American Sponge Cake

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American Sponge Cake

by Zeenat Durrani

6 large eggs, separated

1 cup (100 grams) sifted cake flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

Zest of a lemon or orange (outer skin)

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Method: Serves about 10 people.

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

-Separate the cold eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and bring the eggs to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

-Meanwhile sift or whisk the sifted flour with the baking powder and salt. Set aside.

-Place the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of the sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer). Beat on high speed until they are thick, fluffy and light colored (when you slowly raise the beater the batter will fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon). Then beat in the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest. Set aside while you beat the egg whites.

-In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and just form stiff peaks.

-Next, sift the flour mixture over the beaten egg yolks (about one third of the flour mixture at a time) and gently but quickly fold (with a wire whisk or rubber spatula) the flour into the egg yolk batter. Then gently fold a little of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it, and then add the rest of the whites, folding just until incorporated. (Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.) Pour the batter into the tube pan, smoothing the top.

-Bake in preheated oven for 28 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately invert the pan (turn upside down) and suspend it by placing the inner tube on the top of a flat topped glass or bowl. Allow the cake to cool completely before unmolding (about one hour). The cake can be served plain with a dusting of powdered sugar or with fresh fruit and softly whipped cream. This cake can be covered and stored for a few days, or it can be frozen.

Southern Spicy Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is one of my favorite food. I have to admit this is by far the best recipe I have tried. It's crunchy, greasy, juicy and salty. I rarely fry at home so this was a treat at home today. It was compared to KFC spicy fried chicken. 

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Ingredients 

3 eggs

1/3 cup water

1 cup hot red pepper sauce (I like Louisiana Hot Sauce)

4 cups flour

2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoon paprika

3 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 quart buttermilk (optional)

Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder (to taste)

1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces

Peanut Oil, for frying

Method 

1. Place cut-up chicken in a large bowl, and cover with buttermilk. Cover and chill for two hours, or overnight. This is an optional (but recommended) step.

2. In a large bowl, add eggs, water, and red pepper sauce. Whisk until combined.

3. In a large gallon freezer bag, mix flour, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.

4. Remove chicken from buttermilk (if marinated) and sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

5. Place all chicken pieces in freezer bag with flour mixture. Shake until all pieces are evenly coated.

6. Remove chicken pieces one at a time, shaking excess flour. Dip each piece in the egg mixture, and return to bag of flour. After all pieces of been dipped in the egg mixture and put back in the bag, give it a second shake to coat chicken pieces again.

7. Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pan to 350 degrees. Fry until golden brown. 

Sweet & Spicy Wing Sauce and Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce

Two different type of Wing Sauces: 

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Sweet & Spicy Wing Sauce

1/2 c. Ketchup

1/3 c. Hot Pepper Sauce

1/2 c. butter

2 Tbsp. honey

Combine the butter, hot sauce, ketchup, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Pour over chicken or wings in bowl and toss.

Serve with Bleu Cheese dressing for dipping!

Buffalo Wild Wings Spicy Garlic Sauce!

Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce

1 c. Frank's Hot Pepper Sauce

1/3 c. canola oil

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

1 egg yoke

2 tsp. water

2 tsp. cornstarch

-Combine all ingredients except egg yolk, water, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow it to cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

-While sauce cools, whisk egg yolk with 2 tsp water in a medium bowl for about 2 minutes or until the color is a pale yellow. Whisk in cornstarch until disolved. Drizzle sauce mixture into egg yolk mixture in a steady stream while rapidly whisking. Now you should have a nice, thick creamy sauce! 

Pour over popcorn chicken or wings in bowl and toss.

Serve with Bleu Cheese dressing for dipping!

