Karachi Bakery Inspired Fruit Biscuits

Have you ever tried Hyderabad's famous Karachi Bakery Fruit Biscuits?

No? I suggest you go get yourself one packet right now, girl.

Yes? Aren't they super delicious? I absolutely love them... So I made them at home... Really!! Read on!

I had no idea I liked Rose flavored cookies until I tried the Karachi Bakery Fruit Biscuits. A colleague once got them from Hyderabad and I missed the first batch. Just to make up to all those late comers like me, he got more the next day. And I was converted!! Until then I thought I was a lover of all things chocolate, but rose suddenly rose to the top (hee hee... see my little pun there? okay, ignore it).

I absolutely love roses, not generally as a flower, I find them "meh" and over rated. But I love rose flavor! I'm all for Rose Faluda, Rose Lassi, Rose Ice cream and of course anything with Gulkand in it (Indian Rose Jam). And now Rose Cookies are added to the list.

I'm sorry that although the title says Fruit Biscuit, all I'm talking about is roses. While the biscuits or cookies have little bits of fruit in them, rose is the predominant fragrance and flavor in them. The fruit component of the biscuit is Tutti Fruiti. Tutti Fruiti are colored sweetened bits of dried papaya. Very popular in Indian desserts. If you cannot find it anywhere, you can add any dried berry like cranberries. Actually, this recipe is very similar to the Cranberry Cookie recipe with the addition of few very Indian ingredients.

One of those ingredients is the Vanilla Custard Powder. Traditionally custard is made with egg yolks, but ask any Indian how to make custard (well, almost any) and he/she will show you a little carton of Custard Powder that is completely eggless and allows any vegetarian to enjoy the flavors of a custard. There are several brands and flavors available, and while you can use any brand, I strongly recommend sticking to the vanilla flavor. If you cannot find custard powder, replace it with either milk powder or corn starch /flour. If using sweetened milk powder, remember to reduce the amount of powdered sugar used, else you may end up with a super sweet biscuit.

My recipe of fruit biscuit is a very simple recipe that any baking newbie can make. You start by creaming together butter and powdered sugar. I cannot emphasize the importance of room temperature butter enough. To get the right consistency of the dough and eventually the biscuit, you have to have butter at room temperature. Salted vs unsalted is a whole other argument. I've always used unsalted butter in baking so I cannot comment on how salted will work in this case. I assume they have the same texture, but using salted will just add a little saltiness to your biscuits. Whisk the butter and sugar until the butter is white, soft and fluffy. Then just add all the flours, tutti fruiti, cashew nuts, milk and rose essence and knead until combined. Shape into logs or into a large rectangular block like I did. Wrap it in cling wrap and store in fridge to harden a little. This just makes it easier to cut and get even shaped biscuits.

Bake at 180 degree C until the sides are slightly brown. Cool completely before storing in an air tight box. They will last you easily for 1-2 weeks. I really did not get any time to test the shelf life as these were over by day 4.

I can assure you the flavor of these biscuits is spot on with the Karachi Bakery Fruit Biscuits. The texture is slightly different. Mine were not as flaky and crumbly as the bakery ones, mine were more dense and crunchy. This could be because I have not used any leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. My family loves crunchy biscuits that stay intact when dipped in tea over the crumbly ones, so we loved the texture. If you want softer ones, I suggest adding a little baking powder to a small batch of dough and seeing how it goes.

If you like this, you may also like:

• Almond Cookies - Easy to make eggless almond cookies / biscuits.
• Butter Cookies - Beautiful swirly eggless butter cookies.

Karachi Bakery Inspired Fruit Biscuit

Karachi Bakery inspired Fruit Biscuits are rose flavored biscuits or cookies made with dried papaya pieces called tutti fruiti.


Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     2.5 Hours
Cook time:     20-25 minutes
Yield:                30 biscuits

Ingredients:

100gms unsalted Butter
1 cup All Purpose Flour / Maida
1 cup + 1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Vanilla Custard Powder
3 Tbsp Tutti Fruiti
8-10 Cashew nuts
2 Tbsp Milk
1 tsp Rose Essence

Method:

Cream together butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until soft and fluffy. Around 5-10 minutes with a electric hand mixer.
Sift in the all purpose flour and custard powder.
Add tutti fruiti, chopped cashew nuts, rose essence and milk.
Knead until combined.
Gently roll into logs using your hands and wrap in plastic cling wrap. Refridgerate for 2-3 hours until stiff.
Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
Slice the dough into biscuits, about 5-6mm thickness.
Line the baking sheet with butter paper or parchment paper.
Place the biscuits on the sheet leaving enough space between the biscuits.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the sides are slightly browned.
Cool on a wire rack.
Store in an air tight box.

