A foodie n her cooking hat - An Indian food blog!

THALLICHA PARUPPU (SEASONED LENTILS)

2009-12-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Thallicha paruppu in Tamil means seasoned lentils. It is a very simple dish served on a daily basis in most of the South Indian households. This hustle free dish is usually prepared by using few spoons of lentils already cooked for making sambhar/rasam Since nobody spends time on its preparation, this is one of the quickest dish to serve kids, when they get hungry before the actual lunch time. Also thallicha paruppu is served before sambhar in all the South Indian weddings.

The moms/grandmoms in the family will serve this tasty lentil gravy with home made ghee as the first food for pregnant/nursing mothers. It is believed that the lentils will form a smooth layer around the inner lining of the stomach and protects the body from ulcer and acidity. I am not sure whether that's a myth or a fact followed in Indian families. Anyways, this simple lentil is too tasty that we don't need any reasons to enjoy them. Even after coming to US, I fix them atleast once a month or when there is excess cooked lentils to use.

The moment I taste it, I would be transported to my school days.This dish is so close to my childhood as my mom makes them every other day and it is a true comfort food. The seasoned lentil made from simple ingredients is absolutely heavenly in taste and the addition of dry red chilly is purely optional.

Ingredients
1 cup - cooked lentil
1/2 or less - oil / ghee
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dhal
1 dry red chilly - crushed (optional)
1 tsp cummin seeds
1/4 tsp asafeotida
1-2 curry leaves - chopped
Salt to taste

Method
Heat the oil in a small pan. Once they get heated up, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now add the urad dhal, cummin seeds, asafoetida, dry red chillies and curryleaves. Transfer them to the bowl containing cooked lentil. Add salt to taste and mix completely before serving.

Serve with hot rice, a dollop of ghee, pappad and stir-fried vegetables / sambhar.

CARROT CAKE

2009-12-03T06:54:00.001-08:00

My friend N and I have known each other since Class V and catching up with her in Bay area was the least possible thing I would have thought myself since we left school. Nearly after more than five years of no contacts, we were glad to find each other through orkut.

Getting in touch with school mates is so thrilling and exciting for most of us. We would have seen each other as kids with two plaits, uniform, canvas shoes, frocks, school team rivals and meeting them as grown ups years later will bring a huge smile on our face. We kept giggling all the time when she visited me and it was a trip down the memory lane:-)

Even though many of us went to different schools after Class X, my bonding with friends from JV (my LKG-Class X school) is very special because everything related to that school is so precious, priceless and so close to my heart. Their seem to be no major change in our discussion topics and nothing has changed since school days: we talked about everything from the useless local gossip to movies, from teachers to fellow classmates, from local restaurants to shopping, from cooking to work and gladly, we both have not changed from being a chatter box and we still have so many uncovered topics under the sky to talk and comment :-) I am so happy that she is living in the same part of the world.

We have been planning for a long time to do baking and some how each of us were busy (she is one super busy working lady!). One fine day, after our badminton session, we decided to bake a carrot cake.

It was my parent's 25th wedding anniversary few weeks ago. Since S & I couldn't join them, we baked a cake for the occasion along with my friends.

Dear Amma & Appa
Happy anniversary!
From
V, S, also N & K

The cake was soft, moist and perfectly baked. The walnuts added a wonderful crunch in every bite. It was super delicious and was easy to fix. Adjust the sugar level accordingly to your choice. I found the frosting too sweet and made the whole cake taste like candy. So next time when I bake, I wouldn't do the frosting.

Serves 10 - 12.

Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup walnuts - toasted and coarsely chopped
2 cups raw carrots -finely grated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup oil ( I used canola oil)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer, just until blended with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, until fully incorporated and smooth. Finally beat in the vanilla extract and give it a complete mix.

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 2 inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour. Set them aside.

Toast the walnuts for about 7-10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (3-4 minutes). Slowly pour the oil into the bowl and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until well incorporated. With an wooden/ rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes, loosen the edges with a blunt knife and invert the cakes onto the wire rack, and then cool completely before frosting. Chill for 15-20 minutes for the frosting to set well.

Note: Since there are two baked cakes, we could layer the frosting like a sandwich and also on top and around the cake. Since we ate one cake without frosting, we layered other one with the frosting on top. Its up-to you to decide on that.

FRUITY CHOCOLATE TOAST

2009-11-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

Jingle bell jingle bell jingle all the way… Yippee!

The season for shopping and sweets has arrived. It’s the time of the year to magnanimously let the sugar and fat add those extra pounds around the hips. A delicious dessert melting its way through the tongue creates a sinful feeling of addiction for anyone. Fruity chocolate toast is one such addition to the long lists of desserts.

Nutella is a pure heavenly bliss that puts a bright smile on almost everyone’s face and makes these small, triangular, sensuous bread slices an out of the world dish. A generous spoon of hazel nut spread topped with grilled fruits and a dollop of butter on fresh baked bread is a true delight to satisfy the sweet tooth. This is one of the irresistible desserts to create for someone special.

As you serve, roll your tongue with this crazy tongue twister ‘A cheeky chimp chucked cheap chocolate chips in the cheap chocolate chip shop’ and your guests will roll their eyes at this tantalizing treat. A true luscious chocolate sandwich to pep up anyone’s mood!

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 thick white bread
2 tablespoon Nutella (Hazel nut spread)
1 banana – ripen
2 strawberries – ripen
2 tsp butter
Whipped cream (optional)

Method

Chop the banana and strawberries into two halves. Grill the fruits in a skillet for 3-5 minutes on medium high. Remove and set aside.

Place the fresh white bread on a chopping board. Spread the nutella on one side of the bread. Place the one half of the banana and two halves of strawberry on chocolaty side and cover them with the other slice. Smear little butter on the sides. Grill them for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Cut them into two triangles and serve hot with a dollop of cream on top. It can also be served with scoops of vanilla or chocolate or strawberry ice cream.

CUCUMBER SALAD

2009-11-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

Lick. Bite. Suck. Chew. Keep going!
Lick. Bite. Suck. Chew. Keep going!
Lick. Bite. Suck. Chew. Keep going!

Take a slice; lick it - enjoy the lovely taste; bite a small chunk - suck the juice and finally chew it. Keep going for the next slice. No one can stop with one!

That’s how one will feel after munching these spicy salty crunchy cucumbers served with an Indian twist. The fleshy cucumbers have a succulent texture and they are the cheapest food to cool the body temperature in tropical countries, hence referred to as Poor Man’s Delight. A packet of five slices costs less than a dime. They are one of the famous Indian street food sold in the shopping malls, beaches, museums and theaters across the country.

Fresh cucumbers are peeled, sliced, sprinkled with salt and spice powder and served ice cold. Wrapped in a newspaper, they are good to go. The salt moistens the cucumber further and makes them juicier. The spicy mixture of turmeric, chili and coriander powder adds an extra kick in every bite. Simple yet heavenly in taste!

Makes 16 slices

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers – long slices
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon salt

Method
Peel and wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Pat dry them with kitchen towels and cut them into long slices. Arrange them neatly on a baking tray.

Mix the turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle them on top and refrigerate them for 10minutes. Serve the spicy cucumber on a platter. Enjoy!

