tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-284623892024-03-06T02:48:35.147-05:00Memoirs of a Yellow ApronAn online journal of my recipes, and musings, rants and raves ....kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-67019077602984558982013-09-12T02:28:00.001-04:002013-09-12T02:30:03.382-04:00Multigrain Sanna Polo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKf5FQHVxxctCV_auNaheCctCnmp7np6nEHrjbdQOT337QmiMln2d9pKdoADlPuCRFUQ6jdxVpGWHojR3GnAsfefjm0t7aWy0Osayclyzozidw9eZZ6YhN82lne4fPeXrFNfIs/s1600/PicsArt_1378967039967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKf5FQHVxxctCV_auNaheCctCnmp7np6nEHrjbdQOT337QmiMln2d9pKdoADlPuCRFUQ6jdxVpGWHojR3GnAsfefjm0t7aWy0Osayclyzozidw9eZZ6YhN82lne4fPeXrFNfIs/s640/PicsArt_1378967039967.jpg"> </a><br />
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What happens when a Dosa craving strikes when you dont have the fermented batter? This kind of same day unfermented type of instant dosas takes shape. Its just been a while since I made Sanna Polo, so while I thought that I would make the batter only with rice , coconut and spices, once the batter was formed and I made one dosa out of it, I regretted the little amount of rice I had soaked , because the dosas were tasting heavenly with that slight aroma of drizzled coconut oil ....The amount of batter was just too less for the three of us dosa lovers ;) , so I decided to increase the content by adding something that would not alter the taste entirely. I had this organic Buckwheat and whole wheat pancake mix in my pantry,&nbsp; and quickly read the contents,&nbsp; it even had soymilk solids, and some other goodies, so I decided to add just a little close to 1/2 cup of it to the batter and I must say, that not only helped with the content without altering the taste, it even helped spreading the batter thin !which I iam not able to do usually with sanna polo batter. <br />
<p dir="ltr"><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<b><i>To be ground:</i></b></p>1 cup well soaked drained rice<br />
3/4 cup grated coconut<br />
2 to 3 green or dry red chillies<br />
Salt<br />
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp concentrate<br />
1 teaspoon hing<br />
Around 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (it's important that while grinding the batter needs to be medium thick than regular dosa or pancake batter , also less water is critical in getting the rice ground to a cornmeal consistency)<br />
<p dir="ltr"><b><i>To be added to ground batter:</i></b></p>A little less than 1/2 cup any kind of Multigrain pancake mix . Make sure nothing with maida or all purpose flour is added. That defeats the purpose of making a dish healthier.<br />
1- 2cups assorted chopped soinach leaves. I used a combination of regular spinach leaves and mint. <br />
<p dir="ltr"><b><i>How I made:</i></b></p>First grind coconut, chillies, salt, tamarind, hing to a fine paste. Then add rice. Grind to cornmeal consistency. <br />
To this ground batter add pancake mix and around 1/2 cup water, stir to combine well.<br />
Then check for seasoning. Add leaves. <br />
Make dosas by spreading a ladle full if batter on a medium heat dosa pan, drizzle some coconut oil around edges. Cook at medium high heat, then when edges seem cooked, lower fire to low and flip the dosa and cook for another minute. Serve hot with sambar/chutney.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTUhVK7NN6OGPp0kyWoIuHWMFMNJ3oIqXgUj2uAzgnXZCBKzkSjfkdSk5-XtpFtqqgK862wtnco6a4ez8ZeIvuazFw1Bo94t10JIvaCMupMg_y2F4cGwxqUEGMMqDYGNgpsdn/s1600/PicsArt_1378966761072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTUhVK7NN6OGPp0kyWoIuHWMFMNJ3oIqXgUj2uAzgnXZCBKzkSjfkdSk5-XtpFtqqgK862wtnco6a4ez8ZeIvuazFw1Bo94t10JIvaCMupMg_y2F4cGwxqUEGMMqDYGNgpsdn/s640/PicsArt_1378966761072.jpg"> </a>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-28234101340163936852013-09-10T13:45:00.002-04:002013-09-10T22:05:32.975-04:00Methiye Sukke<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvAh4eTmi7y66RYtYj8LTM55YwvmcpMCCcPZ5eCviBJki-tJvwM_DxO1LNSgCTfHTi55abbh8SiupVQP4FmpPEclI81oVKSaTadvWSWE8qDJDXAl_jqWAi5xskijuvFWMbjws/s2560/1378865127976.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvAh4eTmi7y66RYtYj8LTM55YwvmcpMCCcPZ5eCviBJki-tJvwM_DxO1LNSgCTfHTi55abbh8SiupVQP4FmpPEclI81oVKSaTadvWSWE8qDJDXAl_jqWAi5xskijuvFWMbjws/s288/1378865127976.jpeg" border="0" /></a><br />
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One of the many advantages of having my amma cook for me after my delivery of our DS was the high nutritional food she chose carefully during those much needee times. This is one such dish which is also a typical Konkani preparation. I have to say, this dish trremondously helped me during those times. Warning: I have heard that its not recommended to take it during early pregnancy times because of the hormonal effect methi (fenugreek) can have during those times.<br />
Iam sending this to <a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1" target="_blank">Srivalli's side dish mela. </a>Ingredients:Green moong: 1 cup<br />
Methi (Fenugreek): 1/2 cup<br />
Salt<br />
WaterTamper:Mustard seeds: 1 tsp<br />
Curry leaves: few sprigs<br />
Asafoetida : a tiny pinch <br />
Salt: a pinch to flavor oil<br />
Oil: 2 teaspoonsGarnish:<br />
Grated coconut: 1/2 cupMethod:Soak the moong and methi together until well soaked , its a bonus if they sprout :)In a deep bottom pan, in medium heat, add oil, and when its heated add the Tamper ingredients,&#160; and when they finish spluttering add the soaked moong and methi and salt.&#160; Add enough water to just cover the contents.&#160; Bring it to boil, and then simmer until the contents are cooked all way through.&#160; When they are cooked, check for salt,&#160; and if there is excess water increase heat to evaporate.&#160; Then lower fire add coconut.&#160; Stir well. Cook for a minute on low and switch off. Serve with kanji during cold winter months or just anytime as a dry side dish with kanji :)kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-74027550607359622902013-09-04T22:48:00.001-04:002013-09-10T01:54:05.859-04:00Amboose Ambat (Sour gravy)<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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I got this recipe from my amma when I wanted to make some authentic kerala konkani style dish. I loved how the dish doesnt feel heavy since no coconut milk is added , instead sour yoghurt (hence the name Amboose which means sour in konkani) is added. I am ssending this to <a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1" target="_blank">Srivalli's side dish mela.</a></div>
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<a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1">http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1</a></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
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Taro root (mande): 1 big scraped , cleaned and cut into chunks<br />
<br />
Winter Melon (kuvvale): 1 medium piece cut into chunks<br />
<br />
Yoghurt: 1 cup to which around 1/2 cup water is added to dilute it. Do not use buttermilk. <br />
<br />
Water to cook veggies<br />
<br />
To grind:<br />
<br />
Grated coconut (fresh, frozen or scraped): 1/2 cup<br />
<br />
Cumin seeds: 2 teaspoons<br />
<br />
Green chilli : 2 to 3 (according to taste)<br />
<br />
To temper:<br />
<br />
1 teaspoon mustard seeds<br />
A sprig of curry leaves<br />
<br />
Method<br />
<br />
In a saucepan add veggies, and some water to just barely cover the pieces. Add sufficient salt and cook at medium heat until veggies are just cooked, do not overcook them, as thats not the texture we are going for in this dish. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, grind the ingredients under the "to grind" section until smooth. <br />
When veggies are cooked and water is almost all absorbed (a little left is fine, but not more than that since we will be adding yoghurt later. This is a pretty thick gravy), switch off heat, add the ground mix and yoghurt to it , mix well immedietly. Switch on heat to low, if you feel its too thick, you may add a teaspoon or more water, though thick is what we are going for. Temper ingredients in 1 teaspoon oil and add it to the gravy. Mix well.<br />
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Serve with hot rice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgNTE_Jxq0Oujvs-Uk1vB3UlPPCrCIp7VjRdMlKzG8A2PjKS-wWKA2QZLCftafYTPof543Fh_ogtmWIN9GmK7NsVCXXKoKDAkK-d2tewNSwFO6xDBL86ksB6735HtEEdWpQ1Q/s2560/1378349318452.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgNTE_Jxq0Oujvs-Uk1vB3UlPPCrCIp7VjRdMlKzG8A2PjKS-wWKA2QZLCftafYTPof543Fh_ogtmWIN9GmK7NsVCXXKoKDAkK-d2tewNSwFO6xDBL86ksB6735HtEEdWpQ1Q/s288/1378349318452.jpeg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 162px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 288px;" /></a></div>
kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-46485724386665389532013-08-31T13:56:00.001-04:002013-08-31T14:01:35.548-04:00Cauliflower Gyro<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIZoPx2-FLpQRARB8IOxBpnNGb7LPM7yiD1WOk3yNr6Vld2qcqogC7m40XAXeG7YqShHH7uGq8YR2I0G6mouAd52zAMnfLH3crOGTomeftn_hNu_oh9yO7wZWbl6YeOYK_5la/s2560/1377972088539.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIZoPx2-FLpQRARB8IOxBpnNGb7LPM7yiD1WOk3yNr6Vld2qcqogC7m40XAXeG7YqShHH7uGq8YR2I0G6mouAd52zAMnfLH3crOGTomeftn_hNu_oh9yO7wZWbl6YeOYK_5la/s288/1377972088539.jpeg" border="0" /></a><br />
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This dish was inspired after a recent visit to the farmer's market. After tasting the incredible Gyro at one stall I could not get it out of my mind. So I decided to make a vegetarian version in my kitchen. This can also be called a fusion gyro :) since I used a Cauliflower curry as stuffing and instead of the Tsatziki sauce, I used Guacamole on one side inside of Pita and Hummus on other side inside of Pita bread.<br/><br/><br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP6lCMgcKdEAaIW6-el7eQDOzdfetH9zDlpHHLteih51miErRTf86OcUJIjJniAMbZ3mF3p5rO6BCOyTupoHsEruFsaBfN2ZonRV9rEGFYNGdj-X_lpX0Ar-GMfbPDjYzOqVf/s2560/1377972091710.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP6lCMgcKdEAaIW6-el7eQDOzdfetH9zDlpHHLteih51miErRTf86OcUJIjJniAMbZ3mF3p5rO6BCOyTupoHsEruFsaBfN2ZonRV9rEGFYNGdj-X_lpX0Ar-GMfbPDjYzOqVf/s288/1377972091710.jpeg" border="0" /></a><br />
<br/><br/>Cauliflower Gyro<br/><strike><strike>----------</strike></strike><br/><br/>Ingredients:<br/><br/>Pita bread cut in half : 4 halves<br/><br/>For the filling: Recipe source : a friend named Sudha from an online foodie group<br/><br/>Cauliflower florets: 15 numbers<br/>Onion: 1 medium chopped<br/>Garlic: 5 podschopped fine <br/>Garlic: 1 inch, chopped fine<br/>Tomato : 1 med chopped fine taking out seeds<br/>Salt<br/>Oil to deep fry or saute Cauliflower<br/>Mint leaves for garnish<br/><br/>Spices to be ground: <br/>3 red chilli (optional)<br/>1 teaspoon poppy seeds<br/>5 cloves<br/>1 inch cinnamon<br/>2 green cardamom<br/>2 tablespoons sliced almonds<br/><br/>How I made it:<br/><br/><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonStBclQ-vsRs1MM7Vhu3_-RMTRFvXHz-J9Cfr6eEPYsl5NWad1Iuxa8sBGg8ZCCWBtnAK5olECMsk1z9HoAw3zvqO8FfZxbWQMJo4Y4RUgA6Fx-kGiwy7OWElA1S9rrZru5h/s2560/1377971786195.jpeg' onblur='try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}'><img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonStBclQ-vsRs1MM7Vhu3_-RMTRFvXHz-J9Cfr6eEPYsl5NWad1Iuxa8sBGg8ZCCWBtnAK5olECMsk1z9HoAw3zvqO8FfZxbWQMJo4Y4RUgA6Fx-kGiwy7OWElA1S9rrZru5h/s288/1377971786195.jpeg' style='display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 162px;'/></a><br/><br/>First add cauliflower in salted water for 15 minutes. Then deep fry Cauliflower florets or you may even saute it brown. Set it aside. Then in a pan add two tablespoons oil, a pinch of salt, heat to medium, add onion, garlic , ginger and saute until soft and translucent. Then reduce heat to low. While the mix gets cooking, powder the ingredients under the spices to be ground section. Add this to onion mix and add a tablespoon of oil and saute for two minutes. Then add tomato, and mix for 3 to 4 min until mushy. Check for salt. Then add Cauliflower to this and mix and then garnish with mint leaves or coriander leaves. <br/><br/>Fill two tablespoons (depends on the size of pita bread you use) of above filling in each pita half. Add 1 tablespoon guacamole to one side (top or bottom) inside pita half, and add 1 tablespoon hummus on other side inside pita half. Toast both sides of all pita halves and serve hot :)</div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-18535389106220825502013-08-29T23:03:00.001-04:002013-09-10T01:55:15.031-04:00Dhev Ummaan<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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This side dish is one of the most popular konkani temple feast dishes. You can find it along side Ghasshi, Dali Thoy , pickle, and other lipsmacking items all served to together in a particular order in even assigned spots on a large banana leaf. But temple feast or no, I just love this dish so much I could eat it with hot rice and pappad everyday :) </div>
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Iam sending this to <a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1" target="_blank">Srivalli's side dish mela:</a></div>
