Fondant Icing Recipe....!!!

Fondant icing or fondant is an edible icing used to decorate cakes and pastries. Most of the people have a wrong concept about fondant that it is not edible. You are wrong, it is EDIBLE! It is made our of icing sugar, corn syrup, gelatin and butter. This is easy to make but got to be little careful while making the dough since it will be too sticky..! You can find some pictures below. The cakes I decorated using fondant icing..!!!

Ingredients:

Icing Sugar                                                500 gm

Gelatin                                                       20 gm

Butter                                                         50 gm

Corn syrup                                                 2 tbsp.

Glycerin                                                     1 tbsp.

Corn starch                                                as required to knead the dough

Method:

1. Soak gelatin in 1/4 cup of water for 10 mins.

2. Melt the gelatin in microwave.

3. In the same bowl add corn syrup, cubed butter, glycerin and heat in microwave until the butter is completely melted.

4. Let it cool down.

5. In an electric stand mixer with paddle attachment, add icing sugar and the gelatin mixture and knead to a dough.

6. If you feel it too thin add some more icing sugar.

7. Now take out the dough out of the stand mixer and place on a corn starch powdered surface.

8. Knead this well into a dough. You must dust your hands with corn starch or grease with butter in order to knead it well and not to stick onto hands.

9. Keep this refrigerated for at least 2 hrs before using.

10.This can be stored for 6 months in fridge. Top your cakes with the tasty fondant :) :)

Thalassery Biriyani - A Restaurant Style...!!!

Biriyani is a very common food that we prepare when we have guests or usually on Fridays! There are a wide variety of Biriyani all over the world... To say, in Kerala almost every district has a distinct way of preparing Biriyani... Basically I am from Thrissur and the way we prepare biriyani is entirely different from the ones Thalasserians or Kozhikodians make... Well, the best biriyani I have ever had is from my hubby's dad's house back in Thalassery... So now I have prepared a Thalassery biriyani and the recipe comes from a chef in a Thalassery Restaurant and not from any home cooks... I tried this quite a few times and we all loved it... There might be a lot of people coming up saying that this is not the authentic one.. That's why I gave this tagline as Restaurant Style! I quite love the flavors and the way it tastes.. So give it a try.. Its an easy and simple recipe...

And to all Thalasserians and Thalassery home cooks, I do not state that this as the authentic way u prepare!! 

 Ingredients:
Chicken                                                                            1kg
Khaima Rice                                                                     2 cups
Onions                                                                              6-8
Ginger-Garlic- green chilly paste                                      2 tbsp.
Tomatoes                                                                          5
Garam masala                                                                   4 tsp
Cardamom                                                                        8
Cloves                                                                               8
Cinnamon stick                                                                 2
Bay Leaf                                                                           1
Coriander leaves                                                               a handful
Mint leaves                                                                       a handful
Salt
Water                                                                               3 cups
Ghee\Oil

Method:

1. Cut the chicken pieces, clean and keep aside. Wash and drain rice and keep aside 

2. In a pan heat ghee or oil and fry whole of the thin sliced onions until golden brown and crispy and keep aside.

3. In the same oil fry cashews and raisins until golden brown and keep aside.

4. In a bottom thick vessel add 2 tbsp. of ghee (you can use the one we used to fry onions).

5. Add cardamom(4), cloves(4),cinnamon stick(1),bay leaf(1),nutmeg(1) and tomatoes and sauté well until the tomatoes are soft.

6. Now add ginger-garlic-green chilly paste into this and sauté until the raw smell goes off.

7. Now add the cut chicken pieces, salt, 3tsp of garam masala and fried onions(keep aside some for garnishing).

8. Mix this well, add some chopped mint and coriander leaves and close and cook until the chicken is almost done.

9. Meanwhile heat ghee in a vessel and add rest of cardamom, clove, bay leaf and nutmeg.

10. Add the rice into this and fry for 5 mins.

11. Add 3 cups of boiling water into this, close and cook until the rice is almost done.

12. Now once both rice and chicken are almost done, off the flame.

13. In a bottom thick vessel add 1 tbsp. of ghee and add the whole masala into this.

14. Add chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves and some fried cashews and raisins. Add 1 tsp garam masala over it.

