Asan Khana

Warm Mug of Peppermint White Hot Chocolate perfect to feel loved ;-)

2012-02-09T22:17:00.001+08:00

No i am not fan of Valentines Day , i dont believe that in 365 days there should be just a single day to show our love for someone,,or to feel loved but then i am not against it too,some two years back i called you all to join me in this event Cook and Create with luv for luv ,this year i thought of reviving the same but couldnt because of India trip and the after effects which for me taking nap whenever i can,now after a week of coming back i feel fresh and good,and somewhat feel i am back to the daily grind,.thought of having countdown to Valentine Day with some simple recipes which i tried from blogosphere and ya which are perfect for the Valentine day or for any other day whenever you want to feel loved,after all we have to love ourselves to love others,..isnt it.

todays recipe gonna be of Peppermint White Hot Chocolate
recipe inspired from La Fuji Mama
Go for this warm mug of peppermint white hot chocolate ,choose your favourite corner with a book you luv and enjoy,..;-)

Linking this post to

In the Spotlight - Red is for Love hosted by Colours Dekor

Chocolate lover hosted by Daily Cuppa

Valentines day event hosted by Teenz yummy delight

thats all friends,take care and happy blogging,..

Weekend Cooking - Bund Ghost with Plain Rice

2012-02-06T18:32:00.000+08:00

I know i just disappeared , i hate to do this everytime,but there were so many things on my mind that i totally forgot to do a Blog Break Post ,i had been to India to attend my sisters wedding ,..:-)

now i am back with lots of good memories..sharing with you all simple curry of meat which i prepared yesterday for our dinner,this one goes well with a bowl of plain rice

Recipe name Bund Ghost
recipe source inspired from India Cookbook
Ingredient
goat meat half kg
whole masala to temper
clove six
cinnamon one stick crushed
black cardamom four
cumin seeds one tsp
onion three
garlic clove crushed three
ginger crused one tbsp
green chili two
curd one cup
turmeric powder one tsp
coriander powder one tsp
red chili powder one tsp
salt as per taste
oil to cook
Procedure
Heat oil in non stick wok ,
lower the flame and add whole masala
once it starts spluttering add chopped onion
followed by crushed garlic,ginger and green chili
keep stirring till onion turns brwon and mushy
add mutton pieces ,followed by turmeric powder
fry for 2 to 3 minutes ,remove from flame
add curd and return the pan back to burner
add salt,red chili powder and coriander powder
keep stirring for five to ten mnutes
place the lid and seal with dough
cook for 15 minutes till the meat is done
add chopped coriander leaves
and serve warm with rice.
Linking this post to
Hot and Spicy Treat hosted by Foods Srilanka
The Weekly Story 66 hosted by Colours Dekor
Thats all friends,take care and happy blogging....;-)

Some Festive Treats for Sankranti ;-)

2012-01-17T16:20:00.000+08:00

I prepared Til Gud Laddo for Sankranti last year
prepared this year the same,
recipe blogged here

and prepared Coconut Roti/Kayi Holige /Narla Ubbatti

inspired from here

and rice flour poori with aloo gobhi sabzi

For Rice Flour Poori
Ingredient
Rice flour one cup
wheat flour one fourth cup
salt pinch
cumin seeds one tsp
oil one tsp
warm water to knead the dough

Procedure
In a mixing bowl mix all the ingredients
and knead dough ,divide the dough
into equal sized small disc
place baking sheet on rolling disc
keep a small piece of dough
and roll out to the shape of poori
heat oil in in wok ,once hot lower the flame
and fry the pooris till brown from both side.
serve warm with Allo Gobhi Sabzi.
allo gobhi tamatar sabzi blogged here
rice and almond pudding blogged here

linking this post to

The Weekly Story - Week 63 hosted by Colours Dekor.

,Thats all friends,take care
and happy Blogging

Weekend Cooking - Chicken Dum Biryani & Muhallabia

2012-01-10T22:58:00.001+08:00

This is not the usual way i prepare Biryani

but when my friend recommended me
this flavourful Biryani Masala
i thought of trying it
and i am so glad i did

relished the Biryani like anything
paired it with onion tomato raita
this is how i did
Recipe Name Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredient
Chicken half kg
onion three chopped
tomato one chopped
garlic clove three chopped
ginger half inch chopped
green chili two chopped
curd one cup
shan biryani masala half packet
rice one a half cup
fried onion to garnish one tbsp
edible yellow colour pinch

procedure
cook rice till its half done ,keep aside
heat oil in non stick wok
add chopped ginger,garlic and green chili
after a minute add choopped onions
keep frying till the onions are done
add chopped tomatoes followed
by biryani masala ,keep frying
till oil isseen along the sides
add chicken pieces and keep frying
add few drops of water and cover and cook
once the chicken is done ,keep aside.

