Jaggirls ~ The Social and Food Network Community

Grilled Octopus Salad with a Spanish Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 04:16:00 +0000

Grilled Octopus Salad with a Spanish Twist

Recipe coming up soon... It was absolutely delicious

Jowar Khichu/ Spicy Sour Sorghum Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 23:03:00 +0000

This recipe is one that I particularly enjoy. Its healthy, gluten free and a great breakfast item. Its also quite easy to prepare which makes it a great choice for busy people. Its also quite filling and satisfying.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Jowar flour/ Sorghum Flour

Available at health food stores and Indian grocery stores
(Jowar also known as white millet flour is a gluten-free, high-protein, cholesterol-free source of a variety of essential nutrients, including dietary fiber, iron, phosphorus and thiamine.) its a cereal grain which for this recipe has been finely ground to a flour. its comes in both variety. A great substitute for wheat flour in baked goods)

2. 1/2 Cup Yogurt whisked til smooth. The Sourer the better for this recipe.
( The benefits of yogurt are many)

3. 1 1/2 cup water

4. 1 Teaspoon. Ginger -- Green Chili paste. ( I used a coffee grinder/spice grinder ) 1-3 green chilies as per your level of spiciness and 1 inch piece ginger.
5. 1 Teaspoon Tumeric/halthi powder

6. 2 Tbs Ghee/Clarified Butter. I make mine at home. (Will be posting that reciepe soon. Its super easy to make )

7. 1 Tbs chopped coriander leaves

Cilantro with stems removed. For this recipe only 1 Tbs chopped cilantro.

8. 2 Tbs Green peas. Boiled and softened.

9. Salt to taste.

Please mix the the ingredients in the order listed one by one in a medium size mixing bowl, making sure there are no lumps formed .I mix the flour and yogurt, making a smooth batter and then adding the water and then the rest of the ingredients.

For the Tempering:

Heat in a small vessel, a Tbs of Ghee and add 2 red chilies, Round or flat dried red chilies will do. Then add the 1 Teas of Musturd S eeds and once they start crackling, I add a stalk of Curry leaves, ( Take care as they do sputter quite a bit so have a small metal lid at hand to cover if needed so there are no ghee splatters. Follow with 1 Tbs of Sesame seeds and lastly a pinch of Hing. (Asafetida)

Asafetida- This spice is used as a digestive aid.

Method:

Heat a Small Kadai or a non stick round deep pot, like the ones in my pictures and pour the contents of the batter in it once the pot is hot. Use a wooden spoon and scrap from the sides and and mix well. Occasionally keep stirring as the sauce thickens as it cooks. Cover and let it cook for 8-10 minutes keeping an eye that it doesnt get stuck to the sides or burnt at the bottom. Medium heat is recommended.

The consistency of the better should be that it coats your spoon thinly. We do not want it to get to thick as it will thicken on its own later.

At this point, Start the Tempering and as soon as the Hing/ Asafetida is put in as the last ingredient, immediately add it to the batter. Give it a good stir and thats it.

Use a metal vessel like this for the tempering.

Now at this point you can grease about 3 glass bowls and pour the mixture into them and let it sit for a few minutes. Turn the bowls upside down and Viola, a pretty tasty breakfast dish. You can even cut them into pieces if you prefer. small bowls with nice molds will really spruce up the look of the dish for parties as well. This dish can also be used as an appetizer for a party

Eating with Healthy Choices!

Black Eyed Peas ( chawl/ Lobhiya nu Shak)

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 01:33:00 +0000

Black Eyed Peas Masala Curry

The beans with the sweet tart taste of tomatoes really make this dish simply delightful. Its a family favorite. Great for Vegan and Vegetarians alike.

This dish is a good source of Potassium and Fiber, Iron and Zinc. Plus with the condiment added, its a meal in itself. Serve with Rice or Indian Tortillas ( Roti )

Ingredients:

Tempering:

2 Tbs oil

1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1 large pinch of asafetida ( Hing )

2 medium tomatoes chopped

1 1/2 cups black eyed peas soaked overnight and then pressure cooked to 3 whistles or boiled until soft.

