snacks

We Indians love to fusion the international cuisine with our cuisine. One such classic fusion is schezwan idlis. Humble idlis are given a gorgeous drop dead make over by infusing schezwan sauce to them.     

 This is the perfect way to use leftover idli batter. This can be made with dosa batter too. steam the batter in mini idli stands. Dont hassle if you do not have a mini idli stand. Just steam them in regular ones and then cut them into small pieces.

SCHEZWAN MINI IDLI

Serves 6      prep time: 30 minutes plus idli steaming time.    

Ingredients

30          Mini idlis 3tbsp    Schezwan sauce 1tsp      capsicum, cabbage and spring onions (chopped)

1tsp    Ginger garlic paste 4tbsp  Oil ¾ tsp   Ajinomoto (monosodium gulmate)

Method of preparation

1.Heat oil and add the ginger-garlic paste and stir for 2 minutes

2.Add the vegetables and schezwan sauce and again stir for 2 minutes.

3.Add the idlis and Ajinomoto.

4.Garnish with spring onion greens

desserts

VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH CARAMELIZED HONEY NOODLES AND WALNUTS

Serves 6      prep time: 1 hour

Oh boy!! It has been so long since I wrote a blog. I sure missed it. And I am glad to be back. 

This particular recipe has got me back from my cocoon. It's simple, elegant yet made up with so much texture and crunch.

This dessert finds its roots back in China. But I remember having it at The Dynasty( a quant Chinese restaurant on sv road Santa Cruz Mumbai) when I was in college. They served it with toasted sesame seeds. But I like mine with caramelized walnuts. 

I won't take much of your time and will head straight to the recipe.

Ingredients 

For noodles:

8 tbsp    all purpose Flour

¼ tsp    Salt

¼ cup   Water

Method of Preparation

1. Knead a soft dough with the ingredients and wrap it in butter paper, put it in a polythene bag and place it in the freezer for ½ an hour.

2. Remove and divide in 4 portions.

3. Roll each portion length wise as thin as possible.

4. Sprinkle enough dry flour on both sides to make it dry.

5. Cut into thin strips and fry them pinkish brown.

6. At this stage it can be preserved in air tight container for 5-6 days.

7. Fry them golden brown on the day of serving.

For honey walnut:

Ingredients 

50 gms       walnuts

50 gms       Sugar

1 tsp         Butter

4 tsp        Honey

Method of Preparation

1. In a pan heat sugar and butter till golden brown.

2. Add the honey.

3. Bring to one boil and keep aside.

4. Divide the honey mixture into 3 parts.

5. Add walnuts to one part and wrap the noodles with the remaining two parts.

6. In a serving bowl spread the noodles place the vanilla ice cream on it and finally decorate with the walnuts.

7. Serve immediately or else the noodles will become soggy.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Do leave your valuable feedback down in the comment box.

Also u can follow me on Instagram @foodfiestabylipaa

PICKLE

KERI JO SAAG

      Yipeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
       Summer is here. And along with summer so many fond memories come. Vacations, holiday trips, gollas, ice creams, mangoes and keris(raw mangoes).
      Along with such fond memories i remembered this lip smacking pickle that my mom-in-law taught me. It is refreshing, tangy and tantalizing. This quick pickle goes well with parathas,theplas etc... I LOVE IT my tacos too..      

Serves 8-10        prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

¼  kg ¼  kg 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp ½ tsp 1/4tsp 4 tbsp ½ tsp ½ tsp

Raw mango finely chopped Jaggery Salt Heaped chilli powder Heaped coriander powder Turmeric powder Asafoetida Oil Mustard seed Cumin seed

Method of Preparation

1 Heat oil in a heavy base pan. Add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

2 Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida.

