KitchenAid

Festive feuding…..

December 16, 2014Uncategorizedamc cookware, bakin, belgian chocolate burfee, burfee, Curry Me Home, festive recipes, Fourways Farmers Market, Holi Cow Fourways, KitchenAid, Mela, Post newspaper, SABC 2, Sugar 'n Spice, sweets and desserts, vegetarian, yudhika sujanani, yudhikayumyumyudhikayumyum One comment

Yudhika visits the Fourways Farmers Market on SABC 2’s Mela…

The festive season…some people love it…some people dread it! The producer of Mela, is always full of brilliant ideas….and one of our themes was what to make when the inlaws….or should I say ‘outlaws’ come to visit!

Mother in law blues….it’s awful but over the holidays we all seem to overdose on it….yes, yes…they are perfect and they are the best cooks too….so, we first had a look around to see what we could come up with….first stop was our local ‘Fourway’s Farmers Market’. The produce is amazingly fresh and it is a must for any ardent foodie. I happened to come across a chocolatier stand.and they had fabulous white chocolate that was too tempting to resist.

We decided to prepare a meltingly delicious burfee with a decadent twist….white belgian chocolate…that ought to get the tongues to stop wagging!

Burfee isn’t a festive must….but, a little slice served at any time of year can be just what the doctor ordered to soothe those fraying nerves…I have to agree with the Mela producer on this one! If you missed this episode of the ‘Food Mela’, click here to view….https://yudhikayumyum.com/sabc-2s-mela-videos/yudhikas-chocolate-burfee-on-mela/

A word on milk powder…I suggest using Klim milk powder for this recipe. For more on burfee check out these links on this blog….https://yudhikayumyum.com/2014/07/24/the-eid-burfee-challenge/ for the Coconut Burfee and here for the rose and pistachio burfee…https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/29/rose-and-pistachio-burfee/ and perhaps this one for the super decadent fresh cream burfee recipe…https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/07/29/sugar-n-spice-recipes-fresh-cream-almond-burfee-by-yudhika/ and check out the video link to watch how to make up this burfee from my show Sugar n Spice…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWFDoAJuQXI

White Chocolate Burfee by Yudhika on SABC2’s Mela….

Chocolate Burfee

Whole almonds

Red food colouring, to tint almonds

Gold dust, to tint almonds

500g Klim milk powder

175ml tinned dessert cream

375ml sugar

250ml cold water

2,5ml ground cardamom

25ml butter

50g chopped white chocolate, chopped

50g chocolate, to garnish

Tint the almonds with red food colouring and roast in a hot oven until dry.

Leave aside to cool and then sprinkle with gold dust.

Gently rub the gold dust over the almonds.

Grease a 20 x 25cm pyrex dish or baking tray with butter.

Line the tray with plastic wrap ensuring the sides are also lined.

Grease the plastic wrap with butter. In a mixing bowl, rub the dessert cream into the milk powder until it resembles bread crumbs.

Leave this aside for an hour to dry out.

Place the milk powder mixture into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Combine the sugar and water in a small AMC pot and boil until a thick sticky syrup forms.

Add the cardamom and butter to the syrup.

Pour the syrup into the milk powder, add the chopped chocolate and stir well to combine and leave to cool just slightly.

Add the chopped chocolate and working quickly press the mixture down into the prepared dish or baking tray.

Once the mixture cools, garnish with the tinted almonds and chopped chocolate. Refrigerate the burfee until firm and slice into blocks or diamonds.

The bold and the breyani….Coming up on Mela!

October 21, 2014Uncategorizedamc competitions, amc cookware, breyani, Diwali, diwali breyanis, KitchenAid, Mela, parda veg breyani, post diwali recipes, Post newspaper, SABC 2, soji, veg breyani, vegetarian, veggies, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 4 comments

Parda Veg Breyani baked in AMC Gourmet Cookware by Yudhika Sujanani

The breyani police will be out in full force on Diwali. The breyani police could be anyone…difficult kids to your dragon in-laws or especially a battle-axe mother in law…for some homes there will be a vegetarian breyani but I am sure that by now you know that I will be enjoying a non vegetarian feast! My mother in law doesn’t visit or eat curry! I am not sure if this is a good thing….perhaps it is just one of ‘those things’!

