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Taystit by Hasna

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Baklava Mini Bundt Cake with Honey Glaze




Howdy Folks? Finally my LO gets her mid term break and this calls for celebration. Haha! Little pleasures of life.. I tell you! So I decided to celebrate doing what I love doing the most.. Experimenting! 

Last week I happened to have Baklava and currently the only thing that I crave for is baklava. Baklava is a sticky sweet made of filo pastry brushed with pure ghee or butter, filled with chopped nuts and drenched in sugar syrup w/wo honey. The crunchy texture of nuts and crispy from the buttery filo pastry and the citrus flavor from lemon which is added to the sugar syrup binds all the different flavors together into a delicious sweet which originates from the Ottomon Empire.

This Baklava mini Bundt cake is inspired from the Traditional Baklava. Though this recipe doesn't use Filo Pastry, we take the good stuff i.e., the nuts and the base that of ghee cake with a hint of cinnamon and drizzled with honey icing and topped with caramelized nuts and pistachios.

Baklava is a time consuming process, which is why I rarely prepare them at home. Now this innovation of mine is just so easy. Basically no efforts at all. I bet even little kids can make this yummy cake.
Though I have prepared the cake in mini bundts, you may use a loaf cake pan or a normal bundt cake pan. The mini one's are cute and bakes in no time. I am sure if you try this for a tea party, it is definitely going to be a show stopper. 





If you think you ain't great at baking, this recipe is for you. It is a no-fail recipe. If you plan to bake ghee cake, just double the quantity of ghee. And aah, your house will smell so good while the oven gets its job done. Once the mini cakes are done, allow it to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and flip it. The 10 minute timing is perfect for the bundt cakes to fall off, to be on the safer side, don't forget to grease the inner nooks and corners well.



The flavors are sooo good. They honey icing is killer. I added a dash of cream, but if you prefer the lemony zest, add in a squeeze of lemon instead of the cream.* If you love ghee cakes and caramelized nuts, you are definitely in for a treat! 

Ingredients:

Cake Batter:

  • 1 Cup All Purpose Flour/ Patent Flour
  • 1/4 Cup Ghee
  • 1/2 Cup Full Fat Fresh Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  • A pinch of Cinnamon Powder
  • A pinch of Salt


Honey Glaze:

  • 2 tbsp Room Temperature Butter
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon/ cream*

Topping:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • A pinch of light brown sugar


Instructions:

Baklava Bundt Cake:

  1. To prepare the mini bundt cakes, preheat the oven to 180 Deg C. Prepare your pan by greasing all the corners of the bundt pan using any flavorless vegetable oil and/ ghee.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients like flour, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
  3. Next in a deep bowl, cream your ghee and sugar.
  4. Add in your milk and vanilla essence; whisk until creamy.
  5. Crack in your egg and mix well to combine.
  6. Now add in your flour mixture and fold everything well to a cake batter.
  7. Now slowly using an ice cream scooper, a piping bag or a normal tablespoon, spoon in your batter into the cake pan.
  8. Place the pan in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Allow the pan to cool exactly for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
  10. Invert the mini cakes from the pan and to cool completely while we prepare the topping and the icing.



Topping:

Into a small non stick pan, add in your butter, brown sugar, chopped nuts (almond, pistachios, walnuts) and honey and allow to thicken and switch off and drop onto a baking paper whilst still hot and allow to cool. While the nuts topping cools, lets prepare the honey glaze.

Honey Glaze:

  1. Combine honey, powdered sugar, butter and lemon juice/ cream and make sure it is not too thick nor too watery. Reduce your lemon juice/ cream accordingly.
  2. Drizzle over the top of the cooled mini bundt cakes and garnish with your prepared nuts topping or slivered pistachios. Serve Immediately or you may keep the cake for up to 3 days in room temperature.



Note:
Please do not use cream if you happen to use lemon, as this might cause the icing to curdle.
 


Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Nasi Goreng






May peace and blessings be upon you all.

One of the first recipes that I tried in my initial stages of experimenting was Indonesian cuisine and always the best. It is the super easy, delicious and tummy filling... *drum roll* - Nasi Goreng. 

As gorgeous as the sunny side up on the rice looked I was curious to try this at home years ago. And one fine afternoon when my mom asked what to cook for lunch, I asked her to go take some rest while I tried nasi Goreng. After like going through a couple of recipes, I tried my hands on Nasi Goreng on my own idea, as I did not have all the ingredients on hand that was required in the authentic recipe. And bam! It was soooooper hit.! 

