Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Green Salad


When I came to US there were so many new ingredients that were easily available that I decided to try something different than I have always tried :) So here was my experiment with the first salad. I would name it Green Salad for I used Green Leaf Lettuce :)

Green Salad
Ingredients
10 leaves of Green Leaf Lettuce
1/2 Cup Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Pineapple
1/4 Cup Corn
10 Cucumber Pickels
5 Jalapenos
1/2 Spoon Oregano
2.5 Spoon Ranch Dressing
Salt to taste

Method
  • Cook the corn in boiling water or microwave in a cup of water for 5 min. Drain the water and keep aside.
  • Cut the green leaf lettuce into medium sized pieces
  • Halve the grape tomatoes and add them to leaf lettuce.
  • Add Pineapple after chopping it to small pieces
  • Halve cucumber pickle and add to it
  • Add chooped jalapenos and corn that was set aside.
  • Add Ranch Dressing, Oregano and Salt. Mix well and serve.

Notes
This was something quick, healthy and yet tasty. The ranch dressing and oregano went well together :) Need to try some other fruits, vegetables and dressings. :)

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Saturday, February 14, 2009

Valentine

Gak kerasa udah hari valentine lagi.... Harinya kafe2 mengeruk uang, penjualan mawar meningkat berkali2 lipat, omset gift store naik tajam..... Intinya semua orang berbagi kasih.Sebenarnya sejarah hari valentine awalnya sama sekali tidak berhubungan dengan percintaan. Hari valentine merujuk kepada kematian St. Valentinus yang meninggal pada tanggal 14 Februari. Hari ini pertama kali dihubungkan
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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Bday Chocolate Cake


I was always fascinated by chocolate icings these bakers have. I always fancied to become as good with it as they are.. And my impression about this was its some art. But actually if you have little patience and know a knack it can be very easy too :) and that's what I found out when I tried this cake. Check this out.

PS: Now I had written this in January when I baked this for my mom but due to busy schedule with moving etc I just couldn't post it. So here it comes.. More on their way :)

Bday Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
7 Spoon Butter
1 Cup Castor Sugar
3 Eggs
Salt to taste
1/2 Cup Maida
300g Chocolate
8 Spoon Coco Powder

Method
  • Boil water in a small pot and keep a glass bowl over it. Add 100g of chocolate and melt it completely. Add 4 Spoon coco powder and keep aside
  • In another bowl mix 6 spoon butter and 1/2 cup of castor sugar till its fluffy
  • Add the melted chocolate and beat.
  • Separate the egg whites and egg yolks
  • Add egg yolks one at a time into the choco-butter mixture and beat well.
  • Sieve Maida and keep aside
  • Beat the egg whites with salt to taste separately till it is stiff
  • In earlier choco mixture add a spoonful for egg white and spoonful of maida, fold in well. Repeat till all maida and egg whites are accommodated in the choco mixture.
  • Preheat oven at 180C/350F
  • Grease the cake tin and pour the above mixture into it
  • Bake the cake at 180C/350F for 45 min
  • Keep aside for cooling overnight
  • Next day, Heat water in a pot and keep a glass bowl over it. Melt remaining butter and chocolate together in it and keep aside.
  • In a pan, add remaining sugar and 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil.
  • Bring the heat to lowest possible and mix in the chocolate-butter mixture as well as remaining coco powder and cook.
  • Take out a drop of mixture and test if it thickens after cooling. If so icing is ready
  • Pour the chocolate icing in the center of the cake and spread it across the cake to cover it fully.
  • Decorate with white butter icing and choco chips/flakes

Notes
Yes you read it right this doesn't need baking soda or powder :)
I had my mom by my side when I tried this so with her patience and suggestions I needed 4 spoon of coca for 200gm chocolate so I guess that should help but if you still seem to run into issues like the mixture isn't thickening then add some more coca or if it thickens too fast and is too hard add little more warm water. The mixture after cooling should be of icing consistency and should not flow or thicken more than that.

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