Zaiqa

Breakfasts are the *most* important meals of the day and I am one among those people who can just not live without a proper breakfast every morning. Nevertheless, breakfast is most neglected and disregarded by people.

Chocolate Cupcakes/Muffins

These Chocolate cupcakes/muffins are another of my favorite breakfasts. Bake them on the weekends and store in air tight plastic boxes in a single layer, so that your breakfast for atleast a week is ready for you to just pick and go, and what more, these are butter free! They keep well for around a week or so.

Recipe adapted from:Cakes – 1,001 recipes from around the world

Chocolate Cupcakes/Muffins

Ingredients:

All-Purpose flour – 2 cups
Unsweetened Cocoa powder – 1/2 cup
Baking powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Milk – 3/4 cup
Canola Oil – 1/2 cup
Granulated Sugar – 1 1/4 cup
Honey – 1 tbsp
Eggs – 2 large
Semi sweet chocolate chips – 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spray a 16 muffin-pan or individual muffin cups with cooking oil, or line with foil or paper cups.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
4.  Beat the oil, sugar and honey in a large bowl in a food processor or using an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, until just blended after each addition. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Cool the muffins on racks.

Luv,
Mona

Pound cakes are my favorite for a quick breakfast. Slice them up, spread a jam of your choice, or enjoy them as it is, and you are good to go until lunch. I usually bake a pound cake once every month. I also savor them along with a cup of warm tea in the evenings. Heres the recipe that I follow –

Source: Everyday Food

Pound Cake
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter – 1 cup (2 sticks), room temperature, plus more for pan
All-purpose flour- 1 1/2 cups, (spooned and leveled), sifted, plus more for pan
Granulated sugar – 1 cup
Vanilla powder – 1 teaspoon
Eggs – 5 large, room temperature, lightly beaten
Coarse salt – 1/2 teaspoon

Sliced Pound Cake

Note: Let refrigerated butter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes; it should hold an indentation when pressed. If your eggs are cold, submerge them in warm water for 15 minutes.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly butter and flour a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan (I used a Bundt pan). In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until very light and fluffy, 7 minutes. Scrape down bowl and beat 1 minute more. Add vanilla, then gradually add eggs, beating well and scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add salt, then gradually add flour, beating well to combine and scraping down bowl as needed.
2. Transfer batter to pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 65 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 1 hour. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack before slicing. (To Store, wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days.

Alterations
1. Brown Sugar, Maple and Nut Pound Cake:
Swap 1/2 cup light brown sugar for 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp pure maple syrup for vanilla.
Fold 1 cup nuts of choice (walnuts, pecans, pinenuts, almonds, etc) lightly toasted and chopped, into batter before transferring to pan.

2. Berry Cornmeal Pound Cake:
Swap 1/2 cup fine ground yellow cornmeal for 1/4 cup flour
Fold 2 cups mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, gently tossed with 1 tbsp flour, into batter before transferring to pan.

3. Double Chocolate Pound Cake:
Swap 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 1/4 cup flour
Fold 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips, into batter before transferring to pan.

4. Citrus Glazed Pound Cake:
Add 1 tsp lemon zest plus 2 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp orange juice to batter along with vanilla and eggs.
Make a glaze by whisking together 1 cup confectioners sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp orange juice until smooth. Pour citrus glaze over cooled cake.

Note: To freeze the cake- When the cake is cool, wrap in plastic. Freeze for upto 3 weeks. Thaw, wrapped, at room temperature.

Cheers,
Mona

Earlier, traditional dishes like Luqmi-Kawab, Mirchi Ka Salan, Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and desserts/meetha like Double ka Meetha and Gajar ka Halwa were a sure sight at any Hyderabadi wedding on the dinner tables. With passing time and generations, this has changed. A modern take on several authentic dishes and innovative techniques to present them is todays mantra. Among them, ‘Apollo fish’ is a seafood manchurian type of dish that is getting very popular nowadays, which more and more Bawarchis are prefering to include in the menus, and quite liked by common masses.

Apollo fish (or) Fish Manchurian

The below recipe is my imitation of ‘Apollo Fish’. I do not know why is it called particularly as ‘Apollo’ fish, but I sure am among those ardent lovers of this Hyderabadi seafood dish. Your friends will definitely enjoy this very light and tangy platter of fish.

Apollo fish (or) Fish Manchurian

Ingredients:

Any firm boneless fish fillets – 500 gms, cubed into bite size pieces (you can even use frozen fish fillets)
For Batter:
Gram flour/Besan – 2 tbsp
All Purpose flour/Maida – 1 tbsp
Corn Flour – 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Roasted Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Water – to make batter
Egg – 1, large
For Baghaar:
Canola Oil
Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tsp
Fresh Curry leaves – about 20
Green, Yellow, Orange and Red bell peppers – 1/2 cup, cut into strips
Soya Sauce – 3 tbsp
Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
Mint and Cilantro leaves – 2 tbsp each, finely chopped, for garnish

Method:

1. In a bowl add the ingredients for batter and mix them well to make a batter. Add the fish cubes and gently mix with a spoon so that each piece gets completely covered with the batter.
2. Add a little bit of oil to a large non-stick frying pan at medium low heat and as soon as it gets warm, add the fish cubes in a single layer. Shallow fry them till they are golden brown on each side. Repeat until all the fish cibes are done. Remove in a platter and keep aside.
3. In the same frying pan, add a few drops  of oil and throw in the ginger garlic paste. Stir fry it till it is golden brown. Add the curry leaves and peppers. Saute it for 2 minutes. Pour in the soya sauce and add the fried fish cubes. With a rubber spatula, gently mix them all. Cover the lid and let cook for 2-4 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and serve warm immediately.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy the manchurian along with roti, rice or as a snack.

