Foray into my Kitchen

Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal

2012-01-26T13:47:00.000-08:00

Talking of beach sundals, one other that is extremely famous is the thenga -manga - pattani sundal ( coconut - mango (raw) - peas). This Navarathri I got to try out different sundals, one on each day of the festival. Here is the recipe for the same.

Again you can make this as a sundal, as a side salad or a snack for those hungry tea time bites.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: Preparation time ( 11 hours), Cook Time ( 10 min)

Ingredients:

a cup or two of raw white or green peas
salt
a pinch of turmeric
water
little bit of lime juice

To temper:

oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsps urad dal (split black gram dal)
3 green chilies slit or chopped in small pieces, or you can use 4 red chilies
1 to 2 tbsps grated coconut (fresh is always better)
2 to 3 nos curry leaves
hing ( a pinch of asafoetida)
small pieces of cut raw mango ( a couple of tbsps) - with the skin is great

Method de Preparation:

Soak the peas in a vessel immersed in water overnight. Pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric with water just immersing the lentils. Make sure to not overcook or they will end up mushy. They will still taste good but will not be separate, like how mine ended up.
When cooked ( should feel soft when pressed and no longer hard), drain excess water and keep aside.
In the meantime get all the ingredients for tempering ready - chop the chilies, mango and curry leaves finely.
Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard. Allow to splutter and add the urad dal and the hing. Soon after add the curry leaves and the green or red chilies. Mix in the peas, mango and coconut and add salt as needed.
At the end squeeze some lime juice for taste. And it is ready!

Tools of the Trade Tuesdays: My Masala Box (Stainless Steel Masala Dabba)

2012-01-10T14:48:00.000-08:00

It is not an exaggeration to say that along with all the heirlooms a mom gives her daughter - this masala dabba is a prime addition to her kitchen. Such a simple yet effective design, most Indian homes have one. The number of boxes inside, whether each has a spoon, lid etc vary slightly but the purpose remains universally same - A simple box that holds a variety of spices one uses commonly in cooking esp. for seasoning.

Having them close together really helps when you need to drop them into oil/ghee for tadka in unison or one after the other pretty quickly.

Below are pictures of my masala dabba that my mother gave me. It has 7 containers and I only use one spoon that goes across all these spices.

clockwise (from top center) - pepper corn, turmeric, chana dal (split chickpea), jeera (cumin), menthium (fenugreek seeds), urad dal (black gram) and in the center is mustard. I tend to use this masala dabba to store spices usually used for seasoning in south Indian cooking.

These are available fairly inexpensively in most Indian pathra kadais ( vessel stores) , but for all others who would love to have it in their kitchen, here is a deluxe version on Amazon that is not too bad on the wallet - Stainless Masala Dabba Deluxe.

Peanut Sundal

2012-01-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

Usually Garbanzo (Chick pea) sundal is heralded as the king of sundals but of the varieties I made for Navrathri 2011 I liked this one best. It is hardly a wonder because I love peanuts. If you have grown up in India and that too along the coast, you cannot have missed sampling these peanut sundals that vendors hand out on the beach for a few rupees. I somehow think the sand and the salty air add taste to those foods that can never be replicated in our pristine kitchens :)

Make this as a sundal, as a side salad or a snack for those hungry tea time bites.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: Preparation time ( 2 hours), Cook Time ( 10 min)

Ingredients:

a cup of raw unsalted peanuts with their skin on
salt
a pinch of turmeric
water

To temper:

oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsps urad dal (split black gram dal)
3 green chilies slit or chopped in small pieces, or you can use 4 red chilies
1 to 2 tbsps grated coconut (fresh is always better)
2 to 3 nos curry leaves
hing ( a pinch of asafoetida)

Method de Preparation:

Soak the peanuts in a vessel immersed in water for about a couple of hours. Pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric with water just immersing the nuts.
When cooked ( should feel soft when pressed and no longer hard), drain excess water and keep aside.
In the meantime get all the ingredients for tempering ready - chop the chilies and curry leaves finely.
Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard. Allow to splutter and add the urad dal and the hing. Soon after add the curry leaves and the green or red chilies. Mix in the peanuts and coconut and add salt as needed.
Peanut Sundal is ready to be served!

Pineapple Raita (Pineapple Dip)

2011-12-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

Call Papa Johns and place an order for a 2 toppping cheese pizza with pineapple and jalapeno and they will know you are Indian, 'cos more often than not, we order this combination the most.