All I would say is that the fish sauce is a bit unpleasant but when everything comes together, the umami flavor is just next level! 😋 You may use a dash of oyster sauce too 👌

And it is generally served with a fried egg/Sunnyside up, a few slices of Cucumber and tomato. Imagine the half done egg yolk oozing onto the flavorful rice. Oooooh soooo good!

One of my absolute favorite lunch/ dinner. The Kecap Manis is what takes this fried rice to a next level. Just make double the quantity of the mentioned kecap Manis and store in the refrigerator to use the next time you prepare nasi Goreng. Super easy and convenient yet such a wholesome meal. This one is such a keeper! 



Ingredients :

  • 3 cups day old Basmati rice (or cooked and cooled completely) 
  • 1 onion chopped, and fried (for topping) 

For rice:

  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli, low heat
  • 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Flakes 
  • 250 gms chicken breast, sliced (or any protein like shrimps), marinated in 1 tbsp kecap manis
  • 4 eggs (2 for scrambling and 2 for bullseye topping) 
  • 2 tsps fish sauce
  • Cucumber and tomato slices, to garnish
  • Lime wedges, to garnish

Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce) :

  • 6 tbsp Soy sauce 
  • 1-2 red bird's eye chilli or 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Flakes 
  • 1-1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions :

Kecap manis:
In a pan, add the ingredients under kecap manis and bring to a simmer. Reduce until slightly thickened (for about 2 minutes). The more it sits, the more it thickens. 

Rice:
  1. To a large skillet/wok , pour some oil. 
  2. Once heated, add in your chopped onion, garlic and green chilly. 
  3. Saute until raw smell disappears or until the onion has become translucent. 
  4. Next add in the marinated chicken strips and sautee well until cooked for around 5 minutes. 
  5. Shift the chicken to a side and pour a tsp of oil and drop in your eggs to scramble them. 
  6. Next add rice, little by little, adding in 2 tbsp or more of the prepared or store bought kecap Manis. Add in your fish sauce now, if you are using. 
  7. Now stir constantly on high flame, mostly by tossing the wok, so that the rice doesn't break down further. 
  8. Season with salt if required. 
  9. Garnish by placing a fried egg on the top, Sprinkle the fried onions and place sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the side of the plate (traditional way of plating). Also place a lemon wedge* and enjoy! 
  10. Bon appétit. 



Note: 

  • You may use Jasmine rice too
  • If you do not like fish sauce you may omit it, but the fish sauce is what brings in its different, umami flavor.
  • You may use store bought shrimp paste as a substitute for fish sauce.
  • After a minute on high heat, add in your marinated protein
  • Topping suggestions : chopped spring onions and chopped red bird eye's chilli.
  • *The lemon wedge plays a great role in enhancing the flavor of the rice (my favorite part). 

Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Unniyappam - A Traditional Kerala Snack



Good evening folks!

Unniyappam is one Kerala snack that I have faint memories of. The chewy outer layer and soft spongy like insides which gave in small pieces of ghee roasted coconut to munch on is something incredibly good. Though I used to dislike it as a child, I remember having my classmates and seniors bringing them to school when I did my schooling in Kerala; in these little steel dabbas that they would open and close with the utmost care and give you one if you are good friends with them. Aaaah memories! I used to always pass it on to the next person sitting near me as I hated wasting food and I didn't want to hurt by saying a no.

So one fine day, I finally happened to try it from one of my seniors and my bus mate. This particular unniyappam looked extremely appealing that I had to try it! Maaan, it would owe it her and her mom or whoever made that unniyappam.. big time! The unniyappam that she shared was undeniably so good, the color, the texture, yet the crunch from the ghee roasted coconut pieces made me fall for it. Neethu.. I hope you read this. :) 

Alas.. if you happen to have had an aversion to a particular food once and you somehow think of them all to be the same. Been there. Lesson learned. Never said a no after that lol, unless the food is stale or disgusting. Well, at our place, we don't make unniyappam much. Most often it has been a delicacy only relished from bakeries etc. Always disliked theirs too as theirs seemed to be hard and not spongy. If you nail the technique and get it right.. I am sure it will stay soft in an airtight container well for at least 2-3 days. My hubster, who happens to dislike unniyappam too, he never bothered to try it. My daughter who usually has food aversion, kept grabbing one from the kitchen counter top. The Mister who got curious, tried himself and stuffed his face without a word. Haha. Not boasting but it really was yumm coz I like mine chewy, spongy and crunchy at the same time.

