Navratri and Diwali Specials 2013

Navratri and Diwali this year ( now last year) were enjoyable moments due to our new arrival and the presence of my dear Dad. I had some free time and I was able to use it to the fullest by making as many sweets as i possibly could. This mission was bolstered by my Dad - I did not have to worry about sweets going uneaten and thrown into the garbage pile after a week. My Dad can and will eat anything sweet even if it does not look or taste like it is supposed to :) So I gave myself full rein and went all out to make some easy, simple but delicious sweets. Take a look below:

1. Chocolate Khoya double layer Barfi (Fudge), Rating: 3 stars

The reason I rate this barfi only 3 stars is because the timing in the recipe I followed seems incorrect. I ended up with a smooth slightly dry barfi (kind of like besan laddoo texture) rather than the moist and soft kind I prefer. But the taste was nice. Next time I shall cook it at least 5 minutes lesser.

2. Putnala Pappunda or Maladdu, Rating: 5 stars

This sweet was the most unexpected hit of our festival season. It gets a 5 star rating because of the ease of preparation, the taste and the simple ingredients used. 

3. Instant Jalebi, Rating: NA

This is pictured here just for logging purpose. The Jalebi was made using instant mix hence I am not giving any recipe rating. But I do want to mention that it gets a 4/5 for taste and texture. The only thing missing was the slightly sour flavor in the background which is present in home made jalebis. So I will definitely recommend the 'Gits' jalebi mix for when you need to prepare sweets on a short notice.

4. Kaju - Atukula Kheer, Rating: 4.5 stars

This recipe is one of those happy accidents in the kitchens that lead us to newer and tastier foods. I was trying to make kaju (cashew) powder for use in a different recipe. My mixer/grinder (the trusted 'Sumeet' lugged over from India 10 years ago) turned the powder into paste, unfortunately. Or maybe it was me. The net result was a jar full of coarse cashew paste which I had to put to use. I remembered the Poha/ Atukula kheer (posted earlier) and thought of cooking the cashews the same way. Halfway through cooking I realized that maybe Poha would add some textural interest here. So I duly added it and Ta Da!! The result is this amazing, sweet and decadent dessert. Just have to remember to eat only 1/3 of a cup at a time in the interest of the waistline ;)

5. Lauki Halwa (Opo squash/ Bottle gourd Pudding), Rating: 3.5 stars

This is a traditional Indian dessert recipe, made mostly in the northern states. For those of you who may not have heard of it, this is similar to the ubiquitous "Carrot Halwa" featured in every Indian restaurant's menu here in the US. It is a fairly simple if time consuming recipe. It falls into the Healthy dessert category with a vegetable and milk as its main ingredients. The sugar quantity used can be adjusted to taste.

The reason it gets only 3.5 stars out of a 5 is due to the chewy texture. Ideally I was supposed to end up with a "melt in your mouth" mass of the vegetable. But for some reason (either I did not choose a proper squash or the gourds here are just made that way, I don't know) the lauki just stayed fibrous and chewy. But still as a recipe to add to my dessert repertoire, this is a worthy entry. I will definitely want to make it again for potlucks where friends are health conscious but still want to have a dessert once in a while

6. Easy Milk Cake, Rating: 4.5 stars

This is my new favorite recipe!!! It is very easy to make taking only one pot and 20 mins from start to finish. It is one of the simplest ones I've tried with readily available ingredients (just 2 essential ingredients!). Taste wise it gets a 5/5. I knocked off the half point in the rating above because, people, it's a rich dessert ( I did say it is a sweet/ dessert not daily or healthy food). For parties where friends are OK with eating a little unhealthy  (keyword "Little") this is my go to recipe from now.

Well, as the say, better late than never!! I have finally finished this log about 4 months too late but I got there in the end. The recipes for all the above pictures are in the works, I shall be posting those sometime soon.

Simple dinner - Mooli Roti with Aloo Methi Sabzi

Tonight's dinner was a simple fare - Mooli Roti and Aloo Methi Sabzi. 

Aloo Methi Sabzi

The sabzi turned out just as I expected, the only shortcoming that was observed was that the potatoes had a slightly sweet taste. Some of us could not discern the sweet flavor in the background but for some it was quite pronounced. Very simple flavors and quite easy to make. Same goes for the Mooli Roti

Mooli Roti

Note that I call this particular version the 'Mooli Roti' and not Paratha. The reason is that I did not take the long route - make stuffing, prepare dough, flatten dough, stuff the vegetable mix, seal dough and roll out the paratha. On days when I am hard pressed for time(which is almost always) but still want the taste of mooli I go for this 'Roti'. This simpler process involves preparing the vegetable mix and then mixing it in the chapathi dough itself. 

