Merry Christmas and Happy holidays with some cookies- Vanillakipferl and Amaretto-chocolate kisses

Hello to all!! I want to wish everybody a very merry Christmas and happy holidays with family and friends. I baked many cookies yesterday and since I haven’t posted any Christmas cookie recipes yet, I want to share two of my favourites. Have a great time and take care…!!!

Vanillakipferl



Ingredients:

- 2 cups unbleached white flour
- 13 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- about 1 cup blanched, ground almonds
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tsp. vanilla essence
- powdered sugar for dusting

Method:

Sift flour into a bowl and add butter on top. Mix almonds, sugar and vanilla essence and sprinkle over flour. Dust your hands with flour and knead the ingredients to make a smooth dough. Shape into a ball, cover bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Form the dough into a 1-inch thick roll.and cut into slices. Form each slice into a half moon. Place onto the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Take out from oven and dust with powdered sugar when still warm.


Amaretto- chocolate kisses


Ingredients:

- 18 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ cups unbleached white flour
- 1 Tsp. lemon zest
- 1 Tsp. orange zest
- 2 Tbsp. Amaretto
- 2 Tsp. vanilla essence
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ½ Tsp. baking powder
- 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
- 4 oz milk-chocolate, chopped

Method:

Melt butter and let cool. Combine with powdered sugar and vanilla essence and beat. Stir in Amaretto, orange and lemon zest. Mix flour with corn starch and sift over the batter. Dust your hands with flour and knead the ingredients to make a smooth dough. Wrap into a damp cloth and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into small portions and roll each to a ball between your palms. Place onto the baking sheet and with your fingertip press slightly down in the middle of each ball. (For filling in the chocolate later) Bake for 10-15 minutes. After baking dust with little powdered sugar when still warm. Melt the chocolate in a water bath and fill the middle of each cookie with a little dab. Let completely dry.
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Baumkuchen/ a layered cake from heaven-Tribute to my great-grandmother

Dear all! Hope you are doing well!! There are 8 more days to go until Christmas and today I thought of posting a recipe which is very valuable and dear to me. It was handed down from my paternal great-grandmother, an amazing woman, who reached a very high age and who I was fortunate enough to still get to know. Though I was only a child when she died, I still have very clear memories of her and the time I spent with her.
This cake is called Baumkuchen which can be literally translated as “Tree cake”. Tree as with its many layers it reminds of the annual rings in a tree. It is always baked under a broiler or traditionally open flame. It is never made with baking powder or soda. In Europe you can find this cake with a chocolate glaze as well. Since the cake tastes so good by itself, a little powdered sugar, dusted on top is enough, but you can try it with chocolate as well. It takes some time to prepare and you have to stay with it all the time but it’s worth the effort.
As a child I remember my dad, who is a great cook, preparing this cake and sitting in front of the open oven with a book, ready to spread out the next layer of batter.
So when I made this cake yesterday I remembered my great-grandmother and my dad very much and missed home a lot. But the cake was heavenly delicious, just what I remember from my childhood.
Wishing you all a wonderful evening and Christmas time…!!

Ingredients:

- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 large eggs, separated
- ½ Tbsp. Lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Rum
- ½ cup finely ground almonds
- 1 cup pastry flour
- 1 cup corn starch

Method:

In a large bowl beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks along with lemon juice and rum.
Mix flour, corn starch and almonds. Sift over batter and fold in with a spatula just until mixed.
Beat the egg whites until stiff then fold into the batter.
Grease an 8-inch spring form and turn on broiler.
Spread about 3 Tbsp. of the batter on bottom of spring form. Bake under the broiler with oven door half open until brown. It takes about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it all the time to be sure not to burn it.
Spread the next 3 Tbsp. over the first layer and bake again under broiler until browned. Repeat this step until all batter is used and the cake has 10-12 layers. Take out from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully take out from form and let cool. When cooled completely, dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Borscht

Borscht or Borschtsch is a nice and warming soup which comes originally from Eastern Europe. It is always made with beet root which gives the distinct red colour. Borscht is especially good to eat in cold weather and has been always one of my favourite soup dishes. Hence it was and is made regularly in my family. There is nothing better as coming home on a cold day and eat a steaming bowl of this soup. :-) Have a great day…!!!

Ingredients:

- 3 small beet roots
- 3 small golden beets
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 medium potatoes, cubed
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp. Sugar
- 8 black peppercorns, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup sauerkraut or fresh cabbage cut in strips
- 3 Tbsp. Red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 4 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
- Sour cream for topping (optional)

Method:

Place all beets in a pressure cooker along with water and cook for about 7 whistles. Let cool, then peel and cut in cubes.
In a large pot bring vegetable broth, tomatoes, beets, peppercorns, bay leaves, vinegar, sugar to a boil and let simmer for about 10-20 minutes. Then add potatoes, carrots and sauerkraut. Add salt and black pepper and cook till vegetables are soft. Garnish with parsley and top with sour cream. Serve with some crunchy bread.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Stollen (a German fruit bread for Christmas)

Hi to all!!! I am finally back and able again to post new recipes!! :-) I noticed there are just 10 more days to go until Christmas and I haven’t posted any Christmas recipes till now. So it’s about time…Stollen is a traditional German fruit bread made with nuts and dried fruits and is eaten during Christmas time. At my familys place it is eaten with tea or coffee and served mostly in afternoon. Traditionally it is made with candied orange peel and candied lemon peel, which, unfortunately I was not able to get in the US, so I substituted crystallized ginger and candied pineapple for it. Have a wonderful day..!!

