Apple Tart.

Apple tarts-Melt in the mouth short crust pastry, sweet and tangy apple filling, with a delicate hint of cinnamon makes these individual tarts delicious to savour.

Short Crust Pastry:

4 oz plain flour
2 oz butter at room temperature
Pinch salt
2-3 tablespoons cold water as needed to make dough .

1 teaspoon icing sugar for sprinkling.

Apple Filling:

2 braeburns apples peeled and cored.
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon apple sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl sieve the flour and salt.
2. Gently rub the butter into the flour to resemble bread crumbs.
3. Add a little water and make into dough.
4. Place the pastry dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees centigrade.

5. Slice the apples thinly and place in a glass dish. Add three tablespoons water and microwave on high for 4 minutes till apple slices are tender but retaining shape.
6. To the cooked apples add the apple sauce and sugar and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Microwave on high for 2 more minutes.
7. Remove from microwave and leave to this cool.
8. Remove chilled pastry from fridge, Place on cling film and cover with another layer of cling film. Roll out pastry to approx 5mm thick. (Cling film will stop pastry sticking and will make it easier to lift.
9. Remove top cling film and cut out 4 circles 2 inches bigger than your individual flan tins.
10. Lift off each pastry circle and gently place in loose bottom flan tins, lining bottom and sides.
11. Trim off any extra pastry that over laps the rim.
12. Prick pastry all over with fork so that it does not rise in flan tins and blind bake for 7-8 minutes in hot oven -200 degrees centigrade till pastry just begins to change colour.



13. Remove baked empty pastry shells from oven and spoon in apple filling.
14. Return to oven to bake for another 15-20 minutes till pastry is golden brown.
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
16. Gently remove tarts from flan cases, place on serving dish and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.



You may like:
Apple and sesame fillo parcels.

Submitting to :
Stories from an indian kitchen-Bake off event.

C.E.D.D. ~ Apples event by Raven guested hosted by simply.food.

Barbecued Corn

Barbecued corn on the cob- Tender corn on the cob gently roasted on hot coals on a barbecue to give a delicate smoky toasted flavour. Served with a sprinkle of salt, a knob of butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice and a spicy sweet red pepper chilli sauce makes this simple vegetable delicious.

Ingredients:

4 fresh corn on the cobs

For serving:

1 table spoon butter
Salt
lemon wedges
2 tablespoons sweet red pepper chilli sauce

Method:

1. Remove the outer skin from the corn and wipe corn with a clean cloth.
2. On the barbecue gently roast the corn ,occasionally turning to get even cooking.(Alternatively you may use grill if cooking in doors)
3. Once corn is cooked evenly all over, remove from barbecue and cut into three pieces.
4. Sprink with salt, top with a knob of butter and squeeze over lemon juice and required sweet red chilli sauce as per taste.

Serve immediately.



You may like:
Masala corn on the cob with coconut peanut gravy.

Submitting to :
Appyayan-Spotlight summer food and drink event.

Banana Milkshake.

Banana milkshake-A healthy and rich milkshake. Refreshingly delicious packed with the goodness of bananas and creamy vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

1/2 pint ice cold milk (I used skimmed milk)

4 scoops vanilla ice cream (I used fat free icecream)

1 large ripe banana chopped into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

1. Pour the milk into the blender jug.

2. Add the ice cream.

3. Add the banana pieces and vanilla and blend till smooth and frothy.

4. Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.

Serves two.

You may like:

Mango Lassi

Submitting to:

Cooking 4 all seasons ~Thanda mela

Cabbage Rice

Cabbage rice- An easy and simple way to use up cold rice and turn it into a healthy, delectable and nutritious dish using simple ingredients.
Ingredients:

½ bowl finely shredded white cabbage
1 bowl precooked cold boiled rice
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 red dried chilli
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions.
2 green chillies finely chopped

Method:

1. Separate the rice grains and add the salt, turmeric, chilli powder and mix into the rice coating all the grains.
2. Heat the oil in a wok and when hot add the mustard seeds and red dried chilli.
3. Wait for it to splutter and add the shredded cabbage.
4. Toss the cabbage till it just begins to wilt and is slightly tender.
5. Add the rice and stir fry till it heats through. Tossing and turning it so that rice and cabbage blend together.
6. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in the green chillies and spring onions.
7. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the rice and serve with fresh yoghurt or raita.