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<a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1">http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1</a></div>
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here is the recipe:<br />
<br />
Dhev Ummaan <br />
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Ingredients<br />
<br />
1 large taro root (you can google taro to find its image) its called Mande in konkani sliced into wedges or cubed<br />
<br />
1 medium bitter melon (bitter gourd) (karathe) sliced thin <br />
<br />
Potato (optional) : 1 small sliced into wedges<br />
<br />
Water : Just enough to soak the veggies to cook almost<br />
<br />
Thick Coconut milk (I used canned): 1.5 cups<br />
<br />
To temper<br />
<br />
3 Green Chillies slit<br />
1 tsp mustard seeds<br />
1.5 teaspoons cumin seeds<br />
4 to 5 curry leaves<br />
Hing <br />
Salt a pinch to season oil<br />
Oil 2 tablespoons<br />
<br />
Spices<br />
<br />
1/2 teaspoon amchur powder<br />
Salt<br />
Hing : 1/4 teaspoon<br />
<br />
How to make<br />
<br />
In a deep bottom wok, heat 2 tablespoons oil, and add mustard and cumin seeds. When they start spluttering, add the rest of the ingredients under temper.<br />
<br />
Now add taro root, bitter melon and potato and stir to coat with all tue temper seasoning. Then add water, salt and cook on a medium flame until its almost cooked all the way through. Increase heat to reduce the water content to almost dry. Them lower heat, add coconut milk and stir well. Then add amchur powder, hing,stir, and check for salt. Let it cook on low heat for a minute until it thickens a bit. Switch off , drizzle with a little coconut oil if desired to get that lovely authentic aroma of the Dhev Ummaan. Serve with hot rice.</div>
kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-3101263791665544902013-08-27T02:27:00.000-04:002013-10-26T23:09:04.483-04:00Mint Thepla with Eggplant Patiala<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudUb2xT4zt29iBWfB8Sj_z_XE0YMAp2NyTw7pgVzV-j81k5f7m7XA6UxjVce1SU46gh9QA-TFloPvtNR9KWEJDkbM2HF4BZ5AoG_kYuwq89Rf-9MbRkY6Acr_x3Eb_dCkf8I9/s2560/1377584863484.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudUb2xT4zt29iBWfB8Sj_z_XE0YMAp2NyTw7pgVzV-j81k5f7m7XA6UxjVce1SU46gh9QA-TFloPvtNR9KWEJDkbM2HF4BZ5AoG_kYuwq89Rf-9MbRkY6Acr_x3Eb_dCkf8I9/s288/1377584863484.jpeg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 162px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 288px;" /></a><br />
The one constant thing I like about foodie groups on social networking websites is awesome recipes they share. I am a member of foodie group on such a social networking website. Learned so many new stuff. Theplas (a frequently viewed dish made by many members in that group) were one of them and Eggplant patiala (from a member Sudha) is another one which is now a regular once a week at my place now :)<br />
I am sending the side dish Eggplant Patiala to <a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1" target="_blank">Srivalli's side dish mela:</a><br />
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<b><a href="http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1">http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.in/2013/09/announcing-side-dish-mela-with-giveaways.html?m=1</a></b><b><br />
</b><b>Ingredients:</b><b><i>Mint Thepla</i></b><b> :</b>Wheat flour : 2 cups<br />
Mint leaves: a handful<br />
Yoghurt at room temperature: Enough to make a smooth dough (beware that the mint leaves add additional moisture so adjust the amount accordingly)<br />
Onion powder to taste<br />
Oil for greasing the thepla while roasting<br />
Salt to taste<br />
<b><i>Eggplant patiala:</i></b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.hookedonheat.com/2008/06/04/inspired-by-serving-crazy-with-curry-baingan-patiala/">This site</a>Around 10 small indian variety Eggplant (can try with 1 big regular supermarket variety too I believe)<br />
Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon<br />
Onion: 1 medium sized slices thin<br />
Tomato: two finely chopped<br />
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp<br />
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon<br />
Chilli powder : to taste<br />
Garam masala: a pinch<br />
Oil: sufficient to roast eggplant until brown<br />
Oil: Two tablespoons<br />
Salt to taste<br />
<b>How to make:</b><b><i>Mint Thepla:</i></b>Mix everything to create a smooth dough. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Make small balls from dough. Roll roti from it and roast it on a hot griddle with ghee (optional) , oil. Done. Serve with Eggplant Patiala or raita :)<br />
<b><i>Eggplant patiala:</i></b>Roast eggplant until slightly brown. Keep aside. In same pan add two tablespoons oil and add cumin seeds and onion, saute until fragrant and pink, add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and saute well for a minute or two. Then add tomato , chilli powder, and salt. Stir until mushy , then add Eggplant, and cook covered until its all cooked. Check for seasoning, add pinch of garam masala. Serve hot with Thepla :)<br />
Note: The dough might get kind of too stiff if cold yoghurt is added. In that case if its too late into mixing , add slightly lukewarm water.kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-21816155313645210212013-06-14T00:19:00.000-04:002013-06-14T00:19:15.670-04:00Knock Out Almond Chewy Bar Cake<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58IKcOEK37BN3a7A612A_QpdNIcmJkSprj-3KJWv4idC3FhdnILAWY1uZR9kyW0gntLQfGPuacZqfCQz7rMYOyx-Ttu-eKiznIx7PXsO8HBNyccYOZBgMCLe1HtGqa5d-KVPt/s1600/PicsArt_1371180043127_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58IKcOEK37BN3a7A612A_QpdNIcmJkSprj-3KJWv4idC3FhdnILAWY1uZR9kyW0gntLQfGPuacZqfCQz7rMYOyx-Ttu-eKiznIx7PXsO8HBNyccYOZBgMCLe1HtGqa5d-KVPt/s640/PicsArt_1371180043127_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br />
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<p>I love almond flavor !! There I said it..I seriously go crazy when it comes to adding extracts or flavors to my baked goods. It's one of those urges that make me go weak in my knees (or hands specifically ;)...These days it's Almond. But iam sure it's going to be that for a long time. I was specifically looking over internet for a almond based cake and came across one which took me by surprise since it lacked the usual leavening agents..Baking soda/Baking powder that is...I should have better known that it would make a very dense cake, but late night browsing does some weird decision making skills for next day. I bookmarked the recipe even though one of the reviewers wrote "it's "almost" like chewy bar" ....zzz..whatever..zzzzz</p><p>So next day I got ready with my pans and cups and spoons and etc...it was a one bowl cake,just mix everything together and dump in pan and bake. I did just that. And lo and behold !...the cake turned out exactly like a "chewy bar" :-( ...but wait..... <br>After the cake cooled , .... (did I say, the whole house was smelling heavenly good with the almond flavor?? mmm) , I cut a tiny "tasting" slice for myself. It tasted like some exotic culinary perfume bursting in my mouth craving for more cake :-) BH and Bubbles loved it too :)....It was not too sweet , just the way we like it here in my home. I smeared some pie filling on top of my slice and enjoyed it with my tea :-) </p><p>Luv<br>MK</p>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-25619940156997853932013-06-04T05:44:00.000-04:002013-06-04T14:50:16.640-04:00Homemade Pizza dough<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HzaV_EHy7FXNscZ6mQ4yRbricChMabWf2Np19aJozySSpw76AImdmPWeqz-BHe4OUL7qzR66B2SNmeVk3mibVbXw5PZQyNx7nxxp4su6EUWx9xZsU8NePl4dFirmInyd6I_N/s1600/PicsArt_1370104681779_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HzaV_EHy7FXNscZ6mQ4yRbricChMabWf2Np19aJozySSpw76AImdmPWeqz-BHe4OUL7qzR66B2SNmeVk3mibVbXw5PZQyNx7nxxp4su6EUWx9xZsU8NePl4dFirmInyd6I_N/s640/PicsArt_1370104681779_wm.jpg' /> </a> <br />
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It's not until after you have tried some things that you realize it's value. For me though, this was not the case when it came to making pizza from scratch. I tried and tried in past, but everytime it came out like half baked bread with all the yeasty things and uncooked dough (yuck...), which went straight to trash. I used to sigh with a bit of sadness whenever I used to imagine the endless possibilities of topping I could have added if I had a good homemade pizza base....I used to get so wishful about having a pizza base fairy wave her magical wand on my hand :-P ..... Ok now I am going overboard :-) <br />
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<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMZHtkLBUqlEUYvT8yx6N7kZNIxaIJvLEt9ORLuFqBA9ZZn2YVP8MjUNhhNGLjihD1g8W2yplijMs5IIFfOLg1F8Z_w0FzLK8c-9ZTVhoWlEJxNwtBqvG9D8m7zdeCDJRosv1/s1600/PicsArt_1370105351301_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMZHtkLBUqlEUYvT8yx6N7kZNIxaIJvLEt9ORLuFqBA9ZZn2YVP8MjUNhhNGLjihD1g8W2yplijMs5IIFfOLg1F8Z_w0FzLK8c-9ZTVhoWlEJxNwtBqvG9D8m7zdeCDJRosv1/s640/PicsArt_1370105351301_wm.jpg' /> </a> <br />
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You can imagine the excitement I felt eventually after my experiments got better and better one of these days. The obvious reasons were, with a toddler in hand, the only few precious minutes I get to experiment something new in kitchen does not give me the leisure time to make an error, because I never know when I can again get another opportunity. So it has to be almost foolproof. Else, in addition to the cranky toddler, I might have to face the hungry cranky husband who returned from office :-\ ....<br />
So the recipes I share here are ones which have a foolproof tag in my home, since I don't make anything and everything for the sake of blogging after Bubbles was born. He rules ! :)) And he inspires :) to keep blogging . I am grateful to my better half who was the recipient of my experiments long before Bubbles was born, since that's when this blog started :-) .... <br />
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<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUri7Wdd5zhrp91TxV-ziBvdY2LTzYQymlcR4CNV1yMsCm-iQxwVQl11x4J-nW9Fnao1xG5uv6dDGZIHGQIny_nccaksf_78tK1NkgiSvv94eVekLrCByycPueW_XnO0wFbXKg/s1600/PicsArt_1369969683671_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUri7Wdd5zhrp91TxV-ziBvdY2LTzYQymlcR4CNV1yMsCm-iQxwVQl11x4J-nW9Fnao1xG5uv6dDGZIHGQIny_nccaksf_78tK1NkgiSvv94eVekLrCByycPueW_XnO0wFbXKg/s640/PicsArt_1369969683671_wm.jpg' /> </a>
Here goes my recipe:
You will need :
For the dough:
1 packet (0.25 ounce) instant active yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons honey
1.5 teaspoons salt
2 cups flour (Bread flour works best , but you can use all purpose flour too. I substituted partially with whole wheat flour) + 1/4 cup flour for dusting (use it 1 tablespoon at a time)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons milk/water
- 3 tablespoon cornmeal/coarsely powdered soy granules/semolina
Optional: Garlic powder
How I made it:
- Combine yeast and honey in warm water until dissolved completely. This step is as much important as the rest, so make sure it's well dissolved. Let it rest for say 10 minutes or until it gets frothy and creamy.
- While the yeasts bloom, take a big mixing bowl greased well with oil combine two cups flour, salt, oil, and garlic powder. You can even add some herbs like dry basil.
- Grease your hands, and add the prepared yeast mixture, mix well and combine to form a smooth dough. If it's too sticky, add 1 tbsploon remaining flour at a time or if the dough is too hard, add one teaspoon milk/water. Knead for 5 minutes to get a smooth dough. Grease your hands if needed to make kneading easier.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and also cover the bowl in plastic wrap. Place it in a warm location away from sunlight. Let it rest for atleast 30 minutes. The dough will double in size.
- Prepare toppings while dough is resting. I used onion, capsicum, and loads of cheese :-) The toppings options are endless, but make sure that if you are adding meat based toppings, it is first cooked all way through before adding to pizza. Also I don't recommend adding vegetables that need a longer cooking time, if you must do, then cook them until they are tender. Next time I plan to add tofu/paneer.
- Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Take dough out of plastic wrap, and push down to remove the air bubbles a little.
- Grease your rolling pin, and board. Dust a little flour if needed. All this to make rolling dough process, easier. Flatten the dough , until it's around 1/2 inch thick.
- I then greased my pizza pan well. Evenly sprinkled the coarsely powdered soy granules (cornmeal is the traditional thing used, but I did not have it handy). Make sure you don't skip this step. It's vital for the even cooking of your pizza, especially if you don't own a pizza stone. These little granules get heated along with the pizza pan in oven and distribute heat evenly under the dough to cook it evenly. Got the importance? :-)
- Transfer the dough to pan, and with rolling pin or hands , roll it to fill it towards edges. Crimp the edges to create a border. At this point I think it's a good idea to use a fork and prick few holes in the dough , though I have not tried it. I believe it can make the dough less bread like texture and more pizza base like texture when it's pricked.
