tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69774648873622449272024-03-15T18:09:46.636-07:00Food and LaughterA blog about Enjoying Life and Foodbird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-29249744351512788032021-12-03T23:15:00.000-08:002021-12-03T23:16:08.999-08:00Quinoa Vangibhath<p>I'm on a constant quest to add more protein to my diet, difficult since I'm vegetarian and allergic to dairy. Paneer works but there's only so much paneer I can eat before feeling that life is no longer worth it.</p><p>Quinoa with vegetables was recommended to me by the health practitioners I'm seeing. I've had quinoa salads quite often and like them but I like my spicy foods and honestly, it's difficult to make salad that spicy.</p><p>Being from Karnataka which has a variety of vegetable bhaths on offer, I decided to experiment with Quinoa Vangibhath and I'm delighted to say it was a hit - I've had it two days on the trot without getting bored.</p><p>Vangi Bhath is typically a rice dish made with white rice, brinjals and a special spice mix. My parents have begun using MTR vangi Bhath powder and it is absolutely delicious. Moreover it uses byadgi chillies for that fresh red colour which makes the dish look appetizing as well. Other vangi Bhath powders don't make the cut as they don't appeal to my palate so for this dish I've switched to buying the branded masala instead of making it at home.</p><p>Recipe:</p><p>1 cup cooked quinoa ( I do the presoak before cooking to get rid of any bitterness)</p><p>1 cup mixed cubed vegetables ( carrots, beans, capsicum, a little potato if you like, peas). You can also add long brinjals, cut into long, thin slices.</p><p>1.5 tsp oil (I use cold pressed groundnut oil for everyday cooking)</p><p>1/2 tsp cumin seeds1/</p><p>1/2 tsp turmeric powder</p><p>Handful curry leaves</p><p>Salt to taste (I use powdered rock salt)</p><p>Chili powder if desired</p><p>1 tbsp MTR vangi Bhath powder</p><p>Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, add the turmeric powder and curry leaves. Once the leaves crisp up, add the veggies and saute until they are cooked but still a little crunchy. Add the cooked quinoa, the vangi Bhath powder and salt. Stir to mix and let sit for half an hour till the flavours are well absorbed.</p><p>Serve hot with a slice of lemon per serving, if anyone wants to add a dash on top. It makes a complete meal with a simple raita. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-29117847222651208742019-10-23T22:12:00.000-07:002019-10-23T22:14:05.292-07:00Healthy workday salads<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SgOCOjreAt6OB3II8lMu3LujuNR9TUuvA6Pe6IPAH6CR5GHS2aeCf-Hx7d7am9g-L2L0sPoCMdELuoX9S-hYk1NuSWCZl1-0x5UIYRf7fR-69kcivKU9pcuQMq82WjAr-mvdr0h2NHk/s1600/quinoa+salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SgOCOjreAt6OB3II8lMu3LujuNR9TUuvA6Pe6IPAH6CR5GHS2aeCf-Hx7d7am9g-L2L0sPoCMdELuoX9S-hYk1NuSWCZl1-0x5UIYRf7fR-69kcivKU9pcuQMq82WjAr-mvdr0h2NHk/s400/quinoa+salad.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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I have a fetish for salads and particularly towards winter, when the best of salad greens are available, it's a daily indulgence. Of late, I have been trying to reduce carbs in my diet and eat more protein, for health reasons, due to an auto immune condition I have - Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Quinoa, while expensive both in terms of cost and carbon consumption, is a great addition to the diet for its rich <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-quinoa#section1" target="_blank">micronutrient profile</a>, including magnesium and phosphorus. It also adds dietary fiber, so a win-win.<br />
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I find it easy to set a fixed menu for lunch at the office - helps my cook by shortcutting the decision making process, and the time consuming part of the prep can be done one time. So we made the quinoa at the beginning of the week and refrigerated it, similarly with the chickpeas and roasted pumpkin. To add variety, I just changed up the salad dressing through the week. So putting together the salad is, ironically, a piece of cake!<br />
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<b>Ingredients for one serving:</b><br />
1 cup quinoa, soaked and cooked<br />
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas<br />
1 cup pumpkin, oven roasted with a little olive oil<br />
1 apple, sliced chunkily<br />
1 spring onion<br />
1 carrot, grated thick<br />
1/2 cup pomegranate<br />
1 cucumber, deseeded and chopped into chunks<br />
Handful of coriander leaves<br />
1/2 cup halved walnuts<br />
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<b>Dressing:</b><br />
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 tsp honey ( depending on your sweet tooth, you can add a little more)<br />
1.5 tsp kasundi (Bengali grainy mustard which I love)<br />
Juice of 1 small lime<br />
Himalayan rock salt to taste<br />
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Whip together the olive oil and mustard into an emulsion, with a fork. Add the honey and lime juice until it combines well.<br />
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For an office lunch, you can pack the dressing separately and add it just before eating.<br />
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<b><u>Changes you can ring</u></b>:<br />
<i><b>Ingredients:</b></i><br />
I'm on a detox from various Hashimoto's triggers so avoiding tomatoes, capsicum, baingan, dairy etc. If you don't have any such dietary restrictions, feel free to add those veggies. A few lettuce or rocket leaves wouldn't go amiss either.<br />
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Feta, or blue cheese if you like, it are great additions<br />
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I had planned to add sunflower seeds but the pack I had bought turned out to have worms - blech! Flax seeds are also a good addition, but add them just before eating. Pine nuts also taste great<br />
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<i><b>Dressing:</b></i><br />
Apart from the dressing above, a simple pounded garlic, lime juice and rock salt combination also tastes very fresh. If you're using kala chana, you can add chaat masala and lime juice.<br />
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My favourite is Tahini dressing:<br />
1/2 cup hung curd<br />
1 tbsp tahini<br />
1 green chilli<br />
1 tsp sugar<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Small handful of coriander leaves<br />
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Fling everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Top your salad with this just before eating. Ps. If you're tempted to skip the sugar - don't. It adds an interesting complexity to the flavour. You can add garlic and cumin if you like, but it tastes just as good without.<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-1965458534237637242019-03-28T04:54:00.001-07:002019-03-28T04:54:33.940-07:00Chickpea salad with tahini dressingI've been looking to add more protein to my vegetarian diet, without resorting to paneer or tofu. Beans and lentils are a good option, so I made myself a chickpea salad for lunch at the office. But I was tired of the regular olive oil dressing and decided to try out tahini sauce which I love, and which adds to the protein content anyway. Turns out it's a marriage made in heaven!<br />
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<b>Chickpea salad:</b><br />
Half cup boiled chick peas<br />
Half cup cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
Handful of lettuce leaves, washed and torn<br />
Capsicum - quarter each of green, red and yellow, diced<br />
Spring onion - 1, along with the greens, chopped fine<br />
1 Kakdi, cut into half vertically and sliced<br />
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<b>Tahini dressing:</b><br />
Half cup hung curd<br />
Half cup regular curd<br />
1 tablespoon tahini<br />
1-2 green chillies<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
1 tsp sugar/ honey<br />
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Grind together all the ingredients - except the regular curd. Taste to ensure a balance between salt and sweet. Just before serving, mix the regular curd with the rest of the dressing and pour over the salad. Mix well and enjoy with a virtuous halo of wellness!<br />
<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-75043358018251096652019-03-28T04:47:00.000-07:002019-03-28T04:47:06.663-07:00All Veggie DinnerLast week, I decided to serve an all vegetable dinner - I was simply tired of carbs like rice and roti at every meal and needed a break. Luckily we had fabulous organic vegetables from the weekly farmer's market. Though there was dal and rice in case anyone was still hungry, it went untouched!<br />
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I'm not a big mushroom fan, I don't like their texture and watery taste. But one of the very few mushroom dishes I like is stuffed mushroom caps. It works best with large sized button mushrooms and is super easy to prepare. Plus well roasted, it avoids that watery taste that I abhor.<br />
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Leeks are a winter favourite and I always buy heaps. I love them simply roasted and slightly burnt at the ends, hot out of the oven, with nothing but a tiny pinch of salt. But for a more filling dish, a cheese, cream and leek bake hits the spot and tastes delicious to boot.<br />
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The salad portion was a simple Insalata Caprese, with cherry tomatoes. I think it could have used a touch of garlic or pesto and shall experiment with that next time.<br />
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<b>Stuffed Mushrooms:</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
10 large button mushrooms<br />
1 onion, chopped very fine<br />
Handful of parsley leaves, chopped fine<br />
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine<br />
2 slices of bread, turned into crumbs<br />
2 glugs of oil<br />
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Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.<br />
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Remove the stems of the mushrooms and chop the stems very fine. Pour 1 glug of oil into a pan and heat. Toss in the garlic and onions and cook until soft. Add the mushroom pieces and cook. Mix the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix with the bread crumbs.<br />
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Coat the top of the mushroom cap with what's left of the oil and place onto the roasting tray. Fill the hollow on the upper side ( from where you took out the stems) with the mixture of breadcrumbs, mushroom stems etc.<br />
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Roast for 25 minutes. Serve hot - serves 5.<br />
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<b>Baked Leeks:</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
