Turmeric n spice

The ABCs of life

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:21:00 +0000

We are what we eat - indeed to a great extent. There is plenty of debate around the subject of inherited genes and the deficiencies that come with it. Well, that is something that is not under our control - but there are things that we CAN control!! For example, what we eat. Cooking is not all about taste and presentation - it a fine balance between taste and health benefits.

Over the past few months, I have benefited from understanding the good (and bad) of what we eat and I thought I would share my findings/learning with you. It makes me a better cook – one who cooks a good blend of health and taste.

This is not a comprehensive list and in no way a recommendation for any health issues - please consult your health provider for any health related diet. This is my learning from my own reading which I want to share.

Vitamins are organic compounds which are needed in small quantities to sustain life. It can be fat soluble or water soluble.

The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K — dissolve in fat and can be stored in your body.

The water-soluble vitamins — C and the B-complex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate) — need to dissolve in water before your body can absorb them. The body can't store these. Your body need a fresh supply of these vitamins every day.

Minerals minerals are inorganic elements that come from the soil and water and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Like calcium.

VITAMIN A Vitamin A prevents eye problems, promotes a healthy immune system, is essential for the growth and development of cells, and keeps skin healthy.

Found in : milk, eggs, liver, fortified cereals, darkly colored orange or green vegetables (such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and kale), and orange fruits such as cantaloupe, apricots, peaches, papayas, and mangos.

VITAMIN D strengthens bones because it helps the body absorb bone-building calcium.

Found In sunlight on your skin! You can also get vitamin D from egg yolks, fish oils, and fortified foods like milk

VITAMIN E antioxidant and helps protect cells from damage. Promotes healthy red blood cells. Not to mention it is great for your skin.

Found in vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables, avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains.

VITAMIN K helps blood clot.

Found in beef liver, green tea, turnip greens, broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, and dark green lettuce.

VITAMIN B 12, B6, Thiamin (B1), Niacin ( B3) Riboflavin (B2) and Folate :

Vitamin B12 helps to make red blood cells and helps nerve cell function.

Vitamin B6 is important for brain and nerve function. It helps the body break down proteins and make red blood cells.

Thiamin helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy and is necessary for the heart, muscles, and nervous system to function effectively.

Niacin helps the body turn food into energy. It helps maintain healthy skin :):)

Riboflavin is essential for turning carbohydrates into energy and producing red blood cells and great for your eyes.

Folate help make rbc and dna. great for your joints.

Found in potatoes, bananas, beans, seeds, nuts, red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, spinach, and fortified cereals, dried beans, soy food, peas, whole grains like wheat germ, peanuts, legumes (like peas and lentils), dairy products, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus and rice.

VITAMIN C needed to form collagen, a tissue that helps to hold cells together. Helps promote healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels. It helps the body absorb iron and calcium, aids in wound healing, and contributes to brain function.

Found in : red berries, tomatoes, kiwi, red and green bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, and juices made from guava, grapefruit, and orange.

Sources : http://www.umm.edu , http://kidshealth.org, http://www.nlm.nih.gov, http://www.webmd.com

Wine Poached Pears

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:37:00 +0000

We are in the second week of the brand new year already? Where did the time go? I was out on a four week vacation to India, had such a wonderful time with family and friends, truly spoilt !! Street food, chaat, snacks, dosas, idlis, samosa, breads, pastries, exotic desserts, endless cups of chai, coffee and my all time favorite tender coconut on the streets.. pure bliss!! And not to forget some serious shopping ;-)

Now that I am back, settled in am all excited about the new year and my goals for the year, have tons of ideas and recipes, can't wait to get cookin'. I am so looking forward to blog- hopping to see whats cooking in my friend's kitchen. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season. A Happy New Year to all of you. Missed you guys :) :)

Ingredients:

4-6 Peeled, Cored and Sliced Pears

1 1/2 cups of water

1 1/2 cups of red wine (recommend Shiraz or Merlot)

3/4 cups of granulated sugar

a handful of blue berries and cranberries - fresh or frozen

Mix the water, red wine, sugar and berries and bring to a boil. Add the pealed pears and simmer for 20-25 mins till the pear is tender. (poked through with a fork). Remove Pears and refrigerate.

Boil the wine sauce until the liquid has been reduced by half. Pour sauce over pears and serve with either mascarpone, crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream .

Coriander and Mint chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:41:00 +0000

Am not so crazy about the time change . I just feel we have hardly any daylight. Well not the best thing when you get your creative juices going at 4 pm on a cloudy evening with hardly any day light. It has been on my mind forever to start using my camera the way it should be used - to understand light better and to use it to my advantage. I started reading - Plate to Pixel - digital food photography and styling by Helene Dujardin. Love the way she explains every aspect of capturing the food and sharing it thru photography. You must visit her blog- its spectacular.

