Tomato Blues

Thakkali Kuzhambu Recipe | Side Dish For Idli Dosa

2013-05-20T14:45:00.001+05:30

I really dont know if this version of tomato kuzhmabu is authentic chettinad. But what i do know is that, whenever i make this kuzhmabu, Mr.P and i fight for it till the last tiny spoon tooth and nail. In fact, there are times when the kuzhmabu has spilled over midst all the pulling and shoving. And then both of us put up sorry faces and vow never again to fight for the kuzhambu, only to fight for it again the next time, this is made.

This is not made in both my marital and maternal households. In fact, i made it a point to share this kuzhambu recipe with both amma and athai once i discovered how enchanting this can be. Sorry, i cant find a more befitting word than enchanting for this kuzhambu. And i m wondering, as i type, as to why i dint bother sharing the recipe with you all. All good things come in time. And this applies to the tomato kuzhambu too.

Recipe For Tomato Kuzhambu
( A tangy stew made with tomatoes and poppy seeds. Tastes best when made with country tomatoes)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Serves 2
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Country tomatoes 4 to 5 large ripe ones chopped into bite sized pieces
Tamarind pulp from a marble s size soaked in 1/4 water for 10 mins or Tamarind paste 1 tsp
Shallots 5 chopped finely
Oil 2 tbsp divided
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

To Be Ground To A Paste:

Shallots 5
Garlic 2 cloves
Freshly grated coconut 3 tbsp
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Oil 1 tsp to fry shallots and garlic

Coriander leaves for garnish

Directions

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and fry the 5 shallots and garlic till light brown. Let cool completely.
Add this to the grated coconut, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, chili powder and turmeric powder and grind to a smooth paste adding little water. Set aside.
In the same pan, heat oil and fry the tomatoes till mushy.
Let cool and grind again to a smooth paste. Add little water if required.
Now, heat the remaining oil in a pan. Use a fresh pan preferrably.
Pop the mustard seeds and add the fennel, fenugreek and curry leaves next.
Now, add the shallots and fry till light brown.
Add the tomato paste and the tamarind pulp and mix well.
Let it simmer for 3 to 4 mins.
Once it thickens and oil starts to leave its sides, add the ground coconut paste and mix well.
Add salt and 1 cup of water and let it simmer for 5 mins on medium flame.
Once done, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with idlies or sponge dosa

Bread Kofta Curry Recipe | Easy Curry Recipes | Side Dishes For Rotis

2013-05-18T19:31:00.000+05:30

There are some days when my pantry has a little of everything and not a lot of something. Say i may have one carrot and 2 to 3 beans sitting idly in the bottom of the veggie drawer. And there are some days when i have a loaf of bread whiling away its time in a mighty jolly way in the pantry. And that s exactly when i make bread kofta curry.

What s brilliant about this kofta recipe is that its not deep fried and it s also very kid friendly. You can even nibble on it as a snack during the evenings. And it can be made a few hours ahead and stored in the fridge. You can just whip up the gravy later and dunk the koftas in! Its a no fail recipe that s never let me down when there s a party to throw. And its a fabulous way to spring clean your vegetable drawers in the fridge. So, shall we chow down?

Recipe For Bread Kofta Curry
( Shallow fried koftas in a rich gravy)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Serves 3 generously
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

For The Kofta:

Bread slices 3 crust and all
Potato 1 small boiled and peeled
Carrots,peas, cabbage, cauliflower and beetroot 1 c boiled till tender yet firm
Garam masala 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1.5 tsp
Roasted cashews 1 tbsp
Cilantro 2 tbsp chopped finely
Corn flour 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry

For The Gravy:

Onion 2 medium chopped finely
Tomato 2 medium chopped finely
Ginger 1/2" bit
Garlic 3 cloves
Cashews 6
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp

Kitchen king masala 1/4 tsp
Any biriyani masala 1/4 tsp ( optional)
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Milk 1/2 c
Oil 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro for Garnish

Directions

Lets prep the gravy first.
In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil.
Saute onions till translucent and tip in the garlic and ginger next.
Now, add all the spice powders and saute for 30 secs.
Next add the tomatoes and cook till mushy.
Throw in the cashews next and cook for a min.
Let cool completely.
Transfer to a blender and grind to a smooth paste without adding any water.
Now, in the same pan where you fried the onions etc, heat the remaining oil and crackle the cumin seeds.
Transfer the ground paste to this and stir well.
Cook on low flame for 2 mins.
Add salt and milk and mix well. You can alternatively use cream too.
Set aside.

Lets get going with the koftas.
I used a abelskeiver pan to shallow fry my koftas. You can use a paniyaram pan too.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the koftas except the oil.
Knead to get a smooth dough like mixture.
Check for seasoning, adjust if required and shape into balls.
Heat the paniyaram pan with about 1 tsp oil in each groove.
Place the koftas gently in the grooves and cook on medium flame until golden brown all over. Keep turning the koftas now and then to ensure even browning.
Remove and drain on kitchen towel.

Dunk the koftas in the gravy only minutes before you serve. Garnish with cilantro and serve alongside phulkas or butter naan. Goes well with vegetable pulao too.

Kidney Bean Quesadilla Recipe | Mexican Recipes | Easy Snack Recipes

2013-05-17T14:46:00.000+05:30

Quesadilla. I couldnt even spell that right a few years back. And now, look at me. My, my! What an incredible and delectable journey this whole blog thing has been. Before i begin yet another rambling episode on my blogging journey, let me get back to the quesadilla.
Like i said, if some one had come and said quesadilla to me a few years back, i would have asked what villa? But a couple of years in the kitchen has taught me so many things and a few days back, when Mr.P decided to eat lunch with his friends, i decided to whip up a easy quesadilla for myself. Its easy to make, hard to mess, doesnt call for fancy pansy stuff and makes a scrumptious snack too. Not to forget the protein from the beans and the cheese.

Recipe For Kidney Bean Quesadilla
( Tortillas stuffed with beans)

Prep Time: Overnight for soaking the beans
10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 40 mins
Serves 1
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

For The Stuffing:

Kidney beans 1/2 c soaked overnight
Onion 1 medium chopped finely
Grated ginger 1/2 tsp
Garlic 2 cloves minced finely
Tomato 1 medium ripe chopped finely
Chili powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/4 tsp
Cheddar cheese 3 tbsp grated
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves 1 tbsp chopped finely

For The Quesadilla

Tortilla 1 ( readily available in the markets)
Kidney bean stuffing recipe 1
Oil 1/2 tbsp

Directions

Whip up the stuffing first.
Pressure cook the beans until tender and mushy. Old beans take longer to cook.
Once done, drain the beans completely, mash lightly and set aside.
Heat a pan with oil. Crackle the cumin seeds.
Toss in the onions next and saute till light brown.
Add the grated ginger and minced garlic next and saute for 30 secs.
Follow with the spice powders and saute for half a min.
Now, toss in the tomatoes and cook till mushy.
Add the mashed beans and salt next along with the coriander and mix well.
Cook for a min.
Set aside.
Heat a tawa.
Place the tortilla on it and drizzle a little oil around the sides.
Spread the bean stuffing in such a way that it covers only one half of the tortilla.
Sprinkle the cheese over the stuffing.
Fold the plain half over the stuffed half.
Using a flat ladle, gently lift the tortilla out.
Let it cool for a few mins.

