It's been almost three months I logged on to my computer!! Nope, I can't say that I did log on to my laptop to upload loads of photos as I told you in my earlier post that I have been traveling.  I just came back from a long holiday of one and half months in Amsterdam.  Visiting family is always welcoming that too when you are needed to help them out is a blessing, as at least somebody thinks you are needed! I could say this trip which did not start as a pleasure trip ended up as a good holiday for me, especially in the last week as my sister pampered me so much and I had a good rest with no moving around and enjoying lots of TV shows and food served right onto my lap and also with loads of filled up mugs of teas and coffee every now and then what more can I ask for.  Hmmm..., that was bliss.

Are you wondering why all the fuss? well, I went to this cheese factory which I fell in love with ( stay tuned will post the pictures soon ) asked the owner if I could get some photos he was reluctant  had to convince him a lot at first then, when I showed him my website and my photos he was quite impressed (and I was glad! somebody was impressed)  after all that he gave me permission take photos, once when done I came out climbed onto the car and was about to leave the premises suddenly I remembered that I had forgotten to take a good picture of the entrance!! asked my sister to stop the car, I got out with my camera in my hand turned around walked 2 steps back trying to focus and Lo! my foot just gave away! that was unexpected.  The autumn leaves had covered a concealed little dent in the road and  I staggered and toppled onto the ground with my camera flying from my hand.  Like an acrobat, I caught hold of my camera and saved it from hitting the tar road but I simply forgot about where my leg was heading out!  Ouch! it hurt so badly I couldn't get up, tears came rolling down my cheeks without my consent like little transparent pearls of water from the colourful leaves falling to mingle with mother nature soaking my torn jeans.

I sat there for some time, as my sister never realised that I was lying on the ground it wasn't her fault, as I can't blame her for my stupidity, how could she know that I was going to fall (that was the lecture she gave me later on as she was so worried about my leg). Actually, the lady from the next farm saw me in the act she could have waved at my sister and could have pointed at me, but she walked past with her wheelie bin and came back the same way looking at me all the way!!  can't blame her either right?  It was all my fault.  Anyways I pulled my leg slowly got on to my feet dragging it through went to the car, that was when my sis realized I was in trouble, she was so terrified scolded me all the 30 minutes driving back.  Coming back home I sat to remove my shoes, when I removed my socks I knew that something had happened to my ankle it was fully blown up to my knee I had a lot of bruises, long story short I am alright now back home went to my GP she got  some x-rays done thank God! I haven't got any broken bones she suspects a stretched ligament and also declared I have sprained my ankle very badly so I need to take few more days of rest (which hasn't happened after coming back I should have stayed some more days in Amsterdam).  That's the end of my story.

winter soups

Sun  is minimal  and the days are becoming shorter as well. The warm weather  is slowly drifting away, from the brighter skies to cold, gray obscure gloomy parasol.   Colourful T-shirts and leggings are replaced with Jumpers and Jackets to ward off the nippy weather.  But, the question is  which side of the coin you are in?  Do you feel if you are slipping into a fantasy land  and dreaming of drizzling  snow steadily onto the ground like a white blanket, Hearth buzzing away furiously burning logs of firewood, the crackling sound and the puffing smoke seeping through the chimney and you cuddling on your sofa with a warm blanket, a book and a bowl of warm soup with a home made bread and enjoy the wonder world  OR  feeling somber, going through the winter blues and dripping into a cocoon only to wake up after six months!! I would prefer the dream world looking out in the window from my sofa where I can see the white crystal flakes falling obliquely into the crisp clear starry black night onto the ground against the lamp light is my favourite sight.

Winter brings us squashes of all varieties.  I buy them now and then as they literally have a long  shelf life, they don't seem to die at all.  Butternut  squash is one such winter squashes which my hubby keeps buying because he likes the soup I make out of it.  So, here is our hero today and now I have to tell you how I make it and if you like it as well ping me on one of my social media hashtag @ #myvegfare and I will be one happy blogger.

Let's get back to the recipe then...

Recipe Author : Jayasri
Recipe Type: Soup
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4
Shelf life :2 to 3 days in refrigeration

Ingredients:

1 Butternut squash (approx..750grms)
2 cloves garlic
1’’ Ginger
1 onion
1 litre vegetable stock (using stock cube)
2 sprigs of Basil
½ tbsp of oil
1 tbsp of mixed seeds (sunflower, linseed, pumpkin, sesame and chia)
6 cashew nuts
½  tsp cumin seeds
½  tsp coriander seeds
½  tsp Black pepper

Method:

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the pith by removing the seeds.  Peel the skin and cut into cubes.
In a wok/pan heat oil add cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black pepper fry for a minute then add chopped garlic, onion and ginger sauté for few minutes till the onions become translucent.
Now add the cubed squash and cook stir-frying it for 5 more minutes with a lid closed in a medium flame.  Within few minutes it gets well cooked. Add the basil leaves give a stir for few seconds within seconds it wilts.
Allow it to cool down, when it is cooling down prepare the stock using around 4 cups of water.
Once it is cool blend it in a food processor or in an Indian mixie to a smooth consistency. (Or you can pour the stock into the pan using a hand blender you can blend in batches until you get a smooth puree).
You can pass it through a sieve into a clean saucepan and pour the vegetable stock (keeping aside ¼ cup of water) season it with salt, taste and adjust the seasonings.

