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Delectable cuisines from Assam that will tickle your taste buds

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Assam, the gateway to the northeast, is a valley of luscious vegetation, fascinating wildlife, and a delectable ground that provides some of irresistibly tempting delicacies. While culture and traditions reflect the essence of a region, Assam holds in its core, a spectacularly huge list, along with a confluence of delectable cuisines that reflect its richness and distinctive style from the rest of the world.

Every time you visit their kitchen, you will be enthralled by the aroma of wild herbs and spices whirling up to your senses. The Assamese meal thali or plate usually comprises of different herbs and leafy vegetables, chutney, pitika, fries, pickles, and sweets.

Let us take you on a trip to some of the relishing delicacies that would allure your gluttonous senses to commit another flavoursome sin as you scroll down:

Image: Pranab Das

> Starters aka Jolpan: The day starts with poita bhaat (Cooked rice soaked overnight) served with onion, lemon, salt and chilli. Followed by jolpan of different choices such as Cheera (flattened rice), muri or akhoi (puffed rice), pitha Guri (pound rice), handoh guri (fried pound rice), kumol chaul (rice boiled and dried) and bora chaul (sticky rice) is usually served with yogurt, milk and sugar or juggery.

Image: Bold Sky

> Fish curry: Fish serves as an important dish of the Assamese cuisine. Masor tenga (sour fish curry), fish cooked with a sourness taste, often with outenga (elephant apple) or patot diya maas (steamed or baked fish), wrapped in banana leaves and baked, is often served with mustard paste for a meal.

Image- Khorisa.blogspot.com

> Khar: Khar khua axomiya, holding the literal meaning for the signature dish of the Assamese community, is a detoxifying appetizer. The khar or soda is prepared by burning stem of a banana tree or by roasting and soaking banana peels. The khar is also mixed with mustard paste to prepare Kharoli, a kind of chutney.

Image- Youtube

> Pitika: The easiest and convenient way to cover up a meal when you are not in the mood to cook. Of course, this is one of the most accepted preparations that is seldom rejected by people when offered. Pitika is a mash of various ingredients like potato, tomato, brinjal or other vegetables grilled or boiled and mixed with mustard oil, onion, chili, coriander, ginger or garlic.

Image: Mouth watering food recipes

> Khorisa: Khorisa is a pickle prepared from grated bamboo shoots preserved with mustard oil, salt, and chili. Khorisa is also used as a flavoring agent in preparing meat or fish curry.

Image: OnlineSibsagar

> Herbs and leafy vegetables: The Assamese meal plate is never complete without the mention of herbs and leafy vegetables, boiled or fried alongside. If you visit an Assamese house, don’t forget to grab the exotic taste of leafy vegetables like dhekiya, laai xaak (spinach), moricha, khutura xaak, or of wild herbs like bhedai lota, changmora, bet gaz, and more.

Image: AssamInfo

> Sunga chaul: It is a traditional method mostly circulated in the villages during winters. Rice placed on bamboo stems is roasted in a bonfire. The cooked rice is brought out of the bamboo stem and served hot with meat or fish. Sunga chaul is generally a special catch during the “feast of new rice”.

Image: Thousand Miles

> Duck or pigeon curry: Duck or pigeon curry is considered as authentic cuisines of the Assamese tradition. The dish is generally cooked with a meagre amount of oil and spices including cumin seeds, bay leaves, coriander, cardamom, ginger, garlic, etc. Duck curry, which is a signature dish of the Assamese culture, is often cooked with kumura (white gourd).

Image: NDTV

> Sewa diya bhaat: Bora chaul (sticky rice) soaked in water is steamed. The cooked rice is then served with yogurt or chicken curry.

Image: India the Destiny

> Polu leta: Polu Leta (silk cocoon) is first boiled and removed from its shell. The boiled cocoon is then fried and served with the meal.

Besides these scrumptious delicacies, other succulent sweets and desserts include, narikal laru (coconut laddoo), til pitha, ghila pitha, etc. Also don’t forget to wrap up your day with a rich taste of Haaz or Rohi or take that winey taste of Judima.

