Chach- A Dessert Soup - East Indian#Soupswappers

What is Chach? That's a question many will be asking! This is an East Indian dessert soup which is made with sweet potatoes on Maundy Thursday. This is also called by many East Indians as Gorache. My mother made this every year on Maundy Thursday and we loved it. She made it without tapioca pearls, this is my addition to it. My hubby loves this Chach too. He had it as his meal, two bowls full. This dessert Soup is, no oil or butter, sugar free, vegan and gluten free too.
Make 3 Bowls
Ingredients

220 Grams Sweet Potatoes- cut into thick roundels
1/3 Cup Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls
180 Grams Jaggery - chopped
1 Medium Size Coconut - to make coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
A Pinch of Salt
Method
Wash the sabudana/tapioca pearls in water 2 times then soak it in water till an inch above the pearls. Keep this covered for at least an hour or two.
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and cut into medium thick pieces.
This should be the thickness or else they will melt when cooking. Soak them in water, keep aside.
Now let's make the Coconut Milk
Peel all the brown part of the coconut we require only the white meat, chop it into pieces
Then grate it in a blender jar.
Warm 4 cups of water.
In big blender jar add the grated coconut, add 250Ml warm water and run the blender for 2 minutes. 
Take this out into a fine muslin cloth and squeeze out all the coconut milk 
this makes the first thick extract. Keep this extract a side.
Again add the coconut from the muslin cloth into the blender jar 
add 250Ml warm water and again run the blender for 2 minutes.
Remove this into the muslin cloth and squeeze out all the coconut milk this makes the second extract, 
pour this into a airtight bottle . These are the two bottles (250Ml Each) that I filled and labeled thick and thin coconut milk.
If you require another thin extract you can do this process again by adding just a cup of water. After this you cannot extract any more coconut milk. Use can use how much you want and freeze the remaining coconut milk.

To Make the Chach
In a large pot/pan add the 2 cups thin extract of coconut milk , salt and the sweet potatoes slices. Place this on medium low flame and let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes or till nearly done, stirring once or twice in between. 
When the sweet potatoes are nearly done then add the tapioca pearls and give it a quick stir, let this cook again on medium low flame till done/ transparent and the sweet potatoes are fully cooked, do not make them mushy they should remain whole. 
Now add the jaggery and let it melt and comes to just a boil. Add the thick extract of coconut milk and give it stir, bring this to just a boil. 
Switch off the flame add the cardamom powder.
Serve into large bowls and enjoy warm!!
Labels : Dessert Soup, East Indian, Soup, Sweet Potato, Jaggery, Cardamom Powder, Healthy, No Oil Or Butter, Vegan, Gluten free, Soup Swappers, 
Homemade, Coconut Milk
For Soup Swappers April 2021, we asked to "Share a soup that provides a link to your ancestry". and our Host is Sidsel of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking. 

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African Tin Mackerel & Bell Peppers Stew#FishFriday

A very versatile recipe can use any vegetable of your choice. This so quick to make especially when you have a tiring day and your want something easy and tasty then this recipe is for you. You can substitute sardines in tomato sauce for the mackerel.
Ingredients
¼ Cup Oil
1 Medium Onion - sliced
2 Scallions/spring Onions - chopped
1 Small Tomato - sliced
1 Small Red Bell Pepper - sliced
1 Small Green Bell Pepper - sliced
1 Small Yellow Bell Pepper - sliced
3 Cloves Garlic - finely copped
1 Green Or Red Chilly - chopped
1 (425 Grams ) Can Mackerel In Tomato Sauce
½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, or to taste
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Method
In a pan heat the oil add the sliced onion and scallions sauté till the onions soften add the tomato, garlic and sauté till the tomato softens add the bell peppers and chilly, sauté for a minute or two, now add the salt, black pepper, chilly flakes and vinegar and sauté for 2 minutes. Empty in the can of mackerel, mix well lightly and reduce the flame to medium low. Let it simmer until heated for about 7 to 10 minutes.
Serve hot with boiled yams, plantains, potatoes or rice. 
Labels : Seafood/Fish, Tinned Mackerel, Colored Bell Peppers, African, Main Course, Fish Friday

This month, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories is hosting  Fish Friday Foodies' April 2021 event . She asked us to share a fish recipe from any country or region of Africa!  We are a group of seafood-loving bloggers, wherein we  share fish and seafood recipes on the third Friday of the month. 

