Cake : Icing

Take 10  - A whimsical look at life...

Reasons why cake is better than icing:)

These views exclusively belong to MARCUS DUDLEY,Director Food & Beverage,Movenpick Hotel,Jumeirah Beach,Dubai as told to Ms.Hina Navin,a Dubai based freelancer, duly published in the Friday Magazine - the weekend supplement that comes along with Gulf News.

Over to the reasons...................................

1. My father used to tell me "If you like the look of the icing,you better hope the cake is as good or better." To me that sounds like positive thinking.
2. Cake is like life - textured and with different flavors and colors.Icing on the other hand is just plain sweet.
3. Eating too much cake only fills you up,but eating too much icing can make you feel sick.
4. When the icing's gone you are still left with the cake.
5. You cant judge a cake by its icing.And that's a good lesson in life. 
6. Icing wont keep you warm on a winter's night,but the cake might.
7. You think more icing on the cake is better but when you get down to it,you wish you had more of the cake instead.
8. When on a diet, you can still eat the cake without the icing and convince yourself that you did the right thing.
9. Cakes come in such an amazing variety,while icing is always the same.
10. Last but not the least,the icing will melt away but the core - the cake - will stay.

BOB THE BUILDER 

Green Chicken Curry

Cooking chicken is truly an adventure. It can take many many twists and turns and when it comes to making curry - I did this version in a hurry over the busy weekend. A perfect curry to go with rotis or just plain rice..........either ways its a delight!

Ingredients:

500 gms chicken

1/4 cup fresh grated coconut

2-3 green chillies

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Less than 1/4 cup - mint leaves

A small piece of ginger

2 pods of garlic peeled

A few curry leaves

1/4 tsp of fennel seeds

Salt to taste

A pinch of turmeric

About 8 kernels of cashewnuts( ground to a fine paste)

A tsp of fresh cream

1/4 Pepper powder

Step 1: Boil the pieces of chicken in  a wok with a little water,salt and turmeric.

Step 2: Grind together to a fine paste  - coconut,green chilli,mint,coriander fennel seedsginger and garlic .

Step 3: Add the ground green paste to the chicken and let it simmer - adjust salt at this point.

Step 4 : Check if the chicken is cooked and add the cashew paste and mix well.Let it simmer on slow heat.

Step 5: Add pepper powder for garnish and the frsh cream too. heat a tablespoon of oil and fry the curry leaves in it - Pour it over the chicken and serve hot !



Well, the thickness of the gravy could be adjusted by adding hot water. Spice could also vary to individual taste,add green chilli chopped or pepper powder to make it spicier. Enjoy!

Coconut Kheer

 There is this one person I know whose status messages on Facebook  are full of life and that spreads positive energy always.He writes about the food he wishes to eat , the food that hes eating too - every time its a unique menu,the variety is lovely and he never forgets to appreciate the guy who makes this spread for him :) He is a fantastic human being, a dear friend, a film maker by profession Vivek Sharma  who reaches out to people through his Blog.
One such update was about "Nariyal Kheer" - the name just got me plain inquisitive at the way he was raving about relishing it :)) I did my fair share of Google search - figured it out and made it my way.......

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Fresh grated coconut
2 tablespoons raw rice (soaked in water)
2 cups fresh milk
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup Sugar -
A pinch of powdered cardamom
Bay leaf
Cashew nuts and raisins fried in ghee

Step 1: Grind together coconut and raw rice with the salt to a very fine paste.
Step 2: Heat milk with the bay leaf .Add the paste to the milk stirring continuously with a wire whisk, as the paste could settle down easily. Whisk until it thickens to a smooth consistency.If by any chance it turns out lumpy, pour it out in a strainer to remove lumps.
Step 3: Add sugar & cardamom powder and stir well. Quantity of sugar could be increased as appropriate. Similarly, add milk if the mixture turns out too thick. Remove bay leaf & garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.

Diwali - the festival of lights - signifies the triumph of good over evil !! We reiterate this fact year after year - Hope this season brings peace and prosperity to all.

We did our share of prayers at home ..Happy Diwali again.............
I link this post to ......................
                               Tickling Palates - Diwali Special : sweets & savories
                                 

                               Anu's Healthy Kitchen - Diwali-festival-of-lights-event

                                  

                                         My Diwali - My Way - hosted by Khushi

                                                            
                             

Pineapple Gujiya

Diwali is here & I just couldn't resist making Gujiyas  for the occasion.

With little time on hand and lots to do ..........I made the dough first.

Ingredients :
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons Ghee
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients ,add water & knead to a firm dough.Set aside the dough in a plastic wrap.

Now the filling.I had seen this filling once on Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's TV show - Khana Khazana.
So here are the ingredients:

• 3 Pineapple slices finely chopped
• Half a cup of fresh grated coconut
• 2 tablespoons of raisins
• 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cashew nuts
• A pinch of cardamom powder
• A pinch of Salt
• 4 Table spoons of semolina (Rava)
• Oil/Ghee for frying
• Sugar - add to taste

Heat oil and add the chopped pineapples to this and fry well on high heat. Reduce heat and add grated coconut to this and mix well. Next add raisins & the nuts along with salt and cardamom powder.

Now add semolina and saute for a minute. At this point add sugar as appropriate to taste. The filling is now ready.

Knead the dough once again and roll out small rounds. Fill in with the Pineapple coconut mixture, seal the edges with water and cut out with a pastry wheel - zig zag cutter. Set aside in a pan and cover with  a wet cloth. This quantity makes about 18 Gujiyas.

Heat oil in a kadai - deep fry the gujiyas until they evenly turn golden brown. They get crisp once cooled.

That pouch in the center is what I made with the left over dough.......:)

''HAPPY DIWALI" - May this season bring pouches full of joy and happiness to all !

                                                           I link this post to.......

                                              Tickling Palates - Diwali Special Sweets

                                          

                                             

                                              Anu's Healthy Kitchen - Festival of Lights

                                          

                                                  My Diwali - My way hosted by Khushi