Glamor of the hills- Meghalaya

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The morning beams that penetrated through the gauzy curtains interrupted my dreams. It was late morning when I woke up. Although I was never a morning person, hectic job schedule and demand to maintain punctuality in office compelled me to dispose off my late-night routine.

And thus, weekends became my savior. I would sleep my heart out, keeping myself aloof from all the earthly pleasures. I would always ward-off the plans for joining someone for coffee, hanging out for parties or shopping, or mingling for a weekend getaway with friends with my lame excuses.

Likewise, it was another weekend of my life. I made a cup of hot chocolate, and augmented the tempo of my newly bought JBL Bluetooth speakers. Life would have been such a comfortable bed without any responsibilities, I wondered, trying to warble the Spanish lyrics of Despacito.

The phone’s beep depressed the sound of the song.

“Pack your bags; we are leaving at 6 pm,” Prasanta texted.

And before could I write my excuse text, he interrupted with another one.

“Don’t take it as a request. Because I am not going to listen to any of your post- menstrual mood flicks. Get ready; I am coming to pick you in an hour. Biswajit and Sarvanu will join us too.”

It was around 6.30 in the evening when we headed to, well, we did not have a map to Cherrapunjee or Dawki, so Meghalaya would be precise.

Meghalaya, as they say, is all about floating in abode of clouds. As we waved goodbye to Guwahati, a dark night, stirred with a blanket of mist and grey glimpses enveloped us in no time. Although I had been to this peppy paradise before, the experiences are vastly different on each call. Remarkably, every time I pick a trip to this paradise, I grab a story along with me.

It was late November. The roads were inundated with fog. Visibility of the surrounding dimmed with each rotation of the car’s tires. A little later we realized how terribly the clouds had convoluted us.

Prasanta uttered, “When confusion strikes, go left!” Unable to decide which way to take, we decided to pick the road less traveled.

Prasanta, deciding which way to take.

It was late midnight, around 2 o’ clock. Subsequently, we got the picture of a grey blanket of fog that had covered us, completely. Even the white divider line that we were following, became indiscernible.

The fog became denser with each passing moment. After much contemplation, we grasped that there was no way to surpass the thick mantle as one could barely see the other person or object standing near them.

Biswajit stopped the car. Everyone got down. It was a No Human Land where the hills came alive with its giant spells.

The sight of an indistinct light at a distant, landed us to an eerie-looking house at the cliff of a majestic hill. Being an ardent fan of horror movies, stroked me to envisage how the house carried every trait of an eerie scene. Dimmed lights, indistinct chirps of birds, drops of water tripping at a vessel from the roof, four torn-out couches at the veranda, a dog loitering around and sniffing, reminded me of psycho killers of the Wrong Turn movies.

Anxiety started knocking us, brutally. Before long could we wait for any of us to get hit with a panic attack, we rushed to our car. Although it was difficult and risky to drive with such hazy visuals, nevertheless, Biswajit decided to take the risk as it was a better option than getting our heads chopped and bodies minced.

After driving for nearly three hours, we saw some lodges, lights, and heard voices of people working. That was a huge heave of sigh for all. Biswajit halted the car and we decided to rest our weary eyes for some time.

I woke up at Sarvanu’s boisterous voice, “Yaay! We are finally in Dawki.”

It was an absolute respite for all. While Biswajit and Prasanta yearned for few minutes of rest, Sarvanu decided to get tea for us.

Morning tea at Dawki

The latter part of the day followed with a series of amusing adventures, capturing breathtaking views, gobbling with traditional delicacies and street food, and more. This was one of my wildest adventurous trip that snarled in my memoir cozily, until date.

Below are some of the snaps from the rest of our journey.

Dawki

Meghalaya Dawki

Meghalaya Dawki

Dawki meghalaya

Meghalaya Dawki

Meghalaya Dawki

Meghalaya Dawki

Editor’s call: Do you have an adventurous story to tell? Write to us at [email protected].

