Create n Carve and Flavours of Goa event round ups and a Blogging break.

Flavours of Goa event was hosted by Denny of ohtastensee during December 2010 and Jan 2011. Thankyou Denny for  supporting simply.food and guest hosting this event, Click here to see the round up.

Announcing event Flavours of Maharastra

We continue our  travels through India to our next destination of Maharastra.
Announcing new event Flavours of Maharastra, the months of Febuary and March are set aside to create beautiful, and tasty Maharastrain food. The event is being hosted by PJ  of seduce your tastebuds
I hope every one will be as exited as I am to try out this wonderful cuisine.So what are we waiting for do join me by putting on your aprons and get cooking and sharing your creations  here .

White chocolate sponge cake

Moist, soft and delectable sponge cake that is light and airy and simply divine to eat.


Ingredients:

240 grams / 8 oz self raising flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
240 grams / 8 oz sugar
240 grams / 8 oz butter
5 small eggs (or equivalent egg replacer)
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For Topping:

240 grams / 8 oz White chocolate
60 grams / 2 oz Milk chocolate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 centigrade/ 400 Fahrenheit
2. Prepare a loose bottom 8 inch cake tin by lining it with parchment paper and greasing it.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs and yoghurt and mix together.Add the vanilla essence.
4. Sieve the flour and the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
5. Fold in the flour into the wet ingredients .(Do not over mix)
6. Transfer the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin  and bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes .
7. Check if the cake is baked by inserting a skewer in the centre of the cake, if it comes out dry cake is ready.
8. Remove  cake from oven and cool.
9. In a double boiler melt the white chocolate.
10.In a separate bowl melt the milk chocolate.
11. Cover the cooled cake with the white chocolate.
12. Using a piping bag fill  it with the milk chocolate.
13. Pipe vertical lines 1 inch apart on top of the white chocolate topped cake.
14. To make the swirl pattern. take a cocktail stick and draw lines on the cake in the opposite direction to the milk chocolate piped lines. The dragging of the cocktail stick will form the swirl pattern.
15.  Allow chocolate to set before serving.

You may like:

Chocolate cake.

Semolina Dhokla-Instant

Semolina Dhokla-A savory teatime dish healthy and delicious . Steamed and tempered with green chillies, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and garnished with grated coconut and chopped fresh coriander.

Ingredients:

For dhokla

1 cup coarse sooji /rava(semolina)

1 cup natural yogurt (sour)

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste

1 teaspoon fresh finely chopped green chillies

1 level teaspoon eno salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander

For tempering:

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon fresh chopped coriander

1/2 teaspoon chopped green chilli

1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon oil
1½ teaspoon till seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
2 red dried chillies
3-4 curry leaves

Method:

1.Put water in a steamer to heat up.

2.Slightly oil a small 8-10 inch thali with a rim and keep aside.

3.Mix all the ingredients for the dhokla together (except the eno salt) and form a batter.

4.Place the oiled thali in the steamer and just before you are ready to pour the batter, add the eno salt and mix the batter gently.

5.Pour the batter in the thali and sprinkle with chopped coriander and a bit of red chili powder on top.

6.Put the lid on the steamer and steam for 10- 15 minutes.

7.Open the lid of the steamer and if the dhoklas are ready they will spring back when gently pressed.

8.Remove thali from steamer and let it cool.
9.Add tempering and then cut dhokla into diamond shapes and arrange on serving tray

For tempering:

1.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan when hot add mustard seeds, till seeds ,dried red chilli and curry leaves and chilli powder.
2.Pour over the tempering over the dhokla and sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander, desiccated coconut and fresh chopped chillies.

3.Serve with coriander chutney.

You may like:

Spinach Dhokla

Sweet Lemon Pickle

Homemade sweet lemon pickle, spicy and hot ,sweet and tangy , a taste that will leave you licking your fingers.

Ingredients:

240 grams/ 8 oz preserved lemons
180 grams/ 6 oz jaggery
120 grams/ 4oz achar masala
2 tablespoons  sunflower oil
2 red dried chillies

Method:

1.Cut the preserved lemons into small bite size pieces( appox 1 inch )
2. Place the preserved lemons on a sheet of kitchen paper and place on a tray, leave to dry in a warm place or  in sunlight  for few hours.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan when hot add the red chillies and jaggery.
4.Cook the jaggery on a low heat untill it melts , Once the jaggery is soft add the achar masala and mix well.
5. Take off the heat and allow to cool to room temparature.
6. Stir in the semi dried preserved lemons, cover the pan and leave it in a cool dry place for 7 days.
7. Each day stir the lemon pickle once in the morning and once at night.
8. After a couple of days you will find that the sweet masala will infuse into the lemons and coat them really well.
9. After 7 days transfer the pickle into sterelised jars and keep in a cool dry place or in the fridge.
10. Pickle is ready to eat and will keep up to 4-6 weeks.
Seve pickle with parthas and puris.

You may like:
Carrot Pickle
Achar Masala (Pickle masala)