RED VELVET CAKE

RED VELVET CAKE

 An utterly gorgeous cake, made extra tender with the use of buttermilk..seems like the old adage -"We eat with the eyes first".. comes true, whoever I have served it to seem first to fall in love with the attractive red colour and then the chocolaty tenderness of it. A great hit at parties and birthdays!

Ingredients-

Ground white sugar- 1 and ½ cups

Eggs-2

Cocoa- 4 tbsp

Butter- 1 cup, softened

Salt-1/2 tsp

Vanilla essence- 1 tsp

Buttermilk- 1 cup

Plain flour- 2 and ½ cups

Baking powder- 2 tsp

White vinegar- 1 tbsp

Red food colour- 4 tbsp

Baking soda- ½ tsp

For the icing-

300 ml heavy cream//Cream cheese( whatever is available, original recipe calls for cream cheese)

½ cup castor sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

Method-

• Preheat oven to 200 degree C
• Grease and flour two 9- inch cake pans
• Cream butter and sugar together very well. Add eggs and beat well.
• Add the cocoa, food colour, salt, vanilla to the creamed mixture.
• Now alternately add flour and buttermilk, mix well, in the end add the vinegar.
• Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes.
• Cool completely.

For the icing-

Take a  clean mixing bowl and combine cream/ cream cheese along with the rest of the ingredients, beat well till light and fluffy.

For assembling-

Sandwich the cake with a quarter of the prepared icing , spread the rest on top and sides.

Chill well before serving.

 

PANEER SHASHLIK(LOW CAL AND FAT FREE)

PANEER SHASHLIK(LOW CAL AND FAT FREE)

A definite party pleaser and a tantalising snack especially if you have vegetarian guests coming over. Guilt free but full on taste and flavour, its colourful and light...must try!!!

Ingredients-

Cottage cheese(paneer)- 250 gms

Red and yellow Bell peppers (capsicum)- 1 each

Onion- 2 (chopped into largish bite size pcs)

Thick low fat Curd- 250gms

Ginger+garlic paste(fresh)- 1 tbsp

Garam masala- 1tsp

Lemon juice- 1 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies-1-2

Mint leaves- a handful, finely chopped

Coriander leaves- a handful, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Chaat masala to sprinkle on top

Wooden skewers(soaked in water so that they don’t burn)

Method-

• Whip the curd well.
• Add ginger+garlic paste, garam masala, lemon juice, green chillies, garam masala, coriander, mint and salt/pepper to the whipped curd.
• Cut paneer into largish squares and marinate in the above mixture for 2 hours or overnight.
• Cut onion and peppers into bite size pieces.
• Final assembly-
• Take a wooden skewer , alternately thread the onion then the marinated paneer, bell pepper, keep repeating, finishing with the onion in that order.
• Grill/ Pan roast the skewers till brown and done.
• Sprinkle chaat masala and serve hot.

 

GORDON RAMSAY'S GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH A MUSTARD DRESSING AND SOFT BOILED EGGS

GORDON RAMSAY'S GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH A MUSTARD DRESSING AND SOFT BOILED EGGS

INGREDIENTS-

• French/Green beans- 500gms
• Garlic- 1 head
• Eggs- 1 per person
• Flaked almonds-100gms
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

• Honey- 2 tbsp
• Dijon mustard- 2 tbsp
• White wine vinegar- 2 tbsp
• Olive oil- 75ml

METHOD-

1. Top and tail the beans.
   Cover the head of garlic in foil and roast in the oven at 200C for 20 mins.
2. Heat plenty of water and plunge in the green beans, cook for about 2 minutes so that they are still crunchy.
3. Toast the almonds lightly in a pan.
4. Take out the beans from the boiling water and plunge under cold water so that they are verdant green.
5. In the same boiling water slip in eggs with a spoon, boil for 6 minutes, refresh under cold water.Drain, peel and keep ready.
6. Squeeze out the pulp from the roasted garlic and mash well, add all the other ing. for the dressing and mix well.
7. For final assembly-
8. In a large bowl, tip in the well drained beans, add the dressing and toss well, season. Slice the boiled eggs on top and sprinkle with the crunchy toasted almonds.Serve warm.