1 red onion chopped finely

1 1/2 cups water

2 Tbs finely chopped coriander leaves.

Spices:

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric, 1 tea red chili powder, 1 1/2 tea coriander powder

optional : 1 small tea garam masala ( available at stores packaged)

Method:

In a deep oval pan, or kadhi or non stick deep pan, heat the oil. ( approx 2 Tbs )

when hot, add the mustard seeds. wait until they start popping and add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the asafetida and immediately add the onions and stir until the onions become translucent.

Add the beans, tomatoes, water and salt. Give it a stir and bring to a boil. The reduce the heat to medium low and cover and cook for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes are over, stir the beans, and add the rest of the spices.

Let it cook until it becomes a thick gravy. if a little more water is needed you can add as required. Stir often enough so the gravy doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan. Taste for salt and remove from heat.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Enjoy!

Journey to India

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 23:19:00 +0000

My Journey to India

Updated

Recently I made a trip to India. I enjoyed fabulous Cuisines from different regions in India. As I have a particular fondness for Kerala style food, I will be posting many more dishes in the days to come.

Unfortunately my computer was lost, so i was unable to post for 3 weeks. So sorry to have been absent for so long. I will be chronicling my adventures in Tasting of unique cuisines as many chefs have become my friends and I will give credit to their contributions to the recipes to follow. . I think the plane food was mostly the miserable part of the food. It was a hit and miss but on the good side, Airplane food has improved. One item was really tasty. Wild Garden Hummus Dip ( in a tube) with Multi Grain Pita Chips.

My Travel log to be continued......

Kerela Dishes, Konkan Dishes, South Indian Cuisine and much more coming soon.

My first day was at the Orchid Hotel.

What a spread there was for Breakfast. Too many items to choose from. But Pongal a south indian dish was my favorite. I will be posting that recipe soon.

Chaas ( Healthy Yogurt Drink )

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 22:07:00 +0000

Chaas (Yogurt Drink)

(Yogurt Based Indian Drink)

Chaas is a very healthy drink that can help and prevent many ailments that we might suffer from. In india its become such a staple drink after dinner or during the day, that I over looked all the health benefits from drinking it. Its just part of our lifestyle. Indian cuisine has long been known for its health benefits. Mostly everything, that we eat, has a reason for it, based on region, climate and Ayurvedic health for the body itself.

Yogurt contains live-active cultures of these friendly bacteria can help to prevent and treat a wide variety of ailments. Too much use of antibotics destroys the healthy bacteria needed to fight infections and Yogurt replaces them back. Yogurt assists in digestive, and urinary health. It also known for cooling down internal body heat according to ayurvedic research. Too much internal body heat can cause rashes and can bring about damage to his/her internal organs leading to poor health, fitness and excessive sweating.

By eating pro biotic-rich foods and maintaining good intestinal flora, a person can also help to maintain a healthy immune system

This simple recipe does the body a lot of good.

Its made from yogurt (probiotic live active cultures ) and mixed with water. Additional condiments are added which all have benefits for us.

Water is added to make it like a thin smoothie

Cumin seeds are dry roasted and crushed. Cumin seeds, whose scientific name is Cuminum cyminum, are an excellent source of iron, a mineral that plays many vital roles in the body. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism and also aids in digestive health as does yogurt.

Green chiles are chopped fine. Green chili has a large amount of dietary fiber. Fiber can prevent constipation and help maintain a healthy weight as well as promote digestive health, particularly in the intestines. It also has Vitamin C.

Cilantro is finely chopped. Cilantro has too many benefits to list. its aids in digestive tract health, removes toxins, metals from our systems. detoxifies our bodies, helps with urinary health, and its an all over digestive aid. Its known for its natural cleansing properties.

Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt

3 cups water

1 tea Cumin seeds dry roasted ( stop roasting when the spice becomes fragrant) and crushed with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder can be used.

2 Green chilies finely chopped ( Asian kind or ones bought at a indian store. ) They are small long and thin. more can be added but they packed enough heat as it is. For people who are intolerant of spice, just reduce it to 1 green chili . ( may also be deseeded as per individual preference.