To dum cook
In a broad vessel place the cooked chicken
followed by layer of rice, sprinkle orange colour,
dash of lemon juice and fried onion
repeat the same procedure.
seal the pot with dough and cook on low flame for 10 - 15 mins
serve warm with raita ;-)
For Muhallabia/Rice & Almond Pudding

recipe inspired from Middle Eastern Cookbook
Ingredient
grounded rice half cup
milk two and a half cup
sugar half cup
cardamom three crushed
almond and pistachio chopped two tbsp
rose water one tbsp

Procedure
mix rice flour in half cup of milk keep aside
boil two cup of milk ,once the milk starts boiling
reduce heat to low medium
add rice paste,crushed cardamom and sugar
keep stirring to prevent lump formation
once the mixture starts boiling add chopped nuts
followed by rose water ,let it simmer for 10 - 15 mins
once done remove from flame .
spoon into individual bowls and refrigerate
serve chilled .
Linking this post to
The Weekly Story -62 hosted by Colours Dekor\
Royal Feast Biryani Food Event hosted by Kaarasaaram
thats all friends,take care
and happy Blogging...

Cupcakes with Vanilla Icing for Potluck Party

2012-01-06T23:47:00.000+08:00

date 31st december 2011
event potluck dinner at my friends place

what i ~~prepared~~ baked - 24 cupcakes

and iced them and decorated them
recipe name Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla icing
recipe of cupcakes blogged here

recipe of Vanilla icing
ingredient adapted for 24 cupcakes
unsalted butter one fourth cup
icing sugar one cup
vanilla essence one tsp
milk two tbsp
colour to tint icing - pink ,blue,yellow,green and orange
sprinklers

how i did
beat butter and vanilla essence in a bowl
add sugar slowly and keep beating
till the mixture is creamy in consistency
add milk slowly and beat till
mixture can be spread easily
divide the icing into five different part
tint the icing into different colour,keep aside
once the cupcakes have cooled down
spread the icing on each cupcakes
sprinkle sprinklers and edible silver balls
and leave to set.

and after few minutes indulge ;-)

thats all guys,wish you all Happy Weekend
take care and Happy Blogging.

Iced ginger cookies - to start the year,..;-)

2012-01-03T22:50:00.000+08:00

I wanted to share these cookies on chirstmas eve but i couldnt

then i thought i would share them before the year ends but i couldnt
thus today i made up my mind that this post gonna be the first post of the year
as i wanted to share something sweet and something special,..;-)

recipe name iced ginger cookies
recipe source cook book
preparation time 30 mins
baking time 5 to 7 mins
baking temperature 100 degree centigrade
Ingredient
one cup whole wheat flour
half cup brown sugar
half cup unsalted butter
two tbsp cocoa powder
chopped glaced ginger one tbsp
milk one tbsp
pinch of salt
few drops of vanilla essence
to decorate the cookies
icing tubes red and white colour
sprinklers

Preparation
preheat the oven to 100 degree centigrade
line a baking sheet and keep aside
Procedure
In a mixing bowl cream the sugar and butter ,add salt and vanilla essence
add flour,cocoa and glaced ginger pieces ,adding milk to bind the mixture
knead on a floured surface until smooth
roll out the dough on lightly floured surface to one fourth inch thick
stamp out shapes using cookie cutters and place on baking sheets
bake the cookies for 5 to 7 minutes ,leave to cool till firm
decorate the cooled cookies with icing.

Linking this post to
In the Spotlight - Santa Stories hosted by Colours Dekor
Kids delight - Colour Palette event hosted by Veg Junction and started by Srivalli .
Bake Fest hosted by Pumpkin Farm Food event started by Zesty Palette.
wish all the readers of Asan Khana Happy New Year 2012.

Some favorite ones from year 2011

2011-12-31T17:15:00.001+08:00

I have been doing this since past three years,so how i could i forget to do this year,it feels good to go down the memory lane and think about the year gone,year 2011 i didn't blog much as so many other things kept me busy but still i managed to do some posts every month ,before i share about this year ,heres a recap of past three years -
year 2008
year 2009
year 2010
Year 2011 - sharing with you all some of my favourite posts
- Butter Chicken with Missi Roti
- Crepes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce
- Aloo Kachodi
- Eggless Chocolate Cake with Cookies and Cream Icing
- Food Fiction - of spinach leaves and Sapeta
- Lal Maas - spiced lamb curry
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Food Fiction - Who is Radha
- Kasturi Chicken Curry
- Rogan Josh
Linking this post to
Best of year 2011 hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons.
Thats all friends,Wish all the readers of Asan Khana Happy New Year 2012
take care and happy blogging,..:-)
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Dinner Platter - spiced fried egg,fried rice with green peas and rasam

2011-12-29T21:03:00.001+08:00

When my mother asked me whether i would carry fresh green peas with me ,i told her that frozen green peas is available in Singapore ,but still the day i had to leave my father got green peas,peeled and packed for me ,back here in Singapore i have cooked matar ghughni twice and relished it like anything,yesterday i prepared green pea pulao with the same peas and paired it with tangy rasam and fried boiled eggs.Now i feel so elated whenever i prepare something with the peas,special thanks to my parents -)
Coming back to todays post sharing the recipe of spiced egg and fried rice with green peas.
Recipe name Spiced fried egg

