Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a popular coffee flavored Italian dessert. The lady fingers are soaked in coffee mixture and then arranged in a large dish (or small individual cups). Then a mildly sweet mascarpone mixture is spread on it. Finally cocoa powder is sprinkled. These layers are repeated again to finish it off.

I had this beautiful dessert four years back in Olive Garden. It was one of the best bites I ever had. Later on I always dreamt of making it at home, from scratch. I tried making it but it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Later on I stumbled upon this recipe. The best part of this recipe is - it is eggless. So I did not  had to worry about eating the raw eggs. One more thing I learnt in these years is - Mascarpone cheese is a very important component of this dessert. I am lucky enough to find the cheese made in Italy. When I made using that cheese it exactly tasted like the 'Tiramisu' I had in Paris. Making this dessert is very easy provided you get the right ingredients. It is an expensive dessert but trust me its worth every bite. I hope you enjoy as much as we do. 

Ingredients:

• Mascarpone Cheese, softened - 1lb
• Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 1/2 cups
• Sugar - 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp
• Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp (I used Vanilla bean paste)
• Strong Coffee or Espresso, freshly brewed - 2 1/2 cups
• Dark Rum - 1-2 Tbsp
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 2 Tbsp
• Ladyfinger - 36 (preferably Savogliardi)

Note: Mascarpone Cheese (Not Mascarpone Cream Cheese) is a very important component of Tiramisu. So make sure you buy the best cheese available, preferably the one imported from Italy.

Procedure:

Brew the coffee and allow it to cool (I use roasted coffee beans for my coffee, as it gives better flavor). Once it comes to room temperature, add 2 Tbsp of sugar and rum. Mix and set it aside until required.

Now, in a large bowl whip the heavy whipping cream until you get stiff peaks. Set this bowl in the refrigerator until required.

In another large bowl, cream softened mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract and sugar.

Once it comes together, add half of the whipped cream and mix in gently to lighten the mixture. Then add the remaining whipped cream and mix in with gentle strokes. Take care so as to not over mix the mixture.

Assembling:
Take a rectangular dish. Dip each ladyfinger in the coffee mixture and arrange in the bottom of the dish as shown below.

Then spread half of the mascarpone mixture on the arranged coffee soaked ladyfinger.

Then sprinkle the top with cocoa powder.

Repeat the same process again starting with arranging coffee soaked lady fingers (on the cocoa powder layer), then spread in the remaining mascarpone mixture. Finish it off by sprinkling cocoa powder on top.
Set it in the refrigerator for 8 - 24 hours.
Tiramisu is ready!

Above measurement serves 10 - 12 people.

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Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

Mexican Pizza is recent try in my kitchen. I came across many recipes for Mexican pizza on the internet. Hence wanted to give it a try. I decided to use the flour tortilla dough recipe for the base, refried beans for the pizza sauce, lot of veggies and then pepper jack cheese. It turned out really good and we enjoyed it along with guacamole. I was so impressed that I decided to share the recipe as soon as possible. So do give this recipe a try and let me know how it turned out for you:-)

Ingredients:

• Refried Beans - 1/2 - 2/3 cup (Click here for the recipe)
• Red Bell Pepper - 1/2
• Green Bell Pepper - 1/2
• Red Onion - 1/2
• Jalapeno - 1/2
• Pepper Jack Cheese, grated - 1 1/2 cup

For the Pizza Base:

• All Purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup
• Baking powder- 3/4 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Warm water - As required

For Garnishing: Chopped Tomato, Scallions (Green onions) etc. 

Procedure:

For Preparing Pizza Base:

Take a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients (listed under 'For Pizza Base) except water. Mix well. Now add water little at a time to get a soft, non- sticky dough. Knead for few minutes and let it rest for half an hour, covered.

For the pizza sauce, I am using homemade refried beans. Please check out the recipe here. I made it in advance to make the process easy. You can also use the store bought one.

Then slice the onion, bell pepper, jalapeños. 

