Old FAshioned Prune (plum) CAke

Jingle bells jingle bells
jingle all the way!!!
Oh what fun
it is to ride
in a one horse open sleigh!!!
Heyyyy Jingle bells jingle bells
jingle all the way.......

Ooooo what a carol... whenever I hear this lyrics I go back to my childhood.... wht abt u all !!!!childhood is the blessing I feel.... running behind the Santa wherever he goes sing a song with him.. and the best part hold yourself till the Santa remove a gift for you from his big red bag... oo wow.. In our neighbourhood one Christian aunty was staying she use to give us full filled bowl with sweets which she made's in her house.. anyways friends taking about childhood never ends the line... so her is one of my favourite cake. Old FASioned Prune (plum) CAke.

Ingredients :-------------------------

• 2 1/2 cup:----------------- All purpose flour (maida)
• 4 tbsp:--------------------- Maida for dusting your soaked dryfruits.
• 2tsp:----------------------- Baking powder.
• 1 tsp:----------------------- Baking soda.
• 1 cup:----------------------- Butter.
• 1 1/2 cup:-------------------  Dark brown sugar.
• 5 :--------------------------- Eggs.
• 2 1/2 tsp:-------------------- Vanilla extract.
• 1 1/2 tsp:------------------- Instant coffee powder.
• 1 cup:---------------------- Caramel (recipe for making caramel given below).
• 2 1/2 cup:---------------------- Soaked dry fruits http://cinmykitchen.blogspot.in/2014/11/soaked-dry-fruits-in-rum.html

Method:--------------------------------------------

• Pre heat the oven to 140 deg c.
• Grease your cake mould and keep aside.
• Drain your soaked dry fruits and toss them in maida (all purpose flour)
• In a bowl add all purpose flour, coffee, baking powder and soda mix well.
• In another big bowl add Butter and sugar, whisk them with the help of electric beater till the texture gets fluffy might be till 5-8 mins on high.
• Add egg, on at a time and mix well then add caramel and flour mixture one cup at a time.
• Add soaked dryfruits fold every thing nicely.
• Pour the batter in greased mould.
• Bake for 40-50 mins or till toothpick comes out clearly.
• Cool the cake in pan then demould and keep it on rack for 1hr.
• If you want you can drizzle the rum mixture of soaked dryfruits.
• Slice it and your Old FAsioned Purne (plum) cake its ready to eat :)

Method  to make caramel :-----------------------------------

Ingredient :----------

• 1 cup :------------------- White sugar.
• 1 cup :------------------- Water.

Method:-------------

• In a non stick pan add sugar and heat it on medium flame, keep whisking it till sugar gets melt.
• Keep swirling the melted sugar till it turns dark brown in colour.
• Remove from heat and pour water again get back the pan to heat on medium flame continue stirring it with wooden spatula.
• Dont worry if  the sugar get into a hard ball...
• Cook for 7-10 mins or till the sugar melt by continue stirring.
• Remove from heat and let it cool.
• And your caramel is ready.

Soaked Dry fruits in Rum

 A best kick start for Christmas...In Prune cake or you can called plum cake soaking is must... you can add your choice dry fruits. Soak dry fruits for atleast 3-4 weeks or more than that... as much it will be soaked the flavour will be mind blowing. And because its soaked in rum should we give this prune cake to kids!!!! Then my answer is yes but Not Much.. Any ways soooo get ready to chop your dry fruits and to soak them.

  

Ingredients:-----------------------------------

• 375 ml :-------------------  Dark Rum. 
• 2 cup :----------------------Dry fruits ( combination of raisins, black currant, pitted Prunes, glazed cherries, tutti frutti, almonds, cashewnuts and walnut.) you can add dry fruits of your choice.
• 1/2 tsp:------------------- Nutmeg powder.
• 1/2 tsp :------------------ Cinnamon powder.
• 1/2 tsp:------------------- Clove powder.
• 1 tbsp :------------------- Brown sugar.

Method:----------------------------------------

• Chop all the dry fruits into a small  pieces ( I  like to to crush dry fruits).
• Add nuts in a glass jar, then add rum, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove  powder in a glass jar.
• Stir them nicely so all the ingredients will mix well.
• Cover the jar well and keep at room temp.
• Soak it for atleast 5-6 days  so all the rum was absorbed by fruit n nuts mixture.
• If you have left over rum, then you can use it in cake :)

Old Fashioned Butter Cake

I actually did it first time and it comes out yummmmyyy. It's that classic, old fasioned yellow cake recipe with simple pure ingredients. So let's start your christmas with this Old Fashioned Butter Cake.