15. Above that add the whole rice. Add the rest of fried onions on top, some more chopped leaves and fried cashews and raisins.

16. Close the lid tight and keep on sim for 25 mins.

17. Open the lid and serve rice and masala separate as shown in the picture.

18. Yummy restaurant style Thalassery biriyani ready to eat. Serve hot with raita, pickle and pappad :) :)

Malwani Chicken with Hirwa Masala.....!!!

This is such a refreshing curry both visually and to eat as well. Malwani Chicken with Hirwa masala is made in fresh green masala. I has cilantro, ginger and coconut. What more do we need? The fresh 3 ingredients in the curry!! That makes it YUM!

Ingredients:

Chicken                                                    -                         1 kg

Onion (chopped)                                      -                          3

Ginger - garlic paste                                -                         1 tbsp

Fresh grated coconut                                -                         1 1/2 cup

Cinammon stick                                       -                         1/2 inch

Cardamom                                                -                          4

Bay Leaf                                                   -                          1

Cloves                                                       -                          3

Cumin Seeds                                             -                          1/2 tsp

Garam Masala                                           -                          1/2 tsp

Fresh Coriander                                         -                           1 bunch

Ginger (chopped)                                      -                           1/2 inch

Green Chilly                                              -                             4

Method

1. Marinate chicken with salt and ginger-garlic paste and keep aside for half an hour.

2. Grind 3/4 cup of coconut with a 1/4 cup of warm water.

3. Sieve it and extract thick milk and keep aside.

4. Grind together fresh coriander leaves(1/2 bunch), grated coconut(1/2 cup), chopped ginger(1/2 inch) and green chillies together into a paste.

5. Add cinnamon, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, bay leaf, cloves and cumin seeds and sauté until the raw smell goes off.

6. Add the hirwa masala paste and sauté on low heat for 2-3 mins.

7. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Continue to sauté for 2-3 mins.

8. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook until the chicken is done .

9. Add coconut milk and garam masala powder.

10.Mix well and let it heat through. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. :) :)

Naadan Fish Curry......!!!!

Hi everyone... This time I would like to share a Kerala recipe with you all... A Nadan Fish Curry!!! During my childhood or even until I get married, this used to be one of the main dish on table for lunch... After marriage I dint get much chance to cook it or eat it since my hubby is not a seafood lover! So this is a common curry that my mom and my sisters make for lunch... This goes very well with white rice and I love to have some curd along with this :)

Ingredients:

King Fish                             -                                       1/2 kg

Shallots                                -                                        4

Tomato                                 -                                        1

Garlic                                    -                                        3 cloves

Green Chilly                         -                                        2

Turmeric powder                  -                                        1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder                 -                                         1 tsp

Red Chilly powder                -                                         1 tsp

Coconut Milk powder           -                                          4 tbsp.

Tamarind pulp                       -                                           lime sized

Fennel Seed                           -                                           a pinch

Salt

Water

For Tempering:

Shallots                                  -                                     6

Mustard seeds                        -                                     1 tsp

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Method:

1. Clean the fish and keep aside.

2. In a blender add all the spices, fennel seed, shallots, coconut milk powder, water and blend until well combined.

3. Heat a pan and add sliced tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies and add the coconut milk mixture into this.

4. Now add tamarind pulp and salt.

5. Once the tomatoes are soft, add the fish into this and cook on medium flame.

6. Once the fish is well done, off the flame.

7. In a pan heat coconut oil and sputter mustard seeds, add shallots and curry leaves and pour this over the curry. Add coriander leaves at the end.

