DELICIOUSLY D - the desserts and drinks blog

Decadent Prize-Winning Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting

noreply@blogger.com (The RA) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:32:00 +0000

By all that is Holy!....that is one really sinful cupcake.

A couple of days ago, there was a baking contest held by the women's club that Rekha's mom was a prominent member of. It is held every year, and this year Rekha's mom was barred from entering the contest. She was pretty miffed that she wasn't allowed to take part in a competition, that too a baking competition, by her friends none the less. But I thought that it was a fair move by the competition organizers, if only for the reason that the angry woman in question had won the contest for the last three out of the four times this competition had been in existence. And they wanted to give the other competitors a fair chance. Imagine that, being barred from a competition because you are too good. Huh!

In a very unprecedented move, Rekha decided to take part in the baking competition in lieu of her mother. I was very surprised, cos' I know that Rekha is somewhat of a kitchen-phobic. Now, the girl likes to eat, very well in fact. But given a choice, Rekha would always opt to let others do the cooking, baking and whatever it is that people do in the kitchen. Anyhoo, she came to me to help her decide on what to bake for the competition, and I in a magnanimous mood when it comes to food, agreed to help her prepare. Not that I had a choice, but its always good to at least pretend that I had one to start with.

Since almost everybody in the bloody competition would be baking cakes, I suggested that she bake cupcakes. My argument was that cupcakes are not that popular in this part of the world, and her entry would stand out from most of the competition, and also for the fact that they are really easy to make. I don't know whether that cinched the deal, but when I mentioned that she could make some decadent, rich, dark chocolate cupcakes, she got started immediately. I tell ya, that girl is hopelessly addicted to chocolate. Not that I blame her for that.

We ended up reading several different Chocolate Cake/Cupcake recipes, but they were all very similar. We finally settled on a recipe by Ladan that we found on All Recipes. We made the cupcakes following the recipe as it is.

They were good. But I was a bit disappointed because as good as they were, they were pretty ordinary. Don’t get me wrong, anyone would really like them, but I just felt that the flavor could be better. So we made another batch. And this time, I did what I always do. I fiddled with the ingredients and amounts and we ended up making our own, radically altered version of Chocolate Cupcakes. The special ingredient: a rich amount of Dark Stout Guinness beer.

I liked the second 'beered' batch much better. They had a great flavor, they were perfectly moist and very well received at the competition, though it was funny to see people eat the cupcakes very tentatively, looking furtively from side to side. It was the beer you see, it is very unusual in these parts to use alcohol in food preparation. These cupcakes are so good, you shouldn’t wait for a special occasion for a reason to make them.

The Guinness adds a nice complexity to the chocolate but surprisingly, it doesn’t taste like beer at all. There isn't even a hint of bitterness in these decadent little things. I can’t really explain it, but take my word for it, there’s something really special about them. And although the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes are absolutely fantastic by themselves, I highly recommend topping them with a generous dollop of delicious Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. Yes, I know! I have been using Cream Cheese Frosting on everything for the past couple of weeks.

I can’t believe I didn't try this before! Rekha even declared that this Chocolate Cupcake recipe was the best thing about our relationship till now. Holy shit...Now that is one sinfully delicious Cupcake!

By the way, did I mention that Rekha's entry, Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting became a hit at the competition and won second place ? You should have seen her, the girl was absolutely thrilled.

Well, now that I’ve convinced you that Guinness Chocolate CupCake is the best thing ever, I guess I’d better share my version of the recipe with you before somebody froths in angry impatience! I really hope you enjoy it. And for whatever reason, you want to read other versions of Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes, I've shared some links with you at the end of the story.

It isn't essential that you use Guinness for these cupcakes. Be my guest, use your favorite stout or porter, whatever gives you the jollies. I preferred Guinness because Rekha's father is a Guinness drinker and he gets his beer by the caseload from a rather shady source from Pondicherry. The man is my God, He lets me have a regular supply of great, chilled Guinness. Also because, of all beers, Guinness is the perfect one for desserts because of its distinct chocolate and coffee notes. Pairing it with actual chocolate is the obvious choice. But next time, I’m going to try something else, to see if its just as good!

Continue reading the full recipe for 'Guinness Chocolate CupCake with Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting' after the turn.

Recipe: Chocolate Stout Guinness Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting
Altered radically, but originally adapted from this version by Dave Lieberman

Total time: 50 mins
Bake time : 25 mins
Servings : 12 cupcakes

You need:
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup plain, thick yogurt, at room temperature
6 oz. dark stout (I used Guinness), at room temperature
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted

You ought to do it like this:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with cupcake papers; spray the whole thing, cupcake papers and all, with nonstick spray. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in microwave or on stovetop, then set aside.

4. In a large bowl, preferably with a pouring spout, whisk together eggs and yogurt. Add beer and vanilla whisk until well combined.

5. Sift all the dry ingredients together (cocoa powder, sugar, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon) into a separate bowl.

6. Add about a third of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and using a hand mixer, blend well. Add the rest of the flour mixture, a third at a time, mixing well after each addition. When all ingredients are blended, add the melted butter then continue mixing until very well combined.

7. Pour batter into the twelve cups, filling each only about 3/4 full.

8. Bake on center rack of the preheated 350 degree oven and for approximately 25 minutes.

9. When cupcakes are done (toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake will come out clean), remove the pan to a wire rack. Let cool for ten minutes then remove cupcakes from pan and let them cool completely on wire rack.

DeliciouslyD notes: Sour cream can be substituted for yogurt, if that’s what you have on hand. I used dutch processed cocoa because that’s what I had in the house. I think that regular unsweetened cocoa would work fine, I just haven’t tried it yet. Using a mixing bowl with a pouring spout is very helpful when filling the cupcake cups! I tried the first batch using a ladle and ended up dripping batter all over the place!

Recipe for the Most Decadent Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting Ever
Original Recipe at: Frosting a Decadent Cream Cheese Trail

Prep Time : 10 min

You Need:
Cold Cream Cheese (not rock solid) - 8 oz.
Butter (softened) - 5 Tbsp
Vanilla Extract - 2 Tsp
Sugar (powdered and sifted) - 2 cups

How do you do it ?
1. Beat the 8 oz. cold cream cheese you have (I prefer it not rock solid, since it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator), with 5 Tbsp. Softened Butter and 2 Tsp. Vanilla extract until combined well and good.

2. Slowly add the 2 cups of powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue adding more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

Thats it. Four simple ingredients, mix all of 'em and you get the most delicious Cream Cheese Frosting that you will ever taste.

DeliciouslyD note: This will frost about 18 cupcakes, but you can optionally stretch it to 24 depending on how much you use. If you want to frost the cupcakes the way I did, use a frosting bag fitted with a size 1M decorating tip. You can use readymade frosting bags or you can make your own frosting bags in just a couple of minutes. It was my first time trying to frost designer looking cupcakes and I have to tell ya, its very,very easy!

You might also want to read these:
How to make a paper frosting bag ridiculously easily?
6 nozzles for the frosting beginner

Related Recipes around the web:
Beer Cupcakes, at Big City, Little Kitchen
Guinness Stout Cake, from the Kitchen Sink
Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake, at NYtimes.com
Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting, from Dulcedo
Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake, from Relish Magazine

Banana Cake topped with delicious Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (The RA) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:40:00 +0000

There are a lot of bananas at Rekha's house. Quite a lot.

I thought the people of the house were paranoid about potassium deficiency, or worse, maybe they got some pet monkeys. If there were monkeys, then my presence at her house would have gotten a lot scarce, cos' I hate monkeys. Well, not exactly hate, just that I prefer them in their natural habitats. Then maybe somebody's getting married, god knows, in south india, there is always a literal flood of bananas in the house whenever a marriage in the offing. No no, I corrected myself, marriage isn't likely so soon at the household of The Rekha. That girl is completely against marriage, she literally growls at her parents whenever they begin to speak of weddings and marriages.

They eventually someone told me why they had so many bananas lying about in the house...there was really a huge stockpile. They were a gift. One of her father's friends had recently gone into the fruit farming business and this was a gift from their first yield. A very healthy yield, I must say.

Rekha's mom was worried that the bananas would go to waste, she hates wasting good food. They had given away more than a third of what they got, but there still were a lot of them. Even the army of Ram would find it hard pressed to finish this lot of yellow fruit. As Rekha's mom loves to bake, she suggested that she'll bake some Banana Cakes.

I was intrigued, since I hadn't yet eaten a cake made with bananas, and I enthusiastically agreed to help her. I offered to prepare the Frosting for the cakes. I had only recently consumed a lot of it, but I still wanted to experience the decadent taste of a lot more of that delicious Cream Cheese frosting.

The wonderful woman that Rekha's mom is, she agreed to my choice of frosting immediately. She told me that Cream Cheese frosting would go very well with a delicious, moist Banana cake.

Continue reading the full recipe for "Banana Cake topped with Cream Cheese Frosting" after the turn >>

Recipe : Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep Time - 20 min
Bake Time - 20 to 30 min
Servings - 8 rather large pieces

You Need:
Shortening - 2/3 cup
Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 1/3 cup
Eggs - 2
All purpose flour - 2 2/3 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Ground Cinnamon - 1 tsp
Nutmeg - 1 tsp
Mashed Bananas - 1 1/2 cup (about 3 bananas)

You make the cake like this:
1. First, cream the shortening and vanilla with an electric mixer; beat the sugar in until the mixture is light and fluffy.

2. Then add the eggs and beat well.

3. Mix the dry ingredients separately and add to the creamed mixture, all the while beating on low speed until the whole mixture is just blended.

4. Finally, stir in the mashed bananas and blend well.

5. Fill two greased cake pans half full. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes, or until the cakes become golden brown. Stick in a toothpick, it must come out clean. Be careful not to overbake the cakes.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
(Source: Frosting a Decadent Cream Cheese Trail)
Prep Time : 10 min

You Need:
Cold Cream Cheese (not rock solid) - 16 oz. (Two 8 oz. packages)
Butter (softened) - 5 Tbsp
Vanilla Extract - 2 Tsp
Sugar (powdered and sifted) - 2 cups

You make the Frosting like this:
1. Beat the 8 oz. cold cream cheese you have (I prefer it not rock solid, since it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator), with 5 Tbsp. Softened Butter and 2 Tsp. Vanilla extract until combined well and good.

2. Slowly add the 2 cups of powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue adding more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

3. That is it. Four simple ingredients, mix all of 'em and you get the most delicious Cream Cheese Frosting that you will ever taste.

Her actual recipe included cloves, but since Rekha doesn't like cloves, we agreed to leave it out. She told me that the cloves aren't necessary, but they add a strong distinctive flavor to the cake. Oh well, maybe next time!

