Going Social

I started this blog 5.5 yrs ago in Bangalore and moved  back to Mumbai couple of months ago. Gosh I was in Bangalore for a good 7yrs! Time just flew, I lived life on my own terms, pursued many things with passion, like my work, travel, blogging. My life is enriched by so many people I met in this journey.

And as we mark this milestone take a look at what the sitemeter shows...

VISITS
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	Average Visit Length	1:45
	Last Hour	8
	Today	80
	This Week	1,628
PAGE VIEWS
	Total	769,694
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I owe a lot to this blog. I started writing it as a way of staying in touch with family and friends, while I was away. Soon at work too it got me the adoration that people struggle to get. My boss, Ved and my friend and supervisor, Shrinidhi encouraged me to explore and be part of the implementation of a whole new world of Web 2.0. I also got the opportunity to influence the Organization's policy on social media because I was a blogger. I won a lot of friends in real life and then moving back to Mumbai became all the more memorable as I met my blogger buddies for the first time here, just after I returned from Bangalore.

With so much that I got from this blog, ek Thank you! toh banta hai :)

I request you to continue your support, it means so much to me. I promise to tell you more stories, share recipes and bring you some warmth straight from the heart.

What better way to celebrate the homecoming than by going social. What do you think about it let me know?

Come over lets share some interesting conversations, I missed them till now but not anymore. Annaparabrahma is now on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Click on the screenshots in this post to go >>>> 

There are widgets on the sidebar on the right for your convenience.

THANK YOU! 

Vala cha Birda

In the last post I did mention that I don't deprive the elders at home of their favorite tastes though I am cooking healthy most times. As if to prove a point, this post has come up you will say. It's not like it but there is one person in the family that has a weakness for Vala cha Birda. This person can go to lenghts, of soaking the val, peeling them alone, yes it is a challenging task! 

Now once peeled, I am happy to make it. A call to Mothi Aai and she tells me cook the onions and Val separately and then add the coconut masala. It creates a perfect texture. Do not grind. I follow instructions to the T and I am rewarded with a recreation of a curry that has many fond moments associated with it from childhood. Sprouted Val is called Birda, hence the name of the curry.

I have mentioned in an earlier post the craze for Birda in my family and how Val Dal saved our life if Birda was not peeled and available at short notice.

But before we go into the recipe let me explain to you the treatment val requires.

Preparation

The three phases of Val:
R to L - dried, soaked n sprouted and the peeled sprouts

1. You got to soak the dried val overnight. I used 1/2 kg Val to get 1 kg peeled sprouts.

2. Then next day remove into a cloth bag, tie up the mouth and hang the bag on a hook in the warm parts of your kitchen. Leave them in the bag for another day and night. In warm climes they should sprout about an inch or two.

3. Remove the sprouts into a container. Pour hot water over it. This will loosen up the skins. Let the sprouts soak for a good 1 hour. Then it is easy to peel the skins. Here is when the entire family should team up. Make it a rule, they will get a share only if they help peel the sprouts ;) I know I sound like a dictator but I hate this part.

Keep aside the peeled Val.

The Ground Masala

Like you see here. Grind together to smoothness.

1/2 coconut

handful of cilantro

4 cloves garlic

1 inch of ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon Koli Masala (1/2t garam masala+1/2t red chili powder)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 green chili

Other Ingredients

1kg of  peeled Val sprouts

2 medium potatoes

2 large Onions chopped

1 tablespoon oil

Method

1. Heat a handi or a copper bottom deep vessel. 

2. Pour oil. 

3. Fry the onions till shinny n cooked.

4. Add the val and quartered potatoes. Mix well to coat with onions and oil.

5. Pour 2 glasses water. Cook till potato is powdery and about to crumble. Val takes time to cook and watching the potato cook is the best way to ensure that Val is cooked. 

Beware that Val when not cooked properly is difficult to digest and may cause increased flatulence. 

6. Once the Val is cooked well. Add the ground masala and cook on sim for a good 15-20 mins. 

Cover and keep for 15 mins before you serve. This curry like all Koli curries taste better the next day, if preserved in the fridge.

On this day I went the extra mile and served this Thali of Vala cha Birda, Rice, Ghari,  Sheera, Masoor Kairi Dal,  Lime n ginger pickle and Kairi chi Chutney 

This is a recipe that's spicy by my standards. Yet some people in the family would have preferred it to be more fiery. What made my day is the happiness on my father's face was priceless!