Dhaba Style Daal

Dhaba (roadside eatery) 

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Ingredients
for the dal 
1/2 cup Channa Dal
1/2 cup masoor dal
1 or 2 green chilies, chopped or slit lengthwise
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 medium size tomato, chopped
1 tsp grated or chopped ginger (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch or two of garam masala powder (optional)
a pinch of asafoetida/heeng
2 cups water
1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 or 2 tbsp cream (optional)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
salt as required

For the tempering/Tarka 
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin
5-6 garlic cloves
2-3 red chilies
a generous pinch of hing

For garnish: 
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp cream (optional)

Method:
1. First pick and rinse the dals.
2. Add chopped onions, tomato, green chilies, ginger, asafoetida & turmeric powder along with the dals in a pressure cooker.
3. Add salt and two cups water.
4. Mix well and pressure cook the dals for 4-5 whistles or till done.
5. Once well cooked then beat the dal with a wooden spoon till well mashed and creamy.
6. Now here you decide the consistency of the dal before you add the tempering.
7. Generally this type of dal is neither thick nor thin but has a medium consistency. (refer to picture)
8. The dal will be creamy but a little thick after pressure cooking with 2 cups of water.
9. Add some water to get the desired consistency and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
10. Once the desired consistency is reached, you can add cream (optional), garam masala powder, crushed kasuri methi & chopped coriander leaves and switch off the stove.
11. Mix well.
12. Check salt before we add the tempering. if less than add more salt.
13. Cover the dal with a lid.
14. Begun to prepare the tempering/Tarka.
15. Preparing the tempering: 
   -Heat oil in a pan.
   -Add cumin and fry them.
   -The cumin should get fried and not be raw but don't burn them.
   -Now add red chilies, Heeng and chopped garlic.
   -Let the garlic brown.
   -Once the garlic gets browned pour the entire tempering along with the oil into the dal.
16. You can mix the dal or serve the dal with the tempering on top it.
17. Garnish with coriander leaves.


**Have this fantastic Dhaba dal with some steamed basmati rice**

Chicken Shashlik

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INGREDIENTS

Chicken boneless 2lbs, cubed
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Red chillies ½ tbsp, crushed
Sugar 1 tsp
Soya sauce 1 tbsp
White vinegar 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp

Sauce for Shashlik:
Tomato pulp 2 tbsp
Soya sauce 1 tsp
White vinegar 1 tbsp
Red chillies 1 tsp, powdered
Salt to taste

Vegetables for Shashlik:
Tomatoes 3 medium, unripe. Cut into square pieces,
remove and save the pulp for sauce.
Capsicums 3, remove seeds, cut into squares
Onions 3, peel and quarter, separate layers

Sauce for Vegetables:
Soya sauce 1 tbsp
White vinegar 1 tbsp
Sugar ½ tsp
Black pepper ½ tsp
Oil 1 tsp



COOKING DIRECTIONS


Shashlik:
- With the blunt side of a heavy knife lightly pound the chicken.
- Combine all ingredients for shashlik except oil and marinate the chicken pieces in it for ½ hour.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken. Remove into another pan.
- Add a little oil to the frying pan heat and add vegetables. Add the vegetable sauce ingredients while stirring.
- Stir-fry for three minutes and add to chicken.
- Make the shashlik sauce by cooking together all sauce ingredients quickly.

*Tip*
Boil rice. Heat oil; add garlic and fry to a light brown color. Add rice and fry it quickly.

Pile chicken in the middle of a round dish and put rice around it. Pour the shashlik sauce over the chicken and serve.

Chicken Biryani

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Ingredients (This recipe will serve 5-7) 

• 7-8 Onions (very thinly sliced and deep fried until light brown)
• 10-15 Cashews (fried in a little desi ghee/clarified butter)
• 1 Kg Chicken on the bone cut into 12 pieces
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 Tsp Garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 500 gm Basmati Rice (washed and soaked in salted water for at least half an hour)
• 3-4 Tbsp oil
• Oil for frying the onions
• 6-7 cloves
• 2 (1 inch) Cinnamon
• 4 green Cardamoms
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1/4 Tsp Caraway seeds (shahi jeera/black cumin seeds)
• 4 large Tomatoes (chopped finely)
• 1/4 Tsp of mace powder
• 1/4 Tsp of grated Nutmeg
• 1 Tsp Coriander powder
• 1 Tsp red Chili powder (to taste)
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
• 2-3 green Chilies (to taste, chopped)
• 1 Tbsp Ginger (chopped)
• 1 Tbsp Garlic (chopped)
• 6-7 dried, pitted prunes
• 1/2 cup of milk
• a few strands of Saffron (kesar)
• 3-4 Tbsp Desi ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 cups of fresh green Coriander (chopped)

STEP 1

Marination

Marinate the chicken pieces in 1 cup yogurt, 2 Tsp garlic paste and little salt, for a good 8 hours.