In a small skillet heat a tsp of oil toast the mixed seeds for few minutes with cashew nuts. Grind them into a smooth paste using little stock water add this ground paste to the saucepan and heat through gently for few more minutes keep an eye so it doesn’t get stuck to the bottom as it starts thickening. Switch off the stove, to serve ladle the soup into bowls garnish with few more basil leaves and toasted seeds.  Serve it with a bread of your choice or with crunchy croutons.

Make your own crouton:  It’s easy to make your own crouton. Crush using a pestle and mortar a clove of garlic and herb of your choice with 3 to 4 peppercorns and salt. Take a day-old bread, cut into cubes marinate the cubes with the above said mix.  Heat a little olive oil in a skillet add this marinated bread mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. It’s now ready to go on the soup.

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Creamy Butternut Squash soup #Vegan #Glutenfree

Vegan and Gluten free winter squash soup is also creamy and delicious hearty meal in itself.

Course Soup

Cuisine International

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Jayasri

Ingredients

• 1 Butternut squash approx..750grms
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ’’ Ginger
• 1 onion
• 1 litre vegetable stock using stock cube
• 2 sprigs of Basil
• ½ tbsp of oil
• 1 tbsp of mixed seeds sunflower, linseed, pumpkin, sesame and chia
• 6 cashew nuts
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp Black pepper

Instructions

• Cut the squash in half and scoop out the pith by removing the seeds. Peel the skin and cut into cubes.
• In a wok/pan heat oil add cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black pepper fry for a minute then add chopped garlic, onion and ginger sauté for few minutes till the onions become translucent.
• Now add the cubed squash and cook stir-frying it for 5 more minutes with a lid closed in a medium flame. Within few minutes it gets well cooked. Add the basil leaves give a stir for few seconds within seconds it wilts.
• Allow it to cool down, when it is cooling down prepare the stock using around 4 cups of water.
• Once it is cool blend it in a food processor or in an Indian mixie to a smooth consistency. (Or you can pour the stock into the pan using a hand blender you can blend in batches until you get a smooth puree).
• You can pass it through a sieve into a clean saucepan and pour the vegetable stock (keeping aside ¼ cup of water) season it with salt, taste and adjust the seasonings.
• In a small skillet heat a tsp of oil toast the mixed seeds for few minutes with cashew nuts. Grind them into a smooth paste using little stock water add this ground paste to the saucepan and heat through gently for few more minutes keep an eye so it doesn’t get stuck to the bottom as it starts thickening. Switch off the stove, to serve ladle the soup into bowls garnish with few more basil leaves and toasted seeds. Serve it with a bread of your choice or with crunchy croutons.

Notes

Notes: If you do not want to do it on stove top you can grill or bake in the oven until the veggies become soft. Then fry the spices in a skillet and continue as above.
Make your own crouton: It’s easy to make your own crouton. Crush using a pestle and mortar a clove of garlic and herb of your choice with 3 to 4 peppercorns and salt. Take a day-old bread, cut into cubes marinate the cubes with the above said mix. Heat a little olive oil in a skillet add this marinated bread mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. It’s now ready to go on the soup

The post Creamy Butternut Squash soup #Vegan #Glutenfree appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Making a dessert is time-consuming don't you think? but after it's made and  if you have a sweet tooth you are bowled out to both the virtual and real treat.  I am not a dessert person, I love pineapple pastry though, I go weak in my legs I have a special love for them and all milk based Indian sweets.  I don't like sweets which are too sweet and surprisingly this pannacotta is not too sweet, well of course you can make it sweet if you add more sugar but, panna cotta aren't too sweet but wickedly delicious.  Panna cotta is an Italian delicacy, panna cotta is an  Italian dessert made with thickened cream and moulded with gelatin, as I don't use gelatine I have subbed it with Agar Agar.  These days panna cotta can be made skinny, dairy free and whatever way you want to enjoy it!

It's that time of the year your palette changes from warm food and soups to something refreshing and cool, Fresh salads either with veggies or fruits or a combo of both and something thandi (cool) to drink.  Spring is slowly settling to Summer,  brings your senses to a galore of tastes tingling your taste buds craving for something fresh and juicy.

Strawberries and summer come hand in hand, you can see loads of strawberries in the market a punnet would cost you a pound, not all strawberries are sweet, talking to local people here I found out strawberries from Hertfordshire are very sweet, and when I find them in the market I never miss to buy them my daughter loves them, both us wander a lot she is a foodie friend to me.  Last time when we went to Gym we found these British strawberries I forgot from where it came, they weren't too sweet, we were a bit disappointed so we decided on munching some cherry tomatoes instead walking back home, Ahh.., I didn't  tell you did I? there is a little farmer's market we often go to whenever we go to Gym pick up some fresh fruits and veggies, Cherries are my favourite, I just can't stop eating with one  by the time we come back home I would finished the whole lot.

I first thought I will make some lemonade then decided otherwise as I had just made it a few days back.  I had put my grey cells to work, I remembered that I had to do a dessert this month for #cookingwithfriends theme and had already planned on making Mango pannacotta  which I changed to strawberry instead and made Mango milkshake (Seekarne).   As the strawberries weren't that sweet I thought of making  this with a combination and decided upon vanilla and some chia seeds  to go with it.

We never had strawberries as kids.  I can only think of Melons and Mangoes when summer set in, in our part of the world, we loved eating loads of watermelons and mangoes and sometimes eat Ice cream when there used to be a man who used to bring in his cart all these Lollipops and sometime Kulfi's,  mother never made them at home looking after three kids and her full-time job was enough for her to manage.  My parents never liked us buying Ice creams from him, and was a rare treat. I still remember my first Ice cream I made was when I was in year 11, for a first timer it was a great success and as eggs were a no-no at home I made it eggless as well.

