Weekend Baking Session # 26

After such a long gap, I am so glad that I could continue with our Weekend Baking Session. Besides the traditional delicacies, Malaysians and Singaporeans bake cookies for their respective festivals. Therefore, I would like to share a cookie, one of my favourite, which I baked for Deepavali. Despite not feeling well, I still fought with myself to bake them. Though I could not bring the Deepavali spirit that we experience back home, I wanted to create a different environment than any other day.

This is a slightly different kind of cookie. Icebox cookie also known as refrigerator cookie is a type of cookie that is made by forming the dough into a log or a rectangle or a cylindrical block and chilling until firm, for 12 or more hours. This stiffens the dough, making them easier to slice them into rounds or squares. After they have been sliced, the cookie dough is then baked in a moderate oven. When baked, icebox cookies are buttery and usually thin and crispy, showing off a bit of a chew inside, especially when just baked.

Icebox cookies are a great prepare-ahead-of-time dough because it can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for a month or so. Then, cookies can be cut and baked at any time, even if directly from the freezer.

We could use any dried fruits for this cookie. I have used a combo of dried cranberries, raisins, candied pineapples, dried apricot and glazed cherries in this cookie. I have also used desiccated coconut as a main ingredient to create a light and crispy texture.

Tutti-Frutti Cookies

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup mixed dried fruits

How do we do it:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat again. Stir in flour mixture, coconut and mixed fruits. Mix until dough forms.

Divide the dough into 2 portions. Shape into rolls and wrap them in wax paper or cling film. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Slice the dough logs into thin slices with a serrated knife. Bake them at 175° C for 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden.

Remove and let cool on wire rack.

I'm Back!!!!

Hello everybody, here I am back to the action. I am terribly sorry for keeping very quiet for nearly 3 months. The reason was that I was not feeling very well. Thank you very much to all of you out there throughout the world that showed their concern to me. I appreciate all your comments and e-mails. Tremendously sorry that I could not reply them.

Now, back to present. As a comeback gift, I would like to share a very simple, aromatic and ever smiling goodie with all.

Steamed Rose Sponge Cupcake

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup fizzy or soda water
1 egg
2 tbsp rose syrup
1 tsp sponge cake stabilizer (optional)

How do we do it:

Mix all the ingredients together. Beat until it becomes a frothy mixture and doubles in volume. Spoon the batter into paper cups until 2/3 full. Steam on high for 10 minutes.

Cool completely before serving.

Weekend Baking Session # 25

Weekend Baking Session this week celebrates its 25th round with an Improved Indian Dessert.

Carrot Halva Tartlets

What do we need:

Almond Pastry
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup ground almond
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 tsp salt
ice water, as needed

Carrot Halva
2 cups carrots, grated finely
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp ghee
4 cardamoms, powdered
a pinch of saffron strands

slivered almonds for garnishing

How do we do it:

Combine flour, salt and ground almond. Grate cold butter into the mixture. Rub lightly with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Gradually, add the ice cold water 1 tablespoon at a time just until the dough binds together. Make sure not to over work the dough. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat ghee and fry the grated carrots slightly. Pour milk and sprinkle the saffron strands. Let it boil. Cook the carrot to soft paste stage. Now, add the sugar and continue cooking while stirring. Remove from heat when the halwa looks gooey.

Divide the pastry dough into 8 portions. Press each portion evenly into greased tart mould. Trim edges to remove excess pastry. Prick base of each tart with a fork. Cover and chill again for about 15 minutes. Then, blind bake the pasty cases in a preheated oven at 200º C for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place the tartlets on a wire rack to cool.

To assemble, fill the tartlets with cool carrot halva. Top with slivered almonds.

The Summer Sensation # 3

Though the weather has not been promising here in Switzerland, it is still the summer season. As a continuation with our summer sensation, I made pudding.

Pineapple Pudding

What do we need:

2 cups pineapple purée
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup custard powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp agar-agar powder

How do we do it:

Prepare the pineapple purée by blending fresh or canned pineapple. Set aside.

Cook agar-agar powder with pineapple juice on low heat until the agar-agar dissolves.

Combine the milk, custard powder and sugar. Pour into the pineapple juice while stirring constantly. Add the pineapple purée. Cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and pour into moulds.




Serve Pineapple Pudding cool.

Red Beanly Yours

Red beans or adzuki beans are hard, small, reddish-brown, oval beans approximately 5 mm in diameter. They resemble very much like that of mung bean but a bit larger. They have a distinctive white ridge along one side. They have a strong, nutty and compared to other beans, slightly sweet flavour.

Like most beans, red beans are rich in soluble fibre, which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and vitamin B3. As high-potassium, low-sodium foods they help reduce blood pressure. Not only are they low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein that provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. Red beans also contain protease inhibitors that frustrate the development of cancerous cells.

