Filipino Adobo....

Adobo is a popular dish and it is unofficially considered as the national dish of Philippines.When the Spanish invaded and settled in the Philippines during the 16th century, they discovered this traditional Filipino cooking method and called it adobo, which is the Spanish word for marinade.

  There are many regional variations of adobo, but most recipes includes vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper.  Coconut vinegar, rice vinegar, or cane vinegar is used. At times even white vinegar can be used. Adobo can be made with meat, fish or vegetables. It is most commonly made with chicken and pork or both combined. It is served with white rice. It was traditionally cooked in small clay pots.
Information from the net.... 

This time while my stay in Singapore, I was invited by a Filipino friend for dinner. She has made few traditional dishes, one of them was Chicken Adobo. I fell in love with this dish and can have a plate full of rice with it. It's very simple to make. It is tangy and salty in taste. It's a must make dish. 

Chicken Adobo.... Here is my version of it.... 

For Marinating the Chicken

Ingredients

1 kg of Chicken with skin or without skin cut into pieces

4 tbsp Soya sauce

3 tbsp Cane Vinegar

6 Garlic cloves crushed

Salt to taste

1 tsp Pepper powder

Method

Add all the above ingredients into a bowl and mix it well. Cover and marinate it for at least 3 hours to overnight.

For Chicken Adobo 

Ingredients

Marinated Chicken

4 Garlic cloves sliced

8 Black Pepper Corns

2 Bay leaves

3 tbsp Oil

Method

Take a wok, add oil. Let the oil heat. Add the chicken pieces and fry it until brown on both the sides. Pour in the marinated juices, garlic, bay leaves and pepper corns. Add a cup of water. Cover and cook till the chicken has become tender. Serve it with hot steaming rice.

Khatta Mitha Kesari Aam Sharbat Sour and Sweet Mango Squash with Saffron

Since I am very fond of making various types of pickles, my husband got around 3 1/2 kgs of Raw Mangoes from a tree situated in the compound where he works. Apparently I had made 2 kgs mango Pickle the same day. So I kept the raw mangoes for 2 days, and by the time when I thought about making some more mango pickle, these mangoes were already in their half riped stage. So thought of making Mango squash. This is an experiment in my kitchen. This Mango Squash has no preservatives and will stay for 3 months in the fridge. I loved the flavor of the saffron infused with the flavor of the Mangoes. It is sweet and sour in taste.

Stage 1 

Ingredients 

3 1/2 kgs Half riped Mangoes 

2 liters of Water 

1 tbsp Salt or Rock salt

5 to 6 pods of Green Cardomom crushed 

1/4 tsp Saffron 

Method 

Peel the skin of the mangoes. Cut them into pieces. Take a big pot. Add the mango pieces and the mango seeds along with the flesh into the pot. Add water, cardamom crushed,  saffron and salt. Let it simmer till the mangoes have become pulpy. Let it cool. Remove the mango seeds and squeeze out the pulp from it and discard the seeds. Add the rest of the mango pieces and the pulp into a blender and blend it. Take a wire mesh strainer and strain the juice out. 

Stage 2 

Ingredients 

Mango Juice

2 1/2 kgs of Sugar

1/4 tsp Saffron 

Method 

Take a pot, add all the above ingredients. Let it simmer till it reaches a level before the one string consistency and small lumps begins to form. To check, take the juice on a ladle. Pour out the juice from the ladle. You will see small tiny lumps stuck on the ladle and the juice has thicken a bit. Switch of the gas. Let it cool. Strain the juice out through a wire mesh strainer. Let it cool completely. Store in dry glass bottles. 

To make the Sharbat, fill up 1/4 of the glass with the Squash. Add chilled water and ice. Stir it and enjoy it.

JhatPaat Amer Tak Jhal Achar ( Bengali style ) - Instant Spicy Sour RawMango Pickle....

This year I didn't get time to make the traditional type pickle as I was away on a long holiday. But we love pickles. So this instant pickle will serve my purpose for the whole year. 

It is spicy and sour, and it goes well with parotha, dal - rice, khichudi.. Use a dry spoon while serving it. 

For Marinating the Mangoes

Ingredients

2 kg Raw mangoes washed, dried and cut into pieces along with the skin

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method

Apply salt and turmeric powder to the mango pieces and sun dry it for 4 to 6 hours or or dry it under the fan. No water should remain. 

For Making the Paste

Ingredients

2 tbsp Mustard seeds

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

3/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Carom seeds

8 to 10 or more Green Chillies as per the spice

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

10 Garlic cloves

1 medium piece Ginger

1/2 cup Vinegar

Method

Make paste with the above ingredients and  keep it aside.

To make the Mango Pickle

Ingredients

Marinated Raw Mango pieces

Wet paste

8 whole Garlic cloves

4 to 5 Green Chillies cut into halves

1 tsp Panch Phoren 

Salt to taste

1/4 cup  Sugar

2 Pinch of Asafoetida

2 cup Mustard Oil

Method

Heat the oil in a wok until smoking point. Lower the flame. Let the smoke subside. Add the Panch phoren, garlic and green chillies.  Let the panch phoren crackle. Add the asafoetida. Let it cook for few seconds. Add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sugar. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the mango pieces. Cook the mango pieces till it is little soft. Adjust the salt.  Cook it further till the oil separates from the paste. Once done, take it off the flame and cool it completely before transferring it into a clean - dry glass bottle. It is ready to be served with parotha, dal - rice or khichudi. It can be preserved for a year. 