Time changes so many things in life, never thought  I would be here eating strawberries instead of Mangoes!, how we change our food habits and adapt to what we get.  Mango milk shake to a pannacotta, that's what has changed when you are blogger best of all, with all the love in the world you prepare it.

STRAWBERRY-VANILLA CHIA SEED PANNA COTTA (GELATINE FREE / VEGETARIAN)

Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Recipe source: Jayasri
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes (20 min each)
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS: 
For Strawberry pannacotta:
500 grms Strawberries
(2 Cups pureed strawberries)
1/4 cup very warm water
2 tbsp Agar Agar powder*
1/2 cup Brown sugar

For Vanilla Chia seed Pannacotta
2 Cups milk
1/2 cup double cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract / slit and scrape vanilla pod
1 tbsp Chia seed
2 tbsp Agar Agar powder
1/4  cup very warm water
1/3 cup Suagr

METHOD:
Wash and cut Strawberries into a container puree them in a blender  with little water into a smooth puree, pour the pureed strawberries into a container and allow it to cook add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until all the sugar dissolved.

In a container add 2 cups of milk and sugar and boil it in a low flame for 10 minutes to this add chia seeds and cook for 5 minutes,  Meanwhile in a different bowl, boil water add tbsp of Agar powder until it completely dissolves, pour this mixture immediately into the milk mixture, add double cream, Vanilla extract or slit and scrape a vanilla pod  and blend them all together.  Leave it cool for 1/2 an hour, mix now and then, check its not thickening, as you don't want it solidifying, they just need to get cooled down now pour this into the serveware in which you want to serve, I slanted my glasses and put them in the fridge to set. May take 3 to 4 hours.

Once the vanilla panna cotta sets, you can start the strawberry panna cotta, you get two cups of pureed strawberries from 500 grms of strawberries into a container with sugar and cook them together until sugar is completely dissolved switch off the stove and keep aside, In an other bowl warm water and add Agar powder mix well with no lumps add this immediately into the pureed strawberry mixture blend well and leave it to cool, keep checking now and then that it doesn't set, you need it just to cool down, when its cooling down and ready to poured into the glasses to set bring your vanilla panna cotta glasses out of  the fridge.  Pour strawberry panna cotta into the gap until they both balance or the way you like to design it put them back into the fridge to set. May take 2 to 3 hrs
Once both of them are set you can serve them when needed.

NOTES:
Agar - Agar is a sea weed algae, it was discovered in Japan and it is called Kanten, It is called china grass in India, this is  vegetarian/vegan substitute for gelatin.  It even sets in room temperature and is better than gelatine even when temperature rises.  It does not have any taste, odour and smell.  You can find them in health food stores as powder, flakes, threads etc.  1 tbsp of agar powder dissolve it in a 4 tbsp hot water, 10 minutes it will start setting. For one cup of liquid to set use around 10 grms of Agar powder, I used 1 tbsp(8grms) as I wanted it to set it bit softer (wobbly), if  you want it set properly use 10 grms.
Increase or decrease sugar as per your taste.  My strawberries were a bit tart so had to use more sugar to balance it.

Do you like panna cotta, which is your favourite and tell me why it is your favourite?

Disclaimer:
Cooking With Friends: This blog post is part of the monthly “Cooking With Friends” themed blog post challenge. This challenge was started by a bunch of virtual friends united by their love of food, with the aim of tackling a different food-related theme each month. If you want to try this month’s theme, please feel free to do so and link your recipe in the comments section. We’d love to check it out. Meanwhile, check out what the others in the group have come up with this month.
Anjana from At the Corner of Happy and Harried, Garima from CafeGarima,  Jyothi from Curry Tail, Madhuri from MADaboutkitchen, Subhasmita from The Flavors of Kitchen, Sujatha from Spice n Treats, Dolphia from Story of cooks

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Strawberry-Vanilla Chia seed Panna Cotta (Gelatine free/Vegetarian)

An Italian delicacy made with thickened cream and chia seeds with Agar-Agar and delicious strawberries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Author Jayasri

Ingredients

• For Strawberry pannacotta:
• 500 grms Strawberries
• 2 Cups pureed strawberries
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 2 tbsp Agar Agar powder*
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• For Vanilla Chia seed Pannacotta
• 2 Cups milk
• 1/2 cup double cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract / slit and scrape vanilla pod
• 1 tbsp Chia seed
• 2 tbsp Agar Agar powder
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 1/3 cup Suagr

Instructions

• Wash and cut Strawberries into a container puree them in a blender with little water into a smooth puree, pour the pureed strawberries into a container and allow it to cook add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until all the sugar dissolved.
• In a container add 2 cups of milk and sugar and boil it in a low flame for 10 minutes to this add chia seeds and cook for 5 minutes, Meanwhile in a different bowl, boil water add tbsp of Agar powder until it completely dissolves, pour this mixture immediately into the milk mixture, add double cream, Vanilla extract or slit and scrape a vanilla pod and blend them all together. Leave it cool for 1/2 an hour, mix now and then, check its not thickening, as you don't want it solidifying, they just need to get cooled down now pour this into the serveware in which you want to serve, I slanted my glasses and put them in the fridge to set. May take 3 to 4 hours.
• Once the vanilla panna cotta sets, you can start the strawberry panna cotta, you get two cups of pureed strawberries from 500 grms of strawberries into a container with sugar and cook them together until sugar is completely dissolved switch off the stove and keep aside, In an other bowl warm water and add Agar powder mix well with no lumps add this immediately into the pureed strawberry mixture blend well and leave it to cool, keep checking now and then that it doesn't set, you need it just to cool down, when its cooling down and ready to poured into the glasses to set bring your vanilla panna cotta glasses out of the fridge. Pour strawberry panna cotta into the gap until they both balance or the way you like to design it put them back into the fridge to set. May take 2 to 3 hrs
• Once both of them are set you can serve them when needed.

