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Schezwan Baby Corn Recipe | Easy Appetizer Recipes

By 3 Comments

I have a gargantuan addiction of chinese food. Either ways that is. Indo chinese or the authentic Chinese food. You say it and i ll follow you like a Hutch Pug throughout. The brownie point is that i love cooking chinese too. Unlike other oriental cuisines that pretty much call for ingredient lists that are as long as the Great Wall, Chinese food has considerably fewer ingredients, more veggies and terrific flavor. What takes the cake is the fact that it s a crowd pleaser.

But what i m not sure of is whether Schezwan is chinese. But i m taking the liberty to call Schezwan, Chinese because i was recently served this at a Chinese place and it tasted out of the world. Well, curiosity did kill the cat and i asked the hotel people how did they make it and they did give me a long and winding procedure. I picked what i wanted to use in the recipe and discarded the rest. I have modified the original recipe given by those folks here and the result was simply brilliant. And we went truly Indo Chinese by eating this with rotis. So, it s a win win situation anyway. Roti. Rice. Either ways, its drool worthy.

Recipe For Schezwan Baby Corn
( Baby corns marinated, fried and dunked in spicy sauce)

Prep Time: 30 mins for the marination
                 10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 30 mins
Level: Intermediate
Source: Hearsay
Serves 3

Ingredients

Baby corn 10 to 15
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Spring onions 2 stalks chopped finely
Green chilies 2 chopped finely
Garlic 10 pods chopped finely
Ajinomoto 1/2 tsp
Corn flour 2 tbsp
Oil for shallow frying
Salt to taste

Marinade

Vinegar 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp

Sauce

Tomato sauce 2 tbsp
Red chili sauce 3 tbsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Corn flour 1 tbsp
Water 1/2 cup

Directions

In a mixing bowl, place all the ingredients for marinade. Combine well.
Clean the corn thoroughly, place in boiling water for 2 mins, drain and then add to the marinade. In case you are using tinned corn, you need not place the corn in boiling water.
Toss well and set aside for 30 mins.
After 30 mins, coat the baby corn with corn flour generously.
Heat oil in a pan.
Shallow fry the baby corn until golden brown.
Drain on a kitchen towel.
Now, lets make the sauce.
In the same pan that you used shallow fried the corn, add the garlic and green chilies and fry till light brown.
Now, add the chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
In the meanwhile, combine 1 tbsp corn flour with 1/2 cup water and set aside.
Next add the spring onions and fry just until wilted. Takes about a min.
Now, add the sauces and combine well.
Cook the sauces on high flame for 30 to 40 secs.
Now, add the corn flour water mixture and stir well.
Cook on medium flame until the mixture turns almost dry.
Once done, transfer to a bowl.
Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Serve hot with vegetable fried rice or rotis.

Eggless Carrot Cake Recipe | Easy Eggless Cake Recipes

By 11 Comments

Its been a while since i stepped up into the Daring Baker apron. I ve been wanting to make so many recipes but simply dont find the time. This month s challenge was one that  had me jumping because, not only was it creative but also a wee bit easy. Ruth from Makey-Cakey was our March 2013 Daring Bakers’ challenge host. She encouraged us all to get experimental in the kitchen and sneak some hidden veggies into our baking, with surprising and delicious results! 

When i first heard of carrot cake on a TV show, i thought to myself, ” carrot cake? seriously? carrot in a cake?” And so my hunt for a carrot cake recipe began until it eventually became an obsession. The first time i made carrot cake, it was disastrous. The cake was mushy and the texture resembled something close to that of kiddo cereal. And that sort of put me off carrot cake for a long time. But when Ruth challenged us all to sneak veggies into our sweet bakes, i was more than delighted. I challenged myself to make that carrot cake again and this time, i researched over 25 recipes before i came to this version. And my hard work did pay off. I made a bundt cake with the batter and the cake was relished to the last crumb. Thank you Ruth! for setting us up with such a creative challenge!

Recipe For Eggless Carrot Cake
( Cake with grated carrots and cinnamon)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Serves 4
Bake Temp: 180 C 
Source: Adapted from here
Ingredients
All purpose flour 100g
Granulated sugar 120 g powdered
Carrots grated 1 cup
Unsalted Butter 100 g softened
Thick fresh curd 3/4 cup or 90g whisked well
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp
All spice powder 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Vanilla 1 tsp
Butter for greasing 
Directions
Preheat oven to 180 C. 
Grease a 21 cm bundt pan with butter and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, place flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder and all spice powder.
Combine well.
In another mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Takes about 3 mins on high speed in an electric whisk.
Now, add the curd and beat again on high speed for about 30 secs.
Add the vanilla next and whisk again for 30 secs.
Get rid of the whisk and arm yourself with a spatula now.
Add the grated carrots into the butter sugar mixture and combine well with the spatula.
Now, add the dry flour mixture and gently folding in to the wet ingredients.
Dont try to mix or whisk vigorously. This cake is as such a dense cake. The more you mix, the denser the cake. 
Fold in the dry ingredients just until well combined. The batter is not free flowing unlike other cake batters. It is thick but dont be alarmed. You will have a beautiful fluffy cake!
Now, pour the batter into the greased pan and spread evenly.
Drop the pan gently on the counter twice or thrice.
Place the pan in an oven and bake for 30 to 35 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes clean. I suggest you take a peek after 30 mins.
Once done, cool for 10 mins before inverting the cake.
Cool completely before serving.
Make this a super dessert by topping with chocolate ganache or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
The cake keeps well in a fridge for 2 to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Filipino Fruit Salad Recipe | Easy Dessert Recipes

By 13 Comments

I love fruits. And i m crazy about fruit salad. I mean, its such a simpleton of a recipe but still tastes as though you ve slogged for hours in the kitchen when you serve it up cutely in a dessert glass. I knew how to make the regular fruit salad, which was probably the only dessert apart from ice creams, that i ate, about 10 years ago. I knew that other desserts such as tarts and gelatos existed, thanks to Enid Blyton. But then the only ones that i got to devour with fervor was fruit salad and an occasional falooda or a huge ice cream. Daddy always made sure he got a family pack of ice cream. Even though i was the only kid at home. Pampered brat i was.
You need not even doubt if i shared it. No, i dint.

Eventually, as i grew up, i did get to taste a tart here and a sorbet there. But fruit salad remained close to my heart forever and it still is my favorite dessert. When i decided it was time to write about the humble and beloved fruit salad, i knew i dint want a regular version. I wanted to add some zing to the regular fruit salad and thus began my hunt. I came across various recipes and almost decided to make this salad. But somehow it dint fancy me much. So, some more searching later, i was convinced that i had to make a filipino salad. After going through almost 20 recipes for making a filipino salad, i zeroed in on this recipe and added my own touch to it. And it was sensational. So, the next time, you all think of making a fruit salad, try this one!

Recipe For Filipino Fruit Salad
( Assorted fruits in dressing served cold)

Prep Time: 20 to 30 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Source: Adapted from here
Level: Beginnner
Yields 2 to 3 cups

Ingredients

Apple 1 small cored and cubed
Pear 1 small cored and cubed
Black grapes 20
Papaya 1/2 cup chopped finely
Chikoo 1 chopped finely
Orange 1 segmented and chopped
Banana 1 sliced ( a fruit sa
Pomegranate seeds 1/2 cup
Tender coconut pieces 2/3 cup
Condensed milk 2/3 cup
Thick coconut milk 1/2 cup

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Mix gently with a spatula.
Chill in the fridge for an hour.

Burp!
This is off to Priya s Healthy Me & Healthy Us.

Hokkaido Milk Bread Recipe | Yeast Bread Recipes

By 16 Comments

Three cheers to my bread baking group, We Knead To Bake. If not for the group, i wouldnt have dared to make classic croissants and i wouldnt have known that some thing called Hokkaido bread even remotely existed. Thanks to Aparna who has been patient enough to make us all feel that there cant anything easier than making a tangzhong bread. 

Now, if you all are wondering what tangzhong is, its actually a flour water milk roux that is used in making this hokkaido milk bread, a famous delicacy in most South Asian bakeries.The loaf is sweet usually filled with some kind of filling. The bread is usually made in a food processor but since i dint have one, i dared to make it with my hand, all the while, keeping my fingers crossed that i dont over knead the dough and make it dense as opposed to it phenomenal pillow soft texture. 

And i succeeded. I did manage to click step by step pictures of shaping the dough and making the tangzhong but as luck would have it, the pictures got deleted by mistake. But no worries. You can all refer to Aparna s elaborate photo tutorial and the original recipe.  
This bread is usually made into cute shapes or made into rolls. I chose to make them into rolls and stuffed them with chocolate chips. I went a lil overboard and made six rolls into one loaf with stuffing and all, while the traditional way of making it is only with three rolls. I m looking forward to making the hokkaido again with some savory filling. And i shall share that too when i make it soon. But for now, here s how i made it.

Recipe For Hokkaido Milk Bread
( Bread loaf using flour water roux method)

Prep Time: Tangzhong- 10 mins for mixing. 
                                     2 hours to cool
Cook Time: 7 mins for the tangzhong
Bake Time: 20 mins for the loaf
Bake Temperature: 170 C
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Tangzhong
Flour 1/3 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
Water 1/2 cup

For The Dough

Tangzhong 1/2 cup of the tangzhong that you made
Flour 2.5 cups
Instant dried yeast 2 tsp
Sugar 2 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp ( increase to 1.5 tsp in case you want a savory filling in the bread)
Milk powder 2 tbsp
Milk 1/2 cup
Cream 2 tbsp
Unsalted butter 25 g or 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp softened and at room temperature

For The Filling 

Milk chocolate chips 3/4 cup

Milk for brushing

Directions

Tangzhong

In a pan, combine the flour with water and milk and mix thoroughly until no lumps are seen. Use a balloon whisk for this and rest assured, you will be successful! 
Now, place the pan on the stove and cook stirring continuously until you see lines appearing on the surface of the mixture. The lines must not disintegrate immediately. Or if you have a thermometer, wait till the mixture reaches 65 F.
Now,allow the mixture to cool completely and this takes 2 hours minimum.

The Dough:

Now, lets make the dough.
Once the tangzhong has cooled down, take 1/2 cup of the tangzhong and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, mix cream, tangzhong and milk until smooth. Balloon whisk to the rescue here too!
Now, in another bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, milk powder and yeast and combine well.
Add the flour mixture to the tangzhong mixture and combine well until everything just comes together. 
Now, add the butter and start kneading the mixture until smooth and a little less than sticky. Do not be tempted to add more flour to the mixture than called for. Believe me, patience does pay for, so keep kneading.  I kneaded for about 10 mins to achieve this but i did this on phone calls in between so i rested my hands here and there. 
You will know that the dough is ready when it doesnt break immediately when you stretch. Also, the dough must form a circle when you stretch. And that s when you know its ready.
Now, oil a bowl generously and place this dough into the bowl.
Let it rise until it almost doubles in volume. Took 45 mins for me as the weather here is mercurial. May take longer for you if you live in a cold place.

Shaping the dough

Once the dough has risen, its time to shape the dough.
The dough makes for one 6″ by 4″ loaf and six stuffed rolls on a muffin tin. But i dint bake these small stuffed rolls in muffin tins. I baked them in a regular loaf tin into one big loaf that was as big as 8″ by 5″
Lets shape the dough, shall we?
Grease a 6″ by 4″ bread tin with butter generously. Set aside.
Once the dough is done, gently deflate it.
You wont need any extra flour for shaping this. 
Divide the dough into 2 and place one on the counter.
Now, divide this into 3 equal parts and make small balls.
Take one ball and stretch it into an oval that s 1/8 ” thick.
Now, fold the ends of the oval to the middle of the oval, making sure one end lies over the other.
Turn the oval to its other side.
Now, roll the oval into a rectangle that s approximately 4″wide.
Now, roll the rectangle beginning from one end and then pinch the sides together.
Place the roll along the wider side of the tin.
Repeat the same process with the other two remaining pieces and place them, sealed edges down in the loaf tin, adjacent to the first roll.
Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise for about 45 mins.
Lets work with the remaining half of the dough.
Grease a 8″ by 5″ loaf tin.
Divide the dough into six equal parts.
Repeat the process of rolling into an oval, then making a rectangle for each piece.
Now, place about 2 tbsp of chocolate chips in the beginning of the rectangle and roll.


Place the roll in the loaf tin.
Repeat the process for the rest of the rolls.
And place them sealed edges down in the loaf tin.
Cover and set aside to rise for about 45 mins.
At the end of the 45 mins preheat the oven to 170 C.
Brush the dough tops with milk.


Bake for 20 mins or until tops turn golden brown. 
This is our bread for this month s We Knead To Bake and am taking this along to Zorra s Blogwarming Party and Bake Your Own Bread at Roxanna s Space
This bread is also being yeast spotted!

Vegetable Pulao Recipe | Easy Rice Recipes

By 8 Comments

I am like this. I have a predetermined menu that i always turn to when i feel that its time i impressed my man. And my man is not easy to please, mind ya! The perfectionist that he is, it s not a wonder that it took me 2 years to master his method of dosa making. He likes his dosas round and not so soft yet not so crispy. That alone took me 2 years. And then the taste et al is totally another story.

The same stands true for his pulao expectations. Having graduated from Warangal, the land of the biriyani ( according to Mr.P) he does not accept a mixture of cooked rice and veggies as pulao. Well, he knows that the likelihood of eating a pulao that s made like in Warangal is almost zero for i  would never be able to make biriyani like the Warangal inhabitants but he expects some kind of consolation which is a big deal for me, considering the 2 years dosa experience. The pulao took lesser time surprisingly and this recipe is my man s favorite among the other pulaos that i make. I decided to win him over today.You see, this always almost means that i have a shopping list as long as the Nile.  Anyway, the pulao is a winner. And is my go to recipe at all times. Wonder why i haven’t shared it with y’all so far. But better late than never, right?

