Dum biriyani

I am getting into this mode of making an elaborate lunch during the weekend.
Here is the menu planned for this weekend:
dum biriyani
mirchi ka salan
basic dal tadka
curd rice
mango cheesecake

Dum biriyani recipe from Veg Recipes of India Dassana.  I have tried her eggless orange cake previously with good results, so I hope this one will be good as well.
Ingredients 

The Rice:

• 1 and half cup basmati rice
• 2 green cardamoms/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
• 2 black cardamoms/badi elaichi
• 2 cloves/laung/lavang
• 1 cinnamon/dal chini of 1 inch
• 1 bay leaf/tej patta
• 2 mace strands/javitri
• 3 cups water
• salt

The Vegetable Gravy:

• 1 capsicum
• 1 medium sized carrot/gajar, diced
• 1 medium sized potato/a;pp, cubed
• 1 cup of chopped french beans
• ½ cup frozen/fresh peas/matar
• 1 and half onion/pyaaz, finely sliced
• 1 green chili, slit
• 2 tbsp ginger/adrak, julienned
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic/lahsun
• 1 tsp caraway seeds/shah jeera
• 2 green cardamom/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
• 2 black cardamoms/badi elaichi
• 2 cloves/laung/lavang
• 1 cinnamon/dal chini of 1 inch
• 1 bay leaf/tej patta
• 2 mace strands/javitri
• 100 gms whisked yogurt/curd/dahi
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• ½ tsp red chili powder/cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp cashewnuts
• 1 tbsp sultanas/raisins
• 2 tbsp almonds/badam, blanched, peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsp ghee
• salt

Herbs and Spices for the assembling:

• ½ cup chopped coriander/cilantro leaves/dhania patta
• ½ cup mint leaves/pudina patta
• 100 gms whisked yogurt/curd/dahi
• a few saffron/kesar, strands
• 1 tbsp milk

Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes

Cut the vegetables and microwave them till almost done

Drain the rice

In a pan, saute some ghee and add the spices as below 

• 2 green cardamoms/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
• 2 black cardamoms/badi elaichi
• 2 cloves/laung/lavang
• 1 cinnamon/dal chini of 1 inch
• 1 bay leaf/tej patta
• 2 mace strands/javitri

Add the rice and saute for a minute, quickly add 3 cups of water and salt to taste 

Cook the rice until almost done

Meanwhile, add ghee to a pan and saute the spices

• 1 tsp caraway seeds/shah jeera
• 2 green cardamom/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
• 2 black cardamoms/badi elaichi
• 2 cloves/laung/lavang
• 1 cinnamon/dal chini of 1 inch
• 1 bay leaf/tej patta
• 2 mace strands/javitri

Add half the onions and fry till soft

Add the green chilli, ginger and garlic. Fry for a minute. 

Add the turmeric and red chili powder. Give the mixture a stir.

Now add the vegetables and stir for a minute. Add the curd/yoghurt.

Add the rice with about as much water (3/4 cup) as you think the whole mix needs to get fully cooked but not mushed

Add the dry fruits, cashews, badam and raisins to the vegetable gravy

Add the saffron milk mixture to remaining curd 

Now layer in a different pan - 2 pyrex - bring down quantities based on this pan

2/3 of cooked rice

all of the curry (saffron milk + curd + 1/2 the coriander + mint mixture)

all of the vegetable curry 

all of the paneer

1 /3 of cooked rice 

caramelized onions

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 for 40 minutes

Serve the yummy veg biryani with your choice of raita, onion-mint salad-kuchumber, mango pickle, roasted papad.

Other accompaniments for this Hyderabad Veg Biryani would be Mirchon ka Salan…. the way the Biryani is traditionally served in Hyderabad.

Rajesh's birthday menu

I've decided to add the special menus made for people's birthdays here as well...
here is the menu I am planning to make for Rajesh's birthday tomorrow - I need everything to be without onions or garlic as tomorrow is a Saturday.  So i'm just using spices and avoiding the onion and garlic.
Recipes due to this reason are chosen from Divine Taste.  The besan parathas are from Mad Tea Party in Indian Food Rocks blog.

