Annarasa ~ Essence of Food

Home Made Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:32:00 +0000

I have been baking bread again and this time I am sharing with you a recipe for making delicious Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread at home. Yes, right there in your own oven!! No worrying about preservatives, additives, excess sugar or indeed salt:)

This loaf is nothing if not perfect. It is soft, has wonderful texture, taste, and slices like a dream. Make a batch of sandwiches for your brown bag lunch with this bread the next time and you will never buy bread in a store again!!

Ingredients:
21/2 cups whole grain whole wheat flour
1 cup atta (Indian Chappati Flour)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
11/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tsp yeast
1/4 cup full fat milk powder

Method:

Sift the flours together with the salt.
Mix the sugar in the warmed water, add the yeast, stir well and cover.
Allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes.
Pour the yeast and water mix into the flour with half the olive oil.
Make a soft dough.
Place in a well oiled bowl and allow the dough to proof for about an hour or until it has doubled.
Punch down the dough, pour in half the remaining oil and knead it for 7 minutes.
Shape the dough into a roll, place in a prepared loaf tin.
Brush the top with some olive oil. Cover and allow to proof again.
Once the loaf has doubled, remove the cover and bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for about 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the loaf pan.
Slice and enjoy with butter and your favourite sandwich fillings.

Good to Know

As whole grain wheat flour is used in this bread, you may find that you need a little more water to knead the dough to a soft consistency. If so, add the extra water only a teaspoon at a time.
You can reduce the olive oil in this recipe up to half the amount. However I feel it is important to the texture of the loaf and its best to add as per recipe especially while kneading the dough after the first proof.

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Green Chutney | Cilantro Chutney Sandwich Spread

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:25:00 +0000

I have received many queries in my mailbox about the bright green chutney photographed with the Theplas in the previous post. So here is the recipe. We usually carry Theplas on road trips or picnics. I generally do not carry any condiment with them. However this time I decided to make my favourite thick chutney to go with them

This chutney is more of a sandwich spread typical of the vegetable sandwiches sold at so many eateries in India. It goes wonderfully when spread with butter or cream cheese. Just pile on your favorite vegetables and you will have the tastiest sandwiches for your lunchbox or a tea time snack!!

Ingredients:
2 cups cilantro, packed
2 green chilies
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dhalia (roasted Bengal gram dal)
3/4 cup shredded coconut
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the cilantro and chop coarsely.
Chop the green chilies and garlic.
Place thee cilantro, chilies, garlic coconut, dhalia, and salt in a grinder.
Grind to a fine paste using a little water if needed.
Adjust salt and chili to taste.
Use on sandwiches or as a thick chutney for lunch box parathas.

Vegan Recipe

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Masala Methi Kanda Thepla | Seasoned Mixed Grain Flatbread

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:42:00 +0000

Thepla is just one on those eats that is not easily available in our neck of the woods. I do try and get a fresh batch of Thepla whenever I visit Chicago. However I have found of late that I am not satisfied with the quality of the theplas available both over the counter and frozen. I did make theplas quite often some years back. In fact, today is the first time I am making them again in a couple of years!!

This recipe mimics the classically delicious theplas served in Gujarati eateries and snack houses in Mumbai! The combination of salty, sour, bitter, and sweet comes across tantalizingly well. It is my favourite thepla recipe. These theplas will are the long lasting variety. They can be stored in a cool place for upto a week and in the refrigerator for at least two weeks - if they actually last that long. Alternatively, take them with you on a picnic or a road trip and snack on them along with hot sweet tea!!

Ingredients:
2 cups atta (Indian Chappati Flour)
1/2 cup besan
1/2 cup jowar flour (Sorghum Flour)
1/4 cup jav flour (Barley Flour)
1/2 cup kasoori methi
1 medium onion, chopped very fine
1/4 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1 tsp lal mirch powder (red chili powder)
1 tsp amchur (dry mango powder)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
3 tbsp til (sesame seeds)
2 tbsp oil
Oil for pan roasting

Method:

Sift the atta, besan, jowar, jav atta, and kasoori methi together in a large mixing bowl.
Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add the cumin seeds, then the hing and chopped onion.
Fry until transparent. Add a quarter teaspoon of salt and continue frying on a medium low heat until all the water from the onion has dried up and the oil begins to separate.
Now add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, sesame seeds, and the sugar.
Continue frying until the spices are well blended and the sesame seeds roasted.
Turn off the heat, remove the mix onto a large plate and spread evenly. Allow to cool completely.
Once the mix is cool - about 30 minutes - mix it into the yogurt.
Mix this into the sifted flours. Add just enough water to ensure that the flour comes together. Adjust salt if needed.
The dough must be stiff and malleable but not hard.
Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes.
Knead the dough again. The pinch out lime sized balls of the dough and make into balls. Repeat with entire dough. Keep both the dough and balls covered.
Heat a tawa (griddle).
Take one of the prepared dough balls. Flatten it between the palms of your hands.
Then roll it out into a thin disc about 5 inches in diameter.
Place on the warmed griddle. Cook on one sides until small brown spots appear.
Turn over and cook on the other side.
Now brush both sides with oil, allowing the flat bread to roast on each side very briefly once the oil has been applied.
Remove the ready thepla and place between two sheets of wax paper. Repeat for entire dough.
Enjoy thepla warm or cooled as a snack.

Artichoke, Ricotta, and Chickpea Calzone | Italian Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:45:00 +0000

Calzones make for a hearty and filling snack in a picnic basket or an entree for a meal on a hot platter. I love making calzones as they are so easy to put together, can be refrigerated for up to three days and taste super hot or cold!! Just add a salad and a cup of milk and you are good to go.

I made the dough for the calzone covering with a combination of atta and whole wheat whole grain flour. This adds to the nutritive value of the meal and as the filling is low fat this recipe makes for a very healthy calzone indeed!

Ingredients:
1 cup atta (Indian Chappati Flour)
1 cup whole grain whole wheat flour
1 tsp vital wheat gluten
1 cup milk, warmed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Italian Herbs
2 tsp yeast

For the Filling:
1 can chickpeas, drained and washed
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp capers
1 green chili, minced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Method:

First prepare the filling by heating the oil in a large non stick pan. Add the ground cumin, then the onions and garlic. Fry till the onions are transparent.
Now add the chickpeas and green chilies. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the chopped artichoke, capers, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes.
Now stir in the cream cheese and the ricotta cheese. Cook about 2-3 minutes. Turn of the heat and cool completely.
Now prepare the dough by sifting the flours together with the vital wheat gluten and the salt. Add the Italian herbs and mix well.
Stir the sugar into the warm milk, then sprinkle over with the yeast. Cover and allow to proof for 5 minutes.
Pour the proofed yeast into the dough with half of the olive oil. Make a soft dough, pour in the rest of the oil and knead for about ten minutes.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover and allow to proof for about an hour or until it had doubled.
Punch down the dough and divide into 5 equal parts. Roll into discs of 6" diameter.
Place some filling on one half of the circle, fold the free half over the filled one, seal the edges using water and a fork.
Place on a prepared baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 325 F.
Remove from the oven, cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy warm with your favourite condiments.

Good to Know

The canned chickpeas, capers, artichokes, and cheese all have salt. There no need for additional salt in the filling recipe.
If you like a more spicy filling, add more black pepper or green chilies.

Chow Chow Curry | Chayote Squash Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:35:00 +0000

Chayote Squash or what is commonly known as Chow Chow is not a vegetable I was familiar with in my childhood. I don't remember seeing it in a big vegetable markets in Delhi, though I am sure some smaller vegetable vegetable vendors might have carried it regularly to customers accustomed to using it. I remember eating a lot of Doodhi (Bottle Gourd) and Karela (Bitter Gourd) but Chow Chow was never on our platters. So it comes as a sort of irony that today I can buy Chow Chow in any supermarket or farmers market I visit, but I get to see the best quality Doodhi and Karela only in season at my local farm.

Many of the Chow Chow recipes we enjoy have come from the South of India. They are wonderfully delicious and I love making them, whether it is a simple curry, kootu, or even chutney!! However I also love to make this vegetable in a typically North Indian way with the typical spices that accompany a tomato based curry - coriander, fennel, and cumin.

Ingredients:
1 chow chow, peeled and cubed
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 green chili, chopped
1" piece ginger
1 tsp garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp lal mirch (red chili powder)
1/4 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
11/2 tbsp oil
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)

Dry Grind:
1 tbsp saboot dhania (coriander seeds)
1/2 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)

Method:

Dry grind the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds to a fine powder. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the hing and then the cumin seeds.
Reduce the heat, add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry until the onions turn transparent.
Now add the green chili and cilantro and mix.
Throw in the cubed potatoes and chow chow. Follow immediately with the red chili powder, turmeric powder, and freshly ground spice powders.
Stir well to ensure the vegetables are well coated with the oil and the spices.
Now add the tomato paste and salt along with 2 cups of water.
Cover and bring the whole to a boil.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker and cook the vegetable to 3 whistles.
Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to drop on its own.
Remove whistle and lid, stir the vegetable, adjust salt if required.
Enjoy the vegetable warm with chappatis or rice.

Good to Know

This recipe uses the pressure cooker method of cooking. In the event you do not use a pressure cooker, simply follow the recipe in a large thick bottomed saucepan and follow instructions below.
Add 3 cups of water in Step 7 instead of two.
Do not cover the saucepan completely. If using a lid, partially cover the saucepan and cook on a medium heat throughout.
Stir occasionally to ensure that the vegetable and spices do not burn.

Banana, Butterscotch, Cardamom Blondies | Eggless Baking

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Wed, 08 May 2013 01:50:00 +0000

Last weekend I made a super delicious cake. It had all the flavours I love including cardamom, banana, and caramel!! Yes I made the unbeatable Banana, Butterscotch, and Cardamom Blondies!! I had a little time on my hands so I even glazed it and made it pretty with some pink and purple sprinkles on the top. Doesn't it look beautiful. Yumm!! This cake is superb with afternoon coffee - the flavours seem made for each other. We loved this cake and its going to be a keeper in my recipe box:)

Ingredients:
11/3 cup AP flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 medium bananas, ripe
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Method:

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cardamom powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Mash the bananas and then blend with the oil and the buttermilk.
Pour this mix into the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon and blend well.
Now, throw in the butterscotch chips and walnuts.
Stir to ensure that they are will incorporated.
Pour the cake mix into a prepared baking dish.
Bake in a preheated oven at 360F for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, cool in the baking dish, then turn out and frost as desired.

Good to Know

You can increase the butterscotch chips and walnuts as desired. i found that a 1/4 cup of each was perfect for this recipe.
If you do not like or have cardamom powder, replace it with a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder and a half teaspoon of vanilla essence.

Masala Matar | Green Peas Masala

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:21:00 +0000

Regardless of season I always keep green peas in my refrigerator or freezer. They are perfect for adding to pretty much any curry or dal and also make great stuffing for parathan, pooris, and kachoris!! I generally make very simple recipes with peas. However, as my brother was visiting last weekend, I wanted to make loads of special food to spoil him.

This recipe is a real treat. Its not too spicy, and has no cream in it either. All its flavour comes from the curry paste and the quality of the green peas. Its a wonderful recipe too if you are just starting out with trying to make Indian food at home. With limited and easily available ingredients it is easy to put together. Pair with zeera rice and you will have family and friends licking their fingers and singing your praises for days:)

Ingredients:
3 cups green peas
1 large onion, chopped fine
4 cloves
5 black peppercorns
1/2" piece cinnamon
Salt to taste
5 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp lal mirch (red chili powder)
3 tbsp oil

Grind to a Fine Paste:
2 medium onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic
1" piece ginger
10-12 almonds

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped onions, then the cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns. Fry for a minute, then reduce heat. Continue frying until the onion turn transparent.
Place all the ingredients in the 'grind to a fine paste' in a food processor and grind to a fine paste.
Add this to the fried onion and spice mix. Fry on a gentle heat, stirring constantly until the oil begins to separate.
Now add the tomato paste, red chili powder, and haldi powder. Stir and fry for a minute, the pour in 1 cup and a half of water. Stir well to blend all ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and add the green peas and salt to taste. Continue cooking to on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally until the peas are cooked and the gravy has thickened.
Make adjustments to spices as required, turn off the heat.
Enjoy hot with parathas or rice.

Vegan Recipe
Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Winners: Street Food / Dhaba Food and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:24:00 +0000

Its here! I finally have the winners of the Street Food | Dhaba Food Recipe and Giveaway @ Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. Let me begin with a hearty Thank You to each and every one who participated in this Food Event and sent in all those delicious recipes. I received a total number of 70 recipe entries - 69 of which were collected via Inlinkz on the Contest Page and one that I received via email from a non-blogger. After a review of these entries and adding together the additional possibilities for entries via Twitter and Google Connect as per the rules, I used Random.Org to generate the two winning entries.

I would like to begin with guest posting the recipe sent to me by Jeeja Jaison who sent in the delectable recipe of Fruit Chaat. You can find her at her FB page: Manna N Quail. Here is what Jeeja writes:

Fruit chaat is delicious and simple to prepare street food in North India. This chaat is a blend of spices and assorted fruits based on seasonal availability.

Fruit chaat is a great way to eat fruits anytime. This dish is packed with nutrients and is also low in calories.

Ingredients:
1 orange peeled and sectioned
1 apple peeled and cubed
1 banana sliced
1 cup cucumber peeled and cubed
1/2 cup pineapple cubed
4-5 strawberries sliced

4-5 grape tomatoes
Few mint leaves for garnish

Dressing:
2 tsp chaat masala
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds powder
1/4 tsp black salt

Method:
In a large bowl, combine all the sliced fruits, cucumber and tomato together. Add lemon juice and toss well. Add chaat masala, chilli powder, black salt and mix well so as to get a balance of sweet, spicy and tangy flavours. Serve cold with a garnish of mint leaves and roasted cumin powder.

Note:-
You can use any fruit that you like and adjust the spiciness as per your taste.

Do visit her FB Page to enjoy more recipes from her!!

Now on to the all the lovely recipes that I received for the event ~ if you have not already visited the wonderful entries posted for this event, do stop by at Food Event: Your Favourite Street Food | Dhaba Food and Giveaway at my blog to view links to recipes that you will enjoy. Do visit participants blogs to share some blog love:)

And now for the winners - a hearty congratulations to:

Priya Anandakumar @ Yummy Foods - Priya's Virundhu. Recipe: Medhu Pakoda
Linsy Patel @ Home Cook Food. Recipe: Soy Manchurian

Winners kindly email me at annarasa[@]gmail.com to confirm your email so that I can forward your well earned egift vouchers to you.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Whole Green Lentils and Kale Kootu

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:47:00 +0000

Its been the most incredibly busy week. Its also been some time since my last post and I have been trying to get this recipe out on the blog for the last 4 days!! Anyway, its better late than never. This is a deliciously nutritious recipe for whole green lentils with kale. You can enjoy this quite simply in a soup form or with rice.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole green lentils
1 cup frozen kale
Salt to taste
Pinch haldi (turmeric powder)

Grind to a Paste:
3 tbsp coconut
1 tsp urad dal (split black gram dal)
1/2 tsp saboot kali mirch (black peppercorns)
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
4-5 saboot lal mirch (dried red chilies)

To Temper:
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)
5-6 kari patta (curry leaves)
1 tbsp oil

Method:

Wash the green peas, set aside.
Wash the green lentils in plenty of water. Soak for at least 6 hours.
Place in a pressure cooker with a pinch of turmeric and 11/2 cups water and cook for 3 whistles.
Turn of the heat and allow the pressure to drop on it own.
In a frying pan, dry roast the urad dal, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and red chilies.
When the urad dal becomes pink and plump, add the coconut, give a stir, and then turn of the heat.
Keep stirring the mix for a couple of minutes as the heat will continue to roast the coconut.
Allow this roasted mix to cool completely. The grind to a fine paste using just enough water to bring all the ingredients together.
In a large saucepan, add oil. Heat, then add the mustard seeds, when they begin to pop, add the cumin, hing, and the curry leaves.
Add the peas, stir and fry for a minute, then add a cup of water and allow the whole to simmer.
Add the cooked green lentils along with the spice paste and a cup of water.
Stir well, bring to a boil, and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes or until the dal begins to thicken.
Enjoy hot with rice.

Bandhkopir Charchari | Cabbage Fry

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:33:00 +0000

Cabbage is an extremely versatile vegetable. When cooked correctly, it can hold its own to pretty much any other vegetable. Whenever I do a grocery round, I make a point to buy a nice head of cabbage, but I always try and make a different recipe with it. As cabbage is pretty much generic to cuisines across the world. especially India, this is not at all a difficult task. Today I am sharing a recipe that I have wanted to share for a long long time. It is Bandhkopir Charchari, a Bengali classic!! A simple and delicious vegetable to accompany Indian flatbreads, particularly the sinfully deep fried pooris!!

More Cabbage Recipes @ Annarasa
Patta Gobhi Aloo | Cabbage Potato Stir Fry
Til Tarka Patta Gobhi | Sesame Tempered Cabbage
Patta Gobhi ki Bhurji | Creamy Scrambled Cabbage
Patta Gobhi Nariya | Sauteed Cabbage with Coconut

Ingredients:
1 small cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, sliced fine
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 red chilies

For Tempering:
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp panch phoron

Method:

Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and fry on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until they turn transparent.
Add the shredded cabbage to the pan, stir until it is well coated with the oil.
Allow to cook for 3 minutes, stir, cook for 5 minutes.
Grind the mustard seeds, ginger, and red chilies until you have a coarse paste.
Add this to the cabbage with a couple of tablespoons of water.
Stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked but still crunchy.
Add salt to taste. Mix well and cook until the oil begins to separate from the vegetable.
For the tempering, heat the oil in a small saucepan until it reaches smoking point.
Reduce the heat and immediately add the panch phoron.
Turn off the heat and pour the tempering into the cooked vegetable, stir, and enjoy hot with pooris.

Good to Know

Adjust the number of chilies as per taste. I find that the unique taste of mustard and ginger gets lost if you add to many chilies, hence only two in this recipe.
While making the tempering, make sure you exercise precaution by standing well away from the pan. The spices will pop and sometimes fly out of the pan.

Pineapple Ricotta Basundi | Milk and Ricotta Pudding with Pineapple Bits

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:06:00 +0000

In March I announced the first ever giveaway hosted at Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. This food event and giveaway ended on the 20th of April 2013 and I will announce the winners of the giveaway in the coming weeks. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every contributor and participant for taking the time to make this event a wonderful success. Over seventy unique recipes have been shared through this event by bloggers and non-bloggers alike.

Do stop by and visit recipes posted by bloggers at Your Favourite Dhaba Food | Street Food. Non-bloggers, kindly note that your recipes will be featured on the blog in the coming week along with the announcement of the winners of the egift vouchers in the next weeks. And now here the super yummy Pineapple Basundi to Thank You to all your lovely participants :) Wish I could have you all over to enjoy this lovely dessert.

Ingredients:
1 cup full fat milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup mixed nuts, chopped up
1/2 tsp ghee
1 can pineapple rings
1/2 cup pineapple juice (saved from the canned fruit)

Method:

Place the milk and cream in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the ricotta cheese, blend well. Cook the mix for 5 minutes or until it begins to thicken.
Pour in the condensed milk. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes, turn off the heat.
In a separate pan, heat the ghee, add the nuts and fry them.
Stir the fried nuts into the basundi.
Chill the basundi completely.
Once cooled, add the chopped up pineapple and stir in the juice you have saved from the can.
Serve immediately.

Good to Know

I love lots of fruit in the Basundi, hence a whole can of pineapple rings. Alter amount as per personal preference.
I used canned pineapple preserved in its own juice.The addition of the juice makes makes the dessert especially flavourful.
This basundi can be made in advance. Chill overnight and add the fruit and juice just before serving.

Sambar Oats Bhaat | Savoury Oats and Sambar Porridge

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:31:00 +0000

While oats always means porridge to me, it was never quite as tasty as when made savoury!! I have been using oats to make savoury treats for quite some time now. Initially I found many skeptical looks when I would announce something like Oats Poha, Oats Upma, Oats Pongal for brunch!! But one bite and I had converts all around me:)

Oats is seriously underestimated when it comes to preparing in its savoury form. Its goes incredibly well with lentils to make porridge as well as vegetables. Nuts and seasonings and whatever else you may choose to add to it only enhance its flavour. Its nutritious and will keep you filled up for hours too.

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup toor dal | arhar dal (pigeon peas)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)
2 red chilies, broken
8 curry leaves
Salt to taste
1 small onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2" piece ginger, grated
1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped fine
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped fine
1/2 cup green beans, chopped fine
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 small potato, diced
2 tbsp sambar powder

Method:

Pressure cook the toor dal in a cup and a half of water and turmeric for 4 whistles. Lee the pressure in the cooker drop on its own, the dal will be very soft and mushy. Set aside.
Dry roast the oats in a large pan until the begin to turn golden. Pour in a 2 cups of water and a 1/4 tsp salt. Cook until the oats are almost done. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the hing, then the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the cumin seeds, then turn down the heat and throw in the red chilies and the curry leaves.
Stir, add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Once the onions are transparent, add the potatoes, beans, carrots, and peas with a half cup of water.
Cook for 10 minutes, then add the sweet corn kernels, the cauliflower, and the broccoli. Continue cooking until the vegetables are almost done.
Now add the sambar powder, the dal, salt to taste, and the cooked oats. If needed add up to a cup of water the loosen the mix and let it cook on a medium to low heat for at least 20 minutes.
Stir occasionally, and take care that the mix does not catch the bottom of the pan.
If needed add more water, else cook a few minutes longer to get a we kichidi like consistency.
Turn off the heat. Cover and allow the porridge to rest for 10 minutes.
Enjoy warm with your favourite pickle and plain yogurt.

Good to Know

If you prefer, you can pressure cook the dal and oats together.I prefer cooking them separately.
Add more or less sambar powder as per your taste.
You can crank up the heat by adding some green chilies along with the red ones.

Great Northern Beans Curry | White Beans in a Tomato Gravy

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:49:00 +0000

Simple gravies that go well with flat breads and rice are a staple of the Indian kitchen. I love cooking with beans and use a great variation of gravies to curry them Sometimes its just being creative with whatever is on hand. Sometimes its a pre-planned project complete with roasting spices, grinding, frying, and then boiling the beans in the said curry.

Last week I got a bag of Great Northern Beans (White Beans). I soaked them planning to make a baked dish, but short of time I just dunked them in a pan and boiled them and refrigerated them. Last night I made this simple and delicately flavoured gravy with them. The result: simply yummy!!

Ingredients:
1 cup Great Northern Beans, soaked overnight
1 large onion, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp green chili paste
2 cups tomatoes, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
6 black peppercorns
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

Method:

Drain the soaked beans and place the beans in a saucepan. Cover completely with water and then add another two cups of water.
Bring to a boil, then cook on a medium high heat until they are just done. Don't overcook, they will turn completely mushy.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for about a minute and a half.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric, and red chili powder. Stir, then add the green chili paste and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
Next add the cooked beans with the water they were cooked in. Stir.
Place the fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and the black peppercorns in a grinder and grind to a fine powder. Add this to the curry. Cook for about 15 minutes, adding water if needed.
Pour in the coconut milk and the garam masala. Stir and continue cooking on a low heat for another 6 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Enjoy warm with rice.

Good to Know:

Any dry white beans will work well for this recipe.
If you prefer, the beans can be pressure cooked. However as they are very delicate I prefer to cook them in an open saucepan.
To get a more tangy, try a variation without the coconut milk. Its just as tasty and goes very well with pooris and aloo tikkis.

Beans Moongphali ki Bhaji | Green Beans Curry with Peanuts

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 02:57:00 +0000

Green beans are a staple in my home! I purchase organic green beans at a local store and now that we are in spring we are getting wonderfully tender beans. I usually make green beans in one of the many ways my Mum cooks them. But I do experiment with them a lot and you will see a good number of green bean recipes on this blog.

Today I am sharing with you a recipe that I created on the spur of the moment. I just wanted to make something with peanuts in it. And the beans were staring at me from the refrigerator. I just made this recipe up as I went along and am delighted to say that it tastes yummy. I love this bhaji with chappatis. Simple clean flavours with the added nutrition of some peanuts.

More Green Bean Recipes @ Annarasa:
Green Beans & Corn with Toasted Sesame Seeds
Fras Bean Goda Masala | Mildly Spiced French Beans
Makkai Fras Beans | Sweet Corn with French Beans

Ingredients:
4 cups green beans, chopped
2 large tomatoes, minced
1 medium onion, chopped fine
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1/2 tsp lal mirch (red chili powder)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup peanuts, roasted and crushed

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the cumin and asafoetida.
Add the onions, then the garlic and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
Next add the green beans and tomatoes. Stir until the vegetables are coated with the oil.
Reduce the heat to a medium-low and cook the vegetable for about 7 minutes.
Around this time the beans will be getting tender and all the juices from the tomato will have released.
Add the turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt to taste - stir.
Cover and cook for another five minutes.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle the peanuts, stir to ensure that they are well distributed.
Cover and let the vegetable sit in its own heat for another minute.
Enjoy with rice or parathas.

Cashew, Cardamom, and Butterscotch Cookies | Eggless Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:05:00 +0000

Our weekend was hectic but good. As it was a warm Saturday with milder breeze from the south and west and we were able to spend most of it out of doors. Sunday was so sunny but marked the return of the chilly north winds and so we stuck it out at home. We are in the midst of an unpredictable stretch of spring, complete with sunshine, thunderstorms, monsoon like showers, and snow - yes snow!!

Last night I baked a batch of Cashew, Cardamom, and Butterscotch Cookies. I had bought a bag of some really good quality butterscotch chips during my last grocery round and had been itching to use them. I usually do Chocolate Bark with them. This time they came in handy for cookies! Butterscotch, cashews, and cardamom are pretty made to go together and the result of the combination was a sweet, nutty, fragrant cookies - perfect with a glass of milk!

More Eggless Cookies @ Annarasa:
Chocolate Chunks Cookies
Bite-Size Eggless Raspberry Jam Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter / 1/2 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup cashew nuts, chopped coarsely

Method:

Whip the butter and canola oil together. When they are a creamy blend, pour in the yogurt. Blend in well.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, salt, cardamom powder, and baking soda. Add the sugar, and stir.
Divide this flour-sugar mix into three equal parts and the pour this in one part at a time into the butter-yogurt blend. Mix to get a soft dough. Don't beat or blend too much.
Throw in the butterscotch chips and cashew pieces - mix to distribute evenly.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Pinch out about 2 tbsp dough, roll into a circle and then flatten gently between the palms of your hand. Place on a prepared baking sheet.
Repeat for remaining dough. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven, cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying.

Good to Know:

The amount of cardamom in this cookie should be a completely personal choice. Reduce or increase the powder as preferred.
These cookies are chewy and soft . If you prefer crunchier biscuits, bake an extra 2-3 minutes at 375F or until they begin to brown gently all over.
The cookies are not very sweet - add another quarter cup sugar for a sweeter cookie.
I made 16 cookies with this dough. To make smaller cookies, use 11/4-11/2 tbsp prepared dough per cookie.

Quinoa Pongal with Kale and Peas | Savoury Quinoa Porridge

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:37:00 +0000

If you are looking for a quick whole meal there is nothing like kichidi (kedgree) or pongal (porridge)!! Both are very similar savoury complete meals that combine and cook together lentils and rice often with a medley of vegetables and spices. When I was growing up, kichidi was a favourite meal at least once a week. Pongal is something I was introduced in my college days over shared tiffins!!

I make regular pongal at home every so often, but I also make it using a variety of grain. My favourite is oats pongal and dalia pongal. In fact the latter is loved by everyone here! Today I am posting Quinoa Pongal, which I started making after being introduced to Quinoa about four years back!! This recipe is a particular favourite as it has loads of kale and peas which enhance not only its taste but also its nutritive value.

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup split moong daal (Split and polished Mung Bean)
2 cup kale, packed
1/2 cup green peas
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 green chili, chopped fine
7-8 kari patta (curry leaves)
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
Salt to taste
1 saboot lal mirch (red chili)
8 -10 saboot kali mirch (whole black peppercorn)
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1 tbsp ghee
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)

Method:

Pressure cook the moong dal with the turmeric powder in a cup of water. Turn off the heat and let the pressure come down on its own.
Add the quinoa to the cooked dal with another cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow the quinoa to cook in the dal on a medium heat. Stir occasionally and add a half cup of water if the mix begins to thicken too much.
Once cooked and mushy, remove the cooker from the heat and set aside.
Heat the ghee in a large frying pan. Add the mustard seeds, once they begin to pop, add the cumin and the hing. Next throw in the curry leaves, the black peppercorns, the ginger, and the chilies.
Add the kale and fry with the above mix for a couple of minutes. Now add the peas with a half cup of water - cook this mix until the water had been absorbed.
Add the cooked moong dal and quinoa with salt to taste to this and stir to ensure that all the ingredients are well mixed.
Cook open stirring occasionally until the mix resembles a soft porridge.
Remove from heat and enjoy hot with coconut chutney and yogurt.

Good to Know

If you use frozen kale, one cup should suffice for this recipe.
You could pressure cook the quinoa and dal together - if you do so add the water accordingly. I avoid doing this as I find that the quinoa tends to block the pressure vents of the pressure cooker.
Traditionally pongal is made with lashings of ghee which is what gives it its taste and aroma. I have used only one tablespoon, however do adjust amount according to taste.

Food Event: Healthy Me and Healthy Us @ Mharo Rajasthan.

Vegan Substitute: Replace the ghee in this recipe with canola or grape seed oil.

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Tomato Chili Garlic Bread | Tamatar Mirch Lasun ki Dabal Roti

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:29:00 +0000

Its spring finally!! By that I mean we are getting consistent sunshine and little precipitation. This has allowed the mountains of snow outdoors to melt. Everywhere I look there are tiny rivulets of water snaking their way down to the nearest water body. Good news for the underground aquifers and the groundwater supplies!!

At the home end, I am into Spring Cleaning!! Yes, in capital letters!! There is a mass of stuff I need sorted and so far I have managed to set aside quite a bit from my kitchen and wardrobe for the goodwill stores. The garage needs some cleaning out and Hopefully I will get the planters ready by the weekend for seeding. Once the temperature stays above freezing for at least a week, I can go ahead and plant some flowers and vegetables. Can't wait to get started!!

Anyways in the midst of all that frenzy, I am busy trying to do some baking. Last weekend I baked a Tomato Chili Garlic Loaf and a pineapple cake. The loaf is simply superb for lunchbox sandwiches. Just throw in a tikki, burger, or cutlet, slather on some of your favourite chutneys, a slice of onion, lettuce, and tomato, and you're in business.

Ingredients:
11/2 cups atta (Indian Chappati Flour)
2 cups whole wheat flour (stone ground, whole grain)
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
3 tsp yeast
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup tomato sauce (unsweetened)
5 cloves garlic
1 green chili
1/2 tsp vinegar
2tbsp + 1 tbsp oil

Method:

Place the garlic, green chili, and vinegar with a pinch of salt in a small grinding cup and blend together coarsely. Mix this into the tomato sauce .
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flours, vital wheat gluten, and salt. Set aside.
Warm the water, stir in the sugar and then the yeast. Cover and let proof for a couple of minutes.
Pour the yeast mix into the flour followed by the tomato sauce blend.
Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour begins to come together.
Pour in the 2 tablespoons of oil, and knead into a soft dough. Add water by the teaspoon if needed at this stage. Alternatively, add flour by the teaspoon if the dough is too sticky. The aim is to get a soft but not sticky dough.
Oil a large glass bowl, place the dough in it to proof for at least 90 minutes.
When ready, punch down the dough.
Oil a loaf tin. Shape the dough, Place in the loaf tin. Cover loosely with foil and allow to proof for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven to 350F, place the loaf tin int he oven, and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Cool in the tin for 25 minutes, then on a wire rack until completely cool.
Slice, toast, butter, and enjoy!!

Good to Know

The inclusion of vinegar in this recipe, albeit tiny, adds to the flavour of the bread.
Generally, more liquid is needed when baking with whole grain flours. If however 2/3 cup of water worries you, you can begin with half cup for proofing the yeast, and then add water as needed later while kneading.
Always keep some extra flour on the side while kneading in the even the dough becomes too sticky.

Food Event: YeastSpotting.

Chocolate Chunks Cookies | Eggless Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:28:00 +0000

I like to bake cookies. Apart from the taste, I love knowing exactly what they are made of - no artificial ingredients, no colors, nor preservatives, no hydrogenated fats!! This is not to say that I am not occasionally partial to the biscuits I grew up eating in India. Its more that I am now more comfortable with the home baked versions. You can put them together so quickly and most of them can be stored for up to ten days, provided you can keep your hands off them.

I generally make cookies by the traditional method where butter is the key ingredient. I remember reading long back that if you want a crispy, crunchy, flaky cookie - never ever compromise on the butter. And as a rule this is true. However, I am given to experimenting and have tried many versions with reduced butter or indeed without butter too. Today I am sharing with you a cookie recipe that is an any time favourite around here. A simple chocolate chunks cookie packed with chocolate chunks and walnuts and baked to perfection. Enjoy:)

More Eggless Cookies @ Annarasa:
Cashew, Cardamom, and Butterscotch Cookies
Bite-Size Eggless Raspberry Jam Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter | 1/2 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely

Method:

Whip the butter and canola oil together. When they are a creamy blend, pour in the vanilla extract and yogurt. Blend in well.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the sugar, and stir.
Divide this flour-sugar mix into three equal parts and the pour this in one part at a time into the butter-yogurt blend. Mix to get a soft dough. Don' beat or blend too much.
Throw in the chocolate chunks and walnuts - mix to distribute evenly.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Pinch out about 2-21/2 tbsp dough, roll into a circle and then flatten gently between the palms of your hand. Place on a prepared baking sheet.
Repeat for remaining dough. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven, cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying.

Good to Know:

These cookies are chewy and soft . If you prefer crunchier biscuits, bake an extra 2-3 minutes at 375F or until they begin to brown gently all over.
The cookies are not very sweet - add another quarter cup sugar for a sweeter cookie.
I made 12 large cookies with this dough. To make smaller cookies, use 11/4-11/2 tbsp prepared dough per cookie.

Food Event: Celebrate Easter hosted by Shama @ Shama's Easy2Cook Recipes. Event created by Jagruti @ Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey.

Til Chatni | Sesame Seeds Powder | Chutney Powder

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:51:00 +0000

Dry Chutney Powders are a perfect accompaniment to a simple dinner of dal, rice, and vegetable. I learnt about these powders when we moved to Mumbai and I began school there. The variety of dry powders and their delicious hot and spicy taste were a treat to my tongue. I loved to eat them with everything - yes pretty much everything! I included them in sandwiches, inhaled them with batata vadas and sago kichidi, and sprinkled them on dal and yogurt.

There were always some varieties stocked at home and my Mum made coconut and peanut powder very often. Chutney are definitely my weakness and I make them very often - so I was quite surprised as I was reviewing the recipes @ Annarasa this weekend to find that I have hardly posted any chutney recipes. The fact that don't last long around here probably explains their absence. This Til Chutney has the most amazing smoky flavour owing to the fact that all ingredients are slow roasted and black peppercorns are the primary form of heat in this recipe.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup till (sesame seeds)
1/3 cup chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram dal)
Salt to taste
2 saboot lal mirch (dry red chilies)
15 saboot kali mirch (black peppercorns)
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
1/8 tsp oil

Method:

Place the sesame seeds in a frying pan and roast on a gentle heat, stirring continuously until they begin to plump up and turn pinkish. Remove onto a plate.
Place the chana dal and the urad dal in the same pan and roast until they turn into a gentle brown. Stir as required and do not let them burn. Remove onto the plate.
Roast the red chilies and black peppercorns in the same way and remove onto the plate.
Pour the oil into the pan, place the asafoetida piece into the oil and fry until it releases a strong smell.
Turn off the heat and onto the plate. Allow all ingredients to cool completely.
Once cool, grind all these ingredients with the salt together until you have a semi coarse powder.
Store in an airtight bottle for up to 4 weeks. For longer storage, refrigerate.

Good to Know

This recipe uses brown unpolished sesame seeds but white one will do just as well.
Don't grind too much as it will begin to turn into a paste from the oils released from the sesame seeds.
I prefer black peppercorns in this recipe, but you can reduce their amount and replace with more red chilies. Adjust the as per your taste.

Vegan Recipe
Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Food Event: Your Favourite Street Food / Dhaba Food and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:56:00 +0000

For its first ever giveaway Annarasa ~ Essence of Food is teaming with CUPONATION, India’s largest coupon portal. CupoNation has generously offered a giveaway for 2 lucky winners. The two winners will each receive a flipcart egift voucher worth Rs. 1000.00 – the winners may purchase their favourite items for this amount via the filpcart website!!

CupoNation is India’s largest coupon portal, specially designed to meet the requirements of online shoppers. It has a broad collection of coupon codes with deals and offers from top online retailers like Flipkart, Naaptol, eBay.in, FabFurnish, Future bazaar, Jabong, Myntra, Home shop 18, Pepperfry and many more. To know about CupoNation and the many deals it offers, visit WEBSITE. To get daily deal details, join them on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+

To Enter this contest:

Make your all time favourite Dhaba Recipe / Street Food Recipe and post it on your blog between 23^rdMarch 2013 and 20^th April 2013. As this is a vegetarian blog, kindly send in vegetarian, egg free, or vegan recipes only.
Mention and link back to this recipe contest and giveaway in your post before the recipe.
Like Annarasa ~ Essence of Food and CupoNation on Facebook.
Archived Recipes related to the theme of this contest may be entered. They must be re-posted as per the rules of this contest.
Non-Bloggers are welcome to join the contest. Send your recipe(s) and picture to annarasa[at]gmail.com and like Annarasa on Facebook. Follow rules of the contest as well as the Guidelines below for additional entries to contest. Be sure you mention details for all entries in your email when you send in your recipe(s).

To have additional entries in the contest:

Follow me on Twitter and re-tweet this post for 2 additional entries.
Join my food blog Annarasa ~ Essence of Food via Google Connect for one additional entry.
Any additional recipe you post as per the contest rules above makes you eligible for one more entry.
Leave me a comment on this post letting me know where you have joined the site.

Guidelines:

Please note flipcart ships only in India, so it is a must for you to have an address in India where you may
receive any purchases you make on their site using egift voucher. This contest and giveaway is open to:

Anyone residing in India.

Anyone with a mailing address in India.

Anyone who would like to purchase gifts for friends/relatives in India.

The winner will be picked using a Random No. Generator. The winner will be announced in the week following the completion of this contest. DO check back for the announcement so your egift voucher can be mailed to you.

Kindly use the Link Tool below this post to link your recipes. Thanks for joining in!!

Disclaimer: This recipe contest and giveaway is organized by CupoNation at Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. The total giveaway amount is Rs.2000.00 (Two Thousand Rupees Only). This amount is divided into 2 flipkart egift vouchers of equal amounts of Rs.1000.00 (One Thousand Rupees Each). As the host of this Giveaway, Annarasa ~ Essence of Food and its author Apu has received NO compensation whatsoever in any form.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Green Beans and Corn with Toasted Sesame Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:38:00 +0000

Green Beans and Corn always makes for a flavourful combination, be it in a bake or a typically Indian style vegetable (sabzi). I make this combination a lot in late summer when fresh green beans and corn are both aplenty in the farmers' markets. At this time the beans are so tender, you barely need to cook them, just a gently fry is good enough. And the corn is wonderfully sweet and available literally at every street corner along with tomatoes and huge juicy watermelons!!

Can you tell I am tired of the winter! Today is the first day of spring and we are under mountains of snow and a wind chill of -15F!! I almost feel we are in November when everything turns white just after the first big snow storm of the season!! I kid you not, we are seeing cardinals, sleepy sparrows, and even sand hill cranes, but there is no sign of the first tulips or daffodils. Oh well, the bird sightings are a treat and I guess we can hope for good water levels in the lakes and a great harvest come summer and autumn :)

Ingredients:
2 cups green beans, chopped
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
11/2 tbsp gingelly oil
1 green chili
2 tbsp til (sesame seeds)
Salt to taste
7-8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the mustard seeds, once thy begin to pop, reduce the heat and add the asafoetida.
Next add the green chilies, sesame seeds, and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
Now add the chopped green beans and corn. Stir to ensure the vegetables are coated with oil and spices. Cover and cook for 7 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt, stir, and cook another 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Leave covered for another minute.

Good to Know

This vegetable cooks very quickly. However this depends somewhat on the freshness of the beans. If the beans are very fresh and tender, there is no need to cover them when cooking. Just stir occasionally and cook as per the recipe.
I like to add the sesame seeds seeds, this allows them to pick up the flavour of the spices as the vegetable cooks.
For some variation to taste, add 1 tbsp grated ginger in Step 2 of the recipe.

Irish Soda Bread | No Yeast Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:03:00 +0000

One of my very favourite tea time treats apart from Raisin Scones is Irish Soda Bread. Slathered with butter and jam, it makes for a tasty and hearty treat. The sheer simplicity of this bread is what makes it shine out amongst the many bakes loaded with butter, sugar, and eggs that could be sitting beside your teacup on any given day. Then there is the taste - Irish Soda Bread has a clean nutty taste (though this will depend on the kind of flour your choose) and a texture that makes every bite satisfying.

I like to bake on the weekends and its usually a loaf of bread and a cake or cookies for the coming week. Yesterday I decided on Irish Soda Bread, a Lemon Pound Cake (actually two - one for the DH office and one for home), and a batch of Vanilla Custard as a treat!!

Ingredients:
2 cups whole grain wheat flour
2 cups atta ( Indian Chappati Flour)
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup prunes, stoned
2 cups cultured buttermilk

Method:

Sift the flours, salt, and baking soda together in a large mixing bowl.
Chop the prunes in half and drop them into the flour.
Add a cup and half of the buttermilk and using the palms of your hands, gently bring the dough together. Add the remaining buttermilk as needed. The dough should be soft and sticky.
Do not knead. Once all the flour and prunes have come together as a dough, place it on a prepared baking sheet. Shape it into a round loaf and pat on the top to level.
Using a sharp knife, cut a cross across the top. It should be deep enough to be just about halfway to the bottom of the loaf.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about 50 minutes to an hour.
Turn off the heat, remove the bread from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cooled place in a tea towel and store in a cool dry place until you are ready to enjoy it.
Slice, toast, and enjoy with butter. If you have a sweet tooth, don't forget to slather it with your favourite jam or conserve!!

Good to Know

The dough for this bread is made rather like the dough for a buttermilk biscuit or a scone. NO kneading or you with end up with a hard and tight dough and a leathery bread.
Don't worry about putting in a little extra buttermilk if you feel the dough is not moist enough. More buttermilk means a softer bread.
If you want to use this bread for savoury sandwiches or to eat with soup, drop the prunes.

Tomato Garlic Kuzhambu | Tomato and Garlic in a Tamarind Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:15:00 +0000

Onions, Tomatoes, and Garlic in a curry - a whole host of Indian cooking count this trifecta as the basis of delicious curries that we enjoy in our homes almost everyday. But onions, garlic, and tomatoes as the curry? Why yes and why not?? Seasoned to perfection this combination makes for a perfect side dish for a sit down dinner or lunch any day. In northern parts of India these three ingredients make the most simple but utterly delicious tomato chutney that accompanies so many meals in the winter months. And in the southern and western parts is a differently seasoned curry that makes for the most divine accompaniment to a homely lunch of rice, dal, and vegetables - the kuzambu!!

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes
1 tsp tamarind paste
8 cloves garlic
1 large white onion, sliced
1 tsp sambar powder
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp til oil (raw sesame oil)
1/4 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
1/8 tsp hing (asafoetida)
8 kari patta (curry leaves)
Salt to taste

Method:

Blanche and peel the tomatoes. Chop coarsely.
Pour the canola oil and sesame seeds oil in a large frying pan or wok.
Heat, then add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin, asafoetida, and fenugreek in this order.
Immediately add the garlic, and fry until it begins to turn a golden brown.
Next add the curry leaves, onions, a small pinch of salt and fry until the onions turn transparent.
Next add the turmeric, followed by the tomatoes and about half a cup of water. Mix well.
Throw in the sambar powder and stir in the tamarind paste. Stir well, bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, allow to cook on medium low until the curry is thick.
Add salt to taste.
Enjoy with rice.

Chili Baby Corn | Indo Chinese Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:21:00 +0000

Chili Corn is another dish that is a favourite at Indian Style Chinese Restaurants. Sometimes though I find that it had a little too much chili for our taste. Last week when it was raining cats and dogs here, we were craving some nice hot Chinese food with rice I decided to make Chili Corn. We enjoyed it with Jasmine rice that I had picked up from my last visit to the wonderful Asian store in our city!!

Ingredients:
11/2 cup baby corn
1 block tofu
1 white onion, quartered
1 green pepper, cubed
1 tbsp garlic, minced fine
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 green chili, minced
2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
1 tbsp canola oil

For the Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
11/2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
Salt to taste
11/2 tbsp cornflour

For the Marinade:
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp oil

Method:

Prepare the tofu at least 1 hour before you begin cooking by wrapping the block in multiple sheets of kitchen towels and setting it under an even heavy weight. This will allow any excess water in the tofu to escape and give you a nice firm brick to work with.
Cube the prepared tofu and set aside.
Chop the baby corn into one inch pieces. Set aside.
Prepare the marinade by blending all the ingredients for the marinade with a quarter cup of water.
Begin with tossing the baby corn in this marinade. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes, then fry in the heated canola oil until the coating is cooked. Remove into a heat proof bowl.
Next pour the remaining marinade over the tofu pieces. Toss and fry in batches in the same oil until they begin to brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add the sesame seed oil. Heat, Reduce the heat to a medium low, then add the ginger, then the garlic. Saute for a minute. Throw in the green chilies.
Next add the onions, and fry for a couple of minutes. Next add the green peppers and fry another couple of minutes.
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a cup with three fourth cup of water. Pour this mix into the pan. Increase the heat and stir gently. The sauce will thicken. Check it for seasoning and adjust according to taste.
Add the baby corn pieces and the tofu. Cook on a low heat for 5-7 minutes so that the corn and tofu are well coated with the sauce.

Good to Know

Adjust the heat level to suit your taste. We prefer a relatively milder flavour.
I sometimes like to add broccoli and sugar snap peas to this recipe - its incredibly good and ups its nutritive value considerably.
The marinade adds flavour, but if you prefer not to do any extra frying, skip it and add the tofu and sweet corn without frying as per recipe.

Daring Bakers February 2013: Raincoast Crisps

noreply@blogger.com (Apu) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:31:00 +0000

I chose to make Raincoast Crisps for the February Daring Bakers Challenge. However as my internet was playing hooky, I have been unable to put up my post until today!! Well, here goes - good challenge, tasty crisps. I followed the recipe, but made only one fourth the total quantity of the recipe. They came out really well. Thanks to Sarah for this wonderful challenge.

Post Script: Sarah from All Our Fingers in the Pie was our February 2013 Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to use our creativity in making our own Crisp Flatbreads and Crackers!

Click here to find the complete February 2013 Daring Bakers challenge.

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

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