at 19:34

Lemon Cheesecake Cups

This one is an easy cheesecake recipe. What I like about it is that I can make as little as I like as they are individually made in a cupcake/muffin mould/cups. Usually cheesecake takes a long time to bake and at least over night chilling before one can serve them.  Also between the two of us, we find it difficult to finish a full cheesecake (say a 9” one) in time, as cheesecakes are usually heavy and does not last long. So this one is just perfect for us: easy to bake, quick & simple, I have control over the quantity, and as they are individually made, I can freeze some for later use.



Cheesecake cup served with raspberry, mint and homemade chocolate sauce

Serves:  Makes 12 Lemon cheesecakes
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Baking time: 20/30 mins Depending on oven
Chilling time: 2 hours (well you can do less if you don’t have time, but less than one 1 hour will not make the cheese cake settle)

Ingredients for Crust: 10- Digestive Biscuits (I used McVities)   2-teaspoon low fat spread (room temperature. This is important).  You can also use butter if you like. 2-teaspoon sugar (optional. I did not use sugar)



Cheesecake cup served with mango, strawberry sauce and homemade chocolate curls

Ingredients for Filling: 200g full fat cream cheese (room temperature) 3/4 teaspoon sugar 1-egg 1/2-teaspoon Lemon essence ½ teaspoon of grated Lemon Zest 50ml single cream Pinch of salt

 Method for preparing the cheesecake cups:

1.     Pre heat the oven 180c or 300 degree F.
2.     Line 12 cups muffin tray with paper cup liners

Method for the crust:

1.     Put the digestive biscuits in a zip lock plastic bag. Use a roller pin to make crumbs. You can also make crumb by putting them in a blender or using a mortar pestle
2.     Put the crumbs in a bowl and combine low fat spread/butter and sugar (optional). Divide the mixture among 12 muffin cups. Press the crumbs to make the layer at the bottom of the cups. Cover with cloth or cling film and chill while you make the filling.

Method for the filling:

1.     Using an electric mixer/beater, beat the cream cheese on a low speed until creamy and silk smooth.
2.     Add the sugar and salt and beat again for 2/3 mins.
3.     Add the egg  and beat until the ingredients combine
4.     Add single cream, lemon essence and lemon zest
5.     Scrape the sides of the bowls and beat well until smooth and thick. But never beat too much or on too high speed as you do not want to have much air in the filling

Final Touch:

Taking the paper liner off the cheese cake cups

1.     Take the crust (the muffin tray) out of refrigerator
2.     Divide the filling among 12 muffin cups
3.     Put the tray in the pre heated over and bake for 20 mins or until firm but the centre of the cheesecake is wobbly
4.     Take it out of oven and let the cakes cool (over wire rack if you have. Otherwise just leave them over wherever you put hot stuff and let them cool down)
5.     Once cool, cover with plastic wrap or cling film and refrigerate for 1-hour minimum, best 2 hours if you are not in hurry or even over night if you like.
6.     Before serving take off the paper liners
7.     Serve with fruits like mango , red grapes, raspberries, strawberries, chocolate curls or/and sauce or even lemon curd.

Cheesecake cup served with strawberry, red grapes, mango and chocolate sauce

at 21:56

Eid walla Semaiya/Semai/ Seviya Kheer/ Vermicelli Kheer

It is a beautiful sunny day in London. The kind of warm, lazy day- perfect for  staying home, eating fish and rice with Gondhoraj lebu and dal , playing a game of ludo and having a cup of Darjeeling tea standing by the balcony ( or so called) and  enjoying the smell of  mutton and chana daal keema coming from my neighbors kitchen in preparation of Eid. And that’s when the problem started. We were not merely enjoying the smell. We were drooling over the smell. We dreamed for an invite, a great Eid meal and many bla bla da da things. Finally, I decided to take matters in my hand and cook some Eid walla Semaiya. Well, it does not substitute aunty ji’s keema smell, but some consolation!

