Choco Orange Christmas Fruitcake and an early Christmas tea

An anonymous writer once famously said, "Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again." I couldn't agree more and this is exactly why we chose to celebrate an early Christmas yesterday, Saturday, the 21st. At the outset, I must confess that my recipe for the Chocolate Orange Christmas Fruitcake is not entirely original but a combination of a few recipes I'd seen in cookery books. A couple of months ago, I had tried out a recipe for a chocolate orange cake and my husband Avi had told me that it reminded him of a Christmas cake. So that really was the starting point for this cake and all I did was tweak that recipe a bit, added some rum, lots of fruit and there it was- my version of a Chocolate Orange Christmas Fruitcake which can easily keep in a closed box for two to three weeks.

Ingredients 600 grams mixed dried fruit 175 grams unsalted butter 250 grams dark brown sugar 500 ml dark rum juice and zest of 3 oranges salt - a pinch 3 large eggs (beaten) 250 grams plain flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves Method Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. Grease and flour the sides and bottom of a deep 20cm / 8-inch round cake tin, ensuring that no space is left un coated. Put the dried fruit, butter, sugar, range juice and zests into a large wide saucepan and bring to the boil gently, stirring asthe butter melts. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, then take it off the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Now, add the beaten eggs, flour, baking powder and spices and stir to combine. Gently pour the fruit cake mixture into the prepared cake tin. Place in the oven and bake for at least 1 hour. You will know if its ready when there is a beautiful citrusy, boozy aroma all over the house and the top of the cake should be firm, dry and have cracked somewhat. To ensure its cooked, insert a cake tester into the middle of the cake and it may come out a little sticky.No problem - that really tells you that it is perfectly soft and moist from the inside Put the cake on a cooling rack and leave it to cool for a couple of hours.Once it has cooled completely, un-mould it from the tin and wrap the cake well in a layer of grease proof paper till you want to decorate it. Decorating the cake Top with some beautiful edible fruits, add to it some little decorative silver and pink edible balls, freshly grated orange zest and the cake was decorated in about 5 minutes. For your own take on decorations, use your imagination- you can use icing sugar, marzipan, chocolate etc but do it in the way that suits you the best.Always remember that half the fun lies in experimenting and that is exactly what will also set you apart from the rest. Now that the Christmas cake has been tackled, its time to start thinking of something else. Cookies, mince pies, rum balls........my thinking cap is well and truly on. In the meantime, here's wishing all of you a Merry Christsmas !

Fig, Orange and Lemon Biscotti- An easy to make anytime treat

Looking for that perfect anytime treat? Even better as its the Christmas season with fun, laughter and gaiety all around. Something that can be had with your tea, coffee or best of all easily be served up as a dessert? Then, it has to be Biscotti- easy to make at home and can be made with just about any ingredient you may have lying in your kitchen cabinets. Biscotti also known as cantuccini are twice baked cookies originating in the Italian city of Prato. The biscuits are oblong-shaped biscuits, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still fresh from baking in the oven.

Fig, Orange and lemon Biscotti Today, biscotti are made using many different ingredients. Almonds, figs, pistachios, raisins, cranberries, and lemon & orange zest make for great flavors in this cookie and can be mixed and matched depending on their availability. I made these with wholewheat flour, figs, orange and lemon zest, creamed with butter and sugar . Ingredients 2 cups wholewheat flour 1 and a half cups sugar 350 gms butter 3 whole eggs Figs to taste Grated zest of one lemon and orange ( each) 1 tsp baking powder Method Put all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Combine all the wet ingredients and stir briskly. Combine the two and make into a clean oval shaped dough. Put cling film and pop into the frig for 1 hour. Bake in a pre heated oven art 125 C for 30-35 mins

Bake at 125 C for 30-35 mins Allow to rest on a wire rack. Then cut into pieces and bake for another 15 mins till golden brown. Cut into pieces and bake again for about 15 mins Dust with icing sugar and serve with tea, coffee or simply as dessert

We tried it with whipped cream and berries- made for a delightfully decadent dessert. Try your own variations and let me know too.

Its the small things that make a big difference

Its been a while since I wrote a post on this blog and this time I've decided to write one with some real 'food for thought'. Though there are lots of scenes one can recall from the movies, there is a particularly poignant scene from a very old Hindi movie,'Choti, Choti Baatein' starring the inimitable Motilal.