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Ghee Rice Recipe

Happy Republic Day to all my fellow Indians...

What did you do today?

I did exactly what I have been doing since I was probably 8-9 years old. We all gather around the TV at 9am, turn on Doordarshan and watch the Republic Day Parade. Times have changed, I've moved from a 12 channel TV that actually just had one station to telecast to one that has so many channels I lose the count, but the Republic day tradition remains unchanged. And I realised, it is not just in my house, but a lot of people of my generation still continue the tradition started by our parents. 

Time stands still at the Amar Jawan Jyothi, eyes mist up when the President honors the soldiers with Ashoka Chakra and the chest swells with pride when the Armed Forces walk by in absolute synchronicity. Then come the fun floats with each state showcasing it's highlights. I loved Goa this year, such a peppy song being played. Then are the dances from children, stunts on bikes and the air force display. Of all the year I've watched, this year's bike stunt - especially one called the Christmas Tree gave me goosebumps!! 

What a lovely show it was... melancholy, patriotism, pride, happiness, awestruck - all these feelings in a duration of less than 2 hours. 

With all those emotions in me, I really wanted something simple for lunch today. Simple to make and simple in taste. This Ghee Rice felt perfect for the moment.

Ghee is to Indians what butter is to the French. Most Indian households will have a jar of ghee, mostly homemade, and sometimes store bought. Although ghee is indispensable to most Indian sweets, it has a special place in savory cooking too. Ghee is smeared on rotis, ghee is drizzled over rice, some people even add a tempering of ghee to curries. Ghee holds such a  revered place in our lives that every festival meal served on a Banana leaf begins only after Ghee has been served.

Ghee Rice celebrates Ghee like no other dish does. Ghee Rice is a simple rice dish where Basmati Rice is cooked in rich flavorful Ghee. Nuts roasted in ghee are added to add texture and more richness to the dish. Unlike most of Indian cooking, Ghee Rice is a very mild dish. While spices are added to add fragrance, they are kept to a minimal, letting Ghee take the center stage. This dish is not hot or over-spicy, 

Ghee Rice is best served with a simple dal. Try out this restaurant style Dal Fry or this mixed lentil Pancharangi Dal.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mushroom Biryani - Basmati rice cooked along with whole spices and mushrooms.
• Ginger-Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice - Vegetable fried rice tossed in ginger-garlic sauce.
• Vangi Bhaat - Rice cooked with brinjal or eggplant and a few spices.

Ghee Rice

Ghee Rice is a simple Indian rice dish where Basmati rice is cooked in ghee or clarified butter.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     40 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice
3 Tbsp Ghee
1 Onion
1 Green Chilli
1" Cinnamon
2-3 Cloves
2 Cardamoms
1 Bay leaf
5-6 Peppercorns
8-10 Cashew nuts
1.5 cups Water
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Around 5-6 times. Drain and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a large pan.
Split the cashew nuts and add to the pan. Roast them until they are golden brown, then remove from the ghee and keep aside.
Add all the whole spices to the ghee and fry for 45-60 seconds on low heat until fragrant.
Add chopped onion and slit green chilli. Fry until the onion is translucent.
Add the rice and toast it gently for 30 seconds.
Add water and salt. Cover and cook on low to medium heat until the rice is cooked.
If all the water is absorbed and the rice feels undercooked, sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp water and cover and cook on low heat until rice is done.
Add chopped onion and slit green chilli. Fry until the onion is translucent.
Allow it to cool a little before fluffing it with a spoon.
Serve hot/warm along with dal.

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Alsane Tonak | Goan Pao Bhaji

You know that feeling when you soooo want to eat something, you can already taste it before you have laid your hands on it, but it is so far away that you cannot reach it? Disappointed?

I miss Pao!!

Pao, sometimes called the lifeline of Goa, is a bread that was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese settlers and is by far the best bread I've ever had. Pao, sometimes called Pav, is available almost all through the country, but no one makes it the way it is made in Goa. It has a crusty outside and a chewy crumb; a texture that is just incomparable. Pao is such an integral part of Goan cuisine, that the Government actually subsidizes the cost of Pao.

