Never Get Overconfident

The last time I made mousse, it wasn't bad. It really wasn't. It was the gelatin type. It was smooth and creamy and chocolaty. I made cake. it was moist but light and well risen. It was time for pie. The crust was a pain. So i went for the grahams crust - with biscuits. So i ground them. A little too fine to bind perfectly but ok.... and then decided to make a strawberry pie - fresh strawberries, some cream, a little gelatin dissolved in the reserve. what could possibly go wrong. EVERYTHING.

The crust was too thick and even after chilling was giving way!!!
The reserve wasn't enough to dissolve the gelatin. I was too afraid to add water, so i didn't. HOw important can it be for the gelatin to dissolve completely. Maybe it will dissolve in the cream..... (i know, I read it too, but i wasn't reading as I was thinking!!!)
My cream DOES NOT WHIP WELL. I have till today not been able to whip evaporated milk or cream - even powdered cream. Cream hates me! Fluffy is a grossly asking for too much - Peaks in the whip is just a vulgar display of skill when I am told to try it. All i get is a dip like consistency! Never mind, in go the strawberries and the undissolved gelatin.

Result:
Too many biscuits, too thick a crust!
Granular jelly folded into a batter of cream and strawberries that sat instead of rising when put on the crust!

My sister said not bad and then nearly passed out when I cut her  a large slice. She pulled the "I am not allowed sugar for fear of gestational diabetes" rabbit out of her hat.
Mama said the jelly, its not dissolved.
Kyra said "mama, not nice!"

I was starting to feel like Nigella. Now its veering towards Mrs Bean!

Made Cake

And its not bad. Moist - didnt really stick to the bottom of the pan and rose well.

I hadnt made it cause i thought Kyra wanted to help. She strolls in and says where is the cake last evening so i said, let's make it. "But its my birthday. I just want to eat it." So i made it. Pleased!

Unbutter Chicken

I made it. Don't know what it tastes like. But there it is. Of course it took MUCH longer because after decided to make it, I took the Chicken out of the freezer and had to let it thaw for like an hour. Then I started with the tomato puree, which i allowed to thicken. I figured out the nee of the butter, because my "gravy" looked like pate or something.
I thought that maybe the yoghurt marinade would make it, you know, have more rassa! But not so.....
So i cheated (considering i didnt put any butter I had already messed with the sanctity of the dish!).
Water didnt seem right, so I took some skimmed milk, heated it in the pan that i had cooked the chicken in (not the gravy) and added it to the gravy. It immd looked better. Now i have to figure out a few things:

My tamatar masala was more pulpy - should i have strained the puree or blended it in the mixie - I grated tomatoes by hand - removing skin as i went along.
Is it really the butter that makes it gravy instead of pulpy.

I hope its tasty - this one took work!!!

Marinating....

Last night when I realised that the Chicken should be marinated in the yoghurt marinade for 12 hours - I must say I started marinating in my own juices! Why does no one tell you think, except in the fine print. I also realised the 5-year old has a stomach for cooking. She didn't flinch when she realised that the cooking she voulenteered to do included mixing ginger, garlic, yoghurt etc with raw boneless chicken.

So it absorbs the favours. This evening I will make some Butterless paneer as well I think.
Healthy and Yummy, Mind It! Mmmmm.... :'-/

Utterly unbuttered!

As per Beatmaster's recommendation I will attempt this today.
There is no one way to make Butter Chicken and no right or wrong way. And while this should be reassuring to me, it has made it only harder. Whose recipe should I follow. With or without the khada masala. Shall i put the grated onions in the marinade or bhuno with the tomatoes.
I am of course, in the greater interest of all things related to the love of my life - going to do the
Low Cal version of, wait for it, Butter Chicken!!! Hahahahahahahaha.
I think I need a weighing scale for the kitchen as I am going nuts dividing all recipes by 4 or 5 or 8. (i am now only making bite size portions - too much wastage. And leftovers, well, you know what i thought about bringing my cooking to work! (See for opinion on leftovers)

What Shall I Cook Today?

I thought I would open it up to feedback. But we have rules.
1. I am vegetarian till December so Chicken is ok, but no red meat.
2. Child friendly
3. Nothing that involves more than 2 hours - except the setting - which can happen in the fridge while I watch the match. Or shop. Or go to the spa - who am i kidding?

Please suggest.

Hot Pot

That didn't last long. I cooked.

I made a Macaroni Hot Pot.