2 Tbs Cilantro finely chopped.

Salt as per taste. 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons should suffice

Method:

put all the ingredients in a blender and blend it for a 10 sec on medium speed. It blends very easily. Voila, thats it. Very simple, healthy and a great summer drink to cool you down.

Enjoy !

Thai Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 02:33:00 +0000

Thai Spicy Shrimp Rice

This turned out so delicious and was so easy and simple to make, I just had to blog about it. It goes well the the other asian side dish that I posted about already. The Bok Choy Dish.

Ingredients:

approx : 4 cups of cooked rice ( COOKED) I wouldn't want you to end up with a crazy amount of rice if you missed that part.

14-20 Medium size Shrimp, Shells removed with tail.

1 Cup Frozen Peas

1/2 cup Fresh Coriander, Chopped coarsely.

3 Spring Green onions, Cut on the diagonal Asian style.

2 Tbs White Wine or cooking wine or Sherry. ( Always better to use wine that you drink yourself. I think it tastes better then Cooking wines at the store.

5 cloves Garlic smashed or chopped finely

2 eggs broken in a bowl and scrambled ready for use.

3 Tb oil approx. I prefer pure sesame oil from the Asian market or a mix of pure sesame oil with olive oil, as pure sesame oil has a strong taste so many prefer to mix it.

Stir-fry sauce: combine the items below into a bowl and mix them.

1/2 tsp. Shrimp paste ( available in Asian markets)

1/2 Thai chili paste ( optional )

The Picture above shows what i generally use.
I also Pickled Soybean ( optional 1 teaspoon )
2 Tbs Fish Sauce
1 tsp sugar ( if you use the chili paste and the pickled soybean please omit the sugar as they already have sugar in them.
1 Tbs Soy Sauce or Tamari ( healthy alternative )
1/4 tea ground white pepper
1/2 tea tumeric
1-3 Chili Sauce ( garlic-chilli sauce available in asian markets or regular markets) Its a staple item i use for a number of dishes so i always have it handy.

Preparation :

Bring the cooked rice out. preferably chilled from the fridge. Put it into a bowl and pour a little oil on your fingers. About 1 Tb and mix it into the rice making the grains nice and separated. Use your hands and work through the clumps until its more and less nicely separated.

place a Wok or large round deep frying and heat the 2 Tbs oil on medium high heat. when its hot add the shrimp and garlic and stir until the shrimp is pink and curled, taking care not to overcook them. I always slight undercook them they will get cooked further with the next process. Add cooking wine or wine if the Wok becomes to dry. Using the spatula push them to the side .

Add the remaining 1tb of oil and quickly scramble the eggs in the center. Keep the heat at the same level through out.

Add the peas and the rice and pour the stir-fry sauce on top of it and using to spatulas use a showeling action to mix everything. From down to up on all sides. makes sure everything gets coated with the sauce and mixed well. continue for 3 minutes until the rice and peas are nice and hot. I hear a crackling noise with the rice. That signals its almost done. let it crackle and sizzle for 30 secs more.

Taste the rice for salt and if needed add 1 Tb of Fish sauce at a time until its seasoned to your likening while still stirring the rice on heat. No Salt is needed as fish sauce contains plenty enough.

Remove from heat and Sprinkle the green onions and Cilantro on Top. Serve with sriracha sauce
on the side for those that prefer a more spicier version. I also sometimes put cucumber slices on the sides.

Enjoy!

Spicy Bok Choy with Cashews

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 02:05:00 +0000

Spicy Bok Choy

This is quick and easy Bok Choy dish to serve as a side dish with any Asian Dish. I absolutely love it. Especilly when i char them a little. Great Flavor....

Ingredients :

3 Tbs Soy Sauce or Tamari ( Lower sodium content)

2 Tbs or more Asian Chili Garlic paste ( Available at most grocery stores ) its very common.

3 Tbs Rice Vinegar

1 Tbs Sugar

2 Tbs Finely chopped garlic.

Six heads of Baby Bok Choy cut lengthwise.

2 Tbs Oi ( Sesame oil Asian kind or olive oil )

2 Tablespoons crushed cashew nuts roasted. No oil is necessary, I just dry roast them.

Method:

Mix the Soy Sauce, Chili paste, Vinegar, Sugar and Garlic and a little Oil in a small bowl. On a flat plate place the Bok Choy Cut side up side by side. Pour the sauce over the Bok Choy and let it marinate for about 15 minutes or more.