Other blogger's who have made Birda or Dalimbi usal

Chakali

Nupur

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.

Kairi chi Chutney

The internet world has a great part in my life just like yours. It is the most generous society, when it comes to sharing experiences, laughs or recipes and even food.

Here is a some friendly blabber I'm sharing with you that will have you ROFL for sure...

Aamir Khan:
My infamously crazy Mango shopping got underway past weekend. Bought 35Kgs of Badami and Alphonso varieties. This man has tasted blood!
Aakash Kumar: Awesome.. Go for the kill
Aamir Khan: The 50 Kgs I bought last year still will take some beating :)
Vaibhav Parekh: ‎'Aam' ka wazan hai ki 'Aam Aadmi' ka!!!!
Aamir Khan: Aam-Dani athanni, kharcha rupaiya!
Aakash Kumar: too much Aam craze.. you may wanna use this as your DP during 'Aam' Season: 

Vaibhav Parekh: an 'Arm' for an 'Aam'!!
Aamir Khan :Aam-shaking is a way of greeting in Ratnagiri :)
Vaibhav Parekh: King of Mangoes should be called 'Aamitabh'!!
Aamir Khan :And comedian amongst Mangoes should be called "Jim Kairi'
Vaibhav Parekh: Katy Perry is thinking of changing her name to 'Peti Kairi'!!
Aamir Khan: And the Ravan villain amongst the mangoes will be called ""Dus-Sehri"
Vaibhav Parekh: Mayapuri's seasonal magazine will be called 'Totapuri'!!
Aamir Khan :Munaf Patel to be made brand ambassador for "Langda" aam
Vaibhav Parekh: The one who does not like it will be called 'Langda Tyagi'
Aamir Khan :Dongri's favorite Aam "Badaam"
Vaibhav Parekh: Not to forget 'Aam'chi Mumbai'!!
Aamir Khan :Aam Loving it!
Vaibhav Parekh: Baba Aamdev!!
Aakash Kumar: ‎"Aam' going to sleep now.. *yawn* :P
Vaibhav Parekh :YAWN sambandh!!
Aamir Khan :‎"Aam"igos, Gd nght
Raju Dedhia: bhai .. kuch export bhi kardo !!!
Anjali Koli : Make sure you're chilling the mangoes well before you eat and take an antidote of curd or sabja water in the day...that will avoid skin eruptions and other heat related stuff. Garmi Bahut hoti hai is phal mein...
Anjali Koli : Lol to all the all the Aam blabber...Aam junta!!!

Well in this conversation I also realized how rich Indian languages are we don't say just Mango for a fruit that has 2 stages, we don't need 2 words to describe them. Kairi is a single word for raw mango while a ripe one is called Aam/ Amba. 

Now the recipe I'm remaking here is Saee's. The jar of chutney that you see below is a gift she gave us when we blogger buddies met. At home people demanded that I make a huge batch for the big family. Saee now has my family and my circle of friends for fans.

Ingredients:
5 medium-sized raw mango
4 cup jaggery
4 halves dried coconut
3 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (she uses whole red chilies)
4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Method Peel and grate the mango, she says. Lazy me just chopped roughly and let the grinder do the hard work.

Lightly fry the fenugreek seeds in the oil.

Once fragant put off heat and add the chili powder to the hot oil.

Stir till oil cools a bit and the chili powder is not chared and smokes evenly with the hot oil.

Crush the jaggery, creates a lesser load on your grinder. Especially when you make a huge batch like this one.

Place all ingredients in the mixer jar and grind. No water is required. Remove to an airtight container and store it in the fridge.

This chutney is wonderful with whatever you want to have it with. Chips, breads, rice and though we are eating it like this with every meal these days, I sent it as dip along with Kothimbir vadi for my friend Sangita's birthday celebrations with her team at work and they simply adored it.

We also mixed up some pohe-kurmure chivda with chopped onions and tomatoes and laced it with this Kairi chi chutney. A sukha bhel for your 4pm hunger and oh so healthy.

Stay warned you will be addicted!

Saee has compiled the mango recipes on her blog go over to check them out. They are some of the most authentic and delicious Marathi recipes.

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.

The Virtual And The Real Friends

I met my blogger buddies last Saturday.

