Pomfret In Cashew Mango Curry

At the onset of summer when the unripe mangoes start showing up in the market I am tempted to try something new for the husband. This curry spells the flavors of summer coconut, cashews, unripe mango, coriander and green chilli. It is fresh, aromatic and creamy. AC loves curries with rice, I love to see that happy smile on his face of satiation gleaming through.

The thing about this curry is it was very refreshing for a traditional man like AC. He is someone who does not like change and eating habits are the last thing he might change. Yet last year he has changed a lot on the personal front and his food habits too. He has cut out the negative from his life and that makes him so much more happier. Some parasites had to be severed. He has realized that people with low mentality will only drag him and me down. I am someone who does not respond to manipulative people. I just distance myself so its easier for me to deal. I save my energy by being silent. AC is learning it slowly to focus on the positive improvements. As far as the food goes a marginal acceptance is happening.

I don't want to sound classist but it is true that how you conduct yourself in life depends entirely on where you come from. You cannot expect scumbags not to smell, can you? In the clean up process we junk a good relationship too simply because you cannot pick up food to be eaten from the dustbin. Its taken me 18 long months to purge this from my system.

Yes the new curry stands for our renewed understanding of people, of positives that we bring in life. AC is taking small but sure steps towards a better, happier life together for us. He understands me better and knows I like cleanliness at home and he is complying. We together worked on some historical work and got things moving. Actually yes the moving is rolling and a rolling stone does not gather moss. Great going AC!

We are nurturing relationships for the pleasure of company and warmth as opposed to the relationships of the past that always ripped benefits from a friendship of decades. AC did not see through then. We have left behind the unhealthy competition that people cultivated, I refused to be part of it. AC has changed. I have changed too. We have put up a sign for the negative, *NO ENTRY*

So cheers to the new with this luscious curry!

Serves 1 person

Ingredients

1/4 cup cashews

2 X 2 inch X 2 pieces of unripe green mango

1/4 cup grated fresh coconut

1/2 cup tightly packed chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin
5-6 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 -2 green chilies

4 cloves

1 inch piece of dalchini/ cassia bark

1 medium sized pomfret cleaned and cut into 2 pieces.

salt to taste

2 cups water

2 teaspoons oil

Method

1. Grind the cashews, grated fresh coconut, cilantro, garlic, green chilies, cloves, piece of dalchini/ cassia bark, cumin, turmeric and unripe green mango together with enough water to give a smooth paste. About 1/2 cup.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cleaned fish to the oil and let it sizzle a bit. Turn over after 5 mins and again let it sizzle. Add salt.

3. Now tip in the green masala paste. Top up with the remaining water to thin out the masala. 

4. Cook for 5 mins. Shake the pan side ways. Do not poke the fish too much else it will break.

Remove from heat and serve warm over Basmati rice. Enjoy!

Kokum Chitranna

We love Puliogare, and when you have eaten the best at Melkote you crave for the authentic once in awhile. However everyone keeps telling tamarind is not good for the bones and muscles, especially if you do not want to aggravate arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Unlike Tamarind, Kokum is safe and has a lot of medicinal properties without any harmful effects.

I wanted to try Kanda Lasun masala in an unusual recipe. Also the Kokum agal was up in my mind just because Nupur found it so irresistable. So here is an original creation from My Kitchen Lab.

Ingredients

4 cups steam cooked Kolam rice

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

handful of curry leaves

2-3 tablespoons Kanda Lasun Masala(Buy it here)

1/4 cup lightly crushed shelled peanuts

1/4 cup Kokum agal or home made extract

1 teaspoon of sugar for balancing the sourness (optional)

Heat oil in a wok. Splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the shelled crushed peanuts and fry till golden. Fluff up the steam cooked Kolam rice. Add it to the wok. Sprinkle the Kanda lasun masala over it. Mix well. Cover and cook for 5 mins.

Lastly drizzle Kokum agal over the rice. Give it a nice stir with a delicate hand. Ensure you are not breaking the grains of rice. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar to balance the sourness of Kokum only if you must. Cover and cook for another 5 mins so the rice gets the faint pink color of Kokum. Switch of the heat and give a single stir.

Enjoy the Kokum Chitranna hot or cold either way it tastes delicious.

Notes:

1. Strength of agal varies with brand so add tablespoon by tablespoon at a time and check for souring quotient in the rice. Mine is quite a sour agal.

2. We are wimps when it comes to spice, you can hike up the spice level with as much as Kanda lasun masala you want or less. Again same trick add a teaspoon at a time and keep tasting as you mix.

How to make Kokum extract at home:

Soak the required quantity of kokum in boiling hot water and leave it for 30 mins. Squeeze out the extract. Sieve it to remove any fruit skin in the extract. Use as required.

Black N White Tilgul

Happy Makar Sankrant!

Hope you are flying kites, eating tilgul and enjoying the last bit of the winter chill. 

It's been quite cold in Mumbai like we did need to pull on a light cardigan thru the day. Yeah the tropical climate will come back starting with Sankrant today. The long nights will be gone and the long days will begin. 

During the winter we did indulge with lots of goodies carrot halwa, high teas with Banana bread sandwich, sounds interesting? Come again for the recipe.

