Mexican Chocolate Cake

This moist and delicious chocolate cake gets an extra kick from the cinnamon and cayenne.

1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 cup sugar (try Florida Crystals brand)
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2-3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup cold water
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish


• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Stir in the cinnamon, cayenne, vanilla, vinegar, oil, and water. Mix until just combined.
• Pour into the prepared cake pan and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool.
• Dust with the confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Note: This recipe goes great with a spicy dark-chocolate sauce. To make the sauce, melt 2 squares of dark chocolate with 1/4 cup water or soy milk. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 Tbsp. vegan margarine, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and cayenne pepper, to taste.

Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingrediants

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
0.5 Cup Toasted Hazelnut Meal (see note below)
1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brewed Coffee (1 cup warm water + 1tbsp instant coffee)
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Cider Vinegar

Preparation -

Preheat oven for 375F.

Line the mini muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, hazelnut meal, baking soda, salt. Make sure everything is mixed well.
Now add oil, brewed coffee, vanilla extract together. Mix well using food processor or whisk.
Add the mixed dry ingredients to the mixed oil-coffee mixture in two batches. Make sure everything is mixed well.
Add vinegar and mix quickly. Avoid over beating.
Fill the cupcake liners. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
It makes around 30 mini cupcakes or about 12-15 normal sized cupcakes.

Note - Layer 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and keep it in the oven for 15 minutes at 250F. Turn it in 7-8 minutes. Cool it for few minutes and pulse it in grinder to make hazelnut meal.

Tips -
You can use almond, walnuts instead of hazelnuts.
If you do not want to use coffee, just use plain water.

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Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil

1 cup jasmine rice
2 Tbs. peanut or vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste
3 baby eggplants, cubed into bite-sized chunks
1 medium-sized onion, diced
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbs. white vinegar
3 Tbs. dark soy sauce, such as tamari
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

DIRECTIONS

Cook jasmine rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet or wok-shaped pan over high heat. Add oil and crushed red pepper, and let sizzle for 10 to 15 seconds. Add eggplant, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, and stir-fry for 3 minutes more. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Sprinkle with sugar, and toss for 1 or 2 minutes longer.
Remove pan from heat, add basil leaves and toss to combine with eggplant. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Vegetarian Thai Green Curry (Vegan)

Ingrediants

1 + 1/2 cups medium-firm tofu, cubed, OR canned chickpeas (your choice)
1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 to 1+1/2 cups chopped asparagus OR green beans
generous handful cherry tomatoes
3/4 can coconut milk
3/4 cup vegetable OR faux chicken stock (for a creamier curry, see note below recipe)
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil OR sweet basil
Optional: 2-3 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
Optional: Other vegetables of your choice (see suggestions below recipe)

GREEN CURRY PASTE:
1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced, OR 3 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass (available at Asian stores)
1/4 can coconut milk
1-3 Thai green chilies OR jalapeno
1 compressed cup chopped coriander/cilantro, leaves & stems
1 shallot, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper (available in most supermarket spice aisles)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preparation:

Place all 'green curry paste' ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz to create a fragrant green curry paste (you may need to add more coconut milk if using a blender). To make sauce by hand: Mince and stir all sauce ingredients together in a bowl, OR use a pestle & mortar to mash dry ingredients followed by liquid ingredients. Set aside.
Place a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a little oil and swirl around, then add all the green curry paste you just made. Stir-fry 1 minute to release the fragrance.
Add the tofu or chickpeas. Stir-fry until well saturated with sauce.
Add the stock, plus the lime leaves (if using). Stir and reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 can coconut milk, plus the green vegetables (except basil) and continue simmering another 3-4 minutes.
Add the cherry tomatoes and simmer 2-3 more minutes. Avoid over-cooking the vegetables - you want the tomatoes to keep their shape and the green veggies to retain some of their crispness.
Remove curry from heat and taste-test it for salt and spice. If not salty enough, add a sprinkle more salt. If too salty for your taste, add another squeeze of lime juice. If too spicy, OR if you'd like more sauce, add what is remaining of your can of coconut milk. If you'd like it sweeter, add a little more sugar.
Serve directly out of the wok, or transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle over the fresh basil (slice larger leaves into shreds). Sliced red chili can also be used as a topping, or to add more spice (as shown). Serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice, and ENJOY!

