Thandai Yogurt Panna Cotta with Rose syrup....Holi Special

With the most major and vibrant festival of India round  the corner the Indian blogosphere is buzzing with delicacies.Yes ,I am talking about the festival of colours Holi, the festival of sharing love, the festival of fun and frolic.The use of colours symbolises the prosperous and colourful spring after the winter. Its a joyous celebration of the rejuvenation of nature, of happiness and peaceful coexistence.

This festival overcomes the barrier of language, caste and creed and portrays love and brotherhood. Smearing of colours on each other's faces, throwing water filled balloons, dousing buckets of coloured water on each other, music, dance, loads of sweets and of course the Holi special Bhaang and Thandai is what this festival is all about.

Thandai is a very popular drink of North India served during Mahashivratri and Holi. Its a cold drink prepared from a mixture of almonds, watermelon seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, pepper, vetiver seeds, rose petals, saffron, milk and sugar. Its taken in chilled form and is terrific when the temperatures soar and cools you down, as the name suggests. Thandai is available off the shelves in the form of powder or paste or else can be prepared at home and stored.

The 31st Foodie Monday Bloghop Theme is Thandai special and Fusion. I love the racking of my brains when the word fusion crops up in the food world. And after quite a bit of nerve wrecking thinking about what our guests would love to gorge on after playing Holi in the piercing, scorching

 heat of Goa, I finally zeroed down on a chilled Yogurt Panna Cotta flavoured with Thandai with a rose syrup drizzle on top.Yogurt, Thandai and Rose, all have cooling properties  and I am sure this platter of chilled dessert is going to soothe their system as well as give a stylish fusion touch to my Holi buffet table.

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert prepared by cooking cream, sugar and gelatine. I have used Greek yogurt in the recipe with a little cream which gives a nice creamy texture to it and the addition of Thandai gives a spicy edge to it because of the pepper present in the Thandai and the cooling rose syrup imparts the desired amount of sweetness.The garnish of pistachios, almonds and saffron with fresh rose petals gives the Italian Panna Cotta a gorgeous Indian look. I have used store brought Thandai paste but for making at home, the best Thandai powder recipe is available in my talented friend Alka's Blog Culinary Xpress.

Ingredients
 ( serves 4,in small ramekins)
For the Panna Cotta
7 fl oz Cream
10 oz Greek Yogurt/ Hung Yogurt
3 Tbsp  Fine Sugar
1 Tbsp  Gelatine
1/4 C hot water
1/4 C Thandai Paste,store brought
For the Garnish
4 tbsp Rose Syrup ,store brought
A handful almonds and pistachios,chopped
A few strands of saffron
A few Fresh rose petals or dehydrated rose petals

Method

• For the Panna Cotta mix the gelatin with the hot water properly till no lumps remain and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed saucepan gently heat the cream with sugar over low flame just enough for the sugar to dissolve, stirring all the time.
• Remove from heat and add the gelatin mixture and mix till incorporated, set aside for cooling for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile loosen the thick yogurt with a whisk in a bowl.
• Once cool add the cream mixture and the Thandai paste to the yogurt and whisk gently together.
• Now pour the cool creamy yogurt mix in ramekins evenly filling them up,cover them with cling film and refrigerate for 5-6 hours to set properly.
• For plating the Panna  Cotta, dip each ramekin in warm water for a minute and invert it onto a serving plate .
• Add a few drops of water to the rose syrup if you feel it's very thick and drizzle on the Panna cotta.
• Serve garnished  with slivered almonds,pistachios,saffron strands and rose petals.

This version of Panna Cotta can also be made in individual glasses, garnished and served.
Other than this fusion Panna Cotta I have Pomegranate Jelly and vanilla Yogurt Panna Cotta and Poached Peach and vanilla Panna Cotta recipes in my blog.

Enjoy the heavenly fusion dessert and a happy vibrant Holi to you all!

Chocolate swirled Banana Loaf as my first entry for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop

Chocolate and banana make one amazing combination and to die for. And when I got to know the theme for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop as Microwave cooking I knew I had to bake this cake which was on my to do list since long.Starting from this Monday I am a part of this talented group of food bloggers who have included me in their group and I am one of the privileged few.This is the 30th Foodie Monday Blog Hop and the theme is Microwave cooking which includes not only cooking in Microwave mode but in Grill, Convection and Combination mode too.

There is something genuinely very therapeutic about baking.Whenever I am feeling low I turn to baking and have always felt the erratic negative energy fade away. Basically it is constructive and helps to focus and it's impossible to describe the immense amount of satisfaction that I get seeing my own creations.

This Chocolate swirled Banana Loaf had been in my mind for ages since the time I saw it in At the corner of Happy and Harried .Just one look at the chocolate and banana treat is enough to say that it won't stay in the cake tin for long. Its a nice way to use the ripe bananas sitting on the kitchen counter. Its a lovely teatime cake and perfect for picnics too.

 This marbled chocolate banana loaf has zero butter and the addition of oil and buttermilk keeps it moist and soft and makes it comparatively healthy.I doubled the measurements to make some swirled cupcakes in addition to the loaf for my little one's lunch box.I am planning to pipe the cupcakes with ganache next time I bake these for my children's tea parties once the holidays set in.

