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I Clicked A While Back..
2008-05-20 08:45:00
.. these broad french beans and quite a few of you commented on the original post saying that you liked the picture. With the limited time I get online these days, I was quite upset that I can't blog for a while, atleast not recipes cuz it takes time (as you all are very well aware!) to take a zillion pics, choose the best, edit it, type the post, add the image, blah blah blah. gsWhen I saw the theme for this month's Click, this pic shot into my mind and so, here it is. Hopefully, it won't be an unlucky entry like last time :)
More About: Back

Alo Alo - Look who's back :)
2008-05-16 09:36:00
First off, I want to thank all those who sent me lovely wishes and congrats over orkut, facebook, email and of course through comments here.My husband and I have moved to Singapore and we just managed to find a house and finalise the deal yesterday. Everyone says we got lucky cuz we managed to bag a decent house with all the facilities we wanted (no oven though!) for a reasonable rent.His job is pretty fine and I have started my job hunt in a small way. Really hoping and keeping my fingers crossed to hear from a company I have already done my interviews with. If that goes through, then I will be posting a sweet recipe :)I have quite a few recipes in my archive and I had originally intended to post a recipe today but I am still accessing the internet from outside, and somehow, it doesn't feel as cosy and nice to blog from here as it did before - from home or from office.So I will be on a 'break' for a bit longer. Until we get a comp at home or I get one from work :), which, hopefu...
More About: Back

Fiery Hot Chili Flakes - Clicked!
2008-04-25 04:56:00
What makes a yummy pizza taste even better?Ketchup? Hmmm.. yeah.Oregano? So-soChili Flakes ? Yes!! Bring it on!!If you are true blue Indian (or someone who loves hot and spicy food) this is the seasoning for you. I normally use it to serve pizza but there are other uses too. Chili flakes are the dried seeds of chili pods. The seeds and membranes are the hottest parts of a chili. The amount of heat in chili flakes depends on the variety of chili pepper and where it was grown. To preserve full flavor, always store in the refrigerator. For a spicy oil, combine 1-2 tablespoons of chili flakes with a cup of your favorite vegetable oil. Lightly simmer for about 10 minutes, allow to cool completely, then strain. Stored in the refrigerator, this oil will keep for about 6 months and can be used in salad dressings, marinades and to spice up your favorite saute.Fiery Hot Here are my chili flakes, fiery hot and ready to burn your tongue. And this picture goes over to Cli...
More About: Preserves

Its time for a confession and sweet times :)
2008-04-22 14:00:00
This is my 100th post! I can't believe I stuck on for so long but today, this space right here is as much a part of my life as anything else. I come here when am bored, when am dull, when am charged and when I need something to do!Anyway without much yada yada, I leave you with two things.First, a confession. Most of you might already know this but am getting married this Sunday :) Why is this a confession? Cuz I haven't announced it in here. And honesly, I didn't know how to break the news, though I am sure most of you would have read about it here. Please keep me in your thoughts on the D-Day :)Second, I have an amazing swiss roll cake which tasted heavenly. The original recipe is from one of my regular reads, Mansi's Fun and Food. Do hop over there for the recipe.Oh oh, I actually have one more thing!! How could I forget? Lovely lovely Deeba from Passionate About Baking has honored me with an excellence award. Even when this award and many others were doing the rounds in the...
More About: Time , Cakes , Sweet , Confession , Times

Mystery Masalas Series : All-Purpose Curry Masala
2008-04-19 06:54:00
I am normally mystified my spices and get confused a lot when I think of which spice goes well with what. What sort of spices are best suited for non-vegetarian cooking and how do we distinguish them? What spices are traditional and will potentially be forgotten if I don't document them? (atleast the ones my grandmom and amma use).I had plans to make this an event but currently, I don't think its the best time to host events :) So I am just going to start a series in this blog that talks occasionally about masala powders, and their best purpose.The best way to start, of course, will be to start with the all-purpose curry masala that goes with all sorts of gravies and stir-fried dishes. Source is my mom, this time :)All Purpose Curry MasalaWhat I Used:Cloves - 10Cardamom - 5Cinnamon - a 3" pieceFennel seeds - 1 tbspPeppercorn - 1/4 tspGrind together all the ingredients until its pretty much smooth. This masala is very aromatic and can be used in any kind of curry, though its best s...
More About: Series , Mystery

Gobi Ka Kheema/Minced Cauliflower and Peas Curry
2008-04-17 05:41:00
I remember seeing this dish a long while back on Suganya's Tasty Palettes. I followed her link to the original recipe on Ashwini's Food for Thought and immediately fell in love. The fact that both of them take amazing pictures could have also played a small part :DAnyway, now am at home and my sister's kids are also here. They are vegetarians and one day there was just rasam and potato masala for lunch for them. I quickly looked up this recipe and it turned so so yummy that I am sure to make this again and again.Gobi Ka Kheema(recipe adapted from here)What I Used:(serves 4)Cauliflower - 1 medium, cleaned and chopped fineBay leaves - 1-2Cumin seeds - 1/2 tspOnions - 2 medium, chopped fineGinger garlic paste - 2 tspTomatoes - 3 big, pureedPeas - 1/4 cup, boiledRed chilli powder - 1 tspGaram masala - 2 tspSalt - to tasteOil - 3 tsp + 2 tspHow I Made It:1. Heat 3 tsp oil in a pan and fry the chopped cauliflower till its semi-fried and golden brown.2. Simultaneously, boil the peas til...
More About: Vegetarian Recipes , Curry

Omelette Curry
2008-04-11 11:30:00
My fiance is an eggetarian, so any recipe that is innovative and uses eggs in it is something I always give a shot. My grandmom used to make a variation with lentils added to the omelette and in a coconut based gravy. This is a much simpler version, but once I figure that one out, I will be blogging it too :)What I Used:For the omelettes:Eggs - 4Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspRed chilli powder - 1 tspTurmeric powder - a pinch (optional)Shallots - 5, finely choppedSalt - 1 tsp, or to tasteFor the gravy:Tomatoes - 2 big, cubedOnions - 2 big, choppedPotato - 1, cubedGreen chillies - 3Jeera powder - 2 tspCoriander powder - 2 tspFor tempering:Mustard seeds - 1 tspOil - 2 tbspCurry leaves - a fewHow I Made It:1. Beat the eggs lightly with all the ingredients for the omelette.2. Depending on the pan size, make one thick omelette or as two separate omelettes. The omelettes should be thicker than usual, so that it doesn't dissolve or break off in the gravy when we mix it in.3. Cut the omelette ...

Palak Pakoras/Shredded Spinach & Besan Dumplings
2008-04-08 10:46:00
What's better than a hot plate of pakoras and some masala chai on a rainy day? Nothing, I would say. I hardly ever make deep fried snacks or meal but this one particular rainy day, I craved for them so much that I actually went out in the rain, got some fresh spinach (palak), gram flour (besan) and coconut oil to make this lovely and crunchy snack.What I Used: Spinach /Palak - 1 cup, choppedGram flour/Besan - 1/2 cup and a bit moreChilli powder - 1 tspAsafoetida/Hing - one pinchJeera powder - 1 tspOil (I used coconut oil) - enough to deep fry the pakorasHow I Made It:1. Mix the besan with the chilli powder, hing, jeera powder and sufficient salt.2. Add the chopped spinach and just enough water to make a thick paste. The consistency should be such that you should be able to make rough round balls with the dough.3. Heat oil in a pan till hot. Make small dumplings of the batter and drop into the hoil. Adjust the heat so that the oil doesn't boil over too much.4. Turn the pakoras over ...
More About: Snacks

Quick 'n' Easy Ghee Rice
2008-04-03 10:56:00
Flavoured rice is always a favourite for me, and most often than not, I end up eating just that with chips/papad and pickle. Last weekend, I was just clearing out my kitchen and realised there is a bit of basmati rice left over from the time I made the curd rice. RCI came to my mind suddenly and I checked online for Bengali Rice Dishes.This is a simple and quick recipe for ghee rice that doesn't need much ingredients. Its totally flexible and you can customize it with whatever spices you want or what's available in your pantry.What I Used:Serves 2Basmati Rice - 1 cupGhee - 2 tbspChopped onion - 1 smallCardamom - 3Cloves - 3Peppercorns - 1 tspGinger garlic paste - 1 tsp (optional)Coriander/cilantro leaves - a bunchHow I Made It:1. Wash and rinse the rice and keep it soaked in some water for 30 minutes.2. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker and lightly fry the onions, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns. I also added ginger garlic paste for some flavour.3. Add the soaked rice and fry fo...
More About: Quick , Easy

The Food Porn Contest ...
2008-04-01 10:29:00
..was being hosted by The Petite Pig and I had submitted a few pics of mine. Let me just confess that I am breathless when I say my pic won a prize of $200! I really really want to thank everyone who voted for me. The winning picture, none other than..Curd rice with pomegranates served with chow chow sambhar
More About: Contest , Food

Masala Dosa with Garlic Aloo
2008-03-31 12:08:00
I experimented a different kind of aloo paratha last weekend. To the potato filling, I added a generous amount of garlic to make it garlic flavoured. Unfortunately, that was made for dinner and were gobbled up too quickly for me to take pics and blog about it. But, with the leftover filling, I made masala dosa the next day and it tasted better than the parathas.I made the masala dosa Mysore style, with some sprinkled idli podi and it was really out of this world!How to make yummy Aloo Masala Dosa To make the dosa batter take rice : urad dhal in 3 : 1 ratio, soak overnight (or atleast 5-6 hours) in water separately, grind separately and then mix together, adding salt. This batter should be kept covered for another 5 hours or so before you can start making the dosa.For the Aloo Garlic Filling:Potatoes - 2 big, boiled and mashed fine.Jeera powder - 1/2 tspGreen chillies - 1, choppedCrushed garlic - 5-6 podsRed chilli powder - 1 pinchCoriander/Cilantro leaves - a bunch, choppedSalt - to ...

Apple-Pear Salad with Honey Dressing
2008-03-29 07:33:00
Summer is here and with it, end of March which brings in additional 'heat' of pending deadlines for events. I made this salad last week but was not very happy with the pictures. One would think I am quite used to posting bad pics on this blog but somehow, I feel bars have been raised now :D I didn't have time to make this again, so the post will have to do with bad pics.Pear s are known for its mild flavour and firmness. This is why I like them best in salads and maybe poached. Wiki also says that in some varieties, its difficult to tell apart apples and pears. This was quite surprising to me since we get only one kind of pear in Hyderabad and maybe a couple of varities of apples. And reall, its not difficult to tell them apart easily.Anyway, I used up a couple of pears and one apple in this salad. I also experimented with some spices and flavours for the dressing and was quite pleased with the results.What I Used:Ripe pears - 2, cubedApple - 1, cubedHoney - 4 tbspLime juice - 2 t...
More About: Salad , Dressing

Masala Chai - Spiced Indian Tea
2008-03-26 09:21:00
This was my original entry idea for MBP this month, focussing on Mixed Drinks. I slightly digressed and posted the spiced buttermilk instead. Blame it on the weather. After the summer showers, Hyderabad is cooler now and a hot cup of malasa chai is just what we crave. The recipe is from none other than Asha from her awesome blog, Foodie's Hope.Whenever I make tea, I add either ginger or cardamom, but never both, leave alone other spices. It just never occurred to me, though I have all the common spices in my kitchen at all times. This was such an obvious yet brilliant idea and I really relished the drink.Here is how I made it: (adapted from Asha's recipe here)Boil 1 tbsp tea leaves in half cup water. Add 2 cloves, 1 cardamom, a few cinnamon pieces and some grated ginger. Add 1 cup milk and bring to boil again. Do not boil for too long, simmer add required amount of sugar and remove from fire. Serve hot.This too goes over to Sig's MBP - Mixed Drinks. I am so glad she extended the ...
More About: Indian , Chai , Masala Chai

I Clicked Some Metal
2008-03-24 16:51:00
I had decided from last month on that I am no longer going to be intimidated to send in entries for Click - Jugalbandi's photography event every month. When they announced the theme as Metal for this month, I knew I would be clicking a fork. I just knew it. Even when I saw some lovely entries of exotic kitchen utensils and accessories, my mind was stuck on our humble fork. Only catch was, I still hadn't figured out how to click one. My mind was very blurry on how to place it, if it should be stand-alone or with some food, it kept running in my head for almost three weeks.The heat in Hyderabad had turned on since mid March and I was actually beginning to turn to thirst-quenching drinks, when summer showers hit very unexpectedly. One moment it was so hot and dehydrating, but the next moment, there were strong gusts of wind and heavy drops falling on my almost-dry laundry. The mood had suddenly changed from too-hot-to-do-anything-much to let-me-make-some-hot-pakodas-and-chai (which ...

Sambharam / Majjige / Mor / Spiced Buttermilk
2008-03-21 08:49:00
When Sig announces an event, there is no way I am going to miss it. She has been ever supportive in all my events and even otherwise, when I email her with really silly questions and doubts about blogging. March has been an incredibly eventful month for me so I was almost expecting to miss out on MBP this time. The other day I was randomly browsing through Sailu's blog and chanced upon this wonderfully refreshing drink that fit in perfectly with the weather.The merciless Hyderabad summer has started and temperatures can sore to upto 38 degrees centrigrade. There is no escaping it and weekends are even more horrid cuz you just don't feel like stepping out of the house. Moreover, it differs from the Kerala summers to which I am used to. In Hyderabad, its hot, but not humid. The sun will scorch your skin and leave you completely dehydrated.Buttermilk is known for its hydrating and refreshing properties. In Kerala, traditional Nair families used to give mildly spiced buttermilk or Sam...

Food Art - Mindblowing!
2008-03-18 08:58:00
I normally don't read or even get curious by forwarded messages. The normal feeling is 'been there, seen that'. But today, Mathew, a colleague, sent me this lovely email with these pictures, all inspired by food.Can you guess the what the rocks and the water and the boat and the glaciers and the bowls and the parachutes are made of?
More About: Food

A Balanced Breakfast
2008-03-13 10:22:00
"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." - Adelle DavisWe have heard this one a lot, haven't we? But starting from school, my food habits have always been the other way around. I almost always used to skip breakfast, have meagre lunch and come home famished, only to hog for dinner. This went on till I reached Hyderabad. Somewhere, mom's warnings and information from websites started getting me to think and I thought I might as well correct the mistakes before I get too old to do it :DNow, my meals are as balanced as possible, and food in office helps me to do this immensely. We have a wide range of options in our office cafe and every day is a new and fresh day as far as meals are concerned.This is my typical breakfast on weekdays. Wheat flakes with 1/2 cup milk and one tsp sugar, one cup watermelon, one cup papaya and an orange (sometimes).Here is how each of this helps to keep me balanced throughout the day :)Wheat FlakesWheat flakes are very l...
More About: Breakfast

Broad Beans with Lentils
2008-03-10 12:36:00
I came across this really simple recipe at Sra's and immediately wanted to try it with the beans I had lying idle in my fridge. I had only about 10-12 beans so added more toor dal than in her original recipe. The taste was very similar to beans parippu usli but the broad beans gave it a slightly different look and flavour.What I Used:Broad beans - 12Toor dal - 1/2 cup, soaked in water for 30 minsChopped garlic - 6 podsRed chillies - 4, broken into 1" piecesJeera powder - one pinchHow I Made It:1. Boil the beans in some water till tender. Leave aside.2. Temper mustard seeds in little oil and fry the chopped garlic till brown. Add the chillies and jeera powder.3. Mix in the beans and toor dal and fry well for another 3-4 minutes. Add salt and remove from fire.It was really yummy with some tangy rasam. Quick to make with minumum ingredients - my kind of recipe :) Thanks Sra!
More About: Recipes , Beans , Others , Lentils

Mushroom Masala
2008-03-06 15:30:00
This dish happened one lazy afternoon when I went for a nice signature massage at Latitudes Spa, where we get a sexy Googler discount, and casually picked up a packet of button mushrooms at Food World.Since shelf life of mushrooms is just about a day, I had to quickly act on it the next day. The quickest way to cook mushrooms has got to be this. It was just yummy with some warm toasted bread.What I Used:Button mushrooms - 1 cupOnions - 2 mediumTomato - 1Jeera powder - 1 tspChicken masala - 1 tspPepper powder - 1/2 tspGinger-garlic paste - 1 tbspFresh coriander - for garnishingHow I Made It:1. Heat oil in a kadai and roast the onions till golden brown.2. Add the ginger garlic paste and the jeera, chicken masala, pepper masalas and fry well for 3-4 mins.3. Chop the tomatoes and add it to the fried masala mix.4. Finally, chop and clean the mushrooms. Add it to the above mixture, cook closed for 5 mins and remove from fire.Serve hot with some lightly toasted bread.
More About: Mushrooms , Mushroom

VANILLA POUND CAKE - Easy to Make and Fluffy To Taste
2008-03-03 12:40:00
I am sure that at some point or the other in our lives, we would have tasted this simple yet yummy cake. It gets the name pound cake from the traditional and original recipe which called for one pound each of all ingredients - flour, sugar, eggs and butter. I remember my mom too making it in this manner where she used to weight all the ingredients and take equal quantities, even the eggs! Her weighing the eggs used to put my young mind into eternal confusion but that never stopped me from stirring the batter and licking it off the bowl in the end :DThe recipe has evolved and changed over time but I tried it the traditional way. Since I normally cook for one, I used 100gm of all the ingredients and then adjusted it a bit here and there to my taste.Vanilla Pound Cake What I Used:Flour - 100gmButter - 100 gm (at room temperature)Eggs - 100 gm (approx 2 medium sized eggs)Sugar - 100 gm (I ended up using around 1/2 cup a cup and a bit more, since it seemed like a lot after powdering)Va...
More About: Cakes , Taste , Make , Easy

Vanilla Pound Cake with Nutella - For Click
2008-03-01 06:26:00
I refuse to be a coward anymore. I refuse to let myself think I am not good enough for anything. I refuse to chicken out of 'Click ' event just cuz I think my camera is too basic, or my pictures are just average or I know nuts about photoshop. I will keep sending in entries cuz like my favourite teaches in school once told me, the first step to winning is participation. And once you do, you realise its not the winning that matters more. So here is my entry to Click Flour. Its very simple and very basic. But I participated :)Vanilla Pound cake in love with Nutella Recipe to follow soon! So stay tuned!
More About: Cake

Cooking with Leftovers - Tandoori Chicken with Steamed Potatoes
2008-02-26 10:45:00
Though I am immensely interested in cooking something nice and healthy for myself over weeknights, its almost always never possible. Simply because I am lazy or blame it on tiredness. In such situations, there is a place that we order take out from called Surabhi Restaurant. Once, I ordered tandoori chicken kabab as an appetizer for dinner. There was quite a lot leftover and I just stashed it in the fridge, thinking I will deal with it the next day.Around 5-6 pieces of frozen tandoori kabab stood staring at me next day morning and I briefly looked at the vegetable tray only to find some good old (literally!) potatoes in there. Idea struck and here is what I came up with.Tandoori Chicken with Steamed Potatoes What I Used:Tandoori Chicken - 5-6 piecesPotatoes - 2 mediumOnion - 1Chilly powder - 1 tspChicken masala - 2 tspSalt - to tasteFresh coriander leaves - for garnishingHow I Made It:1. Steam the potatoes, peel and cube them.2. Saute the onions in very little oil and the masala and ...
More About: Cooking , Leftovers

Easy and Simple Gujarati Meal
2008-02-23 11:04:00
From the title you all know where this is going, right? Yep! Right over to Mythili's RCI - Gujarati Cuisine. As always I did some research on the state's cuisine and came across some amazing dishes like Khandvi, Dhokla (both of which I am dying to try, but couldn't this time cuz of some logistical issues) and mostly sweet and vegetarian dishes. I zeroed in on some easy dishes to make a simple Saturday brunch.I made a simple meal of Channa Moong Dal, Gujarati Khattai Aloo and Rice.Channa Moong DalBasic recipe from here.What I Used:Yellow moong dal - 1/2 cupOil - tbspGaram masala - 1/2 tspRed chilli powder - 1 tspTurmeric powder - 1 pinchCoriander powder - 1/2 tspJuice of - 1/2 lemonGrated giner - 1/2" piece2 cups waterHow I Made It:1. Pressure cook dal with one cup water and a pinch of turmeric for approx 4 whistles.2. Mix all the spice powders in 1/2 cup water to make a thin paste.3. Heat oil in a pan. Add some cumin & coriander seeds. Once they splutter, add the ginger.4. A...
More About: Simple , Easy , Meal

Easy Tomato Spaghetti with Shredded Chicken
2008-02-20 15:21:00
Any kind of pasta is always a welcome dinner for me, simple because it is hassle-free and doesn't demand a side dish or gravy. Isn't that a perfect meal for one? (Oh!! How I hate cooking just for myself!) I prefer the tomato based paste to the cheese base, though I crave for the latter occasionally. This is an as-simple-as-it-gets kind of recipe to make some yummy spaghetti. Vegetarians, just avoid the chicken and add mushrooms instead, if you like them, or just go plain!What I Used:Spaghetti - one packetShredded cooked chicken - 1/2 cupPureed tomatoes - 4Capsicum/bell pepper - halfSpinach (optional) - 3 to 4 stalksCrushed garlic - 6 podsOregano - 2 tspPepper - 3 tspSalt - to tasteOlive oil - 1 tbspHow I Made It:1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water till done. Add some salt and a little oil the water to enhance flavour and prevent it from sticking together once done.2. Heat the oil and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the diced spinach and capsicum, pureed tomatoes and the chic...
More About: Chicken , Tomato , Easy

Special Kadala Curry/Chickpeas with Coriander and Star Anise
2008-02-15 09:17:00
The kadala curry at home always tastes different when my mom makes it. Its a mix of a lot of cuisines, I am sure, but the end result is always yummy. This one is from my archives, a recipe that I always wanted to document.What I Used:Serves 2Chickpeas/Kabuli Channa/Velutha Kadala - 1 cupCoriander - 4 tbspCoconut - 4 tbspRed chillies - 4Garlic - 6 podsStar anise - 2For tempering:Oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves.How I Made It:1. The chickpeas should be soaked in water overnight. Pressure cook this for 2 whistles, with some turmeric and salt.2. Roast the coriander, garlic, red chillies, star anise and coconut in a non-stick pan till it emits a nice smell and turns golden (about 5-7 minutes). Let it cool.3. Grind the roasted masala to a coarse paste with very little water.4. Heat oil, let the mustard seeds crackle. Add curry leaves and some more red chillies if you like the curry spicy. Add the masala paste to this and stir for a minute. Add the cooked chick peas and adjust water and sa...
More About: Curry , Special , Star Anise

Chow Chow Sambhar with Curd Rice
2008-02-12 13:30:00
I saw this vegetable - chow chow aka chayote squash - in Reliance Fresh and immediately wanted to try it out. I had heard about chow chow bhath but I had a certain someone visiting me over the weekend and he is not much of a variety rice person. So we decided on a simple chow chow sambhar to be served with curd rice.Chow chow/Chayote SquashChow chow is rich in Vitamin C and potassium, and 1 cup counts for around 40 calories. The vegetable in itself is quite tasteless but chow chow bhath and chow chow koottu seem to be quite popular, especially in the Andhra cuisine.Chow chow cut into halfHere is the recipe for Chow Chow Sambhar (Chayote Squash Cooked with Lentils)What I Used:Chow chow - one, cubedToor dal - 1/2 cupWater - 2 cupsTurmeric - one pinchGreen chillies - 2, slit on the sidesOnion - 1Salt - to tasteTamarind paste - 1 tbspSambhar powder - 1 tbspFor SeasoningMustard seeds, curry leaves, chilly powder, chopped coriander leaves.How I Made It:1. Pressure cook the dal with chilli...
More About: Rice

Curd Rice with Pomegranates - The Ultimate Comfort Food
2008-02-11 09:28:00
This post is not to to share a unique recipe. Its not even to talk about the memories this dish brings. One main reason is I had a ripe pomegranate in the house with a broken mixie that prevented me from making the smoothie I had originally intended with it. The only other option I could think of was to add it to curd rice. The other reason is, I have started using photoshop (finally!!) after having installed it almost a year back.Also some information about the fruit that I wanted to share. Pomegranate has quickly become one of the most talked about super foods in the past two years. Pomegranate fruits contain polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins, which are all beneficial antioxidants. On the other hand, pomegranate juice contains high levels of antioxidants - higher than most other fruit juices, red wine or tea. Preliminary evidence suggested that drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol.To make curd rice, mix some salt to the curd and mix well. Mix the rice...
More About: Food , Rice , Comfort food , Ultimate , Comfort

Baked HEARTS for your VALENTINE
2008-02-07 07:09:00
I have never been much of a Valentine s Day person. I am one of those people who feel that expression of love should not be restricted to a day. But somehow the season is contagious. With shops selling cards and gifts and little knick-knacks for your loved one, and events in the food blogosphere gently nudging us into cooking something for our valentine. Now, that's something I don't mind.I always feel inadequate when I need to bake anything. Mainly because I have an OTG without temperature control and just 2 baking dishes in which nothing except a cake can be made. I don't have muffin trays or pie dishes or even cookie cutters. I normall make round-shaped cookies by patting them into shape with my hands. But if I need anything heart-shaped, that's a different story, right?But I used my hands again! Its crude, its far from perfect, but its still a heart!Heart-Shaped Shortbread Cookies for your ValentineRecipe adapted from hereMakes a dozen cookiesWhat I Used:Flour - 1 cupUnsalted...
More About: Baked , Hearts

Idiyappam with Potato Stew
2008-02-05 11:08:00
Idiyappam is a typical Kerala breakfast cooked in the traditional method of steaming. Its one of the healthiest ways of cooking and still forms a staple in many households. I can't imagine going through the trouble myself, what with my quick and fast recipes but amma always makes this when we go home on vacation. I had always wanted to document this so here we go.To make idiyappam, you need 2 cups rice flour, 2 tsp ghee/oil, 3 cups boiled water and a pinch of salt. You will need a vessel you can use to steam cook it, like seen below, and also an idiyappam press.How to Make Them1. Mix the rice flour and salt well. Add the boiled water when still warm little at a time till the dough is soft to touch. Mix in the ghee.2. Take small portions and put into press.3. Press directly onto idly moulds and steam cook till done. You can sprinkle some grated coconut before steaming, for the added 'Kerala' taste. Coconut always does that, doesn't it?Serve warm with hot potato stew.What You Need...
More About: Potato

AFAM Papaya Round Up
2008-02-03 14:32:00
Its my pleasure to bring to you some amazing recipes using one of the most healthiest fruits - Papaya ! A huge thanks to all those who tried hard to get hold of one, for racking your brains for a recipe and a special thanks to my sis and Nanditha for contributing not one, but two recipes! And for those who thought Papaya can only be cut and eaten just like that, here are some recipes to get you started on thinking otherwise.Let's start the party with some drinks, shall we?Sig's Papaya Delight----------------Mansi's Tropical Cocktail----------------Rajitha's Papaya Soy Smoothie----------------Some snacks now?Asha's Papaya Pecan Scones----------------Nanditha's Soy-Papaya Samosa----------------Bharathy's Papaya Muffins----------------Marta's Papaya and Brie Quesadilla----------------Raaga's Fruit Cookies----------------Now for some salads to get us back on a healthy track!Namratha's Super Exotic Salad----------------Kajal's Raw Papaya Carrot Salad----------------Vanamala's ...
More About: Round Up , Round