I loved the cake, the outer crust is crumbly and the cakes' inside is moist and juicy. It literally slides down your tongue and throat, making you feel the most incredible sensations. And the frosting, what can I say? Cream Cheese frosting goes incredibly well with Banana Cake. I added a generous amount of Chocolate sprinkles on top of the frosting for Rekha (that girl will eat anything with chocolate). This Banana Cake, topped with delicious Cream Cheese frosting was really one of the best cakes I have ever enjoyed.

yours truly, RA

Frosting a decadent Cream Cheese trail

noreply@blogger.com (The RA) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:51:00 +0000

Now look here, we all know the real reason why cupcakes are so maddeningly popular, don't we ?

By themselves, as delicious as they are, them Cupcakes would never have reached such iconic levels as they do now. For all their yummy-ness, Cupcakes are basically delectable utensils for eating frosting, particularly when it comes to certain cupcake "flavors" like a red velvet. By the way, if you want to know what the hell a "red velvet" is, it's nothing but a really fancy excuse to shamelessly lick a quarter to half-cup full of Cream Cheese Frosting.

For my money, Cream Cheese Frosting, you see, is the best frosting out there till date. And judging by the number of blogs that praise this decadent bit of topping, I'm certainly not in a minority. I have had a lot of Frostings with my decadent eating habits, many different kinds and varieties, but I have fallen head-over-heels in love with the end-all, be-all recipe for the most Decadent Cream Cheese Frosting ever.

Strangely enough, it's been under my nose this whole time. All these years, I've had a copy of all my mother's delicious recipes, but I don't know, for some reason I've never gone through them. I just never noticed it. At first, I didn't believe it could taste as good as the other bloggers exclaimed, because it was way too easy compared to the "fancier" recipes that have a whole list of ingredients and steps that make you think you need to be a Nigella Lawson to even think of make it.

But God bless my dear mother, this recipe is so easy and so hassle free, that even Rekha, the eternal kitchen-klutz could make it without breaking a sweat. Ouch. Was that too harsh? Sorry darling, but you in the kitchen is an accident waiting to happen. See, that's how easy this recipe is.

Continue reading the full recipe for the "Most Decadent Cream Cheese frosting ever" after the turn.

Recipe : Most Decadent Cream Cheese Frosting Ever
Prep Time : 10 min

You Need:
Cold Cream Cheese (not rock solid) - 8 oz.
Butter (softened) - 5 Tbsp
Vanilla Extract - 2 Tsp
Sugar (powdered and sifted) - 2 cups

How do you do it ?
1. Beat the 8 oz. cold cream cheese you have (I prefer it not rock solid, since it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator), with 5 Tbsp. Softened Butter and 2 Tsp. Vanilla extract until combined well and good.

2. Slowly add the 2 cups of powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue adding more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

3. Thats it. Four simple ingredients, mix all of 'em and you get the most delicious Cream Cheese Frosting that you will ever taste.

There is one hard part though, the part where you'll find very difficult to not eat all that frosting straight out of the bowl. Other than that, lick your way to decadence!

yours truly, RA

6 nozzles for the icing beginner. Thats all you need.

noreply@blogger.com (The RA) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:24:00 +0000

The quality and type of icing nozzles that you use has the most direct impact on your baked treats. Poor nozzles give poor results. Yeah! big shocker there! Metal nozzles and screws are recommended, they are the most popularly used ones, but many also use the ones made of plastic with no complaints. However, if you are not the hobbyist type and more of a serious baker, then you'll find that high quality, durable metal icing nozzles are an invaluable investment.

Not to worry, it isn't remotely necessary to purchase the entire set at first. You'll do good to rather get the basic set(which are the ones most people eventually use regularly), master their use and become competent with them before investing in any of the more fancy icing nozzles. Examine each nozzle carefully to see that the shapes and edges of the openings are cleanly and deeply cut, and that there isn't any surplus solder on the inside to impede the smooth flow of the icing. Make sure that the join running the length of the tube is fast and secure.

The minimum number of tubes required by the beginner is six. These are the ones you'll find in most beginners icing sets. There are:

1 - Fine Writing nozzle
2 - Star nozzles
1 - Leaf nozzle
1 - Petal nozzle
1 - Basket Weave nozzle

Two screws and two waterproof bags are sufficient for this number of tubes.

Icing Nozzles - Taking care of 'em.
1. Wash the tubes immediately after use, using a feather or brush to clear all crevices.
2. Rinse them in cold water before drying and putting away.
3. Never ever use a sharp metal point such as a skewer or pin to free dried icing from a blocked tube. You'll screw up the nozzle opening. Soaking in warm water for a short time will remove any blockage.

Icing Nozzles are available in all stores that stock baking goods. If you want to know where you can order them online, you might want to check these websites out;

-end of story-

How to make a Paper Icing bag ridiculously easily ?

noreply@blogger.com (The RA) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:17:00 +0000

For anyone undertaking cake decoration, before anything, you must learn to make an icing bag. Also called as pastry bags, they are what you fill with your choice of icing for your cake or pastry decoration and topping. They are especially ideal when decorating a cake with many colors. As with most things nowadays, you can buy ready-made icing/pastry bags, but again as with most things nowadays, you'll eventually find out that the home-made ones are the best to work with.

Learning to make an icing bag is one of the most basic skills of the baking arts. It is ridiculously easy to make, I cannot understand why anyone would want to waste money buying ready-made ones. All you need is a roll of Greaseproof Paper and a little practice. They can be fiddly at first, but are well worth perfecting.

Although several types of icing pumps and plastic icing bags complete with connectors are available, it is easier to use a nozzle with a home-made greaseproof (waxed) paper icing bag. In India, it is commercially known as 'butter paper'. This also makes it cost next to nothing.

How to make your own Paper Icing Bags? View the slide show...

If you need the steps in an orderly fashion...
1. Firstly cut a square of paper. It does not matter what size, but do bear in mind that the completed bag will be approximately a quarter of the size of the original piece of paper.
2. Fold the paper in half diagonally and press along the fold.
3. Next with the long edge of the triangle facing away from you, take the right hand point and curl it under to the center point (facing you) to form a small cone and hold in place.
4. Next take the left hand point and fold it around the cone you have just formed, bringing all the points together.
5. You've got something resembling a sturdy paper cone, huh?
6. Fold all three points over into the bag three times to hold in place. Or if you must, you can also use sticky tape to hold the cone in shape. You should now have a perfect icing bag.
7. There! See...your icing bag is now strong enough to withstand all that squeezing you're about to do.
8. Simply snip off the point with a pair of scissors. Do not cut too much off at first, you can always adjust later.
9. Then insert your icing nozzle, pushing down gently with the handle of a wooden spoon or something like that...for gods sake, get anything to push the nozzle down to the bag tip.
10. ...until it just sticks out of the end of the bag. You can cut a little more off the point if necessary. There it is, you're now ready to pour the icing in and start squeezing.

You know, this is really easy. If you are going to be baking and caking regularly, you can make a whole bunch of Paper Icing bags and store them for later use, tucked into each other. Whenever you require, take one out, snip off the tip, tuck the nozzle in...and there you go!

-end of story-

The Venkataramana Boli and Sweet Stall gives you heaven, one bite at a time

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:40:00 +0000

Its the good times in Chennai, really. At least for the quintessential sweet tooth. In recent times, Chennai has enjoyed the launch of quite a few businesses dedicated to all that is sweet and sinful. To name a few, places like Ecstasy, French Loaf, La Boulangerie, the Cake Shop etc are fast becoming the places to go to if you like it a bit upscale and desperately want to satisfy that craving for sinfully delicious desserts, cakes, pastries and other assorted baked foods of pleasure.

Well, these upscale places are relatively new, but Chennai has also long been famous for the more traditional south indian sweets made by the wildly popular 'Sweet Brands' like Sri Krishna Sweets, Adayar Anandha Bhavan, The Grand Sweets & Snacks, Ganga Sweets and their ilk. While the above mentioned brands have become 'the' byword for traditional Indian Sweets, there are hundreds of smaller sweet stalls and shops whose sweets are just as delicious as the ones offered by the big players, and in many times, even better. The small sweet shops don't have big, glittery, swanky floor space to showcase their treats, but if you are interested only in the quality and taste of the sweets and don't especially care for the ambiance, you might just come across your very own taste-bud heaven.

Venkataramana Sweets

The typical small neighborhood Sweet Shop that lies just by the corner will not have dim lighting, some random light background music, waiters in prim and proper uniform waiting for your order, professionally designed menu card, interior design that probably cost more than the total invested capital of a dozen small shop owners and cosy seating with cool comforts, but places like The Venkataramana Boli and Sweet Stall is proof that you don't really need all that 'shop dressing fluff' if you offer your customers sweets that let them experience that momentary piece of paradise.

For a good treat, the ambiance is largely irrelevant. If you have a hankering to satisfy your sweet tooth, then you will not get a better taste of sinful pleasure than their top selling treat, the traditional Sweet Poli. It is their signature product, wildly popular, and always in danger of being sold out, if the speed at which they are disappearing off their trays is any indication. Even if you're one of those people who come to a sweet shop and still want to stick hard to your diet, they don't disappoint. This wonderful little Sweet Shop makes Oil-free coconut and Dal stuffed versions of their mouth watering Polis for the health conscious.

Wait! there's more.

For all its popularity, the Poli is not the only reason to drop by, their Badhushahs and Jangiris are also worth killing for. And for my money, this little sweet shop called the Venkataramana Boli and Sweet Stall can really challenge the premier product of the leader of the traditional south indian sweet industry(retail), the Sri Krishna Sweets, with their dripping-with-ghee, devilishly-sweet-and-mind-numbing Mysore Pak. If for any fathomable reason, even after all this heavenly sweetness, you want something spicy and savory to sink your teeth into, you must definitely get your hands on their piping hot samosas, sizzling Bajjis and crunchy murukkus.

The Point is...
The Venkatramana Boli and Sweet Stall is a small shop, and there isn't a whole lot of place to move around. And no, the shop doesn't spill over into the street, but the milling crowds certainly do. It is a no-frills place with quality sweets and snacks that are just...you know...whats the word again? Yeah, Sinful. Just sinfully delicious.

Well now, aren't you hungry?
I definitely am. My entire mouth is just dripping with saliva.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Venkatramana Boli and Sweet Stall
Food Type : Traditional South Indian Sweets & Snacks
Bestsellers : Sweet Poli (coconut & dal), Badhushahs, Jangiris, Samosas.....
Price Range : Rs.4/- to Rs.120/-
Business Timings : 8.30 am to 8.30 pm
Address : No.58, Thambiah Street, West Mambalam, Chennai, Tamilnadu (India)
Place Type : Neighborhood Sweet Stall
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Places you can sinfully indulge:
1. Ecstasy
2. Sri Krishna Sweets
3. The Grand Sweets and Snacks
4. La Boulangerie
5. French Loaf

-end of story-

Snickers get Charged. Why God? Why?