Ingredient
boiled egg six
salt as per taste
one tsp mixture of red chili powder,coriander powder and turmeric
cumin seeds pinch
mustard seeds pinch
curry leaves 10
dried red chili five
oil one tbsp
Procedure
Heat oil in non stick pan
once oil is how lower the flame
add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,dried red chili and curry leaves
let it splutter and boiled egg ,followed by masala mixture and salt
fry for five to seven minutes till the egg is brown
remove from flame and serve warm.
Recipe name fried rice with green pea
Ingredient
leftover rice one bowl
green pea one cup
onion one chopped
green chili one chopped
ginger one fourth inch chopped
salt as per taste
oil to cook
garam masala powder one tsp
cumin seed half tsp
Procedure
heat oil in non stick wok
lower the flame and add cumin seeds
let it splutter add ginger,green chili
followed by chopped onion
once onion starts turning brown
add green pea,salt and garam masala powder
add few drops of water and cover and cook
once peas are mushy add leftover rice
mix everything together and fry for two minutes
remove from flame and serve warm.

other green pea recipe blogged at Asan Khana
pea rice for Advay
fried green peas
aloo matar sabzi
matar ghughni
nimona
thats all guys,take care
and happy blogging ;-)

back with memories and lots of other things,.:-)

2011-12-27T22:48:00.000+08:00

I know its been a month since i wrote anything,lot happened in the last month which includes trip to New Delhi ,

i escaped the sudden dip of temperature as weather was quiet pleasent when i was there,this trip was more for relaxing and lazing around ,gorged on these yummy delicacies prepared at home ,

shopped for some knick knacks at Delhi Haat ,

had some yummy delicacies at Delhi street food festival

and went to G K m block market just for my favourite Palak Papdi Chaat.
stay tuned for more pics of Delhi Street Food Festival and some christmas fun,.-)
take care friends will catch up with you all soon
take care and happy blogging,..

some sweet moments from Newzealand

2011-11-30T23:22:00.000+08:00

I know its been a while since i published anything ;-)
i was preety busy feasting on these goodies

and doing so many other things

in Newzealand :-)

had Lamington for the first time

and wood fired pizza

some awesome combo of salad

and some light pasta

this post is joining
The Weekly Story 59 hosted by Colours Dekor.
Thats all friends,take care and happy blogging.

weekend cooking - Chola Chawal

2011-11-15T16:34:00.000+08:00

Chola Chawal is one of the many other street food sold on the handcart on the roadside in Delhi, priced at a nominal rate of Rs 20 per plate many people can be seen standing and eating on the roadside,i dont know any famous chola chawal stall which i can recommend but i guess for people staying in Delhi they must be having their own favourite stall :-)
,this weekend i thought of preparing the same for lunch ,
recipe is inspired from Nita Mehtas book paired the curry with plain rice ,onion and pickle.

Recipe name Chana Masala
Recipe source Nita Mehta Cookbook
preparation time half hour
cooking time half hour
Preparation
Ingredeint for boiling chickpea
overnight soaked and drained Chickpeas 350gm
salt one tsp
soda bi carb one tsp
tea bags two
black cardamom five
cinnamon two pieces
procedure
Presure cook chickpeas with the above ingredient
once done ,drain and reseve the liquid
remove the teabags,
and the keep the chickpeas aside.
Ingredient for the curry
onion four chopped finely
tomato three chopped finely
ginger half inch chopped finely
dried red chili four
pomegranate seeds one tbsp powdered
oil to cook
red chili powder one and a half tsp
coriander powder one tsp
garam masala one tbsp
Procedure
heat oil in non stick wok ,add onions
keep frying till the onions turn brown
add pomegranate seeds and keep stirring
followed by dried red chili,tomato and ginger
add salt and the powdered masala
keep stirring till oil is seen along the sides
add drained chickpea and mix everything together
add the reserved liquid and let it simmer for five minutes
serve warm with rice,onion and lashoda pickle.
Linking this post to,.
The Weekly Story 57 hosted by Colours Dekor.
My Legume Love affair 41 hosted by Briciole event started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.
Winter Carnival hosted by Radhika of Tickling Palates.
Thats all guys,take care,see you all soon
happy blogging.

Dinner meal - Kasturi Chicken Curry with plain rice and salad

2011-11-11T15:24:00.000+08:00

Since last few days i have been too lazy to cook,so when i decided to prepare chicken curry for dinner,i thought of preparing one of the regular chicken curry which i usually prepare,after frying chicken drumsticks with the spice paste ,i asked hubby about water ratio ,sometimes i just go ahead but when he is there i ask him :-) he told me to add coconut milk or curd instead of water ,i didnt had either of the two ,so he told me to add milk ,i did the same and was truly amazed by the taste ,thought of documenting the recipe as this recipe is very simple with minimal ingredients and tastes best with rice and nan with some salad on the side.

