D A K S H I N

A Post...FINALLY!!!!

2011-07-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

After a long, long hiatus...here is finally a post!!!! From one of my many drafts...which I have not been able to convert into posts in recent times...what to do...when life overruns all good intentions that one has... to record one's culinary masterpieces for posterity (read: if the kids ever decide to follow in my footsteps of culinary obsession).

So, without any further ado...here is my recipe for Beet Bread..adapted from two or three of my books on baking bread.

RECIPE FOR BEET BREAD:

Prep Time - Overnight plus some hour and a half

Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp active dry yeast + 1 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup lightly warm water until bubbly
2 cups whole wheat / AP flour plus some more to get a non-sticky dough
2 tbsp yogurt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup beet puree(I roasted beets for 30 minutes in 300F then pureed it)
2 tsp oil
Optional: couple drops of rose water(if you like the fragrance)

Directions:
Mix in the salt, sugar and flour in a large bowl.
Make a well, pour the yeast mixture, milk, yogurt and beet puree
in the well and stir in the flour to make a non-sticky dough.
Once the ingredients are bound into a smooth dough with some kneading,
use 1 tsp oil (and optional ingredient: rosewater - 2 drops)to further smoothen the dough.
In a well-oiled bowl, place the smooth ball of pink dough.
Make deep cross cuts on the top with a sharp knife for easy rising.
Cover and keep overnight or for some 2 hours until the dough has
risen to over double the volume.
In cooler spaces, it would be better to keep this on your counter overnight
for a perfect rise.
After the dough has risen well, remove it onto a lightly floured counter.
Punch out all the air by kneading for a few minutes.
The dough will be very flexible and not stick to your hands at all.
Let this prove for atleast an hour covered with cling film during which
it will again double up in volume.
In a 350F preheated oven, place the shaped dough into a loaf pan and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Guest Posts Galore...Another lovely guest post from yet another wonderful blog!

2010-06-11T01:25:00.000-07:00

Another awesome blogger, who has been gracious enough to feed my in my absence...she has an amazing array of recipes on her space!! Here is a great recipe(one that I have never tried before) So, here is Nithu from Nithu's Kitchen.

*******************

First of all, let me thank Meena for giving me this wonderful opportunity. This is my first guest post and I'm happy and excited about this. Today, I'm going to share one authentic dish "Idiyappam and Coconut Milk Kurma/Vellai Kurma". Idiyappam is my favourite food right from my childhood. My Mom used to make many varieties of Idiyappam. My most favourite is Idiyappam with kurma. I have already shared the Idiyappam preparation in my blog. You can see the method here. Now, for Coconut milk Kurma,

You Need :
1. Mixed cut Vegetable - 1/2 Cup
2. Coconut Milk - 1.5 Cups (unsweetened)
3. Onion - 1/4 Cup (Chopped)
4. Green Chilly - 3 or adjust to you taste
5. Bay Leaf - 1
6. Cinnamon stick - 1
7. Saunf - 1/2 tsp
8. Garam Masala - 1 tsp (Optional)
9. Oil - 1/2 tbs
10. Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
11. Salt - Needed qty

Procedure :
1. Take oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon and saunf.Fry for a minute.
2. Now, add the onion and green chillies. Fry well. Then add the other cut vegetables.
3. Simmer the stove.
4. Add garam masala to the vegetables. Saute for few minutes.(Optional)
5. Take 1/2 Cup of coconut milk. Add 1 Cup of water.
6. Add this to the vegetables. Add salt and allow the contents to cook.
7. After 5 minutes, dilute another 1/2 cup of coconut milk with 1/2 cup of water and add it to the contents in the pan.
8. Allow it to boil well till the vegetables get completely cooked.
9. Switch off the stove. Take out the pan from the stove and then add remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk and lemon juice.
10. Mix well.
11. Serve hot with Idiyappam.
Note : Try to use fresh coconut milk as far as possible.
Serves : 2

Hope you all like this kurma.
Thanks Meena once again...

GUEST POST SEASON IS HERE!!!

2010-05-27T00:36:00.000-07:00

I am very very thrilled to announce that it is Guest Post Season on this space...my kind blogger friends have graciously come to my rescue...not only to feed my starving blog when I'm busy, sleep-deprived and knee-deep in volumes of finance...I doubly appreciate this wonderful gesture from my friends because they have chosen to come to my rescue in the midst of their own crazy, busy lives...Hats off to them!

Here is a lovely guest post from a blogger, who needs no introduction at all...I cannot say that she specialises in any one type of cuisine:))...because she is so wonderful with presenting foods from just about any kind of cuisine!!! It is Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes...Enjoy!!!

Recipe for Mushroom Manchurian:

25nos Button mushrooms (small)

1/2cup Rice flour

1/2tsp Baking powder

1/2cup Cornflour

1tsp Garlic paste

1tsp Ginger paste

1tbsp Green chili paste

2-3 Spring onions(chopped finely)

1no Onion(diced)

2nos Capsicum (cut into small square pieces)

2nos Garlic(chopped)

2tsp Soya sauce(dark)

2tbsp Tomato sauce

1tsp Rice Vinegar

1tbsp Cornflour dissolved in water

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying the mushrooms

Oil for sauce

Method:
In a large bowl, combine rice flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt, soy sauce, garlic-ginger paste and green chili paste. Mix well with water to get a batter of medium consistency.

Heat oil in a pan, dip the mushrooms in the batter and deep fry in oil. Drain the excess oil and set aside.

In a flat pan, add some oil and when it smokes add the chopped onions and capsicum and fry till they start becoming translucent.

Now add the chopped garlic,salt, pepper powder and fry for a minute . Add the soy sauce and vinegar and stir for a minute. Reduce the heat and then add the cornflour-water. The mixture will start to thicken, keep on stirring on low heat and when the mixture turns semi thick add the tomato sauce and then add fried mushrooms. Stir continuously for a couple of minute when it becomes soft, take it out from fire.

Garnish with chopped spring onions. Serve hot with noodle or fried rice or as appetizer.

MANGO MADNESS, AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND MORRRRE AWARDS!!!

2010-05-17T01:32:00.000-07:00

So I am back with an announcement, which is, that I need the help of my fellow bloggers!! I will not be able to feed my blog with regular posts for the next month or so...(courtesy...a financial analysis exam that is approaching at breakneck speed and I will find it difficult to find time to devote to my beloved blog) That is where, I hope my fellow bloggers will step in to save my blog for the next month...I would like to request my friendly neighborhood bloggers to help me feed my blog with their valuable guest - posts...so I will be approaching you all with requests for precious inputs in the form of guest-blog posts while I am away with my nose buried between huge volumes on finance!

Now that announcement is done, here is another recipe for a delicious dessert bar, sweetened by the use of delectable mango pulp...I have been scouring the web looking for good recipes for this kind of Kalakhand...I saw some good recipes for quick-prep kalakhand on vahrevah.com and even on some wonderful food blogs I regularly read like Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes...I tweaked these recipes according to my liking, used evaporated milk and almond meal in place of ricotta cheese and added some mango pulp and I am posting that recipe below. The most wonderful part of this recipe is that, it is ready in about 10 minutes including prep-time...Yay!!! Truly wonderful (and light???) dessert!!

Recipe for Quick N Easy Mango Dessert Bar(Mango kalakhand)

Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 15 to 18 pieces according to size of bar

Ingredients:

1 cup mango pulp

1 cup evaporated milk(low-fat)

1 cup non-fat milk powder

1/2 cup almond meal(almonds ground into cornmeal consistency)

few saffron strands

1 tsp cardamom powder

few slices of pistachio/almonds for garnish

Method:

Spray a microwaveable wide dish with cooking spray(to prevent the mixture from sticking) and add all the ingredients one-by-one to the dish(except for nuts which are for final garnish)...mix well till combined. The mixture should be semi-solid, if it seems to liquidy(if that is a word!), you can either add more almond flour or milk powder.

Microwave on medium-high or high power for 2 minutes initially and then take out of the microwave and stir...place the dish back in the microwave and microwave for 2 minute intervals...it took a total of 8 to 10 minutes in my microwave.

When the mixture starts to firm up and becomes puffy towards the center of the bowl...add the nuts for garnish and set aside till the dessert looks firm enough to cut into pieces and serve(takes a few minutes at room temperature)

Serve warm or chilled or at room temperature...by itself or with a little vanilla icecream on the side...heavenly!!!

I would like to leave you with some more Awards that I recently received from my fantastic blogger friends...Thanks, Nithu for the Tag Award! Thanks, Cool Lassie for the Honest Scrap Award!!! Thanks to the wonderful team from Yummy-O-Yummy, Nayna of Simply.Food, Jyoti of PanchPakwan for the Sunshine Award!

I would like to offer these awards to all my blogger friends...please feel free to accept these awards!

Also, here are pictures of five of my favorite posts...which I am posting as per the rules of the awards I received previously!

1)Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

2)Winter Delight Clear Orange Soup

3)Southern Indian Curry wih Fenugreek Seeds and Eggplant(Vendhaya Kathirikai Kuzhambu)

4)Chocolate Mousse with Tofu!!!

5)Indianised Spicy Curry Pizza(Pav Bhaji Pizza)

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY + CHERIBUNDI

2010-05-10T01:06:00.000-07:00

On this special occasion of Mother's Day, here is another sweeeet recipe for all the Wonderful Moms out there!!! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MY READERS!!!

So, here is the sweet recipe I was talking about...Chocolate Cake!!!!

What, ANOTHER CHOC CAKE RECIPE??? Like there arent enough of those floating around already??!!! Well, before you yawn, here is the reason for my addition to the choc cake recipe world...first of all, I was very happy to receive this pack of Wonderful Cherry Juice from the folks over at Cheribundi!!! Thanks, Samantha!!!

Next, while trying out this unique cherry juice variety, I wanted to use it in one of my recipes, but not in a smoothie or shake or parfait....I wanted to put it to a different use altogether...now, recently, I have been reading quite a few recipes for cakes sweetened and lightened up by using fruit juice as an ingredient. That way, the liquid ingredients become lighter in calories (as long as you dont use artificially sweetened juices) and also, the cakes end up becoming quite moist and are naturally sweeter, without the need for too much added sugar...how is that for multiple benefits??

Going onto Cheribundi...its a funny name but a very unique juice!!! According to the Cheribundi website:

"cheribundi™ starts as Montmorency cherries grown in Michigan and New York orchards. They use a proprietary juicing process that was developed with Cornell University to make a drink that retains all the power and benefits of the nutrients and antioxidants found in the little round fruits. cheribundi™ has more disease-fighting antioxidants than other juices and has been tested in the lab and field by athletes and people who just work out. Because cheribundi™ is all-natural and not from concentrate, it's a feel-better and live-healthier addition to your lifestyle."

I received a sample pack with samples of their a)Tru Cherry - which offers 50 cherries, 2 servings of fruit and an abundance of antioxidants and nutrients(source: cheribundi.com)

b)Skinny Cherry - which offers 40 cherries, 90 calories and all-natural Stevia for sweetening(source: cheribundi.com)

and,

c)Whey Cherry - which offers 45 cherries, and 8 grams of whey protein, a powerful ratio of nutrients, carbs and protein.(source: cheribundi.com)

Verdict of taste-test of the cherry juice - all three cherry juice varieties were very, very flavorful and this juice was especially tasty, since it did not have the overpowering sweetness of artificial sweeteners...definitely, a refreshing change from the usual juice varieties out there. For my chocolatey cherry cake recipe, I used the Whey Cherry...since I felt it struck a good balance of tartness, cherry content and sweetness.

Do hop on over to the Cheribundi website to find out more about their distinctive cherry juice varieties and to find out more about the many health benefits of cherry juice.

My family loved this light, flavorful and intensely chocolatey cherry cake...very different from the usual choc cake due to the addition of the cherry juice... yet the addition of the fruit juice did not detract from the chocolatey flavor of the cake...all in all, a recipe I will definitely try again with enthusiasm!

RECIPE FOR EGGLESS CHOCOLATEY CHERRY CAKE(using cherry juice from Cheribundi)

Prep/cook time: 45mins-55mins

Ingredients:

2 cups All purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli unsweetened dark cocoa powder)

1/3 cup Cherry Juice ( I used Whey Cherry Juice from Cheribundi)

2/3 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Thick Yoghurt

1/4 cup cherry preserves(or any other mixed fruit jam)

1/3cup melted Chocolate chips ( I used Nestle semi-sweet choc morsels)

1/3cup cooking oil( of course, you could use butter too instead of oil)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2tbsp Flax seed meal

6tbsp warm water

1tsp Baking powder

1tsp baking soda

Garnish: fresh cherries or choc chips or nuts

Method:

Preheat the oven at 350F.

Mix the flaxseed meal with the warm water and set aside for 5 - 10 mins.

Mix the liquid ingredients including cherry preserves(or any other fruit preserve of your liking) and melted choc chips in a large bowl..whisk everything well

Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl.

Add the flaxseed paste and the other liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients, a little at a time and whisk (by hand or using blender)until well combined into a thick batter

Grease the cake mould and pour the cake batter into it.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

When the cake cools down, you could glaze the top of cake with melted chocolate and garnish with cherries or nuts or any other garnish of your liking.

Note: This cake stays fresh for upto a week in the refigerator.

Version with eggs: You could substitute the flaxseed paste with 2 large eggs and whisk that with the other liquid ingredients.

Sweet and Wholesome Indulgences as Thank You! Updated...

2010-05-04T23:44:00.000-07:00

Warning!!!! This entire week is going to be exceedingly sweet and indulgent because I have many thanks to give...in the past few months, I have been receiving many Awards from my wonderful fellow bloggers that I have not yet accepted...I could not think of appropriate dishes to offer as treats and thanks to my fellow bloggers...now...I think I do!!! So, here we go...I warn you that the next few posts may be exceedingly sweet!!! I have always been addicted to cacao...look at my posts for molten chocolate lava cake or chocolatey nutella cookies... so what else but chocolate comes to my mind, when I pick treats to share with my blogger pals!!!

But, you know it...always wholesome with healthful elements...like these beautiful yet truly non-fat energy bars/squares!!! After trying these, I might totally avoid the store-bought energy and nut bars...Oh by the way, dont say I didnt warn you - these are extrrrrremely addictive.

Recipe for Chocolatey Fruit and Oat Squares :

Servings: 16 pieces(could vary depending on prefered size of bars)

Prep time: 15-20 mins

Cook time: 35-40 mins

Ingredients:

1/3 cup rolled oats(I used the old-fashioned kind)

1/3 cup (45 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 cup crushed nuts(pistachio, walnut, pecans, hazelnuts, and/or almonds)

1 cup dried fruits- apricots/cherries/cranberries/dates/figs and/or prunes (pits

removed and cut into quarters)...I used a mixture of dried fruits

1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate (I used Nestle's choc morsels)

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) square baking pan that has been lined across the bottom and up the two opposite sides with aluminum foil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, walnuts, chocolate and dried fruit.

Use your fingers to make sure that all the fruit and nuts have been coated with the oats/flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat (with a wire whisk or hand mixer) the egg and vanilla until light colored and thick (this will take a couple of minutes).

Add the egg mixture to the fruit and nut mixture and mix until all the fruit and nut pieces are coated with the batter. Spread into the prepared pan, pressing to even it out.

Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the batter is golden brown and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. You could drizzle some melted chocolate over the bar and then let cool.

When cooled, lift the bar from the pan by the edges of the aluminum foil. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares.

Can be stored for about 10 days at room temperature or longer if refrigerated. Makes about 16 squares.

Now, coming to my beautiful Awards: Here are some wonderful awards from some of my greaaaat blogger pals: Priya of Priya's Recipes, Nisha of Nisha's Kitchen, Jay of Tasty Appetite and Priya Mitharwal of Mharo Rajasthan...A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THESE WONDERFUL BLOGGERS...YOU MADE MY DAY!!!

Update: Let me also mention that these awards were also showered on me by Jyoti of Panchpakwan, whose blog features not only recipes from all over the world...but specially, recipes from Karnataka and Maharashtra regions of India.

I would like to share these awards with all my blogger friends...I appreciate all of you and the wonderful efforts you put in every day TO MAKE & PRESENT the most awesome food...do feel free to accept these awards!!!

THERE ARE MORE AWARDS TO COME...MORE LATER!!!

As part of the rules for these awards I need to mention 5 of my favorite posts...which I will, in the next post...

Variety, Variety, Variety...Yummies from Blogosphere

2010-04-30T01:24:00.000-07:00

The endless variety that one finds in Indian food never fails to amaze me...as a child growing up in India, our family lived in different parts of the country, made friends among people of different communities and of course, had the good fortune to taste and relish food from various states in India...yet even to this day, when I am blog-hopping, I visit a blog which presents a new dish which I have not yet tasted or tried to make(sometimes, have not even heard of it!)

"Muthias" belong to that "not yet tasted or tried to make' category for me...it is a savory dish from the western Indian state of Gujarat. It is a steamed dumpling(sometimes, fried too) that is vegan...extremely healthy since it requires very little fat and is made by combining some nutritious grains and lentils.

When I found recipes of this dish on the net...of course, the first stumbling block that I faced is that...there was way too much variety when it came to the recipes...each recipe called for a different mixture of grains/lentils...some required chickpea flour, while others required a combination of wheat flour, semolina and chickpea flour, some others required millet flour...the list goes on...that I essentially think, is what boggles the mind of the beginner when it comes to Indian cooking...the endless variety...BUT, variety can be a good thing...I find that the best way to ease the confusion, is to go with recipes that call for familiar ingredients and that is what I did...of course, the recipe of one of our wonderful blogger friends came to the rescue!!!

Here, I have used a recipe for Muthias that came from the wonderful blog Simply.Food...authored by Nayna, who has a variety of wonderful and simple Gujarati recipes alongwith other cuisines in her space.

The verdict from my family was that this savory and tangy dish is a definite keeper plus it reminded us all of our own Southern Indian idlis(pancakes). Thanks, Nayna for this wonderful recipe that has appealed to me and my family in a big way...

Links: Original Recipe for Muthias as posted on Simply Indian Food

Notes/Variations: I have used bajra(millet flour) as called for in the original recipe but one could substitute that with fine semolina in the recipe...I saw quite a few recipes that used semolina...also, for the veggies, I used a mixture of fenugreek leaves and spinach leaves in place of the bottlegourd in the original recipe. Also, for the seasonings, I added some caro seeds(ajwain), some fresh cilantro leaves and lemon juice apart from the mustard, sesame seeds and dried red chillies.

