Spice up your soul - cook with Praj

Chicken Kibbeh in Barnyard Millets

2018-06-24T13:30:00.001-05:00

Kibbeh, is a Levantine dish made of bulgur, minced onions, and finely ground lean beef, lamb, goat, or camel meat with Middle Eastern spices (Wikipedia).

My recipe is inspired by this dish and it uses barnyard millet, chicken, onions and various spices.

Ingredients

Kibbeh Dough

· 1 cups fine barnyard millet and 2 cups water (You can use bulgur wheat as well)

· ½ cup fine barnyard millet (for roasting)

· ½ cup medium onion minced

· 1 lb ground chicken

· 3 small green chilies minced

· 2 tsp. ground cumin

· Pinch salt

· Oil for frying

Kibbeh Filling

· 1 medium onion, finely chopped

· 1 lb ground chicken

· 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

· 2 tsp ground garam masala

· 1 ½ tsp red chili powder

· 1 tsp ground cumin

· Pinch salt

· Olive oil

Kibbeh Dough

1. Boil water in a pot and cook the barnyard millet on medium heat for 3 minutes and then cover the pot and cook on low heat for 5 minutes until the millets are soft. Allow the millets to cool at room temperature.

2. Roast 1/4 cup barnyard millet on medium heat until they turn light brown

3. In a bowl, mix the ground chicken, ground cumin, green chilies, minced onion, roasted millets, and cooked millets to form a thick dough.

4. Refrigerate this mix 15 minutes.

Kibbeh Filling

1. Heat oil in a pan (I used a cast iron pan) and add the finely chopped onions. Sauté them on medium heat until they are golden brown.

2. Then add the ground cumin, garam masala, chili powder and cook for a minute

3. Add the ground chicken and some salt and cook on high heat for 2 minutes. Next cover the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked. Allow the filling to cool.

Method – Make the Kibbeh

1. Take a small chunk of dough and flatten it. Then make a dip in the dough and add the filling and seal the dough. Sprinkly some roasted barnyard millet for the crispy texture

2. You can make oval football shaped, meatball shape kibbeh or patties

3. Heat oil on medium heat in a pan and deep fry (if the kibbeh is meat ball or oval football shaped) or shallow fry (if you made patties) the kibbeh on one side for 2 minutes until it’s golden brown and then on the other side for 2 minutes until it’s cooked

4. Serve with yogurt mint sauce or a dip of your choice

Lavender, mint and thyme Chicken

2016-08-07T16:58:00.002-05:00

fresh herbs, fresh farm chicken and a simple recipe - the highlight of this dish was lavender leaves

Ingredients and recipe

10-15 boneless chicken pieces - medium size

3-4 mint leaves

5 lavender sprigs

2 thyme sprigs

1 tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

1-2 tsp coarse pepper

1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

sea salt to taste

Chop the herbs coarsely. Crush the garlic pods and coarsely chop them.
In a mixing bowl, add the herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, dijon mustard, olive oil. Mix well. You can add more olive oil if needed.

Mix the chicken pieces in the marinade. Let this marination stay at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Heat the non stick pan to medium heat and add few chicken pieces. Gently press the chicken pieces while cooking.Flip the pieces after 3 minutes. Cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.

Check if the chicken is done or else stir the pieces in the pan for 1-2 minutes and transfer them into a serving bowl.

Dal Makhani - for the chilly weather

2014-11-16T14:45:00.004-06:00

Chicken in shallots, cilantro & spring onions

2014-06-11T21:19:00.001-05:00

Tortellini Pasta in Onion Garlic sauce

2014-05-04T21:01:00.001-05:00

Malaysian Curry Laksa

2014-02-22T20:47:00.001-06:00

Under the weather - Chicken soup

2013-10-30T13:30:00.002-05:00

One of those days when you are tired, feeling under the weather. While I am trying to adjust from my travel & jet lag , the slight chill in the Dallas weather increases the uneasiness. A simple remedy which always works for me is the classic chicken soup. It's an elixir for all the discomfort ! As I have been travelling, the soup is made from the very basic ingredients available in the kitchen .

- Heat the pot and add 1 -2 spoons of butter ( I prefer 1 spoon of ghee & 1 spoon of butter)
- Add 3-4 black peppercorns and 1 spoon of grated ginger
- Add 1/4th cup of sliced onion
- Add 1/2 cup of chicken ( I had chopped the chicken into small pieces and marinated with turmeric and salt for 10 mins)
- Stir all the ingredients for 2 mins and then pour 4 cups of water
- Once the soup starts boiling, add chopped cilantro ( 1/4th cup ) and then reduce the heat to low
- Cover the pot and heat for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked

Next ? Enjoy a comfort soup for the soul !

Modak - The Indian Mithai

2013-09-08T15:09:00.003-05:00

I miss being in Mumbai right now, the city celebrating one of the biggest festival "Ganesh Chaturthi", the birthday of Lord Ganesh.

