Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake

It's been just ten days that I was away from this world of blogging but I get a feeling I have so much to catch up with . But before everything I am rushing for a last minute entry to Sweet and simple Bakes whose monthly challenge for the month of June was Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake.
I encountered a few problems while making this cake...the first being , this is not the season of oranges here , then the second problem was self raising flour.. as it is not easily available here and what is available is too costly.

I have modified the recipe with the things that were readily available and some substitutes.

The end result was quite satisfactory. My kids loved it and looking forward to bake it again when I get fresh oranges as I am very sure nothing can substitute the taste that orange zest will give.

Here is my version of the cake.

Ingredients

Self raising flour - 175g

White butter-175g

Caster sugar-175g

eggs-3

orange essence-2tsp

milk-2tbsp
Orange Syrup:

orange juice-3/4cup (I used the tetrapak version)

sugar-6-7tsp

For the topping:

Dark Chocolate-50g

Silver sprinkles
Method

• In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat till light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one by one and beat.
• Add orange essence .
• Add flour and milk and fold.
• Bake for 35-45 mins.
• Cool and make holes on the top of the cake.
• Mix the orange juice and sugar ,heat and bring it to a boil.
• Put this juice on the top of the cake.
• Melt the chocolate on a double boiler and spread it on the top of the cake , spread some sprinkles.

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Cheesy Bread Rolls

On 13th June my younger one turned 9. He is an energetic fellow, full of life. A moody at times and very possessive about me( I guess it's the age). He had been counting days remaining for his birthday past 15-20 days and was very excited about it. He had told me long time back that he wanted me to bake for him a Chocolate fudge cake.

Now it's been more than 2 months that I am having a low grade fever which shoots up at times. In spite of all medical check ups and all the medications it's not subsiding. On his birthday as the destiny had planned my fever shot up and I was in distress. I wanted to bake the cake for him. The poor thing realised seeing me, that I was in no position to stand for a long time . Nevertheless, we ordered a cake for him but I still wanted to make something special for him.. feeling guilty of not being able to please him and fulfill his wish .


He is very fond of cheese, so I thought of treating him with a cheesy day. Morning I made his favorite cheese bread rolls, afternoon was Paneer butter masala, Dal makhani and Garlic Naan for him and evening were pizzas. Most of the things I ordered out but promised him that I will bake the cake for him in near future.


Ingredients

Bread slices (fresh)
250 gms grated processed cheese ( I used Amul)
1 tsp freshly crushed pepper
2 green chillies chopped
4 tbsp boiled macroni
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
rice flour
salt to taste
oil for frying





Method

• 
  
  Remove the edges of the bread and make it flat by rolling it with a rolling pin.
• 
  
  Mix all the remaining ingredients and divide it into 8-10 equal portions and make small balls.
• 
  
  In a bowl take water . Keep the flattened bread on the palm and make it moist on either side with water , else gently dip it in water and squeeze out the water.( I prefer the first way)
• 
  
  Keep the cheese ball in the centre and cover it with bread from all the four sides properly without leaving any gaps and give it a proper shape.
• 
  
  Roll it gently in rice flour, this will help remove extra moisture from the bread and will not absorb excess oil while frying. This method I read at Aayi's recipes . Thanks Shilpa.
• 
  
  Heat oil and deep fry the rolls on medium heat.
• 
  
  Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

I am sending this post to Creator of Monthly mingle - meeta.

Also sending this to EFM June - Breakfast series

also sending this to show me your breakfast hosted by divya of dilse

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Rajma Rasmisa (Red Kidney Bean Curry)

This is my all time favorite . In my childhood whenever my mom made this dish she used to make it in surplus and refrigerate it so that I could eat it for 3-4 days . Now S and both the kids have become huge fans of Rajma. Here ,in North India ,we get very good quality Rajma as it gets produced largely in this part of the country. But out of the various varieties available I like the Kashmiri variety the most. It's small and bright red in colour and looks elegantly beautiful.

Though in my childhood I was a huge fan of my mom's Rajma , over a period of time I have tried making it in different ways . This particular way makes the preparation in very less oil and using minimum spices. Now a days it's my conscious effort of reducing the oil content in the preparations . This dish I had cooked recently when another cousin P had come down with his wife A for lunch, and like all of us he also likes the Rajma.