Semaiya Kheer

Serves: Ideally for 4. Nevertheless, my R alone eat it all.

Preparation: 5 mins
Cooking time: 20/30 mins

Ingredients: 3- Handful of thin Semaiya 500ml whole milk 3- Cardamom 10- Cashew nut (optional) 10- Raisins (optional) 7-teaspoon sugar (or according to your taste. We like light sweetness) 1-tablespoon oil Pinch of saffron (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry the Semaiya until golden brown and a lovely nutty smell hits your nostril
2. Add Cashew and Raisin (if using). I like to fry my nuts a little for the smell that oozes out of the fried nuts
3. Add milk. On a low heat, stirring constantly reduce the quantity of the milk. Remember once cool, the Semaiya thickens a little more.
4. Stir in sugar, cardamom and a pinch of saffron. Cook for another 5 mins
5. Serve it hot or cold. Sprinkle some coconut slice on top if you like. Or some chopped nuts.

 Yummy! We are happy, our tummy is full and our heart is satisfied.

 Enjoy your Eid! 

at 23:54

Kolkata styled Eid walla Mutton Biriyani/ Mutton Biryani –a little healthy but no compromise on taste recipe (Trust me on this!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Eid walla Biriyani for my dearest friend SS

Growing up in North Africa, celebrating Eid was part of my childhood. My brother and I got new dresses, my mother cooked lovely food and family friends visited our home.  We went to visit L aunty, Y and S’s house ritually for all Eid. Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Saraswati Puja etc were part of our life even then, but it was only after moving to Kolkata we realised what Durga Puja was and what being in Kolkata meant around that time.  Durga Puja, Kali Puja governs our life now but we still celebrate Eid and my mother still cooks lovely Eid food for us.  

Both my parents are religious. As for me, I am not sure. I automatically close my eyes when I go to Belur Math but I also automatically close my eyes when I go near sea or smell the first raindrop on parched land. I hate the temple near my house in UK as the ‘pujari’ (priest in a Hindu temple) is irritating and believe that it is through R that all my prayers can be heard. How much more stupid can he be?!!  I hate temple, which has water everywhere, dirty and too many people.  What does that make me? Religious or non-religious? Well, I am not too bothered about knowing it too.  When I close my eyes in front sea, or when it rains or seeing  the peacocks of Leads Castle or in front of a temple that is clean,  all I know is, I  thank the universes for being so beautiful,  for being alive, happy, independent and having the ability to appreciate the beauty in my own way. When we celebrated Eid as children or celebrate Durga Puja now, none of this choices/celebration was/are religious for us. We celebrated what everyone near us and our friends celebrated. We celebrated the spirit of the festival. We celebrate the beautiful life.

My friend SS requested “Eid walla Biriyani” in my blog.  This is for her. My kolkata style Eid walla Biriyani: for the spirit of Eid and to beautiful life around us.

Eid Mubarak!

Mutton Biriyani Recipe:

Serves: 4 Adults foodies and 2 kiddo foodies

Preparation Time: 15 mins for Biriyani Masala, at least 1 hour marinating (longer the better, they say. I believe too. However, some time I make without marinating and it does not make much difference to be honest. So adjust the timing depending upon how much time you have and the occasion you are cooking for. I am cooking for Eid. So it is going to be elaborate).  2 hours for cooking.  

Ingredients that I use for Biriyani/Biryani Masala: 10- Cardamoms 2-inch Cinnamon 10- Cloves 2- Bay Leafs 1-Tablespoon cumin seed 1-Tablespoon Caraway seed (Shah Jeera) 4- barks of Mace (Javetri) ½ teaspoon of Nutmeg powder 10- Black pepper corn ½-teaspoon fennel 1 teaspoon of red chili powder

   

My Biriyani Masala

Making my Biriyani masala:

1.  Dry roast cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, Bay leafs, cumin seed, caraway seed, mace, fennel, black pepper corn on a low heat until the spice gives a aroma and also starts to spatter.