But here's my little offering to the lord, his favorite sweet called "Modak". A variery of Modak made from rice flour, wheat flour to making it with condensed milk.
I did a simple recipe which requires very few ingredients and can be easily made.

For 5 medium Modaks, you need :

3 cups of milk
3 tsp. of sugar ( you can reduce or increase the sugar relative to your preference )
4 green cardamom cloves ( crushed)
5- 6 pistachios ( chopped )

1: Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan. Bring it to boil and then reduce the heat to medium.
2: Keep stirring the milk after every 2 minutes. This is the process of reducing milk to solid. So you got to keep stirring the milk and scraping the milk which thickens and sticks to the side of the pan. Keep adding the thicken milk back to the milk and stir .
Patience !!
3: Eventually you will see the milk had thickened . This thickened milk is called "Mawa" in Hindi. Stop heating and remove the Mawa into a bowl and let it cool.
4: Then you can add the pistachios, sugar,cardamom in the Mawa and mix it well to form a dough.
5 : Get creative, make small balls out the dough and give it a shape you love !
6 : I have tried to make the traditional shape which is related to the word "Modak" ( I think of it has the Hershey's Kisses )

That's it ! Enjoy your sweet little creation !

Prawns Pil Pil - a glimpse of Spanish Tapas

2013-08-21T17:27:00.001-05:00

Here's a glimpse of my favorite tapas, from the streets of Malaga, Spain. Everything's nice about Malaga, the people , place and the food ! Did you hear me saying something about "Tapas" ? Absolutely !! While I was in Spain, every evening after work was Tapas time. Every restaurant laid out a spread of these appetizers - ranging from cold ( cheese, artichoke, Iberian Ham to hot tapas such as "Calamares Fritos con semillas de amapola" - fried calamari with poppy seeds.

On one cold night in Malaga, it started pouring heavily and I had to rush to the nearest restaurant on the street. This place was warm and with the aromas of Spanish food.

"Just in time for some hot tapas and dinner", I said to the waiter who was handed me the menu card. All I did was to ask him to get me a quick, hot appetizer to get rid of the chill. He poured me a glass of red wine and within minutes got an earthenware dish filled with prawns and some piping hot sauce. Prawns Pil Pil ...my mouth still waters as I write about it !!

Prawns Pil Pil - a simple , fast to cook dish serves just right in this cold and rainy weather . The traditional & the best way to cook it is in earthenware. If you don’t have an earthenware, try using a cast iron pan or a simple sauce pan. I tried the cast iron version of it and it turned out great !

So here's the simple recipe

Prawns - 1 cup ( cleaned and deveined )

2-3 red chillies ( depends on your spice buds ) (chopped)

1-2 green chillies (chopped)

4-5 garlic cloves (chopped)

Olive oil 1/2 cup

Salt

1/3rd cup white wine (if you like )

How to make Prawns Pil Pil

Heat the earthenware/cast iron pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil, followed by chopped garlic. Then toss in the green and red chillies. Saute for 2 minutes … yeah, infuse the oil with these lovely aromatic flavors. Add the prawns and season with some salt.

Cook until the prawns change the color and are cooked. Set the sauce pan aside and pour some white wine. Be careful as it might catch a flame. Cook again for 1 minute. Prawns Pil Pil is ready !

Try it with some fresh bread or just savor it as is straight from the sauce pan !

Shrimps in Fenugreek Sauce - Cast iron Cooking

2013-07-18T20:08:00.001-05:00

A simple shrimp curry cooked in a sauce made from onions, tomatoes. dried fenugreek leaves, coconut milk and seasoned with spices

Heat oil in a cast iron pan. Add chopped garlic, onions, anise seeds, coriander seeds and saute until the onions turn light brown. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.

Then add the dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric, chilly powder and stir the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Then add 1 cup of coconut milk , salt to taste and bring the sauce to boil. Toss in the cleaned shrimps and stir lightly.

Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the shrimps are cooked completely.

a simple indulgence - Caramel Custard

2013-03-23T22:26:00.000-05:00

The caramel .. i love the way it looks.. from a simple caramel dress to the smooth caramel in the pudding .. my previous post ended with on a sweet note from the Parsi restaurant serving a caramel custard . A friend of mine asked me later if I had tried making one or if I had a recipe for it.

I couldn't resist but open my book from Julia Child and scroll to get to her Caramel Custard. A simple and easy caramel custard made with egg yolks, sugar, milk and vanilla essence poured in a ramnekin of caramelized sugar.

So here's what I did to make 2 servings of custard

In a small steel pot, medium heat 1/2 cup of water with 1/3 rd cup of sugar ( I used granulated sugar )
After the sugar dissolves, slowly swirl the pot to evenly heat the sugar. Do this until the sugar turns from light brown to a dark brown color. Pour the caramelized sugar into the ramnekin.