STEP 2

Making Barista (fried onions) for chicken biryani

Slice the onions very thinly (almost paper thin) using a sharp knife. Heat oil in a pan or kadai.
Separate the sliced onions using your finger tips. Put the onions in the oil and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Keep stirring the onions, so that they get evenly browned. The trick is to evenly and slowly brown the onions. If the flame is very high the onions will burn on the outside and remain watery on the inside.

Once a uniform color is obtained, drain on thick layer of kitchen paper, so that maximum oil is soaked. Keep these aside.
As they cool down, the onions will become crispy.

STEP 3

Boiling the rice

Boil the rice. For this take a BIG vessel (deep and wide), put lots of water in it, tip in the soaked rice along with 1 stick cinnamon, 3-4 cloves, 2 green cardamom, 1/4 tsp of Shahi jeera (caraway seeds) and more salt.

Remember that you should boil the rice in lots of water and salt (pretty much like a pasta). The rice should absorb the salt otherwise the biryani will be tasteless. Boil on a high flame and let the it boil vigorously on high flame for about 5-7 minutes.

You have to par cook the rice (meaning 3/4 cooked and rest will get cooked later). Do not over boil the rice. To check if the rice is done you can take a grain of rice out and press in between your thumb and forefinger. If the grain breaks into 3 parts, it means your rice is cooked just right. Now strain the rice and spread it out on a flat tray or surface, so that it cools faster.

STEP 4

Preparing the chicken

Heat oil in a deep pan, add the remaining bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms. When they crackle, add the ginger, garlic and chilies. Saute for a minute and add the marinated chicken, along with the marinade. Cook on a medium heat till all the water dries up (water from the chicken and yogurt).

Add the tomatoes, 1/3 of the fried onions, all the powdered spices, salt and cook till all the water from the tomatoes dries up. If the chicken is cooking too quickly then either cook on a high flame to fasten the evaporation or remove the chicken pieces aside.

The chicken should be just cooked and dry (because it will get
cooked further in the final step and if any water is left in it the rice will become soggy).

Once done, sneak a taste, adjust the seasoning. Mix in the dried prunes.

STEP 5

Make saffron milk

In 1/2 cup of warm milk crush a pinch of saffron strands and put some whole strands. Wait till it turns yellow. Keep on one side.

Final STEP Assembling the chicken biryani

Use a deep heavy bottom pan with a lid.

First spread some desi ghee at the bottom of the pan.
Second a layer of rice, followed by a layer of chicken. Now sprinkle a generous handful of chopped coriander and fried onions.

Repeat the layers with rice being the top most layer. Sprinkle the leftover onions and all the cashews.

Pour the milk and saffron on the top using a spoon, evenly covering the whole area.

Once all layers are set, take melted desi ghee and with a spoon pour it around the rim of the vessel and a little on the rice.
Close the lid and seal.

There are 2 ways to seal the lid in order to prevent the steam from escaping.

1) Take a large foil, cover the pot/vessel with it and place the lid on top.

2) Take some dough made from whole wheat flour. Roll it into a thin strip and stick it going around the rim of the pan half on the lid and half on the pan in order to seal the whole pan.

Keep this pot on a very low heat for 45 minutes. Place this pan on top of a cast iron tawa (on which chapatis are made) or another heavy bottom pan in order to prevent the bottom layer of rice from getting burnt.

After 45 minutes turn off the heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes and open.

Enjoy the delicious chicken biryani!!!

Note:- Please don't eat the bay leaves and the other whole spices. They are used to add flavor. You can remove them to one side.