~Savory Onion Cake with Tuna/Egg Salad~

With the word „Cake“ you somehow always relate to a sweet, chocolatey, creamy buttery cake : )

This savory cake is different and really delish, an all time Famous and favorit  of all of us here in germany,a complete meal in fact : )

 

 

I learnt this from the Educationalist of my daughter and loved it at first sight, you can do any variations in it by adding any other ingredients in it but the main are of course the onions!

You can make it as a sheet cake too, as well as in a larger form as I made it.

I made the tuna fish salad with it as the bread is already included in it so it makes a rich heavy meal all in all.

 

 

The tuna salad is actually not according to any recipe, I just add what I think would taste yummy together : ) I took Tuna Fish tins but not the ones in oil! I use the ones in water as it is lighter and actually ideal for making salads or bread spreads.

I thought any form of noodles will taste good in it and will give a filling feeling so I used the small soup elbow noodles

**I couldn’t resist not adding my love the red chili flakes : )**

 

 

This is what you need to do:

Cake mixture:

400 grams plain flour

250 ml luke warm water

42 gr fresh yeast cake (I tiny pack)

2 tbs oil

½ tsp salt

*make dough mixing all the ingredients

*spread it on the sheet and let it rest till double in volume around 30 minnutes

*if you are making it in a cake form then let it rise in the bowl and then spread in the form! ( will take 30 minutes)

 

 

 

Cake topping:

7/8 onions (around one kilo)

200 grams turkey/chicken salami

4 eggs

250 g cream fraiche or sour cream

Salt and black pepper to taste

Red chili flakes (optional)

Mixed dry herb of your choice

(I took herb of Provence, it is a blend of all dry herbs)

 *cut the onions in fine rings and fry slightly

* make cubes of the salami pieces and also fry slightly

*beat the eggs and mix in the cream and season with the spices

*now spread the onion on the ready dough on the sheet/form

*spread the salami on it

*pour the egg/cream evenly all over the cake

* bake in a preheated oven 180°C for around 25 minutes

 

As it is ready, take it out and let it stay for a while so the egg/cream mixture sets a bit, it may seem a bit shaky but that is normal it is well cooked, but if you want to be surer you can insert a long shashlik stick to check if the eggs are done : )

 

 

This is how I made my Tuna Fish Salad:

2 cans of tuna fish

(Drain the water completely)

2 hardboiled egg

(Cut in small cubes

50 grams maze

100gram elbow noodles (small ones especially for soups)

(prepare ahead so they cool down)

½ red onions in tiny cubes

¼ tsp mustard paste

Salt to taste

50 gram plain yoghurt

100ml remoulade (sort of mayo with herbs)

(You can make it with mayo and add dry herbs in it with fresh lemon juice, mustard cream, vinegar and some dill pickled cucumber)

 

*mix the yoghurt and remoulade(mayo)

*mix in the mustard paste and salt

*add the tuna fish and crush it with a fork and mix well

*now add the noodles, onion, egg and maze and mix gently

*it is best to prepare this salad at least 20 minutes ahead so it can set and mix well.

You can keep this in the fridge and use it till it is finished, I use this as my breakfast bread spread too, tastes extreme delish!

 Try it and find out : D

 

 

Someone asked me how did i place this cake on a coaster and how did it stay so even :)

No my dearie, i have a glass platter underneath, my baking form has a glass bottom so i placed that as is on the cane coaster :D

Swiss Roll Trifle

A very simple yet a very delicious treat and an all time favorite dessert to make when friends come over : )

I always make my trifle with home baked cake, and it is usually the plain vanilla cake but this time I had bought the cream roll with blue berry filling so made it with that.

Though an easy dessert but takes some time so make it with peaceful hands.

I used the famous “Bird’s custard powder and the Noor Jelly powder.

This bowl served nearly 10 people

 

 

 

Don’t make it a night ahead as the cream roll will become so soggy that it won’t taste later. Try to prepare the same day you need it.

 

You need to make the custard and jelly before you start the layering but take care they are not too thick, as they will not make a good spread on the fruits

Best is that you have all things handy so you can just make this in one go.

 

So this is what I did:

1 cream roll ( I think best is the blueberry one)

1 tin of mixed fruit (drain the juice)

2 packs of jelly different flavors

(I used banana and strawberry)

1 bowl custard made with 1 liter milk

 

*prepare the custard as instructions

(It’s usually 2 tbs of custard in 500ml milk)

*make the jelly and take care not to cook too thick

As soon as the crystals vanish, take off the stove but keep the spoon in it so that it does not set so soon.

*open the can and drain the juice from the fruit

*cut 1 cm thick round slices of the cream roll

 

Now you are ready to start off:

*lay the cream roll slices on the bottom and sides of the bowl

*pour some custard, wait for 2-4 minutes so it sets

*spread some fruit on it gently and pour some jelly on it

Spare some jelly for the topping!

*wait another 5 minutes so the jelly gets hard

*spread another layer of cream roll and the rest as above.

*now you can decorate the top most with laying cream rolls on the sides

* cut the jelly with a sharp knife so it seems like crystals, spread accordingly

*decorate the rest fruit on the top.

Now let it cool down first and then keep it in the fridge to chill

2-3 hours are good enough to keep in the fridge.

You can top it with cream if you like, I did it once, it tastes yummy but makes you quite heavy later so I did not use it this time.

A very easy peasy way of making this divine dessert.

