Homemade Puff Pastry / Laminated Dough


Having puffs always reminds me of my childhood days. Me as a kid, always enjoyed it in the evenings when guests happen to visit our home. Those thin crisp buttery umami layers won our hearts. As my teacher was demonstrating the puff pastry at the class, I was like, OMG!  I would rather buy from a bakery than making it. Yes, it's a bit complex project but when you master it you will love to make this over and over again. It's satisfying because you use your own choice of butter. The quality of the butter also matters. I came across some puffs at few bakeries which lead to palate cling, a greasy feel on the palate, and tats not pleasant. However, there are good-tasting puffs too. Have a look at the commercial fats. They are called as bakery/pastry margarine. Margarine vary from biscuits to cakes, puffs to breads. I have tasted puffs made with the pastry margarine, it tasted good! Don't panic! You don't have to get this one. A regular one will work too :). 




To Make This Recipe, You'll Need : 


All Purpose Flour
500 Grams + Extra for dusting
Salt
1 Teaspoon
Sugar
2 Teaspoons
Water
Around 250ml
Lime/ Lemon  Juice
Juice of 1 Lemon
Butter
300 Grams


Method : 

1. To the flour add the salt, sugar and mix it well. 
2. Add lime juice to the water and stir well. Add this water gradually to the flour and form a stiff dough. 
2. To the dough ball add 50 grams of butter and knead well. 
3. Cover  this dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.



Now, refrigerate the dough, because, for further process, the cold dough is the key. 

4. Meanwhile, eyeball the butter and divide it into 3 equal portions.
5. When the dough ball is cold, it's time to form the layers. Dust the counter with the flour and make a thin rectangle out of it. (I know mine was not a rectangle, but as I continued to form the layers, I shaped into a rectangle)
6. Cover 3/4th of the rectangle dough with a thin layer of butter. 
7. Sprinkle flour over the buttered rectangle dough and fold the dough as shown in the pictures.
8. Finally fold the dough in half and refrigerate again for 30 minutes. (Place the dough on a Tray dusted with flour)


Cover the dough with a clean cloth and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
9.  Repeat the same process for the second time. 
10. For the third time, make a rectangle, cover the whole rectangle with butter, fold the dough and refrigerate. (By now, your butter should be finished)
11. You could stop here or continue to fold for a further 3 to 4 times which gives many layers. 
12. To bake the puff pastry, make sure the pastry is cold. Bake in a very hot oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. 
13. Do not apply pressure as you roll out the pastry. The pastry should be 1/2 inch thick. 

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE OVEN?
Puff pastry comes under the category of Laminated dough. The process of folding butter into the dough multiple times to create thin alternating layers of butter and dough is called Laminated dough. When the heat of the oven hits the cold dough, the water present in the butter and the dough converts into steam. This steams puffs up each layer before it evaporates and thus gives us a result of several layers. So, the many times you fold, the many layers you get. 



Notes : 
1. The dough should be cold, spreading the butter on the cold dough is easy. If the dough is warm, the butter will melt into the dough. There won't be any alternate layers of butter and dough which is a disaster. 
2. Always dust the pastry each time you give it a fold. 


                         Thank You For Visiting Blessy's Kitchen :)








Egg Burji/ Anda Burji/ Indian Scrambled Eggs


Egg burji is one of the easiest dishes to prepare. The preparation of egg burji varies from place to place. If you are new to cooking, you will find this recipe easy to make and I hope you will enjoy cooking this recipe because you could customize it accordingly. You could add veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, spring onions. Also, instead of Indian spices, you could substitute with the best pair of salt and pepper. To jazz it up, add cheese, mixed herbs and some cream. Don't be afraid to play on the flavour profile. If you mess up, you'll end up learning something new! Nobody has become an expert in a day. The expert in anything was once a beginner! So let's get started. Cheers😀


To Make This Recipe, You'll Need : 