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:42:00 +0000

I've eaten a lot of candy to date, quite regularly in fact, and I don't plan on changing the status quo. All kinds of candy - sugar boiled, caramel, hard candy, everyday candy bars, nougat filled, fruit & nut, energy bars, white chocolate, dark chocolate, high couture, whatever. You name it, and I would have eaten it at some point or the other. But till now, and I say this without any doubt whatsoever, the Snickers Candy bar has remained, and still is, my eternal favorite.

Snickers is good

The Snickers bar, with all that chocolate-ness, caramel, nougat and peanut is undoubtedly the most consumed candy bar on the face of this planet. It is also one of the most fulfilling candy bars that you'll ever have. In fact, Mars, the company behind Snickers, advertises it as not just a candy bar, but rather a snack bar - to fulfill that sudden pang of hunger which may strike at any time of the day. Actually, that's what the Snickers candy bar is, an any-time snack.

Here in India, Snickers have been available for more than a couple of decades now, albeit in duty free shops, shops selling imported goods, smuggled goods and the like. It is only since the past couple of months that Mars have officially launched Snickers in the Indian Chocolate & Candy Bar market, which is dominated by the Cadury's product line. Since Snickers is now available in most of the shops in my neighborhood, I have at least one every alternate day, including the limited edition Snickers that the Mars company keep putting out - like Snickers Almond (more nuts with added almond pieces), Snickers Xtreme (all caramel & nuts), Snickers Nut ‘n Butter Crunch (all peanuts & nougat), Snickers Dark (dark chocolate) and Snickers Shrek (green nougat). To be honest, they all are pretty interesting, but none match up to the taste and the experience that the Classic Snickers Bar offers.

Charged up Snickers
Well, that all changed yesterday. One of my friends came back to Chennai, from New York recently and she came to visit me with a gift. Knowing my penchant for Candy, she brought a case, rather a big box (big enough to hold a regular TV), full of popular Chocolates and Candy bars sold in America. I'm not going to list all the candy in the box, it'll take me an entire day. But what caught my eye right away, were the limited edition Snickers Charged in a very shiny silver wrapper inside a shiny silver box.

Mars have messed with Snickers quite a bit, with all their various limited editions. And to be honest, none have been worth a second bite. Well, none till Snickers thought that we need to wake up and smell the candy bar.

Whats in it?

The new Limited Edition Snickers Charged packs 60 mg of caffeine, 250 mg taurine and other B vitamins (about 10% of your RDA). The bar is slightly smaller than the regular one, the same case with all the limited edition bars. It’s 1.83 ounces instead of 2.06. And a slightly smaller bar equals fewer calories. This one is 250 calories compared to the 280 in the regular bar. Not much of a difference, I say.

How does this one fare ?

The Charged edition smells the same as the regular Snickers, has the same texture - the same crunchy peanuts, golden chewy caramel and damning-sweet nougat with just a hint of salt. Take a bite, you'll see it tastes just the same regular Snickers.

Then it comes, the kick of caffeine.

And boy, what a kick it is, I mean in the mouth. A bitter aftertaste that sits high and in the back of the mouth. Its the Caffeine, its strong, and it kind of just lingers there, like maybe it’s not something you ate but something you smelled. And it stays with you, probably as long as the caffeine is in your system. I ate a whole bar of this super charged candy and guess what, the coffee aftertaste stayed with me for at least a couple of hours.

Well, If you’re one of those people who don't mind the bitterness of coffee like me, it might not be such a big deal. But the nice thing about a Snickers is that it’s an anytime bar, just tear open the wrapper and chomp down whenever the craving hits.....this one, this Snickers Charged, I wouldn’t be able to eat it late in the evening or at night. Simply because I simply can’t sleep if I have caffeine that late.

That 60 milligrams of caffeine in one Snickers Charged bar is nothing to take lightly, especially when compared with other caffeinated foods.

1 - 8-ounce soft drink contains 20-40 mg (about 150-170 calories)
1 - 8-ounce regular coffee contains 65-120 mg (5-100)
1 - 8-ounce energy drink contains 72-80 mg (110-140 calories)

Frankly, as far as an edible dose of caffeine goes, it’s great value for your money. A candy bar is usually about 75 cents at a convenience store or Rs.15 in India. A cup of coffee is $1.25 and a soda $1.00 ... and you might be able to get an energy drink for about $2.00. (Let’s not even go into the caffeine, calories & price of those blended coffee drinks.)

Its a radical change from the regular candy bar, but my point is...
Snickers are an alarmingly deceptive simple confection. With just a couple of ingredients, it hits much of the pleasant high notes that the average person craves. Achingly sweet, a little savory, a hint of salt, a bit of texture and crunch, but not too much, all leading up to a heavenly taste in your mouth with a couple of good bites. What can I say, I'm helpless, I love me candy bar. But whats the problem ?

Well, caffeine is bitter, really, and shoving such a dose of it which is present in a single Snickers Charged bar is not very pleasant. Even the explosion of taste that the almighty Snickers bar induces doesn't make up for it. I'm sorry, but the caffeine infusion just doesn't work. The fine folks at Mars have failed miserably here. Snickers Charged has an initial subtle bitterness, that quickly grows very pronounced as soon as the third bite, and leaves a bitter aftertaste that holds for quite some time.

I munched into another caffeinated Snickers bar today, thinking I may have been thrown off by the radical change in taste. But no, I still don't find it appealing. And I’m still trying to get the aftertaste out of my mouth. I don't think I'm wrong when I say that, this is the precise opposite of the desired end result to the consumption of a world class candy bar.

Final thoughts

There are still ten more Snickers Charged bars in the humongous candy box that my dear friend gave to me. I don't want to eat another one, unless I have a specific need for unhydrated caffeine. Even the lure of the 'limited edition' label, which means I'll find it very hard to get my hands on another Snickers Charged bar afterward, doesn't give me the impetus to reach for the rest of them in my candy box. I think I'll firmly stick to the plain ol' regular Snickers.

Oh wait! Maybe I can give them to Rekha, she's even more of a candy addict than I am. I'll really enjoy the shock on her face when the taste of the caffeine kicks in.

-end of story-

I surrender to the Strudel

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:41:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of watching 'The Illusionist' yesterday. I must say, it was one of the finest movies that I have ever seen. However, this post isn't about the Illusionist, rather about one of the things shown in the movie. In the early stages of the movie, one morning, the protagonist walks into a restaurant to meet his agent/manager after a particularly sellout show the previous night. When the Illusionist sits down at the table, he is asked by his manager, "STRUDEL ? they are very good".

I must admit, this is the first time I've heard of the strudel. For some reason, long after the movie had passed, the strudel became stuck in my mind. So I browsed the internet for some information about it, this is what the Wikipedia had:

"A strudel is a type of sweet layered pastry that became well known and gained popularity in the Habsburg Empire.

The word itself derives from the German word Strudel, which literally means "eddy" or "whirlpool".[1] It is most often associated with Austrian cuisine, but is also a traditional pastry in the whole area formerly belonging to the Austro-Hungarian empire (for example, in Hungary it is known as Rétes, in Slovenia as štrudelj, in Czech Republic as štrúdl, in Romania as ştrudel and Slovakia as štrúdľa or závin).

The best-known kinds are Apfelstrudel (German for strudel with apple) and Topfenstrudel (with sweet Topfen cheese, a soft quark cheese)."

Now, Rekha's mom and I have a pact between us. Whenever I come across a new dish, especially one which isn't familiar in our part of the world, especially with her, I research it and turn over all the information, photos, including the recipe to her. For my efforts, she'll make the said dish promptly and give me the first taste before anyone else has a go at it. A nice arrangement, don't you think? Well, Rekha doesn't think so. Hmph! Party pooper, I know why she isn't happy about me hobnobbing with her mother - Mostly, she doesn't get the first taste, that's why.

Rekha's Mom is very good at sweets, desserts and baking, especially cakes and pastries. I know, cos' I'm living proof of her skill in turning out fantastically delicious treats from her commercial-sized kitchen oven. Rekha is actually considering breaking off our friendship because I am getting too fat eating her mother's cooking. Goddamn beautiful skinny girls and their diets, let me have my pastry!

I gave the woman a recipe for the classic Apple Strudel, inspired by Ms.Paula Deen, from the Food Network website. The recipe is detailed, yet ridiculously easy to follow and churn out golden glazed Apple Strudels.

Continue reading the full recipe for Apple Strudel after the turn...

Recipe: Apple Strudel
Cook Time : 30 minutes
Servings : yields 8 large portions

You Need:
1/4 cup bourbon or apple juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 to 3 good sized apples (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, halved, and thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup crushed shortbread cookies
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
5 sheets phyllo dough from 1 pound package of frozen dough
2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing phyllo sheets, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar
Caramel sauce, purchased

For that gleaming Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons milk

How you do it:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Take a bowl, pour the bourbon or apple juice over the raisins and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

3. Combine all the raisins, apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, brown sugar, cookie crumbs, pecans, and butter in a large bowl. Makes quite a messy affair, don't it ?

4. Remove the phyllo dough from the box, unfold, and cover with a damp towel. Place a sheet of phyllo on the work surface and lightly brush it with some melted butter. Ignore urge to lick butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets, brushing each with melted butter, stacking when done, being sure to keep the unbuttered phyllo covered.

5. Place the apple-raisin-cinnamon-sugar-cookiecrumb-pecan-butter mixture on the nearest third of the phyllo stack, make sure to leave room for a 2-inch border. Very gently, lift the bottom edge of the phyllo stack to cover the filling and fold the side edges over. Continue to roll the stack away from you until the filling is completely sealed in and the seam is on the bottom.

6. Transfer this to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with melted butter again and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Remember to resist recurring urge to lick the butter!

7. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Pour over the glaze and sprinkle with cinnamon and confectioners' sugar. Pass warm caramel sauce, to drizzle over the strudel.

You don't know how to make the Glaze ?
Take 2 cups of confectioner's sugar and 3 1/2 tablespoons of milk. Mix ingredients thoroughly.

DeliciouslyD Note:

If the glaze is too thick add a little bit of milk. If too thin add a little bit of confectioners' sugar.
If you can't get the Phyllo dough sheets, you can make do with commercially available Puff Pastry dough sheets.

Let go of all inhibitions and any sort of care and concern for nearby people and dig in. If you have trouble doing that, just take a bite: you'll be in too much bliss to remember anyone and anything else.

The above recipe is intentionally a bit complicated and included a lot of extra ingredients like cookie crumbs, bourbon, juice, lemons, raisins etc. If you want a recipe for a quick Apple Pecan Strudel, take a look at Jamie Oliver's Apple & Pecan Strudel with Cinnamon.

The classic Strudel is traditionally made with Apples and Pecans, but there are a lot of variations on this old world Pastry. The Cook & Eat blog has a great recipe for a Banana Pecan Strudel.