Recipe name Kasturi Chicken Curry
p.s. i couldnt think of any other name
Recipe source kitchen experiment
preparation time 20 mins
cooking time 30 mins
Serves two adult and a kid aged 4yrs ;-)
Ingredient
chicken drumsticks four
onion two chopped finely
garlic clove three chopped finely
ginger half inch chopped finely
tomato one chopped
oil to cook
salt as per taste
kasturi methi one tbsp
milk one cup
everest meat masala one tbsp
whole seeds
black cardamom four
dried red chili four
bay leaves four
clove five
kabab chini six
cumin seeds one tsp

Procedure
Heat oil in non stick wok,add whole seeds listed above
once the seeds start spluttering,lower the flame and add onions
fry onions for five to seven minutes add ginger and garlic
followed by tomato,salt and chicken masala.
keep frying till oil is seen along the sides
add chicken drumsticks and fry further for five minutes
till the masala sticks to chicken drumsticks
transfer the content to pressure cooker
add one cup of milk and let it simmer for five mins
add kasturi methi,mix and presuure cook for two whistles
serve warm with nan,plain rice and salad.

Linking this post to
In the Spotlight - My Favourite Things hosted by Patricia of Colours Dekor .
She has asked to share favourite things for the link party ,as cooking and experimenting in kitchen is one of my favourite thing i am sharing this recipe for the party ,and ya this recipe gonna be one of my favourite too,..;-)
Thats all guys ,take care and happy blogging.
wish you all happy weekend.

Platter of Baingan Bhartha with Onion Sambol and Paratha

2011-11-09T19:07:00.000+08:00

It feels so good to be back to routine,last two weeks was spent eating

,shoping

,meeting relatives and doing so many other things ;-) ,it took me two days to come back to the normal routine,truly enjoyed the trip back home and the Festival too,
todays post gonna be of simple platter of Baingan Ka Bharta which i prepared in oven,paired it with
onion sambol,fried rice and paratha.

Recipe name Baingan Bhartha
Preparation time 15 mins
Cooking time 10 mins
Ingredient
Brinjal two
garlic clove three
green chili three
tomato two
boiled potato two
onion chopped finely one
salt as per taste
mustard oil one tbsp
chopped coriander leaves one tbsp
lemon juice one tbsp
Preparation 1
slit the brinjals and stuff with garlic and green chili
place in dish and drizzle mustard oil
place in preheated oven and grill for 5 to 10 mins
keep turning the brinjal to avoid burning.
once done remove and keep aside.
Preparation 2
microwave chopped tomatoes for five minutes
keep aside.
Procedure
In a mixing bowl mix grilled brinjal,tomatoes,onion and boiled potato
season with salt ,lemon juice and coriander leaves
serve warm with paratha ,lemon rice and onion sambol.

Pic of Jalebi and Chai

is off for Black and White Wednesday hosted by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Linking this post to The Weekly Story 56 hosted by Colours Dekor.

Thats all guys,see ya all soon,

Take care and Happy Blogging.

Deepawali Ki Subhkamnaye

2011-10-22T11:49:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow i will be in India my other home
Tomorrow i will be amidst family and friends
Today i thought of stealing few mins for myself
though i am busy like anything
packing and doing other hundred chores
i thought of stopping by just to
wish you all my friends Happy Diwali 2011

and lots of happiness,peace,love and joy your way

as tomorrow i will be in India my other home
will catch up with you guys once i am back again ,..-)
Wish all the readers of Asan Khana Happy Deepawali 2011
do check my post on painted diyas here

Festive Thali for Karwa Chauth

2011-10-18T23:46:00.000+08:00

Last week was preety hectic as i was alone with Advay for few days,with a sprained leg i somehow managed to cook a decent meal for KarwaChauth vrat

i prepared Ajwain kachodi, Matar paneer,Jeera Aloo,Bharwa Mirchi,Bari hutney,Thekua,Fara,
Dahi wada and Sooji Halwa.

With the advent of moon i broke my fast with this meal.
For a Pooja at my friends place i had to prepare kheer for 40 people ,now this was something new for me as i had never prepared for more then 10 people,and for kheer i never follow any measurement so i asked her to help me with the approx quantity ,this is how i prepared
Recipe name Kheer
Recipe source my friend
preparation time 20 mins
cooking time one hour
Ingredient
rice four cup
sugar eight cup
milk 16 cups
saffron strands pinch
ghee one tsp
crushed cardamom seven
chopped nuts almond,cashew and pistachio one cup

Preparation
run rice through blender once ,soak and keep aside
heat ghee in non stick wok,lower the flame and crushed cardamom
stir for a minute and add drained rice
add milk and let the milk boil for ten minutes
add sugar,saffron strands,chopped nuts and mix everything together
keep stirring and cook on low flame till rice is cooked and milk thickens
serve warm or chilled garnished with chopped nuts.

