Spicy Salsa Red Bean Soup #SoupSwappers

Soups can either be kind or kindling, and this one is of the latter style!  This spicy soup is a combination of red beans and Mexican spicy salsa sauce with freshly chopped tomatoes makes the soup super tangy and also gives  a good mouth-feel. 

For Soup Swappers this month our Host  Karen H Kerr, choose Mexican Soup.  Thank you Karen for hosting this month's event.
Serves 3

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Boiled Red Beans (Rajma bean)
2 Teaspoons Olive oil
2 Cloves  Garlic  - minced

1 Onion  -  finely chopped
1 Large Tomato -  finely chopped
1/2 Cup Salsa Sauce
1/4 Cup Tomato Ketchup
2 Cups Basic Chicken Stock

1/4 Teaspoon Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon Chilly flakes
Salt to taste

For the garnish

2 tbsp finely chopped Parsley
2 tbsp grated mozzarella cheese (optional) 

Method

Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the garlic and  onion  and saute on a medium flame for a minute.   Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, oregano and tomato ketchup, salsa sauce mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then add the rajma, stock and salt, mix well and bring to rolling boil,  stirring occasionally. Simmer for 2 minutes and take off flame.   Serve hot garnished with parsley, cheese and Air Fryer Nachos.

Labels: Soup, Rajma Beans, Mexican, Salsa Sauce, Soup Swappers

An InLinkz Link-up

Irish Shrimp Toast #FishFridayFoodie

This is a perfect little Irish appetizer or party fare. I have used fresh shrimps for this recipe and it turned out juicy, delicious and yummy. Was apprehensive to use liqueur in the spread, but when I tasted it after adding the liqueur it tasted even more awesome, the liqueur adds a touch of sweetness to it. To serve it as a party appetizer toast the slices of bread in advance, prepare the Shrimp Cheese Spread and refrigerate it. Spread it on the bread just before serving. I made 12 toast with the quantity of spread, can double or triple it for a party.

Makes 12 toasts

Ingredients 
4 Tablespoons Heaped Cream Cheese- at room temperature
100 Grams Boiled Shrimps - finely chopped

12 Whole Medium Boiled Shrimps  

1/4 Cup Mayonnaise - homemade
1 Tablespoon Liqueur
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon  Parsley - finely chopped
6 Bread Slices 

1 Fresh Red Chilly or to taste - minced

Method

Preheat the broiler at 250 Degrees C.

To Make the Shrimp Cheese Spread

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, chopped shrimp, mayonnaise, liqueur, lemon juice, parsley and red chilly to taste. Stir until smooth.

Cut the sides of the bread 

arrange the slices them on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler,  for 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly toasted.

Spread one side of each slice with the shrimp spread,  

add the whole shrimp in the center, a small piece of red chilly and parsley leaf. 

Place the tray in the broiler for 2 minute or until the mixture bubbles and browns.  

Serve immediately.

Sending this to Fish Friday Foodies our Host for the month is Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez, who choose the theme Irish Fish / Seafood recipes since today St. Patrick's day is celebrated.  Thank you Heather for hosting this month's event.

Lables : Baked, Continental Cuisine, Fish Friday, Ireland, Seafood/Fish, Shrimp, Snacks, Chutneys & Dips

An InLinkz Link-up

Jasmine Tea Savarin #BundtBakers

A savarin cake is an yeasted cake. Our host Felice Geoghegan , choose the theme "Bundts with yeast as the leavening agent". When I seen this theme was very happy since I, always wanted to make a savarin cake. I gave this a twist by making it with Jasmine tea. Thought that this cake will have a strong jasmine flavor, but, that was not so.

Joined the group of bundt bakers this month, thanks you friends for welcoming me into this group.  This is my first post and enjoyed trying out  this yeasted cake or else would not have ventured baking this cake.  It's a must try cake and is excellent to serve as a dessert. 

Ingredients

100 Ml Milk
1 Teaspoon Jasmine Tea
7 Grams Instant Yeast

1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/4 Teaspoon Baking powder
150 Grams All Purpose Flour
2 Eggs
50 Grams Butter - room temperature
1/2  Teaspoon Salt
For the Syrup
200ml  Water

1 Teaspoon Jasmine Tea
1/2 Cup  Granulated Sugar

Method

Boil the milk, add the jasmine tea  and let it rest covered till it comes to room temperature. 