I'll fight the Gods for Pootharekulu

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:36:00 +0000

Rekha just came back from Hyderabad, after being gone for a very long 2 week vacation. I was very happy to see her yesterday at her house, I had been waiting for her return, no, scratch that! I had been lusting for her return. No, not because she is absolutely fucking beautiful, that she is, I tell you. I believe that she can make even God follow her around like a lovesick puppy. By all that is holy, that woman shouldn't be allowed to show her face in public: her beauty is a menace to society. Whew! I've gotten far off the point already, haven't I ?

For the first time in my life, I was not interested in a woman, supernatural beauty or otherwise. I was in desire for what she brought back from Hyderabad. Two weeks ago, when she left for her vacation, she promised me that she would bring a big batch of Pootharekulu for me. You see, her grandma, who is something of a cooking legend in her vast-enough-to-fill-a-small-country family, makes some of the best Pootharekulu in the world. And I'm not exaggerating this time.

Pootharekulu, sometimes called by the outsiders as 'That Paper Sweet' is a sweet dish that is more popular than N.T.Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh. Imagine a Veggie Roll, except replace the veggies by finely ground sugar wrapped inside ghee coated less than paper thin laminated foils of rice. Made predominantly in eastern and coastal Andhra, it is nevertheless, available in a few quality Sweet shops specializing in Andhra Sweets. This is to say I'm not exaggerating when I say that whenever you go into an Andhra Sweet Shop and blindly ask for their most popular selling item, you'll be given Pootharekulu.

Continue reading more about 'Pootharekulu' and its full recipe after the turn...

Although there isn't any great deal of information about its origins and history, Wikipedia hazards a guess:

"It is a sweet version of a Vegetable Roll where the vegetables are replaced by finely ground sugar powder in fine laminated foils made of rice. The wafer's size varies from 100 to 1000 micrometres depending on the expertise of the person who makes it. Pootharekulu was probably developed by the Brahmin families of Rajahmundry City in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh c. 16th century AD Reference will be fixed soon . In the Telugu language, pootha means "coating OR to coat" and reku means a foil, translating to English as "sugar coated foils". The lu suffix (poothareku lu)is added to denote the plural form of Poothareku".

Well, coming back to Rekha's Granny, she first hesitated to make this great Andhra sweet. I don't blame her, the authentic process of making Pootharekulu is a nightmare for those who don't have the patience and fortitude for it. From what Rekha explained to me, the Wafer-making is the toughest part of the entire procedure. It is extremely difficult to prevent the Wafers from breaking/crumbling as they are being rolled. Nowadays, people prefer to make the Potharekulu using Raw Wafers which can be purchased in the markets of Hyderabad. But, since her granny is one of those wonderful people who prefer to make everything from scratch, as in the old days, it would take an awful lot of time and effort to make them. Although I suspect Rekha exaggerated things as she didn't want to be suckered into helping her granny make the Pootharekulu, I have to agree, it takes a person with great patience to make this sweet delicacy. But after a lot of begging and cajoling, and promising to get her a very expensive gift for her birthday, I finally convinced her to make her granny whip up some pootharekulu.

Well, as soon as she rang me up of her return to Madras, I rushed to her apartment. Maybe I should have waited a bit and let the girl relax and freshen up before I asked for her booty (The sweet, I mean). Apparently, people don't like it when you barge into their home and demand sweets even before inquiring about them and their vacation. And the people you are involved with really don't appreciate your humor when you show regard for a Sweet Delicacy (even if it is a Delicacy that will make the Gods fight the humans for it) above themselves, especially when said person is tired and cranky after a long train journey. Believe me, I have the bump in my head to prove it. But hey, I at least got what I wanted.

Recipe : Pootharekulu
I’ll try to explain the recipe preparation procedure as soon as get down from this incredible sugar rush.

You need:
Ground Rice dough - of very thin constituency
Sugar - Finely powdered, like talcum powder
Ghee - you can't make this without ghee
Cinnamon/Cardamom (Optional) - Powdered. I don't like it, I'm a purist, but it does add flavor

Here's how you make 'em:
1. Ground Rice dough (starchy) of very thin constituency is poured upon earthen pots which are then baked from the inside.
2. Once done, the wafer is peeled off gently and is cut into rectangular mats. They’re to be handled with great care.
3. Very finely powdered Sugar - sometimes mixed with cinnamon or cardamom for flavor - is then sprinkled on the rice wafers and then you spread a very liberal amount of pure ghee. The ghee should not be poured on, but more like sprinkled on the wafers, evenly spreading it across.
4. The wafer is then folded (not rolled) into a rectangular shape (Rekha's granny does 'em like like this - one fold from bottom towards the middle, another fold from the top towards the middle on top of the previous fold, making three layers & then folding from right-to-left to make a rectangular box-like shape).
5. Sinfully Delicious Pootharekulu are ready!

Rekha's granny told us that they can be wolfed down immediately or allowed to stand and turn crisp - letting the ghee solidify - and then eaten. Of course, the crisper they are, the more are the chances of crumbling and loss of the sugar within!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go finish the remaining Pootharekulu before Rekha drops in.

Home made Pootharekulu tastes the best, but if you don't have access to anyone who makes this heavenly Andhra sweet, go on ahead, rush to your nearest Andhra Sweet Shop. By my reckoning, there is one sweet shop whose Pootharekulu have the best chance of coming close to the taste of Rekha's Granny's Delicacy:

--------------------------------------------------
G Pulla Reddy Sweets
#6-3-79-B
Somajiguda
Hyderabad-500082
Landmark: Beside The Hindu Paper building
Phone: 040-23411441
--------------------------------------------------

Or if you aren't in the vicinity, you can order them online:
1. Rediff Shopping - Pootharekulu,Paper Sweet(G Pulla Reddy)
2. 143Gifts.com
3. CountryOven.in

Mousse au Chocolat, what do I say? WOW!

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:56:00 +0000

You've got to hand it to the French. Not only do they have one of the most salivating cuisines, they have a way of making the most down to earth delicacies sound like the most wonderful things on earth. Its almost as if they are doing you a favor by letting you enjoy the food of the french. I daresay, the entire french cuisine owes a great part of its almost mythic status to the way the dishes are named.

When you say Chocolate Mousse, you get images of a delicious, chocolaty-creamy dessert. But when you say 'Mousse au Chocolat', you experience a classic french dessert that has all the alluring sensuality of the food associated with romance the world over, chocolate whipped up to make a delicacy with a texture 'lighter than air' and the smoothness of cashmere.

"Mousse" is the French word for "foam", while "Chocolat" is of course French for "chocolate". Consequently, "Mousse au chocolat" translates as "foamy chocolate", and is one of a number of foamy desserts (many of which are fruit based).

It never ceases to amaze me that the simplest things are usually the best. Chocolate Mousse is an extremely simple mixture of whipped cream, whipped egg yolks, and melted chocolate, yet it's a classic french dessert loved all over the world. The classic chocolate mousse does not have any cream. The traditional french version actually involves a bit of work, but there are a lot of recipes out there that turn out a light and creamy dessert with very little effort like this one. You can even find egg-free versions, though I don't particularly care for them.

In a traditional recipe for 'Mousse au Chocolat', you make a 'pate a bombe', which is created when you add a cooked sugar syrup to egg yolks while they're mixing, and a basic merengue, and adding the lot of them to melted chocolate. You can save a lot of that work making a good chocolate mousse with the recipe provided. You'll never even notice the time you've spent in your kitchen!

As for me, I like my flavors to be particularly intense. The recipe after the turn does exactly that - create a classic 'Mousse au Chocolat' that is intensely heavenly.

Recipe : Intense Mousse au Chocolat
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5 Minutes
Servings : 6

You need:
Dark Chocolate(70% chocolate) - 7 ounces (200 g)
Butter - 2 ounces (60 g)
Eggs - 2
Icing Sugar - 1.4 ounces (40 g)

You do this:
1. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and then melt it into gooeyness, using just enough heat to gently melt the chocolate. Keep stirring the chocolate with a wooden spoon as it is melting.
2. Slowly mix in the butter, stirring it in with the wooden spoon as it melts. Then dump the egg yolks of the 2 eggs, again stirring them in.
3. Separately, whip up the egg whites into a froth. Then gradually put in the icing sugar to the whipped egg whites, stirring the sugar in as you add it.
4. Slowly add the egg whites and sugar mixture to the chocolate and butter mixture, gently folding the egg white into the chocolate, using the wooden spoon.
5. Once the sugared egg white mixture has been mixed in fully, spoon the mixture into attractive glasses. Place the glasses in a refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, to allow the chocolate to cool.

You can serve the mousse as it is, but the real magic of the taste can be felt only when it is cooled.

Notes:
This recipe is for serious chocolate lovers. The taste is a very intense, dark chocolate variant which is enjoyed by some but will be found too strong by others. My tastes veer towards the more intense flavors.

For tips on avoiding common problems with Mousse au Chocolat, you can read the Guidelines to Making Chocolate Mousse.

Chocolate mousse or Mousse au Chocolat would make an easy and delicious dessert any day, night...whatever. Whenever possible, try scooping up the chocolate mousse with fresh pieces of fruits like apple, banana etc. Believe it or not, it tastes even better.

Falernum, nectar of the tiki gods

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:24:00 +0000

Recently, a very beautiful friend got married and whisked off to Barbados on her honeymoon. She came back a couple of days ago and immediately launched into a spiel of how great the honeymoon was, how romantic it was, the food, the sun, the sand, the beaches and on and on. Normally I would stop people before they launch into any kind of long winded soliloquys, but since she was still in her post honeymoon bliss, I endured the treatment. I became interested in her talk only when she mentioned Falernum, which is supposedly known as the nectar of the tiki gods.

I have only heard of Falernum before, I hadn't tasted it. It is a classic liqueur/sweetener that is quite famous in Barbados. Anyhoo, my friend hosted a post-honeymoon party which had a whole range of cocktails that used this Falernum as an ingredient. You have to believe me, when you sample Falernum, you cannot mistake where it comes from, it does have the distinct freshness and flavor of the Caribbean.

Well, the party turned out to be a huge hit, thanks to Falernum. This was the only party I attended where the guests were raving about their drinks more than the newly wedded couple. For the first timer, Falernum's taste is quite surprising, the complexities of it's aroma and flavors are hard to pin down, though you can try.

There's more...

Ever since the tiki boom of the 1930's, Falernum has been used as a sweetener, primarily in tropical and Caribbean cocktails. Produced commercially but rather sporadically in Bermuda, Barbados and the U.S., it had been, until recently, hard to get consistently. Mind you, it still is rather hard to get, and in places like where I live, it is literally non-existent, people here have never heard of it. Keeping in line with the notion that you crave the most what you can't get, frustrated bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts began tinkering with recipes to produce their own version of Falernum.