For a Creamier Green Curry (as shown): Substitute stock with 1/2 can evaporated milk, OR 3/4 cup (more) coconut milk for vegans.

Other Vegetables that Work Well in this Recipe: yam or sweet potato, squash or pumpkin, snow peas, eggplant, broccoli, water chestnuts, bok choy, bamboo shoots, canned baby corn.

Tur ji paut

Ingredients

2 cups tur dal soaked for 2hrs
4 pieces of kokum
5 to 8 chilies
½ ginger cut into small pieces
Pinch of hing
2tsp ghee
Salt & haldi to taste
Gud to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tomato chopped in big pieces
Hand full of curry leaves

Method

Boil the dal. In a tadka katori take little ghee add mustard seeds when the stop spluttering add hing, curry leaves. Add this to the dal then add haldi, salt, kokum, chilies, ginger, Gud & tomatoes. Boil for 20 min

Serve hot garnish with coriander leaves

Tridali paut

Ingredients

for main preparation:
1 1/2 glass of water
½ cup channa dal
1 cup moong dal
½ cup tur dal
5to8 green chilies
a small pc of ginger
4 pieces of aambeli ( dry mango)
turmeric and salt to taste
for tadka:
1/2tsp jeera
4-5 red chilies
a pinch of hing(asafetida)
2tsp ghee
8-10 curry leaves
for garnishing:
fresh green coriander leaves

Method
In a pressure cooker put all the 3 dals,1 1/2 glass water, boil for some time and wait for 1 whistle. mash the boiled dal with a mini-primer, add dry mango ,salt, turmeric powder chopped green chilies and ginger cut into small pieces, then add some water(as per your requirement for how dense u want the dal to be) and boil for 10 min. then prepare for tadka
in a tadka katori take little ghee, pinch of hing, curry leaves, dry red chilies, jeera and cook till spluttering sound of jeera is heard.
Add this tadka to the boiled dal and cook for 5-10 more minutes.
Your Tridali paut is ready
serve hot in a glass katori and garnish with fresh green coriander leaves.

BESAN SAAG

Ingredients
2 tbsp besan/gram flour
2 cups water
1 small eggplant
1 potato cut into big pieces
Salt – to taste
A pinch of hing
5 to 8 green chilies
1 tsp jeera
1 tbsp oil
Hand full curry leaves
½ tsp haldi
4 pieces dry mango/ aambeli
Coriander leaves (for garnish)

Ghantias: ½ cup besan , Salt – to taste, A pinch hing, ½ tbsp crushed coriander seeds, 1 tbsp oil & water as required

Method of making Ghantias: mix all ingredients together & make semi stiff dough. Make rolls & cut into 2 inches long pieces

Method
Mix besan & water together to make a batter. In a sauce pan, heat oil. When hot, add cumin seeds, chopped green chilies, asafetida ,and curry leaves. Allow it to temper. Add the gram flour batter to this tempered mixture & add eggplant, salt & haldi. Let it boil on a high flame. Once it starts to boil add dry mangoes, potatoes & Ghantias. Reduce the flame to medium low. & let it simmer once the Ghantias are cooked the besan saag is ready to be served.

Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with rice.