While the caramel hardens, start boiling 1 cup milk. Whisk 1 egg with 1/4th cup of sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla essence. Pour the milk slowly in the egg-sugar mix and whisk it again. Then strain this mixture and pour it in the ramnekin. The mix will settle over the caramelized sugar.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F or gas mark 4 . In an oven pan, place the ramnekins and pour warm water partially in the pan such that the water partially covers the ramnekins. Carefully place this pan in the oven and leave it for 45 minutes. Then test the custard by inserting a butter knife in the center, if it comes out clean, the custard is ready. Remove the ramnekins from the oven and let them cool at room temperature. Then chill the custard in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge around 15 minutes before serving, place the ramnekin in hot water and then run a knife around the custard. Place the serving plate over the ramnekin and flip it.

and for all those people who don't love a continuous sweet taste in their desert .. try some dark chocolate shavings on top of the custard ..this bitter sweet combination creates a fine balance for a simple caramel custard .

Rendezvous at Britannia Mumbai

2013-01-31T20:56:00.000-06:00

I just came back from a short trip to Mumbai, India. A city where I was born and lived some of my best days, it still surprises me with restaurants new and old, cuisines, hidden kitchens and interesting people.

Though it was a very short trip, I managed to lunch at one of the famous Parsi restaurants in Mumbai. Britannia is a 1923 Parsi restaurant located in south Mumbai. Also know as Britannia and Co. , this place can show you how Mumbai looked in the old days. Stone building, tall ceilings, old fans and no air conditioning, this is a must visit restaurant in the city.

With Rick Stein and Purva Mehra

Aryan enjoying a chocolate rum ball

And the reason being, you are in treat for some of the best Parsi delicacies and a great customer service. Boman Kohinoor, 89 year old gentleman who runs this restaurant will treat you like his family and take care of what you would like to eat.

Boman Uncle shared the history of this restaurant since he was born till the Queen's visit and a letter from the Windsor castle. Such letters and memories depict the relations and bonds he has formed with everyone who has visited his restaurant.

Without waiting for long, my family & I ordered a range of delicacies. The Parsi meals are simple, not very spicy and with a unique flavor.

We started with a dish called "Patrani Macchi"- a popular Parsi fish delicay made by steaming fish in green chutney and wrapped in banana leaf. The green chutney has ingredients such as cilantro, mint, spices, coconut and lemon juice. Following the fish, we had one of my favorites called "Salli Boti" - salli is a meat curry topped with fried thin potato sticks. A simple curry with a crunch in every bite, it goes well with Indian rotis (bread). A must try is the Berry Pulao - a rice dish made with caramelized onions and berries. A good combination with Dhansak - a very popular dish found at all Parsi weddings,one cannot resist eating this healthy delicacy.

Salli Boti

Berry Pulao

A Strawberry Lemonade for Aryan Baba

I also got an opportunity to meet Rick Stein - an English chef and restaurateur who was shooting a BBC TV Series called "In Search of the Perfect Curry" and Purva Mehra - editor of Mumbai Boss. You can see how people admire this unique cuisine from such a conversation.

Praj and Aryan Baba

It was clear that Boman Uncle has won the hearts of all those who visit Britannia. As a sweet end to the simple lunch, I relished the caramel pudding and wished to visit this place again.

Swai Fish in Orange and Honey Marinade

2013-01-06T14:43:00.000-06:00

I love cooking with fish fillets. Just grab couple of fish fillets of your choice and you can create one of the simple, healthy and quick meals.
I used Swai fish in my earlier recipe to make fish tacos. The tender, flaky texture with a sweet mild taste works great with any marinades or sauces.

Ingredients
1 Fish Fillet ( You can use any fish fillet of your choice )
3 tsp. lime juice
½ tsp. black pepper powder
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. Chilli Rub , I used a UK based rub by Adesso Foods
3-4 chopped basil leaves
2-3 chopped mint leaves
2 Tbsp. Orange and Honey Marinade ( You can use a mix of 3 tsp. orange juice with 1 tsp. honey )
Salt to taste

Process

Clean the fish fillet with salt water
Make small incisions in the fish and rub lime juice on both sides
Sprinkle the black pepper powder and salt
Coat both sides of the fillet with Orange and Honey Marinade
Sprinkle Fennel seeds,Chilli Rub ,basil and mint leaves
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
In the baking tray, keep the lime slices so that they continue to infuse the lime juice and aroma while baking
Bake the fish for 20 minutes
Broil on high for 5 minutes

Serve
Serve the fillet with hot bread

All I want for Christmas is...

2012-12-30T22:31:00.003-06:00

As much as I love to eat cakes, I wasn't intrigued by the thought of baking a cake from scratch. Thanks to my friend Priyanka, who treated me with out of the oven cakes I now see the joy of baking. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and also good time for me to learn and share this art during this baking journey.

Here’s a Christmas fruit cake recipe shared by Priyanka she found a great recipe at a Manglorean cuisine website (I did add some extra rum ;) and some agave nectar as a healthy sweetener ... to get the extra bliss holiday feel).