PINEAPPLE JALAPENO DELIGHT

2009-11-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

During my school days, I was greatly influenced by the Monaco biscuit advertisement where the circular salty biscuits will be served with strawberry-whipped cream or jam or cheese or apple/pear on top. Even the biscuit wrapper will carry inspiring pictures of its wonderful plating. During weekends, I will try to recreate it for my dad who is a big junk food addict. One best thing about him is that he will finish the plate even if the dish was a disaster and will proudly appreciate me for making it for him. My mom is bit naggy who will criticize it as per the taste. These two wonderfully contradicting souls moulded me not only to cook better but also to live better!

Myself and S love pizza and we all the more love the pineapple and jalapenos topping on them. As I glanced through my snack box, I figured that wheat wafers bought from Costco remained untouched for weeks together. So I decided to pair our most favorite fruit and spicy veggie together with a hint of oregano and cheese. After being baked for fifteen minutes, the hardly sold wafers in my kitchen became so irresistible and it disappeared in no time. We liked it so much that I repeated it so many times in the past few weeks.This is one of the easiest snack that can be fixed in less than twenty minutes. I think my idea to fix this dish must have come from the famous Indian Monaco Ad.

The baked wafers were extra crispy and they resembled the pizza base in taste.The crunchy wafers jelled beautifully with the sweet yet tangy pineapple and the mildly spiced jalapenos. The lovely flavor of the oregano and salty cheese added a perfect Italian touch to these bite sized delight. A true heaven in every way!

Ingredients
30 Wheat wafers
30 Pineapple chunks
30 Jalapenos (pickled)
1cup Parmejano Rijano - grated
2 tbs oregano

Method
Preheat the oven to 350'F.

Place a parchment paper / aluminum foil on the baking tray.Line the wafers side by side, with a centimeter gap. Then place cheese, pineapple, jalapenos and finally sprinkle the oregano. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

GREEN GRAM MAKHANI

2009-11-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

Legumes are the base for most of the Indian dishes and they are a complete source of proteins for the body. Lentils like green grams, rajma, chickpeas are cooked into creamy puree and served with a "tadka" of spiced oil. Most of the Indian household will serve this dish almost every other day. North Indians eat the flavorful dhal cooked with cardamons, cinnamons and cloves with rotis/rice while the South Indians prepare a less spicier version called "Pappu" or "Thallicha paruppa" . It is a simple mixture of cooked dal with tempered mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chilly.

I once ate dal makhani and roti at a local Indian restaurant in California, they were too clumpy in appearance and bland in taste. I couldn't enjoy the dish more than a spoonful serving. My home made version of the same dish was way better and tasted fresh with the lovely spices. Traditionally, Dal Makhani is made from rajma and black gram. But I tried the same recipe with Green gram and we ate it as a soup. The seductive kasuri meethi and the warm whole spices blended beautifully with the velvety green gram while the fairly browned onions and reduced tomatoes infused a lovely aroma and there was an explosion of flavors in every spoon. The green chillies added a extra heat to the entire dish perfectly. Do give it a try, it is super simple to cook and doubly tasteful to dig in. The recipe is easy to follow and all the ingredients are available at Indian grocery store around the corner.

As I stand next to my window gazing at the leaves of lovely tall trees that sway in the gentle autumn breeze, I lick through every spoon of this delicate soup with so much satisfaction; hardly realizing that my bowl went empty too quick - Was it the taste of my soup or the timeless beauty of the Mother Nature, the reason behind it? With those doubts in mind, I headed to refill my bowl. A complete warm meal for cold nights!

Ingredients
1/2 cup green gram - soaked overnight
1 cup onions - finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato - finely chopped
3 green chillies
1/4 tbs ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tbs red chilly powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbs coriander powder
1/2 tbs oil
1/2 tbs kasoori meethi
2 tsp amchur powder
1 cup semi-skimmed milk
1/2 cup water (optional)
Salt to taste
1/4 tbs whipped cream (optional)

Whole masalas
1tsp fennel seeds
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
4 cardamons
1/2'' cinnamon stick

Method
Soak the green gram in 2 cups of water overnight.

Heat the oil in a cooking pan. Once they get heated up, throw in the 'whole masalas' and let it crackle for couple of minutes.

Add the green chillies, onions and salt and cook until the onions brown, 5-8 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears. Add the tomato and cook, stirring, 5 minutes.

Drain the water and add the green gram, turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and amchur powder. Give it a complete mix and cook till the raw smell disappears. Pour in the milk , little water and salt. Cover the pan and cook for 5-6 whistles.

Once the pressure had dropped, open the pan and cook again at medium flame. Now add kasoori meethi (crushed between the palms) to the hot gravy. Taste for salt and add water, if the gravy is too thick for your requirement.

Since I served it as a soup, I added 100 ml water and let it cook for further 10 minutes. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Green gram makhani can be served with roti/ rice/

ASAFOETIDA

2009-11-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

I hope that my previous post on Dry red chilly under "Indian Spices" was informative and thank you all for the lovely comments and emails.

One of the significantly used ingredient in a Indian kitchen is Asafoetida. "Asafoetida" is called as "Hing" in Hindi and "Perungayam" in Tamil. It is available in all the Indian Grocery shop sand the picture below displays a store-bought bottle.

History of its usage dates back to reign of Alexander, the famous Roman Emperor who had brought this exotic spice from Persia and introduced it into the Mediterranean cooking and this spice was primarily been used in European cuisine. Eventually in 16th century when the Roman Empire fell, it became rare in Europe but by then Indian Hindu's started to use them in every meal.

Most of the authentic vegetarian dishes in India will be flavored with this condiment. When smelt before adding to the hot oil, it gives out a pungent, unpleasant smell but when cooked, it transforms into a smoothing aromatic substance and beautifully enhances the taste of the dish. It has zero hotness and is used in minute quantity. Just like dry red chillies, a couple of teaspoon of asafoetida is added to sizzling hot oil and left to cook for a minute. It has to be carefully used in the dishes as any excess addition may turn the meal into a disaster. Indians generally use the rich and distinctively smelling asafoetida to temper the oil used for the preparation of raita, butter milk, rasam, sambhar, subjis, lentil dishes, pickles and soups.

Ferula Asafoetida is a perennial plant which belongs to the family Umbelliferae. It bears fine leaves and yellow flowers. Initially when the stalks are cut , they release milky liquid out of it which then dries in 2-3 months to sticky resins. My mother uses the sticky version while I use the powdered form for cooking. Both serves the same purpose. They are chiefly grown in Iran and Afghanistan and exported worldwide. In India, they are grown only in Kashmir, Northern India.

Apart from its use in cooking, asafoetida has great medicinal values too. When consumed with hot water it treats flatulence and also favors proper digestion, treats asthma, flu, yeast infections and has anti-microbial properties. It is believed that its foetid odor kills the germs.

PS: I read this article in NDTV news about how spicy Indian curry could prevent Swine flu. Interesting right?

I have noticed a steady increase in hype about Indian food and cooking among my friends, colleagues and also media for past couple of years. Infact, the previous episode of Next Iron Chef America (Cooking Competition in Food Network Channel), was on cooking a five-course Indian meal by multinational talented chefs. I have personally seen many non-Indian foodies talking about Naan and Chicken Tikka Masala but when Ms.Freitag, Executive Chef of The Harrison cooked "Thoran" ,a Kerala dish (also referred as "Poriyal" in Tamil), my eyes popped out and I was also happy to see that even a typical household dish is getting popular among International chefs and getting noticed worldwide. Kudos to the delicious Indian food and cooking!!!

