Directory —
Food & Drink —
Blog Details for "Annarasa"
AnnarasaAnnarasaThis blog reflects my passion for all things edible!! Recipes, great tips, photographs, and so much more. Join me on a journey that celebrates the world of good food. Articles
Cheesecake Pops a.k.a Daring Bakers
2008-04-28 04:22:00 Back with the Daring Bakers for an all new creation - Cheesecake Pops!! When I saw this recipe I was both excited and apprehensive. I'd never tried this before and as eggs are not really my favourite food, mostly because they don't agree with me, I decided to experiment. I halved the recipe and dropped the eggs altogether! The result was fabulous. The cheesecake turned out delicious - could not resist a taste as I rolled out the pops. Yumm!! I covered the pops with dark chocolate and coated them with cranberries and coarsely chopped Turkish apricots. Both provided the tartness that set set off the sweetness of the pops. Heavenly was the verdict. This recipe is a keeper. Looking forward to May!!!!P.S. You can find the original recipe here!!All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.
Quick Microwave Upma
2008-04-23 03:41:00 Upma is a great breakfast food - quick to make, filling, and very nutritious too. When I was a child, we had it every weekend for brunch amongst other goodies. But often as a treat it found its way into our school lunch boxes!! Over time I have worked to simplify the recipe so that its microwave ready for a whenever snack!!Dry Ingredients:1 cup sooji (cream of wheat)1 tbsp chana dal1 tbsp urad dal1 inch piece ginger, grated fine2 large dried red chillies, crumbled1/2 tsp mustard seeds1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped fine1 tbsp ghee1/3 cup cashews, choppedTo Make Upma:Salt to tasteWarm water, as requiredMethod:Heat the ghee in a large non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds, and when they begin to pop, lower the heat.Next add the chana and urad dals. when they turn golden brown, add the cashews and red chillies. Fry until the chillies are crisp and the cashews golden brown.Now, add the cilantro and grated ginger and continue to fry for 30 seconds. Finally tip the sooji into the frying pan... More About: Breakfast , Quick , Snack , Ginger , Microwave
Spinach & Mushroom Rotini
2008-04-16 18:02:00 Spinach and mushroom make for a wonderful combination. And with whole grain rotini, the taste is almost heavenly. This is one of my favourite recipes, one I created on one of those long winter evenings when I had a craving for a hearty yet healthy meal!! I am sharing this with all pasta lovers via Presto Pasta Night, hosted by the lovely Ruth.Ingredients:3 cups whole grain rotini1 cup frozen spinach1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced1 medium onion, sliced2 cloves garlic, crushed1/2 cup milk1 cup vegetable stock2 tbsp low fat cream cheese1/4 cup pepper jack cheese, gratedParmesan cheese, shaved1 small green pepper, sliced1 tbsp olive oil1 tsp cornflourSalt, to tasteBlack Pepper, freshly groundMethod:Boil the pasta as per instructions on the packet in plenty of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the garlic and stir. Next add the onions and and fry until golden brown.Add the peppers and mushrooms, stir and cover the pan and let the vegetables c... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Cheese , Mushroom
A Perfectly Delicious Start for a New Daring Baker
2008-03-30 05:53:00 Hello Everyone,I am delighted to announce that I have successfully completed my very first Daring Baker s Challenge. I have been a silent admirer of this great blogging community since I began my blog in December 2007. Baking and I have a long and happy history. I began baking fairly regularly when I was in high school - cakes, biscuits, pastry, bread! My love affair with baking continued well into my University years, when the demands of career and travel left me with little time to boil an egg, let alone bake. Slowly, yet steadily now and with much encouragement from my husband :) I am returning to this great passion - and so I welcome Daring Bakers into my life!!Here's my experience with the very first challenge. A couple of weeks before the challenge was posted, I ran across Dorie Greenspan's book Baking: From My Home to Yours at my local library. Browsing through, I found several recipes I was keen on trying. However, as we were expecting visitors from out of town in March, I ... More About: Cake , Start , Cranberries , Delicious
Dreamy Vegetarian Pizza
2008-03-20 22:16:00 So, I was surfing the internet for interesting food events.... Yup, feels like I have been doing a lot of that lately!! But then there are so many wonderfully enthusiastic chefs out there, each dreaming up new ways to challenge our skills and creativity!! I still continue to be quite literally gobsmacked at the variety and range of food events online.Anyway, the first site to pop out from the blogosphere was Stephanie's blog announcing a Pizza Party. Just perfect I thought. And then, almost simultaneously - what exactly is a pizza? I mean I know what a pizza is, I have eaten it often enough, I bake it at home quite frequently - and yet - what is a pizza?? Quite simply, a pizza as we know it today is an Italian open pie usually made of thin bread dough spread with a spiced mixture of a.k.a tomato sauce and cheese. According to the Smithsonian, the pizza could be said to be a descendant of the focaccia or bread rounds covered with herbs and spice which made their debut in Naples arou... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Cheese , Olives
Khaman Dhokla
2008-03-09 07:01:00 As my husband and I simply adore Khaman, I thought this might be the best treat to share on International Women's Day 2008. Thanks to Zorra, the web today has been flooded with warm, fragrant, and delicious messages of awareness and love!Ingredients:1 cup chickpea flour3/4 cup water1 tbsp oil1 tbsp lemon juice1/2 tsp red chilli powder1 tsp sugar1 tsp ginger-chilli paste1/4 tsp asafetida1 tsp baking sodaSalt, to tasteMethod: Mix all the dry ingredients except the baking soda in a large mixing bowl.To this mix, add the oil, water, and ginger-chilli paste and blend well to make a lump-free paste.Put 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker or a steamer, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile grease a cake pan or pie dish that will fit into the steamer such that it can also be easily removed with a few drops of oil.Now add the baking soda and lemon to the chickpea flour mix, blend well and pour into the pan. Leave at least a 3/4 inch space in the pan above the batter.Lower pan carefully into the s... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Sugar , Ginger
Pasta with Chickpeas and Parsley
2008-03-07 04:46:00 There is nothing quite like having a few recipes for quick and easy one dish dinners handy. Amongst my favourite recipes is Pasta with Chickpeas & Parsley. This is a deliciously spicy pasta with a tremendously hearty flavour. Its completely no-fuss to make. It was perfect for our move last week - fast to make and truly yummy!!Ingredients:3 cups mixed pasta1 large can chickpeas2 small onions, diced2 cloves garlic, diced1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped1 tbsp olive oil1 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakesSalt, to tastePepper, freshly groundMethod:Boil the pasta with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil in plenty of water. Set aside when ready.Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until transparent.Drain the chickpeas and add to the pan. mix well cook covered on medium heat for 2 minutes. Now add the pepper flakes (you can reduce or increase the quantity according to taste), and the parsley. Blend in and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until the c... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Garlic
Gujarati Kadhi
2008-03-04 06:53:00 Hey Folks! I'm back after a short hiatus. February was supposed to be our home moving month, with the actual move planned for the end of the last week. However we had some rather unexpected warm and sunny weather on the weekend of 23-24 February. Given the 100 plus inches snow that we have plowed our way through since the start of this year, the ray of sunshine seemed promising, and indeed too good to pass up. At the very last minute we decided to take advantage of this good fortune that nature had sent us and move a week before planned. There was some unfinished maintenance at our new home, yet we decided to chance it :)Moving is tough work and while I am still unpacking the boxes (does that ever end??), I made sure the kitchen was set up and functioning on 'Day One'. Now where have I hear that phrase lately?? LoL, but seriously - I needed the inspiration and the creativity to survive the sheer tediousness of the move, the packing, and the unpacking. And what better way to unwin... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Gujarati , Ghee , Basmati
Watercress & Potato Soup
2008-02-21 07:38:00 Now there's nothing quite like warm soup on a cold winter's day. And here in the Great Lakes area we appear to be having the coldest, snowiest winter ever. In fact, not only do we have 3 feet snow on the ground, the branches of trees have frozen over and are glittering like shiny ornaments in the bright winter sun! Yes I spent the better half of my day admiring this sight and taking loads of photographs. With the setting sun, I decided to get back in and get some hot soup going.We love soup so much around here that I have taught myself to prepare it 'from scratch'!! Yes, I make my own soup stock, freeze it, and keep it handy to boil up a steaming hot favourite in a snap. Here's my recipe for our favourite Watercress & Potato Soup .Ingredients:2 tbsp butter1 oinion, chopped fine1 potato, diced5 oz watercress2 cups vegetable stock11/2 cups milkLemon juice, to tasteSalt to tasteTo Serve:Pepper, to seasonSour CreamOrange peelMethod:Warm the butter in a large non-stick saucepan. ... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Milk
Rose-Coloured Kalakand Hearts
2008-02-12 20:45:00 Kalakand is a much-loved sweet in Indian homes. It is milk-based treat that graces festivals, marriages, and many more celebratory events.Kalakand has a melt-in-the mouth feel. It is grainy in texture often due to the multiple milk based ingredients that make it up. The best Kalakand is that which is gently sweetened and allows the combination of both flavour and texture to explode simultaneously in a single bite. Though almonds, cashews, and indeed even walnuts can be added to Kalakand, I find that this indulgent sweet holds its flavour best when paired with pistachio nuts! Needless to say, this sweet is for everyone who loves milk, adores fudge, and has the desire to give in to toothsome delights every so often. And with Valentine's Day round the corner, what better treat for your sweet than these dainty Rose -Coloured Kalakand Hearts !Ingredients:340 gms (12oz) khoya/mava1 cup full-fat milk3/4 cup Ricotta cheese1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk1/4 tsp pistachio nuts, chopped coarse...
Mumra Wale Kanda Pohe
2008-02-04 03:03:00 Pohe is an all-round favourite at breakfast on weekends or for a heavy tea. My current favourite is a recipe that I learnt from a friend but have tweaked to taste. This pohe is made not with Pohe Rice (flattened rice) but with Mumra or Puffed Rice. It has a different and unique flavour and texture. But I found that the puffed rice absorbed the flavours better than the flattened rice. Also it retained a moisture and softness that pohe rice tends to lose if not served immediately. This recipe of Mumra Wale Kanda Pohe is for Jhiva for Ingredients: Onions, which this time has been hosted by Radhika of Radhi's Kitchen. Ingredients:6 cups Mumra (Puffed Rice)1 tbsp oil2 large onions, sliced finely2 green chillies, slit6-8 curry leaves1/2 tsp mustard seeds1/2 tsp cumin1/2 tsp turmeric powder1/2 tsp red chilli powderSalt, to tasteMethod:Take 2 cups of Mumra in a large bowl. Pour enough tap water over the Mumra tosoak them through. You may have to use your hands to push the Mumra under the w...
Lasun Parathas (Garlicky Parathas)
2008-01-26 07:12:00 Garlic is part of the onion family and is packed with antibiotic and antifungal properties, Vitamin B, minerals, and flavanoids! It is believed to have several health benefits and is believed to help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and even regulate blood sugar levels.Garlic is used extensively in Indian foods. Its sharp, pungent taste adds much flavour and richness to vegetables, lentils, and curries. It is sometimes though rarely incorporated in Indian breads, and I have often wondered why this is the case. I love different kinds of rotis and parathas and am always experimenting with them. Here's my recipe of Lasun Paratha s for Think Spice... Think Garlic!!Ingredients:2 cups whole wheat flour1/3 cup wheat flour for rolling the bread1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped1 tsp cilantro, finely chopped1/4 tsp turmericSalt, to tasteWaterGhee /oil, as neededMethod: Mix all the dry ingredients except the wheat flour for rolling. ... More About: Recipe , Garlic , Turmeric
Til Gur (Crunchy Sweet Black Sesame Diamonds)
2008-01-22 05:07:00 The change in seasons has always been a cause for celebration amongst peoples across the world. For Indians, one of the most auspicious days on the monthly calendar is marked by Sankranti - the day on which the sun moves from one sign of the zodiac to the other. Of all such days, it it the day of Makar Sankranti that is believed to be the most holy. This is because it is on this day that the sun returns to the Northern Hemisphere thereby marking the end of a long cold winter and the return of spring.As it is in the month of Magha that the sun enters the Makar Rashi or sign on the zodiac known as Capricorn, this Sankranti is known as Makar Sankranti. The terms come quite literally from the fact that the sun leaves the Tropic of Cancer and enters the Tropic of Capricorn. The ensuing period is also known as the Uttarayan Punyakalam.The most famous celebration of the arrival of this auspicious period is at the Kumbh Mela, celebrated Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik.Makar Sankrant... More About: Recipe , Diamonds , Black , Sweet , Sesame
Cranberry Orange Relish
2008-01-16 05:05:00 For Taste & Create V, I have been paired with Jill of Hey, That Tastes Good! Eagerly, I browsed through Jill's site for a recipe to create. Jill's site was an education for me - it was my first encounter with a blogger who blogs gluten free. Hmmmm, I thought, here's a challenge for me!! After reviewing several recipes that appeared delicious, I settled on the Cranberry -Orange Relish, for several reasons! Firstly, I love cranberries. Secondly, I adore oranges. Thirdly, I am fanatical about relishes. And last but not the least, I had never tried making anything with cranberries thus far.Jill's original recipe can be found at: Cranberry Orange Relish. It calls for the pulp and zest of 1 orange, 3 cups cranberries, and 11/2 cups sugar to be whisked together in the food processor, refrigerated to blend well, and then enjoyed.Much as I liked this recipe, I found that I could not follow it exactly. Firstly, my food processor had just given way. And secondly, an uncooked relish woul... More About: Recipe , Cinnamon , Star Anise
Kulhad Wali Chai (Masala Tea in Earthenware Pots)
2008-01-08 04:24:00 Anyone with any experience of travelling by rail in India will be all too familiar with 'Kulhad Wali Chai '. Served in earthenware glasses which are baked by potters in wood-fired furnaces, this syrupy and spicy Chai carries with it the sweet smell of the earth.Without doubt, 'Kulhad Wali Chai' beckons the weary traveller and is the ultimate liquid comfort in a glass. I have had a passionate love for tea since I first sipped this concoction as a child travelling between Nagpur and Aurangabad!! For me, chilly winter mornings are synonymous with holding a warm tea glass in my bare hands, slowly sipping this soothing liquid. As comforting as the strum of the guitar to Simon & Garfunkel lyrics:But look around, leaves are brown nowAnd the sky is a hazy shade of winterThis one's for jugalbandi Click : Liquid Comfort, January 2008.All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.
Winter Warmers: Healthy Vegetarian Tacos
2008-01-04 06:54:00 Tacos are a great favourite in my home and I am very experimental with the filling I make for for them. Here's a version of some yummy healthy vegetarian tacos that I made last weekend.Ingredients:4 large taco shells1 tbsp olive oil3 cloves garlic, crushed1 medium onion, chopped fine1 green pepper, chopped1 green zucchini, chopped1 yellow zucchini, chopped1 tin black beans, drained1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped fine4 medium tomatoes, chopped fine1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa1/2 tsp Italian herbs1/2 tsp crushed black pepperSalt to taste1/2 cup grated cheese (I used a mix of Cheddar and Mozzarella)Method: Set the oven to 350F. Place the taco shells on a cookie sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Heat for 10 minutes or until they appear toasted and lightly brown. Turn off the heat.In the meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a wide-bottomed saucepan, pour the olive oil. When heated, add the garlic and fry until it releases a fragrance. Now add the onions, and fry them till transparent. Add the chopp... More About: Vegetarian , Winter , Recipe , Healthy , Tacos
Rocking The Nutty Boat!!
2007-12-31 06:45:00 A simple entry for jugalbandi Click : Show us your nuts, December 2007.All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission. More About: Boat , Nuts
Rasedaar Aloo-Gobhi (Fragrant Potato-Cauliflower Curry)
2007-12-26 04:29:00 Aloo-Gobhi sabzi (Potato -Cauliflower Vegetable) happens to be one of my favourite vegetable combinations. There are so very many ways in which this vegetable combination is cooked and dished out. Yet it is only in winter that one gets the opportunity of enjoying it in this fragrant curry form. Primarily because this recipe uses loads of Dalchini or Cinnamon. Cinnamon which is an essential spice in Indian cooking, is regarded by Ayurveda as a warming spice. It is, in general, used in combination with other spices that complement its flavour and often in its bark form. Also it is used to flavour savoury vegetables and meats from the main course rather than sweets and desserts! Cauliflower curry with cinnamon is a perfect example of this. I find it to be a comfort food - tasty, warming, and utterly delicious once served on a bed of Basmati rice. Ingredients:1 medium-size cauliflower4 small red potatoes2 medium onions1 tin tomato puree1 tsp tamarind extract8 Curry leaves4 tbsp dried uns... More About: Recipe , Coconut , Potatoes
Christmas Cookies: Cinnamon-Chocolate Swirls
2007-12-22 23:52:00 Now home-baked cookies and I have a history of sorts. I developed an avid interest in baked goodies early on, and as time went by it turned into a passion of sorts. Yes, there's always a time for a story and this is one for Christmas cookies. As I stumbled across Susan's Christmas Cookies from Around the World 2007, I was inspired to dig out my old faithful - a treasured recipe book which holds a collection of my very favourite tried and trusted cookie recipes. Just a turn of the page and memories of baking batches of cookies for school events, for family, friends all came flooding back. Just as much as I loved the aroma of my Mum's kitchen every time I loaded in a fresh batch to bake, the fact remains that I really have not had the time or the opportunity to indulge in this joy for several years. Now thanks to Susan I have come back to delight in baking cookies. Of course half the joy of baking cookies at home (read from scratch) lies in the sharing. With every fresh batch I hav... More About: Recipe , Chocolate , Cinnamon
Winter Warmers: Hot Mango Salsa
2007-12-14 06:01:00 Mango is a great favourite on the Indian sub-continent. Indeed, as a mango lover one can't help but be passionate about this beautiful fruit. Every summer, desis in the US bemoan lack of access to the over a 100 varieties of mango available freely on the Indian sub-continent. And every so often I get a mango craving and I am tempted to buy one of the beautiful orange, yellow, and green mangoes in the local supermarket. Yet, these mangoes are very fibrous they don't do too well on a dessert plate. So to satisfy my mango cravings I began to experiment using these sweet fleshy fruits in new ways. I remember standing in my kitchen, mango staring at me when memories of eating sour kairi (raw mango) with rock salt and red chilli powder on a hot summer's day, flashed back to me. Mmmmm, the texture of the raw mango mingling with the sharp and mellow flavours was just heaven. And well, just like that I decided to do the same to the nice ripe mango on the kitchen table. An onion here, toma... More About: Winter , Recipe , Garlic , Mango , Salsa
Winter Warmers: Delicious Dal Dhokli
2007-12-10 09:37:00 Temperatures below zero degrees always call for especially delicious treats. And last week, while it was snowing like no tomorrow, I decided to treat us to some hearty Dal Dhokli. Now Dal Dhokli is basically a Gujarati dish, though I believe that there are some Rajasthani versions of it too. It was particularly popular in Mumbai where I spent part of my childhood.Not coming from either Gujarat or Rajasthan, I ate Dal Dhokli the first time when I visited a schoolfriends home. One taste and I was hooked! On my insistence, the dish was cooked every so often at home. Much as I enjoyed eating Dal Dhokli, I never had the chance to cook it in India. But my passion for food ensured that I carried the recipe with me. Yet, that's really no good - as I hardly ever follow a recipe. I work the ingredients available or from a combination of memory and taste. Memory of my Mum's kitchen (did I tell you she is a superlative cook!) and the taste of food I've enjoyed. I tend to innovate, tweak reci... More About: Winter , Delicious
That Feeling of Coming Home! JFI Toor Dal
2007-12-06 04:47:00 You can eat any cuisine in the world, you can travel the globe, you can eat out for days on end - but there is nothing quite like the feeling of coming back home!! Of course, coming home means different things to different people. But in my parents home - it had one simple meaning: "Ghar ka Khana" or simple food cooked at home.I remember as a child we would go for our annual trek in the Himalayas, or on summer vacations across the country only to return home to the deliciously heart-warming dal-chawal. Now you can guess that dal on the occasion meant the humble arhar dal or toor dal, served hot with basmati chawal, and methi-aloo bhaji. Over the years this has become my most abiding memory of coming home. Now when ever we travel, the first meal on our return echos that memory.In fact, this meal is a great favourite in my family. I tend to make toor dal thick and creamy, and top it with a great dollop "ghee ka tarka". Here's my recipe.Ingredients:2 cups toor dal1 medium onion1" piec... More About: Home , Feeling , Toor
Fasting & Feasting: Sabudana Khichiri
2007-12-03 20:55:00 In India, feasting very often follows fasting. It is customary to observe fasts on numerous days throughout the year. Indeed, people fast on particular days of a week, month, and year to please and honour particular Gods and Goddesses, to give thanks for blessings received, or to pray for that their wishes be granted.A fast usually begins at dawn and broken at dusk. During this time those undertaking the fast tend to partake of only water, fruits, nuts and milk. Yet, the entire day is often filled with the joy and camaraderie that accompanies a shared kitchen. Family members regardless of age come together to prepare for the feast that inevitably accompanies the successful completion of a fast. Some feasts are humble and traditional meals where only certain categories of foods permitted on fasts are prepared. And others are grand meals where the host's largess is shared with friends and neighbours.Sabudana Khichiri or Sago Kedgeree is a traditional dish that is most commonly prepar... More About: Vegetarian , Recipe , Indian , Potatoes , Fasting |
|