Eggs
4 Nos
Onions
2 Medium sized
Tomatoes
2 Medium sized
Green chillies
1
Oil
1 to 2 Tablespoons
Red Chilli Powder
1 to 1 ½ Teaspoons
Turmeric  Powder
1/4th Teaspoon
Chicken  Masala Powder
1 Teaspoon
Garam  Masala Powder
½ Teaspoon
Salt
1 Teaspoon (or) To Taste




Method : 

1. Begin by adding oil to a hot pan, followed by the onions and green chillies. Cook until onions go translucent.
2. Add the tomatoes, red chilli powder, salt, garam masala, turmeric, chicken masala and cook until done.
3. Now crack an egg in a small bowl and add each egg at a time to the pan  (This is a precaution, sometimes you may end up with a bad egg. If you directly add to the pan, everything's gonna be a mess.) 
4. Scramble the eggs slowly and gently. Cook until the eggs are just done. 



      That is it!! 



            Enjoy it with any Indian flat pieces of bread, toasts or rice! 


                 Thank You For Visiting Blessy's  Kitchen :)

Butter Paneer Masala/ Paneer Butter Masala/ Paneer Makkan Wala/ Buttery Cottage Cheese Curry/ Ricotta Cubes Curry


Sometimes you should step out of the calorie war zone to enjoy rich buttery foods! This dish is made of butter, cream, cashews. Too much eh? Fitfully to enjoy such fat is okay. After all, these are meant to eat, but in a disciplined way! Butter Paneer Masala is salient for vegetarians. I've seen from a child to a golden ager going crazy over it! Mainly this recipe is relished merrily due to its silky, velvety creamy, mild spice essence. Balancing the flavors is the key to this recipe. Gravy is buttery, creamy, slightly hits the sweet notes. So adjust the spices accordingly to your taste buds. One can add roasted chicken to this gravy and make Butter Chicken as well.


To Make This Recipe, You'll Need : 


Paneer
200 Grams
Tomatoes
4 Medium Sized
Onions
2 Medium Sized
Cashew nuts/ Kaju
15 – 20 Grams
Butter
3 Tablespoons + To Serve
Oil
2 Tablespoons
Kasuri  Methi/ Dried Fenugreek  Leaves Powder
1 Teaspoon
Ginger – Garlic Paste
1 Teaspoon
Cream
1/3rd Cup + To Serve
Garam masala Powder
½ Teaspoon
Green  Cardamom Powder/ Elaichi Powder
Less than ½ Teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder
1 ½ Teaspoon (or) To Taste
Salt
To taste
Red Food Color (Optional)
As required (No Pict)
Sugar (or) Sugar Substitute for Diabetics
1/4th Teaspoon (No Pict)



                                            
Method : 
1. To a pan add 1 Tablespoon of oil, followed by onions, tomatoes, and cashew nuts, and cook until done. 
2. Puree the cooked onion- tomato cashew mixture by adding enough water and straining the gravy.


3. Now, add butter to a hot pan, followed by oil, ginger garlic paste. Cook until its rawness is gone and add the Red chili powder, stir well.
4. To this add the strained gravy and cook for a minute.
5. Add the cream, salt, garam masala powder, cardamom powder, kasuri methi, sugar (you could also use ketchup), food color, and cook for a further minute or so. Check the gravy, adjust the seasonings if necessary.
6. Finally add the Paneer cubes, cook for a minute and you're done! 
7. Top the curry with extra cream and butter and serve with any Indian flatbreads.

* I have missed a click of adding the sugar. Make sure you add while you cook.

Enjoy!




   Notes: To make kasuri methi powder with kasuri methi leaves, simply dry roast them in a pan until it leaves a nice aroma. Rub these roasted leaves between your palms to make a fine powder.  

                                                                          Finally, 

                                              Eat well, Exercise well.                                                                  

                                 Thank you For Visiting Blessy's Kitchen :)