~~Spanisch Omelette~~

I sometimes really wonder how my Mom used to make all these things, how did she know how to make them, she always took the right names for her dishes, how did she know that….

 

I never saw her using any cook book; she just had a very good friend, and they both used to call each other daily and that too, early in the morning. We practically grew up in the arms of that Aunt whom we called Khala Jan. So both these friends used to get together and try out so many new things : )

One of them was this Spanish Omelette too.

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Mom used to make it on weekends, in that round cake form with a hole in it, a semi deep silver form with two black metal handles

 

We children used to be so excited to see the Omelette fluff up till the edge and then sack down a bit when taken out of the oven.

Yes Mom used to bake it in the oven. She used to whisk 7-8 eggs with all spices, milk, tomatoes, fresh coriander, and potatoes and if she had any meat left out of any curry, she used to dry it up and then add that too. So that was our heavy and yummy breakfast with fried bread slices.

 

Okay i have taken the Pictures from two differents cameras so you see the difference, but this does'nt make it less delsih :D

I have also been making it off and on, but I make it in the largest pan I have and cover it and let it cook on a really soft flame

This is my way of making it

You need:

4 large eggs

5-6 Cherry tomatoes (cut in halves)

1 large potato (cut in cubes)

1 large onion (fine sliced)

Hand full chopped fresh coriander

2-3 chopped green chilies
2 tbs of sliced Mashrooms
(i took the ones in the glass bottle)

2-3 tbs milk

¼ - ½ tsp salt and more to taste

1 level tsp red chilli flakes

¼ crushed white cumin seeds

150 gr grated cheese (Ementaler/Gouda)

2-3 tbs oil

*take a broad frying pan for this, I use the 30cm one

*heat the oil and fry the onion till light gold

*fry the green chilies, they will splutter but no worries

*mix the spices in 2-3 tbs milk then break the eggs in it and beat good till fluffy

*pour these eggs on the fried onion, sprinkle the potatoes all over, then tomatoes, then the coriander, cook it for around 1 minutes then sprinkle the cheese on the top.

*cover a large lid and turn the flame on low, the bottom must not burn, yet the eggs have to cook on the top

*this will take around 8-10 minutes so have patience and don’t turn the flame high!!

* just keep a check, as soon as the cheese seems settled and take a color, it is done

 

You can eat it with roll buns, with tomato/Mozzarella with toast slices or with just more cheese :D

 We love it with buns, it is so tasty, yummy, filling and simply delicious.

I also add salami in it, or chicken chunks from left over grill or baked one. You can add anything you like, I add spinach in it too that makes this like a whole full meal.

Make and enjoy and share your views I’d be glad to read :D

Apricot Quark Cake

( Click on Pictures for a larger Image)

 

This cake is much loved by my family, I make it with different fruits like mixed fruit, apples or berries. This time I made it with Apricots, but I used the tinned ones for the batter and took the fresh ones for the deco.

The batter for this cake is actually very simple and very soft juicy, I call it the “Old Timer” of the batters: )

 

It is called the Rührteig, translated as Sponge Batter; and is made for many regular or sheet cakes.

Over the years I have found a standard measurement for this batter, we can use any milk product in it but it shouldn’t be too runny.

I have made it with either yoghurt or cream many times and this time I have used both Yoghurt and Quark in it (Cheese Curd)

 

In the sponge mixture we use many eggs but here there are different ingredients

You can prepare this sheet cake a day ahead and then decorate it with icing before you have to serve it. To keep it soft just cover with a cling

I have used a measuring cup, if you don’t have one then take any 150 ml cup. You can buy any yoghurt or cream tub of 150 ml quantity, empty it and use that as your measuring tool :)

So here we go, this is how I made this cake:

For the batter you need:

1 cup Quark/yoghurt

1 cup sugar

1 cup cooking oil

1 cup yogurt

3 cups plain flour

2 eggs

2 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp Vanilla essence

2 pinches of salt

1 lemon zest (peel of Lemon)

 

 

For the Top:

1 big tin of apricot (drain the juice completely)

To brush on the top:

3-4 tbs lemon jam+2 tbs water

 

 

-firstly mix the quark, yogurt, sugar and the vanilla essence evenly

-add the sieved flour and mix all

-now add the baking powder, and the eggs the lemon zest, salt  and first mix all with a spoon

-in the end, pour the Vanilla essence + oil and mix all quickly but only till the batter is creamy and even

-either lay a baking g paper on the tray or brush with oil and dust with flour and then pour this batter out on a 30x40 cm baking sheet,

-now place the halves of the apricot on the top

-bake in a preheated oven on 200°C for around 25-30 minutes

 

-while the cake is being baked, prepare the jelly top

-heat up the lemon jam and water, stir till it forms a slightly thick jelly.

-as the cake is done, take it out and immediately brush this jelly on the top so it sticks well when cold

-the shiny top will dry up in 15-20 minutes

 

-you can serve it as is, or do as I did, I whipped some fresh cream and placed a slice of fresh apricot on each

This tastes very soft, moist and juicy; the apricot pieces sink in the batter, so it is normal if you feel the bottom a bit wet. It is not uncooked; it is the juicy layer which stays on the bottom of the cake.

If you want the pieces to be visible on the top, then place them after the cake has been cooked at least 15 minutes.