3 Add the raw mango and salt.

4 Stir till the mango is ¾ cooked.

5 Add in the jaggery and cook on medium flame till it melts completely.

6 Add in the spices and remove from flame.

7 If the mangos are very sour add more jaggery.

8  Never add water or sugar.

9 This dish can be preserved for one month in refrigerator.

DESSERT

SUMMER DELIGHT

     HURRRAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Summer holidays are here and the kids want to have all the fun. That makes we moms job even more challenging. They want to have fun and we want them to be safe. They want to eat all exciting dishes and we want them to healthy.
          To beat all these challenges this summer delight is the perfect thing. This popsicle is tangy, healthy and full of surprises.


ingredients:

 15 tbsp  brown sugar
2cups     water
5            strawberries
2tbsp     finely chopped spinach
1tsp       butter
pinch    salt
1/4 tsp  green chillies


method:
1. in a pan heat butter and add green chillies and brown sugar.
2. stir till it melts and caramelizes. add water.
3. cook further till the sugar melts.
4. add the chopped strawberries and let it cool down.

5. when cooled add salt.
6. take popsicle moulds and add few slices of strawberries and little spinach.
7. slowly pour the sugar mixture in them and let it set in the freezer.
8. when set ENNNJJJOOOOYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DESSERT

BLACK FOREST ICE CREAM CAKE

Serves 8     prep time: prep time: 30 minutes plus setting time

Ingredients

1                           6” round Chocolate sponge cake

1 litre                  Vanilla ice cream

1 can                    Cherries

1 cup                    Dark chocolate grated

1 cup                   Chocolate sauce

Method of Preparation

1.       Open the cherry tin and separate the cherry from the syrup.

2.       Deseed and cut the cherry. Keep some whole cherries for decoration.

3.       Cut the cake length wise into two half.

4.       Take a cake size container and place a plastic sheet on it.

5.        place one layer of cake on that  plastic sheet.

6.       Sprinkle the cherry syrup on the cake about 4 tbsp.

7.       Put a layer of vanilla ice cream on it spread ¼ cup of cherry on it and place the second layer of cake on it. Sprinkle cherry syrup on it.

8.       Immediately put it in the freezer for 2 hours.

9.       When set put remove the set cake on a serving tray and remove the plastic sheet.

10.   Pour the chocolate sauce all over the cake evenly.

11.   Sprinkle grated chocolate and decorate with whole cherries.

Note:

For chocolate sauce melt 125gms of cooking chocolate along with 50ml cream in the double boiler. Whisk till smooth and lump free. Reset in the fridge for 2 hours before use.

you could read about my book FOOD FIESTA-an effortless daily menu guide, on this link :http://lipaamirghshah.blogspot.in/2014/06/food-fiesta-effortless-daily-menu-guide.html

SNACKS

PHAPHDA

HAPPY DIWALI TO YOU ALL

With diwali round the corner the festive mood is setting in. I am expecting loads of guest and the entire family is going to be together for full three days. My snacks jars have to be laden with chat pat goodies. Loads of sweets and snacks are prepared. One of my favorite snack phaphda is also made. Phaphda is an authentic Guajarati snack. It is prepared from maath dal and urad dal. Spiced with red chili powder and black rock salt. It is lip smacking and very versatile, as you can top it with various options that are mentioned below. Use it as a side dish or as a tea time snack. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients:

200gms     maath dal

50gms       urad dal

1tsp           asafetida

Salt           to taste

½ tsp        green chilly

1tbsp       oil

To garnish:

½ tsp        Red chili powder

½ tsp        Black rock salt powder

Rice flour to help you roll the phaphdas

Method:

1. Mix urad dal and maath dal. Grind them to make fine flour.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.

3. With the help of water make a stiff dough. Mind you this flour can get very sticky so please add water very slowly. One you have obtained the desired stiff dough apply few drops of oil on the palm and clean your palm.

4. Further with the same oiled palms knead the dough for 5 minutes till it forms a smooth surfaced dough.

5. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

6. Divide the dough into small marble sized balls and roll each with the help of rice flour into small 4” rounds flat breads.

