The Cooker

Orange. Oats. Almond. Love

2011-12-07T11:00:00.001-08:00

The book was renewed till I couldn't renew it yet again. At that point I decided to buy a copy for myself.By now I have lost count of the vegan recipes I have tried from this book. When I'm not baking from it, I'm simply perusing the recipes. A good read.The primary reason for diving into the vegan recipes is the need to cut cholesterol for everyday foods. The other and equally important reason

So Many Fools, So Little Time

2011-05-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Dessert doesn't get any easier.Berry fool: Crushed/ macerated berries mixed with lightly sweetened whipped cream.An added bonus: the entertainment factor that comes with having the word fool in it's name, as in "Let's have some strawberry < insert the name of your favourite sibling/ cousin>." Rather lame, I know.Photo courtesy my daughter, A.IngredientsThe proportions are a mere guideline.10-12

Bread! hic.

2011-04-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at making beer bread was an unmitigated disaster. The taste, texture, and smell: all awful. I blame the beer!It took me a good couple of years before giving it another try. This time I made many changes to the original recipe and ended up with this lovely loaf: As far as I know, the alcohol in the beer burns off in the 45 mins of baking time. What is left behind is the almost

A New Favourite

2011-02-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

For years my favourite recipe for banana bread came from The Joy of Cooking. Moist, with a fantastic banana flavour, easy to put together; no reason to look elsewhere. Until now.A recent Home Plates column had not one but two recipes for banana bread; specifically banana-orange bread. Sometimes one comes across recipes that you want to try right away. This was one such recipe. I even had three

You Had Me At Samosa

2010-10-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

The samosa casserole has been calling my name for a while. This week I finally got around to making it.While the idea of a samosa filling topped by a whole wheat crust was absolutely appealing, the combination of spices and the way they are used, not so much.Fortunately for me, I found this recipe for aloo phoolkopur samosas. Now this was more like it! Our dinner yesterday: Bengali-ishtyle

Zucchini Overload

2010-09-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

"I have something for you."Flowers? Chocolate? A string of South Sea pearls?Not even close.The significant other then handed me a zucchini of extraordinary proportions.So huge one could fatally whack someone in the head with it and destroy the evidence by eating it up. The zucchini in a 13x9 baking pan.Over the next week I was literally chipping away at it. Here is how:Zucchini cake Incredibly

A Party Of One

2010-09-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

The morning tea at my Ajji's place (grandmother, in this case my paternal grandmother) was a leisurely and elegant affair. It stretched from about 7 am to 9 am; sometimes even longer than that.The silver tea service was beautiful, the handmade cozies for the teapot and the milk pot colourful and functional, the cups and saucers light and dainty. Everything was perfect and exactly to her taste. So

Difficult Daughter

2010-08-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

"Difficult daughter"!That is what my father was surely muttering under his breath as he went up and down the bylanes of MG road in Pune.He was, on what was turning out to be, a fools errand.Who knew it was going to be so difficult finding Parsi sambhar masala in Pune?Finally he was lead to the home of the Parsi couple who ran a home-based business selling Parsi fare. By the cold and terse

He Cooked. And How!

2010-08-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

As the kids get older they are no longer satisfied staying on the other side of the kitchen counter. As a result, the kitchen is getting crowded and I couldn't be happier.I will be using this space to list some basic recipes, family favourites, and ideas for quick meals for their reference. The son usually plays the role of a consultant. Sitting by the kitchen counter very generously doling out

How to cook rice

2010-08-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

The crowded kitchenAs the kids get older they are no longer satisfied staying on the other side of the kitchen counter. As a result, the kitchen is getting crowded and I couldn't be happier.I will be using this space to list some basic recipes, family favourites, and ideas for quick meals for their reference.The easiest and quickest meal, I think, is varan-bhaat. Especially if both the rice and

Cake Pops: Finally

2010-08-02T22:18:00.001-07:00

I've wanted to make these cake pops for the longest time.Today I finally got a chance to make them.Here they are:Seriously, how cute are they?They were quite easy to make: crumble cake/ cupcakes, mix in some frosting, make the balls of this mixture, poke in a candy stick, freeze them for a bit, dip in melted chocolate or candy melts, decorate, and finally ready yourself for the oohs and

Rosemary Daal

2010-07-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I love rosemary in everything. Literally everything. In addition to the usual (savoury) suspects such as bread, salad dressing, and flavoured oils we especially like it in daal. Usually moog daal (split mung beans) or toor daal (split pigeon peans, arhar, tuvar). Though rosemary-toor daal is good too, my preference is for the rosemary-moog daal combination.The non-distaff side of

Simple Food

2010-05-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

The simplicity of this dish takes your breath away. This is a simple and unpretentious way to prepare chard. The addition of rice gives it such a fantastic texture. If you use red chard, the rice grains take on that colour. Beautiful!Increase the quantity of rice and this becomes a meal in itself.Red Chard-Rice BhaajiIngredients1 bunch chard, washed and chopped1 (or more) green chillies1 inch

Berry Good

2010-04-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

Several months ago my friend A lent me her cast iron skillet; one which she hardly used at all. I'm seriously in love with this skillet. I've used it so often for so many things that unless A explicitly asks for the skillet it is mine.The first thing I baked in the skillet was a whole wheat-semolina bread. It was to die for. The recipe needs some fine tuning before it is ready for prime time (on

Gooey Goodness

2010-03-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

For as long as I remember my son's birthday cake has been the same: chocolate cake, chocolate filling, chocolate frosting. Sure there are times when he deviated slightly but those were rare occasions.My daughter, on the other hand, firmly believes that variety is the spice of life.Earlier this month when I asked her what cake she wanted for her birthday, pat came the answer 'chocolate lava cake'.

Constant Craving

2010-02-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

You know how sometimes a tune gets stuck in your head and keeping on playing. You can't get it out of your head. This is particularly vexing if it is a cheesy tune and it gets stuck in the early hours of the day.Something similar happened last week; instead of a tune, the voices kept saying 'muthia, muthia'. This was surprising since muthias are not something I make often. So where was this

A Renewed Taste Reference

2010-01-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

There are many foods for which I do not have a taste reference; either I never had one or have forgotten it.Mawa cake is one such food. This cake is available in most bakeries across India but I do not remember the last time I ate one.A friend had recently baked mawa cupcakes which she shared hoping to know how close they were to the real thing; for she too had no taste reference! Though the

The Plated Dressing

2010-01-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

Last week I had met some friends for a potluck lunch. Along with a few other things I had volunteered to take along a salad. The main reason for offering to bring along a salad was the hope that I'd venture to make something other than my usual basil dressing. Unfortunately the days leading up to the potluck were rather hectic and I ended up taking along my same boring dressing.As I was getting

Flop! Flop!

2009-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

A double flop.The recipe for the cupcakes was from a favourite blogger. Maybe there is nothing wrong with the recipe. Maybe it was a bad idea to substitute cake flour for all purpose flour (the box of cake flour said it was ok to do so).The result were these cupcakes which looked good and smelt great but tasted horrible. Extremely pasty to taste and very doughy.The recipe for the frosting was

An Agreeable Afternoon

2009-12-13T22:26:00.000-08:00

It is a truth universally known that an invigorating afternoon cup of tea is enjoyed much more in the company of gentle ladies than when one is solitary.Thus read the invitation. Truer words were never spoken, depend upon it.A cup of excellent tea and amiable company; the proposed afternoon seeked to unite the two with great promise. Confirmations were made and plans put in place without any

Loving Lentils

2009-11-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

The lentil rice was described as 'Seasoned rice, whole lentils, macaroni.'Macaroni? But this wasn't the kids' menu.So I asked the owner of the cafe about it and was told that macaroni was a common addition to lentil rice in his native Egypt.He went on to say that it adds an interesting texture to the rice.And so it did!I rarely muster courage to ask for the recipe. The one time I do, all I get is

Complicating Things

2009-11-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

Whenever I prepare something for the first time, I often don't have the cookbook (or the laptop if the recipe came from a blog) with me in the kitchen; unless I'm baking. Once I get the general idea, I skip/ modify the ingredients as needed. The modifications are usually to simplify things. This takes the notion of making it my own to a whole new level. But that is not what happened yesterday

Economy of Instructions & Ingredients

2009-09-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Browse through the food and drink section of any book store in India and you'll come across stacks of cook booklets. These booklets cover a mind boggling range: Microwave Party Cooking, No Sugar/Oil/Salt recipes, Fast foods (that is, food that is allowed when observing a religious fast!), Blood Pressure Cooking (?) etc.Most of these booklets are the size of a largish postcard and have one recipe

Sweets

2009-05-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

There is a certain someone at home who maintains that he needs something sweet with every meal.How easy one confuses wants with needs.These two from my quiver satisfy such needs. SudharasSudharas is quite simply a simple syrup perked up by lemon juice.Other (optional) additions are keshar, elaichi, and almonds.Sometimes a banana is added. She adds peaches to hers!It used to be that sudharas was

Meyer Lemon Curd

2009-05-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

When a friend gives you several dozen freshly picked Meyer lemons, you make lemon curd.Just the mention of lemon curd conjures visions of lemon tarts, scones, and all things Enid Blyton. (The picture was taken using my cellphone as my camera is on the blink.)The butter and eggs in the traditional lemon curd recipes always got in the way of me making it. I went hunting for a vegan version and

Persistence Pays

2009-04-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

It may have been cool outside but the atmosphere was heating up in the school library. The silent auction was going on and my daughter was furious. Some one kept outbidding her. She was bent on having the Guittard chocolate sampler kit! So she parked herself next to the bidding sheet making sure that hers remained the highest bid. She literally did not move from there!Her persistence paid off

Good Day Sunshine

2009-03-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

It was the perfect day to play with colours.Driving back, listening to our favourite music, soaking wet and rendered unrecognizable by the colours, unmindful of the strange looks coming our way, it was liberating in a way.All that fun made us hungry as well. Good thing I had taken along some sunshine cake. This is a new favourite, a whole-wheat orange cake. Any baked goody that contains lemon or

JFI:Carrots The Roundup

2008-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hosting this event was just what I needed to get back to blogging. Sheer laziness was keeping me from blogging. But now I'm back to enjoying that particular high one gets after clicking the Publish button. Thanks to JFI, I also met several new bloggers.Months ago I signed up to host JFI and promptly forgot about it. Thanks to Srivalli for her gentle reminder. Thanks to Indira for giving me the

Quinoa-Carrot Pulao

2008-12-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

If it doesn't contain any rice is it still a pulao?This is a riff on the classic carrot-pulao.I go thru these phases where I make an extra effort to eat less rice.During one such phase, when a friend mentioned how she has virtually given up rice and instead eats quinoa I was all ears.Even before we could complete our conversation, in my mind the carrot-pulao had morphed into a quinoa-carrot!This

Forbidden Rice Pudding: Two Ways

2008-11-30T19:05:00.000-08:00

During a recent trip to China I brought back some exquisite looking black rice, also called forbidden rice.I was told that when cooked, the colour of this rice changes to purple!One of my favourite cookbooks has a recipe for a black rice pudding, which is what I had in mind when I bought the rice.But that recipe called for coconut milk, and we are not big fans of coconut or coconut milk. Even

JFI Announcement: Date Extended

2008-11-25T11:45:00.000-08:00

The announcement for this month's JFI was made a little later than expected.But Dee (Ammalu's Kitchen) has graciously let me extend the deadline for JFI:Carrots to December, 4th 2008; effectively overlapping her event by a couple of days. Thanks Dee.Keep them entries coming.

Kneadless To Say It Was Wonderful

2008-11-15T12:30:00.000-08:00

On many occasions I tried to make the knead less bread. But the time consuming process always got in the way. The prep time was difficult to fit in our every changing schedule. So when I saw a recipe for a fast no knead bread, I started to pre-heat the oven. Not literally because once mixed, the dough needs to rest for about 5 hours. Five hours I can manage, not the 14 to 20 hours required by

Nibble On This

2008-11-09T22:49:00.000-08:00

Mix sliced carrots with a bit of oil, salt, and a generous quantity of ground pepper.Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.Watch them disappear before meal time.My entry to JFI:carrots.

I'm Late I'm Late: JFI: December: Carrots.

2008-11-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

I truly feel like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.I'm late in announcing JFI: December 2008. JFI, Jihva For Ingredients, is one of the most popular food blog events around. JFI,the brainchild of Indira (needs no introduction), showcases an ingredient each month.The ingredient chosen for this month is carrots. From appetizers to desserts, carrots find a place in each course and in every

Reality Bites

2008-09-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

At the start of the summer vacation I had visualised such an ldyllic setting, no homework, no projects (not that I was doing any of these myself), agenda-free days, so much time to cook and blog. Happy Happy!Some busy times at work, guests, day trips with the kids, a family vacation, and at time sheer laziness ensured that blogging out of the (happy) picture. The problem with agenda-free days is

Sweets For A Sweetie

2008-07-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

A few months ago a baby girl was born in our family. We now have another niece and the children have another cousin to dote over, to spoil, and to love unconditionally. Though I haven't met her yet we already have a special bond; she, my father, and I share the same sun sign! Maharashtrians celebrate the birth of a baby boy by distributing pedhe and burfi if it is a baby girl.Why the difference?

Cool Off

2008-07-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend very generously shared some kokum that her family had sent all the way from India. The same day I happened to borrow from her the definitive book on Saraswat cuisine, Rasachandrika. While perusing the book I came upon the recipe for kokum saar. Though I had intended to serve it for dinner that day, I ended up chilling the saar and enjoying it as a pre-prandial aperitif. Since

Fry Me A River: Wada-Pav

2008-06-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't think of a title for this post. But when one of the kids started a rare whine-fest '....you promised you would fry something today etc. etc.' I had the title (lame as it may be).Had we gone to Pune this year, we'd be enjoying a wada-pav right this minute.Our favourite wada-pav comes from two small no-name places: one close to the Best Western Pride Hotel and the other at the

Methamba Using Apples

2008-06-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

My kids go thru these phases when they get hooked on a certain food and for the next several days that is what they want for each meal. So sometimes it is waffles for breakfast, waffles in the lunchbox, waffles when they get back from school.....you get the idea. Shouldn't complain too much as I, too, sometimes tend to binge similarly.The last time this happened was when I had way too many apples

256 Types of Cookies

2008-05-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Multiple Choice CookiesYears ago the kids gave me a couple of books by Joanne Fluke for my birthday.'Since you like reading and cooking, we bought these books because the main character owns a bakery. The books also have recipes'. This is by far one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received.We've been planning to cook from these books for a long time. This week we actually did. Yes, it was

Maharashtrian Kaccha (raw) Masala

2008-05-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Lagna-cha MasalaWhen going thru a new cookbook, I always go to the TOC to check if there is a section on condiments/ masalas etc. Most cookbooks on regional Indian cuisines do have such a section and usually provide a preview of the cuisine. For various reasons I hadn't ever read the small section at the beginning of each Ruchira volume which presents simple masalas along with basic techniques

Papad Ki Subji

2008-05-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

With so many events going on in the blogsphere, it is difficult to keep track of them all and much less actually participate.Each time I read about a new event I make fancy plans of sending in a dhinchak (for those not from Pune or Mumbai, this loosely translates into cool, fantastic, incredible) entry. But when each day of the work week pans out like a manic Monday, all those plans fall by the

Tamale Pie: Stacked

2008-05-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

Tamales are made usually made by steaming corn dough (masa) wrapped in corn husks. A filling is optional. More about them here.Though I used similar ingredients, the method of preparing them is not the same (didn't steam them in corn husks). So what I made is technically not a tamale pie. But it is so good!This is one of our new favourites. I made it for the first time a few weeks ago and I've

Who You Calling Weird?

2008-05-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Haven't I done this before? That was my reaction when Sra tagged me for the weird things meme. What I had been tagged for earlier was the random things meme. Clearly I must've misread the theme of that meme b'cos weirdness was what came out rather than randomness. Take another look to see what I mean.Anyway, here are some food-related weird things: Supermarket cakes. I'm done with them, finito,

Agretti Parathas

2008-05-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

The CSA season is in full swing. Every week the bag brings us just-harvested, lovingly grown, organic vegetables. A recent bag contained, amongst other things, bok choy, cilantro, broccoli, baby carrots, kale and agretti. While reading the newsletter that accompanies the produce, I mentally made plans for each item; but at the last one I hit a major speedbreaker.Each year we get introduced to a

Birthday Cupcakes

2008-04-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Years ago I saved this recipe (from a much forwarded email) and promptly forgot about it.I chanced upon the recipe when going through my archives looking for a new recipe for chocolate cupcakes.This recipe is astonishingly similar to the one from One-Pot Cakes so I suspect it originated there.These were the cupcakes I made for my daughter's birthday last month.I made several batches of these

It Was A Good Year

2008-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

It all started with wanting to participate in Nupur's A to Z of Indian Vegetables.It has been a year since my first post and quite a year it has been! I had no idea where I was headed with this blog (not sure I know even now). But blogging has been one of the most creatively satisfying projects I've ever undertaken. Along the way I've met some truly wonderful people, people I wouldn't have met if

Flowers From My Kitchen

2008-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

The child couldn't make up her mind.One day it was butterflies. An hour later ladybugs were requested.Finally, she settled on flowers.We were talking about the decorative topping for her birthday cupcakes. Several year ago I had made simple designs using melted chocolate piped onto parchment paper and I remembered being quite happy with the results. Great to embellish simple cakes.But since she

PBP: Peanut Butter Pear Sandwiches

2008-03-31T02:30:00.000-07:00

These sandwiches are a favourite snack.Any kind of pear will do. As long as it is not too ripe and retains a bite.Unsalted crunchy peanut butter is preferred.Snack on!Raaga, these are coming your way; my entry to AFAM: Pear .

Oh Crepe!

2008-03-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

"You haven't made crepes in such a l-o-n-g time. Could you please make crepes, please please".Such a simple request. But this guilt package was twice as heavy. First, the obvious guilt of not having made something that they enjoy so much. Second, the request was for crepes. Those ridiculously easy to make crepes. So here I was serving up crepes for breakfast wondering why I don't make them often

Chocolate (shrug)

2008-03-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Around this time of the year, my son and I have a conversation which typically goes:Me: So, what cake do you want for your birthday?Him: Plain Chocolate. shrug (not even looking up).Me: Filling?Him: Chocolate. shrug (still not looking up).Me: Frosting?Him: Chocolate. My usual. Why change a good thing? (Can't argue with that).I thought our conversation ended here, but moments later he continued

Kolhapuri Flower-Batata Rassa

2008-02-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

When looking for recipes to use the masala that Nupur sent, my stack of Saptahik Sakal came through in a big way. Though I found several recipes for Kolhapuri food there, most of them were either for non-vegeterian food or they didn't involve using any pre-made masala. Finally I settled on making a rassa. Any vegetable preparation with gravy is categorised as a rassa (ras/ rus = juice). The

One Hot Package

2008-02-25T12:45:00.000-08:00

It is not often that I receive a package in the mail. So when I saw the packet sent by Nupur in the mailbox, I literally ripped it open in a childlike fashion. Fortunately for me, I was by myself at that time. The package that I'm talking about is part of the Arusuvai Friendship Chain. It is all about sharing the bounty of your kitchen with your foodie friends via surprise packages. The ladies

Meet & Eat

2008-02-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

I don't remember the last time I was under so much pressure. Is the place clean enough; tidy enough? Will I run out of the punch? Should I have gone with the (alcoholic) sangria instead of this fruity version. Is the hummus any good....I must've tasted it a dozen times. What if the tarlets turn soggy? And the biggest one: what if there are long periods of silence where one doesn't think of

Lapping up the Lapsi

2008-02-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

Most weekday dinners are poli (or phulkas), a bhaaji (vegetables) and a simple daal. There are times (a particularly hectic day, an aced test, or just a very good day) one craves a sweet something to go along. On such days, a welcome addition to the meal is a bowl of kheer or sheera (suji halwa). Child development experts frown on using food as rewards etc., but sometimes a bowl of warm kheer

Dunkers

2008-02-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

My days usually begin and end with a cup of tea. Orange pekoe, lightly brewed, with a little milk, no sugar.No matter how much my tastes and preferences have changed over the years, my cup of tea has remained the same. Another thing that has not changed is the need to dunk something in the tea. For tea, the dunkers of choice are the good old Britannia Marie or Parle G biscuits.But when it comes

CA Bay Area: Indian Food Bloggers Meet

2008-01-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

A few of us got thinking and decided it was high time we all met. If you live in the California Bay Area, do join us on Saturday, 16th February 2008.Send me an email (the.best.cooker@gmail.com) if you are interested.

Makar Sankranta

2008-01-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

Best wishes to you on the occasion of Makar Sankranta. Or as we say in Marathi 'til-gool ghya good bola' which is a condensed way of saying 'May the sweetness of the jaggery sweeten our talk and may the unctuousness (snigdha-ta) of the sesame bind our friendship.'.

Raising the Bar

2008-01-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

After a much needed and relaxing break, we are now back to school, projects, homework, and of course school lunches. A favourite school lunch staple of mine are granola bars. Quick to make and devoid of any preservatives, corn syrup, HFCS, anything unpronounceable. I can never make enough of these bars. Full of nuts and dried fruits along with that woodsy oaty flavour; these are the best granola

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

Sweet Chocolatey Morsels

2007-12-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

It was in the middle of a very busy week, but a celebration was in order. A special meal was organised (sort of). But dessert? For once I was stumped. But a celebration without dessert? Not on my watch.I usually have a couple loaves of plain or chocolate cake stashed in the freezer for just such emergencies. Earlier in the week I had picked up a tub of mascarpone cheese without any specific use

Masoor Without a Tongue

2007-12-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

Masoor Ma Jib (without the jib)It was in the New Books section of the library and I almost didn't pick it up thinking 'My Bombay Kitchen' was yet another generically titled Indian cookbook. But as the extended title said 'Traditional and Modern Parsi Home Cooking', I picked up the book.Within minutes of reading the book I knew I had to have it. 'My Bombay Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Parsi

Nankatai

2007-11-29T09:27:00.000-08:00

My Aai made nankatai quite often(it definitely is nankatai and not nankhatai at least for us). Technically she didn't bake them, rather they were baked for us by a local bakery. We provided the raw material in the correct amounts (sometime even the prepared dough) and they did the rest. This happy errand was always mine. After handing over the ingredients/ dough, the clever thing to do was to

Mirchi Achaar (Pickle): Bihari Style

2007-11-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

This is the first time I made this pickle. And it tasted just like the pickle my sister-in-law sends us all the way from Jharkhand. So I guess it did turn out ok.The pickle masala on its own tastes great; stuffed into mirchis it is divine.Try some of the leftover masala (and there will be some leftover after stuffing the mirchis) with some cooked mung daal and steamed rice. Ingredients3 tbsp

Let the Baking Begin: Chocolate Cake

2007-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Lately the kids have started rubbing their hands, exclaiming 'Let the feast begin!' before digging into their meal. This is followed by chuckling at their own silliness. It doesn't matter what they are digging into, it is always a feast. The first time I stood in front of my new oven, I couldn't help thinking aloud 'Let the baking begin!'. How I missed baking! First up is a chocolate cake. A

Cooking In The Garage: A 'Zero' Pulao

2007-10-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

The kitchen as we knew it has been demolished. The kitchen that we now know is in the garage. These are interesting times.The microwave oven, a rice cooker (borrowed), a waffle maker, and a toaster oven are all I have. Though a mixer and a food processor are available, they are a pain to use as there is virtually no counter space and the only dish washer is the manual kind (read: the husband).

Cooking In The Garage: Waffles for Dessert

2007-09-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Cooking In The Garage: Couscous

2007-09-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

The kitchen as we knew it has been demolished. The kitchen that we now know is in the garage. These are interesting times. The microwave oven, a rice cooker (borrowed), and a toaster oven are all I have. Though a mixer and a food processor are available, they are a pain to use as there is virtually no counter space and the only dish washer is the manual kind (read: the husband). These are the

A Perfect Weekday Dinner

2007-09-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Recipes that can be compartmentalised into tasks that can be done ahead of time and assembled before meal times keep me sane! If I am sane, the rest of the household (including the cat) follows suit.Any recipe that shows 'do-aheadability' and'compartmentability' potential immediately catches my eye.This recipe from Saptahik Sakal, a Marathi magazine, for bisi bele bhaat using pohe (avalakki,

Chocolate, Chocolate & More Chocolate

2007-08-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

How do card carrying members of chocoholics-r-us spend a lazy afternoon? Why, with a chocolate tasting party!We (the members of the aforementioned club) eat much chocolate on a regular basis and spend a lot of time talking about all things chocolate and looking for unsual types and brands. Often we let the brands influence our perception and liking. So it was time for a blind taste test.Here is

Who is Mohan and What is He Doing In My Puri?

2007-08-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

The small amount of oil that is usually added to fried foods such as puris, chaklis, sev, bhaji (pakoda) batter etc. is called mohan. During frying season Diwali, the ladies in the kitchen would always talk about mohan. If the quality of the fried goodies was not satisfactory, it was mohan's fault....either too much mohan or not enough mohan. As kids, we found this incredibly hilarious.I was

Orissa: Food & Images

2007-08-17T00:40:00.000-07:00

Last month we spent a couple of days visiting Puri and Bhuvaneshwar in Orissa.In addition to sightseeing, sampling the local cuisine were the only things on our agenda. OK, the local food part was only on my agenda.While the first part was a total success (more on that later), I was unable to sample anything local.We stayed in a very lovely resort. It was very well done, rooms were spacious, had

Great Grandmother's Recipe

2007-08-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sprouted Methi BhaatLast month my mother's aunt had invited us for dinner. Amongst all the fabulous food that were served, the rice really stood out as it was unsual and unlike anything I've had so far. It was a spicy sprouted methi (fenugreek) pulao/bhaat. As soon as I started raving about it I noticed all the you-didn't-know-about-this looks directed towards me. Turns out that this rice dish

Blogging Break

2007-07-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

Taking a small break.Will be back in a couple of weeks with recipes from my Aai's kitchen in Pune and SIL's kitchen in Jharkhand.

Sunshine Salad (aka Yellow Beet Salad)

2007-07-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

The moment I saw these yellow beets, I knew my 'Y' was taken care of.That is my entry for 'Y is for ...' of Nupur's A-Z of Indian Vegetables .The red/purple colour of beets is due to a combination of betacyanin (a purple pigment)and called betaxanthin (a yellow pigment). The yellow beet have more betaxanthin and less of betacyanin.Besides being slightly sweet, the best thing about yellow beets is

Homemade Granola

2007-07-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

If you like granola but hate the expensive, sweet, preservative laden grocery store varieties, read on.This granola is based on a recipe I found online but I've tweaked it so much that it bears no resemblance to the original.I started making this granola around the time I started reading food labels and started worrying about preservatives, trans fats, corn syrup etc being in the foods we

Me-Me & a Divine Flower

2007-07-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

My first me-me (clap-clap). I was beyond thrilled when Richa tagged me. But when I started thinking about random facts about myself, I hit a huge speed breaker.Anyway, here are some random facts about me:1. I don't like ice-cream. Don't hate it but don't enjoy it much either.At times, I'll taste an unusual flavour but rarely will I have an entire serving or scoop.2. I can have bhel-puri for

X = Lamb's Quarters

2007-07-16T09:31:00.001-07:00

Lamb's quarters a.k.a goosefoot, pigweed, and fat hen. So many names and each one more glamorous and appetising than the previous one. As if this wasn't enough, this edible weed thrives on muck.But since I was on the look out for something unusual, something I hadn't used before for Nupur's A-Z event, I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of trying this green.More on this weed here and

Wild Arugula-Batata Bhaaji

2007-07-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Wild arugula has a much stronger flavour than regular arugula.Regular arugula is pretty bitter to begin with and even for most adults, it is an acquired taste.In other words, there was no way the kids would've eaten it as-is.To reduce the bitterness I combined equal parts of spinach and wild arugula to make this bhaaji.It was delicious!The bitterness was noted, acknowledged, and (surprisingly)

Whole-Wheat Flour & Vital Wheat Gluten

2007-07-07T01:05:00.001-07:00

A recent issue of Bon Appetit magazine had a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough that used vital wheat gluten. The recipe called for only whole wheat flour (wwf). Usually I substitute part of wwf with either all purpose flour, bread flour, or even pastry flour.Without these substitutions, the bread turns out rather dense; though it taste great.So the idea of using only wwf with wheat gluten was

Guchhi Te Paneer & Punjabi Lobhia

2007-07-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

Surili's (Musical) guchhi te paneer di sabzi has been on my must-try list for sometime now. Last week I finally got around to making it.I followed her recipe (using fresh button mushrooms) without any changes or substitutions.The paneer dish turned out finger-lickin good. In spite of the many spices that went into making it, the result was a dish that had a clean honest taste to it. All the

Watermelon Lemonade: Two Ways

2007-06-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Watermelon (kalingad, tarbooz ) is the perfect summer fruit: more than 90% water, sweet, refreshing, and totally guilt free.What more would you want in a summer treat?Though chilled plain watermelon is our preferred way to enjoy this fruit; watermelon lemonade is a fantastic alternative.Not much of a recipe, but here it is:Use your favourite recipe (or check this one) for lemonade and add

Mock Panha (Green Mango Drink)

2007-06-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Whenever I bought kairee (unripened mangoes) to make panha, it either turned out too raw(just a white tasteless mass) or it was way too ripe to use it for panha.Bad kairee-karma?Ever since I had this mock panha at a friend's place, I've given up making it any other way.Though it doesn't taste exactly like the real thing; it comes close, quite close.Here is how I make it:IngredientsThis makes a

Parathas for Breakfast

2007-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Parathas for breakfast? Who has the time or the inclination for the work involved (cleaning and chopping the veggies, kneading the dough, rolling the parathas etc. etc) especially on a weekend morning? Certainly not me!Though I had heard that parathas can be rolled ahead of time and cooked/ fried just before serving them, I hadn't tried making them this way.So, yesterday I made the parathas and

Vangyache Kaap (Eggplant Fritters)

2007-06-21T23:30:00.000-07:00

When Sangeeta announced the ingredient for this month's JFI (Jihva for Ingredients), I was thrilled.Not because I like eggplants; au contraire. I hate, dislike don't like them much. The only acceptable form is vangyache kaap (vanga is the Marathi word for eggplant) and so I knew exactly what my entry for this event would be.I waited till we got around to the letter V of Nupur's A-Z of Indian

Varan-Bhaat & Amti-Bhaat

2007-06-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

For most Maharashtrians varan-bhaat is the ultimate comfort food. It nourishes you mind, body, and soul.At a given time, there are any number of 'You know you are a Maharashtrian if....' lists circulating. The contents of these lists keep varying, but one item is bound to figure: 'You know you are a Maharashtrian if you think varan-bhaat is the best food on Earth'. I agree completely.Varan is

Shikran Poli

2007-06-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

If it wasn't for RCI-June: Maharashtrian Cuisine, I wouldn't have thought of writing about shikran.This quick, simple, and homely (that last adj. belongs mostly in matrimonial ads, doesn't it?) dessert often gets ignored when listing favourites.You won't find shikran in any restaurant menu, nor would it be part of any religious or celebratory meal. But shikran is made regularly in Maharashtrian

Usal Edamame-chi (Soybean Usal)

2007-06-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

Usal is a simple and healthy dish made using sprouted beans such as matki, moong, kala chana (black chick peas) etc., or sometimes even green peas. Besides being freezer friendly, usal is extremely easy to make and the variations are endless.Ever since Trader Joes's started carrying shelled edamame (Japanese for soybeans) in the freezer section, I use them instead of green peas.Here is one such

Is He A Foodie Sidekick Too?

2007-06-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

Cynthia's friend Susan is her Foodie Sidekick.Susan is subjected to all of Cynthia's culinary creations. Readers of her Tastes Like Home blog know that this is such a sweet job, and lucky Susan gets to do it.Everyone in my family is my foodie sidekick. Adventurous, patient, and always encouraging.Ever since I started blogging about our foodie adventures, I've acquired another sidekick.... of the

Til-Kobi (Sesame-Cabbage) Cutlets

2007-06-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

In the fridge, there was an assortment of vegetables in various quantities that needed a fitting farewell.Nothing more glorious than to end in a scrumptious cutlet, an all-time favourite savoury snack. For vegetables, that is.Usually cutlets are either deep fried or shallow fried. But my kitchen is a fry-free zone, so I baked'em.They were wonderful, the crust that formed was just perfect.Most of

Sakhar (sugar) Bhaat

2007-06-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

It would be very unfair to describe sakhar bhaat as just sugar rice or sweet rice.Though technically it is a sweet rice made using sugar, the addition of lavanga (cloves) and keshar (saffron) elevates the humble rice to heavenly heights. Sakhar bhaat is simple, uncomplicated, and delicious; Maharashtrian food at its best.I used raw sugar instead of regular white sugar, which gave it a light

Shevgyachya Shenganchi Amti (Drumstick Daal)

2007-06-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

Amti (daal) is a cornerstone of any Maharashtian meal.There are countless versions of it and rightfully deserve a separate post (coming soon).Here is a simple everyday amti using shevgyachya shenga (drumsticks).The addition of chincha-gool (tamarind-jaggery) makes it typically Maharashtrian.Shevgyachya Shenganchi AmtiIngredients1 cup toor daal4-5 curry leaves4-5 drumsticks, cut into 2-3 inch

Arugula-Basil Pesto

2007-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Arugula is fairly new addition to our kitchen and am still trying out different ways of using it.It has a lovely tart taste. Almost bitter; but in a good way. Add just a handful of arugula leaves to your usual salad for an unbelievable zip.According to the wikepedia entry arugula, a member of the mustard family, is rich in vitamin C and iron.A recent CSA bag had both, arugula and basil. It was a

Radish & Red Rice Pulao

2007-05-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

The front of the packet said 'Red Rice from Sri Lanka', the flip side had a huge label 'Brown Rice'. This I had to try!Not having any experience cooking red rice, I treated it as I could brown rice.The addition of red radish made it a legit 'R' dish for Nupur's blog event.Don't let the blah appearance fool you, the pulao was quite tasty. The radishes added a nice crunch. The nuttiness and the

Anyone for Waffled Idlis?

2007-05-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

This is one kitchen experiment that didn't go awry.I had just made idli batter and wondered about the outcome if I used some of it in the waffle maker.This is what I did: Mixed about 1/8 tsp of yeast into two cups of idli batter and let it sit for a while, 5-10 minutes.Poured generous amounts of the batter in a well oiled waffle maker. (If enough batter is not used, the results are quite

Weekend Equal Opportunity Kitchen

2007-05-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

My kids offer to help me in the kitchen fairly regularly. But on most weekday evenings I'm just trying to 'get things done---fast' that I'd much rather go solo. Weekends are another matter. I look forward to and accept any offer of help.It is a lot of fun! With so many sous-chefs bustling around and jostling for space in our small kitchen and accommodating the last minute improvisations which are

Quinoa: The Mother Grain

2007-05-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Quinoa (keen-wah) has been cropping quite often in food-related news and since we like trying out new ingredients, especially vegetables and grains, it was a matter of time before it showed up on our dinner table.Quinoa is native to the Andes Mountains of Chile, Peru and Bolivia and has been grown there for about 6000 years! Its protein content is unusually high, contains a balanced set of

Vegan (Almost) Chocolate Pie

2007-05-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

The oven had turned uncooperative.The Baker was idle. Even the Maytag man seemed busier. There was unrest amongst the younglings. The paternal figure led the protest. Dessert! Dessert! Dessert!It would be no exaggeration to say that this chocolate pie restored peace and harmony in the household. Nicole, of bakingbites (previously bakingsheet.blogspot.com) is an extraordinary resource for bakers.

(Stuffed) Peppers

2007-05-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we found bell peppers 'funny'. They are called by such hilarious names: bhongi mirchi, dhabbi mirchi, dhabboo mirchi and even simla mirchi. I can understand the bhongi, dhabbi, and dhabboo part. They all refer to the size and shape: knobby-chubby- tubby.Why simla mirchi, I don't know.This version of stuffed peppers is a departure from the way they are usually made. I wanted to use

A Taste of Yellow: Cornflakes Chivda

2007-05-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

My son's grade school teacher loves chivda and 'can't get enough of it'.This nugget of information was discovered when I did a Diwali presentation in my son's class. I had taken with me an assortment of Diwali goodies: bite-sized versions of laddo, chakli, barfi, and a huge bowl of chivda. The teacher took one look at the chivda and whispered, "If we have any leftovers can I take it home with me?