2.  Grind all the dry roasted spices  until smooth powder

3.   Mix chili powder and nutmeg powder and grind again to mix well

4.   Store in a air tight jar ( I used my little jam jar that I brought back from my hotel  in Venice )

Ingredient for Biriyani/Biryani 700gm Basmati Rice (I used Kohinoor that was not good by the way) 1kg mutton  fat free shoulder, cut in to small pieces 6 -Eggs 6 -Potatoes  ( small to medium) 4- Onions   (Optional: Add 1- more Onion for deep-frying and spreading over the Biriyani as final touch) 2 Bay leafs 8/10 Black Paper corns 2inch Cinnamon 5/6 Cardamom 5/6 Clove 1-tablespoon ginger paste 1-tablespoon garlic paste 1-cup milk 1-cup yogurt 2- Tablespoon Kewra Water (When I cook for my mother I do not use it. She hates the smell) 1- Pinch Saffron ( soaked in little warm water) 8- tablespoon oil 2 tablespoon low fat spread Salt to taste

Methods for making the Biriyani/Biryani

Step 1: Preparing the Mutton

1.       Wash the mutton properly and cut away all the remaining fats

2.       Marinate the mutton with yogurt and 3-tablespoon of my Biriyani/Biryani Masala

3.       Add little salt and keep in fridge for 30 mins

Step 2:

1.       Slice 4 onions

2.       Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non stick Karahi and add the onions

3.       Fry the onions until golden brown

4.       Let the fried Onions cool down

5.       Once cool, make a paste of the fried onion in a grinder

Step 3:

1.       Add the fried onion paste, ginger paste and garlic paste to the marinated mutton

2.       Fridge for another 30 mins

Fried Potatoes

Step 4:

1.       Boil the eggs, de-shell the boiled eggs.

2.       Boil the potatoes until they are 70% done. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a non stick pan and fry the boiled potatoes until they are golden brown and well done. Mine was a little dark in color as I used just 1 tablespoon of oil.

3.       Keep both eggs and fried potatoes aside

Step 5: Cooking the mutton

1.       Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a non- stick pan (I used my pressure cooker). Add 2 cardamom, bay leaf and fry until it leaves faint aroma

2.       Add the marinated mutton and cook for 15 mins

3.       Add   1 more tablespoon of Biriyani Masala. Adjust salt to taste. Add this stage you can add more chili in case you like hot food.

4.       Cook the mutton on slow heat until well done and the gravy has dried up. I cooked in pressure cooker. Careful not to make the consistency of the gravy to too dry or too watery.

Cooked Mutton

Step 6: Cooking the Rice and deep-frying Onion

1.       While cooking the mutton, soak the rice in water

2.       Dain water from the rice

3.       In a deep vessel heat water. I use rice to water in 1:2 ratio. As I have 700gm of rice, I used almost 1.5 liter of water, if not more. Do not worry about water as you are going to throw it anyway. So a little extra will not harm.

4.       Make a cloth pouch-containing bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper and clove. Add the pouch the boiling water. This will give a nice aroma to the rice.

5.       Add the rice. Add salt and 2 tablespoon of oil

6.       When the rice is 70% done, drain the rice.

7.       Place the rice in plates/white paper (not news paper please) and let them air dry.

8.       Take a little bit of rice and add to the soaked Saffron to make yellow/orange rice

9.       While the rice is being cooked, thinly slice 1 onion. Deep-fry them until brown and crisp. You will need half a cup of oil for this process. I did not do it, as I wanted my Biriyani to be light.

Drying the cooked  rice

Step 7: Layering the Biriyani/Biryani

1.       Take a deep bottom vessel. Rub the low fat spread all over the vessel.

2.       Make a layer of rice. Top it up with a layer of cooked mutton. Sprinkle some milk and Kewra water.  Sprinkle some of your orange/yellow rice as well.