( Image sourced from Google) The family sits down for dinner,the camera shows us a close up of the husband, wife and three grown up children. The table is groaning with food, and it all looks really good. The dishes are passed from person to person as the family greedily attacks the food The father,who in this case, the main bread earner, gets each dish last. In most cases, the food has been cleaned out, or something very close to it. He looks at each dish closely, then at his family, all of whom are busy gorging . Then just goes ahead and eats whats left. At the end of the movie, he simply walks out Out of his own home as well as their lives.

Cafe Ceramique, Oman. A great little place that asks- Would you like to eat first or paint first?

Some time back we decided to go to Cafe Ceramique in Muscat for a weekend breakfast. Must admit the fact that there was a very special offer was the real draw but we came back converted into Cafe Ceramique fans. For more reasons than just one.

Located centrally in the Bareeq Al Shatti Mall, Muscat.Cafe Ceramique is a cafe cum art-workshop. The highlight of the place would have to be the fact that the cafe serves food as well as offers customers ceramic pieces which they can purchase and paint at the cafe itself.They can then enjoy creating unique personalized gifts, keepsakes, dinnerware and home decor pieces that will be cherished forever. All one has to do is to pick a piece of ceramic off the shelf (that has many great pieces to choose from ) and let your imagination run wild. These are then painted, glazed, fired and soon ready for pick up. Once you select the piece you want to paint, you are given a paper, five colours and two outliners. These colours are handed over along with a sponge, water, and a set of brushes. Customers can paint away till they are happy and satisfied and once completed, the piece has to be left in the cafe for them to fire and glaze the piece (about seven days).Customers are are given a receipt which must be used to collect the piece.The pieces are microwave as well as dishwasher friendly and we were informed that the colours do not contain any toxins, so that everyone can eat or and drink out of them.

Baking in the oven

We are shown exactly how the operation works

The paints used

Bright and Beautiful

At our table- Puffy Paints Starters- a delicious salad and toasted bread Can't close before I tell you about our meal which we enjoyed thoroughly.

Called 'The Arabian Treasure', it had a range of Mediterranean favorites, Foul Medammas, Hummus, Grilled Halloumi Cheese, Zattar Crisps, Labneh with a choice of tea or coffee. So there it was- a truly memorable Arabian delight breakfast, topped with the option to paint.A really great way to spend a relaxed and fun morning!

Laduree- the one stop destination for the best macaroons in Paris

Show me one person who doesn't adore a macaroon and I will show you Peter Pan! There is just something about a macaron with its crispy outer crust and its deliciously moist filling that the mere thought of it is enough for a person's mouth to start watering. It is mildly moist and when you bite into it, it simply melts in the mouth.All macarons are fabulous but there is something even more special about French macarons and that is what I will try and briefly touch upon here. According to the Wikipedia, a ‘macaroon’ is a sweet meringue based confection made with eggs, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder, orground almond and food colouring. It is also called Luxemburgerli. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two bicuits. The name is derived from the Italianword macarone, maccarone or maccherone, the Italian meringue. The confection is characterised by smooth, squared top, ruffled circumference (referred to as the "foot" or "pied"), and flat base. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavors that range from the traditional raspberry, chocolate to the new. (foie gras, matcha) And if we are talking about French macarons, no post can be complete without mentioning Laduree, the ultimate destination for a 'foodie's Paris visit. The true story of the Laduree macaron starts with Pierre Sesfontaines, second cousin of Louis Ernest Laduree, who at the beginning of the 20th century, first thought of taking two macaron shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling.

To read more details, you will need to visit this site and I can assure you that you will love what you read! http://www.laduree.fr/en/histoire/macaron

On the three occasions I visited this Laduree, I literally found myself spoilt for choice- did I want the macarons or did I want one or all of these decadent goodies? Believe me when I tell you that for that moment in time, all that one can think, feel and of course see, is this mouthwatering spread, that just cries out to be eaten. One box of macarons just isn't enough, and that's also when you think of friends and family who might be looking forward to goodies from Laduree and you ask the sales girl for a second and then quite possibly a third....and a fourth box as well Looking at these pieces and thinking they look better than jewels Entering Laduree in the Carousel, next to the Louvre Just before I sign off for today, I must give you the best tip that I can think of. The tradition of Laduree is one that will go on and on and one of the most important things is that of sitting down together to enjoy a delicious cake. And that's exactly why Laduree is inviting all cake lovers to join the Laduree Club.

Here's where you can sign up for the newsletter which apart from giving you all news updates about Laduree, will offer you exclusive recipes, tips and tricks from the world renowned chefs. http://www.laduree.fr/en/club/newsletter Why wait...?

My experience with MasterChef India Season 5 and on making it to the Mystery Box Challenge,

Like many of you I started watching MasterChef Australia from its very first season and was hooked! I learnt a lot by watching, then tried some of those dishes and writing about food and travel was a natural movement forward. In fact, this very blog, Food For Thought was the outcome of my culinary, travel and art journey and for those of you who read my posts regularly, you should easily be able to see that influence. On 18th June, 2016 I auditioned for the first round of ‪#‎MasterChefIndia‬ in New Delhi with a Classic French Chocolate Tart with raspberries,accompanied by a Creme Anglaise sauce and was selected for Round 2 as one of the contestants from the North Zone

My Classic French Chocolate Tart with raspberries,accompanied by a Creme Anglaise sauce

Thats me- No 426 from New Delhi

The Venue- A School in Dwarka

Got that very exciting letter - And I was in Round 2 20th June - Cooked in Round 2- the Mystery Box Challenge at the IHA and enjoyed the entire experience.. Results still awaited and the lucky few selected after Round 2 go straight into the final 25-but whatever the outcome, it was a completely different kind of challenge.. A huge thank you to my daughter, Neha Singh. A qualified Pastry Chef from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and currently in the process of setting up her own business, Neha pushed and inspired me like no one has, in a long, long time!

Food For Thought-Love eating at a buffet ? What happens right after?

Say you go to a lovely buffet lunch or a dinner.Where the table is groaning with a delightful spread.And you love the look of it all. But even more, you love the taste of it all.. So you do, what most of us would naturally do in such circumstances. Eat just a a little bit or possibly, a lot more than you would normally. Which is fine, because it really is an exception. But have you ever thought of what happens to all that lovely looking and tasting food after that?

Well this is what I learnt recently and it really made me wake up to a new reality, one that I wasn't aware of earlier. For instance, in Oman,there is strict food and hygiene regulation since food standards of freshness, cleanliness etc are very carefully monitored by the concerned authorities.So it follows that all the food after an event, ( particularly all non veg items) are just put into big black garbage bags.Then just thrown away!

Makes me really wonder, is that too much of a good thing? Or then, how many hungry people all over the world, could fill their stomachs and get a peaceful night's sleep? Questions, questions, questions... With few, if any answers.....

Revisiting- Food for Thought Turns 1 and a Ramadan Special

Its now three years since I started 'Food For Thought', but here Im re visiting the first anniversary special.

Time flies and here we are on the 25th of June, 2014. (Oman time) Today, its exactly one year since I started 'Food For Thought' and this also happens to be my 50th post. I've had a really great time writing each and every one of these posts and my journey through this year has taken me to kitchens in France, Oman and India in addition to my very own.

However, 'Food For Thought' is not merely about cuisine- I have also tried to share my love for art and culture through some of these posts and am fairly satisfied with the outcome. I've received feedback from readers as well as many of the restaurants and locations that I've featured. Best of all, I know for a fact that I've learnt a great deal as well! Top of mind, I recall the three sessions I had at Paul Muscat, with Pastry Chef Mohammed Kessrwani who unhesitatingly shared his Chef's secrets, special tips and allowed me to ask him "anything at all". Similarly, a Chocolate fondue making experience at the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton, the delightful new Anar Cafe, Caramel Bakery, Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, I could go on and on....

A special occasion ought to be marked by something special and I'm going to try and do exactly that. Oman is currently in the grip of Football as well as Date fever and we are enjoying the very best of both. There are so many uses of dates in recipes and over a period of time, I will share some of these with you. Meanwhile, here's a glimpse at what most of the date palms in Oman look like at the moment.

