Mandarin Oranges Season: Recipes

I am so happy that the 'mandarin oranges' season came back. In Trinidad we call this fruit 'portugals' that was very new for me when I reached here.  This wonderful fruit is originally from China, where grow wild and North-eastern India. The mandarin oranges came to America in the mid-1800's.

The mandarin oranges are often smaller and flatter than oranges, and has a bright , loose orange skin with is easy to peel.  There are seeded, seedless and some thing in between also. And he inner segments are easily separated and usually are very sweet, with some exceptions.

In Venezuela, we call them 'mandarina' and in the Filipines it is called 'naranjita' -little oranges.

This fruit contain phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in small amounts. It also contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid), A (anti-oxidant), B and E. Making this fruit not only delicious but nutritious (and low calories)

Mandarin orange skin ca be candied. The small segment are also great for deserts and salads. This fruit contain soluble and insoluble fiber which prevents cholesterol absorption and act as laxative.

I think , I have given you enough reason to go to the market and buy some mandarins, in this part of the wold you have the chance to get them fresh, but you can also find them canned. What ever is your options, add this fruit to your menu.

I got some good recipes from the Express Woman, 3er March 2012, one of the local newspaper. I hope you enjoy them. By Shirley Hall.

MANDARIN CAKE

Ingredients:

2 cups mandarin oranges pieces, seeded and chopped small, or one can drained.
1/2 cup sugar.
1 cup bakers flour.
1 egg beaten.
1 tsp. baking soda.
2 tbs. vegetable oil (preferably canola)
1 tsp vanilla.

Topping:
2 tbs. firmly packed brown sugar.
2 tsp. milk.

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Combine sugar, flour, mandarin pieces, baking soda, salt, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. To make the topping, combine sugar and milk in a saucepan, constantly stirring. Remove from heat when it begins to boil. Drizzle over hot cake.

MANDARIN RICE PUDDING

Picture fore reference, click to get the recipe for this Mandarin Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups mandarin oranges sections, seeded and chopped.

1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed).

1/2 cup orange juice.

1/2 cup light brown sugar packaged.

3 tbs. melted butter.

1 tsp. vanilla extract (not essence).

3 eggs beaten.

3 cups cooked white or brown rice.

1/2 cup raisins (preferably golden)

Method:
In a large bowl, combine evaporated milk, orange juice, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs. Stir rice and raisins. Pour into greased 12-inch glass sbaking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degree F for an hour. Carefully remove foil and stir in the mandarin orange pieces and bake undercover for another twenty minutes. Let sit and cool for half an hour before serving.


The following recipe is a sauce that is great  on fish, chicken or pork dishes, whether baked, fried or grilled.

PONZE SAUCE

Method:
Combine a quarter-cup of fresh mandarin orange juice, half-cup soy sauce (better low sodium), two (2)  tbs fresh lemon juice, one (1) tbs water, one tbs sweet rice wine (optional) an a pinch of hot pepper, or carefully squeeze the pepper juice so there are no tiny pungent pieces. Use as a marinade or add after cooking.

Try Some Fine Dining at Home: Baked Whole Red Snapper

Last scotiabank adverstaisement  all over Trinidad say, "save money... entertain at home", yes that's is a good idea, but what happen when you like fine dining stuff ...well here I  have brought you a fine dining fish recipe with a twist of Caribbean flavour for you.

This recipe is the Angostura Night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in collaboration  between the Port of Spain Hotel and Angostura House.


Baked Whole Red Snapper Stuffed with Angostura 1919 Rum and Raisin Bread Fruit:

1 piece whole red snapper (4 - 6 lb)
120 ml Angostura 1919 rum
4 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste.

Stuffing:
1 cup raisin
1 breadfruits
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 egg whites
2 tbsp celery, chopped
2 tbsp carrots, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp pimentos, chopped
1 tbsp chadon beni, chopped
1,4 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Soak the raisins in the rum the night before.
2. Clean the read snapper and take the middle bone out, cutting thought the center
3. For the stuffing, peel the breadfruit and cut into cubes. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, pimentos, celery and carrots, saute for few minutes, add the breadfruit and cook till the breadfruit is half cooked. Add soaked raisin, salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the red snapper wit the above stuffing, then marinate with 1919 Rum, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
5. Place the stuffed fish on a baking try, wrap with foil and bake at 300 degree F for 30 minutes.
6. To serve, place the fish on a platter, garnish with mile wedges and chadon beni.
7. Served with baked potatoes and chunky veges.

A Sweet Divali - Kurma, Gular Jamoon and Barfi.

Typical Indian sweets

Kurma, gulab jamoon and barfi are some of the most popular sweet dishes served in Divali time.
Trinidad is a multicultural island, and we all celebrate Divali regardless of the religion the everyone practice. We celebrate with the Indian community the victory of goodness over evil and light over darkness.