Vegetable Biriyani

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1 carrot cut into 1" pieces
1 potato cut into 1" pieces
1 small capsicum cut into 1" pieces
8 to 10 french beans cut into 1" piececs
200g paneer chunks
1/4 cup thick yoghurt
3 cups water

Whole spices
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamom
2 black cardamom
1 star anise
1/2" cinnamon piece
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tbsp dhaniya powder
1 tsp asafetida
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp ghee

Wet ground mixture
1 small tomato
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1/2 green chilly
1/2 cup fresh pudina leaves

Cut the vegetables, wash, clean and keep the leaves aside for pudina and coriander
Cook the vegetables size wise in the microwave and keep aside
Soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes
Meanwhile, grind the tomato, coriander leaves, mint leaves, ginger, chill together to a fine paste
In a pressure pan, add the ghee and put in the whole spices, when the spices release their aroma, add the turmeric, chilli powder, dhaniya powder, asafedita and stir around for a few seconds
Add the ground paste and cook until the oil seperates
Put in the cooked vegetables and mix well
Add the yoghurt, water, salt and rice in that order and cook covered until done on a low flame
Cover


Besan parathas

For the besan paste:
2 heaped tbsp besan
1/2 tsp ajwain or carom seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/6 cup oil, approximately
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

For the dough
1 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
1/2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water, approximately
1/6 cup atta for dusting
1/6 cup oil for cooking the paratha

Place a griddle to heat
Add oil, salt to atta, mix and then add only as much water as required to make a not sticky dough.
Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes
Mix besan, ajwain, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt
Add oil slowly to get a thick spreadable paste, paste should be little thicker than vada patter
Keep the cilantro in a different bowl
Divide the dough into 8 pieces
Roll each ball into about 3" in diameter

Bhoondi raita
Spread about 1/2 tsp besan paste onto half of the rolled circle and fold it over
Spread about 1/4 tsp besan paste on the semi circle and fold again into a quarter circle
dust with atta and roll into rounds
grill on medium high until colour changes
flip and spread oil and cook about 30 seconds
flip and cook again until puffy

Kashmiri Rajma
Ingredients:
320 gm (1 1/2 cups) rajma beans or red kidney beans
1 bay leaf
1.25 litres (5 cups) water
250 gm (3 to 4 tomatoes. depending on size), eyes removed and ground to a puree
3 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp asafetida
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
4 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves or cilantro
2 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

For the spice powder or garam masala

2 moti elaichi or black cardamom, seeds without skin
6 green cardamom, seeds without skin
5 cloves
2 to 3 small pieces of cinnamon

Method:
Wash and soak the rajma beans in water overnight or for 6 to 8 hours. Discard the soaking water and place the beans in a pressure cooker along with the bay leaf and 5 cups of water. Pressure cook until the first whistle and then lower the heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more until the beans are properly cooked and some of them split open. The cooking time depends on the quality of the beans.

Once the beans are cooked, drain the water over a colander and reserve it.

In a wok or kadai, heat the oil over a medium flame. Pop in the cumin seeds and when then change colour, lower the heat a little and add the asafetida and the ginger. Stir for a few seconds and then add in the tomato puree. Mix well with a ladle or cooking spoon and then put in the coriander seed powder and the red chilli powder. Cook until the spices get incorporated into the tomatoes and the oil separated from the tomatoes.

Take a ladle full of the drained beans (about 1/2 a cup) and add it into the tomatoes. With the back of a spoon mash the beans well. Put in the remaining beans into the pot and stir well. Add the reserved water, salt and the coriander leaves, raise the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Lower the heat a little and cook stirring in between until the gravy thickens to the desired consistency, about 15 minutes.

Assemble all the spices in a mortar and pestle and pound into a powder. Alternatively use a coffee mill or dry spice grinder.

Put in the garam masala, stir and serve hot with rice or rotis.

German Chocolate cake for desert

Rajesh Birthday cake - German Chocolate cake

Editing to add teh picture of the final cake.  I was quite happy with all the choices I made.  The cake was totally yum and all in the family loved it, especially the birthday boy :-)

When i read the description on this cake for some reason, I was convinced I had to make it for Rajesh's birthday.  He loves chocolate as well and this seems to be a rather special and indulgent cake, so i decided on this flavour.

The decoration - I am caught between choosing a superman theme (figure or just the pattern on his costume) or a globe figure on top.  I am deciding right now as i write that I will go with the superman theme.

Below - compiled pictures and recipe for the cake:

Brownie cake base - eggless derived from Divine Taste.  I am halving the recipe as i intend to make it in a 7" round pan.