I L.O.V.E Pineapple, very very much. And I love that it is available in very easy to use forms now - canned and ready to go in their own juice. I throw some in on just about everything and sometimes just eat it as is. I have fond memories of mom bringing home a full one from the market and spending good effort in chopping it to more manageable pieces ready to be gobbled by waiting mouths. I am yet to try that myself here :)

This recipe is almost not one, and this dish can be prepared instantaneously. A great side to a meal - goes with rotis and rice and I love it with my staple yogurt rice.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: 5 min

Ingredients

1 can Dole pineapple tidbits in their own juice ( don't get the chunks, they don't absorb the flavor as much)
oil ( to season)
salt ( a little bit)
a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
2 tsp red chilly powder
2 tsp mustard seeds

Method de Preparation

Take oil in a small vessel, just enough for tadka or for seasoning, when hot add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add a pinch of hing. Turn off heat. After 4 min, add the red chilly powder to this.
Empty the pineapple tidbits with their juice into a container. Pour the seasoned mix (oil, red chilly powder etc) on this and add salt ( a little bit).
Let sit for about 1/2 hr if possible for the flavor to sink in and enjoy!

This will go with chips and can be used as a substitute for salsa too :)

Source: From a friend of Prema chithi

Sauteed Onion Tomato Panini (Vengaya Thakkali Panini)

2011-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

I think there is barely a South Indian who does not know Vengaya Thakkali (Onion Tomato) as this mix is called. Once made this can be eaten with rotis, mixed with plain rice, or used to make tomato rice, rolled into a burrito, put on a cracker- oh the possibilities are endless, believe me :P

I like bread, and I LOVE Paninis. So I use this to make a nice, quick protein rich cheesy panini that literally takes about 5 mins :)

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: 10 min (Prep Time) 20 min ( Making Time)

Ingredients

For the vengaya thakkali paste

1 large red onion chopped finely
2 tomatoes chopped finely
salt
a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
a pinch of turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilly powder
oil to saute
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

For the panini

Vengaya Thakkali paste from above
6 slices of bread
6 slices of cheese ( swiss or american or cheddar your choice)
Oil or butter (to spread)

Method de Preparation

Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add a pinch of hing. Immediately add the chopped onions. Saute. Add a pinch of salt and continue to saute till they are clear and translucent.
Add the chopped tomatoes at that point, and continue to saute. Cook till it done and the juice has left the fruit. Add more salt, turmeric and chilly powder. Saute all together and turn of heat. Garnish with cilantro. Your onion tomato paste is ready.
To assemble the panini, take your panini maker and first set it to start warming. Then butter both sides of each bread slice. You can use oil too to brush lightly your choice.
Spread the prepared vengaya thakkali (onion tomato) paste on one side and then place the cheese on top, place the other bread on top and you have your panini ready to be grilled!
Prepare the other two paninins the same way - bread, paste, cheese, bread and grill them for the required time in the panini maker (~ 2 min each).
Cut them into two triangles and enjoy as is or with ketchup.

Variations: If you don't have a panini maker you can just do this on a pan or tava out on the stove for a similar taste. If you are making this for kids, use yellow or white onions which are not as strong as the red ones and reduce the chilly powder if needed.

The above pictures looks like a 14 layer cake does it not?

Tres Leches Cake

2011-12-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

Cakes with many layers and fancy looking decorations are all well, I don't deny that at all. But sometimes simple is best. Especially when you want a dessert to wow your guests that is home made but still not the center piece. Still tastes stupendous and feels like you slaved over it. Here you go for that perfect piece of cake that satisfies above all criteria!

Time: Preparation Time (45 min), Cooking Time ( 60 min)

Difficulty Level: Easy - Medium

Ingredients:

1 cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
5 whole Eggs
1 cup Sugar, Divided
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cups Milk
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
¼ cups Heavy Cream
1 can of maraschino cherries

FOR THE ICING:

1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
3 Tablespoons Sugar

Method de Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated with cooking/baking spray.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Separate egg whites and yolk. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture into first mix (flour, salt etc) and stir very gently until combined.
Beat egg whites on high speed until a soft peak forms. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold the egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread out to even the surface.
Bake for 35 to 45 min or until a toothpick or small test poke comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter or any plate with curved sides and allow to cool.
Combine the milks - condensed, evaporated and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When the cake has cooled ( ~ 1/2 hr or more) pierce the surface a lot with a fork. You can do it evenly in lines or randomly no one will know trust me :)
Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the combined milk mixture - pour slowly all along including the edges of the cake. Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for about 30 minutes.
To ice the cake, whip 1 pint of heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable. Spread over surface of cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries.
Cut into squares or rectangles and serve. Yum!

Confessions:

I don't own a Kitchen-aid so far and this was made with a hand blender and that works just fine for all the mixing, beating etc :)
The part about saving the 1 cup of milk mixtures - yes don't pour more than that. If you do the cake will end up being soggy, so save back that amount.
The amount of whipped cream topping you get with a pint is hugeeeeeee, so either reduce that quantity to half a pint or make sure you can use it with something else if you don't like to slather your cake with whipped cream.

Source: Adapted almost exactly from my Lady Ree here.

