CHERRY POUND CAKE

Here is a rich classic pound cake with the pretty surprise of chopped cherries, a very popular French Pound Cake. There is something tremendously comforting about pound cake. It's dense, buttery, supremely moist and baked perfectly. Some creative liberties have been taken here with the addition of vanilla essence and chopped cherries. Lets come to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:
150 gm / 1&1/2 Cups Cake Flour
150 gm Granulated Regular Sugar
3 Large Eggs
3 tbsp Butter Milk
1&1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Baking Powder
185 gm / 14 tbsp Salted Butter (at room temperature)
3/4 Cup Chopped Cherries

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C. Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla extract with a wire whisk. Mix all in together.

Grease a loaf pan and then sprinkle little flour on the inner surface of the pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the loaf pan. Spray with cooking oil.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Mix with a electric blender for 30 seconds. Add butter and half of the egg mixture in it. Mix in low speed for 30 seconds. Again blend it with electric hand blender for 1 minute on medium speed. Add remaining egg mixture little by little and mix well with the wire whisk. 

Add chopped cherries in it. Fold nicely. 

Pour mixture to loaf pan and bake it for 50-55 minutes, till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Cool it for 15-30 minutes on a wire rack. 

Cut into slices and serve. You may keep it in air-tight container and refrigerate for a week.

A PREVIEW ON FOUR SEASONS WINE PAIRED MENU AT 'THE WALL'

The Wall

31, Dr. Sarat Banerjee Road,

Opposite Russa Telephone Exchange,

Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata - 700 029.

Contact Nos: (+91) 33 24649041 / (+91) 33 24640280

Cuisine: Boutique Chinese Food

Hours: 12.30 PM to 3.30 PM, 7.00 PM to 10.45 PM

Gaurmate Indulgence Package: Rs. 999/- + taxes

(Per person for 3 course meal paired with Four Seasons Wines)

Rating: 4/5 

A Food and Wine Fiesta - The Gaurmate Indulgence organised by Four Seasons Wine is going arround Kolkata city. Team Gingerclaps invited a group of food bloggers to demystify sample menus and share about our experience. Me and my fellow blogger Poorna Banerjee who blogs at Presented by P decided to go together at The Wall.

This is the very first time I visited that place. At the entrance we were greeted very warmly by their manager Dibyajyoti Chaudhuri. After welcoming, we started to discuss on Wine pairing event, menus, drinks and what we were going to be served that day. The choice between vegetarian or non vegetarian 3 course of meal, me and Poorna jointly decided to go with levish 3 course of non vegetarian meal.The first course served with 2 glasses of Four Seasons Sauvignon Blanc (red wine), a plate of kimchi and cucumber pickle. Dibyojyoti explained us very nicely that we were going to taste the South Easten Cuisine (Indonesian), which is designed by their chefs according to taste and flavour of the wine.

As both of us are meat lover, so we choosen Satay Babi (pork satay) in peanut sambal dip as a starter. Soft boneless skinless tasty spicy pork pieces arranging in a skewers with a small bowl of peanut sauce, were really very yummy and mouth melting with a glass of red wine. At that time Poorna Banerjee shown me how to swirl wine enough to release its actual flavour. It can be an appetizer, snack or a side dish when part of an Indonesian Rijsttafel. Personally I cherished this flavour of spicy soft pork with sweet and tangy Sauvignon Blanc. Where as our host Debojyoti ordered for a light salad based on lettuce with a spicy chili sauce and mayonnaise.

After the first couse of meal, we opted Khaw Pad Ching Kai (non veg rice) & Kari Kapitan (Gulai / lamb curry) for our main course. 'Kari kapitan' was a harmonious blend of aromatic spices and coconut milk in boneless lamb pieces. Without a doubt, it was awesome taste, aroma, flavor, burst full of yumminess in every bite. Khaw Pad Ching Kai is also very delicious platter of rice. We asked for plain rice and with plain rice that gulai curry was just fabulous.

We had no other choice, so we opted Cantoni Appali as our dessert. I was not very fond of South Eastern dessert but this time it was really a fantastic dessert with quarter of a green apple crust, filled with date and almond paste, smear with a fine caramel layer and one side was sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds (black and white). When I bite it, it was just mouth melting apple dessert as I never tasted before. 

We cherished our experience in 'The Wall', the prices are affordable, good seating arrangement.Thanks a ton to Team Ginger Claps for extending the invitation. The staff is well behaves. Both quality and quantity of food is very nice. Worth a visit for some great Pan Asian food.

Disclaimer: This was an invited review and no monetary transaction was involved.

