Simple Guacamole..

I have been thinking of  doing a series with alphabetical order... I do keep seeing them in so many other cooking blogs... and decided to join the bandwagon .So here it begins with A


A for Avocados


I used to see them in the market, but didn't know it was so good and tasty .A friend of mine brought me lovely Avocados, I had heard of guacamole and loved the taste ,but I tried it for the first time .It turned out really yum and girls loved it with almost everything crackers, tortilla chips and toasted bread.

Here is the recipe I came up with after browsing lots of recipes , I did not have Jalapenos so used chilly flakes instead , got the review that this tasted much better.. 

Guacamole Recipe

This is a simple dip, which does not have any cooking process in it..

Ingredients:
1 ripe Avocado (test that it is soft in and the tip comes off easily)
2 white onions (spring onions or shallots also serve just fine)
one spoon of dry chilli flakes  or  Indian green chilli or a chopped jalapenos
One small firm tomato, chopped fine
Juice of half  a limeChopped fresh coriander leaves Salt and pepper to taste.


Method


Cut the lime and squeeze the juice into a bowl


Chop the onions/shallots and add them to the lemon juice , add some salt and let it rest.


Chop the tomato and add to the above mixture.

Cut the Avocados with a knife all around the seed... It will split into half  when you gently twist the knife (cut  length-wise).  Remove seed, scoop out the green/pale yellow flesh with a spoon and place in a bowl. Mash well with a spoon or a fork.


Mix with onion /tomato mixture and salt and pepper. Add lime juice if necessary

Serve with tortilla chips, toasted bread pieces or a chapati....


Isnt that easy way to make a dip so yummy.... Ciao.

Baby Corn N Aloo Tikkis/ baby corn and potato cutlets

This is a quick snack recipe. The ingredients and method are extremely simple and it is best served hot on a rainy day with a big cup of Elachi Chai (tea)

BABY CORN N ALOO TIKKIS:
This recipe is to make about 10 to 15 tikkis depending on the size of the tikkis.


Ingredients:
8 medium sized potatoes
10 baby corn cobs
salt to taste
red chilli powder to taste
jeera/cumin powder 1 tsp
garam masala - 1 or 2 tsps
dhaniya /corianer powder -  1tsp
butter/olive oil to shallow fry the tikkis.
Cheese slices , Boondi and Tomato sauce for garnishing.


Method:
Wash and boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker . They should be cooked really well. 
Chop the baby corn cobs . 
Peel the potatoes mash them to a paste.
Add the chopped corn cobs and all the above mentioned ingredients excep the butter.
Mix well and make round but flat tikkis. 

Tikkis ready to be served 

Cook them  well on both side on a flat girdle/or tawa with little butter or oil . Turn each  on the other side when one side turns golden brown.
Serve hot after garnishing with tomato sauce, cheese slice and Boondi. 
Green/Mint chutney acts as a great companion to this. 

English Trifle

Trifle is a dessert dish made from thick (or often solidified) custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or gelatin, and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers with fruit and sponge on the bottom, and custard and cream on top. This is exact copy from wikipedia . Well  cannot write any other ways either it is exactly so. Best part about this dessert is it have have anything as a layer and taste good always. I made this yesterday for my older one's birthday and most kids asked me if I could make it for their Birthdays as well. I take it that it was a big hit with kids.


Basically Trifle is all about layering all the tasty stuff together.


Sponge Cake : Bake simple vanilla sponge cake or buy about 250 gms.


Jelly : I used WEIKFIELD Jelly Mix. Banana and Strawberry flavours. This pack has two pouches. Mix them in dry bowl and add half litre of boiling water . Mix well till the crystals dissolve and then let it to set.


Custard : I used Brown and Polson. Dissolve about 4 heaps of custard powder in cold water make a paste without lumps. Boil a Litre of milk with three spoons of sugar and add this paste and cook for about five minutes. Let it set into a thick paste. 


Cream: The best way is to used whipped cream. Since i didn't have it I just replaced it with vanilla ice cream which i whipped with spoon. It just looked  (tasted as well) fine.


Fruits : Usual English trifle has Raspberries or Strawberries . I used some tutti frutti, cherries, apples and grapes for decoration. 
You can use the Can of preserved fruits instead. Pineapple is great with the sponge cake.


Method:
The layers begin with Sponge cake.


1.Cut the sponge cake into one inch thick slices.
arrange them as the base layer of the trifle. 


2.Prepare the jelly. Pour the hot jelly on the sponge cakes and let it set for some time.


3. Prepare the custard and let it set. Meanwhile cut the fruits to decorate ( or to add as a layer in between the cream and custard)


4. Once the Spongecake soaks up the jelly and it is set the next layer can be place. By now the custard also would be ready to be poured as a layer.


5. Now you can either add a fruit layer or a layer of crumbled biscuits according to your taste or a layer of jelly if you are very fond of jelly.


6. The final layer is the thick whipped cream


7. Decorate your Trifle with fruits of your choice and the set jelly. Add a dash of strawberry syrup if you like

8. Let it set well in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and serve chilled.