Green Capsicum Thogayal (Bell Pepper Chutney)

2011-11-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

This can be done with any color bell pepper but don't mix two colors :) You know how sometimes you are left with just a couple of these and not enough for a sabzi and you are left wondering what to do. Well here is what you do :) The recipe for the thogayal (chutney or paste) is the same as for any kind.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: 20 min

Ingredients

Green bell pepper ( 2 nos)
Urad dhal ( 3-4 tbsp)
red chilly ( 3-4 nos)
salt to taste
tamarind paste ( 1- 1 1/2 tsp)
oil

Method de Preparation

Take a little bit of oil in a pan and roast the urad dhal and the red chillies and keep aside.
In the same pan, add a bit more oil and saute the bell pepper till well cooked.
Once both are cooled, blend the first mix first coarsely and then add on the bell peppers and the tamarind and blend till desired texture is reached. Some people like it a bit crunchy and not too mushy. And green pepper has the tendency to become mushy so be careful.
Add salt to taste.
Enjoy with rice, chappatis , plain or pita bread.

2 min Raita ( Yogurt dip)

2011-11-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes you look at a recipe and you think is this even a recipe, why did I not think of it before? Or it is so simple, will it really taste any good? Try this and you will know. This is one of those instant recipes that works very well with any parathas - like this Aloo Paratha or kulchas as a side especially if you have another spicy side dish too.

Difficulty Level: Very Easy

Time: 10 min (max)

Ingredients:

Thick yogurt or Greek yogurt ( a cup)
salt (to taste)
a pinch of sugar
1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
1 tsp garam masala powder

Method de Preparation:

Take the powders and a bit of sugar and salt. Mix them well with a spoon of yogurt.
When they are mixed well add the rest of the yogurt and mix well. Taste and adjust spices as needed. Alternate is you can blend fresh cumin and peppercorn in a blender and add that too to provide some zing.

Potato Poduthuval (Simple Potato Fry)

2011-11-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

This recipe is very simple and very kid friendly. Has a total of about 5 ingredients and very little spices if any. A great finger food that a little one can eat on his/her own. And if you have an adult child who loves potatoes then make sure to make extra!

Difficulty Level : Easy

Time : 15 min

Ingredients:

2 potatoes
salt
turmeric
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp urad dal
oil (to saute)

Method de Preparation:

Wash and peel the skin from the potatoes, chop them into small cubes.
Take oil in a pan, when hot add mustard and when it splutters, add urad dal.
When it is slightly browned, add the potatoes. Use a wide pan so that the potatoes don't crowd on top of each other rather have space to cook separately.
Add turmeric and salt and continue to saute till it slightly browns and is cooked.
Keep heat medium throughout and turn off heat when done. Serve hot with paruppu sadam (toor dal rice) for kids and adults alike :)

Puthina Thogayal (Mint Chutney)

2011-10-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is very easy to make and tastes great with rice or with bread and butter. Great for those sandwiches you want to take on trips. Goes with cucumber,butter or mayonnaise and some pepper. With rice this can be paired with any kootu ( lentil soup) on the side.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: 30 min

Ingredients

Mint leaves ( 1 bunch)
Cilantro ( 1 bunch)
1 medium size onion
Urad dhal ( 3-4 tbsp)
garlic ( 1-2 pods) - optional
red chilly ( 4-6 nos)
asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
tamarind paste ( 1- 1 1/2 tsp)
oil

Method de Preparation

Take a little bit of oil in a pan and roast the urad dhal and the red chillies along with the asafoetida and keep aside.
In the same pan, add a bit more oil and saute the chopped garlic and then the onions. When almost done add the mint to saute just for a minute.
Once both are cooled, blend the first mix first coarsely and then add on the second mix and the tamarind, along with washed cilantro and blend till desired texture is reached ( 30 secs or so). Like a coarse paste.Some people like it a bit crunchy and not too mushy.
Add salt to taste.
Enjoy with rice, chappatis , plain or pita bread.

Sandwiches: Take two slices of bread. One one side spread mayonnaise or butter. The other side spread this. layer with thinly sliced cucumber and sprinkle a bit of pepper. A yummy cold cucumber mint sandwich is ready too! These work great for treks/ drives and stays good for a day without a cooler.

Spicy Chinese Eggplant

2011-10-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

I cannot tell enough how much my husband likes Eggplant. If we go to any Asian restaurant and eggplant is on the menu, you can be guaranteed that it will be on our table. The fact that 7 times out of 10 it ends up not being up to the mark, under cooked, not tasty etc. etc. does not deter the Mr. from ordering it yet another time. So much to the point that now we have a rule that he gets to order this only every other time :)

That brings you to this post. I wanted to recreate his much loved Eggplant recipe and after hunting around a bit found this online from food network that I could adapt without using any sauce containing meat or seafood. I also did not deep fry the eggplant, instead sauteed them well. This tastes really good and goes well paired with plain white or sticky rice. So much that even I was willing to accept eggplant was not bad after all :)

Time: 30 min

Difficulty Level: Easy - Medium

Ingredients:

Sauce:

2 tbsp vegetarian broth
1 tbsp hoisin sauce (Stir fry sauce)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese black vinegar ( I used rice vinegar)
2 tsp plum sauce

4 Chinese eggplants ( 1 pound) stems removed
Vegetable oil for sauteing
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
4 dried whole chile peppers
2 green onions, cut into bits
chopped cilantro leaves or green onions

Method of Preparation:

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl; mix well.
Peel the skin partially if you like else just cut the eggplant into 3 inch long strips like french fries. Heat oil at high heat (350 F) and saute these till well cooked, not too mushy and then keep aside.
Place wok over a high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of deep-frying oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the garlic, ginger, dried chiles and green onion; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked eggplant and stir to coat. Scoop onto a warm serving platter. Serve, garnished with cilantro or green onions.

Chili Cheese Casserole

2011-10-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes you taste something and you love it and you then file it in the back of your mind but you can't rest until you actually try it out. This is one such recipe. My friend Arlene treated me to this one time at work, she had brought it for lunch. I liked it a lot and ended up asking for the recipe and here it is :) This is really easy to put together and can be made ahead too. Great for those days when you have tons of food in the fridge but would still like to eat something maybe a bit different :)

Time: Prep Time (15 min), Cook Time ( 45 min)

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

4 Poblano chilies (or any big dark green ones)
3 or 4 eggs (depending on size)
1 to 1.5 Cups Milk
3 tbsp flour
8oz -10 z cheese – more or less as you like (Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Parmesan/Italian as you like)
Salt (a bit)

Method of Preparation:

Prep the chilies (split them, clean the seeds and slice them into two). Place them face down and then other side on an oiled pan to cook them some, a saute pan would work well. Grill till cooked, soft and a bit browned.
Mix all the liquids and flour together. Adjust flour if too watery. But it will thicken up as you cook.
Layer half of cheese on bottom of 9x12 glass pan.
Layer with the chilies.
Pour remaining mix of liquid and flour and spices over top.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top (add more if you like).
Cook in the oven @ 325 for about 40 minutes or until you don’t see the milk as a fluid anymore. Should not be jiggly.

Variations:

The blandness of the cheese/flour against the spicy peppers is a nice combination. However if you want to make this a more complete meal, go ahead and add any lightly grilled and salted veggies to this mix instead of peppers. Also you can add breadcrumbs if you like some crunchiness.

Tools of the Trade Tuesdays: Bella Cucina Panini Maker

2011-08-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to introduce you to my friend- the Bella Cucina Panini Maker.

Price: < $20 (after discounts)

Available at: Macys, Amazon etc.

If I have not raved enough about it already in my other posts, I will say it again here. I absolutely love this device. What’s not to love about it? It is available for less than $20 (at Macy’s during their sales), it has a non-stick surface so cleanup is a breeze and it is so easily portable that you can carry it with you when you travel to make your Paninis on the go. Additionally if you prepare your Paninis ahead of time, the grilling takes only a min or more for each, so that you can include Paninis as a dish to wow your guests at your next party :)

Now for the small drawbacks with this Panini maker. It is not super heavy, so if you are putting together a double mac and cheese size Panini, you might need to rotate it to grill evenly. Also this is capable of grilling two Paninis side by side by that depends on what bread you are using and also how big each one is. Ideally I would say you can make only one at a time. If you are particular about making 2 at the same time, go ahead and invest in a more expensive one that is capable of accommodating that so you are not disappointed.

It makes lunch/dinner or a snack so easy to make. Just go ahead and put anything you like between two slices of bread, apply butter or oil on the outer sides and voila you have a restaurant style Panini that melts in your mouth in under 2 min. A plus is that since the sides are grilled, this stays soft for a long time even when no longer warm; so if you want Paninis at your next picnic, there is no one to really stop you!

Images are from the web, from Macy's website.

Murungakkai Poricha Kuzhambu (Drumstick Lentil Soup)

2011-08-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

I have never had any Poricha (Poritha in Tamil meaning fried) Kuzhambu in my home before marriage. First off we call it "Kootaan", so no Kuzhambu at all for that matter :)

My husband has a great love for podis, kootus and thogayals. So there are many of these recipes that I have learnt from my mother in law and this is one of them. This recipe can be used for any vegetable with either toor or urad dhal. However this particular combination of drumstick and moong bring out the flavors well. This recipe is no different from that of the Keerai Thandu Kootu that i posted sometime ago.