The most important elements you need while baking are your friends!

Baking is more fun when you have friends working on different steps of the baking process. My childhood friend Amruta & I attempted to make this Christmas fruit cake.

Here are the ingredients and the process:

Fruits

Soak these ingredients in 5-6 tbsp of rum (I used spiced rum) for at least 24 hours.

1/3^rd cup chopped Turkish apricots

1/3^rd cup chopped raisins

1/3^rd cup chopped plums

1 tbsp vanilla extract

½ cup orange juice

1 tbsp mixed fruit jam (you can use a jam of your choice)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

For the Batter

2 cups all purpose flour

½ cup semolina

Pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

Sift the above ingredients and keep aside

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

5 eggs ( separate the yolks from the whites )

½ cup Agave nectar ( you can also use molasses or honey )

In a mixing bowl, blend the butter, ½ cup sugar and the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites and ½ cup sugar and agave nectar until the mixture turns fluffy.

1 cup white sugar

½ cup water

Heat sugar in a pan on medium gas. Continuously stir the sugar while it turns brown in color and eventually turns into a liquid. Then add boiling water in small portions and keep stirring. Your caramel is ready!

1 cup milk at room temperature

Now add the milk, egg whites mixture, egg yolks mixture, caramel to the flour mix and fold to make a batter. Then add 1/3^rd cup chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios and the soaked rum and fruits. After folding these ingredients, I thought it was a good moment to taste the batter for its sugar. You can add some agave nectar if you have a sweet tooth and blend it well with the batter.

Now, pre-heat the oven for 350 F and grease the baking pan with butter.

Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Test the doneness of the cake by inserting a butter knife (it should come out clean without any batter sticking to the it). Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and set aside. Then pour 1-2 tbsp of rum (if you like) over the cake. Enjoy your creation with a Christmas Jingle, some hot chocolate!

What a burger !

2012-12-08T20:10:00.002-06:00

Though I rarely visit burger joints such as Mc Donalds, Burger King, I can’t resist when the fast food guys spread the patty aroma in the air, its fun to enjoy the creativity and taste you can experience with home made burgers. Last evening mom made this quick and tasty burger! A simple patty made from potato, peas and carrots packed with fresh lettuce and topped with tomato sauce.

The first thing I look for in the burger is the type of bread used. Fresh from the oven breads make great burgers as that's normally what you taste in the first bite. We used some fresh sesame buns which add a nutty flavor.

To make the patty you need:

2 Medium Potatoes - Boiled
1 Carrot - Diced
1/2 cup green peas
2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. red chilly powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 green chilles chopped
1 lime juiced
salt

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and green chillies. Then add the diced carrot and green peas and cook for 5 minutes. Add the boiled potatoes and mash them well with the carrot and peas.

Add the spices and salt and cook until the veggies turn into a mashed paste.

Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Make burger size round patties, lightly brush them with oil and pan fry them on both sides until the surface turns light brown.

Brush the buns with light butter and pan fry them for a minute.

Then place one base of the bun. Coat it with some tomato ketchup. Place some lettuce leaves, sliced onions, sliced tomatoes and then the patty. If you like, you can also add some fresh butter or mayo or any crème sauce. Cover the patty with bun and….just bite into it!

Fish Biryani for the Soul

2012-11-06T22:26:00.002-06:00

The festivities have begun. With Diwali - The Indian festival of lights and Thanksgiving right around the corner, I would love to share some dishes which can be a good addition to your party menu !

- 4-5 Fish Fillets washed, apply turmeric and salt

- 2 medium size onions chopped

- 2 Tbsp. Oil

- 2 cups of Yogurt

- 5 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

- 1 tablespoon cumin-coriander powder

- 1 inch cinnamon

- 3-4 black peppers

- 2 cloves

- 5 green chilies

- 1 tsp. turmeric

- 2 tsp. red chilly powder

- Salt

Fish Masala:

Stir fry the fish on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Set aside.

In a pan, heat oil and add cinnamon, black peppers, cloves and fry for a minute

Add the chopped onions, green chilies, ginger garlic paste and fry until the onion turns golden brown. Then add the turmeric, cumin-coriander powder red chilly powder and yogurt. Add salt and fry for more 5-10 minutes until the oil starts separating from the sauce.

Then add the fried fish and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

For Rice:

- 5 cups Basmati Rice

- 1 tablespoon oil

- 3 cinnamon sticks

- 5 cardamoms

- 6 cups water

Wash basmati rice and soak in water for 30 mins or more. Boil water in a stock pot and add cinnamon, cardamom and oil. The oil helps to the rice grains from sticking to each other. Add some salt to flavor the water.

Then add the rice and let it par boil. The rice should be little raw but not very tender. Drain the rice.

For the final steps:

Heat a pinch of saffron and add some water .Set aside

In a cooking pot, add some of the boiled rice so that the fish masala doesn’t burn. Then add some fish masala and some spoons of saffron water, chopped coriander leaves, sprinkle garam masala.