Cut into halves and serve alongside mango salsa

Raw Mango Rice Recipe| Maavinkai Chitranna Recipe

2013-05-14T14:26:00.000+05:30

Mangoes. They are everywhere and anywhere in the vicinity. Situation at hand.

So, what did the poor food blogger who cant resist anything seasonal( read me) do?

Ahem..... she made the mango salsa Then she made some panna cotta with mango gelee ...........And then she even made mango pickle ( which she never does even if you put her at gunpoint). She even ate some of the mangoes, raw , ripe flesh, stone et al. And then she was still left with one small mango. A raw mango that was so sour that it will make a tamarind tree cringe. What became of that mango? That mango. That lone teeny weeny fella became raw mango rice. And let me tell you, this raw mango rice is nothing but sheer delight.

Raw Mango Rice
( Raw mangoes and coconut stir fried along with cooked rice)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves 2 generously
Level: Intermediate Cooks

Ingredients

For The Mango Paste:

Sour raw mango 1 small chopped finely or grated
Fresh grated coconut 1/4 cup
Green chilies 8 to 9 ( i like my raw mango rice really hot. Reduce the number if you cant handle the heat)
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For The Rice:

Cooked rice 2 c ( i used sona masoori)
Oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Peanuts 3 tbsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Dry red chilies 2
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Hing a small pinch

Directions

Grind together the ingredients required for the paste along with very little water to a paste. The paste must not be too coarse or too smooth.
Heat a pan with oil and pop the mustard.
Add the urad dal, channa dal, peanuts, dry red chilies, curry leaves and hing next.
Saute till the peanuts turn brown. Add the turmeric next and mix well.
Now,add the ground paste to this, mix vigorously and cook on medium flame until almost dry, stirring in intervals. Takes about 4 mins for the mixture to become dry.
Now, add the cooked rice and salt and mix thoroughly.

Serve hot with fryums or any roasted veggies.

One Bowl Triple Chocolate Coffee Brownie Recipe | Easy Eggless Brownie Recipes

2013-05-13T07:00:00.000+05:30

This space doesnt have the classic brownie recipe. You know, the ones loaded with chocolate and vanilla kicking you in the shins ( ahem.. the tongue i mean.) It has a blondie though. And i thought it was time i did justice to the brownie void on the blog. After all, if one loves baking, then one must also love brownies. That is the unwritten rule here at tomato blues.

So, when i actually raided Foodomania, whose author is Kavi, a vivacious young thing who comes out of everything in flying colors, i was starstruck with this Brownie. I immediately knew this was the one brownie that s going to be akin to my comfort food brownie sorts. You know, those are hard to come by. This will be the brownie that i ll bake when Mr.P gets promoted. Or like i did yesterday for Amma as a mother s day treat. This will be it when i write my cookbook. ( yes, i intend to do that) Its definitely conclusively that brownie recipe that i ll turn to for all good things in my life. And its also that recipe that i ll turn to when i m in need of some chocolate to lift my spirits. Here s to brownies. And here s an even bigger one to brownies with coffee in them. I made some slight changes to the brownie recipe and it was perfect. I mean like the perfect perfect. And its a brownie recipe that you cant mess.

Recipe For Triple Chocolate Coffee Brownies

( Easy eggless brownies with chocolate and coffee goodness)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Level: For Beginner Bakers

Bake Temp: 35 mins

Yields 16 squares

Ingredients

All purpose flour 1 cup

Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup

Castor sugar 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp

Baking powder 1 tsp

Baking soda 1/4 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

White chocolate 90 g chopped into pieces

Dark chocolate 90 g chopped into pieces

Instant coffee powder 1 tbsp ( i used sunrise)

Warm Milk 1/3 cup

Curd 1/2 cup whisked finely

Canola oil 1/4 cup

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Parchment paper to line the tray

8"X 8 " deep square baking pan

Directions

Preheat oven to 150 C.

Dissolve the instant coffee powder in 1/3 cup of milk. Stir well. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except the chocolate and using a whisk, mix thoroughly to make sure that its well incorporated.

Line your tray with the parchment paper in such a way that the paper s a little extra on two sides so that you easily lift the brownie out. Never never make a brownie in a pan that s not lined. I ve had too many brownie disasters when i did that and disaster wisdom is always wise.

Now, make a well in the center of the dry mixture.

Add the coffee, curd, vanilla and oil.

Using a hand whisk, gently mix the ingredients until well combined. Make sure the wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients. Dont worry about the denseness of the brownie. A brownie is dense but hey! we like density. ( In physics and in brownies)

Now, pour half of the batter into the lined tray and evenly spread it out using a spatula making sure that it covers the whole pan.

Gently tap the pan onto the counter.

Now, sprinkle the white chocolate bits over the batter evenly. Dont do it like i did. In a fashion that s typical of squirrels eating fruit.

Now, add the dark chocolate bits to the remaining batter and pour over the remaining batter.

Gently even the batter using a spatula.

Now tap the tray on the counter again gently.

Pop the tray into the oven, sit back and relax. I made my dosa maavu while i waited for the brownie to bake and the aroma that filled the house more than took away the stress and strain of the monotonous cleaning process of the wet grinder.

After about 30 mins, insert a toothpick to check if its done. If not bake further for 5 mins.

If the toothpick comes out clean, then the brownie s ready to come out.

Once done, remove from the oven and let cool for an hour before you take it out of the pan.

After it cools down, slice up into squares and start gobbling.

This goes to this month s Baked With Love and my entry for this month s blog hop week with Avant Garde Cookies Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan and Roshni

Masala Couscous Recipe | Couscous Recipes

2013-05-10T21:51:00.000+05:30

Couscous was something that i learnt about after i began my blog. No. Wait. Not even then. It was only last year that i learnt about its health benefits, of which i m not entirely sure. What i m actually sure of is that i love couscous. Its filling and its easy to make. You can add just about anything to it and it instantly transforms into something delicious. I call that embarrassingly effortless. But, hey! that s ok once in a while. This s my first couscous recipe on the blog. And rest assured, you can look forward to some more!

Recipe For Masala Couscous
( Couscous flavored with garam masala and veggies)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Couscous 1/2 c
Water 1 c
Onion 1 med chopped finely
Tomato 1 med chopped finely
Capsicum 1 medium chopped finely
Soya chunks 5 to 6 (optional)
Mushrooms 5 to 6 chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish
Lemon wedges to serve.