The more people tinkered with the recipe, the more it evolved. What was once a translucent, almond and clove syrup is now a juice and spice driven nectar, with a parade of flavors. And as with most unique concoctions of this nature, everybody seems to have their own recipe on how to make Falernum. I browsed for a really long time on the web before I stumbled across a Home-made recipe for Falernum on the Cocktail Chronicles website. Paul Clarke's outstanding recipe from his site 'The Cocktail Chronicles' can be used as a launching point, from which I quote in verbatim:

6 ounces Wray & Nephew Overproof White Rum
Zest of 9 medium limes, removed with a microplane grater or sharp vegetable peeler, with no traces of white pith
40 whole cloves (buy fresh ones — not the cloves that have been in your spice rack since last Christmas)
1 1/2 ounce, by weight, peeled, julienn`d fresh ginger

Combine these ingredients in a jar and seal, letting the mixture soak for 24 hours. Then, strain through moistened cheesecloth, squeezing the solids to extract the last, flavorful bits of liquid.

Add:
1/4 teaspoon almond extract*
14 ounces cold process 2:1 simple syrup (two parts sugar to one part water, shaken in a jar or bottle WITHOUT HEAT until all the sugar is dissolved)
4 1/2 ounces fresh, strained lime juice

Shake it all together and serve.

Its not the greatest Falernum recipe, but it is definitely a cheap and easy method to create an obscure flavoring that is essential in a class of exotic drinks. Also, since it uses fresh ingredients, it has a great aroma and a much snappier taste than most commercially available Falernum.

DeliciouslyD Note: The freshness of this recipe also limits its shelf life, so make it in small batches. Keep it refrigerated and use within a month or so.

The best part about Falernum is there is no one set method, rather many takes exist. One variation adds 20 allspice berries to the soak (which is increased to about 3-4 days) and a couple drops of vanilla extract for good measure. For another variation, Craig Hermann (who is credited for the above picture) over at Tiki Drinks & Indigo Firmaments publishes his experiments in four parts.

Ah! I suppose you'll need a drink after all this thirsty work. Here are some cocktails recipes with which you can use your freshly made Falernum:

The White Lion
Port Antonio Cocktail
Test Pilot
Clermont Smash
Chartreuse Swizzle

6 Simple DIY Frozen Treats to chill you right up

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:24:00 +0000

You know, this whole inflation rise is really bothering a lot of people. At first it looked like things will return to normal soon, but now it seems that people are beginning to adjust and save accordingly. People are coming up with innovative ideas that help them to continue enjoying their treats, yet enabling them to save their hard earned money.

I've always loved desserts, in fact sometimes I think I rush through my food to get to my favorite desserts. And living in a boiling country like India only makes me appreciate delicious dessert treats of the frozen variety. So, when I came across this post by Linsey Knerl on Wisebread, I was overjoyed by her DIY methods to make your very own frozen dessert treats at home.

Ridiculously easy to make, these 6 simple DIY Freezer treats consisting of delicious Frozen Chocolate Bananas, Popsicles, Fruit Bars, Frozen Yoghurt, Ice cream Bars and Pudding Pops can be made just like that, in an instant. And they cost ridiculously cheap too.

- end of story -

The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Potato Parathas

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:32:00 +0000

Paratha Variant: Potato Parantha
Parathas are sometimes stuffed with herbed potatoes, shredded radishes and cauliflower with its water squeezed out, peas and sometimes even sugar (though I don't like sugar parathas that much, hyperactive little tots will love them) or dried fruit pastes.

Cut into wedges, they are excellent finger foods for parties. Allow 1-2 per person, depending on the size of the breads and the accompanying dishes. Serve with yogurt raita and Indian pickles.

Continue reading the full recipe for "The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Potato Parathas" after the turn.

Recipe: Potato Parathas
Prep time:
Cook time:
Servings :

You Need:
2 medium potatoes (boiled, peeled, mashed and cooled to room temperature)
1 tsp. Coriander powder
1 tsp. Cumin powder
1/2 tsp. amchoor powder/mango powder
1 green chili minced (optional)
1 tsp. Chilli powder
1 tsp. lime/lemon juice
salt to taste
finely chopped cilantro
2 cups wheat flour

How do you do it?
Prepping the Potato Paratha:
1. Mix boiled and mashed potatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, mango powder, chopped green chilies, salt, cilantro, lime juice and chili powder.
2. Make small balls of the mixture.
3. Take a ball of dough slightly thicker than chapati (large egg size or peach size) and roll it out into a circle 4-5 inches in diameter.
4. Place Potato mixture on it and again make it into a ball.
5. Seal the edges completely so that the stuffing does not come out.
6. Flatten these balls and roll into a 6 inch circle.

Now, Cooking it:
1. Pre-heat the griddle (tawa). Slap a circle of flattened and stuffed dough and slather oil or butter and cook over low heat.
2. Turn it again and spread butter/oil on the other side. Come on now, don't be shy.
3. Cook both sides till they become golden brown, it a very appetizing color, isn't it?

Serve with chutney, yogurt, steamed vegetable or Indian pickles(available in just about every Indian grocery store).

The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Parathas

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:07:00 +0000

I actually like Parathas more than Chapatis, they have a flaky, oily texture and are comparably more elaborate to cook. Not to mention Parathas are a bit more heavy on the palate than your usual everyday Rotis or Chapatis. Being slathered with Ghee and Oil, what else do you expect?

The dough is flattened, rolled out and brushed with ghee or oil, folded, and brushed with ghee or oil again, and folded again to form a layered slice of sorts. This is then rolled out again, put on a hot griddle and brushed with oil (Uses quite a bit of oil, doesn't it?). The heat makes the layers of dough swell and puff, resulting in flaky, pastry like flat breads.

They are also enjoyed as snacks, lunch-box favorites, light brunch items or traveling munching companions. A normal person usually eats 1 or 2 parathas as a time, but since when am I normal? I enjoy good, delicious food and I most certainly do not hesitate to have a generous second and sometimes third helping too. I usually eat not less than 4 scrumptious parathas in one sitting.

Continue reading the full recipe for "The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Parathas" after the turn.

Recipe: Parathas
---------------------------------------
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 20 mins
Servings : 4 to 5 med. sized parathas

You Need:
Chapati flour - 2 1/2 cups
Water - 1 cup, at room temperature
Chapati flour - 1 cup, in a large plate for dusting the dough while rolling it out
Ghee, Oil - for brushing the bread

How do you do it?
-----------------------------------
Rolling out the Dough:
1. Prepare Basic dough and allow to rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
2. To make triangular-shaped paranthas, divide the dough into peach-size balls.
3. With a rolling pin, roll out 1 ball to a circle 5 inches in diameter.
4. Brush the circle of dough with ghee, and fold in half to from a crescent, then brush again with ghee and fold into a triangle. Seal the edges well.
5. Dust the parantha with finely sieved whole wheat flour and roll into a large, flat triangle or round parantha. Try to make the edges slightly thinner to ensure uniform cooking.
6. Rather than shaping all the parathas at one time, cook each one as the next one is rolled out.

Now, Cooking the Paratha:
1. Preheat a cast-iron tawa over medium heat.
2. Place the rolled and flattened dough on the palm of one hand and flip it over on to the tawa.
3. When the color changes on the top and bubbles appear, brush ghee over the surface of the parantha and turn it over.
4. Repeat the process of brushing the paratha on the other side. Keep flipping it over till both sides are browned and spots appear on the paratha, it shouldn't take too long. A well cooked paratha will puff up while on the tawa.
5. To keep the parathas warm as they are cooked, place them in a towel-lined bowl and fold over the sides of the towel. Serve hot.

Left-over parathas can be refrigerated. Simply heat them in a toaster oven until they are sizzling hot and they will be as good as new.

The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Rotis/Chapatis

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:54:00 +0000

I don't go for many days without a Roti or Chapati. In fact, I have Chapatis for dinner almost everyday. Don't get confused with the names, Roti & Chapati are one and the same, just called depending on who cooks 'em and eats 'em. Once you get a taste of these unleavened, unsalted simple breads, you are hooked. This is simple, fast, unpretentious home cooking that is very satisfying, healthy and easy on both your waist and your wallet.

Rotis cooked without oil are called Pulkas, they are excellent for those with Diabetes or for people on a diet. Rotis are made from small balls of dough that are flattened, rolled out and then partially cooked on a hot griddle and finished directly over high heat. The cooking over high heat is optional, but it makes the rotis puff up into a ball.

They are then lightly coated with ghee to keep them pliable until serving time. Line a tortilla basket with a napkin and keep the rotis in it. Allow 2-3 chapatis or rotis per person, I always eat at least 4. This is everyday Indian bread made in most Indian homes daily.

Learn how to make the Basic Dough for the Indian Flat Bread.

The good thing about these chapatis is that it can be had with just about any kind of gravy, but a spicy potato korma is one of my favorite side-dishes to eat with my chapatis.

Continue reading the full recipe for 'The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Rotis/Chapatis' after the turn.

Recipe: Rotis/Chapatis
----------------------------------------------------
Prep time: 2.5 hours (kneading the dough + leaving it to rest)
Cook time: 15 mins
Servings : 6 med. size Chapatis

You Need:
Chapati flour(Aata) - 2.5 cups
Water - 1 cup, at room temperature
Chapati flour - 1 cup, in a large plate for dusting the dough when rolling it out
Ghee - for brushing the bread after cooking

How do you do it?
--------------------------------
Rollin out the dough:
1. Prepare the desired amount of dough from the Basic Dough recipe.

2. After resting for 2-2 1/2 hours, knead well. Divide the dough into peach-size balls.

3. On a lightly floured surface, flatten one ball of dough with your hand. Using a rolling-pin, roll out the dough into a thin,round patty, about 5 inches in diameter. Roll from the center, turning patty several times to prevent sticking. Try to make the edges slightly thinner than the center.

4. As you cook the chappati/roti, one could be rolling out the next, rather than shaping all of the chapatis at one time.

Cooking the chapati or roti:
1. Preheat a cast-iron tawa over medium heat.

2. Place the flattened dough on the palm of one hand and flip it over on to the tawa.

3. When the color changes on the top and bubbles appear, turn it over.

4. When both sides are done, use kitchen tongs or whatever you have to remove the chapati from the skillet.

Gas Stove: If you have a gas stove, hold the cooked chapati over a medium flame and it will puff up immediately. Turn quickly to flame-bake the other side. Do this several times, taking care that the edges are well cooked.

Electric Stove: If you have an electric stove, chapatis can be encouraged to puff by pressing them with a clean kitchen towel after the first turn on each side. Repeat the shaping and cooking process until all chapatis are cooked.

To keep the chapatis warm as they are cooked, place them in a towel-lined bowl and fold over the sides of the towel.

Serve hot, either completely dry or topped with a small amount of ghee or butter.

The Handpresso: Instant Premium Espresso, anywhere, anytime

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:09:00 +0000

Most of the time, though we find it to be every time, the coffee you get on the road tastes like creek mud. But what other choice do you have?

Well, you now have the Handpresso to take along on the go. This $140 fancy pint sized Coffee Maker(Espresso) is your own portable manual espresso maker that'll press out some surprisingly good brew in no time flat.

