The Perfect Brownies for a Lovely Sunday Evening

Perfect Chocolate Brownies

Hii..
Can you believe it I am actually blogging after a gap of a year..My goodness really its been toooooo long..Well what kept me busy..Apart from work and the usual things, planning an amazing trip to Europe last year was one of the High Points of the previous year..It was a gorgeous vacation to Norway, Denmark, Belgium and our family favorite Switzerland. Europe has always been my love..Why ..There is something so different about it..From Old Cities and Architecture to some beautiful landscapes, it has it all. And ofcourse the Food, always makes me smile.
Since I am a foodie I have to just have to mention about this Papiroen Street Food Market in Copenhagen..Its something I have never experienced before..Its a huge area next to a canal with hundreds of people gorging on some amazing food from all over the world (there must be around 200 food stalls)..It is a mind blowing experience and if your are a foodie and happen to visit Copenhagen then this place is NOT to be missed!!!

Now coming back to the Brownies..Initially I wasn't a huge fan of brownies..the primary reason being I mostly found them too dry and also I am not fond of walnuts. Then one fine day 'Theobroma' happened and I found the perfect brownies that I always wanted, they were gooey and moist with a crust, simply perfect.
Since then I had this great urge to try baking a brownie myself. And so I jumped to my favorite website 'Joy of Baking' and grabbed the easiest Brownie recipe available. And Boy o Boy it turned out so so good. Gooey, Moist with a thin crust..a 10/10.. It is an extremely simple recipe with nothing much to do. We don't even need an electric/hand mixer. A simple whisk will do the job.
Note: I have not added any walnuts but you are most welcome to do so


PLAIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Makes: 16 pieces of 2X2 inches brownies

Ingredients

Ingredients

150 grams semisweet chocolate chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons (15 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick cooking spray) an 8 inch (20 cm) square pan, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper.

Preparing the Baking pan

2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a large stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.

Melting the Chocolate and Butter

3. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder and sugar.

Adding the Sugar and Cocoa Powder

4. Next, whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Finally, stir in the flour and salt

Mixing the Eggs and Flour

6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little batter and a few moist clumps clinging to it. Do not over bake.

Pre-Baking and Post-Baking

7. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cut into square pieces. Remove the pieces individually from the Pan. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

The Perfect Brownies

Thanks for Reading!!!

The Super Quick Indian-style Blackened Chicken

Indian-Style Blackened Chicken

Hii..
On a cold winter evening when you really don't want to do anything else but just snuggle up in your quilt, this is one of the tastiest and easiest things to cook. It matches perfectly with a bowl of hot soup and some bread. The best part it can be prepared in such a short time. I found this one while browsing the net.Its a recipe by Ruchi Airen from her blog Foodfellas. (I have made a minor modification here n there)
So without wasting much time I ll straight jump to the recipe..

INDIAN STYLE BLACKENED CHICKEN

Makes: Around 8 Chicken Legs (Serves 4)

Ingredients

Ingredients

Chicken Legs - 8pcs
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1.5 tablespoons
Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
Soya Sauce- 2 tablespoons
Red Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoonful
Garam Masala Powder - 1.5 teaspoonful
Black Pepper Powder - 1 teaspoonful
Salt - to taste
Refined Oil - 1 tablespoon

Procedure

1. Prick the Chicken Legs with a fork on all sides

2. Marinate the Chicken with all the above ingredients (Except for the Oil)

Marinated Chicken

3. Keep Aside for 30-35 minutes
4. Heat the Oil in a Wok and put the marinated chicken (along with the left over marinade) into the wok.

Stir Fry

5. Fry for a few minutes, then sprinkle a little water and cover and cook until done (around 20mins)
6. Once the chicken looks done, Remove the cover and stri fry on high heat to dry up all the liquid.
7. Serve Hot (You can garnish with some sliced onions and lemon wedges)

Enjoy the Blackened Chicken

Thanks for taking out time to read this!! Ciao Ciao!

And Since its Christmas - Easy Light Fruit Cake

Its Christmas

Hii..
One of the major advantages of being born and brought up in Delhi (and also in a Colony for Government officials) is that we get to interact with such a variety of people from all over India.. There is never a dull or repetitive moment throughout the year because one of your neighbours is always celebrating some festival and you too get to participate.. I still remember gorging on Mithai's at my Punjabi friend's house on Diwali, celebrating Dashami with a grand dinner at a fellow Bengali neighbour, savouring delicious Mutton on Eid at a Muslim friend's place and so on..
Every festival became an integral part of our lives..And on Christmas, Baba and Maa used to make sure we get to eat the yummiest cakes at home or from the market!!