Ingredients:

- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup curd/quark ( you can use drained yoghurt as well)
- 1 Tsp. lemon zest
- 1 Tsp. vanilla essence
- 3 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- 2 Tsp. baking powder
- ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
- ½ cup crystallized ginger
- ½ cup candied pineapple
- 1 cup rum raisins
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts
- ½ cup chopped almonds
- 2 Tbsp. melted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 F and butter a baking sheet.
In a bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla essence. Combine curd and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Stir into batter.
Combine flour with baking powder and sift over batter. Incorporate to a smooth dough. Mix all dry fruits with nuts and knead into dough. Shape into an oblong form and place onto baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, brush the melted butter on top and dust with powdered sugar.
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Dear all!!!

I hope you are all doing well!! :-)
I am currently unable to post new recipes as my computer got infected by a nasty virus. I am trying my best to get it fixed and continue blogging as soon as possible. I have already drafted out many new posts and cant wait to share it with you. Have a very nice evening and see you back soon....!!!
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Cinnamon-scented couscous

I found this recipe in a magazine advertisement for Spice Islands and since we like couscous a lot, I thought of trying it out. It turned out very good and I will surely make it again. I have made sweet couscous before and mostly used raisins and almonds. The spices in this recipe give it such a nice flavour and the dates add sweetness. I slightly modified the original recipe in changing the quantities and using dried dates instead of fresh dates. I also added a pinch of salt to bring out the flavours even more. Take care…!!!

Ingredients:

- ½ cup slivered or chopped almonds
- 1 package couscous ( about 2 cups)
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2/3 cup chopped dried dates
- 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 Tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ Tsp. ground ginger
- pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes or until golden-brown.
In a medium saucepan bring water along with dates, apricots, oil and spices to a boil. Add couscous and mix well. Remove from heat and cover. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then mix in almonds and fluff couscous with a fork. Serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Pumpkin and apple filled manicotti

Dear all! Hope you are doing well. I love pumpkin and like to try all kinds of dishes with it. Some days ago I was in the mood for manicotti ( tube-shaped pasta with different fillings) and thought of filling them with pumpkin, since till now, I have always made them with spinach-ricotta filling. It turned out good and was a nice change. Have a good day…!!!

(Sorry for the bad photo...)

Ingredients:

- about 2 lb butternut squash or other pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 packet manicotti shells
- 1 medium apple, peeled and cubed
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tsp. coriander powder
- 1 Tsp. cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder to taste
- about 1 cup grated cheese ( I used cheddar)
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

For the sauce
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 3 cups milk
- Pinch nutmeg
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add butternut squash and apple along with a little water. Boil until soft and discard water.
In a large pot bring salted water to a boil and boil manicotti shells for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Mash butternut squash and apple with a fork and then add salt, spice powders, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Mix well and set aside.
For the sauce, heat butter in small pan and add flour while stirring to avoid any lumps. While still stirring, add slowly the milk. Add salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Let come to a boil and take off heat.
Fill the manicotti shells with the butternut squash-apple mixture. (This works best with a teaspoon). Pour one ladle of the sauce in an oven dish and place manicotti in it. Pour rest of the sauce on top and sprinkle cheese over it. Cover with tin foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Roasted chestnuts (A childhood favourite...)

Chestnuts- I have been crazy about this fall delight since I am a little kid and always look forward for them coming in season. At my grandmas place chestnut trees occur naturally, so we used to collect the chestnuts when they fell off the trees. Free of charge of course. :-) Here in the US, chestnuts mostly get imported and are hence very expensive. Still I could not resist buying some, when I finally saw them in our local grocery store and they were just delicious. At my home chestnuts also belong to the Christmas feast and are made as a side dish. I will be posting the recipe for that next month. Have a nice day..!!

Ingredients:

- 1 lb chestnuts or more


Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F.
With a sharp knife make a cross-shaped cut in the flat side of the chestnuts. Place onto a baking sheet with cut side facing up and roast for about 20 minutes. Peel off the shell and enjoy. :-)
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Focaccia (Italian flat bread)

Hi to all!!! Hope you are doing well. I wanted to post this a lot earlier, but somehow I was not able to upload any photos as Blogger seemed to have some issues. Luckily it is working now, so here comes the recipe.

Focaccia is an Italian flat bread and has become one of my favourite breads. It is perfect as a sandwich with tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil or it tastes good just by itself. Have a nice day…!!