Recipe For Vegetable Pulao
( Cooked rice and vegetables mildly flavored with spices)

Prep Time: 1 hour to soak the rice
                 20 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2
Source: My kitchen notes

Ingredients

Basmati rice 1 cup soaked
Carrot 1 peeled and diced
Green peas 1/2 cup
Sweet corn kernels 1/4 cup
Green beans 10 chopped finely
Onion 1 large thinly sliced
Green chilies 2 slit lengthwise
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Mint leaves 10
Bay leaf 1
Green Cardamom 1
Cinnamon 1 ” piece
Cloves 2
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Ghee 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water 2 cups
Screw pine water 2 drops

Directions

Soaking the rice is mandatory when it comes to Basmati rice. So make sure you have soaked the rice for atleast an hour. I generally soak it for 2 hours. Call it the soaking obsession!
Wash the rice well and soak it with 2 cups of water.
In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and ghee.
Once hot, add the cumin seeds and once they crackle, add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
Once the spices turn a light brown, add the green chilies and the onions and cook till light brown.
Next, add the ginger garlic paste.
Cook for about 30 secs, stirring continuously.
Now, add the chopped veggies and cook for 2 mins.You can pretty much add any vegetables that you want. Like cauliflower or capsicum. But i prefer my pulao with just this combination. In fact, i tend to even avoid adding green beans.
Next, add the mint leaves and cook for 30 secs.
Now, add the rice along with the water and salt to taste.
Add the screw pine water next and mix gently.
Close and pressure cook for 1 whistle. You may have to cook for 1 whistle more if you have soaked the rice for only an hour. But not more than 2 whistles in all.
After 1 whistle bring the flame to the lowest and continue to cook for 2 mins.
Once done, switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to drop completely.Fluff the rice with a fork gently.
Alternatively, you may do the sauteeing part in a frying pan and transfer the contents to an electric rice cooker to make your pulao.
Open the cooker and transfer the rice to a bowl to avoid the rice becoming mushy.

Serve hot with raitha or any curry of your choice.

P.S The amount of water mentioned here is for Kohinoor Basmathi rice. The quantity may vary depending on the quality of the rice and the age of the rice.

Steamed Nutella Swirl Cupcake Recipe | Easy Cake Recipes

By 8 Comments

So, i tell you that you actually dont need an oven to bake a cake? Wont that change many things? For me, it definitely would.Just so that i can kick away all those crazy cravings that i get at all God forsaken hours. It would save me the trouble of preheating the oven, get a cake mould out, grease, yada yada. See what i mean? The thing is i made some cupcakes without an oven. I really did make them without an oven and they were brilliant. Only i dont know if it would be the same if i made the cake like an entire cake, you know? Like a round 9″ inch something frosted monster? But cupcakes. Steamed ones at that. Works like a charm. Especially when you have some one home or you are going to have some one home a few minutes from now and you know, you dont have any dessert to offer. Even otherwise, these work swell. Just to kill some time. Or to pop a cake in while you watch the 9 PM. As much as it sounds weird steaming a cake, you got to believe me about this one!!

Recipe For Steamed Nutella Cupcake
( Egg free cupcakes with nutella)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 to 12 mins
Makes 4 medium size cupcakes
Adapted from here
Ingredients
All purpose flour 1/2 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Any neutral oil 1 tbsp
Fresh curd 1/4 cup whisked well
Milk at room temperature 2 tbsp
Sugar 3.5 tbsp
Vanilla 1/2 tsp
Nutella 1.5 tbsp
Directions
In a steamer, add water and let it boil.Once the water starts bubbling, switch off the flame and close. I used my trusted idli steamer for this. But pretty much any steamer will work fine.
Take 4 heat proof and crack proof ramekins and line them with cupcake liners. Its no big deal if you dont have wrappers. Just grease your ramekins extra generously and set aside. I used my ordinary stainless steel cups for steaming my cakes. You can do that too!
In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder and mix well.
In another bowl, whisk the curd well with sugar. Add the oil, vanilla and milk and whisk using an electric whisk for a minute on high speed.
Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and mix just until combined.
Now, take the nutella and mix it lightly into the batter. Its ok if you dont mix it well. 
We need those cute streaks. So let s go light on the mixing.
Once done, take about 1.5 tbsp of the batter and  pour into the lined ramekins.
Place in the steamer and steam for 10 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes clean. Dont over steam the cakes or you will have something that s very similar to rubber. In case you under steam them, you will have mushy cupcakes. So keep checking after the 10th min. It shouldnt take you more than 15 mins in all.
Once done remove from the steamer and let cool completely.
Unmould and enjoy!
Totally steamed. Make it to enjoy all that steamed goodness of nutella 😀

Microwave Milk Peda Recipe | Easy Dessert Recipes

By 6 Comments

I m not a sweet toothed person. But like they always say, opposite poles attract, Mr.P loves sweets. In any form that is. And he likes them home made. Imagine my horror when he said that he preferred home made mysore pak and halwa. For starters, the very idea of eating sweets is a put off to me. Making it has always been a mighty task. The precision and concentration that Indian sweets call for is tremendous and i simply dont have it in me. Well. I ve come a long way from there now. I can proudly say i know a thing or two about Indian sweet meat making. But its the easy ones that attract me even today. If you ask me to choose between rava kesari and mysore pak, i ll definitely pick kesari. Quick, simple and oh! yeah vegan too. I shall post that recipe soon. In the meanwhile, i found one more such breeze of a sweet to make from my friend Jayanthi s blog.

Now, what can i tell about Jay? I m dumbstruck when it comes to her photography. And then the choice of recipes that one finds at her space is nothing less than a plethora. She seems to have taken full advantage of living abroad when it comes to cooking food from around the world. Such is the diversity of her blog s recipe index. What more should i say? Her blog bears testimony to her penchant for food. So, hop on over to her space, try a few recipes and kick up a storm in the kitchen! In the meanwhile, let me tell you all about her super quick super delicious milk peda.

Recipe For Microwave Milk Peda
( Indian milk fudge)

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Yields 21 medium pedas
Source: Sizzling Veggies

Ingredients

Condensed milk 1 can or 400 g
Milk powder 1.75 cups
Unsalted Butter 60 g
Cardamom powder a large pinch
Saffron 4 strands
Roasted almonds for garnish

Directions

In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter, cardamom and saffron for a min on high.
Now, add the condensed milk and milk powder and mix well.
Microwave on high for a min.
Take out and stir well.
Repeat the stirring after every 1 min of microwaving for 3 more times. The microwave temperature may vary. But you will know the fudge is ready when it bubbles up, comes together and  becomes thicker to stir. This took me 4 mins on microwave with stirring in between 1 min.
Once done, let it cool completely.
After cooling, grease your hands with ghee and shape them as you please.
Gently press an almond on top.
Transfer to an air tight container and enjoy!

The peda becomes hard when refrigerated. Just put it out for a while before you serve and you are good to go!

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe | No Ice Cream Maker Recipe

By 7 Comments

I am not an ice cream lover. I know i have raised many eyebrows by having made that statement. But that is the inevitable truth. As much as the coldness of ice cream comes as a bliss during summers, i m not a fan of all that creamy mixture. I love fruit based desserts, sorbets and even milkshakes. But ice creams. No. And if its chocolate ice cream, then i m definitely not even looking. Banana split is an exception though. I can eat that as a meal by itself.

So, how did i bring myself to make ice cream? Well. Making an ice cream and eating one are two different things. Ain’t they? The inspiration to make ice cream kicked in along with the realisation that the blog doesnt have many dessert recipes. The reason is that both Mr.P and i are not great dessert persons. We like our main course and occasionally the craving to eat a deep fried starter does kick in. And we do cave. But not dessert. And Mr.P loves ice creams. So there you  go, two birds in one. Blog happy. Mr.P happy. And that makes the gal happy!

Seriously, this recipe does not need an ice cream machine. And its not loaded with condensed milk. And it uses fresh lusciously red strawberries. And its egg free. Strawberries. I am already seeing stars. Sigh……. And this recipe is as easy as pie. So fold your sleeves and get ready to make your own ice cream in your own freezer.

Recipe For Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
( Ice cream with fresh strawberries)

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Cooling Time: 30 mins
Setting Time: 4 hours for each blend and overnight for the final
Source: Tarla Dalal

Ingredients

Fresh strawberries 10 to 15 hulled
Fresh Cream 2/3 cup
Fresh full fat milk 1 cup
Sugar 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup depending on the sweetness of the strawberries.
A few strawberries to add in later
Corn flour 2 tsp

Directions
Mix 2 tsp of corn flour with 2 tbsp chilled water and set aside.
In a pan, heat milk and bring to a boil.
Stir the corn flour mixture once and add to the milk.
Bring down the flame to the lowest and stir well using a hand whisk to make sure that there are no lumps.
Simmer for 5 mins.
Once done, let it cool completely.
In a mixing bowl, whip the cream and the sugar until well incorporated. Use an electric whisk for best results. It took me about 5 mins to get this done.
Set aside.
Now, strain the milk mixture and add to this.
Puree the strawberries in a blender.
Strain the puree and add to the mixture.
Stir well.
Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until set. Mine took 4 hours to set. By set, i mean that the mixture must be slushy.
Keep checking after 3 hours.
Once set, add the mixture to a blender and blend well.
Again transfer to the container and let set. This is done to achieve the creamy texture of the ice cream.
Repeat the blending for 3 more times. I agree, its a lil time consuming but it s all worth it.
Its best recommended to begin the process early in the morning so that you can keep an eye on the ice cream through out the day.
Once you blended the ice cream the final third time, chop the reserved fresh strawberries and add to this.Transfer to the container. Let it sit in the freezer for a minimum of 8 hours.
After 8 hours, you are good to go.

Bring that ice cream scoop and dig in!

Vanilla Meringue Cookie Recipe | Easy Cookie Recipes

By 8 Comments

Ok. I admit. I m not a cookie fan. No. No…… dont get me wrong. I love munching cookies just like every other person. What apprehends me is the baking. No. Wait. Its not even the baking. Its the wait. In a normal cookie, that is. The wait where you have to aimlessly wander around your house dusting the already dust free furniture while the cookie dough sits in the fridge relaxing and chilling out. I mean, i find that wait tormenting. Well. I ve never been fond of waiting. So its not unnatural for a person like me to feel that way. But cookie dough tests my patience monumentally.

But then, a meringue cookie. Awww… that s a totally different ball game. It doesnt need to sit in the fridge at all. In fact there is no dough in the traditional sense. There is only eggs and that too whites. Of course, the ominous question as to what can be done to the yolks remains. But then, that s a small compromise for a person who avoids cookie dough chilling like the plague. Last months Good Food magazine was a package of inspiration. In terms of everything but mostly these meringue cookies. And that s how the bug bit me. The rest, of course is history. Get ready for some heavy duty egg beating, wont ya!

Recipe For Vanilla Meringue Cookies
( Egg whites beaten with sugar and baked)

Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 35 to 40 mins for the baking and 1 hour for resting
Yields 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Eggs 3 medium
Sugar 1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp powdered
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Cream of tartar 1 tsp
Salt a small pinch

Directions

Separate the eggs and let stand the egg whites at room temperature in mixing bowl for about 30 mins.
Before you begin the whipping process, line a baking tray with parchment.
To the whites, add cream of tartar, salt and vanilla and beat till soft peaks form.
Now, add sugar by the tbsp and beat further till the whites are stiff and peaky. An electric beater works best for this. There s really no substitute for cream of tartar in a meringue cookie for anything else will change the taste a slight bit.
Once the whites are whipped,  preheat the oven to 120 C for 10 mins.
Spoon the whipped whites into a piping bag or a zip loc pouch. Cut a small opening by the side and pipe the meringue into 1.25″ diameter cookies onto the parchment.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 mins. Keep an eye after 30 mins. If the meringues start browning, you can put off the oven.
At the end of the baking, switch off the oven completely and leave the baked meringues in it for an hour to dry.

You may have to bake the cookies in two to three batches. While doing so, make sure you refrigerate the remaining meringue while the batch bakes.
After an hour, remove the cookies from the oven, take them carefully out of the parchment and store in an airtight container.

I made meringue kiss cookies with nutella too. I smeared about a tsp of nutella on one cookie s base and stuck one more to it. Really no big deal. You can give it a shot too. Try more flavors or fillings!

Baba Ganoush Recipe | Easy Dips And Spreads Recipe

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Well. 2013 has been a revelation of sorts to me. I realised that my blogging skills has just been so trite. There has been no much variations or new cuisines that i tried in the last few months. So i decided to take the bull by its horns. I sure did start reading on a lot of cuisines and i m slowly trying my hands at various cuisines across the globe. I must accept that some cuisines intrigued me right from the beginning. Because they were not a huge fanfare yet very pleasing in terms of flavor. And it did not involve buying some random jar of ingredient for a hideous 400 bucks. Well, i wouldnt even know if i would use that jar again. Why, for that point, i m quite sure that that jar will lie in some lonely corner of my pantry, ignored and unopened until a day will dawn when i realise that i must atleast check its expiry. By which time, i m doubly sure, it must have kicked the bucket. So, i dont believe in picking up that random jar and spending 400 bucks on it. See my point?