I do enjoy a spicy vegetarian breyani served almost ‘drowning’ in delicious yellow dhal! A bit of grated carrot with finely sliced red onions and maybe 2 pickled chillies would make it a memorable meal. Oh, and soji as dessert – what could be more traditional or delicious! For the soji recipe, click here… https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/30/soji-i-remember-i-remember/

If you are looking for a festive lamb breyani, try out this recipe from my show, Feast of Eid on Saffron/Home Channel last year, https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/07/26/ready-set-spice-feast-of-eid/ and if you’re feeling a little nervous, take a look at the video clip before getting started here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuhIfzGiR0…leave a comment….It would be great to hear from you!

Yudhika on the Mela set preparing the parda veg breyani

Back to the veggie breyani….this week on Mela, I will be featuring a Parda Veg Breyani…this breyani is also called ‘Dum Breyani’ which means its cooked in a pot sealed with dough so that all the flavours are ‘trapped’. I always post Mela recipes on Sunday, but since SABC 2 are running a week behind schedule, I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to share this amazing recipe with you right now!

It makes a change from the stove top breyani….for this recipe….get your AMC pot and mojo on! Haul out an AMC gourmet roaster….it goes from hob to oven to table…really, who needs extra washing up on Diwali! If you are hankering after an AMC gourmet pan, click here to enter the competition on my blog, https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/amc-giveaway/. AMC cookware are also giving away one of their awesome pans on Mela’s twitter page so do take a look!

Potatoes make a breyani so get down to your local veg store and ask for ‘Up to Date’ potatoes….no kidding ….it’s really called Up to Date! These potatoes are often the most expensive and are almost a floury variety that soak up the delicious flavours. Soft mushy potatoes are a must! Waxy potatoes won’t do for this recipe or any breyani recipe!

The Feast…a bold and breyani special by Yudhika

Vegetable Breyani

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes, sliced into rounds and par cooked

3 carrots, sliced

250g green beans

250ml frozen peas

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained

45ml sunflower oil

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

5ml cumin seeds

1 onion, finely chopped

7,5ml salt

15ml crushed ginger and garlic

15ml red chilli powder

10ml ground coriander

5ml ground cumin

5ml garam masala

2ml turmeric

60ml fresh cream

4 level cups par cooked basmati rice

250ml cooked brown lentils

30ml butter

Egg yellow food colouring , to tint rice

125ml crispy fried brown onion

250ml boiling water

Coriander and curry leaves, to garnish

For the dough:

200g cake flour

50g butter

5ml sugar

75ml cold water

Here’s how:

Heat the sunflower oil in a AMC gourmet pot (with metal handles), add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Fry until the spices turn a shade darker, then add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin to splutter, stir the chopped onion into the oil and add salt.

Saute until the onion is light golden brown then add the ginger and garlic.

Add the red chilli powder and stir for a few seconds. Add the veggies, the remaining spices, and fresh cream. Stir well to coat the veggies in the creamy spice marinade.

Layer half the brown lentils over the veggies, top with the par cooked rice, then scatter the remaining lentils on top of the rice. Slice the butter into little blocks and place them on top of the rice.

Sprinkle the brown onion slices over the rice and the drizzle in the food colouring.

Pour the water over the rice and set aside.

Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the sugar and water. Use a mixer with a dough hook attachment and work the dough until smooth – I used the KitchenAid Mixer for this!

Roll the dough into a round large enough to cover the pot. Dab the edges of the round with water. Place the round over the pot and press the moistened edges firmly over the sides.

Brush the dough with milk. Place the breyani in a preheated oven at 180°C and bake for 45 -60 minutes. The pastry should be golden brown and should sound hollow when tapped.

Use a bread knife and cut through the dough to let out the steam – the steam can leave you with a nasty burn so take care when you are removing the dough.

Gently toss the breyani and garnish with fresh coriander and curry leaves.

Loving my chops…

October 20, 2014Uncategorizedbanting recipe, grilled chops, KitchenAid, lamb chops, lamb marinade, marinade, marinated lamb, Mela SABC 2, oven baked chops. amc cookware, quick and easy, yudhika, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 4 comments

A good chop loving….by Yudhika Sujanani

I am a ‘Lamb Chop’ sort of girl and feeling a little curried out! I have just prepared this for lunch and they are delicious! They are marinated twice…and that Serve with a side salad and some crispy bread, it is an absolute winner!