Ingredients:

- 2 cups unbleached white flour
- 3 ½ Tsp. active-dry yeast
- 2 Tsp. Salt
- 4 Tsp. Sugar
- 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water
- 6 Tbsp. Olive oil
- Coarse salt and oregano for sprinkling on top

Method:

In a large bowl mix flour with yeast, sugar and salt. Make a well in the middle and add 4 Tbsp. olive oil and the lukewarm water. With your hands knead to a smooth dough. If it’s too dry add little bit more water. The dough should not be sticky. Shape into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a warm place until about doubled in size.
In the meantime preheat oven to 400 F.
Grease a baking tray and place the dough on it. Flatten and poke the dough with your fingers to make small holes. Brush the remaining olive oil on top and sprinkle some coarse salt and oregano on top. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Fennel-tomato pasta

Hey my dears!! This recipe came together as I had bought fresh fennel some days ago without being sure what I would do with it. First I thought of making just a simple salad, but then today I decided to make some pasta. It’s real simple and quick to make and perfect when there’s not much time to cook. Have a good day!!!

Ingredients:

- 1 packet penne pasta or per choice
- 2 bulbs fennel, halved and sliced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 Tsp. cumin seeds
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tsp. coriander powder
- ½ cup half & half
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder to taste

Method:

Boil pasta according to packet directions and drain.
In the meantime heat olive oil in a large pan. Add cumin seeds and onion. Fry for some minutes, then add fennel. Sauté until fennel is soft and then add tomatoes, salt, coriander and red chilli powder. Mix well and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Turn heat to low and add half & half. Simmer for 2 more minutes, then add parsley and serve.
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes

When I was a little kid I always looked forward to lunch and dinner and I think as far as I remember I wasn’t a picky eater. There was however one particular food, that whenever I found out it was made by either peeking my nose into the kitchen or its cabbage like smell found its way into my room and filled my nostrils could put me in an upset mood for the entire day. There was nothing I did more detest than Brussels sprouts and I would have rather kept a fast than eating it. It scared me out of the house and I remember trying very hard not to hear my parents calling me in for lunch. This however changed when I became older and by now I actually make the once so detested vegetable occasionally. :-)

The roasting along with the fresh herbs gives a very nice flavour to the vegetables. Have a good start into the week and a nice day…!!!

Ingredients:

- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in big cubes
- 1.5 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
- 3-4 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. chopped thyme
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 F.
In a large bowl toss vegetables with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes. Turn vegetables after 15 minutes.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Spiced apple cider

Hello to everybody on this chilly Sunday evening. Fall with all its nice colours brings us so many delicious treats. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie, juicy pears and chestnuts just to name a few. But today is of course about apple cider. We love to sip this delicious beverage hot and spiced on a cold fall evening. It immediately makes you feel cozy and comfortable. A nice evening to you all...!!

Ingredients:

- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5-6 cloves
- 1 Tbsp. Maple syrup ( use more if you like it sweeter)

Method:

In a small pot heat apple cider with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Just before it comes to a boil, turn heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Sweeten with maple syrup and serve hot.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Masoor daal

Today I am posting another daal recipe because as vegetarians it is not always easy to include enough protein in our diet and I don’t need to tell you how important it is to have a balanced nutrition. Luckily we both love beans and legumes, so I make different daals often. There is such a huge variety that it doesn’t get boring either. It is simple to make and we like to either have it with rice or rotis. So here goes the recipe…

Ingredients:

- 1 cup whole masoor daal
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- pinch hing/ asafoetida
- 2 Tsp. Coriander powder
- ½ Tsp. Cumin seeds
- ½ Tsp. Fennel seeds
- 1 Tsp. Black mustard seeds
- 4 Tbsp. Chopped coriander leaves
- 2 Tbsp. Canola oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tsp. Turmeric
- 1-inch piece ginger, grated
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon

Method:

Rinse daal and place in a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water, turmeric, bay leaf and ginger. Cook for 3-4 whistles. Wait for steam to release.
In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds. When they pop, add hing, tomatoes, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt. Cook till tomatoes become mushy and then add to daal along with 1 more cup water. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Vegan zucchini-chocolate bread

A big hello and a short post today, with a recipe, not only vegetarian but completely vegan. The combination of zucchini and chocolate goes very well together. It’s nice as a snack in between and doesn’t take much time to prepare. Have a beautiful day my dears!!

