Cook N Bake

Garlic Bread - mouthwatering & extremely delicious !

It is very easy to make garlic bread from scratch at home - the soft texture is unbelievable !
From Scratch:
Maida - 2 cups

Fresh yeast - 2 level tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Garlic flakes - 6 – mash

Melt sugar & salt in luke warm water.

Mix fresh yeast & maida & make a dough with the above to an elastic texture ( slightly lose than chapathi dough)
Knead well & allow to double.

Now knead with butter & mashed garlic.

Make one big oval ball on a greased tray.

Cover with wet cloth till double

Heat oven to 250 deg C & bake till done.

Glaze with ghee & cut into slices.

To serve, cut slices, lightly apply butter & toast on a tava till light golden on both sides.



From a loaf of bread:

Salt bread, unsliced - 1 loaf

Butter ( softened) - 2-3 tbsp

Garlic cloves - 6, crushed or minced

Lime juice - ½ tsp ( optional)

Pepper powder - ½ tsp ( optional)

Cut the loaf into thick lengthwise slices, upto 2/3.

Do not separate the slices.

Cream butter, lime juice, pepper powder & mashed garlic.

Spread well between slices & spread remaining mixture, if any on the top & sides.

Wrap in a foil & bake in a hot oven for 10 mts.

Open the foil & allow the bread to brown – takes 5 – 10 mts.

 

Moussaka - Traditional Greek eggplant casserole, Indianised !

Big brinjal - ¾ kg, preferably one big & one small

Beachmeal sauce - 2 cups ( given below)

Onion - 1

Tomato, medium - 3

Cooked corn kernels - 1 cup ( or substitute cauliflower)

Green chillies - 2,3

Mint leaves - few, chopped

Salt,

Chilli powder, pepper powder & jeera powder - ½ tsp each

Oil - 4-5 tbsp

Salt

Grated cooking cheese - 100 gms

Bechmeal sauce:

Milk - 2 cups

Butter - 2 tbsp

Maida - 4 tbsp

Carrot - 1, small

Onion - 1

Bayleaf - 1

Peppercorn - ¼ tsp

For the sauce, slice carrot & onion & add to milk with bayleaf & peppercorn.

Bring to boil, switch off the fire & keep covered for ½ an hour.

Strain & make a sauce with bailda, butter & this milk.

Add salt, pepper & keep aside.

Use the strained residue for other purposes.

Slice the bigger brinjal ( about ½ kg) to ¼ “ thick slices, sprinkle salt & leave aside for sometime.

Then gently press between both palms to squeeze out the water & sprinkle with red chill powder, pepper powder & jeera powder.

Shallow fry in oil & drain.

Boil the small brinjal ( about ¼ kg), remove skin & mash.

Blanch the tomatoes & chop.

Slice the onions & chop green chillies & mint leaves.

Heat the oil in which brinjals were shallow fried.

Fry onions to brown, add green chillies & mint & fry for 1 mte. Add tomatoes & cook till thick.

Add brinjal pulp & simmer.

Remove add cooked corn kernels ( or cauliflowerettes), salt, pepper powder & 3-4 tbsp of the prepared sauce.

Add ¼ of the grated cheese.

To the remaining sauce, add 4 tbsp cream or malai.

Grease a baking tray.

Arrange half of the brinjal slices, cover with corn mixture & over that spread rest of the brinjal pieces.

Pour the sauce over & spread the remaiing grated cheese.

Dot with butter & bake till top is golden brown.

 

Nice that you are visiting me, frequently, Sudha !

Dear Sudha,
Baked dishes are customarily served with bread ( also bread rolls ) & any green salad.
But for home use, just the dish will fill you up - no need to make salad etc !
Try making a baked dish ( call it casserole, as well), you will end up making it regularly. Moussaka is really " amaaaaazing" - that is the term my grand daughters use for superb dishes !
I have a few casseroles in mind, to be posted. So, friends, please try them & let me know if I can post further.
Love & regards,
Chitha.

 

Pasta Bake - Typically continental, amazingly delicious !

Any pasta can be used for this.

Pasta - 1 cup

Chopped Pineapple - 1 cup

Corn kernels - 1 cup

White Sauce:

Butter - 2 tbsp

Maida - 2 tbsp

Milk - 2 cups

Salt, pepper

Mozarella cheese , grated - 2 tbsp

Butter - to dot

Boil pasta in plenty of water to which 1 tsp oil & 1 tsp salt are added.

When it becomes just soft, drain completely & rinse with cold water.

Spread in a plate & smear little oil, all over to prevent stickiness.

Boil pineapple cubes with ½ cup of water & 2 tbsp sugar ( optional) in a pressure pan for 1 whistle.

Cool & open.

Boil the corn kernels soft.

White sauce:

Heat butter & add maida.

When it sizzles well, add hot milk, whisking well to prevent lump formation.

When it becomes a thick sauce, add salt & pepper powder.

Remove, add pasta, pineapple & corn.

Spread in a dish & sprinkle cheese all over.

Dot with butter & bake in an oven till top is brown.

 

Meena, don't make things enter my head, please !

This dish was baked in the OTG. In my personal experience, only OTG baking gives the beautiful brown spots to the end product. My daughter has a convection MW & always says, the top browning ( all said & done) does not come as good as in a conventional oven or OTG.
Borosil or pyrex or the now available Luminaire can be used in both MW & OTG.
Ceramic ware is also suitable for both. In MW , baking can be successfully done, but this look is obtained only in OTG or conventional oven.
Meena, do not praise my photographic abilities & waste your words. Some dishes, I am slowly realising are " more photogenic" than others ! My capacity is limited & minimum !
Thankyou for your sweet words.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

Stuffed & Plaited bread - a Meal in a Dish !

For SBS photos, please go to
Stuffed & Plaited Bread
Stuffed & Plaited Buns



Bread:

Maida - 2 cups

Salt - 1 level tsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

Refined oil ( or ghee) - 2 tbsp

Milk & water - ¼ cup each

Fresh yeast - 1 tbsp

Dissolve fresh yeast & sugar in warm mixture of milk & water, mix well, sprinkle a little flour & leave.

When it starts bubbling add all other ingredients & make a very soft elastic dough & leave to double.

Filling:

Paneer - 200 gms, grated

Oil - 2 tbsp

Tomatoes - 2, deskinned & finely chopped

Green chillies - 4,5 finely chopped

Onion - 1, finely chopped

Jeera - 1 tsp

Corinader leaves, finely chopped - 2 tbsp

Make a filling with the above.

Heat oil temper jeera. Add onion 7 green chillies.

Fry & then add chopped tomatoes till dry.

Add crumbled paneer , salt, garam masala & coriander leaves.

Remove & cool.

If you like, some boiled peas may be added.

Now, follow the photos.

Roll the bread dough to a rectangle 1 cm thick.

Divide it into 3 imaginary parts along the wider side.

Spread the filling on the centre one third.

Cut 1” wide strips on either side of the filling.

Overlap the strips on the paneer filling from alternate sides as you would plait your hair.

Place on a greased tray, sprinkle warm water & allow to rise a little

after keeping in a covered cup board.

Brush the top with milk & bake at 450 deg for 12 mts or so till top turns golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Any dry filling can be used.
The finished photo is posted below.

 

Stuffed & Plaited Bread - 1 st stage

The filling is spread in the middle & slanting cuts are made on both sides.

 

Stuffed & Plaited Bread - Photo 2

The plaiting is done.