Slow Roasted Saffron Briyani with Butter Cashews and Mango Spiced Chicken

When Dee from Choos and Chews featured Slow Roasted Saffron Briyani with Butter Cashews on her blog a few months ago, I couldn't help but bookmarked her recipe. The last time I made Briyani was for Babe_KL Merdeka event, which was 1 year ago!

At the supermarket, my eyes spotted a packet of "mango spiced seasoning" by Pattaks and I instantly thought that it would go well with Briyani. True enough, it did.



I absolutely adore this Briyani recipe. This was also the first time I experimented with saffron-the most expensive spice on earth. It was worth every cent as the rice was fragrant and full of flavour. The butter cashews were a lovely added touch too.

Yum! I think briyani photograph well. Don't you think?

I hope Dee don't mind but I have adapted her recipe a little. Do remember to hop over her blog to have a look at her recipe as well.



Dee's Slow Roasted Saffron Briyani with Butter Cashews (Serves 4)
1 tablespoon of butter
2 cinnamon bark
1 tsp saffron infused with water
1 tsp of tumeric powder
3-4 cardamons (bruised)
1 red onion finely chopped
3-4 tsp of raisins pumped by with hot water

2 cups of basmatic rice
2 cups of chicken stock

1 tsp of butter
cashew nuts

1) Melt butter. Saute cinnamon, tumeric powder, cardamons and red onions. Add rice and toss though. Take in the smell! Add raisns and saffron infusion. Mix well with stock. Cover and cook for around 15-20 minutes or so. Open the lid and cook for additional 5 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pan. Saute cashew nuts.

Serve with love.

Nutella Crescents

Woah. What happened to the weekend? Had a few friends over yesterday for potluck and totally enjoyed ourselves, chilling and chit chatting. I'm beginning to wean off being a student and enjoying being a human. There is so much more to life than being at uni-and it's enjoyable connecting with the human species again. (not to say my supervisors and uni mates aren't human, but it's really not the same...).

My 2nd interview experience was.... alot better than the first. LOL. Why can't someone start a chronicles on "the journey of interviews" or something. Anyhow, after a whole 10 minutes of driving around and trying to search for the place, we found it..and I hurrily attempted the questions and to the interview room. I really do like this organization and it will be interesting to hear from them.

It's funny how one crave for sweet stuff under periods of stress or happiness. I suppose if I search deep enough, sugar probably switches on the pleasure centre of our brain or something. Or maybe releases endorphins.

Ok, so the above 3 paragraphs sound totally random but that was how the nutella crescents came about. 1 piece of puff pastry left over, a jar of nutella and here it comes..



Random Nutella Crescents
1 sheet of puff pastry defrosted and quarted
nutella
icing sugar

Preheat oven to 200C. Generously spread nutella on the puff pastry. (feel free to add strawberries or bananas in) Roll into cresecent shape. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Munch munch.



Ah, cravings satisfied.

Hazelnut Nutella Pound Cake

Ok, everyone has weaknesses and this is mine. So when I was invited to participate in Nutella Day-how am I to resist?

On one of my even weaker days, I dipped a tsp into my bottle of nutella and savored every lick of it. Then I took another teaspoon and repeated it just .... one.... more.... time... Hey, it was a frustrating day and I needed the sugar to keep my brain functioning. The 2 tsps of nutella shocked Ruth-she just couldn't believe that I could eat Nutella like that. LOL

Confession time-I DID feel *guilty* and put in additional effort to exercise this weekend.

Ok! Back to Nutella Day, as a kid, I remembered buying little packets of nutella. It came with a small spoon and you can eat it out of the little individual pack. ooo.. Not sure if they sell it now but I'm sure it got me hooked then. Ok, so it may have contributed to my greedy days and I was severely obese during my teenage years BUT a little won't hurt will it?

To the baking girl in me, nutella is a star. It's really versatile. It's almost like chocolate, except that you don't have to do the messy "melt under a pot of hot water and keep stirring" way. It hits a spot in you straight away.



