Alice In Eatland

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Tamatar Paneer Recipe

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Tamatar PaneerTamatar Paneer, a vibrantly spiced Hyderabadi-style tomato curry with “crisp-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside” grilled homemade paneer wedges.

A spring-summer favourite, ideal for cooking when tomatoes are in seasonal abundance and one of my top favourite ways to enjoy paneer.

This recipe has been inspired by the Tamatar Paneer on the menu of Patli Galli, a desi restaurant that I am very, very fond of.

During Lockdown 2020, the restaurant started offering takeaway vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis and Tamatar Paneer was one of the veg thali offerings. Notable mention: the Mirchi Ka Saalan from the veg thali was quite possibly, the best I’ve ever had.

The thalis have been discontinued but the delicious vegetarian options such as the ubiquitous Daal Maash and Palak Paneer are still available (both very good, actually). Thankfully, Tamatar Paneer is also still being offered and I believe, Patli Galli is the only restaurant in Lahore that has it on the menu. I hope they bring the Mirchi Ka Saalan back.

Tamatar Paneer Recipe

The phenomenal takeaway Vegetarian Thali (Tamatar Paneer in the centre) from Patli Galli Restaurant, during Lockdown 2020. They need to bring this back!

6 Tips For Making The Best Tamatar Paneer

  • Use ripe tomatoes for best results.
  • Tomato Paste adds great depth of flavour so please try not to omit it.
  • A small amount of sugar (preferably soft brown sugar, but regular white sugar is fine)  is essential to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
  • Please use the best quality paneer you can find for this recipe.
    Search for home-based vendors or small scale artisanal cheese makers. Commercially available cottage cheese is no substitute for paneer and is “highly NOT recommended” here!
  • I have used homemade paneer and would encourage you to do the same to make a really standout Tamatar Paneer. The recipe for homemade paneer is linked in the ingredients list (or just type in the search bar above).
    If you follow the recipe correctly, your paneer will turn out rich and creamy and will stay moist and velvety inside even after being grilled to a crisp outside.
  • Try Tamatar Tofu for a delicious vegan spin on this dish.
    Simply replace the paneer with firm or extra firm tofu.
    Slice tofu slab in half horizontally and  microwave 2 minutes on high. Much of of the liquid will get released.
    Drain and place tofu between heavy duty paper towels or a kitchen towel with a cutting board and a weight on top to press out as much moisture as possible.
    After 30 minutes, cut the pressed tofu into cubes or wedges and proceed with the grilling part of the recipe.

Tamatar Paneer is best served with garlic naan but a simple roti or a paratha will do in a pinch. Good with boiled white rice too. Surprisingly decent cold, straight out of the fridge as well.

Tamatar Paneer Recipe

 

How To Make Tamatar Paneer

 

Tamatar Paneer, a vibrantly spiced Hyderabadi style tomato curry with “crisp-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside” grilled homemade paneer wedges.

 

Recipe Type: Main

Author: Alice In Eatland

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 2

 

INGREDIENTS

 

TOMATO CURRY

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds
  • Salt
  • 6 – 8 fresh or dried curry leaves
  • 1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons gram flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • Good pinch brown sugar or white sugar
  • 500 grams ripe tomatoes, blended to a coarse purée
  • 3/4 cup hot water

 

GRILLED PANEER

  • 100 – 200 grams paneer wedges or cubes (find the recipe to make your own paneer at home here
  • 1 tablespoon oil


TEMPERING & GARNISH

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
  • 2 fresh green chillies, quartered
  • 6  – 8 fresh or dried curry leaves
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Fresh coriander leaves
  • Fresh red chillies (optional)

 

METHOD

 

TOMATO CURRY

  1. Heat oil.
  2. Add dried red chilli, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds and nigella seeds.
  3. Sauté until the seeds start crackling.
  4. Add curry leaves, followed by crushed garlic and grated ginger.
  5. Stir until fragrant and add the gram flour.
  6. Sauté until the gram flour doesn’t smell raw anymore and the colour deepens slightly, about 2 – 4 minutes.
  7. Add tomato paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder (if using, cumin powder, coriander powder and sugar.
  8. Cook, stirring and adding a splash of water if needed, till the masala thickens and the oil begins to separate from it.
  9. Pour in the coarsely blended tomato purée and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
  10. Cover partially and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates and the tomato mixture thickens and begins to come together.
  11. Add water at this stage, stir and bring to a simmer.
  12. Let cook 5 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to float on top in places and the curry is as thick as your preference.

 

GRILLED PANEER

  1. Heat a grill pan or heavy bottomed frying pan (non-stick works better here) on high heat and brush with half a tablespoon of oil.
  2. Coat the paneer wedges or cubes thoroughly with the remaining half tablespoon of oil.
  3. When the grill pan/frying pan is searingly hot (this is important, otherwise the paneer will stick to it), add the oil-coated paneer pieces. (Please follow the same instructions if you’re grilling tofu for a vegan Tamatar Tofu – see tip #6 at the top first though!)
  4. Let sit undisturbed 2 – 4 minutes or until you can see the bottom edges of the paneer browning.
  5. Turn carefully, prying gently to loosen with a spatula or butter knife if needed, and cook the same way on the other side.
  6. Remove paneer pieces to a plate.

