My Saffron Kitchen

DMBLGiT December 2011 - The Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:11:00 +0000

My first post in 2012 and what an exciting post. Oh, by the way, here's wishing all my readers a wonderful and fabulous New Year! Now coming back to what I intended to begin with, the winners of the DMBLGiT December 2011 event. I am late by a day in annoucing the winners, but I know you all will understand the party mood of 31st and then the 1st.

Ever since the announcement of the event, entries have poured in, and in plenty. Thanks to the judges who took out time to be on the panel and select the winners. With so many deserving entries, it was indeed difficult deciding the winners. Check out the Picasa Album to see all the entries of this edition.

So, here I unfold the suspense.

Overall Winners

First place:

Jasenka of Sweet Corner with her Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chantilly Cream and Glazed Pears.

Second place:

Sneh Roy of Cook Republic with her Tomato and Mustard Chutney.

Third place:

Steve Ho of Cuisine Airline with his Ebi Fry.

Category Winners

Winner of Edibility Category:

Kathryn Grace of Kathryn Grace Photography with her Vanilla Almond Spice Granola.

WInner of Originality Category:

Amy Tong of u Try. it with her Smoky Butternut Squash Soup.

Winner of Aesthetics Category:

Barbara Kiebel of Creative Culinary with her Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail.

The Host's Choice:

Nashira Usef of Plateful with her Claypot Fish Curry.

Winners - Congratulations! Hopefully winning the contest brought a smile on your faces during the very first week of this new year. All of you have a great year ahead.

DMBLGiT December 2011 - Meet the Judges

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:37:00 +0000

Since the DMBLGiT Announcement yesterday, entries have started coming in and I'm having fun looking at those lovely photos. Take a look at the Picasa Album for some food porn.

It's time I introduce the judges of this month's DMBLGiT. I thank all four of them for agreeing to be on the panel and spare their time to help me judge all the wonderful entries.

Sylvie Shirazi is a freelance food photographer and food writer. On her blog, Gourmande in the Kitchen, she shares simple everyday recipes that celebrate the joy that food brings to our lives. She believes that food has a unique story to tell us through its texture, colour and shape, and brings this to life through her camera. Through her blog, Sylvie hopes to inspire others to follow their instincts, trust their taste buds, and find a sense of confidence in the kitchen as well as behind the camera.

Aparna Balasubramanian, lives in Goa, the state known for beaches, churches and Portuguese cuisine. Her blog My Diverse Kitchen, is all about food, food and more food as she belives the kitchen to be predominantly the central part of her home. Aparna's passion for photography evolved from her food blog and she particularly takes keen interest in black and white photography. Her tutorials on basic food photography are a great help in making concepts easier to understand for beginners to DSLRs. I agree with her belief that while expensive cameras give better photographs due to their high-end sensors, it's finally the photographer, who, after all makes the difference.

Nagalakshmi, aka Nags, is the cook, writer, and photographer behind Edible Garden. She loves most things edible, loves traveling to places just for the food, and hardly ever leaves home without her camera. Her specialties are Indian food, baking the (very) easy way, and finding new and unique ways to use her Kitchenaid. Her tips on food photography start from chosing your DSLR to basic editing of your photos. She lives in Singapore with her husband and a small herb garden.

Radhika Penagonda is an ex financial software techie turned food blogger and photographer. Passionate about homemade food prepared mostly from wholesome natural ingredients, on her blog Just Home Made, she writes about pure vegetarian food - everything from her traditional south Indian roots to everyday experiments in her kitchen in Texas. She loves to explore new ingredients and believes strongly in eating with our eyes first.

And me! Yes, I'm serious. As the host of this edition, I get to be one of the five judges. Yay!

Keep sending me the photos. You have time till 20th December 2011. I will be publishing the names of the winners on 1st January, 2012. Good Luck!

DMBLGiT December 2011 Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:41:00 +0000

My last post here was in the month of September and I am ashamed to have vanished unannounced. Reasons are plenty. But they are not interesting enough to share with you all. However, the reason I am back today is indeed very exciting.

This month I am thrilled to have the honour of hosting the DMBLGiT (Does My Blog Look Good In This), the grandest food photography contest on the web, conceived by Andrew of Spittoon Extra. And by now, I am sure this event needs no introduction.

Following are the general DMBLGiT Rules:

- Only one food/drink photograph may be entered per person.
- The photograph must have been taken by you.
- The photograph must be text/watermark free.
- The photograph must have been posted on your blog between November 1st through November 30th, 2011.
- The deadline to submit your entry is December 20th, 2011 at midnight, whenever that is in your part of the world.

About the Scoring part:

A panel of judges will be chosen, who will decide 6 winners based on the following criteria:

Aesthetics: composition, food styling, lighting, focus, etc.
Edibility: does the photo make us want to dive right into the food?
Originality: a photo that instantly catches our attention and makes us stop to look twice, and exclaim "Wow!"

Three overall winners will be selected plus one each from the 3 categories. Apart from this, one photo that stands out, but wasn’t selected as a winning one will also be chosen by me.

To enter DMBLGiT December 2011:

It's very simple. Just mail me one qualifying food/drink photograph with "DMBLGiT Entry" as the subject line to events@mysaffronkitchen.com.

Please remember that your email must include the following information:

- Your name
- Your blog's name and URL
- The title of your photograph
- The URL of the post containing the photograph
- The camera and lens used by you
- Your location
- An attachment of a single qualifying food or drink photo you’d like to send as your entry. It should be without any text/watermark and not more than 500 pixels in width

Please note that by submitting a photo, entrants agree to their photo being redisplayed and altered in size on the host’s page and on the SpittoonExtra DMBLGiT page.

DMBLGiT December 2011 Gallery:

The photographs sent to me will be added to this DMBLGiT Dec 2011 Picasa Album as and when I receive them. Please leave me a comment on this post if I mistakenly miss out anyone's photograph. Keep checking the album as all the creativity unfolds.

The Judges:

I am not mentioning the names of the judges right now, but my intention is not to create any suspense. I simply want to write a separate post to introduce the judges for this edition of DMBLGiT. So, come back to check their names. They'll be up, soon!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lastly...

You can check out the beautiful photos clicked by last month's winners at Edible Garden, the host of the November 2011 edition.

If you're interested in hosting a future edition of DMBLGiT, send an email to Andrew with "DMBLGiT Host" as the subject line.

If you have any questions about the contest then leave a comment here or contact me. I look forward to your wonderful photographs. So, don't wait, start sending them to me. You have time till 20th of December, 2011. And on January 1st, 2012 I will be announcing the winners for this month. Excited? Then, Good luck!

Hello...anybody there?

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:10:00 +0000

I know most of you must have thought that I've fallen off the face of the earth. Please be assured that I'm very much here. It's just that I have been occupied with too many things. Amidst everything that has been keeping me busy, I went for a long, rather a very long road trip with hubby dearest. To and fro we drove approximately 4000 kms in 10 days! Yes, that's what we both love - long long road trips. I'm sharing a few glimpses from that trip. Like I had once said, road trips will make you fall in love with India, all over again.