This celebration is very colorful and people decorate their houses with light, people dress the colors of devali and the women in particular enjoy the time wearing really bright color, shine and light, a lot of jewelery ... it is just beautiful.

Devali is like Christmas for the Indus, people get together around a table full of good food, sweets and lights.  In this post I brougt three recipes of ome of the most popular sweets for the season, I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Diwali to Everyone, Deepavali Valthukka!! Shubh Diwali!!!

Decoration lights

Typical women outfit to celebrate Devali, I just love it!!

Kurma
Yield: 300 sticks

2 lbs. all purpose flour.
200 gr. butter.
2 oz. fresh ginger, grated.
1 tsp. Cardamon (elychee), ground.
1 tsp. Cinnamon, graund.
1/2 tin. condensate milk.
4 fl. oz. evaporated milk.
3 fl. oz. water.
vegetable oil for frying.

Syrup (Phaag)
16 fl. oz. water.
250 gr. granulated sugar.

1. Combine flour, butter, ginger, cardamom and cinamon, rubbing to create a consistancy like fine bread crumbs.
2. Combine  all liquid ingredients. And add it to the mixture made in the step one (1) to make a soft dough, allow o rest for 20 minutes.
3. Divide dough into two equal parts: roll dough 1/2 in. thick.
4. Heat oil in an iron pot over medium heat.
5. Cut dough into 3-in strips.
6. Fry until golden brown , drain on absorbent paper and place in a large bowl.

Syrup: In a pot pour water and sugar to boil until mixture become slightly thick in consistancy. Pour over fried dough , turning continuosly until sugar crystalises.


Gulab Jamoon
This dish is commonly knowns as "Fat Kurma", the trinidadian version of this sweet is a deep fried flour mixture drizzled with a sugar glaze. In autentic Indian cusine, the Gulab Jamoon is deep fryed milk dough soaked in heavenly sweet syrup.

Yield: 50 units
450 gr. white flour.
8 oz. butter.
450 gr. powdered milk.
1 tin condensed milk.
4 fl. oz. evaporated milk.
4 fl. oz. water.
1 tsp. cardamon (Elychee), ground.
1 tsp. cinnamon, ground.
2 tsp. fresh ginger, ground.
Vegetable oil for frying.

Sugar Glaze
12 oz. icing sugar.
1/4 cup. warm water.

1. In a large bowl mix flour, butter and powdered milk.
2. In a separate bowl, mix condensed milk, evaporated milk, water and spices.
3. Add the milk and spices mixture to the dry ingredients.
4. Mix to stiff dough, cove with a damp cloth to keep dough fiirm and prevent craking.
5. Heat oil in an iron pot.
6. Brak dough into small pieces and form into almod shapes (3" length and 2" thickness)
7. Fry over low heat until golden brown; rmove and drain on absorvent paper.

For sugar glaze:
Mix together icing sugar and water to a thick glaze. Dip the fried Gulab Jamoon into the glaze and layout on a baking sheeet, to dry.


Milk Barfi (Barfee)
Barfi is a very popular sweet in Trinidad in special for weddings and Divali. The main ingredients for theis sweet is milk and sugar topped with sweet cake sprinklers.

Yield: 2 dozen
16 oz. cream (tin).
500 gr. powdered milk.
450 ml. water.
250 gr. granulated sugar
1 tsp. fresh ginger, ground.
1 tsp. cardamom (elychee)
few drops of Rose Water.
100 gr. butter.
2 oz. cake sprinklers for garnish.

1. Rub the cream into the powdered milk, to create a consistanncy of fine breadcrumbs.
2. In a heavy sauce pot bring water to boil, sugar, ginger, cardamom and rose water.
3. Allow sugar mixture to formlight syrup.
4. In a large bowl, please the milk mixture and add the sugar mixture, turning constantly to avoid lumps.  The mixture should form a ball not too soft and crumbly.
5. Grease a flat square dish with butter.
6. Using a spatula, spread mixture evenly, smooth the top and add sprinklers.
7. It's important to cut into squares before it completly cools.

Recipes from: Premchand Malloo, Malloo's Catering Services, Trinidad & Tobago.

Trinidad food

Put it in a box

Hi, I was checking some wonderful cakes and cupcakes websites and I found that some of them deliver the cakes and cupcakes in beautiful boxes. You know, it is not the plain white box that everybody is accustom to get from the bakery next door. These people, a new generation of bakes and entrepreneurs, are taking in consideration the WOW factor in the presentation of their product.

You can click in each picture and you will be taken to the website of each of the owner of the boxes.

For this Christmas bake some cupcakes, bars, cookies or just make something with your hands and put it in a beautiful box as a present, you can buy the box or you can make it and put some beautiful tags, you can see some free tags here, use it for your presents and favours.

The I just could not resist to put this picture here, it is so beautiful,  even the box is a present.

I love these boxes, very colorful, you can make them and use them to give to your guest in your party.