After I spent a few hours reading , my hands were itching to try something new with my camera. It was 4pm on a cloudy day with hardly any day light, I had made some coriander mint chutney that afternoon, I got out my camera and started using different combinations of settings. I was really happy with the outcome and am glad to use the pixs. Am looking fwd to more learning and rediscovering my camera. Any photography tips and advise are welcome.

You will need
a big bunch of coriander leaves
a small bunch of mint leaves (optional)
small tomato (optional)
2-3 tsp lime juice or 2 tbsp of tamarind paste
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp sugar or jaggery
7-8 green chillies
1-2 garlic pod
1-2 tsp dried cranberries (optional)
1/4 th inch grated ginger (optional)
salt per taste

Add all the ingredients in the blender add some water ( not much - you don't want the chutney to be watery consistency) blend till it is nice and smooth...almost creamy. Use it with parathas or sandwich or in bhel puri, sev puri and dahi vada.

This is a very multi- purpose chutney - adds the oomph in a meal !! One of my favorite use is with grilled cheese sandwich.....add a slice of cheese and a tbsp of chutney between two slices of bread and grill....it is a simple and divine snack - add some chips and a glass of mango lassi and you got a meal. You can store this in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Peter Reinhart's Buttermilk White Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:38:00 +0000

It is amazing how almost two years ago when I started the blog, I would find it challenging to write. It was like writing to an empty space. Two years has changed so much ...I can rave and rant and most times I have to hold myself for the fear of overdoing it. It sounds like a cliché but so true, blogging feels like you belong to a community - a community of friends with similar interest.

Now for my update on the week that ~~went by~~ was........I have been working for a sketch for a while now and I finally got to finish it. Started a new book - The forty rules of love - it is two parallel stories woven into one - one contemporary and the other set in the 13th century. A wonderful story of love and spiritual longing. I met up with some of my friends over a cup of coffee. Finally got to bake buttermilk bread - had bookmarked that in the last century sometime from Collaborative Curry. Collaborative curry is one of my favorite blogs, I love the photography and the clean look of the blog. Here it is -- buttemilk bread .

It is getting colder and I am looking fwd to more baking in the coming months. You can make either bread or dinner rolls. I added some dried funugreek, chili flakes and cumin seeds to the original recipe.

4¼ cups (19 ounces) unbleached bread flour
1½ teaspoons (.38 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) sugar
2 teaspoons (.22 ounce) instant yeast
1 large (1.65 ounces) egg, slightly beaten, at room temperature
¼ cup (2 ounces) butter, margarine, or shortening, at room temperature, or vegetable oil
1½ cups (12 ounces) buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
1 egg, whisked with 1 teaspoon water until frothy, for egg wash (optional)
sesame or poppy seeds for garnish (optional)
4 tbsp fenugreek leaves (optional)
4 tbsp chili flakes (optional)
4 tbsp cumin seeds (optional)

Mix together the flour, salt, sugar, fenugreek leaves, chili flakes and cumin seeds and yeast in a bowl. ( no you don't have to mix the yeast in warm milk )Pour in the egg, butter, add the buttermilk until all the flour is absorbed and the dough forms a ball. If the dough seems very stiff and dry add more buttermilk to make it supple.

Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook), adding more flour, if necessary, to create a dough that is soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky. Continue kneadingfor 6 to 8 minutes. Coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Remove the fermented dough from the bowl and divide it in half for sandwich loaves and the other half for dinner rolls. Mist the dough lightly with spray oil and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rest for about 20 minutes. Mist the tops of the dough with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap or a towel for 60 to 90 minutes, or until it nearly doubles in size.

Preheat the oven to 350° F for loaves or 400° F for roll and buns. Brush the rolls or buns with the egg wash and garnish with poppy or sesame seeds. Bake the rolls or buns for approximately 15 minutes. Bake loaves for 35 to 45 minutes.

When the loaves have finished baking, remove them immediately from the pans and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving. Rolls should cool for at least 15 minutes on a rack before serving. Enjoy with breakfast, lunch or dinner....and yes the house smells sooo good :)

Mango Lassi

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:08:00 +0000

Mango lassi is one of my favorite, it goes so well with Indian food, that's another story that I can make a meal out of it :) :) Well you can do so many variations of mango lassi....add pomegranate to add a bit of crunch, add some mango pieces or strawberries......some keveda essence. Food is like a canvas all you need is a the capability to imagine, which we are all born with . It is am amazing how one dish with same recipe and ingredients taste so different when made by two different people, I guess that is beacuse when we cook we add a bit of ourselves in the food we prepare. I love the deep orange color of the lassi.

The deep orange reminds me of pumkins and haloween. So what are you all planning for haloween? Am glad it is not going to rain so we can trick or treat - my little one is going to be a witch from Harry Potter !! I am told that angry birds and black swan are the most popular costume this year for haloween....popular or not make sure you have a great time and stay safe. ENJOY !!!!!!!!!!!

