All purpose flour - 195 gms or 1 and 1/2 cup , Salted butter - 113 gms or 1/2 cup - room temperature ( i have used salted butter ,if you use plain butter add 1/2 tsp of salt when you sieve the flour . Sugar granulated - 130 gms or 2/3 cup ( i had to grind it since my sugar crystals are big ), Egg - 3, Vanilla essence - 1 tsp , Lemon zest - 1 , Baking pwd - 1 and 1/2 tsp , Milk - 1/4 cup ( 60 ml ).
Method : Pre heat oven to 177 C or 350 F . Line in the muffin cups with paper .
Sieve flour and baking pwd and salt ( if you are using plain butter ) otherwise omit salt. Take out the zest from the lemon and sprinkle on the sieved flour . Mix with a spoon .
Take a bowl and put butter in it and beat with a mixer for a minute till light and pale .
Add sugar and beat for 1/2 minute till light and fluffy .
Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition .
Beat in the vanilla extract .
With the mixer on low speed alternately add the flour mixture and milk .
First put 1/3 of the flour, beat, then add 1/2 of the milk ,than again beat, than add flour ,than add the remaining milk . Beat ,than add the rest of the flour .( three addition beginning and ending with the flour )
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed . Evenly fill the muffin cups with batter using a icecream scooper or spoon .
Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or just until set .Insert a tooth pick into the cupcake and if it comes out clean than the cupcakes are ready to be taken out from the oven.
( always check a few minutes before the slated baking time . Do not over bake or the cupcakes will dry )
Remove from oven and place on a wirerack to cool .If you frost with icing of your choice than the cupcakes have to be at room temperature . Makes 15 cup cakes.
Ingredients for green salad : Since i could not get lettuce or baby spinach i used green cabbage . Green cabbage - 8 to 10 leaves , Carrot - 2 small , Tomato - 2 , Cucumber - 2 , Onion - 2 .
Ingredients for yogurt mint dressing : Yogurt - 2 tbsp , Mint - a handful , Honey - 1 tbsp , Salt and pepper ,
Lemon juice - 1/2 .
Method : Take a small bowl and mix yogurt ,tandoori masala ,red chilli pwd and ginger garlic paste and keep aside . Put the chicken breast on a plate and sprinkle salt ,black pepper and lemon juice on both sides of the chicken .
Coat the tandoori yogurt paste on the chicken breasts ( both sides ). Cover with a cling film . Let the chicken breasts marinate in the fridge overnight or for 4 to 5 hours in the fridge .
Take a small size cabbage and discard the lower hard part . Gently peel out 8 to 10 leaves of the cabbage .Discard the lower central hard vein of each leaf .
Blanch the leaves for a minute in hot boiling water and let it rinse in cold ice water for 5 minutes .
Squeeze out the water and keep in a plastic bag and put in the fridge and take out only when you assemble the salad . Like wise chop all the salad vegetables and then put them in fridge .( not the onions ) When the chicken is marinated take out from fridge and let it stay in room temperature for 1/2 hour . Pre heat oven to 180 C. Take a grill pan and when the pan is hot put 1 tsp of oil .
Toss the chicken breasts into the pan for 1/2 minute .
Pour 1 tsp of oil on the top side . Turn side and let it brown for 1/2 minute .The purpose of tossing the chicken in hot pan is that the chicken is slightly browned .
Transfer the chicken breasts on to a greased baking tray and let it cook for 45 minutes in pre heated oven . After 45 minutes chicken is cooked .( check by a cooking thermometer which should read 170 F or check by piercing a knife) .
Cooked chicken will give out clear juice and there is no rawness in the flesh . Take out the baking tray and cover with a foil so that the chicken remains moist . Cover for 15 minutes . Slice the chicken pieces . As the chicken is ready we prepare our salad plate . Place the cold cabbage as the base and spread the sliced carrot ,tomatoes ,bell pepppers ,cucumber and rings of red onion .
Place the sliced baked chicken on top and drizzle the yogurt mint dressing . You can serve it right away or cover with a cling film and put in the fridge to cool for sometime and serve it as a cold salad . It is very healthy and delicious salad even the children enjoy this salad as the tandoori flavoured chicken is enjoyed and liked by all .
Yogurt mint dressing - Put all in the ingredients in the blender and run the mixer for 20 seconds or till the mint leaves are crushed and blends in with the curd .
Take out in a bowl and keep in the fridge for sometime .
Ingredients for dough : All purpose flour - 4 1/2 - 5 cups or 590 - 660 gms , Active dry yeast - 2 tsp or 1/4 ounce , Butter - 75 gms , White sugar - 1/3 cup or 66 gms , Milk - 1 cup or 240 ml , Egg - 3 .
Ingredients for filling : Light brown sugar - 3/4 cup or 160 gms , All purpose flour - 1/4 cup or 35 gms , Ground cinnamon - 1 tbsp , Chilled butter - 1/2 cup or 100 gms ( cut into small chunks ),
Raisin - 1/4 cup ( you can add almonds or walnuts too ) . Method : Combine 2 1/4 cup flour and yeast in a bowl in which you will run your mixer . Put a saucepan in low heat and pour 1 cup of milk, butter and 1/3 cup sugar . Stir constantly till the butter almost melts and the milk is slightly warm .
Close gas . Gradually pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture with the mixer on low speed .
Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition . Scrape down the sides of the bowl .
Then beat this mixture on high speed for 3 minutes . Spread some flour on your work station and knead the flour by hand with the remaining flour ( 2 1/2 cup .
Knead the flour for 3 to 5 minutes till you have a soft dough that is smooth and elastic but not sticky .
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl turning once so that both sides are oiled .
Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place ( oven ) until almost doubled ( 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours ).
Gently punch the dough to release the air and let it rest for 10 minutes .
Meanwhile make the filling . In a bowl mix together brown sugar ,flour ,cinnamon pwd and cold butter .
Cut the butter with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture is crumbly . Roll the dough into a 12 inch square .
Sprinkle the filling evenly over the rolled out dough and top with raisins .
Lightly brush one end of the dough with little milk or light cream to seal the edges . Roll the dough to form a log starting at the end opposite the edge you brushed with cream .
( do not roll the dough too tightly or the center of the dough will pop up during baking ) . Slice the log into eight equal sized pieces . Since the log is 12 inch , make a cut in the center .You will have two logs now 6 inch each .Then again make a cut in the center of each logs . You will now have 4 logs 3 inch each .
Make a cut again in each pieces and you will have eight evenly cut rolls . Arrange each roll in a greased tray 13 x 9 x 2 inch with 1 inch space in between. I have baked in a small tray lined with wax paper and could only bake 6 buns at a time .
Cover the rolls with a lightly greased plastic wrap ,leaving room for rolls to rise at room temperature until almost doubled ( about 1 hour )
( At this point you can refrigerate the cinnamon rolls overnight - next morning remove the rolls from the fridge and take off the plastic wrap and let it stand for 30 minutes ) Lightly brush rolls with milk . Bake in 190 C or 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes or till lightly brown . Insert a toothpick into the inner side of the bun .
If neccessary cover lightly to prevent the buns from over browning . Cover losely with a foil the last 5 to 10 minutes .
Take out from oven and brush lightly again with light cream or milk . Leave it to cool for 5 minutes along with the wax paper and then transfer to a tray .
Enjoy the cinnamon rolls with hot cup of tea or coffee . Makes 8 buns.