It works pretty much exactly like you would expect: pump the handle to the right pressure level, add one of them espresso pods and hot water, flip the ubiquitous switch and WHAM!, your brain gets the jolt of espresso and starts the Energizer Bunny routine like it always does.

The machine itself is very attractive - It’s a beautiful French contraption that looks like a nicely designed mini bike pump, well built, heavy, and gleaming with polished black steel and glass. There is a whole set of accessories you can buy along with the espresso pods, all packed into one small thermo-formed stiff case, or a more sophisticated looking, yet compact leather case.

Also, we discovered that it takes all types of espresso pods - there is no proprietary kind that you are forced to use. Very generous of them. Apparently the box is all fancy too, which is always nice.

This is an AD for the Handpresso with a French couple in a movie theater trying to be all suggestive while pumping up the espresso, getting the cups ready, etc. It cracks me up every time I watch it. Its too funny.

It can't be all this simple, can it? So whats the catch, really?

Continue reading more about "The Handpresso: Instant Premium Espresso, anywhere, anytime" after the turn.

Our grouse about the Handpresso is the fact that it uses espresso pods instead of freshly roasted and ground coffee beans. While not a big deal, it is surely more than an inconvenience for people who can't get a regular supply of Espresso Pods, like me. If you don't find a store that sells the pods, you're stuck with another fancy gadget that is gathering dust.

Fresh ground coffee is always available wherever you are, and if the makers of this amazing little gadget re-configure it to accept fresh ground coffee also, then we would always be happy. Still, we were very impressed with the espresso. It didn't quite hold up to the full-on Francis Francis machines, but it was smooth and rich, with a quite unexpected thickness of body that lingered, a heady crema and ah! the froth. I love the froth.

Four Easy Steps: 1) Pump the handle to get 16 bar, 2) Add Hot Water, 3) Add an ESE Pod, 4) Press the brew button to get your Espresso.

The unit comes packed extremely well and secure from the manufacturers in France. The box that the Handpresso comes in is more like a luxury presentation quality box that an exquisite Cognac would normally come in.

Conclusions:
If your espresso is so important to you that you absolutely must have it on the road, this is a great option. The primary target market for the Handpresso would be trekkers, campers and people who travel a lot. We are not any of those people, but we are happy to say that it makes better espressos than Starbucks or the other Coffee chains with their automated espresso machines.

The Handpresso retails for around $140. It is not available in India, not through their product website, though I imagine it is sold through the likes of Amazon & Co.

Here’s how the Handpresso actually works:

Handpresso Gallery

Rival Product alert: The Aerobie Aeropress
We would also like you to have a look at another great portable Coffee(espresso) maker - the Aerobie Aeropress. While quite not as small and fancy as the Handpresso, it produces remarkably great tasting espresso. But it does have one feature that we wish the Handpresso had. You don't need the pods, cos' the Aeropress accepts regular fresh coffee grounds. And the best part? It costs only $25.99 on the Amazon website.

The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Making the Dough

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:35:00 +0000

I probably shouldn't be telling this in a public medium like a Food & Drink blog, but when has that stopped me? Kneading dough seems like a mundane chore, but I have always found it somewhat sensual.

You don't get what I'm hollering about?

Well, take some flour, water. Get your girlfriend or boyfriend to help you with the dough kneading. Place both your and your girlfriend's hands into the bowl and start to mix and knead the dough - slowly, firmly. I found this a playful, yet a very sensual way to do two things at once, prepping the dough for cooking and also indulging in some light foreplay even when you and your partner are not alone.

Food always has been linked with sexuality, and I am waking up to this fact every day of my life.

I like to mix, knead, rest and then refrigerate the dough for convenience, for using daily. My dough lasts in the refrigerator for about 5 days. It also makes rolling out easier than freshly made dough.

Continue reading the recipe for "The Great Indian FlatBread Trail: Making the Dough" after the turn

Recipe: General Indian Bread Dough
For making Rotis, Chapathis, Pooris etc
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prep Time: 20 mins + Additional 30 mins for resting the dough
Resting time - 30 mins(Warm climates) / 90 mins(Colder Climates)

You Need:
Wheat Flour/Atta
You can also use All Purpose Flour(Maida) but I prefer wheat flour
Water
Salt - a pinch
Oil (Optional)
Milk (Optional)

Making the Dough:
1. Put flour in a large bowl.

2. Make a well in the middle and pour in a stream of water in the center. Use one hand to mix the flour and water in a rotating motion from the center of the bowl outward, until the dough is moist enough to be gathered into a rough mass.

3. You can add a bit of oil while kneading the dough. Its entirely optional, but I find that when you add oil to the dough, the chapatis, rotis, pooris, parathas or whatever come out smooth, light and fluffy. Wet hands and continue until the mixture cleans the sides of the bowl and has become a nonsticky, kneadable dough. When the dough is kneaded, it will be elastic and silky smooth.

4. To test the dough, press it lightly with a fingertip. If it springs back, it is ready to be rested. Resting the dough is the last step and allows the dough to relax and absorb the water and kneading. Rest for 1/2 hour in warm climates and 1.5 hours in cold climates. Cover with a wet towel so the dough does not dry out.

5. The rested dough is light and springy, less resistant to being rolled out into the thin rounds.

The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: Tools required

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:50:00 +0000

You don't need much equipment to make Indian Breads, any Indian Flat Bread. Just get together a few simple tools, and there you are, all ready to dole out just about every kind of Indian Bread there is.

Tools required for making Indian Flatbreads
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cast Iron concave griddle 8-12 inches diameter called tawa
Cast Iron flat griddle 8-12 inches diameter for making Dosas, Parottas
A shallow mixing bowl
A rolling pin
A large plate for dusting the dough while rolling it out, like pizza
Tongs for the beginner
Wok stand placed over the electric or gas burner
A grilling rack which is placed over the wok stand
A deep dish Wok for deep frying for Pooris and other fried breads

For Making Idli's:
Idli moulds/racks/stands
Pressure based(cooker) or Electric/Microwave

Special Equipment:
Tandoor - An Indian clay oven. Tandoors cook food at very high temperatures. It is impossible to have that high a temperature in a domestic oven, but if you cook Naans on maximum heat or under a preheated grill, the results are pretty good.

Idli Cooker - A special cooker for making Idli's, available in Stainless steel or Aluminium or as Electric Steamers. There are even Idli Cookers for cooking 'em in your microwave. You don't really need these fancy cookers, just an Idli rack and a pressure cooker will do. But if you still want to, hey go ahead.

- end of post -

Crunchy Murukkus make the best snack

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:07:00 +0000

I have always had a grave weakness for Murukkus. Whatever I may be doing, if I see a Murukku within my sights, I drop everything to grab 'em and crunch 'em in my mouth.

For those who are ignorant of this God given snack, Murukkus or Murukulus are a crispy-savory south Indian savory snack, made of finely ground rice-dal flour, made into a thick paste and deep fried in hot, sizzling oil.

Murukkus are traditionally made during Deepavali in almost every south Indian home, but you can also find them at every Indian sweet shop all through the year. Despite the convenience of buying Murukkus by the kilo in a sweet/snack shop, the taste never matches to the traditional home-made Murukkus that follow a recipe, originating from before the birth of Jesus Christ.

It has been ages since I have bitten into an authentic, home made Murukku. The last instance I remember was in high school and I was living with my parents. The rice would be soaked in water for about an hour or two then it would be air-dried on a cotton cloth overnight. The next day, it would then be slow roasted in a pan on the stove in batches, then cooled. The urad dal would undergo the same process, except the soaking bit. It would just be roasted on the stove, then cooled.

I fondly recall the times when my mother would instruct me to take the dried rice & dal mixture to the flour mill, to grind 'em to powder. At that age, I always found my trips to the flour mill exciting, as I got to watch the then fascinating process of powdering the rice-dal mixture.

As I said, it had been ages. But when my dear girlfriend wanted to learn to make some traditional south Indian Murukkus, I offered to help right away. At one time, the woman was actually concerned about the level of excitement I showed, to help her make the Murukkus.

Continue reading the recipe for "Crunchy Murukkus make the best snack" after the turn.

Some Basic Hardware:
To make the Murukkus, you need something to pipe the flour batter into the hot oil. Now, in the olden days, er...even now, the quintessential south Indian Maami, often considered the last word in the making of the Murukku, use just a cloth and some sort of hard metal tip (like the filling cones for cake icing) to pipe the murukku batter into the oil, nothing else. It sounds easy, but it is not. You require a lot of practice and an experienced hand for the murukku to come out like a murukku.

So, for all of us amateur cooks, we can make excellent Murukkus with a special contraption called the "Murukku maker/press". There are a good number of different types of these great little devices available in your local Indian market (I have the one shown above: stole that from my mother's kitchen by the way). I like this type because it is much easier to use than the makers which you have to "press" down on. This one you just rotate the lever and the disc on one end of the screw thingy pushes down on the dough inside the cylinder, nice and easy.

Recipe: Crunchy Murukkus
---------------------------------------------------------------
Prep Time: 5-6 hrs (for pre-roasting, making the powdered flour and then letting it cool)
Cook Time: 20 mins
Servings: 15-20 med. sized Murukkus

You Need:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Urad dal flour - 3/4 cup
White Sesame seeds - 4 Tbsp
Cumin seeds - 3 Tbsp
Ajwain seeds - 1 Tbsp
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Chili powder - 1 Tbsp
Melted Butter/Shortening - 4 Tbsp (Do Not go overboard with this)
Oil for deep frying

How do you do it?
1. Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Now scoop up a cup of the flour mixture into a small mixing bowl and add enough water to make a dough that is not too tough nor too watery. It should be easily "pinchable".
3. Fill in this dough mixture in a Murukku maker and press or turn away (depending on what kind of press/murukku maker you are using) onto a clean cotton cloth or some aluminium foil into small piped shaped as in the picture. Your Murukku maker/press makes different varieties of Murukkus, depending on the filter you use. I personally like the round, swirly serrated-edged Murukkus (cover photo in this post).
4. Meanwhile heat up the oil and deep fry the murukkus in hot oil until well cooked - golden brown and crunchy.

God! The aroma of the Murukkus alone is driving me crazy!

DeliciouslyD Tip:
When making murukus in large batches, make sure that you do not make the dough all at once, unless you like your murukkus unusually brown and hard. Combine all the dry ingredients together and only make the dough when ready to put the dough into the mould/press.

The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: A Primer

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:07:00 +0000

A flatbread is a simple bread made from flattened dough.
Many flat breads are unleavened - made without yeast or sourdough culture. They can range from one millimeter to a few centimeters thick. Flatbreads were already known in Ancient Egypt and Sumer, but when the Indian Subcontinent woke up to its taste and aroma, the crispy-chewey Flat Bread became a hot staple of Indian Cuisine quicker than the rise of the Pizza in American culture.

An element of every meal, bread is a part of daily life in India. It's more than a food - it's an essential utensil in a country where most people eat with their fingers.

