Apricot Coconut Cake

Apricot Coconut Cake

I live in the land of apricots. 

And these are the sweetest and tastiest apricots I have ever eaten in my life.

 There is a small village called Dag about 5 hours from Leh. It is also known as the Aryan village. This village is one of the few places in the Ladakh region where you can still come across true blooded Aryans. 

My trip to the village was not a total success because when we reached most of the population was out working. Only children and elderly ladies were left there. So we ended up eating apricots. All along the village path there were numerous apricot trees laden with the golden peachish fruit. They were smaller in size, almost the size of walnuts. But they were so juicy and tasty!!!  Even as I write these lines I can feel that apricot smell wafting in the air.

Coming back to the cake!! The cottage industry here makes these yummy apricot jam that is totally organic. I always have a big jar in my pantry. Apricot in a cake is a good combination. However it is not quite the season yet for the fruit. So I decided to make a cake using the apricot jam.

The cake also has the flavour of coconut. 

The combination of apricot and coconut is unbelievable. It is to be relished!!

Ingredients

1 ½ cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup sugar

1 cup apricot jam

1 cup desiccated coconut

¼ cup butter

¼ cup oil

3 eggs, separated

Few choco chips

Line and grease a 8” cake tin. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

Sift the flour and baking powder. Whisk together the oil and butter till it is a smooth mixture. 

Add the sugar and whip till light and frothy. 

Add the egg yolks one by one, whipping after each addition. Now add the apricot jam and mix well ensuring that no lumps remain. 

Add the coconut and flour alternately. 

Add the choco chips. 

Now whip the egg whites till peaks form. Gently fold into the batter. 

Pour the batter into the lined tin and bale for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Bugs Bunny Nibblets

Bugs Bunny Nibblets

I didn’t know what to call these. Do I call them carrots? They sound so plain and blah! Gajar? Nahhh!! So I started thinking what do carrots remind me of? And the first thought that popped into mind was Bugs Bunny and his “Ehh!! What’s up Doc!!!” He was always nibbling on carrots. So I christen these the Bugs Bunny Nibblets.

Ingredients

For the outer layer

1 ½  cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

A pinch of orange food color

For the filling

1 cup corn

1 cup green peas

½ cup shredded coconut

1 tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

Few coriander sprigs

Mix the flour, colour and salt. Add the oil and mix. Make a stiff dough.

Boil the corn and peas. Give them a whizz in the blender. You don’t want to make a paste. Just crush them slightly. Heat some oil. Add the cumin seeds. Add the crushed corn and peas and shredded coconut. Season with salt and fry for five minutes. Cool the filling.

Make small balls of the dough. Roll them out thin. Cut the rolled out dough into half. Take one half and form a cone. Put some filling inside and close the top and seal with some water. Make sure that the nibblets are triangular in shape. Do the same with the whole dough. Deep fry the nibblets. Take a small piece of the coriander sprig and insert it into the nibblet. Use a toothpick to make a small hole of required.

Winter Vegetables in Coconut Milk Broth

Winter Vegetables in Coconut Milk Broth

I realized something today!
I write only when I am melancholy. I can't write when I am happy!
Due to circumstances beyond my control I will be spending this holi away from my husband. Over a span of fifteen years of a blissful married life it has become very common to not be together during anniversaries and birthdays. However those are personal celebrations and somehow I don’t feel the pinch. We celebrate when we are together. But a communal celebration such as festivals make you feel very lonely. And it is true when they say that you are loneliest in a crowd. You are never lonely alone. Contradictory I know..but that is the truth!
I don’t know whether distance makes the heart grow fonder or not but it certainly gives you perspective. It makes you realize that you are not always thankful for that most precious thing in life..time with your loved ones. 
Little late in the day (coz it is already March) for a new year resolution but I do promise to be thankful for the time I get to spend with my family. 
You might wonder what brought about this bout of melancholy!
It is raining (my absolutely favourite weather) and I am alone, I am down with flu ( damn this time of year in Delhi) and I miss my hubby!! Enough reasons!
The big dilemma was what to cook. It has to be something nutritious because I need my strength. It has to be something non fussy and light because I am still not out of the grips of the bug. And it has to be something tasty enough to make me feel like eating.
The idea for this dish came from a lime shrub in my mom’s garden. In a concrete jungle like Delhi my mom, who is an avid gardener, is struggling to maintain a strip of greenery. Apart from all the flower pots she has a banana plane, a pumpkin patch and a lime shrub. This shrub is now full of little blossoms and baby green leaves. 