Ingredients
1 3/4 C. All purpose flour
2  large Eggs
1/2 C Safflower ,Canola or any refined Oil
1/3 C Buttermilk
1 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1C  2-3 Mashed Bananas
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3 Tbsp Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Method

• Turn on the microwave to Convection mode.Adjust the temperature to 170 deg C.Pre heat the oven to this temperature and grease a loaf pan and line with a parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, soda and salt together in a bowl and keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl beat the eggs,oil and buttermilk together till well mixed and creamy.
• Add the mashed bananas, brown sugar and vanilla and mix till combined.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients to the batter and mix till just combined.
• Remove 1/3 rd of the batter in a different bowl and mix the cocoa powder with it and mix well.
• Pour spoonfuls of both the batters alternately in a loaf pan and with the help of a skewer or knife make a few swirls along the batter making sure to go down till the base of the pan.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or till a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Am sending this delightful chocolate swirled banana loaf to the 30th Foodie Monday Blog Hop for the Microwave Cooking Theme.

And to Sarah of Maison Cup Cake and Helen of Casa Costello for their weekly event Bake Of the Week.

Perfect Snickers Brownies

One more year has passed away into history and how time flies just right by you. The last few years have been a blur, like a whirlwind ...moments have just rushed past.The beautiful moments in life always accelerate  and you want to grasp it and hold on to it as long as possible.

My kids are growing up so fast..the elder one has already shot past me and the younger one is growing out of my lap.Soon will be facing the empty nest syndrome and am already dreading it.If only we could have a time machine and we can go back to spend some precious times with our children.I know I will pay anything to have another day with my kids when they were babies.

And during one of those gloomy days,pondering over my thoughts I baked these gooey, chewy,moist,heavenly brownies layered with snickers for my babies.This was sitting in my drafts since a month and what better day than today...my first post of a brand new year, my favourite and the perfect chocolate brownie.My perfect brownie is chewy in the sides and fudgy in the middle.The added melted chocolate makes these brownies more dense ,rich and chocolatey.The addition of snickers to the batter takes it to a different level altogether.You can personalise it by adding candies,nuts or chocolate chips but the basic brownie recipe remains the same which gives a perfect
shiny,crackly top.

You Require
2/3 C all purpose Flour
1/3 C cocoa powder
10 tbsp butter,unsalted
4 oz chopped dark chocolate
02 Eggs
1 1/4 C ground sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g x2 snickers bar,chopped

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.Line a square 8x8 inch pan or a rectangular 13 x5 inch pan with a greased parchment paper for easy removal of the brownies.
• In a bowl whisk the flour and cocoa powder together.
• On a double boiler melt the butter,add the sugar and chopped chocolate and whisk till smooth.The mixture will be grainy.Remove from heat and let it cool till lukewarm .
• Add the eggs to the lukewarm chocolate mixture and beat with a hand mixer in medium speed for 1 minute,add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
• Add the whisked dry ingredients to the mixture and beat for 2-3 minutes in medium speed,this is necessary for the perfect brownie recipe.
• Add the chopped snickers to the batter and mix with a spatula.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or till a toothpick comes out with little crumbs stuck to it.
• Cut into squares when cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy the dense,chewy,fudgy brownies with chunks of snickers in between.
These brownies are going to Helen of Casa Costello for her baking event Bake of the week.

Mung sprouts Poha/ Flattened rice with green gram sprouts

It's a constant challenge for me to churn out a different, tasty,nutritious and well presented breakfast option without repeating every single day for my kids.Kids get bored of food so fast.And breakfast being the important meal of the day is needed for health and mental well being both for adults and children.

During one of those mornings when I hadn't decided what to make for the kids' lunchbox the previous night,these sprouted green mung came to my rescue.As I opened the fridge in the morning groggy eyed after a late night ,these bright green sprouts peeped from the shelves invitingly giving me an instant idea to use them in a nutritious combination with beaten rice or Poha.The Eureka moment worked and the combo was a hit with the kids,the lunch boxes came back polished clean.

Green gram sprouts are always readily found in my pantry as I use them in salad,Upma,poha,pulaos etc.The humble sprouted mung beans are nutritional powerhouses And are a favourite because of their ease and taste.Low calorie and high in vitamin C these can be used in burger patties,for making stews or a easy one pot casserole with mixed veggies.

I am sending this healthy and delicious breakfast to Sadhna 's event My Legume Love Affair and Srivalli's event Come, Join us for breakfast.

You Require  ( 2 Servings)
1C Poha or flattened Rice
1/2 C Sprouted Green Gram or Mung
1/4 C Peanuts
1/2 fresh lime
1 medium Onion , chopped
1 green chilli,chopped
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 -2 tbsp refined oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp fresh coriander ,chopped( optional)

Method

• Wash the flattened Rice in a big strainer making sure not to wash it too much as the rice tends to break and let the water drain out.Add salt and lime juice to it and keep aside.
• Steam the sprouts in a microwave for 2 mins .
• In a pan or wok heat the oil,add the peanuts and fry them till done,when they start crackling  add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them splutter.
• Add the chopped onions and chillies and fry till transparent, now add the sprouts and turmeric and sauté for a minute.
• Lastly add the poha or flattened rice on low flame and mix till the turmeric gets incorporated properly and the poha looks yellow uniformly.
• Add the coriander and cover it and switch off the flame.
• Uncover after 2 minutes and serve.
• Enjoy with a cup of ginger tea.