Skinny chops are just not fun…they should be thick cut and chunky with a good piece of creamy fat attached….it is the fat that keeps the chops tender! Ask your butcher to get some done for you….I know that our fabulous Broadacres Spar always does the loin chops beautifully….think Moto Moto….I do like them big and chunky!

You can roast these chops in an oven or cook them over hot coals….the oven for me is a better option! There is lots of ginger in this recipe….I know, it reads 45ml ginger…that’s 3 tablespoons! Ginger is added to marinades to tenderize the meat…but it also adds flavour too! I make up a special spice blend called Magic Masala for my Curry Me Home spice range – it is a mix of my favourite flavours….chilli flakes, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon! The Magic Masala is available at Holi Cow and select Spars around Gauteng.

For the banting bunnies….Make this a banting friendly recipe by adding coconut oil instead of sunflower oil! I think this recipe would make Tim Noakes a happy professor!

Marinated Lamb Chops….

Ingredients

12 lamb loin chops
45ml ginger paste
15ml garlic paste
2ml black pepper
Salt to season

Marinade:
50ml fresh cream
15ml ground cumin
15ml red chilli powder
10ml garam masala
5ml ground coriander

15ml Magic Masala

50ml lemon juice

Sunflower oil, to baste
Lemon wedges, to serve

Here’s how:
Trim the lamb chops and place them in a mixing bowl.
Add the ginger, garlic, black pepper and season with salt.
Refrigerate the lamb chops for an hour.
Add the marinade ingredients to the lamb chops and mix well.
Place the chops in a Zip seal bag and refrigerate for four hours or preferably overnight.
Cook the lamb chops over hot coals or cook in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius for 10 – 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat – Place a wire rack on a baking tray, then place the chops on top. This prevents the chops from ‘stewing’ in the marinade.

Baste with sunflower oil every 5 minutes.

Yudhika’s tips:
The ginger and garlic paste must be smooth. Liquidise the paste if necessary.
Yoghurt can be used instead of fresh cream.

Tickled Pink…Rose and Pistachio Halwa

October 20, 2014Uncategorizedamc cookware, competitions, Diwali, KitchenAid, Mela SABC 2, Post newspaper, yudhika, yudhika diwali recipes, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 4 comments

Rose and Pistachio Halwa by Yudhika Sujanani

I almost forget about this recipe that I prepared for the Spar Diwali booklet in 2012! I was going through some of my ‘old’ recipes and I prepared a batch of this Halwa….in the old days, it was a bright red in colour…I have opted for the more subtle flavour of rose and delicately tinted pink!

Sometimes a Diwali parcel would arrive with green halwa and I would stare at it in horror….it was just not appetizing to look at but really delicious! All good sweetmeats and mithais take time to make….so please set aside about an hour and thirty minutes for this one! As with some sweetmeats, this recipe is great for toning the arms! So no gym necessary.

You can play around with the flavours…I sometimes use saffron as and cardamom instead of the rose flavour! Brightly tinted almonds can be used instead of pistachios if you prefer!

Happy stirring ….here is the recipe!

Rose and Pistachio Halwa

Ingredients:

400ml cornflour

1000ml Spar white sugar

1750ml cold water

20ml lemon juice

5 cardamom pods, finely crushed

250g Spar butter

20ml rose extract

Few drops red food colouring

125ml chopped roasted pistachios

Grease a 30cm x 30cm square pan with butter or non stick spray.

Line the bottom and sides of the pan with plastic wrap.

Grease the surface of the plastic wrap with butter or non stick spray.

Place the cornflour, sugar and cold water into a 30cm AMC pot.

Whisk the mixture until the cornflour is dissolved.

Pour the lemon juice into the pot and add the crushed cardamom.

Cook the mixture on a low to medium heat – make sure the mixture does not stick and burn.

Continue whisking the mixture until it starts to thicken and resembles a clear gel.

Add the butter and continue whisking the mixture for an hour.

When the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, add the rose extract.

Whisk until the halwa mixture almost lifts from the pot.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan and leave to cool.

Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the halwa.

Refrigerate the halwa once it has reached room temperature.

Remove the halwa from the pan by lifting the plastic wrap.

Place the halwa on a large cutting board and slice into diamonds or triangles.

Yudhika’s tips:

Halwa does take time to prepare – it can be kept in the refrigerator for a month.

Roasted almonds can be used instead of pistachios.

The big Diwali Bake off…..

