The Spice Rack

Kishmish wale Choley

2012-02-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

Just a few months to go and my baby would be all of three years old. 3 years a.k.a 36 months. The baby that I swaddled to bed in a warm, cozy blanket is stretching his arms and breaking his shell. Till yesterday he fit easily into my arms and sometimes on my shoulder. Now he just jumps down and runs on his own. Yes, my baby is growing.

You know it when they do not need their onesies and the overalls.You know it when the pair of pants you bought last month fits just above the ankles, the shoes get tighter, when its time to get the undershirts and time to say goodbye to the diapers. Their babbles slowly start turning into legible speech They start having their own opinions, their own voice and tastes. Slowly you realize that you would be better off asking them what they want for dinner or for that matter give them the choice.Your evenings get all the more busy, more noisy and perhaps more demanding.

I often find myself browsing through the pictures on my laptop almost every other day. Wishing I had taken more pictures when he crawled, or may be a few more videos when he uttered those first few words.

Onto the recipe in this post. Its a somewhat sweet and spicy chickpea curry. Chickpea is an-all time favorite for and we can never have enough of them. The recipe uses a handful of golden raisins that provide a sweet-tart flavor to the curry. Try it if you like your curries on the sweet and sour kind.

Kishmish Wale Choley

(Adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer)

For onion-raisin mixture :

1 medium onion sliced ( reserve 1/4 of the onions)

2-3 green chillies

handful of golden raisins

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp ginger grated

2C boiling water

2C pressure cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp cumin powder

salt to taste

oil as required

Soak the raisins in boiling water for 20-30min until they are plump.
In a food processor combine the ingredients for the onion-raisin mixture and pulse into a coarse paste.
Over medium heat combine the cumin and reserved 1/4 of the onions. When the onions are soft add the onion-raisin mixture. Saute till golden and till some oil separates from it. Add water a tablespoon at a time if the mixture dries up so as not burn the mixture. Around 7-8min
Add the cooked chickpeas and water to loosen the curry. Season with salt, cumin powder and coriander powder. Add you favorite garam masala if you like. I did not add any.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with fresh rotis or with some crusty bread.

TilGul for Sankranti

2012-01-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

The first indian festival is already knocking on my door. Am i ready to bring it in .. ? Makar Sankranti is all about creating warmth to slowly recover from harsh winter that passed by. Its the time to enjoy the last of the chilli evenings before the days slowly get longer.

In India, sesame seeds and jaggery are consumed generously in winter. When its cold outside they are supposed to create warmth on the inside. Isnt it almost magical that our festivals, seasons and the foods we eat are so much in cognizance ? I remember aai also made gulpoli and bajri bhakri. All out of the world !! And with no calories to watch you could have it till your stomach's full and your heart's contented.

Today I share with you the recipe of Tilgul wadi ( sesame and jaggery squares ). Its very easy assuming that you can move fast in the kitchen.

Tilgul ( Sesame and Jaggery Squares)

1 C sesame seeds roasted and coarsely crushed

1/2 C peanuts finely crushed

1 C jaggery

2 tsp ghee

pinch of cardamom powder

2 tsp milk

Line the back of a baking tray with aluminum foil. Grease with melted ghee.
Over medium-low heat combine the ghee and the jaggery. In about 2 min the jaggery starts to melt.
Continue breaking it using the back of the spoon till it becomes pasty and falls freely from the spoon.
Now add the cardamom,sesame and peanut powder and mix as fast as you can.
Dump the entire mixture onto the greased baking tray lined with foil.
You can cover the mix with a plastic wrap and then try to form a ball of it so that it can rolled easily with a rolling pin.
Spread to desired thickness, typically about 1/4inch thick.
Allow to cool for 5-10min and cut into squares.
Cool completely before the breaking the squares apart. You will see that the mixture will harden considerably
This makes around 15-20 medium sized squares.

Tilgul ghya goad goad bola !!
Enjoy !!

Eggplant with mint , coriander and garlic

2012-01-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

Happy new year !! We are well into the 2nd week of the new year but its never later to send out warm wishes. After all if you stopped by to find out what's up with me then i do owe you the warmest wishes ever. So here's wishing you a happy and contented 2012 !!

We have been enjoying our new house specially during the holidays. Aamod loves riding his trike and there is definitely more space for his toys. Several friends have been coming over for lunch, dinners and tea , so my kitchen was incredibly busy. And I love that. We have all nicely settled down into our routines so to speak. Aamod seems to be having a good time at school too. Yes, there are some sobs and a few tears in the morning. But I love the hug and the grin when I go to pick him up.

We spend a lot of time playing with him. I generally wrap up dinner and the kitchen chores early so that I have some worry-free time with him. He makes us dance, jump and even run. He's learning every moment and we are learning from him too. His concentration and focus has always amazed us. I realized that the older we get the more distracted we are and so difficult it is to concentrate. That's good in one way since we are able to multi-task but it reduces our patience.

After all the holiday indulgences lets get back to some healthy food. This simple eggplant saute surely makes a satisfying meal with some whole wheat rotis. The trick is to cook the eggplant just right without adding too much water.

If you love the freshness of mint in your food then this one is for you. We love mint in almost all things tea, pestos and stir-fries.

Eggplant with Mint,Coriander and garlic

(Recipe from eCurry)

What's needed :

7-8 medium sized eggplants ( washed and cut sprinkled with salt and soaked in water )

1/2 an onion chopped

1/2 bunch of mint ( tender leaves and stems only )

2-3 chilli pepper

3-4 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

5-6 tbsp of oil

salt to taste

How to:-

Make a paste of mint,coriander and garlic and set aside.
Over medium heat combine the onions, chilli pepper and saute till translucent.
Add the drained eggplants and allow to brown. Don't allow it to becoming mushy. Around 3-4 mins on medium-high heat.
Now add the mint,coriander and garlic paste. Also add the chilli powder,salt and turmeric.
If the mixture dries out add a splash of water just to clean out the pan.
Simmer and cover for 4-5 min or until the eggplant softens up.
Add more mint and serve hot with rotis.

This a dry vegetable stir fry with not much gravy. So like I said earlier, do not add a lot of water. Just enough to cook the eggplant mixture. The original recipe uses tomato but I forgot about it and realized it only later. Use it if you like.

Enjoy the rest of week and hope to see you soon !

South Indian Style Noodles

2011-12-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

I love this time of the year. I love everything about it. The weather-slightly cold but not bone-chilling. The fondly decorated homes, the dazzling lights, the stores, all decked up with wreaths, bows welcoming the enthusiastic shoppers.

This year we put up a Christmas tree in the living room. We decorated it with cute little ornaments and even got some artificial snow to throw on it. It enlivens the holiday spirit. Now all we need is the holidays to arrive as fast they can !!

These little things in life make me so excited and happy. And then there's something else that makes all three of us really happy. Its this bowl of these spicy noodles. I tried something similar at an Indian restaurant here and attempted it at home.

South Indian Style Noodles

What's needed :

1/2 a packet of Spagetti ( I use Barilla brand)

1C of julienned vegetables red,yellow,orange peppers, onions, cabbage (use any combination of these in any proportions)

4-5 tbsp tomato puree ( substitute with pizza sauce or see note at end to make quick tomato puree)

3-4 curry leaves

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp of sambhar masala

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

salt as per taste

water as needed to boil pasta

olive oil as needed

How to :

Boil the pasta in salted water for 10 min or as per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Over medium heat combine the 4-5 tbsp olive oil, add curry leaves and cumin. Saute till sizzling for 1 min.
Add the sliced onions, ginger garlic paste and cook for a minute or two.
Then add the rest of vegetables and cook till tender wilted but still crisp.
Add the tomato puree/pizza sauce and sambhar powder. Saute till the mixture leaves oil on the sides. Cook till mixture is lumpy.Add salt.
Add the noodles and give a good mix to blend in with the sauce.Taste and add more salt or red chilli flakes (to make it more spicy).
Top with more olive oil and serve.

Tip - To make a quick tomato puree, microwave 2 tomatoes in a bowl of water for 3 min or more until the skin peels off. Cool, remove the skin and give it a quick chop.

We all love such off-beat dinners. We had this with some tomato soup on the side.

And the leftovers were enjoyed from the lunchbox the next day.

Spiced Pistachio and Cranberry Muffins

2011-11-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

For what I thought would be a short break turned out to be quite a hiatus from this blog space of mine. Things got a lot busy than I had expected. Life literally opened new doors We moved to a place we now call home and so, we were busy with all the things that come in the process. We bid farewell to some very good friends in hope of meeting new ones in other part of the town.

Now that I have a bigger kitchen I have all the more motivation to cook and bake. And am doing just that, specially when i need a break from the seemingly endless unpacking.

One morning I somehow got ~~fed up~~ tired of my oatmeal and blueberry breakfast and declared we needed a change. And so I tried making muffins the first time ever.

Spiced Cranberry and Pistachio Muffins

(Recipe from here)

What's needed :

2 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 C dried cranberries

3/4 C + 1 tbsp turbinado sugar

1/2 C pistachios chopped

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

3/4 C buttermilk

1/2 C vegetableoil

1 egg lightly whisked

How to:

Preheat over to 390 F. Line a muffin pan with paper moulds. Spray with oil so that muffins do not stick.
In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients - flour,baking powder, pistachios,cranberries and the spices.
In a another bowl mix the wet ingredients.
Make a well in center of the dry mixture and pour the oil-buttermilk-egg mixture in it.
Gently fold in the dry mixture till everything is moistened. Do not over mix. Stop when you do not see any dry flour.
Scoop the mixture using an ice cream mould or a spoon into the muffin cases.
Bake for 20min and until a toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm with butter or jam.

We had ours warm brushed with some jam. They were so good that we finished 2-3 of them right out of the oven. And my breakfasts - they are no longer boring. A warm muffin with warm glass of milk or hot coffee. Perfect start to a cold day.

Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi

2011-09-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

There are times when I love being where I am and there are times when I just want to run back home. Back home to the place and the people I grew up with and to the festivals we celebrated. Yes, its the time when Ganpati Bappa has arrived bringing with him so much joy and love.

Both aai and baba would work very hard during these days. There was so much to be taken care of around the house. Starting with the decorations, the puja and the elaborate cooking. My sister and me were their little helpers. We would make garlands out of the sweet smelling flowers just brought out from the market, help mom to make the modaks, make rangoli in front of the house and so many small household chores. Every evening around eight we gathered for the aarti.Yes, festivals were busy times.

This weeks recipe is from the colorful state of Rajasthan - Rajasthani Gatte ki sabzi. I saw this recipe grace several blogs and books and wondered what was special about it. Chickpea flour dumplings in a spicy yogurt sauce. How good can it be ?

Heart and Tasty recipes like these are specially popular in places where vegetation is scarce (like in the desert).But you do not need to live in a desert to enjoy it.

Rajasthani Gatte ki sabzi

For the chickpea dumplings :
1 C chickpea flour
1 tsp each of cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric,coriander powder,garam masala (Use more for a spicier gatte)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
1/8 C yogurt

For the yogurt sauce :
1C yogurt
1 tsp each of of cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric,coriander powder,garam masala
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tomato chopped
salt to taste
1/4 C water

For the gatte :

In a bowl mix the ingredients for the dumpling. Add the yogurt in batches of 1 tsp to pull the mixture together into a dough. The dough will be sticky and slightly unmangeneable. Use oil if it sticks to your hands.
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and make 1 inch logs and set aside.
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the the logs to the water and let cook for 30min.
After around 20min the logs will swell up and become shiny on the outside. Drain after 30-35 min.Cut into pieces and set aside. You might need more time to cook if you are using a larger quantity of dumplings.

For the sauce :-

Over meadium heat combine the cumins seeds, turmeric and chilli powder.
Add the tomatoes and saute till soft.
Add the chick pea dumplings or the gatte.
Add the ginger, garlic paste, garam masala, coriander and cumin ppowder, salt to the yogurt and mix well.
Lower the heat and add the yogurt. The yogurt might curdle if added at high heat so it essential to reduce the flame and mix as soon as the yogurt is added.
Add 1/4 C water to thin out the mixture if required.
Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15min.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Tastes best a few hours after its make or even the next day. We loved it with some fluffy rotis and hot rice.

Have a great week ahead !!

Mysore Rasam

2011-08-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

My earliest association with south indian food begins with my mom. She spent a good part of her childhood in South India. Mom learned a lot of cooking from her grandparents and from her andhra neighbors - various types of sambhars, rice, idli, dosas were very popular with her.

When we were kids, aai would often cook bisi-beli bhath, lemon rice , mango rice and serve them up with tales from her childhood. We loved listening to her stories, her eyes full of pride and excitement. She told us about the huge bunglow they lived in, the mango tree in the backyard from where they would pick close to a thousand mangoes every year, the pet hens and how she searched for the eggs in the nest and then sell the eggs making no profit, about the dog in the house that would eat sambhar and rice and went mad one fine day. Yes, I have heard these and many other stories almost a hundred times.Those were happy days she would say.