Time: 20 min

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients

Chopped and washed drumsticks (2 nos)
Moong dhal - 3/4 to 1 cup in 3 cups of water
Salt
turmeric powder (a pinch)

To roast and grind
grated coconut (1 tbsp)

pepper corns (1 tbsp) or red chillies (4-5 nos) or combination of both in lower amounts

jeera (1 tbsp)

urad dhal (1 tbsp)

To temper
oil

mustard (1 tbsp)

urad dhal (1 1/2 tbsp)

curry leaves

Method de Preparation

Cook drumsticks in a vessel without closing it with water and some salt and turmeric till the stalks are soft. Feel to see if they have cooked by pressing.
Cook in another vessel in the open (do not pressure cook) moong dhal with the required water with turmeric. Allow to cook to the point where it can be gently mashed when you press between fingers.
In a tbsp of oil, roast all the ingredients listed till slightly brown, grind when cool and keep aside.
Once 1 and 2 are done, mix together, add the ground mix, allow everything to come together. Add more salt if required.
Season with mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves in a little bit of oil and you are done :)

Variations: You can reduce/increase the amount of peppercorn according to spice level. Reducing/Increasing amount of moong dhal will help you vary consistency.

Cholam (Corn on the Cob Indian Style)

2011-08-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

If you have grown up in India and in any of the coastal regions like Chennai or Mumbai you could not have missed this delicacy that is a staple on the beachside. It is a totally different story that growing up I have never been allowed to eat much street food due to my dad being a medical doctor and hygiene issues. I wish I could reverse that now. I have tried to compensate for that once I got to college and he has also become increasingly lenient with the confidence that an Andial can end *whatever* should it arise.

To more pleasant things now. I have had an electric stove top until 2 years ago and just could not get this to grill effectively. The past two years since having a gas stove top; we make this regularly every summer when fresh corn is in galore. This is so simple to make, such a nutritious snack and can be modified for kids and adults alike by varying what spices you would use.

Time: 10 min

Difficulty level : Easy

Ingredients:

Corn ( as many as you would like)
lime juice or lime (cut into 2 halves)
1 tbsp chilly powder
1 tsp salt

Method de Preparation:

Peel the cover of the corn but don't take it away. You will be grilling it using that to hold. Just fold it backwards.
Remove all the tender husk and string like fabric.
Turn your gas stove top on and move corn back and forth on the fire. Keep rotating it so all sides are exposed to the heat.
You might hear a few corn crackle. That is expected. How would you feel if you were held to the flame - I expect you would crackle too, right?
Keep going until you can see it brown/blacken. Depending on how dark you want it, turn off heat and keep this aside.
In the meantime mix together the chilly powder and salt. Cut the lime in two halves.
Now for the fun part. Take the corn in your left hand (yes, even if you are left handed), and take the lime half in your right hand. Dip that lime (the cut side of course) into that chilly salt mix. Get a good amount on it. Then apply it along the length of the corn squeezing the lime along the way so that the juice also enters the grooves. Repeat till the corn is covered. For kids, omit the chilly salt mix and use butter and some salt instead.
Now grab your favorite book, go to a secret spot in your home and enjoy. I say secret spot because there will be these people who always say no when you ask them if they want one and that they will have just a bite. Beware that after they try it, a bite is all that will be left for you!

Modifications:

If you have a grill, by all means use that instead of doing this on the stove top. But cooking on that flame gives it a unique taste too.

Tools of the Trade Tuesdays: Cookright Hard Anodized Chef's Pan, 12"

2011-08-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Tools of the Trade Tuesdays - Introducing a new series on Tuesdays, I can’t promise every week though :)

Like most people who come to the US for graduate studies I had not cooked anything in my parents’ home. I learnt to cook more out of necessity than out of interest. As I spent more time, I have come to realize that I love it, I see it as an art form and I gain immense pleasure from feeding people and seeing their taste buds satiated. I am excited to try out new dishes, and love to exchange recipes and ideas with friends, family and strangers.

Along the way like most of us, I have developed a style and some favorites in the kitchen that I refer to here as “Tools of the Trade”. Due to these tools I look forward to cooking, cleaning and the associated prep work. They make my life easy and I am glad that I found them along the way. The purpose of this series is to share my favorites and if you have any that you love, please write me a note to forayintomykitchen@gmail.com and I’ll feature them and try those out too.

Tools of the Trade Hard Anodized Chef’s Pan 12”

Price: $29.99 (before discounts)

Available at: Macys, Amazon etc.

I might be biased, of course I am ; but if there is one nonstick pan you should invest in go for this Tools of the Trade vessel.

The nonstick surface is really good ( I have been using mine for over a year at least once a week), the size is perfect for medium to large # of people (2-8 nos) and can be used for a variety of entrees. I have used it to make side dishes, main entrees and mutliple cuisine types. It is not super heavy, has a lid and a handle to hold when stirring, cleans easy and is very resonably priced. Addiontally its wide base spreads heat evenly and open mouth allows vegetables to fry quickly.

The same kind of pan is available by other popular brands also like Circulon, Analon etc. I think this size and style is perfect so you can pick your favorite there. But for me, I like many of the Tools of the Trade vessels for their price and durability. I have so far bought all of mine at Macy’s during their home sales when you can rack up pretty good deals. There is one that is ongoing and ends today :P

Images are from the web, from Macy's website and from milo.com.