 

TEMPERING & GARNISH

  1. Spoon the Tomato Curry into a serving dish or bowl.
  2. Arrange the grilled paneer pieces on top.
  3. Heat oil in a small pan.
  4. Add all other ingredients, except the mint and coriander leaves.
  5. Sauté until the garlic turns light golden and pour the hot tempering over the tomato curry and grilled paneer.
  6. Garnish with fresh min leaves, fresh coriander leaves and sliced red chillies, if using and serve.

Harissa Hummus Recipe

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Harissa Hummus
Harissa Hummus: Of all the takes, spins and flavour additions on the classic hummus recipe, this one in particular may just be my favourite.

I like my hummus smooth, airy and as cloud-like as possible. Spike that velvety creaminess with fiery harissa and you have the kind of flavour profile that makes you wonder why it took you so long to finally getting around to making this. I speak from personal experience, naturally.

I have used a homemade harissa (recipe below) to make this Harissa Hummus recipe but you may use any canned or jarred variety of this sensational North African condiment you like or have on hand.

As with any hummus recipe, it is important that you use it as a guide and taste along the way using your own judgement in terms of adjusting the texture and the flavour.

My Harissa Hummus is reasonably fiery (pleasantly so though by no means unbearable) enough as it but since I like to go just a bit too far I drizzle chilli oil over the top as well. Not necessary at all but recommended if you’re a heat junkie like yours truly.

Tips For Making A Damn Fine Harissa Hummus:

-Use a blender (a high speed one if you have it) to make this Harissa Hummus recipe.

-Texture is a matter of personal preference but ideally, hummus is great when it’s smooth, creamy and not too thick, dry-ish or grainy.

-If you prefer a chunkier hummus, using a food processor may be a better idea.

-I find that the order in which ingredients are added and blended makes a real difference in the texture of the hummus.

-Cold water is necessary to ensure that your hummus is light and airy and not dense and heavy.

-For a smooth and creamy hummus, please follow the instructions as written.

-Skinning the chickpeas apparently makes for a smoother hummus. If you have the patience, try it.

-Rather than skinning the chickpeas, I prefer blending the hummus really, really well and then pushing it through a sieve for the smoothest texture possible.

Harissa Hummus

 

HARISSA HUMMUS

 

Recipe Type: Starter, Appetiser, Snack

Author: Alice In Eatland

Serves: 2

 

Harissa Hummus: airy and cloud-like with its velvety creaminess spiked with fiery North African harissa. A truly sensational flavour profile!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-2 tablespoons tahini
  • Juice of 1 -2 lemons
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled & grated
  • 1-2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 cup well boiled or canned chickpeas
  • Cold drinking water
  • Salt
  • Chilli oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh parsley (to garnish, optional)
  • Finely chopped pistachios (to garnish, optional)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Blend tahini, grated garlic and lemon juice with a few tablespoons of cold water until thick and pale white in colour.
  2. Add harissa (starting with just a teaspoon or two), chickpeas (drained and rinsed, if using canned), salt (add sparingly, since the harissa is quite salty) and a little more water (only if required).
  3. Blend, scraping down sides occasionally, and tasting, until the Harissa Hummus is smooth and fluffy looking.
  4. Check for seasoning and add more harissa if necessary.
  5. Optional: Push Harrisa Hummus through a sieve for a creamier consistency.
  6. Serve topped with extra virgin olive oil or chilli oil and chopped parsley and pistachios, if liked.

 

Harissa

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried red chillies (Kashmiri, round red chillies, etc. whatever you can find)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • extra oil to pour on top

Instructions

  1. Slit the dried chillies and remove seeds.
  2. Place in a bowl and pour over enough boiling hot water to cover and let sit 10-15 minutes.
  3. Drain and blend with the rest of the ingredients (except extra oil), adding a couple of teaspoons or so of the soaking liquid if needed until a semi smooth paste forms.
  4. Cool completely.
  5. Transfer harissa to a container and pour over a thin layer of oil to cover the surface complainant.
  6. Store airtight in the fridge for around 2 weeks and up to a month in the freezer.

How To Make Moutabal

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Moutabal
Moutabal is a creamy, smokey and pleasingly textured Middle Eastern eggplant dip. Healthy, budget-friendly and delicious, it is a must add to your “dips” repertoire, if you have one.

When served with crudités, pita chips or crackers, Moutabal is a fantastic everyday snack and a fabulous mezze platter item.

What’s the difference between Moutabal and Baba Ghanoush?

Aren’t Moutabal and Babaghanoush interchangeable names for what is essentially the same dip? No.

While the star of the show in both dips is charred eggplant, the recipe for Moutabal calls for the addition of tahini as a key ingredient, that gives the dip it’s characteristic taupe creaminess.

Many recipes for Moutabal also call for the addition of a bit of yoghurt which balances out the slight bitterness that sometimes charred eggplant and tahini can have.