So when I visit Pune, next time I am sure to make this Rasam for my mom. To have it with some dosas or idli accompanied with generous helping of her stories of course ! This recipe is from the book Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan.

Mysore Rasam

(From Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan)

1/2 C toor dal (cooked and set aside)

Tamarind Juice from a lemon sized ball of tamarind

2 tbsp fresh or dry coconut

1 tbsp store bought rasam powder or mysore rasam powder (recipe below)

1 tomato finely chopped

1 inch piece of jaggery

1 tsp turmeric powder

cilantro to garnish

For the paste :

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 dry red chillies

2 tbsp dry or fresh coconut

-Grind the above to a paste with very little water and set aside

For tempering :

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 dry red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

10-12 curry leaves

Mysore Rasam Powder

1 tbsp coriander seeds

4 black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreel seeds

5-6 curry leaves

3-4 dry red chilles

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

-- Roast the above spices till warm and aromatic. Blend into a fine powder.

This makes masala enough for the above quantity of rasam.

oil as required

salt to taste

How to :-

Over medium heat combine the oil and ingredients for tempering.
Once the mustard splutters, add the tomatoes and saute till pulpy. Add the turmeric powder and the tamarind juice.
Let this mixture cook for a 15-20min. If it becomes too dry add some water.
Then add the cooked dal and jaggery and mix well. Thin the rasam as required by adding water.
Add salt and taste.
Add the paste and get the rasam to a boil. Garnish with cilantro.
Cover and open only when ready to serve.

The rest time makes the rasam all the more tasty so make this well ahead of time.

The recipes in the book use a whole lot of curry leaves so I am seriously considering planting a curry leaf plant in my patio. :)

We are approaching a long weekend. Hope the weather provides some relief and we get to enjoy some of the outdoors.Have a good weekend !!

Green Squash in Peanuts-Sesame gravy

2011-07-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

This space has been quiet for almost 3 weeks now. Behind the scenes my days were filled with babbles from the little one's baby talk and laughter.Overall life is moving at a steady place. Or so it seems on the outside.

But what about the mind, the heart ? Are they at peace ? My mind has been wandering like a stream of water flowing down a cliff. Finding its ways through whatever little space it finds between the rocks. I am filled with thoughts from the past, the present and the future. Several times during the day I find myself at the same place where mom was almost three decades ago. It seems I have stepped into her shoes and seeing the life as she has seen it. My then innocent mind failed to understand so many things she said to me, things she asked me to do. But I can justify all of them so much today.

Mom always cooks simple meals using fresh vegetables and essential pantry ingredients. Not very fancy and exotic but rather simple and homely. With her own unique touch.

This squash curry with peanuts and sesame gravy would be something that mom would definitely like in her repertoire. Its devoid of hot spices and ginger-garlic(satvik) but still tastes divine.

Squash in Peanuts and Sesame gravy

(Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer)

To make into a dry paste/powder:

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp coconut flakes (dry)

2 green chillies or dry red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

Fry above ingredients lightly.Set aside

1 tbsp tamarind paste / or water from a quarter sized ball of tamarind)

1 tbsp peanuts

1 big green squash ( hara kaddu )

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

3-4 curry leaves

salt to taste

oil as required

Grind the sesame-coconut mixture with the peanuts to make a fine powder. Add the tamarind extract and make a thick paste. Do not add water.
Over hot oil combine the cumin and mustard seeds.Add the curry leaves and the turmeric.
Quickly add half of the sesame-peanut mixture and saute for 10s.
Add the squash pieces and mix everything till the squash is coated with the powder.
Add the rest of the powder. Add 1/2 C water and allow the cover to allow the squash to cook.
This will take around 10min.
Once the squash pieces are tender , add salt and adjust consistency of the gravy.Add chilli powder if required.
After the curry boils switch off and serve with rotis/rice.

We were surprised how a curry without the usual garam-masala and ginger-garlic taste so very flavorful. We had it with rotis for a satisfying weekend lunch.

Gajar,Gobhi Aur Shalgam ka saag

2011-07-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

Weekdays for me are spent meeting one time deadline after another. As the clock strikes 7AM the race begins. Every now and then I look at the red clock in our living room to ensure I am not running very late. Do I have enough time for breakfast ? Ohh how is the traffic today. What do i make for dinner ? and the questions in my mind just continue.
So I simply love long weekends like the these. No early morning rush. A few minutes more in the cozy bed wont hurt. And no struggle to wake up our toddler too. He can sleep as long as he feels like.
I love celebrating these days by treating ourselves to some indian breakfast. Pohe, upma, idlis and sometimes even cinnamon toast are usually on the menu on weekends. And add to that a cup of masala chai or even adrakwali chai. And breakfast is served right !!

However on the menu today is a curry that can be served at a homey lunch.I saw this recipe on zee tv 's khana khazana last week or so. It looked simple but an intresting composition. Just a few spices like cumin, ginger and turmeric complement the sweetness of the root vegetables. We had it with rotis for a filling weekend lunch.

Gajar, Gobhi Aur Shalgam ka Saag

(Recipe from sanjeevkapoor.com)

What's needed :

2 medium carrots diced

1 turnip or daikon root grated ( can be replaced with 2 to 3 red radishes also)

1 of cauliflower grated

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger

3 green chillies cut into 3 to 4 pieces

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin

salt to taste

oil to saute

1. Over medium heat combine the oil and cumin and wait till the seeds sizzle.

2. Then add the onion, turmeric and saute till translucent.

3. Then add the green chillies, ginger and the vegetables.

4. Add 1/4 C water and cover and cook till vegetables are tender.

5. Add salt and mix in a handful of cilantro.

6. Taste and add more seasoning if required.

5. Serve with warm rotis.

This tasted really good. I love that the saag uses so much of the fresh produce readily available during summer. And its super-easy isnt it ??

Have a great week ahead !!

A week's trip to Seattle

2011-06-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

We were there for a week and the city captivated us with its pleasant weather and natural beauty.The cool weather, the numerous lakes, thick green forests, snow capped mountains,walking trails, good food and wine -there's so much that this place has to offer that 6 days seemed too short a time.

The city has several small farmers market. A treat for food lovers like me. We feasted on fresh fruits something we missed at Houston.

And a visit to the winery was certainly not to be skipped.

We spent a lot of time with family and friends some of whom I met after almost 5 years.

A life's worth of memories made.

Have a great week ahead !!

Celebrating 6 years of togetherness

2011-06-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

Its been exactly 6 years since Vijay and myself tied the knot. I still remember that bright sunny day, the decorated venue , the colorful sarees and so many little things from the ceremony. I had mixed feelings of anxiety, joy coupled with lots of curiosity as to what my life would be after that day. They were the feelings of every young girl, about to step from a carefree world to a world of responsibilities.

But am happy - for what the last 6 years have offered us. They were eventful in many ways.We moved around a few places, changed jobs and finally settled down here in Houston.

Life rewarded us with a whole lot of good friends who have been so very kind to us. And last but not the least Aamod entered our lives.

Hope the next six years are full of more good times, and then the next six and the next six.........

Organizing 101

2011-05-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

After all the boring de-cluttering its time to move on to something interesting.

Organizing - Assigning everything a rightful place in the house. A close friend taught me - Organizing does not have to be expensive.Yes, it can be tricky. But with some tips to start off you will be a pro in no time.

And remember the tasklist I told you about.Its made on this little dry erase board. A find at walgreens.Its a great investment for busy people. I saw this at a friend's place and loved it.

Toys

Next came the toys. Aamod has several sets of legos, puzzles that he loves to play with. I store each of these sets in 2Gallon or jumbo sized zip lock bags.

These are then be put away into a large plastic box. So far its worked out well for him. He loves opening and closing the zip locks and even puts them away when he's done with them. Overall he seems quite happy about this arrangement. Who knew ?

I also sorted the toys by type. For instance the balls were together so were the other miscellaneous smaller toys. You dont have to buy pretty containers for that. Use what you have. Like I used this tall plastic box that serves the purpose.

Extra clothes

I stored Aamod's extra clothing into storage bags that I got from dollar store. They are not super quality but they do the job well. Am sure other stores would carry them in better quality.

You see the box on the left. It holds all the party supplies leftover from Aamod's birthday party. The top shelf of closets is perfect for items such as these that are sparingly used.

Shoes

We had several pairs of shoes occupying the floor of our shoes and jacket closet. This hanging shelf uses the vertical space to store all our shoes. Now the floor can be used to store other things like vaccum cleaners, strollers etc.

Another great alternative is to use an over the door shoe organizer. You dont have to use this organizer for shoes. Check out where all you can use it here - 10 things to store in shoe organizer.

Going Green

We have also dropped the grocery store plastic bags and switched to cloth bags. A set of 5 bags from walmart cost about $2.50. They are more than enough for our family of 3.

This frees up the space under the sink where we trash all the polythenes. And we all feel good about it too. I keep them in the car and its only a matter of habit to remember to take them along.

Refrigerator Baskets

I got one of these from walmart and the steel one from Goodwill store for $1.50.

These are especially useful if you have lot of frozen stuff that falls off when you open the freezer door. Avoids serious accidents when you have little ones running around.

Basket,Bins and Totes

These are a great organizing tool. Get pretty ones for the outside such as in the living room and dollar store ones where you just want some organizing, like this one under the sink.

It stores all the items for cleaning. They can hold a lot of stuff and still look great.

This red one cost me 7 bucks at HomeGoods and was on sale that day.So be sure to invest wisely.

Canvas Totes or baskets are great for clothes. Walmart, Biglots carry them for a reasonable price.They are light and look great too. Be sure to choose colors that match the rest of the room. Use separate color totes for multiple kids.

Reorganizing

I had a dresser in my hall to hold stuff like stationary, bills etc. I now use it to hold Aamod's clothes. Some clever reorganizing frees up space and makes full use of existing furnuture. Same goes for book racks, cubes etc.

The crux here is to keep is to group items together. For instance this narrow shelf in our bathroom that holds personal items.

And this is defintely not all. I am sure there are lots of ideas out there. And it all depends on personal taste and habits. As for me , I still have lots to work on.

And finally...

Your house is your home - a special place to call your own. Its a place where you can be yourself and so can the kids. So do not be too finicky about the arrangement.After all your home is not a model home. Things will scatter and messes will be made. Be prepared to readjust and revisit as per personal preference. And ofcourse do not stress out too much.

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

A big thank you to my friends D,A,Z for all the inspiration and motivation. You all know who you are and I love you a lot !!

Drop me a comment if you have questions, comments or more advice for me. I would love to hear from you.

Mission Decluttering

2011-05-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I have been actively de-cluttering and organizing my home. On the way, I taught myself a whole lot of new things. It was tiring but a lot of fun, and utterly satisfying. These are some of my lessons learned that may help some of you in your next organizing project.

My goal was to make my home - neat,spacious and definitely more organized.

The first step was to ask myself questions- lots of them.What do I want to change ? What is creating the clutter ? I looked around and the answers came right back.

There were lots of things that needed de-cluttering. For instance, Aamod's toys. So many were broken and not used. I donated a big bag of them and trashed several. I now have only the toys that I want to keep. Less stuff to keep means more space and easy organizing.Ditto with shoes,clothes,zip lock containers etc.Closet and cabinet space is precious real estate that should be wisely used.

I cannot stress how important this step has been. In fact I plan to do it every few months. If I cannot decide if something needed to go or stay I follow the 3-6 month rule. I store it away and if I do not recall or use it for 3-6 months I probably do not need it.

Another trick I learned is to start with small spaces and small projects. I am a working mom and I can only devote so much time to my home. I planned to do a few tasks( may be 2 or 3 small ones) every weekend. That way I do not stress out and lose out on the fun. Make a task list and target it over a few weeks.

I also realized that its not easy to let go of things. Specially toys, clothes - that have been so fondly bought and even gifted.But believe me when you see your clean, organized home it will be all worth it.

Coming up next - are clever ideas to organize your home. Don't head to the IKEA store unless you read this.And this one will be a picture post, I promise.

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

2011-05-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

You know what I got on mother's day ? This...

And for someone who never expected this, it came as a very pleasant surprise.

As mothers we know that we are being appreciated and loved, but its nice to see the feelings being expressed.

Needless to say I was deeply touched.

Coming back to the recipe of the day. This Rajasthani Panchmel dal is mixture of 5 dals ( though I only used 4 to make this..lol). Its cooked in fragrant spices and then tempered to give a nice smoky flavor. This recipe was a great find as its perfect for daily dinner rotation.

