(Drumroll............)
Two years back, on this very day, I sat in front of this computer, and without much thought, started this blog. Seriously, I didn't even think hard about a name...I just typed in the first name that came to my mind and then went on to my first post. It's amazing how spontaneous those actions and words were.....these days, I edit and re-edit and then edit some more before I hit the Publish button.
Blogging has been a lot of fun.....It's changed me from someone who knew to cook exactly three dishes(sambar, rasam and tomato rice) to someone who can actually write about Banana raisin muffins and Mango bread (or was it marriage???)
For the first time since I started blogging, I came face to face with several fellow bloggers a few months back. That added a whole new dimension to this pass time because I now have faces to associate with the thoughts that I read. Speaking of fellow bloggers, I love reading all your comments....thrive on them, in fact. So, do keep reading and do keep those comments coming.
As for me, I am going to celebrate my blog's birthday by ordering take-away :-))
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Spring onion and peas pulao
Spring onions are my latest craze...I mean, I've always liked spring onions....but of late, I've started adding it to a lot of dishes that I cook. The latest experiment in this series has been this pulao.
What you need:
Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Spring onions - 1 bunch, washed and chopped(including the leaves)
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Salt
Cinnamon - a small piece
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 3
Green chilli - 2
Powder the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Take a large microwaveable bowl and heat the powdered spices along with a tsp of oil on high heat for 1 minute. Add the green chillies and chopped spring onions and heat for another 3 minutes or until the onions just start to brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well and cook for 8 minutes at 800 watts and then for another 4 minutes at 650 watts.
Let it stand for two minutes. Gently fluff with a fork.
Serve hot with any raita of your choice/pickle/chips.
What you need:Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Spring onions - 1 bunch, washed and chopped(including the leaves)
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Salt
Cinnamon - a small piece
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 3
Green chilli - 2
Powder the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Take a large microwaveable bowl and heat the powdered spices along with a tsp of oil on high heat for 1 minute. Add the green chillies and chopped spring onions and heat for another 3 minutes or until the onions just start to brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well and cook for 8 minutes at 800 watts and then for another 4 minutes at 650 watts.
Let it stand for two minutes. Gently fluff with a fork.
Serve hot with any raita of your choice/pickle/chips.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Summer goodies #3 - Pavakka vathal
The title has probably made you wonder why Iam still talking about summer. Well, if you don't know it already, it's almost always summer in Chennai. A few unseasonal showers did give us some days of respite, but it is now back to the heat that Iam slowly but not very successfully beginning to learn to ignore.Two hot summer noons is all that it took for these bittergourd slices to be dried to a crisp.
Here's what you need:
Bittergourd - 3 large ones
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste (add more salt than you normally would for curries)
Water - enough to cover the bittergourd
Chop the bittergourd into medium sized circles and remove the seeds and pith.
Add turmeric, salt, water and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until the water just starts to boil. The bittergourd should not get cooked.
Leave it alone for about 20-25 minutes so that the salt gets absorbed.
Drain off all the water.
Spread on a plastic sheet and dry in the sun until all the moisture evaporates and the gourd becomes hard to the touch.
To use, heat some oil in a pan and deep fry a handful of the dried bittergourd and serve as an accompaniment with rice.
Check out my Summer goodies #1 - Ela vadam and #2 - Microwave mango thokku.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Green peas and fenugreek leaves curry
Fenugreek (methi in Hindi, uluva in Malayalam, Menthyam in Tamil) makes a frequent appearance in Indian cuisine both as a herb and a spice. It has a characteristic odour and a slightly bitter taste. In my home, the seeds soaked in curd/buttermilk are used as a digestive aid and to cure an upset stomach. The seeds are also said to boost milk production in lactating mothers.
The curry that I have here today is a very simple yet flavourful preparation that goes well with rotis. The peas have been added to balance out the bitterness of the methi leaves. You can choose to leave them out.
What you need:
Fresh fenugreek leaves - 1 cup, chopped
Green peas - 1/2 cup (raw, cooked or semi-cooked)
Tomato -1
Onion - 2 medium sized
Ginger - a small piece
Garlic - 3 cloves
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tsp
Add some salt to the chopped fenugreek leaves. Mix well and set aside.
Puree the tomato, onion, ginger and garlic.
Heat a tsp of oil. Add the puree to it and boil until the raw smell goes off.
Add salt, sugar, garam masala, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well.
Stir in the peas. If you are using raw or semi-cooked peas, add some water and boil until the peas are cooked but not mushy.
Squeeze all the water out of the fenugreek leaves and stir it into the curry. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until the leaves just start to wilt.
Serve hot with rotis.
This is my entry to Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen.
The curry that I have here today is a very simple yet flavourful preparation that goes well with rotis. The peas have been added to balance out the bitterness of the methi leaves. You can choose to leave them out.
What you need:Fresh fenugreek leaves - 1 cup, chopped
Green peas - 1/2 cup (raw, cooked or semi-cooked)
Tomato -1
Onion - 2 medium sized
Ginger - a small piece
Garlic - 3 cloves
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tsp
Add some salt to the chopped fenugreek leaves. Mix well and set aside.
Puree the tomato, onion, ginger and garlic.
Heat a tsp of oil. Add the puree to it and boil until the raw smell goes off.