The original Indian bread, known as roti, is flat and unleavened. However, Muslim influence also introduced a multitude of leavened breads such as naan. But then, mysterious India also offers raised roti like that found in Kashmir and Bombay.

Flat Breads in India are made of finely milled whole wheat flour and water. Take some whole wheat flour, a little warm water and a few drops of ghee or oil - with just those ingredients you can make the most popular breads, whose names vary according to their shape and the way they're cooked, giving them different flavors and textures: for example, Chapatis are cooked on a dry round griddle, Parathas are cooked on a griddle greased with ghee, Pooris are fried and Naans are baked in a Tandoor Oven.

They are often sprinkled with chopped onion and herb seeds before being baked.

Some recipes call for salt or oil, but I sometimes like to make mine without them. The salt and oil is used to tenderize the dough, but then, they also interfere with the overall meal as the bread does not stay neutral in taste. Indian flat breads are used to scoop up curries and vegetables.

Now, let us take a good look at the most popular flat breads that are eaten by almost a billion people in the Indian subcontinent.

Continue reading "The Great Indian Flat Bread Trail: A Primer" after the turn.

Naan
----------
It is the bread of the Sikh tribe of the Punjab. Made with leavened dough, the leavener is often made from buttermilk or yogurt. The dough is stretched by tossing the piece of dough quickly from one palm to the other to form a thin oval flatbread, like a small Pizza, slightly thicker around the edges than in the center.

Traditionally naan is baked on the walls of a tandoor oven, brushed with a thin coating of oil or ghee and served hot. Often naan is sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds before being baked. Chopped onion or cilantro can also be added to the dough.

Naan is also stuffed with cheese, vegetable curry or meat. In this case, the filling is placed on part of the dough which is then folded over on itself before being rolled flat with a rolling pin.

Roti
----------
The name is related to the French word "rôtie", meaning "toasted bread", or at least I think it is.
It is made from:
Whole wheat (aata)
Millet (bajra)
or Sorghum (jowar)

Roti is the usual name for Indian breads.

Rumali
-------------
Toasted bread, or handkerchief bread, which is also found in other eastern countries, is made up of numerous layers of dough like a folded handkerchief. This is an extremely thin, low oil variant of the Classic Roti.

Poori(fried bread)
---------------------------
Pooris are small round breads that are usually eaten for breakfast. They accompany the Thali in the Gujarati cuisine. This deep fried bread is common to the whole Bengal region. What am I saying? This is a favorite all over India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Pooris are deep fried in oil, completely submerged so that it puffs up with hot air. Oooh Delicious!

There are also pooris stuffed with
Spinach - palak poori
Potato - aloo poori
Pani Poori - with tamarind juice, made small enough that they can be gobbled whole in one bite so that the juice doesn't escape when you bite into it.

Chapati
---------------
Chapatis are always made on a circular cast iron gridle known as a tawa, which is slightly concave to give the bread its distinctive shape. It is cooked without fat, over very high heat. In Madhya Pradesh, it is made from cornmeal, but most commonly it is made from regular wheat. Chapatis are somewhat like the Mexican Tortillas. Chapatis and Rotis are names used interchangeably, they are almost the same anyway.

In the modern version, the dough is left to rise for about an hour, though traditionally it is left for 7 to 9 hours to give it a lighter texture, due to the increased number of bubbles that form. They blacken in contact with the heat, giving the chapatis their unique speckled look.

Parotta
--------------
A great street side food famous in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Flaky, fluffy, soft circular, layered breads made with plain flour or Maida. A very common flat bread in South India, the parotta is not to be confused with the north indian Paratha. First of all, this item literally takes a bath in oil, so people who are health conscious better avoid making this dish. The other thing is , it takes at least a couple hours to make these parottas, most of which is kneading the dough, beating and shaping. Spicy Kurmas are the standard side dish accompanying the Parotta.

Paratha(ghee bread)
---------------------------------
The Paratha is a richer version of a chapati, thicker, crispier and cooked in ghee on a griddle. Before kneading the dough, cooks sometimes add mint leaves, a pinch of salt and some paprika.

Stuffed Parathas are very popular among anybody who has heard of them:

filled with red lentils and spinach
filled with cauliflower and ginger (phool gobi paratha)
filled with daikon and green chilies (muli ke paratha)
with ground meat (kheema paratha)
with potatoes (aloo paratha)
with yogurt, etc.

Now, the following dishes listed below are not typical flat breads, but I would most definitely classify them under this series.

Idli
----------
Whoever has not heard about the Idli? A bread from south India, almost like a cake, round and thick, made with fermented rice and legume flour (urad or urud), shaped and then steamed (the legumes have a leavening effect). Idli's are eaten with sambar, chutneys or spicy masala podi(crushed powder). The Saravana Bhavan Chain of south Indian restaurants has contributed greatly to the popularity of the white, round Idli outside of India, all over the world.

Dosa
----------
The Dosa is a flat bread made with flours, rice, wheat or legumes, cooked like a pancake. There are hundreds of variants for this 'Indian Pancake', second in popularity and sheer numbers consumed only to the Idli. Dosas are also eaten with the same side dishes as that of the Idli. One of the most popular dosas is filled with a spicy potato mixture, and called the 'Masala Dosa'. Now, tell me you have heard of the Masala Dosa, haven't you?

Poppodums & Pappads(or appalams in south India)
-----------------------------
Papadam, pappadam, pappodam, puppodum, poppodum, pappad, etc… all similar names referring to the pre-made and precooked flat breads that need only be immersed in hot oil to puff up instantly; they are turned with a skimmer so that they stiffen up slightly and then are drained and served while still crisp. Pappads can also be prepared under the broiler, thus eliminating the chore of frying.

Almost all Pappads/Appalams/Poppodums are made from legume flour (urad or urud) and rice flour. Some are plain, others are spiced with black pepper (mild) or chillies (hot) or mixtures of spices.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So there you go, a primer on the popular flatbreads on the great Indian Cuisine Fest. I tell you, if I had a dollar for each cuisine of this ancient land, I will be a very rich man indeed. Really very rich. No other country has this many different cuisines simmering within their borders, except India. This is the only redeeming feature of this 'diversity' that we are all so proud of.

Single Person Cooker is for the masses

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000

You've really got to give a standing ovation. A long, loud, ovation standing on your two legs.

There has been a lot of talk going on about the great outpouring of gadgets for the demanding foodie-cook. I agree, hundreds of new products are launched every day, but I also stop to think, "Yeah! They are fancy, but are they really useful?". Among all this hype and hoopla, comes a kitchen product that takes your breath away by its sheer innovation.

The Single Person Cooker(SPC) by Alex Bradley shows us that its not all about Hi-tech electronics and fancy gadgets, but true lateral design. The SPC is one of 31 finalists in the Concept Products competition organised by the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show, which takes place at Earls Court in London from 14 March to 6 April. The winner will be crowned by the public, who can vote for their favorite product. You can send in your votes, both on the show itself or on the show's website. Update: The poll has closed now, at least you can wait with bated breath like me, for the results.

The Single Person Cooker is an ultra portable kitchen - a truly innovative design allows you to cook on the go or in a tight space. It really is neat form-follows-function design, somehow squeezing loads of useful, essential cooking items into one very small, yet stylish box. The lid doubles up as a Cutting board, and the unit makes space for pretty much everything you need to cook - Utensils, Heating Range(HOB), Bowls etc. Its all surprisingly low tech, the only thing that is high tech in this wonderful space saving, modular design is a WiFi connected screen to pull in recipes from the Internet. If there ever was a functional product that deserves its moniker "Kitchen-in-a-box", this is it.

The Single Person Cooker is a product, I as well as Mr.Bradley hope, that would be a great help for people living alone, in situations of space constraints, and especially for the ones who are always on the go. The concept prototype is great as it is, but future versions would most definitely include more items and more designs. Maybe now people would think about cooking for themselves and eating healthy, instead on solely relying on take out food. I tell you, wherever you order your take out, they always are unfailingly too salty and too greasy.

Whenever the product comes to our stores, I will buy one for myself instantly, cos' this is another great reason to remind my dear mother that I am gonna remain single for a long long time.

- end of post -

Brownie Cognac Martini

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:41:00 +0000

I'm sure James Bond has never tasted this martini variant, but he'll fall for it anyway.

It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to enjoy chocolate deliciousness. In fact, I am pretty sure that the very concept of Valentine's day was created by the top Chocolatiers back in the day just so that the wacky souls in love will swoon over the person of their fancy and also their chocolates.

That may or may not be true, but does it really matter? All that matters is that I get my chocolates, in whatever form they are. That being said, I am a big exponent of Chocolate Experimentation. No, not the test tube and distillation kind; rather the mixing and mashing with other food and drinks kind. You have to try experimenting with your chocolates , don't hesitate, cos' Chocolates, however delicious they are, can get pretty boring after some time. I can't believe I am saying this about Chocolate, but it is the truth, ain't it?

Well, I liked this very wonderful recipe for a Chocolate-Cognac cocktail on Fine Living. Its called this a Brownie Cognac, cos' you know, it is a Cocktail of Cognac and Chocolate that actually taste like a Brownie. Honest! it really does!

As with anything Chocolate, this drink has a glossy, rich color and a very smooth taste you can call decadent. It is a wonderful Dessert Cocktail, perfect for the occasion when you feel like having a sweet treat, but not too heavy. The Cognac in the drink adds great taste and the Amaretto, while complementing the Chocolate, enhances the flavors so much so that you can only call it a pure sensual delight.

Continue reading the full recipe for "Brownie Cognac" after the turn.

Recipe: Brownie Cognac
--------------------------------------
Prep Time: 1 minute
Servings : 1

You Need:

Courvoisier or any other Cognac - 1 1/2 oz.
Amaretto - 1 oz.
Chocolate syrup - Just a Dash (I always seem to use Hershey's Chocolate Syrup)
Ice - Enough to fill a pint glass

How do you do it?
1. Fill a pint glass full of ice.
2. Add cognac, amaretto and a dash of chocolate syrup.
3. Shake it, shake it really well and pour into a chilled martini glass, filtering out the ice cubes.

You can watch a video on how to make a Brownie Cognac, brought to you by Fine Living TV.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Iced Mocha , Quick, like that!

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:28:00 +0000

The Dog days of summer are coming, and it is time to bring out everything you can to stave off the heat. There are a lot of fruits or cold drinks you can make to keep yourself cool, but my favorite weapon against the heat is Cold Coffee, more specifically, Iced Mocha. When it comes to keeping yourself cool when it is hot enough to bake cookies in the open, there is nothing like a tall glass of cold, creamy and delicious Iced Mocha.

What is great about this frothy drink is that it can be whipped up almost instantly, whenever you want. And quite a lot of variations are possible, according to each one's individual preferences. It can be made weak or strong, simple with just a couple of ingredients or a little more elaborate with garnishes, whipped cream, vanilla etc.