And thankfully me n N also make sure we continue with the tradition of enjoying as many festivities as possible..So this year I decided we are not going to buy a plum cake for Christmas instead I ll bake a Fruit Cake at Home. Yes and I did just that and believe me the reaction on N's face when he took the first bite was totally worth it!

Christmas Cakes usually requires weeks of effort but as you know the lazy bones that I am I couldn't imagine putting in that much effort. And the internet has something for everyone's needs, so I found this recipe in 'Joy of Baking' for a light fruit cake which can be baked and savoured on the same day.

So this Christmas is definitely extra special for us cause I baked my 1st Christmas Cake..here goes the recipe



LIGHT and EASY FRUIT CAKE

Makes: 1 Loaf ( 9 x 5 x 3 inches Cake)

Ingredients

1 cup (200 grams) candied red or green cherries/tooti frooti (cut into quarters)

1/2 cup (50 grams) raisins

2-3 tablespoons  rum, brandy, or sherry (optional)

1/2 cup (120 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (120 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (50 grams) ground almonds (almond meal/flour)
20 sliced almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoons salt

Zest of one small lemon (outer skin)

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk (whole or reduced fat)

NOTE: If desired, in a bowl combine the candied cherries, and raisins. Stir in the alcohol, cover, and let sit at room temperature at least a day (up to two days). Stir occasionally.

Procedure

1. I prepared the Almond Meal/flour at Home. I blanched 50 gms of Almond (boil the almonds uncovered for 2 minutes) then removed the skin and let it dry COMPLETELY for around an hour. Once the almonds are dry then I coarsely ground then into Almond meal. But make sure you donot turn it into almond butter by grinding further.

Almond Meal Preparation

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter (1-2mins)  Add the sugar and beat further until light and fluffy (around 4-5 minutes)


3.Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (The batter might looks curdled, need not worry)

Cake Batter Preparations

4. Add the Vanilla Extract into the batter and mix well.

5. Add the candied and dried fruits, along with any juices, and beat until incorporated. Beat in half the flour mixture just until incorporated. Then beat in the milk and then the remaining flour mixture. Donot overmix.

6. When cake batter is ready , preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), with the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on the inside flat surface and flour the pan.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smoothen the top with a knife or spatula and, if desired, decorate the top of the cake with sliced or flaked almonds.

Placing the batter

8. Bake at 180 degrees C for about 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (If you find the cake is browning too much, cover with a piece of aluminum foil.)

9. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Cooling Off

10. The cake does benefit from being stored a day or two before serving, as this softens the outer crust and allows the flavours to mingle.

Slice it off

Wishing You All a Merry Christmas and a great festive season ahead..Thanks for taking out time to read
P.S: You are welcome to comment and send me tips to improve.

Winter Evenings and a One-Pot Meal (Vegetable Noodle Soup Bowl)

VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP - ONE POT MEAL

Hi.. I Love Winters-"Period" ..probably because the dreamer in me feels more enthusiastic in this weather.. And when it comes to food then all the fresh colorful vegetables available in winters always make me smile!
One such winter evening when me n N felt like having something simple yet yum, that is when this idea popped into my head..Why not turn all the vegetables in the refrigerator into something so perfect for a cold winter night..So here it is..A warm tasty ONE POT MEAL - VEGETABLE NOODLES SOUP BOWL. This is an extremely simple healthy and delicious full meal.
P.S: If you have chicken available in your fridge you can add boiled shredded chicken to it.

ONE POT MEAL - VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP Makes: Four bowls


Ingredients

Colorful Veggies

Button Mushroom: 300gms
Beans : 50gms
Carrots: 2 large
Spring Onions - 6 stems
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 5 -6 cloves
Ginger -  2" piece
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Refined Oil - ! tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1tsp 
Red Chilli Sauce 1.5 tsps
Tomato Sauce 1.5 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons
Ajino Moto - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Boiled Egg - 2 (optional)
Noodles - 200gms
Sugar - 1tspWater/vegetable stalk - 6-7 cups

Preparations

Procedure

1. Chop the Onions, Spring Onion Whites and Green and the Coriander leaves

2. Slice the Mushrooms, Carrots and Beans

3. Mince the Ginger and Garlic

4. Boil the noodles and drain the water and keep aside



5. In the same pan, Heat the butter and oil and stir in the Ginger and garlic, add the chopped onions and spring onion whites and stir

6. Add the mushrooms, carrots and beans and stir well.

7. After a few minutes and the chopped spring onion greens (keeping aside 1 tablespoon for garnish), stir well

8. Add the Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper Powder and Ajiono Moto (optional) and stir.

9. Add the sauces and mix well

10. Add the water/stalk and cover and let it simmer

11. Cook for around 10 minutes

12. When the vegetables looks done..Add the Lemon Juice and Coriander Leaves

13. In a bowl add some boiled noodles and pour some soup and vegetables over it. Garnish with spring onion greens and Sliced Boiled Egg.
Serve HOT!!!