other kheer recipes blogged at asankhana
gharwali kheer
badami kheer
for rangoli and heena for karwa chauth check this post
Linking this post to
The Weekly Story 23 hosted by Colours Dekor.
In the Spotlight - Of spooks and sparkles hosted by Colours Dekor.
September Carnival - A bit of India in Every home hosted by The Key Bunch

Warm Bowl of Soupy Noodles for Black and White Wednesday

2011-10-12T22:59:00.000+08:00

Its been so long since i had this
a bowl of warm soupy noodles
with fried egg

this one is my comfort food these days
specially when i am down with a sprained leg .
This pic is my entry for
Black and White Wednesday - Weekly Culinary Photo Event hosted by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.
thats all friends,take care and happy blogging,..;-)

Weekend Cooking - Rogan Josh

2011-10-11T15:04:00.000+08:00

no one likes to sit with a sprained leg when theres so much to do,specially with Festival around and a trip to India for Deepawali,but yesterday i slipped some stairs and sprained my leg ,so now i am just contemplating how i gonna manage Karwa Chauth,packing for trip and so many other endless things,coming back to todays post sharing with you all recipe of Rogan Josh ,which is curried lamb or goat meat originating from Kashmir ,i omitted the use of saunf ad ginger powder as i didnt had ,i didnt had degi mirch so i replaced it with normal red chili powder. dont know how authentic this recipe is but i truly luved it,this one is perfect for weekend meal or for a get together,..:-)

Paired the curry with plain rice,salad and chapathi .

Recipe Name Rogan Josh
Recipe adapted from Neeta Mehtas Book
Preparation time
Cooking time
Ingredient
goat meat half kg
whole masala
clove five
cinnamon half inch
black caramom four
bay leaf crushed four
paste
ginger garlic paste two tsp
paste of five onions
powdered masala
one and a half tsp red chili powder
half tsp pepper powder
green cardamom powdered one tsp
salt as per taste
pinch of saffron dissolved in warm water
half tsp asafoetida dissolved in one tsp water
oil/ghee to cook
curd half cup

Procedure
Heat two tbsp oil in non stikc wok
add whole masala and let it splutter
lower the flame and add paste
keep frying till the paste is cooked
add hing water followed by mutton pieces
keep stirring till the mutton becomes brown from all sides
add salt,red chili powder,black pepper powder and keep stirring
reduce the heat add powdered cardamom and curd
keep stirring till it starts boiling
add water transfer the content to a pressure cooker
pressure cook for two to three whistles till the mutton becomes tender.
add saffron and let it simmer ,serve warm with chapati ,rice and salad.

Linking this post to
The Weekly Story 52 hosted by Colours Dekor.
Thats all friends,wish you all happy week ahead,
take care and happy blogging.

Who is Radha ?-Food Fiction

2011-10-04T20:16:00.001+08:00

Sita knew she had made some mistakes; her first mistake was choosing a career which she never loved; her second mistake was loving someone who never returned her love and she regretted leaving her house for good but then she didn't had any choice. Her parents’ recent death in the accident, a tethering marriage and her recent tiff with her boss had just triggered this. Sita had resigned from her job and planned a solo vacation for a few days. Bali was on her wish list since a long time especially for its’ magnificent temples and serene beaches

and it took her just a couple of days to plan trip for Denpasar which included getting her ticket done, buying books on Bali, making notes on what to see and where to stay and she didn’t forget to buy her favourite artists coffee book on Bali. Within few hours she would be at a perfect spot on the resort beach to relax on the lounge chair with her favorite book until dinner time.
The next morning, as Sita was caressed by the morning breeze she stirred to realize that she was not in her own room where her maid would wake her up with morning tea and news paper. Awed by this new found liberation from her daily chores, she rushed herself to get ready. After a hearty meal of her favorite breakfast consisting mainly of of croissants and black coffee she planned her day to be as slow as possible. Instead of taking a guided tour of the town, she opted for a drop to her favorite place - Ubud which is an artists paradise. She stuffed her sketch pad, pencil, books, phone and other basic things in her duffel bag and booked a taxi. It took only minutes for Sita to reach a serene spot where she could sit and sketch in peace. She was so engrossed in painting the seanic view that she didn’t realize that time just flew by and it was already dark by the time she looked up to see the the first traces of the gray night creeping on. She reached for the granola bars while still sketching when she realized that the weather had turned for the worse when the slow drizzle took on a somewhat more powerful tone. “Its time to pack up”, she thought and went to look for a taxi but the roads were empty except for the long shadows. Her cell battery was discharged so had no idea about the time. She was hungry, thirsty, wet from the rain and very tired and was just contemplating spending the night there itself she saw some lights flickering ahead.

Hungry and harassed Sita didn't had any other option but to go ahead but she was amazed to see some tiny diyas and a flower rangoli at the entrance.

