Christmas crunchy bars

Its Christmas time and what better way to begin this festive season on a sweet note! I took down this recipe from a television show and absolutely loved them. Since I was a kid, my grandmother made a tradition of presenting "Christmas" food to neighbours and friends and it continues till date... Try packing them in fancy plastic bags and gift them to your loved ones.. They'll love it!

Ingredients:

350 grams dark chocolate (pieces)

125 grams soft unsalted butter

200 grams tea biscuits (avoid the salty ones)

100 grams mini marshmallows

3-4 tbsp golden syrup or maple syrup

Cooking Process:

1: In a sauce pan melt the chocolate, golden/maple syrup and butter.

2: Take out 1/2 cup of the chocolate syrup and keep aside.

3: With a rolling pin bash the biscuits in a plastic bag. Avoid bashing them completely into crumbs.

4: Add in the biscuit crumbs and pieces and then the mini marshmallows into the chocolate mixture in the saucepan.

5: Place this mixture into a foil tray, pour over the chocolate syrup that was set aside, flatten as much as you can with a spatula. 

6:Cover and leave to set to refrigerate for 3 hours or over night.

7: Once set remove from the foil tray and cut into squares, preferably bite size pieces and dust with icing sugar if you desire.

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Spaghetti with meat balls

Its one of the most popular and classic old italian recipes. Simple to make and a feast for your taste buds! Italian cuisine is a personal favourite and this tops my list. Try cooking it for friends or family and i'm sure they'll ask for more!

Ingredients:

For the meat balls:

300 Grams Minced mutton or lamb
1 small onion
Bread crumbs
3-4 cloves garlic
Parsley or coriander
Rosemary leaves
Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

For the sauce:

3 cups tomato puree
1 medium onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
3-4 leaves of fresh basil
1 bay leaf
Rosemary leaves(few)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Black pepper

Cooking Process:

For the meat balls preparation:

1: Boil spaghetti with a little salt according to packet instructions. It usually takes about 10 minutes.

2: Blend onion, parsley/coriander, rosemary leaves and garlic in a food processor.

3: Take a bowl and mix the minced mutton/lamb with the prepared onion mixture, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese,salt and shape them into small balls by priorly wetting your palm so that it doesn't stick.

4: Sear the meat balls in olive oil for a few minutes and add them into the simmering sauce( given below).

For the sauce preparation:

1: In a pan add olive oil and fry the onions, garlic and bay leaf.

2:Pour in the tomato puree and add 2 cups of water or packaged tomato juice, oregano, basil and rosemary and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

3: Lastly season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar.

4: Add the fried meat balls and cook on simmer for about 15 minutes.

5: Serve with the boiled spaghetti.

Tip: 

You can use canned tomatoes for the sauce if not fresh.

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Tips and tricks for the Kitchen

Kitchen tips can be very handy and helpful. Every now and then i'm gonna post a few of them(may be 5 at a time) that i've been taught since a kid by elders and specially by my mom.
So here we go...

1: For free flow of salt from a salt cellar add a few grains of uncooked rice, it will never block the salt from flowing.

2: To get rid of odour from the microwave, place a bowl of water with a lime wedge and keep it on for about 10 minutes.

3: To avoid butter from burning in a pan, add a few drops of oil.

4. To keep herbs like coriander, mint, dill or chives fresh for a longer period of time, place them in brown paper bags and stash them into the freezer.

5: Another way is to place herbs into a vase with a little water. It keeps them fresh and looks decorative as well!

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Dark Angel

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I came up with this recipe after baking some disastrous chocolate brownies which turned out as hard as rock! Did'nt want them to be thrown away so i created a lip smacking desert! Its creamy and melts in your mouth with each scoop. And so my husband named it Dark Angel, as it has dark chocolate and white luscious double cream! Next time you call some guests for dinner, think about this one.

Ingredients:

3 cups double cream or low fat cream
7-8 pieces of chocolate brownie/cake
1 cup marshmallows
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Steps:

1: In a saucepan melt the cream, marshmallows and the unsalted butter stirring non-stop until a smooth texture is formed and set aside to cool.

2: Mash the chocolate brownies/cake with a rolling pin and mix in some ready-made or home-made chocolate sauce.

3: Layer the mashed brownies/cake and the creamy mixture one by one (as many layers as you want) and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.