Red Beans

Red beans are easier to digest compared to other beans varieties. If not for its loaded flatulence-producing enzymes, we would eat more of them. To overcome this problem, we could change the water from time to time while soaking or cooking the beans. Pouring off the water helps gets rid of the indigestible complex sugars that create gas in our intestines. This method also helps to cook the beans thoroughly.

Red beans are particularly popular in Japanese and Chinese cooking. It is believed that the beans could probably have originated from China. Red beans are mostly, cooked until soft, sweetened with sugar and ground into paste. This paste is used as filling for many delicacies. There are actually many methods of preparing the paste. I would like to share the easiest method of all.

Red Bean Paste

What do we need:

1 cup red beans
3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil

How do we do it:

Soak the beans for at least 4 hours or overnight. Wash thoroughly. Cook on medium low heat until the beans are soft.

Grind the beans together with the water to ease the grinding process. Grind until soft and smooth paste forms.

Transfer the paste into clean pot. Add the sugar and cook on low heat stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the oil. Cook until the paste is thick and gooey. Remove from heat and cool completely.




Fill the Red Bean Paste in any of your favourite goodies or even spread on bread slices. It could be frozen up to a couple of months.

Weekend Baking Session # 24

Suddenly I was craving for coconut bun. It was my favourite breakfast back home. Along with a mug of hot Milo, coconut bun tastes even greater. After 4 years, I had them for breakfast. For once I felt that I was at home. What a feeling!! For those who want to have the same feeling, here is the recipe...

Coconut Bun

What do we need:

Bun
2 cups plain flour
4 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp active dried yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg

Coconut Filling
1 cup grated coconut
1/3 cup grated palm sugar (or more as per desired)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp plain flour

Egg Wash
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water

How do we do it:

Whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Heat milk and butter until the butter melts and the mixture is about 50° C warm. Pour into the flour mixture. Also add the egg into the flour. Knead the dough until smooth and shiny. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Meanwhile, heat the water and palm sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the grated coconut and flour. Stir constantly until the mixture becomes soft paste. Remove from heat and let the coconut filling cool.

Punch down the dough and knead gently on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 equal sized balls. Flatten the each ball and fill with the completely cooled coconut filling and seal the bun neatly. Gently rotate the bun repeatedly until it forms a smooth-skinned ball. Place each bun into a greased baking dish. Cover the dish and let the buns rise again in a warm place until nearly double in size, approximately 45 minutes.

Beat together the egg yolk and water. Egg wash the buns. Bake in a preheated oven at 190° C for 20 minutes.

Going Green

Originating from Southwest Asia, spinach is a dark green leafy vegetable with edible leaves and stems. Depending on the variety, the leaves may be either curled or smooth.

Spinach is an exceptionally nutritious food. It does contain a relatively high level of iron for a vegetable. Spinach also has high calcium content. It is a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and several vital antioxidants. It is a source of folic acid as well.

Spinach can be used raw, or cooked by boiling or sautéing. Its leaves contain small amounts of oxalic acid that gives spinach a slightly bitter taste. Do not cook spinach for more than 4 minutes, as it tends to lose all the nutrients.

Lemony Spinach

What do we need:

1 bunch fresh spinach, stems removed
1 medium onion, sliced
2 dried chillies
1/2 tbsp shredded ginger
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
salt

How do we do it:

Wash and drain the spinach leaves. Set aside.

Heat oil and sauté onion, ginger and dried chillies. When the aroma rises, add the spinach. Cook for 2 minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add lemon zest and juice. Season with salt.




Serve Lemony Spinach with hot piping rice.

The Summer Sensation # 2

Rose Syrup is one of the most popular flavoured syrup. It has a deliciously romantic flavour and aroma of roses. Rose syrup can be used as a dessert topping and to flavour milk shakes or alcoholic drinks.

I have made a simple rose syrup as a base to mix up a refreshing drink.

Rose Syrup

What do we need:

2 cups water
1 cup rock sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp rose water and/or 1 tsp rose essence
1/4 tsp red food colouring

How do we do it:

In a heavy bottomed pan, stir together the sugars and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the colouring and rose water or essence. Cool completely and store in a tightly screwed bottle.

To prepare rose syrup drink, mix 1 cup of cold fizzy water or plain water with 2 or 3 tablespoons of rose syrup. Serve with crushed ice or ice cubes for extra coldness.

Weekend Baking Session # 23

I just realised that I have not baked cookies for our Weekend Baking Session. Therefore, this week I have baked the most famous and/or the most loved cookie in the world. Need I say more? Yes, it is Chocolate Chip Cookie. I have added an extra dose of chocolate in the form of chunks as well. Hence, it is double chocolatey!!!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1 cup ground oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate chunks

How do we do it:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the ground oatmeal. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Add the flour mixture gradually. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and chunks.

Shape dough into 1” balls, place on a greased or lined baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 190° C for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Pick me up

It is hubby dear's birthday today. I planned to bake him a black forest cake as it is his favourite cake. Just to be sure, I asked him "What do want me to make for your birthday?"
He replied "Whatever you want to. You don't need to trouble yourself a lot."
I said "Just tell me what you feel like having."
He asked "Would you make tiramisu for me?"