Ripe for picking As mentioned in my previous post on Pre Ramadan musings, I'm going to to write about some of the Ramadan Specials that various hotels and restaurants in Oman will be offering during this one month period.I will also try and get into the kitchens of some of these places and watch the chefs at work creating the most amazing delicacies and share that with you as well. To start with, I've got some special Iftaar recipes which Erika Anggreini, the Public Relations Manager at the Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel has very graciously shared with me. The first one is a Rose Water Rice Pudding served with Mango compote Rose Water Rice Pudding Ingredients · 114gr Arborio Rice · ½ Ltr water · ¼ Tblspn Salt · 1 Ltr Milk · 57g Powdered Sugar · 118 ml Heavy Cream · 60 ml Rose Water · 1 tbspn Cardamom Seeds Procedure Combine water, salt and rice.Cook until rice is tender, adding milk, cream and sugar and continue cooking on low heat until it becomes a pudding consistency. Add the rose water & cardamom seeds and cook for 10 min. Finally, chill before serving. Mango Compote Ingredients · 4 Mangoes · 2 Oranges/ Juice · 100gr Powder Sugar · 1 Vanilla bean stick Procedure Cut two mangoes. Place all ingredients in a pot and caramelize for about 10 minutes, then blend to make sauce. Once the sauce has chilled, cut the remaining two mangoes into small cubes and mix in with the compote. In a bowl serve the rice pudding and mango compote garnishing with pistachio crumbs. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx And here is a great Summer cooler, a very special Ramadan inspired beverage also from the Al Bustan itz Carlton. This is Coconut Ice Tea which is really simple to make. Try it, I'm sure this will immediately become a family favourite! Coconut Ice Tea · ¼ cup of coconut puree · 8 black tea bags · Lemon for flavor · Sugar · Ice cubes Fill a blender with ice and blend all the ingredients. Finally, sit back, relax and enjoy!

To close for today, here's wishing all of you Ramadan Kareem and peace, happiness and joy in the month ahead and looking forward to hearing from you on what else you would like to see in Food For Thought. The Taimur Mosque -Muscat

Easy to make Strawberry Muffins

Food is not about impressing people It's about making them feel comfortable." said Ina Garten, in 'The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and thats exactly the way I approach cooking or baking. For me, the food that I cook has to be quick and tasty. And I'm positive that many of you feel exactly the same way. In this post, I'm talking about home made strawberry muffins. They could also have been presented very simply but, I'm choosing to present the 'dressed up' version.

Easy to make Strawberry Muffins Ingredients for 8 large muffins 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup sugar Half cup chopped strawberries( frozen/fresh) 2 whole eggs 250 gms butter 1/2 cup milk/yogurt vanilla essence 1 tsp baking powder Method Prepare the muffin tin with greased and lined muffin tins.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix and gently stir the wet ingredients- butter, eggs, vanilla and strawberry essences, in another dry mixing bowl.Make sure that the mix is uniform and not too thick or too thin. Slowly fold in the chopped strawberries and keep the prepared mix aside. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ones and fold in gently to get a uniform mix. Bake in a preheated oven at 150 C for 25/30 mins and insert a dry toothpick to see if the muffins are ready.

Keep on a wire rack to cool . Once the muffins have cooled, dust with icing sugar and decorate with edible sugar decorations. Sit back and enjoy these anytime treats accompanied with a hot cup of tea or coffee and make sure you share them with friends and family. Then watch their faces light up with joy!

Revisiting a Chocolate Fondue Demonstration and High Tea at the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton, Muscat

Just yesterday I came across this great little post on a site called 'Thought Catalogue'. It was aptly titled '15 things we should stop making a big deal about'. Something about it struck a deep chord and made me re-read it to understand the real essence of what was being said. I'm quoting two of the most meaningful lines here "Ordering dessert when you really want dessert. Or that you want to finish all of your dessert, or that you cleared your plate because you were hungry..Life should be a balance between things that are good for you, and things that you genuinely enjoy, and you shouldn’t feel the need to excuse yourself or make a light joke about being “bad.” Then this morning I went into the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton Hotel in Muscat for a Chocolate Fondue demonstration followed by High tea and these lines seemed perfect! Life really has to be a balance and I know I will always keep it that way.There will have to be a time to write, a time to click photographs, go out, spend quality time with family and do that little bit for people who need it. The Al Bustan Ritz Carlton, Muscat For all the ladies present, the highlight of the morning was the Chocolate Fondue demonstration set up by Executive Chef Jergen Sodemann and his two young assistants Kevin and Julia who took us through the short and sweet steps involved in making three kinds of chocolate fondue. Executive Chef Jergen Sodemann shows us the superb Ritz Carlton Chocolate cake which we then got to eat- It was in a word, superb! Kevin then started the demonstration by showing us these bags of fabulous chocolate ( of course, we all got to eat the chocolate). The three types of chocolate fondue that we were privileged to watch were the Manjari, Tanariva and the Dulcey chocolate fondues. Bags of the best quality chocolate used to make the chocolate fondue For those of you who are interested in trying it out, here is the highly acclaimed original Ritz Carlton recipe for the Manjari ( Dark) Chocolate Fondue Boil cream and glucose together. Pour over the dark chocolate . Start using a spatula to create an emulsion. Keep aside Vacuum into a bag and preserve in chiller for a week Ready to serve with these mouthwatering options The taste of the pudding is really in the eating! The fabulous High tea that followed Did that make us feel really happy? I'd say Yes. So would the fifty other ladies who joined us for the event.And before closing, I will share my favourite quote on chocolate by Dave Barry."My therapist told me the way to achieve inner happiness was to finish what I start. So today I have finished two bags of M and Ms and chocolate cake. I feel better already!" NB- Revisiting an older post and loved reliving the experience