And now I'm back, thoroughly charged and rejuvenated. I'll back with recipes, really soon. I promise.

Pakode-Wali Kadhi

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:41:00 +0000

I suddenly went on an unannounced break, and it was unintentional. I was awfully engaged with too many things. And since my cook joined back after a leave of 2 months, I guess I've become a tad sluggish and disinclined towards cooking. But I just had to post this comfort food. So, here I am.

At home, sunday meals are always an extravagant fare. But yesterday I made and exception during dinner time. I felt an ache for some comfort food. Mostly at such times I would make my favourite khichuri. But I felt Padoke-Wali Kadhi (Fried Onion Dumplings in Spicy Yogurt Sauce) with chawal would be more satiating this time.

Padoke-Wali Kadhi is identified as a very well-known and favoured comfort food in many parts of India, but not in Bengal. You will not see it being made in any conventional Bengali household, as it's not a part of our cuisine. Though we do like the fried onion dumplings which are used in this kadhi. We call it peyaji, our very own Bengali Onion Pakoda.

The recipe I am sharing here is the Punjabi style Kadhi Pakode-Wali. I'm not quite sure how authentic a version it is. I mixed a few recipes I could lay my hands on. I altered a few things here and there and adjusted it according to our liking. But the main recipe is from the cooking classes that I attend. Any recipe from there can never be less than a hit. Other regions like Rajasthan and Maharashtra make kadhi with some variations in ingredients. Nonetheless it's a winner everywhere, made in whichever way.

Don't let the following long list of ingredients demotivate you. As you proceed you'll see that it's actually quite simple to prepare.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Pakode-Wali Kadhi (Fried Onion Dumplings in Spicy Yogurt Sauce)

To make the Pakodas or Dumplings:

- Large sized onions 3 nos., chopped

- Green chillies 2 nos., finely chopped (alter according to your own taste)

- Ajwain (carom seeds) 1/2 tsp.

- Besan (chick pea flour or bengal gram flour)

- Asafoetida (hing), a pinch

- Baking soda, a pinch

- Salt as per taste

- Water 2 tbsp.

To make the yogurt sauce:

- Plain yogurt 3 cups

- Water 1 glass

- Besan (chick pea flour or bengal gram flour) 1 tbsp.

- Turmeric powder 1 tsp.

- Cumin powder 1 tsp.

- Green chilli paste 1/2 tsp. (again, alter according to your taste)

- Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed

- Refined oil 2 tbsp.

- Cinnamon, one 1 inch stick

- Cloves 2 nos.

- Ginger 1 tsp., finely chopped

- Dry red chillies 2 nos.

- Asafoetida (hing), a pinch

- Black mustard seeds 1 tsp.

- Salt as per taste

For Tempering:

- Ghee 1 tbsp.

- Curry leaves 10-12

- Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp.

- Kashmiri red chilli powder 1/2 tsp.

To make the pakodas:

Nicely mix together all the ingredients for pakodas/dumplings. Make a sticky paste. Now, heat enough oil in a pan or a wok for deep frying. Spoon out a full tablespoon of the mix in the hot oil and deep fry till they are golden brown in colour. Drain on paper towels. Make as many such dumplings can be made from the whole mixture. Keep aside.

To make the spicy yogurt sauce:

In a big mixing bowl, mix together yogurt, waster, besan, turmeric powder, cumin powder, green chilli paste and crushed garlic. Blend or whisk all the ingredients together to a smooth soupy consistency. Ensure there are no lumps. I use a hand blender for this, but you can also put everything in a blender and blend well.

Now, heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon and cloves. After a few seconds add dry red chillies, mustard seeds, asafoetida and chopped ginger. Mix well. Once these start to splutter add the whisked yogurt. Let it boil for about 10 to 15 minutes on medium flame. Stir frequently. Add salt and further cook for about 3 minutes on medium flame.

Now finally:

Pour the spicy yogurt sauce (kadhi) into a serving bowl and add the pakodas. Heat ghee in a tadka pan and add the rest of the tempering ingredients. When the cumin seeds splutter pour it over the Kadhi Pakodas and immediately cover the bowl. Keep it covered till the time you serve it. Also, remember to prepare the takda a little while before you are ready to serve it. We love it with hot steamed rice, especially govindbhog.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Fresh Mango Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 16:28:00 +0000

I am actually late in posting this recipe. I realised all other fellow bloggers had posted their mango recipes right on time, during summer. But here I am posting it in the monsoons. Nevertheless, the attraction of mangoes won't diminish because of the change in season. Will it?

Talking about mangoes and summers, I would have absolutely hated summers had mangoes not existed. Yes, for me, that's the only good thing about this hot season of the year. The fact that mangoes have been nicknamed as 'King of Fruit', only intensifies this delicious fruit's significance for us.

It is during this time that there is never a dearth of mangoes at home. We are all mango lovers and we relish mangoes is all forms. As shakes, ice creams or puddings, we enjoy it. This year though I mostly settled for the Mango Pudding. Now, this one is hardly a recipe. I say so because here, all you do is throw in a few ingredients and leave it in the refrigerator to set. It's as simple as that. But, what makes this exceptionally good for me is the addition of whipped cream which makes the pudding extremely rich.

I have always had a preference for fruit based desserts. And what can be better than mangoes? So this gelatin set mango pudding made with pure mango purée and condensed milk is just perfect to dig in.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Fresh Mango Pudding

- Purée of 2 large ripe mangoes

- Whipped Cream 100 ml

- Condensed milk 50 ml

- Gelatin 1 tbsp. soaked in 3 tbsp. water for 10 to 15 minutes

Heat soaked gelatin in a micro-safe bowl at MICRO HIGH power for 15 seconds. Whip cream until thick and holds peaks.

Now, mix the condensed milk and mango purée with the whipped cream, along with the dissolved gelatin. Pour into pudding bowls and leave in the refrigerator for 3 hours to set. Before serving, you can decorate with mango slices or chopped cherries.

Now, another way to make this mango pudding is to substitute the whipped cream with coconut milk. Though I am yet to try the coconut milk version of this pudding, I'm sure it will taste equally good as coconut milk tends to enhance the flavour of mango. If you happen to try this version, do let me know how it turned out.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Dahi Vada with Tamarind Chutney {North Indian Street Food}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:54:00 +0000

I somehow seem to enjoy street food more on a rainy day. With Calcutta receiving heavy showers lately, it's been almost everyday that I've made some street food in the evening. Perfectly teamed with the evening tea. But I was stuck to the Aloo Tikki mostly, till Dahi Vada crawled into my mind.

Like the Aloo Tikki, Dahi Vada too is a North Indian street food or chaat. This is a cold and spicy thick yogurt based snack. Basically, this super delicious dish is prepared by fisrt frying and then soaking black gram lentil balls in a spicy yogurt mixture. It's then topped with some spices like roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and coriander leaves. Dahi Vadas not only qualify as a chaat but also as a delicious cold appetizer.