 

Ingredients :---------------------------------------------

• 3 cup:------------------ All-Purpose Flour.
• 1 cup:------------------- butter, Softened.
• 4 :------------------------- Eggs.
• 2 cup:------------------- Sugar.
• 1/2  cup:------------------ Buttermilk.
• 1 tsp:--------------------- Baking powder.
• 1/2 tsp:--------------------- Baking Soda.
• 2 tsp:---------------------- Vanilla Extract.
• 1/2 tsp salt.

Butter Sauce :--------------------------------------

• 1 cup:------------------------ Sugar.
• 1/2 cup:--------------------- Butter (cubed).
• 1/4 cup:----------------------- Water.
• 1 1/2 tsp:-------------------- Almond Extract.
• 1 1/2 tsp:----------------------- Vanilla Extract.

Method:------------------------------------------------

• In a large bowl cream your softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time then add vanilla.
• In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Then add mixed flour to that creamy butter mixture alternately with buttermilk one cup at a time.
• Pour into a greased and floured pan.
• Bake at 350* for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the centre comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 min. Run a knife around edges to release the cake.
• De-mould cake onto a wire rack over butter paper.
• In a pan add butter, sugar and water and keep on the medium heat just until butter and sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from the heat, add vanilla and almond extract.
• Poke holes from toothpick onto top and sides of the warm cake, brush 1/4 cup sauce over cake.
• Let stand until sauce is absorbed.
• Again poke holes into your cake and brush remaining sauce over sides.
• Let it cool completely and your Old Fashioned Butter Cake is ready to cut :)

Koliwada Prawns Curry

First let me tell you something about Koliwada. Koliwada refers to a colony of Kolis (fishermen) in India specially in Maharashtra. Several places named Koliwada are located across the Mumbai city in India. A machhi market or you can say fish market is usually located near the entrance of Koliwada locality. So these people have there own speciality in fish recipe's...... I have learned this recipe from one old machhi market lady, I generally ask her about the recipe and she was so happy to tell me....really she was a darling. Anyway so all...  here I am sharing my favourite Prawns ( Jhinga ) curry in Koliwada Style.

 

Ingredients :-----------------------------

• 1 kg:--------------------- Medium Prawns.
• 8-10:--------------------- Peeled Garlic cloves (finely paste)
• 2" :------------------------ ginger (finely paste)
• 2 tbsp:-------------------- fresh lemon juice.
• 5-6 :---------------------- Kokum.
• 2:-------------------------- Big tomato's (boiled and chopped).
• 2 :------------------------ Big onion's (boiled and make a fine paste)
• 1 cup:------------------ Coconut.
• 6-7 :-------------------- Dry chilli's (soaked in 2cup warm water)
• 1 1/2 tbsp:------------- Malvani masala (if you dont have malvani masala you can use any fish masala)
• 1 tbsp:------------------ Red chilli powder (mix in 3tbsp of water)
• 1 tsp:-------------------- Coriander  powder.
• 1tsp :--------------------- Sesame seeds.
• 1tsp:---------------------- turmeric.
• 2-3 :---------------------- Tamarind
• 9-10  :------------- Curry leaves.
• 1/2 cup :------------------ Coriander leaves.
• 2-3 tbsp:-------------------- Oil.
• 1 tsp:---------------------- Sesame oil.
• Salt to taste.

Method:-------------------------------------

• Clean your prawns and wash them in running water.
• Add 1tsp of  salt, 1/2 turmeric, ginger garlic paste, kokum, lemon juice and 1tsp sesame oil, mix them properly and keep aside by covering them for 1 hr.
• Meanwhile in a blender blend coconut, soaked red chilli's, coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tbsp malvani masala and blend it with adding little amount of  water to make a smooth paste.
• In a big kadai add oil as the oil gets hot add prawns (don't put kokum), stir them for 3-4 mins remove prawns in the same bowl.
• In the same kadai (wait for 2mins till the oil gets hot again) add sesame seeds, 3-4 curry leaves then add boiled onion paste, as it stared changing the colour add boiled chopped tomato's and red chilli powder paste (which we mixed in water) stir for 4 mins or till they release the oil.
• Then add  coconut mixture, tamarind and stir nicely so they mix well, stir for another 5mins.
• Then add water about 2 cup's (its depend on how much thick you want).
• Boil the curry in low flame for 5-7mins then add prawns and kokum.
• After 2-3 mins add remaining curry leaves by mashing it with hands, then add remaining Malvani masala and chopped coriander if required add salt keep in low flame for 3-5 mins.
• And your Koliwada Prawns Curry is ready to eat.
• Usually this curry goes yummy with Rice Roti and Stem Rice. 