Ingredients:

- 3 cups unbleached white flour
- 1 cup brown sugar ( use more if you like it sweeter)
- 1 medium zucchini, shredded
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Tsp. baking powder
- 1 Tsp. baking soda

- pinch salt
- 4 Tbsp. vegan butter or canola oil
- 1 Tsp. vanilla essence
- 2 Tbsp. flax seed meal + 6 Tbsp. water
- 1 cup water

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a large loaf pan.
Mix flax seed meal with 6 Tbsp. water and let sit for 2 minutes. In a bowl combine butter, vanilla essence, zucchini, water and flax seed mixture. Mix well. In another bowl combine all dry ingredients. Fold into the wet mixture and mix well. Make sure not to over mix. Fill the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour. The bread is ready, when a fork or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Leave in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Mushroom and chard risotto

Hello to everybody!!! I hope all had a nice weekend and a nice Halloween. We didn’t do much as we were still recovering from this stubborn cold. Luckily we are better now. Coming to the recipe today, risotto is an Italian rice dish, made with special coarse grain rice. I had planned to make risotto for a long time as I didn’t have it for ages. Since I bought mushrooms and chard at the farmers market, I thought of combining these vegetables in the risotto. It turned out really tasty and had a nice earthy flavour. Hope you will enjoy it as we did. :-) Have a nice week…!!!

Ingredients:

- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 cups vegetable stock/broth
- 10-12 mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bunch rainbow chard, strunks removed and cut in strips
- ¼ cup half & half
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste

Method:

In a large pot heat 2 Tbsp. butter with olive oil. Add onion and garlic and fry till translucent. Add the rice and mix well. Every grain should be coated with butter/oil. Add one ladle of vegetable broth and stir well. Wait till the rice has absorbed the liquid and then add the next ladle. Stir well again and wait till the rice has absorbed the liquid, while stirring occasionally. Continue doing this till all broth is absorbed by the rice. In the meantime heat rest of the butter in a pan. Add the mushrooms and chard and fry for about 5-7 minutes. Add the half & half and cook for 2-3 minutes. After the rice has absorbed all liquid, add the vegetables and lemon juice and mix well. Add salt and black pepper and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the Parmesan and mix well. Turn off heat, cover the pot and let stand for couple of minutes before serving.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Creamy potato-carrot soup

The last two days have been really windy and stormy here and both of us are fighting down a cold. So I thought nothing would be better as to have a hot and steamy soup. Also I wasn’t in the mood for much cooking today, so this recipe was quick and easy. Wishing you a nice day!!

Ingredients:

- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 medium carrots, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. Butter
- 2 Tsp. Cumin powder
- 2 Tsp. Coriander powder
- Red chilli powder to taste
- ½ Tsp. Turmeric
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup half & half
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

Method:

Heat oil and butter in a large pot. Add onions and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes, then add potatoes and carrots. Fry for 2 more minutes, then add the vegetable broth. Let it come to a boil and add spice powders and salt. Let simmer till vegetables are soft. With a hand mixer blend to a creamy puree. Add the half & half and let simmer for 2 more minutes. Garnish with some parsley and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Vanilla and orange-pomegranate parfait

The dessert recipe I am posting today came together as I had bought some pomegranates last week and wanted to try out something new with them. Of course I thought of making a dessert. :-) As I mentioned earlier we have a big sweet tooth, but I didn’t want to make anything heavy or overly sweet, so this dessert turned out just right. It has a nice tangy flavour and just the right sweetness.

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients:
For the vanilla creme
- 2 lb vanilla yogurt ( I used low-fat)
- Pinch cardamom powder
- ½ cup chopped walnuts

For the orange-pomegranate mush
- 2 pomegranates
- 2 oranges
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 3-4 Tbsp. brown sugar

Method:

For the vanilla crème line a mesh with a thin cloth, place over a bowl and fill in the yogurt. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight to drain the whey.
In the meantime cut pomegranates in half and take out all seeds. Place in a small pot. Zest the oranges and add zest to pomegranates. Peel oranges and remove all skins to get filet's. Add to pomegranates along with cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods and brown sugar. Let it come to a boil, cover and let simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes with occasional stirring. Remove cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom and blend or grind to a puree. Filter through a fine mesh to remove small seed particles. Let cool.
Mix vanilla yogurt with cardamom and add in the walnuts. Layer vanilla crème and orange-pomegranate mush in glasses, starting with vanilla crème. According to your liking you can make 3 or 4 layers.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Sweet potato rolls with onion filling

Being a fan of all kinds of different breads and rolls I experiment quite a lot and try out new things often. I made this recipe a while ago for the first time and have since tried to perfect it, since S. likes it a lot. The last time it came out really good, so I can share it now with you. Wishing all a very nice day!!!