Bhatia Kadhi

Ingredients
1 cup water from tur dal ( the water in which you boil the dal)
2 tbsp besan
1 tsp jeera, hurba ( fenugreek seeds) , each
1 potato cut in big pieces
4 pieces suran/yam
4 pieces drumstick
4 pieces bhindi
4 pieces gavar
½ inch Ginger cut into small pieces
2 cups water
4 kokum
Some dry channa or black eye peas ( lubia) soaked
8 to 15 chilies as per taste cut into half
1tbsp oil
Salt to taste
½ tsp haldi
Sugar to taste
Hand full of curry leaves
A pinch of hing ( as we say in our language unchi vagarani)

Method

Mix the besan in water & keep aside
Heat oil in a sauce pan add jeera, fenugreek seeds, a pinch of hing. Then add curry leaves, chilies, ginger, suran, gavar, and channa/lubia & add the besan mixture. Add tur dal water, haldi & salt. Allow it to boil then add potatoes, kokum & drum sticks. Lower the heat to medium flame & let it cook for ½ hour.
Then check the seasoning & add sugar accordingly as Bhatia kadhi is should be a mixture of all flavors sweet , sour& hot. Now you can add bhindi & then cook till the bhindi is cooked. Now your delicious Bhatia kadhi is ready to be served with Dal chawal or mong chawal.
Note: you can even add banana to it & it changes a bit of flavor. You have to add the skin of the banana to get the taste, but discard it before serving. As a health alternative you can use canola oil it doesn’t affect the taste.

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Festive Cardamom Biscuits

Ingredients:

300 gm flour
125 gm castor sugar
200 gm chilled butter
1/2 tsp cardamom powder


To Decorate
2 tbsp castor sugar
edible food color


Method:

Mix flour, sugar and spice in a bowl. With your fingertips, rub in diced butter into the flour. When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, knead it into soft dough.

Knead on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap the dough in a paper and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll on a floured surface till 1/8" thick. Cut and arrange on a baking tray. Chill for ten minutes.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 degree C for ten minutes or until golden.

Dip each biscuit into a plain or colored sugar and cool before storing in an airtight tin

Pineapple Pastry

Ingredients:

8"2 plain vanilla sponge square
1 cup pineapples-chopped fine
3 tbsp pineapple juice/syrup
3 cups cream-chilled
1 tbsp sugar
cherries and pineapple slices for garnish

Method:

Whip the cream with the sugar, till it holds its shape. Be careful not to over beat, as it will turn into butter.

Place one sponge on the plate upside down, remove the paper and spread the chopped pineapple over it in a layer.

Spread a layer of cream over this and cover with the second sponge, upside down.

Remove the paper and sprinkle with the juice/syrup. Now cover neatly with a layer of cream. Cut into desired sized rectangles and decorate with piped whipped cream.

Garnish with the pineapple slice and cherries, chill and serve.

Home-Made Chocolates

Ingredients:

160 gm semi sweet chocolate
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup nuts - chopped
1 tsp Vanilla/almond essence
a greased plate to keep the chocolates

Method:

Place chocolate and milk in a pan.

In a bigger pan, bring water to a boil and shut off the heat.

Immediately, place the pan with the chocolate over this hot water and stir slowly as soon as it starts to melt.

When the whole mixture is well blended take the pan off the heat immediately. Mix in the vanilla.

Stir in the nuts, and drop spoonfuls of mixture on the greased plate and leave to set. Your chocolates are ready.

Dessert Delight

Ingredients:

2 slice chocolate cake,
2 chocolates, cut into pieces
2 bananas
3 tsp sugar
2 tsp lemonjuice
1/2 cup cream
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
100 gm butter



Method:

Cut the bananas into not so small pieces. Heat the butter (a little more than warm) and put in the banana pieces and cook for two minutes.

Add the sugar and continue cooking till it is completely done. Then add the lemon juice and continue cooking.

In another pan, melt the cut pieces of chocolate and the cream and cook on a slow flame. Spread the cooked banana evenly on the chocolate slices.

Now decorate the chocolate slices with the melted chocolate-cream mixture and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on its side.

