Vanilla Cotton Cake

During my childhood days I was very much enthusiastic for recreating cakes post seeing them on the TV,
However due to limited resources was not able to give multiple tries.

As one batch took at least 100/- and you can imagine the value of 100/- during the late 90’s.
So it took me at least 3-4 months to tweak and experiment with my baking streaks, as it took that much amount of time to save those dreamy 100 bucks !!!!

Finally after years of fantasizing the bazar wala sponge cake.
Here's my take to the very old yet awesome recipe which I aspired from a very long time to nail it.

Vanilla Cotton Cake

Ingredients

• Egg Yolk : 4 large
• Maida : 1 cup | Sieved
• Sugar : 3 tsp | Powdered
• Refined Oil : 3 tbsp
• Vanilla Essence : 2 tsp
• Milk : 3 tbsp
• Pinch of Salt

• Egg Whites : 4 large
• Lemon Juice : 1 tsp
• Sugar : 4 tsp | Powdered

Steps

• Mix the egg yolks, maida, sugar, refined oil, vanilla essence, milk and salt in a bowl according to the quantities mentioned above
• Whisk the egg whites, lemon juice and sugar until they form stiff peaks in a separate bowl
• Using the cut and fold method, mix the first mixture with the second mixture described above
• Grease the mould with butter and place a parchment paper on the bottom of your mould
• Pour the batter and tap to just level it
• Preheat your microwave for 2 mins
• Bake at 140 degrees for 50 mins in convention mode
• Let it cool and relish the sponginess of the cake.

Kathal Kofta

Kathal Kofta

Ingredients

Kathal :Jackfruit/Fanas : 500 grams
Besan (Gram Flour) : 3-4 Heaped spoons
Onions : 2 Medium sized | Finley chopped
Chilly : 2 pcs | Finely chopped
Ginger : 1 inch | Finely chopped
Salt : To taste
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Coriander leaves : 1 cup | Finely chopped

Steps:

• Chop jackfruit roughly and boil it in a pressure cooker till 3-4 whistles.
• Mash boiled jackfruit and mix all the above ingredients and make koftas of it.
• Deep fry the koftas on a low flame for 5-8 minutes and enjoy :)
• I hope you liked the recipe, feel free to try it out. Enjoy its flavour and share with your famiy & friends.

Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

Mutton Biryani

• Mutton : 400 grams
• Rice : Long grain basmati : 2 cups
• Curd : 2 tbsp
• Tomato : 1 pc : Puree
• Ginger Garlic Paste : 2 tbsp
• Mint Leaves : 1/2 cup | Finely chopped
• Coriander Leaves :  1/2 cup | Finely chopped
• Kesar : 4 strands
• Milk : 2tbsp
• Onions : 3 pcs | Finely sliced
• Onions : 4 pcs | Finely chopped
• Wheat dough | Enough to cover the lid
• Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
• Saunf : Fennel Seeds | 1tsp
• Coriander powder : 1tsp
• Chilli powder : 1 tsp
• Kashmiri Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
• Everest biryani masala : 1 tsp
• Garam masala : 1tsp

The Dum Process

Step 1

• Deep fry the finely sliced onions until caramelised
• Divide it in 2 batches.

Step 2

• Wash mutton peices
• In a vessel pour oil and then add choppen onions and fry until golden brown
• Add mutton peices, salt and turmeric
• Saute well and cook it till its 40% cooked and take it off the flame & let it cool.

Step 3

• Prepare a marination of curd, tomato puree, ginger-garlic paste, saunf, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, kashmiri chilli powder and everest biryani masala
• Add the 40% of the cooked mutton from step 2 to marination
• Let it marinate for atleast 1-2 hours.

Step 4

• Boil water and add the soaked rice
• Cook the rice till 80% done and then strain the water and keep aside.

Step 5

Final Outcome !

• In a vessel, cook the marinated mutton from step 3 to 90% and then let it cool
• Add the fried onions from step 1 and finely chopped  mint-coriander to the 90% cooked mutton.

Step 6

• Grease a deep casserole with oil and start the layering process
• First layer half of the rice then add mutton and then rice again
• Sprinkle the second batch of caramalsied onions & mint-coriander leaves, kesar-milk solution & garam masala
• Cover the casserole with its lid and seal it with wheat dough to give dum
• Place the casserole over a tawa(flat pan) for 20-25 mins on low flame
• Let it rest for more 20-25 mins
• Mutton biryani is ready.