ounces for sprinkling (about 1 cup total)
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Add the parmesan and butter, and work with your fingertips until the butter is incorporated with lots of butter chunks remaining.
  2. Stir in the chives and crumble in 3 ounces of the goat cheese.
  3. Add the buttermilk little by little, stirring until the dough just begins to clump together and no dry, floury bits remain. Gently knead the dough in the bowl a few times to bring the dough together into a ball.
  4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that is a scant ½" thick and roughly twice as wide as it is tall. Crumble ⅔ of the remaining goat cheese over the center square of the dough then fold the dough in half, like closing a book. You should have a long rectangle of dough layered with cheese. Press down gently to flatten, then roll the rectangle into a loose spiral, starting with a skinny end.
  5. Roll the layered dough into a 7x7" square that is ¾" thick, then cut the dough into 16 squares.
  6. Bake at 450 degrees until the biscuits are golden on top, about 15 mi

Saturday 4 October 2014

savory Calzone recipe- 2-3 hours of proofing in warm asian climate

for one loaf
serves as appetizer for 5
1 and a half cup milk or water or preferably buttermilk or a mix of any of the two or all three
1/2 tsp dry garlic
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning/oregano/any seasoning mix
2 generous tsp yeast + 1 1/2 tsp sugar + a little bit of slightly warm water, just enough to soak the yeast sugar mix
3 cups breadflour or any non-coarse meal you have at hand
1 tsp salt, kept away from the yeast mix till the yeast starts blooming
1 tsp or more powdered milk


knead a dough out of the ingredients above, slowly adding the liquid as you mix.
you can work the dough using your hands or in a mixer
when it's soft and the surface is smooth cover and leave to proof until doubled.

start preparing the filling from then o.
you need:
200gms cheddar, or any other strong cheese you like, to taste. grate 50 grams separately for topping
50-100 grams mozzarella, depending on how sticky/gooey you like the filling
a cup of cut broccoli
1 1/2 cup corn
3/4 cup capsicum
1/4 cup cut bell peppers
1 cup cut french beans/mushrooms/spring onions
add subtract any vegetable you like
6 hot green chillies if you're Asian, else 3 would do
5 cloves of garlic
2/3 cup ricotta if you'd like the filling creamy
1 tbsp corn/gram meal if the filling appears runny. increase/decrease the meal accordingly
1 flat tsp salt if you're using salty cheddar, if you're using some other cheese, add the salt accordingly
2 tsp oregano/italian seasoning/ pizza seasoning/ garlic flakes, any you please or a bit of each
1/4 cup fresh basil or coriander
1/2 garlic powder
do use 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
 2 tbsp ghee/ oil + 3 tbsp ghee. ghee gives a nice smell and taste



pulse/chop the greenchillies and the garlic, sautee on high heat in the 2 tbsp ghee till they give off aroma and the chilli bits develop a bright green color. take out half in the 3 tbsp ghee and keep aside.
to the other half add the beans and broccoli first, if your using them. stir quickly. add the spring onions, turn on the chimney on high
add mushrooms, then corn add the salt. save the capsicum for the last. add it in, all on high heat. stir and stir. turn off the stove. add the cheeses, the coriander, garlic powder, the black pepper, seasonings, and any other thing you feel you'd like in the bread. leave to cool







picture courtesy: eatliverun.com
knead again and roll out 16''x10'' on a 16''x10'' parchment paper, that way the yeasty dough is easier to handle. cut the sides of the bread 1 1/2 inch apart. evenly but with a slight tilt. don't make long gashes as shown in the picture or else the bread will have a breadier top than the bottom and the filling might not hold if its not too cheesy. make equal number of cuts on both the sides.
add the filling to the center of the rolled out dough, as shown in the picture. save some of the filling.
criss-cross the cuts from the opposite sides, covering the filling.
fill in the left-over filling the braid you see in the last picture. it gives the bread better presentation. don't add the garnish cheese bits just now
 carefully transfer the parchment paper on to a sturdy tray that fits into your oven. leave to proof until it doubles. it'll rise some more in the oven.
turn on the oven to 175 degree C
once the oven is hot, toss the tray onto the middle rack.
after about 20 minutes take the bread out and add the grated cheese to the top.
leave the bread inside for another 10-15 minutes.
once it is golden and looks full and done, take it and generously brush with the ghee garlic and chilli mix. the bread might be a bit hard when you take it out at first but it'll soften in some time