Bobotie also spelt bobotjie, is a South African
dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked
with an egg-based topping. Although not
particularly spicy, the dish incorporates a variety
of flavours that can add complexity. For
example, the dried fruit (usually apricots and
raisins/sultanas) contrasts the curry flavouring
very nicely. The texture of the dish should be
tender and creamy which means long, slow
cooking with the baked egg mixture topping,
complementing the milk-soaked bread which
adds moisture to the dish.
Ingredients -
Onions- 1
Garlic cloves crushed - 2
Curry powder - 1 tsp
Mango chutney- 1 tbsp
Apple jelly - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 3 - 4 drops
Worcestershire sauce- 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mixed herbs - 1 tsp
Eggs - 3 Milk- 250 ml
Bread - 3
Sultanas- 1/4 cup
Method -
1. Add 3 breads to 1/2 cup of milk and let it
soak, set aside.
2. Take a frying pan, add onions, garlic and
stir till brown.
3. Add curry powder, apple jelly,
chutney, vinegar, Worcestershire
sauce, salt, red chili powder, turmeric
powder, mixed herbs, stir and mix all.
Let it cook for a while.
4. Take the bread and add to the frying pan,
add minced meat, sultanas, butter and
let it cook thoroughly.
5. Take it off the heat and let it cool down a
bit, add 1 beaten egg and mix. Put into a
greased baking pan evenly.
6. Take the remaining milk and make a mixture
of milk, 2 eggs and pinch of salt, pour it all
over the minced meat in the baking pan. Put
few bay leaves on top and let it bake till it turns
beautiful golden in colour.
Clafouti, also known as clafoutis is a classic French
dessert which resembles a fruit filled custard or sweet
frittata. While native to the Limousin region of France,
clafouti is made in many
other locations as well, and it
is a popular dessert food. Since
clafouti is very easy
to make and it has an elegant presentation, it is
an
excellent choice of quickie dessert for dinner parties.
The fruit is layered with a dense batter and baked
until the batter
puffs up, just like a quiche. The
dessert is allowed to cool slightly
before being served
with whipped cream, ice cream, crème anglaise, or
a similar topping. It can be served directly out of the
baking pan also.
Ingredients -
Butter - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Cream - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
Egg - 3
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Lemon zest - 1 tsp
Choco chips - 1 tbsp
Apple - 2 big (thinly sliced)
Method -
1. Take a big bowl and using an electric blender whisk
together milk, cream, sugar, egg, vanilla, lemon zest,
cinnamon and salt, add the flour and combine all until
it becomes a smooth batter.
2. Grease a baking dish and pour 1/4 of the batter onto
the baking dish, set aside the remaining batter.
3. Place it in a preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until the
upper layer sets in and starts to thicken but it is not
thoroughly baked.
4. Remove it from the oven and arrange the sliced
apples in a fan pattern, pour the remaining batter
over apples and some choco chips and bake it for
20-25 min until it is puffed and brown or a knife
comes out clean when inserted.
5. Sprinkle sugar over it and serve it hot.
Ingredients -
Chocolate - 230 g (bitter sweet, dark cooking chocolate)
Almonds - 120 g
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Castor sugar - 1 tsp
Method -
1. Take a deep bottomed heavy pan and roast the
almonds in it on a slow flame until its crunchy.
It will take around 30 -45 minutes to roast it.
Break the almonds in two pieces or ground it
very coarsely when it has roasted.
2. Break the chcolate in small pieces so that it
melts easily.
3. Take a double boiler and melt the chocolate
completely in it, stirring it continuously. Add 2 tbsp
sugar and the raisin in it when the chocolate melts.
4. Temper the chocolate. Place the bowl of melted
chocolate into a bowl with ice water, and stir
slowly but constantly. Once it begins to thicken,
crystallization or "tempering" occurs, take it out
from the cold water. Place the bowl over the
pot of warm water, the trick is to warm it
again
without losing the tempering. Take it off the warm
water as soon as it loosen up the chocolate a bit.
5. Add half of the roasted almonds, mix it nicely
with a spatula in the chocolate, add the remaining
half and mix all thoroughly.
6. Take a butter paper or grease an aluminum foil,
place it over a plate, Pour the chocolate and almond
mix quickly over it before it starts setting in. Spread it
in the shape of a bar on the foil. If the chocolate isn't
setting after 6 minutes, then place in the fridge for 2-3
minutes to speed things up.
7. Cut it in pieces and sprinkle castor sugar over it,
serve it and NJOY it with kids, family members and
of course with guests too, everybody is simply going
to love it.
Ingredients -
Aata (wheat flour) - 1 1/2 kg
sugar (bura sakkar) - 1 kg
Clarified butter ( pure ghee) - 1/2 kg + 2 cups for frying
Almond - 100g
Cashewnuts - 100 g
Raisins - 100 g
Chopped coconuts - 150 g
makhana (puffed lotus seed or foxnut) - 60 g
Poppy seeds - 100 g (washed n dried)
Gaund ( edible gum) - 1/2 cup / 50 g (optional)
Dry Ginger powder ( saunth) - 3 tsp
Method -
1. Heat a big and heavy bottomed karahi and put 2
cup of ghee kept for frying the nuts. Fry almonds,
cashews, coconuts and raisins separately on a low
heat, fry the poppy seeds too lightly on a slow flame,
take it out and keep aside.
2. Add 1 cup of the ghee in karahi and put the flour in
it, fry it on a low heat for around 1 1/2 - 2 hour until
it becomes golden brown colour.
You need real patience to fry it on a low heat nicely.
3. Take a big mixing bowl ( i used plastic tub) and
transfer the flour in it. Add all the fried nuts,
sugar while it is still hot and mix it well, take
another small karahi and warm the remaining
ghee in it, add ginger powder in it and pour it
on the flour mix too.
4. Mix sugar, ghee and nuts thoroughly to incorporate
it all, wait until it's not too hot to touch.
5. Make small round balls of desired size. Start making it
in small ladoo's taking it in your hand and binding it
with the other (you have to use both your hands to
bind it).
6. If it is not coming together then warm 1/2 cup of ghee
and mix it nicely on the flour mix and while making
each ladoo first take a handful of the mixture in your
hand, rub it nicely between your palms and bind it.
7. If you want to make Gound ladoos then take 1/2
cup of gound (edible gum) deep fry it in the ghee,
first over high and then over low heat, till cooked
through (it puffs up, when cooked through) ground
it in a grinder and mix it in the flour while mixing all
the nuts and sugar, rest you have to follow the same
procedure.
8. Home made tasty, fresh ladoos are ready to serve.
Keep it in an airtight container, it keeps well for
nearly more than a month.