So what are those cuisines that i m actually romanticizing about? For starters, the middle eastern cuisine is a burst of flavors and is very similar to Indian cuisine. While the ingredients in both the cuisines are almost identical, i find that the combination of them is much more exotic in the middle eastern recipes. And then there s the greek and the moroccan cuisine. I must accept that Greek food makes me imagine the weirdest of combinations that taste divine and Moroccan is no less. While i was on all this reading spree, i zeroed in on a few recipes to try. And the first one that i gave a shot was the persian dip- Mast O Khiar which was a runaway success at my house. So, i was doubly confident about Baba Ganoush and boy! was i glad that the bowl was licked clean. Simple, quick and easy to make, Baba Ganoush is a plethora of flavors that come together onto your tongue when you least expect it. Have them with your crackers or spread them on your pita. Either way, you will love it.

Recipe For Baba Ganoush
( Roasted eggplants with garlic and herbs)

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Source: Adapted from David Lebovitz s Version
Yields 1.5 cups
Make ahead and store for 3 to 4 days

Ingredients

Eggplants 1 large globe variety
Green garlic 3 stalks with the bulbs in the end
Cilantro 1/2 cup chopped finely
Chili flakes 2 tsp
Lemon juice from 1 large lemon
Tahini 2 tbsp ( recipe follows)
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt to taste

For The Tahini

Sesame seeds 2 tbsp
Olive oil 2 to 3 tbsp

Directions

Prick the eggplants with a knife and slather generously with oil.
Roast them on stove top until fork tender. Takes about 10 mins
Let cool completely
Once cool, remove the charred skin and keep the pulp ready.
In the meanwhile, prep the tahini.
Dry roast the sesame seeds until brown and fragrant.
Let cool.
Once cool, place in a blender and powder them finely
Add olive oil to the powdered sesame seeds and blend until you get a fine paste.
Set aside.
In another blender, place the green garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, chili flakes, salt and tahini and blend to a coarse mixture without adding any water,
Now, add the roasted eggplants and blend for about 20 secs if you want a chunky baba ganoush. In case you want a smooth dip, blend for 30 secs longer.
Once done, transfer to a bowl, drizzle olive oil and garnish with fresh sprigs of cilantro.

Serve with crackers or pita.
This is my entry to this week s Dips And Spreads Theme at Avant Garde Cookies. Check out our other cookies Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan, Roshni and Veena  for their dips and spreads.

P.S My baba ganoush is green because i used green garlic and went heavy with the cilantro.
Feel free to use 2 cloves regular garlic instead.
For a more exotic version, try  replacing 1/4 cup of cilantro with 1/4 cup flat headed parsley. No not the curly ones, please!

Mint Chutney Cheese Sandwich Recipe | Easy Sandwich Recipes

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Of all the things that have happened to mankind, only five are the best. In the sense, our life would be empty in indescribable words, had these five things not happened to us. Well, what are the five? Music, art, love, cheese and butter. Yes. You heard me right. I mean, can you imagine a world without cheese or butter. The first three would have changed your life phenomenally some time or the other. But even though cheese and butter do not cause such pronounced revolutions in our lives, a life sans the two would be cruel. Dont you all agree? And that s why i make sure cheese and butter make an appearance in my table at least once a week.

So this week, when i thought it was time that the duo shook hands with my tummy, i decided it shall be a sandwich that brings the three together. Cheese, buttah and my tummy. I some how constantly fall in love with that combination. They came together packed together between slices of bread, constantly shoving aside the mint chutney so that they get my attention. You see the mint chutney was also doing a fair job in tickling my tummy and tongue. So it was quite difficult to conclude which one is the lesser evil. All in all. It was a good breakfast that got washed down with a glass of cold milk. Burp….. Wanna see how i made my sandwich? Read on.

Recipe For Mint Chutney Cheese Sandwich
(  Sandwiches with mint chutney and cheese filling)
Ingredients
Multi grain bread 6 slices ( Feel free to use any bread that floats your boat)
Mint Chutney 1/2 cup
Cheese slices 2 
Butter 2 tbsp for grilling
Directions
Spread the mint chutney on one bread slices generously on one side.
Cut the cheese slice diagonally and place one half on one bread slice.
Cover with another bread slice and on top of this apply the chutney again.
Now, place the remaining cheese slice on this and cover with the third slice.
Repeat the same for the next 3 slices.
Apply butter on both the sides of the sandwich and grill in a sandwich maker or toast them until the cheese melts on a heated tawa.
Serve hot with ketchup.

Paruppu Kidanchathu Recipe | Easy Dal Recipes

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Dal or paruppu is an integral part of an Indian meal. It is prepared in so many ways that it s difficult to put a finger on one particular way of making dal. Every household has its own version of dal. While there are many dals or lentils that are used in different recipes, toor dal or split pigeon pea features regularly in the meal. Its either the rasam or sambhar when its the south indian cuisine. And the north Indian people eat the dal as is with a mild tempering.

In some parts of Tamil Nadu, they also make something called paruppu kidanchathu. Its difficult to tell which version is the authentic version.I make it my way. What i love the most about this recipe is that its easy to whip up and makes a complete meal in itself. But what takes the cake is the absence of any masalas. Its mild and comforting on a day when your nose just refuses to give up running.

Recipe For Paruppu Kidanchathu
( Split pigeon peas mildly tempered in clarified butter)

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously

Ingredients

Toor dal or split pigeon pea 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Shallots 4 to 5 chopped finely
Dry red chilies 1 to 2 depending on your spice levels
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Hing a small pinch
Clarified butter/ Ghee 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Directions

Pressure cook the dal along with turmeric and salt in 1.5 cups of water until soft and mushy.
Once done, drain half the water from the dal and mash well.
In a pan, heat the ghee.
Pop the mustard and cumin seeds.
Now, add the chilies,urad dal,  curry leaves and shallots and saute till the shallots turn a golden brown.
Finally add the hing.

Pour into the cooked dal and mix well.

Serve hot with rice and some potato chips.

Easy Garlic Herbed Naan Recipe | Easy Bread Recipes

By 8 Comments

Well. You all remember that luscious garlic butter that i made. And then i also said i ll give you some delectable ways to use up that pot of butter that you all would be making. So, here s one of those delectable recipes that you can whip up using that garlic butter.

You need not buy expensive ingredients to make exotic or delicious food. That s a lesson i learnt long time ago. And that s why i wonder why a piece of naan bread is hideously expensive in a restaurant. For all that i knew, it was just flour and the rest. And its also why i learnt making everything from the scratch. And that s why i ve arrived at this garlic naan recipe. Without further ado, let me take you all to the world of naan.Let me tell you, this naan will not become as chewy as  rubber once it turns cold.

Recipe For Garlic Herbed Naan
( Flatbread using garlic butter and a few herbs)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Resting Time: 1 hour min
Cook Time: 3 mins for a naan
Yields 5 naan breads

Ingredients

All purpose flour 1.5 cups
Salt 3/4 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Fresh curd 2 tbsp
Water 4 tbsp + 2 tsp
garlic butter 5 tbsp cooled
Cilantro chopped finely 1/2 cup
Sesame seeds 1.5 tbsp

Butter for greasing
Flour for dusting

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients together.
Make a well in the middle.
Add the garlic butter and rub it into the flour until it crumbly.
Now, add the yogurt and water and knead into a smooth  stretchable yet non sticky dough.
If you feel the dough is too sticky add a lil more flour. In case you feel the dough is too dry, increase the amount of water.
Once done,cover and rest for a minimum of 1 hour.
After an hour, divide the dough into 5 equal pieces.
Stretch the dough into a tear drop shape.
Dust with flour and roll as you would do for chapathis.
Once done, heat a cast iron girdle.
Place the stretched dough and cook until puffy and bubbled up on one side.
Once puffed, flip over and cook the same way.
When both the sides have bubbled up here and there, flip over and cook on both sides till dark brown spots appear randomly on the naan.
Brush with butter. In case you have some of that garlic butter remaining, feel free to brush that up on the naan.

Serve hot with any curry of your choice.
This goes off to this month s Bake Your Own Bread at Roxanna s Space

Mast O Khiar Recipe | Easy Dip Recipes

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Persia. The land of the Mughals. And great food. Food that involves huge fanfare almost always on a daily basis. I m a huge Persian food because of the presence of yogurt. Oh. Come on. I ve ranted and raved enough on my fetish for curd rice. So it is only natural that i take to persian food. This month, us, the the groovy gourmets wanted to see how fancy we can get with our dips and spreads.

As i m fond of yogurt and Persian cuisine, i opted to try my hand at this simple yet exotic dip that s eaten alongside flatbreads in Persia. It also works fantastically well with a bowl of biriyani or pilaf. And its a perfect  summer treat. It makes for a great breakfast or even an afternoon snack. For those who are counting the calories, use low fat yogurt.  Lets get started, shall we?

Recipe for Mast O Khiar
( Yogurt dip made with cucumbers, walnuts and dried rose petals)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously
Source: Adapted from 101 cookbooks

Ingredients

Thick fresh yogurt 1 cup chilled ( I used Amul set curd)
Cucumber 1 small peeled, deseeded and cubed
Walnuts 2 tbsp toasted and crushed
Craisins or dried cranberries 1 tbsp chopped
Dried rose petals 1 tbsp
Fresh mint leaves 5 to 6 chopped finely
Fresh dill leaves 1 tbsp chopped finely
Garlic 1 clove minced
Salt to taste
Extra Virgin Olive oil to drizzle

Directions

In a mixing bowl, whisk the curd well.
To this add the crushed garlic, salt,dill and mint.
Just before serving, strain the cucumber well and add to the yogurt along with the walnuts.
Mix well.
Garnish with rose petals, craisins and a few walnut slivers.Drizzle that olive oil.
There. You are good to go. Easy right?

And yummy to dunk in your breads into.

I served mine with alongside some parathas. 

Easy Eggless Banana Bread Recipe | Instant Bread Recipes

By 7 Comments

It takes monumental efforts for me to stop myself from eating a banana.Can you imagine what a huge addict i am? My father used to buy almost 2 bunches of bananas every other day if i m lurking around the household.Certain varieties of bananas would be gone as quickly as they came. But the mysterious part is even after having consumed so many zillion calories over the past 20 and odd years, i m rail thin. Ok. Not rail thin. But thin. Lets leave the relative theory of thinness alone, shall we? The point is i did not gain the weight i must have.

As an upshot, i ve people envying me for having been bestowed the body that never gains weight. Well there s a downside to all this too. People never take a midget seriously unless the midget makes itself scream until her lungs may possibly tear. So there goes my banana rambling. But then, if you all thought i gave up eating bananas, then,oh boy! you are mighty wrong. I still eat my bananas and i still dont gain weight. Mr.P really wonders if he married a monkey sometimes. That s my life story about the banana.Ok?

Now, lets talk banana bread. Soft, buttery and fragrant banana bread that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside and sprightly and cheerful outside. That s what banana bread does to me. But for the life of me, i dont understand why i took me more than a year to tell you all how i make banana bread. Why waste time anymore? Lets dive into banana goodness, shall we?

Recipe For Banana Bread
( Instant bread flavored with banana and cardamom)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins to an hour
Bake Temp: 180 C
Source: Adapted slightly from here

Ingredients

All purpose flour 1.5 cups ( 192 g)
Butter unsalted 1/2 cup ( 113 g) melted
Banana puree 2 cups or 5 medium ripe bananas pureed
Yogurt 1/2 cup at room temperature
Vanilla 1 tsp
Baking soda 1 tsp
Sugar 1 cup powdered ( i used 1 cup as my bananas werent too sweet but you may reduce the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup depending on the sweetness of the bananas that you use)
Salt a pinch
Extra butter for greasing the pan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180 C for 10 mins
In a large mixing bowl, sieve together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In another mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar and whisk for a min.
Now, add the yogurt and mix well.

Add the vanilla and the banana puree and mix until well incorporated.
Now, add the flour in three batches and gently fold in the mixture until just combined. If you mix the batter too vigorously, you will have a dense bread.
Grease a 9″ X 5″ pan generously with butter.
Pour the batter into the greased pan and drop it on the counter gently.
This is to get rid of all the air bubbles.
Now bake in the oven for 50 mins to 1 hour until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
My bread browned a lot during the end. It was also a little dense but then i guess all that doesnt really matter because the taste was simply out of the world. In case you want to avoid that, cover the loaf tin with tin foil and then bake.
Once done, take out and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Cut into slices and enjoy.
This goes off to this month s Bake Your Own Bread at Roxanna s Space

Garlic Butter Recipe| Easy Spreads Recipes

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Heck! this is not even a recipe. But can you imagine a world without garlic? I mean, i know a few people out here who will screw up their noses in disgust when i ve not even finished saying gar but then, for the rest of us out here, i mean can you all imagine such a world?

Disastrous curries, we would have. Not to forget that the possibility of making a garlic custard becomes non existent. Its not that i use garlic every other day. Its just that it is so indispensable in my kitchen that i feel i get chatty with garlic every day. Now. Butter. Yellow golden butter. Well, in my case, pristine white butter. But butter is buttah any day, right? The world would be a sad place if we dint have buttah to spread on our toast.
It would be a miserable place if garlic bread became obsolete. How can we gorge on pizzas and pastas without that crunchy stack of garlic bread on the side.

Well. If you all thought that you can use garlic butter only for garlic bread, then you cant have been more wrong. But, in the meanwhile, let me tell you all how to make your own garlic butter. And then in a while, i ll also tell you how you can put that pot of garlic butter to good use.

