Purple Rice Bowl – Chinese Style

I love vegetable markets. The kind where hawkers lure you with freshest produce, holler and vie for your attention, call out with all zest and confidence to take a quick ‘dekko’ at their treasures. I love to shop here.

Purple Rice Bowl – Chinese Style

And in contrast we have the big uber cool fancy supermarkets which would get me all excited but mostly turned a dampner once entered. These stores are huge, catering to everything imaginable, from a match box to a television. Not to mention, groceries, produce and exotic imported vegetables and fruits. The produce particularly makes me regret coming to the stores and not going to the nearest vegetable markets. One chance view of their godowns/storehouses and the pathetic conditions in which the extra produce is stored, left me cringing for days.

Little Rice Bowls

But of course, supermarkets versus hawker markets is a topic of debate to which we rather not get into now.
Because now is the turn of this wonderful purply rice bowl that I quickly fixed for dinner tonight. One of the many mellifluous hawkers sold this to me in spite of profuse refusals. But he insisted on the ‘freshness and quality’. So I gave in to his selling strategy but only to pleasantly discover the truth in his words.

Scallion leaves are a must

A crisp bright colored cabbage actually calls for some fresh salad. But you know my intermittent relationship with salads. So I quit thinking of raw options and ventured into my most comfortable and favorite territory. Chinese 🙂

Yes, Chinese styled rice, laced with minimal sauces, garnished with scallion leaves – made a delightful dinner!

Say it with color

The Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice, boiled so that each grain is separate
• 3/4th cup purple cabbage, chopped fine
• 1 onion, minced
• 6-7 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tiny piece of ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1-2 tbsp green chili sauce – vary according to your taste
• salt and pepper powder to taste
• 2 tbsp scallion/spring onion leaves, minced

Method

In a wok, heat oil, stir fry ginger, garlic and onions, preferably on high, stir frying all the time. Keep the chopped cabbage ready. Once the onions turn translucent, throw in the cabbage along with salt. Stir fry and saute till 3/4th done. Try to keep the cabbage a wee bit crunchy.

Add vinegar, green chili sauce, pepper and rice. Mix well. Garnish with scallion leaves.

Serve hot with pan braised veggies or simply some Schezwan Sauce.

Subtle Flavors

I made some pan braised veggies, but could not get pictures for the same.
Using vegetables like onion, bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, baby corn and bok choy, I saute them in oil along with loads of garlic and season them with little salt, pepper and vinegar. Thats it.
They made a perfect colorful accompaniment to my subtle flavored rice.

Purple Passion

This is a handy recipe if you have:

• left over rice
• a ravenous stomach
• no time
• fussy taste buds craving something yummy all the time

And oh I forgot, a nice fresh purple cabbage is also required 😉

Vegetable Dimsums / Momos / Steamed Dumplings

Vegetable Dimsums

All of 4 years, a bundle of energy, irresistibly cute and disarmingly charming, this little girl can make any man weak in the knees. Really. No exaggeration. The husband transformed into an instant hopeless fan the moment he set his eyes on her.

Little Princess

Dear readers, this post is dedicated to my little niece, Kaeya. A self confessed ‘MOMO’ freak. These little steamed delights are her all time absolute favorites. She invaded my mind all the while I dished up this Tibetan delicacy.

Steamed Tibetian Delight

Miles between us, but how I wished I could send a box full of soft melt in the mouth dimsums to her. I can almost hear her shrieking with glee. I see her savoring each bite with such mindfulness that you would be satiated just looking at her 🙂
Yes, she is that magnetic.

No, it’s not her birthday or her first day of school or any special day for me to remember her.

It’s one of those days, when you just do. When you just remember someone, simply because you miss them. Don’t need a birthday or a friendship day or a valentine day to acknowledge another’s presence in our life. It’s one of those days when you simply wish they were here with you.

Garlic Red Chili Chutney/Dip – perfect with steaming hot momos!

I made an ingratiating red garlic chili tomato dip to serve these hot dumplings. Pounded garlic and kashmiri red chilies in a bed of tomatoes, infused with a lot of sesame oil sure adds a very winning accompaniment to the momo mania. Usually kids relish the dimsums as it is, without a dip. But Milee, my 6 year old licks this sauce more than her peers. What can I say?! She has one different palette!

Dunk it right in!

The Recipe:

For MOMO making step by step pictures, refer here.

Ingredients

For the wrapper:

• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup plain flour/maida
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil
• luke warm water to knead.

For the stuffing:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 5-6 cloves minced garlic
• 1 big onion minced
• 1 cup grated cabbage
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 10-12 french beans, minced
• 1 small bell pepper, minced – I used red bell pepper
• 3-4 tbsp spring onion/scallion leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 green chilies, minced – optional
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Method

Mix flour, salt, oil and little warm water to make a soft pliable dough. Knead for at least 2 minutes. Keep aside.

