Welcome to this wintry edition of Bhabi’s Corner dear readers. The past few days have brought with them a decidedly cold snap, making it the perfect time to gather around the table with family and friends and enjoy hearty, comforting meals. We trust that you will enjoy the selection of recipes in this issue, from the warming soup to the butter chicken pasta and the delicious spice cake, perfect to round off your meal with a steaming cup of tea or coffee. There is something special about home cooked food during the colder weather… the comfort of sharing a meal with family helps to make the chilly days a little brighter. Thank you for your continued support of our recipe column. We look forward to bringing you more culinary inspiration in forthcoming editions. Happy cooking and stay warm!!
Mixed Vegetable Soup
1 onion (finely chopped),
1/2 kg chicken fillet (cubed)
1 small tomato (grated)
1 pkt thick vegetable soup
1 can farm style vegetable soup
½ tsp fine red chillies
½ tsp white pepper, ½ tsp fine cumin
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tbsp. oil, 1 green chilli
Some fresh chopped dhania
Method:
- Braise onion in oil till golden
- Add cumin seeds
- Add chicken and green chillies and cook on medium till chicken is cooked
- Season with spices and simmer for 1 minute
- Add grated tomato and cook till it absorbs spices.
- Mix soups according to pkt instructions and add to chicken
- Stir until mixture boils
- Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes ·Before serving add dhania
Butter Chicken Pasta
Marinate 1kg cubed chicken fillet in
the ingredients below for a minimum
of 3 hours….overnight is best.
1 cup yogurt / buttermilk / sour milk
½ cup tomato paste, Juice of half lemon
1 tbs chillie powder, 1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp dhana/jeera powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs ginger and garlic paste
Next:
- Boil pasta of your choice according to package instructions & keep some of the pasta liquid aside for the sauce (to thin out if necessary)
- Fry marinated chicken pieces (don’t overcrowd the pan) on high heat until browned (2-3 mins) in a mix of equal amounts of oil & butter.
- Once all the chicken is fried, remove from pan & keep aside.
- Add more butter, 1 chopped onion, ½ tsp each of soomph & jeera seeds, curry leaves & 1 heaped tsp ginger & garlic paste.
- Fry until onion is cooked.
- Add 1 tsp each turmeric powder, garam masala & dhana/jeera powder. Cook on low for a few minutes.
- Add 1 can each chopped tomatoes & tomato puree + 1 chicken stock cube + 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda + 1 tsp sugar (to neutralize the acidity).
- Cook until butter rises to the top.
- Remove pan from heat and mix in 1 big can beaten & lump free Nestle cream.
- Mix in fried chicken.
- Return to heat and allow to simmer on medium heat until chicken is cooked through.
- Mix butter chicken into pasta. Splash with fresh cream for extra creaminess & moisture.
- Garnish with dhania before serving. Enjoy.
Spice Cake
1 cup margarine, 1½ cups castor sugar
3 large eggs, 2 ½ cups cake flour
1tsp bicarb of soda, ¼ tsp salt
1tsp baking power, 1 cup milk
1 tsp villa essence
1 cup chopped pecan nuts
¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice, Pinch nutmeg
Method:
- Cream margarine and sugar till light and fluffy
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Beat in vanilla essence ·Sift flour, bicarb, baking powder salt and mixed spice
- Fold gently into creamed mixture ·Slowly add milk and pecan nuts
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and fold 2/3 of this into cake mixture
- Pour into 2 greased loaf pans (or 1 depending on size) & sprinkle with pinch nutmeg
- Bake at 180°C for 1 hour
- Allow cake to stand for 5 min then sprinkle remaining cinnamon mixture over cake
- Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar before serving
Masala Chai
Masala Chai is a popular Indian beverage in India, made using whole spices, milk & sugar
Ingredients:
7 cardamom pods slightly crushed
·3 pieces cinnamon stick about 5cm each
·2 tsp chopped ginger, ·2 tea bags
·2 star aniseed ·4 cloves
·6 peppercorns ·1 cup water
·1 cup full cream milk ·1&1/2 tbsp sugar
Ground Masala:
·10 cardamom pods ·2 pieces cinnamon sticks about 5cm each ·2 star aniseed ·5 cloves
Method:
- For the tea, place all the spices, except the ginger, in a pestle and mortar and crush them slightly 1.Place the spices and the ginger in a saucepan.
- Add a cup of water and allow to simmer gently on a low heat,
- Once the water heats up add the tea bags and simmer until the water changes to a dark brown
- Add the milk and bring to a gentle boil
- Add the sugar and mix well.
- Sugar can be adjusted according to your preference.
- Strain the tea into 2 cups.
- Froth some milk if your prefer and scoop it on top.
- Sprinkle about half a teaspoon of the ground masala on top and serve.
Ground Masala:
- Roast the spices on low heat.
- Allow to cool.
- Place in coffee grinder and grind to a smooth powder
- Sprinkle this on top of the Masala tea. You can add less or more according to your preference
- Store remaining ground masala in an airtight container