Repeat the same layers again. The final layer should have some rice with sprinkled saffron water, coriander leaves, and 1 spoon of butter/ghee. Add some fried onions and chopped mint on top. Cover the layer with paper napkin and sprinkle some water on top of the paper to keep it moist.

Then cover the vessel with aluminum foil to steam the rice. Bake the biryani in the oven for 200F for 30 mins or on low heat if cooking on gas for 30 mins.

If you are using a croc pot you can cook the biryani on high for 30 mins and then keep it on low for 15 mins.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup - Fall Season for the Soul

2012-09-16T17:49:00.003-05:00

And after the sunny breeze , the temperature dropped overnight. Good bye Summer, I say to myself lighting pumpkin spice candles for the evening . I know that we still have to wait for the real Fall Season in Dallas but a cold breeze in September definitely gives me an early start.

Some fresh tomatoes and olive baguette from Trader Joe's and a chilly evening ! Time for some hot soup & bread .

Here is a quick and easy recipe for a simple roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

4-5 plum tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves
2 medium size onions
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
2 tsp. fresh crème
salt
5-6 basil leaves
1 tsp. crushed black pepper
2 cups Chicken Broth ( if the broth is salted then adjust the salt for the soup accordingly)
Baguette

Cut the tomatoes into half , tossed in 2 tsp. olive oil and sprinkle some salt.
Then lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast them at 450 F for 20 minutes
On a separate sheet, roast 4-5 garlic cloves.

While the tomatoes roast , slice 2 medium size white onions and 3 green chillies. In a stockpot, heat 3 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. butter. Add onions and chillies and stir for 10 minutes or until the onions turn slight brown in color.Stir in the roasted garlic for a smoky roasted flavor and toss in the chopped basil leaves.

Then add the chicken broth and cook until the stock begins to boil. Then turn the heat to low.
Remove the stock from heat and toss in the roasted tomatoes. Purée until the stock turns to a thick consistency.

Then put the stockpot to heat and add the fresh crème .
Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat
Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil over the baguette and roast for 5 minutes

My soup is ready to eat ! With the warmth of my pumpkin spice candle, I savor this simple healthy hot soup with a bite of the olive baguette ! And as Elizabeth Lawrence said "Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn " , I wish to enjoy this journey to welcome the season !

"Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go." --Truman Capote

2012-08-23T00:06:00.002-05:00

Sunday afternoon, our Trenitalia from Rome starts moving North East. With a cup of cappuccino and a croissant … my excitement grows as we came close to our next destination. Finally the salty sea breeze from Adriatic Sea and a web of canals!

Benvenuti Venice – Welcome to Venice !

Standing in front of Venezia Santa Lucia Station, the view was marvelous. A stretch of the Grand Canal with Venetian architecture, happy tourists walking with roller bags, water taxis, sea gulls, live music and lots of ice creams!

Refreshed with this cheer in the air, I was all set to tour this city of canals.

While you walk on the streets or wait for the water taxi or just relax at San Marcos Piazza – ice cream lovers can’t miss the cute gelato shops selling creativity at its best!

From Sacher to Tiramisu and fresh melone to pistachio, no one can eat just one. I had always relished a sacher torte pastry but a sacher gelato, this one was a sure shot winner!

As much as I was enjoying the sweet creams and the canals, my mind was continuously moving towards trying some of the Venetian dishes.

Venetian cuisine is diverse from Roman cuisine. Simple formula: Rome = Meat while Venice = Seafood!

Venetians love their seafood especially the dried salted cod. After passing couple of restaurants, Nitin & I finally settled to dine in a small restaurant close. The dinner started with a bread and grissini breadsticks.

Grissini – breadsticks made from wheat and olive oil has been popular for the Italian restaurants I visited in Rome.

Munching on my grissini, I asked for Bigoli con Molluschi aka Bigoli pasta with Shellfish.

Bigoli is traditionally buck wheat pasta but now made with whole wheat. It’s a traditional Venetian pasta and looks like thick noodles. And some of the best pastas I have ever tasted when combined with the fresh seafood.

After savoring one of the traditional dishes, we finished our dinner with a nice gelato... yeh couldn’t get enough of those creative gelatos!

And if the evenings are beautiful in Venice, the morning glory is a symbol of happiness. I collected some glass works made in the Murano Glass Factory at Murano Island, explored the Palazzo Ducale at San Marco’s Piazza.

Lunch was simple with some fresh fish fry and a Tomato Mushroom Pizza followed by a cappuccino. I personally love the simplest pizza available which gives you a chance to taste the local flavors to the fullest.

With a happy stomach and a content heart, we continued walking and getting lost in the narrow streets of Venice. This is one place were you walk through the lanes and expect to find another lane but are surprised with a grand Piazza. Wow, this island’s full of mysteries!

Venice – a place for romance and fun, a place where you let go of your worries, sit back relax and enjoy the joy in the air! A fairytale!