You will need

Mango puree : fresh or tinned - 1 and 1/2 cup

Sweet lassi - 2 cup

cardimon powder :1/4 tsp

Pista crushed : 2 tbsp

Saffron : 2-3

sugar - 2tsp

Wip sugar cardimom powder, saffron with yogurt (homemade) so it is nice and creamy. Keep aside. Now wip the mango with some some more yogurt and cardimom. Mix them all together and serve chilled in a class or play around with the colors - some mouthwatering patterns...top with nuts, saffron and cardimom powder.

Serve chilled with your favorite meal!!

Bruschetta

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:32:00 +0000

"October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight and the enduring constellations above them once again. " (author- unknown) We have had more sunny days in October with temp in 80s then ever..... !! I loved it ...walking barefoot on the neatly manicured law ....watering my chrysanthemums ( they got dry that's how warm it was). I love October as much as I love summer ....the changing colors and a little nip in the air oh so perfect....it has been extra special with the warm sunshine....did I say i am spoilt !
The last weekend was fun packed with birthdays and parties spending time with friends. I Love it when I am in the company of good food and great friends. Friends ......who love you for who you are and you are just comfortable with them..!! This one is for - MY FRIENDS - giving me constant encouragement for everything I do or want to do. I know you guys love bruschetta :) :)

You will need

1/2 a loaf of sour dough bread sliced- serves 4-6
tomatoes ( these were home grown so extra special)
Basil dried or fresh
pepper jack cheese or cheese of your choice
marjoram ( you'll love the sweet aroma )
evov 5-6 tbsp
salt
freshly ground pepper
spring onions- optional
roasted pineapple topping or habanero -(home made or store bought) - for topping

Pre-heat oven to 375F. Spray olive oil over baking sheet, arrange the sour dough slices.Drizzle some olive oil on each slice. Layer the cheese on each followed by tomatoes, spring onions and the spices. Bake for 12-15 min or till cheese begins to just melt. Cool on rack. top it with some habanero and fresh ground pepper. Serve warm as a snack or as a starter with your favorite soup.

Bruschetta (pronounced "brusketta") is a wonderful way to capture the flavors of ripe home grown tomatoes, fresh garden basil!

Home grown tomatoes :)

Bisibele Bhat and Curd rice

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Bisibele (bbb) is a traditional dish that I grew up on....lazy weekend afternoons with bisibele and curd rice along with crunchy papadums and fried chillies, followed by a nap and a movie. Sunday nites were movie nites .....those days we had only doordarshan and Sunday nite movies was a grand finale' to the weekend!! It is amazing that not much has changed, we have a variety of entertainment to choose from but Sunday afternoons are special when bbb is on the menu .....& extra special when shared with loved ones - be it family or friends and food is a big part of it, atleast in my home.

I have many variations of bbb. This is one of my favorites : a recipe given to me by my mother-in-law who is a fabulous cook!!

You will need :

1 cup : rice
3/4 cup : toor daal

Vegetables

1-1/2 cup ash guard cut in cubes
1 cup beans cut - an inch long
3/4 cup green peas

2-3 tbsp tamarind pulp

lemon size jaggery
pinch turmeric
salt to taste

For the masala
1 tbsp cumin
little black pepper
4 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp chana daal
4-5 small pieces of cinnamon
3/4 tbsp fenugreek seeds
6-7 whole dried red chillies
handful dry coconut

roast the masala in a few drops of oil and make a dry powder or a wet paste. Make sure you do not over roast the red chilly or the dry coconut, so add it only after the other ingredients are roasted.

Mix the daal and rice, wash and add 2 cups of water and cook in the conventional pressure cooker till the rice is done. To the cooked rice and daal add cooked vegetables, tamarind, turmeric, jaggery, salt and bbb powder/paste, bring to a boil, add water if required.

Tempering: heat 1tsp ghee, add mustard, let it splatter now add cashew nuts, asafoetida(hing)and curry leaves pour over bbb and serve hot with papadums.

Curd rice

You will need

2 cups cooked rice
2-3 cups thick yogurt

finely chopped cucumber
green grapes halved or pomegranate
finely chopped cilantro
finely chopped ginger
fresh red/green chilli split
salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients. For tempering in 1/2 tsp oil add mustard, let it splatter add 1 tsp chana daal and 1 tsp urad daal...asafoetida(hing), ginger and split red/green chilli, garnish with cilantro. Served chill with hot bisibele bhat .