I wanted to use that flavour in my food. The dish was inspired by the Thai green curry. However I have kept it very simple with easy-to-get ingredients. There were only two points on my agenda. First, add as many winter veggies as possible. And Secondly, infuse the lime flavour. 

Ingredients

2 carrots, cut into fingers
100 gm French beans, cut
1 packet mushrooms
1 bell pepper
100 gms baby corn
200 gm paneer, cubed
Handful of lime leaves
some ginger, cut into juliennes
2-3 green chillies
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
 1 tsp garam masala powder
 1 ½ tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
Juice of ½ lime

Cut and wash all the vegetables. 

Heat some oil. Sauté the French beans, carrots and baby corn because they take longer to cook. Remember you have to keep them crunchy. So sauté for a few minutes only. 
Add the mushrooms, bell pepper and paneer. Sauté on high flame for a minute. 
Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar, toss for a minute and then add the coconut milk, lime leaves, ginger and green chillies. 
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for five minutes. Switch off the heat and add the lime juice. 

Mughlai Chicken

Mughlai Chicken

God bless Mughlai cuisine!! We have friends over very frequently and it is a head scratching exercise to make something different every time. Mughlai cuisine is always my fall back food because you just can’t go wrong with it. The use of spices and accompanied by cream and almonds and cashews..everything makes the food super delicious. 

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut into pieces

Marinade in

1 cup hung curd
1 tbsp tandoori masala ( I use homemade tandoori masala)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp kasuri methi
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

For the gravy

 2 Onions, minced
2 tomatoes, minced
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
4 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp shah jeera
1 tej patta
4 cloves
3 green cardamoms
2 black cardamoms
1 star anise
1 tsp peppercorns
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup almonds, ground to a powder
½ cup cashews, made into a paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup milk
3 tbsp cream

Marinate the chicken in the marinade ingredients for 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes. Keep aside.

Heat some ghee. Add the shah jeera, tej patta, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, star anise and peppercorns. 
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry a bit. Now add the minced onion. Cook till it starts looking dry. 
Add the minced tomato and tomato puree. Cook till the oil separates. 
Now add the turmeric powder, nutmeg powder and the garam masala. Fry for a minute and add the almond powder, desiccated coconut and cashew paste. Fry for a minute or two. 
Add the chicken pieces and fry well till the masala coats the chicken well. 
Add the milk slowly and simmer. You can add some water if you want more gravy. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cream and take off heat. 

Goan Fish Curry

Goan Fish Curry

Goan Fsih Curry is mostly made with sea fish because of its easy availability. I have made the dish using Basa fish and moderating the sour element a little. Most fish cook very easily in a matter of minutes and so you don’t have to necessarily fry them. Here too I have added raw Basa to the gravy and let it simmer for a while.
 Being a Bengali I don’t prefer having the sour taste overpower the dish. So I have not used any tamarind or kokum. In case you want the authentic Goan taste you can add tamarind as per your taste.

Ingredients

1 kg Basa fish, cubed
3 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
4 red chillies
1 tbsp malt vinegar
½ cup grated coconut
6 garlic pods
1” ginger
2 onions
2 tomatoes
2 green chillies
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
 1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chillies. 

Grind them together with ginger, garlic, coconut and malt vinegar to a smooth paste. You can add some water to make the paste smooth. 

Make a puree of the onions and tomatoes. 
Heat some oil. Add the green chillies. 
Add the tomato-onion puree and saute till the oil separates. Add the coconut paste and fry for some time. 
Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Saute till the masalas are well cooked. 
Add a cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the fish pieces, cover and cook for some time till the fish is cooked. 

Coconut Streusel Topping Mocha Cupcakes

Coconut Streusel Topping Mocha Cupcakes

Streusel toppings are very interesting. My local bakery makes these walnut mini cakes with a streusel topping. I had always intended to replicate that cake. However it is easier to just walk across and buy those yummy cakes. With severe winters setting in all the shops are slowly closing down for the season. So finally I had to try out a streusel topping cake. It is easier than you think and classier than you can imagine. These mocha cupcakes are really soft and are best eaten after a few hours. 

Ingredients

For the streusel

1/4 cup+2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup+ 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup+ 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 tbsp melted butter

Mix together the streusel ingredients and keep aside.

For the Mocha cupcakes

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 cup milk
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1/2 cup oil
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup chopped chocolate

Mix together all the dry ingredients. Mix together the milk and coffee powder. Add the oil and egg. whip the wet ingredients well. Fold in the dry ingredients. Add the chopped chocolate. 
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius. Fill the muffin cases half full. Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of the batter. 

Bake for 10 minutes. By this time the coconut topping will be nicely browned. Cover the cupcakes with an aluminium foil and bake another 20 minutes.