3.       Then on top of the layered mutton, add another layer of rice. Repeat the process. Remember you last layer or the top layer should be rice not mutton.

4.       Remember: do not make too thick layer as this will interrupt with cooking the rice. Remember to sprinkle milk, which will prevent the rice from sticking at the bottom as well as help in cooking with vapor from milk. Add Kewra water in all layers in case you want your Biriyani to smell like the shop Biriyani. Otherwise, do not add this at all.

5.       On the top layer of rice arrange the fried potato and sprinkle the deep fried onions  ( if you are using)

The final Layered Biriyani

Step 8: Final Cooking

1.       Close the vessel. I used a sealed vessel. If you do not have a sealed vessel, seal the vessel with a flour dough so that the vapor remain trapped in the vessel which will induce pressure cooking

2.       Oven Method:  Add water to the oven tray. Heat the oven in 200c and heat the water. Place the sealed vessel on the hot water. Cook for 45 mins. Bring the vessel out. Give a proper shake. Real good shake so that rice, mutton and spices mix well and they are fluffy. You can use spoon to fluff them up. But careful not to break the rice.  Close the vessel again and cook for another 20 mins.

3.       Gas method: Place a big tawa on the lowest flame and add water. Place the vessel on the water-filled tawa. In case you cannot add water to tawa, you can place the vessel directly to heated tawa. However, this will mean that some rice will stick at the bottom. Give a proper shake. Real good shake so that rice, mutton and spices mix well and remain fluffy. You can use spoon to fluff them up. But careful not to break the rice.  Close the vessel again and cook for another 10 mins.

Step 9: Serve NOW!

1.       Serve with raita. Put fat free yoghurt in a bowl. Add chopped cucumber, tomato, onion, rock salt and cumin power. And mix well and serve with your Biriyani

at 13:02

Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken and Prawn

Serves: 2 as main at dinner

Preparation time: 20 mins including making Pad Thai Sauce
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

1- Chicken breast fillet
100g cooked and peeled king prawns
1 Egg
1- Large onion or shallot
2- Red chilies (optional)
1- Tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1- Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
100g bean sprouts
300g Rice noodles (cooked as per the instruction on the packet). If you cannot find it, any noodles will do. I some time cook the dish with maggi and tastes yummy.
½-teaspoon ground black pepper
3-tablespoon oil
Chopped coriander for garnishing
3 tablespoon roasted salted peanuts (preferably crushed)
Salt to taste (remember pad Thai sauce will have salt in it due to use of soy sauce)

For Pad Thai Sauce:

2 tablespoon tamarind paste (the quanity should be based on how sour you like your pad Thai)
4-tablespoon fish sauce ( optional, use rice wine instead)
4 table spoon soy sauce
½-tablespoon hot chili sauce
Pinch of ground black pepper
5-teaspoon palm or brown sugar (if you do not have them at home, then use any sugar that you have. You might need more sugar to balance the sourness depending on your taste)

Method of making Pad Thai Sauce:

1.   Mix all ingredients and stir to dissolve. It might take some time for the sugar to melt.
2.     When all the ingredients have melt, the sauce is ready to use.

Note:  you will find many other method of making the sauce. This measurement is mine based on how l like my Pad Thai. I always make sure that when I am eating my pad thai noodles, it should taste sweet at first, spicy second and sour at last. For the right balance add more chili or sugar or tamarind until you get it right for your taste. However, remember that a good Pad thai tastes in Sweet-spice-and sour order in your mouth.