You may like:

Tomato Rice
Lemon Rice with sweet corn and coconut.

Submitting to:
Yasmeen health Nut -Cook with cruciferous-challenge-and-cauliflower challenge.

Broad Bean (field bean) Curry

Broad bean curry (Field bean)- A healthy and nutritious vegetable cook with a blend of spices in a garlic tomato gravy.
Ingredients:

8oz fresh or frozen broad beans.(field beans)
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tomatoes deseeded and pureed
1 teaspoon tomato puree
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ tablespoon fresh chopped coriander
1/2 cup water

Method:

1. Steam the broad beans in a steamer alternatively place in a microwaveable bowl with a little water and cook for 3-4 minutes till tender.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds. (Do not burn the garlic)
3. Add the pureed tomatoes and tomato paste.
4. Add the salt, turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powders and sauté the tomato spice mixture till tomato gravy starts to separate oil. About 5 minutes.
5. Remove the beans from the microwave and add to the tomato gravy.
6. Add half cup water and simmer till gravy thickens. (About 5 minutes.)
7. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander

Serve with hot rotis.



You may like:
Black eyed bean in tomato gravy.

Submitting to:

Ruchika Cooks -My legume affair-22 and started bySusan The well seasoned cook.
Anita's Kitchen-Vegetable marathon cook with beans

Sweet Vermicelli.

Sweet Vermicelli- A lovely sweet dish beautifully aromatic and fragrant with spices such as cinnamon cloves,nutmeg and cardamom.

Ingredients:

125 grams vermicelli
2 tablespoons melted ghee
2 sticks of cinnamon
4 cloves
1.5 cups water
Pinch saffron strands
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg powder

Method:

1. Break the vermicelli into small pieces.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan add the cloves and cinnamon stick and add the vermicelli .
3. Roast in ghee the vermicelli until golden brown, stirring so that it colours evenly.
4. Add hot water and saffron and bring to the boil, then turn heat low, cover and simmer gently until vermicelli is cooked. (About 20 minutes)
5. Add sugar and cook uncovered until all the liquid is absorbed.
6. Stir in 2/3 of the almonds( reserve rest) and add cardamom and nutmeg powder.
7. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with remainder 1/3 of almond slivers.
Serve Warm.

You may like:

Semolina Halwa

Submitting to:

Priyas tasty n easy recipes-Cook with cardamom event.

Pink Grapefruit and pickled gherkin salad.

Pink grapefruit and pickled gherkin salad- A Fruity citrus salad with a wonderful tangy flavour from the pickled gherkins. Healthy and colourful and simply delicious to eat on own or as an accompaniment.

Ingredients:

4 leaves of iceberg lettuce shredded
3 in piece cucumber cut into strips.
1 small red onion cut into thin slices
1 carrot peeled and shredded
1 pink grape fruit peeled and cut into segments. (Click here to see how to do this)
12 baby pickled gherkins
2 firm red tomatoes cut into slices.
½ yellow pepper cut into strips.

Dressing:

2 tablespoons brine from pickled gherkins
2 tablespoons pink grapefruit juice (Reserved from grapefruit when segmenting it.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey( optional I didn't use it)

Method:

1. In a serving dish, put the lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, red onions and peppers. Toss together.
2. Slice the gherkins if they are big if they are mini gherkins leave them whole.
3. Top the salad mixture with gherkins and pink grapefruit segments. Chill.
4. In a jar with a lid add all the dressing ingredients and shake the jar to mix together.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.




NB-You can include any of these ingredients in this salad: sweetcorn, mushrooms, springonions, celery or any other salad vegetable of your choice.

You may like:
Garden salad with Italian herb dressing.

Submitting to:

Cook curry Nook- Serve me your salad event

Masala Panirayams.

Masala Paniyarams- A tasty snack made from left over Paniyarams, stir fried to make them crispy, garnished with coconut and coriander to give them an added flavour.
Ingredients:

10-12 Paniyarams1 tablespoon grated coconut
3 green chillies finely chopped
2 red dried chillies
3 curry leaves
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon urad dhal
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Cut the paniyarams in to quarters.
2. Heat the oil in a wok, when hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, red chillies and curry leaves.
3. Once they start to splutter add the sesame seeds and paniyaram pieces.
4. Toss and stir fry till paniyaram pieces turns slightly crispy and start to take on golden colour. Add lemon juice
5. Transfer to serving dish, Sprinkle with grated coconut, chopped chillies and fresh coriander.