Makes 5-6 rolls.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 Tsp. salt
- 3 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- 2 Tsp. active-dry yeast
For the filling:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 Tsp. garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
- little olive oil and dried oregano for topping

Method:

Place sweet potato along with 1 ½ cups water and salt in a small pot and boil until soft. Transfer to a large bowl and mash to a puree. Wait until lukewarm. Mix flour with yeast and add step by step to the sweet potato. Knead until you have a smooth dough. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.
In the meantime prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add cumin seeds. When they pop, add onions. Fry until translucent and soft. Add salt and garam masala. Mix well and add parsley.
Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Knead dough well again. It will be a bit sticky. If too sticky add a little flour. Divide the dough into 5-6 portions and shape into balls. Flatten the balls and place about 1 Tbsp.of the filling in the centre. Cover with all sides and form again into a ball. (For this it will be helpful if the dough is still a bit sticky) Place onto the baking sheet. Brush some olive oil on top and sprinkle with some oregano. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Toor daal

Hi to all my dear readers. I hope you are all doing well. The last two weeks have been quite busy with family visiting so that I had no time left for my blog. I miss my family already a lot and it’s sad they had to leave again. However I am back to blogging and want to share new recipes with you all. :-) Coming to the recipe today- Toor daal is a very regular dish in our house and I mostly serve it just with plain rice. Very easy to make and healthy too.
Wishing everybody a good start into the new week.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup Toor daal
- 1 Tbsp. Ghee
- 1 Tsp. Black mustard seeds
- Pinch hing/asafoetida
- 2 dry red chilli
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 Tsp. crushed jaggery
- 1-inch piece ginger, finely grated
- 1 Tsp. cumin powder
- ½ Tsp. coriander powder
- ½ Tsp. turmeric
- 5 curry leaves
- Red chilli powder to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Wash toor daal and pressure cook along with 3 cups of water for 3-4 whistles. Wait for steam to release. In a pan heat ghee and add mustard seeds, hing, red chillies, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Fry till mustard seeds pop. Add daal along with cooking liquid and add about 1 more cup water. Add spice powders, salt, ginger and jaggery. Mix well and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add coriander leaves and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Tiramisu

Hi to you all. Hope you are all doing good. Today I am posting another dessert since S. and I both have a big sweet tooth. :-)
Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert which is one of my all-time favourites. It is however also very heavy, so that one can’t eat too much of it. It is traditionally made with raw egg, which I don’t like to use, so I used whipping cream instead in this recipe. Wishing you all a wonderful day!!!

Serves 8-10 people.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups Mascarpone crème
- ¾ cup espresso, cooled
- 1 ½ Tsp. Vanilla essence
- about 300g Italian ladyfinger biscuits
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Amaretto
- 3 Tbsp. Cocoa powder, unsweetened

Method:

In a bowl whisk together mascarpone crème, vanilla essence and powdered sugar. Beat the whipping cream until fluffy and stiff and fold into the mascarpone mixture. Cover the bottom of a rectangular form (I used 8x11 inches) with half of the ladyfinger biscuits. Mix espresso with amaretto and drizzle half over the biscuits. Spread half of the mascarpone crème evenly on top. Place the rest of the biscuits on top and drizzle with rest of the espresso mixture. Spread the second half of mascarpone crème evenly on top. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or more to soak. Before serving sift the cocoa powder on top. Serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Apple tart for my 50th post!!!

This post today is my 50th post, and since I started this blog with a sweet cake, I also post something sweet today. :-) So far I enjoyed blogging and it has been fun to share recipes with you. I am thankful to the few who dropped me a note or comment and will be happy if more people give feedback or comment on my posts and recipes in the future.
This recipe is a simple apple tart which is not overly sweet. The dough is light, thin and crisp. Within no time half of the tart was easily finished in our house. :-)

Ingredients:

- 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar + 1 Tbsp. reserved
- ½ Tsp. salt
- 6 Tbsp. cold butter + 1 Tbsp. reserved ( I used vegan butter for this recipe)
- 1 ½ apples, quartered and finely sliced
- 1 Tsp. cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp. ice cold water

Method:

For the dough combine flour with salt and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Cut the 6 Tbsp. butter into cubes and add to the flour. Incorporate with your fingertips. Step by step add the ice cold water and knead to a smooth dough. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In the meantime preheat oven to 375 F and grease a 9 ½ inch spring form.
Roll out the dough on a flour dusted surface and place into the form. Cover the bottom and press up slightly at the sides. Place the apple slices in a round on the dough. Mix ¼ cup brown sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle evenly on top. The sugar will caramelize and give a nice brown colour to the apples. Place the 1 Tbsp. butter in flakes on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Almond milk

This is just a short post today with a very simple recipe. Most people probably know about it, but almond milk is a favourite of mine and hence I make it often, so wanted to share it with you. This drink is very nutritious and can be consumed in morning or evening. I wish you all a very nice weekend with hopefully nice weather. :-)

Ingredients:

- 3 cups milk
- 30 almonds
- Pinch black pepper
- ½ Tsp. Cardamom powder
- Honey or jaggery to taste

Method:

Place almonds in a bowl, cover with water and soak over night. Peel off the skins and grind along with soaking liquid, black pepper and cardamom to a very fine paste. Heat the milk in a small pot and sweeten with honey or jaggery. Stir in the almond paste. Serve warm or cold.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Spicy bell pepper linguine

Since yesterday it suddenly got a lot colder here and it seems fall has finally arrived. On Sunday we were still trying to beat the heat and now it’s chilly and windy and feels more like huddling up with a blanket on the couch. Coming to today’s recipe, I made pasta for lunch, since we didn’t have it for over a week because of fasting and everything. Since I am a huge pasta lover, I have to have it at least once or twice a week. The nice colours and spice of this recipe go well with the beginning of fall.