Recipe For Garlic Butter
( Flavored butter that can be used as a spread or in any bread making)

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Yields 1/8 cup

Ingredients

Garlic 4 to 6 pods
Butter soft and salted 6 tbsp

Directions

Peel the garlic and crush it finely. Set aside.
Now, heat a heavy bottomed pan with the butter.
Once the butter is hot enough, add the crushed garlic.
Saute till the garlic turns a very light brown and becomes tender. If you brown the garlic too much, the flavor may be overpowering.
Once done switch off the flame and transfer to a bowl.
Let cool completely.

Use as a spread on your bread. Recipe featuring garlic butter coming soon.
Stay tuned y’all!

Eggless Pancakes Recipe | Easy Breakfast Recipes

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Ok  you get this immense craving for pancakes when you wake up in the morning. Or you hate roasting that semolina or grinding the urad dal. But you still want a breakfast that will leave you feeling divine. Or you have a husband ( just like mine) who doesnt eat eggs but still likes pancakes. What can you do?

You must definitely make this pancake that s egg free. But the real brownie points are one, they are amazingly fluffy and two, they taste out of the world. Well the first few lines of this post exactly depict my state of mind a few days back. I had this huge craving for a pancake. Well i eat eggs. So no issues there. But Mr.P doesnt. But i knew i had to make pancakes. So i turned to google as always and i found my answer too. I just tweaked the recipe a little bit. That s it.

Recipe For Egg Less Pancakes
( Pancakes made with flour, milk and vanilla)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 to 3 mins
Source: Cooks.com
Yields 2 to 3

Ingredients

All Purpose flour 1/2 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Butter 1 tbsp soft and unsalted
Vanilla 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder 1 tsp
Sugar 2 to 3 tbsp ( it really depends on how sweet toothed you are)
Water 1 tbsp

Butter for cooking 1 to 2 tbsp
Any fruit of your choice and
Maple or caramel syrup to serve.

Directions

In a mixing bowl, place the dry ingredients and combine well using a balloon whisk.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Add softened butter, water, milk and vanilla and stir until you see small bubbles. But make sure the batter is a teeny weeny bit lumpy too.
Once done, heat a cast iron skillet.
Add butter to the skillet and once it melts, add a ladle of the batter and spread to a circle to 8 to 9 cms in diameter.
Cook on medium flame until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes.
Now flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side too.
Repeat for the remaining batter.
Stack them on a plate.

Add any fruit of your choice, get as evil as you can with your choice of syrup ( I became evilly evil with caramel)

 and relish your pancakes with a tall cool glass of orange juice. Hmm……….bliss.

Green Apple Pasta Salad Recipe

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What do you know about pasta? Did you all know that Pasta is actually a type of noodle? Or that there are over 300 shapes of pasta that have more than 1300 names? Some noodle, isnt it? I really dont know when pasta took the world by storm. All i know is that i love pasta. In any form. But then, i hardly make any at home. I satisfy that deep urge to gorge on some creamy pasta only with outside food. One of those things that we eat out. Mind you, we hardly eat out and when we do, its either pasta or barbecue.

That said, i knew that i must learn how to make pasta. What s the point of loving a food if you dont know to make it? Right? I never follow any particular recipe to pasta. While i do enjoy eating pasta, i feel the traditional italian style of cooking pasta is a little overboard for me. So, i try to tweak most of the pasta that i make. But today s green apple pasta salad recipe is not any italian stuff. Its something that you can rustle up quickly and put your tummy pangs to rest. How about some pasta salad, everyone?

Recipe For Green Apple Pasta Salad
( An easy salad with macaroni and assorted veggies in a creamy dressing)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins for boiling the pasta
Serves 4

Ingredients

Macaroni pasta 1 cup
Cherry tomatoes 10 to 15 halved
Bell pepper 1 chopped finely
Green apple 1 peeled, cored and cubed
Sweet corn kernels 1/2 cup fresh or frozen
Red Onion 1 medium sliced thinly

Dressing

Mayonnaise 1/2 cup
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Dried basil 1 tbsp
Dried dill 1 tsp
Fresh mint 3 to 4 chopped finely
Vinegar 1 tsp ( cider or white) or lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
Sugar 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Mint leaves for garnish

Directions:

Cook the macaroni in boiling water till soft and tender. Takes 20 to 25 mins.If the water is not boiling, pasta may take longer to cook. And make sure you add plenty of water. Pasta needs a lot of water.
Once cooked, drain the water and wash the macaroni under running water. This is to make sure that they dont stick to each other.
In a large mixing bowl, put together all the ingredients for the dressing and using a whisk, incorporate the mixture well.
Now, add the chopped veggies to the dressing and mix well.
Next add the washed pasta to the veggie dressing mixture and combine gently.
Chill for an hour.

Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve with any bread or soup of your choice.

Makai Dhokla | Easy Snack Recipes

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I live in Gujarat. The land of the foodies. The place where food is appreciated like no where else or so i believe. Although i m not a huge fan of the Gujarati cuisine, i love the fervor with which the Gujjus eat their food. After all, to quote Mr.P, one must be blessed to enjoy food so much. There are some things that i truly love about Gujarati food though. As much as i detest the deep fried Samosas and Fafdas, i m a huge fan of the dhoklas that they whip up. Its easy to make and light on the tummy. Plus its healthy because it s steamed. I have tried my hand at the ubiquitous khaman dhoklas and the scrumptious methi theplas. But this time i wanted to jazz up the regular khamans and i made some with maize flour and sweet corn kernels.And i must say they were delicious on a lazy Sunday morning.

Recipe For Makai Dhokla
( Steamed maize flour dumplings tempered with indian spices)

Prep Time: 10 mins
                  30 mins resting time
Cook Time: 10 mins
Yields about 12 medium pieces

Ingredients

Maize flour 1 cup
Sour curds 1/2 cup whisked well
Sweet corn kernels fresh or frozen 1/3 cup minced lightly
Green chilies 4 to 5 minced finely
Ginger 1/2″ grated
Hing a large pinch
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Eno fruit salt 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar 1.5 tsp
Warm water 1/2 cup

To Temper:

Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Sesame seeds 1 tsp
Hing a large pinch

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Directions:

Combine maize flour, warm water and sour curds well along with salt and sugar and set aside for 30 mins. I used very sour curd for this recipe but i must say bland curds and fresh curds dont work well here. We need the tang.
After 30 mins, add the grated ginger, corn, green chilies and hing and mix well.
If you find that the batter is very thick, add a little more water. Maybe about 2 tbsp to 1/4 cup.
Grease a 6″ wide plate that is atleast 3″ deep with oil.
Now, add the eno to the batter and mix well.
Pour the batter onto the greased plate and tap it gently on the counter.
Once done, place the pan in your steamer and steam for 15 to 20 mins. I used my pressure cooker for this without the valve.
Once done, remove the pan and let it cool a bit.
Temper mustard seeds, sesame seeds and hing in oil and pour evenly over the dhoklas.
Squeeze the lemon juice into 2 tbsp water and pour over the dhoklas.

Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve with meetha chutney and mint chutney.

This is my entry to this week s  Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan, Roshni and Veena for other mouth watering Gujarati delicacies on Avant Garde Cookies.

Vankaya Kobbari Karam | Eggplant Recipes

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Eggplants. Ha. My eternal love affair. A sneak here and a peek there to see which type adorns the farmer s markets. Contemplating between stuffed and sauteed. Thus my testimonial to the not so exotic yet tongue tickling egg plant continues. But Mr.P s almost monumental aversion to egg plants does not help much. So they are made very rarely at home. Which is precisely why this blog doesnt feature many egg plant recipes. You all dint think i dint love baba ganoush or eggplant parmesano? dint ya?

Well. The story changes track when baby egg plants are around the corner. Mr.P makes sure he picks a bag of these beauties dutifully and comes home with a grin on his face. And that grin can only be interpreted as, Wife, when will you make some stuffed eggplants? I usually make this ennai kathrikai kuzhambu, a tangy gravy to go with rice. But this time, i decided to try my hand at these stuffed eggplants.Its a hear say recipe and i just eye balled my ingredients. But i ve tried to give you all an idea of how much of what i used. Needless to say, the eggplants were well relished by Mr.P. Runaway success is all i can say.

Recipe For Vankaya Kobbari Karam
( Eggplants stuffed with coconut and spices and pressure cooked slightly)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Serves 3

Ingredients:

Baby egg plants 12 to 15
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Hing a large pinch
Curry leaves a sprig
Water 3 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp

Stuffing:

Coconut pieces 3/4 cup
Coriander leaves 1 cup loosely packed
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Green chilies 4 to 5
Tamarind Paste 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Directions

Place all the ingredients for the stuffing in a blender and make a coarse paste without adding any water and set aside.

Wash and pat dry the egg plants and make a criss cross on the rounded side keeping the stalk intact. Make sure you only cut 3/4th along the length of the eggplant.
Once you have criss-crossed all the eggplants, gently stuff about 3/4 tbsp of stuffing into the criss crossed egg plants.
Heat oil in a small pressure cooker.
Pop the mustard seeds and add the urad dal, hing, curry leaves next and wait till the dal turns a light brown.
Once done, add the stuffed egg plants and toss well.
Add the 3 tbsp water to this and sprinkle the salt.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
Wait till the pressure comes down.
Once done, check to see if the water has dried up.
If not, cook it open on high flame for about 2 mins until the water dries up.

Serve hot with rice and any dal of your choice.

Moong Dal Ladoo

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When 2013 kicked in, i vowed certain things to myself. I resolved to break out of my routine and cook things that i normally wouldnt. That plan included a cookie, a cake, two breads and one indian traditional sweet every month. But that dint happen last month. Well, the bread thing happened anyway but the rest dint. I felt terribly guilty for making that vow and for failing terribly in keeping up my promise. Well, you know what i did?
         I painted. To finish the guilt trip. To kiss the demon good bye and have some fun. I painted for the sake of painting and i was quite satisfied with the results. I raved and raved about my colorful canvases incessantly. And then the guilt kicked in again.  Well, what was i expecting? Anyway, i woke up to reality and decided to do something about it. I decided to make something ridiculously simple yet sinfully delicious and healthy. And that s when the moong dal came into picture. And then  the protein. And then that traditional indian clause. I put together everything and came up with this moong dal ladoo.


Recipe for Moong Dal Ladoo
( Ladoos with roasted moong dal)

Prep Time:  10 mins
Cook Time: 10 to 15 mins

Ingredients

Moong dal 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 1/2 cup
Cardamom 1 pod
Cashews 7 to 8 chopped coarsely

Directions

In a kadai, dry roast the moong dal until brown. When i say brown, a lil more than golden brown. Do this on medium flame and it takes about 10 mins. Dont you let your wander or you will burn the dal quick.


Let it cool completely and powder the roasted moong dal in a mixer as finely as you can. I did this in batches. You mixie may heat up if you continuously grind it. So make sure you do it in 30 sec intervals.
Now, powder the sugar along with the cardamom seeds.
Place the powdered moong dal and sugar in a large mixing bowl and combine well.
Melt the half cup ghee and add the chopped cashews. Wait till the cashews become slightly brown.
Once done, add this melted ghee to the moong dal sugar mixture.
Using a spatula, combine this mixture well until the ghee is incorporated well into the dry mixture.
Let it cool a bit. But not completely. The mixture must be warm enough for you to handle.
While the mixture is warm, take portions of the mixture, place it in your palm and shape gently into balls.
Repeat for the entire mixture.

Once done, store in a dry air tight container and enjoy.
This month, we are thinking of protein power at Avant Garde Cookies. Radhika, Jayanthi,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan, Roshni and Veena are being proteinicious this week. Check their posts too.

This goes to this month s My Legume Love Affair hosted and administered by Lisa this month onwards. Susan, The Well Seasoned Cook was the creator of MLLA before. 

Masala Akki Roti- Easy Breakfast Recipes

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Do you all know why i ve been MIA? That s cos i am watching Greys Anatomy like a freak. I watched seasons 6 and 7 and went all teary eyed and hilarious at the same time. Obviously, Mr.P who does not display much of an interest in Greys could not for the life of him figure out why i became a recluse all of a sudden. Sleep, make dinner, eat, watch. And then sleep, make a harried…..ahem…..sorry, hurried breakfast, watch, cook a lunch and then watch some more. And it continued like this for 4 days. I m not a person who takes to something easily you know. I get bored of things very quickly. But well, Greys Anatomy turned out to be an exception. 
       

The point is, one of those things that i made on all those hurriedly harried days for breakfast is this akki roti. Living in Bangalore is everything that symbolises heavenly. And one has the privileges of eating akki roti if you live in Bangalore. Well, this akki roti is a lil unusual but nevertheless, makes a brilliant breakfast.

Recipe For Akki Roti

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 3 to 4 mins for a roti
Yields 5 to 6 rotis

Ingredients

Rice flour 2.5 cups
Yogurt 1 cup
Carrot grated 1/2 cup
Onion 1 chopped finely
Green chilies 8 minced
Coriander leaves 1/4 cup chopped finely
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp
Water as required
Banana leaf or plastic sheet 1 large

Oil to cook

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, place all the dry ingredients and combine well.
Add the yogurt and mix until you get a crumbly mixture.
Check for seasoning.
Now, add water little by little and knead into a dough that s similar to chapathi dough.
Once done, take an orange size ball of the dough and place on an oiled banana leaf or a greased plastic sheet.
Now, slowly flatten the dough into a flat disc. Oil your hands a little before you begin.
The flattened disc must be as thin as a paratha. Takes time and patience but you will get it after one or two trials. Below is the picture on how i did it. I hope it helps.

Once you flatten the dough, heat a tawa.
Now, gently invert the plastic sheet which has the flattened dough onto your palm and peel the sheet off.
Place the flattened dough on to the heated tawa.
Drizzle oil around the sides and cook on medium flame until golden brown spots appear on one side.
Flip and repeat for the other side too.
Follow the same procedure for the remaining dough too.