NB- I used left over methi paniyarams from the previous days meal.

You may like:

Semolina Instant dhokla.

Submitting to:

Spicy Lounge-COL left over delicacies event.

Sago muruku- ICC cooking challenge March 2010

Sagu Biyyam Muruku / Sago Muruku -A tasty savory snack made from Sago, rice flour and chickpea flour. Delicately flavoured with curd, chilli and salt, it is formed into spirals using a muruku maker and deep fried till golden brown. A mouth watering delectable crunchy snack ideal for that teatime treat.

The recipe was provided by -Srivali of Cooking 4 all seasons.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour 2 cups

Besan flour 1/2 cup

Fried gram flour - 1/2 cup

Sago - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste
50 grams oil

Curd - 50 grams (1/4 cup)

1/4 cup water

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or as per taste
2 green chillies finely crushed.
Oil for frying

Special Utensil

Muruku Achu

Method:

1.Mix together curd and water to make buttermilk. Soak the sago in butter milk for 3 hours. (It is important to do this or else sago will burst in frying process.)

2. Mix all the flour together, heat 50 grams oil, mix to the flour along with salt and chilli powder and green chillies. (Take care oil is hot mix with a spoon)
3. Add the butter milk soaked sago slowly and knead to a chapatti dough consistency.

4. Heat the oil for deep frying.
5. In the muruku achu, add the dough.
6. Press out the murukus in a round coil shape on cooking foil. (This makes lifting the muruku easier when transferring to hot oil.
7. Once you have pressed out few murukus, secure the end of each muruku by gently pressing it down to overlap slightly so that muruku does not unravel when dropped in hot oil.

8. Gently lift muruku from foil using spatula and drop in hot oil .Fry on medium flame to ensure the muruku is cooked well and golden brown.

9 .Drain the murukus on kitchen paper and repeat process till all the dough is used up.
10. Store murukus in an airtight container to keep fresh.

Notes:

Ensure sago soaks in buttermilk well and is soft or else it will burst when you fry muruku in hot oil. Cook on medium heat to ensure even cooking turning the muruku in oil frequently.

Fried gram flour is fried channa dhal that is available commercially. It is general sold as the dhal, we have to powder it at home. This is also referred as chutney dhal as it is used in making coconut chutney.



You may like:

Chegodilu

Bean burrito with an Indianised touch.

Burrito with an Indianised touch- A wheat flat bread filled with a spicy bean curry garnished with a sour cream and cheese dip and topped with crispy salad to add a lovely crunch .
3 tablespoons left over black eyed bean (lobia bean)curry.
Shredded lettuce
2 tablespoon diced cucumber
1 small tomato de seeded and diced
2 teaspoons sour cream
1 tablespoon grated cheese
1 spring onion finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 burrito

Method:

1. Warm up the black eyed bean curry in microwave. Drain the gravy and discard use the beans only.(Too much gravy will make burrito soggy)
2. In a dish add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper and spring onion and mix.
3. Warm the burrito in a skillet.
4. Transfer burrito to a serving plate; spread the sour cream mixture over it.
5. Next spread the black eyed bean curry over it.
6. Top with shredded lettuce, tomato, cucumber and roll up burrito.
7. Cut into two and serve immediately with potato crisps and a side salad.

You may like:
Toasted cheese and tomato sandwich

Submitting to:

Dil se -Global kadai indian flavoured burritos event.

Spicy Lounge-COL left over delicacies event

Tea masala and Indian masala chai (tea)

Masala chai (Tea)-Milky brewed tea, flavoured with an array of fragrant and aromatic Indian spices such as powdered ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper.

Tea masala:

Ingredients:

50 grams ground cinnamon
50 grams ground black pepper
85 grams ground dried ginger (soonth)
85 grams ground cardamom (elaichi)


Method:

1.In a bowl add all the spices and mix throughly.
2.Transfer into an air tight jar with lid and use as required.

Masala chai (two servings)

Ingredients:

2 cups water
3/4 cup milk
1.5 teaspoon loose tea leaves
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon  tea masala

Method:

1. In a saucepan mix the water and milk and heat.
2. Add the sugar,tea leaves and tea masala.
3. Bring the chai to boil ,reduce heat and simmer to allow the flavours to infuse.
4. Strain into two serving cups.