Read the NDTV article here
http://www.ndtv.com/news/sci-tech/spicy_indian_curry_could_prevent_swine_flu.php

MANGAI PACHADI (MANGO SWEET PACHADI)

2009-11-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

This dish is a simple sweet-tasting avatar of the beautiful tropical fruit - Mango. My little grey matter recollects tasting this delicacy only during festivals. Mangai pachadi was cooked especially on "Varshapirappu" (Tamil New Year's day) and "Ganesh Chathurthi" (Lord Ganesh's birthday). Though so simple in preparation, nobody in my household prepared this on days other than a festival. I wonder why? This is one of my most favorite dish which I relish with a bowl of rasam & rice. I don't why my amma didn't make it often?

The de-skinned raw green mangoes and couple of green chillies were chopped and cooked in the pressure cooker until they soften and then they were paired with hot bubbling jaggery syrup.Finally the thick mixture is tempered with mustard seeds and urad dhal. My mouth is watering just to think about this. Some add dried neem flower to impart a dash of bitterness to the pachadi. Since I couldn't get a hand on those, I skipped its addition.

The lovely sweetness from jaggery blends beautifully with the juicy mangoes and the mild heat from the green chillies gives a exotic kick every now and then. The tiny urad dhals gives a delicate crunch in every mouth. Nothing can be so simple yet exquisite in taste . Mango pachadi beams its beauty with its glossy yellow color and speckles of mustard & urad dhal around, which is a true delight to the eyes. I enjoyed it so much that I ate it like a dessert. A true earthly dish to remind you of India. Do try it!

I made this for the first time on my birthday which was months ago and repeated it so many times after that. I wanted to share my love for this dish with you all today. They are served a side dish for Indian rice and Sambhar, Rasam or Curd (Yogurt). They can also be used a spread for chapathi stuffed with paneer and Indian chat chutneys (Recipe here).

Ingredients
2 small raw mangoes - de-skinned & cubed
1 long green chilly - Slit
1 cup jaggery - grated
Salt - A pinch
Water 200ml

For the tempering
2 tsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbs urad dhal

Method
Pressure cook the mangoes and green chillie with 100ml water for 3-4 whistles. Remove excess water. Mash them to a fine paste and cool it.

In the mean time, heat about 100 ml water in a cooking pan and throw in the jaggery and salt when the water is boiling hot. Maintain the heat at medium high. Let the jaggery dissolve and as they turn in to a thick syrup, which will happen in 15-20 minutes, add the mashed paste and give it a complete mix. Allow the mixture to thicken for 2-3 minutes and remove from flame.

In a small pan, heat the oil. Once heated, let the mustards splutter and add the urad dhal and cook for 2 minutes. Add this to the mango paste and serve hot.

DRY RED CHILLY

2009-11-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

Even a very simple Indian food has a distinct flavor and taste because of its subtle yet aromatic spices. They also enhance the look of the dish with their lovely texture and color.The posts under the label "Indian Spices" is an attempt to educate and familiarize my non-Indian readers about Indian spices and herbs. It will contain information on their texture, taste and usage in Indian cooking.

Previously I started a series on Easy Indian Cooking, which includes information on a list of must- haves in an Indian Kitchen. Click to know more!

Today I am writing about "Dry red chilly", also know as "Lal Mirchi" in Hindi and "Kaindha Millagai" in Tamil. Every Indian kitchen's "Masala Dabbha" (Spice box) will have a space allocated for this beautiful red spice. There is a picture of my masala dabbha on my blog header.

Dry red chilly, as the name suggests is the dried version of red chilly grown majorly in Asian countries like India, Vietnam, China. Farmers dry them under the sun for days together until they get a crispy-outside. They are either long or have a short umbrella like shape comprising of a stalk, red membrane and small seeds. The stalk is always removed while cooking and the heat majorly comes from the light brown seeds present within the membrane. In Indian cooking, they are added to the piping hot oil by breaking them into two halves and then cooked with further ingredients like mustard seeds, urad dhal, fenugreek, asafoetida, curry leaves, cummin seeds. The tempered oil has a sharp spicy kick from the chilly and is perfect for making thadka (tempering) for dhal, upma, buttermilk & raita, South-Indian chutneys and rasam. A maximum of 3-4 chillies are used for tempering. They are available in all the Indian grocery shops in US/UK/ Europe. They are ground to a fine powder after further drying at home and used as chilli powder. The Indian chilly powder are much more spicier than the ones available here in US.

I always remember this golden rule shared by my amma while cooking with chilli powder. Double the amount of coriander powder while adding it to any gravy containing chilli powder. It follows 1:2 ratio. This enhances the flavor of the dish and also lowers the spice level.

The red colored fiery hot chilli contains capsaicin, an alkaloid substance and that makes them taste hot. Capsaicin signals the brain to release "Substance P",a neurotransmitter when saliva mixes with the chilly and its powder. The brain understands that the body is in pain, the heart beats rapidly and starts secreting endorphin, a natural pain killer.

Here are the links for the dishes I made using dry red chilly
1. Karaikudi chutney
2. Idly podi
3. Mint-coriander-curry leaves chutney
4. Coconut podi
5. Aubergine fritters
6. Arisi upma
7. Dry red chilly chutney
8. Baby jackfruit curry
9. Paruppu usli

KATHIRIKAI KARI KOZHAMBU (BRINJAL MUTTON GRAVY)

2009-11-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

If you want to experience the authentic "Kaaram" (spicy) taste that a non-vegetarian Tamilian dishes are known for, then this dish - Kathirikai Kari Kozhambhu (Brinjal Mutton Gravy) is the right one to start with. The original recipe calls in for a fiery hot gravy which is sure to set the tongue on fire. I have modified it to my palate. If you wish, you could increase the spice level. The bony and fleshy meat pieces were steam cooked with the spongy brinjals/eggplants, tomatoes and onions sauteed with the home grown Indian spices. The finely cooked brinjal adds a great volume to the dish and makes it thick and creamy. They taste heavenly and irresistible with rice/ rotis / bread.

My gravy was a true hit in every way and S loved it so much. They tasted so similar to my achi's version and I am really proud about that. The taste was so authentic that it reminded me of my grandparent's rural Tamil Nadu, where the houses have small chimneys letting out aromatic smoke of charcoal and flavorful curries and we would smell the dishes while playing in the backyard. Every Sunday of our summer vacation would begin with Kari Kuruma (Mutton Curry) to go with idly/dosa and then Aatu Kal Rasam (Mutton soup with bony pieces) as a mid-morning appetizer and delicious Mutton briyani and left over kurma for lunch.

As I slide-in a spoonful into my mouth, I was mesmerized with those thoughts , I could feel the smell of that air and I could hear the bustling sounds of my playmates and it was a trip down the memory lane. I relished every morsel and it was a hearty meal. We ate that with whole wheat bread the following day. We couldn't get enough of it! Yummy!

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

2.2 lbs / 1 kg mutton chunks
3-4 brinjal / eggplants - cubed
1 large onions - vertically sliced
1 tomato - chopped
4 green chillies
1/2 tbs ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tbs chilli powder
1 tbs coriander powder
1/4 tbs garam masala
1/2 cup coriander - chopped
1-2 tbs oil
Salt to taste
500- 750ml water

Method

Heat the oil in a pan. Once they get heated up, add the onions and let it sweat. Cook for 5-8 minutes and let it brown. Now add the green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and cook for further 2 minutes.

Now throw in the brinjal and tomatoes and let it soften for 3-5 minutes. Cook them all on medium high. Once done, add the mutton chunks and saute for a minute.