- Brush with a pizza sauce, either homemade or store bought. Don't use too much sauce, though you will feel tempted to,...it can make your crust soggy. Top with shredded cheese. And then followed with other toppings and then finishing off with cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for
15 minutes, then lower temperature to 375, and bake another 5 minutes.
- Take out pizza pan, and slice it into your hearts desire :-) .....
Enjoy ! :-)
Love,
MK
kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-72213175060813942662013-05-24T15:18:00.001-04:002013-05-24T15:18:13.004-04:00Happy 7th Birthday my dear Blog :-) <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>I have never celebrated my Blog's birthday :-P ..... So this time, I am not going to forget it, and making an almond cake for you :-) <br/>
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Dear Blog, <br/>
1. You have been an inspiration and motivation for me. <br/>
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2. You gave me a sense of purpose when I felt lonely and insecure a lot of times in past.<br/>
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3. Just like my better half, you have been there for me through thick and thin <br/>
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4. I rely on you to improve my skills, whatever it may be ;-) <br/>
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5. I love the fact that you would be a source of memory for my baby when he grows up and becomes an adult, even after I am long gone .... Atleast that's what I intended from you to begin with :-) <br/>
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So though I don't spend enough time with you on a regular basis, I am always thankful, that you still exist with me :-) like a friend :-) .....<br/>
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Happy Birthday to you !! :-) <br/>
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Love <br/>
MK ....</div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-16201610021649020892013-04-21T14:45:00.000-04:002013-04-21T14:58:47.007-04:00Because you are you,.....Happy Birthday to our darling<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8js3_p8bkGYd-LPJ8KN6qEvRVE5medfgTLaaq8-xbv1dkGyOol1FsFg0cxyqo0gxqsjRzOzypl7VbqgcPc1ewFmzKM4ZsC6jM5-itysB4yH1DeFf6EQ315H40IrSp5AGsbOJD/s1600/birthday_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8js3_p8bkGYd-LPJ8KN6qEvRVE5medfgTLaaq8-xbv1dkGyOol1FsFg0cxyqo0gxqsjRzOzypl7VbqgcPc1ewFmzKM4ZsC6jM5-itysB4yH1DeFf6EQ315H40IrSp5AGsbOJD/s640/birthday_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br />
<p>Yesterday our Bubbles (from now on that's his name here) turned two. Can you believe it? Apart from feeling the rushing time in the form of first step, first word, first sentence,....he had the audacity to turn two , hmmmm , I just want to freeze the time and keep snuggling my Bubbles :) God bless you little one :).... </p><p>I baked his birthday cake this time since it was one of my goals this year. Also, not to mention, my first time frosting, decorating, etc. I must say I had fun while doing it, not to mention brainstorming myself for ideas haha :) The cake was a simple one, with no fancy filling. It was a Jungle/Spring combined theme birthday cake. I added certain flavor enhancers for added taste and moisture since I did not bake it from scratch. It tasted exactly the way I wanted, moist, and slight hints of the flavors I added. I will post the picture here, but if you need the recipe, please write to me. I wanted to post a longer one, but I am busy at moment. <br />
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVilwW30thd7nUA7koSrYyw56vYOgFiusIoNk0Huq_yVTW-6wBeTUahzDenZYwbxgFXHDz9NCydPzI0570rJ76KvjnCtIYwvKpVgF-iyPC1sAeZXsux7Koid0QyYTPQGkaHIPG/s1600/2%252520birthday_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVilwW30thd7nUA7koSrYyw56vYOgFiusIoNk0Huq_yVTW-6wBeTUahzDenZYwbxgFXHDz9NCydPzI0570rJ76KvjnCtIYwvKpVgF-iyPC1sAeZXsux7Koid0QyYTPQGkaHIPG/s640/2%252520birthday_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br />
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Enjoy the rest of your weekend :) <br />
MK<br />
</p>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-2699073184763399862013-04-02T12:31:00.000-04:002013-04-02T13:09:42.639-04:00Dal fry (restaurant style) <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqjfOPC0w8qjLP5RzGM9yM88d2Wwje8_W_tK3rCgQp6HgezU0oQSpgNZy6kBphpcdmwFKw_cxDPwpJvzJm3RXcqyWTBHsHTaz4L5gzUDRZUCP32O6ZEAz0FQvLAuw4ZGsQZSt/s1600/PicsArt_1364610166808.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqjfOPC0w8qjLP5RzGM9yM88d2Wwje8_W_tK3rCgQp6HgezU0oQSpgNZy6kBphpcdmwFKw_cxDPwpJvzJm3RXcqyWTBHsHTaz4L5gzUDRZUCP32O6ZEAz0FQvLAuw4ZGsQZSt/s640/PicsArt_1364610166808.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br /><p>The saying, "do not underestimate the flavor of simple food" is very appropriate for this side dish. I never used to even give a second thought or even glance when I saw dal fry in buffets or menus in a restaurant. What with all the other lip smacking names like "gobi manchurian", "paneer tikka masala", etc etc vying with each other to capture your undivided attention, truth be told, one can only contemplate the fate of dal fry who looks like "plane Jane" in this context. </p><p>"Really??, how did I miss this one?"...this was my reaction after I tasted dal fry for the first time in my life after I had to take care of the leftover food&#160; as part of a get together we had last year at our place... And the other factor was our munchkin loves dal based gravies so much , he relished this dish with gusto, though I had to refill his glass of water as it was quite spicy. Then and there I decided, Dal fry is a must try in my list of experiments to replicate restaurant style food. </p><p>So here goes my version where I have tried to get a restaurant style taste for the same:</p><p><br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br />
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<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj80QnFT3bCA8kgBFIOJSmEFTMohVT44DdBCwdmWajkXDWm6G5QBw5gKDeb2uIBIzTvuk-SwCVSOc4MR3IoFvKuzXtjnIEqzk67mYfXtORaC800_c9kXZpRTWZQZp8p0Lx_bh/s1600/PicsArt_1364609178448.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj80QnFT3bCA8kgBFIOJSmEFTMohVT44DdBCwdmWajkXDWm6G5QBw5gKDeb2uIBIzTvuk-SwCVSOc4MR3IoFvKuzXtjnIEqzk67mYfXtORaC800_c9kXZpRTWZQZp8p0Lx_bh/s640/PicsArt_1364609178448.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br />
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Ingredients:</p><p>Thur (toor) dal : 1 cup<br>Onion medium: 1 sliced thin<br>Tomato: 2 sliced<br>Ginger and garlic paste: 1 tspn each<br>Green chilli : 3 nos slit open (optional, I did not add, but it's really a flavor booster in dal fry according to me)<br>Salt</p><p>Spices:</p><p>1tspn each of coriander powder, garam masala powder<br>1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder<br>A pinch of hing</p><p>For tempering:</p><p>1 tablespoon ghee (or butter, but ghee is best for&#160; the flavor, you can melt the same amount of butter for a minute or two until it forms ghee...or refer my previous posts for making ghee in advance)<br>Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon<br>Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon<br>Hing: a pinch<br>Salt to flavor the ghee </p><p>How I made it:</p><p><br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbkgLK9YmTav4Xjy4QQT5Fc_nq8pCJ6szfKlQaJNXo2zBU8dDWVK11u-6hu6fTZZww7b3i4dnLJT5auaZGQfdiLdIapwS3BU0XcgKheig6ib-SVLo4ubA5rOeN18_I9Zc4JDJ/s1600/PicsArt_1364588597822.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbkgLK9YmTav4Xjy4QQT5Fc_nq8pCJ6szfKlQaJNXo2zBU8dDWVK11u-6hu6fTZZww7b3i4dnLJT5auaZGQfdiLdIapwS3BU0XcgKheig6ib-SVLo4ubA5rOeN18_I9Zc4JDJ/s640/PicsArt_1364588597822.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br />Soak the dal atleast an hour in warm water for faster soaking. It speeds the cooking process and gives a nice buttery texture of cooked dal.</p><p><br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBMQktgaEqhQtfymyeHZQSXmJJ5JUL27gFKCe-aymTbq-CpsHOvJfnTg7hZ4Fyc0NzNaXMQlMCln20_9Bih8dOBrpoueVHjdxjGLJOBiacJleNVTGGjPEEkFOK4FYcck6NFop/s1600/PicsArt_1364609577257.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBMQktgaEqhQtfymyeHZQSXmJJ5JUL27gFKCe-aymTbq-CpsHOvJfnTg7hZ4Fyc0NzNaXMQlMCln20_9Bih8dOBrpoueVHjdxjGLJOBiacJleNVTGGjPEEkFOK4FYcck6NFop/s640/PicsArt_1364609577257.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br />Then in a pressure cooker on medium heat (you may use a plain sauce pan, but it will take an hour to cook the dal well), add ghee, then the tempering ingredients, followed by green chilli,onion, ginger and garlic paste. Stir well until onion turns pink, then add the tomato, spices, and salt. Reduce heat a bit, and stir until the mixture reduces to a paste consistency. It will take around two minutes to achieve that. </p><p>Now add the soaked dal along with 4 cups water. Stir again. Check salt and cover pressure cooker. I allow four whistles on my pressure cooker. Switch off heat. Wait for the pressure to completely go away. Then open lid, stir everything well, check salt.</p><p><br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYL4Z8suIOhOdELSm3yAS1WfmgYcRFqjjT6mmtmL85Ih-KG89pdR4WjJb6AQ6-6gD7Jx2GxVsYRM8-wAHfPTfj102pFgBTy6F3HOzfIYGoDCLcSYneOOUHf-bA34YeY5pRZoc/s1600/PicsArt_1364609863278.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYL4Z8suIOhOdELSm3yAS1WfmgYcRFqjjT6mmtmL85Ih-KG89pdR4WjJb6AQ6-6gD7Jx2GxVsYRM8-wAHfPTfj102pFgBTy6F3HOzfIYGoDCLcSYneOOUHf-bA34YeY5pRZoc/s640/PicsArt_1364609863278.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br />I hope you will try this since it's easy and tasty and healthy. MK</p>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-55033601381033928682013-03-30T11:08:00.000-04:002013-03-30T11:08:25.594-04:00Canned Tuna and Coconut stir fry<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGTckfpRRse6rMY3RH45sx0AKE_3BtkyAiQucjCLfTgXbzyjhlIkkSL3KO-8Fv5GVp9RvCQizhPXvsLOBceTYD93g7OqoUBP0WH5QOmaEU31wgVeUnI5tn_ndxdnZguFVhNQD/s1600/PicsArt_1364608326790.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGTckfpRRse6rMY3RH45sx0AKE_3BtkyAiQucjCLfTgXbzyjhlIkkSL3KO-8Fv5GVp9RvCQizhPXvsLOBceTYD93g7OqoUBP0WH5QOmaEU31wgVeUnI5tn_ndxdnZguFVhNQD/s640/PicsArt_1364608326790.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br />
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<p>Trying to incorporate healthy foods in our family of three is a challenge I always have fun with. I have been weary to try canned grocery as they are notorious for their sodium content as well as other additives. Some of them though have been a staple in my kitchen after I tried them after much scrutinisation. </p><p>I am not a purist when it comes to cooking.I am all for easy to make, semi homemade, quickie cooking too as long as it doesnt make me compromise too much on the taste, nutrition value, and ofcourse the price :-) </p><p>After a chat with one of my friends who suggested that I need to have a section on "Bachelor cooking", I decided this is the perfect dish to start this section. I will be posting such dishes from time to time. </p><p>Canned Tuna was something I loathed when my better half bought it the first time years ago. As I told you in a previous post, he has this habit of picking up something new whenever he does the grocery shopping. </p><p>I was so fascinated reading the label on it where it tells about the omega 3 goodness in the canned tuna. Not to mention, the additional good things that I found after a thorough google search.Apparently canned tuna are one of the best foods that can be stocked during an emergency. But all in vain once I opened the can....since the whiff made me trash the entire can. </p><p>Fast forward to present..... I am eager to incorporate seafood into my munchkin's diet, since it's good in terms of nutrition value. I am not good at filleting fish or have the time to clean and cook seafood from scratch. Hence I decided to put the canned tuna to test. I added flavor enhancers and maskers to not make it taste like it came out of a can and I have to say it's now a hit with my boy and his dad :-) </p><p>So here is how I made it: </p><p>Ingredients:</p><p>2 canned tunas (the one in water is best as it has less sodium)</p><p>1 medium shallot sliced</p><p>2 tablespoons thinly sliced ginger (this gives the flavor boost according to me)</p><p>Grated coconut (fresh or thawed): 1/2 cup</p><p>Salt</p><p>Oil : 2 tablespoons</p><p>Spices:</p><p>Garam masala: 2 teaspoons divided</p><p>Coriander powder: 1 tspn</p><p>Cumin powder: 1/2 tspn </p><p>Red Chilli powder (according to your tolerance)</p><p>Hing (asafoetida) powder : 1/2 teaspoon </p><p>Turmeric powder: 1/4 teaspoon</p><p><br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSg7BV3DTS7X4Rbc4PjHmmJaKbH6YkKzQlibb8j74VsTQtRb19I-O-CAdoWdL21vdAHua1G9WWCltQrSpZmgi_hy33pj4pZfCRtfnvmg7ws2geJ9NagSNQTc584RcENAj52sXz/s1600/PicsArt_1364606367658.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSg7BV3DTS7X4Rbc4PjHmmJaKbH6YkKzQlibb8j74VsTQtRb19I-O-CAdoWdL21vdAHua1G9WWCltQrSpZmgi_hy33pj4pZfCRtfnvmg7ws2geJ9NagSNQTc584RcENAj52sXz/s640/PicsArt_1364606367658.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br />How to make:</p><p>Drain the water from the tuna can like this as shown in photo below. It's the most effective way.<br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4ZHJCjKHrMHnjjgfjaDd03H8FKznMbyeayoSA4CPBcghkjqtoiOxANVOC4myLsmoJMLU2GqTYsGSk2oTy9_EongGs-9XsSMS59uo3azgWUdfDpnHT_g3uAzpk7HDE95VSvEQ/s1600/PicsArt_1364607070351.