Baked Fish in Honey and Mustard. :D

A friend, on recently finding out about the blog and having gone through most of the recipes, declared that I need to add a few more, on the lines of the 'Baked Prawn' recipe, I had put up. In other words, something extremely easy to make with ingredients readily available in any household. I decided to make baked fish in a lovely honey mustard marinade. It took a meager half an hour out of my life and tasted absolutely divine! The acidity of the lemon worked perfectly with the sweetness provided by the honey. Light and balanced. Just the way I like it. Num num num num! 

Ingredients

1) 2 Fillets of any white fish(I used Basa, again!)
2) 1 tbsp Honey
3) 1/2 tbsp Chili Flakes(Just throw in a few dried red chilies in the blender)
2) 1 1/2 Tbsp Mustard(Dijon preferably. If you do use Indian Mustard, the chili flakes can be removed from the ingredient list)
4) 2 tsp White pepper
5) 2 tsp Lemon juice
6) 2 tsp Vegetable oil

Recipe

1) Simply, marinate the fillets with the other ingredients and set aside for 10 mins.
2) Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 15-20 mins. As simple as that! Serve with a dash of lemon juice and butter rice with shredded coriander.

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The Upside-down Pineapple cake! :D

Due to the unavailability of good seasonal mangoes, in the market, at the moment, I turned to my other favorite summer 'must eat': The Pineapple. I would often be found on university campus, doe eyed, staring at anyone with a plate of bite size pineapples. So, naturally, a lot of Pineapple hoarding happened this summer. And what better, than to make an 'Upside-down Pineapple Cake' to keep you satiated, this summer. When in peril, always turn to the Classics. ^__^ Never fails!

Ingredients

1) Four Pineapple pieces(Circular)
2) 1 cup Pineapple syrup(This will have to be made. Follow the instructions in the recipe)
3) 2-4 tbsp Butter
4) 1/2 cup Icing Sugar
5) 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar or Jaggery
6) 1 1/4 cup Flour
7)  2 tsp Baking Powder
8) 1 egg
9) 1 1/4 cup Water

Recipe 

1) Remove the center of the pineapple from the pineapple pieces.
2) Boil the sugar in the water and make a syrup. Add the Pineapple pieces and boil for 3-4 mins. Remove the pieces. The syrup left behind will work as the pineapple syrup required to make the cake.
3) Grease a baking dish with some butter and line the bottom of the tray with the 1/2 cup Granulated sugar or Jaggery mixed with 2 tsp Butter. Layer the pineapple pieces over the sugar layer.
4) Sieve the Flour and the baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl beat the egg, Icing sugar and the Butter(2-4 tbsp). Then, add the Pineapple juice and beat carefully. Fold in the flour and the baking powder to make the cake batter.
5) Pour the Batter in the baking tray. Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C, for 45 mins. Let the baked cake come down to room temp and then turn it out on a plate, to serve! Serve while it is hot. An absolute Ripper!

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Summer drink specials. ^__^

Let's admit, house parties can become boring if we do not show effort, to change up the menu, once in a while. Summer is the best time to experiment with the drinks, one would be serving. I am particularly excited about this post because both the drinks have guaranteed satisfaction written on them(In fact, friends who roll eyes at the mention of anything non alcoholic have had moments of pure lucidity on consumption. :P) I cannot say if there is much novelty in presenting the recipes of a Virgin Pina Colada or a Virgin Mojito, but nonetheless, these simple recipes must be tried out. And what the heck, pineapple and mint? Refreshing is the word. Sit back with a smug face and watch as all the compliments start floating in. :D Cheers! Up the ante of all them, house parties this summer. 

Ingredients 

For the Virgin Pina Colada>(serves 2)

1) 1/2 cup Coconut milk

2) 1 cup Pineapple Juice( Pineapple:Coconut milk=2:1) 

3) 2 large scoops of Vanilla Ice cream

4) Sprite as much as required 

For the Virgin Mojito>(Serves 1)

1) 2-3 pieces of lemon 

2) 2 tsp Lemon Juice

3) 2 tsp Granulated sugar 

4) 8-10 Mint leaves 

5) Crushed Ice

6) 1/2 tsp crushed Ginger

6) Sprite and Cola 

Recipe

1) Blend the Coconut milk, Pineapple juice and Vanilla ice cream in a mixer. Divide into two glasses and fill up with chilled Sprite. Serve les awestruck guests! 