Heating either a Plancha, or a Cast iron Pan or Grill, place the Bok. I bought this plancha from William Sonoma, I just absolutely love it. its does everything and many different items at the same time. I Even put this Plancha on my outdoor grills.

La Plancha

Heat the oil in the Pan or whatever device you are using. Or brush the grill grates with oil and place the Bok choy Cut side down and let it cook. Any leftover sauce can be drizzled over the Bok Choy at this time. Turn them in a few minutes with tongs as soon as you see the ends starting to char. and cook them on the other side.

I personally like them charred but everyone taste is different. Once done to your liking arrange on a plate and sprinkle the roasted Cashew Nuts over the Bok Choy

Enjoy. :)

Young Green Garlic and Its Health Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Sat, 10 May 2014 00:27:00 +0000

Young Green Garlic

Just picked from my garden today. Fresh Green Garlic yet to harden in its shells. I love chopping them up like chives. you can use the stems like the Green onions too.

The flavor of green garlic is still garlicky, but is much more mild with less of a bitter bite. When cooked, the green garlic sweetens, lending a new layer of depth to a dish.
It’s fine to use green garlic any way you’d normally use garlic cloves, though you can use much more if you like, and reduce the cooking time, since the fresh bulbs are more delicate than cloves.
Green garlic carries the same health benefits as regular garlic. All vampires aside, garlic can contribute to keeping many a condition at bay: cancer, heart disease, hypertension, infection and even impotence.
Green garlic is a good source of Calcium, Phosphorous, and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese.

They can be found at any local Farmers Market. I love using them in my soups.
Another Healthy Tip for the day

Artichoke artichokes! The Many Ways to Enjoy Them for our Benefit

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:41:00 +0000

Artichokes

I recently came upon some posts which sounded quite interesting. Artichoke Broth? Really? Well I have read some very interesting things about how great the benefits are from drinking it. Reduces Flatulence and stomach upsets, Revitalizes dry skin and so on.

"An artichoke has been long hailed as a liver medicine and in many popular folk remedies it was used to treat various kinds of liver infections and ailments. Some studies support that in ancient times the artichokes were used to regenerate the tissues in liver, which is either damaged due to some medications or due to excessive drinking. Artichokes are also considered as a good hangover cure. If you are finding it hard to fight against the demons of hangover, then we suggest you to try out the broth cooked using artichoke, it will not only sooth your stomach but also the liver and ease out the problems at once" As quoted on http:www.ifood.tv.com

An artichoke has been long hailed as a liver medicine and in many popular folk remedies it was used to treat various kinds of liver infections and ailments. Some studies support that in ancient times the artichokes were used to regenerate the tissues in liver, which is either damaged due to some medications or due to excessive drinking. Artichokes are also considered as a good hangover cure. If you are finding it hard to fight against the demons of hangover, then we suggest you to try out the broth cooked using artichoke, it will not only sooth your stomach but also the liver and ease out the problems at once.
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/artichoke-broth-health-benefits#YLvq8RTJxQj1EoEI.99

Artichoke Tea

Receipe:

So grab 2 artichokes and put them in boiling water until tender. I usually cut the Sharp tops off with a knife like in the picture on top and cut the stem up to one inch from the bud. I flavor the boiling broth with salt and lemon and let it boil until tender. Remove the artichokes and steep some green tea in the broth and add a little honey and its very tasty and healthy. I love it. I then dip the artichokes in olive and balsamic vinaigrette and eat the meaty stems and the heart and the pith from the leaves. or alternatively you can slice a lemon and put a garlic bud and some Paprika on it. Put the artichoke leaf side down and wrap it in foil and bake it for 15 minutes in the oven.

There are so many ways to eat and enjoy and artichoke. Boil, Bake or Grill them. But dont forget to enjoy the Juice.

