Kick start your day with pesto tomato and mozzarella sandwich

What's a typical British meal? Sandwich!! I read somewhere that around 12 billion sandwiches are eaten every year in the UK....just imagine !!

When it comes to sandwiches I am not very fond of the cold ones we get here...I like the toasted and grilled ones better.We have been grown up eating potato and paneer sandwiches and then came the era of coleslaw sandwiches during college days.Grilled sandwiches were a specialty of some places only and I remember how I used to love these sandwiches at the mathura road branch of Haldiram's in Delhi.
The best thing  about sandwiches is that they are simple to make and you can play around with a number of options depending upon the available ingredients.Well,pesto is our favourite thesedays and so I made this sandwich for the first time on hubby's b'day and we loved it so much that since then its weekly in our menu.
I used Sacla basil pesto sauce for this recipe....I was never a fan of bottled sauces until I tried this pesto sauce...it is as fresh as homemade pesto. Try making this sandwich with seeded bread it does makes a lot of difference in taste as well as health quotient.I have used Hovis Seeds sensation which is a staple in our home thesedays.I have tried so many varieties of bread in this country but when it comes to seeded breads this one is the best .

Here comes the recipe :

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Sacla Classic Basil pesto

1/4 Red pepper(cut into long strips)

Half Tomato(cut into pieces)

1/4 cup Mozzarella 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper

4 slices of Seeded bread(I used Hovis Seed Sensation)
Butter for toasting 

Method 

In a pan roast red pepper slices til they are a bit charred.(You can even do this in oven)Take pesto and spread on the bread slices.Put tomato pieces and capsicum strips.Sprinkle salt and pepper and add crumbled cheese.Cover it with a slice of bread 

Heat butter in a pan or a griddle.Toast or grill  till it is brown on both sides and cheese is melted.Cut into two and serve hot !!!

Enjoy this scrumptious sandwich with your morning cuppa or pack it for lunch...it tastes great either ways !!!

Butter free lemon cake...perfect treat for summers !

Well summers have been here for a while, and this year with all records broken there have been days when we were reminded of Indian summers.But now for the past one week its still better, with temperature averaging 24-25 its the best time of the year and I am just loving it !!

During all these days our meals have been more of pitas,sandwiches and salads which are light on stomach and refreshing to eat.I had been trying not to bake any cake for health considerations but couldn't stop myself when I came across a butterfree cake recipe....some of you will laugh over it, but that's how food bloggers are, they just need an excuse to cook ;)  and the excuse was my baby Ishaan's four month b'day. Yes, I bake a cake  every month to celebrate his birthday (though he still can't have a bite ).But this is how I celebrate his milestones... his new expressions....his new activities...his new developments every month :)

Now what can I say about this lemon cake ...its  just perfect for summers...light refreshing and moist !! Its prepared  with just a handful of ingredients, so  go ahead and make it a part of your summer party.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
Lemon zest from 2 lemons
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4  tsp baking soda
A pinch of salt

Method 

Preheat the oven to 180 C and grease a loaf tin.Sieve together flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt and keep it aside.In a bowl mix in lemon zest and sugar till it resembles wet sand.Whisk in yoghurt,lemon juice and eggs.Mix in the dry ingredients along with oil.Pour the batter in a pan and bake it for 45 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean.
I just loved the lemony aroma filling my house.
Enjoy this lemony cake with a cuppa !!


Handy Tips 

• When purchasing lemons look for fruit that feels heavy for its size with a bright shiny skin and small points on each end.
• To store lemons for up to a month,rinse them in water and store in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.Once it is cut it must be used within a few days.
• To get the most juice from lemons,first prick the skin with a fork,then place in microwave for 15 seconds in this way more juice can be squeezed.
• While grating lemon zest make sure to remove only the coloured part of the skin,the white pith is bitter.

TILL WE MEET NEXT HAVE A REFRESHING WEEK !!!

Spicy Okra with chickpea flour

Okra or Ladyfinger as we call it is one of my favourite vegetables since childhood. It brings back all the memories of those summer afternoons when me and my cousins would sit together and enjoy the homely Daal rice and bhindi...yeah those were some carefree days!

