""The Ultimate Lemon Zest Cake""

I am still roaming in heaven as i still have half of the loaf of this divine cake i baked yesterday :)

There is no Limit of baking this Lemon cake again and again and i keep doing small changes to see the out come but the main ingredients stay more or less the same.

I have slowly skipped to Spelt flour, ok not 100% yet but i do try to use at least 70% of this for my bakings

 

 

It is healthier and tastes equally good  but yes it's a bit different in structure as it bakes more like a bread, the good thing is, that  it has more Mineral supplements in it whereas the plain white flour has a very less amount of it, all are washed away while refining it.

Ok so if you want to have a slice of this Lemon cake with your tea today,then i better come to the recipe directly :D Bake and enjoy this flavor.

You may notice that i mention organic in front of things i have used, of course you can use the non organic if it's difficult to find one but the amount of Pestizide on all these things is so unhealthy that i would recommand to buy the natural untreated Food stuff as far as you can afford and buy them.

We never realize what great amount of chemicals we swallow with our daily Food :(
 

Ok so here's what i did;

3 large eggs

100 g sugar (it's around 1 Cup full)

1/2 Cup oil (makes the cake fluffly)

200 g flour( i used spelt flour)

120 g plain yoghurt (at least 10% fat)

Zest of 2 lemons ( i used organic as the Skin is not sprayed with chemicals)

Juice of 2 Limes (best if organic)

Peel of one Lemon(organic)

2 tsp baking powder ( again organic with out iodin salt)

2 pinches of Soda bicarbonate ( Arm and Hammer Quality)

  

For the top icing glaze

120 g Castor sugar

3-4 tbs of Lemon Juice + a drop of hot water

-beat the eggs,sugar and the yoghurt till all mixes smoothly,add the oil and give all a good whisk

-add the Lemon zest and Juice of one lime and just mix well

-now sift the flour and baking powder and add slowly and keep mixing but be careful do not over beat as it may become  rubbery, just on a low Speed and just for 1 Minute that all gets smooth

-cut the Lemon peel in tiny fine stripes ,add half of them in the batter and Keep the rest for the cake topping

-turn over this batter in a greased loaf pan and bake it on 170°c for at least 40-45 minutes

-Keep a check,don't open the oven just through the glass, you will see it opening from the middle, that is normal,no Panic :)

Insert a shashlik stick to do the test if it is done.

it took nearly 45 minutes and then i took it out and let it cool on a wire

 

 

 

 

 

-Prepare the glaze before hand, i 
drizzled the glaze in the middle of the cake so it went till the bottom which was Oh My God so heavenly tasty!

-wait for 20 minutes then drizzle the rest glaze right left here and there as you wish :)

-Sprinkle the Lemon peel on the top and let it cool,or just cut a thick juicy Piece like i did and eat it at the spot :D

 

It's simply so juicy, moist so lemonisssssh so yummmy!

*Mini Balushahi with a Twist*

*With a Twist* is a funny word;says my friend :)

But this is exactly what i did, twisted one of my recipe to make this one :)

I was planning to make another sweet dish and even started all preps but then suddenly this thought came to mind; what if i make something else; so i actually took my recipe of Shakkar Paary; mixed in just 2-3 pinches of soda bicarbonate and took luke warm milk to knead the dough.

That's it. i just made a long thin roll out of it. pulled out tiny uneven balls; pressed a hole in the midde of each with my thumb; heated oil on a medium flame because they have to cook inside out.

I made the sugar syrup before starting with the dough, so it got enough time to cool down.

I mixed in two pinches of food color in the syrup to give the Balushahis a bit of bright glaze and color.

So after i fried them i put them in the syrup bowl and just gave them a twist and toss and took them out immediately and let them dry on a wire rack

My opinion ; they are much  much lighter and easier to make and have a really high class taste!

They are very crispy; the taste of ghee in it is irresistible.

I have made the original Balushahi too some year back;very delish but really hard work, so i shall only make these from now on :) The crisp gets softer after 2-3 days but the taste stays as they are still soft and yummy :)

I will copy paste the recipe i used, may be you do want to give it a try :)

Here it goes:

Shakkar Paarray
A killer sweet snack which becomes an addiction if once started : ) Mom used to make it in another shape, fine stripes wrapped around the finger in a round shape and dipped in the syrup it was such a delight…The glass jars were all gone empty each time she made them….

