Going Organic

A new kiosk in the cafeteria @ work. They promise organic food. Anyone tried The City Deli yet?

Post your feedback here while I might need time to check it out.

Hittu, Idli In A Jackfruit Leaf Basket

Yesterday a typical Sunday morning I was barely out of bed and the phone rang. Irrespective of the day we wake up early so a call at this time of the day makes both of us jump a little bit. It was Vidya Auntie at the other end, though she lives about 10 mins walking distance from our home she visits us just once in a while and she had just come over recently so I was surprised to hear her voice at the other end. She announced don't make breakfast today, I'm getting something for you. I was thrilled, I am not used to such pampering. Not to make breakfast on a Sunday morning and this showering of affection is something I have completely forgotten about. All those married ladies and those who have lost their Mom will understand this.

In a few mins. She almost ran up the stairs with a box filled with these beauties. WOW! I had only seen pictures of these idlis over here and followed the pictorial for making these baskets with Jackfruit leaves. At work I had eaten banana leaf wrapped ones but not these. Hittu in kannada/ konkani literally means batter. Only loving mothers can take so much trouble to make the baskets and steam these special idlis. It is to differentiate between the regular idlis and these it is called Hittu.

I am truly touched by Vidya Auntie's gesture and even more thankful to Uncle who drove her to our home so it would reach us hot straight out of the steamer. Currently her daughter is visiting her with the kids, so this speciality was churned out. It means a lot to me to know that they came home to deliver the first batch for me even though they had grandkids around. Fortunately I had baked a second batch of Choco Walnut Cake - II just the previous night for all those friends who did not get from my Valentines Day one, so thats what went back for the kids.

She now understands me so well and the crazy food blogger that I am, she got along a pretty chutney bowl to make lovely pictures. She knew I would take pictures of course! :). What she didn't know is I would ask her and Uncle to pose for a picture.

Thank you Uncle and Auntie for this surprise and all your love! Its been 14 years since I enjoyed this kind of pampering.

For all you guys out there the recipe is simple. Just your regular idli batter steamed in those dron/ baskets.

The leaves keep the idlis incredibly soft for two days. Yes We had those for 2 breakfasts :) as we could never eat so much in one go even though we wake up hungry these days.

God Appe

You see only half of the Appe here :)

Mrs. Vidya Shenoy is one of the many friends we made in Blr. She has an amazing home, an antique and artifact collection so huge that it keeps her busy all day long. She is one of those people that do every thing perfectly. Home, hearth or hobbies, she gives her best. She even packs her gifts carefully which is really rare here.

She likes to visit us once in a while and is always armed with goodies. Last time she had got figs in a lovely recycled paper bag. Remember the Fig Sauce. It is one of my most searched recipes . This time she got a bag of God Appe.

She loves to discuss about spiritualism with Dad and food, culture and art with me. Her sister introduced this blog to her when she was in Mangalore recently. So this time she has recommended that Dad see and read my blog. I don't know when that will happen.

As soon as Vidya Auntie handed the bag to me, I felt the warmth of the freshly made God Appe. I was not going to leave this opportunity to learn a recipe from a senior lady like her. She is a sugran, once she had served us dahi vada and moog dal payasa at her home and both tasted heavenly. The taste that I miss, of Mom's and Devaki Kaki's cooking, I find it in her cooking.

This is a sweet with old world charm and does not get made much in Mumbai homes. So I sat at her feet to learn the recipe and she eagerly shared it. Like all women her age she has to be prodded about the ingredients, gently asking how much of this or that did she use. They tend to assume that we would know and most measures are andaze, so I tried to measure out.

Ingredients
2 glasses raw rice
1/2 coconut
2 ripe big bananas
2 handfuls beaten rice/ pohe
1/8 kg jaggery
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup bits of cashew nut
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
ghee for roasting
Wash and Soak the raw rice for 2-3 hrs in water.

Drain and grind together the soaked plump rice, coconut, banana and pohe with minimum amount of water. It should be a thick batter.

Now this is a real tip from the sugran, jaggery has to be molten in a vessel with 2 tablespoons of water to get rid of the raw smell. Then cooled and added to the rest of the batter. Now add the baking powder, mix well and let the batter rest for an hour.

Just before you start cooking the Appe in the mould add the cardamom powder and cashew bits in the batter and mix well. About 1 tablespoon batter sits well in each cell of the appe pan. Roast it with ghee. Cook on one side then flip with a fork and cook on the other side.
Let them cool a bit and then enjoy.
This recipe is for 50 Appe. One can halve the recipe or quarter it to get 25 or 12 Appe. They freeze well and can be made in advance. Just zap up in the microwave before serving to get back succulent Appe.
GAS 2008 (God Appe standards patented by gourmet yours lovingly) say they should be spongy, sweet, and cooked well right to the center. The aroma of cooked ripe banana and cardamom brings the old world charm right back to you.