Enjoy your ONE- POT MEAL!!!

Ready

Instagram Craze and Grilled Ajwaini Prawns

GRILLED AJWAINI PRAWNS

Hiii

INSTAGRAM CRAZE

Its been a crazy last few days...Our employee who helps out with our orders for our e-commerce website decided to go on a long leave, so you can obviously imagine the chaos..Amidst all of that I suddenly got crazy about INSTAGRAM..yes I know the rest of the world has been doing it for years now and I have just started.. So to put it all together I am either working or I am instagramming (I don't think this word even exists lol)..

And obviously there is absolutely no time to cook, still I cannot just cannot have something not favourable on my palate even on those days!! Since I was craving for some prawns the other day N got me some. Since He is allergic to sea-food I had to think of an alternative food also along with the prawns.

So I decided to make something which is SUPER FAST and SUPER EASY and the same ingredients can be used for making Paneer. So here it is



GRILLED AJWAINI PRAWNS (or PANEER)

Prawns

Makes : 20 Medium sized prawns (without the head)

Ingredients

20 Medium sized prawns ( De-veined and head removed)
Salt
Hung Curd - 3 tablespoons
Ajwain (Carom Seeds) - 1.5 tablespoons
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Black Pepper Powder - 1 teaspoon
Chat Masala Powder - 1 teaspoon
Juice of 1 whole Lemon
Mustard Oil - 2 teaspoons
Refined Oil - 1 tablespoon

Ingredients

Procedure:

Marinated Prawns

1. Marinate the Prawns with Salt for around half an hour


2. In a separate bowl take all the other ingredients (except the Refined Oil) and Mix very well


3. Spread over the prawns and mix with hand so that all the prawns are properly covered with the marinade.

Lightly Fry the Prawns

4. Keep Aside for second marination for about 1 hour


5. Heat the refined Oil on a non-stick tawa and grill/fry the prawns lightly on both sides.


6. Don't overdo the prawns or they will turn hard (around 1-2 mins each side till its golden in color)


7. Serve Hot with ketchup or chutney

Grilled Ajwaini Prawns .. Served Hot

NOTE: Procedure is exactly same for Paneer
Thanks for taking out time to read!! Ciao!

The Joy of Baking Muffins - Raisin and Choco-chip Vanilla Muffins

RAISIN AND CHOCO-CHIP VANILLA MUFFINS

Ingredients

Who doesn't love Muffins...The very smell of one makes me drool..And when I started Baking  I realised that baking 'Muffins' was one of the easiest things to do..extremely simple, no frills and can be done without even using an electric or a hand mixer..What now, me being 'The Lazy Cook', 'Muffins' became my favourite things to bake!

When it comes to baking I can close my eyes and trust Stephanie's (from Joy of Baking) recipes. They are all full proof and have never let me down till now!! I have adopted her recipe for Choco-chip Muffins here though the quantities vary according to my requirement. I wanted Choco-chips but strangely they were out of stock from every possible grocery store nearby so I have used chopped dark chocolate instead and even added some dark raisins!! 

RAISIN AND CHOCO-CHIP VANILLA MUFFINS 

Mixing the Dry Ingredients

Makes: 20 Muffins


Ingredients

200gms unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 medium eggs

280ml milk (whole or reduced fat)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

460gms all-purpose flour/Maida

270gms  granulated white sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

120gms chocolate chips/chopped chocolate

150gms Raisins

Wet Ingredients

Cinnamon Sugar Topping: (Optional)
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Procedure

Folding the Ingredients together

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and place oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. Butter, or line with paper liners, 12 muffin cups.
3. In a large bowl whisk together all the 'Dry Ingredients' the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips and raisins.
4. In another bowl whisk together the 'Wet Ingredients' the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.

Filling up the Moulds

5. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon fold the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter, into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are moistened and combined. (Do not over mix or you will have tough muffins.)
6. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.
7. In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients and then sprinkle a little topping on each muffin.

Just out of the Oven

8. Place in the oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

9. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5-10 minutes before removing from pan. Can be covered and stored at room temperature for a few days or they can be frozen.

10. Slightly warm it up just before serving.

Cooling over the Wire Rack

Next on my list is Pineapple and Orange Muffins or Carrot Muffins...Hope to catch you soon with any one in my hand!! Thanks for taking out time to read! Byee!

