Impress your Loved Ones

CLEAR SOUP

2006-11-24T04:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2-3 juicy large carrots
1-3 pieces bottle gourd
1-2 leaves cabbage
1 tbsp. cream
1 small blob butter
Salt, pepper to taste
2-3 tbsp. cream whipped smooth
1 small sprig mint

Method

Grate 1 tbsp carrot finely, keep aside.
Finely chop cabbage, keep aside.
Pressure cook remaining carrots with bottle gourd till very soft.
Cool and blend in mixie. Strain.
Heat butter, add the pulp and bring to just about boil.
Add the grated carrot and cabbage and salt.
Take in serving bowl.
Add a swirl of whipped cream.
Sprinkle freshly ground pepper and chopped mint before serving.

PANEER CHUNKIES

2006-11-24T04:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Toss together:
1 cup paneer cubes (Cottage Cheese)(1/2"x1/2")
1/4 tsp. each garlic & ginger pastes
1/2 tsp. pepper powder
1/2 tsp. lemon juice.
salt to taste

Mix to a paste:

2 tbsp. corn flour
2 tbsp. plain flour
3 tbsp. water
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

Method

Marinate tossed paneer for 15 minutes.
Dip each cube in the batter.
Deep fry in hot oil till golden.
Serve hot with hot or cold soups.

FRUIT ICECREAM MEDLEY

2006-11-03T05:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 scoops basic vanilla icecream
1/2 cup mixed chop fruit
(orange, strawberry, banana, grapes, chickoo, kiwi, etc)
2 tbsp. fresh fruit sauce
1 icecream wafer for topping
1 tbsp. tiny cubes of leftover cake (optional)
2-3 tbsp. orange juice sweetened and chillled

Pic Shown May not be actual one

Method

Use a balloon glass (with/without stem) for best result.

Toss the chopped fruit and cake together.

Place at bottom of glass. Pour the orange juice over it.

Place the icecream scoops over the fruit.

Pour sauce over scoops.

Cut wafer into 4 small triangles.

Poke into top of scoop to form a fan shape.

SKEWED PANEER

2006-11-03T04:46:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Serves 4
300 gms Paneer (½ inch cubes)
2 medium sized Onions (½ inch squares)
2 medium sized Tomatoes (½ inch squares)
2 medium sized Green capsicums (½ inch squares)
2 cups Gram flour (besan)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Chaat masala
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1 tbsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Garlic paste
1/2 cup Yogurt
Oil to deep fry

Method

Skewer onto toothpicks paneer and vegetables in this order: onion, paneer, tomato, capsicum, paneer and capsicum.

Repeat the same on the remaining skewers.

Mix gram flour, salt, red chilli powder, chaat masala, garam masala powder, ginger paste and garlic paste in a bowl.

Add half a cup of water and mix.

Add yogurt and mix again.

Use more water to correct the consistency.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.

Dip skewed paneer in batter and deep fry in medium hot oil till golden in colour and crisp.

Remove and place on an absorbent paper.

Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce

Left over Cake and Fruit Surprise

2006-10-29T03:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cubes cut from leftover cake (omit any icing present)
1 cup cake (or sweetened) bread crumbs
2 cups chopped mixed fruit fresh or canned
1 packet lemon jelly
1/2 packet red jelly (strawberry or raspberry)
3 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp. sugar
1 cup chilled light cream (refer introduction)

Method

Boil 1 cup water, add 1 tbsp. sugar. Dissolve lemon jelly in it. Stir till clear. Take off flame.

Add 1 1/2 cups water. Stir, keep aside.

Mix cake cubes and fruit. Wet jelly mould, empty fruit, cake, in it. Mix. Pour lemon jelly to
cover contents.

Chill till almost set. Boil 1/2 cup water, add sugar. Dissolve red jelly. Stir till clear. Take off
fire. Add remaining water.

Stir well, pour over set lemon jelly. Allow to semi set. Sprinkle crumbs over it. Press lightly
with palm.

Allow to set completely n chiller.

To serve

Dip mould for a few seconds in hot water. Invert

With a sharp tap on plate.

Cut and set immediately, topped with cream.

Piled Fruit and Ice cream

2006-10-29T02:48:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 3"x 8"x 3" rectangular bread box
2 sheets butter paper
1 litre pack vanilla icecream
1 cup canned cherries drained
1 cup fresh strawberries cleaned & chopped
2 oranges peeled and segmented
1 cup sponge cake crumbs
1 cup biscuit crumbs
1 tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. cocoa powder
2 tbsp. sugar powdered
15-20 icecream wafer rectangles
1/2 cup strawberry sauce

Method

Check to see that the icecream block is very firm.

Make strips of butter paper to line the bottom and sides of bread box. Keep the base strip much longer than box. This way sides of the strips that hang out of the box can help pull out the block later.

Place a single layer of icecream wafers at bottom to cover base.

Run cake & biscuit crumbs, butter, cocoa, sugar in mixie for a few seconds. They should just mix well, do not overbeat or it will form a lump.

Spread 1/2 mixture on top of ice cream wafer layer. Press down gently and evenly.

Of the remaining make 4 equal sections along length of horizontal block. Place carefully over crumb base. Spread out cherries over icecream layer. Sprinkle some leftover crumbs on them.

Place next layer of icecream over it. Spread orange segments and sprinkle some crumb mixture.

Place next layer of icecream over it. Spread strawberries and remaining crumbs mixture. Place final layer of icecream over it.

Arrange remaining icecream wafers to cover top of icecream.

Place one more strip of butter paper over it to cover wafers.

Set in freezer for 2-3 hours till well combined.

To serve:

Remove upper layer of butter paper.

Place a serving long dish over mouth of box. Invert with a quick motion.

Hold side strips down with both hands. Or keep weights to hold them down.

Gently pry up the inverted box, holding down strips.

Gently remove all butter paper strips. Cut into individual pieces with sharp knife.

Take care to cut right through to base.

Lift with spatula and place on individual dishes. Pour a little strawberry sauce over it.

Serve immediately.