Khari Methi Sankarpali

Khari Shankarpali is nothing but Namak Pare which are crispy and crunchy tea time snacks which can be prepared quickly and really easy to make. In Diwali or in any other festival we usually tired of eating sweet's so this will definitely give your taste buds a different taste....  Any ways why only festival!!!! Kahri Shankarpali is so easy that you can make them within 2 hrs....perfect tea time snacks :)

Ingredients:-----------------------------------

• 4 cups:------------------ Maida.
• 8 tbp:-------------------- hot oil.
• 1 tbsp:------------------ Black pepper.
• 1 tbsp:------------------ Jeera (cumin)
• 1/2 tbsp:----------------- Ajwain (carom seeds).
• 1 1/2 tbsp:---------------- kasuri methi.
• Oil to fry. 
• Salt to taste.

Method:------------------------------------------

• In a blender add ajwain, jeera, black pepper ( just crush them roughly).
• In big bowl add maida, salt, kasuri methi, crushed spices and hot oil.
• By taking very little amount of water knead making a hard dough cover it and keep aside for 1hr.
• After 1hr knead the dough by adding water (as necessary) dont add too much water we want the dough slightly harder.
• Divide the dough by 6 take one dough ball and  rest 5 cover them by malmal(lines) cloth
• Roll the dough in rolling pin roll it in round shape should be width little thick than chapati.
• Take a knife or shakarpali cutter and cut them in square or diamond shape.
• Heat oil in a deep kadai, once the oil is hot add the shakarpali in it ensure gas is on low flame.
• Repeat the same procedure with the remaining  balls.
• Fry them till they become slightly golden in colour.
• Allow them to cool and store them into an airtight container.
• Enjoy them with masala tea :)

Ghati Mutton Masala Curry

For mutton lover's I promise this could be the perfect curry.... here I present my favourite Ghati mutton masala curry. As  I'm from Ghat's i have seen this recipe from my childhood. Ok now let me tell you about Ghat's most of the people don't know anything about the ghati. This Ghati word is different from the uncouth/gavthi sense Marathi people use it in. It literally means, someone from the Ghaats (mountains). Ok back to our recipe :) I have used ghati masala in this which is very common on Maharashtrian's house. A perfect dinner menu for weekend Marathi's usually eat Bhakri ( jowar/ bajra roti) and steam rice with onion. So enjoy your weekend :)

Ingredients :-------------------------------------------

• 1/2 kg.:--------------- Mutton (mostly of sheep)
• 250 gm :----------------------- Onion chopped.
• 2 :------------------------ Tomato's
• 1 cup:---------------- Oil .
• 2 tbsp:----------------- Ghati masala (if you don't have you can use red chilli powder)
• 1/2 tsp.:------------------ Turmeric
• 1 full :----------------------- Garlic (freshly made paste)
• 1"inch :----------------------------Ginger (freshly made paste)
• 1/2 cup:--------------------- Fresh coriander.
• Salt to taste.

For Masala:------------------------------------

• 1 cup:-------------------------- Grated dry coconut.
• 2tsp:------------------------- White sesame seeds.
• 1 tsp:---------------------------- Khus khus (poppy seeds)
• 7-9 ;--------------------------- Dry red chilli's
• 1/2 tsp:------------------------- Jeera.
• 5-6:--------------------------------- Gloves.
• 1/2 " inch :------------------------------- Cinnamon
• 2 :--------------------------- Masala Cardamom.
• 2 tsp:-------------------------- coriander seeds.

Method :-----------------------

• Wash the mutton on running water  then apply 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste, turmeric rub it properly and keep aside.
• In a kadai add 2 tbsp oil as the oil gets heated add cinnamon,gloves, jeera, coriander seeds, masala cardamom. Stir it for 2mins on low flame then add grated dry coconut. dry red chilli's, khus khus, white sesame seeds stir it till you get the aroma.. put them on plate after 5mins grind it.
• On the same kadai add 1 tps oil and chopped onion fry it till you get golden in colour make it cool and grind it in smooth paste.
• In  a heavy bottom pan add rest of the oil then add onion paste stir it till oil release add ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and grinded masala stir it for another 4-5 mins.

• Then add marinated mutton stir it nicely then add salt ,chopped tomato's and 2tbsp of coriander.
• Add boiled water about 2 glasses and cover it  let it cook on medium flame.
• Give a stir in between if necessary add water.
• Mutton will take approximately 1hr to 1:30 mins to cook, garnish with coriander.
• Enjoy it with Roti/ Bread or Rice :)