Carrot Onion Sabzi

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

July 27th 2011

I am a big fan of recipes that require very few ingredients. To me that means I don't have to consult my recipe book :) People who know me know very well that I cannot part from it.

Anyway back to this post - this is a recipe for a side dish that goes equally well with rotis or rice. Very easy to make and can be modified to suit adults and kids alike. Just 2 vegetables - onions and carrots. So let us get started.

Time : 20 min (prep time), 20 min (making time)

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

3-4 carrots (chopped finely)
1 large red onion (chopped finely)
1 tbsp mustard
1/2 to 1 tbsp chilly powder
1/2 tbsp sambar or curry powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt (to taste)
2 or more tbsp oil

Method de Preparation:

Wash the carrots (yes I like to start from the very basic instructions, thank you!). Then if you are picky peel them with the back of your knife instead of the peeler so you don't waste half the vegetable. Else skip it.
Cut the carrot into 2 lengthwise, then just cut them into very thin semicircles all along. Repeat for all the carrots.
Peel and then wash onions. Use red onions and by washing them you prevent those tears rolling down your eyes.
Cut the onions into 2, then cut each half into 3 (horizontally) and then cut into thin long strips. They should look like coleslaw. Close your eyes, VISUALIZE. OK, now proceed.
Take oil in a pan, add the mustard and when it splutters - add the onions. Saute, Saute till they are soft but not yet very brown. Add a bit of salt to quicken this process [Thanks for the tip Chitra!].
Add the carrots and the turmeric powder. Saute, cover with a lid, allow to cook and repeat till the carrots are tender. Keep heat medium to avoid burning.
Add the salt, chilly and sambar powder and mix well. Taste to make sure everything is perfect and then turn off heat.
Serve as a side with rotis or with rice or take in a bowl, add yogurt and enjoy alone!

Sambaram (Chilled Spicy Buttemilk Drink)

2011-07-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

July 27th 2011

I have grown up always in sunshine and never had to check the weather for most of my life. But the abundance of sun also leads to very hot summers and this is something my mom always made for those super hot afternoons/evenings.

This is a great drink to also help with digestion or when you feel kinda stuffed and not sure what you want to eat. Finishing off with this will make you feel cool inside and out :) Now when all over the US the temperatures are soaring expect for my beloved Northwest this is perfect. Give it a try!

Time: 15 min

Difficulty Level : Easy

Ingredients:

1 cup or more of yogurt (curd)
2 inches ginger
2-3 curry leaves
2-3 green chilies (vary based on desired spice level)
a bunch of cilantro
a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1 cup or more of water
a few cubes of ice
salt (to taste)

Method de Preparation:

Grind the first 6 ingredients in a blender or use a hand blender.
Once all the ingredients and blended well and you have a green liquid, add the water and salt and blend till it froths (another min).
Serve with a few cube of ice.

Substitutions:

You can use buttermilk instead of yogurt but then reduce the amount of water. This is supposed be thinner than a milkshake but I prefer it to be about the consistency of a fruit juice.
Reduce/Increase the amount of green chilies based on spice level.
Add garlic/onions etc if you like and can stand the rawness :)

Confessions:

Apologize for the bad pictures. This was one of the those days when we decided to skip dinner and drink this instead as we were too stuffed; so poor lighting :D

Pineapple Rasam

2011-06-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

In many south indian households a main meal consists of or must contain sambar. In some households a kootu/thogayal is preferred. I can skip both if I can have some rasam. However I am not one of those that loves to drink rasam. I just prefer it to the other heavier counterparts that contain tamarind.

If you have forgotten, remember the two cups that are there in most south indian wedding lunches - one for rasam and one for payasam. Many oldies get very very upset if they are not asked for seconds for both these items :D

Back to the focus of this post here - Pineapple Rasam. A sweet yet tangy rasam that gets its unique taste from the pineapple. Addition of the bit of jaggery makes it complete. I especially like this with spicy potato chips sprayed with chilly powder all over but this goes very well mixed with rice with any south indian side vegetable.

Time: 30 min

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 can Dole pineapple tidbits in their own juice
1/4 cup cooked thoor dal
a small cherry sized tamarind soaked in water and juice extracted
a lemon size jaggery piece
salt (to taste)
turmeric (a pinch)
chilly powder (a pinch)
chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)

To temper:

ghee ( a tsp)
mustard ( 1/2 tbsp)
jeera ( 1/2 tbsp)

Method de Preparation:

Cook thoor dal in a pressure cooker with water in the ratio 1:3. Cook well and allow the equivalent of three whistles.
Extract tamarind juice from the pulp. Extract tamarind juice by soaking it in water, squeezing pulp, and repeat till water no longer turns brown in color. Easy way is to heat the tamarind in water for a min in the microwave. This softens the pulp and allows you to extract the juice easily. This will give u about a cup of tamarind water from the tamarind pulp or the tamarind concentrate in which case just mix it with the water.
Take this in a vessel, add salt and turmeric and allow it to boil. Once heated and raw smell is no longer there, add the thoor dal, chilly powder and allow to cook some.
Then add the pineapple bits (if you like) and the juice. Else just use a blender and mash the entire contents of the tin before adding it to the rasam.
At this point, add the jaggery bits also and allow everything to come together. Turn off heat as soon as the liquid starts to bubble some.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and temper with mustard and jeera spluttered in ghee.
Serve with rice and chips and a good book!