I shall hopefully post the recipes for both the above dishes sometime soon. As of now I am relaxing on the couch relishing the after taste of my dinner :)

Atukula Payasam/ Poha Kheer- Easy Indian Dessert

Atukula Payasam or Poha Kheer

This is one of the simplest and delicious dessert recipes possible. 'Kheer' is the Hindi word for 'Payasam'. It means a milk based sweet dish with a liquidy  consistency. In the words of a traditional purohit - "Payasam ante paarutu vundali". Translates to " Payasam should flow". I like my payasams somewhere in between milk and condensed milk consistency. In other words I aim to make a payasam which cannot be drunk out of a glass without a spoon, at the same time my spoon need not cut into any solid surface to scoop up the deliciousness!

There are quite a few varieties of Payasams to be made. This is made of Atukulu (Telugu) - Poha in Hindi / Aval (Tamil) / Beaten or Flattened rice. It is made for Krishnashtami since Poha is one of Krishna's favorite snacks (traced back to the Krishna-Sudama story). The use of jaggery gives it a golden brown hue which I find more appealing than plain old white. Take a look for yourself

I think it looks quite alluring in a plain glass bowl without the need for any other background or adornments. OK, enough talk, let's get to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Atukulu/Poha (thin) - 1 cup (rice cooker cup)

Milk - 3-4 cups ( I used 2%)

Cardamom - 1 pod, seeded and seeds powdered

Jaggery - 1/2 cup, grated *

Cashews - 1 tbsp, broken into quarters

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method

1)  Take a thick bottomed kadhai (wok) or saucepan. Heat 1 tbsp ghee on medium heat and roast the cashew bits and raisins. These are ready when the cashews are a nice golden brown and the raisins are plump. Take these out of the pan and keep aside.

2)  In the same pan add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee and roast the Atukulu/ Poha. This needs to be roasted for about 2-4 minutes till the Atukulu lose their 'raw' smell and develop a slight yellowish-brown color. Take the Atukulu out and save in a plate.

3)  Now pour the milk into the saucepan and heat it (till bubbles start to form on the periphery of the milk surface).

4)  Add the Atukulu to the milk. Cook the Atukulu for about 10-15 minutes**, stirring regularly. The stirring is to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

5)  To check whether the Atukulu are cooked, take some out with a spoon and press between thumb and forefinger. The individual grain should be soft like cooked rice. Caution - the payasam will be hot ;) so check carefully.

6)  Now add the cardamom powder and stir. Keep on heat for just 1 more minute so that the cardamom may release its essence, then turn it off.

7)  Stir in the cashews and raisins. 

8) The very last step is to add the grated jaggery and mix it in. The residual heat in the milk mixture will melt the jaggery. Caution - Do not heat the mix after adding jaggery or while the heat is still on. This may cause the milk to curdle

9) Transfer to bowls and serve warm.

* For people with sweet tooth or those desirous of Indian level of sweetness, the quantity of Jaggery should be increased to at least 3/4 cups

** The actual cooking time depends on the type of Poha used. The thin poha will cook faster than the thick kind. So keep checking for 'doneness' every couple minutes after the first 10 minutes are over.

Notes: 

 - Since this is not baking, the quantities are just a basic guideline and not strict rules. Feel free to increase the sweetness or eliminate the cardamom or even double the cashews if you prefer.

 - Using whole milk will give it a richer taste, hence is acceptable as a substitute but skim milk is not advisable since it will taste watery.

 - Sugar can be substituted for Jaggery in equal ratio

 - The consistency of end product should not be cause for worry- if it is not thick enough just serve it in martini glasses or coffee mugs. If it is too thick you can add more warm milk to bring it to desired state OR just rename it Poha Pudding and enjoy!!

Easy Nut Clusters or Fruit&Nut Chocolate

This post is another of my lazy foodie experiments. I had half a slab of dark chocolate left over from last year's birthday gift (CV was thoughtful enough to remember that I prefer dark chocolate, but that was the end of his thought process ;) Hence a big slab of dark chocolate which I was able to chip away at, a little piece at a time, but never got over)

The quality was good enough- 70% cacao, smooth on melting and made a nice 'snap' on breaking. Since there is a definite dearth of delicious fruit and nut chocolates in the market, I decided to use up the dark chocolate and whatever dry fruits I happened to have at home to make my own. In this case it was walnuts and cranberries. Most of the recipes I looked up combined dark chocolate with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Since my dark chocolate was almost bitter I substituted milk chocolate chips for the semi-sweet.