Now I remember that tiramisu was the first dessert I made for him. It has been almost 2 years since I made the last tiramisu. So, yesterday after work, I bought a packet of ladyfinger biscuits or sponge fingers and a tub of mascarpone cheese. The rest of the ingredients were at home. As soon as I reached home, I quickly whipped it up. Hubby was on and off peeping into the kitchen. He just could not wait to indulge himself with his favourite dessert but then, I told him that he has to wait until tomorrow (which is today) to have it as tiramisu needs an overnight chilling.

Tiramisu

What do we need:

2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup marsala wine or kahlua or any coffee liqueurs

1 cup hot water
5 tbsp coffee powder or granules
3 tbsp brandy (optional)

20 ladyfinger biscuits or sponge fingers
250 g mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping or double cream

1 cup grated chocolate
2 tbsp cocoa or chocolate powder

How do we do it:

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Slowly stir in the wine or liqour. Cook on a double boiler, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when the custard is thick. Set aside to cool.

Combine hot water and coffee. Let cool. When cooled, add the brandy and set aside.

Beat mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the cooled egg custard and continue beating slowly. Set aside.

Beat the cream until soft. Gently combine the mascarpone mixture with the beaten cream.

To assemble, dip the biscuits one by one into the coffee and arrange neatly in a dish. The biscuits could be broken to fit the dish. Spread half of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle grated chocolate. Repeat with the biscuits and cheese mixture again. Sprinkle cocoa or chocolate powder on top. Chill well, preferably overnight before serving.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY DEAR

Blogger Postcards From the World

Finally, the day is here. The game has started. I have chosen a postcard of the most important landmark in Bern, where I live. Bern is the capital of Switzerland, the place where the Federal building or the Parliment is. What a coincidence that today is also the National Day of Switzerland.




This postcard is a view of the Parliment during dusk. The fountain in front of the building is in the shape of the Swiss map and has 26 points to commerate 26 Cantons in Switzerland.

Thank u very much Meeta for hosting this marvellous event.

Jihvā for Ingredients - Flour

Flour is an ingredient used in many foods. It is a fine, powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of any of various edible grains or other starchy food sources. It can also be made from legumes and nuts, such as soy, peanuts, almonds, and other tree nuts. Flours are normally identified according to its grain source. A flour can range in texture from coarse to extremely soft and powdery, depending on the degree of bolting (sifting) it receives at the mill.

Flour is always based on the presence of starches, which are complex carbohydrates. Different types of flour are needed for different products. Wheat flour is the main ingredient in most food throughout the world. Rice flour and tapioca starch are more widely used in South East Asian delicacies. Gram flour used mainly used in Indian cooking.

In line with the theme FLOUR, I made a South East Asian delicacy using three different types of flours as its main ingredients. Different flavours and textures of the different flours give a unique taste and texture. I have added alkaline or lye water to give a bouncy or spring back texture to this kuih.

Kuih Kosui

What do we need:

1/2 cup grated palm sugar or brown sugar
1 cup water

2/3 cup rice flour
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup coconut milk from 1/4 coconut
1 tsp alkaline or lye water

1 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp salt

How do we do it:

Cook the water and palm sugar until the sugar dissolve. Strain and set aside to cool.

Add the cooled palm sugar syrup to the flours and alkaline water. Mix thoroughly. Strain the batter.

Pour the batter into a greased mould or greased little moulds. Steam on high for 15 minutes. Let the kuih cool.

Meanwhile, mix the grated coconut and salt together. When the kuih has cooled completely, cut into desired shapes and dredge the kuih into the salted coconut.




Kuih Kosui makes a great breakfast or evening tea snack.

Weekend Baking Session # 22

I go bananas with anything made of bananas. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. Energy is not the only way a banana can help us keep fit.

It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. Banana gets rid of depression, PMS, anemia, lowers blood pressure, constipation, hangover, heartburn, morning sickness, prevents mosquito bites, help calm the nervous system and many more.

Banana Butter Cake

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup mashed very ripe banana
1 egg

How do we do it:

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Stir in the mashed banana. Fold in the sifted flour mixture.

Pour batter into a greased and lined loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

The Meat Substitute

Soya is one of the most versatile wonder foods we have as it can mimic the flavours and textures of most of our popular foods. Soya protein that comes in the shape of chunks, granules or flakes are made from processed soya beans. They are called Textured Vegetable Protein or TVP, which is defatted soya flour that has been processed and dried to give a substance with a sponge-like texture which may be flavoured to resemble meat.

As well as being a good source of fibre and high quality protein, it is fortified with vitamin-B12. Soya is a rich source of plant compounds called phytoestrogens. This reduces the risk of breast cancer and prostrate cancer and raise good cholesterol levels. It contains 48% soya protein without any fat. it helps to control blood sugar for diabetics and people who suffer from hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).