And as Fran Lebowitz, an American writer and humorist said: “If you read a lot, nothing is as great as you've imagined. Venice is -- Venice is better.”

Cooking with Sarah & Sayeeda – Oven baked Pizza

2012-08-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful!” ― Mae West

When my Napoli Pizza was just not enough, I started my search for a freshly baked Pizza. Warm and fresh out of the Oven, kissed by fresh Mozzarella and locally grown tomatoes – “O yeah, that’s exactly what I wished for”.

My stars got lucky when my super energetic neighbors Sarah & her mom Sayeeda planned to have a pizza night last week. Sarah & Sayeeda are always up for cooking with fun! And a pizza from scratch would be the perfect topping for my “Cooking with Sarah & Sayeeda – Oven baked Pizza “

The Start: We got all the freshest ingredients possible from Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Basil from my herb garden, garlic and locally grown tomatoes and some Olive oil from Rome J

To make the base you need:

- 2 ½ cups All purpose flour

- 2 teaspoon active yeast ( we used Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast )

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- 1 cup warm water

Mix all these ingredients together and knead the dough until it becomes soft and elastic. We let Sayeeda do her magic on the dough with a mini hand workout to trap more air and make the dough soft.

Pat the dough on the pizza pan and then build the crust border. Sarah and her creative mind transformed the base from plain to a gourmet style braided pizza.

Pizza Sauce:

While these gals played with the dough, I made the pizza sauce with 3 tomatoes, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp. of black pepper powder, 5- 6 basil leaves and 1 tsp. sea salt. Mixed all these ingredients in the blender and the sauce was ready!

Spread the Pizza sauce over the base and then start with the toppings.

Pizza Topping:

Coat the pizza base with a dash of olive oil, place thin slices of tomatoes, sprinkle some basil (depends on how much you love Basil on your Pizza), thin cuts of Mozzarella and a seasoning of chilli flakes, rosemary and thyme.

Pre-heat oven to 425 F and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with sprinkle some parsley and oregano flakes.

The dinner was ready with salads, pasta and our tomato mozzarella pizza.

Nothing beats the fun to create something from scratch!

With a sense of satisfaction and a moment of relaxation we indulged in our dinner and hatching yet another “What to cook next?”

Roam in Rome

2012-07-13T23:51:00.002-05:00

A dream come true .

If you go back to the Greeks and Romans, they talk about all three - wine, food, and art - as a way of enhancing life. - Robert Mondavi

Europe has always been on my mind. And I can't expect my trip to get any better when it starts and ends in Rome, Italy ! When in Rome, yeah .. The Roman cuisine with the meat and cheese, the drizzle from olive oil and the variety of pastas. I have to try it all !

My first week in Rome : A small town called Grottaferrata situated on a hill overlooking the Rome City . A town with cobblestones and cute houses and a beautiful b&b called La Locanda dei Ciocca. Apart from a mild jet lag, my day used to start with a big breakfast ranging from biscotti to fresh tiramisu, not to forget the fresh fruits (some of the best berries I ever tasted ) .

Antipasti

Claudio and Merene, owners of La Locanda have been some of the nicest people I have ever met. A warm welcome with a cup of cappucino and a good company for the breakfast, Claudio and Merene always added a cheer in the air !

Claudio & I

Rome is also famous for its sandwiches, one of my favorites was porketta ( sandwich with roman panino and cheese and pork seasoned with garlic, rosemary and fennel seeds ) . You can find many sandwich shops crowded during lunch hours for a quick porketta sandwich and then followed by an espresso

Tiramisu

For dinner, I enjoyed the Al Fico in Grottaferrata again owned by Claudio. Can't ask for a broader range of antipasti from Calamari fritti, bruschetta bread, grilled eggplant, roasted tomatoes, toasted artichoke hearts . Can't get more colorful and full of flavors ! A nice cheese cave with a variety of olives by the side enhanced this dinner place.

Rombo vela Branzino

Thanks to my Italian friends, I could manage to speak and understand the menu and ask for some of the best dishes in the restaurant.

Lamb Chops

From Rombo al forno con patate ( rombo is a European seabass which is fried with potato shavings ) to Agnello Scottadito ( lamb chops marinated with rosemary and garlic which are so delicious that one cannot wait for them to cool a bit and hence the name Agnello Scottadito which means finger blistering )

Lobster Heaven

The freshness of grilled lobster with freshly squeezed lemon juice, the dark chicken leg roasted for an hour and a warm bread by the side, I completely agree with the saying from St.Ambrose "si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi" which means "if you are in Rome, live in the Roman way; if you are elsewhere, live as they do there".

Kofta Kurry

2012-05-31T21:24:00.000-05:00

Kofta - minced meat ball flavored with spice has found a special place in Indian, Middle Eastern and Pakistan cuisines. A delicacy for special occasions, these koftas are the Gems of the exotic cuisine. Make any occasion special and treat yourself to a simple kofta kurry made of goat meat marinated in fresh spices and simmered in onion gravy.