Babaghanoush, on the other hand, has no tahini and a couple of additional ingredients such as tomatoes, onions and capsicum/bell pepper. It is another delectable dip that’s a great addition to a mezze spread.

Here’s an easy recipe for Moutabal that you can whip up in no time. As long as you have the ingredients on hand, it doesn’t take long to make. No special equipment required either.

Tips For Making Delish Moutabal:

-charring the eggplant directly on fire with a pair of steel tongs gives the best smokey flavour.

-alternatively, the eggplant can be roasted in the oven under the grill/broiler.

-when the skin of the eggplant blackens, chars in places and the size of the fruit (yes, eggplants are technically fruits and not vegetables) reduces, it is ready.

-a butter knife works well here, allowing you to scrape off the charred eggplant skin without slicing off any flesh underneath.

-peeling the burnt eggplant skin may be a bit of a pain, but kindly do not give in to the temptation of giving the eggplant a rinse under running water or worse, submerging it in a bowl of water  to loosen every bit of skin *shudder*

-if your eggplant has been roasted to perfection, a fork is all you need to shred the eggplant flesh and mash it into a semi chunky purée along with the other ingredients.

-if using a food processor, pulse the ingredients in quick, short bursts so that the texture remains slightly chunky and you don’t purée everything into a gray coloured paste.

Moutabal

 

MOUTABAL

 

Recipe Type: Starter/Appetiser/Snack

Author: Alice In Eatland

Serves: 2

 

Moutabal, a mezze superstar! A creamy, smokey and pleasingly textured Middle Eastern eggplant dip that’s healthy, budget-friendly and absolutely delish!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large or 2 medium eggplants
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1-2 tablespoons dairy or plant-based yoghurt (optional)
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Pomegranate seeds, fresh red chillies or pickled radishes (to garnish)
  • Fresh parsley (to garnish)
  • Black sesame seeds or nigella seeds (to garnish)
  • Crudités, pita chips, crackers (to serve)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place the eggplant(s) directly on the burner on a gas stove on medium high heat.
  2. Roast, turning and rotating the eggplant frequently with metal tongs, until it shrinks slightly and the skin blackens and chars with no purple areas remaining.
  3. Remove to a heatproof bowl or plate, cool and peel off the skin.
  4. Remove the stem and place peeled eggplant flesh in a colander or sieve with a bowl underneath for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Whip (either in a food processor, blender or using a hand whisk) the tahini with grated garlic, lemon juice, salt & yoghurt (if using) till pale and creamy.
  6. Add drained eggplant to a mixing bowl along with the with the tahini mixture and mash until a semi-smooth yet textured consistency is reached.
  7. Check seasoning and adjust if needed.
  8. Serve swirled with extra virgin olive oil and garnish as you wish.

Tikka Kofta Biryani

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Tikka Kofta Biryani Tikka Kofta Biryani: juicy barbecue-smoked tikka flavoured plant-based koftay on a bed of fluffy fragrant masala rice, the stuff of biryani dreams!

This beautiful and satisfying biryani makes for a comforting family meal and is also elegant enough to be served when entertaining guests.

Like most good biryanis, this one doesn’t need any sides really except maybe a cool plant-based raita and a crunchy kachumer salad on the side.

Tikka Kofta Biryani

I probably should’ve started with a basic biryani recipe instead of jumping straight onto a Tikka Kofta Biryani, since this is my first biryani recipe on the blog. Which is strange, considering how often I make biryani at home.

The recipe is fairly straightforward and just because there are several steps does not mean it is difficult by any means.

The key to making a good biryani, in my most humble opinion, is practice.

Tikka Kofta Biryani

Since biryani making can be an involved and time consuming process, I often prefer making the biryani components in stages.

Like for this Tikka Kofta Biryani, I’d make the tikka koftay and the biryani quorma one day (sometimes weeks ahead – thank you deep freezer!) and then boil the rice and assemble and finish the biryani the next day. Much easier to manage my time and sanity that way.

I would urge you to go through the tips at the end of the recipe, which are some of my thoughts and tricks that I’ve learned making biryani over the years.

Tikka Kofta Biryani

 

TIKKA KOFTA BIRYANI 

 

Recipe Type: Main

Author: Alice In Eatland

Serves: 2 – 4

 

Tikka Kofta Biryani: juicy barbecue-smoked tikka flavoured plant-based koftay on a bed of fluffy fragrant masala rice, the stuff of biryani dreams!

 

Tikka Koftay

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 1-2 tablespoons tikka masala
  • 1 tablespoon roasted gram flour
  • 4 medium potatoes, boiled, skinned & mashed
  • 1/2 cup boiled kaalay channay or red kidney beans, coarsely ground in food processor
  • Salt
  • Handful chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • A few green chillies, seeded & finely chopped


For the dhuan/smoke:

  • A small piece of charcoal
  • A small square of aluminium foil
  • 1/2 teaspoon oil
  • Metal tongs

 

  1. Heat oil in a pan.
  2. Add grated ginger and grated garlic.
  3. Sauté until fragrant then add the tikka masala and the roasted gram flour.
  4. Mix well and sauté 10-20 seconds.
  5. Add the mashed potatoes and the beans and mix very well.
  6. Check seasoning and adjust if required.
  7. Switch off the heat and cool to room temperature.
  8. Stir in the coriander and green chillies.
  9. Form into 15-20 balls, the size of an apricot.
  10. Chill koftay in the freezer half an hour.
  11. Deep fry, shallow fry, air fry or bake as per your preference.
  12. Place the aluminium foil in the centre of a pan that has a lid.
  13. Arrange the koftay around the foil.
  14. Ignite the charcoal by placing it directly into the fire on your burner.
  15. Turn a few times with the tongs until red hit in a few places.
  16. Using the tongs, place the charcoal onto the foil in the pan.
  17. Pour the oil on top of the charcoal and as soon it smokes, cover the pan immediately with the lid.
  18. Let stay covered until the smoke subsides.
  19. Remove the charcoal.
  20. Your Tikka Koftay are ready.

 

Biryani Masala

  • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • Seeds of 1/2 a black cardamom
  • 1 inch stick cinnamon
  • 1/4 of a star anise
  • 1/8 inch piece nutmeg
  • 1 big blade of mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon white cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds

Grind all of the above as finely as possible in a coffee grinder.

Then add the following to the ground spices:

  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
  • 1/2 tablespoon white cumin seeds
  • 1/4 of a star anise
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 small black cardamom
  • 1 inch stick cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 dried plums (aloo bukharay)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix well.

This makes enough for the whole recipe.

 

Biryani Ka Quorma

  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled & finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely puréed/blended
  • 2 tablespoons biryani masala from a box OR the entire quantity of the homemade biryani masala from the recipe on top
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock OR 1/2 a vegetable stock cube
  • 3/4 cup coconut yoghurt OR full fat coconut milk OR 1/2 cup coconut cream + 1/4 cup full fat or lite coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

 

  1. Heat oil and sauté onion till golden. Do not over brown.
  2. Remove 1 tablespoon oil from the pan and reserve.
  3. Stir the grated ginger and the grated garlic into the pan.
  4. Sauté 10 seconds.
  5. Add puréed tomatoes, biryani masala, vegetable stock or crumbled vegetable stock cube & coconut product of choice.
  6. Stir and bring to a rolling boil.
  7. Let boil a minute or so then lower the heat and simmer partially covered 10-15 minutes or till the oil starts floating in places at the surface of the gravy.
  8. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice.
  9. Taste.
  10. At this stage the quorma should be saltier and spicier than your preference.

 

Biryani Rice

  • 2 1/4 cups rice, basmati or sella
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 2 small bay leaves

 

  1. Wash the rice in a few changes of water.
  2. Soak basmati 15-20 minutes and sella for 2 hours.
  3. Bring 14- 16 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pan.
  4. Have a colander or sieve ready.
  5. Add salt, green cardamoms and bay leaves to the boiling water.
  6. Drain the rice and add to pan.
  7. Bring the water back to the boil.
  8. Cook uncovered until the rice is half done (2-3 minutes for basmati & 3-5 minutes for sella).
  9. Drain.

 

To Finish:

  • Small pinch red food colour powder
  • Small pinch yellow food colour powder
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh mint
  • 4-6 fresh green chillies, pierced in places
  • A few slices lemons
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • Khewra water or essence
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Roasted cashews
  • Edible silver leaf (warq), optional 

 

  1. To assemble the Kofta Tikka Biryani, place your tawa onto the stove over a medium heat.
  2. Pour the biryani quorma into the base of a flat bottomed pan that has a tight fitting lid.
  3. Spread the boiled rice evenly in a single layer over the quorma to cover.
  4. Mix the red and yellow food colours separately in two small bowls with a teaspoon each of water.
  5. Drip the 2 colours in places all over the rice, making sure to leave most of the rice white.
  6. Place the fresh mint sprigs, green chillies, lemon slices and sliced tomatoes on top.
  7. Drizzle over the reserved tablespoon of oil and the khewra essence.
  8. Arrange half the tikka koftay on top of the rice.
  9. Cover with the lid and place on the hot tawa.
  10. Increase the heat to high and let cook 5 minutes then reduce the heat and let simmer 10-15 minutes or till steamy and damm is reached.
  11. Remove the mint sprigs and plate biryani onto a serving dish.
  12. Top with the remaining tikka koftay.
  13. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, sliced green chillies and roasted cashews.
  14. Top some of the koftay with a bit of warq, if wished.


Tips For A Great Tikka Kofta Biryani Making Experience:

 

  • Make Ahead: Tikka Koftay

Follow recipe till step 11.

Cool koftay completely and freeze airtight up to a month.

To use, preferably flash deep fry or pan very briefly directly from the freezer.

Or just thaw completely in the fridge and use.

Finish from step 12 onwards.

 

  • Make Ahead: Biryani Quorma

Follow recipe till the end and cool completely.

Freeze airtight for up to 1 month.

Defrost completely in the fridge and warm up throughly before finishing with the rice.

 

  • Basmati rice requires careful timing and may break or the grains may stick together if not handled with care.
  • Sella rice is very forgiving as it retains its shape even if overcooked.
  • When making biryani for guests, I prefer hardy sella over delicate basmati.
  • The water for boiling both the basmati and sella must be well salted, just as you would generously salt it for boiling pasta.
  • For all 3 biryani rice colours to show separately, do not mix the biryani when plating. Just scoop it out and place on your dish. Mix rice on your plate when actually eating.

 

  • I feel fresh mint is essential for biryani damm. 
    However, I do not care for blackened mint leaves after they’ve been steamed and damm’ed, neither looks wise nor taste wise.
    Hence, I use whole mint sprigs for the damm as they are much easier to fish out and discard.
    I then top the biryani with fresh vibrant green mint leaves just before serving.
  • Skip the koftay if you are pressed for time (or energy) and make an equally delicious Aaloo Biryani.
    Just add 4 – 6 medium potatoes (halved) to the quorma after step 7 with 1/4 cup water.
    Cover and cook till potatoes are tender.
    Follow the rest of the recipe as is.

 

  • It is completely ok if you prefer commercially available biryani masala over making your own from scratch.
    Ignore anyone who may judge you for that.

Café Con Tres Leches Cake

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Café Con Tres Leches Cake
A hauntingly beautiful plant based Café Con Tres Leches Cake with fresh, tart berries and dark chocolate skulls is just the kind of dessert I need this Halloween. Or anytime of the year, really.

Making and assembling the cake is pretty straightforward, though you do need to plan slightly ahead due to the number to steps involved. A little time consuming maybe but not complicated at all.

Café Con Tres Leches Cake

Use your preferred combination of plant based milks, either store bought or homemade. The milks listed in the recipe are my personal preference and I have made both the almond and pistachio milks myself.

Some may feel that a chilled Café Con Tres Leches Cake is perhaps a little summery for autumn/fall since the season mostly calls for warming desserts and cosy sweets.

Café Con Tres Leches Cake

The cream white pumpkin & dried foliage autumn/fall centrepiece that I made for Halloween 2021

 

If you’re one of those folks, please be assured that this is pretty good enjoyed at room temperature too.

Tips For Making A Stunning Café Con Tres Leches Cake:

  • The cocoa can be omitted from the cake base for an uninterrupted coffee experience.
  • I added cocoa + coffee to the lovely Vegan Tres Leches Cake recipe by Cook’s Hideout for 2 reasons:

Café Con Tres Leches Cake

-For visual drama, since the topping, berries and skulls show up more vibrantly on a darker base

-The flavour combination, as coffee is one of my favourite pairings with chocolate based desserts.

The chocolate skulls are of course, in honour of Halloween though if you’re a true horror fan like me, you wouldn’t mind adding these to your celebratory desserts throughout the year.

On to the recipe for this easy and eerily elegant Café Con Tres Leches Cake.

Café Con Tres Leches Cake

 

CAFÉ CON TRES LECHES CAKE

 

Recipe Type: Dessert    Author: Alice In Eatland
Serves: 6 – 8

 

Milky mocha sponge, creamy topping, tart berries & dark chocolate skulls make this elegant vegan Café Con Tres Leches Cake perfect for Halloween or for any time of the year.


CAKE

  • 1 cup plant based milk (oat, almond, coconut or any milk of your choice)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in 1 teaspoon boiling water, cooled completely
  • 3/4 caster sugar
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
  • 1 1/4 cups plain flour
  • 3 tablespoons cornflour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

3 MILK SOAK

  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  • 1/4 cup sweetened coconut condensed milk *(recipe below)
  • 1/4 cup almond milk **(for homemade option, please see the recipe below)
  • 1/4 cup pistachio milk **(for homemade option, please see the recipe below)

TOPPING

  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup coconut cream, well chilled
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
  • Raspberries, blueberries or any fruit of choice
  • Chocolate skulls*** (recipe below)

 

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F.
  2. Oil & flour an 8” square cake pan.
  3. Stir plant based milk & lemon juice or white vinegar to make buttermilk & set aside for 5 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the cooled coffee, sugar, oil & vanilla until combined.
  5. Sieve flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
  6. Stir dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30 – 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean.
  8. Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan 10 minutes.
  9. Poke the entire surface of the cake with either a fork, a skewer or a toothpick.
  10. For the 3 Milk Soak, stir the coffee, coconut condensed milk, almond milk, pistachio milk & vanilla together in a pan and bring to the boil.
  11. Lower the heat, let simmer 5 – 7 minutes & pour evenly over warm cake.
  12. Let the cake cool completely and then chill covered for at least 2-4 hours. Overnight is best.
  13. To make the topping, whip the cold coconut cream with icing sugar & vanilla until thick and fluffy.
  14. Spread or pipe topping all over the top of the chilled cake.
  15. Decorate with fresh fruit & chocolate skulls, if using. I also added some well-washed leaves of a rose plant from my garden.
  16.  Keep refrigerated.

 

*Sweetened Coconut Condensed Milk

Stir 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk & 4 tablespoons sugar in a pan over medium heat.

Bring to the boil, stirring constantly and then lower heat and cook stirring frequently, until milk thickens & reduces by half ( 20 minutes or so).