And now when I am in London,I would say I am lucky to get such nice okra here. Its made quite often in my kitchen as hubby just loves it,specially the spicy version which I am sharing with you all today.

There are different ways of cooking okra, stir fry,deep fry or even a curry...but I like it spicy with a touch of chickpea flour which gives a nice flavour and aroma.

Do you know that okra is an excellent source of folate,Vitamin K and Vitamin C.It is low in calories and a good source of dietary fibre. With so many nutritional benefits its great to include it in our diet.

So without much ado here's the recipe for you:

Ingredients 

400 gm Okra 

1/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tsp cumin powder 

1 tbsp coriander powder 

1 tsp  amchur powder 

1 tsp garam masla

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1 small onion

Salt to taste
Oil

Method 

Trim the Okra and make a slit on one side.Take turmeric powder,garam masala,cumin powder,coriander powder ,amchur and red chilli in a small bowl and mix.Fill this mixture into the slits.Mix and set aside.Heat oil in a wok,add chopped onions and saute till light golden.Add chickpea flour and saute for a couple of minutes.Add stuffed okra and mix.Lower the heat,cover and cook,stirring occasionally,till the ladyfingers get cooked .Add salt and cook for a minute keeping the lid open.

Serve hot with rice or chapatis.This tastes great even with puris and parathas.

This dish keeps really well so its great for packed lunches and picnics.

Handy tips

• While purchasing okra make sure it has firm pods and should snap easily in half.The best varieties are a rich green colour. Avoid pods that are dull or blemished.
• Store in a paper bag in the warmest part of refrigerator,as temperature below 45 degrees can damage okra.Do not wash until ready to use,or it will become slimy.

Till we meet next have a spicy weekend !!!

Black forest cake for hubby's bday

Birthdays are always special to me...I remember how I used to be crazy about birthdays... from birthday dress to birthday cake ...just everything.And now after marriage making hubby 's bday special is always exciting...!!

He is so fond of the cakes and cookies I bake for him...so when it comes to his bday cake it has to be special and definitely best out of the rest !!!...Infact every year the cake which I bake for his birthday is the best out of all the bakes in that year !!!Last year I made this.....and this year it was double celebration as my son Ishaan also completed his three months the same day :)....so after much deliberation I finally  decided for a traditional yet one of the most amazing black forest cake.

The cake turned out really well with the fresh cream icing and cherries ...hubby just loved it !!

So it was a great start to his bday ...for breakfast I replicated his favourite sandwiches from Pret a manger...pesto and mozerella ...would soon share the recipe on blog.For dinner we went to a place called Kenza suggested by one of our friend.Let me tell you the place was  just awesome...  amazing Mediterranean food ....lovely  ambience ..!!!

Here are a few clicks .... 

Now comes the recipe for the cake

Ingredients

175 gm butter
200gm dark chcoolate
300 gm plain flour
300 gm sugar
25 gm cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200 gm yoghurt
1/4 cup boiling water

For icing
1/4 cup Sugar syrup
300 ml whipping cream
Glaced cherries
1 bar of dark chocolate
'

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C and grease two cake tins.Take a microwave safe bowl and melt butter.Now add the chocolate pieces and let it melt in the butter.
Mix together the flour,cocoa,sugar,bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
Whisk eggs ,vanilla essence and buttermilk in a bowl.Now add in the melted chocolate and butter mixture.Now mix in dry ingredients into the this mix and add boiling water.Mix till it is lump free
and divide the mixture and bake it for 20-25 minutes or till the skewer comes out clean.
Once the cakes are baked let them cool down .then prepare a sugar syrup and add cherries and whip cream to stiff peaks .
Now prick the cakes and drizzle over the sugar syrup...spread over cream and cherries..stack the cake and coat it with icing.Pipe it making the design you wish and place the cherries..decorate it with chocolate curls...I just made them by scraping a dark chocolate bar.Let it chill and then you are all set to cut the cake.


Notes 

• You can even use fresh cherries...I found  glaced cherries better for this cake.
• I didn't use rum ...but traditionally it is used.

Till we meet next HAPPY COOKING !!

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and arrival of our little bundle of joy !!

I am proud to announce the arrival of our bundle of joy -Ishaan .

