tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244879226232033932024-03-12T20:35:05.343-07:00Sizin Portalİçimizden Bir SESS :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1024125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-64549110614079313092008-07-04T09:57:00.002-07:002008-12-10T21:20:28.182-08:00Mango SalsaMango Madness is right ... more like Mad that there aren't any mangoes yet! I guess according to the mangoes, summer hasn't truly begun (the weather begs to differ...!). I bought one mango, fully ripened at Rs. 20 (about $0.50), which is still a lot for a mango - just because I couldn't wait any longer. And I used it to make this mango salsa!!So here goes a precious mango over to Arundati at Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-40417517449932013322008-07-04T09:57:00.001-07:002008-12-10T21:20:28.381-08:00Kuwaiti TeaIts funny how tea, originally from China, has been changed and adapted to fit the tastes of different nationalities. Tea spread to Japan from China and became a drink of the upper classes (from it was born the famous Japanese tea ceremonies). In Britain, tea is still very traditional - steeped in hot water, mixed with warm milk. In the US, tea has become synonymous with Chai, except for the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-24066994429477662192008-07-04T09:57:00.000-07:002008-12-10T21:20:29.058-08:00PierogiesI love the Taste & Create event. It allows you to go through someone's blog - I mean thoroughly. Like you would never have normally, and search for that one recipe that calls out to you. Its easy to choose a drink or something extra simple, but sometimes you just stretch a little bit and tell yourself that this is the chance to try a recipe that gets you out of your comfort zone.I was paired Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-41654679529654708922008-07-04T09:56:00.005-07:002008-12-10T21:20:29.364-08:00Grape JamI just can't believe I made jam. JAM, people! Quite a regular little cook, huh?! I have to say that this blogging thing has made me all confident and happy! I still can't believe I made Jam! Okay, I'll stop being modest.The thing is, it was so so easy - I never did realize how easy it was, until I saw other people making it all over the blogosphere. And I figured if I can make complicated rasams Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-28615800073471645842008-07-04T09:56:00.004-07:002008-12-10T21:20:29.475-08:00Dipping SaucesYou will not go wrong with these dipping sauces. They are amazing. I got them from a chef a long time ago, and then tweaked them a lot - and this is the current recipe.Delicious Dipping Sauce #1: Peanut Red Chilli (spicy and sweet)2 Scallions, chopped fine1/2 cup Hot Water4-5 Dried Red Chillies, chopped extra fine1/2 cup Chunky Peanut Butter (you could use Smooth, if you prefer)3 tbsp Soy Sauce (Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-91897559302920469752008-07-04T09:56:00.003-07:002008-12-10T21:20:29.613-08:00Bell PeppersWhen I left India, I knew absolutely no cooking. I was a little nervous that I might be homesick for the food. Being vegetarian, the thought of being in the then-Meat and Potatoes-eating midwestern United States, was going to be a little difficult.So, I armed myself exactly a week before I left with 10 recipes that are easy to make (under 20 minutes) and easy to prepare (minimal authentic Indian Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-33882108000574745152008-07-04T09:56:00.002-07:002008-12-10T21:20:30.180-08:00Raspberry and Blueberry MuffinsI got a surprise package of dried raspberries and blueberries from a relative in the US. They knew how much I missed the berries, and sent it to me.And it was just after I rallied to get chillies included as berries in this month's AFAM: Raspberries, hosted by Dee! So, you see, when word gets out, I might have to go into hiding, from my fellow Indian bloggers, who made chilli dishes! The only Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-72089068891074107562008-07-04T09:56:00.001-07:002008-12-10T21:20:30.647-08:00Steamed WontonsI tried hard and couldn't find wonton wrappers in Chennai - I even called a woman who gives Asian Cooking Classes! - but it was nowhere to be found. And then, I found these Thai rice paper rolls, which worked very well.I made them very basic and healthy and it was delicious. You could dress it up by adding some authentic Asian ingredients like bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, vermicelli noodles, tofuUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-69105177503070557762008-07-04T09:56:00.000-07:002008-12-10T21:20:31.043-08:00Garbanzo