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

(Inspired from this recipe on MharoRajasthanrecipes.com)

What's needed :

2 tbsp each of toor dal,masoor dal,mung dal,chana dal and green whole mung dal ( i did not have the last one)

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

1 tomato roughly chopped

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp or more of chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

For the tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 or 2 dry red chillies or green chillies

oil as required

How To:

Soak all the dals for at least 10mins and set aside.
Over hot oil combine the ginger-garlic paste and the chopped onion until onion is soft.
Add the tomatoes and the dry powders. Saute till the mixture is fragrant and leaves oil.
Add the dal plus 5C of water. Allow the dals to cook. This may take around 30min.
Optionally you can transfer mixture to a a pressure cooker or rice cooker to speed up the process.
Once the dal is cooked, over hot oil combine the ingredients of tempering and add it to the cooked dal.
Add salt and taste.
Serve with rice , rotis or like I did with dosas.

"This is the only dal you should make" was Vijay's remark. We all love thick and hearty stews.

But like I said this is a very hearty dal with bursts of spice, since the dals are cooked with the spices. Hearty and smooth because of the heavy dals like chana dal and toor dal. A perfect accompaniment to any meal and also to the rava dosas I made this weekend.

Have a great weekend !!

Brown Rice and Mushroom Burgers

2011-05-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

These brown rice burgers are so good that you would forget every other veggie burger you've had so far. No, Really !! Actually I made almost 12 of them a few weeks back and we finished all of them in a matter of week. They stay so well in the fridge and are great for snacking and as a meal.

I accidentally overcooked my brown rice the other day resulting in rice that was mushy and sticky. I get my short grain brown rice from Whole Foods in the Bins section. But I have seen it many kroger stores also.

Wondering what to do with it I looked on the internet for inspiration. Found this recipe. We loved it from the very first bite.

I made them again to take them out for a picnic at the park.

Brown Rice and Mushroom Burgers

(Inspired from this recipe on ecurry)

1 C cooked brown rice ( 1/2 C uncooked short grain brown rice )

4-5 mushrooms chopped

4 tbsp coursely crushed almonds/almond meal/ crushed walnuts

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

1 tsp red chilli flakes

2 tbsp sricha sauce or your favorite hot sauce

sooji/cornmeal/breadcrumbs as required

salt to taste

oil as required

Cook the brown rice with 2C of water (1:4 ratio of brown rice to water). This will yield sticky and mushy brown rice since this is the main binding agent. Allow to cool and set aside.
Over medium heat combine the garlic, onion and cook till onion browns up. Add the red chilli flakes and black pepper.
Then add the mushrooms. Cook on high heat till the moisture dries up and mixture is dry and lumpy.Set aside.
In another bowl combine the rice and the crushed nuts, sricha sauce and salt. Add the mushroom mixture.
Combine everything and refrigerate the mixture for 20 min.
After 20 min. form the mixture into patties. If the mixture is dry add a tsp of water or mix it with wet hands. Wet hands will also ensure that mixture does not stick to your hands.
Roll the patties in sooji/cornmeal/breadcrumbs and shallow fry till golden brown and crispy.
Assemble into a burger or have them on their own.

These are very filling and really addicting. The brown rice is all nutty and crispy. Like I said these can be made ahead and refrigerated for a week at least. Do not skip the nuts. They are the little bites that add to the texture.

I served them with some chipotle mayo. Its just chipotle in adobos combined with mayo. Really good !! Your favorite dip would work too,

Serve with some salad and lemon wedge for a complete meal.

Panchphoran Aloo

2011-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

Indulgence for some is having a pedicure, for some it is a piece of dark chocolate and for others it might be a branded pair of jeans. My indulgence is shoes - not just any shoes, but a comfortable, trendy pair of my favorite brand. What is your indulgence ?

Panchphoran is a magical mixture of seeds - aromatic and full of flavor. To create this mix equal parts of mustard , cumin, methi ,fennel seeds and another spice called radhuni. Radhuni is not easily available here so I omitted it.

I made this simple but flavorful aloo sabzi this weekend. I tasted it at a potluck party and loved it. Thank you dear Z for such a tasty recipe.

Panchphoran Aloo

What's needed :

3 medium potatoes cooked chopped ( can use whole baby potatoes too)

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 dry red chillies

1 green chilly

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

3 tbsp oil

1/2 an onion sliced thinly

2 tbsp thick yogurt

salt to taste

For the panchphoran tempering :

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp panchphoran

3 tbsp oil

Cilantro to garnish

1 tbsp garam masala

Over medium heat combine the oil,green chilly,dry red chillies and ginger garlic paste.Then add the onions and saute till soft.
Then add the spices - cumin,coriander,chilly and turmeric powder. If mixture becomes too dry add 3-4 tbsp of water.
Add the potatoes and coat them with the spice mixture.Add 5-6 tbsp of water to thin out the gravy.
Do not add too much water at once.
Lower the heat. Smooth the yogurt and add some of the gravy to it and add this to the gravy.
Add salt, pinch of sugar and allow to come to a gentle boil.
The gravy will thicken slightly.Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

For the tempering:

In hot oil add the panchphoran and allow the seeds to sizzle.
Add this to the potato mixture along with the garam masala and the cilantro. Mix well.
Serve hot with rotis.

Chicken in Chilli-Cilantro Gravy

2011-04-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Yes,yours truly was the second one to celebrate her birthday last week. But somehow my birthday was overshadowed by the celebrations we had for Aamod. In fact I did not realize it was my birthday. There was none of that "Its my birthday today" feeling either.

But no complaints as I celebrated the day being close to my loved ones and I did have a great day after all.

And for all you friends who left birthday wishes for me on facebook, email etc. THANK YOU !! You all know who you are and I am so grateful for being a part of your life and you being a part of mine

So like I said I do not have any cake for you but a curry, full of fresh flavors, that you can enjoy on a relaxed weekend with family or with friends. Its healthy and flavorful and it wont make you feel guilty.

Chicken in Chilli-Cilantro Gravy

(Adapted from this recipe on eCurry)

For the cilantro chutney :

2 C cilantro (tender stems only) washed and set aside

3 cloves of garlic

3 green chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp water

Marinate the chicken with:

2-3 tsp lemon juice

salt to taste

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

1C chicken breasts cubed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp crushed red chillies or use dry red chillies

1 tsp crushed black pepper

1 medium onion chopped

1.5 tomato grated or blended in processor

2 tsp thick yogurt

1 tsp ginger paste

6-7 tblsp of olive oil

Marinate the chicken overnight or for an hour at least.
Blend ingredients for the chutney till smooth.
In a kadai heat the oil and add the crushed red chillies , pepper. After a few seconds add the cumin seeds.
Once the seeds sizzle add the onion and allow to brown on medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp sugar to this.
Add the marinated chicken to this and let it brown . Do not move it for a few minutes at least.
You will see the oil leaving the sides. Now toss it around.
Add the tomatoes, ginger paste and 3-4 tbsp of chutney.Combine everything very well. Add water to make a thinner gravy.
Taste and season with salt.
Cover and simmer.Let cook for 10 min till chicken is cooked.
After 10min add 2 tbsp of gravy to the yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Add this to the mixture. Lower flame and allow to come to a gentle boil. This allows the oil to resurface.
Garnish with slivered ginger.Serve with rotis/rice.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 C coconut milk that I replaced with thick yogurt. But you can surely use it for a more richer gravy. The gravy is itself full of fresh flavors from cilantro,ginger and green chillies.So you can easily use the same gravy for paneer,potato or even eggs.

Happy Birthday Aamod

2011-04-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, you guessed it. Our little one turns two (or "tow-ouuu" as he says) this week. Thank you for the early birthday wishes.

Happy Birthday dear Aamod. We feel blessed to have you amidst us.

You have taught us what being a parent is all about. We love you to bits son !!

-Suparna and Vijay

Misal

2011-04-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Misal is one of the most popular fast foods in the western region of Maharashtra. The name "Misal" literally translates to a "mixture". And a mixture of all the goods things it is. One serving of Misal includes -A bowl containing a mixture of crispy chivda, spicy farsan and dry potato curry topped with chopped onion,sev,cilantro served with another bowl of spicy sprouts curry. And if this does not fill you up you can certainly have some bread to be dunked in the curry.

Like most indian recipes there are a hundred different recipes for misal. Though this dish can be easily assembled at home its still is one of the restaurant favorites. In Pune (the place I come from) a couple of family owned resturants like Bedekar, Shrikrishma, Shree,Vaidya have been consistently serving misal for the last 50 years.May be more...

Source - here

Misal invokes so many memories of my hometown - the cold weather, crowded places and fiery curry.

The joints open for business at around 7AM in the morning. And its a full house by 9 AM or so. The place is small around 10X12ft may be , but the flavor is big and bold. The ambiance is provided by the aroma of spices, shaky chairs and by the guests, chomping down the misal with much appetitie.

On most weekends my sister and I would hop on to a bike to one of the misal joints.Soon we are greeted by the long queues and the aroma of spices sizzling in hot oil. Then after what seemed like a long wait our steel container would be returned with steaming hot curry and a few packets of the mixture."Kanda limbu dila aahe naa ?" (Have you given the chopped onion and the lemon slices) my sister would confirm..And then we would ride back at full speed.

Baba (dad in marathi) is a big fan of misal. Its a food very close to his heart.Everyone else too had their own favorites and strong opinions.

The best part is there is no strict recipe so depending on what you mix you make a new version each time.

Here in US I make my own version that is slightly different than the original recipe. But its sooo good. All my friends have loved it.Which is one reason why I am blogging about it. Hope you like it too.

Enough said, lets move on to the recipe :-

Misal

( My family's recipe )

To prepare the misal you need :-

Potato masala ( recipe below)

Matki usal (recipe below)

Amti/Sambar/Dal ( recipe below)

Chivda (recipe here)

Sev

2C of farsan ( I use the hot mix brand)

1 red onion finely chopped

a bunch cilantro chopped

lemon slices

Mix 2 parts of chivda to 1 part of potato masal,matki usal and farsan.

Add a handful of chopped onion and cilantro. Squeeze some lemon over it.

Mix everything nicely.

Garnish with cilantro,onion,sev and serve immediately with a bowl of steaming hot sambar.

You can use your choice of chivda, farsan and sev. What I have given is a rough proportion for the mixture. Increase or decrease the ingredients depending on how you want it to be.

I would surely advise to mix everything a few minutes before serving as it tends to lose its crunch because of the moisture. The best way to enjoy it is to pour 1/2 a bowl of sambar over the mixture and use the rest for dunking bread.

For the potato masala :-

1 large red/white potato cooked until soft ( Microwave 3 min after piercing it a few times) ,chopped

1/2 an onion sliced

1/4 tomato chopped

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

pinch of sugar and squeeze of lemon

1 green chilly chopped

salt and oil as required

In hot oil combine the mustard seeds, turmeric, green chillies and the onion. Saute till the onion is soft.

Add the potatoes, salt,sugar,lemon juice and tomato.

Mix and cook covered for 2 min. Add cilantro and set aside.

For the Matki usal :-

1C of moth/,matki sprouted and cooked until soft

(1/2 C of unsprouted moth will yield a cup of sprouted moth. Pressure cook with salt until the whistle is just about to blow . Else they will be all mushy)

1/2 onion chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

salt and oil as required

Over medium heat combine the onion,turmeric and the chilli powder.

When onion is soft add the cooked moth.

Mix and then taste. Add salt if required, since you already added salt while cooking the moth so not much may be required.

Add a bit of water if the mixture becomes too dry. Set aside.

For the Amti ( also called dal or sambhar) :-

1/2 C toor dal pressure cooked with turmeric and hing

1/2 tomato chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp sambhar powder

salt and oil as required

Over medium heat combine the mustard seeds, tomato ,sambhar and chilli powder.

Add the cooked dal and salt. Mix well.

Add water to get a thin consistency.

Get up to a boil and keep warm until ready to serve.

Food that makes everyone happy and gets everyone together.That's what home cooking is all about.

And two very special people will be celebrating their birthday this week. Guess who ??

Mushroom Curry

2011-03-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

What an eventful week this has been ! It all started with Vijay being away for first part of the week. And I was left to guard the fort. Not that I complain. Its just all the more challenging and very hectic.
Then there was the India-Australia cricket match, full of all kinds of emotions - hope, disappointment and then finally sheer joy. In the final part of the week, both Vijay and Aamod were down with cold and cough. Fortunately they are doing well now. And things should be normal soon.

In the kitchen,I had some mushrooms leftover that needed to be dealt with.They were used in this spicy nutty curry that we enjoyed over the weekend.

If you are a vegetarian who misses the non vegetarian gravies, then this curry is for you. Spicy without the meat.