5 leeks - fat ones! Chop off the extreme end of the leafy side and then split vertically down the middle, after washing them thoroughly<br />
200 grams cream<br />
100 grams cheddar cheese, grated<br />
2 slices of bread, crumbed<br />
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Heat oven to 150 degrees C.<br />
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Heat salted water to a boil. Toss in the leeks and cook for about 5-7 minutes until just soft. Remove and drain. Layer the leeks in a shallow, lightly greased baking pan. Mix the cream and cheese and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the leeks. Cover with breadcrumbs. Bake for 35 minutes or till brown on top. Serves 5<br />
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<b>Insalata caprese:</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Cherry mozzarella - 10 small balls<br />
Firm, ripe tomatoes - 5, sliced<br />
Handful of basil leaves, chiffonaded<br />
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Arrange the cherry mozzarella on a plate. Sandwich between slices of tomatoes. Top with the basil leaves. pour over the olive oil, add salt and pepper. Leave for a couple of hours for the flavours to develop. Serve at room temperature. serves 5. You can add sliced olives, or dress with pesto sauce instead of plain olive oil, add a touch of garlic to the oil for a fancier touch.<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-5593567275949370992019-03-03T09:40:00.000-08:002019-03-03T09:40:06.553-08:00Wengers Paneer RollsBack when I worked at my first in in an office in Connaught Place, Wenger's was a regular haunt. Then boyfriend and I would walk after lunch or in the evening to CP, and indulge in gourmet delights from Wenger's at least once a week. I discovered French hearts there, Diplomat Pudding, the most incredible eclairs filled with cream, and their paneer rolls - a little too filling but delicious, for all that.<br />
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Wenger's has gotten farther off with a move to the suburbs, so a trip there is now barely an annual treat. I read somewhere that they still import many of the flours they use for their bakes goods, so replicating them may be beyond my repertoire. But paneer rolls? I figured those would be a breeze. I tried them put for the first time today, and whaddaya know? The taste was a pretty good match! It would make for a great tiffin box stuffer. or starter at a party too.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Grated paneer - 500 grams<br />
1 medium onion, chopped very fine<br />
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine<br />
Handful coriander, chopped fine<br />
1 inch ginger, minced<br />
2 tsp jeera powder<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Breadcrumbs made of 3 slices of bread<br />
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Mix the paneer with all the ingredients except the breadcrumbs, gently. Shape into oblongs about 2 inches long - the moisture in the paneer will help hold it together. Roll each oblong in the breadcrumbs to coat it thoroughly.<br />
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Deep fry in hot oil until golden. Serve with green chutney or ketchup.<br />
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Time for prep - 15 minutes. Time for cooking - 15 minutes. Makes 15-16bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-59041867835347457082018-09-23T08:50:00.000-07:002018-09-23T08:50:16.802-07:00Parsi Mawa CakeI was travelling the day before my husband's birthday this year, and at Mumbai airport, decided to pick up a Mawa cake from Theobroma as a birthday morning surprise. We had first come across Mawa cake at Sodabottleopenerwala which one year became our favourite restaurant - we went there 8 times in that year, a record for people who don't even eat out at restaurants that often! The warm Mawa cake was a real revelation - soft, moist and delicious without being super sweet.<br />
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It reminded me of the first time I had eaten pound cake, as a teenager back in Singapore. It was a Sara Lee frozen pound cake, eaten straight from the freezer, but managed to be so succulently soft and moist that I simply could not get enough. There was something so comfortably familiar and loving in the taste of it that I feel I've been looking at recreating that taste my whole life.<br />
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The Mawa cake at Sodabottle and at Theobroma are exactly like that taste of childhood nostalgia - moist, dense, familiar, sweet and untainted by any form of decorativeness that takes cake from being a comfortable friend to a formal acquaintance. It's quite like a pound cake, in its soft and moist taste - nothing sticks to the tongue or the palate in a claggy way, but just eases its way so smoothly down the gullet, you're left looking to the next bite and the next.<br />
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I was hit by a powerful urge to bake that from scratch today, having bought some mawa (khoya) from the neighbourhood market recently. I've got to say, I understand a phrase by one of my favourite authors - a cut-and-come-again-cake, after eating this one today. The kids piled on to it like they'd never had cake before, the elder ones putting away a cool three slices apiece. Having just baked it this evening, there is barely a fifth of it left! I'm not sure if I feel delighted everyone loved it or dismayed that it whooshed by so fast!!!<br />
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Oh well, at least it's not too complicated or time consuming to make!<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 cup plain flour<br />
1.5 cups sugar<br />
1/3 cup softened unsalted butter<br />
200 gms mawa<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
3 eggs, room temperature<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c.<br />
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Mix the dry ingredients and then all the wet, except the eggs. Beat together, then add the eggs one by one and beat to a smooth mixture. If it's clumpy, add a small portion of plain milk and beat until the mixture is smooth and dropping consistency.<br />
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Pour into an 8 inch greased and floured baking pan and bake for 45 minutes - if a knife comes out clean, it's done. It should have a lovely honey-gold colour.<br />
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If you insist on tarting it up - and I wouldn't - you can dredge some icing sugar in nice patterns over the smooth honey gold top. I did get a hankering for a smidgen of salted caramel icecream on the side - not the oversweet kind, but the kind that's genuinely a little salty.<br />
<br />
It would probably be a great coffee time treat as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-45590820529082231562017-12-10T21:01:00.000-08:002017-12-10T21:03:56.477-08:00Weekend CookingSince our cook/ housekeeper is away, I'm having to cook on a more regular basis, though my parents have been stars, supplying food unasked for weeks on end. Sunday morning we had an idli beakfast, idlis and coconut chutney by mom while I dished up my froend Monika's mother in law's peanut chutney recipe. I'm one of those people who finds peanuts totally addictive, especially in savoury form, so I have pretty much cleaned out what was left of the chutney, pairing is variously with butter-toasted pao at dinner last night, with crackers for a snack and then cold out of the fridge with hot idlis again this morning.Would highly recommend you make it a pantry staple!<br />
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<br />
Here's the recipe link: <a href="https://www.sinamontales.com/best-peanut-chutney-recipe/">Kickass peanut chutney</a><br />
<br />
For those too lazy to follow yet another link, here it is:<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<ol>
<li>1 cup roasted peanuts ( I used packaged, pre-roasted and salted peanuts out of laziness)</li>
<li>3-4 dry roasted dried red chillies</li>
<li>2-3 cloves garlic</li>
<li>1 small onion, chopped</li>
<li>1 lime sized ball of tamarind, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water</li>
<li>1/2 cup water</li>
</ol>
<br />
2 sprigs curry leaves<br />
1 tsp mustard seeds<br />
1 tsp cumin seeds<br />
1/2 tsp hing<br />
1 tbsp oil ( peanut oil for choice)<br />
<br />
In a little oil, cook the garlic till its dark brown but not burnt. Remove from the oil and fry the onion in the same oil till soft.<br />
Grind together the first six ingredients to the required consistency - you decide if you like chutney runnier or thicker. Add salt to taste.<br />
Heat the remaining oil in a tadka kadhai. Add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the cumin, hing and lastly, washed curry leaves. Take off the heat and pour over the chutney. Bliss out!<br />
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<br />
Then, for a late Sunday lunch as I just lost track of time, we had rajma by mom, with baked stuffed capsicum. The Capsicum could be a great meal by themselves, especially for anyone trying to go low-carb. I made the capsicum stuffings two ways. One was with a cabbage and potato stuffing from <a href="https://www.sinamontales.com/indian-style-stuffed-bell-peppers-bharwan-capsicum/" target="_blank">Monika's food blog</a>. Another kind was a basic paneer bhurji, which actually worked out very well.<br />
<br />
I love yellow and red capsicum but am not a big fan of the green ones, so this style of cooking actually made them delicious and the kids ate them up without a murmur. definitely going to repeat this...<br />
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<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
10 medium sized capsicums, cut into half each<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Stuffing 1</b><br />
1/2 small cabbage, cut into fine ribbons and soaked in water<br />
2 potatoes, boiled and mashed<br />
1 onion, julienned<br />
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
1/2 inch ginger, crushed<br />
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine<br />
1 tsp cumin powder<br />
1 tsp coriander powder<br />
salt to taste<br />
1/2 tbsp oil<br />
<br />
Heat the oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the spice powders and onion. Cook till the onion is translucent. Add the drained cabbage - the water clinging to the leaves will be enough to cook it, and stir to mix. Once the cabbage is cooked through, add the mashed potatoes and salt and mix well.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuffing 2</b><br />
200 gms paneer, grated or crumbled<br />
3 small tomatoes, chopped fine<br />
1 medium onion, chopped fine<br />
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine<br />
Handful coriander leaves, cut into fine shreds<br />
1 tsp cumin seeds<br />
1/2 tbsp oil<br />
Salt to taste<br />