BeansI was planning to take some fancy photos for Click this month and my mind has been constantly thinking about the prep for the photograph. And then I made this garbanzo beans curry, and took some photographs - and there it was - I never did realize when I was taking it. Here's my entry for Click:I like the photo because you can almost feel the heat off the screen! And I love the look of the curry Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-24426161808402950832008-07-04T09:55:00.003-07:002008-12-10T21:20:31.482-08:00Cutlets - Your Recipe Rocks!Everyone loves cutlets. Especially my daughter. She gets this big grin on her face when she's offered cutlets for dinner - at her grandparents' house! I know it's really easy, but I've just never gotten around to making them.Yesterday, she specifically asked if she could have them for dinner, and I realized I've got to learn how to make them at some point. So, I did a blog search and found this Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-87266328812493963242008-07-04T09:55:00.002-07:002008-12-10T21:20:31.696-08:00Saffron RisottoThe International Food League was so much fun! Basically, you have to pick a mystery box which contains a spice, a grain, a vegetable or a fruit. When you decide which box, you are sent a riddle. You have to crack the riddle to guess the ingredient. Then use the ingredient to make a dish and blog about it.I, seriously, cracked the riddle in One Second (and I'm usually so bad at these things!). Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-59915102784757493382008-07-04T09:55:00.001-07:002008-12-10T21:20:31.762-08:00All about ChennaiA lot of you have expressed surprise at being able to get stuff in Chennai. Yes, lots of stuff is now available here. I guess it's just a question of knowing where to look.For kitchen pans/gadgets: My dear friend Rachel pointed me to Currimbhoys and Poppat Jamals. Currimbhoys is where I got the bamboo steamer as well as the muffin pan that a lot of you asked about. A lot of stuff is also Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-88312892717579130692008-07-04T09:55:00.000-07:002008-12-10T21:20:32.399-08:00Tosca CakeEveryone knows someone who keeps their cooking and recipes secret. I know someone, who, all through my childhood would make the most delicious food. One of the things she made (and still makes) is a Tosca Cake. It was always very exotic to me and for a long time I thought she had invented it! (It's actually Swedish in origin - a heavy sponge cake with a praline-type almond topping.)I tried Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-13573989715864623452008-07-04T09:54:00.005-07:002008-12-10T21:20:32.807-08:00Cook-up RiceI tried, tasted and tried again. Yup - you read right - I experimented with the recipe...and I shouldn't have. Zlamushka's Tried and Tasted event this month features Cynthia's blog, Tastes like Home. I got the recipe for Cook-up Rice (a national dish of Guyana) from Cynthia a while ago, and have been meaning to make it.Her recipe uses coconut milk, parboiled rice, veggies and black-eyed peas. OneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-44116917502366554272008-07-04T09:54:00.004-07:002008-12-10T21:20:33.064-08:00Parathas: Stuffed RotisRotis/ Naans/ Chappatis/ Parathas are all north Indian in origin. Rice is the staple food of south India. That is, until a few decades ago, when people started to travel and foods/recipes and cuisines got interchanged.Even now, south Indians can't make breads as well as north Indians (at least the majority). I know someone who lived in a family of about 12 people - and she was assigned the task Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-27489644273489019842008-07-04T09:54:00.003-07:002008-12-10T21:20:34.326-08:00Mushroom RollsI've made these rolls lots of times when entertaining and never got a chance to post the recipe because, as Sig says, its very difficult to take photos while everyone is waiting to eat. Unless you keep some aside to take photos the next day - but with this recipe there is never anything left over! It's not the best looking appetizer, but oh-so-delicious!Mushroom Rolls1 loaf bread (you could use Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-28325023235802564212008-07-04T09:54:00.002-07:002008-12-10T21:20:34.676-08:00Spinach with CornThis is dedicated to a dear friend. She recently started to cook. And she has slowly started to enjoy it, but is still afraid of the "unknown" ingredients and "cooking techniques".And then I began to think what she would definitely need in her kitchen - its a clean slate as far as Indian cooking is concerned. What would one who was cooking everday Indian food, absolutely need in the kitchen? WhatUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-30315652622048160152008-07-04T09:54:00.001-07:002008-12-10T21:20:35.849-08:00Flapjacks - Sweet & Simple BakesSweet and Simple Bakes, a new league being hosted by Rosie and Maria, is exactly what I've been looking for. It is for beginner bakers, who are willing to try out new recipes, and improve their baking skills. You can read more about it here. They are wonderfully helpful to amateur bakers who have tons of questions (aka me!).The first challenge they presented us with was Flapjacks with Cranberry Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-86122927734084269422008-07-04T09:54:00.000-07:002008-12-10T21:20:35.967-08:00Clicking Yellow for BriYellow, often meant cowardice, but those were the people who were color-blind! Yellow is brilliant, beautiful and glowing. It is the color of sunshine, sunflowers, hope and rejuvenation. It is the color of choice in the fight against cancer.And that is what we are doing here. We are helping one amazing person, Briana, fight the disease - as she has done before and wants to do again. To read more Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-54894334008170141912008-07-04T09:53:00.006-07:002008-12-10T21:20:36.747-08:00SpaetzleMy love affair with spaetzle started years ago when I went to visit a friend in Germany. We were having lunch in a lovely little restaurant and spaetzle was one of my options as a vegetarian. It tasted lovely - thick egg pasta with a lovely butter and herb sauce. When I came back from my holiday, I searched everywhere in the US to find German restaurants that served spaetzle and though I found a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-40531733765042209662008-07-04T09:53:00.005-07:002008-12-10T21:20:37.126-08:00Zatar PlatterZatar is a Middle Eastern spice mix, used extensively in different dishes. The most common ones are Zatar bread, and as a dip for bread and olive oil. Its absolutely delicious. Its a mix of sumac, thyme and sesame seeds, but as with all mixes, you can add ingredients and subtract as you desire. The first three are the base though. Here's a great resource for home-made Zatar. Please read here for Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-43968561980224235112008-07-04T09:53:00.004-07:002008-12-10T21:20:37.651-08:00Tomato DosaThe color and the sweet taste of the tomato make this one beautiful dosa. Kids love them!Tomato Dosa1 1/4 cup Raw Rice2 tbsp Toor Dal2 Tomatoes2-3 Red Chillies1-2 tbsp Fenugreek Seeds1 tbsp Cilantro, choppedSalt, to tasteSoak the rice, toor dal and the red chillies for 3 hours.Grind all the ingredients with water to a pouring consistency.Heat a little oil (about a teaspoon) on a crepe pan/ flat Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-38806704710858936652008-07-04T09:53:00.003-07:002008-12-10T21:20:38.278-08:00Sprouted LentilsMatki or Moth or Turkish Gram beans are very new to me. I searched every corner of my city for the beans before I found them. They are extremely healthy and a great source of vitamins and protein. A bowl of sprouted matki beans give you your daily recommended intake of protein! Each tiny grain is packed with so much goodness! And its delicious, too!Sprouting beans is pretty simple. Here is a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-51601742453333312022008-07-04T09:53:00.002-07:002008-12-10T21:20:38.403-08:00Lentil SaladI make this healthy salad for breakfast atleast 2-3 times a week. I've experimented with different kinds of sprouts and lentils, and each one has such unique tastes that it's not really possible to pick a favorite.I've found the easiest lentils to sprout, though, are the Green Gram lentils and the Turkish Gram or Moth lentils. They take an average of 16-24 hours in the hot Chennai weather, so I'mUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-124487922623203393.post-28071861882248582582008-07-04T09:53:00.001-07:002008-12-10T21:20:38.700-08:00Tomato OambalThanks to RCI, I now know a dish from Nagaland. When I was researching foods from the north-eastern corner of India, I was in for a huge surprise. Half the ingredients were new to me - I hadn't even heard of them. The combinations of ingredients they use were also very different. And I couldn't pronounce the other half! How lovely to live in a country where every state has its own culture and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0