4: Serve chilled.

Tip:

You can mash the brownies or cake into complete powder or muddy form or keep a few mini chunks like the one in the picture.

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Pumpkin Soup

Soups any day are best tasted during winters as they are warm and comforting. The pumpkin soup that i have made is total comfort food and will calm you down after a hectic day at work/home. So tuck yourselves into your blankets and cosy up on the sofa and take charge of that remote to watch your favourite show with a bowl of some hot pumpkin soup for company!

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo pumpkin
1 onion
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg (optional)

Cooking Process:

1: Peel out the skin of the pumpkin and cut into medium sized pieces.

2: Take a non stick deep pan and fry the onions and garlic until they turn translucent. Do not fry them until golden brown. Add salt at this point itself to prevent them from burning.

3: Add in the pumpkin pieces, freshly ground black pepper, some grated nutmeg and fry on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

4: Pour 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock into the pan and bring to boil.

5: Add in the cream and mix well for 2-3 minutes.

6: Set aside and allow it to cool.

7: Transfer the pumpkin mixture into a blender and puree in batches until smooth and cook for about 20-25 minutes on low flame.

8: Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or double
 cream and fresh mint/coriander.

Tip:

You can use an electric hand blender if you have one and puree the pumpkin mixture in the pan itself while cooking. Makes your job easy!

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Spicy Chicken

This is a recipe given to me by Afreen, a very close friend of mine. She once invited us over to her place for lunch and all of us were literally licking our fingers!! She's such a fab cook and has got this gift from her mom who according to me cooks the most tasty dishes! Her khatti dal with fried chicken that we would have during our college days still lingers in my mind.. Though I've cooked this a number of times it still doesn't taste as good as hers!

Ingredients:

For the marination:

1/2kg boneless chicken
1 egg white
Ginger garlic paste
3tbsp Chilli garlic sauce
2tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp worcestershire sauce
2tbsp red Chilli sauce
1tbsp cornflour
Pinch of red colour
2tsp cumin powder
Red Chilli powder
Salt to taste

For the gravy:

3 cups yogurt
3tbsp Chilli garlic sauce
2tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp red Chilli sauce
3tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
1tsp ginger garlic paste
Pinch of cornflour
Red colour
Fresh coriander
Salt to taste

For the tadka:

2tbsp oil
Curry leaves
Green chillies
Cumin seeds

Cooking Process:

1: Deep fry the marinated chicken in small batches and keep aside.

2: In a deep frying pan add all the sauces and fry for about 3-4 minutes.

3: Mix the yogurt thoroughly to maintain a smooth texture. Pour this into the pan of sauces and add in the cornflour, salt and red colour and cook for about 10 minutes till the oil separates.

4: Now place the deep fried chicken into the yogurt mix. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

5: Take a small pan and fry the cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies and pour over the chicken curry.

6: Sprinkle fresh coriander and serve hot with rice or roti/naan.

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Banana and Chocolate Pancakes

Pancakes are one of our family favourites and i usually cook them for brunch on lazy weekends.This particular recipe of pancake is chocolate based and kids are gonna love it, just for this simple reason. Make it for breakfast, brunch or for desert, it will never disappoint you!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups Flour (maida)
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup milk (preferably low fat)
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1tbsp butter
1/2 cup dark or semi sweet chocolate chopped finely

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup maple syrup

Cooking Process:

1: In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients i.e; flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In another bowl combine the egg,half amount of the maple syrup, milk, butter and the mashed bananas.

3. Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix well. Add the finely chopped chocolate and fold in.

4: Take a non stick pan and pour the batter with a deep round spoon and cook for about a min or two on each side until bubbles form at the edges. Do not use oil to cook.

5: For the sauce cook the blueberries and maple syrup for about 5 minutes till it blends well and thickens.

6:Lay them onto plates and pour the prepared blueberry sauce or fresh banana slices with honey or maple syrup.


Tip:
You can have your pancakes thin or thick as per your desire. I personally like them a little thinner than the usual size.

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Banoffee And Blueberry Smoothie

Smoothies are one of the most healthiest, easiest and the yummiest to make. Its good to go with your breakfast or can be had for desert. Either ways it works wonders and is packed with vitamins and proteins! Combine various fruits together for more variety and taste, like a combination of raspberries,blackberries and blueberries with a dash of packaged watermelon juice, or banana and apple, etc.. 