Soya protein is very bland in taste. Extra flavours have to be incorporated to enhance it. Being my comfort food, I have substituted soya chunks to my favourite mutton dish.

Soya Chunks Varuval

What do we need:

2 cups soya chunks
2 medium potatoes
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 star anise
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp meat curry powder
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt

How do we do it:

Soak the soya chunks in hot water for about half an hour, then discard water. Squeeze out the excess water. Then wash them in clean water. Squeeze again. Set aside.

Dice the potatoes. Mix with salt and turmeric powder. Deep fry until golden in colour. Set aside.

Heat oil and fry fennel seeds, star anise and cinnamon stick until aromatic. Add in ginger garlic paste and the sliced onion. Sauté until the rawness gets over. Pour the water, add curry powder, soya sauce and the soya chunks. Let the gravy simmer. Add the fried potatoes cubes and season with salt and sugar. Keep stirring gently until it becomes dry.

Soya Chunks Varuval with Plain Rice, Lemony Spinach and Sambar

Serve Soya Chunks Varuval with hot rice or roti.

Weekend Baking Session # 21

I started doing something but ended up with something else. It was so tasty that I wish to share the recipe with everyone thru our Weekend Baking Session.

Cheesy Orange Marmalade Rolls

What do we need:

2 cups bread or high protein flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup water
1 egg
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt

1 cup orange marmalade
1 cup grated cheese

How do we do it:

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water.

Combine egg, butter, salt, sugar and the yeast mixture. Add flour alternately with the remaining 1/4 cup of warm water. Mix until well combined. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Roll dough out into a rectangle. Cover generously with orange marmale. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Starting from the long side, begin rolling the dough down to the bottom edge, swiss roll style. Cut the rolled dough into 1 inch slices and place on a lightly greased pan 1 inch apart. Let the rolls rise again in a warm place until nearly double in size, approximately 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C for 12-15 minutes.

My Bakery's Latest Addition

I found some silicon baking utencils on sale in Carrefour. Without much thinking, I quickly grabbed them.

Heart shaped ice tray cum jelly mould, mini cupcakes tray and 2 little teddy bear moulds

Cannot wait to use them but time, the culprit is being the obstacle. Now that Mahisha has been going to the day care centre the past 2 weeks, she needs more and more attention for me. The blog has been been very slow since then. :(

Weekend Baking Session # 20

Last week we were invited to our babysitter's place for her son, Harry's birthday party. Along with a gift, I also brought a cake. The next day, Priya called me up and said that she and her other guests liked the cake very much and requested me to post the recipe in the blog.

As I promised, here I am. This week´s Weekend Baking session, is a tribute to Priya for all that she had done for me.

Mocha Chiffon Cake

What do we need:

2 tbsp cocoa powder + cake flour or plain flour to make 1 cup
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp instant coffee powder or granules

3 egg whites
1/4 cup castor sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

How do we do it:

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Dissolve the coffee powder or granules in the milk. To this, add the egg yolks, sugar, oil and the flour mixture. Mix until well blended.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add sugar little by little and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg white into the pandan mixture to lighten it. Then, pour the lightened coffee mixture into the remaining beaten egg white. Fold gently but quickly and thoroughly to combine both mixtures.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 8" round cake pan. With a flat knife, quickly cut through the batter a few times to get rid of any very large air bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 175° C for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and immediately invert the cake pan and let it cool.

When the cake is completely cool, run a knife or a thin spatula around the sides of pan to loosen the cake from the pan.




Fill and frost the cake with your favourite frosting. Decorate as per desired.

Thank You Very Much Priya!!!

Healthy Sodhi

Found ridge gourd at the local Indian grocery shop. It has been such a long time since I have eaten it. Felt like eating at once. Therefore, I bought one.

I like ridge gourd added in a watery dish. Struck my mind was sodhi. Sodhi is a broth like dish cooked with coconut milk and tamarind. I wanted to using avoid them both. As substitute, I decided to use milk and tomatoes, which are far healthier.

Ridge Gourd Sodhi

What do we need:
1 ridge gourd
1 large tomato
1 large onion
1 green chilli
1 tbsp dried shrimps
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt

How do we do it:

Remove skin and slice the ridge gourd into 1/2 inch rings. Slice the tomatoe and onion. Half the chilli lengthwise. Wash and drain the dried shrimps.

Heat oil, add the onion, chilli and shrimps. Sautè until aromatic. Add the ridge gourd. Pour in the water and add turmeric powder. Cook covered until the ridge gourd is cooked.

Add milk and sliced tomatoes. Season with salt. Remove from heat when milk starts to boil.




Serve Ridge Gourd Sodhi with hot piping rice or idiappam.

Weekend Baking Session # 19

Plums are member of the stone fruits family that arrives in the summer. Plums grow in clusters, are plump, have very smooth and shiny skin and a centre pit. Plums can range in shape from oval to round and in size from 1 to 3 inches in diameter with a depression at the top where the stem attached. Their colour can be yellow, white, green, red, purple, indigo blue and almost anything in between with equally varying skin colour. The pale silvery-gray, filmy-looking coating on a plum's skin is natural. Some plums are much firmer-fleshed than others. Plums contain vitamin A and potassium.

