KITCHEN ART

AM I BACK YET?? - HOPEFULLY

2010-01-12T20:04:00.005+05:30

I dont know where to begin from? Life has been a roller coaster which much much happening. I will surely not be able to give an account of all that, but one thing is for sure that I wanted to be back in the blogworld ASAP!!! I used to blog hop once in a while, but not much. Hopefully, my love for cooking will not let go off my desire this time.

How have you all been? I am hoping all of you - each one of my friends are as good as I left them and even better.

I am putting up a neat, quick breakfast or snacktime recipe - Seviyan Upma.

Ingredients :-

Seviyan - 1 cup
Beans - finely chopped 4/5 stalks
Carrot - finely chopped 1
Peas - a handful
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1 pureed
Peanuts - handful (fried)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tspn
Salt - as per taste
Garam Masala - 1 tspn
Green Chillies - as per taste
Curry Leaves - optional but good flavour

Method -
Roast the sevian on slow flame
On the other hand boil the chopped veggies and the peas with a wee bit of salt
Chop the onions.
In a wok add some oil and when it heats add the mustard seeds till they sputter
Add the chopped onions and when they are fried add the tomato puree and fry till it leaves the oil
Add the turmeric, salt and garam masala powder and the curry leaves
Fry for about 1/2 a minute
Add 2 cups water and let it boil
Then add the roast sevian and stir and cook till the water has evaporated
Add the boiled the veggies and stir
Then add the peanuts
You can garnish it with some corriander leaves
Serve it with either ketchup or green chutney or just as it is

This is a quick and delish breakfast / snacky item that I make to save my skin at times!!!

Try and let me know

Take care and I am hoping a few visits at least, and I will be back sooooooon

FRUIT AND NUT BAR

2009-02-28T10:46:00.003+05:30

Hi there.......hope you are all doing well and keep good spirits. "Good spirits" - is that something in our genes, or is it something that we ought to cultivate, or is it something beyond our control. I for one, have begun to believe that it is something that a few are blessed with, and it is also something that one can learn to cultivate within oneself, by taking the one's who are already blessed with as examples. It surely is not something that is beyond one's control.

We often see a few samples of God's creation who are always seen with a smile on their face, a twinke in their eyes and a spring in their steps....and they spread that attitude to others - isint that true. We look at them and think oh - how happy she or he is....but it surely is not the case that they do not have any issues in their lives. Its just that they have that attitude of letting go. If you hang onto burdens, worries and problems, they have a tendancy to pull you down. But if you learn to give them up, even if for a short while, and allow the Almighty to handle them, maybe just say a small prayer saying that you give up the particular issue into his mighty hands, you will see that you suddenly feel lighter and better. I have tried doing it a lot of times, and maybe you should to.....

My husband was returning from a 15 day tour to Africa, and I was more than excited and happy to have him back home, so that I could fight with him and trouble him. My life is no fun without him, coz I love the constant arguments and then the making up. I wanted to do make something really special for him and God knows where I got the recipe of a "FRUIT AND NUT BAR" from and since I had all the ingredients for it. Without second thoughts, I jumped off the bed and into the kitchen. I even baked a batch of Butterscotch Brownies from MY DIVERSE KITCHEN.

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup light brown sugar (I used normal sugar)
1 1/2 cups walnuts (I used 1 cup almonds & 1/2 cup walnuts)
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1 1/2 cup dates, pits removed and cut into quarters
1 cup (165 grams) dried apricots, cut into bite size pieces (i did not use any)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I did not have it so substituted it with maple syrup)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C)
Line a square baking tin wiht aluminum foil & grease it Set aside.
In a large bowl, seive the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Stir in the sugar, walnuts, and dried fruit.
The fruit and nuts should be coated with the flour mixture - nothing better than God gifted hands to do this !!
Whisk the egg and vanilla until light colored and thick in another bowl.

Add the egg mixture to the fruit and nut mixture and mix until all the fruit and nut pieces are coated with the batter. Spread into the prepared pan, pressing to even it out. I did not use my hands but used a spoon this time.

Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and has pulled away from the sides of the pan.

It took all my patience to wait for it to cool down & then cut into peices. I would have got around 16 pieces.

I thought I'd click it, but not much was left to click, but it really tasted good, & am surely going to make it once again. The nuts had a really crunchy texture, n i liked them better than the fruits.

MUTAR MUSHROOM WITH A TWIST OF ALOO - BUTTON MUSHROOMS WITH PEAS & POTATOES

2008-12-29T14:26:00.003+05:30

Looking out of my office window gives a clear view of the sky, I often stop by to look at the clouds forming beautiful shapes & often wonder which one looks like what - some looking like a horse, some like a dragon, one looks like Mickey's face - the list goes on & on. I really enjoy doing that, as it gives me a break once too often. Being winters and a particularly cold day with thick fog in the moring the aura was a depressing one. The clouds brought gloom and cheerlessness....when I looked out sometime during the afternoon, what I saw was the sun struggling between a big, thick, black cloud and a few other white clouds. The white ones allowed the rays to brighten them, making them glow strangely, as if they had a light of their own. As the black one approached faster, the rays tried their best to penetrate the black one, but were soon engulfed & the atmosphere became gloomy again, but soon the cloud passed away allowing the rays to shine again, & as the warmth of the rays touched my face, I could feel that warmth flow through my whole being and spread a sort of unexplained comfort & cheer & warmth.

I think that is how life is. Once in while it throws something at us which covers us with a blanket of gloom around us, but if we allowed that to pull us down we would do no good to either ourselves or the people around us. Our victory lies in shining through and through everything & spreading a warmth & cheer around.

.....was that too much of lecture.....chalo then, lets hit the kitchen.

One evening I had just about little mushrooms & little peas which would not have been adequate for dinner for 2, so what I did was add 2 potatoes to fill the gap!!! Here's how I did it. I am giving you full ingredients, not my make do measurements.

Ingredients
250 gms - button mushrooms (sliced fine)
1/2 cup - green peas
2 medium potatoes - diced
2 onions - roughly chopped
2 onions - pureed
5/6 flakes - garlic (grated)
1/2 inch pc - ginger (grated)
salt as per taste
3 green chillies
1/2 tsp - turmeric / haldi
1 tbspn - corriander powder
1 tspn - garam masala
2 tbspn - curd

Method
In a cooker add some oil. Add the grated ginger & garlic & let fry for about half a minute.
Add the onions & fry till pink.
Add the tomato puree & cook till the oil separates.
Add all the masalas & the green chillies & fry till done
Now add the curd & mix well.
Add salt
Add the mushrooms, peas & potatoes & stir so that that masalas coats properly. Fry for about 2/3 mins.
Add about 1/4 cup water & cook for about 1 whistle on high & then another 7/8 mins.

We were content with the dinner, served with chappatis & a bowl of raita!!

Hope you enjoy it too

APPLE SPICE CHERRY CAKE

2008-11-24T16:55:00.002+05:30

Yes that's exactly what you get when you dont have the exact ingredients printed on the recipe but make do with whatever you have in the refrigerator!!! Somewhat like life, i.e. you should learn to make yourself happy with whatever is available right now, instead of cribbing for what's not around - but do we do that??

.....hmmm..so yes I have been missing, but not because I didnt have the time to blog or anything, but because I've been lazy about blogging. I thought I'd lost it, and I was wondering if I would ever ever go back to it again, but something inside me just doesnt want to let go, and the result is this post, which I am going ahead with despite the fact that I dont have a picture of the cake.....

I think everybody comes across a phase in life, when you loose interest and nothing seems good. Mine came with Dad passing away - he left a void in me, a vaccum. I lost a friend, who meant so much to me, who said so much without saying a word, his eyes spoke of love - "unconditional love" - something which nobody else has ever been able to give me. There are times when I just look at his photograph, and run my hand across it, and there's a pain deep inside me which tells me how much I was a part of him, and how much I will miss him throughout my life ...I was his only friend. I was the only person who he actually poured out his heart to, maybe because at some stage I had made up my mind that I will just let him be him....after all he'd grown old now and maybe couldnt change himself for better or worse. So there were times, when I used to just call him and have him speak to me for hours. He used to speak to me till he had nothing more to say, and I used to just listen and listen. He never forgot to say "thank you" to me for doing that. I really am grateful to God, that he made me do that for him.

We all will agree that its never too easy to adjust with old people, people who have lived life their way, and soon they have everybody wanting them to live life in a different way altogether - dont we all overlook the needs of elders just wanting them to adjust a little bit here and there, or just give up that nagging habit of their's. I am not saying that we are wrong in expecting them to be a little more adjusting, but maybe we could remember the times when they were so much more tolerant towards our constant chattering, our unending flow of questions, our stuborrness to have our way, their not giving up on us when we were younger - arent we all not thankful for the efforts our parents / in-laws put towards bringing us / our spouses up the way we've been brought up...maybe we could do something to show that to them. A little tolerance could go a long way.

I think that's too much of "thought for the day".....I am getting down quick to the recipe, and you'll pardon me for not being up & about yet, but yes - I AM TRYING.

Ingredients

2 cups - shredded apple
3/4 cup - maida / refined flour
3/4 cup - atta / wheatflour
1/2 tsp - baking soda
2 tsp - vanilla essence
2 eggs - room temperature
3/4 cup - butter
1 cup - brown sugar
3/4 - candied cherries
1/2 tspn - cinnamon powder

Method
Cream the butter and sugar first
Add the eggs and beat again
Then add the vanilla essence
Seive the flours, baking soda, cinnamon powder together
Now add the dried ingredients into the wet ones & beat till well mixed
Finally add the cherries & apple
Mix well
I greased to loaf tins & baked for 50 mins at 160 deg C.

The result were two moist cakes.
My husband didnt like it all that much coz he's not very found of moist cakes, n neither do I, but my MIL liked it, and it quickly disappeared in the office!! To put the point forth - two loaves gone in two days!!!

So I guess its all about what tastes actually tickle your tongue!! Right??

Hope to be back soon.....

PALAK PYAZ PAKODAS - SPINACH AND ONION FRITTERS

2008-09-17T21:28:00.004+05:30

Hi everybody....I know its been a long while now, but am somewhat glad to be back. Honestly speaking, I have been sneaking around blogs but not wanting to join in the bandwagon for some unknown reasons,...I dont have an answer myself. Maybe it was nothing but sheer laziness to get back....mmmmm....n maybe no answer will satisfy me. So i've decided to leave it at that....what say???

But I missed blogging and all in this awesome blogsphere.

I have had this recipe pending in for a long time now. I love these fritters and more so on a rainy evening, when you just want to dig into something "hoily" - what I meant was "hot & oily" :) The onions add a very different crunch to them and they are outright delish. I will also share my MIL's secret for giving them an extra crispiness....which might not be a secret to many, but to me, it was the unveiling of a biiiiig secret when I was told the method. I guess that's whats passing on traditional kitchen secrets is all about - eh???

Here I come .........

Ingredients -
250 gms - finely chopped spinach (definitely afer washing the leaves)
2 big onions - finely chopped
enough gram flour to make into a thick batter
a pinch of asofetida
salt to taste
green chillies as per taste
a pinch of haldi / turmeric powder

method

In a wok heat enough oil. I somehow prefer using lesser oil, even though I might need to fry a batch or two extra shifts, but I prefer less reuse of the used oil (I hope I am able to make myself clear).
Mix everything together to make a thick batter
Drop in spoonfuls of the batter into the oil & fry just a wee bit less than golden brown.

Now for the ultimate secret - remove them from the oil and let them cool just enough to be handled.
Keep one pakoda in the palm of your hand and just press them a wee bit and refry them.

Beleive me - there will be an extra crunch....

You have ready to dig in, hot, irrestible pakodas.

DADDY I PRAY THAT YOU REST IN PEACE..........

2008-07-21T21:19:00.005+05:30

Hyeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

I know I have been absconding from the blog world........life has been topsy-turvy to say the least. I lost my Dad a little above 2 months ago. He went away peacefully. Come what may, I will never be able to fill the void created by his passing away, but am somewhat at peace when people console saying that he was a good soul and will be seated with God right now....I believe them and I believe that my Dad is happy whereever he is today.

I will always remain his little girl, his doll, his little angel....I dont think there was anybody in this world whom he loved as much as he loved me.....yes nobody...and my family will whole heartedly agree to this statement....even today when I open the doors of the home where he lived, I feel his warm hug, his outstretched arms waiting to hug me and hold me tight, there was nobody in this world who could wipe away my tears without asking me a word, and yet comfort me. Just a sneeze or a cough would make him worry endlessly. When I am there I miss him fretting over me with something or the other to eat or drink, and I remember how irritated I used to get, just hoping he would leave me alone and not fret so much.

For years he handed over the first cup of tea into my hands, and a kiss on my foreheard, every morning - even before I could open my eyes..........my mother always complained he spoilt me rotten, but I loved every bit of it, and miss all that affection so much.

He lay so peacefully and so warm and with such a beautiful smile on his face that it was hard to beleive that he has gone....a day I dreaded so much, and it was there, and I was facing it.....it was as if a part of my heart had been torn away, and even today as I write, I feel a peice of my heart missing.

My Dad lived with just 20% of his heart functioning for as long as 10 years!! He was indeed very brave, and it was his sheer willpower and urge to live on without complaining that saw him through such a long period...Doctors amaze at his capability and zest to live.

I love you Daddy and miss you sooo much.

I hope to restart blogging very soon & I hope all my blogger friends are doing well

MIXED VEG - SPECIAL

2008-04-09T14:56:00.003+05:30

There are some things that you would not be regularly cooking, they are going to be a special treat for a special time. Things that would be on the richer side of calories....but they really make for a treat at times, or maybe just like that you would like to prepare the dish. I call this dish "special" coz I make it rarely & it does taste yumm, but I would rather restrict myself & Rajeev to such a treat once in a while.

I made this recently to take over to a cousin's house as a pool-in, coz his wife was making the rest of the food. It turned out really good - how wouldnt it have....anything fried n smothered in cream would taste awesome - wont it??? Maybe you could try it for yourself.

Ing
1/2 cauliflower - cut into florets
4 carrots - scraped & slit into two & diced into 1 inch pcs
1/4 cup - green peas
3 potatoes - scraped & chopped into fingers
100 gms - paneer
8/10 stalks of green beans
1 capsicum - diced into cubes
1/2 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
4 tbpn - cream
4 tbspn - thick curd
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tspn - dhaniya powder
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
3/4 onions - finely chopped legthwise
3/4 tomatoes
4/5 flakes of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
4 cloves
1/2 inch pcs of cinnamon broken
2 pods of cardamom - crushed

Method -
In a wok heat some oil for deep frying.
When first add the cauliflower florets & fry them - remove them on a tissue when done
next add the potatoes & fry them till done - remove on a tissue
Next add the carrots & take remove them on a tissue when done.
Boil the beans & the pease together (you can use the microwave to retain the colour)
Take another pan & take some oil in it
Add the khada garam masala i..e, the cinnamon, cloves, jeera & the cardamom
Add the onions and fry till pinkish brown
Meanwhile puree the tomatoes, garlic & ginger
Add this into the pan & fry till the oil separates
Add the turmeric & fry
Add the red chilli powder, garam masala, corriander & fry well
Now add the cream & fry till it is well blended
Add the curd & again fry till well blended
Now add the chopped capsicum & some salt
Close the lid & cook till capsicum is done - stirring in between
Once this is thru, add the fried cauliflower, potatoes & carrots along with the beans, peas & the diced paneer cubes.
Mix everything well with a light hand, to ensure that the veggies retain their shape & dont get mashed up.
Close the lid & let cook for a minute or two.
Garnish with corriander leaves

This goes very well with parathas, chappatis or as a side dish to rice.

Do try this "special" dish & let me know.

CHILLI PRAWNS

2008-03-25T10:40:00.006+05:30

I know its been ages since I vanished from the blog scene. I owe it to a humungous amount of work pressure & a wee bit of lethargy. I honestly havent blog hopped too. My list of "To Post" keeps growing bigger.

Good Friday paased, Holi passed & then Easter paased without much ado. There were three holidays, n we could have gone on a mini-vacation but for my hubby's Exams approaching soon. I didnt wanna make him any guilty too, but then he was good n did spend quite a good amount of time with me, taking me out for "JODHA AKBAR" which we've wanted to watch since its release. I had other preferences, but chose to give into something mutually acceptable. That's how adjusting I am....

I dont regret watching the movie, except for all the bloodshed depicted. Hritik Roshan was a treat to the eyes. Looking as majestic as ever. I dont feel anybody else could have done justice to the role of Akbar in the movie. Aishwarya wasnt bad either, with minimal makeup, the mindblowing jewellery & gorgeous costumes she did look beautiful. The sets were superb. It is surely worth a watch on the big screen. The small one wont do justice to the entire effect.

Now not wanting you all to wander away, I am going to post something very close to my heart......this is absolutely my version, n I love every bit of it.

Ing -
250 gms - prawns
2 big onions - sliced finely
1/2 inch pc - ginger
4 flakes - garlic
1 big tomato - finely chopped
1 tsp - red chilli powder
1/2 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1/4 tspn - garam masala powder
2 stems of curry leaves
2 tbspn - maggie hot and sweet sauce
1 green chilli - chopped fine
salt as per taste

Method -
In a non-stick pan heat some oil.
Add the grated ginger & garlic
Fry well
Add the onions, n fry till pinkish brown
Add the tomatoes & fry till oil separates
Now add the curry leaves, turmeric, chillies & garam masala
Mix well to blend
Add the washed prawns, put in some salt
Cover & cook till prawns are tender & well cooked.
Add the sauce, the chopped green chilies & more salt
Cook till all moisture is dried up.

I generally eat mine with some bread, but they will go well with plain white rice...The sauce gives a wonderful tang to it which I soo love very much.

CHERISH

2008-02-28T16:54:00.008+05:30

Its been a long time I have been putting away posting this.....I dont know why. But now I have to absolutely do it, coz I feel guilty whenever I think of it.

Before the year ended I had posted the Best of 2007, wherein I had mentioned that I had received a gift from Hotel Choclat....after much hue & cry - I finally got the packet one day.

I was excited beyond words - not that I had never won a competition before, but this really meant something for me.. Cooking is a passion in my life, n me having won for soemthing which is so close to my heart - really really meant a lot to me. N moreover I had soo many people who seemed so absolutely proud of me - my husband, my MIL, my parents, my friends - all of them....& I was gleaming. When I opened the packet I was shocked to see that the packet had been messed with, n there were open wrappers lying in the box. I suspected this coz the box did weigh lighter than the first time it had come for delivery & was given back because of an unpaid Customs Duty Bill from the Consigners behalf. Me being me - was not ready to give up on ethics, n I needed to get the courier guys by the neck to find out where the box went. Then there was suddenly my husband, who very calmly said - "you know what, just let it go - even this one box is very precious & enough for us". I was totally touched & I was left without a word to say....I just gave him a big hug n said "so be it". There were 16 pcs that I got, I honestly kept one pc each for all those who had so eagerly waited for the box to arrive, n the rest (which was very very little) we both shared. I treasure the book - hopefully I shall be able to give some of the recipes a try. My name shows here in the winners list

I will always, always cherish this memory in my heart. No joy can match this profound love.

Pictures are all that I can share with you - my wonderful friends - without whom I wouldnt be doing I what I am doing today with a good part of my day i.e., BLOGGING.

Thank you.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE WITH APPLE TOPPING

2008-02-22T13:01:00.008+05:30

I am not a apple lover, but my husband is - I have this recipe for a long time, n I took it from the Hersheys site - n when I had some leftover apple pie stuffing, I didnt know what to do with it, so I thought I'd make this recipe finally. Of course, me being me, did make a few alternations here n there...but it was one of the best things I've ever baked. I didnt like the topping bit, but I had someone at home to devour it...so didnt bother me much..

Ing -
For the apple topping
1 apple
2 tbspn of raisins
1 tbspn cherries chopped
1 tbspn walnuts chopped
4 tbspn - sugar or brown sugar
1/4 tbspn - cinnamon powder
a dash of lime juice
1/4 tbsp - flour

Just mix everything togeter & keep aside.

For the brownie
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (if you like a much sweeter cake you can make that 3/4)
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup butter / oil / shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method :
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Seive the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in bowl.
Cream the butter & sugar.
Add water, egg and vanilla essence - beat until smooth and well blended.
Mix the flour into the paste & beat well to incorporate.
Grease a loaf tin & pour the batter into it.
Carefully spoon apple topping evenly over chocolate batter - DO NOT STIR.
Bake for 1 hr or more till the topping is set & a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This is a keeper of a recipe. I might not add the topping the next time, but the brownie was sure excellent. It had a very lovely taste & an excellent texture.

N there's one thing I've seen all cakes taste better the next day ;-)

URAD SABUT AUR RAJMA

2008-02-12T10:58:00.000+05:30

I think no Cuisine uses "lentils / daals" the way Indian cuisine does. The recipes are endless, the spices used is exhaustive & the results are always excellent. Some like their thick n creamy, there are others who like the watery consistency, n still others who prefer it mid-way i.e., not thick but a bit watery.

I prefer mine thick. Perfect to scoop up in a morsel of chappati, or mush it up with rice, or better - eat as it is.

I love black daals better than yellow ones too. I guess these are also personal preferences. Coz my husband likes yellow rather than black - so I keep it fair, n make both equally.

This particular combo is a favourite of mine. This version that I am giving you is the simpler one. The same combo is used to make the famous Daal Makhani, which I shall make some other day & post the recipe separately. This is a simpler & less caloried version, but the taste is great in its own way.