The results were not too bad. Take a look below

Gooey, chocolatey nut and fruit clusters hot off the stove

After cooling off in the refrigerator for 15 minutes

With a drizzle of caramel on top- a delicious variation

Look at all the walnuts - good for the brain too!!!

The delicious clusters were gone in two days! I don't feel sorry about it since the dark chocolate, walnuts and cranberries are so good for my health ( ;D) 

Garelu

Garelu, widely known as vadas, are an item made for special occasions in Andhra homes. In our home it is a staple for all festivals. And it is one of the simplest recipes. All it takes is a little planning ahead of time to get a good result. Moreover this can be made entirely spice-less which makes it a good choice for families with small children.

Ingredients
Urad dal (minapa pappu) - 2 cups (rice cooker cup)
Salt - to taste
Onion - 1 medium red, diced finely (optional)
Green chilies - 3, diced finely (optional, can be modified to taste)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig, chopped finely (optional)
Oil - for deep frying

Method
1) Soak the urad dal 5-6 hrs prior to when you intend to make the garelu.
2) Wash and grind to a soft paste. While grinding, add water sparingly otherwise it will be impossible to get the desired circle with hole shape. The paste should be light and fluffy, as shown below.

3) Transfer batter to a bowl. Prepare all the vegetables mentioned above, if using and add to the batter.
4) Heat oil in a kadai.
5) When the oil is sufficiently hot (approx. 350 F, should not be smoking), just before the frying process starts, add the salt to the batter. This will prevent the batter from turning runny and will allow the gare to hold its shape.
6) Take a small plastic sheet - I just use a quart size Ziploc bag since it is always available in the pantry. Take some water in a small bowl, to wet your hand and the plastic surface intermittently.
7) Wet your hand and wipe it over the plastic sheet. Take a small handful of the batter and place it on the sheet. Slightly wet your hand again and pat the top of the batter mound to flatten it. It should now resemble a flat disc. Use your finger to poke a hole in the center.










8) Lift the sheet with the gare in your left hand, slowly flip it over onto the right and let the gare come onto the hand.
9) Gently drop this into the hot oil. Fry till golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.

10) Enjoy with delicious ginger chutney.

Pachchi Vadiyalu- Ash Gourd Vadis

Ash Gourd Vadis/ Budida Gummadikaya Pachchi Vadiyalu

Budida Gummadikaya vadiyalu or Ash Gourd Vadis are an Andhra delicacy. Vadiyalu are one of the many methods of preservation used by Indians. The essential element for the process is heat and bright sunlight. Since this criterion is met in most parts of the Indian subcontinent for at least 8 out of 12 months this is a fairly common recipe. 

Vadiyalu are generally used as an accompaniment to the main dishes in a meal or as evening snack item- depending on the variety. Sabudana vadiyalu are an example of the latter while Ash gourd vadiyalu are a classic example of the first category. 

This recipe is for Pachchi vadiyalu. Pachchi literally means "Raw". Being situated on the NE coast we have enough sunlight but not heat to make proper vadiyalu. So last time my MIL suggested we skip the drying part of the process and fry Pachchi Vadiyalu. That was the first time I had heard about this possibility. So we prepare the batter and omit the last step of drying in hot sunlight for 2-3 days. Instead fry the batter the same day and enjoy with hot ghee rice!!

Ingredients:

Ash gourd/ Budida gummadikaya - grated or finely dices, 4 cups

Urad dal - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 (may be modified to taste)
Jeera - 1 tsp
Salt - 4 tsp (may be modified to taste)
Oil - for deep frying
Method:

1) Apply 2 to 3 tsps of salt to the diced ash gourd. The best way is to use both hands and thoroughly rub the salt into the pieces. The purpose of salting the gourd is to remove as much of the moisture content from the vegetable as possible.
2) Transfer the salted gourd into a cheese cloth. Tie into a knapsack and hang from a hook/ nail. Place a vessel under it to catch the drained water. In case you do not have the facility to hang the bundle - put the firmly tied bundle in a standing colander. Place this on top of a vessel to catch the drained liquid from the gourd. Place a heavy weight (like a molcajete set) on top of the bundle to make sure all the liquid is forced out.
3) The above step takes 8-12 hours to complete (simplest would be to do this overnight). At the end of this duration, squeeze the bundle well to extract the last possible liquid/moisture content from the gourd.