Hazelnut Nutella Pound Cake is probably not the newest recipe in the world. However, I do believe that if I am to use such a strong tasting ingredient like nutella, then everything else should be kept simple. To let the nutella shine. LOL


Hazelnut Nutella Pound Cake
170 grams of butter
1/2 cup of castor sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp of lemon juice
3/4 cup of flour
3/4 tsp of baking powder
2/3 cup of almond meal
1/4 cup of roasted hazelnuts and chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup of nutella

Pre heat oven to 180 C. Line loaf pan with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar till smooth. Add eggs and lemon juice and combine. Flour in almond meal, flour and baking powder. Fold in hazelnut. Spoon half of the mixture into the pan. Then, spoon nutella into the middle of the loaf. Spoon the rest of the mixture on top of nutella. Using a skewer, drag around the mixture. Smooth the top and bake for 30 minutes.

Cool.

and if you dare, spread more nutella on it! *cheeky smile*




Michelle from Bleeding Espresso and Sara from Ms Adventures in Italy has organized Nutella Day. Go on, head there and have a look at other nutella goodness!

Nutella and Roasted Hazelnut Challah

There are moments when you feel overwhelmed by emotion. When I was baptized-that was significant. When I left SG for Perth-I cried my eyes out. When I walked up the stage to collect my undergrad degree-I knew my dad would be proud. When I presented my research proposal and was informed that I would be accepted into the program on that day itself-that was another moment.

But nothing could be compared to the day when AR proposed. The day when I know that things will change forever.

And that's not even the wedding yet!!!

Last night, I was listening to Steven Curtis Chapman "I will be there"..and the overwhelmed feeling came about again. Wedding preparation has been slow but steady. The "action phase" as we called it is when we start booking things and last weekend, we booked our photographer for Australia. The payment done, the quote prepared-I looked at AR. "It's really happening huh?" He said with a big smile: "Yes, and i can't wait"

So last night, when we sat down and shortlisted our reception venues, slipping ice water (hot hot hot!) and munched on Jaden's version of Nutella and Roasted Hazelnut Challah--we listened to that song. Over and over again.

Being engaged-we have so much to look forward to. So much to discuss. It's not just about the wedding but it's about our lives together. Two different people wanting to be together-having to compromise, having to negotiate.

Both of us changed since we become engaged. More focused. We know what we are working towards to-and together we are a team.

Oh there are down moments. The many nights of not seeing each other much as I struggle with my thesis/work and him working hard for our future. We try to have dinner together and even then-it's a rush..we meet and separate.

But last night was different. We laughed. We discussed. We split the work up. Decisions were made. Things are happening.

and then, the overwhelmed feeling came again- maybe it's the song. maybe it's the Nutella and Roasted Hazelnuts Challah.

But we are happy.


I Will Be Here Lyrics
Artist(Band):Steven Curtis Chapman Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the sun does not appear,
I will be here.

If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand and have no fear,
‘Cause I will be here.

CHORUS
I will be here when you feel like being quiet;
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen.
And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying;
Through the winning, losing, and trying, we’ll be together,
‘Cause I will be here.

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the future is unclear,
I will be here.

As sure as seasons are made for change,
Our lifetimes are made for years,
So I will be here.

CHORUS
I will be here, so you can cry on my shoulder;
When the mirror tells us we’re older, I will hold you.
And I will be here to watch you grow in beauty,
And tell you all the things you are to me;
I will be here.

I will be true to the promise I have made,
To you and to the One who gave you to me.

As sure as seasons are made for change,
Our lifetimes are made for years,
So I, I will be here.
We'll be together and i will be here.



PS- I have to thank Jaden for breaking my fear of yeast. I have plenty of dough in the fridge and I'm not afraid anymore. My only regret is that I didn't put enough nutella in this challah! Never mind, it means I can have one more piece of bread. I will not posting the recipe here but do check out Jaden's blog for a detailed step by step guide on how to make Challah and bread.

pps-this post is for you singairishgirl!!! Hope everything will be all clear and your hubby will be well!!!