Ing -
1 katori - urad sabut (black one with skin on)
1/4 katori - rajma
1 inch pc of ginger
5/6 flakes of garlic
3/4 flakes of garlic (separate)
a pinch of hing
1/2 tspn - turmeric / haldi
3/4 - green chillies
1 jumbo onion or two medium ones
a pinch of sugar
salt as per taste
1 tspn - garam masala
1 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
Either juice of 1 lime or 1 tspn of amchur powder

Method

Soak the daals overnight.
Take a pressure cooker, add 1 tspn of oil in it.
Grate the ginger & the garlic (or make a paste of both) & fry the same in that oil.
Add salt, & the lentils & cook for about 20 mins.
In a kadai - heat some ghee (for the real taste) or add half-half ghee-oil, or if you are way too concious just add any oil of your preference.
When hot, add the jeera till it sputters. Chop the garli flakes kept seaparately & fry till just about brown.
Add the hing.
Add the garam masala & stir well.
Separately add the lime juice or amchur into the daal & mix well. Test the salt & add if more required.
Now add half the tempering into the daal & mix well.
The rest of the half use for garnish

I served this hot plain rice & some gaajar-shalgam pickle & aloo paappad for a fulfilling lunch

UPDATED - GINGER WINE

2008-02-12T10:57:00.001+05:30

Hi there

I know its late....but this is the Ginger Wine my mom made for this Christmas so I am updating it with pics.

Hope you like it....the wine was as tangy & sweet as ever!! Loved it to the last drop!!

SHAHI PALAK MATAR - SPINACH AND PEAS

2008-02-05T17:03:00.000+05:30

Tired of making the same old palak-paneer, I wanted to do something different with the palak....something I thought would retain the creamy texture of mashed palak & yet add a zing to the dish. Strage are we sometimes - right?? There are times when we yearn for the comfort of the "known", & yet there are times when we are struggling to come out of the "known" i.e., the routine etc. etc. Strange is this being called "human".....well coming back to my palak...this is what I finally did with it.

Ing -
1/2 kg - spinach / palak washed chopped & microwaved for 8 mins (stirring once in between)
1/2 cup - peas (boiled)
1 onion
2 tomatoes
3/4 garlic flakes
1/2 pc ginger
50 gms - khoya
2 tbspn - cream
1 tspn - garam masala
3/4 green chillies
2 tspn - corriander / dhaniya powder
1/4 tsp - sugar

Method -
Grind the onions & tomatoes along with ginger & garlic into a smooth paste
In a pan add some oil & when hot fry the paste adding a little salt till the oil separates.
Now add the garam masala, corriander powder - fry well
Grate the khoya & add into the pan & mix well
Add the cream too & mix well.
Coarsely grid the spinach with the chillies (before griding remove any excess water)
You can use that water as a stock for anything else
Add this paste into the already cooked masala
Add the sugar & the peas
Mix well & let cook for another 5 minutes

The dish was excellent & I will surely make it more often. If you cant find khoya you may substitute it with 2 tbspn of cream or finely grated paneer.

FRUIT AND NUT TEA BREAD

2008-01-29T11:52:00.000+05:30

It feels so very nice to sit down with family or friends to have a chit-chat about life & its happenings. If there is some hot tea / coffee and some homemade cake or sweet-bread to go with it, the conversation would be sooo much better.

I have adapted the following recipe from BAKING SHEET's . I did a few alternations & here's the end result.

Ing -
1 cup - maida
1 cup - wheatflour
1/2 tsp - baking soda
3/4 tsp - baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
2 cardamoms - powdered
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup curd
4 tbsp melted butter
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup - candied cherries chopped
1/4 cup - walnuts crushed coarsely with hands
1/4 cup - tutti-fruitty
a handful of raisins
a handful of chopped almonds

Method -
Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease one loaf pan & keep ready
Seive the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder, salt & the spices together.
Add them into a bowl.
Beat the sugar, curd, melted butter well
Add the vanilla extract and the egg.
Add this mixture into the flour gradually, stirring all the while
When both are well incorporated adding fruits & the nuts
Fold all of it well
If the batter is very very dry, you can consider adding a wee bit of milk (normal temperature), but remember the batter has to be very thick.
I used my hands (clean one's please) to scoop the batter into the loaf
Using a spatula smoothen the surface.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The crust browned very fast so when the cake was baked about 30 mins I covered it with a tissue paper to save it from burning.

I served it once with butter & once with jam.

It vanished pretty quickly & I really loved the walnuts & cherries in it.

I am also sending this over to lovely Bindiya of In Love With Food fame for her event "These are a few of my favourite things".

HARA LAHSUN AUR METHI KE PARATHE - GARLIC SPRING AND FENUGREEK FLAT BREAD

2008-01-18T22:24:00.000+05:30

There are some things in life that you inherit. No, not in terms of money or assets, but here I refer to things that are handed over to you by your elders in terms of knowledge. Things that experience has taught them, n they would like to pass them onto us. Small tips that make a marked difference.......

The following recipe is what I consider part of my inheritance from my mother-in-law. This is the first time I made it, n beleive me, it is a treasure of a recipe. The flavours were incredibly special, n the end product was a delight on your tastebuds.......

I never knew something like "hara lahsun" even existed. I would see it at the vegetable vendor, but never could distinguish it from the spring onions. That's when my MIL told me that though they look exactly like the spring onions, the bud (i.e, the lower white part) is way much smaller than the onions. This is the first time I used them in anything at all, though when my MIL is here she often buys them, n uses them in the dishes that she makes.

Ing -

50 gms (4/5 stems) - hara lahsun / spring garlic
1/2 cup - fresh fenugreen leaves finely chopped
5 green chillies
1 onion - chopped finely
2 cups - wheatflour
1/4 cup - milk(room temp)
salt to taste
ghee / butter for shallow frying

Method -
In a big bowl, add the wheat flour.
Add the spring garlics chopped very fine & washed
Then add the fenugreen leaves chopped very fine & washed.
Add the onions, green chillies chopped & salt.
Add the milk & mix well.
Now add required quantity of water to knead into a smooth dough. Dont use too much water, coz the dough will turn sticky and difficult to roll.
Heat the girdle / tawa.
Roll the dough into chappatis & shallow fry on the tawa using some ghee/butter or oil - as you like it.

I made mine piping hot (in terms of chillies) and served it with red-hot chilly pickle and plain creamy curd. The chilli pickle was made by MIL, n I shall be posting the recipe soon.

It was a blend of flavours & tasted really really good.
I think this one nutritious breakfast to be served either to kids or packed for lunch.

MIX VEG BIRIYANI

2008-01-15T16:20:00.000+05:30

There are some things that really make you feel ooooh so nice n comforted. Yes, I am talking about comfort foods. Though many may agree on the same stuff, there might be some who differ in their opinion, n they may have something on their mind, which is comfortable to them, but it wont have the same affect on others.

The list would be long, if you are asked to list your comfort foods......I mean, really, really long, coz for me there are many things on mine, which really give me that safe n secure feeling. A lot would also depend on my mood, the weather, a memory.........

On days when you are rushed, n yet you dont want to have dinner packed from outside, or eat at a Restaurant, but you really dont have the energy to slog in the kitchen, n ready to cook is not for you, then what do you do - well, you want something that comforts you. My favorite, all time comforter is my versatile Biriyani....I mean, I really love the thought of settling down with some hot Veggie Biriyani, a bowl of thick creamy curd, some pickle n some paapad........heaven on a plate - isint it?? N the best part - the part that I soooooo love - you dont have to knead the dough for the chappatis, or even roll them - hurrayyyyy. Just a little bit of this, n a little bit of that ........n wait for the whistle of the cooker - n you open to a kitchen filled with aroma n a cooker full of goodness.

Here goes my recipe

Ing -
2 glasses of good quality basmati rice
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
1 inc pc of cinnamon
3 pods of cardamom
5-10 black pepper (optional)
4 big onions
2 handfuls of peas
3 big carrots - chopped finely
4 beans
a handful of corn kernels
4 tspn of oil
1/4 tspn - garam masala powder (optional)
1 tbspn of butter / ghee (enhances the taste factor)

Method -
Wash n soak the rice. If you dont have much time you can just soak till the time you are doing the preparation. I cry a lot when I cut onions, so I generally have a few onions peeled & cold in the refigerator. This ensures that I dont cry when I am cutting them, n they are chopped very easily (Tip of the day)
Slice the onions thin
In the cooker heat the oil & add the bay leaves, then add the spices & stir till you get a nice aroma. It will be nice if you just crush them a weee bit.
Add the onions & saute them till a nice golden-pink colour (add a pinch of sugar while sauteeing them)
Drain the rice & add into the cooker & add all the rest of the veggies into it.
On high flame fry all the things together for about 2/3 mins.
Add the butter / ghee
Add salt & garam masala powder
Add 2-1/4 glasses of water. If you are unable to soak the rice for more than 20 mins, then add 2-3/4 glasses of water. If you dont want to use the cooker then add double the quantity of water to your rice & cook with a closed lid (stirring in between).
Stir well & wait for just one whistle
Have patience till the steam passes. You can make the raita & roast the pappads & arrange the plates till that time.
Open the cooker & be comforted !!

I really love this one. N my preference is to eat this with my hands (no spoons etc) n without anything to go by.

Girls, as an after-thought, I am sending my entry to lovely MEETA of What's for Lunch Honey's Monthly Mingle Event.

Hope she will accept my entry.

CRISPY GARLIC POTATOES - LAHSUNI ALU

2008-01-11T21:50:00.000+05:30

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I am once again going to say something about the most versatile root in the whole wide world - POTATOES. Day or night, ample or lack of time, exotic or simple -you can use them anyway your heart pleases.

I am not going to waste any more time on praises of this , but give you the recipe........

Ing -
4/5 potatoes - scraped and diced
8/9 flakes of - garlic chopped finely
1 big onion - diced roughly
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbspn - mustard oil
1/4 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tspn - turmeric oil
1/4 tspn - garam masala
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder

Method -
In a kadai smoke the mustard oil & add both cumin & bishop seeds. They will sputter immediately.
Add the garlic & just about 2 secs later, add the onions.
Add the potatoes & some salt.
Close the lid of the pan & let them turn crisp on high flame. Keep stirring in between so that the potatoes dont burn.
In this process the garlic & onions will roast(i.e, turn dark brown in colour).
Once the potatoes are a golden brown in colour, just slice one or two to ensure that they are fully cooked.
Add the turmeric first & stir to coat evenly.
Then add the garam masala, chilli powder.
Lastly sqeeze the lime on top & stir.
Without the lid, on high flame let the potatoes roast on high flame for about a minute or two - stirring in between.

This made a lovely lunch for the both of us with chappatis, though they were not as crispy as they initiatlly were. I feel that they can be served as an excellent side-dish for cocktails or for a dinner.

The roasted garlic & onions gave an excellent flavor to the potatoes .

I am also sending this over to dear Sunita for her "THINK SPICE ......THINK GARLIC" event. Hope she likes it.

ARUVASAI FRIENDSHIP CHAIN - AND A GIFT FROM RACHEL

2008-01-09T21:54:00.001+05:30

I would truly have to begin my first post of 2008 with apologies to Rachel of Tangerine's Kitchen, n to all other friends who waited for me to do something with my secret ingredient, especially to dear Bharaty of Spicy Chilly who to my embarrasesment did even send a few reminders !!! Sorry to all.

Withstanding the thuder n rain prevailing in Chennai during that time, the packet finally did reach me in one peice - to my delight. I opened the packet to find this ........

.

SUNMAID RAISINS

Though I did get my ingredient, I honestly was soooo tight with time on hand that I really couldnt tweak some out for making something using Raisins. I just didnt want to make ANYTHING, but make SOMETHING - do I sound wiered - but I guess you understand what I mean.

I finally used my MIL's help n came up with this delightful North Indian sweet, which is an instant energy booster, n popping just one or two with a glass of milk make a wholesome breakfast - believe me, try it n you will agree with me.

I wont waste more time.......

KISHMISH PINNIYAN - RAISIN ENERGY BOOSTERS (that's all that I could think up as a suitable name in English - if you can think of something better pls do let me know, I'd happily change)

This will make around 10-12 pinnis

Ing -
2 cups - wheatflour (seived n husk removed)
3/4 cup - powdered sugar (if you want it to be moderately sweet)
3/4 cup - ghee (melted)- 2 tspn separately
10-15 almonds
2 cardamoms
1/2 cup - raisins (chopped)

Method -
In a deep pan, put the wheatflour and 2 tbspn ghee & roast it on low flame. Keep stirring in between till the colour has turned brown in colour. It will have a very nice aroma.
Meanwhile grind the almonds & cardamoms together into a form where it is like breadcrumbs, but not very fine.
Remove from fire, add the ghee while the flour is still hot.
Try binding the flour n see if the same holds together, if it doesnt then add a little more ghee.
Now add the powdered sugar and the ground almonds & cardamoms. Mix using a spatula.
Add the chopped raisins & mix well.
Now comes the most difficult part, you have to make the material into balls while it is still hot. It will require a lot of endurance, but it does come (it did come to me, n so I am sure it is surely already there in you).

Let them cool & then enjoy these delectable delights. I really love this thing for breakfast. I really love the raisins & the crushed almonds give them a certain crunch.

My MIL was impressed that I could do this on my own, n she surely was proud.

So here is my entry for the Aruvasai Friendship Chain which I really enjoyed.

I am sending my entry to Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen & dear Priyadarshini of Food and Laughter. Girls lookout for your packets. I shall be sending them off tomorrow.

BEST OF 2007, MY 100TH POST AND A SURPRISE!!!

2007-12-29T10:59:00.000+05:30

I reminisce how I came into being a blogger. It started off from my visit to Kerala, n my strong urge to learn more of Kerala Cuisine, n then my fervent search on Google for Mallu Recipes, n then me stumbling upon a world of mallu bloggers who maintained impressive blogs & blogged not just about Kerala Cuisine but also various other Cuisines.

The world out there was mesmerizing. Food - a subject which has always been soooooooo very close to my heart, is a fiery passion within me - is so loved by many others, who share the same passion & zeal. Ladies (…& some Gentlemen too!!) who are from all walks of life – professionals & homemakers - n from all parts of the World, coming together in the Cyber World, with one sole aim –raving about their passion – FOOD. I was completely gripped by the world there, n there was this strong urge inside me – if only I could also be a part of this wonderful world ………then there was another voice inside me – " forget it Shella, do you think you could be like those girls, are you out of your mind, don't go on to make a fool of yourself". The voice asking me to be a part was more compelling than the one which hindered me from doing so…..n so with inhibition in my heart, I browsed the templates, thought of a name to give, thought of an address, carefully chose my words – there was a lot of caution considering the sense that I have to at least look decent, if not "wow" in the Blog World, but at the same time, somewhere I had the feeling that this is not going to last much longer……..its just going to fade away.

My first post on 9th Aug' 07 was a random one, n my visit to other blogs led visitors to mine. ……n so started my journey – one post followed another. And I would check almost every hour to see if anybody had visited and left a comment. A comment on the blog meant a feat during those early days, and believe me they still mean a lot.

I have to whole heartedly thank Anita of "My Treasure My Pleasure" who was the first one to hold my hand n add a link on her Blog to mine – it gave me such a sense of joy, then there is darling Seena of "Simple & Delicious" who showed me the way to the Food Blog Desam, and then there is Cynthia of "Tastes Like Home" who added me to her Feeder & left a comment that she wouldn't want to miss anyone of my recipes – she really made my day, n is a sweetheart.

The concept of taking a pic from my mobile camera did not appease me, n hence 2 /3 of my earlier pics were downloaded from the net – which reminds me that I have to mention it on the relevant posts, but slowly I began using my humble mobile to click those pics. As of date I have mastered the art of making the best use of it. Believe me, 99% of the pics on my blog are courtesy my friend – the Nokia 6630.

For about 5-6 posts no-one in my real world had any idea of what I am upto, then one evening very diffidently I opened the page and let Rajeev lay his eyes on what I had so lovingly created. The joy on his face was more than a triumph. His exuberance filled me with so much courage & he said that he was so proud of me & encouraged me to go on. That was the final push that I needed.

To my utter delight, I was gifted with a very beautiful Sony 8 Mega Pixel camera for this very purpose from my husband, its another thing that owing to the pressures on my time, I still continue using my Mobile due to its utter convenience, i.e. availability at all times n all places, ease of downloading thru the boons of technology (Bluetooth).

I have always wanted to be a good baker, but my earlier catastrophes in the oven lead to me to believe that baking is not my cup of tea – but the Blog World had such tremendously talented bakers that my inner baker struggled to come out & give it a shot once more. Since then, I have been giving a shot at a few cakes n muffins, n though there have been disasters yet again, but I am getting more gutsy by the day, to not let it go so easily.

The most embarrassing incident was when I had Rajeev's friends over at my home working on a Project late into the night, n I had a request from hubby dear to bake a cake for one of them Kunal (we all call him KP fondly) who was celebrating his birthday the next day, n it would be past 12 a.m. by the time they would leave. As luck would have it, n something for which I really wanted to kick myself, I tried my hand on a new recipe, n my inexperience with the oven n the ingredients that go into it, resulted in an awful bake – the cake tasted good, but refused to bake from the inside. Poor guy, he nonetheless cut the cake, n everybody was gracious enough to pick on the sides of the cake n yet say "the cake tastes good bhabhi"!!! I so adore them all for that night……but that made me resolve on one thing for sure, half the ingredients before trying your hand on a new recipe. I am so sorry KP, n I will surely make it upto you one day (hopefully your next Birthday) with a more edible cake. I was terribly sorry to waste so much of stuff, but I managed to cut the cake n microwave it to cook it fully & passed onto a needy boy on the streets – who I am sure must have enjoyed my disastrous baking.

I am yet to try my hands at more non-vegetarian cooking owning to the fact that my hubby is a preferred vegetarian, but he is very sweet to gulp down a chicken or a fish here n there only to please me. I love him for that n much more – for waiting patiently to lay his hands on the food (however hungry he might be) so that I could test his virtue of being patient, while clicking at various angles & lights of the food. Being a witness of all those disasters while baking, n yet maintaining a muffle over the food that went waste (he is highly averse to wastage of any kind), for sensing the need and surprising me with the camera, for being a walking advertisement for my blog, for being my critique n helping me with valuable suggestions – the list is endless, n I love him n thank him for being there and bearing with me.

I have to thank my mother-in-law for being such an excellent guide & truly teaching me how to cook. Sharing her age-old secrets, n at the same time constantly learning new things and passing them onto to me. She always inspires me to try something new. She is the best mother-in-law a girl would ever want to have. If I ask for more, I am going to be a greedy pig. I also miss my father-in-law so very much. He would have been really happy to see my blog & surely make his wise contributions. May his soul rest in peace.

I have to thank my mother, who is an excellent cook, but has been constrained because of both her own & my father's dietary restrictions. I totally owe it to her for passing on her skills to me. I still remember days when she used to bake excellent cakes, she could never go wrong. She would let both me & my brother lick the remnants of the chocolaty batter from the dish in which she'd mixed it. As a youngster, I remember sitting down with her late into the night, preparing Christmas goodies, ghujia, namkeen, rose cookies, donuts, murukku, ginger wine, in a span of a week or so before the D-Day!!! Those were really fun days. I miss them sooo much, n know that they will always remain engraved in my heart, n really hope that I shall be able to pass on these traditions to my children someday.

I love my Dad for being there with a "bahut acha banaya hai mere bete ne (my child has made this excellently)", n always nodding with approval, be it a piece of s#@$ in my perspective. He would never ever discourage me by saying its bad, n I love him for that.

I have to thank my friends who have borne the brunt of my experiments time n again, especially my friend Diji who has given her honest opinion from time to time, n at the same time encouraged me to try my hand at new things.

In 2008 I plan to make my blog look more presentable, organize it a bit & do more and more of newer cuisines & newer dishes n most of all – make new friends n build a better relation with my blog buddies.

Finally I have to thank all of you for your utter patience in reading this long post (i.e. if you have read it…..n not wandered away in the midst) & for all my blogger friends, without whom I probably wouldn't have reached this 100 th Post. Yes this is my 100th Post. If it wasn't for your love & encouragement & your comments I would have long ago strayed from the blog world to my own diminutive world of cooking.

And on the final note – ahem, ahem – I had sent my entry of Chocolate to the Hotel Chocolat recipe competition & it has been selected as the most appetizing recipe!!!! Yipeeeeeeeee. I have won myself a copy of their 101 Chocolate Recipes and a box of exotic chocolates, n most importantly they shall be publishing the recipe on their official Website. I just received a mail from them, n the goodies are on their way. I shall be posting pics of the goodies received when the packet gets to me (that's the least I can to share my goodies virtually with you wonderful girls), n a link to the recipe when it is published on the site.

On that happy note I take this opportunity to wish each one of you – ALL OF YOU – I am not taking any names lest I leave anybody out, n I would hate to do that – a whooping New Year filled with love, joy, peace & prosperity. God bless!! And a biiiiig hug.

I am also sending this entry to Nupur's for her Event "The Best of 2007". I really dont have any dish to swank about, & I hope Nupur will accept this nonetheless!!

PEACE

2007-12-28T14:22:00.000+05:30

"Peace on Earth & Goodwill to men" this is part of a very popular Hymn, but is there Peace on Earth anymore - where the world with its inhabitants are set all out to eradicate the peace that God so wanted to prevail. Jesus said "I leave you peace, my peace I give to you", we cant have his peace till we yearn for it. I hope the following helps

PEACE by Gail Rodgers

The angels proclaimed, "Peace on Earth" when the Baby Jesus was born. Today we wonder as we listen to the evening news... is peace possible?

We all need two kinds of peace in our lives. We need inner peace, but we also need peace with others. God addresses both. He tells us what to do to find that peace.