October 17, 2014Uncategorizedbaking, best diwali recipes, burfee, chana magaj, competitions, cooking, decadent diwali bakes, diwali bake off, diwali list, eggless biscuits, fresh cream burfee, KitchenAid, mela sabc2, Post newspaper, soji, Sugar 'n Spice, Sweetmeats, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 12 comments

Yudhika Diwali 2014…made beautiful by Lyn Kennedy and Photographed by Vanessa Lewis

While the controversy over the date Diwali will be celebrated rages and the confusion grows, it is time to start planning the feast!

It’s a time of year for family, friends and feasting but also a time to pull out all the stops….I have been asked about recipes flat out and it is phenomenal that with the world changing so much, there are still people out there hosting traditional Diwali parties!

So today, I have decided to put together a quick reference list….so scroll down the list to find your favourite recipes….Praise God for my AMC cookware and KitchenAid mixer…my pots and pans have been working overtime just trying to keep up with the recipe requests!!!

Diwali would not be complete without a slice of Pecan Chana Magaj: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/11/01/pecan-chana-magaj/ – you could also use flaked almonds on the top if you prefer…the great thing is that this one can be made in advance and it stores beautifully in the refrigerator! Always serve this at room temperature!

I have to constantly think up new burfee ideas and here are some of them! I love coconut and it adds an extra special flavour to this Coconut Burfee: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2014/07/24/the-eid-burfee-challenge/ . For something a little more subtle and exotic, try this recipe…Rose and Pistachio Burfee: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/29/rose-and-pistachio-burfee/ – Just remember to go easy on the food colouring – it should be very lightly coloured! Now, for a bit of a higher grade burfee recipe try this one…..Fresh Cream Burfee: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/07/29/sugar-n-spice-recipes-fresh-cream-almond-burfee-by-yudhika/ – this is a very very soft burfee…take care when simmering the liquid to prevent scorching but it should resemble thick custard when added to the milk powder….or the burfee will be too soft….if the burfee does turn out too soft, try popping them into the freezer as this dries out the excess moisture. Watch the how to video from my stint on Sugar ‘n Spice here….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWFDoAJuQXI

For me…this is my best flop proof burfee….it doesn’t have a long list of ingredients but it works beautifully every time….I refer to it as the Idiot Proof Burfee….because it is so so quick and easy! https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/31/idiot-proof-burfee/ but if it is something a little out of the ordinary that you are looking for try this one….it is an adaptation of the Idiot Burfee but I love the hint of citrus and the colour of course…..Orange Cardamom and Pistachio Burfee: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2014/10/13/burfee/

I love Gulab jamuns and I always get my kids to set up an assembly line to prepare these…it’s a great way to get kids to work with you in the kitchen…they also help with the sampling….Gulab Jamun: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2012/11/08/troubled-by-diwali-gluttony/ or you could try this Indian Gulab Jamun recipe….please use Nespray for this one…Klim just doesn’t work…click here to watch the video from Sugar n Spice…there is a little trick in making these, so dont forget to watch this….https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/31/gulab-jamun-sugar-n-spice/

Biscuits are popular around Diwali and a biscuit with a nut is a memorable biscuit….try this….Eggless pecan biscuits: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/29/eggless-faker-pecan-shortbread/ or the Naan Khatay – I don’t feel territorial about these….whether they originated from India or Pakistan…they are delicious…what bothers me the most is that I got a few hidings for stealing the nuts of the top! It always embarrasses my mom terribly when I remind her about this! Watch the video from Season Two of Sugar n Spice….it’s around the second half of the clip…https://yudhikayumyum.com/new-videos/sugar-n-spice-season-2-videos/

Home made hot jalebis are an absolute treat….give this instant jalebi a bash….Jalebi: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2012/11/08/jackie-jalebi-out-on-parole-for-diwali and here is a quick and easy Laddoo recipe: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2012/11/12/laddoooooommmmaaaa-scoring-a-diwali-goal/

For a higher grade day when you have lots of energy…try this Banana Puri: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/23/banana-less-banana-puri/ – this takes time…rest the dough..its the secret to making great banana puri! I still wonder why they call it banana puri!

For the classic buttery Soji, click here for the recipe, https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/30/soji-i-remember-i-remember/ …this will take you back decades….it’s rich, buttery and delicious…this is not for the calorie counters and faint hearted…and yes the recipe is correct….it is 400g butter and 375g semolina…not like someone suggested that its 500g semolina! Stick to the recipe…..this makes about 1,6kg soji…you could halve the recipe if you like!