A unique Double Rainbow on Earth Day

Standing at our balcony in Mashobra, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India ,we were witness to a spectacular double rainbow yesterday afternoon.

Lasting for over 20 minutes, it stayed right there in front of us as we stood there awestruck.
 The highlight of out day on Earth Day, its something that will stay with us forever

Here it is in all its glory

Enchanting Himachal- Moods, Shades and Views-My video on You Tube

On a road trip to enchanting Himachal in the month of April we are discovering  some fabulous views, moods and shades.

The weather is unbeatable- a slight nip in the air in the morning and cold on some evenings. In fact,day before yesterday when the temperature was 24 C I remember saying it was rather warm. Hey Presto, it rained the very next day and how! The temperature dropped by about 8 degrees instantly and we are back to feeling 'normal'.

We are based at Gables, a beautiful colonial hotel in Mashobra which is a part of the Club Mahendra network and head out to a different location everyday.

Surrounded by beauty all around

Apple trees with beautiful white flowers and orchards all ready for the season which begins next month.

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Walking past these beautiful sights is absolutely delightful and one just cant get enough of the weather, sights and fragrance..

     Apple orchards getting ready for the season

And the trip has just begun....

Magical Moments on a beautiful Spring afternoon- The Pinewood Cafe, Barog- My video on You Tube

Its Spring in the hills and my husband Avi and I have decided to spend some time in beautiful Himachal Pradesh- a state that we come back to time and again. Each season has its own special charm and there is something new to discover and enjoy every time we come.

En route to Himachal, we definitely make a stop at a beautiful little cafe in Barog. Called The Pinewood Cafe, it has everything one could ask for and then some! Apart from from their very special coffee and mushrooms on toast, it has the best possible range of flowers that one could think of.

So this time, we were greeted by a veritable sea of poppies - large, red and very beautiful. Then there were more flowers, including one called Paper/Tissue flowers, very unique and very beautiful-Something you really have to see to believe. Check out the video I've posted here and you will know exactly what I mean.

More Himachal stories unfold as the days go by so stay tuned folks and let me know what you thought..  

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A New Era Begins-IndiBlogger Launches IndiPR.com - A self-learning engine that automatically targets the right publishers

Thousands of businesses, products and services are launched everyday across the world. When these products go live, a Press Release (like the one you’re currently reading) is usually the first order of business. Heralding the launch of a new era, businesses of various sizes, including start-ups, can now have their Press Releases published by relevant influencers in less than 72 hours. 

Sounds too good to be true? All you have to do is read on and check out whats on offer:

IndiPR.com was built to make it extremely simple for a business to get their Press Releases published by top bloggers. All a business has to do is upload their Press Release and the ‘Automated Influencer Targeting Engine’, or ‘AITE’ for short, proceeds to accept applications and automatically shortlists bloggers based on various factors including internal ratings and rankings. Once shortlisted, the influencers do their research and publish their articles.

Now doesn't this sound a most convenient, logical and economical way to reach out to your specific target audience? I'd say a definite Yes!

Greetings from AITE- A New Era Begins

Anoop Johnson, Co-founder & Director of Marketing at IndiBlogger, adds, “With a starting budget of just USD 150, a business of any size will be able to get their press releases published by influential bloggers with a few clicks.”

So what do you get in return for your  minimum investment? Guaranteed returns by way of the following-

IndiPR.com assists digital marketers with a variety of tasks including, but not limited to, SEO, content marketing, generating awareness and gaining much needed conversations around the product, driven by internet users on influencer platforms like blogs.

