Monthly Archives: August 2012

Topra Pak

Sweets

Topra pak ia a sweet meat made with coconut (topra).  It is very rich.  At home we  used fresh coconut only.  The coconut is split in half, we drank the coconut water and grated the coconut and used the flesh for the pak.  Here we use the dried coconut. 
 Topra Pak             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients 

  • 2                  cups oil for fryin
  • 1/2               cup gund
  • 3                  cups butter
  • 2                  cups Sojee (semolina or wheatlets)
  • 2                  cups powder milk
  • 1                  tsp crushed  elichi,(cardamom seeds)
  • 1/2               tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2               tsp saffron
  • 2                  cup almonds (crushed)
  • 6                  cups grated coconut  
  • 3                  cups Sugar
  • 1-1/2            cups water
  • 1/2               can evaporated Milk (395ml)

Decoration

  • 1/4               cup  chopped almonds, and pista  
  • 2                  tbsp kas kas (poppy seeds

Instruction                          

  • In a frying pan heat the oil to medium hot.  (oil is hot when if you put the handle of the spoon in oil tiny bubbles form around it.)   Add a tbsp of gund and fry.  The gund will puff up and become see through.  Remove from the oil and drain.  Fry the rest the same way.
  • Melt Butter in a large saucepan on medium hot heat and fry sojee till golden brown about 15 min. 
  • Add the milk powder and fry stirring for 5 min.
  • Add elechi, nutmeg,  saffron  fried gund, coconut, almonds,  and mix well.
  • In a small saucepan make a syrup with sugar and 11/2 cups water till it is 1 string.  (Drop some syrup on a plate,  Put some syrup between your finger and thumb  and pull your fingers apart.  You will see a string when you pull apart.)  Add this to the saucepan.  Add the milk and mix well.
  • Pour into a 13 x 18 inch tray.
  • Decorated it with almonds, pista and kas kas.
  • Let it set in a cool place.
  • Cut into squares or diamonds.

Tapra Pak Ingredients

Batata Nu Sak

Entrees, vegetarian

 Ingredients

  • 4               med potatoes
  • 4               tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4            tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4            tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/4            tsp cumin seeds
  • 5               curry leaves
  • 1               tsp dhana jeera
  • 1/4            tsp turmeric powder
  • 1               tsp salt
  • 1               tsp green masala
  • 1               tbsp tomato paste
  • 1               tbsp lemon juice or
  • 1/4            tsp citric acid
  • 1               tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Peel and cube the potatoes to 1/2 inch cube.
  2. In a medium saucepan heat the oil, add curry leaves, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and  cumin seeds.  When the seeds start to pop add the potatoes,  rest of the spices and tomato paste.  Mix well.
  3. Turn the heat to medium, cover the saucepan and let the potatoes cook for about 15 minutes or till the potatoes are soft.
  4. Decorate  with chopped cilantro before serving.
  5. Serve with chapatti.

Apricot Bars

Sweets

This is a recipe I got from Womans  Weekly magazine.
Sliced almonds and sweet butter-crumb topping turn tangy fruit and shortbread cookie bars into super treats.
You can use peaches or nectarines instead of apricots.

Makes 12 squares

319 calories per square.

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1                  lb apricots, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4               cup sugar
  • 1                  tbsp lemon juice  
  • 1/2               cup water

Pastry

  • 1 3/4             cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3                cup sugar
  • 1/2                tsp salt
  • 3/4                cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1                   egg
  • 1/4                tsp almond extract

Topping

  • 1/2                cup all-purpose flour
  • 2                   tbsp sugar
  • 1                   tsp grated lemon zest
  • 3                   tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 2                   tbsp sliced natural almonds

Instruction

For the filling:

In a pot over high heat combine apricots, sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, stirring frequently, until  thickened, about 20 minutes. freeze 30 minutes.

For Pastry

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line 9” square baking pan with aluminum foil. 
  3. Combine flour, sugar and salt.
  4. With pastry blender or 2 knives cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  5. Lightly beat together egg and almond extract;  stir into flour mixture until dough forms. 
  6. Press dough into bottom of the pan; prick with a fork.
  7. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden.
  8. Cool slightly.

For the Topping

  1. Combine flour, sugar and zest.
  2. Using fingers blend in butter until mixture is crumbly.
  3. Stir in almonds.
  4. Spread apricot filling over pastry;  sprinkle with crumb topping.
  5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden.
  6. Cool on wire rack.
  7. Cut in Squares.

Prawn Masala

Entrees, Seafoods

 Serves 4

Prawn Masala

 

Ingredients

  • 1                lb prawns tails
  • 1/4             cup oil
  • 1/2             tsp cumin seeds
  • 1                medium onion diced 1/4”
  • 2                tomatoes diced to 1/4”
  • tsp             green masala
  • 1                tsp dhana Jeera
  • 1/4             tsp haldi(turmeric powder)
  • 1                tsp tomato paste
  • 11/2           tsp salt
  • 2                lemon
  • 1                tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Skin and devein the prawns (make a slit in the middle and remove the black vein).  Add 1/2 tsp salt and juice of 1 lemon and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
  2. In a wok or a medium saucepan heat the oil, add the cumin seeds and onions and fry the onions till they are transparent.   Add the tomatoes, green masala, dhana jeera, heldi, salt and tomato paste.
  3. Let it cook on low heat, covered, stirring a couple of times  for about 10 minutes.
  4. Rinse prawns in cold water and dry it on a kitchen  towel,  add this to the sauce and cook for about 5 min.  The prawns will change color to pink and it will curl up.
  5. Add lemon juice and mix.
  6. Serve in a shallow dish sprinkled with cilantro.

Serve with chapatti or paratha.

Coconut Barfi

Sweets

 086 (2)

Ingredients

  • 8                 oz butter
  • 3/4              cup half and half or homo milk
  • 2                 cups  sugar
  • 1/4              cup powder milk
  •                    a few drops of pink food coloring
  • 1/2              tsp elechi seeds(cardamom seeds)
  • 1/8              tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1                 lb unsweetened coconut

Decoration

  • 1                 oz each coconut, chopped almonds and pista.

Instructions

  1. Melt Butter.
  2. Add the half and half and sugar and boil it till the mixture thickens about 5 min.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook till the mixture is thick and starts forming into a ball.
  4. Set it in a 9 x 9 Square pan.
  5. Sprinkle with coconut chopped almonds and pista and let it set.
  6. When cool cut it in square or diamonds.