I served this dish with a tangy, chutney filled with herbs and nuts, though it would taste good with any chutney/dipping sauce

Recipe for Muthias(as posted on Simply.Food by Nayna)

Serves: 3 - 4 people(I got 12 pieces)

Prep/cook time: 30 - 40 mins.

Ingredients:

8 oz wheat flour

2 oz besan flour(chickpea flour)

2 oz bajra flour(millet flour)

2 oz fresh chopped methi leaves(fenugreek leaves)

2 medium courgettes grated with skin on(bottlegourd)

1 teaspoon ginger puree

4 green chillies finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon eno salts

1 tablespoon oil

For tadka/seasoning:

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 dry red chillies

Method:

1. Add wheat flour,besan and bajra flour to grated courgettes.

2.Add the ginger, chillies,salt,turmeric and chilli powder oil and eno salts.

3.Make a dough using 1-2 tablespoons water.

4. Form small 2 inch sausage shapes (muthia shapes) and place in steamer .

5.Steam for 25-30 minutes and allow to cool

6.When cool slice the muthia into 1 cm rounds.

7. Heat the oil for tadka in a wok, when hot add the mustard seeds, red chilli and the sesame seeds.

8. Add the sliced muthia and stir fry till slightly crispy and takes colours.

9. Transfer to serving dish

Recreation of a Childhood Favorite...

2010-04-27T00:42:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest thrills I get from food blogging is the rediscovery of long-forgotten childhood favorites...I am sure a lot of us have these memories of foods tasted long ago, which we cherish for many years, either because of the unique nature/taste of that food or because of an event or circumstance associated with that food...I have such memories associated with an Indian cookie called "Nankhatai" because a lady, one of our neighbors, while we lived in Bombay, India(back when I was a kid), would bake it often and pass it onto us. At that time, we did not own an oven(baking was not a very commonly used cooking technique back then, for us)...so it was enthralling to taste home-baked goodies, hot off the oven. Plus, it was some cookie...light and crisp, almost airy and not overly sweet with a hint of nuts and cardamom...I truly loved it and I relished it many times back then...in fact, we shamelessly encouraged our neighbor aunty to make it more often!!!

After, we left Bombay and moved to Calcutta, it was forgotten and I probably never tasted it again..we had an oven at home then, still....until recently, when I was so thrilled to find recipes for it in various food websites. I was amazed to find the variety of ways to prepare this cookie...some recipes had all APFlour..some had a combination of APF and semolina flour and yet others had a combination of APF, semolina and chickpea flour...whew!!!

So, what is this "Nankhatai"? It is a shortbread-like cookie flavored with cardamom or nutmeg, a medley of nuts and was originally prepared using eggs and flour by the Parsi population in India, though later on Indian Hindus popularised an eggless version. I found a detailed video on the vahrevah blog with many interesting variations on the recipe which is what I followed, though I did make some changes to it, notably by reducing the quantity of sugar needed and ended up with a crunchy, mildly-sweet yet flavorful end-product...just like I remembered it!!! Here is to finding many more forgotten food faves...I know my family enthusiastically agrees with that thought...:))

Here is an interesting(read, detailed:)) history of this famous Nankhatai on the indiacurry website...in case you would like to know more about this delicacy(I did and I found more than I ever expected to know:)) This lovely, forgotten favorite goes to Priya's CWS - Cardamom Seeds event.

Recipe for Nankhatai:

Prep/cook time: 20- 25 mins.

servings: 14-16 pieces

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)

1/4 cup fine sooji or semolina

1/2 cup gram flour (besan)(optional) if used, increase sugar to 2/3 cup

Pinch of baking soda (a little less than 1/8 teaspoon)

1/2tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon green cardamom seeds coarsely powdered (ilaichi)

crushed pistachio, almonds for topping

few saffron strands

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1tsp yoghurt

Note: all ethnic ingredients are available at Asian/Indian grocery stores

Method:
preheat oven to 325 f

mix dry ingredients separately

mix wet ingredients well together

combine both...make soft dough ball...put in fridge for few mins...then shape into discs...press the mixture of almond-pistachio on each cookie

bake for 15 mins...will appear soft when removed from oven then will crisp up.

Back to the Grassroots of South Indian Cuisine with a simple side-dish

2010-04-23T00:31:00.000-07:00

"Cruciferous vegetables have it all: vitamins, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals"...so says WebMD...Here is a simple dish from the Southern part of India using Cauliflower, one of the Cruciferous "Super-foods" Vegetables. This is a very traditional dish in South India - Podimaas, to which I have given a simpler twist, to accommodate my quick cooking sensibilities. The other vegetables that could be substituted in place of Cauliflower here, could be potatoes or raw plantain."Podimaas" means mashed and stir-fried vegetable...but here I have just finely chopped the vegetable and then stir-fried it.

The traditional version of this recipe involves some more steps of roasting and powdering spices to add to the dish(I shall post that one of these days as well). The very traditional South Indian chef may frown upon this "quick version" of the famous side-dish, which is served at many festive meals in Southern India...but I love this...plus my kids seem to have taken a liking to this simple, tangy recipe!!! What do you know???!!! So that is why I thought it might be worthwhile to share with you all...no taste test better than that of critical, head-shaking, food-sniffing kids, I guess:))

This recipe for the South Indian Cauliflower Side-dish goes to Yasmeen's Cruciferous Challenge.

This side-dish would be great to serve with Flatbreads, Naans, Chapathis or steaming, hot rice!

Recipe for South Indian Cauilfower Side-dish(aka Cauliflower Podimaas)

Serves: 2 or 3

Prep/cook time: 15 - 20 mins

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 head finely cut into very small florets or grated

Ginger - 1 to 2 inch piece minced or grated

Green chilli peppers - 2 or 3 finely cut or minced( I used the Thai chillies, sometimes I do use Serrano peppers)

For seasoning: Black mustard seeds, Salt, Turmeric - a pinch, Black Pepper, Lemon Juice - 1 to 2 tsp, Asafoetida(aka hing) - a pinch, a few sprigs of curry leaf and/or cilantro

Optional Garnish: Grated coconut(unsweetened) - 1 to 2 tsp

Cooking Oil - 2 to 3 tsp

Note: All ethnic ingredients are available at Asian Indian grocery stores or in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

Method:

In a pan, add the cooking oil and the black mustard seeds...when they start to crackle, add the finely chopped/grated cauliflower and salt and turmeric alongwith the minced green chilli peppers and minced/grated ginger.

Let cook for a few minutes( takes about 8 - 10 minutes) until the vegetable turns soft.

Finally add the remaining seasoning ingredients one at a time. Stir well. You could optionally garnish with grated coconut.

This is a great side-dish that is wonderful served warm or can be refrigerated for 3 - 4 days as well.

Me and Earth Day...Hmmm??!!!

2010-04-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

So I dont believe in celebrating Earth Day...

Now, wait a minute...you are probably thinking...she is a selfish grinch who does not want to give back to Mother Earth!Like the storied Grinch who stole Christmas...am i about to steal Earth Day??

Well, before you label me like that, let me get on my soap-box and start my rant...my fave thing to do! I dont believe Earth Day should be a Single day of celebration...in my opinion, Earth Day should be more of a mind-set and a year-round celebration! What do I mean?

Well, I believe that the best way to get our future generations to believe in the precious-ness(if that is a word) of nature is by slowly adopting a lifestyle where we Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in little ways...the other thing to do...that is practical, would be to use more natural, simple ingredients as opposed to refined, highly-processed ingredients in our lifestyle, like say, in our cooking style(Hullo...Healthful Decadence!). Also, I dont mean throw out everything that is refined, artificial or processed...I believe in Moderation with everything in life...so I am making changes only where it is practically possible...with two kids, jobs and busy lifestyles, it is just not possible to eat all raw food, wear bark and leaves and go live in the heart of nature and extreme things like that, I think:))

What do you all think??? I would love to know!

So, here is to a more Earthy Lifestyle!!!

Now, here is a recipe for moderation...mostly natural ingredients and one or two store-bought ones(what, I never said I am a tree-hugger:))

In this soup, I did not use any stock...just lots of Black-eyed Peas to give the soup some thickness...so this goes to MLLA # 22 hosted by RuchikaCooks and started by Susan.

Recipe for Southwestern Style Asparagus and Black-eyed Pea Soup:

Serves: 2 or 3

Prep/cook time: 30mins - 35 mins.

Ingredients:

Black eyed Peas - 1 cup pressure-cooked till soft(takes about 3 or 4 whistles on my pressure cooker)

Asparagus - 1 bunch chopped

Green Bell Pepper - 1 chopped

Garlic and Ginger Paste - 2 tsp(or more if you like a garlicky taste, like me)

Tomato - 1 chopped

Cummin powder (jeera powder)- 2 tsp

Cooking oil - 1 or 2 tsp

For seasoning: salt, pepper, cilantro, thick yoghurt - 1 or 2 tsp per person and cilantro(tomato salsa would also be a good soup topper)

Method:

In a pan, add the oil and the ginger-garlic paste...let it cook for a minute or so.

Then, add the chopped vegs. and let it saute for a few minutes till the vegs. turn soft(takes 7 or 8 minutes)

Now, add the cooked black-eyed peas and all the seasonings except yoghurt and cilantro. Let cook for a couple of minutes and take off the heat and let cool for a few minuttes.

Finally, blend everything to a fine soupy consistency. If the soup seems too thick add a little water and let simmer again for few minutes.Serve warm or at room temperature topped with black pepper, cilantro, a few dollops of thick yoghurt(I like Greek Yoghurt here) and maybe, some tomato salsa.

This would be great served with some hearty bread, pasta or even as a dipper for tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Indo-Chinese Yummies from Blogosphere...

2010-04-17T01:51:00.000-07:00

I am a glutton when it comes to Indo-Chinese food...in my opinion, this food reflects the perfect marriage of Indian spices with the distinctive Chinese food flavors. My best memories of this style of food go back to my college days in Kolkata or Calcutta as it used to be called. My college had a caterer who ran a food stall there and his specialities included many Indo-Chinese favorites like crispy Hakka Noodles and steaming hot & sour soup...sometimes there was the popular Manchurian and yet other times, there was Chop-suey Noodles...I vividly remember, rushing out of class at lunch-time and sometimes there were professors who would continue with their class even well into lunch-time which irritated me & my friends hugely, because we were afraid that the food stall would run out of our Indo-Chinese favorites. Of course, after such a heavy lunch, we invariably would walk back into post-lunch classes and struggle to stay awake :) )

Nowadays, I feel just as excited when I see delish recipes of the same kind in various food blogs. So, this week's edition of Yummies from Blogosphere features an awesome blogger who has a great collection of Indo-Chinese delicacies. She has a huggggge collection of beautiful recipes, but these Indo-Chinese recipes are very unique and they caught my eye.

So, here is the Chilli Tofu Recipe from Sushma Mallya's Authentic Food Delights blog.

I was so carried away looking at this recipe that (being the glutton I am) I had to follow it up with yet another yummylicious recipe for Tawa Vegetable Rice...a beautiful stir-fried rice. The stir-fried rice was extremely easy to prepare yet very flavorful and the Chilli-Tofu Recipe is unique enough to make any non-tofu eater become a convert to the other camp of enthusiastic tofu-eaters!

Notes/Variations: I did make a few additions to the tawa rice with some boiled carrots and roasted peanuts and caro seeds(ajwain) in the seasoning.

Thank you, Sushma for these awesome recipes!!!

Links: Recipe for Tofu-Chilli gravy as posted on Sushma's Authentic Food Delights

Recipe for Tawa Vegetable Rice as posted on Sushma's Authentic Food Delights

Recipe for Tofu-Chilli gravy:(as posted on Sushma's blog)
Ingredients
For the batter
1/4 cup maida
a pinch of baking powder
1/4 cup cornflour
2 tsp gramflour
a pinch of ajinomoto(you can definitely omit this one...I leave it out in most of the recipes too)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste

For the gravy
10-12 cubed tofu pieces
1 capsicum cut into cubes
1/2 cup spring onion greens
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
5-6 roughly chopped green chillies
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp chilli sauce or chilli powder
a pinch of ajinomoto
6-7 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tsp cornflour mixed in 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
3 tsp oil + oil for deep frying

Method
Make a batter of the above mentioned ingredients under the list: batter with enough water to a semi-thick and a fine paste

Heat oil in a pan, dip the cubed tofu one by one in the batter and deep fry it till golden brown and crisp, drain on a kitchen towel and then keep aside. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, fry capsicum cubes for 1-2 minutes or till tender yet crunchy and then keep it aside

For the gravy
Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add garlic, green chillies and fry till light brown

Add half of the spring onion greens,white pepper powder,sugar,ajinomoto, salt and fry for 1 minute

Switch off the gas, then add soya sauce,vinegar,tomato sauce, chilli sauce, and mix well

Switch on the gas then fry it for 3-4 minutes

Add capsicum, 1/4 cup water, cornflour mixed in water and mix well, and allow it to come to a boil, add coriander leaves and mix well

Keep it aside and allow it gravy to cool and at the time of serving, add fried tofu pieces, garnish with spring onion greens and then serve immediately with steamed rice or fried rice

Recipe for Tawa Vegetable Rice:(as posted on Sushma's blog)
Ingredients
For rice
1 tsp oil
2 green cardamom
3 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp melted butter
salt to taste

For the masala
200 gms fresh mushroom cut into quarter
1 capsicum cut into small cubes
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 dry red chillies
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
5-6 methi seeds
1 tsp crushed kasoori methi
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil or butter

Method
Heat water in a pan, when it starts boiling, add green cardamom,cinnamon,bay leaf,cloves,salt and 1 tsp oil and rice and cook it till 3/4th done

Drain it and allow it to cool, then mix 2 tbsp melted butter and salt and then keep it aside

Soak dry red chillies in water for 10 minutes,drain it and grind it along with coriander seeds with little water to a fine paste

In a pan, add oil or butter, add methi seeds, fry it for 1 minute and then add ginger-garlic paste,chilli-coriander seeds paste and fry for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell goes off

Add onion and fry till translucent and golden brown, and then add tomato and fry till it gets mashed, remove it from the gas and then keep aside

In another pan add 2 tsp oil, add capsicum and fry for 1-2 minutes and then add mushrooms and fry for 2-3 minutes till tender and then add the tomato masala , kasoori methi,salt and fry for 1-2 minutes

Switch off the gas and allow it to cool, then add the rice and mix it well

Switch on the gas again and cook it on a low flame for 10-15 minutes till all flavours get mixed well with the rice and then serve hot .

A Pearly Snack Delight

2010-04-15T23:21:00.000-07:00

The savory snack item that was the challenge for Srivalli's ICC this month was truly unique...the Sago Murukku (Indian-style fritters) were very attractive with the pearl-like sago popping up here and there in the murukku...was a great experience for me...especially because I dont use frying as a cooking technique much any more...it is usually baking or stir-frying nowadays...so this challenge was a great reassurance to myself that I still know how to make fried foods:)))

So, what is Murukku? According to all-knowing Wikipedia...Murukku (Tamil: முறுக்கு, or Muruku in Telugu or Murkoo), known as Chakli in Marathi and Kannada and Chakri in Gujarati, is a savoury snack popular in India, Sri Lanka, Fiji, and elsewhere among ethnic Indian populations. Murukku is believed to have originated in Tamil Nadu[1][2], with the town of Manapparai & Karamadai best known for it. Murukku is typically made from a mixture of urad and rice flour, salt, and flavourings such as chili, asafoetida, ajawain, or cumin

The special notes/learning experiences for me with this recipe for Sago Muruku was that it ended up being better to use a relatively not-too-moist/not-too sticky dough...this way the murukku ended up being crisp...also, it actually ended up taking nearly 8 - 10 hours for the sago to soak up the buttermilk and become really soft. The end-result was very much to all our liking...very pearlescent and cute...and very crunchy indeed.

I cant wait to try out next month's challenge!

Recipe for Sago Murukku(Indian-style fritters)

Prep time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 30 mins.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour 2 cups

Besan flour 1/2 cup

Fried gram flour - 1/2 cup

Sago - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Curd - 50 gms (half of half cup)

Chile powder - 1/2 tsp or as per taste

Special Utensil:

Muruku Achu/mould

Method to prepare

Soak Sago in Butter milk for atleast 3 hrs(took me 8-10 hrs), please ensure that you soak it enough else you may risk having the sago burst.

Mix all the flour together, heat 50 gms oil, mix to the flour along with salt and chili powder. Then add the buttermilk soaked sago slowly and knead to a chapati dough consistency

Heat oil for deep frying.In the muruku achu, add the dough. When the oil is hot, press down directly as as murukus.

Cook on medium flame to ensure the muruku is cooked well.

Notes:

Ensure sago soaks in buttermilk well and is soft or else it will burst when you press it down in hot oil.

Cook on medium flame to ensure even cooking.

Fried Gram flour is fried channa dal that is available commercially. It is general sold as the dal, we have to powder it at home. This is also referred as chutney dal as it is used in making coconut chutney.

Celebrations....Two of them!!

2010-04-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

I am not one for huge celebrations...have always been overly-practical, even when it comes to celebration...prefer minimum fuss and fanfare!!! But there are some times and occasions when even the Queen of Practicality(myself!!!) wants to cheer...

Well, for one it is the beginning of a New Year in the South Indian calendar...so, Happy Tamil New Year / Happy Vishu to one and all!!! A new season and new year are definitely big reasons to celebrate....plus, the other occasion that makes me want to celebrate right now, is the fact that I am on my 50th post with this blog!!! Yaaaaahoooo!!!!

So, here is my two-in-one celebration recipe...of course, you know me...it is definitely Healthily Decadent...you will see...also here is a little verse, my daughter (the precocious poet, herself!) wrote to help me celebrate my blogging milestone!!!

"When my Mom started blogging...

She started with a blog about cooking,

And wanted to share it with Everyone,

So her experience would be Fun!

