Hot Cross Buns#BreadBakers

These Hot Cross Buns were perfect and delicious.   They were on my to do list for a long time.  At last I, made  six buns and in my house, the aroma / smell  as they were  baking was soooo good . 

Makes 6  buns
Ingredients
For the Buns
300 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Sachet Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Heaped Caster Sugar
 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg½ Teaspoon Salt
¾ Cup Warm Milk or as required
30 Grams Unsalted Butter - softened
1 Egg - lightly beaten 

1 Teaspoon Orange zest
20 Grams Candied Mixed Peel
30 Grams Golden raisins or Currants
For the Egg Wash 
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon Milk
For Crosses
50 grams All purpose flour
1 Teaspoon Caster Sugar
50+ -  Ml Water

Method 

In the  food processor combine the flour, yeast, sugar  and salt. Add the milk, butter, egg, and mix.  Knead the dough until it is silky smooth and elastic.

Now take the dough on to the work surface add the candied peel,currants, and 

knead till incorporated and then add spices,orange zest. 

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough once, so the top is lightly greased. 

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size.

Deflate the dough, divide into 6 equal pieces.  

Form each piece into a round ball and place on a oiled baking tray until they double in size. 

Make an egg wash of the beaten egg with  milk and with a pastry brush, brush the tops and sides of the buns.

For the crosses

Whisk the flour and sugar with enough water until it is of piping consistency. Place in a piping bag, fitted with a small plain tip ( I added a litter more water and the batter became runny )  pipe crosses on each bun.

Bake them in a preheat oven to  200°C about  18 - 20 minutes, or until the buns are nicely browned. 

Brush them with butter and place on a wire rack to cool completely .

These came out lovely, soft and delicious.

Labels : Breads, Easter Breads, Bread Bakers, Candied Fruits, Golden Raisins, Black Currants 
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the Bread Bakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla has selected Easter breads from around the world as our theme.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread) by Making Miracles
Easy Glazed Baked Donuts by Shockingly Delicious
Folar da Páscoa, a Less-Than-Traditional Version by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
German Osterbrot Easter Bread by Ambrosia
Hot Cross Buns by Sneha's Recipe
Polish Babka by A Messy Kitchen
Kalach (Hungarian Easter Bread) by Passion Kneaded
Kozunak (Bulgarian Easter Bread) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Russian Kulich - Easter Bread by Food Lust People Love
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Sourdough Ukrainian Paska by Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Rosemary & Garlic Baked Potato With Sour Cream#BakingBlogger

Potato is a star ingredient, it can be eaten boiled, mashed, fried, baked and there is no one in this whole wide world who doesn't like potatoes. This is a such a comfort food. 

Serves 2
Ingredient
2 Large Potatoes
4 Cloves Garlic - thinly sliced
Olive Oil to smear on potatoes
2 Tablespoons Butter
100 Grams Fresh Cream + Salt + Chili Flakes
Fresh Rosemary
Black Pepper  powder
Grated Parmesan
Dollop of Sour Cream
Method 

Scrub the potato and cut the potato in slices. 

Slice the garlic and insert into the every slices of potato

Smear the potato with olive oil.

 Spread butter over the potato

 In a add the sour cream with rosemary, salt and chilli flakes. mix well,  pour this into potatoes. 

Spread pinch of pepper and grate some Parmesan cheese. 

Bake it in , 220°C preheated oven and bake for 55 -60 minutes. 

 Enjoy!!

Labels : Potato, Baked, Baking Bloggers, Vegetarian, Vegetable, Starters, Sour Cream, Rosemary, Garlic, Gluten Free  

Baking Bloggers

April 2020: Herbs

• • Baked Spaghetti with Sausage and Meatballs from Palatable Pastime
  • Ham & Cheddar Parsley Biscuits from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
  • Ham and Herbed Potatoes Au Gratin from Making Miracles
  • Herb Roasted Chickpeas from Cook with Renu
  • Herbed Chicken with Charred Romaine Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • No Knead Herb Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Oven-Braised Rabbit with Herbed Dumplings from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  • Quiche Lorraine with Herbs from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
  • Sage and Caramelized Onion Sourdough Bread from Caroline's Cooking
  • Rosemary & Garlic Baked Potato With Sour Cream from Sneha's Recipe
  • Tomato Salad Topped Baked Spinach Frittata from Food Lust People Love

Chicken Masala In Coconut Gravy

Made this for a dinner party. This is so delicious the aroma roasted spices and coconut come together so well, its a delicious curry goes well with rotis, naan, or even steamed rice or pulao.