8. Yummy fish curry ready :) :)



TIPS FOR STIFF ICING: Whipped Cream / Butter Cream

Hi All.. I have been receiving a lot of queries on how to get a stiff whipped cream. Here are some ways I do to get it stiff:

1. Using Dream Whip Powder – Don’t follow the instruction on the packet. Instead, for 1 sachet add very little milk (eg: 2 tbsp.). Milk has to be cold. Mix this well into a paste. Now beat this on high speed for 5 mins. If you feel if too dry, you can add milk little by little but not too much. Beat this on high speed until u get stiff peaks. If you follow this method correctly, for sure you will get thick and stiff whipped cream.
2. Using Whipping Cream (Store bought Packet) – In this method, the only thing you need to make sure is to keep an eye on your cream while beating. Beat your whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla essence on high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Special attention has to be given to make sure you don’t overbeat it. Because, over beating will result in curdling of your whipping cream. Once you feel the cream has reached your desired consistency, STOP beating it.
3. Using whipping cream & gelatin – In this method, we will be using gelatin to make it stiff and set. Soak gelatin on cold water and let it sit for 5-10 mins (quantity of gelatin and water depends on the quantity of your whipping cream). Meanwhile, start beating you whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Once the gelatin is set, melt this. Keep the beater on and then add this into the whipping cream and continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.

For best results, keep the cream refrigerated for at least one hour before piping it!

TIPS FOR STIFF ICING: Butter Cream

I follow only a single method for butter cream frosting. All you will need is Butter in room temperature, icing sugar, vanilla essence and milk. Start beating your butter until smooth and creamy. Keep adding the icing sugar until you get a thick consistency. The consistency of the butter cream is often checked by spoon test. If you scoop a spoon full of frosting, it shouldn’t fall as you try to drip it. I must hold its shape in the spoon for at least 10 seconds. If you find it too thick add little milk and if you find it too thin add some more icing sugar. This is how you manage its consistency.

I will soon be sharing the pics for different types of whipped cream and their piping methods. Happy Baking :) :)

Chocolate Chiffon Cake!!!

One of my master piece!! I usually take orders for cakes and most of the request I get is for this cake. They are very soft, delicate, fluffy and delicious too... This recipe can be used to make cupcakes as well. This same recipe you can use for Vanilla Chiffon Cake, you will just need to delete the portion of adding cocoa powder and coffee... Instead of coffee you may add water.. It can be altered for Chocolate chiffon as well... Since I am a coffee lover, I prefer to add coffee in most of my chocolate cakes.... You might feel the recipe as a lil too long.. But once you start making it u'll find this as the easiest cake recipe and will turn your favorite for sure :) You can always half the recipe if you need a small cake and can double the recipe if you need a cake around 2.5 kg+..

So now on to the recipe... For the frosting, I have made a Chocolate glaze and whipped cream for swirls and filling... U can use butter cream Icing or whipped cream completely or you could even have it as it is as a tea cake....

 Ingredients:

For Cake:

Flour                                                             2 cups

Eggs                                                              7 (separated)

Baking powder                                             2 tsp

Baking Soda                                                 1 tsp

Cocoa Powder                                              1/4 cup

Sugar                                                            2 cups

Oil                                                                1/2 cup

Coffee / Water                                             1 cup

Vanilla Essence                                           1 tsp

Salt                                                              1/4 tsp

For Glaze:

Cooking Chocolate                                      180 gm

Butter                                                           50 gm

Light Corn Syrup                                         2 tbsp

Vanilla Essence                                           1 tsp (optional)

For Filling:

Whipping powder                                        2 sachets

Cold Milk                                                    1/4 cup

Cocoa Powder                                             2 tbsp

Coffee Powder                                            1 tsp

Sugar                                                           1/4 cup(if required)

Vanilla Essence                                           1 tsp

 Method:

Cake:

1. Preheat your oven at 165C for 10 mins. 
2. Separate the egg white and yolks in separate bowls and keep this on the kitchen counter for 30 mins. We will need 7 egg whites and 6 yolks.
3. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 cup sugar, salt and cocoa powder. Mix this well and keep aside.