So, I made this poem for her 50th post,

Now let us all make a toast! Yippee"

This dual celebration recipe for Carrot Beetroot Kheer makes its way to Shama's Payasam/Kheer Festival event. I tried out a variation to the Carrot Kheer I prepare usually, by adding some beets to it and of course, nut-obsessed that I am, had to also add some almonds and cashewnuts...which to my mind...make any dish richer and creamier than it normally would be...so here is a crazy yet surprisingly tasty kheer/pudding...let the celebrations continue...I hope!

Recipe for Carrot-Beetroot Kheer with a nutty flavor(South indian style pudding)-

Serves: 4

Prep/cook time: 25-35 mins.

Ingredients:

Carrots - 3 chopped

Beetroot - 1 small chopped

Almonds and cashew nuts - 1/2 cup chopped, combined

Milk - low fat - 2 to 2.5 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup(could add more for sweeter kheer...I like my sweets to be not overly sweet)

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Saffron - few strands

For garnish - slivered almonds roasted(would taste better if roasted in a little ghee/clarified butter)

Method:

In a heavy-bottomed pan, let the milk boil on a low flame and keep stirring so it does not stick to bottom of pan.

In the meanwhile, blend together chopped carrots, beetroot and the almonds with a few more spoons of milk till you get a fine paste.

Then, add the blended carrot mixture to the boiling milk alongwith the cardamom powder and saffron strands.

Let the mixture cook on a medium or medium-low flame until it comes to a slow bubbling consistency...which takes 8 to 10 mins...do not boil too long or the mixture could end up becoming watery.

Once you a get slow rolling bubble consistency, take off the heat and add sugar...garnish with roasted slivered almonds.

This kheer tastes best when it has been chilled in the refrigerator for atleast a couple of hours...plus the consistency becomes creamier after refrigeration...

Enjoy!!!

Versatile Side-dish...Back to the grass-roots of South-Indian Cuisine

2010-04-12T00:49:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, most of the side-dishes I prepare...I try to make as versatile as possible. In the sense, that I try to serve them with breads, rice, dosas, idlis, rotis and so on. I find that by making my side-dishes as flexible as possible and switching around the main dish at a couple of meal-times, whether rice or rotis or bread...all the food I prepare is used up much faster rather than sitting in the cool comfort of the refrigerator for a while.

This side-dish I have here is one of that versatile kind...a simple bell-pepper relish also known in Southern India as thokku...this is bell-pepper or capsicum thokku. It is tangy with a hint of sweetness to it...not too spicy either...atleast my version...though you could of course, enhance the spice level by increasing the quantity of spices used. However you make it, I am sure you will continue to repeat this recipe many times over, as I have been doing...very simple and pain-free prep as well. My mother as well as mother-in-law tend to make this same relish or thokku with many different main ingredients like raw green mango or tomatoes or ginger root...they all appeal to me, equally;) I could eat this any time of day with or without a main dish:))

Notes: I used 2 to 3 tsps cooking oil but if you use a a little more oil, the end-product will stay fresh in the refrigerator for over a week.

Recipe for Sweet & Tangy Bell-pepper Relish(Capsicum Thokku):

Serves: 4

Prep/cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Bell-pepper (aka capsicum) - 4 shredded in thin strips(I used the green ones though you could use any other color)

Tomato - 1 or 2 medium size chopped

Onion - 1 medium size chopped

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp

Jaggery - crushed 1tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida(aka Hing) - a pinch

Fenugreek(Methi) powder - 1 tsp

Coriander(dhania) powder - 1 tbsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Salt - As reqd

Turmeric - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - a few(optional)

Cooking oil - 2 to 3 tsp(I used gingelly oil that is til oil though any vegetable oil should work fine)

Method:

In a frying pan, add the oil and mustard and when the mustard seeds start to crackle, add the chopped onions.

When the onions start to turn crisp, add the shredded bell-pepper and all the spice powders/seasonings + salt and let cook for a few minutes.

When the bell-pepper starts to change color and becomes translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and the tamarind pulp and jaggery.

Let the mixture cook uncovered for a few minutes(should take about 7 to 8 mins on a medium flame)...stir every now and then...also add a little water so the mixture does not turn extremely dry...the end-product should be well-combined...the ideal consistency is somewhat curry-like (though not gravy-like).

Finally, garnish with curry leaves. This relish can be served warm or at room temperature with rice, on breads as a spread or with rotis or Indian pancakes like idli or dosa.

Note: Ethnic ingredients for this dish are available at Asian/Indian grocery stores.

Savory addition to Yummies from Blogosphere series...

2010-04-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

I am constantly amazed by the creativity of recipes that I come across on blogsphere...often I find these recipes to be more original and flavorful than those featured on many professional food websites...which is why I am so extremely happy to add this very savory dish to my Yummies from Blogosphere series !

This time I chose a breakfast/snack item from the extremely creative blog penned by Swapna Sridhar. It is a very versatile...easy, breezy dosa dish(Indian savory pancake) which can be served as a breakfast, snack, brunch or even light dinner dish - Oats Dosa.

Also, I loved this dosa/pancake because it is truly a quick-prep item...no labor-intensive soaking of rice and lentils and grinding and so on and so forth...which appeals to my multi-tasking, get-meal-ready-in-under 30 minutes-self (that is the Rachel Ray side of my personality, I think :))

Notes/Variation: In this recipe, I added a 1/4 cup of ragi flour(finger-millet flour) to the batter...hence the light pink hue on the dosa. The original recipe called for a topping of sliced onion and cilantro...I served a side of broccoli masala with the dosa instead.

My recipe for Broccoli Masala follows...though this dish should taste great with any kind of chutney / sambhar(South Indian style soup).

Link: Original recipe for Oats Dosa posted on Swapna's blog.

Thank you, Swapna for this awesome, creative yet healthy dish...I know I will be making it many more times for my family judging from their enthusiastic response.

Recipe for Oats Dosa(as posted on Swapna's blog):

Serves: 2 to 3

Prep/cook time: 15 - 20 mins

Ingredients :

Oats(Quick cooked) - 1 cup

Rice flour or Wheat flour - 1/4 cup

Sooji / Semolina - 1/4 cup

Red chilly powder / green chilly paste-1 tbsp

Chopped Onion -1 medium sized

Minced Coriander

Salt to taste

Water-2 1/2 to 3 cups

Method :

1.In a microwave safe bowl add oats and add enough water, put it in microwave about 1 min, cool it for 3 mins.or soak it in warm water for 10 to 15 mins.

2.In a blender add oats and blend into smooth paste.

3.In a mixing bowl add oats paste,wheat flour,sooji,chilly powder,salt mix well.and add water...prepare the batter like dosa batter.

4.Heat the dosa pan on medium flame. Grease it,pour ladle full batter and with the help of ladle starting from the center,move the laddle in a circular motion and spread it in to circular shape.

5.On the top of dosa add onion and coriander leaves.press with spatula, spray oil, let it cook for 2 to 3 mins.Then slowly flip the dosa and let it cook for few more mins.Then remove it from the pan.

My Recipe for Side of Broccoli Masala:

Serves: 2 to 3

Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 1 full head of broccoli cut into smaller pieces

Onion - 1 sliced thinly

For seasoning:

Cooking oil. salt, black pepper, cumin powder(jeera powder), cilantro chopped, lemon juice.

Method:

In a pan, add some cooking oil and when it starts to heat up, add the sliced onion.

When the onion starts to brown, add the seasonings and also the broccoli florets and let cook for a few minutes till the mixture is crisp and well-cooked(takes about 6 to 7 minutes)

Serve warm or at room temp. alongside dosa.

10 minute recipe - Indian Style Pancake

2010-04-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

Hope all my readers had a great weekend...wonder how many folks got an Apple Ipad...I didnt!!! But then, I am technologically - challenged...dont even use my cell phone to its fullest potential...sigh!!! And I dont even want to move out of the dark ages into the more technologically advanced world of today:)) I am sorry that I cannot understand all the excitement behind every new and cool gadget...I do buy gadgets...but only if I can justify to myself that it will add value to my life...thankfully the kids are not old enough to get all hyped-up about every new tech invention...I have a few more years of peace:)) Of course, I do get excited when Apple's stock price moves...while others probably dont understand my level of excitement there...

Anyways, that, I promise is my only random, bears-no-connection-to-anything-whatsoever thought of the day...and here is a recipe for a really quick 10-minute (South)Indian style pancake...it is a variation of the vella dosai that is commonly prepared in south-indian homes...my mom would make it often when I was a kid and it was a wonderful snack/breakfast that I looked forward to, even in those days, filled with strong likes and dislikes when it came to food...I continue to like it even today and luckily for me, the kids like it too...so I do make it at home quite often.

This south-indian style pancake goes to the Pancakes event over at Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes...also sending it to Priya's CWS - Cardamom seeds event...

Recipe for South Indian Pancakes(jaggery dosa):

Serves: 7 to 8 pancakes(depending on size)

Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients-

Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cups

Semolina/cream of wheat/rava - 1/4 cup

Jaggery - 3/4 cup crushed(could also use cane sugar)

Cardamom - 1tsp powdered

Cooking oil(or clarified butter aka ghee) - 1/2 tsp for each pancake

For topping(optional) - 1 banana sliced and roasted lightly in cooking oil or clarified butter/ghee

Method:

In a pan, add enough water to just submerge the crushed jaggery and then let the mixture come to a boil...will take 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high flame...set aside to cool.

In another mixing bowl, mix all the flours alongwith powdered cardamom...add the jaggery mixture and mix well to ensure there are no lumps in the batter.

Take a skillet and add a ladleful of batter to it...spread in circle (as prefered) and cook on a medium-high flame for a minute or two..and then flip the pancake with a spatula and cook until both sides are golden brown.

Serve with an optional topping of sliced bananas roasted(in oil/ghee) or as is.

SPRING FEVER!!!!

2010-04-03T01:38:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air, the days are getting warmer....when I see all the signs of spring, I feel like celebrating the season. In fact, I would like to run through the grass, singing loudly...BUT STOP!! I am not like one of our Indian movie actresses, who celebrate the season thru song and dance, then I wonder what I can do to celebrate the season, that is practical...something that is practical and wont alarm my husband or make him think I am nuts:)))

Well, coming to the sensible ways to celebrate the season change, I have chosen to do some much-needed spring-cleaning in our house...some decluttering...lets see how far I progress with this noble intention...will keep you all updated. I also see the grocery stores filling up with seasonal fruits and vegs...fresh strawberries, pineapples, plums, peaches, corn...the variety is endless...well, the other practical way to take advantage of the changing seasons would be to use this lovely seasonal bounty in my dishes...so here is a light, refreshing springy dish my family and I enjoyed in the past few days...

The other way I decided to celebrate this season is to give my blog a light, springy template!

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL MY BLOGGER FRIENDS AND I WISH YOU A WONDERFUL SPRING TOO!!!

Recipe for light, fruity sundae:
Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 7-10mins.

Ingredients:
Bananas - 2 cut finely
Pineapples - 1 cut finely
Plums and/or peaches - 3 cut in thin, round slices
Honey - 2 tbsp
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Dates - 1/2 cup sliced
Vanilla yoghurt (or vanilla icecream) - 2 cups
Milk - low fat - 1/4 cup

Method:
In a blender, puree cut bananas, pineapples, honey, vanilla and milk finely until you get a smooth sauce-like consistency.

In a serving glass, arrange the sliced plums and/or peaches in a single layer at the bottom. Then, over that, spoon a layer of the icecream and then, a layer of the fruit puree.

Keep alternating couple more layers of the sliced fruit, icecream and fruit puree.

Finally, garnish the top of the sundae with sliced dates.

Additionally, for a sweeter finish, you could drizzle some caramel sauce on top.

Comfort Food for Yummies from Blogosphere

2010-03-31T23:37:00.000-07:00

So, it is time for another addition to the Yummies from Blogosphere series...I am really getting attached to this series and so is my family...they cant wait to see what I am going to try out next, considering there is SO MUCH VARIETY OF RECIPES on blogosphere!!!

Most of the recipes I bookmark as favorites for me to try out later have special appeal not only because of taste and flavor and appearance but also because they have nutritional content. This week's recipe also belongs to that category...I chose an item from a blog which has been in existence for quite a while...nearly two years but this wonderful blogger still continues to post new recipes that are not only tasty but also simple and each recipe is different and unique in its own way.

So, this recipe is from our blogger friend Gita's Kitchen...and the recipe I chose is one for Palak Tofu(Spinach and Tofu Curry)...this recipe is very unique for me, because I have always made Alu Palak(Spinach with Potatoes) or Palak Paneer(Spinach with Indian Cheese) but never Palak Tofu...it was a very healthful yet completely tasty and creamy dish, that my entire family enjoyed. I wondered if the tofu would taste out-of-place in the curry but it was just wonderful...expecially because it was baked before adding to the curry to eliminate any raw smell.

Notes/Variation: I used some coriander powder and cummin powder (1 tsp each) in the curry...also seasoned the curry finally with some lemon juice(I like the combination of lemon juice with the spinach)...this is a very versatile dish that can be used as a side for rotis/bread/rice

Lovely dish...Gita! Thank you for this awesome recipe!

Links: Original Recipe for Palak Tofu as posted in Gita's Kitchen

Recipe for Palak Tofu:

Serves: 4

Pre/cook time: 25-30 mins.

INGREDIENTS:

Extra-firm tofu, 1 box.

Spinach, 1 large bunch.

Onion, medium, 1.

Tomato, 1.

Green chili, 1.

Garlic, 2 cloves.

Ginger, 1 small piece.

Red chili, 2.

Coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons.

Cloves, 2.

Cinnamon stick, 1 small piece.

Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.

Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:

Cut the tofu into small pieces. Spray a baking dish with any nonstick cooking spray and arrange the tofu pieces side by side. There should be sufficient space between each piece. Bake them at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the tofu pieces turn brown. Set them aside. If needed the tofu pieces can also be sautéed in a pan with a teaspoon of oil until they turn brown.

Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces and slit the green chili into 2. Clean the spinach leaves and drain the excess water from the leaves. They need not be chopped as everything will be blended.

Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add red chilies, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds and fry them for a minute and remove them from the pan and let them cool. Now add the chopped onions, tomatoes, and green chili and sauté them for a few minutes. Then add garlic and ginger and keep sautéing until everything is well blended.

Add the spinach leaves and let them wilt along with the sautéed onion and tomato and let it cool. When the spice mixture and spinach mixture are cooled, blend them together into a smooth paste.

Put the blended mixture in the pan again, add salt and let it simmer under medium flame for few minutes until the gravy thickens. Then add the baked tofu pieces and stir everything well.

Serve hot with rotis.

Indian(ised) Pizza, anyone???

2010-03-29T23:46:00.000-07:00

Friday nights are Fun Food nights at our house...not the usual breads or rotis or curry or rice...as the kids grow up and we keep trying to include more servings of different food groups to their daily diet, I find it necessary to come up with more interesting ideas for dinner...which is the only meal we all are together for, really(weeknights at least!)

I came up with this new idea for "Indianised "(Desi)Pizza for one of our Friday Fun Food nights. Most of the pizza chains normally have a Hawaiian style fruit n veggie Pizza or some style of fruit-topped pizza nowadays, which gave me the idea of including fruit in this version of Indianised Pizza...hence, I came up with this Kurma-style Gravy Pizza. Plus, I was pumped up from the success of my previous venture with Indianised Pav Bhaji Pizza.

The kids thought this pizza was very colorful and so they liked it and of course, I was very happy to have taken care of a few servings of fruits and veggies with this dish...so, all said and done, a fun time was had by all that night:))

This Kurma style Gravy Pizza is making its way to Lavi's Global Kadai - Indian Flavored Pizza event...started by Cilantro.

Recipe for Kurma-style Gravy Pizza:-
Serves: 4
Prep/Cook time: 35-40 mins.(with store-bought pizza dough)

For Pizza Base/Dough: Paula Deen's Recipe and Emeril's Recipe on Food Network

For Gravy Base and Topping:
Ingredients:
Cauliflower - cut finely and cooked - 1/2
Carrots cut finely and cooked - 1
Apple - cut finely and cooked - 1
Pineapple - cut finely and cooked - 1/2
Green peas, shelled 1/2 cup and cooked
Tomatoes, chopped - 2 medium
Onions, chopped - 2 medium or 1 big size
Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece
Garlic 4 or 5 cloves
Grind the following to a fine paste: Unsweetened fresh or desiccated coconut - 3 to 4 tbsp, 1 tsp poppy seeds, 2 tsp fennel seeds
Oil - 2 to 3 tablespoons
Green chillies, chopped 3-4
Garam masala 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped 1/4 cup
Lemon juice - 1 medium or big size
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp chopped for garnish, roasted
Raisins - 1tbsp
Cheese - mozzarella, grated 3 or 4 tbsp

Method:
Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat oil in a pan and add three fourth quantity of onions. Sauté till light brown. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute. Then, add the ground paste and let come to a boil.

Add half the quantity of tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala.

Add cooked peas, cauliflower, carrot, pineapples and apples and one and half cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for seven to ten minutes, pressing with back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed.

Add Garam Masala, salt and remaining tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously. Then set aside.

Now, spread parchment paper/foil on baking sheet and place the pizza base/crust on it. Spread an even layer of the gravy curry on the pizza base.

Next, add the fresh cheese, cashew nuts, raisins and cilantro on top of the curry. Optionally, you could place some butter on the top of the pizza crust. Bake for 10 - 12 mins(or according to package directions for pizza crust)

Serve hot / at room temp.

Enjoy!!!

Herbalicious Weekend Brunch

2010-03-28T01:36:00.000-07:00

What is the perfect weekend brunch? Is it slices of warm toast with jelly/jam or is it golden parathas with yoghurt??? Is it light, fluffy omelettes or maybe it is steaming idlis/dosas(Indian savory snacks)??? It is so difficult to say which one is more perfect...they are all so scrumptious.

Well, we had this great weekend brunch which was enjoyed by everyone in our family recently: Herb - filled Spinach Pancakes topped with grilled tomatoes. For such a scrumptious dish, the best part is that it is an iron-rich power-packed dish...

Hope my readers will be able to enjoy this brunch one of these days too, with their loved ones.

This wonderful spinach pancake dish goes to Priya's Pancake event and to Healing Foods Event- Spinach hosted by Divya and started by Siri.