I've pretty much eaten Pao every single day I lived in Goa. I've bought it for my grandparents when it cost as little as 25 Paise and today, when it costs 20 times more. I still wait for the Poder (local Pao seller) to come on his bicycle fixed with a cane basket in the back, honking his way through the meandering little streets bringing bread to every local man.

Look at this variety of wonderful Pao that I picked up on my recent vacation to Goa.

Just this week, I was in Goa. It was a short 5 day vacation where I met up with family and haunted all our favorite food joints across the state. While Bangalore is cosmopolitan and you pretty much get everything here, except probably the purple yam. I miss those certain somethings, that I took so much for granted when I stayed in Goa - a simple cheesy Mushroom Capsicum sandwich; Gobi Manchurian made exactly how it is supposed to be, fresh and with no food coloring; Chocolate cakes with chocolate cream that are to DIE for; that too sweet, yet perfectly enjoyable Badam Milk that you have to drink standing outside on the road; Samosa which has little pieces of beetroot in it along with the potato; that garlicky Batata Vada and lastly, loads and loads of Pao Bhaji. 

As much as I miss that wonderful Pao, I miss the coconut filled Bhaji too. It is pretty much my standard breakfast when I go to Goa. The Goan Pao Bhaji is very different from the Mumbai Pav Bhaji that is made with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. The Goan Pao Bhaji is usually made with some beans and coconut. Sometimes with Mushrooms too.

Goan bhaji is also called Tonak with Alsane Tonak being the popular one around. Alsane or Alsande are red cowpeas. To make Alsane Tonak, these red cowpeas are simmered in a spicy roasted coconut masala. 

To make Alsane Tonak, you need to coax the coconut gently to turn golden brown, before you grind it along with spices to make the Tonak gravy. This Alsane Tonak is not a recipe to be rushed, it encompasses the spirit of Goa - Relaxed, Sosegado... This is where you add all your love and patience into the otherwise simple gravy. The darker the color, the better the dish. However, don't burn it, trying to get it dark. 

When you go to a restaurant and ask for a "Mixed Bhaji", you will get the Tonak served with a helping of a simple Potato Bhaji on the side. So if the spice gets a bit much, let your next spoonful be the salty turmeric potatoes.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mushroom Cafreal - Another famous Goan curry made by cooking mushrooms in a coriander sauce.
• Banana Blossom with White Peas - Dry Goan curry made with banana flower and dried white peas.
• Misal - Spicy gravy made with sprouts from the western coast of India.

Alsane Tonak | Goan Pao Bhaji

Alsane Tonak is a Goan Pao Bhaji curry made by simmering red cowpeas in a spicy roasted coconut gravy.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Goan
Prep Time:     8 hours
Cook time:     1 hour
Yield:                Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 cup Red Cowpeas, dried
2 cups fresh Coconut, grated
2 Onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
2-3 Cloves
5-6 Peppercorns
0.25" Cinnamon
1 Bay leaf, dried
2-3 dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
4-5 Kokum Peels or Marble sized Tamarind
2-3 cloves Garlic
0.5" Ginger
4-5 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Soak the cowpeas overnight or for 7-8 hours.
Drain the water and cook the cowpeas with 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp Salt until done. The cowpeas should not be mushy, they should still have a bite. If using a pressure cooker to cook the peas, keep it for only 1-2 whistle and then release the pressure immediately, else they will overcook.
Drain the water and keep aside. Do not throw out the water, we use it later in the recipe.
Soak the kokum peels or tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water and keep aside.
Heat 3 tsp Oil in a kadhai or pan and add half the onions.
Fry until the onions are translucent.
Now add the grated coconut and on low flame roast until the coconut turns golden brown. Stir occasionally to prevent the coconut from burning. This slow roasting takes time, almost half an hour.
When the coconut turns golden brown, add the cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, peppercorns and dry red chillies and continue to roast for another 3-4 minutes.
Allow to cool, then add the turmeric powder and the water in which the Kokum or Tamarind was soaked and grind to a fine paste.
Crush the ginger and garlic into a coarse paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the onions.
Fry until translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the ground coconut masala and mix well.
Add the cooked cowpeas along with 0.75 cup water in which it was cooked.
Add salt if required.
Allow it to come to a boil, then cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Serve hot along with Goan Pao or bread.