Best places to indulge with Pizza in Guwahati

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With a vast variety of eateries and cuisines, Guwahati has surfaced as one of the fastest growing and diverse cities in India. Whether the ethnic flavors, aroma brewing cafes, region specials, continental or oriental exclusives, each restaurant carry its own set of flair to appease its admirers. Besides, one can not just indulge in flavor but can also relish a quality stretch with live music, football or cricket.

However, amid the lavish cuisines, pizza found its way to every person’s heart. Be it someone’s birthday treat, increment party, 4 pm lunch, or football snack, pizza has remained as a forever favorite.

Here are some of the most admired pizza stops of Guwahati one must visit:

1. Pizza hut:

pizza hut guwahati- pizza in guwahati
Source: Trip Advisor

Ever since the Carney brothers opened its door in 1958, Pizza Hut became every countries’ favorite guest. The two outlets located in Ganeshguri and Dona Planet (Christian Basti) are the best takeout places. One can cool one’s heels over a Tangy Mary or a frothy glass of Hazelnut Cold Coffee without spending a tidy sum. Besides those aroma-floating magical hand-tossed pizzas, the Spicy Baked Chicken Wings are worth preying for.

2. 11th Avenue:

11th avenue, guwahati

Both the cafes (of Rajgarh and Dighalipukhuri) rejoices to serve its guests a trail of pan-healthy tempting pizzas. This is one of the bustling cafés of Guwahati that offers an assortment of better alternatives on food as well as beverages. Porkizza and Smoky Chicken Pizza are the unsurpassed lust that will arouse your pizza tooth with excitement.

I know I must not praise Burger in this context but it will be selfish to not edify people about a juicy and luscious view. Their Classic Burger is one of the most beautiful things to indulge in, trust me.

3. Foodie’s world:

restaurant of guwahati- foodies world- pizza

Located in Rehabari, this pizza paradise offers a pizza fanatic, a range of veg and non-veg options to delve into. The menu reflects a kind of comforting percept. As the spices, veggies, and meat infuse in cheese, ahhh…haa… (pick some assured notes from me), they burst in the aroma. Just succulent.

4. Kalita Café:

Restaurant of guwahati- Pizza- K-pop

Even a hip-hop fan, a Bollywood follower, a metal head, or an electronic devotee will romance with pizza in this K-pop styled café. Big Bang’s Feast and Monster Margherita are likely to console a cheese-starving soul with great comfort. Also, don’t forget to smooch their tantalizing smoothies. My God, Cheery Bomb was indeed a BOMB.

5. The Boho Roots café:

boho roots cafe- guwahati- pizza

Just like their every wall that narrates a unique tale, this artistically designed café has abundant of exclusive pizzas to tempt a visitor. Whether you take a plunge into their Roasted Pork Pizza or Sicilian Pizza or Roasted Bell Pepper Pizza, you are certainly going to take home a bouquet of flavors to cherish, until your next visit.

6. Chicago pizza:

pizza- guwahati

Ever since I started to grow dissatisfaction for Dominos’ pizza, Chicago Pizza stood as a rescue, to rejuvenate my dying taste for cheese pizza. Located in Central Mall (G.S. Road) and Bharalumukh, their pizzas are sure to release great levels of dopamine in you.

Sharing is caring. But sharing pizza is a pain that no medicine could heal. So, eat pizza, be happy.

pizza-quotes-funny

What is your city’s best pizza stop? Drop your answers in the comment below.

Easy way to make watermelon halwa

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The arrival of Bihu always fascinates me. Likely because I love seeing my mother prepare 100s of til pitha (a kind of traditional rice cake made with sesame and sugar), tel pitha (a traditional rice cake), and narikol laru (coconut balls). I would wait for her until late midnight, watch her prepare the delicacies wholeheartedly. I was always attracted to her way of preparing the coconut balls. She teaches me how delicately I must handle the preparation, a slight mistake and the balls would not take its desired shape. I would listen and watch her patiently, as she molds the balls. And apparently, I have applied a similar method while making this pudding. This is easy to make dessert recipe and consumes less time to prepare.

watermelon halwa, dessert recipe, watermelon pudding recipe, food photography, beautiful food photography

While I use to throw away the rind of watermelon every time, I choose to prepare something out of the inutile pieces (these were supposed to go right into the bin). After grinding to a good paste, I had decided to cook it the way my mother used to prepare the coconut balls, i.e., pour the mush directly to the pan and stir until the water dries up. After that, you can gradually add the other ingredients.