Now, there are many great giveaways on this blog and also in the Post Newspaper….you have to enter it to win it…so get entering….check out the AMC competition details in the Post or you could click here to find out how you can win a KitchenAid….https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/blog-party-kitchenaid-giveaway/ – you must be a follower on the blog and on twitter to win and don’t forget to leave your comment about the Mela food segment, you can watch here…https://yudhikayumyum.com/sabc-2s-mela-videos/ – this is a fab prize and a must have for any ardent baker! Worth R6990, it is a Rolls Royce Kitchen Stand Mixer!

For the AMC competition….I don’t have to tell you again how important it is to have great cookware….and for me, AMC is the best….you can win a 24cm Gourmet Roaster worth R3350 by entering on this link…..https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/amc-giveaway/ ….this is one of the units that I use the most….and it has gourmet handles that means you can pop the pot into the oven…on this Sundays episode of Mela, I will be preparing a breyani that is oven baked in an AMC pot….don’t forget to tune in! AMC aren’t kidding when they say, ‘AMC for life’!

Phew….this has felt like a marathon post….I think I may need to put together a list of recipes for the Diwali Cook Off….I need a coffee and cake right now….maybe you should check back later for the list!

Diwali Burfee Blues…..Orange, Cardamom and Pistachio Burfee

October 13, 2014Uncategorizedamc cookware, AMC cookware competitions, competitions, Curry Me Home, diwali recipes, Holi Cow, KitchenAid, KitchenAId Competition, Mela SABC 2, orange burfee, post recipes, traditional recipes, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 4 comments

Orange Cardamom Burfee by Yudhika Sujanani

Orange Cardamom and Pistachio Burfee by Yudhika Sujanani

Every year, there are a few requests for burfee recipes….so far I have done Almond burfee, Chocolate Burfee, Rose Burfee and Coconut Burfee….even Burfee made with fresh cream! And every year, I still think up more Burfee recipes. Sometimes, it has left me feeling rather blue….always having to think up something different! Speaking of blue…check out the new KitchenAid Stand Mixer competition on the blog….https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/blog-party-kitchenaid-giveaway/ and another competition that will definitely chase your blues away is the AMC Gourmet Roaster competition, click here, https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/amc-giveaway/ – this is just what you need to get simmering for Diwali.

Back to the burfee….my favourite is the more solid burfee slice made with almonds and topped with brightly tinted flakes. This year, I have been playing around with burfee ideas and came up with a new one…Orange and Cardamom Burfee! This is also a teaser….I am featuring this recipe in the Post Diwali Supplement 2014 so this will give you a little ‘taster’ of what is to come on Wednesday….so, don’t forget to pick up your copy of the Post Newspaper on Wednesday, 15 October…I will also be preparing a traditional veggie breyani on this weeks’ episode of Mela on SABC 2 at 10.30am!

Now, the fresh cream burfee is softer and call be scooped or moulded into balls. You can watch the clip here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWFDoAJuQXI and here for the recipe: https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/07/29/sugar-n-spice-recipes-fresh-cream-almond-burfee-by-yudhika/ The important thing about the fresh cream version recipe is that you must reduce the liquid by at least 50% or the burfee will be too soft..if it is too soft, then place the burfee in the freezer for a while…this will dry out the excess moisture and then the burfee will firm up!

For the coconut burfee click here, https://yudhikayumyum.com/2014/07/24/the-eid-burfee-challenge/ and the rose burfee click, here…https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/29/rose-and-pistachio-burfee/

Orange Cardamom and Pistachio Burfee

500g Klim milk powder
 175ml tinned dessert cream 
375ml sugar 
250ml cold water 
Zest of 1 orange, leave out the white pith
5ml orange essence
2,5ml ground cardamom 
25ml butter 
Few drops orange gel food colouring
Whole pistachios , toasted
Slivers of orange zest, to decorate

Grease a 20 x 25cm pyrex dish or baking tray with butter. 
Line the tray with plastic wrap ensuring the sides are also lined. 
Grease the plastic wrap with butter. In a mixing bowl, rub the dessert cream into the milk powder until it resembles bread crumbs. 
Leave this aside for an hour to dry.
Place the milk powder mixture into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Combine the sugar, water and orange zest in a small AMC pot and boil until a thick sticky syrup forms.
Add the cardamom and butter to the syrup. 
Tint the syrup with the food colouring.
Pour the syrup into the milk powder and stir well to combine and leave to cool just slightly.
Quickly press the mixture down into the prepared dish or baking tray. 
Once the mixture cools, refrigerate the burfee until firm and slice into blocks or diamonds.
Garnish with pistachios and orange zest slivers.