Directions

Cook the soya chunks as per package instructions. Squeeze water and set aside.
Bring water to a boil.
Once done, place the couscous in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it and cover. Set aside.
In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin.
Once it crackles, add the onions and saute till light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste next and saute for 30 secs.
Add all the spice powders and the turmeric next. Saute for 30 secs more.
Now, add the capsicum and saute for a min.
Tip in the tomatoes next.
Cook the tomatoes till mushy on a low flame. Add mushrooms next and continue to saute on medium low flame.
While you do this, check on the couscous. The couscous would have absorbed the water and become fluffy and light. Gently fluff with a fork.
Once the tomatoes are done, add the soya chunks if using.
Saute for a min more.
Now, add the couscous and salt and mix well.
Cook on medium flame until the mixture loses some more of its moisture. It shouldnt be too dry nor too wet. Something like poha.
Once done, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Watermelon Orange Salad Recipe | Easy Summer Salad Recipes

2013-05-09T15:22:00.000+05:30

We are watermelon maniacs in this house. Had i a garden, i m sure i would have grown big gargantuan watermelons all through the year. We never tire of the fruit. Watermelons are rich in iron, high in water content and less in calories. So, come summer, we are either downing tall glasses of watermelon coolers or eating chunks of it as we open the fridge for a drink of water. I also experiment with the watermelon now and then. This watermelon salsa is a fabulous result of some of those experiments.

Today was one more such experiment. To be rather precise, i wanted a meal. And i wanted a quick one at that. And i wanted to eat fruits. I dint want anything that will put me off to sleep in a flat minute. Oh! and did i mention how horrid the weather is. I fret everytime i go into the kitchen to roll out some phulkas. So even they were a no no. And i opened the fridge to snoop around. I came up with 2 oranges, a big slice of watermelon and some herbs. I set to work immediately. I did what came to my mind. And i must say, it was mighty pleasing.

Recipe For Watermelon Orange Salad
( No cook salad with watermelon and orange chunks)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 1
Level: easy

Ingredients

Watermelon 1 c cut into bite sized pieces
Orange 2 small ones pith and seeds removed
Basil leaves 5
Mint leaves 5
Freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tbsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Honey 1/2 tsp

Directions

In a bowl, combine the orange chunks along with watermelon, sugar and honey.Toss once and set aside.
Now, in a blender, blend orange juice, mint leaves and basil leaves to a puree. The puree need not be smooth. This step is to infuse flavors in to the fruit. So its ok if the leaves arent finely ground.
Now,add this blended puree to the fruit and toss well.
Chill for 10 mins before serving.

Garnish with some mint leaves before serving.

Amaranth Stir Fry Recipe| Mulai Keerai Poriyal Recipe| Easy Side Dishes

2013-05-08T22:23:00.000+05:30

Mr.P came up with a new diet regimen a few days back. Yes, he did. Dont raise that eyebrow or give me that "Not again" look. It s only ironic if he doesnt come up with a new diet plan every fortnight. Only this time, it involved eating something regularly and not abstaining from it. He suggested that we eat greens every day along with our regular sides. It seemed a swell idea and also a great way to get the dose of nutrients naturally. So i readily gave in to his request and for a while now, we ve been eating amaranth and spinach as a routine. This stir fry is something that i whipped up during the "greens" regime. And it is simple yet scrumptious.

Recipe For Amaranth Stir Fry
( Amaranth leaves stir fried with shallots and coconut)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Amaranth leaves a small bunch
Shallots 10 peeled and chopped finely
Freshly grated coconut 2 tbsp ( thawed frozen coconut works well)
Dry red chilies 2
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Directions

Pick the leaves from the stalks and set aside. You can use the tender stalks for this stir fry too for a nice crunch.
Once done, chop the leaves and stalks finely and wash with plenty of water.
Add 1/2 tsp sugar to the leaves, sprinkle 1 tbsp of water and steam the leaves for about 10 mins.
Once done, remove and drain any water.
Heat oil in a pan.
Pop the mustard seeds and add the urad dal next.
Once the urad dal turns a light brown, add the dry red chilies and the shallots.
Fry the shallots till light brown.
Add the cooked amaranth next along with salt.
Mix well.
Let cook for 2 mins to remove any remaining moisture.
Add the grated coconut and mix well.

Serve hot with sambar and hot steamed rice drizzled with ghee.

Pizza Cup Recipe | After School Snack recipes

2013-05-07T19:33:00.000+05:30

Ok. So, this sunday, i was in a terrible terrible mood. You know one of those days, when you want to bite off every single person s head. One of those days when you aimlessly rumage about in the fridge and you find nothing worthwhile and hence you become mad. I hope i ve driven home my point.
Towards the evening, this sulky phase of mine reached its saturation. And i knew. I just knew i had to turn my oven on or i would scream like an opera singer and possibly break age old glass panes that abound the township. When you face that kind of a risk, you would obviously turn the oven on, right? Right.

But wait. The worst is yet to come. I went about to forage for some butter in the fridge, which i dint have. Enough for some coconut bread that is. And then i looked about for some milk, which was only a few dregs in the bottom. That drove me up the wall even more. And then i made my peace when i saw my loaf of bread. And that instant, i knew, i had to make something with that loaf. Some more foraging in the vegetable drawer produced some bell peppers. And there, i had it. I made these pizza cups then. They were really delish and sorta cute. You can make them as appetisers for a party too. For a kids party, works swell.

Recipe For Bread Pizza Cups
( Pizza flavors in bread cups)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 to 12 mins
Yields 6
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Sandwich bread slices 6
Bell pepper 1 sliced thinly
Onion 1 chopped finely
Chili garlic sauce 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup 2 tbsp
Paneer 2 tbsp crumbled
Pizza cheese 3 tbsp grated
Pickled jalapenos 6
Oil 1 tbsp
Muffin pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 C.
In a mixing bowl, combine the onion, bell pepper, paneer and mix well.
Use a big round cookie cutter and press down on the middle of a bread slice. Remove and you will have a round bread disc. Repeat for the other slices.
Grease the muffin cups with oil generously.
Now, place the bread disc in the muffin cup and press down gently.
Fill the bread cups with 1 tbsp of the filling. Add the jalapeno.
Sprinkle grated cheese on the top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10 mins or until bread has become a golden brown.
Let cool for 10 mins.
Unmould from cups.

Serve with ketchup or even some mint chutney.

Mango Salsa Recipe| Easy Dips Recipes | Mexican Recipes

2013-05-06T15:17:00.000+05:30

When i first began blogging, i was just an unseasoned eager beaver, wanting to tell the world about some good Indian food. Not that i dint enjoy other cuisines. But there s something so ethereal about some curd rice and pickle that i can simply not live on other cuisines. While the curd rice is ubiquitous at all meals, other dishes from around the world sneak into my dinner table every now and then.