Ingredients 

2 Kgs Chicken - cut into medium pieces
6 Medium Onions - thinly sliced
3/4 Cup Packed Grated Fresh Coconut
2 Tablespoons Ginger Paste
2 Tablespoons Garlic Paste
3 Teaspoons Turmeric powder
4 Teaspoons Red Chilly powder or per your spice tolerance
600 Grams Fresh Yogurt
To Dry Roast Each Separately 

2 Bay leaves
4 Teaspoons Level Coriander seeds
2 Teaspoons Level Cumin seeds
2 Teaspoons Level Fennel seeds/Saunf
16 Green Cardamons/Elaichi
2 Badi Elaichi / Brown Cardamom
4 One Inch Stick Each Cinnamon
16 Cloves 

20 Whole Black Peppercorns  

2 Flowers Star Anise
1 Whole Flower Mace/Javitri
4 Teaspoons Sesame seeds
16 Nagkesar - see notes  
2 Small Pieces Dagad Phool/ Black Stone Flower
1 Cup Oil
2 Teaspoons Salt or according to your taste 

Method 

Marinate chicken in ginger garlic paste, half the quantity salt and turmeric for about 30 to 45 minutes.

 Dry roast given whole spices in a pan on sim, till fragrant. When cooled grind this to a fine powder. Remove and keep aside.

Lightly roast coconut in the same pan. Keep aside to cool.

Heat oil in a thick bottom kadai, add onions, fry on medium flame, till golden brown. Drain the onions well and remove with a slotted spoon. Keep this in a blender with the roasted coconut. 

Grind onions, and coconut with little water to a make fine paste. 

In the same pan that the onions were fried add more oil if necessary add marinated chicken pieces to the pan. Fry till chicken well and oil starts to leave the sides of the pan. Add chilly powder and fry for a 2 minutes or till oil separates. 

Add ground paste, spices and curd mix well, let this cook again till oil surfaces. 

Now add water depending on the consistency you want. Bring it to a rolling boil on high flame. 

Cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes, or till chicken is done. Transfer to a serving bowl. 

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fried potato wedges. 

Enjoy !! 

My Notes 

Many are confused on Nagkesar and Kabab Chini here are both the pics 

Kabab Chini is round has short tail 

 Nagkesar a little long and has a fine tail 

Labels : Chicken, Coconut, Main course

Poulet Yassa -Senegalese Style Chicken

Read so many recipes on the net, but in all, one thing was common, the large amount of onions, lemon and vinegar is used. No doubt the onions gives the dish a is delicious taste and lemon,vinegar helps some of the onions to melt. 

This recipe needs an overnight marination, but, I, kept it in the chiller tray for marination two days, since, next day had to take my husband for a complete check up at the hospital, had no time to cook the chicken yassa. But it tasted so good, its so simple to make and the sauce is so deliciously good, that you will definitely make this again. For lunch I had it with rice.

For dinner I, had yassa with air fryer sweet potatoes, whoops, forgot to take a pick. It tasted delicious with this combo too.

Ingredients 
300 Grams Chicken - I used 2 drumsticks and one breast
2 Red Jalapeno - de seeded & chopped
3 Medium Onions, roughly chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
1 Bay leaf
4  Big Cloves Garlic -  minced
1 Tablespoon. Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper 

 Salt  to taste
2 - 3 Tablespoons  Groundnut Oil or Vegetable oil

Method 

Combine all of the ingredients except for the oil and bay leaf, in a large zip-close bag and  rub the the marination on the chicken well.  Keep this in the  refrigerator  overnight. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag, but save the marinade. 
Heat a large  pan  heat oil ( I used groundnut oil) over medium-high heat and sauté chicken  till it changes color from pink to white and start to brown lightly.  Remove and set aside on a plate. 

Use a slotted spoon to scoop the onions out of the marinade bag, add to the same pan with a another tablespoon of oil and bay leaf,  cook for 4 - 5 minutes or until the onions start to change color. Add the remaining marinade and 1/2 cup water  bring to a  rolling boil.  Cover and let it cook on medium low flame  for ten minutes stirring after every two  minutes.  Let this cook until it becomes a saucy (about 18 - 20 minutes). Now add  the chicken  to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice  or sweet potatoes.