Oats Pilaf

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:55:00 +0000

I am glad summer is over and I am ~~back~~ trying to get back to routine. Even though I love summer, nothing gets done during summer. This year even more as my sister was visiting me ...(explains my long absence from blogosphere). It was wonderful .....it was like running a marathon, shopping, cooking, eating out, sightseeing, more shopping and endless chit chat. Now that she is back home...am having big time withdrawal symptoms....can't wait till I see her again......and we do our shopping marathon. :) :) !!

Well I did a lot of cooking this summer but unfortunately there was no time for pictures and when I did take pictures they were not the best to say the least. The most disappointing was a wonderful upside down pineapple cake I baked, so colorful......well...... :( : ( will have to wait till I bake it again! The Oats Pilaf is something new I tried and the verdict - will make it again!!

1 cup : old fashioned oats
1/3 rd cup : bell peppers chopped in small cubes
1/3 cup : onion finely chopped
1/3 rd cup : other vegetables like carrot peas, beans : finely chopped - optional
3/4 cup butter milk ( very watery consistency)

1 tbsp: oil

1/2 tsp :mustard seed

1/2 tsp cumin seed

salt to taste
juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tbsp biryani masala

In a saucepan heat oil, add mustard and let it splatter now add cumin and after the cumin is fried add the onion and roast till it is golden brown add the bell pepper and the rest of the vegetables - saute, add the butter-milk bring to a boil, add the oats and let it boil for 2-3 min, close the lid and let it sit for 5-7 min. make sure there is no more water left then add salt, biryani masala and juice of lemon stir well and garnish with cilantro :) serve hot

Kootu

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Summer has come and gone..... alarms, school buses, hurried mornings!! Back to a routine.....no more sleeping-in. Hope all of you had a great summer. I have been almost missing from blogosphere this summer. Don't blame me.....first it was all the fun then...my sister's visit...the anticipation the long chats and shopping !! Right now she is away for two weeks, so I sneaked with guilt into cyberspace....blog hopped for an hour and looked at some pictures that I had saved up for a rainy day and after some thinking I decided to post Kootu ....the tangy peppery flavor is too inviting to pass.

I wish I had taken better pictures.....well I will try and take some better clicks next time I have kootu on the dinning table and re-post :) :) bad pictures happen!!

Ingredients:
Spinach: 1 bunch, washed, finely chopped and cooked
Arhaar/Toor daal/ Pigeon peas: 1 &1/2 cup (1 cup for soup)
Turmeric : one pinch
Jaggery: 1 tbsp
Ghee/oil: 1tbsp
Mustard seed: 1/3 tbsp
Curry leaves: 3-4
Hing/Asafetida: about a pinch
Lime: 1 diced in quarters and deseeded

Procedure:

Wash and cook toor dal in pressure cooker with sufficient water with turmeric, keep aside.
Heat oil/ghee in a saucepan add mustard and wait till it splutters, add a pinch of hing/asafetida, curry leaves, add the cooked spinach and cooked toor dal along with, jaggery, koot powder/paste, salt and bring to a boil. Serve hot with fresh lime juice and ghee, along with rice. Dilute it with water and can be enjoyed as a soup on a cold day.
For Koot paste:

Urad dal/Black gram(white split): 5tsp
Chana dal/Split chick peas: 1ts
Black Pepper: 3-4 tsp ( reduce the amount for milder version or soup)
Dalchini/Cinnamon powder: ½ tsp
Dhaniya/Coriander seed: ½ tsp
Jeera/cumin: ½ tsp
Red chili: 2-4
Hing/Asafetida: ¼ tsp
Dry Coconut: ½ cup

Roast the above ingredients in 1 tsp of oil and grind it wet or dry. If you make a paste, make sure you freeze it and it is good for a month. For dry powder, store in a cool dry place and it will be good for 2-3 months.

I am not going anywhere ....so plzzzz don't stop visiting....:):)

Vegetables steamed Dumplings

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:01:00 +0000

Vegetable dumplings is a family favorite and it takes less time to devour them than it takes to make them. Can't blame us, these little munchkins are so delicious that it is never enough!! A great snack for every age. Every time I make them I try different sauces.......that is the best part !! You can never go wrong with a combo of savory, sweet n spicy ! Hope you like it as much as we do !!

for the dumplings :

1/2 cup coarsely grated carrots
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bowl of water, plus additional water for steamer
10 - 15 small wonton wrappers

In a bowl add the carrots, cabbage, pepper, scallions, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg, salt, and pepper. Lightly stir to combine.

For the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Place the vegi mixture in the center of the wrapper. Shape as desired. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure using up all the filling.

In a steamer steam the dumplings for 10-12 min on medium heat. I used the the idli stand in steamer for the dumplings.

The sauce

This is my favorite part of the dish, it was fun getting creative with all the sauces.

sauce 1 : soy sauce mix with honey and mustard.
sauce 2: ketchup with hot and sweet bbq sauce
sauce 3: honey mixed with hot sauce, vinegar and dried mint powder.