Recently I have been on an experimenting and inventing mode off, as I love to explore traditional food too.These are made using pachari (white rice), jaggery, small Kerala bananas*(4-5), ghee roasted coconut pieces, black sesame seeds and a pinch of cardamom. The ingredients sounds simple yea? Well, it gets done in no time too. One of the easiest evening snack you can make. Jutst prepare the batter in the morning and allow to ferment for a good 8 hours, or you may also grind and allow it to ferment right before you go to sleep (if waiting is not in your dictionary). For me, since it is winter here it took around 8 + hours, but if you are in a hot and humid country, your batter may get fermented even earlier. So, let's hop on to the ingredients. Shall we?



Ingredients: 

  • Coconut oil*
  • 1 cup Pachari/ White Rice (soaked for 4-5 hours)
  • 2 Robust Ripe Bananas
  • 2 tsp Ghee
  • 1/2 cup melted jaggery 
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup small coconut pieces 
  • 3 large cardamom pods
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 tsp black sesame seeds
  • Baking powder, a pinch
  • Salt, as required

Instructions:

  1. Roast your coconut pieces in ghee and set them aside.
  2. Wash and grind your rice with water (be careful not to make too loose nor too tight)
  3. Next add in your bananas, cardamom pods and grind well and transfer to a large bowl.
  4. Now add in your melted Jaggery and your roasted coconut pieces, and salt and mix well.
  5. Allow to ferment for 8-9 hours.
  6. Now add in your baking powder, and black sesame seeds and mix well.
  7. Into an Appa Chatti with cavities, pour in your coconut oil.
  8. Once the oil is hot, pour in tablespoonfuls of the batter and allow to fry on medium flame and turn 
  9. the unniyappams using a stick.
  10. Allow to cook well on both sides and transfer to a steel oil strainer.
  11. Allow to drain. Your favorite evening snack is now ready to devour.



Notes:

  • Using Coconut oil gives you the best results and taste, nevertheless you may use any flavorless vegetable oil too.
  • Usually, the small bananas are used for this recipe, if using the small Kerala bananas, you may use 5 of them. I had only robust bananas with me.


Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Sindhi Biryani



Good evening folks!

Who doesn't love biryani yea? I love our classic Thalassery Biryani the most, but once in a while, a change could do. Ever wondered that no matter how detailed of a recipe of a biryani is given to a person, no one comes up with the same flavors. Almost every biryani made by each one of us has a different taste to it, even if it's the same recipe. This is because everyone prepares biryani with so much love and care. 

For us every Friday it is Biryani day in here. So how about we try a different type of biryani this week that consists of meat, rice and potatoes with a special spice blend that goes into the making of the dish. Yes, you guessed it right! It's Pakistan's most beloved Sindhi Biryani. 



Sindhi biryani originates from the Sindh Province of Pakistan, it is known to be the most popular biryani in Pakistan. The main ingredients that makes this biryani stand out is the use of dried plums or prunes and potatoes. 

It is a very delicious biryani that can be prepared with chicken or meat. It is said that the Persian Travellers passed on their recipe, and the chefs took over and added their authentic flavors to it. And that pretty much sums up how this aromatic and indulgent Sindhi Biryani was born. What makes the Sindhi biryani distinct is also the fact that the biryani masala is cooked in caramelized onion. 


Ingredients :

Sindhi Biryani Spice Mix from scratch :

  • 1 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder 
  • 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 10 pcs whole Black Pepper
  • 5 pcs Cloves
  • 2 black cardamom (optional) 
  • 4 dried Bay leaves
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon 
  • 3 pcs Green Cardamom
  • 2 pcs Star Anise (optional) 
  • Salt, as required 
  • Sugar, a pinch

Masala:

  • 3 cups Basmati rice, soaked for half an hour and drained
  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cloves 
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 500 gms Fresh Chicken/Meat
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp Ghee
  • 3 large onions, sliced
  • 2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste 
  • 5 Green Chillies, slit
  • 1 large Tomato, chopped
  • 4 pcs prunes or dried plum
  • 4 tbsp Curd, whipped
  • 3 tbsp Prepared spice mix
  • Handful of Coriander and Mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 large Potato, peeled and cut into cubes. 
  • 2 strands of saffron soaked in warm milk


Instructions:

  1. Grind all of the spices mentioned above to make sindhi biryani spice mix . 
  2. Into a pressure cooker pour in your oil and /ghee and Sautee your onions until caramelized and not burnt. 
  3. Next add in your ginger garlic paste. 
  4. Drop in your cleaned and drained chicken/ meat which has been marinated in salt and allow to fry for around 10 minutes. 
  5. Next add in your tomatoes, green chillies and your chopped herbs*. Sautee well and finally add in your cubes of potatoes. 
  6. Next add in your prunes and curd.
  7. Add in your spice powder mix and salt as required. 
  8. Cook the chicken with 2 cups of water with a closed lid without the weight of the pressure cooker for 5 minutes and you are done. *
  9. While the chicken gets done, let's prepare the rice. Into a large non stick pot add in your rice, water, spices and 1 tsp cooking oil and switch on your flame. *Click here to know the cooking instructions for the perfect, fluffy Basmati rice. Switch off the flame once it is 80% done,open lid and fluff up the rice. 
  10. If the chicken masala has too much gravy, remove the chicken pcs and allow to reduce by boiling on high and stirring occasionally. 

  11. Next, put the biryani on Dum by putting the first layer as the chicken masala and then top it with the 80% cooked rice and smoothen lightly. 
  12. Gently sprinkle your saffron milk and allow to stay on dum for at least 10 minutes on simmer.
  13. Slowly fluff up and toss your rice, very gently. Keep in mind not to over do this just a couple of times. You don't want mushy rice. 
  14. Finally garnish with fried onions, cashews and chopped Coriander leaves. 
  15. Serve hot with raita. 



Notes:

  • If using other meat like mutton or beef cook for around 6-7 whistles depending on the tenderness of the meat. 
  • Authentically, You may add your tomatoes, green chillies and Coriander leaves in the dum process after the layer of the masala. 
  • If using meat, do not add the potatoes along with the meat as meat needs more time to cook compared to chicken, and the potatoes in turn can become super mushy. You may boil the potatoes separately and add too. 

Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

 Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Skillet Cookie



Aaaaah! Winters and warm desserts are a match made in heaven. Imagine yourself digging into a skillet full of chocolatey lava goodness with a hint of Hazelnut and Nutella. Oh myyy! I am literally drooling while typing this.. It's one of those quick desserts that require less or just one bowl to mix everything and drop the batter into the greased skillet/cast iron pan and bake. As simple as that. Basically a giant monster cookie with no shaping into balls or freezing required! 😍 😋



Also if you think that you cannot try this recipe just because you don't have 3 different chocolates, I have a solution because the Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Skillet Cookie basically comprises of Dark chocolate, semi choco chips/ milk chocolate and the hidden hero.... NUTELLAAAA... Yeaaahh you guessed that right! So if you only have Nutella and any one chocolate chips you are all ready to bake! Also if you do not have a skillet, don't fret! A pizza pan or any small flat pan works just fine! 

This skillet cookie is so delicious and flavorful with a crunch of roasted Hazelnuts. Just make sure you do not overbake the cookie.* The warm gooey chocolatey cookie with ice cream is just mesmerizing.. Although you might think that skillet cookies are only good when they are warm, nope! It was so much better the next day. The flavors were so intense that tbh I loved it so much more the next day (that is if you have any left). Here it was just me and Huda to have it warm.. So there was a lot left and the next day it just vanished into thin air.

Now that I have made you drool enough let's get right into the ingredients! 😁🤤






Ingredients :

  • 100 gm softened butter
  • 1/4 cup oil 
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract 
  • 2 cups all purpose flour/cake flour
  • 1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Nutella (1/4+1/4 cups) 
  • 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts
  • Salt, a pinch 

Instructions :

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. 
  2. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, combine butter, brown sugar and white granulated sugar on med-low speed. 
  3. Next add in your eggs and vanilla extract and whisk well. 
  4. Next using a sieve, drop in your bowl( that contains your creamed butter) all your dry ingredients and combine using a spatula.
  5. Next add in your chocolates, 1/4 cup of the reserved Nutella and roasted Hazelnut and combine well. 
  6. Spray your cast iron with non stick spray and dump the cookie dough mixture into the 10-12 inch cast iron skillet and even it out gently using a spatula. Finally drop in teaspoons of Nutella and using a Toothpick or a skewer make swirls. 
  7. Place in oven and bake for around 40 minutes (keep an eye after 35 minutes). 
  8. Remove from the oven and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
  9. Bon appétit! 😋😋





Notes-
*When you touch the cookie, the edges should be cooked and hard the middle should have a sturdy surface yet a slightly Goey feel inside. 


Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Mutton Makhni



And we have reached the end of the year 2020, even though it might have not been as great as we anticipated it to be, we have made it Alive! Alhamdulilah (Praise is to God) for all the blessings we still have. My heart goes out to all those who have faced calamities during this pandemic. Let us begin this new year by being grateful for all that we have.

Okay, coming to the recipe of the day, it is mutton makhni, something similar to butter chicken but way easier! This recipe was an inspiration from my bhabhi (sister-in-law)'s mom. One day, when she happened to stay with us she prepared something that looked like butter chicken but without the chicken, instead, the meat was mutton. I was surprised and wondered why I never thought of this idea before. When I asked her, what the name of the dish was, she said there was no specific name. Recently, I decided to re-create the dish, from what I understood by tasting it. And to my surprise, I nailed it!

The gravy is a thick concoction of every Indian basic curry flavors, which comprises of onion, ginger-garlic, green chilies, tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder, and garam masala. The sauteed and pressure cooked meat is then fished out from the prepared gravy. The gravy is ground to a fine paste which goes through a mesh strainer to give you a butter-like sauce, which is why I named the dish - Mutton Makhni. The gravy is velvety smooth and the mutton (lamb meat) is so tender that I felt no other name would have matched better!



Such a royal and rich gravy that you can't get enough! Try this recipe the next time you have a party and I am sure you are bound to please your crowd! And best part is that, this gravy is super easy to prepare unlike the classic butter chicken, which involves another step of frying the chicken.



Ingredients :

  • 500 gms mutton
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 2 - 3 green chillies, slit (depending on spice level, I prefer less chillies as this dish isn't on the spicy side) 
  • 1 large tomato, chopped 
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder 
  • 1 tsp Garam masala powder 
  • 8-10 cashews 
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp Tomato ketchup
  • 1/4 tsp Garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp dried Fenugreek leaves 
  • 2 tbsp cream 
 

Instructions :

  1. In a pressure cooler, add in a tbsp of oil and Sautee your onions until translucent. 
  2. Now add in your ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Saute for around 30 seconds. 
  3. Next add in your chopped tomatoes and cahsews, Sautee. 
  4. Add your spice powders - Turmeric powder, Kashmiri Red Chilli powder, and Garam masala. Sautee for a minute on simmer. 
  5. Add in your cleaned mutton pieces and add salt as required. (around a tsp and 1/4)
  6. Pour 1/2 cup water or until the mutton pieces are almost covered in water. 
  7. After around 5-7 whistles (depending on the maturity of the meat), switch off and allow the pressure to release on its own. 
  8. Once the pressure has released and you open the lid, fish out your mutton pieces and set aside. 
  9. After allowing your curry to cool a bit, add the contents to a mixer grinder and grind to paste. 
  10. Now into a steel skillet or casserole add in a tbsp of butter, and add in a tsp of Kashmiri Red Chilli powder for that extra deep color on the lowest heat setting. 
  11. Immediately strain the ground paste using a steel strainer into the skillet or casserole and mix well. 
  12. Pour in your milk to make your gravy thin but without losing its richness. 
  13. Finish off with your garam masala and dried Fenugreek leaves. 
  14. Add in your tomato ketchup or sugar for balancing. Check and adjust seasoning as required. 
  15. Garnish with cream and Coriander leaves. 
  16. Enjoy with ghee rice, chappathi or any rotis of your choice! 😋



Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Manchow Soup






Howdy folks! Manchow soup, perfect for your wintery slurpy goodness. Nothing beats a bowl of steaming hot soup on a cold winter night. Manchow soup is from indo-Chinese cuisine which has its name 'manchow' derive from the word 'manchuria'. Despite the name, it doesn't taste anything like manchurian.

I love soups during winter because they are easy to prepare, hearty, yet full of goodness. Manchow can be prepared vegetarian or non vegetarian according to our preference. It is basically a brown color soup which can accommodate all or any veggies you like, perfectly a fridge forage recipe.



I know I have been a bit quite in here. I was a bit under the weather. As much as I love winters, this is what we gotto go through every year. As soon as the cold slightly subsided, I wanted to try all sorts of my favorite food. In fact, I was tired of rice gruel and it's variants. I wanted something spicy, tangy, sweet, and Chinese. And ll I could think of was a good bowl of hot soup for my sore throat.