Recipe for Spinach Pancakes with an assortment of herbs:

Yields: 6 to 8 servings
Prep/Cook Time 20-25 mins

Ingredients
10 ounces fresh spinach, well washed and cut finely, or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
cilantro and/or mint- 1 bunch cut finely(you could also use dill,
parsley or basil in this, in any combination)
2 cups all-purpose flour(or 1cup wheat flr + 1cup ap flr)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda,
1/2 tsp baking powder,
flaxseed - 1tbsp
salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk or thin yogurt
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest, optional,
ginger, garlic - minced (1tsp each),
green chillies - 2 cut finely
cut onion - 1
cooking oil(or butter) for cooking pancakes

Method

1. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Add a little cooking oil and add onions, ginger and garlic to it...when the onions start turning brown, add the cut spinach and other herbs to it and let cook for 4-5 mins. Then turn off heat and set aside.

2.In the meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add 1 1/2 cups buttermilk(or yoghurt) to it. Add a little more buttermilk if batter seems thick; then add the cooked spinach mixture to it.

3. Place a teaspoon or two of cooking oil (or butter)in a skillet. When the skillet turns nice and hot(oil will start bubbling), ladle batter onto skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Adjust heat as necessary; first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. Add more oil/butter to pan as necessary. Flip only when pancakes are fully cooked on bottom; they won't hold together well until they are ready.

4. Cook until second side is lightly browned; and move from pan to serving dish.

Suggested garnish: lemon zest, cilantro, mint...I topped the pancakes with some grilled tomato slices and a little skimmed mozarella cheese.

Notes:

1.To make these pancakes even more protein-rich, you could optionally beat a couple of eggs into the batter.

2.If the batter looks or cooks too thin (that is, it spreads unappealingly over the pan), add a little flour, or some more spinach. If it is too thick, stir in some liquid -- milk, water, stock, whatever -- a spoonful at a time. The batter should be spoonable but not pourable.

Comfort Food Series: Fruity, Light and Flavorful South Indian Style Soup(Rasam)

2010-03-26T00:46:00.000-07:00

I have been using fruits quite a bit in my savory foods lately, in chutneys and side-dishes and so on... and I actually find it refreshing(not to mention the fact that the fruits dont go to waste on my kitchen counter). Here is a light and flavorful South Indian style Soup or Rasam with the main ingredient being pears( I have tried it with pineapples, limes as well as apples).

The spice powder / spice mix I have used here is different from the usual Rasam powder that I use, which is available in most grocery stores or in the Asian Indian aisle of the supermarket. Here I used a simple, spice mix...a mixture of coriander seeds, some black pepper and a touch of cumin seeds so that the fruity rasam(soup) would not be overpowering but still retain the flavor of the fruit while continuing to be tangy like traditional rasam is meant to be.

Here is the recipe and it would be a great accompaniment to hot rice as well as a warm appetiser/beverage by itself.

This fruity rasam soup goes to Nithu's Think Beyond the Usual - Fruits event as well as this month's CWS - Coriander Seeds guest-hosted by RV and started by Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes.

Recipe for Pear Rasam(South Indian style fruity soup):
Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 20 - 25 mins
Ingredients:
Pears - 1 cut into chunks(any crisp variety more on the sweet side like Bartlett or Anjou or any others)
Tomato - 1 cut into chunks(any firm variety like vine tomatoes)
Green chilli pepper - 1 slit thinly
Tamarind juice - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1/2tsp(optional)
For spice powder: roast and powder coriander seeds(dhania) - 2 tbsp, black pepper - 2 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
For seasoning: cumin seeds - 1 tsp, salt, turmeric, curry leaves - a few sprigs, cilantro

Method:
In a pan, add the tamarind juice and to it, add the cut pear and tomato, green chilli pepper, salt, turmeric , jaggery and spice mix.

Let the rasam soup boil well for atleast 10 mins, till it becomes bubbly.

In another frying pan, add a little cooking oil(or a tbsp of ghee) and when it heats up, add the cumin seeds and when they crackle, add the other seasonings and then add all these seasonings to the soup.

Serve hot or at room temperature with rice or as a warm appetiser/beverage.

Eye-catching addition to Yummies from Blogosphere!!!

2010-03-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

I love the colorfulness of this week's dish for the Yummies from Blogosphere series...one of my biggest inspirations, which propelled me towards active blogging was the immense beauty of all the foods portrayed in simple digital images all over blogosphere...it totally made my mind boggle to see Indian food and of course, other foods too(that we cook and eat everyday) presented with such elegance...and it was not just the complex, difficult-to-make dishes but also simple recipes that looked almost ethereal when captured so tastefully on film.

This week's dish was very simple to prepare, but so extremely beautiful to look at, you would think it took hours...I love almost all the dishes presented by this blogger, Tina of kaipunyam.com...in fact she is just awesome at baking up the most beautiful yummies I have ever seen. But I chose this dish because of its traditional nature and immense ease of preparation. Also, I feel the more I can add beets to our diet, packed as it is with nutrients, the better it would be.

It is a wonderful yoghurt-based beetroot side-dish wonderful with rice and curry as well as with chappathis/bread as a spread/dip. I know a lot of people who dont use beets as much as they should, just because they are afraid its deep colors are going to stain their work surfaces and require a lot of clean-up!!!! I hope these kind of dishes wil inspire more people out there to try this awesome veggie more often!

Notes/Variation: In this dish, I did very little in terms of modification, because its flavor lies in the minimal number of ingredients...the only thing was, that I added some channa dal(split yellow gram) and some grounduts to the seasoning items. Also, since I dont add much coconut nowadays to my dishes, I reduced the quantity of coconut to 1/4cup. Suggested garnish: Yoghurt topping

Thank you for this simply elegant dish, Tina!!

Link: Original Recipe for Beetroot Pachadi at kaipunyam.com

Recipe for Beetroot Pachadi

Serves: 4

Prep/cook time: 15-20 mins.

Ingredients:

Beetroot 1 big

Onion 1 med

Chilly 5 to 7

Yoghurt 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Coconut 1 cup grated

Ginger 1 small piece

Shallots 1 to 2

Curryleaves

Fenugreek

Mustard

Water

Salt

Oil

Method

Clean the beetroot. Finely grate it and cook it (in little oil) with chopped onion, ginger, chilly, salt and little water.

Grind together coconut, onion, chilly and little mustard seeds. Add this paste into cooked beetroot.

After cooling down, add yoghurt into this and mix well. Season it with shallots, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Small Wonders Series and Reposting for Event

2010-03-21T23:54:00.000-07:00

After a hectic weekend filled with activities for the kids, I felt I needed to unwind by posting something(even if it was a repost) and do some bloghopping...my daughter also wanted me to post a Rangoli(also known as Kolam or Alpana) that was her entry for an exhibition at a temple here in the Bay Area this weekend...She was of course very excited to send in the entry(but then there is very little she doesnt get excited about) and even more excited when she got a certificate and plaque for sending in her entry...she was walking on cloud nine the whole of yesterday imagining herself as the next Picasso:))) So here it is, the medium that she used for the Rangoli was lentils, colored powder/Rangoli powder and glitter powder:

Repost for Usha's Healthy Inspirations Event - Salads:

My first entry is a Recipe for Vibrant Mixed Fruit and Veggie Salad...this salad is not only colorful with varied flavors from fruits, vegs, nuts and dryfruits...it also packs a healthy punch of anti-oxidants and is ready in under 10 minutes...a great accompaniment to breads, pastas, rotis and even great as a snack by itself!!!

My second entry for the same event: Easy Tangy Green Beans Salad with a crunch.
This is another 10 minute recipe and very versatile as a side-dish or salad...could be served warm or cold.

A Forgotten Favorite revisited / Baking and Me???!!!

2010-03-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

Before I post a recipe, I have a confession to make...I am a stranger to the challenges and joys of baking...until recently, my adventures in baking were limited to figuring out if the supermarket carried the mix for the baked recipe I was planning to try out...if they did not carry it...sorry!! that recipe landed in the 'forgotten recipes' folder...

But all that changed dramatically when I recently entered into the world of blogging! Just the sight of all the baked goodies made me want to rush out and go on a wild baking spree:)) But then, I hit a wall...not literally. Though, I have been known to do that on my not-so-agile (read...clumsy klutzy) days! What I mean is that, recently my husband and I decided to change our family's entire eating/food style to a healthily decadent style....well I wont get into that story now, but you can read about it in my earlier post on the subject. So. how could I go out and exercise my passion for baking without compromising on the health aspect.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I wanted to enter whole-heartedly into the tantalising world of baked yummies but...I wanted to make sure I did not digress from Healthfully Decadent cooking...so thus began my quest for turning all the wonderful baked goods recipes into healthy ones, as far as that was possible...so when I saw this simple, tasty and healthy(!!!) recipe for muffins on the back of a cereal box(of all places!)it just called to me to be tried out!

What attracted me to these muffins was the fact that, this recipe substituted fat and butter with a wonderful combination of many flavors...the other thing was that, it reminded me of a tasty, tasty muffin that I had relished a few years back at a small coffee shop in Washington DC...my husband and I were on one of our first trips to DC after being married...the tour guide was running late one morning and instead of stopping at a regular diner or breakfast place, he just stopped at a small coffee shop and asked us to get a quick breakfast. Well, we ended up feasting on one of the best muffins I have tried...maybe it was because the muffins were so light and flavorful...maybe it was because I was looking at the world thru rainbow-colored glasses after being recently married...I dont know. But the memory of those muffins has remained with me for a while.

So, I baked those muffins based on the recipe I found on the back of the cereal box with some of my own variations, based on the flavors I remembered and ended up with a very, very tasty end-result, that was very moist because of the number of liquid ingredients!!! The best addition was the pomegrannate juice(I used POM Wonderful) which meant I could reduce the quantity of ther liquid ingredients especially the oil and plus the juice is chock-full of anti-oxidants without much sugar! See for yourself...

This recipe goes to Jagruti's Joyful Eating Whilst Traveling event and to Champa's Bake-off event.

Recipe for Muffins loaded with flavor, fruit and chocolate:-
Servings: 12 muffins
Prep time: 10-15 mins
Cook time: 15-17 mins

Ingredients:
2 cups Oat Bran cereal like Quaker(you could also substitute with 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup oat bran cereal)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup pomegranate juice(I used the POM Wonderful brand because it has very little sugar)
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/4 cup honey or molasses
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1 medium mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup white or dark chocolate chips
a little orange zest(optional, but it gives the muffins a very fresh and zingy taste)

Method:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper cups or spray the mold with some cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add combined milk, pomegranate juice, egg whites, honey and oil. Add all the fruit and choc. chips.

Mix lightly till everything is combined...do not overmix.

Fill the prepared muffin cups till 3/4 full.

Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with some fruit jam or as is.

Flavors from different parts of India - Yummies from Blogosphere!!!

2010-03-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to post two recipes for this week's edition of Yummies from Blogosphere...they can be served as a neat combo in a meal. The greatest thing about these two recipes is that, they represent two very diverse sides of Indian cuisine...and they also represent, I think, the essence of the blog that they were originally posted on...A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine...the dynamic duo, Muskaan and Sadhana, who are the creators of that blog, use their space to present the best flavors from Western and Southern Indian cuisine.

So I decided to try out two wonderful recipes from those two cuisines that could be paired together, last weekend...the result...a wonderful, flavorful meal that represented some of the best flavors from Indian cuisine!!! After this successful meal, my family has urged me to do this kind of combo more often...pairing up dishes from different cuisines and cultures...shakes up things and a departure from the normal, humdrum routine is fun...dont you think???

I chose to make Vaghareli Rotli, a wonderful yoghurt gravy dish from Gujarati(western Indian) cuisine and Eggplant Gothsu, a tangy Southern Indian side-dish...I served this combo with hot rotis(Indian bread)...it was heavenly!!!The best thing was that this flavorful meal was not only tasty but also extremely simple to make...no prep-ahead...no sweat-ahead:)))

Of course, I followed the original recipes as closely as possible...but you know me:)) I did make some minor changes...thats just me!!! For the Vaghareli Rotli...I added some fennel seeds(saunf) and fenugreek seeds(methi seeds) to the items for seasoning...and to the Eggplant Gothsu, I added some tomatoes, for some additional tanginess.

Here are the original recipes as posted on A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine for Vaghareli Rotli and Eggplant Gothsu...Enjoy!!! Thanks, Muskaan and Sadhana!

Recipe for Vaghareli Rotli:
Ingredients:

6 Leftover Roti (Whole Wheat flat bread)
1 C Yogurt, preferably sour
2 tsp Besan ( Bengal gram flour)
Water to dilute
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin (dhana-jeeru )powder
lemon juice according to taste if yogurt is not sour
1 Tbsp Cilantro, Chopped
Salt to taste.
For tempering:
1 Tbsp Olive / Canola Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Slit Green Chillies
Few Chopped Curry Leaves
1/4 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

Method:
1. Mix yogurt and besan (gram )flour & add approximate of 1 Cup of water to dilute this mixture, whisk it nice to avoid lumps.
2. Heat oil in a wok, add mustard seeds, as it spluters, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, then pour above yogurt + besan mixture to it, while constantly stir it.
3. Bring it to boil, add the rest of the ingredients, stir it, and now with your fingers tear apart the flat bread you made (leftover roti) into medium small pieces just like size of potato chips, and put it in this boiling yogurt sauce.
4. Once you add flat bread pieces into this sauce, stir it and put the flame off. Let it sit for a while, as these bread pieces will soak up all the sauce, leaving behind some gravy. Thats perfect consistency.
5. Its ready to serve hot, with some sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Recipe for Eggplant Gothsu:
Cooking Time: 20 min

Preparation Time: 10 min
Serves – 4

Ingredients
Egg Plant (small) - 4 to 5
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Onion (medium) - 1
Curry leaves - few
Green chilly - 2 to 3 or to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - small piece
Tamarind - goose berry size ball.
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Rice Flour - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste.
Garnishing:
Chopped Cilantro – 2 tablespoons
This is normally made by roasting the egg plant and peeling the skin and using the pulp inside. The eggplant I had was too small to roast and I didn’t have the time to bake it and peel and take the pulp out.

Method
1) Soak Tamarind in water.
2) Heat Oil and add mustard seeds, once they splutter well add urad dhal, channa dhal, and asafoetida.
3) Once the dhal browns a little add green chilly, chopped ginger, onion pieces and curry leaves.
4) Cut the egg plant into small pieces and add it to the above.
5) Now add turmeric powder and salt and cover it for a while till the egg plant gets cooked.
6) Once it is cooked squeeze out the tamarind pulp from the soaked tamarind using water and add it to the egg plant mixture.
7) This should be in-between consistency of rasam and sambhar, so add water accordingly.
8) Once the tamarind water boils well and the raw smell is gone, mix the rice flour in little bit of water and add the paste to this mixture.
9) Simmer for a minute or two till the gravy thickens and is not very watery and switch of and garnish serve with Pongal or Idli.

Celebrating Sweet Gift / Athirasam for ICC

2010-03-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I received a sweeet gift from Usha of Veg Inspirations for her Healthy Inspirations - Soups Event! I was so delighted to receive it I decided to kill two birds with one stone...I felt like celebrating this wonderful gesture from Usha plus I also had to make Athirasam for Srivalli's ICC...well so I made Athirasam for my family and they loved it...so I am posting both together...celebrating a sweet gesture with a wonderfully sweet dish! Actually, my daughter just looooved the gift because it was a cute bracelet and earrings(something tells she will be using the gift more than I:))

In case you read this, Usha...Thanks for your wonderful gesture!!!

Coming to the Athirasam...it was a challenge alright...it takes some time to figure out the right consistency for the jaggery syrup...when I first made it, I almost added all the rice flour too soon and, then I looked at the syrup again and it was still not dark enough and had not bubbled up too much..so then I waited for a few minutes more and then it was easier to add the rice flour and get the dough to look like roti/chappathi dough.

So here is the recipe for the version I tried...

Thanks for the awesome and challenging recipe...Srivalli! I had eaten this sweet delicacy many times as a child of course...somehow never tried it at home...I loved trying it out and I was so happy it turned out alright...I have heard from many people including my mom, that it is not an easy dish to try out!

Recipe for Athirasam:
Ingredients Needed

Raw Rice - 200 gms
Paku Jaggery - 250 gms(jaggery for syrup)
Sesame Seeds - 2 tsp or less
Gasa gasa or Poppy Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch

Method to prepare.

Soak rice for 6 hrs and then shade dry it. Meaning it should not become dry but should still have some wetness in the rice. You can either grind this to fine powder using your mixer. The rice flour should have that texture of soft and wet feeling when you take a handful and also it should kind of retain your fist shape. Hope you understand what I am saying. This is very important because if the flour is very dry it wouldn't turn out well.

Have all the things ready when you put the jaggery for cooking.

Take water that is enough to dilute jaggery. Dissolve the jaggery. Remove any impurities that may be present. Then again cook till the pakam(syrup) is ready. The consistency here is also very important. Hope you know that consistency of pakam(syrup) is calculated as threads.

This is how we check the thread consistency, when the jaggery starts boiling and becomes thick, carefully take a small bit and touch it between your thumb and Index fingers. A thread will be formed when you take your fingers away from each other.

Likewise when the syrup becomes thick, you can find 3 threads being formed. So after 3 thread consistency the jaggary is really cooked well and it become thick. When you take a bit and put it in water, you should be able to make a ball of it. This is when you know the pakkam is ready.

Remove from fire, and add poppy seeds, sesame seeds and cardamom. Mix well. Then slowly add the rice flour and keep mixing well. The consistency is very important, so you need to add the flour little by little. Mix till you get a chapati dough consistency. End of this, you may still have some flour left out.

Divide into lemon size balls. Grease a plastic sheet and your fingers. Place the ball on the sheet, and pat it down to a poori size.

Heat oil for frying and slowly drop these discs into the hot oil. You can simmer for a while until you know the inside is cooked. Turn to the other side and cook till its golden in colour. If you are cooking alone, you can roll out one by one and cook. Else it might get burnt. Once done, remove and drain on a Kitchen towel.

TGIF + Unlikely Yet Scrumptious Combo!!!

2010-03-13T01:12:00.000-08:00

So, Thank God its Friday(almost Sat...what the hey, its the weekend)...TGIF...the days seem to fly past nowadays and I love coming up with new recipes to post!!!