Cool completely & store airtight in the fridge.

 

**Nut Milk

Soak 1/4 cup raw unroasted almonds or pistachios in 1 cup water for 8 -12 hours.

Drain, rinse with clean water and add to blender jar with 1/2 – 3/4 cups drinking water.

Blend until smooth and then strain through a nut bag, cheesecloth or muslin, squeezing all the milk out.

Save the leftover nut solids airtight in the freezer and add to things like roti dough, pizza dough or cookie dough for a nutty flavour & texture.

Stir a drop or so of vanilla extract into the strained milk, if you wish.

Cover airtight & store in the fridge.

Stir before using and consume within 2-3 days.

 

***Chocolate Skulls

Break a bar of vegan friendly chocolate (I used a bar of Nestlé Bourneville Classic Dark Chocolate) into pieces.

Microwave on high in 20 second increments, stirring every time until the chocolate is completely melted, being careful not to burn it.

You can melt the chocolate on top of a double boiler instead of using the microwave.

Pour melted chocolate into silicone skull moulds (I purchased my skull mould from Darak.pk) and freeze for an hour.

Unmould and store chocolate skulls in a paper towel lined airtight container in the fridge.

 

The raspberries & blueberries adorning this Café Con Tres Leches Cake were purchased from Al Fatah Gold Crest Mall, Lahore.

Vegan Seekh Kabab

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Vegan Seekh Kabab
Vegan Seekh Kabab, the stuff of plant-based barbecue dreams.

Rich, melt in your mouth kababs with the sensational flavours of Pakistani barbecue minus the meat.

I keep a batch in the freezer and pull a couple out for a number of fabulous meals.

Desi Meals That You Can Make With Vegan Seekh Kababs:

+ served as part of a desi vegetarian lunch or dinner spread

+ rolled inside a naan or paratha with chutney & salad for a delicious street style roll

+ the same kabab mixture shaped into small patties to make desi style sliders

Vegan Seekh Kabab

I’ve kept this Vegan Seekh Kabab recipe pretty straightforward with a simple base of channa daal and potatoes plus other basic spices and readily available ingredients.

One can be totally flexible with the recipe and additions such as very finely chopped veggies like carrots, peas, french beans, mushrooms etc may be added for extra flavour, texture & nutrients.

Vegan Seekh Kabab

Zeera Naan, Tandoori Roti & Pudina Lachha Paratha. Homemade. Vegan.

 

Hydrated soya mince or soya granules may also be added for more of a meatier texture.

Next time you hear someone woefully bemoan “Kya banaoon?” because they have a vegetarian or vegan guest coming for a meal (obviously when it’s safe to socialise and have folks over post-pandemic), please direct them to this recipe. About time us non-meat eaters got treated to crazy good daawat food other than the ubiquitous Daal Maash, Mixed Sabzi & Paalak Paneer, fabulous though they are.

Vegan Seekh Kabab

Use this recipe as a guide, make it your own and feel free to add an ingredient or lessen any spice etc depending upon your personal preference.

The one step that I would advise you not to change or skip is the “smoking” part of the recipe. It is essential if you want your Vegan Seekh Kabab to be infused with the signature charred smokiness that is the hallmark of desi barbecue.

Vegan Seekh Kabab

VEGAN SEEKH KABAB

 

Rich, melt-in-your-mouth Vegan Seekh Kabab with the sensational flavours of Pakistani barbecue minus the meat. The stuff of plant-based barbecue dreams!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled & mashed/grated
  • 1/2 cup channa daal, soaked 1 hour & boiled till soft but firm & not mushy
  • 1/2 – 1 cup very finely chopped firm mixed vegetables (optional)
  • 1/4 cup hydrated soya mince or granules (optional)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tablespoons tandoori masala (homemade or your favourite brand)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons dry roasted gram flour (besan) plus extra
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 4-6 green chillies, finely chopped
  • Handful fresh coriander (leaves & stalks), finely chopped
  • Salt

 

METHOD

  1. Grind cold boiled channa daal as finely as possible in your food processor & place in a mixing bowl with the cold mashed potato.
  2. Heat oil and fry sliced onion till golden. Remove from pan onto kitchen paper, cool & crush well.
  3. Heat the same oil in the same pan & sauté grated ginger & garlic until fragrant then add tandoori masala (add extra veggies & soya mince or granules at this point, if using), stir 5-10 seconds  & take the pan off the heat.
  4. Pour onto the ground daal & potatoes.
  5. Add crushed fried onion, roasted besan & garam masala. Mix well.
  6. Taste & check if it needs more salt or seasoning.
  7. Cover & chill 10 minutes.
  8. Then stir in coriander & chillies, form into mini kababs (the ones in the photos are about 4” long) on a flat seekh, skewer, cocktail stick or the thick end of  a chopstick like I did.
  9. Make slight indents on the surface with the tips of your finger & thumb for a bit of a textured look, if wished.
  10. A little extra besan can be added if the mixture seems loose & not firm enough.
  11. Place kababs on a flat tray lined with plastic wrap & chill at least 1/2 an hour.
  12. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.
  13. Alternatively, the kababs can be shallow fried, baked, grilled or air-fried.
  14. To smoke, place a square of aluminium foil in the centre of a heatproof pan or frying pan with a lid and arrange the kababs around it.
  15. Place a small piece of charcoal directly into the flame of a lit stove/gas burner. Balance & carefully keep turning with metal tongs until lit in places.
  16. Using your metal tongs, carefully place the lit piece of coal on the aluminium square & pour a teaspoon or so of oil on top.
  17. As soon as the oil smokes, cover immediately & let sit undisturbed for 15-20 minutes.
  18. The cooled kababs can be frozen at this stage. Flash deep fry frozen direct from the freezer.
  19. If kababs are firm enough, you can hold them over a lit gas burner/stove with t0ngs, turning frequently & quickly until charred in places.
  20. Serve Vegan Seekh Kabab with naan, roti or parathay plus chutneys, plant based raita & a crisp salad.