The more i read, the more i got hooked onto new cuisines and new ways of eating a fruit or vegetable. As much as i like masaledar curries and piping hot steamed rice, i am also a big sucker for fresh vegetables and fruits in the form of a smoothie or salad. And my new found love, salsa. Not so long ago, salsa was either swaying your hips to a peppy number or some tomatoes and peppers in a tangy dressing. And then salsa too evolved. It evolved so much that it was at once, fashionable to make a stone fruit salsa. I call it the food in vogue syndrome. Well.Gladly, salsa dint consume me even then, Actually, salsa became an obsession only now. Like in the past few weeks. First, i made this watermelon salsa. And now, i found my soul salsa in this mango salsa. And no, i have not made tomato salsa. Not yet. Maybe its too soon for that. (wink wink)

Recipe For Mango Salsa
( easy salsa with fresh ripe mangoes)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Source: My kitchen notes
Serves 2
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Mango 1 large ripe and firm, peeled and cubed
Onion 1 small chopped finely
Green bell pepper 1 small chopped finely
Serrano chili 1 minced
Cilantro 2 tbsp chopped finely
Juice of 1 small lemon ( 2 tsp lemon juice)
Salt to taste

Directions

In a mixing bowl, place all the ingredients and toss well.
Chill for an hour.
Serve along side some tacos or quesadillas.

One such recipe coming soon! In the meanwhile, enjoy making this salsa and lick that bowl clean!

Cardamom Panna Cotta With Peach And Mango Gelee Recipe | Easy No Bake Dessert Recipes

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000+05:30

I ve always fancied dishes with fancy names. And i ve eaten more than one dish that s not as fancy as it sounds. Ever happened to you? Panna cotta however is different. The truth is i dint eat it until i made it. And when i made it, i knew i had found my ultimate soul dessert. I ve fancied making panna cotta. In fact i ve fantasised so much about panna cotta that i have dreamt about it in a zillion flavors. Reminds me of Bertie s every flavor in Harry Potter series. No hold on! i dint dream of ash flavors or bogey flavors. Dreamt of all the nice ones- pears, jasmine, lemons and oranges. I remember only so many.

Coming back to the panna cotta, mine dint set so well the first time i made it. I guess it was gloomy gelatin day or something like that. The thing wouldn't budge. Oh i m sorry, wouldn't set. No matter what. And from then on, as much as i ve fancied making my perfectly luscious panna cotta, i ve also dreaded. Dreaded the impending disaster if the gelatin doesnt cheer up that day, that fateful day.
And then the panna cotta happened in our Gourmet Group. We all voted for panna cotta and thats just the kind of inspiration that i needed. I should probably use a stronger word than inspiration. Anyways!! i m proud of myself. I made my panna cotta and got it right too!!! Yipee!! Want to see? Come along.

Recipe For Cardamom Panna Cotta With Peach And Mango Gelee
( An italian no bake dessert with cream and milk.)

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Setting Time: 4 hours
Source: Loosely adapted from here
Makes 2 small jars

Ingredients

For The Cardamom Panna Cotta:

Cream 200 ml ( You can use pretty much any cream. I used Amul.)
Full fat milk 200 ml
Sugar 1/3 cup
Vanilla 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom pods 2
Gelatin 2 tsp or Agar Agar powder 2.5 tsp
Cold water 2 tbsp

For The Peach Gelee:

Canned peach halves 2 drained
Gelatin 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp

For The Mango Gelee:

Mango puree 1/2 c
Sugar 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder a pinch
Gelatin 1/4 tsp

Directions

Lets make the panna cotta first, shall we? Well, you see you first got to set your panna cotta and then make your gelee and pour for assembly. So, panna cotta, here we come.
In a small bowl, place the gelatin and pour the water over it. Let rest for about 20 mins. The gelatin will turn into jelly like mixture.
Scrape the cardamom pod and powder the caviar ( that s the seeds). Add this to the milk and mix.
In a pan, combine cream and milk and bring to a rolling boil, stirring in between. Do this on a medium flame.
Once it starts boiling over, add the vanilla and sugar and milk again.
Once done, take about 2 tbsp of this mixture and add to the gelatin and mix well. When i say, i mean really well.
Add this immediately to the hot milk mixture and combine well using a balloon whisk.
Let it cool down a bit. In the meanwhile, grease the dishes in which you want to serve the panna cotta with a little oil. I used small glass jars, one for mango gelee and one for the peach, to serve mine and as i dint plan to unmould, i just used them as it is.
Once it cools down bit, pour the mixture into your dishes about 2/3 full.
Let it set in the fridge for about 2 hours.
Towards the end of 2 hours, get started on your gelee. But before you begin, make sure the panna cotta is firm to touch on the surface. Or set a little further.
For the peach gelee, blend the peach halves with sugar to a smooth puree in a blender.
Add the gelatin to this and mix well. Take out your panna cotta dishes from the fridge.
Pour this mixture into one jar until almost full. Make sure you leave some space on the top. Return the jar to the fridge and be happy.
Now, combine the cardamom powder, mango puree and sugar until well incorporated.
Add the gelatin to this and mix well.
Take the other jar out of the fridge and pour in until almost full just like how you did with peach gelee.
Return to the fridge to set for 2 hours more or until you serve.
Top with fresh fruits before you serve.

Serve cold.
Us Gourmets are making panna cotta for the month of May. Check out all our evilly luscious panna cottas below! Interested to join us? Shoot me an email at anusapraj@gmail.com.

Broccoli Kootu Recipe | Lentil Recipes | Dal Recipes

2013-05-02T14:08:00.000+05:30

Some years back, i dint know a broccoli from a zucchini. I had only seen such vegetables. Even though Coimbatore had a generous supply of such veggies because of its proximity to Ooty, these veggies were not very common in my house. I used to remember brussel sprouts being there every now and then on the table and i used to think they are baby cabbages.All this happened when i was 14 or 15. So, excusable right? Right!
Anyway, things changed when i went to college. They changed even more when i got myself a husband. A husband who ate anything given to him without any inhibitions. And that s how i began incorporating these vegetables in our daily meal. One such meal was this delish Broccoli stew. The bowl was licked clean. So it was a super duper success.

Recipe For Broccoli Stew
( Broccoli cooked with lentils)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Source: My kitchen notes
Level: Easy
Serves 2

Ingredients

For Stew:

Broccoli 1 medium head cut and florets separated
Pigeon peas/ toor dal 1/2
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Dried red chili 1
Oil 1 tbsp
Oil for tempering 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Paste:

Coconut gratings 1/4 c
Shallots 4 peeled
Green chilies 3 to 4
Cumin seeds 1/ 2 tsp
Pepper corns 2
Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp
Oil 1/2 tsp

Directions:

Pressure cook the toor dal along with the turmeric in 1.5 cups of water till mushy.

In the meanwhile, microwave the broccoli on high for 5 to 6 mins.

Once the dal is done, drain excess water and set aside. Dont mash the dal.

In a pan, all 1./2 tsp oil and saute green chilies until lightly white.

Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper corns and saute for 30 secs.

Once done, transfer to a blender, let cool.

Add coconut and shallots to the mixture and grind to a smooth paste without adding any water. In case the paste doesnt blend, add about 1/2 tsp of water.

Once done, heat the same pan with the remaining oil.

Add the broccoli and saute for about 2 mins.

Add the ground paste next and saute till the raw smell leaves. May be for about 2 mins again on medium flame. Take care not to cook this on high flame as the mixture burns quickly.