Its another weekend and I always try to make something fun and different on Fri. evenings!!!! Let me go back to something I served last Fri. at home...which was met with oohs! and aahs! from the kids...

Pav bhaji : According to wikipedia... is a fast food dish native to Maharashtrians and is popular in most metropolitan areas in India, particularly in the Maharashtrian city of Mumbai & Pune. (पाव भाजी, also transliterated as pao bhaji and pau bhaji). According to wiktionary... a Maharashtrian fast food dish served on (पाव) bread and garnished with coriander and chopped onions. For most desis, Pav Bhaji is a well-known dish that most of us have feasted on since childhood, even though the recipe might vary slightly in every household.

And, Pizza???...again, according to wikipedia...it is an oven-baked, flat, disc shaped bread usually topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella and then a selection of meats/vegetables and herbs depending on taste and culture. Modern pizza originated in Italy as the Neapolitan pie with tomato. In 1889 cheese was added. King Ferdinand I (1751–1825) is said to have disguised himself as a commoner and, in clandestine fashion, visited a poor neighborhood in Naples. One story has it that he wanted to sink his teeth into a food that the queen had banned from the royal court—pizza.

Now, you may definitely wonder why I talk about two such diverse foods in the same breath. After all, we have all heard this..."East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet..." But I beg to differ when it comes to...Pav Bhaji Pizza!!!

This is a scrumptious dish we first ate at an entertainment/videogame arcade run by desi Indians, here in the Bay area...they have a restaurant where they sell among other things, this Indianised version of pizza... which has a pizza base and topping of pav bhaji curry and cheese, cilantro, onions...yummm! Since then, we have had three birthday parties for our daughter in that entertainment arcade(they specialise in kids' themed parties) and after the first time, when we served the pav bhaji pizza to our guests...we have requests every year from our friends to have her birthday party at the same arcade...they all say they cant wait to try the pizza at her party:))

So, I made this last Fri. evening for my family...I used store-bought pizza base, but of course, you could make it at home...hope you all try this scrumptious dish and give me your comments.

This surprisingly wonderful recipe(normally, pizza is not my favorite dish, but loved this variation)... Pav Bhaji Pizza is making its way to Lavi's Global Kadai - Indian Flavored Pizza event...started by Cilantro.

Recipe for Pav Bhaji Pizza:-
Serves: 4
Prep/Cook time: 35-40 mins.(with store-bought pizza dough)

For Pizza Base/Dough: Alton Brown's Recipe and Emeril's Recipe on Food Network

For Curry/Bhaji Topping:
Ingredients:
Potatoes, boiled and mashed - 3 medium or big size + cauliflower - 1 boiled and mashed
Tomatoes, chopped - 3 medium
Onions, chopped - 2 medium or 1 big size
Green peas, shelled 1/2 cup
Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece
Garlic 6 or 7 cloves
Oil - 2 to 3 tablespoons
Green chillies, chopped 3-4
Pav bhaji masala 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped 1/4 cup
Lemon juice - 1 medium or big size
Onion - 1/2 cut finely for garnish(optional)
Cheese - mozzarella, grated 3 or 4 tbsp

Method:
Boil green peas in water till soft, drain, mash lightly and set aside. Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat oil in a pan and add three fourth quantity of onions. Sauté till light brown. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute. Add half the quantity of tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala.

Add mashed peas, cauliflower, potatoes and one and half cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for seven to ten minutes, pressing with back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed.

Add Pavbhaji Masala, salt and remaining tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously. Then set aside.

Now, spread parchment paper/foil on baking sheet and place the pizza base/crust on it. Spread an even layer of the curry/bhaji on the pizza base.

Next, add the fresh cut onions, cheese and cilantro on top of the curry. Optionally, you could place some butter on the top of the pizza crust. Bake for 10 - 12 mins(or according to package directions for pizza crust)

When the pizza comes out of the oven, drizzle some lemon juice on top of pizza...serve hot / at room temp.

Enjoy!!!

A Holiday Adventure and a Pasta Dish

2010-03-10T02:11:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my tag awards post, Napa Valley is a favorite vacation destination in my family. We always get to see the best vista points, also the scenery and landscape are always breathtaking...especially during the grape harvest season, the Valley is beautiful not only because of the grapes hanging from the vines but also from the sour-sweet smell of grapes in the air...plus we always have the best food at the restaurants in downtown Napa and Sonoma.

On one such trip, a few years back we also had a funny misadventure, when we traveled to Napa with some friends... we were so busy looking at the landscape in the beautiful wineries that we were late for lunch...by the time we reached downtown Napa it was almost beyond lunchtime and most of the restaurants were way too full and until we found one where there was no wait, we had to handle the fun experience of three kids with their constant "are we there yet"?

The lunch, that followed was definitely one of the best we had in Napa(probably, also because of the long drive to get there) and here is the recipe for one of the pasta dishes that we enjoyed that afternoon, which I have recreated many times, based on memory after that day, at home.

The thing that is different about this pasta is, for one, that it has a crunchy garnish from some fried sage and basil leaves on top of the penne pasta dish with ricotta and bell peppers. For my version, I just tend to saute some sage and basil leaves and garnish the pasta with it...makes for a very nice finish...Hope you enjoy it as much as we did that afternoon!

This dish goes to the Pasta Party Event hosted by Jyoti of Panch Pakwan and Jagruti's event, Joyful eating whilst traveling.

Recipe for Penne Pasta with Ricotta and Bell Peppers:
Serves: 5 or 6
Prep/cook time: 30-35 mins.
Ingredients:
1lb.penne pasta (I used whole wheat penne and some spaghetti as well)
1tsp butter
3 to 4 cloves garlic cut finely
1tbsp red pepper flakes
2 or 3 bell peppers - cut finely(I used red and green variety)
1 cup skimmed milk ricotta or low-fat ricotta cheese crumbled finely

For topping the pasta:
3 to 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
sage and/or basil - few leaves sauted in a little butter or light olive oil
breadcrumbs or toasted croutons - 2tbsp

For seasoning
1 tbsp. light olive oil
Salt, black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Start large pot of water to boil for cooking pasta. When water starts to boil, add a little salt(to season pasta) and then add the pasta itself. Let cook for 6 to 7 minutes (whole wheat pasta takes a minute or two longer than the regular pasta to cook). Take off stove and drain pasta when almost done(but not fully cooked - pasta needs to be baked finally)

2. In a pan, add the olive oil, cut/crushed garlic and red pepper flakes(and any additional salt) and saute for a minute or two. Add the vegs. before the garlic starts turning brown. Let cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Then, add the half-cooked pasta to it, alongwith the ricotta cheese. Set aside. Now, set oven to pre-heat at 350degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Once the sauce and the pasta-veg mixture is ready, grease a baking pan with light cooking spray(or butter, if you wish)

4. Now, add the pasta-veg. mixture then, add all the seasonings and toppings over the pasta.

5.Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 15 - 20 mins(at 350F), until the top turns golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature with garlic bread or soup or side of vegs.

A Walk Down Memory Lane...Yummies from Blogosphere

2010-03-09T01:04:00.000-08:00

Here is another addition to my Yummies from Blogosphere Series...as I said last week, my family enjoys this series immensely and why wouldnt they...considering they get to sample foods from some of the best recipes on Blogosphere???!!! I must say that this recipe was very special because it also made me walk down memory lane...it brought back memories of my high school/college days in Kolkata, India...

So this recipe is from Jyoti who blogs at The Veggie Hut. In the original post, she talks about her life in Kolkata or Calcutta, as it used to be called in the past...I enjoyed reading about her favorite street food stalls in Kolkata...that made me relate to my own college years when my friends and I would take advantage of the convenient location of our college near a busy shopping area in Calcutta and rush off, after classes to gorge on the chaats/street foods which were aplenty in Russell Street or in the stalls outside AC Market. And the temptations were many...there was phuchka(pani puri), jhaal muri, ghughni, rolls and then of course, the heavenly chilled kulfi...sigh!!

I wonder if all those stalls still exist because it has almost been 15 years or maybe more, since I last went to Kolkata...but that is how I remember the city...with it unhurried and relaxed pace, wonderful foods and friendly people.

Anyways...coming back to the recipe...it is one for Moong dal chilla(a savory crepe loaded with lovely veggies)...I have eaten it many, many times at friends' homes and my mom has made it in the past...but I had never tried it myself , even though I do make a variety of dosas at home...so when I saw Jyoti's recipe...I immediately bookmarked it and now...with the beginning of my series...I had a chance to make it at home.

It is extremely easy to make...the dough/batter being wonderfully easy to work with(once you have the right consistency)...plus it is super healthy because it does not need any rice! Just protein-rich moong dal(lentils) and of course, the vegs.

I served it with a tomato chutney that we all love in my family, last weekend... though it would taste great with any kind of chutney/dip/sauce...the kids demanded more of it the next day and luckily I had refrigerated some batter and we enjoyed it a second time, too!!

Notes/Variations to original recipe: I followed the original recipe as much as possible...however I did add some shredded cabbage also to the veggie mixture and additionally, a tsp each of coriander powder and cummin powder to the spice mix...being that I am a spice maniac!

Awesome recipe, Jyoti and thank you for it!!!
Links: original post

Recipe for Moong dal Chilla(as posted on The Veggie Hut):

This recipe makes 6 chillas:

Ingredients:
1 cup washed split moong dal(lentils)
1 onion chopped finely.
1 large tomato chopped finely.
½ cup bell pepper chopped finely.
¼ cup coriander leaves chopped finely.
2 green chilies deseeded and chopped finely.
¼ turmeric powder.
½ red chilli powder.
1 ¼ cup water.
1 tsp salt or to taste.
Oil for shallow frying.

Process:
Soak the moong dal for 2-3 hours. It will double in its volume. Drain off the water and add 1 ¼ cup of fresh water and churn in the mixer to form a liquid paste. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Add the salt just before making the 'Chilla'. The batter should have a dropping consistency just like dosa.

Keep the chopped veggies aside.

Heat a non stick pan. Grease it lightly. Take a ladle full of batter and drop it on the pan and quickly spread it on the pan in a circular motion to form a 6 cm radius circle. Sprinkle all the veggies all over it.

When the chilla changes color turn it over with a spatula and cook on the other side.

When done transfer it on a paper towel. Continue with the rest of the batter.

Serve hot with chutney and ketchup.

Fruity, sweet chutney with a tangy attitude

2010-03-08T01:49:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, fruits tend to be more decorative than edible objects in our house, especially for the kids:))

So, this weekend I decided to put the pretty little decorative objects sitting on my kitchen counter(read, apples and pears) in a fruity chutney that was sweet and yet tangy!

I ended up serving the chutney with rotis as well as at snack-time the next day with dosas(savory Indian crepes)...and the best thing was the kids did not have any complaints about eating fruits when there were so many interesting flavors - both sweet and tart, going on in the chutney.

This fruity chutney makes it way to Nithu's event: Think beyond the usual - Fruits.

Recipe for sweet and tangy Apple - Pear chutney:
Serves: 3 or 4
Prep/cook time: 15 mins.

Ingredients:
Apples - 2 crisp/firm finely grated with peel(I have used both Granny Smith and Golden Delicious varieties)
Pear - 1 finely grated(crisp variety like Asian Pears)
Ginger - 1 small piece
Green chillies - 1 or 2
Honey - 2 tbsp
For seasoning: black mustard seeds, salt - a pinch, cooking oil/butter - 1 tsp

Method:
In a pan, add the cooking oil(or butter) and when it heats up, add the mustard seeds and when they crackle, add all the rest of the ingredients, one at a time and saute for 6 or 7 mins. till the fruits become very soft and translucent. Serve immediately or at room temperature with rotis, Indian snack items like dosa/idli or on bread as a spread.

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Also, going back to my tag awards, here are two of my favorite pics. from our family's most memorable, recent vacations...a picture of Napa Valley, California from last fall and downtown Vancouver, BC. I have many joyous memories from these trips...and that, I guess will be material for future posts...

Another Award + Fruity Yoghurt Side Dish

2010-03-06T01:29:00.000-08:00

My fantabulous blogger friend who blogs @ Joy of Cooking...Jagruti has bestowed this Tag Award upon me...She is a wonderful blogger who has an eye-catching blog and equally eye-catching recipes...not only Indian but also from different corners of the world...Thanks, Jagruti for this Tag award...awesome of you to think about me!

This award comes with certain rules...the first rule being that you link and mention the person that tagged you(Jagruti, how can I forget you?)...secondly, I need to pass it on to seven blogger friends...so I have chosen seven blogger friends randomly by picking names after assigning consecutive numbers to my blogger pals' names and asking my family to pick seven random numbers. The toughest part always is to pick just a certain number of blogger friends to tag. So here goes:

Jyoti of The Veggie Hut

Rachana of Veggie Fare

Latha of A Peek into My Kitchen

Gita of Gita's Kitchen

Shahana of Me N My Apron

Daisy Blue of Spicy Lounge

Love2cook of Love2cook-msia

Thank you for your awesome support and hope you enjoy these awards, my friends!

As part of the rules for accepting this award, I am also required to post one or more of my favorite pictures...which I will post next week...

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Now, for today's Fruity Yoghurt Side Dish aka Fruity Raita with Dahi:

This is part of my ongoing effort to incorporate as many fruits and vegs. as possible into my family's daily diet...I always find that whenever we buy fruits, most of them tend to sit on the counter...isnt it funny how kids never reach for a fruit when it comes to snack-time...it is always the fried or sugary food that holds their attention. So now I sneak fruits just as much as vegs. into almost every meal.

This fruity yoghurt side dish or raita would be a great accompaniment to rotis, rice dishes or even as a sandwich-stuffer. The best part about this is that you can pack in multiple daily servings of fruits and vegs into one super-simple dish.

Recipe for Fruity Yoghurt Side Dish or Raita:

Serves:4

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Pears - 2 ripe but of crisp variety(like the Asian Pears), grated finely

Carrot - 1 grated finely

Cucumber - 1 seedless or de-seeded and grated finely

Tomato - 1 cut finely

Red Onion - 1 cut finely(optional - I have made these fruity yoghurt raitas with and without the onion)

Green chilli pepper - cut finely or slit in half

Yoghurt - 1 1/2 cups ( I like the thick Greek yoghurt variety - lowfat or nonfat for this dish but any variety should work good)

For seasoning: salt, pepper and cilantro

In a bowl, add all the ingredients and top with seasonings and mix well till well-combined.

Serve chilled or at room temp.

Asian Pear

Easy Lunch-box Item: Fragrant Stir-Fried Greens and Brown Rice

2010-03-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

I normally don't include rice dishes in our family's lunch-box, mostly because rice dishes are best, when served fresh and hot. But recently, I prepared a rice dish which was very fragrant and I felt it would make a good addition to the lunch-box...the fragrant nature of the rice helped it keep its freshness. Plus it is a super-healthy dish with a medley of greens(spinach, dill, mint and cilantro) and brown rice(of course, you could substitute with white rice).

When I prepare this dish for the lunch-box, I tend to put aside some cooked rice the night before so that it saves time when it comes to prep-work in the morning...also I usually refrigerate some boiled mixed vegs. the night before, because I normally cannot find more than 20-25 mins. in the morning to prepare lunch-box items.

I normally use plain yoghurt as a side for this rice dish because it has so much fragrance and veggies in it...it does not need an elaborate side dish or I might serve it with a simple okra and yoghurt side-dish(raita/dip)

So here goes with the recipe...

This fragrant and healthy rice dish goes to the FFSSL: Tiffin-box Series by RV and Sudeshna.

Recipe for Fragrant Stir-Fried Greens and Brown Rice:

Serves: 4

Prep/Cook Time: 20-25mins.

Ingredients:
Brown Rice - 3 cups(cooked)...both medium and long-grain brown rice will work.
Dill leaves - 1/2 bunch fresh(cut finely)
Spinach - 1/2 bunch fresh(cut finely)
Mint leaves - a small handful
Onion - 1 cut finely
Mixed vegs - 1 cup boiled(I used frozen mixed vegs. including carrots, peas, corn, green beans)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2tsp(could increase if you like the taste, 2tsp will give mild flavor of ginger and garlic)
Green chillies - 3 cut finely or slit in half
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Curry powder or sambhar powder - 1 tsp
For seasoning -
Cooking oil - 2tbsp(could also use butter), Saunf(fennel seeds) - 1tsp, Cummin seeds - 1tsp, Cinnamon stick - small piece, cardamom(elaichi) - 2 or 3, slivered almonds/cashews - 2 tbsp(for garnish), salt, turmeric, sugar - 1tsp(optional) cilantro, and lemon juice for garnish.

Method:

In a deep - bottomed non-stick pan, add the oil and when it heats up, add all the seasonings except cilantro and lemon juice.
When the seasonings start to brown, add the cut onions, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and saute for a few minutes till onions turn brown and crispy.
At this point, add the cut spinach, mint leaves and dill leaves to the mixture and saute again for 3 or 4 minutes till the leaves turn nice and soft.
Now, add the mixed vegs. to the pan and let cook for a few minutes...at this point you can add all the spice powders like coriander powder and curry/sambhar powder to the mixture.
When the vegs. are well mixed with the spices, add the cooked brown rice and mix well.
Turn off the heat and add all the garnish items like cilantro and lemon juice.
Serve hot or at room temperature with yoghurt, salad or raita.
Note: All ethnic ingredients are available at Asian/Asian Indian grocery stores or in the International Foods aisle at any grocery store.

Yummies from Blogosphere: A sweet start to a new series!

2010-03-01T23:49:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my post last week to my readers, here is my new series: Yummies from Blogosphere - where I am delighted to showcase beautiful recipes from Bloggerworld which I have tried and relished with my family and friends. I feel that this is the best way that I could show appreciation for all the inspiration that I get from my fellow bloggers.

I have bookmarked wonderful food creations from almost every food blog I read regularly...so, naturally I had a humongous variety of dishes to choose from, to try out last weekend...I did not know which one to choose because they are all foods to die for! I wanted to start this new series with something sweet... I could not believe that I had bookmarked so many recipes!

I just could not fix on one recipe to try out. Finally, I ended up making a serially numbered list of favorite sweet recipes (one from each of the blogs that I regularly read) and had my daughter give me a random number and tried out the recipe corresponding to that number. It just goes to show what amazing talent we have in Blogosphere, I think.