Keep the cake in the fridge after you spray cream on it, it stay very well . I still have 3 pieces which I will enjoy with my cuppa tea now :D

  

This was my Sweet Dish after the Dinner with our Family Friends :)

 

*~~Chilli Cheese Nuggets~~*

                                                       (click on Pictures for a larger Image)

 I am so fond of spicy hot stuff and so have a strong liking towards all eatables with chilli : )

I love eating these chilli cheese nuggets, and i often bought them at Burger King.

The fact that I knew how many preservatives were added in there, still din’t matter to me till the day I thought…hmmm…

I must confess that time to time I do eat fast food but it’s like 2-3 times in a year, but I think nothing is impossible to make it at home yourself. It may surely not be like the readymade ones in taste and shape but then so what???

 

Yes there are things we can not make at home at all, alone the  ingredients, the machine work the essence and tools  which are not available, these all things count

Anyway, back to our Chilli Cheezy Nuggets : )

Hand made things give you such a good happy feeling because they are made with love, with the fresh and pure ingredients and with effort for your family.

I love it if the shape is not even and perfect, I often hear when people say, oh look the color is not like we buy, or the shape is a bit out of form or the taste is not like we get in restaurants…I say HELLLLLOOOOO…. Do you see the things they add to enhance THAT taste?? We should appreciate the effort behind  the work anyone does… agree or agree :)

 

Okay I get off the track lol… So I saw these being made in one of our tv programs, he made it in such an easy way,using the normal ingredients we all have at home. The best part was it is so so very tasty that I was also surprised, with so less spices they turned out really FANTASTIC!

My Husband is really choosy in these things and he was like Wow these are far better than the ones you buy : )

I have made a step by step so if anyone out there wants to set hands to make them, you can follow this easy peasy  recipe : )

I have used the really hottest chillies because … read the first lines lol

You can surely add the mild ones or to your taste, we don’t want you to call a fire brigade, do we  :D

So here you go

You will see that the Nuggets are uneven and have Crumbs all over, this is because when you fry them the cheese shoots out and burns in the oil and thus sticks all over.

Be careful while frying as we do get some shots on our Hands :)

 

   (Click on the Pictures to read the text written on the sides)
 

You can buy any cheese you like , there are different colors in Chester and Cheddar, one is light cream and the other is pale or dark yellow,which I use here.

 

 

It is good if you keep a check on the melting cheese and whish is slightly so there are no lumps in it.

 

 

 

 

This stage is to be loved,it is so spicy and yummy, I ate a lot while cutting lol

The best part was eating the cubes with grapes..Olala....

 

 

 

 

The final product is ready to be gobbled :)

 

 

I must tell you here, that the i just coated them thrice, the film i saw he coated them 5 times, so the Shell was very thick and firm. I did nto do it deliberately because the thicker the Crumbs the more oil it absorbs! so here too,it is upto your choice

 

 

 See the cheese  inside?  It was really soft melted yet it din't leak out.

 

 

 

 

And now i am off ot eat the rest 3 pieces from last night :) You all enjoy making it and do share your feed back, i'd love to know how you liked it.

**Tomatoe Chutney Sour and Spicy**

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Chutneys are a must in the Pakistani Cuisine and of course in all other South Asian Cuisine

too .We all make it the different ways according to our taste buds, with or without hot spices.

 

 

Whenever I was invited at my Afghani neighbors’ she always had this delicious chutney with all her dishes, especially with all sorts of rice and soups

It is a different taste, although same things. As she moved out I really missed eating that.  I tried to figure out what it could be

 

 Lately shopping at an Afghan store I asked the lady there, what specific ingredient is used in the normal chutney and it was just such a handy ingredient she told me.

I make it very often and it tastes so heavenly with all our meals, rice or shorba or curries : )

 

 

I make it very often and it tastes so heavenly with all our meals, rice or shorba or curries : )

It is the Sambal Oelek which is included in it that gives it the kick!

Sambal Oelek is a chili paste used very often in the Indonesian/Thai Cuisine

We can make it very easily at home too, so I first made that, takes around 20 minutes and you have your fresh paste there.

I will upload it soon :)

 I made it a bit thin and not that firm paste as I used more oil in it.You can dry all the water up and make it like a hard paste too, it is your choice.

You can make this tomato chutney and keep in the fridge more than 4-5 days, if it is not finishes by then  :)

 

 

This is how I made it,you Need :

½ bunch of fresh coriander

3-4 garlic pods

5-6 green chilies

2-3 medium tomatoes

2-tsp vinegar

Red chili flakes to your taste,

3-4 tsp of Sambal Oelek (or more to taste) 

I used no salt as Sambal Oelek is enough hot and salty

A half full hand of peppermint leaves not more, as it will change the color too dark, but we need that taste of peppermint : ) 

Though the Sambal Oelek already has lemon,garlic and chili in it, but I still add more garlic to it and more green chilies to give it a more intensive taste.

 

-wash and chop all these ingredients and put all in the blending jar

-place the tomatoes in the first bottom layer so they grind fast and you don’t need to add any water to it as this will make it runny and give a thin taste

-I sprinkled some lemon juice on the top too : )

-don’t blend till very fine as it tastes good when it is coarse and thick.

-Pour this chutney in a glass jar or any bottle and refrigerate.