I make it the easier way, short of time and impatient to eat soon :D
It takes a bit of time as when we make and pour the syrup they are all wet and take time to dry totally to get the shape of a “paarra” so don’t worry if its sticky when you make it, that is normal : )

I have taken two pics on the query of a friend, that “what’s the prove that they get dry as they seems so soggy : ), so my dear, here’s the pic but still you will have to make it to see it yourself to see the change : )
One pic shows as they were fresh and wet, and the next day I took the other pic as they were dry and ready to munch… (Next day because I made them in the night and left them on the tray to dry up)

2 cups plain flour
½ cup semolina (sooji)
5 tbs Butter (melted in liquid form)
¼ cup castor sugar/ or fine sugar powder self made
1tsp level cardamom powder
¾-1 cup water to knead

For syrup:
1 ½ cup sugar
¾ cup water
¼ cup castor sugar

-Mix flour and semolina in a bowl
-Pour the melted butter and rub with hands so all gets good mixed up
- Now pour water and knead, but keep a check, the dough should be smooth and a bit firm
-May be you don’t need the whole ¾ cup f water or may be u need few drops extra, this is just according to your feeling, the dough is similar to the namak paray dough..
-Let it rest for an hour

Meanwhile prepare the syrup, in a sauce pan, let the sugar and water cook till it is a bit thicker, take it away from the stove and then add the castor sugar in it and just mix all up don’t heat anymore!!
-now make 4 medium balls from the dough
-roll out each a bit thicker than the usual “roti”
-cut equal small squares and fry in hot oil till light brown
-place them on the kitchen paper so the extra oil is absorbed
-after frying all put them in a deep big bowl and pour the cold syrup on them
- mix with a spatula so that all the pieces are coated with sugar
-spread them on a tray, grease it slightly so that they don’t stick to at the bottom
-leave it there uncovered around 2 hours, just scrape them after a while so that they don’t stick together, they will get dry and you can see the white sugar coating on it
-preserve them in a tin box lined with wax paper, they stay fresh until all eaten up :)
-a plastic box will make them soft!!!

I have been told by a friend that in Pakistan they are made in small round forms (mini Balushahi forms) with a light color, so may be many know it as that, but this here is solely my home recipe and the way I have been eating in my childhood :)
Enjoy!!!

**MY CORIANDER SAGA **

So.... it happened that i was always longing to have my own very own coriander where i could just cut it daily for my fresh curries, but somehow the coriander din't want to grow :I

Lately my dearest friend brought me a tray with her home made fresh compost for my balcony so i could sow some summer flowers in it.

I thought why not coriander :) I had the best Organic soil,fresh with Quality ingredients such as, apple,coffee and tea, tea bags  vegetable rests, grass, egg shells, flowers and much more so what more do i need.

So here's what i did;

I took nearly 4-5 table spoons of dry coriander,crushed the whole coriander seeds with very gentle hands so that it splits, just crush them between your both Palms, as the seeds are in that small round corn and we need to open that, then spread it all over the tray from one end to the other.

I did not press them deep down, may be just slightly 1,2 cm
I did not cover with too much soil, just dusted it over the seeds.
Watered and let it on the window pane where it could get a good amount of sunshine

It took nearly 2 weeks till the first tiny green head popped out, i was thrilled with happiness,

It was only HIS work that HE gave life to these tiny seeds Subhaan'Allah!

You can see the coriander Shell still stuck on the tiny leaves :) How cute, how delicate

Then they grew every day just  a little bit, i just showered water on it,not directly on the thin delicate leaves but just on the sides and just sprinkled water all over as the seeds need water to open up.