4) Soak the urad dal for 3-4 hrs.
5) Wash and grind the Urad dal in a mixer-grinder. Use as little water as possible. The paste should not be coarse. It should turn out soft and fluffy, like medu vada/garela batter.



6) Grind the green chillies and jeera to a coarse paste (one turn of the mixie is fine)


7) Mix the ash gourd, urad batter and chilli-jeera paste in a bowl. Add salt to taste and mix thoroughly.
8) Heat peanut oil in a kadai. When the oil is sufficiently hot, drop the batter in and fry till golden brown. If not familiar with making fritters with hand, you may use a table spoon measure to scoop the batter and gently drop it in the oil.


9) Drain on paper towels. Serve with hot rice and ghee or as an accompaniment to pulusu.

Notes - Below notes are based on the observations/ mistakes I made the first time around. These are added here so the reader can avoid the same:
1) Do not mix all the Urad batter into the gourd at one go. First add 1/2 cup batter and mix. The batter is a binding agent- use just enough to coat and hold the grated/diced gourd together. If needed u can add more batter sparingly so as not to overwhelm the gourd's taste.
2) Grated gourd will release the moisture more efficiently than diced pieces
3) Add salt to the Gourd-Urad batter just before frying otherwise batter will turn runny/ liquidy and will not have right texture

Easy Pumpkin Sabzi/ Gummadikaya Teepi Kura

Back from a long hiatus! But my passion for good food is intact. The only thing different now is in addition to being a lazy foodie is the aversion to some very common ingredients, viz. onions and garlic. So I thought I might start blogging about the recent experiments in my kitchen with a conspicuous lack of the above said bulbs.

Today's post is a simple recipe utilizing Pumpkin which is available year round in the USofA. It is called Gummadikaya in Telugu and Kaddoo in Hindi. This particular kura (literal meaning vegetable dish) goes well with plain rice or chapathis.

Gummadikaya Teepi Kura/ Easy Pumpkin Sabzi

Ingredients:

3 cups of Pumpkin- peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 sprig Curry leaves (Kari patta)

3 tbsps Jaggery (Gur), grated. 

Seasonings:

2 tsps oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds (rai)

1 tsp split Black gram dal (dhuli urad)

2 small dry Red chillies, broken into halves

Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) - optional.

Salt to taste

Method:

Steam the cubed the pumpkin pieces either in a pressure cooker or using a steamer basket. If you do not have access to either, then put the pieces in a microwave safe bowl and nuke it for about 3 mins. Check it halfway through and stir once and finish microwaving. The aim is to get 'al dente' pumpkin without turning it mushy or watery.

Put a thick bottomed pan or kadai on medium heat. Add the oil and wait till it is hot. Put in the Mustard seeds and wait till majority have spluttered, then add the Black gram dal and saute till the white dal turns to a light brown color. Now add the broken dry Red chilly pieces, Asafoetida and Curry leaves. **Caution - move slightly away from the pan while adding the Curry leaves since they splutter horribly due to high water content.**

Immediately put the pumpkin cubes into the pan. Give a gentle stir. Sprinkle salt as per taste, give another stir, cover and let cook for about 3-5 minutes. Uncover pan and sprinkle the jaggery. Sugar or brown sugar may be substituted for the jaggery but taste will be compromised. 

Stir gently and cover. From this point on, you may cook the pumpkin to a desired state of doneness. I like it where the pieces still hold shape but have partly turned mushy (as shown in the picture above). But if al dente is preferred then turn off the heat as soon as the jaggery has dissolved.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with hot rice.

Easy Vegetable Curry

Every week there comes a day when I crave Oriental ( Chinese/Thai/Japanese etc.) cuisine. The loss of Singapore Restaurant (Raritan, NJ) really haunts me in those moments. But the good part is that now I am forced to try new recipes for myself. And as a self proclaimed 'Lazy Foodie' I look for easy recipes, obviously. So this Easy Veggie Curry sits well with all of my requirements. I thank Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com for the excellent recipe. I modified it based on the things available in my refrigerator/pantry. And it tasted delicious mm mm!
Ingredients:
1 cup whole coconut milk
1-2 teaspoons Kitchen King masala ( or curry powder)
Salt to taste (about 1/2 to 1 tsp)
Half large red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 ozs firm tofu, cut into cubes
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup water
a handful of cilantro, chopped
Method:

Take half cup coconut milk in a pot and bring it to a simmer. Whisk in the masala and salt, make sure there are no clumps. In a wok, heat a tbsp of oil. Stir-fry the tofu and the vegetables, adding each separately ( stir-fry 1-2 minutes between each addition ). Stir in the remaining coconut milk and water now. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the curried coconut milk, stir well. Check for salt and let sit on low heat for just about 1 minute for the flavors to blend. Stir, remove from heat and garnish with the cilantro. Serve immediately with a bowl of warm rice and other sides.
Note: The vegetables can be cooked a little less based on personal preference. For extra crunch, the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of roasted cashews to be added in the end.
Hope this easy recipe inspires you to try a different flavor today. You can follow the link below for Heidi's original recipe.
cashew curry

Mystic, Connecticut

The title says it all. We were in Mystic, Connecticut for a short vacation while attending a friend's graduation in URI, Rhode Island. By a lucky twist we were lodged in the best possible area, walking distance from most of the attractions. Across the road from us was the quaint 'Olde Mistick Village'. I could have spent hours, literally, just walking around this pretty little village turned shopping precinct. I went into a shop that carried oriental stuff - jade figurines and jewelry, Japanese fans, Chinese urns and tea sets, even Anime figurines. Then came Franklin's General Store - an old-fashioned general store that carried candies, salsa, jams & jellies and mementos.

We bought some caramel creams. These were soft chewy caramels with a sweet cream center. These were a hit with the sweet lovers in the group.






The next stop was Munson's Chocolate store and it was the most delicious experience ever. I am a hardcore chocolate fan so my excitement is nothing new. But my husband's unexpected enthusiasm at the edible art inside the store was quite surprising. There was so much variety that it was difficult to make a decision regarding a purchase. Finally we went with a bag of Mystic River Rocks. See for yourself how artistically it is made. And the taste was absolutely 'chocoriffic'.

 Before starting I had done some homework and all online resources indicated that no trip to Mystic was complete without a trip to Mystic Pizza. It's a small pizzeria in historic Downtown Mystic which was established in 1973. It became legendary when a Julia Roberts movie (with the same name) was set and shot here. So we decided to stop by and enjoy 'a slice of heaven' in Mystic Pizza pizzeria. Was the pizza good? Hmm...I don't feel comfortable reviewing a piece of legend. I went there to see the place which was the setting of a coming of age story of three young girls. I did and it is a good small town place which makes the story very believable.
There are many other excellent eateries and charming stores along the downtown Main Street. Being on the coast as well as river front, Mystic is a sea-food lovers paradise. All the restaurants offer a splendid array of the freshest catch of the day. My fancy was to try the S&P Oyster Co. which had a beautiful setting and was belching forth delicious smells from it's kitchen chimneys. It is located by the river next to the Mystic Drawbridge and has been voted the ' Best Patio in the State' by Connecticut Magazine. So it was hardly surprising when we were asked to wait an hour for a table. And being as ravenous as we were, S&P was given up as a lost cause. Maybe next time.
On the whole Mystic is a great place for a weekend vacation. For the kids, the Mystic Aquarium holds much potential. The 'Olde Mistick Village', historic Mystic Downtown and nearby areas of Noank and Stonington offer a lot for the vacationers. It is also very near the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos/resorts as well as Westbrook Tanger Outlet malls. On the whole Mystic,CT has something for everyone in your vacationer's group.

Broccoli-Mushroom Stir Fry

Thanks to the dramas I see on youtube, I want to try more and more Eastern/Oriental recipes. And being quite lazy I look for easy recipes which I can make with ingredients that I have at hand. And my latest experiment is the Mushroom-Broccoli stir-fry pictured above. It is based on a recipe I found on recipezaar.com by PaulaG, but I didn't have all the listed ingredients so I just made some adjustments. The result was still delicious and the recipe is given below.
Ingredients
1/2 cup onions, chopped
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 to 3/4 cup water ( or stock)
Oil for sauteing
Salt to taste

Method
In a wok, heat some oil, add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Now add the mushrooms and stir fry for 5 minutes. Take off of heat and keep aside. Now heat some more oil in the wok and add the garlic, ginger and broccoli. Stir fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Blend the cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce and water. Add to the wok and cook until thickened. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 5 minutes or till the broccoli is crisp tender. Add the mushroom mixture, stir and take off from heat. Serve with a bowl of sticky rice.

Indian Braised Cabbage

Here is a recipe for simple yet flavorful braised cabbage. I was reminded of this recipe lying in the to blog list when I saw Alex's Day Off on foodnetwork today. She had an Indian menu which include braised cabbage and I remembered my own version.
Even though the title says Indian style, I have to specify further. This is a North Indian style braised cabbage. The spices used to flavor this are what make this dish primarily north-indian. But in these days of globalization ( in this case nationalization I guess) it's just easier to term it as an Indian dish.
Braising - It is a cooking method which uses both moist and dry heat. The vegetable ( or meat ) is seared or browned in oil and then cooked on low heat in a covered pot. This is how I like to cook my cabbage instead of boiling it first (how most people cook their cabbage). I feel that boiling not only brings out the notorious 'cabbage smell' but it also makes the cabbage watery and difficult to flavor in later stages.

Quick and Easy Braised Cabbage
Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
• 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin (whole)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder ( or hot paprika if you prefer mild)
• salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a wok or kadahi (or dutch oven). Add the cumin seeds once the oil is hot, the seeds should sputter and jump around. Lower heat, add the turmeric and cabbage and stir well to coat the cabbage evenly with the oil. The heat should be medium high at this point to give the cabbage a chance to get brown. Stay by the stove and keep stirring once every minute, so that the cabbage doesn't burn. Let it brown evenly then add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to bring out the moisture from the cabbage. Stir, cover and cook on low heat for 7 - 10 minutes. Uncover and stir occasionally to avoid discoloration. Now add the chopped tomatoes, another 1/2 -1 tsp of salt and stir well. Cover again and let simmer for 7-10 minutes. The tomatoes will render out all their juices and the cabbage will simmer in that liquid. If the tomatoes don't have much juice, add about 1/3 cup of water. After the 10 minutes the tomatoes will be soft and mushy and the cabbage should be cooked through. Check for salt at this time. If the cabbage is not done to your preference, give it a couple more minutes. Once done, add the chilli pd or paprika and stir well. Let it stay on low heat for 2-3 more minutes. This allows the chilli to lose the raw taste and also to let it seep into the cabbage mixture. Take off the heat and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or scallions.
Serve with hot rice, chapathis or parathas, with a side of fresh salaad (not typical salad- just cucumbers, radishes and carrots sprinkled with salt and lemon juice.See picture below).

Szechuan Broccoli

I am always on the lookout for easy recipes to make. These days I'm into Chinese recipes, thanks to the different dramas I'm watching on 'youtube'. And this recipe is one of the simplest and tastiest for broccoli. I thank www.inmamaskitchen.com for this simple and precise recipe.           
 Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 5 cups broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Method:
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar in a bowl. Keep it aside. Heat a small skillet and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Toast for about 1 minute till the seeds turn a light brown and fragrant. Set aside.
Heat a wok till it is very hot. Add oil to the hot wok and spread it around by swirling. Put in red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic. Stir for at most 30 seconds, so as not to let the garlic burn. Now add the broccoli and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the sauce mixture and stir well to coat all of the broccoli. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
You can enjoy this dish with steamed rice or noodle soup.

tip#1 Use toasted sesame oil or peanut oil for the recipe as they have a higher smoke point and thus appropriate for higher temperature cooking.
tip#2 Store bought ginger-garlic paste maybe used in place of the fresh stuff.
tip#3 Honey maybe substituted in place of sugar in the sauce mixture.
Try this next time for a quick chinese vegetable dish and enjoy.

Coffee Cake

I always wanted to experiment with coffee cake. So I used this basic recipe that I found on the site www.about.com but I forget which section. So I give the recipe below and my observations later on.
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsps baking powder
1/3 cup butter
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and soda. Cut in the butter till the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Combine egg and buttermilk, stir into the flour mixture. Spread into a greased and floured 8 inch cake pan (square or round). Now sprinkle the topping and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 tsps cinnamon
2 tbsps melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Combine the ingredients and sprinkle over the cake batter just before baking.

The result was quite yummy. I felt this cake was more on the dry side and crumbly too. It did taste very light when eaten with a cup of coffee. The topping was delicious and crunchy. This coffee cake reminded me of the homemade cakes we used to bake in India. Those were not as moist or spongy as the ones I bake here. The cakes here are more reminiscent of the juicy, moist pastries that the bakeries in India sell. Whereas the homemade ones are more like this coffee cake.
On the whole a very satisfactory experiment with a simple recipe.

picture courtesy: flickr.com.No copyright infringement intended.

Rabbit-Ear Apples

'An apple a day keeps the doctor away' goes the old adage. That almost says it all. The fruit is very nutritional as well as extremely delicious. I remember growing up in India where apple is a seasonal fruit. It is available for only a few months each year. Here we are lucky enough to get apples year round and should enjoy them more.
I came across this simple way to dress up a regular old apple in a book called ' The Best of Taiwanese Cuisine'. The author, Karen Hulene Bartell, lived in Taiwan for five and a half years and was able to savor the delicious cuisine first hand. It is definitely a very good choice to look to, when in search of some good Taiwanese recipes.
As in China, the meal in Taiwan too is rounded off with some slices of fresh fruits. And I found the picture very cute. So I tried making some too, following the instructions in the book. The result was quite satisfactory.



Instructions to make Rabbit-Ear Apples:
Slice the apple into eight pieces. At the midpoint of a slice, cut an elongated 'V' into the skin. Now slice under the 'V', between the peel and slice. Make sure the skin is still attached firmly at the front base of the slice. Peel off the back half of skin . The 'V' becomes the rabbit's ears and the apple peel becomes the face.
Repeat the process with the other slices. Serve as a garnish for a fruit bowl or as is, and they will be devoured. I guarantee.


recipe courtesy: The Best of Taiwanese Cuisine by Karen Hulene Bartell.
no copyright infringement intended.

Snowy day Snacks - 2

The biggest blizzard of 2010 has come and is slowly moving away. It lasted all day long and made us crave some comfort food. So I turned to the real Indian comfort food idea - vegetable fritters called Bajjis. These can be made with a number of different vegetables, the most popular being aaloo (potato). Personally my favorite is hot green chillies, a specific kind sold just for making bajjis. And that taste can not be achieved with any type of chillies available here in US. The best option would be to use either jalapeno or serrano chillies if you like it hot. For a milder taste you can use anaheim peppers. Today we had a mix of chillies, aaloo and eggplant (vankaya) bajjis. So without further ado, the recipe.

Ingredients
3 long hot peppers, cut in halves
2 small eggplants, sliced thinly
1 small potato, peeled and sliced thinly
2 cups besan (chickpea four)
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsps ajwain powder
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying.

Prepare all the vegetables as suggested above. Keep the potatoes and eggplants covered with water to avoid darkening because of oxidation. Mix the besan, spices and salt thoroughly. Now add water slowly to make a thick batter without any lumps. When the vegetables are dipped in the batter, it should stick to vegetable and cover it with a thick layer.
Heat oil in a deep thick bottomed vessel ( wok or kadai ) over medium high heat and deep fry the first test batch. Fry till golden brown, remove and drain on a paper towel. At this point, carefully taste the hot 'bajji' for salt, batter state and doneness. If vegetable is raw, it should be in oil longer. If the cooked layer of batter deflates after being taken out of oil and lies limp on the vegetable, it means he batter is too thin. Add a little besan to correct it. If the outer layer is to dry when you bite into it, the batter is too thick. Add a little water to correct this.
Only after testing the first batch should you go ahead with the rest of the vegetables. This way it is assured that the remaining fritters will taste just right. And the ones in the last batch are mostly the best ones ( as a result of constant tasting and correcting after each batch). Give this batch to the people you want to impress!
These fritters taste good alone or served with your favorite kind of ketchup/sauce. Always enjoy these hot and with a cup of steaming 'chai' (tea latte). The most comforting food on a blustery winter day.

Quick Orange Bread

Quick Orange Bread
The search for this bread came about because of two reasons - leftover orange juice and my own laziness. In our house OJ is not a regular item and when I do buy it, the carton stares at me every time I open the refrigerator. So I wanted to find ways of using the half which is always left over after CV is done with it. Hence the idea for a bread.
I added the quick part in the name because this recipe is just that - a quick, measure, mix and bake recipe. No yeast, no "letting it rise" and no kneading till the gluten develops. Mainly because I'm lazy, yes I accept my fault. And this was for just the three of us at home, no guests to impress. Hence I found this recipe perfect for the occasion.