Add salt, sugar, garam masala, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well.
Stir in the peas. If you are using raw or semi-cooked peas, add some water and boil until the peas are cooked but not mushy.
Squeeze all the water out of the fenugreek leaves and stir it into the curry. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until the leaves just start to wilt.
Serve hot with rotis.
This is my entry to Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
If anyone out there needs a good example to prove Newton's first law, they don't need to look any further. A little over a week away from the blog, and inertia has slowly but surely set in.
I've been racking my brain thinking of a good recipe for my "after-break" post.....but I keep drawing a blank. It's not that I haven't been cooking. We've actually been cooking up a storm for all the guests we've had over the last week, but there's just not been any time for photos or detailed write-ups. So, this post is going to tell you not about food, but about Me...Me....(thanks to a tag passed on by Medhaa)
1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATER?
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
A Prisoner of Birth
3) FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Snakes & Ladders, Monopoly
4) FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Femina, Vanitha, Outlook, India Today
5) FAVORITE SMELLS?
Baby soap, baby powder, baby lotion
6) FAVORITE SOUNDS?
The sound of the sea
7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Losing someone you love
8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Puh....le.....ase.....lemme sleep some more
9) FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Gangotri in Chennai, Panera Bread in the U.S ( I know Panera is not technically fast food, but its one of the places I really miss)
10) FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
Not decided....
11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
spend like crazy....
12)DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
Nope Iam a careful driver.....
13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
Never have, never will....
14)STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
Cool if Iam not caught in one.
15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Oldsmobile
16) FAVORITE DRINK?
Grape juice
17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
Read, read and then read some more
18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yep....donno why so many people hate broccoli
19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
Burgundy
20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Thrissur, Calicut, Chennai, Jacksonville, Chennai again.
21) FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Hate Sports
22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
She writes a lovely blog
23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
A clean floor....well, cleanliness really is a matter of perspective, isn't it???
24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
Sure
25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night owl....I can stay up as long as I want to, but waking up is a different story altogether.
26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Not too fond of eggs....I eat them only if there's absolutely nothing else available.
27) FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
My bed
28) FAVORITE PIE?
I don't have a favourite pie....I can tolerate apple pie but that's about it....
29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Vanilla
30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
Not sure...
Medhaa has also been kind enough to pass on the Inspiration Award. She says it is for bloggers whose stories and recipes inspire us. Whether it’s to eat healthier, dive back into our past to conjure up something we ate as children, or just make the light bulbs in our brains go on with a new idea for a recipe. Thank you, dear.
I've been racking my brain thinking of a good recipe for my "after-break" post.....but I keep drawing a blank. It's not that I haven't been cooking. We've actually been cooking up a storm for all the guests we've had over the last week, but there's just not been any time for photos or detailed write-ups. So, this post is going to tell you not about food, but about Me...Me....(thanks to a tag passed on by Medhaa)
1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATER?
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
A Prisoner of Birth
3) FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Snakes & Ladders, Monopoly
4) FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Femina, Vanitha, Outlook, India Today
5) FAVORITE SMELLS?
Baby soap, baby powder, baby lotion
6) FAVORITE SOUNDS?
The sound of the sea
7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Losing someone you love
8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Puh....le.....ase.....lemme sleep some more
9) FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Gangotri in Chennai, Panera Bread in the U.S ( I know Panera is not technically fast food, but its one of the places I really miss)
10) FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
Not decided....
11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
spend like crazy....
12)DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
Nope Iam a careful driver.....
13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
Never have, never will....
14)STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
Cool if Iam not caught in one.
15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Oldsmobile
16) FAVORITE DRINK?
Grape juice
17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
Read, read and then read some more
18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yep....donno why so many people hate broccoli
19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
Burgundy
20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Thrissur, Calicut, Chennai, Jacksonville, Chennai again.
21) FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Hate Sports
22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
She writes a lovely blog
23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
A clean floor....well, cleanliness really is a matter of perspective, isn't it???
24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
Sure
25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night owl....I can stay up as long as I want to, but waking up is a different story altogether.
26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Not too fond of eggs....I eat them only if there's absolutely nothing else available.
27) FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
My bed
28) FAVORITE PIE?
I don't have a favourite pie....I can tolerate apple pie but that's about it....
29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Vanilla
30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
Not sure...
Medhaa has also been kind enough to pass on the Inspiration Award. She says it is for bloggers whose stories and recipes inspire us. Whether it’s to eat healthier, dive back into our past to conjure up something we ate as children, or just make the light bulbs in our brains go on with a new idea for a recipe. Thank you, dear.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Red spinach parathas
Red spinach is in a class of its own. Its taste (at least according to me) is unmatched by that of any other leafy green. These parathas that I've made have been stuffed with red cheera thoran (stir fried red spinach).
Parathas, curd rice and carrot raita
To make cheera thoran you need:
Red spinach - 1 bunch, washed and chopped fine
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to it. When the seeds pop, stir in the chopped spinach and salt. Stir and cook covered until the leaves wilt and all the moisture is absorbed.
To make parathas u need:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt
Warm water - as needed
Oil - a little
Knead all the ingredients together along with the cheera thoran to make a smooth, pliable dough. Let it rest for a few hours.
Tear out tennis ball sized pieces of dough and roll them out into thick circles. Fold the circle into half and roll out again. Repeat the process once more so you have a neat triangle.