4. Now in another bowl, slightly beat the egg yolks with a wire whisk using your hand. Now add oil, coffee and vanilla essence into this and mix well. Keep this aside.
5. In an electric stand mixer with whisk attachment or with a hand mixer beat the egg whites until foamy.
6. Once they r foamy, add rest 1 cup of sugar into this and beat until stiff peaks form.
7. Now into the dry ingredients, make a well in the center of the bowl and add thee egg yolk mixture and mix well.
8. After that add the egg whites in 3 steps few at a time and slowly incorporate this. PLEASE DONOT OVER MIX. We dont want the eggs to get deflated. So carefully mix this from the bottom to the upper portion just until incorporated.
9. Grease the pan and layer the baking sheet into it and pour the batter into it for about 3/4 of the pan. Tap the pan on the surface to avoid air bubbles.
10. Bake this for about 40 - 45 mins. The time will differ for each type of oven. So after 30 mins you can keep checking the cake. 11. Remove the cake from the oven when its completely done ie; a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let this cool for about 1 hour.

Filling:
1. In an electric stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream until smooth and fluffy, add sugar if required.
2. Add cocoa powder, coffee powder, vanilla essence and beat until stiff peaks form. 
3. Refrigerate this for 30 mins
Glaze:
1. Over a saucepan of simmering water, place a steel bowl and add chocolate, butter and corn syrup.
2.Double boil this until everything is melted. Let it cool slightly.

Assembling:
1. Once the cake has cooled, you may slice it into any thinner slices as desired. Soak each layer in sugar syrup and spread the filling above them until the top most layer.
2. On the top most layer pour the glaze and let it drop to the sides and cover the cake completely.
3. Keep this refrigerated for 1 hour. Once it has cooled, you may do some designs as I have done in the picture with the left over filling. Keep this refrigerated for another 2 hours.
4. Serve cold with a cup of coffee.... Hmmmm yummy yummy Chocolate chiffon cake is ready!!!! :):)

Mughlai Chicken....!!!

Hey all...!! I have always been thinking to keep posting daily but what to do each day I get busy with something or the other.... October was a month of Birthdays and cake orders and so had no time to sit down and write up recipes... And its a lil lazy task to find time to type ;) But since I love blogging and I am a person who purely depends on blogs for new recipes which I have never tried, I feel updating my blog is necessary... & I have a quite a list of friends who depends on my blog & keep on waiting for new recipes to be added up.... 

So now.... regarding Mughlai chicken.... Mughlai cuisine refers to a cuisine consisting of dishes developed in Medieval India by the people of the Mughal Empire. It represents the cooking styles used in North India especially Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Hyderabad. The cuisine is strongly influenced by Central Asian Cuisine, the region where the Turco-Mongol Mughal rulers originally hailed from and it has turn strongly influenced the regional cuisines of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 

The taste of Mughlai cuisine vary from extremely mild to spicy and are often associated with a distinctive aroma and taste of ground and whole spices. This Mughlai Chicken is a variety of such a cuisine which has a blend of ground and whole spices and the chicken is cooked in a thick gravy of onions tomatoes and spices....

 Ingredients:

Chicken                                                                          1 kg

Onions                                                                           3

Ginger (chopped)                                                           1 tsp

Garlic (chopped)                                                            1 tsp

Tomato                                                                          1

Turmeric Powder                                                           1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder                                                          1 tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder                                         2 tsp

Kasoori Methi                                                                1/2 tsp

Garam Masala                                                                1/2 tsp

Cashew Nuts                                                                  1/2 cup

Jeera Powder                                                                  1/2 tsp

Oil                                                                                   2 tbsp

Butter                                                                              1 tbsp

Salt

Method:

1. Soak the cashews in water for 15 mins. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and saute.
2. Once this is translucent, ass chopped ginger and garlic and saute well.
3. Add turmeric, coriander, and red chilly powder and saute until the raw smell goes off.
4. Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute until they are soft.
5. Off the flame and let it cool. Meanwhile blend the cashews into a smooth paste.
6. When the masala has cooled down, blend it into a paste.
7. Now heat a pan and mix the chicken with the masala and add 1/2 - 1 cup of water and cook well.
8. Once the chicken has been cooked, add the cashew paste into this and mix.
9. After the cashew paste has been added do not boil it.
10. Off the flame. Now in another pan heat butter.
11. Add jeera powder, garam masala and kasoori methi into this and saute a little.
12. Now pour this over the curry. Enjoy the yummy yummy mughlai chicken :)