Chocolate Cream Cake recipe

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Ingredients

1/4 cup/60 ml espresso
1/4 cup/60 ml Cognac or rum
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
16 ounces/460 g bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
6 eggs
1/2 cup/100 g sugar, more to taste
1 cup/250 ml heavy cream, chilled
Gold leaf (optional)


Method

Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

Grease and line a 10-inch/25 cm cake pan, with quite high sides.

Boil a full kettle of water and set aside.

Have a roasting pan at the ready that will accommodate the cake pan comfortably.

Put the coffee, rum, vanilla and chocolate into a saucepan and melt over a bain-marie.

Break the eggs into a large glass or metal bowl with the sugar, set the bowl over a pot of warm water, and beat until the mixture has tripled in volume and has the consistency of whipped cream.

This will take about 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream into peaks.

Partially fold the chocolate into the egg mixture.

Add the cream and continue folding until evenly combined.

Pour into the cake pan.

Set the pan into the roasting pan, and slide it into the oven.

Now, pour the hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan to come half way up the sides of the cake pan.

Bake until set, about an hour.

Turn off the oven, open the door and let the cake sit for 15 minutes to sink evenly back into the pan.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit 30 minutes in the water bath.

Remove from the bath and flip the cake onto a platter.

Press gold leaf on the top to decorate.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream on the side.

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Penang Ulam Rice

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

1 Salted tenggiri fish
2 boiled mackerels
2 tbsp kerisik (pounded dry-fried grated coconut)
120ml thick coconut milk
4 shallots (sliced)
600g cooked rice
juices of 2 limes
oil for frying

ULAM INGREDIENTS
1 turmeric leaf/daun kunyit
2 cashew nut leaves
1 stalk basil leaves
1 stalk kesum leaves
2 stalk ulam raja leaves
1 stalk selom leaves
1 bud ginger flower/bunga kantan
1 stalk lemon grass/serai (finely slice)
3 sekentut leaves
2 kaduk leaves
5 pegaga leaves

How to cook:
1. Wash all the leaves, the leaves up in bundles and slice finely.
2. Wash the ginger flower and lemon grass. Cut finely.
3. Heat oil, fry the salted tenggiri fish and mackerel.
4. Remove and flake the flesh of both fish.
5. Mix thoroughly all ingredients with kerisik, lemon grass, ginger flower, shallots and thick coconut milk.
6. Add cooked rice into the mixture, combine well.
7. Squeeze lime juice over rice and serve.

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Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Servings: 08

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
                                 • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
                                 • 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
                                 • 2 pounds tilapia fillets



Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish

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ZUCCHINI SAMBAR

Saturday, 28 January 2012

INGRIDIENTS

½ cup toor dal

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons corn oil

½ teaspoon asafoetida powder

1 whole dried red chilli pepper

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

½ medium onion, cut lengthwise

1 small tomato, chipped

2 teaspoons samhbar powder

¼ cup tomato sauce

¼ teaspoon tamarind paste

 Teaspoon salt (more, if desired)

2 cups peeled and cubed zucchini

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

METHOD 

Boil 4 cups of water in a tall saucepan.  Add toor dal and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes until dal becomes creamy.  If water evaporates during the cooking process, add another cup of water and cook until dal becomes creamy.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  When oil is hot, but not smoking, add asafoetida, whole red pepper, fenugreek, mustard seeds, and urad dal.  Cook, covered, until mustard seeds pop and urad dal is golden brown.

Add onion and tomato.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until onions are tender.  Then add remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and sambhar powder and stir well. 

Add tomato sauce.  Add toor dal mixture, plus 3 cups of warm water, to the mixture in the saucepan.  Stir mixture well.

Add tamarind paste and salt.  When mixture begins to bubble, add zucchini and cook, covered, over low heat, until zucchini is tender.

Add coriander and simmer for an additional few minutes.

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Walnut Date Burfi

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

INGREDIENTS
8 inch (2L) square cake pan, greased with ghee

3 cups whole or 2% milk

8 oz chopped dates

2 tsp ghee or oil

1 cup finely chopped walnuts, divided, optional

METHOD 

In a heavy saucepan (do not use a non-stick pan), bring milk to a boil over medium to medium-low heat.  Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil.  This is critical.   As milk foams and rises to the top, every 5 to 6 minutes, stir it back in.  Boil gently until reduced by half.  This will take about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process dates into a paste.  Set aside.  When milk is sufficiently reduced, stir in dates and reduce heat to low.  Add ghee.  Cook, stirring continuously, until mixture begins to hold together, 5 to 6 minutes. 

Stir in half of the walnuts and mix well.  Place in prepared pan and pat evenly with a greased spatula.  Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top and press into place.

Refrigerate overnight to set.  Cut into bite-size pieces and serve.

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CNY Kung Pao Chicken Stir-fry recipe

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Named after a court official or "Kung Pao," Kung Pao Chicken is a spicy Szechuan dish made with diced chicken, peanuts and chili peppers. This recipe calls for deep-frying; for a lighter version, try Kung Pao Chicken Stir-fry.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• Marinade:
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon black or red rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chicken broth or water
• 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• a few drops sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• Other:
• 6 to 8 small dried red chili peppers, or as desired
• 2 garlic cloves,
• 1/2 cup skinless, unsalted peanuts
• 3 - 4 cups oil for deep-frying and stir-frying

Preparation:

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix in the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, water and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients, whisking in the cornstarch last.