Plums

Plums are sweet, juicy and edible. There are many varieties, some sweet, some acidic, and some best suited for drying into prunes. They are often enjoyed fresh for out-of-hand eating, but they work well in cobblers, compotes, tarts, jam and chutneys. They are also available as canned plums, packed in either water or sugar syrup. Plum juice can be fermented into plum wine. When distilled, this produces a brandy known in Eastern Europe as Slivovitz.

Yoghurt Plum Pie

What do we need:

Pie Crust
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cold butter
1/4 cup ice cold water
1/2 tsp salt

Filling
2/3 cup yoghurt
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
500 g ripe plums

How do we do it:

In a food processor, place the flour, salt and cold butter. At a low speed, mix the ingredients until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Gradually, add the ice cold water 1 tablespoon at a time just until the dough binds together. Make sure not to over work the dough. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.

On a floured board, roll out the dough into a disk, 2 or 3 inches larger than the pie pan. Transfer the pastry onto the pan. Fit the pastry very well on the bottom and side of the pan. Cut excess pastry. Line with a sheet of aluminium foil and place dried beans or rice as weights. The purpose is to prevent the pastry from bulging out when baking. This method of baking is called blind baking. Bake in a preheated oven at 230°C for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Then, lift the aluminium foil together with the weight. Now return the pastry shell to the oven and bake for another 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Half the plums and remove the stone. Arrange in a circular form inside the pie shell.




Combine yoghurt, sugar and the eggs. Beat well. Pour the mixture onto the plums.




Bake at 150° C for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Jihvā for Ingredients - Dal

Lentils or dal are a member of the legume family. They grow in pods that contain either one or two seeds that are round, oval or lens-shaped disks. With the highest level of protein other than soybeans, it is a very important part of the diet for vegetarians. Apart from that, dal also contains dietary fibre, vitamin B1, and minerals. The important thing is that it is low in fat.

Masoor Dal

Dal has the advantage of cooking quickly. It easily absorbs flavours from other foods and seasonings. It has a mild and a distinctive earthy flavour. Dal is renown for causing flatulence, which often countered by adding asafoetida to the dish.

As the entry for , I have thought of cooking an unusual combo; Indian and Italian.

Dal Farfalle

What do we need:

2 cups farfalle or any pasta
1/2 cup masoor dal
1 bay leaf
1 onion
2 pips garlic
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp sambar powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup milk
salt

How do we do it:

Boil dal with the bay leave until soft. Discard the bay leave and purée the cooked dal until smooth. Set aside.

Boil a pot full of water with a generous amount of salt. Cook the farfalle in the boiling water to al dente or until the time specified on the pasta package. When cooked, drain and set aside.

Chop the onion and garlic finely. Heat oil and sauté the onion, garlic, cumin seeds and the dried basil leaves until aromatic. Add the dal purée, sambar powder and milk. Cook until the mixture thickens. Add lemon juice and season with salt. Add the cooked farfalle and stir gently but thoroughly to ensure that it is fully covered.

From My Rasoi # 6 - For The Love of Rice

Glutinous rice, often called sticky rice is uniquely delicious, tasty and sweet rice. It is starchy and yields attractively sticky, moist, firm and dense rice when cooked. Thus it does a great job of filling the stomach. Glutinous rice can be easily distinguished from other varieties by its short grain and milky colour.

Glutinous Rice

Despite the misleading name, glutinous rice does not contain dietary gluten. Therefore, theoretically it should be safe for gluten-free diets. The sticky consistency of the rice is derived from two kinds of starch in the kernels, namely amylase and amyl pectin.

As an entry for FMR # 6 – For The Love Of Rice, I have chosen to make wajik which is steamed glutinous rice braised in palm sugar and coconut milk syrup.

Wajik

What do we need:

1 cup glutinous rice
1 blade pandanus / screw pine leaf
salt

Syrup
1 cup thick coconut milk
1/3 cup palm sugar (as per desired)
2 blades pandan / screw pine leaves

How do we do it:

Wash the rice and soak the rice at least 4 hours. It is important to wash the rice before soaking to ensure that the rice do not break. Drain the rice and mix with salt. Place a knotted screw pine leaf on top of the rice. Steam for 5 minutes or until half cooked. Remove from heat and using a fork, scratch to lossen the rice.

Palm sugar and coconut milk syrup at soft ball stage

In a heavy bottomed pan, boil the coconut milk with palm sugar and knotted screw pine leaves. When the syrup reaches soft ball stage, add the rice. Stir continously to prevent from getting burnt. Remove from heat when the mixture does not stick to the sides of the pan. Discard the pandan leaves. Transfer to a greased mould. Cool completely before cutting into desired shapes.