Once done, place a blob of butter and serve hot with any chutney of your choice. Even a subzi will work well. I served mine with tomato pickles sans the butter. Calorie counting, you see.
This goes to Kids Delight- Lunch Box recipes hosted by PJ for SriValli this month.

Home Made Sambar Powder

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Each house in South India has its own version of Sambhar. While the less enterprising generation of ladies( read people like me) live on store bought powders and mommy made powders, there was a line of women not so long ago who painstakingly made these spice powders from the scratch at home.
    In fact, i dont remember anything being bought at all when my granny used to rule the roost in the kitchen. Every week, she used to get out all the lentils and treasured stock of spices. Sun dry them for an hour or so and get to work. Of course, i dint have an inkling as to what she s doing back then.
     But the day, someone said this is my kitchen, the full reality of all that grinding and roasting hit me on the face like a torpedo. I dint know the difference between a coriander seed and a fenugreek seed when i got married. I am an only kid, you know. The pampered sorts. Whose mom always feels that there is plenty of time to wield the ladle and 18 years was not enough time. She still feels that way. Uh…. moms!

Anyway, the first few days of my marriage gave me nightmares. While i was this chic chick who had never stepped into the kitchen, my husband was like a walking kitchen encyclopedia to me. Atleast at that time. And imagine my horror when he said, make rasam and poriyal for lunch. That will do. As if, that was any merciful. I did make rasam. But with a teaspoon or two of sambhar powder. See? what i mean? Well, i cant accept the opposite sex acing me in some things.One of them happens to be English and the other is cooking. So i gave my husband a run for his money when i began cooking and the rest, you all know. And in the process, i picked up how to make sambhar powder from the scratch. This post is not a pretty pretty picture post. This is a utilitarian post and all the pics were clicked in my poorly lit mouse hole kitchen. But believe me, it s all worth it.

Recipe For Sambhar Powder
(Spice powder with lentils that can be used in sambhars)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Yields 1.5 cups

Ingredients

Coriander seeds or dhania 1 cup
Dried red chilies the round variety 1 cup
Kadala paruppu or chana dal or bengal gram 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds 2 tbsp
Turmeric 3/4 tsp
Oil 3/4 tbsp

Directions

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and roast the coriander seeds until aromatic and lightly browned.
Set aside to cool.
Again in the same pan, without adding extra oil, roast the dry red chilies until the color changes slightly.
Set aside.
Now, roast the fenugreek seeds until slightly pink in color and set aside.
Add the remaining oil and heat up.
Now, roast the chana dal until golden brown in color. Make sure you do it on a medium flame because we want even roasting and no burns here and there.
Once done, set aside to cool.
In a blender, add the coriander seeds and blend for about 30 secs to a minute.
Transfer to a moisture free plate.
Again, add the roasted chilies and the fenugreek and grind till you have a coarse powder.
Transfer to the plate of powdered coriander seeds.
Now, add the chana dala to the blender and grind to a coarse powder.
Transfer this to the plate.
On the plate, using a ladle, combine the blended powders gently. You need not be thorough.
Once done, add the mixture to the blender again along with the turmeric  and blend until you have a slightly coarse powder.
Transfer to an airtight dry container and store in a cool place.

PS My mom adds dessicated coconut to this mixture. In case you want to, then you have to add 1/2 cup of dessicated coconut and increase the chilies accordingly. Say 1/4 cup more. And if you add dessicated coconut, make sure you store the powder in the fridge.

Broccoli Potato Pepper Fry

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Have i ever told you how the fridge is the single most loved appliance in my world? When my fridge fails, i ve nightmares. I worry about all that spring roll wrappers in the freezer. Oh wait! what will happen to my butter? Or that new block of golden cheddar that i picked up from the grocers’ last week. 
      Not to mention all those fresh veggies, the milk, cottage cheese, curd and the dosai maavu that i sweat copiously and grind every week. Ok. I said that sweating part just to spice up the post. I make my dosai maavu in a grinder and that s literally no sweat at all but hey! i cant stand my maavu going to a waste. 
      Like there were these three heads of broccoli that i picked up the last time i went to my magic store here. Mind you. Broccoli is pricey here. They dont come cheap. And cheap or not, i dont like my veggies meeting a sad fate anytime. I like them landing up in my tummy and not in the trash.
     

So you can imagine my horror when the fridge came to a stand still the last week. I dint get a wink. I lay awake for a whole night wondering what would happen to all those goodies that i stow away secretly far far away from Mr.P s roving eyes. Moral of the story. A fridge is indispensable in any kitchen. 

    I woke up the next day and decided that i shall save what i can in the fridge and immediately rushed to the vegetable drawer to rescue that last head of broccoli from impending disaster. It was 7’o clock in the morning when i decided on my rescue mission. And that rescue mission fetched some fabulous results for me. One of which is this broccoli potato pepper fry. Want to know what s the other one? My fridge set itself right magically at 10 in the morning. So much for not getting a wink.

Recipe For Broccoli Potato Pepper Fry
(Broccoli and potatoes sauteed with pepper)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 to 25 mins
Serves 2 

Ingredients

Broccoli 1 large head cleaned and separated into florets
Potato 2 medium peeled and cubed
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Black pepper powder 1.5 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

Directions

Steam the broccoli and potato together for about 10 mins. I steamed them on my microwave on high for 10 mins
Heat oil in a pan.
Pop the mustard and add the urad dal. Cook till the dal turns light brown.
Add the curry leaves next.
Toss in the potatoes and cook for 5 mins on medium flame.
Now, add the broccoli next and mix well.
Cook till the broccoli wilts.
Add salt and pepper and combine well.
Cook further till the broccoli and the potatoes turn light brown.
Takes about 10 mins.
Once done, remove from flame.
Serve hot with rice and this tasty sambar.

Minty Cheese Pull Apart Bread- We Knead To Bake 1

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I consider the blogosphere as my extended family. For two reasons. One, i have wonderful friends around the block. And two, its only here that all people are bonded by food and love for it. The whole  while, you make some friends and you pick up new recipes, new techniques and it s also a sure fire ticket to a joy ride.
         When Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen who bakes everything and also makes it look beautiful, asked if food bloggers around the world would be interested in baking bread with her, i think she triggered off a chain of events that was loaded with excitement and passion. The beginning of such an event happens to be this bread, a pull apart loaf which she chose for January.
       The prospect of acquainting with  yeast can drive a few people up the wall. Unless your daily horoscope prediction says that anything beginning with Y can be easy on you today and the weather is bright and sunny, the Yeast INC is not a crowd favorite. Luckily for me, he has been kind and merciful and i have had swell times baking bread. But a pull apart bread was a first for me. And you know what anything first means in my life. Excitement. With a capital E.

     
I thoroughly enjoyed making the bread and it looks as though it s technically challenging et al. But oh! believe me, it s actually a breeze to make and my loaf was gone in less than 12 hours. I totally totally loved this bread because one, its egg free and two, it has the best thing on the planet, cheese. Come and see how i made that beautiful loaf. I m sure inspiration will follow automatically.

Recipe For Minty Herb Pull Apart Bread
( Pull apart loaf with a cheesy mint and herb filling)

Prep Time: 15 mins to knead
                  1 hour for the first rise
                   45 mins for the second rise
Cook Time: 30 mins
Makes one 9″X5″ loaf

Ingredients:

For The Dough:

Flour 2.75 cups to 3 cups
Instant yeast or active dry yeast 2 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Warm milk 3/4 cup
Warm milk 1/2 cup to mix the sugar
Salt 1.5 tsp
Softened Butter at room temperature 30 g
Garlic paste 1 tsp

For The Filling:

Cheddar cheese 1/8 cup grated
Gouda cheese 1/8 cup grated
Dried mint 2 tbsp
Chili flakes 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 2 tbsp
Sesame seeds 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
Oregano 1/2 tsp
Butter 2 to 3 tbsp

Milk to brush 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds to top

How To Make It?

In a large mixing bowl, proof the yeast by adding sugar, 1/2 cup warm milk and yeast. Mix well. Set aside until frothy.
Once the yeast has proofed, take the flour in another mixing bowl and add salt to it.
Combine well using a whisk.
Add the butter to the flour and mix well until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Make a well in the middle and add the proofed yeast mixture and the garlic paste.
Mix well.
Now slowly add the 3/4 cup of milk gradually and knead the dough to get a soft non sticky dough.
You may not need all the 3 cups of flour. Begin with 2.75 cups.In case you feel the dough is too sticky, add the remaining flour too.
Once you get a soft non sticky dough, grease a large bowl generously and place the dough and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Leave it in a warm place to rise until double in volume.
Once the dough has risen, punch back the dough.
Mix all the herbs and chili flakes and set aside. Keep ready the cheese.
On a well floured surface, place the dough and shape into a square.
Roll out dough into 12″ X 12″ square.
Now, sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the rolled out dough.
Sprinkle the mixed herbs on to the dough now evenly.
Gently roll a rolling pin over to make sure that filling sticks to the surface.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 5 equal strips.
Place the strips one over the other making sure the filling side faces up.
You can add the strips cut from the edge in the middle.
Now, after assembling all the strips, cut the strips into 6 square pieces cutting through the stack.
Now stack the square pieces one over the other.

Grease a 9″ X 5″ loaf tin with butter.
And place these stacks layer wise in the tin.
Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rise until double in volume.
Takes about 45 mins depending on how warm or cold your weather is.
Towards the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 180 C.
Once the dough has risen, brush with milk on top and sprinkle sesame seeds.
Bake for 30 to 40 mins until the bread turns golden brown. Mine got done in 30 mins precisely.
In case you find the bread browning, cover with a tin foil and continue baking.
Once done, let it cool in the tin  for 10 mins.
Then invert the loaf and let it cool further.

Eat warm with a cup of hot chocolate. Check out how many pull aparts we all made at We Knead To bake here. There s plenty of inspiration.

P.S You can use any filling you want. Try some tomato dip or even cottage cheese.
Or make a sweet one with cinnamon and sugar.

Aloo Mutter- Easy Curries

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The potato is indispensable in every household. No matter where you hail from or what your roots are, everyone loves this versatile tuber that the Irish take pride in. And aloo mutter- the simple yet earthy combination of potatoes and peas is a regular in most Indian households. Especially when the task of going to the Farmer s market seems unlikely and there is hardly anything green left in the fridge with the exception of a tomato or two. You have your version. And i have mine. But sometimes  even the reassuring aloo mutter needs a change or two. So, lets swap versions when you feel that food ( read aloo mutter) is boring. Bringing to you all my version.

Recipe for Aloo Mutter
( Potatoes and fresh green peas cooked in mild indian spices)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Serves 3 generously

Ingredients:

Potatoes 2 large boiled and peeled
Fresh green peas 1 cup boiled
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Tomatoes 2 medium chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves for garnish

Spice Powders:

Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi 1/4 tsp crushed
Kitchen king masala 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder a large pinch

Directions:

In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin seeds.
Once they crackle, toss in the onions and saute till pink.
Now, add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 30 secs.
Next, tip in all the spice powders except the kasuri methi and cook on low medium flame for 30 to 40 secs.
Add the tomatoes next and cook till oil separates.
Now, add the potatoes and mash them slightly making sure there are bite sized pieces left too.
Add the green peas and salt and mix well.
Add 3/4 cup of water and cook for about 5 mins on medium flame.
Add kasuri methi and cook for a minute more.
Once done, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rotis and steamed rice with a papad to bite into.

Green Apple Chutney- Fusion Cooking

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Okay. I m going to be very honest here and divulge some information about me. But you have to promise me that you will absolutely, absolutely not breathe a word about it to anyone. Errr.. your best friend is understandable but no one beyond that. Ok? Ok.
         I loathe fusion food. I rate or rather i used to rate people who made fusion food as people who dint know what real food was. That was until yesterday. Yesterday, a whole lot changed for me in the food perspective of life. As a south indian, chutney always meant coconut chutney or tomato chuntey or if you ask me to quote a gutsier one, i shall say ginger chutney.

       
It was not until a year ago that i even realised that people other than South indians who live in this planet also consumed chutneys and they obviously dint make it with coconut and tomato. And they dint call it much of a chutney either. For them, chutney was also a relish and they had so many varieties that my head started spinning when i began my research into the realm of chutneys. Anyway. That was a year ago. But mind you. It took me a year to come out of that stupid box of my life and actually try my hand at fusion cooking. Now this chutney is a magnificent embodiment of fusion cooking. I ve followed no particular recipe. I just went about with what thoughts and ideas i had cached up in my memory and went by my instinct. And the chutney was a runaway success. So here s the recipe. Now if you ask me why the chutney is in brown when the apple is green, you will have to make it to find out for yourself.

Recipe For Green Apple Chutney
( Green apples and mango ginger ground together with spices)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Makes 3/4 cup

Ingredients

Green apple 1 large ( Granny Smith preferably) peeled and cubed
Mango ginger aka white turmeric 1″ piece peeled  and sliced
Channa dal 1 tbsp
Urad dal 1 tbsp
Dry red chilies 2 to 3
Tamarind a small marble size
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Oil 1 tsp to temper
Hing a small pinch

How To Make It?

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai. Add the dals and saute them till light brown in color.
Now, add the ginger and dry red chilies along with the tamarind and saute till the ginger slightly changes color.
At this stage, add in the apples and saute till apples turn a light brown.
Cool, add salt and blend to a smooth paste in a blender adding little water as necessary. This is because the apple already has water.
Now, temper the chutney with mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing in a tsp of heated oil.
Serve with dosas or eat with curd rice. Yummm…..