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4ZHJCjKHrMHnjjgfjaDd03H8FKznMbyeayoSA4CPBcghkjqtoiOxANVOC4myLsmoJMLU2GqTYsGSk2oTy9_EongGs-9XsSMS59uo3azgWUdfDpnHT_g3uAzpk7HDE95VSvEQ/s640/PicsArt_1364607070351.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br /> Then transfer the tuna into a bowl. Add all the spices and a pinch of salt (not the amount to actually season, just a pinch for the flavors to mix), and grated coconut and mix well with a fork. </p><p><br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOLhtNRRdGfNAhbjZ_YuwWLAuB9f4_TRXXrmx6pd9gK703HP5LnRBWuQMLwHMefncYADIKzDII_I907piIUs8ytnvfCtbJSeZfEt-u5ulWl0NVuTO9US0a5KSxb4zSbmp-bcD/s1600/PicsArt_1364607937558.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOLhtNRRdGfNAhbjZ_YuwWLAuB9f4_TRXXrmx6pd9gK703HP5LnRBWuQMLwHMefncYADIKzDII_I907piIUs8ytnvfCtbJSeZfEt-u5ulWl0NVuTO9US0a5KSxb4zSbmp-bcD/s640/PicsArt_1364607937558.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br />In a frying pan or saute pan on medium heat, heat oil, a pinch of salt and hing (i like to flavor my oil with salt before hand since i feel it adds flavor) add shallot, and ginger. Saute until they brown lightly. Then lower heat to medium low, add 1 teaspoon garam masala, stir well say for a minute, then add the tuna mixture. Saute while breaking the mixture so as to mix everything well with the shallot and ginger. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala, and stir well, check for salt at this point. Keepimg heat at medium low, cover pan and let it cook for a minute.Lower the heat open the cover, stir for 15 seconds. Do a taste test if you are like me (while my boy says "meetth na" meaning not enough salt, even before he tastes anything these days, as he sees me taste testing :-P ). Switch off. </p><p><br /><br /> <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cWgu5P9yMAHV2_jN9VMf0cNIZyRBWLSaCnqOtpzHXtrqvgZoljLFU2HBiqyYvP63tkiTkszTefoJc2MsHUSgN5hEHfKxcaZ_wLba_h43UB57SZjsz5_ooIuXOjYwTWqKUMFT/s1600/PicsArt_1364608781466.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cWgu5P9yMAHV2_jN9VMf0cNIZyRBWLSaCnqOtpzHXtrqvgZoljLFU2HBiqyYvP63tkiTkszTefoJc2MsHUSgN5hEHfKxcaZ_wLba_h43UB57SZjsz5_ooIuXOjYwTWqKUMFT/s640/PicsArt_1364608781466.jpg' /> </a> </div> <br /><br />This goes well with a rice and dal combo since it makes a great stir fry with immense flavor of the ginger, tuna, and spices.</p><p>Did you like this post? Let me know :-) </p><p>Happy Easter !<br>MK</p>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-31433075155395715102013-03-26T23:27:00.001-04:002013-03-26T23:27:55.315-04:00Easy Coconut Milk Pie (no bake)<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicErmLtl7y65c3RB4Al7RHh3cejmtwq06EMAJcdEWyYmydgTg5vwxhYvZLwnYc4OFHD5reINJRbdi-CkA4Rt9Dgi92EUjkmi_tK1smnJfC_xY5cD0SYvhMO2Lw_Z4q4duNXdI7/s1600/PicsArt_1364351035395_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicErmLtl7y65c3RB4Al7RHh3cejmtwq06EMAJcdEWyYmydgTg5vwxhYvZLwnYc4OFHD5reINJRbdi-CkA4Rt9Dgi92EUjkmi_tK1smnJfC_xY5cD0SYvhMO2Lw_Z4q4duNXdI7/s640/PicsArt_1364351035395_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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Hello dear reader, <br/>
How was your past week? If you saw my update post, you will remember why I did not post last week. Well, things are not any better, but I have been evolving each time my baby is going through a growth spurt, it's just that it takes a bit of adjustment, and understanding , that period is the testing part. <br/>
Anyways, I am on a mission to lighten my overcrowded pantry, ... At this point I feel if I hoard anymore grocery in there (yes I am a hoarder of grocery, tch tch, not proud of it, but I admit it and vow to not do it again ,...infact I am scared to set foot in a supermarket now thinking I would be tempted to stock up again :-\ ...).... <br/>
Keeping that thought in mind, I decided to start with "getting rid of" the readymade pie crust and cans of coconut milk. I got this recipe from internet and with minor substitutions, it's easy peasy :-) <br/>
Here is what you need:<br/>
1 store bought ready to eat piecrust (I used a granola crust)<br/>
Filling:<br/>
3 cups coconut milk<br/>
3/4 cup granulated sugar<br/>
2 eggs beaten (iam guessing it can be made eggless if I add bit more of cornstarch , but I have not tried it)<br/>
1/2 cup cornstarch<br/>
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes<br/>
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br/>
Sliced almonds for garnish<br/>
How I made it:<br/>
Mix everything for the filling except coconut flakes and almonds in a medium saucepan. <br/>
Keep it on low fire and keep stirring until mixture starts thickening. I had to turn up the heat to medium after sometime since it was taking forever on low. But just make sure that there are no lumps, and the first sign of thickening, you turn it back to low. And keep stirring. Add the flakes at this point, stir. Switch off. Transfer to the pie crust. Chill atleast 5 hours or even overnight. Garnish with sliced almonds and Saffron.<br/>
<p><br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcb7ciaUHM58LgGaEqPeWsVbMA5db2WDQiIsqmVDXuZAN85m35rkJwdB7_cdkzigkkJztggBdnmOAUPhKmOxxYYPnq5R8QyXkpdMRb3Y3avaYCTnwSLdB-gDMgTF1rQ9FG0Hy/s1600/PicsArt_1364352276388_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcb7ciaUHM58LgGaEqPeWsVbMA5db2WDQiIsqmVDXuZAN85m35rkJwdB7_cdkzigkkJztggBdnmOAUPhKmOxxYYPnq5R8QyXkpdMRb3Y3avaYCTnwSLdB-gDMgTF1rQ9FG0Hy/s640/PicsArt_1364352276388_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
<br/>
Enjoy :)<br/>
<br/>
MK</p></div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-13979983795732677082013-03-23T22:04:00.001-04:002013-03-23T22:04:30.651-04:00An update.....<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Hey readers, I have been dealing with a cranky toddler, whose new sleep schedule is making me go bananas,... Hence the delay in blogging,... It's taking over my blogging time you know, and I am like a zombie during daytime with groggy eyes, and been very quite except when I have to pressurize my son to doing things like eating, and sleeping....But I am still trying out recipes, and cooking, so it won't take too long alright ? Meanwhile feel free to browse my oldies :-) .... And is there something you want to me blog about in particular with regard to food? Please let me know through the comment section :-)<br/>
<br/>
Ciao !<br/>
MK <br/>
<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3URAbCjgpCu4AcsXEJJ3Vmq3lgsMZTkCW-1UjoSE2KqXNwux6UmAAinh7FQHF7MreAKOxdQCb8DKTTuQDATZuawUKWrWfzy5YrSMZWtA79xd2VMaJFsIAEOkpM4l_bGzcBaD/s2560/1364090666367.jpeg' onblur='try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}'><img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3URAbCjgpCu4AcsXEJJ3Vmq3lgsMZTkCW-1UjoSE2KqXNwux6UmAAinh7FQHF7MreAKOxdQCb8DKTTuQDATZuawUKWrWfzy5YrSMZWtA79xd2VMaJFsIAEOkpM4l_bGzcBaD/s288/1364090666367.jpeg' style='display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 219px;'/></a></div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-50615731913015116062013-03-13T21:53:00.001-04:002013-03-13T22:02:28.780-04:00Making Ghee (Clarified Butter)<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIWNBU8Su6qNnO3ZgJJlMIFhFdyQOiTwp-yDTzTzzGOMgnngIpT4YLoxDsCL5qENxgnDXGZ4OhtR21dpMWWGDr1FV_U5ZrHiR72Vkrrlom35FScojpYmXlC7SqbMhL5eEPtTB/s1600/PicsArt_1363207413169_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIWNBU8Su6qNnO3ZgJJlMIFhFdyQOiTwp-yDTzTzzGOMgnngIpT4YLoxDsCL5qENxgnDXGZ4OhtR21dpMWWGDr1FV_U5ZrHiR72Vkrrlom35FScojpYmXlC7SqbMhL5eEPtTB/s640/PicsArt_1363207413169_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a><br/>
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There is something about motherhood that forces you to cook something you would otherwise keep at bay. That "was" Ghee for me. I am not a big fan of butter or ghee, yogurt, milk. But that does not mean I would want the same for my baby, though I can surely empathize with people who have the same dislikes in terms of food as me. But as any mother would do, I too don't sit back and hope he should follow in my footsteps in terms of such things, infact I too coax, trick, and try other ways to make him healthier. I am sure most parents agree with me :-) <br/>
<br/>
Ghee is also popularly known as Clarified butter. It's the liquid that's left after all milk solids that eventually collect at the bottom as sediments turn a golden hue (got that description from a facebook group friend who offered several other tips which I would be sharing here)<br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXbZrWzMSbCRrbdnlLA39wLueDLcLxboeQzvSpHZ4BPTGbFFy3bmKDqCYo1I6ezDcyKvIi4ARKziRkQcMte_eoBvmyQ-HssTip_iak3wbzheqUzXr3kUuCVwOKJQRAEANU77l/s1600/PicsArt_1363190250469_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXbZrWzMSbCRrbdnlLA39wLueDLcLxboeQzvSpHZ4BPTGbFFy3bmKDqCYo1I6ezDcyKvIi4ARKziRkQcMte_eoBvmyQ-HssTip_iak3wbzheqUzXr3kUuCVwOKJQRAEANU77l/s640/PicsArt_1363190250469_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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The method I used here is not traditional way which I am not that familiar with. Though my mother used to often make it, I used to pinch my nose and stay as far away from the "aroma". I didn't even bother knowing how it was made, let alone get a whiff ! <br/>
<br/>
So, though I am still not into ghee, for the sake of my bub, I made this the "easy" way :-) , and that's with store bought unsalted butter.<br/>
<br/>
It's pretty easy , the steps are self explanatory from the pictures I have posted in collage form, but I will describe it for your convenience :-) <br/>
<br/>
Ingredients<br/>
<br/>
4 sticks unsalted butter (need not be at room temperature)<br/>
<br/>
Optional ingredients: (I haven't used these, but got tips from experienced people who advised that it will enhance flavor, fragrance, and shelf life)<br/>
<br/>
Salt (tiny pinch), Drumstick tree leaves, Curry leaves <br/>
<br/>
Note: make sure everything from vessel, spoon, to leaves don't have even minute trace of moisture before starting to make ghee, else ghee will turn bad. <br/>
<br/>
How I made it :<br/>
<br/>
Keep a vessel at medium high and let it heat to vaporise any trace of water. Then lower heat to low (I kept mine between gas setting 1 and 2 the entire time while making ghee)<br/>
<br/>
If you want, cut the butter in chunks for faster melting, and then add it to the vessel. Now wait until the butter melts completely and starts foaming. <br/>
You will here crackling sounds which indicates the milk solids in the butter heating up. The foam at this stage will be all over the top. Just wait patiently as this will take a while, (it took almost 20 minutes with very occasional stirring) but eventually it will thin out and you will notice the foam separating. If you use a spoon to slowly separate the foam, you will be able to see the yellow liquid (ghee) floating and the milk solids collected at the bottom. Do not at any stage, rush the cooking by increasing the heat. I learned that the hard way after I burnt the milk solids and it lend a bitter, unpleasant after taste and even smell, the first time I made ghee. <br/>
<br/>
As you can see from the first collage here, the bubbles slowly reduce and the yellow liquid completely separates from the golden colored milk solids collected at the bottom. Wait until most of the foam is gone. It took another 10 minutes for me. <br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xINarJvVrzU34X93ZTn7xu0NJodUYWgkDXwayZTQa6OfHMeL2TtjWZ9Gvo3V7yVsz-qrYom0rWXMnGNPLMWzpS-U3p8tm3BmXIqytSqci45iXBKDUbTpPX-juU8QCbIqKVck/s1600/PicsArt_1363207674886_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xINarJvVrzU34X93ZTn7xu0NJodUYWgkDXwayZTQa6OfHMeL2TtjWZ9Gvo3V7yVsz-qrYom0rWXMnGNPLMWzpS-U3p8tm3BmXIqytSqci45iXBKDUbTpPX-juU8QCbIqKVck/s640/PicsArt_1363207674886_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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At this point, when you are just about to switch off the flame, add a tiny pinch of salt, the leaves, and then switch off flame. Let the ghee cool just a bit. Then pour it through a filter into a clean, well dry bottle (refer my second collage). <br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkfTmYwn6gIFaIjNTDjGjCpa60hy9n_ahG_yOw6suO1QecHdCJOfTBoaSZcsVF-IKzXhmg_Uy6lOjNgjiqeZtICo1NH4Sg9DBQ2yyGXx87G1afuxJvMhDJM6OUk5GnxF34nlv/s1600/PicsArt_1363207893933_wm_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkfTmYwn6gIFaIjNTDjGjCpa60hy9n_ahG_yOw6suO1QecHdCJOfTBoaSZcsVF-IKzXhmg_Uy6lOjNgjiqeZtICo1NH4Sg9DBQ2yyGXx87G1afuxJvMhDJM6OUk5GnxF34nlv/s640/PicsArt_1363207893933_wm_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
<br/>
I apologize for the shaky pictures, as I was trying to be smart, clicking pictures with a cranky bub. Wrong move from my part I say :-\ please don't ever do that, I would never do it again, it's like my heart was pounding, but I so wanted to get it over with.<br/>
<br/>
So once you finished straining the ghee, wait for it to cool completely before putting the lid and storing away in a cool place (not in the refrigerator). It will get hard and solidify as it cools, but that's normal. <br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGMp7Csa8SmLO4iITogjHOX1rxAQTQuP-Rh3ViXDxv0w0VB9eRSmlB1vN0hyphenhyphenP9KBlJJZTNXJocjBUe7lQ-Sr0NYobHaQCcpLH6-_Cc1QhxEDS5lOYjGPNrRwErsdUW7cFjrZr/s1600/PicsArt_1363188704196_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGMp7Csa8SmLO4iITogjHOX1rxAQTQuP-Rh3ViXDxv0w0VB9eRSmlB1vN0hyphenhyphenP9KBlJJZTNXJocjBUe7lQ-Sr0NYobHaQCcpLH6-_Cc1QhxEDS5lOYjGPNrRwErsdUW7cFjrZr/s640/PicsArt_1363188704196_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
<br/>
