Birthday Cake Design 1

Today is my elder son Rommel’s birthday.  Though we had the party for his friends 2 days back, today we wanted to make it a family affair.  So I prepared a grand dinner for him and a surprise cake with the left over cake crumbs, the trimmed portions etc. In a bottom movable cake tin, I have layered the crumbs and filled the whipping cream. Kept in the freezer for an hour and bushed it from the bottom to get a set cake. Them cover it with whipping cream and did some decoration.

Rest is all what you see.

Kitkat Barrel Cake

It’s my son’s birthday on Tuesday.  He will be a 12 year boy with lots of demands, ideas and teenage attitudes. Four days ahead of his birthday on Saturday he come back after his morning play time and demanded for a birthday party the next day, as all his friends are going out of station for summer vacation from Monday. That was quite a short notice.

 I had to think about a cake that was quick and easy to decorate. So, went for a fast shopping to a nearby supermart, opted for Betty Crokers readymade cake mix which was readily available, brought some kitkats, amul cream, dark cooking chocolate and gems. Made the cake on Saturday evening, so that it cools down through the night. Sunday morning the first thing I did was made the ganache. The Ganache cooled in about half an hour.  Then, started assembling the cake and it just took about 15 to 20 min.

So, believe me making this cake is easy and fast.  And the end result is beautiful. Try it and you will be appreciated.

Ingredients

For the cake

Betty Croker devils food cake mix– 2 packets

Egg – 6

Oil – 160 gm

Water – 500 gm

9” cake pan - 2

For Chocolate Ganache

Dark cooking chocolate: 500gm (cut or grated into small pieces, so that it mixes well)

Cooking Cream – 300gm (i use amul)

Liquid Glucose – 2 tsp

For decoration

Kitkat – 18 packets of 2

Gems – 10 packets

Fancy ribbon to tie

  

Method

For the Cake ( as it is on the Betty Crocker cover)

1.      In a bowl put the cake mixture.

2.      Add egg, oil and water.

3.      With an electric beater mix all of them together for 5 min.

4.      Grease and dust with flour the cake pan.

5.      Pour half of the mixture in one and the rest to the other.

6.      In a preheated oven bake the cake for 40 min at 180⁰ or till the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7.      Cool it completely, atleast for 8 hrs.  

For chocolate Ganache

8.      Boil the cream in a sauce pan.

9.      When it starts boiling, switch of the heat.

10.  Add grated chocolate and liquid glucose. Mix well till there are no lumps.

11.  Cool and use. ( you can prepare this beforehand and can use it for other decoration)

To assemble the cake

12.  Trim both the cake from top.

13.   Cut both the cakes horizontally into equal half, so that you have 4 portions. (According to the height of the cake and the kitkat size you may use all the 4 part or less.  I have used only 3.  With the 4^th part I will make a separate decoration)

14.  Place the first layer of cake on the board and apply the ganache, on top of it place the next layer properly aligned. Apply ganache and place the 3^rd layer.

15.  Now cover the entire cake with ganache spreading it evenly. Don’t let it overspill.

16.  Clean up the board with a wet towel.

17.  Now place the Kitkat bars vertically on the sides of the cake, so that it covers the whole cake.

18.  Tie the outer side of the cake with a Ribbon so that the kitkats are intact.

19.  Fill the top of the cake with gems chocolate.

20.  You cake is ready – a kitkat barrel with colorful gems.

21.  Keep it in a refrigerator till it is served. 

Carrot Cake with Wheat Flour

I wanted to make a healthy cake for my younger son, who had a stomach infection last week who was restricted to have his two favorite things Milk and Fruits. His diet was kichide, kangi, oats, marie biscuit.  And he was fed-up of eating this.  So here is something I made for him with less maida and healthy carrot. This was the last set of red carrot which I found in the market. As summer have started, we will be only getting orange carrot, which are not sweet at all and good for salads.

So, please try making it, it’s simple and you will like it.

Ingredients

Carrot – 2½ cup grated

Maida – 1cup

Wheat flour – 1 cup

Castor sugar - 1½ cup

Vegetable oil – 1 cup (I have used rice bran oil)

Egg - 4

Cinnamon powder – 1tsp

Vanilla essence – 1tsp

Baking powder – 1½ tsp

Baking soda – 1tsp

Salt a pinch

  

Method

1.     In a bowl mix together maida, wheat flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder, bakingsoda & salt.

2.      In a bowl beat the egg until frothy. (I beat it with an electric mixer).

3.      Now gradually add the sugar and beat for about 2 min, till in incorporates nicely.

4.      To this add the oil in a steady stream and beat till the mixture is smooth. 

5.      At this level add the essence.

6.      Now add the flour mixture and beat till in the mixed well. The use of beater is over at this step.

7.      Fold in the grated carrot the mixture.

8.      Grease and then dust with flour a 9” cake tin.

9.      Pour the mixture in it.

10.  On a preheated oven bake it at 180⁰ for 40 min or till the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

11.  Remove from the oven and cool for 10 min.

12.  Your healthy cake is ready to consume. 

Hara Bara Mutton Biryani

On Mothers Day, this is a tribute from a son to his lovely Mother.  This is my mother-in-laws special biryani recipe which my husband prepared for us.  It was a treat!

Few line from the Chef …………………………….

“I keep craving for this authentic biryani one my favorite food. Last week I brought biryani from a street guy, looking at his vessel the typical biryani dekchi….. I was impressed and told myself, let me treat with some authentic biryani…….. 1 biryani costs me 220 and brought 3 for family.

