Cook Without Book

                        Baked Ham with Sweet and Spicy Glaze                                     INGREDIENTS 1 (8-pound) bone-in smoked half ham Sweet and Spicy Glaze  (recipe) PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of ham away from fat or bone. Roast ham in oven about 3 hours. Prepare Sweet and Spicy Glaze. Remove ham from oven. Generously brush half of glaze over ham; bake 30 minutes longer or until meat thermometer registers 160°F. Remove ham from oven and brush with remaining glaze. Let ham stand about 20 minutes before slicing. This recipe appears in: Pork

Irish Stew with Fresh Bay Leaves Serves 4 3 pounds leg of lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Salt to taste 1 sprig rosemary 3 -4 fresh bayleaves 2 sprigs fresh thyme Freshly ground black pepper 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 cups water 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices 1/4 cup packed parsley leaves, chopped Combine lamb, butter, vegetable oil, salt, rosemary, thyme, pepper, chicken broth, water, garlic, potatoes, carrots, in a 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on low until the lamb is fork-tender, about 8 hours . Stir in parsley before serving.

Halloween Cookies Makes about 40 cookies For Royal Icing 3 ounces pasteurized egg whites 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract 4 cups confectioners' sugar For Cookies 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla extract 1/4 cup molasses Good quality food color In large bowl of stand mixer combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and mixture is shiny. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add food coloring as per requrement. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. In the bowl of an ele

                                  Paneer Pakodas Perfect snack with a hot cup of tea on a rainy day. Paneer pieces coated in a besan batter and deep fried till golden.                                                       Recipe Servings : 6 Recipe Cook Time :45 MIN. Ingredients: 1/2 cup besan  1/2 tsp turmeric powder   1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp green chilli Salt for taste 3 tsp soda 500 gms refined oil  250 gms paneer  Method: In a bowl, add besan, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, green chillies, soda and salt for taste. Mix them together and keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes. In a wok, add refined oil.  Coat the paneer with batter and deep fry the paneer till golden. Serve hot.

Andhra Style Fish Fish cooked in typical Andhra style. Cooking Time:  20-25 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  20-30 minutes   Category:  Non Veg Ingredients   • Pomfret cut into 3 big pieces 1 large • Turmeric powder 3/4 teaspoon • Salt to taste • Mustard oil 2 tablespoons • Oil 4 tablespoons • Tomatoes 2 medium • Coriander seeds 1 teaspoon • Cloves 7-8 • Black cardamoms 1 • Cinnamon 3 inch sticks • Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon • Fenugreek seeds (methi dana) 1/4 teaspoon • Green cardamoms 8 • Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) 2 tablespoons • Red chilli powder 2 teaspoons • Onions,roughly chopped 2 medium • Green chillies 2 • Star anise,broken 1/2 • Sesame oil (til oil) 2 tablespoons • Ginger-garlic paste 1 tablespoon • Lemon juice 1 teaspoon • Olive oil 1 tablespoon • Coconut milk 1/2 cup • Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 1 tablespoon Method Apply ½ tsp turmeric p

               Layered Vegetables ala Lasagne Extremely healthy extremely tasty, each vegetable adds its own flavour. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  20-25 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients   • Potatoes,peeled 3-4 medium • Button mushrooms,sliced 15-20 • Green capsicums,roasted 3 • Red pumpkin (bhopla/kaddu) peeled and thinly sliced 300 grams • Fresh spinach leaves (palak) stems trimmed 15-20 • Red capsicums,roasted 2 • Olive oil 6 tablespoons • Onions,sliced 4 medium • Sea salt to taste • Crushed black peppercorns to taste • Cornflour/ corn starch 3 tablespoons • Garlic,chopped 1 tablespoon • Rosemary 1 sprig • Fresh thyme 1 sprig Method Preheat oven to 180° C. Brush the spring form tin with little oil. Thinly slice potatoes vertically. Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a non stick wok. Add onions and saute. Arrange the potato slices at the base of the spring form tin in a layer. S