You may use this ghee to make sweets, or in hot steaming rice , side dishes to enhance the smell, and taste. Also it's found to have medicinal properties that it's been used with ayurvedic medicine. I can personally vouch for that during my childhood days ;-) <br/>
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Did you like this post? Please let me know your views, so that next time I can write a better one :-) , or if you love it, please tell me that too, you know I just love hearing from you :-) ! <br/>
MK :-)</div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-77241368366123260352013-03-11T05:53:00.000-04:002013-03-11T05:59:18.166-04:00Adzuki Beans (Red Chori) dumpling <div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJNIuSNeWEQz9PX0lU3gnL6yZEYYrH1RdJTU8ciZQ7EKQ_e4XWuIEHNrU9vaJGU1IZy4GW9NI2FLPZbnaFoC0NCkaemO4h6ITpNRkme-dybkzylEsny1QMiu43RIojK3VQJOS/s1600/PicsArt_1362987519582_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJNIuSNeWEQz9PX0lU3gnL6yZEYYrH1RdJTU8ciZQ7EKQ_e4XWuIEHNrU9vaJGU1IZy4GW9NI2FLPZbnaFoC0NCkaemO4h6ITpNRkme-dybkzylEsny1QMiu43RIojK3VQJOS/s640/PicsArt_1362987519582_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div><br />
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Hello dear reader :-) <br />
How was your weekend? We had awesome weather here, especially yesterday. Got bub's haircut done two days back. Now he looks all ready for spring :-) ...on a side note: I can't stop kissing his chubby hands :-)<br />
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<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HHIP0mT9cRh8dxwYzOJE8dNah-ljwee_w2bDQvXeb17cAvR17Cw0ef9DxVJv5EmkbZuEPkuZVm1GEIwNpCCYgYUYO-jasg1J_s5HFFu8Dd361EtU-h1kmoBGS-57SGRFYZ2N/s1600/PicsArt_1362946604945_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HHIP0mT9cRh8dxwYzOJE8dNah-ljwee_w2bDQvXeb17cAvR17Cw0ef9DxVJv5EmkbZuEPkuZVm1GEIwNpCCYgYUYO-jasg1J_s5HFFu8Dd361EtU-h1kmoBGS-57SGRFYZ2N/s640/PicsArt_1362946604945_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div><br />
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So coming to this recipe, it's something I made up along the way while trying innovative ways to finish a plethora of legumes lying around in my pantry just begging me to pick them up, each time I scavenge there to pick something quicker to cook, such as a can of coconut milk for eg. <br />
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So in an effort to do something about it, I soaked these Adzuki beans, as the first step in any legumes cooking, which needs soaking. I was confident I could come up with something as my Mung Bean pancakes were a success. <br />
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The next day, I drained and saved the water in which the beans were soaked. Then I grinded coconut first , added the beans next, and ground everything to a smooth batter with not too much water, as the beans itself gives out water while grinding and it does not get clumpy unlike ground rice. <br />
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<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIij99hgkOJjYRNhpT5xyQD_072bBIbjAactsFN7acQNmiJU2H5LtFRq_Cstw3AGO3Yov53dn1YE0xvM5zyfEJYzx0vAdiokgB33ZjqPUIGoavysR0DL5Z-NKGSGTfiL6nNIOj/s1600/PicsArt_1362988849224_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIij99hgkOJjYRNhpT5xyQD_072bBIbjAactsFN7acQNmiJU2H5LtFRq_Cstw3AGO3Yov53dn1YE0xvM5zyfEJYzx0vAdiokgB33ZjqPUIGoavysR0DL5Z-NKGSGTfiL6nNIOj/s640/PicsArt_1362988849224_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div><br />
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Then I let the batter sit for a while, after which I added some shredded cabbage and spinach for crunch and taste. Mixed until everything got incorporated. Checked for salt. And made dumplings using the Idli steamer. It was a hit with my dears at home who were after me to make more "illi" (as bub calls it )<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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Adzuki beans (red chori) : 1 cup<br />
Water to soak beans<br />
Shredded Coconut : 2/3 cup<br />
Cumin seeds: 1 tablespoon<br />
Dry red chilli/chilli powder : as pet your taste<br />
Hing : two teaspoons<br />
Salt<br />
<br />
Shredded cabbage/Spinach or both : optional<br />
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How I made:<br />
<br />
Soak the beans overnight, or until all beans are well soaked. Drain water and reserve.<br />
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First grind the coconut, chilli, and cumin along with a few tablespoons of water sufficient enough for the motor to run and grind it to a smooth paste, it's ok if a tiny bit of chunky piece is left, but not too much<br />
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Note: It's critical to grind the coconut alone first (not along with beans) to get the soft chewy texture of the dumpling.<br />
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Then add the beans and grind well, you may even do it in batches. Just make sure the beans is really ground well, (it's important that the beans are well soaked just for this purpose to get a good ground batter, else be prepared to bite into unsavory stone like bits of not-so-well-soaked beans)<br />
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Now add hing, check for salt. Let the batter sit for say just 30 minutes (for getting soft chewy dumplings). <br />
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Then add cabbage and spinach.Check for salt. Drop tablespoons full into Idli moulds and steam for 20 minutes. Now, when you open the lid, you might feel the batter is still not cooked, but if the top feels just ever so lightly hard, it's indication to the doneness. This is because, as it cools outside the steamer, it hardens, but not that hard, it gets chewy but still soft and did I forget to say "yummmm" :-) <br />
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<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSBHm1AEUU7JiKU3qZ1P4yMmmeea8JLJleLhCSxbzj0fVl9pYaGYLEjLHqrZcptXlyuRnZAIMzMo8IkiW91qtqwO2GODB8oAY8rU1qForJKmdQzhzjYKOYCAIPR8yFlsiVkd_/s1600/PicsArt_1362988394701_wm_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSBHm1AEUU7JiKU3qZ1P4yMmmeea8JLJleLhCSxbzj0fVl9pYaGYLEjLHqrZcptXlyuRnZAIMzMo8IkiW91qtqwO2GODB8oAY8rU1qForJKmdQzhzjYKOYCAIPR8yFlsiVkd_/s640/PicsArt_1362988394701_wm_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div><br />
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Have a wonderful week ! :-) <br />
MKkraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-46619349913526187802013-03-02T03:06:00.001-05:002013-03-02T03:06:37.529-05:00Shrikhand <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cuBgGRAN_WHjoqLX8XbRCXRTlLKZCoyiXUiNBjOGQr8a4525K_GHfO06OnQlhs-6AqMyN5lkNBKLDJjLw077YLoAphaXX067BPJOIrdK4jSmL92_sWggCrmELBr7SqZvWrJ4/s1600/PicsArt_1362070838043_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cuBgGRAN_WHjoqLX8XbRCXRTlLKZCoyiXUiNBjOGQr8a4525K_GHfO06OnQlhs-6AqMyN5lkNBKLDJjLw077YLoAphaXX067BPJOIrdK4jSmL92_sWggCrmELBr7SqZvWrJ4/s640/PicsArt_1362070838043_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a><br/>
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I don't know why I never tried making this "sweet"y ;-) before ? Oh I remember now,...a wrong (read "nothing like what it's supposed to taste") one at the right time made me biased against this immensely flavorful , yet open to various modifications to make it a healthy treat without losing it's charm, dessert. The saying "first impression matters" was all true when it came to my view of shrikhand. With an intriguing name, that I came across a magazine during high school, I always wanted to taste it. The only not so appeasing thing to me about it during that time was the main ingredient in it - yogurt that is, you see I am not a big fan of dairy if it does not have any masking flavors, it's the smell and taste that is a turn off, ....my mom had a hard time making me eat ghee/butter/milk during childhood, and the fact that my tastebuds were advanced (probably in today's percentile crazy world, I probably would have measured the 90 th percentile for tastebuds , if there is such a thing as tastebud percentile :-P )....and the above mentioned "wrong thing at right time" scenario didn't do any good. Fast forward to present, when I tasted it just few months back. I was hooked ;-) lol....Thanks to hub's sweet tooth ! To sweeten the deal, bub too loved it :-) <br/>
<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4fuFhA7Y4BU_7VHWcJrgDVST42tISImIzfy3CuQvOhXZGEhlvgnl6WXD9KX3zuQwRKO-wqCPdbEMbSj56Ju1Jky1oGj4qHDst6wbipIBTRnu5KwdXQQRrFg-DgejUX2jxarP/s1600/PicsArt_1362197435201_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4fuFhA7Y4BU_7VHWcJrgDVST42tISImIzfy3CuQvOhXZGEhlvgnl6WXD9KX3zuQwRKO-wqCPdbEMbSj56Ju1Jky1oGj4qHDst6wbipIBTRnu5KwdXQQRrFg-DgejUX2jxarP/s640/PicsArt_1362197435201_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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Hence I decided to try it to make it healthier than their sugar rich store bought counterpart. However I did notice that if you skimp too much on the sugar part, it ends up tasting like just plain yogurt, which was not my goal. So I added sugar according to my taste. It might differ from yours, so I am not mentioning the measurement here. In fact I didn't measure anything, and I didn't need to. It's that easy, and versatile, after the initial yogurt processing step. <br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii73c-JFc3LrGk5ipGMXUioLNaLPONdab-ia1N3nZCi7vRgvCd4DXwWK6FQRThaZDCLkYiDcCdsjcePJVkOZjBUXboKRcbCTdde7MGVWH6c1TlNhxL8PAHdalh6jx13EcT0zyg/s1600/PicsArt_1362071675176_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii73c-JFc3LrGk5ipGMXUioLNaLPONdab-ia1N3nZCi7vRgvCd4DXwWK6FQRThaZDCLkYiDcCdsjcePJVkOZjBUXboKRcbCTdde7MGVWH6c1TlNhxL8PAHdalh6jx13EcT0zyg/s640/PicsArt_1362071675176_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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How I made it:<br/>
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Shrikhand is a dessert made with hung yogurt. As you can see from the picture, it's the creamy , spreadable yogurt that's left after all water is strained from yogurt. <br/>
- I used a cheesecloth, dumped the entire container of yoghurt in the cheesecloth that was positioned carefully atop another vessel so as to avoid any messes. <br/>
<br/>
-Then I carefully gathered up the edges of the cheesecloth and tied one of it's edges around the gathered cloth<br/>
- Then I hung it from the tap to put it under pressure just like making paneer.<br/>
- I let it strain overnight, but no more as then it will cause the yogurt to turn sour. <br/>
<br/>
It looks like paneer (cottage cheese), but nothing like that otherwise in terms of texture or taste. So once this hung yogurt is obtained, the next step is to whip it well with everything that goes into it...<br/>
-I whipped it with some powdered sugar and a bit of granulated sugar, a teaspoon of sour cream if desired, nuts, fresh or canned fruits like mango, pineapple, cherry, saffron, cardamom powder. I also added a generous tablespoon of pure vanilla extract :-) ....like I said you can add your own twist to it.<br/>
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But don't by any chance ruin this by whipping with a blender or any machine. Your hands would serve the purpose here if you catch my drift.<br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDqi_vUfgr_4jMfiYzQHEyR5Cga5dQPYkXtk3D8wn3UM3OExFeo1aoJBiE5oAplDrLevSJDKs-blUc5aDT3CeJtHEZPrzefKeIER2o7KVbX5hxgMvNFyRwF2x6zmO-ODAvKog/s1600/PicsArt_1362103785075_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDqi_vUfgr_4jMfiYzQHEyR5Cga5dQPYkXtk3D8wn3UM3OExFeo1aoJBiE5oAplDrLevSJDKs-blUc5aDT3CeJtHEZPrzefKeIER2o7KVbX5hxgMvNFyRwF2x6zmO-ODAvKog/s640/PicsArt_1362103785075_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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- Once everything is whipped, refrigerate atleast two hours. <br/>
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This last step alone, in my opinion, is what causes magic and transforms yogurt to Shrikhand :-) ,....you ask me why? Coz otherwise it tastes like plain flavored yogurt. I was initially disappointed that all my anticipation and efforts went in vain before I refrigerated it. So that's why I am telling you again, "Refrigerate it" :-) <br/>
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One thing I learned which would better equip me next time : Make more of it ! :-) seriously readers I tell you , this one is a keeper in my make once a week recipe. I can't tell you how glad I was to see my bub having it without spitting out the nuts I added in it. He licked the spoon clean, and to think all those active cultures in the yogurt went inside his tummy made me giddy happy :-) <br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIYFCw85Jrxujc9rqPbapChfSeTV3kxKvevoCChYe6GeGckk3b8Y3_chZ0_y20w2LgpeX8paYc7p_nhwRmtuB5QlZnK5pYvGphg9xBmzqDMAYcLvliQsg_gWmOc7gaCgLj-Zl/s1600/PicsArt_1362196607105_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIYFCw85Jrxujc9rqPbapChfSeTV3kxKvevoCChYe6GeGckk3b8Y3_chZ0_y20w2LgpeX8paYc7p_nhwRmtuB5QlZnK5pYvGphg9xBmzqDMAYcLvliQsg_gWmOc7gaCgLj-Zl/s640/PicsArt_1362196607105_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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So did I inspire you enough to give it a try? <br/>
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Well here is another one ;-) ....<br/>