1/2 tsp turmeric if you like<br />
<br />
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and toast for a minute. Add the chillies and onion and cook till translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the paneer and salt and cook for a couple more minutes. Turn off the heat, add the coriander leaves. If adding turmeric, add into the hot oil before putting in the cumin seeds.<br />
<br />
<b>For the Capsicum</b>:<br />
Prepare the capsicum by slicing each capsicum into half and clearing out the seeds. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees C. Rub the oven roasting pan with a thin slick of oil ( about half tbsp).<br />
Fill half the capsicum halves with Stuffing 1 and the other half with Stuffing 2. Bake for 25 minutes and let rest for 5.<br />
<br />
Enjoy with rice and a bean dish, and dahi, with rotis or just by themselves with a salad on the side!<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-29752412667032156202017-06-19T01:45:00.004-07:002017-06-19T01:50:40.038-07:00Kulle ki Chaat<div class="MsoNormal">
A couple of years ago, I worked on one of the most fun projects of
my career, for a client. It involved mapping the food landscape of India – as broad
a brushstroke as you’ll ever see. Essentially it involved, among other things,
mapping the history of India’s culinary evolution, understanding regional
cuisines across the four regions, decoding the philosophy, medical beliefs and
social developments that shape India’s food behavior and, most importantly for
us, getting to go on foodwalks across many cities, eating at some of the most
interesting and experimentative restaurants ( Indian Accent, for example) and
getting paid for it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the most memorable outings was a food walk in Old
Delhi with Sohail Hashmi. He is a history buff who really knows his Purani
Dilli backwards, from how it looked in the time of Shah Jahan to its streets,
architecture, the life of people, legends and the many nooks and crannies that
guard its delicious food secrets. Among the more exotic things we got to taste –
fruit sandwiches invented for the traditionally vegetarian bania families that
visited Old Delhi to go wedding trousseau shopping, which consist of white
bread layered with various fruit, a thin layer of paneer and a special secret
chutney/ masala that brings it all together. Mithai and chocolates in virtuoso
shapes or flavor combinations, which are now sent out to invitees along with
wedding cards. The most exquisite double-ka-meetha I have ever had, behind
Matia Mahal – crisp on the surface, soft and spongy underneath and the perfect
level of sweetness, laced with saffron. Freshly baked nan khatai biscuits sold
on a cart. In fact, it’s really difficult to pace yourself so you have enough
appetite for all the goodies that you come across, and both times I’ve been
there, I’ve missed out on the famous dahi vadas as I was too full.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Kulle ki chaat is a special chaat made up primarily of stuffed
veggies and involving no frying so at first we were skeptical – how good could
it be? But one bite and we were converts. It’s really simple to put together,
crisp and cooling and so delicious one thinks of health benefits only later!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><i>Base</i></b></div>
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Tomatoes - 2<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cucumber - 2<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Potatoes - 2<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Papaya - 1<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pineapple –
1 (Optional)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<i><b>Filling</b></i></div>
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Boiled
chickpeas - handful<o:p></o:p></div>
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Boiled
potatoes – 2, cubed tiny<o:p></o:p><br />
Half a cup of pomegranate seeds</div>
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Chaat masala
to taste<o:p></o:p></div>
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Handful of
coriander leaves, chopped fine<o:p></o:p></div>
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Juice of
1.5-2 limes<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cut the cucumber vertically into halves, then into 1.5 inch
chunks, hollowing out the seeds. You can also try cutting it into cylinders and
hollow out most of the seed core, leaving a thin layer at one end as a base.
Tomatoes – chop off a slice from the top and then scoop out the inside. With
potatoes – boil some mid-sized potatoes until just soft but not too soft. Chop
in half and scoop out some of the boiled potato from the center, leaving a bowl
to be filled. Chop the papaya and pineapple into 1 inch thick slabs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix the cubed potatoes, boiled chickpeas, coriander leaves, pomegranate seeds, chaat masala and lime juice in a separate bowl. Spoon in to the hollow veggies/
onto the fruit slabs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Serve immediately - as a snack, pre-meal salad or drinks accompaniment -<o:p></o:p></div>
and bask in a healthy halo!<br />
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bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-89891766569123063972017-05-04T21:56:00.002-07:002017-05-04T21:56:44.153-07:00Light summer mealsThis summer has been kind to us so far. After a few days of 40 degree C + weather, storm clouds and aandhis have blown through the city, leaving it much cooler and more bearable. I wish it could be like this all year round. in fact, the weather has not only been conducive to morning and evening walks, but we've managed to go AC free for several nights, with a cool breeze and the fan enough to give us a good night's sleep. Always a pleasure, since I feel I wake up better rested without the AC.<br />
<br />
But between my Hashimoto's crazy readings and the general feeling of warmth around, I felt the need to drum up a light dinner yesterday, something that would be fresh and healthy yet filling. And for me in particular, grain free if possible.<br />
<br />
Reading through a few food blogs, the idea of bean salad - which fb memories had thrown up - hit my fancy. I decided to add cauliflower rice - which I had previously dismissed as a bit pretentious - to the mix. For the fam, on the side I had an emergency side of dahi chawal in case anyone felt the food was insubstantial. The meal turned out to be delicious and surprisingly filling, so much so that A who'd been the first to turn his nose up and say 'That's all we're having', sated himself with 2 helpings and the dahi chawal remained pristine!<br />
<br />
<b>Salad</b> - really it's a matter of whatever your ingenuity suggests and what you have in the fridge<br />
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<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i>:<br />
1/2 cup rajma ( red kidney beans), uncooked<br />
1/2 each of red and yellow capsicum, diced<br />
2 tomatoes, diced<br />
1 onion, chopped fine<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1.5 teaspoon roast cumin powder<br />
Juice of 1-2 limes ( depends how juicy they are. We're getting dried up ones here)<br />
1/2 cup cooked corn<br />
1 handful coriander leaves, chopped fine<br />
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
Rock salt to taste ( we're trying to switch to this as it's supposed to be healthier)<br />
<br />
Soak the beans overnight and then pressure cook for 1-2 whistles until done. Or use the quick soak method I learned from Madhur Jaffrey - Soak for 1 hour, cook for 1 whistle in the pressure cooker. Leave to cool for an hour and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles again.<br />
<br />
Leave the beans to cool - they should be at room temperature when you put together the salad, so it's best to get them done and out of the way much before your planned meal.<br />
The rest is super simple - just mix all the ingredients together, including the beans and serve with a smile. I can think of endless changes to ring on this - adding radish, spring onions, peas, lettuce or baby spinach...replacing the cumin with chaat masala...one thing I am going to try soon is adding feta cheese to it.<br />
<br />
<b>Cauliflower Rice</b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn6Qi0ljbxXFG4aRX6rB9YT7OJdiOZbRW_If9xvbahaX3YKWgUT6IxcuaCm0lc7b5O2AcuxaE4E_u4-ebthuooY1LWNPDGoOpfxxLfhpwxDHv2PNyfoeRhIdJbOuggMVQVPRV5mWy2zI/s1600/cauliflower+rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn6Qi0ljbxXFG4aRX6rB9YT7OJdiOZbRW_If9xvbahaX3YKWgUT6IxcuaCm0lc7b5O2AcuxaE4E_u4-ebthuooY1LWNPDGoOpfxxLfhpwxDHv2PNyfoeRhIdJbOuggMVQVPRV5mWy2zI/s640/cauliflower+rice.jpg" width="640" /></a><b><i>Ingredients:</i></b><br />
1 cauliflower, grated fine<br />
1 tsp oil<br />
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Sprinkle of water<br />
<br />
In a cast iron wok, put the oil on to heat. Toss in the cumin seeds and toast lightly. Add the cauliflower and sprinkle lightly with water. Cook, covered with a tightly fitting lid, for a 3-4 minutes and then check if its soft - should be al dente, not mushy. Uncover and cook for a minute and take off the heat. Add salt, if using, and mix gently.<br />
<br />
We topped the bean salad with this and added chana masala from Haldirams - a spicy version of roast chana - for extra crunch. Super!<br />
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<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-16591864764762649062017-04-24T02:12:00.002-07:002017-04-24T02:12:34.225-07:00Threenut butterI've been intrigued by the concept of almond butter for a while now but didn't know where to source it from. On a recent visit to New York, I spotted a Nut Butter which had peanuts and almonds and tasted great. But I sadly had to leave a less-than-quarter-finished jar behind, for fear of oil seeping into my suitcase.<br />
<br />
Once I was back, I really wanted to experiment with making the same. Coincidentally, I kept getting ads from something called Butternut Company selling Nut butters but they seemed really expensive. Then I decided to just bite the bullet (nut), and try making it myself at home.<br />
<br />
Turned out, it was really easy and as it was made at home, it met my new food goal of avoiding processed foods as far as possible. Tastes great and probably didn't cost as much as it would have if I'd bought it. This time, I cheated and used some organic peanut butter we had lying around at home, since the shop had screwed up and sent peanuts with the skin on. Next time, I shall try with all three nuts in the mix. Luckily, my Moulinex mixie didn't burn out in the process!<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1/2 cup cashew nuts<br />
1 cup almonds<br />
1/2 cup organic peanut butter ( preferably peanuts)<br />
1 tbsp ghee<br />
<br />