Ice cream cake

Ingredients:

1/2 litre vanilla ice cream
1/2 litre chocolate ice cream
1 tbsp chopped tutti frutti or cherries ( dried)
4 tbsp chopped mango
2 tbsp rum
125 ml whipped cream
3 tbsp chopped roasted almonds
dusting of cocoa and icing sugar


Method:

Fill a 7-8" cake tin with vanilla ice cream and then chocolate ice cream reserving three tbsp for top.

Fill centre with candied peel, mixed with mango, rum and cream.

Cover with remaining ice cream. Cover with foil and freeze over night.

Serve dusted with icing sugar and nuts.

Apple Pie with Raisin Chutney

Ingredients

For Apple Pie Filling

100 gm Butter
4 Medium Apple
1/3 tsp Cinnamon
15 -20 gm Sugar

For Pie Cover

100 gm Flour
100 gm Icing Sugar
100 gm Butter
50 ml Water

For Raisin Chutney

1 tbsp Whole mix spices
100 gm Raisin
30 gm Sugar
20 ml Lemon Juice
20 ml Orange Juice

Method

For Apple Pie Filling

Peel the apples & chop. Add in a sauce pan, moist the apples with 100 gm of butter and add 1/3 tsp Cinnamon and 15-20 gms sugar, cook it till it becomes thick.

Fill the pie shell with the apple mixture.

For Pie Cover
Prepare the pie dough, mix 100 gm flour, 100 gm butter, 100 gm icing sugar till it becomes crumbly; add 50 ml water into it to form smooth dough.

Divide the dough in two equal pieces. Refrigerate for ½ a hr. Roll half of the dough 1/8 inch thick and line the pie pan. Reserve the other half wrapped tightly under refrigeration.

Roll out the remaining dough 1/8 inch thick and place it over the filling. Crimp the edges to seal, cutting several vents in the top of the pie. Bake at 180 C, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool to room temperature before serving.

For Raisin Chutney

Cook 100 gm raisins, 30 gm sugar, 20 ml lemon juice, 20 ml orange juice and whole spice together on slow fire till it becomes soft. Serve with hot apple pie.

Chocolate Tart with Milk Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

200 gm melted dark chocolate
150 gm milk chocolate
175 ml fresh cream

Method:

Melt the dark chocolate and cool it to the room temperature and brush them on silicon moulds. Keep it in the freezer for at least 10 to 15 mins.

Boil the cream and add the mix of dark and white chocolate into it. Pour in the melted mix into the chocolate mould.

Set it in the fridge for atleast an hour and serve cold.

Sugarfree Mango and Black Pepper Cheese Cake

Ingredients

150 gm Cream Cheese ( mascarpone cheese)
50 gm sugar-free
250 ml cream
180 gm Mango puree
1 tbsp black pepper
3 gm gelatin

For Biscuit base
100 gm sugar free biscuits
50 gm melted butter

Method

Crush the biscuits and add in the melted butter. Now spread the mixture in a springform pan & refrigerate for 15 mins.

In a large bowl, fold in the cream cheese, sugarfree natura, cream, mango puree, black pepper and gelatin.

Pour it over biscuit base and refrigerate for an hour and serve cold.

Cafe Au Lait or Coffee & Cream Cheese Mousse

Ingredients

150 ml whipped cream
30 gm sugar
125 gm cream cheese
1 tsp gelatin
20 gm coffee powder
1 kg chocolate sponge or 6 cookies
100 gm chocolate
50 ml cream

Method

Soak the gelatin in cold water .

Whip the cream and sugar, gently fold in the cheese and set it aside.

Melt the gelatin in the sauce pan and add little water to coffee power.

Mix the gelatin and coffee into the whipped cream.

Cut roundels of chocolate sponge and fill the whipped cream mixer in the mold and cover it with chocolate sponge.

Boil cream add chocolate to make garnish .pour over the chocolate sponge to give it a thin layered.

Set it in the fridge for 30 mins.