Celebrating Spring with Mela Picnic…Coronation Chicken Wraps and Scones…

September 14, 2014Uncategorizedamc cookware, baking, chicken filling, coronation chicken, Fourways Farmers Market, Holi Cow, KitchenAid, Mela, Mela SABC 2, SABC 2, spring recipes, sun goddess, wraps, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 2 comments

Yudhika shooting the Spring picnic at Holi cow with Rushil Sujanani

I love picnics and after a long Jozi Winter, the first Spring picnic is always something to look forward to. You don’t need to find a park…why not have a picnic in your garden at home? The trick with picnics is to make a treat or two and then just buy a few treats to bulk up the picnic offering! You don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen and miss a beautiful day – it shouldn’t feel like a mission!

Clowning around with Harry, the Mela Cameraman!

I love the simplicity of a picnic..anything goes and everything is a treat! I picked up some cupcakes from the Fourways Farmer’s Market, some plain Haloumi and also my favourite, Chilli Haloumi as well. Soft cheeses like goats milk and cream cheese work well with biscuits! Don’t forget to pack a light wine for the day or if you are like me a bottle of pink champagne would do nicely! I absolutely love African fabrics and a African Spring celebration would not be possible without a dress, skirt or top from Sun Goddess! A big thanks to Vanya and Thando Mangaliso for adding that special sunshine to our shoots!

Curious about what I will be doing on SABC 2’s Mela…check out this little interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxQO8yPe4eY

The Mela team….Mark, Herman and Dave had to tag along to the market with me for the shoot….I am so so lucky to work with such a fab team! Shoot days are hard work BUT they are magical at the same time….we laugh ourselves through the day and sometimes it’s difficult to keep a straight face in front of the camera….as you can see from the pictures…they are not pic perfect – they reflect what really goes on at Holi Cow and some of the clowning around too!

Coronation chicken…for many years, it just sounded so so boring and I would roll my eyeballs when I heard about it! Such a proper British dish, by default, it had to be boring! And yes, you always get the stock standard history 101 about the Queen’s coronation!

I am sharing my favourite version that Chris Smit generously shared with me…I did change the recipe slightly – I do find it impossible to follow recipes! This can be used as a filling for wraps, sandwiches and baked potatoes….in a salad or served in a heap with a poppadom on top!

Scone for the tasting…yum yum time!

For the best scone recipe from the show, click on this link…https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/09/06/kasi-kings-and-queens-recipes-from-kasi-kitchen/ you can serve the scones with a raspberry cream or with whipped cream with a pinch of cardamom like I prepared on Mela. Although, you don’t need a fancy mixer to make up a batch of these scones, a KitchenAid is still one of my must haves….take a look at the competition which celebrates the launch of Mela here, https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/kitchenaid-giveaway-2014/

If you missed last week’s Mela…click here for the paneer and double bean curry..https://yudhikayumyum.com/sabc-2s-mela-videos/mela-episode-1-paneer-and-double-bean-curry/

Here is the recipe for the Raspberry and Rose Cream – a pinch of cardamom wouldn’t hurt here either….

Raspberry and Rose Cream

Ingredients:
250ml double thick cream
50ml fresh cream
15ml castor sugar
Drop of vanilla
200g punnet fresh raspberries

Here’s how:

Place the thick cream and fresh cream in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla essence. Use a wire whisk to whip the cream until it is thick.

Back to the Coronation Chicken Wraps…

Coronation chicken wraps by Yudhika Sujanani…

Coronation Chicken Wraps

1 Whole Roasted Chicken, skinned and de-boned
30ml sunflower oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
15ml crushed ginger
5ml red chilli powder
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
2,5ml turmeric
160ml yoghurt, plain
160ml. mayonnaise
30ml chutney – I used Mango Chutney
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped
8 – 10 soft flour wraps
Fresh salad leaves

Method:

Heat the sunflower oil in an AMC pot – add the onion and saute until translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic.
Stir for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add the red chilli, cumin, coriander and turmeric.
Cook the spices for a few seconds.
Add the chicken and stir through – leave to cool.
Add the yoghurt, mayonnaise, chutney, and lemon juice.
Season lightly with salt (the chicken is seasoned already) and then a sprinkling of black pepper.
Add the coriander and stir gently.
Warm the wraps on a hot pan and then place one on a board.
Layer the salad leaves over the wraps and place a few scoops of coronation chicken on top. Roll the wrap up tightly and serve.

