Fettuccine Salad

~ Recipe (as well as jargon, blurb & pic) submitted by Rabab

One fine, lazy morning, I happened by an Instagram post which prompted me (I was an inch short of licking my screen) to put together this salad. Pasta has been a recent additional source of carb comfort - it sits well in my tummy for a long time after consumption and stops me from reaching out for afternoon carb fixes (most times - some days I'm just on a carb roll). This recipe is versatile as you can throw in any kind of vegetable (steamed or raw), your favourite pasta (penne, spaghetti, fettuccine etc.), cook the egg (which is optional) any way you want, and spritz in any homemade salad dressing (non-creamy if you're planning to stay within health zone parameters). I found the citrusy dressing I used didn't bode too well with the poached egg, so will probably keep the egg on a separate plate next time. Also, you can go as low or high in quantity of ingredients, contingent on people eating. (See? Versatile.).

Serves: 2 (or 1 if feeding a super hungry person)

Ingredients:
Arugula Salad: handful, chopped (you can also use iceberg lettuce or any crunchy greens)
Baby Spinach: handful, chopped
Garlic Cloves: 1-2, finely chopped (this is optional; skip it if you don't like garlic. I love garlic & use more cloves if it's just me eating)
Onion: 0.25, finely chopped (optional)
Cucumbers: 2 small, finely chopped
Orange / Red / Yellow / Green Pepper: quarter of each, finely chopped (can use 1, 2 or all of the peppers)

Steamed vegetables: Cutting the vegetables before steaming saves on cooking time.
Carrots: 1, chopped to bite size pieces
Brussels Sprouts: 4-5, cut into quarters
Green Beans: handful, cut into 3" pieces

Fettuccine Pasta: 1.5" diameter bunch uncooked
Eggs: 2 (I stick to 1 egg per person)

Salad Dressing:
Lemon Juice: 0.5 lemon
Olive Oil: 2-3tsp
Turmeric Powder: generous pinch
Salt & Pepper: to taste
Paprika Powder: pinch

Directions:
1. Cook Fettuccine as per package directions.
2. Cook egg the way you like it. I generally poach it, or fry it on days I'm feeling naughty.
3. Toss in all vegetables in a large bowl.
4. Throw in salad dressing ingredients in a small glass bottle with lid. Close lid and shake well. Do a little jiggy while you're at it.
5. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix well.
6. In a serving dish, layer with pasta, dunk out all the salad, toss some more & serve with egg.

Sweet Potato Kheer - Sweet Potato Pudding

This was another favourite at my parent's home. It's often made with rice, but sweet potato is a tasty alternative, giving the dish a nice, custardy texture. You can use 1Tbsp of sugar instead of honey. Combines well with Meethi Tikya.

Serves: 6-8 (if eaten decently; otherwise for 1 greedy sugar lover)

Ingredients:
Milk: 1.5litre
Sweet Potatoes: 250g; peeled & cut into small pieces
Honey: 2Tbsp
Sugar: 0.5 Cup
Kewra Essence: 0.5tsp
Saffron Strands: few
Almond: 1Tbsp; peeled & slivered
Pistachio: 0.5Tbsp; peeled &cut into small pieces

Directions:
1. Boil milk on low heat for an hour or so
2. Add in chopped sweet potatoes
3. Once sweet potatoes are soft & tender, mash well with a hand blender.
4. Add sugar & cook till liquid texture thickens (usually takes about 15-20 mins).
5. When you get the thick consistency, add honey, kewra essence, almond, pistachios & saffron.
6. Serve chilled

Garam Masala

Garam masala gives a wonderful taste & aroma to South Asian dishes; used in most recipes. You can make a batch and store in an airtight container; suggested to keep in fridge if environment is intensely humid. Too much garam masala can cause heart burn so use sparingly; I always serve yogurt as a side dish for the less adventurous palettes on my table & also works well as an end to a mouth ripping, sweat pouring spicy meal.

Ingredients:
Cloves: 8
Peppercorn: 18
Big Cardamom: 5
Small Cardamom: 5
Cinnamon Stick: 3 sticks, each 2"
Cumin Seed: 2tsp
Coriander Seed: 2tsp

Directions:
1. Slightly roast all ingredients in a frying pan & in a coffee grinder, grind to powder form.
2. Store in airtight container away from direct sunlight.

