BASBOUSA - EGYPTIAN SEMOLINA CAKE #FOODIEEXTRAVAGANZA

Basbousa - Semolina Cake is a famous Egyptian and traditional Middle Eastern syrup soaked sweet cake. The cake itself is not too sweet but it is soaked with a sugar syrup, here I have reduced the sugar quantity and used honey.  This is a superb tea cake and will make an excellent dessert dish too.

Very simple and quick to make, with ingredients that are always available in the pantry.

Ingredients

100 Grams Butter
150 Grams Icing Sugar
1 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
2 Cups Fine Semolina
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Cup Yogurt
Skinned Almonds as required

For the Sugar Syrup
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice

Method

Sieve the icing sugar. 

Sieve the semolina and baking powder and baking soda together.


Beat the butter and icing sugar till light and fluffy,  then add an egg at a time beating it well before incorporating the next one.  Add the vanilla essence , keep adding the sieve semolina little by little simultaneously adding little yogurt too and continue beating till all the semolina and yogurt is incorporated. 

Pour it into a greased and  lined baking tray top just draw line lightly into squares or diamonds and then place each slice with almonds and bake at 180 degrees for 45 minutes. 

 
As the cake is being baked make the sugar syrup and mixing it together and keeping it on low flame till the sugar melts only. Take off flame and cool the syrup.

When the cake is out of the oven slice the cake in the tray itself. Pour  the hot cake. Keep it  to rest at least  for an hour then only remove the pieces from the tray. 

Have this cake as a dessert or like we had it with a hot cup of tea or coffee.... Enjoy...

Labels : Cakes, Semolina, Yogurt, Eygpt, Foodie Extravaganza Party

 

The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you. We take turns hosting and this month it's Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE. December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day and Lauren challenged us to bake with, cook with, or make a beverage with maple syrup. (For some international bloggers who can't find maple syrup, they'll be joining the fun with honey as a substitute.) And don't forget to check out all these other maply recipes:

Basbousa - Egyptian Semolina Cake from Sneha of Sneha's Recipe
Bangin' Breakfast Potatoes from Rebekah of Making Miracles
Gluten-Free Maple Chestnut Cookies from Caroline of Caroline's Cooking
Maple Pecan Bars from Nichole of Cookaholic Wife
Maple Sugar Cookies from Sue of Palatable Pastime
Maple Walnut Vinaigrette from Tara of Tara's Multicultural Table
Momiji Tempura from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Overnight French Toast Casserole from Elaine of Cookin and Craftin
Roasted Maple Glazed Carrots from Wendy of A Day in the Life of the Farm
Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast from Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook
The Back Forty Cocktail from Stacy of Food Lust People Love

GUAVA CHEESE - CHRISTMAS SWEET

Guava cheese is a sweet prepared by Christians for Christmas. It's very easy and has a long shelf life. Tastes cheesy and soft, melt in the mouth sweet this is. Do give it a try.   This sweet has no flour or eggs, completely vegetarian, vegan, gluten free.

Ingredients 

4 Cups Guava Pulp ( 1.1/2 Kg Ripe Big Guavas)
5 Cups Tea Sugar
Juice of 3 Big Lemons
2 Tablespoons Ghee
Few drops of Pink or Red color

Method

Wash the guavas and cut them in halves, place it in a container and steam them in a pressure cooker (like you steam rice) on high for one whistle then reduce the flame and keep it for 10 minutes ( taking care that no water enters the container).

Cool the guavas completely then take a spoon and scoop out the seeds and keep aside, taking care that no seeds remain in the outer covering. 

Take the seeds pulp in a fine strainer and remove the pulp as much as possible.

Take the outer cover and chop it into small pieces and grind it to a fine paste without adding any water.

Measure the pulp and the ground paste in a cup or a bowl. Take the same bowl and measure the sugar ( sugar is one cup extra than the pulp). 

Place the sugar, guava pulp and lime juice in a heavy bottom base kadai and place on fire on medium low flame stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.

While stirring take care to stay far away as it splutters. Keep stirring continuously, this take around 45 minutes to an hour. When the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides add the ghee and color, continue stirring till forms a ball in the center. Take it our into a greased tray and spread it. Cool completely and cut into squares.  Store in airtight containers.

This stays good for 3 months in a cool dry place. 

I make this sweet of 3 to 4 kgs guavas and send them for my friends and relatives abroad.