A quick update…

September 12, 2014UncategorizedAMC competition winner, competitions, food recipes, KitchenAid, Mela SABC 2, Post newspaper, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum One comment

Love begins with ‘LIKE’ – click like or follow on facebook, twitter or the blog and leave a comment!

The second episode of SABC 2’s Mela will air on Sunday at 10.30am. And it is a special Spring tribute – This week Mela picks up the energy of Spring. This season could be called nature’s mela, with its colour, birdsong and a sense of excitement and anticipation – and there’s plenty to inspire us.

I will be preparing Coronation Chicken Wraps and Strawberry Scones with Cardamom Cream! I also pop out to the Fourways Farmer’s Market to pick up some of my favourite cheeses and cupcakes to add to my picnic basket! Pop in on my blogsite on Sunday for the recipes….if you missed last week’s episode, you can watch it here…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_UUTALyRbQ

There is just 18 days left to enter the KitchenAid Stand mixer competition….it’s been tremendous so far but you have to be in it to win it!!! Here is the link: https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/kitchenaid-giveaway-2014/ – post a comment, follow the blog and tweet your little heart out!

I have been working with the Post Newspaper again and this week featured ‘Spring Cupcakes’. You can also take a look at the recipes for the Rose and Raspberry Cupcakes https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/04/26/cake-and-candy-bakes/, Chocolate Cupcakes https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/01/24/chocolatey-chocolate-cupcakes-parental-guidance-advised/ and for those who are about to start with their Hindu fast for the month, I have just the recipe for you…Eggless Lemon and Coconut Cupcakes https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/08/26/eggless-faking/

The AMC Cookware winner for August 2014 is Varsha Balmukan of Merebank….she has won the 30cm Gourmet Roaster and recipe book worth R5000! To enter this month’s AMC competition, check out the details in the Post Newspaper!

Here’s what the rest of the Mela team are up to this week…

Yoga Mela: It’s easy to slip out of synch with the rhythms of nature – especially when you’re living in a city. This week’s yoga moment will help to restore the harmony – with Yarisha Singh presenting a celebration of spring

Mela Star: There’s something about the crisp white summer uniform that makes the navy seem so stylish – but is a life at sea really so romantic? Lieutenant Kenneth Singh commands a South African Navy ship – and he invited Jailoshini Naidoo aboard.

Mela Rising Star: If a DJ gets his playlist right, he can set the party rocking and it going till the early morning. DJ Desiblue has developed his own floor-stomping formula – which is why he’s this week’s rising star.

Wellness Mela: Traditionally, yoga keeps you firmly on the earth – but some interesting new techniques have been developed that seem to defy gravity. This doesn’t involve levitation – but it got Mishal Mookery up in the air.

Fashion Mela: Fusion fashion began with Indian designers creating a blend of East and West – but lately they’re finding inspiration in Africa, the Middle East and greater Asia. This can be seen in a recent collection by Monisha Jaising – and award-winning designer and Mela style panellist Nadine Pillay analyses the look.

Music Mela: Youngistaan is a recent release featuring Jackky Bhagnani and Neha Sharma. One of its hit tracks has been filmed against the backdrop of the mesmerizing Taj Mahal, tying in perfectly with the theme of spring romance.

Mela Star Dust: No-one can keep a secret in Bollywood and we’re about to blow away the star dust – and reveal all there is to know about Aamir Khan.

Arts Mela: Naatya Pravahaam is a new dance production that aims to convey ideas rather than tell a story. K Sarveshan is a master of the bharata natyam style of classical dance – and he sketched the background to Mishal Mookery.

Music Mela: Mela signs off for this week with Chancey Illa, a track celebrating the youthful energy of Chennai and featuring the sensational Anirudh Ravichander.

Chocolatey chocolate cupcakes….Parental Guidance Advised!

