Chocolate Coconut Cinnamon Cookies

Whenever I am upset or in a foul mood, I eat chocolate and it makes me happy and when I am happy, I make a chocolate dish :-) It's something like a virtuous circle.

After a long wait and struggle and putting in a lot of effort, a problem I had been facing for some time now saw a ray of sunshine and it definitely makes me ecstatic. I wanted to share my joy with you all and baked these flavourful, scrumptious cookies. They are awfully easy to bake and taste simply great.

The smell that emanates from the oven, still wafting through the apartment, as I am writing with a big smile on my face now :-) Go and indulge in some happiness!

Ingredients

1/2 cup - all purpose flour (maida)

1/8 tsp - baking powder

a generous pinch of bicarbonate of soda

a pinch of salt

1 tbsp - dessicated coconut

1/2 tbsp - dark cocoa powder

a generous pinch of cinnamon powder

handful of dark chocolate chips

3 tbsp - sugar

4 tbsp - sunflower oil

1/8 cup - low fat milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a baking tray with a baking paper.
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, mix together the oil and milk.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Do not overmix.
5. Scoop up 1 tbsp of the mixture and shape into balls. Place them on the lined tray, spread well apart, and flatten them slightly.
6. Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake for approx 12-13 minutes.
7. Leave to cool in the baking tray for a couple of minutes minutes, then transfer the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Bhapa Doi: Traditional Bengali Dessert in 2 exotic flavours: Masala Chai and Chocolate Orange

Bhapa Doi is a very traditional Bengali delicacy, and means, literally translated, steamed yogurt. Also known as Indian cheesecake due to its texture and taste. 

Though I have spent a good number of years in Kolkata and have tasted a load of Bengali sweets, I must admit that I had never tasted Bhapa Doi. I have seen this recipe on a number of blogs but seeing this recipe at Jyoti's blog actually rang a bell. I wondered why haven't I tried out this recipe yet. The simplicity of this Bengal delicacy is it's highlight.

I have (matter of bad habit) played with the recipe a little and tried out 2 new flavours to the steamed yogurt. One of course has to be my all time favourite Chocolate and this time around I have combined it with orange and almonds. And, the second flavour is Chai Masala (Indian Tea spice powder).

This one is especially for my dear sister - enjoy, and go out and get a bowl from the neighborhood sweet shop!

Ingredients

160 grams - sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup - greek yogurt 10% fat

1/2 cup - milk

30 grams - dark orange almond chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 tsp - zest of an orange + to garnish

1/2 tbsp - blanched almond slivers, roasted, to garnish

1/8 tsp  - cardamom powder

1/8 tsp - clove powder

1/8 tsp - dried ginger powder (saunth)

1/8 tsp - cinnamon powder

a generous pinch of nutmeg powder

a generous pinch of balck pepper powder

a couple of cinnamon sticks, green cardamom and cloves to garnish (optional)

a couple of fresh orange pieces to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C
2. Mix the yogurt, milk and condensed milk together until smooth.Divide it equally into bowls.
3. Add the melted and cooled chocolate and orange zest into one bowl and mix well. Fill this mixture into 2 oven proof bowls/ramekins.
4. Add the powdered spices to the another bowl and mix well. I sieved the mixture and filled it into 2 oven proof bowls/ramekins.
5. Place the bowls/ramekins in a large baking tray. Fill the tray with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins or dish.Place the tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 35 minutes.(If you are using a large baking dish, it may take longer)
6. I switched off the oven after 35 minutes and left the yogurt in the oven until the oven was cool. Take the bowls out of the oven and cool to room temperature and then let it chill in the fridge. 
7. Garnish the chocolate yogurt with fresh orange pieces, orange rind and roasted almond slivers and the Chai Yogurt with the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and cloves and serve.