Ingredients

4 large handsful of Rajma

3-4 large onions

1 pack tomato puree

5-6 large pods of garlic

1 potato (cut into cubes)-optional

an inch of ginger

2 bay leaves

3 cardamoms

1 small spoon garam masala(optional)

1 spoon red chilli powder

2 tbsp coriander powder

Method

• 
  
  Wash the Rajma with water and then soak it overnight or for 6-8 hrs.
• 
  
  Cook it in pressure cooker with salt . Bring 5 whistles, simmer and cook further for 10 mins or till it is well cooked .
• 
  
  While boiling Rajma , in a separate bowl keep the peeled onions.
• 
  
  Once the beans are cooked remove the onions, cool it and grind.
• 
  
  Grind or crush together ginger and garlic ( I used my stone pestle and mortar )
• 
  
  Heat very little oil and throw in the bay leaves and cardamom , followed by boiled onion paste and saute for few seconds as the onions are already cooked.
• 
  
  Put crushed ginger & garlic and saute till the raw smell disappears.
• 
  
  Now add tomato puree (I used Kissan) and saute till oil separates.
• 
  
  Add chilli pwd, coriander pwd and a little salt (it is also added while cooking beans).
• 
  
  'Bhuno' the masala and then add the potato and the Rajma. Bring it to a boil and then adjust water based on your liking. I personally like it with more water (thinner gravy) but be careful not to make it too watery.(I put the entire thing in the cooker once again and give one more whistle)
• 
  
  Once the Rajma is cooked and boiled properly add the garam masala and mix
• 
  
  Garnish it with ginger juliennes and freshly chopped cilantro.

This is my entry to Spill the Beans- Sunday Snacks Hosted by Priya of Akshayapatram

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Dhaba Style Palak Paneer ( Spinach and Cottage cheese)

When I had visited my Mom recently, my cousin P had come down for lunch. She is in her final term of pregnancy and loves to eat Paneer. I remember an incident, it was  when I was visiting her place in my college days and we all had gone for dinner to a restaurant and had ordered this dish . She ate all the Palak and had kept the Paneer pieces aside. I asked her why are you not eating it ? She said, I will eat all of them together at the end. To her disappointment, while she was talking to us,  the waiter cleared her plate with all her favorite Paneer.

So, this time when she came home for lunch, I decided to cook her favorite dish. To my satisfaction she liked the preparation and also helped me click the pictures.

I dedicate this recipe to all the Paneer lovers (which also includes me).

Ingredients

A large bunch of Palak (spinach)

150 gms Paneer

2 onions (chopped finely)

2-3 green chillies (chopped finely)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 -2 tsp lemon juice (as per your liking)

3-4 garlic pods (crushed)

1 -1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

butter+oil for cooking

1 tsp ghee

Method

• Pluck the leaves of Palak( do not use stem).Wash them properly.
• Boil water in a vessel, add a pinch of salt a baking soda, this helps keep the colour green .When the water start boiling put the leaves for 20seconds, remove and immediately put it in cold water. (This stops the process of cooking).
• Puree the blanched leaves.
• Heat a mix of butter and oil and add chopped onions and cook till light brown in colour, now add garlic .
• Add chilli powder, coriander powder and salt, mix properly. (Add a little less of salt as Spinach has natural salts in it). Take oil to the corner of the pan, tilt the pan and sprinkle some water,  the pan will catch fire for a few seconds, this produces the 'Smoky Flavor' that one gets in Dhaba cooking.
• Add the Paneer and gently mix and coat it with all the spices. Cook for a min.
• Now add the pureed Spinach and bring it to a boil and switch off the flame. Do not overcook as the gravy loses it's natural green colour. Add lemon juice and mix.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds, let it splutter and then add green chillies, immediately pour it on the Palak Paneer.
• Serve with Naan/Paratha/Jeera Rice

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Nigella lawson’s -Chocolate Pistachio Fudge

I started my blog and posted a few recipes and then I could not post for a few days as I left for an unplanned holiday .



Now that I am back I want to post a recipe that’s very special and close to my heart. This I saw the first time on Nigella’s show and then Deeba @ passionateabout baking posted it and I was hooked to it.



When I saw it the very first time I was wondering is it that simple? !But when Deeba also mentioned the same thing... I thought let me give it a try. I made it for S’s birthday as he is very fond of dark chocolate. He loved it and has asked me to make it for all his birthdays in future. Helps me as it’s so quick to make and really chocolatee .


Ingredients
Dark Chocolate- 350 gms (broken roughly)
Condensed milk- 400 gms
Salt -a pinch
Butter – 1 tbsp
Pistachio – 150 gms (lightly roasted and pounded)

Method

Take a heavy bottom pan, in it put all the ingredients.
Put it on a low flame and let the chocolate melt.
At no point during the entire process of cooking the chocolate should boil.
Keep mixing and cooking on low flame till the mixture thickens.
The condensed milk helps give the dish a fudge like texture.
Pour the mixture into an aluminium foil tray, as it’s easy to remove from it.
Let it chill for 2 hours and then cut into pieces.It makes about 60 pieces of the lovely , chewy fudge.

You can view the video by clicking here

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