Ingredients
1 3/4 Cups Flour
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Chopped Nut
2 Tbsp orange peel

In a large bowl, mix all the five dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl, mix the next three wet ingredients and the orange peel. Stir the wet mix into the flour mix just until moistened. Now stir in the raisins and nuts. Spread into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan and bake at 350F in the oven for 50 minutes. Cool and then remove from pan.
Serving suggestion : This bread tastes best when served warm with softened cream cheese or honey butter. We tried w/ cream cheese and it was delicious. Just a little cheese goes a long way here.

recipe courtesy: www.grouprecipes.com from username noir.
picture courtesy: flickr.com

Easy Kaju Pedha

Kaju or cashews are a favorite in our house. Specially the li'l one's "favorite nut in the whole wide world", as she says. And the only sweet she'll eat is Kaju Katli - the diamond shaped dessert made from cashews. I looked up many recipes but none seemed easy. Then one day my good friend told me about this recipe. I found it at priyaseasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com and want to say thanks to Priya for this recipe. Now I can make it whenever my daughter feels like eating kaju katli. And that too in a matter of minutes. So here goes.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup cashew powder
1/2 cup almond powder
1/2 cup milk powder
3/4 cup sugar (or castor sugar if you have some on hand)
2 tsp water



Garnish:
Star sprinkles or,
Raisins or,
Pistachios.

Put all the dry ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Mix well with a spatula. Then put the 2 tsps of water and mix well again. Now microwave for 2 minutes ( adjust the time based on the microwave wattage). Stir a couple of times during that time. Now let it cool down. The mixture resembles chapathi dough and you can shape them as you desire. Garnish with the sprinkles or any of the other garnishes you might have available. Enjoy homemade kaju pedha.

Tips
#1 - Do not heat for more than 2 minutes or the mixture turns out dry.
#2 - You can make your own cashew and almond powders by pulsing the nuts, seperately, in a food processor. The powder need not be super fine. It resembles coarse semolina.
#3 - You can use all cashew or almonds instead of half and half. Make sure the almonds are blanched and peeled.

Homemade Chocolate Cake

This is a 'from scratch' recipe for homemade Chocolate Cake. Generally, I use the store bought mixes, follow the instructions on back and make cake "at home". I even perfected the recipe to the correct level of moistness and lightness that we prefer. But it did not satisfy me. I believe what Marie said in Everybody Loves Raymond - she looks at a log of refrigerated cookie dough that Debra gets and says " Well that's almost baking, dear!". A typical Marie statement. But I felt the same when using the mixes therefore I tried it from scratch.

And here is the recipe.

Homemade Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Mix all dry ingredients except cocoa. Beat the eggs in a seperate bowl. Add the oil, milk and vanilla to it. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Dissolve the cocoa into the water and add it to the batter. Put in two 8-inch pans. Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For added flavor, you can put 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter. Enjoy.

recipe and pictures courtesy of google search and google images. No copyright infringement intended.

Strawberry Gelatin Salad

For our New Year's eve party, I wanted to come up with something light and healthy. And this was the idea, though not totally healthy, it is a better option compared to the regular desserts. It's a strawberry gelatin salad. It looks even prettier if you happen to have fancy molds or a flexible bundt pan.

Gelatin Salad







Ingredients
1 package (6ounces) strawberry gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 package (8ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (8ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup strawberry or lemon-lime soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 carton (8ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Dissolve gelatin in water. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in gelatin mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in vanilla, oranges, pineapple, apples, soda and walnuts. Chill until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Fold in three fourths of the whipped topping.
Pour into 13in x 9in x 2in dish. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm. Cut into squares; garnish with the remaining whipped topping.
Yield: 16-20 servings

The second picture in this post is the original recipe (lime gelatin salad). Bu we prefer strawberry jello, hence the change in the recipe. Pecans can be substituted for walnuts. And the cream cheese should be beaten well till fluffy otherwise the final product might turn out dense.

pictures courtesy: google images. no copyright infringement intended

Cranberry Bread

Black Friday dawned nice and bright this year. But we were inside malls and missed dawn. For the rest of the family left at home, I prepared Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread. I baked it the previous day. So, it was well rested and room temperature, in short, ready to be devoured when they woke up. This is again a recipe from Taste of Home's Best Holiday Recipes (2004) and I have no complaints with that. Correct measurements with excellent results. Here's the recipe



Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread







Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
grated peel of 1 orange or
1 tsp orange extract
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp hot water
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. in a small bowl, beat the egg; add the orange juice, peel/extract, butter and water. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cranberries and nuts. Spoon into a greased 9in. x 5in x 3in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 F for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf

Serving suggestion: Serve warm with cream cheese or honey butter.

picture courtesy: google images, oceanspray.ca
no copyright infringement intended.