2) Place the ingredient(sans Cola and Sprite) in a glass and muddle with a fork or the backside of a spoon( Go full throttle XD). Pour Sprite(3/4) with a dash of Cola(for the Colour). (Or, you could just pour in some Ginger ale! :P) Place a lid on the glass and let the muddled Mint mixture infuse, in the drink, for 20 mins. Serve! O__O

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Gnocchi in Pesto.

Oh NO! Block, block, all sorts of block. When faced with the persistence of the human quandary of a tired mind, waiting for inspiration to come charging and hit one right in the face, one should channel this pent up energy as constructively as possible. When I cannot write, I read a book, go for a photo walk, attempt painting on that handkerchief begging to be disposed and try my hand at a recipe which has been beguiling me from quite some time. The mantra being: Stay calm and eat good food! We are often welcomed by days, rife with challenges that leave us a little more distraught, than usual. I say, Pasta is the answer. So I made some Gnocchi in a Basil Pesto sauce. :D Yum! 

Ingredients 

For the Gnocchi> 
1) 1 cup boiled mashed potato
2) 1/4 cup flour
3) 1 tsp egg yolk(Optional)
5) 1 tbsp Black Pepper powder
6) 1 tsp salt

For the Pesto sauce>(The compromises I had to make! :| )
1) 8-10 Basil leaves( I used 20-25 Tulsi leaves O__O)
2) 1/4 Grated cheese(Parmesan preferably!)
3) 10 Pine nuts/Almonds/Cashew nuts.
4) 1/2 cup Vegetable oil.
5) 2 cloves of garlic.
6) 1/2 tsp Black Pepper.
7) Salt to taste.

Recipe

1) Sieve the mashed potato into another bowl, to remove lumps.
2) Mix the other ingredients lightly.
3) Dust a plate with some flour. Take a little bit of the dough and make a cylindrical shape, out of it. Cut it into small Gnocchi pieces. (Remember to keep dusting the Gnocchi pieces so that they do not clump.)
4) Fill a saucepan with 2 liters of water. Add a little bit of salt and let the water boil. Then, boil the Gnocchi on medium heat. The Gnocchi is done when it starts floating. Remove and set aside.
5) Grind all the pesto sauce ingredients together. Add a little bit of water or oil to thin down the sauce.
Serve the gnocchi in the Basil pesto with Fried Sausages and drizzle some Olive oil on top. Voila!

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A Moms classic: Stuffed Chicken pockets. :D

Catching up with old friends over Brunch has always been fun. Sometime last week I had the privilege of meeting someone, I hadn't seen in a while. Say, some years? She has put on an accent and I still remember the first time we had discussed Literature together. Ah, memory lane! The Brunch was delightful because we had set on some interesting prerequisites. She said we had to wear white whereas I said we had to sing old Bollywood number. Last but not the least, my friend requested, my mother make that wonderful stuffed chicken, she had made for us, years ago. So I tried my hand at a Moms classic. Easy and always tastes terrific. Serve it with some mashed potato, steamed veggies and pour out some white. ;)

Ingredients

1) A Boneless chicken breast piece.
2) 1 tbsp Pepper
3) 1 tsp Salt
4) 2-3 tbsp Corn Flour/Plain flour for coating
5) 2 large sized Potatoes(Peeled and boiled)
6) 2 tbsp Butter
7) 2 tbsp Grated Cheese/Cheese Spread
8) 1 tsp oil

Recipe

1) Slit the Chicken Breast vertically to create a pocket. Rub the outsides and the inside with salt and pepper(1/2 tbsp).
2) Mash the potatoes finely with the butter(1 and a 1/2 tbsp), cheese and the remaining pepper.
3) Fill the pocket up with 2-3 tbsp of mashed potato and keep the rest away for separate serving. Do not over fill the pocket.
4) Dust the chicken breast with the corn flour and fry it in the remaining butter(1/2 tbsp) and the oil on medium heat till it is slightly brown. Cook the other side on low heat till it is cooked evenly. Serve with the remaining mashed potato and steamed veggies. Menu for a sweet and simple Brunch, eh?

