Tortilla Espanola with Soccer Fever

Dear Frenz, Hope you all enjoyed your weekend with your family. Here, We also enjoyed our weekend with lots of fun and met lot of people from different countries in Sandton City. In Nelson Mandela Square ( This is the convention centre near the Soccer city n Ellis Park stadium), People from different part of the world gathered there and enjoyed their day by singing their country songs and lot of Merry Making with music. We are feeling the FIFA here, everyday there is matches in different places of South Africa. This FIFA matches are telecasting in "3D". Yesterday, We were watching one match in 3D really a different experience can't believe that, while player kicked the ball its straightly coming to our face. It was thrilling and different Joyable experience, We are going to watch another 1 match in 3D and 1 match in stadium.

My Hubby is supporting the team "Spain" and am Supporting the team "Brazil". Yesterday, I have painted "Brazil" flag on my face and We were walking towards the restaurant on the way the people from Brazil seeing my face they started to talk with us and they began to sing a song of their country slogans. Coming to the recipe, I am planning to post different recipes from FIFA WORLD CUP countries. Today, am going to start with my Hubby's Supporting team "Spain".Of course, My next recipe is from "Brazil". Here, is the recipe for Tortilla Espanola or Tortilla de Patata from SPAIN as follows,

Ingredients:

1.Jumbo eggs - 3 no's
2.Peeled and thinly sliced starchy potato - 1 medium
3.Spicy Sausage or Chorizo style sausages - 1
4.Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
5.Salt as reqd
6.Finely Chopped Onion - 4 tbsp
7.Finely chopped Garlic - 3 pods
8.Frozen Green Peas - 1 tbsp
9.Grated Cheddar Cheese - 2 tbsp
10.Olive Oil - 1tbsp

Preparation:

1.Heat oil in the non-stick frying pan, saute the chopped onions and garlic for 5 mts. Follow with sliced sausages, sliced potatoes with little bit of salt. Fry till the potatoes turn crispy and finally add the frozen peas.

2.Meanwhile, beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Add the grated cheddar cheese with egg mixture.

3.Mix the potato and sausage mixture with the beaten egg , in the same pan make an omlette.

4.Now the Cheesy and Crunchy Spanish Potato Omlette is ready to serve with breads.

Chocolate Cake with Caramel Icing

Chocolate cake is my Hubby's favourite one, I baked this cake for our Wedding Anniversary (27th May) and made Icing with Caramel. My Hubby gave me a lot of Surprise gifts, the whole day was lined up with continuous surprise gifts. In the evening, I gave him a surprise with his favourite Chocolate Cake. It came out very perfect Soft n Spongy Chocolate Cake, My Hubby enjoyed this cake very much on yesterday. He doesn't like the Icing with heavy Cream, So everytime I do different Icing without using Cream. This Caramel Icing is very easy one no hard times with it, very simple to make it in 5 mts melting the store bought caramel filling n topping with cadbury's dairy milk brown chocolate. Here, is the recipe for Chocolate Cake with Caramel Icing as follows,

Ingredients:

1.Cake flour - 1 cup
2.Cocoa Powder - 3/4 cup
3.Whole Eggs - 3 no's
4.Castor sugar - 3/4 cup
5.Canola Oil - 1/2 cup
6.Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
7.Baking Powder - 2 tsp
8.Boiling water - 1/2 cup

Preparation:

1.Pre-heat the Oven to 350 deg F, Put the eggs and castor sugar in a mixing bowl and beat it nicely for 5 mts with an electric beater till it turns white.
2.Add oil to the mixture, beat it in high for 5 mts.
3.Follow with Vanilla essence and baking powder beat it nicely. Now in tea cup measure the cocoa powder to 3/4 portion and add the hot boiling water with the cocoa powder. Mix it nicely with the spoon, now pour the thick cocoa mixture to the mixing bowl.( Now we used little bit of boiling water with cocoa powder totally the water we need to use is 1/2 cup add more boiling water according to it ).
4. Beat it nicely for 5 mts, now add the cake flour to the mixture beat it well in high for 2 mts.
5.Grease the baking pan and place the wax sheet on it, pour the cake mixture in the baking pan. One thing I made a mistake, try to beat it nicely the cake mixture with the fork before pouring into baking pan have to avoid the air bubbles.
6.After Pouring into the baking pan only I saw the air bubbles, I couldn't do anything on that time.
7.But Other thing came out perfect, bake it for 20 - 25 mts. Check it with the tooth pick.
8.Leave it to cool for 30 mts. It should be completely cool while we do the Icing.

Ingredients for Icing:

1.Nestle Caramel filling and Topping - 1 can ( I used 5 tbsp from the can )
2.Cadbury's chocolate - 60g ( I used 2 small bars)
3.Sugar balls for garnishing.

Preparation:

1.Use Double Boiler pot or Normal Steel pot topped with glass bowl to melt the Chocolate. Allow the water to boil in cooking pot place one glass bowl on top of the pot to melt the caramel and chocolate.
2.Put the caramel and 2 cadbury's bar to the glass bowl use the spoon to stir it well.
3.Gently stir the mixture till it turns soft ( Cadbury's bar is easy to melt quickly than other baking bars)
4.Now make it to smooth paste, apply on all sides of the cake and garnish with sugar balls or any other chocolate pipes of your choice.
5.Now the Perfect Soft n Spongy Chocolate Cake with Caramel Icing is ready to serve.

Warm Brussels Sprout Salad with Baked Chicken Kiev

Brussels Sprout is my Hubby's favourite veggie, he like the kuruma which i use to cook with it for roti n poori. This veggie is very good for the health rich in vitamins and folic acid good for diet, easy to cook at any time. But, shouldn't overcook this Brussels it releases the odor some dislike this veggie because of this odor for that just cook it for 6 - 10 mts that is more than enough for Brussels. Here, i used baked brussels  for my Hubby's Salad. Actually, in the Salad book they said to use shaved raw brussels but my Hubby don't like the raw smell of it for that i baked the brussels to light and then served with baked chicken kiev. He enjoyed this salad very much for his dinner with soup. The Vegeterians can add Baked or raw shaved brussels with chopped apples and Honey n Vinegar dressing. Here, is the recipe for the Brussels Salad as follows,

Ingredients:

1.Brussels Sprout - 10 no's
2.Chicken breast piece - 1 (I used chicken kiev, vegeterians can substitute Apples)
3.Lemon Black Pepper - 1 tsp
4.Boiled egg - 1
5.Salt as reqd
6.Olive oil - 2 tsp
7.Garlic Powder or Minced Garlic - 1 tsp
8.Sliced Almonds - 2 tsp ( can use any other nuts)

Preparation:

1.Bake the chicken kiev/breast in 350deg F till it turns soft. I used chicken kiev so i didnt added no salt n chilli powder, if you are using chicken breast marinate with chilli powder, salt and bit of olive oil for 10 mts and then bake it.
2.Now rinse the brussels sprout , trim off the ends and remove if any wilted leaves. Cut each sprout into halves ( i got very small brussels so cut into halves if you got bit big cut into quarters).
3.Now put 1 tsp of olive oil,minced garlic n salt in one bowl, mix the sprouts with the oil n salt. Bake it in 350deg F for 5 mts.
4.After it got slightly tender leave it to cool and then sprinkle the lemon pepper on top of sprouts n mix it , cut the boiled egg into halves and baked chicken into bite size pieces.
5.Now toss lightly the brussels and baked chicken pieces together and  arrange it in the serving plate then sprinkle the sliced almonds and place the halved boiled egg on top.
6.For the vegeterians, toss the brussels sprout and cubed apple together spread it in the serving plate with honey n vinegar ( white wine vinegar) dressing.