Now, add the cooked dal to the mixture along with the salt.

Mix well.

Simmer for about 3 mins. In case the mixture is too thick, add about 1/4 c of water and mix well.

Heat a pan with 1 tsp of oil.

Pop the mustard seeds.

Add the urad dal, dry red chili and curry leaves next. Wait for the urad dal to turn brown.

Add asafoetida in the end.

Now, pour this mixture in the stew.

Mix well.

Serve hot with rice, poppadoms and rasam. Yumm. Tongue tickling is all i can say!

Pudina Parata Recipe| Flatbread Recipes | Easy Lunchbox Recipes

2013-05-01T09:07:00.000+05:30

We have affairs with food in my house. Yes. You heard me right. We have vicious cravings for delish food. We have a deep innate desire to eat some things repeatedly just like how lovers long to meet each other. And one of our constant affair is with the parathas. Both Mr.P and I enjoy eating parathas tremendously.

You give Mr.P aloo parathas slathered in ghee and you wont find a happier soul in the whole wide world.As for me, you give me any paratha and I ll be as content as a dog who has just found his favorite bone. Getting the idea? While I do make parathas repeatedly at home ( after all, we have affairs with them. So, how can I not??) I don’t find much time to click a picture and share a recipe. But this time, I did manage to click some decent pictures and I thought, why not, tell the whole world about my love affair with the parathas?

Recipe For Mint Parathas

( Flatbreads flavored with mint and cilantro)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Resting Time: 45 mins to 1 hour.

Cook Time: 2 mins for a paratha

Level: Intermediate

Source: My notes

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour 2 cups

Fresh mint leaves 1/2 c tightly packed

Coriander leaves 1/4 c chopped finely

Green chilies 4

Ghee 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Wheat flour for dusting.

Oil to cook the parathas on a gridle

Directions

Combine the mint leaves, coriander and green chilies in a blender and grind to a fine paste adding about 1 tbsp of water. I used my coffee grinder for this.

In a mixing bowl, place the wheat flour, salt and the ground mint paste and mix until just combined. Your dough should look crumbly after mixing.

Now, add about 3/4 c of water and start kneading. Knead for about 3 to 4 mins.

You may need less or more water depending on your flour and the weather but you must have a smooth non sticky dough at the end of kneading.

Once done, add the ghee and knead once again to make sure that it has been absorbed into the dough.

Transfer to a bowl, cover and let rest for about 1 hour. If you are pressed for time, rest it for 30 mins or so.

Once done, divide the dough into 10 equal parts, shape each into a ball.

Now, gently flatten a ball into a round disc, dust with flour and roll into 5 mm thick rounds with the help of a rolling pin. Dust with more flour if required.

Once done, heat a gridle.

Place the paratha and cook till brown spots appear on one side.

Once done, flip and cook the other side too until brown spots appear.

Smear with oil and flip over.
Cook for 30 secs.

Smear oil over the top and flip again and cook for 30 secs more.

Repeat for the remaining dough.

Serve hot with Boondi Raita and pickles.

Muskmelon Juice Recipe | Easy Summer Recipes

2013-04-28T17:27:00.001+05:30

Now, what can I say about this wonderfully flavorsome fruit that s literally tasteless. Believe me, the taste is a total disappointment after that enticing fragrance that one gets to enjoy in a musk melon. May be that s why its called musk melon. And that s why not many people enjoy it too.

Atleast, I was not introduced to Musk melon until I reached college. Bengaluru, being a paradise, is host to so many fruits around the year and one such fruit was Musk Melon. I remember relishing huge chunks of this fruit with an equally huge bowl of vanilla ice cream. And then there was musk melon juice.

Bengaluru is very popular for its juice centers that swarm the city. Reasonably priced, these juices comes as a relief to hostellers like me and for people who also like drinking healthy fruit juices instead of some carbonated fizz. And my favorite pick in any juice stall would be Musk melon juice or butter fruit shake. Butter fruit is nothing but avocado. And both of them took both the tasteless fruits to another level.

As for musk melon juice, its not even a recipe. Heck! Its just a way of using musk melon deliciously. And I feel all delicious ways must be ventured with a lot of people.

Recipe For Muskmelon Juice

( Muskmelon juiced with sugar)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: Nil

Makes 2 tall glasses

Level: easy

Source: Inspired by Juice Stalls across Bengaluru

Ingredients

Muskmelon 2 cups cubed

Cold water ½ cup

Sugar 1/3 cup

Ice cubes to serve

Mint leaves to garnish

Directions

In a blender, place the melon, sugar and water and blend to a smooth puree.

Top with ice cubes, add a mint leaf and serve cold.

Lemon Rasam Recipe | Easy South Indian Recipes

2013-04-26T09:31:00.000+05:30

Being a south Indian, ( I know, I know. I ve said it a zillion times and I m sure you are going to hear this for a long time. Maybe as long as I blog.) I don’t have too many authentic south Indian recipes here on the blog

Not done, right? Right! I don’t know why. Blame it on the migration to one of the best places in the world or the friends whom I ve made in the past few years. But somehow I never got around to posting some finger licking good south Indian special. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I do have some basic stuff on the blog but not something festive or something diverse.

Talking of diversity, south Indian cuisine is a marvel. I sometimes do wonder, who made the dosa? Or who decided that the dosa has to be a perfect circle. Yes, such questions do pop up in my mind every now and then. And I ponder long and yonder about them too. Anyway, coming back to the marvel. So what s marvelous? I mean, why am I raving like a maniac? Well, the thing is, we south Indians have diversity in everything we eat. Like , we have about twenty varieties of dals, about half a hundred or even more thogayals and maybe a hundred kuzhambus. And probably a dozen or more rasam varieties. While I do know many types of rasams, I ve not been daring enough to try my hand at a few of those unusual rasams. And so, I decided that rasam is a good place to start my south Indian trail with. From now on, every month, I shall share with you all, one rasam recipe that s out of the ordinary. And I m sure even a person who despises rasam ( I m sure not many exist), will turn a convert.

Recipe For Lemon Rasam

( A tangy broth made with pigeon peas and flavored with lemon)

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Source: Amma and my own notes

Level: Easy

Serves 2 generously

Ingredients

Toor dal 1/3 c

Green chilies 3 slit lengthwise

Tomato 1 large ripe chopped into pieces

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Lemon 2 medium

Hing a small pinch

Salt to taste

Tempering

Ghee ( clarified butter) 2 tsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Garnish

Coriander leaves

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Pressure cook the toor dal along with 2 cups of water and turmeric until mushy.

Once done, drain the water completely and preserve.

Mash the dal well.

To the preserved water, add the green chili, turmeric powder, hing, tomato and salt and bring to a rolling boil.

Simmer for a few more minutes.

Add the mashed dal and mix well.

Once done, let cool completely.

Once cool, heat ghee in a pan and pop the mustard. Add to the prepared rasam.

Finally, squeeze the juice of the lemons into the rasam and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and sprinkle the ground black pepper.