Finally sprinkle the turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and cook till the raw smell disappears. Pour in 600 ml water and give it complete mix. Adjust the water requirement according to the amount of gravy needed. Add the salt, garam masala and coriander leaves and mix well. Check for taste before closing the pan. Cook for 7-8 whistles.

Serve hot with steamy rice. They can be served for breakfast with idly/dosa too.

Note: If the gravy is too thick add little hot water to dilute them.

If it is too watery, dissolve 1/2tbs corn flour in 1 tbs water and add to the hot gravy while on flame. This will thicken the gravy well. Adjust the spice level accordingly. I usually heat oil in a small pan and add 2-3 tsp chilli powder and cook for couple of minutes to get rid of the raw smell and pour over the cooking gravy.

STRAWBAN DELIGHT (STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE)

2009-10-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

I love smoothie! Who doesn't? I am sure it is a part of us on a hectic day at work. My most favorite one is strawberry and banana smoothie.

By definition, smoothie is a blended creamy beverage made from fruit / vegetable and served chill. They may contain crushed ice, frozen fruits, frozen yogurt, cold milk, sweetened syrups and will have a milk shake like consistency.

California is getting chilly day by day and I feel so cosy wearing a thick jumper and fluffy slip-on most of the time and additionally, my home is so warm with the lighted candles in the corner. Last night as I sat down to watch "Chopped" in Food Network, S who was till-then-busy with his laptop wanted something to munch (late night snack). We have been trying to cut down on calories to lose few pounds, hence I denied any snack and offered fruits. He said "NO" (that was quite a big loud No!).

He demanded strawberry pastry or strudel to satisfy his sweet tooth and finally after tough negotiations , he got convinced for a glass of smoothie made from fully skimmed milk. The frothy smoothie with natural sweetness of ripen bananas and tempting red strawberries was a true dessert for wrapping our late nights. That's my story on making this healthy delicious drink last night. It is such a simple drink made in a couple of minutes and tastes absolutely heavenly.

Well, I brought down the milk to room temperature by placing a glass of it in warm water and didn't serve them very cold. I am sure many wouldn't enjoy a cold beverage on a chilly night, atleast I wouldn't enjoy it.

Here is the recipe for it.

Serves 2
Ingredients
10 strawberries - cleaned & halved
1 ripen banana
500 ml skimmed milk
1/2 tbs sugar syrup/honey (optional)
or
1/2 tbs Hershey strawberry syrup (optional)

Method
Blend them all in a food processor till they become frothy. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

PANEER BUTTER MASALA : 10 MINUTE WONDER

2009-10-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

Paneer (Indian Cheese) is always a part of me and I don't mind having the extra flesh here and there because of munching those soft mushy cubes. It is made by curdling the cooked milk with lemon juice. They are then wrapped in a muslin cloth and a heavy stone (heavy weight object) is placed on top for 3-4 hours. Once the excess water (whey) is removed, the white solid mass is cut into small cubes and cooked in curries.

This soft,non melting cheese chunk is a rich source of protein. They are served chopped and fried with cooked spinach or tomato-onion puree or garlic with Indian home grown spices. They are so delicious whether served as a starter (paneer kebabs) or with rice (paneer pulao) or as a gravy. Here is the recipe for Palak Paneer (Spinach Panner Gravy)

The post for today is 10-minutes paneer dish. This was taught to me by my friend and I also saw a similar version in Sanjay Thumma's video. My first experience with this dish was on a busy weekday morning and it was my Savior for the day. I packed that for lunch with Carrot-Peas Pulao. Click for its recipe here.

The light fluffy paneer tasted so heavenly with the sweet-spicy thick gravy. The creamy gravy was a true delight in every mouth and they formed a lovely coating over the pulao. I couldn't get enough of it and I am sure I would be preparing them often. They are so easy to fix and cooks in no time. Do give it a try. I bought the paneer from an Indian Grocery Store or if you have time, you can make them at home.

Ingredients
10-15 Paneer cubes (Store bought)
1/2 cup - onions - finely chopped
1 tbs tomato ketchup
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbs chilli powder
1/4 tbs cummin powder
1/2 tbs coriander powder
1/4 tbs garam masala
1/4 tbs crushed Kasoori methi
2 tsp amchur powder (Mango powder)
1/2 tbs ginger-garlic paste
2 cups whole milk
1/2tbs whipped heavy cream
Salt to taste
1/2 " stick butter / 1/2 tbs oil

Method
Throw in all the dry ingredients (except Kasoori methi) into a clean dry bowl. Mix them all well with a whisk and keep stirring while you slowly pour the milk. Avoid forming any clumps. Set them aside.

Heat the butter in a cooking vessel. Once they get heated up, add the onions and cook on high flame for 2-3 minutes. Once they begin to brown, pour the above made milk solution and cook till the raw smell disappears. When they milk boils, simmer the flame and add the kasoori methi and panner cubes. Cook for further 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame. Mix in the heavy cream and serve hot with roti / rice.

Note: If you wish not to use heavy cream, cook them for further 5-8 minutes to thicken the gravy.

SUZHIYAN : COCONUTTY LEGUME STUFFED SWEET BALL

2009-10-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

Dear friends!

"A foodie n her cooking hat" wishes you all a "Happy Diwali"! Hope you all had a lovely time with family and friends and also with sweet treats, crackers and "diya" (lights).

Diwali is a much awaited festival in India and it depicts the mark of a happy beginning. During the growing up days, it was more exciting as Diwali shopping begins a month before the actual date. It is celebrated with the entire family at grandparent's place, hence every kid will look forward spending time with cousins and getting cash from elders (It is a ritual in India to give cash when one seeks blessings from elders by touching their feet). It is also the time where moms, aunts and grandmothers prepare delicious savorys and sweets at home.We buy new clothes, start bursting crackers nearly a couple weeks before the festival and start munching all the delicacies from the day it is made. Every diwali has been special to me since childhood and this time its more special as I am spending it with S.

I couldn't make those complicated stuffs but I tried creating suzhiyan, vadai and gulab jamun for the festival. The post for today is suzhiyan. It is a simple dessert made with jaggery, coconut and channa dhal and deep fried by coating with a maida-rice flour batter. It is super simple to make and it is super delicious in taste.

Serves: 8 balls
Ingredients

For the stuffing
1/2 cup coconut shavings
1/2 cup jaggery
1/2 cup channa dhal
1 cup water
1 tsp cardamon powder
Oil to fry

For the batter
1/2 cup maida / all purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
A pinch of salt
1/4-1/2 water

Method
Mix the maida, rice flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in the water little by little till it forms a pancake batter or dosa batter like consistency. Set them aside.

Pressure cook the channa dhal with 1 cup water for 3 whistles. Once done, drain the water completely and mash them.

Heat a non-stick kadai with 1/4 cup water. Once the water bubbles, throw the cardamon powder and jaggery and let it dissolve. Add the coconut shavings and channa dhal and give it a complete mix. They should roll into a dough. Remove and cool. Roll them into small balls and cool it in the freezer for 10-15 min. Heat the oil for frying. Once heated up, dip the balls in the batter and fry till golden brown. Serve hot.

TEA SANDWICH WITH EGGS

2009-10-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

My dad recently moved our more than 2 decade old company to a new premise. We celebrated its silver jubilee last year and we are really thrilled about its much bigger expansion now. To mark this celebration, our office is planning to host a "High Tea" for our loyal clients.