Notes

Agar - Agar is a sea weed algae, it was discovered in Japan and it is called Kanten, It is called china grass in India, this is vegetarian/vegan substitute for gelatin. It even sets in room temperature and is better than gelatine even when temperature rises. It does not have any taste, odour and smell. You can find them in health food stores as powder, flakes, threads etc. 1 tbsp of agar powder dissolve it in a 4 tbsp hot water, 10 minutes it will start setting. For one cup of liquid to set use around 10 grms of Agar powder, I used 1 tbsp(8grms) as I wanted it to set it bit softer (wobbly), if you want it set properly use 10 grms.
Increase or decrease sugar as per your taste. My strawberries were a bit tart so had to use more sugar to balance it.

The post Strawberry-Vanilla Chia seed Panna Cotta (Gelatin free/ Vegetarian) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

I love baking cookies; they are no hard work, fuss free, few ingredients and Lo! Bite sized, fulfilling on the go & all time favourite sweet something’s, what do you say? Do you like cookies? What’s your favourite?

This post has been in my draft for some time, I have been away from my blog  for a long time. Days just go by without me knowing it, well I could blame it on my kids now.  They are in University now, excited that they came back,  I have been quite busy past month, been cooking and baking non-stop.

So, they have been here for a short break for  Christmas vacation and I am so excited about it, from past few months I haven’t baked much at all, After they joined University this year, baking has taken a back seat.  Every week, sometimes twice a week I used to bake breads, they loved home-made breads for their Lunch box and also I used to bake cakes, muffins etc, just for munching / snacking.    I have been thinking about this from past year wondering what I would do when they go away, probably stop baking and stop blogging too.

Well, I don’t think I can stop blogging now as my kids are cooking on their own and always ask me and look at my blog for recipes, I have planned to blog basic & simple recipes just for my kids for their reference.

Coming back to the recipe, I baked these when my kids were here, they were very tasty, and if you want you can increase more sugar if you have a sweet tooth.  They were quite tasty I ate quite a lot as my two favourite Ingredients are in that, Coconut & Pistachio two of my favourite ingredients.

Recipe Source: Jayasri
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

100 grms Pistachio Nuts
100 grms Fresh Coconut
100 grms Caster Sugar
100 grms Icing Sugar
2 tbsp Rice Flour
2 tbsp Corn Flour
1/8 th tsp Baking soda
2 tbsp Oil
Pinch of salt
Few Pistachios for decorating

METHOD:

First of all powder pistachios coarsely, take Fresh coconut and give one  whiz in your food processor or mixie don't do it too much it will start giving milk which we don't want, as we want the taste of coconut , Now mix this with Icing sugar, salt and Baking soda and keep aside. In a bowl beat Rice flour, Corn Flour and oil beat them together, to this add the dry ingredients mix well.

Make small balls, I made around 27 balls out of the dough,  flatten them out and bake them for 20 minutes in a preheated oven Gas mark 3 on a baking sheet (I have a gas oven and gets hot,  even in low temperature so I always bake in a low temperature).

Once done take it out and cool on a wiring rack,
You just can’t stop with one  enjoy it with your Cuppa ya Chai

C you soon
Bye

The post Eggless, Gluten, Dairy & Soya Free Coconut Pistachio Macaroons appeared first on My Veg Fare.

The wind moving around 70 to 80 miles per hour, has broken my fence off , Sun is playing Hide and seek and the rain pouring down from past two days and the biting cold has driven me mad, It is only here you can see different seasons in one day.  People always talk about weather, even though the weather is not  good, some things make me very happy like  when I have to bake breads, I am not a dessert person, I don't really enjoy baking any kind of desserts but definitely love baking breads, I love trying out new variations, methods, types and from different cuisines and of course around the world, but I need somebody to eat them too.., The problem for me is my kids love eating breads only in their lunch box, otherwise they don't mind eating pizzas. I baked two different breads immediately, when Swathi announced this month's challenge.
I have used Tangzhong method of baking bread previously, and I also have made a separate post on how to make Tangzhong here.  So, I will not be explaining how to do it.
This month swathi of Zesty south Indian Kitchen challenged us to bake Breads using Tangzhong method, for this months Baking Partners Group as I have numerous breads with this method, I chose to bake Hot Cross Buns as we are nearing Easter, Here in Easter you can see these Buns in all Shops, people enjoy this all through Easter and is a favourite for every one, My kids love them and I bake them time to time, as I can use lot of Raisins in them :).. Toast it with some Jam and Mmmm..., super delicious...