Cook on a tawa drizzling a little oil/ghee over it if you'd like.
Notes: If you are serving the thoran with rice, season the oil with some urad dal and split red chillies along with the mustard seeds. Also add some fresh grated coconut to the thoran.
Off this goes to be a part of Srivalli's Roti Mela.
Parathas, curd rice and carrot raitaRed spinach - 1 bunch, washed and chopped fine
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to it. When the seeds pop, stir in the chopped spinach and salt. Stir and cook covered until the leaves wilt and all the moisture is absorbed.
To make parathas u need:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt
Warm water - as needed
Oil - a little
Knead all the ingredients together along with the cheera thoran to make a smooth, pliable dough. Let it rest for a few hours.
Tear out tennis ball sized pieces of dough and roll them out into thick circles. Fold the circle into half and roll out again. Repeat the process once more so you have a neat triangle.
Cook on a tawa drizzling a little oil/ghee over it if you'd like.
Serve hot with raita and pickle.
Notes: If you are serving the thoran with rice, season the oil with some urad dal and split red chillies along with the mustard seeds. Also add some fresh grated coconut to the thoran.
Off this goes to be a part of Srivalli's Roti Mela.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Summer goodies #2 - Microwave mango thokku
First off, I've got to tell all the Chennaiwasis that there's this new Italian restaurant you absolutely must try.....Osteria is at the Deccan Plaza in Royapettah High Road. Their food, ambience, service....everything is absolutely great.
The Samosa Factory in Anna Nagar is good too.....it's at the beginning of Shanti Colony....and is so small that you're likely to miss it unless you're looking for it.....but it definitely is something you should try out. They have lovely street style cocktail samosas with a crisp, dark brown outer layer.
I gorged on these during the weekend and also watched the new Indy Jones movie. If you are an Indy fan (like me), you will enjoy the movie. Like all the other movies in the series, this too is an edge-of-the-seat entertainer......definitely not the best Indy movie.....but fun all the same.
Okey....dokey......let's now switch on the microwave and make some thokku.....
What you need:
Large unripe mango - 2
Red chilli powder - 2 heaped tsp (adjust to your taste)
Salt
Oil - 8 tsp
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp
Jaggery - a small piece (optional)
Peel mangoes and then cut them into thin, uneven slices.
Pour the oil into a microwave safe bowl, add mustard seeds, cover and microwave for 2 minutes or until the seeds pop.
Add all the other ingredients....mix well and microwave on high power for 8 minutes. Do check on the mangoes halfway through and stir so that it gets cooked evenly. Crush lightly with a ladle. I like mine with a few chunks in it.
This stays good in the refrigerator for upto 10 days.
I'd like to thank:
Happy Cook for giving me the
Rocking Girl Blogger Award
Jayasree for passing on the You Make My Day Award.
This is my entry to Srivalli's MEC Bottled.
Check out my Summer goodies #1 - Ela vadam
The Samosa Factory in Anna Nagar is good too.....it's at the beginning of Shanti Colony....and is so small that you're likely to miss it unless you're looking for it.....but it definitely is something you should try out. They have lovely street style cocktail samosas with a crisp, dark brown outer layer.
I gorged on these during the weekend and also watched the new Indy Jones movie. If you are an Indy fan (like me), you will enjoy the movie. Like all the other movies in the series, this too is an edge-of-the-seat entertainer......definitely not the best Indy movie.....but fun all the same.
Okey....dokey......let's now switch on the microwave and make some thokku.....
What you need:Large unripe mango - 2
Red chilli powder - 2 heaped tsp (adjust to your taste)
Salt
Oil - 8 tsp
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp
Jaggery - a small piece (optional)
Peel mangoes and then cut them into thin, uneven slices.
Pour the oil into a microwave safe bowl, add mustard seeds, cover and microwave for 2 minutes or until the seeds pop.
Add all the other ingredients....mix well and microwave on high power for 8 minutes. Do check on the mangoes halfway through and stir so that it gets cooked evenly. Crush lightly with a ladle. I like mine with a few chunks in it.
This stays good in the refrigerator for upto 10 days.
I'd like to thank:
Happy Cook for giving me the
Rocking Girl Blogger AwardJayasree for passing on the You Make My Day Award.
This is my entry to Srivalli's MEC Bottled.
Check out my Summer goodies #1 - Ela vadam
Saturday, May 31, 2008
How do I love thee.....Come let me count the ways
Well, for starters I like you best as you are.......I love to bite into your juicy flesh....skin and all....and keep eating until all that is left is your seed. Then, there's pulisseri, pachadi, koottan - various avatars of yours - all of which Iam equally awed by.So when Arundati chose you to be the star of blogosphere's breakfast table, all of these dishes ran through my mind.....but there was also this feeling in the back of my mind that I should try something that I've never tried before. Well, the days passed by and I did eat a lot of mangoes, but I never got around to making anything out of it.
Things just seemed to fall into place today though, with DH saying that it's been a while since I baked bread.....and since I happened to have some wonderful smelling ripe banganapallis on hand, I thought, why not go ahead and bake some mango bread. Googling lead me to this recipe which I adapted so that I could make it entirely in the microwave.