Heaving a sigh of relief at the Indian decoration, Sita reads the name board has – Travellers’ Inn for Women. She used the antique brass bell at the entrance to make her presence felt and soon heard the tinkle of anklets coming towards the door, which was soon opened by an Indian woman in her mid-30s. The woman was attired in sari and she had a smile on her face when she greeted Sita.
Radha-" namaste I am Radha, how can I help you?"
Sita-" huh namaste I am Sita. I have come here for vacation but I am hopelessly lost right now."
Radha -"don't worry you can stay here for the night. Would you like some tea?"
Sita -"yeah I am hungry too don't worry I will pay I have money."
Radha -"I will prepare some poha for you. The guest room is upstairs ,you can go and change there ,take this sarong ."
Sita-" thanks I will be back."
Sita could see that though the place was small it was done very aesthetically. There was small divan at one corner and some floor cushions ,kitchen was open with a door which led to kitchen garden,small study area near the stairs where some books and iPad was kept on which some Hindi old no was being played. she was awed by beautiful paintings of Ganesha which adorned the staircase wall

She passed through attic too which had numerous paintings of all sizes. The guest room had a single bed ,dresser and a washroom .fresh flowers adorned the room and some books too were kept on a side table, while rushing down Sita could smell the aroma of mustard seeds and curry leaves spluttering in oil Radha was busy chopping onion and green chilies,tea was brewing on the other side and Sita could smell tulsi leaves in it.
Sita –" you are preparaing tulsi tea ,its my favourite but I don’t how to prepare ,I never got opportunity to cook in kitchen ,everytime some one was there to take care of cooking,and you know what Poha is my favourite specially when it rains ,reminds me of my mom cooking,please teach me how to prepare poha ."
Radha-" Poha is the easiet ,how come you are from india and you don’t know how to prepare Poha ?"
Sita -"I never showed any interest ,now that I want to learn theres no one to teach."
Radha -"first step is to soak a cup of beaten rice and drain the water,you can see that bowl its wet beaten rice ."
Sita-" it wont be soggy once I tried it was soggy ."
Radha- " just add few drops of water make it wet ,u need not pour water on it."
Sita-" then I know we have to heat oil in non stick pan.,half cup of oil right ?"
Radha - "no not half cup half tbsp is enough but before that do all the preparation like I have done chop onion green chili ,potato,and then for tempering you need curry leaves and dried red chili and ya pinch of mustard too,once oil is hot add the tempering ingrdeint,like I have done and add onion and green chili which you can see in the kadhai now."
Sita could see oniong being caramalised with green and red chili,once onions were done ,Radha asks Sita to add pinch of turmeric and salt and give a good stir.Radha was enjoying cooking ,it had been so long since she entered kitchen,her maid Reena was there for her 24 hrs,ad when she was not there she would go for take away options,,
Radha -"Sita you can add potato now as onions are done."
Sita-" why have you kept chopped potatoes in water ?"
Radha -"so that they dont turn brown,you never helped your mother in kitchen?"
Sita -"no there were two helpers there at home and then i stayed at boarding "
Radha -"oh ,ya now you can add rice flakes,give it a good stir add lemon juice and remove from flame after two minutes."
Sita -"thats it ,its so easy ,is tea ready i am so hungry ?"
Radha-" its already there in tea pot"
Once the breakfast nook was set with two bowls of poha and warm mugs of steaming tulsi tea