Serve hot !! enjoy !!

Colors from my garden

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:50:00 +0000

Some clicks from my yard to share with my blogger friends :)

Rajma - red bean Indian style

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:34:00 +0000

I have not been regular on the blog of late - hard to put myself in a time capsule or a box..... just being myself...laid back, can't rush me when I get creative.....it just doesn't work. Deadlines are fine..but not with my creative itch !! You guys feel like that too? Would love to hear how your mind works!!

I am being laid back this summer but not lazy ....have been working in the yard and love the outcome and love it even more when random walkers on the street compliment!! Life would be drab with out the color of flowers ....will post some pix on my next post!!

For now it is the color - red - hot sizzling rajma for a weekend meal!!

You will need :

2 cups rajma soaked over night
ginger - grated - love ginger so I add 4-5 tbs grated, you could mellow that down if u r not crazy about ginger.
1 big onion finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
1-2 green chili

2-3 tbsp rajma masala

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric

I love to cook rajma in a crock pot and just love the flavors coming together ....it does take a lot of time but it is worth the effort.

Crock pot

In a saucepan heat oil add cumin after it splatters add green chili, ginger, onion and saute till the onion is golden brown now add the tomatoes and roast till it rolls up into a mush. Add rajma masala and roast some more, the masala starts leaving some oil.

Add the raw (soaked rajam) the onion tomato masala salt and turmeric to the slow cooker and pour 1 cup water to it and forget it for the next 4 ,sit it on high!! check occasionally and add more water if needed. It is so creamy that is worth waiting for 4 hours :)serve with pilaf or hot naans :)

Conventional cooker

Pressure cook the rajma in a conventional cooker till it is soft. In a saucepan heat oil add cumin after it splatter add green chili, ginger onion and saute dill the onion is golden brown now add the tomatoes and roast till it rolls up into a mush. Add rajma masala and turmeric - roast till the masala starts leaving some oil.

Now add the cooked rajma and 1/2 cup water and salt, let it simmer on a low flame for about 20- 30 min. Check occasionally ....you don't want a burnt rajma. Enjoy the creamy spicy wonder bean !!:)

Quick Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:54:00 +0000

Summer is that time of the year when I would love to clone myself.... in the yard, at the farmer's mkt, small talk with neighbors, BBQ n tea parties......not to forget picnics, long walks ....flip flops and fire flies.. Not a min to waste, to soak in all the daylight from sunrise to sunset. Of all the things that I love about the summer my favorite is to sit on the deck after sunset and gaze at the stars and watch the world go by..... And not to forget cold yum desserts on warm nights under the moon light...........

Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July weekend !! :)

you will need

Apple : skinned and chopped in bite size chunk

Caramel : 1 tbsp

Cinnamon : 1/2 tsp

Whip cream: a generous helping

Brownies : broken pieces

Assembly

Mix the caramel, cinnamon and apples, so all the apples are coated in cinnamon and caramel.

Add the bits of brownies at the bottom of the dessert cup followed by the cinnamon-caramel coated apples. Followed by a big swirl of whipped cream and a string of caramel on the top. Enjoy !!

Poha

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:52:00 +0000

After a long walk there is nothing like warm home made breakfast. I have always loved Poha - ( flattened rice), it is not surprising that poha is a regular feature in my kitchen. A quick light meal for a rushed morning. Don't forget breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you don't want to be eating something out of a box every single day. You can do so much with this dish, add some garam masal and make it spicy, add some vegetables or just potatoes and peas or just soak the poha in milk and make it extra creamy. This is my favorite version. Simple !! The salty lemony flavor is refreshing at any time of the day. !! enjoy !!

You will need :

2 cups : poha rinsed in water till it soaks up the water.
2 tbsp : oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
4-5 green chillies chopped
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp chana daal
1/2 tsp urad daal
1/2 tsp cumin seed
salt to taste
juice of a lime

Some ready sev and finely chopped cilantro to dress it up a bit

Wash the poha and sprinkle little water over it, it will puff up in no time. In a saucepan heat oil, add mustard let it splatter now add the daals followed by cumin seed. After it is roasted, add green chilies and onions - roast till it is golden brown add turmeric and salt. Now add the washed poha. Mix it up well so that the salt and onion is evenly distributed. Add juice of lime and finely chopped cilantro. Serve warm !! garnish it with sev and enjoy!!

Tandoori Naan Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:07:00 +0000

The kids are off from school...yippee to a long FUN summer break!!!! Goodbye to schedules.. hello to a kitchen and pantry that will be open 24 hrs a day! Movie nights, play dates, picnics and " I am bored can I eat something" will occupy the next few weeks. It is no coincidence that FUN and FOOD both spell with the same letter, and where I live @ breakfast we want to know what is for lunch and @ lunch we make dinner plans and at dinner.....we are too tired to think about anything but Zzz!! So in the spirit of summer fun ....we are now serving some spicy tandoori naan pizza and you are invited.

