Coconut Chutney

Birth of a new Blog

2006-10-06T01:12:00.000-04:00

CoconutChutney is now at: WWW.COCONUTCHUTNEY.ORG

Honey-Walnut Wontons

2006-09-20T23:36:00.000-04:00

I'm a big fan of traditions, passed down from one generation to another, from mom to daughter, from the past to the future - tradition serves as a memory of a different time and of people and is much more than a just a sequence of actions - it is a bridge to the future.

Every time the skies open and rain pours down my window, and the air is fragrant with the scent of the earth, I do one of a few things - Stand at my window celebrating the rain, or sit down with a large cup of something warm. The rain helps me slow my pace down, no more lists to make, no more worries to harbor - just follow the gentle pitter-patter of the raindrops and let everything else go, at least for a bit.

Allowing ourselves to indulge every once in a while is a luxury that we sometimes don't let ourselves enjoy often enough. Being focussed on the present, on this very moment - however sane it may sound, sometimes doesn't feed the soul, it can be rejuvenating to not be in the present - to be in a different time and place, to enjoy a guilt-free slice of time is pure bliss!

Honey-Walnut Wontons
Recipe:

My interpretation of Baklava with an asian twist that is perfectly crunchy and sweet and very addictive and so very indulgent. This is my entry to Sugar High Friday 23 - Surprise Inside!

Mix chopped walnuts (3/4 cup) with honey (1 Tbsp.)and 1 Tsp. Cinnamon. Brush the edges of the wonton wrapper with water, place 1 tsp. of the walnut mixture in the center of the wrapper and fold into a triangle. Seal the edges. Now, curl the other side of the wonton and overlap the edges and seal, making sure that the walnut mixture doesm't seep out of the wonton.
Heat oil and deep fry wontons till golden brown, drizzle with honey and melted chocolate, if desired.

Samosas with Mint Raita

2006-09-04T16:31:00.000-04:00

Fast food doesn't always have to be a bad thing, the popular connotation for fast food now has come to be what is served at chain drive-throughs or something that is fixed in a jiffy at a grease-spoon. Traditionally, food-on-the-go was something that took forever for the cook to prepare but was easy for the consumer to handle in a rush. Empanadas, Spanakopitas or Samosas are something that take time and patience but the end result is delicious and easy to handle - hence, good fast food!

Anybody who knows anything about comfort food knows that Potatoes are satisfying- what else could explain the warmth that envelopes a person indulging in a fork full of Mashed Potatoes or Shepherd's Pie, the potato is unitimidating, safe and not to mention gratifying.

Samosas are little pastries made with a simple filling of potatoes and spices, variations in the filling of this versatile snack food are endless ranging from lamb to spinach to beets. Sold at bakeries and snack shops, at fancy restaurants and little tea-stalls, all over India and the world they range from mild to spicy and are an usual accompaniment to afternoon tea. They are served with chutneys or raitas that are perfect for dunking the samosa - this is usually followed by a engaging debate about politics, cricket or whatever is the flavour of the day !

The pastry for the samosas vary from being buttery and flaky to crisp and crunchy. This recipe for the pastry calls for semolina which is ground grain - wheat, rice or corn, which gives the pastry its crumbly texture that melts in the mouth. Mint raita which is served with snacks as well as rice dishes is refreshing and mitigates the heat in the food. Made from fresh mint leaves - it is a delicious relish and can hold well on its own.

Samosas
Recipe:

For the pastry - Flour(3/4 cup), Semolina(1/4 cup -fine ground), a pinch of salt and Baking Powder (1/4 tsp.) are sifted together. Cut in Butter (2 Tbsp.) with a pastry blender and knead adding few drops of cold water to form a flexible dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside.

For the filling - Heat oil and add finely-chopped ginger(1 inch), green chillies(2), turmeric(1/2 tsp),cumin powder(1/2 tsp) and red chilli powder(1 tsp). Add peeled and chopped potatoes(2). Add salt to taste and cook till the potatoes are done. Take off the heat, mash the potatoes and add 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice.

