Spiced!

Peek into the Past -1 Brunch Specials

2009-05-20T18:48:00.027-05:00

Cleaning my hard drive today, I found so many unfinished posts and tons of recipes I never blogged about! It was fun to revisit the 2 years of cooking explorations-some successful, some disasters :) Most of these dishes were "first times" for me and thus deserve a special mention on this blog!! I will be posting these past pictures in between "real time" posts. This first post documents my experiments with breakfast/ brunch foods!

A perfect Saturday brunch for me has to be something which is quick to make, requires minimum groceries and can fill me up for the day! (And yes it has to be HOT (as in off the stove), I am not too much a fan of cold foods. Here are some of my all time favourites :

Vermicelli Upma

Learnt the recipe from my mom. (Still haven't come across anybody else in my circle who prepares this). Its a fun and easy alternative to rava upma and very hard to mess up!

Roast the vermicelli (seviyan) in a little ghee till browned. Keep aside. Heat some oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal and urda dal. Roast till the dals are browned. Now add chopped onions and green chillies. Once the onions are cooked you can add your choice of vegetables- (peas, carrots go well). Add salt and red chilli powder, cover the lid and cook for some time. Add the roasted vermicelli and water. cook till the seviyan are soft and cooked completely. We totally relish this upma with Molga podi and dollops of yoghurt!

Tomato Omelet/ Dhirda

The Indian/vegetarian alternative to an egg omelet. Made with besan, a pantry staple in most Indian kitchens. Great for days when there is nothing else in the refrigerator. ! Try it between two slices of bread with some hot chutney. mmmmm..:)

Mix besan (gram flour) with salt, red chilli powder, ajwain, diced green chillies, tomatoes and cilantro. Carefully add water while constantly beating the mix to avoid any lumps. The end batter should be easily spreadable but not too watery. Pour the batter on a lightly oiled skillet. Cook till both sides are browned. Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

French Toast

When omelets and bhurji seem routine, we love to dig into this more 'exotic' alternative! :)

Beat eggs. Add chopped onions, diced onions, chillies, cilantro, a little milk, salt and pepper. Mix well. Dip bread slices into the egg batter (slightly stale/ hardened bread works better). Fry bread slices on a skillet till cooked completely and browned on all both sides. Enjoy with tomato ketchup!

Pohe

"ayushya he, chulhi varlya, kadhai tale kande pohe.." This new song by Avdhoot Gupte is enough to describe the importance of Pohe (flattened rice) in a Marathi household..:)

I am still striving for perfection when it comes to pohe, so I will skip the recipe. Every time I make Pohe there is something or the other wrong- either the raw pohe smell lingers around, or the potatoes remain slightly uncooked or they end up in a soggy mess! Would love to hear from you guys any tips/ secrets to get this one just right! :)

Chao for now, I really enjoyed writing this post! (This one's for you Aai!! ) :)

2009-05-20T18:48:00.000-05:00

The vegetarian 100

2009-05-12T19:22:00.002-05:00

A fun meme developed by Barbara of Tigers and Strawberries :)

( And thanks to Onehotstove for posting the link )

"If you want to play along, here’s how you do it: copy the list, including my instructions, and bold any items you have eatenand strike out any you would never eat, and then post it to your blog. If you want, you can leave a comment here, linking to your results, or you can link back to this post so I can try and keep tabs on what folks have eaten and not eaten."

(I don't know how to strike out items!!! so I am highlighting the ones I wont eat in Red)

Barbara's Vegetarian Hundred

1. Real macaroni and cheese, made from scratch and baked
2. Tabouleh
3. Freshly baked bread, straight from the oven (preferably with homemade strawberry jam)
4. Fresh figs
5. Fresh pomegranate
6. Indian dal of any sort
7. Imam bayildi
8. Pressed spiced Chinese tofu
9. Freshly made hummus
10. Tahini
11. Kimchi
12. Miso
13. Falafel
14. Potato and pea filled samosas
15. Homemade yogurt
16. Muhammara
17. Brie en croute
18. Spanikopita
19. Fresh, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes
20. Insalata caprese
21. Stir-fried greens (gai lan, bok choi, pea shoots, kale, chard or collards)
22. Freshly made salsa
23. Freshly made guacamole
24. Creme brulee
25. Fava beans
26. Chinese cold sesame peanut noodles
27. Fattoush
28. New potatoes
29. Coleslaw
30. Ratatouille
31. Baba ganoush
32. Winter squash
33. Roasted beets
34. Baked sweet potatoes
35. Plantains
36. Chocolate truffles
37. Garlic mashed potatoes
38. Fresh water chestnuts
39. Steel cut oats
40. Quinoa
41. Grilled portabello mushrooms
42. Chipotle en adobo
43. Stone ground whole grain cornmeal
44. Freshly made corn or wheat tortillas
45. Frittata
46. Basil pesto
47. Roasted garlic
48. Raita of any type
49. Mango lassi
50. Jasmine rice (white or brown)
51. Thai vegetarian coconut milk curry
52. Pumpkin in any form other than pie
53. Fresh apple pear or plum gallette
54. Quince in any form
55. Escarole, endive or arugula
56. Sprouts other than mung bean
57. Naturally brewed soy sauce
58. Dried shiitake mushrooms
59. Unusually colored vegetables (purple cauliflower, blue potatoes, chocolate bell peppers…)
60. Fresh peach ice cream
61. Chevre
62. Medjool dates
63. Kheer
64. Flourless chocolate cake
65. Grilled corn on the cob
66. Black bean (or any other bean) vegetarian chili
67. Tempeh
68. Seitan or wheat gluten

69. Gorgonzola or any other blue veined cheese
70. Sweet potato fries
71. Homemade au gratin potatoes
72. Cream of asparagus soup
73. Artichoke-Parmesan dip
74. Mushroom risotto
75. Fermented black beans
76. Garlic scapes
77. Fresh new baby peas
78. Kalamata olives
79. Preserved lemons
80. Fried green tomatoes
81. Chinese scallion pancakes
82. Cheese souffle
83. Fried apples
84. Homemade frijoles refritos
85. Pasta fagiole
86. Macadamia nuts in any form
87. Paw paw in any form
88. Grilled cheese sandwich of any kind
89. Paneer cheese
90. Ma Po Tofu (vegetarian style–no pork!)
91. Fresh pasta in any form
92. Grilled leeks, scallions or ramps
93. Green papaya salad
94. Baked grain and vegetable stuffed tomatoes
95. Pickled ginger
96. Methi greens
97. Aloo paratha
98. Kedgeree (the original Indian version without the smoked fish, not the British version with fish)
99. Okra
100. Roasted brussels sprouts

My score : 54% Not bad! And as it turns out I don't mind trying everything as as long as its vegetarian!

Rasam - Bhaat

2009-03-18T19:51:00.005-05:00

Dinner today: Piping hot Rasam Rice with a side of Potato roast (Urulai Vathakkal) and curds.

You can get both these wonderful recipes at Tasty palettes. :) Happy Eating!

Chai and Pakora!

2009-03-18T18:19:00.005-05:00

what else do you crave for on cold wintry days like these...???

This was a couple of weeks back, when we saw the season's first snow storm in Atlanta .. It was a Sunday..:) We enjoyed the day with several rounds of chai..lots of TV and yummy Paneer Pakoras!

Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants

2009-01-05T17:35:00.006-05:00

Came across this article from the New York Times. It was an eye opener for me and really led me to think about our eating habits and exercise routine (and also make my new year resolutions which I NEVER EVER have) :

1.) Incorporate more fresh vegetables in my everyday meals. In addition to the usual dal chawal,our meal will now include more vegetables (cooked/raw).

2.) Start shopping at the Farmer's market instead of the Grocery stores.

3.) Create AND STICK to an exercise schedule (walking/jogging to start with)

Some like it Hot..!

2008-12-25T14:59:00.024-05:00

I don't have a sweet tooth at all..so when everybody around me is trying hard to keep away from all the cookies and candies and cakes this holiday season, It's no problem for me..:) - that means no post Christmas diets and workouts..;P

I am the other extreme - the fiery-spicy food lover. "teekha khana teekhi ladkiyo ke liye"(Hot food is for hot girls ;P) a dialogue from the Bollywood Hit- Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam very rightfully applies to me..giggles..:) There is no dearth of spicy food in India, specially the quick- light on the pockets spicy street food. From the pani puri water, the wada pav with the red hot chutney to mirchi bhajia, I have had my fair share of all :). And one of my all time favourite snack is misal pav- the healthy goodness of sprouts in a spicy hot curry. The spicier the Misal the better..:) - it is no fun to eat misal without the red runny nose and watery eyes...:)

