FISH LOAF

A SOPHISTICATED AND EASY TO MAKE FISH PREPARATION FOR A SMALL DINNER PARTY..THE RESULT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF FISH USED.. I PREFER KING FISH FILLETS OR ANY SIMILAR TASTY FISH .SERVE HOT SLICED WITH ANY SALAD OF YOUR CHOICE! SINCE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CHEESE IS USED, TAKE CARE WHILE ADDING SALT.BUT DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO REDUCE THE QTY OF CHEESE.IF PREFERED SERVE WITH WHITE SAUCE .

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FISH LOAF:-

1)Cooked and flaked fish fillets--2 cups (ideally king fish)

2)Cooked pasta(macaroni)--1cup

3)Slightly beaten eggs--4

4)Fresh bread crumbled---4 slices

5)Capsicum chopped--3/4 cup

6)Onion chopped--1cup

7)Ginger chopped--2tsp

8) Green chillies chopped--2

9)Garlic chopped--1tsp

10)Black pepper crushed--1 tbsp

11)Grated cheddar cheese--175gms

12)Tomatoes chopped--1cup

13)Milk--1 cup

14)Butter--1tbsp melted

15)Salt to taste

METHOD:- Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well.. Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven(190-200 degrees) until firm and brown on top.Serve garnished and sliced.

BRAIDED CHRISTMAS WREATH

INGREDIENTS:-

1)Plain flour--3 cups

2)Yeast--1 1/2 tsp

3)Warm milk--1/2 cup

4)Sugar--1/4 cup or less

5)Egg--1

6)Oil --1/4 cup

7)Salt--1 tsp

METHOD:-Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm milk add 1 tsp flour and 1tsp sugar . Let ferment..

Sift the flour into a bowl and add the remaining sugar, oil, salt, 1 beaten egg and the yeast solution..Knead well using more warm water if necessary.. Knead till soft and pliable.Divide into 3 equal portions and roll into thick oblong rolls. Arrange them on a rectangular tray keeping some space in between each roll , so that they do not touch each other when risen well.Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place till the three rolls are double in volume..

Roll again into thinner oblong shapes and arrange them parellel to each other.. Braid them into a wreath shape and bake in a preheated oven for about 25 mnts at 190 degrees..The wreath is done if a hollow sound is heard when tapped on the surface.. Take it out from the oven and while still piping hot,brush with a little milk..Cool and decorate..Serve warm with honey or vanilla glace icing or dusted with sifted icing sugar...Or as plain slices with any non veg curries of your choice!!ENJOYYY..

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!!

CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAV FRUIT CAKE RECIPES I HAVE BEEN USING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS! ..ITS YUMMY MOIST AND FULL OF MOUTH WATERING FLAVOURS.I HAVE DONE SNOW WHITE ROYAL ICING WITH SOME SIMPLE DECORATIONS TO MAKE IT MORE APPEALING!..SINCE I FORGOT TO TAKE THE PICS WHILE MAKING IT ,I AM SORRY FOR NOT UPLOADING THE PICS OF THE PREPARATION STEPS ..REMEMBERED TO TAKE THEM ONLY AT THE END.BUT I KNOW THAT ALL MY BLOG LAND FRIENDS ARE SMART ENOUGH TO WHIP UP THE BATTER EVEN WITHOUT ANY TUTORIAL OR PICS !! IN THE CAKE SHOWN ABOVE I HAVE COVERED THE MATURED CAKE WITH A LIGHT COATING OF SOFTENED APRICOT JAM, FOLLOWED BY ROLLED OUT MARZIPAN AND THEN TOPPED WITH ROYAL ICING.MARZIPAN HAS BEEN USED TO GIVE A SMOOTH SURFACE TO THE CAKE THAT WILL HELP US TO SPREAD THE ROYAL ICING SMOOTHLY WITHOUT PULLING OUT THE CRUMBS AS YOU DO SO..THE ICING IS THEN PULLED UP INTO SOFT PEAKS USING THE BACK OF A SPOON,THAT WILL GIVE A SNOWY EFFECT TO THE CAKE.. WITH LACES AND RIBBONS TO ADORN THE CAKE ALL AROUND,ITS MADE MORE FESTIVE!IF YOU DO NOT PREFER TO HAVE A ROYAL ICING THAT BREAKS APART INTO ROCKY BITS WHILE CUTTING ,ADD A TSP OF GYCERINE TO THE ICING WHILE WHIPPING IT UP!GLYCERINE MAKES THE ICING SOFTER AND YUMMIER YET EASY TO HANDLE!!