Inner peace begins with a relationship with God and it continues as we focus on His strength and allow Him to fill us. We can exchange our weakness for His strength in any area of life. God's Word says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is focused on You because He trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3). Personalize this verse with your own name in it. "God will keep me in perfect peace as my mind focuses on Him and trusts Him." Inner peace hinges on my trust in God.

If inner peace is eluding you these days and anxiety spills over in your life, choose to trust God. You can choose to put your hand in His and draw on His patience and wisdom as you take each step. He will guide you through the maze of life if you ask Him. Choosing to trust God with those blind corners in your life will take you down the road to inner peace. Choosing not to trust Him will take you down the road to stress and worry. Inner peace is there for the choosing.

Peace with others begins as we understand that God has called us to be peacemakers in our world. "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9).

Is there somewhere in your own world where you can be a peacemaker this Christmas?

Is there an invitation that needs to be extended to smooth over a fractured family relationship? Is there an apology to be made or a silence to be broken that has stood as a barrier for too long? Don't miss the blessing God promises in your life as you respond to His call to be a peacemaker in your own circle.

We can help bring peace to our world one heart at a time.

~Lord,

"Make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; and Where there is sadness, joy... Divine Master; Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen."

DALCHINI MUTAR PULAO

2007-12-26T21:52:00.000+05:30

Pressures on your time are so hard that you just wish things would just be done on their own........the clothes would be laundered, the house cleaned, n the food cooked. So much so that you wish that an army of fairies would invade your home while you are away, n make your wish their command........wishful thinking - isint it???

Well but there are a few things, that are so easy...I mean really a jiffy to cook n effortless at that, n yet so very fulfilling n comforting that it truly would make you wonder if it was you who did it- or say, ...."a fairy". The output of this super-duper simple recipe is too good n it can be had as a simple homely meal, or be a conversation starter at a party!! I love it in my own way, I hope you will too.

The following recipe would comfortably serve 2/3 people.

Ing -
1 medium glass basmati rice
1 big onion
1/2 cup - fresh sweet peas
2 pcs - 1 inch stick of cinnamon or equivalent

Method-
Wash & soak the rice grains for about 15 mins
In a cooker add a generous quantity of ghee (you can reduce the ghee if you are too concious, but the ghee brings out the best in the dish)
Add the cinnamon sticks & let the aroma rise.
Add the onions till they are pink in colour. Dont let them turn brown at all.
Add the peas & the drained rice grains.
Fry these well for about 2 mins on high flame.
Add salt.
Add the same glass full of water & close the lid.
Just allow one whistle, let the steam pass.

You have the most simple yet most flavorful rice you've ever tasted.

If you are cooking in a vessel n not a cooker, add 2 glasses of water & cook till the water is dried, stirring occassionally.

I am sending this post to Sunita's Spice of the Month - Cinnamon Event.

.......an afterthought - didnt realize I am late for the event. I am nonetheless sending the entry to dear Sunita, n hoping she would accomodate me!!! Keepin fingers crossed

MUTAR MUSHROOM KORMA

2007-12-22T16:56:00.000+05:30

Mushrooms are aplenty during winters, n with their lovely texture they are a delight to cook and eat. I tried this version a few days back, n it was an instant hit. I hope to make it more often n I am sure you will also enjoy it.

Ing -
500 gms - mushrooms
4 onions - big
1/2 cup - green peas
a pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp - garam masala
1/4 tsp - red chilli powder or green chillies
1/4 tspn - haldi / turmeric powder
two pinches - black pepper powder
salt to taste

Method -
Wash the mushrooms & slice them very fine
slice the onions thinly
In a frypan / kadai, heat some oil & add the onions & the sugar
Fry till just about pink
Add the haldi, red chilli & mix well
Add the mushrooms & peas & close lid
Cook till tender
Add the salt, garam masala & black pepper.
Cook on high till the moisture is all dried up.

Serve hot with parathas or chappatis. The flavor / texture comes out beautifully in this preparation

THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS

2007-12-19T11:09:00.000+05:30

As Christmas draws near, we are all busy decorating our homes, baking & preapring for the Big Day...visiting friends, buying new clothes, making party lists, cleaning our homes......the list is endless, but have we ever stopped by to think why Jesus actually came into this world, why God put up his only son up on the cross to die such a painful death, n that too when he himself was so pure, so white - just as snow!!

I really hope that amidst all the baking & blogging we spend a minute or two reading the below writeup & think about the immense love of God. A love of incomprehensible -I use that word cause it truly is something that goes beyond our human minds.

THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS - by Charles Stanley

Please open your Bible and read:
(Luke 2:1 - 20)

The message of Christmas isn?t just that of a tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. We must remember the reason the tiny baby was born.

The true message of Christmas is that eternal God came to earth in the form of man in order to save His own creation. It was a necessity, because fallen man is mired in sin. There is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood, so God?s perfect plan meant He had to provide a substitutionary sacrifice to atone for man?s sin. That tiny baby in swaddling clothes came for a purpose. He came to die.

Those infant hands that twitched and worked themselves out of their wrappings within a rough, perhaps wooden, feeding trough were the very same hands that were later nailed to a rugged, wooden cross. They were the same hands that, though scarred, carefully folded his burial wrappings (John 20:7) when He rose from the dead to defeat sin and death and to give us eternal life. And they are the same hands that lovingly reach down and pick us up through this often difficult life.

This Christmas season, when everything seems so hurried and harried, don?t get caught up in the materialism and busyness. When you come across a manger scene, notice the baby, but think beyond Christ?s infancy to His reason for coming. Make an effort to remember the real message of Christmas. Remember His hands. Remember His heart. Remember His undying love for you.

SPRING ONION N POTATOES - HARA PYAZ AUR AALU KI SUBZI

2007-12-18T22:28:00.000+05:30

Winter season is seen with the vegetable vendors "thela" (cart) loaded with a variety of greens!! I mean, just looking at the cart loaded so beautifully makes you wanna buy something or the other, even if your refigerator is loaded. My friends always wonder n are amazed at my love for the subzi market (veggie market). The shine in my eyes is something that they cant connect with, n just walking past or driving past one makes me wanna stop n maybe just walk around the whole place, n of course pick up the freshest of produce that mother Earth has given us in full!!! I dont know how many of you agree with me, or have such feelings - but I surely do, n honestly I love that feeling!!

Spring onions are one such greens that the market is so very flooded with these days, n here is my all time fav recipe for this simple but excellent veggie.

Ing -
1/2 kg - spring onions
4 potatoes
1/4 tspn - jeera
1/4 tspn - turmeric powder
3 green chillies
a pinch of hing
1/2 tspn - amchur powder / dried mango powder (pls use this only if you like your dish to be chatpata)
1/2 tspn - garam masala
salt as per taste

Method -
Chop off the roots of the spring onions & chop finely the leaves n the onions.
Scrape n dice the potatoes into small cubes
Wash both of them together
In a kadai / pan, heat some oil
Add the jeera n hing
When they are turning brown, add the turmeric & green chillies.
Quickly add the washed veggies before the masala burns
Add salt.
Close lid & let cook on low flame
Keep stirring in between till both the potatoes n the leaves are cooked.
Sprinkle amchur powder & garam masala & check salt.

Serve with chappatis.

This is a very simple recipe but is very much liked by me and my hubby. So I am hoping that you will like it too.

A COLD WINTER EVENING N A BOWL OF LENTIL VEGGIE SOUP - DAAL KA SHORBA

2007-12-15T21:09:00.000+05:30

The Winter season brings with it, the desire to stay in bed a wee bit more, where a whole night of sleep seems like "oh, is it morning already, I had just closed my eyes". .....Where even 7 a.m. in the morning look like 4 a.m.!! Where showing your hands below the running water will take all the willpower you have........where a warm bowl of soup is all you wanna have for dinner......less work, n more filling!!!! So here's my recipe for an all time favorite soup. It is not too much work, is very filling yet light ......n is loaded with the goodness winters brings along with it..........

Serves 4

Ing -
1 big katori - moong daal
100 gms / 2 stalks of springs onions (whole)
1 red onion - sliced finely
2 carrots - diced into small pcs
4 french beans - deveined n chopped into 1 inch pcs
50 gms - sweet corn kernels
50 gms - green peas
2 florets from a cauliflower - chopped into tiny pcs
2 green chillies
1/4 tspn - black pepper powder
2 tbpns - butter
a blob of butter separately
salt as per taste
1/4 tspn - haldi powder / turmeric powder
a pinch of garam masala
Bunch of corriander leaves.

Method -
Boil the moong daal in a pressure cooker, or otherwise, by adding the turmeric powder n the green chillies.
In a frypan, melt the butter, add all the veggies, some salt & stir fry till the veggies are cooked. If you like a bit of crunch in your soup, leave them a little uncooked.
Add the black pepper, n garam masala.
Now pour boiled moong daal into the stir fried veggies.
Add water to make it into a soup consistency.
Boil it once & add the corriander leaves

I serve it hot with toasted garlic cheese bread, which was yummy. You can serve it with roasted pappads, bread sticks..........anything at all.

GIVE IT AWAY

2007-12-12T10:09:00.000+05:30

During this Christmas season, the following will be something to contemplate on & work in our own lives. Christmas is not all about goodies, n good clothes, n partying n fun. We should spend some time wiht ourselves dwelling on the deeper meaning of what God actually meant it to be.

I really liked the idea of "receiving" & "giving". Receiving from God the gift of the Spirit & in turn giving the same to the people around us.

I hope we are all inspired ..........Merry Christmas to you all.

GIVE IT AWAY - by Gail Rogers

It was my daughter's idea. She told me she had been thinking about Advent and how to prepare her heart, not just her home, for Christmas. And she had a great idea!

Jen decided to give fruit away. Oh, not the apples and Christmas oranges that you see in the store. No, she told me she was asking God for opportunities to give away the "fruit of the Spirit."

The "fruit of the Spirit" is comprised of nine qualities that the Bible says will show up in our lives as we daily ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. This fruit shows a watching world we are different because we follow Jesus.

Here is the list of fruit of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self control, gentleness, goodness and faith" (Galatians 5:22).

Each day, until Christmas, choose one fruit off the list and ask God to deposit this gift in your heart in extra measure. Then ask Him to provide an opportunity to give that fruit away in a specific act that day. It is both a rewarding and a challenging experience.

When we focus on allowing the Holy Spirit to overflow in our lives He may use the opportunity to highlight how very much we need Him. This fruit cannot be mustered up in our own strength with enough to give away. No, it is His work in our lives.

I'm taking Jen's idea and asking the Holy Spirit to prepare my heart in a deeper way this Christmas. As a Jesus follower I want His fruit to be in abundance in my life. I want those around me to see the difference He makes as I choose to ask Him to fill me up every day. Why don't you join me? Let's ask Him to fill us afresh today. Then watch for opportunities to give it away. Together we'll prepare our hearts for Christmas.

~Father God,
I thank you that You do not leave us to try to live this Christian life alone. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit to fill us and flow through us to those around us. Today I ask that You would fill me afresh with Your Spirit. Cultivate Your fruit in my life today. Help me to be aware of Your deposit in my heart and show me an opportunity to give that fruit away today. Thank you for the amazing help of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

APPLE KUCHEN

2007-12-09T15:10:00.000+05:30

"Kuchen" is german word for "Cake". Though this cake has nothing German about, I called it Apple Kuchen to make it sound exotic. I made this use up some apples that have been lying in my refrigerator. The cake turned our really, really moist & delicious. I am going to make it more often.

Ing -
2 cups - apples (peeled, cored & diced into small peices)
1 cup - sugar
1/2 tspn - lime juice
1 tspn - cinnamon powder
1/4 tspn - nutmeg grated
a pinch of salt
1-1/2 cup - refined flour
1 tspn - baking soda
1 egg
handful of raisins
handful of walnuts
handful of tutti-frutti
1/2 cup butter / ghee - melted and at room temperature

Method -
In a bowl put the apples, sugar, lime juice, cinnamon & nutmeg powder. Crush them coarsely with your hands & set aside for 10 mins
Seive the flour, salt & baking powder.
Add the butter & mix well
Now break the egg & beat & add to the flour / butter mixture
Mix well
Add the apples, walnuts, raisins & the tutti-frutti - mix well
Reserve some tutti-frutti for the topping.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease a baking dish & pour the mixture into it.
Top with Tutti Frutui & bake for 35 minutes, or till toothpick inserted comes out clean.

A WHOLE NEW THOUGHT

2007-12-07T22:18:00.000+05:30

In the morning, while wondering what breakfast would be made, n while rolling the dough for a salt-chilli paratha, my hand just reached out to the leftover palak subzi lying next to me, n voila ........there I had a wonderfully flavored, n coloured parathas, which was loved by my husband, n he asked for a 2nd one, to his usual just one paratha once in a while!!! So I am going to share the recipe for the same........

Ing -
Wheatflour dough - as per requirement
ghee / butter for shallow frying

For the filling -
Though I used left over palak from y'day palak paneer subzi. You can use the following recipe.
1/2 kg spinach leaves - cleaned & chopped
1 onion - chopped
1 tomato - pureed
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala powder
salt as per taste

I would here suggest to keep the seasoning a little more than you would do for a normal curry coz the taste gets lost in the parathas if the seasoning is less.

Method -
For the filling
Boil the spinach till tender - or better still m'wave it for 5 mins.
Coarsely grind the palak, leave aside the residual water (you can use it for kneading dough, or add to any gravy)
In a fry pan, saute the onions till pink. Add the tomato puree & fry till oil separates. Add the seaonings & coarsely ground palak
M'wave it till it is thick & dry without moisture (it is very imp) or stir fry till there is no moisture. Here the m'wave works excellently.

Procedure for making parathas
Heat the girdle
Take a big lump of dough & roll it as you would roll a chappati.
When it quite big, spread a little ghee on the surface.
Add a tbspn full of the palak & spread it, ensuring it doesnt go too much towards the edges
Now fold one portion of the roti till the center of the roti.
Take the unfolded side & overlap it on the already folded part.
You will have a log shaped roti.
Apply some ghee on top of this & fold one side to the middle of the log & then overlap the other side on the already folded bit.
I am sorry if it sounds complicate_ will ensure photos posted the next time I do it.
NOw comes the difficult part....
Very carefully dust the the folded dough & roll very very gently
You may have to dust it more often than regular parathas, coz the filling is a very very tender & might break out.
Gently lift the paratha with a spatula & place it on the hot tava on medium flame
Cook till one side is browned by drizzling ghee / butter on the sides of the paratha.
Flip it over & drizzle some more ghee.
Cook till both sides are golden brown.
You can avoid the butter / ghee if you are very concious. but I guess it will taste best with these ingredients!!!

Hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I did

MAKAI KI ROTI

2007-12-06T23:41:00.000+05:30

Makai ki roti (Indian Corn meal bread) is something that is relished throughout the Northern part of India, especially during winters - piping hot, with a dollop of butter on it. Given below is the recipe for this wonderful bread ....

Ing -
250 gms - cornmeal / makkai ka atta
1 - raddish / mooli.
A few raddish leaves (optional)
2 - green chillies
a few stalks of fresh corriander leaves.
salt as per taste
ghee to shallow fry

Method -
Scrape the raddish & grate it into the flour
Chop the green chillies, both the leaves & the salt
Add salt & water to knead it into a dough
Let me tell you one thing, this dough will not be kneaded the way we do for chappatis
You will just have to add enough water to bind all ingredients together.
It shouldnt be too wet.
Heat a non-stick girdle / tawa
Add 1/2 a spoon fo ghee
Take big lump of the dough & flatten it onto the tawa.
Pat it as as thin as you would like your bread to be.
Let it cook till it turns golden brown on one side
Using a flat spatula, gently flip it over, adding more ghee.
Cook till both the sides have turned beautifully golden.

I served it with a delish mutar alu subzi, with which the bread blended so very well!!....and a peice of mango pickle & fresh radish as salad!!

I shall soon be posting the recipe for the mutar alu

METHI PANEER BHURJI

2007-12-02T22:57:00.000+05:30

Hmmmmmm, so where was I for sometime now. Well, life had been hectic & life has been throwing a few troubles here n there, to make me realize that it is not a bed of roses after all. The office is front is an all tiime low.....it just sucks going to work, n I just hate the faces of everybody out there, except my good friend Diji, n my dear Husband. I guess we three are a solace to each other. What happened, why it has happened, has no reasons, but that whole "low-low", "blue-blue" feeling is so prevalent that its not funny anymore. I wonder why "low" is associated with "blue"?? Any guesses here??? N tomorrow being Monday - its an all time high "BLUE/LOW"!! Yikeees.

God knows when this will end, but I just hope it ends sooner than I expect it too. I guess winters approaching has a big role to play in the moods. No sun at all. Nobody to spread cheer around. The sun plays so much a big role in spreading warmth, n consequently cheer into people's lives. It just feels soooo very good to soak the warmth of the sun on a winter day, its like a gentle caress on your face, so much to lift your spirits n make you soar. I really wish I can meet the sun tommorow.....this is the same sun that I so detest during the summers when its scorching my skin, n I just wish I dont see it anymore........ever.

Life is so ironical........that is why it is LIFE!!! God's basic gift to the very existence of mankind.....it has the joys of a wind blowing across your face, the fragance of jasmine lingering in the air, the tenderness of a new born baby, the flight of a bird, the instant miss of a heartbeat to see someone you love, and this very same life, throws right onto your face, very harsly things like - loosing someone you love dearly, n dont know how to proceed with life, yet you have to do - coz you yourself are alive, the pain that a heartbreak brings - a feeling that you will never be able to recover, the loss of a precious peice of jewellery all because of your carelessness - n you can never forgive yourself.......the list is endless of the goods n bads in life, n with all this added in .....life carries on........n so do we.....

Oh, did I wander off somewhere....

Coming to my list of precious good things in life, a delightful blend of methi (fenugreek leaves) & the tender paneer (cottage cheese). Here goes the recipe.

Ing -
1/2 kg - fenugreek / methi leaves - washed & leaves seaparated.
250 gms - paneer
4/5 garlic flakes - chpoped finely
2 tbspn - mustard oil
a handful of peas
1 big onion - chopped
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tbspn - cream

Method -
In a kadai smoke the mustard oil.
Add the jeera n when it sputters, add the chopped garlic.
When the garlic is just about turning brown, add the onions & saute till pink.
Add the washed leaves & peas.
Add some salt & cover & let cook till peas are done
Will take about 5 minutes.
Add the diced paneer.
Now increase the flame to full & let any moisture dry up
Add more salt to taste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder & on high flame cook for about 2 minutes. Keep stirring.
Lastly add the cream & stir till well blended.

Serve hot with chappatis or parathas

ALOO PAAPDI CHAAT

2007-11-21T10:12:00.000+05:30

Delhi is famous for its variety of Chaats. N I really freak out on chaats. The variations are endless & the result is always - mouth watering, lip smacking good!! Nothing to beat the tangy, sweet, spicy - all in one flavors tingling your taste buds. Here's what I made up with whatever was at home

The following recipe serves (2. I used whatever I had at home & innovated the following.

Ing -
10/12 pcs of Paapdi - use the whole ones
1/2 cup - corriander chutney
1/4 cup - sweet tamarind chutney
1/2 cup - thick curd
1 tbspn - roasted & ground cumin powder
1 tspn - chaat masala
1 tspn - red chilli powder (optional)
4 tbspn - raita boondi (optional)

Separately -
2 boiled potatoes - big ones (mash them well)
some corriander leaves - washed & chopped finely
2 green chillies - washed & chopped finely
salt to taste
a pinch of garam masala

Mix all the above well & keep separately.

TO ASSEMBLE

In a dish spread out the paapdi separately.
Top it with the potato mixture - press some onto the paapdi
Using a spoon cover the aloo with some curd, then top with sweet tamarind chutney, then with green chutney & finally with more curd.
Sprinkle the cumin powder, chaat masala & the boondi.

Add a dash of green chutney & tamarind chutney all over.

ENJOY. We both were so impressed by this chaat that we made a 2nd serving n skipped dinner!!

KEEP TRAINING

2007-11-21T10:09:00.000+05:30

We loose track of being with God once hardships come our way. We are critical & we loose hope. Our faith is shaken....but the below article really helped me gather up things & once again nudge my spirit to not let go off God's strong hands. I know that he is there with me all the time, n I have to believe it!! Have a nice day all of you.

KEEP TRAINING - by Gail Rodgers

Challenges come to all of us. Sometimes they can feel overwhelming. When they do our tendency is often to become discouraged in our faith. My friend called today. She is in the middle of some very stretching circumstances. Her voice cracked as she asked, "Why would God let us go all the way down this road only to close the door now?" She was in a tough and confusing spot. Together we prayed that God would reveal the next step to her. And He will. We both know His track record in our lives. He can be depended upon.

When life is tiring and confusing it's easy to loose hope in God's ability to work on our behalf. We can become weary and not bother picking up our Bible to hear what His Spirit has to say to us. We can cease to pray, feeling that God isn't hearing us anyway.

God knows our nature is to fall away when times are hard and we are confused. He knows we will tend to neglect His Word. He reminds us not to.

"Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:13 & 14).

Righteousness means choosing a "Yes Lord" attitude in all of life. Spiritual discernment grows as we live in the mature state of being able to say ...
"Yes Lord" I will trust You, even in the dark.
"Yes Lord" I will believe Your word, even when I feel confused.
"Yes Lord" I will obey what I know You are asking me to do.
"Yes Lord" I will continue to commit my every step to You.
"Yes Lord" I will continue to grow in spiritual understanding.

Hard circumstances in life can be times of equipping. The roots of a mighty tree must go deep so it will be grounded when the fierce winds blow.

During times of deep challenge make a choice to trust God. Make a decision to allow God to equip you with spiritual understanding and wisdom for your next step.