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Cauliflower Rendang Curry

Cauliflower Rendang is a vegan version of the spicy flavorful Malaysian curry made with lemongrass, red chillies and coconut milk.

Have you ever wondered how a fire breathing dragon feels? Fire in it's belly, fire in it's throat and fire on it's lips. I felt exactly the same way when I made this curry the first time. I was so excited with the bright red chilli paste that I ended up adding all of it and made this curry so hot that I felt like a fire breathing dragon for almost half the day. My tummy burned, by throat burned and my lips were literally on fire. Water didn't cool it off, neither did cold milk. 

Ever felt this way? What did you do to calm the fire?

Like lightening, in this case, the fire definitely did not strike a second time. I wised up. I used less red chillies. It was still hot, a Rendang is meant to be hot, but it was heat that I was comfortable with. Let me warn you though, I do eat spicy food at least 2-3 times a week, so I am spice tolerant. If you are not used to spicy food, I'd say go light on the chilli paste. You don't have to use all the chilli paste. You can store it in a glass jar in the fridge and use it to make some Honey Chilli Sauce or to add heat to other meals you cook.

I'll let you in on a little secret - I absolutely LOVE Asian curries!!! Yeah, well, no secret...

I was a big fan of Thai curries for a looong time, until I tried the Vegan Amok in Cambodia. And I kinda changed favorites. I've made that a couple of times with the Amok Powder I picked up in Siem Reap, it is sooo tasty, I feel like I'm cheating on Thai curry when I have it.

The only Asian curry that I had heard for a long time, but never had a vegan version was the Malaysian Rendang. Usually Rendang is made from Beef or Chicken, but since I consume neither, I wanted to make my own vegan version of it. I added Cauliflower, Cauliflower greens, and Sweet Potato to replace the beef or chicken in the curry. And girl... it was goooooood...

Have you ever tried sweet potato in a curry? If not, you really really should. I'm not such a big fan of boiled or roasted sweet potato, but when boiled in a curry, it is super tasty. I put it first in the Amok and now the Rendang, I've loved it both the times. Raj assumed he would be getting all the sweet potato in the curry, he was taken aback when he realised he had to compete with me in fishing them out in the curry.

To complement the curry, I made a simple cumin rice where I cooked short grained rice with salt and cumin. It went really well with the Cauliflower Rendang. Next time you feel like having curry, try this rendang out and take pictures and tag me @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram, or @OneTeaspoonLife on Twitter or share with me on Facebook.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mushroom Cafreal - Vegan curry from Goa made by cooking mushrooms in a coriander sauce.
• Punjabi Dum Aloo - Vegan curry made from baby potatoes.
• Corn Tomato Bharta - Vegan curry made from grilled tomatoes and sweet corn.

Cauliflower Rendang Curry

Cauliflower Rendang is the vegan version of the Malaysian Rendang curry where Cauliflower and sweet potato are cooked in a spicy lemongrass, red chilli and coconut milk based sauce.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Asian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1/2 Cauliflower
1 small Sweet Potato
200ml Coconut Milk
4-5 Lemongrass Stalks
5-6 dry Red chillies
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
4-5 Garlic cloves
1/2" Ginger
1 tsp Tamarind Pulp
1 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Oil
2-4 Tbsp Water
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the dry red chillies in a cup of hot water and keep aside for 10 minutes
Remove the outer layers of the lemongrass stalk until you reach the soft white center.
Break the cauliflower into florets and cut the sweet potato into chunks.
Drain out the chillies and remove the seeds.
Grind 3 of the lemongrass stalks, chillies, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, tamarind and sugar along with a little water to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the paste for 3-4 minutes.
Bruise the remaining lemongrass and add it to the pan along with the cauliflower and the sweet potato.
Add salt and mix well.
Cover and cook on low heat until the cauliflower and sweet potato are almost done. They should be slightly undercooked.
Add the coconut milk and simmer on low heat uncovered for 8-9 minutes until you get the desired consistency and the vegetables are cooked. Adjust the sugar and salt as required.
Serve hot with rice.

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Goan Mushroom Cafreal Recipe | How to make Mushroom Cafreal

Mushroom Cafreal recipe with step by step photo and video instructions. Mushroom Cafreal is a Goan semi dry curry made by stir frying mushrooms marinated in a coriander based green sauce. Mushroom Cafreal is vegan and gluten free.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

This Mushroom Cafreal was the perfect finish to my weekend. I spent some quality time with my favorite girl in the whole wide universe and I had to end the day with some real quality food. 