I am speechless

My classmate. She was a delicate girl when in school. We have not been in touch since then. On a fluke I searched for her. Maria another classmate had mentioned about her. Read here.

Smita we are proud of you.
Love.

Cauliflower N Olive Bake

Sometimes we create something which is not quite what you set out to. This dish is just how I made it. This is a kid friendly recipe to make and eat too.

I wanted to create a spicy cauliflower bake but it turned out a fragrant one. This is a completely oil free dish. I think 1 tablespoon of oil to coat the cauliflower florets would have done a lot of good to the taste. It is a very bland kind of a bake so you see the sprinkle of red chilli powder. May be a sizzler sauce would have been a good addition to.

Though I did not enjoy it much Dad did and many who like bland food may like it.

Ingredients

1 head Cauliflower head

1 cup pitted olives

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 teaspoon oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

Break up the cauliflower florets and keep them immersed in water with 2 teaspoons of turmeric for 1/2 hr. The turmeric with make the cauliflower aseptic as well as a little tender.

In a bread pan put in the florets, olives, oregano and 1 tablespoon of Oil. (I did not use any but have included in this recipe to enhance the flavors, you can skip it if thats how you want to try it out. Toss them around a bit.) Top up with grated cheese, any type will do I used the regular Amul processed cheese. Preheat oven for 10 mins. Bake the dish for 40 mins. Serve hot with a sprinkle of red chilli powder. If you like to have it with a dip use schezwan sauce or just ketchup.

Orange Cup Yogurt

served with Sunday Lunch

The weekend treat for being good during the week and following the diet plan I mentioned in the last post. Last weekend I made Aloo Parathas with ghee, ketchup and pickle, Tomato N Corn Rice and Orange Cup Yogurt for desert.

This is a very easy to make desert and is ready in a jiffy. It can be prepared before hand for visitors and served chilled on a sunny day.

Ingredients

1/2 liter curd

1 orange

Sugar as per taste

Hang the curd in a muslin cloth for 15-30 mins until it is thick and reduced to 1/4 liter. Remove the curd to a jar and blend with a hand blender or whip it up in the mixie. Use sugar if you like it. I skipped it but added 2 teaspoon for Dad's cup.

Cut the orange at the equator to get two cups. Loosen the wedges, remove the threads and save the empty orange cups. I used one Valencia orange. Squeeze out the juice of half the orange and loosen the segments of the other. Mix in the curd both the juice and segments. Keep some segments to sprinkle on the top. Since Valencia orange is a sweet orange it blended well with curd.

Serve the orange flavored yogurt in the empty orange cups that we saved. This is a very refreshing desert and low cal too.

Corn Bhel and a Lifestyle Change

Corn Bhel, Tomato saar, Cut veggies with salt and red chilli powder

Most people struggle with weight all their life. If you’re born thin and a fussy eater, parents spend years stuffing you to convert you into a chubby baby they wish you would be. That dream stays then you reach puberbity and all at once the skinny thing grows into a healthy woman. Healthy as is "Khate Pite Ghar Ki".

There is a turn around and parents now worry about who will marry their pretty daughter if she stays healthy. Now their dream is to make their daughter the model that would sashay down the street giving the guys hearts a skip. Now the same parent who built the habit of stuffing even when not hungry put tabs on what the young girl needs to eat thus causing eating disorders. Plus once she turns into a butterfly all sports are a no no as her coaching to become a good bride starts. Until the smart young lady decides for herself what is best for her and asks Mom and Dad to leave her alone.

The above is a slight exaggeration of what goes on in Indian homes. Yet parts of it are true in the life of different girls who become fine young women ofcourse because of their parents. The parent’s indulgence is to be forgiven.

Well my struggle with weight is still on. I have tried many diets. I am not much of a sports lover, not even a TV sports lover. So for me its long brisk walks and change in lifestyle that helps me. Diets went on and off. Finally I have chosen something that is working for me and looks like I may be able to keep my pace with this.

I have started following a routine that our grandmothers followed:

Breakfast:

Before leaving for work, small portions have a charm accompanied by a cup of tea.
Upma/ Poha/ 4 biscuits/ a vegetable sandwich/ tomato omelet/ thalipith

At 11 am:

A glass of buttermilk made with a table spoon of curd and salt diluted with water.

Lunch at work between 12.30 to 1.00pm:

2 chapatis or 4 phulkas and a bowl of vegetables made with just 2 teaspoons of oil per person.