Cheers,
Mona

There’s colour everywhere finally after a long peroid of snow when you only get to see endless sheets of white everywhere. That is a beauty in itself too. I love the seasons in Canada. Each has its own splendour and gorgeousness. Its spring here, with frequent showers of rain and colorful blooms on almost every tree. The markets are also full of fresh produce and lots and lots of fruits and vegetables. I happened to find some Blueberries a few days back and thought of preparing some muffins. 

Blue Berry Muffins and a mup of Warm Coffee

Any kind of blueberry-frozen or unfrozen, is good for you. The fruit is filled with immune-boosting Vitamin C and antioxidants said to improve brain function. Research shows that blueberries can help to increase the number of cells in the area of the brain responsible for memory.

Blue Berry muffins are my favorite breakfast for a change. These muffins were soft and delicious. I had them along with a mup of warm coffee. And as the author of New Baking Book from which I have adapted this recipe says:

There’s nothing better than a fresh-baked blueberry muffin with your favorite cup of coffee or tea.

I totally agree!

Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour – 2 cups
• Granulated Sugar – 1 cup
• Baking Powder – 2 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Eggs – 2, beaten
• Milk – 3/4 cup
• Melted Unsalated Butter or Cooking Oil – 1/2 cup
• Orange Zest – 1 tbsp
• Fresh or Frozen blueberries – 1 cup, thawad
• Coarse Sugar (optional)

Method:

• Grease twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups for medium size muffins or you can grease six 3 1/2 inch muffin cups for giant size muffins. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture; set aside.
• In an another medium mixing bowl combine eggs, milk, butter or oil, orange zest. Add egg mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lunpy). Fold in buleberries.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffins cups, filling each almost full. If desired sprinkle tops with coarse sugar. Bake in 350 oven for about 35 minutes or until golden. Cool muffin cups; serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Along with a cup of warm Tea or Coffee for a filling breakfast.

I am sending this as an entry to Mansi who is hosting the Monthly Mingle:Appetizers & Hors’Doeuvres as she requested me to,. So here it is Mansi, all the way to you!

Also, I had been awarded the Yummy Blog Award by Meeso recently and I am delighted to recieve it.

“Yummy Blog Award is the award given to a blog with the most yummy recipes/photos”

And now according to the rules of this Award, I have to quote here my favorite dessert which I have prepared/eaten. My favorite desserts would be:

1. Qubani Ka Meetha with Vanilla Icre-Cream
2. Black Forest Cake
3. Caramel Custard Pudding
4. Trifle Pudding with dry fruits
5. Ande Ka Meetha
6. Cheesecakes

I now pass on this award to:

• Indira of Mahanandi
• Sunita of Sunita’s world
• Priya of 365 Days of Pure Vegetarian
• Kajal of Applemint 

Leisure Reding: An article on Hyderabadi cuisine by a Toronto newspaper 

Luv,
Mona

A warm welcome to everyone on my blog!

This is my first post, and I start this blog attempting to make an insight into the method of home-style cooking in the Hyderabadi households for the whole world, and to make friends in the blogging world, which I loved since I had started to read recipe blogs of different people, who share interests like me, love to cook food and discover new ways of cooking food.

Chicken croquettes are loved by everyone, and is a hit with children and adults too. This recipe is an appetizer specifically, but you can have it anytime, as you want. Its an easy recipe that gets prepared in a jiffy and it tastes like melted cheese once you bite into it. Serve these hot as soon as you prepare them as they do not taste very good when cold. Enjoy them along with any of your favourite sauces. You will definitely love them.

Chicken Croquettes

Chicken Croquettes

Ingregients:

Shredded cooked Chicken – 1 cup
All-Purpose flour/Maida – 4 tbsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Milk – 1/2 cup
Egg – 1
Bread crumbs – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. If you have any left over chicken, shred it and you can use it, or u can take some boneless chicken and fry it in oil, salt, red chilli and little water to make it soft. Once the chicken is soft, shred it, not too finely.
2. Now take a non-stick pan, melt butter, add maida and brown it well enough, but not too much. Add milk to it, and stir it so tat it forms a good paste, add more milk if it requires, let it not form onto lumps. Let it cool down a little bit. Once it is cool, add the shredded chicken and mix well. Keep this mixture in the refridgerator for 15-30 minutes, so that it hardens a bit.
3. Later, remove it from the fridge and make balls (croquette shaped)
4. Beat an egg in a cup.
5. In an another plate keep the bread crumbs.
6. Dip the balls into egg first, then in the bread crumbs, till it is properly covered, pat and remove the crumbs from the balls if excessively covered.
7. Deep fry the balls till nicely golden brown in colour Serve hot.

Luv,
Mona