Here, I have also used some leftover red mesh of the watermelon that I had used for juice. You can skip that completely. Subsequently, I also made a few watermelon rind balls the next day. For making that, I applied a similar method of evaporating the excess water and adding a cup of roasted semolina. The rest of the steps remains the same apart from adding the liquid milk.

Watermelon Halwa Recipe

This is an easy to make watermelon halwa that is filled with nutrition and goodness of mik and nuts.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: dessert recipe, watermelon halwa, Watermelon recipe
Author: Madhuri Saikia

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Food Processor/ Grinder

Materials

  • 2 tbsp Vegetable oil, ghee, or butter
  • 1/2 piece Cubes of watermelon shell the inside green shell
  • 1 cup Nuts, raisin, berries of your choice
  • 1 piece Cardamom
  • 3 tbsp Powdered Milk
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 pinch Salt

Instructions

  • Peel off the outer green layer of the watermelon (You can use the inside red part for juices or other purposes)
  • Cut it into small cubes and add the pieces in a grinder.
  • Heat a pan and put the grinded paste to the pan and keep stiring.
  • Make sure to stir frequently, until the water dries up.
  • Now add the powdered milk and crushed cardamom.
  • Mix thoroughly so that no lumps are formed.
  • Now add the sugar and salt and blend it until the water evaporates.
  • Add the milk and crushed nuts and stir evenly.
  • Add the ghee or butter
  • Voila! Your watermelon halwa is ready. Serve hot with sprinkled nuts or seeds.

Make sure you cook the recipe in medium to low flame

    Will you make this recipe?

    Let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Or share a picture on your Instagram or Facebook and tag us.

    For busy people: Easy and effective hacks to stay healthy

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    stay healthy ways

    Sedentary lifestyle, hustling schedules, and the race to stand tall among other competitions has disturbed numerous lives. Competitions have killed the world’s sleep and eating habits more than an outbreak. Lack of time is a major account why people buckle under unhealthy eating and sleeping patterns. As a result, prevalence rates for the number of ailments and afflictions have increased rapidly.

    The body achieves what the mind believes. Thus, it is essential to watch out both the mind and the body in order to maintain the balance.

    Highlighted below are some of the easy and effective ways that will help one engage in a healthy state, physically as well as mentally.

    1. Exercise it out:

      Man doing exercise
      Source: BBC

      Engaging in physical exercise is a great way to eliminate toxins from the body. Besides toning the muscles and tissues, regular exercise also helps in the release of the brain’s reward chemicals, the ones necessary to enhance one’s state of mind.

    2. Cut off the intake of caffeine

      no to coffeeThe widely used mood-altering drug in the world, caffeine, when consumed in moderate proportion can yield a number of health benefits. Unlikely, heavy intake, more than 500-600 mg of caffeine a day, on the other hand, can lead to health issues like insomnia, nervousness, irritability, an upset stomach, restlessness, aggravated anxiety, and muscle tremors.

    3. Switch to chamomile tea

      chamomile-tea
      Source: Medical news

      Chamomile tea possesses a number of health benefits. The beverage is stacked with antioxidants that cut risks of life-threatening diseases like cancer and diseases of the heart. Additionally, chamomile tea treats sleep disorders, promotes digestion, better skin, controls blood sugar, boosts immune health, as well as helps one to relieve from mental clutters like anxiety and depression.

    4. Expose to sunlight:

      woman exposed to sunlight Vitamine D

      From regulating the level of insulin to maintaining cardiovascular and lung health, Vitamin D plays numerous roles in keeping the body hale. Exposing to sunlight, at least 15-minutes every day can also help in breaking-free from stress

    5. Listen to good music

      woman listen to good music

      Music has the ability to influence one’s mental and physical state. The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) announced music therapy as a therapeutic and effective means to combat problems of the mind. Distinguished philosophers like Plato, Confucius, and the kings and monarchs pronounced music as an effectual medium to heal aggravating conditions of their mind.