Yaay!! I am a mommy now and the feeling is just amazing..Life has a new meaning  and with the little one around our days are brighter and happier !Touchwood !The feeling of motherhood...the excitement of watching our baby making different moves ...doing new activities is so overwhelming .....:)God's creation sometimes amazes ...and makes you fall in love with your child  again and again... Every minute...every day the bond of  love grows stronger !!!

Thank you God for everything !!!

Now coming  to food blogging, though I wasn't blogging much  I was very much reading all your lovely blogs .and was also fortunate to be a part of the Bloggers Buzz event which was held in February 2013...just a month before my due date :)..All thanks to hubby who encouraged me to attend the event and all you lovely ladies of Bloggers buzz who made such a memorable experience for me...!!

So here I am, back to blogging.. !! I made these quick and easy cookies when Ishaan was taking his afternoon nap :)
These oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies are  a great source of fibre and nutrition  and go wonderfully well with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee !
These are really quick ...with the ingredients in hand its just a matter of mixing ...and they are ready in minutes :)

So here 's the recipe for you :

Ingredients 

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups oats 

11/2 cups plain flour 

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Method 

• Preheat oven to 180 C.
• In a large bowl stir brown sugar and butter until blended.
• Mix in vanilla extract and eggs until light.
• Stir in oats,flour,baking soda and salt.Then add chocolate chips and nuts.
• Line a tray with baking paper and scoop out the cookies (Forgive me for the shape...i did everything in a hurry as baby was asleep so they were different in shape ....you can say a bit rustic ;)
• Bake for  10-15 or till golden brown.
• Let it cool and enjoy !

TILL WE MEET NEXT HAPPY COOKING !!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND !!

comfort food : five jewelled daal

When you talk about Indian food the first thing which comes to our mind is DAAL-RICE !!Its a staple in every indian household and there is something very homely and loving  about this meal.

I still remember our hostel days when the first thing I used to eat reaching home was daal rice...coz there is no comparison to home cooked daal rice.

Talking about pulses/daal there is a whole variety from chana ,moong,masur,arhar....But we usually eat arhar which is my hubby's fav.

Here I am sharing with you a five jewelled daal which is basically a mix of five pulses tempered with spices....so for all those days when you get bored of the usual daal you can try this one.

Hubby loved it and so this goes on our list of fav too !!

Ingredients 

50 gm urad daal

50 gm chana daal

50 gm masoor(red lentils)

50 gm arhar/toor daal

100 gm green moong(chilka moong)

1 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste 

For tempering

3 tbsp ghee

A pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 large onion sliced

3 cloves of garlic

A piece of ginger

2-3 green chillies

1 tsp chopped coriander

For garnish

1tsp of butter/ghee

A pinch of red chilli powder

 

Method

Wash and soak the lentils in warm water for an hour.Cook the lentils with turmeric and salt until done.

In a pan heat  ghee and add asafoetida and cumin seeds.Once they begin to splutter add onions and fry till golden.Add garlic,ginger and green chillies and fry till the mixture turns golden brown.Toss the mixture in the daal and give it a good mix.Serve it in a bowl drizzled with chilli butter.

Enjoy your comforting daal with a new twist !!!

madeira cake :simplicity at its best !!!

Well I won't give any excuses for my prolonged absence from blogging...!!!

The only thing I can say is that YES I'M BACK !!!

Hope you all had a great Diwali and are gearing up for the festivities of Christmas and New Year !!!

Sometimes its the simple things in life which get lost in the search for new and unique...

It was a surprise when I realised  that I had not tried this simple madeira cake .It was lost in my experiments of chocolate,banana and other speciality cakes. 

This cake is going to be on my fav list now for days to come ...and as I am writing this I just cant stop myself from taking another bite of this delectable cake !!

I am just loving it !!

 

Here's how you can bake this cake :

 

Ingredients

175 gm Butter

175 gm Sugar

3 Eggs

1/2 grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

200 gm Self raising flour

50 gm ground almonds

Method

Preheat oven to 170 C.Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.Then beat in eggs one at a time.Add lemon zest and vanilla extract.Beat in flour and ground almonds.Tip the batter into a cake tin and bake it for 50 minutes.

Enjoy this classic English cake anytime, anyday !!