P.S This chutney tastes good only with green apples, the Granny Smith varieties which are available in super markets.

Eggless Burger Buns

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Oh boy! Oh boy! What challenge was it to bake these beautiful eggless burger buns. Not that the recipe was challenging. But the weather Gods dint favour me much and the yeast fella turned out to be one crafty guy who just wouldnt budge. All was well in the bread heaven when i began the process of making these buns. Only later, the yeast guy started acting up. After almost 4 trials of proofing the yeast, i was about to accept defeat. And then some brainwave hit me and i turned to my most faithful and unfailing friend, Google. On googling, i found that yeast not only needs warmth but also food to froth up. Food as in sugar. The recipe that i referred to in the beginning to make these buns dint call for sugar and since i was using Instant Yeast, i think my inner Goddess kicked up her confidence a notch too much. Anyway, the yeast guy became friendly once i gave him what he needed. Anyway, all became well very soon and i succeeded in making them. Perfect for lil bites to be served at a party. Since i made two batches of the dough, i made mini burger buns with one batch and the normal ones too. I ll share with you all the recipe requirements for those mini burger buns that i made.



Recipe For Mini Burger Buns
( Burger Buns perfect for a party)

Mixing and Kneading Time: 15 mins
Raising Time: 2 hours for the first rise
                       1 hour for the first rise
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 12 to 15 mins
Baking Temperature: 180 C
Yields 15 small buns

Ingredients For Burger Buns:

All Purpose Flour 1.75 c
Instant Yeast or Active Dried Yeast 1 tbsp
Curd 1/4 cup
Baking Soda 1/4 tsp
Butter 2 tbsp melted
Sugar 2 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Warm Water 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup
Milk for brushing
Sesame seeds for topping

Directions:
Begin proofing the yeast with 1/3 cup of warm water.
Mix yeast and sugar in the warm water and set aside for 10 mins or until it froths up.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt and combine well.
Make a well in  the flour.
Now, add the proofed yeast, curd, melted butter and mix the dough.
Knead to get a smooth soft dough. Takes about 7 to 8 mins.
Once done, transfer to a greased bowl and cover with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rise until double in volume. Takes anywhere between 1 hour to 2 hours depending on the weather.
Once risen, punch the dough and divide the dough into 15 parts and shape them into rounds.
Place them about 1 inch apart on a baking tray  lined with 2 to 3 layers of parchment paper or tin foil and cover them with a damp towel and let  them rise until double. Again takes 45 mins to 1 hour depending on the weather.

Towards the end of the second rise, preheat oven to 180 c.

Once the rounds have risen, brush them with milk and top them with sesame seeds and bake for 12 to 15 mins or until tops are golden.
Once baked, remove and cool completely.


Enjoy with your favorite relish and some cucumbers and tomatoes in between or enjoy them as they are.

This is my entry for this month s Week 1  Radhika, Jayanthi,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan, Roshni and Veena are the other cookies who are all being pally with the yeast guy this week. Check them out.
This is off to Roxana s Bake Your Own Bread

Mushroom Makhani Recipe

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I really dont remember when my fetish for mushrooms began. Although the cooking mushroom mania began only recently. While Mr.P views mushrooms as a member of the Agaricus family, his views end there. They do not appeal to his palette much and so my mania is actually short lived. I literally have to resort to unauthentic cooking ways to include mushroom in my meal. Like cooking mushrooms only on those days when Mr.P is not around for a meal.  Which was the situation a few days for nine whole days.

Now, i m not like the average indian woman who rejoices at the prospect of not cooking and ordering meals. You see, being normal has never been a lifestyle option for me. I ve always been abnormal. While every sensible soul in the world loves ice creams, I ( see the i in the upper case?) can only eat one ice cream and that too Banana Split. When the whole world resorts to munching on a bag of chips when they watch TV, i like downing platefuls of fruit. I ve been this way since God knows how long! Mind you. Dont term me a Health Freak. Health has nothing to do with me. Though  Freak agrees  well. Anyway, the point was while i did enjoy the listlessness and my then current Sloth position, the charm dint last long and i soon scurried back to the kitchen and picked up the ladle dutifully.

          And then i did what i usually do. Blew a whole load of money on a truck load of groceries and veggies that i will probably only consume by the end of this year. Well it got consumed thankfully. Lets just decently ignore that part, shall we? The point is along with all those groceries came a nice bag of mushrooms. In fact two bags and that got me to thinking and then cooking this mushroom makhani recipe which i sent along to one of my new yet best friends and she loved it and then personally recommended that i share the recipe with you all. And excuse the pictures. I did not have the crotchet to click away and so they are a wee bit poorly.
Recipe For Mushroom Makhani
( Learn to make mushroom makhani gravy- a decadent side for flatbreads with mushrooms and cream)
 
Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 3 
Allergy Info: Soy and Gluten free
Course: Accompaniment, Sides
Cuisine: North Indian
 
Ingredients

 

Mushrooms 1.5 cups cleaned and quartered
Peas 1 cup cleaned and cooked
Kasuri methi 2 tbsp crushed
Fresh cream  4 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Butter 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely for garnish
Spice Powders:
Kitchen king masala 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Gravy:
Tomato 2 large chopped finely
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Garlic cloves 4
Ginger 1/2″ bit grated
Cashews 10
Dry red chilies 1
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Directions

 

Heat oil in a pan.
Add the fennel seeds and dry red chilies.
Saute for 30 secs.
Add the onions and garlic cloves next and saute till onions turn a golden brown.
Now, add the cashews and ginger and saute for a min.
Toss in the tomatoes and saute till mushy and oil separates from the mixture.
Once done, let it cool down completely.
After cooling, blend the mixture to a smooth puree in a blender adding little water.
Heat the butter and oil in the same pan. We dont want to lose all that flavor here.
Add the mushrooms and peas and saute till mushrooms wilt.
At this stage, add the ground paste and mix well.
Simmer till oil separates again. Take about 3 to 4 mins
Add salt and sugar and mix well.
Simmer again for 2 mins. If you find the mixture turning very thick, add a little water. Wont hurt anything.
Now, add the crushed kasuri methi and mix well.
Lastly, add the cream and mix.
Simmer for a minute and switch off the flame.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

 

Serve hot with rotis or any flatbread of your choice.

Thuvarai Vadai- Pigeon Pea Fritters- After School Snacks

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I am a winter person in and out. I love winters for the chilly mornings, hot cocoa, fresh vegetables and the sleepy weather.For me, there is no greater happiness than snuggling into a warm blanket with a nice romantic novel with a mug of hot cocoa beside me. But the fresh vegetables that abound the market top the list. I take immense pleasure in visiting the vegetable market every week. Maybe such pleasure shall be declared illegal soon. That much is how much i enjoy buying vegetables in winter.  Sweet peas,  cheerful corn, rustic yams, fresh chickpeas that resemble tiny brains, edamame, hyacinth beans and the list can go on. Almost always, i come back with more vegetables than my arm can carry. But it is indeed euphoric to shell peas or clean those vivid greens. What music it is to the ears to hear the peas falling clink clank thud thud into my bowl. My fridge always overflows in the winter with so many vegetables that can feed a family of 5 for a week. Remember that we are only 2 in this house. That much of love i hold for winter. Crispy frost bitten mornings with the nip in the air. I can succinctly term them all as heaven.

   
On one such trips to the market, when i literally came back with veggies for an army, i also bought fresh pigeon peas. Fresh pigeon peas, hyacinth beans and lilva beans are available in plenty in winter where i live. But they go as quickly as they come. So, i pounce on them  the moment i set my eyes on these beauties loaded with protein. After experimenting with the beans in a sundry other recipes, i made these fritters. Ok..i know these are deep fried but they were truly delicious. They make a perfect snack for these chilly evenings. Don your sweaters, get your cocoa brewing and make some of these yummy fritters to warm up.

Recipe For Thuvarai Vadai
(Deep fried fritters made with fresh pigeon peas)

Prep Time: 1 hour for soaking the lentils
           10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: Under 30 mins
Yields 12 to 15 medium vadais

What You Need?

Fresh pigeon peas 200g
Channa dal or Kadala paruppu or bengal gram 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp
Urad dal or black gram 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp
Green chilies 2
Pepper corns 2
Garlic 1
Ginger 1/2 “
Onion 1 chopped finely
Coriander leaves chopped finely 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

How To Make It?

Soak the kadal paruppu and urad dal for 1 hour in some water.
After an hour, drain the water completely and place them in a blender along with the pigeon peas, green chilies, pepper corns, garlic, ginger and salt.
Grind without adding any water to a coarse paste. In case you find it not grinding, add about 1 to 2 tsp of water.
Once done, remove and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Check for seasoning.
Now, add the chopped onions and coriander to the batter and mix well.
Heat oil for deep frying. I used about 250 ml.
Divide the batter in to 12 equal rounds, flatten them into discs and keep ready.
Check if the oil has heated up by dropping a small ball of the batter. If it comes up immediately. the oil is done.
Now, drop the discs and fry on low medium flame till golden brown and the discs float up to the top.
Do this in batches of 3 to 4.
Once done, drain on a kitchen towel.

Serve hot with ketchup or any dip of your choice. We enjoyed them as it is.

Checkerboard Cookies – Week 3 Avant Garde Cookies

By 8 Comments

Hey everyone!!! Its Christmas eve in three days. Have you all finished baking your treats and done packing your gifts?? Hung the mistletoe?? Well, i dint hang any mistletoe but i m done packing my gifts and baking all my goodies. I dint make much and i stuck to easy peasy stuff this year. I made the ceremonial fruit cake. I soaked my fruits and baked my cake but accidentally deleted my pictures. So i wont be able to share my fruit cake recipe this year. However, i did bake a whole bag of cookies. My house smells like a spice shop now, so my students tell me. They had the good fortune to nibble on some of those cookies that i made and then i sent out some to my friends and neighbours. But i m still not looking at an empty cookie tin with stray crumbs here and there. But then there s another clique to whom i must send the cookies to. So, yeah the prospects of looking at an empty cookie tin is very bright. What else can make a baker happy than an empty cookie jar?

     
Anyway, we at the Avant Garde Cookies decided to go festive and feisty for the third week. We decided to don the mitts and bake till our ovens groaned. I m setting off a whole lot of baking in motion with these checker board cookies. Now, believe me, if you havent baked your Christmas goodies, these cookies are a fabulous idea. They are quick and yummy. But the brownie point is that they look super cute. Kids go gaga after you place these in front of them. You can experiment with flavors and colors here but considering that i was making them for the first time, i stuck to the traditional chocolate and vanilla.

Recipe For Checkerboard Cookies
( Cookies in a checkerboard pattern with vanilla and chocolate)

Prep Time: Under 15 mins
Bake Time: 10 mins
Source: Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart s Recipe
Yields 12 to 16 cookies

What You Need?

All Purpose Flour 1.25 cups
Butter softened and at room temperature1/2 cup
Sugar 6 tbsp powdered
Vanilla Extract 1 tsp
Cocoa powder 3 tbsp
Salt a pinch

How To Make It?

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar using a whisk or an electric whisk until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and mix again.
Now, add the flour in batches and mix into the butter sugar mixture until  you get a crumbly mixture.
Once you reach the crumbly stage, knead the dough until it all comes together into a big lump.
In case you find the dough too sticky, sprinkle a lil flour and knead.
Once done kneading, divide the dough into half.
In one portion of the dough, sprinkle the cocoa powder and gently incorporate the cocoa into the dough thoroughly.

Now, place the white dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper or butter paper and gently roll out into a 5″ square making sure the dough is evenly rolled out.
Repeat the same process with the chocolate dough too.
Now, line a tray or a plate with parchment paper.
Cut the rolled out dough into 4 strips each 3/4″ wide.
In the lined tray, assemble the strips in an alternate fashion to get the checkerboard pattern.
Once you assemble the strips, refrigerate the dough for 2 to 3 hours. I refrigerated the dough for 1 day out of sheer lack of time to bake them but needless to say, i had super crunchy cookies so no regrets there.
After 3 hours, preheat the oven to 180 C.
Cut the log of dough into 1/4″ thick slices and assemble on a parchment paper lined baking tray leaving an inch gap between each cookie.
Bake for 8 to 10 mins or until the cookies turn a light brown.
Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

My Notes:

  1. I attempted these cookies for the first time and hence i couldnt take much pictures. And my finish is not awesome. But with practice, i m sure you all will have beautiful cookies.
  2. The butter has to be absolutely in room temperature.
  3. My cookies got done in 9 mins exact. So keep an eye after the 8th minute.
  4. The cookie dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for 2 days or even frozen for weeks.
  5. I think these cookies are fun to make when there s more dough to work with. So feel free and double the recipe.
  6. In case you find the strips breaking due to their length, make them into 2 blocks and work further in assembling.
  7. Watch this video for an idea on how to assemble the strips.
  8. There s no need to bring the dough to room temperature before baking.

Want to know what s baking with the other cookies? Then pay a visit to Jayanti, Radhika, Priya Sreeram, Priya Mahadevan, Kavi,Veena and Roshni.

Crispy Aloo Fry

By 3 Comments

There are some days when i crave for comfort food. Read ghee, potato deep fried and appalam. Those days are when i m low on spirits or when i m missing amma. Its mostly got to do with spirits. When the proverbial crap hits the fan, i turn to awesome potatoes deep fried and coated with masala, steaming hot rice and some tangy tomato rasam. And then i try and lift my spirits some more by adding about half a cup of full fat yogurt to a cup of rice and gobble it down with some more of that potato fry and a spoonful of mango pickle. Of course what follows is evidently not a spirit lifted me but in reality, a sleepy droopy eyed me who hits the sack in exactly five minutes after i finish my meal.
south-indian-style-crispy-potato-roast

   
Everything feels better when i wake up from my siesta and i m back in the game.Believe me that s what good food can do to you. Everybody has their own perception of comfort food. And here s presenting to you mine. Well, there s the curd rice and tomato rice raved about here and i guess it s time to give you all a heads up on the ritualistic potato fry recipe that i have.