    6. Replace your regular cup with green tea

      green tea cup of green tea green tea benefits
      Source: Prehab

      Green tea has been known as an effective agent to treat issues of the stomach, skin, and brain. Besides, green tea also helps to curb blood pressure and drop an escalating heart rate. Amino acid or L-theanine present in green tea is an important agent required to abate stress and anxiety.

    7. Yoga and meditation:

      woman doing yoga
      Source: Woman fitness org

      Accepted since ancient times, yoga, and meditation are powerful antidotes for a healthy body and mind. Pranayama (breathing techniques), asana (body postures), meditation, and the ancient yoga philosophy, has strengthened millions of people with positivism and a new perspective on life.

    It is not always possible to maintain a healthy diet. In such, balancing with alternatives can work wonder as well. Keeping alongside ditching smoking and drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day, sleep is an important factor to grasp while considering one’s health.

    Albeit there are numerous ways to stay healthy, practicing a few simple and basic steps can prove beneficial in retaining one’s health in the long run. So, which are you going to adopt? Let us know in the comment section below.

    Also, don’t forget to share this article in your circle.

    You may also like to check out Asanas For Weight Loss.

    A summer time madness at 11th Avenue

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    11th Avenue Cafe Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

    Thai green curry pasta, 11th Avenue, Cafe in guwahati, Best cafe in guwahatiI skip my breakfast and settled for a tall ice-cold glass of watermelon juice. Summers have become awful in Guwahati. I cannot even devour my favorite cappuccino or an awakening masala tea. Sigh!

    Smoothies and juices have made my buds bland, sunscreens don’t work, damn! Why can’t winters stay forever?

    “You hate winters as well, remember?” Prasanta poked.

    As he gets ready for his office, I decide to switch off all my communicating devices and lie flat on the floor. I crashed, mulling over where to sabotage my fatigue; only to wake up at the scream from my tummy.

    But sadly, the gloomy fridge has only butter and mayonnaise to chomp. And going to the kitchen means shoving myself into an oven. Instead of getting baked, dining out seems a better idea, and 11th Avenue, an intelligent one. Not just because they cook wonderfully flaky crust pizza but also serves the purpose of brimming one’s gut with contentment.

    A heavenly delight awaits in the new menu

    My tummy is screaming louder than the honking horns. I don’t know if Guwahati’s rise in temperature is directly proportional to its congested traffic. As I scroll my Instagram feed, I stumble up a post that describes how succulent their tortillas were. Tortillas, oh! I can die for a good bite.

    The traffic blink green. I park my scooter and raced inside the café. Something is different. I gawk, watching the menu parade with its new makeover in every table, proudly. And I watch her flaunting and getting hold of people’s interest.

    11th Avenue menu

    It is now my turn to appraise her.

    Whoa!

    TORTILLA.

    My thrill jumps in joy. While I wished for Thai Green Curry Pasta, my Tortilla tooth was seeking Roast Chicken Tortilla. Hence, a nod for both.

     

     

     

     

    Laughter is brightest where food is best

    Waiting for food to arrive is probably one of the world’s difficult tasks. Phew! I could barely wait for my order to walk from the kitchen.

    About 20 minutes later, my order walked in. The Thai Green Curry Pasta, escorted by two pieces of garlic bread, rests elegantly on the white plate. My pasta plate looks gorgeous.

    thai green curry pasta

    It boasts a blend of mellow yet a robust smack of its varied spices. The recipe embraces an assortment of ingredients like coconut paste, vegetables, spaghetti, chicken, and Thai sauce.

    tortilla

    The Tortilla, on the other hand, recounts a superior touch of taste and texture. Besides, the chicken bites were ladened with crispy and soft chicken sautéed in aromatic spices. Crumble of tomatoes garnished with chives and cheese added a refined feeling to the crunchy corn base. The sour cream and salsa dips, on the other hand, were goodness added to the glory.

