A simple baked starter for parties. Easy to cook and full of flavor.



Method
1. Clean and par boil baby potatoes in salty water till they are about 50% cooked. Remember to take care that the potato skin should not shrivel. Strain the potatoes and keep aside to cool
2. Make a mixture of 2 tbsp olive oil with 5-6 pods of crushed garlic, rosemary, pepper, sea salt and chilli flakes.
3. Preheat an oven for 15 mins at 160 degress Celsius. 
4. Add the potatoes to a baking dish. Add the marinade on top and then bake it in the oven for around 30 mins. Midway through stir/rotate the potatoes so that they are evenly cooked. Check with a fork at the around 20 mins and adjust the timings of the oven accordingly.
5. Remove the potatoes from the oven when golden in colour and tender


A very good step by step approach is given here 

Wanted to try out different fruit cake recipes and decided to try this orange and chocolate cake recipe that I saw on Nigella's website. I have modified it heavily though the inspiration is from this page.

Here is my recipe with liberal chocolate gratings which is not part of the original recipe. The moistness in this cake makes it yumm!

Method

1. Preheat the over at 160 degrees Celsius for 20 mins.
2. In the meantime, add  250 gms flour, 200 gms powdered sugar,  100 gms butter, 2 eggs,  and 50 gms of Hung curd and mix well. 
3. Add around 2 tsp of powdered orange rind, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ,100 ml orange juice (I used canned juice but fresh orange juice will taste better), 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda into the mixture  bowl and mix well.
4. Mix till you get a a smooth, thick batter. In case the batter is very thick you can add some milk to get it to the right consistency.
5. Prepare a baking tin with butter and sprinkle flour on it.
6. Add the cake mixture in one thin 1 cm layer in the baking tin. Grate some chocolate on the batter and then spread the next layer of orange batter.Grate some more chocolate on the cake and put it into the oven.
7. Bake it in the oven for 40 mins, but start checking at 30 mins.You can check the centre of the cake with a tester. The cake is ready when the tester comes out clean.
8. Remove the cake to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the tin
9. As the cake is baking, boil 100 ml of orange juice with 2 tsps sugar till the juice thickens. Keeps aside to cool. 
10. When the cake is out, prick it with a toothpick in multiple places and then pour the orange juice. The juice will soak up immediately to give you the moist orange cake.The orange juice mixture gives the cake a good glazing.

Your delicious orange cake is ready to be devoured!

Have always been a fan of the Maharashtrian misal. Today we tried cooking the matki misal. The sweet and sour taste of this dish is balanced well by the chilli to give a healthy lentil soup. Ideal for breakfast or evening snacks. This can also be eaten with a pav to make it more filling.




Method
1. For matki sprouts,  Soak 100 gms of matki(moth beans) in water overnight. Drain the water the next morning and tie this in a fine muslin cloth so that it starts sprouting,
2. Soak some 2 small marble sized  tamarind in water and then squeeze it well to make 2 tbsp of tamarind water and keep aside
3. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil . When hot, add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add handful of curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. To this add 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and a pinch of haldi and saute for a few minutes on a low flame.
4.  Add the matki sprouts and water to get a gravy with very thin consistency, Add 1 small marble sized ball of jaggery (or according to taste) and the tamarind water. Add salt according to taste. Bring it to a good boil and then turn of the flame.
5. Serve with farsan and finely chopped coriander leaves.