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Walnut and Coconut Brownie. :D

I had to put this Chocolate Brownie recipe up, even when I know that most baking aficionados out there possess a recipe they swear by and have tried a million times before. This was on request, actually! Yeah, tell me about it. I have tried making this brownie on numerous occasions and it always turns out to be this decadent dessert, a little dense and moist on the inside, just the way I like it. :D The easiest recipe I have come across and it never ever fails. Worth a try? Has seen me through some dark dark times, read, when I had that bad 'Diablo' phase and that other time when I had lost sleep over whether my parents have picked up on my implicit hints about wanting the 'Calvin and Hobbes' collection for my birthday! :| Let us not even go there. Now, I feel like baking the brownie, again! Sigh! 

Ingredients

1) 1/2 a cup Butter
2) 1 cup castor sugar
3) 2 eggs
4) 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
5) 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
6) A pinch of salt
7) 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
8) 1/2 cup Flour
9) 1 cup toasted Coconut and Walnuts( Oh, I love the toasty smell and the crunch in the brownie!)

Recipe

1) Beat the Butter and the Sugar till it is light. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder. Fold in the Flour, coconut and nuts.
2) Pour the mixture in a greased baking dish. Preheat the oven at 180 C. Bake for 30 mins. As easy as it gets. Serve oven ready brownie with some Ice cream. (Choice of the season: Mango Ice cream: Photograph below. ;) ) Num num num num! O__O

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Home style Ramen! :)

While Bengalis seem to love their khichudi( khichdi) on a rainy day, I cannot get enough of home style Ramen and Mango Juice. Everyone who already possesses a personal favorite Home style Ramen recipe, say Aay! :D ( Eyes Darting frantically from left to right.) This here would be my comfort food on a rainy afternoon when the thunder crackles and 'Pyaar hua ikraar hua' relentlessly plays on a loop. Cheesy, I know. Well, the blog title gives it all away. ^__^ 

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1) A packet of Noodles
2) 200 gms Boneless chicken.
3) 2 boiled eggs.
4) 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
5) 2 tbsp White Vinegar
6) 2 tsp Sugar
7) 10-12 cloves of Garlic chopped
8) 1/2 cup Oil for frying
9)  2 cups chicken stock
10) 4 tbsp Corn Flour
11) 2 tsp salt
12) 1/2 liter water

Recipe

1) Boil the noodles in the water with salt and a few drops of oil for 2-3 mins. Drain the noodles and wash with cold water. Keep the noodles aside.
2) For the broth, Boil the chicken stock with a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp corn flour to thicken on medium heat.
3) Fry the eggs in the oil. Remove. Dust the chicken pieces with the rest of the corn flour and fry them in the oil. Remove.
4) Fry the finely chopped garlic cloves in the same oil until it is lightly golden brown in colour. Keep the oil separately. This is your garlic oil.
5) In a pan add the vinegar, sugar and the Soy sauce. Bring it to a boil and reduce slightly. Add the fried eggs and the fried chicken. Stir well.
6) Assemble the Ramen.(The noodles, broth, eggs and chicken that is) Serve with Spring onions, friend garlic and sweet corn(Yes, a little Hokkaido Ramen inspired. XD) Drizzle with garlic oil generously. Slurp away!

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Caesar Salad! :D

Such a slob, summer turns you into. Mother was horrified that I had secretly made a batch of fried mozzarella bars to feed the starving child in me. She commanded I have something healthy, for a change. It was midnight(yes that time of the night) and this very interesting documentary about 'Sushi' was on! XD Caesar salad had to do. For all those people out there who think salads aren't interesting, I say, try this delicious salad dressing out. Midnight snacking ftw! Forever following the cardinal rule of midnight snacking> Easy, breezy and supremely cheesy! 

