Wilton Cake Decorating Course 1

Course 1: Discover the Basics of Cake Decorating Techniques.
Class 1: Wilton cake decorating course 1 covers the basic of cake decoration which includes

- Class Buttercream Icing

- Cake Preparation

- The wilton Rose

- Figure Piping

- Different flowers, leaves and vines.

Class 2- Rainbow cake where we learn the basics like Preparing the cake, using color icing, star borders, piping gel pattern transfer.

Class 3 : Flowers and Figures

Flowers are the most traditional, and one of the most charming ways to top a cake. In this lesson, you'll learn how o make pretty flower decoration using the drop flowers. You'll also learn the most popular icing border........the shell! Figure piping is a fun way to add 3-dimensional shapes to cakes. The birthday clowns shown here are another special touch that will be covered in the lesson.

Class 4: Final Cake
In the last lesson we learnt The Wilton Rose, sweet pea flower,bows, leaves and vines.
The Wilton Rose

The Final Cake

Wow!! I learnt so much from this process and there is so much to learn.

I am Back

After Disappering for a very long time I am back with new and exciting recipes. In past Month I started taking the Wilton Cake Decorating class. I finished Course 1 and Course 2. I will be Posting Pictures of my cake which I did in the class and some I did on My daughters 1st Birthday. I am so excited to be back blogging.

Misri roti

Treat your loved ones with this traditional and lip smacking Recipe! The method of preparation is quite simple and if tried with love they come out excellent. The word misri means Crystalised sugar lumps and roti means it is made in a form of a roti. But I like to cut them in different shapes as it is easy to eat. I learnt this recipe from my mom she used to make it in a form of a roti. It is a very yummy treat for grown ups as well as the kids. it is also a nice activity for kids as they can help you in cutting into shapes and placing on the cookie sheet. It will keep for quite some time if stored in dry airtight containers.

Making time: 30 mins

Makes: 20- 25 pieces (small)

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour (maida)

1 cup sugar granulated
1/2 cup melted ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds crushed

8-10 pistachios chopped

8-10 almonds chopped

20- 25 pieces of misri (crytalised sugar lumps) (optional)

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 350*F
2. Mix together flour, sugar and cardamom.
3. Add melted ghee, and mix to hold together.

4. Spray some nonstick spray on the baking sheet.
5. Pat and shape into flat 1/2" thick round and cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter.
6. Take a piece of misri and stick it in the centre of the dough. You can add more if you like.
7. Bake in 350*F for 10 - 15 mins or until it is done.
8. Cook till light golden from bottom and edges.

9. Cool it on a cooling rack.

10. Garnish with almond and pistachios. 11. Serve warm or cooled.

Kachori

It's been a long time since I posted; Sorry about that. Things were a little busy with the house search, moving and then finally settling in our new house. Now that I have unpacked, here goes my first post. I have got multiple requests for posting a kachori recipe. We made kachori for Navratri. Kachori is a savory dish from North India. It's stuffing is made by moong dal or onions. This Savoury made from dal, is served with exotic chutneys - Simply mouth-watering !!

Note: The final picture above is taken from the internet.

Making time:

1 hour (exceeding soaking and cooking)

makes: 10- 12 pieces

Shelf life: 2-3 days

Ingredients :
For cover:

1 1/2 cup plain flour

3 tbsp. oil

salt to taste
cold water to knead dough

For filling:

1 cup yellow moong dal washed and soaked for 1/2 hour

1 tsp. garam masala

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1 tsp. red chilli powder

1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander) powder

1/2 tsp. coriander seeds crushed coarsely

1/2 tsp. fennel (saunf) seeds crushed coarsely

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped

5-6 curry leaves

salt to taste

2-3 pinches asafoetida

1 tbsp. oil

oil to deep fry

1 tbsp. plain flour for patching

Method:
For cover:

1. Mix flour, salt and oil, knead into soft pliable dough.

2. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

For filling:

1. Put plenty of water to boil.

2. Add dal. Boil dal for 5 minutes, drain.Cool a little.

3. Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. When they start to splutter.
4. Add crushed coriander and fennel seeds allow to splutter.
5. Add asafoetida, curry leaves.

6. Add all other ingredients.Mix well.
7. Do not smash the dal fully.But enough to make the mixture hold well.Remove from fire, cool.

8. Divide into 15 portions. Shape into balls with greased palms.Keep aside.

To proceed:

1. Make water and flour paste, for patching. Keep aside.

2. Take a ping pong ball sized portion of dough.

3. Knead into round. Roll into 4" diam. round.

4. Place one ball of filling at centre. Apply some water at the corner of the round.
5. Pick up round and wrap ball into it like a pouch.
6. Break off excess dough carefully.Do not allow cover to tear.

7. Press the ball with palm, making it flattish and round.

8. Repeat for 4-5 kachories.

9. Deep fry in hot oil, on low flame only.

10. If the kachori get a hole anywhere, apply some paste.Return to oil and finish frying.

11. Turn and repeat for other side.

12. Fry till golden and crisp.

13. Small bubbles must appear over kachori.

14. Drain and serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys.

Note: Take care to fry on low. Hurried frying will result in soggy and oily kachories.

Spinach Soup

Spinach soup makes an excellent starter or light lunch. The fresher the spinach the better the end result. Unlike most of my recipes I don't think there is a great degree of flexibility with this soup. I've tried experimenting with the ingredients without much success. You can substitute the cucumber for onion and add a clove or half clove of garlic but it's hard to improve on this formula if you want a delicious spinach soup with a full authentic taste. The recipe will serve four people. Whenever possible I make double the amount of soup I need and freeze any extra to use later either as soup or as the base of a sauce or vegetable stock.


Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients:
3 cups spinach (chopped)
1 cup cucumber (chopped)
3 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp ginger paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Put spinach and cucumber in a saucepan along with water and cook until tender on medium heat. Or pressure cook it (one whistle).

2. On cooling, blend it in electric blender to make smoothy paste.

3. Heat butter in a pan. Add black pepper powder, cumin powder, ginger paste, salt.
4. Add blended spinach-cucumber and lemon juice.Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

5. Serve hot.

Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao

Believe it or not, this recipe is taken from a Hindi movie. Really!! When watching the movie "Cheeni Kum", the other day, Amitabh Bachchan (who acts as Chef in this movie) mentions this recipe in one of his dialogues. Every time Amitabh Bachchan said “Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao” my stomach drooled and wanted to have it. I was very keen to try out this recipe. So today, at last I tried it; And to my delight it came out good. Zafrani is commonly known as Saffron. Usually Zafrani pulao is sweet, but this "Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao" is the savory dish. I researched about this dish on the Internet and found that this very dish was considered to be a delicacy of the Nawabs (the Royals of the South) in India. This recipe has a very rich ingredients and with a rich aroma. Enjoy it!!

I re-posting this recipe for the JFI for Rice hosted by Sharmi of Neivedyam. Thanks for organizing such a wonderful event on Rice. This is my entry for rice.

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

450 gm (2 cups) basmati rice
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 inch stick cinnamon
1-2 cardamoms (elaichi)
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1"(25mm) ginger
2 cloves of garlic (optional)
pinch of saffron strands
10 tsp milk
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp sour curd
50 gm (1/2 cup) slivered almonds
25 gm green raisins or sultanas
4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Soak saffron in 2 tablespoon of warm milk for few minutes.

2. Meanwhile rinse rice and soak in fresh water for 30 minutes in a pan.

3. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan. Add cumin seeds when they crackle, add onion and all the spices(cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon), ginger and garlic except saffron to the hot ghee. Stir-fry until the onion turns golden brown.

4. Add almonds, raisins and well-drained rice, chilli powder, milk and sour curd, stir-fry for a further 5 minutes.

5. Pour water into the rice, It should be just the right quantity - one inch above the rice level.

6. Add the salt and saffron, stir well and bring to the boil.

7. Reduce heat, cover the pan tightly and cook on slow fire for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and fluffy and the water is absorbed.
8. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve immediately.

Note: Rice and water ratio is 1:2 so use accordingly.

Mirchi Ka Kutta (aka Hot Chilli Pickle)

This recipe of Mirchi ka Kutta is a very traditional dish made at our house. I learnt this from my mother-in-law, its one of her speciality. 'Kutta' means crushed/mixed in rajasthani. This dish is a mix of spicy/hot ingredients with the tanginess of curd and lemon. This is very easy to make; also it's not that spicy. The secret ingredients - curd and lemon, actually reduce the heat of the chillies. Here it is - the quick, almost instant, mirchi ka kutta for you chilli lovers. I don’t know my chillies too well and rely on the thumb rule that the smaller a chilli, the hotter it is. I used the regular Thai chilli (as marked in the grocery stores in U.S.). You can also use our Indian chillies or the medium hot or milder chillies.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients:
200 gm Green chillies, chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
2- 3 tbsp of mustard, fennel and fenugreek seeds powder
3/4 cup curd
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp sugar
juice of 1/2 lime

Method:
1. Roast about equal amounts of mustard seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds together till they are light brown in color. Cool them and grind it into fine powder.

2. Heat the oil in the pan. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds. When they start to crackle. 3. Add green chillies and let it cook.

4. Then add the tumeric powder, mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds powder, salt to taste, sugar and curd. Mix well and let it cook till the liquid evaporates completely.


5. When done turn off the gas and let it cool completely.
6. Then add lime juice to it and store it in a container in the refrigerator and use it when needed.
7. Ready to serve as a side dish.

Enjoy!