tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:24:21 +0000Desserts And SweetsAppetizers And SnacksBreakfast N BrunchCakeBreads Muffins And MoreFood-o-graphyGlossaryOne Dish MealsSea FoodSide DishesSidesStarters And SaladsstrawberryA Chocolate Meringue cookieArmenianAwardsBanana 'Wholesome' BreadBasilBiscuit RotiBrittleCardamomChickpeasChipotle Chocolate and Walnut CakeChow from the Family KitchenChow from the Food AisleClickClick-Au NaturelClick-MetalCorn CroquettesCorn DalCreamCreamy Tomato and Basil SoupEasy Grabanzo Beans SaladEgg lessEgglessEntreeFenugreekFlourGajar Poli with Potato and Rice Chakli for DiwaliGarbanzo beansGenral Tso's ChickenGinger in Syrup topped on home made Coconut ice creamGingered Watermelon PunchGlossary - Cooking TermsGlossary-Speciality IngredientsGoat Cheese Pesto spreadGreen Chick PeasGruyereHoneyHorse Gram-Coconut Stir fryHurried MushroomsIndian Ivy Gourd Sautéed with GarlicMacaronsMethiMoolikMushroomOatmeal Flax Seed MuffinsOondiOrange Chocolate TrufflePan De Higo ( Spanish Fig Bread)PilafPotatoesPoultryPão de queijoQuicheQuinoaRagi IdliRasmalaiRoasted GarlicSaffronSaladsSambhar RiceSautéed Soy Chunks with riceSesame Jaggery LadooShrimp Fried RiceSoupSoySpicy ChocolateSpinachSpreads And JamsStuffed Green Bell PepperSungtaa theek RandhaiSweetened IdlisTendley TalasaniThai Flat Noodles with ChickenToor Dal Soup with ChickenTriple Chocolate Spicy DelightsVegetarianWaterWhole Wheat Banana Prune Soda Bread RollsWild Grapefruit RelishWild Rice Saladfenugreeked Potatoesparfaityogurthttp://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Sihi)Blogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-3757887719433042793Wed, 16 May 2012 17:45:00 +00002012-05-16T12:45:55.296-05:00BrittleCakeCardamomCreamHoneySaffron I have been trying my hand at baking and frosting a cake from scratch, in preparation for Ina’s birthday cake for later this Fall.  So we’ve been having cupcakes with and without frosting crop up every now and then.  The aim is to be able to make a homemade cake with no artificial coloring/ flavoring.  Too much of food coloring in the kiddie birthday cakes, sort of turns me off.  I cannot seem http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/05/monthly-mingle-honey-cream-cake-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-3958848201508191458Wed, 16 May 2012 17:43:00 +00002012-05-16T12:44:01.826-05:00ArmenianCakestrawberry A few of my friends asked me when I was going to get back from France (smile), while I was sitting right beside them.  At first, I had this puzzled look on my face, not quite understanding their question. Took me a while to figure out that they were hinting at the ladle – yes, the one that wanders (smile). The experience of a culture is either through food or art, predominantly, irrespective ofhttp://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/05/daring-bakers-challenge-my-adaptation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-657051138616702747Wed, 16 May 2012 17:39:00 +00002012-05-16T12:39:50.038-05:00GruyereQuicheSpinach After a long tiring day, I need truckloads of motivation to get into the kitchen and cook. On such days, my mind goes completely blank and all I can do is gaze at the pantry finding it extremely difficult to figure out what exactly I could make with minimal muscle movement. This time it was a little different. We had an extensive but overall a very productive day as we got a lot of things http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/05/spinach-and-gruyere-quiche.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-2582432882333849418Wed, 16 May 2012 17:25:00 +00002012-05-16T12:25:58.554-05:00Macarons Growing up, a ‘macaroon’ was either a chunk of a cookie loaded with coconut or a tough sugary meringue cookie with bits of cashew nuts and almonds. Either ways it was always a ‘cookie’. Well, all that changed when I was introduced to the world of French Macarons (pronounced mah-kah-RONES) by a friend. Much lighter and delicate, these are like little pastry sandwiches and not exactly cookies,http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/05/assorted-macarons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-6757963745078305395Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:26:00 +00002012-04-02T17:26:54.558-05:00 As a child, I often wondered why the queen of hearts spent the summer’s day making tarts and why the knave of hearts stole them and got beaten for that. “Are they like little pies? Are they that good? Are they sweet or sour or somewhere in between?” I would adore these little colorful fruit tarts lined up like little cups filled with jewels, at the bakery in the grocery store. The bright red http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/04/lemon-cream-and-saffron-petits-fours.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-7983491742301557114Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:25:00 +00002012-03-28T19:25:19.404-05:00If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens. - Robert Browning You know, when at times, how you get super excited about stuff and sign up for things you believe you can do? That’s when that little voice inside feels stronger and tells you to believe in yourself and resonates with enthusiasm! Well, that’s exactly what happened to me when I read about the http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/03/dutch-crunch-bread.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-5121497777402287511Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:45:00 +00002012-03-07T23:45:17.315-06:00ChickpeasEgg lessEntreeGarbanzo beansPilafQuinoaVegetarian I’d always wanted to try a recipe using Quinoa, but wasn’t quite sure where to begin. Honestly, it took me a while to even get the pronunciation right. I never tasted or used Quinoa previously but had always read so much about how quick and easy it is to cook. I knew I wanted to start somewhere and decided to experiment cooking to taste it just itself and see if this was something I and http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/03/quinoa-chickpea-pilaf.