Serve with rice and Jodhpuri Aloo

P.S If you add the lemon juice before the rasam cools down, it will turn bitter.

You can skip the ghee and temper with oil for a vegan version.

If you dont like the after taste of pepper, you can skip that too and let the green chili flavor shine through.

Grape And Orange Juice Recipe | Easy Drink Recipes

2013-04-25T08:54:00.000+05:30

Its summer here and it wont be long before we start sweating like a stream of water. The temperature is mercurial and there s no respite at all during the days inspite of the AC. The best way to beat the heat is to replenish the body with as much as fluids as one can. And to make the best of the fruits available during the season.

Well, its almost the end of the grapes and the orange season here in Baroda. And I wanted to get my dose of Citrus while I could. I did make some popsicles the last week. With all that tangy refreshing orange juice. And then I had a few more oranges left that I combined with grapes to make a mocktail sort of thing to relish in the afternoons after our lunch. It was well received or I should say, well gulped by Mr.P. So, I thought, why not share my tall glass with you all.

Recipe For Grape Orange Juice

( freshly squeezed oranges and juiced grapes)

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: Nil

Makes 2 largish glasses

Level: Easy

Ingredients

Black grapes 1 cup seedless variety. ( the oblong ones work wonders)

Oranges 3

Mint leaves 4 to 5

Lemon juice 1 tsp

Cold Water ½ cup

Salt a pinch

Sugar 3 tbsp

Ice cubes to serve

Directions

Peel the oranges and discard the pith and seeds from the segments.

In a blender, add the grapes and the sugar first and blend to a smooth puree.

Strain the grape juice and add the water to this.

Now, add the orange segments and mint leaves along with the salt to the blender and blend.

Strain into the grape juice.

Mix well.

Serve chilled with ice cubes.

Torcettini Di St. Vincent Recipe | Easy Cookie Recipes | Yeast Cookie Recipes | We Knead To Bake 4

2013-04-24T15:52:00.001+05:30

I have a thing for things that are twisted or convoluted. And i also have a thing for citrus. We waited united as eager beavers the beginning of this month for Aparna to reveal the bread for this month. And she took us all by surprise by setting us to work on Torcettini Di St. Vincent. Before you all think my brains are addled, let me tell you that torcettini are cookies made with yeast dough. They are twisted into little twists and look as cute as a braid s bun. But the best thing about torcettini is that you wont believe it s actually a cookie!!
While i do make things ahead and schedule all my posts, somehow, the torcettini never happened beforehand this month. Lets hold a bunch of teenagers who come to study English with me guilty. They ve put me through such hair raising moments that i couldnt even contemplate baking, let lone torcettini. I also happen to be someone who likes meeting deadlines on time. I dont like procrastination and i hate people who are not on time. So, i worked up the energy to make the dough for these twisted beauties last night.
Needless to say, i was rewarded with crunchy chewy caramelly ( i m not sure if such a word exists, but hey! you get my feeling right?) torcettinis.

Recipe For Torcettini Di St.Vincent

Prep Time: 10 mins for the dough
1 hour for the first rise
Overnight rest in the fridge
30 mins for the second rise
Bake Time: 25 mins
Bake Temp: 160 C
Source: Aparna s Torcettini Di St. Vincent Recipe adapted from A Baker s Tour
Yields 24 cookies

Ingredients

All purpose flour 162 g
Cold Unsalted Butter 40 g cut into pieces
Instant yeast 1 tsp
Cocoa powder 30 g
Salt 1/4 tsp
Orange zest 1 tsp
Warm water 1/2 c
Granulated sugar 1/2 c for rolling the cookies

Directions

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c of warm water and set aside.
In a bowl, place the flour, orange zest, salt and cocoa powder and whisk well.
Now, add the pieces of butte to this and rub it into the flour until you get a crumbly mixture that resembles bread crumbs.
Now, add the yeast water mixture to the flour mixture and mix until everything comes together into a ball. Dont over knead or over mix. Just mix until you can form a ball.
Transfer to a well oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and let rise for an hour.
This dough will not double. It will only puff slightly. The dough is ready if you can make out a honey comb like texture when you pinch into it.
After an hour, punch down the dough and cover with cling wrap.
Let it rest in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove the dough and turn onto a clean work surface.

Roll the dough out into a 6" long rectangle.
Now, using a pizza cutter, cut the dough along its width into 4 equal parts. The measurements really dont matter but you will have cute cookies if you do them neatly. I cut mine into 5, i think.
Now, cut the dough into 6 equal strips along the length,
Once done, take each piece and roll into a 5" long strip that s as thick as a pencil.
Roll this in the sugar and make sure the dough is coated well with sugar.
Make a small loop by placing one end of the rope over the other.
Repeat for all the pieces.
Let rise on the lined baking sheet until slightly puffy. Takes about 30 mins.
Towards the end of 30 mins, preheat your oven to 160 C.
Bake the cookies for 25 mins.
Once done, remove immediately and let cool on a wire rack.

Start munching away, for they are irresistible.

Black And White Wednesdays 80- A Picturesque Melange

2013-04-24T15:00:00.001+05:30

It makes me feel bloated up with pride to host Black And White Wednesdays, a brain child of Susan, now adopted by Cindy Star. It s always a delight to be sent so many delightful pictures-all in monochrome. A big thank you and many hugs to the contributors of Week 80 s gallery.

Rustic Roti From Sizzling Indian Recipes

Sweet Soul by the very talented Rosa

Stripes Of Green - Ivy Gourds from The Humpty Dumpty Kitchen

Stone or No Stone?- Plum Passion by Lynn

Wine And Chocolate In A Cake from Jazzy Kitchen

The Spice Route By Meena

And from Cindy, a handful of blanched almonds.

Haalo of Cook Almost Anything shows how one can be a delightful number!

And from me, a picture to show all my love for bananas!

Tomato Cheese Pasta Recipe | Easy Pasta Recipes

2013-04-23T13:53:00.000+05:30

I dont make much pasta at home. Because whenever i do, it becomes a meal for one. Mr.P loathes pasta and i dont make it often because of this. I prefer sharing my meal with everyone around. You must have figured out that much cos of this blog and all, ya know.

On Thursdays, Mr.P fasts and on those days, if i have a lot of time on my hands, i do make an effort in cooking up a meal that only i enjoy. While most of the Thursdays are spent eating just rice and some curry, when i m really in a mood, i do make a pasta or some egg fried rice to please my tummy. This pasta happened like that. I followed no particular recipe. Just went with whatever i felt like and it tasted like so many good things at once- cheese, tomatoes, basil and finally, pasta!

Recipe For Cheesy Tomato Pasta
( Penne pasta in sauce and cheese)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Serves 3
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Penne pasta 1 c
Homemade Pasta Sauce 1 recipe
Olive oil 2 tsp
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Cheddar cheese 1/4 c grated
Mozarella cheese 1/4 c grated
Salt to taste

Directions

Cook pasta in plenty of water until soft. I prefer mine cooked completely. But you can cook it al dente too.
Once the pasta is done, drain water and rinse under cold water.
Add a tsp of oil and mix well. Set aside.
Heat a pan with oil.
Saute the chopped onions till golden brown.
Now,add the sauce and cook for about 3 mins.
Add the cooked pasta and salt next and mix gently.
Once done, preheat the oven to 180 C.
Transfer the pasta to a oven proof bowl.
Top with grated cheese.
Bake for 10 mins or until cheese is fully melted.

