Mince & Potato Bake

Mince & Potato Bake

A dish I have been cooking for years - easy to adapt to different tastes - kids and adults seem to love it.  An exciting variation on the traditional shepherd’s pie, and an  ideal winter warmer.

Ingredients :

5 med Potatoes

250 gms. Chicken Mince

3 med. Onions (peeled & chopped finely)

3 fresh Green Chillies (finely cut)

½ tsp. Turmeric pwd.

2 tbsps. fresh Garlic paste

1 tbsp. fresh Ginger paste

2 Tomatoes (blanched,peeled & sliced finely)

A dash of Vinegar (I used Sugarcane vinegar)

1 tsp. Red Chilli pwd.

1 tsp. Garam Masala pwd.

¼ tsp. each Cinnamon & Clove pwd.

1/3 tsp. fresh Nutmeg pwd.

1 cup blanched Mixed Vegetables ( Green Peas, Sweet Corn niblets, & Carrots)

1 Capsicum (deseed, discard membrane & chop finely)

1 tsp. dry mixed Italian herbs

A pinch of Sugar

4 tbsps. Vegetable Oil

1 cup Water

2 Eggs (lightly beaten)

2 tbsps. Milk

1 cup Processed Cheddar Cheese (grated)

3 tbsps. Bread Crumbs

1 tbsp. Butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

A handful of fresh Coriander Leaves (chopped)

Method :

Wash & pressure coboil potatoes in their jackets till soft. 

Peel off the skins from the potatoes & mash them well. Season with salt & pepper & keep aside for further use.

Add capsicum to the mixed vegetables & mix with a little salt, a sprinkle of pepper, Italian herbs & keep aside.

Combine beaten eggs & milk in a bowl. Set aside for further use.

Preparation of Chicken Mince :

Wash the mince lightly once. Drain the water & keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok/kadhai/pot till hot. Reduce heat & add onions.

Saute the onions till soft & translucent.

Add the turmeric, green chillies, red chilli pwd., ginger-garlic paste & saute till rawness disappears. Then add the sliced tomatoes, garam masala pwd., cinnamon & clove pwd., nutmeg pwd.,; stir & cook till tomatoes are soft.

Then add the chicken mince saute well for about 5 mins. on med. Reduce heat if it is too much.

Add one cup water & let it cook till the mince is dry.

Next add a dash of vinegar, a light sprinkle of pepper & salt to taste and a tsp of sugar. Mix well. Adjust vinegar to taste. Lastly garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Keep aside.

To assemble the bake :

Take a square baking dish.(9x9x2.5 inches)

Lightly grease a baking dish with some butter.

Spread all the prepared chicken mince evenly in the dish.

Then spread the prepared mixed vegetables in an even layer.

Cover the entire dish with an even layer of mashed potatoes.

Using a fork lightly scroll the surface of the potato layer with criss cross lines.

Gently & evenly pour the egg mixture on the potato layer.

Sprinkle grated cheese, pepper & bread crumbs on top. Dot with some butter.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C till the bake sets well & turns to golden.

Remove from the oven & let it sit till it is warm.

Cut into wedges & serve.

http://verygoodrecipes.com/thanksgiving-challenge

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Death By Chocolate  - a dark, extremely rich chocolate layer cake with dark chocolate icing. The strong chocolate flavor of this cake is amazing! This is one of our best chocolate cake recipes!   The name of this cake, also known as American fudge cake, indicates just how  rich it is, and even more so if served as a dessert  lashings of whipped cream.

This cake is my Children’s all time favorite and is also a hit with my friends !

Ingredients

225 g dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

2/3 cup (140 g) butter

1 cup (210 g) sugar

4 eggs

4 heaped tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoon baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons sour cream

Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache

2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream

9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

Line a circular 10 inch (25 cm) cake tin (3 inches tall) with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. (Please note that the cake will rise to 3 inches and collapse somewhat when cooled. If your cake tin is less than 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall  it is recommended that you use two cake tins.)

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.

Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.

Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream.

Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes (if using 2 cake tins 20-30 minutes may be sufficient).