    Contentment contained and restored

    While the service is friendly, they seem to have sauteed their food a bit “more” gently. I thought my order lost its way. 😀 But it was worth the wait. I was literally lost, amid the lush Thai Green Curry Pasta and Chicken Tortilla.

    Post Script: The new menu has a number of tongue-teasing cuisines to munch on. Until I hit here for some Lamb Bolognese and Ramen Noodles next time, keep supporting for my next review.

     

    A restaurant in Guwahati abused its customer for complaining about food quality

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    Over the years, Guwahati has developed gracefully with a number of restaurants, cafes, pubs, and clubs blooming amid the support of its inhabitants. These wings have flapped smoothly with time, offering excellent services and hospitality to its customers. Consequently, there are also some restaurants, who, with their appalling services, have disheartened many of the city’s food fanatics.

    I remember visiting a café in Rajgarh road, Guwahati, sometimes back. As a café hunter, I popped to this restaurant in search of good coffee and ambiance. To my utter disgust, I was served with green chutney and chickpeas (chola) salad with pasta cooked with an emptied bottle of parmesan dressing and a cup of error-filled coffee.

    I left the place and swore never to go back there or recommend anyone. But when I thought to drop a review on Zomato, I was surprised to see their enormous all-good reviews with four and five stars. And later that evening, a magazine carried an exclusive article praising their food. Horrible!

    Another grievous tale

    With tight deadlines and demanding schedules, it often becomes an arduous chore to balance family and career life. As a means to connect with those lost dots, 23 YO Rahul Rajkhowa, a musician by profession, thought of taking his family on an elegant dinner to a restaurant called Chung-fa, located in Zoo Narengi Road, Guwahati.

    Because one pays a substantial amount to spend quality time with their loved ones, how can they not whine the uncooked food that was served after an hour of waiting?

    On complaining about the “rubbery” under-cooked noodles, the waiter called the manager who instructed him with, “Array Garam kar de, phir kha lenge.”

    When they questioned about serving them cold food and re-heating it, the waiter started arguing why they can’t eat that food or packed it home. And later with emotive throws like “You cannot talk to me like this just because you are from a stable economic background.”

    As they moved to the cash counter, the owner, hiding behind her computer, began tossing them with rebukes. Furthermore, the waiter, along with another waiter started attacking him and his parents with abuses of being a liar.

    Rahul took his social media account to shared his sour experience with Chung-fa restaurant.

    This is what he wrote:

    restaurant in guwahati, bad review

    More horrifying abuses

     

    restaurant in guwahati, bad review

     

    Isn’t it distressing to pay a hefty food bill and earn such harassment in turn? Well, this reminds me of the scam momo sellers of Guwahati perform. The dispiriting onions and cabbage fillings (in the name of chicken and pork momos), covered with thick-unhealthy layers of maida, makes one realize how terribly these restaurants have deceived them.

    And then comes the servers, who often gives you the feeling that you work for them, and your job is to feel fortunate whatever you get.

    What are your views to change such a degrading scenario?

    Let us know in the comment section below.

     

    A soft and fluffy date and coffee cake recipe

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    I can never get enough of cakes. Indeed, baking has proved as the most therapeutic means to manage my anxious mind. Amid all others, baking a date cake and a banana cake seemed stress-free for me; given the fact that I am left with minimal utensils to wash and the cakes turn delectable and fluffy. However, the road to baking a moist and soft old-fashioned healthy date cake consist of not much hard work. Just some great quality dates and brown sugar and the win is all yours.

    Ever since I developed this cherished bond with baking aromatic cakes, there’s no stopping. In fact, all the eggs and fruits that my husband brings would go into my cakes or tarts. I love how my fervent desire for cooking (or baking) is molding so perfectly each day. From blazing a cake to ashes to baking that perfectly soft and spongy cake, I have got my hands on precision.

    How temperature or material of the vessel affect while baking

    And this date cake is the result of weeks of experimenting with temperatures, ingredients, vessels, and techniques. In case of baking, it is imperative to know that every oven has different features and the baking differs from an aluminum to a silicon vessel. So, you need to experiment with your vessels and temperatures of your oven before settling for a perfect spongy cake.