Mushroom Curry

( Adapted from this recipe )

1 180z pack of whole mushrooms sliced

1/2 an onion + 2 cloves garlic + 1/2 inch ginger - all pulsed coarsely in food processor

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tbsp cashews + 2 tbsp yogurt - all pulsed into a smooth paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala (optional, I did not use any)

cilantro to garnish

oil as required

salt to taste

For the tempering:

2 bay leaves

1 stick cinnamon (I left it out since I had none on hand)

1 tsp cumin seeds

3-4 dry red chillies

Over medium heat combine the oil and ingredients for tempering. Allow the cumin to sizzle.
Then add the onion paste and mix in till brown. The mixture becomes dry and lumpy.
Add the chilli , cumin, coriander and turmeric powders plus the tomato puree. Continue saute till the mixture is dry and no longer smells of raw tomato.
Add the mushrooms,salt and give a good stir. Cover and cook till mushrooms are almost cooked. About 5-7min.
Mushrooms will release their moisture so no water is required.
Then add the cashew-yogurt mixture. Add water to get a thinner gravy.
Simmer and allow to come to a gentle boil.
Add garam masala and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve with rotis or rice.

I am sure to make this curry many times. We had it with some rotis and mango pickle, but it tastes best with plain rice.

Reposting - Ukdiche Modak

2011-03-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

I posted the pictures of Modak last year assuming that the recipe was not something people would be intrested in. I was pleasantly incorrect. Several friends requested the recipe for Modaks and so here I am with the same.

Do excuse the crappy pics. I did not own a DSLR back then.

Army of Modaks .....

To get the perfectly shaped modaks you can use the modak mould avalaible in Western Maharashtra. Most of the houseware stores would carry it. Buy a medium sized one with a smaller hole at the bottom and with smooth lines..

There are 2 parts to the modak. The sweet coconut stuffing and the dough made of rice flour.

Ukdiche Modak

( Our family recipe )

Whats needed for 6 medium sized modaks :-

Stuffing :-

1 C shredded coconut (freshly grated is preferred or use the dry unsweetened variety from indian stores)

3/4 C jaggery (gur) or brown sugar or castor sugar ( jaggery is preferred for the color it imparts)

pinch of cardamom powder

1 tsp of ghee

Combine all of the above ingredients except the cardamom on medium heat.
Mix till the jaggery (or sugar, if using) melts.
The mixture will be pulpy. Keep at it and it will dry out.
This process may take around 30 min. Do not increase heat else the coconut can burn.
Once the mixture dries out add the cardamom.
Set the stuffing aside and allow it to cool completely before using. You can make this a day ahead.

Dough:-

1 C rice flour ( fresh is preferred.Do not use the one stored in pantry for a long time)

1 C + 2 tbsp water

2 tbsp all purpose flour ( do not skip this)

1 tbsp ghee

pinch of salt

Heat the water in a heavy bottomed pan and allow it to bubble.
Add the ghee, salt and stir.
Now add the floursand mix everything. The mixture will be sticky but that's ok.
Quickly cover with a tight lid and switch off the heat.
Leave aside for at least 10min.This will be our dough.

To make modaks :-

Once warm enough to handle empty the flour mixture into a plate.
Knead wetting your hands occasionally in cold water.This makes the dough soft and elastic so that we do not get any cracks in the modak. This is slightly tricky since the dough is hot. But be patient and it will come together.After all you are trying to please Bappa so ..
Once the dough is soft, divide it into 6 equal portions.
Grease the mould with ghee. This prevents the dough from sticking to the mould.
Form each portion into a 2 inch log and push the log into the mould.
Press the center of the log with your index finger and spread it inside the mould. See the picture below.

Modaks in the making.....

Now fill in the stuffing and close with more dough. You can do some patching near the hole.
Open the mould to get the perfectly shaped modak.
To make without the mould flatten every portion into a disk around 1/4 inch thick. Fill with stuffing (the way you do for aloo paratha) and bring in the edges together. Your modak is ready to be steamed.

To steam the modaks:

Keep the modaks on a stainless sieve and keep it covered over a pot of boiling water for 20min.
Or do it in pressure cooker ( without the whistle ) for 20min.
Serve hot with dollop of ghee.

Ready to be steamed

Modak for Ganpati Bappa

If the modaks stick to the sieve apply some ghee on the area before you place them.

If making the rice flour dough sounds difficult it can be made with chapati flour (atta) kneaded a little harder than chapati dough. Roll into puri sized circles and stuff. Then deep fry till golden brown.

Matar Paneer

2011-03-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

I consider myself lucky to have spent a better part of my life in Pune. I have seen the city grow from a small conservative town to the cosmopolitan place of today. Besides other things the city is now famous for its food. The plethora of restaurants in various parts of the city cover most of the world's popular cuisines.

During college days we spent a lot of evenings hanging out on the famous "Jungli Maharaj Road". When we were looking for a small snack or a lite lunch we always found something within our budget - Chaat, Dabelis, sandwiches and so much more.Birthdays, get-togethers, sari days, valentines,almost every special occasion was celebrated with a lunch or dinner at some of our favorite joints located here. Most of the restaurants served classic North Indian cuisines along with the indianized chinese food. The "vegetable manchurian" at one of these places was to die for and so were the other paneer dishes.

Matar Paneer - a classic north indian preparation, is not something frequently made at our home. Not because we don't like it but it wasn't just part of the meal rotation. But a half can of tomato puree lying around in the fridge suggested that I needed to use it up quickly and this dish sounded like a perfect way to do the same.

I referred to several recipes online. Most of them used thick cream that I did not have on hand. Finally I decided to make it the following way.

The recipe uses whole garam masala along with a generous amount of ginger-garlic.A couple of teaspoons of yogurt impart the required creaminess. In all, a tasty and healthy recipe.

Matar Paneer

(Adapted from "Indian Home Cooking" by Suvir Saran)

What's needed :-

1.5 medium onion chopped finely

1 inch piece of ginger grated

4 cloves of garlic

5-6 tbsp of tomato puree (or 3 medium tomatoes chopped)

2-3 tbsp of yogurt whisked smooth

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 bunch cilantro

salt to taste

6 tbsp of oil

For the tempering :

1 inch stick of cinnamon

5-6 black peppercorns

3-4 dry red chillies

5 cloves

7 cardamom pods

1 tsp cumin seeds

Mince the garlic and the cumin and set aside.
Over medium heat combine the cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom and wait till cinnamon unfurls.
Add the cumin seeds, dry red chillies and allow to sizzle.
Add the onions and salt. Let the onions brown. If they get dry add a tsp of water. This may take around 10 min so be patient.
Then add the ginger,garlic-cumin mixture,chilli , turmeric, coriander and cumin powders. Continue to saute till the mixture is dry and lumpy.
Then add the tomatoes or the tomato puree. If using puree let the mixture cook for around 5-7min till the raw smell of tomato is gone.
Whisk the yogurt and add a tablespoon of the tomato mixture. Add the yogurt to the pan.
If the whole thing gets too thick add water to get desired consistency.
Turn the heat to medium and cover.Allow to come to a gentle boil. Do not cook over high heat as the yogurt may curdle.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the peas and cook for another 5 min.
Finally add the garam masala, cilantro and the paneer. Switch off after 2-3 min.

There you are- a restaurant classic to be enjoyed right in the comfort of your home. Such dishes make our weekend meals special. We love them with warm rotis and some salad.

Orange Basundi

2011-03-12T21:28:00.000-08:00

When I was in my early teens I often asked aai "How did you know that I was hungry". And she had the same answer "You got to be a mom to know that ..". A decade and half later I understand what she meant. Mom's are special people. Aren't they ?

I love how these simple things in life give so much joy. Like cooking and feeding the family.The smile on their face when they see their favorite meal, their appetite, their request for seconds and the satisfied faces after wards. This makes the menu planning, the grocery trips, the cooking all worth it.

To satisfy the weekend sweet cravings I made some sinful orange basundi. Sinful ? Because its too good to resist. And except your weight everyone else will be really happy.

The recipe is very simple and can be made ahead. Perfect for a party or a get-together.

Orange Basundi

(Inspired from this recipe)

1/2 can or 7 oz of condensed milk

3 C low fat milk

3 tbsp milk powder

(combination of low fat milk + milk powder can be replaced with 3 C of whole milk)

3 oranges peeled (sweeter variety like navel,valencia or even clementines)

pinch of saffron

pinch of cardamom

In a heavy bottomed pan combine the condensed milk, low fat milk and milk powder.
Get it to a boil and simmer for 45mins or so till the mix is reduced to 1/2 the qty.
Add the saffron and cardamom.
Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile peel the oranges removing the all the white rinds as far as possible.
When the milk has cooled add the orange pieces.
Chill and serve cold.

The condensed milk is very sweet and so no additional sugar is needed. I made them with some sweet valencia oranges. But you can try using clementines since they are so easy to peel. Other fruits like grapes, berries would go well too. I would not add banana though.

Totally delicious !!

Eggless Date Cake

2011-03-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

Date cake is the most popular cake in my house. We both love it and now Aamod is loving it too. When I offered him a tiny piece he wrinkled up his nose and winked his eyes. The usual expressions I get when he tastes something new. This time he paused, thought for a moment wondering what it is. Soon he gobbled up the whole thing and was asking for more. I made this cake yesterday and by today evening its almost over. Its really really tasty my friends !.

I usually make this version of it. This time however I made it healthier. Replaced the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour (atta), cut down on the oil and the sugar too.

Date Cake

(Adapted from this recipe on Aayi's recipes)

1 packet chopped and pitted dates ( the one you get in walmart) or use 18 fresh dates

3/4C milk
1/2 +1/8 C sugar ( or turbinado sugar or brown sugar)
1/2 C all purpose flour + 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C oil

1/4 C applesauce
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbl spn cashews, walnuts

Method:

Combine the dates and milk in a bowl. Microwave it for 3min. Let it cool.
Add the sugar. Then blend the whole thing into a smooth paste.
Transfer to a big bowl and add the oil. Set aside
In another bowl sift the flour, baking soda and the nuts.
Now add the flour mixture to the dates mixture 2 tbsp at a time. Combine using the cut-fold method till all the flour is integrated.
Transfer to a 8inch cake pan.
Bake in a preheated oven 350 F for 35-40min.
If a tooth pick comes out clean the cake is done.

If you are hesitant to buy a big jar of applesauce try the baby food section. You can buy a 50cent jar just enough for this recipe. Or pressure cook some apples at home after removing the skin and the stems. Or use an overripe banana. The taste might differ but it will still be very good.

And here is one of us enjoying a piece of it...

Mango Chutney

2011-02-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

The one thing that I am worried about these days are the gas prices. My oh my.. are they jumping high every day. Seems like there is no ceiling on them.And so the cost of everything else also seems to plummet. Specially the fresh produce. At such times I try to look for in-season produce. Like these gorgeous mangoes that I picked up last week. They looked neglected sitting in one corner of the aisle. Apparently they are not very popular amongst the local folks, out here at least. But me, I love mangoes - both the ripe and unripe ones. Fortuantely Vijay also shares this love with me. The ripe, juicy ones are almost immediately enjoyed while the unripe ones take their place in chutneys. Like the one here...

This recipe comes from my mom. She would make it frequently during the Mar-April months with the raw, green mangoes (called "kairi" in marathi), found just before the ripe alphonsos or haapus hit the market. So when I asked her for the recipe this week she was pleasantly surprised."Its only Feb, How have you got the mangoes so soon" she asked.

Back to the recipe for today. I used a special pickle masala blend from K-Pra. Its just a mix of chilli powder, mustard powder and asafoetida. But it will taste great even without it.

Mango Chutney

1 unripe mango grated ( one that is slightly sour would be perfect )

1 red onion finely chopped

1 tsp pickle masala (optional)

2 tsp chilli powder ( reduce for less heat )

salt to taste

1 tsp grated jagger or gur (substitute brown sugar if gur is not at hand)

For tempering :

1 tsp mustard seeds

3-4 tbsp vegetable/canola oil

pinch of hing or asafoetida

How to :-

Mix the grated mango with the rest of the ingredients.
Over medium heat combine the ingredients for tempering and wait till mustard seeds pop. Let this mixture cool down.
Then pour it over the mango mixture.
Taste and adjust spices. Serve with parathas.

My mother generally grates the onions. But I like the crunch from the finely chopped one and more so its easier for me. We loved the freshness from the mangoes and the kick from the spices.So much better than having the jarred stuff that is packed god knows when... :)

I served it with methi parathas for a healthy lunch.

Navy Bean Soup

2011-02-21T21:10:00.000-08:00

After the extreme temperatures of the past few weeks its finally warmed up here. It feels so nice to step out without the woollies. No concerns about the temperature outside. Its not too hot either. Just right for us to enjoy a stroll round the neighborhood and some play at the gazebo at any time of the day :).Well almost !. Knowing that this will not last long is all the more reason to enjoy it. Needless to say this does not leave enough time to make an elaborate meal. In times like these I like to make soup - glorious soup.