Weekend Baking Session # 18

Pandan/Screw Pine Leaves

Yesterday was my special day. So, I felt like cooking and baking everything that I like. One of which is .......

Pandan Chiffon Cake

What do we need:


1 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup coconut milk
4 blades pandanus/screw pine leaves

3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

How do we do it:

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Wash and snip the pandan leaves into smaller pieces. Blend them with coconut milk. Strain and make sure the quantity is 1/3 of a cup. To the pandan coconut milk, add the egg yolks, sugar, oil and the flour mixture. Mix until well blended.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add sugar little by little and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg white into the pandan mixture to lighten it. Then, pour the lightened coffee mixture into the remaining beaten egg white. Fold gently but quickly and thoroughly to combine both mixtures.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 8" round cake pan. With a flat knife, quickly cut through the batter a few times to get rid of any very large air bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 175° C for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and immediately invert the cake pan and let it cool.

When the cake is completely cool, run a knife or a thin spatula around the sides of pan to loosen the cake from the pan.








Fill and frost the cake with your favourite frosting. Decorate as per desired.

Tag World Confessions

Yet another meme. This time I was tagged by Vaishali of Happy Burp and SudhaV of Samayal. Here we go.....

5 Items in My Freezer

Herbs - Curry leaves, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.
Vegetables - Green peas and spinach.
Meat and Seafood - Prawns, fishes and chicken.
Homemade Doughs - Puff pastry, short crust pastry and bread dough.
Egg Whites - Each time I come across a recipe that uses only egg yolks, I safe the egg white by tying it up in a little plastic bag, separately for each egg white.

5 Items in My Closet

Clothes - Each of us have our own closet. Therefore, our clothes are separated. There are more hangers than clothes in my closet. I gave up all my office wardrobes to my sisters when I left Malaysia. Just brought 3 sarees which I use once a year during Malaysian National Day function held by the Embassy.
Handbags - I have a few but use only one. Hardly use the others.
Perfumes - I was a perfumes collector, once upon a time when I was a single. With the high standard of living in Switzerland, had to give up the hobby.
Cosmetics - All of them are from home. Mom sends them every now and then. I had to really hide them away from Mahisha as she is now into grooming.
Jewelries - Never used them ever since I moved to Switzerland. Very sad :(

5 Items in My Car

A Road Map of Bern - Just in case if we could not find a place.
Tamil Audio Cds - For me to listen and for Mahisha to sing and dance along.
Water Bottles - A big bottle for hubby and I. A small bottle for Mahisha.
Gummy Bears - That is the weapon that we use to calm down Mahisha whenever she freaks out in the car.
Tissue Box - Mom brought a pretty cover for the box when she came to Switzerland.

5 Items in My Purse

Malaysian Identity Card - Too used to carrying it around when I was in Malaysia.
Driving Licence - This is the twin sister of my IC. They never part.
ATM Cards - Both Malaysian and Swiss banks.
Shopping Cards - Been collecting the points but never redeemed them. Same happened when I was in Malaysia. Only collected, never redeemed.
Money - Well, the main purpose of carrying a purse is to keep money.

I would like to pass on the meme to:

Boo_licious of masak-masak
Zuraini of Zu's Kitchen
Shilpa of Aayi's Recipes
Paati of En Veetu Samayal
Priya of Priya's Kitchen
Garam Masala of The Spice is Right

The Summer Sensation # 1

Finally, the most long-awaited season is here. Today is the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere. It is the longest day of the year. Unlike living in Asia, we hardly get to see the sun here. Therefore, people tend to appreciate summer so much on this part of the world.

In line with the season, PuSiVa'S CuLiNarY StUdiO is celebrating the sensation of summer. Food connected to summer will be featured throughout the season as it is the season in which many fruits and vegetables are in full growth.

To kick start the event, I made jelly. Jelly or agar-agar is actually dried seaweed. It makes a good cooling agent especially on sunny days.

Yam Jelly

What do we need:

5 g agar-agar strands
3 cups water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp yam paste/flavouring

How do we do it:

Soak the the agar-agar strands in water for an hour. Wash and drain. Cook with water. When the jelly strands have dissolved, add sugar. Cook until the sugar dissolve.

Strain the jelly and divide into 2 equal portions. Add 1/4 cup of milk into 1 portion of jelly (A). Mix well. Into the other portion of jelly (B), add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk and the yam paste. Mix thoroughly and return to low heat.

Pour jelly mixture (A) into little jelly moulds or a big mould. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Now, scratch the top of the jelly with a fork. Pour jelly mixture (B) on top of the set jelly (A). Chill the jelly until well set.



Serve yam jelly cold.

Weekend Baking Session # 17

It is Father's Day today. This edition of Weekend Baking Session pays a tribute to fatherhood. To celebrate the day, I baked a peanut butter cake because hubby loves peanuts and peanut butter. Frosted the cake with chocolate icing as chocolate makes the best pair with any nuts.

Peanut Butter Cake

What do we need:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 peanut butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

How do we do it:

Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Set aside.