You will need :

4 naan
1 bell pepper finely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4 cup paneer finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple (optional)
12 tbsp pasta sauce of your choice
1 tbs olive oil
salt to taste
2 tsp tandoori masala
couple of handfuls of pizza three-cheese blend (shredded)

Brush on some olive oil on the naan, spread 3 tbsp pasta sauce on it, sprinkle some tandoori masala on it, get creative with all the toppings...add the cheese and sprinkle some more tandoori masala on it along with some salt. Bake for 10-12 min @ 350 F. Serve with your favorite drink. We had some mango lemonade and it went very well with the the Indian inspired pizza.

Garam Masala

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 03:34:00 +0000

There is nothing like the taste and aroma of freshly made masala. It does magic to the vegetable. It does not take much time but the end result certainly has a difference. My Mother would always make her own garam masala or curry powder. I have her recipe, I tweaked it a bit - since I like it more spicy and the result was amazing....I just love the aroma and the spicy flavor. There are somethings that never change, and pass on thru generations, am glad I have inherited the love for cooking from her and the joy of entertaining. There is nothing more relaxing than cooking....and when I roast and grind any kind of masala or powder .... it is like aroma therapy !! I am sure a lot of you will relate to me.

Bye for now... am going to do some blog hoping...before I call it a day!! Hope you are all are enjoying your weekend :)

Ingredients :

Coriander seeds : 4 tbsp
Cumin seed : 1 tbsp
Black pepper : 4-5 corns
Cardamom : few seeds
Cinnamon: 1/2 stick
Cloves: 2
Red chili : 3
Red chili for color ( kasmiri or byadgi): 2
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp

Roast the above in 1/2 tsp oil, putting in the red chili last. Let it cool and powder it semi fine...!! Enjoy the curry powder with your favorite vegetable or curry.

Quinoa Pilaf

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:38:00 +0000

Quinoa is like rice....well almost, can be substituted for rice in a lot of recipes! But unlike rice it has all the good stuff. We all know about the health benefits - it supplies the complete protein i.e all nine essential amino acids and so on. Even after I knew everything about this magic grain or seed, I was not sure if I was going to like the way it tasted...well I was in for a surprise....I LOVED IT!! Even thou I have not been able to substitute it for rice on a regular basis...It is a perfect meal for any weeknight. It is not like I have developed the taste for it over the years, I loved it the first time I made it and still do.

I have tried quinoa in a couple of recipes and this is one of them, hope you enjoy it as much as I do. :)

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

1 cup chopped vegetables of your choice

1/2 onion finely chopped

2-3 stems of green onions/spring onions- chopped

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin seed

1/2 Cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp black pepper

1-2 cloves

1/4 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

juice of half a lime

cilantro finely chopped for garnish

1 and 3/4 cup water

Heat oil in a saucepan, add cumin followed by all the other spices, add onions saute till onions are golden brown in color add the finely chopped vegetables, and the washed quinoa. Add salt, saute, add water bring to boil, cover it and lower the flame and cook for 10-12 min or more till the quinoa is cooked. Add juice of half a life for a nice tangy flavor....garnish with cilantro ! enjoy!!!

Dessert in a glass

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 17 May 2011 23:24:00 +0000

Spring and summer are the busiest time of the year, at least for me ...before I know it, it is ~~Monday morning~~ Tuesday evening ....well am not complaining only wish beautiful sunny days would go by slowly....and stay longer..........a 48 hr long day would be great!! Or if I could be in two place at the same time, that would be perfect. I have been planning to post since last morning but have been clowning around! literally!!I have been busy drawing a 5 feet clown for a school event....and well clown is not made in a day...so that has kept me busy for the last few days. Now that I am done with it ...it was easier to relax and blog ! I was very tempted to post a pix of the clown...but I have been working on it for so long, that I just had to do something else...!!

All the work got me hungry and ............

Ingredients:

Fresh fruits
Slice of rich chocolate cake
Vanilla flavoured custard- make according to instruction on the box.
Marmalade for topping

Take a large or a medium size glass and enjoy staking up the ingredients..!! Chill and scoop it up with a spoon.

Mocktail with a friend

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Fri, 06 May 2011 17:37:00 +0000

Morning well spent! I was out on a walk (after ages). It is sunny and nice...with white fluffy clouds dancing in the blue sky...lovely to be wasted indoors...considering the amount of rain we have had and the rainy weekend we are about to get.
Since I wanted to make the most of it I came home to the deck with some music and my favorite magazine.... and there goes the doorbell. Muttering under my breath...that there was no peace, I peek out to see a good friend standing there with a smile. What a welcome surprise! She was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by. I love surprises, even thou she could not stay for long - she made my day. Thank God for friends who bring such joy into our lives.