So I immediately starting preparing the ingredients required for the soup and since the color comes from a few sauces that is added in, to compensate that, I used arrowroot powder as my thicker to feel guilt free. You may use corn flour instead. The best part of manchow soup is the Crispy Fried noodles that are sprinkled over the soup that brings in texture and makes it stand out from other soups. Ginger is unavoidable in this recipe, and a lot of garlic which is the main essence of the soup. Aaahh... The feeling of the steam from the hot soup gushing over your face when you try and sip in, is just the best during Winters. Drooling already?

Let's get started! 🤤

Ingredients :

  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped finely
  • 2 tbsp scallions, chopped
  • 1-2 green chilies, slit or finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp Cabbage, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Carrot, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Capsicum, chopped
  • 1 tbsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 5-6 White button mushrooms, chopped
  • 3 tbsp sweet corn niblets
  • 1 tbsp dark Soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 
  • 1 tbsp red Chilli sauce
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder 
  • 1 tbsp White vinegar 
  • 1 liter hot water/ fresh veg stock
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot powder /corn flour 
  • 1/2 block hakka Noodles boiled and golden fried

Instructions :


  1. Boil your noodles, drain and fry your noodle to golden perfection. *
  2. Into a large pot, drizzle in a couple of tbsp of olive oil or any flavorless vegetable oil. 
  3. Add in your finely chopped garlic, ginger, scallions, and green chillies. Sauté for around 30 seconds. 
  4. Add in your finely chopped veggies (carrot, Cabbage, Capsicum) Sautee for a couple of minutes. 
  5. Next add in your chopped Coriander leaves and chopped Mushroom. 
  6. Season with salt and finally add in your corn niblets. Mix well. 
  7. Finally add in your sauces - soy sauce, tomato ketchup, red chilli sauce and black pepper. 
  8. Finish off with a dash of vinegar and pour in your hot water or fresh vegetable stock. 
  9. Make a slurry using the arrowroot powder and 1 tbsp water. Add in while mixing the soup vigorously. 
  10. Allow to boil and thicken. Add in a handful of Crispy Fried noodles. Check for seasoning. 
  11. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the Crispy Fried noodle and some chopped scallions. Enjoy! 

Notes :

*keep in mind not to brown the noodle when frying. 

Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Basque Burnt Cheesecake 





What a lovely day! And winter vacation is finally here.. Moms can relate to the free bird feeling at least for 2 weeks. 😁😁

Since it's the season of joy and happiness, this Basque Burnt Cheesecake also known as the San Sébastien Cheesecake is all you need to celebrate. The cheesecake is said to have originated in San Sébastien, Spain, from which the name is derived. Super easy recipe with just a few steps to keep in mind. It is basically a crustless cheesecake that is baked in a high temperature which gives you a vanilla custard like filling with a caramelized-almost-burnt exterior. The ingredients are simple, so is the process but the flavors from the baked result are so good. Even though my favorite has always been, my good ol' No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake. TAP HERE to check out the easy peesy recipe. The Basque Burnt Cheesecake is no lower, it is just a little different texture and flavor wise. 



You may use fruits, chocolate, caramel etc to top up, which helps to bring out its flavors. It is basically a blank canvas that you may enjoy as it is or add your favorite toppings to help bring out its flavors. I loved to have it with fresh berries like strawberries and Blueberries. I felt the freshness and tartness from the berries helped to bring in a different flavor dimension to the custard like rich cheese cake.

Unlike your basic cheesecake, you don't have to chill them to set. It is like a cheeecake that isn't sturdy but the outer caramelization acts as a mould for the custard like filling. The flavor and texture differed once chilled and otherwise. I like it more without chilling. It all depends on you. 😁

Also what sets this cheesecake apart is that, the bitterness of the burnt exterior and the sweetness from the creamy filling mixed together brings in magic!



The method of preparation is also quite different. As this is a crustless cheesecake, you need to make sure you use a good quality baking paper and two layers of the same, to protect the cheesecake from burning quickly and to help slide the cheesecake from the pan easily.




Coat the pan with butter and place your Parchment paper that is 2 inch more than your pan, as the cheesecake rises and puffs up a bit. Also try to use pure vanilla extract if possible for better results. 

This is a cheesecake where you can never go wrong! The worst that can happen is burn a cheesecake, well, this is a burnt cheesecake for a reason.😜 The ingredients are so simple and easily available. No water bath, just mix the ingredients, pour into a baking paper lined pan and bake. Done! Now is there an excuse to not try the easy peesy recipe? 😍




Basically this is the best cake to gift, share or celebrate any occasion if you have some cream cheese in your fridge readily available! ❤️ No frosting, no setting, only burning🤓

Let's get started! 