High tea is an English meal which became popular among laborers during 1600s. Initially, it was referred to a traditional meal comprising of meat, bread, cheese, crackers, desserts like cake. But slowly its definition in non-UK countries changed to something that's served with lighter meal like sandwiches, scones, cookies,pastries or cakes.

Since S & I can't attend this, we decided to send our wishes and love by contributing a dish for that evening. It is a tasty egg sandwich made with a creamy mixture of dijon mustard and mayonnaise. The soft moist bread and the chunks of boiled eggs leaves a simple taste on every bite. The mild flavor of the chives and pepper corns blends beautifully with the creamy mixture.

It rained a bit today and this sandwich is a perfect one for this weather. Hot tea and few slices of this bread is a true delight for anyone. I added Aloo bhujjia along with the spread for a crunchy twist and I enjoyed them with a cup of hot Indian chai.

When Meeta of Whats for lunch honey? and Aparna of My diverse kitchen announced the theme as High Tea Treats , I am convinced that this post is a perfect entry for their event.

Ingredients
6 wheat bread slices - edges trimmed
3 hard boiled eggs - chopped
2 tbs chives - chopped
2tbs mayonnaise
1tsp dijon mustard
1tsp tomato ketchup
Salt & Pepper

Method
Mix the eggs, chives, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, ketchup, salt and pepper. Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.

Slice the bread in the centre so that they form two small rectangles. This makes it easier to eat. Spread the above mixture over the bread and serve.

Thanks Sushma for the lovely award. I am really honored by it.
This award goes with a fun meme which has to be passed on to 6 of your favourite blogs and which has to be answered with only one word.Here is the meme part:

Where is your cell phone: On my couch
Your hair: Black
Your favorite food: Satay, Amma's rasam & sambhar, L aunty's prawn & chicken masala!
Your dream last night: Me being in Hawaii
Your favorite drink: Lemonade
Your dream/goal: Give my best in whatever I venture
What room are you in: Living room
Your hobby: Running, blogging, cooking, reading
Your fear: Heights, Cats & Dogs
Where do you want to be in 6 years: Pursue/ enroll for a PhD program
Where were you last night: Home sweet home
Something you aren’t: Liar,Cann't bluff,Serious kind, Selfish
Muffins: Awesome! Tasty!
Wish list item: Join Daring Baker community soon
Where did you grow up: Lovely Coromandel Coast
Last thing you did: Made a yummy green salad
What are you wearing: Tee & Tracks
Your TV: Off
Your pets: No
Your friends:Many but very few are in the close circle
Your life: Cann't get any better :-)
Your mood: Happy
Missing someone: Yes, Right now "S" (He is off on a biz tour). Sometimes amma, appa, D & B
Vehicle: Nissan Murano and my own first car: Maruthi Alto (I sold it since I left India)
Something you’re not wearing: My pretty gold bangles
Your favorite store: Kohl's (USA), H&M , Mark's & Spencer (UK), ofcourse the super crowded T.Nagar
Your favorite color: Pink,Black
When was the last time you laughed: Few minutes back (I was watching few comedy scenes)
Last time you cried: Ah!I again few minutes back. I laughed so much that tears rolled down my cheek.
Your best friend: S (my husband),B & A
One place that I go over and over: The park near my home (running)
One person who emails me regularly: B, V, D
Favorite place to eat: Mainland china , Anjappar, Kumarakom, Ende Keralam (Chennai), Panda Express (California), Ofcourse subway(anywhere)

I would like to share this award with my lovely friends Mythreyi, Valarmathi, Sandhya, Abhi, Gita, Somoo, Vrinda,Chitra,Supriya,Ivy

LEMON RICE

2009-10-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

Lemon rice is one of the easiest Indian dish and they are so subtle in flavor but exotic in taste. Every working parent will fix this as a lunch box menu at least on one day of the week. They are so easy to fix and goes great even with a simple store-bought chips. I am a great addict to it since childhood. The roasted peanuts and urad dhal makes every bite crunchy and lovely curry leaves infuses a earthly flavor in every mouth. The addition of asafoetida, ginger and green chillies leaves me with the burst of lovely taste in my mouth. Being greatly influenced by Giada, an Italian cook ,I ended up adding lemon zest to this rice. Trust me, I felt nice about its addition and the taste was awesome. Unless it is really good, S would never go for couple of more serving for a vegetarian dish. S enjoyed few more serving which is so unusual of him and I was so excited about that.

I would like to have my lemon rice with potato curry or egg curry (recipe here) or chicken dry fry. Here is the recipe for the divine rice dish.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice - Cold
2 tsp lemon zest
2 lemon (yellow) - juice
1" ginger - chopped
3 green chillies - slit
1-2 tsp asafoetida
10-12 curry leaves
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbs urad dhal
1/2 tbs peanuts
1/4 tbs cashewnuts (optional)
3 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbs oil

Method
Heat oil in a kadai. Once they get heated up, throw in the mustard and let it splutter. Then add the urad dhal, ginger,asafoetida, curry leaves, green chillies and saute for couple of minutes. Now add the peanuts and cashewnuts and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Add the turmeric powder, salt and lemon zest and give a complete mix. Cook till the raw smell disappears. Turn the flame off and squeeze the lemons. Check for salt. Add the cold rice and mix well. Serve warm with chips/ any vegetable fry/ egg curry /dry chicken curry.

This is my entry for Sudeshna and Sunita's event Think Spice: Think Turmeric

KARAIKUDI CHUTNEY

2009-10-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

As S entered the kitchen, his question was "Whats for breakfast today?"

"Kothumai dosai (Wheat savory pancakes)!" I replied back with a beaming smile.
(Kothumai dosai is an authentic breakfast dish of Tamil Nadu. They are served with crispy onions on tops for the extra crunchiness)

"Umm! dosai with what?" asked S.

"Karaikudi chutney" I said with so much excitement. I love this chutney and wouldn't' mind eating it all day long. It is so tasty.

"Whats that? I have never heard of any chutney like that" He frowned a bit. He always wants mint/ coriander chutney for idly/dosa. Click for its recipe.

Since I have always had a suspicious look from friends/relatives when I refer to this chutney, I decided to share it with you all today. I am sure that my readers would love it.This is a tasty chutney made with vadagam as a key ingredient. The mild sweetness from the tomatoes and onions blends so beautifully with the aromatic garlic. The crunchy urad dhal along with curry leaves infuses a lovely flavor in every mouth. Tear a small piece of dosa, take a generous dip into the chutney, make a straight trip to the mouth and chew a bit, the involuntarily smile that brightens your face is a sign of its heavenly taste. S gave that beautiful expression which ofcourse brightened my face.

This chutney was taught to me by my aunty who lives in Madurai, the oldest city in Tamil Nadu, India. Probably she learned it from her friend who lives there. Since Karaikudi is closer to Madurai and may be this chutney originated from there, it gets the name Karaikudi chutney.

Ingredients
1/2 tbs vadagam (Recipe here)
2 tomatoes - cubed
1 onion - cubed
2 dry red chillies - crushed
10-12 whole garlic cloves
1/2 tbs oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbs urad dhal
10-12 curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method
Heat 1/4 tbs oil in a kadai. Once they get heated up add the vadagam and cook for couple of minutes till the raw smell disappears. Then throw in the garlic and let it brown a bit. Add the red chillies and give it a complete stir. Finally mix in the tomatoes and onions and cook covered for 15- 20 minutes. Remove from flame and let it cool.