Roll out the lemon-sized balls of the pastry, cut into semi-circles and make a cone, place the filling inside and crimp the edges to form a triangle shaped samosa. Make sure that the filling doesn't spill out of the pastry. Heat oil and deep-fry the samosas till golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

Mint Raita
Recipe:

Blend 1 cup plain yogurt with chopped mint leaves (3/4 cup), chopped onion(1/4 cup) and salt to taste. Refrigerate and serve cold with the samosas.

'Samosas with Mint Raita' is my entry to the very timely - La Festa al Fresco.

Grilled Pineapple with Grand Marnier - Cream Sauce

2006-08-28T01:28:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, the most simply prepared food is the most memorable - pasta tossed in butter and parsley for an easy meal, a perfectly ripe mango in the peak of summer or peach-ice on an overbearingly hot day, life's joys sometimes is in the small things. Not fussing with complex recipes or hard-to-find ingredients spares time for a lazy afternoon nap, re-reading a forgotten novel or sharing a laugh with loved ones. As summer crawls to an end, the need to capture every last bit of summer sets in, and with it, a craving for everything summer - fresh vegetables, bright colors, breezy blouses and flip-flops.

Although they don't often find their place in traditional pies or cobblers, tropical fruits epitomize summer - juicy mangoes, papaya or melons sometimes take the place of a meal around this time of the year. A few ingredients and a juicy pineapple, with some time, transform into an elegant and simple dessert - with subtle flavours and unexpected ingredients. Grand Marnier - an orange flavoured liquer that is instanly recognized by its signature red seal and renowned in the world of spirits for its quality and excellence, tenders a delicate flavour of oranges to the butter-cream sauce and takes the grilled pineapple to the next level.

Recipe:
Remove the skin from the pineapple, cut away the 'eyes' and slice into spears. Brush melted butter and grill the spears for a few minutes on each side, till grill marks start to appear.

In a saucepan, add brown sugar (1/2 cup),butter(1/3 cup) and heavy cream(1/2 cup), stir till the sugar melts and bring to a boil over medium heat. Take it off the heat, add orange juice(1/3 cup) and grand marnier(1/3 cup). Arrange the spears in a bowl and spoon the sauce over it. Garnish with orange zest.

Roasted Bell Pepper Hors d'oeuvres

2006-08-21T00:10:00.000-04:00

Like with life, sometimes with food, what you see is not what you get. Appearances can be deceptive, and so can first impressions. The most comforting, delicious food need not photograph well and may not even illicit signs of awe, that a french macaron or a sugar sculpture can, but who is to say what can feed the appetite and soothe the soul. For some, it may be mom's meatloaf or that aroma of vanilla that permeates the kitchen when a cake rises in the oven. Like life, food deserves a second chance and an open mind.

Bell peppers are an ingredient that finds itself in everything ranging from stir frys to dips, simply tweaking the method of preparation brings out a subtle quality of the bell pepper, a smoky sweetness that pairs with poultry as well as seafood.

Roasted Bell Peppers, in its nascent stage looks charred and unsavoury - something that deserves to be tossed out - but on a second thought, just peeling the dark skin reveals a slick, sweet and smoky rendering of the bell pepper that is a bounty only for the patient. Roasting bell peppers is surprisingly easy - all one needs to do is turn up the broiler and place the bell peppers under it, turning occassionally till all the sides turn black.

The cooled bell peppers now, after removing the seeds, can be preserved in olive oil, to be tossed later in a pasta salad, or to be layered in a panini for an easy summer meal, or can serve as a tasty envelope for any filling that your heart desires.

Recipe:
Roast Bell peppers(4) under a hot broiler till the skin is charred. Let cool, peel the skin & remove the seeds and cut into strips an inch and a half wide.

For the filling:
Mix shredded, cooked chicken (2 cups) with pesto (3 Tbsp.), lime juice(1 Tbsp.) and fresh chopped basil(1 Tsp.). Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the filling into the roasted bell pepper strips, and roll tightly. Refrigerate these rolls for an hour, slice into bite-sized pieces and serve topped with french fried onions.

Kaya Appam - Banana Fritters

2006-08-13T21:48:00.000-04:00

Deep frying - however intimidating it may be, always results in instant gratification. I've never met a soul who didn't like french fries, spring rolls or heck..even fried zucchini blossoms. There has to be some math somewhere that says that frying food adds calories exponentially in a manner that is directly proportional to taste, with some exceptions to the rule of course! Anybody, who has ever had a hot doughnut melt in their mouth knows exactly what I am talking about.

Banana Fritters - Kaya Appam as they are known in the state of Kerala, India are delicious, sweet fritters that are crisp to bite into and tender inside, bursting with the flavour of Bananas and Cardamom and sweetened with Jaggery. The closest comparison I can make of the crunchy outside is to Hushpuppies, but the similarity stops there.

Jaggery is a version of sugar that is relatively unprocessed, and doesn't contain the chemicals used in processing cane juice to sugar, it is an ingredient in a majority of Keralite (from the state of Kerala, India) Desserts. Jaggery or Gur as it is also known, ranges in color from pale to deep brown, has a crumbly texture and is usually sold in blocks weighing a pound or so.

Kaya Appam is my entry to Food Parade on Independence Day.

Banana Fritters taste best after they've had some time to sit, usually a day or two later - ie., if you're lucky, usually doesn't last that long !

Recipe:
Melt coarsely chopped Jaggery (3/4 lb.) in a saucepan with 2-3 tsp. of water to a smooth consistency. On sufficiently cooling add melted Jaggery to the mashed bananas (3), add 1 tsp. Cardamom powder and 1 tsp. Baking Powder and mix well.

Add flour(3/4 cup), I used wheat flour, all-purpose flour will work too, till the mixture reached a medium consistency - a little thicker than the consistency of pancake batter. If the consistency is too thin add some more flour or if it is too thick dilute with water and add jaggery accordingly. Drop spoonfulls of this batter into the hot oil and turn occassionally to get a even brown color throughout.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Kebabs with Roasted Vegetables

2006-08-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

I love GAHLIC !! I have a tendency to almost double the amount of garlic in everything I make ..correction- everything other than 'chicken with forty cloves of garlic' - that I don't want to mess with. Garlic doesn't leave your breath smelling like roses - but the way I think about it - that can be fixed with some mint! In addition to the various health benefits that garlic has to offer ranging from mitigating and resisting the common flu to some cancers, it is the centerpiece of my repertoire. Chopped garlic sauteed in olive oil is the first step to a delicious meal. The base for sauces, marinades and dresssings, this is something I inadvertently always always have in my kitchen.

A recent episode of Alton Brown's 'Good Eats' focused on Garlic, and confirmed what my Grandmom had told me years ago - that the smaller clove of garlic had much more flavour than the larger, easier to peel version, and that the elephant garlic or the XL ones that you find in the grocery store is not really garlic but a kind of leek !! I'd be stumped if I had to cook for someone who was allergic to Garlic - I'll have to search for recipes that didn't include this miracle bulb!

For a simple meal, I marinated chicken that was cut to bite-sized pieces in olive oil, chopped garlic, lemon juice and salt for at least half an hour. Roasted vegetables, I think have a greater complexity of taste than ones that are boiled or even sauteed, I'd like to roast vegetables more often except that I don't often like to deal with a hot kitchen in the summer. Eggplant and Bell pepper cut in long strips and tossed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper went into a oven at 350 F for 45 minutes.

After the chicken is marinated, thread it onto the skewers alternating with juicy strawberry tomatoes. To avoid the wooden skewers from burning on the grill - soak them in water. Place the skewered kebabs on a hot grill and turn occasionally till the chicken is tender and opaque all the way. Transfer the skewers onto a bed of roasted vegetables and serve immediately.

Buttercream Roses

2006-08-08T19:50:00.000-04:00

Roses are sooooooo overrated !!! That was my response when I first attempted Buttercream Roses. There were a lot of little things to remember - such as the way one has to hold the piping bag, the way pressure has to be applied so that the petals come out looking stunning like a blooming rose.

Now that I have spent a little more time on roses, I feel that roses are a testament to the skill of the cake decorator - because it focuses on the fundamentals such as proper pressure, consistency and smooth flow. Here is a video on how to make roses the right way, it looks way easier than it actually is!

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This cake is the result of my first attempt at making roses - and in the process I discovered that making leaves (who knew??!!) is a lot of fun, just holding the bag and making tiny squiggles is addictive!

The cake here is a cookies n' creme cake with oreo cookies added to the batter just before the cake went into the oven - the creme made the cake very moist with lil' brown specks of oreo cookies throughout.

A Rainy Weekend in Boston - Part I - Chinatown

2006-07-30T19:31:00.000-04:00

Things have been a little hectic lately, life seems to be going way too fast. Can't believe its almost august, in no time it will be Fall and then Christmas. I wish I had more time in the day, time to read a few more books, time to have glorious picnics in the park, spend more time with friends ....the point is - life, I think is just going to get busier and not slower, well, at least for the next 20-30 years, which I think considering the alternative is not too bad :)!

I've always wanted to travel, wanted to go to places I hadn't been before, talk to people I hadn't met before and try food I hadn't tasted before. I spent a rainy weekend in Boston late this June and haven't had a chance since then to blog about the food and travels. Boston - I thought was wonderful, the people were friendly - even in the crabby weather, and were patient in helping a first timer to Boston with directions.

For a foodie - Boston is a mecca, there is so much to eat and most of it is delicious, I would definetely recommend going to Chinatown - this part of Boston is so different, reminds me of Devon Street in Chicago which bears some similarity to streets in India, - narrow, bustling streets with delicious aromas wafting in the air, tantalizing displays of food - roasted ducks and chicken hanging in the window, ready to be sliced thin and stir fried with bamboo shoots and green beans.

With humidity on the rise, we decided to take a little break and stop at the 'Bao Bao Bakery and Cafe' - this place is tiny - one side of the store is lined with shelves displaying cakes, pastries and buns and a few tables for people who wanted to stop and have a bite. Most of the customers seemed to come in for a few minutes and make a quick pick-up. The desserts looked beautiful, more like works of art, with pretty colors and decorations. Since we were heading out to get lunch in a little while, we decided to share a slice of Black Forest Cake, which unfortunately was a dissapointment, the sponge cake was as dry as cardboard and hardly had any flavour :(.

The store had a huge selection of Bubble Tea listed as Dragon Pearl, deciding to be brave one more time, I ordered Dragon Pearl Lichee with no Tea -just the Lichee flavoured sweet syrup- the Bubble Tea came with a thick straw and black tapioca 'pearls' at the bottom - this drink was amazing ! Very refreshing and I liked the texture of the tapioca - I am hooked ! so all in all we were even with 'Bao Bao' - one thumbs down and one thumbs up !

Lunch was Dim-Sum at 'Chau Chow City' - a restaurant famous for its dim-sum, people had no problems helping us get to the restaurant once we told them the name, the dim-sum was amazing, fast, delicious and cheap ! I was way too famished to take any pictures inside Chau Chow of the women pushing carts and stopping at every table and handing over bamboo steamers laden with dim sum - stuffed with pork, chicken, shrimp and with bean paste. The place was packed with families and large groups of people stopping by for seemed like traditional sunday lunch. I had a wonderful time and after spending some more time in Chinatown, left the busy streets to explore a little more of Boston.

Cherry Crumb Pie

2006-06-27T08:24:00.000-04:00

Cherries are in abundance right now, the supermarket shelves are overflowing with perfect little cherries - beautiful, deep red and sinfully sweet. I couldn't resist picking them up, hoping to turn them into a perfect summer dessert. Late sunday afternoon, sitting with a big bowlful of cherries in front me, recipes circling in my head - I decided upon Cherry Pie, that would surely be hard to mess up !

Now, prepping cherries is fun if you have the time and patience for it. The lack of a cherry pitter made my task more time consuming than necessary, but tasty ;) nonetheless.

Wearing a T-shirt that wouldn't get ruined by the red juices, I sat down with a paring knife, and one-by-one pitted the cherries - like you would an avocado, by running the knife around the cherry, twisting the two halves in opposite directions and then removing the pit - in the end, I had a bunch of cherry halves with me. The ones that made it, without me snacking on them, went on to become yummy pie filling.

For the homemade pie-filling - I used four cups of cherry halves and half a cup of water and heated this in a saucepan and added 1/2 cup sugar(depending on how sweet the cherries are) and 2 teaspoons of Corn Flour. Stirring occassionally, I watched as the cherries started to soften and mixture bubbled and thickened and then added 1/2 tsp. of lemon zest for that something extra !

I used a store-bought pie crust - just used a fork and pressed gently against the soft pastry, and then added the pie filling. For the crumb topping, I mixed half cup flour, 1 egg, 1/4 cup nuts, 1/4 cup flaked coconut and 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter ( This is an estimate, as I just threw some stuff in that I thought would work, to make it into a sticky topping) and then topped the pie filling with this.

Bake the pie for around 30-35 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F till the crumb topping has turned golden brown. My pie bubbled over the crust, but tasted sensational, much more the next day after all the flavours married.

Rainbow Cake

2006-06-14T22:24:00.000-04:00

Baking is something that I find relaxing, it is not something that you do when you're rushed, just slowing down to read the recipe, measuring the ingredients, following the steps in the recipe, requires you to unwind. I enjoy baking, when you put the lil' cake pans in the oven and set and timer, and lo and behold in a little while..beautiful ...perfectly risen cakes !!

I enrolled in the Wilton Cake Decorating Course (one thing to cross of my list of things to do!!) and am having a great time in the class. I highly recommend it.

For our first cake, we started with off with something relatively simple, mostly stars (tip 16). It is amazing how much skill and patience is needed to have a perfectly smooth frosted cake with no crumbs showing through, just to start with. I'll get there ...:).

This was a simple 8-inch two-layer white cake, that is frosted with a pale blue frosting - for the sky as a base for the rainbow. I used wilton pastel colors for my rainbow - made with stars(tip 16).

I definetely had fun with this first class. All the frosting is from the wilton buttercream recipe, it is incredible the amount of frosting you go through ...even for a simple cake ! The key, I think would be to prepare the frosting a week or so ahead of time, before decorating the cake, to spend one evening preparing the frosting in all the consistencies needed for the cake and freezing it. There are so many cool ideas out there, on the web and in books, cute character pans - from 'raggedy ann' to 'lil nemo' and from elaborate wedding cakes dressed up in stunning flowers and lace to adorable cupcakes.

The inspiration can be virtually anything, from the beach to the flowers in your yard, to fashion accessories. In the end, it is a sweet and delicious gesture to bake a cake for family and friends that you care for.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2006-06-13T17:04:00.000-04:00

Summer brings with it a bounty of ripe tomatoes, deep red strawberries, sweet cherries, cool watermelon and ...endless little treats. This is when the weather outside is so hot that you crave something satisfying, simple and soothing. This is a time to take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that the season has to offer. To have a meal that is motivated by what you have in your pantry, driven by the ingredients and not the recipe. Fresh, green, crisp bell peppers! There are probably a million things that you can do with it:

Roasted Bell Peppers - Sweet and Smoky, cut into strips tossed with a salad or pasta.
Grilled Bell Peppers - With onions, rolled into a fajita.
Chopped Peppers - In an omlette or maybe a simple curry with Paneer ?
Stuffed Peppers ??

I've had Stuffed Tomatoes before, and they are delicious and simple to make - scoop out the flesh and the seeds and get going with the filling. Bell Peppers are little more simple, just need to first chop the head out and then take a spoon or an ice cream scoop to remove the seeds and stems.

Heat water in a big pot till bubbling and blanch the bell peppers in it for maybe 5-9 minutes so that peppers are half done.

With the filling, I just followed my instinct and added ingredients that I thought would go well with the peppers. I'd recommend following a free flow and add things that you think may pair well with the peppers. I decided to go with a simple rice filling, but you could do potatoes, cheese, olives ..

Method :
Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and onions. When onions are translucent add chopped tomatoes and stir with the gravy becomes thicker, add oregano and fresh chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper. Then add to it, the cooked rice - depending on the number of peppers.

Spoon this mixture into the blanched peppers and top with with some parmesan cheese. Arrange the peppers in a baking dish, I poured some tomato sauce into the baking dish maybe 1/4 of the way, and bake in a 350 F oven for 30-35 mins - depending on the size of your peppers, till the skin of the pepper changes color . Since the filling is already cooked, bake till you think the pepper is ready.

Serve hot with the sauce that it was cooked in. Simple. Next time I'll definetely tweak the non-recipe some more, but this time, I think it was fun to be a little creative and didn't taste too bad either !!

Yummy Banana Nut Muffins

2006-05-16T21:54:00.000-04:00

This is my all time favorite banana nut muffins recipe and is one of those things that my sister and I bake whenever we can. The flavour is reminiscient to a typical malayali appam my mom used to make. That stuff is addictive!! Cannot stop at just one.

This recipe is best made with bananas that have over-ripened and the peel has darkened in color. I know it looks kinda grose, but the flavour is so much more banana-ey. As a child I remember I was averse to bananas that had even the slightest discoloration in the peel and things havent changed!!

The recipe was originally for a loaf cake, but I just put the batter in muffin tins and works just as well, actually better cos you have a better idea about portion control. Cardamom(elaichi) is a must and is readily available,albeit in the ground form. This recipe will fill your kitchen with a delicious aroma that is sure to please.

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients
1. 2 Cups Flour
2. 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
3. 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
4. 3 Eggs
5. A pinch of salt
6. 1 Cup Mashed Banana
7. 1 tsp. Cardamom Powder
8. 1 tsp. Baking Soda
9. 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
10. 1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts(Pecans or Walnuts) + extra for topping the muffins

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift the flour with baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder and salt and keep aside.

Cream together Sugar, Butter and Eggs till well blended. Add mashed bananas. Now add the flour mixture gradually and stir in the chopped nuts. Divide the batter into muffins tins and top with remaining nuts. Bake for 20-25 mins, till the tester comes out clean.

Shrimp & Pea Risotto

2005-11-20T20:24:00.000-05:00

Risotto is not something I make very often, just because I can't seem to find the time to stand close to the stove and keep stirring to get a creamy, irresistible risotto that I always hear about. Well, as I found out, a little effort, fresh shrimp, good stock and voila! there you have a masterpiece!. The picture doesn't do justice to the way the risotto tasted, the recipe needs a considerable amount to stock, I used the store-bought variety, next time, I'll plan a little ahead and make some stock at home full of flavor and a little less heavy on the sodium. Plans, plans, plans!

Risotto rice or arborio rice as it is otherwise known is available in most grocery stores and it is a good idea to have it at home and snap it out when you are running low on groceries, as a few ingredients will do the trick. Make sure you don't skimp on the butter (maybe just a little bit) and freshly ground pepper.

I did cheat a bit and sneaked away from the stove, but hey, a gap in stirring didn't create a mess as long as you watch the heat. I'll be making this again soon, maybe with clams or scallops, any ideas are most welcome !

Ingredients:

1. 1 Onion, chopped finely
2. 2 cups Frozen Peas
3. 1 pound Shrimp, shelled & deveined
4. 1/2 stick butter
5. 1/2 Cup Marsala wine
6. 1 cup Arborio Rice
7. 1 1/2 tbsp. chopped Garlic
8. Stock (any kind that is available)
9. Salt to taste
10. Freshly ground pepper
11. Grated Parmesan

Method:

Melt the butter in a pan, add onion and garlic and keep stirring till soft. Add the rice and stir till it is coated with the butter, and then add the wine and boil till it is reduced.

Add ladles of stock and keep stirring till it is absorbed and the grains are almost done. Add the Shrimp and the remaining stock and stir for a few minutes till it is completely cooked. Add the peas and salt & pepper. Top with grated parmesan. Serve hot.

Gajar ka Halwa

2005-11-05T19:05:00.000-05:00

Gajar ka Halwa and Carrot cake are two of my favorite things to make with carrots and hold a special place in my culinary repertoire. Though Gajar ka Halwa, which can be loosely translated to carrot pudding is a more time taking process the results are nevertheless rewarding. Made in the majority of the Indian subcontinent with slight variations, it is a great accompaniment to icecream much like a slice of pie.

My recipe may be tweaked a little bit to suit your taste, but I would strongly recommend using whole milk and ofcourse using cardamom, which is a key flavour. Grating the carrots was a time consuming process but if you have willing assistants, please feel free to delegate this task!

Can be eaten both hot or cold. I included almonds in my recipe, but raisins and pistachios would be a nice touch too.

Gajar ka Halwa
Recipe

Ingredients:

1. 10 large Carrots, finely grated
2. 3/4 tin Condensed milk
3. 4 tsp. Ricotta cheese
4. Sugar
5. Whole Milk - 3 1/2 to 4 cups
6. Handful of slivered Almonds
7. Freshly ground Cardamom -1 tsp.
8. 3-4 Tbsp. Butter or Ghee (Indian Clarified butter) + 1 Tbsp. to add in the end.

Method:

Heat the butter or ghee in a large pan and add the grated carrots and stir for a few minutes till the carrots are roughly coated with oil. Then add half the cardamom and the milk in small increments and keep stirring till the mixture starts to turn dry, then add some more milk and keep stirring, increase the heat if needed till all the milk is almost used up.

Add the sugar,condensed milk,slivered almonds & ricotta cheese. Keep stirring till the mixture starts pulling away from the sides of the pan. Add the rest of the cardamom and the ghee. Garnish with almonds.

Brief Hiatus

2005-11-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

Haven't posted on the blog for a while now. A lot of balls in the air, but things have started to slow down a little bit now. Touch wood! Will try to blog more and have fun with it. :)

Comfort Food with a Twist

2005-05-15T15:40:00.000-04:00

What is more comforting on a late sunday evening than some perfectly baked pasta with a little bit of spice to kick it up. I found this recipe on Better homes and gardens and was instantly interested in it. Mexican Baked Pasta!! an amalgamation of ingredients including those from south of the border ,and to make it even more wholesome I threw in a bunch of stuff -cubed cooked chicken, eggplant and zucchini.uhmmmm!!!
This is a very easy dish and comes out best when made with things right in your refrigerator. I will definetely make this in the future, will try replacing the chicken with some smoked sausage or shrimp or just make it a vegetarian medley.
To me, the most fascinating thing about this recipe was Salsa. Yes, Salsa. Nice chunky, spicy salsa. This was sheer genius. Why didn't I think about it. I enjoy Salsa with eggs for B'fast and of course with chips with a twist of lime and can eat with well almost anything else too.I couldn't wait to try this out.
As you can see, it came out wonderful, crisp and bubbly from the oven. I couldn't resist and scooped out a forkful. It was exactly how I thought it would be. Comforting and Delicious.

Here is the recipe,
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
• 3-4 Cups Penne Pasta
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (or 1 green bell pepper)
• Olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups milk
• colby cheese, cubed
• Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup bottled salsa
• 1/2 cup Olives
• 1 teaspoon Chili powder
• 2 Cups cooked cubed chicken
• 1 large eggplant, halved, cubed
• 1 zucchini, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.Cook the pasta till aldente and keep aside. Heat the olive oil and cook the onion till soft and then add the chicken, pepper, eggplant and zucchini and stir till done. Add the flour, seasoning, cumin and the flour. Keep stirring to make sure that the mixture doesn't get lumpy. Add the cheeses and then the pasta. Stir.

2. Grease a baking dish. Then layer the pasta followed by the salsa and the remaining pasta. Top with cheese and olives and bake for around 20 minutes.

Why a Blog?

2005-05-09T12:36:00.000-04:00

Well....because it was destined to be! It was just a matter of time and now that I've started, I hope to make up for lost time.
I've loved cooking from the time that I can remember and this fact is the strongest motivation for this blog. Endless afternoons spent poring over cookbooks and attempting something fun and new can now be shared with anyone who cares to read it.
I hope you have as much fun reading this blog as I will have creating it.