Ingredients :

  • 400 gms Cream Cheese, at room temperature *
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup Whipping cream/ thick cream, cold
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 
  • A little less than 1/4 cup Patent flour /All purpose flour (around 3 tbsp) 
  • A pinch of salt to balance


Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C. 
  2. Grease your 7 inch cake pan with butter and line using a baking paper at least 2 inches wider than your pan size, so that your baking paper protrudes at least 2 inches outside the pan, as the cheesecake might puff up while baking. 

  3. Repeat process with a second baking paper and make sure to tuck in the baking paper properly. 
  4. Into a large bowl add in your room temperature cream cheese and beat using a stand mixer or a hand held electric mixer on medium for a minute or two until the cheese is smooth and creamy. 

  5. Next add your sugar and whisk until completely dissolved. 
  6. Now add in your eggs one at a time and scrape the sides of the bowl as you go. 

  7. Next add in your heavy cream/ Whipping cream/thick cream and vanilla extract and whisk until combined for around 30 seconds. 

  8. Slowly sift the flour into the batter and fold in gently using a spatula. Do not over mix, small lumps are totally fine. 

  9. Finally, pour your cheesecake batter to your prepared pan. 

  10. Now place your pan with cheesecake into your preheated oven and bake for around 40-45 minutes. Keep an eye after around 40 minutes, as the cheesecake happens to rise and fluff eventually. Even though there is no worries that the cake would burn, as it is meant to be burnt, but you want a slight jiggle to your cheesecake and the top has to be burnt completely. That is when you know your basque burnt cheesecake is done. 
  11. Let it cool to room temperature for about an hour and remove from the pan. Slice and enjoy with fresh fruits/whipped cream etc**
  12. Bon appétit! 



Notes:
  • If using a larger pan size, you might have to increase the cream cheese and the amount of sugar, as you don't want a flat cheesecake. 
  • *I used Pinar Cream Cheese Tub you may use puck cream cheese tub etc (basically Unsalted cream cheese) 
  • **Serving Suggestions: You may use fresh fruits, chocolate, caramel, whipped cream etc to top up which helps to bring out its flavors.
  • You may store the cheesecake in your fridge for upto 3 days.
  • I preferred it at room temperature.
Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Dynamite Tortilla Wraps




Good evening folks!

When breakfast can be made scrumptious in a jiffy, why skip breakfasts. A wholesome breakfast is what is required to boost your energy levels to be productive the entire day.

Just in time, few days back, a brand named 'Kawan' approached me. They sent me their sample products which included just heat chappathis, Paratha, protein Paratha, tortillas, Puff pastry etc. Their Tortillas fascinated me, coz I haven't seen frozen tortillas before.

The idea of having Tortilla wraps for breakfast is my favorite, as they are simple to prepare right in the morning, when you have less time but you need to eat like a king. These tortilla wraps are super easy to make. The fillings can be customized, but here I demonstrate using Mexican flavors. And being a lover of any food spicy, I added. A packet of crushed Oman chips which added to the flavor and texture. You may play around with the fillings as you like. You may also use leftover chicken.

The sauce that is used in this recipe plays a major role in bringing out the flavors of this wrap. I use Mayo, tomato ketchup, tobasco, Sriracha and smoked paprika and a squeeze of lemon juice. Basically a DYNAMITE Tortilla wrap. My initial thoughts were to experiment something with authentic Mexican flavors. So here I combined it with everyone's favorite Dynamite sauce.

It is so filling and the flavors are just next level. 🔥 The Crunch from the Oman chips is the Icing on the cake. This is completely an experimental Tortilla wrap that turned out super yum! Not to forget to mention the Kawan Tortilla wraps were super soft, even after toasting on the pan, which gave a Crispy texture outside though super soft inside. This cheesy Tortilla wraps with a fiery sauce is just too good. Do try and let me know your feedback..

Ingredients :
  • Frozen Kawan Tortilla Wraps
  • 2 Omega eggs
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped capsicum
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
  • Salt as required
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Corn niblets
  • 1 tbsp Sliced Black Olives 
  • 1 tsp Chopped Jalapeños 
  • Handful of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 packet Oman Chips
  • Chopped Coriander leaves. 