Like this curried navy bean soup.Spicy,filling and really quick to make. I usually make it in the rice cooker.

Curried Navy Bean Soup

(Inspired from this recipe on ecurry.com)

1 C dried navy beans soaked overnight

1 onion chopped

2 medium carrots chopped

2 handfuls of spinach chopped (optional)

1 small tomato chopped ( or 2 tsp tomato paste )

1 tsp cumin seeds

3-4 garlic cloves

2 tsp red chilly flakes ( crushed dried red chillies can be used here)

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

5-6 C vegetable stock(or use 3C stock and rest water)

pinch of pepper

salt to taste

In a pan combine the olive oil and the cumin seeds. When the seeds sizzle add the ,red chilly flakes,garlic and the onion.Saute for 2 min till onion is soft and garlic is fragrant.
Add the spinach,carrots, tomato and rest of the spices. Mix and continue cooking for 5-6 min.
Then add the navy beans, stock/water. Check for seasoning. The stock is slightly salty so add the salt accordingly.
Transfer to rice cooker set it uncovered in cook mode.When it comes to a boil then, set it to warm and cover. Leave alone for 1 hour at least.
The soup will continue to thicken so ensure that you have enough water in the rice cooker.
Serve with crusty bread.

We really look forward to a soup and bread meal. And this soup was very filling because of the protein in the beans. I was a doubtful if the beans would cook fast enough. But that wasn't a problem at all. They cooked in the spicy broth and absorbed all the great flavor. A perfect meal to take in that very last bit of winter.

Rice Cooker Egg Pulao and a Broccoli Coleslaw

2011-02-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

The past few days have been very cold out here. The weather forecasts promised snow but then later changed their minds. So what we got were really low temperatures. Not bad, as long as we got a day-off from work.;)

On warmer days I take Aamod outside, to play with other kids though a bit older to him. He loves their company and is always delighted to see them. But days like this force us to be indoors. He finds some other activities like these blocks.

As for the food, we crave for something warm and comforting , something homely. Usually I will make some soups or one-pot meals on such occassions. Egg pulao is one such meal.

I always make the pulao in my rice cooker. I mix up everything and turn on the cooker an hour before dinner time. That way we having a steaming pot of pulao just in time for the meal. I accompanied this by a broccoli salad. This salad is so easy to make with store-bought broccoli slaw. You will be surprised that without any oil or mayo it still tastes so good.

For my totally vegetarian friends egg can easily be replaced by chickpeas or could be omitted altogether.

Egg Pulao

4-5 hard boiled eggs (peeled and sliced)

1C basmati or sona masuri rice

1 heaped tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 onion sliced thinly

1 bell pepper chopped (optional,I used combination of green and yellow)

1/4 C or few handfuls of cashews

1/4C or few handfuls of golden raisins

2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

5-6 tbsp of olive oil

How to :-

Wash the rice and set aside.
Combine the oil and the cumin over medium heat.
Once cumin sizzles add the onion. Saute till its golden brown. This step gives lot of flavor so do not skip it.
Then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook it for a 1-2min.
Add the bell peppers,chilli powder, turmeric, salt,garam masala,cashews and raisins. Mix and fry for 2-3 min.
Finally add the rice. Give the whole thing a good stir.
At this point I transfered the whole thing to a rice cooker. Added 2C of water to it and turned it on.
Add water as needed by the type of rice you use. Basmati may not require twice the amount.
When rice is cooked add the eggs and mix gently.Or serve as without eggs for a truly vegetarian version.

Broccoli Slaw

1 10oz pack of broccoli slaw (find it in salad section)

3/4inch piece of ginger grated
1 tsp sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp chaat masala

1 tsp cumin powder or coarsely crushed cumin
1 -2 green onions sliced thinly
1 green chilly minced finely ( can be omitted for a milder version)

5 tbsp or more of peanuts crushed coarsely (not powdered)

handful of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

How to :

Mix all the ingredients except the broccoli and peanuts to get the dressing.
Add it to the broccoli slaw and toss well to coat. You may require more lemon juice.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with peanuts and then serve.
This salad can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated to serve later.

The sweetness from the raisins and the onions, crunch from the cashews all add up to provide the homely meal that we were looking for. It was the first time that I made the broccoli slaw but I am sure to make it again.

Roasted Root Vegetable Jumble

2011-02-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

The accompaniment to the dhansaak I made the other day was this root vegetable jumble. Its a very simple recipe and almost cooks itself.

Roasted Root Vegetable Jumble

(Adapted from this recipe on Food Network)

Vegetables - Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Daikons, Fennel,Butternut Squash,Red Onion ( Any combination of these, sliced 1/4inch thick)

For the marinade :

2 lemons cut into wedges ( or use readymade lemon juice )

5-6 tbsp of oil (may need some more if you have more veggies)

2-3 tsp cumin powder

2-3 tsp coriander powder

handful of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

feta cheese to sprinkle on top

How to :

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix the ingredients for the marinade and set aside.
Spread the veggies on a baking tray lined with foil (for easy cleanup).
Pour the marinade on the veggies making sure it coats the veggies well. Take care not to overcrowd the veggies though.
Transfer to oven and roast for 30min.
Check back and spread the feta cheese crumbles and bake for another 10min until the cheese melts.
Serve warm.

This is one of the dishes that I cook when I am in a time-crunch. Healthy and highly satisfying. I find that the baking process makes the root vegetables sweeter and highly flavorful. We are loving the carrots, daikons and squashes in a all new way.

Like me ,if you have never worked with fennel before do give it a try. I am sure you will love its sweet and nutty flavor.

Dhansaak

2011-02-04T22:46:00.000-08:00

My earliest association with parsis was when I was in school in std vii. We had an english teacher Mrs Jaru Dinshaw - a very unique personality. Tall, fair and classy - very modern for the times. We girls loved her pretty saris, her perfume and more importantly - her love for literature.

Her image still sits pretty in my childhood memories. She with her text book, and all of us huddled around her. The poems she recited, the dramas(Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night,...) that we enacted and short stories explained by her have become a part of me. Like these lines that I think of each morning -

The woods are lovely dark and deep ,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

I love them all because of her.

The recipe for today is dedicated to this teacher of mine. It is a bowl of piping hot lentil stew - Dhansaak. Every parsi family have their own version of it. Most of them will have meat. I got mine from the Suvir Saran's book - American Masala. This one is made with winter vegetables - squash, daikon and radishes.

Dhansaak

(Adapted from the book American Masala by Suvir Saran)

For the spice blend (Dhansaak Masala) -

1 inch piece of cinnamon

6 green cardamom pods

1tbsp coriander seeds

2tsp cumin seeds

1tsp fennel seeds

1tsp mustard seeds

1tsp turmeric

1/2tsp peppercorns

1/4tsp fenugreek seeds

1/4tsp whole cloves

For the herb paste -

handful of cilantro

1 inch piece of ginger

1 green chilly

3 dried red chillies

2 garlic cloves

For the stew

1/4C red lentils (You can use mixture of toor dal and red masoor dal but toor dal takes longer to cook)

1tsp cumin seeds

1/2 an onion sliced

5-6tbsp oil

1.5C (Any combination of radishes,daikon and butternut squash sliced)

water as required

salt to taste

How to :-

Pulse the ingredients for the herb paste and keep aside
Similarly finely powder the ingredients for the spice blend and set aside. This is the Dhansaak masala. You can use store-bought too.
Combine the cumin seeds and the oil in a pan and wait till cumin is brown.
Add the onions and saute till brown. Add salt in between. Do not skip this step. It might take a 5-6 mins but its worth it.
Then add 2tsp of the dhansaak masala and allow the oil to separate.
After about 1 min add the vegetables (radishes, daikon and squash. Saute on medium heat for 5-6 min till fragrant.
Then add the lentils and around 3-4C of water. Bring to a boil and cover, simmer for 30-35 mins.
Check back to see if the lentils are cooked.
Meanwhile heat a 1tbsp of oil in another pan and add the herb paste. Saute for a minute or two till the raw smell of garlic leaves the mixture.
Once the lentils have cooked add the herb paste and 2tsp of the spice blend. Check for salt and seasoning.
Bring to a boil and serve hot with rice or rotis.

I served them alongside a vegetable root jumble (recipe in another post) with some rotis and rice. A very tasty meal. You might not need all of the dhansaak masala though. I made twice the give amount and saved some for later.

Dhansaak is traditionally seved with brown dhansaak rice. I will make it next time may be.

Have a great weekend !

Mushroom and Chickpea Pulao

2011-01-29T14:30:00.000-08:00

Our toddler has got a new activity these days... We call it the " the pouring activity" and needless to say that he is loving it. Keeps him busy for quite sometime.

He does it with much concentration and enjoys it completely.. I am loving the way he picks each of the white peas and puts them into jar. They are so cute these days... :)

On the kitchen front I made this Mushroom and Chickpea Pulao. The recipe is from the cookbook "American Masala" by Suvir Saran. The book has recipes from around the world modified to suit the indian palette.

Honestly I am not a big fan of mushroom. I always thought it lacked taste and it never looked pretty to me. But this recipe is a sure winner. No onions, no tomatoes and no ginger-garlic paste. Only whole spices make the mushrooms delectable, to say the least. I got a thumbs up from Vijay too.

Mushroom and Chickpea Pulao

(Adapted from "American Masala" by Suvir Saran)

What's needed :

For the rice:

1C of rice ( I used sona masoori rice. You can use basmati if you like )

1 inch stick of cinnamon

6 cardamom cloves

3 cloves

5 peppercorns

4C of water

For the mushroom mixture :

8oz pack of button mushrooms sliced

3 dry red chillies

6 cardamoms (black or green)

3 tsp sambhar powder

5-6 pepper corn

2 cloves

2 tsp coriander powder

1C slightly thick buttermilk

pinch of turmeric

3-4 tbsp olive oil or canola oil

1/2 C canned or cooked chickpeas (optional)

salt to taste

1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped ( dont skip this )

Combine the ingredients for the rice and allow it to come to a boil. Strain and set aside. Do not cook the rice completely. We want it half (or even less) cooked.
Over medium heat combine the oil, cloves,peppercorn and cardamom till fragrant.Then add the dry red chilles.
Once the chillies brown up add the turmeric, coriander and the sambar powder. Cook for 1-2 min. Take care not to burn.
Add the mushrooms. The mixture will now release a lot of moisture so stir on medium-high heat till it reduces a bit.
Finally add the buttermilk and salt. There will still be a lot of liquid now. Cook for 5-7 min.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. The mushrooms should taste one level saltier and spicier than you want the final rice to be. At the end add the chickpeas.
For a biryani layer the rice and the mushrooms in a rice cooker or normal cooker and cook for 30min. If the water from the mushrooms is not enough you can add more. I did not need to add though.
If not cook in a heavy bottomed pan on high heat. Once the rice is cooked cover and simmer for 15min. I mixed both the rice and the mushroom mixture in a rice cooker for a pulao.
Serve with boondi raita.

The mushrooms are the star ingredient of this dish. Its almost like a chicken pulao but only vegetarian. We loved it for a quick and tasty weekday dinner.

For finger licking good boondi raita :

Combine :

1C yogurt (homemade is the best) beaten till smooth

1/4 tsp coursely crushed cumin seeds

pinch of coriander powder

pinch of chilli powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp chopped cilantro/mint or both (i used cilantro since i was out of mint)

Mix well and cool in fridge for an hour before serving.

Add boondi and serve. I add boondi at the end since we do not like soggy boondi.

Aamod did not have the pulao. He feasted on boondi raita though...

Butternut Squash Stew

2011-01-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

"I love you dad because you make me feel warm,safe and snug. I love you dad for everything that you do for me.." - These were the words on a card made by a first grader for her dad who also happens to be a collegue at work. Soon after reading this, my mind wandered back to those days when baba(dad in marathi) dropped to us to school each and every day for close to 12 years. He would wait till we reach the gate and waved a goodbye. Aai(mom in marathi) gave us a warm hug and put us to sleep. We did not have everything in life but we had just enough to make us feel "warm and snug" .Its not about the house, the toys, the car etc its just how we make our kids feel. Isnt it ?

Now to more practical things in life - like the kitchen and the recipe for today. Its this steaming hot bowl of butternut squash stew.

Butternut Squash - I have not cooked with it very often. However these winter months offer a limited choice of vegetables. So the squash got its turn in our kitchen.

The recipe is very simple and comes together in minutes.

