DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

The original recipe from Gourmet notes that you can use any semisweet chocolate for the cake and the icing. So far I have only used semisweet chocolate but I am looking forward to trying Guittard French-vanilla chocolate for the frosting.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee

3 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

GANACHE

1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Two 10-by-2 inch round cake pans*

DIRECTIONS

CAKE

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean-1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

GANACHE

Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2 to 2 quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

*I use two 9 inch round cake pans and fill them about two thirds of the way. You will have some leftover batter.

طویل انتظار

انتظار

طویل ہو جائے تو محبتیں بے یقین ہو جاتی ہیں لیکن اظہار کا پانی محبت کو پھر سے شاداب کر ڈالتا ہے اور جس محبت کو اظہار کا پانی میّسر نہ ہو' وہ محبت اپنا وجود بھی کھو دیتی ہے اس پودے کی طرح جو پانی نہ ملنے پر بہت جلد ی سوکھ جاتا ہے-

مایوس

انسان مایوس اورپریشان اس وقت ہوتا ہےجب اپنے رب کو راضی کرنے کی بجائے لوگوں کو راضی کرنے میں لگ 

جاتا ہے....!!!

HOPELESS

AMERICAN POPCORN CHICKEN

AMERICAN POPCORN CHICKEN

Gola Kabab

Historical Background

Kabab of Pakistan and Afghanistan  – rolled meatballs originating in Peshawar  and Kandahar

Gola or Lola kabab, a kind of rolled meat ball , are originated in Kandahar, Afganistan by the Poshtuns ; but it’s incredible softness and melt-in- mouth kind made it so popular , even beyond the boundary of it’s origin . The shape of the kabab resembles to that of the cannons or “gola”s , that is why it is named gola kabab. Gola kababs can be pan fried in a very little oil or can be grilled on charcoal or even baked and broiled in a oven . When grilled on charcoal , the golas of minced meat are put around the skewer , tied around with a thread , because unlike boti or sheekh kabab , only minced meat are used and if they are not tied with thread , the kabab may fall apart . For gola kabab , not only minced meat is used , the meat should be double minced , i.e, the mince meat will be beaten / blended again with spices before they are put on charcoal or pan fried . :) Many uses binding agent like egg or besan( gram flour) in the recipe, but trust me , you won’t get the authentic taste if you use those binding ingredients . The kababs tend to fall apart and that’s the beauty .

GOLA KABAB

There are some very important notes to be remembered for the perfect gola kabab . I will discuss them at the end of the recipe.

Ingredients:

Ingredients to be mixed with mince:

Minced Beef 2 cups ( 1cup= 250 ml)

Ginger , grated 2 and half tea spoon

Garlic grated 1 tea spoon

Raw papaya , grated 2-3 tbl spoon

Chopped onion 2 tbl spoon

Fried onion  1/4 th cup

Chopped green chili

Chopped mint 2 tbl spoon

Chopped cilantro 1 tbl spoon

Ghee 1 tbl spoon

Salt t o taste

Other ingredients:

Special Masala

Yogurt 1 tbl spoon

Cinnamon Powder 1/4th tea spoon

Nutmeg Powder 1/4th teaspoon

Charcoal Smoke of one charcoal

Special Masala:

zeera 1 tea spoon

Whole coriander 1 teaspoon

Black pepper 1 teaspoon

Cloves 5/6

Fennel half teaspoon

All spice/ kabab chini 2/3

Star anise , half of one

Black cardamom, half of one

4/5 green cardamom

Dry red chili 2/ 3

Mace half a teaspoon

Grind them together into a fine powder . We need all , the whole quantity for this recipe . I skipped one spice, which is known as “filfil daraz”"kashmiri mirch" talhari mirch" or long pepper , since I couldn’t find them in my nearby grocery . If you get them, take only 1 in this masala.

Procedure:

1. Put the minced beef in a food processor or blender with all the ingredients mentioned in “ingredients to be mixed with the mince”. Don’t add any water . beat / blend well .

2. Add 1 tbl spoon of yogurt and special masala in it . Don’t take the water of the yogurt . try to drain out the water from it before adding with the mince .

3. Smoke the mince with charcoal for five minutes . For that lit the charcoal very well , place it in a small bowl and put that small bowl on the mince . Then add ghee to the charcoal to create the smoke . cover the bowl with a lid and smoke the mince for 5 minutes.

4. Shape the kababs And keep it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours . Don’t put them in the deep chamber. Keeping them in refrigerator for a longer time will help the kababs to get firmer and also the spices will get into very well .

5. For Pan frying , take a little oil to fry . At first , fry them on medium low heat for 10 minutes then increase the heat and fry another five minutes . Don’t over fry or else the meat will get tight . Be vary careful while flipping over . Try to flip one by one carefully , otherwise they may fall apart .

You may bake the kababs in oven for 15 minutes at 375 FH and then broil another 5 minutes or until done .

Notes:

1. Don’t wash the mince . So before making the keema or mince , wash your meat well . There should be no water in the mince .

2. I used grated ginger, garlic and papaya to avoid extra water .

3. The kababs tend to fall apart , so fry them gently . Don’t try to turn them over again and again . After taking them out from the oven , take out the skewer carefully , or else u may end up with broken kababs. If you are afraid of broken kababs , you may tie a thread around the kabab before frying and grilling .

GOLA KEBAB