Ingredients

For the Caesar dressing> (Serves 1 person)

4-5 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tsp Mustard sauce(Dijon, Dijon if you have Dijon! O__O)
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp crushed Garlic
1 tbsp Olive oil

Recipe

1) Salad contains: Cucumber, Tomato, Bell pepper, Steamed chicken(shredded), Iceberg Lettuce( 5-6 leaves)
2) Make the croutons by placing cubes of bread on a baking platter and grilling them in the microwave( 4 mins one side. 3 mins the other)
2) Add the Caesar dressing to the salad and serve it with cubes of cheese and the oven grilled croutons.

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The Mozzarella conundrum: To indulge or not to indulge.

Arrrrgh! Painful are those days when you find it impossible to stop the bouts of food cravings from giving you the dizzy and the unavailability of anything to binge on, makes survival quite a challenge. Okay, enough with the exaggerations! The next best thing? You look into the refrigerator to find a handful of things to make yourself a quick meal. Imagining oneself as one of those lucky contestants on Masterchef vying for the winning spot of the day, as a part of those delightful Mystery box challenges, one sets out on a nerve wracking task. I fared well. I made myself, Sticks of Mozzarella friend in Sprite batter with a Cola spiced Pear on the side! :D Hell to the yes. I often use the Sprite Batter to make Onion rings and Mango fritters! It is super light and crispy. Num num num num!!!

Ingredients(In other words, what I found in my refrigerator. :| )

1) A bar of Mozzarella
2) Cola and Sprite(2 tbsp of each).
4) 2 tbsp Plain Flour or Rice Flour
5) 2 tbsp Corn Flour for the Batter
6) A pinch of salt
6) A pear
7) 1 cinnamon stick and 1 Bayleaf
8) 1/2 liter water
9) 1/2 tsp of Nutmeg and 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder.
10) 2 tbsp Sugar
11) 1 cup oil

Recipe

1) Peel the pear and make it stand in a sauce pan filled with cola, water, sugar, spices, Cinnamon stick and the Bayleaf. Cover and boil for 30 mins or until the pear is perfectly softened.
2) Take 1/2 a cup of the Cola water spice mix in a different pan and reduce it on high heat until it thickens.
3) Make the Sprite batter out of Sprite, plain flour, Corn Flour and salt.
4) Slice Mozzarella sticks from a bar of Mozzarella. Dust it with cornflour and dip it into the Sprite batter and fry it in hot oil.

Serve the Mozzarella sticks hot, with Oregano and Chili flakes. Arrange the pear on a plate with a generous drizzle of the reduced Cola spice. Serve with Ice Cream, this summer! Indulge away.

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Elaichi Malpua! ^__^

Malpua is that quintessential Bengali sweet which probably gets made in most Bengali households. I have always found it fascinating that Malpua is one of those desserts which have taken various shapes and forms over years of tweaking the recipe by Bengali moms inside the kitchen. While Sweet shops in Bengal serve something that looks remarkably different from the Malpuas served at my home, my friend Sayantan's mom used to make Malpuas that were completely white and had a chewier texture. Thanks to his lack of interest from being inundated with the sweet, on most of his school days, Sayantan was happy enough to trade his Malpuas for my Sandwiches. Such fond memories from school, I tell you! Till this day Malpuas make me weirdly nostalgic about my school life and I get extra enthusiastic whenever Mom cooks up a batch for me. Here is an easy instant Elaichi Malpua recipe that mom has been using for decades. :D I like serving it with some Ice-cream and fruit compote in strawberry sauce. 

Ingredients 

For the Malpua>
1) 1 cup Plain flour.
2) 1 egg
3) 1 cup milk
4) 4 tbsp Castor Sugar
5) 1 tsp Baking Sugar
6) 2 tsp Cardamom Powder(Elaichi)
7) A pinch of salt.(Optional)
8) 1 cup oil for deep frying

For the Compote>
1) 1 cup chopped Fruits(I used pear, apple and banana).
2) 2 tbsp Sugar
3) 2 tsp White Vinegar(only if you are not using sour fruits.)
4) 1/2 cup water
5) 1 Bay leaf, 1 Cinnamon stick and 1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder.