SO HAPPY BAKING AND DECORATING !!!!

NOW, FOR THE INGREDIENTS:-

1)Eggs--4 large

2)Plain flour--wt : of four eggs(sifted with 3/4 tsp baking powder and the spice powders mentioned below)

3)Sugar powdered---wt: of four eggs

4)Butter---wt: of four eggs

5)Sugar to caramalize--1/2 cup

6)water--1/4 cup

7)Cloves powder--1/4 tsp

8)cinnamon powder--1tsp level

9)Nutmeg powder--1tsp

10)Vanilla essence--1tsp

11)Grated orange rind-1tsp

12)Orange juice--1/4 cup + 1tbsp

13)Brandy--1/2 cup

14)Chopped black currents--1 cup

15)Chopped mixed dry fruits including cherries,tutti frutti,mixed peel,etc---1 cup

16)Chopped cashew nuts--1/2 cup

17) Extra sugar to use while beating the egg whites..2tsp

18)Lemon juice--1tsp

METHOD:-Two weeks before you plan to bake the cake chop and soak the dry fruits, cashews and currents in brandy...Keep well covered in an airtight jar.. Shake the jar every day.

Now to make the batter for the cake, caramalize the 1/2 cup sugar mentioned till nicely browned and switch off the flame.. Gradually pour 1/4 cup hot water carefully into the caramel and let it melt to a thick syrup..Keep aside to cool.Mix the dry fruits with the spiced flour..

Mean while separate the yolks from the whites of eggs.. In a small bowl beat the butter with sugar ,vanilla essence and the orange rind,till pale..Add the yolks one by one and beat again till light and fluffy..

Transfer this to a large mixing bowl and slowly fold in the flour mixed with the chopped dry fruits,alternating with orange juice..

Beat the egg whites till stiff with 2 tsp sugar and lemon juice and fold it into the batter carefully..

Divide the batter between two small lined and buttered baking tins ( or one large rectangular tin) and bake in a preheated oven(180 degree) till done and firm..(about an hour)

Take out from the oven and let cool.. Remove from the tins and peel off the papers from the sides.. Brush with extra brandy and cover with cling film.. Keep in a dark and dry place for at least one week before icing and cutting..

WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!

COFFEE SNOW PUDDING

INGREDIENTS:-

1) Condensed milk---1 tin

2) Warm milk---1 1/2 tin

3)Nescafe or any instant coffee powder--2tbsp

4)Freshly grated coconut--2 heaped tbsp

5)Fine semolina(rava)--2 heaped tbsp

6)Fresh bread powdered after removing the sides--3

7)Eggs--3
8)Lemon juice--1 tsp
9) Vanilla essence--1/2 tsp

10)Sugar--5tbsp

11)Dark orion biscuit or bourbon biscuit crushed lightly, after removing the cream(optional)--2

12)Cashew nut chopped---2 tbsp

13) Sugar--5 tbsp

14)Butter--2 tsp

METHOD:-

Take a bowl and put the condensed milk,coconut, bread(fine crumbs),coffee powder dissolved in milk,semolina(rava),and keep aside for some time ..

Meanwhile separate the yolks from whites..Beat the yolks with 2 tbsp sugar till pale in colour..Add this to the coffee mixture and blend well.. Keep aside for 10 mnts.

In a baking dish , sprinkle, the cashew and crushed biscuits.. Put a few blobs of butter here and there..Bake this base in the oven at 180 degree(pre heated) for 5 mnt.. Take it out and pour the coffee mixture over it ..Place in a pan of boiling water and bake again till set..