Food for Thought

Jannki

Tomato Lentil Curry ( Tomato Tadka Dal)

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 23:36:00 +0000

Tomato Dal Lentil Curry

This Delicious Dal/ Curry Soup is every bit as tasty as it is nutritious. Indian food has a science to every dish. Due to its ancient cultural heritage , every spice and lentil has a reason for being in the dish. Makes for a interesting topic as well sheer goodness for the body.

Ingredients:

250 gms of Boiled Pigeon Peas split and skinned ( Tur (tuvar) Dal)
I pressure cook mine for up to 3 whistles. I have an old fashioned one but many on the market todays are more sophisticated. You need to get the lentils soft enough to mash up. Alternately you could boil them but i find that it takes a very long time and we all never have enough time.
Mash up the boiled dal to a mush consistency using a potato masher of a hand mixer.

1 whole onion finely chopped
1-3 green chilies - Small variety obtained at Asian or Indian store. Thai green chilies can also be used. I find that 3 chilies doesn't make it very spicy as the lentils absorb a lot of the hotness but for the people who cannot handle spiciness, I would stick with 1 only.
6 Garlic bulbs finely chopped
1 big tomato soft and ripe finely chopped retaining the seeds and juice

Tempering ingredients
2 tbs Ghee ( Clarified butter or any oil of your choosing) Ghee brings out the fabulous flavor in this dish. but its a preference
1 Teaspoon each of Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida ( hing)
2 stalks Curry leaves. Available at Indian stores. about 10 leaves
1-2 Whole red dry chilies

Garnish:

2 Tbs Coriander leaves Chopped fine to sprinkle at the end.

Method:

Heat the Ghee in a 2-3 quart deep pot or larger. ( high flame)
Add the Mustard ,Cumin and Dry Red chillies.
As soon the mustard seeds start to crackle , add the curry leaves and then the hing. let it sizzle for 10 seconds and immediately follow with the green chilies, garlic and onions. Stir until the onion has softened and lightly browned. ( medium flame) Then add the chopped Tomato and mix well on medium flame until softened. Add the boiled Pigeon Peas ( Tur Dal) and Salt per taste and simmer for 15 minutes stirring once in a while.
Taste for Salt
and finish off with the Coriander leaves

Suggested Sides. Plain Boiled Rice and Vegetable Dish.

Enjoy

Jannki

My version of a simple salad

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 00:41:00 +0000

Mixed Greens with Smoked Honey Salmon and Poached Egg

Ingredients

1. Mixed greens Baby Spinach, spring mix and romaine lettuce

2. Sprouted Moong Beans

3. Smoked Honey Salmon available at Costco/ Grocery stores. cut into small slabs

4. 1 carrot chopped

5. 1 Cucumber peeled and sliced

6. Parmesan Cheese shredded.

7. 3 Mushrooms chopped, I used Crimini Variety

8. 8 Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half

9. Make your salad dressing with herb olive oil and a good balsamic Vinaigrette. 2tbs olive oil and 1 tea of balsamic.

10. 1 poached egg. I boiled about 2 cups water and add about 1/2 cup white vinegar and crack the egg and swirl it around in the pot until desired hardness.

mixed everything except the Egg ,Salmon and Cheese.

Add the Egg, Salmon and Grated Cheese on top .

Drizzle the Dressing and added Freshly Ground Black Pepper and Salt.

A Nice Afternoon Snack

Black Split Gram Curry ( Urad Dal Gujarati Style )

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 00:46:00 +0000

Ingredients List

1 1/2 Cup Black Split Lentils shelled ( Urad Dal ) Available at Health food stores or Indian Grocery Stores - Washed and pressure cooked for 3 whistles. they should be soft and easily mash-able. Or alternatively which takes more time, you can soak them for 30 mins and then boil them until done. I will be posting techniques soon.
2 TB oil or clarified Butter ( Ghee)
Green chili and Garlic paste. made in a spice grinder. can also chop up the garlic and grate the ginger -- 2 green chilies and 1inch piece ginger. ( I use 4 green chilies for a hotter flavor)
2 stalks Curry leaves ( about 12 pieces)
1 large tomato Chopped or 2 small tomato
Spices : 1 TBCumin and 1 TB Coriander powders ( 2 TBs Thanajiru) , 1/2 to 1 tea red chili powder ( Cayenne or Indian variety) depending again per your level of spiciness, 1/2 Turmeric
1/2 each of Mustard seeds and Cumin Seeds. A Pinch of Asafoetida ( Hing) -- all is available at Indian or Health Food Stores ( Whole foods, Asian Stores, etc..)
1 cup water to make the gravy. I add 2 cups sometimes as i like my curry more gravy style
Salt to Taste
Garnish : Chopped 2 Tb Cilantro leaves.