Roast all three nuts slowly in a medium-hot kadhai with a little bit of homemade ghee until lightly brown. Keep aside until they cool down thoroughly. Mix the nuts. Add a little at a time into the mixie and pulse, pausing in between for the motor to cool down, until the mixture turns into a thick, dough-like consistency and you don't have any whole nuts left.<br />
<br />
You can add 1 tbsp ghee little by little, during the pulsing process, to ensure the mixture stays moist and turns buttery, not powdery. If you like it chunky vs smooth, pulse until you get the right texture. Enjoy with an apple, banana or mix into icecream!<br />
<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-44049447112570975452017-03-07T00:51:00.001-08:002017-03-07T00:51:49.013-08:00Spanish Salsa Verde...or the dip that goes with anythingWe love dips. All I need to do to get my kids to eat kore desi chutneys is to rebrand them dips and I think we'll be going through a few bowls of them a week. Thus I'm always on the lookout for new recipes for dips. Last year while we were visiting my friend Suniti on holiday, she served us this amazing green dip that went well with everything on the table - roasted baby potatoes, grilled broccoli, toasties and grilled shrimp. She has had it when she travelled to Spain on her first solo holiday and loved it so much she got the recipe and reproduced it back home.<br />
<br />
With my forgetfulness, I'm sure I don't have the original recipe anymore. But what I do make is delicious, fresh and goes well with anything. The other night, when we had friends over for dinner, we served this with assorted grilled veggies - baby carrots, broccoli, mushroom and zucchini, and pita chips and it went down a treat! I bet it'd work great as a salad dressing too. I have no photos because it gets inhaled as soon as it is served...but just imagine a bowl of green, aromatic deliciousness...<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 bunch parsley<br />
3-4 pods garlic, finely chopped - last week I had freshly grown garlic bulbs and leaves from the mandi so I used that instead<br />
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
Salt to taste<br />
<br />
Heat the olive oil but not to smoking point. As soon as it gets hot, switch off the stove and toss in the garlic and salt. Stir gently and ensure the garlic gets cooked till translucent and soft but not browned ( which will turn it bitter). Toss in the parsley and leave aside to cool. I also added chilli flakes and sometimes I toss in a spritz of lime...bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-49565088409102465692017-01-16T01:33:00.004-08:002017-01-16T01:33:50.233-08:003 Bean Chili<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We love to have meals replete with vegetables in the winter. That's the season in which we get the best veggies in Delhi, so salads, freshly made soups, baked and roast vegetables are very welcome. Yesterday was one of those meals since we had just harvested a great crop of Lollo Rosso lettuce from our garden and had many other veggies on hand.<br />
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The first time I had Chili - which I have blogged about earlier - was in Seattle years ago. Due to an unusual stroke of luck, dad and I were both working on a client project and had to travel to Seattle. While there, the client took the team on a walkabout of the city. After a couple of hours, dad was tiring out so the two of us decided to opt out of the rest of the walk and look for dinner. We found a tiny but cozy establishment near Pike's Place Market and spied vegetarian Chili on the menu. It was a fabulous intro to the dish, with complex flavours, a chunky texture and a topping of browned cheese. I have recreated it innumerable times since.<br />
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Yesterday's version was a little different. Beans are a family of edibles that have always fascinated me. Not the green kind but the dried ones. So any soup recipe that calls for beans is always tried out. Yesterday, since we happened to have three varieties of beans on hand, I decided to make an experimental Chili.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
3 cans of cooked beans ( I used one of aduki, one of butter beans and one of black beans), rinsed and drained<br />
2 onions, finely chopped<br />
4-5 pieces of garlic, crushed<br />
2 tomatoes, grated, with their juice<br />
1 cup tomato puree<br />
2 tsp coriander powder<br />
2 tsp cumin powder<br />
1 tsp paprika<br />
1 tsp chili powder<br />
2 tsp unsweetened chocolate powder<br />
Salt to taste<br />
2-3 chillies, chopped fine<br />
1 green capsicum, 1 red capsicum, chopped<br />
2 cups yellow pumpkin, diced<br />
2 cups water<br />
2 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
1 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese<br />
1 cup breadcrumbs (optional)<br />
Finely minced coriander leaves for garnish<br />
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Heat the oil; add the garlic and onions and stir until translucent. Add in the cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Add in the chillies, tomato puree and grated tomatoes, the capsicum and pumpkin and the 2 cups of water. Let it come to a boil and simmer for about 10-12 minutes until the pumpkin is half cooked.<br />
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Add the beans, chocolate powder and a touch more water if required, the chili powder and paprika and the salt. Mix well and taste to check seasoning - we like it spicier so I probably added more than 1 tsp chili powder. Then let simmer on medium flame for about 15-20 minutes more.<br />
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Ladle it out into oven-proof bowls and top with the grated cheese ( and breadcrumbs if using). Pop into a pre-heated oven at about 175 degrees for 5 minutes or till cheese is melted. Garnish with minced coriander.<br />
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Serve as is or with a dash of sour cream and Pico de gallo ( tomato salsa).<br />
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Our dinner yesterday consisted of a salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and walnuts in a feta and olive oil dressing, a potato each baked in its jacket with a dash of Amul salted butter and the 3 bean Chili. Healthy and delicious!<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-49936808799177717422017-01-16T01:02:00.003-08:002017-01-16T01:02:38.340-08:00Sephardic Almond Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQb9MOMZccaDSkDXJ_SYFPSKuV6yRI0Kt8wxfmqVbh8liU3IcKoN6sqlAIyIbQO6uMHECA-zwI2-GlTp59SzetzqU4YuvPj00nRp4djvDnR3y6UIMmDHKKhKog5b3x9FpRUxIGtZOBpA/s1600/almond+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQb9MOMZccaDSkDXJ_SYFPSKuV6yRI0Kt8wxfmqVbh8liU3IcKoN6sqlAIyIbQO6uMHECA-zwI2-GlTp59SzetzqU4YuvPj00nRp4djvDnR3y6UIMmDHKKhKog5b3x9FpRUxIGtZOBpA/s640/almond+cake.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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JLF, or Jaipur Literature Festival has now been an agenda on my winter horizon for the past 6 years. Every year, with some of my dearest friends, I spend 3-4 days soaking in panel discussions about eclectic topics, readings from books I haven't heard of before and interviews with new authors to be discovered. For the most part, we have stayed focussed on the festival itself, with a rare break for coffee or a shopping and lassi run during a one hour lunch break.<br />
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But a couple of years ago, it began pouring on day 2 of the fest. One of the trio was stuck on a flight that got directed from Mumbai to Delhi, Ahmedabad and then Jaipur due to the downpour, thus postponing her arrival time to sometime that evening. The other two - my soulsister M and I - rattled around the environs of the sodden Diggi Palace for a dispirited hour or so before we decided to make tracks.<br />
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We had heard about some interesting stores around Jaipur including Dhora, so we decided to head there. Anokhi Cafe happened to be a hop, skip and jump away so we landed up there for lunch. Unfortunately, so had half the litfest crowd, so we had a pretty long wait before we could finally sit and order. We opted for the salads with blue cheese and other fixings, which were absolutely marvellous - the rocket and lettuce about the freshest I have ever seen. And then we opted, rarely for us, for dessert. The Sephardic Cake sounded interesting and we decided to try it. Love at first bite!!! It was simply the most moist and flavourful cake we had ever tasted, with a fragrant citrusy tang to it.<br />
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Ever since, I have wanted to recreate it myself, and this year, for New Year's Eve, I finally did. It was magnificent - truly a worthy cake to bring in a new year, with enough comfort and exotica to be the perfect mix. And most of all, given my predilections, easy to make!!! Try it, you won't regret it.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
2 oranges<br />
200 grams almond meal<br />
200 grams sugar<br />
6 eggs<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
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<b>Method</b><br />
Boil the whole oranges for 1.5 hours or until they are soft - peel and all. Cut, de-seed and puree the whole thing - peel and all!<br />
Beat the eggs until fluffy. Beat in the almond meal, sugar and baking powder. If you like, add a splash of vanilla and some saffron.<br />
Bake in a preheated oven in a lined or floured 9 inch tin at 190 degrees for an hour or until the inserted knife comes out clean.<br />
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Sprinkle icing sugar on top if you really want to decorate this masterpiece of simplicity, or curls of orange peel. But frankly it doesn't need any gussying up. Serve warm, with a side of mascarpone or cream if needed.<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-48405191600401644632016-12-02T00:24:00.000-08:002016-12-02T00:24:10.288-08:00Black as Midnight CakeWhen we lived in Singapore, mom once bought a desserts cookbook, mostly about cakes and so on. It had really interesting recipes, a few photographs of the finished dishes and in between were interwoven poems, anecdotes and the like, all to do with cooking. It was a delight to leaf through it, and the one recipe I was attracted to at once was for a Black as midnight cake. Over the years, we have made it several times. I think I've made it at least once for a bakesale at school. Mom once baked it for a New Year's Eve party but forgot the sugar. Thankfully the Cadbury's chocolate powder we had used was pre-sweetened so we had a somewhat grown-up tasting but still sweet cake. Another time one of us left out either the eggs or the baking powder so we had a dense cake, though it was still delicious.<br />
