Oldfashioned Cream Cheese Brownies

Oldfashioned Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

1 (4 oz.) pkg. sweet Baker's chocolate
5 Tbsp. butter
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Method:

Melt chocolate and 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Cool.

Blend remaining butter with cheese until softened. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating well. Blend in 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla then set aside.

Beat 2 eggs until thick and light in color. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until thickened. Add baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup flour. Blend in cooled chocolate mixture, nuts, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Spread about half of the chocolate batter in greased 8 or 9 inch square pan. Add cheese mixture, spreading evenly.

Top with tablespoonfuls of remaining chocolate batter.

Zigzag a spatula through batter to marble.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool before cutting.

Choco Jamun - Chocolate Deep Fried Balls

Choco Jamun

This recipe is from Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Ingredients

300 gms. Khoya/mawa

50 gms cottage cheese (chenna)

a pinch of bi-carbonate of soda - baking soda

4 Tbsps. refined flour (maida)

2 Tbsps. cocoa powder

1 Tbsp. drinking chocolate

5 cups sugar

3 Tbsps. chocolate chips(optional)

Ghee to deep fry

Method of Preparation

1. Grate fresh khoya and chenna into a bowl. Dissolve soda bi-carbonate in one tablespoon of water. Sieve together refined flour, cocoa powder and drinking chocolate.

2. Add sieved flour, cocoa powder, drinking chocolate, dissolved soda bi-carbonate to the grated khoya and chenna and mix gently to make a dough.

3. Heat together sugar and two and a half cups of water to make a thin syrup and keep it warm.

4. Make small softballs of even size of the khoya mixture. If you wish you can stuff these balls with the chocolate chips.

5. Heat ghee in a kadai and deep-fry the balls, a few at a time, till golden on low heat. While frying agitate the ghee occasionally over the balls, using a perforated spoon, very carefully without touching them.

6. Drain and soak them in the sugar syrup. Serve hot.

Sheermal - Flat Bread Rounds

Sheermal

This recipe is from Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Ingredients

2 cups refined flour (maida)

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 cup + 3 Tbsps. milk

Saffron a few strands

2-3 drops Kewra essence

1/4 cup Desi ghee

2 Tbsps. butter + for greasing

Method of Preparation

1. Sieve refined flour with salt. Dissolve sugar in three-fourth cup of warm milk and saffron in the remaining three tablespoons of warm milk.

2. Add the dissolved sugar and two to three drops of kewra essence to the sieved flour. When fully mixed, add one-eighth cup of water and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for ten minutes.

3. Melt ghee and add it to the dough and incorporate it well. Knead again into a soft dough. Cover and keep aside for ten minutes.

4. Divide the dough into sixteen equal sized portions and form into balls, cover and keep aside for ten minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 240º C. Flatten the balls on a lightly floured surface and roll each dough with a rolling pin into round discs of six inch diameter. Prick the entire surface with a fork.

6. Grease a baking tray with butter, arrange the rolled discs on it and bake in the preheated oven for five minutes.

7. Remove, brush the sheermals with saffron milk and again bake again for three to four minutes.

8. When cooked, remove, brush with butter and serve immediately.

Shanghai Stewed Noodles

Shanghai Stewed Noodles

This recipe is from Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Ingredients:

200 grams noodles

1 Tbsp. Oil

6-8 cloves of garlic - crushed

1 medium sized onion - sliced

1/2 medium sized carrot - halved & sliced

4 Mushrooms - sliced

1/4 small sized cabbage - 1 inch pieces

1/2 medium sized Capsicum - deseed & cut into 1 inch pieces

5 cups vegetable stock

1-1/2 Tbsps. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. MSG

1/2 tsp. white pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 spring onion greens - sliced

2 Tbsps. chilli oil

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a wok, add the crushed garlic, sliced onion and stir-fry briefly. Add carrot, mushroom, cabbage, capsicum and continue to stir fry for a minute.

2. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil and add noodles. Cook on high heat for two minutes, reduce heat and simmer for four to five minutes or until noodles are almost cooked.

3. Blend cornstarch in half a cup of water.

4. Stir in MSG, white pepper powder, salt to taste and blended cornstarch. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently.

5. Add spring onion greens, drizzle chilli oil and serve hot.

Chickpeas With Spinach - Palak Chole

Palak Chole

This recipe is from Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Ingredients

Chickpeas (kabuli chana) 1 cup

Spinach 2 bunches

Green chillies 3–4

Ginger 1 inch piece

Garlic 4-5 cloves

Ghee(clarified butter) 2 Tbsps.

Cumin seeds 1 tsp.

Tomato puree 1 cup

Red chilli powder 1 tsp.

Garam masala powder 1 tsp.

Salt to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Wash and soak chickpeas in four to five cups of water for five to six hours. Drain, add three cups of fresh water and pressure-cook till done. Drain and refresh.

2. Remove stalks, wash and blanch spinach in boiling water for two minutes. Drain, refresh and blend to a puree.

3. Remove stems and wash green chillies. Peel and wash ginger and garlic. Grind the three to a coarse paste using a little water.

4. Heat ghee in a kadai, add cumin seed and sauté till it changes colour. Add green chilli-ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.

5. Add tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt and fry for a few minutes or till the ghee leaves the masala.

6. Add spinach puree and chickpeas and stir gently. Cover and allow to simmer on low heat for five to six minutes.

7. Serve hot.

Chicken Kheema Pulao

Chicken Kheema Pulao

The following recipe is from Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

Ingredients

Basmati rice 1-1/2 cups

Chicken mince(ground) 200 gms

Onions 3 medium sized

Ginger 1-1/2 inch piece

Garlic 10-12 cloves

Green chillies 3–4

Tomatoes 2 medium sized

Fresh mint leaves 15-20

Fresh coriander leaves a few sprigs

Oil 4 Tbsps.

Cloves 2

Cinnamon 1/2 inch stick

Green cardamoms 2

Peppercorns 8-10

Cumin seeds 1 tsp.

Red chilli powder 1 tsp.

Salt to taste

Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp.

Method of Preparation:

1. Pick basmati rice. Wash twice and soak in three cups of water for half an hour. Drain and keep aside. Wash chicken mince, drain and keep aside.

2. Peel, wash and slice onions. Peel, wash and grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Remove stems, wash and slit green chillies. Wash and chop tomatoes. Clean, wash and tear mint leaves. Clean, wash and finely chop coriander leaves.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, peppercorns, cumin seeds, onion and green chillies. Sauté till the onions begin to change colour.

4. Add chicken mince and cook on high heat for a four to five minutes.

5. Add garlic and ginger paste, red chilli powder, tomatoes, three cups of hot water, salt and basmati rice. Mix lightly.

6. Allow rice to come to a boil on high heat. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for twelve to fifteen minutes.

7. Add mint leaves, coriander leaves and garam masala powder. Cover and further cook for five to seven minutes.

8. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Oatmeal and Molasses Clove Cookies

Oatmeal and Molasses Clove Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1-1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

Method:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, ginger, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir in melted butter, eggs, and molasses.
3. Mix until smooth with electric mixer, about 2 minutes.
4. With a large spoon, stir in rolled oats.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.
7. Do not over bake.
8. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.