Ingredients:

- 1 packet linguine
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 cup vegetable stock/broth
- 2 generous Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1 Tsp. Red chilli flakes or to taste
- Salt to taste
- 3 Tbsp. low-fat sour cream
- 1 Tsp. dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

Method:

Boil pasta according to packet directions and drain.
In the meantime heat olive oil in a large sauce pan and add onion and garlic. Saute until translucent. Add bell peppers and tomato. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add vegetable stock/broth. Let it come to a boil and stir in tomato paste, salt, oregano and red chilli flakes. Cover and let simmer for some minutes. Turn heat to low and stir in sour cream and parsley. Mix with the linguine and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Pizza Margherita with arugula

Hey to all my dear readers on this Monday. Hope you all had a nice and relaxing weekend. So Navratri is over and that means back to normal cooking. The first thing we were craving after the fasting time was pizza, so I made some today and it was too good. Pizza Margherita is actually made with basil instead of arugula, but I didn't have some at home and found arugula to be a good alternative.
Wishing you all a very nice day and good start into the week.

Makes 1 large pizza (17x11 inches).

Ingredients:

For the dough:
- 2 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- 3 Tbsp. Olive oil
- ½ Tbsp. Active-dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- about ¾ cup lukewarm water

For topping:
- 2 generous Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 4-5 Tbsp. Water
- ½ Tsp. Oregano
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 1 mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ½ cup black olives
- Handful fresh arugula leaves, chopped

Method:

For the dough mix flour with yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil in a bowl. Step by step add the water and knead with your hands until you have a smooth, elastic dough. It should not be sticky. If your dough is too dry add more water, if sticky add some more flour. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Then knead again well.
Preheat oven to 400 F and grease a baking sheet. I used 17x11 inches.
For the topping mix tomato paste with 4-5 Tbsp. water and olive oil. Add salt, black pepper and oregano.
Roll out the dough on a smooth surface and place onto the baking sheet. Cover bottom and sides. Now spread the tomato paste mixture evenly on top. Distribute tomato slices, mozzarella slices and olives over the pizza. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and distribute the arugula leaves on top. Serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Kala channa (black chickpeas) for the 8th day of Navratri

Today being Ashtami the 8th day of Navratri the fast is broken. On this day a special menu is prepared in the morning, consisting of Kala channa (black chickpeas), sooji halwa (semolina pudding), puri and fresh coconut. In my family in India nine girls, who represent the different forms of the female divinity, are invited to the house. As honouring of the goddesses the prepared meal is served to them as a Prasad (offering to god).

I made chapatti instead of puri for this meal as S. isn’t supposed to eat too oily food.
You can see a snap of the whole meal here and I have given the recipe for Kala channa (black chickpeas). I wish everybody a very nice rest weekend!!! :-)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup black chickpeas (kala channa)
- 1 Tsp. cumin seeds
- Pinch hing/ asafoetida
- 3 black cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tsp. cumin powder
- 1 Tsp. coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder to taste
- 2 Tbsp. ghee
- 2 Tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Soak chickpeas in water overnight. Drain, rinse and place with 1 cup water in the pressure cooker. Cook for 7-8 whistles. Wait for steam to release.
In a pan heat ghee and add cumin seeds. When they turn golden-brown add bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and hing/asafoetida. Fry for some seconds. Add the chickpeas along with cooking liquid. Then add salt and other spice powders. Mix well and let simmer till all liquid has evaporated. Add the coriander leaves and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Simple aloo sabzi (potato vegetable)

Today being the 6th day of Navratri, I am posting one more dish suitable for fasting. My mother-in law makes this simple potato dish every day during fasting, except she doesn’t add tomatoes. If you prefer your dish without tomatoes as well, go ahead and skip them.

Oh btw before I forget, I am now a member of Petitchef, a site with many nice recipes and blogs. Do check it out some time http://en.petitchef.com/.

Ingredients:

- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Ghee
- 1 Tsp. Cumin seeds
- 1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
- ½ Tsp. Coriander powder
- 1 Tsp. Cumin powder
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt or sindalu salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Heat ghee in a pot and add the cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the tomatoes, salt, coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes along with 3-4 Tbsp. water. Cover and cook till potatoes are soft. Stir couple of times in between to prevent potatoes from sticking to bottom. Add coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Sabudana kheer

Hi to everybody on this nice and sunny day. Fall already started but it is still very warm over here.

Today I am posting one more recipe which is common with my family in India for Navratri. Sabudana kheer or tapioca pudding is made from tapioca pearls and is a nice alternative to the common kheer made with rice.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup sabudana/ tapioca pearls
- 5 cups milk
- 1 Tsp. Cardamom powder
- ¾ cup crushed jaggery

Method:

Wash sabudana and soak in 1 cup of water for about 5-10 minutes. Heat milk in a pot on medium heat and add the sabudana along with the soaking water. Let it come to a boil and turn heat to medium-low. Add cardamom and jaggery and let simmer for 30-40 minutes. The kheer will be ready when the sabudana pearls are soft but not mushy. Serve hot or cold.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Happy Navratri...!!!