Butternut Squash Stew

What's needed:-

2 cups of butternut squash diced ( I get the 8oz packet from Walmart. Its diced and washed )

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion chopped

1 can of diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp chilli powder

5-6 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp crushed red chillies

1/4 C cream or whole milk

salt to taste

5-6 tbsp of oil

How to :-

Preheat oven to 425 F.
In a pan cobine the cumin and oil over medium heat. Once the seeds sizzle add the garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Do not brown.
Add the onion and cook it till soft.
Then add the tomatoes and continue cooking till the oil separates and tomatoes are mushy.
Add the cumin powder, chilli powder, crushed red chillies, salt and the bay leaves.
Transfer the whole thing to an over proof dish. Add the squash pieces.
Cover with a foil and move to oven for 45-50 min.
After 45 min check if the squash is tender. The oil would have separated at the top and the stew will have a nice orange-red color.
Give it 5-10min if needed. Check for seasoning. Add in the cream or milk.
Serve hot with bread, rotis or even rice.

The stew almost cooks itself in the oven. Even though the stew looks fiery red its not very hot and spicy. It gets it sweetness from squash.

Enjoy !

Pita Pockets filled with fish, cabbage and mayo sauce

2011-01-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

A few days back while channel surfing I happened to watch the show 'Aarti Party' on food network. Hmm.. looked interesting. The host shared a recipe for fish tacos. Instead of making tacos I put the same filling into a whole wheat pita pocket.

I followed the recipe for the sauce. Ok let me warn you - The sauce is highly addicting. So make sure you have the ingredients to make enough. It can be made in advance and stored in the fridge.

Here is the recipe :-

Pita pockets with fish,cabbage and mayo sauce

(Inspired from this recipe on Aarti Party on Food Network)

For the sauce :-

1/2 C mayo

10 sprigs of mint chopped

2-3 garlic cloves mashed

salt to taste

juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 tsp coarsely ground cumin

To stuff :-

1/2 head of cabbage shredded ( lettuce would work fine too )

1/2 an onion (optional, this was not in the recipe though )

pickled banana peppers

2-3 spring onions ( greens only ) chopped

Pita pockets ( I got the whole wheat ones at kroger in the baking section )

Marinade for the fish :-

5-6 tbsp of oil

salt to taste

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp chilli powder

1tsp turmeric

4 pieces of tilapia ( or any other white fish )

Combine the ingredients for the sauce. Taste and adjust as required. Add some water if required to thin out the sauce. It should taste sour and slightly salty.
Combine the ingredients for the marinade and apply on fish. If using frozen fish thaw and dry completely before marinating.
In a hot pan place the fish pieces and cook till flaky. No more oil is required to fry the fish. Cut the fish into bite sized pieces.
Combine the shredded cabbage,onion and banana peppers with the 1/4C of the sauce. Somewhat like a coleslaw salad.
Warm the pita pockets in a pan. This will soften the pockets. Else they will be hard like cardboard. ;)
Then fill the pita pockets with the cabbage mixture, top with fish pieces, banana pepper and spring onions.
Serve warm.

These pockets look so cute. They are neater to eat than the tacos in my opinion. Vegetarians can easily replace the fish with paneer, potatoes or a combination of these. Would work well for a picnic too..

We enjoyed the pita pockets for a quick weeknight dinner. Warm pita pockets stuffed with spicy fish, cool sauce and crunchy cabbage. Delicious !

Zarda Pulao ( Sweet saffron pilaf with nuts and currants)

2011-01-01T21:22:00.000-08:00

Wish you all a happy new year ! May this year bring lots of good food and good health to you and your loved ones !!

It was busy 2010 for me. Work, home and our precious toddler playing major roles. I revived this blog and have been at it till now. Your kind words , comments and encouragements have kept me going. Thank you !.

We welcome every new year with a sweet something in the kitchen. It was a tradition started by my mom and I follow it too.

This year I made this Zarda Pulao or Sweet Saffron pilaf with currants and nuts for lunch. Its not hefty as the name suggests. In fact its light, slightly sweet with a nice crunch from the nuts. A perfect side dish at a lunch/dinner or a snack on its own.

Zarda Pulao ( Sweet saffron pilaf with currants and nuts )

1C basmati rice ( I used sona masuri rice since was out of basmati )

2C water

3/4C sugar ( I used turbinado sugar. You can use brown or white sugar )

1 2-inch stick cinnamon

10 cardamom (slightly crushed to open the pods)

1tbsp ginger, grated

pinch of saffron

2 tbsp milk

15 almonds cut

3tbsp of golden raisins

3tbsp of black currants ( can substitute with more raisins )

2tbsp pistachios

2tbsp of ghee/oil

Microwave the saffron for 20s and crush with the back of the spoon. Add milk and set aside.
Wash the rice and allow to drain for 20min. Then dry roast the rice until the grains are crisp. Set aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan combine the cinnamon,cardamom.Allow the cinnamon to unfurl and release the aroma.
Then add the ginger and the stir so that it does not burn.
Add the currants and the nuts and then the rice. Add the water.
At this point I transferred the whole thing in a rice cooker and set it to cook.
When the rice was half cooked ( after around 10 min ) add the sugar,saffron and some water if the rice tends to burn.
Serve warm .

This is another recipe from the Indian Home Cooking book by Suvir Saran. The author loved the way the saffron coats the rice unevenly. Well we loved it too.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays !!

2010-12-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

No recipe today. Just some fruitcake to wish you a very merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Go ahead, Help yourself !!

Simple Lentil Dal with Whole Spices

2010-12-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

At every visit to the library I squeeze in a few minutes to skim through the books in the culinary section. In fact I was pleasantly surprised to see several books about indian cusine. The best part was that these weren't by the likes of the Tarla Dalals and Sanjeev kapoors. Oh yes their recipes are good, no doubt after all they are professional chefs.But what I find more interesting is the food cooked by simple people like you and me. The recipes that have passed over generations and from one kitchen to another.

Last week I picked up one such book by Suvir Saran. The book has a fine collection of recipes that have been part of families known to the author. I love books with lots of pictures (feast to the eyes) and the book could have done better on this front. Nevertheless the author makes up with a short history about the origin of the recipe. Is there any cookbook that you referred to often ?

This weekend I tried this comforting dal from this book. There was a lot of eating out for us this past week - Office parties, birthday parties, on the go lunches and so forth. I and consequently him too were craving some light, home cooked food. Something not too spicy yet tasty and comforting.

On to the recipe for the lentil dal : -

Simple Lentil Dal with Whole Cinnamon, Cardamom and Cloves

(Inspired by recipe from Indian Home Cooking by Suvir Saran)

1C cooked masoor dal or red lentils (pressure cook with turmeric,hing)

1 2-inch stick of cinnamon

2-3 cloves

6 cloves of green cardamom, lightly crushed to release the seeds

1 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 green chillies cut into to 2-3 chunks

1 tsp cumin seeds

4 tbsp or 1/2 chopped onion

handful of cilantro

1 tbsp of lime juice

salt to taste

3-4 tbsp oil

Combine the oil with the cinnamon,cloves and cardamom. Allow the spices to release their aroma.
Then add the onion,green chillies and the ginger-garlic paste. On medium heat saute for 2-3 min.
Then add the lentils and the salt.Allow to come to a boil on medium heat.
Add handful of cilantro and lemon juice.
Enjoy with plain rice.

I poured ladles of it over plain rice and devoured it to the last bit. And did I tell you the dal tasted even better the next day. And Aamod liked it too. That gives me all the more reason to make it again.

Kasuri Methiwali Gobi ki sabzi

2010-12-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Don't you love this time of the year ? With all the Christmas decorations at homes, offices and at the malls it seems like everyone is in the party mood, hopeful of the good times ahead. The trees are lighting up , the gift-buying is almost done and the wrapping up is in full swing. The weather has been supportive too (at least here). And I really hope it continues this way. With a few stints of chill its mostly-been low humidity and cool days for us. Oh I am so looking forward to the holidays. Just a few days to go ....

And while all of you gear up for the holidays here is one recipe that is quick,easy and somewhat healthy too.

With a limited choice of vegetables in winter I often seek different ways to serve them. A few days back I bookmarked this recipe on Monsoon Spice. Its a nice change from the way I usually make Gobi. Simple enough for a weekday meal.

Kasurimethiwali Gobi ki Sabzi

(Inspired from this recipe on Monsoon Spice)

1 head of cauliflower ( chopped into bite-size chunks or florets)

1 heaped tsp of kasuri-methi

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp fennel seeds (coarsely crushed)

1 tsp cumin seeds (coarsely crushed)

1 tsp coriander powder ( can substitute with garam masala powder)

1 large tomato chopped

salt to taste

a handful of raisins

3-4 tbsp olive oil or any other oil

Heat up the oil and add to it the cumin and then ginger-garlic paste. After half a minute add the tomatoes, turmeric,chilli powder, kasuri methi,coriander powder and fennel seeds.
Allow the mixture to cook till tomatoes become pulpy .Meanwhile enjoy the heavenly aromas of fennel and kasuri methi.
Next add the gobi and give the whole thing a good stir. Add a few teaspoons of water. Simmer,cover and let cook for about 5-7 min.
Uncover and check if soft. I like them just tender rather than mushy.
Add the raisins and the salt.Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add more water in between if the mixture dries up.
Serve with rotis or rice

Curries such as this quickly become a regular on my dinner rotation.. They are so easy to put-together and make a great fit for the lunch-box.

Enjoy !

Salmon and Bean Soup

2010-12-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

With every year that passes by, life becomes all the more busier with more responsibilities and chores. Its so easy to get caught up in the routine - career,job,home,kids. We often leave behind the things we loved to do. So imagine my surprise when some of my friends teamed up to do a marathi entertainment program. I had more than respect for them - it was deep admiration too. How in the world could you have time , I said. But I agree, amongst all the things life throws at us we need some time for some own therapeutic activity. It may be just a few minutes a day , once a week or so. The challenge is in doing what you love without the guilt.

By now you must have guessed that blogging and cooking are curing for me too !! So lets get to the important issue at hand - Food.

This winter I have made a secret resolution to cook soup at least once a week. Why once a week ? Because that way I am forced to find at least one good soup recipe. If the recipes are blog-worthy you will surely see them here.

The first soup that I had bookmarked since ages is this Salmon and Beans Soup. This soup is a good combination of all the good things that one needs. Protein from the beans , heart healthy omega3 acids and whole lot of flavor making it all delectable.

Salmon and Beans Soup

(Inspired from this recipe)

4 pieces of salmon ( I used frozen ones, 2 per person )

1 C cooked mixed beans ( I used the them from the 16 bean soup mix )

1 onion sliced

1tsp turmeric powder

2tsp chilli powder

2tsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin (coarsely crushed)

2-3 bay leaves

4C vegetable stock ( or chicken stock )

1C of water

salt to taste

olive oil as needed

1-2 black cardamom( optional )

2 crushed red chillies

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

Cook the beans with a tsp of salt in the pressure cooker. The beans should not mushy and preferrably retain their shape.
In large pot heat the olive oil add the cardamom,onion and the ginger-garlic paste. Cook till the onion becomes soft.
Then add the spices - turmeric,coriander powder,cumin, chilli powder.
Then add the stock and the water.Add the bay leaves and adjust the salt.
Slide in the salmon pieces and let the whole thing come to a boil.
Check to see if the salmon has cooked and is fork tender.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with some crusty bread.

Both of us loved this soup specially after coming back from the cold winter evening. The crushed red chillies, cumin and the coriander adding a slight heat that instantly warms you up.

Have great weekend ahead !!

Egg Salad on Ciabatta

2010-11-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

We had a fun and an enjoyable thanksgiving weekend. A couple of days away from the routine was just what we needed. So I took the time to lay back and do some my kind of R&R (rest and relaxation). And that included hanging out in some gorgeous weather, spending time with family and cooking some delicious meals.And BTW delicious does not have to be time-consuming. Like this quick egg salad recipe on this blog.

On another note :- How do you boil your eggs. I keep the eggs and the water in a pan and get them to a boil. Then cover and let them rest for at least 10min. Add water to cool them and then peel. Perfectly cooked eggs every time.

The rest of the recipe calls for some basic pantry ingredients.

Here it goes :-

Egg Salad on Ciabatta

(Inspired from this recipe on One Hot Stove)

Ingredients

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 tomato chopped

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp oil

pinch of turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

salt to taste

1 tsp of your favorite garam masala

4 Boiled eggs

In a bowl combine add the onion,tomatoes,ginger-garlic paste and oil. Cover with a plastic wrap and microwave for 1 min or till the onion is translucent.
To this add the spices - tumeric,salt,chilli powder and garam masala.
Meanwhile chop the eggs. I used 2 full eggs plus 2 egg whites. Add them to the above mixture.
Finally add 2 tbsp mayonaise, 1 tsp mustard and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

I toasted some Ciabatta and filled them with the salad. Totally delicious !!! Be sure to use the best of the bread you can find. We love the ciabatta from Panera Bread Bakery. Nothing can beat this $1.99 bread. You can use any french bread you like.

If the eggs are ready the total meal will be ready in less than 15min. Faster and way tastier than any take-out.