Once cooled, grind them to a fine paste (Don't use water).

Heat the remaining oil in a small kadai. Once they get heated up, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Throw in the urad dhal and curry leaves and cook for couple of minutes. Mix them into the chutney and add salt to taste.

Serve with idly/ dosa.

OOLAN : PUMPKIN IN COCONUT MILK SAUCE

2009-10-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

Oolan is an authentic dish from the land of Kerala. This is one of the favorite dish which can truely satisfy the Mallu tooth in me. I crush the papadam on the chooru (rice) and pour the creamy oolan on top, mix them all together and I am all set for the lovely culinary ride. First mouth - smile, second mouth - happiness, third mouth - ecstasy, next mouth - satisfaction and last mouth - sadness (because my plate goes empty). Thanks to S chechi for introducing me to an array of mallu dishes since childhood. I love the meen curry, kappa, puttu-kadala, appam- chicken curry, erricherry, pulicherry,parotta-chicken, Nei-nendrapazham; to name a few. The thoughts about them make me crave for more.

Oolan can be made with many vegetables and legumes but today I prefer to stick with pumpkins. This delicate dish is made by cooking pumpkin in coconut milk and green chillies. The original flavor is brought by the earthly coconut oil and aromatic curry leaves.

Ingredients
1 cup white pumpkin - cubed
2 green chillies - slit
1/2 cup - coconut milk (thick)
1/2 cup - coconut milk (thin)
12-14 curry leaves
1/2 tbs coconut oil

Method
Fill the cooker with water and place the pumpkins and green chillies in a small stainless steel container and cover with a fitting plate. Don't add water to the pumpkins.Place this small container inside the pressure cooker. Cover them and cook the pumpkin and green chillies for 2 whistles.

I prefer to use fresh coconut instead of dessicated one and also prefer to prepare fresh coconut milk. Grind 1 cup fresh shredded coconut with 1 cup water to a thick paste. Strain them with a sieve and keep the thick extract aside. Now add 1 cup water and squeeze the coconut water out. This one is the second extract and is less thick than the previous one. Set them both in separate bowls.

Heat the coconut oil in a kadai. Once they get heated up, throw in the curry leaves and saute for couple of minutes. Add the cooked pumpkins and green chillies to the tempered oil. Pour the thin coconut milk and cook covered for 5-10 minutes. Then pour the thick extract and add salt. Cook for 2 minutes and check for the taste. Add further salt if needed.

Serve hot with steamed rice and papadam/ chips.

PEANUTS BRINJAL PACHADI

2009-09-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

Peanuts brinjal pachadi is a simple tasty chutney made by grinding the cooked brinjal and tomato to a fine thick paste. The addition of peanuts makes it have a taste similar to that of peanut chutney. This recipe was shared by best buddy B. It tasted best with steaming rice and hot ghee.

We had that with idly, dosa and pongal too. Thanks B for sharing it. S & I really liked it. :-)

Ingredients
1 cup brinjal/ eggplant/ aubergine - cubed
1/2 cup tomatoes - cubed
2 tbs peanuts
1/2 cup ridge gourd (optional)
3 tsp coriander seeds
3-4 green chillies - chopped
5-6 - garlic cloves
2 tsp cummin seeds
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
1/4 cup water

Method
Heat oil in a kadai. Once they get heated up, add cummin seeds, garlic cloves, green chillies and coriander seeds. Throw in the brinjal, tomatoes and ridge gourd. Cook covered for 10- 15minutes on a low flame. Once done, let them cool. Simultaneously heat another kadai and dry fry the peanuts for 3-5 minutes on a medium flame with constant sauteing. Once done, remove and let it cool. Grind them all to a fine thick paste with little salt and little water. Adjust salt before serving.

Serve the yummy brinjal pachadi with rice topped with a generous spoonful of ghee and spicy crispy pappad.

This dish is my entry for Priya's Think Spice - Think Coriander Seeds event originally started by Sunita of Sunita's World.

FISH & PRAWN FRY ( MEEN / EERA VARUVAL)

2009-09-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

Being raised from a family that hail from a coast (Cuddalore), I am no exception for loving seafoods. My sis, D and I love fish/prawn/ crab. We both are the greatest fan of my achi's Meen Koozhambhu. Here is the recipe for it. My achi is the most versatile non-vegetarian cook who spreads even a complicated dish with utmost ease. She loves cooking and loves to experiment with a different twist to usual Tamilian cuisine. I have always been surprised by her logic behind adding ingredients in a guesstimate manner which finally ends up as a scrumptious dish in such a short span of time. She is 70 + years old but the enthusiasm she shows to whip up a dish for her loved ones will make anyone ask the question: from where those energy levels come from?

D is a hotel management graduate who is currently pursuing her management degree in Hospitality and Tourism. She is an exceptional cook and we have cooking competitions at home between D and my achi (the war of the Titans :-) It will be like Iron chef and the key ingredient would be always Chicken :-) I stay away from the judging panel because I love them both to bits and I want both of them to win. Achi's dishes are always Tamilian cuisines while D's is more fusion cuisines. Ofcourse both wins!!! The enthusiasm in cooking a dish and eating them with so much joy and happiness is more a family event than anything else to me.

Achi has traveled quite a bit outside India and has tasted few cuisines. She still wants to travel and visit me sometime soon. I think that could be one of the reason for myself and D to have an interest in cooking and urge to travel across the globe. Perhaps those particular genes come from our achi.

Since childhood, I have tasted so many varieties of fish fries but this one is the yummiest version of all. Crispy aromatic fish/prawn fries with squeezed lime on top and even more crispier onions as sides is a true delight for any sea food lovers. The fishes were given a spa treatment with a tasty marinade of mint, coriander, coconut, onions and few spices. A little massage here and there made my marinade enter through their fleshy chunks and this made every bite juicy. It was a yummy treat and they were super delicious. Do give it a try and it will be a great hit among kids. It was tried and tested on S and he loved it too.

I used the marinade to cook the prawns too. So it was a double treat for the lunch the other day!

Ingredients
6-8 fish pieces (Tilapia, Pomfret) - descaled and cleaned
10-15 shrimps/prawns - deshelled and cleaned
1 onion - cubed
1/2 tbs coconut shavings
2 tsp ginger -garlic paste
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
2 green chillies
1 tsp garam masala
1tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbs all purpose flour
2 tsp corn flour
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method
Rinse the de-scaled fishes and de-shelled prawns in water and give it a complete wash. Add little vinegar and wash again in the running water. Drain the water completely and pat dry with kitchen towel. Now add a teaspoon of turmeric powder and set them aside covered.

Grind all the ingredient (except the fishes / prawns/ oil) to a fine paste. Adjust the heat according to your palate. Add them to the fishes/prawns and cover it with a plastic wrap. Let them sit in the refrigerator for 30 min (minimum).

Once done, remove from the fridge and leave it in the kitchen table. Heat corn oil/ vegetable oil in a kadai on a high flame. Once they get heated up, bring down the flame to low. Throw in about 2 or 3 fish pieces and cook for 15 min on one side. Flip them over and cook the other side for another 15 min. Check on both sides for any raw marinade sticking around. Then cook till done.

Serve hot with lemon wedges and raw onions.

Repeat the same for prawns.

Enjoy!