For the mocktail:

1 tsp of rose syrup

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sprite

Love the color and the taste !!

Happy mother's day weekend !!

Choley Bhaturey

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 03 May 2011 21:42:00 +0000

It has been an interesting week. Tele watching - The royal wedding - all the grandeur that went along with it, cricket, random movies, birthday parties, reading and my new love - sketching has kept me busy. I am looking forward to the following weeks, to dig my hands in dirt and get started working in the yard. Like cooking, I find gardening very rewarding. I can't wait to get to the garden center and get shopping..guess I should wait till I am sure that there will be no more frost to ruin my plans. Well the good news is the grass is nice and green, the birds are emptying the feeder at a rapid pace...daffodils and tulips are blooming ....I don't have to wait too long to plant my annuals.

Am thankful for all the colors being filled in around me....but am not so ecstatic about the rain. All the rain and the clouds have made it very hard for me to capture any good pictures of what I want to share.

Thankfully we had a sunny Saturday and I had some friends over. A cool sunny day ...food to share and the camera was out.

Bhaturey

3 cups self rising flour
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup curd
1/2 tsp baking soda
Salt to taste and
Warm milk for kneading

Sieve together dry ingredients. Add butter, oil, yogurt and crumble. Add milk little at a time till a soft pliable dough is formed. Cover with muslin cloth, keep aside for 15-20 min.

Heat oil in a pan. Kneed dough lightly, break of piece - size of a lime and roll into a round disc. Not very thin. Drop it into the hot oil and let it swell like a puri, serve hot with choley and fresh sliced onion with a dash of lime.

Choley

1 cup of Kabuli Chana- soaked overnight in warm water with a pinch of baking soda.
1 big onion
1 big tomato
½" piece of Ginger (Adrak)
½ tsp. of Cumin Seeds
2 tsp. of Red Chilli Powder
¼ tsp. of Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp. of Coriander Powder
1 tsp. of Cumin Powder
Salt (to taste)
2 tsp. of Chana Masala
2 tsp. of Dry Mango Powder (Aamchoor Powder)
2 tbsp. of Cooking Oil
½ cup black tea...without sugar and milk.

Pressure cook the chana. Keep aside. Grind the onion, tomato and ginger to a fine paste. In a pan heat the oil, add the cumin seed...let it splatter now add the onion paste and let it simmer till the sides leave oil, add all the dry powders along with the cooked choley and the tea....let it boil for 10 -15 min. serve hot with bhatura and enjoy!! :):)

One of my doodles .....

Banana Won tons

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:30:00 +0000

Thank God for sisters! I was talking to my sister last week and we got talking about the blog...and I was telling her how I wanted to change the header on the blog . Before I knew it next morning had four new banners for the blog waiting in my in-box. I loved all four, but this one is my favorite. That was exciting, celebrating the new look- some banana won tons....So easy and the end result is a block buster! And yes- thanks to my sister for the new look!

1- slightly overripe banana

10-12 won ton wraps

1-2 tbsp powdered Cinnamon

1-2 tbsp vanilla sugar

Oil - to deep fry

Vanilla ice cream to serve with the won ton.

Dice the banana into fine slices.

Step 1 : Fill the wonton wrap with the banana and a pinch of Cinnamon.

Step 2 : Fold in half diagonally so it forms into a triangle. Seal the edges with water.

Step 3 : Bring the corners of the folded side together.

Heat oil in a saucepan and deep fry. Pat any excess oil with tissue and using a sieve dust some vanilla sugar and Cinnamon powder on it. Serve with your favorite ice cream.

Home Made - Masala Paneer

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Paneer has always been a family favorite. For those who are wondering what I am talking about: paneer is a fresh cheese common in Indian and South Asian cuisine. It is made by adding acid to hot milk thus separating the curd from the whey. Unlike most cheese, paneer does not require enzyme treatment. In cheese the milk is curdled by adding acids such as vinegar or lemon juice - just like paneer, then the addition of rennet completes the curdling. Rennet is an animal extract. Most traditional cheese is made from animal rennet however there are some vegetarian cheese made from either fungal or bacterial source i.e. Microbial rennet. For vegetarians paneer is a good alternative for cheese. Unlike cheese, paneer has a short shelf life and aged paneer is definitely not a delicacy. ;-)

Boil the milk in a thick-bottomed sauce pan. Once the milk starts to boil, reduce the heat and add the juice of a lime, stirring continuously.In few minutes, you see small curdy white clouds floating on top. . This process takes few minutes, so wait at least 7-10 minutes. Stir and switch of the heat and let it stand for a bit - 5 min. Then pour the whole thing into a sieve, over a sink. Thus gathering the curd and discarding the whey. Cover the sieve with a plate and some weight on it, so it discards the excess whey.