Malai Kofta

2010-11-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

While this part of the world feasts on the turkey and the mashed potatoes we indulged ourselves in a very much indian Malai Kofta. It was one of those times where I attempted to replicate the restaurant like flavors at home.

An internet search for the perfect recipe resulted in almost a hundred different variations of this classic dish. I took ideas from many of these and came up with my own.

The contents for the kofta are common in most recipes - paneer and potatoes. You can add some basic seasonings if you like. The tomato based curry is enriched with ground cashews and almonds.

Here's the recipe in detail :

For the koftas :

1/2 C paneer grated ( I used homemade)

1 medium potato ( cooked and grated )

pinch of salt ( dont add too much )

1 tsp green chillies finely chopped

1 large carrot grated (optional)

1/4 C green beans finely chopped

2 tbsp corn flour or all purpose flour

oil to deep fry

For the curry :-

7-8 tbsp tomato pure

2 tbsp cashews (soaked overnight)

2 tbsp almonds (soaked overnight)

1/2 onion chopped

1 inch ginger

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp fennel powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp sugar or honey

salt to taste

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

oil for tempering

Make a paste of cashews and almonds and keep aside
Grind the onion with ginger and garlic and keep aside.
In a pan heat the oil and add the onion paste and saute till fragrant.
Then add the chilli powder and turmeric.
Add the tomato puree and stir on high heat till oil emerges at surface.
Add the cashew and almond paste.Add enough water to make gravy.
Once the gravy comes to a boil add the salt,fennel powder,honey,garam masala and the cardamom powder.
Taste and adjust more spices if you like.
If you want to thicken the gravy further add some whole milk or cream.
Cook for a minute and the garnish with cilantro to serve. Add koftas just before serving.

I was actually quite pleased with this outcome. The gravy is creamy and slightly sweet. Serve it with rotis or a simple jeera rice to get the restaurant like experience at home. A perfect holiday indulgence to say the least.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend !

Surti Val

2010-11-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

Me in a grocery store is like a kid in a toy shop. The one who wants to touch, feel,smell and taste (if possible) all the intresting ingredients I find out there. But my better half does not share this curious behavior, at least in the grocery store. He's more of the go-getter kind. Head straight to the point of interest without looking either ways. On one such visit he happened to pick up this packet of surti val. I had listed the unpeeled ones but what I got were these....

They reminded me of the time when my mom would soak them and spend a good 1-2 hours peeling the skins. A tedious and time-consuming task so to speak.

After spending enough time languishing on the kitchen counter they finally got their due respect. I used up some of these in tangy,spicy curry. The recipe is inspired from this one on Aayi's recipes .

Here's how i made it :

Surti Val Curry

(Inspured by this recipe on Aayis Recipes)

Soak 1.5 C of surti val in water overnight

Pressure cook them (around 2 whistles) with some salt so that they are soft but still hold their shape.

(Take care not to overcook else you will end up with vaal paste !!)

For the spice paste:

3 cloves

1/2 inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cloves of garlic

3 dry red chillies

2 tsp cooked beans from above

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp or more chilli powder

small lump of jaggery

2-3 tsp tamarind paste

salt to taste

1 tsp mustard seeds

pinch of turmeric and hing

oil as required

Grind together the above into a smooth paste. Set aside.
In a pan heat 4-5 tbsp f oil. Drop the mustard seeds,curry leaves, hing and the onion. Fry for about a min.
Then add the spice paste, tamarind and the vaal. Mix everything adding water to get a gravy consitency.
Season with salt. Add a lump of jaggery. Let the whole thing come to a rolling boil.
Taste and adjust seasonong as required.
Garnish with cilantro.Serve with chappatis or plain rice.

A delicious curry indeed !! And no we did not notice any after-taste because of the peel.....

Have a great week ahead !!!

Masaledar Ubley andey ( Egg Curry )

2010-11-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

Though this place was quiet for sometime, my life had actually got all the more busier. The see-saw of my life kind of lost its equilibrium giving me more than I was prepared for. Diwali celebrations, extra hours at work, toddler's health all disrupted our routine for a few days. It wasn't that I was not cooking. In fact I was cooking more than usual. But somehow I was unable to grab my camera and take some shots. Nevertheless a part of me wanted to come back here and post a few lines.

Eggs - These find a place usually at our sunday lunch. Omlets,scramble,curry the combinations are endless. Easy to prepare, nutritious and Vijay loves them. Do I need any more reasons ? I like to try a new recipe for eggs each time. This time I tried this one from Indian Simmer. Prerna gets it from Madhur Jaffrey's cook book. The recipe is very simple and can be assembled in 10-15 mins.

Here its goes :-

Masaledar Ubley Andey

(Inspired from this recipe at Indian Simmer)

4 hard boiled eggs

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp cumin powder(I did not have any so i skipped it)

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp garam masala ( the best you can find)

cilantro to garnish

1 tsp ginger grated

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sugar

1/2 an onion finely chopped

1 C tomato puree or 1/2 can of tomatoes or 2 regular tomatoes chopped ( I made puree of 2.5 tomatoes)

oil as required

Make a paste of lemon juice, coriander powder,cumin powder,chilli powder,turmeric,salt and garam masala. Add some water if required , but not too much.
Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in kadai or wok. Add the cumin.
Once the seeds sizzle add the onion and ginger and fry for sometime.
Add the spice paste.Let the oil separate and the mixture become lumpy.
Then add the tomato puree and sugar. Saute again. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve cut the eggs length wise and spoon the curry over it. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

The curry is sweet, spicy and tangy - all at the same time. We had ours with some homemade parathas.But these would go well with some bread also. Would be great in the lunch box too.

Have a great week ahead !

Halloween Pics

2010-11-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

No recipe today. Just some pictures of Halloween last weekend. We visited a Halloween celebration in the neighbourhood.

The weather gods offered clear blue skies and bright sunny day.

And here is our toddler..

Enjoying the train ride...

Brown Rice Fried Rice

2010-10-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Here it is, as promised in my last post - my version of Brown rice fried rice. Its simple, quick and healthy - everything that I ever want in a recipe.

Here are some of the secrets to Cooking the best Fried rice ( shortlisted from here ).I never realized that fried rice could be an object of so much research and analysis.

A day-old rice makes the best fried rice. Hot, steaming freshly cooked rice would end up in a mushy,sticky fried rice. An absolute no-no. Refer to my earlier post on getting the perfectly cooked brown rice.
Wok Time. I learned this term from Jaden Hair ( from Steamy Kitchen). The rice and the veggies need their time in the wok. So instead of constant stirring and mixing, leave it alone for sometime and you will be rewarded.
Temperature - A hot wok/kadai is an absolute must. Wait patiently while the wok heats up so that you get your veggies crunchy.The trick as Jaden puts it - " The high heat ensures that each grain of rice gets hot to the core"

Brown Rice Fried Rice

( Inspired from this post )

1 C of uncooked short grain fried rice ( cooked as per the this post)

2 tbsp of ginger-garlic sauce (or sricha sauce or any other hot sauce)

2-3 cloves of finely minced garlic.

4-5 tbsp of oil

1C you choice of veggies - (peas,carrots, bell pepper any color,cabbage,corn,green beans)

If frozen thaw the veggies in hot water and then use.

salt to taste

2 tbsp of soy sauce

2-3 eggs scrambled (optional)

Spring Onions (for garnish, I did not have any though)

A wok to comfortably hold all of the rice and veggies.

Add the oil and the garlic to the wok/kadhai. Let the oil get infused with the garlic and get smoking hot.
Then add the veggies and mix. Leave alone for 1 min or so. We want the veggies to stay crunchy.
Then add the sauces.Mix.
Then add the rice. Mix with the vegetable mixture. Spread it in the wok and let it SIT.The rice will start to sizzle.After about 1-2 min. Stir everything. Taste and add salt(if required).
You can add more sauce if the rice is too dry.
Optionally add scrambled egg.

Dig in ...

We enjoyed bowls of rice with a side of crunchy green beans.

Its Halloween this weekend. My little one will be trick or treating with mommy and her neighbourhood friends. Want to see him in his halloween costume ? Come back next week for some pics.

Have great weekend everyone !

Perfectly Cooked Brown Rice

2010-10-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

All of us at home are big fans of rice. I L.O.V.E khichadis, biryanis and most things made of rice. If rice would not have been so carb-laden I would have happily spent my life eating just that.

While white rice is staple in most households irrespective of cuisine,brown rice is not so popular. Its rich in fiber and magnesium. So a small helping can keep you full for quite sometime.

Brown rice (or "hulled rice") is unmilled or partly milled rice, a kind of whole, natural grain. It has a mild nutty flavor, is chewier and more nutritious than white rice (Source Wikipidea)

More about why brown rice is healthier here.

There are several varieties of brown rice - short grain , long grain, medium grain,aromatic. Brown rice versions are also found in the popular varieties like Jasmine rice, arborio rice, basmati etc. I have used brown basmati rice and short grain brown rice so far.

Selecting and Storing Brown rice

Brown rice gets rancid faster than white rice. I generally get a pound at a time since we have it once a week for lunch/dinner. Our current stock is the short grain brown rice from Whole Foods. Its a dollar more than the one at Walmart but so worth it. Also I can buy in smaller quantities without paying a dime for packaging. I store it in a plastic jar in a dry place along with the lentils etc. Keep away from moisture and it should last well.

Cooking brown rice

There are several ways to do this. I attempted 2-3 of them and have finally settled down on the following one. This method has never failed me, specially when I used it to make the rice for fried rice.

1 C brown rice

4 C of water ( Yes, it in 1:4 ratio)

salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)

Wash the rice several time with water. Place it into a big pot / rice cooker with the salt and olive oil.
I do mine in a electric rice cooker.
Let it come to a boil. This will take around 20-25min.
Check to see if its tender and cooked. If not give it another 5-10 min.
Else drain the whole thing into a colander.
Then put the rice back into the cooker and cover with a tight lid.Switch off the cooker.
Leave it alone for 10min or more. Fluff with fork and use.

Apparently this method is very versatile and would work for most brands and varieties of rice. No guesswork on how the rice would turn out. I used it to make the rice for my fried rice. You guessed it, that's coming up in the next post.

Aamrakhand From Scratch

2010-10-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Dassera (Dussera) is one of the most auspicious days according to the Hindu Calender. I recall my aai making an elaborate lunch on that day - batata bhaij, pakoras, puris,.. the list was long. We girls contributed by making hot puffed puris. These would then be used to scoop some cool Amrakhand.

I made some Aamrakhand last weekend as a part of the puja meal.

This is a very easy to make dessert with not much scope for mistakes.

Aamrakhand

(Printable version of recipe here)

What's needed :-

1 32oz can of full fat yogurt ( I used readymade Dannon yogurt but homemade would work great too)

1/2 C or more of alphonso mango pulp

1 C sugar

1tsp cardamom powder

walnuts or other chopped nuts to garnish

Scoop the yogurt into a muslin cloth and tie the ends. Then hang it up so that it drains out the water. I have seen friends hanging it to the handle of kitchen cabinet or to a chair (similar to hanging paneer). Just ensure that its high enough so that the whole thing does not sit in its own whey.Overnnight is the best but 7-8 hours would also work.
Transfer the thick yogurt into a bowl. Add the sugar,cardamom and the mango pulp. Mix until smooth and there are no lumps.Taste and adjust sweetness. If you use homemade yogurt that is slightly sour you might need more sugar.
Then decorate with nuts and serve !

It had been quite a while since I made a traditional maharashtrian dessert. So we enjoyed every spoonful to the fullest.

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

And what's up with the toddler these days ? Here have a look.....

Yes,he plundered mommy's purse..And BTW,someone else got to wear my sunglasses too...

Achari Aloo

2010-10-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

The most versatile vegetable in my (or in most) household(s) is unmistakenly the chubby potato. Red or white potatoes always have their place in my crisper. They readily lend themselves during times when nothing else seem intresting. Dress them up in a rich curry or dress down into a simple stir fry they are perfect in every way.

This weekend was one such instance when nothing much was planned on the kitchenfront. I poked the fridge and there they were - my potatoes, waiting patiently for their turn.

A quick look at my bookmarks folder and I decided on making Meeta's Achari Aloo - a super simple bhaji to fit a weekend lunch.

Here's how I made it :

Achari Aloo

(Inspired from this recipe at What's For Lunch Honey )

Printable version of recipe is here

3 medium sized potatoes cut in 1 inch wedges

2 medium sized tomatoes chopped

4-5 sticks of spring onions chopped (green and white parts) or 1 medium onion sliced

2-3 tbsp mango pickle ( I used Priya's Mango Thokku pickle )

salt to taste

squeeze of lime juice (optional)

2 tbsp of oil

Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a non-stick wok.
Add the onions and turmeric. Fry for a min or so.
Then add the tomatoes and fry till the whole mixture is mushy.
Then add the potatoes with a splash of water.Cover and cook till potatoes are tender but not mushy. I like my potatoes to be slightly cruncht rather than very soft.
Then mix in the mango pickle.Since the potatoes take on the flavor of the pickle ensure that you use a good quality pickle - something that you actually like. Homemade or the one "smuggled" from India would be perfect.
Add salt and pepper and give the whole thing a good stir.
Add a handful of cilantro (I did not have any) or some more of spring onions for garnish.
Serve warm.