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Stir in vanilla essence. Fold in the sifted flour mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour.

Pour batter into a greased and lined 7 inches round pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 175° C for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Fill and cover the cake with your favourite frosting. Decorate as per desired.




Happy Father's Day To All The Fathers

10 Things I Miss Of Mom's Cooking

Revathi of En Ulagam and Sonali of Spicehut have tagged with this excellent meme. It is a great theme that has took me back to the times that I was living with my mom. Many thanks to both of them for making write this nostalgic and mouth-watering meme.




Everyone’s mother is his or her best cook. My mom is no exception. Even all my friends fondly remember her for the delicious food that she serves them. Here is a list of the 10 Food That I Miss Most of Mom's Cooking

Fish Curry
Being the topper is definitely amma’s fish curry. My ex-office mates back home used to adore the aroma of her fish curry. I sometimes just scoop the curry and drink it like soup. Irresistible!!!!

Fish Sambal
I have tried cooking it many times. Not even once have I reached her level. Just too good.

Prawn Sambal
Amma cooks prawn sambal with diced potatoes. The sambal would be that delicious that even the potatoes taste like prawns.

Crab Curry
Amma very rarely cooks crab. Probably just once or twice a year. When she cooks, she will make a big portion. She uses lots of ingredients and grinds them to cook the curry. The taste is remarkable.

Chicken Braised in Soya Sauce
This is a family secret recipe that was passed to amma by my late aunty who was my father’s elder sister. Chicken pieces braised in dark soya sauce and honey with lots of ginger and a few dried chilies. It is a family favourite.

Fried Mee Hoon (Fried Rice Noodles)
Amma uses ingredients such as onions, dried anchovies and dried chillies ground into coarse paste to fry the noodles. It tastes incredible.

Vegetable Soup
Very rich and health packed. I used to wonder if vegetable could be that much tasty. I have never cooked my soup to her level.

Eggy Potatoes and Anchovies
This is amma’s very own creation. Her comfort food at times she do not know what to cook. Whenever she cooks this, she had to cook an extra portion of rice as the normal portion would not be enough.

Semolina Puttu with Dal
Semolina fried with ghee and then, steamed together with coconut. Later, mixed with boiled dal and sugar. This is my favourite. I have tried making it thrice but of no luck of getting the same texture as how amma does it. She makes it so perfectly.

Black Gram Vadei
Amma is a professional vadei maker. She is very famous for her vadei that she used get orders to make them. Now she no more makes for others. My siblings and I have never ever bought vadei from shops because no vadei can beat the vadei that amma makes.

I would like to pass this meme to:
Mike of FooDcrazEE
Boo_licious of Masak-Masak
Rachel of Tham Jiak
Indosungod of Daily Musings
Sumitha of Kitchen Wonders
Vasundhara of What to cook today

My Comfort Food

Mahisha has not been feeling well. As any other kids who are sick, she clings to me all the time. So, I had to cook up something really fast. Whenever I am in a hurry, my comfort food is.....

Tomato Tuna

What do we need:




1 can tuna in brine or oil
1 can tomato chunks
2 potatoes, diced
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic pips, sliced
1/2 inch ginger, sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
1-2 tbsp fish curry powder
a pinch of sugar
salt

How do we do it:

Sauté the sliced onion, ginger, garlic and the curry leaves. When it is aromatic, add the diced potatoes, tomato chunks and curry powder. Cook covered until the potatoes are cooked.

Add the drained tuna and peas. Season with salt and sugar.



Tomato Tuna goes very well with bread.

Weekend Baking Session # 16

Today I had some guests for high tea. I made an array of goodies. One of them is something that I had wanted to make for a long time. Finally, found the right time. Here it is.....

Cherry Tartlets

What do we need:

Short Crust Pastry
1 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 egg yolk
A pinch of salt

Filling
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp custard powder
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1 can cherry compote
1 tsp corn flour
1 tbsp water

1 tbsp cherry preserve

How do we do it:

Grate cold butter into the flour. Add salt. Rub lightly with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk. Knead very lightly to form smooth pastry. Wrap with a cling film and chill the pastry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Divide the pastry dough into 8 portions. Press each portion evenly into greased tart mould. Trim edges to remove excess pastry. Prick base of each tart with a fork. Cover and chill again for about 15 minutes. Then, blind bake the pasty cases in a preheated oven at 200º C for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place the tartlets on a wire rack to cool.

Combine all the filling ingredients together in a heavy bottomed pan. Whick contantly until the mixture thickens. Let the filling to cool completely.

Simmer the cherries together with the syrup. When the syrup reduces to half, stir in the corn flour mixed with water. Stir briskly until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble, lightly spread the cherry preserve in the pastry shells. then, fill with a tablespoon of the filling. Finally, top with the cherries.

Nibbles For My Toddler # 5

Been such a long time since I posted an entry on this title. As usual I have chosen all the healthy ingredients for my toddler. She loved it.