Here's the April 2021 
recipes.

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Devil's Food Cake With Hard Icing#BundtBakers

This is Nigella's Lawson recipe. I have used the cake recipe and the icing is mine own. It's a hard icing that set immediately, you have to pour it on a cold cake immediately it set's immediately.

Ingredients
For The Bundt

50 Grams Cocoa powder
100 Grams Brown Sugar
250 ML Boiling Water
125 Grams Unsalted Butter
A Pinch of Salt
150 Grams Caster Sugar
225 Grams All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs - I used 3 Small Eggs
For the Hard Icing
200 Grams Icing sugar
30 ML Water
25 Grams Coco powder
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Grease a bundt pan with butter very well, then dust it cocoa powder.
Add the cocoa and brown sugar into a bowl and pour in the boiling water. Whisk to mix, then set aside.
Cream the butter and caster sugar together, beating well until pale and fluffy.
Then stir in the flour, baking powder and soda together in another bowl, and set aside.
Add the vanilla essence into the creamed butter and sugar – mixing – then drop in 1 egg, quickly followed by a scoopful of flour mixture, then the second egg.
Keep mixing and incorporate the rest of the dried ingredients for the cake, then finally mix and fold in the cocoa mixture, scraping its bowl well with a spatula.
Pour this batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake it in a preheated oven for about 55 -60 minutes( since mine was a tall bundt pan) or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Take the tins out and leave them on a wire rack for 5–10 minutes, before turning the cakes out to cool it completely.

For the Hard icing
Mix all ingredients well and then cook it on low flame till it becomes watery / flowy. 
Pour this into a piping bag and spread it on the cake. Leave it to set/ harden and then slice with a warm knife ( placed in hot water ).
Since our theme for this month event is "Blooming Bundt" I decorated the bundt with Bougainville flowers. 
Enjoy!!
Labels: Bundt, Bundt Bakers, Chocolate Cake, Hard Icing

BundtBakers
#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page

This month my Bundt Baker, our host is Camilla M. Mann of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, thank you for this wonderful theme. Check out the flavors from our Blooming Bundts below:

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Spelt Banana Bread#BreadBakers

Spelt is a special and ancient grain. Spelt is an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, several vitamins and dietary minerals. Since this flour is high in protein and low in gluten lends a slightly sweet and nutty flavor to the bread. This is a one bowl banana bread, just mix the dry ingredients to the wet  and bake.

Ingredients
3 Very Ripe/Blackened Bananas
175 Grams Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
125 Ml Buttermilk
25 Grams Honey
115Grams Salted Butter - melted and cooled
200 Grams Spelt Flour
1 Teaspoon Heaped Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Level Baking soda
Pearl Sugar for the topping/decoration - optional

Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line a loaf pan (11.5 x 20cm/8" x 4") with baking parchment or grease it well and keep aside.
In a large bowl, mash your ripe bananas with a fork. 
Add in the brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, honey and butter. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

In another small bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet.
Fold until the dry ingredients are just combined with the wet( do not over mix).  
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.   
Sprinkle the top with pearl sugar, if using.
Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the center of the bread. If it starts to brown too much, you can cover the top with foil.
Leave to cool in the bread pan, then turn out 
and slice to serve. 
Enjoy!
Labels: Breads, Bread Bakers, Spelt Flour, Banana, Gluten free, Healthy
#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 lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month the Bread Bakers are making Griddle Breads, a theme chosen by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm



And don’t forget to check out all the amazing Griddle breads baked by our talented bakers ~
Bread Baker's Event for April 2021- Theme Whole Grain Breads   