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I had forgotten about this and then recently when Bojji pestered me to bake a cake for his birthday, hit upon this as a pretty special and new-to-the-kids recipe, since what Bojji actually wanted was a cheesecake, but we didn't have Philadelphia Cream Cheese at home. Turns out it is as easy to make as I remembered, and turns out a delicious cake - light, yet moist, and large enough to feed the unnaturally large appetites of several children and grown-ups. Layered with a salted caramel sauce and icecream on the side, it is one of the few things getting us through The Great Cash Crunch of 2016!<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 cups regular flour<br />
1 cup sugar ( if large crystals); 1.5 cups if smaller size crystals<br />
3/4 cup cocoa ( I prefer regular Hershey's but you can go all swank and try dark chocolate powder)<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 pinch salt<br />
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2 eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
1 cup brewed black coffee ( no sugar)<br />
3/4 cup vegetable oil<br />
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Sift the dry ingredients together in the order given. Then add the wet ingredients in the order given. Mix well. Pour into 1 or 2 9 inch diameter lined or greased and floured baking pans. Pop into a pre-heated oven at 150 centigrade for 35 minutes, then crank up to 175 centigrade for another 15 minutes. If baking in 2 pans, do remember to interchange the pans halfway through the baking so they both get equal amounts of heat.<br />
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Top with a sift of icing sugar, black frosting, dark chocolate ganache, salted caramel...well you get the picture, I hope. We barely did, since it was eaten up so quickly!!!<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-37421713865108160172016-10-17T02:05:00.000-07:002016-10-17T02:05:46.717-07:00Iran/ PersiaIran has always seemed like a magical land to me. The very names of places infused it with a glamour, a sense of a place that was beautiful beyond imagination. Isfahan, Samarkand, Persepolis and Tabriz could evoke a mystical fascination for me. In college, my best friend's family had lived there for several years and her father and brother were still there, so I got firsthand glimpses of this beautiful land through memories of others.<br />
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Later on when food became a passion, one of my aims was to be able to cook food from around the world. Before the kids were born we used to have world food week at home, wherein each day the menu was composed of food from one particular country. I experimented with a couple of Iranian dishes then and then for years forgot about them.<br />
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Then last week a friend who was hosting a Friday night bacchanalia said she would cook Iranian-style mutton. I was inspired to volunteer a Persian Pulow with herbs. It turned out so well that Sunday saw me turning out a Potato and Green Beans Pulow with Persian-style red lentils. Both delicious!<br />
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Both Pulow recipes from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian cookbook - my favourite!<br />
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<b>Herbed Pulow</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
I large bunch each - chives, dill, parsley, coriander and the green part of spring onions; chopped very fine<br />
1 tbsp yogurt; 3 tbsp water<br />
2 garlic cloves<br />
2 cups basmati rice<br />
1 pinch saffron, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water<br />
1 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp melted ghee<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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<b>Equipment:</b><br />
Non stick pan with tight lid<br />
Wide flat plate/ tray for serving<br />
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Put ten cups of salted water to boil. When it reaches a rolling boil, add the rice and cook for 5-6 minutes until parboiled but still chalky. Remove and strain, put aside.<br />
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Meanwhile, mix the chopped herbs together with the garlic and season to taste with salt.<br />
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In a non-stick pan on a low flame, put in the tbsp of oil. Add the yogurt and the water and mix well. Layer one third of the herbs at the bottom of the pan, followed by a third of the rice. Continue this way, building 3 layers each of herbs and rice.<br />
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On the top layer of rice, spread the melted ghee and the saffron water. Cover and cook on medium low for 4 minutes, medium high for 5.<br />
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Then remove the lid and wrap it in a towel. Replace the lid on the pan, flipping the ends of the towel on top of the lid to prevent it catching fire. Cook on low for 25-30 minutes.<br />
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To serve:<br />
Remove the lid. Place the serving plate/ tray upside down on the rice - i.e. the serving side should face the rice. The plate should be as large as the circumference of the rice.<br />
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Loosen the edges of the rice with a rubber knife/ sharp-edged wooden spoon. Flip the pan over so the plate is on the bottom and tap the pan a couple of times to ensure the rice comes out from the pan ( like extracting a cake from the cake tin.<br />
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When done properly, the rice looks like a cake, with a thick, brownish crust. Very important - do not discard this crust, it is amazingly delicious.<br />
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Serve with mutton/ vegetable stew and a boorani ( yogurt raita) on the side.<br />
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<b>Potato Pulow with green beans</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfX7gOd4rG8SY4q_GqK6sEhrRe673ZEf9vQKULjQdf0WV04UaCLNdLC4nAwyJGiqV3oSxwWBHKR2tob-hEEWm5V9ahsfyMEU41fuXdLlDnG0mqKaEJe7JXotqcqY7Ue2JhXcj5S025G8/s1600/potato+pulow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfX7gOd4rG8SY4q_GqK6sEhrRe673ZEf9vQKULjQdf0WV04UaCLNdLC4nAwyJGiqV3oSxwWBHKR2tob-hEEWm5V9ahsfyMEU41fuXdLlDnG0mqKaEJe7JXotqcqY7Ue2JhXcj5S025G8/s320/potato+pulow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
2 cups basmati rice<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
2 onions, finely chopped<br />
1 cup green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces<br />
3 small tomatoes chopped small<br />
1-2 large potatoes cut into 1/8th inch slices<br />
1 tbsp tomato paste/ ketchup<br />
1 stick cinnamon<br />
1 tbsp salt<br />
1.5 tsp turmeric<br />
2 tsp oil<br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
2 tbsp water<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Green chilly if desired<br />
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Parboil the rice as in the Herbed Pulow recipe.<br />
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Meanwhile, put some oil in a pan and saute the onions until translucent. Add the cinnamon, garlic, onions and fry till the onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, chillies, ketchup, salt and beans and a splash of water and cook, tightly covered, until the beans are tender but still have a bit of bite.<br />
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Put the non-stick pan on low heat and add the butter and turmeric, and 2 tbsp water. Layer the potatoes around the base of the pan in overlapping layers to cover the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of rice. Add 1/2 the green beans mixture, cover with another 3rd of the rice. Repeat the green beans and rice, ending with a top layer of rice.<br />
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Cover and cook in the same way as the Herbed Pulow; use the same method of eviction from the pan.<br />
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Serve hot with a boorani and the red lentils<br />
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<b>Persian Red Lentils</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PfSAYhpETuQiaIwNiJDOUYko3UacwejPG4lUn-ldtg9ZPHBD8H2NbabK4xMQCGjdC3YOWLLCzB50mZRFnJjb-JTRb4HtnjG8bbh4JHIH7tGuk_bIr1H9CrPCevvdDmqRn94seYVMqmk/s1600/red+lentils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PfSAYhpETuQiaIwNiJDOUYko3UacwejPG4lUn-ldtg9ZPHBD8H2NbabK4xMQCGjdC3YOWLLCzB50mZRFnJjb-JTRb4HtnjG8bbh4JHIH7tGuk_bIr1H9CrPCevvdDmqRn94seYVMqmk/s320/red+lentils.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
1 cup red lentils ( masoor dal)<br />
2 onions, chopped fine<br />
1 tbsp sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
2-3 pieces garlic<br />
1 stick cinnamon<br />
1/2 tbsp oil + 1/2 tbsp oil<br />
3 cups water<br />
1/2 cup tomato paste (I used ketchup)<br />
Sour cream<br />
1 tsp cumin powder<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Put the oil on to heat and fry the onions on low flame until they brown. Once well browned, add the tbsp of oil and tsp of salt and cook for 5 more minutes on medium high. Set aside.<br />
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Put 1/2 tbsp of oil on to heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon and garlic. Add the lentils, ketchup and water and cover and cook until the lentils are well cooked and mushy.<br />
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Meanwhile add the cumin powder and salt to taste to the sour cream ( I used hung yogurt, and also added chopped chives).<br />
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Serve hot topped with the caramelized onion and the sour cream/ yogurt mix.<br />
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With a typical Shirazi salad, it makes for a wonderfully light and delicious meal which is also healthy!<br />
<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-69440662081088035222016-08-08T03:06:00.002-07:002016-08-08T03:06:57.417-07:00Ole once moreWe have been big fans of Mexican food since way back. In fact, if I remember correctly, back when I was a student in Calcutta, I had gone out for a date with my then boyfriend and through some strange serendipity, found a tiny new restaurant that served Mexican food on the terrace of a building - quite ahead of its time. Then many years later, Rodeo opened in CP and became our hang out place for the yummy large baskets of nachos and salsa as well as their food - the Sopa de Queso was a winter favourite. I remember after they started karaoke nights, we went with a couple of friends and took over the karaoke, singing so loudly and so off-key that everyone else pretty much left. Unfortunately, Rodeo has not aged well and the last time we visited it, out of sheer nostalgia, it proved to be a major let down.<br />