Oatmeal Yoghurt Muffins

What do we need:




1 cup plain flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup rolled oatmeal
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 chopped nuts

How do we do it:

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Toss nuts and raisins with 1 teaspoon of flour mixture. Set aside separately. Stir oats into remaining flour mixture.

Grease the muffin tray with butter or simply place paper cups into the muffin holes.

Beat together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Stir in yoghurt and milk mix until blended. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until evenly moistened. Fold in the floured nuts and raisins.

Fill muffin holes with three quarter full. Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C for 20 minutes or until golden in colour.

When baking muffins, always place a bowl of boiling water in the oven. If there are unused holes on the muffin tray, pour boiling water into it. The reason is that the steam from the boiling water creates moist in the oven to prevent warping.

The Food That I'd Die For # 6

I have been craving for sambal ikan bilis or anchovies sambal. Sambal is a popular accompaniment either as a condiment or as a side dish cooked in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Sambal ranges in hotness from mildly sharp to incendiary. Belacan or shrimp paste is an essential ingredient in sambal. It enhances the taste of sambal. Tamarind gives a citrus tang. A touch of sugar boosts up the taste of sambal and suppresses the hotness. Sambal is a uniquely delicious and goes well with any food.

Anchovies Sambal

What do we need:

2 cups anchovies
1 big tomatoe
4 dried chilies
2 big onions
3 garlic
1/2 inch ginger
1/2 tsp belacan granules
1 tsp tamarind
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp sugar
salt

How do we do it:

Peel, wash and drain the anchovies. Set aside.

Combine water and tamarind to prepare the tamarind juice. Set aside.

Grind 1 onion, the garlic, ginger, dried chilies and belacan into coarse paste. Heat oil and fry the ground paste until it is very aromatic the oil rises on top. Pour in the tamarind juice. Add the anchovies. Fry for a while. Add chopped tomatoe and thickly sliced onion rings. Season with sugar and salt.

Anchovies sambal with rice, stir-fried vegetables and baked potatoe wedges.

Serve hot with rice, roti, bread, thosai or idli. I just love it with idlis.

Weekend Baking Session # 15

I was asked to bake 4 chocolate cakes for a function held by the Embassy of Malaysia in Switzerland. I was extremely happy as it is the 1st time ever I received an order to bake cakes. At last, my baking is recognised and being favoured.

I had to go on a baking marathon the day before the function. Hubby dear helped a lot. Many thanks to him. I received thumbs up from those who ate the cake. I felt very much honoured when his Excellency the Ambassador said that the cake was delicious and he thanked me for baking it.

I would like take the opportunity of sharing the recipe with everyone thru our Weekend Baking Session.

Moist Chocolate Cake

What do we need:

1 1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp instant coffee powder or granules

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence

3/4 cup water

How do we do it:

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Dissolve the coffee with hot water. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well. Beat in the coffee and vanilla essence. Gently fold in the flour mixture alternating with water. Start and end with the flour mixture.

Pour the batter into a greased baking pan. Bake at 175° C for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.






Cool completely before serving or frosting it with your favourite cream, as per desired. The cake tastes better the next day.

Weekend Baking Session # 14

One of the oldest spices known to mankind is cinnamon. It was the primary motive of world exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries. Cinnamon comes in two varieties namely Ceylon cinnamon and cassia. The cinnamon bark is peeled and rolled one in another into long, slender ‘quills’. These strips of rolled barks are called cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon also comes in powder form.

Cinnamon Stick and Cinnamon Powder

Cinnamon is strongly aromatic, sweet, pleasant, warm and woody. It is used as condiment and flavouring material. Cinnamon adds a lovely fragrance to savoury dishes. Its sweet-spicy flavour enhances the taste of vegetables and fruits. Cinnamon is the most important baking spice. It is used especially in apple pies to mellow the tartness. It is also infused in wine or punch to give a delightful aroma.

For this edition, Weekend Baking Session comes with one of the most popular baking that uses cinnamon.

Cinnamon Rolls

What do we need:

Rolls:
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (or more if desired)
1/4 cup raisins or nuts (if desired)
1 tbsp cinnamon powder

Topping:
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

How do we do it:

Dissolve yeast in the warm milk and let stand 5 minutes. Combine butter, egg, salt and the yeast mix. Add flour until dough is smooth and soft, but not sticky. Knead well. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon powder. Beat until smooth.

Roll dough out into a rectangle. Cover generously with the filling. Sprinkle the raisins or nuts if using any.




Starting from the long side, begin rolling the dough down to the bottom edge, swiss roll style. Cut the rolled dough into 1 inch slices and place on a lightly greased pan 1 inch apart in staggered rows. This is to ensure that the rolls cook evenly. Let the rolls rise again in a warm place until nearly double in size, approximately 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C for 12-15 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the topping. Combine icing sugar, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Beat well until light and fluffy.




When the rolls are baked, remove from the oven. Drizzle the topping onto the rolls when they are still warm.




Serve the cinnamon rolls warm.