I am a bit late but still didn’t want to miss to wish everybody a happy Navratri. It already started on Saturday and for all who don’t know, Navratri is a festival celebrated for 9 days in which the female divinity in her different forms is worshipped. In these days many people keep a fast or at least abstain from certain foods. In my family in-law most of the people keep a fast either for all days or just 2-3 days. In this fasting time only some foods are allowed and just one meal per day is consumed. Foods that are allowed include dairy products, fruits, vegetables, nuts, buckwheat and some spices (rock salt or sindalu salt, black pepper, coriander and cumin seeds).

I will be posting some Navratri recipes over the next days which are common with my family in India. On our first fasting day I made kuttu roti, tomato-cucumber raita, aloo-mutter sabzi (potato- peas vegetable) and sabudana kheer (tapioca kheer) and was also able to snap a picture of this for you to see.
Today I start with the recipe for Kuttu roti (Buckwheat roti) which is made every day in my mother-in laws house during fasting time.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups buckwheat flour ( kuttu atta)
- 2 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
- Pinch rock salt or sindalu salt
- 2-3 Tbsp. water
- 2 Tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
- Ghee for brushing

Method:

Mash the potatoes without any lumps in a bowl. Add salt, flour, coriander leaves and water. Knead to a smooth dough. Heat a pan or tava on medium heat and form the dough into 7-8 balls. Grease your hands with some drops of ghee and flatten one ball, flipping from one hand to the other to make it bigger and rounder. You won’t be able to roll this dough with a rolling pin as it is very fragile and tears easily. Cook the roti on the tava till small bubbles appear on one side, then flip and brush some ghee on top.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

German cheesecake

Hi to you all. Hope you had a nice weekend and a good start into the new week. Today I am finally posting the recipe for the German cheesecake. The difference between German cheesecake and the one you get here in the US is curd. In the US mostly cream cheese is used for the filling, which I find makes the cake very heavy. I was hardly able to finish half of a piece the first time I tried it here and have since then never liked to eat it again. Using curd instead, makes the cake very light and fluffy. S. who also doesn’t like the cheesecake here, liked the German version so much that he couldn’t stop eating. :-) As I said in earlier posts it is almost impossible to find curd in stores here, so I again used 2 lb of yogurt, lined a mesh with thin cloth and drained the whey over night. This works very well and can be substituted in all recipes which call for curd.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
- 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- 1 Tsp. Baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon zest
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ½ cup cold butter, cubed
- 1 Tsp. Vanilla essence

For the filling:
- 6 Tbsp. Butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 Tsp. vanilla essence
- 3 eggs, separated
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 lb yogurt ( drain the whey over-night to get 2 cups curd) or use 2 cups store-bought curd
- 2 Tbsp. corn starch
- Pinch salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Method:

For the dough combine flour, baking powder and salt. Sift in a large bowl and make a hole in the middle. Add the egg, lemon zest and vanilla essence. Sprinkle the sugar over it and add the butter cubes. Knead everything to a smooth dough and shape into a ball. Wrap in a wet cloth and keep in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a spring form.
Roll out the dough on a flour dusted surface and place into the form. Cover bottom and sides. With a fork make small holes into the bottom.
For the filling combine butter and sugar and beat till fluffy. Add the egg yolks, vanilla essence and whipping cream. Mix, add the curd and sift the corn starch on top. Mix well and make sure there are no lumps. In another bowl whisk the egg whites with a pinch salt until stiff. Fold carefully into the filling. Pour the filling over the dough and spread evenly. In a small bowl mix the egg yolk with 2 Tbsp. whipping cream and brush on top of the filling.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Let cool in form for about 10 minutes and the flip over onto a wire rack. Let completely cool before taking off the form. Dust some powdered sugar on top.
The cake will sink in while cooling.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Cookie hearts with lemon glaze

So I am back after the long weekend and hope you all had a nice time and week so far. Yesterday I suddenly got in the mood to make some cookies, so thought of sharing these cute hearts with you. I normally don’t bake cookies often, unless it’s Christmas time and then I love to make all kinds of different cookies. Will share some of the recipes with you later. Wishing every one a nice day and rest week.

Makes 12 large cookie hearts.