Moong dhal pudlas (pancakes)

Moong dhal pudlas (pancakes)- Moong dhal pancakes healthy, protein packed and simply delicious flavoured with spring onions and fenugreek (Methi ).

Ingredients:

1 cup split moong dhal with husk
1.5 cups water
½ cup yoghurt
1 teaspoon eno salts
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
2 green chillies finely chopped
½ cup fresh chopped fenugreek
3 spring onions finely chopped
3 tablespoons sunflower oil for cooking pancakes.

Method:

1. Wash the moong dhal and drain water put in blender.
2. Add the salt, turmeric, ginger paste, chillies and fenugreek.
3. Add the measured water and yoghurt and blend to form a dropping consistency batter.
4. Stir in the chopped spring onions and the eno salts.
4. Heat frying pan and oil it. Place a ladle full of mixture and spread it to form a small pancake. (These pancakes are thicker and smaller than the average pancake)
5. Once pancake batter starts to set flip the pancake over and cook underside.
6. Place on kitchen paper and repeat process for rest of batter. Makes about 12 pancakes.

Serve with yoghurts and carrot pickle.

You may like Pudlas

Submitting to:

Priya's easy N tasty pancake event.

Bajra ni puri (millet flour puri)

Bajra ni puri-Crispy and puffy puris made from millet flour and fresh fenugreek leaves , flavoured with ajwain seeds, ginger, green chilli , salt and deep fried to golden brown .

Ingredients:

1 cup bajra (millet flour)flour

1/2 cup wholewheat chappati flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon ginger paste

2 green chillies finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh finely chopped fenugreek leaves(methi)

1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds

1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil

Sun flower Oil for deep frying

Water for making dough.

Method:

1. In a bowl add the millet flour and wheat flour. Rub in 1/2 tablespoon oil.

2. Add the chopped fenugreek leaves , salt, green chillies, ginger, turmeric and the ajwain seeds.

3. Make a pliable dough by adding little water.Cover dough and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 10-12 small balls. Roll out puris (on a plastic sheet) approx 3-4 inches in diameter.

5. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry puris on medium heat till slightly brown in colour.

6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with yoghurts and pickles.

NB-Millet flour tends to drink oil, do not fry on too low heat or else puris will be oily. Also rolling puris on a sheet of plastic will make it easier to lift them to fry.

You may like :

Plain puris.
Submitting to:


Announcing breakfastclub event-theme asian breakfast.
Event hosted by Fuss free flavours and fingers and toes

Awards on the roll........

Thanks Nithu for presenting me this lovely personalised award for participating in your event

"Think beyond the usual fruit ".

Thanks Smitha for this sunshine award.

Carrot Pickle

Carrot pickle-A spicy quick and easy instant carrot pickle, an ideal accompaniment to paratha’s, puris and rotis.

Ingredients:

2 large carrots
2 tablespoon achar masala
3 tablespoons olive oil.
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric

Method:

1. Wash and peel the carrots and cut into two inch long match sticks.
2. Place the carrots in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and turmeric. Toss and leave for 2-3 hours.(Water will release from the carrots.)
3. After 3 hours drain any excess water from the carrots and spread them out on tray. Leave to sun dry or place in a warm dry place for 1 day. (I placed my tray of carrots on the shelf above the kitchen radiator.)
4. Carrots at this stage should just start to look dehydrated and slightly shrunk in size. (Do not over dry or pickle will be chewy)





5. Tranfer carrots to bowl and sprinkle with achar masala and toss. Add the oil and mix.
6. Transfer to sterilised jar and store in refrigerator. (Will keep up to 3-4 weeks)

Enjoy with puris, paratha’s or rotis.

You may like Mango chutney.

Achar Masala -Pickle masala

Crispy Veggie balls.

Crispy Veggie balls in pitta bread- Fresh vegetables cooked and flavoured in a blend of mild aromatic spices rolled into balls and encased in breadcrumbs. Shallow fried with minimum oil to make them crispy brown and golden. All served in warm pitta bread with a garnish of healthy garden salad and sauces.