7. Mix the red chili powder and rock salt in a small bowl.

 8. Heat oil to fry. Fry the flatbreads till light golden brown.( while frying with the help of the ladle press the rounds to avoid them from puffing up)

 9. Remove and immediately sprinkle the above mixture. As it will coat well when it is hot.

10. Preserve them in airtight containers.

Topping variations:

1.       Sprinkle finely chopped onion, coriander, chat masala and finely chopped tomatoes on them.

2.       Mix finely chopped cabbage, carrot, green capsicum and onion in a bowl. Add grated cheese, pepper and salt to it. Sprinkle this mixture on the phaphdas and see them gobbled up by kiddies.

NOTE:

You can adjust the chili portions as per your taste and health.

DESSERT

MULTI LAYERED MINT CREAM CAKE.
    
     It is rightly said that 'A child gives birth to a mother.' Today was my beloved daughters birthday and she wanted a tall multi layered mint cream cake decorated with chocolate sauce. She just knows how to push my limits. I never imagined that I could pull this off but here you all see the results. I am so blessed to to have such loving children for whom I could do anything.
     Coming back to the cake, this cake is multi layered and centered with chocolate sauce and mint cream. Finally I have wrapped the entire cake with mint cream and made feather pattern with the chocolate sauce. Hope you enjoy making this simple recipe as much as I did.

.

NOTE:  PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE RECIPE BEFORE YOU START

ingredients:

for the cake base:
1can or 400gms       condensed milk
300 gms                   all purpose flour
3tsp                         baking powder
3/4 tsp                     soda-bi-carbonate
3tsp                          vanilla essence
150 gms                  salted butter
150ml                      water

for the sugar syrup:
1/2 cup                  water
3tbsp                     sugar

for the mint cream:
500ml                  soya cream( i have used rich brand)
175gms                icing sugar
1/2 tsp                  liquid green color
1tsp                      mint flavour readily available at shops that provide cake and chocolate ingredients.

for the chocolate sauce:
200gms               dark cooking chocolate
80 ml                   water

method:
1. sieve all the dry ingredients and keep aside.
2. in a large vessel whisk butter and condensed milk till creamy, roughly 7-10 minutes.
3. add all the dry ingredients and mix well with the spatula.
4. once it is mixed well further whisk the batter with the beater for 5 minutes.
5. slowly add in water and vanilla essence while you continue whisking for another 10 minutes.
6. stop and check the consistency if it is dropping then stop. if not then add a little water and further whisk till the desired dropping consistency is acquired.
7. divide the cake into 6 portions.
8. take an 6" diameter cake tin and grease it with butter and dust it with flour.
9. pour one portion of the cake and bake at 180 c for 15 minutes. remove, de -mould and let it cool on a butter paper.
10. repeat the above with all the remaining portions.
11 while they bake make the sugar syrup by mixing the water and sugar in a bowl. keep aside.
12. to make the chocolate sauce cut the cooking chocolate in a bowl add water and microwave it for 2 minutes. remove and mix well till it is lump free. put in the fridge till it sets.
13. to make the mint cream, take a large 2ltr vessel  put 2 tray full of ice cubes in it, place a large 1 1/2 ltr vessel in it (as soya cream rises well in a large bowl) pour the soya cream in the 1 1/2 ltr vessel , add the icing sugar and whisk till the cream rises and makes hard peaks. add in the mint flavour and the green colour. mix well. adjust sugar and mint flavour as per your taste and chill the cream for 1 hour.
14. to assemble the cake take a large platter place the first layer of the cake on it and soak it with 2tbsp sugar syrup. spread 12tbsp of mint cream on it. now place the next layer and repeat the same.
15. now place the third layer cake and soak it with the sugar syrup. spread 12tbsp of chocolate sauce on this layer. now place the fourth layer, repeat the sugar syrup and mint cream. continue till all layers are placed.
16. cover the entire cake with the remaining mint cream and decorate with the chocolate sauce.
17. i made feather pattern with the chocolate sauce you can have fun with your imaginations.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!