What quality time you ask? With whom you ask?

I spent my weekend strolling through crowded lanes of local markets with my favorite girl, my sis Gee - some real awesome quality Sister Time. We went to the old Bangalore areas of Chickpet, Raja Market, Baba Market and walked through lanes and little markets that we had never seen before. While we did not have any real shopping to do, we literally bought nothing - NA DA, we did something we hadn't done in such a long time. We did this a lot when we were both single and had all the time in the world to do what we do best - Window Shopping! We'd pick a street or a market and walk through it gazing at all the goods, barely stopping for a meal. That's exactly what we did, we walked, talked and laughed and ate just one Vada-Pav each and came back.

And as a plus point, in a totally unexpected little corner, I found a dry fruit store that pretty much has every nut and seed that I've only read of in recipes but never set my eyes upon. They had pecans and cranberries and pine nuts and hazelnuts etc etc. That tiny shop packed a punch. I'm so excited about my find!! Now all I need to do is find awesome recipes, so I can go back there and buy whatever nut I need.

Back to my dish of the day - Mushroom Cafreal. Although Cafreal is usually made with chicken, but this vegetarian option also rocks!

This Mushroom Cafreal is absolute MAGIC. The mushrooms are full of texture, and the green sauce is a full on flavor bomb. Mushrooms are always great, I simply LOVE Mushrooms. But if you don't replace the mushroom in this recipe with potatoes or cauliflower and it will taste just as awesome. I did make a Potato version for Raj and he loved it.

This Mushroom Cafreal is a game changer. Most people's idea of a curry is something that starts with roasting spices and involves cooking slowly on the stove top until everything comes together to get a balance of flavors. But this curry is nothing like it. It has only three steps - blending, marinating and frying. Of course, there are spices involved, but no roasting or frying them. And no slow cooking at all. This curry is complete from start to finish in almost 30 minutes. Yes, that's it - Half an Hour!!

The Cafreal is all about the sauce, that is also the marinade. It is such a simple sauce yet so delicious and versatile. It can be used not just for making Cafreal, but also in Biryani or to add zing to so many other curries. The green sauce is made of humble ingredients - fresh Coriander leaves, Garlic, Green Chillies, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Pepper, Sugar (optional), and lime juice. While the traditional recipe may call for vinegar, I can't stand its smell, and I also prefer the freshness of the limes over the vinegar, so I used lime juice. To make the marinade, just grind everything with a little water. You can store this in a glass jar in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Add salt whenever you are using it.

Rub in the marinade to the mushrooms and let them soak in all that goodness. Then heat oil in a pan and fry the mushroom in one layer. If using a smaller pan, then it can be done in batches. Once the first side is browned, flip and allow the other side to brown. Then add the remaining marinade and fry for a few minutes until the raw smell goes off. If you want, you can also add water at this point to make a gravy. Garnish with coriander and lime and serve it with Pao or bread.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

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Video Recipe

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Goan Mushroom Cafreal Recipe | How to make Mushroom Cafreal

Mushroom Cafreal is a semi dry vegan Goan curry made by stir frying mushrooms marinated in a quick spicy coriander sauce.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Goan Mushroom Cafreal Recipe | How to make Mushroom Cafreal
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

200 gms button Mushrooms
2 cups fresh Coriander leaves
1 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Ginger, chopped
2-3 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1" Cinnamon stick
0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds
8-10 Black Peppercorns
2-4 Cloves
0.5 Lime
1-2 Tbsp Water
3-4 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Blend together coriander leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, ginger, garlic, chilli, salt, lime juice with a little bit of water until smooth.
2. Clean the mushrooms and add in the blended marinade. Mix until all mushrooms are coated. You can halve the mushrooms if they are large.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the mushrooms in a single layer. If using a small pan, this can be done in batches.
4. Cook on medium heat until the first side browns.
5. Flip and allow the other side to brown.
6. Add any remaining marinade and stir for 4-5 minutes or until the raw smell disappears.
7. If you want a gravy, you can add water at this stage to get the desired consistency and allow it to come to a boil.
8. Serve hot with pao or bread, or just like an appetizer.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Alsane Tonak

Mushroom Palak

Lahsuni Methi Mushroom

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