In a large bowl ( I used the food processor) add the milk, yeast, sugar , eggs and essence, whisk for a minute or two. Then add the flour, a tablespoon at a time and whisk till all the flour is incorporated and forms a smooth batter.  Then  add the  butter and continue whisking  until it is all incorporated and you have a wet, glossy dough. Carry on beating for about two minutes. 

Cover the bowl with cling film. Leave to rise  till it doubles. Left it in food processor bowl since I, did not want to waste any batter by pouring it into a another bowl.

Oil an  8 inch savarin mould well and dust it flour , keep aside.

When the cake dough doubles , stir the dough to knock out the air bubbles and spoon it into the mould.

In the meantime preheat the oven to 200C.

Leave the savarin in a draught-free spot to prove. 

When it has doubled in size, bake for 25 minutes until puffed, crisp,  golden on the surface and as you can see it has left the sides of the mould.

In the meantime while the savarin is baking let's prepare the  syrup.
Boil the jasmine tea and sugar,  till it comes to a a rolling boil, then mix it well when the sugar dissolves take off flame.  Then pass through a sieve and keep aside. 

When the  savarin  cools, then turn the  out onto a shallow serving dish.

Pour over the syrup. 

Decorate with the assorted fresh fruit.  Serve with crème fraîche, ice cream and  assorted fresh fruits.

See how light and spongy it is.. looks tempting na..

In the evening when my hubby went for his evening walk told him to get his favorite icecream.  He bought a pack of butterscotch icecream. 

  

I served this as a dessert with butterscotch ice cream and assorted fresh fruit.  This was a divine combination.

Labels : Cakes, Yeasted Cake, Savarin, Bundt Bakers, Continental Cuisine  

#BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. Co-Host: Felice; Host blog: All That’s Left Are The Crumbs (http://allthatsleftarethecrumbs.blogspot.com/) Co-Host: Wendy; Host blog: A Day in the Life on the Farm (http://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/) You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page. And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month: 
Bica Bundt Cake by Patty's Cake
Coconut Spice Mini Yeasted Bundts by Passion Kneaded
Cornish Saffron Cake by Food Lust People Love
Czech Poppyseed Crown Coffee Cake by The Queen of Scones
Guinness Bread Bundt Cake by I Love Bundt Cakes
Healthy Vegan Bundt Cake by Bizcocheando
Hot Cross Bundts by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
Irish Butter Cheesy Bread Bundt by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite A Whiskered Accomplice
Jasmine Tea Savarin by Sneha's Recipe
King's Bundt Cake by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Lemon and Blackberry Savarin by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Irish Soda Bread #BreadBakers

Since St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on Friday, March 17, our host Wendy Klik asked us to share our favorite Irish Bread recipes, sweet , savory, a rye or potato bread. I, decided to make a buttery Irish Soda Bread. 

This bread is  a delicate, since it's not yeasted, buttermilk is used to make this bread, it requires light kneading. This bread is lightly sweet and has a awesome taste of buttermilk. I,  slathered the slices of bread with butter and had it warm for breakfast and it was divine. 

Loved this bread. It's so quick and easy to make, will bake it often that's sure. Thank you Wendy for choosing  this theme and hosting this month's event.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
2 Cups All Purpose Flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/2 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Heaped or 25 Grams Cold Butter - unsalted
1/4 Teaspoon Level Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Level Cream of Tartar
1 Teaspoon Level Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup  Buttermilk * recipe below

Method

Take wide and large bowl, grate the butter into the flour, add salt and lightly mix it with you finger tips till it represents bread crumbs. Keep this bowl in the refrigerator to cool. 

In the meantime, 

Preheat the oven for 15 minutes at 250 degree C.

Line and grease the baking tray with oil and gather rest of the ingredients.

When the oven is preheated, now take the flour out of the refrigerator. Add the sugar, cream of tartar, baking soda and powder and lightly mix it. Make a well in the center and pour in most of the buttermilk, leaving about a tablespoon or two of butter milk. Using one hand with your fingers outstretched like a claw, bring the flour and liquid together, adding more buttermilk, if necessary. Don't knead the mixture, or it will become heavy and the bread will be dense. The dough should be soft, but not too wet and sticky.