Now to make the filling:

Heat oil. Saute garlic, green chili(if using) and onions. Once almost pinkish, then add the rest of the grated minced veggies and stir fry till 3/4th done. Sprinkle soy sauce, salt and pepper. Top with scallions leaves. Mix well. Cool the mixture. Keep aside.

A peek into the stuffing

Now to make the Dimsums:

I grabbed huge handfuls of the dough. With help of more plain flour, I rolled out real thin big huge rounds. The husband likes the wrapper thin, he doesn’t like the doughy taste of the cover. So, it’s a task to thin as possible without tearing. Then I used a round cookie cutter or a steel bowl/katori, and cut out small several rounds.

On each round, place a few spoon fulls of filling, and gently close the circle encompassing the stuffing into a little pointed bag.

The making

Once you have 6-7 momos ready, steam them for 5-7 minutes, ideally in a bamboo steamer(How, I wish I owned one!), but since most of us don’t have one, we improvise.
An idli maker or your khaman dhokla maker works absolutely fine in such a situation.

Steamed hot dumplings

Now for the Red Chili Tomato Sauce:

Soak 10-12 kashmiri red chilies for 10 minutes. In a blender, chop up two red ripe tomatoes, add 12-15 cloves of garlic, soaked red chili and a tiny piece of ginger. With out adding any water, grind into a paste. Heat 3 tbsp of sesame oil in a wok, saute one chopped onion. Add the tomato-garlic-red chili paste. Boil well till the oil leaves the sides. Season with salt. Keeps good for at least a month, in the refrigerator.

Appetising.

A long chat with the very talkative, tale spinner. The phone passing many hands, the conversation abruptly ending many times, the loud chitter chatter, the mother( READ: sometimes mine, sometimes my daughter’s, sometimes my niece’s) complaining. Sisters sharing small stories and laughter – A very fitting end to a very dreamy long reminiscing day.

Egg Free Vegetable Lasagne

Last time I made vegetable lasagne I put up a very enticing picture on FB, and teased friends and foodies to name the dish. But the spoiler was that I conveniently forgot to click the end result.
So no picture, hence no recipe, hence no post.
I should not have done that – according to my sister. First tempt with alluring sights, tickle the taste buds, and then leave them all high and dry. So not done.

Vegetable Lasagna

But fret no more.
Today dear sisters, friends and foodies, I bring you Vegetable Lasagne made with the same amount of love, excitement and fervor.
What I have here is a vegetarian version of this supremely delicious dish. Interleaving layers of pasta, marinara, sautéed veggies, spinach bechamel, cashew paneer sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano makes this pasta DIVINE and of course very fattening.

Ragu Rich

I made this dish with so much of soul, that I think if I had to have it on a regular basis, I would actually puncture my very own heart.
But you know nature is bountiful, caring and very concerned. The things that could damage you she makes them more difficult to obtain.

Making lasagne itself is not very arduous, but putting together all the contents is. So you will find yourself making it once in a while, but make it with a lot of love, butter and cheese. 🙂

Need a bite

Most Lasagne recipes have egg in them, so when I found a vegan veggie recipe I raced to save it.
Though not vegan, I have the vegetarianism intact here. An amazing amalgam of paneer, cashews, milk and olive oil, infused with garlic was a new for me. But it worked like no other. My good guess is this heavenly cashew-paneer sauce is an apt replacement for the egg. But I could be mistaken, so holler if you find me wrong.

The layering is a breeze and actually if you have a little helper around you, it can get fun too! The 6 year old hands that assisted me in the layering, were so darn careful and meticulous, that I had my eyebrows perennially raised.

Outdoor Lunch

Lasagne is basically layering once you have all the components ready. So, I am going to make it easy for you:

First, the individual components needed:

1. Pasta sheets, I used 8 square ones – to layer 4 times.
2. Ragu/marinara sauce/Pizza sauce
3. sautéed veggies – I used colored bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots
4. Spinach Bechamel/Spinach White sauce
5. Cashew-Paneer sauce
6. Loads of cheese – Mozarella or Parmigiano-Reggiano
7. Torn basil leaves – optional

Individual recipe to each follows after this:

Layering:

In a well greased baking pan, spread spoonful of marinara, then lay the pasta sheets so as to cover the pan properly. Now spread ragu/marinara again, topped with cashew paneer sauce, then layer the veggies, now the spinach bechamel, some cheese, drop a few basil leaves here and there. Now lay the pasta sheets again, and repeat all over again. End with a nice layer of cheese and bake at 180 C for 15-20 minutes or till the cheese melts and little brown spots appear.