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<a style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;' imageanchor='1' href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E_p-WG4ikDhTH2UF1Y7C_aWseVojrgqwlT8VCVYeDsHuMrTuSkyJJm5d08EmnuHRQjWS1tjmPH8IJE8XT3Hi6nZwDBfeakkLK1OdcX642Kfy8WZvT5yHWH4o3i-YYfvXMTgJ/s1600/PicsArt_1362103221381_wm.jpg'> <img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E_p-WG4ikDhTH2UF1Y7C_aWseVojrgqwlT8VCVYeDsHuMrTuSkyJJm5d08EmnuHRQjWS1tjmPH8IJE8XT3Hi6nZwDBfeakkLK1OdcX642Kfy8WZvT5yHWH4o3i-YYfvXMTgJ/s640/PicsArt_1362103221381_wm.jpg' border='0'/> </a> <br/>
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Have a great weekend :-) <br/>
MK</div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-12929843189591932132013-02-25T16:49:00.000-05:002013-02-26T08:53:29.691-05:00Banana Flower stir fry<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTN8_I6X4U0X8UhSzPqEiR8STWeFfNIqxVqFtGfax8zISB040yFy26WABk45bZ-TbT0n-dhwg6H2jG51whLuPprMZmWHoM9vbCMJ7pdX5JOjCQOVcREuOtb70M-Fws9-V_UCS/s1600/PicsArt_1361721899495.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTN8_I6X4U0X8UhSzPqEiR8STWeFfNIqxVqFtGfax8zISB040yFy26WABk45bZ-TbT0n-dhwg6H2jG51whLuPprMZmWHoM9vbCMJ7pdX5JOjCQOVcREuOtb70M-Fws9-V_UCS/s640/PicsArt_1361721899495.jpg' /> </a> <br />
Hey dear readers, how was your weekend? Here it snowed a bit, weatherwise (is there even a word like that??...but you got the meaning right? ;-) <br />
Me and Bub have not been keeping well from last month. In other words or in my Hub's words, it's a case of "Ping Pong ball". Meaning, we have been transferring our stuffy nose and coughs for a while now. Just when I thought Bub was over his cold, I just transferred mine (which I caught from him apparently)....hmm, well yesterday was the worse of the lot , and hopefully this will go away in another few days...<br />
Hub has this way of shopping groceries where he picks up some unique product which both of us have no clue about, and would curiously wait to see what I make out of it. He leaves the R & D part of the product to me. There were successful ones that have since been a staple , and some others that still intrigues us and they eventually&#160;either rots in refrigerator making their way to the trash can, or gets bumps and bruises by being used as a pretend play toy by Bub when I run out of ideas :-P <br />
One of the successful ones is the Swiss Chard, they were pretty easy to figure out, and have been a staple ever since. Some that got the fag end of the deal from me includes Belgian Endives ,.... after I used it, the taste was not something I could adjust even on a parched and hungry day. It might have something to do with the way I cooked or the seasoning I added (or the lack of it in both cases :-\ ...Either ways, it's never made a re entry again, lol. Do you have a mystery ingredient that made it or didn't make it ? I would love to hear all about it :-) <br />
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<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnxaC8N9Qm7cA5x5yBHhoWcy0yH-rDAcHDfQOVujksWDAv4zwp_Lx9_19KbhFDjbJddCdh3sZpM5Fu2UAaopzzmZpttpqTfZf8Bc5kPs6777LWV7klDTrwcP68i2Op7nt2zg1/s1600/PicsArt_1361676868137.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnxaC8N9Qm7cA5x5yBHhoWcy0yH-rDAcHDfQOVujksWDAv4zwp_Lx9_19KbhFDjbJddCdh3sZpM5Fu2UAaopzzmZpttpqTfZf8Bc5kPs6777LWV7klDTrwcP68i2Op7nt2zg1/s640/PicsArt_1361676868137.jpg' /> </a> <br />
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All this talk about unique and mystery ingredients has nothing to do with today's post about Banana Flower, since it's something I grew up seeing, tasting, playing etc....But to those who have never seen, heard or used it, it can very well be a mystery ingredient and the chances of it ending up in trash due to insufficient knowledge of handling/cooking it is relatively high :-).....So my intention here is to give a step step pictorial representation, from handling it, to cooking it to delicate perfection :-) (yes you read it right, "delicate perfection", meaning it doesn't need any roasting or super high flame to roast it , unlike what the pic of a Banana Flower might make you believe....read on so that you might not end up tossing it away just yet :-) ....<br />
<p>"Banana Flower" is the dark magenta colored conical thing that you can see on a Banana plant. You may refer wikipedia for all kinda scientific information and terms that might describe it to you. But I was not satisfied or even understood half of the scientific jargons.on wiki this time. Hence I googled further and found this <a href="http:// http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/t0308e/T0308E03.htm">website</a> extremely well explaining it in simple words. It's basically the male bud characterized by it's red/magenta color and conical shape. </p>It would be incomplete and unfair if I didn't mention that I could not have done the preparation , cooking etc without Bub "helping" me :-) ,you can see his hands doing some serious scrubbing in one of the pics, while playing with the petals in another :-) <br />
How to prepare the Banana Flower for cooking: <br />
Note: This process can stain your hands and maybe clothes, so take precautions accordingly. Also it's quite labor intensive, so it's not for a time pressed day.<br />
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<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0Zs36-OimALyxkVcM5T5aOta2PkFSde0E2dbLowaoWVQth5R0IyKBk-GoaBQ4unFrWI-z0lQuyqLlQR3y7GNDDmXNrIdC-HJptn8DVM14dWjAYFiCmq-3tw0GDcoJl3sPMqU/s1600/PicsArt_1361674081562.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0Zs36-OimALyxkVcM5T5aOta2PkFSde0E2dbLowaoWVQth5R0IyKBk-GoaBQ4unFrWI-z0lQuyqLlQR3y7GNDDmXNrIdC-HJptn8DVM14dWjAYFiCmq-3tw0GDcoJl3sPMqU/s640/PicsArt_1361674081562.jpg' /> </a> <br />
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Start by peeling of one petal at a time. You will see a neatly arranged layer of finger shaped flowers. Pluck them together away with care. You basically don't use the purple petals, only the finger shaped flowers , that has to undergo some more preparation. Keep peeling the petal, and the flowers. What you will notice is that the petals , flowers, and thereby the cone gets lighter and lighter in color. Continue until the petals can no longer be peeled away. Do not discard of what remains of the cone (cut the stalk at the base of the cone at this point, it's not used for cooking like the petals). The cone can be chopped into smaller bits to be used in the stir fry. <br />
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<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjbIihHTN9y9FmBK1gSgo43MTSqR8BxVyCH_3IN-oFTZ-7rIqjy_gbOQC19ViF2E5Bl59TkcURzzJueJQZTI6KI9fVJdL9B-UwDsMYHjksRUtzefXF2H0Rit5N48Z_HIqP06Y/s1600/PicsArt_1361675707783.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjbIihHTN9y9FmBK1gSgo43MTSqR8BxVyCH_3IN-oFTZ-7rIqjy_gbOQC19ViF2E5Bl59TkcURzzJueJQZTI6KI9fVJdL9B-UwDsMYHjksRUtzefXF2H0Rit5N48Z_HIqP06Y/s640/PicsArt_1361675707783.jpg' /> </a><br />
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Remember I mentioned that the flowers too gets lighter in color? They also get too delicate to dissect with hands. Why I mentioned the dissect part is because, there is a stalk inside each one of those flowers, that needs to be discarded, else can completely spoil the dish. It's distinguished from the rest of the stalks by a round nub like tip (you can see that I marked this stalk in the pic) . Just pluck them out and away from the flower. Do this for all the dark colored flowers. The ones inside the lighter ones are tender and don't matter when it's cooked. <br />
Once this is done, the preparation part is as good as over, ....just mince the prepared flowers. Add the flowers and the chopped cone in lots of water. Swirl with your hands to separate any debris. Discard the water. Do this three times to get rid of dirt and maybe a bit of the sticky sap like residue.<br />
<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh9ji-6mr92DecUGpCz_I5_RKnaajyRJmZs9opHwITlKNR7Xsa0IgX70pSsbmBSBnL9tpMr5TDetMGYbfXyEcDmtNIdFb-suz8fF_r7crlV6dbVQW9UbdWMr8daxIgnwP1auW/s1600/PicsArt_1361674651586.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh9ji-6mr92DecUGpCz_I5_RKnaajyRJmZs9opHwITlKNR7Xsa0IgX70pSsbmBSBnL9tpMr5TDetMGYbfXyEcDmtNIdFb-suz8fF_r7crlV6dbVQW9UbdWMr8daxIgnwP1auW/s640/PicsArt_1361674651586.jpg' /> </a> <br />
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How to make stir fry:<br />
You need these ingredients:<br />
Grated coconut: 1/2 cup<br />
Garlic minced : 1 tablespoon<br />
A pinch of turmeric, hing, and salt to flavor oil<br />
1 teaspoon mustard seeds<br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
Salt<br />
<br />
<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nxeuwd8QBggbWYjV0OZna09pwmaJtIl3HstznDAJ-uE-wQ8-wX73fHzekjdhlTWQ3rOuFmOoj7Ue69Z28y5HJM7cbt-NJf5Q3MvgTclZmQCtnpIzVVGzKuC4qSt8hCcEV3xl/s1600/CAM01104_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nxeuwd8QBggbWYjV0OZna09pwmaJtIl3HstznDAJ-uE-wQ8-wX73fHzekjdhlTWQ3rOuFmOoj7Ue69Z28y5HJM7cbt-NJf5Q3MvgTclZmQCtnpIzVVGzKuC4qSt8hCcEV3xl/s640/CAM01104_wm.jpg' /> </a><br />
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In a pan heat oil, and reduce flame to medium. Splutter mustard seeds, a pinch of chilli powder, and hing (asafoetida), and pinch of salt to flavor the oil. Add the minced ingredients, and a pinch.of turmeric. You may also add a teaspoon of minced garlic for extra taste :-) .Cover and cook until it's lost the raw flavor (it tastes extremely starchy while raw, think raw potato), and after cooking, tastes less starchy, yes that's all I can come up with to describe it's taste.It tastes great with grated coconut. <br />
So once it's all cooked, add grated coconut, mix well, then cover and let it cook another minute for the flavors to infuse. Check for salt. And it's ready to serve with hot rice, and dal. <br />
Hope this post has inspired you to try this vegetable. And it's less a mystery than before ? :-) <br />
Happy experimenting !<br />
MKkraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-55498988287387264992013-02-19T13:29:00.001-05:002013-02-19T14:38:12.754-05:00Green Mung Bean Pancake <p><br>
It feels like I have been sick almost every month this winter. And because my little one just doesn't understand the meaning of "let me take a breather" yet (though he is slowly getting aware that it's not much fun when I am not well), it feels like a drag to do everyday chores. Why , oh, why does the cold virus have to be this adamant and nasty !! ? It's come to a point where no amount of chinese take outs , soups are making the mark they should when one falls sick (you know what I mean, don't you?)...</p>
<p>The thing about Parenting I learnt through this experiencd is, you can't just take a decision like " I am not feeling upto it today, so I won't do it. I am going to sleep to oblivion today " , and neither will this kinda thought, cut it : " Maybe I will just order from out just until I feel better ", no....coz, (1) There is a pair of little hands and feet all excited about playing peekaboo (2) take outs works for max two afternoons, then it's just "blah" for little tastebuds :-P .....hmm</p>
<p>So with these thoughts, I decided to go the middle way, do something easy as well as healthy . These whole green Moong Bean pancakes are super easy because the batter does not need fermentation, and it's tasty and loaded with fiber and nutrients (did I get your attention now ? ;-) , well then read on.....</p>
<p>I had posted the recipe of lentil pancakes a very long time back. This one is different though, since it has Mung Bean as the main ingredient than several lentils. Infact it's a cup of mung beans, and a little less than1/4 cup of rice ground with onion and ginger for the awesome flavor. You can sprout the Mung Bean if you like before grinding it (though it will take few says), or buy sprouted ones (according to me, not worth buying as it's every bit expensive, when you can as easily sprout at home). </p>
<p>I made these Pancakes today and topped it with sliced onion before flipping it to cook both sides. It was very well enjoyed by me and bub.</p>
<p>Here goes the recipe:</p>
<p>To soak together:</p>
<p>1 cup Green Mung Bean<br>
White rice : 2 tablespoons</p>
<p>To grind with the above soaked ingredients:</p>
<p>1/2 cup sliced onion<br>
1 tablespoon ginger minced<br>
Salt<br>
Leftover Cooked rice : 1 cup (optional, but I believe, helps crisp the pancake)</p>
<p>Water: just enough to run your grinder or blender.</p>
<p>How to make the batter:</p>
<p>Make sure the beans and rice are soaked atleast until the beans look well hydrated. I soaked overnight to make things easier. Grind everything to a smooth batter. </p>
<p>How to make pancakes: </p>
<p>The batter will be thick, bit spreadable. I will share a tip that works everytime for me when I make "dosa" or Indian Pancakes. I hope it works for you too. <br>
Make sure your (nonstick) pan is fairly hot, not very very hot (else the batter will disintegrate while spreading), but  medium high hot. Then reduce the burner to low, just before dropping the batter and spreading. Once you finish spreading in concentric circles starting from center, again increase the heat back to medium high. </p>
<p>Arrange few thin slices of onion when the batter is still raw so that the onion sticks. Apply few drops of oil along sides and few drops on top. Cover for few seconds (10-15), uncover, if the edges start looking a little more than light brown , flip over to cook the other side. Reduce heat. Then fold it and stack it on a plate. Don't forget to again crank up the heat before making the rest of the pancakes the same way.</p>
<p>These go well with Ginger chutney, Coconut chutney or Sambar. But we enjoyed it as it is for breakfast. Bub enjoyed it with his cup of "Meekkh" (as in milk ;-) and I enjoyed it with my Ginger - Lemongrass chai :-) </p>