I have always loved the way my mom made Dahi Vadas. But here in this recipe I have also added two pinches of asafoetida to the batter of the vadas and it surely enhanced the taste of the vadas. My mom never added it, but I saw this in the cooking class I attended last weak. Yes, this recipe is from that class where I learnt some amazing chaats, all thanks to that wonderful lady who patiently teaches people like me.

This savory snack absolutely melts in your mouth. Tastes simply divine when served with sweet and tangy Tamarind Chutney. This Tamarind Chutney was made in a mircowave, which saves a lot of time.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Tamarind Chutney {in microwave}

- Tamarind Pulp 3 tbsp.

- Jaggery 4 tbsp.

- Sugar 4 tbsp.

- Dry Ginger Powder 1/2 tsp.

- Roasted Cumin Powder 1/2 tsp.

- Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp.

- Rock Salt 1/2 tsp.

- Water 1 cup

Put all the ingredients in a micro-safe bowl. Cook the chuteny in MIRCO MEDIUM power for 5-6 minutes. Be sure to stir once in between.

This is a very handy chutney. Apart from these Dahi Vadas, I also love to team it with the Aloo Tikkis.

And this is how the Dahi Vadas were made.

Dahi Vada aka Dahi Bhalle

For the Vadas:

- Black Gram Lentil (Urad Dal sans skin) 1 cup, washed and soaked overnight or

atleast for 5 hours.

- Asafoetida 2 pinches

- Baking Powder 1/2 tsp.

- Finely Chopped Ginger 1 tbsp.

- Finely Chopped Green Chillies 1 tsp.

- Salt as per taste

- Refined Oil to deep fry

- Water 3 cups + 1/2 tsp. Chaat Masala (for soaking the vadas)

For the Spicy Yogurt:

- Curd 2 cups

- Powdered Sugar 3 tsp.

- Roasted Cumin Powder 1/2 tsp. and a little more to sprinkle on top

- Rock Salt 1/2 tsp.

- Red Chilli Powder, to sprinkle on top

- Chaat Masala, to sprinkle on top

- Chopped Coriander Leaves 1/4 cup

Drain the water from the lentils and grind to a smooth paste, adding very little water if required. Now to this paste add asafoetida, baking powder, chopped ginger and green chillies along with the salt. Beat this mixture with an electric beater till its frothy, adding 1/4 cup hot water while you beat it. To test whether the batter is done, drop a spoonful of batter into a bowl of water. It should no dissolve but rise to the top.

Heat refined oil in a deep-frying pan. With a big spoon, drop a dollop of batter (size of a big lemon) into the hot oil. Fry on medium heat. Make vadas with the remaining batter. Let the vadas cool once they are fried.

In a micro-safe bowl add 3 cups of water with 1/2 tsp. chaat masala. Heat it in a microwave for 3 minutes at MICRO HIGH power. Soak all the vadas in this hot water for 5 minutes. Remove and lightly press between your palms to remove the excess water. Keep aside.

Beat curd along with powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder and rock salt. Place the vadas in a serving dish and evenly pour the spicy yogurt on them. Make sure to cover them completely. Chill the vadas for sometime before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle chaat masala, red chilli powder and some coriander leaves. Pour tamarind chutney and relish this lip-smacking snack.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Fiery Chicken Tikka Pizza ~ From Scratch!

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Monsoons! Oh, how I love the rains. The weather since the last couple of days has been giving me a high. Yes, that's what a nice weather can actually do to you. Me being in a good mood is greatly advantageous, especially for hubby dear. As we considered ordering pizza from our usual Pizza Hut, I asked him whether he would want one made at home. I usually don't make such generous offers, you see.

Now, having made the offer with full enthusiasm, I wondered what Pizza should I make. This would be my second attempt at making pizza after I leant it at the cooking classes I had attended. Hubby suggested something spicy, so Chicken Tikka Pizza seemed like the perfect choice.

Since I was all enthusiastic and eager to make the pizza from the scratch, I took it too seriously and even made the Chicken Tikka at home. Otherwise, going by my lazy behaviour, I would've ordered the Chicken Tikka and simply used it as a topping for the pizza.

For the Chicken Tikka, you'll need:

- Boneless Chicken 250 gm

- Hung Curd 1 tbsp.

- Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp.

- Lemon Juice 1 tsp.

- Carom Seeds (Ajwain), crushed 1/2 tsp.

- Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp.

- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp.

- Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp.

- Roasted Chickpea Flour 1 tsp.

- Mustard Oil 1 tbsp.

- Salt as per taste

- Melted Butter for brushing

Marinate boneless chicken pieces with all the ingredients expect butter, for at least 3 hours. Place marinated chicken pieces on the grill rack of your mircowave oven and cook in MICR-GRILL COMBI function for 8 minutes. Don't forget to brush melted butter once in between.

Alternatively, you can also deep or shallow fry the chicken pieces. But, peronally I like the grilled ones more.

I call this pizza fiery because I added a lillte too much of green chillies and it turned out pretty hot. In fact a little too hot for our taste buds. But, I think that's alright once in a while. Also, I used Pizza Sauce, but you can use tomato ketchup or this Salsa Dip instead to spread over the pizza.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Fiery Chicken Tikka Pizza ~ From Scratch

For the Pizza Dough:

- All Purpose Flour 250 gm

- Powdered Sugar 1 tsp.

- Melted Butter, Refined Oil or Olive Oil 2 tbsp.

- Egg While 1 no.

- Luke Warm Milk 1 cup + 1 tsp. Powdered Sugar (Mix together)

- Dry Yeast 1 tsp.

- Salt 1/2 tsp.

For the Pizza:

- Bonless Chicken Tikka

- Onion 1, meduim sized, cut into 4

- Tomato 1, chopped

- Green chillies 2, chopped

- Pizza Sauce 1/2 cup

- Oregano/Italian Seasoning 1 tsp.

- Chilli Flakes 1 tsp.

- Grated Mozzarella Cheese 100 gm

To make the Pizza Dough:

Mix luke warm milk, dry yeast and powdered sugar together. Cover and keep aside, undisturbed, for 20 minutes till the yeast is dissolved and frothy.

Mix flour, salt, powdered sugar, melted butter/refined oil/olive oil and egg white together. Add the milk-yeast mixture and kneak a smooth dough. Add water if required. Keep the dough in an air-tight container. Leave it in a warm place until it rises, about 1 to 2 hours.

Roll the dough into a 10 inch diameter base with 1/4" thickness. Prick it with a fork. Brush olive oil or butter on the base.

To make the Fiery Chicken Tikka Pizza:

Spread pizza sauce on the rolled pizza base. Sprinkle grated cheese and arrange all the ingredients for toppings.

Preheat oven to 250° C and bake the pizza for 15 minutes till the cheese melts and the crust in browned.

Apart from the toppings I have mentioned here, you also can add your desired toppings to this pizza.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Baked Chicken Samosa

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:26:00 +0000

I can't tell you how desperately I waited for the arrival of the monsoons. Every night while going to bed, I said a little prayer. And then the magical moment arrived. It rained and rained and rained some more. I love monsoons!

