10.29.2007

Alphonso Mango Mousse Cake



Recipe
modified from Epicurious.com

This mousse cake is in three parts,
1. The cake base
2. The mango mousse
3. The miroir topping

For decoration i used chocolate butterflies piped on wax paper. Once dry i put the butterflies on top just before serving.

So here goes:
1. The cake base.

1/2 cup sifted cake flour ( Can substitute with all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter a jelly pan or tray or a lasagna foil pan - around 11 " by 9". Line bottom of cake pan with waxed paper. Butter paper and dust lightly with flour.
Sift flour and baking powder into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and yolks in large bowl until frothy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until pale yellow and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Fold in flour mixture. Fold 1 heaping tablespoon batter into melted butter. Fold butter mixture back into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake is just golden brown around edges and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

2. Mango Mousse
1/4 cup orange liqueur ( I used bourbon - if you are not comfortable with alcohol substitute with water)
1 package unflavored gelatin (Knox )
1 tin Alphonso mango slices ( from Indian store)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chilled whipping/heavy cream

Pour liqueur into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let gelatin soften 10 minutes. Puree mango slices in blender. Donot add any water. If the mango slices are in a juice, carefully remove all the juice into a bowl and reserve for miroir. Add sugar to mango puree in processor and blend well. Set bowl of gelatin on top of a saucepan of simmering water,such that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water . Stir until gelatin dissolves. Add gelatin mixture to mango in processor and blend. Whip cream in large bowl to soft peaks. Fold in mango mixture.

At this point, you should assemble the mousse cake and referigerate it for atleast three to four hours. In the pan with the cake , pour the mousse mixture . Cover pan with plastic wrap.

After about three hours, make the miroir.


Mango Miroir:
11/2 cups mango juice
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp kirsch ( a liquer - can substitute with water)
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp gelatin ( = 1 envelope Knox)

Add the gelatin to about 1/2 cup of the mango juice in a small saucepan , soften for ten minutes. Melt the gelatin by putting the pan on gentle heat. Donot boil. As soon as the gelatin melts, the solution will become clear. Add all the other ingredients and the rest of the mango juice.

Remove the mousse and cake from the fridge, top with miroir and return to referigerator for another hour.

If you want to trim the edges neatly, place the container in the freezer for about 10 to fifteen minutes. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges neatly.

Top with chocolate decorations - Serve!!


10.11.2007

Roasted Tomato Soup























The best tomato soup ever!!

8 of the best tomatoes you can find
1 onion - red/white
3 cloves garlic
couple sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup 1% milk
olive oil
salt pepper

Cut up the tomatoes and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil, garlic chunks. Roast in oven at 375 for about forty minutes.Puree with the milk.
Serve with fresh pepper.

10.10.2007

Deviled eggs with cilantro and curry























8 large eggs
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 large green onion
2 tbsp fresh cilantro

From The Curry book by Nancy McDermott

Thai curried fresh corn fritters

2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 large egg
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp red or yellow curry paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

In a food processor, combine 1 cup of the corn with the egg, flour, curry paste and soy sauce. Pulse to chop the corn and mix everything well together. Scrape the batter and mix in the remaining corn. Fry the fritters.

Serve with Sweet and Sour cucumber salad

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 large cucumber
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil. When the syrup is clear and slightly thickened, removefrom heat and let it cool to room temperature. Serve with the rest of the ingredients.

From The Curry Book by Nancie McDermott

The curry book: Curry powder


1. BASIC CURRY POWDER
1/4 cup coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp white or black pepper
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 tsp whole cardamom
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp red chilli powder

10.06.2007

Pineapple Cashewnut Thai fried rice



Fried rice with pineapple (Khao Pad supparot)
1 large fresh pineapple, sliced lengthwise in half, the flesh removed, cut in cubes and set aside
1 slice wholewheat breat, diced deepfried with 1/4 cup cashew nuts until golden
oil
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2/3 cup soaked dried black fungus mushrooms
1 small onion diced
2 cups cooked rice
3tbsp light soy sauce
sugar
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

to garnish
1 spring onion, finely chopped into rings
coriander leaves

In a wok, heat the oil until a light haze appears. Add the garlic and fry until golden brown.Stirring all the time add the mushrooms, onion, pineapple, rice, soy sauce sugar and pepper and mix thoroughly. Add the fried bread and cashew nuts, stir once and turn into the pineapple boats. Garnish with a sprinkling of spring onion and coriander leaves.

Cooks notes: Very delicious without the sugar added. Sprinkle with extra fresh pineapple chunks on top, as the pineapple mixed into the dish gets brown from the soy. Use whole cashews for better presentation. Broken cashew is okay for day to day i guess.

Another Black Forest Cake