Easy Fusilli Salad and Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce Omlete

My Hubby has tried different kind of Omlete in Baked Beans,  it tasted very yummy and juicy. Whenever he cooks the food he won't see the measurements and he will use whole can for one time cooking. Here, My hubby has used one can of baked beans in tomato sauce for omlete. I had 2 omletes while he is cooking itself it tasted very good when it is super hot. You try this omlete and have it immediately with sweet tomato chutney.

Ingredients:

1.Fusilli - 1 cup/ 1 handful
2.Chopped tomatoes - 1 medium ( deseeded)
3.Chopped Carrots - 1 medium
4.Chopped Green Bell Pepper - 1/2
5.Garlic Mayonnaise - 2 tbsp
6.Salt - a pinch

Preparation:

1.Cook the fusilli according to the package instructions. After cooked fully drain it in the collander.
2.Mix all the ingredients and transfer to the serving plate.

Ingredients:

1.Eggs - 3 large/jumbo
2.Baked beans in tomato sauce - 1 can
3.Sliced Green chillies - 2
4.Salt - to taste
5.Canola Oil - as required

Preparation:

1.Lightly beat the eggs together with a required salt, follow with green chillies.
2.Drain the water from the baked beans and add the beans with tomato sauce with the eggs mixture.
3.Heat the non-stick pan in high flame, brush the pan with little bit of oil. Pour an egg mixture with the help of spoon and apply oil around the edges.
4.Leave it to cook in medium flame then flip it to another side to cook.
5.Now the Easy Baked Beans in Tomato sauce Omlete is ready to serve.

Venetian Wafer Cake

Wafer cake is my Hubby's Faaav Dessert, he likes to have it after Dinner. I usually make custard n caramel for him, it's soo simple n quick one. Wafer Cake is Light dessert looks soo colourful and soo soft, while making and baking it looks little bit different but after cut into pieces look beautiful ones. If anyone planning for a party or get-together then this one will be the perfect dessert easy n quick one for more persons. Usually, my Wafer cake looks plain this time i planned to make it colourful and i tried that it came out right. Here, is the recipe for you.

Ingredients for making Wafer:

1.Cake Flour - 2 cups
2.White Sugar - 1/4 cup
3.Eggs - 2 medium
4.Butter - 4 tbsp
5.Baking Powder - 2 tsp
6.Salt - 1/2 tsp

Ingredients for making Custard:

1.If you got tetra pak thick custard then it is fine can also use that.
2.Milk - 2 cups
3.Custard Powder - 2 1/2 tbsp
4.Sugar - 2 tbsp
5.Food Colour - Red n Green ( i got only red and green, can also use your favourite colours)

Preparation for Wafer:

1.First melt the butter in one deep bowl, add the sugar beat it well follow with eggs beat it well together. In another bowl sift the cake flour, salt and baking powder mix together n keep it aside.
2.I didn't used my electric egg beater to this wafer, use fork or egg beater.
3.Now add the dry ingredients to the egg bowl use your hand and mix it together like a cookie dough.
4.The same consistency the dough should not stick to the edges of the bowl.
5.Knead it well together, make into small balls like we do for poori.
6.All balls should be in same size and roll down the each balls into very thinly in round shape.( roll it very thin first grease the surface with margerine n then roll down then only its easy to take from the surface)
7.I used my aluminium pot lid to bake, cos it is perfect round shape i couldn't fit the rolls in my baking tray in big tray i can keep only 1 if i put another its touching each other.
8.So, i used my Pot plates for baking, you can use your comfortable trays.
9.Preheat the oven to 350 deg F, grease your trays and place the rotis and bake it for 5-10 mts ( till it turns light light brown it will start to bubble on top no need to leave it till golden brown)
10.Like the same do it for all rotis and place it in cloth to cool.You can see the cracks on sides of the rotis don't worry it will become right while we are serving.
11.Atleast one biscuit roll will tear or turn light brown , make it into crumbs for toppings.
12.Now place one biscuit roti in plate apply red colour custard on all sides then place another roti apply green colour custard on all sides follow with another roti apply the plain custard like the same do it for all biscuit rotis like doing for Lasagna layers.
13.On top pour all colour remaining custards and sprinkle the biscuit roti crumbs over the sides and top, leave it cool inside the fridge for 1 or 2 hrs.
14.Now cut the wafer cake into pieces you will see the difference, the custard will set into the rotis it will turns soft and it looks like jelly.