<p>Hope you liked this post as much as I loved sharing it with you :-) </p>
<p>Stay warm this remaining winter dear readers :-) ..... Spring is not far far ahead !</p>
<p>Cheers<br>
MK :-) </p>
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text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cG88r6Ts7XOhTCcxayY87qlBAj6w8Vs5lDlQoufpbjj-we92VcWm4OdKU8DR3PpgnDDqJ11UVdMFahGWgq4R9X8rvUf2YQ5iGV83KlWS5mx8HU0DvWJKUemSpPCDPU2FqCFk/s1600/PicsArt_1361299124291_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cG88r6Ts7XOhTCcxayY87qlBAj6w8Vs5lDlQoufpbjj-we92VcWm4OdKU8DR3PpgnDDqJ11UVdMFahGWgq4R9X8rvUf2YQ5iGV83KlWS5mx8HU0DvWJKUemSpPCDPU2FqCFk/s640/PicsArt_1361299124291_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_liWWEYsWEMCavJW0dGcabq_laYJaa6MIq_gd8a2RUlpdVeDis4XaQjvnBjUOZU-Pvxmqgc3saz862llg3BGjFgpiya_mZrJPq5EXBjqlqyDMoEBVQVWFGPmDzeqVMYu37deb/s1600/CAM01088.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_liWWEYsWEMCavJW0dGcabq_laYJaa6MIq_gd8a2RUlpdVeDis4XaQjvnBjUOZU-Pvxmqgc3saz862llg3BGjFgpiya_mZrJPq5EXBjqlqyDMoEBVQVWFGPmDzeqVMYu37deb/s640/CAM01088.jpg' /> </a> </div>kraftanganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712322579414291718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-38766587828241261062013-02-14T18:33:00.002-05:002013-02-16T10:45:42.943-05:00Blueberry muffins and mini cupcakes and Homemade fondant icing <p><br>
Happy Valentine's day ! Well, it's that time of the year when you can see heart shaped this and that , but honestly, i think, just like Mother's Day, or Father's Day, this one too should really be celebrated on a daily basis rather than devote just one day according to me. That really helps long term you know :-) But one thing I agree with these "Hallmark" inspired celebration days is , the excuse I get to bake a dessert in my oven. These Blueberry muffin and mini cupcakes are a result of that labor of "love" ;-) , well with a toddler running around and constantly demands that I inspect his helpful gestures and actions in the house, the labor I mentioned earlier should not just be taken as a phrase, it was every bit of action packed ,....from inspecting the lego blocks, to cleaning the onion shells, to playing peekaboo atleast five times in a row, to soothing the boo boos on tiny elbows .....I tell you, sometimes I wish I could clone myself (like in the film "multiplicity"), coz, I love to actually do these things with my little buddy, along with pursue my passion in the kitchen :-) So without further delay, let me get to the point with,the recipe. I used a store bought cake mix to make this. I have never posted a recipe here using store bought mixes, as I always bake from scratch. But I have been taking a realistic approach these days, and thought that if I have to make these muffins with no help from my better half to entertain the busy body of our house, and sift the flour with a small tea strainer, it's just a disaster waiting to happen. So, cake mix it is :-)</p>
<p>Recipe adapted for Blueberry Muffins : Semihomemade Mom</p>
<p>1 cup Pound Cake mix (the original recipe calls for yellow cake mix) <br>
1-2 cups blueberries <br>
3 large eggs slightly beaten <br>
1 teaspoon baking powder<br>
2 tablespoons flour<br>
2/3 cup milk<br>
1/3 cup vegetable oil<br>
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract (optional)<br>
1/2 teaspoon orange juice (optional)</p>
<p>Note: The batter is a lot, and it rises a lot too. Next time I am planning to reduce the baking powder to 1/2 teaspoon.</p>
<p>In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Then add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and mix well, but careful not to mix too much , just until no specks of yellow from egg or dryness from flour is visible. Then add vanilla and orange juice. Finally add Blueberries and mix slightly.</p>
<p>Preheat oven to 375 F (differs with oven, mine has a feature called quick bake, where the recommended temperature in recipes should be reduced to 25 deg less than the recipe calls for, hence I preheated mine to 350 F)</p>
<p>Pour the batter into greased and floured muffin pans lined with cupcake liner. If you dont have a cupcake liner, just grease the moulds well. I did that with my mini cupcake pan.</p>
<p>Bake for 15-20 minutes until the batter is completly cooked which you can test with a toothpick.</p>
<p>Once done, switch off oven and let them cool in oven itself or outside.I kept my cupcakes in my oven overnight and decorated with the fondant icing today.</p>
<p>Homemade Marshmallow Fluff Fondant:</p>
<p>I found this to be a workout for my hands , not joking ;-) This is the first time I handled fondant, or even fluff for that matter. So I am a complete novice as you can tell from the picture here :)....But I learned some very valuable lessons which novice fondant makers like me will find it useful the next time they are planning to experiment with making fondant with Fluff. Fluff is basically Marshmallow cream. You might as well use regular marshmellow, but you will need to melt it with few tablespoons of water in microwave. I have not tried that method. Hence I cant elaborate more on it. Fluff basically omits that step. But this one is supposed to taste much better than the expensive store bought fondant. It tasted fine to me. I have never tasted or even seen the store bought one. So can't vouch for whether it tastes any different.</p>
<p>You will need:</p>
<p>1 jar (around 16 oz of Fluff) room temperature <br>
2 Lb of Confectioners sugar (around a little close to 1 lb of this will get used when the end product is finished, but you better stock up in case you run out of it ) <br>
Crisco : a small can <br>
Food grade color (optional)</p>
<p>Scoop out all the fluff you can on a fairly big mixing bowl. This stuff is very very sticky. So grease your hands very well with Crisco. Also add around 2 cups of sugar into the mixing bowl. Mix in the color at this point (This is the mistake I did, thinking I will add color once the fondant is formed. Its really worth mixing at this point, if you are starting out as a novice like me). Start mixing with a rubber or silicon spatula , adding powdered sugar , mixing until it can no longer be mixed with the spatula. Then knead with your bare hands until a smooth, pliable dough is formed. If the dough is too hard, add a bit of crisco, else if its sticky, add more sugar.</p>
<p>To store: Apply a bit of crisco to the fondant dough, cover with plastic wrap and inside a ziploc bag, inside the freezer. To use: Take it from freezer and roll it slowly, it will start out hard, but believe me, it will soften, but dont wait for it to soften to room temperature else , you will not be able to use it well without it tearing or stretching. Yes that too I learned the hard way. </p>
<p>Hope you liked this post :) It took quite a lot of multitasking to do the baking, unmoulding , levelling, decorating, clicking the pics (you can make it out with the chubby hands of my little helper ;-) , and then now finally posting this , while my sweet Valentine is entertaining our busy body :)....So I would like you readers , especially the ones who are silent readers , to please post comments ....It would make my day ! :-) ......If you don't I still thank you for visiting my space :-) and hope you would visit again :-)</p>
<p>Love MK</p>
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Hello dear readers , Happy New Year ! :-) <br />
How have you all been?<br />
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I had been contacted by <a href="http://www.hoorag.com/" target="_blank">Hoorag</a> sometimes back asking me if I was interested in writing a review of their product. I checked <a href="http://www.hoorag.com/" target="_blank">their website,</a> after the person who e-mailed me quoted that Hoorag is used by chefs for uninterrupted cooking. I was curious to know what exactly it was, and I was pleasantly surprised to see it was a seamless bandana, that could be used surplus ways not just by a chef, but just by anybody , during outdoor activity like biking, hiking, ....as a scarf , beanie...as explained in the video on their website. <br />
I was also impressed with their selection of design and colors. The prices range from $9.99 to $14.99 for their store designs. You can even get customized versions, though you would have to contact them for the pricing.<br />
I received their package of two Hoorags on Saturday, after I emailed them my choices. The designs I chose were :<br />
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- <a href="http://www.hoorag.com/products-page/all-bandanas/groovy-hoo/" target="_blank">Groovy-Hoo</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.hoorag.com/products-page/all-bandanas/cocoa-bloomz/" target="_blank">Cocoa Bloomz</a><br />
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What I noticed was it was a hollow cylindrical shape piece of cloth that was seamless. It was 100% polyester fiber. And was a bit stretchable. It was lightweight, could easily fit in your pocket. I viewed their video once again to get a rough idea on how to use it, as I had never used a bandana before :-) , the closest I came to were hairbands during my childhood. Here is their video demo:<br />
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I tried some of their techniques of wearing it, and I found it easy to follow. It actually stayed quite snug and comfy on my head, and gave a neat appearance to my otherwise frizzy hair days :-) .<br />
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My partner tried it too and he was very impressed, and, he is a cap guy who is hard to please when it comes to things like this. The design I am using here for the review is a girlie version, hence he was not willing to the idea of us sharing it ;-) , he is planning to order one for himself customized with a Skull picture on it :-) .... Hmm....<br />
We were planning to go out with bub to a wildlife sanctuary, and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to put the Hoorag to work. It indeed was helpful with keeping hair off my face, and keeping my head extra cozy under my cap. Also I really liked the design, it looked exactly the same as in the website, vibrant and colorful. I could not take any outdoorsy pics, but hope that these pics convey the idea to you :-) . I also liked it as a scarf.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
Hope you liked my review :-) , and it got you interested in participating in the Giveaway ! The design for Giveaway is Cocoa Bloomz, the brown color one, as it's more gender neutral I think. Here is what I would like you to do : <br />
Spread the word about the giveaway on my blog in any way you can. And comment about <br />
1: how you found out about my blog (internet? friends? )<br />
2: have you ever used bandanas?<br />
The last date for commenting is Feb 27th, 2013. Non-Bloggers, you are most welcome to participate. The winner will be chosen through random number generator and announced on March 1st 2013. <br />
PS: Contest participation restricted to US residents. Non-US residents, is there somebody willing to ship it from US or carry it with them for you to your place? (excludes the host of this giveaway ;-) ], then you might also participate .<br />
Hope to see your comments soon :-) ......<br />
Roopa</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-43649702239379384762012-12-06T22:19:00.001-05:002012-12-07T14:44:50.380-05:00Christmas Fruit peel Cake (non-alcoholic version) <img border='0' src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ovQpsZQ7phY/UMF1eRbgibI/AAAAAAAAD6o/J4nQzq4c8i4/s640/IMG_20121201_193837_wm_wm.jpg' />
<p></p>
<p>Hello readers :-) </p>
<p>This cake has been my favorite out of all the cakes I have eaten. It has a lot of childhood attachments as I mentioned in one of my <a href="http:// http://rvkitchentreats.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-fruit-cake.html">older post about Fruit Cake</a>. I have adapted the recipe from the same blog as I did in the previous post, but this time I changed things up a little bit, by avoiding alcohol altogether as I have a very interested little one too :-) I soaked the store bought fruit peels in apple cider (what better says "winter" and "holidays" than a warm cup of apple cider eh? :-) <br>
And since fruit juice is not a preservative unlike alcohol (that's why it's used in fruit cakes, to preserve it, and add shelf life to it), I soaked the fruits overnight at room temperature, and then refrigerated for another day. By then the mixture was well soaked and the apple cider  didn't really even smell like apple cider, it smelled almost the way it smells when the fruits were soaked in alcohol. So I was relieved.</p>
<p>Also I used up the extra caramel sauce as a glaze so that the cake soaks it up and gets even more tasty. (I believe a good caramel sauce is the key to this cake`s "oomph" factor :-) </p>
<p>So here is the recipe with the slight modifications I made:<br>
Recipe adapted: <a href="http:// http://kitchenmishmash.blogspot.com/2007/12/fruit-cake-rich-christmas-tradition-of.html">Mishmash</a></p>
<p>For the batter:</p>
<p>1 ½ cups All-purpose flour/Maida (measure & sift)<br>
¾ cup butter at room temperature ( 1 ½ sticks)<br>
1 ½ cups granulated sugar<br>
3 large egg yolks at room temperature<br>
3 large egg whites at room temperature<br>
1 tsp baking powder<br>
2tbsp wine<br>
1 tsp vanilla extract/essence </p>
<p>To soak :</p>
<p>2 cups candied fruit peels (I used the store bought variety)<br>
Note: the original recipe calls for nuts, but I haven't used any.<br>
1 ½ -2 cups apple cider, or enough to soak all the fruits </p>