Breakfast with Instant Rawa Uttapam

INSTANT RAWA UTTAPAM

Ingredients

My Rule - "If the Breakfast is good the entire day is bound to be good".. Yes I really can't have cereals or simple bread in the morning..I need something different everyday..
And that's the reason I rush into the kitchen just after my morning tea.. But deciding what to make is a pretty taxing thing to do..
Well during the initial two years of my career I used to teach Physics..Yes I know its a shocker..I won't say I disliked doing that but within those two years I understood that this was not meant for me..I was not made to do a regular 9-5 job..I wanted my own flexibility..And that is the reason I gave it up and joined the husband as a free lance web developer.
Well why am I telling you all this is because the following recipe was given to me by one of my colleagues back then and I am really thankful to her because not just me the entire family loves it!! This is an Instant Rawa Uttapam which can be prepared in a jiffy.. Here goes the recipe...

Sooji-Curd Mix

INSTANT RAWA UTTAPAM

Makes: Around 8 Uttapams

Ingredients

Rawa/Sooji - 2.5 cups

Curd - 1 cup

Tomatoes - 2 small

Onions - 2 medium

Green Chillies - 2-3

Coriander Leaves - 2 Tablespoons (chopped)

Salt - to taste

Black Pepper - 1.5 teaspoons
Water

Refined Oil for frying

Procedure

Batter

1. In a bowl mix the Sooji and the curd properly (it will looks like a paste/dough) and cover and keep for around 20 minutes

2. Chop all the vegetables

3. After 20 minutes add Water to the Sooji Mix and mix till it forms a smooth batter

4. Add Salt, Pepper and the vegetables (remember to take into account the vegetables while adding Salt)

5. Take a NON-STICK Tawa and heat 1 teaspoonful Oil

Spread the Batter

6. Pour 2 ladles of the batter and spread it (the way you do it for am omelette)

7. After around 20 secs with the corner of your spatula make a few small holes on the uttampam

8. Place few drops of Oil on each holes and let it cook
9. Turn the Uttapam and fry the other side
10. Serve Hot with Chutney (I prefer it with ketchup or chilli sauce).

Instant Rawa Uttapam

The biggest advantage of being a free lancer is taking out time to cook whenever I want to!! Thanks for reading and Do try this at Home!! Ciao!

Oh Calcutta and Bhapa Ilish

Maa and Me

Well all of you will agree there is something about 'Maa ke haath ka khana' and that is what makes my annual vacation to Calcutta even more special..

Being born and brought up in Delhi I really haven't spent many years in Calcutta (except a couple of years of schooling).. But there is something so very special about that city that once you manage a bite of the place you will savour the flavours forever..

After Baba's retirement, Maa and Baba mostly stay in Calcutta which gives me good enough reason to visit the city atleast annually.. Its a city full of amusing things, from lip-smacking street food to the hand pulled rickshaws, from the yellow cabs to the slow moving trams, the city is a wonder in itself!!!

And for me additionally is Maa, Baba, Arpi , Jiju n my cute nephew!! Obviously whenever I am there Maa makes sure she prepares all my favourite dishes!!

'Ilish' or 'Hilsa' is one Unique Fish...and being a Bong I totally love its taste..And if you manage to get hold of a fresh Hilsa make sure 'Bhapa Ilish' is the 1st thing that you cook..Maa obviously made sure I got my annual share of Hilsa this summers too. So here's presenting Maa ke haath ka 'Bhapa Ilish' or 'Steamed Hilsa'

BHAPA ILISH / STEAMED HILSA FISH

Fresh Hilsa Fish

Makes: 6-7 pieces of Fish

Fresh Mustard and Green Chilli Paste

Ingredients

6-7 pieces of freshly cut Hilsa
2 tablespoons of fresh Yellow Mustard  and Green Chilli Paste
2 teaspoons mustard oil
2-3 green chillies (slit)
Salt

Procedure

1. Wash the Hilsa pieces and sprinkle Salt and keep aside for half an hour

Preparation

2. Take a metallic container (with lid) which fits perfectly into the pressure cooker add the Mustard Oil, the Mustard and Chilli paste and some Salt

3. Put the pieces of fish inside and properly smother the mixture over the fish








4. Place the green chillies over the pieces

5. Close the lid and pressure cook till you hear one whistle then switch it off

6. When the pressure has released Serve Hot with some steamed Rice

This is one of the most popular Bengali Meals ever..Just one things you need to be an expert at picking out fish bones while eating Hilsa!

Bhapa Ilish / Steamed Hilsa Fish

Bon Appetite and Thanks Maa for making my annual trips so very memorable!