4.00 pm:

Tea with just one teaspoon sugar.

6.30 pm in the bus while returning home:

A fruit OR a glass of buttermilk (mentioned above)

Dinner at 8.30 pm:

A big bowl of vegetable salad /fruit salad / vegetable bhel with corn/ sprouts of different kinds with non starchy soup/fresh fruit juice

Before retiring for the day:

2 glasses of water

Results:

• I am able to pack more into my work week.
• Waking up fresh in the morning.
• Feel little lighter but have a long way to go ;).
• My habit of napping in the bus on the way to work has changed. I am putting the time to good use.
• Cooking just once in the morning, feels good to have time for other hobbies.
• No more obsessive thoughts of what to cook for dinner.
  

Weekends:

Treat time. One sweet on Saturday and Sunday. One exciting breakfast or brunch. Occasional visit to a restaurant.

This is a plan that will last for sure.

One such dinner we enjoy is what you see in the plate above:

Ingredients
2 cups boiled sweet corn
1 onion chopped fine
1 tomato chopped fine
1 handful cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon roasted coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
salt and red chili powder to taste

In a vessel you can mix all items together and serve on a decorative plate. I like to mix my corn bhel while eating so I assemble it like this, corn, onions, tomatoes, chopped cilantro, salt sprinkle and all powders sprinkled. Enjoy every spoon while you meditate over your plate of corn bhel. It is very satisfying and calms the nerves as you mix it and chat up with your loved ones.

I have a sedentary lifestyle and a bad metabolic system so this intake in enough for me. I was not allowed to play right from a young age so lost interest in sports. Hope I get a chance to play with my kids, if I ever have some, err at least two.

Disclaimer:
My formula is not patented so anyone can use it yet no way is it prescriptive. Infact it’s stolen from my grandmothers from both sides and my many grand aunts who were very beautiful charming, intelligent women and who took good care of their health.

Choco Walnut Cake - II

Happy Valentines Day !!!

I revisited my Walnut Choclate Cake recipe for this Valentine's Day. It is this time of the year when I actually want to celebrate though I am not much of the crazy trend follower.

No expensive gifts. Just something I will be able to give every year, every day of the year. No and it is not this cake either. He knows it but this post is to show it.

I just changed the recipe a bit and it has turned out better.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup fine semolina
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup crushed walnuts
2 cups milk
70 gms ghee/ butter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon soda bicarbonate
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the sugar and ghee/ butter together in the food processor until fluffy.

Sieve together all purpose flour, semolina baking powder, soda bicarbonate, salt and cocoa powder.

Add the sieved mix into the processor little at a time. Add the milk a little at a time. Alternate this till all flour and milk is in the processor. Add the vanilla. Whip it up.

Grease a 9X11 baking tray with ghee/ butter. Sprinkle the crushed walnuts in a layer. Add the cake batter over it. Thump the tray lightly on the counter. This will spread the batter evenly. If it is not even spread it with a spatula.

Preheat oven for 10 mins. Bake the cake for 20 mins.

Cool the cake in the baking tray itself. Cut into squares like I did or different shapes with a cookie cutter. Invert the baking tray onto a decorative tray or remove each piece onto a fancy dish. Serve with icecream, milk or orange juice else nibble on it just like that.

My word: Since I make eggless cakes, they always are denser than the ones that have egg. Its the first time ever I had such a light crumbly cake.

Lots .....

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Spice Burst Loaf

Spice burst Loaf is a bread that tastes very Indian. Most times when I make bread I make either sandwiches or use some spread to lather it. This time I wanted a bread that could be eaten without the paraphernalia. This loaf as the name suggest is bursting with spice and is loaded with flavorful sweet corn, black olives and the tart flavor of sundried tomatoes. It is a mouthful of flavors one will enjoy with every bite. It is non messy and just right for kids. The senior people who try to find Indian flavors in continental cuisine will be absolutely happy with this loaf.

Ingredients

2.5 cups all purpose flour + 1/2 cup
1.5 cups warm water
2.5 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4-5 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sweet corn
1/2 cup crushed paneer
1 handful sundried tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped black olives
2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon olive oil

Lets prepare the Spice burst first. Heat olive oil in a wok. Fry the crushed garlic till soft. Add the chilli powder and turmeric. Put off the heat and let it cool for 5 mins then add lemon juice. Add to this the chopped black olives, paneer and sweet corn. Keep it aside.

Soak the sundried tomatoes in water and let it stand while you get the dough ready.

In half cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let it foam for 10 mins.