Remove the seeds from the chile peppers and chop. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Heat the oil for deep-frying to between 360 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully slide the chicken into the wok, and deep-fry for about 1 minute, until the cubes separate and turn white. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.

Add the chilies peppers and stir-fry until the skins starts to darken and blister. Add the garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the deep-fried chicken back into the pan. Stir-fry briefly, then push up to the sides of the wok and add add the sauce in the middle, stirring quickly to thicken. Stir in the peanuts. Mix everything together and serve hot.

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Asoka Halwa Recipe

Friday, 6 January 2012

 Ingredients

1cup Green gram dal

2 cups Ghee

1cup Wheat flour

2 cups Sugar

Almond, cashew, pistachio for decoration

1 spoon Cardamom powder

           METHOD

Wash the dhal and cook it with sufficient water till gentle and mash it. In a thick bottom pan add 2 tbs ghee and when it is warm add the wheat flour and roast till nice aroma comes.

Add the mashed dhal, and mix nicely. Let it cook in a moderate flame. Add sugar and stir well. Add the remaining ghee slowly and gradually and stirring. It should leave the sides of the pan; add cardamom powder, fried cashew and all the nuts mix well. Remove from stove. Transfer to greased bowl.

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Potato Payasam (Kheer)

Ingredients

1 cup Potato peeled and grated

2 cups Sugar

1/2 liter Milk

2 tb.spn Ghee

1 spoon cardamom powder

cashew, badam for garnishing

kesar color a pinch

METHOD

Boil potato in cooker. In a thick bottom pan add 1 tspn of ghee and salute cooked potato until slight brown .Then add milk to that. Let it boil. Add sugar, allow it dissolve. Add kesar color, cadamom powder and cashew, badam add the remaining ghee. Serve hot or cold.

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F&W Editor Picks 2011: Best Restaurants And Meals

Monday, 26 December 2011

Here, editor in chief Dana Cowin reveals six incredible meals she had in 2011, and restaurant editor Kate Krader spotlights five top breakfast spots.



Dana Cowin’s Favorite Restaurant Meals of the Year

Next, Chicago (courtesy of Next)

Next, Chicago

I got to go to Grant Achatz’s genius new restaurant, which changes every few months, and experienceThailand — including pad Thai and green papaya salad. nextrestaurant.com.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London

Blumenthal’s restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental has few of the hallmarks of his molecular gastronomy. Instead, the menu focuses on historical dishes, like a saffron risotto circa 1390. dinnerbyheston.com

Noma, Copenhagen (courtesy of Noma)

Noma, Copenhagen


I made a pilgrimage to Denmark just to eat at chef René Redzepi’s visionary Noma. The experience was pure pleasure — from the service to the 13 courses — and it made me rethink what I know about food, restaurants and the natural world. noma.dk.

Yam’tcha, Paris (courtesy of Janine Cheung)

Yam’tcha, Paris


The magnificent blending of French technique, Asian aesthetic and international ingredients led to an extraordinary meal, with a different tea for each course.

Red Rooster, New York City (courtesy of Paul Brissman)

Red Rooster, New York City


Food, art, style and scene all come together at Marcus Samuelsson’s excellent Harlem comfort-food spot. The Yard Bird fried chicken is perfect. redroosterharlem.com

Tertulia, New York City (courtesy of Evan Sung)

Tertulia, New York City


Seamus Mullen’s super tapas include specials like smoky mackerel from the must-see custom grill. I love going at lunch when it’s quiet, and you can have an excellent fried seafood sandwich. tertulianyc.com.



Kate Krader’s Favorite Breakfast Spots of the Year

The Breslin, New York City (courtesy of Melissa Hom)

The Breslin, New York City


Grapefruit doesn’t often play a starring role in my best breakfasts. But at the Breslin (which is better known for whole suckling pigs at night than citrus fruit in the a.m.), they have an amazing version topped simply with ginger & mint—as well as sublime ricotta pancakes with marinated berries.

Huckleberry, Los Angeles (courtesy of Huckleberry Café and Bakery)

Huckleberry, Los Angeles


If you can make it to Huckleberry by 11 a.m., which I finally did, you can take advantage of the breakfast menu. It features phenomenal green eggs and ham: basil-pesto-topped fried eggs with prosciutto, all on an English muffin.

Nightwood, Chicago (courtesy of Con Poulos)

Nightwood, Chicago


Bacon-butterscotch doughnuts are at the very top of Nightwood’s brunch menu, and they’re absolutely scrumptious. If I could, in good conscience, eat a whole breakfast of just these doughnuts, I would.

Mile End, Brooklyn

As hard as it is to face a crowd of ravenous Brooklyn locals first thing in the morning, the reward is worth it. "Eggs mish mash" is a scrambled-egg dish packed with house-made lox or salami (it’s a super-hard choice). A more meat-oriented friend of mine goes crazy for the house-smoked meat hash.

Empire State South, Atlanta

The breakfast menu here isn’t big (in fact, it’s tiny). But the build-your-own-sandwich option makes it possible to have a fresh-baked biscuit with fried chicken and pimento cheese—add scrambled eggs for an extra $1. Plus, the restaurant serves Counter Culture coffee.

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