Without further ado, let me go on to the recipe that I tried last weekend...

It was a wonderfully sweet recipe for Microwave Cashewnut (Kaju)Peda originally posted by Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes. I will provide a link to the original recipe below. It was posted almost a year back by Priya. She has provided some great info on cashewnuts - their nutritional benefits and method of storage and so on...what attracted me to this recipe was the fact that it is probably one of the quickest and fastest sweet/dessert recipes that I have made in a while, not to mention the fact that is also extremely healthy... I started making it with 10 minutes to spare for dinner time and it was still ready, well in time to have as a tasty, bite-size dessert. The pedas were easy to shape into round discs(actually my 9 year old daughter helped me with this step...it was easy enough to shape for her!)

NOTES AND POSSIBLE VARIATIONS: I followed the original recipe as much as possible. The only change I made to the original recipe is that, I ended up using 4 tbsp of water in place of the original recipe (which required 2 tsp water) That was mainly because I used totally non-fat milk powder which was very crumbly and needed some extra water for the cashew and milk powder mixture to come together. I also used some raisins as well as pistachios for the garnish. Plus, I was thinking it might be good to use some saffron strands the next time I make this for an extra touch of flavor...talk about icing on an already beautiful cake!

The taste of course, was unbelievable inspite of the fact that it is almost totally devoid of butter/oil. Needless to say, my family loved it - even my toddler!

Links: Original Post for Microwave Kaju Peda at Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes

Thanks, Priya for this fabulous recipe!

I so love this series...I(and of course, my family!!!) cant wait to try the next Yummy from Blogosphere!

Recipe for Microwave Kaju Peda(as posted on Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes):
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1cup Cashew powder
1/2cup Milk powder
2tsp Water
3/4cup Sugar
Few pistachios (garnishing)

Take a wide microwave bowl...add the cashew powder, milk powder, water and sugar together and mix with a spatula, microwave for 2 minutes in high, stir in between..Keep aside and let it cool..

Now it will look like soft chappathi dough, roll or shape them as u desire..Garnish the pistachio..

Weekend Indulgence - Chocolatey Goodness with a difference!!

2010-02-27T01:57:00.000-08:00

I love chocolate desserts as my blog posts should show...most of my desserts have chocolate in some shape or form in them...but recently, with the move to eating healthy, I am trying to find healthful ingredients in all my chocolate desserts.

So I was intrigued when I came upon this recipe for Chocolate Mousse in a fitness magazine which had no cream or half and half or anything else that is fattening in it! The main ingredient was....tofu!!! For a long time, I did not make this one because I was not sure if the texture of the mousse would be well...anything like mousse, with just tofu in it. When I tried it finally, for the first time - I found that it was actually very good...it had a creaminess to it that was very surprising for tofu. But to make it even better(well...perfection is good, right?!) I added bananas the next time and Voila...I get one awesome recipe for chocolate mousse! I served it for a weekend dinner(last weekend) with some friends and everybody wondered how much cream I had used...boy, were they surprised when they found it was tofu...

So, here goes with the recipe...hope you like it as much as my family and friends did!

Recipe for Chocolate Mousse with a difference:

Serves: 8

Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
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Super-Firm Tofu - 1 pack cut into small pieces(may also go by the name extra-firm tofu)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips - 1/2 cup
Unsweetened dark cocoa powder - 1 1/2 tsp(I used Ghirardelli)
Banana - 1 sliced thinly
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp(optional for extra sweetness)
Low-fat milk - 2 tsp

Method:

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Blend the tofu until it turns silken-smooth...this is very important in order to achieve the soft consistency of mousse...not blending enough will give it a gritty consistency. This step takes a few minutes.

Then, add all the other ingredients and blend until well-incorporated and thoroughly smooth. At this point, the mousse will have a very thick consistency.

Pour the mousse into serving cups or ramekins and cover each serving up with plastic wrap so that the top layer of the mousse remains smooth.

Chill overnight in the refrigerator and serve cold, if possible for best taste.

Garnishes could be cherries, candied fruit, chopped nuts, grated dark chocolate/white chocolate, toffee bits...for the kids, you could even serve with a beautiful topping of whipped cream(that always gets an awesome reaction from them)

More Awards + Announcing Yummies from Blogosphere Series

2010-02-25T01:38:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking of this series: Yummies from Blogosphere ever since I recently received some more beautiful awards from our fellow blogger Swapna Sridhar who has an awesome blog , where she posts creative recipes and crafts...do check it out if you have not done so already. Thanks a million, Swapna!

But I have been embarrassed about accepting these beautiful awards because I am such a newbie blogger. Then I thought that the best way to celebrate these awards would be by showcasing the awesome talents of my fellow bloggers whose inspiration and encouragement, is the main reason behind my passion for blogging.

For the last several months, I have been browsing different blogs where I drool over all the goodies created by our blogger friends...I think "Ooh, I would love to try that" or "I have never seen that recipe before" and I bookmark and I bookmark...you get the idea...sometimes I try these beautiful recipes but lots of times, I am so busy trying out my own kitchen experiments, that I dont get a chance to appreciate the efforts of my fellow bloggers enough. Oh...I should note here that I have not blown up my kitchen from my recipe creation experiments that I mentioned earlier(yet!!!)

Anyways, as a blogger and passionate cook, I would love to hear somebody else's experiences with my dishes, and I am assuming most bloggers would love to hear others' experience and thoughts with their recipes too...so here goes... I am planning to do a new series: Yummies from Blogosphere - where I will try out one of my favorite recipes from those already posted by my fellow bloggers every weekend and blog about my experiences with that dish and also my degree of success with it every Monday going forward.

By this series, I am hoping that my family will get a chance to definitely taste some of the truly tried and tested recipes and also my audience will get a chance to browse glorious recipes that they may have missed seeing from the original blogger. Of course, I will be providing a link to the original blogger's fabulous post.

I also would like to reach out to my fellow bloggers and ask for their tips if I am about to try one of their wonderful recipes...

I know I am taking on a challenge here, because I may not be able to achieve the same degree of success that the original blogger had with the recipe and I may not be able to capture the images of that dish, as beautifully either...but I would definitely like to try!!!

Have I bitten off more than I can chew - with this series???

Here are my awards and now I would like to share them with all my awesome blogger buddies...hope you will accept them and I hope to do justice to your fabulous dishes...that you have taken so much time and effort to prepare, take pictures and post...

CROWD - PLEASING PASTA SERVED WITH GARLIC BREAD AND GRILLED EGGPLANT!

2010-02-24T01:06:00.000-08:00

I had not cooked pasta for the last few weeks which was surprising for me...especially since it brings the whole family to the dinner table like a magnet, everytime... irrespective of whether it is mac n cheese, spaghetti or penne pasta...you name it, they love it.

So, when the kids mentioned pasta, I went hunting in the pantry and came up with fettucini noodles...I normally make fettucini with bell-pepper and/or spinach...but didnt have either of those veggies so came up with the idea of trying some new veggies to go into the alfredo sauce (for the fettucini)...had some garlic bread too.

My alfredo sauce has no cheese in it, it is quite light and definitely has a saucy but not very heavy consistency...very low-fat...you can of course, add cheese to it, if you wish. I normally add the cheese as a topping, only. This is the recipe I served one day last weekend...hope you enjoy it as much as my family did...

This recipe goes to the event: Pasta Party hosted by Jyoti V. of Panch Pakwan.

RECIPE FOR:
BAKED FETTUCINI PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI IN LIGHT ALFREDO SAUCE -

Serves: 5 to 6
Prep/cook time: 30 to 35 mins.

Ingredients:
1 lb.fettucini noodles (I used whole wheat fettucini)
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 to 2 tsp butter
3 to 4 cloves garlic cut finely
1tbsp red pepper flakes
1/2 head of broccoli cut into medium size florets
1/2 head of cauliflower cut into medium size florets

For topping the pasta:
3 to 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
parsley or basil - few leaves(optional)
breadcrumbs or toasted croutons - 2tbsp

For seasoning
1 tbsp. light olive oil, salt & black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Start large pot of water to boil for cooking noodles. When water starts to boil, add a little salt(to season pasta) and then add the fettucini itself. Let cook for 6 to 7 minutes (whole wheat pasta takes a minute or two longer than the regular pasta to cook). Take off stove and drain pasta when almost done(but not fully cooked - pasta needs to be baked finally)

2. In a pan, add the olive oil, cut/crushed garlic and red pepper flakes(and any additional salt) and saute for a minute or two. Add the vegs. before the garlic starts turning brown. Let cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Then, add the drained pasta to it. Set aside. Now, set oven to pre-heat at 350degrees Fahrenheit.

3. In another non-stick pan, add the butter and flour and nicely stir together to remove any lumps from the flour...when the mixture starts bubbling and almost starts changing color, add the milk and let simmer for 3 or 4 mins. Keep whisking in between, to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Take off the stove when well-mixed and the sauce has become thick. Dont leave the sauce unattended when it is boiling because then the sauce starts to become too thick and pasty(not good!)

TIP: The sauce takes typically 3 to 4 minutes to thicken up nicely...beyond 5 mins...could start sticking to pan and become pasty.

4. Once the sauce and the pasta-veg mixture is ready, grease a baking pan with light cooking spray(or butter, if you wish) and add some sauce on the bottom.

5. Now, add the pasta-veg. mixture over the layer of sauce and then, finally add a final layer of the remaining sauce.

6. Top the pasta with the parmesan cheese, black pepper, basil/parsley(optional) and breadcrumbs/croutons. Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 15 - 20 mins(at 350F), until the top turns golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature with garlic bread or soup or side of vegs...I served with a side of garlic bread and grilled eggplant(recipe follows)

For grilled eggplant:

Cut 1 big - sized eggplant in round slices...arrange on baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle a mixture of breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, little tomato puree and parmesan cheese on top(Sometimes I use mozzarella cheese too). Sprinkle some light olive oil on the slices of eggplant and bake at 350 F for about 10 to 15 mins...till nice and crispy. Season with salt and pepper as soon as it comes out of the oven.

10 Minute Recipe Series:Vibrant Mixed Salad with a healthy punch of anti-oxidants

2010-02-23T01:41:00.000-08:00

Whenever I add a salad to our meal, I try to make it as colorful as possible...you know, so the kids will atleast let me put it on their plates because they like the colors...once it gets on their plates, of course, chances are it has some hope of making it to their tummies!!! Otherwise, it is "Can I have something else to eat?" and of course, the other high feature on the list of complaints about food being - "This doesnt look cool." Then, I launch into the usual lecture about how we could not open our mouths to do anything except eat when we were at the dining table as kids...sigh!

Of course, the more colorful the salad is, the greater nutritional punch it can pack - from a variety of veggies and fruits. Yes, I like to combine veggies and fruits in salads...not just because of the colors, but also because it is so tough to get kids to eat both...so any help one gets from combining them, the better.

Of course, when I am starting to mix things up with fruits and veggies...I dont stop there...I also sneak in some dry fruits and nuts for the anti-oxidant punch!!!

Also, here I like to use a simple salad dressing combining lemon juice and honey...which is great because I understand that one of the health benefits of honey is in regards to how it can help people lose weight. Believe it or not, by combining honey with lemon juice, the body can more easily digest the fat in various foods. And I can always use that benefit...another sigh!

The awesome thing is that, the flavors are so varied, it does not need any addition of cheese, croutons or any of the other flavor enhancers for salads!!!

This salad I have here is not only colorful...it also gets ready in under 10 minutes...a great accompaniment to breads, pastas, rotis and even great as a snack by itself!!!

Recipe for Vibrant Mixed Fruit and Veggie Salad:

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Serves: 4

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Carrots - 1/2 cup cut into thin slices

Grape Tomatoes - 1/2 cup sliced in half (or any other firm tomato variety cut into small chunks)

Cucumber - 1/2 cup cut into small chunks or slices

Apples and / or Pears - 1/2 cup cut into pieces(I used the variety Golden Delicious but any crisp yet juicy variety should be good)

Raisins - 1/2 cup seedless

Pecans / Walnuts - 1/4 cup cut into small pieces

Grapes(optional) - 1/2 cup(you could also do half raisins and half grapes or just omit the grapes altogether - both ways work fine)

For seasoning / salad dressing: Mix /whisk together all of the following and set aside -

Light olive oil - 1 tbsp

Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

Honey - 1 to 2 tbsp(depending on how sweet you like the salad to be)

Crushed Black Pepper - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Add all the cut veggies. fruits, nuts and dry fruits together in a bowl.

Pour the seasonings / salad dressing on top of the salad.

Whoo Hoo!!!

Note: This salad is better when consumed immediately or within an hour or two of preparation, otherwise the apples start turning brown.

I wonder how my blogger friends add punch to their salads???!!!!

Back to the Grassroots of South Indian Cuisine: One Hot Curry !!!

2010-02-21T01:40:00.000-08:00

South Indian cuisine has traditionally been replete with spicy foods. The foods that I see nowadays in the South Indian restaurants totally lack the bold and fiery nature of the foods that I used to remember coming out of my grandmother's kitchen. Of course, the reason for that being - the restaurants have to cater to all kinds of palates and so they try to stay middle - of - the road. But for someone who has grown up with the bold flavors of multiple spices - restaurant fare does seem tame...which is why, I try not to order South Indian curries when we go out to eat.

Of course, with the passage of time and changing lifestyles and the move to less spicy cooking in a lot of households...it is sometimes not easy to find those genuinely spicy[but Oh, so tasty :-) foods!!!] nowadays, cooked at home or in restaurants.

One such curry which is decidedly fiery is "Vattral Kuzhambu". This curry is definitely only for the brave of heart and strong of stomach...yet it appeals to me on different levels - it is tangy, spicy and also has a hint of sweetness(a touch of jaggery, being the reason behind that) Also I tend to add another dimension of taste that is bitterness, by adding a significant quantity of fenugreek seeds to it...thus combining the spicy nature of the curry with the known nutritious benefits of the bitter fenugreek seeds. Basically, in our family we sometimes combine two different traditional curries - Vattral Kuzhambu and Vendhaya Kuzhambu to make Vendhaya Katthirikkai Vattral Kuzhambu - the name is quite a mouthful but it is an easy enough curry to prepare and it packs quite a nutritional wallop in the form of the fenugreek seeds.

Fenugreek is a great aid to digestion because it contains a non-dissolving fiber. It is able to lower levels of harmful cholesterol and to regulate blood sugar levels. It is also believed to be beneficial for treating bronchitis, allergies, and congestion.

With all these nutritional benefits, is it any wonder that I prepare this curry quite often at home. Of course, I guess I have to admit that I crave the spice that comes along with the nutrition in the curry!!!

This recipe is off to the CWS - Fenugreek Seeds Event guest - hosted by Denufood and started by Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes.

Recipe for Spicy South Indian Curry with Fenugreek Seeds and Eggplant(Vendhaya Katthirikkai Vattral Kuzhambu):

Serves: 3 or 4

Prep/Cook Time: 30 - 35 minutes

Ingredients:

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Shallots - 6 to 8 peeled

Round, small eggplant - 3 or 4 cut into small pieces

Tamarind water - 2 cups

Toovar Dal(red gram dal) - pressure cook for 2 whistles and keep aside

Jaggery - small piece

To roast and grind into fine paste:

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 cup

Red chillies - 5 or 6

Urud Dal (split black gram) - 2 tsp

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds(dhania) - 1tsp

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

For seasoning:

Mustard(rai) - 1tsp, Urud Dal - 1tsp, Red chilly pepper - 1no.(optional), few curry leaves, asafoetida(hing) - small piece soaked in water, salt and turmeric, gingelly oil or til oil - 2tsp

Method:

--------

In a pan, add the oil and when it heats up add all the seasonings except salt and when the mustard starts to crackle, add the shallots and eggplant and let it cook till the shallots and eggplant turn a little brownish in color(almost cooked).

Add the tamarind water and salt and let it boil well for 8 to 10 minutes on medium high heat.

Then, add the ground paste and jaggery and let the mixture cook for another 5 minutes.

Finally add the cooked toovar dal(red gram dal) to the curry and let it boil for a minute or two before switching off the heat.

This curry is an awesome accompaniment to rice as well as rotis or chappathis.

Note: All ethnic items available at Asian/Indian grocery stores.

Comfort Foods Series #2 - Traditional and Delightful South Indian Lentils and Veggies Curry(Molaguttal)

2010-02-19T00:59:00.000-08:00

I guess it is my Southern Indian background which makes me reach out to the traditional tastes and flavors that I remember from my childhood, again and again...especially on the days that I am more harried and stressed than usual, I always find myself making these familiar comfort foods...and most of the time(if not always) they include some combination of lentils and veggies.

The sights and sounds of our old family home in Kerala(India) come back to me every time I make these comforting dishes and though I dont get to go back there very often... I still find myself mentally transported there, to the land of everlasting lush greenery, coconut palms and mango trees...which are never far away from my mind.

Molaguttal is one such traditional Tamilian/Keralite dish(made mostly by Tamilians settled in Kerala for many years). It is a great curry that can accompany rice or chappathis/phulkas or even, parathas. Traditionally, it is made with veggies like white pumpkin, cabbage or spinach either by themselves or in some combination but I have also successfully used veggies like cauliflower, green peas, carrots, chayote(aka chow-chow or bangalore kathirikkai) and even, broccoli.

I find myself making this dish more often nowadays, because the kids seem to love this dish and eat more of it compared to a lot of other dishes...maybe it is the simplicity of its taste that makes it appealing to them. I dont question it at all, I just tend to make it almost every week and find it disappearing before I know it...which is a definite vote of confidence for me!!!

Here is the recipe:

Molaguttal ( Southern Indian Curry with lentils and veggies) -
-------------------------------------------------------------
Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 20 to 25 mins.

Ingredients:-
1/2 to 3/4 cup of toovar dal(split yellow lentils/red gram)- pressure cooked for 3 whistles and kept aside
1/2 cup shredded cabbage1/2 cup chopped methi(fenugreek) leaves
1/4 cup diced carrot

For grinding into fine paste:-
1/4 to 1/2 cup of grated coconut(fresh or desiccated)
1/4 cup cummin seeds(jeera)
3 or 4 red chillies (Asian/Indian variety long, thin dried chillies)
1 tsp urud dal(split black gram dal)

For seasoning:-
1tsp Black mustard seeds(rai)
1tsp cummin seeds(jeera)
1tsp urud dal(split black gram dal)
Few curry leaves
2 dry red chillies( 1 chilli if you would like it to be less spicy or just omit this item totally)
Oil - 1 to 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt

Method:-
In a pressure cooker, add the vegetables and turmeric and enough water to cover up all the veggies and pressure cook for 3 whistles(till veggies are almost cooked).