It's been raining day and night since the last 3 days, and I definitely don't mind it. My days that were supposed to be hectic are now unengaged, leisurely and moving in a slow motion. It's like as if the entire city has been caught in the charms of the rains. Everything came to a standstill the day the monsoons arrived. Offices and schools had low attendance. Shops were shut. The radio played sizzling Bollywood rain songs. And to keep traditions alive, we had khichuri for lunch. Yes, that's the conventional way to flatter a rainy day.

On a rainy evening, the absolute accompaniment with tea is the beguni or shingara (samosa). I don't think I'll chance upon anyone who would deny the popularity of this combination.

Talking about the shingara, I realised I must tell you all about the healthy version of it. Originally these are deep fried, in a lot (LOT) of oil. But with many being health conscious, the better alternative is the baked samosa. And me being me, I must use chicken in everything. So, here's why I'm talking about the Baked Chicken Samosa - healthy indulgence.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Baked Chicken Samosa

For the Pastry:

- All Purpose Flour (Maida) 200 gm

- Unsalted Butter/Ghee 50 gm

- Baking Powder 1 tsp.

- Kala Jeera (kalonji or onion seeds) 1/2 tsp.

- Cold water to knead the dough

- Salt as per taste

For the filling:

- Minced Chicken 250 gm

- Onion 1, small, finely chopped

- Ginger 1 tsp., finely chopped

- Green chillies 1 tsp, finey chopped

- Coriander Powder 1 tbsp.

- Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp.

- Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp.

- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp.

- Chopped Coriander leaves 2 tbsp.

- Salt as per taste

- Refined Oil 3 tbsp.

To make the pastry:

Mix flour, onions seeds, baking powder and salt together. Now, add unsalted butter or ghee to the mixture till it resembles bread crumbs.

Add water and knead it to a medium soft dough. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes in a closed container.

To make the filling:

Heat 3 tbsp. of refined oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion, green chillies and ginger. Fry till translucent. Add minced chicken and sauté till almost cooked.

Next add coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder and salt. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook till done. (Make sure the water dries up completely or else the samosas will be soggy.) Cool the filling.

To make the samosas:

Divide the dough into small balls. Take a ball and roll it into a circle. Make it as thin as you can, while dusting a little flour if required. Half the circle.

In a semi circle, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre and fold it into the shape of a samosa. Seal the edges firmly with a little milk or water. Ensure the edges are sealed well. Repeat the same process to make all the samosas.

Place the samosas in a greased or non-stick baking tray. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220°C for 20 minutes or until light brown in colour.

Serve hot with chutney of your choice or with ketchup.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

King Prawns with Onions and Curry Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 10:43:00 +0000

I'm getting forgetful. Like the other day, it completely slipped my mind that I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch. it's not that this meeting was fixed sometime ago and I could take the liberty to conveniently forget it. We decided on this lunch and movie thing the night before. So, imagine? I think I tend to be somewhat oblivious of other things when I have too many things on my little shoulders. Anyway, this was not all. I have been forgeting many other things as well. And hubby dear is finding my forgetfulness quite amusing.

Amidst all this, I also did forget that I had stacked up some prawns at the back of the freezer. This, my cook brought to my notice. I had got them the other day to make some Prawn Balchao. But now I decided I wanted to make something else with it. After hunting through my ever growing collection of cookbooks I found the easy, quick, yet yummy looking King Prawns with Onions and Curry Leaves. The picture in the book looked tempting. I asked my cook to leave the prawns aside for me to do the magic.

The recipe said it needed fenugreek leaves. But I had to exclude that. It's not available here in this time of the year. Also, I don't think it's going to make any large difference to the dish. Personally, I'm not fond of fenugreek leaves either.

The recipe calls for few ingredients, which makes it even more feasible for me. I didn't want to spend a romantic sunday cooking the whole time. Yes, the weather is finally lovely here.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

King Prawns with Onions and Curry Leaves

- King Sized Prawns 500 gm

- Onions 3, medium sized, thinly sliced

- Curry Leaves 6 to 8 nos.

- Onion Seeds (Kalonji) 1/4 tsp.

- Fresh Green Chillies 2, seeded and diced

- Fresh Red Chillies 2, seeded and diced

- Ginger 1 tsp., finely chopped

- Refined Oil 1 tbsp.

- Salt to taste

Heat oil in a kadhai or a thick bottomed pan and fry the prawns for about 2 minutes. Remove and keep aside. In tha same oil, fry the sliced onions with curry leaves and onions seeds for 3 minutes.

Add the diced green and red chillies, followed by the fried prawns. After cooking for about 5 to 7 minutes, add the chopped ginger and salt. Stir well. Cover and further cook for 2-3 minutes before serving.

The book recommends serving this dish with basmati rice and vegetables. So, try it!

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Decorating Cupcakes {Video}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:08:00 +0000

Decorating cupcakes is the best part of making the cupcakes. As I was browsing through cupcake decorating videos before making the Pretty in Pink Cupcakes, I chanced upon this one. I loved all the four simple cupcake decorating ideas the video shows. The way the techniques are shown makes the whole decorating thing look awfully easy. I absolulely loved the bright and vibrant colours of the frosting as well. In short, I loved the video so much, I couldn't resist sharing it with you all.

Pretty in Pink Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:27:00 +0000

Finally the monsoon has struck! Or so it seems...? It can also be just a teaser, can't be so sure actually. Last fews days whenever it poured, everyone rejoiced thinking we'll finally get respite from the heat. But that never seemed to happen. The next moment, the sun was up - bright and shining right above us.

Past few days have been a helluva hectic for me. Oh no! I'm not complaining, it's just that I'm not getting time for anything else in between. I'm predicting more bustling days ahead for myself. Amidst all this, the little baking bug in me kept nagging. Finally I came up with these cute Pretty in Pink Cupcakes.

These are nothing but simple vanilla cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting. Probably the easiest of the easiest cupcakes I can ever make. Though I had a little tough time getting the buttercream frosting ready. Blame it on the hot and humid weather here. The pictures will tell you that it was difficult to hold the frosting. Nonetheless, there was no compromise of the taste bit.

These will actually be ideal for a kid's birthday party. Also, another option would be to add 2 tablespoons of strawberry crush instead of the pink food colour which I've added. That'll give a strawberry flavor as well. Just mentioning the option for all you strawberry lovers.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Pretty in Pink Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

- All Purpose Flour 150 gm

- Powdered Sugar 150 gm

- Unsalted Butter, softened 175 gm

- Eggs 3, large, lightly beaten

- Baking Powder 1 tsp.

- Vanilla Essence 1 tsp.

For the Buttercream Frosting:

- Unsalted Butter, softened 200 gm

- Icing Sugar 400 gm

- Milk 2 tbsp.

- Rose Pink Colour 2 drops

- Edible silver balls for decoration

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 180° C. Grease 12 muffin mouldss or line with muffin liners. Keep aside.

Mix flour and baking powder together. Keep aside. Beat softened butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer till it's smooth and creamy.

Add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time. Beat for about 15 seconds after each addition. Add vanilla essence and mix well.

Add the flour and baking powder mix. Mix well.