Method:

First the Tempering:
Heat the Oil or Clarified Butter in a Medium Deep Sized Pot on high heat.
Add the mustard seeds and when they are about to sputter add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Immediately after, add a pinch of Asafoetida. Turn the heat down to medium.
Immediately add the green chili and ginger paste and mix it around until the green chilies are a bit brown. Throw in the Curry leaves and give them a stir .
Add the tomato and let it cook until it becomes soft.
Add the spices and stir til the all becomes nicely mixed, being careful not to let it get stuck to the bottom of the pan. ( Do not let them burn)

Get your soaked Black Gram lentils and add to the tomato mixture. Also add Salt at this point. I put in one Teaspoon.
Then add the water per consistency to your liking.

Stir this mixture and let it simmer for about 15 mins.

Final step Garnish with cilantro leaves and lemon wedges if desired.

Accompaniment : Serve it up with some steaming white Basmati rice and Veggies and it makes a wonderful complete meal.

Enjoy!

Diving News: Curiosity of a Reef Shark

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 19:27:00 +0000

Reef shark attack on Diver a few days ago.

GMO and Corn!

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 19:18:00 +0000

GMO News about Corn! Great Article

Egg Soy Chorizo with Portabello Mushroom Masala

noreply@blogger.com (Jannki8) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 00:25:00 +0000

Soy Chorizo and Eggs! Breakfast Dish for Today

I came upon this recipe one morning with just throwing ingredients together with what i had on hand. Everyone

love it so i decided to recreate it, to my best recollection. I had made it with black beans instead of mushrooms the last time. Both tasted great! If you like this recipe, please post your comments and share my site.
Happy cooking :)

Ingredients

1.   Half a red onion chopped fine
2.   2 green chilies or one Jalapeno ( chopped fine) Optional if one doesnt enjoy the spice
3. 2 garlic bulbs chopped finely
4. 1 inch piece ginger grated
5.   1 whole portobello mushroom chopped medium size pieces so you can see the chunks
( this also gives the dish a meaty chewy flavor) crimini mushrooms can also be substituted
6.   Store bought Soy Chorizo   about a 5 inch piece length ( available at vons, health stores, non-gmo variety)
7.   4 eggs, cracked and beaten in a bowl. I added black pepper and salt and mixed it.
8.   1 Tomato chopped.
9.   1 Tb chopped Cilantro
10. 2 Tb Butter, ( more or less to your liking)
10. Half an avocado, sliced.
11. spices:

1/2 tea red cayenne powder ( or paprika

madras curry powder 1/2 tea.
Salt to taste

Method: ( medium heat)
1. In a non stick pan, heat about 2 Tb of Butter
As soon as the butter is sizzling, Toss in the chilies and onions and stir fry until the onions are slightly brown and dark in color. add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for a minute or two until the raw smell is gone. Add the mushroom and stir until they are soft. Add the tomato and turn up the heat to high and keep stirring until the tomatoes look really soft and you can see the butter rising to the top.

2. while this is going on, in another non stick pan heat 2 tb of oil ( olive oil) and once you can see the smoke rising , throw in the soy chorizo and stir occasionally til browned. about 3 mins

Add the chorizo to the Number 1 mixture and mix well. turn heat to low and add the rest of the spices including some more salt.

Give it a whirl and add the eggs and cook until eggs are done.

Finish with Avocado Slices on top and a couple of sprigs of cilantro and paprika powder for garnish. i added some cucumbers as i had some on hand but its optional.

Accompaniments: Sourdough Break toasted or Jalapeno cheddar bread.

Serve Hot.

