Vermicelli (Semiya) Biryani Recipe

Serves: 5.

Preparation time: 10 min.

Cooking time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups vermicelli, roast in a tsp of ghee for 4-5 mts till golden brown

2 cups cubed, mixed vegetables (beans, capsicum, carrot, peas, potato)

1 finely sliced large onion

1 tsp green chili-ginger paste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves

1 elaichi

1/2″ cinnamom

1 bay leaf

1 large tomato, chopped

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

2 tbsps chopped mint leaves

1/2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp ghee

salt to taste

Biryani Masala – Grind to make a fine powder

2 cloves

1/2″ cinnamon stick

1 elaichi/cardamom

pinch of shah jeera

5-6 pepper corns

Method:

1 Boil 5 cups of water and add the vermicelli along with cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ghee. Once the vermicelli is half cooked (it should be undercooked), turn off heat, pour the vermicelli into a colander to drain completely and spread on a wide plate. Keep aside
2 Heat oil and ghee in a cooking vessel, add bay leaf and cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the sliced onions and saute for 4 mts. Add the green chilli-ginger and saute for a mt.
3 Add the cubed vegetables (if using beans, blanch in hot water for 4 mts) and saute on medium heat for 3 mts. Add salt to taste (remember you have already added salt to the boiling vermicelli, so add accordingly). Add tomatoes, place lid, reduce flame and cook for 12-13 mts. Add biryani masala pwd and mix.
4 Now, add the cooked semiya to the sauteed onion-vegetable base and mix it lightly and see that no lumps form. Place lid and cook over low flame for 12-15 mts. Garnish with coriander leaves.
5 Serve hot with raita or pickle of your choice.

Homemade Biscuit Mix and Biscuit Recipe

Serves: 8

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

For the biscuit mix
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
For biscuits
• 1 cup biscuit mix
• 1/3 cup buttermilk or milk

METHOD:

To make the biscuit mix

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until well combined. Mixture will look like cornmeal.
2. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
To make biscuits
3. Combine biscuit mix and buttermilk in a mixing bowl until the mix is completely moistened.
4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead it 4-5 times. Roll dough out to a 3/4 inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter.
5. Place cut biscuits onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 9-10 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.

Blueberry-orange muffins

Ingredients:

• •  2  cups 

    all-purpose flour
  • 3/4  cup 

    plus 5 teaspoons sugar
  • 3/4  teaspoon 

    baking powder
  • 1/2  teaspoon 

    baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon 

    salt
  • 1/2  cup 

    milk
  • 2   

    eggs
  • 1/2  cup 

    vegetable oil
  • 1   teaspoon 

    grated orange zest
  • 
    
  • 1   cup 

    fresh blueberries

  • 
    

  • METHOD:

  • 1.

    Heat oven to 375 degrees . Coat a standard-size muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
    2.

    In large bowl, whisk flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center .
    3.

    In small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, oil and orange zest . Pour milk mixture into well in flour mixture, then stir just until combined. Fold in blueberries .
    4.

    Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, 1/3 cup batter in each cup . Each muffin cup should be about 3/4 full. Fill the two empty muffin cups with water, so muffins bake evenly.
    5.

    Sprinkle each muffin with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Bake muffins at 375 degrees for 23 to 25 minutes, until crowned and lightly brown. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Tip:

    • Step A - To finely grate orange zest, we recommend a Micro-plane zester. This designed to mimic a woodworking toolboxes the best job separating flavorful rind from bitter pith.

    
    

    • Step B - Gently fold berries into batter, taking care not to crush the fragile fruit.
    • 
      

    • Step C - Pour a scant 1/3 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup, dividing equally.

Salzburger Nockerl

Serves -4 

  Preparation time-10 min

  Cooking time-12 min

Ingredients:

• 150 ml milk
• ½ vanilla pod
• freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 7 egg whites, cooled
• pinch of salt
• 80 g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• rind from 1 lemon
• 10 g grated vanilla sugar
• 2 tbs flour
• 1 tbs cornstarch (Maizena)
• icing sugar for dusting
• butter for greasing

Method:

• Heat the milk with the cut-open vanilla pod and lemon juice. Remove from the stove and leave to sit. Remove the pod. Smear an oval-shaped, ovenproof form with butter and pour in enough vanilla milk to cover the bottom.
• With a hand mixer, mix the cooled egg whites with a pinch of salt and a third of the sugar until very stiff. Slowly add the rest of the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and creamy.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C. Add the egg yolks, lemon rind, vanilla sugar, flour, and cornstarch to the egg white mixture and fold three or four times with a whisk (the mass mustn’t become homogenous). Make 4 pyramid-shaped nockerl, placing them next to each other in the baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until light, golden brown.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve quickly so that the nockerl don’t collapse.

Tips:

• To add a fruity taste, bake on a bed of cranberries.
• To make sure all the residual fat is removed from the bowl in which the eggs are whisked, simply rub the bowl with lemon juice.

Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake

SERVES -  12PREPARATION TIME - 30 MINCOOKING TIME -10 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 350g plain chocolate biscuits
• 150g butter, melted
• 70g (1/4 cup) crunchy peanut butter
• 500g cream cheese, 
at room temperature
• 125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
• 270g (1 1/4 cups) caster sugar
• 200g white chocolate, melted
• 60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water
• 2 tsp powdered gelatine
• 2 x 250g pkts  Peanut Butter balls
• 55g (1/3 cup) roasted salted peanuts

Method:

• Grease the base and side of a 20cm 
(base measurement) springform pan and 
line with baking paper.

• Process the biscuits until finely crushed. 
Add the butter and process until well combined. Use a straight-sided glass to spread and press the mixture firmly over the base and side of prepared pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

• Spread the peanut butter evenly over 
the biscuit base.

• Process the cream cheese, cream and 
55g (1⁄4 cup) of the caster sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add the chocolate. Process until well combined.

• Place the boiling water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle gelatine evenly over. Stir until gelatine dissolves. Add to the cream cheese mixture and process until well combined.

• Arrange half the Lindt balls over the peanut butter. Pour over half the cream cheese mixture. Arrange remaining Lindt balls over cream cheese mixture and top with remaining cream cheese mixture. 
Place in the fridge for 6 hours or until set.

• Line a baking tray with baking paper. Sprinkle with the peanuts. Place the remaining sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and caramelises. Pour over the peanuts on 
the lined tray and set aside to set.

• Place the cheesecake on a platter. Break toffee into large shards and arrange over 
the cheesecake to decorate.

Pasta with simple tomato sauce

SERVES -  4PREPARATION TIME - 10 MINCOOKING TIME -15 MIN

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 
  
• 1  onion, chopped
• 
  
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 
  
• 800 gm  diced tomatoes
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 
  
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
• 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 
  
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 
  
• 400g dried penne pasta

• Method

• 
  
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until it softens slightly. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
• Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.
• Stir in the parsley and sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
• Add the sauce to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately.