APPLE TATIN CAKE

A year comes to an end and begins with another , "I WISH ONE AND ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YR".The begining of a year always calls for celebration for the good things that came your way in the previous yr and for some that is waiting to happen this yr.We celebrated with a delicious Apple tatin cake.I got this recipe from Ina garten of barefoot contessa.Her instructions are very easy to understand and i followerd her recipe without making any changes.This is a must try dessert,a great one for celebration!!!

I am sending this to JZ's Santas holiday challenge event.




INGREDIENTS

(source - http://www.foodnetwork.com/)

All purpose flour - 1 cup + 2 tbsp

Unsalted butter - 6 tbsp, room temperature + extra for greasing the dish

Apples - 11/4 piece, peeled and sliced

sugar - 1 + 3/4 cups , divided

Eggs - 2 , room temperature

Sour cream - 1/3 cup

Lemon zest - 1/2 tsp grated

Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Baking pdr - 1/2 tsp

salt - 1/4 tsp

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Generously grease a pie dish(9") and arrange the apples in the dish, cut side down.
Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the apple slices.

Meanwhile, cream the butter and the remaining sugar in the bowl until light and fluffy.Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
Pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If an apple slice sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

KAPPA/YUCCA FRITTER

Yucca/kappa is a very popular root vegetable in South America.In India its largely consumed in the southern part of India ,mainly kerala.Kanji kappa is one popular dish there.Yucca/kappa is high in starch and calcium.The best and simplest way to eat this root vegetable is by simply cooking it in salt water till tender and serving along with shallot tamarind chutney.Thats how my hubby and i like it.Ones in a while we do want something else prepared from it.Last week after we bought a big fat one,i kept thinking what other than the usual can i prepare from it? Thats when the idea of making fritters of it struck me.The result was simply delicious.I simply boiled and cooked it in salt water,cut it into 2" high strips,dipped in besan batter and deep fried.This one is a must try.Here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Yucca root - 1 whole,peeled,cleaned and cut into large chunks

water

salt

Oil for deep frying

For Batter:-

Besan flour - 1 cup

chilli pdr - 1 tsp

asafoetida - a pinch

water - enough to make a batter(consistency-not too thin nor too thick)

salt to taste

METHOD

In a vessel,add the yucca chunks,pour enough water to cover it and add salt.Cook it until its

tender but firm.Remove from water,pat dry and cut it into 2" length strips.Keep aside.

In a bowl mix all the ingredients needed for the batter.Keep aside.

Heat oil.Drop the strips one by one into the batter,coat it well and carefully drop it in the hot oil.Fry it till golden brown.Remove and place it on paper towel to remove excess oil.Serve hot.

HYDERABADI CHICKEN BIRIYANI

Chicken biriyani is something we like to indulge in many a times,usually on weekends.I usually prepare kerala style biriyani but this time i tried my hands on hyderabadi chicken biriyani.Both are layered biriyani ie alternate layers of rice and masala.The marination ingredients are different for both.Hyderabadi slightly spicier than the other.

The rice and the chicken is cooked separately and then arranged in alternate layers in an oven proof dish and cooked on a very low temp for about 20-30 mins for all the flavors to blend in.

For the successful completion of Recipe marathon 2,DK has awarded each of us with a trophy with a personal touch.Here is mine!!!Thanks a ton DK!!!

INGREDIENTS

For cooking rice:-

Basmati rice - 2 cups

cardamam - 2 whole

cinnamon - 1 stick

black peppercorn - 5-6 nos

bayleaf - 2 nos

water

salt to taste

For marination:-

Chicken breasts(boneless or bone in) - 2 nos,cut to medium size pieces

Fried onions - 1 cup

yogurt - 1/2 cup

cumin seeds - 2 tsp

cinnamon stick - 1

black peppercorn - 5-6

cloves - 4-5

cardamam - 3 nos

ginger - 1" piece

garlic - 2 cloves

red chilli - 4-5 nos

cilantro - a bunch

oil - 3 tbsp

salt to taste

For masala:-

Onions - 2 medium size,sliced

Ghee and oil - a tsp each

cardamam - 2 nos, whole

cloves - 3 nos

cinnamon - half a piece

marinated chicken

salt

METHOD

Grind the ingredients required for marination smoothly and transfer it to a bowl.Add the chicken pieces and marinate for atleast 4 hrs,overnight is even better.

Wash and soak the rice for about 1/2 an hr.In a deep bottom vessel bring some water to boil.Add the spices mentioned above to flavor the rice and some salt.Add rice and cook it until just done.Do not over cook the rice ,then it will get mashed up.Strain the water and keep rice aside.You will see that the rice is very fluffy and thats exactly what you should be looking for.

While the rice is cooking prepare the chicken masala.Heat some ghee and oil in a wide pan.Add cardamam,cloves and cinnamon.Stir for a fews seconds.Then add the sliced onions.Cook it till its soft.Now add the marinated chicken and cook it until its fully done.Cook it on a medium low flame.Check salt.Garnish with coriander leaves.If you have some mint leaves add that too, adds great flavor.

Preheat oven to 300 deg F.Reserve some gravy to put on top of rice in the end,use the rest for making the layers.In an oven proof dish make alternate layers of rice and masala starting and ending with rice.Pour the reserved gravy on top.Garnish with some fried onions.Cover the top with aluminium foil.Place it in the oven and cook for about 20-30 mins.If you dont have an oven you can also make the same layers in a deep vessel and cook on stove top on low heat for the same time.Serve hot with some raita.

I had done a small voting poll on what i should post more on.I thank each and everyone who participated in the poll.As you can see appetizers has clearly won.My next few posts will be exclusively on appetizers.