Well a Penne Hot Pot.

Only not so much of a pot, the sauce wasn't soupy.

So Rakesh Chacha was here last monsoon, (Neeraj does in fact inherit his culinary gene from the Roys), and he made a Pasta Hot Pot in 15-20 mins with the simplest ingredients around the house. (Imagine my shame and his surprise when I had no rosemary at home then). Kyra wanted Pasta there was this one dish wonder in the book that i wanted to try and it had hints of what chacha had done - so i thought, let's go!

No capsicum was one problem as per recipe. Plus that Kyra doesnt like Cheese sause.

This was also the case for Chacha's recipe. So i decided to make chacha's recipe - with tomato base.

I tasted it at the end. Tasted pretty good. Was low on salt. i added salt and some Maggi all spice seasoning - Which tipped the salt scales in the other direction.....

So dadiji's trick of half a potato to soak up the salt was implemented. It helped only a bit, but Kyra liked it.

And till I am ready to invite you over to dinner - you have to take her word for it.

Gounded

I don't know if it was the migraine all of yesterday or the fact that Neeraj conjured up breakfast, but I am singularly unmotivated to cook. So shan't. But lists, I love. So I am making a list of things to buy for dishes I want to make.

So will shop today and live to cook another day!

Coming down to earth

The orange fondant in seedless Dates (which were now soggy because that was the only way to open them up - were disgusting. I have a tray-full that no one but me has touched, so feel free to call me on that!

Enough said.

Vintage variety

The most delicious thing that happened to me today is a book. I don't know the name, I don't know the vintage ( I would imagine about 75 years old at least). I am falling in love with old cook books.

This one starts with "to be a successful cook, one must practise methods. A good cook serves meals puctually. [Fair enough] This means 'she' has to rise early so as to get forward with her general household work. For it is impossible for her to do cook well and do other household work at the same time".

So much of this book has got me going! The feminist is bubbling over. But the appaling wannebe cook is intrigued. Will restore first and then explore.

Lovvvveeee old books. So pleased.
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Seedless = soulless

Ok so this morning I specially bought seedless dates. Anyone who has seen such a specimen should know ho they are sold in tight compact bricks. You know why you shouldn't mess with nature? Because then you end up with square watermelons that crash instead of rolling when they fall. Well, in a world of mixed metaphors, my dates were filled with nothingness And the fondant remains elusive.

Instruction, Improvisation and Inspiration

Cooking has taught me a healthy respect for all three.

When you mess with balance, it messes with you. Abide by the rules of the game of the chef/ author will be laughing in her grave. (all the books I have seen so far are edited/ written by women)

that said, as old bill said, it is within my rights to improvise (early days, so I don't dare say improve).

Reduced the margarine to barely there and then put the almonds in a blotting bag - Can you believe I have these things - honest - before I started cooking.
Courtesy The executive chef, drumroll please, Neeraj Roy.

Iced almonds are ready. Mama thinks they are ok - I think that's part of her job profile.

Ever so slightly salted.

Good day.

The mousse set. Beautifully. No lumps or texture. Just a smooth chocolate surface with a moussy dark chocolate inside.

Ok now the reality:
Tooooo sweet. Unsweetened cream I think next time
Could have been a teeny bit lighter - but given that it was the eggless variety with no I don't know agent (like soda or eno - we use it for idlis atleast)

But ok. Not too shabby.

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Big Mousse for the Little Chef - Mocha Mousse

Errr... actually it turned out to be the other way around - little mousse by big chef (and getting bigger all the time). But it sounds cuter if I bring Kyra into it.

When she did do the hard part - mixing by hand. Whisks are imaginary helpers. Managed to take it through for the most part. Whipped cream does break your heart but what are you going to do, right?

I don't have a mould. Have i spelt that right? So i have mousse in my fridge setting in 4 compartments of my chips and dip serving tray.

How are we going to eat it? Community style. Out of one dish!

Just kidding - the pieces do come apart. :-)

This evening
Iced Almonds.
The orange fondant is a breeze compared to finding pitted dates to fill with the orange butter - The ones I bought are all squished together. NO WAY I am squeezing anything into them.
Special request: Easter Eggs Something. :-)

Desserts

Its April Fool's Day. There can be no better attempt at real food. For the long weekend, we are doing dessert.
Caramel fudge
Iced almonds
Orange butter fondant - this is for Reshma

In fact owing to the fact that Resh is eating for two - i may alactually do some marzipan!!!

Let see.