Preparation for Hot Thick Custard:

1.Heat the milk in medium flame , add the custard powder and sugar.
2.Mix it gently continuously it will turns thick.
3.Cook in medium flame or else it will burn at the bottom.
4.Now take out the pot from fire after it turns thick hot custard, pour food colours in 2 bowls n pour custards to the bowls and keep remaining custard for yellow colour.
5.Mix the custard well with the food colours, now its ready to make the wafers.
6.First bake the biscuit rotis then try to make this hot custard.

Koeksisters - South African Dessert

Our Weekend went on very well, enjoyed a lot and have done our this Month's Candle Light Dinner at Restaurant enjoyed a 3 course meal with dessert me n my Hubby's faaaaav Cheese Cake. After a long time, we went to Restaurant for our Candle Light Dinner to Indian Restaurant " Bhanjara" this restaurant got very good ambience, in the evening time it will be pleasant to spend time for couples with Candle Light Dinner. On Our Dinner day evening, the weather was pleasant outside drizzling, nice breeze and our table was in the Balcony side with melodious live music inside restaurant wooooow!!!! simply superb evening. Last week, my Hubby was busy with his work, we couldn't find time to spend each other in the evenings so we planned to stop other works and spend our weekend only both of us.

Okay, let me come here to my recipe today. Koeksisters comes from the Dutch word koekje, Koek meaning "Cake". It is a South African syrup-coated doughnut in a twisted or braided shape (like a plait). It is prepared by deep-frying dough in oil then dipping the fried dough into cold sugar syrup. Best eaten cold, koeksusters are very sticky and sweet and taste like honey.(source wiki). Here, Everybody makes Koeksisters for Christmas and all occassions, also Indians do for all occassions very simple and easy dessert with sugar syrup on outside and inside will be fluffy like cake.I tried many times, while i tried at first time the shape didn't came our right after getting practice doing many times now the koeksisters shape looks nice n perfect. Below, i showed my first time koeksisters and present koeksisters shape you can see the difference between my first try and recently made koeksister.

Ingredients:

1.Cake Flour - 2 cups
2.Egg - 1 Large
3.Butter - 3 tbsp ( i used margerine many times but while using butter koeksister comes soft)
4.Butter Milk - 1/2 cup
5.Baking Powder - 3 tsp
6.Salt - 1/2 tsp
7.Canola Oil for Deep Frying

Ingredients for making Syrup:

1.White Sugar - 700 gms
2.Water - 2 cups
3.Crushed Whole Cardamom pods - 4 no's ( Here they use Cinnamon sticks, i like always cardamom to use)
4.Ground Ginger - 1 tsp
5.Lemon juice - from 1 small lemon

Preparation:

1.Mix dry ingredients first, Cake Flour, Salt and Baking Powder then rub with butter nicley till it turns like Fine bread crumbs.
2.In another bowl, beat the egg roughly and add the butter milk mix it gently for 2 mts, then add these wet ingredients with flour knead it gently for 5 mts if you feel sticky in your hands apply oil and then knead the dough.
3.You have to knead the dough till you feel soft and do not stick around the edges of the pot, test the dough by making one small lemon size ball it should come soft and in shape without any crack on sides.
4.Now close the dough with damp cloth and leave it to sit for 4 hrs. Meanwhile, we can make Sugar syrup.
5.I use to prepare the syrup a day before itself, because we shouldn't put the fried pieces in the warm or hot syrup. It should completely cold while we are dipping the hot fried pieces.
6.Heat all the ingredients under making syrup put together and leave it to cook in medium flame close the pot with the lid. Stir it well frequently till it dissolves fully.
7.There is no consistency need for this Sugar syrup, just dissolved everything ( not too watery use exact amount of measurement for syrup)
8.Now leave the syrup to cool, keep it inside the fridge.
9.Now, we need to start do frying our koeksisters, Now roll down the dough to 7 cm long and 2 cm wide.
10.Cut into 3 strips, we can make in 2 ways one like our hair plait with 3 strips and other one is take 1 strip from the 3 strips twist like in the first picture and pinch together at the end of the strip.
11.Make what shape you prefer, but the koeksisters shape should be like in the pictures.
12.Now deep fry the koeksisters till it turns golden brown. Drain it in the kitchen towel and dip it in the cold sugar syrup. (Dip immediately the koeksister is hot)
13.Take out after 5mts and leave it in the plate to set well.
14.Now the Koeksisters are ready to serve cold.

I am Passing this Sweet, gooey and fluffy Koeksisters - South African Dessert to AWED - Africa hosted by PJ and to Divya's AWED menu.

And also Passing this Cardamom flavoured koeksister to Priya's CWS event.

I am passing this Sweet Koeksisters to Meetha's Monthly Mingle - South African Cuisine

Coconut Cookies

Coconut Cookies is my Hubby's favourite one, he likes to have it often. This cookies is simple to make and bake, very nice aromatic cookie while baking itself i can't wait to try that one. Becos of adding cardamom powder n Nutmeg Powder it gives nice aromatic smell while it half done in baking. That time you will come to know the cookies are nearly done and ready to take outside. My Hubby like this cookies very much, before we use to buy lot more from pastry shop for one week. Now, myself bake the cookies and store it in air tight box. He wants varieties of cookies, so i bake little amount in different kinds. Here, today am sharing me n my Hubby's faaaaav Coconut Cookies for you,

Ingredients:

Use the same measuring cup for all the measurements i gave it here. I used Tea Cups for my cookies measurements.

1.Cake Flour - 2 cups
2.Ghee - 1 cup
3.Dessicated Coconut - 1 cup
4.1 egg yolk
5.Castor Sugar - 1 cup
6.Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
7.Bi- Carb - 1/4 tsp
8.Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
9.A pinch of Nutmeg Powder
10.Almond slices - 10 or more
11.Food Colour ( Green and Red used for my cookies)

Preparation:

Need strong pot , Baking Tray and an Electric Egg Beater. Here, i beat everything in high continuously without stopping the beater. Keep all the ingredients near to you.

1.For this cookies, i always use egg beater then only it will comes perfect.
2.First put ghee in the pot and start the beater in high, start to beat the ghee for 5 mts till it turns soft n fluffy.
3.Then Egg yolk, beat it in high for 5 mts till it turns fluffy.
4.Follow with dessicated coconut beat it continuously for 2 mts then add Castor sugar, Cardamom powder and Nutmeg Powder beat it nicely for 2 mts. Then only all the ingredients will incorporate.
5.Finally add the cake flour little by little blend it together should come like in the above picture. The consistency of the cookie dough to check is the dough shouldn't stick to the sides of the bowl.
6.Now the cookie dough is ready to bake, from the above measurements i made about 30 cookies in 2 batches.
7.Preheat the oven to 350deg F, make small balls out of the cookie dough make it nice round shape don't flat the balls. Place the cookie balls in the baking tray, i didn't greased my tray (I used 2 trays, in 1 tray i used directly and in another tray i use to bake chicken so the surface turned like bit oily so i used Wax Paper).
8.Now place bit of both the food colour separately in plate, dip the almonds and place it at the center of the cookie ball.
9.Now bake the cookies for 10 mts, there is no exact time for baking these cookies only the aromatic smell gives you that it done perfectly.
10.Approximately around 10 - 15 mts  is fine, it will varies depends upon the oven wattage for baking the cookies. After that leave the baking tray to cool the cookies,don't touch it immediately leave it to cool for atleast 10 mts then take the cookies out of the tray and store it in air tight boxes.
11.To check the perfectly baked cookies, it should crack little bit on the surface of cookies.