Recipe

1) Mix all the ingredients to form a smooth Malpua batter. Do not make it very thick. Add extra milk if one requires to make the batter and Malpuas thinner.
2) Add a ladle of batter into the oil and fry on medium heat till golden brown.
3) Boil the fruits, the Bayleaf and the Cinnamon stick in the water. When the fruits are cooked, add the sugar and vinegar and stir until the liquid thickens.
4) Serve the Malpua with the Compote and some Ice-cream. Sprinkle the compote with some Cinnamon powder and drizzle it with Strawberry sauce.

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Ice Tea for all occasions! :D

Okay! I am a sucker for good iced tea and the summer makes it an imperative. This here, is a glass of Cola lemon Ice tea. But making the perfect mix is quite essential. Do not depend on the ready made Ice tea mixes! It can never measure up to freshly made tea. 

Ingredients

1) 500 ml water
2) 1 tsp Assam tea(Okay! That is what I used. Use anything which has a strong flavor. XD)
3) 4 to 5 tsp sugar.
4) 1/2 tsp salt.
5) Lemon juice from 1 lemon and Lemon Rind from 1/2 a lemon.
6) Cola.

Recipe

1) Boil the water. Turn the flame off and add the tea leaves and the lemon rind. Cover for 5-6 mins.
2) Stir the tea when it is done and add the sugar, lemon juice, rid and salt.
3) Bring it down to the room temperature. Sieve and chill for a few hours in a bottle.
4) Pour out equal parts cola and Ice tea with crushed ice into a glass. Add more lemon and sugar acc to taste and salt around the edge of the glass. So refreshing!!!

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Pumpkin Spiced Latte! :)

My hankering for Pumpkin Spiced Latte is quite perennial. I never feel like waiting till the fall or winter to try and make myself a hot cuppa. This cheat recipe might not replace your penchant for Starbucks and their famous Autumnal Pumpkin Latte but it surely gives me an urge to pen down my thoughts as I sip on it, soaking in the diffused light of an early summer morning. Blissful is the word! Try it out. 

Ingredients

1) 1/2 cup brewed espresso.
2) 1/2 cup milk.
3) 1 tbsp pumpkin puree.
4) 1 tsp Vanilla essence.
5) 1 tbsp Condensed milk
6) 1/8 tsp Pumpkin spice (Make Pumpkin Spice by mixing 4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg and 1 tsp Garam Masala. Store. Do not worry, I will be using the same spice while making a classic Pumpkin pie. ;) )
7) Cream

Recipe

1) In a saucepan add everything except the coffee and stir it on medium heat until it boils.
2) Remove from the heat. Add coffee. Add more sugar acc to taste.
3) Top it with some cream and cinnamon powder.

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Of Sundays and Burgers! :)

Sunday! Okay, how can the weekends smell of so much 'holiday' when you are basically home, vacationing? O__O Sundays are oh well, Sundays. Pure magic!!! Incomplete without reading Tintin curled up on the couch with a hot cuppa, deciding on what movie to watch with the family after lunch( Dad picked out 'Summer Interlude') and making a quick burger while listening to 'Khagam' on Sunday Suspense. XD I guess the general atmosphere of the ever so indulgent 'lyadh'( Do not ask to translate?), fits so magically well with my idea of a Sunday! Although I would love to make a burger with a fat steak in it, the summer asks me to take it easy! This is a very simple Fish Burger made out of a crispy fillet coated in a corflake batter, with a side of Onion and Cucumber Relish. Num num num num! 

Ingredients

For the fish>
1) A Fillet of a white fish( I used Basa).
2) A pinch of salt
3) 1 tsp lemon juice
4) 2 tbsp Corn Flour
5) Corn Flakes.
6) 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste and red chili powder.
7) 1/2 cup oil to fry.