HOT CROSS BUNS 
Recipe Source: Christine's Recipes
Tangzhong method minimal changes

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BREAD
350grm Bread flour
35 grms sugar
5 g salt
7 g milk powder
125 ml milk
120 grm Tanzhong ( water Roux )
6 g yeast
30 g butter
100 g Raisins
1/2 tsp mixed spice

FLOUR PASTE:
4 tbsp of plain flour
2 to 2 and 1/2 tbsp of water

TANGZHONG METHOD:
1/3 cup or 50 grms of Bajri flour
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk

Check out the Tangzhong method in this post, I used Bajri flour, funnily it took a bit long time to get that 65 degree and was a bit liquidy than the usual way I make.  I was a bit worried but my bread turned out beautifully no complaints.

METHOD:
Make the Tangzhong and keep aside for it to cool down.
In a large bowl take yeast and warm water and leave it for few minutes, you will notice bubbles forming, this is to make sure the yeast is still active.
Now to this add all the other Ingredients listed above except for Raisins and knead it into a soft dough, It might be a bit sticky but kneading it well enough with the help of little flour by just dipping your hand in it now and then makes into a pliable dough.
Oil a bowl and leave it for its first rise around 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours, once it is double in size punch it down and spread the dough on the kitchen table and spread Raisins on it and slowly knead it into the dough.

Preheat the oven to 190 degree / 375 dF / Gas Mark 6
Make 6 rolls and leave it for a second rise on a baking parchment, for further an hour.
Make flour paste, add water little by little to the plain flour and make it into a semi thick paste, fill this into a piping bag and make a cross over the Buns.
Give them all a milk wash and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes according to your oven.

Lo!, your Hot cross buns...
Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns
One a penny two a penny
Hot cross Buns.....

Who want Hot Cross Buns... ?, At last I could post this recipe.., I keep postponing to post all my  recipes even though I cook or bake them, Good God! I have posted them before Easter.....
Here are few more of my posts with this method.., I have a few more which I have not been able to post till..

Tangzhong (water Roux) for  Bread Baking
Paneer and Mint flavoured Garlic Rolls
Eggless Chocolate Coronets
Pear, Nuts and Dried fruits in Swirl rolls

c you soon with an other recipe...
This is also yeast spotted !! 🙂

The post Eggless Hot Cross Buns for Easter ( Tangzhong Method ) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi everybody, it's been a long time since I blogged, I thought I could never blog again with lots of things going on, needless to say, everything seems to get alright now, with this I won't go straight to my recipe you have to wait, I have to say a few things which are very important to me.
Today is my Thanksgiving day..... I have to thank few people who have been with me, encouraged me and helped me through my blogging adventure.
Blogging has not only brought happiness to me as a passionate foodie but wonderful readers who even though I haven't posted for some time who still like my blog and some readers who still write to me asking queries which makes my day, and also my dear friends and family who have always encouraged me on this and insist I should not stop blogging.
Let me start with few of my blogger friends Swathi, Gayatri, Suzanne and Kalyani who stood with me when I was in trouble, and encouraged me to post when I could.  Thank you very much dears.
I would also like to thank Nisha, Swathi, Shabs Cp, Swasthi Blank and Meena Bhatia for helping me to get back to blogging, From Last 1 and 1/2 weeks I was trying to post my recipes and my blog was not allowing to upload any images I was so stressed out and I did know what was going on and just 2 days back I realised that I don't have any space in my Picasa Web album.  When I placed this problem in FB all these ladies helped me out and here I am blogging again.  Thanks to all of you.
I have been baking a lot these days, My bread seems to disappear quickly so I have to definitely bake bread twice at least in a week.   This bread was basically for my daughter who loves to eat her bread only with Jam, she is not like the other to eat bread with cheese, pickles and leaves.  I was planning to make cinnamon rolls, that was when I saw this month's MM#12 Kalyani announced Fruits and chocolate as the Magic Mingle Ingredients.  So, I changed the filling with fruits it turned out really tasty and smelled great.

PEAR, NUTS AND DRIED FRUITS IN SWIRL ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE ROLLS
150 gms Whole meal Strong bread flour
150 grms White Bread flour
25 grms Wheat Bran
25 grms Water Roux
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tbsp Yeast
2/3 + 2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt

FILLING:
1 Large Pear
4 tbsp of soft Brown sugar
4 tbsp chopped dried fruits ( Papaya, Mango, pineapple)
3  tbsp chopped Nuts ( Almond, cashew, pista, walnut )
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 Cadbury flake
1/8th tsp Cinnamon powder and Nutmeg powder

METHOD
Sieve together flours and bran, In a large bowl take yeast with 2 tbsp water and Honey and leave it for few minutes you can see small bubbles forming up that means our yeast is active now to this add all the remaining Ingredients under the Rolls add water as required, My flour needed 2/3 cup of water.
Just remember If you have prepared the Roux just then the flour might need more water, But if you had made it earlier like a day before and if it was stored in the fridge, add water little by little as you might not require the same amount of water and make it into a soft dough.
Knead dough for at least 10 minutes oil the dough and leave it to raise or double in size for at least 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours in a warm place
Meanwhile, make your filling.
Peel and chop pear into small pieces.  In a thick bottomed bowl take 4 tbsp of sugar, Honey and chopped pear and cook on a low flame with a lid closed after some time the pear becomes nicely cooked to this add the other Ingredients this helps in most of the liquid to get evaporated.  (do not add any water honey, sugar and the water in the pear helps it to get cooked ). It will be of semi-solid consistency, leave it to cool down.
Once the dough is raised punch it down and bring them all together, sprinkle some flour on to the surface and flatten the dough into a rectangle spread the cooled down filling on to it and roll down it from the long end.
Cut it down into 7 pieces, In each one of the pieces close one end of the filling by bringing together the dough together and place them on to the baking tray, line the tray with a parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 degree
Leave the rolls for another 1/2 hour covered with a cling film the rolls rise again in a warm place. Once they raise.
Bake these rolls in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 4 / 180 degrees for around 25 minutes ( Check your oven temperatures ) until well done.
Take it out and leave it on a cooling rack.
Once it a bit cool enjoy these rolls...
Hope you like it...
stay tuned for more recipes to come soon......