Gallery

Halva



Halva in a Pizza Pan



Adding the sugar syrup



Combining the ghee into the sooji



Dry roasted sooji with ghee or butter



Sugar Syrup



Almonds added to roasted sooji

Chai spices

Checking the syrup consistency

Roasting the sooji



Sooji over flame



Measuring the sooji



Roasting almonds

Chicken Tandoori Masala

I came up with this combination, during a day which had me craving for something smoky, something chicken and something spicy. It serves well with tandoori naan, parathas, puri or even pita bread. Go crazy. You can use cayenne pepper instead of Kashmiri red chili; I find the latter gives a wonderfully vibrant colour to the dish - it's available in most South Asian spice selling stores. But no need to stress if you can't find it - just use cayenne pepper.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
Boneless or Bone-in Chicken: 500g
Garlic Paste: 2.5tsp
Ginger Paste: 1.5tsp
Lemon Juice: 1 lemon
Oil: 3Tbsp
Onions: 2 medium; peeled & blended with a little water
Yogurt: 0.5cup
Kashmiri Chili Powder: 0.5tsp
Turmeric Powder: 0.5tsp
Salt: to taste
Coriander Powder 1.5Tbsp
Garam Masala: 1tsp
Butter: 2tsp
Cilantro: 1Tbsp, chopped
Green Chilies: 1-2, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Marinate chicken with 0.5tsp garlic paste, 0.5tsp ginger paste & lemon juice. Keep aside for 45 minutes.
2. Heat 2tbsp oil & add in the blended onions.
3. In a cup, mix in yogurt, Kashmiri red chili, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder, garam masala, 0.5tsp of garlic paste & 0.5tsp of ginger paste.
4. When onion becomes translucent, add in 0.5tsp garlic paste & fry for a few mins.
5. Add in yogurt mixture into frying onion with 1tsp garlic paste & 0.5tsp ginger paste.
6. Fry well adding water to stop burning. Don't dump in oodles amount of water; just enough spritzes to stop burning & sticking to the pan.
7. Fry chicken in another pan with butter and 1Tbsp oil, till the chicken turns color.
8. Add chicken to the frying onion - yogurt mixture & cook a bit more.
9. Light up a coal till it's demonic red and place in a piece of foil. Put this smoking hot coal into the cooked chicken pot & cover tightly. Smoke it well.
10. Garnish with chopped cilantro & green chilies.

Dum Pasanda

Always a hit, my Aunt shared this recipe with me. She had a flair for exotic, whether in the kitchen or in life, and shared some of her to-die-for dishes with me. It was a treat to eat her cooked miracles and a nourishing delight to watch my loved ones enjoy this dish.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
Beef Steak: 1kg
Meat Tenderizer /  Papaya: 0.5tsp
Ginger: 1.5tsp; ground
Poppy Seeds: 3 tsp
Gram Flour: 1.5Tbsp
Cloves: 8
Peppercorn: 5-6
Big Cardamom: 2
Green Cardamom: 6
Nutmeg: small piece
Yogurt: half cup
Aniseeds: 3tsp
Cumin Seed: 2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Red Chili Powder: to taste
Onion: 3-4 sliced; medium
Garlic Paste: 2tsp
Oil: 3Tbsp
Coal: 1 piece

Directions:
1. Fry sliced onions till golden brown. Remove from oil & crush. Save the oil for cooking.
2. Marinate beef steak with ground ginger, papaya (or meat tenderizer).
3. Roast dry poppy seeds, gram flour, big cardamom, green cardamom, nutmeg, aniseeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves & grind. Add this to marinade along with garlic paste. Keep aside for 1 hour.
4. Add yogurt and crushed onions to the marinade.
5. Cook marinade in the saved oil (step 1) on low heat for 2-3hrs.
6. When meat water dries, stir fry well.
7. Light up a coal till red hot and put in foil. Put this on top of cooked meat and cover for a few hours. 8. Serve with parathas.