Ingredients for Blueberry Smoothie:

1 Cup Yoghurt

1/2 Cup Blue berries

Honey or Powdered sugar

Steps:

1: Blend the blueberries, honey or powdered sugar with the yoghurt till all the ingredients mix well.

2: Pour into glasses and garnish with few blueberries on top for a decorative look.

Ingredients for Banoffee Smoothie:

Banoffee is a mix of bananas and coffee with a dash of cinnamon.

1 Cup Yoghurt

1/2 Cup Mashed Ripe Bananas

Honey
1Tsp Espresso powder
Pinch of Ground cinnamon

 Steps:

1: Blend all the ingredients together till everything is mixed well.

2:Pour into glasses and serve chilled.

Tip:
You can skip the powdered sugar and use honey or just leave it with the fruit's natural sweetness. Good for health as well!

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My Love n Passion For Culinary

Cooking has been a part of my life since I was a little kid. Back then i wasn't into it too much but would chop veggies or probably cook easy meals just to help out mom. But since the past 6-7 years i've been hooked on to the art of cooking, discovering new ingredients, how they can be used, their origin, etc.. every aspect of it thrills me! Grandma and dad were extraordinary cooks, they would put their heart n soul into whatever they would cook. Mom's a fabulous cook as well but probably isn't that interested in it as they were so I'm sure that this interest has seeped into me through my grandma and dad. And I'm so thankful to them for this gift!

I still remember most of our Christmas holidays would go in a number of food preps. Grandma, dad, mom and me and sometimes our cousins or friends would join in and we would sit in a large circle singing and playing Christmas carols as we would make rose cookies, kul kuls, cakes, etc.. Some memories can never be forgotten. Although now at present after my grandma and dad passed away we don't do it often. But now since my interest in cooking has increased and gone deeper, just thought of bringing back those days all over again specially now as my lil son will be excited for the holiday season and I would like him to know what Christmas in the family is all about.

Cooking to me is like water to a thirsty soul! As ridiculously dramatic it sounds, I couldn't find anything more apt to explain its significance in my life. It calms me when im in the kitchen, learning about various ingredients brings me such excitement and when im done with a dish and internally know that it's going to taste good it gives me so much satisfaction and a sense of pleasure. Ive been baking cakes and cupcakes for friends and family for quite sometime now and the happiness i see on their faces after tasting it makes me want to do it even more.I love learning and trying out new recipes every single day. One would find me forever watching cookery shows either on television or on the internet. As if this isn't enough I even downloaded a number of apps that are cookery related! My husband initially would get a little annoyed seeing me hooked up to these shows(even repeat telecasts!) but slowly he understood and began to support my love for food. So now if he happens to catch me capturing pictures of my dishes that I have prepared, he sweetly gets his camera to click a few pictures himself! Unlike before where I would hear "not again" reactions! And that's such a motivation for me.

Now since i have begun a blog specially for different cuisines, life has become more meaningful and exciting. Because now i get to do what i'm most keen on, to try out more and more new recipes and also master the ones i already know and keep posting them. Its never been this good!

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INTRO

So let me first introduce myself before i start blogging away and one would'nt know a thing about me!

Firstly, A - World here means Aarti's world.. thats me and my world you're gonna know about!... for those of you whowanna know who i am (just for your info!).

I'm a housewife and a mother of a 10 month old boy. Life's been wonderful since the time i took him in my arms. It all revolves around him now and i am not cribbing at all because i am absolutely loving every aspect of it.I've been wanting to write since a very long time but post marriage things have certainly changed specially after becoming a mom. I don't prefer having a nanny or a maid to look after my child since i wanted to be a hands on mom being with him 24/7; nothing wrong in having a nanny but this is a personal opinion. Or may be i'll hire one when i have a second child where things might go crazy... you never know!

Coming to my blog, its all gonna be about food. One could say its more of a food blog where i'll be posting inputs about different ingredients, my personal recipes and recipes i've learnt and come across all this while, various cuisines, etc... Its also gonna be about my life in general. Will be writing about anything and everything, right from movies to travel, my day to day activities, motherhood and the works!

Hoping you'll connect with me and also post your comments and enjoy going through my blog!

Happy reading!!

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