Alternately, you could cook all the veggies and turmeric with water in a pan till they are almost fully cooked(takes about 7 to 8 mins on medium - high heat)

Take the ground fine paste of cummin seeds, urud dal, red chillies and coconut and add it to the veggies alongwith salt and let come to a boil(takes about 4 to 5 mins on medium high heat).

Then add the cooked lentils(dal) to the mixture. Let it cook till everything comes to a light bubbly consistency.

In a separate pan, add all the seasoning ingredients with oil and let it fry till mustard seeds start crackling.

Add these seasonings to the molaguttal curry.

Serve hot or at room temperature with brown/white rice, rotis, parathas and so on. You could also store this for upto a week in the refrigerator.

Note: all ethnic ingredients available at Asian/Indian grocery stores.

10 minute Wonder Series: Nutty - Minty Dip / Chutney

2010-02-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

Nuts have always been a part of my daily cooking and food regimen since I can remember...but recently my hubby and I decided to cut out as many super-refined and over-processed foods from our family's diet as it was practically possible to...especially with the kids and their need for after-school snacks. In the past, it was always so easy to grab some store-bought goodies for their snack items...but we finally decided enough was enough.

Now we try to replace all those over-processed foods with simple, nutritious yet tasty snacks like nuts, for one thing. Then there is the cheese, the fruits, dried fruits and so on, that we are trying to incorporate as well. But that is the subject for yet another post.

And believe me, we are seeing the benefits of that substitution atleast in my husband's and my case...since we feel much more full with just a handful of nuts and of course, we still do have our indulgences in the store-bought desserts and so on, once in a while. But this change makes us feel very much better about our diet and the kids' diets as well. The kids surprisingly dont seem to mind the absence of store-bought snacks(especially if I keep showering them with home-made snacks that they demand:))

Nuts, I understand(as I read more and more) have a world of goodness packed in them...considering that they are chock-full of protein, omega - 3 essential fatty acids, antioxidants and Vitamin E and Vitamin B complex. And of course, I cant even begin to list all the heart-healthy minerals that they contain...potassium, magnesium and zinc being just a few.

So, with all that said, I try to incorporate nuts in every kind of dish...what is not to like - they make every dish creamy and melt - in - your mouth!

Here is a Nutty - Minty Dip that I make very often, not only because it is ready in less than 10 minutes but also because it is extremely versatile...great for sandwich spreads, dip for savory cookies / crackers and also a wonderful accompaniment for Indian tiffin items like idli, dosa and even rotis.

Here is the recipe:

Nutty Minty Dip / Chutney / Spread
______________________________
Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Cilantro - 1 bunch
Mint - few leaves (5 or 6 or more if you can handle the strong taste)
Ginger - small piece (less than 1 inch size)
Garlic - 2 pods (roast slightly with very little or no oil)
White Sesame Seeds(Til) - 1tsp roasted slightly
Almonds - 8 to 10 roasted slightly
Green chilly peppers - 4 or 5( I used the long, thin Indian variety though any variety should work fine)
For seasoning: mustard(rai) and urud dal(split black gram), few curry leaves, 1 tsp light olive oil or any other cooking oil
Salt according to taste
Lemon juice for garnish

Method:

Clean and cut cilantro leaves.

Blend all the ingredients into a fine paste.

In a pan, add 1tsp oil and when it heats up, add the mustard and urud and curry leaves...wait till mustard starts to crackle and urud turns golden brown. Add these seasonings to the chutney. Top with some freshly squeezed lemon juice...yummmmy!!!

NOTE: All ethnic ingredients are easily available at most grocery stores in the Asian/Asian Indian aisle.

Masala Tindora Gravy / Kovakkai Gravy / Ivy Gourd Gravy

2010-02-17T01:19:00.000-08:00

I am back again with another post for a favorite veggie gravy dish...creamy yet spicy and tangy tindora or kovakkai(ivy gourd gravy).

Back in my childhood days, Tindora was not one of my favorite veggies...back then I mostly liked potatoes

or okra or sometimes, a well-fried(ouch!!) eggplant dish. Now however, tindora is one of my many favorites in the veggie world.

I like this gravy dish almost as much as all the varieties of tindora (kovakkai stir-fries) that I make.

Masala Tindora Gravy Recipe:

*************************

Serves: 3 or 4

Prep/cooking time: 20-2 mins.

Ingredients:

********

Tindora/kovakkai/tinda/ivy gourd - 1 lb cut into 1 inch long pieces or round slices(according to your liking - both have worked fine for me)

Onion - 1 big cut into big chunks

Green chillies - 3 or 4 cut into thin slices

Tomato paste - 1 tbsp or tomato puree - 1/2 cup

Fresh yoghurt - 1 cup (whisk it lightly to remove any lumps and keep aside)

Cashewnuts - 7 or 8 chopped

Peanuts - 1 tbsp

Poppy seeds(khus-khus) - 1tsp

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Dhania powder - 2 tsp

Cummin or jeera powder - 1/2 tsp

Paprika or red chilli powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp(optional)

Salt - according to taste

Turmeric - a pinch

Oil - 3 to 4 tbsp

For seasoning: Fennel seeds(saunf) - 1 tsp, fenugreek seeds(methi seeds) - 1/2 tsp

For garnish: Cilantro and/or tomato slices

Method:

******

In a pan, add 1 to 2 tbsp of oil and add cut tindora and let cook till almost done (until the veggies become tender and almost cooked) which takes about 6 to 7 minutes. Keep aside.

In a separate pan, add a little oil(less than a tsp) and roast the cut onion, cashewnuts, peanuts and poppy seeds till the nuts turn brownish in color and the onions become slightly translucent. Let cool for a few minutes and grind into a smooth paste.

In a pan, add the remaining oil and then the fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds until the fennel seeds start crackling. Then, add the sliced green chillies and ground onion-nuts paste, turmeric, salt and sugar(optional)and let the mixture cook for about 2 or 3 minutes until any raw smell in the onions disappears.

Then add the tomato paste or puree and let it boil together with the onion gravy.

Then add the cooked tindora and also all the spice powders(coriander powder, cummin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder) and let everything come to a boil.

Finally add the whisked yoghurt to the veggies and let it bubble up once before taking off the heat and adding the items for garnish...which could be cilantro(coriander leaves) or sliced tomatoes or both.

This gravy dish would be a great accompaniment to rotis, bread, puris or even rice.

Note: All Asian / Indian ingredients and spices are available at most ethnic/Asian or Asian Indian grocery stores.

An Ode to Unique Indian Snack Foods

2010-02-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

After a restful Valentine's Day weekend(of course, packed with great food) here I am back with a new post that pays homage to unique Indian snacks... specifically a wonderful savory snack...I am refering to Khasta Kachori.

This is a very interesting savory snack item but I had never tried it before at home...though I must have eaten it a million times during school days at the many chaat centers in Calcutta and then, later during college days.

I finally had a chance to make it as part of January's challenge at the Indian Cooking Challenge hosted by the wonderful Srivalli of Spice your life(Thanks, Srivalli! for giving me a chance to relive wonderful old memories of times spent with college friends eating at chaat centers back home).

This recipe is a tried and tested recipe perfected by Medhaa of Cook with Love...Thanks, Medhaa for taking the time to try and perfect this recipe for all of us in ICC.

I tried the moong dal kachori since that is the closest reminder to me of all the kachoris I have eaten at chaat centers.

Now, coming to the recipe...here I have mentioned three different types of filling: onion, split peas and moong dal. I am also glad I followed all the recipe instructions to the letter because then I was able to avoid common pitfalls, like having the kachoris turn out flat like puris and so on.

Hope all my readers will try this recipe some time since the finished product is so delectable...it is really worth the effort!!!

When I was looking up some info on Google about Khasta Kachori, I found the rolled out pastry shape of kachoris as well as round - shaped ones...so I made both of these...of course, the ingredients were the same for both varieties...needless to say, everyone at home enjoyed both varieties of these!!!

Khasta Kachoris Recipe:
--------------------------------
Resting Time for the Dough is app 1/2 hr - 1 hr

Frying time for the Kachoris - 20 mins for each batch app.
Soaking Time for the Filling is app. 1 hr
Cooking Time for the Filling is app 15 mins
Yields - 15

For the Dough-
Ingredients Needed:
--------------------
All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups
Oil/ Ghee - 1/4 cup ,
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water for kneading

Method:
Mix the flour and salt, Add the oil/ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture.
Slowly add water and make a soft dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes.
Cover and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour.

Special Tips / Notes for the dough:
Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.
The dough could spring back for many reasons:
Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used)
Dough is not soft enough.
Not kneaded for enough time.
Oil is less.
Not rested enough.

Fillings :
--------
Khasta Kachori - Moong Dal Kachori
Ingredients Needed:
Split Moong Dal (yellow) - 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 2 tsp chopped fine (opt)
Green Chilli - Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Sauf / Fennel seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Mango powder / Amchur - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method-
1. Wask and Soak dal in water for atleast 1 hour. You can go upto 4 hours not more.
2. Drain the water well.
3. Grind the dal to a coarsely. (Will resemble Idli Rawa)
4. Heat oil in a pan.
5. Add the hing and cumin seeds.
6. Once the seeds splutter add the curry leaves.
7. Add the dal.
8. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes till the dal stops sticking to the pan.
9. Cook for another 10 minutes on low till the dal turns slightly brown.
10. Add all the masalas.
11. Cook for few minutes till the aroma of the spices hit you.
12. Add Salt.
13. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

Special Tips / Notes for the filling:
The fillings have to be really dry if not when rolling they will ooze out when rolling.
Adjust the masalas according to your taste. What is given in this recipe is spicy to the extent one can still enjoy.
For idea on pressing the filled kachori, check out Manjula's method. If you try to press out using a rolling pin, the filling may come out and make holes in the kachori.
Fry the kachori's on medium low to get a crisp outer layer, that is the key. For people using electric stove, the numbers can be going from 6 to 4.

Muttar Ki Kachori from Tarla Dalal:
For green pea filling
2 cups green peas
1 teaspoon green chillies, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
4 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons oil
salt

For the green pea filling
Coarsely grind the green peas,green chillies and ginger in a blender without using any water. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a pan,add the nigella seeds,fennel seeds,bay leaves and ground green pea mixture and saute over a very slow flame for 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the chilli powder,garam masala,coriander and salt and saute for 2 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Divide into 12 equal portions.

Pyaz Ki Kachori:
For the onion filling
2 cups onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf)
2 bay leaves
1½ teaspoons green chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan)
2 teaspoons coriander (dhania) powder
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

To make the onion filling-
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.
Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
Divide into 12 equal portions and keep aside.

To Make Kachori's:
--------------------
Make a small ball from the dough. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter circle. Or flatten the ball using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin.
Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough.
Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins.
Then using your palm, flatten the balls by lightly pressing it, as using the rolling pin will make the filling come out. (See notes below). Keep aside covered. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Meanwhile heat some oil for deep frying. The oil should not become smoking hot. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top.
Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. If you don't want to use lot of oil, use just enough for two or three at a time and fry them.
After it rises up (about 2 minutes), turn it over.
Cook for about 6 to 10 minutes till the side down gets a golden brown color.
Turn and cook the other side for another 6 minutes or till its golden brown in color.
Remove when done, cool and store in airtight container.
Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney

Special Tips / Notes for making the Kachoris:
You can fry 3 kachori's at a time.
The oil should be at a heat when you drop some dough it should come up slowly, if the dough comes up too fast the oil is too hot, if it does not come up then the oil is cold.
It will not be crisp if the oil is too hot.

Enjoy!!!

Awards Time!!!

2010-02-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

After a restful Valentine's Day weekend(of course, packed with great food) here I am back with a new post relating to the beautiful awards that I have received from my blogosphere friend, Jyothi of Veggie Hut.

Rules for accepting these awards:

1. Thank the person who presented you with this award.
2. Pass it on to one or many blogger friends.

Jyothi, Thanks a million for these beautiful awards!!! Your friendly gesture means a lot to me!!!

I am extremely happy to now pass on these awards to these awesome blogger friends: Priya, Ramya, Nisha and Subhashini.

Well, would you like to know how I celebrated these awards...I made this awesome savory snack for which the recipe will come soon...in fact, in a few hours:))

Chocolatey Goodness for Valentine's Day - Healthfully Decadent Style!!!

2010-02-12T01:13:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's Day around the corner, I wanted to make some chocolatey goodies for the occasion, but in the Healthfully Decadent style. I wanted to make something wholesome and yet not over-the-top when it comes to fat and calories...most of the recipes I found on the web called for oodles of Nutella(the chocolate-hazelnut spread) and butter.

So I decided to make up my own recipe...so that I would come up with a product that would be yummy but still low on fat...something I would not feel guilty about feeding the kids and of course, could eat one or two(or three or four...??) myself.

This is the recipe I came up with by combining multiple recipes for chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. There is no peanut butter in this recipe, but I was looking at those recipes for guidance because peanut butter is about the same consistency as Nutella.

The end result, I am happy to say, is that one I shall be making many more times. It is not too sugary-sweet but at the same time, it is one divine cookie with a lot of chocolatey wholesomeness. Here is the recipe, in case somebody else would like to try it. This recipe makes you "Super-Mom" with the kids, for sure...and you can tell yourself that the health benefits of high anti-oxidants from the dark chocolate make it good for you too:)))

Valentine's Day Special: Heart-shaped Nutella Cookies encrusted with Nuts and Chocolate Chips Recipe

********************************************************************************

Makes: 15 cookies
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 12 - 14 mins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (comes to about 4tbsp) light olive oil or any vegetable oil (alternately, you could use butter, of course...I used olive oil for a lighter, low fat cookie version)

1 ounce unsweetened dark cocoa powder( I used Ghirardelli)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tbsp Nutella

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or I just put parchment paper on the baking sheet to avoid the use of butter or oil for greasing the sheet(healthfully decadent, you know!) .

Whisk together cocoa and olive oil(or melted butter) until nicely combined. Place sugar in a large mixing bowl; add oil(butter)-cocoa mixture, and beat using a mixer on medium speed, until well combined and grainy - about 1 to 2 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Separately, beat Nutella, 1 egg and vanilla into sugar-oil-cocoa mixture, until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in hazelnuts/walnuts and chocolate chips until combined.

Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, place on cookie sheets, and flatten slightly using palms of hands to get round cookies. I used some heart - shaped cookie cutters to shape the cookies. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy!

These Healthfully Decadent Nutella Cookies go to Priya of Easy N Tasty Recipes for her timely event "Hearts for St.Valentine's Day".

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!

International Flavors Series # 1 - Penne Pasta and Asparagus with Tangy Spinach Sauce

2010-02-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

After talking about dry topics like Technorati and Technorati rankings for bloggers, I have now decided to go back to my original interest - food blogging. So, here is an easy-fix pasta recipe that gets even my picky kids to eat spinach because the recipe involves 'pasta' and 'cheese' - two items I find most kids love (not to mention, the adults also dont hesitate to dig in)

Penne Pasta and Asparagus with Tangy Spinach Sauce Recipe:

Serves: 4

Prep/cook time: 20 - 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Penne Pasta(I used Penne, but in the past, I have used macaroni and even fettucini in this recipe in place of Penne) - 1/2 box, normally about 150 to 200gms or 8 oz

Spinach - 1 bunch, chopped

Asparagus - 5 or 6 spears cut in 1 inch long pieces

Garlic - 3 or 4 pods, chopped up

Cilantro and/or mint - few leaves

Basil leaves(optional) - 3 or 4

Almonds or walnuts or a combination of both - 6 or 7 nuts

Lemon juice - 3 or 4 tsp

Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup grated( mozarella cheese also tastes great in this recipe)

For Seasoning: Salt and Black Pepper

Method:

Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water(seasoned with salt) and let cook for 6 - 7 minutes or according to pasta's package directions. Drain the water and set the pasta aside.

Simultaneously, you could also cook the asparagus for 5 - 6 minutes in boiling water and then, take off the heat and drain (make sure that you dont overcook asparagus or otherwise it loses the bright green color)

In a blender, puree the spinach, cilantro and/or mint, garlic, almonds(or walnuts), lemon juice well till you have a fine paste.

In a pan, add some light olive oil(or any light vegetable oil). When it starts to heat up, add the spinach puree and let it cook for 5 - 6 minutes.

Then, add the cooked pasta and asparagus to the puree.

Add the seasonings(salt amd pepper) and finally, add the grated cheese on top for garnish.

Note: Alternately, if you would like to add a creamier texture to the pasta, you could make a white sauce* and pour on top of the pasta and then add cheese before serving.

White sauce recipe:

In a pan, add a couple of teaspoons of butter and when it starts melting, add 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour and stir well. When the flour thickens up and starts to turn brown, immediately you could pour a cup of milk or cream to the butter-flour mixture and then keep stirring to prevent lumps till the sauce thickens - at which point you can add it to the pasta.

Follow-up to Musings on Technorati Claim Procedure

2010-02-10T23:49:00.000-08:00

So I thought my previous post would be my one and only post on Technorati but I guess I am not the only one to whom all this is unknown and intriguing.

So here goes, everything I know about Technorati:

Technorati is a search engine that offers a listing of top 100 - ranked blogs. It offers every blogger an opportunity to create an account on the technorati website and join their blog directory.

Since they have a very comprehensive directory, it apparently helps to sign up for the free account on their homepage. Also, once your blog is on their directory, it becomes possible for your blog to come up on searches in their search engine. Then your blog shows up with your relative ranking as compared to the rest in that category.

First, you create your free profile which is just a short process of creating a username and password for yourself. Then you receive an email from Technorati asking you to verify your email address and confirming that your profile has been created. Once you login to your new account, you get a chance to enter your blog's name and url on the account in the spaces provided. Then, you also click a button to start "claiming" your blog - which means that their search engine needs to confirm you are the actual owner of the blog you are claiming. Then, you again get an email with your unique claim code and you do what I did in the previous post, that is, you paste that unique claim code in a blog post.