<p>For making caramel: </p>
<p>½ cup granulated sugar<br>
1 tbsp water + ½ cup water</p>
<p>Spice powders to be added:</p>
<p>¼ tsp powdered nutmeg<br>
¼ tsp powdered cinnamon<br>
¼ tsp powdered cloves<br>
¼ tsp powdered cardamom </p>
<p>How I made it: </p>
<p>Soaking: The fruit peels needs to be soaked in apple cider overnight, and then refrigerated for a day so that it gets soaked for two days.</p>
<p>Step 1: Preparing caramel</p>
<p>Add sugar and 1 tablespoon water to a pan on medium high heat. Swirl, but not stir the pan , until all sugar dissolves, then bubbles, and slowly changes color to amber brown. This process might take around 15 minutes.Take it off fire and keeping the pan in a sink, slowly add 1/2 cup water. Be very careful as the bubbling caramel can cause serious burns if not handled well. The caramel should be completly cooled before it's added to the cake batter. </p>
<p>Step 2 : For the cake batter</p>
<p>Preheat oven to 350 degree F. <br>
Sift the flour, baking powder, spice powder, and keep it aside.<br>
Mix the butter and sugar well until well incorporated. Beat the eggs and vanilla together until it's just well mixed, don't beat the egg told hvg lest it loses it's airiness. Gold this egg mixture with butter sugar mixture. Fold in half cup of caramel. Then gradually fold in the flour mix, little by little. </p>
<p>Step 3: Adding the fruits</p>
<p>Drain the fruit peels. Reserve 1/2 cup of fruit peels, and fold in the rest to the batter. Pour the batter into greased and floured parchment paper lined cake pan (I am not good with cake pan measurements, dimensions.. So please excuse my words when I say, "make a eyeball estimate of the batter and determine whether your cake pan would be good enough to hold batter , in a way that it leaves sufficient space for the batter to rise "). Toss the remaining fruits in two tablespoona of flour lightly and add it to the top of the batter in the pan. Gently level it with the flat end of spoon. </p>
<p>Step 4: Bake cake in oven for one hour or until toothpick comes clean. Take out the cake from oven . Let it cool a bit before inverting it onto another plate. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the warm cake. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and let it remain on kitchen counter overnight. Since this cake has a shelf life of two or three days (ie, if it's lucky enough to be spared by oggling family/friends ;-) )<br>
it needs to be consumed within a short time, which would not be an issue with :-P </p>
<img border='0' src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ovQpsZQ7phY/UMF1eRbgibI/AAAAAAAAD6o/J4nQzq4c8i4/s640/IMG_20121201_193837_wm_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div>
<p>I was so glad this non alcoholic version came out great, that Iam planning on making another one shortly ! </p>
<p>Wish you all a merry Christmas :-) </p>
<p>Luv<br>
Roopa <br>
</p>
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwgHcx1XBWWxsLXinAWjSJrzl4liwCopLR2Pb1lcBSajiw8BnQt3axOyroojx-FP22WXFmre7lrYdC3bg6Wo0kkokU4nb3Tbmtyzm0ffuXJBmW3y1q2LiEiKcjsdRNSlXWhKisw/s1600/IMG_20121201_193442.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwgHcx1XBWWxsLXinAWjSJrzl4liwCopLR2Pb1lcBSajiw8BnQt3axOyroojx-FP22WXFmre7lrYdC3bg6Wo0kkokU4nb3Tbmtyzm0ffuXJBmW3y1q2LiEiKcjsdRNSlXWhKisw/s640/IMG_20121201_193442.jpg' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kmTGmRfN2X4/UMJFxCtHqsI/AAAAAAAAD7Q/mnEbg__o6Bs/s1600/IMG_20121201_193837_wm_wm.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kmTGmRfN2X4/UMJFxCtHqsI/AAAAAAAAD7Q/mnEbg__o6Bs/s640/IMG_20121201_193837_wm_wm.jpg' /> </a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-22497151105675388332012-12-03T13:58:00.000-05:002012-12-03T13:58:36.561-05:00Carrot thoran (Carrottache sukke)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Hello reader :-) <br />
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
How are you doing? :-) ....here I am trying to incorporate as much
veggies into our diet for the sake of our toddler :-) , who by the way
is not that picky, but it's just certain days every month he goes on a
food strike against almost everything ! :-) ....until he feels a real
hunger pang and then nothing can stop him from eating :-D </blockquote>
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<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Anyways, this dish Carrot thoran (aka `Carrot sukke` in Konkani )
is a favorite of everyone :-) , and since "somebody" in our house really
loves carrot juice :-) , I decided to experiment with doing something
different with carrots. Here is the recipe :</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Carrots chopped finely (I used my food processor) : 2 cups<br />
Garlic crushed lightly and minced : 5 cloves<br />
Grated coconut : 3/4 cup<br />
Cumin : 1 tablespoon<br />
Chilli powder : 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Hing (asafoetida) : 1/4 teaspoon<br />
Turmeric powder : 1/4 teaspoon<br />
Salt<br />
Coconut oil : 2 tablespoons<br />
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon<br />
Curry leaves : 4, 5 <br />
Urad dal : 1 teaspoon<br />
</blockquote>
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<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
How it's done :<br />Mix everything except oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves until <br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
everything
is mixed and coated well. Make sure to mix everything as if you are
kneading a dough, but not too much, just enough to get everything a bit
softer, maybe "knead" for a minute :-) . This is my mother`s tip. She
tells that this way is to get the coconut all mellow, so that it
releases it's flavors when cooked. Now add salt and mix it well again.
Hear the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds followed by urad dal ,
hing, and curry leaves. Add the carrot coconut mix, stir well, reduce
flame, and keep it covered to cook, until carrot softens. Switch off
flame. Serve as a accompaniment with steaming hot rice, and dal :-) </blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px #ccc solid; margin: 0 0 0 .8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Happy holidays <br /><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
Roopa</span></span><br />
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-54763696238962746702012-11-29T11:31:00.000-05:002012-11-29T11:33:01.791-05:00Thai Basil Fried Rice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello readers :-)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
How are you all doing with your Christmas preparation? Being in US, I always look forward to the holiday season, not just for the obvious reasons, but also because I like the atmosphere it creates among people,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and the constant Christmas carols that you get to hear almost everywhere .</div>
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<br /></div>
I am excited about the decision made by our
nearest grocery store to include more Asian food produce in their
produce isle :-) especially ever since I saw the big bundle of Curry
Leaves :-) though they cost a bit more, it's nothing compared to the
long distance tedious monthly trips we make with a cranky toddler to the
"nearest" (Not) Indian grocery store.<br />
<br />
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<br />
So needless to say, I was excited to find a bunch of Thai Basil
leaves in the same store, ..... I was searching for these leaves from a
long time , and to pay $ 3.00 for an 'ok' amount didn't make me think
twice, as I had always seen them not any less than $5.00 for a scanty
amount of wilted leaves. <br />
We love Thai food which we usually do a
take out from the nearest
Thai restaurant, but were disappointed when the menu and quality and
quantity of food changed along with their management. Hence I have been
on a mission to recreate some of our favorite dishes from that
restaurant. Thai Basil Fried Rice is one of many and though we usually
order the Thai Basil Chicken Fried rice, here I have made the non-meat
version.<br />
<br />
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<br />
I was searching through various recipes online and finally landed upon <a href="http://www.fingerlickingfoodblog.com/2010/01/spicy-basil-fried-rice-restaurant-style.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this blog</a>, I followed it and omitted certain ingredients as it was too spicy for my son's palette . Here goes the recipe:<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
1 cup cooked Basmati/Jasmine rice<br />
1/2 cup Onions Sliced<br />
1/2 cup Carrot strips<br />
1/2 cup Sliced Green Pepper (I did not have it in my pantry, hence I skipped it) <br />
1/4 cup frozen peas<br />
5 cloves Garlic slightly crushed and then minced<br />
1 tablespoon thinly sliced Ginger<br />
1/4 cup Olive oil + 2 tablespoons Chilli oil<br />
<br />
3 tablespoons soy sauce<br />
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce<br />
1 1/2 tablespoon Brown sugar<br />
Salt: a pinch to flavor the oil initially<br />
Thai Basil leaves: 1 cup<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
How I made it:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Heat a frying pan with oil</li>
<li>Saute the garlic and ginger for a few seconds until it gives a nice aroma</li>
<li>Next saute the onions, carrots, and Pepper and saute until veggies are tender</li>
<li>Add a pinch of salt and saute it again for a few seconds</li>
<li>Next add the frozen peas and saute for 2-3 minutes until peas are cooked</li>
<li>Follow it with the cooked rice, the soy sauce, Sriracha hot sauce and stir well to combine and coat everything</li>
<li>Then add the Brown sugar which according to the blog I referred , is the ingredient that adds the slightly sweet lingering taste. You do not want to substitute it or skip it , I tell you :)</li>
<li>Stir for 2 minutes and then towards the end add the Basil leaves and stir well again until the leaves wilt in the pan along with everything. </li>
</ol>
There you go: Almost close to the restaurant style Thai Basil Fried Rice ready :-) <br />
<br />
Have a great day :-)<br />
Roopa<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28462389.post-45870483097849447772012-11-08T21:37:00.002-05:002012-11-08T21:37:40.072-05:00Pal Payasam made with Payasam rice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We<br />
<br />
Hello dear readers :-)<br />
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How are you all??...Here I have been very busy with my busy body son what can be better<br />
ry keen to blog along with me ;-) , and by 'along with me I meant, i have to share the same keyboard with him, so pardon me if this post would have quite a few word errors or spelling errors :p<br />
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Since the festive season of Diwali is approaching, I thought about starting with a sweet dish andwhat canned better than can be better than "Pal Payasam" ("Milk-Rice Pudding" :-) ? So without further delay, here is the recipe:<br />
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This is the time consuming method (but the more delicious way of doing it):<br />
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I used the following ingredients:<br />
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3/4 cup Payasam rice soaked in enough water for atleast 10 hours (you can find this in any Indian store, its mostly a distant cousin of Rose Matta rice)- I recommend using this rice instead of the basmati/regular white rice as it indeed brngs out a delicious rosy hue and an authentic taste that white rice might lack in. But if you can't find ,white rice would indeed be a good substitute)<br />
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2 cups whole milk<br />
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2 cups water<br />
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3/4 cup sugar<br />
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As garnish:<br />
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Whole cashews<br />
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Raisins<br />
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Cardomom pods crushed lightly<br />
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Pinch of grated Nutmeg <br />
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Ghee<br />
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How I made it:<br />
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In a deep bottom vessel (I made it in a claypot we recently bought back from our India trip), add the drained rice, milk, water, and the cardomom. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer until the rice is cooked thoroughly. Keep an eye on the milk, and stir it to prevent boiling over or getting burnt. Let the heat do its job of making the rice absorb all the liquid. Now mash the cooked rice a bit. lower the heat and add the sugar. It will make the dried up cooked rice watery again, so dont add any extra liquid at this point. You may add a bit of milk if you prefer the pudding a bit runnier. Add a pinch of grated nutmeg.Add a tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter) to a small pan and add the raisins and on a very low fire, saute until all the raisins have plumped up. Pour this into the payasam. Serve cold or hot<br />
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Have a Happy and Safe Diwali everyone !! :-)<br />
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RV </div>
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