and Sita was busy eating
Radha asked her - "so what brings you here to this small village this place is for artists like me,?
Sita -"ya I know I just wanted to live free and do what I luv ,I luv to paint and sketch but never learnt it professionally or you can say never got a chance,I just wanted to explore this place."
Radha-" then you have come to right place,this place is artists heaven :)"
Sita -"I saw your work ,it's awesome ,it adorns your house everywhere"
Radha - "I am self learned person ,I luv it here ,this place is like heaven for me,."
Sita - "you stay here alone you are not scared..?"
Radha -"no my parents visit me every week ,they stay in Denpasar,I like it here,and this inn is for wanderers like you who get lost and for artists who like to paint in the wee hour of morning,sometime they just come for tea or some snacks."
Sita-" you are so lucky u have everything you like,u have a perfect place which you can your own,you do something which you luv and your family is around too,.it's just opposite with me,."
Radha-" just because your marriage is broken that's not the end of the world,you can start again,what's your age?"
Sita-" i just turned 30."
Radha-" I started painting when I was 30 before that I was managing my fathers business,so it's the same for you,.:)"
It had been so long since Sita shared so much about her life with anyone and here she was sitting in a a small inn and sharing everything about her life,Radha could see that Sita was lost somewhere.
Radha -"what are you thinking ?"
Sita-" i was thinking if I could stay with you for few days ,instead of going back to the resort,I like it here,this place is so serene,I promise I won't bother you much."
Radha-" thats oky dear,you can stay as long as you like till your visa is there."
Sita -"thanks see ya in the morning :) good nite."
Morning when Sita got up ,she was shocked to see herself in hospital, her husband was sitting by her side ,holding her hand ,there was a nurse who was busy monitoring her vital stats.
Sita -"I was in Bali how come I am in hospital.'
Raj -"what are you speaking ,you took sleeping pills two days back I don't know,why I know your parents are no more,but that's not the end of the world and I spoke to your boss too ,he told me about the resignation ,he told he was upset about something else and thats why shouted at you why did you do this ,dont you love me ,you never thought about me ,how i will live."
Sita - "sleeping pills,i just dont remember anything except that i met a wonderful artist named Radha in Bali, and that i was at her place in a inn,i went for nap ,i dont know what happened ."
Raj-" I got call from Radha your friend that you are sick so I came back rushing,thank god i still have the other key ,i tried your cell too but it was off and Reena told me that you had given her off for few days ,since past two days i have been sitting here crying and praying asking for your forgiveness,i know its my behaviour which must have forced you to take this step."
Sita-" have you lost it ,I don't have any friend whose name is Radha and why will i commit suicide."
Raj-" i dont know who she is ,but i am indebted to her here’s a letter from her and some flowers as she had to leave for a business meeting .
Sita couldn't understand anything ,who was Radha ?
Sita read the note
Dear Sita ,
hope you are doing good now, I know you don't want to see your husband’s face, but he loves you,sometimes we just see what we want to see but thats not always right ,it's not late now start new life and forgive your husband ,have enclosed few brochures for art centres in your city do enroll there and start doing what you have always wanted to do,and ya learn cooking too :-)
Luv
Radha
Sita couldn't control herself ,she cried and cried and then seeing the love in her husband’s eyes, she hugged him.
Radha saw them hugging through the glass door and smiled.
Special thanks to my sis for helping me edit the post.
Linking this post to
Of Chalk and Chopsticks -september hosted by Aqua of Served with Love.
The Weekly Story 51 hosted by Colours Dekor .
Thats all friends,take care and happy blogging.

Festive thali - Sattu Paratha Kaddu Sabzi with Kachumber and Aate ka Ladoo

2011-10-04T11:59:00.000+08:00

Prepared this simple meal of Sattu paratha,kaddu sabzi and onion tomato kachumbar last weekend

Aate ka Ladoo is prepared by my mother when she was here
someday i gonna try this on my own as it hubbies favourite

for the recipes
sattu paratha blogged here
kaddu sabzi/spiced pumpkin blogged here
aate ka ladoo blogged here
for onion tomato kachumber/onion tomato relish
ingredient
onion one chopped finely
tomato one chopped finely
green chili one chopped finely
coriander leaves one tbsp chopped finely
salt as per taste
lemon juice one tbsp
Procedure
In a mixing bowl ,mix all the ingredients
serve with paratha and sabzi.

wish you all happy festival
do check navratri rangoli here
Linking this post to
The Weekly Story 51 hosted by Colours Dekor.
take care and happy bloggin

Phalahar Kofta Curry with Singhara Poori

2011-09-29T23:37:00.000+08:00

Prepared this phalahar platter for Navratri Fasting yesterday ,this phalahar kofta curry is inspired from Haldirams Navratri Vrat Thali.
Recipe name - Phalahar Kofta Curry with Singhara Poori

Recipe source Phalahar Singhara Poori -recipe blogged here
Phalahar Kofta Curry -kitchen experiment
For Phalahar Kofta Curry
Ingredient for Curry
tomato four
green chili two
cumin seeds half tsp
rock salt(sendha namak) as per taste
oil to cook
red chili powder half tsp
coriander powder half tsp
turmeric powder pinch
cashew nut soaked in water for 10 mins
Preparation
grind the soaked cashewnuts in a blender,
keep aside
Procedure
heat oil in non stick wok
add cumin seeds,once it starts spluttering
add green chili and tomato
keep stirring till tomatoes become mushy
add dry masala powder and keep stirring
till oil is seen along the sides,
add ground cashew paste ,mix everything
and add one cup of water
let it simmer for few minutes
remove from flame and keep aside.
For Kofta
boiled potato two peeled and mashed
cottage cheese mashed 150gm
rock salt as per taste
black pepper powder half tsp
chopped coriander leaves
to fill in koftas
finely chopped almond and raisin one tbsp.
Procedure
mix the kofta ingredients in a mixing bowl
divide the mix into equal sized round disc
stuff one fourth tsp chopped almond and raisin
heat one tbsp oil in non stick pan
once hot lower the flame and
shallow fry the koftas till brown from both side
drain and keep aside

Before Serving
place the koftas in serving dish
pour the curry and garnish with coriander leaves.
serve warm with poori.
Thats all friend,wish you all Happy Festival
Take care and Happy Blogging.