 

White Haleem

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White Haleem

White Haleem is a delicately flavoured grain and lentil based stew that makes for a delicious, nourishing and satisfying meal.

Dubai based food blogger Tasneem Rajkotwala, and her beautiful blog “Thoughts Over Chai” introduced me to the wonders of White Haleem.

She refers to this haleem as her “Dadijaan’s Morning Haleem” and you can head to her blog for the original recipe and accompanying post here.

Tasneem’s blog is a treat and a great place to check out if you’re looking for traditional Bohra recipes.

I am always on the lookout for a good meatless Haleem recipe and this is a lovely vegetarian and vegan friendly version.

White Haleem is kind of like a milder sibling of traditional Haleem, the spicy meat, lentil and grain stew popular in Pakistan and parts of India.

White Haleem

Regular Haleem is meat based and generally packs quite a punch whereas White Haleem is meatless and fairly mild.

The lack of fire in this delicious stew however, by no means denotes any lack of flavour.

The absence of strong spices means that the actual flavour of the lentils and grains themselves really shines through.

The final damm of ground spices infuses the haleem with the pleasingly heady aromas of caraway seeds, nutmeg, mace and green cardamoms.

I love White Haleem and honestly, it reminds me more of Shorba, a light non-spicy Yemeni Haleem than of Pakistani Haleem.

I had Shorba over a decade ago at a school friend’s home in Sana’a, Yemen. It was made by her Mother and I have never been able to forget it’s tastiness.

White Haleem

I am hopelessly addicted to spicy food. But there are some recipes that work so well without being fiery that I don’t miss the bite of spices at all.

With White Haleem, I feel that an inclusion of heavy flavours would actually intrude on its deliciously soothing taste.

Traditional haleem toppings such as fresh herbs, green chillies, caramelised onions and roasted nuts provide a pleasant textural contrast to the creaminess of the haleem, the ghee or oil and garam masala add additional flavour and the lemon juice imparts subtle tartness.

To make this vegan, simply substitute the ghee called for in the recipe with oil.

Perfect for any meal or any time of the year really.

White Haleem

WHITE HALEEM

 

Recipe Type: Main    Author: Alice In Eatland
Prep Time: 15 Minutes (plus 2 – 4 hours soaking time)    Cook Time: 60 Minutes    Total Time: 2 – 3 Hours
Serves: 2 – 4

 

White Haleem, a satisfying, aromatic  grain & lentil stew. The topping of fresh herbs, ginger, cashews & caramelised onions add additional flavour & textural contrast.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup white basmati rice
  • 1/4 cup barley porridge / barley cereal (jau ka dalia)
  • 1/2 cup split black gram (maash daal / urad daal)
  • 1/4 cup split yellow mung (moong daal)
  • 1/4 cup split Bengal gram (channa daal)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds / caraway seeds (kaala zeera / shah zeera)
  • 1/4 of an inch or so piece of nutmeg (jaiphal)
  • 1 – 2 blades of mace (javitri)
  • 2 – 4 green cardamoms (hari elachi)
  • 2 medium onions, peeled & thinly sliced
  • Oil to deep fry
  • 2 – 4 medium fresh green chillies, roughly chopped
  •  1 medium onion, peeled & roughly chopped
  • 1 MSG free vegetable stock cube / vegetable bouillon cube (optional but recommended)
  • Salt
  • A few tablespoons of desi ghee (omit if making the haleem vegan)
  • Fresh ginger, peeled & cut into thin batons
  • Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • Fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • Fresh mild green chillies, seeded & chopped
  • Lemons, cut into quarters
  • Roasted cashews
  • Garam Masala

 