You need :

To make koftas

1 pound minced goat/lamb meat

1 cup yogurt

3 tsp grated ginger

2 tsp grated garlic

1 tsp powdered turmeric

3 finely chopped green chillies

1 tsp powdered red chilly

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

Salt

Knead all the ingredients together and keep the marinated meat for 15 minutes.

Boil water in pot and cover it with a flat lid. Shape the meat into golf size balls , slightly flatten them and place them over the flat lid. You need to turn the meat balls after 4-5 minutes to semi cook the surface. Then gently slide the meat balls into the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

The technique to semi cook the meat ball surface prevents the ball from breaking. Strain the koftas ( meat balls ) after they are cooked. The stock will be used for the gravy.

For the gravy

3 medium sized finely chopped onions

2 finely chopped tomato

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp oil

1 finely chopped green chilly

Heat sauce pan on medium high and then roast the onions for 5 - 10 minutes. Then add oil and sauté for 1 minute.

Toss the cumin seeds and bay leaf and continue sautéing until the onions turn brown. Then add the tomatoes and chopped green chilly and cook for 5 minutes. Then remove the bay leaf.

Remove from heat and blend the onion-tomato into a thick gravy. Put this gravy back into the pan and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Then add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of stock to this gravy, you can adjust according to the gravy consistency you desire. Bring this gravy to a boil and then add the cooked meatballs and cook on low heat for 5 - 10 minutes.

Eat this kofta kurry with flavored rice or naan.

Taco Tale - Swahi Fish Tacos

2012-05-16T21:42:00.000-05:00

My car stops at the red light while driving back on my way home from work . "What's for dinner? ", I say to myself. And before I could settle down on any specific dinner dish, an aroma from the nearby Mexican restaurant makes way to my nose. Couple of seconds and I knew the dinner menu , simple fish tacos

What do you need ?

Fish fillet : 4 , you can use any fish you like. I made my tacos with Swahi fish
1 Big Onion : Sliced
3 Serrano peppers
1 Bell Pepper
Salt
Oil
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder : 3 tsp

Lime Juice : 2 key limes for fish , 2 for key limes for guacamole

Garlic : 4 cloves crushed

Sugar

Avocado : 3 peeled
1 small onion finely chopped
Cilantro chopped : 1/2 cup
Tortilla

Marinate the fish fillet with salt and lime juice for 10 minutes

Caramelized Onions - Bell Pepper

Heat a pan on high flame and add the sliced onions. Pan roast on high heat for 5 minutes and then add the crushed garlic cloves. Keep roasting until the onions start turning brown. Then add the chopped bell pepper and roasting for about 5 more minutes. Then add some salt and sugar and 2 tsp. oil.

Stir on high heat for 5 more minutes and then cook on medium heat until the bell pepper is soft.

Spicy Fish

In a separate pan, heat 3 tsp. oil on high flame and add the chopped green chilly. Then add the marinated fish and stir gently for 3 minutes. Then add turmeric and red chilly powder. Stir the fish until it is cooked, should take about 5 -10 more minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and remove from heat.

To make the guacamole, mix avocado, chopped onion, lime juice and salt.

To make the taco, heat tortilla. I love the corn tortillas.

Add some guacamole, caramelized onions and the spicy fish. You can make your own variations by adding seasoned rice, cooked beans and lettuce too.

a Simple sophistication - Tiger Prawns in a lime marinade

2012-05-08T22:38:00.000-05:00

A bowl of fresh and cleaned tiger prawns sits on my kitchen island. My thoughts travel from creating a complex dish to something naïve.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” says Leonardo Da Vinci.

A splash of fresh lime juice (3 tsp.) , 1/2 tsp. turmeric and 2 tsp. red chilly, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some salt. Massage the prawns with this simple marinade and leave it for 15 minutes.

Then heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a pan and stir fry the prawns on medium heat until they are cooked.

Enjoy the spicy prawns with some extra lime wedges, onion slices and a green chilly.

Poblano Pepper and a Chicken Overload

2012-04-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

The smoky aroma from caramelize onions, roasted bell peppers, a whiff from the chips and fresh salsa. "Bienvenidos to our restaurant", says the waitress with a friendly gesture. I sit in the patio waiting for the basket of chips and a variety of salsas from regular to hot habanero. Mexican restaurateurs present this warmth and comfort by welcoming their guest with this appetizing start with a fresh margarita.

From Fajitas ,Tacos to Chille Releno , these dishes have been flavored and favored ! Poblano pepper is a must-have in the Mexican cuisine. You can taste the touch of zing in any salsa milder than the jalapeno but more flavored than the bell pepper.

Just roast those fresh Poblanos in the oven and watch them turn into a smoky subtle tasting pepper. I prepared some spicy chicken with onions as a stuffing to go within the pepper.

