NEW YEAR SPECIAL CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Flour 2cups (sieved)
• Baking powder ( 2tsp)
  
• Cocoa powder 1cup
  
• 2 cups sugar (finely ground)
  
• 4 duck-eggs (well beaten)
  
• essence of vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• Margarine (2 tbsp, melted)
• Refined oil (2tsp)
  
• Dry friuts (cashews, raisins, cherries ... almonds , soaked in orange juice for overnight)
  

Place sugar and the egg and beat it with the help of a fork (approx 100 times). Add the sieved flour ,along with cocoa powder, baking powder, butter and milk into the mixture and again beat at least 200 times. Grease the cake pot with butter uniformly, and pour the mixture into it, and refreigerate for 1/2 an hour, after covering it.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 180 deg Celsius, take the cake-pot out of the refrigerator and place it immediately in the pre-heated OTG, on the middle rack (keep both, the top and the bottom heaters on) for 30 minutes.

Ensure that the full cake is baked, by using a dip-stick ... see that nothing liquidy sticks to it.

This new year I have made this Chocolate cake for my friends and family.

Wishing you all a very HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

Keema Burger

Ingredients:
* Minced Mutton (Keema) : 250 gms
* Onion (finely chopped) : 200 gms.
* Ginger-Garlic (grated) : 4tsp.
* Red Chilly powder : 2tsp.
* Salt
* Sugar :1tsp
* lemon juice : 2tsp
* Turmeric powder
* Refined oil.
* Finely chopped Corriander leaves.
* Finely chopped spring onion
* Garam Masala Powder.
* a little cornflour and bread crumb as a binder.



Procedure:

* Boil the Mutton Keema along with salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker by adding water that is just sufficient to cook the keema.

* Then add the onion and fry till it becomes golden brown in colour.
* Add ginger-garlic and lemon juice
* Saute for 5 minutes.
* Then add salt, sugar, turmeric powder garam masala powder.
* Finally add the boiled keema and mix thoroughly with the masalas.
* Sprinkle Chopped dhaniya and spring onion from top.
Add a little corn flour and bread crumb to make it dry.
Make large balls and flatten keeping inside your palm to make keema patty. Take a non stick pan and grease with 1 tsp refined oil. Place each keema patty on the nonstick and keep for 20 mins. Place the patty inside the burger bread.
Heat on a OTG for 10 mins. Serve with french fries.

PAO BHAJI

A Simple Sheet Kaler LUNCH

Let us talk about very simple food. Just imagine the critical kitchen scenario. I am talking about a day when your maid is absent. Your mixie is not working. You have piled up outside work. You have to go for dinner with you friends.

This trio is simple and easy to cook. Try this for lunch.
Plain Rice along with Spinach (palak) Ghanto and Shrimp (chingri) Bati-chochhori.

Here is the recipe.

Palong Shaker Ghanto

Ingredients:

• Spinach(Washed and cut into medium size)
• Potato (Cut into small cubes)
• Brinjal (Cut into small cubes)
• Raddish (Mulee) (Cut into small cubes)
• Coconut (grated) and fried and coaresly crushed Bori(made from lentil paste(Mator Dal)
• Salt, Sugar and Turmeric Powder
• Green Chillies
• Bayleaf
• Cummin seeds
• Ghee and Mustard Oil
  
• Wheat Flour (1tsp)

Procedure:

Heat oil and add Cummin seeds, a few green chillies and a bay leaf to carckle and add all the vegetables except the spinach.Saute for a few minutes and add the spinach, salt and turmeric powder.Close the lid and cook on a high flame (as you know that Spnach looses lots of water when boiled). Then Open the lid after 5 minutes and add sugar .When all the veggies get cooked sprinkle the wheat flour on top to ensure complete drying and add Ghee. Switch off the burner.

Spread it on a shallow serving dish and garnish with grated coconut and Bori.


Shrimp(chingri) Batichochhori

Ingredients:

• Shrimp ( marinated with salt and turmeric powder )
• Potato (Cut into small pieces)
• Capsicum (optional)
• Onion (finely chopped)
• Green chillies (slit)
  
• Red Chilly Powder
  
• Salt
• Turmeric Powder
• Mustard oil

Procedure:

Heat oil and fry the onion and potato for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp,salt and turmeric powder. Add water (not too much). Then cook till the potato is cooked. Add red chilly powder and quite a lot of green chillies. Finally add 2tsp Mustard oil on top.
Serve hot with rice.

CHICKEN SOUP

Boneless Chicken [cut into small pieces]
Grated Carrot (1/4 cup)
Finely chopped Cabbage (1/2 cup)
Finely Chopped Garlic (1tsp)
Dry red Chillies (cut into two halves)
Black Pepper Powder
Salt and a little sugar
Tomato Ketchup(2tsp)
White vinegar (1tsp)
Soya Sauce (1tsp)
Maggi Soup Powder (4tsp)
Butter (1tsp)

Boil the chicken pieces along with salt and black pepper by adding 3 cups of water (that serves 3 people)
Mix the maggi Soup powder along with all the ingredients except the veggies.
Add this mixture to the boiling soup and stir continuously.
Add the vegetables.
Boil again for just one minute.
Add the butter and remove from heat.

• YOUR YUMMY CHICKEN SOUP IS READY!!!!

I never use CORN FLOUR while making soup...as you know that too much corn flour is not good for health.

Cheesy Garlic Toast with Hot Soup !

As you know that my son Shubhayan is a student of BITS Pilani and stays in a hostel attached to the college. He is not only fond of all that I cook at home but he is even more enthusiastic about getting my recipes -- including the pictures -- into this blog. So I miss him a lot while I cook and my own enthusiasm about cooking and blogging takes a hit. What this means is that on most evenings I generally make do with this Cheesy garlic Toast along with a soup -- a combination that includes vegetables/chicken/egg and is a complete dinner of sorts for me and my husband ! Please try this Cheesy Garlic Toast and I will be back in this week end with a lovely Chicken soup recipe for all of you!!!

Ingredients :

• Any kind of fresh Bread of your choice [these are now available in all super markets/bakeries. please do not use the standard sliced bread...]
• Finely chopped Garlic
• Sandwich Spread [I often use the FUN FOOD brand ]
• Oregano
• Black Pepper Powder
• Grated Cheese

Procedure :

• Cut the Bread loaf according to your choice [ I love to do this...because presentation is more important !!]
• Put the sandwich Spread with the help of a knife uniformly over the braed pieces.
• Arrange grated cheeseand chopped garlic together.
• Sprinkle Oregano and black pepper powder on top.
• Toast the bread pieces on a OTG at 180 degree Celsius for 10 minutes till they are light brown in colour and crispy!!
• Serve with any soup of your choice.

I will be back with the soup recipe shortly...please bear with me.

A VERY SPECIAL BENGALI MEAL