    Unlike my other gooey or sticky date cakes, I decided to keep this a bit light, fluffy, and moist at the same time. 

    date cake photo, cake photography

    Date cake baking temperature may vary depending upon factors like vessels used, materials or size of the cake, etc. For this date cake, I used a rectangular silicon mold and an OTG to bake. I kept the temperature at 185 degrees Celsius for less than 20 minutes.

    Here’s the recipe on how to make a perfect date cake, or a date and coffee cake:
    1. Pick a fistful of good quality dates and remove the seeds.
    2. Boil half a glass of water.
    3. Put the dates in the boiling water, stir in between intervals.
    4. Once the water soaks to half, leaving a mushy bottom, add a tablespoon of instant coffee powder. 
    5. Stir for about two minutes and remove the pan. 
    6. Once cooled, transfer to a food processor and reduce it to a smooth paste. You can also use a few tablespoons of milk if the blend seems too dry. 
    7. The date paste is ready.

    A Date and Coffee Cake Recipe

    This is not a sticky date cake but a fluffy and moist date and coffee cake
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Active Time25 minutes
    Total Time40 minutes

    Equipment

    • Pan
    • Bowl
    • Oven
    • Whisk
    • Cake Mould

    Materials

    For the mush

    • 10 Dates Good Quality
    • 1 tbsp Coffee powder Instant coffee
    • ½ Cup Water

    The Date Cake

    • 1 Cup All purpose flour
    • 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
    • 2 Eggs
    • ½ Cup Sugar White and brown
    • 1 Tsp Butter
    • 3 Tbsp Refined oil
    • 1 Tsp Baking powder
    • 1 Tsp Vanilla essence
    • 1 Pinch Baking soda
    • 1 Pinch Salt

    Instructions

    • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, coco powder, and salt in a bowl and seive the dry ingredients once or twice.
    • In another bowl, break 2 eggs and add the granulated sugar and date mush.
    • Using a hand mixer, beat the concoction for about 3-5 minutes, until it turns smooth.
    • Gradually add the the vanilla essence, refined oil, and butter and beat again.
    • Once all the ingredients are incorporated, add the dry ingredients in batches and beat using the electric whisk.
    • Mix the ingredients well using a spatula.
    • Transfer into a well-greased mold.
    • Bake into a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes.
    • Insert a skewer to check your cake.
    • Ta-dah!

    For a fluffy date cake, make sure your mixture is not too concentrated or neither too runny. It has to be a smooth batter that doesn’t stick on your spatula in a “never-leaving” way.

    Also, for mixing the wet ingredients, I used the same pan that I used for boiling the dates. Saved my time washing another utensil. 😉

    date cake photo, cake photography

    Did your date cake turn out this good?

    Share your experiences in the comments or write to me at [email protected]

    Have an aromatic baking experience! 🙂

    Let Your Egg Coffee Do The Talking Tonight

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    egg coffee recipe

    egg coffee recipe
    Source: Huffington Post

    I wasn’t a caffeine person but fate intended to weave a new love story with coffee. I accepted. A surprising obsession grew, stronger each day. Primarily because, my coffee has its own set of styles- always hot and smells good, enough to lure me every time. And when I narrated my aromatic tale to my coffee buds, it started demanding me to delve deeper and explore its diverse features.

    Well, that’s how I bumped into Vietnamese Egg Coffee. At first, a speck of disgust blew past me.

    “EGG COFFEE? Who drinks that?”

    Probably this will be the first non-veg coffee of my life.

    A series of unfortunate events

    I appreciate my refrigerator. It carries all the load at such a tender age. “Awesome, I have four eggs.” Next was to knock on my neighbor’s door for milkmaid.

    Whoa! My ingredients are all set. Time to embark on a new journey with coffee. But egg coffee was obstinate to shake hands with me. A failed attempt. Followed by two more unsuccessful shots.

    Vietnamese egg coffee

    I lost all hope. Sigh! A glass of sadness, disappointment, and despair stared at me. I drank it all. Burp!