And this is after 3-4 weeks now

It took a good 4 weeks time that the tray was full with these tiny leaves

I just placed the tray in the direction of the sun, we had a very cloudy month so i tried to pull each sun ray towards my coriander :D

Now after 5-6 weeks they are growing  with a speed Masha'Allah

I watch them each morning, afternoon and evening and feel so happy to see them growing in length :)

Of Course the great part is the Quality soil,if i had no good soil i would have no good results, so Thank you my dearest Susanne for your hard work and love,i can only return the favor with my yummy dishes with this fresh coriander on the top :D

So all  who have tried or want to sow coriander,start it now there is no rocket science i it,just simply the best soil, seeds, sun water and a loving glance each day :D

I am loving each bit of it :)

*Delish Moments to Cherish*

A BIG HELLO to all my viewers, followers,friends and readers :)

It's been a long time since i uploaded any new recipes, the reason was that i had been cooking more or less the same dishes which already exist here :)

Secondly my beloved camera,my long time campanion took retirement and it was no more fun for me taking pictures with the iPhone :'(

But just today i have ordered a lovely new camera and hopefuly i will get that in a week and then may be i'd set my hands on my pots and pans :D

But i had been inviting my  friends on brunch as that is the highlight when we get together.

I enjoy preparing a variety of things a little from each, where the eyes and tummy both enjoy; so sharing some of the tasty Moments with you all

There is no Special recipe to be quoted,but if any one needs to know, feel free to ask.

Moments..., i love to capture and save them,where we spend hours on good discussions, healthy exchangings of Knowledge and heartily laughter and joy.

Pesto filled buns-Fritata---Fresh fruits in yoghurt with honey----Goat Cheese stuffed pointed Paprika

A Whole meal based Breakfast,with fresh fruits and the fresh fruits Juice

It's such a healthy start of the day with all the Vitamins one can get, the juicy water melon is just the best one can have every morning :)

I love the Broccoli Fritata,can have it daily :) The spelt bread is the bestest among the bests!

You may see lots of Fritata on my table,well there are so many ingredients for different tastes so i bake them quite frequently :)

Okay this is cheating, no brunch lolz...but my Eid Feast after the month of Ramadan :)

A mix of all my goodies,some here some there

             Stay blessed and Keep dropping by :D

~EID-ul-FITR MABROOK~

(Image courtesy Google)

A very blessed and happy Eid Festival to all my Readers, Viewers, Friends and my loving Family.

May it bring joy in every home and may it bring peace around the world for each and every soul who is suffering in any way Ameen

Enjoy the feast!

~~Date Diamonds~~

I keep trying making just different things with dates specially in  this month

This here is just very simple , fast to make and good to enjoy each iftar

It has many nuts in it which gives one strength after the whole days’ fasting

 

 

 

Many countries have really very long fasts, we here are also hitting the 20 hour sign.

It’s hot and humid and long days, less time to eat late night, so it is best to have few things but full with nutrition to give energy to the body

 

I make these and keep them  in a tin box, they stay soft and chewy and are finished in a weeks time,as one can only eat one or two not more.

 

 
 

 

 

The easy way to make them:

300 g date(pit and cut in pieces)

200 g almonds (grinded)

3 tbs desiccated coconut

3-4 tbs butter

Some oil to spray

2-3 tbs of powder milk (Nido)

2-3 tbs organic honey

 

 -cut the dates in small bites so it is easy to grind them

-spray some oil in your chopper, so the dates will not stick to the sides

-grind the dates till they form a paste

-grind the almonds too as is, I do not boil or peel them

-now take a broad pan

-heat the butter in it and add the dates paste, nuts and the coconut

-mix all slowly and keep  pressing so they don’t form a round lump

-as the dates get pretty soft, sprinkle the powder milk and mix well

-adding powder gives it a firm looks,yet it stays soft

-grease too large plates with oil and spread the mixture dividing into two halves

-it should not be too thick, so I divide it.

 

 

-Now wait for a few seconds, then spray some oil on your palm and press the mixture into a thin flat spread

-now using a wooden honey  wand  drizzle honey all over it

-this gives the mixture a firmness as it cools down, and it is easy to cut out really fine pieces.

-place the plates in the fridge for 30 minutes,then you can cut out pieces according to your wish

-keep them in a tin box in the room temperature not in the fridge, as the real taste of the dates may fade away as the butter and honey get hard in the fridge

There is no sugar in it, it’s all pure natural sweetness of the dates and honey

You’ll love it I’m sure

 Hope you enjoy making them J

 

 

 

 

 

**Blessings of Ramadan**

 

 

The holy month of Ramadan has arrived.

Here's wishing you all my friends,a very blessed and happy 29/30 days of compelete peacefulness.

May all your supplications be accepted and rewarded.Ameen

Remember me in your prayers.

Jazak'Allah