I had my first taste of misal pav in Nashik, during my days in architecture school. And after that first time I couldn't get enough :). There was this place we used to frequent a lot in Satpur industrial area- "shyam Sunder" which has the best Misal Pav in town. The authentic misal pav is an elaborate affair- misal(cooked sprouts) is served with separate cutta(the spicy curry), boiled potatoes, yogurt, onions and slices of pav/bread. Shyam Sunder is an "eat as much as u can" joint, as most misal places are. That means you keep getting several rounds of the misal drowned in the spicy "cutta". I remember not leaving that place once, till our faces were all red..:)

My version of Misal is very quick and easy - by no way authentic but after several experiments, I have managed to get the end product pretty close to the original. Here it goes:

Misal- Pav Ingredients:

3/4th cup moth

1/4th cup- kala chana and whole moong

1 onion finely chopped

1 small tomato cubed

1 potato diced in small cubes

1-2 hot peppers

2-3 garlic pods crushed

cumin seeds

mustard seeds

salt to taste

chilli powder

turmeric powder

garam masala

goda masala

vada pav masala

The beans- to be sprouted

1.) Soak the moth, moong and kala chana overnight and then wrap it in wet cloth for a day or two till the beans are sprout well.

2.) Pressure cook the sprouts with potatoes and tomatoes.

3.) In a pan heat some oil, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds, once the seeds start spluttering add the chopped onions and garlic. Once the onions are cooked and translucent, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, goda masala and roast for a few minutes.

4.) Add the cooked sprouts to the masala mixture with enough water. Let it come to a boil and then add salt and a pinch of the dry garlic chutney. Add some lemon juice and mix well.

The Fiery Hot Cauldron

The fixings

In a separate bowl mix curds into a smooth paste.

Keep Chopped red onions, lemon wedges and farsaan (hot mix) ready for garnishing

To serve

In a deep bowl pour the hot misal and garnish with curds, onions and hot mix. Serve with pav or dinner rolls.

The Bowl that doesn't last more than a few minutes..

I am sending this as my entry to My Legume Love affair- Hot and Spicy event on Suganya's blog- Tasty Palettes.

My Legume Love affair is a fantastic monthly blog event started by Susan- The Well Seasoned Cook. Do visit the past entries for tons of wonderful recipes with lentils and legumes.

Thanks Suganya for hosting the Sixth Helping!

And on en ending note -Wishing you all a Sweet and Spicy New Year! :)

From the streets of New York

2008-05-24T18:05:00.002-05:00

Chocolate dipped bananas, strawberries and marshmellows...

Rajashtan on a platter

2008-05-14T20:10:00.006-05:00

"kesariya balam, aao ni padharo mhare des..."

My bestest friend S hails from Rajashtan :). She is a marawari jain and though her family has been residing in Mumbai for the past many years, her love for "Marwar" is more than intact. Nobody can miss the passion and excitement with which she talks about everything that is Rajasthan - colorful turbans and the kalidar ghagras in bandhani and leheriya prints, traditional silver jewellery, the havelis of jodhpur, pretty princesses and the valor of rajputana....so exotic!

I did get a taste of this exotic land and its myriad cuisine during my college study tour. Its been more than 8 years, yet it all seems so fresh in my mind. Dal Bati dinner in the middle of the desert, lunch thalis with 5-6 varieties of vegetables, moong wadas and delicious thick rabdis for breakfast ...mmmmm I loved it all. And the two things which always made Rajasthani food experience extra special : Lots of Ghee and manuhar or manvar. :)

So here I present my entry fro RCI Rajasthan- A simple platter consisting of two Rajasthani Jain favorites - Panchmela Dal and Sev Tamatar ki Tari.

Panchmela Dal, Basmati Rice,Sev Tamatar ki Tari, Mirchi Pickle and Papad

Panchmela Dal

1/3 cup Toovar dal
1/3 cup Chana dal
1/3 cup Split Moong dal (green)
1/3 cup Split Urad dal with chilka
1/3 cup Whole Moong dal
Chilly powder
Turmeric powder (haldi)
Dhania jeera powder
Garam masala
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
Cumin seeds
Amchur powder
Tamarind pulp
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
Salt
2 green chilies slit
Ghee

1.) Wash the dals and pressure cook them in 4 cups of water till completely cooked

2.) In a bowl combine the chilly powder, haldi, dhania jeera and garam masala and some water to make a paste

3.) Heat ghee in a kadhai and add jeera seeds, bay leaves, cloves. When the jeera starts to splutter add hing and cur green chilies. Now add the masala paste and fry for 1-2 minutes

4.) Add the cooked dals, amchur powder, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add water as needed.