Cool the cake completely. When it has obtained room temperature place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (the cake is sticky and difficult to cut when it is warm!) Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally.

Frosting

Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.

Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens.

Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.

This cake should have room temperature when served.

You may add 3 tablespoons of rum to the chocolate and butter mixture.

http://verygoodrecipes.com/thanksgiving-challenge

MY CAKE CREATION

Cakes

MUTTON YAKHNI PULAO

Yakhni Pulao  is a combination of  tender meat pieces and rice  flavored  with  meat stock. Yakhni means meat stock, like beef, mutton or chicken stock. It is the yakhni (stock) which brings out the taste in this pulao.

This dish though simple, tastes delicious and can be served with Raita (yoghurt based salad).

Mutton Yakhni Pulao

Ingredients :

250gms Mutton 

250gms Rice (Basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes)

2 med. Onions (peeled & sliced)

2 tbsps. fresh Ginger-Garlic paste

¼ tsp. Turmeric pwd. (optional)

2-3  fresh Green Chillies (slit) 

5 tbsps. Vegetable Oil

Salt to taste

Whole Garam Masala 

1 large stick of Cinnamon, 16 Cloves, 20-25 Peppercorns, 2 Black Cardamom(lightly bruised), 3 Green Cardamom (lightly bruised), 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds, 2 tbsp whole Coriander Seeds, 2 Bay Leaves (Tej Patta). 

For the Garnishing :

Coriander & Mint Leaves (chopped)

Method :

Wash, drain & marinate the mutton with 1 tbsps. ginger-garlic paste, turmeric pwd.,and a little salt for about an hour.  

Pressure cook the marinated mutton, one sliced onion, whole garam masala with 5 cups of water for about 4-5 whistles or till the meat is just tender.

Allow the cooker to cool down a little and then release the steam completely.

Strain the stock, separate the meat, discard the whole spices.

The meat stock should measure up to 5 cups. If the amount of stock is less then add water accordingly to measure up to the required amount of liquid.

Heat the pressure cooker with cooking oil till hot.

Add the remaining sliced onions and fry until lightly golden brown. 

Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the moisture evaporates.

Add the slit chillies and fry for a few seconds.

Drain and add the soaked rice. Gently sauté till the rice grains are separated, well coated and glossy.

Add the cooked meat and pour in the reserved meat stock and give it a good stir. Taste to check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Also adjust water level if required as this depends on the quality of the rice.

Pressure cook  the rice till done.  

Serve garnished with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Simple Chicken Biryani

Biryani is a rice-based dish made with spices, rice (usually basmati) and chicken, mutton, fish, eggs, or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n), which means "fried" or "roasted".  Biryani was believed to have been invented in the kitchen of the Muslim Mughal Emperors. The difference between biryani and pulao is that while pulao may be made by cooking the items together, biryani denotes a dish where the rice is cooked separately from the gravy. The curry and the rice are then brought together and layered, resulting in a dish of the contrasting flavours of flavoured rice (which is cooked separate with spices) and intensely flavoured  meat or vegetables. This separation is partly of necessity. The proportion of meat/vegetables to the rice is high enough to make biryani a one-dish meal. In a properly made biryani, the final dish is dry or minimally moist, with the individual rice grains separate. However, many biryani recipes call for the rice to be cooked for three-quarters of the usual time, followed by layering with the meat/vegetable base, and then a final slow-steaming (Dum) until fully done. This approach allows the flavors to blend well. There are various types of biryani like Hyderabadi, Lucknowi, Awadh, Andhra style, Kerala style etc.,  I have tried various biryanis as my family loves biryani.  The below one is a quick biryani when you have no time for elaborate preparations.  Even though it seems complicated, this is a very very simple yet yummy biryani.

Ingredients

Chicken 1 kg

Basmati rice 1/2 kg

Onions – 3 (sliced and fried brown - brishta)

Potatoes – 2 medium sized (each chopped into 4 pieces)

Whole Garam Masala (1 bay leaf, 1 inch piece cinnamon, 1 star anise, 3-4 black pepper,2-3 cloves, 2-3 cardamoms)

3-4 slit green chillies

10 cashews chopped / few raisins - fried

Yellow or orange food color

For Maranade

Yoghurt  ½ cup

Red chilly powder 1 full teaspoon

Turmeric powder  ½  teaspoon

Dhania powder ½ teaspoon

Jeera powder ½ teaspoon

Ginger /Garlic paste 1 tablespoon

Garam Masala powser - 1 teaspoon

Lime/Lemon juice 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Step 1

Chop the chicken into medium pieces, wash, pat dry and set aside.