Note

1. Do not cover the bowls/ramekins/baking dish while baking the yogurt.
2. Traditionally this yogurt is steamed. One can also steam it in a double boiler or a pressure cooker. 
3. Instead of greek yogurt one can also use thick yogurt or, traditionally, hung plain yogurt.
4. Of course, one can add any flavour to this yogurt- fruits, exotic spices, coffee... it's upto your imagination. 

Serves - 4

Cheers!

Baked Malpua

It's been quite a while that I updated a recipe. Of late I have been a little less inspired and just did not feel like myself. Hence, this space of mine has been neglected.

A big warm hug and thank you to all of you for your love and mails. I will try and post more regularly. 

As you all know, both my hubby and I are dessert people. We follow the motto: "Never say no to sweets". And, I often try out new desserts, sweets, cakes etc... Today, I am posting a baked version of a very famous Indian sweet, "Malpua", a rich soft fried pancake with rich saffron flavours. 


My hubby had the first bite and he said, " Mmm malpua... and that too baked...awesome." That was sheer music to my ears and I thought I better share this with my friends. I hope you like it as much as we did.


Ingredients

1 cup - whole wheat flour
5 tbsp - muscovado sugar
1 tsp - cardamom powder
1/4 cup - low fat milk
1/2 cup - low fat buttermilk
1/2 tsp - baking powder
1/4 tsp - bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsp - sunflower oila pinch of salt


Sugar syrup
I forgot to write down the exact measurements for the sugar syrup. We need just enough to drizzle over the baked malpua that it becomes moist.

For garnishing

1 tbsp -edible gum resin (gond)
1 tbsp - clarified butter (ghee)
6 pieces - almonds, chopped roughly
1 tbsp - blanched pistachio, finely chopped
saffron strands

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and grease a bun tray.
2. In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix.
3. In another bowl, add the milk, buttermilk and oil and mix.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and tip in the liquid mix and mix lightly.
5. Spoon the batter into the greased bun tray and place the tray in the centre of the preheated oven.
6. Bake for approx 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let the malpua cool in the tray for a couple of minutes. Take out the malpua out of the tray, invert them and prick the top with a fork. Drizzle the sugar syrup over the top and press gently. 
8. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan on a medium heat, add the gond and stirring continously fry the gond. They will fluff up really quickly and will be of almost double the size. Remove them with the help of a spoon. Make sure you do not burn them. Keep aside on a plate
9. Place some gond on top of the malpua along with chopped pistachio, almonds and saffron strands. Serve immediately. 

They taste the best when warm.

Cheers!

Hearty Korean Platter!

I first tasted korean fare at a friend's place. She tried some recipes from a korean recipe book. After having that lunch that day, I was so inspired by the korean cuisine that I immediately noted down the recipes. I have made the dishes a number of times now, and finally get to post it at my favourite place. 

I made a few changes to the original recipes to suit my taste buds and according to the ingredients available here in Munich. The extensive use of sesame, garlic and soya sauce obviously adds a great flavour to the dishes. I haven't used any salt in the dishes, as the salty taste of soya sauce is just perfect.

Hobak Chon (Rice wrapped in Salad leaves)

original recipe calls for pumpkin leaves but I used Savoy cabbage, one can also use chinakohl or pak choi.

1/2 cup - cooked rice
savoy cabbage 1 cup - mixed herbs, finely chopped (I used dill, parsley and chives)
1 tbsp - finely chopped onions
2 1/2 tbsp - sesame oil
1 tsp - sesame seeds roasted
2 -3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp - soya sauce (I used light soya sauce)
1 - green chili, finely chopped

Method

1. Wash the savoy cabbage. Cut into long, broad stripes (5-6 cm broad, 15-20 cm long). Slightly blanch the cabbage stripes and pat dry the leaves with a kitchen towel or in a salad spinner. 
2. Mix together the finely chopped herbs, onions, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, green chili and soya sauce. Keep aside.

Sambal Oelek Paste

For this chili paste I used sambal oelek but one can also make the sauce with pureed fresh red chillies. 