4.)Garnish with cilantro and dry red chilies. Add a drizzle of ghee before serving..

Sev Tamatar ki Tari

2-3 Tomatoes chopped
Green chilies
Jeera (cumin seeds)
Red chilly powder
Turmeric
Dhania jeera powder
Asafetida
Sev (a thicker kind)
Ghee

1.) Heat some ghee in a pan, add jeers seeds. When the jeera starts to splutter add the hing, green chilies, turmeric and red chilly powder and chopped tomatoes

2.)Once the tomatoes are semi cooked and soft add salt and dhania jeera. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes are completely cooked.

3.)Mix the sev to the curry right before serving.

This is for S and her wonderful family - thanks for everything. Love you..:D

Simple Comforts

2008-05-07T20:25:00.003-05:00

Dahi Bhaat

(Yogurt mixed with Rice, tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves and Urad Dal )

Serve at room temperature, topped with lots of fresh cilantro

Kachi Dabeli

2008-05-01T17:11:00.009-05:00

Dabheli! One of my most favorite street food. Living away from home during my student days I literally survived on Dabeli, Vada Pav, Ragda pattis and all sorts of (not so) junk food. There is a street in Nashik ( Sharanpur road ) which used to turn into an ultimate street side food bazaar after 6.00 in the evening. (Now they have stopped allowing vendors..:( ), bustling with activity with Carts selling everything from Bhurji pav to Indian Chinese and the oh so delicious Pista kulfi!

There were two carts which we frequented the most. A sandwich cart selling desi style grilled sandwich loaded with veggies (Boiled Potatoes, capsicum, cucumbers), Green chutney,cheese and topped with thin sev and cut onions. Ah! always so tasty and satisfying. The other was the Dabeli stall. Both these were owned by a group of Marwari brothers who knew us so well that many a times they allowed us to eat at their stalls on credit! An Amul Dabheli would cost 5 rupees. But whenever we had some extra money on hand, we loved indulging in the Rs. 7.5 Cheese Dabheli! And I remember always asking for more grated cheese on mine...

Those were the days..:)

So basically I had to had to make Dabeli to satisfy my street food cravings here in the US. And Here is the quick recipe I used:

Boil potatoes and mash them fine. Add Salt, red pepper ,finely cut cilantro and green chillies to the potatoes. Heat some oil in a kadhai and add the potato mixture and Kachi Dabeli masala to the potato mixture . I used "Rajesh Dabeli Masala" (available in larger Indian stores) . Set aside.

Cut Pavs (dinner rolls) in halves. On a girdle, heat some butter and heat the rolls till they turn brown on both sides. Apply Tamarind sauce (I used Maggi Tamarina) on one side of the pav. Fill in the potato mixture. Add some chopped onions, peanuts and pomegranate seeds. Top it all with a generous amount of grated cheese. Eat hot!

One bite, and everything came back to me- the glorious days of architecture school, the submission nightmares, late night movies, 2.00 AM bhurji pav, triples on Kinetic, chai ki tapri and yes! the twice a week Dabeli Dinners..

And the best part, I did not have to check my pockets to eat more than One.:)

Click Au Naturel : Earthly Delight

2008-04-21T21:29:00.037-05:00

"Vakda tikda hathi pai nakha,

vedya aala re aala"

As a kid I remember my grandpa asking us to solve this riddle (in marathi), the answer to which is hidden in the riddle itself. :D. Here is my best shot at translating it in English:

"crooked n twisted,with nails on it's numerous hands and feet,
oh! fool it's here, it's here"

The answer ofcourse is Ginger

"Ala" or "Aalay" in Marathi has 2 meanings One: "(something's) here" and two: "ginger". :D

The above picture is my entry to the click it (Au Naturel) event hosted by Jugalbandi. Thanks Bee and Jai for such a wonderful event, I had fun writing this post..:D

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And here is a picture of Honey Ginger Tofu I made few weeks back taking tips from this recipe and one of those little recipe cards avalibale in the Publix vegetables section. Enjoy. :)

Home made Hummus with warm pita bread

2008-04-21T17:50:00.004-05:00

I used This simple recipe for Hummus from Happy Foody. Tasted yummy!

Paneer Jalfrezi...and New York here I come!!!

2007-09-05T19:49:00.000-05:00

Paneer - long rectangular pieces
Onions,Green Bell pepper, tomatoes ,Baby corn and green chillies - thin long slices
freshly grated ginger - abt 1 tsp
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
cumin seeds
red chilli powder
turmeric powder
Amchoor powder
salt to taste

Heat some oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds and saute' ginger garlic and onions until they turn brown. Add red chilli powder and turmeric. Add all the vegetables except tomatoes and stir fry for a while. Now mix in paneer pieces. Sprinkle salt and amchoor powder. Lastly add tomatoes when the rest of the vegetables are cooked semi soft. Stir well for a while on a low flame. Serve hot with Paranthas!!

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Going to New York for a vacation! Will return next Tuesday with lots of pictures.:)

राखी पूरणीमा की शुभ कामनायें

2007-08-27T20:37:00.000-05:00

My loving family and friends in India..to you all! Hope you had a colorful and flavorful Raksha Bandhan.
Wish we could celebrate it all together.
Best wishes
Vani and Chirayu

Both Chirayu and I were fasting on Monday (Narali Poornima and Shravani Somvar). We celebrated the auspicious day by savoring this simple yet very special "Sing Batata ni Khichdi" with Yogurt and a side of fresh fruits. This is a Gujrati recipe similar to upaaschi batata bhaji made in Marathi households.

Sing Batata ni Khichdi

Here is the quick recipe - Courtesy my Mom-in-law:)

Boil Potatoes and cut them in small cubes. Heat some Ghee in a pan and add jeera seeds. Once the Jeera starts to splutter, add finely cut green chillies and grated ginger. Mix well.Now add the boiled potatoes and red chili powder. Grind roasted peanuts in a blender with a tsp of sugar. Let the Daanya cha Koot - (ground peanut powder) remain a little coarse. Add this to the potatoes along with some salt. Cook the potato-peanut mixture some more uncovered till the potatoes start turning brown and a little crispy. Turn off the flame and add fresh lemon juice. Serve hot with dahi or chaas.

Royal Rajma Masala

2007-08-27T17:37:00.000-05:00

Rajma Masala (Adapted from this recipe posted by Asha on Foodieshope)

Sundays are special!

Sunday is one day of the week when I love to indulge in some elaborate cooking:). After a busy work week and a Saturday designated for Groceries-Cleaning-Laundry and all other big-small errands comes the Super-Sunday:). Waking up every Sunday to a bright clean house and a kitchen full of fresh supplies, is one of the most awaited and cherished part of my week, and hence calls for a special meal :)

The menu for this Sunday was the classic combination of Rajma - Chawal. I added a few shahi spices suggested by Asha to my usual rajma recipe, and wow! that did make our meal royal:)

The basics:

1/2 cup rajma (red kidney beans) soaked overnight and cooked in plenty of water
1/2 cup of tomato puree
1 small onion finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves minced
Grated Ginger
2 small green chillies
Fresh cilantro
Salt
Chilli powder
Turmeric

The works:

Jeera (Cumin seeds)
Meere (Black peppercorns)
Saunf (Fennel seeds)
Dalchini( Cinnamon)
Tejpatta (Mace)
Elaichi (Cardamom)
Amcoor powder( Dry mango powder)
Garam Masala
Laung (Cloves)

Heat some oil in a Kadhai. Add 1/2 tsp of Jeera , when the seeds start to splutter add the green chillies, ginger garlic and onions. Fry for a minute or two and add all the masalas. Saute' some more till the onions turn reddish brown. Now add the tomato puree and mix well. Cover the pan for some time , so that the tomato onion paste retains the aroma of all the spices. Now add salt and fry till you see some oil separate out and smell the fresh aroma. Add the cooked kidney beans to this paste along with the left over water in the cooker. Mash some beans with a wooden laddle , this makes the Gravy thick and creamy.Cover and let cook for 5-10 minutes.,add more water as needed.Slow down the flame and add 1-2 spoonsfull whole milk. Mix well. Garnish with cream and Cilantro.Serve with fresh Basmati rice. Enjoy!

Rajma Chawal with a side of Aloo matar and a glass of spiced buttermilk- Our Sunday Lunch

Khichadi che Thalipeeth

2007-08-25T16:02:00.000-05:00

End of a week and I came home to an empty fridge. hmm..apart from the usual drinks and preserves,the only other thing in there was a bowl full of left over moong dal Khichdi which we had the day before. I had almost made up my mind to reheat it, add some fresh tempering, and serve it with some raita, but on closer inspection, the khichadi seemed too sticky n lumpy to recook. Thats when I decided to give it a complete makeover, and was born the"Khichadi thalipeeth":). It turned out something like a cross of missi roti and thalipeeth. Delicious and satisfying.

Here is the quick recipe :

1) Knead left over khichadi with some wheat flour (atta), gram flour (besan), salt, turmeric , chiili powder and oil. For the extra zing I added some amchoor powder, ajwain and saunf to the mix.You could use any mix ox masalas. ( add water as needed)

2) Divide the dough into small balls. Roll out the balls on a plastic sheet.

3.) Heat a pan and slowly turn the thalipeeth on to the pan. Allow it to properly cook on both sides, it will turn brown and slightly crispy ( add little oil on the sides as needed).

4.) Take it off the pan and enjoy hot with dahi n chutney of your choice:)

Veggie Fajita Quesadilla with spinach and corn rice

2007-08-19T18:44:00.002-05:00

Quick fix Mexican - My entry for the "Summer Express cooking event"

Things you will need:

Wheat/Flour Tortillas
Can of fried beans ( I used a mix of Black beans, Pinto beans and Red kidney beans)
Kraft mexican grated cheese mix
One small onion
1/2 Bell pepper
Olive oil
Butter
Black pepper
Salt

Procedure:

1.) Prepare the Fajita mix ( 5-8 minutes)

In a skillet heat 1/2 tbsp o olive oil and 1/2 tbsp of butter. Saute' onions and green bell peppers ( sliced in thin long strips). Heat until the onions become translucent. Sprinkle freshly grounded black pepper and salt. Mix well and keep aside.Meanwhile also slightly warm the beans(1-2 mins) in the microwave.

Fajita mix - saute'd onions and bell peppers

2.) Assemble the Quesadilla( 5 minutes)

heat a little butter on a flat pan. place the tortilla and heat it till it starts getting a bit crisp. sprinkle cheese generously on one half of the tortilla, then spread the beans and the fajita mix. Add some more cheese and then fold the Tortilla in half. Heat the Tortilla on both sides till the cheese melts. Place carefully in a plate and cut into wedges using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.

Cheeeezyyy huh??

3. ) Relish the cheesy delight with a side of chips and salsa.
I also stir fried left over rice with spinach and corn to complete the meal. (8-10 mins). It took me close to 20 mins. to prepare the meal, but believe me we ate it all in less than 10!Enjoy...:)

Veggie Quesadilla and spinach fried rice

Craving for fresh ???

2007-08-17T10:53:00.000-05:00

Quick tossed salad

Toss together tomatoes, cumumbers, bell peppers, black olives, cilantro and some peanuts in a large bowl with some olive oil, dash of lemon , salt and pepper. Serve chilled. tastes Delightful

Lady's Fingers if you please!

2007-04-18T18:20:00.000-05:00

Finally I get some time to blog after a busy week at work. The weekend was well spent though watching movies, lazing around and catching up with friends :)

I made Bhindi Fry on Friday and intended to post it as my entry to Nupur's L of Indian vegetables, but never got to doing it on time. Still I am contended with the fact that I actually cooked something on a Friday night. Blogging has its own advantages for lazy bums like me:)

Here is a delicious way of cooking Okra/Lady's Fingers/Bhindi dry. Amchoor powder is the magic ingredient in this recipe, which gives the bhindi a tangy twist. This dish goes very well as a side with Dal and Rice.

You need :
1 onion finely chopped
25-30 Okra sliced length wise
Ginger grated
cumin seeds
amchur powder
garam masala
red chilli powder
salt to taste
oil

To make Bhindi Fry

Heat some oil in a skillet and add cumin seeds and grated ginger. Once the seeds start spluttering add the chopped onions and fry until golden brown.Add the Garam Masala, Amchoor Powder and Salt. Mix the spices well and add the sliced bhindi. Mix lightly and cover the lid. Cook well with occasional stirring. Make sure that the Masala does not stick to the pan. Once fully cooked,let the Bhindi cool for a while. Serve as a side with Dal Chawal.

Weekend Brunch-Toad in the Hole

2007-04-08T12:23:00.000-05:00

This recipe is a prefect solution to our weekend brunch crisis when there is nothing substantial remaining in the fridge except the box of eggs, and also when I am too lazy to prepare anything elaborate. Otherwise also I love eggs for breakfast. I learned this recipe from my dear friend Ellen and found a very interesting alternative to omelettes and boiled eggs. Chirayu mastered this recipe long before I did( He is just so much more patient than I am).Its a very quick and easy no mess recipe and does not even require any utensils other than the frying pan. (whoaa! No pots, knives or cutting board)

Here is how to make it:
Take a bread slice and carve out a hole in the middle. ( I use a small katori/vati with sharp edges).Heat some butter in a pan and fry the bread slice till golden brown. Now crack open an egg in the central hole.It looks like one small floating yellow toad :)

Season with salt, pepper and red chilli powder. Let the bread and egg cook properly on a low flame. Whenever I tried to make this in a haste,the yellow remained uncooked. Now I have learned to be patient while cooking:).Once one side is properly cooked and the bread and egg are firmly set together, flip the slice.

Meanwhile also fry the bread hole till golden brown. (In the original recipe you just discard these bread circles, but I hate wasting food and found a better use for these). When both sides of the bread are cooked and set,top it with a slice of cheese and the golden brown bread circle. This is how it looks when done. (Here served with tomato ketchup and spicy potato chips).
Ah! a perfect start for my weekend :)

Kicking off with K..!!

2007-04-07T20:53:00.000-05:00

K is for Kumbh Pulao

I never considered Kumbh or Mushroom a 'real' vegetable back in India. I used to love them on the tomato mushroom pizzas at Nirulas. (One of those occasional royal treats out, long before we got Pizza Hut, or any other real Pizza chains.), but that was about it. Clearly Mushrooms were never a part of my aai's or aaji's home cooking. Even living in Delhi, they always stuck to the usual gilki ( ridge gourd), bhopla( pumkin), vange(Eggplants) type of vegetables ( I hated all of these as a kid) apart from the usual aloo gobhi bhindi etc.

I started experimenting with Mushrooms only after coming to the US, after a friend here gave me a recipe for kumbh matar malai. It came out pretty decent actually. Well Mushrooms are still not a part of my weekly grocery list, but I use them more often now .

I got this very easy and quick recipe for Mushroom Pulav at Recipe Junction.I changed it a bit to make use of all the vegetables I had - my entry for K of Indian vegetables on Nupur's blog.

Ingredeients ( For 2 to 4):

Basmati Rice ( 1 cup)
1 Pack of Mushrooms
1 Onion(thin slices)
Grated ginger ( about 1 Tbsp)
Fresh Garlic chopped ( 2 cloves)
1 capsicum sliced into thin strips
1 carrot( small round thin slices)
2 green chillies

fresh tomato puree ( medium sized tomato)

1Tbsp Soy sauce
Pepper powder
Jeera seeds
Red chilly powder
Salt to taste
Olive/vegetable oil

Soak Basmati rice in water for half an hour. Cook the rice and keep it aside.
Heat 1 tsp of oil and add the cumin seeds. After the seeds start spluttering, add the green chilies, ginger and garlic. Fry for some time and add the onions. Add the rest of the vegetables and soy sauce after the onions turn golden brown. Once the vegetables are semi cooked, add the tomato paste, mushrooms, pepper powder and salt. Cover the pan and let everything cook for a while. On a slow flame add the cooked rice and mix well. Kumbh Pulav is ready to serve.

We had it with Boondi Raitha and Lemonade, quite a hearty meal after a busy day at work :)

Inspired ..

2007-03-25T15:25:00.000-05:00

I have been visiting a lot of food blogs lately. All of them are just fantastic!, special in their own way..Delicious descriptions, mouth watering pictures served with interesting tales and tit bits ..

Thanks to all the food bloggers out there, I too am set to" Spice " up my usual work-home -work routine.Lets see how far I can take this venture...