Indonesian Cucumber Salad

Cucumber salad with a Tangy and Spicy kick in every bite.

Ingredients:

1cucumber
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste )
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh coriander  finely choped
1/4 teaspon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Method:

1.Peel the cucumbers, cut in half and remove the seeds.
2. Slice it in to thin slices approx 5mm thick and put it into abowl with the chopped coriander.
3. Mix the sambal olek, lemon juice,sugar, salt and pepper powder and pour it over the cucumber.
4. Mix the dressing into the cucumber, cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour to chill before serving.

Submitting to:

Flavours of Indodesia event by simply.food

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Karachi Halwa

Lets celebrate Diwali with an offering of this sweet halwa and a prayer to Lord Ganesh .

"Shuklaambara Dharam Vishnum, Shashi Varnam Chatur Bhujam
Prasanna Vadanam Dhyaayet, Sarva Vighna Upashaanthaye"

Wishing all my blogger friends and blog visitors

A very Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year.

Smooth, succlucent and delicately fragranced with cardamom makes this halwa simply devine .

Ingredients:

For Sugar syrup:

200 grams Sugar
125 ml water
1 tablespoon lemon juice.

For Halwa:

50 grams Corn flour
100 ml water
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2-3 drops yellow food colouring
1 tablespoon flaked almonds
4 tablespoon ghee(clarified butter)

Method:

1. In a heavy bottom pan add the sugar and water and lemon juice and bring the mixture to boil until all the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and keep aside.
3. Mix the corn flour with the water ensuring there are no lumps.
4. In a cold pan add 1/2 teaspoon ghee and pour into it the corn flower mixture.
5. Place it on the cooker on a very low heat and start stirring , the mixture will start to thicken within a minute or two.
6.Turn off the heat and start adding the hot sugar syrup one  tablespoon at a time to the corn flour mixture  whilst continously stirring the mixture. (This stage is important to avoid lumps forming.)
7. When all the sugar syrup has been added , return the halwa to the cooker and set it on a very low heat.
8. Keep stirring the halwa and gradually add the ghee one tablespoon at a time until it is all used up.
9. The halwa will start to thicken and leave the sides of the pan.(The test to see if it is done is to drop a small teaspoon ful of halwa onto a glass plate if it lifts off easily it is ready)
10. Add the cardamon , food colour and the almond flakes and mix well.
11. Transfer the halwa to a greased thali or dish and smooth it out.
12. Leave to set for 2-3 hours after which cut into desired  and transfer to serving Dish.

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Fruit Salad with Ginger Syrup ~Secret Recipe Club Challenge

Vibrant summer fruits salad with an aromatic ginger infused syrup.

Ingredients:

For ginger syrup:

1.5 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup thinly sliced fresh unpeeled ginger .

For fruit salad:

1 large bowl of  any seasonal  chopped mixed fruit;
I used mango, blood orange segments, apples, peaches, orange zest.

Method:

1. Bring water, sugar, and ginger to a boil in a saucepan, stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Simmer  for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let steep for  15 minutes or longer.
3.Strain the  ginger syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding ginger and  chill the syrup.
4. Place the chopped fruit in to serving bowl and drizzle over it 5-6 table spoons of  ginger syrup.
Serve immediately.

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Microwaved potato chips ~Blog Hop Wednesday 19th October

This is my 5th entry for Blog Hop Wednesday started by Radhika of Tickling Palates. Its a beautiful concept where not only do you get to make new  blogger friends, cook from their blogs but in return they visit your blog and try out your recipes too.

If you are interested in  joining Blog Hop Wednesday here is how it works:

"The plot behind this attempt is to form groups and make pairs with a blogger who will be your partner for that particular week. This happens every alternate Wednesdays. You will then go through your partner’s blog, select, choose, cook, click and post the recipe in your blog on Wednesday and vice versa. The alternate week you will have a new partner. This way not only you tend to your blog at intervals but also learn some new recipes along the way and get to know a lot of bloggers and make friends."

This recipe is from Kavi's blog Edible Entertainment. I wanted a simple and quick snack recipe that was healthy too so when I found these microwaved potato chips I really wanted to put them to the test.The original recipe can be found here. The vedict was that the chips turned out simply perfect ,crispy and crunchy.

Healthy and delectable potato chips, that are irresistable and totally guilt free.

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sunflower Cooking spray oil (few squirts)

Method:

1. Peel and wash the potatoes and using a mandolin slice them into paper thin slices.
2. Pat the potatoes dry with tea towel and separate all the slices.
3. Get a large microwaveable platter and spray with sunflower oil.
4. Spread out the potato slices around the platter making sure not to over lap them.(You may have to do this in two batches)
5.Spray with a little more sunflower oil
6. Cook the chips on high for  for 6 minutes approximately (It  depends on your microwave.) But remember to turn the chips over  at every two minute intervals.
7. Potato chips are ready when they turn crisp and start to take a little brown colour at edges.
8.Once they are cooked remove from microwave and sprinkle with salt and pepper .Repeat for next batch.
Serve with a chilli dip if desired.

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Almond Iced Biscuits

It's National Chocolate week and I was surfing the net for some inspiration for a chocolatey treat. I landed at the Baking Mad web site which is totally dedicated to  recipes of scrumpticious  mouthwatering delights and it also has wonderful  and very useful tips and tricks to perfect your baking.
The Baking Mad site has so many recipes that I was wonderering which one to pick when I came across this delicious  chocolate cupcake recipe which I think every chocolate lover should definately try.

I was all ready to bake the chocolate cupcakes when disaster struck as I was all out of  the cocoa . How can I make chocolate cup cakes with out cocoa.? Not to be beaten, I was adamant to make a sweet treat so I changed my plan and stumbled upon these awesome and cute heart shaped biscuits.

I followed the recipe exactly and  then let my creative juices flow with the decoration. I made heart shaped , flower shaped and butterfly biscuits from the same dough.

 Ingredients:

100 grams Softened Butter unsalted 
100 grams Caster Sugar (Silver Spoon Homegrown)  
1  Happy Eggs lightly beaten 
1 tsp Silver Spoon Cakecraft Natural Almond Extract  
275 grams Plain White Flour (Allinson Nature Friendly)
2 pinches bicarbonate of Soda.

Method:

1.For the biscuits: heat the oven to 190C /375F, gas 5. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2.Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
3.Beat in the egg and almond extract, a little at a time, until well combined. Stir in the flour and mix to a dough.
4.Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1 cm | 1/2" thick. Using heart shaped cookie cutters, cut shapes out of the dough and carefully place onto the baking tray.
5.Bake the biscuits for 8-12 minutes, until pale golden. Leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes to firm up, then place on a wire rack to cool.
6.For the icing: sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and stir in water as directed on the packet to create a smooth mixture. Stir in the food colouring.
7.Carefully spread the icing on the biscuits and place a sugar flower on each biscuit before the icing sets. Alternatively decorate them with ready to roll fondant icing and Pipe with royal icing as I did.

Verdict:

The biscuits turned out really wonderful and simply delectable .I can't wait to try some more recipes from Baking Mad as I have definately become a fan of the site.

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