Then, after you have done that, you get yet another email to say that their search engine has successfully crawled your blog and found your claim code. All the process uptil here can take place in a day, because the emails from technorati are auto-generated. This is the part of the process I am at, right now. But I understand from other bloggers that it takes a few weeks after this step for your blog to start actually showing up in their searches.

Hope all this makes sense to my readers and more than that, hope this is useful!!!

You can also check Wikipedia's page on Technorati for additional information.

Making your Blog Count - Random Musings, Technorati et al

2010-02-09T00:11:00.000-08:00

My Technorati Claim Code: MDQJ9NKWXARU

I would rather be blogging about food or any other topic under the sun...but, in the short time that I have been a resident of blogosphere, I have realised that there are many mundane things a blogger must first take care of, before settling down to blog in peace about the topic of their choice.

One such detail that I am taking care of today, is the Technorati claim code which will help a blog in the following ways:

a)Improved Search traffic
b)Improved Directory Traffic and ranking among top 100 blogs(long ways to go there:))
c)Expanded readership, visibility

So, there you have the reason for the mystical code at the beginning of the post!

Hope this helps somebody out there, who doesnt know about Technorati(though I doubt it, I am probably the last person to find out!!!)

Comfort Foods Series #2 - Winter Delight Clear Orange Soup

2010-02-07T01:23:00.000-08:00

I seem to be in a soup mode, currently...this is my second posting for a soup recipe in the last week. However, there is a reason to this (soup)obsession. We have been seeing a steady stretch of rains here in the Bay Area for the last couple of weeks. Nothing like "snowmageddon" in the East Coast, of course and our East Coast friends envy us Californians for that. But, be that as it may be...we still get some chilly 40 degree evenings:)) and that makes us turn to soups for our evening meal.

The inspiration for this soup comes from a friend who served it as an appetiser, that was much appreciated by all at a dinner she hosted. The cook time is less than 10 minutes and the only real prep work is to juice the oranges needed for the soup. Of course, the key lies in choosing the oranges that yield the maximum amount of juice. For this, the tip I have found useful for selecting juicy varieties is that the thicker the skin, the more juice it yields and also, the stronger the scent that it has, the greater the quantity of juice yielded. Here in California, I have used both the Navel Oranges and Valencia Oranges with equal success for this recipe.

This soup I have here, is not a one-pot meal like most other soups I make - lentils soups or veggie soups or pasta soups...it is actually more of a warm appetiser, perrrrfect for a chilly evening...so here is wishing warm and toasty evenings for our friends in colder climes.

This soup recipe goes to the Healthy Inspirations Event - Soups hosted by Usha of Veg Inspirations.

Recipe for Winter Delight Clear Orange Soup:
***********************************

Serves - 4
Prep time - 10 minutes
Cook time - 7 to 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Oranges - 8 to 10 (I have used both the Valencia and Navel Orange varieties with equal success for the quantity of juice)
Cummin(jeera) powder - 1tsp
Green chillies - 2 (cut in small pieces or slit in half, according to taste)
For seasoning: salt, black pepper, cummin seeds(jeera) - 1tsp, cilantro(coriander) leaves, ghee(clarified butter) - 1tsp, sugar(optional)

Method:

Extract juice from the oranges(some pulp is okay in the recipe) and keep aside.

In a pan, add the ghee(clarified butter) and when it is heated, add the green chillies, cummin seeds and all the seasonings except cilantro(coriander leaves).

When the cummin seeds start to crackle, add the freshly squeezed orange juice.

Let the mixture boil for a few minutes till the soup starts to foam, just for 5 minutes or so.

Once the raw smell of the juice disappears, take the pan off the heat(do not overboil, since the soup may then turn bitter).

If the juice of the oranges is not very sweet, a little sugar would help.

Once off the heat, add the cilantro(coriander) leaves for garnish.

Serve piping hot.

This recipe is an easy - fix and the many health benefits of oranges( like the fact that they are loaded with Vitamin C - 116% DV, dietary fiber, folate and Vitamin B) are an added bonus, I guess.

Spice - on - Demand: Homemade Spice mix #1 (Indian Rasam powder)

2010-02-06T01:20:00.000-08:00

Though most spice mixes I use regularly in my Indian cooking are easily available in Asian Indian grocery stores nowadays, I still like to make my own set of spice mixes once in a while when I do have the luxury of finding the time to do it.

I do think the spice mixes available readymade in stores are fresh enough...but when I get to make it at home, of course I control the proportion of the spice ingredients, according to what I like.

So, for anyone who wishes to do the same, here is the recipe for an instant spice mix that I keep ready most of the time. It is called Rasam powder and is available in the Asian Indian grocery stores under different brand names, all of which are OK.

I use Rasam powder - usually 1 or 2 tsp when I prepare traditional Indian Rasam (a spicy, tangy clear soup - for which I shall post the recipe soon). It is great for cold winter nights, served with rice.

I also use the Rasam powder for seasoning Indian gravy-based curries, especially when the recipe is tangy in nature...sometimes I also use the Rasam powder in vegetable side dishes... again 1 or 2 tsp takes the veggies up a notch.

Recipe for Indian Spice Mix - Rasam powder:

For one - time use (in a single recipe):-
*****************************

Ingredients-

Coriander seeds(dhania) - 2 tbsp
Cummin seeds(jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Toor / Toovar dal (Indian split red gram lentils) - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chillies - 2 to 3
Asafoetida(aka hing) - a pinch
Indian curry leaves - 2 or 3

Method:
Dry roast all the above ingredients in a non - stick frying pan with a tiny bit (less than 1/2 tsp) of cooking oil till the lentils turn golden brown and the cummin seeds start crackling. Set aside to cool.

Once the roasted ingredients are cooled, blend into a fine powder using a coffee/spice grinder.

For using several times(stays fresh for a month or two atleast in air-tight container)
*************************************************************
Ingredients-

Coriander seeds(dhania) - 2 large handfuls
Cummin seeds(jeera) - 2tsp
Black pepper - 1tsp
Toor / Toovar dal (Indian split red gram lentils) - 2 tsp
Dry Red chillies - 8 to 10
Asafoetida(aka hing) - a pinch
Indian curry leaves - 6 or 7

Dry roast all the above ingredients in a non - stick frying pan with a 1/2tsp of cooking oil till the lentils turn golden brown and the cummin seeds start crackling. Set aside to cool.

Once the roasted ingredients are cooled, blend into a fine powder using a coffee/spice grinder.

Store in an air-tight container...stays fresh for atleast 1 to 2 months.

Comfort Food Series #1 - Soup with medley of lentils and greens

2010-02-05T01:42:00.000-08:00

As a departure from the mundane, everyday recipes I like to sometimes change things up a bit by mixing recipes from different cuisines. This recipe I have here is a mixture of Northern Indian style dal paalak and Southern Indian style tangy sambhar.

Soup with medley of lentils and greens:
---------------------------------------

Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 20 - 25 minutes

Ingredients:
*********
Toovar dal (red gram lentils/dal) - 1 cup
Urud dal (split black gram dal) - 1 handful
Channa dal ( bengal gram dal) - 1 handful
Spinach - 1 bunch cut finely
Fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) - 1 bunch cut finely
Shallots - 1 cup peeled
Tomatoes - 2 medium size cut finely
Green chilli peppers - 4 or 5
Ginger - 1 medium size piece cut finely
Garlic - 4 pods cut finely
Tamarind paste - 1tsp ( alternately soak a small piece of tamarind in water and extract the juice)
Jaggery - 1 tsp crushed
Readymade Sambhar powder / curry powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) - 1tsp
Water - 1cup
For seasoning: mustard seeds - 1tsp, cummin seeds (jeera) - 1tsp, fennel seeds(saunf) - 1tsp, salt, turmeric, curry leaves - a handful and cilantro - a handful, cooking oil - 2 tsp

Method:
******

Pressure cook the dals, spinach and fenugreek leaves for 3 whistles and set aside.

In a frying pan, add the oil, mustard, cummin seeds, fennel seeds, salt and turmeric and when the mustard starts to crackle, add the onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, tomatoes and let cook for a few minutes till onions turn translucent and the raw smell of garlic and ginger is gone.

Then add the pressure cooked lentils(dal) and greens to the pan. Add the cup of water also.

Then, add the tamarind juice, jaggery, sambhar powder(alternately readymade curry powder) and coriander powder.

Cover the pan and let the soup boil for 5 to 7 minutes.

Finally add the curry leaves and cilantro for garnish.

This soup is best when served piping hot, with rotis, bread or rice.

Note: All ethnic ingredients are available at most Asian / Indian grocery stores.

Easy Side dish with Okra and yoghurt / vendakkai thayir pachadi - 10 minute wonder recipe series

2010-02-03T00:40:00.000-08:00

Okra has always been one of my favorite veggies ever since childhood and this recipe is well - liked by everyone in my family.

Enjoy!

Okra and yoghurt Side dish / vendakkai thayir pachadi recipe:
--------------------------------------------------------------

Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Okra - 1 pound cut into thin roundelles
Fresh Cut Onion - 1
Low-fat or non-fat yoghurt - 1 cup
Green chillies - 3
For seasoning: Mustard seeds, cilantro - few sprigs, cummin powder, salt and pepper, cooking oil - 2tbsps

Method:

In a frying pan, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil and when it heats up, add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, add cut okra and onions

Let okra and onion fry well, till it gets crisp. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes on a medium high flame(especially if the okra slices are thin)

Then in a mixing bowl, add the yoghurt and other seasonings...finally add the cooked okra and onion.

Mix well and serve chilled or at room temperature.

This dish makes a great accompaniment for rice as well as rotis.

Tomato Chutney Series - Version 1

2010-02-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, after I made idlis for brunch, I ran into a blank wall...that is, I had no clue what chutney to make as an accompaniment or side dish for the idlis. You see, recently I am tired of the ubiquitous coconut chutney that goes with the idli in most South Indian homes including ours. Of course, I dont mean to knock the coconut chutney...it is a great dish by itself...just that you could say, I am currently in an idli side-dish rut(I realise that this is mainly because the idli is often the star performer at our breakfast table, brunch table and sometimes, even our dinner table).

Hence, I decided to rack my brains and this is the recipe I came up with...I love tomato chutney and I make about 5 or 6 versions of the tomato chutney...but I felt the need to come up with something different...a kind of merry medley of different chutneys to create yet another version of the versatile tomato chutney.

Let me round up this "tale of the new tomato chutney", scintillating though it is, by saying that this recipe has now ended up becoming a new hot favorite at our dining table.

For readers who are sorry that this fascinating tale ended so soon, let me assure you that I will be back shortly with other more absorbing tales attached to the many other versions of tomato chutney I make.

Creamy Tomato Chutney with Roasted Gram Lentils (Pottukadalai) Recipe:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Serves: 4
Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
-----------

Tomatoes - 3 (medium size, cut into small pieces)
Green chilli peppers - 4 or 5
Pottukadalai (aka split dalia or roasted gram or porikadalai) - 2 handfuls
Coconut - 2 tbsps
Tamarind - a small ball or alternatively, tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
Water - 2 to 3 tbsp
For seasoning: black mustard seeds, urud dal, pottukadalai(split dalia), curry leaves, salt, turmeric, hing(asafoetida), cooking oil - 2 tsp

Method:
--------

In a frying pan, add 1 tsp of cooking oil and when it heats up, add the cut tomatoes and turmeric.

When the tomatoes are almost cooked(takes about 4 or 5 mins) turn off the stove and set aside to cool.

In the blender, add all the other ingredients including green chillies, coconut, split dalia(pottukadalai), tamarind, salt, asafoetida and the water.

Blend a little and then add the cooled tomatoes.

Blend well till it reaches a smooth consistency.

In a small pan, add the remaining 1 tsp of oil and temper the seasoning items (mustard, urud dal, split dalia and curry leaves) till the mustard seeds start crackling and the urud dal turns a nice brown color.

Add these seasonings to the chutney.

Tomato chutney is a good accompaniment to idlis, dosas, chappathis and in our house we even use it a spead for sandwiches!

Easy Tangy Green Beans Salad with a Crunch

2010-01-31T00:48:00.000-08:00

Easy Tangy Green Beans Salad with a Crunch Recipe:
********************************************************************
Serves: 4
Prep/Cooking time: 15 mins.

Ingredients:
-----------

Green beans - (cut in 1 inch long pieces)

Red onion - 1 (cut in thin, long slices)

Green chilli peppers - 2 or 3 (slit in thin, long slices)

Roasted almonds - 4 or 5 crushed into medium-size pieces

Garlic powder - 1tsp

For seasoning and salad dressing: mix together salt(according to taste), black pepper - 1tsp,

lemon juice(or vinegar of your taste) - 2 tbsp, light olive oil (could be subsituted with peanut oil)- 1tbsp

Method:
--------

Cook the cut green beans in boiling water for 5 or 6 mins. They taste better in the salad when they still retain the bright green color even after cooking. That way you know they are not over-cooked.

After taking off the heat, drain the boiling water and set aside the beans.

Then, optionally, you could shock the beans in cold water for a minute so that they retain the bright green color and do not overcook.

Then, in a bowl, mix the green beans with the sliced onion, cut green chillies, almonds and garlic powder.

Finally pour the seasoning/salad dressing ingredients on top and toss well together till well-mixed.

You could garnish the salad on top with lemon zest/cilantro. I used yellow boondi(Indian fritters) for garnish.

Small Wonders - Poems from my 9 year old daughter

2010-01-28T23:09:00.000-08:00

One favorite way(that I have already mentioned a million times in my young blog...I know :)) I have of getting the best of both worlds is to cook foods that are not just goooood, but also are good for you!

Another way of achieving the best of both worlds(my pet theme in life) is to keep the kids gainfully occupied in three or four gainful interests of their own choice so they are being productive (which makes me feel fulfilled and quite the happy mom!)and then I dont have to hear the constant refrain of "Amma...I am bored".My 9 year old daughter is very sure of her few interests. My toddler son on the other hand of course, finds too many things that interest him around the house. But that is the topic for another day.

Going back to my daughter, she is as precocious as most other 9 year olds these days...one of her favorite pastimes is to write poems...right now, she is going thru this phase where she asks us to pick any topic under the sun and she says, she can come up with a poem for that!!!

Now, here is a rhyme (that I obviously like) that she came up with specially for my blog, when she knew that I recently created one:

The title is: My Favorite Food

My favorite food is the kind my mother makes,
Whether she cooks, fries, or puts something in the oven to bake.
I think homemade is better than store-bought,
And at my house you will like it a lot.

Another one that I think is quite cute goes like this:

The title is: Season signs

A summer's day is like winter's paradise,
A winter's night is like night-time ice.
Together you can sniff ,
That they are opposites like jumping off a cliff,
Or falling into a pit.

Spring is not something that an animal would be grieving,
Because the animals' babies are born,
Fall is when the leaves are leaving,
When the leaves start getting worn.

I wonder if I have a major talent under my roof here???

Traditional Southern Indian Breakfast - Rava Pongal ( Cream of wheat version)

2010-01-28T00:45:00.000-08:00

Rava Pongal Recipe:
-----------------------
Prep Time: 5-10 mins.
Cook Time: 15-20 mins.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
-------------
Fine Texture Cream of wheat or Rava(aka Sooji) - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups (4 cups work well for a smooth texture. though a little more water may be required if using coarse or medium - texture sooji)
Yellow Moong Dal (lentils) - 1/2 cup...pressure cook the dal for 2 whistles.
Ginger - 1 inch piece cut into tiny slivers
Green chillies - 3 or 4 cut into small pieces
Ghee or clarified butter - 1 to 1.5 tbsps (could substitute with light olive oil or other vegetable oil, if necessary...though the clarified butter is what it gives it a unique taste...so what, if I can feel my arteries clogging up as I write this...it is only a tbsp :))
For seasoning: Cummin seeds(jeera) - 2 tsp, crushed black pepper - 2 tsp, curry leaves - handful, turmeric - a pinch, salt to taste

Method:
--------

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil in a pan.
In a separate non - stick pan, add the ghee and when it starts to bubble, add all the items for seasoning except salt.
When the cummin seeds start to crackle, add the cut ginger and green chillies and let it cook for a few minutes.
Then, add the rava(cream of wheat) to the pan and stir well.
To this, add the boiling water and salt and keep stirring to make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
When the rava starts cooking into a soft mass and the water has fully evaporated(which takes 6 to 8 mins. on a medium high heat), add the pressure - cooked dal and continue to stir until the mixture starts to come away from the sides of the non - stick pan.
You could garnish with cut tomatoes or cilantro(optional)
This tastes great with any kind of chutney. In South India, it is however, traditionally served with a split dalia-coconut chutney for which I shall post my recipe here soon.

My mantra - Healthful Decadence!!!

2010-01-26T12:29:00.000-08:00

When I needed to start shedding my post-pregnancy pounds, after my son was born, I realised I had to bring some momentous changes to our lifestyle. That, coupled with my husband's foray into running marathons, gave shape to my new mantra of "Healthful Decadence".

What started out as a change in our eating habits, has now taken deep roots in our day-to-day life and in many ways, looks like something I intend to follow for as long as possible.

Here is my post in Blogher.com as a comment on the post - "What is your eating style" by Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan :http://www.blogher.com/what-your-eating-style-do-you-follow-one-popular-diet-plans
-
Excerpt:
My mantra is "Healthful Decadence" and it is working very well alongwith an exercise plan of 5 days a week / 45 mins. a day routine... alternating between aerobic and an-aerobic workouts.

I have lost 9 pounds in the last 9 months and for me that was a big deal...though it is not much in absolute terms. And, my husband actually lost more weight than me!!

Healthfully Decadent - meaning I have substituted whole grain for all the white and refined carbs in our family's diet...we have also virtually eliminated readymade and fast foods from our diet...of course, we continue to indulge in the occasional restaurant fare.

Mainly, I am trying to inject more flavor in place of fat, excessive sodium and refined carbs thru the use of whole spices, heart-healthy cooking oils, more varieties of colorful fruits and veggies and other natural flavor enhancers...being that our diet is predominantly Asian Indian, the use of spices, of course fits in easily. Coupled with the growing publication of the health benefits of various spices like cinnamon, cummin, ginger and turmeric it seems like a win-win situation!!!