Saee of http://myjhola.in
P whom I always called ET till we met; of http://evolvingtastes.blogspot.in
and 

Harini (a new friendship is planted) of http://tongueticklers.com

My first such meet, it felt like we knew each other for years. Yes we did through our blogs so meeting in person was the next natural thing to do. Enjoyed the time we spent together. Lunch at Bangali Mashi's Kitchen followed by coffee at The Stolen Coffee Room across the road. We enjoyed the authentic Bengali Thali and fell in love with the Coffee shop, its colorful blue facade was warm and inviting. Those 5hrs together were filled with laughter, stories and promises to do many more things together.

We exchanged food gifts, I got dried peaches and nectarines from ET (she is visiting from across the globe), Saee gave away Mango chutney and me a quilled card, Koli masala and peanut burfi called badam pak a signature of Thal.

While these are old virtual friendships getting real I had to share it with my real friends who will connect more with me virtually now as I have moved cities.

Cheers!

P.S: Reviews of the joints plus recipes and experiments coming up soon...

Note: No pictures as We respect everyone's privacy.

A Decadent Cheesecake, My First !

I have rarely felt a rush to post a recipe so urgently! 

Cheesecakes are food porn and after oggling at them one day you just succumb. Well yet I wanted something to suit my preferences. I have successfully avoided using gelatin in my cooking, due to its animal origins. Hence I was always looking out for firming ingredients but the options are limited. Agar-agar is an option, but I don't like the texture, after a one time use I never touched it again. Then the internet did help me out, lime juice does help to firm up cold condensed milk is what I learnt and this experiment sounded easy.

Yesterday was a Sunday, everyone was at home yet I did not have any dessert ready because my super busy bro dilly dallied a visit to the D-Mart. Then in the evening Sapna was coaxing me to go when Sumeet was ready to take us there. I told the couple to go for some romance to the store, why the kabab mein haddi. When they were back with all the ingredients I wanted, I set out to put it together. A no bake cheesecake that turned out absolutely decadent and its my first!

Ingredients

1 cup hung curd
1 tin condensed milk/ Amul Mithai Mate
1/2 teaspoon raspberry essence
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup Strawberry crush (Mapro)


For the crust
2 packs glucose biscuits
1/2 cup molten butter

In the chutney jar, crumble with the hand one packet of biscuit at a time and grind to powder. Remove it into a deep plate. Warm the butter in a bowl, if you measure out 1/4 cup of solid butter and melt it, it will give you 1/2 cup of molten butter. Pour it over the biscuit powder and mix it with the fingers.

Take a tin or a deep dish (I used an oval aluminum baking dish) and line with foil. Let the foil hang over the dish well. This would allow you to pick up the cheesecake with ease when you unmold. Now in this lined dish, spread the biscuit crumble laden with butter. Press it down onto the base. Use your palm to press. Not to worry too much the butter will bind the powder well and seal the possibility of a seepage. Chill the tin for an hour. This is the crust for the base of the cheesecake.

Now in a food processor, fit the whipping blade. Add the hung curd and inch, do not run continuously. Then pour in the entire contents of the condensed milk tin. Whip for a few seconds. Add the raspberry essence and pulse once. Fold in the lime juice slowly and inch for few more seconds. The mix should look nice and creamy and ivory colored.

Pour this mix on the chilled crust. Spread it with a spatula. You will see it begin to set. Now cover the tin with foil or cling film and move the tin into the frigidaire. Chill overnight. 

Sapna had barely brushed her teeth this morning and asked, "Did you unmould the cheesecake?"

I had to succumb to sibling pressure of urgently doing the needful. So the devilish cheesecake had to come out of the hidding place, I required Sapna's help to lift up the cheesecake out of the tin. A springform pan would have been a better choice. We did place it with onto the serving plate with just one small crease. Then deftly had to remove the foil from underneath it. This is the most basic cheesecake. It tastes awesome just as is but my family is demanding. They wanted some color.

Before serving we decided that we can play with flavors, colors and ideas of decoration and since we were hungry and impatient we bathed the pristine ivory cheesecake with Mapro's Strawberry crush.

This was the family's breakfast today! I took a small bite too :P It was irresistible!!

Note : It was a little jiggly and clean cuts are a little difficult with a plastic spatula. Keep dipping it in water before cutting out each slice. I chilled it in the chiller tray, next time will try it in the freezer. For a cheesecake without any firming agent added, its set pretty well for my expectation.