Malabar Squids with Roasted Spices Serves 4 2 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon turmeric 2 tablespoons oil 2 onions, thinly sliced 10 curry leaves 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup coconut milk 3 tablespoons lime juice   Salt to taste In a small frying pan over low heat, dry- roast the cumin, coriander and fennel until aromatic. Grind all three to a fine powder with the chili and turmeric, using a spice grinder. Toss the squid with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate for atleast 20 minutes. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned. Add the curry leaves, garlic and the marinated squid. Sauté stirring constantly for a minute. Add the coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked and tender. Stir in the lime juice, season with salt an

A unique combination of fresh green gram and soya bean chunks with aromatic Basmati cooked on dum in sealed pots. Ingredients • 250 g Basmati Rice                                                               • 100g Cholia • 20 nos Soya Bean Chunks                                                  • 2 tbsp Canola Oil • 1 no Onion Large                                                                    • 2 nos Green Chilli Small • 1 no Bayleaf                                                                              • 1 no Cinnamon Long • 10 nos Black pepper Corn                                                   • Salt to taste • 250 ml Water Method 1. Pick, wash and soak rice for half hour. Boil water and add salt. Remove from fire and drop in soya bean chunks for 15 mins. 2. Peel the onion and thickly slice it. Heat a heavy bottom and add canola oil. Add bayleaf, zeera, cloves, peppercorn and cinnamon. Once they splutter add onions and green chill

Chicken sandwich with mixed salad Serves 4 2 Deli bought grilled chicken breasts 2 medium tomatoes 1 cup mixed greens pinch of salt freshly ground black pepper 8 slices of whole wheat or multi-grain bread Request the elder you are cooking with to thinly cut the chicken breasts diagonally. Also ask them to cut each tomato into preferably 8 thin slices (4 for each sandwich). With clean hands lay 4 bread slices on a serving plate. Divide the greens equally in 4 parts and arrange them evenly over the breads. Lay 4 tomato slices over the salad on each bread slice. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Evenly layer the chicken breats over it. Cover it with other 4 slices. Enjoy.

                                 Awadh’s answer to the English Bread n Butter Pudding. The cooks were so amazed at the softness of the English dessert that they took on the challenge to make a dish that surpasses the English. Ingredients • 8 nos Sliced Milk Bread                                                    • 300 ml Canola oil • 1.5 lt Full Cream milk                                                        • 400g Sugar • 1 tbsp Saunf                                                                           • 1 g Saffron • 2tsp Kewra Water                                                               • 2 tsp Rose Water • 50 g Pista Slivers                                                                • 50 g Almond Slivers Method 1. Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan and add saunf, sugar, saffron, khoya, green cardamom powder, kewra and rose water. Bring to one boil and take off fire. 2. Cut the sides of the bread slices. 3. In a mahi tawa/wide pa

Ingredients • 400 g Baby Potatoes                                                  • 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds • 5 nos Garlic Pods                                                         • 75 g Besan • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder                                              • 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder • 2 tsp Coriander Powder                                            •  Salt to taste • 150 g Yogurt                                                               • 20 g Green Coriander • Canola Oil for frying                                                   •a pinch of Kasoori Methi powder Method 1. Peel the baby potatoes and gentle prick it with a fork. Heat canola oil in a kadai and deep fry them on low heat till crisp and golden brown. Remove on an absorbent paper. 2. Heat 3 tbsp of canola oil and add cumin. Once it crackles add chopped garlic. Do not brown the garlic just let it sweat. 3. Now turn the heat low and add the besan. Keep stirring for 2 mins or till a

Pesto Toast Ingredients: Flavorful pesto sauce and mozzarella cheese make these toasts super tasty. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  15-20 minutes   Category:  Veg • Basil leaves 2 cups • Pine nuts(chilgoza) 1 teaspoon • Parmesan cheese powder 1 tablespoon • Garlic 7-8 cloves • Olive oil 1/2 cup • Salt to taste • Edible camphor 1/2 teaspoon • Bread slices 8 • Mozzarella cheese,grated 3/4 cup Method Preheat the oven to 180°C. To prepare pesto sauce, grind parmesan cheese and pine nuts to a coarse powder. Add garlic cloves and continue to grind for a few seconds. Add basil leaves, olive oil, salt and peppercorns and grind into a coarse paste. Cut bread slices into roundels with a round cookie cutter and arrange them on a baking tray. Toast them lightly in the preheated oven. Apply the pesto sauce on the bread roundels and sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven