Egg replacer in baking

Egg replacer

15ml flax seeds (linseed)
115ml of water
Simmer for 5 mins and add to mixture

Recipe taken from Babara Cousins ‘Cooking Without’

(I can only guess that the Linseed needs to be toasted first, and then ground).

Raw Passion Bars

Raw Passion Bars
1cup almonds
1cup dried figs
1cup dried dates
1cup pumpkin seeds
soak separately in water for at least an hour
1cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa
4 drops vanilla essence

Drain the almonds and pumpkin seeds and grind them up in a blender then put aside. Put the dates in the blender with the water and cocoa and blend until smooth add the figs and blend some more then add all the other ingredients
and blend together. Form into small squares and roll in shredded coconut..
Decorate the top with two pumpkin seeds arranged to form a heart shape, chill in fridge for at least an hour before serving.
www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk

Almonds are associated with passion and fertility and their aroma is said to induce passion in women. Chocolate is one of the kings of aphrodisiacs, and has been used to stoke the flames of passion all over the world Casanova was a serious chocolate addict. Dates in Iran are used to help people whose sex life is withering. Figs are one of the sexiest fruits on the planet, a symbol of luscious fertility and one of the oldest edible plants. Pumpkin seeds are one of the richest sources of zinc very nourishing to the relevant organs. Vanilla, its aroma is believed to increase lust so dab some behind the ears while you bake!

Useful extracts from Swami Ramdev’s disciple’s website, http://www.yogsandesh.org

Useful extracts from Swami Ramdev’s disciples’ website, http://www.yogsandesh.org
Flaxseed, (Linseed, Alsi):

(Allopathic qualities: Very high in Omega3 fatty acids, minerals. Eaten upto 50 grams per day.)

Ayurvedic qualties:

The seeds are sweet, with mild smell, oily, hot, pungent, heavy, purgative, strengthening, increasing the sexual desire, if taken in little quantity the seeds produce urine, reduce the swelling and in large quantity they reduce vata and cure leprosy, seminal problems, kapha, pitta and eyesight problem.

Vata related diseases:

Roast around 50 gm linseed in the pan and make powder, add 50 gm of sugar candy, 10 gm of chilly powder, beat it nicely with honey and prepare pills of around 3 .to 6 gm. Give the small pills to children and the big ones to the elders in the morning to get rid of kapha and vata related problems. Do not drink water till one hour after medication.

On carrots:

Carrot is most beneficial when it is eaten raw. Eat raw carrot everyday in the morning, this reduces overweight and strengthens the teeth and gums. It is a good idea to remain on carrot diet for three days. Replace lunch with carrot salad.

In case you are not satisfied with the diet, then take a hot glass of cow milk along with honey.

Do not take any thing else except carrot and milk with honey. You can drink water to quench your thirst. Carrot juice is more beneficial when compared to carrot. You can also take 50 to 200 gm of carrot juice twice daily. This diet is a sort of fasting and also supplies nutritional elements to the body. You can add glucose to make it tastier and healthier. Those who can not keep fast or can not live without eating grains and cereals, they can eat carrot vegetable without curry. It should be cooked with black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander and common salt. Use anardana instead of dry mango powder. This vegetable can be eaten raw without chapattis as well. You can take one or two chapattis and eat more vegetable.

Carrot vegetable is very tasty and can be eaten as it is. You can also make carrot raita like gourd or cucumber raita. Wash the carrot and grate it nicely, put it in beaten curd and add salt, black pepper and roasted cumin seeds. You can also add roasted cumin seeds in vegetable or raita. There is no need to boil the carrot to make raita or peel the skin. Separate the middle yellow portion and make sweet marmalade. Take a big carrot and cut it into slices, sometimes it is soaked in limewa-ter for eight hours and then soaked in sugar syrup. This marmalade is very delicious. You can garnish it with small cardamom, vansh lochan and silver covering. This gives great strength and enthusiasm.

Carrot halva

This sweet dish is extremely delicious and nutritious. However there is no need to add khoya as the shopkeepers do. Here we are giving the method to prepare halva in order to increase its medicinal qualities.

Wash the carrots and grate it. Now, pour cow milk in a large pan and put it on flame, add the grated carrot when the milk begins to boil and stir it with a big spoon. Add some sugar candy when the milk begins to thicken and stir again.

Remove the halva from flame when it is ready. Add small cardamom, vansh lochan and saffron. This sweet dish is nutritious and gives a good figure. Around 25 gm of this halva can be taken every morning and an equal quantity in the afternoon as well. If 3 gm of honey in each serving is added it becomes more beneficial. Drink a glass of hot cow milk added with sugar candy over it. Chapatti or some light lunch can be taken along with this halva.

Carrot and Ginger

Combination of carrot and ginger is very beneficial. Ginger increases the digestive elements, therefore carrot is easily digestible grate  the  carrot, chop the ginger, add both the things and rinse in water. Serve it in a plate, sprinkle common salt, roasted cumin seeds powder and lemon juice.

This is very healthy and nutritious item, which provides strength and energy; it also improves the digestion process. It contains vitamin A and C. It is tasty and improves the appetite. It can be a regular item on the breakfast table or a good substitute for the afternoon snacks.

Breakfast should contain a ripe guava along with carrot – ginger salad. The afternoon snacks should also be taken in the same way. Take hot milk at bedtime if desired. You can also add radish in the salad, it is very tasty and nutritious.

Vegetable soup is a very healthy dish. To prepare it, boil guava, tomato, carrot, radish and ginger in equal quantities and sieve it. Add lemon juice and take only this soup for three, five or seven days. Do not take any other grain or cereal; you might not need any medicine at all.

Sesame seeds, (esp. black sesame seeds):

The scientists say that the white sesame has medium medicinal value. Red sesame is ordinary and black sesame is best. Sesame contains lot of fat. If a person eats 100 gm of sesame then he will get the required amount of calcium. 100 gm sesame contains 1.5 gm calcium, 5.5 gm phosphorous, and 10 gm iron. Sesame contains Vitamin B complex also. The substance called lecithin found in sesame is beneficial for the brain. Consumption of sesame improves the sexual capacity. It increases the sperm. According to Saint Charak, sesame oil is strengthening and beneficial for the skin.

Bengali Gastronomy

Another historically fascinating link on Indian diet!

“You begin with the cool tender gourd seasoned with the head of the fish, the spare bones have gone into your mungh dal which comes with the meaty neck-bone fried brown and crunchy; then follow a mild jhol with slices of the green pumpkin and dotted with seeds of the black cumin, and a pungent “bhate” or “paturi” steamed in a sealed jar or braised in a covering of banana-leaf, thickened with oil and mustard-paste. And finally, just for “cleaning your mouth”, comes the tail-end of the fish–the least appealing part but made most pleasant with sweetened lime-juice and the green chili.”

http://www.parabaas.com/BB/articles/gastronomy.html

Bake your own energy bars?

This is something!!

I was reading recently about the Omega3 fatty acid content of flax seeds ( a vegetarian source), and that it preferably should be taken with yogurt.

And then I stumble upon this link thru lifehacker.com!

http://www.matisseandjacks.com/healthy-snack-recipes.php

The wet ingredients are pretty much available. The dry ingredients are easy to emulate!

The ready-mix!

http://matisseandjacks.com/

One day, I must try this out.

All Omega 3 fatty acid thingys here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,1924088,00.html

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/cancer1/budwig.htm

http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/flaxseed.htm

Cooking with feminists

The Colbert Report – 10/10/06: Interview with gloria steinam jane fonda and he also cooks an apple pie with them.

http://colbertondemand.com/videos/The_Colbert_Repo…

(video)

Indian units of measure

4 sikis =1 tola
5 sikis = 1 kancha
4 kancha = 1 chatak
4 chataks = 1 powah
4 powahs=1 seer
5 seers = 1 pasari
8 pasaris = 1 maund
40 seers = 1 maund  5 chataks = 1 kunka
2 kunkas = 1 kunchi
2 kunchis = 1 rek
2 reks = 1 pali
2 palis = 1 done
2 dones = 1 kati
8 katis = 1 arhi
20 arhis = 1 bish
16 bishes = 1 kahan
16 palis = 1 maund
8 dones = 1 maund
20 dones = 1 sali  4 dhans = 1 rati
6 ratis = 1 anna
8 ratis = 1 masha
12 mashas = 1 tola or bhari
16 annas = 1 tola  60 anupal = 1 vipal
60 vipal= 1 pal
60 pal = 1 dundo
60 dundo = 1 deen
7 deen = 1 hafta
30 deen = 1 mahina
12 mahina = 1 baras  4 chataks = 1 powah
4 powahs = 1 seer
40 seers = 1 maund

Bengal Lineal Measure  Bengal Grain Measure  Bengal Physician’s Weight  Bengal Cloth Measure  Bombay Bazaar Measure
3 jaubs = 1 angali
4 angalis = 1 musti
3 mustis = bitasti
2 bitastis = 1 hat
2 hats = 1 gaz
2 gazes = 1 dhanu
2000 dhanu = 1 kosh
4 koshes = 1 yojan  5 chataks = 1 koonkee
4 koonkees = 1 raik
32 raiks = 1 maund  4 dhans = 1 rati
10 ratis = 1 masha
12 mashas = 1 tola  3 angulis = 1 girah
8 girahs = 1 hath
2 haths = 1 gaz  36 tanks = 1 tipari
2 tiparis = 1 seer
4 seers = 1 payli
16 paylis = 1 phara
8 pharas = 1 kandi
25 pharas = 1 muda

The revolution in nutrition – part 2

The dietary principles of Bircher muesli.

Muesli was a popular breakfast dish in Switzerland. What Dr Benner did was to re-introduce this old custom. The original muesli was nothing more than a “light fruit porridge”. The Swiss would prepare Muelsi using the fruits available in the season such as apples, pears, berries and combine the same with either cracked wheat (known as “lapsi” in India), or oats. Of course, the milk used was unpasteurized and fresh from the udder, so to speak.

Due to the advent of bad nutrition in Europe, mainly on account of the practices of the Aristocracy and on the discovery of yeast-raised white bread, the eating of fruit was mainly confined as a sweet dish, to be eaten after meals.

Dr Benner brought back the practice of eating fruit at breakfast, quite in line with the scientific dietary principles known to India for the last 5,000 years.

Henry Ford was a fan of Muesli while in England it was simply called “Swiss Breakfast”.

Muesli, I think, can be considered to be the “perfect” breakfast, which can be eaten the whole year round, and by all ages.

But there is a very important difference between the original fruit porridge, and the crap that you get ready-made in the markets today.

Muesli is primarily a fruit dish!!

Muesli is not a milk and cereal dish! In fact, Dr Benner recommended that no more than a level tablespoon of cereal should be added to one grated apple or its equivalent fruit, per person! The dish has to be light and fruity. Of course, one could top off the dish with an assortment of dry fruits such as chopped dates, almonds (which have been pre-soaked overnight, else they are indigestible, honey, and a little sugar if you want it.

Almond puree is an excellent substitute for anyone who cannot tolerate milk, and I would even recommend the topping-up of a little cow’s milk cream that is skimmed off the milk.

The truth of the fact is that the Bircher Muesli is to be considered more of a prescription rather than a recipe, but that only goes to strengthen the claim “Let the food be your medicine.”

You can experiment with this recipe, by even substituting milk with yogurt (in which case you cannot use bananas!).

You could also eat Bircher Muesli at the beginning of each meal, which would not only be in line with the first maxim, “Raw food first”, but would fill you up a little and therefore you would eat less of whatever regular food you eat.

And its probably the best breakfast you can give to growing children!

The Basic Recipe:

Make sure that raw cereals are pre-soaked overnight, and cooked, unless they are the quick-cooking variety.

Apple Muesli

Ingredients:

Per person:

1 level tablespoon rolled oats or cracked wheat (lapsi)

(The recommendation is to add raw, 3 hour-pre-soaked cereals, but I think cooked cracked wheat would work very well, thank you).

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk. (Or use fresh milk and sugar).

1 large apple (or 2 – 3 small ones).

Garnish with chopped dry fruit. (I prefer dates and almonds).

Substitute sugar with honey, if you wish.

Don’t be silly and count or ask for the calorific content.

Alternatively, for the milk intolerant and for slimmers:

3 tablespoons yogurt. (curd).

1 teaspoon lemon juice instead of 1 tablespoon.

The revolution in nutrition – part 1.

Dr. M.O. Bircher-Benner (1867-1939), along with Dr. Waerland, was one of the great pioneers in the West on the science of dietics. It was the discovery of Penicillin, and its potential to kill bacteria, that brought to a premature end to the great dietary revolution in the West. “All disease is caused by infection, ergo, bacteria is the cause of all diseases.” We know now, exactly how untrue that is.

There has never been a more important time in history, to revive the truth, and highlight the scientific principles of diet, through an exploration of the evolution of dietics in the West, the effect of excessive eating of animal flesh, and the great dietic revolution in the late part of the 19th Century.

Both, Dr Bircher-Benner, as well as Dr. Waerland stumbled upon the root causes of disease, and therefore its cure. By disease, I would encompass not only those which are visibly manifest by symptoms, but also those which lie latent, and grow to a point where ultimately, they overflow not unlike a vessel of boiling milk, to spread the deranged forces all through the body and give rise to visible symptoms, what we call as “disease”.

Dr Bircher Benner stumbled upon his discovery, when one day, a lady suffering from a gastric disorder visited him, but no treatment proved to be effective and her condition grew worse day-by-day.

On the suggestion of one of his friends,Dr. Bircher Benner decided to treat he with a diet of raw vegetables and fruit.

It is no surprise today, that the woman recovered. Dr Bircher Benner concluded that “It was the deterioration of foodstuffs, generally taking place during cooking and other processing, that was at the root of many evils.”

For a civilization, so used to the excessive consumption of meat and white flour products, it’s no surprise that these famous Western dieticians and nutritionists were able to bring about “miraculous cures”.

The fundamental principles that they discovered, are valid even today, in this age of vitamin supplements, gym exercises and unbelievably stupid dietary fads, such as the Atkins diet.

It cannot be over-emphasized, that the dietary change requires consumption of “organically grown” foods. which is not to say, that applying these simple scientific principles will give you ALL the benefits!

You will feel:

More energetic.

Achieve optimum weight.

Live longer.

Feel better.

Generally be more attractive to the opposite sex, on account of glowing skin and bright eyes.

Never need to use perfumes to mask the foul pheromone odour that exudes on the consumption of non-vegetarian food. (that’s why the West has such a huge industry of perfumery!)

In addition, the changes in diet proposed would enable you to:

Give up addictions such as drinking and smoking.

Clarify the mind to a supra-natural state.

Naturally attract the opposite sex, without making an effort about it.

Dr Benner discovered this great dietic discovery:

“For regeneration of vitality in the healthy, it is enough if half of the daily intake should consist of raw foods.”

In addition, Dr Bircher Benner discovered, that raw foods eaten at the beginning of the meal, established anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions in the intestinal tract and promoted the growth of beneficial bacterial coli and drive out the pathogenic ones.

Hence the Bircher-Benner maxim:

Begin each meal with raw food. Raw food before, not after, the cooked food.”

The third maxim, was based on the fact that it was important to maintain a favorable acid-alkaline balance in the body:

“Whenever and however possible; No day without green leaves.”

Part 2: Bircher muesli.

The diet of Konkan Brahmin families.

Sometimes, you feel like a Motherless child. Sometimes, web sites vanish, or simply die. You are left with the “cache page”, which google provides so generously. I am not sure for how long, would the “cache” be cached. 2038? Like a Google cookie? Anyway, sometimes, important pages should be re-blogged for the good of mankind and for the good of dissemination of knowledge.

So, I have re-blogged this page of dixitfamily.com, which give a concise and very scientific history of diet in Western-Central India.

Click on the Google cache page to read more.

Coconut Curd Chutney

Coconut curd chutney – Southern Delights Pawathy Akhileswaran

1/2 coconut
5 green chillies
1″ piece ginger
Salt
1 small cup curds

Grind, with a little water.

Tadka:

1/2 tsp mustard
2 red chillies, broken
1 tbspn ghee

Handi Biryani

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long grain rice
2 potatoes quartered boiled
2 capsicums cut into strips
2 onions chopped into strips
2 onions quartered
2 tomatoes chopped
1 cup slices mixed vegetables (frenchbeans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.)
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic grated
1 cup curd
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
1″ cinnamon stick
2 cardamoms
4-5 whole black peppers
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
2-3 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
10-15 cashews
10-12 almonds sliced to flakes (optional)
4-5 tbsp. ghee

Method

Wash and soak rice in salted water for 30 minutes.

Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan.

Fry onionstrips till crisp, brown, drain, keep aside.

Fry cashews till light brown, drain, keep aside.

Fry capsicums till tender, drain, keep aside.

Meanwhile, heat 6 cups water in a large vessel.

Add bay leaves, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, salt.

When it comes to boil, drain and add rice.

Bring to boil, cook for 8-9 minutes, till rice is just but not fully done.

Drain in a large colander, spread in a big plate, cool.

Grind quartered onions, ginger, garlic to a paste.

In hot ghee, add paste stirfry for 2-3 minutes.

Add all powdered masalas, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, stir, cook till fat separates.

Beat curd, add, stir till the boil resumes, cook 2-3 minutes.

Add potatoes, stir, keep aside.

To fill handi:

Grease an oven proof handi well on the inside.

Place in half of rice, spread at the bottom.

Top with half vegetables layer, spread over rice.

Mix together fried onions, capsicums, cashews, sliced almonds, coriander.

Sprinkle half over vegetable layer.

Sprinkle half lemon juice all over.

Repeat rice to lemon juice layer by layer.

Either cover with fitting lid, seal edges with chapati dough, or Seal top with a tightly packed foil sheet.

Make a small slit for excess steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated oven at 130oC for 15-20 minutes.

Break seal at the table to get the most out of the aroma.

Notes:

A handi is a round potlike vessel, with a neck narrower than the base. It may be made of metal or in earthenware. It must be heatproof though. If not available use a deep heavy saucepan.

For a stronger flavoured biryani, mix in some powdered mace, nutmeg into rice before transferring to handi.

Prepare handi few hours ahead, and bake just before serving, to organise your time better.

Making time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh and piping hot

Don’t skip breakfast!

Don’t Skip Breakfast!
An Ayurvedic Perspective

http://www.boloji.com/ayurveda/av007.htm

According to Ayurveda, fasting is not recommended because it irritates pitta, vata, and kapha dosha. Skipping breakfast particularly irritates sadhaka pitta, a subdosha of pitta. Sadhaka pitta is responsible for maintaining an even temper and when in balance, brings joy and contentment. An imbalanced sadhaka pitta can result in irritability and unsettled emotions.

Many people are too busy in the morning to eat breakfast or just do not feel hungry. If you’ve been used to skipping breakfast, start with a little something each morning and work your way back to a healthy breakfast. A good way to break the habit of skipping breakfast is to make and drink fresh fruit or vegetable juices. Rehydrating the body with fresh, natural, and nourishing fluids will help you get a head start on a busy day. Try a juiced blend of fresh carrot, cilantro and zucchini, or fresh sweet grape, apple, or pear juice. Pick ripe sweet fruit. Orange juice is not recommended on an empty stomach because it is too acidic. Whichever fruit or vegetables you choose, fresh juice is always the best because it has Prana or life giving energies. Also, the juice should ideally be at room temperature or slightly cool, never ice-cold.

Ayurveda says that fruit in the morning is like gold. This is the best time of day to get the maximum nourishment from fruit. Cooked apples, eaten first thing in the morning, help to create “Ojas,” the final and most refined by-product of digestion. Ojas contributes to enhanced vitality, strength, immunity, and overall well-being. Sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers — they help to eliminate impurities from the body. According to Ayurveda, it is recommended that fruits be eaten first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before other breakfast items such as hot cereal.

Other suggestions for breakfast include dried figs and raisins, soaked the night before or simmered with a little water for 30 minutes. Or try one of the following healthy combinations: dates with a small dab of ghee replacing the pit, Chapati flat bread with raw honey and warm milk, or oatmeal with raisins and chopped almonds. Almond powder mixed with warm milk is another excellent way to start the day.

Recipe for Stewed Apples and Pears

1 organic apple
1 organic pear
1 Tbsp. organic raisins
1 clove
1/4 cup water

Peel and chop fruit into small pieces. Place fruit in a small pot and add about 1/4 cup water. Add raisins and clove. Bring to boil and then back to low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the fruit is of a tender consistency. Eat warm.

Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra
October 21, 2001

Fried Green Beans

FRIED GREEN BEANS WITH COCONUT
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetables Indian
Ethnic Vegetarian
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
4 tb Butter
1 t Black Mustard Seeds
1/2 c Onion-finely chopped
1 t Fresh Ginger Root
-scraped and finely chopped
1 t Salt
1/2 ts Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 lb Fresh Green Beans
-trimmed and cut crosswise
-into paper thin rounds
1/4 ts Ground Red Pepper
1/4 c Unsweetened Coconut
2 tb Fresh Coriander-chopped
2 tb Lemon Juice
In a 10-inch heavy skillet or 12-inch wok, heat the
butter over moderate heat until a drop of cold water
flicked into it splutters instantly. Add the mustard
seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Thoroughly stir in the
onions, ginger, salt and pepper, and drop in the green
beans. Stirring constantly, add the red pepper and fry
for 5 minutes longer. Add the coconut and coriander,
reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan. Stirring
occasionally, cook for 10 minutes more, or until the
beans are tender. Sprinkle with lemon juice, taste for
seasoning, and serve at once.
Foods of the World: The Cooking of India
Time-Life Books
uploaded by Diane Lazarus

Dal Chutney

Dal Chutney

Note: All ingredient quantities are ap prox.

Ingredients

Channa Dal- 1 cup
Urad Dal -1/2 cup
Dry Grated Coconut- 1 cup
Dry Red Chillies- 8-10
Fenugreek Seeds- 1/2 tsp
Tamarind 10grams
Jaggery -according to your taste
Asafoetida -1/4tsp
Vegetable Oil 1tsp
Salt according to taste

Method

Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water
Heat oil and add asafeotida, fenugreek seeds , fry the seeds till they are brown.
Add channa dal , urad dal and red chillies in the same pan and roast them till they are golden brown.
After emptying the pan, roast dry coconut till golden brown color.
Keep this aside till it cools down.
Squeeze tamarind properly till you get a uniform juice.
Add jaggery and early roasted dals in the tamarind juice and allow it to soak for 2-3 hours for easy grinding.
Add salt according to taste.
Grind it into a rough paste.
Serve it with Idlis, White Rice, Dosas.
For seasoning , heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter and add curry leaves to the heated oil.
Pour the seasoning over the chutney before serving.

Dhai Curry Punjabi style

Dahi curry Punjabi style – Jyotsna

Dahi 2-3/4 cup
Besan 3 dabbi

Mix dahi for i sec in a mixee

Add besan, haldi,salt, red chilly (deghi mirch), add some water, again mix.
Heat a little ghee. Add hing pinch, methidana, 1tsp., coarse crushed (in hand), akha dhania,, 1/2 tsp jeera.
Then, add chopped fine, 1 onion, 1 lasoon, and some ginger.
Add besan mix to all this.
And add some more water.Boil and simmer, 4 to 5 times, for 1/2 hour.
Keep stirring, so that the curd should not froth.
Add pakora for 10 minutes before removing curry.

Pakora:

Cut onions long.green chilly, ajwain, salt, deghi mirch.
Mix in besan, with wwater, to a consistancy, that the pakora can be added to the oil with a small tablespoon. (10 ml).

Fettucine with Pesto Indienne Sauce

FETTUCINE WITH PESTO INDIENNE SAUCE (TARLA DALAL, UPPERCRUST JAN-MAR 2000)

Ingredients:

½ packet white fettucine
½ packet green fettucine
3 tbs oil
Salt

For Pesto Indenne Sauce:
½ tsp paprika or chilli flakes
1 tbsp chilgoza (pine nuts)
1 portion pesto indenne paste
½ cup cream
1 tbsp butter
Salt

For Pesto indenne paste:
1 cup basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup coriander, chopped
1medium onion
1tsp ginger chopped
1 medium green chilli
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt

Ground all above ingredients together to a smooth aste

For the garnish:
Grated cheese
Basil leaves
Cherry tomatoes

PROCEDURE:

For the fettucine, put a lot of water in a pan, add salt and 1 teaspoon of oil and bring to a boil. Add the white and green fettucine aand cook till done. Drain and keep aside.

After some time, add 2 teaspoons of oil to the cooked fettucine and mix well.

For the Pesto Indenne Sauce:
Heat the butter in a saucepan on a low flame. Add the paprike, the pine nuts and fry for some time. Add the pesto indenne paste, the cream, 1 cup water and salt and heat till the sauce is a little thick. Keep aside. Do not boil the sauce as it will curdle.

How to proceed:
Place the fettucine in a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over it. Garnish with grated cheese, basil, and cherry tomatoes. Serve hot.

Kofta Noor Jahani

Kofta Noor Jahani
Recipe By : http://www.getsurfed.co.uk/restaurants/special.htm
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 Boiled Potatoes
100 Grams Paneer
2 Tbsp Cauliflower Florets
2 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
Salt — To Taste
3 Tbsp Oil
1 C Boiled Onion Paste
1 C Boiled Carrots
1/4 C Soaked Raisins
1 Tbsp Ginger Paste
1 Tbsp Garlic Paste
1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
3/4 C Cashewnut Paste
Oil — For Deep-Frying
Cream — Optional
Chopped Coriander — For Garnish
Grate the boiled potatoes, grate the paneer and add to the boiled potatoes,
mix in the finely chopped green chillies salt and the corn flour. Mix
really well and make into small round balls. Grate the carrots and mix the
raisins into them. Make an indent into the potato balls and stuff a little
of the carrot and raisin mix into it. Reform the potato ball in your hand
making sure that you leave no holes! Deep fry all the balls until golden
brown. Leave aside.
Gravy:
Take a tablespoon of oil in a heavy based pan, add the boiled onion paste
cook until the onions are a little pink. Add the ginger and garlic paste to
the oinions and saute for a while. Add the tumeric and chilli powder and
cook for a while until the masala has mixed well into the paste. Now add
the cashewnut paste to this and cook. Keep stirring so that it doesn’t
stick to the bottom of the pan. Add about a 1/2 cup of water and cook on
very low heat for about 10 mins. Add salt taste and mix well. Add the fried
koftas to the gravy. Finish with fresh cream drizzled over the top
(optional) and add a little chopped corinder to garnish. Serve hot with
naan or rice.
This dish was supposedly created for the beautiful queen Noor Jahan. I am
not sure if this is true or not but it does taste very nice!

Kachumber (Parsi Onion Salad)

KACHUMBAR (Parsee onion salad)

Serves 4-6

2 med onions finely sliced
tamarind pulp size of walnut
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons grated palm sugar or substitute
2 firm ripe tomatoes diced
1 tablespoon fine shreds fresh ginger
3 fresh red or green chillies sliced
salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

Zeera Aloo

Zeera Aloo – New Potatoes with Cumin – India
Recipe By : Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick & Easy Indian Cooking
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick Madhur Jaffrey
India
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 lbs new potatoes, cleaned, cooked until tender –
then peel
salt
2 1/2 tbsps vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili powder
3 tbsps coriander leaves — chopped
Put oil in large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put
in cumin seeds. Let seeds sizzle for a few seconds. Now put in potatoes.
Turn heat down to medium. Brown potatoes lightly on all sides. Turn heat
to low and ad 3/4 teaspoon salt and ground cumin, garam masala and chili
powder. Cook, stirring for a minute. Add coriander leaves and mix before
serving.

Kicked up Buttermilk Drink

Kicked up Buttermilk Drink (south Indian) #114328

For those of you, who drink buttermilk with salt, this version gives it a zip. If you have never drank buttermilk, try this recipe using whatever is left-over in the carton. It is so cooling and light. This is a South Indian drink that is offered to guests on hot summer days. Making this drink is based on your personal preferences for the various ingredients and you can tinker with the quantities of the spices.
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (small piece)
3 sprigs cilantro, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional) or 1 pinch cumin powder (optional)
1 dash pepper
salt, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Perfect Minestrone Soup

Perfect minestrone soup

green beans – cut into 2″ pieces, zucchini – 1, cut into 1″ slices , spinach leaves – 1/2 cup , black-eye beans – 1 can, rinsed and drained , stewed whole tomatoes – 1 can , parsley – 1/3 cup chopped , olive oil – 1 tbsp , carrots – diced , onions – 1, chopped , celery – 1 stalk, finely chopped , garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped , crushed red pepper flakes – 1/3 tsp , salt – to taste

Fry onions, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil until the onions are transluscent. add the pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and fry for 15 secs. Add the green beans and the black-eyed peas, more salt and plenty of water. When green beans are cooked, add zucchini, spinach and mashed tomatoes. After 1 min, add the parsley and warm it through. Serve very hot and garnish with grated parmasan cheese.

Steamed Rice

Steamed Rice

Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice
3-4 cups water
Preparation
Wash and drain the rice Cook in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain.
Put the rice in a steaming tier and cook for 30 minutes. (If no steaming tier is available, use a nylon or hair sieve in a wooden ban.)

Sindhi Daal

Sindhi daal

(fresh greens – spinach, dill and fenugreek cooked with daals)

2 bunches palak (spinach)
½ bunch methi (fenugreek leaves), or 5 tbsp. dried methi
¼ bunch soova (dill)
¼ kg. dudhi (marrow)
1 carrot
2 tomatoes
1 onion
4 green chillies
½ inch ginger
8 cloves garlic
salt
1 ½ cup tuvar dal
½ cup chana dal
3 tbsp. ghee
2 tsp. jeera.

Chop greens and vegetables fine
Cook daals
Before the daals cook completely, add chopped veggies, tomatoes and onions, ginger and salt. Cook till daals are done (another 10 minutes or so)
Blend coarsely in a blender
Heat pure ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds. After a few seconds, add garlic.
When garlic turns light brown pour flavoured ghee over dal
Serve with hot basmati rice

Sabat Aloo

Sabat Aloo (Whole Small Potatoes with Jacket)

Ingredients -Very small potatoes – 250 gms,Garlic – 6-8 cloves ,Ginger – 1 Samll piece,2″ long Red chillies – 1/2 tsp, Dry masala: Cuminseed and Coriander – 1 tsp each lightly roasted and powdered,Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp,Mustard oil – 3 tbsp Green coriander chopped,Red and green chillies – 6

Method -Wash the potatoes, prick with fork and dip in salted water Crush ginger and garlic together. Smoke oil in krahi. Add ground ginger garlic paste, salt and turmeric. Add potatoes. Toss and turn. Add cuminseed and coriander powder. Cover, let it cook with steam. Sprinkle water as and when required. Cut red and green chillies into two and add to the potatoes before they are ready. cover and cook. Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

Sindhi curry – 2

Sindhi Curry-2

Gram flour (Besan) 3 tbsps.
Oil 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Water 4-5 glasses
Tamarid pulp 2 tsp
Arhar Dal (Red gram dal) 3/4 cup
Okra (Make a slit in okra lengthwise) 1/2 lb (250 gms)
Potatoes (Cut each potato in 4 pieces) 3 medium
Eggplant(Brinjal) (Make 2″ pieces of eggplant) 1 small
Cauliflower (Keep the florets of cauliflower intact) 250 gms
Peas 1/2 cup
Lotus roots cut in small pieces
Salt to taste
For Tempering
Oil 2 tbsps
Mustard Seeds 1tsp
Cumin seeds 1tsp
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Methi Dana (optional) 1tsp
Kalunji 1tsp
Karhi patta 6-7 leaves
Green chillies slit lengthwise
Finely chopped cilantro leaves

Heat 2 tbsps oil. Add Gram flour (besan). Fry it for 10-15 mts (it should be few shades darker & smell fragrant). Add turmeric powder, 4 glasses of water and salt to taste. Keep stirring till it comes to boil. In the mean time boil arhar dal and whisk it properly. Add this to karhi. Fry okra, potatoes, cauliflower and eggplant. Add all fried and other vegetables in Karhi. Let it boil until all the vegetables are done. Add Tamarid Pulp.
Tempering

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan. When hot add asafoetida powder (hing), Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Methi dana, Onion seeds(kalaunji), red Chilli powder & Karhi patta. When the seeds start spluttering pour it in karhi.

Garnish it finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve it hot with steamed rice.

Sindhi kadi

Sindhi kadi

Ingredients:
4 medium-sized tomatoes
1-1/4 cups tur dal
5 tbsps gram flour
150 gm lady fingers, slit, not cut
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
5 tbsps cooking oil
100 gm cluster beans, chop ends
1 tsp cumin seeds
A few curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-1/2 tsp red chilli powder
5 green chillies, slit in centre
8 glasses of water
6-7 kokum
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Soak the tur dal in water for about half an hour. Cook it in a pressure cooker for 10-12 minutes along with the halved tomatoes and 2 glasses of water. Then strain out all the water and let the remaining pulp cool so as to enable you to squeeze out the soup from it with your bare hands. Add the rest of the water to this stock and put aside.

Now heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel for a few minutes before adding the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida powder and the green chillies. Fry for a minute, add gram flour and then fry again for a couple of minutes more. Now it’s time to add the red chilli powder and the turmeric powder. Fry till the gram flour becomes aromatic and turns slightly brown. Add the stock to it immediately. Stir well. Add the lady fingers, cluster beans, curry leaves, the kokum and the salt. Let it boil on a low flame for an hour and a half till the vegetables are well cooked and have absorbed the flavour of the spice. Serve the curry piping hot.

Sindhi Kadi is generally served with good quality basmati rice sprinkled with shahi jeera and accompanied also by tuk (flattened potato cake) and sweet boondi.

Sai Bhaji

Sai Bhaji (Spinach and Vegetable Stew)

Ingredients:

2 bunches spinach
A bunch of khatta
1 big potato
2 big tomatoes, chopped
8 green chillies, finely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
7 tbsps oil
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 big onion
2 small brinjals
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 tbsps gram dal
1-1/2 glasses water
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Separate the spinach and the khatta leaves. Wash them well and chop finely. Also chop the onion, potato and brinjals into small pieces and set aside. Soak the gram dal for about 10 to 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, put in the cumin seeds, green chillies and ginger and fry for about a minute. Fry the vegetables that have been kept well till the oil separates (a ring of oil will form around the vegetables). Now put in the chopped spinach, khatta leaves, tomatoes, dal, dry masalas, salt and 1-1/2 glasses of water. Pressure cook on a high flame till the first whistle. Then turn the flame to simmer for another 2 or 3 whistles. Open the cooker after about 10 minutes. Take a churner and mix well. This vegetable goes well with burji chawar rice or brown rice.

Cabbage Thoran

Cabbage Thoran

Ingredients:
1 medium cabbage, cut into thin strips
2 onions finely slivered
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. rice grains
2 dry red chillies broken in half
2 tbsp. oil
3-4 curry leaves
salt to taste
Grind to a paste:

3/4 cup fresh coconut grated
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
3 flakes garlic
2 green or red fresh chillies
2-3 pinches turmeric powder

Method:

Put ground paste in a pan, cover with cabbage.
Sprinkle some salted water, cover and cook till steam is given out.
Stir gently, sprinkle some more water, cover and keep aside.
Heat oil in a small pan, add rice and mustard seeds.
Allow to splutter, add chillies, curry leaves and onions.
When onions are transparent, pour over cabbage mixture.
Simmer again, stirring gently, till all water is evaporated.
Serve hot with rice, chappati, etc.
Making time: 15 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Shelflife: 1 day

Basic Pizza Dough

Basic Pizza Dough

This is a thin crust pizza recipe. It is a recipe for two medium pizzas.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 3 hours for the dough to raise
Recommended wine:
Origin: Campania
Ingredients:

4 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 pack. 7 gr. dry active yeast

Instructions:
1. In a big bowl combine all the dry ingredients, the oil and then add the water slowly mixing well with a fork. Don’t use all the water if it’s not necessary.
2. Knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes and then shape into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.
3. Let it stand in a dry place for 3 hours or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
4. Work the dough a little bit more and if it’s too sticky add a little bit of flour.

Notes:
This is the real Italian pizza that it is very different from the one that you may have eaten in a pizza parlor outside of Italy. Its origin is very antique but the introduction of tomatoes in our country brought by Cristoforo Colombo
(Christopher Columbus) contributed to making pizza a famous dish. There’s a pizza for every taste. When you learn how to make it then you can create your own favorite one.

The pizza dough recipe above I divide into two pizzas 15 ” X 11″ each. That is the equivalent of two 14″ pizzas. The toppings below are for one pizza (half this dough). Divide your dough in two parts and make a topping for each one.

Bengali Vegetable Chop

VEGETABLE CHOP

INGREDIENTS:(for a serving size of 3-4) beat(2), carrot(2), onions sliced(2 big), chilli powder, oil,Cumin powder,Ginger paste, potato 4 (big), bread crumb, nuts

METHOD: Boil potatos, beans & carrots. Smash potatos, carrots & beans. Add salt to it. Heat oil in a big vessel. Then add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown. Add ginger paste, cumin powder, chilli powder. Fry for few minutes. Add the smashed potato, carrot & beat and fry for 2 mins. Take it off from heat. Add fried nuts.Make balls with fried smashed potato, beat & carrot. Dip each of this in beaten egg. And roll on bread crumb. Fry it. Serve it with salad.

Baked Cauliflower Masala

Baked Cauliflower masala

Ingredients: cauliflower- 1,
For masala: onions -3 , garlic – 3 cloves , ginger – 1/2″ , chilli powder – 1 tsp , turmeric – 1 tsp , whole dhania seeds – 1 1/2 tsp , tomatoes – 2-3 (1 can of tomato sauce) , plain yogurt – 1 1/2 cups , salt – to taste , Cilantro – for garnish
Method:Grind all the ingredients (except cauliflower and cilantro). Cut the cauliflower into big florets and place in a glass baking dish. Add the salt, mix well and pour the masala. Cook in the microwave covered for 4 mins. Bake this in the oven covered for 15 mins and uncovered (for as long as you need, until the gravy is thickened) at 450 degrees. Garnish with cilantro.
The cauliflower could be used as whole, for a fancy presentation. It would need a few times of basting in the oven.

Avial

Avial

A dish for special occasions, this wonderful preparation comes from Kerala in the south, and really preserves the wonderful taste of vegetables, wthout over-spicing them. Vegetables are coated in a mixture of freshly grated coconut and curd. Try and use coconut oil in this recipe instead of vegetable oil if you can.

1.5 cups grated coconut
12 green chillies
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 cups water
1.5 cups sour curd, beaten

2 cups yam, peeled and cut into thick slices
3 cups ash gourd, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 1.5″ thick slices
3 medium sized raw bananas, peeled and cut into 2″ long slices
3 drumsticks. cut into 4″ pieces
2 cups red pumpkin, cut into large cubes
2 cups broad beans, cut into 1″ pieces
1 cup carrots, cut thickly
5 tsp. salt
15 curry leaves
3 tbsp. coconut oil

Grind coconut, chillies & roasted cumin seeds into a paste, adding a cupful of water little by little. Add curd to this mixture and keep aside
In a large vessel, add water and all vegetables, with salt
Bring to boil, then lower heat and cook till vegetable are done
Add coconut paste and mix gently on a low fire, making sure the gravy doesn’t curdle
Simmer for 2 minutes
Stir in coconut oil and curry leaves, mix gently

Apple Halwa

Apple Halwa

Carrot Halwa, Lentils and Bean Halwa, Wheat Flour Halwa and Semolina Halwa are all popular desserts in India. Apple Halwa can be made the same way and it has an interestingly sweet and tart taste. In Indian homes, a form of milk cooked until all the water has evaporated-known as khoya is used. Condensed milk is a nice substitute.

3 lbs apples, grated, best made with tart crisp apples
6 tsp sugar
juice of 1 lemon
8 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
2 inch cinnamon stick
6 cloves
8 tbsp condensed milk
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp calvados
almond slivers to decorate
silver or gold foil
Serves: 6
As soon as the apples are grated, sprinkle them with sugar and lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Mix well.

Heat the ghee in a heavy based saucepan, add the cinnamon and cloves and after 30 seconds the apples. Saute for 10 minutes or so over high heat. Add the condensed milk and raisins and saute for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.

Glaze with the butter. This dessert should be served hot. Heat the calvados for a few seconds in a small pan and pour into the halwa.

Garnish with almonds if using.

Notes: You can also use silver or gold foil to garnish the halwa and sprinkle ground toasted pistachios or walnuts and serve the halwa with vanilla ice cream.

Bhatura

Bhatura

Ingredients:

500 grams Refined flour

2 tablespoons Curds

1 teaspoon Baking powder

7-8 tablespoons Oil

Salt

Method :

Sieve together the flour, salt and baking powder. Knead into a hard dough with curds and a little water. Keep aside for 6 hours.

Roll into small discs and fry in hot oil till they swell up. Serve hot with chhole or potato vegetable. Serves : 4
Time : 40 min

Tamarind Rice

From Hindu Cookery, Manorama Embakaram
Tried, was very good. 15-01-97

a. Add more imli ( big handful) and add separate powdered red chilly.
b. Use oil only to fry the peanuts. Otherwise add only ghee to rice for
taste.

1 dabbi rice is 40 grams
1 katori of whole red chilly is 25 grams.

1kg 160 grams 4 dabbis rice
small lime spoonfulwhite til
250 gr 40 grams ground nut
tennis ball big fist ful tamarind
2 rounded tbs 1/4th tbs salt
1 tsp 1/8th tsp turmeric p.
1 tsp 1/8th tsp methi
1tsp 1/8th tsp jeera
pea size pinch asafoedita
2 rounded tbs 1/4th tbs veg curry powder
1 tsp 1/8th tsp sugar

red chilly some is required.

second seasoning:

1 tsp mustard 1/8th tsp mustard
1 tbs 1/8th tbs bengal gram
1 tbs 1/8th tbs black gram
10 1-1/2 2″ red chillies
Handful some curry patha
1 cup 1/8th cup oil (Only to fry peanuts.)
1 cup 1/8th cup + 1/8th cup ghee

Soak tamarind in 0.64 cups water. squeeze, add .64 cup water and squeeze
out completely. fry dry til in hot kadai till splutter and light brown.

Dry fry methi light reddish colour. Dry fry jeera till splutter.
grind both to powder.

crush hing in some water.

pound til to powder. Do not opound too much or else, oil.

Add turmeric, salt, curry powder, hing water, sugar, jeera, methi, 0.64
tbs oil, and 1/8th lime sized lump of til powder. to tam juice.
(Note: Taste tamarind sauce, should very khatta, and also very salty.)

mix good, boil, simmer, till juice is thick honey like syrup and loses
raw flavour. (Must scrape bottom of vessal or else burn)

Boil rice Do not over boil! (For God’s sake be careful here, as the rice
is further cooked later on)

Spread in shallow basin, when luke warm, smear 1/8th handful cold oil to
separate grain.

Put in large vessal.

Smear tamarind pulp on rice.

Make a shallow depression in centre and put curry pattha in it.

Heat fying pan, pour oil and ghee in it. when smoking hot, add mustard,
then groundnut. Fry till crisp.

Add bengal and black together, when light brown, pour over curry patha.
Mix into rice.

Cover with tight fitting lid, dhum 30 to 40 min before serving.

Veg curry Powder:

340 gr 1/2 cup red chillies
255 gr 1/3 cup dhania
42 gr 1 tsp black pepper
42 gr 1-1/2 tsp jeera
42 gr 1-1/2 tsp methi seeds
42 gr 1-1/2 tsp mustard seeds
handful some curry patha

Roast in kadai all separately, except curry patha. Methi light reddis
brown, pepper till hot. Dhania till brown, mustard seeds till pop, jeera
till crackle,

Fry red chilly in a teaspoon of gingelly oil.

Fry curry patha in removed not kadai for seconds.
Grind, mix, store airtight, dry bottle (3-4 months)

Hot rice pongal

1 cup green-gram dhal
2 cups rice
3/4 cup cup ghee
1 tsp black pepper
1 teaspoon jeera
1/4″ fresh ginger, tiny bits
1/8th teaspoon asafoedita
15 cashew nuts

Wash the rice.
Let it stand in water for 3/4 hour.
Fry dal to a light brown colour in a hot kadai over low heat.
Put the dhal into 5 cupfuls of boiling water along with a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon ghee.
When the dhal is three-fourths boiled, add the soaked rice to it.
The watery liquid should float 1-1/2 inches above the rice.
If it is less add more hot water to make up the deficiency.
Add powdered salt to taste.
Cover with lid to boil till the rice is cooked and the water contents are all absorbed.
Heat a frying pan and pour in the ghee.
When very hot, add the black peppers (whole), the jeera, split cashew nuts, asafoedita powder and fresh ginger bits.
When the cashew nuts turn a light brown colour, pour the hot ghee with its contents around the sides and top of the pongal rice.
Stir thouroughly once.
Cover to remain over low heat for half an hour before serving. If convenient, put some live coals of fire on top of the lid for the half hour.
This pongal rice is tastier when eaten with some chutney, e.g., pothina chutney.

Garlic bread re-blogged.

Garlic Bread re-blogged

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (1 pound) loaf unsliced French bread
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
* 2 large cloves fresh garlic, crushed and minced finely
* paprika

Cut French bread loaf into 1-inch thick slices, but not quite all the way through. Combine butter, parsley, and garlic, stirring well; spread between bread slices. Sprinkle each slice with a little paprika, if desired. Reassemble the loaf; wrap in aluminum foil. Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

Add comment August 21st, 2006
Hollandaise Sauce

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoon water

90 melted butter

1/2 tsp lemon juice

Whist the egg yolk and water together in a heatproof bowl until formy. Place the bowl over a pan half-filled with simmering water and whisk until thick. The bowl should not touch the water. Gradually whisk in the butter.

Continue adding the ,elted butter, over very low heat, whisking constantly. The sauce should leave a trail on the surface when the whisk is lifted.

Once all the butter is coporated, strain the sauce into a clean bowl, stir in the lemon juice and then season with salt and pepper.

Source:

http://suchmeeras.wordpress.com/2006/08/21/garlic-bread/

Iced tea re-blogged.

Iced Tea re-blogged.

Ingredients:
4 regular tea bags
2 cups fresh cold water
water
ice cubes
sugar
lemon slices (optional)

Unwrap if necessary and carefully slide off any paper attached to the strings of the tea bags; tie the strings together abd

place the bags in a heat proof 2 quart pitcher.

Bring 2 cups of cold water (always start with fresh cold water) to a rapiboil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over

the tea bags. Allow tea to steep for 20 minutes or more. (This process simply forms the “concentrate”. You can store the

mixture in the fridge for up to 24 hours)

Remove tea bags, squeeze out the excess liquid (being careful to not break open the bags and iscard. Fill the pitcher with

enough water to equal 2 quarts. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before serving. Or to serve iced tea immediately,

add a dozen or so ice cubes to tea concentrate then fill with water to the 2 quart level.

To serve, pour tea over a generous amount of ice cubes in a tall glass, stirring in desired sweetening and a squeeze of

lemon, as desired.

Source:

http://suchmeeras.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/iced-tea/

Toor Ki Dal, Sindhi style

Subru uncle’s Toor Ki Dal(Sindhi style) dad, mom and I love and #76908

http://www.recipezaar.com/76908

This is the lentil curry that Subru uncle(our Chef at home in Muscat for the last 13 years!) makes almost thrice(or more) a week! My dad simply loves this lentil curry. He says he can have this 365 times a year, every single day, and be really happy! This is my dad’s FAVOURITE food in the world! He wants me to make this for him while we are on holiday in the US! I have learnt this today! Since I am trying to cut on salt and oil in my food, I don’t have this alot(though I have to admit, I love this too!). This is a very flavourful and tasty lentil curry. You can have a bowl of this on a cold winter night as a soup all by itself! This is the traditional Sindhi recipe for this curry. Some people(Gujrati Indians) add sugar to sweeten this, but we like it spicy! Yet, you will be amazed that this is not very spicy at all, but really a great lunch alongwith rice and yogurt! I’m so glad I finally have this down pat! Enjoy this curry that I’m posting with special honour to Subru uncle who gave me the sweetest compliment today saying that, “Your my daughter with cotton hands!”
1 1/2 cups yellow lentils, cleaned,washed and drained (Toor dal)

4 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
15 fresh curry leaves, washed and torn
3 inches fresh ginger, peeled,washed and finely chopped
2 teaspoons asafetida powder (commonly called ‘hing’ in Hindi)
2 medium green chilies, washed and chopped
2 medium fresh tomatoes, washed,peeled and chopped
11 1/4 cups water, divided
2/3 cup tamarind pulp
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
2 teaspoons turmeric powder

4 servings Change size or US/metric
Change to: servings US Metric
1 hour 5 minutes 20 mins prep
Pressure cook the lentils (toor dal) in a pressure cooker alongwith 6 cups of water until the lentils are tender.
Heat oil in a pot on medium-high flame.
Once its hot, add mustard seeds, methi seeds and cumin seeds.
Allow to splutter and crackle.
Once they stop doing so, add in the curry leaves and ginger.
Stir-fry for 5 minutes until the raw smell of ginger is gone.
Add asafoetida powder and continue to stir-fry for another 5-7 minutes.
Toss in the green chillies, mix well and continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Then add in the tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water to cook the tomatoes.
Mix well and cook on high flame until the tomatoes are softened.
Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Mix well.
Extract tamarind pulp from tamarind to use as tamarind water.
To do this, soak about 3 inches piece of tamarind in 1 cup of hot water.
Squeeze to extract the tamarind pulp and let it mix with the water to form’tamarind water’ (that’s what I call it).
There is no need to pass this through a strainer- use it directly!
Measure out 2/3 cup of tamarind water in a cup and add this tamarind water to the tomato mixture.
Mix well and allow it to cook on medium-high flame for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, open the pressure cooker (by this time the lentils will be tender and the whistle would have blown) and with the help of a beater/mashing tool (we use what we call a’mandira’ in Hindi. This is a long wooden spoon with a round base that we use for mashing lentils, bananas, etc), in round circular motions, mash the lentils completely, until they mix with the water in which they were being cooked.
Now add 5 cups of water alongwith the lentil and water mixture that was used to cook the lentils. Add the tamarind-tomato mixture, mixing gracefully, as you sing your favourite kitchen song side-by-side!
Allow this to come to a boil.
Lower flame and cook for 10 more minutes on a simmer.
Remove from flame and serve immediately with cooked long-grain white Basmati rice.
Serve hot (we serve it immediately because it doesn’t taste very good once it gets cold) alongwith low-fat plain yogurt on the side for a complete wonderful Asian-Indian meal in rice and lentil curry heaven!
My brother, Manav, says that my wud-be hubby is a lucky man cos I’ll cook this for him and oh my, my bro adores this curry!
Please note: If you have a sore throat, a running nose, fever, cough and cold, then PLEASE omit the tamarind altogether because using tamarind juice in this recipe when you have a bad throat, will only make your throat worse. This curry cooks awesome even without the tamarind juice. Enjoy!

Lime and Ginger cordial, lemon barley water.

Genuine British!!

Lime and Ginger Cordial
Makes 25-30 glasses
50 g (1 ounce) fresh ginger
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
4 to 6 limes
900g (2 pounds) granulated sugar

Cut the fresh ginger into wafer thin slices; there is no need to peel. Put sliced ginger, crushed peppercorns and 600ml (approx. 2-1/2 cups) of water into a non-reactive saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil.

Meanwhile, pare the rind from the limes and drop rind into a mixing bowl. Add sugar. Pour the hot ginger-peppercorn infusion over the lime rind-sugar mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let rest until completely cooled. Strain to remove ginger, pared lime rind and peppercorns. Save liquid; discard solids. Squeeze juice from limes. Add to reserved liquid. Pour into sterilized bottles. Cap and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

To serve: Fill a tumbler 1/3 full with cordial and top with still or sparkling mineral water, ice cubes and garnish with a slice of lime.

Lemon Barley Water
Makes about 1 liter (approx. 34 ounces)
This old-fashioned drink is very easy to make and the flavor is lovely. The use of barley softens the acidity of the lemons without taking away any of the lemon flavor. This means you can use less sugar to sweeten, which makes homemade lemon barley water very refreshing.

100g (approx. 3-1/2 oz. by weight, or approx. 1/2 cup by volume) pearl barley
4 lemons
75 g (scant 1/2 cup) sugar

Measure the barley into a small bowl. Scald the barley by pouring boiling water over to cover. Stir and st rain, discarding the water. Turn the barley into a non-reactive saucepan.

Add 1 litre (approx. 34 ounces) of cold water and the pared rind of 2 of the lemons (use a vegetable peeler). Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook very gently for 1 hour. When ready, the barley will be plum and soft. Strain, this time reserving the liquid and discarding the barley and lemon rind. You should have a generous 600 ml (about 20 ounces) of liquid. While hot, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Cool, add the squeezed juice from all 4 lemons. Pour into a sterilized glass jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

To serve: Stir before serving. (Lemon barley water tends to be cloudy and settle.) Pour into glasses with a few ice cubes.

Gobhi Shalgam Ka Achaar

Gobhi Shalgam Ka Achaar

INGREDIENTS

500 gm turnips-scraped and sliced
750 gm cauliflower-cut small
750 gm carrots-cut small
60 gm garlic-coarsely pounded
60 gm ginger-coarsely pounded
60 gm garam masala-powdered
60 gm powdered mustard seeds
20 gm chilli powder
60 gm salt
180 gm vinegar
125 gm jaggery
250 gm mustard oil

METHOD

Heat oil in a large kadahi . Mix vinegar and jaggery in a saucepan on another burner.

Bring the vinegar to a boil and then simmer to dissolve the jaggery.

When oil is heated, keeping heat on high, add ginger and garlic, and stir fry till a light brown.

Add the vegetables and continue stirring over high heat. Cook thus, long enough to evaporate excess water of vegetables. You will know it is done, when the liquid in the vegetables gets back the colour of the oil.

Add the powdered spices and salt, mix well, again over high heat, and then add the vinegar solution. Let it come to a boil and shut off the heat.

Hyderabadi Biryani

Hyderabadi Biryani
Ingredients:

Paneer cubes
Potatoes, Carrot (boiled and cut into cubes)
4 oz Yogurt
4 oz Ghee
1lb Rice (washed)
4ozs Onions (sliced finely)
1oz Ginger & Garlic (equal amounts crushed)
1 Lemon
1oz Almonds (ground)
2 Cinnamon sticks
4-6 Cardamon
1oz Milk
Qtr tspn Saffron
2-3 Green Chilies
Half tspn Black Zeera
2-3 Cloves
Half tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste
Coriander and Fried Onions to Garnish

Garam Masala is equal amounts of Black Zeera, Cardamon & Cinnamon sticks, with half amount of cloves ground to a fine powder.

Method:
In a large bowl mix the paneer, yoghurt, almonds, chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic, salt, and ground garam masala. To the mixture add half a teaspoon each of chilli powder and turmeric. Marinate for at least 4-6 hours in the fridge.

Fry the onions in ghee until golden brown and crisp. Drain away any excess ghee and then remove the onions and spread over a large plate. This should keep the onions crispy. Once they have cooled crush the onions with your fingers and add this to the marinated paneer mixture. In a large pan half fill with water and add salt, whole garam masala and one green chilli. Bring this to the boil and add the washed rice and cook until the water boils. Once the water has boiled drain the rice in a colander and rinse with a little cold water. Grease the saucepan generously with ghee and transfer the meat mixture. Level the surface and now spread the rice evenly over the paneer and vegetables. Squeeze the lemon and pour the juice over the rice.Warm the milk and crush the saffron into it. Pour the milk/saffron mixture over the rice. Dot generously with ghee. To garnish spread the fried onions and coriander over the rice.
Cover the saucepan tightly. Allow to steam on high heat for about 10 minutes and then lower the heat and cook for another 1 and a half to 2 hours. Before removing the pan from the cookeer ensure that there is no moisture left in the rice. This can be checked by simply listening for a sizzling sound. If there is no sizzling then the Biryani is ready.
Biryani is traditionally served with Mirch Salan and Yoghurt Chutney.
Serves : 6
Cooking time: 1 Hour 15 mins

Kanji

Kanji (Carrot Juice)

INGREDIENTS

250 gm kaali gajar
6 cups water
3 tbsp mustard seeds-powdered
2 tbsp salt

METHOD

Peel and cut the carrots to finger-size in length.

Boil the water and add the carrots to it. When water boils again, shut off heat and leave to cool.

Add the salt and ground mustard, transfer into jar with lid. Mature in the sun for about 3-4 days. Take out of sun once taste of mustard is strong enough.

Serve before meals with the pieces of carrot in it or on the side.

Moru Kuzhambu

Moru Kuzhambu (Buttermilk Curry with Ash gourd) Too good!
Ingredients
1 cup Ash gourd
1 teaspoon Toovar dal
1 teaspoon Bengal gram dal
1/2 inch Chopped ginger
2 teaspoons Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
6 Green chillies
3 tablespoons Grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 cups Curd
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
1 Red chilli
1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida
7 Curry leaves
2 tablespoons Oil
Salt(As per taste)
Method
Soak the dals in 1/2 cup water for 1 hour. Grind to a fine paste the soaked dals, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, green chillies and grated coconut, using very little water. Add the ground paste to the curds. Add the salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil and add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chilli(halved), asafoetida and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the chopped ash gourd. Pour water just enough to cover the vegetables. Cover and simmer till done. Add the curd mixture to the vegetable, mix well and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Take care to prevent curding.

Serve hot with rice.

Serves : 6 Time : 90 mins.

Panchamrit

Panchamrit

1spn curd
1/2 small katori Milk(kachha)
Tulsi leaves
Kesar
few drops ghee(2-3)
some honey
Bura sugar
(total 7 items)

Perfect Minestrone Soup

Perfect minestrone soup

green beans – cut into 2″ pieces, zucchini – 1, cut into 1″ slices , spinach leaves – 1/2 cup , black-eye beans – 1 can, rinsed and drained , stewed whole tomatoes – 1 can , parsley – 1/3 cup chopped , olive oil – 1 tbsp , carrots – diced , onions – 1, chopped , celery – 1 stalk, finely chopped , garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped , crushed red pepper flakes – 1/3 tsp , salt – to taste

Fry onions, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil until the onions are transluscent. add the pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and fry for 15 secs. Add the green beans and the black-eyed peas, more salt and plenty of water. When green beans are cooked, add zucchini, spinach and mashed tomatoes. After 1 min, add the parsley and warm it through. Serve very hot and garnish with grated parmasan cheese.

Punjabi Karhi

 

Ingredients:

Karhi

2 Cloves
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
1 cup Besan
2 cups sour Curd
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Turmeric
3-4 Red Chillies
1 Black Cardamom
3/4 tsp Chilli powder
½ tsp Fenugreek seeds

Pakore (Dumplings)

Salt to taste
Oil for frying
1 cup Besan
1/3 cup Water
1 Onion, chopped
1 Potato, chopped
½ tsp Chilli powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Coriander powder
A pinch of Baking powder

Tadka/Tempering

1½ tbsp Oil
½ tsp Cumin
¼ tsp Chilli powder

Method:
Mix curd, besan, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and 5½ cups of water. Beat well till smooth and no lumps remain. In a big heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil. Add cumin, fenugreek seeds, black cardamoms and cloves. Add whole red chillies too.
When cumin turn golden add curd-water mixture. Stir continuously till it boils. After one good boil lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from fire and keep aside.
To prepare pakoras, mix besan and water to make a thick paste. Beat well. Add all other ingredients given under pakoras. Beat well to get a soft dropping batter.
Heat oil and drop spoonful of batter. Deep fry pakoras to golden brown.
Add pakoras to the ready kadhi.
At serving time transfer the hot kadhi to a serving dish.
For tadka heat oil in a small pan. Reduce flame and add cumin. When it turns golden, remove from fire and red chilli powder. Pour oil on to the hot kadhi in the dish. Serve hot with boiled rice.

Tip: While frying onions add a little milk to onions this will help retain a rich color and prevent them from burning.

Tamarind and date chutneys

Tamarind & Date Chutneys

50 gms. dates
50 gms. tamarind
50 gms. jaggery (molasses/unrefined brown lump sugar)
1/2 tsp. roasted jeera/cumin seeds

Soak dates, tamarind and jaggery in warm water.
Grind all, adding water if necessary to get a thick consistency.

Sweet Date Chutney (Khajoor ki Chutney)

250 gm dates-soaked in water, enough to cover and a little above, for 2-3 hours
1 tsp powdered, dried ginger
20 gm tamarind-pulp removed
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp salt or to taste
De-seed the dates and blend smooth in a blender, adding water to make a pouring consistency.

(Soak dates, tamarind and jaggery in warm water.
Add the ginger powder, tamarind pulp, chilli powder and salt and boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Tamarind rice

From Hindu Cookery, Manorama Embakaram
Tried, was very good. 15-01-97

a. Add more imli ( big handful) and add separate powdered red chilly.
b. Use oil only to fry the peanuts. Otherwise add only ghee to rice for
taste.

1 dabbi rice is 40 grams
1 katori of whole red chilly is 25 grams.

1kg 160 grams 4 dabbis rice
small lime spoonfulwhite til
250 gr 40 grams ground nut
tennis ball big fist ful tamarind
2 rounded tbs 1/4th tbs salt
1 tsp 1/8th tsp turmeric p.
1 tsp 1/8th tsp methi
1tsp 1/8th tsp jeera
pea size pinch asafoedita
2 rounded tbs 1/4th tbs veg curry powder
1 tsp 1/8th tsp sugar

red chilly some is required.

second seasoning:

1 tsp mustard 1/8th tsp mustard
1 tbs 1/8th tbs bengal gram
1 tbs 1/8th tbs black gram
10 1-1/2 2″ red chillies
Handful some curry patha
1 cup 1/8th cup oil (Only to fry peanuts.)
1 cup 1/8th cup + 1/8th cup ghee

Soak tamarind in 0.64 cups water. squeeze, add .64 cup water and squeeze
out completely. fry dry til in hot kadai till splutter and light brown.

Dry fry methi light reddish colour. Dry fry jeera till splutter.
grind both to powder.

crush hing in some water.

pound til to powder. Do not opound too much or else, oil.

Add turmeric, salt, curry powder, hing water, sugar, jeera, methi, 0.64
tbs oil, and 1/8th lime sized lump of til powder. to tam juice.
(Note: Taste tamarind sauce, should very khatta, and also very salty.)

mix good, boil, simmer, till juice is thick honey like syrup and loses
raw flavour. (Must scrape bottom of vessal or else burn)

Boil rice Do not over boil! (For God’s sake be careful here, as the rice
is further cooked later on)

Spread in shallow basin, when luke warm, smear 1/8th handful cold oil to
separate grain.

Put in large vessal.

Smear tamarind pulp on rice.

Make a shallow depression in centre and put curry pattha in it.

Heat fying pan, pour oil and ghee in it. when smoking hot, add mustard,
then groundnut. Fry till crisp.

Add bengal and black together, when light brown, pour over curry patha.
Mix into rice.

Cover with tight fitting lid, dhum 30 to 40 min before serving.

Veg curry Powder:

340 gr 1/2 cup red chillies
255 gr 1/3 cup dhania
42 gr 1 tsp black pepper
42 gr 1-1/2 tsp jeera
42 gr 1-1/2 tsp methi seeds
42 gr 1-1/2 tsp mustard seeds
handful some curry patha

Roast in kadai all separately, except curry patha. Methi light reddis
brown, pepper till hot. Dhania till brown, mustard seeds till pop, jeera
till crackle,

Fry red chilly in a teaspoon of gingelly oil.

Fry curry patha in removed not kadai for seconds.
Grind, mix, store airtight, dry bottle (3-4 months)