Serve hot.

Potato Stew Recipe | Easy Side Dish Recipes

2013-04-22T11:18:00.000+05:30

I dont cook potatoes very often. Honestly, i dont like those gargantuan burly potatoes. I prefer the baby bite sized potatoes. Occasionally, when i do buy a few potatoes, our meals see this delicious creamy stew and we gorge on this alongside lacy aapams. They make a hearty breakfast that s very amiable with the tummy. I m not going to talk much today. Oh! i m just a lil tongue tied after a hectic Sunday. So this post is just going to be some stew, aapam and me.

Recipe For Potato Stew

( Easy stew made with potatoes and coconut milk)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Level: Easy

Serves 3 generously

Ingredients

Potatoes 3 medium

Onion 2 medium chopped finely

Green chilies 3 slit lengthwise

Cinnamon 1" piece

Clove 1

Bay leaf 1

Ginger 1 tsp grated

Thick fresh coconut milk 1 c

Sugar 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves a sprig

Salt to taste

Oil 1 tbsp

Directions

Pressure cook the potatoes until tender. Let cool, peel and mash. Set aside.

In a small pressure cooker, heat oil.

Add the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf ,curry leaves and green chili and saute till aromatic. Takes about 1 min.

Add the onions and ginger next and fry till golden brown.

Now, add the mashed potatoes, salt and a cup of water and mix well.

Add the coconut milk and mix.

Cook covered for 3 to 4 mins.

Once done, sprinkle sugar and mix lightly.

Serve hot with aapams. We enjoy this with dosa too.

Raw Mango Coconut Chutney Recipe| Easy Chutney Recipes

2013-04-21T08:00:00.000+05:30

I am a terrific fan of Andhra cuisine. I love the flavors and the heat that comes along as a freebie. Its an exhilarating thing for me to eat hot spicy food and have tears trickle down my eyes. I love heat in my food. Ok. I agree. All my aforementioned statements almost mean the same thing. But sometimes, i just like being verbose.

Anyway, coming back to Andhra cuisine, i ve always been blessed with friends who hail from Andhra and who are also very magnanimous when it comes to food. We usually play cards with a few friends over the weekends. So, one such weekend was our friends turn. And my friends wife who is also a soon to be mommy, put together this amazingly delicious meal within minutes of our arrival. I mean, i ll keep tipping my hat off every single minute of my life to such people. I consider such souls as magicians. And one dish that she served in that lip smacking dinner of hers was this mango chutney. I made some variations to her recipe to suit our palate. And i must say, this is a recipe that i shall be making every time the mango season hits the markets.

Recipe For Raw Mango Chutney

( Called as Mamidikai Kobbari Chutney in Telugu. A spicy spread made with raw mangoes and coconut)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 5 mins

Serves 2

Source: My friend S

Level: Easy

Ingredients

Raw mango 1 peeled and cubed

Freshly grated coconut 1/2 c

Green chilies 4 slit lengthwise

Sugar 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil 1 tsp

Tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Urad dal 1 tsp

Curry leaves a sprig

Oil 1 tsp

Directions

Saute the green chilies in oil for 30 secs. Let cool.

In a blender, blend together chopped mango, coconut, green chilies, sugar and salt to a coarse paste adding about 1 tbsp of water.

Transfer to a bowl.

In a pan, heat oil and pop the mustard.

Add the urad dal and let it turn a light brown.

Add the curry leaves next and immediately pour onto the chutney.

Serve with hot rice and ghee.

This is my entry for this week s Andhra cuisine for Avant Garde Cookies group. Check out Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan, Roshni for more spicy recipes.

Boondi Raita Recipe| Easy Raita Recipes

2013-04-20T08:00:00.000+05:30

The first time i ate boondi raita, i did not go gaga like every one does. Usually, that is over a bowl of boondi raita. I couldn't for the life of me understand what s the big deal about a bowl of boondi in yogurt. I mean, its that simple right? Wrong.
As much as making boondi raita is simple, there s nothing simple about the taste. As i learnt much later when i was once again subjected to this raita at a party. Probably, i ate the wrong boondi raita the first time. No. There cant be any right or wrong way about a raita. Maybe it really dint float my boat, the first time that is. And i dint eat any more boondi raita for a very long time after that. And then the rest is history.
If you stick around Tomato Blues pretty often, you will know that it doesnt have many raita recipes. And i wanted to fill that void. And i wanted to eat raita. And i wanted to eat boondi raita at that. So, yesterday morning, while i sat chatting away on the phone to amma, i suddenly decided to whip up a bowl of boondi raita, click a picture and share it with you all. Simple.

Recipe For Boondi Raita
( Gram flour kernels in yogurt)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Salted and spiced up boondi 1 c
Thick fresh yogurt 1.5 c
Red paprika 2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Directions

I must tell you all that the south indian version of the boondi never works well for this raita. It has to be the north indian version for me. I find that the raita has a slight bitter under taste when made with south indian boondi.
Bring to boil about 2 cups of water in a sauce pan.
Once the water starts bubbling, switch off the flame. We dont want to cook the boondi. So switch off the flame.
Now, dunk all that boondi in. Yes. You heard me right. Dunk all of them in and let them stay in the water for like 45 secs.
Drain the water completely and add to a mixing bowl.
Now, whisk the yogurt with paprika, salt and cumin powder.
Add the yogurt to the boondi and mix well.
Chill for 30 mins.

Serve alongside paratas. By the way, did i mention, boondi raita is a whole meal for me sometimes. Yes, that s how much i ve come to like it!

Corn Flakes Mixture Recipe | Easy Snacks Recipes

2013-04-19T15:23:00.000+05:30

At the Praveen household, we are conscious and constant calorie counters. We dont indulge in deep fried foods and ghee laden desserts very often. With the exception of those instances where Mr.P will declare his abstinence from all divine food ( read deep fried and sweet) and go and gorge on samosas in office. Lets leave that man in peace, shall we? Its best if we remain oblivious to such things.
But very rarely, i mean really rarely, i do fry a thing or two. Ok. My monthly kowtowing to poori is excusable. Usually this frying exercise happens in a scheduled way. Yes! dont pop your eyes. That s how it happens at my place. And that s how i like to keep it. This month, when the time for frying came, i decided to make something that i can store in a tin and munch away the weekend. And i dint have the patience to make murukkus. Nah. They are too demanding. So, i made this mixture. With all the crunchiness of corn flakes and roasted nuts, they are a perfect accompaniment to TV nights.