Remove the dry paneer and add 1 tbsp cumin, 2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp red chili powder. Mix well like a dough and pat it into a thin edge plate/vessel. Refrigerate for 3-4 hrs. After 3-4 hrs bring out and cut into slices and freeze. Masala panner is ready for your favorite dishes. Masala paneer is great for paneer tikka masala.

Spring is in the air...nothing like a weekend with friends and sunshine and get that grill out for some nice paneer tikka masala.

Paneer Kofta

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:14:00 +0000

The last week has been quite on the blog but not so quite on other fronts. For one it was the week of spring break and the week of ICC- world cup...!! first the anticipations of the semi-finals and finals then the nail biting matches...followed by the celebrations and the euphoria. Early mornings, endless supply of chai, screaming and clapping, multiple breakfasts, lunch and a wonderful time with family and friends. It was a great spring break...can't ask for more!! Team India rocks !!

Today's special is - paneer kofta. It goes great with saffron rice or some hot naan. Love the flavors of the curry...hope u enjoy it as much as we did ....

For the paneer kofta:

1 cup - home made paneer (coming soon on the blog)
3/4 cup - boiled mashed potatoes
1/2 tsp - cumin seed
1/2 tsp - red chili powder.
small bunch cilantro finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste

Mash the paneer with the boiled potatoes and mix all the ingredients. Roll with a light hand into round shapes and deep fry. Keep aside.

For the curry :

1 onion
1 tomato
1-2 green chilli
1/2 inch ginger root
2 tsp garam masala
1/4 th tsp turmeric
salt to taste
1-2tbsp cream or 2-3 tbsp half n half
2 tbsp cashew paste ( soak 2 tbsp cashew nut in water for 3-4 hrs, grind into fine paste)
handful of blanched almonds
cilantro for garnish

Wet grind onion, tomato, ginger and green chili into fine paste. In a pan heat oil and add the onion-tomato paste and roast till it leaves oil, add the garam masala, turmeric, salt, cashew paste and some water bring to boil. add the cream and the fried kofta.

Garnish with blanched almonds and cilantro serve hot with some butter naan and you have a best seller on your hands :) enjoy!!

Tindora

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:25:00 +0000

There is nothing like quick, simple and home made....who says that a good tasty dish requires you to be in the kitchen for hours ....well not really !! There are some great recipes that are quick and can result in wholesome delicious meals....unless you want to ruin it by overworking it...well I do that sometimes ...well in my sketches ( I like to doodle with my sketchpad once in a while ) and in my cooking. Tindora - one such vegetable...I would always work too hard to make it perfect, resulting in overcooking it or I would add more spice than it needs..!! Better late than never...and now when I am in crunch for time and am craving for some good homemade food....tindora it is !! With some plain daal ...roti/rice, it is just perfect :)

Ingredients:

1 lb tindora
1 tbsp oil
1tsp mustard seed
1tsp cumin
1 tsp cumin powder ( cumin roasted, cooled and powdered)
1 tsp coriander powder (coriander seeds roasted, cooled and powdered)
1 tsp amchur
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp sesame powder ( sesame seeds roasted, cooled and powdered0
1 tsp roasted crushed peanuts ( not powder but chunky pieces)
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp brown sugar

Wash the tindora, cut the outer edges and cut lengthwise. Keep aside. In a saucepan add oil , mustard, after it splatters add cumin, haldi followed by tindora. Now add salt and brown sugar and let it cook...make sure you do not add much water just a tsp or so...unless you like it mushy. In a min or two add the powders, except peanuts and sesame. let it cook.. 3-5 min, the tindora will be still crunchy not raw add the sesame powder and peanuts and mix it well. Turn off the heat ...and keep covered. Serve with some daal and rice/roti. Nothing fancy but definitely wholesome.

Zucchini Bread with Pineapple

noreply@blogger.com (Turmericnspice) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:01:00 +0000

I tasted the zucchini bread a few week ago at a friend's place over a cup of tea, fell in love with the bread (tastes somewhat like a cake -so even better)....and not only did I eat a big slice there but also had a little bag to go... Thanks Pn!! For the awesome bread and the great recipe. Pn has a nack for baking ....and this one tops the list. The best thing about this bread is that it is almost like cake...but not too sweet that it overwhelms you. Well I would love to call it a cake but since Pn said it was a bread and it is her recipe I will call it - bread. I had fun baking this as much as I had fun eating it....Great with a cup of tea with some friends...some for here and some to go ;-)

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries or a mix of both

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixer, beat eggs. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla, continue beating mixture until thick and foamy. With a spoon, stir in the zucchini and pineapple.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A third at a time, add dry ingredients into wet and gently stir (by hand) after each addition. Add the walnuts, cranberries and raisins, blend gently.

Divide the batter equally between 2 greased and flour-dusted 5 by 9 inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.