Stay disciplined. Keep equipped by standing on the promises of His word. Keep the door of your heart open with an invitation to Him to lead you every step of the crooked way.

He will build a track record in your life that will secure you in your faith. He is faithful. Be determined to continue to equip yourself with prayer and His word.

Though circumstances and people may disappoint you, God never will. His strength will hold your hand and your heart through those times when your world is shaken.

~Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me, during times of uncertainty, not to fall away from You and Your word. Help me to keep a disciplined spirit and continue to equip myself with Your promises and an open heart for You to be at work, even in the midst of confusion. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who will help me grow in spiritual understanding. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

FIRST ATTEMPT AT CHOCOLATE

2007-11-18T22:52:00.000+05:30

The world chocolate itself transports some of us into a different world alltogether. At least it does that to me. A few other things in life can compare to the feeling of a chocolate melting in your mouth........mmmmmmmm - yes that's exactly how I go. I can close my eyes & just be somewhere different altogether when I am having a chocolate. I dont know how many of you share such sentiments with me, or maybe you think I am crazy....but really good chocolates do that to me. I love a whole brick of LINDT, n mind you its the biggest one I prefer. Unfortunately, now I dont have my brother abroad who always brought back a few bricks whenever he came to Delhi, or infact he knew I loved them soooo much that he even managed to send at least one through somebody coming down to India!!! I miss him being abroad sooooo very, very much. N neither do we both travel abroad often to pick up a few. In Delhi, I just find the smallest bars n that too not at many stores, n the small bars dont give me that sort of a kick as that big one did!!!!

Now let me not get carried away.......I guess I will have to wait for someone to have pity on poor me, ........n I dont know when.

I have been wanting to try making some chocolate at home, but never was too serious about it, till the pretty Zlamushka of ZLAMUSHKA'S SPICY KITCHEN announced her Event of "A SPOONFUL OF CHRISTMAS".

Though the result was not half as good as any store brought chocolate, but I am contriuting the same, with load of love & good wishes to her for the event.

Ing
1/2 cup - cocoa powder
1 cup - milk
2 cups - sugar
1 tbspn - vanilla essence
4 tbspn - melted butter (white)
1/4 cup - red wine
1 tspn - cofee powder (Nescafe)
1/2 cup - toasted almonds - crushed coarsely or better still chopped to small pcs.

Method -
In a heavy bottomed pan (preferably a big one), mix the milk, sugar, cofee & cocoa powder.
On low flame melt the sugar while stirring. When everything has blended well increase the flame & let it come to a boil, stirring all the while.
Now leave the mixture on low flame & let cook.
Do the the cold water test,i.e., when a drop of the mixture is put into cold water, it should retain shape.
When this happens, remove from flame & add the vanilla essense & butter & beat in one direction for about 3/4 minutes.
Add the almonds & mix well.
Pour into greased moulds or on a greased cookie sheet & let cool.

I used a plastic chocolate mould sheet for the shell shaped chocolates & used a ice tray for the heart shaped ones.

Now for the results.

I found them way too sweet, n the next time (if there is one!!)I shall be adding only 1-1/2 cup sugar. I was also not satisfied with the texture of the chocolate. It was not as creamy as the readymade chocolates. I personally felt that they were not half as good as what the market chcolates are. My husband was very pleased with the chocolates. He loved the wine flavor. My MIL too was very, very happy.

If there is anybody who has experience in making chocolates, or has some good chocolate recipes, please do give me some suggestions.

Meanwhile, Zlamushka this is for you...............MERRY CHRISTMAS

MUSHROOM KURMA

2007-11-16T17:01:00.000+05:30

Mushroom is one of my favorite veggies - or should I say fungus - sounds so very inedible, right?? My grandma always used to say that we shouldnt eat mushrooms coz they are are something grown out of something to do with snakes!! N we really used to be very vary........today when have a mind of our own, I really laugh at those days & her thoughts - LOL!!!! Well I dont know what she would say if she knows that I am a big fan of mushrooms..hmmmmmm. Here's my recipe for mushroom kurma

Ing -
200 gms - mushrooms (I have seen just one variety in India - the white ones with a brownish-black interiors)
a handfulf - peas
4 tbspn of chopped methi leaves
50 gms - khoya
100 gms - paneer
2 medium onions and a big tomatoe, and 3/4 flakes of garlic - pureed finely
1 tspn - red chilli powder
1 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tspn - haldi / turmeric pwoder
1/4 tspn - sugar
2 tspn - corriander powder

Method -
In a kadai, heat some oil & add the puree.
Fry till the oil separates & the raw taste goes
Add all the masalas (except sugar) & fry till done.
Grate the khoya & add to the masala. Fry well.
Slice mushrooms very thinly & add to the masala along with the peas.
Add 1/2 a cup of water & place the lid and cook till the peas are done.
Now cut the paneer into small cubes or you can crumble them with your hands & add it to the kadai, at this stage also add the methi leaves.
Mix well & close the lid.
Cook till you get a desired thickness of the curry.
If you want more gravy add some water.
Lastly add the sugar & mix well

Serve with chappatis or as a side dish with rice.

TARI WALE ALU

2007-11-15T22:00:00.000+05:30

With MIL not at home for two days (she is visiting her sister), n lazy me so being used to coming home to a prepared meal.......was in no mood to do anything but cook the simplest of food. Something which was effortless....... so here goes my recipe. I am also contributing the same to the lovely SRA of WHEN MY SOUP CAME ALIVE, who is hosting the Event of Grindless Gravies. Here you go Sra....this is for you!!!

Ing -
4 big potatoes
1 tbspn - jeera / cumin seeds
4/5 flakes of garlic
a big pinch of asofetida / hing
1 small - onion
3/4 green chillies
1 tspn - garam masala powder
2 tspn - dhaniya / corriander powder
1 tspn - kasoori methi
1/2 a lime juice
salt as per taste

Method -
Boil the potatoes till they are more than cooked - they should crumble to the touch.
In a kadai, add some oil, n when hot add the jeera.
Grate the garlic right into the oil (be careful of the sputtering)
when the garlic turns brown, add thinly sliced onions.
Let fry till they start browning.

Add the slit green chillies, the haldi & mix well
Now add the rest of the masalas & fry well.
Add two cups of water & bring to boil
Now use your hands to crumble the potatoes right into boiling water.
Mix well & let boil for about 3/4 minutes.
Stir well in between, mashing some more potatoes here n there, right into the gravy.
The result will be a thick, spicy n chatpata gravy.
Top it off with the lime juice & the kasoori methi.

Had it with rice & some leftover mushroom kurma - recipe for which will be posted ASAP.

MOONG DAAL LADDU

2007-11-14T20:06:00.000+05:30

Laddus are a good, especially if they are packed with nutrition of almonds and moong daal. I am not too very fond of Indian sweets, but I really loved this laddu my MIL made. I am sharing the recipe with all of you, that's because I have such a biiiiiiig heart!!! No, No just kidding, its because I love you all so much.

Ing -
250 gms - moong daal atta
4 tbspn - ghee
200 gms - powdered sugar
5/6 cardamoms - powdered
1/2 cup - coarsely crushed almonds

Method -
Fry the atta in the ghee till it turns golden brown in colour. Keep stirring in between.
Close the flame & add the powdered sugar, cardamom powder & almonds
Now let the mixture cool just enough that you can bind them into laddus.

There you are - yummy laddus are ready to be gobbled up!!!

UPDATE ON MOONG DAAL LADDUS - 15TH NOV' 07

Sorry Girls - my fault. Even though I did make MIL tell me how to make Moong Daal Atta, I forgot to post the same. My apologies.......here it goes

Take about 1/2 kg split green moong (when I go home I shall be posting a pic of that daal too, so that there is no confusion at all). Dry roast it in a kadai, stirring continuously, for about 10 minutes.
Let it cool & then grind it into a fine powder in the grinder.
Seive & use it as atta!!

KEEP ALERT

2007-11-14T10:35:00.000+05:30

I saw this one early in the morning & thought I'd share it with all of you. These are small things we often forget & leave God our creator way too far behind, making our own decisions & not asking for his support. If we let him rule our lives, I am sure nothing can go wrong. I know it takes time to sink in.....

KEEP ALERT - by Gail Rodgers

Many of you write and share your stories of personal worlds that are challenging and even desperate at times. We know many are shaken up by circumstances in your lives and homes. We are all shaken by the unrest in our world.

Even when life is going smoothly and we are in a good space, we often share a sense of instability as we look at life around us.

Throughout the whole book of Hebrews God gives us steps to take that will keep us firm footed during times when our world is shaking. Whether it's on a personal level or on a larger scale, God knows our situations and our hearts. He offers
sound counsel to steady us in an unstable world .

"We must pay more careful attention therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away" (Hebrews 2:1).

1) Pay attention to what you have already learned about trusting God.

Write out a couple of Bible verses that God has used to touch your heart. Put them by your sink or mirror. Leave them there until you know them by heart. When God speaks to you through a scripture or a devotion, knead it into your heart like flour into bread. It will amaze you how His Word will bring peace and stability to your heart and mind. Keep growing in your faith.

2) Don't let your heart drift off.

Guard your heart. Take time to pray. Find a few quiet moments or go for a walk and simply tell God the many things on your heart. Be open and honest. Thank Him for the good things you are enjoying. Tell Him your struggles. Tell Him your heart tends to drift. Ask for His Holy Spirit to fill you with His power. Listen for His Spirit to speak to yours. Yes, pray on the run as you head out the door, but make quiet time to get into His presence, too. It is the most refreshing place you will ever find!

3) Make time to be with others who share your faith.

Find someone or somewhere to share your spiritual journey. We sharpen each other as we encourage one another in our faith. We aren't meant to go it alone.

~Father God,
You know my heart tends to drift from You. So many things distract me and even shake me. Today I ask You to help me to focus on You and what You have been saying to me. Help me to pay careful attention to my walk with You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

NAMAK PAARE - SALTED CRUNCHY SNACKS

2007-11-13T21:30:00.000+05:30

Who doesnt like a handful of crunchy snacks to munch on. I do, except that my concience keeps stinging me, n I try to push it as far back as I can.........but the truth is that nothing can beat coming home to a bowl of namak paare. No one can eat just one!!!!

Ing -
500 gms - madia / self raising flour
1 tspn - salt
1/2 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds
1/4 cup - oil
Oil separately for frying.

Method -
Seive the maida along with the salt.
Add the ajwain & mix well
Now slowly add the 1/4 cup of oil & mix well with the flour making it like bread crumbs.
Now add enough water to make it into a tight dough.
Make balls like you make for chappatis & roll them on with a rolling pin to the thickness of a roti / chappati.
Meanwhile heat enough oil in a kadai.
Cut into thin strips both vertically & then horizontally over the vertical lines to make 2 inch long strips.
Now gently pick up the strips using a steel spatula & drop them into the hot oil.
Fry till golden brown & drain on tissue paper.
Store in an airtight jar.

GAAJAR KA HALWA - CARROT PUDDING

2007-11-08T22:09:00.000+05:30

This is the recipe for Gaajar Ka Halwa. But you will see that it is a very quick version for the same, but is as delicious as the tedious one!!!! So anytime you want, you can enjoy them both.

Ing -
500 gms - carrots / gaajar
200 gms - khoya
1/2 cup - condensed milk
1/2 cup - sugar (or according to taste)
4 cardamoms - crushed
handful of dry fruits / raisins as per your desire.
Enough ghee to saute the carrots

Method -
Scrape the carrots. Wash them & grate them.
In a kadai, add enough ghee to saute all the grated carrots.
Saute carrots till semi-cooked.
When they are cooked, add the condensed milk & sugar.
Cook till no moisture is left, stirring in between.
Add the crushed cardamoms
Mix well.
Grate the khoya & add into the halwa / pudding.
Mix well
Cook for about 2 mins.
Fry the dried nuts & raisins & add into halwa.
Serve

GAAJAR MATAR

2007-11-08T21:54:00.000+05:30

Gaajar has started flowing in the subzi-markets & my MIL brought quite a lot, just because she hasnt seen it yet in Kanpur. Well, we made two dishes, starting with Gaajar Matar with chappatis & Gaajar ka Halwa!!! Am posting both recipes one by one. Hope you enjoy them both.

Ing -250 gms - carrots, scraped & diced into small pcs
a handful - matar /peas
5 flakes - garlic
1 big - tomato
1/2 tspn - amchur / dried mango powder
1/2 tspn - dried red chilli powder
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala pwoder

Method -In a kadai, add some oil.
Grate the garlic & let fry well.
Chop the tomato very fine & let fry till oil separates
Add the turmeric, mix well
Add the other masalas & fry well.
Add both the carrots & the peas and mix well.
Close lid & cook till the carrots and peas are done.
Garnish with corriander leaves.

WHEATFLOUR MUFFINS

2007-11-07T20:38:00.000+05:30

Didnt have coco powder, didnt have maida, didnt have eggs in the house, but me n MIL had a great desire to bake something. Kya karen, kya karen soch soch kar paagal ho gaye the. Finally I couldnt take it anymore & I just barged into the kitchen hoping to do some edible (hopefully) experimentation. The following was the result.

Ing -
3/4 cup - wheatflour
1/2 tspn - baking soda
1/4 tspn - baking powder
a handful crushed walnuts
a handful chocolate crushed (i used some chocolate at home n just cut them coarsely)
1/2 cup - butter
3/4 cup - powdered sugar
a pinch of cinnamon powder
Some milk ....say about 1/2 cup

Method -
Seive the atta, baking powder & baking soda
Beat the butter till light & then add the sugar & again beat till light
Add the butter & sugar mixture into atta.
Beat in one direction.
Add milk till you acquire a dropping consistency
Add the walnuts, chocolate & cinnamon powder.
Mix well & put a tbspn each of the mixture into the muffin cup.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
When the oven is hot, place the muffin cups & bake till 15 mins at 180C. Increase the temp to 220C & bake for another 5 mins.

The result were healthy mini-cakes, with crunchy walnuts & sweet chocolate pcs. The approval was with a nod from both MIL n DIL ;-)

PAAPDI CHAAT

2007-11-05T19:46:00.000+05:30

These days am basking in the culinary skills of my MIL. I am blessed by having both a Mom n a MIL who are excellent cooks.

I will tell you a funny incident involving both of them. Once when my MIL was returning to Kanpur, & Hubby was not in town, both me & my mother went to drop her off to the station. The train was a bit late, n my Mom wanted to attend nature's call urgently. We looked around but didnt find a suitable restroom for her to go. My MIL had an idea n she pointed towards a waiting train on the platform n suggested she should use the facilities there. The decision was unanimous & she went on to climb onto the train. Me n MIL sat on a seat right in front of that train, waiting for her to return. No sooner than mom would have begun the activity, the train started moving on!!!!!!! Me n my MIL were shocked to the extent, that we froze, dumbstruck not knowing what to do.

There were some men who were watching the whole scene & they quickly ran to the train & asked people sitting on the window to pull the chain. By this time, my mom had also reached the door panicking. Fortunately the train stopped & she came down.

Instead of fear or shock, there were three of us laughing our guts out, n people around us watching us go mad!!!

Till date we remember this incident & share a laugh!!

Now coming to the real thing..........after I returned from work today, I have a plate of finger-licking chaat-paapdi ready for me. Here goes her recipe.

Ing -

For the paapdi -
250 gms - maida
1/4 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds
1 tbspn - oil
a pinch of salt

For the sweet chutney
100 gm tamarind / imli
50 gm jaggery
2 dried dates / chuare
salt as per taste

For the green chutney
a big bunch corriander leaves
4/5 stalks mint leaves
4/5 green chillies
salt as per taste
1 small onion
1 small pcs of ginger
Juice of one lime juice

Masalas
1/2 tspn - roasted and powdered cumin seeds
1/2 tspn - chaat masala
1/2 tspon - red chilli powder

1 katori curd - beaten (it will be nice if the curd is really, really fresh)
1/4 katori - besan boondi (optional)

Method -

For the paapdi
Seive the maida.
Add the salt & ajwain seeds - mix well
Add the oil & mix well, then knead it into a tight dough using little water.
Make very, very small balls & roll them into small small puris
Meanwhile heat oil very well & fry these paapris till crisp golden.
Drain them on tissue paper & keep aside.

For the sweet chutney
Deseed the tamarind and soak them for about 1/2 half an hour.
Now grind the tamarind, soaked & deseeded dried dates & jaggery using some water.
Strain the pulp.
Boil this pulp in a pan till the desired thickness.
Add salt as per desire, n a pinch of red chilli
Let it cool & you can store this in a bottle in the fridge for about a month.

For the green chutney
Clean & destem the corriander & mint leaves.
Chop the onions & scrape the ginger & cut into slices
Now grind all the ingredients, except salt in a grinder
When made into a thick paste, add the salt.
Squeeze juice of one lime (or more-as per your taste) into the chutney

Assembling the paapdi chaat

In a dish add the beaten curd.
Add in the paapdi.
Now add the sweet chutney & the green chutney as per your wish.
Mix well.
Immediately add the boondi & the sprinkle with chaat masala, red chilli powder & roasted cumin seed powder.

Serve immediately, n lick till the last drop!!!!! Unfortunately we didnt have the green chutney, but still...............slurp, slurp, lick, lick !!!!

GUD PAARE - JAGGERY COATED SNACKS

2007-11-04T21:16:00.000+05:30

Hi girls

I am so releived to have my MIL here with me. She brought with her, a bag loaded with goodies - yes - n believe me they are her Trademark. Nobody makes the North Indian goodies as good as she does. Her namak paare, shakkar paare, gud paare, paapdi & mathri are all out of this world, n beat everything in front of them

I am sharing with you all one recipe of Gud Paare. I can never make them the way she does, I guess it has a lot to do with "maa ka pyar" (n loads of oil / ghee!!!). You have to ignore the part in the brackets if you want to taste they goodies.

Ing -
1/2 kg - maida
3/4 cup - oil
250 gm - jaggery
1 tspn - saunf / fennel seeds
Oil for frying

Method -
In a big dish take the maida.
Now pour oil into the maida & add little by little oil, n mix it into maida till when you the dough mixture holds together.
Please remember that you dont have to knead it like you do for chappatis.
When the mixture has attained the consistency when it holds together, then add some water & knead it into a hard dough.
Take a big ball of dough & roll it into a half inch thick chappati.
Now cut them into vertical strips, & then further cut them into 2 inch strips.
Heat oil & fry the strips till crispy.
Set them aside & drain the oil.
Chop the jaggery into small peices.
Take another pan & add the jaggery into it.
On a slow flame melt the jaggery, stirring all the time
Cook till you attain the consistency where you add a drop of jaggery into the water n it solidifies.
Add the saunf.
Now immediately add the fried strips into this pan & using two ladels mix them quickly so that they are coated.
Transfer them onto a big dish & let them cool.
Now using a light hand separate the strips.

Try this all of you, n let me know the results. It sure is going to win your husbands & kiddies heart

ANDA ALU CURRY

2007-11-02T20:56:00.000+05:30

Here is yet another recipe for an Egg curry combined with potatoes to give you a wholesome curry.

Ing -
4 eggs - boiled & slit into two
3 potatoes - boiled & coarsely broken
3/4 stalks of curry leaves
2 big onions - chopped
2 tomatoes - chopped
3/4 flakes garlic - grated
1/2 inch ginger - grated
1 tspn - mustard seeds
2 tbspn - corriander powder
1 tbspn - garam masala or meat masala
1 tspn - turmeric powder
green chillies as per desire

Method -
In a kadai add some oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds
When they sputter add the garlic & ginger.
When they are fried, add the onions & roast till the onions are brown in colour
Add the corriander powder, garam masala, haldi & the chillies.
Fry for about a minute.
Add the tomatoes & fry till oil separates.
Add about 3 small cups of water & salt
Let it boil & then add the potatoes & place the split eggs carefully.
Simmer till the required consistency of the gravy is acquired.

Goes well with both chappatis & rice.
When hot add the

EGG MASALA

2007-11-02T20:16:00.000+05:30

Egg has become staple for me these days. Easy to cook, yet a fulfilling meal anytime. That's why EGG is so,so my favorite!!!

Ing -
2 eggs
5 onions - sliced not very thin
3 tomatoes
1/2 inch pc of ginger - grated
1/4 tsp - haldi / turmeric powder
green chillies - as per desire

Method -
In a flat pan add some oil.
Fry the ginger first
Add the onions & fry till pink
Add tomatoes & fry till the oil starts separating
Add the green chillies, turmeric & salt
Fry till oil separates.
Spread the masala as widely as you can on the pan.
Carefully break the eggs onto the masala away from each other.
Drizzle some water on the sides of the masala.
Lower the flame, close the lid & cook till the eggs are fully cooked.

This is an yumm dish.

I enjoyed them with brown bread.

CRISPY ALU STIR FRY

2007-10-27T18:44:00.000+05:30

Cooking these days is a low key affair, coz of bad health. I make whatever comes handy is effortless. Therefore, tiffin today was alu, which has been stir fried till crisp, & seasoned well.

Ing -
5 medium sized potatoes
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
1 tspn - lime juice
1/2 tspn - turmeric / haldi
1 tspn - garam masala
5 flakes - garlic
a bunch of corriander leaves
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/4 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds

Method -
Peel & dice the potatoes into cubes.
Soak them in some water, along with a pinch of salt till you make the other preparations.
In a kadai heat some mustard oil - smoke it well
Add the jeera, ajwain & the minced garlic
When the garlic is turning brown, add the potatoe pcs.
Add some salt.
Cover the lid, n keep stirring in between till the pcs turn brown n crisp
Add the rest of the masala & the limejuice.
Cover the lid once more & let the masalas fry for about 2 mins.
Serve garnished with corriander.

Goes well with chappatis / parathas.

ALLERGY & RESHMI KEBAB

2007-10-26T11:58:00.000+05:30

Hi there all of you. I know I have been away for a long time, with sporadic blogging. Blame it on my home connection conking off, n the MTNL guys (sarkari) never being able to come & repair it, n the datacard being too painfully slow & now I am ill. I feel really terrible wiht the season switching to winters, n me getting the allergy attack!! N to top it off, I have been tooo tooo lazy to go visit my Homeo Doc, who can cure me quickly, but just cant bring myself to go sit there....I guess I will go today itself, coz I cant take it anymore!!

Meanwhile I am posting a wonderful recipe for Reshmi Kebabs. Lovely healthy snacks.

Ing -

1/2 kg boneless chicken cut into bit sized pcs.
2 tspn ginger-garlic-chilli paste (add about 4/5 green chillies into the grinder while putting ginger & garlic)
4 tbspn - thick curd
2 tbsp butter
6 tbsp besan / gramflour
Half cup cream- you can use any variety, but preferably the heavy one.
2 tsp pepper powdered
1 egg
4/5 flakes of cardamom powdered
1/2 cup cheesespread

Method
Use the fork to punch the chicken in a few places, so that the marinade goes well into the chicken.
Marinate the chicken with ginger/garlic/chilli paste, the curd & salt for 1 hour. If you dont want it to be spicy you can avoid putting the chilli during grinding.
Heat butter in a kadai (preferably non-stick)
Add besan and stir till the oil separates from the flour. You can add some haldi if you want to give the kebabs a nice yellow colour, if you want to let it remain whitish then omit the haldi.
Beat the cream till no lumps are there.
Remove from heat add cream , cheesespread, pepper powder, egg and cardamom powder . Mix till it forms a very smooth paste.
Now remove the marinated pcs of chicken from the ealier dish. Leave aside any water of any other residue from the earlier marination.
Add the new marinade & ensure that the pcs are coated very well.
Set aside for 2 hours.
You can either skewer the chicken and grill on charcoal
Or put the pcs on a cookie tray, grease it & bake it in a hot oven, turning the pcs till they are done & cooked well.
You can use the grill option if you have that in your oven.
Serve with green chutney

I really wish somebody would prepare this for me, & send it across. How I wish I had the energy.

Dont have a photo yet, will do so next time when cooked.

BIRD'S EYE VIEW

2007-10-20T12:42:00.000+05:30

This is a reminder to all of us that we are living in a world full of sweet temptations to fall into the pit of evil, be it a wrong thought, a wrong deed, a envious glance, we all maybe very well aware, but still feel that it is harmless, n its o.k. sometimes. God is ever forgiving, but I think we should inculcate the habit of our heart nudging us everytime something wrong passes us ....that is the only way we can get rid of the seemingly harmless habit.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW - by Charlene Friesen

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2).

I've got a bird's eye view to a picture that is larger than life. My birdbath offers free access to the Wildlife and Learning Channel. It's a wild kingdom out there, for both the birds and me.

Hot days, of course, are a busy day at the bath. Chipper robins, gangster blue jays and nervous chickadees jostle in line, waiting their turn for a cool drink and a refreshing splash.

Although the birds differ in size, personality, and color, they have one thing in common: a deliberate course of action. No bird dares fly directly to the birdbath. They spend a good five minutes on the clematis arbor, head bobbing up and down, body shifting to and fro, making sure the area is secure. Preparing for a bath is serious business.

Once the coast is clear, one bold robin perches on the edge of the bath. Prancing about the perimeter, he carefully scans the neighboring plants and grass, even giving me the once over through the window.

He then steps into the middle of the bath, sinking up to his chest. "Aah!" he seems to say, hunkering down in the cool water, fluffing his entire body for a good soak. He may seem relaxed, but his head never stops moving, eyes always scanning for the unpredictable, the unknown.

After the soak it's time to scrub. Safety first, of course, as one final glance precedes a furious flapping of wings. Every inch is scrubbed, the vigorous cleansing splashing water onto my deck. Between scrubbings, he continues to look about, his keen eyes not missing a thing.

Bath time done, he chooses a perch and flies to the safety of a maple tree. Quite the ritual, but if robin redbreast wasn't cautious, he may never make it home for dinner.

Unlike the robin, a comforting soak may be our only time to relax and clear our head. But once we leave the steamy confines of the bathroom, we're fair game to inappropriate TV shows and music, unhealthy friendships and the like. Satan roams the earth like a lion, seeking to destroy those who are hungry for God. He is hungry for our character and for our hearts.

Approach life like the robin - head up, aware of the surroundings. Also take heed of the spiritual surroundings; our walk with Jesus Christ directly affects our walk on earth. Placing both feet on God's path heightens our awareness of unhealthy situations and the dastardly motives of Satan.

Like the robin, you'll never be able to avoid all of the pitfalls and dangers that lurk, but make every effort to be vigilant in life, by choosing to be deliberate in your faith.

DHANIYA PANEER

2007-10-18T20:21:00.000+05:30

This is one simple recipe, but is loaded with flavorfull dhaniya / corriander leaves. It tastes absolutely yum.

Ing -250 gms - paneer
50 gms - corriander leaves
2 big onions - chopped finely
3/4 green chillies - chopped finely
1/2 tspn - garam masala
salt to taste

Method -
In a kadai add some oil. When hot, add the onions & fry till pink in colour.
Add the green chillies & mix well
Crumble the paneer & add into the kadai.
Mix well & let cook till any moisture evaporates
Sprinke the salt & garam masala & stir till mixed properly.
lastly add the finely chopped corrainder leaves & stir till everything is combined.

Serve with hot rotis.

CHANNA DAAL PULAO - SPLIT PEAS PULAO

2007-10-18T11:46:00.000+05:30

I called my husband to ask him what he was having for dinner with friends (he was busy finishing a Project for college & would get late), n he said Daal-Chawal, n there was me all alone sitting at home n doing nothing for dinner. I didnt want to be left behind, & therefore decided to make myself a treat - simple but still a treat !!

What I made was - Chana Daal Pulao - the spicy masaledaar version!!!

Ing -
1 glass - basmati rice
1/4 glass - channa daal (split peas yellow)
3 big onions - thinly sliced
1 tomato - chopped finely
4 cardamoms - crushed
1 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1 tspn - garam masala
1 tspn - red chilli powder
1 tspn - haldi / turmeric powder
1 tspn butter
1-1/2 glass (the same glass) - water

Method -
Wash & soak the rice for about 10-15 minutes
Wash & soak the daal separately for about 20 minutes
I soaked both of them & meanwhile did the preparations
In a cooker, add some oil
Add the crushed cardamoms & jeera.
After they sputter, add the onions and fry till brown
Add the the tomatoes & fry till the oil separates
Now add the haldi, garam masala & the chilli powder. Fry well
Drain the rice & the daal & add into the cooker.
Fry well, after adding the butter.
Now add water.
Add the salt & put the lid of the cooker
Wait for a whistle & close the flame.
Wait for the steam to pass

Serve with raita & achaar & papad.

I also make this as a very simple Pulao without any masalas, which I will post some time later.

EGG CHILLA

2007-10-18T11:37:00.000+05:30

First things first........breakfast today was Paneer Chilla - yummmmmmmm.

Alteration made to the remaining batter was. While on the tava an egg was broken on top of the chilla & sprinkled with some salt & black pepper & cooked on both sides.

The result ........

The verdict.........eggilicious !!!

I loved it, n I dont know about hubby coz there was just one made, n he didnt get to eat it !!!

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

2007-10-18T11:29:00.000+05:30

Owing to navratras, I am to avoid anything non-vegetarian at home. Does that deter me from my addiction of blogging & baking & cooking - nah - never !!!

This is what I came up with - EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE. The original recipe was from http://www.baawarchi.com/ but I did make some modifications. I will be posting the pic soon, but the recipe goes as follows.

Ing -
3/4 cup - maida/self raising flour
1-1/4 cup - atta /wheat flour
1 tspn - baking powder
3 tbspn - cocoa powder
1 cup - powdered sugar (I added about 3/4 cardamoms in the grinder when grinding the sugar to get a lovely cardamom sugar)
3/4 cup - butter / oil / ghee
1/2 tspn - baking soda
3/4 cup - beaten curd
3 tspn - vanilla essense
handful of walnuts - broken coarsely
handful of dried dates - cut coarsely
1/4 tspn - cinnamon powder
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup - milk
4 tbspn - brown sugar

Method -
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Seive the flours, salt, baking powder & cocoa powder together. (the absent minded person I am, I even seived the powdered sugar along - & though the cake turned out fine, I would want you to go with the original recipe)
Add the baking soda into the curd & keep aside in a bigger container, coz the curd is going to rise.
Beat the sugar & the butter together till light.
Now in this sugar / butter mixture add the flour & the curd alternatively & mix well.
Ensure that there are no lumps left.
Add the vanilla essence - mix well
Add the cinnamon powder, the walnuts & the dates.
Mix well. If you feel the batter is quite thick add the milk to get the right consistency.
Grease a baking dish & pour the batter into the dish
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top
Bake at 180C for about 40 mins.

The cake was delicious, soft & moist. I loved the dried dates in it & the brown sugar gave a very crunchy crust!!!

GOD'S GLORY

2007-10-17T10:47:00.000+05:30

SEE GOD'S GLORY - by Dr Bill Bright

Jesus saith unto her, 'Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?'" (John 11:40, KJV).How wonderful to behold the glory of God! And in varying degrees you and I have the capability and opportunity of doing that very thing!Jesus here, of course, is talking to Martha about her brother Lazarus, whom He was just about to raise form the dead. The message is plain: "Because you believed, Martha, you will see the glory of God in the raising of Lazarus."

Because you and I dare to believe God today, against all evidence and appearances to the contrary, He will let us see something of His glory. Just what is meant by that?Most scholars agree that the glory of God in this context at least, refers to the power and goodness displayed in the resurrection. That holds endless possibilities of fulfillment.Amazing, isn't it, that the simple matter of believing often is so difficult for the believer, as we are called? "Ye receive not, because ye ask not." "According to your faith be it unto you." "Ye receive not because ye ask amiss."

May our Lord increase our faith by driving us into His Word, since "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by His Word."

GINGER BREAD

2007-10-06T23:06:00.000+05:30

This recipe is adapted from Nandita of SAFFRON TRAIL. I lacked a few ingredients & my laziness to drag myself out of the home, resulted in me making a few alterations, which further resulted in a less sweet but a healthy cake. After I saw the results, I went back to her blog & checked out the comments etc, & realized that adding 1/2 cup of oil would have made the cake more softer. The cake was good but if it would have had the right sweetness to it & probably the softness from the oil it would have been excellent. It looks fab, n another thing - it tastes better than it did yesterday :-)). You can check up Nandita's blog for the actual recipe

Ing -

1-1/2 cup - wheat flour

1/2 cup - semolina / rawa

6 tspn - Sugar - the original called for 3 tspn each of Sugar & Splenda (which I didnt have so I substituted it for 3 more tspn sugar) but I guess it should have been more I should have added at least 8-10 tbspn of sugar

3 tspn - brown sugar - the original recipe called for 3 tspn grated jaggery, which I didnt have
a handfulf dates

a handful of raisins

a handful of candied ginger

some walnuts crushed

2 cups - water

1 tspn - grated ginger

1 tspn - cinnamon powder

3/4 - cloves

a pinch of salt.

1/2 cup - oil

1 tspn - baking powder

1 tspn - baking soda

Method -

Take water in a pan & add the raisins, dates, candied ginger, grated ginger, cinnamon powder, cloves, salt & sugars. Bring it to a boil & on slow flame boil for about a minute

Let the mixture cool completely (she said this was very important)

In another bowl seive the flour, semolina, baking powder & baking soda together.

Into this add the mixture & also the oil (I didnt add the oil in my recipe, but I will do so when I bake this cake the next time, hence adding it here)

Preheat oven to 180 C & line a baking dish with foil.

Grease it & bake the cake for 30 minutes.

The greased foil enabled the cake to come out like a knife in butter !!!

STIR FRIED WHITE BAINGAN

2007-10-05T12:05:00.000+05:30

I have never made white small oblong baingan in my life, but this week while doing my regular shopping for grocery, I saw them beckoning to me & I very quicking obliged by picking up a batch. While doing so, there was this lady next to me, who asked me how I made them coz she had never made them. ......now I cooked up a very recipe in my mind & told her so, but also added that I've never tried it. She gave me a wiered look & walked away without buying the eggplant. Here goes my recipe & it indeed was wonderful.

Ing -

250 gms - white baingan (small oblong ones)

1 onion - chopped finely

1/2 inch pc of ginger - grated

3/4 flakes - garlic grated

1/2 tspn - haldi

1/2 tspn - amchur

4/5 - green chillies (I made them really spicy)

Method -

Wash & dice the eggplants.

In a kadai, add some oil & add the garlic & ginger grated

When they turn brown, add the onions & stir for about 1/2 minute

Add the baingan, green chillies & some salt & close the lid.

Let the baingan cook thoroughly.

Now add all the masalas & cook for about 2 minutes with closed lid

Serve with chappatis.

AJWAIN ARVI - COLOCASIA WITH CAROM SEEDSD

2007-10-05T11:37:00.000+05:30

Lunch at home after stuffing yourself with so much outside food was a major relief & the tummy was happy to get some rest.

The refigerator showed only some arvi (colocasia) & ghiya (bottle gourd). Decided on a Menu of ajwain- arvi, mutar-paneer gravy & chapatis.

Ingredients -

1/2 kg - arvi / colocasia

3/4 tbspn - ajwain / carom / bishop seeds

1 tspn - haldi

1/2 tspn - amchur

1 tspn - chilli powder

a pinch of hing

1/2 tspn - garam masala

1 big onion - finely sliced

Method -

When you are buyin arvi try and keep them of the same size as much as possible & avoid ones with small protrusions.

Scrape the arvi & cut them lenghtwise into 1/4 app. inch slices i.e., not wafer thin nor very thick.

Wash them & pat dry them well.

In a kadai heat a good amount of oil. Dont use too much oil, lest the rest needs to be reused, but take enough to fry a small batch of arvis.

Fry the arvis till golden brown. Dont worry the arvi will not soak up too much oil & you will see after all the arvis are done that not much oil has been consumed.

In another kadai, take very little oil just about 1 tspn (or even less if you're using a non-stick pan) & add the ajwain / carom seeds.

Add the hing & the onions & fry till pinkish brown.

Add the fried arvi, the haldi, amchur, red chilli powder & garam masala.

Close the lid & cook for another 2 minutes & serve with a dash of lemon

BACK FROM A BREAK

2007-10-04T10:04:00.000+05:30

Agra was good. I never thought there would still be so many tourists flocking to the see the majestic Taj. N indeed, it rightly deserves to be one of the Wonders of the World. The sheer beauty of architecture is worth every effort. Breathtakingly beautiful - is the word. And let me tell you another thing - inspite of the humungous crowd there was a tranquility surround this amazing monument. You can be at peace with yourself, sitting by the sides of the Taj, watching the scantily flowing Yamuna river - even after being surrounded by masses of people. The experience really made me speechless. I just didnt want to leave the place.

We also visited Fatehpur Sikri, which was the Palace of Emperor Akbar. It was also beautifully done in Red Sandstone. The architecture was commendable.

Except for the vase with the flower & the good luck plant the rest of the curios were purchased from Fatehpur Sikri. The elephant is beautiful work of craftsmanship. It has two small elephants inside. I am amazed by the skills of those guys. The egg shaped cut work piece is a lamp. It glows beautifully when lit.

I have almost 200 pics which unfortunately wont be able to share on the blog. Wish there was some other way to show them to you.

MY FIRST ALU METHI FOR THE SEASON & A BREAK

2007-09-29T12:19:00.000+05:30

Methi is just about arriving in the vegetable markets, but its always such a nice feeling to pick up something after such a long time, though come winters, it is going to be the only thing that you make on & off!!! Methi is a veggie which some people hate totally & some people love completely.

I never liked it all that much - more so because it is very tedious to clean it. I miss my FIL a lot when it comes to cleaning veggies, coz he was such a sweetheart & used to keep all veggies cleaned so perfectly & cut them up & put them into dubbas whenever he visited us here in Delhi. Even if someone would be coming down from Kanpur he always handed over a box of cleaned methi leaves, or a bottle of peeled garlic flakes. He used to worry that since I am working I wouldnt have the time to do all this & therefore he would be more than willing to help me out this way. God bless his soul.

Ing -

1/2 kg - Methi leaves (cleaned & chopped)

2 potatoes - scraped & diced

2 tbspn - mustard oil

1/2 tspn - jeera

5/6 flakes garlic - grated

1 tspn - garam masala

1 tspn - chilli powder

1/2 tspn - haldi

1 tbspn - malai / cream

Method -

In a kadai burn the mustard oil. Add the jeera & the garlic. When brown add the potatoes.

Cook till the potatoes are half done.

Add the methi leaves. Cover & cook till the potatoes & the leaves are cooked fully

Add the haldi first & stir well

Add the salt, garam masala & chilli powder - mix well

Cover & cook till the oil start separting & the methi / alu has turned crispy - stir in between.

Lastly add the malai & the sugar. Mix once more. Let cook for another minute & remove from fire

Serve with chappatis or parathas.

I know the dish does go with the subzi, but I absolutely had to show off the new dish that I purchased from The Home Store - Noida. I couldnt wait for something more perfect to display on the dish!!!

2nd Oct is a holiday & therefore me & Rajeev are off to Agra for a small break. I will miss you all & blogging. Its so become a part of my life & enjoy everything very much, especially you girls!! I was secretly hoping that he would agree to pick up the laptop, but he gave me a dirty look - knowning fully well why I was enquiring.

Will catch you girls soon with more news & recipes & hopefully something new from Agra!!!

Love you all & miss me !!!

KARARA KARELA

2007-09-29T11:21:00.000+05:30

This blogging is really doing me a lot of good - at least my culinary skills. I tried my hand at Karela for the first time. First time because, I myself am not a fan of Karela & also because my husband never eats Karela. But yesterday when I made it I was so glad to him eat up the whole lot, (though I myself did not)..........but it made me really happy coz he said that he liked it very much!!!

Ing -

250 gms - Karela / bitter gourd / pavvaka

4 onions - chopped finely

1 tspn - haldi

1 tspn - red chilli powder

1/2 tspn - garam masala

1/2 tspn - amchur

1/4 tspn - saunf

Method -

Wash the karela nicely & skin them using a peeler. Dont throw away the skin.

Chop the karela into very small pcs. Apply some salt on both the pcs & the skin & leave overnight. If you like yours really bitter, you can avoid this step.

In a kadai, heat some oil add some saunf to it.

Now add the karela, the skin & the onions into the kadai & add some salt (I know you might wonder that if I had to add the skin into the kadai then why peel it in the first place - I dont know, I felt like & so I did, but then the skin came out really criply & I liked it).

Cover & cook till the karela is cooked.

Now add all the masalas, cover & cook till the karela turns cripsy all over. You have to keep stirring in between.

CHATPATA BAINGAN ALOO

2007-09-27T22:50:00.000+05:30

This one is quite simple........but absolutely chatpata with chappatis.

Ing-

250 gms - small eggplants / baingan, washed & cubed.

3 potatoes - medium sized, scraped & cubed

2 big onions - chopped finely

4/5 flakes of garlic - chopped finely

1 tspn - garam masala

1 tspn - amchur

1 tspn - chilli powder

a dash of lemon juice

Method -

In a kadai, add some oil. When hot add the garlic.

When just about brown, add the eggplant & the onions together & some salt

Close lid & cook till tender, stirring in between.

Meanwhile, in a frypan, add some oil. When hot, add some jeera.

When the jeera sputters, add the potatoes & cook till crisp on all sides.

Now add the potatoes to the baingan.

Add the masalas, mix well.

Cover lid & let cook for another 2 minutes

Uncover, stir & add a dash of lemon

Serve with chappatis

RAJMA MASALA

2007-09-27T22:30:00.000+05:30

There's this old man who comes to Nehru Place (a very famous office complex in New Delhi) everyday in his plush Merc with his sons. You might wonder what an old man, his sons & Merc have got to do with Rajma Masala, well he comes there to sell Rajma Chawal !!!! .....dont fall of your chair please..........this man puts up his stall at a corner & the queue to his stall is as long as the queue of sinners coming to visit the temple or the churches. Lately he has added variations like daal, chole, paneer & kadi with rice. Priced all at Rs. 25/- per plate (!!!!) he winds off everything by about 3 p.m. - n in flat 2 hrs he goes home with pocket full of notes!! I sometimes envy him n wonder if I could do as good as he is doing .............maybe some day!!!! I too will open up something like this.......

Well, I dont know about him, but here's my version of Rajma, which is quite popular ........

Ing -

1 cup - kidney beans / rajma

2 onions - pureed finely

4/5 flakes of garlic - added to grinder along with onions

1/2 inch ginger - added to the grinder along with onions

3 tomatoes - pureed separately along with a handful of corriander leaves

1 tbspn - garam masala

1 tspn - haldi / tumeric powder

1 tspn - red chilli powder

1/2 tspn - amchur / dried mango powder

1 tspn - dhaniya powder

Method -

Soak the rajma overnight & cook them till tender along with some salt.

In a wok add some oil, first add the onion, ginger garlic puree. Fry till dark brown colour

Add the tomato puree & fry till oil separates.

Add all the masalas.

Finally add the rajma, adjusting the salt & consistency with some water.

Serve with plain rice.

I call this comfort food !!!

ZAIQA CHICKEN ROLL

2007-09-26T19:22:00.000+05:30

Some few years before Bengali rolls were only to be seen in Chittranjan Park area - the Bong domain in Delhi!!! Very soon it caught like wild-fire & now there is a Roll Corner at every nook & corner of the markets all around Delhi - n what do they sell???........the variations are endless......mouthwatering is the least I can say.

I call mine Zaiqa Chicken Roll coz theirs is the best I've had. They are in the Sector-18 market in Noida & they beat even the CR Park guys too!! They are absolutely the way I want them to be..........

Ing -
For the rolls -
1 kg - maida
4 tbspn - oil
salt to taste

For the filling -
1/2 kg - boneless chicken - cut into very small pcs
4/5 onions - chopped finely
5 tomatoes - pureed
1 tbspn - ginger - garlic paste
1 tspn - chilli powder
1 tspn - haldi
1 tbspn - chicken masala (use any brand MDH or Everest) - if not avlbl use 2 tbspn - garam masala
1 - capsicum
1 tbspn - ketchup

Separately -
2 onions - finely sliced
1/2 cabbage - sliced finely
1/2 cup - corriander-mint chutney
1/4 cup - chilli sauce
Mix all this together just before assemgling the rolls

1 egg - per roll

Method -
Rolls -
Knead the maida, oil & salt using some water into a tight dough.
Roll out like chappatis & keep them half done (not fully cooked from both sides)

Filling -
In a kadai heat some oil, add the ginger-garlic paste & fry well.
Add the onions & fry till brown
Add the tomato puree & fry till oil separates
Add the chilli powder, chicken masala, turmeric & fry well
Add the chicken pcs & the capsicum & cook till done.
Before removing from fire just add the ketchup

Finally -
On a nonstick griddle, drizzle some oil & place a roti on it. Fry from one side & flip to cook the other side.
Break an egg in a dish & beat well, now pour this onto the cooked side of the roti & flip over to cook the egg
Again flip with the egg side on top. The other end should have nice golden spots all over.
Remove from fire & in the center put some filling length wise.
On top of this add the onion/cabbage masala
Spread some more chutney /sauce on top of this & roll

You can wrap one end with a foil paper so that the filling does not fall out while eating.

I made this for Christmas once. The previous day I made the rotis & refrigerated them & used them to save me all the trouble of preparing everything the same day.

I know this is quite long, but its not all that difficult - n beleive me every bite with be worth the while.

Yummilicious !!!!

CHICKEN PINEAPPLE SALAD

2007-09-26T10:47:00.000+05:30

I love pineapple a lot. There are some people who dont, coz they say they are allergic to it. They are missing out on one of the most wonderful products of God's creativity !!! Its so juicy & sweet & tangy. My ammuma (maternal grandmother / naani) had a row of home grown pineapples, I would sit in the verandah & dwell in the lovely smell of ripe pineapples. And the pleasure of having a homegrown pineapple, or for that matter any fruit or veggie is indescribable. Checking out which one's ripe, plucking as many as you want..... & not having to bargain with the vendor all are such wonderful experiences.

I had chicken pineapple salad for the first time at the Nirula's Potpouri - Salad Bar. The flavors blend immensely well & they are a treat for your taste buds.

Ing -

1/2 kg - boneless chicken

1 small - pineapple

1/2 cup - mayonise (you can use fat free or any variety you like)

1/2 tsp - sweet paprika

1 cucumber - finely chopped

1/4 cup - canned cherries (deseeded & chopped roughly)

1/4 tsp - black pepper powdered.

a pinch of salt.

Method -

Boil the chicken in as little water as possible. I would microwave it till cooked.

When cold just shred them into bits with your hands.

Slice the pineapples into rings & then chop them into small slices.

Do not throw away any juice.

Scrape the cucumber & chop into small pcs.

In a dish add the mayo, chicken, pineapple, cherries & cucumber - mix well

Add the paprika, pepper powder, salt & any leftover juice of pineapple - mix well

Put the dish into the fridge.

Serve chilled.

PANEER CHILLA

2007-09-24T17:06:00.000+05:30

Teatime on Sundays is always quite thought provoking.........yeh banau yah voh (translation - should I make this.....or should I make that). I really like to keep changing the Menu on the Tea table. All it takes is a little before-thought. This is one good recipe & is quite filling too. You can also use it as a breakfast item.

Ing -

For the Chilla
1/2 kg - besan / gramflour
1 onion - chopped
green chillies as per taste
salt as per taste
a big pinch of asofetida
1/4 tspn - saunf / fennel seeds
a bunch of corriander leaves - chopped

For the filling
250 gms - paneer mashed
1 onion - chopped
1/2 tspn - jeera
1/4 tspn - garam masala
1/4 tspn - red chillies
corriander leaves chopped

Method
Add water to the besan & make it into dosa batter consistency.
Add all the ingredients listed above & keep aside for a while
Meanwhile in a fry pan add some oil & when hot add the jeera
Add the onions. When pink in colour, add the paneer & the rest of the ingredients.
Fry till the moisture dries up.
Heat a griddle & pour the batter onto it. Spread it like a dosa
Cook on both sides by drizzling some oil on the sides.
When a nice golden brown add a tbspn of filling in the center of the chilla.
Spread it lengthwise & fold it just once.

Serve with mint corriander chutney.

MEAT CUTLETS

2007-09-24T16:41:00.000+05:30

This is one yummy snack. I guess everybody has their own version, which is more or less similar too........but this is my mom's who used to make this all the time. And this makes me remember my little pet Silky (who has gone to be with the Lord - I hope), for whom the day the cutlets were made meant a feast for the next few days!! She was so adorable, she used to go and wait at the door of the kitchen, waiting for mom to open the cooker & pass some cooked minced meat onto her plate. Come what may, she would not budge from there till she got her share. But she was such a greedy dog, she just wouldnt stop at the meat, she would also very affirmatively ask for her share of the cutlets too. She would tug & toss at mom's saree till mom would give into her demands.......she was really the apple of our eyes, & we miss her so much that it hurts at times. I could go and on writing stories about my beloved pet, but I guess I'll stop here & go on with the recipe.

Ing -

1/2 kg - mince meat (mutton, beef or chicken)

5/6 - onions finely chopped

3/4 tbspn - ginger finely grated

a big bunch of corriander leaves - cleaned & finely chopped

4 tspn - garam masala

lots of green chillies

1/2 tspn - black pepper crushed

2 tbspn - cream

some atta diluted with water, add some salt (it should not be a very thin paste)

either bread crumbs or crush cornflakes in the grinder.

Method -

Cook the meat very well.

In a kadai put the meat & stir till the moisture evaporates. Dont make it too dry, just enough that the water dries up.

Now add the onions, ginger, corriander leaves, garam masala, black pepper & mash well with your hands. You should do so to ensure combining of all the ingredients.

Now add the cream - you can avoid this ing. But adding this makes the texture really smooth.

Now roll into desired shaped patties.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Dip the patties into the diluted atta mixture, roll into the crumbs & fry till golden brown. If you feel like you can leave out the crumbs too. The patties hold together even with the diluted atta paste very well.

We always had it with ketchup, or roll into chappatis & eat.

I am really missing this snack so much while posting this that I really feel like calling mom & askin her to make it.

Not being able to cook non-veg food as much as I would want to is the biggest disadvantage of marrying a preferred vegetarian. But poor thing, he never stops me from doing anything I wish, but then how is one to cooke 250 gms of chikcen or make just 2 cutlets???? So I leave it out. Maybe if I have kids one day I will make them pure nonvegetarians & enjoy food with them.

CHEESY POTATO BALLS

2007-09-24T16:30:00.000+05:30

I have made this snack just once & it was really good. I had made it for a get-together of colleagues at my place & got great reviews for the same. It was pretty simple so I bet all of you can try it.

Ing -
1/2 kg - boiled & mashed potatoes
1/2 cup - grated cheese
salt to taste
green chillies - very, very finely chopped
corriander leaves - again, very very finely chopped
2 big Onions - finely chopped & then fried
bread crumbs

Method -
Mix all the ingredients together. Dont try to mash the potatoes after adding the cheese, but do so before hand & then add the cheese. There should be no lumps in the potatoes.
Heat oil in a pan. Roll the mixture into balls, roll them into bread crumbs & fry in hot oil.

They come out very crunchy from outside & gooey from inside, since the cheese melts.

HEALTHY PANEER ROLLS

2007-09-23T10:03:00.000+05:30

Today morning was a rush-rush morning coz Rajeev had to go out till about 9 a.m. & by the time I woke up it was 8.00 I overslept, coz I was two-timing watching both the exciting India-Australia match on one hand & A PERFECT MURDER - the movie on the other channel. I woke up & worried on what breakfast to give him. I was tired of pohas & upmas and didnt want to make the same old thing. Some thinking & experimentation brought me to a nice variation to the daily breakfast. You can add / subtract whatever you like.

Ing -

For the filling -

250 gms - paneer

1/2 capsicum - sliced very thinly & small

2 big onions - finely chopped

1/2 tsp - jeera / cumin

1 tbspn - corriander-mint chutney (I used Heinz)

1 tbspn - tomato ketchup

salt to taste

green chillies

For the base -

1 normal roti or paratha

Method -

In a fry pan, add some oil

Add the jeera, when they sputter add the onions & capsicum. Fry till onions are light brown.

Add the chillies, chutney & ketchup & salt.

Mash the paneer & add into the kadai

Fry well till there is no moisture.

Meanwhile you can make the rotis.

Keep some fill in the center of the chappati & roll.

Cut into two pcs each.

I served it with a glass of chilled chocolate milk - check out my favorite mug - isint it cute?? I had two of them one with the face of a boy. That was his, & this is mine. His broke.......& I was really very sad that the pair had been spoilt.

Pls dont mind the pics, they were taken in a rush.

MUTAR PANEER MASALA

2007-09-23T09:44:00.000+05:30

You might wonder how much of mutar paneer do I make, but believe me thats one combo that I can make in a jiffy & in so many different ways that it saves myself & Rajeev from eating food from outside manier times. I always have the frozen variety of both of them always in the stock. Here's another one for all mutar paneer lovers. This is a very lovely way to make this dish.

Ing -

250 gms - paneer

1/2 cup - mutar

2 onions - pureed

2 tomatoes - pureed

1 tsp - ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp - garam masala

1/2 tsp - turmeric pwdr / haldi

red chilli pwder as per taste (try using red chilli powder to enhance the colour)

2 cardamoms - crushed

1/4 tspn - fennel seeds / saunf

1 tbspn - curd / dahi

2 tbspn - cream

1 bay leave - crushed coarsely

Method -

Take a pressure cooker (preferably). Add a little oil into it & add cardamom powder & the bay leaves.

Add the ginger-garlic paste.Fry well & add the onion paste and fry till brown.

Add the tomato paste & fry till the oil separates.

Now add the turmeric, chilli, garam masala & saunf - in that order.

Fry well for about a minute. If the masala gets dry instead of adding more oil add a little water & fry till the water dries up, this way the masala will not stick.

Now add the cream & curd & mix well.

Dice the paneer & along with the matar add to the cooker.

Add salt & fry for about 2 minutes till the masala is well coated.

Add about a cup of water & put the lid of the cooker.

Do not put the whistle. On very slow flame cook for about 5 minutes.

If you dont wanna use the cooker you can use the kadai as well. You can add a bit of salt to the onion paste to fry quickly. You might wonder how this is a quick way to cook when cooking raw onion paste & tomato paste takes so much time, but I just put it on & do some other work meanwhile.........& return to the gas once in while to check & give a stir.

I hope you will like the recipe.

BROWN, BROWN WINE .............

2007-09-21T15:05:00.000+05:30

There's this beautiful song by UB - 40 which goes "Red Red Wine, goes to my head, makes me forget that I, still need her so........". My wine is not Red it is deep brown & it doesnt even go into your head & will not even make you forget anyone........so I pass the judgement that it is perfectly fine to gulp it down......My mom makes this lovely wine for Christmas every year, without fail & the same is so blatantly publicized (of course by me & my brother & my Dad ......& a wee bit by herself too) that everyone visiting us on Christmas has to have the wine. I have never made a bottle myself, coz I am handed over a bottle or two by her, which I unashamedly & proudly serve to my guests. I am sharing this wonderful wine recipe with you. The pics will of course come only during Christmas time. Till then "Brown, Brown, Wine......."

Ing -

250 gm - Ginger - Cleaned & Crushed
1/2 Kg - Sugar
5/6 - Laung / Clove
1 inch - Dalchini / Cinnamon
1 - Jaifal / Nutmeg
5/6 - Red Chillies - Deseeded (use only the skin)
4 Ltr - Water

Method -

Boil all the ingredients in the water for about 1 - 1-1/2 hours. After a boil, simmer on slow falme.
Remove from fire & let it cool. All the pulp will settle down. Remove the liquid into a separate container by seiving.
Into that liquid add 1/2 spoon Citric Acid.

Take about a handful of sugar & on slow flame melt it, when it has started turning brown, add about 1/4 cup of water (or more if required) very slowly. Keep stirring

While adding the water, be very careful cause it starts sputtering a lot & you can run the risk of the liquid falling on you. Dont bend close to the pan - this makes the caramel.

Add this caramel into the ginger water.

Again let it settle.

Strain & pour into clean, dry bottles.

This stays well for quite a long time.

I hope you enjoy your wine, & will give it a shot for this Christmas!!

WHO'S CHEESE IS IT ANYWAYS???

2007-09-20T15:42:00.000+05:30

Its mine, its mine .......& only mine.

At a home of two people, where the husband does not favor cheese, the whole box of cheese slices or cheese spread is mine & only mine!! Whenever I reach out my hand to pick up a cheese from the stands, I quickly pull it back reminding myself "you'll have to eat it all by yourself.......do you want to add up on so many calories......nobody is going to share your burden". I am able to put that back only once in a while, but there are times when the cheese beckons me from the stands, begging me to pick it up, longing for a home........& taking pity on the poor cheese, I pick it up & put it in my basket, giving it a name "Shella's Cheese". How I use it is a different story altogether. I pretend to ignore it sitting on the shelf of the fridge, but when I crave, I use it either on bread slices, or on Pizzas, or just consume on its own.......but what I love most is the Omlette I make for myself.........heavenly oozing cheese, in a bed of an egg (mind you, only one egg). It may be known to quite a few of you, but nonetheless, its given below.

Ing -

1 - egg (you can use two or more if you want, I restrict myself for known reasons!!)

2/3 - green chillies (I really like it spicy & the flavor of the chillies do wonders to the omlette)

a little green corriander - finely chopped

1 big onion - finely chopped

a small pc of ginger - grated

3/4 curry leaves

a pinch of sugar

salt to taste

1/2 tsp - sooji / semolina / rawa

1 tbspn - milk

cheese - as much as you like

Method -

In a fry pan, drizzle very, very little oil & add the onions & the sugar.

After about half a minute add the curry leaves

On slow flame saute till onions are a good pink colour.

Meanwhile beat well the egg with the corriander leaves, chillies, ginger, semolina, milk, salt. What I generally do is add the milk, semolina & egg into the mixer & whip it up for a few seconds till frothy, & then fold the rest of the ings very lightly.

Now add the sauteed onions, after removing the curry leaves.

Mix lightly.

On the same pan, add some more oil & spread the omlette.

Let cook on slow flame from one side.

Flip it over & on the cooked side, add the cheese (if its a spread - just add as it is, if slices - just shred them, or if cubes - grate them).

Now fold the omelette & let cook for another few seconds.

You have an absolutley heavenly omelette with a heavenly filling all set for your stomach!!!

Just try this out & you'll feel heaven!! I always do. I dont take any bread or anything to go with this.

Just take a little ketchup or mustard sauce to go with it.

PANEER MALAI KABAB

2007-09-20T11:16:00.000+05:30

This is a lovely Appetizer with flavored paneer cubes. They melt in your mouth & its difficult to stop at just one. My husband being a preferred vegetarian, I had difficulty in having him adjust at parties where mostly people were non-vegetarians. At close friends places I used to really have to put up a fight with them coz, for them snacks for Raji meant cut pcs of paneer sprinkled with salt & pepper on top or chaat masala!! - it really put me off..... This is one dish that does justice to my preferred vegetarian husband's palatte. Here goes the recipe.....

Ing -

1/2 kg - paneer

1st marinade

4 tbspn - vineger

2 tbspn - ginger paste

2 tbspn - garlic paste

salt as per taste

2nd marinade

5 tbspn - full cream

3-4 tbspn - thick curd / yoghurt

4 tbspn - corn flour / maida

2 eggs - lightly beaten

2 tbspn - red chilli powder

a bunch of corriander leaves - finely chopped

a few strands of saffron soaked in about 2 tbspn water

2 tspn - garam masala powder

1 tbspn - roasted cumin powder

Serve with

grated carrots, cabbage & capsicum

Method

Cut the paneer into thick cubes of 2 inch pcs.

Mix the ingredients of the first marinade & add the paneer into it. Mix well but use a light hand so as not to break the paneer - keep aside for about an hour.

Mix the ingredients for the second marinade very well & pick up the paneer from the first bowl & add to this marinade. Leave out the water. Keep aside for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 200C & line a dish or a cookie tray with foil. Arrange the pcs of paneer one by one & bake for 5 minutes. Then turn the pcs & bake for another 5 mins. The Paneer should turn a little brown.

If you dont have an oven, you can use a nonstick pan (a pan because that will ensure that the pcs dont fall one on top of another) & cook on slow flame, but ensure that the pcs dont break too much. You'll have to add some oil into the pan

For serving - grate the cabbage & carrots and cut thin slices of capiscum add a tsp of olive oil & mix well. You can even add just lime juice & salt. If you can indulge a bit, you can add about 2 tbspns of mayo.

Spread this on a dish & then arrange the paneer on top of this spread.

Enjoy a delicious snack

HING WALE BEANS ALU KI SUBZI

2007-09-19T23:05:00.000+05:30

This is a very simple dish. The hing gives a very different taste to the preparation. I make it often & we like it a lot. I hope you guys like it too. This is only for people who like the hing flavor.

Ing -

250 gms - green string beans - stringed & chopped into 1/2 inch pcs

2 medium sized potatoes - cut into very small cubes

1 onion chopped

1 tsp - jeera

about 1/4 tsp - hing

1/2 tsp - red chilli powder

1/2 tsp - garam masala

1/4 tsp - amchur

salt to taste

Method -

In a kadai, heat some oil & sputter the jeera in it.

Add the onions, the hing (I very conveniently forgot to add the hing in the "hing wale beans alu"- thanks to my anonymous friend (refer comment) I have added it now) & the potatoes & cook till the potatoes are half done.

At this stage add the beans & salt and cover with lid & cook till beans are just about done. Keep stirring in between.

Add the haldi, red chilli, garam masala & amchur - in that order & mix well after each addition.

Serve with rotis or parathas.

NO WASTAGE

2007-09-19T15:51:00.000+05:30

There are many times when the dough for rotis get spoilt at home. Most of us throw it away not knowing what to do. I am giving below (3) ways in which the same can be used fruitfully - after all its hard earned money. We slog out to earn every penny so why waste anything (look who's talking!!), but still........there's always space for some improvization - right??

Take the atta & put it into a bigger bowl - put some water into the atta, so much so that it is fully immersed in water. After about 15-20 mins, add a handful of arripodi - rice flour - chawal ka atta into the same. Chop in some onions, green chillies & corriander. Add some asofetida & salt & mix well with a ladel. This will turn into a batter. Adjust the consistency by adding more water or riceflour. It should be a flowing consistency. Makes dosas out of it which turn out very yummy & crisp.
Once again immerse the dough into water. Melt some jaggery & add into the bowl. Mix with ladel add some cardamom powder. Heat oil in a kadai & drop spoonfuls into the piping hot oil. Nice snack.
The third trick does not require any immersing in water. In a kadai, heat some oil & fry some besan. When the besan is brown, add some ajwain, salt, corriander leaves, asofetida, crushed peanuts. Mix well. Now make small roll of the dough into your hands (use some wheatflour to avoid sticking of the dough onto your hands). Make a dent the way you do for making stuffed parathas & put in the mixture of the besan & close. With your hand pat the roll into kachoris. Fry them out for a delicious snack & serve with some corriander or mint chutney

Hope you liked the suggestions & will try them out soon.

KAALI DAAL

2007-09-19T12:02:00.000+05:30

I absolutely loved this daal. The texture is smooth & creamy, yet not as heavy and rich as the Daal Makhani, which though, is a personal favorite, but rarely made. I actually do quite a bit of mix & match with daals, & use either urad sabut or masoor sabut to make the daal black or brown.

This is my latest experiment & it really turned out good.

Ing -
1-1/2 katori - black masoor daal
1/2 katori - chana daal
1 tsp - haldi
1 big onion
1 tsp - grated garlic
1 tsp - grated ginger
pinch of hing / asofetida
1 tsp - jeera
1 tsp - garam masala
either green chillies or red chilli powder
1 tsp - amchur

Method -
Wash & pressure cook the daals well, adding salt & haldi in the cooker itself.
In a fry pan, add the oil & when hot add the jeera
When it sputters, add the ginger & garlic & fry well
Add onions & on slow flame fry till about brown.
Add the asofetida / chilli.
Now add this tempering into the daal.
Add garam masala & amchur & mix well.
Cook for about 2 mins & garnish with corriander leaves.

Serve with rice, rotis or parathas.

There was a bit of confusion about the masoor sabut daal. I have therefore posted a pic of the same. Hope it helps

PUMPKIN / MATTANGA / KADDU SUBZI - NORTH INDIAN STYLE

2007-09-19T11:54:00.001+05:30

Another one in my list of most detested subzis as a kid (except of course, when my mom made Olan). Whenever I heard of pumpkin pies etc. I wondered how people could relish something like the Pumpkin. The yellow veggie!!!

I got married in Kanpur (my husband's home town), & the morning of my marriage my relatives had been offered a breakfast of pooris & pumkin curry along with other North Indian delicacies. You cant imagine, how perplexed I was........idli, dosa, sambar, puttu eating mallus being served pure North Indian food. My mind raced as to what reactions I would be getting from them, saying ........"its just because of you that we have had to go thru this, We had to eat all that food"......."if only you'd chosen a malayalee cherkan (boy)"...Couldnt they have served us some idlis or puttu.........I couldnt put a morsel of food in my mouth. I was anyway going against the wishes of my parents, they were just present there because of my stuborness to marry the guy I had chosen or stay a spinster througout life - the choice was theirs....... Coming back to the venue - after the breakfast was over......I timidly asked one of my aunts, if she had been satisfied with the food......the answer amazed me. She said that the mattanga kootan (Pumpkin curry) was the best she had ever had. I heaved a sigh of relief, & very soon, I had heard the same comment from a few others too.

I later on learnt how to prepared the dish from my MIL & I happily share the same with you all. By the way, even till today I have my relatives praising the mattanga curry!!! So much so that I shared the recipe with them this time when I went to Kerala.

Ing -
250 gm - pumpkin / kaddu / mattanga
1/4 tsp - saunf
a little more than a pinch of fenugreek seeds
1 big onion - chopped
4/5 green chillies
1 tsp - haldi / tumeric / manjjal
1/4 tsp - amchur

1/4 tsp - garam masala

1/4 tsp - sugar
salt as per taste

Method -

Chop the pumpkin into cubes along with the skin. Wash well & keep aside.
Coarsely powder the fennel & fenugreek seeds in a grinder. I generally have a small dubba of this masala always ready, which I often put in some veggies.
In a kadai heat some oil & add the onions. Fry till just about pink. Add the powdered masala. Fry for about 1/2 a minute.
Add the pumpkin & salt. Close lid & cook till pumpkins are soft & fully cooked.
Add the haldi, green chillies, amchur, sugar & garam masala

Mix well & fry for about 2/3 minutes till any moisture is dried up.

Serve with pooris or parathas. You can change the chatpata-ness according to your liking by adjusting the amchur & sugar!!!

CHANA DAAL WITH GHIYA - SPLIT GRAM WITH BOTTLE GOURD

2007-09-18T22:28:00.000+05:30

When it comes to comfort food - daal - tops the list. You can have a bowl of dal on its own, or with rotis, or parathas, or bread, or rice. You can use it to make rotis, dosas, pulao, kichri......the list is endless. Add some bottle gourd to it, & you have a nice wholesome daal subzi. I like this so much that I crave for this dish at times.........

Ing -

2 katoris - split peas / chana daal / kadla paripu

2 katoris - bottle gourd / ghiya peeled & diced into cubes1 big onion - roughly chopped

1 tsp -grated garlic

1 tsp - jeera / cumin

a generous pinch of hing / asofetida

1 tsp - haldi

1 tsp - red chilli powder

1/2 tsp - garam masala

1 tsp - lime juice

Method-

Pressure cook the dal & the ghiya along with salt, chilli & haldi. My normal procedure is to let one whistle pass & then cook on slow flame for about 10 minutes. The result is fully cooked but not mashed dal.

In a frypan, add the ghee. When hot add the jeera & let sputter.

Add the grated garlic & fry.

Then add the onions & fry till light brown in colour.

Add the hing.

Now pour this tempering onto the daal & add the garam masala & lime juice & mix well.

If you wish to add tomatoes you can do so at the time of pressure cooking or during the tempering.

I prefer it without the tomatoes. The flavor of the dal comes out excellently without them.

BANANA NUT CAKE

2007-09-17T14:25:00.000+05:30

I baked this for sunday breakfast. My husband is not too fond of bananas. To be precise, he pretends to be allergic to the smell of them (yeah, I always thinks he pretends that bit). I made this & he was delighted with the cake & gaves me a "thumbs up" for the same. After he had finished ....I revealed to him the truth that this was a Banana cake..........the reaction.......Oh, it was not bad at all!!!

Well, here goes the recipe -

Ing -
3/4 cup atta
1-1/4 cup maida
2 mashed ripe bananas
a handful of walnuts & raisins
1/2 cup ghee / butter
1/4 cup - brown sugar
3/4 - sugar
2 - eggs
1 tsp - baking powder
1 tsp - baking soda
1/2 tsp - salt

Method -
Beat the ghee & the sugars together till creamy
Add the eggs one by one & beat well.
Sieve the flours, baking powder, baking soda & salt together
Add this flour into the egg mixture slowly beating on one side with the ladel
I pureed the bananas & added them in the end, mixing well with the ladel
Add the walnut & raisins in the end & mix well.
Preheat oven to 160 C, & bake for about 45-50 mins, till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

It tasted very good & vanished before I could click some of it. I have two more bananas left & I plan to bake it tonight. Hope I get some pics this time.

SOOJI HALWA

2007-09-15T22:28:00.000+05:30

This halwa tastes awesome. Its comes straight from my MIL's kitchen. Amazingly smooth & sweet & definitely sinful!!!

But this is really only for those who can afford to indulge - unfortunately, me not one of the lucky ones, therefore I really keep away from this........but the aroma filling the kitchen when this is cooking is too much to deny a spoonful, ........& another one..........& another one - just one last spoonful!!!! The story goes on.......you just cant resist. See if you can......

The following quantity will make enough for two people.

Ing -
1 katori - sooji / semolina / rawa
1/2 katori - besan / gram flour
1/2 katori - atta / wheatflour
1-1/2 katori - ghee (if you want the authentic taste, use ghee......or else substitue with oil)
2 katori - sugar
a handful of cashew / raisins - fried
a tsp of crushed cardamom
6 katori - water

Method -

In a kadai add both the ghee & the semolina, gram flour & wheat flour. Fry well on slow flame.

It has to be fried till the colour has turned to a golden brown & the aroma will fill your house.

When this is done, add the water. Increase the flame & add the sugar & the cardamom powder.

Stir continuously till the water dries up.

Add the dry fuits & serve.

This is really an authentic dessert & tastes absolutely heavenly.

There is also a halwa made of only wheatflour, which is used to give as a prasad at Gurudwaras. There's a story behind it..........which I'll write when I post the recipe. Till then, happy cooking!!

MASALA KATHAL - RAW JACKFRUIT CURRY

2007-09-15T22:14:00.000+05:30

This is a delicacy from Northern parts of India. Where in part of the country the Jackfruit is consumed as a fruit, the other part has it as a vegetable!! In Southern India "chakka" is something to die for, whereas in the Northern India, I have seen people make faces at the mention of having jackfruit as a fruit. They dont know really what they are missing up on - do they??? In Kerala, they would discard the tender jackfruit as a waste not knowing what to do with it, & oblivious of the fact that they could cook up an excellent subzi with it. Now I wonder which part of the Nation is more at loss - South or North?? Maybe you could help me solve this puzzle..........

While you think on this subject, I am giving below the recipe.

Ing -

1/2 kg - really really raw jackfruit.
3/4 onions - sliced finely
4 tomatoes - pureed
1 tsp - garlic paste
1 tsp - ginger paste
1 tbsp - garam masala
1 tsp - haldi / turmeric
1 tsp - red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - amchur / dry mango powder

Method -

Discard the skin of the jackfruit, remember take out only the green skin part, let the base remain intact. Cut them into cubes about an inch wide.
Heat oil in a frypan & fry these cubes till golden in colour & remove on tissue paper to drain the extra oil
In a kadai, heat little oil & add the ginger / garli pastes. When fried well add the sliced onions. Let the onions be a pinkish brow. Add the tomato puree. Fry till oil separates.
Add all the masalas & fry for another minute or so.
Add in the fried jackfruit cubes & mix well till the masala is coated properly
Add about 1/2 a cup of water, close the lid of the kadai & let cook for about 3/4 minutes.
Open the lid & stir properly ensuring the gravy coats evenly on all the pcs.
Let any gravy dry up on high flame.

Goes excellently with chappatis / parathas. Believe me, when I say it really really tastes wonderful.

MOONG DAL FRY

2007-09-14T23:12:00.000+05:30

Hi there!!

I have been a bit lazy today & all this blogging has really made me addictive. All I can think about is what to blog? Has anybody left a comment on my blog? Whose blog do I check out today?? I keep asking Diji (my friend at work) what recipes to post - she is a great help at that. I eat blog, I drink blog, I dream blog, I walk blog, I talk blog......blah, blah, blah!!! And the result has been that I have a constant headache these days (because my eyes are almost always glued to the computer !!) & I have a left eye infection (dont blame the blogging for that).

My eye is quite better now, therefore am back again.........cant keep myself away for too long, can I??

Moong dal is one dal that I have hardly ever had before marriage, & today, its the most frequently made dal at home. Now even my mom has started making it because of its simplicity.

Ing -

1 katori - moong dal (split green gram without the skin, which is a light yellow in colour)

1 tbsp - jeera / cumin seeds

5/6 garlic flakes - crushed coarsely

1 tsp - haldi / turmeric powder

1 tsp - red chilli powder

1 tsp - garam masala

Method -

Wash the dal well & pressure cook till done. Add salt while cooking. The ratio of the water should be 1:4 = dal:water.

In a small fry pan, add about 1 tbsp ghee.

When hot add the jeera. When sputterd add the garlic flakes

On slow flame let the garlic brown.

Turn off the flame & add the haldi, garam masala, chilli. (turning off the flame saves the masalan from being burnt since the oil is already very hot)

Add this into the cooker & mix well.

Garnish with corriander leaves

Serve with either phulka or rice

MATAR PANEER - 2

2007-09-13T15:40:00.000+05:30

This is my second version of the dry matar paneer. This has been inspired by my husband, whose mom makes this & he gave me a description on how the subzi should look, & I had to really imagine the recipe to make it look the way he wanted it to. Phew.....it could have added to a Sherlock Holmes series.......the guessing & the mystery of the ingredients. But somehow, I did it.........& the result was a shiny-happy husband (Shiny Happy People - R.E.M.)

Ing -

250 gms - Paneer (diced - not very big chunks)

1/2 cup - matar / peas

a big, big bunch of corriander leaves, cleaned & chopped

1 tsp - jeera

2/3 big onions - chopped finely

1 tsp - garam masala

green chillies - as per taste

Method -

In a kadai heat some oil. When hot add the jeera

When jeera sputters, add the onions & the matar / peas

Add some salt

Close the lid & let the peas cook.

When the peas are done, add the paneer cubes, the garam masala, chillies, & more salt.

Cook till water from the paneer dries up

Add the corriander leaves, mix well

Serve with chapatis or stuff into grilled sandwiches.

BHINDI ALU

2007-09-13T15:31:00.000+05:30

This a quicker version of the subzi, though the oil utilized is more.......but as it goes all unhealthy things taste divine, likewise, this one is definitley more delectable than the ordinarily made bhindi subzi.

You can try for yourself to find out the difference, & you'll be convinced to make this again and again.

Ing -

1/2 kg - bhindi / okra / vendakaya (washed, thoroughly pat dried & chopped into 1/2 inch pcs)

3/4 - potatoes (scrape & slit the potato into two, then cut them into equal strips not too thin)

2 big onions - sliced finely

1 tsp - haldi

1 tsp - red chilli powder

1 tsp - garam masala

1/2 tsp - amchur

salt to taste

Method -

Heat oil in a kadai & when hot, fry the bhindi & the potato separately

Drain on tissue paper

In a kadai, heat some oil, add the onions. Fry till pinkish brown.

Add the haldi, chilli powder, garam masala, amchur.

Add the bhindi & the alu. Sprinkle salt as per your taste

Mix well & close the lid & cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve with rotis.

PALAK DAAL

2007-09-13T14:04:00.000+05:30

Another dish that I was not too found till MIL came along. She has a wonderful hand at cooking & however much I try I cant come close to her taste, & that is even if I add the same ingredients, in the same proportion as she does.......I guess that's what's called "haath ka kamaal". I am giving you the recipe, maybe we could try & come to close to what she cooks. What she cooks is perfectly salted & has a creamy consistency, the onions are sort of caramalized & a rich garlic flavor......

Ing -
1/2 kg - spinach/palak leaves - cleaned, washed & chopped finely
1 katori - split green moong daal.
8/10 flakes of garlic
1/2 inch - ginger (grated)
1 tbsp - ghee
1 tsp - jeera
1 tsp - garam masala
1 tsp - haldi
a pinch of hing
green chillies to taste
2 big onions - chopped finely

Method -
In a cooker, add little oil.
When hot chop the garlic finely & add into the oil.
Add the grated ginger.
When they are a bit brown add the daal & the palak, add water & cook for about 2 whistles on high & 10 mins on slow. Let the steam pass.
In a small frypan, take the ghee, add the jeera.
When jeera sputters, add the hing & the onions. Fry the onions on a low flame till brown
Add the haldi & the garam masala
Pour the tempering into the cooker & mix well.

Yummy tasting dal with rotis or rice. I always take a katori in advance to eat by itself.

NUTRI KOFTAS

2007-09-12T23:03:00.000+05:30

As I walked along the 1 km stretch of the jogging path of the lush green Sports Complex, my mind was busy thinking up something for tomorrow's tiffin. I had to leave early morning with Dad for his test, & wouldnt have the time to cook something then. And honestly, my fridge was empty, except tomatoes, & I hadnt had the time to stock up my grocery, so there's nothing except daal. Cooking chole or rajma would again take a long time & I really would be tired to do all that after 8 more rounds of this ground!!! And not just that, come what may, I absolutely needed to make that trip to the grocery store, coz I am already running out of stuff at home.

I thunk & I thunk!! All I had some Soya nuggets. No matar, so couldnt make soya-peas subzi. Was not in the mood for the soya stirfry subzi, it is too dry for office lunch. What could I do.........?? Didnt have the heart to tell "patidev" to have lunch from outside.....I was churning up things in my mind & finally came down to the below, & let me add, the beautiful wind help me do so.

Ing for the Kofta
2 cups - soya nuggets
green chillies - according to taste
1 onion - chopped finely
1 potato - boiled & mashed
1/2 tsp - garam masala
2 slices of bread
1/4 cup - aata
salt to taste

Ing for the gravy
2 onions - pureed
3 tomoatoes - pureed
1/2 tsp - jeera
a pinch of hing
1 tsp - garam masala
1/2 tsp - haldi
2 tsp - dhaniya powder
1 tsp - red chilli powder

Method for the kofta
Soak the nuggets in water for about 10 minutes.
Grind them in the blender along with some green chillies
Take them out in a dish & add the salt, boiled potatoes & onions
Soak the bread slices & squeeze out the water (pls squeeze the water out well) & add this pulp to the mixture
In a kadai, heat oil
Make a paste of the atta, water & some salt. It should have dosa batter consistency.
Make balls of the mixture & dip them in this batter & fry till golden brown
Remove on tissue paper to drain extra oil.

Method of the gravy
In a kadai, heat some oil.
Add the jeera & hing. Let sputter.
Add the onion paste, add a pinch of salt.
When fried well, add the tomato paste.
When this is also done well, add the garam masala, haldi, chilli powder, salt & dhaniya powder.
Fry well till oil separates.
Add some water & let boil
Add the koftas before serving.

To save myself time - I did the gravy & the koftas simultaneously.

All in all, it turned out quite well.

GOBHI KEEMA

2007-09-12T17:19:00.000+05:30

Yes,........another one of my quick cooking dishes. Actually, I have a lot of them, coz I go to office, & that means I dont have time to spend on lavish dishes, & because of this I was always looking for excuses not to cook, & we used to dine out almost daily. So my MIL (for the love of her dear son) taught me innumerable quick cooking dishes. Now that I know them, I really cant get out of cooking for him.........kya karoon.....majboor hoon.

Jokes apart, I love cooking & have learnt a lot of N. Indian dishes from my MIL, & I find them easier than the S. Indian dishes which call for a lot of coconut.

Ing -
1 big cauliflower
a handful of peas
a bunch of finely chopped corriander leaves
1 big onion - finely chopped
1 tsp - jeera
a big pinch of hing
salt to taste
1/2 inch pc of ginger grated
red chilli / green chilli (whatever you prefer)
1 tsp - garam masala powder
1/2 tsp - amchur

Method -
Wash the cauliflower thoroughly & grate it.
In a kadai, add some oil & when it is hot add the jeera
When the jeera sputters, add the ginger & the hing. When it fries a bit add the onions
Just about when the onions get pink add the grated cauliflower & the peas
Cover & let them cook.
This will take about 5 minutes.
Open the lid, add the haldi, garam masala, chillies & amchur
Cook for another 2 /3 minutes, till a little oil starts showing on the sides.
Garnish with corriander leaves & serve with chappati or stuff into toasts.

MAST MAST PUNJAB ALOO

2007-09-12T15:00:00.001+05:30

This is also one dish which is quick to make, a life saver at times, loved by all & very versatile. I wont add any more adjectives, & give you the recipes.

Ing -

5-6 big - aloo / potatoes boiled

2 tbspn - kasoori methi / dry fenugreek leaves

juice of half a lemon

1 onion - thinly sliced

red chilli powder - according to taste

1 tsp - haldi / turmeric powder

1 tbspn - garam masala powder

1 tsp - jeera / cumin seeds

4/5 flakes of garlics - crushed

a pinch of hing

Method -

Dice the boiled potatoes coarsely & keep aside. You can even mash them if you prefer.

In a kadai, add some oil. When hot add the cumin seeds .

Add the hing.

Put in the crushed garlic & onions & fry

Add the haldi, garam masala & red chilli powder.

Immediately add the diced potatoes.

Add the kasuri methi & mix well.

Flatten the mixture on the kadai as much as you can, drizzle a little oil onto the sides of the kadai, close the lid & let the aloo turn brown from below.

You can mix the potatoes once & allow another round of browning.

Add the lemon juice & serve with chappati & raita.

FAUX MEAT CUTLETS

2007-09-12T14:04:00.000+05:30

Hmmmmmm what a funny name for something edible, right???

This is so because, I actually fooled a hardcore non-vegetarian to eating this and believing it was meat cutlet!! It is worthy to mention here that after he had relished the dish I gave out the truth and he was pretty surprised, but satisfied nonetheless. So it was a happy ending therefore.

I did this on my own. I had never heard of this dish before, & since I had this unexpected guest & didnt have any meat at home I thought this up. .....But later on during my various stints with the internet in search of "recipe nirvana" I did land up with some modifications of the same. Well here goes my version. I dont make it too often, because of the frying bit, but whenever I make it next, I shall post a photograph.

Ing -
2 cups - soya granules (if you dont have granules you can use the nuggets after grinding them)
2 big onions - finely chopped
green chillies - according to taste
1 tsp - finely grated ginger
2 big potatoes - boiled & mashed
a big bunch of corriander leaves - chopped finely
1 tsp - garam masala
1/2 tsp - saunf
salt to taste
Bread crumbs to coat
1 egg - beaten (or a maida batter of watery consistency)

Method -
Soak the granules in hot water for about 5-10 minutes.
Squeeze out the water from the granules & move into a big dish for mixing
In a pan, add very little oil & fry the onions till brown (dont burn them). You can use them even without frying, but this gives a very nice taste to the cutlets
Add these onions to the granules.
Add the mashed potatoes, green chillies, ginger, corriander leaves, garam masala, saunf & salt
Blend well with your hands. It should form a very smooth paste.
Shape into cutlets, dip in the egg & coat with breadcrumbs
Heat oil in a kadai, let it heat well, lower the flame & fry the cutlets.
Dont put too many at a time.
Remove on tissue paper to soak any extra oil
Serve with either ketchup or corriander-mint chutney

TEA-TIME

2007-09-12T14:03:00.001+05:30

In this day and age when people are evolving to be more health concious, and not to forget the market mantra of being innovative to sell new products, the markets are flooded with a horde of Tea varieties.

The brands vary from Twinings to Teltey to Organic to what not. I am a collector of Tea and have almost had all flavors and types at one point of time. At any given point I keep at least 5 flavors, excluding the normal day-to-day one that am presently using. Whenever I go to a supermarket, I always pick up a new falvor on the shelf, or even a different brand. I like to give it a try at least once. The latest to addition to my stock are straight from the Tea Estates of the breathtaking Munnar. One is dust tea, which is a day-to-day Tea but a very satisfying one, and the other two are lemon grass and jasmine flavors (both of them smell heavenly).

I like to hold the cup in my palms and feel the heat flow from the clay of the cup to the palms of my hands - this feels specially good during winters.....and then I smell the tea and let the flavor flow through my nostrils into my system. I feel that tea could add to your mood, i.e, the way you are feeling. There are times when its a lazy Sunday morning, we prefer a fruity Tea, either mixed or Cherry, or Orange. When down with a cold of a sore throat, I always extend my hand to pick up the Ginger or Tulsi or the "Good Health" Tea. On a nice breezy evening, I pick up the Jasmine flavor (without Sugar). After a heavy dinner, its always the "kaava" brought from Dehradun's my MIL's maika (mom's home). For a more filling drink I use the daily tea with milk, and I add my own flavors - sometimes its saunf, or ginger, or tulsi, or cardamom or all of it.
I am giving below a recipe for a good Tea that serves as a cold and cough remedy. Its a little difficult to drink though, but once you get used to the taste a bit, you will find it really soothing. And the funny part is that you dont have to add any tea in it, but still its tea......

Ing -

5-6 cups - water
10-15 leaves of Tulsi
2-3 cardamoms crushed
1 stick of cinnamon
1/2 ginger - crushed
2 Bay leaves - crushed
about 2 tsps of Mishri
5-6 peppercorns crushed
1/2 tsp - saunf / fennel seeds
2/3 - laung / cloves

Method -
Boil of these together till the water reduces into half. Strain and sip hot. You can alter the sweetness by adding more mishri if the pepper really burns your throat. If you dont have mishri you can use honey, but then add it in the cup and not in the pot where you are boiling this tea.
I generally dont replace the ingredients after one drink. I add more water and reboil the whole stuff to make more, and if required, add a bit of all the ingredients.

Best way is to sip this before getting into bed at night and by morning you'll be very relieved.

DAD, DEAR DAD

2007-09-11T12:45:00.000+05:30

By my little finger you led me,
promising always to be near.
Just the knowledge of your presence
removes my every fear.

You guided my every step
shared a secret smile
Carried me as a treasure
deep inside your heart - all this while.

Manier times I misunderstood you
Got angry about your interference
And never once did I understand
the reason behind your perserverance

Always providing for my every need
You were my Hero, supportive & strong
For me as a child,
any decision of yours could never be wrong.

As I grew older, I pretended to be wise
But you would be on a constant watch
with your eagle eyes,
but nonetheless trusting me all the while

Today you are old, frail & weak
But Dad, dear Dad - you pretend
to put up a brave front
and if I need a helping hand, yours you will happily lend.

And even today, if I cross the road with you
You will still pick up my little finger
And hold it tightly within your firm grip,
...your careful hands
.......lest, your little angel is lost from you.

I have written this poem for my Dad. I have never tried writing anything like this, but my Dad is unwell & quite frail, & as I sat alone in my home day before yesterday, my feelings just poured out of my heart onto the keyboard. He has loved me through and through, in between all my mistakes, and all the hurts I would have caused him. He waits in anticipation day after day to see a glimpse of his "doll", his "little angel", but my life keeps me more than preoccupied, refraining me from spending as much time as I would like to, at this stage in his life.

He cuts out newspaper articles which he feels will be relevant to me, just in case I didnt see them myself. He would save something mom would have cooked with the desire to secretly hand it over to me, when I meet him. He would wait at the staircase, waiting for me to park the car & greet me with a big hug & a kiss. He would put each & every edible item in the house spread in front of me on the table, only to be given irritated looks of ...."Dad, please I dont want all this". One sneeze of mine will make him fret, a slight fever will make him cry. To see a tear in my eye will break his heart into a thousand peices.

The thought of loosing him is too much to bear. Even saying the words make me dread, how it would be.........& I never ever want to face it.

I love you Dad, & really wish and pray that you remain hale & hearty and I get to see you for a very, very long time

MUTAR PANEER IN A JIFFY

2007-09-11T11:56:00.000+05:30

This is a fairly simple recipe & my all time life-saver. I have many versions of this, & will post them all one by one.

The one I tried yesterday was for the first time, but it has come out well & was fairly quick too. Matar Paneer is an all time favorite "jugalbandi" be it gravy, dry, mashed, & a few additions here & there add to the taste.

Ing -

250 gm - paneer

1/2 cup - matar/peas boiled with a little salt & strained

1 big onion - sliced finely

1 medium tomato - pureed

3/4 garlic flakes

a pinch of cardamom powder

a pinch of saunf

a pinch of jeera

1/2 tsp - kasoori methi

1/2 tsp - turmeric / haldi / manjal

1/2 tsp - red chilli powder

1 tsp - garam masala

1/2 tsp - sugar

Method -

In a kadai, add oil. When hot add the jeera, saunf.

When they sputter, add the chopped garlic.

When the garlic is fried (it will begin to get brown), add the sliced onions.

At this stage add the cardamom powder

Let the onions fry till pinkish brown

Add the tomato puree. Saute till oil separates

Add the haldi first, then the red chilli powder. Fry for about 1 minute

Now coarsely mash the paneer with your hands & add this to the masala

Add the peas also.

Mix well & let any water evaporate.

Add the sugar & the kasoori methi and cook for another minute or so.

Garnish with corriander leaves

This goes very well with chappatis, or as a side dish with rice. You can even stuff this into sandwiches & grill them, but for that ensure that the mixture is very dry, or the sandwiches get soggy.

DAHI ARVI

2007-09-10T15:49:00.000+05:30

I did some experimentation to get the following recipe right. But it turned out good & is quite a favorite. I had almost forgotten about it, until my friend Diji in office reminded me to post this one on the blog. So here it goes.

Ing -
250 gms - arvi/colacassia (try & use the same sized arvis, it makes them cook evenly)
1/2 katori - curd
1 big - onion
1 medium - tomato
4/5 garlic flakes
1/2 inch - ginger
1 pinch of heeng
1 tsp - ajwain
1/2 tsp - haldi / turmeric / manjal
1 tsp - kasoori methi
1 tsp - garam masala
1/2 tsp - red chillies
Salt as per taste

Method -

Wash the arvi & pressure cook for one whistle.
They will peel off easily & chop them into slices
In a cooker, add some oil, add the ajwain seeds
Make a paste of onions, ginger & garlic. & add it to the oil
Let fry well & add the tomato puree.
When the oil separates, add the hing, haldi, kasoori methi, red cillies. Fry well
Beat the curd using a spoon. There should be no lumps, it should be creamy.
Add this into the cooker & mix well.
Add the arvi & the salt.
Just put in 1/4 cup of water if you like a thick gravy. If you want more, add more water.
Close the lid of the cooker & wait for 2 whistles on high.
Switch off the gas & let the steam pass.
Open & add the garam masala & mix light handed, ensuring not to mash up the subzi.
Garnish with corriander leaves.

P.S - if your arvi has over cooked during the first cook, then you need not recook them. Just prepare the gravy & add the arvi. But this mehtod ideally allows the arvi to soak in the masalas.

BATHING BEAUTIES

2007-09-07T16:05:00.001+05:30

These gorgeous giants are enjoying being pampered by their mahauts at a lake in Jaipur. Hard to believe that they are such gentle creatures!! And have you ever seen a baby elephant. They are soooooo chweeeet. I could just take one of them home to make my pet.

AROMATIC RICE

2007-09-07T15:48:00.001+05:30

This is a fairly simple recipe, but is quite flavorful & the spices make it blissfully aromatic. Just a whiff of this is enough to make you soar..........was that too much of a description??

Well go ahead, make it & see if you soar.

My measurings will do good for two people for a single meal.

Ingredients -

1 tall glass - good quality basmati rice, washed & soaked in water for about 20 mins

2 tbsp - ghee

2 big onions - finely sliced

about 10 pepper corns (black)

5 cardamom pods crushed

2/3 - Bay Leaves

1 tsp - Cumin seeds

4/5 - cloves

1 inch stick of - cinnamon, broken down to small peices

8/10 - cashews (fried)

10/15 - raisins (fried)

a few strands of saffron.

Method -

In a pan, add the ghee & when hot, add all the khada masalas, i.e., the cumin, clove, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon & bay leaves (in that order).

When they give out their aroma, add the onions & fry pink (if you want a whitish coloured rice) & fry slightly brown (if you want a golden coloured rice).

Add the drained rice to this & fry them for about 2/3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the cashew & the raisins. Also add the saffron strands

Now add double the water of the rice, i.e, in this case, two glasses, add salt & stir well

Cover the pan & cook till done, stirring occassionaly.

Perfection calls for the rice to be well done when the water evaporates.

Oh Oh - I forgot to add that putting in about a squeeze of lemon while adding the water allows the rice to be cooked to their maximum length.

Serve with anything, but best had with a nice tangy chutney or a spicy pickle or a flavored simple raita.

BAINGAN BHARTA

2007-09-07T14:42:00.000+05:30

Roasted, mashed, flavored Eggplant!! This is for all the non-Hindi speaking dwellers of the blogworld.

This one is a keeper. My husband hated eggplant, that's probably because his mom never showed him the right way to eat it, n I loved eggplant (especially this version). Initially, I never cooked this dish, coz of the reluctance to prepare one dish for him & another for myself, n that too in a family of just he & me. After much patience & sacrifice, I one day decided to just go ahead & told myself that I dont give a hoot to what he thinks about eggplant, like it or not, I am going to make it.....(Honestly, I actually had a leftover dish of yesterday's to fall back upon, just in case...........he throws up a fit).

I made the dish for lunch & when I asked him if he would like to taste it, he made a "yucky" face & therefore I decided not to let him go through the usual wife grumblings, & served him the leftover dish while I myself relished the bharta.

For the evening at tea, I made myself a crunchy toast & spread a spoonful of bharta (bharta actually means anything in mashed form) & was sitting & muching away, relishing every bite of it. All this while I was unaware that two eyes were watching me with a certain amount of "greedy piggy" looks, n then I heard a voice saying "mujhe bhi ek bite chahiye" (I too want a bite of it). Without a word & some astonishment, I handed over whatever was left in my hand, only to find him taking not just a bite of the toast, but the whole thing was satisfactorily devoured, & after a moment, I heard the same voice asking me "mujhe aur chahiye" (I want more).

I cant tell you how satisfied I was with my accomplishment. I made him eat & like, something which he probably hadnt touched all throughout.....& my final reward was, one day, very soon, when he asked me to guess something that he wants to eat......something which had peas in it, I guessed all the dishes except this one, coz I never thought he would ask me for this!!!

Euphoria .......!!

Now before you feel like kicking me on my back, I'll come to the recipe -

Ing -
2 medium sized - round egg plants / baingan (you have to choose the light weight ones - the
heavier ones are loaded with seeds)
1/2 cup - boiled green peas
3/4 big onions - chopped, but not very fine, n neither very chunky
4 medium tomatoes - pureed
1 tbsp - grated ginger
1 tsp - grated garlic
1 tsp - dried fenugreen leaves / kasuri methi (optional)
1/2 tsp - cumin seeds / jeera
1 tsp - red chilli powder, preferably use one like deghi mirch to give a nice red colour, n add
more if you prefer it hot
1 tbsp - garam masala powder
1 tsp - amchur / dried mango powder (if you dont have it, use lime juice about a tsp full)
a good amount of corriander leaves to garnish

Method -

On the gas, roast the eggplant. You have to turn them around frequently to have the flesh cooked evenly. The skin should be charred & when you poke the flesh with a fork, it should go in easily.

Take them off the gas & immediately put them into a air tight dish. After this, the peel will come off easily.
Cut off the stalk of the eggplant & mash the flesh well. I dont throw away the stalks but add them in, to chew upon them.!!! Nice thought ??
Keep this separately.

To save upon time, I make the masala on one side & roast the eggplants on the other one.

Now for the masala -
In a pan, add some oil. Add the cumin seeds, wait for them to sputter & add the onions
Add the ginger & the garlic at this stage.
When the onions turn a good pink in colour add the tomato puree. Cook till the masala leaves the sides of the pan & the oil starts leaving it.
Now first add the red chilli mix well.
Add the garam masala, salt, amchur & the dried fenugreek leaves

let the masalas fry for half a minute.
To this add the mashed pulp of eggplant. Using a masher blend the pulp into the masala very well. It should resemble a fine smooth paste.
Add the boiled peas. Mix well
Garnish with green chillies & corriander
Serve hot with parathas, rotis or plain rice, or as I mentioned earlier, use it as a spread for a toast!!

Another point - while making the masala, if you add half a capsicum, it gives an extra flavor.

Pls dont go by the photograph, it has been taken at night & that too with the mobile camera.

RED MILK

2007-09-06T12:09:00.000+05:30

Red Milk - the name sounds interesting, right?? The recipe is interesting too...and it is a very healthy one at that, tastes good, looks good, doesnt need too many ingredients and too much of mehnat (efforts)- which is the best part. Again a gainful inheritance from my MIL, which adds variety to my morning breakfasts, and it is a wholesome breakfast too, when served with toasted bread. And when it comes to kids, I guess they will be attracted to the colour & it is a nice way to get in some Vitamin-A into their systems.

The hot sweet milk is quite a delight during cold winter days, when all you want to do is cuddle up in the rajai (blanket) with something (& someone!!) hot, n picking the gaajar with the spoon keeps you occupied for a much longer time than plain milk would. It can also be substituted when you just want to have a very light meal.

The following recipe is for about 2 people i.e., me & my husband.

Ing -
5 carrots / gaajar - (I dont know how this would turn out with the orange ones, we always
use the red ones avialable in Delhi during winters)
Milk - about 3 glasses.
1 tsp - of oil
Sugar - as per sweetness liked
4/5 pods of cardamom - crushed
You can add any amount of dryfruits you would like to, or leave out all of it.

Method -
Scrape & grate the gaajar
In a kadai, add a little oil and add the grated gajar. Saute for about 4/5 minutes, just enough for the carrots to be tender.
Now add the milk, crushed cardamom and sugar.
Allow it to boil, and the reduce the heat, let it simmer & cook till a thick milk.
Garnish with the dry fruits if you wish to.

Serve in individual bowls or glasses with a spoon.

LAUKI KI SUBZI

2007-09-06T11:30:00.000+05:30

Lauki was one of the most loathed veggie during pre-marriage days. The very moment my mom stopped at a vendor to buy the veggie, I used to be making all sorts of weired faces to give her the indication "please mom, dont buy this, .....yuck" n when she did not give into my tantrums, it used to further put me, "you do whatever you want, but you just cant make me eat that stuff". The only form I would let this subzi pass my throat without any forcing from my mom was, disguised as a "kofta". The other forms would have had to inevitably be gulped down with a glass of water, (of course escaping my mom's eagle eyes) coz she wouldnt let me budge without finishing the food on my plate.

Reading the above it would be difficult to imagine that me, Shella, is posting a recipe on this veggie. If my mom ever reads this, she will probably fall out of her chair, coz she still doesnt know that I am not averse towards this subzi anymore, let alone taking a liking to it.

Now you might wonder how all this happened. All credit goes to my MIL. My MIL has a knack of making the most dreaded subzis into delicious dishes in the most simplest of ways. I have picked up this amazingly simple recipe from her, and it really is one of my all time favorite. Beleive me or not, I buy a minimum of 1 kg of lauki every week!!!! And this one dish, is presented before my husband on a weekly basis.

I will not delay in any more talking, but give you the privilege of going thru the secret.

Ing-

1 - big lauki / ghiya / bottlegourd, scraped and diced into chunks

1 - aloo, scraped and diced into smaller chunks

1 - big onion, chopped.

1 tsp - kadugu / mustard seeds

1/2 tsp - haldi

1/2 tsp - garam masala

1/2 tsp - amchur

green chillies as per choice or use red chillies

Method -

In a pressure cooker, add oil a little less than you actually need, and over this add a tsp of ghee (you can totally omit the ghee, but this is one of the secret ingredients of the recipe). I have made this alteration of adding just a spoonful of ghee over a period of time. Not adding it makes a world of difference in the flavor.

When it is hot, add the mustard seeds (the second secret ingredient, try adding jeera instead of this, and you'll see the difference yourself). Let them sputter.

Add the chopped onions

Now immediately add the lauki and aloo together. Laukis releases a lot of water while being cooked, therefore, if you are washing it immediately before putting into the cooker, there's no need to add water, but if it is pre-washed and quite dry at the time of putting in cooker, just add about 1/4 cup of water.

Add the turmeric, salt and the chillies.

Mix all this with the spatula ensuring that the subzi is coated with the turmeric. It should be a nice yellow colour.

Close the lid and wait for one whistle. Lower the flame and let cook for about 5-10 mins.

Wait for steam to pass and open the lid.

Now light the gas again and put the cooker on the flame.

Add the garam masala and the amchur.

Using the back of a ladle mash the veggies coarsely, dont make a paste out of it, just beat them up to blend with the masala.

Let any watery gravy evaporate.

Garnish with corriander leaves

Serve hot with chappatis, parathas or chawal.

The trick lies in getting the colour, which comes with experience.

I hope all of you try this dish once and you will surely add it to your staple recipes. It is that good.

I will post a picture when I make the dish next.

Dtd - 10/09/07 - As per my promise I had made lauki today for our tiffins. Am posting a photo right from our lunch dubbas. The big one's hubby dears & the small one's mine.

LEFTOVER GAJAR SUBZI PARATHAS

2007-09-05T15:22:00.000+05:30

I dont like gajar ka subzi, but my husband loves it.....so what do I do......make it.......but not eat it, or reluctantly swallow some.....result - lot of leftover subzi. Its not that it doesnt taste good, but somehow I dont like gajar in a subzi. This recipe was invented last winters, when one day I had a really good amount of subzi left over. Great as I am, I took some aata.....n wait.....see the recipe below.

Ing -
1 cup - gajar subzi
1 cup - aata
1/2 tsp - ajwain seeds
1 bunch - corrinader leaves finely chopped
Add a little bit of both salt and chillies, keeping in mind that the subzi already has these two ingredients.

Method -
Mix all this into a smooth dough, dont add water, unless it is necessary, which generally wont be, or very little will be required.
Make this into parathas.

Blv me I loved them, and they were soooooooooo beautiful to look at, absolutely red (Indian carrots during winters are red in colour - not the orange ones).

When winter comes I will post the pics for both the gajar and the parathas also.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE

2007-09-05T11:56:00.000+05:30

I am generally a very poor baker. I put a lot of efforts, but though the cake would taste good at some parts, i.e, the part that is edible, but it would either be uncooked somewhere, or it would crumble or it would be too gooey!! I once actually gave up and promised that I will never ever waste my energy and the ingredients and not to mention the power to bake another cake, but seeing all the wonderful bakers on the blogworld I thought I'd give myself one more chance....just this last one, so I make a Strawberry cake last week, it tasted wonderful, but was a little gooey. I thought I'd give myself yet another last chance, so yesterday evening I tried this Lemon Sponge Cake, n it did come out pretty o.k., i.e, o.k. enough to keep me trying more...

Here goes the recipe. This time I am be posting a photograph too, which I took from my mobile camera the quality is not very good though.

Ing -

1- 1/2 cup - maida/refined flour

1/2 cup - butter / ghee

1 cup - sugar

2 - eggs

1/4 cup - curd

a pinch of salt

1 tsp - baking powder

1 tsp - baking soda

1 tbsp - lemon rind

1 tbsp - lemon juice

yellow colour - as per your preference

Method -

Seive together the maida, salt, baking powder and soda. Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition

Now into this egg mixture add the maida and curd alternatively and mix well.

Lastly add the lemon juice, rind and the colour Once again mix well.

I used the spoon to beat the batter with a light hand.

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Grease a baking dish and bake for about 50-55 mins, cheking with a toothpick to see if the cake is done.

My husband gave the cake a 4-1/2 out of 5, and Diji (my friend in office) said it was good. Both of them are my guinea pigs!! and wait till they read this, I will have nobody to experiment upon. My brother was earlier my enslaved guinea pig, but he has left me and gone to Mumbai.

EGG KORMA

2007-09-04T16:57:00.000+05:30

This is a stolen recipe (!!!) stolen from a colleague's wife. He gets yummilicious egg curry & today I called her up to get the recipe from her. I have made a few changes in her recipe.

I am total egg freak. I can eat it in any form, except raw (of course). It is a substitute for every food that I dont like.........not that my list is a long one.......but still.

Here goes the recipe

Ing -

6 - Hard boiled eggs
2 - big onions (sliced thinly)
3 - big tomatoes (pureed)
5 - garlic flakes (grated)
1/2 inch - ginger (grated)
1/2 tsp - jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tsp - mustard seeds / kadugu / sarson
1 tsp - turmeric powder
green chillies - according to taste
1 tsp - corriander powder
1 tsp - garam masala
1/4 cup - milk
corriander leaves to garnish

Method -
In a kadai (wok) heat a little oil & add the mustards seeds & cumin. Let them sputter.
Add the grated ginger & garlic
When done add the onions. Fry well till a nice pink colour
Add the tomato puree & a little salt for quicker cooking
When the oil separates, add powders & saute till done.
Add the milk & cook till it evaporates
Now slit all the egss into two. Out of these take two egg yolks & crumble them into the masala. Mix well & saute for about a minute.
Add the eggs into this masala & slowly mix well ensuring that the masala coats the eggs.
Let cook for another minute or two.
Garnish with corriander leaves

Serve with chappatis, parathas or even plain rice

MUTTA TAALICHADU (SIMPLE EGG CURRY)

2007-09-03T14:48:00.000+05:30

This is a dish my mom used to make regularly & I have picked it from her. I love the simplicity of it, & it comes out really well. This is a traditional recipe from her mother / grandmother.

Whenever I used to come back from school, & mom would have prepared something I didnt like for lunch, I used to make this up. It really satisifies my soul (truly!!), till date. Try it n maybe you will get the same feeling.

The following recipe will serve four people, @ of one egg per head. But if somebody wishes to indulge in an extra egg - most welcome !!!

Ing -

4 Eggs
Curry leaves - 2/3 stalks
2 onions - chopped finely
2 big tomatoes - chopped finely
turmeric / haldi powder - 1/2 tsp
green chililes - according to taste
salt - according to taste

......yes you need nothing more than this

Method -

In a kadai, add a little oil & then add the onions.
When the onions are pink in colour, add the tomatoes & the curry leaves.
When the oil starts floating, add the haldi, chillies & salt.
You can substitute the green chillies with red chilli pwdr, this will give a very nice red colour to the dish, or else, it will be yellow.
Add about 2 cups water & let it boil.
Now take one egg at a time & break it carefully into the boiling water.
Take the second one & break it away from the first one.
In the same way break the other two also.
Now lower the flame & cover the kadai with a lid.
Let the eggs cook on a low flame
After about 5/8 mins, check if the yolk is firm by inserting either a toothpick or a fork.
The gravy will also have thickened by now, if not cook for some more time so as to thicken the gravy.

Remove from fire & serve
Goes well with either chappati or rice.