140 gm flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

120 gm (1 1/4 cup) dark chocolate*

95 ml (1/4 + 1/8 cup) water

75 gm  butter at room temperature

20 gm castor sugar

200g (1/2 tin) condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Grease  and flour 2 7" round tin 

 In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients, the flour, baking powder and baking soda and sieve once to make it uniform.

 In a small sauce pan, put in the dark chocolate broken into pieces and the water and heat until the chocolate melts. Stir well to get a smooth sauce and keep aside to cool.

Set your oven to heat at 180 C/350 F.

In a large bowl put in the butter and the sugar and beat well with a wire whisk or a hand blender or stand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 Put in the condensed milk and the vanilla extract and beat again for 3 to 4 minutes.

 Stir in the melted chocolate and mix well.

 Mix in the flour and beat again for two or three minutes until all the flour is mixed into the liquid.

 Pour the batter into the tin, tap the tin once or twice to make the batter uniform and bake for about 25 minutes.

Filling is a roux frosting taken from Rumana Jaseel's blog as used in her red velvet tower cake.

Coconut and Cashew Filling-

Ingredients:

Milk-130ml

Flour-10gm

Butter-130gm

Castor sugar/icing sugar-115gm

Vanilla bean-1

Coconut-40gm

Cashew (chopped)-50gm

Method:

1. Mix milk and flour in a heavy bottom sauce pan and cook stirring continuously until thick.Set aside to cool in fridge.

2. Cream butter and sugar together with the scrapings of vanilla bean till light and fluffy.

3. Add the flour mixture and beat further for a while.

4. Fold in freshly grated coconut and chopped cashewnuts.

Chocolate ganache frosting - 2:1 chocolate to cream ratio would work better here.

Chocolate - 250 g

Cream - 125 ml

Butter - 2 tablespoons

Heat cream and butter until bubbles form on the cream.  Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and mix well until you get smooth ganache.  Allow to set in the fridge for a few hours.

Take it out, whip it to restore volume and spread on sides of cake and on top.  Make sure there's enough to pipe a decorative rosette or shell border.

inspiration pictures for the cand the decoration

http://meaningfulmama.com/2014/02/superhero-cake-tutorial.html

Editing to add the plan

What to buy

Butter
Cashews
Spices- black elaichi, cloves, cinnamon
Boondi
Thick curd
Besan Flour
Buy cadbury shots as backup decoration

Make the ganache as soon as you get home and put it in the fridge
Put the ganache in fridge
Cling wrap the cakes and put them in the freezer

After the kids are asleep
Make the superman figurine and logo to place on the cake, use available colours, just gain the experience
Soak the rajma
Make the coconut-cashew filling
Remove the cakes from freezer, soak with sugar syrup
Make a dam of ganache
Fill in the centers
Top with the top layer
Do a crumb coat and put in the fridge to set for a whole half an hour
Watch a video to see the best way to ganache a cake
While watching the video cut veggies for tomorrow
Finish the top layer of ganache
Allow to set for 15 minutes in fridge
Do the shell border on top and bottom
If there is remaining filling, put it on top of the cake
put in a box and put it in the fridge

Mango cheesecake bars

This is going to be an experiment for father's day which is on Sunday.
I will use the paneer and curd bought last week after checking the dates.
Recipe for mango cheesecake is from divine taste blog, being made for FondBites Bake Along.
I will be using a 10" square pan for the cheesecake bars.

Mango Cheesecake Recipe

This is a cheesecake which is just about sweet. If you like your desserts sweeter then increase the sugar by about 1/4 cup. You might also have to do this if your mangoes are less sweeter. Use a deep dish 8” round springform pan or any pan with a removable bottom or a 9” regular round pan for this recipe.

Ingredients:

For Crust:

160 gm (1 1/2 cups) digestive biscuits or any other fairly plain sweet biscuits, crushed
100 gm (1/2 cup)  butter (preferably salted butter), chopped

For Filling:

160 gm (1 cup) fine sugar or powdered sugar
800 gm (3 cups) thick full cream yogurt
400 gm (2 cups) panir cheese or cottage cheese*
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) water
10 gm (10 tbsp) Chinagrass or Agar Agar or Kanten* (use 15 gm if you want a cheesecake that won’t crumble at all)
2 mangoes (1 cup), peeled, chopped and pureed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Mango Glaze:

1 mango (1/2 cup), peeled, chopped and pureed
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice

Method:

Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth lined colander over a container and allow to drain overnight to get half the quantity ( 400 gm or 1 1/2 cups) thick yogurt.