Chili Potatoes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:
Potatoes: 0.5kg; boiled & peeled
Salt: 1tsp
Red Chilies: 0.5tsp
Lemon Juice: 3tsp
Cooking Oil: 3Tbsp
Mustard Seeds: 1tsp (level)
Curry Leaves: 4-5
Chopped Cilantro: 2Tbsp
Cumin Seeds: 1tsp

Directions:

1. Cut the boiled & peeled potatoes into bite size pieces.
2. Add salt, chili powder, lemon juice & mix well.
3. In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and cumin seeds.
4. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add potatoes & cilantro.
5. Mix, lay out on a pretty dish & tuck in.

Roast Beef

My neighbour in Abu Dhabi shared this easy recipe with me; I added in the spices to accommodate my family's palate for zesty flavours. You can cook in a heavy based pan, slow cooker or a pressure cooker (only for beef) if you're in a hurry.
Serve with steamed vegetables and fries or roasted potatoes.

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:
Beef/Chicken: 1kg
Tomato: 1; medium
Worcestershire Sauce: 2Tbsp
Garlic Paste: 1tsp
Ginger Paste: 1tsp
Mustard Powder: 0.5 (half) tsp
Green Chilies: 2
Sugar: 1tsp
Vinegar: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1tbsp

Directions:
1. Marinate the beef / chicken with garlic paste, ginger paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt & sugar for at least one hour (or overnight). Keep marinade in fridge.
2. Take out from fridge and cook on low fire.
3. While meat is cooking, chop the tomato & green chillies; throw in some salt & vinegar for extra zest.
4. Once the water of the cooking meat dries, add the blended tomato mix.
5. Fry for a while & remove when meat is tender.
6. Put a dollop of butter on top of meat before serving.

Crème Caramel_Caramel Custard

Crème caramel was my father's favourite, often made at his home. It's also one of my husband's & son's favourite dessert. This particular version was given to me by another beloved friend, Yasmin, whom I met in Nairobi. Delicious, easy and decadent make it a must have in any recipe collection. Bake away and indulge. 

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 

Eggs: 6
Evaporated Milk (unsweetened): 1cup
Milk: 1cup
Sugar: 6-8Tbsp
Vanilla Essence: 0.5tsp
Custard Powder: 1tsp
Sugar for Caramel: 1/3cup (one-third cup)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 3
2. Over low flame, melt one-third cup sugar (use 2-3Tbsp water if you want; I don't use any water).
3. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
4. Pour caramelized sugar into 8-9" cake pan, then mixture from step 3.
5. Cover and bake in a water bath (water should be room temperature) for 35 minutes.
6. Remove cover and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
8. Refrigerate overnight.
9. Serve with cream.

Fried Masala Chops

Always wiped clean on my dinner table, this dish is a weekly compulsory addition to a dinner menu. It was also a staple part of my mother's dinner menu. Generally eaten BBQ'ed or in curry form; my food loving kids prefer it fried. A healthier option is to grill it in the oven. Easy to make & quick to prepare & so satisfying for the tummy. Can be served with baked potatoes & salad.

 

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Mutton Chops: 0.5kg
Yogurt: 0.25cup
Garlic Paste: 1tsp
Ginger Paste: 1tsp
Cilantro (chopped): 2Tbsp
Green chilly: 1 (optional)
Salt: to taste
Pepper: to taste
Flour: for coating
Egg wash: for coating
Breadcrumbs: for coating
Oil: to deep fry

Directions:

1. Marinate 0.5kg mutton chops in 0.25cup yogurt, 1tsp garlic paste, 1tsp ginger paste for 30mins (or more).
2. Put marinade and chops, with 2Tbsp chopped cilantro & 1 green chili (optional) in a pan & cook covered on medium-low heat.
3. When marinade dries & chops are just tender, remove from flame & add salt & pepper to taste.
4. Coat in flour & egg wash; cover in breadcrumbs and deep fry till golden brown.
5. If grilling, preheat griddle, grease with oil and grill chops till golden brown.

Meethi Tikya - Fried Biscuit

A treasured recipe of my grandmother, passed on to my mother & then to me. My sister, Irum first made it in my house in Abu Dhabi because she was craving a bite into these decadent fried biscuits. It can be enjoyed on its own, with masala chai, or with Kheer (or any way your imagination takes you). Meethi Tikya can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Meethi Tikya (also called Meethi Puri) is usually served during the Islamic months of Rajab and Shabaan. But don't let that deter you from making them whenever craving hits.