Milo Dinosaur ChesseCake

Milo is one of the very popular malt base powder used in Singapore for drinks. Different types of drinks like Milo Dinosaur Drink, Milo Ice, Hot Milo etc are made with this powder. So here is the Milo Dinosaur cheesecake with love from my Kitchen. 

Ingredients for the Cake 

150 grams All Purpose Flour 

2 tbsp Milo powder 

1 tsp Coffee powder 

1/2 tsp Baking powder 

1/2 tsp Soda Bicarbonate 

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

100 ml Oil

200 ml Condensed Milk

100 ml Curd 

100 ml Milk 

Method 

Take a bowl, add the coffee powder, Milo powder, baking powder, soda bicarbonate and salt. Mix it. Keep the (dry ingredient mix) aside. 

Take another bowl. Beat the oil, curd , condensed milk and vanilla essence together. Add the dry ingredients mix. Beat it once more. Add the milk and beat it once more. The batter should be of the dropping consistency. Add little more milk, if you feel that the batter is dry. Take a springform tin. Spray oil into the tin. Cover the tin with an aluminum foil from out. Pour the batter into the tin. Tap the tin. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes in a pre heated oven.  Insert a tooth pick to check. Once done remove it and let it cool. 

For the Cream Cheese

Ingredients 

1 pack of Cream Cheese 

200 grams Hung Curd

200 grams Icing Sugar 

1 tsp Vanilla Essence 

2 Eggs 

3 tbsp Milo Powder 

Method 

In a mixing bowl, beat the Cream Cheese and the hung Curd until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and beat it. Add the vanilla essence. Beat it once more. Add the icing sugar. Beat it until smooth. Take the Milo cake. Press the cake gently from top. Pour the cream cheese mix on the cake. Take a tray. Put the cake tin on the tray. Pour 2 cups of water on the tray. Put the tray for baking at 180 degrees for 30 minutes in a pre heated oven. Once done the Cream Cheese will set. Chill it in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Before serving. Sprinkle Milo powder on top of the Cheese Cake. Serve it chill. 

Garnet Glow Tea - Review...

Garnet Glow is a tea company situated in Pune. They have a wide range of flavored tea blends from all over India, China and Japan. Once you peep into their website, they have customized offers for you. You can choose your own tea flavor, you can buy samples and taste it before buying in large quantity. You can choose and customize your blends. They are aromatic and have health benefits too. The company emphasizes on Flavourful aroma, Right colouration and Optimum health benefits. They can be packed in beautiful casing of your choice.

 To make a cup of tea...

          Add one teaspoon of tea leaves into a pot and pour hot water. Cover and keep it for 2 - 3 minutes. Strain it, add milk or lime and sugar. 

Please do try out their special blends, each of the flavours has unique delicate flavour and has healing properties too. This place is a treat for tea lovers. You can buy you goodies here. Click on the link given below 👇🏼
Garnet Glow Tea

 Darjeeling Mist Tea

The company says ----

The Darjeeling Mist tea leaves are uniquely beautiful, harvested from the high-altitude Himalayan range. The tea offers misty fresh aroma with an impeccable taste. Rich in antioxidants and nutrients, it serves your senses with serenity while curing various health ailments. 

Health Benefits:

Maintains Dental Health, Checks Gastric Ulcers, Promotes Weight Loss, Cancer Prevention, Boosts Heart Health.

My take on this - 

      As I opened the sachet of Darjeeling Mist, there was a nutty and floral aroma from the leaves.The aroma of the brewing tea was quite fresh. That moment I just needed to grab a book, which I did, enjoying the peace and of course the tea without milk. The flavour was quite enhancing. I felt rejuvenated. 

Masala Grove Tea

The company says - 

A unique blend of authentic Indian herbs and spices with rich premium tea leaves ensures that the goodness of all the ingredients are absorbed uniformly and gets released perfectly at the time of brewing. Known for its health benefits, daily consumption can help in boosting your metabolism. 

Health Benefits: 

Reduces cancer risk, Supports Immune System, Relieves PMS, Anti-Inflammatory Aid, Improves digestion, etc.

My take on this - 

The aroma of the tea upon opening the sachet was of the spices. Cardamom, pepper, rose petals, ginger was distinctly noticed with the tea. Upon brewing it, the aroma of the spices was all around. This blend became my favorite on the first sip. I did not use sugar and milk. While sipping the tea, one can actually get the aroma and flavour of the spices, with the flavor of cardamon lingering on the tongue. It gives you a inner satisfaction after having the tea. Almost missed my friends... wish they were there.. it would have been a perfect afternoon having adda with my friends and Masala Grove. 

Peach Black Tea 

The Company says - 

Delicate and delightful, Peach tea refreshes your body and mind with its sweet, smooth taste. High on nutritional value, it is non-acidic and brews up a beautiful golden hue while keeping the fruity flavor in balance. 

Health Benefits:

Weight Loss, Anti-oxidants, Supports Immune System, Anti-Cancer, Reduce hair loss, Stress-reliever.

My take on this -

I loved the peachy aroma upon opening the sachet. I brew up a beautiful golden hue and it smelled very peachy, felt tropical. The flavor had a very mild sweetness that tasted like a very fresh piece of fruit. It was a wonderful cup of tea. I personally would have made a chilled Peach ice tea to beat this summer heat. 

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