For the relish>
1) 2 tbsp sugar
2) 1 tbsp White vinegar
3) 1 medium sized onion
4) 1 cucumber
5) Pinch of salt

Recipe

1) Marinate the fillet with salt, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste and red chili powder. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2) Make a thick batter by dissolving the cornflour in water.
3) Coat the fillet in the batter and roll it out in the cornflakes. Shallow fry till golden brown.
4) In a sauce pan dissolve sugar in White Vinegar.(The amount of sugar and vinegar can increase or decrease acc to taste. I like it a little sour!) Add salt and the julienned onion and cucumber. Stir for a minute. Your relish is ready!
5) Introduce the crispy fillet into a burger bun with lettuce, Sweet corn, your freshly made relish, Mustard sauce, Mayonnaise and BBQ sauce.(Yes I go full out! XD). I usually add a side of fries and my Sprite Batter Onion rings( Recipe soon!). ;)

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The Desi Flan! :P

So, Mom did remember that sometime in January, I was being whiny on the phone and complaining about the lack of Narkel(Coconut) and Gur(Jaggery) in my life over the 'Sankranti' week. A little guest blogging from mommy dearest who delighted me this week with this gorgeous Nolen Gur and Coconut pudding. Oh! the caramel coconut base with that absolutely mind boggling smell of the jaggery was a killer combination, alright! Straight from the mom's repository. Nothing but a twist on the classic Caramel pudding. Simply add sugar instead of the jaggery and subtract the coconut from the ingredient list, to make your classic French Flan. A simple recipe to titillate the taste buds. A little slice of heaven! :') 

Ingredients

1) 1/2 Liter Milk
2) 4 eggs.
3) 100-150 ml Nolen Gur (Jaggery)( Increase acc to sweetness preferred).
4) 1 tsp corn flour( Optional. It helps the pudding to set easily.)
5) 1/2 a coconut(shredded).
6) 2 tbsp sugar(for the caramel top)
7) 1 tsp Butter

Recipe

1) Grease the baking dish with butter
2) Add the sugar into a pan. Introduce a little water and keep stirring on low heat until the sugar dissolves and caramelizes(indicated by the golden brown colour). Spread the caramel out, evenly, into  the bottom of the baking dish.
3) Beat the eggs with a fork. Add milk, jaggery(Acc to taste ofcourse) and the cornflour. Mix well. Add the coconut to the mixture.
4) Pour the mixture out into the baking dish, over the caramel.
5) Preheat the oven to 180 C.
6) Keep the dish on a hot water bath and bake for about 40-45 mins. Introduce a knife into the pudding. If it comes out clean, the pudding is ready! If not, bake for another 10 mins.
7) Chill for 1-2 hrs. Serve with ice-cream and truck loads of jhola gur(liquid jaggery)! XD Enjoy!

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Baked Prawns for Brunch! :D

Panic! Cousin coming over and he keeps on telling me that 'Seafood' better greet him when he gets there. Okay, I have been craving prawns myself but being the talented cook I am, prawns seem like a daunting challenge. Oh well! I did just fine. Little brother was all praises. This is a fairly simple recipe. Baked garlic prawns on a Tahini and Mint sauce bed. ^___^ Oh, btw the prawns melted like cheese in my mouth. For all you indolent cooks out there who would probably start cooking half an hour before the guests arrive, this is the perfect recipe for you. Easy, super easy. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Prawns! D'oh! Use small prawns. They give the best results. I used around 20 small prawns.

Marinade for the prawns>
1) 2-3 tsp Vegetable oil or Olive oil.(Whatever you like :P)
2) Lemon juice from half a lemon.
3) Ginger and garlic grated. (A total of 1/4 tsp maybe? Yes, very little. They release a lot of heat, so do not use too much)
4) 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder ( or acc to taste. I love em hot!!!)
5) Salt acc to taste.