Take it out and keep aside..Meanwhile beat the egg whites untill stiff and glossy adding 3 tbsp sugar and then lime juice.... Scoop out spoonfulls of this meringue and place it over the set pudding...Flash bake for 10 mnts at 100 degrees(preheated)..Try not to brown the meringue too much..Decorate as desired and serve warm or slightly cold with chilled coffee cream.

FOR THE COFFEE CREAM:-

1)Instant coffee powder--1tsp

2)Whipped cream--1/2 a small tetra pack or about 1/2 cup

3)Sugar--2 tbsp

4)Hot water--1tbsp

METHOD:-

Dissolve coffee and sugar in 1 tbsp hot water.. Beat in the cream untill combined well..Serve the pudding topped with a little cream on top..

ENJOOOOOYYYY!!!..WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY XMAS.

EAT DRINK AND BE MERRY !!!!

DUCK ROAST USING MAGGI COCONUT MILK

TRADITIONAL DUCK PREPARATION OF KERALA..IT TASTES BEST WHEN COOKED SKIN ON...SINCE THE SKIN POURS OUT A LOT OF FAT FROM IT WHILE IT GETS COOKED,ITS BEST TO USE AS LITTLE OIL AS POSSIBLE FOR FRYING THE MASALAS... IN THIS CASE I SUGGEST USING A GOOD QUALITY NON STICK COOKING VESSEL..FOR THE MEASUREMENT SPECIFIED BELOW WE NEED QUITE A LARGE VESSEL..YOU MAY SKIM OFF SOME OF THE FAT THAT FLOATS ,AT THE END OF COOKING...

INGREDIENTS:-

1)Skin-on duck meat--2.500 gm

2)Onions or shallots chopped or sliced--2 cups

3)Green chillies chopped--4-5

4)Black Pepper--1tbsp
5)Ginger chopped--3/4 cup

Crush the above ingredients from 2-5 and keep aside..

6)Coriander powder--5 heaped tbsp

7)Kashmiri chili powder--1 level tbsp or less

8)Turmeric powder--1 level tsp

9)Black pepper crushed--1 tbsp

10)Garam Masala--1/2 tbsp and salt

11)Tomatoes chopped--2 cups

12) Maggi cococnut milk powder--1 1/2 cups

13)water to dissolve the coco:milk powder--1/2 cup

14)Curry leaves--3 sprigs

FOR THE KOFTAS:-(optional)

15)Cooked and mashed potatoes--- of two potatoes

16)1 tsp chopped ginger, 1heaped tbsp onions chopped, 2 green chillies chopped and little salt

17)4 slices of bread with the sides removed..( dip the slices in little water first, quickly remove and then squeeze out between the palms...)

METHOD:-

Slice the duck meat into fairly large pieces as we do for biriyani...Do not remove the skin as it is the skin that gives that spl taste to duck preparations..Wash well using little vinegar diluted with water..Keep aside.

Heat some oil in a large vessel and saute the crushed ingredients until light brown in colour...Add the powders(6-10) and salt and fry till the raw smell completely disappears.. Stir in the tomatoes and again fry till oil starts to float..Now add the cleaned duck meat and fry for some time.. You can see the oil oozing out from the meat as it gets cooked.. This is because we have left the skin on..Cover the vessel and cook over slow flame untill the meat is cooked well..Do not add any water..The juices from the meat is enough for cooking.. I dont use a pressure cooker for this purpose asI find that cooking slowly will let the pieces absorb all the taste of the masalas used..It will take some time to get cooked..But its worth the wait!!..Once the meat is cooked well, add coconut milk powder ,made creamy by adding half a cup of water..It will quickly get incoporated into the gravy left..The gravy should be of a coating consistancy.If you want a runny gravy, add more water to the coconut milk powder while dissolving it..

TO MAKE THE KOFTAS:-Mix all the ingredients well till smooth and make into oblong or round shapes and shallow fry..Do not deep fry..Serve as garnish with the duck roast.