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Meanwhile, on my many travels to the US, I discovered several different restaurants that served Mexican food that I hadn't eaten before. In California, I went to Baja Fresh with my sister and her family - QSR food but fresh and tasty, like Californians love. Then in Seattle, dad and I discovered a restaurant near the Pike's Place market that served fabulous vegetarian chili. You can argue that chili is more Tex than Mex, but hey, it's all good! In Minneapolis which used to be a regular haunt, I went to Masa with a friend and we gorged on fabulous food including a salsa made of tomatillos that I can still recall loving.<br />
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My youngest is a big fan and when younger, used to constantly fold his roti bites over the vegetables, calling it a 'Tayco'. A year back, we made a foiled trip to Casa Lota and when we didn't get a table, beat it to La Bodega, a very fancy Mexican restaurant in Khan Market - don't remember the food being that great but the kids loved the churros.<br />
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However in all these years, the one thing I haven't found as good as the Rodeo nachos is the nacho chips. You still get good guacamole or salsa and sour cream but the actual nacho chips are mostly never crisp enough and I frankly don't enjoy the taste of corn chips. So when setting out to make a Mexican meal at home, I decided to go for broke with nacho chips as well.<br />
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Turns out, they're really easy to make. Not that healthy, but then deep-fried...who are you trying to kid?<br />
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Basically you take a couple cups of refined flour ( good old maida), add a tablespoon of (gasp!) butter and enough water to make it into a puri-type dough. Not too stiff, nor too sticky. Remember to add salt - it needs to taste salty.<br />
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Roll out into really really thin rotis/ circles and prick holes in it using a fork. Cook on a tawa/ pan on both sides until cooked and a few brown spots appear. Set aside to cool down.<br />
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When cool, cut each roti into 8-10 pizza-slide-shaped pieces. Deep fry until brown and place to drain on paper.<br />
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Serve with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. Tequila on the side, yo!!!bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-85159912324431406722016-08-02T04:46:00.004-07:002016-08-02T04:46:58.721-07:00OleMexican food has been a favourite at home for many years, with Bojjandi constantly trying to make a 'Tayco' our of every roti he eats, with mixed results. Having had a smorgasbord at Junkyard cafe on Thursday, I was eager to have a foodie weekend. In Bangalore on a recent vacation, I and the kids had eaten at a place called California Burrito, where the food was super-enjoyable. Since A had missed out on it, I decided to recreate the fun at home. The best part is, it's customisable, really easy, delicious and healthy and would be great fun for a party.<br />
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I replaced the soft shell tacos with rice, mainly because the neighbourhood grocery store was our of maize flour ( makai ka atta).<br />
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<b>Burrito Bowl</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Uz069F_wDTeSmGAs68B34LcXKFDh65YixkxykK5-sAzWWA7QBC3n096m7_5vf6F0V48zJczT_u8eyT9FsoR3ViOtv9CBvsNLXHZnDQ1a30Dp36iwEpANgv-lNqXIytXH5PlObC6FVq8/s1600/burrito.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Uz069F_wDTeSmGAs68B34LcXKFDh65YixkxykK5-sAzWWA7QBC3n096m7_5vf6F0V48zJczT_u8eyT9FsoR3ViOtv9CBvsNLXHZnDQ1a30Dp36iwEpANgv-lNqXIytXH5PlObC6FVq8/s400/burrito.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<b><i>Constituents:</i></b><br />
Rice/ soft shell tacos<br />
Refried beans<br />
Salsa - any number and kind you like<br />
Sour cream<br />
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For adult fun, serve with tequila or margaritas on the side!<br />
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Cook approximately 1/4th white rice per person, as the refried beans make it a filling meal. Keep aside for use, hot, just before eating.<br />
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<b>Refried beans recipe</b><br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
Rajma - uncooked and soaked for 6-7 hours, 1 cup<br />
1 medium onion ( about an egg size), chopped fine<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 medium tomatoes, chopped<br />
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp<br />
Chilli powder/ 1-2 green chillies ( hotness level adjusted to what you can handle)<br />
1/2 tbsp oil<br />
Water - approx 1.25 cups<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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<b>Method</b><br />
Put the oil on to heat. When hot ( 30 seconds), add the cumin seeds. Once they puff up, add the garlic and onion and saute until translucent. Then add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the bean, water, salt and chillies and let it simmer until the beans are soft and tender - you may need to add a touch more water but the overall consistency should not be watery. It could take about 30-45 minutes. You can also do this in a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles.<br />
Once the beans are cooked through, mash them using a masher or a heavy ladle. Ideally don't put them through a mixie as it becomes glutinous in texture. You should have a chunky puree at the end of it; add a tad more water if you like is slightly flowy. Should be the consistency of chunky peanut butter but not as immobile. Check seasoning.<br />
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While the beans are soaking, you can make your <b>sour cream</b> and refrigerate. I made a cheat version, inspired by Tarla Dalal.<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Fresh cream packet from Amul - 2<br />
Juice of 1/2 - 1 lime<br />
Touch of salt<br />
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Mix the three well in a bowl and put away to refrigerate till needed.<br />
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While the beans are cooking, get on with your salsas.<br />
<b>Corn salsa</b><br />
Frozen corn - 2 cups...or you can get 4 roasted bhuttas and slice the pods off<br />
Tomato - 1 large, chopped fine<br />
Juice of 1/2-1 lemon, depending on tartness<br />
Coriander leaves, chopped fine<br />
2 spring onions, chopped fine<br />
Dash of cumin powder<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Mix everything and refrigerate, letting the flavours develop.<br />
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<b>Pico de Gallo</b><br />
2-3 large tomatoes, chopped superfine<br />
1 tomato, pulped/ grated<br />
1 medium onion, chopped fine<br />
2-3 chillies chopped fine, or chilli powder<br />
1/2 tsp cumin powder<br />
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped fine<br />
1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup - any brand<br />
Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, depending on the tartness<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Mix everything, taste for balance and refrigerate till needed<br />
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<b>Mango salsa</b><br />
1 mango, finely cubed<br />
1 mango, pulped<br />
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine<br />
1 medium onion, chopped fine<br />
Handful coriander leaves, minced<br />
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Mix everything, taste for balance and refrigerate<br />
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<b>Guacamole, our favourite</b><br />
1-2 large avocados, mashed<br />
1 medium tomato, chopped fine<br />
1 medium onion, chopped fine<br />
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine<br />
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped fine<br />
Juice of 1/2 - 1 lemon<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Mix everything together and refrigerate till the flavours develop. Tip - mash the avocados last and then mix quickly so they don't discolour.<br />
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<b>Assembly:</b><br />
Layer a large bowl with hot rice at the bottom, followed by warm refried beans. Top with a handful of lettuce leaves - cut into ribbons, for once, for ease of maneuverability. Add whichever salsas take your fancy. Top with a dollop of salsa and enjoy!<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-37248121276907810352016-05-01T23:53:00.001-07:002016-05-01T23:53:05.788-07:00Mexican Rice SaladOur regular helper is away on vacation for a month. In her absence, she had appointed a temporary cook, who came in confidently stating that she knew her way around a kitchen. Well, that's about all she knew. In a day or two, we realised we were eating the most unmitigated, tasteless swill we had ever eaten in our entire lives, including the time before I learnt how to cook! Despite my instructions and keeping ingredients measured out, she managed to get proportions wrong, coming up with ginormous bowls full of slop..er..dal, with barely enough rice for two people to go with it! Vegetables would either be overcooked into mush or undercooked. In the 15 days she worked for us, we had maybe one meal that was edible.<br />
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But with the exigencies of daily living - A at a new job involving a hair-raising commute of 120 km per day ( the hair-raising may be the only part of the commute he's excited about ;) ), the odd-even misery leading to daily need to borrow cars from friends or wait on uber and ola, Puddi's annual kuchipudi performance necessitating daily evening commutes to Saket and back at odd hours, and the quantum of housework that we're having to pitch in at, we decided we'd just put up with swill. It was only a month, after all. We'd lose weight.<br />
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And then, the previous Friday she didn't turn up, leaving mum to do the cooking - aah, the underrated delight of having a well-cooked meal at home. Saturday I was busy turning out and cleaning up a horde of clutter when I suddenly realised the cook hadn't made an appearance past noon. Upon enquiry, her daughter informed me that she had fallen sick and was at the doctor's. The whole week went by in an unplanned pattern, with orders from homecooks or my parents pitching in. One day, I managed to make the pasta with 'invented sauce' that the kids had been clamouring for. Finally, yesterday when the errant cook did turn up, I realised I didn't want to eat slop any more, even for a day. Even if the process were to be painful, I preferred turning my hand to it and making something edible that provided a little cocoon of comfort and coziness for the family.<br />