One of the main issues that most marketers face when working with influencers is the cumbersome process associated with identifying and targeting each Influencer. Karthik DR, Co-founder & Business Head at IndiBlogger says, “The amount of time that people spend in trying to identify and contact influencers is huge. With IndiPR.com, you don't have to worry about any of this as the system just needs your Press Release. The rest is history!”

To catch a first look at what will arguably become one of the most recognised logos in India in the very near future, take a look and get familiar with it.

In the future, IndiPR.com will carry more than just Press Releases. Influencers will be able to get creative assignments, get invitations to attend the trendiest launch events and be privy to the latest news on the planet before the world wakes up to it.

Renie Ravin, the Founder and CEO of IndiBlogger, says, “We believe that this system will help Influencers with fresh and new content on their site every day. In a way, you could be writing about the next Google without even realising its immense potential.”

Contact Information:

Anoop Johnson

contact@indipr.com

Phone - +91-9900-001655 or 0124-4891498

Istanbul Diary revisted - Lasting impressions and some real Food For Thought

Looking through my blog entries on my first visit to Istanbul a few years ago, these are some excerpts that caught my eye and these are also what I'm choosing to share with you. 

Looking out of my hotel window

"Approachıng the last leg of thıs trıp whıch I wıll be ıllustratıng wıth lots and lots of photographs as soon as I upload them, these are some of the lastıng ımpressıons of my fırst vısıt to Turkey, wıth my mınd clearly made up to come here again,some tıme ın the future.

The people here are just wonderful ,arm frıendly and extremely hospıtable. And really do care about you beıng a vısıtor to theır country.In fact, they are extremely concerned that you really should see the best of what Istanbul has to offer. Whıch to my mınd ıs plenty!

Some great street food, bread which tastes fabulous!

The hıstory of thıs place-just too much to take ın! And here I am -a student of Hıstory-I actually found all my hıstorıcal and other flıghts of fantasy comıng true.

Istanbul ıs Constantınople, the most ancıent place ın the cradle of well developed cıvılızatıon. A place where fırst the Romans then the Byzantıne rulers followed by the Ottomans/Othmans came to power and boy,dıd they have some power! All evıdent wherever you look...

A Priceless vase made of a single slab of marble inside the Hagya Sofia

And today we met Mustafa an Ottoman Turk, just outsıde Hagya Sofıa. I dont know what ıt was that propelled hım to come across and talk to us but he dıd and what a wealth of ınformatıon we gleaned from hım!(I'm goıng to need a whole new blog entry for thıs story.)

Mustafa and Avi outside the Hagya Sofi

And at the end of that meetıng we learnt quıte sımply and baldly from hım that he was dyıng of pancreatıc cancer."Dua Karo mere lıye" were hıs last words as we saıd goodbye and he went ınto the mosque for hıs mıdday prayer leavıng me thınkıng that thıs was the most calm acceptance of lıfe and death that I've seen ın recent tımes, coming from a man who had been told that he had two years (at the most to lıve.) 

Of whıch, one was almost up.

Sometimes, I think of him and I can't help but wonder if.... 

Vegetable Puffs- A great Teatime Treat, the Super Easy Way!

Super quick and easy vegetable puffs

You look in the frig and find that you have a few leftover vegetables. 

Teatime's approaching and you decide to dig  deeper into the frig and see what else is available. 

I always keep a block of Cheddar cheese and low fat puff pastry so that I can make a some super easy and quick vegetable or chicken puffs as the case may be.

So here are my ingredients for 11 large Vegetable puffs

Some cooked paneer( cottage cheese)

Some cooked peas and carrots

One egg to coat the sealed puffs

Grated cheddar cheese

Light puff pastry

Pre heat oven to 100 degrees c and prepare the filling. 

Separate the puff pastry sheets and fill them with the mix.

Shape and close each of the puffs.

Brush lightly with egg wash. This helps to give the light golden colour and makes the puffs more flaky.

Gently move them into the tray and then into the oven

All Set to bake

Set timer for 20 mins first.Watch carefully while baking.

If required, bake for a further 5-10 mins.

Wait till the colour is a golden brown and the puffs look crisp.

All done

Bring the tray out. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes

Serve with chilli sauce, mustard and ketchup.

Top with a large mug of tea.

Try them, they make  a great teatime/anytime snack!