ORANGE TARTLETS:A forgotten post revived by AFAM

As usual,my heart started craving to bake something new this time.So I searched my recipe collection for something .This is an orange flavoured tartlet which tastes excellent fresh.I found that it stays fresh for atleat 3 days in an air tight tin.

Ingredients for Almond Pastry: 100 gms Plain Flour

2 tbsp ground almonds

50 gms Butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp Almond essence

1/2 tsp salt

Flour for rolling out the pastry

Ingredients for the Filling: Grated rind of 1 orange(1 tbsp of orange rind)

50 gms ground almonds

75 gms caster sugar

1 egg white

Ingredients for the icing: 50 gms Icing sugar

1 tbps orange juice
Method for making the shortcrust pastry:While making pastry,the butter has to be chilled always.Cut the butter into the flour with a fork.For this pastry,Mix the flour with the ground almonds,and salt.Cut the butter into the flour using a fork or a pastry cutter if you have one.I used two forks.The consistency should be like that of fine breadcrumbs.Meanwhile,preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Add the egg yolk and a few tablespoons of water.Add water by the tablespoon so as not to make the dough too soft.You should have a tight dough.Roll out and line twelve mini tart tins.

The Filling: Mix the orange rind,ground almonds and caster sugar.Whisk the egg white in a clean dry bowl till stiff peaks form.Fold gently into the orange rind-almond mixture.Fill the lined pastry moulds 2/3 full .Bake for 20-30 mins.The tops will have risen and browned a little.


Mix the icing sugar with the orange juice and when the tartlets are completely cool,pipe a swirl over them.

My Notes:I had posted this in my initial days of blogging.I am now sending this to Sharmi for the AFAM Orange Event for this month.The sweet girl that she is,she told me that it is ok if I sent in an older post.

HOT N SOUR VEG STIR FRY

I love chinese food-it is so fast to whip up and good to eat.So when I came across this recipe,I could not help noting it down so as not to forget it.When I made this,I was surprised by the taste.Of course,I did adapt it to my requirements.So without much ado,here is the recipe:

Ingredients:1 red pepper/1/2 cup of sliced red pepper

2 medium sized carrots(about 1 cup)

1 bunch spring onions

175 gms broccoli or cauliflower

100 gm baby corn

100 gms mangetout(known as snow peas in US)

2 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

3-4 fresh green or red chillies

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

juice of 1 lime

450 gms medium chinese noodles(straight-to-wok variety)

OR

An equal weight of cooked maggi/any other dry noodles

Method:Slice the carrots and peppers into thin strips.Remove seeds from pepper.

Slice the baby corn into half lengthwise.chop spring onion into diagonal slices.cut the mangetout similarly.

Using a fine grater,grate the ginger and garlic(If you have a mortar and pestle,crush it Indian style).Now chop the red chilli finely.

Heat oil in a wide mouthed frying pan/wok.Add the garlic,ginger and chilli and fry for a few secs on high heat.Now add the carrots and pepper.Stir fry for 2 mins.

Add spring onions,broccoli/cauliflower,corn and mangetout.Stir fry for 2-3 mins until veggies start to wilt.

Meanwhile, if you are using maggi or other dry noodles,cook your noodles in plain water.Drain and keep aside.Don't cook them too soft.If you use the ready to use noodles,you need not cook them.

Now mix together the soya sauce,lime juice and honey and mix into the veggies.Add the noodles and stir until heated through and mixed properly.

Serve hot.



My Notes:The original recipe uses 450 gms of straight-to-wok traditional medium noodles.I made them using both normal maggi noodles as well as straight to wok noodles.Both versions were very good.You can always increase the spice if you like it that way.

This is very light upon the tongue-all the flavours gel together very well.The abundance of the vegetables in this dish also makes it quite healthy as well as satisfying.

EGGLESS SOOJI NANKHATAI

I have been trying to eliminate the use of eggs in my baking,of late. I think my tastes are changing these days.I came across a recipe for cookies made with semolina which sounded very different to me.It does not even have baking powder or baking soda.How different?well,read on:I made changes to the recipe to suit my taste and working methods.

Ingredients:125 gms margarine/butter(I used Flora original spread)

150 gms all purpose or plain flour/maida

75 gms Semolina/sooji(the one used for upmas etc)

75 gms soft brown sugar/raw cane sugar/light brown sugar

25 gms ground almonds

1 tsp vanilla essence

8-9 pods of elaichi/green cardamom,powdered

Method:Preheat the oven to 375F/190C/Gas mark 5


Beat the margarine with the sugar until light and fluffy.Add the vanilla essence and

Mix the flour,semolina and ground almonds.

Add this into the margarine-brown sugar mix in two batches,mixing well to form a dough.

Knead lightly to a tight dough.Make sure that the dough does not stick to your hands.

Oil a baking sheet lightly or use a greaseproof paper to line it.

Make 3/4 inch diameter balls of the dough and flatten a little with your palms.Place it on the baking sheet.

Do this for all the cookies.Then use the tines of a fork to press the cookies vertically as well as horizontally,making a check pattern on top.Bake for 20-25 mins.In my oven it took 25 mins.

Take out the cookies when you see the sides browning lightly.They will still be soft but don't be disheartened.These cookies dry up fairly well as they cool and take on a nice crunch once they are completely cooled.

My Notes:These cookies turned out great,not too sweet either.Great accompaniment to tea or coffee.For all my readers wondering what to do if you cnnot find brown sugar,simply substitute with white sugar.Normally in India the sugar is of larger granules,and if that is the case with you,all you need to do is to run it through your food processor to make a powder of the sugar.