2 tsp - sesame oil
1 tsp - roasted sesame seeds
2 tsp - honey
4 tsp - light soya sauce
2 big cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp - sambal oelek

Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Keep aside.

Kong Chorim (Buttered Beans)


130 grams - french beans
a blob of butter
3/4 tsp - roasted sesame seeds
5-10 pieces - whole black pepper
1 tsp - light soya sauce

1. Wash the beans and chop off the tops and the tails. Blanch for 3 minutes. Drain the water. 
2. Heat a non stick pan, add the butter and the black pepper. Add the blanched beans and cover the lid. Cook for approx 10 minutes, or until the beans are soft. Do not forget to stir the beans occasionally. 
3. Sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds before serving. 

Oyi Seng Tshe ( Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad)
I used zucchini instead of cucumber.

1 - zucchini, very thinly sliced
1 - green chili, finely chopped
1 tbsp - sesame oil
1 tbsp - roasted sesame seeds
2 big cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp - light soya sauce
1 tbsp - coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp - dill, finely chopped
a pinch of salt
pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

Place all the prepared dishes on the table. Take the savoy cabbage strip, place some rice in the centre of the cabbage strip. Add the Sambal oelek paste (according to your taste) on the rice and top it up with some mixed herbs. Roll the salad leaf from both the ends and enjoy this with the buttered beans and Zucchini salad.

It's hearty fare indeed. Both my hubby and I, enjoyed the meal on a beautiful sunny spring afternoon. And, yes, we ended up the meal with a cup of korean green tea ( a gift by the same friend who introduced me to this cuisine)

Mashikeh- mogoseyo - that's Korean for "enjoy your meal"!

Almond Saffron Drink/Badam Kesar ka Sharbat

With Holi, the indian festival of colours just round the corner, I thought about making Thandai - but after pondering over it for a while, I thought I should do something different this year for Holi. So the next idea was to make this rich almond-saffron drink or badam-kesar ka sharbat.

As the name suggests, the star ingredients of this drink are almonds and saffron. I like to use saffron very generously (I am a bit of a Saffron afficionado), but of course you can reduce the quantity of saffron if you are not fond of an intense saffron aroma.

The shelf life of this syrup at room temperature is around a month, if you live in a warm country then I would suggest to put the syrup in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

100 grams - almonds, soaked overnight

1170 grams - sugar

1 1/2 cup - water + to make almond milk

3/4 tsp - cardamom powder

1/2 gram - saffron 

1 tsp + 1/2 tsp - rose water

Method

1. Blanch the almonds. Grind the blanched almonds using some water. Sieve/press through a muslin cloth and extract the liquid and keep aside. Do not throw the leftover/residue.
2. Put the residue back into the mixer and grind using little water and sieve/press again. Repeat this process one more time.
3. Soak the saffron in 1/2 tsp of rose water and keep for half an hour.
4. Add the suagr and 1 1/2 cup of water in a deep vessel and cook on high flame, until the sugar dissolves. Remove the dirt if any with the help of a spoon. 
5. Add the almond milk and let it come to a boil(be careful as it will splutter a lot) Reduce the heat to medium and cook for approx 3-4 minutes. Remove the vessel from the heat.
6. After 5-7 minutes, add the soaked saffron, cardamom powder and 1 tsp of rose water and mix. Cover the vessel and let it cool.
7. Store in glass jars when completely cool.
8. To serve: Add 2 tsp of sharbat or according to your taste (if you want it sweeter or less sweet), to 250 ml of chilled milk. Give it a whiz in the blender and serve. Alternately, whiz 2 tsp of sharbat, a little vanilla icecream and some soda in a blender and serve immediately. Tastes simply awesome.

Note

If you notice sugar crystals in the sugar syrup, first transfer the non crystallised part into another glass jar and than add a little hot water to the remaining syrup. Let it cool completely before storing in a glass jar.

Enjoy!