Anybody can make an Iced Mocha right at home, instantly, and you don't have to go to a Starbucks or even the corner Coffee shop and buy their overpriced Cold Coffee to quench your thirst. Next time you go to the supermarket, stock up on those ingredients to make your very own cold, delicious Iced Mocha whenever you want.

Continue reading the full recipe for 'Quick Iced Mocha' after the turn.

Recipe: Quick Iced Mocha
-------------------------------------------------------------
Prep Time: None
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings : 1 glass

You Need:
Chocolate syrup - 2 Tbsp (I use Hershey's Chocolate syrup, yummy!)
Double espresso or very strong coffee - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
White Sugar - 1 Tbsp
Ice cubes - 3

How do you do it?
1. Stir the chocolate syrup into the coffee until it melts completely.
2. Transfer to a blender, add milk and the Ice cubes, and blend at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Serve immediately in a tall, cold glass.

You may also want to finish off with a swirl of whipped cream on top, optional of course. The Iced Mocha is already delicious without it, but the Whipped Cream adds considerably to the taste.

Easy isn't it? Trust me, there is nothing more refreshing on a hot,dry day than a tall glass of Iced Mocha.

You can also have a look at Amy's recipe for Iced Mocha. She uses Skim Milk and Fat Free Chocolate syrup, though I wouldn't use them myself. I just don't like anything that says Low-Fat, Low-Calorie, they just don't taste good. Even so, I like her Idea of Freezing the Coffee in Ice Cubes before blending. Your Iced Mocha will have less water and be more thicker and creamier.

F-Cup Cookie increases your Breast size, What the?

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:15:00 +0000

What the heck? Seriously, I mean...what the heck?
I have seen many scams, and there are no shortage of people in the midst of it, whether they are the ones making them up or the ones falling for them. Food is a great source for these hustlers, there are innumerable number of food products that make some really absurd claims. But for the love of the person supposedly sitting up in heaven and judging us, this is really pushing it.

From time immemorial people have always wanted to make themselves better, and I am talking only about their physical attributes. The quest to attain that perfect body has had countless poor souls spare no expense for getting quick-fixes to achieve it, undoubtedly women more so than men. And what do over 99% of the female sex feel really insecure about? Hmm....what? The size of their Breasts, of course. You cannot say this isn't true, you just can't. And you damn well know it.

Staying true to the course, over the years there have been many products that have claimed to enhance womens' bust line, without the painful risks and effects of surgery, all dubious of course. And sadly, as is the case with all scams, many "Well Educated" ladies have also fallen for them. There's Bolibao, a pill that supposedly transfers fat from a woman's thighs to her breasts; Breast-enlarging ringtones for heaven's sake; and also a Bust-Up chewing gum - just chew enough of it and gain an extra bra size. I mean, how stupid do you have to be to fall for such obvious scams? But I guess, some people are desperate enough to try anything, even things that they know are damn idiotic and do not have a tiny rat's chance of any success at all.

Well, you can add F-Cup Cookies to that list. The Japanese maker of this "Miracle Cookie" has the audacity to claim that eating just two cookies a day will make your breast size bigger. Now, I ask you again....WHAT?

Continue reading about F-Cup cookie after the turn.

F-Cup Cookies come in packs of 4 for ¥290, each cookie containing 50mg of that supposed miracle breast enlarging herb Pueraria Mirifica. And they advertise on the package that the cookies contain over 68.7 Kcal of trans-fat that supposedly goes right to your breasts. How many cookies you'll have to eat to get your breasts to size F Cups is unknown. And why any self respecting woman with a shred of common sense would want to have such back breakers is beyond me.

The F-Cup brand cookies come in pretty pink packages chock full of that supposed "Miracle Herb", Pueraria Mirifica which allegedly makes your breasts grow bigger. According to their website, the plant mimics the effect of Estrogen in the body, thereby facilitating the increase in Breast tissue. A load of bullshit, thats what this is.

Despite the innocuous, innocent looking box with all those girly colors and graphics, the herb in those cookies, even if it exists and does what they say, is potentially lethal. Sudden increase in high amounts of Estrogen in the body comes along with wonderful side effects - increased risk of developing lethal blood clots in the veins and also cancer. But hey, what the heck, all you want is to enlarge your breasts isn't it, even at the cost of possible everlasting damage to your body, even death ?

Get this, some celebrities are dumb enough to actually think of promoting the F-Cup Cookie Brand. Allegedly, Mel a.k.a, Sporty Spice of the erstwhile popular British Girl music band Spice Girls, has said that she would be happily willing to try them out. The woman has actually said in an interview on Radio1, "I'll be a guinea-pig for them, can you imagine if my boobs got bigger suddenly? That'd be so great!"

Sheer genius at work.

But wait! If you think about it, this may actually work. Eating cookies, a lot of them will make you fat. Binging on them cookies for any prolonged period will make your ass bigger, your belly bigger and even your thighs. In that same vein, why should your breasts not grow bigger too? Yes thats right, when your entire body is swelling up on account of your filling up on junk food, your breasts are bound to get fatter too, you genius, you.

I wonder if the name "F-Cup" really means "F***ed Up". I am pretty sure this is the case, even if they say it means 'F Cup size' breasts. Ever thought about that?

Chapathi Chips with Spinach Chutney: Great Tango

noreply@blogger.com (RA) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:50:00 +0000

Indian cooking is synonymous with chutneys, to us chutneys are as indispensable as sauce is to spaghetti. For the benefit of those in the dark, chutneys are sort of like condiments that accompany foods such as chappatis, parathas, samosas, dosas etc. Chutneys, as a whole are similar to popular dips like the Latin American Salsa, or the European Relish. There are a million different kinds of chutneys, all aimed to inflame the taste buds - salty, sweet, spicy, tangy, sour, bitter and even some tastes that I did not know we could experience. Chutneys are made from a wide variety of vegetables and fruits such as Coconut, Onion, Tomato, Coriander, Pudhina, Tamarind, Lime, Garlic, Mango, Peach, Chillies etc.

But, this article isn't about the History and Details of the Chutney, we shall leave that for a later story. This is about a new kind of Chutney that I have had the pleasure of eating last week, at a get together party with my friends. The party was at a recently married friend's house, and all of us brought some food dish or drink. Now, every dish was extremely delicious and fulfilling, but they were all which I have eaten before. Nothing was totally new, except for the new bride's Spinach Chutney.

Well, not exactly new. I know this Spinach chutney has been around for a long time now, but I was tasting it for the first time. Granted, thinking of spinach brings to mind the antics of Popeye and the faces of disgust children all over the world put on. But listen to me when I say this spinach condiment is truly one of a kind.

The woman said that it was her mother's recipe; she let out that her mother used to make this chutney with spinach just so they, as kids, would eat the green leafy vegetable. Well, I'll remember to thank her for that. Since chutneys are usually meant to be eaten as a condiment with some other food, the lady made some Crisp, Paprika spiced and salted, baked Chapathi Chips. This is a very simple and fast-to-make recipe with tons of flavor. It is healthy too.

Continue reading the full recipe for "Chapathi Chips and Spinach Chutney" after the turn.

Recipe: Chapathi Chips
Chapathi Chips are similar to baked tortilla chips but only taste way more delicious
-------------------------------------
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Servings : Makes about 15 to 20 medium diameter chips

You need:
Chapathi Flour - 1 Cup
Salt - A pinch
Paprika - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp (for the seasoning)
Milk - to mix the dough

You may also need a cookie sheet to act as a base before cutting the chips.

How do you do it?
1. Add a pinch of salt to the chapathi flour and mix.
2. Add the milk in small amounts and knead the flour to make chapathi dough.
3. Roll the chapathi dough flat on a floured surface into a 1/8 inch thick circle.
4. Brush both sides of the circle with some olive oil(or any oil, come on) and sprinkle some paprika and salt on both sides.
5. You have one of those round cookie cutters? or any other shape, it doesn't matter. Using it, cut out the flat round chapathi dough into 3 inch diameter circles. If you don't have cookie cutters, no big deal...use any round cup or can with a sharp edge, or even a wide bottle cap and cut out the mini circles.
6. Place the chapathi chips into a 500 degree oven and bake them for 5 minutes turning half way in between, until they are brown and crispy.
7. Serve with spinach chutney.

Delicious and Crisp, aren't they ?

Recipe: Spinach Chutney
-------------------------------------
Prep Time: No Prep time
Cook Time: 20 mins

You Need:
Spinach leaves(pre-washed) - 9 oz package
Channa Dal - 1 Tbsp
Urad Dal - 1 Tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 Tbsp
Methi seeds - 6 to 7
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chillies(dried) - 4 to 5(add more or less to your taste)
Indian green chillies - 1 to 2
Garlic cloves - 3
Gooseberry sized tamarind - soaked in very little hot water
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tsp (you can also use any cooking oil)
Salt - to taste

For the tempering:
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tsp (again, use any cooking oil)
Garlic clove - 1, crushed
Black Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig, chopped in half

How do you do it?
1. Put 1 tsp of oil in a big skillet/vessel on medium heat and add the slit green chilis, 3 cloves of garlic and the spinach leaves. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until the spinach is wilted completely and reduced in volume. Take the spinach out and leave aside to cool.
2. In the same pan, without washing it, add Channa Dal and Urad Dal and fry 'em until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
3. Add coriander seeds, methi seeds, jeera and dry roast them until the aroma of the spices fills your kitchen and your mouth begins to drool, Heh! Heh!. Remove and keep aside to cool.
4. Dry roast the red chillies. Do NOT stick your nose anywhere near the stove while this is happening and make sure you open up some windows. Do this unless you want your air passage scorched. I gave my statutory warning here, didn't I? Remove and set aside to cool.
5. Gather all the previously dry roasted ingredients and stick 'em in the blender/food processor/mixer grinder. Grind to a fine powder. Again, do not breathe in the fumes, they are STRONG, believe me.
6. Now add in the wilted spinach leaves in the blender with the ground spices, add salt and tamarind juice (extract from the tamarind soaked). Grind until the entire Spinach-Spice-Powder-Tamarind mixture is smooth.
7. Check for salt, add more if needed. Remove to a serving dish.

Cooking the Tempering/Tadka
--------------------------
1. Add 1 tsp of oil in a small skillet on medium heat and add mustard seeds, garlic clove(s), curry leaves. Fry until the mustard seeds pop or the garlic turns light brown.
2. Add the tempering to the chutney.

Some people like to have their spinach chutney plain, without the tempering. But I want it with the tempering. It takes the taste to a whole new level.
Ye Gads! I am hooked for life.

DeliciouslyD Note:
1. You can also fry the Chapathi chips in oil, but I would advise against it. The oil that the chips take in while frying dulls the taste of the spinach chutney. We wouldn't want that, do we?
2. All Chutneys are meant to be eaten fresh, they taste best when eaten right away. You can still store and have it after some time, but the taste somewhat dulls by then. Its just not the same.