Labels :  Festival Sweets, Gluten free, Guava, Lime Juice, Sugar, Vegan, Vegetarian, Christmas Sweet, East Indian

Vangi Bath Masala - Homemade

This is a recipe from South India - Karnataka - " Vangi Bath Masala " . This spice blend is so flavorful and fragrant, easy to make and a versatile masala, can use this to make other masala bath with the veggies you like. This masala has no preservative or  added color.

When I was making this masala my friend visited me, so I gave her half of this masala. When she made the Vangi Bath with this masala, she called me and thanked me for she loved it.

Try to this authentic and flavorful masala  and you too  will love it.

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Chana dal
1/4 Cup Urad dal
12 Bedki Red chillies or Adjust according to your taste
1 Tablespoons Heaped Coriander seeds
1 Tablespoon Heaped Poppy seeds
1 Tablespoon Heaped Dry Coconut grated or 8 - 10 slices
1 Stick Cinnamon
6 Cloves
1 Cardamon
A Sprig Curry Leaves

Method

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and fry each of these ingredients - chana dal, urad dal, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, dry coconut, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, curry leaves and red chillies,  separately on low flame until they release an aroma and  turn red.  Remove from pan and keep aside.

Once they  cool down, grind all the ingredients into a fine powder.  Ta daa.. Vangi Bath Masala is ready . 

Store the powder in an air tight container and use it for making Vangi Bath or any other masale bath / rice with the vegetable of your choice.

This is so easy ?  Isn't it ?  Look out for my next post ..  Vangi Bath / Brinjal Rice !

Labels : Homemade, Masalas, Karnataka, South Indian

Chicken Fries

Chicken Fries are perfect snack or starter , dip in any of your delicious dipping sauces and enjoy. These are the fries that you get in fast food outlets abroad, try them and you too will enjoy.

Ingredients
300 Grams Chicken Breast - hand made kheema
1 Large Potato
1 + 1 Egg
1/2 Teaspoon Heaped Freshly ground Black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Heaped Chilly Flakes
1 Teaspoon Salt
A Juice of Big Lemon - about 2 tablespoons
1/3 Cup Rice flour
1 Cup Dried Bread crumbs - for coating
1 Tablespoon Cornflour
Oil for frying

Method

Peel and grate the potato when all ingredients are ready, or else they will turn brown. If you have grated it earlier then submerge it in bowl of water. Drain the water and squeeze out the excess water, as much as possible.In a chopper place the chicken, potato, salt, pepper, chilly flakes, and chopperize to a fine paste. Remove this mixture in to bowl. 

Add an egg, lemon juice and rice flour, mix all well 

Till it forms a dough. 

Divide into marble size balls, roll each portion into fries. Keep aside.

Lightly beat the other egg with a teaspoon of water, keep aside.

Mix the cornflour and bread crumbs well, spread this in a plate keep aside.

Take each chicken fries dip it in egg and roll it in bread crumbs and arrange them in  a tray in a single layer.Heat oil in pan and deep fry in a single layer on low flame till crispy and golden. Do not touch them till they are fully done. Serve with chutney or a dipping of your choice.  

These nuts are addictive - that you can't stop eating at one or two...

These make excellent snack or starters for a party. They can be given as tiffin to your kids to who really enjoy these type of snacks.

My Notes

These will give you at least 2 dozen or more of fries. I froze half of them in the refrigerator. To freeze just spread it in a single layer on a tray and place this in the freezer. When harden keep them in a container . Whenever you want to fry, just take them out of the freezer and immediately fry them. (these are not be defrosted) in hot oil.

Labels : Chicken Mince, Starters, Kids delight, Chicken 

Eggless Banana Chocolate Cake

This cake is soft, moist and chocolaty. Quick and easy to make. Taste delicious. Made this for my hubby's birthday.

Ingredients
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Heaped Dark Cocoa powder
3/4 Cup Sugar powder
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
1 Ripe Banana - mashed
1/2 Cup Oil
1/4 Cup Warm milk

Method

Grease and line a 6.1/2 inch round pan. 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Sieve the  flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder thrice. 

In a another bowl whisk sugar, banana and oil till light and thick. Then add vanilla essence and whisk again. Fold in the flour little by little along with the milk till  well incorporated . Pour in greased pan. Bake in a preheated  oven at 180 degrees  for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool and enjoy with a cuppa of tea or coffee.

Labels : Cakes, Eggless, Banana, Kids delight