 

Enjoy decorating and playing around with cake and fruit layers  :)

Creamy Koftay(Meat Balls) In Spicy Spinach

Koftays are a very hearty dish, I always include them in my menu at get to gathers. This time I thought to make them with Spinach as I usually make Spinach /Meat. These here are a little different from the normal Koftay as I add cream in them and grind them fine with lots of spicy masala : )

For me this has to be HOT to enjoy it!

 

 

I took the fresh spinach and boiled it and then mixed it with a hand mixer but did not make a puree out of it as some chunky spinach tastes really yummy  : )

I added a bit hot spices in it as only then the spinach tastes good mixed with the meat balls.

You need a good lean meat for it, it becomes soft as you add cream in it and with the **Tip a’ la Rania** it works wonders to make it more softer : )

This is what I did:

For the Koftay:

600 grams minced meat (lamb)

1 large onion

2 inch fresh ginger piece

4-5 tbs fresh cream

1-2 tbs oil

**2-3 pinches of baking soda**

1 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed red chili

1 tsp roasted white cumin powder

½ tsp garam masala

1-2 tbs water

 

 

*grind the mince meat fine

*grind the onion and ginger together

*mix all the above ingredients in the minced meat and knead very well into smooth dough

*form small balls than the usual big koftay

(this way it absorbs the spices well)

 

For the Gravy:

2-3 medium onions

75 ml oil ( around 5-6 tbs)

1 cup yoghurt

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp red chili powder or to taste

1 ½ tsp roasted cumin powder

¼ tsp turmeric

*mix all ingredients in the yoghurt and keep ready

*cut the onion in really fine cubes

*heat the oil and fry the onion in it till light golden

*pour the yoghurt with spices in it and mix well

*let the onion cook in it till softer and till the spices have mixed in well

*now drop the koftay in this gravy, DON’T turn or move around with spoon

*just hold the pot and sway right left slightly so the balls turn over themselves

*the yoghurt will leave water and the koftay will leave juices and will cook in it

*move the pot once or twice so the koftays don’t stick on the bottom

*as you see nice thick gravy forming and oil showing up form side, let aside

 

 I prepared the spinach while I was cooking the koftay so I just added in it, This is what I did simple and fast:)

 

*wash the spinach leaves very very well

* fill a bowl of water, soak the leaves in it and keep the water draining

*this takes away any mud or sand on it

*Boil these leaves in a pot with nearly 300ml milk

* throw the milk away after 2-3 boils

* use a hand mixer and grind the leaves just coarse

*add 3-4 tbs of cream in it while you grind!

 

~So now add this all to the koftay pot and stir all well!

~the spinach will leave some water and shoot high : )

~Keep stirring but carefully so the Koftay don’t break

~it took me around 20 minutes to keep stirring it till it had a nice dry look

~drop a dollop of butter on it, this gives a lovely aroma and shine and taste!

~pour cream on the koftay as you dish out, some don’t like too much cream so I just dropped it with a spoon : )

 

I served it with Khushka (plain white rice) and homemade chapatti

It is simply deliciousssssss!!!

 

 

Winter Salad with Veggies and Fruits

 

I was thinking instead of sitting and gobbling the unnecessary Cals in shape of biscuits and chocos :/ why not have something light and healthy : )

 

I had bought all my Organic veggies and fruit, had the Turkey sausage at home, my Rucola and Ice berg Salad and white Cabbage so I went on duty : )
You take all things accordingly as you like no special amount of it ok
I’ll just jot down wha ti did as far as I remember lol..

 

 Wash all veggies and Fruit and dry

-Cut the cabbage in fine really fine stripes
-Break the Iceberg and Rucola salad leaves with fingers, many wont like Rucola as it has a light bitter taste, so up to you if you want to add .
-Cut the red pointed peppers in fine stipes or rings
-I take the peppers as they have a sweet taste and go best with fruits!
-Cut carrots in small cubes
-Turkey sausage in small cubes
-Pears in thin stripes
-Apple in fine cubes
Mix all these in a broad bowl

 

 

Make a light dressing:

I took just without any measurements, I kept tasting it to my choice : )
2 tsp yoghurt
2 tbl mayo
½ tsp sugar

Sprinkled some herbs like:
Dill and mustard powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Squeezed some lemon drops t make it a bit sour
2 tsp of oil, this is very important to bring out the Vitamin of the carrots!

Mix all and drizzle on the bowl and there you have your Vitamin Bomb Salad : )

*The taste is so lovely with that “Sugar’n Spice” and mostly the crunchy fruits with cabbage simply WOW
I take care to use really organic Veg and fruits for Salads as they really give you the natural vitamins which are good for your body.
I did not use any tomato and cucumber in it, so don’t be surprised if you don’t see them in the list : )

It’s Winter in the City : )

As I moved to Germany I think I was the only human being who was so excited to see the  rain and snow : ) I always felt so happy as it rained and my friends used to think I am gone crazy lol..

The rest of the people were so irritated from the constant rainy weather and I thought how boring they are : )

Well the scene changed soon enough for me, after enjoying a few months of rain I understood the reason behind this boredom as I also entered in that circle :/)

 

My love for snow fall is till today young and fresh, I love the snow, I love the whole atmosphere, I love the white flakes, I love the streets all covered with sheets of snow. I just LOVE it!

 

This year we had and still have a tremendous season of snow fall, each day I captured the different scenes from my windows running around with my camera : )

 

 

 

 

 

I just love to save these moments and share them with my readers and friends too : )

 

Love the cars topped with this pure white powdery snow, I better not mention how long it took to get the car ready for start :D

 

I have the best view from my balcony,where ever you turn your eyes, you just see the lovely spread white sheets from one side to the other :) 

 

And now the fun part with "Car Skating" around the streets :)