Shred the cheese (It is better than the pre shredded cheese).

Assembling the Pizza:

Preheat the oven to 475F (250C) (I am cooking the pizza on a stone. Hence I heated the stone for an additional 15 minutes after preheating).

While the oven is preheating, assemble the pizza.

First, divide the dough into two equal parts. Then take one ball of dough. Start rolling it (or without rolling pin) until you get a 9 - 10 inch circle. Sprinkle flour as and when required while rolling so that it doesn't stick.

Once the dough is rolled, place it on a greased baking sheet or on a well floured pizza peel. Then spread the refried beans as shown below. Spray little oil on the border of the pizza base so that it doesn't dry out while baking.

Then spread the sliced onions, bell peppers and jalapeños.

Lastly sprinkle the shredded cheese as much as your heart desires.

Then bake it in the oven for 9- 10 minutes or until the cheese is all melted and the base is crispy and golden brown.

Once done, remove the pizza and bake the next one.

Mexican Pizza is ready!!

Sprinkle the chopped tomato and scallions on the pizza. Serve it immediately along with guacamole and sour cream. Above measurement makes two medium sized thin crust pizzas. It serves two people generously.

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Karathe Sukke (Coconut Based Bitter gourd Curry)

Karathe Sukke is a coconut based dry curry. The bitter gourd is simmered on a low heat in a spicy coconut paste. The spiciness is very well balanced by the addition of jaggery and tamarind. A bite into this dish and you can get the spiciness, sweetness, tanginess and slight bitterness all at once.
I am not a great of bitter gourd but whenever my mother made this dish, I would enjoy eating with warm rice and dal. It had been a long time since I had it. Hence I called my mother to get the method. I made it and it turned out exactly how my mother makes it. I was so happy that I could recreate it. Now I am wondering as to why it took so long for me to post this dish! Do try making it and let me know it turned out for you :-)

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd, small sized - 3
• Jaggery - 1-2 Tbsp
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - Few
• Salt - To taste

For Masala:

• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 1/2 cup
• Roasted Dry Red Chilli - 3-4
• Tamarind - A small piece
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal (split black gram) - 1 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

Clean the bitter gourd, chop off the ends. Cut it into small cubes and discard the seeds.

At this point you can choose two different route. 
1. Retaining the bitterness of bitter gourd in the final dish.
2. To cut down the bitterness - Apply salt to the chopped bitter gourd and set it aside for 2 hours. Then squeeze it hard to remove the bitterness.
or you can also cook the bitter gourd in water until soft and then discard the water.

I chose to cut down on the bitterness. Hence boiled it in water and then discarded the liquid in which it was cooking.
Heat little water in a saucepan and add bitter gourd pieces. Cook it until it slightly changes color.

Then discard the water and set it aside.

While the bottle gourd is cooking, prepare the masala.
For Masala - Fry urad dal and coriander seeds in few drops of oil until it turns slight brown. Then transfer it to a bowl for cooling. In the same pan, add few drops of oil and fry dry red chilli for a minute and transfer to the same bowl.
Now take grated coconut, roasted red chilli, roasted urad dal and coriander seeds, tamarind and little salt in a blender jar. Add little water and grind it to get a paste (the ground paste should not be very fine). Masala is ready.

Now heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add in mustard seeds. After it splutters, add in curry leaves. Then add the ground masala paste. Fry it for a minute (if you have not cooked the bitter gourd earlier then add it after curry leaves along with water. Once it is cooked, then add the masala).

Then add in the cooked bitter gourd.

Add jaggery and little water. Mix well and lower the heat to medium low. At this point taste the mixture and add jaggery or tamarind or salt, if required.Cook this mixture for 10- 15 minutes or until the oil starts to separate and the curry is dry. 

Once done, turn off the heat. 
Karathe Sukke is ready!!

Serve it with rice and dal. It also tastes good with dosa or roti. Above measurement serves two people.