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Yesterday morning was good old curd rice, followed by homemade banana icecream. On the way back from swimming in the evening, I began ruminating on what would be the perfect dinner to preserve that delicious sense of coolness imparted by the swim. Something light and fresh. Then I remembered a can of 4 bean mix that I had excavated from the pantry and the meal took shape. The rice from the morning and the previous day's Foxtail Millet ( bajra seeds, to you!) were refrigerated in preparation. The fresh scent of coriander and lime pervaded the kitchen, combined with garlicky juices. Umm...Sunday evening bliss!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueDstYz6Cks7Tki9Ye5sWPgrUEeipjIfpaCaQWcc8FUdp3xd0h9WAMSyV1XgEyWDA3Slvziw6rUsmh8_UIq_rVr8pO43wNwNUPP_qGmD4C-ypdDLAKwo5TEK3w7rdBoWvTLqi3rT4n70/s1600/20160501_201756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueDstYz6Cks7Tki9Ye5sWPgrUEeipjIfpaCaQWcc8FUdp3xd0h9WAMSyV1XgEyWDA3Slvziw6rUsmh8_UIq_rVr8pO43wNwNUPP_qGmD4C-ypdDLAKwo5TEK3w7rdBoWvTLqi3rT4n70/s320/20160501_201756.jpg" width="210" /></a><br />
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<b>Ingredients: (Serves 4-5)</b><br />
2 garlic pods, crushed and minced<br />
1 onion, chopped fine<br />
2 firm tomatoes, deseeded and chopped fine<br />
2-3 green chillies, chopped<br />
1 cucumber, peeled and diced<br />
1 green pepper, diced<br />
Half cup corn, boiled and cooled<br />
1 can 4 bean mix - or 1.5 cups of boiled kidney beans, black-eyes peas etc ( rajma, lobhia...)<br />
1 cup rice, cooked, cooled<br />
Half cup bajra - steam cooked ( optional, only if you're trying extra hard to use these in your diet)<br />
Juice of 1-2 limes ( depending on size of lime)<br />
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped fine<br />
1-2 teaspoons of chilli powder<br />
1.5 teaspoons roasted cumin powder<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
Mix everything in a large bowl till well combined. Taste for balance of tart, salt and spicy. Place in the fridge for an hour or so, so the taste develop and mellow.<br />
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Enjoy with a chilled chardonnay! Or if you really want to, go ahead, have that Margarita :)<br />
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<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-20649178502798419232015-11-06T20:32:00.003-08:002015-11-06T20:32:37.690-08:00Diwali Mithai with an Italian TwistA friend invited us over for a cozy Diwali dinner this week. I rashly offered to bring mithai and when the offer was taken up, was in a tizzy about what to make. I'd come down with a really bad cold and didn't have the energy or inclination to spend hours slaving over the stove. And a really busy phase at work again meant the need for a quick fix. At the same time I didn't want to just carry something bought from a store, especially the very conventional mithai. I had been contemplating doing a twist on western and Indian desserts anyway - a mysore-pak filling in a pie etc. But given the lack of desire for hard work, a Pannacotta seemed like an effortless choice.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 cups heavy cream<br />
2 cups fullcream milk<br />
4-5 Motichoor Laddoos ( I like the kesar version), broken into crumbs<br />
A few Rasbharis - those tiny gulab jamuns that come in a warm caramel or chocolate brown colour - quartered<br />
1/2-3/4 cup sugar<br />
10-15 strands of saffron<br />
1 teaspoon finely powdered cardamom<br />
2 tablespoons water<br />
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin - I use vegetarian gelatin<br />
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Heat the water to boiling point in a heat proof bowl. Add the powdered gelatin and stand the bowl in a pan of hot water, whisking about with a fork till it dissolves - I find it easier to prevent the gelatin balling up if you make it into a paste and slowly keep adding more water. Let it cool<br />
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Meanwhile mix the cream and milk, add the saffron and cardamom and heat on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Take off the heat, add the sugar and heat on low, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cooled down gelatin water and mix thoroughly. Set aside to cool briefly.<br />
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Take out the bowls in which you're planning to set the pannacotta - ramekins or whatever. Put in the crumbed motichoor laddoos at the bottom and put it into the refrigerator to set for about half hour. Take out, pour in the cooled pannacotta mixture and put away in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours. At some point halfway through, pull out the cups and top with the rasbhari.<br />
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Let set. To serve, either use the cups if feeling lazy, like I usually do. If you want to show off the perfect pannacotta wobble, run a sharp knife around the edges of the ramekins and tip the pannacotta out onto a plate. Serve with modest pride!<br />
<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-39306764666385229532015-08-31T02:11:00.003-07:002016-08-08T03:07:46.692-07:00Burnt Butter Cake with Salted Caramel SauceI have been wanting to make a Burnt butter cake ever since I watched the last season of Masterchef Australia in which a contestant baked it. To me, burnt butter means only one thing - ghee - and as a true-blue Kannadiga, ghee is one of my favourite things to eat. Anything to eat can only improve if a dash of ghee is added, in my opinion.<br />
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Salted caramel is another flavour that I have begun loving, and during out vacation in Italy, we gorged on salted caramel gelato. At Diva a couple of weeks ago, I spied a new dessert with toffee and salted caramel and had to order it, so making salted caramel from scratch has been on my mind. Especially since I managed to create a Choco-ba-fee cake a couple of weeks ago which was a big hit - chocolate-banana-toffee, a new take on good old Banoffee. So I decided to experiment with it yesterday and let's just say the result far outdid my expectations. The cake is light and oh-so-moist, and the brown demerara sugar I used for the caramel topping was just mildly bitter, cutting through the sweetness of caramel. Yum and a must-repeat!<br />
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<b>Ingredients (Cake):</b><br />
2.5 cups plain flour<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
4 eggs<br />
300 grams butter<br />
4 tsp baking powder<br />
2 tsp vanilla<br />
1 cup milk<br />
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Heat the butter on a low flame until it melts, stirring occasionally, and then continue to heat till it turns golden brown. Take off the heat and put the entire thing, including the brown bits, <br />
to cool in the fridge - it needs to be solidified but not hard.<br />
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Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C. Combine the flour and baking powder in a vessel and keep aside. Combine the vanilla and milk and keep aside.<br />
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When the burnt butter is solid but not hardened, take it out of the fridge and beat it together with the sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one by one, continuing to beat at a medium speed.<br />
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Then alternately add flour and the milk mixture, while continuing to beat at a medium speed until both are used up - begin and end with flour.<br />
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Pour the cake mix into a 9 inch lined baking tin and bake for about 45-50 minutes. It's done when the knife comes out clean. Put aside to cool.<br />
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<b>Salted Caramel Sauce:</b><br />
1 cup brown demerara sugar<br />
100 gms salted butter<br />
1/3 cup cream<br />
Sea salt to taste<br />
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While you're waiting for the burnt butter to cool, you can be getting on with the sauce-making.<br />
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Heat the brown sugar in a thick-bottomed pan or kadhai, whisking constantly, on a slow flame until the sugar is completely melted. It may clump a little but that's ok.<br />
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Once the sugar has melted, stop whisking and continue heating the sugar mix, swirling the pan occasionally, to ensure the sugar on the bottom doesn't burn up. When it starts turning a slightly darker brown, add the butter in and start whisking again until the butter and sugar are well mixed together. Then pour in the cream and whisk again until the mixture is completely smooth.<br />
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Take off the stove and wait for it to cool for a few minutes, then add sea salt to taste. Set aside in the fridge or otherwise to cool down.<br />
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To serve:<br />
Take the cake out of the pan onto the serving dish. Ensure the salted caramel sauce is at room temperature and then pour over the cake. The sauce will drip down the sides of the cake, but that's part of its inherent gooey, indulgent charm. If you want to be stylish, you can add a dollop of whipped cream but it's unnecessary to the taste of this decadent dessert.<br />
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Recipe adapted from:<br />
<a href="http://www.raspberricupcakes.com/2014/04/brown-butter-cake-with-vanilla-bean.html" target="_blank">http://www.raspberricupcakes.com</a>bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-89594163154996338022014-10-16T01:35:00.001-07:002014-10-16T01:36:31.736-07:00My Boss's Pasta and My Spicy Moroccan Soup<b>My Boss's Pasta</b><br />
We were at Fashion Week recently and a friend pointed us to the Smokehouse Deli saying we had to try 'My Boss's Pasta'. After we got over the confusion caused by the fact that she runs her own PR firm, we did go across and try it out. Simple, light and delicious, so much so that I couldn't wait to recreate it in my own kitchen, with fairly good results.<br />
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<i><b>Ingredients</b></i>:<br />
1 pack spaghetti<br />
Handful of green beans, topped and tailed and cut into half lengthwise<br />
2 onions, sliced<br />
2 cloves garlic, sliced fine<br />
Handful of spinach leaves, washed<br />
Splash of white wine<br />
Olive oil + EVOO<br />
1-2 dried red chillies<br />
Grated Parmesan cheese - a handful or as much as you can get away with :)<br />
Pepper, finely ground and paprika<br />
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Put a pan of water on to boil, salt lightly and toss in the red chillies. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add spaghetti and cook until al dente; drain, reserve some ( half to 1 cup) of the cooking water. Blanch the beans; blanch the spinach leaves. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil on a low flame and add the onions and garlic. Sweat them on a low flame until transparent and soft. Add the splash of wine and let simmer on low flame. Add to the spaghetti along with the beans, spinach and some of the cooking water ( it's not a sauce-y pasta, just moist). Top with the Parmesan and add pepper and paprika to taste.<br />
