Veg Hakka Noodles - Indo Chinese Style

Veg Hakka Noodles - Indo Chinese Style

Veg Hakka Noodles - Indo Chinese Style

Ingredients

• 1 packet of Chings Hakka Noodles (150 gms)
• ½ cup of cabbage, sliced
• ½ cup of carrots, julienned
• ½ cup of capsicum, julienned
• ½ cup of onion, sliced
• 1 tsp of soya sauce (optional)
• 2 tsp of green chilly sauce
• 1 tsp of black pepper powder
• ½ tsp of white pepper powder
• 3 tbsp of oil
• Spring onions for garnish

Chopped Veggies

Procedure 

• Boil 10 cups of water with a tsp of salt. Once it comes to a rolling boil, drop the noodles in it. After 2 mins, begin to separate the noodles lightly using a spatula. 
• The noodles will cook to al dente in 5 minutes. Switch off the gas and drain the noodles into a colander immediately. Rinse them well with some cold water. Coat with a tbsp of oil and mix gently. Keep them covered in the fridge for a few hours if possible. Else let them cool to room temperature. 
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large wok/kadai. Once it is very hot, quickly add in the veggies and stir fry them on high heat for only 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook. 
• Add soy sauce, green chilly sauce, black and white pepper powder, salt and mix well.
• Finally toss in the noodles, mix them well with the vegetables but do so gently so that they don't break. Serve hot garnished with spring onions.

Noodles Tossed in a Wok

Notes

•  Soy sauce will change the color of the noodles to a dark brown. If you want restaurant style white noodles, skip the soy sauce.
• Chilling the cooked noodles in the fridge helps to keep each strand of noodle separate.
• Along with the above mentioned sauces, you can add red chilly sauce, tomato ketchup and vinegar for a different taste.

Kathal (Raw Jackfruit) Dum Biryani - Hyderabadi Style

Kathal (Raw Jackfruit) Dum Biryani  - Hyderabadi Style

This is the king of vegetarian biryanis that can be made to perfection in traditional Hyderabadi style on the Dum. You can serve this with a typical mixed vegetable raitha or Hyderabadi style Mirchi ka Salan.  

Kathal (Raw Jackfruit) Dum Biryani - Hyderabadi Style

Ingredients for Marination

• 1 small to medium or 1/2 Kg Jackfruit Raw (Kathal) chopped into bite size pieces  
• 1.5 tsp Red Chilli powder
• 1.5 cups yogurt/dahi/curd)
• 2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste (preferably freshly ground) 
• Garam Masala Powder and Biryani Masala Powder (I use Banne Nawab's Veg Biryani Masala, it gives you the authentic Hyderabadi flavors) 
• 2 Tbsp Lemon juice
•  Salt as per your taste (preferably sea salt)

Ingredients For Biryani

• 4 Cups Zafrani Brand Basmati Rice (or any long grain fragrant Basmati Rice) 
• 2 Tbsp Ghee 
• 3 Medium to Large sized Onions sliced  
• 2 Cups of Cilantro/Dhaniya Patta/Coriander Leaves chopped 
• 1 Cup of Mint/Pudina Leaves chopped 
• 2 Cinnamon Dalchini Sticks
• 4-5 Cardamom/Elaichis 
• 4-5 Cloves/Laung
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 1 Star anise
• 2-3 Bay leaves/Tej Patta 
• 3 - 5 Green Chilly's slit (depending on spice levels) 
•  10 Cashew nuts toasted for garnish

Procedure to make Kathal (Raw Jackfruit) Dum Biryani - Hyderabadi Style 

• Soak the Zafrani Basmati Rice for 30 mins and set aside

For the Kathal Masala

• In a large mixing bowl, add the raw kathal (raw jackfruit) pieces, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, chili powder, Banne Nawab's veg biryani masala powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, lemon juice and salt
• Allow the marinate to set overnight 
• Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat, fry half of the sliced onions until they turn into a deep brown color. 
• Remove from the pan and drain on absorbent paper. Set aside.
• Once again heat ghee in a pan on medium heat, add the remainder onions and fry them till they turn translucent
• Now add the marinated kathal mixture and 

Kathal (Raw Jackfruit) Pieces

Marination for Kathal Masala

Yougurt/Dahi/Curd for Marination for Kathal Masala

Marinate Kathal Masala Mixture preferably overnight

Add Hara Masala (Dhaniya Patta and Pudina) before setting aside for marination

 

Kathal Masala ready for layering for the Biryani

 

For the Biryani Rice

• Boil water in a large pan, add the spices (includes Cinnamon, Cardamom, Star Anise, Shahi Jeera, Dry Mint Leaves, Cloves, Bay Leaf and Black Cardamom) 
• Add 1 Tbsp of Ghee  
• Salt to taste 
• Cook the rice until it's done 70 % done. 
• Once it's done, drain the excess starch (run it in cold water to stop the cooking process), set aside 

To Assemble the Biryani

• Grease a deep, wide Aluminum pan/ Biryani handi/baking dish with ghee
• Sprinkle some fried onions, mint leaves and coriander leaves

Fry Onions to Golden Brown

• Spread an entire layer of the kathal masala  
• Now layer the 70% cooked rice over the kathal masala
• Add a Tbsp of Ghee

