tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71461169105663561872024-03-05T13:57:22.963-05:00SS blogs hereThis is a blog about food, fitness and natureSS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-55872267259286878892012-09-24T13:27:00.000-04:002012-09-24T13:27:02.247-04:00Ukdiche Modak - Morya re!Happy Ganesh Chaturthi, everybody! I had been eying these modaks
for a while now.. waiting for Ganesh Chaturthi to arrive to try my hand. Finally this weekend I got all the ingredients together and went
shree-ganesh!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiTjHypuswF6gmoxYqwLg-iYFskPGa0nBITu_Ef5IREAoO6opbAMx6k6kpZZGATLyZDvxCT-pKihga6eQBur94y-_4tmU9ySEXXZ4LlUJEkZjXvz-8Vj5d6kvkv-5cYJ4Oqiu_AT60ysk/s1600/UkdicheModak1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiTjHypuswF6gmoxYqwLg-iYFskPGa0nBITu_Ef5IREAoO6opbAMx6k6kpZZGATLyZDvxCT-pKihga6eQBur94y-_4tmU9ySEXXZ4LlUJEkZjXvz-8Vj5d6kvkv-5cYJ4Oqiu_AT60ysk/s400/UkdicheModak1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ukdiche Modak - Bappa's favorite!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_365114755">The story goes that Lord Ganesha, the
Elephant-headed God, loved Modak. So on his birthday everyone serves his favorite dessert!</span> The festival isn't complete without modak of some sort or other.<br />
<br />
These modaks are a popular Maharashtrian tradition during Ganesh Chaturthi.<span id="goog_365114755"> </span>My family usually made a slightly different fried version and performed aarthi with cotton vaatis, dipped in ghee, mounted at the very apex of the modaks. I didn't want to make fried modaks though. So the <i>ukdiche</i> steamed version was the way to go! <span id="goog_365114755"><i>Ukad</i> is the cooked dough and the filling is made with
coconut and jaggery. </span><br />
<span id="goog_365114755"></span><span id="goog_365114756"></span><br />
Making Ukdiche modak is notorious for being a skillful endeavour.. how thin is the outer-shell, how fine are the petals/pleats, etc etc. Funnily enough, the more difficult the stories made it seem, the more I wanted to make it! ;) What's the fun without some difficulty, eh? And it always tastes great, no matter the shape!<br />
<br />
I scoured high and low for a fool proof recipe. No taking a <i>bit</i> of water and a <i>little more</i> rice, please..! Finally I went with <a href="http://sanjeevkapoor.com/ukdiche-modak.aspx">Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe</a> and some trial and error modifications to make it convenient for me. Going to note my procedure here:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdyqFVv1YHlMeZb9wM6zM2xfoAfruBd1xAnT0g9Lj3CGCrtFNQ3QrsE6bUG-CSIIXJubOJypl8-BsRIsRb7BrQOTk7o3vikbXNY1Rj9SoHC0miGdp-bnMqrTgkzrV3SxTqQ0triQNBvxH/s1600/UkdicheModakProcedure1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdyqFVv1YHlMeZb9wM6zM2xfoAfruBd1xAnT0g9Lj3CGCrtFNQ3QrsE6bUG-CSIIXJubOJypl8-BsRIsRb7BrQOTk7o3vikbXNY1Rj9SoHC0miGdp-bnMqrTgkzrV3SxTqQ0triQNBvxH/s400/UkdicheModakProcedure1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooked dough (ukad), outer shell pressed out and pinched<br />
into a
cupped-flower-like shape, filled with the jaggery-coconut fillling<br />
and steamed
in a cooker (on an idli stand). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Rice Flour - 2 cups<br />
Ghee - 1&1/2 tablespoon<br />
Water - 1&1/2 cups, may need a bit more.<br />
Salt - pinch<br />
Fresh grated coconut - 1&1/2 cups<br />
Grated Jaggery - 3/4 cup<br />
Cardamom - 6-7 cloves, freshly powdered<br />
Some oil/ghee for greasing your palms when making modak.<br />
Haldi leaf - 1, optional, to add to the water while steaming the modaks.<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
1) Mix water + salt + ghee in a non-stick pot. Bring to a light boil. Add rice flour and mix till a dry dough is formed. Use hands if necessary to knead it lightly. I used a silicone spatula, worked reasonably. Cover the pot with its lid and keep for 10-15 minutes.<br />
<i> Note</i>: If the dough seems too dry for you, do trial and error with some more boiling water + ghee added afterwards to the dough. I started out with 1&1/4 cup boiling water and added almost 1/4 to 1/2 cup more. The end result shouldn't be too moist though.<br />
2) Cook the fresh grated coconut with jaggery in another non-stick pan. No need for additional oil. Cook till the mixture is "golden brown". I used Date-Jaggery this time, so it was somewhat darker in color.<br />
3) Now grease your palms and pick a small portion of the dough, roll into a ball. Use your fingers and palm to press and spread the dough ball into a 3 inch flat disk. Pinch the edges to shape like a cupped-flower. Fill it with the stuffing and seal the top into a small apex. The end result should look almost like a big bulb of garlic.<br />
4) I steamed the modaks in the pressure cooker using my idli stand for about 8 minutes, 4 modaks at a time. You can use some other vessel for steaming and modify the time according to how many modaks you steam at once.<br />
<i>Note</i>: I added an optional haldi (turmeric) leaf in the water in my cooker to incorporate its fragrance to the steam. The haldi leaf fragrance reminds me of auspicious pooja times.. so it's perfect for modak!<br />
<br />
Check out this video for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwI8UyoZJGY">how to make the shape</a> of a modak. Mind you, my modak disk and petals were neither as thin, nor as perfectly shaped as what the lady in
the video managed to do! Oh well, I knew it was risky bizness going in! For the first try these looked decent and tasted great! :) <br />
<br />
Acha.. Happy Festive season to all! Best wishes!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-17822195182609807702012-09-18T00:40:00.001-04:002012-09-18T00:40:15.997-04:00Pizza and fruit tart - party time!Hey everyone..!<br />
<br />
How do you celebrate birthdays in your home? As we start to grow up people arbitrarily decide that they don't need a cake.. they'd rather not call friends and make a big "fuss".. it's a week day and everyone is tired.. it's no big deal.. and so on. But I realized some time back that a birthday doesn't feel "properly celebrated" in my mind until there is some sharing of a cakey-dessert and food with friends and lots of laughter.<br />
<br />
Our uneducated, but very very wise maid back home once told me.. when you celebrate festivals and birthdays, clean and decorate your house, cook for special occasions, grow some fragrant greens, play some music/news in the morning.. the ghar (house) finally becomes a saunsaar (home). At the time I thought she was just being cute. But now I rather agree with her!<br />
<br />
This weekend I forced a very reluctant adult to celebrate their birthday just to make me happy! ;) Just posting a few clicks of some food we made.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXiDWlnmljmymQ-tem0l8y2VaHWKaWnv9x7303Sl38f1Ny1G08oFTuQAQOJ2LItE389AX77cfzy2rAkEOB9FO9j128gMBoFTnRH94DU5JNGsuxOjPn8O1KTrA30q7uCUxwcilbplcWLC-/s1600/Pizza2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXiDWlnmljmymQ-tem0l8y2VaHWKaWnv9x7303Sl38f1Ny1G08oFTuQAQOJ2LItE389AX77cfzy2rAkEOB9FO9j128gMBoFTnRH94DU5JNGsuxOjPn8O1KTrA30q7uCUxwcilbplcWLC-/s400/Pizza2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We kept it simple.. I made <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/07/pizza-sauce.html">MM's pizza sauce</a> and used "Moma Mary's" pizza base and Amul cheese. Had posted the recipe <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/07/pizza-sauce.html">here</a> some time back. We tried a few other pizza bases, but they didn't taste like good-old Monginis pizza base from back home. This one was decent in taste, so am sticking with this brand in future. Everybody over-ate a bit. So much so that some of our guests barely had room for dessert..!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziPMf060PxyC3Dej2_3pz4ISx8demGKLz187UcQUFjYnMoTRr_xXiYgigE0yWKFSkKtyfDB8pg77SRrs4uNDORA8CNcL7mfZWlJthopfst6qk0vSt0_YqO4zrfke2eF7BYlioB0imyIYn/s1600/LightFruitTart1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziPMf060PxyC3Dej2_3pz4ISx8demGKLz187UcQUFjYnMoTRr_xXiYgigE0yWKFSkKtyfDB8pg77SRrs4uNDORA8CNcL7mfZWlJthopfst6qk0vSt0_YqO4zrfke2eF7BYlioB0imyIYn/s400/LightFruitTart1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruit Tart/Pie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I tried making a light strawberry-blueberry tart with store bought pie crust. I eyeballed the recipe for filling along the lines of the one at <a href="http://thekitchensinkrecipes.com/2008/05/05/rustic-strawberry-tart/">The Kitchen Sink Recipes</a>. Probably shouldn't have poured all the berries (with syrup) into the pie-crust, turned out a bit watery. Khair, it was very light and guilt-free. I should definitely try the whole recipe another time. Couldn't take a picture of the whole tart.. (please.. birthday candles, singing wishes and posing for pictures would be really pushing it!) so posting only a small portion in a bowl. Vanilla ice-cream alongside would be nice too!<br />
<br />
Thanks for stopping by! Cheerio!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-14214725446497042542012-08-26T14:17:00.004-04:002012-08-26T14:17:57.129-04:00SandeshHey everyone..<br />
<br />
The weekend arrives with a bright sunny Saturday morning. An old
Bollywood classics station plays on my online radio. Rajesh asks
Sharmila when his Sapnon ki Rani will arrive while I imagine her dimpled
smile.. I get ready, light a diya, water my little container garden,
smell the basil and mint.. pick
some basil leaves for a caprese breakfast sandwich and start pounding elaichi to make chai. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAXiRJ6WKtkMOryBT2sf5Al66hbRkZfcvb_Cj0TeKRH5sFITMymhwi9_q4hFMbPSun2fokX_EKDcSGhSUW1g0xqG5W3H0N5oGZwsiM2wEfBUxif0voaXIahyYoMTGPG2c2mOYtXZ7SFyn/s1600/Sandesh1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAXiRJ6WKtkMOryBT2sf5Al66hbRkZfcvb_Cj0TeKRH5sFITMymhwi9_q4hFMbPSun2fokX_EKDcSGhSUW1g0xqG5W3H0N5oGZwsiM2wEfBUxif0voaXIahyYoMTGPG2c2mOYtXZ7SFyn/s400/Sandesh1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandesh with strawberry and orange garnish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All fed and satisfied, I wonder if today I will make something special? While the family is "busy" tinkering around with "important" tasks on their laptops (nobody's buying that..) I browse a few blogs (my idea of important tasks).. and zero in on this Sandesh.<br />
<br />
Look.. how pretty it's turned out!! I mostly followed the recipe from <a href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2008/11/03/sandesh/">Manjula's Kitchen</a>. Here's how I made my Sandesh:<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Step 1: Make Paneer:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Milk - 8 cups, I used 2% milk<br />
Lemon juice - 1/4 cup diluted with 1 cup warm water<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Method:</b><br />
Boil milk, when well boiled, add the diluted lemon juice till whey and paneer separate. Turn off heat. Drain paneer onto cheesecloth or good quality paper towel. Rinse paneer well with water, drain. Wrap with cheese cloth and place under a heavy weight for about 20-30 minutes. <br />
<br />
<b>Step 2: Make Sandesh</b><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Paneer from above step 1<br />
Sugar - 1/2 cup<br />
Fresh cardamom powder - about 4 or 5 pods<br />
Small amount of pretty fruit for garnish, say 1 strawberry<br />
Saffron - 8 strands + 2 tsp warm milk, also for garnish <br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
1) Knead the paneer well.<br />
2) Mix sugar and cardamom powder and knead some more. Mixture may get slightly moist as you add more of the sugar. Mine did this time, previous times it didn't. It's ok either way, just a note.<br />
3) Heat mixture in non-stick pan on very low heat. Heat till the mixture looks cooked and before it gets crumbly. (Ah-haan.. but how does one identify a before-crumbly stage? Just stop quickly when it looks crumbly, ya, no worries).<br />
4) If the mixture is not crumbly, knead a tiny bit. If the mixture got slightly crumbly then knead some more till the mixture is smooth-smooth, soft and easily comes together when rolled into a ball. <br />
5) Now roll the mixture into little flattened balls with indentation in the middle.<br />
6) For garnish, heat the 2 tsp milk, add 8 saffron strands and mix till it's all yellow. Decorate the center indentations of the sandesh pieces with this yellow liquid (gives color and fragrance). Can also use teeny-tiny chopped strawberry slices or an orange slice and fill in the center indentations. <br />
<br />
The Sandesh turned out light, soft, moist and ever so subtle!!<br />
<br />
Happy birthday to two little darlings my friends just had! We wish them everything good in life! :)<br />
<br />
Cheerio and thanks for stopping by, everyone!<br />
<br />SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-34021752043489202512012-08-13T02:17:00.000-04:002012-08-13T02:17:50.170-04:00Baked Nimki, Happy Janmashtami!Hey everyone.. long time no see.. sorry about that.. Hope all's well with everybody. Happy Janmashtami!! I didn't actually make nimki for Janmashtami.. but it was Janmashtami recently and I made nimki recently, so..<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwOncl9_XkxDqggnh0q1WBUB9ryFn_9El8knDykX-qv9HeucelepdU987359KM23lpTgvMLAKyYyI0xawhqkTN6PXr4fEdB3CDVHUxpOf-_I3RQcbqfgzP2klqdGz-LcNGZKm2KwyxAub/s1600/Nimki1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwOncl9_XkxDqggnh0q1WBUB9ryFn_9El8knDykX-qv9HeucelepdU987359KM23lpTgvMLAKyYyI0xawhqkTN6PXr4fEdB3CDVHUxpOf-_I3RQcbqfgzP2klqdGz-LcNGZKm2KwyxAub/s400/Nimki1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nimki</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tried baking the Nimki to minimize oil. Turned out pretty decent. Started out with <a href="http://www.bongcookbook.com/2011/10/nimki-salty-crunchy-for-bijoya.html">BongMom's recipe</a> which I've made before (fried) and had turned out perfect. I just modified small things to accommodate baking and the fact that I didn't have any whole wheat flour at the time. <br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
All purpose flour - 1 and 2/3 cup (In future I will try to combo with whole wheat flour and rice flour)<br />
Fine Semolina (Pani puri sooji) - 1/3 cup or slightly more<br />
Salt - 3/4 tsp <br />
Sugar - 1/4 tsp<br />
Kalonji - 1/2 tsp <br />
Baking powder - 1/4 tsp<br />
Oil - 6 tbsp<br />
Water - 1/2 cup, appx., use judgement, I think I used a bit less.<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
1) Mix well - flours, salt, sugar, kalonji, baking powder. <br />
2) Add oil, mix by hand till oil seems to be evenly distributed in the mixture, looks kind of crumbly.<br />
3) Add water, knead well, cover with clingwrap and let rest for 30 mins or so.<br />
4) Make small balls of the dough and roll into thin rotis. Prick with fork if you want the nimki to not puff up. Cut into diamond shapes. (Note: I have rolled on my normal wooden roti-base before. But when I cut the nimki it left cutting marks on my nice, (mostly unused), wooden base. So this time I just covered my chopping board with non-stick foil and rolled on it.)<br />
5) Pull the nimki off and arrange on a non-stick cookie sheet, covered with non-stick foil. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye, don't let them turn too brown. Can flip the nimkis in between if you feel it's necessary. <br />
<br />
Turned out glorious. I made the nimkis thin because I thought that would help make them crisp. It did help! They are perfectly crisp! But thin rolling made for a lot of rolling, lot of rotis, lot of nimkis and baking on multiple cookie-sheets. :) Oh well, more to eat!<br />
<br />
Pip-pip-cheerio!<br />
<br />SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-79229536714035541222011-03-23T01:47:00.001-04:002011-03-23T01:48:20.843-04:00Auntyji's Khatta MacchiHey everyone.. it's time to fish!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gYN_2mp7HO4wuovCScaLnu2wDN2QL32-FcFTC8Pa7NbGnX-XxUmFNEkvJ6DmVSC865ftISeL1nRFoL2X9P8ELwdXBYu_BEsefLFX8p5SOksQSdv2mNAulFKwGzgP2Bh7cE-sLbGvcagw/s1600/KhattaMacchi_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gYN_2mp7HO4wuovCScaLnu2wDN2QL32-FcFTC8Pa7NbGnX-XxUmFNEkvJ6DmVSC865ftISeL1nRFoL2X9P8ELwdXBYu_BEsefLFX8p5SOksQSdv2mNAulFKwGzgP2Bh7cE-sLbGvcagw/s400/KhattaMacchi_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Auntyji's Khatta Macchi</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This is from my Mom's recipe collection. Mom got this recipe from their childhood neighbour "Aunty<i>ji</i>".<br />
<br />
Every neighborhood has a motley assortment of residents. Some befriend us, some are just polite acquaintances, some quarrel with us and some ignore us. Almost every family knows an Aunty<i>ji</i> in the 'hood. She's our building friend Chickoo's Mom, or she is Mom's polite companion when together they wait at the bus stop for us kids to return from school. Sometimes she's the neighbor who picks up our milk when we take off for a day and forget to update the <i>doodh-wala</i>. And sometimes she is the <i>bagal-wali</i> Aunty<i>ji</i> with the beautiful rose garden who is always on the look out for notorious <i>gulab-chor</i>s (rose-thieves).<br />
<br />
Aunty<i>ji</i>s enter our lives and leave our lives as they move on with their own. Some leave with Chickoo, the building friend. Some leave with the school bus. Some Aunties leave behind real packets of milk while some leave behind memories of fresh, fragrant roses and ethical conundrums about ownership and longevity versus joy, beauty and spontaneity. <br />
<br />
Mom has some marvelous stories to tell about <i>her</i> Aunty<i>ji</i> and her family who were friends with Mom's family. Sometimes you get a real lot from family friends. So much that you can pass it on even to the next generation! We may not be neighbors with Aunty<i>ji</i> anymore. But Aunty<i>ji</i> left with us one very treasured heirloom! Aunty<i>ji'</i>s <i>Khatta Macchi</i> has been made and relished by my Grandma, my Mom and now me! <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">On behalf of my Mom and our family, thanks to Aunty<i>ji</i> for this recipe and all the memories that came along with it.<b> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Ingredients:</b> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Surmai (I used Tilapia) - 1 lb.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Onions - 2 medium, finely chopped</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Methi/fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp</div><div class="MsoNormal">Tomatoes - 2 medium</div><div class="MsoNormal">Green chillies - 1</div><div class="MsoNormal">Curry leaves - 4 or 5 leaves</div><div class="MsoNormal">Tamarind concentrate paste - about 1/2 teaspoon</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon</div><div class="MsoNormal">Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon</div><div class="MsoNormal">Haldi - 1/2 teaspoon</div><div class="MsoNormal">Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon</div><div class="MsoNormal">Cilantro leaves for garnish </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Procedure:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">1) Fry chopped onions with jeera, methi seeds, tomatoes. Grind this to a paste.</div><div class="MsoNormal">2) Heat oil, add chopped green chillies, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, haldi, chilli powder, tamarind paste, salt and the above ground paste. </div>3) Add water. When boiling, add fish. Cook. Garnish with cilantro leaves.<br />
<br />
I served this with rice and dal. Yumm!! :) Thanks, Aunty<i>ji</i> for your eternally loved recipe! <br />
<br />
Cheerio and thanks for reading everyone!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-47513494929554794052011-03-15T00:00:00.000-04:002011-03-15T00:00:27.113-04:00AnhingaHey everyone..<br />
<br />
I haven't stopped keeping an eye out for birds and little creatures. Just recently I spotted this bird sitting on the banks of a pond. Wings wide open, waving a lazy sunny welcome to Soorya-dev!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbsuvdnmIPIoyrQ75eG66lR9Rgb4sEEaLqaC8nLuVCnr7elL41qG_WPp3y0sDPcwOMppJHQ-SeuxfFbgpHejNo6cfXz5ThQElyzHgSyEbE-xcha0lpV78txWY0ZN3GxHmGTdi5hmPw3gT/s1600/Anhinga_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbsuvdnmIPIoyrQ75eG66lR9Rgb4sEEaLqaC8nLuVCnr7elL41qG_WPp3y0sDPcwOMppJHQ-SeuxfFbgpHejNo6cfXz5ThQElyzHgSyEbE-xcha0lpV78txWY0ZN3GxHmGTdi5hmPw3gT/s400/Anhinga_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Anhinga</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I looked it up on the net and found that this is an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhinga">Anhinga</a>. A boy Anhinga (because of the full black body). This is a "darter" or sometimes called a <b>snake bird</b>, which is certainly a very apt name. It swoops into the water.. all the way in. And then swims with its whole body underwater.. except for its head and long neck which entirely stick out into the air. Looks exactly like a snake dancing on the water! ;)<br />
<br />
After all those underwater acrobatics, it is sitting out on the banks now sunning itself to dry out its wings. And you thought birds don't have to dry their laundry!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-53497432711756370252011-03-08T00:30:00.084-05:002011-03-08T00:30:00.355-05:00Bhapa Doi and 1st Blog Birthday!Hey everyone!! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHtQqGuIS1QhX4Z4RUkcGKi241dzdNKLWLuHIoD0Logizy8Nm97WnSkxwxvmIGbWtSymicQ0YtiH0xsyPQ62gTv1j_3It4aOtSpPyolU5y2vrx_oyrgRL0vBjpYa3nppyp96cxuIy-uM8/s1600/BhapaDoi1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHtQqGuIS1QhX4Z4RUkcGKi241dzdNKLWLuHIoD0Logizy8Nm97WnSkxwxvmIGbWtSymicQ0YtiH0xsyPQ62gTv1j_3It4aOtSpPyolU5y2vrx_oyrgRL0vBjpYa3nppyp96cxuIy-uM8/s400/BhapaDoi1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Bhapa Doi</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Reminds me of a poem we learnt as kids.. <br />
<br />
ABCD-EFG,<br />
come on Leena play with me!<br />
HIJK-L-M-N,<br />
it's Leena's birthday, she is ten!<br />
<br />
Well.. today it's my blog's birthday and it is ONE! :D <br />
<br />
When I started reading food blogs, I used them primarily for the recipes, and then for the encouraging food clicks. Over time though I started really reading the posts. And I realized that most of the blogs I liked had posts that essentially told simple stories of the daily lives of many many women everywhere. And that is what makes me visit them again and again.. <br />
<br />
Reading food blogs is like peeking into someone's kitchen window. And the thought that another ordinary person, not some celebrity chef, but someone pretty much like me, is doing pretty much the same things as me gives me an incredible sense of companionship! It also encourages me to think about doing the things they are doing that I am not. And as you all know by now, I am always on the lookout for inspiration. <br />
<br />
Over time I realized that it would be good to record all the food I was making for my own future reference. I was cooking anyway. Might as well take pictures and post my version of the recipe. I find that taking a picture and writing it up serves as a tangible reminder at a later date when I am super-busy, eating only Maggie and have forgotten that I can cook! ;) I cannot argue with a picture of my own fish curry or rasgulla. Well, a year has passed, I am stilling writing, still referring back to old pictures and am encouraged to cook more! <br />
<br />
A major reason this blogging continues is readership! People visit this site and visit again. Some stay on and give advice, tips and feedback! Just last week I cooked red chard for the first time.. and I got two more recipe suggestions in reader feedback! Thanks everyone for your companionship! It is greatly valued!<br />
<br />
Let me also give a big shout-out to Aparna, whose blog, <a href="http://apycooking.blogspot.com/">Apy Cooking</a>, happens to have the same birth date as mine! Happy Blog Birthday, Aparna! :)<br />
<br />
On to Bhapa Doi..<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I had to make something sweet for the happy occasion.. so I made this baked version of Mishti Doi called <a href="http://www.bongcookbook.com/2009/08/bhapa-doi-steamed-sweet-yogurt.html">Bhapa Doi</a> that I found at <a href="http://www.bongcookbook.com/">Bong Mom's</a>. Sandeepa is the Goddess of simple recipes. And even then I made one change here. I didn't have evaporated milk. So thus was my recipe:<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Sweetened condensed milk - 7 oz (about 1/2 can) Add more if you like it sweeter.<br />
Plain Yogurt - 2 cups<br />
Saffron/Kesar - a few strands<br />
<br />
<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Strain the whey from plain yogurt with a cheesecloth. I left it in a colander in the refrigerator for a day.<br />
2) Mix the condensed milk, strained yogurt and a few strands of saffron/kesar in a small oven-proof dish. Taste and see if you want it to be sweeter, then mix more of the condensed milk.<br />
3) Place the dish in another oven-proof pan filled with water. Bake in the oven preheated to 350 degrees. I had to bake for almost 1 hour. (I baked it till the top of the mixture was somewhat set i.e. did not coat my finger when touched gently.)<br />
<br />
Thanks for sharing this recipe along with your updates about later trials, Sandeepa! The Doi tasted fabulous! Perfect for my blog's anniversary! :)<br />
<br />
Cheers and thanks for reading, everyone! See you around!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-68451368435931243942011-03-05T19:20:00.001-05:002011-03-06T23:02:03.466-05:00Aloo ChardHeylo everyone!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhHlSqHaeY329XljMJFitWiZCDSvrQ9NbEa9gZR_ziAKle_KHK5MSznVzJITo9BGHX5yATuNwgwSALr7IQ9FBT8ktRa2NM6JjVNEI2E_s6gxahd2oHpytJQssvGO-cswksjd4-HjkVUSr/s1600/AlooChard1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhHlSqHaeY329XljMJFitWiZCDSvrQ9NbEa9gZR_ziAKle_KHK5MSznVzJITo9BGHX5yATuNwgwSALr7IQ9FBT8ktRa2NM6JjVNEI2E_s6gxahd2oHpytJQssvGO-cswksjd4-HjkVUSr/s400/AlooChard1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Aloo Chard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I know I have been very remiss.. Haven't been visiting online much, haven't been posting much and quite honestly haven't been cooking very much either. Shame-shame na.. But I'll be good now.. I'll cook and post and blog-hop too! Well, I'll try anyway! :)<br />
<br />
Back to the food.. This post is about <b>Red Chard</b>. And notes to myself about using it in future. <br />
<br />
When I go grocery shopping, I try to get something I "didn't get last time". That is actually not as easy as it sounds. Especially if I have been slacking off from the blogosphere. I tend to relapse into my old ways of buying the same-same stuff over and over. Spinach, bag of salad, onions, tomatoes, beans, carrots.. Really! And how would anyone be induced to cook with that same-old same-old!!<br />
<br />
So every now and then I remind myself to just go with the seasons and cycle through all the fruits and vegetables over the year. But quite honestly I have little idea of what is in season and what isn't.<br />
<br />
I try to reason that probably the in-season foods must over-fill the market in season, right? So instead of doing research and homework about it, I just hop over to the grocers and look around to see which vegetable is available in plllennty and pick up some. That way, on an average we end up eating most veggies at one time or another. <br />
<br />
A few days ago I got a big bunch of Red Chard. I had never eaten Red Chard before, knowingly that is ;). So I wasn't quite sure what I would make with it. I wasn't even sure it was in-season at all. There was plenty of it. And it looked good and fresh. So I said.. hey-ho, lets go for it! Maybe it <i>is</i> the season for Red Chard!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>One bunch of Red Chard had maybe 10 huge leaves in it... with giant red stems.<br />
1) I added one leaf to a dal (I do that with spinach). Ok. Not as soft as spinach.<br />
2) Then I made a simple stir-fried bhaji with 4-5 of the leaves. Pretty decent. <br />
3) I added 2-3 leaves along with the stems to a <b>mixed vegetable soup</b> (with cauliflower, tomatoes and carrots), cook, blend, add water, pepper, bullion cubes and you are ready. The chopped up stems, added towards the end, taste nice and crunchy. "Ekdum suBBak!!" *** Must make again! ***<br />
<br />
But I was still left with two huge leaves.. That's when I made this stir fry with potatoes. I vote for the soup and this sabzi absolutely any day!! (That's why posting here). This sabzi was so simple and so flavourful..!! <br />
<br />
<b>Recipe for Aloo Chard:</b><br />
Season some panch-phoran (equal parts of cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, kalonji, fennel seeds and mustard seeds) in hot oil. Add the chopped leaves with chopped stems and cubed, pre-cooked, peeled potatoes. Add salt and a tiny bit of turmeric. Mix and cook in the microwave till the leaves wilt. Squeeze some lemon juice!<br />
<br />
Aahaha.. we ate this just like that as a snack! The Aloo-Chard combo is perfect and the panch phoran makes it just spectacular! <b>Super!!!</b><br />
<br />
Cheers and thanks for reading!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-14963853087517713672011-01-22T11:09:00.000-05:002011-01-22T11:09:35.914-05:00Turkish Paneer KababsHey everyone.. food-time!!<br />
<br />
Here is a party appetizer I made recently, for a Turkish potluck with vegetarian guests! :) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V9BPyg2IA0nwVh69Fg1tYhQUH4AS08NLxt-MoFtpt-ebknI3xsEBrEBDwSCvb_eK_qxNBvi3o2bJq0CNbHDEAwdGn-AymuzIT-MnYl86RZss8r597y7fX6eEIKjzlm5AEZL2mwUai_gJ/s1600/PaneerKababs1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V9BPyg2IA0nwVh69Fg1tYhQUH4AS08NLxt-MoFtpt-ebknI3xsEBrEBDwSCvb_eK_qxNBvi3o2bJq0CNbHDEAwdGn-AymuzIT-MnYl86RZss8r597y7fX6eEIKjzlm5AEZL2mwUai_gJ/s400/PaneerKababs1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Turkish Paneer Kababs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The original recipe of my Kababs, <a href="http://turkishcookingclass.blogspot.com/2009/02/izgara-kofte-turkish-grilled-meatballs.html">Izgara Kofte from Turkish Cuisine</a>, calls for meat. But I went ahead and made it with paneer to make it vegetarian. I served it with <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/05/roasted-garlic-hummus.html">Roasted Garlic Hummus</a> and pita. For my future reference, the above <a href="http://turkishcookingclass.blogspot.com/">Turkish food blog</a> has a great collection of recipes. I have also made <a href="http://turkishcookingclass.blogspot.com/2008/04/adana-kabob.html">Adana Kabab</a> from there with minced chicken and that too turned out great, but I took no pics that time.<br />
<br />
<b><a name='more'></a>Ingredients:</b><br />
Paneer - crumbled, about 1 and 1/2 cups<br />
Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped<br />
Bread crumbs - 2 slices of fresh bread crumbs made in a mixer/chopper<br />
Dried Parsley Flakes - 2 tablespoons<br />
Red Chili Powder - 1 tablespoon<br />
Black Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Salt - to taste<br />
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon <br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
1) Mix all the ingredients well. Add a few drops of water if needed. <br />
2) Roll up into tiny flat cutlets.<br />
3) Brush the cutlets with some olive oil and place on a greased sheet. Bake in the oven at 350 F, for 20-30 minutes. Flip once around 10-15 minutes. --OR-- Pan-fry the whole lot.<br />
<br />
These were fabulous and a welcome change from my usual potato based vegetable cutlets. Cheers!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-6667822769202610492011-01-22T10:56:00.000-05:002011-01-22T10:56:30.024-05:00New Year beginsHey everyone.. it's still January (barely).. so I will go ahead and wish you all a Happy New Year! :)<br />
<br />
The new year dawned and I went for a run. When I returned and stretched I could feel every muscle in my body! And I suddenly felt thankful!<br />
<br />
I am thankful for these legs, lungs, arms and a back! For the ability to use them all! Every little thing I lift with these arms, every step I walk up the stairs, every brisk scrubbing of vessels with my hands, every time I lift a laundry basket, bend over the dishwasher, every hour I sit glued to a desk and my back doesn't complain, I am thankful to have a body!<br />
<br />
I am thankful for everything I have!<br />
<br />
I am thankful also, for the strength to sustain everything I do <b>not</b> have! When my body complains or when things I want do not happen, I am thankful for the strength to endure. And I am thankful to have family and friends that give me this strength! Not only do I get strength, but also joy, cheer and a whole lot of laughs from you all. Many thanks!<br />
<br />
I am verry thankful to have this blog and readers! It's been fun all of last year to cook, run, write and receive feedback from your clicks, comments and replies! Thanks!<br />
<br />
Wish you all a good year!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-62499528948884920502010-12-20T00:19:00.000-05:002010-12-20T00:19:06.438-05:00Coconut Vanilla Macaroons and food fictionHey everyone.. the last of the desserts..<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhbD9exlnr-weKhR45fsRjSx6CHllM5SZ7KkA0EPwy3u0nAVIdMh0omHMu9ZxNBW_ctumqKB-gPVaouEF4UUEfE8oZtJD9vcFeEK1v28_cMP4VdoMjBvyfwaxJSUeDOWDvyAIT4Nb7VRU/s1600/CoconutMacaroons_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhbD9exlnr-weKhR45fsRjSx6CHllM5SZ7KkA0EPwy3u0nAVIdMh0omHMu9ZxNBW_ctumqKB-gPVaouEF4UUEfE8oZtJD9vcFeEK1v28_cMP4VdoMjBvyfwaxJSUeDOWDvyAIT4Nb7VRU/s400/CoconutMacaroons_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig.1. Coconut Vanilla Macaroons</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I spotted these on Champa's blog <a href="http://versatilekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/coconut-macaroons.html">Versatile Kitchen</a>. The recipe is simple:<br />
<br />
Roast <b>2/3 cup of all purpose flour</b> till it smells sweet. Then add <b>1/2 teaspoon salt</b> and a little less than <b>one</b> <b>14 oz bag of sweetened flaked coconut</b> in it. Mix well. Now mix <b>1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence</b> with a little less than <b>one 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk</b>. Add to the dry mix above. Mix by hand. The "little less" is because I did not want them to be too sweet. So use your judgment for sweetness. The "dough" should be thick, moist, sticky and pliable. Now make small flattened balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Use oil on your hands if needed. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 F, till the coconut flakes are lightly toasted. That's all! How quick and simple! And eggless too!!<br />
<br />
Now it's time for another silly story. This story sends good wishes to people who have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder">SAD</a>. And it goes to <a href="http://spiceandcurry.blogspot.com/2010/10/event-announcement-of-chalks-and.html">Jaya of Spice and Curry</a> who is hosting the event <a href="http://servedwithlove.blogspot.com/2010/04/of-chalks-and-chopsticks.html">Chalks and Chopsticks started by Aqua</a>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Raushni Suryavansham and the terrible Dark</b></div><br />
Raushni Suryavansham was the name of our favorite girl. <br />
She was ever bright and sunny, and her life was a whirl. <br />
Up and about, always busy and fulfilled,<br />
Perfect was her life, like Mango Lassi, chilled.<br />
<br />
But then one day Raushni, met a terrible Monster!!<br />
Dark-vader was his name, (atleast that's what he announced her).<br />
He said, "Hoo-haa!! I am Dark-vader!! People fear me and run! <br />
Raushni Suryavansham.. my reign has begun!!" <br />
<br />
For many days and many nights she was haunted by Dark-vader, <br />
She lost all her joy and josh to the Energy Invader. <br />
Raushni's sunny soul was gradually exhausted, <br />
And one day, darling Raushni simply couldn't get out of bed. <br />
<br />
Then Raushni's Dad had an idea! He got broad-spectrum energy-savers. <br />
Mom made Coconut Vanilla Macaroons - Raushni's favorite flavours! <br />
The roasted flour and toasted coconut had an irresistible aroma <br />
which wafted slowly to Raushni's room and she awoke with a delighted "Oh, Ma!" <br />
<br />
It smelt like summer. Was it summer? No.. the Dark Monster was still in sight<br />
hovering around.. between her and her macaroons.. like a terrible terrible Blight!<br />
"Hoo-haa!!" said Dark-vader, "People fear me and run!!<br />
I am terrible! I am mean!! And I fear no one!!" <br />
<br />
This monstrous Dark-vader had made her life Helly! <br />
And now, the impetuous blighter was coming between Raushni and her belly! <br />
Raushni WOULDN'T take it any more! She sprang out of bed. <br />
"I'll take you up on your word and RUN!!" and kitchen-wards she sped.<br />
<br />
She scooped up a warm macaroon and popped it into her mouth. <br />
Summer and Winter had imploded.. it was like she had flown South! <br />
Dark-vader was close at her heels. But instead of being afraid, <br />
Raushni charged straight at her Bully with a mean Coconut Grenade! <br />
<br />
"Hoo-haa!!" she bellowed with fury, "I am Raushni Suryavansham!! <br />
Dark-vader, you better run.. for this is the land of the SUN!!" <br />
<br />
Dark-vader had met his match! He grabbed his dark cloak,<br />
heading straight for the nearest rest-room, (terror-struck old bloke.)<br />
<br />
Raushni had won back her joy. She would never fear Dark anymore!<br />
Under bright lights, with foodie delights, she danced, "Teri Ore, teri ore!" <br />
<br />
Thanks for reading everyone! Best wishes to anyone suffering from mild or severe SAD.SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-1770922188188676122010-12-11T02:00:00.001-05:002010-12-12T03:34:36.594-05:00Hello Dolly!Ok.. I will admit it right away.. I made these because I loved the name.. :D<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqNV0i2nS0ERDEldvpApzaHBecX60a-KJ3hTrg0p8OpjHg5O1Z_LBt5BHLbJ6kO3viJxuz8dGPjtNrBL3GIJy1Y2SUgmIS4YGB8tXEPW-7dDMSfekven1wAw8Pj5CbZZl7Cz14Q3FFB_Q/s1600/HelloDolly_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqNV0i2nS0ERDEldvpApzaHBecX60a-KJ3hTrg0p8OpjHg5O1Z_LBt5BHLbJ6kO3viJxuz8dGPjtNrBL3GIJy1Y2SUgmIS4YGB8tXEPW-7dDMSfekven1wAw8Pj5CbZZl7Cz14Q3FFB_Q/s400/HelloDolly_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Hello Dolly Bars!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Plus they are made of <b>chocolate</b>! And they are supremely quick and easy to make!<br />
<br />