Fill 12 muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean) at 180° C. Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool.

To make buttercream frosting:

Beat softened butter till light and fluffy. Add icing sugar, a little at a time. Mix well.
Add 2 tbsp. milk and food colour. Mix well.

To finish the cupcakes:

Use a spatula to fill a piping bag fitted with a large sized star nozzle. Use you imaginations to cover and decorate the top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle some edible silver balls on top for some more decoration and serve.

Watch this video below if you are unsure of how to decorate the cupcakes with buttercream swirls. Just might be helpful.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Chicken Keema Pulao

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:39:00 +0000

Mostly, on all Sundays, it's never the ordinary plain rice on the menu. This week, just when I had envisioned Kachchi Biryani for our Sunday lunch, my friend Debarati sent her recipe for Chicken Keema Pulao.

This recipe called for qorma masala, something I didn't know of. My search for it locally was futile and just when I was contemplating a substitute, I managed to get it from the popular spice market in my city, which is like 20 kms away from where I live. Nonetheless, the effort was worth it, as I was very impressed with the flavor. Next, I plan to use it in some kabab or even a chicken curry dish.

The preparation is so facile that it hardly took me anytime to get it ready. I had put in a little of my variations though. Like, my friend suggested the use of veggies, but I conveniently skipped that and just added tomatoes in the name of vegetables (lazy little me, I know). But, i'm sure addition of an assortment of vegetables with only enhance the taste.

Though I thoroughly relished this pulao with chicken mince, hubby dear believes that it will turn out even better with mutton mince. I know, this is his extreme fondness for mutton speaking.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chicken Keema Pulao

- Chicken/Mutton Mince 400 gms, washed, cleaned and drained

- Basmati Rice 2 cups, washed and soaked for 30 minutes

- Onions 2, large sized (1 finely chopped and 1 sliced)

- Ginger Garlic Paste 2 tbsp.

- Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp.

- Qorma Masala 1 tsp.

- Biryani/Pulao Masala 1 tsp.

- Chopped vegetables of your choice 1 cup

- Ghee/Refined Oil 4 tbsp.

- Water 4 cups

- Salt as per taste

Heat 2 ghee/refined oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add chopped onions and fry till light brown. Now, add chicken/mutton mince, turmeric powder, qorma masala, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Cook till tender. Do not overcook it. (Make sure the cooked chicken/mutton mince is dry and does not contain water in it). Keep aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. ghee/refined oil in the same pan. Fry the sliced onions till crisp brown. Remove on a kitchen towel.

In the same oil, add chopped vegetables and fry for about 3-5 minutes. Add biryani masala, soaked rice, cooked chicken mince, salt and 4 cups of water. Stir well. Cover and cook till done.

Garnish with fried onions. Serve hot with raita or pickle.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:21:00 +0000

How does 'no-bake' sound to you? Good? Of course it sounds good. Something that can be made with ease without using an oven. And something definitely for those who are busy yet looking for something splendid? Well, that's how I got into this No-bake Bluberry Cheesecake. After I learnt it from one of the dessert making classes I had attened, I left the recipe lying around for a long time. Until once, when late in the evening, or just a little before dinner time (to be precise), hubby dear expressed his desire to have any kind of a dessert with heavy cream and all. Such a request from him is quite unusal though. That's when the forgotten No-bake cheesecake recipe came into the picture.

A no-bake cheesecake would be an instant attraction for everyone. Now, who wouldn't want an irresistable chilled desset that requires no baking?! I love the soft and fluffy texture of the filling made with cream cheese and whipped cream.

I had to use canned blueberries in this cheesecake, nonetheless it's tempting. I have an extreme fondness for this luscious dessert. You too will love the pure indulgence.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

For the Crust:

- Chocolate Bourbon Biscuits 100 gm

(you can also make the crust with graham crackers, digestive or marie biscuits or

even Oreos)

- Unsalted Butter, melted 2 to 3 tbsp.

For the Filling:

- Cream Cheese 115 gm

- Whipped Cream 100 ml

- Blueberries 1/2 cup, slightly crushed

- Gelatin 2 tbsp., soaked in 4 tbsp. water for 10 minutes

Blend chocolate bourbon biscuits and melted butter together in a blender, until you get coarse crumbs. Pat a layer of crumbs onto the bottom of a springform pan. Tightly press the crumbs and form the crust. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

In the meanwhile, make the filling. Beat whipped cream till it stands in peaks. Now, beat the cream cheese and mix it with the whipped cream.

Dissolve the soaked gelatin in a microwave in MIRCO HI power for 10 seconds. Gently mix the gelatin with the cream cheese-whipped cream mixture.

Fold blueberries into the above mixture and spread over the crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Serve chilled.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Indian Espresso Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:55:00 +0000

I am more used to tea or rather addicted to it. Coffee is what Hubby and I once in a while drink after dinner, while casually chatting with each other on the couch. It is something we both can do without, unlike our tea. But on occasions when I make coffee, it's the Indian Espresso way. And no, you do not need an espresso machine for it, which is the best part.

Indian Espresso Coffee, a rich, creamy and frothy coffee, which can actually be described as an amalgam of espresso and cappuccino. I say so because, I find it having the powerful essence and aroma of an espresso and at the same time it also has the velvet-y and creamy texture of a cappuccino. To cut long story short, it is luxury in a cup! And mind you, this can get mighty addictive.

Like I just mentioned, you do no need an extravagant espresso machine to get a cup of this rich and creamy magic. All you need is your ingredients and a coffee mug with a spoon. Yes, that's it. You have to vigorously beat the coffe and granulated sugar mix with a lot of energy to get a whipped coffe-sugar paste. Your rich, creamy and milky Indian Espresso Coffee will be ready in minutes.

So, grab the current novel you're reading, or your Sudoku or Crossword and relish this heavenly beverage with every sip. Also, you might just be tempted to drink it while watching the rains from your bedroom window. Sounds addictive, isn't it?

I learnt about this coffee from an old college friend, who during one of her sleepovers at my place made it for the two of us as we stayed up the whole night chatting. Good old days with friends.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Indian Espresso Coffee

- Instant Coffee Powder 1 tbsp.

- Granulated Sugar 2 tbsp. (alter according to your taste)

- Milk 1 cup

- Water 1 tsp.

- Cocoa Powder to sprinkle on top (optional)

In a coffee mug, put instant coffee powder and sugar. Add 1 tsp. water and mix. With a spoon, start beating the mix vigorously. You have to incorpotate as much air as you can. That will give you the whipped frothy coffee-sugar mix. The more you beat, the mix will become pale in colour. Make sure your mix is whipped and creamy enough.

Heat a cup of milk and pour it over the whipped coffe-sugar paste. Stir. Sprinkle cocoa powder and serve immediately.

Note: To make more than 1 cup, prepare the coffee-sugar paste in a bowl. Divide the paste equally into each coffee mug and pour hot milk. Stir and serve.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Crispy Chicken Nuggets

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Tue, 24 May 2011 13:22:00 +0000

I have been cooking too often lately, I realised. Therefore posting here has also become frequent. I'm glad about it (the posting bit) and hope I can keep it this way. I am spotted in the kitchen more often of late because of my cook's absence since the last 2 months. She's taken an off whose ending can't be seen anywhere in the horizon.