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes
4 oz frozen or fresh green peas
1 large carrot or 2 small
4 oz frozen or fresh sweet corn
2 green chillies finely chopped (optional-omit for children)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons corn flour
4 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs for coating the veggie balls in
1 tablespoon sunflower oil for cooking
2 tablespoons sunflower oil for shallow frying


For serving:

4 pitta bread
1 bowl mixed salad finely chopped (carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce,)
Apple chutney
Sweet red pepper chilli sauce





Method:

1. Peel and grate the potatoes.
2. Coarsely grind the peas and sweet corn
3. Peel and grate the carrot.
4. In a pan heat one tablespoon oil, add the potatoes, carrots, peas and sweet corn.
5. Stir fry for 6-8 minutes till cooked.
6. Add the salt, chillies, turmeric, chilli powder and lemon juice and stir fry for 2 more minutes.
7. Cool the mixture and once cooled add the corn flour and bread crumbs and mix in.
8. Make 16 small ping pong ball sized balls from the mixture.



9 .In a dish place the bread crumbs, roll the balls in the breadcrumbs to coat them. (You may dip balls in milk prior to rolling in breadcrumbs if you finds crumbs are not sticking) Chill the breadcrumb coated balls in the fridge for 30 minutes.(This step is important to stop balls falling apart when shallow frying.)
10. After half hour oil an appam pan and allow to heat up. Place the balls in the appam holes and cook on medium heat turning intermittently to ensure veggie balls are cooked golden brown all over. Takes approx 5-7 minutes.
11. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat process for remaining veggie balls.

To serve:

1. Place the pitta bread in the toaster and toast lightly.
2. Split open the centre; fill with the crispy veggie balls, top with salad and apple chutney and sweet red pepper chilli sauce. Serve immediately.



NB-You may change the vegetables to suit your taste and tortillas wraps or rotis can be substituted for pitta bread .If you don't have an appam pan ,crispy veggie balls can be shallow fried in an ordinary frying pan.


You can purchase an appam pan from:

Popat stores.Uk

Amazon

You may like falafel.

Awards Galore

Simply.food is thankful to all blogger friends who spare the time and make the effort to regularly visit and support it with beautiful and inspiring feed back.

Thankyou for the array of awards that have been showered upon simply.food. For these I am immensely grateful.

Wow, thank you for the lovely awards

It’s something I will cherish

It gave my spirits quite a lift,

To receive such a wonderful gift.

Thanks to all these lovely blogger friends who have shared these awards with me:

Yummy team

Spice ur senses

My Favourite food

Vidhyu's kitchen

Pranis Kitchen

The above awards came with a tag, I have previously accepted and answered this tag so not going to repeat answering it.You can read about me here.

And of course last but not the least

Thanks spicy lounge for this cute award.

As all my blogger friends are equally important to me, It would be a pleasure to pass these to anyone who visits here.Please feel free to pick up the awards and proudly display them on your blog

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"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

Apple Chutney

Apple chutney-This chutney is made from bramley cooking apples, fresh coriander and spiced up with green chillies.With an amazing fruity sweet and sour taste it compliments most snacks or can be used as a spread for sandwiches or simply as dip with your favorite tortilla crisps or papadoms.

Ingredients:

1 large bramley cooking apple

1/2 bunch fresh coriander

10 green chillies(adjust to your taste)

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Method:

1. Wash the apple and remove the core , leave the skin on and dice it .

2. Wash the coriander to remove any dirt and chop up coarselyusing both the leaves and stems .

3. De seed the chillies and chop roughly.

4. Add all the ingredients into the blender and puree to a smooth consistency.

5.Taste and adjust seasoning as required(Chutney should have a spicy ,tangy sweet and sour taste)

Transfer to serving bowl and serve with tortilla chips.

You may like:

Green coriander chutney.

Milk pudding

Milk pudding-A delicious rich and creamy set dessert, delicately flavoured with rose syrup and cardamom garnished with almond flakes.

Ingredients:

300ml full cream milk
1.5 tablespoons agar agar flakes
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoon sweetened rose syrup
½ teaspoon cardamom
12 almond flakes.

Method:

1. In a pan add the milk and bring to boil, add the agar agar and stir until it is totally dissolved.
2. Add the sugar and stir till it is dissolved.
3. Allow the milk mixture to cool slightly and then stir in the rose syrup.
4. Add the cardamom and flaked almonds.
5. Pour mixture into individual jelly moulds or I large shallow dish.
6. Leave in cool place to set.


To de mould:

Run a knife around the edge of the jelly moulds. Place a plate over it. Invert the mould onto the plate .Lift off jelly mould.
Alternately if you have made pudding in large dish then cut into desired shapes with knife.

Chill before serving.




You may like :
Kheer-Rice Pudding