Navratri recipe - Phalahar Singhara Halwa

2011-09-28T23:25:00.000+08:00

Wish all the readers of Asan Khana Happy Navratri

Last year i shared my emotions with this post

For todays vrat prepared this simple halwa of Singhara Flour

Recipe name Phalahar Singhara Halwa
Recipe source my mother
Preparation time 10 mins
Cooking time 15 mins
Ingredient
One cup Singhara flour
water two cup
sugar as per taste
ghee one tsp
chopped almond to garnish
Preparation
Heat ghee in kadhai/wok
once hot lower the flame and add singhara flour
fry for 2 to 3 mins till flour starts changing colour
remove from flame and keep aside
Procedure
Boil water in the same wok
add sugar and boil again for five minutes
lower the flame and fried singhara flour in increments
keep stirring so that lump is not formed
once flour absorbs water ,remove from flame
spread few drops of ghee on a plate
spread the halwa ,top it with chopped almonds
serve warm.
For more on Singhara check this post by Banaras Ka Khana
Linking this post to
The Weekly Story 50 hosted by Colours Dekor.
Food for Fasting hosted by Sizzling Tastebuds.
Take care and Happy Blogging,,

Shami Kabab with Bari Chutney

2011-09-26T23:17:00.000+08:00

I know i just disappeared from Blogosphere since past few days,ya i did missed blogging but then i enjoyed each second with my mom and sis too,they were with me since past 15 days,time just flew and soon it was time to say goodbye to them ,now since they are gone i am missing them more.
Coming back to todays post sharing with you all Shami Kabab platter which i prepared yesterday inspired from Sangeetas blog,the moment i saw the recipe in her blog i knew i would try it,so yesterday night meal was Shami Kabab ,chapati and Bari chutney.

Recipe name Shami Kabab and Bari Chutney

Recipe of Kabab inspired from Banaras Ka Khana
Recipe of Bari Chutney mothers recipe

Ingredient for Chutney
Spiced bari/wadi five
salt as per taste
green chili two
garlic clove two
ginger one fourth inch
mustard oil
Procedure
heat one fourth tsp of oil
fry the wadis/bari for a minute,keep aside
Mix fried wadis,green chili,garlic,ginger and salt
run through the blender
mix one fouth tsp of mustard oil
serve with kababs.
another bari chutney blogged here

Thanks a ton Sangeeta for sharing the recipe,truly enjoyed it and will be preparing this soon again..:-)
Linking this post to
The Weekly Story 50 hosted by Colours Dekor.
Thats all guys,wish you all happy week ahead,..-)
take care and happy blogging.

Vanilla Cupcakes for A decade has passed we bake to remember 11-09-2001

2011-09-09T23:31:00.001+08:00

10 yrs back i was not that mature
10 yrs back i didnt realise what happened
on 11th September 2001
when twin towers were attacked by two planes in Newyork
first i thought that it was an accident
then later heard that it was deliberate attempt

Now its gonna be 10yrs since that incident
10 yrs back i was in first year of my college
i had my own problems ,my own inhibition
i was to busy to realise what was happening
i was occupied with so many other things
10 yrs back internet was just used to exchange mail
or to connect with friends
but now things have changed
i am glad with time i have become more aware
and more mature
Marla of Family Fresh Cooking
has asked us to Bake a Cake

or a cupcake or muffin
in rememberance of 9/11

I baked simple Vanilla Cupcakes
baking temperature 100 degree centigrade
baking time 5 to 7 mins
yield 12 mini cupcakes
INGREDIENT
all purpose flour one cup
salt pinch
sugar half cup
baking powder one tsp
butter one fourth cup
vanilla essence half tsp
milk one fourth cup
egg one
Preparation
Line a muffin tray with liners ,keep aside

Procedure
In a mixing bowl mix all purpose flour,salt ,sugar and baking powder
add butter,vanilla essence and milk and mix everything together for a minute
add egg and mix with hand blender to a smooth mix,
scrape the sides of the bowl with spatula
spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners
bake for five to seven minutes
remove the cupcakes and place on wire rack to cool
once completely cooled ,ice or decorate.
For decoration
Royal icing
red colour
sprinkles
tea recipe blogger here

Thats all guys ,wish you all happy week ahead
take care and Happy Blogging .

Onion Sambol

2011-09-08T14:33:00.000+08:00

Last week i read A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman
got inspired to prepare Onion Sambol
recipe from Mango and Curry Leaves by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Recipe Name Onion Sambol
Ingredient
Onion two
green chili three
salt as per taste
lemon juice one tbsp
Procedure
mix all the ingredients
and run through the blender'

serve with Dal Chawal and Sabzi
Linking this post to
Condiment Mela hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all Seasons
Thats all friends,take care and happy blogging

Modak for Ganesha

2011-09-06T22:19:00.000+08:00

This Ganesha Festival i had promised myself that i would try Modak
so i did ,...;-)

Recipe is inspired from Desisoccer mom space
Linking this post to
The Weekly Story 47 hosted by Colours Dekor
FSF Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi Event hosted by Show and Tell.