DURGA PUJA ASHTAMI SPECIAL KHICHDI BHOG / BHOGER KHICHURI

Durga Puja offers a culinary feast. Very simple ingredients are used here, this is also one of the best kept secrets, bhoger khichuri has a distinct flavour.Khichudi is an essential partof the spread offered to Devi Durga. Apart from that luchi (puffed pooris) or pulao can be given as bhog too. Here is a delectable khichuri recipe which we, Bengalis offer to Ma Durga as a 'bhog'.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Gobindo bhog/ kalo jeera/ basmati rice

1&1/4 Cups of Moong Dal (Split green gram lentils)

1/3 Cup Green Peas (I used frozen)

6 Florets of Cauliflower

2 Potatoes (peeled and cut into halves)

2-3 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)

1-2 Bay Leaves

1 Dried Red Chillies

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

Garam Masala Crushed (1" Cinnamon, 3 Green Cardamoms & 3-4 Cloves)

1-2 Green Chilles (cut in slits)

3/4 tsp Minced Ginger

1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

METHOD:

In a wok, dry roast moong dal. After few seconds, you will get a nice aroma of bhuni/roasting dal. Its colour will change to brown. Turn off heat. Pour some water over it. Drain water completely and keep the moong dal seperate. Wash the rice under running water and keep it aside.

Heat clarified butter in a pressure panor kadai. Add minced ginger in it. Saute for few seconds, add cumin seeds and let it change its colour a little. Now add dried red chilli and bay leaf, again saute for few more seconds. Mix crushed garam masala and green chillies in it, a nice aroma comes out. 

Now add potato and cauliflower in it. Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

Pour 1/2 Cup warm water and spread the dal in it. 

When dal started to boil, add rice and green peas in it. 

Add kashmiri red chilli powder, salt, sugar and turmeric powder in it. Fold nicely for 2-3 minutes or till everything incorporated very well.

Add 3&1/2 Cups of water in it. Let it come to boil. 

Close the lid of pressure cooker and pressure cook in low till you get one whistle. Switch off the heat now, let it rest in stream for few minutes. If dal is not cooked fully, add 1/2 cup of water and cook for another 7-8 minutes on low heat.

Khichuri bhog is ready. Serve infront of Ma Durga with five kinds of fried vegetables, Rice Kheer or Chaler payesh and Tomato Date chutney. Enjoy this simple but super scumptious meal.

NOTES: Do not use any onions and garlic, since Bengali customs consider these ingredients to be non vegetarian. 

It is not custom, but if you wish, may add tomato in it to enhance the flavour and taste.

GINGER CHICKEN (ADRAKI MURGH)

I have tried different types of curried chicken dish, but found it is more delightful than others. Ginger based curry with lots of flavour is truly toothsome. Marinade the chicken as long as possible, the taste is to die for. Topping with butter makes it more appetizing. A perfect dish to serve in any party or get together......really awesome!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb / 450 gm boneless Chicken
1 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp dry ginger powder
2 medium sized onions (chopped)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp garam masala powder (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves)
2 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)
2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt (according to taste)

METHOD:
Cut the chicken into cubes. Marinate chicken with ginger and garlic paste. Keep aside for an hour.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and fry till golden brown.

Now add marinated chicken into it, saute for 10-12 minues.

Then add lemon juice, dry ginger powder, garam masala, red chilli powder and salt in it. Saute for 2 minutes. Add half cup of warm water in it. Let it cook for another 5 minutes.

After that add black pepper powder and butter. Stir for another 1 minute.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Serve this truly delectable chicken dish with rumali rotis or naan or parathas accompaning with green salad.

CARAMELIZED ONION TART INSPIRED BY AMRITA GILL

Once again, here is a post to Kolkata Food Blogger's event - 'Know Your Kolkata Food Bloggers'. Today, I am going to introduce a very happy couple who are completely foodie, our sweet and very responsible blogger friends, Amrita Gill and her husband Vishal Tupper from "Sweet 'n' Savoury". 

Both of them are very jovial, friendly, very energetic and with lots of innovative and creative ideas regarding different kind of foods - a gorgeous couple with the sweetest smiles. The idea and concept of this event came from Amrita only. She is a great baker, please visit her space where you can find out amazing baking recipes with mouth watery desserts; where as Vishal is absolutely seafood lover and he shares lots of cooking recipes too. I had my eyes on 'Caramelized Onion Tart' that Amrita had once posted on her blog, I tried my hands on it, just came out awesome!!! My family loved and relished it so much, thanks for this wonderful savoury treat. Lets come to the recipe........

INGREDIENTS:

FOR 6 TARTS:
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
30 gm Butter (cold)
Little Ice Water For Kneading

FOR FILLING:
2 Medium Onions (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Dark Soya Sauce
1/4 tsp Green Chili Sauce
1 tbsp Oil
A Pinch Of Sugar
A Pinch Of Salt

FOR GARNISHING:
1 tbsp Full Shredded Carrot
Coriander Sprigs
1 tbsp Mayonnaise

METHOD:

HOW TO MAKE TART CRUST:

Cut butter in small cubes. In a bowl, mix flour and butter. Rub the butter cubes with the flour till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (in texture). Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time and knead to get a smooth dough (Do not over knead). Wrap this dough with a plastic wrapper and refrigerate for half an hour.