When the dough comes together, turn it onto a floured work surface and bring it together a little more using both your hands. Pat the dough into a round and just wet you hands with the remaining buttermilk and moisten the top of the bread, then give  deep cut,  cross in it. Place it immediately on a baking sheet ( lined it with aluminium foil).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes ( depending on the oven). After 25 minutes turn down the temperature 200 degrees C and bake for 5 minutes. After this turn the bread upside down and bake for 5 minutes more. When done, tap  the bread  will sound slightly hollow and  the bottom will be golden in color. Cool the bread,  when it's lightly warm slice it, butter it and enjoy.   Yum...

My Notes:

While measuring the baking powder, soda and cream of tartar, level the teaspoon by cutting it with you finger, this is very important. 

The flour and butter should cold. 

Buttermilk is a must in this recipe and can’t be left out. The main reason is the buttermilk chemically reacts with the baking powder and soda to make the bread rise. Do not keep the bread on the counter and then preheat the oven, the bread will fall while baking since the baking powder and soda starts reacting immediately when it meets liquid. 

For a beautiful, crispy crust do not open the door while baking. However, tempting it is, or else, you will not have a light and a thick crust bread.

How to Make Buttermilk
Ingredients
1 Cup Milk
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar or Lemon Juice

Method 

If the milk is from the refrigerator then warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds only (The milk that I used was from the refrigerator).  Take it out from the microwave and then add the vinegar or lemon juice.  Lightly stir the milk  and keep it aside for 10 minutes. Buttermilk is ready.  

Labels : Breads, Ireland, Soda Bread, Bread Bakers, Non-yeasted, Buttermilk

Check out the Irish Breads that our fellow #BreadBakers have baked this month
Apple, Beer, and Cheddar Soda Bread by A Baker's House
Blaa by Sara's Tasty Buds
Caraway Rye Soda Bread by A Salad For All Seasons
Carrot and Dillisk Bread by A Shaggy Dough Story
Cheddar and Herbs Soda Bread by Ambrosia
Currant Drop Scones by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Egg Free Irish Raisin Tea Scones by Gayathri's Cook Spot
Four leaf Clover Rolls by Cook's Hideout
Guinness Bread Rolls by The Bread She Bakes
Guinness Buckwheat Bread by Baking Sense
Irish Amber Ale Pretzels by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Irish Barmbrack by The Schizo Chef
Irish Freckle Bread by Mayuri's Jikoni
Irish Freckle Bread by Passion Kneaded
Irish Multigrain Bread by What Smells So Good?
Irish Soda Bread by Herbivore Cucina
Irish Soda Bread by Sneha's Recipe
Irish Soda Bread Scones by Spill the Spices
Irish Soda Buttermilk Bread by Sizzling Tastebuds
Oat and Potato Bread by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Potato Clover Leaf Rolls by Spiceroots
Soda Bread Farls by Food Lust People Love
Soft Wheat Irish Soda Scones with Raisins (Spotted Dog) by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Super Easy Potato Roll Recipe by Hostess At Heart
#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 #BreadBakers home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Phyllo Pastry Sheets - Homemade

Phyllo is the dough used in a variety of Greek and Middle Eastern sweet and savory dishes, appetizers and snacks to main dishes and desserts.  One of the most famous sweet treats made with this dough is Baklava.

Phyllo prounouncation is "Fillo", which is not available in India, hence,  have freshly made phyllo dough. Let's make these pastry sheets .

Ingredients

2.1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon White Vinegar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons  Olive oil
Water as required to make a soft dough
Flour for dusting

Method 

Place the flour, white vinegar, olive oil, and mix well  till it's distributed in the flour. Slowly pour in the water into the flour and knead to a soft dough.  Place this dough in an well oiled container and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour at least. 

The should be soft and stretchy like the above pic. 

After an hour take the dough out from the refrigerator and turn the dough out onto your work surface  and divide it into 5  to 10 equal balls, according to the size of your baking pan.

Working with one piece at a time, roll  the dough, 

flouring the work surface well, roll it to a round and  paper-thin  disc. Cover it with a damp tea towel and continue rolling the remaining dough.  

Even if the sheets tear as you are rolling do not worry, as these are covered with many layers.

I make this pastry sheets fresh whenever required since its so easy and quick to make.
Check this  recipe with this sheets. 
Iraqi Parda Plau - Phyllo Pastry Wrapped Biryani

Labels : Homemade, Phyllo pastry, Middle Eastern, Continental Cuisine