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-7188801466219870808Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:47:00 +00002012-02-24T13:43:09.260-06:00Goat Cheese Pesto spread I realized there haven’t been so many recipes that I have tried using pesto. I like the traditional recipe, but find it a little too strong for my taste. I have been looking at different ingredients to blend in for balancing the flavors of basil. My trials, however, haven’t been that very pleasing, expect for one.  I customized this recipe for pesto by playing with the key http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/02/goat-cheese-spread-dip-with-spinach.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-890629244122012805Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:22:00 +00002012-02-26T12:15:02.887-06:00parfaitstrawberryyogurt Yogurt has always remained one of my favorite ingredients. What I love is the versatility in the ways you could use it. All by itself or with a few ingredients you can turn it into a dip, a soup, a base for a curry or simply a fun dessert and so much beyond. What more when its good for the body? I enjoy adding yogurt into everything I cook. So, in our household its a constant on the listhttp://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/02/strawberry-and-yogurt-parfait.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-928838316975856355Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:57:00 +00002012-02-26T12:18:45.164-06:00Spicy ChocolateTriple Chocolate Spicy Delights I love everything chocolate! What’s there not to love about chocolate, right?… I agree. I haven’t found a good reason, as of yet, why I shouldn't . Chocolate as an ingredient is simply so awesome to work with…with just a little bit of spice thrown in, chocolate can taste spicy and sweet all the same time. And that’s something I truly enjoy…that little bit of kick that enhances the http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/02/triple-chocolate-spicy-delights.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-2342928428624498883Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:03:00 +00002012-01-28T15:03:49.382-06:00Hurried MushroomsMushroomIts like I almost disappeared from the face of the world ....thank you for checking on me now and then. Being away for a few months has made it feel like decades!Thank you for all those little notes most of you would keep sending my way to see why I haven't been blogging and wondering if all has been well. Though I didn't get around to responding to each one of you, (my sincere apologies) I trulyhttp://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2012/01/hurried-mushrooms.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-884032075862492012Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:05:00 +00002009-11-23T09:03:20.920-06:00Creamy Tomato and Basil SoupIt’s great to be back after a break! While I wasn’t blogging, I’ve been travelling, working and exploring good eats. It’s been an amazing experience spending time in nature, hiking trails, visiting farmer’s markets and checking out local produce and restaurants.Now that I’m back home I’ve been trying to recreate the flavors and various recipes I came across on my travels. One of them is this http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/11/back-and-blogging.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-9049417312847126965Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:59:00 +00002008-09-08T21:25:47.292-05:00Banana 'Wholesome' BreadBanana bread is one of my favorites. I altered the traditional recipe to accommodate healthier ingredients – some of my favorites like milled flax seeds, cranberries, millets or lightly toasted oats. Also to keep it very natural, I opted for cardamom to replace vanilla extract. The outcome - a dairy free, eggless version, that is simple, easy to make and healthy. This is one of our favorite http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/09/banana-wholesome-bread.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-3403353710992588269Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:04:00 +00002008-09-08T21:20:04.774-05:00Gingered Watermelon PunchWith the mercury reaching 100 and beyond each day of the week, we have been opting for fresh fruit juices over the packaged ones, more often than before. We love watermelons and no trip to the farmer’s market is complete without getting a ripe watermelon- when in season. This year was no different and as always half the watermelon went in to the blender with a dash of salt and fresh ground black http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/08/gingered-watermelon-punch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-6106108674365477104Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:00:00 +00002008-07-22T22:43:32.240-05:00Stuffed Green Bell Pepper(Picture: A Well done stuffed bell pepper just fresh from the oven. You can still see the droplets from steam on its surface)I picked up a couple three bell peppers from the farmer’s market while shopping for my weekly veggies. I avoid storing bell peppers for long in the refrigerator and don’t buy them unless and until I plan to cook them that very day or the next day. Since I shopped for http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/07/stuffed-green-bell-pepper-meal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-1330391145631410863Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:07:00 +00002008-07-08T18:07:53.417-05:00Green Chick PeasI was surprised to spot fresh green chick peas in a local farmer’s market. I had presumed that these were available fresh only in the “Bhaaji Galis” (street side produce markets) of Mumbai. If you are familiar with Mumbai (Bombay), in summers along the Marine Drive, you’d for sure see the “channa waalahs” make spicy green chick pea salads with fresh onions, tomatoes, red chili powder and a dash http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/07/green-chick-peas-sauted-with-onions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-3829254973068569754Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:43:00 +00002008-07-01T07:09:19.295-05:00MoolikI’ve been on and off on the blog for a while now ...a self imposed break... to realign my approach towards choosing foods. It all started one Saturday morning with a visit to the local farmer’s & organic market. What started as a thought has now become a weekend ritual to visit these markets, interact with the local growers and buy produce that is chemical free and locally grown.In pursuit ofhttp://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/06/meeting-farmer-moolik.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-3942605321008941698Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:54:00 +00002008-06-08T19:46:41.796-05:00Indian Ivy Gourd Sautéed with GarlicTendley TalasaniIndian Ivy Gourd (Tendli or Tendley in Konkani) is an integral part of the Konkani cuisine. It is widely cooked on occasions when the food is “Saatwik” (Vegetarian food completely devoid of any onion and garlic). However, this vegetable hasn’t been restricted to just that and is cooked with onions and garlic on a day to day basis in most households.Traditionally, stir fry recipes are termed as “http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/06/indian-ivy-gourd-sauted-with-garlic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-4784701642491763734Tue, 20 May 2008 01:02:00 +00002008-05-19T20:22:29.047-05:00CakeChipotle Chocolate and Walnut CakeJalapenos are great in beans or salsa, ever tried to bake a cake with it? Weird! Nope not at all! You have to taste it to believe how wonderful it is!I used chipotles for this cake because I love their color and flavor. Chipotles or smoke dried jalapenos are coffee colored and have a rich smoky flavor. Though grown widely in Mexico, these chilies are available in regular and specialty stores as http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/05/chipotle-chocolate-walnut-cake.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-867250879765774831Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:57:00 +00002008-04-22T18:05:41.813-05:00Click-Au NaturelFood-o-graphyMy contribution to Bee & Jai's April theme for Click -- Au Naturel.A bowl of grapes.http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/04/entry-for-click-au-naturel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-6978333017972877528Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:13:00 +00002008-04-22T19:49:22.883-05:00Breakfast N BrunchSweetened IdlisThere are so many different versions of Idli, but this version is my favorite. It brings back fond memories of Mangalore, my grandmother’s home and those long childhood summer vacations. It’s a sweet twist that jazzes up the regular idli with jaggery and a dash of fresh ground cardamom. Raisins and cashew nuts further augment the flavor of this “fruit and nut” idli. Though there are many recipes http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/04/sweetened-idlis.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-7863299422037383048Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:29:00 +00002008-04-06T20:37:26.646-05:00Horse Gram-Coconut Stir frySide Dishes...a.k.a Kulitha Upkari (in Konkani ).Horse gram is one of our favorite legumes and so is this stir fry. It pairs well with rice and sambhar or just by itself as an evening snack. Though it takes longer than the other beans/legumes to cook, it’s worth the effort.I soak a cup of Horse gram overnight and pressure cook till it softens. Then either churn out a stir-fry or toss it with salt, fresh http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/04/horse-gram-coconut-stir-fry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-6494357468321261312Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:09:00 +00002008-04-01T22:22:35.872-05:00Click-MetalFood-o-graphyA glimpse of a metallic spice rack......I couldnt make it on time for Click : March 2008 (Metal). Nonetheless, I thought I'd include this under Food-o-graphy.http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/03/metal-for-click.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-6059770729061764371Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:47:00 +00002008-03-22T11:46:15.205-05:00Breads Muffins And MoreOatmeal Flax Seed Muffins“Defining a Balanced Meal:A balanced and wholesome breakfast is something that combines 2 or more of the food groups below to fulfill nutrition needs. Fruits or vegetables (dried fruits are fine too) Grains and Cereals (whole grains, oats, high-fiber foods)Dairy (skim milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese (paneer) )Proteins (eggs/egg whites, peanut butter, beans, nuts, sprouts, protein http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/03/entry-for-wbb-20-oatmeal-flax-seed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396589382620168435.post-6552485230068557691Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:56:00 +00002008-03-16T09:17:54.800-05:00Corn DalSidesTired of cooking dal (thick stew prepared by pressure cooking lentils or dried pulses) the traditional way, I decided to strike off the lentils from my list of ingredients. I was looking for an alternate fresh ingredient that would satisfy the aspects of color, flavor and texture of the regular dal.My best bet – Corn! When I put this recipe together, I had no clue how the outcome would taste. http://meltingpotschow.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-in-my-dal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Sihi)15