Dynamite sauce:
  • 2 - 3 tbsp Mayonaise
  • 2 tsp Tomato Ketchup
  • 2 tsp Sriracha sauce/ hot sauce
  • 1 tsp Tobasco sauce
  • A squeeze of lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika



Instructions :
  1. In a bowl, prepare the sauce by mixing the ingredients mentioned below Dynamite sauce and set aside. 
  2. Make an Omlette using chopped onions, capsicum, smoked paprika powder, and salt as required.
  3. Place 1 Kawan Tortilla wrap right away and allow the Omlette to cook for around 2 minutes.
  4. Now flip, and add in your defrosted corn niblets, sliced black olives, chopped jalapeños, shredded Mozzarella cheese, slightly crushed Oman chips and drizzle in your prepared sauce and finally garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.
  5. Now carefully, roll the Tortilla wrap from one side to the other and press down so that the melted cheese allows the wrap to bind together.
  6. Trasfer to a serving plate.
  7. Cut into half and serve hot alongside your favorite sauce or the Dynamite sauce.





Notes:
You may use leftover shredded chicken


Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

Regag - Emirati Flat bread 




Being born and bought up here in Dubai, UAE, I have always felt blessed. This country has been in my ups and downs. UAE has never missed an opportunity to make us proud! My grandparents, who along with their children lived in this beautiful has given the privilege and opportunity to my late grandmother to showcase her creativity! Her art work, which is a dancing ornament that the Arabs used to wear is still on display in the DUBAI MUSEUM.

Talking about heritage, I am here to share about one of my favorite Emirati dishes. The regag. We can find them easily in the heritage villages here in Dubai and other parts of the Emirates. The moment a plate of regag comes in front of us, it just vanishes in a couple of seconds. Not even kidding! The extremely thin bread is Crispy with an egg and cheese filling, which can be customized to our liking, be it, Nutella, cheese and honey, cheese and Oman chips etc. The options are endless! I cannot stress enough how good these are! As these are flat breads that are like insanely thin and Crispy, you feel like you haven't had enough. It's so good! I am telling you, you are missing out if you haven't tried it yet. And it is so easy to prepare, that's the best part! And there is this other delicious dish called the luqaimat, another one that I would die for. Will be sharing my recipe soon! So watch out for the recipe 😍❤️



I cannot stress enough how much I value this country and its traditions! UAE in itself is a world. There are all sort of people from different nations and that is what makes UAE stand out. And to be raised here is a blessing and a privilege that I, as a foodie consider. From my birth until now, I might have seen, tried and tasted different types of dishes from different cuisines which has helped me to mould the blog that you read now. UAE has now given me a career in the food blogging world, which I am sure I would have been if I were raised elsewhere. Alhamdulilah for all the blessings. And special mention to my grandparents and parents who have stayed strong and raised all of us here in all sorts of situations.




Coming back to regag, like I said, it is devoured either savory or sweet so here I am presenting a sweet version featuring Nutella and fresh fruits and the other, the traditional one, with egg, cheese and a drizzle of honey. Works best as a breakfast or a snack. Without further a do, presenting to you my National day special! 🇦🇪 ❤️ 




Ingredients : (makes for 2 ppl, 2 servings each) 

  • 1 cup All purpose flour
  • 1 tsp yeast
  • 1 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • A cassette cover (to spread, optional) 
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese (salted) 
  • Nutella
  • Fresh fruits 
  • Honey

Instructions :

  1. In a large bowl, mix warm water with yeast and sugar, allow to dissolve for 2 minutes*.
  2. Then add in all your ingredients, give a good mix and allow to rise for one hour. 
  3. After one hour, onto a lightly oiled cast iron tawa drop in a handful of the dough and spread using your hands, or use an old cassette cover or a dough scrapper if you are a beginner. Allow to cook on the top, spread in half of your whisked egg, allow to cook. 
  4. Next spread your cream cheese or any filling that you like and flip into half. Again flip it into half to get a triangle kind of shape. 
  5. Drizzle with your desired sauce, honey or melted Nutella. 
  6. Enjoy! 😋
  7. If making the sweet version just use Nutella to spread. And top or fill in with fresh fruits. And a drizzle of melted Nutella. 

Notes:

Make sure not to use hot water*

Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡
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My name is Hasna Haneef, a mommy to a toddler, hailing from Thalassery, Kerala. Welcome to my humble abode on the Internet; wherein I share all my recipes and experiments. I am glad to have you on board!

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May peace be with you!

Welcome to my blog.

I am delighted to have you on board. My name is Hasna Haneef, a mommy to a toddler, hailing from Thalassery, Kerala. My homeplace being Dubai, as I am born and brought up here and I am very influenced by the lifestyle and the variety of authentic cuisines I get to try from here, which has made me try anything that comes across me
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