Recipe For Potato Fry
(Potatoes cubed and fried with spices)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Serves 2

What You Need?

Potatoes 2 large peeled and cubed
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder 2 tsp
Chili powder 1/2 tsp
Hing a large pinch
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Oil 1.5 tbsp
Salt to taste

 

How To Make It?

Heat oil in a pan and pop the mustard.
Add the urad dal and saute till it turns light brown.
Now,add the turmeric powder, hing and curry leaves.
Wait till curry leaves change color slightly.
Toss in the cubed potatoes, combine well and cook on low medium flame until potatoes are slightly roasted and cooked evenly. Takes about 8 to 10 mins.
Now, add the salt, sambar powder and chili powder to the potatoes and mix well.
Cook for a minute more to let all the spices mix well with potatoes.
Once done, switch off the flame.

 

Serve hot with rasam and rice.

Tutti Fruity Cookies

By 5 Comments

Wondering what frunukies are? We ll come to that in just a bit. But before that, lets talk Christmas shall we? Even though it s year end and its that time of the year when there are bells jingling merrily and fruit cake to eat by the tonnes, there is only enough merriness when you bake some and give some. In succession to some Checkerboard cookies( recipe coming soon), here comes frunukies. Now, what are frunukies? Fruit and Nut Cookies. Simple. See?

Now, these cookies have kicked up a storm in the blogging circuit this Christmas. My previous attempt at making these cookies was not great but this batch was a runaway success. I used a basic sugar cookie recipe and incorporated some flavors for that extra zing and flavor. The result is i m fishing for stray bits of cookie in my pantry. My friends loved them and i was exultant to put a smile on someone s face with a box of cookies. Shall we begin heating up the oven, then?

Recipe For Tutti Fruity Cookies
( Cookies with tutti fruity and nuts)

Prep Time: 15 to 20 mins
Resting Time: Overnight
Bake Time: 12 mins
Yields 30 to 40 small cookies

What You Need?

All Purpose Flour 1 cup
Sugar 1/2 cup powdered
Unsalted Butter 100 g softened and at room temperature
Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
Tutti fruity 1/4 cup
Any nuts of your choice toasted and broken 3 tbsp
Orange zest 1/2 tsp

How To Make It?

Cream together sugar and butter in a mixing bowl using an electric whisk until creamy.
Add vanilla and whisk again.
Now, add the flour and whisk until the mixture is crumbly.
Add the grated zest, nuts and tutti fruity and mix the dough until it all comes to a big lump.
If you found the dough too sticky, sprinkle a lil flour. Mine was sticky and i added about 1 tbsp more flour.
Once done, divide the dough into 2 and shape them into cylindrical logs about 15 cm long.
Wrap them in cling film and refrigerate the logs overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours.
Once done, preheat oven to 160 C for 15 mins.
Cut the logs into 1/4″ thick slices and place them on a parchment paper 2″ apart.

Bake for 10 mins or until the cookies turn a light brown on the edges.You may have to do them in 3 batches.
Cool completely and store them in air tight containers.

Enjoy with a hot cuppa on a chilly winter s evening.

Carrot Lemon Rice- Lunchbox Special

By 2 Comments

Its been a while since i posted lunchbox recipes. Its been snack recipes for those after school times when the kids come like a whirlwind and attack your fridge and the kitchen and sometimes you. So i thought why not a lunch box recipe for today? Something quick. And something healthy plus tasty. I mean, those are the three mantras for a good lunchbox treat, right? Or have the rules changed?

   
Now, the moment someone says lunchbox, i m reminded indubitably of my aunt who deplores the very task of putting together something for her daughters’ lunchboxes. Both of them being fussy eaters, she has a difficult time and i pity her because almost always, i find her neck deep in the lunchbox menu crisis. For people like her and for moms who enjoy putting together a good lunch, here s a scrumptious recipe. Just like i said in the beginning, easy, quick, healthy and yummy.

Recipe for Carrot And Lemon Rice
( Cooked rice sauteed with carrots and flavored with lemon)

Prep Time: Under 15 mins
Cook Time: Under 20 mins
Serves 2 to 3

What You Need?

Cooked rice 2 cups ( I used the short grain variety)
Carrot 1 large grated
Cashews broken 10 to 12
Grated ginger 2 tsp
Peanuts 3 tbsp
Green chilies 3 to 4 slit lengthwise
Curry leaves a sprig
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Oil 1.5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

How To Make It?

Heat oil in a pan.
Pop the mustard.
Add the dals, curry leaves, peanuts, green chilies and grated ginger next and saute till the dals turn a light brown.
Now, add the cashews and saute till they turn a golden brown. By this time, the peanuts, dal and the cashews would have roasted evenly.
Add the grated carrot next and saute till they wilt slightly.
Once done, add salt and mix well. Remember you are adding salt for the rice too. Let this mixture become warm or let it completely cool.
Now squeeze the lemon juice. The reason why the mixture is cooled is because sometimes the lemon juice will make it bitter.
Now, add the cooked rice and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with potato chips or enjoy with potato curry like we did.
 Recipe for simple potato curry coming soon.

Gojju Avalakki

By 10 Comments

Ok. Gojju Avalakkai does not feature in the kitchens that belong to the forever and mysteriously extended clan of Lakshmanans and Rajagopals. In case you are wondering who the both are, the first is my marital home and the second is my maternal home. Gojju Avalakki, though relished by Amma and me alike, is not even contemplated in my house. I can bet that the reason should probably be that Appa is not a fan of this or that this never made an appearance during Appa s childhood. The thumb rule in my house being make only what got made in Appa s childhood house, hereinafter called the Periya Veedu, i was used to eating only rava upma and the normal poha at my house. That is until i went to college. Then in college, my palette grew as long as the Great Wall of China and i had the fortune to eat so many good things which was conjured at a close friend s house. That happens to be the super Suma aunty who is another wonder woman like my amma. They both work like a clockwork, they both cook like super chefs and they both find the time to swap books and shop with their daughters. But most importantly, they are tech savvy and fashionable and hence understand their daughters’ innate need to own a smart phone and buy a Levis jeans. That said and done, while it was crispy dosas and huli palya that is amma s forte, Suma aunty s thing was this awesome bisibele bath and then this gojju avalakki. Obviously in college, my friend and i dint bother to pick up a spoon unless it was meant for eating. But well, a wedding, a marriage and a husband can change so many things. I learnt cooking as you all know and i learnt how to make gojju avalakki too.

Gojju Avalakki is nothing but flattened rice mixed with a tangy mixture of spice powders and seasoned with crunchy peanuts and curry leaves. Makes a brilliant after school snack, a quick breakfast and even a light dinner. And its super duper easy to whip up. I hope you all give it a shot.What s more, there s no chopping involved. Woot..woot.

Recipe For Gojju Avalakki
(Flattened Rice flavored in a tangy sauce and seasoned.)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: Under 5 mins
Serves 2 to 3

What You Need?

Flattened rice or poha or aval 1.5 c
Tamarind paste 1 tbsp
Sambar powder 2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Jaggery grated 1 tbsp
Peanuts a fistful
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal or black gram 1 tsp
Channa dal or bengal gram 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Hing a large pinch
Dry red chilies 5 to 6
Oil 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped 2 tbsp
Grated fresh coconut 2 tbsp

How To Make It?

Coarsely powder the flattened rice in a blender for not more than 30 secs. Your powder must resemble moriyo or semolina.
Once done, wash the powder well under running water and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the turmeric, sambar powder, tamarind paste, jaggery and salt with 1/8 cup of water and mix well.
Add this mixture to the washed flattened rice and mix well.
Let this mixture rest for 5 to 7 mins
Now, heat oil in a pan and pop the mustard.
Add the dals, curry leaves and the peanuts next along with the hing.
Once the peanuts and the dals turn a light golden brown, switch off the flame.
Add the flattened rice to this peanut mixture and combine well.
Check for seasoning and adjust if required.
Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with a cup of fresh curds. And thank you all for being there for me and liking Tomato Blues on Face Book. Its 250 likes today and i m truly overwhelmed. Thank you all a million.

Carrot Peas Kurma Recipe

By 7 Comments

How To Make Carrot Peas Kurma?

CARROT PEAS KURMA- A FLAVORFUL CURRY WITH CARROT AND PEAS. VEGAN. GF

carrot peas kurma

Carrot Peas Kurma happens on days when dinner is a challenge.While making breakfast and lunch is a breeze for me, the very thought of dinner sends me running into hiding like a cockroach who is quick to get out of the mistress s sight. Despite knowing around 20 accompaniment ideas, i still flounder when it comes to making something to go with those crispy dosas or those fluffed up pooris. Chapathis, however are the easiest.My job becomes a tad easier when there is coconut lying around in the fridge. Those times however are rarer in my pantry and i am always fretting and frowning, come dinner time. During the times that coconut is there. i am smiling wide because the prospects of making a creamy Kurma or a nutty chutney is brighter. This kurma came about on one of those lucky days when there was coconut aplenty in my pantry and peas were overflowing in my freezer.A handy recipe that can  beat the “What s for dinner?” stress. Go ahead and give it a shot.

carrot peas kurma

Recipe For Carrot Peas Kurma

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Carrot Peas Kurma

Carrot Peas Kurma- flavorful robust curry with fresh carrots and peas simmered in a fragrant gravy. Vegan. GF. Tastes great with roti, chapati, poori
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Carrots 2 medium diced
  • Fresh green peas 3/4 cup
  • Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
  • Onion 1 large chopped finely
  • Tomatoes 2 medium chopped finely
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • To Grind To A Smooth Paste:
  • Grated coconut 1 tbsp
  • Garlic cloves 3
  • Ginger 1/2"
  • Poppy seeds 1 tsp
  • Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Green chilies 4
  • Roasted gram dhal 1 tbsp
  • Chopped coriander leaves for garnish 2 tbsp

Instructions

  • Pressure cook the carrots and the peas for 2 whistles.
  • In the meanwhile, grind the ingredients to grind into a smooth paste adding little water.Set aside
  • Once the carrot and peas are done, drain the water and reserve.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
  • Once they splutter, add curry leaves and onions.
  • Saute till onions turn golden brown.
  • Now, add the turmeric and the tomatoes.
  • Saute till tomatoes turn completely mushy.
  • At this stage, add the cooked carrot and peas.
  • Combine well and simmer for a minute.
  • Next,add the ground paste and mix well.
  • Add salt and half of the reserved water and mix well.
  • Simmer for about 4 to 5 mins.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with pooris or chapathis. We enjoyed this creamy yummy kurma with pooris hot from the oil.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Papdi Chaat- After School Snack Recipe

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Its probably the simplest chaat recipe around the block. Yet one that leaves the eater craving for more. There are days when chaats have comprised of a whole meal in my life. Those days no longer exist. But the chaats continue to charm me and i can say that the charm has only grown ever since i discovered how to make them. I dont make papdi at home. No offence to those who do. In fact i tip my hat off to people who go to that sort of trouble but, me, man i m a simple lassie who likes to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen but wishes to give a gourmet side to any grub that comes out of my kitchen.

   
In case, you actually made ragda pattice, then i bet you will have some of that green and refreshing mint chutney lurking there idly in your fridge. This papdi chaat is a fantastic and quick way to make use of that mint chutney plus the papdi that you bought for the previous occasion and the sev that you picked up from the store. So shall we get to work?

Recipe For Papdi Chaat
(Deep fried all purpose flour discs topped with mashed potatoes and an assortment of chutneys)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: nil
Makes 1 plate

What You Need?

Papdi 8 discs ( readily available in the market)
Potato 1 medium boiled and peeled
Chilled thick slightly sour curds 5 tbsp whisked smoothly
Mint chutney ( Refer my post on pani poori for this and sweet chutney recipe) 2 tbsp
Sweet tamarind chutney 2 tbsp
Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
Black salt 1/4 tsp
Onion 1 small chopped finely
Sev 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

How To Make It?

In a mixing bowl, mash the boiled potato with salt.
Arrange the papdis on a serving plate and top them with a 3/4 tbsp of mashed potato mixture.
Pour curd evenly over the papdis.
Now, drizzle both the chutneys over the papdis.
Once done, sprinkle the jeera powder and black salt.

Garnish with chopped onions, sev and chopped coriander and serve immediately 

Ragda Pattice -After School Snacks

By 5 Comments

Well. How do i start writing this post? How do i explain the inexplicable? How do i write in only so many words the joie de vivre and gratification that i feel after i devour a plate of ragda pattice. I m not like every other girl who you would meet. By that i meant to say i m not a girl who becomes wide eyed at a bar of chocolate or a slice of gorgeous cake. But i am a lassie who feels incredibly delighted when i eat amma s rasam or when i find that crunchy fresh salad. However, there s an exception to  this rule. I become as wide eyed as a goldfish when someone so much as offers me ragda pattice. To explain this is very difficult. All i can say is i feel complete after i gobble up a steaming hot plate of ragda pattice.

