Cherry Clafoutis

"Pronounced as 'Clafootee' this french dessert made even more yum with the addition of orange juice and white chocolate is a true party dessert and can be made in an adult version with the addition of orange liqueur preferably tripple sec  "

Ingredients:

• 500 grams cherry (fresh stoned, or tinned or mixed berry's)
• 100 grams flour
• 1 cup caster sugar 
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence 
• 2 full eggs + 2 yolks
• 200 ml cream
• 200 ml full cream milk
• 50 grams white chocolate(melted)
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 lemon 

Method:

1. Grease pie dish ( size 25 cm) 
2. Zest 1 lemon taking just the yellow and none of the white
3. Pre-heat oven (170 degrees C)
4. Take the cherry in a bowl, cover it with orange juice and sprinkle a bit of sugar over it and leave
5. Whisk flour,eggs and sugar till smooth.
6. Add vanilla essence and the zest mixing lightly 
7. Gradually add milk,cream and white chocolate,whisking till well mixed
8. Layer the pie dish with cherry's and the orange juice spreading in one layer
9. Then pour the batter over the cherry mixture 
10. Bake the dish in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes till puffed and golden 
11. Sprinkle the powder sugar on top and serve hot

Waffles ( Make ahead)

" After many years of making fresh waffle batter, separating egg whites etc. with bleary eyes on weekend mornings, was looking for an easier and a make ahead waffle batter recipe. One which I could just pull out of the fridge and have yummy waffles ready for the waffle loving, hungry family pronto. Am so happy with this one, put together from many other recipes, its just yeasty tasty perfection  ..." 

Servings - 6 big waffles 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tsp dried yeast 
• 2 cups flour (or 1 cup flour + 1 cup whole wheat flour- my preference as its healthier)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk or (2 cups milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Take the yeast in a small bowl, cover with 2 tbsp of warm water and a pinch of sugar and leave till it froths (around 10 min)
2. Make buttermilk substitute by adding the vinegar to the milk and leaving for 10 minutes
3. In a large bowl combine flour,sugar and salt, make a well in the middle. ( Make sure the bowl is large enough for batter to triple and more  in size)
4. In a saucepan combine the buttermilk and the butter till warm, mix the yeast in it and dissolve
5. Beat the milk mixture and the eggs into the flour mixture till smooth 
6. Cover with foil and leave it out for 1 hour or till it doubles in quantity 
7. The batter is now ready to be used or you could leave it in the fridge for up-to 2 days, pulling it out half an hour before using
8. Pour batter into waffle iron and cook for 7-10 minutes till golden brown (in-case the waffles are unevenly cooked on both sides, then turn sides in between cooking, for even coloring)
9. Enjoy waffles hot with maple syrup,golden syrup,chocolate sauce, fruit or any other topping you like

Burmese Khao soi or Khow Suey

"A Khao soi is a great one dish meal to be had when friends and family are over for a special occasion as its dramatic with all the accompaniments and tastes of streets across Asia. This one has been asked for specially by my sister who loves a good khao soi, I just hope she makes it too and doesn't get awed by the preparation which goes into it. This recipe has traveled via an aunt thru Hongkong and I have added original Burmese touches,  resulting in a lip smacking dish, a favorite of my son's   "

Servings - 8-10 people

Ingredients:

• 800 grams boneless chicken
• 500 grams egg noodles
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 5 tbsp chickpea flour
• 200 grams mushrooms (cut into 2 or 4 big pieces)
• 100 grams carrots and beans (chopped)
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• Handful of curry leaves (optional)

Method:

1. Mix the chickpea flour in 1 cup of water, ensuring no lumps
2. In a wok , heat 1 tbsp oil, add garlic, stir-fry till light brown
3. Add the red curry paste and turmeric then stir-fry till fragrant
4. Next add chicken pieces and brown lightly
5. Then add carrots, beans,mushrooms, salt and curry leaves and stir for a few minutes
6. Pour in the coconut milk and the chickpea water and cook on medium flame stirring frequently till it comes to a boil ( take care that it does not curdle at this stage)
7. Simmer on low flame till the chicken and vegetables are done, stirring often.  

 (In-case mixture curdles or you would like the gravy thicker add cornflour and thicken, make ahead as flavours need a couple of hours to develop)

1. In a separate pan, cook the noodles in lots of salted boiled water, as per packet instructions, drain and keep aside

Accompaniments:

• Garlic - chop and deep fry 2-3 tbsp of garlic
• Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp Sesame seeds dry roasted
• Red chilly - 4 red chilies fried and crushed
• Spring onion - 1 Spring onion chopped fine
• Eggs - 2 boiled eggs chopped fine
• Lime wedges - 2 limes cut into 8 parts each

Serving and Eating:

• Serve the curry and noodles in separate bowls with all the accompaniments in their own little dip dishes
• Eat the Khao soi in individual bowls, taking  noodles,topped with lots of the chicken curry and add accompaniments as per taste 

Egg-less Brownies

"For my kids school fair I volunteered to do egg-less brownies, base was my tried and tested egg-less chocolate cake recipe and went thru some 20+ brownie recipes ( egg-less, vegan etc..)  and finally wound up with an absolutely yummy and easy egg-less brownie recipe. Baked some 3 kgs of it, enjoyed by all, hope you do so too..."

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups castor sugar
• 2/3 cups cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda (use baking powder if you do not have soda)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp vinegar 
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Pre heat oven at 170 degrees centigrade
2. Take a baking tin of 9" x 13" or similar size and oil the tin well.
3. Take 1 tbsp of flour and sprinkle it over the oiled tin making sure it is well covered, remove any excess flour by inverting tin
4. Warm milk, add the vinegar and let the mixture curdle  
5. Mix all dry ingredients - flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda,salt and baking powder in a bowl
6. Add the wet ingredients- curdled milk,oil and vanilla essence to the flour mixture
7. Beat with a whisk, by hand, till just mixed (mixture will be thick and sticky, do not over beat)
8. Pour into the oiled tin and if wanted add nuts ( coated in flour), pushing them in the batter slightly
9. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes or till done, and toothpick inserted in centre, comes out slightly sticky, with a few crumbs stuck to it ( Do not over bake, else it will be dry like a cake and not fudgy like a brownie)

Note :

• This recipe, makes approximately 1 kg, of 12 pieces of 3" x 3" brownies
• If you want to add nuts, be sure to coat them with flour, else they will sink to the bottom.
• Any other additions, like chocolate chips etc., all to be coated in flour before mixing in batter or decorating on top