Easy pineapple upside down cake

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This recipe is from one of the most reliable and comprehensive food bloggers on the internets, Elise at Simply Recipes.  I didn't change a thing.  Well, except for adding the cherries. I was very skeptical of my ability to pull this off.  An upside down cake?  Oh dear. I try hardly even to make a right side up cake.  But it was super easy.I let the cake cool and then called my hubby up for the big reveal.  We flipped it over and it slid right out of the pan with perfectly caramelized edges.  I served it with ice cream.  hubby's only critique was that he wished there was less cake and more top. 

For the topping

50g softened butter

50g light soft brown sugar

7 pineapples rings in syrup, drained and 

syrupglacé cherry

For the cake

100g softened butter

100g golden caster sugar

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract2 eggs

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the topping, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Spread over the base and a quarter of the way up the sides of a 20-21cm round cake tin. Arrange pineapple rings on top, then place cherries in the centres of the rings.Place the cake ingredients in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of the pineapple syrup and, using an electric whisk, beat to a soft consistency. Spoon into the tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it's level. Bake for 35 mins. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

sweet and sour mushroom with pineapple and bell peppers!

A must try delicate, smooth and succulent dish that goes perfectly with a lighter sweet and sour sauce.


Ingredients for the Recipe:
1)250 g button mushroom washed and cleaned
2)2 onions cut into big chunks
3)diced Pineapple pcs -1/2 cup
4)bell pepper of ur choice( I have used one red bell pepper cut into bite size)
5)vegetable oil-2-3 tsp


Ingredients for sweet and sour sauce:
1/3 cup white or rice vinegar (Note: rice vinegar gives better results)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Preparation:


Mix the vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce together and bring to a boil in a small pot. Mix together the cornstarch and water, add to the other ingredients and stir to thicken.


Method:
1)Heat oil in a wok and add onions and mushroom.saute on high for 5-6 mins
2)Add pineapple and bell pepper and keep sauting continuously on high till the time you feel that mushrooms are cooked.
3)Pour the above prepared sweet and sour sauce as much as you want,If you want runny gravy then add more and for the dry version add less all depends on your taste.let it simmer for 5-10 minutes and note that bell peppers should not become mushy.
4)serve with noodles or fried rice.
5)The beauty of this dish is that with this single sweet and sour sauce ,You can prepare no dishes take any ingredient of ur choice (like paneer,chicken,fish,prawn)cook in the similar manner and come up with variety of dishes with very less effort.

Chicken in Bread crumbs...KFC STYLE!

A super easy recipe with unusual combination of few calorie and taste bud on priority!
My goal here is to prove that you can still get the same great taste of fried chicken without it actually being fried, saving you tons of saturated fat, calories & sodium AND to prove that you can make a homemade healthy meal for the family in basically no time at all. Think of it this way, if you’ve got time to drive to KFC, get the food and drive home, then you’ve got time to make this!
So here we go with the recipe.....


INGREDIENTS:-


1 whole organic chicken portioned (2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings)


2 cups bread crumbs (I used Progresso Italian style bread crumbs one can use any other normal form)
2 egg – whisked for 1 minute to lighten
1 tsp paprika/kashmiri mirch powder(MDH)
1 tsp tomato powder (I used knorr tomato soup powder)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil spray

METHOD:-


Preheat oven to 420°F.


Arrange all the ingredients in a row in the following order: the chicken pieces, whisked eggs with Salt and pepper and paprika,tomato powder added, breadcrumbs.


Begin by dipping the chicken pieces in the egg holding the chicken over the bowl for a few seconds after wards to let excess egg fall off and then coat in the breadcrumbs coating all sides. Pat the crumbs onto the pieces with clean hands to make sure it sticks. Lay on a foiled oven tray. This assembly line is a great time to get the kids involved! my lilttle one loved helping me and licked her messy hands


Once all the pieces are crumbed spray liberally on all sides with the olive oil spray.


Pop in the oven for 20 -25 minutes approx until internal temp of 165°F and the crumbs are crispy and ‘fried’.turn over the chicken and pop into the oven for another 10 mins. That’s all there is to it!


SERVE WITH KETCHUP OR CORIANDER CHUTNEY OR MAYO....I SERVED IT WITH EVERYTHING MIXED TOGETHER YUMMMMM!!!

grilled chicken in green marination!