This recipe goes to Magic Mingle #12 and also to Bake-a-thon.

Thanks to Champa of Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen who hosts Bake-a-thon every year, Last year I was planning to participate and before it began my computer busted and I just had to leave the group.  This year they had already started which I noticed today and wrote to her.  She and the other bloggers agreed to include me in their month-long baking marathon only this year it's going to be only for 3 days in a week and here I am with my first bake for this event.  The other bloggers who are with  Bake-a-thon are Preethi, Srivalli, Priya, Veena and sumana Deepak.

This recipe is also Yeast spotted.
Seniding this to Kriti's event, Brown sugar - know your sweetness, started by Jagruti

The post Pear, Nuts and dried Fruits in swirl rolls appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Queen of Sheba and King Soloman were two characters glued to my mind from my childhood, I always loved reading story books, comics and especially books like Akbar and Birbal, Chanakya, Tenali,  were mesmerizing characters, writing about these books are bringing back lot of childhood memories and loads of books I miss and wouldn't mind reading them all over again.
So, the next question  is ? Queen of sheba and Julia Child, what is the connection between these two. Julia child is an other character I was so loved, when I think back, I never knew who Julia Child was, blogging has brought me to a new world to know about not just recipes but most of the time particularly with International cuisine, why was this recipe named so, what's is the uniqueness of this recipe, who was behind it ?, why did they call it so ?, which place and why has its origin from here etc.., etc.., right ? you too agree with me right ?.

I came to know about why Julia child especially called this cake Rene de saba ( Queen of sheba ), from our beloved Google that when she made this cake she thought this cake is delicious it is fit for a queen and named it after her.
Queen Sheba like King Soloman was famous for her wisdom and also for her beauty and wealth, she is spoken about in Ethiopian history, the Bible and the Qua'ran.
Coming back to this recipe, this recipe is in her book ''Mastering The Art of french cooking'' by Julia Child,  I came to know that this is the last recipe in her book. As I had already made this cake for the Book club by Simran.  I contacted Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen 
who is the brain child for this Baking Partner group and told her about it, and said may be I will try a Eggless version of this cake, and she was delighted and said go ahead and bake it.
I actually should have remembered something before I baked this cake Eggless.  Do you know why ? actually long back I had baked something like this for a brownie. well, was it not a good introduction  that the cake I baked it for the first time was a disaster. The cake was delicious but just collapsed in the middle!! :)), No problem, I had some Ice cream asked my kids to enjoy it, actually they liked it as it tasted like a brownie, anyway that was done and dusted, I went to work, but kept thinking about it, I was really upset that I couldn't achieve it.
Came back home in the night, asked my daughter to measure the ingredients again and set about baking the cake, that was then I was telling her we will reduce the butter content and choco content in it and see what happens, the best thing was she was the one who helped me with the baking ingredients for the first time, just because of  that I think she remembered the measurements and told me mum, I think the butter and chocolate are of almost equal quantities, what do you want me to do ?, I was quite surprised at her memory as she was not too keen on helping me with the cake baking, so we both decided that we will reduce chocolate and butter to the same quantity  and see what happens.
so, this is how I made it...,

EGGLESS RENE DE SABA AVEC GLACAGE AU CHOCOLAT
For an 8'' pan
Baking time: 25 - 30 minutes

Ingredients:
65 grms ( around 2/3 cup) Plain flour*
74 grms ( around 3/4 cup) Ground Almonds
35 gms butter
35 grms Semi sweet chocolate**
2 tbsp of Coffee powder
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
3 tbsp Condensed milk
1/4 cup Yogurt
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4th tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Corn starch
2 tbsp hot water

FOR CHOCOLATE ICING:
56.7 Grams / 2 Ounces semi sweet baking chocolate**
2 tbsp coffee
5 to 6 tbsp unsalted butter

** I have used Dark chocolate
If you like to check out the Original recipe for the cake which swathi gave us do please check out her blog here.
*She uses Cake flour, If substituting for cake flour: Take 1 tbsp of Corn starch in the cup and then fill the rest of the cup with plain flour but I changed it as I have mentioned above.

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3.
In a double boiler method, In a bowl  boil water and bring it to simmering then place a small sauce pan over the bowl melt chocolate, In 2tbsp hot water dissolve coffee powder and then add it to the melting chocolate.allow it to melt switch off the stove.
Line the cake tin with Baking parchment, Measure Almond meal, All Purpose Flour, Baking powder, Baking soda and corn starch and combine well together, and sieve them well together and keep aside.
In a food processor or an Indian Mixie blend together condensed milk, yogurt, melted chocolate with melted butter to a nice and creamy consistency.
In a large bowl take this creamy blend add sugar mix well then add Baking powder and Baking soda, combine them well together, within a few seconds you will start noticing bubbles forming up.
To this blend immediately fold in the dry ingredients delicately with the help of a rubber spatula, until everything is well incorporated.
Turn the batter into the cake tin and bake it in the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven.  Cake starts to puffs up around the circumference,  plunge a tester / skewer into that area of the cake when it comes out clean then you would know it is done.
The center might be a bit shaky if a toothpick inserted comes out a bit oily and comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Take out the cake when it is done, Allow the cake to cool it on a wiring rack, after 5 minutes run the knife through the edge of the pan and turn it on to the cooling rack.
Allow it to cool for at least for at least an hour, if you plan to do Icing, you need to cool it completely.