METHOD

  1. Place the rice, barley porridge and lentils in a large bowl and wash in several changes of water until it runs almost clear.
  2. Finally fill the bowl with enough water to come a couple of inches up the sides and let the grains and lentils soak for 4 – 6 hours or overnight.
  3. Grind the black cumin seeds, nutmeg, mace and green cardamoms to a fine powder in a small spice / coffee grinder. Set aside.
  4. Heat oil for deep frying and when hot, fry the sliced onions until golden. Remove fried onions to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Set aside.
  5. Reserve about 4 – 6 tablespoons of oil after deep frying.
  6. Boil a kettle of water and set aside to simmer on a very low heat.
  7. Drain the soaked grains and lentils and rinse one more time with fresh water. Place into a pan along with 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil, stock cube (if using), chopped onion, chopped green chillies and around 4 – 6 cups of water.
  8. Bring to the boil on a high heat, then lower the heat to low and let cook partially covered, stirring occasionally until the grains and lentils are completely soft and mushy.
  9. The mixture can take anywhere from 1 hour to more to soften to a mush. If you feel the haleem is getting too thick, add more water from the simmering kettle to thin it down.
  10. When cooked, the haleem will be thick but the consistency should also be slightly on the looser side.
  11. Sieve in the reserved ground spice mixture, cover and simmer on a very low heat for 10 minutes.
  12. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and blend in a blender or with a stick blender until somewhere between smooth and grainy.
  13. It is best not to overblend because you want some of that grainy texture to remain.
  14. Check salt and adjust if needed.
  15. White Haleem can be frozen airtight at this point, if wished.
  16. When ready to serve, ladle out hot haleem into serving bowl (or individual serving bowls, if wished).
  17. Heat ghee if using or the leftover reserved oil until hot and pour all over the surface of the haleem.
  18. Garnish with ginger, coriander, mint, green chillies, cashews and reserved fried onion.
  19. Sprinkle garam masala and squeeze lemon juice on top.
  20. Eat.

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

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Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

Post Updated: 04.12.23

The one and only Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles – I am salivating while updating this post.

Also, I am mentally going through the contents of my fridge and pantry, hoping I have all the ingredients to make these noodles after I’m done with this post.

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles: The Legend

Restaurateur David Chang, creator of Netflix cult favourite “Ugly Delicious” and founder of the Momofuku Group of Restaurants writes in his book “Momofuku” (written with Peter Meehan) that “Our ginger scallion noodles are an homage to / out-and-out-rip-off of one of the greatest dishes in New York City: the $4.95 plate of ginger scallion noodles at Great New York Noodle Town down on the Bowery in Chinatown.”

I agree with Chang when he says, “You need ginger scallion sauce on your noodles, in your fridge and in your life. For real.”

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles: The Real Star Of The Show

The real star of this Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodle dish is the Ginger Scallion Sauce. There is absolutely nothing like it.

Also, the sauce in question is more solid than liquid, more like a chunky condiment or a chutney than a pourable flavouring concoction.

This Ginger Scallion Sauce is also a perfect demonstration of how the correct combination of just a few simple ingredients can result in astoundingly astonishing flavours.

I use it not just for this noodle recipe but also to top fried rice, mashed potatoes and soups. The possibilities are quite literally, endless.

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles: How Do You Serve Them?

The Ginger Scallion Noodles at Momofuku are served with things like bamboo shoots, pickled cucumbers, pan roasted cauliflower, sliced scallions and toasted nori.

I eat mine unadorned, except for a few fresh spring onions tops chopped into bits sometimes. But mostly with nothing else.

These noodles taste great at room temperature but somehow I love them cold straight from the fridge more. Cold buckwheat soba noodles would also go pretty well with this sauce.

Thanks to fellow foodie blogger friend Monita Sen for introducing me to these incredible Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles – check out Monita’s luscious Instagram feed; it is insanely gorgeous!

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

 

Recipe Type: Main, Snack
Author: Alice In Eatland
Prep Time: 10 Minutes   Cook Time: 10 Minutes    Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves: 1
Keyword: 10 Minute Recipe, Asian Noodles, Asian Recipe Easy, Dinner Ideas, Easy Recipes, Healthy Asian Recipes, Noodles, Quick And Easy Recipe, Vegetarian Recipes, Quick Recipes

 

 

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles:

7 everyday ingredients & 10 minutes of your time are all you need to make David Chang’s ultimate ramen noodle recipe.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 100 grams (4 oz) cooked ramen or egg noodles
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped spring onions / green onions / scallions (both white and green parts)
  • 1/8 cup peeled, grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup oil*
  • Salt
  • A few teaspoons of white vinegar
  • A few teaspoons of soy sauce

 

METHOD

  1. Place the chopped spring onions / green onions / scallions and the grated ginger in a heatproof bowl.
  2. Pour the oil into a small saucepan and place over medium heat until the surface of the oil is shimmering slightly.
  3. Put a piece of chopped spring onion in to test the oil. If it sizzles immediately upon contact with the oil, your oil is hot enough.
  4. Remove pan from heat and pour the hot oil straight onto the chopped onions and grated ginger.
  5. Stir in salt, vinegar and soy sauce to taste.
  6. Let sit 10-15 minutes.
  7. Place noodles in a bowl and stir in a couple of tablespoons of your ginger scallion sauce.
  8. Top with some fresh spring onion green bits if liked.
  9. Store any leftover ginger scallion sauce airtight in the fridge for up to 2 – 4 days.

 

*David Chang recommends either grapeseed or any other neutral oil for this recipe.

I just use regular cooking oil from my kitchen.

Any oil would work alright except a strong tasting one like olive oil.