Apply lime/lemon juice and salt to chicken.

In a bowl whisk all the ingredients for maranade (except lime/salt).

Add this to the chicken.  Add the chooped potatoes. Mix well and set aside for ½ and hour.

Heat a heavy bottom pan with oil or ghee (1 tablespoon). Add chicken /potatoes pieces, fry for a minute add 2 cups of water.  Cover and cook till chicken/potatoes are done and there is a thick gravy.

Step 2

Slice 3 medium sized onions, apply salt, squeeze out the excess water.

Heat a pan with ghee or oil and fry the onions till crisp and brown (brishta)

Step 3

Wash the rice and soak for 10 minutes.

Heat a deep vessel with ghee or oil.

Add whole garam masala, fry for 1 minute till you get the aroma of the spices.

Add the rice and fry (careful not to break the grains) till coated with spices and ghee

Add sufficient water and cook the rice till ¾ done (¾ cooked rice means, you should be able to feel a slight grain and the rice should be quite firm when you press a grain of not fully cooked rice with your fingers). Drain and divide the rice into two.

Pour a teaspoon of ghee on both the divided rice.  To one add food color (or you can add saffron soaked in milk) mix till the color is blended and keep both sections of the rice aside.

Step 4

(Layering)

Take a deep bottom vessel.

Pour 1 tablespoon of hot ghee or oil.

Place ½ the potatoes at the bottom of the vessel

Add the ½ the quantity of chicken pieces on top of it.

Spread some fried onions on top of it. 

Add some chopped coriander/mint  on it

1 – 2 slit green chillies

Add the white rice (you can discard the whole spices if you want)

Top with chicken and potatoes

Add some more fried onions, chopped mint/coriander, few cashew/raisins

Place the colored rice on top.

Spread the balance onions, mint/coriander, cashews, raisins on top.

Cover the vessel.  Seal the edges (I sealed with foil paper).

Place a tawa on gas and then place the vessel on top of it and let it cook on dum for 15-20 minutes.

Leave covered for 10 minutes before opening it.

Serve hot with raita. (a yoghurt based salad with chopped onions, green chillies, coriander and mint)

Prawns Chilly Fry

The Goan Prawn Chilli Fry (not to be confused with Chinese Prawn Chilly) is a simple, quick and super tasty dish. It needs very few ingredients which are always available in your kitchen. The most important aspect is the freshness of the prawns and the tiny variety. Fresh prawns bring out the flavor in the preparation. When the prawns are fresh, you hardly need spices. This dish is prepared using lots of onions, some green chillies, tomatoes, vinegar and just a dash of dry spices. 

Ingredients :

250 gms. fresh small Prawns 

2 med. Onions sliced fine

1 med. fresh Tomatoes chopped fine

3 fresh Green Chillies sliced

1 tsp. fresh Ginger/Garlic paste

1 tsp. Palm Vinegar

1 tsp. Turmeric pwd.

Sugar - a large pinch or to taste

Black Pepper pwd. 

1 tsp Garam Masala 

Salt to taste

4 tbsps. Vegetable Oil

A handful of fresh Coriander Leaves (roughly chopped)

Procedure :

Wash the prawns & drain completely. Apply salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan or wok.

Fry the onions till slightly brown in color.

Add the green chillies  and fry for a few seconds  

Reduce heat add the tomatoes. Fry till the tomatoes are nicely smashed.

Now add the prawns and stir fry on high heat till the prawns are lightly cooked. 

Do not overcook the prawns or they will turn hard.

Add  sugar, pepper pwd., garam masala pwd. and stir to combine well. 

Add vinegar; stir. Adjust salt to taste. Taste to check seasoning. 

Serve immediately garnished with chopped coriander leaves.