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

Flour: 2cups
Semolina: 0.5cup
Butter: 3oz
Sugar: 0.25cup + 1Tbsp
Water: 3Tbsp
Cardamoms (crushed): 0.25tsp
Saffron: few strands
Milk: 2Tbsp (if required. See directions below)
Ghee: 0.5kg

Directions:

1. Mix 2cups of flour with 0.5cup of semolina.
2. Cut in 3oz of butter into flour & semolina mixture. Mix with hand or food processor till mixture resembles bread crumbs.
3. Make a syrup with 0.25cup+1Tbsp sugar and 3Tbsp of water. Cook on low heat till sugar dissolves. Remove from flame, & add in 0.25tsp of crushed cardamoms & a few strands of saffron.
4. Add sugar mixture to flour & semolina mixture. Knead into a soft, pliable dough. If required, 2Tbsp of milk can be added (if the mixture doesn't come together, then add in the milk). Keep aside. 5. In a deep wok, warm 0.5kg ghee on low heat, for deep frying.
6. Roll out the dough to 0.25" thickness. Cut small circles with a cookie cutter (you can also use the mouth end of a cup or glass).
7. Deep fry the biscuits in batches till each tikya turns golden brown.. Drain in a colander.

Monthaal

Roshan was my dearest friend Kaniz's mother. Kaniz and I were neighbors in Nairobi and she quickly became like a younger sister. Her mother taught me to make these little tidbits of joy, these tiny droplets of happiness, these all good things rolled into one.
Monthaal is a traditional Gujrati dessert, which is typically prepared for festive occasions; taken to temples as offering, wedding or Diwali celebrations. I prepare it when I'm feeling festive or in the mood to roll happiness in my mouth.
Monthaal can be kept without refrigeration for 3-5 days.

Serves: 10 (unless it's my daughter; then just 1)

Ingredients:

Gram flour: 1cup
Butter: 60grams
Sugar: 1cup
Water: 4-5Tbsp
Milk Powder: 1cup
Saffron: few strands
Butter/Oil/Ghee: to grease

Directions:

1. In a pan, dry roast 1cup of gram flour, on very low heat, till it turns light golden brown

2. Add in 60grams of butter. Combine butter with flour and continue to cook on low heat.

3. In another saucepan, dissolve 1cup of sugar with 4-5Tbsp of water. Continue to cook and stir till sugar melts and reaches 1 thread consistency.

4. In gram & butter mixture, add 1cup of milk powder; be careful, milk powder doesn't burn (powder milk tends to burn quickly). Stir & mix well.
5. Add in sugar syrup and a few strands of saffron.

6. Set out cooked mixture in a butter/oil/ghee greased platter.

7. With a butter knife, mark out pieces. Allow to cool. Serve with love.

Basic Pizza Dough

Basic pizza dough recipe can be used to make bread rolls, hazelnut chocolate bread, pizza base, stuffed bread, or any bready creation your palette yearns. My recipe is an amalgamation of & experimenting with different bread recipes. The key is to ensure yeast is active.

Serves: makes 2 large pizzas 

Ingredients:

Egg: 1
Instant yeast*: 1.5Tbsp
Salt: 0.5tsp
Powder Milk: 3Tbsp
Oil: 0.25cup
Flour: 3.5cups
Water: 0.5cup; lukewarm

*If instant yeast is not available, then put 1Tbsp of yeast in a cup, add 1tsp of sugar, pinch of salt & 2Tbsp lukewarm water; keep mixture in a warm place till it becomes frothy.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add 1 egg, 1.5Tbsp instant yeast, 0.5tsp salt, 3Tbsp powder milk, 0.25cup oil to 3.5cups of flour.
2. Slowly add in 0.25cup - 0.5cup lukewarm water; enough to make soft pliable dough. Knead well. 3. Keep covered in an oven (or warm, dark place) for 45 minutes or till dough doubles in size.
4. Preheat oven to gas mark 7.
5. Remove dough from mixing bowl and beat dough on counter, knead again.
6. Roll out (with a rolling pin or using your hands) on flat pizza pan.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven (Gas mark 7).