A minty avocado,watermelon and a feta salad

Whether it's indulging in a third large cup of coffee ,an extra slice of pizza in lunch ,too much beer in Tuesdays Happy Hours or just binging to your hearts content during the festive season,the result is the same.You feel like crap afterwards.The more you eat in excess the more emptier you feel.

After the larger than life Indian festivities which revolve a lot around tempting delicacies and mindless eating it's time to detox now with some recipes screaming health.Its a good time to cleanse your body of the toxins with the Christmas air setting in,much reason to eat,shop and be merry ....again!!

Dietary detox is basically eliminating certain foods, avoiding alcohol and caffeine and loading up on fresh fruits, veggies and juices.Sometimes it results in weight loss and increased energy. Starting your
meals with a salad helps you to attain weight loss and reap many health benefits too.

Salads are a meal in itself or accompaniment to a meal.The word Salad itself sounds so healthy...light,quick and easy to digest.But a salad can turn treacherous if we top it up with creamy,cholesterol laden dressings and fatty high calorie mix ins.


This refreshing Avocado watermelon feta salad not only screams health but is tasty too and the mint leaves impart a fresh minty flavour to it.The dressing is lime juice,seasonings and a drizzle of olive oil which is essential fats and is needed by the body to absorb nutrients from the salad.

This salad is being shared with Lisa of Lisa' s kitchen and Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes for their blog event No Croutons Required this month.

03 Servings
You require

01  large Avocado,peeled and diced
01 long Cucumber,peeled and diced
01 C watermelon,diced
01 medium Tomato,diced
01 small red onion,sliced thin
100 gms Feta cheese,cubed
2 tbsp ,fresh mint leaves,chopped
1/2 C pomegranate kernels
Juice of 01 Lime
Extra virgin Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• In a large bowl ,add all the ingredients except the lime,olive oil and the seasonings.
• Squeeze the lime juice on the top, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper .
• Stir gently and serve.

Applesauce spice bundt cake with a brown sugar glaze

A busy week of Diwali festivities and excitement and then the sudden lull ....schools have reopened with the elder one s exams starting today,and the little ones sports day practices.So back to the monotonous humdrum life with lunchbox preparations,dirty laundry,healthy menu plan, homework, etc.

Thanks to the blog and my blogger friends ,have something to look forward to every single day.Checking out the food posts with my morning cup of tea has become my favourite time of the day.

Took quite a long break for Diwali as it was quite hectic with squadron coming home and my eccentric streak making me prepare every single delicacy at home.But theres a different kind of satisfaction when you see the pleasure on people's faces while gorging on the dish prepared by you.

Finally my break ended today when I remembered that it was Monday and time to send my weeks baking to the weekly baking event held by Helen of Casa Costello.

Last week my fruit basket was overflowing with apples and my girls were busy gorging on the sweets of the festivities.Before the apples got spoilt I decided to make apple sauce and freeze it  and made a applesauce cake with spices and drizzled home made brown sugar glaze on it.You can refer to my Home made Apple Sauce recipe here.If spice is your thing you will love this moist and spicy cake.The lemon zest in the cake brightens the flavour of the cake and the delicious brown sugar glaze gives a nice edge to it.

You Require

For the Cake
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground all spice ( substitute with  ground 1/2 tsp cinnamon,cloves nutmeg each)
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C unsalted butter( room temp)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 large eggs ,room temperature
3/4 C ground sugar2/3 C  brown sugar
1C applesauce
1 big Apple ,peeled and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C walnuts or pecans chopped( optional)

For the brown sugar glaze
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar ,packed
3 tbsp heavy cream
3/4 C powdered sugar or icing sugar,sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C,grease a 9 " pan bundt or tube pan and dust it with flour .
• Sift the flour,salt,baking soda and all spice and Add the pecans if using and keep it aside.
• Beat the butter and lemon zest with an electric mixer till smooth and creamy.
• Add the sugar gradually and blend it well with the mixer,add the brown sugar and beat till smooth.
• Now add the eggs one at a time and beat well till well blended.
• Add the chopped apples and vanilla and blend with mixer speed low.
• Finally with the mixer speed low or medium add the flour/ nut mix in 3 additions and the applesauce in 2 additions starting and ending with the flour.Mix just until incorporated .
• Spoon the mixture into the bundt pan,level the top and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 mins or till a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 mins and add the glaze when the cake is still warm,so invert the cake carefully onto a rack so that it doesn't break.
• For the glaze,melt the butter with the brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat.
• Add the heavy cream and cook till it comes to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the sugar in two additions whisking constantly.
• Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth.
• If it is too runny ,add some more icing sugar and if it's too thick add little cream.
• It should be of pouring consistency and hardens fast,pour the glaze on the warm cake quickly and let it drip naturally down the sides.
• Enjoy the moist,spicy cake with a cup of tea.

A Lemon Bundt Cake with a lemon frosting

Well,when life throws you lemons...No! I didn't make lemonade ...I baked a cheery, fluffy, lemon Bundt cake instead.My bday and committee meeting of the NGO that I do voluntary work for coincided and I was expected to bake a cake for the members.And  tried and tested the perfect tea time cake was this Lemony cake apt for a summertime get together and a truly delicious recipe.

The double dose of lemon juice and zest in the cake and in the frosting makes it tart and zingy.Not to miss out the aroma of the cake baking which welcomed my kids back from school and the look on their faces when they realised it wasn't meant for them...for a second I thought I was the worst mom in the world. 

This recipe is an adaptation from my favourite baking site Joy of Baking and not a single recipe from this website has gone wrong till date.There's a list of lemon recipes in my to do list..a lemon blueberry cake and a key lime cheesecake are my next experiments.Afew things to remember before we start baking this cake.

• Always buy lemons which are fragrant and have nice, oily, yellow skin without any blemishes and spots or are hard and wrinkly.Microwave the lemons for 10 secs if you have taken out straight from the fridge..this ensures enough juice from the lemons.
• While removing or grating the zest do not remove the white membrane or the pith as it tastes bitter and will affect the taste of the cake.
• Drizzle the frosting on the cake while the cake is a little bit warm...that helps the cake in soaking the frosting and gives a crusty glaze and nice crunch to the cake.

You Require

2 C all purpose Flour

1C  granulated Sugar

1C butter,room temperature and unsalted

04 large eggs,room temperature 

1/4 C lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt

 Zest of 1 large lemon,the outer yellow skin

For the Frosting

1C confectioners or icing sugar,sifted

2-4 tbsp lemon juice

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180 deg C,grease a 9 inch bundt pan or springform pan and line it with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour ,baking powder,salt and whisk it with the lemon zest.
• Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy for about 3-4 minutes with a electric mixer.
• Add the eggs one by one..the mixture might curdle which is normal.add the vanilla extract and mix well.
• Add the flour mixture with the lemon juice alternately ,flour in three additions and lemon juice in two additions mixing till you have a smooth batter
• Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 mins or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.Do not over bake  otherwise the cake becomes dry.
• Cool for 15 mins and unmould it to pour the frosting while the cake is still a little warm.
• Add 2tbsp of lemon juice with the sifted icing sugar and mix to get a smooth and thick glaze.
• Add more juice or sugar as needed.
• Pour it on the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.
• Let the frosting dry before you cut and store the cake.This cake can be stored for several days in an airtight container.

Enjoy the delightful,moist,zingy cake and remember me:)!
I am sending this Cake as an entry for Casa Costellos event Bake of the week.

Kadali Chakuli..eggless whole wheat banana pancakes...Odiya recipe with a contemporary touch.

I have very fond memories of these pancakes or mitha chakuli as known in Odisha ,my native state.A very common breakfast back home made with overripe bananas ,wheat flour ,milk and sugar.This is a simpler banana version of chakuli.My Aai( maternal grandmother) used to make loads of these when we visited her place.Her death was the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with.This post takes me back to those sweet days of my childhood.She would delight in piling up a large plate with those delicious banana pancakes and the plate would get polished off within minutes.Now my children savour these healthy,moist,fluffy pancakes in their breakfast or in their lunchbox.The authentic recipe asks for aniseed as a taste enhancer but my kids love the cinnamon version.I give a twist to the pancakes by cooking in a panniyaram pan which gives a ball shape ,fluffy inside and nice and crispy outside.I am sending these pancakes to Srivalli's Breakfast Event.


You require
1C whole wheat flour
1 big overripe banana
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1 C milk or enough to mix it to a thick flowing consistency
1/2 tsp aniseed (saunf)/ cinnamon powder(dalchini)/cardamom powder(elaichi)
2-3 tsp refined oil for shallow frying

Method
Mash the banana in a bowl.
Add the sugar ,wheat flour and aniseed to the banana.
Now add the milk gradually while whisking till a thick flowing consistency.
Pour a ladle full of batter on a heated non stick pan with a little oil on medium heat .
Flip the pancake when it is browned on one side and cook till the other side has brown spots on it.
Serve with a pancake syrup or honey drizzled on it.

Carrot Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been baking cakes since my college days and those days vanilla cakes were a hit and that too in a basic round electric oven which was ubiquitous to every baking household .I stuck to vanilla and chocolate till I got married and all the time thinking of myself as a baking queen. When I entered into the baking arena with a hand mixer and OTG and few sophisticated foreign author cake books I discovered that there was a world of cakes that I had never ventured into.Since then I haven't looked back,baked cakes after cakes  and have carved a place for myself as an expert baker baking from simple pound cakes to towering layer cakes.My passion for baking has made me bake at 1 in the night too and savouring a warm ,fluffy piece before retiring to bed.There is nothing like the taste of a cake you make in your own kitchen.Measure your ingredients properly, mix it with lots of love and bake it with utmost care ...that's my secret to a perfect cake.Here is my favourite Carrot Cake recipe with a hint of walnuts and cinnamon and a tangy cream cheese frosting.Simple,Sweet,Moist and Flavourful...adapted from Joy of baking.

You Require:-

For the Cake
1 C All purpose flour
1 1/4 C grated raw carrots
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 C fine sugar
1/2 C refine oil( vegetable,canola or safflower)
1/2 C coarsely crushed walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

For the frosting
2 ounces unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1 C icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest.

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C
• Line a round 9 inch pan with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl with a electric mixer whisk eggs till frothy and then add sugar gradually  till the batter is pale and thick and then beat in the vanilla.
• Add the flour mix to the batter and mix till incorporated.
• 
  
• Add the grated carrots and walnuts and fold in with a spatula.
• Bake for 25-30 mins or till a toothpick in the centre comes out clean.
• For the frosting beat the butter with cream cheese with electric beater just until blended.
• Gradually add sifted icing sugar to the mix and beat on low speed until smooth.
• Lastly add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat.
• Spread the frosting on the cool cake and decorate with walnuts and refrigerate the leftovers.

P.S. Always ensure to sift your flour before measuring.


I am sending my entry to Bake of the week held by Helen of Casa Costello.

Entries for RCI Bengal

West Bengal is one of the Eastern states of India, the land of Ramakrishna Paramahansa,Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore,Amartya Sen...the list is endless, a state rich in cultural heritage, state teeming with people who are literary intellectuals, sports lovers, a place where India's quest for freedom began, a place which gave birth to number of modern movements in literature, painting, theatre, cinema, politics.

I always had this strange fascination for speaking bangla whenI was a kid as I found the language too sweet:)As I grew up I had lots of bengali friends and I made sure I talked to them in Bangla.Lady luck endowed her choicest blessings on me when I got married to Biplab, though he belonged to an oriya family but were settled in Bengal since generations.My joy knew no bounds when I found out that the whole household not only spoke bangla at home but the style of living, cooking,customs and traditions was a lot like bengalis.Since then it has been a beautiful experience learning and getting accustomed to bangla ranna and traditions....my dream come true:)

West bengal not only shares borders with Orissa but has cultural ,linguistic and culinary similarities too.The culinary similarities are the ingredients , the style of cooking , the same recipes with a little twist here and there.The common ingredients in cooking being Sorshe tel( mustard oil),paanch phoron( five spice mix),Poshto baata(poppyseed paste),Sorshe baata(mustard paste),extensive use of fish and prawns with different kinds of veggies and the different kinds of drool worthy sweet dishes which are unique to only these two states.My mom inlaw is an amazing cook and the credit goes to her in teaching me a few of the bengali dishes.

My entries for RCI Bengal hosted By Sandeepa of Bong Mom's Cook Book are Rui aloo phulkopi(carp fish cooked with cauliflower potao and peas),Moog Dal(split green gram cooked and tempered with cumin,bayleaf and red chillies) and Nikhuti Payesh(Cottage cheese Oblongs deep fried and served dipped in flavoured condensed milk.

).
Rui aloo phulkopi:
5-6 pcs of Carpor rui mach (normally red snapper or bhetki is used for this curry)
2 potatoes diced
1/4 cup green peas
1 small cauliflower cut into medium florets
1 large onion..ground to a paste
1 tomato diced or pureed
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp whole garam masala( 2 green cardamoms,2 -3 cloves,1"stick cinnamon)2-3 Bay leaves
1 tsp coriander pwdr,1 tsp garam masala,1/2 tsp cumin pwdr,1 tsp turmeric,1 tsp chilli pwdr
salt to aste
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 green chilli
Method:
1.Marinate the fish with turmeric(1/2 tsp),salt ,chilli pwdr( apinch) and lemon juice for 15- 20 mins.Shallow fry with 2 tbsp mustard oil till light brown.
2.Fry cauliflower and potatoes till half cooked,keep aside.
3.In the same pan add the rest of the oil add the sugar, caramelise on low heat, add the bay leaves and whole garam masala .
4. Add the onion and ginger paste ,fry till slightly brown.
5.Add all the masalas or spices except garam masala with little water and add with the tomatoes to the frying paste.Fry until the oil seperates from the masala.
6.Add the fried cauliflower and potatoes and1 cup water and salt.Cook covered for 10 mins or till the veggies are tender.
7.Add the fried fish and peas to the gravy and simmer for 5-8 mins.
8.Add the garam masala pwdr and garnish with coriander leaves and green chillies.
Moog Dal

100 g split green gram (moog dal) 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 dry chilli ½ tsp cumin 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp ghee ½ tsp sugar Salt to taste 1 tsp mustard oil

Method

1.Dry fry green gram in a pan. Wash and boil the fried green gram. 2.Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin, dry red chilli and bay leaf. 3.Saute till it splutters. 4.Add boiled green gram, turmeric powder, salt,sugar and water. 5.Boil for a few mins. 6.Add ghee and remove from heat. 7.Serve with hot rice. Nikuti Payesh:

500 gms Cottage Cheese(Channa)
1 lt milk
1 kg sugar
100gm flour
1/2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1 tsp ghee
2-3 black cardamom
4-5 sticks cinnamon
oil for deep frying
Method:
1.Knead well the cheese,flour,soda bicarb,cardamom and the ghee together.
2.Make small elongated balls out of the mixture and deep fry them till dark brown.
3.Boil the milk seperately with cinnamon and 4-5 tbsp sugar till it condenses.
4. Make a sugar syrup of one thread consistency from boiling water and the remaining sugar.
5.Immerse the fried oblong balls or nikhuties in the sugar syrup for 2 hrs.
6. Remove the balls with a strainer and dip in the boiled condensed milk.Serve after cooling.

Mixed dal or protein dosa

Dosa I am sure is an universal favourite, an authentic, south indian crepe or pancake which is served either plain or with a variety of delicious fillings.Its normally served with a bowl of tart sambhar and spicy chutneys.

During the initial years of my cooking experimentations I had a huge mental block for making dosas.All the processes involved like soaking,grinding,fermenting made it look like an uphill task for me.But my family's love for dosas won and today after all these years the dosa making process seems a miniscule project :)

There was a time when continuously for two months dosa was not made in my kitchen...can you guess the reason why?I forgot to soak the dal and rice every single night for two months :P can you believe this?That is when i felt the need to maintain a to-do list and started scheduling errands and tasks....that was the most productive way to complete them.This forgetfulness bug entered my mind when Mishti was few months old and I had to deal with a cluttered house, a never ending sleep deprivation,the e mails I needed to write,the phone calls I needed to return and top of that my hubby was out sailing in deep seas.I could barely remember the date or day,felt as if my brains were turning to mush,something which was entirely out of my control.During those hard times the simplicity of to- do lists made a tremendous difference in my upside down life.Oops! where is this leading to....from dosas to to-do list!

Back to those yummy crispy dosas.....this protein packed mixed dal dosa is one of my friend Chitraa's recipe who belongs to Kerala.Since the day I had it at her place it has been a regular in my kitchen too.This dosa is more or less like Adai ,the only difference is that this recipe has more rice and needs fermenting.

This mixed dal dosa goes to Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons for her Dosa mela.

You need:
1/4 cup tuvar dal or toor dal( pigeon peas)
1/4 cup urad dal(split black gram)
1/4 cup yellow moong dal(split green gram)
1/4 cup channa dal(yellow gram)
1 cup raw rice
1 cup boiled rice
5-6 black pepper
2-3 dry red chillies
a pinch hing(asofoetida)
1/2 tsp turmeric pwdr
1/4 cup oil or ghee(clarified butter)
salt to taste

Method:

1.Soak the dals (pulses) and rice in 2 seperate vessels for 5-6 hrs or overnight.Soak the red chillies and the whole black pepper with the dals.
2.Grind the soaked dal and rice the next day,add salt ,mix thoroughly and keep it in a warm place for 4-5 hrs so that the mixture ferments nicely.
3.Before making dosas add the asofoetida and turmeric pwdr and mix nicely. The hing or asofoetida helps in avoiding gases which normally attack because of the dals.
4. For making dosas the step by step recipe is here.
5.Serve the dosas with a chutney of your choice.
The chutneys in the plate have been adapted from the talented Sailu's kitchen.... tomato chutney and coriander curd chutney. She has a plethora of delicious Andhra delights in her blog.
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Cold Cranberry punch for MBP

I have been really busy these last few days with the coffee morning(the Indian navy ladies meetings) happening at one of my friends place as the CNS( Chief of Naval Staff) was in Moscow with his other half,the first lady of Indian Navy.When Sig extended the deadline for MBP, I heaved a sigh of relief but still submitting my entry at the last moment.
This Cranberry punch is from one of my favourites Asha's blog,Foodie's hope ...she is a great inspiration to all of us, a Super woman who wears the red 'S' all the time.....yes I do consider her that.She has a wonderful blog with mouthwatering,sumptuous recipes and has a kind word for every blogger and we all love her a lot:)

You need:
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2-3 strawberries hulled and sliced
1 lime thinly sliced
1 cup ginger ale or club soda
ice cubes
Method:
Combine all the juices,strawberries and lime and chill thoroughly.Just before serving add chilled ginger ale or club soda and ice cubes.Serve in a tall glass.



This goes to Sig of Live to eat who is guest hosting Monthly Blog Patrol.The event is a brainchild of Coffee of Spice cafe.

My naval friend Jaya who had hosted the coffee morning had an appetizing spread for the ladies meet and I could not stop myself from clicking pictures of the delectable fare to blog about.The NWWA(naval wives welfare association) had organized a traditional welcome for the first lady...after a long time we all ladies had draped ourselves in heavy silk sarees for the formal occasion.We all had a gala time interacting with each other and enjoyed the delicious
assortment.Jaya's pudding was somewhat like cheese cake and she had an anchor (symbol of Indian navy) made on it with pomegranates and pineapple and named it the Anchor pudding.Here are some food pictures of the event.

the table all laid out

Pear and Rum Souffle Omelette for WBB and AFAM

Nowadays my lunch and dinner menus are mostly based on the blog events.I had been warned by people that blogging is addictive and time consuming but no complaints ...I am enjoying every bit of it.Suddenly I discovered that there are so many facts about cooking that I am unaware of and wont forget to mention the excitement of finding a plethora of delectable delights so immaculately presented in the blogs and of course all the new faceless friends with a common passion of cooking with whom I have already started feeling connected:) Nowadays its a bliss to have my morning cup of tea logged onto Taste of India and checking out all the posts after Mishti and hubby leave for their respective destinations.
Today's post is about the entries for the fast approaching WBB -Healthy Breakfast and AFAM Pears .The common dish is Pear and rum souffle omlette where the rum is optional if you are making for children but with the rum its got a typical taste which I love.The dish is basically a well beaten sweet omelette with pears sauteed in rum as topping yummm.....the taste is divine the melt in the mouth kinds.
For Mansi of Fun and Food who is hosting WBB Balanced Breakfast this month I am sending this omelette with toast and a bowl of four cereal(wheat,oats ,barley,wholegrain rye) flakes cooked in milk and sugar and sprinkled with slivered almonds and a glass of fruit juice.I have included whole grains with milk, eggs, fruits in my breakfast , the whole grains being a source of dietary fiber,vitamins and minerals,eggs supplying the protein needed by your body and the pears which are full of strong health benefits.



This omelette also goes to Raaga of The Singing Chef who is hosting AFAM Pears this month.
Pears make good energy boosting snacks, a low calorie alternative and have vitamin C and copper which helps them to act as antioxidants.They are loaded with fiber and cancer preventing phytochemicals making them one of the best fruit choices.

For making Omelette:1 fresh pear of soft variety,peeled ,cored and sliced
2 tbsp rum
3 tsp sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp water
10 g butter
caster sugar, to finish
Method:
1. Put the sliced pears in a saucepan with 1tbsp of rum and cook over low heat for 2 mins and then stir in 2 tsp of sugar and remove from fire.
2.Seperate the eggs and whisk the yolks with rest of the sugar until creamy.Add the water and remaining rum and beat again.
3.Whisk the egg whites and fold them into the yolk mixture.
4.Pour in the mixture in a heated pan coated with butter and cook over moderate heat until the underside is golden brown.
5.Place the pan under a preheated grill to brown the top of the omelette.Spoon the pear and rum mixture over one half of the omelette and flip the other half with a palette knife.Carefully turn out onto a plate and sprinkle with caster sugar.
You can alternatively use peaches instead of pears or spread the cooked omelette with a jam of your choice and fold and sprinkle with sugar.I normally make the second variation for my daughter omitting the rum part.....saute the fruit for a minute with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
The four cereal flakes are the quick cook variety, 1/2 a cup of flakes has been cooked with 1 cup of water , 1/2 a cup milk and 1 tsp sugar for 3 minutes on medium flame and served with a sprinkling of slivered almonds.



I turned 32 last saturday (22nd) ....well I am a little insecure about growing old,don't want to let go off the present..what I consider the golden years, I dread the isolation, the loneliness, the lack of respect, the psychological torture of uselessness and burdensomeness and most of all health aspects related to ageing .I am already talking like a 50 yr old but I feel once I accept the fact that life not only has a beginning, a middle but also an end would eliminate all my insecurities.
This beautiful birthday cake was Mishti's choice and the whole day my hubby made me shop:) That made my day:)

Kidney Bean Pasta Soup

Soups have the power to comfort. When the weather turns brisk there is nothing cozier than a big bowl of soup made with the season's harvest.A piping hot bowl of soup filled with goodness satisfies my soul.In fact mostly dinner at our place is a filling low calorie soup with a salad.It satisfies both the taste buds and the desire for optimal health.


There is no doubt that the taste of homemade soups beats out the commercial ones.But sometimes when I don't want to make a soup from scratch I do opt for convenience,I combine my own ingredients with soup from packets or tins.I add some zing to it with finely chopped or grated veggies with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and serve it with a slice of whole grain bread and lo and behold..... you have a nourishing meal that can make you feel better anytime.
My post today is an immensely satisfying vegetarian or vegan soup which I had come across while surfing the net .This spicy, tangy soup has kidney beans,pasta and veggies which makes it a full meal in itself.You can play around with the veggies and omit and substitute according to your tastes.
This spicy soup goes off as an entry for the event No Croutons Required-spicy soups started by Lisa of Lisa's kitchen and Holler Of Tinned Tomatoes.


You Need:
1cup cooked kidney beans
1cup penne or rigatoni pasta cooked al dente
1 big carrot sliced thin diagonally
1 potato peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1cup sliced green beans
1/2 cup green or red pepper chopped
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch hing or asofoetida
1 tiny pinch cayenne
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp dried basil or fresh minced
1 tsp dried thyme or fresh minced
1/2 tsp dried marjoram or fresh minced
1 cup any spicy or zesty basil tomato sauce or can substitute bland one with cayenne,black pepper and grated ginger
salt to taste
4-6 cups water
1 tbsp grated cheese (optional)
Method:
1. Cook the pasta in salted water,drain ,rinse with cold water and keep aside.
2.Heat the oil in a pan,add hing or asofoetida then the veggies and saute for 5 mins on med/high heat.
3.Add the herbs and spices and saute briefly.
4.Add the cooked kidney beans to the veggies.If using tinned beans then drain and rinse them,then add to the veggies.
5.Bring to boil and cover and simmer the veggie and beans.
6.Then add the tomato sauce and the cooked pasta and as much more water as you like.Cook for 5-10 mins more.
7. Serve hot with grated cheese on top.
If you are using a slow cooker or crockpot put everything in the pot including the tomato sauce,add 4 cups boiling water,cover and simmer until veggies are tender i.e 1-2 hours.When the veggies are tender add pasta ,tomato sauce and salt and simmer for 15-20 mins more.
Enjoy!!


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Eggplant Parmigiana

My last post talked about spring butI can hardly see any traces of spring in the city.This morning when I woke up I was surprised to see a thick shroud of snow everywhere.Where is the sun....its ages since I have seen and felt its warm golden rays and miss the warmth of the room as the rays filter through the french windows and create those dancing shadows on the wall.There are so many amazing and wonderful things that go unnoticed in our lives,it's the small things that we sometime take for granted without giving a second thought to appreciate their presence.

The weather out here has been very unpredictable these past few days and as I was reading Sia's post and came across the term global warming the first thing that came to my mind was a documentary film in National geographic that I was watching a few days back.The documentary was on global warming and its frightening repercussions.With global warming taking its toll the worst hit country would be India they claim,according to them within a span of 200 years all the glaciers in Himalayas would melt and the Ganges would transform into a desert.With so many people relying on the Ganga for their daily requirement of water,the consequence is horrifying.
I have been having this terrible stinging sensation in my throat since last night and my sixth sense says I am going to be down with a bad bout of cough and cold.My only concern is Mishti, my little one who is bound to pick up an infection from me....and with the mom and the child both sick and hubby dear tending to us, it's utter chaos in the house.I am just not looking forward to this:(

My post today is Eggplant Parmigiana,sliced eggplants fried,layered with creamy red and white sauce and baked with a sprinkling of cheese.The recipe is again a Nita Mehta's Italian collection, I specially
prepared it to send an entry for Creative Pooja's Vow Brinjal.

Eggplants is not a great favourite in my house but this delectable version with garlic bread and a greek salad was an immensely enjoyable meal.One more brinjal dish that we relish is "Baigana Bhaja" an oriya dish ,sliced brinjals marinated in turmeric,salt and chilli pwdr and deep fried or shallow fried in mustard oil.....this tastes ultimate with puris.You can check out the recipe Here.

you need:
1 big eggplant of round,oblong variety
2 cubes cheddar cheese(i used a russian cheese )
2 tbsp grated parmesan
oil for frying
tomato sauce:
2 large tomatoes,pureed
3 flakes garlic,crushed
8-10 basil leaves,chopped
1 tsp oregano,dried
1/2 tsp chilli pwdr
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp thick cream
1 tsp olive oil
white sauce:
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion,chopped
2 cups milk
1 tbsp thick cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method:

1. Slice the eggplants and sprinkle some salt and keep aside for 15 mins.Pat dry on akitchen towel and deep fry them in oil to a light brown colour.( I shallow fried them in olive oil)
2. For the tomato sauce,heat oil and fry the onions and garlic till it slightly changes colour.Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream and boil for 10 mins till the juice from the tomatoes evaporates and turns slightly thick.Remove from fire and add cream.
3. To prepare the white sauce melt the butter,add onion and stir till light pink.Sprinkle flour and cook on low heat for 2 mins,stirring throughout.Remove from heat and gradually add milk,mix until well blended.Return to heat and keep stirring until the sauce thickens.Remove from fire,add cream ,salt and pepper and mix well.
4. To assemble,spread 1/3 of the white sauce in a baking dish.
5. Place 1/2 of the eggplant slices on it,spread tomato sauce over the eggplants,sprinkle some parmesan cheese.
6. Repeat another layer of eggplants,top with the remaining white sauce and sprinkle both the cheddar and parmesan cheese.
7.Bake for 10 mins at 200 deg C till the cheese melts.

Corn footlong and Happy IWD

A Happy International Women's Day(IWD) to you all!!
A saying goes...."A women's place in society marks the level of civilization of that society".
March 8th is celebrated across the globe as International Women's Day.This day is a portrayal of the power of women in the modern world and their crucial role in the society.It is a day to recognize that we as women have made and continue to make a difference, it is a day to acknowledge what we women have done, are doing and can do.Do I sound like a staunch feminist?Well, I am a feminist and I am sure most of you share my feelings.
In Russia and some neighbouring countries this day is celebrated as a national holiday.All the ladies receive gifts,flowers,chocolates,kind wishes basically positive emotions are felt everywhere. The focus is on traditional chivalrous acts by men,including taking ladies out to dinner and doing the house chores.
Being in Russia right now I think I am also going to celebrate the same way and expect my hubby to do the same :P
On this day let us all join hands to celebrate all the roles we play as being women and nurture ourselves and celebrate our achievements.
Cheers!!!
My food post today is dedicated to this day and to my sis Sonali who 's b'day is today .
The Corn Footlong goes as an entry to Zorra of Kochtopf for her event International Women's day.
She beckons everybody to bake or cook something in yellow for this special day for her event.
My recipe today is Corn Footlong , corn cheese mixture spread on a halved french loaf and baked till crisp.

before baking


after baking

You need:
1 french loaf or a baguette-cut into half horizontally
2 tsp mustard paste
For Flavoured butter:
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp black pepper(crushed)
2-3 flakes garlic chopped and crushed
2 tbsp finely chopped Parsley or dried parsley
for Topping:
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cheese spread
1 cup tinned or cooked corn(kernel)
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
1/2 red pepper finely chopped
1large onion finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4-6 tbsp mozzarella cheese grated
1 tsp oregano and red chilly flakes

Method:
1.Mix all the stuff given under flavoured butter and beat well to soften it.
2.Cut the baguette horizontally to get 2 long pcs.
3. Butter one piece with half of the flavoured butter,spread some mustard paste on it.
4.Heat 1 tbsp oil ,add onion.fry till soft.Add corn , bell peppers ,salt and pepper.Stir well to mix . Remove from fire.
5.Add cheese spread to the hot mixture and mix well.
6.Spread corn filling on the buttered footlong ,grate the cheese over it and sprinkle oregano and chilli flakes.
7.At serving time grill in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 10-12 mins or till the cheese melts and the bread turns crisp.
8.To serve cut into 1 and 1/2 " thick slices,repeat with the other pc of loaf.