So, in essence: Ragu–>pasta sheet–>ragu–>cashew paneer sauce–>veggies–>spinach bechamel–>cheese–> basil leaves–>pasta sheets–>ragu……

The layering

You don’t really have to follow any specific order, but when you have a guideline it simply helps. Feel free to experiment.

Now for the Individual recipes:

Boil the pasta sheets according to the instructions on the box. We like it al dente, but if you want you could cook them till nice and soft. A word of caution: advisable to drop in your sheets one by one into a pot of boiling hot water, laced with oil and salt. Using a fork, keep them from sticking to one another. Else you might have one sticky mess. Once done, remove the sheets from hot water, keep aside.

1. Ragu/Marinara:

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil, saute 5-7 pounded garlic cloves, throw in a chopped onion. Saute till pink. Now add blanched 5-6 ripe red tomatoes, along with 3-4 dried red chilies. Stir in salt. Cover and forget about it for at least 20 minutes( actually give it a stir once in a while). Once the oil appears on the sides and the raw smell of tomatoes has vanished. Throw in 2 tsp of oregano, 1 tsp pepper powder. Run a hand blender through it, to get a slightly coarse sauce. You’re marinara is ready.

Marinara/Ragu

2. Sauteed Veggies:

In a wok, heat 1 tsp oil. Saute 1 cup sliced colored bell peppers, 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, 1/2 cup sliced carrots and a few florets of broccoli. Once 3/4th done. Sprinkle pepper powder and salt. Keep aside.

3. Spinach Bechamel:

Bechamel is nothing but white sauce. To make this, heat 1 tsp butter, lightly saute 1 tbsp plain flour or whole wheat flour. Add a glass of milk, stir vigorously to avoid lumps. To this creamy sauce, add a cup full of chopped blanched spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Keep aside.

4. Cashew Paneer Sauce:

Grind 1/2 cup cashews, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 cup milk to a smooth paste. Mix in 1 cup crumbled paneer. In another pan, heat a small blob of butter, saute 3-4 garlic cloves and a small chopped onion. Add the cashew paneer mix. Bring it all together. Season with salt and pepper.

The tempting insides

I have altered my original style of sharing a recipe, but this is all I could think of, to make it easier for you to follow. I hope the above guideline helps. If you have doubts, queries or my writing simply baffles you, please drop in a line. Will gladly respond.

So, lunch was ready, the table was set and Mr Moody had to walk in and change the venue.
Outdoors it was. Three people took to two garden chairs and a very swingy swing. This kind of food requires a very perfectly set table, some chilled wine and very sweet talk – I whined. But a slight breeze, soft clouds hiding a very playful sun, a sprightly 6 year old swinging a rickety swing, a tired man sprawled on a very comfortable chair, but all digging in with such vigor that I stop complaining and let the pasta do the talking.

Digg in

Rakshabandhan Special – Eggless Whole Wheat Oat Cookies

Rakshabandhan – the bond of protection, is a beautiful Hindu festival celebrated with much fan fare and gusto in all parts of India. This auspicious day falls on the full moon(Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar.

The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother’s wrist. This symbolizes the sister’s love and prayers for her brother’s well-being, and the brother’s lifelong vow to protect her. Wow, Right?!!

Whole Wheat Oat Cookies

My brother does not reside in the same city as I do. But distance never deters any sister to send this sacred thread across to her loving brother. A box full of cookies, some very dark chocolate brownies and fancy beautiful threads to adorn my little brothers wrist, I send these little beauties across and make sure the recipient gets it well in advance.

Sacred thread

A simple sacred red-yellow thread was the norm many many years ago. But now things have changed. Indian market is flooded with designer rakhis which usually cost a bomb. They are visually very appealing, studded with stones and pearls.
Mom always made sure we girls tied a simple thread first and then the fancy shancy ones which we splurged on. The thread adorned the brother’s wrist for days to come, where as the decorative ones usually came out within an hour or two of tying.

So, what do you do if you don’t have a brother? Well, with changing times, this brother sister celebration extended even to sister-sister and brother-brother fanfare. Now, usually boys being boys never indulged in extra ‘frivolous’ things like these. You will never catch a guy tying any thread on another guy’s wrist, but what you will find is this – chirpy cheery girls tying the most decorative piece on their sister’s wrist.
I know this, because that’s what we sisters did for a very long time, until my brother was born. To this date, I send girl rakhis(called Lumbas) for my sisters and they love to showcase them on their bangles.

One to adorn your wrist

My brother is all of 17 years old. I was 16 when he was born – oh please don’t do the math to my age 🙂
Having such a small brother is like having a grown up son. He is smart, naughty, caring, witty and hates girl talk. Imagine him living his life surrounded by very talkative sisters, the kind who nagged, the kind who bullied, the kind who also gave in to all his wishes and demands.

I remember him being my handy until I got married and moved away. He would run to do my work, but not before he bullied me into baking some chocolate cake or maybe a bowl full of hakka noodles. Sigh! Those were the days, now the stuff he wants scares the hell out of me – mobile phones, PSP’s .. and what not.

I made them crisp and crunchy.

This year, along with the threads, I decided to send some good bakes as well. Its sheer joy when someone, anyone, sends you something hand made – home made. And the insatiable sweet tooth in my brother also gets satisfied with these sweet delights – yay!

I’ve never baked cookies before, so when I came across this easy breezy recipe, I bookmarked it. With the goodness of whole wheat and oats, laced with a hint of cinnamon powder and pure vanilla extract, these cookies were a big crowd pleaser back home.

Cinnamon Flavored

What we have here is an eggless whole wheat oat cookie recipe. They are dense, crisp and crunchy. If you prefer soft chewy bites, then simply bake them for a lesser time.
For lighter-fluffier cookies, use plain flour/maida instead of whole wheat.

Sweet Delight

The recipe:

To make 16 medium sized cookies –

Ingredients

• 50 gms butter
• 80 gms powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 2-3 drops of essence
• 1 tbsp of milk
• 50 gms oats
• 75 gms whole wheat flour or plain flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 3/4 tsp baking powder

Optional: gems or MnM’s to decorate

Method

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth and creamy. Mix all the dry ingredients, oats, flour, cinnamon powder and baking powder.

Preheat the oven at 175 C.

Mix in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and knead briefly until the cookie dough comes together. Grab small handfuls of the dough, and shape into small balls. Place on a greased or non stick cookie tray at a distance from each other. They will rise and spread.

Bake @150 C for 15 to 20 minutes for a chewy cookie and 25 to 30 minutes for crisp cookies.

To place the MnM/Gems: Midway while baking, wear a glove, place a gem each in the center of every cookie and return to bake.

Once done, allow to cool. Sample if you crave a bite, and store in an airtight container.

Thats it.

Tea time treats

My daughter does not enjoy plain sweet treats unless they have a little bit of chocolate in them. Now with the success of these, I am itching to try them with choco chips or even Nutella swirls or maybe some nuts and saffron! The mind does race ahead of its time 🙂

The brother pleased as a punch, hijacks the entire box, merely handing down a piece or two for the others to sample, relishes these sweet delights, calls me up and complains, “Why you didn’t send something savory to eat with all these sweets?”.
No how-are-yous. No Thank-yous. No saccharine talk. Sigh! Brothers.

Raksha Bandhan

Cucumber Sesame Salad

Another weekend whizzes by.
And still no sign of peace, quiet, resignation, relaxation. In fact weekends are more challenging with never-ending social commitments, dining out and classes which cannot be taken during the week.
In times like these, I dream. I dream of mountains, of chilly soft breeze, of a great book and of some irresistible coffee.

What! Then why a SALAD recipe?!

Cold cucumber sesame salad

When you have spent more time in the car than on your comfy bed.
When you have spent more time choosing gifts for brothers and nephews than lounging in front of your television.
When you have attended back to back Rakhshabandhan pre lunches and dinners, rather than eating khichdi.
For those times dear friends, when you pigged out more than you should have – This post is for those times 🙂

I am so not a salad person. All that raw-chewy-leafy is too much for me to chomp on. But weirdly, I felt like skipping dinner and munch on something light-cool and crunchy.

Dear husband’s jaw dropped open when he saw me tossin the greens. Salad huh? Since when?!
Since now.  And he beamed, thinking his naturopathy has rubbed off on me. Poor chap doesn’t realize, my salad fad is so temporary.

Sweet, salty, lemony dressing

Picking my favorite raw veggie, cucumbers and decorating them with a bit of color(Read: carrots) and drowning the dish with a lemony sweet vinaigrette, topped with toasted sesame and peanuts is my very own mix mash of innumerable salad recipes that I have come across.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cucumbers, washed, sliced as you please
• 2 tbsp thinly shaved carrots
• 2 tbsp onion rings
• 1/2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1-2 tsp sugar or honey. I used sugar
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes – optional.
• 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp roasted crushed peanuts

Method

In a bowl, add the vinegar, lime, sugar, salt and oil. Mix in the onion rings. Pour this vinaigrette on cold cut cucumbers and carrots. Mix well. Sprinkle sesame seeds, peanuts and red chili flakes. Toss.

I ate it fresh. But you could refrigerate for 30 minutes so that the cucumbers soak up the dressing.

There. Done. Serve.

Sesame seeds and peanuts add crunch

Serving Suggestion: A calm quiet peaceful solitary setting. Enjoy every morsel. Stun with every flavor.

I did not have this privilege. My 6-year-old was tearing my back down. Grimacing at the bites that I so lovingly offered. Husband was panegyrizing the benefits of salads, in some massive effort to turn me into a hermit.

Soon, I shut the mad room out, bowl in one hand, my inseparable book in the other, and walk into the dreams that I so frequently dwell in.
Bliss.

Summer Salad

Roasted Euryale Fox Nuts or Makhanas

It takes wisdom to give life one’s best shot and then accept gracefully whatever fate or providence has in store, with total positive surrender.

– Fakir, by Ruzbeh N Bharucha.

The mantle of motherhood is phenomenal. Perennial worry, constant urge to give your child the best that you can give in education, living, character or simply food can be overwhelming. The kind that I am, I always doubt myself and my efforts. It’s never enough. It’s never good.

Roasted Fox nuts with salt, pepper and chili flakes

Before my child was born, I tried to learn everything from parenting books, classes and the mistakes of other mothers. And I thought I knew it all.
Yea, guessed it right. I fell flat on my face. Had them laughing at me for days to come.

Even before she could breathe in open air, her diet was decided. Loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, assorted nuts, whole grain, clarified butter, no chocolates, no sweets…. and in all this listing and scheming, forgot, the good Lord will bless the unborn with her very own palette and a mind of her own. I got a taste of my own doing once she was out

In a very short while, she spat out the ragi, flung the banana, nuts were strewn all over, spinach was given surly looks and I had myself at my wits end.

Store in an air tight jar

Boy! Does this great heavy cloak break your back. Or are they wings which uplift your soul and show you the grander picture? I’m still searching.
I unlearnt everything that I so smartly gathered from all the possible sources. Started from scratch. And still have such a long road ahead.

My daughter teaches me something new everyday.

One of the most prominent things she inculcated in me is patience and respect. Respect for her as an individual. Respect for her likes and dislikes. Respect for her own individuality. Respect for the fact that she is not me. Sigh!

So, she does not like carrots, I try not to fight her. The ‘mother’ that I am, I cheat:)
She hates nuts. I dry roast the walnuts and almonds and sprinkle salt-pepper and her highly savory palette laps it up. And when my mum eulogised the benefits of Euryale Fox Nuts or Daal-Makhane, I did not want to miss the chance of adding the calcium dense starchy white seed to my child’s diet. But of course, on her conditions.

Calcium rich.

I keep my highly twitchy fingers crossed and very lovingly offer her a couple of these dry roasted very healthy Euryale Fox nuts or Makhane. Although hesitatingly, she tosses one into her mouth, smiles and says “POP CORN”!
And this is how I win my battles.

Indian answer to the very famous Popcorn: Roasted Daal Makahne

Ingredients

• 2 cups makhane,
• 1 tsp ghee, or according to your taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder

Method

In a large wok, heat the clarified butter/ghee. Add turmeric and red chili powder, along with the makhane/fox nuts. On sim flame, roast the nuts for at least 10 minutes, mixing them once in a while.

Add salt and pepper. After 3-4 minutes, switch the flame off. Allow to cool. Transfer to an air tight jar.

The end result: Crunchy, crisp, salty savory snack/munchies.

A jar full of health

My expectations from the child just because I was striving hard to give her the best of all that I could find was overbearing my little one. Just didn’t work.

I recoil. Give her some space. Give her individuality a chance. And slowly the cobwebs clear away.
Life is not a competition for me, or for her or for anyone. It is not about how intelligent or how smart or how rich or how famous you are.
It is about giving your best and leaving it to God.

Indian PopCorn

Guacamole and a very colorful Mexican Sandwich

Guacamole and a very healthy – yummy sandwich!

20 years back in India, we had never even heard of a fruit called Avocado, let alone benefit from its abundant natural nutrients. But the last 10 years have changed this scenario, pretty much. Cognizance of exotic fruits and veggies is now more evident and more adaptable. Avocados are now easily available in Indian markets and are here to stay.

The first thing that comes to mind with the mere mention of Avocado is the very famous super creamy dip/sauce ‘Guacamole’. The dish will stun you with its flavors and texture. Inanely simple to make, the hardest part that I found was to wait for an Avocado to ripen. It takes like forever for a fresh hard green Avocado to turn nice n fleshy from the inside and brown outside.

Holy Moly Guacamole

It’s a common misconception that Avocados are high in fat and calories. They are high in fat compared to many other fruits, but most of it is monosaturated fat and as such serves as an important staple in the diet of various groups where access to other fatty foods (high-fat meats and fish, dairy products, etc.) is limited. Meaning: EXCELLENT for vegetarians and vegans. Do you guys hear me?

Here are 5 surprising health benefits of this wonder fleshy fruit:

• Avocados are packed with carotenoids: Avocados are a great source of lutein, a carotenoid that works as an antioxidant and helps protect against eye disease. They also contain the related carotenoids zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, as well as tocopherol (vitamin E).
• Avocados help lower the cholestrol.
• Avocados help stabilize blood sugar – they slow digestion and help the blood sugar from spiking after a meal
• Avocados protect your heart and are great source of folate, hence excellent for pregnant mothers.
• Avocados can help you lose weight!! – Yes.

Rich, Creamy and Nutrient Dense

Recipe:

To make 1 cup guacamole:

Ingredients

• 1 ripe fleshy big avocado
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small tomato, deseeded and chopped
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 2-3 green chilies, minced or 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• salt to taste, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper – optional: For the extra kick!

Method

Slice an avocado, remove the seed, spoon out the flesh into a bowl. Gently mash with the back of the spoon or a fork. I like it chunky, so I don’t overmash. But if you like yours smooth, then you could pound it well. Add lime juice, salt, green chili, garlic, onion and tomatoes. Mix well. If using cayenne or red chili powder, add it now. Mix well. Serve cold.

Lime Juice: is integral to the guacamole, if you want to retain the color. Mashed avocado tends to brown and age. But with lime juice, the color stays fresh and intact.

Serving Suggestions: When I make this heavenly rich sauce, the uses are myriad.

• As a dip with tortilla chips or any chip or khakhras
• Spread it on bread to make yummy sandwiches
• Guacamole makes great quesadillas and wraps
• as a sauce to coat your pasta, instead of a pesto or a marinara – makes one mean creamy rich yummy pasta!

So with the guacamole ready, we made these amazing Mexican sandwiches, replete with grilled veggies, paprika and cheese:

Whole wheat, Healthy and Tasty

To make this divine sandwich:

Ingredients

• 6 slices whole wheat bread
• 4-5 tbsp guacamole
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup of mixed veggies, sliced lengthwise. I used broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrot and baby corn
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• salt to taste
• 3 lettuce leaves
• 3 tbsp grated cheese, I used slices.
• Optional: 2-3 tbsp of mayonnaise, chili flakes and sliced green olives

Method

To make the veggie stir fry: In a wok, heat olive oil, saute garlic, onions. Once the onions are translucent, then add the thinly sliced veggies along with salt. The salt helps them cook faster. Stir fry on high, till almost done. Add oregano, pepper powder and chili flakes. Mix well. Keep aside.

The stir fried veggies

Now for the assembly:

Take a slice of bread, place a lettuce leaf, dab generous amount of guacamole. Place the stir fried veggies on it. Sprinkle more chili flakes if desired. If using olives, add it now. cover with grated cheese or slice cheese. Take another slice of bread, either coat it with mayonnaise or guacamole. Place it facing down, by covering and completing the entire ensemble. Best would be to grill your sandwich using very little butter. I don’t have a griller, so I had mine as it is. Husband roasted it on a flat griddle, that tasted nice too. But grilling would be the most apt thing to do.

Thats it. Serve with tomato ketchup and any hot sauce.

Colorful Supper

Signing off on this note, here’s wishing dear friends and fellow Indians a very Happy Independence Day.

Caramelized Onions with some very nutritious beet parathas!

caramelized onions and pink beet parathas.

Packing my child’s lunch box is an ordeal. Its not the work I loathe, but the myriad permutations and combinations of pabulum ravaging the morbid mind to lure my little girl. It’s a task – to think of something nutritious, something that will survive a closed box for a couple of hours, something that will invite the kid to pick, eat and relish.

Milee enjoys the food she eats, but at her own terms. She likes it fresh, slightly warm and preferably savoury. And if her will prevails, something new everyday! In an effort to appease her taste buds, tickle the pink fixation and boost her health food intake, we came up with this idea of combining caramelized onion sabzi with some pink beetroot parathas.

In her Lunch Box

Now who deosn’t like caramelized onions! For one it is so freakin easy. And not to forget ‘quick’ and most important, so ‘tasty!’. Mildly spiced with a green chili and garnished with loads of coriander leaves, this simple humble side dish with ghee and rice is my ultimate comfort food.

Slightly charred onions with mild masalas and some coriander leaves

Caramelized Onion Sabzi/Side:

Ingredients

• 2 cups thinly sliced onions, use whatever you have, pink, red or white
• 1-2 green chili, slit lengthwise
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafetida
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder/dhania
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp of dry mango powder – optional
• 2-3 tbsp of fresh chopped coriander leaves – to garnish

Method

Heat oil in a wok/kadai, crackle cumin seeds, add asafetida and sliced onions, green chilies, along with salt. When we add salt to any vegetable, it leaves water which helps in cooking quicker. On medium flame, saute the onions till slightly dark pink or light brown. Now they are slightly caramelized. At this stage, add the masalas. if you notice the quantity of masalas/spices is quite less. We want the dish to be mildly spiced so that the onion flavor is strong and fresh.
Saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. Switch the flame off and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with parathas, rotis, hot rice or even with bread.

Note: Caramelized onions can also be used in wraps, savoury crepes/dosas and in sandwiches.

Perfect with any bread or rice

Now for the beetroot parathas:

Beet’s health benefits need not be eulogized. It’s common knowledge that the wonder veggie is packed with immense blessings. But, try making your little fuss pot eat this super vegetable with a smiley face. Not a smiling matter. And have you noticed? grumpy elder faces equals the strength of surly sour faced kids.

Hence, we hide. We try to give the good, but away from the prying eyes of the acutely finicky consumer.

Pink Passion

It’s so simple to make this, you could even change the veggie according to your choice. Substitute the beet with a squash or some carrots or maybe broccoli. They are deceptively good and so simple to make.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour/atta
• 1 medium sized beetroot, grated – preferably a small holed grater
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp grated garlic – optional
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• Ghee or oil – to make the parathas

Method

Combine the flour, grated beet, coriander, salt and cumin powder( and if using garlic paste, then that too). Mix well. Use little water to make a semi stiff, pliable dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside.

After 10 minutes, heat a flat griddle/tawa. Grab handful of dough, using extra wheat flour, roll out into thin tortillas. Carefully, pick the rolled out dough. Transfer to the hot griddle, using little oil or ghee, cook from both sides on medium flame till they tiny brown dots appear.

Serve with any raita, sabzi/vegetable side and pickle.

Quick and simple

This Caramelized onion with green chili recipe is also my entry to the ‘Dish it Out‘ event hosted by Krithi’s Kitchen.

Perfect to go

Photography Styling Challenge #2: Table Setting

This is my most difficult assignment, EVER. I was so stressed about this challenge, that I almost backed out. Almost.

Table setting, food styling, making things pretty is a herculean task for me. I am no natural. It may sound funny, but I have an eye for beauty and aesthetics but find it immensely difficult to recreate it. And a table setting themed challenge was intimidating to say the least.

I am trying with my little point n shoot, but still have a very very long way to go. Trying is not enough. Have to really buckle up and maybe read more and play around with the camera more. Hence the entry into the challenge, a way to keep me on my toes where the camera is concerned.

A South Indian Table setting

Truth: I forgot about the challenge until Anjana posted hers. My hands were full with in laws coming to visit us for a few days, husband travelling and me falling sick.
Anjana’s entry was a wake up call. Then my absent mind even forgot about the submission date( first monday of every month)… so bad.

M (of redesignedbym) did give me an option to back out or chip in occasionally, and I almost considered it. But I didn’t feel good about it. I wanted to try. I had to do this.

A complete South Indian Meal – on a banana leaf

There are two reasons for my apprehensions:

1. My indoor pictures suck. Big time. I have taken to shoot most of my food on my terrace garden during the day time, but a table setting theme doesn’t give me luxury of setting up a table there. Simply not enough space. And then I decided to do a picnic style theme replete with sandwiches and canapes and Indian chaat outdoor on a mat, not a table. But rains like to play games with poor souls. It was a huge risk. So, that idea went out of the window.

2. My dining table is not very appealing. It is attached from end to the wall, and thus immovable. It is away from many natural sources of light and with all the switches on, the entire setting makes for a very unwanted bright picture. Not nice at all.

After a lot of ‘I can do this, or that.. or wait.. maybe this…. or no no.. this is better’ ideas, I finally zeroed in on a South Indian Themed table setting. The husband argued that South Indians have their platter spread out on the floor… and this was a ‘table’ setting theme, but I still stuck on. Nowadays, the meal is served on tables too.

Use of green banana leaves, white jasmine flowers, orange marigolds got me little excited:

Jasmine braids for little steel tumblers

Since I made such a ruckus, husband and a few friends joined in to help. My bet is that they did their bit so that I would stop whining and cribbing 😉

I planned the menu out, a simple wholesome lunch of some steamed hot rice, spicy sambhar, tangy rasam, crunchy poriyals, fresh kosambari and spiced buttermilk.

I got extra banana leaves and my friend helped me cut out small coasters from them. Red dinner napkins, rolled and tightly knotted with strip long leaves, with a marigold stuck on it, added color to the bed of green.

The highlight for me was my fruit wooden tray, which was scrubbed clean, and layered with clean leaves and then filled with hot steaming rice. It proved attractive and inviting.

Buttermilk, rice and poriyal

It’s all about lighting:
I have no direct chandelier above the table to give direct lighting. There are many myriad fancy lights around the table, hence all need to be switched on, else one portion dulls out and the other stands too bright in contrast. This is one of my most pressing concerns where indoor photography is concerned. There is too little or too much light.

Lunch

So, what do you guys think? The setting and all was in fact very pleasing and aesthetic. But I was not so happy with the pictures. In spite of trying from varied angles and directions, something was amiss. Too much light? The immovable table? The camera?

Well. I finally tried and put my entry in. That is what I am most relieved of, as of now. It was a huge learning experience, not so much in photography, but in setting the table. The myriad ideas to present food and lay an inviting and delightful spread is surely an art.

Make sure to check out the other participants of this challenge:

redesignedbym

redlovinpixie

At the Corner of Happy and Harried

Inge Kathleen Photography

Easy Biscuit Chocolate Fudge – Century Post

6 months back all I could think of was to put up a few tried recipes and some serious journaling of my boring life.
Then Time happened. And along with time, 99 posts happened.
These two changed my priorities, wants and needs. Now I disarmigly try n concoct recipes and formulas, view my once mundane life with a story in every moment, capture those timeless-fleeting occasions in my heart as well as in words, be fascinated with pixels and ISO settings, play around with picasa and instagram, make new friends and the best bit – wake up to ‘likes’ and kind ‘comments’!!
Life has been fun since.

Biscuit Chocolate Fudge

Exactly 6 months and 99 posts later, I bring this sweet delicacy for you dear foodies to celebrate my 100th post. Biscuit Chocolate Fudge, a gooey-chewy soft sweet mouthful – a perfect way to enhance my festive spirit.

Soft, gooey, chewy

Milee was already celebrating. Not my 100th post dear friends. But ‘Friendship Day’. Frankly, I never got around understanding all the special days that come in a year – friendships day, women’s day, father’s day, mother’s day, wife day, this day, that day. Phew! tiring.

But the child’s zest and spirit to make friends and share threads of amity made me tickle her demands of little friendships bands and some chocolate candies.

It might sound strange, but I never made a band for my friends to declare and pledge my loyalty towards them. And others around me did it and were subject to ‘Hmph, so silly’ looks. But like said before, Time taught me to never say ‘never’ again. My kid, who has a very fine mind of her own and she makes that very clear, announces loud that she needs those threads for all the people on her list. The girl was on a mission, I could make that out.

Milee’s friends eye the fudge…

And now a little word on Milee’s social skills. My kid is sensitive, touchy and easily offended. Comradeship doesn’t come easily to her. She usually gets left out or kicked out from games and teams. We can see she is eager to make friends and join in all the fun, but the kid struggles with social skills and team spirit.
Hmm… so now her agenda was to bribe her way into games and groups. Well..I could not say no, and moreover I needed a sweet treat to ceremonialize my 100 posts.

Sticky stack

The band making project turned quite a dampner when we realized crocheting threads is no joke. We struggled, wasted and finally flung the thin satin yarns. Leaving a room full of fine threads, scissors and lots of mess for another time in the day, we enter the kitchen in lieu of creating some magic there at the least.

The recipe simple, the ingredients ready, the zest back, we set to work. And it works like a charm.

Ingredients

• 1 tin condensed milk, I used nestle
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder
• 100 gms butter
• 200 gms coarsely crushed biscuits/cookies, I used Hide n Seek
• Gems/ MnM’s to decorate

-THAT’S IT!

Method

Mix the condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter to a smooth paste in a pan or kadai/wok. Place the mixture on low flame and while stirring all the while, cook for at least 10-12 minutes. You will find it thickening and becoming one cohesive mass. Once done. Throw in the coarsely crushed biscuits. Mix well.

Pour the contents into a well greased plate. Let it cool. I refrigerated it once the fudge had cooled down. After a couple of hours, remove, cut into square pieces, decorate with MnM’s or gems.

Serve!

Keep the rest refrigerated else it starts to get all sticky and melty.

A milestone reached

We later did get back to the band making project. And we did complete it, though with not any outstanding results. But it pleased Milee like no other. She was very proud of her handi work, joyous about the little goodies cooling in the fridge and hopeful of all those beautiful relationships she was going to make.

No, I am no witch. I didn’t burst the bubble that was floating so high up in the air. I let her dream. I let her hope. I let her be.

Of Journeys and Ends

And with this new-found hope that both mother daughter found, we embark on our respective journeys with similar roads to travel and familiar destinations.
So, here’s one, for many more to come.