For the refreshing sauce>
1) 1/2 cup hung curd.
2) 2 tbsp lemon juice
3) 1 tbsp castor sugar
4) 2 tsp Tahini(white sesame paste)
5) 1 tbsp Mint shredded or Mint paste, whichever is preferred.
6) A pinch of salt.

Recipe

1) Make a marinade out of the ingredients and slather the prawns.
2) Preheat the oven to 180 C.
3) Bake the prawns for 15-20 mins. Prawns are well done when they turn a little golden brown.
4) Make the Sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Plate up with Rice or Toasted Bread with a squeeze of lemon juice on top.

The easiest prawn recipe ever! O___O

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Pancake du jour! ;)

Unable to remember, when I had last had breakfast(sigh! Hostel life), I took it upon myself to cook some American style silver dollar pancakes. Why you ask? Well, pancakes are easy to make and score full marks on the yummy meter. It is light and fluffy and a brilliant start to your day. Since pancakes are a little salty, I always prefer to keep something sweet on the side. Fruits to be precise. Mom will be spying from the corner of the room, gauging if what I consumed in the morning is effectively ruining my health. Here in the picture is my favorite, pancakes with a side of apple cinnamon caramel(essentially the apple pie filling) and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream with a sprig of mint on top. O____O Num num num num! Satisfaction guaranteed. 

Ingredients

For the Pancake>
1) 130 gms or 4 3/4 oz Plain flour.
2) 1 tsp Baking Powder.
3) 1/2 tsp salt.
4) 2 tbsp Castor Sugar.
5) 130 ml milk.
6) 1 egg slightly beaten.
7) 2 tbsp melted butter.

For the Filling>
1) I used a small apple(I was not gonna indulge everyone!)
2) Juice from half a lemon. One can use a little apple juice, as well.
3) 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
4) 1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder.
5) 1/2 tsp Garam Masala(All spice).
6) 1/2 cup sugar( Yup I like it a little sweet. Reduce it acc to taste)
7) A pinch of salt.
8) Water to dilute

Recipe

1) Mix the pancake ingredients together to make a mixture. The desired consistency is a little thick but not so thick that the hand beater doesn't move through it. XD  Beat well until smooth.
2) Brush a pan(on medium heat), with a little butter. Scoop the pancake mixture into the pan. Do not spread.
3) Turn to the other side when the side facing upwards has little bubbles forming on it. (Each side should be cooked for approximately 2 mins) After the pancake is cooked, keep aside.
4) Blanch the apple pieces in boiling water for a min or two.
5) Make a mixture out of everything else. Keep stirring the mixture so that lumps do not form. The water should make the mixture a little runny.
6) Pour the mixture into a pan on medium heat. Keep stirring for sometime until the mixture congeals or thickens quite a little bit.
7) Add the blanched apples. Cover the pan and let it cook for a minute. Remove from heat and let it cool.
8) Plate the stack of pancakes with the apple cinnamon mix and scoop out some vanilla ice-cream for an amazing breakfast. Easy breezy! :D Serve it with some pumpkin spiced cafe? (Recipe soon!)

Pancake tastes amazing with Nutella and desiccated(toasted) coconut, Nutella and banana, Yogurt and fruits, Hazelnut and chocolate Ganache yada yada yada! The list is endless. ^__^

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Cheesy Soufflé! ^__^

Clearly I had not had enough midnight snacking. This is a quick and easy cheese souffle that never goes wrong. Always a hit with the friends who go bonkers about French names. Pour some good ol white wine out to turn this midnight munching into a late night conversation about all things gourmet! ^____^

Ingredients

1) 1 and a half tbsp flour
2) 1 tbsp butter
3) 1 egg
4) 100 ml milk
5) 30 gms cheese

5 ingredients again! Hurrah!

Recipe

1) Grease up ramekins with some butter and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2) In a sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the flour and stir for a minute. Remove the pan from heat.
3) Add the milk at room temp.
4) Keep stirring as you heat the pan again until the mixture comes to a boil. The sauce would form ribbons when picked up with the wooden ladle.
5) Add any cheese of your choice and stir till it melts. Add salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool down.
6) Separate the egg and whisk the white till peaks form
7) Add the egg yolk to the cooled down sauce and mix in well.
8) Fold the egg white in bit by bit.
9) Fill the ramekins 2/3 rd.
10) Bake for 30-40 mins until well risen.