Meanwhile in a large bowl measure out 2.5 cups of all purpose flour. After the yeast has foamed well mix into the dry flour with a wooden spatula. Add 1 cup warm and knead well. On a counter sprinkle some flour and turn out the dough and knead. Now add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and knead. Leave the dough to proof for an hour or till it doubles.

After an hour flour the counter well and turn out the dough on the counter and knead lightly. Then drain the rehydrated sundried tomatoes and add to the dough. Now get the loaf pan ready by oiling it with the spice burst that we made. Add the rest of the spice burst into the dough and mix well. Roll up the dough like a mat and pinch the loose ends.

Put the loaf in th pan for another hour of proofing. Dust the loaf with some dry flour. It rises beautifully over the lip of the pan.

Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 deg celcius. Bake the bread for 25 mins.

Once the top is nice and golden remove from the oven and let the loaf cool on the grill. Slice it after it is completely cooled.

The slice can be buttered and enjoyed with a hot cuppa.

Cheese-Gobi-Matar Paratha

I Love Parathas, there can be so many types of them. Yet the ingredients in it wins a victory over the wheat flour. I think whats wonderful about the Parathas is the pure tastes of the veggies that it brings out. Also they can be easily presented in a wonderful way. Hot paratha with pickle and curd takes you to heaven straight away. I used to love one of my juniors at university and later my colleague, Ritu's lunchbox. It was almost always paratha with pickle.

I make many many types of paratha too but Aloo paratha remains the favorite at home. My nephew Sujal, now a college kid was a big fan of the cheese parathas from my repertoir. It did a lot of good for my ego when he came back from a certain fashionable roti place and said it was a waste and that I made the best parathas in the world :D. Sujal you are the best nephew an Aatya can ask for! Hope you still feel the same.

Here is a paratha I just tried out:

Ingredients

For the stuffing

1 cup cauliflower broken into tiny florets
1 cup fresh green peas
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 handful cilantro
2 green chilies
2 cloves garlic
salt to taste

For the dough

1 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup water
salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil for kneading

ghee to fry

First knead the dough for the parathas. Remove wheat flour, salt about 1/2 teaspoon or more and knead well with water. Add oil and knead again for 5 mins. Let it stand for 10 mins so that it becomes smooth.

In a chutney grinder put green peas, cilantro, garlic and green chilies. Just give it quick grhh.. leave it coarse ground.

Now remove the coarse ground peas masala, cauliflower florets and grated cheese. Mix well and divide into 4 parts. This is used to stuff the parathas

Divide the kneaded smooth dough into eight balls. Roll out poori sized chapatis. Now put the stuffing on 4 chapatis and cover with the other 4 chapatis. Seal the edges and flatten with the hand.

Dust the counter with flour and roll out into larger size. The parathas are then roasted on both sides with ghee on a hot girdle.

Serve hot with tamarind chutney or a dip of your choice.

Multigrain Kakdi Vada

Kakdi or Cucumber as all of you know is one vegetable that has a wonderful aroma. In Thal we get these huge cucumbers that resemble gourds. These are the cucumbers that are used traditionally for Vadas. The traditional vadas are made with just rice flour. I decided to try a multigrain vada with grated cucumber. The idea was a hit. They tasted so satiating especially after a work week of simple food. These vadas are crispy and extremely aromatic.

In Thal these big cucumbers are not home grown but are brought in from nearby villages of Poynad, Shahbaz and the hills of Karnala. These areas are the cucumber growing areas in Alibag Taluka. The women from these areas come to Thal to trade their produce with the Kolis. These cucumbers are exchanged in barter with fish. Koli women too go to these villages to trade fish. These Kakdi vadas are paired with a bean or pea curry for a vegetarian combo and with Kolim (baby shrimps stir fry) for a non veg combo.

Ingredients

1 thick grated cucumber
2-3 green chilies chopped fine
2 handfuls cilantro
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup of different millet flours (ragi, bajra, jowar)
1 cup chickpea flour
salt to taste

Oil to fry

Mix all ingredients together. Do not use any water. As one kneads the cucumber releases enough water to knead the dough into a ball. On a plastic sheet shape the vadas with a lemon sized ball of the dough with a hole in the center. Heat oil and fry the vadas in it. The vadas should be fried untill red on medium heat. Drain on absorbent paper.

Serve hot with ketchup or curd.

My word : Its a sumptious breakfast.

Banana Fritters

Banana fritters remind me of Periyar. A visit to the Periyar wildlife sanctuary is a must when you are in Southern Kerala. A dam was built across the Periyar river that caused some trees to be submerged in water and its a wonderful scene. The best way to explore the wild life sanctuary is by boat, floating slowly on the Periyar river that flows through the sanctuary. Especially the 4 o'clock ride. It is that time of the day when animals come to the shore for a drink. We saw herds of elephants, bisons, deers and cute little otters jumping into the the waters.

After the boat ride we then went to the nearby spice market. I shopped for a whole lot of spices that lasted me almost 3 years. Near the spice market was a quaint little restaraunt where we ate banana fritters that I enjoyed a lot and everytime I make my own I remember those fritters in Periyar.

Ingredients

1 raw banana
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 handful chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt to taste

Oil to fry

Mix chickpea flour, red chili powder, turmeric, chopped cilantro, cumin seeds and salt with water to get a thick batter.

Peel and Slice the raw banana on a V-slicer using thick mode.

Dip the slices in the batter and fry in hot oil until crisp.

Serve with Ketchup or any chutney.

Bhendyacha Bharit

Bhendyacha Bharit is a Koli classic that everyone loves. It falls in the category of elaborate cooking and lot of oil which is a quality standard for old world good food. There are very few Kolis who will complain about Bhendyacha Bharit though they might about the bhaaji. As I have said before in Koli Bharit means stuffed. So here you go with a stuffed ladies finger recipe.

Ingredients

1/4 kg Ladies Fingers of the vegetable kind
1/2 fresh mature coconut grated
2 onions
1 cup chopped cilantro
2-3 green chilies
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon oil to saute
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste

More oil to shallow fry

Wash the ladies fingers and pat dry them with a napkin. Make sure they are dried well. This will help to reduce the slime will cooking them. Cut up into finger lenght morsels if the vegetable in longer else keep whole. I made this dish with slightly bigger ladies fingers so I cut each one into two. Slit them lenghtwise as a provision to stuff with the chutney we will make later.

In a shallow pan add the oil and saute the onions to translucent. Add the grated coconut and saute. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 mins befor grinding the chutney. Grind the suateed onions and coconut with cilantro, green chilies, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and salt. Do not add water, grind coarse so that the chutney has a nice texture. Now mix in the lemon juice. Stuff all the morsels with the chutney and keep aside.

Use the same shallow pan that we used before. Add oil to get a nice layer of oil at the bottom enough to fry the ladies fingers. Line up the stuffed ladies fingers in the pan and cook till done. Do not shake or stir else the stuffing will come out. Ladies fingers get cooked in about 7-8 mins. To check if they are done see if they are slightly browned at the bottom. Be careful not to char them. Never cover the vessel while cooking ladies fingers, it makes them slimy. This is one dish that one has to be generous with oil while cooking.

We used to love to wrap Bhendyacha Bharit in hot Chavlachi Roti and chomp on the roll.

Stamp of Koli authenticity!

Kerala Paratha

An authentic Kerala Paratha is made with all purpose flour however an healthy option is making it with whole wheat flour, ofcourse that's what we have done here. This paratha is called Paratwala paratha in the north. Paratwala means layered and yes it is more delicious with goodness of wheat.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Remove all the ingredients on the counter and knead the dough. Let is rest for at least 10 mins. Then roll out 4 small chapatis. Lightly oil the chapatis and roll them up one by one. Divide the roll into six parts with a knife. Now take each piece and turn it to have the cut face up. Press it down to flatten it, dust with flour and roll out into thin parathas. Roast on a girdle with little oil. After roasting remove from girdle and crumple the paratha like a used paper but just lightly such that it should not break into pieces. This crumpling loosen the layers a bit and makes the paratha more delicious.

Click on the picture to see other recipes on the platter.

Rasam Bonda

This post is going to Click Liquid a photography event hosted by blogger buddies Bee and Jai on their blog Jugalbandi, one of my favorite blogs.

While in Mumbai I wondered what was so great about rasam, however that has changed now. I have been in Blr for last 2.5 years and know what a good rasam is all about. When there is chill in the air the rasam helps you lift your spirits and warms the heart. I started off making my rasam by using the MTR powder but no more. Infact the best rasam is without the powders I have observed in many friend's homes.

Then somewhere on the blogs I read about rasam vada. It sounded interesting. The author had mentioned that we get rasam vada in the darshinis here but have never found it on the menus. I feel shy to ask for something that's not on the menu so I decided to try it at home.

We have just started our diet of salads and soups for dinner again which means we wake up starving in the morning. On Saturday I woke up a little early and decided to make rasam bonda. This breakfast does a wonderful thing to you the rasam warms your blood while the udid dal bondas satiate your protein requirements. The balance of all tastes is perfect a bit sour, sweet, hot and spicy with the crunchy bondas soaking in the rasam. Dad stopped to comment only after his second bowl, "Its very tasty." For people who don't prefer fried food for breakfast won't even notice that the bondas are fried.

We prefer the bite sized bondas to the large vada as we enjoy the extra crunch and the smaller size does not make it soggy all the way in. The small sized bondas are easy to pick with a spoon instead of struggling to break the large vada into pieces when dipped in the liquid. Unless you may want to see it flying off into someone's face with a splash of rasam every where.

Ingredients

For Bonda
1/2 cup udid dal
1 table spoon rice flour
salt to taste
Oil to fry

Wash and soak half cup udid dal in water for at least 2 hrs. I soaked it overnight as I made this for breakfast.

Drain the water, grind in a mixie to a smooth paste. Mix in the salt and rice flour so that the bondas are able to hold together. Heat oil and drop the lumps of the paste into the oil with a spoon. Make bite sized bondas. Fry till golden and crisp. Remove on a paper napkin. Keep aside.

For the Rasam

1/2 cup toor dal
1/4 turmeric
1/4 red chili powder
1 large tomato
1 handful chopped cilantro
1-2 green chilies
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2-3 glasses of water for thinning
2 teaspoon oil/ ghee
1 lemon sized ball of tamarind
2 tablespoon jaggery

Wash the dal. In a pressure cooker add the dal with 1 cup water. To it add 1 teaspoon oil, turmeric, chili powder, asafoetida and pressure cook for 20 mins or 3 whistles.
Cool the cooker and meanwhile chop the tomato, green chili, cilantro. In a small bowl add half cup water and washed tamarind and boil. Cool and extract the tamarind pulp. Save.

Now to season the rasam in a saucepan add 1 teaspoon of oil. Splutter mustard seeds. Add the tomato, green chilies, cilantro and cover. Let it simmer for 5 mins. Meanwhile churn the cooked dal to get a nice paste with a beater or Ravi. Then add the cooked spiced toor dal. Top it up with 2-3 glasses of water depending on how thin you want the rasam to be. It should look like clear soup. Add the tamarind pulp and jaggery and boil for 10 mins.

To serve add 4 to 5 bondas in a soup bowl and top up with rasam. Enjoy sipping the rasam while you bite into the crunchy bondas. Though we made this for breakfast this dish can be a any time snack just when you need something to satiate your hunger pangs.

Tip:

This dish can be created in 20 mins if you keep the udid dal paste refrigerated ready for use. The rasam can be created from any leftover cooked dal by just thinning it and seasoning as mentioned.

Warning !

While I was making the bondas I had a mini accident, fortunately I was not hurt. When using rice flour with udid dal paste make sure it is mixed well. To ensure that you do not have dry areas in the bondas mix well and let the paste stand for 10 mins if you are not in a hurry. I was impatient and when I started frying the bondas the dry rice flour hardened from outside while the inside was still soft. This caused the bondas to burst in the hot oil. I was fortunate not to gets scalded by the oil. I was upset with what happened and the entire kitchen was a mess but my sweet Dad cleaned it up for me.

Pal Payasa

Last saturday the theme of the day at home was RCI Kerala . I made a Kerala meal and an evening snack of Banana fritters. It was a co-incidence that a procession passed my neighborhood celebrating a ratha yatra with a huge frame of Adi Shankaracharya on it and the women followed it singing Soundarya Lahri. I am not sure what festival they were celebrating but I was celebrating my love for Kerala and its people. Some of my closest friends are Mallus and I love to tease them with a Lal Salaam.

Dad had gone out for a while and I had my peace time making this elaborate meal of the Vegetable ishtew, Pal Payasa, Whole wheat Kerala Paratha and Crunchy Cauliflower.

Most people visit the usual tourist circuit of Kerala, it is no doubt beautiful but my favorite has to be Allepey, the backwaters, the houseboats and the wilderness. That is one Kerala that everyone knows. I was lucky to go to another part of Kerala called Kasargod. This is amazing topography, the hills, ghats that churn your tum and the famous Bekal fort. I has mentioned here about the visit on this blog before too. Sharing here some pictures of this majestic fort.

We had gone to the Swami Ramdas Ashram, this is an amazing place. There are no temples here. The place reverberates is Ram Naam chanting almost round the clock., Everyone is welcome here with open arms and a warm smile. No one demands any contribution of any finance or physical help in any activity. You are informed about the daily routines of worship like bhajan, aarti, chanting but not forced. Yet one feel like being part of all out there.

It is amazing how much they take care of visitors, Once you walk into the ashram and request for an accommodation. You are provide with a cot, coffee is delivered at the doorstep, breakfast and both meals of the day are served at the dinning hall. In the evening they even provide milk and bread for those who prefer it. The height is they even wash your clothes. Remember this is an ashram yet not a single penny is charged for anything. They will do every thing for those who go there to the chant the divine name. We realize it to be our duty to do what little we can.

One comes back with so much peace and absolutely swept away by their hospitality.

We were served Pal payasa once during the 2 days that we were there. Its the simple rice and milk sweet that is associated with the divinity of naivedya.

Before I go on to the recipe for Pal Payasa, I noted When I was setting up for the shoot how the color dominating was white. Yes I associate white and cream with Kerala. The white of the lungis and the cream of the mundus, was I trying to bring that into my setting unconsciously? May be. I loved the way the plate looked. I did make an exception though to the white of all purpose flour that is used for Kerala paratha, instead I used Whole wheat flour. They turned out softer and tastier.

I really don't need to refer to Pal payasa recipe but yes Manisha makes Ammini's recipe sound like a real special creation check it out here and its fun too read too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw rice
4 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon ghee
handful cashew nuts
handful black currants and golden raisins


To begin there is a bit of preparation that we have to do. We need to wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in water for 1/2 hr. It will make cooking easy.

After 1/2 hr. Take a 4 litre capacity vessel, as you will need space for the milk to foam up why its boiling. Add the rice to the pot and milk and keep it on sim for about 15 mins. Though you need not keep stirring just keep a watch, who wants a spillover when you are cooking an elaborate meal. Check the rice, if it looks rice and fluffy and almost ready to burst into a starchy crumble add the sugar at this point. What separates a Phirni from a Pal payasa is this. The phirni is made creamy with the rice crumbling into the milk. A phirni clings to the ladle whereas the rice grains are self respecting in a Pal payasa. A good Palpayasa is sipped where as a phirni is to be licked up. So just when the rice is plump add the sugar. The osmotic pressure change in the liquid lets the rice be but it will help thicken the milk into a richer density. Now while this thickens for another 10 mins in another vessel or the tadka spoon/ katori take the ghee and heat it til it melts. Remove from heat and add the cashew nuts. They will turn a nice golden give it a shake to get an even color on both sides. Add it to the thickening payasa. Bring to a boil once with continuous stirring. Add the saffron strands and put off the heat.

Pal payasa needs to cool completely for couple of hour to be enjoyed thoroughly as a fine speciality. If you like it warm reheat and enjoy else chilled if you prefer it that way.

Fly dear post too the distance land of RCI Kerala to congregate with fellow Kerala lovers. Hurry LakshmiK and Jyotsna are waiting at the Currybazar.

Potato Bhaaji Mock Tavyarche Suke Bombil

Ever since our family turned vegetarian our relatives fear eating at our home. It is quite funny to note that when a vegetarian visits a Non vegetarian home, they fear that the food might be "Contaminated" as much as the Non vegetarians fear that they might have to eat grass. Many a relatives have shunned the yellow Koli dal they relish on a fasting day at our home saying they would end up with a stomach ache if they ate dal at night. Such is the fear induced in a Koli by vegetarian food.

In an attempt to make peace with visiting relatives my Mom used to make this potato bhaji that was loved by one and all. Many a times a happy relative would comment this tastes like Tavyarche Suke Bombil ie Tava fried dry Bombay duck. I have decoded it, I think the large amount of onions just makes it more Vashat or non veg like.

This bhaaji taste perfect with any type of roti and rice as well. Follow the instruction exactly, this bhaaji requires that the vegetables be cut in this fashion only, if you want the right taste.

Ingredients
2 big potatotes halved and sliced thin
3 Onions halved and slivered
2 green chilies slit
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Koli Masala or Garam Masala
2-3 Kokum
1 handful chopped cilantro
salt to taste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the onions till translucent, add the potatoes and all other ingredients. Mix well, add salt and water. Meanwhile soak the Kokum. Cover and cook till potatoes almost crumble into the bhaaji. This bhaaji should look nice and creamy, it should not be too dry or too thin. Add the kokum and mix well and leave on heat for 5 mins. This bhaaji taste best when cooked before hand and all the flavors seep in to the dish.

So those of who have not tasted Tavyarche Suke Bombil for a while and do not have access to Bombil try this bhaaji. I loved to suck on the kokum in this bhaaji and as if to give an applause to Mom would make that sound with the tongue touching the palet to create a vacuum and a loud toch~~ in response to the tart flavors that tickled the inside of the mouth.

A weekend Thali of Potato Bhaaji, Val-Shekatachya Shenga bhaaji, Methi pickle, Til Kadipatta chutney, Chapati and Rice.

Square Shaped Chutney Paratha

Last 2 days the www has gone crazy looking for a good tilgul recipe. Some are looking for an easy one, some have messed up and need to fix tilgul recipe that flopped. I made tilgul too but did not take pictures for this post.

I want to wish you

Sankrantichya Shubhecha! with a Dry Chutney Paratha. To pick the Haldi (Turmeric) Kunku (Vermillion) that I offer touch the screen.

You see after all the sweet tilgul you will need something savory. Remember I had posted the recipe for Kadipatta Til Chutney a few days ago. I updated the same post after I tried out the Chutney Paratha. This recipe is ideal for Sankranti and it has til in it.

In this post I will write about how to make square shaped parathas. Food is most times about the taste and at all times about presentation. If you have been a fussy kid you know that the food styling could get you to eat stuff that you don't even care for. Right! so we have seen paratha in the shape of a triangle, layered round, stuffed, unstuffed but round is standard. One shape I just tried out by fluke is square.

Well how did I stumble on this shape. I was making the chutney paratha again for my Dad. I was using the dry Kadipatta Til Chutney I knew they would stay good for a couple of days so my Dad need not cook for atleast 2 days while I was in Chennai. In a hurry I rolled out a chapati and realised I started out to make parathas. So instead of rolling the dough back into a ball I put a spoon of chutney in the middle and folded the edges over it to get a square packet. This actually is neater than making baskets that we make to fill the stuffing for round parathas. Then I just flattend the packet with the palm and rolled out thinner to get a square paratha. While making a square paratha the dough should not be spinned like we do for rotis. Instead roll it vertical to get a rectange then turn it 90 degrees and roll vertical to get a square. Make a size a little bigger than a poori for easy handling.

These parathas would taste good stuffed with any dry chutney and last for couple of days at room temperature. They are ideal for a packed meal or travel.

If served at home ketchup, date-tamarind chutney or humus is an ideal dip to accompany.

Spiced Pineapple Orange Drink

It is the season of pineapples. I guess besides strawberries, pineapple is the second most favorite flavor in the world. The reason being the artificial flavors have almost reached the perfection of the real taste of the fruit. Fresh Pineapple tends to be expensive sometimes and there is a good reason for it. The Pineapple fruit can be harvested only after 15 months of cultivation which means one fruit takes 15 months to reach the market and to be available for us to enjoy.

Pineapple is grown vastly in Kerala. To a Mumbaikar like me pineapple was meant to be eaten fresh or juiced. It is only when I went to Kerala did I get to taste pineapple curry, called Mor Kuzhambu.

This drink is not a regional delicacy nevertheless I'm riding the Kerala wave with the current RCI. The smell of a very ripe Pineapple transports me to Alleppey. I remember hoping out of the car at the site of a almost orange colored ripe pineapple as the vendor was cleaning it. It was a large fruit, immediately I declared to Dad that I was going to live on Pineapple that day. We went straight to hire a launch with a wonderful deck covered with a canopy and surfed the backwaters for 6 hours from Alleppey to Kumarkom bird sanctuary. They were the most idyllic hours in my life. Dad even took over the controls of the launch for sometime and he was happy like a child who is gifted a new toy. We nibbled on the pineapple all day long and yet I was not tired. I was smelling all fruity that night.

Here is a drink I made yesterday with a nice pineapple I laid my hands on. I have some more left and the next dish you can expect would be savoury. This recipe is for my friend, Deepa for she has pineapples beckoning in her pantry.

Ingredients

2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
a small piece of ginger ground to paste
1 small piece of cinnamon
1 clove
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons honey
2 slices of pineapple to dress up the glasses

Pound the the spices together to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Keep aside.

Next in a big jar add the juices, ginger paste, honey and the spice powder. Chill the juices covered for 2 hours. This will help the spice flavors to blend into to the juices well. Shake and serve in a glass of your choice. Insert a pineapple slice onto the rim.

A spiced drink even if chilled will give your throat a nice warmth as it increases blood circulation.

Bagels Bribe Dad

My Dad hates to be alone when I am on business travel. He won't say it in so many words but I know. Parents, are just like kids at his age. Every day he waits for me to reach home. Lovingly he tries to surprise me with one or the other thing when I am back. He needs to be coaxed to eat well. He has this concept of eating half the capacity of his tummy. That has kept him in good health. Touch wood!

I'm posting this from Chennai and I'm missing Dad too.

Last Saturday I made bagels to bribe Dad without saying it. I was going to be away for a few days so wanted to treat him to a good breakfast before I left. Anita came to my rescue
with her Bagels for Breakfast.

I made the spread too with Amul lite first time, my mistake. I should have used cream cheese instead like Anita. These Fad thingys are fakes I agree.

The Bagels passed the benchmark of a perfect one. They were chewy and tasted awesome when still warm. Thanks Anita! Did you note the Remakes category looks like it was made just for you :)