Ingredients:

- 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup cold butter, cubed
- ½ Tsp. Cinnamon
- ½ Tsp. Ginger powder
- 1/8 Tsp. Clove powder
- Pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp. Water
- 1 Tsp. Vanilla essence
- 3-4 Tbsp. Lemon juice
- ¾ cup powdered sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger powder, clove powder and salt. Add the butter on top and incorporate with your hands. Add 1 Tbsp. water and vanilla essence and knead to a smooth dough. Shape into a ball and roll out on a smooth surface with a flour-dusted rolling pin.
Cut out cookies with a heart shaped cookie cutter and place onto the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
For the glaze mix ¾ cup powdered sugar with lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Brush onto the cookies and let dry.
Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Buttermilk-seeds bread

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I mostly bake bread on my own instead of buying it. So with time I have tried out quite a lot of different breads. I also bought a bread maker to save some time and work, but somehow I still prefer the complete self-made breads more. I like to work the dough with hands and I especially love the smell of the bread baking in the oven, which then fills the entire kitchen and house.
This bread recipe has become one of our favourites, as it is crunchy on the outside and has the right softness inside. It tastes great as a sandwich as well as topped with some jam.
Since it is Friday today I wish everybody a nice weekend!!! See you next week with some new recipes. :-)

Ingredients:

- 5 cups unbleached white flour
- 2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. Active-dry yeast
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- 2 Tsp. Brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Flax seed
- 2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 1 Tbsp. Coriander seeds
- Some seeds to sprinkle on top

Method:

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the buttermilk step by step and knead to a dough. Cover and let rise at a warm place for about 20 minutes. Then add all the seeds and knead again well. The dough will be a bit sticky. If it is too sticky add a little more flour. Shape into a ball and cover again. Let rise for 20 more minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form the dough into a round shape. Place onto the sheet and make about 5 slight cuts with a knife on top. Brush with some cold water and sprinkle some seeds on top. Let it rise for about 10 minutes and then bake for about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Baked potatoes

This is a very short post today as this recipe is very simple. Still it is a very tasty way to make potatoes and I have been a fan of it for many years. I usually serve it with some other vegetable dish like peas and carrots. It tastes even good when eaten cold.

Ingredients:

- 10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (it is best to use fresh potatoes and cut them not to small)
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tsp. dried thyme
- 1 Tsp. dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli flakes to taste
- 1/8 cup water
- Black pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a bowl mix together olive oil, lemon juice, water, salt and spices. Add potatoes and garlic cloves and mix well.
Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or till soft.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Tomato-sesame rice

This rice dish is easy and quick to make and is a favourite in our house. It is great for using up leftover rice and when I make rice I almost always make more just to make this dish later. :-) Of course you can make it with fresh rice as well. It makes a whole meal by itself and we mostly have it with just some raita.

Ingredients:

- 6 cups boiled basmati rice
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
- 1 Tsp. Black mustard seeds
- 1 Tsp. Cumin seeds
- 3 Tbsp. Grated coconut
- 1 Tsp. Coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp. Peanuts
- Pinch hing/asafoetida
- ¼ Tsp. Turmeric
- Red chilli powder to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. Sesame oil

Method:

In a pan roast peanuts, coconut, sesame seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and coriander seeds till golden brown. Make sure not to burn it. Then grind into a coarse powder. In a large pan heat the oil and add hing and the onions. Fry till translucent, then add the tomatoes, spice powder, salt and red chilli powder. Cook till tomatoes are mushy then add the rice and mix well. Serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Zucchini daal

Today I was thinking what I could make for lunch and since I had zucchinis in my fridge I decided to make daal. This dish is nutritious and easy digestible as well. It goes perfect with rice or roti.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup toor daal
- 2 medium zucchinis, cubed
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½-inch piece ginger, finely grated
- A pinch hing/ asafoetida
- 1 Tsp. Cumin seeds
- 1 Tsp. Coriander powder
- 1 Tsp. Cumin powder
- ½ Tsp. Turmeric powder
- Red chilli powder to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp. Canola oil
- 2 Tbsp. Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Wash daal and cook with 3 cups water in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Wait for steam to release.
In a large pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, hing and onions. Fry till onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, spice powders, ginger and salt. When the tomatoes become mushy add the zucchinis and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add the daal and mix well. Adjust the water. (I added about ½ cup more). Let it come to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.

Butternut squash soup

Butternut squash soup or pumpkin soup is one of my favourites. It was and is still made very regular in my parents house. Nothing is better than coming home on a cold day and warming up with a hot, steaming bowl of this delicious soup. It immediately makes you feel cozy and comfortable.
This soup is very versatile and can be made with different ingredients. I sometimes add apples and in my parents house even oranges are added sometimes. Instead of butternut you can use other pumpkins as well.

Ingredients:

- 1 medium butternut, peeled and cubed
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cubed
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- ½-inch piece ginger, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable stock/bouillon
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tsp. Curry powder
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder to taste
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 2 Tbsp. Canola oil

Method:

In a large pot heat butter and oil. Add the onions, garlic and ginger. Fry for 2-3 minutes then add the butternut, potato and carrot. Fry for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock/ bouillon and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 15 minutes till vegetable are soft, and then puree everything with a hand blender. Then add curry powder, salt, red chilli powder and cream. Mix well and simmer for couple more minutes. Serve.

Text and photographs are copyright protected. Copyright © Masalaflavour.blogspot.com 2009. All rights reserved.