We had ours with some fresh rotis.and a cucumber-yogurt salad. Both of us enjoyed this new twist. I for one enjoyed its simplicity. Would be perfect for a picnic with some parathas or as a sidedish for potlucks.

Sweet comforts....

2010-10-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

If you are a yogurt lover (like me) then read on....

I was actually a yogurt hater until I moved to US. I never liked the yogurt(curd) in India. My sister and myself detested the sour smell. We disliked all things made with it. So the neighborhood chaat-wala got strict instructions to make our sev-puri without it. And if by chance he forgot, the plate was promptly returned with "eeeee this has dahi.. make us another one..".

The yogurt tubs sold here are different though. They are thick and creamy devoid of the sour smell. So I liked it instantly. But I missed the sourness of homemade yogurt in my koshimbirs and kadhis. That was when I borrowed a yogurt culture from a friend and made my first homemade yogurt. Ever since I have churned batches of yogurt every other week.Its healthy, fresh and generates no plastic waste, and more importantly its way cheaper.

A few weeks back I read this post on this blog. The pictures got me drooling too. And finally I made us some Mishti Doi(Sweet Yogurt). Its a very sweet and comforting dessert, perfect after a nice home-cooked meal.

The recipe is very simple and uses regular pantry ingredients and the results are outstanding.Its traditionally made in earthenware so that the gradual evaporation of water through the holes thickens the yogurt. But ramekins or any other container can also be used.

Mishti Doi
( Inspired by this recipe )

What's needed :

2 1/2C Whole milk ( No 2%,1% please.It wont be as good)

1/4C+1/4C+2 tbsp white sugar (do not replace with brown sugar)

1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 tbsp of yogurt culture

crushed pistachios to garnish (optional)

How to -

Start by heating the milk.
Once it warms up add the 1/4C of sugar and the cardamom.Give it a good stir.Keep warm.
In another heavy bottomed pan add the 1/4C +2tbsp sugar. Bring the heat to high and stir so that sugar does not burn.
After a while the sugar will start browning and will turn into a syrup. Keep stirring till it gets a nice brown color, like caramel.Add 1tbsp of water and let the whole thing come to a rolling boil.
If at anytime the sugar solidifies boil the mixture for sometime and it will melt.
Add this to the boiling milk and stir.Watch for spluttering though.
Cool the milk until a finger can easily withstand its heat.
Mix in the yogurt culture.
Transfer to earthen pot or to individual ramekins.Cover with foil and set aside in a warm place. I put mine in the oven with the oven light on at night. Switched it off in the morning.
Move them to the fridge in the evening where the yogurt will continue to firm further.
Decorate with pistachios (or any other nuts) and enjoy.

It tasted best a day after it sets in fridge. Though we could not wait that long to taste it. Both Aamod and Vijay enjoyed it by the spoonfuls.

******

And finally.....

To all the readers celebrating Navratri, Happy Navratri !!

Crispy Chivda

2010-10-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

Come October - November and we begin planning ~~talking~~ about Diwali and about Diwali "faral"(sweets and snacks). Aai (mom in marathi) always talked to us about what and how she will be making the faral . "This time I will try out xxx recipe for chakali.." she would say. It did not mean much to me back then..However today those words resonate clearly in my ears.

Aai makes most of the traditional items on menu - ladu,chakli and the crispiest chivda in the neighbourhood. In fact its still the most-wanted item by many of the guests at our place.

Why this sudden talk about her ? Because she celebrates her birthday this week. I did wish her on phone but nothing beats that warm hug. So I spent the weekend reminiscing about her and making some crispy chivda.

Here's how I make it : -

6C of flattened thin poha (available in Indian grocery stores)

1C of puffed rice (murmura)

For the tempering :

4 green chillies chopped ( add more for a spicier version)

1 heaped tbsp ginger-garlic paste ( fresh is the best )

10 curry leaves

2 tbsp powdered sugar ( can be omitted, but I like my chivda to be sweet n spicy so I add it)

2 tsp chivda masala ( available in Indian store. Replace with a mix of 1 tbsp coriander powder + 1tbsp jeera powder)

6 tbsp dalia

6 tbsp or more of peanuts or cashewnuts

1/2 an onion cut into thin strips

1tsp fennel seeds

hing - a pinch

3 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste and 1/2 C vegetable or canola oil to fry

1. Add the poha and the puffed rice to a heavy bottomed pan and roast on low flame stirring every once in a while. Make sure the pohe does not burn else reduce the heat even further. We want the pohe to be warm and loose its moisture to get the desired level of crispiness. Keep warm till we make the tadka.

I have heard friends doing this in the oven but I prefer doing it on the stove top since its easier to manage the heat. Also I do not need to open and close the oven every time I need to check on it.

2. After about 15-20mins taste some of the above mixture. If it still feels a little chewy continue it for 10 more minutes. Stir gently so as not break the pohe. After about 30-40 min the mixture will taste crunchy. Keep warm.

3. In another pan heat oil to make a tadka. Add mustard seeds. When these splutter add the onions and ginger-garlic paste. Deep fry till brown. Now add the curry leaves and hing. Watch for spluttering again. Add the dalia, peanuts,green chillies and fry for about 2-3 min.

4. Now add the spice powders - turmeric,chivda masala, fennel seeds and fry for about 1 min and then switch off the stove. Let the masalas continue cooking for 1-2 minutes till they lose their raw smell.

5. To the pohe and puffed rice mixture add the salt and sugar and mix gently.Add the tadka and again mix gently so that the pohe are covered with the tadka. Taste and adjust salt and sugar levels. Do not overmix, since it might break the pohe.

A crispy chiwda is ready to be savored. The above measurements here are approximate. Feel free to adjust them to your spice level. I would not recommend using olive oil here since it tends to imparts a fake stale smell to the fresh chivda. If the chivda seems dry add some more tadka this time with some turmeric only. Do not cover until completely cooled though.

My favorite way to have it is with some store-bought farsan or sev, with some finely chopped onion.tomato,lots of fresh cilantro and squeeze of lime. Store in air-tight container.Keeps for about 15-20 days.

Agnolotti with Roasted Red Peppers , Sundried tomato and almond sauce

2010-10-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Winter made a short appearance here in Houston and went away. And the long summer refuses to end. I am so looking forward crisp, clean and light air. Would be a nice change from the high humidity and warm weather we have experienced so far.

A few weeks back I bookmarked this recipe on eCurry that seemed perfect for a cold winter night. So I pretended its winter and gave it a go.

We are not really a pasta-eating family. Most of the pasta recipes are less pasta and more cheese.

I had never tried any stuffed pasta earlier. So this recipe was new to me in many ways. The sauce itself is a combination of smoky charred red peppers and sweet, tangy sun-dried tomatoes. The almonds adding a nice crunch and adding to the thickness. The recipe used saffron but I did not use any.

The wild mushroom, cheese stuffing along with the roasted garlic pairs up very well with the chunky sauce.

Now, onto the recipe : -

Agnolotti with Sun-dried tomatoes, Red Peppers and Almonds ( inspired from this recipe at eCurry)

Printable version of the recipe here

10-12 sun-dried tomatoes (ours come from the jar sold at Costco)

2 large roasted red bell peppers ( i roasted fresh peppers in oven for 30 min, cut side up. Then transfer to a bowl and cover tight. Once cooled, peel the skins and use)

10-12 almond coursely ground

4 garlic cloves

1 packet stuffed Agnolotti (preferrably Buitonni)

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tbsp olive oil

2 dry chillies crushed roughly

3-4 tbsp red wine ( omit if making for kids)

1 tbsp dry rosemary (optional)

1/2 onion chopped roughly

How to : -

Cook the pasta with lots of water and a tablespoon of olive oil for 4-6 min or as per packet instruction. Olive oil ensures that pasta does not stick together.
To make the pasta sauce
In a blender blend the sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red-peppers along with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add some water if mixture looks 2 dry. The sauce should be chunky rather than a smooth paste.Set aside.
In another pan heat some olive oil. Add the garlic pieces. Once oil is garlicky fragrant, add the onions and saute till translucent.
Then add the wine(if using) and then the crushed dry chillies. Once the wine is cooked out, add the sauce and the almonds. Saute for another 2-3 min.
Finally add the pasta and the rosemary. Do not cook for long else the pasta might break.
Serve warm with a salad and garlic bread.

When I saw the packet of pasta I was skeptical if it would be enough for 2 adult portions. But we found the pasta very filling. And I must say that leftovers were really tasty. We enjoed the pasta dinner and there were 3 happy faces at the end. No, the toddler did not get the pasta. He was happy with the garlic bread.:)

Sending this to Nupur's Blog Bites Event. This month's theme is One Pot Meals.

Savoury Snack - Kothimbir Wadi

2010-09-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

I love the way the Indian cuisine has all the elements of a complete meal. In the sense there is the spicy bhaji (vegetable) , the comforting varan-bhat and the crunchies like papads, wadis. Kothimbir or cilantro wadi is an all-time favourite with us, Maharashtrians.

A few weeks back we were invited for tea at a friends place. Her mom had made her version of cilantro wadi and was really kind to share the recipe with me. I tried this at home and it was liked by everyone (yes, that includes the toddler).

The first time I tried it another friend (you know who you are) dropped in. She requested the recipe sometime back. Here is the recipe for you dear friend.

Kothimbir Wadi
Printable version of recipe here

What you need : -

5-6 C of cilantro leaves finely chopped ( measure before washing and chopping)

1C + a little bit more of chickpea flour

5 tbsp rice flour

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 green chillies finely minced

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp sugar

juice of 1 lemon (dont skip this)

sesame seeds for garnish

oil to fry.

salt to taste

water as required

How To:-

In a bowl mix together cilantro, ginger-garlic paste,chillies,salt, chilli powder, turmeric, sugar and lemon juice. Mix with finger tips so that the cilantro is covered with the mixture.

Now add the chickpea flour and the rice flour. Add water little by little stirring so that the there are no lumps.

Taste and adjust seasoning.It should be slightly sour, sweet and somewhat spicy. Add more salt and other spices if required.

The mixture should be like a batter for bhajis(fritters). Add more flour if required. When you try to drop it with a spoon it should go drip, drip,drip. We will now cook this mixture in a pan.

In a non-stick kadai heat 3 tbsp of oil. When it heats up add a pinch of asafoetida(hing) and let it sizzle. Then add the chickpea mixture to it. There might be spluttering so watch out.

Keep stirring this mixture so that there are no lumps. It will start coming together. Scrape the sides of the kadai if the batter sticks to it.Simmer and cover and cook for 5-7 min. At this stage the mixture will be an unruly mass that is difficult to handle. Keep at it and it will all scrape and come together. Be prepared for a serious arm workout.:)

Uncover and taste. If the mixture has cooked there will be no raw smell and taste.Allow to cool.

When mixture is warm enough to handle drop it onto a flat plate lined with oil.

Spread it and press firmly. Spread some seasame seeds if you like

Cut into squares.Shallow fry these squares. Serve with ketchup.

When hot, the wadis will be delicate to handle. They will harden a bit when cooled slightly.

At first the recipe may seem a bit lengthy and complicated. But its actually not. I found the recipe very versatle and forgiving in terms of the ratios of the ingredients. The cut wadis can be refridgerated and fried at a later stage. I ususally make a big batch that I can shallow fry later.

And like I said earlier,the two men in the house could not get their hands off it, specially the older one. Very very addicting.....

Modak for Ganpati Bappa

2010-09-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

Every year this time I want to be home, in Pune, amidst the Ganpati festival, participating in the evening aarti and enjoying mom-made modaks with dollops of ghee. My sister and I were the prep-cooks in the house and along the way we got some very useful cooking lessons.

Army of Modaks .....

'Ukdiche modaks' was one of things my mom and we sisters learned together. When aai learned that a neighbour aaji makes fabulous ukdiche modak she immediately asked her to demonstrate it. Neighbour aaji oblidged and we tried it together in our kitchen. Then one day we saw these things a.k.a moulds in TulsiBagh ( shopping market in Pune ). They looked unusual and did not come with any instructions on how to use them.

Modaks in the making.....

Anyways since it was only a few bucks we bought it. And then got working on it in the kitchen. After a few attempts we were finally able to churn out a perfect modak.

Ready to be steamed

I make them at least once during the 10 days when Bappa is home. My way of saying thank you.

Modak for Ganpati Bappa

Ganpati Bappa !! Morya !!!