EGG SHRIMP FRIED RICE

2009-09-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

We love chinese food and this quick fix fried rice is no exception. This dish came from little fresh shrimp I bought that evening. S wanted Indian shrimp curry which I made couple of weeks back. The recipe can be found here. But by the time we reached home it was 9 and the cleaning the entire bag would take 1 more hour and cooking the Indian curry would take another 30-45 mins. So I decided to reserve the cleaning for the next day and took just 15 shrimps and cleaned them quick. I scanned through my fridge for few veggies and found left over rice and eggs too! I decided to make a simple fried rice with few sauces that I bought couple of months back. The post for today is a simple yet yummy egg shrimp fried rice. The crunchy shrimps and soft scrambled eggs blends so beautifully with the cooked rice and flavorful sauces.

Ingredients
15 shrimps - cleaned & deshelled
3 eggs
3 cups cold rice
1/4 cup red bell peppers - finely chopped
1/4 cup spring onions - finely chopped
1/4 cup carrot - finely chopped
1 tsp oyster sauce
2 tbs soya sauce
1 tbs sherry wine
1tbs red cooking wine
Olive oil
Salt to taste

Method

Heat a wok and add little oil. Once they get heated up, throw in the shrimp and cook till they turn orange and roll up to a circle. Remove and place over a tissue to remove excess oil.

Now break the eggs into the heated wok and scramble the eggs till done. Remove and keep aside.
Then add little oil to the hot wok and add the cold rice. Give it a complete mix and saute for another 2-3 min. Remove and set aside.

Pour in 1 tbs oil and once they get heated up , add the veggies and turn the flame high. Saute for 1-2 min and pour the oyster sauce, soya sauce, sherry wine and red cooking wine. Cook for 2-3 min and then add the shrimps and eggs. Finally add the rice and give it a complete mix. Adjust salt to taste.

CELEBRATING 1 WITH CARROT PEAS PULAO

2009-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

A foodie n her cooking hat is celebrating its 1st anniversary this month. I started this simple blog with no knowledge on what this blogging world is all about. I stumbled and experimented different recipes, read a lot of books on food, health and lifestyle, learnt HTML codes & food photography in this time span. My first blog post was this. It has been a fantastic journey as I spent time cooking the food with lots of love and passion. All my recipes were tried and tested on my parents and cousins earlier and now poor S has become my guinea pig. I am having a great time in whipping so many delicacies in my cosy kitchen.I have about 65 posts till now which I know is pretty less when compared other bloggers. I have recently started a series on Deccan Kitchen and Easy Indian Cooking with an aim to promote Indian cooking to a larger international audience.

This foodie world has given me new circle of friends whom I am fond of and I have really admired all of their photographs, recipes and preludes. I am here to thank you all for showering me with tons of love, support and encouragement during every stage of my growth as a food blogger. I am celebrating this 1st anniversary with a simple dish which I assume myself to be an expert. I am not celebrating it with a sweet but with something which S loves: Pulao!

Carrot peas pulao is one of the most easiest and tastiest pulao one can ever make. My best buddy B calls this my signature dish as I make them in every get-together dinners. Honestly, they are so easy to fix and tastes absolutely delightful with any Indian gravies or raita. The mild Indian spices blends exotically with basmatic rice and creates a lovely flavor in every mouth. A little heat comes from the green chillies and the sweetness is balanced by the peas and carrots. This is a perfect dinner even on a working day!

Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
2 green chillies - slit
2 onions - long thin slices
1/2 cup carrots - cubed 1/2 cup peas
1/2 tbs ginger-garlic paste
2 cups water
1 tbs oil
Salt to taste

Whole masalas
2 tsp fennel seeds
1" cinnamon stick
4 cloves
4 cardamons
1 small bay leaf

Method
Heat a cooking vessel with oil. Once they get heated up, throw in the whole masalas and let it cook for couple of minutes. Add the green chillies and onions with little salt. Cook till they brown a bit.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears. Now mix the carrots and peas and give it a complete stir. Add little more salt.

Add the basmati rice and the above flavoured vegetable mixture along with water to the electric cooker vessel and set to cook.

PS: Check for salt in the cooking water before you set them.

Serve hot with Indian gravy / raita

NAPA VALLEY : WINE COUNTRY

2009-09-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

Napa valley is one of the most exotic travel destinations in the world. Breathtaking scenery, green vineyards, rolling hills, gentle breeze, fresh air, curvy roads - A perfect place to enjoy and unwind.

Napa valley is located north of San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. They are known for their wineries which produces world class wine. This region has more than three hundred wineries and number of grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel are grown here. We stayed in Vallejo and spent our lovely three days around Napa, Vallejo and Calistoga. The locals translate Napa as "you will always return". Yes, I am sure I will. :-)

Our trip began with the visit to Robert Mondavi Winery. We had a tour around the vineyard which educated us about the Napa icon, Robert Mondavi and his tremendous growth as a wine maker. It was a vast acre of land growing different varieties of grapes, he brought the initial seeds from Italy. We could pluck and pop in couple of grapes for taste. Some of them were sweet while some were tangy. The tour ended with a wine tasting. Finally we tasted red wine, white wine and dessert wine but I personally liked the white wine and dessert wine. Dessert wine will go extremely well with Indian curries.
We then headed to Calistoga downtown and meandered through the different alleys like a aimless traveler :-). We heard the songs of Elvis Presley from a small restaurant down the road and as we entered we saw a guy dressed up like Elvis and a live band playing behind him. We had a great time enjoying the night life of Calistoga.

The next day, we wanted some more fun and thrill. I am a major amusement park freak. So we headed to Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo and spend the entire day getting baked in the hot sun. The amazing scary rides, dolphin show, Latin festival, great food and much more! We had a blast.

Hope you guys had a glimpse of my short vacation.

Have a great week ahead!

SEV PAPADI: INDIAN CHAAT DELIGHT

2009-09-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yippe! the long weekend has almost arrived. I had been waiting for it from July (post July 4, 2009 break to be precise) and the next long break is only for the Thanksgiving. Hence I was really looking forward this one.

That one extra-day-off brings in a huge smile on us right? S has planned something but I am yet to get the full details. Late mornings, enjoying every sip of the hot coffee under the warm sun, mild breeze to soothen the minds - This how my precious 3 days should be: A pure relaxation and a place to unwind. I am clueless now. Will definitely keep you guys posted when I get back!

What have you guys planned for? Where are you all heading to? What are your ideas of perfect long weekend break? Pour in your views.

As promised here comes the recipe for a simple chaat I made at home. The post for today is our all time favourite snack - Sev Papadi Chaat. The recipes for the chutney used are available here.

They were so delicious and I felt like I was walking through the street of Juhu beach. They tasted so heavenly and for the chaat lovers like S, it is a sure treat. Do give it a try and its pretty simple to fix. All the ingredients needed are available at any Indian Grocery Shop.

Ingredients
10-12 No.s Papadi
Sev / Gram flour noodles 3 tbs
1 tbs Haldiram aloo bhujjia
1/2 cup cucumber - finely chopped
1/2 cup potato - mashed
1/2 tbs cooked channa / garbanzo - mashed
1/2 cup onions - finely chopped
1/4 cup tomatoes - finely chopped
1/2 tbs corainder leaves - finely chopped
1tbs sweet chutney
1tbs green chutney

Method
Remove a clean serving platter and place 8 papadis in a row.

Place 1/4 tsp mashed potatoes, 1/4 tsp mashed channa, 2 cucumber cubes, little onions, few tomato chunks slowly one-by-one. Sprinkle the sev and aloo bhujjia on top. Place little corainder leaves on top. Pour in the chutney's on top. Serve immediately.