Kofta - Meatball Curry

Serves: 6

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Mincemeat (chicken, mutton, beef): 0.5kg

Onion: 3 medium

Garlic Paste: 1tsp

Ginger Paste: 1tsp

Coriander Powder: 1Tbsp

Tomato: 1 medium

Green Chilies: 5

Cilantro: 3Tbsp

Bread: 2 slices

Yogurt: 0.5cup

Turmeric: 0.25tsp

Cayenne Pepper: 0.5tsp

Salt: to taste

Cumin Seeds: 1tsp

Peppercorn: 6

Cloves: 3

Black Cardamom: 1

Red Chili (whole): 3

Cinnamon Stick: 1"

Poppy seeds: 1tsp

 

 



 

 

 

Directions:

 

1. In a small frying pan, dry roast cinnamon stick, peppercorn, cloves, black cardamom, cumin seeds, whole red chilies and poppy seeds. Grind to fine powder. Keep aside.

2. In a food processor, process the mincemeat with one onion, 1.5Tbsp cilantro leaves, bread slices, roasted spices from step 1 & green chilies. Process till fine.

3. Make meat balls and set out in a dish.

4. Slice 1 onion, and fry in a pan till golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and lay out on platter.

5. To the same pan, add 0.5tsp garlic paste and blended tomato. Stir and fry for a few minutes. Add in ginger paste, turmeric powder, cayenne, coriander powder & salt. Add in 0.25cup of water to ensure spices don't burn.

6. Whip 0.25cup yogurt and add to cooking spices. When water dries and oil surfaces, add in meatballs.

7. Don't touch the meatballs to avoid breakage. Cook on low heat. Shake pan to turn meatballs.

8. Blend fried onions with remaining yogurt and add to meat. Add in 0.5cup of water.

9. Sprinkle in remaining cilantro & green chilies.

10. Serve with rice, chapatti, naan, paratha or side choice. Whatever gets your taste buds flowing. 

 

Dum Qeema ~BBQ Mincemeat



I marinate and freeze fresh mincemeat, which shortens the cooking time when preparing this dish, as well infusing the marinade well into the meat. Dum Qeema can be enjoyed on its own, with any choice of bread or rice. You can make it as spicy or not as per your taste buds.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Mincemeat (chicken, beef, mutton): 0.5kg

Onions: 3 medium; sliced

Yogurt: 0.5 cup

Garlic Paste: 1tsp

Ginger Paste: 1.5tsp

Coriander Powder: 1.5Tbsp

Cumin Powder: 1tsp

Cloves: 3

Peppercorn: 6

Cinnamon Stick: 1"

Black Cardamom: 1

Star Anise: 1

Gram Flour: 2Tbsp

Oil: 3Tbsp

Salt: to taste

Green Chilies: 2; finely chopped

Cilantro Leaves: 2Tbsp

Lemon Juice: 1Tbsp 

Butter: 1Tbsp

Coal: 1

Directions:

1. Grind cloves, peppercorn, black cardamom, cinnamon stick to a fine powder.
2. Marinate mince with yogurt, garlic & ginger paste, coriander & cumin powder, ground spices (from step 1), cayenne pepper, cilantro leaves, chopped green chilies & lemon juice. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
3. Fry the onions till golden brown on medium-low heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and spread on kitchen towel.
4. In same oil, fry the gram flour till it turns light golden brown.
5. In another pan, add in marinated meat, salt and cook on low heat. Add in fried gram flour. Stir to combine.
6. Crush fried onions & add to mince. Cook on low heat.
7. Heat coal till it's red. Layer the cooking mince with foil, put the hot coal on the foil and butter on the coal to smoke the meat. Cover tightly for the smoke to infuse properly.
8. Once the smoke settles, remove coal & foil, and discard.

Haleem

Haleem, eaten with naan bread or on its own, is a meat & lentil dish, cooked on low heat for 2 hours. When prepared in bulk, haleem is cooked overnight perfectly infusing the lentils and meat together for a deliciously soothing dish. Parin introduced me to her easy to make, flavor infested version, at her place in Muscat many years ago, when she was hosting one of her lavish dinners. I usually cook haleem during the winter months, or when I'm entertaining or when it's a haleem kind of mood. I have modified Parin's recipe, by adding small of portions of barley & whole wheat. My choice of meat is mutton, but chicken or beef can also be used. 