Take out the dough and roll it with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Roll out roughly to the size of the choosen tart with 1/8" thickness. With your fingers press gently the pastry dough into the bottom and side of the tart pan. Be sure that the pastry fits snugly where the bottom and the side of the pan meet with no air pockets. The top of the pastry shell will be even with the top of the pan. To trim the excess portion, fold the overhanging pastry over the rim of the pan, press it along the edge and break off the excess portion. Line all the tart pans following the same way. Make small holes on the sides and bottom by using a fork to prevent it from shrinking and refrigerate for another half an hour.

Preheat oven to 180 C. Bake the tarts for 18-20 minutes or till they turn light brown in colour. Let them cool and take them out.

FOR FILLING:

Heat a tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Lower the heat and let it fry slowly. Keep stirring occasionally. After few minutes, onion turns into nice golden brown colour. Sugar inside the onion oxides and turn it in brown colour, it is called 'caramelization'. Now add vinegar, soya sauce, chili sauce and sugar. Stir well and remove it from the heat. Caramalized onion filling is now ready to stuff.

FOR ASSEMBLING:
Fill each tart with a spoonful of caramelized onions.

Garnish each with 1/2 tsp mayonnaise, little shredded carrot and a coriander leaf. Yummy, crunchy, mouth watery onion tarts are ready to serve now.

NARKOLER DUDH DIYE ILISH MACH (HILSA FISH IN COCONUT MILK) & KNOW YOUR KOLKATA FOOD BLOGGER KAMALIKA CHAKRABORTY

Today I am going to post this recipe to Kolkata Food Blogger's event - "Know Your Kolkata Food Bloggers". It is my immense pleasure to introduce our lovely friend, Kamalika Chakraborty. 'Kolkata Food Bloggers' was the brainchild and created by Kamalika Chakraborty of Silence Sings. She is a passionate home maker, a great cook, designer, amazing baker and has her own company - IKa's Cakes & Chocolates. Other than that, she runs jewellery business too. It is her passion to make a bond within bunches of food bloggers who are from Kolkata and form a group. We exchange our experiences with each other, having lots of fun, reviewing restro and doing different activities.

First time, I met her at our group's first bloggers meet. I was too excited before meeting these bunches of co-blogger friends. Today, we are the proud members of Kolkata Food Blogger's and the credit goes to her only. She is very co-operative, creative in nature, genuine, friendly and a very intelligent person. According to this event, this week we have to choose one of her yummilicious recipes and post it on our respective spaces. And I choosen one of her delightful Hilsa Fish dish for today. Lets come to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:
4 Blocks Hilsa Fish (illish mach)
200 ml Coconut Milk
1 Medium Onion
2 Bay Leaves
1" Cinnamon, 2 Pods of Cardamoms, 2 Cloves
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
4 Green chilies
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Mustard Oil
1/2 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)

METHOD:

Wash hilsa pieces nicely and make those pat dry. Marinate fish with little turmeric and salt. Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Grind or grate onion with 2 green chilies. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a wok / pan. Shallow fry the fish and reserve.

In the same oil, add cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaves. Wait to splutter. Add onion, fry for 3-4 minutes, till onion turns brown.

Add coconut milk, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder and salt.

When it starts to boil, pour 1/2 cup warm water in it. Let it boil for a minute or two. Add fried fish in it. Boil till as much thick consistency you want. Before taking off from heat, add remaining green chillies (cut in slits), coriander leaves and clarified butter. Serve warm with steamed rice or pulao.

Enjoy this scrumptious Hilsa dish...:)

BUTTER SPONGE CAKE

This buttery moist sponge cake is very easy to make, absolutely delicious and perfect for afternoon tea. Butter sponge cake relies on beaten eggs to make it light and feather. I love the taste, it is simply awesome!

INGREDIENTS:
225 gm Self-Raising-Flour + For Dusting
250 gm Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
200 gm Butter + For Greasing
50 ml Olive oil

METHOD:
Preheat oven at 180 C / 350 F. Grease an aluminium cake mould with little butter and dust with little flour. Break eggs in a bowl. Add vanilla essence in it. Beat well with electric beater for 10 minutes continuously. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, olive oil and sugar together with a electric hand blender for 3 minutes, or till it fluffy.

Add flour into creamed mixture, also add 1/2 of the beaten egg mixture in it. Mix well by using cut and fold method. Add remaining egg mixture and milk in it. Fold very nicely.

Pour mixture into greased cake tin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the middle springs back when touched or a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from heat now and let the cake stand for 15 minutes to cool.

Demould and cut into desired pieces and serve. You may store it in air-tight container upto 4 days and refrigerate for a week.