I saw them on <a href="http://www.delish-blog.com/2007/10/hello-dolly/">Delish</a>. This is a blog I found via <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/">One Hot Stove</a> and I have been tapping it for my bakes ever since! There are delicious and super-quick recipes tempting me to pig out every time I check out this blog! So it is apt that this post should go to <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-bites-9-holiday-buffet.html">Blog Bites for the Holiday Buffet</a>!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b> <br />
Graham Crackers - simple honey flavoured ones, 9 crackers, crushed into a coarse powder.<br />
Butter - 6 table spoons, melted<br />
Chocolate chips - 1 cup<br />
Toffee chips - 1/2 cup<br />
Coconut flakes - 1/2 cup<br />
Sweetened Condensed milk - about 7 oz or 200 gms (I used a little less than half of a 14 oz or 400 gm can).<br />
<br />
<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Crush the Graham Crackers, add melted butter to them. Mix lightly. Press into a 9 x 9 inch square pan.<br />
2) Then add layers of the chocolate chips, toffee chips, marshmallows, coconut. You can use any fillings of this type. I skipped the marshmallows this time. But intend to add those too next time! ;) Really, you can be very creative with the fillings, change them or their quantities.<br />
3) Then pour condensed milk over everything. If necessary add more or less of the condensed milk.<br />
4) Now bake this at 350 F for about 25-30 minutes till the coconut is slightly browned.<br />
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Do not try to cut them up immediately. The chocolate chips are way too soft at that point. Wait.... Wait for an hour, two hours, even three hours if that is possible. They cut up real nice if you wait.<br />
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The nice square pieces are all gone now. The ones in the pic above are only the corner pieces that are left. So I stacked them to take the pic and hoped nobody would notice the odd shapes! ;)<br />
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But square or corner.. these Hello Dolly Bars sure are <a href="http://www.delish-blog.com/">Delish</a> pieces of work!<br />
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Cheers and thanks for reading!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-36669370387487013332010-12-02T08:00:00.013-05:002010-12-02T10:25:36.497-05:00NankattaiHey everyone.. Happy December! 'Tis the season to make goodies! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnYbbcQqyeJ6j3eJ3kEM3Ys5b1oZ6zYzBRRl3BvmxTx6uH_HzOndS5ETQKh392R5ENmyVi99ltMej5ePTe4733yS1Hwak0YsbVZLuonHCSIw_XMckSUFNrmRHKMEOXyowKYltCrJnIund/s1600/Nankattai_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnYbbcQqyeJ6j3eJ3kEM3Ys5b1oZ6zYzBRRl3BvmxTx6uH_HzOndS5ETQKh392R5ENmyVi99ltMej5ePTe4733yS1Hwak0YsbVZLuonHCSIw_XMckSUFNrmRHKMEOXyowKYltCrJnIund/s400/Nankattai_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Nankattai by the window sill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Do you have any favorite holiday goodies you almost always bake around this time of the year? I usually make all sorts of cookies. Nankattai this year is the first in line. I will be baking crinkle cookies and <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/06/basic-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">chocolate chip cookies</a> next. I like to put all sorts of stuff in those. Might add some toffee bits this time. Mint chips and raspberry chips also taste terrific with chocolate based cookies. I love baking cookies. Hope to pack a few goodies and mail them off to family and friends. Let's see how much baking I manage. <br />
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Nankattai are cookies my Mom used to bake back home. So this is her recipe. There is nothing like the warm and fragrant elaichi with a hint of nutmeg! Start off the morning with Nankattai baking hot in the oven... and you know that the day ahead will be just perfect! You can imagine having these mildly sweet cookies with some yummy adrak-elaichi-wali chai (ginger-cardamom tea).<br />
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Some of the above yummy is now officially in the tummy.. some of my cookie giftees will just have to wait for a few more batches! ;) And yes, I took the pan over to the window sill to get some real light in the picture.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Ghee (I used melted butter) - 1 cup<br />
Sugar - 3/4 cup (can add more if you like sweeter)<br />
Baking powder - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon <br />
All purpose flour - 2 cups<br />
Cardamoms (elaichi) - 6-7 pods, peeled, powdered<br />
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 teaspoon<br />
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<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Beat together ghee and sugar. I used melted butter instead of ghee. The texture does change a bit (less powdery) perhaps due to my using butter instead of ghee. But otherwise the taste is exactly the same.<br />
2) Sieve together baking powder and all purpose flour.<br />
3) Add those spoon by spoon into the sugar + ghee mixture from step 1. <br />
4) Add cardamom powder and nutmeg powder. Mix well by hand.<br />
5) Make small flattened discs and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes. Check after 15 minutes or so. My first batch was a bit over browned at 25 minutes (which is the time my Mom's recipe suggested). But my second batch (shown in the above pic) was perfect at 20 minutes.<br />
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This took me about 20-25 minutes of prep time + 45 minutes of baking time. I got about 30 cookies, each of about 2 inch diameter. So do leave space in between the cookies to expand in the oven.<br />
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Okily-dokily.. do let me know if you have suggestions for quick and easy cookies. Cheerio!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-36113612981214325512010-11-23T02:09:00.002-05:002010-11-23T02:12:15.809-05:00Besan ke LaddooHidey ho everyone...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hCJuveqkvwDfUZUu5hbCLpVbevaY2rSmW8YG6j_iha_IQwseCayNyRb-1dvNEA4sHkXTaG4CtkOSNlCfbrLljhk9RbosIMGJGZ2J0GmO5x3uu6YJk1-RNvq5cnyzhGfwJxgr8oTw0ERW/s1600/BesanLadoo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hCJuveqkvwDfUZUu5hbCLpVbevaY2rSmW8YG6j_iha_IQwseCayNyRb-1dvNEA4sHkXTaG4CtkOSNlCfbrLljhk9RbosIMGJGZ2J0GmO5x3uu6YJk1-RNvq5cnyzhGfwJxgr8oTw0ERW/s400/BesanLadoo_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Besan ke Laddoo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Firstly I must apologize for not visiting my co-bloggers a lot lately. Just busy. Also to my readers, I must apologize for the longish duration I have not posted here. I have been cooking. But my pics aren't coming out too great. I flatly blame the dark evenings and short daylight hours for this!! Finally this pic seems to have turned out ok. So these Besan ke Laddoos are okayed to be posted. :)<br />
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This recipe is from <a href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2008/09/11/basen-ladoo/">Manjula's Kitchen</a>. Actually I am not such a big fan of Besan ke Laddoo. Despite a humongous sweet-tooth, I never seem to have craved for them. I guessed that meant that I was not super-fond of this variety of Laddoos. And yet.. Manjula's Kitchen.. and her videos.. her videos are really are cute. I had to make them after I saw her make these!<br />
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I thought, chalo.. post-Halloween Holiday Season is officially here. So I can enjoy the making of the Laddoos, surely someone will enjoy the eating of them!<br />
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And I must admit the finished product is just really delicious! Even I have changed my mind. I think it may be because they were super-fresh.. warm and fragrant, right off the pan! Not too greasy, not too sweet... I must admit that it sure does make a difference when you make something at home and hog on it fresh and warm!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Besan (gram flour) -1&1/2 cup<br />
Rava/Sooji (semolina) - 2 tablespoons<br />
Butter - 1/2 cup, unsalted, melted (I used about 2 teaspoons less.. just enough to be bound)<br />
Sugar - 3/4 cup (can put slightly less also.. taste and see the mixture if you need all of it. I put about 2 teaspoons less.)<br />
Elaichi (Cardamom) - 4 pods, peeled, finely powdered. Do this fresh. <br />
Pistachios - 20 or so, sliced, ideally nicely sliced.. I made a bit mess with the slicing.. So ate a lot of the rejects. :D<b> </b><br />
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<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Roast besan and sooji in a non-stick pan on low heat. Add the melted butter little by little as necessary. All of the besan+rava should be somewhat moist. But there is no need to make it greasy. Keep stirring. The silicone type spatulas are perfect for this on my non-stick pan. Continue roasting till the besan becomes golden brown, an amazing earthy fragrance fills your kitchen and the neighbours start asking if it's Diwali time again? <br />
2) Add sugar and powdered cardamom. Mix well.<br />
3) When the mixture can be handled, but before it cools completely, bind the mixture into laddoos.<br />
4) If the mixture becomes too dry as you make the laddoos and you can no longer bind them together, re-heat in the microwave for a tiny bit and see if that helps. If the mixture is still too dry, add more melted butter and heat a tiny bit more. These Besan ke Laddoo simply cannot flop.<br />
5) For garnish place some melted butter in a flat plate. Now dip one part of each laddoo in that butter and then dip that portion into your pistachio flakes. They will stick to the butter on the laddoo. Doesn't that garnish look cute?<br />
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When this was done the whole house smelt of Besan ke Laddoo.. that's a warm and fuzzy smell! :) So clearly, despite the short days and long nights.. the cold and the snow.. 'tis the season to be jolly! Enjoy the Holiday Cooking you all..<br />
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Thanks to Manjula, for sharing her most reliable and repeatable recipes!<br />
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This post goes to Nupur of One Hot Stove for <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-bites-9-holiday-buffet.html">Blog Bites</a>, where she is collecting Holiday favorites.<br />
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Happy Cooking everyone!! Cheerio!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-39625996822075632682010-10-30T21:13:00.000-04:002010-10-30T21:13:11.700-04:00Pumpkin KadambHappy Halloween and early Diwali to everyone!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdk7n6Lf9u_YnuzM59veQbtZsokEG2WtMqcUtQKsMNMn1HYpa1rGFr_ni03OPdvWTljtJurzPx0phm2MdAAY_MhTSKCFPgG-5qRa_E-mE3xuCeltrS_d6soeneoMMOk-bf6xfzXj3mf_hO/s400/PumpkinKadamb_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="367" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Pumpkin Kadamb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pumpkin season and Halloween = Pumpkin recipes! We often get good pumpkins at the market in this period. And usually pumpkin pie is the thing to make. But recently my Mom sent me some "Haldi Paan" (turmeric leaves)!!!! :)<br />
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She had got them fresh during Ganesh Chaturthi and it appears to still be available some places. She knew there was no way I could get my hands on the fresh haldi leaves. So she dried them and saved a bunch for me!! And as soon as some of my family came around to visit they brought along this amazing gift of leaves!! Ya-ya-yippee-yippee-ya-ya-yeah!!<br />
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Haldi-paan are used to flavour/impart-fragrance to several somewhat super-traditional dishes. So the fragrance of haldi leaves reminds me of Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Satyanarayan poojas and other such religious festivities! Ooh.. I couldn't wait to use them!<br />
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I got pumpkin, thinking I would make pie with it. Then I spoke with Mom and she mentioned she adds pumpkin to Kadamb (KuhDumb). And Kadamb also uses haldi paan! I jumped at that! :) Pie will happen next time. Now we make Kadamb! <br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Rice - 1/2 cup, wash and soak for 5-10 minutes<br />
Pumpkin - 1 small, sugar pumpkin (meant for pies)<br />
Coconut - 1/4 or 1/3 cup, frozen/fresh, grated, thawed<br />
Jaggery - 1/2 cup (I used dark brown sugar, 5 tablespoons)<br />
Salt - to taste<br />
Haldi (turmeric) leaves - 2 dried long ones<br />
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<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Cut sugar pumpkin into half. Microwave both halves till the pulp is tender.. maybe 3-6 minutes. Let it cool a bit. Scoop out the pulp.<br />
2) In the mixer, grind the grated coconut to make it smooth and the above cooled pumpkin pulp. Add minimum water (as needed to grind.)<br />
3) Separately grind the washed rice to coarse consistency. Again, add as little water as possible.<br />
4) Combine ground rice and the mixture of ground pumpkin + coconut. Add sugar or jaggery and salt (just a pinch maybe). Mix well. Consistency should be like cake batter, not very thin at all.<br />
5) Pour into a greased vessel. Cut each haldi leaf into two. Add half in the water in the cooker. Moisten the other half haldi leaf and place it on top of your mixture (like in above picture). Steam the vessel for 15-20 minutes till the mixture becomes somewhat harder.. like idli.<br />
6) The final result should have idli-like consistency, but not spongy. I had used good old cereal bowls to get these. And I inverted the bowl over a small plate and cut the kadamb it into sectors like a pie.<br />
7) Ideally, if I had fresh haldi leaves, I would have put the batter on the haldi leaf and folded it so that the leaf completely contains the batter. This would have been steamed. But this is not possible with dry leaves. One could do the same with banana leaves and add haldi leaves to the side like I just did.<br />
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<b>Variations:</b> One could add grated cucumber or grated doodhi (lauki/bottle gourd) instead of pumpkin. <br />
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<b>Substitutions:</b><br />
1) Idli rava can be used instead of ground rice. Maybe sooji too? <br />
2) The fragrance of the haldi leaves is important. But if I did not have them, I would have just added some powdered cardamom to my batter and continued the same way. Reliable fellow that Cardamom.<br />
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Kadamb is meant to be served as breakfast or a snack. I would also think of it as a light and mild dessert. <br />
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Acha.. Happy Halloween to you all and an early Happy Diwali (.. the house smells like it is already Diwali today!)<br />
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Cheerio and thanks for reading!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-1647550504839394202010-10-24T06:00:00.029-04:002010-10-24T17:36:57.899-04:00Parotta SaladHey everyone.. a good lunch-box item today!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyynmhbMQc_UjUyUST7FwBGpYeW7kdtIzfFaJ95-4kHmgOgP0QCmXt6uXHnYkajjRsFoNk30wOgPk8Do83O0-nxlk9gwgCeaKFXOdhNtzVBCWG_YghA0724HsTQ24jvC4oP-Y3sizhtyJT/s400/ParottaSalad_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Parotta Salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Every day I pack lunch. And I find myself having to constrain the contents based on various objections. True life examples: "When one bites into a soggy sandwich, tiny pieces of food get stuck in the front teeth. Then that doesn't look good." and "Wraps drip, hands get yucky." "Egg smells." "Food that is too Indian also smells... then people look at me funny." and then there is the questionable "This aloo-palak looks too green-green. I don't want to be called a grass-eater. So let's skip too-green stuff, too brown-stuff.. anything that might elicit comment actually."<br />
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No, it is not my kids that register the above complaints, bless their little angel-hearts. No, it is not the significant other, bless his tall, dark, handsome, Prince Charming-ness. And no, this is not my dabba-service clients either, bless their well-paying, hard-working souls.<br />
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These are all <i>my own</i> objections.. (eyes lower with <i>embracement</i>.. noticing a badly needed pedicure..)<br />
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And since it is me-myself that packs lunch, such constraints mean that I eliminate about 90% of the refrigerator.<br />
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One-pot dishes are really the most convenient for lunch-boxes. And I do make pulavs and khichdis a lottt. Fortunately the world of food-blogs opens us to many potential dabba candidates. I had seen kothu parotta on several blogs. <a href="http://spice-club.blogspot.com/2010/04/egg-kothu-parotha-muttai-parotha.html">Cham's version with chalna</a> looks like a good one to try.. somewhat more authentic looking. I will make her version very soon too. So I am noting the link here. I also found a quick and easy version of <a href="http://showmethecurry.com/odds-ends/kothu-parotta.html">Kothu Parotta on Show me the Curry</a>, which does not require chalna preparation. So I note that here for quick week-nights.<br />
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I will post the real Kothu Parotta sometime in future when I actually manage to make it like the recipe says. I started out thinking that I would make Kothu Parotta. But by the time I got to the refrigerator I found myself wondering if there isn't a cold version of this dish I could concoct? A Parotta Salad? I suddenly remembered a <a href="http://www.ecurry.com/blog/soups-and-salads/salad/roasted-artichokes-chickpeas-garlic-salad-with-lemon-sesame/">whole</a> <a href="http://www.ecurry.com/blog/rice/peanuts-brown-rice-with-asian-dressing/">bunch</a> of <a href="http://www.ecurry.com/blog/soups-and-salads/salad/barley-and-spinach-fall-salad-with-maple-syrup-vinaigrette/">salads</a> I had seen at <a href="http://www.ecurry.com/">Soma's ecurry</a>! <br />
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So I decided that Parotta Salad it would be! I started out with the basic idea of Kothu Parotta from what I have gleaned from these blogs - <b>mixing cut roti/paratha pieces for carbs, a source of protein (like egg or chicken), mixed vegetables and a curry or sauce</b> to bring them all together. I just adapted the ingredients to make it a cold salad.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<b>Carbs</b> - 1 small cooked paratha. Preferably a day old, bit stale, dryish. Torn into bite sized pieces.<br />
<b>Protein</b> - I used one small Garden Burger patty. Nuked in the microwave, cooled and cut up into bite sized pieces. In Kothu Parotta egg or chicken is used. One could use chopped boiled egg. I skip egg in dabbas.<br />
<b>Veggies </b>- Since this is a salad I used the following fresh, raw vegetables:<br />
Red bell pepper - 1 medium, chopped thin<br />
Jalepeno pepper - 1/2, deseeded and finely chopped<br />
Cucumber - 1 mini, unpeeled, chopped<br />
Oranges - 2 medium, peeled and chopped <br />
Lettuce - 2 leaves, torn into bite sized pieces.<br />
<b>Sauce/Curry</b> - I used 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of readymade Arabiatta pasta sauce. This is just to flavour the paratha and burger.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) In a large bowl cook the garden burger in the microwave 1 minute per side, flip once, total 2 minutes. Let it cool, chop it into small bite sized pieces.<br />
2) Add to this, torn up pieces of cooked roti or paratha. Add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of pasta sauce. Mix well. The sauce should be really really minimal. Just enough to coat the paratha and burger pieces. No excess whatsoever. <br />
3) Chop all the vegetables and mix them with the burger-paratha pieces. Your salad is done!<br />
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No, there is no dressing. Why? Just because the oranges are sweetish-tart, the jalepeno is hot, the red bell pepper is sweet, lettuce and cucumber are cool and crunchy. When I added the sauced burger and paratha the whole mix turned out just <u>perfect</u>! So <i>there was no need of even salt in the veggies!</i> And because of the proteins and carbs it was a very reasonably filling salad!<br />
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A note for dabba-making, do not mix everything hotchpotch if you are packing this for lunch later. In the box first lay the sauced pieces of paratha and burger. Then layer on them the cucumber, then the red bell pepper, then oranges and jalepeno. Last and topmost make a "bed" of the lettuce leaves. Close the box and refrigerate until lunch. Open and mix the contents with your fork, or invert over a plate if you have that luxury. Since there is almost no salt (other than the sauce which lies in the bottom layer), and the softest veggies (lettuce and orange) are in the top layer, none of the veggies wilt if reasonably refrigerated.<br />
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All of the ingredients are really flexible in this salad. Feel free to replace the carbs with other appropriate ones like roti, pita bread, cooked pizza base, anything that is not too soft and spongy. Otherwise it will get soggy by lunchtime. Also feel free to substitute with other proteins or vegetables.<br />
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This was made using one bowl. So this may qualify as a one-pot dish and goes to <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/">One Hot Stove</a> where Nupur is collecting one-pot dish recipes for her event, <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010/09/iron-chef-bloggers-bb7-round-up-and-on.html">Blog Bites</a>. <br />
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<b>Another note</b>: The above pic was taken at home when tried first at dinner, not at lunch. The leftovers were assembled and taken to lunch next morning and could not see the light of a flash out there on account of "If I take pictures of my tiffin people will look at me funny."<br />
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Thanks for reading everyone! Have a good end-of-October this week!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-12153341794378962262010-10-20T02:06:00.000-04:002010-10-20T02:06:35.541-04:00The technology of cookingOk, an interesting TED talk for when you have time.. about cooking as a technology! This gentleman brings up some interesting ideas. He projects that cooking is a technology that was invented to make the energy conversion (by our body) more efficient. Talks about how cooking influenced the evolution of our body, brain and gut. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="326" width="446"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/HeribertWatzke_2010G-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/HeribertWatzke-2010G.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=984&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=heribert_watzke_the_brain_in_your_gut;year=2010;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=a_taste_of_tedglobal_2010;theme=unconventional_explanations;theme=evolution_s_genius;theme=how_the_mind_works;event=TEDGlobal+2010;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/HeribertWatzke_2010G-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/HeribertWatzke-2010G.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=984&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=heribert_watzke_the_brain_in_your_gut;year=2010;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=a_taste_of_tedglobal_2010;theme=unconventional_explanations;theme=evolution_s_genius;theme=how_the_mind_works;event=TEDGlobal+2010;"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ref: http://www.ted.com/talks/heribert_watzke_the_brain_in_your_gut.html</span></div><br />
Yes, cooking is a technology older than most "technology" commonly brought to mind. And it has helped us consume many foods that earlier were probably either hard to eat, like certain raw vegetables or seeds, or even completely inedible like raw meats. Since we are the only species that cook food before eating, Mr. W calls us "coctivores" rather than omnivores. :)<br />
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Ok, summary over.<br />
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This talk made me realize that we, cook-ers, perhaps rarely think this way about our own cooking.. as a technology! But indeed (if we now think about it) that is exactly how cooking works. People learn to cook. Are taught or develop certain techniques. Then we try newer things. Mix and match and generate newer recipes. And this has been on-going for many many years!<br />
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First there are cars, then come faster cars, safer cars, more fancy cars. And then there is the abrupt and prolific jump to airplanes. What are the jumps or prolific advances in cooking that you really appreciate?<br />
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Techniques like grilling, frying, baking.. baking cakes versus cookies, making kulfi versus ice-cream versus gelato and now frozen yogurt (mostly heat-cold applications) are a big benefit to us. <br />
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Also techniques of handling certain foods, for instance, how to cook colocassia leaves and rhubarb, handling the oxalate crystals, how to make pickles, preserves, jams, how to ferment batter, idli-dosa-dhokla.. dried goods like papad, wadis, etc.. fried goods.. making cheese, paneer, even simple yogurt.. <br />
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There are also certain combinations in meals which probably allowed us to eat certain foods - for instance a lot of traditional Indian Thalis combine cool drinks like lassi, matthaa, buttermilk, solkadi or yogurt raithas and kadhis with our hot and spicy curries. And there are of course umpteen spices that probably work in certain combinations for good digestive health - ginger, heeng, cumin and whatnot. One often finds them in dals and other foods that are high in protein and harder to digest.<br />
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And then there are some seemingly mundane things that I, personally, think are cool inventions (nothing to do with evolution.. but oh well..) like tortilla and lettuce wraps - getting rid of the bread, granola bars - compact-ification of breakfast, cutlets or burgers - a method to combine any food into a convenient portion, all the egg-substitutes are cool discoveries, all the chaats we love are inventions of ingredient-combination, oh there are scores of such discoveries and inventions.. :)<br />
<br />
Can you tell me about any other common cooking inventions/techniques that strike you as cool and handy?<br />
<br />
I think even just adding pakoda to kadhi is a big deal! ;)<br />
<br />
Three cheers for cook-ers everywhere! :) <br />
SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-32494389563164877362010-10-15T01:36:00.000-04:002010-10-15T01:36:19.499-04:00Tandoori FishTandoori anything is always a big treat! And at the end of a busy day there is nothing like this fish!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCOidKhfavgKlZTG1eqh-o1JYgkoIr8OBxDpqk-KtOUSD10SW7H8D7x3zePTJKyAu31eihVtOuQ5CxmnBAnoEmUMytSSrWzjORPzENW8dykafowHME0jRvhJ9Gt1EHIfzggcRG02w7dbr/s400/TandooriFish_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Tandoori Fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCOidKhfavgKlZTG1eqh-o1JYgkoIr8OBxDpqk-KtOUSD10SW7H8D7x3zePTJKyAu31eihVtOuQ5CxmnBAnoEmUMytSSrWzjORPzENW8dykafowHME0jRvhJ9Gt1EHIfzggcRG02w7dbr/s1600/TandooriFish_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Sometimes I feel like all of the day is spent battling with paperwork. Fill this form, organize this that and something else, check on payments, make copies for your record, copies for someone else's record... Uff! Lately at least a lot of things can be done online. But even the online paperwork is not all that simple.<br />
<br />
I was very excited to find that some forms I needed to fill could be filled online. I went, yay!! And then realized, <i>never rejoice too soon</i>. The <i>one</i> form was broken up into a series of 15 webpages! And you had to go fill-nextpage, fill-nextpage, through all 15. And then there was no option to save in the middle! What's more, by the curse of some crazy <i>Rishi</i>, the site would time-out in 15 minutes regardless of whether you are actively online filling the form or idling away from the screen with some chai-pani!!<br />
<br />
When I was only on page 5.. the site starts giving me a warning.. "Your session will expire in 5 minutes." And I go Holy Rangoli!! 5 minutes for the remaining 10 pages!! I had no chance.. I totally couldn't make it. The session expired around page 8. And I had to start all over again!! Boy, was I mad!!<br />
<br />
And when I am mad, I get <i>even</i>!! I <i>had</i> to do it again! And the second time around, I was prepared! If they were gonna play this new kind of speed game, I would play it too.. but <i>Indiana Jones ishtyle</i>! I got up, and found myself a hat, rubbed my trusty typing-finger on the collar.. (don't laugh.. I'm sure some of you out there type with only one finger too!) I set my stopwatch to buzz every 60 seconds, and.. GO!<br />
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This time I zippetty-zipped through the form and hit submit with perfect timing... and also saved my hat from being left behind! Haa! Speed demon!!<br />
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Needless to say, I soon heard back from the form-people. My submission was "<i>invalid</i>" it seems. They claim I have submitted the incorrect form!<br />
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<b>Jealous</b>.. that's what I think <i>they</i> are! <br />
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After all that excitement who wouldn't be <i>rrravenous</i> for dinner? Fortunately the fish was already marinated. All I had to do was bake! Such is the beauty of the refrigerator.. Anybody up for a refrigerator story? Maybe next time.. ;)<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Thick yogurt - 3 or 4 tablespoons<br />
Tandoori Masala - 2 teaspoons(Any Everest or MDH or such boxed masala works fine.)<br />
Cumin seed powder - 1 teaspoon<br />
Coriander seed powder - 1 teaspoon<br />
Red chili powder - to taste <br />
Salt - to taste<br />
Fish - Tilapia, about 3 fillets. Can use any other fish.<br />
Green or red bell peppers, onions, cooked peeled potatoes - any quantity, chop large and mix with some salt or extra marinade. <br />
Lime/lemon juice - 1 teaspoon or so to squeeze on the hot cooked fish.<br />
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<b>Procedure:</b> <br />
1) Wash and poke slits into the fish and cut it up into medium sized pieces.<br />
2) Mix together the marinade of thick yogurt, tandoori masala, cumin seed powder, coriander seed powder, red chili powder and salt. Add fish to the marinade. Leave overnight in the refrigerator.<br />
3) I like a few veggies like bell peppers, onions and cooked, peeled potatoes chopped into large pieces and dunked in some of the marinade or just salt and pepper. Then I line them at the bottom of a baking pan and lay the fish on top.<br />
4) And bake this for about 25-30 minutes at 350 degree F. Squeeze some lemon or lime juice on the fish just before serving.<br />
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<b>Tip:</b> Sometimes I lightly sprinkle some rice flour on the fish just before baking. Gives it a thin crust. Totally optional. <br />
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Serve with some <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/05/carrot-and-peas-pulav-for-newbie-cook.html">pulav</a> and <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/07/coriander-chutney-and-food-fiction.html">coriander chutney</a> on the side. Can also be made in a similar manner with chicken, meat or paneer.<br />
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Cheers and thanks for stopping by!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-43312875483557238942010-10-08T00:38:00.000-04:002010-10-08T00:38:15.170-04:00Blue Jay on a runHey everyone..<br />
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I have been back to running fairly consistently past few days now. And every morning I remind myself of days like these.. See there are very definite benefits of running outdoors. You get to see cute stuff! :) Here is a little blue birdie I saw recently while out on a run. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQ7ptW9xvTVmAg2sDjBeeG9KdmepJp64J3Au23BZuYZJ_2W8WgQxUXjv6NHW5tHRvAp6aat01DTsd9xKN-MnYdEqsJFzwi6eZMCr8e7N5mC9l_7Bf1NUOuk7NWX9AlJpuuam6glqL8mhY/s400/BlueJay_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="380" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig.1. Blue Jay - kind of small, maybe a baby Blue Jay?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQ7ptW9xvTVmAg2sDjBeeG9KdmepJp64J3Au23BZuYZJ_2W8WgQxUXjv6NHW5tHRvAp6aat01DTsd9xKN-MnYdEqsJFzwi6eZMCr8e7N5mC9l_7Bf1NUOuk7NWX9AlJpuuam6glqL8mhY/s1600/BlueJay_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>It was nestling at the bottom of a tree trunk. All fluffy and cozy. Head under its wing. Like it did not want to wake up. Like it did not care that it was daylight outside. Like it did not even know that it was a <i>week day</i> for goodness sake!<br />
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Birds these days, I tell you.. <br />
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Now if <i>birds</i> were on Twitter, <i>we</i> could leave them tweets about the day's to-do, whats-in, whats-not, which worm is happening and which isn't.. Then they wouldn't <i>dream</i> about staying in bed like this and missing out on all the buzz!<br />
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When will birds learn to tweet..<br />
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PS: On a more serious note.. why would a little bird be sleeping on the ground? Shouldn't it be in a nest somewhere up there? I couldn't see a nest up in the tree.. but then that doesn't mean there wasn't one. Oh well.. another mundane, but unsolved mystery!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-3558406049451927742010-10-04T02:14:00.003-04:002010-10-04T02:16:21.371-04:00Doi Fulkopi - Cauliflower CurryHey everyone.. I had been eying this curry for a while. Why did it take me so long to get down to it..?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnimdhNVPMv_vIsNvUoVOZlxDTP-mwlFg1mvyZPxENUyt6tsEVPHpyxJrnY9LfFAhdFUr51tRLZoI8Hq610W5J0gEpb25UMoAmK4UmkvNLZqxOYUib4S-rL8bfIWaG4kEIFR-KQ3TCWnr/s400/DoiFulkopi_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1 Doi Fulkopi - Cauliflower Curry</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnimdhNVPMv_vIsNvUoVOZlxDTP-mwlFg1mvyZPxENUyt6tsEVPHpyxJrnY9LfFAhdFUr51tRLZoI8Hq610W5J0gEpb25UMoAmK4UmkvNLZqxOYUib4S-rL8bfIWaG4kEIFR-KQ3TCWnr/s1600/DoiFulkopi_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
I love Agatha Christie, Nancy Drew and all those mystery novels. When I am really irritated and in a bad mood.. a juicy Agatha Christie is all I need! Tell an Agatha Christie fan that there was no murder! Tell a Nancy Drew fan that there is no secret behind the staircase.<br />
<br />
But mundane real life mysteries are not about murder and vanishing staircases. They are more commonly about things like... Why did Suhasini not pick up my phone? Who does she think she is? Conversely who is it that picks up my Wall Street Journal? A big one.. <i>where</i> is our checked bag? And somewhat intriguingly.. why is my toothbrush still wet in the morning?<br />
<br />
One mystery was in my kitchen...<br />
<br />
I had seen this recipe at <a href="http://www.bongcookbook.com/2009/12/doi-fulkopi-cauliflower-in-yogurt-sauce.html">Bong Mom's Cook Book</a> many many months ago and yet it took me this long to finally make it! Lahsuni Aloo Gobi is the only other dish I make with cauliflower as the main ingredient (will post in future). And it's not as if I have made that very much either. So.. the big mystery is..<br />
<br />
Where is the cauliflower in my house going?<br />
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It is <i>never entering</i> the house! Mystery solved.<br />
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And the wet toothbrush?<br />
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.. aah.. that is because I am staying up too late and getting up too early!! :D Ain't gettin' time to dry.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Cauliflower florets - about 2 cups. I used about 2/3 of a frozen bag.<br />
Yogurt - 1 cup<br />
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 teaspoon<br />
Red Chili powder - to taste<br />
Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon (I used Tandoori masala this time)<br />
Bay leaf - 1 medium<br />
Cinnamon stick - 2 small pieces <br />
Cardamoms - 4 pods<br />
Cloves - 4<br />
Fresh garlic - 1 large clove, peeled and crushed<br />
Fresh ginger - 1 inch piece, finely chopped <br />
Onion - 1 medium finely chopped<br />
Peas + carrots (chopped) - about 1 cup<br />
Turmeric powder (haldi) - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
<br />
<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) If your cauliflower is fresh, chop it into florets, wash by soaking in water with haldi and some salt while you chop it up. Then rinse. If it is frozen, either thaw it out or defrost in the microwave.<br />
2) Mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala, salt. Add cauliflower and marinate for a few minutes.<br />
3) Season in a pan with some hot oil - bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cloves, fresh garlic and ginger.<br />
4) Add onion, some salt and saute well. <br />
5) Now let this cool and then run it through your mixer for a tiny bit so the masala is a nice coarse paste and put it back into the pan.<br />
6) At this point incorrigible me added peas and carrots from a frozen mix bag. Why.. I know not.. But it turned out to be a decent addition. <br />
7) When the carrots and peas are well cooked, pull out cauliflower florets using a fork from the marinade and toss them into the pan. Do not add the marinade quite yet.<br />
8) Also add some turmeric powder, mix. Let this cook for a bit.<br />
9) When the cauliflower is well cooked, reduce heat, add yogurt marinade and some garam masala. Mix well and simmer. <br />
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My curry turned out to be semi-moist, not with too much liquidy gravy. And I liked it this way. I served this with plain hot rice. Should be good with roti too. It is <i>very</i> flavourful and <i>completely</i> different from my Aloo Gobi. So we will definitely make this again!! Thanks for the recipe, Sandeepa!<br />
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Cheers everyone and thanks for reading!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-63287297190415135552010-09-25T21:00:00.002-04:002010-09-25T21:00:00.538-04:00Godhuma DosaHey everyone.. no soaking, no grinding, no fermenting,absolutely no prep what-so-ever for this dosa!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJu52GVrcMeZSf0hoXwoDF4t5N0ynMx6UDN9DlhFsX_4ylcrP-IIMnvllVguE0-qYm9ZGsphpTt796RM6zLLi-hVpP2umx7joIhAO4R7H_jaQn-ZzZCEjeOTJFK-bl-H7J1NlARr0XHpl/s1600/GodhumaDosa_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJu52GVrcMeZSf0hoXwoDF4t5N0ynMx6UDN9DlhFsX_4ylcrP-IIMnvllVguE0-qYm9ZGsphpTt796RM6zLLi-hVpP2umx7joIhAO4R7H_jaQn-ZzZCEjeOTJFK-bl-H7J1NlARr0XHpl/s400/GodhumaDosa_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCokh75h6uPn0BpNU9YuzHbkOKlckqb7CX1KhuNGK_BaQ0LFVO8hiIKCofjqWQsjr7ap3iBj_hVk0PXHC_kgyHJGyUnysm-YdI7go_zRXpDE-u3hxWL3F3f3P9f5gVjRUUMyZ5LrR7CRW/s1600/GodhumaDosa_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCokh75h6uPn0BpNU9YuzHbkOKlckqb7CX1KhuNGK_BaQ0LFVO8hiIKCofjqWQsjr7ap3iBj_hVk0PXHC_kgyHJGyUnysm-YdI7go_zRXpDE-u3hxWL3F3f3P9f5gVjRUUMyZ5LrR7CRW/s400/GodhumaDosa_2.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfZ235me9YXgzhij7WoXYeA2phgAIeTzIaO7NxOqKBLWca2T8BE9ZGFJ_4f84nheCM1QIdsBIkEAhXNRHIIqJmrNnV1xEifB_Cq0-TQbV65ZVppcrs9SYJL9ksKhXpcs9V5XssPCVR_3V/s1600/GodhumaDosa_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfZ235me9YXgzhij7WoXYeA2phgAIeTzIaO7NxOqKBLWca2T8BE9ZGFJ_4f84nheCM1QIdsBIkEAhXNRHIIqJmrNnV1xEifB_Cq0-TQbV65ZVppcrs9SYJL9ksKhXpcs9V5XssPCVR_3V/s400/GodhumaDosa_3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> Figs. 1, 2, and 3: Godhuma Dosa in various poses.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I found this on Indira's old blog <a href="http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2006/04/18/wheat-flour-dosa-goduma-dosa/">Mahanandi</a>. It is also available other places as Wheat Dosa or Godhumai Dosa.<br />
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<b>Method:</b> Mix <b>wheat flour</b> (chapati aata) + <b>water</b> in about 1:2 or 1:3 proportion. Add <b>salt</b> to taste. You really shouldn't stick to these proportions for water though. Because I ended up messing around with the batter consistency till I achieved the correct texture in my dosa. The batter should be really thin. When you pour it on the frying pan, the <b>paper-thin dosa should immediately form this mesh-like pattern</b>. (You don't have to spread it, pouring should be enough.) If the batter is too thick it will not form this mesh. I have put up three pictures so that you can see the mesh. Try one or two dosas.. at most your third one will definitely be right!<br />
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One cup wheat makes about 5-6 really thin dosas. And Indira instructs to not leave the batter sitting for too long, becomes a gooey mess apparently. Noted! :) <br />
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Cheers and happy cooking everyone!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-57850063419493806232010-09-19T03:05:00.002-04:002010-09-19T11:33:19.091-04:00Chocolate Banana Bread and Banana BitesHey everyone... a double recipe today! Chocolate Banana Bread and Banana Bites.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKH3gAXDyh_qpbs18mzDsYl4I7EdBw2OFpcby2M0wYKFZXk-lFXQEFJ3eDfGJ8hy-ipuNHJeHFr-m0TUAS0SRfsU1ZkabIsaBmy0HGIMDU9Hn66pLi2Cr2Xg-3CYFkvar5HuFbXB9l3b-i/s400/ChocolateBananaBread_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1 Chocolate Banana Bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5teRMrzRWVnl9ogcgmDbIikLodJmcz2QC0Rt009k600c6E8V3HlUVhi_gbZwxBqHJVVmQXckh3rxsnS0WO9wEmKWaepnPE96ccGirbu3vmrgxUedKXP0f-NuxVd1aunq9ZvVW96KyDKm/s1600/BananaBites_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5teRMrzRWVnl9ogcgmDbIikLodJmcz2QC0Rt009k600c6E8V3HlUVhi_gbZwxBqHJVVmQXckh3rxsnS0WO9wEmKWaepnPE96ccGirbu3vmrgxUedKXP0f-NuxVd1aunq9ZvVW96KyDKm/s400/BananaBites_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 2. Banana Bites</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love eating lots of bananas. Bananas contain potassium. When I started running, my legs would be sore all the time. At some point I decided to look up what I could do to reduce the soreness. A little reading showed me that potassium intake is good to keep soreness at bay. And eating bananas is a good way to get potassium in my daily diet (I don't particularly fancy eating potatoes every day). So a banana a day keeps my soreness away! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But my banana consumption, weather conditions and grocery frequency are three data points that do not always lie on one line. I hear people freeze bananas or keep them in the refrigerator. Please let me know if you do that and it works ok for you to make something later. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Anyway.. as is obvious.. almost every alternate weekend, sometimes even on week days, I am left with 1 or 2 bananas that are threatening to self-destruct. And even if desserts are not the best way to get one's potassium, they are a good way to not-waste over-ripe bananas.<br />
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<u><b>Chocolate Banana Bread:</b></u><br />
This recipe is from the blog <a href="http://delishfood.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/chocolate-banana-nut-bread/">Delish</a>, which I found via <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2009/12/chocolate-banana-bread.html">One Hot Stove</a>. Both their breads looked so yummy I knew I couldn't keep away from it for too long! Here I have almost followed the whole recipe from Delish, except for changing her pecans to walnuts and reducing the sugar a little which is what Nupur has suggested and I liked. I have made this bread in the past also. It is really good as a grab-and-go snack.It is fine un-refrigerated for 2 days or so. Then I usually pop it in the fridge.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Walnuts (or pecans in the original recipe) - 1/2 cup, roughly chopped<br />
All purpose flour - 1 and 3/4 cup<br />
Cocoa powder - 3 tablespoons<br />
Baking powder - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Salt - a pinch<br />
Eggs - 2 large, well mixed<br />
Bananas - 3 large, ripe, chopped or pureed<br />
Sugar - 1/4 cup<br />
Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon<br />
Butter - 1/4 cup, melted or soft <br />
Chocolate chips - 1/2 cup<br />
<br />
<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Toast the chopped walnuts in the oven for 5-8 minutes. <br />
2) Mix the dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.<br />
3) Mix the wet stuff - eggs, bananas, sugar, vanilla essence, butter.<br />
4) Now slowly add the dry mixture in the wet mixture bowl. (Actually Ash at Delish adds the wet into the dry. Not sure what is ideal. I always gradually fold in my dry into the wet. Hopefully it's all the same.)<br />
5) Add walnuts and chocolate chips. Mix lightly.<br />
6) Pour into greased pan. Originally they used a loaf pan, but I just use my good old flat round pan. Bake for about 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Since my pan is wider than a loaf-pan it did not take a whole hour as suggested in the original recipe. Test with a toothpick to see if it is done.<br />
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<u><b>Banana Bites:</b></u> <br />
This is a highly experimental one.. a big adaptation from a recipe I found at two blogs. 1) <a href="http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2007/10/01/banana-biscuits-mangalore-buns/">Indira's old Mahanandi/Nandyala blog</a>. For some reason I am unable to access her new blog from my computer. But her old one is a wealth of recipes. And I often browse through just for ideas. Her recipe was originally for deep-fried banana biscuits. I did not want to deep fry. So I combined it with some ideas for baking from 2) <a href="http://sunitabhuyan.com/?p=3700">Sunita Bhuyan's recipe</a> for banana chocolate-chip cookies. Sunita's blog is another beauty! Just a browse through and you will never leave her space (..so please go there <i>after</i> you read this post!) ;)<br />
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I have combined both their recipes and baked my so-called Banana Bites. They are not crunchy like cookies. But they are not as spongy as cake either. More like slightly dense muffin-tops, with the taste of sheera. I could add one egg in future to make it even softer maybe. I just didn't want to add vanilla and ruin the nice cardamom fragrance there. But I wasn't sure it would be strong enough to mask the smell of egg. So I stuck with eggless for now.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Ripe bananas - 2<br />
Sugar - 5 teaspoons<br />
Salt - a pinch<br />
Oil - 2 teaspoons<br />
Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Cardamom powder - freshly ground from about 5 pods<br />
All purpose flour (maida) ~ 1.5 cups, more if you feel the need for it.<br />
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<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Mash the bananas roughly. Add sugar. Mix well. With the addition of sugar the bananas just melt into a puree.<br />
2) Add oil, salt, cardamom powder, baking powder and mix well.<br />
3) Now add the flour spoon by spoon slowly, folding it in gradually. Add only as much as is needed to get a doughy mixture. I didn't stir too much. <br />
4) Cover the mixture bowl with some tightly sealed plastic and keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour or 1 hour.<br />
5) Grease a baking sheet or spread some parchment paper on a baking sheet. Drop spoonfuls of the above mixture onto the sheet. Lightly flatten with your finger tips.<br />
6) Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes. Test done-status with a toothpick.<br />
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This used up 2 ripe bananas real quick and made about 12 pieces. That's not too much to consume quickly as breakfast or snack with chai. I kept these in the fridge, quickly microwaved for 30 sec or so before eating the next day. We finished these in about 2 days.<br />
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This long-long-long post goes to <a href="http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010/08/bb7-iron-chef-edition.html">Blog Bites at One Hot Stove</a>, where Nupur is testing if we are Iron Chefs and can make two things with one ingredient! But if I had to <i>Geeta pey haath rakhkar kasam khaao</i>-fy then I will have to admit that I did not bake both of these dishes on a single day! ;) Single post? Yes!<br />
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Check out her round-up on 26th September!<br />
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Cheers and happy baking!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-26826460427403476822010-09-12T02:24:00.001-04:002010-10-07T00:43:45.807-04:00Chicken cutletsHey everyone.. Chicken cutlets today.. Why is this post labeled - fitness? Because runners like motivation, even if it is motivation to cook.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEsTN69STbSeHI8Oeh-iYSNNGzDz6yl8f9q7UI1XDdHsUtmEXiRyXX1xEnX9kM-DbKzTbQpDdcOUOdzD_UjbKPw4KXA1djbkJGA-mkQ9YqaTlVvswFWfXhhAjKs3x6z9SCDkq0H5Rj3b2/s400/ChickenCutlets_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fig.1. Chicken Cutlets</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEsTN69STbSeHI8Oeh-iYSNNGzDz6yl8f9q7UI1XDdHsUtmEXiRyXX1xEnX9kM-DbKzTbQpDdcOUOdzD_UjbKPw4KXA1djbkJGA-mkQ9YqaTlVvswFWfXhhAjKs3x6z9SCDkq0H5Rj3b2/s1600/ChickenCutlets_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b></b></div><br />
Do you sometimes lose the motivation to do some particular thing?<br />
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I have gone through this before.. in different areas at different times. Loss of motivation to work.. to run.. to cook.. to clean.. basically anything that requires effort could be a target here. Usually I can figure out exactly what is the reason.<br />
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But that doesn't change the fact that I don't feel like doing it right now! And most reasons simply cannot be fixed.<br />
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Usually, however, there is no option in these things. You have to work. You have to cook. You have to run. You have to do whatever it is that is the task at hand. And do it well too! But sometimes.. it is possible to just push it to later..<br />
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"Later" is Lady Slackalot's favorite word! It really is a polite way of saying "No." ;) If I avoid cooking long enough, we will have to get take-out. :D And yes.. sometimes it's ok. But if I actually have the time and energy, and still avoid it.. avoid it too many times, then it's time for the cheer-leader to come out and motivate! We are our own cheer-leaders. And if we have to do something, we really might as well enjoy doing it!<br />
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How do you motivate yourself? <br />
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What do I do when I don't feel like working? I go and sit amongst a lot of people who are busy at work! Like a public library. I try to hang out with people who like their work. People who are successful at their work. I try to mix it up a little, try something new in the task. I create deadlines for myself. And worst comes to worst, if I find I do not meet my own deadlines, I make them public! I tell my family and friends and sometimes announce it on the blog too.. that I will do so-and-so thing.. run or walk so many miles this month.. etc.<br />
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I do this for work, for running, for cooking, chores, errands,.. a lottttt of things! And usually it works. (Again, there is not much option. Something better work!)<br />
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Last few days I found myself not cooking. :( I did the usual. I spoke with my friends and family swapping recipes and dinner ideas. I browsed and read through your blogs (hanging out with people who enjoy the task and are successful at it!) Told myself that I will make so-and-so dish on Sunday.. (setting deadlines). Finally I told my Mom that I have not been cooking!! (Making things public, and how!) That combined with <a href="http://www.bongcookbook.com/2010/08/indian-style-chicken-meatball-baked-and.html">Bong Mom making chicken meatballs</a> (new for me) finally worked!!<br />
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I went and got ground chicken (fresh ingredients, the ultimate deadline) and made chicken cutlets!!!!!!!! Yay!! Not only that, I also took pictures! <i>Waah-waah</i>,<i> shabbash beti</i>!! :D <br />
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And to seal the deal, (further making things public)... <i>mujhey mere blog ki kasam</i>, I will post at least 3 more food recipes this month. Total public commitment! <i>Ab bachkey kahan jayegi</i>! We meet Lady Slackalot head-on and tell her to <i>get out!</i><br />
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Continuing the drama just a little longer.. (where else but on my blog will we find so much detailed procedure for how to deal with "getting-bored"-ness..)<br />
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My thanks to all you bloggers and blogger friends! Reading your blogs is far more fun than cooking or writing my own! But it sure helps me do both! :) Also thanks to my readers.. It's hard for me to believe how many of you read my posts.. even the fitness ones!! Just seeing you check in and find my lonely turtle sitting there with stale old rasgullas gave me a good kick in my... Well, thanks you all! I will do my best! <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Ground chicken - 1 pound<br />
Onion - 1 small, finely chopped<br />
Ginger - 1 inch piece, finely chopped<br />
Garlic - 3 large pods, finely chopped<br />
{Cloves - 2 + Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch} Grind to powder (coarse powder with mortar-pestle is good enough).<br />
Mint + coriander leaves - a few sprigs each, finely chopped<br />
Green chili - 1 finely chopped<br />
Jeera (cumin seed) powder - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Dhania (Coriander seed) powder - 1 teaspoon<br />
Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon or could even skip<br />
Kasoori Methi - 1/2 tsp crushed between your palms <-- Sandeepa has added this, I skipped it this time<br />
Egg - 1 well beaten<br />
Oil - 1 table spoon<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Bread crumbs - 2 slices of bread, toasted and ground into crumbs.<br />
Rava (semolina) - about 1/3 or 1/2 cup<br />
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<b>Procedure:</b><br />
1) Saute onion till cooked. Let this cool. <br />
2) Beat egg well, add ground chicken and salt. Mix well. Add and mix the onions from step 1, ginger, garlic, jeera powder, dhania powder, cloves+cinnamon powders, chopped mint, coriander, green chilies, kasoori methi, oil. Keep aside for 15 minutes or so.<br />
3) Then add bread crumbs and mix well. Ideally I guess that should be enough and one should be able to lump small portions of this mixture into cutlets and fry/bake. But at this point somehow my cutlets were still fairly sticky (happens to me for other such cutlet recipes too, maybe I should add more bread crumbs).<br />
4) So I ended up rolling the cutlets in some rava. That made them not stick to my frying pan/baking pan. See what works for you.<br />
5) These can be fried on the frying pan with minimal oil. Sandeepa has also suggested baking them in the oven.<br />
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As per her idea, I also froze a whole bunch of them in a flat single layer on a plate in the freezer (covered with press-and-seal wrap). Once they are frozen it is easy to pry them off the plate and store them all in ziplock bags in the freezer.<br />
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Cheers and happy cooking!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-84316437176193148452010-09-01T00:01:00.043-04:002010-10-07T00:45:17.407-04:00Turtle watchingThe other day when I visited a friend, we went to a small nature preserve. A very short hike away, we reached a pond/some-sort-of-murky-water-body.. and there we spotted this darling turtle..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DawgP7mPawJyjjsnrf8W6AWCdm3-cxmbjgFuKNAe8HA19ZeASXd3mKk8tVCGxHWlDiPuETJ8Us0UdxpfGWG1-tIhCisLBEDtt1V8_BltCnILAi3rH5bCyQvJUkPgDQ-H1Kvm3srRw6rb/s400/TurtleGV_1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fig. 1. Turtle</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DawgP7mPawJyjjsnrf8W6AWCdm3-cxmbjgFuKNAe8HA19ZeASXd3mKk8tVCGxHWlDiPuETJ8Us0UdxpfGWG1-tIhCisLBEDtt1V8_BltCnILAi3rH5bCyQvJUkPgDQ-H1Kvm3srRw6rb/s1600/TurtleGV_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b></b></div><br />
I increased the brightness a little so we could see the turtle in the pic.. and yet he is hard to spot. He must have been about 4-5 inches large and quite a bit away from us.<br />
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I tried to read up about Turtles, but couldn't figure out what this guy's name might be. He was really tiny, and this pic doesn't give very many details. So I am just going to call him Mr. Acrobat! <br />
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I couldn't click this, but underneath Mr. Acrobat, inside the water was another turtle poking his head out periodically. :) <br />
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Wish we could carry around cool zoom cameras all the time. Wish cool cameras were less expensive. Wish my cell phone camera could take better pictures. (No, this was not my cell phone camera, but even my best camera is an ordinary point and shoot.) Wish Turtles stood still! Wish I'd at least had the presence of mind to take a video of Mr Camera-Shy Turtle bobbing in and out of the frame... <br />
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What do you wish either you or your camera could do?SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146116910566356187.post-81394700619216192402010-08-27T01:49:00.001-04:002010-10-07T00:44:43.882-04:00Rasgulla fictionHey everyone.. Another food fiction today. This story was written for the event "Of Chalks and Chopsticks" started by <a href="http://servedwithlove.blogspot.com/2010/04/of-chalks-and-chopsticks.html">Aqua</a>, hosted by <a href="http://jayawagle.blogspot.com/2010/08/vegetable-stock-for-soul-and-of-chalks.html">Jaya, the Desi Soccer Mom</a> this month.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzsFL3L2maqqcKjwcXwbvqwHbB2R1Sksl_7geJj4RbDzSVFk8-HpBHPSws0Du5jfcW0XasqynpibaX3tQaLE4jVHJhOZWSDjVcO5yOOqV-UdpFTCusz93dBL8maZPG9XHwHbWGOlWodYR/s1600/BengaliRasgulla_1new.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b></b></div><br />
I have made Rasgullas before and posted the recipe in the past. So am referring to my <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/03/bengali-rasgulla.html">earlier post for the recipe</a>. When I made Rasgullas the first time, we were about 7 people and only 15 Rasgullas. 2 gullas per head were just not enough! These are so light and fluffy, one could easily wolf down quite a few at a time. And that memory is what generated the little piece of fiction that follows. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The story of Vividh-bhaarthy Paarthasaarthy..</b></div><br />
Vividh-bhaarthy Paarthasaarthy came from a long line of musically inclined Paarthasaarthies. Vividh-bhaarthy's family was filled with singers and musicians. Her twin-brother was a child-prodigy, the first haarmoniumist to play at the super-bowl opening ceremony!<br />
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Vividh-bhaarthy, however, was the odd one out. She had no musical talent, nothing to boast about. All her life, she had tried and she had tried-er.. but the gift of music was just not inside her.<br />
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Finally Vividh-bhaarthy had had enough, she said, "<i>Bas kya</i>!" and set out to the mountains to do <i>ghor tapasya</i> (penance). After many days and many nights of Viv standing on one foot, a <i>Rishi</i> (sage) appeared before her (clean-shaven, kind-of-cute.) <br />
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"Eat Rasgullas and you shall, sing sweet like Shreya Ghoshal!" he said and magically, a bowl of 15 Rasgullas appeared before Vividh-bhaarthy. <br />
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He continued ominously, "But if you over-eat, then beware, a horror of <b><i>horrors</i></b> you shall have to bear!"<br />
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Vividh-bhaarthy could hardly wait for him to finish all his yakking. Her excitement bubbling over and patience running out, she plopped a whole rasgulla straight into her mouth. The sweet cool syrup rushed down her throat, heavenly nectar with the spongy gulla afloat! <br />
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And wonder of wonders.. words could not suffice, Vividh-bhaarthy was transformed into the Nightingale of Paradise! She sang <i>Raag Basant</i> and Spring arrived at their feet. Birds twittered, bees hummed, and deer danced to her beat. <br />
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The sweet rasgullas excited temptation that Temptation, herself, couldn't resist. Vividh gulped another gulla and went to the next <i>Raag</i> on her list. She sang <i>Malhaar</i>, and it rained a monsoon. She ate one more and sang <i>Raag Des</i>. The whole country, nay, the whole WORLD, was united in a patriotic blaze. Another rasgulla, another song.. now <i>Raag Multani</i> was in tune, and every woman's pimpled acne cleared up before you could say, "So soon!?" <br />
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There was no stopping Vividh-bhaarthy any more. She was gobbling rasgullas and singing songs galore. The world was her stage, she was the best in the nation. Music directors scrambled to sign-on the new singing sensation! The power, the buzz, the sugar and the rush!<br />
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Finally, to catch her breath, she paused for a bit.. reached for another gulla, but they were gone.. "Oh-$H!T!!!" She had polished off the lot solo, all in one morning! One look at the silent Rishi and she remembered his warning.<br />
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What horror lay in her fate?<br />
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Well.. every system needs a break. <br />
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Yes, Vividh-bhaarthy was immediately plagued by a terrible terrible..<b> tummy-ache</b>!!!! <br />
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Vividh-bhaarthy had learnt her lesson as she squirmed and writhed in pain. Oh-boyo-boyo-boy.. no.. she would never do this again! She turned to the Rishi and tried her best to apologize and explain, "Oh-boyo-boyo-boy, Rish... I'll never do this again!" <br />
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The Rishi, though a drama-king, was really a benevolent fella. He winked a wink, looked-left, looked-right.. and sneaked Vividh a <i>Hajmola</i>! He said, "The next time, Viv, you want to sing, the recipe for Rasgullas is at this <a href="http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/03/bengali-rasgulla.html">link</a>. But Vividh-bhaarthy, do not forg<i>et</i>.. one, two or three, but then.. <b><i>that's </i><i>it</i></b>!"<br />
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<b>Disclaimer:</b> My Rasgullas are delicious!! But I must confess, they <u>won't</u> make you sing. This was all just BS.<br />
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Cheers and thanks for reading everyone!SS blogs herehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14277887171436832914noreply@blogger.com30