FOR THE ICING:
Place chocolate and coffee in a small sauce pan, and set it in a larger pan with almost simmering water away from heat allow it to melt with butter beat it together until smooth and shiny.  Immediately spread it over the cake.

I used my pastry brush to make strokes on it and decorated it with flaked almonds in the middle and I had some home grown strawberries which I placed it on top just to make it look nice.  Hope you like it.

If you want to see more beautiful cakes and the challenge done with care, love and especially with perfection here are my friends from Baking partners... check out their blog and enjoy the visual view.

As I had already told you that I had baked this cake long bake for a book club I wanted to show you a click of that as well which I baked using eggs

Here is the link to that post : https://www.myvegfare.com/?p=242 and here is a picture of it.

Seniding this to
cook eat delicious - desserts - Chocolate, started by cook eat delicious hosted by Riddhima of culinary vibes
Sending this to JCO - Super foods - Super Power
Bon Viviant #7, by symee's culinary
Bake Fest by Foodmania, started by Vardhini

The post Eggless Rene de saba avec Glacage au Chocolat appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Bread and Sandwiches have become a common thing at home, as my kids prefer to take Sandwiches to school, sometimes with veggies and sometimes Jam and even sometimes with dry curries or sometimes with Indian sandwich.  While Googling through for Sandwiches I went through my Book marked recipes, I found this recipe which I had book marked, as I love Baking Bread, I had fallen for this recipe as this would satisfy my kids for sure and me too.
I had Book marked this recipe from Nola Cuisine long back, because my kids were not a big fan of Olives I kept postponing this, and as I have loads of BM's it was quite forgotten, when I was going through the BM's if I noticed this one!, I always check my Book marked recipes before trying any thing new.  Now my kids now adding them now and then in pizza and other recipes.  They don't mind eating it,  Now they like topping olives always in their pizzas and like to eat them just as it is, I love Olives too.., this recipe has loads of olives and with some spiciness, my kids would love it, As this recipe is usually made with meat, I adapted it to Vegetarian version, he suggests loads of things so I just used what I liked.
I have never been to New Orleans and never tasted this bread sandwich, so If anybody has any kind of doubts do click on the links below and ask Nola. Here is only my version of the filling which is vegetarian hope you all like and try it 🙂

You must be wondering about today's recipe and why all this introduction : Yup, Today is the day for the Crazy Cooking Challenge, She Challenged us to bake Grilled Cheese Sandwich, As per the rules we have to adapt a recipe from an other blog, I Chose this Blog of Nola Cuisine and would love to thank both Tina Messick - Hudgens and Nola for this wonderful recipe, which I wouldn't have tried other wise so soon.., Thanks to both of you...

Basically this recipe is adapted from New Orleans Central Grocery according to Nola Cuisine  :
No trip to New Orleans is complete for me without a trip to Central Grocery for a Muffuletta. Detractors can fill the comments section with why they dislike the Central Grocery Muffuletta and why their favorite is so much better, have at it, but for my money Central Grocery does everything right with the sandwich that is said to have been created here by Salvatore Lupo.
Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant opened the store in 1906 and operated it until 1946 when he retired and passed the reins to his son-in law Salvatore Tusa. The Muffuletta is said to have been invented early on to feed the Sicilian and Italian truck drivers who were driving produce, etc. to The French Market. The store is still in the family and has changed little over the years, with the exception of increased tourist traffic. Salvatore Lupo’s daughter, Marie Lupo Tusa released a cookbook in 1980 called Marie’s Melting Pot

.Central Grocery is an old style Italian market, with Italian imports, pasta, olive oil, meats, cheeses as well as local New Orleans Creole items.

Check out his website for beautiful photos from New Orleans ,  with beautiful clicks of the Sandwich bread and if you want to try out the Original sandwich bread with meat check out his blog for details...

 

NEW ORLEANS  MUFFULETTA  SANDWICH  GRILLED BREAD

(Pronouced as : moof-fuh-Leht-tuh or moo-foo-le-ta)

The post Muffuletta Bread Sandwich from New Orleans (vegetarian version) for CCC appeared first on My Veg Fare.

The post Carrot and Raisin Sweet Bread - whole meal & Oats appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi everybody, It's wonderful to say hello to you all, this post has been pending from 29th of March!, weather has changed drastically and so my days too.., The lovely wonderful summer just disappeared and cold has set in again.., which isn't very nice at all..,  again with hopes and fingers crossed am waiting for the summer to set in.  will it.. ?.have to wait and see....

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CORONETS
Recipe adapted from : cooking with dog

1 tsp Liquid Glucose

For the Coronet Moulds:
Chart paper measuring 12.5 cm x 12.5 cm - 12 Nos
Foil measuring 15cm x15 cm - 12 nos.
Stapler

METHOD:
In a bowl dissolve Instant yeast in  2 tbsp of luke warm water with a tsp of sugar and leave it aside for 5 minutes
Meanwhile In a large bowl take the remaining sugar, flour, milk powder and salt, Mix well combined to this add the dissolved instant yeast and cornflour water roux.
Combine well enough, now start adding water to make it into a dough
Spread the dough a little bit then add the butter until it is well incorporated**.
The dough is super soft now, keep it in a oiled bowl and cover it with a cling film until it is double in size. It might take 1 to 1 and 1/2 hour depending upon the temperature.
You all remember I think 2 weeks back we had a wonderful summer, and to my astonishment the dough rose within an hour. Meanwhile while the dough was rising...