While often we outsource our evening snacks, sometimes it seems easier to just make something at home than pick up the phone and explain the details of your order to the person on the other side. And then, what is more annoying than seeing that they goofed up your order. Like the order day, for my order of a medium sized pizza, I was delivered a personal pan! What? Did they expect the pizza to grow bigger on its way to my home?

So, yesterday when I saw some boneless chicken in a far away corner of my freezer, I turned them into Crispy Chicken Nuggets. It requires a few basic ingredients which you will almost at anytime have lying in your kitchen. These little chicken chunks are good for making a quick snack for kids as well.

Though I always make these deep fried, but for a low calorie version, you can have these baked. It's good if you shriek at the thought of using a lot of oil in any food. The baked ones will spare you from your guilt pangs.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Crispy Chicken Nuggets

- Chicken Mince 250 gm

- Bread Crumbs 150 gm

- All purpose flour 1/2 cup

- Italian herb seasoning 1/2 tsp.

- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup

- Maggi Seasoning Cube (Chicken) 1 no.

- Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp.

- Egg 1 no., beaten

- Salt as per taste (the maggi cube is quite salty, so adjust accordingly)

For deep fried version:

To the chicken mince, add freshly grated cheese, Italian herb seasoning, Maggi seasoning cube, pepper and salt. Mix well.

Rub your hands with some flour and shape the chicken mince into nuggets. I could make around 22 pieces from this quantity of chicken mince.

Roll each nugget in flour, covering it nicely. Then roll it in the beaten egg and then in bread crumbs.

When all the nuggets are ready, heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the nuggets. Serve hot with ketchup.

For low calorie version:

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Place nuggets on a non stick baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes at 220 degrees C. Serve hot.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Aam Panna {Summer Special}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:09:00 +0000

Aam Panna, a noted Indian cooling summer drink made with raw or green mangoes is an instant thirst quencher. It is known to have immense heat resistance properties. A full glass of this drink can immediately relax someone from the scorching heat of the summers.

The recipe I have followed for this raw mango delight was given to me by my friend Roma.

This is basically a refreshing squash with raw mangoes and some assorted spices, with some mint leaves thrown in. It's widely consumed in North India to beat the heat. With the temperature in my city saoring higher and higher, all I can think of is the air conditioner (I'm really thankful to whoever invented it) and some cool drinks like Lassi and Aam Panna. All so healthy and rejuvenating, instantly making you feel fresh with every sip down your throat.

These raw mangoes certainly look tempting, agree? The moment raw mangoes are brought into the house, I pick up a few and have it my favourite way - raw with rock salt and chilli powder. Try it if you haven't till now.

I used two large raw mangoes which produced enough quantity to almost fill this glass jar to its full capacity. You can make more as you can refrigerate this pulp throughout summers.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Aam Panna

- Raw (green and unripe) mangoes 2 large sized

- Sugar 1/2 cup or as per your taste

- Black/rock salt as per taste

- Roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp.

- Black pepper 1/2 tsp.

- Fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup

- Water

- Crushed ice

Boil the two large raw mangoes in a pressure cooker. Drain after a 2-3 whistles or approx. 6-8 minutes. Let them cool. Peel the skin and collect the flesh/pulp from the mangoes.

Grind together sugar, roasted cumin powder, pepper powder, rock salt and mint leaves in a grinder/processor till they turn into a smooth powder. Add the mango pulp to this and blend it into a smooth purée.

To drink a chilled glass of Aam Panna:

Add about 5 tbsp. of the mango pulp to a glass full of water. Stir well. Add crushed ice and garnish with some fresh mint leaves.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Moti Pulao {Pearl Pilaf} - Veg & Non-Veg Versions

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 15 May 2011 09:00:00 +0000

The first time I had Moti Pulao, was at Amber, a then very well-known restaurant in cental Calcutta. The biryani served here used to be the talk of the town. That was in the '80s and '90s. During those years, Amber was one of the first eateries in the city to serve authentic Mughlai cuisine. Bengal has changed a lot since then, and will further change with the government of 34 years being ousted. For good or bad, I don't know. Anyway, besides this change, I am not really aware of the change in Amber's quality of food now. Going by hearsay, I have come to believe that it is no longer the same. So, Amber remains well etched in my childhood memories of family dinners.

Sundays, I mostly try to make something elaborate and more than ordinary. Unless I woke up with a lazy mood, that is. So, this time, Moti Pulao it shall be, I decided. Well, the process to make it is a little extended, I admit. That's beacuse you need to hold your patience while making those little motis. However, by any means, every minute of effort will be worth it once you are done and get the irresistable aroma of this rice recipe. The distinctive smell of spices and ghee when blended together is definite to make you feel good about taking the effort.

The pulao gets its name from the tiny meat or paneer balls which when covered with chandi varq (edible silver leaves) look like little pearls or moti, as you would call in Hindi.

Of late, I find readers and friends asking for a vegetarain version of many non-vegetarian recipes I have posted. So, to make life easier for everyone, I am writing the vegetarian version of this Moti Pulao as well. Also, I shall try to give a vegetarain version of a dish, whenever possible.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Moti Pulao {Pearl Pilaf} Veg and Non-Veg Versions

Vegetarian Version

- Cottage cheese (paneer) 100 gm

- Cashewnut powder 5 tbsp.

- Cornflour 3 tbsp.

- Chandni varq (edible silver leaves) 2 sheets

- Oil to fry the motis

- Salt as per taste

Non-Vegetarian Version

- Mutton/chicken mince 250 gm

- Red chilli powder 1 tsp.

- Ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp.

- Roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp.

- Biryani masala 1 tsp.

- Finely chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp.

- Cornflour 2 tsp.

- Ghee 1 tsp.

- Biryani essence 2 drops (optional)

- Chandni varq (edible silver leaves) 2 sheets

- Oil to fry the motis

- Salt as per taste

For Pulao

- Basmati rice 2 cups (soaked in water for half and hour, drained)

- Whole spices (small cardamoms 6 nos, large cardamoms 2 nos, cloves 6 nos,

cinnamon stick 2 one inch sticks)

- Cumin seeds 1 tsp.

- Tomatoes 2 nos, small sized, finely chopped

- Onion 2 nos, medium sized, sliced

- Yogurt 1/2 cup, beaten

- Ghee 4 tbsp.

- Salt as per taste

Making the paneer balls:

Mix all the ingredients and knead into a smooth dough. Shape into tiny balls, a little larger in size than peas.

Heat oil in kadai and deep fry the balls on meduim heat till they turn golden brown in colour. Remove onto an absorbent kitchen napkin. Let it cool. Cover the balls in silver varq. The mostis are ready.

Making the meat balls:

Mix all the ingredients for the motis. Shape into tiny balls, a little larger in size than peas.

Heat oil in kadai and deep fry the balls on meduim heat till tender, approximately for about 10 minutes.