Serve HOT!!!

Leave a comment @Oishiibites.

The leftover rolls. O___O

Okay, cardinal rules of midnight snacking should be: 

a) Really really easy to make.
b) Tasty. Num num num num! 
c) I would be up watching 'True Detective' on my T.V. I cannot be spending time craning my neck from the kitchen. 
d) Ingredients readily found in the refrigerator, please!!! 

Around 1 AM when the hunger bugs start moving in your belly, as you watch Matthew McConaughey crack killer lines, you have to move yourself unwillingly, to the kitchen. Personal experience has brought it to my notice, that some people do not even know how to make a simple salty Crêpe. So here goes nothing.  This reminds me, I got to have some pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. @__@


Ingredients

1) Equal parts Flour and Corn Flour(Acc to the servings. I used 1/4 cup flour and corn flour.)
3) A tsp Salt
4) Water

Recipe

1) Make a really thin batter using the ingredients. Keep on adding water till it acquires the desired consistency. Do not make it extremely runny, though. XD
2) Add salt according to taste. One can add castor sugar instead, to make a sweet crepe.
3) Spread out the batter in a non stick pan and cook on medium heat. Make the crepe super thin.
4) When the sides slightly brown and come off, remove the crepe from the pan.
5) Simply use last night's leftovers to make yourself a little meal.

On scouring the refrigerator I found some baby corn, pasta, Capsicum, broccoli, spring onion and shrimp cooked in sweet chili sauce. ^___^ Squeeze some lemon juice on the top, pour yourself some juice and use em chopsticks. Enjoy!!!

Leave a comment @Oishiibites

Gondhoraj Cheesecake. :D

Vacations are never really complete without sleepovers and some very special people sitting around in a circle, talking about everything that went wrong in life. Okay, the heat might be getting the better of me. Before I melt into a puddle, the recipe of this absolutely decadent melt in the mouth, needs a special mention on the page. Also, do not judge my ability to plate. Horrible is the word. Try it anyway. Num num num!!!

Ingredients

1) 200 gms Cream Cheese. (I used Britannia. Easily available in India.)
2) 50 gms castor sugar.
3) Lime Juice and zest from one Gandhoraj lemon. (Any lemon would do, btw.)
4) 1 egg (Yup, you read that correctly!)
5) A tsp of Vanilla Essence.

Recipe

1) Beat and soften the Cream cheese in a bowl . (Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and bring it down to room temp.)
2) Add sugar, vanilla essence, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat slowly. Beat in the egg.
3) Grease a baking dish with butter. Make a layer out of crushed digestive biscuits at its bottom. Do not hesitate to make a fat layer. :D
4) Pour in the Cream Cheese Mixture into the baking dish.
5) Preheat the oven to 180 C.
6) Place the Baking dish into a water bath filled with hot water( About an inch in the tray).
7) Bake for an hour until the top is slightly golden in color.
8) Once the baking is done put it into the refrigerator for 4 hours of chilling.
9) Serve the friends and watch their reaction. ^___^

Leave a comment. @Oishiibites

Why? 

Well...

1) Summer Vacation.

2) Forever Hungry.

3) Beautiful kitchen.

4) Num num num.

5) Midnight snacking.

6) Guests coming over, all the time.

7) Easy Recipes. Such wow. Much impressed.

8) Leftovers.

9) Masterchef moments make me wanna cry.

10) Movie nights and F.R.I.E.N.D.S marathons.

When one comes back home to an overloaded refrigerator, recently released from Hostel tyranny, there is nothing that keeps one from attacking the kitchen to make some and eat more. For all of you back home feeling guilty about waking up the mother in the middle of the night to cook you food, fear not. Detractors with cognizance on food that blow Ramsay into oblivion, this is not the place for you. Will direct you to some fun fun food blogs. ^___^ Happy cooking and happy eating!