Lets make the Chocolate custard....
In a bowl take cake flour, sugar, cocoa and corn starch and mix well together with the help of a sieve.
Warm the milk about 40 seconds in MW/ luke warm then add all the above ingredients and blend well together without any lumps then strain this mixture into a bowl.
Switch on the stove and start boiling add double cream and continuously keep stirring as it will start to thicken, Once it becomes thick take it off the stove and keep aside.
To this immediately add chopped butter and mix until well incorporated.
Next add grated chocolate and tsp of Glucose combine well until smooth.
Transfer this into a bowl and cover it with a cling film or a sheet,  that is the cover must touch the custard  not the top of the bowl this is prevent the custard forming a skin and set it in a bowl of Ice cubes or refrigerate. until needed.
Meanwhile your bread would have risen.

Let's make the Coronets now....
To check that the bread has risen, coat  your finger in  flour and poke your finger into the bread dough if the hole you made doesn't close back then it is well risen and you can go to your next process. otherwise leave it for some more time until well risen.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/180 degrees just before 1/2 an hour and a bowl of hot water in the base.
On a floured surface put the risen dough and punch it down, (punching means don't give a hard one, just press it down so the air is released but handle the dough gently).
I weighed the dough it weighed 540 gms and then I divided the dough into 45gms each and made 12 Coronets.
When you are making each one of them cover the rest of the dough in a tea towel.
If you are using coronet moulds grease them with butter, as I did not use moulds and made my own with foil, I did not grease them.
Roll each ball into a long strip, make one side thinner and thicker towards the other end.
Starting from the tapering end, press the thinner portion at that end and start twisting it around the mould and pinch it inside, pressing to close that end.
Leave it on a grease proof paper and cover it again.

I made 6 at a time, while I was making the first 6, I kept the other half of the dough in a box and kept it in the fridge, as I had made only 6 moulds.
Once all of them are done, cover it and leave it for an other 20 to 30 minutes depending upon the temperature, giving time for the coronets to rise again.
Give a milk wash.
Place the coronets in the middle rack and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes depending upon your oven or until it is Golden in colour.
Remove the Coronets on to the wire rack, give 5 to 10 minutes and gently remove the coronets from the mould until it cools down.
It can be stored in a air tight container until needed.

Let's Assemble the Coronets now:
Fill the Chocolate custard in a piping bag or a plastic bag,
If using a plastic bag cut of at the corner making a hole.
Squeeze the chocolate custard into the coronets until it is completely full.
Repeat for all the other coronets
Serve it with a warm cup of coffee, milk or tea.

Let's  make our own mould :
cut the craft sheet and aluminium foil to the measurements as said above, draw a line in the middle of the paper that is a diagonal line, turn the sheet into a cone shape keeping it as the middle point and complete it and  cut of the top into a circle, and staple the meeting point or the overlapping point.
Now take the Aluminium foil, and roll the crafted coronet mould into it completely, and fold in the extra portion at the top end into the inside of the mould and the squeeze the overlapping sheet into the mould.
Now your coronets are ready to rock !!.

My Tips:
**Use a food processor, I do not have a food processor but these days I use my wet grinder which has a atta kneader (for kneading chapati dough), which acts as my food processor, as I suffer from pain in my shoulders, it is very difficult for me to knead dough for bread, so this is my method for kneading the dough. I take it out and knead it a bit more in hand just for my own satisfaction.
I used liquid Glucose, so it wouldn't become too hard, I used extra corn flour for substituting eggs, the chocolate custard was not too hard or not too soft, it maintained its shape.
I would like to thank Gayatri for being patient with me.., and for this wonderful opportunity to bake these..
This is also yeast spotted....

The post Eggless Chocolate Coronets appeared first on My Veg Fare.

EGGLESS ONE BOWL COCONUT CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of Plain flour
1/2 cup Fine Corn meal
1/2 cup Dessicated Coconut
3/4 th cup Granulated sugar
1/4 cup Condensed milk
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup (+2tbsp) curds
1/4 cup Tutti-fruti
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1 tsp Cardamom  flavour
1/4 tsp salt

METHOD:

Preheat the oven 10 minutes before at 180 degrees/Gas Mark 5
Line an 9'' round cake tin
In a large bowl take both the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt mix well combined, then sift together twice and keep aside
In an other bowl mix all the wet Ingredients, condensed milk, milk, curds, cardamom flavour and sugar, mix well combined until the sugar is well dissolved then add the dessicated coconut and Tutti-fruti, to this add the sieved dry Ingredients until well incorporated into it in a nice circular motion, don't mix in too much, the air bubbles created will fall through other wise.

I added extra 2 tbsp of buttermilk to make it little more wet and to a dropping consistency, just have an extra 1/4 cup curds, use it according to your flour.

I took a 1/2 tbsp of cocoa powder and mixed with 2 tbsp of hot water then poured it on top of the cake and swirled it around the cake

The post Eggless One Bowl Coconut Cake appeared first on My Veg Fare.