    The fruit of hard work is sweet

    I woke up drowsy, as usual. To eat the leftover biryani from last night was the first thought to pop up that morning. Second, to amend the mess. After much contemplation and research, often landing in peculiar theories, I finally grasped that air bubbles are what can make the mixture float. Voila! It worked. Finally, I could make it float.

    Vietnamese egg coffeeGive a nod to Egg Coffee. It is sweet, bitter, creamy, mellow, and awesome. Here is the complete Vietnamese Egg Coffee recipe.

    Things you will need:

    • Milkmaid
    • 2 eggs
    • Coffee beans (Grounded)
    • A large glass bowl
    • A glass
    • 2 forks
    • Vanilla essence (optional) *I haven’t used it in my mixture

    The Method

     

    Vietnamese egg coffee

    1. Separate the egg yolk from its white in the bowl.Vietnamese egg coffee

    2. Add two tablespoons of milkmaid in the same bowl.Vietnamese egg coffee

    3. Merge two forks with tape. You can also use a hand blender or a frother as per convenience and availability.Vietnamese egg coffee

    4. Time to whisk. But here lies the real game. A slight mistake can mess up your whole recipe. So be careful while whisking your egg mixture. Make sure it contains enough air bubbles.

      I had to whisk it for about 10 minutes to make it look like this. In the meantime, brew your coffee. For consistent strength, I used Lavazza beans. You can use beans as per your taste.Vietnamese egg coffee

    5. Once done, pour the brew into the glass. And then, the egg mixture gradually.egg coffee

    6. Congratulation, you have successfully made yourself a glass of happiness.

    Don’t forget to share this recipe in your circle.

    Have a query? Don’t hesitate to ask. I shall be happy to guide you toward a perfect cup/glass.

     

    Step-by-step g​uide to a perfect cup of cappuccino at home

    0

    Ask the coffee freaks how challenging it is to get hold of a perfect cup of cappuccino. It may seem as easy as boiling an egg; mixing all the ingredients—sugar, coffee, and milk—in a pan; bringing it to a boil, and bam! All done!

    Nay!

    That’s how boring people drink coffee. Because obtaining that perfect cup of happiness is no child’s play. Even for many coffee connoisseurs, equating to an apt proportion is a big struggle. With a slight imbalance, the entire indulgence can be thrown into an unpalatable cup.Thus, a perfect cup has an agreement with sheer chary.

    But don’t worry, you won’t have to end up drinking machine blends all your life. This step-by-step guide will help you brew your own aromatic cup with pride.

    All you need is:
    1 cup milk
    2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
    2 teaspoon sugar
    10 minutes of dedication

    1)

    amul milk

    You can take any brand of milk. Here I am opting for Amul Taaza. (Tip: For better results, use powdered milk. Preferably Everyday milk powder. I found it helpful)

    2)

    milk pouring

    Pour milk into a pan and bring it to a boil.

    3)

    coffee

    Meanwhile, take 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder in your favorite mug. For instant coffee powder, I use Nescafe.

    4)

    coffee

    Add another 2 teaspoons of sugar.

    5)

    coffee

    Mix both ingredients using a spoon.

    6)

    coffee

    Take one teaspoon of milk from the boiling pan and mix well.

    7)

    coffee in cup

    Consistency is the key. If the mixture is too dry, try adding a few more drops to it. But remember, each DROP counts. A slight imbalance can douse the entire mixture.

    8)

    coffee

    After you have mastered the consistency stage, whip the mixture, faster, slower, and at regular intervals, until the sugar dissolves, leaving no lumps. The blend should look thick.

    9)

    milk boiling

    Once the milk starts frothing, switch off the burner. Now is the time for magic. But hey, wait. There is a rule involved in dribbling milk into a coffee mug.

    10)

    milk pouring in cup

    Make sure you pour milk from at least 15cms above and watch the blend form that desired froth.

    11)

    coffee

    Stir slowly making circular moves around the cup.

    12)

    coffee

    Whoa! There goes your aromatic cup of cappuccino.

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