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Meat (beef, chicken, mutton): 1kg
Whole wheat: 1cup
Mixed lentils (pink lentil, gram lentil, skinless green gram): 0.5cup
Barley: 0.25cup
Onions: 2 medium; sliced
Garlic Paste: 2tsp
Ginger Paste: 2tsp
Turmeric: 1tsp
Peppercorn: 4-5
Cloves: 2-3
Black Cardamom: 2
Cinnamon Stick: 2"
Tomato: 1 large
Coriander Powder: 2Tbsp
Cayenne Pepper: 0.5tsp
Salt: to taste
Cilantro Leaves: 3-4Tbsp
Green Chilies: 6
Oil: 4Tbsp

Accompaniments:
Fried Onions: 4Tbsp
Cilantro Leaves: 3-4Tbsp
Green Chillies: 5-6; sliced
Lemon: 6; quartered

Directions:



1. Clean & soak wheat & barley overnight or 4 hours.

2. Clean & soak lentils for 2 hours.

3. Boil on medium-low heat the cleaned meat with garlic, ginger & 3 cups of water till meat is tender. Save some broth.

4. In a separate pan, boil on medium-low heat lentils with 2 cups of water, 0.5tsp turmeric & 0.25tsp ginger paste till tender.  

5. In another pan, boil on medium-low heat wheat & barley with 1Tbsp oil & 3 cups of water till tender.

6. Heat oil in a deep pan, add in peppercorns, cloves, black cardamom, cinnamon, sliced onion & fry till golden brown.

7. Blend tomato, cilantro leaves & half of the green chilies to a fine paste. To this blended mixture, add coriander powder, remaining turmeric, cayenne pepper & salt. Add this to the fried onions.

8. Keep frying onion & tomato mixture; sprinkle water to stop mixture from burning.

9. Add in the boiled meat to the onion & tomato mix and fry. If required, sprinkle water to stop from burning (also, reduce flame).

10. Mash the cooked lentils and add to meat.

11. Blend cooked wheat & barley to a fine paste and add to meat mixture.

12. Add in the saved meat broth & add in 2 cups of water. Allow to cook for a minimum of 2 hours.





Masala Chai

"My sister, Irum's concoction of masala mixture; adds an enriching flavor to tea or coffee. 
A large batch can be ground and kept in an airtight container for as long as flavors keep. Refrigerate if the environment is hot & humid." ~Nisho

Ingredients:

Cinnamon: 1 stick about 2 inches
Anise star: 1
Dry Ginger: 1/4 tsp or a small piece
Cardamom: 1 tsp
Cloves: 1/2 tsp
Peppercorn: 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg: 1/4
Saffron (optional): a few strands

Directions:

1. Use a coffee grinder to grind the above spices.   
2. Use  a few sprinkles, or about 1/8 tsp,  to a cup of black tea. 
3. Add boiled or steaming milk.
4. Sweeten with honey or preferred sweetener.   

Chocolate Cake

Cake baking was part of my Home Economics curriculum at Karachi's College of Home Economics. We were required to bake & evaluate a basic cake when using different methods: wooden spoon vs. cake mixer & different ovens (gas vs. stone vs. electric). I add in variations to the basic cake recipe to bake coffee & chocolate cakes.
For chocolate cake, Rowntree or Cadbury's Cocoa are my favourites, but other cocoas work just as well. Chocolate, Coffee & Plain cakes have been a regular snack feature for my children, entertainment, school snack, to send over to neighbours. Batter can be used to bake a cake or cupcakes. It can be enjoyed with or without frosting.

Serves: 6-8 (approx. 18 cupcakes)

 

Ingredients:

Butter: 6oz
Sugar: 6oz
Flour: 6oz
Cocoa: 3Tbsp
Eggs: 3Tbsp
Baking Powder: 2tsp leveled
Vanilla Essence: 0.5tsp (or vanilla sugar: 1tsp)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
2. In a cake mixer, cream butter & sugar till batter turns a light color.
3. Sift cocoa, baking powder & flour in a bowl or tray.

4. Beat eggs in another bowl.

5. Add vanilla essence to the creamed butter & sugar batter.
6. Gradually add flour mixture, alternating with eggs.
7. Continue to mix till batter has a soft consistency.

8. Pour into a greased cake pan (8.5").

9. Bake for 40 minutes (poke with skewer & ensure it comes out dry before removing cake from oven).
10. Turn out on a wire rack.

11. Serve warm with ice cream.