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Soppina Akki Rotti (Mixed Greens Rice Flatbread)

Soppina Akki Rotti is a gluten free flatbread which is very popular in Karnataka. 2-3 varieties of greens are mixed with rice flour and few other veggies. It is then cooked on a skillet to get a crispy flatbread. It is a very flavorful bread and tastes good on its own. I had written down this recipe from my MIL's sister years ago and finally gave it a try. It turned out very tasty. Do try making this version of 'Akki rotti' and I hope you all like it as much as we do :-)

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
• Chopped Methi (fenugreek) leaves - Small handful
• Chopped Sabsige (dill) leaves - Small handful
• Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves) - 1-2 Tbsp
• Chopped Onion - 1/4 cup
• Grated carrot - 2-3 Tbsp
• Grated coconut - 1-2 Tbsp
• Hurikadle (roasted gram) - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli, chopped - 1 (I didn't add)
• Salt- To taste
• Oil - As required, for frying
• A piece of banana leaf or parchment paper - For making rotti

Procedure:

Wash fenugreek (methi), Sabsige (dill) leaves and cilantro. Chop them finely. Chop the onion too. 

Now take a mixing bowl. Add rice flour, chopped greens, chopped onions, grated carrot, grated coconut, roasted gram, cumin seeds and salt.

Mix well and make a stiff dough by adding water little at a time.

Divide the dough into three good portions. Then pat it (using your hand) into a thick, round shaped flatbread on a parchment paper or banana leaf (the first flatbread can be directly spread on a tawa. Once done turn on the heat).

Transfer it carefully on the pre heated skillet (place the flatbread along with parchment paper, with flatbread facing the skillet. Then peel off the paper and use it for the next one) and sprinkle some oil. Close it with a lid for a minute.

Once it turns golden brown and crispy, flip it to get golden brown spots on the other side.

Once done, transfer it to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the dough. 
Soppina Akki Rotti is ready!!

Serve it hot as it is or along with any chutney powder of your choice. Above measurement makes three good sized flatbread(rotti).

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Celebrating 450th Post With Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

Pound Cake is one of my favorite cake. I make it once in few months as it is a very rich cake. I love citrus flavor in my baked goods. Hence thought of trying pound cake flavored with meyer lemons. Meyer lemon is a cross between lemon and orange. I always wanted to buy meyer lemons but couldn't find it in any stores. Few weeks back I finally found them and hence decided to make a good pound cake. I settled down with this recipe. First time I tried without glaze but poured the sugar syrup. I didn't like it with the syrup. Hence tried it again with any glaze or syrup and it turned out the way I wanted. A perfect rich, buttery cake with a citrus kick. Do try making this and let me know how it turned out for you :-)

Ingredients:

• All purpose Flour - 1 1/2 cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - 1/4 tsp
• Unsalted butter, softened - 113 g (1/2 cup)
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Large eggs - 2
• Meyer Lemon juice* - 2 Tbsp
• Meyer Lemon zest - 1-2 tsp (from 1-2 lemons)

*You can also use lemon or orange, if you can't find Meyer lemons.

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
Prepare the loaf pan by applying butter or oil. You can also place a parchment paper for easy release of the cake.
Take all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix it 9this is dry mixture).
Now in another bowl, take yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract and meyer lemon juice. Give a good mix until everything comes together. Set them aside (this is wet mixture).

Now take a large bowl. Add the softened butter, meyer lemon zest and sugar. 

Whisk it for 4-5 minutes until the butter looks creamy and light (I used my stand mixer).

Then add half the dry mixture and half the wet mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until combined. Then add the remaining wet and dry mixture. Mix until combined (don't over mix the batter as it will result in a tough cake).

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake it the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (It took 50 minutes for me). Once done, allow it cool for 10 minutes.

Then remove the cake out of the pan and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Cut into the cake only after cooling.
Meyer lemon Pound Cake is ready!

Above measurement serves 6-8 people.

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