Cabbage Palya

This is a super simple and a ubiquitous bhaaji that you will find in South Indian homes. As a kid who liked cabbage in any form? neither the simple nor the spicy. It smelt so awful always. Then you grow up and you make peace with this bhaaji. Conditions apply, the cabbage has to be shredded fine, it has to be cooked perfectly, there should be a perfect glaze and a crunch retained. That's enough! ;)

Now that I am in Mumbai, I am recording the perfect Cabbage Palya I once made in Blr. Yes I perfected the recipe in Blr. This will be useful for all the beginner cooks and lonely souls missing Ma's food and will cry into their bowl of cabbage palya once they try this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cabbage (1/2 kg)
2-3 green chilies
2 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
few curry leaves
salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
optional fresh grated coconut for garnish

Heat oil to smoking point. Splutter the mustard seeds, add the urad dal. Fry till golden. Add the curry leaves and the green chillies. 

Now add the finely chopped cabbage. This is a must! Use a V slicer or a Food processor. Stir for 5-7 mins. Salt it. Cover and cook for another 5. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle some fresh grated coconut if you like and are permitted to eat.

Enjoy it like a salad or an accompaniment with roti of your choice. This palya is very versatile as a filling for sandwich, wraps and even samosa. See I let out a secret use of even the most ordinary palya. Enjoy the simple pleasures.

Tur, Methi, Mushroom Handi

This is a curry that I loved a lot when I made it but I could not post it immediately. We were still in Blr. and it was the beginning of the winter harvest, when the markets are flooded with the freshest legumes. Of all of the legumes, Tur has a certain special place. It is not as mundane as peas, though it will be unfair if I say I don't like mutter. I love the fresh Val or Avarekai too. Yet Tur creates the excitement that mutter or Val does not. There are too many recipes to use mutter and a few must makes when avarekai is in season. All of those recipes can be made with Tur too. On this particular day the Tur pod was pregnant with the seeds and yet tender. I had a bunch of fresh methi and button mushroom too that I picked from the store when the stock had just comes in. It made me so happy that I had to use this bounty to make a recipe that would not fail me.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh Tur /pigeon peas

2 cups chopped methi leaves

1 cup small button mushroom (cut into 2)

1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

2 teaspoon oil

For the Masala

2 large onions

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon coriander powder

2  teaspoon koli masala (OR 1 teaspoon garam masala + 1 teaspoon red chili powder)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salt

First prepare the masala. With a knife create a cross cut in the onions like you would to stuff, not all the way thru but about 3/4th through the bulb. On direct flame roast the onions till the outer peel is charred and the insides look cooked. Turn over to cook evenly. When both are done keep aside to cool. Now peel of the charred skin and roughly chop up the onion and put it in the grinder. Add all the spices and grind to a fine paste with minimum amount of water and salt to taste. Save.

Now in a handi or a deep vessel heat oil. Add this masala and fry till the oil separates about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add ginger and garlic paste. Fry for another minute. Now add the vegetables tur, methi and mushrooms, keep stirring till methi wilts a bit. Then follow in with the tomatoes, on high heat let the tomatoes crumble down to a paste. Now finally top up with water. Keep the consistency thick and creamy. Cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Put off the heat and let the flavors soak well before you serve. 

This yummy handi is scoopable with any roti or bread and is equally enjoyable when mixed with a steamed rice or a simple jeera rice.

Banarasi Kemami Sevaiya

There are several versions of sevaiyan made into a kheer. This one was made by Zebi on Master Chef in season one. It made Akshay Kumar gush about the taste that reminded him about his mother's sevaiyan. This one had Khoya in it so I knew it is a rich version but this rich! is something I didn't imagine. This Holi I made it for my family. I moved back to Mumbai and am back with my family. I know its late to post about Holi but never too late to share this luscious recipe. It is the first time I am using Makhana and that too in a sweet. This blogging really is motivating to use new ingredients, that have not been known neither have been ever used in cooking in your entire family.

So here is the recipe, I tweaked it a bit as I did not have kevara essence. Plus I was cooking for a family of 6 adults so I halved the recipe and used very little ghee. That much ghee in the  original recipe is really unnecessary I think. The sugar was adjusted to our liking. I loaded the sevaiyan with all possible dry fruits I had at home. She uses water for the syrup as she uses khoya, I used milk and condensed milk for the lusciousness.

Benarsi Kemami Sivaiain recipe by Zebi Zubair

Ingredients

• 1/4 kg Benarsi Siwai 
• 1 litre milk
• 1 kg Khoya (I used 3/4 tin condensed milk)
• 250 gm Sugar 
• 1  tablespoon Pure ghee
• 3 drops Kevra essence / I used 1 teaspoon rose water
• 3-4 Green cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder (zaifal)
• 1 cup Makhana (chopped)
• 1 small piece Coconut 
• 10 Cashewnut
• 4 -5 Almond
• 10g Kishmish
• 4 roundels dried figs
• 10g black raisins
• 10gms khajur
• 5 pieces Silver foil (chandi ka waraq) optional Or rose petals

Method
In a pan add ghee and roast the sewai till brown, add Makhana and roast a bit. Add sugar, water, khoya or condensed milk and milk to a pan and bring to a boil till you get a four string consistency. Shallow-fry the dry fruits in oil. Add the roasted sewai to the dry fruits and sugar syrup. Cook on a slow flame for five minutes. Remove from heat and then add kewra essence (3 drops) in the mix. Season with cardamom powder and zaifal powder, rest it for 4 minutes. Decorate with silver foil and fried dry fruits before serving, is what Zebi did. I added a splash of color with rose petals to hint about the gulab pani.

One note: even 1/4 kg sevaiyan was a lot for 6 people, we shared with 5 more people. Next time I will make it with just 1/8kg.

At the end of the yummy recipe you are left wondering, where is kemami in the ingredients? Well well, I had to google hard to know Kemami or Qimami, means scented/ perfumed in Persian and Urdu. Zebi's were Kevara scented mine were with Gulab pani, what will you scent it with? How about Khus?

Another version:

Shevayi Kheer

Sicilian Caponata With Rice Croquettes

Sicilian Caponata with Rice Croquettes and Tzatziki

Hi Friends! Its been a long time since I posted. Couple of friends dropped comments here to check on me. Appreciated. Well there is some news at my end but that is for later first things first for the love of food that I will have to stay away from henceforth. The same food that I was so obsessed about now is rarely going to be cooked in the same way in my home. I the foodie and food blogger have a voice ringing in my head, " Run...cholestrol ~ ~ ~" when I see the beautiful glasses of strawberry and cream or fried food on blogs and TV shows. I still watch food shows not easy to give that up yet but what's playing in my mind is how can I make the recipes heart healthy

Now before I begin to post heart healthy recipes let me get done with the 15 in my draft. Those who are younger and who exercise enough can still enjoy them. So here is a recipe I made from the memories of an experience at the cafeteria in the visitors center at Auroville. In Auroville live people from 40 countries and visitors from all over the world so the menu is always continental. The recipes are contributed by these visitors who work at the cafeteria during their stay and the food is mostly homestyle.

Sicilian Caponata Sauce, if  I had to tell family, is a Vangya chi bhaaji with Italian herbs it could be fresh or dried parsley or rosemary like I used. In addition to the dominant aubergines and tomato you can add a whole lot of veggies or for the non veg version any meat of your choice.

Traditionally the aubergines are used with the skins on but here I wanted to make a special lunch so I scooped out the flesh and made boats just to add glamor, it was a weekend meal after all. Plus I wanted my Dad to enjoy it because we had left him behind at home while my bro and me went off on Pondicherry-Auroville-Mahabalipuram trip, where we had enjoyed this memorable meal.

I made Rice Croquettes on this day because that is what we had at Auroville but you could serve is with an crusty bread or even use it as a pizza topping.

Ingredients

Sicilian Caponata Sauce

1 large aubergine (7X4 inches)
4 tomatoes
2 large onions
1 teaspoon dried Rosemary
2 teaspoon olive oil
salt and sugar to taste


Rice Croquettes 
 
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced Capsicum
1 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste
wheat flour for dredging

Oil for deep frying the croquettes

Lets begin with the sauce. Wash and pat dry the aubergine. Cut vertically into two halves. Now with a spoon scoop out the flesh, dice it and keep aside. Chop up the onions and tomatoes into large chunks and keep ready.

In a frying pan add the oil, saute the onions till transparent. Follow in with the aubergines and mix to coat well will oil. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Then add the tomatoes and put the lid back for another 5 mins. Remove the lid and season with dried rosemary, salt and sugar. Cover and cook for 5 more mins till everything melds well.

Rice Croquettes 

For the rice balls just mix together all  the ingredients and don't forget the salt. Roll them and dredge in whole wheat flour. Heat oil and deep fry in hot oil. When they are golden brown pull them out and let them drain on a absorbent paper.

Putting together and serving

In a greased baking tray arrange the aubergine boats. Brush them lightly with oil. Bake for 4 mins. Then scoop in the Sicilian Caponata Sauce into it. Bake for another 5 mins.

Remove each boat into a serving plate and place one rice croquettes on it. Serve with some fresh crunchy vegetables or like I did with Tzatziki

With that it's a bye bye to fried food. You will see it on this blog only if it is prepared for others or if there is a recipe in the draft yet to be posted. I have been Stented and can never go back to eating carelessly like I used to. I am still contemplating whether my writing a separate post on it is going to help other people. When I have made up my mind I will detail my experience of Myocardial Infraction and the treatment I received and what I am doing for rehab.

Kuladharma Pournima

Watched the Full Moon go down the horizon. Kalanirnay the Marathi Panchang mentions it is Kuladharma Pournima. I went up for my walk around 6.15 am today and saw this glowing orange ball on the horizon, how even the moon looks so huge at the horizon. It almost looked like Mars in color. In the East the sun rays were visible but I don't see the sun from the terrace until its risen higher in the sky. I rushed down to get my iPad so I could use Goskywatch Planetarium app to locate the other planets and take these pics. Feel happy to be doing things I never had time for before. Will try to steal as many such moments and live life to the fullest I promise my self...

Note: I do not know the significance of this Pournima, in the Hindu Calendar every pournima is uniquely identified with a name and is associated with a unique ritual unlike the generic identifier Full moon in English. The verbatim meaning of Kuladharma is a set of principles to be followed by a person as per birth into a certain caste or class as laid down in Hinduism.

Sanjeevanam: Vegetarian Health Restaurant

As colorful as a painter's palette: 

Shot glasses of Khajur drink, Cashew milk, Beetroot soup, Mathaa and Ganji.

The raw foods (Rto L): 

Aval puttu, Mix veg salad, Banana pith raita, beetroot salad

The semi-cooked foods (front to back): 

Olan, Ashgourd Kichadi, Pumkin pachadi and Banana flower stir fry

Finally the cooked food

Keerai and Bitter gourd stir fry

Red rice and Avial

White rice and Greens sambhar

Pineapple tomato rasam

Moong dal

Aval payasam

Spoonful of honey

Vegetable paan: minced veggies with nut paste

At Sanjeevanam, Kormangala we walk into a glass enclosed courtyard with a tree at the center. Under the tree we sit at a perfectly set table. Soumiya and Me were there to try the Ayurveda based meal.

This restaurant is from the stables of Cholayil the company that follows ayurvedic traditions in their products, of which the Medimix soap that makes them a known name in every household.

This restaurant is good for a try once, the colorful drinks served in shot glasses is the high point of the meal. The staff carefully explains the order of foods to be consumed, beginning with a slice of banana as the appetizer, the juices to tune the stomach, the raw food, the semi-cooked and finally the cooked food. There is lots of buttermilk and curd to round off the meal. The closure of this formal meal is with a spoon of honey to help digest and a vegetable paan to freshen up the mouth.

Here in Blr. it's a buffet but at their other locations in Ernakulam and Chennai they serve on banana leaves.

What do I say about it? It's one place you will call healthy even when you are dinning out. The food it almost like home cooked, contrary to people's belief that healthy food might taste like bad hospital food; this meal was yummy. My favorites were the shot glasses of drinks, the banana pith raita and the aval payasam. 

The presence of such a restaurant in Blr. shows everything has a place on the foodscapes here. 

Address

Cholayil Sanjeevanam, Kendriya Sadan
Koramangala 2B Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560034

Note: Check out the Fab India store housed in the old world bungalow with a courtyard across the road. That should complete your ethic experience. I bought handmade soaps, perfumed oil and lip balm for my Uncle and Aunt.

Awala Supari

In Blr. We get Awala or gooseberry almost all the year round. Yet the Awala in winter is the best. I bought some to make Nellikayi Chitranna and there were at least 5 more left. I had never made Awala supari ever but had seen my aunt make it. It is as simple as chop in to bits, sprinkle salt and dry it in the sun. This fruit does not release much water even after salting so you can just mix the salt into the bite sized pieces in a plate and keep it out in the sun. To get completely dried Awala supari you will have to leave it out for at least 3 days under the strong sun.

Store the dried Awala supari in a clean dry airtight box.

It is tart and salty when eaten as is but drink water after it and you sense the sweetness on the tongue. For people who do not know what is supari, it is mouth fresher. Like you all know that Awala is a power source of vitamin C but in this form it acts as a digestive too.

Go ahead make your own.

Goodbye Ashwath Narayan

My eyes are swollen as I type this. I had to post this today for Ashwath Narayan Uncle, who was an ardent follower of my blogs. I know he will be reading this from wherever he is today. 

I met him first time at Blr. Railway station when we both were there to see off our common friend Late Dr. Appa Athavale way back in 2005-6. Ever since Ashwath Narayan uncle, Parimala aunty, Manasa and Chetan have been family to me. It is so hard to say a final goodbye to him but we did today.

If he has a way he will take a print out of this and show it to the almighty saying read it, Anjali has written it. He had taken copies of my travel journal and distributed to the group with whom he visited North East of India.

Here is an old post of a trip with his clan, they so gracefully include us. I have wonderful memories like these of Ashwath Narayan uncle.

I mourn the loss with you, Parimala aunty, Manasa, Chetan and Kunal (Son-in-law) yet we know he will be watching you all and to me like always I hear him say, "Will watch your blog".

Shree Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj's family of devotees will miss you. Shree Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.

Goodbye dear friend ~~ fly away and be free ~~

Divine Connect With Ruhaniyat

Click the image to visit their site.

It was a beautiful stage set for a promising evening in the courtyard of Jayamahal Palace Hotel. I had been excited about it ever since I got to know about it through the weekly mail from Bookmyshow. I purchased my tickets 15 days in advance. Such is the reputation of Ruhaniyat.

Ruhaniyat is a festival of Sufi & Mystic Music that travels around India. They visit the 7 major cities in India between November and March. This is their 11th year and I was lucky to be able to make it for the Bangalore performance.

Last night was a beautiful night to experience the divine, not just because I was at Ruhaniyat to listen to the Mystical music but also because of a Celestial event. It was a Lunar eclipse, perfectly timed between 7 pm and 10 pm. We sat there under the trees with the sky above us just turning the night blue. As the host opened the festival she rightly mentioned that it was going to be an evening of Ibadat or worship. In Hinduism we do namasmaran or jap during an eclipse. That oriented us for the evening.

The first performance was by Abdul Rashid Hafiz & group from Kashmir. The evening air was filled with lilting music of the Rubab, Kashmiri Sarangi with the sweet rolling of the words from the Mystic songs in Kashmiri. I wrapped myself up with a shawl, I simply had to stay for the entire night out in this open courtyard I knew it right at the start.

Avdhoot Gandhi from Alandi, Maharashtra and his group performed an Abhanga, Bharud and a Gondhal. Compositions of Savata Mali, Bahina Bai and Eknath Maharaj embellished Avdhoot's powerful singing. This was a performance in my mother tongue so could not stop myself from singing along. The Gondhali got the audience swaying in their seat with his prowess on the Sambal (folk drums) and when they sang praises of Goddess Ambabai, I too joint in the Udho! The Shankhnaad (blowing of the conch shell) elevated the pitch. The host mentioned that Avdhoot Gandhi is a descendant from Shree Dyaneshwar Mauli's Maternal family and the Varkari people's first stop is at his family home. He is blessed and talented too.

On the heels came in the singers Indra and Shakur Khan with their team to present the Sufi Kalams of Bulle Shah and others. Unfailingly the Khadtal player, Daevo Khan was the most popular with his enticing movements. He even did a jugalbandi with the tabla player.

After all the celebratory moods from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, it was the turn of the soul of this whole event Parvathy Baul. She enthralls the audience like none, performing alone on the stage dressed in saffron saree wrapped in Bengali style, her knee length hair worn as Jata. When she sings, pure, sincere and full of Bhaav / emotions is a voice that invokes a connect with the divine. She is this tiny women with a voice that emerges from her belly and a face as innocent as a child. You see that Tandri on her face and your focus turns inwards. She sways with Krishna as she strums her Ek tara and plays the Duggi. She jumps in sheer joy as she says the lord belongs to her and is only hers. Inspite of travelling all over the world performing at big and small festivals, she performs as if this is her only performance. In the entire evening she was the one who gave goosebumps and I experienced the meaning of Ruhaniyat!

We saw the stage being dusted with some powder and we knew what to expect next, ofcourse the Whirling Dervishes. They performed the Sema, a prayer service. We were told not to clap after the performance respecting the Turkish culture and traditions laid down for Sema. The Dervishes walked in slowly and stood in one corner of the stage wearing a black cloak. The ceremony is all about symbolism, they remove the cloak and set out on a journey of spirituality through Sema. The Camel hair hat they wear stands for the ego, the white skirt for the ego's shroud. The whirling is the singular movement in the whole ceremony. It represents revolution, of the circulation of blood, of the revolving universe etc. They start off by bowing towards Mecca and cross hands across the chest, signifying there is only one God and that we have to be one with God. Then as they start whirling they slowly open their hands in delicate moves, bringing them down to the hips and then lifting them slowly upwards the right hand pointing upwards to receive the blessings from God and the left pointing down to the Earth to distribute those blessings to the needy. These dervishes therefore are symbolic medium for the common man to receive the gift from God. The mood of the ceremony was further enhanced by the smell of rose water and incense in the air. When one experiences Sema one realizes the irrelevance of religion to spirituality and I am sure people not exposed to Hinduism will say the same when they see some of our rituals.

During the intermission I looked up at the night sky, it was still shrouded with clouds and I suddenly caught a glimpse of the shadow of the earth just moving out from the moon. The eclipse was coming to an end.

After an intermission the night's last performers, the duo Shameem and Nayeem Ajmeri entertained the audience with some spirited Sufi Qawwali. The cake on the icing was Ghungroo ofcourse for which Shameem Ajmeri has earned much applause. He mesmerized the audience with his bols of the Ghungroo which he does vocally,  the jugalbandi of ghungroo and payal, the sounds of a single ghungroo and the scattering of the ghungroo. There was a demand for once more as this was the last performance for the night and they concluded it with a composition called Rang.

Ruhaniyat is a musical, spiritual, long lasting experience. I would be looking forward to it every year now on...

Chasing Away Sinusitis With Ukala

It is that time of the year when you cuddle up in the rocking chair with Ukala and Sweet bread with a blanket on the knee and book in hand. The book has been replaced by the iPAD now but the warm fuzzy feeling is still derived from the Ukala. I think this wonderful drink is magic also due to the aroma therapy of the volatile oils from the spices.

It is the time of the year when your Sinuses play havoc. One nostril is blocked and the other is warm. I don't like sprays, sniffies and other sinus gear. What I like best is twice a day of this Ukala that makes you warm inside out. The blood rushes caused by the spicy heat from the Ukala gives you that fuzzy feeling you desire most in the cold winters. I like to hold my large cup in both my palms and move it across my forehead while it is still hot. Pure therapy, as I sip on my Ukala the slightly thickened milk slides down my tongue and the heat from the spice hits my throat. The brain senses the nice smoothness and brightens the mood. I have never been a milk lover but this Ukala is an excuse to enjoy it once in a while. The Tryptophan is strong enough to make me doze off peacefully when had just before bedtime.

Ingredients  

Ukala Masala

3 tablespoons Black Pepper Corns

1 tablespoon Cardamom pods

2 tablespoons Jyeshtha Madh/ Mulathi powder

1 tablespoon Cloves

2 sticks Cinnamon

In a mortar and pestle powder all the ingredients. Store it in a jar in a dry place. Use 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon of this Masala for your Ukala.

Note: If you do not like fresh ginger or cannot avail it you can include 2 tablespoons of dry ginger powder in this masala, mix well and store.

I use fresh ginger most times so add it to the boiling milk.

300 ml Milk (I like to use Goodlife since it is thicker than other brands)

1/4 teaspoon of the Ukala Masala

1/4 teaspoon Dry Ginger powder
OR 1/4 inch Fresh Ginger

 2 teaspoons of honey

In a clean pot boil Milk and this Ukala Masala, till your milk gets a little thick or gets a faint pinkish tinge. Boil it down to 200ml. Strain, pour into your favorite cup, add honey and mix well. Enjoy the fragrant warm sip.

Many of my friends have come to Blr. for work from warmer places of their birth and the cold here puts them down. Nimmy, Pinka, Jyoti and Aditya this post is for you. Say Cheers with Ukala! 

Tip: This same masala can be used to make a spice tea when boiled with water. To get your strong Masala Chai just add the tea leaves along with this Masala to hot boiling water, brew to your taste and add a splash of milk for the perfect cup.

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.