Chef's Tips:

Use very little tamarind else the rasam will taste too pulippu :)
If at the end you feel sweetness is not enough,add some brown sugar or just plain sugar because the jaggery will not dissolve if added again at the end.

Onion Raita (Onion Yogurt Dip)

2011-06-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

I love any kind of Raita. A great way to include yogurt in your meal, a great side that goes with a lot of rice varieties, roti or tortillas and sometimes just on its own. Moving to this easy recipe that goes great with the Tomato Rice I just posted.

Time: 10 min

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped finely (use yellow onions if you don't want a strong taste)
2-3 nos chopped green chilies or 1-2 jalapeno peppers
1 to 1.5 cup unflavored yogurt ( fat free or home made will do just fine)
Chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)
salt (to taste)

Method de Preparation:

Take a bowl, add all the ingredients together. Mix well, taste and eat :) It cannot get any easier than this really!

Tomato Rice

2011-06-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Mixed or variety rice is a lifesaver in many ways. When you want to make a complete meal quickly without making a main and a side dish, they come to your rescue. When you are traveling and want to carry a meal that is a one stop shop - again this is where you turn. And lastly, they are tasty , make for a great make ahead or lunch box item. Here is one of my favorite rices that goes very well with plain raita/curd and chips.

Time: 35 min

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

Oil as needed ( 2-3 tbsp)
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp jeera or cumin seeds
1 tbsp chopped ginger
4-5 nos slit green chilies
few curry leaves
1 tbsp chopped cashews
1 medium size onion (chopped finely)
3 tomatoes (chopped finely)
1 tbsp chilly/sambar powder mix
a pinch of turmeric
salt (to taste)
handful of peas
2 rice cup size uncooked rice , pressure or rice cooker cooked with required water
chopped corriander leaves (to garnish)

Method de Preparation:

Cook rice in a pressure or rice cooker with required water - either 1:2 or 1:3 with a bit of oil. Once done keep aside and allow to cool.
Take oil in a pan, once heated add mustard and allow it to splutter. Add the jeera, green chilies, ginger and curry leaves.
Shortly after add the cashews and then the chopped onions.
Once they are cooked well and start to brown, add the peas and tomatoes. Add salt, turmeric and a mix of chilly and sambar powder.
Once everything is cooked well, add the cooked rice and adjust salt per taste. Garnish with chopped corriander leaves and serve hot.

Ashoka Halwa

2011-06-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

June 25th 2011

The origin behind the desire to make this halwa came from more than one source raving about how awesome it was. I am at a lack to know if this was a total success because of the fact that I have no memory of how the original Ashoka halwa is supposed to taste. Nevertheless this tasted very good and until my next trip to India and an order of this dish..this recipe will have to suffice :)

Time: 30 min (preparation) 20 min (making)

Difficulty level: Easy - Medium

Ingredients:

1 cup Green Gram dal (Moong dal)
1 cup wheat flour
4 cups sugar
2-3 pinches Kesari color/powder
1 to 1 1/2 cup ghee
1 to 2 pinches elachi/cardamom powder
1 tbsp cashewnuts fried in ghee

Method de Preparation:

Wash the moong dal and cook it well in a pressure cooker (equivalent of 3 whistles) with 1:3 water.
Once done take it out and mash it.
Take a nonstick saucepan, add a little bit of ghee. Once warm add the wheat flour and fry till raw smell goes and you get a nice aroma.
Add the cooked, smashed moong dal and continue to saute till both are cooked well.
Allow to cook some, add the kesari color and the sugar and continue to stir in medium flame.
Continue to add ghee and when you see the halwa solidify and leave the sides of the vessel, add cardamom powder, fried cashew nuts and the remaining ghee and stir well. Remove from heat. Transfer to a greased bowl or serve directly.

Chef's Tips:

Next time, I would probably add some milk with the moong dal while cooking, so instead of all water maybe 1:1:2 dal:milk:water ratio. However this does reduce the shelf life of the sweet.
Also cook the moong dal till it is well done and no raw smell remains else you will end up with a halwa that is slightly raw :)

Source: I checked out recipes from here, here and here.

Spaghetti with Alfredo

2011-05-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

May 17th 2011

Pasta is what I turn to when I have a few veggies to finish, when I want a quick meal that tastes really good and when I feel like eating restaurant style food but at home. It is nutritious because you can throw in any veggie, relatively healthy when you don't use loads of oil and use whole wheat pasta and adult and kid friendly alike.