Method for making Pad Thai Noodle:
1.   Heat a wok or frying on low to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry the chicken breast on both sides until sides are golden brown and the chicken is done. It will be not be fried, as the oil is really less, rather will be pan roasted. You can sprinkle little water in case chicken sticks at the bottom
2.  When the chicken cools down, slice the chicken and set aside
3.   Heat the same wok or frying pan (clean the chicken residue from the wok or pan with a paper towel in that case). Add rest of the oil and heat. Fry the ginger and garlic until you can smell the aroma but do not make them brown. Add onion and stir-fry. Add chili
4.   Add the cooked prawn and cooked chicken and stir-fry.
5.   Add the cooked noodles, bean sprouts and stir fry
6.   Add Pad thai sauce and stir to coat. Make sure it is little wet. If you feel the sauce is not enough and the noodle is dry, add little fish sauce and soy sauce
7.    Fry the egg in separate pan (scrambled egg) and add with the noodles.
8.    Fry for another 3/4 mins. Sprinkle coriander and half the peanuts
9.    Add salt depending on taste. Also, be careful, as you have used fish sauce, which has salt. Sprinkle black pepper
10.   To serve, place the noodle in two pasta plates and sprinkle the remaining peanuts and garnish with coriander.

Enjoy!

at 11:10

Anarosh Malpua: Pineapple Malpua - Ordinary Malpua with a twist

I am a Bangal (people who are originally from then East Bengal, now Bangladesh and settled in West Bengal, India as opposed to Goti-people originally from West Bengal, India) from Tripura with ancestry in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Although I have never really stayed in Tripura other then visiting my thakuma (Paternal Grandmother) and kaku (paternal Uncle), Kakimoni (Aunt) and cousins once a year, I feel a strong bonding with the place. Whenever I go there, I feel belonged. This is a place where my thakuma lives and I can feel her in the air. Her soft body, wrinkled skin, her toothless smile, her tight hug: Tripura is all these and more to me. It is home. My cousin’s adore me: it is this bonding that makes Tripura so special. Being the eldest daughter in the family of the eldest son of the family, I was always special. My thakuma thought I should do better than my father. She was so disappointed when I got married without a PhD. She told me that marriage has the capability to stop your journey unless you have a good partner. Well, I do have an amazing partner, he is my most successful campaign towards gender rights (pun intended), and my thakuma loved him. It is this strength of the women in my family like my thakuma, my kaki monis and my mother that shaped all of us.

This Malpua is from my home. Malpua’s are sweet fritters or pancakes, which are eaten as dessert or sweet snack in many parts of India and Bangladesh. For the Bengali’s who are Hindu, it is a sweet that is also associated with various religious festival like Durga puja, Janmastami, Lakshmi puja etc. At my house, Malpua is associated with Bengali New Year as we come from agricultural background and new year ( Nobo (new) Borsho (year) ) is a time to celebrate new harvest. This Malpua is little different from the one that I have eaten in many house in Kolkata. It is not soaked in sugar syrup. In our house, when we soak the Malpua in sugar syrup we then call it roshbhora malpua (Rosh is syrup in Bengali).  I made them for this Noboborsho but as it is Janmastami today, I thought I might as well share the recipe. I have just added pineapple to give it a twist but usually it is not added. you can that as well.

Anarosh Malpua: Pineapple Malpua-Ordinary Malpua with a twist

Server: will make around 20 Malpua

Preparation time: 15 mins
Soaking Time: 30 mins
Frying Time: 30 mins maybe

Ingredient:

1-cup flour

¼-cup coarse Semolina
½- teaspoon Fennel seed (saunff)
½- cup sugar (change the quantity suiting your taste of sweetness. My ones were little too sweet for me but my guests for whom I was making likes them sweet)
½-cup crushed pineapple ( you can leave pineapple incase you want to make the usual malpua)
½-cup water /milk ( I used water)
Oil for deep-frying

  Method:

1. Soak coarse semolina in little water with sugar and saunff/fennel seeds for 20 mins
2. Add flour. Check the consistency of the batter. It should not be too thick or too loose. You should be able to take a scoop of the batter with spoon and fry them in little fluffy shapes. Adjust water/milk according to the consistency
3. Deep Fry them. Serve then with pineapple cream (made with coconut cream and crushed pineapple)

Note : instead of pineapple, you can add banana/ crushes apple/ dates/sultanas