For Cleaning the Pepper :

Wash the polano pepper and slit open the pepper
Remove the seeds. If you want to keep the original poblano flavor don’t rinse the pepper

For the stuffing : The chicken onion sauce

Sauté finely chopped onion ( 1 onion ) for 2 poblano peppers in 2 Tbsp. olive oil on high heat. When the onions start turning light brown, toss chopped garlic (4-5 cloves ) or more if you are a garlic lover !
Add crushed green chillies (3-4 ), 1 inch ginger and sauté for 5 minutes
Then add the boneless chicken pieces (1/2 pound ), add 1/2 tsp. of all these spices : turmeric, roasted coriander seeds, black pepper powder, crushed red chilly ( yeah, make it spicy )
Add a paste of fresh cilantro and mint ( 1 bunch cilantro and 1/4th bunch mint leaves )
Add salt and cook until the chicken is cooked

Into the oven:

Pre-heat oven to 400 F and spray cooking oil over an aluminum foil and place it in the middle tray

Spray some oil ,rub some salt inside and outside of the poblano peppers

Stuff the poblano peppers with the chicken onion filling

Bake for 35 minutes while turning the peppers after every 10 minutes

Serve with rice flavored in caramelized onions and cumin seeds

Creative dosas by the street- Oil, Flip & Eat

2012-04-08T00:59:00.001-05:00

Midnight in Mumbai but the city is not sleeping. People are on the streets savoring street food from Scrambled eggs (Anda Bhurji) to Bheja Fry. Not to forget our dosawalas who treat us with the mouthwatering variety of dosa (fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils)

My mom’s favorite was “Mani’s” near Ruia College Dadar and I have my personal favorite “Dosa Plaza” at Vashi Station serving 101 types of Dosas!

We do make dosas at home sometimes but still the street style dosa has its own place in my heart!

What’s the magic behind the scene?

You do need some basic things to get closer to the street style taste. A nonstick griddle and a coconut tail to grease the griddle with oil!

Let’s make Masala Dosa with some red chutney & coconut chutney and then you can get creative with the stuffing made from grated Cheese to Spicy Noodles!

Dosa Batter

›Black Gram or Urad Dal - 1 1/2 cup

›Channa daal/ Bengal Gram Dal - 1/4 cup

›Toor Dal/split pigeon pea daal - 1/4 cup

›Semolina/rawa – ¼ cup

›Raw Rice – 4 cups

›Beaten Rice/Poha – 1 small bowl

›Salt to taste

›Sugar 2 tsp

›Methi /Fenugreek seeds – 3 tsp

Soak urad daal, chana daal,toor daal,rawa & rice in water for atleast 2-3 hours. Grind them into a smooth batter. Add washed pohas to the batter and again grind well. Add water to make a good paste. Don’t make it too fluid right now as you will end up needing a big container for fermentation to take place. Leave this overnight in your oven with the oven light switched on- that warmth is enough for proper fermentation. morning it will smell like dosa batter- now add salt , sugar and thin it to pouring consistency. Don’t worry about it being too thin- thin is good- it makes crispy dosa.

Masala Moment

›2 Mashed Boiled Potatoes

›1 Onion – Thinly Sliced

›Sliced Green Chillies – 3

›Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp, I go upto 3 tsp for my love for mustard seeds.

›Urad Dal - 1 Tsp

›Fresh Curry Leaves

›Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

›1 tsp sugar

›2 tsp turmeric

›Finely chopped coriander leaves

›Salt - To taste

›2 tsp oil

Method

Heat oil in a wok & add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies & urad daal.

Then add onion, turmeric powder & fry till the onion slices are translucent. Add the mashed potatoes and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Street side Chutney

This is the magical add on to the plain dosa & masala. You can make this chutney and store it for future.

›Roasted dry red chillies – 10

›Roasted Chana Daal – small bowl

›Roasted Medium Sized onion

›Roasted Garlic 6-7 flakes

›½ spoon tamarind

›Salt - To taste

›oil

Roast all the ingredients with 1 tsp oil to get the smoky flavor. Grind all these roasts with little water to make a smooth paste.

Oil – Flip & Eat!

To make dosas, take a coconut tail and dip in some coconut oil. Heat the griddle on high and grease it using the coconut tail. Spoon one part of the batter at the centre using a flat bottomed cup shaped spatula, spread in clockwise direction going daringly thin till it’s nice and round and big and thin

Drip some oil on the top and sides, reduce heat to medium, wait for a minute, you’ll see the oil making the dosa crisp. Spread 2 tsp of red chutney and then spread masala. After 2 minutes, fold the dosa into a semi circle and remove it from griddle.

Coconut Chutney

Blend 1 cup grated coconut with 3 green chillies, ½ tsp tamarind.

Heat oil and add some mustard seeds & curry leaves to it. Then add the blended paste and mix well for 2 minutes. Coconut Chutney is ready!

Savor the taste of your road side masala dosa! You can add some grated cheese to get the famous Cheese Masala Dosa, Get Creative …create your own Toppings!