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Pass around the Parmesan with a grater at the table for more joy.<br />
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<b>Soup</b><br />
After eons, now the weather is cooler, I craved a really nice, spicy, yummy soup. I looked up various bean soups and decided on Gordon Ramsay's Pumpkin and butter bean soup. However I couldn't not add my own twist, so I decided to add Ras el Hanout to it to heighten the spice. Of course, being lazy me, this was the quick and dirty version of Ras el Hanout, which meant chucking the ingredients into the oil before adding the veggies and then blending it all together later.<br />
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When I eventually tried out the soup I had a blinding flash of realisation - Ras el Hanout is nothing more or less than our own desi Shahi Garam Masala. I looked up the rarely used pack of Shahi Garam Masala and sure enough, the exact same list of ingredients! Ok, trouble saved in the future :)<br />
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It was an awesome soup, though so highly recommended.<br />
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<i><b>Ingredients</b></i>:<br />
750 gm pumpkin ( I'm guessing here by the volume of pumpkin I used)<br />
3 orange carrots<br />
4 spring onions and 1 ordinary red onion<br />
3-4 garlic cloves<br />
Half cup of yellow and red bell peppers<br />
1/2 inch ginger<br />
1 dried red chilli<br />
Handful coriander leaves<br />
1 can butter beans<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 liter water/ stock<br />
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For the masala:<br />
Half teaspoon each of: coriander, white pepper, black pepper, turmeric, cloves, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, ginger powder<br />
Dry roast and powder<br />
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Cube all the vegetables. Heat the oil and add in the garlic and onions. Once they are soft, toss in the vegetables and 1/2 of the water. Let it come to a boil, then let simmer until the vegetables are soft. Let is cool, then puree as finely as desired. Open the can of butter beans and rinse them. Add them to the puree, add the rest of the water and mix well, heat up to serve.<br />
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Serve topped with fried onions, a sprinkling of coriander leaves and a dollop of yogurt. Bliss out!<br />
<br />bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-78409410034048413252014-01-30T00:49:00.000-08:002014-10-16T01:36:05.251-07:00Deliciously healthy saladI was passing by Dadar market in Mumbai yesterday and spotted vegetable vendors with heaps of green leafies piled on their stands. Promptly stopped the car that was rushing me to the airport to try for an earlier flight back and raced across. Then I realised the rest of the green leafies I had in stock at home, but I saw a bunch of alfalfa sprouts with one seller. I have had alfalfa salad at restaurants and catered meals but never made anything at home with them so I asked the seller for a whacking big bunch and raced back to the car feeling suitable pleased with myself. It's another matter that we reached the airport too late for the earlier flight in the bargain.<br />
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Because today I had the simplest and most delicious of salads for lunch...totally worth the late return!<br />
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1 ripe orange, cut into segments<br />
1 handful alfalfa sprouts<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Spritz of lemon juice<br />
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Just mix it all together and inhale. Photos? Are you kidding - read the previous sentence!bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-32717389194759405092013-10-16T02:56:00.001-07:002013-10-16T02:59:33.593-07:00Festive sweetWhen I was a child, my favourite kheer used to be appi payasa. It's a typical karnataka/ Mysore kheer but involved more work than the usual shavige/ vermicelli kheer or kadale bele ( chana dal) kheer so my mom used to make it less often. The combination of crunchy appi and the sweet, cardamom-laced payasa are heavenly, so for Navami this year I decided to make Appi payasa. Turned out it was simpler than I had figured and tasted great; reminded me of the Chandrahara that we hoggged during our Mysore vacation a couple of years ago.
<b>Ingredients
</b>
1 cup fine suji
1 tsp ghee
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 liter milk
1/2 cup sugar ( to taste)
2-3 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tsp warm milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
Mix the ghee into the suji, then add the water ltitle by little to make a stiff dough. Keep aside for an hour or so. Then roll out into really thin puris, about 4-5 inches diameter and deep fry. Ensure that these puris do not puff up, so they need to be rolled out thin; you can also prick them with a fork before deep frying. Keep aside to cool.
Meanwhile heat the milk and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Add the cardamom and saffron. Break the puris into one inch pieces and add to the kheer. Serve hot or cold - we love it cold, straight from the fridge.bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-54860780074987890392013-10-16T02:39:00.000-07:002013-10-16T03:02:18.337-07:00Mysorean FeastThis dasara was really lowkey since I commute about an hour to work each way every day and the parents were away. With a push and shove from mom, I finally did a golu but it was a bare-bones half-baked effort and really quite a let down even to me. So finally, on Ashthami, I decided that we should at least make the effort to put together a proper traditional Dasara meal. With the parents away, I naturally took on the onus of making a full Mysorean feast with traditional items prepared during Dasara.
<b>Our menu</b>: Battani-menthyada soppu anna ( Methi-matar rice/ Peas and fenugreek leaves rice) Saaru Sundal Beans palya Gasagase payasa Aambode Yeriyappa Carrot kosambri Sautekayi kosambri Took much less time than I thought and I had the satisfaction of sitting down to a meal that satisfied me in having made an adequate effort :)
Recipes -
<b>Gasagase payasa </b>
<i>Ingredients </i>
1 tsp raw rice
1.5 tbsp poppy seeds
1 handful fresh grated coconut
2.5 cups water
1 cup jaggery ( may need more; depends on the sweetness of the jaggery)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Dry roast the poppy seeds and raw rice together. Grind fine. Then add coconut and grind again. Add 1 cup water to the mix and strain through a fine sieve. Repeat the process 2-3 more times with the rest of the water, and keep aside the ground mixture. To the sieved water, add the jaggery and boil until the jaggery melts completely. Add the coconut mixture and the milk and simmer for a few minutes on medium flame. Add the cardamom powder and garnish with fried cashews if desired. Serve hot or cold. Serves 4-5
<b>Yeriyappa ( Sweet dumplings) </b>
<i>Ingredients </i>
1 cup raw rice, soaked in warm water for 2-3 hours
1 cup jaggery
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1 tsp cardamom powder
half cup of semolina ( rave) optional
Grind the rice together with jaggery and fresh coconut. Add water and thin it out until it resembles thick dosa batter. Deep fry ladleful by ladleful in a wok until toffee brown on both sides. Eat hot. Adding the semolina makes it more crunchy, so if you want the middle portion softer, skip it. Makes about 8
<b>Aambode </b>
<i>Ingredients </i>
1 cup chana dal, soaked for 2 hours
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1 inch ginger
Handful curry leaves
Pinch of asafoetida (heeng)
2 green chillies
1 dried red chilly
Salt to taste
Coarsely grind all the ingredients together without any added water. Shape into 1.5 inch balls, flatten and deep-fry on a medium flame until brown. Serve hot; store in airtight container. You can serve it dropped into the saaru as well. It works fabulously as a snack/ appetizer too. Makes 10-12 (Pictures will follow)bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977464887362244927.post-15064265090028710002013-04-22T04:30:00.001-07:002013-04-22T04:36:10.868-07:00Summer Refresher<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Saturday we were hosting the book club over at our place,
and for some reason, including being unemployed, I decided to go all out on the
food. Hyderabadi cuisine, followed by a dessert buffet. Yes, a bit crazy that
way. And of course, given the elaborate menu, how could the drinks be plain old
wine or vodka out of a bottle? I considered making melon sangrias with white
wine but the effort to juice melons sounded too much, not to mention a bit
uncertain since I’m not a good picker of ripe melons. So, to add a desi twist
to the proceedings, I decided on aam panna margaritas, and they actually worked
out delicious!!! Might just become one of my favourite summer drinks </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aam Panna
squash (this is a cheat but it worked out to be so much less effort!! I used
the Druk one) – 2 bottles<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.5 bottles
Smirnoff Vodka</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.25 litres of water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Crushed ice –
lots of…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just mix the
three ingredients together and serve with pride. If you can’t resist the urge
to jazz it up, add slivers of mango peel, thinly sliced lemon or mint leaves,
but they are unnecessary to the experience. This makes about 30 servings, depending on how generously you pour. Pictures? Are you kidding? We wiped out three pitchers of the stuff!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Menu for the night?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bagare Baingan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Khatti dal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hyderabadi Dahi wadas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tamarind Rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Curd rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paan kulfi, served on pan leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rose-flavoured pannacotta topped with fresh mulberries, served on rose petals</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dumroth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">No-bake cheesecake topped with grapes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Melon balls steeped in Malibu, with a chiffonade of mint</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
bird's eye viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338332150874851183noreply@blogger.com0