Trust me…….it was the worst biryani……I had ever had…… it was just a blunt biryani….. I made a promise that very dinner that I will make and eat and relish the authentic biryani made by my mother,  mother’s recipe, she make one of the best biryani……. The plan was set and here it is got some good mutton and off to make biryani…… to satisfy my soul…… yes food should touch the soul……”

Ingredients

Basmati Rice –  1kg

Mutton -1 kg ( bone or boneless)

Onion – 4 large

Ginger – 50 gms

Coriander leaves – 125 gms

Mint leaves – 150 gms

Green chilly - 4

Garlic – 4 - 5

Turmeric powder – 1tsp

Mutton  masala – 2 Table spoon

Big cardmon - 4

Bay leaves – 4 to 6

Salt as required

Oil to fry

Ghee - 4

Fried Cashunut & raisans for garnish

Method

Onion Fry

1.     Cut Onion lengthwise and deep fry, till it becomes brown in colour and keep it separate.

Mutton curry

2.     Grind together coriander leaves, mints leaves ( take only the leave and not the stem), ginger, green chilly, garlic and make chutney.

3.     In a heavy bottom pan heat ghee, to this add the big cardamom and bay leaves, then add on to it the green chutney. Keep frying on low flame till the oil separates.

4.     To this add the cleaned muttons.  Mix the green chutni and mutton well, add to it mutton masala, turmeric  and salt.

5.     Mix well and cover, let it cook in its own water.  If there is less water keep adding little water, so that it does not stick to the bottom.

6.     Let the mutton cook.

Rice Preparation

7.     Side by side while the mutton is getting cooked, wash the rice.

8.     In a big pan boil double the quantity of water.  when the water starts boiling add the rice and cook.

9.     Cook just till it is almost done. Strain off the water and keep it separately.

To assemble

10.     We have three separate preparations, Onion deep fired and kept separately, mutton getting cooked in the chutni and rice getting cooked separately. This is done for the final fusion.

11.      Once it is ensured that mutton is cooked.

12.      Add cooked rice very slowly into the cooked mutton…also side by side keep adding the deep fried onion , kaju and kismis….

13.       Once all the three are mixed properly, Cover and cook on low fire for 5 min.

14.        The Briyani is ready to eat with the curd raita. 

Potato Bread Roll

After a busy days work at the office, when I reached home, my stomach was craving for something chatpata.  The first option was to order something from outside but I was not really interested in street food.

So, thought of lots of snacks which I could make at home, but most of these  need some pre-preparation.  Then I thought of my mother and what were her evening snacks for us.  The first think that came to my mind was bread roll and all ingredient needed was at home.  So here is how prepared it.  It is lovely but a little oily.    

Ingredients

Brown bread – 10 slices (trim the hard sides)

Potato – 2 large

Onion – 1 cut

Tomato – 1 cut

Coriander leafs – 2tbsp finely chopped

Dry mango powder /amchur – ½ tsp.

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chat masala – ½ tsp

Salt as required

Water to dip

Oil to fry

Method

1.     Boil the potato.

2.     When it is still warm peel and smash the potatoes.

3.     To this mix all the ingredient except bread, water and oil.

4.      When it is all incorporated, divide it into 10 to 12 portions and make oval balls.

5.      Take a slice of bread, dip in water and immediately remove it.

6.      Squeeze excess water by keeping the bread slice in between your palms.

7.      Place the potato filling in the center of the bread.

8.      Roll the bread and close the edges and press it tightly to make a even roll.

9.      Prepare all the rolls in the similar way.

10.  Now heat oil in a kadhi/wok.

11.  Deep fry these prepared rolls till it is crisp and golden brown.

12.  Remove it from the oil and keep it on a kitchen paper tissue, so that all the excess oil is removed.

13.  Serve it with Tomato ketchup.

Hara Murg

This is a recipe which I created to feed my kids some greens along with their favorite chicken. I have used minimal ingredients.  I have only used big /brown cardamom as dry spice in this recipe. So, it has a little sweet flavor, which I like.   My kids loved it, although it was green.  Try it and let me know if your kids enjoyed it.

Ingredients

Big Cardamom – 4

Chicken – 700gm

Spinach leaf – 250gm

Green chilli – 2 or as per your taste

Ginger Garlic paste – 1tsp

Onion – 1 big cut into pieces

Tomato – 2 cut into pieces

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Homemade garam masala – ½ tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Salt for taste

Method

 1.      Blanch the spinach ( In a big pan boil water sufficient enough to immerse the spinach leaf. Once it is boiling, switch of the heat and immerse the spinach. Cover the pan and let it stand for 5 min. Now drain of the hot water and run the spinach through runningwater)

2.      Heat 1 tbsp oil in a shallow pan (kadhi).

3.      Bring the heat to medium and add the big cardamom; to this add onion and cook till it is nearing light brown.

4.      Now add the ginger garlic paste, sauté it and add tomatoes and slit green chilli. Let it cook till the oil separate but keep steering it in between.

5.      Remove it from heat, transfer it into a bowl and let it cool.

6.      Meanwhile, heat the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil.

7.      To this add the chicken and let it cook in a low heat.  Sprinkle a little salt.

8.      Grind the onion mixture and blanched spinach together with ½ cup water to a paste.

9.      Add this paste to the chicken and sprinkle the garam masala. Check for salt and cover.

10.  Cook for 10 min and the gravy is thick in medium heat.

11.  Now it is ready to eat with chapatti to rice.