Last 5 posts

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

One Egg; One MugCake

Well, that rarely happens, as I was left with just one egg in the box. What was it's significance? Was it trying to tell me something? How would it end? Like a good murder mystery; it kept prodding me the entire day, whenever I would open my fridge. Finally, I decided to make something out of it... A French Toast was the obvious choice, but then, I didn't want to sacrifice my solitary egg, waging it's lone battle, on just bread...

After searching the world wide web, I came across THIS. I was curious, after reading the almost-never ending comments. Would it blast? Would it char? Would it burn? Would is taste any good? Putting a rest to all the rumours in my head, I got together some materials and got on to make, probably the simplest dessert ever...

1 Microwave-safe Ceramic Coffee Mug (Bigger the better, you have no idea, how much it'll rise..)
1 Egg (room temperature)
1 tbsp Salted Butter (soften it first)
1 tbsp Flour
1 tbsp Bournvita (The recipe asked for Chocolate/Cocoa Powder; I had none; this was handy)
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Milk
Some Vanilla
Pinch of Baking Powder
Bournvita is a Chocolate-flavoured Malt-based Milk Additive. 

Now, in the link, the everything was just put together, stirred ferociously by hand and put inside the microwave. My first attempt was terrible, resulting in overtly-creamy, super sweet, mass of flour (Wrong proportions, entirely).

For the second attempt, I used a small mixer jar.
First, I put in my egg and sugar, and creamed it well.. Microwave doesn't melt the sugar in just 3-4 minutes, so it needs to be well done here.

Then I added the Molten butter and Vanilla. Mix some more.

Then add, Flour and Bournvita with the pinch of Baking Powder.

Now check the consistency of the batter. It should a thinner than the usual cake batter. Add Milk as per desired.

Now, No need to butter the Mug. Just pour the batter into the Mug, and put in the Microwave for 750W for 4 Minutes. The original recipe has 1000W for 3 minutes. My Microwave has 750W as the highest setting, so I increased the time.

Watch it rise, rise, and rise above the rim to spill over, but don't worry; It'll settle down, after you open the Microwave door.
Let it cool down on a wire-rack. While it is warm, make a deep cross-cut in the mug, dividing the entire cylinder of cake in 4 parts. Pour over any dressing, Chocolate, Vanilla, Butterscotch or just plain Ice-cream. Watch it seep deep inside the abyss of the cake, and now devour..

Now, clarifying some mistakes/rumours/myths about microwave and this mugcake. First of all, Microwaves don't explode, on their own. Yes, if you put an egg inside, or heat a plastic container with air-tight lid; Yes, the egg will surely explode and the lid would probably blow off the container, spilling everything inside. In both the cases, the interiors of your microwave would be a mess..

Make sure the mug you take is a Microwave safe mug. Check it on the bottom. The microwave safe mug would be painted with colours, containing no iron; therefore making it safe. Any other mugs might not explode, but surely have the danger of poisoning by colour.
To clean any mess, just take a big microwave safe bowl, put water in it, and squeeze a lemon's juice and throw the left over lemon also in it. Put it in the microwave, and let get heated at the highest and for about 10 minutes. After sometime, remove the bowl, and clean the inside with dry towel paper... All the dirt, grim, oil stains, blasted egg remains, all juts vanish, and oven smells nice too...

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Simplest Panini, EVER!!!

Bread, in my family home , is considered the lazy's food... As in, if no one's in a mood to cook up a meal, we'll just have sandwich (sliced Cucumber, boiled Potato, Tomato, Onion, Cheese, Butter and Mint-Coriander Chutney) or toast (Every thing above and Grilled!). But now, there's a whole new meaning to sandwiches, grilled and beyond.. Veggies, Chicken Sausage, Salmon, Plain Cheese, salted, peppered and what not..

What I have got today is probably the simplest panini, ever, which takes the minimum time possible. Just simple ingredients and lots and lots of flavour..

I know brown bread is more healthy, but it doesn't have that chewiness of the white bread.. If you have boiled Potatoes at hand, even marvellous, but if not, nothing to fear, my dear... Just peel some potatoes, slice'em up, toss them in a Microwave safe bowl, with salt, red chilli powder and some water.. Microwave, till they are done..
BEFORE
AFTER

Now, once the Potatoes are done, it's only a matter of slicing things, putting together and putting in the Panini-maker.
Put Cheese Slices on the bread.
Add cooked Potatoes
Add Onion Ring, Coriander leaves, Basil and Oregano. Top it up with a Bead slice.
Heat the Panini-Maker, put the sandwich and add little Butter on top for color.
YUMM!
Golden Crispy Goodness
TAKE A BIG MOUTHFUL!!!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Methi Parantha (Fenugreek Indian Flat-Bread)

Methi Parantha, served with Butter and Curd
 There was a time when Peas, Spinach and Methi were winter delights; I remember we used to wait for winters to arrive, so that we could gorge on salted-radishes, and gorgeous home-made Potato-Peas Curry, and Sarson ka Saag-Makke ki roti.. Sadly, now, rains are barely over and one can see these veggies in the market, lifeless, existing but ceasing to live. The flavor, the aroma is just missing. Any ways, I grabbed a bunch of Methi leaves (Fenugreek) last evening, because the Spinach was just so pathetic-looking..