Labels : Chicken, Senegalese, Curry, Eat the World, Gluten free 

!
Welcome to our April #EattheWorld project, being spearheaded by Evelyne of CulturEatz. Here's her challenge. This month she said, "This month our destination is Senegal, a nation with a rich history of traditional African culture and French influence."
Check out all the wonderful Senegalese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Café Touba (Senegalese Spiced Coffee) #eattheworld
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: The Kitchen Elves' Senegalese-Style Gumbo
Pandemonium Noshery: Poulet Yessa - Senegalese Chicken
CulturEatz: Senegalese Mango Chocolate Pound Cake
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Maafe
Making Miracles: Senegalese Poulet Yassa
Sneha’s Recipe: Poulet Yassa -Senegalese Style Chicken
Dinner By Dennis: Fataya (Deep Fried Senegalese Street Food)
Kitchen Frau: Mafé (Senegalese Beef & Peanut Stew)
The Schizo Chef: Senegalese Sweet Potato Shrimp Fritters

Falafel Layered Salad & A Bhatura Sandwich -A Combo Post#Improv

This an exotic meatless , a complete and delicious meal which is healthy too. Have vegetarian guests then make this super meal which will make them ask for more for sure. Falafel is a Middle Eastern starter but,  is also a favorite street food here in Mumbai.

For the Falafel

Ingredients
1 Cups Dried Chickpeas 
½ Cup Chopped  Coriander Leaves
1 Tablespoon  Chopped Parsley
3 Cloves Garlic - minced
1  Medium Onion - finely chopped
Salt & Black pepper powder to taste
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
½ Teaspoon  Chopped Green Chilly 
½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
½ Tablespoon Coriander powder
2 Tablespoons Fresh Breadcrumbs
A Pinch Baking soda
Oil for deep frying

Method 
Wash and soak the chickpeas in water and let soak for at least 6 hours. 
 Drain the water and wash them once again.

Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor and chop until you get a fine crumbly texture. Add the coriander, parsley, garlic cloves, onion and green chili and pulse the food processor till well mixed.  Add in salt, peppers, coriander and cumin powder,  breadcrumbs and mix well. Take this out into a big bowl and mix it with you hand well. Keep aside
In the meantime heat the oil for deep frying and set the heat to medium.

Now add in the baking soda to the chickpea mixture and mix it well.  Shape into round balls or ovals using two spoons or a falafel maker.  I made oval and round shape Falafels.
Fry the falafels in it until browned and crispy from outside. Take out on a kitchen paper to drain the excess oil.

For The Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 Cup Fresh Yogurt - beaten
2 Tablespoons  Tahini paste - Homemade
Salt & Black pepper to taste
Chopped Parsely  for  garnishing

1/2 Teaspoon Lemon juice

Method

Mix all the ingredients and make a paste. Your dip/sauce is ready! Chill it in the refrigerator till we get all other ingredients ready.

For the Salad

1 Small Onion - finely chopped 
½ Cup  Finley Shredded Purple Cabbage
½ Cup  Finely Shredded Lettuce Leaves
½ Cup   Grated Carrots
1 Medium Tomato - de seeded & cut into strips
Salt to taste
A drizzle of Lemon Juice
 Method 
For Assembling / Serving  Into Glass Verrines 

Layer the vegetables on top of each other in a clear glass. Season with salt and  black pepper powder. Just a drizzle of lemon juice. Pour a tablespoon of Tahini  Yogurt Sauce on top. 

In a wooden skewer pierce two oval falafels and place it on the glass. 

Serve the cold salad with crispy warm falafels.

For the Yeasted Bhatura Sandwich

Slice the Yeasted Bhatura (but not till the end). Fill it with the salad. Season with salt and  black pepper powder. Just a drizzle of lemon juice.  Add two or three round falafels. Pour a tablespoon of Tahini  Yogurt Sauce on top.

Enjoy!!  These Falafels are a great sensation to the taste buds!!!

You can even serve these with toothpicks and at the side Tahini  Yogurt Sauce as a starter.

Labels : Yeasted, Bhatura, Sandwiches, Falafel, Middle Eastern, Chickpeas, Street food, Starters, Chutneys & Dips, Yogurt, Healthy, Improv Cooking Challenge, Vegan

Lemon and Lettuce

Improv Cooking Challenge

• • Greek Meatball Salad by Cookaholic Wife
  • Strawberry Cucumber Salad by Pandemonium Noshery
  • Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad by Making Miracles
  • Falafel Layered Salad & A Bhatura Sandwich - A Combo by Sneha's Recipe
  • Mixed Greens with Roasted Golden Beets and Lemon Vinaigrette by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon and Avocado by Palatable Pastime
  • Bitter Greens Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette by Culinary Adventures with Camilla