Birthday Celebration Menu

Birthday Celebration Menu

We decided not to invite anyone to his birthday- strictly family affair this time but ended up calling our family friend instead- his fav athai !!! His gaming partner who really adores him very much. We all decided to give him a surprise cake cutting at 12 midnight and dinner later after his school. Normally we used to order food outside - for a changed I decided to prepare all my son’s favorite vegetarian food .

Cannot imagine time really flies and it’s being 14 years and my son has entered his teenage life. To be frank I’m feeling-that I have aged and started to spot grey hairs here and there🤷🏻‍♀️. Birthday parties are a great boost to any child's self-esteem. Making them feel like kings (or queens) for the day is one of the best (and most lasting) gifts you can give them- but this year 

Menu Card for the celebration:

• Mushroom Puloa
• Gobi Manchurain
• Spicy Baby Corn Fry
• Panner Butter Masala
• Eggless Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
• Grilled Buffalo Pototes
• Homenade Prata

For Mushroom Pulao Rice:

Mushroom Pulao is a North Indian main dish made with aromatic spices and basmati rice. Mushrooms add a crunchy, delectable taste to this rice recipe. My son love eating and there are times when we love to indulge in some really good food. Since it’s his birthday I decided to include the recipe in the menu.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice
• 1 cup pearl onions halved
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 4tbsp ghee
• 1tsp mustard seeds
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 3 green chillies halved
• 1tsp garam masala
• 5 cardamom pods
• few star anise
• 5 cloves
• few bay leaves
• 2 small cinnamon sticks
• chopped coriander leaves
• roasted cashew nuts
• salt to taste

Preparation Methods:

Heat the ghee in a have bottomed skillet and splutter all the whole spices and followed by the chopped onions and green chillies. As the onion browned-add the green peas and garam masala.Finally add the rice and give a good mix . Transfer the rice mixture to rice cooker. Before serving garnish the rice with the chopped coriander leaves and roasted cashew nuts.

Cauliflower Manchurian

This spicy Indian dish of cauliflower on rice will fast become a favourite at your dinner table. With just the right amount of chilli, the whole family will be wanting seconds.This is a super delicious appetizer or main dish. Gobi manchurian satisfies your savory and spicy cravings!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cauliflower, florets separated
• ¼ tsp turmeric Powder
• Oil for deep frying

For Spicy Batter/Marinate:

• ½ cup maida
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1-1½ tbsp Soya Sauce
• 2 tsp chilli sauce
• 1 tsp ginger-garlicPaste
• ½ tsp cumin Powder
• ½ tsp coriander Powder
• salt to taste

For Sauce:

• 1 red onion chopped
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 4-5 spring onions, thinly sliced 
• 1 capsicum chopped finely
• 1 inch Ginger, chopped finely or grated
• 3-4 large cloves Garlic, chopped finely
• 2-3 Green chillies, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 1-2 tbsp sweet chilli Sauce

Preparation Methods:

Wash cauliflower florets and transfer them to a cooking pot. Add enough water to cover them along with turmeric powder and cook it for 5 minutes till they are half cooked. Drain all the water by passing through colander and run these cauliflower florets under cold water to stop cooking process. Keep it aside till needed.Make  batter with all the ingredients mentioned under batter.Coat the florets with the batter and then deep fry at medium flame till they turns golden brown.Drain them in paper towel to remove excess oil. Heat a wok with some oil and all the ingredient mention under sauce and allow it be thicken, then add the fried cauliflower toss to coat well in the sauce. Transfer to serving dish and munch!!!

Spicy Baby Corn Fry

Crispy Baby Corn Chili,is a very delicious,spicy and easy recipe - works perfect as appetizer and my don just love it . Well,to be frank,I had hardly tasted Baby Corn,until order it for my daughter ‘s birthday-I was really taken aback and wanted to try more recipes with it. This version of crispy Baby Corn is best,when prepared freshly and served instantly...trust me you will finish it in no time.

Ingredients:

• Baby Corn, 10-20
• All Purpose Flour/Maida, ½ cup
• Rice Flour, 1 tbsp
• Corn Flour, 2 tbsp
• Cooking Soda, ½ tsp
• Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp
• Garam Masala Powder, ¼
• Salt, as needed
• Water, as needed
• Oil, for deep frying

Preparation Methods:

In a bowl, add all-purpose flour/maida, rice flour, corn flour, red chilli powder, garam masala powder & cooking soda – mix well. Add water little by little and make a batter that is of dripping consistency. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Once hot, set it on medium flame. Dip each baby corn in the batter and put it gently into the hot oil 2-3 at a time. Fry until golden brown on all sides and remove from oil, strain on a paper towel. Repeat this with rest of the baby corn.

