Another Classique

Fish Pie

Whenever dignitaries and very important guests visited or for official parties, my Mother made it a point to have Fish Pie on the menu.  We children loved it and especially my brother Kenny who chose it as the dish of the day for his birthday which preceded my sister’s by two days.   Just anticipating the pie made us drool in ecstacy and to this day it is a firm favourite.

The Recipe:

   A.      ½ kg seer fish (any sliced fish will do);  1 medium onion, chopped; 1 medium tomato, chopped; 1 flake garlic, minced; ½ inch ginger, minced; 2 green chillies, minced; few coriander leaves, chopped; 2 spring onions, minced; ½ tsp turmeric powder; 1 ½ cups water and salt to taste; 2 tbsp olive oil.

     B.      1 cup cooked pasta (My Mother always used spaghetti)

     C.    1 cup  grated carrot (any vegetable)

     D.   For White Sauce:  1 whole egg; 1 cup fish stock; 1 cup milk; salt & white pepper to taste; 1   taste; 1 dsp flour; 1 small onion minced.

      E  For Topping:  50 gm of grated cheese

Place  ingredients from A except olive oil  in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil.  Lower flame and cook five minutes till fish is cooked.  Remove fish, debone and place in the bottom of a greased oven proof dish.  Reserve liquid for making the white sauce (fish stock).  Place the pasta on top of the fish in an even layer.  Top with the grated carrot.  Keep aside while you make the white sauce.

For White Sauce:   Heat oil in non stick pan.  Fry the minced onions until glazed and transparent.  Add flour and stir fry for a minute till crisp.  Lower flame and slowly pour in the fish stock, stirring all the while to avoid lumps.  Next add the milk and keep stirring until thick and creamy.  Add the whole egg and gently mix.  Season with salt & white pepper.  Pour over the carrot,  pasta and the fish taking care to see that the sauce goes right to the bottom.    Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake in a preheated oven at 250 C till cheese melts and becomes golden brown.  Serve hot, with freshly baked, crusty baker’s bread and a garden salad.

An Offering Of Love

Mothers Day Cake

I was touched to receive a Triple Chocolate Dessert Cake from Ranita this morning.  She took over the kitchen Saturday afternoon and the preparations went on long after midnight.  I was sent off to buy the necessary ingredients and given precise instructions as to what she needed.  The result- one rich, luscious, gooey, dark chocolate cake.  A labour of love indeed.  Happy Mothers Day and thank you Ranita.  Am very proud of your culinary skills.

The Recipe

125 gms salted butter, cut into pieces; 350gms dark cooking chocolate, chopped; 175 gms soft brown sugar; 3 large eggs;  125 gms maida; 30 gms dark cocoa powder; 2 x 200 gm  Cadbury Milk Chocolate, chopped;  200gms almonds, chopped; 1 tsp vanilla essence.

1 x 200 gm Cadbury Milk Chocolate for topping after baking.

500gms tinned sliced peaches, pineapple cubes and fruit cocktail for the topping.  Drain fruits and reserve ½ cup syrup for use.

Place the butter and chopped cooking chocolate in a double boiler and heat on moderate flame until both have melted.  Keep aside till needed.  Beat the eggs and vanilla essence until thick and fluffy.  Fold in the melted chocolate.  Sift the flour and cocoa and stir into the  chocolate mixture.  Add the chopped Cadbury chocolate and almonds.  Pour into a greased 9 inch rectangular cake tin lined with balking paper, with the paper hanging out on both sides. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 40 minutes or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.  Thoroughly cool and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Unmould .  With a fork make small holes all over the cake and pour  ½ cup syrup reserved from tinned fruits over.  Wait 1 hour until surface is fairly dry.  Melt the remaining Cadbbury Chocolate and spread  evenly over cake.  Refrigerate until set.  Arrange the fruits artistically on top and refrigerate overnight.  Serve on Mothers Day with love.  

Girl Power

Birthday Pie

Today is Anu’s birthday and I still remember coming back from St. Martha’s hospital elated that I had a baby sister.  In fact as Mummy was going to the hospital, Asha & I were shouting "Have a girl, have a girl, " much to Kenny’s annoyance who wanted a boy.  The girls won hands down and three to one was always the winner.  Decided to make a Breadfruit Pie today since Anu likes to cook unusual food and  also had some breadfruit and was wondering how to use it up.  This is a quick and toothsome savoury dish.  Happy Birthday Anu.  We will think of you when we consume this utterly scrumptious Breadfruit Chicken Pie.

The Recipe

300gms chicken (breast)mince, washed and drained; 200gms breadfruit, boiled and mashed well; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 green chillies, minced; 2 tbsp methi leaves, washed and chopped; 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped; 2 spring onions, minced fine;1 large egg;  ¼ cup grated cheese; ¼ cup fine breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp oil; salt to taste.

Cook chicken mince in a non stick pan without adding water until cooked and all liquid has evaporated..  Heat oil in another pan and stir fry onions, methi leaves, coriander leaves, chillies, spring onions and ginger garlic paste until onions are glazed and the mixture well cooked.  Add the mince.   Remove from fire and stir in the mashed breadfruit, egg salt to taste and mix together.  Transfer to oiled pyrex  dish and level the top with a wet spoon.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly on top and then repeat with the grated cheese.  Bake in a preheated oven at  200C for 40 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.  Serve hot with crusty bread or parathas.  Both taste good.