January 24, 2013Uncategorizedbeat and bake, butter, Callebaut, candy and cake, chocolate cakes, easy cupcakes, KitchenAid, My Spar, yudhika sujananiyudhikayumyum View all 6 comments

Chocolately Chocolate Cake

Every year, I promise that I will organise my life with great care to make sure I have lots of time for parental tasks like being involved with more school activities. This is a plan that never lasts…the one thing you can surely count on is a curve ball and it is always timed to imperfection.

Hetal, my eldest daughter, is now in Grade Seven and 2013 has kicked off to an emotional start. Life has become serious….there are serious chats about homework, extra homework and more extra homework. Yes, there is a monster that lives in our house and no, it’s not the Boogie Man….its a thing called Mathematics! Fingers crossed….hope we don’t end up in family therapy soon!

I attended the first parent teacher evening and drove home wondering if there was a box of ‘Calmettes’ lying around. Where did all the years go…Child One is halfway through school. I sat through the presentation, feeling quite guilty about all the things I skipped out on and decided that this year would have to be different.

My nerves were in tatters after the teachers evening when I was tasked with my first parental assignment….Cake and Candy! It’s a fund-raiser that is hosted throughout the year and whatever I made needed to be perfect. I have been determined to do my part and not do the ‘COP OUT STORE BOUGHT CUPCAKE’! How hard could it be….twelve cupcakes…in and out the oven with some butter icing and glitter….sounded like a breeze!

Think again….12 cupcakes apparently just won’t do! Hetal requested a rather large batch of cupcakes, errrr…about 72, that had to be ‘different’. Butter icing is apparently for kids and being in Grade 7 means that those days are over. I wrote of my old-time favourite, Red Velvet….that was apparently boring and so last year!

I needed chocolate and lots of it to soothe the hormone levels. Let’s face it…chocolate is just the best thing when the hormones play up…even at my age, I still seek solace in a slab of good chocolate especially when things are not going so well. Chocolate cupcakes with silky ganache and Belgian white chocolate shavings would hit the spot!

I have been having crazy days recently with mornings spent prepping for Broadacres Superspar and then evenings doing Curry Me Home promotions at Bellair Superspar. There wasn’t any time for procrastination (or complaining) so I just got stuck into it. Strapped for time, with my little helpers still at school, I opted for an almost beat and bake recipe. With all the ingredients popped into the KitchenAid, I was free to get on with prepping the paper cases. Ah….my KitchenAid, makes life so much easier and its like having and extra pair of hands!

Fresh out the oven….

I got back from work at 7.30pm and prepared the chocolate ganache. I set up a little production…I dolloped the ganache and swirled it over the cakes. I hauled out my secret stash of Callebaut White chocolate for added effect. I placed the large 5kg slab on a chopping board and watched the kids out the corner of my eye as I sliced through the slab…all three of them looked like they were in some sort of decadent trance. I was clearly on the right track.

The Chocolate Heroine!

The cupcakes were a big hit and I am clearly a heroine just for the night! Parental guidance is advised when choosing a time to feast on these cupcakes….the kids experienced a severe ‘chocolate rush’ that lasted until 9.30pm. I am over the moon but before I log off for the evening and start shining my gold star, I am going to share the recipe for my Chocolatey Chocolate Cupcakes…..

Chocolatey Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 24

200g cake flour

15ml baking powder

45g cocoa powder

225g Spar sugar

100g Spar butter, room temperature!

240ml full cream milk

2 eggs

5ml vanilla essence

Here’s how:

Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees celsius.

Place the cake flour, baking powder, cocoa and sugar into a mixing bowl.

Add the butter and beat until the ingredients are combined – the mixture should look quite gritty.

Gradually add the milk and vanilla essence while beating continuously.

Add the lightly beaten eggs and beat again until the batter is smooth.

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and bake for about twenty minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when the cakes are tested.

Remove the cakes from the tin and then leave on a wire rack to cook completely.

For the ganache :

100g Cadbury’s milk chocolate, chopped

50ml fresh cream

To prepare the ganache:

Heat the cream on the top of a double boiler and add chopped chocolate.

Mix well until the chocolate melts completely and then remove from the heat.

Leave the chocolate to cool.

Stir the chocolate occasionally and leave to thicken – its much easier to work with.

Spoon the chocolate over the cakes and use a teaspoon or spatula to swirl it over the top.

To garnish:

Haul out your best white chocolate and slice it with a serrated knife.

Sprinkle the pieces over the cakes and garnish with silver balls.