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Baked Pork Enchilada Salsa Verde Casserole#BakingBloggers

I wanted to make something easy, so instead of making traditional rolled enchiladas made these no fuss casserole. Made this quick dish where in I just threw everything into a casserole.
Assembling the pork enchilada casserole takes little effort, as I simply layered the pork and rest of ingredient one by one and baked it. To save time, I made the pork and the Salsa Verde two days in advance and refrigerated it. I made the Fried Corn Tortillas on the day when I wanted to bake it. If you want, this, can be assembled well , in advance, as it reheats quite well, can assure you this, since I, had leftovers and reheated it after two days and it tasted just as good as the freshly made one.

Servings 2 -3
Ingredients 

250 Grams Pork Mince
1 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
1½ Teaspoon Lime juice
½ Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
1 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil
Other Ingredients
Salsa Verde

4 Corn Tortillas - torn
1 Cup Shredded Provolone & Cheddar Cheese
1 Small Onion- diced
¼ Cup Chopped Coriander/Cilantro leaves
Sour cream, for serving
For the Fried Corn Tortillas
1 Cup = 250 Ml
Ingredients

1 Cup Maize Flour
¼ Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
1 Teaspoon Oil
125 Ml+ Water

Method
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pot/kadai, add minced  garlic and the pork mince, sauté till it changes color
add salt  and pepper powder , mix well
add ½ cup water. Bring the pot to a boil, and then turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for until the mince is cooked 
and all moisture nearly evaporated ( there should 2 - 3 tablespoons of liquid in the mince). 
Cool till it comes to room temperature add ½ cup of the Salsa Verde, lime juice and little coriander leaves . Taste for salt and spice, add more Salsa Verde if you want it more spicy. 

For the Fried Corn Tortillas
In a skillet, boil the water, add salt and oil. When it comes to a rolling boil add the maize flour and mix well with a spoon. Let it cook for a minute. Switch off the flame and cover it with a lid for 3 minutes. When it is still warm, knead this to soft dough, if required add a teaspoon of hot water while kneading. Knead it well into soft dough. Cover and keep it aside for just 5 minutes. 
Divide the dough into 5 equal balls. Roll each between a oiled plastic sheet in a tortilla press/puri maker. 
Cut it with a mould to make the edges smooth and tortilla the same size. 
Bake this in non stick skillet (See Notes) till it get brown spots on each side. 
Keep this on wire rack. Like wise make the rest of the corn tortillas. 
Wrap them in a towel and let them cool completely.
Heat up the vegetable oil on low heat in a small pan Use a pan that will fit the tortillas so that you can use a little to fry them).
Once the oil is hot add one tortilla at a time, and fry on medium flame till they are crisp. Keep aside to drain on a kitchen towel.
I even fried the broken tortilla pieces and used that to layer the casserole, since they are to broken into pieces.

To Assemble- Pork Enchilada Salsa Verde Casserole
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
In a casserole, place half of the broken tortillas in it, tearing in pieces to fill in any gaps. 
Evenly top the tortillas with half the pork, 
sprinkle half the diced onions ( I had 2 tablespoons of leftover red and green capsicum so used that too)
half the chopped coriander leaves, and and evenly spread the Salsa Verde
Then sprinkle the shredded cheese. 
Top that layer with remaining torn tortillas and then add the rest of the pork, 
the rest of the onions, capsicums, evenly spread the salsa,
sprinkle coriander leaves and then top evenly with the rest of the cheese.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the casserole is lightly browned and bubbling. Allow to rest for 10- 12 minutes before serving. 
Serve warm with sour cream and wafers.

My Notes

The pork and Salsa Verde can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated for 3 days.
I baked the first tortilla on my anodized tawa and it got stuck see pic, so use a non stick pan to bake the tortillas.
Labels: Pork, Salsa Verde , Mexico, Mexican, Baking Bloggers, Corn, Tortilla, Baked, Enchilada, Serves Two, Main course, Green Tomato, Breads  
Baking Bloggers (April 2021): Baking of Mexico

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