Now. cleaning the Methi leaves is an arduous task, requiring immense concentration and equal amount of patience. Taking only the fresh-looking leaves and discarding the stem, say about 500 times.. Don't even get to that... Anyways, make sure to wash the leaves in ample amount of running water, removing any mud/dirt and let it rinse till moderately dry.
Now, put the leaves along with 3-4 green chillies into the food processor with chopping blade. You could do it by hand also; That requires a chopping knife, sturdy chopping table and quick working hands; I have them , but I was just feeling lazy.. ;-) BTW, Hand-chopped leaves give better textured paranthas.
Now turn the chopped Methi leaves, into a kneading bowl, add unrefined Wheat flour. Mom used to add 1 part Maize Flour, 1 part Barley flour and 4 parts Wheat flour. Makes it really nutritious and healthy. Any ways, I used just Wheat flour. Then add Salt, Red Chili Powder and Garam Masala, by taste. Remember we have added Green Chillies, while chopping the Methi leaves.
Chopped Methi leaves, Wheat flour, Salt, Red Chilli powder, Garam masala
Then start kneading like normal dough with cold water. Try not to knead a very soft dough, as you would be required to leave it for some time. That makes it really workable.
Leave the dough to be softened for 20 minutes-1/2 hour. Then heat a Tawa/Non-Stick Pan on stove. Start making small balls of dough, using the palms of your hand and plain Wheat flour, to prevent it from sticking.
Put the floured dough on a flat surface to roll.
Using a rolling pin, flatten it a little.
Using a flat spoon, oil the top of the flattened dough, or use a oil brush or oil-spray.
Fold the dough, into thirds, oiled side inside. You can get the idea from the photograph.
Then fold into thirds again to form a little, stocky, stub of folded dough.
Use some flour again to roll out the dough, to make paranthas.
Put the paranthas on the heated Tawa/Non-stick pan/Griddle to cook. Let one side get brown. Then flip. Put some oil on the done side, flip again and oil again and flip.
Let both sides get a beautiful crisp and yellow-green gives way to brown spots.
Take off from heat and serve hot with dollops of butter, curd, pickle and a cup of hot Ginger-Cardamom tea.. Perfect for a damp cloudy rainy morning.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Newton's Apple Cake

LOL, Newton established the Law of Gravity from the falling apple, and I established this Newton Apple Cake, in his sweet memory...

2 Apples, peeled, cored, 1 grated, 1 finely chopped
1 cup melted butter, salted
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Tropicana Apple Juice
Chocolate Dressing
Glass baking dish, buttered and dusted with flour

Sift Flour and Baking Powder together, to mix well.. I keep everything ready in bowls, and then start peeling the apples.
I, shamelessly, use the mixer, which does the job perfectly well...

Put the Sugar and Molten Butter in the mixer, and mix for a minute.

Add Eggs, one by one, mixing well after adding each..

Now I had some Chocolate Dressing left, which I mixed with Apple Juice and added to the batter. It turned the consistency pretty liquid, but I guess it did not matter much.

Now pour the batter in the Microwave safe dish. Then sprinkle the grated and chopped apple from above.

Then I baked it in the Microwave at 600W+Grill from 16 Minutes.

SERVE WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE!!!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Leftover Makeover: Tamarind Rice

Now that was a nice heavy meal last night, fortunately all the curries were finished, so no trouble of smelling refrigerator. But that enormous amount of steamed rice leftover is also a cause of concern. Eating lentil curry for the rest of the week, so that you could just finish of the rice? Not fatal, but boring, definitely; So I have a recipe of how you can turn your boring white leftover rice into a smashing, tangy filling dish.

It's a Southern Indian speciality, with its trademark Curry Leaves and Mustard playing a predominant part in its taste.

First, take the leftover rice out of the fridge, to bring to room temperature, or heat them in a microwave till warm.
For 2 serves:
1 Potato, peeled and diced small
1 Onion, chopped
Curry Leaves
Groundnuts
Mustard seeds
Salt
Turmeric
Red Chilli
Fresh Tamarind Water or Tamarind paste
1 lemon

Now take some oil in a pan, heat it well, and then add the Mustard seeds and Curry leaves. Let it temper for a while.

Then add the Onions and Potatoes and sauté till golden brown. Then simmer the heat and add groundnuts. Cover till the Potatoes are well done.
Now, moms do it with fresh tamarind pods, letting it soak in water overnight; Then fastidiously, mash it, removing every single seed. Me, use ready-made tamarind paste, will do.

Just add 1 teaspoon of the tamarind paste along with 1/2 cup of water, to dissolve it well.

Then add fresh lemon juice.


Now turn in the warm plain steamed leftover rice, mix well, turn off the heat and cover it for 10-15 minutes, so that the rice absorbs the tamarind juice well. Serve hot.
www.flickr.com