Panner Butter Masala

Creamy, slightly tart and makes me mop up the gravy with anything I can get my hands on. Just the thing you need when you are craving comfort food but want something that hits all the right notes. Panner butter masala is one of the most popular paneer recipes in Indian cuisine. The near perfect combination of spiciness and creaminess of its gravy makes it simply irresistible and versatile to be served with any Indian bread. Whether you serve it with tandoori roti, naan or with steamed rice, it’s going to satisfy your palate like never before. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 250 grams Paneer cubes
• 3 Kashmiri Red Chilie
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 1 Bay leaves
• 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
• 3 Cloves
• 2 Cardamoms
• 1/2 tsp Peppercorns
• 2 tbsp Cashew-nuts chopped
• 1 tsp White Poppy Seeds (or Khus Khus (Optional))
• 1 Onion, roughly chopped
• 6 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp Chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala (Powder)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric (Powder)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Ketchup
• 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi (Dry)
• 2 tbsp Fresh Cream
• to taste Salt

Preparation Methods:

In a large pan or kadhai, heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of oil. Add red chillies, ginger, garlic paste and all the whole spices (bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and peppercorns). Saute for a minute or two and add cashew nuts, poppy seeds (if using) and onions. Once the onions turn translucent, add the tomatoes. Mix well. Cover and cook till the tomatoes start breaking down and the mixture starts leaving oil at the edges. Switch off the flame and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, fish out as many whole spices as possible, and grind the mixture to a smooth paste. In the same pan or kadhai, heat the remaining butter and add the curry paste. Add garam masala powder, chili powder, turmeric, ketchup, salt along with 1/2 cup water. Bring this to a boil. Once the curry comes to a boil, simmer and cook for 30 minutes, till the oil separates slightly. Cut the paneer into bite sized pieces, add it to the gravy and mix gently. In another pan, dry roast the kasuri methi and grind it to a fine powder. Mix kasuri methi and fresh cream in the curry and switch off the flame.

Eggless Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

This year my daughter decided to bake cake to surprise her brother with her skills in baking.

Skip the store-bought, homemade chocolate cake pops taste 100x better! Made with these double layer chocolate cake and delicious butter chocolate frosting.

Ingredients for Eggless Chocolate Cake:

• 4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups water
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preparation Methods:

I have divided the batter to 2 separate pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees grease and flour 2 -9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt. Add sugar and mix together. Add oil, water and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Divide the batter equally and pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minuets until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Ingredients for the frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 and 1/2 cups (confectioners' sugar)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin or another tbsp of cream if frosting is too thick.

Assembling of the Cake:

Place your first cake layer on your cake stand.  Put  frosting on it and use a small offset spatula to make frosting an even layer. Place your next cake layer on top.  Some frosting should “spill out” the sides and that is exactly what you want.  Repeat this process; frosting, layer of cake, frosting, layer of cake, until you have added all your layers.

Grilled Buffalo Potatoes

Buffalo Roasted Potato made with russet potatoes and tossed with melted butter and hot sauce; then roasted until golden brown. Another fav of my kids .Grilled potatoes with a crispy skin and soft flesh,soaked in buffalo sauce. O.M.G! Seriously. This is comfort food at its best.

Ingredients:

• 7 large russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Clean each potato and dry well with a paper towel. Cut potatoes into bite able cubes. Place cubes into a large bowl and drizzle with the oil. Toss to coat well. Transfer potatoes to the baking sheet. Spread them out so they do not overlap or touch. Bake potatoes for 30 minutes. Flip each cubed over and bake another 20 minutes until nice and crunchy and golden brown. Meanwhile, warm the wing sauce in a small sauce pan. Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl and drizzle with the wing sauce. Toss to coat. Serve immediately .

Homemade Prata

Another favorite item in my family dinning table which is never enough to go around and it's time to get your hands dirty in the kitchen and try making roti prata from the scratch. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1tbsp sugar
• salt to taste
• enough oil and water for dough

Preparation Methods:
Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil and knead till the dough become soft and pat the dough hard on a clean surface. Apply 2tbsp oil to the dough nad leave it aside for about 4 hours or so.Before making the prata, knead the dough once again with hands.On a clean surface, rub oil. Make small balls off the dough and roll them out like chapatis but in oval shape.Make pleats so as to look like a hand made paper fan. Roll it holding on one end to form around to get the layers formed. Use your hand press each dough to form a circle or you can also roll out to make it like a chapati.Heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle on a medium heat. Place the prata on the griddle on low flame till the prata is ready.Once done, use both hands and pat on the sides of the prata to get the layers.Transfer to a plate and serve hot with your choice of curries.