Remove onto an absorbent kitchen napkin. Let it cool. Cover the balls in silver varq. The mostis are ready.

Making the Pulao (Same both both the versions):

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the chopped onions till they are transparent. Add the whole spices, cumin seeds and salt. Stir for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the beaten yogurt, mix well and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the rice along with 3 1/2 cups of water. Cover and cook till done.

Transfer cooked rice to a platter and garish with fried meat balls/paneer balls. Serve hot.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Grilled Pomfret

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:08:00 +0000

We are extremely fond of sea food, so often pomfrets are brought home. Honestly, other than Grilled Pomfret I have never tried any other preparation with this fish. The reason I think is hubby dear's strong liking and frequent requests for this dish. Moreover, I am all game for making anything that's easy and quick.

Living in Calcutta, there has never been a dearth of quality fishes for us. Be it the hilsa for my favourite Shorshé Ilish or rohu for a Bengali's preferred Rui Maacher Kalia, superior quality of fishes are available in abundance in Bengal's capital. All kinds of fishes are found in fresh state, one doesn't have to compromise on the taste.

All you need to do it marinate and grill the pomfret peices. Apart from the usual ingredients in the marinade, the Mint and Coriander Chutney particularly enhances the flavour of Grilled Pomfrets.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Grilled Pomfret

- Pomfret fish 2 pieces

- Lemon juice 2 tbsp.

- Egg 1/2, lightly beaten

- Ginger paste 1 tbsp.

- Garlic paste 1 tbsp.

- Green chilli paste 1/2 tsp.

- Mint and Coriander Chutney 2 tbsp.

- Gram flour 2 tbsp.

- Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.

- Garam masala powder 1 tsp.

- Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp.

- Mustard Oil 2 tbsp., and a little more for brushing on the fish pieces

- Salt as per taste

Wash and clean the fish. Make incisions on it and apply salt and lemon juice. Keep aside for 20-30 minutes.

Mix all the other ingredients except oil. Apply this marinade to the fish and let it stand for about one hour in the refrigerator.

Cook fish pieces in a tandoor on moderate heat or in the Micro-Grill combination of your microwave oven (remember, grill power should be more) for 8-10 minutes. Brush oil and flip the fish pieces half way though.

To darken the colour of the pomfrets, grill them for 5 minutes or more. Serve hot.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Mint and Coriander Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:51:00 +0000

Chutney is an integral part of Indian cuisine in all parts of India. Be it made from vegetables or fruits or some fresh herbs, a chutney in the menu tends to make me feel that it's a complete meal. There is an umpteen variety. However, at home the most common one we make is the Mint and Coriander Chutney. Tough I also favour the Coriander Chutney. Adding mint leaves gives the chutney that mint-y flavour that hubby likes. There is also this Tomato Tamarind Chutney which I relish with just some plain rice.

Mint and Coriander Chutney, also known as Hari Chutney (Green Chutney) is an absolutely versatile condiment, which can be conveniently used as a spread for a quick sandwich or as a simple dip. However, as a standard it is used as a condiment with grilled or tandoor dishes. Another interesting way to use it is, as a marinade. Like I'll be using it tomorrow when I'll make the Tandoori Pomfret. Yes, that will be the next post.

The basic ingredients are evidently fresh mint and coriander leaves, along with green chillies with a dash of some spices. Lemon juice adds a slight tangy flavour to it. You need to simply blend all of it together. My mother also adds some chopped onions to this chutney, but I sometimes skip it. This extremely versatile chutney is worth a try.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Mint and Coriander Chutney

- Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves 2 cups

- Fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup

- Onion 1 small sized, chopped

- Green chilli 1 no.

- Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp.

- Roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp.

- Lemon juice 2 tbsp.

- Chopped ginger 1 tsp.

- Chopped garlic 1 tsp.

- Sugar 1/2 tsp.

- Salt (preferably rock salt) as per taste

Thoroughly rinse the herbs and pick the leaves from the tough stalks. Blend all ingredients into a smooth purée.

Serve as a condiment, spread or dip.

Note: This green chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for upto a week if kept in an airtight container.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Chilled Strawberry Soup {Summer Special}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:25:00 +0000

So, how is summer time treating you in India? Ask me, it's terrible here in Calcutta. The severe heat is giving us a tough time and the humidity level is torturous. I absolutely thank who ever invented the air conditioner. Phew!

During summer when the heat is so intense, I make an attempt to refrain from consuming hot tea in the evenings. Instead having something cold and soothing makes more sense. This summer I've been trying many cool drinks like smooties and mocktails, and of course the lassi. In the coming days, I'll be sharing all these summers coolers' recipes in my Summer Specail series. For today, here is the Chilled Strawberry Soup.

I would have loved to use fresh strawberries for this chilled soup recipe, but only if I could find some in my city. So, I'm using strawberry crush instead. If you find some, please use fresh strawberry purée. I would also like to mention that the soup tasted great even with the strawberry crush. So, don't fret if you too don't find fresh strawberries. It will still taste good.

I am writing two recipes for the Chilled Strawberry Soup. One is a sweet version and the other one is not sweet. I got the recipe for the non-sweet one in one of the cooking classes that I had attended.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chilled Strawberry Soup

- Strawberry Crush 2 tbsp.

- Heavy cream 1/2 cup

- Yogurt/Cream cheese 1/4 cup

- Water 3/4 cup

- Lemon juice 1 tsp.

- Pepper powder 1/4 tsp.

- Salt as per taste

- Mint leaves for garnishing

For Tempering

- Butter 1 tsp.

- Chopped ginger 1/2 tsp.

- Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp.

For the Sweet Version

- Strawberry crush 2 tbsp.

- Heavy cream 1 cup

- Milk 1 cup

- Yogurt/Cream Cheese 1/4 cup

- Sugar 1 tbsp.

For the non-sweet version:

Except the ingredients for tempering, blend everything together in a blender until smooth.

In a micro-safe bowl, and th ingredients mentioned for tempering and cook in HI MICRO for 1 minute. Pour over the soup.

Chill. Serve garnished with mint leaves.

For the sweet version:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chill and serve.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Aloo Tikki {North Indian Street Food}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 08 May 2011 13:02:00 +0000

"God couldn't be everywhere, so he made mothers."
Jewish Proverb

Happy Mothers' Day!

I thought my mom's whole purpose in life was to be my mom. That's how she made me feel. Though, I personally don't believe it is essential to have a special day as Mothers' Day. For me, my mother is special, everyday. The extent of unconditional love we get from our mothers, cannot be appreciated or rewarded in just one day of a year. An entire lifetime will fall short for it. Don't you agree? I feel lucky to be able to do little things for my mother, that make her feel special. And the best gift you can ever give her, are a fews words - "love you, mom".

I wanted to prepare something for her today, but had to keep it very simple and quick, since she won't let me be in the kitchen for long. Oh, how I love her pampering. What came to my mind while pondering over various options for qucik recipes, was the Aloo Tikki - a very popular North Indian street food.