Enjoy by eating the swallowing the entire papadi.

Note: You can also add dahi/ Greek yogurt and make it into dahi sev papadi chaat.

EASY INDIAN COOKING: MUSHROOM CURRY

2009-09-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Know what!!! Mushrooms were once believed to the plant of immortality by the ancient Egyptians (4600 years ago). It was the food of royal family and commoners were denied of it. Even in the civilizations of Russia, China, Greece, Mexico and Latin America, the same ritual were practiced. Many assumed that the consumption of mushrooms can produce super-human strength, help in locating lost objects and make you reach the Gods. Initially, edible mushroom were used mainly in Chinese, European and Japanese cooking. But with the migration of mankind across the globe, every region had began to experiment with it. To my knowledge, I have been seeing the usage of mushroom in Indian cooking only from a decade back. If I am wrong, do correct me.

Health benefits: They are rich source of fibres, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamins, ascorbic acid,selenium, potassium and phosphorous.

Selection:
1. Fresh mushroom would be firm, plump and would have a smooth appearance.

2. Delicate flavor of the mushroom is indicated by a closed viel under the cap while a richer flavor is suggested by an open veil and exposed gills.

Storage:

1. They can be stored in the original package only upto a week in a regridgerator. Never freeze the mushrooms. However, you can freeze sauted mushrooms for 15-20 days.

2. If you have opened them, then transfer it to a porous bag for later use. Dont store them in an airtight container as they cause condensation and lead to spoilage.

Cleaning:

1. You could brush of the dirt with finger or kitchen towl. Always remove/ trim the stem before use.

2. Never run them through water for long time or soak them in water. Mushroom absorb mositure quickly.

There was once a debate in my house about the classification of mushroom as vegetarian or non-vegetarian one. My mom believed it to be a non-vegetarian dish as they are fleshy and meaty. She really couldnt imagine herself eating them. I guess she has started to eat them - I dont know! (gotta check with her) :-) Since its from a fungus family, some vegans do have a problem eating them.

But according to me, mushrooms are delicious and versatile. They are so easy to cook and the addition of Indian spices make them even more delicious. The post for today is an easy Mushroom curry with an Indian twist. The sauteeing is the easiest way to cook the mushrooms. My mushroom curry is a medley of different spices cooked with onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. The addition of cummin powder and garam masala gives the extra kick in every bite. The usage of curry leaves in the gravy makes them more South Indian in texture, taste and flavour. When the mushrrom looses the moisture, they tend to shrink in size, hence the addition of salt should be very calculated and its better to add them at the end.

There was a true satisfaction in S's face as he finished his plate and he was so happy that I cooked it that night. He seems to love its taste and I am sure I would be making them quite often. Honestly, I love cooking for him and I get so excited when he loves my food.

Ingredients

1lb mushroom - chopped
1 large onions - chopped
1 tomato - chopped
1 green chilly - slit
1/2 tbs ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbs chilli powder
1tbs coriander powder
2 tsp cummin powder
2 tsp garam masala
10-12 curry leaves - chopped
1 tbs oil
2 cups water
Salt to taste

Method

Clean the mushroom, chop off the stem and chop them. Set aside in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a kadai. Once they get heated up, add the curry leaves, onions and green chilly. Cook covered for 10 minutes on a medium flame. Let the onions brown but dont burn them.

Throw in the tomatoes and cook till the raw smell disappears. Sprinkle the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and saute for couple of minutes. Cook till the oil separates out of the mixtute.

Add the mushrooms and give it a complete stir. Cook covered on a medium flame for 5-8 minutes. Once they have began to shrink, pour 2 cups of water and 2 tsp salt and cook covered for 10-15 minuted. Spoon out a mushroom piece and check whether they have cooked. They need to be soft and chewy.

Once the gravy begins to thick, sprinkle cummin powder and garam masala. Cook them for another 3-5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

Remove and serve hot with rice/ roti/ chapati.

BANANA APPAM: SWEET DUMPLINGS

2009-08-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

Sweet dumplings with banana, rice, maida, jaggery , coconut and cardamon

I had been watching Singh is King at IFC channel and was just done with cleaning at home. It was time for a chai and also time for S to return from his cricket game. The kitchen looked sparkly clean and my fridge looked so bright after a thorough wash. I feel I achieved my target for the week. I wanted some simple snack to munch and also some treat for myself. I was reminded of my all time favourite school day snack: Banana appam which my mom used to make. The thought of it made me crave for more. Sometimes S's team loses their matches and generally, he wouldnt be in a great mood when he returns home after that and above all, if he finds a sweet (In India, a sweet typically depicts celebrations) he would be irritated for sure. I was in dilemma whether to make it or not.

Suddenly, I was reminded of the famous Cadbury Chocolate ad where a group of men and young boys would be watching a cricket match between Indian and Kenya. They would be having a box of Cadbury celebration chocolates to celebrate after India wins. Unfortunately India loses and the entire gang goes disappointed and suddenly a small boy from the group says "Sweet yedu, Kondadu!!!" (meaning Celebrate with a sweet in Tamil). The remaining guys who are really pissed off stare at him for what he said. Then the small boy replies "Someone won right! Lets celebrate". Thats the tag line for Cadbury chocolate "Celebrate with Cadbury's". I was convinced that I had a back up answer for making this sweet treat if his team has lost.

I had frozen couple of ripen bananas in the freezer with a plan to bake some BANANA BREAD (recipe found here) next week for the road trip. I thawed it in hot water as I had no patience to leave it at room temperature. I had purchased a non-stick appam pan from India and they deliver great appams without much fuss. No oil needed at all! But I smeared little ghee on top to create the authentic flavour to the dish.

These yummy little balls are a true delight in every bite. The wonderful cardamons infuse a lovely aroma to the maida-rice flour batter. A dash of salt enhances the sweetness of the jaggery. With the addition of little water, the smooth batter was ready in no time. My kitchen air was filled with a lovely smell of the appam coated with ghee. I felt the smell of my home back in India. I ended up with 14 appams which disappeared in less than 2 mins. Yummy!

Do try this and I am sure everyone at home will love it. Importantly, its so easy to fix. It's OK if you don't have an appam pan. You can reduce the amount of water and make the batter real thick like the vada consistency. Deep fry them in oil/ghee. Nothing can stop us from enjoying this little pleasure. Give it a try for sure!

PS: S team won the match today and he was so happy when returned home. :-) He enjoyed the appams and went sad when they disappeared too quickly.

Ingredients
1 ripen banana
50gm maida
50gm rice flour
4 cardamon - powdered
1tsp salt
1/2 tbs dessicated / fresh coconut shavings
3 tbs jaggery - powdered
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups water

Method
Place the water in a bowl and dissolve the jaggery with hand. Throw in the maida, rice flour, cardamons, salt, baking soda and mix them well. Make them into a nice smooth batter.

Finally add the mashed banana and coconut shavings to it and completely mix them with the above made batter. They shouldn't be too watery. Check for the sweetness. If you need more, dissolve jaggery in little water and add to the batter. Adjust thickness with rice flour.

Let them sit for 15min.

Heat the non-stick pan on a medium flame. Once heated up, spoon in the batter into each hole and wait for 15min and using a spoon/ wooden prickle turn them over. Cook for another 10-15min. Have an eye on it. Dont burn them.

Spear ghee on top (optional)

Serve hot with chai.
Enjoy!