Layer the Biryani Masala in an Aluminum Pan after greasing the pan with Ghee

Layer Biryani Rice on top of the Kathal Masala, Add Dhaniya Patta and Pudina

• Sprinkle and layer additional Cilantro and Mint leaves
• Add Fried Onions and Fried Cashew nuts 
• Pour a circle of saffron infused milk in the centre (make sure you pour only a little for that orange colored rice grains)






Soak Saffron in Milk and pour in a circle on top of the Biryani Rice

• Cover the Aluminum pan/Biryani handi/Baking Dish with aluminium foil
• Set it inside a preheated oven at 350 C and turn the oven temp to 400 C and let it get its Dum for 30-35 mins (Note if you are using a Biryani handi, set it on a low to medium flame for 45 mins, cover with a lid and seal the rim with a dough and set a weight on top of the lid) 
• Make sure you start removing the rice from one side only, so that you do not mix and mash everything up, each layer needs to be accessed and served well 
• Serve steaming hot

Serve Hot & Enjoy

Pav Bhaji - Mumbai Street Food Style

Pav Bhaji - Mumbai Street Food Style  

Ingredients for the Bhaji

• 2 Cups Chopped Potatoes (2 Potatoes)
• 2 Cups Chopped Green Bell Peppers (2 Bell Peppers)
• 2 Cups Diced Tomato, make sure they are red and ripe (2 Tomatoes)
• You can also add veggies of your choice, (choose veggies that are easily mashable)
• 1/2 Bunch Washed and Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Cup Chopped Red Onion
• 2 Tbsp of Unsalted Butter
• A pinch of kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
• Sliced Lemon
• 1 Tsp Lemon/Lime Juice
• 1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• 2 Tsp Pav Bhaji Masala
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric
• Salt as per your taste

Bhaji Recipe

• Dice and boil all the veggies in a pressure cooker (3-4 whistles at least to get a good boil on them). Add salt per your taste and pinch of turmeric to get a good color on them. Make sure the vegetables are cooked well (you should be able to mash them with your fingers) 
• Once the veggies are ready, use a masher and mash the vegetables well to form an even paste. Set aside.
• Now in a pan, add 1 tbsp of unsalted butter, once the butter melts, add cumin and let it splutter, add ginger garlic paste and let it cook to light brown color, add salt turmeric and pavbhaji masala, add kashmiri chilli powder and kasoori methi. Add half of the chopped onions and sautéed well (Do not let the mixture brown too much)
• Now add the boiled vegetable paste, lemon juice and add some water and let it simmer for 5-8 mins, until the water evaporates and the butter surfaces. 
• Add some chopped cilantro and pull it off the stove

Mumbai Street Style Pav Bhaji

Procedure to Pan Sear the Pav

• Slit the pav from the center and open it up. 
• Now in a pan, add the remainder 1 tbsp of butter and let it melt, now add some Maharashtrian red thecha and kashmiri mirch powder to the butter (keep the flame on medium). 
• Place the pav face down on the pan and allow it to soak the butter infused with spices, flip the pav and let it absorb the remainder mixture and sear on the pan (make sure it does not char).
• Slice the pav into cubes or your can leave them as-is

Pan Sear'd Pav Cubes 

How to Serve Pav Bhaji

• In a compartmentalized plate, serve the bhaji in the central compartment, top it with a generous cube of butter, garnish with chopped onions and cilantro. 
• In the remainder compartments serve the cubed pav and in the other compartment chopped onions and lemon slice. 
• Serve steaming hot

Simple Eggless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Simple Eggless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting 

Dry ingredients

• All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup
• Whole wheat flour/Atta - ½ cup
• Cocoa powder - ¼ cup
• Instant coffee powder - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Baking soda/Eno - 1 tsp
• Salt - A pinch

Wet ingredients

• Any neutral oil - ⅓ cup
• Water - ½ cup
• Milk - ½ cup
• Vanilla extract (optional) - 1 tsp
• Apple cider vinegar or Lemon juice - ½ tsp

Kitchen tools and appliances needed

• 8 inch round baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Standard US size measuring cups and spoons
• Sieve
• Large mixing bowl
• Saucepan
• Spatula

Procedure

• Grease or line the baking pan with parchment paper
• Preheat oven to 180°C for 15 minutes
• In a saucepan, combine the water, milk and sugar and mix it well until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Combine both the flours, salt, baking soda, coffee powder and salt. Sieve this mixture twice. That will help aerate the flour and make the cake fluffy.
• Then add the milk-water-sugar to it along with the oil, vanilla and vinegar. Mix this well together and make a lump free smooth batter. Don't use a beater or a whisk, but just mix gently using a spoon or spatula.
• Pour the batter into the lined tin. Tap a couple of times to release air bubbles.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180° for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• If baking in an OTG, place the cake in the center.
• If using a convection oven, place on a rack and bake.
• Once done, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for an hour. Then turn over the pan and gently tap to de-pan the cake.

Eggless Chocolate Cake - Full 

Frosting

• ½ cup of chopped semi sweet chocolate
• ½ cup of fresh cream

Procedure

• In a saucepan, gently warm the cream on low heat
• Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl.
• Pour the warm cream over it and let it sit for a few minutes.
• Once the chocolate melts, mix well to form the ganache and pour over the cake.
• The ganache will thicken as it cools.
• Make sure the bowls and spoons are completely dry while making the ganache. Any contact with water will seize the chocolate and make it lumpy and grainy.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting and Studded with Gems - Slice