Kerala style Palappam goes well with this traditional duck roast.Other options are bread, bread rolls, idiyappam etc

WISHING ALL MY BLOG LAND FRIENDS A VERY MERRY XMAS!!!!................MINI BINOY

SNOW DUST CHRISTMAS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:-

1) Plain flour--2 and 1/2 cups

2) Sugar--1 cup measured and then powdered

3) Softened unsalted butter--1cup

4) Eggs --2

5)Vanilla essence--1/2 tsp

6)Cinnamon powder--1/2 tsp heaped

7)Cardamom Powder--1/2 tsp heaped

8)Extra powdered sugar for dusting the hot cookies--1/4 cup sifted with a pinch of both the spices plus 1/4 cup plain sugar powder( altogether 1/2 cup)

9) Chopped cashewnuts--1/2 cup(optional)

METHOD:-

Sift the flour with the spices and a pinch of salt . Stir in the chopped cashew nuts...Beat butter with powdered sugar till pale ..Add vanilla essence and eggs one by one and beat again till fluffy.. Mix in the plain flour to form a dough..Do not knead the dough too much.. If the dough is too soft to handle cover with cling film and refrigerate for some time..But do not add more flour... Roll out and cut into shapes using cookie cutters of christmas theme..Bake in a preheated oven(170 degree) for 23 minutes or till light brown.. Remove from oven and dust the hot cookies with spiced powdered sugar .. Let the cookies cool down completely.. Dust again with the remaining plain sugar powder.

WHITE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY ALMOND CHEESE CAKE

Bewitchingly luscious cheese cake having a delectable aroma that will definitely tingle your tastebuds....After baking the cake should be allowed to remain in the oven till it cools down completely.. This is to prevent it from sinking in the middle..The qty of vanilla essence mentioned is 2 tbsp,which should not be reduced..If using a good qlty non stick cake tin you need not grease it..For other metal tins line the bottom with greased grease proof paper...

I am sending this yummy white chocolate cheese cake recipe to the CHOCO-DELITE'S event by Taste Buds..

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BASE:-

1)Marie biscuits powdered---1 1/2 cups

2)Roughly chopped toasted almonds--1/2 cup

3)Melted butter---1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:-

1)White cooking chocolate--300 gms(melt it by microwaving at medium for one 1 mnt and 20 seconds..stir well till creamy)

2)Cottage cheese---1kg(mash it well till smooth...or process it in a food processor and then mash it using the palm)

3)Fresh Strawberries--2cups chopped plus a few whole ones to decorate

4)Granulated sugar--1/4 cup

5)Fresh eggs---4 whole plus 2 yolks

6)Vanilla custard powder--2tbsp

7)Vanilla essence--2tbsp

8)Fresh cream---2 tbsp

TO DECORATE :-

1)Powdered and sifted sugar---1/4 cup

2)Few fanned fresh strawberries.

METHOD:-

First prepare the base by mixing all the ingredients mentioned and press it well into the bottom of a loose bottom baking tin..Keep refrigerated until the filling is ready..

Beat the eggs with the mashed smooth cottage cheese and the rest of the ingredients except the cream..Beat only untill combined well..Finally fold in the cream and pour this cheese filling over the base.. Bake in a preheated oven(170 degree) for one hour till the top is light brown...Do not be tempted to take it out from the oven while its still hot.. Let cool completely in the oven lest it would sink in the middle...Once completely cooled take it out and place on a cake stand and remove the side part of the loose bottom tin..Dust with plenty of powdered sugar and decorate with fanned strawberries and a strawberry rose in the center..Serve in slices,chilled.Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator or cover with cling film to preserve the flavour.ENJOYYYY!!!

MAY THE BEAUTY OF THE SEASON BRIGHTEN UP YOUR LIFE AND DECORATE YOUR DAYS, WITH LOVE SMILES AND HAPPINESS!!

WISH ALL MY BLOG LAND FRIENDS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!