Aloo Tikki (mashed potaoes with herbs and spices) is an extensivley popular snack and can be seen at chaat stalls all over Delhi and other parts of Northern India. It is typically relished as chaat with yogurt, chickpeas, onions, chillies and chutney as the topping. In Mumbai, the version of Aloo Tikki is called Radga Pattice and are sold at similar chaat stalls. Whenever, I make these at home, I either serve it along with lunch or dinner - that's how hubby dear wants it mostly. Or else, I also serve is as a quick and simple snack, with some Coriander Chutney

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Aloo Tikki {North Indian Street Food}

- Potaoes 3, large sized, boiled, skin removed and mashed well

- Peas (I used frozen) 1/2 cup

- Onion 1, medium sized, finely chopped

- Green chillies 2 nos., finely chopped

- Red chilli powder 1 tsp.

- Chaat masala 1 tsp.

- Dry mango powder 1/2 tsp.

- Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp.

- Grated ginger 1 tbsp.

- Coriander leaves finely chopped

- Bread crumbs 2 tbsp.

- Cornflour 2 tbsp.

- Oil to shallow fry

- Salt as per taste

- Some more bread crumbs to coat the tikkis before frying

Once the potaoes are mashed well, nicely mix all the other ingredients with it, except oil, to make a smooth potato dough.

Divide the dough into 8 equal roundels. Flatten each ball or roundel between your palms to make the round patties or tikkis. Coat each takki with bread crumbs.

Heat oil on a non-stick tawa and place the tikkis on it. Shallow fry till golden brown. Turn the tikkis over and cook the other side too, till they're golden brown in colour. Remove on a kitchen tissue paper to allow the excess oil to be soaked.

Serve hot with ketchup or chutney of your choice.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Sweet Lassi {Summer Special}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Thu, 05 May 2011 08:28:00 +0000

I thought I won't blog about Lassi. Who cannot make lassi, after all? But then again, my blog is also my recipe journal and I couldn't miss adding this here. Lassi is the simplest of the simplest summer coolers. Though a popular and traditional Punjabi drink, we all enjoy it during the scorching heat of the summers, especially Indian summers. Speaking of summer time, Calcutta has been blessed with pleasant weather since the last two days. How I hope it remains this way.

Traditional Lassi is salted. However, creative minds have brought in numerous variations. My personal favourite is the Sweet Lassi. I prefer is over the original salted version. The best part is, when you have sudden visitors, you can prepare a tall glass of lassi in a matter of a few minutes, and be ready to serve this summer specail cool beverage to your guests. Soothing and refreshing to the core, you see.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Sweet Lassi

- Plain yogurt 100 gm

- Water 1 glass

- Rooh Afza 2 tsp.

- Fresh cream 4 tbsp.

- Chaat masala/Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp.

- Sugar 4 tbsp. (adjust according to your taste)

- Ice cubes

Blend together all the ingredients except ice cubes. Add ice cubes and blend again till the lassi is smooth in texture.

Your heavenly, rich yogurt based beverage is ready. Serve cold.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Keema Matar {Highway Food}

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:24:00 +0000

I personally prefer Keema Matar while traveling. By traveling here I mean traveling by road. Long road trips. Driving down from one state to another. There are times when we have a target of reaching our destination before dawn. In such situations, where we gotta cover more than 500 kms and we are pressed for time, we don't even halt at the usual dhabas that serve the mouthwatering Paneer Butter Masala for a quick meal. This is when I prefer to make Keema Matar and Pooris the previous night and carry it along the next day for our long long drive, that begins at around 3.30 a.m. This is a favourite since it's a dry preparation and there are no risks of any gravy spilling and creating a mess. Yes, we don't even halt to eat the Keema Matar and Pooris. Hubby dear drives at 120 kph, while I feed him and myself.

Talking about road trips, one realises, that the actual beauty of our country is seen from the highways. You can catch a glimpse of the real raw India and its attraction while traveling down these roads.

Rain rain, please stay, I'm loving it this way.

And then, the beautiful blue sky.

Driving down the endless road.

Stopping by the lake on a sunny afternoon.

My destination, here I come.

Coming back to Keema Matar, won't it be the just perfect food to take along for a long drive like this?

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Keema Matar

- Mutton mince (keema) 500 gm, washed and drained well

- Shelled green peas 200 gm

Whole Spices

- Bay leaves 2 nos., Cloves 6 nos., Black cardamoms 2 nos., Green Cardamoms 6 nos.,

Cinnamon stick 1 one inch stick, Black peppercorns 10 nos.

- Onions 2, large, finely chopped

- Tomato 1, large, finely chopped

- Gingeer, finely chopped 1 tbsp.

- Garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp.

- Green chillies 2 nos, finely chopped

- Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp.

- Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.

- Coriander powder 2 tsp.

- Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp.

- Garam masala (I used Biryani masala) 1/2 tsp.

- Yogurt 1/4 cup

- Chopped fresh coriander leaves 1/2 cup

- Oil/Ghee 5 tbsp.

- Salt as per taste

Use a strainer to nicely wash the mutton mince. Press to drain out the water. Mix turmeric powder, salt and yogurt with the mince. Leave for an hour.

Heat ghee in a pan and add the whole spices. Fry for a minute. Now add the chopped onions and fry till they turn golden brown in colour.

Next, add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Further fry for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, powdered spices and mutton mince. Fry very well till oil separates. Add 2 cups of warm water, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Add peas and cook till they are tender and mince is dry. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, poori or paratha.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN

Deviled Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Arundhuti) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 11:26:00 +0000

Once a doctor advised me not to have the same breakfast everyday. But I love hard boiled eggs, and I need those every morning. Of course, scrambled eggs and omelettes are the definite variations for me. Then, I learnt about hard boiled eggs with a little twist or character.

Deviled Eggs are nothing but ordinary hard boiled eggs with a little 'makeup'. Simply cut the boiled eggs length-wise, scoop out the yolk, mash it, get creative and add various other ingredients to it. Finally, spoon the mixture back into egg white halves. And you are done. Actually, you have options of adding any ingredient to the mashed egg yolk. It's entirely upto you. So, now, even if I'm having boiled eggs regularly, it's still different.

These hard boiled eggs with 'makeup' can be your quick high-protein breakfast. Like grab and go. And the best part is, you can have it prepared at night and store it in the fridge to use the next morning. I have even stored these in the refrigerator for 2 days (saves me from boiling the eggs in the morning; imagine my laziness), they stay just fine. Actually I find the taste better when they are served chilled.

For printable version of this recipe, click here.

Deviled Eggs

- Eggs 1/2 dozen

- Dijon mustard 1 tsp.

- Mayonnaise 2 tbsp.

- Chilli flakes, parsley, salt and pepper, all as per taste

Hard boil the eggs. After they are done and cooled, peel the shells. Now, using a sharp knife, slice each egg lengthwise. Remove the yolks from all the boiled eggs and place in a mixing bow.

Use a fork to mash the yolks. Add mustard, mayonnaise, chilli flakes, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon this egg yolk mixture into the empty egg whites. Serve right away or chilled.

MY SAFFRON KITCHEN