I am passing this Cardamom flavoured Coconut Cookies to Priya's - CWS Event.

Mushroom and Cheese Pancake and my Awards from Blogger Frenz

Mushroom and Cheese Pancake

Ingredients for Pancake:

1.All Purpose flour/ Cake flour - 1 cup

2.Baking Powder - a big pinch

3.Salt - a pinch

4.Egg - 1 large

5.Milk - 1/2 cup

6.Sugar - 1 tsp

7.Canola Oil - 2 tsp

8.Unsalted butter - 2 tsp

Ingredients for Mushroom and Cheese:

1.Sliced Button mushroom - 1/2 punnet

2.Any Grated cheese of your choice- 4 tbsp ( i used grated mixed cheddar and parmesian cheese)

3.Milk - 4 tbsp

4.Mayonnaise - 1 tbsp

5.Butter - 2 tsp

6.Salt - a pinch

Preparation for stuffing:

1.Heat a non-stick frying pan, saute the sliced mushrooms with butter and a big pinch of salt.

2.Saute it in medium flame till it cooked half.

3.In one deep microwave safe bowl put the grated cheese and microwave it for 2 mts see it melted completely or else microwave it again then mix mayonnaise and milk to the melted cheese mix it nicely. Again microwave it to 2 mts till it turns creamy. Now the stuffing is ready.

Preparation:

1.Take 2 two bowls, in one bowl sift the flour,salt,sugar and baking powder. Keep it aside.

2.In another bowl, whisk the egg nicely and then add the milk.

3.Add the milk and egg mixture to the flour bowl, mix it nicely till it incorporate.

4.Mix it with the fork, the consistency should be like our dosa batter.

5.Heat a non-stick pan, melt the butter and add it to the Pancake batter mix it nicely.

6.In the same non-stick pan, Pour about 3 tbsp of batter like our dosai.

7. Close the pan with the lid and leave it for a while and don't need to flip it on other side. 

8.After the pancake cooked nicely now its time to place the mushroom and cheese filling at the center of the pancake.

9.Roll down like masala dosai and serve hot the Mushroom and Cheese pancake immediately.

10.If you like sprinkle some chaat powder on top and grated cheese melt it in microwave and serve the pancakes. 

This Cheesy Mushroom and Cheese Pancake is going to be a part of  

 Pancakes Event hosted by Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes.


I am sending the recipes below used with cardamom seeds to Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes, CWS - Cooking with seeds Cardamom Seeds Event. 

Mutton Biryani

Lamb Kuruma 








DIL PASAND DINNER ROLL





Aappam





Oyster Mushroom Kuruma







Pooran Poli ( Bobbatlu)





 Rice n Dal Payasam







Chicken Biryani







Spicy Chana Rice





COCONUT MILK PILAF


A Set of Awards from my blogger frenz: 

I have received a "Honest Scrap " award from Suma Rowjee of Cakes and more!!!. Suma is my good blogger friend, She is soo sweet person like her Cakes. I like her blog with all of about Beautiful Cakes n Cake Decorations. Thanks Suma for reminding me and Honouring me with your beautiful award. 

A set of Awards from Maya and Lakshmi of Yummy Team:

Yummy team is good blog of Maya and Lakshmi, they are cousins. They are doing great job displaying traditional kerala recipes with well explained pics. I like aviyal and baked okra n karela recipe from their blog. Aviyal is one of my faav traditional recipe, my mom won't miss this aviyal for festival times traditional lunch.

  

Thanks a ton for all my blogger friends, thanks for reminding me. I am sharing the above awards to all my blogger friends, please accept my awards dear friends. If i mention the names then i could have miss somebody, thats why i gave all these awards to everybody who are giving their valuable comments and Suggestions and bloggers in my blog list.