Onion Spinach Garlic Bread

Ingredients

• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, cut in half through the root, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup 2% milk
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 oz. crumbled myzithra (or feta) cheese
• Butter and flour for pan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 10 additional minutes.
3. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the onions, then stir in garlic and spinach leaves. Stir until the spinach is wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine eggs, lightly beaten, milk, and extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk well until combined.
5. Pour the flour mixture into the eggs mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix or the bread will become tough. Add the spinach mixture and myzithra cheese, and stir until just combined.
6. Butter a loaf pan. Spoon 1 tablespoon flour into the pan and tap the flour around the pan. Shake out the excess. Scoop the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake until the top is light golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out dry, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan, and cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Kalakhand Recipe

Ingredients:

1. Ricotta Cheese – 15 oz
2. Condensed Milk – 14 oz
3. Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp
4. Chopped Pistachios – 1/2 tbsp
5. Chopped almonds – 1/2 tbsp

 

Method:

• In a microwave safe dish, mix the Ricotta Cheese and the Condensed Milk. Mash down all the lumps with a help of a whisk.
• Cook in the microwave for 5 minutes uncovered.
• Take out and mix - loosen the edges.
• Cook in the microwave for 3 minutes, bring the dish out and stir it well. 
• Repeat the above step 3-4 times (cook and mix) till it starts thickening and starts looking more like large lumps. 
• Microwave for another 5- minutes straight
• Bring the dish out, add in the Powdered Cardamom and mix well again.
• Transfer the contents to a serving dish, press down and flatten the mixture.
• Sprinkle chopped Pistachios and Almonds on top and press them down to help them stick.
• Cover and allow to set either in the refrigerator for an hour or on the counter-top for a few hours.
• Cut into desired shape and serve.

 

Flourless Chocolate Habanero Cake

This recipe was borrowed from my husband's friends at work. Love it

Ingredients

• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2-3 habanero peppers, seeded and quartered
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions

• Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder.
• Melt butter, remove from heat and add habaneros. Steep peppers in butter for 30 minutes and discard peppers.
• In medium bowl, combine chocolate chips and butter. Carefully microwave until chocolate is melted. Stir to combine.
• Stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Optional
• Slices may be reheated for 20 seconds in the microwave before serving.
• Drizzle cooled cake with chocolate ganache (recipe below) or dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.
• May be served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.


Chocolate Ganache

• In saucepan, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream just until boiling.
• Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
• Stir until smooth and glossy

Bread Basundi

Ingredients

5 slices bread
2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup roasted nuts
1 tsp Elaichi powder
Saffron

Direction

1. Remove the brown edges on the bread and soak the slices in 1 cup milk for about 15 minutes
2. Blend the soaked bread till it forms a paste
3. In a sauce pan, add sugar and water and heat the mixture to form a thick syrup
4. Add the bread paste and mix well
5. Add remaining milk and let it boil. Add more milk if needed for consistency. Ideally it should feel like custard
6. Add nuts, saffron, Elaichi and turn off the heat
7. Garnish with more nuts and serve cold

Ras Malai

Ingredients:

1) 2 lbs ricotta cheese
2) 3/4 cup white sugar
3) 1 pint Half & half milk
4) A pinch of saffron (optional)
5) 1/4 tsp crushed cardamom seeds
6) 1/2 cup blanched almonds
7) 2 tbsp crushed green pistachios

Procedure

Mix the cheese the 1/4 cup sugar and cardamom powder and spread out on a baking tray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the corners are slightly brown. Insert a fork in the center and make sure it comes out clean
Remove from oven immediately
Wait for 15 minutes and cut the cheese into 2" squares. Cool to room temperature
Transfer the Malai cubes to a dessert bowl.
Mix the other ingredients, except the pistachios well in a separate dish and pour over the squares.
Decorate the rasmalai with pistachios, chill for 2-3 hours before serving.

Khaja (Dessert)

Ingredients:
1) Flour - 4 cups
2) Sugar - 4 cups
3) Butter - 1 stick ( half cup)
2 tblsp more butter for layers

Procedure:

Add melted butter to the flour.
Knead the flour into dough using sufficient water
Make sugar syrup to one string consistency
Divide dough into 8 portions ( or even more)
Roll out a thin chapatti
Spread butter/ghee and sprinkle rice flour
Roll the chapatti ( like a long straw with concentric circles)
Cut the roll into pieces
Take each piece and press to flatten it in shape of Khaja
In the mean while heat oil , and slowly fry the khajas
Drop the hot khajas into the syrup( just like gulab jamun)

Quicky and Yummy Mango Chutney

This recipe if form my lovely sister Divya. She is an expert in chutneys and whips them up in seconds. She was kind enough to share it with me and let me blog it :). Love you Divs.

Here we go with

1. 3 tbsp Chana daal
2. 1 tbsp Urad daal
3. 1 green mango, peeled and sliced
4. Jeera, Mustard seeds, Methi seeds, 2 red chillies and Hing
5. 3 Green chillies - cut
6. 3 tbsp of oil
7. Salt to taste
8. Turmeric
9. Stub of tamarind - if the mango is not tangy enough
10. 4-5 Curry leaves (optional)

Process

1. In a shallow vessel, heat the oil.
2. Add chana daal and urad daal till the color changes slightly
3. Add ingredients in #4 above and turmeric. Wait till you hear splitting sounds
4. Add green chillies and mix well
5. Turn off the stove when the daals are well roasted (medium brown color). Let it cool
6. In the blender, add the cooled mixture, tamarind and curry leaves. Beat to a very coarse mixture
7. Add cut mango pieces, salt and beat to a very coarse mixture again. Do not make a paste!
8. Add cilantro to season if you like it.