New Year Menu for 2010

It's being sometime since I last post.
I was held up with some work and wasn't able to log in as often as I used to do.
I guess that 2009 is over which was like a treasure box with many unforgettable memorials filled with natural disastrous,political changes,happiness,huge,kisses,break-ups,tears,quarrels and even new friends for me to cherish and forget some:)
As the clock struck 12 on 31 December BANG 2010 has arrived with many hopes and promises. I wanted to start my New Year with something sweet and chocolaty but unfortunately I wake up with a very bad back pain.
I wasn't going to spoil my plan and carry on despite the pain. After brushing and having a shower I made Chocolate Fruit Cake and waked mu hubby with a piece. My New Year menu was planed before hand.

I'm also sending my menu to my friend Shama's Christmas Festival Food Event.

The Menu Card:
Chocolate Fruit Cake
Game Hen Tandoori Chicken
Mutton Do Piaza- which means-onions used twice in the recipe-grind to paste as well as chopped
Spiced Potatoes
Bottlegroud Saute
Plain Rice and Rotis

Chocolate Fruit Cake

Ingredients:
1 packet Devil's Chocolate Cake Mix
2 cups mixed fruit soaked with 2tbsp red wine
1tbsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powder sugar mixed with 1tsp cinnamon powder
For Chocolate Butter Frosting
1/2 cup soft butter
4 cups sifted confectioner sugar
a dash salt
1tsp vanilla extract
3 squares melted semi-sweet chocolate
3tbsp heavy cream

Preparation Method-For Frosting:
Cream soft butter; gradually add sifted confectioners' sugar. Add dash of salt, vanilla extract, melted chocolate, and about 3 tablespoons of cream. Beat until smooth and spreading consistency, adding more cream if necessary.Keep aside.

Prepare the cake as per direction given and mix in the dried fruit mixture,vanilla essence.Preheat oven to 350°F Grease 9-inch cake pan;dust pan with flour-pour the batter and bake for 45 minutes and cool in pan on wire for 10 minutes. then turn out onto rack and cool completely.Apply the frosting evenly and dust with the powder sugar.

Whole Game Hen Tandoori

Ingredients
4 whole game hen

For the Paste:
4tbsp black cumin seeds
4 cardamom pods skin removed
1tbsp coriander powder
1tsp chillie powder
1/8tsp awjwin seeds
1/2tsp garam masala
1/4tsp turmeric powder
a handful of mint leaves
2tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup fresh curd
salt to taste
few drops of red food coloring
1/4 cup lime juice

Add half the lime juice and grind all into a fine paste and keep aside.

Preparation Methods:
Prick the chicken all over and make a few slits about 2cm/¾in long on the skin. Add the remaining lime juice and 1tsp salt -mix the hen well and leave for 30 minutes.Mix all the remaining chicken ingredients into a smooth paste and rub the marinade generously all over the chicken skin.Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.Preheat the oven to 350°.Place the chicken in a roasting tin and cover with foil and roast in the centre of the oven for one hour and 30 minutes.Halfway through cooking, baste with a little of the marinade. Grilled Tandoori Hen is ready to be carve and serve.

Mutton Do Piaza

Ingredients
For The Masala Paste:

1 cup shallots chopped
15 dried chillies (adjust according to your intake of spice)
2tbsp meat masala -any brand
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tomato
2tbsp tomato paste
2tbsp ginger garlic paste

Add 5 tbsp of oil in wok add the all the masala ingredients and roast to grind into a smooth paste.

1lb mutton chopped
1/2tsp tumeric powder
2tbsp coriander powder
2 cups chopped onions
salt to taste
2 bay leaves
a small cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 cardamon pods
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
few sprig curry leaves

Preparation Methods:

Grease a pressure cooker with 2tbsp oil and splutter mustard and curry leaves followed by cumin,dried chilies, cinnamon stick,cloves and cardamon pods til fragrant.Add the chopped onions and saute til they browned.Then add the cubed mutton and all the spice powder-saute well.Finally pour in the grind masala paste and mix well.Pressure cook to about 5 whistle.allow the pressure to released and transfer to a serving platter garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Spiced Potatoes
Ingredients
1 cup peeled and cubed potatoes
1tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup chopped onions
1tbsp tomato paste
1tsp curry powder
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2tsp white pepper powder
1/4tsap garam masala
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp ural dal
few curry leaves
chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Preparation Methods:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the potatoes, onion, ginger garlic paste and shallow fry them over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until softened and golden brown.Remove and keep aside. In the same pan add 1tsp oil sputter mustard seeds,cumin seeds, ural dal and curry leaves. Add the tomatoes paste and all the remaining spice powder.Saute till the raw smell are removed.Add the potatoes mixture and saute them well to get coated in the spice paste.Adjust the level of salt and remove from flame-transfer to serving platter garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Bottlegroud Saute

Ingredients
1 cup chopped bottlegroud
1 red onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 green chillie chopped finely
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1tsp channa dhal
1tsp ural dhall
1tsp pepper powder
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2tsp chillie powder
1/4tsp garam masala
a pinch of hing
chopped coriander leaves
chopped spring onions
few sprig curry leaves

Preparation Methods:
Heat a skillet on medium flame with 2tbsp oil and splutter curry leaves,mustard ,the dhals and cumin seeds followed by chopped onions,minced garlic and green chillie. As the onions turn slightly brown add the chopped bottlegroud, all the spice powders and salt. Saute for 2 minutes and cover the skillet with a lid until the bottlegroud becomes tender. Remove the lid and add the pepper power and adjust the leave of salt. Add the chopped coriander leaves and spring onions. Give one really good mix and transfer to a serving bowl.