Recipe For Cornflakes Mixture
( Snack made with cornflakes and nuts)

Prep Time: Nil
Cook Time: 20 mins
Yields 400 to 500g
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Cornflakes 250 g unflavored
Aval or parched rice or poha 1/2 c
Peanuts 1/4 cup
Roasted gram dal 1/4 cup
Cashews 1/4 cup
Red chili powder 1.5 tbsp
Sugar 2 tbsp powdered
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Directions

Heat a deep frying pan with about 400 ml of oil.
Once the oil is really hot, deep fry the corn flakes for about 5 secs.Do this in batches. The flakes will fluff and float up immediately. Dont fry them for longer or they will burn. Drain on a kitchen towel.
In another big frying pan, heat about 2 tbsp of oil.
Add the nuts and fry them till golden brown.
Drain and add to the fried cornflakes.
Now, add the curry leaves, chili powder, sugar and salt to the heated oil.
Switch off the flame.
Add the fried cornflakes and roasted nuts to this oil spice mixture and mix gently.
Transfer to another large mixing bowl and toss the mixture really well.
Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy with a glass of tea in the evenings!

Upside Down Apple Cake Recipe | Easy Cake Recipes

2013-04-18T09:39:00.000+05:30

When i began this blog, ( no when i began cooking, that s more like it), i never envisioned so much of passion in me for the ladles and the apron. I always thought i would be that passable cook who will put together a meal or two and then let the world be. But of course, like you all know, that dint happen. What i did not foresee myself enjoying so much was all the baking. I mean, i do enjoy cooking. But i dint know that i would enjoy baking so much until i started.

A chocolate cake is what i baked the first time. A hard, chewy chocolate cake. And i dint know a thing about texture or folding. The cake was, well, just another cake and there have been many cakes since. A few did win my heart and a few actually made me think, " did i really make this?" But i ve learnt my textures, my folding and my sieving. And there has been no looking back since then. I always almost get requests from friends and family alike for a particular cake recipe or bake a cake for them. I ve come a loooooong way down the cake road, i must say. And while i m on that road, i happened to say hi to this upside down apple cake.

Now, its always been a thing between me and upside down cakes. Some sizzling electric love affair i have with these cakes. Ask why? because A) i m a fruit person and B) because i m still a fruit person. Lol. I love fruit in anything. Anything except my biriyani and pulao. How can this cake not be a thing with me??

Recipe For Upside Down Apple Cake
( Cake with apples and caramel)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 to 45 mins
Bake Temp: 165 C
Source: Adapted from here
Makes a 6" cake

Ingredients

For The Fruit Layer
Apple 1 large peeled, cored and sliced thinly
Brown sugar 1/2 c
Butter 3 tbsp plus 2 tsp softened and unsalted
Cinnamon 1 tsp
Nutmeg 1/4 tsp
Cloves 1/4 tsp

For The Cake
All purpose flour 3/4 c
Butter 1/2 c softened and unsalted
Egg 1 large at room temperature
Brown sugar 1/2 c plus 1 tbsp powdered
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Milk 2 tbsp at room temperature
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp
Vanilla 1 tsp
Salt a pinch

Directions

We ll do the sauce first. But before we begin, make sure you have you apples sliced thinly.
Grease a 6" round cake tin generously with butter. Line the apples at the bottom of the cake tin making sure they dont overlap each other. If you have apples left, no sweat. Save it for after the sauce.
Now, heat a thick bottomed sauce pan with the ingredients for the fruit layer except the apples.
Once the butter starts melting, keep stirring the mixture until it starts bubbling. Be warned. Getting a splash of that bubbly mixture is not very nice to your skin.

When the mixture starts bubbling, remove from fire and let it cool down a bit. Dont let it cool completely or it will become hard and we wont be able to spread the mixture.
Once cool, pour the mixture evenly onto the apple layer.
In case you had some apples left out, line them up now over the sauce. Set aside.
Lets get the batter started now.
Preheat the oven to 165 C.
In a mixing bowl, sieve together the flour, salt, cinnamon powder and baking powder thoroughly.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light.
Now, add the egg and vanilla and whisk until light and well incorporated.
Now, add the sieved flour mixture to the egg mixture and gently fold in using a spatula until well incorporated.
Pour the mixture onto the apple layer in the tin.
Gently drop the tin on the counter once to even out the batter and to get rid of the air bubbles.
Now place the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 mins or until a tooth pick inserted comes clean.
My cake baked in 42 mins precisely. So i would say, watch out after 40 mins.
Once done, let cool completely on a wire rack.
Invert and voila! you have all that beautiful caramel and apple layer!

Slice up and tuck in.

Orange Strawberry Popsicles Recipe | Easy Dessert Recipes

2013-04-17T16:12:00.000+05:30

I am back. To bore you all mercilessly with my very garrulous talk on the weather. The mercury just reached 40. Ok. 40 is not my kind of temp. Look, seriously, i m that 25 26 weather types. I grew up in cool places and it was never this scorching hot wherever i grew up. That is. So, my only respite is the AC. With constant worries of my inner Goddess about how the skin will look all pale, wrinkly and wizened by sitting in the AC for what seems like forever.

Heck! before you all think, i ve buried my head in the sand or something, let me assure you all, i do cook. I also paint. And oh! the children have not spared me either. They come. They scream. And my house is as cacophonic as ever. By the way, is cacophonic a word? I m not sure. ( Its all that talk about those brats that s making me think like this) But what would i do without them? My world would look colorless and noiseless. Nah... i cant stand that kind of tranquil. Nope! Anyway, coming back to the weather. Last week, when Mr.P actually said he doesnt want lunch in the beginning and then came back on the third day saying he wants lunch ( ahem..... let a girl brag peacefully, will ya?), i went shopping. Shopping for what? you ask. Of course, fruits- strawberries ( yes, we have them here still), oranges and watermelon. I spent a fortune on butter too. ( Lets forget that, shall we?). Soon after that amma sent along some mixture,cheedai and murukku. And forgotten were the oranges and strawberries.

While i peeked into my fridge last evening, i could see in a far corner, a box of those berries and some half a dozen oranges sitting sadly. And i thought a salad first. And then, Mr.P made this very obnoxious statement- " you seem to be making too many salads" No...... Dang! he said it and i changed my mind. And i made popsicles. Popsicles that are as easy as pie to make and divine to devour in the evenings!

Recipe For Orange Strawberry Popsicle
( Heck! its not even a recipe. So i m gonna leave this blank. Well, literally not blank. Just saying. )

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Freeze Time: 2 hours
Makes 5
Level: Super easy ( I just invented that level)

Ingredients

Oranges 6 medium juicy ones
Strawberries 100 g hulled
Sugar 1/4 cup

Directions

Squeeze the oranges and extract the juice.
Add 1/8 cup of sugar, mix well.
Pour these into your popsicle moulds until half full and let set for an hour in the deep freezer.
Before the end of an hour, puree the strawberries along with the remaining sugar and strain. you may need extra sugar if your berries are tart. So adjust accordingly.
Now, take the mould out and fill them.
Close and let set in the freezer for another hour or so.
Once done, remove, run the moulds under tap water.
Unmould.

Start licking away!