Prepare the crust:
Place all the biscuits in a sealed plastic bag (Zip loc) and with a rolling pin beat (does it sound violent?) until the biscuits are powdered. This is more easy than it sounds. Once this is done put the biscuits in a large mixing bowl. Put in the butter and with the help of a pastry blender or with your hands rub the butter into the biscuits until the mixture is well mixed.  Alternatively, process the biscuits in a food processor until fine, drop in the butter and process again until the mixture is properly blended.

Remove the mixture and press it evenly into the base of an 8” deep round springform pan or any pan with a removable bottom or a 9” regular round pan. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Prepare the filling:

Break the china grass into small pieces and soak in 1 1/2 cups water for about 10 minutes until it becomes soft.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or blender place the strained yogurt and panir cheese or cottage cheese and process until smooth and creamy. Transfer this to a mixing bowl.

In a sauce pan, heat the mango puree over a medium flame. Do not allow this to boil.

In another saucepan place the chinagrass and water mixture and stir on low heat until it melts completely, about 5 to 6 minutes. Do not allow this to boil.

After the chinagrass melts completely, pour the hot china grass solution into the hotmango puree, stirring all the while.

Slowly add the mango mixture into the yogurt and cheese mixture, stir in the sugar and vanilla extract and beat well with a wire whisk until well blended.

Pour this mixture over the prepared crust, level with a spoon and chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.

For the Mango Glaze:
Place all the ingredients for the glaze in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. When it begins to boil, reduce the flame and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Allow to come to room temperature and then spread the glaze over the cheesecake with a spoon. Allow the glaze to set over the cheesecake for 2 to 3 hours or more before slicing it.  Allow the cheesecake to set for an hour or so before spreading the glaze over it.

* If using cottage cheese make sure the water is completely drained and the cheese is dry to get a perfectly set cheesecake. Try and use panir cheese blended into a puree for this recipe.

*A few notes about cooking with chinagrass or agar agar or kanten.

China grass or Agar Agar or Kanten is a sea weed and completely vegetarian. It gives a smooth, glossy finish and many chefs prefer to use it over gelatin. China grass, if used properly sets easily at room temperature.

1. China grass needs to be broken into pieces and softened by soaking in water for atleast 5 minutes.
2. Heat chinagrass on a low flame for it to melt completely.
3. The dissolved chinagrass liquid should be immediately mixed with another portion of hot mixture. Remember that both the mixing agents need to be hot for the china grass to set properly. If either of them is cold, then the dessert wont set properly.
4. If the china grass solidifies before you add it into another mixture, then reheat until it melts completely and use as required.

Recipe update: After some concerns about the texture of this cheesecake and the varied quality of chinagrass and after considerable thought I have come to the conclusion that it is better to use 15 gm of chinagrass for this recipe to get a a stiff textured cheesecake that won’t crumble.

Beat the remaining half cup whipped cream to stiff peaks and pipe on the cheesecake bars.

Inspiration pictures from Divine Taste and also cheesecake bar  pictures from Brown Eyed Baker

I decided to make the cheesecake itself instead of as  bars.  here's my pic.

 Will post my pics on next Monday.

Mango cake with mango mousse filling and whipped cream frosting

Verdict:  The cake was moist and mango flavoured.  The mousse also came out well though I think it could be better in terms of texture and setting.  The whipped cream came out well.

Cake inspiration pictures:

Use the gold coloured board.  Cover it will green felt paper
Blue whipping cream, green whipping cream
pink fondant for the elephant, yellow and orange for the lion, brown for the monkey
make a white and brown cow, and a brown and black dog as well
make polka dot birthday caps for each of them
make fondant blocks for letters with anirudh on it
stick the happy birthday letters you got from vivekas
buy black fondant
for grass piping we can use the small hole tip

Edited to add:  Pictures of my finished cake!

Tutorials for the fondant animals should be searched for and put in.