Today I am here to post a Black n White Tilgul recipe. Black has a significance for Sankrant in Maharashtra. Black is worn on this day to retain body heat. Black is also the abolisher of evil so on this day we wish that all evil be absorbed by wearing black so that the rest of the year is full of Positivity!

That said I wonder why it is traditional to use only white til or sesame for making the til gul ladu? Until a few years ago I was ignorant and thought black and white til are 2 different varieties but was educated by a friend that Black til is the sesame with the husk and when it is dehusked rather to be exact it is decorticated it gives white sesame. But wiki does mention that other shades of sesame exsist. Then I wonder all the more. Why have I never seen tilgul ladu with black til. 

This is the very reason I chose to make black n white tilgul this Sankrant. Anything with husk is healthier and richer in iron and don't they look pretty! So the label of My Kitchen Lab is justified.

As I set out to make tilgul Dad as usual had doubts. He wondered aloud "hope you get the candy state tilgul". Yeah its been years since I made tilgul successfully. I blame it on bad quality jaggery. Nevertheless I am not one to give up. So a flip of the pages of Ruchira, don't remember if I mentioned it here, I had won it for this post. Then I came up with the recipe I wanted to make. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup Black sesame or til

3/4 cup White sesame or til

1/2 cup coarse ground roasted peanuts

1/4 cup roasted chana dal/ Dahale/ Phutane

1/2 dry shredded coconut

1.5 cup grated jaggery

1/2 cup water

4 pods of cardamom

In a kadhai toast the sesame seeds on sim. Add the coconut shreds, toast to pink. Now follow in with coarse ground roasted peanuts and dahale stir for 30 secs just to make them eminate the aromatic oils.

Keep the kadhai aside. Now in a saucepan add 1/2 cup water and grated jaggery. Boil till all jaggery dissolves and gives a bubbly syrup. 

Meanwhile peel the cardamom. Pound the seeds with a teaspoon of sugar in a mortar and pestle. Save the pod peels in the tea leaves tin for later use. Add the powdered cardamom to the above toasty mix.

Carefully pour the hot jaggery syrup into the kadhai. Mix well to coat the toasted mix with the syrup. Let it cool till the mix is hot enough to handle and a ball can be shaped. Roll pinches of the mix into large marble sized ladu. 

There is a reason why tilgul is marble sized and not as large as boondi or rava or anyother type of a ladu. This seed has astringent effect on the gut and if consumed in large amounts causes loosies.

So eat a small ladu in intervals and let it generate enough heat to keep you warm in the final days of this winter.

Catch all the TV channels broadcasting the Uttarayan special effects like the Gavi Gangadhareshwar temple where the Sankrant sun beam floods the Shivalinga in Bangalore.

Have a lovely rest of the Sankrant!

Our Sankrant Naivedya 

Clockwise: Lime pickle, sweet curd, Masur aamti, Cashew curry, Rice sevai pulao, Malvani vade, papad and Black n white tilgul!

Panchamrut Cake

I have a load of fruit from the Ganpati puja, some bananas ripened and freckled completely. Was talking to The cooker when she suggested freezing some fruit for smoothies and tempted me with this Sunshine cake, which I will try a little later there are still 2 birthdays coming up in the family and especially my bro Sumeet would love the light cake. 

Well this recipe had to be shared as it is one successful experiment from my kitchen. I have been making it often but this time its 100% whole wheat. It has to go out to you my reader immediately, isn't it. So this got baked in the afternoon and here I am posting it right away after my Dad swooning on a largish piece. I did taste it and loved it too but I am not going beyond the tasting even though I loved it, just have to stop myself from indulging.

I have been shaken up by a flash, a Biomedic professional, having 22 yrs of experience and witness to 3000 surgeries, we were talking about many things and he was telling me very inspiring and amazing stories of people he has seen fighting with disease and sorrow. When he said, "Death does not come easy, so you have no choice but to live happily!" He has inspired me to take control of my health. I have just let my health deteriorate over the years due to reasons that can range from depression to pure negligence and lack of focus on self. Not anymore. I promise this to myself, I will do everything to correct whatever has gone wrong. If anything I have been trying to better the quality of my life over last few years. This time, I am going on a month long health retreat starting next week. So this space will be quite till I return. But before I go here is the Panchamrut Cake for you my readers.

Well as you know Panchamrut is a offering we make for Pujas. It consists of 5 ingredients viz. sugar, milk, curd, ghee and honey. I added the banana too as it is not uncommon to include banana in panchamrut. This Panchamrut is used to bathe the Gods during rituals like a Abhishek and many times after a puja you end up with a good quantity of Panchamrut. I have been using this Panchamrut after every puja to bake a cake. This time however I used 100% whole wheat flour/atta as I did not have maida / all purpose flour on hand and I was blown away by how it turned out. So without further delay here you go...

Ingredients
1.5 cup atta / 100% whole wheat flour.
1 cup demerera sugar
1/4 cup ghee
1/2 cup curd
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe bananas
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
2 handfuls caster sugar for topping

(Incase you are making the cake with Panchamrut from the puja measure out 2 cups of already mixed Panchamrut for the cake. This is equivalent to all the wet ingredients I have used here. You may need to adjust the sugar to taste and ghee for the fat content.)

This is a very easy peasy bake all you got to do is measure out the ingredients and the peeled ripe bananas dump them in mixing bowl of the stand mixer and whip up the batter till everything comes together, about 1 minute. 

Meanwhile preheat the oven for 10 mins at 200 degrees celcius in convection mode. If using OTG reduce temp by 20 degrees.

Grease the baking tin with oil and dust with wheat flour. I inaugurated my new springform pan with this recipe. Panchamrut cake is auspicious start right? Recently I bought a set of 3 springform tins, 9, 10 and 11 inches. This recipe uses the 9 inch tin.

Pour the batter in the tin. It levels out on its own. Sprinkle the castor sugar on top for a nice crunch. I recommend this as it gives a lovely golden flakiness to the cake which is quite moist.

Bake for 40 mins or till the skewer pricked in comes out clean.

Let it cool completely before you slice.

My house was smelling divine as it baked and induced happy smiles in the inhabitants. Large slice for the Ketchup kid with a light drizzle of honey.

This cake is also for you Kiran, your post made me rush to make it yet again and in a healthy atta version.

Focaccia and Koli Masala Love Story

 

Pithori Amavasya marks the end of Shravan Maas. It is a no moon day and celebrated as Matrudin or mother's day. It is celebrated as Matrudin as we worship all the Devis or Goddesses on this day.

The name Pithori is derived from the offering made with flour or pith to the Goddesses. Well to celebrate the end of Shravan and my event which began on a non-traditional note, after travelling thru memories of a more traditional Shravan, I post here an offering for my Mother, my Aai. 

I had made this Focaccia as an experiment to use my Koli masala in the most non traditional way. To create a fusion of flavors that will stand out as the mark of this city, Mumbai. What better time than to share it with you on this day when offerings are made to the ancestors, my Koli ancestors who were the first inhabitants of this city. The recipe adheres to the tradition of making something from Pith or flour. My Mom always offered ghaas or food offering to the departed on this day.

Going by how it turned out and that half eaten focaccia is proof enough to get you going into the kitchen to try it out immediately.

Ingredients

For the Koli masala spiced Caramelized onions

4 large onions, halved and slivered

1 teaspoon of Koli Masala ( Don't have it? Order it now!)

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons Olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

In a hot wok add oil, quickly add the slivered onions. Fry until translucent. Add the koli masala and salt, give it a stir. In the end just before putting off the heat add the finely chopped cilantro and give it a mix. Keep aside to cool until dough is ready.

This is a basic recipe for the toppings but you could stretch your imagination to the limit to give it your own veg - non veg twists!

For the dough

500 gms of Maida/ all purpose flour

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 cup corn meal / makai atta

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes

In a bowl mix the water, sugar and yeast and let it bubble up for 10 mins.

Meanwhile soak the sundried tomatoes in 1/2 cup water.

Now combine the flour and bubbly yeast in a stand mixer using dough hooks. Run the mixer till you get smooth well combined dough. Now add salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the dough and run the mixer for another 5 mins. Cover with wet towel and leave it till the dough is doubled.

Remove the dough on to the counter. Knead for 5 mins. Incorporate the sun dried tomatoes in the dough at this point. Chop up the hydrated tomatoes into small bits. Discard any water remaining after soaking the sundried tomatoes.

Grease and dust the baking pans with oil followed by corn meal. Spread the dough in the pans with your hand like you do for bhakri. Create depressions with your finger in the dough. drizzle the remaining olive oil over it like seen here. Leave it to double up again.

Now after the second proofing. Spread the koli masala spiced caramelized onions on the two focaccias.  Preheat the oven at 180 deg celcius and bake till golden edges are seen. This takes about 40 mins. I baked both the focaccias at the same time in the oven. 

Remove from the baking pans on to the cooling rack. I ate that half as soon as it permitted me to take a bite. These focaccias are not very thick and are quite crisp. Every bite is fiery and a morsel of the sundried tomato delivers the perfect fusion of an Italian bread with a very local Koli masala.

If I say it was gorgeous! I will sound narcissistic, so be it.

Here is the ordering information for my Koli Masala.

Mail to :  annaparabrahma@gmail.com
Mail Subject: Koli masala
Payment can be made to paypal id : hrushikoli@gmail.com

Marathi Popti Or Bengali Paturi, Nah It's A Casserol !

Many years ago I had briefly mentioned about Popti on this blog. I have not been able to make the real thing but here is a modern Popti. Is it or is it not?

In and around Alibag winter is when Val is harvested. The celebration of the harvest is with this special dish called Popti, it has hardly any spices and is cooked on wood fire. The Val fresh and young are stuffed into a terracotta pot lined with leaves and cooked in its own juices. The smokiness of wood fire takes it to a sublime level.

Popti is never eaten alone, its always for a party. The pot is kept in the center and everyone sits around the pot warming themselves idyllically in the warmth of the now dying embers of the fire on which the Popti was cooked. I have never experienced this Popti making on our farm in Thal but the elders tell many a stories from their childhood of flipping on Popti and then having farting competitions following it, the notorious Val doing the magic.

When a group of us blogger friends had visited Bengali Mashi's Kitchen last year, I had loved the veggie paturi. It was bundle bursting with flavours, sharp from the mustard and the tender Val beans cooked to perfection along with delicate spinach wrapped in a banana leaf. However as per the Bengali tradition the paturi was fried in mustard oil. I had commented that I would have preferred it steamed. It was on my mind for a while to try at home.

Yesterday I was at the APMC market and found tender Surti papdi. I was pondering on making Popti or the Paturi. For the Popti I don't have a terracotta pot and no wood fire. The Paturi without banana leaf is not a Paturi after all. So I decided to give the idea of making two similar dishes a modern twist. Ah! and it did fit so well for the event Preeti is hosting on her blog, an attempt to fight plagiarism is a positive way.

The flavors of this dish are classic Bengali and yet the cooking technique I used is inspired by the Marathi Popti.

If you love simple healthy food full of flavors that burst in you mouth and textures that tickle your palate this one is a pleasure.

Ingredients 

This is the recipe I referred to

1 bowl Surti papdi or any type of tender beans in a pod

1 large bunch spinach, chopped fine

3 tablespoons mustard seeds

4 green chillies

¼ fresh coconut, grated or sliced

¼  teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons mustard oil

1 teaspoon sugar

salt to taste.

Remove the string of the Surti papdi or anyother bean pods you are using. Check that they are fresh, young and worm free (none of the pods should have holes or brown marks). Wash.

Clean and wash the spinach, chop fine. My 2400 ml casserole filled up with it.

Grind the mustard seeds, green chillies, coconut along with salt to a paste.

Mix together the bean pods, ground paste, turmeric powder and sugar. Put it all in a casserole, cover with lid and microwave for 15 mins. The spinach will wilt and leave a lot of water and the bean pods will cook in those juices. The next 10 mins microwave without the lid, so that the water evaporates.

Finally heat the 2 teaspoons of mustard oil to smokiness and drizzle over the baked casserole. Mix well. Serve while warm.

I am sure you will enjoy the same happiness of a Popti done in the farms of Alibag; indoors at your home or are you already in Bengal?

This post marks a change on this blog that I have delayed for too long until my picture was blatantly lifted. Did you see the watermark? It is the stamp of my ownership. This is to stop copying!

Featherlight Okra

Remember the Mango boy, the witty Aamir Khan, my friend and colleague, he took us, few friends to dine at the Sarovar Portico in Mahape. There were few things on that buffet menu that were striking yet the crisp fried Bhindi was a class apart. It got a thumbs up from all of us sitting around the best table in the restaurant, the round one ofcourse. 

The Bhindi made our chatter as crisp as ever, it was after 7 long years I was meeting my buddies. The men all ears for who was upto what and especially the hot babe on the floor. We were part of a huge team and for many it was their first job. I was one of the older people in that team, I'd hated their brashness then. Most times I was low key at work but after moving on to a larger part of the org, I missed all the fun and the people until I caught up with them couple of years ago on Facebook. At the diner, We shamelessly bitched about every one from work and went down memory lane of ragging people, our kiddish fights and name calling; intruding chat logs, ok that one I did not do, it was the guys!

;

The original deep fried Okra that we loved

 Photo credit : Nitin Sharma

We did not realise how quickly it was midnight, the gentleman that Aamir is, he dropped all of us home reminding us that the next day was a Monday.

Now when I look at my team mates, its a good feeling to know they are doing well in life. Many chose partners from the team itself, they have morphed into such loving caring family people. I got to know they had organized a prayer for Mahesh Shetty, an ever smiling face we lost in the Mangalore plane crash in May 2010. People who value friendships, people who have the ability to give to another when the world restrains from sharing.

Aamir has to explore a career in stand up comedy besides he is our go to foodie guide. Nitin & Dipti  amaze me with their ability to bind people together which is a rare quality today. Shrijit, is managing his Rock star bro's career so well. Hoping to see you whenever possible, Aamir, Nitin & Dipti, Shrijit, Amol & Sujata. Aakash for speaking to us long distance. It was a lovely evening I spent with you guys. Thank you Aamir!

Back in my kitchen, I had to recreate a healthier version of that Bhindi. The secret to a featherlight Okra is to slice it thin on the Mandolin and grilling it to perfection in the microwave.

Follow the steps and I promise you the best crisp Bhindi you have tasted ever, I swear it.

Ingredients

1/4 kg Okra

2 teaspoons oil

Salt

Red chili powder

Wash and pat dry the okra. Cut off the tops and tails. Hold the thick side and slice wafer thin on the mandolin into a largish bowl. Add the oil onto the okra. Mix lightly with your figers to coat the okra with oil. In a single layer spread the sliced okra on the turn table glass itself. Set the oven on microwave + grill mode at 600 power mark. In burst of 3 mins grill the okra for a total of 12 mins. Then remove the turn table onto the counter. Make sure you are placing it on the pot holder, else the hot glass might crack if the counter is cold or it touches water spilt on it. Now sprinkle some red chili powder and salt as per your liking. I needed 2 large pinches of salt and 4 pinches of red chili powder. Mix with a tong and place back the turntable into the oven and grill for another 3 mins.

Remove into a serving bowl and let it cool a bit before you eat. Serve with dal-rice or chapati and tomato onion koshimbir gives it best company. This makes an awesome starter to go with drinks if you prefer it that way.

Bottle Gourd and Moong Dal

While summer calls for mango indulgences it also needs a balancing act with main course dishes. This bhaaji is a perfect summer dish, made with the water laden dudhi or bottle gourd. It is one vegetable I resist even now as an adult. In the last many years of my cooking, my veggies are made as simple as possible, without too much onion tomato paste even the traditional koli ground coconut masala is rarely used. If at all my coconut curries are made only on the weekend, I cannot deprive Dad and the elders of their favorite foods , so I do make them once in a while.

This curry is yet again a Koli authentic one but without the coconut masala. Traditionally deskinned moong dal is used but to add more fibre and texture to the curry I used skinned moong dal. Note it is not whole moong, it is skinned split moong ki dal.

It's very simple to make and it's the first time I ever liked bottle gourd, in all it's simplicity so thought it would be a good idea to share it here.

Ingredients

500gms bottle gourd, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup skinned moong dal (not whole moong)
2 medium sized onions, chopped
few curry leaves
1 large tomato
1 green chili
1/2 teaspoon Koli masala
or (1/2 teaspoon garam masala+1/2 teaspoon red chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon oil
salt to taste

Place a deep vessel like a taup/ pateli/ saucepan on fire. Heat the oil. Fry the curry leaves, chopped onions to translucence. Add the cubed bottle gourd and the chopped tomato, mix to coat with oil. Add the koli masala and the slit green chili. If you need more heat increase the masala amount. Add the turmeric. Then the dal. Give a stir and top up with 2 glasses of water. Cover and cook till the dal looks fluffed up and just about to crumble. Keep the water content just a bit. Salt the dal and mix well. Boil to rolling for 2 mins and put off heat. Cover and let the flavors steep for atleast 20 mins before you serve.

Do not mash, you will enjoy the fibre from the skinned dal and the coconut masala is not missed in this healthier version of a Koli traditional dal.

Enjoy you summers without health hassles by including more cooling veggies, like cucumbers, all types of gourds and greens in your food! Needless to say stay hydrated you all.

Vanilla Icecream With White Peach Compote Topped With Sweet N Spicy Almonds

This post is about Friends and inspirations, not without food, you know it.

Though the Vanilla ice cream is bought out The White Peach compote is homemade as is the Sweet and spicy almonds. This post is inspired by Friends completely, right from the styling to the recipes. 

When we bloggers met, one of the gifts from P of Evolving Tastes were these dried white peaches, used in this recipe today. She suggested a few recipes, one of which was the compote. I wanted to make it my recipe to share on the blog. So this new sundae is a creation from my kitchen lab. It also uses a recipe from my classmate, Smita's blog, of the Sweet n Spicy Almonds 

The dessert in a jar concept has been haunting me after I saw Saee's pic of Orange rasgullas buried in vanilla icecream. So you see where the inspiration comes from for this styling.

It was an absolutely enriching experience to be with fellow bloggers, the main topic revolved around food but we talked endlessly on photography, social connects, ingredients and shared notes on where we get the best. We talked about family and shared our experiences of our journey as food bloggers. How we announced news about each other to our family members, this social media brought us so close to each other much before we met in person. It's been more than a week and am still talking about our meet to family and friends. It is a pleasant surprise how easily we connected up and giggled like little girls, inhibitions dropped.

Now moving on to the recipe of the sundae, it being a compilation with a special touch of my own is enumerated here in three parts.

The White Peach Compote

2 pieces of dried white peaches

2 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sugar
1 small pinch cinnamon powder
1 small pinch nutmeg powder

Soak the dry fruits in a cup of water overnight. Once plumped up, cook the fruit with honey and sugar in a small non stick pan. Keep it thick and saucy. Before removing from heat add the spices and mix. Let it cool.

You can make this in large quantities, bottle it and store in an airtight container in the freezer. It can stay good for a month.

This compote can make a wonderful "khubani ka meetha" kind of a thing P had suggested. When served with fresh cream or rabdi. 

The Sweet n Spicy Almonds

I made a tiny batch just for using it as toppings for this sundae. So I made them on the stove top instead of the oven like Smita did.

10 Almonds
1 teaspoon Honey
1/2 teaspoon of Olive Oil
1 small pinch Kashmiri chili powder,
1 small pinch Salt,
1 teaspoon Sugar

I toasted the almonds in the tadka bowl till fragrant. Then in the same bowl I added a teaspoon of honey, and water each and 1/2 teaspoon of Olive Oil. Put it back on heat and let the almonds soak up the liquids. Removed from heat and sprinkled a pinch of Kashmiri chili powder and salt each. Then 1 teaspoon sugar. Kept tossing the tadka bowl till the almonds cooled and the sugar clung to the almonds.

Arranging the dessert

In two jars fill the bought out Vanilla icecream to half level, then add the layer of the chilled White Peach Compote. Now put 5 of The Sweet n Spicy Almonds on the top.

A sweet surprise was ready to be served to a family that returned from a visit to Gondavale.

Are you asking about the taste? It's delicate and the sweet n spicy almonds take this sundae to the zenith. You must try it out and do let me know what you think about it.

Paratha Tomato Omelette Roll

Growing up in Fort with a Masjid in the lane meant watching those months of Ramzan convert our lane into a street food court. There have been many recipes I would have learnt if I had paid attention for my home had strategic view of the happenings below in the lane.

There was one which is very easy to recollect due to its simplicity. Though I loved watching it then I hated the smells. Egg does smell awful. Well did you guess I was talking about Baida roti. It is the simplest yet sinful snack. It is a maida paratha on which eggs are broken, onions are thrown on to it along with green chilies and cilantro. This is fried in oil on the Tava. The sizzling making many a men hungry after their prayers. It was a sight to watch them dig their teeth into a supersized roll.

Flash forward, last Sunday as has been the scene in the last few weeks here, I wanted to make something that was a hearty meal without too much prep or leftovers later. This is a perfect recipe for the criteria. One of these rolls stuffs you to the brim. I took the short cut of pulling out a frozen Kerala paratha for this. The rest was almost fast food style cooking.

Ingredient

1 Kerala paratha

1 cup of Tomato Omelet Batter

On a Tava pour oil, you are frying it so be generous. Pour the tomato omelette batter and put the paratha over it. Fry on both sides till golden and crisp. Remove and wrap it into a roll in either cling film or foil. Hand it out hot to your loved ones and see their faces light up.

I loved stuffing my mouth as I bit into it. The paratha was super crunchy yet flaky and the omelet snug on the paratha with juicy tomatoes. It was a truly heartwarming meal. I had a glass of orange Tang to wash it down. Such a simple lunch became so special.

Those of you who eat egg go ahead and try it with your fave omelet recipe. This veg version is equally delish I tell you.

Oozing Plum Cake

A long time ago when Plums were in season I made this cake. This one is a beauty not only in appearance but in flavors too. Plus like most of my cakes it is light and how I love to bake with fruit. The plum on baking concentrates in tartness and sweetness and the fragrance is heavenly as you bite into a piece. This is an upside down cake so it is given that the place where the fruit and cake meet is soaked and soft. If you prefer to have your cake dry then using this same recipe make a plum sauce and dress up the sponge. The star anise in this cake lends the spice notes that make anyone happy, its unusual in a cake!

When I baked this cake I did not have a single whole star anise, it was all broken in my spice box and was waiting to be used for a longish time. I don't use star anise much in my curries but preserves are another thing. I wanted to bake it again when I had plums and a whole star anise to stud the cake and make a glamorous picture for the blog but then I waited long and the plums went out of season and I did not get to buying star anise again. So here I am posting with the only picture  I have of the cake.

This is a very simple recipe so follow me...

 

Ingredients

1 cup Plums cored and sliced

2 tablespoons of sugar

2  star anise

Cake sponge
1.5 cups All purpose flour
1/2 tin sweet condensed milk
1/4 cup oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon star anise powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of sugar or more
some milk to adjust the thickness of the batter

Grease a 3 inch baking tin, I used my hexagon. Grease it and dust it only on the sides, prepare it for the baking. Now layer the slices of ripe plum at the bottom of the tin. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar and star anise powder. Keep aside.

Preheat the oven at 185 deg Celsius. I like to use my convection oven for this so it take 10 mins of preheating.

Now in a mixing bowl beat up the sweet condensed milk, oil and sugar together till it is dissolved.

Sieve together the flour, star anise powder, baking powder and salt. Now fold in this aerated dry mix little by little into the liquid mix. Incase the batter is thick use a little bit of milk.

Then pour the batter over the plum slices. Put the baking tin into the preheated oven and bake till the knife when inserted in the sponge comes of dry. You will see the plum sauce bubbling on the sides, that is how it should be. It takes about 25 to 30 mins for a golden bake.

Let it cool for 10 mins then turn over in a plate or cake holding dish. Be careful and the sauce may still be hot. Make sure the fruit is now topping the cake. Let the sauces flow over the cake that's what will give it the oozing look.

This cake tastes besk when fresh and warm. The aroma of the baked plum and star anise is absolutely divine. Bake it! Experience it!!

Tender Peanuts In White Curry

Tender peanuts in white curry with steamed rice and Talleli Vangi

Exactly after two weeks I am here on the blog, this time round with new flavors to woo you. Yesterday evening I did not want to make some thing elaborate but did want something lip smacking. I had boiled fresh peanuts to snack on at tea time but had forgotten to add salt when boiling them so they got shelved for later. The peanuts were tender and tempting and assured to be great in a curry so here is a recipe I rustled up just like that. My Dad wanted the large brinjal to be sliced up and fried. I did just that to add color to the platter and heighten the spice for the evening as this curry is a mild one in every way. Plus you've heard this before how Dad is almost obsessed with red curries and this curry is white.

So here you go...

Ingredients

1.5 cups boiled, shelled fresh peanuts
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
0.5 inch ginger
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon  fennel
1 teaspoon cumin
0.5 cup fresh grated coconut
1 green chili
1 bay leaf

a handful of cilantro to garnish
2 teaspoon oil

In a vessel heat oil. Fry the garlic in it till soft. Add the sesame seeds, fennel and cumin in that order as they emanate essential oils. Add the onions and fry till translucent. Then let it cool off a bit. 

Now in a blender add the fresh grated coconut, all the fried stuff mentioned above. Dice up the ginger and add. Slit the green chili and let it go into the blender. Now give it a whiz and grind to smooth paste adding water to allow grinding well. Keep aside.

Now in a vessel combine the ground masala, tender peanuts and bay leaf and bring to boil. In about 7-8 mins your curry it ready to be served over steamed rice but not before garnishing with chopped cilantro.

Its a very tasty curry. Though I made it mild may be if you like more heat you can use more green chilies. Here the peanuts have to be really tender or boil them to super softness if you do not have really tender peanuts.

This is an original from my kitchen lab.

Malai To Toop In The Microwave

I was always intimidated with Toop /ghee making till I found this Microwave method in a cookbook that came with my Samsung Microwave. I salute Karen Anand the writer for making it this easy.

Most books in the past told me I need a heavy bottom large vessel, I required to heat it on the gas and watch it till it boils down to the clear liquid Toop. Then was the cleaning part. I don't have a servant so who will clean the messed vessel? It sounded like a laborious process.

So over the years I just assimilated all the tips about Toop making and only recently, that is to be exact, since a month I have finally started making my own Toop. I was inspired by many of my blogger buddies.You will find many blogs giving steps to make Toop from store bought unsalted butter. You could buy the white butter/ Loni/ Benne from the dairy and use it too. But here it is the age old tradition of Indians of saving whatever you can from being wasted. Till I started making my own Toop, I would skim the milk into a tiny bowl, add sugar to it and hand it out to Dad before the morning tea.

Here is how I do it

1. I buy 1/2 litre of whole milk everyday, which is enough for 2. I start collecting the skimmed Malai in a 500ml jar on a Monday. This jar goes into to the fridge to which I keep adding the Malai and give a stir in the jar everyday.
2. At the end of the week by Saturday I have 250 ml Malai, I keep the jar out and let it come to room temperature, about 2 hrs.
3. Then shake it for 15 mins to make butter like this. I learnt it from Manisha's IFR.
4. Decant the buttermilk, about 1/4 cup or half cup is what I get. I use it to knead chapati dough.
5. Then remove the ball of butter/ Loni / Benne into a 1 litre pyrex bowl.
6. Put the bowl with the Malai into the microwave and set the power at high and microwave in short bursts of 2 mins for a total of 8 mins. Till all the water is evaporated and you have just the Toop/ ghee beginning to separate from the solids. It boils vigorously at this stage, do not worry if it splashes out a bit onto the turntable.
7. Important: Since Toop/ ghee is inflammable pl. do not go away from the microwave. You have to attend to the entire process, it takes only 10 mins end to end.
8. Now let the solids go from white to brown in the next 2 mins.
9. Put off the heat and remove it from the oven and put the bowl on a stand or kitchen napkin. Do not keep it on the stone counter directly. The hot bowl might crack if it touches water or any cold surface.
10. After the boiling subsides while the Toop/ ghee is still in the liquid stage decant it into a small jar or heat resistant container.
11. You should get clear golden Toop like below.
12. Tip: The leftover brown solids can be used in masalas when you grind a paste for curries. It makes the curry khamang! (This is a tip that I remember Va Pu Kale the Katha Kathnakar / Storyteller had mentioned in one of his interviews on Doordarshan when I was a only a child and I still remember it, as I was amazed at this man's talent, he was a fabulous Katha Kathankar, an architect by profession and sounded like a fab cook too.)
    
13. Tip: The bowl can be used to reheat leftover curries.
14. This way you don't waste even a trace of ghee or the by products of the Toop /ghee making.
15. Since the the quantity of Malai collected at home is very little I use this fragrant pure ghee only for my everyday dal and rice.

This is the perfect traditional married to modern processing recipe. 

This completely homemade Toop /Ghee from Malai is extremely fragrant and pure!

Crackling Spinach

Crackling Spinach is a spunky name for a dish I thought the first time I spotted it on the menu of Mainland China. Then when I ordered it I was impressed that the spunk did not end just at the name. It was a spectacular taste for a simple preparation of spinach if you consider deep frying as a simple technique in culinary science and how only a few ingredients can make a recipe so exciting.

When I was narrating to Sulekha about it, she gasped, "Deep fried!" Come on give me a break. We all love deep fried stuff once in a while. Good friend Sulekha will forgive me for making it the second time round however this time for Dad that too within a week!

I know am tempting you too much. So get ready to make it with me.

You will need...

Ingredients

spinach leaves
(1 bowl fried spinach)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Oil to fry

First wash and drain spinach on a mesh.

Pat dry the leaves. Tear them up into small bits. In a mesh/ strainer fry them in hot oil. It should turn the leaves crisp. Test the degree of crispness by removing some on a paper and try to crumble, if you are able to then that's right, if not they fry a little more. This will save from the trouble of collecting the fried spinach and also will fry it evenly. Drain it on a mesh. Then transfer it onto an absorbent paper or kitchen napkin to remove as much as oil as possible.

Now in a non stick pan toast the sesame seeds till aromatic. Add the fried spinach to it and toss. Now add the sugar and salt and toss again to homogenize the taste.

I would recommend the use of powdered sugar. Next time I will use it. It is easier to sprinkle it and mix it. Also powder sugar will mask the oily spinach.

At Mainland China they serve it in a fried pastry basket but I served it in small Chinese bowls. Also I did not crumble the fried spinach leaves, that's what they do at the restaurant. Yes presentation is key to success but I guess I still need more perfection in draining all the oil first. The tip of using powder sugar is also what will help me in the future. Will update here when I do it but I am not making it so soon.

Give it a try. I think you will adore this one.

It is easy to make and will be definite a hit at any party. This is a one helluva starter.

Palak Phadhphada and Chapati Mats

What is he scooping up with a dona? Something definitely special!

To many Malaria is a small disease. In my family 0ur general health is pretty good, the occasional cough and cold is to be ignored. We live with some other things that are our partners in life. So its a big deal especially for my Dad when he falls ill. If I have learnt something in life it is to mock the things that try to bring me down and appreciate the smallest things in Life.

I tell W also many times there are so many thing to be happy about. A sunny morning, an unexpected shower, a beautiful temple in an unexpected location, a beautiful kid. GOD has endowed us with so much, good looks, sensitive heart, enough money to buy what we want etc. What else does one need!

I was little shaken up when Dad collapsed last Wed. Yet after the treatment was started we started playing a game. Everyday for the last 4 days, I'd ask Dad what do you think will be your platelet count today? He would say may be up by 15 thousand, I'd say double. The only time I sunk in the heart of heart was when it showed a dip on the second day. Today the count was normal so we did a Thumbs up!!! and thanked the hospital staff as we left. We told them tomorrow will be our last visit. Doc said to Dad "See me only if you feel weak or there is a problem".

It is a technique, we wanted to be happy. Another thing that works for us is good food, food from our memories, food that comforts.

It is Phadhphada! You got to read the story to know if it is the traditional or yet another of my experiment with new ingredients.

This recipe is non traditional. I made it with what is available today.

Dad loves ALu cha Phadhphada. LOL. I know you will guffaw. It gets its name from ALu/Colocasia leaves and the noise its puree makes while cooking in the pot. I don't know why, I haven't spotted ALu leaves here in Blr in the last 4.5 yrs. So I used Palak instead. Instead of the Chincha-Gul (Tamarind-Jaggery) I used Kokum agal-gul. Another twist is Moog dal for thickening instead of the traditional Chana dal.

So here is a recipe which comes very close to ALu cha Phadhphada.

Ingredients

1 large bunch Spinach/Palak
2 tablespoons Moog Dal
1/2 cup fresh boiled peanuts
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Goda masala
2 tablespoon Kokum Agal (extract) OR Tamarind extract
2 tablespoons of Jaggery or a little more, check the taste.
salt to taste.
2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds


First wash thoroughly the spinach. In a small pressure cooker wash the Moog dal. Add to it the Palak. Add the spices, red chili powder, turmeric powder, Goda masala and salt. Add a glass of water. Close the cooker. Allow 3 whistles. Let it cool.

Till then, heat the oil and make the phodni with mustard seeds. On spluttering and the Kokum agal or Tamarind extract. Drop in the jaggery and allow to boil rapidly. Now add the peanuts, save a bit for sprinkles.

Its time to open the cooker. Puree in the mixie the cooked Palak and Moog dal till smooth. Pour the puree into the already boiling liquid. Mix well. It needs to be covered as it would start making the Phadh phadh sound true to its name :)

Stir well. Cook for another 5 mins. While serving decorate with a few boiled peanuts sprinkled over a bowl of hot Palak Phadhphada.

Serve with Bhakari or Phulka. It is creamy with rice too. Lipsmacking is the word.

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This time in Mumbai I picked up these cool inexpensive Chapati Mats. They absorb the sweat released by hot chapatis and keep them soft. How you use them, is by placing one mat at the bottom of your chapati box and one on top just under the lid. I remember how the last chapati always got thrown at the dog when we were kids, it was due to the sogging in the steam. A good mat should be made with layers of cloth and not sponge. It should be washable.

You can even make your own. Cut out rounds the size of your box. Layer with cloth and quilt it. Use a piping to seal the edges. You are ready for chapati making and storing them soft till you serve.

Incase you can't get yourself these or make them just continue using a napkin to line the chapati box.

The Chapati Mats I got from Mumbai. They help to keep the chapati sweat free and soft.

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Chimuli runs to the window to entertain herself when Mama does not give attention. She tried hovering around Grandpa but he seems to growl at her lately so she finds her own way to keep out of sight.

Woof Woof Vinaya Maushi!

Lipsmacking Banana Curry

I love the banana stir fry, Kachya Kelyachi Bhaaji.

Yet on this day I wanted something more complex. My need was for a gravy to dunk in the chapati as well a curry that feels good to mix with rice even before it is in the mouth. The tactile as well as the oral sensations had to be satisfied.

Let me tell you this is an original recipe. I am not sure if the ayurvedic principals are taken care of here, probably not but then our food no longer is strict in those criteria. Don't ask me questions on the chemistry and the physiological effect yet stay warned that if you don't try this one you are missing something for sure.

I use...

Ingredients

2 raw bananas peeled and diced
2 teaspoons oil
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons heaped sambhar masala powder
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Kokum extract
2 inch piece of jaggery
salt to taste

Heat the oil. Splutter the mustard seeds. As the crackle add the asafoetida. Dunk in the diced banana. Add water and cook till soft.

Now add the sambhar powder stir once. Pour the milk. Let it boil for couple of mins. Here now is the time to add Kokum extract or what we call agal in Marathi.

Incase you don't have Kokum agal use kokum sarbat but skip the jaggery as it would already have sugar.

Keep stiring to avoid curdling of milk. Simmer for 5 mins with jaggery and salt, the final addition. The curry thickens as it simmers.

It is one lipsmacking curry. Enjoy!