 
The ragda pattice is the only thing with the exception of a banana of course that can harass me steadily with a craving as huge as a mammoth. And no it doesnt die away after i drink a glass of water. It doesnt even so much as make signs of disappearing even after i eat my banana. When the craving hits, my husband is left with no other option but to take me to the eat out, order a ragda pattice and watch me grab the grubs guiltless while he sits and mentally counts the calories. Such is the plight of the gentleman here at home. His plight worsens if by any misfortune, the eat out runs of ragda pattice on that fateful day. Then he has to deal with a sour faced cranky wife who will only cook what she desires and that will mostly consist of eggplants which the gentleman detests. I think i ve made a large enough testimonial to Ragda Pattice. So how can i not share the recipe with y’all?

Recipe For Ragda Pattice
( Potato cakes toasted in clarified butter and dunked in mashed white peas)

Prep Time: 8 hours to soak the dried peas
           20 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 10 mins for the patties
           About 30 mins for the peas

What You Need?

For The Pattice:

Potatoes 3 large boiled and peeled
Cornflour 1 tbsp
Ginger 1/2″
Green chilies 2
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For The Ragda:

Dried white peas or safed vatana 3/4 cup soaked overnight in water
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Oil 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For The Assembly:

Spicy Mint Chutney 1.5 tbsp
Geela lehsun chutney( Combine 4 cloves garlic and 1/2 tsp paprika and grind to a fine paste with very little water) 2 tsp
Sweet Tamarind Chutney 2 tbsp Refer my pani poori post for the recipe
Dry spice powder 1 tsp( combine 1/2 tsp each of dhania powder, black salt, chili powder and very little salt)
Papdi 4 discs
Nylon sev 4 tbsp
Onion 1 small chopped finely
Cilantro 2 tbsp chopped finely

How To Make It?

Lets get the ragda started first.
Pressure cook the peas with 2 cups of about 10 whistles or until soft.
Make sure to get all the chutneys right while the peas is cooking.
Once the peas are done, drain and reserve the water.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and once they splutter, add the hing.
Now, add the turmeric powder and cooked peas and combine.
Gently mash the peas with the back of a ladle.
Add salt and about 1/2 cup of the reserved the water and mix well.
Simmer for about 5 mins.
In the meanwhile, get the pattice working.
Coarsely crush the ginger and green chilies together.
In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, corn flour, green chili, ginger, turmeric and salt and knead to make a coarse dough that can be shaped into balls.Check for seasoning.
Once done, divide the mixture into four and shape them into rounds.
Heat a tawa. Flatten the rounds gently and place 2 of them on the tawa.
Drizzle some ghee and cook till golden brown on both sides.
Repeat with the other two.
Check with the ragda. In case it has thickened too much, add some more of the reserved water to get a liquid consistency. Check for seasoning.
Now for the assembly.
Assuming that you have got all the chutneys ready,place the pattice on a plate in the center or wherever you please. I just like the ragda around my pattice. So i do it this way.
Pour the ragda on the sides.
Drizzle the mint chutney over the pattice and follow with the sweet chutney.
Sprinkle some of the dry masala powder.
Now add the garlic chutney to the ragda and drizzle some of that mint and sweet chutney too.
Crush the papdi and sprinkle over the pattice.

Now garnish with sev, chopped onions and chopped coriander.
   I know the process sounds too elaborate but if planned and executed well, you can get the whole thing done in half an hour
P.S.I dint have any sweet chutney on hand. So i just went ahead and bought the Smith and Jones Bhelpuri chutney. Worked like a charm. If you are a lazy crocodile like me, well join the club and buy a bottle S&J s the next time you go to the store.

Carrot curry – South Indian Lunch Recipes

By 3 Comments

Lunch is always an elaborate affair at my house. Mr. P has this habit of getting up late in the morning and contemplating between breakfast and a quick shower. You can guess which one will win? Of course the shower hands down. So breakfast being skipped out most of the days, i make sure we have a 3 course lunch complete with sambhar or kootu, a vegetable curry, rasam, curd and hot steamed rice. Or it will be some soft phulkas, a healthy subzi albeit loaded with cream, cashews or butter( I m really not the calorie counter, you see), some dal, tangy creamy raitha and some jeera rice. When i make south indian lunch, carrots always have their own importance. We either eat carrot kosambari or some mixed veg poriyal or this poriyal.

 Now, i have to tell you all about this poriyal. This is actually Radhika s recipe. But we got so hooked onto the recipe that whenever i buy carrots, i make this once. Sometimes even twice. It tastes delicious with tangy curries and kuzhambus like this vattral kuzhambu. Its also loaded with nutrients as it s got moong dal in it too. Try it out and you will have another different poriyal added to your repertoire. 

Recipe For Carrot Curry
( Carrots minced and sauted with onions and moong dal)
Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: Under 20 mins
Serves 2
What You Need?
Carrots 2 large peeled 
Moong dal 2 tbsp 
Onion 1 large chopped finely
Green chilies 3 to 4 chopped finely 
Coconut 2 tbsp
Grated ginger 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Urad dal or black gram dal 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves 10
How To Make It?
Mince the carrots finely or chop them into fine bits. When i say fine, really fine.Steam them till soft and tender.I microwaved them for 6 to 7 mins on high. Set aside.
In the meanwhile,pressure cook the moong dal for 2 whistles in just enough water.
Set aside.
Heat a pan with some oil.
Add mustard seeds and once they splutter, add urad dal and wait for it to brown.
Once done, add the chilies, curry leaves, ginger and the onions.
Saute till the onions turn a light brown.
Now, add the carrots and combine well.
Drain the moong dal completely and add this to the carrots. Mix well.
Add salt and combine well.
At this stage, garnish with the grated coconut and mix well.
Cook for a minute more.
Once done, serve hot with any kuzhambu of your choice with hot rice.

Strawberry Smoothie

By 4 Comments

Today is all about quick. Quick, slurp and lick. That s how i like my smoothies. I dont make smoothies often but when i do make them, i make sure that i make a genuine effort in whipping up a memorable smoothie. Strawberries have just begun to make an appearance in the market.And they are pricey. But oh boy! did i care? My love for these luscious red fruits make me go crazy. Yesterday was one of those crazy episodes and i went ahead and bought 2 boxes of this lovely red goodness. I came back, put them in the fridge and stared at them in admiration and awe. Oh… why didnt God make me as pretty as a strawberry?Sigh..wishful thinking. Anyway, i knew my staring is not going to take me to mars. And the temptation of putting together a quick meal for lunch was too great considering that my stomach was growling away like a hungry lioness.So i put together a quick sandwich, beat an egg and made a masala omlette and finally gobbled it all. With some of this mildly sour and sweet strawberry smoothie. You have to make it to know what i m talking about.

Recipe for Strawberry Smoothie
(Strawberries, vanilla and rose flavored smoothie)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Yields 3 glasses

What You Need?

Strawberries 4 hulled
Thick Yogurt 1 cup( I used full fat as it was only me consuming the goodness of this smoothie. But feel free to use low fat)
Cold Milk 1 cup
Sugar 2 to 3 tbsp depending on how sweet toothed you are
Vanilla extract a drop
Rose extract or rose water 2 drops

How To Make It?

Place the strawberries, sugar and half the yogurt in a blender.
Blend to a smooth puree.
Now, add the remaining yogurt, milk, vanilla and the rose water and blend once again to a smooth puree.

Serve chill along side some Egg Salad Sandwiches for a filling breakfast

Egg Salad Sandwich – Quick Snack Recipes

By 12 Comments

I must tell you all how lazy i am becoming. As i m typing this post, my pile of done laundry is growing at an alarming speed, spiders are spinning webs like there s no tomorrow and dishes are beckoning me evilly. But all i m doing is grin sheepishly and conclude that cooking, eating, clicking and writing is my priority at the moment. And the laundry, dishes and webs are getting creepy. But who cares?

Its been 2 months since i promptly posted for Avant Garde Cookies. Risking the cookies’ wrath this month was definitely not an option and i told myself sternly that i must get my lazy behind up and begin cooking and blogging. Veena chose this month s themes and she did a mighty job at it. She set us to work on untrodden waters for the first week- Sandwiches. If you are a regular at Tomato Blues and if you have browsed through my very effective very organised (ahem..ahem..) Alphabetical Recipe Index, then you all may have been enlightened by the fact that there is not a single sandwich. So to make justice to sandwiches and to fill up that void, here s my very first sandwich recipe. Oh if you all want to know why i dont have sandwich recipes, its because sandwiches are not approved by the PAFL. Want to know what s PAFL? That s Mr.P s Approved Foods List. I am a sandwich lover but i m just lazy to make them just for myself. But this time was a different story. Mr.P is not home for breakfast and lunch for these two days. And so, i succeeded in making my sandwich.

By the way, i have one more story to share. I promise this is the last leg of my intolerable jabbering. Then we shall go straight onto the recipe. Back in college, my hostel food not being so great, our girlie group used to hang out at a super sandwich place. Polar Bear was how it was known. And i ve probably eaten the best sandwiches at their store. Vivid memories of dunking in a grilled spicy potato sandwich in sweet mayonnaise come rushing to me whenever i think of sandwiches. I am still trying to figure out how to make that mayonnaise but have not been lucky so far. They also used to make egg salad sandwiches but sadly those were the only sandwiches i dint enjoy. Somehow they were too bland for me. So i went on and created my own version of egg salad sandwich here.

Recipe For Indo Western Egg Salad Sandwich
( Sandwiches with egg salad in a curry flavor)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: Under 30 mins
Serves 1

What You Need?

For The Filling:

Egg 1 large hard boiled
Onion 1 small chopped finely
Tomato 1 small chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp
Kitchen king masala 1/2 tsp
Chili powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves for garnish 1 tbsp chopped finely

For The Dressing

Dijon mustard 1 tsp
Mayonnaise 1 tsp

For The Sandwiches

Good quality sandwich bread 4 slices
Butter 1.5 tbsp

How To Make It?

Hard boil the egg by placing it in a pan and covering it in water just enough to fully immerse it. You have to boil the egg for 5 mins.
Once done, turn off the flame and close the pan and let the egg stay in the hot water for 10 mins.
After 10 mins, immerse the egg in cold water.
In the meanwhile, prepare the curry base.
In a pan, heat oil.
Add the onions and saute till light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 30 secs.
Now, add all the spice powders and mix well.
Add the tomatoes next and cook on medium low flame for about a min or till the mixture turns dry and oil separates.
Add salt and mix well.
Remove and let cool.
Now, the egg must be cool enough for you to handle.
Peel the shell and chop the egg into small bite size pieces.
In a mixing bowl, place the egg pieces, tomato onion mix, mustard and mayonnaise.
Add the chopped coriander.

Gently mix taking care not to break the eggs further.Set aside.
Now, slice the crust off the bread slices.
On a bread slice, place half of the filling and ensure that it is evenly spread.
Cover with another slice.
Repeat the process for the remaining two slices.
Heat an iron skillet.
Butter the bread on the outside and toast on the skillet.
Alternatively, you can butter them and grill them in your sandwich maker too.

Cook the sandwiches until the bread slices turn golden brown.
Once done, serve hot with tomato ketchup and tangy mint chutney
This is my sandwich for week 1 of the The Avant Garde Cookies.

And dont forget to check out our other cookies, Veena,Jayanthy, Radhika, Roshni, Kavitha, Priya Sreeram and Priya Mahadevan.

P.S You need fresh hard boiled eggs for this recipe.
You can skip the grilling part if you desire.
You have to be careful with the salt in case you are using salted butter.
And this tastes best when eaten hot. This is strictly not a lunchbox recipe but makes a great afternoon snack for the kids.

Mor Rasam

By 5 Comments

I ve probably said this a zillion times before but i wont tire of it. I am a true south indian. Especially when it comes to eating food.We like our daily thalis all complete with a kind of sambhar or kootu, poriyal, rasam and curd with hot rice and poppadoms. That said, it cant be concluded that the south indian platter is limited to just that. Every region in the south has its own signature dish and its almost ritual that once a person visits that region in the south, she has to taste the signature dish.

The south indian thali has not evolved much in the last 20 years or so and in fact, people are rediscovering forgotten dishes and creating them in their kitchens. And that s how, i landed up making mor rasam. I ve heard of pineapple rasam, tomato rasam, drumstick rasam, milagu jeeraga rasam, kosu carrot rasam and mint rasam but this was totally new to me. And i m sure i will be making it so many ever times in the future. Creamy mildly spiced and simple is how this can be described. You have it with hot steamed rice or just gulp it down. It doesnt matter, for once you make it, you will be lost in the plethora of flavors that reach you.

Recipe for Mor Rasam
( Mildly spiced yogurt based rasam. Can be had hot or cold.)

Prep Time: Under 10 mins
Cook Time: Under 20 mins
Serves 3 to 4

What You Need?

For The Rasam:

Toor dal or pigeon peas 1/4 cup pressure cooked till tender and mushy
Tomato 1 medium ripe chopped finely
Sour curd 1 cup
Salt to taste

For The Spice Powder:

Dhania 1 tbsp
Red chilies 6
Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp
Pepper corns 1/2 tsp
Toor dal 2 tsp
Asafoetida or hing a large pinch
Oil 1 tsp

For The Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Green chilies slit lengthwise 2
Curry leaves a sprig
Ghee 1 tsp

For The Garnish:

Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

How To Make It?

Roast the ingredients for the spice powder until dals are brown and aromatic and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Whisk the curd with a cup of water to a smooth consistency. Set aside.
Mash the toor dal until smooth.
In a pan, combine the dal, 1 cup of water, tomatoes and salt and simmer till tomatoes are tender.
Once done, add the spice powder and mix well.
Simmer for 2 to 3 mins.
Heat ghee in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and once they splutter, add the rest of the ingredients. Wait for the chilies to turn white.
Once done, add this to the simmering mixture.Mix well and turn off the flame.
Now, stir in the whisked yogurt and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice and this yumm yam roast.