Eggless vanilla cake based on Sailu's blog:

Whipping cream - 1 and a 1/2 cup
Take 1 cup whipping cream - add blue colour and whip up to stiff peaks
Take 1/2 cup whippign cream - add green colour (grass green) and whip upto stiff peaks

Mango mousse recipe as below - taken from various sources:

Ingredients :
Mango puree - 1
Sugar - 3 tablespoons
Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
Whipping cream - 1 cup 
7.5 grams agar agar flakes

Water - 1/4 cup

Place the china grass in the water and allow it to soak for 10 minutes

Mix together the mango puree, sugar and the lemon juice until well combined

Heat the china grass mixture until dissolved and bring to a boil

Heat the mango puree mixture over a medium flame

Strain the hot china grass liquid through a sieve while adding it simultaneously to the hot mango puree mixture

Allow the mango puree mixture to cool in an ice bath to room temperature

Whip whipping cream to soft peaks

Fold the mango puree into the whipping cream

Chill to set before using 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted from a height at least 3 times

1/2 cup thick curd/yogurt

1/2 cup mango puree (probably 1 mango, peeled, chopped and pureed)

3/4 cup sugar (you can use upto 1 cup)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsps baking pwd

1/2 cup refined oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

 Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 mts. Grease and flour an 8″ inch baking pan.
2 Cream the sugar and yogurt until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add baking pwd and baking soda and combine. Leave aside for 3 mts. You will find that bubbles appear.
3 Add vegetable oil and vanilla essence and mix well. Now, slowly add little sifted flour/maida (about a tbsp) at a time and fold into the wet ingredients.
4 Bake in preheated oven at 200 degree C for 10 mts, reduce temperature to 175 and bake for 20-25 mts or till a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
5 Cool the cake for 20-30 mts and then overturn onto a plate.

Chocolate Ombre cake for my birthday

This is the cake I made for my birthday:
The first cake is mine - the second pic is from Zoey's bakehouse where it was inspired from.
Waiting for the day when i finally match up to my inspirations ;-(

Cake from Dishes From My Kitchen blog:

This is for one 8 " Inch cake pan. 

Ingredients:

All purpose Flour - 1 cup 
Corn flour - 1 1/4 tbsp

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 1/2 tbsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp

Oil - 4 tbsp

Apple Cider or any vinegar - 1 tbsp

Vanilla extract - 1 1/2 tsp

Instant Coffee - 1/4 tsp


Method :

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line 8"inch tin with the parchment.

2.  In a large bowl whisk all the dry ingredients.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk all the liquid ingredients with the coffee granules.

4.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Whisk until everything is well mixed. Do not over mix.

5. Pour the batter in the prepared tin.

6. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake center comes out clean. (Few crumbs clinging is absolutely fine... as it will be moist)

My review is that the cake turned out a little dry.  I prefer the Barbara bakes chocolate cake recipe.

The cake was filled with chocolate mousse made using 1 cup of chocolate ganache and 2 cups of whipped cream (Rich's premium whipping cream).  The whipping cream was fabulous and doubled upto like thrice it's volume.  I was able to use only one 3rd of the mousse i made and distributed the rest in small cuppies at work.

Chocolate mousse from Kitchen kemistry as always 

I made 2 cups of chocolate ganache and used that to make 2 cups of the mousse

I also made 1 cup of chocolate whipping cream using the joy of baking whipping cream recipe

Also used the remaining one cup of chocolate ganache 

Makes 1 cup

4 oz  Baking chocolate *I used Godiva bittersweet baking chocolate. You can also use semi sweet, dark or milk chocolate.

1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream *For vegan version, use coconut cream concentrate

1/2  tablespoon Unsalted butter *For vegan version use a neutral tasting oil

1/2  tablespoon Liqueur or 1/4  teaspoon of flavoring like vanilla  or 1 tablespoon of espresso *This is optional. For a child friendly version, do not use liqueur

Method

Chop the chocolate bar into small pieces. Small pieces melt better than large ones. I chopped the chocolate bar roughly. Grated chocolate is recommended. To save time, you may also use chocolate morsels or callets instead of a bar.

This step is optional. Set aside the butter. I use sweet cream unsalted butter. Softening the butter is not required. You can also use a neutral tasting oil like grapeseed oil or vegetable oil. Adding extra fat gives a shiny texture when poured on a cake or as a fruit dip. If you’re making a ganache for other baking purpose, you can skip the butter or oil. Less fat, less calories!

Measure the heavy cream in a cup. If you use a good quality chocolate and it taste good by itself, you can use light cream, half and half or fresh milk for a reduced fat and thinner ganache. Avoid using bland or stale chocolate that tastes like mud.  No matter what, It sure spoils the final outcome.