Get rid of the Salt!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 22:45:00 +0000

Spice up your life = without Salt

I really like this article. Its necessary to in today's living of quick fixes to take short cuts on your health through bad choices. It might take a little more time and effort but once you organize yourself, fresh ingredients are always the best. Most packages of ready made foods out there have a lot MSG in them. Its mostly a matter of reconditioning how we eat and what we eat, on a daily basis

Jan

Potato with Beaten Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 00:20:00 +0000

Potato with Beaten Rice Dish

Healthy Breakfast Dish   ( Very Popular in India ) Easy to make.

This dish should taste slightly sweet and sour with a touch of spiciness to give it a kick. The rich smell of the curry leaves really makes this dish very flavorful.

Serves 4.
Served in Bowls.

Difficulty level(1-10) 3

Ingredients for Batata Powa ( beaten rice with potatoes and spices)

3   cups Thick beaten rice or dehusked rice ( very digestible and light )
1   tsp mustard seeds ( rai) indian name
1   tsp cumin seeds ( jeera)
2   stalks curry leaves leaves taken off the stalks ( Curry leaves can be obtained from any indian store or whole foods stores
2 to 4   green chilies slitted the lengthwise.   Please use only 2 for a milder not spicy flavor. ( thai or small green chilies)
1 medium red onion chopped finely
2 medium sized red red potatoes , peeled and cubed. or 1 large russet potato. ( pre boiled is optional but a great time saver) Please do not over cook them or they will get mushy later on when mixing.
1 tsp Tumeric powder ( Hathi)
1 Tb sugar
2 TB oil ( sesame oil available at indian stores or olive oil.    what ever is your preference)
1 tsp salt to taste
juice of small lemon
For The Garnish
2 Tb chopped Cilantro and Lemon Wedges to garnish
1 Tb of cashew nuts broken and dry roasted in a small pan ( optional)
1Tb Milk ( optional but recommend to keep the dish nice and moist)

Method
   1.   Place the Poha in a sieve and put it under running water making sure you move it around with your hands to get it soaked and cleaned properly.   ( Do not squeeze it, rather toss it well to drain out all excess water and keep aside.to drain. 10 mins usually does the trick and gets it dry enough.
   2.   Heat the oil in a non-stick pan ( taws or small wok) and then add the mustard seeds. as soon as you can see they are about to crackle, add the cumin seeds
   3.   When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and green chillies and stir for 1 minute. ( take care and put the cover on the pan for a quick moment as soon as you add the curry leaves and green chilies as the water from the curry leaves can cause the oil to sputter and cause injury) Give a quick stir to the mixture, and let the chilies char a bit. ( 30 secs)
   4.   Add the chopped onions and sauté till the onions turn translucent and the raw smell is gone.
   5.   Add the drained potatoes to the pan with little water. and turn the heat to low.
   6.   In another bowl, Add the drained dry poha, sugar , salt and turmeric and hand-mixed it gently making sure all the ingredients get properly mixed. ( This should be done in advance of adding the potatoes to the mixture )
   7.   add the beaten rice ( poha) mixture to the pan. and the lemon juice.
   8.   Turn the burner to mediam heat and stir the mixture until properly warmed and mixed sprinkling the milk if desired.
   9.   Remove from heat.
   10.   Serve hot garnished with the chopped coriander,lemon wedges. and cashew nuts if using.

Tips
   1.   Sprinkle 1 tablespoon milk, mix it well.

Serve immediately :)

Diamond Ring

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:46:00 +0000

14K Gold 1-Ct. T.W. Igl Certified Diamond Ring Set (Google Affiliate Ad)Its late and I need something to dream about.

Diamonds are forever and I need this one.

Cartier Canary Diamond Ring - Linda Horn

http://jewelry.1stdibs.com/jewelry_item_detail.php?id=2630

ITS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF.

Flatten your stomach

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:38:00 +0000

New Year New Body.

Get that stomach in shape.

Nice Article!

http://allwomenstalk.com/12-best-ways-to-lose-stomach-fat/18/

Lets get moving.

Drinks are on me!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 07:52:00 +0000

Site is up lets have a toast! I LOVE A TASTY DRINK

this one is yummy!

Cherry Vodka, Grenadine, Sprite...Dirty Shirley Temple.

http://intoxicology.net/
This is a great site to experience the art of the cocktail.

Cheers!