To make microwave egg-less mango bread you need:
1 large ripe mango - skinned and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup oil
2 cups flour (I used flour made out of a mix of seven grains - can be substituted with whole grain flour)
1/2 cup milk powder
1/2 cup water
Blend the mango, sugar, yogurt, salt, oil, water and milk powder together in a blender. Transfer it to a large bowl and add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix everything together well. The dough will be quite thick - infact, for a while there, i thought that I'd gone wrong with the consistency.
Grease a loaf pan with oil/non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and microwave in convection mode at 175 degree centigrade for roughly thirty minutes. Do check every now and then to see if it is done because microwaves do vary in their power output and so the time taken will vary depending on your microwave. Insert a knife into the bread...if it comes out clean, then the bread is done. Let it stand in the microwave until it cools down completely.
Fresh out of the oven....Slice and Njoy!!!
Thoughts:A nice, moist bread...you really can't taste the mango in it, though....So next time around I'd probably use mango juice instead of water to get more of the
mango flavour. I also want to try adding a little bit of cinnamon and some walnuts or raisins to the batter.
This is my entry to Weekend Breakfast Blogging hosted by Arundati.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Masala puris
For life to be interesting, you need to move away from the regular path every once in a while.....you have to welcome the unexpected. As Oswald says "A surprise never hurt anybody" (Sheesh....can't believe i am quoting Oswald.....can u tell I watch way too much Pogo these days???)
Well, the same rule applies to food too. Every now and then, you need to experiment, to get out of your comfort zone and just throw things together and cross your fingers and hope that something edible comes out of that strange combo that's in the pan.
Here's one such experiment that I tried....
To make masala puris you need:
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Potatoes - 2 or 3 medium sized, boiled, peeled and mashed well
Onion - 1, chopped really fine
Salt
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Combine all the ingredients together and knead into a smooth pliable dough adding just as much warm water as needed.
Make small lemon sized balls out of the dough and roll it out into small puris.
Heat some oil(enough to deep fry the puris) in a kadai. Slide one puri at a time gently into the hot oil. Turn over once so both sides are cooked and browned evenly. Remove and drain excess oil using a kitchen/paper towel.
Eat hot off the stove with thick yogurt and a spicy pickle on the side.....and trust me, once you've tried this, you'll never want to go back to plain puris ever again....
Speaking of surprises, there are two blogger buddies who made my day by passing on some lovely awards to me.
Sukanya has given me the yummy blog award.
Thank u dear.....it really does mean a lot to me.
As a receiver of this award, I have to list out four of my favourite desserts. I really don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I'll try to list a few that I do like better than the rest.
She says “Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.”
Thank you Sowmya.
The masala puris are off to Srivalli's Roti Mela.
Well, the same rule applies to food too. Every now and then, you need to experiment, to get out of your comfort zone and just throw things together and cross your fingers and hope that something edible comes out of that strange combo that's in the pan.
Here's one such experiment that I tried....
To make masala puris you need:Wheat flour - 2 cups
Potatoes - 2 or 3 medium sized, boiled, peeled and mashed well
Onion - 1, chopped really fine
Salt
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Combine all the ingredients together and knead into a smooth pliable dough adding just as much warm water as needed.
Make small lemon sized balls out of the dough and roll it out into small puris.
Heat some oil(enough to deep fry the puris) in a kadai. Slide one puri at a time gently into the hot oil. Turn over once so both sides are cooked and browned evenly. Remove and drain excess oil using a kitchen/paper towel.
Eat hot off the stove with thick yogurt and a spicy pickle on the side.....and trust me, once you've tried this, you'll never want to go back to plain puris ever again....
Speaking of surprises, there are two blogger buddies who made my day by passing on some lovely awards to me.
Sukanya has given me the yummy blog award.
Thank u dear.....it really does mean a lot to me.As a receiver of this award, I have to list out four of my favourite desserts. I really don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I'll try to list a few that I do like better than the rest.
- Palada pradhaman
- Rosogollas
- Jilebis
- Kaju Kathli
- MS
- DK
- Rachel and
- Happy cook
She says “Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.”Thank you Sowmya.
The masala puris are off to Srivalli's Roti Mela.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Ranting and cooking
To the nosy old man next door....
Pushing and prodding and hoping that staring at the envelope long enough will miraculously render it transparent just won't work.....If you want to know how much I pay the telephone department every month, all you have to do is ask me.....and I "may" tell you...
And while we are at it, let me also tell you that I know you always watch out of your window to see when I get my mail.....you really don't have to ask me if the courier guy delivered the package which you saw him bring in...
If you saw him walking to my place with a package, if you heard him ring the bell, then simple logic determines that I did get the package.....unless there's a new bermuda triangle between your home and mine.
Alright, with that finally off my chest, let's now get talking about Mathan erissery. Erissery is a very simple, rustic Kerala dish. It can be made using a variety of vegetables. My favourite is pacha mathan erissery (raw pumpkin erissery).
What you need:
Raw pumpkin - 3/4 cup, diced into medium sized pieces after removing the skin
Green chillies - 3
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few sprigs
Take two and a half cups of water in a pan. Add pumpkin pieces, salt and turmeric powder to it and boil until the pumpkin is cooked. Grind green chillies and coconut to a smooth paste and add this to the cooked pumpkin. If needed, add some more water at this stage. Boil for a few minutes. Switch off the heat and then pour the coconut oil on top. Garnish with fresh curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice.
Pushing and prodding and hoping that staring at the envelope long enough will miraculously render it transparent just won't work.....If you want to know how much I pay the telephone department every month, all you have to do is ask me.....and I "may" tell you...
And while we are at it, let me also tell you that I know you always watch out of your window to see when I get my mail.....you really don't have to ask me if the courier guy delivered the package which you saw him bring in...
If you saw him walking to my place with a package, if you heard him ring the bell, then simple logic determines that I did get the package.....unless there's a new bermuda triangle between your home and mine.
Alright, with that finally off my chest, let's now get talking about Mathan erissery. Erissery is a very simple, rustic Kerala dish. It can be made using a variety of vegetables. My favourite is pacha mathan erissery (raw pumpkin erissery).
What you need:Green chillies - 3
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few sprigs
Take two and a half cups of water in a pan. Add pumpkin pieces, salt and turmeric powder to it and boil until the pumpkin is cooked. Grind green chillies and coconut to a smooth paste and add this to the cooked pumpkin. If needed, add some more water at this stage. Boil for a few minutes. Switch off the heat and then pour the coconut oil on top. Garnish with fresh curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Refried beans
Colourful, full of flavour and nutritious....that's Mexican food for you... Refried beans almost always make an appearance at the Mexican table, either as an accompaniment to Mexican rice and tortillas, or wrapped into burritos and enchiladas.
The name is a bit of a misnomer because there is no frying involved in making this dish. It is actually quite easy to make and probably one of the simplest recipes to follow.
What you need:
Red kidney beans - 3/4 cup (Soaked in plenty of water overnight)
Garlic - 4 cloves, crushed
Tomato -1, chopped
Salt
Onion - 1, chopped fine
Take all the ingredients in a pressure cooker, add sufficient water and cook until one whistle....reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.
By now, the beans should be soft and well cooked. Mash it coarsely with a masher or a heavy ladle. Heat until all the moisture is absorbed.
Serve with tortillas or rotis.
(Traditionally, the ingredients are boiled together on a low flame unti the beans become tender, but I used a pressure cooker to speed up the process)
Iam rushing this off to DK who is hosting A Wordly Epicurean's Delight (A.W.E.D) featuring Mexican food.
The name is a bit of a misnomer because there is no frying involved in making this dish. It is actually quite easy to make and probably one of the simplest recipes to follow.
What you need:Red kidney beans - 3/4 cup (Soaked in plenty of water overnight)
Garlic - 4 cloves, crushed
Tomato -1, chopped
Salt
Onion - 1, chopped fine
Take all the ingredients in a pressure cooker, add sufficient water and cook until one whistle....reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.
By now, the beans should be soft and well cooked. Mash it coarsely with a masher or a heavy ladle. Heat until all the moisture is absorbed.
Serve with tortillas or rotis.
(Traditionally, the ingredients are boiled together on a low flame unti the beans become tender, but I used a pressure cooker to speed up the process)
Iam rushing this off to DK who is hosting A Wordly Epicurean's Delight (A.W.E.D) featuring Mexican food.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Methi theplas for RCI-Rajasthan
Looking around for a Rajasthani dish that I could make using ingredients that i had on hand is what led me to the book "Taste of Rajasthan (Delicious Vegetarian Food from the Land of Rajasthan) by Harveen Choudhary. The fact that I had a bunch of fresh methi just waiting to be used helped decide on the dish that was going to be cooked. I have followed Choudhary's recipe almost to the T except for certain small changes.
What you need:
Fresh methi leaves(chopped) - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Gram flour - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 2, ground into a paste
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Sour curd - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tsp
Mix the chopped methi leaves and curd in a bowl and set aside for an hour. Add all the other ingredients to this and knead to a smooth pliable dough. If needed, add some warm water while kneading. Cover and keep aside for an hour.
Take a small ball of dough. Dredge it in some wheat flour and roll out into a thick circle. Transfer the thepla to a heated tawa....cook until you see a few brown spots on the bottom. Turn over, drizzle some oil/ghee over it if you'd like to and cook for a minute. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
Serve hot...or cold...it tastes good either way...
What I think of these theplas:
They turned out super soft and delicious...the original recipe called for 1 cup of curd and that's what I used, but the dough turned out to be a little sticky and so I had to add more flour.
I loved the colour that the turmeric and garam masala gave to the theplas. I don't find much difference between these and the methi parathas that I make...except for the fact that I've never soaked the methi leaves in curd before...I suppose that takes away the bitterness. These tasted great on their own....the only thing I'd probably eat with it is mango thokku...but even that is not necessary.
This is my entry to RCI-Rajasthan hosted by Padmaja of Spicy Andhra and to Srivalli's Roti Mela.
What you need:Fresh methi leaves(chopped) - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Gram flour - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 2, ground into a paste
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Sour curd - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tsp
Mix the chopped methi leaves and curd in a bowl and set aside for an hour. Add all the other ingredients to this and knead to a smooth pliable dough. If needed, add some warm water while kneading. Cover and keep aside for an hour.
Take a small ball of dough. Dredge it in some wheat flour and roll out into a thick circle. Transfer the thepla to a heated tawa....cook until you see a few brown spots on the bottom. Turn over, drizzle some oil/ghee over it if you'd like to and cook for a minute. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
Serve hot...or cold...it tastes good either way...
What I think of these theplas:
They turned out super soft and delicious...the original recipe called for 1 cup of curd and that's what I used, but the dough turned out to be a little sticky and so I had to add more flour.
I loved the colour that the turmeric and garam masala gave to the theplas. I don't find much difference between these and the methi parathas that I make...except for the fact that I've never soaked the methi leaves in curd before...I suppose that takes away the bitterness. These tasted great on their own....the only thing I'd probably eat with it is mango thokku...but even that is not necessary.
This is my entry to RCI-Rajasthan hosted by Padmaja of Spicy Andhra and to Srivalli's Roti Mela.
Restaurant review - Little Italy Ristorante, Chennai.
Where???
112,Eldorado building, Nungambakkam high Road, Chennai.
Ph :42601234
It is opposite Pizza Corner on Nungambakkam H.R.
What???
Mostly Italian and also some Mexican food....the entire menu is vegetarian. Both the cuisines have been Indianised to suit the local palate but it does taste good. The minestrone soup, which incidentally, is my favourite soup, was a huge disappointment. I was expecting an Olive Garden style soup, but what they served turned out to be greenish and watery. Other than that, the rest of the dishes we ordered turned out to be quite good. The risotto and penne with sun dried tomatoes and sauces were both good, though the quantity is much too less for the price that you pay. The Quesidillas looked like they were made using rotis instead of tortillas....but tasted quite alright.
The service is just about average. The wait staff (at least some of them) seem to have trouble with both English and Tamil. I asked the lady who waited on our table a question about a dish and she just said yes and walked off. I also had to wait an extra 10 minutes to get an plate for my daughter despite the fact that several waiters were walking around setting tables and I was told that I would have to wait for "Just one minute".
That said, the ambience and the food made enough of an impression to make me want to go back.
How much should you expect to pay???
About Rs 600 - 650 for two people.
Do make reservations, especially on weekends, because the place does tend to get quite crowded.
112,Eldorado building, Nungambakkam high Road, Chennai.
Ph :42601234
It is opposite Pizza Corner on Nungambakkam H.R.
What???
Mostly Italian and also some Mexican food....the entire menu is vegetarian. Both the cuisines have been Indianised to suit the local palate but it does taste good. The minestrone soup, which incidentally, is my favourite soup, was a huge disappointment. I was expecting an Olive Garden style soup, but what they served turned out to be greenish and watery. Other than that, the rest of the dishes we ordered turned out to be quite good. The risotto and penne with sun dried tomatoes and sauces were both good, though the quantity is much too less for the price that you pay. The Quesidillas looked like they were made using rotis instead of tortillas....but tasted quite alright.
The service is just about average. The wait staff (at least some of them) seem to have trouble with both English and Tamil. I asked the lady who waited on our table a question about a dish and she just said yes and walked off. I also had to wait an extra 10 minutes to get an plate for my daughter despite the fact that several waiters were walking around setting tables and I was told that I would have to wait for "Just one minute".
That said, the ambience and the food made enough of an impression to make me want to go back.
How much should you expect to pay???
About Rs 600 - 650 for two people.
Do make reservations, especially on weekends, because the place does tend to get quite crowded.
Monday, May 12, 2008
The making of an Onion Kulcha
Flat breads in the form of rotis and parathas make an appearance in my home quite often. However,making naan is something I have shied away from after a disastrous trial a few years back. So whenever the craving for naan or any of its variants hits me, I take the easy way out and either eat out or get take-away...
A few days back, though,I decided to try my hand at making onion kulchas.....the results were encouraging enough to make me want to try out other versions of this very adaptable bread.
What you need:
For the dough:
All purpose flour/maida - 1 cup
Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Active dry yeast - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Warm water - enough to knead the flour into a smooth dough
To make dough:
Soak yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water for 10 minutes or until it is completely dissolved. Mix the flours and salt together. Add the yeast mixture to this and then add warm water a little at a time and knead into a smooth pliable dough. Cover and let it stand for a few hours. The volume of the dough will double in about 4-6 hours. Punch it well and knead again and set aside until you are ready to make kulchas.
For the filling :
Large red onions - 2, chopped very fine
Tomato sauce - 1tsp
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - a little
Oil - 3 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
To make filling:
Heat oil. Add onions and saute until brown. Stir in all the other ingredients...stir well and remove from heat. Set aside.
To make kulchas:
Take a medium sized ball of dough. Using a rolling pin, flatten it into a small circle. Spoon some of the filling into this circle and close it and shape into a ball again with your hands. Roll out into a thick circle. Fold this in half so you get a semi-circle and spread it slightly with the rolling pin. Now fold it into a triangle and spread again with the rolling pin to make a thick kulcha.
Heat a tawa/griddle. Transfer the rolled out kulcha onto that. Cook until you see a few bubbles form on the top of the kulcha. By this time, the bottom should have turned golden brown. Turn over and cook for a minute or two.
Serve hot with any curry of your choice.
A few days back, though,I decided to try my hand at making onion kulchas.....the results were encouraging enough to make me want to try out other versions of this very adaptable bread.
What you need:For the dough:
All purpose flour/maida - 1 cup
Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Active dry yeast - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Warm water - enough to knead the flour into a smooth dough
To make dough:
Soak yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water for 10 minutes or until it is completely dissolved. Mix the flours and salt together. Add the yeast mixture to this and then add warm water a little at a time and knead into a smooth pliable dough. Cover and let it stand for a few hours. The volume of the dough will double in about 4-6 hours. Punch it well and knead again and set aside until you are ready to make kulchas.
For the filling :
Large red onions - 2, chopped very fine
Tomato sauce - 1tsp
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - a little
Oil - 3 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
To make filling:
Heat oil. Add onions and saute until brown. Stir in all the other ingredients...stir well and remove from heat. Set aside.
To make kulchas:
Take a medium sized ball of dough. Using a rolling pin, flatten it into a small circle. Spoon some of the filling into this circle and close it and shape into a ball again with your hands. Roll out into a thick circle. Fold this in half so you get a semi-circle and spread it slightly with the rolling pin. Now fold it into a triangle and spread again with the rolling pin to make a thick kulcha.
Heat a tawa/griddle. Transfer the rolled out kulcha onto that. Cook until you see a few bubbles form on the top of the kulcha. By this time, the bottom should have turned golden brown. Turn over and cook for a minute or two.
Serve hot with any curry of your choice.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
We met, we talked and....we ate
For months together, mails were exchanged, plans were made,and then, eleven strangers decided to meet under one roof on May 1st, 2008.
What brought them together is nothing other than the passion to write about good food. There were the initial akward silences, but then as time passed, peopled opened up and we found
ourselves discussing stuff other than food. We talked about our babies.....how ridiculous it is that we have to register them in school as soon as we see two pink lines......and lots of other stuff.
A food bloggers' meet is never complete without the presence of food.....and boy, was there food!!!!
Lakshmi graciously opened up her house to us.....and also made yummy delicious tava bread and thayir sadam......thank you, Laks.....
Rachel baked a lovely looking and even lovelier tasting ladenia for us......Kamini's aloo tikkis were lip-smacking good.....Srivalli's Channa pulao and raita were awesome...
Sra's paneer curry and Arundati's Idiyappam and Mango pulissery both were perfectly delicious.
Nirmala's florentines, which to her dismay, were called cookies by everybody, tasted fabulous.....after all, what's in a name, Nimmi???
Kamalika's chakkara pongal and Lavi's Rosogullas were the ultimate sweet treats.....Yours truly took along chakkavaratty payasam, the recipe of which will be posted soon.
Whew!!! There, didn't I tell u there was A LOT of good food.
This meet also made me realise something else.....
I'd forgotten to take my camera along...and so, had to wait until the others had taken several pictures of the food from different angles...
...and that's when I understood what my family truly goes through when I put food on the table and then ask them to stand around and gaze at it until I've taken enough pictures :-))
A lovely potluck, good company and a great time....that's what we had....and I really, really hope we do this again.....
What brought them together is nothing other than the passion to write about good food. There were the initial akward silences, but then as time passed, peopled opened up and we found
ourselves discussing stuff other than food. We talked about our babies.....how ridiculous it is that we have to register them in school as soon as we see two pink lines......and lots of other stuff.
A food bloggers' meet is never complete without the presence of food.....and boy, was there food!!!!
Lakshmi graciously opened up her house to us.....and also made yummy delicious tava bread and thayir sadam......thank you, Laks.....
Rachel baked a lovely looking and even lovelier tasting ladenia for us......Kamini's aloo tikkis were lip-smacking good.....Srivalli's Channa pulao and raita were awesome...
Sra's paneer curry and Arundati's Idiyappam and Mango pulissery both were perfectly delicious.
Nirmala's florentines, which to her dismay, were called cookies by everybody, tasted fabulous.....after all, what's in a name, Nimmi???
Kamalika's chakkara pongal and Lavi's Rosogullas were the ultimate sweet treats.....Yours truly took along chakkavaratty payasam, the recipe of which will be posted soon.
Whew!!! There, didn't I tell u there was A LOT of good food.
This meet also made me realise something else.....
I'd forgotten to take my camera along...and so, had to wait until the others had taken several pictures of the food from different angles...
...and that's when I understood what my family truly goes through when I put food on the table and then ask them to stand around and gaze at it until I've taken enough pictures :-))
A lovely potluck, good company and a great time....that's what we had....and I really, really hope we do this again.....
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Microwave Aval Kozhakkattai
What you need:Rice flakes - 1 cup (thick variety - I used matta rice flakes)
Water - 2 cups
Salt
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Broken urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 2, roughly broken into pieces
Peanuts - a little
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Grated fresh coconut - 1/4 cup
Asafoetida - a little
Powder the rice flakes in a blender to a coarse consistency....like that of rava/semolina.
Take the oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, chilli, peanuts, curry leaves and asafoetida in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 2 minutes on maximum power or until the mustard seeds pop.
Add water, powdered rice flakes, salt and grated coconut into the bowl. Stir well so that there are no lumps. Microwave for 8 minutes on high power or until the mixture is well cooked like upma and there is no water left.
Let it cool and then shape into ovals.
Steam for 2 minutes in a microwave idli plate.
Remove and serve hot with coconut chutney.
Am rushing this entry off to Easycrafts who is hosting this month's WBB - Microwave food
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Chakka adai
Growing up, the meals we had during summer always revolved around chakka (jackfruit), muringakka (drumstick) and mangoes. If there was muringakka sambar one day, the next day it was muringakka molagoottal, then chakkakkuru (jackfruit seed) thoran, chakka molagushyam, chakka this, muringakka that....so much so that my brother and I used to silently wish that those trees would somehow miraculously stop bearing any more fruit.
It's true that you don't realise the value of something when you have it in abundance. Now whenever I visit my parents I come back laden with the very same things that I once said I couldn't take any more of.......
Chakka adai is something I didn't dislike as a child, but neither was I overly enamoured by it. A recent visit to my parents' made me rediscover this dish and yeah, I did bring back some ripe jackfruit so that I could make this at home.
What you need:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Jackfruit - 6 slices (is that what it is called??? or is it just pieces???)
Salt - a pinch
Jaggery - a small piece (optional)
Wash and soak rice in plenty of water for 2 hours.
Drain and then grind along with all the other ingredients to a smooth batter of pourable consistency.
Heat a dosa pan. Pour a ladle of batter...spread it into a circle....pour a few drops of oil/ghee on it and cook for a minute/until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip over and cook for a minute.
Serve hot.
This dosa does not need any accompaniment...tastes great hot off the stove.
Note:
It's true that you don't realise the value of something when you have it in abundance. Now whenever I visit my parents I come back laden with the very same things that I once said I couldn't take any more of.......
Chakka adai is something I didn't dislike as a child, but neither was I overly enamoured by it. A recent visit to my parents' made me rediscover this dish and yeah, I did bring back some ripe jackfruit so that I could make this at home.
What you need:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Jackfruit - 6 slices (is that what it is called??? or is it just pieces???)
Salt - a pinch
Jaggery - a small piece (optional)
Wash and soak rice in plenty of water for 2 hours.
Drain and then grind along with all the other ingredients to a smooth batter of pourable consistency.
Heat a dosa pan. Pour a ladle of batter...spread it into a circle....pour a few drops of oil/ghee on it and cook for a minute/until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip over and cook for a minute.
Serve hot.This dosa does not need any accompaniment...tastes great hot off the stove.
Note:
- The jackfruit should be really, really ripe.
- Increase, decrease or totally do away with the jaggery depending on the sweetness of the jackfruit.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Experience in action
Look at those efficient hands spreading the batter deftly and in perfect circles......the dosas that he made were nothing less than a pure delight to savour.
Crisp and delicious!!!This is my final entry to Srivalli's Dosa Mela.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Verum arisi adai
Minimum preparation and almost no fuss is exactly how I would describe my cooking style. I am not the kind to toil over the stove all day long and endure the "It-tastes-OK" type of comments
with a martyr-like smile.....If I have toiled in the kitchen and put something on the table, then you better be lavish with your words(read you better tell me it is GOOD!!!)
The dosas that Iam going to talk about today are just my kind of dish - need almost no prep....except for the grinding of course.....no fermenting, no soaking and grinding separately....infact, it uses just three ingredients.....yet, the end-product is guaranteed to satisfy.
What you need:
Parboiled rice - 1cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Wash and soak the rice in plenty of water for 4 to 6 hours. Drain and grind to a smooth batter adding as much water as needed. The batter should be runny.....like rava dosa batter.
Mix in the grated coconut and salt.
Heat a dosa pan....pour a ladleful of batter in a circle....even it out with the ladle...pour a few drops of oil over it if you'd like....cook for a few minutes, turn over, cook for a minute....and
serve hot with coconut chutney/tomato chutney/sambar. My personal favourite is mango thokku along with this.
There, does dosa making get any simpler than that???
Notes:
Check out my other entries to the mela - tomato dosa ( no fermenting), vegetable dosa (no fermenting) and masala dosa (scroll halfway down the post to see the recipe)
with a martyr-like smile.....If I have toiled in the kitchen and put something on the table, then you better be lavish with your words(read you better tell me it is GOOD!!!)
The dosas that Iam going to talk about today are just my kind of dish - need almost no prep....except for the grinding of course.....no fermenting, no soaking and grinding separately....infact, it uses just three ingredients.....yet, the end-product is guaranteed to satisfy.
What you need:Parboiled rice - 1cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Wash and soak the rice in plenty of water for 4 to 6 hours. Drain and grind to a smooth batter adding as much water as needed. The batter should be runny.....like rava dosa batter.
Mix in the grated coconut and salt.
Heat a dosa pan....pour a ladleful of batter in a circle....even it out with the ladle...pour a few drops of oil over it if you'd like....cook for a few minutes, turn over, cook for a minute....and
serve hot with coconut chutney/tomato chutney/sambar. My personal favourite is mango thokku along with this.
There, does dosa making get any simpler than that???
Notes:
- You can use raw rice instead of parboiled, but the dosas are much softer when u use parboiled rice.
- The coconut can be ground along with the batter but biting into little bits of grated coconut as you eat the dosa is what gives this a unique taste. I have also seen some people sprinkle the grated coconut over the dosa immediately after pouring the batter into the pan.
Check out my other entries to the mela - tomato dosa ( no fermenting), vegetable dosa (no fermenting) and masala dosa (scroll halfway down the post to see the recipe)
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