Masala rice

Ingredients:

8 oz preboiled cold rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 green chillies finely chopped(optional)

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds.

1 spring onion finely chopped for garnish.

Method:

1.Add the salt and turmeric to the cold pre boiled rice and mix. Keep aside

2.In a frying pan add the oil when hot add mustard seeds and chillies

3.Wait for the mustard seeds to pop add the rice and warm throughly for about five minutes gently tossing as not to break the grains.

4.When rice warmed through transfer to serving dish and garnish with spring onion.

Serve with yoghurt.

Fairy Cakes

Fairy cakes-Individual little cup cakes.light and fluffy,decorated with sweets.Ideal for birthday parties , picnics and lunch boxes.

Ingredients:

8 oz self raising flour

8 oz butter or margerine(must be soft and room temperature)

8 oz sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 eggs

For Icing:

2 oz butter softened

6 oz icing sugar

Food colouring of choice few drops

1 tablespoon water

Sweets for decoration

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Place cake cases into a 12 hole tartlet tin

3. Cream together the sugar and butter

4. Add eggs mix gently

5. Add the vanilla , mix throughly

6.Sift the flour and fold into mixture.

7.Divide mixture into 24 cases and bake in oven for 15 mins until golden brown

8. Remove and allow to cool.

For Icing:

9. Cream together the icing sugar and softened butter

10. Add food colour and water.

11.When cakes are cooled , spread or pipe the icing over each cake and sprinkle with sweets or decoration of your choice.

Alternatively the mixture can be poured into a 9 inch greased and lined cake tin to make a large cake.Cook at 180 degrees for 35-40 mins.

Pudla-indian savory pancakes.

Pudla- A savory pancake made from chickpea flour(besan) and fresh fenugreek(methi).Delicately seasoned with chilies and fresh ginger, these pancakes are a wonderful snack option served with pickle and yoghurt.
Ingredients:
8 oz besan (chick pea flour)
2 oz fresh methi finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 green chillies finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon eno salts
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
2 tablespoons oil for cooking pan cakes.
1/2 pint water to make batter.

Method:

1.Put the water, besan, chillies, ginger, methi leaves, salt in a blender and make a thin batter.
2.To this batter add the 1 teaspoon oil and eno salts and stir.
3.Heat a non stick skillet or frying pan and sparingly oil it.
4. Using a ladle pour some batter on to the hot skillet and spread in circular motion using back of ladle to form thin pancake.
5.When bubbles start to form on pancake, lightly spread oil on to it and flip it over.
6.Cook other side for about 1 -1 1/2 minute.
7.Pancake is ready, repeat procedure for rest of batter.

Serve with yoghurt and Green coriander chutney

Vegtable puffs.

Ingredients:

8oz ready to roll puff pastry
4oz peas frozen or fresh coarsely ground
4 oz potatoes finely diced
4 oz carrots grated
4 oz frozen or tinned sweet corn
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon clove powder
1 tablespoon oil

Method:

1. In a pan heat the oil add the peas, carrots,sweetcorn and potatoes.
2. Add the turmeric,salt, cinnamon powder,clove powder and chilli powder.Mix
3. Cook till vegtables tender, add lemon juice and sugar and mix.
4. Remove from heat and cool.
5. Roll out the puff pastry in a 12 inch X12 inch square
6. Cut into nine 4 inch X 4 inch squares.
7. Place a spoon full of filling in corner of pastry square and fold over to form triangle.
8. Seal the edges using a little water and then press down all edges with fork.
9. Bake in oven at 180-200 degrees for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown
10. Serve with Salad.

Chinese spring rolls

Chinese spring rolls-A lovely starter dish or snack made from a medeley of shredded vegetables, encased in filo pasty and deep fried.Served with hot chilli sauce and soya sauce dips.

Ingredients:

1 packet chinese spring roll pastry sheets (or filo pastry)
4oz bean sprouts
2 large red onion sliced thinly
8 oz carrots cut into fine thin strips(julienne)
1 each red,green,yellow capsicum cut into thin strips.
2 medium potatoes cut into fine thin strips(julienne)
2 teaspoon garlic paste
2 teaspoons ginger paste
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon soya sauce
1 tablespoon chili sauce
2 tablespoon oil
3 green chillies finely chopped
Oil for deep frying.
For paste to stick the edges down:
3 oz plain flour and 4 tablespoons water mixed together to form a thick paste.

Method:

1.Heat oil in wok add ginger and garlic
2.Add the onions, peppers,potatoes and carrots and stir fry til tender but crisp
3.Add the salt , chillies,soya sauce and chilli sauce
4.Add the bean sprouts
5.Stir fry again and remove from heat.
6.Set aside to cool

Making the spring rolls:

7.Separate the sheets of spring roll pastry and place on a flat surface.

8.Take a spoon full of veg mixture and place it in the top centre of pastry.

9.Start to rol pastry from top edge to make 2 folds.

10.Fold the right and left sides to meet in the centre.

11.Roll the the spring roll again,spread the paste and stick the pastry down at the end so that it does not come unstuck when frying.

12.Repeat same procedure for rest of pastry.


13.Heat oil in wok and deep fry spring rolls on medium heat till golden brown.

14.Drain in kitchen paper and transfer to serving dish.

Serve with chilli sauce , soya sauce or chutney of your choice for dippping.

You may like:

Hakka noodles

Vegtable manchurian