Another form of chicken tikka but this time rather than marinating the chicken in curd mixture we are using coriander and mint paste.a very tempting starter for dinner parties.here we go with the recipe.


ingredients


boneless chicken fillet cut in cubes - 250 g


 for marination
onion-1
coriander leaves-2 cups
mint leaves -1/2 cup
green chiilly-3-4
ginger- 1 small pod
garlic -2-3 pods
lemon juice- 1/2 cup
olive oil/any vegetable oil 1/2 cup
salt -as per taste
pepper 


Method:-


1)make a paste of onion,coriander,mint,green chilly,ginger and garlic in a blender.
2) add oil,lemon juice,salt and pepper to the mixture and mix well.
3)add chicken pcs and leave to marinade for 2-3 hrs in a fridge.
4) Preheat the oven to it's highest heat for at least 20 minutes. Shake off excess marinade and place chicken pieces AND VEGETABLES OF UR CHOICE on skewers on a wire rack in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes and check the is cooked by piercing the thickest piece with a skewer, if the juices run clear it's cooked, serve with chicken  a wedge of lemon.

Gobhi mussallam!

Ingredients


Whole cauliflower – 500 to 600 gms


Marinade


Curd – 3 tbsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
Cumin powder (roasted) – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder (roasted) – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Mace and nutmeg powder – 1/8 tsp (optional)
Green cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon stick powder – 1/8 tsp (optional)
Tomato puri (thick, concentrated) – 2 tbsp
Salt – as per taste


Gravy/curry


Oil – 6 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Green cardamom – 3
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon stick – 1 (1 inch)
Onion – 2 (200gms)
Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup
cream – 1/4 cup
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Cashew nut – 8 to 10
Raisins (kish mish) – 2 tbsp
green peas(optional) - 1 cup


Method:-


1)In a pan bring to boil the water along with some salt. Place the cleaned cauliflowers in hot water for about 5minutes each side or total 10 minutes. Remove from water, keep it aside.Alternative option is to microwave the cauliflower with salted water beneath it in a microwave safe bowl on high for 5 mins and then set it aside.


2)mix all the ingredients for marination and apply on the cauliflower and set it aside for 2-3 hours.


3)Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot, add cumin seeds, whole spices and onion, saute till soft and light brown, transparent,Add ginger and garlic paste and all the dry spices and saute for 10 mins.

4)Now place the marinated cauliflower with its head (florets) down, simmer the flame and close the lid.

5)After 10min, open the lid and turn the cauliflower and cook again for 10min on lower flame by closing the lid, put some gravy onion mixture on top of the cauliflower.

The cauliflower is almost cooked and the gravy has left oil on top.

6)Add the tomato puree, cashew nuts and raisins and sprinkle salt to taste. Mix well

7)when the gravy starts thickening add the cream slowly on low flame for 10 mins.

8)garnish with some fried peas(optional) and serve with roti or nan.

Basic sponge cake with strawberry jam

A decadent recipe of all times ..basic sponge cake with strawberry jam! sharing with you a very easy and proved method.
ALL IN ONE!!! method  of cake making i.e mixing all the ingredients together which is much easier and provides better results.
For best results make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature and the measurement should be accurate.


Do not be tempted to open your oven whilst the cake is cooking, as the drop in temperature will cause your cakes to sink.


Ingredients


285g self-raising flour or maida
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
285g butter
285g caster sugar
5 eggs
1 jar strawberry or raspberry jam or any other jam of your choice


Method


Pre-heat the oven to 170C / 340F


Grease and line 2 round cake tins with butter and greaseproof paper


Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl


Add the butter, sugar and eggs (make sure the butter is at room temperature)


Mix together using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until light and fluffy


Divide the mixture into the 2 cake tins


Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes


gently press it- if it springs back when touched, then it's ready


Allow to cool for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely


When the cake is cool, spread one cake with a generous layer of jam. Then top with the other cake 


Relish the home made cake....slurrrrrp!!!

egg plant/Baingan raita

anyone who loves egg plant/Brinjal will definitely relish this recipe.A very easy side dish for any lunch/dinner party.


Ingredients:
Eggplant – 1, cut into circles
Oil – 3 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
Garlic – 1 tbsp, minced
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder 1/4 tsp
Green Chili – to taste, for garnish
Salt – to taste
Yogurt – 2 cups
Cilantro/Coriander leaves – for garnish, finely chopped

Method:
1. Marinade egg plants with salt,turmeric,garlic minced and red chilly powder for 10-15 min,This step will extract the water  and leaves the easy to be cooked
2. Heat Oil in a non-stick pan.
3. Add Mustard Seeds, chopped green chilies and allow them to pop.add marinated egg plants one by one.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook eggplant until tender.
5. Remove Eggplant into a bowl . Allow it to come to room temperature.
7. Add Salt to Yogurt and mix well. Add cooled Eggplant into the yogurt and mix well.
8. Garnish with Cilantro (coriander leaves).