This is something that I like to make and serve with the sauce on the side because that way you can always add more if you like. I don't have a fancy name for it but it sure tastes pretty darn good.

Time: 30 min (preparation) 15 min (making)

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped veggies [ onions, colored bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, garlic etc. totally your choice]. I have used what is mentioned here.
olive oil (as needed)- approx 2 tbsps
salt (to taste)
pepper ( to taste)
Alfredo sauce as per here
Whole wheat Spaghetti (cooked per package instructions)
Parsley (for garnishing)

Method de Preparation:

Step I : Chop all the vegetables. Add olive oil in a pan, add the garlic and onion and then the other veggies and saute everything together for a few minutes on medium-high heat till they are soft and cooked well.
Step II: Boil water for the pasta. Add a little bit of salt. Cook spaghetti as per instructions. Don't over cook and don't allow to dry also. Timing is important. When they are done and the water drained out, mix a couple of tsps of olive oil into this so it stays soft.
Step III: As you allow water to boil, start working on the Alfredo sauce after about 5 minutes. Add the required ingredients allowing the sauce to come together.
Assembly: Start with spaghetti, add some veggies and then pour some sauce artistically on the top. Garnish with a sprig of parsley. Add fresh ground pepper on the top if you like and dig right in :)

Coffee Cake

2011-05-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

May 17th 2011

You know usually when you invite friends over it means work. But when you have friends like mine - Krupa Sharath especially, I love it because she usually comes over with a new dish. And this is how I got to try this super duper coffee cake. It is so moist, it melts in your mouth. And the cinnamon and pecans - oh yum!

I challenge you to make this and just stop at one piece. And though it says coffee cake, it goes perfectly well with coffee, tea or just on its own. It should be made in a fluted tube or a bundt pan, but I only had this from when I made a marble cake, so this worked too :)

Time: Preparation Time ( 20 min), Cooking Time ( 60-70 min)

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup good quality Sour Cream
2 cup chopped Pecans
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Method de Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat granulated sugar, butter and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until well blended after each addition.
Mix pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spoon half of the pecan mixture into greased 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan; top with half of the cake batter. Repeat layers.
Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Loosen cake from side of pan with spatula or knife. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool completely.

Confessions:

I was super excited to see how this cake came out and once I saw the top of it (which unfortunately will become the bottom), I hurried to take it out. PLEASE WAIT!! Allow it to cool completely else your cake will break, especially since at the bottom you have the pecan-brown sugar mix that will stick to the pan. If you are a good cook does not mean one always follow instructions, we are impatient too :D
Also I have doubled the amount of that filling because I felt the one with the original recipe it was not quite enough. However if you are the kind that does not like this too much, then stick to a little lesser quantity of pecans and brown sugar.

Source: Krupa Sharath - who in turn got it from here at allrecipes.com. Off late I have come to use this site a lot. Really nice recipes with a lot of reviews too.

Fried Mozzarella Sticks

2011-05-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

You don’t need much motivation to make these. They are snacks, fried and relatively easy to make..what else? And when the weather is always conducive to tea and snacks it just makes it all the more easier to indulge. In my opinion these are as good or better than the restaurant versions. These works as a great appetizer and can be made ahead to be fried hot just before the party. And a great way to get your kids to eat some cheese too.

The addition of panko bread crumbs lends a very crispy,crunchy texture to this dish. So go ahead and try it!

Time: 30 min ( Preparation Time) 10 min ( Making Time)

Difficulty: Easy – Medium

Ingredients:

· 16 pieces String Cheese, with wrappers removed of course

· ½ cups All-purpose Flour

· 2 whole Eggs

· 3 Tablespoons Milk

· 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley Flakes

· Canola Oil or any other oil, For Frying

· Marinara Sauce or Maggi Hot and Sweet Ketchup, For Dipping

· 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

Method de Preparation:

1. Slice string cheese pieces in half, for a total of 32 pieces.

2. Place flour in a small bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.

4. In another separate bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with parsley flakes. Add other spices if you like – basil, thyme etc.

5. TO ASSEMBLE: One by one, roll mozzarella sticks in flour, then dunk in egg/milk mixture, then place in panko crumbs. Use your hand to sweep crumbs all over the mozzarella stick. Gently remove and place on a tray or cookie sheet. Repeat until all mozzarella sticks are coated. This is not easy to do and expect to make a mess. [ You can always have hubby dearest cleanup after because you made this delicious snack :P]

6. Place tray in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to freeze. I forgot this step and it was not fun I can tell you.

7. TO COOK: Heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in a medium to large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add mozzarella sticks 8 at a time. You can add even 1 at a time and stand there for 1 hr, it is totally upto you!! Watch closely and turn over to evenly brown, cooking less than 2 minutes. Do not allow cheese to bubble and leak.

8. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

9. Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce or better still with ketchup!

Source: I saw this originally at PW cooks here and here; though I am sure many other versions exist.