Lazzat ...

The Roundup- SOS Slow Cooker

2009-07-05T20:06:00.002-04:00

Hi y'all , presenting the round up of the SOS Slow Cooker event. Since the time I announced the event I came across many good books featuring slow cooker reciepes and tips on how to enhance flavors and make the best use of your crockpot.

I would like to thank Yasmeen and Ivy for participating in the event and also all the fellow bloggers who were kind enough to email me and letting me know that they dont have a slow cooker so wont be participating.

Yasmeen of Health Nut shows us how to fuse health and taste with these recipes of 16 bean stew

and this mouth watering chicken shorba , dont forget to check out the dinner rolls too .

Ivy of Kopiaste.. made this yummy Pot Roast with Carrot Puree, Vegetables and Gravy

And finally my own entry - Kiwi Mutton

Hope you enjoyed your long weekend !

Sabudana Khichdi

2009-06-27T12:54:00.001-04:00

Gone are the days when breakfast was an elaborate affair , now its anything that can be fixed in minutes. My favourite is a cold bowl of Gingersnap granola :)

I am sending this pic to Divya's "Show me your breakfast"event. For recipes click here and here and here :) Have a great weekend !

Quick Strawberry Cheesecake

2009-06-22T13:33:00.011-04:00

This is one of those quick , no - fuss, simple recipes that never lets you down. Each spoonful of this is sheer pleasure. I think its ideal for entertaining as it can be made ahead of time and does look cute. It does not contain eggs which practically makes it a "no bake cheesecake" and who doesn't love that !

Since strawberries are in season now , do try this recipe, or substitute it with your favourite berry .

Ingredients :

6 strawberries
12 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 1/2 (8-ounce) bricks
2/3 C sour cream
1 C confectioners'/powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 individual mini gram cracker crusts.

Directions:

Hull and coarsely chop 6 medium sized berries and place in food processor. Add cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract and process until smooth. Refrigerate the mixture for an hour or overnight. Spoon the cheese mixture in the pie tins. Garnish cheesecakes with slices of remaining berries. Serve chilled.

I am sending this to the following events :
Lets Celeberate hosted by Ria and "Strawberry Feast " at My Kitchen Treasures.

Kiwi Mutton

2009-06-03T15:18:00.004-04:00

During our last visit to the grocery store we brought home the toughest meat (unintentionally) , wont cook even after being pressure cooked for nearly 7-8 whistles , I had few kiwis waiting to be eaten and I came across this useful tip... so presenting Kiwi Mutton my friends. This recipe is my contribution to the SOS Slow Cooker Event Hosted by me:)

I added some olive oil, onions, 2 pods of green cardamom , 1" piece of cinnamon, the meat, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, dhania powder, salt, crushed tomato, and finally a peeled n very finely chopped kiwi , all in the crock pot ,and all at room temperature and cooked it on high for 3hrs ....yep...I also sprinkled some garam masala powder and added a big hand full of fresh coriander and mint half an hour before turning the crock pot off.

It was delicious and looked cute. The black seeds from the kiwi gave it kinda like a polka dot look. I had used papaya as a tenderiser for meat before, but tried the kiwi for the first time. It works ! and just like the papaya it does not make the mutton taste sweet... Thanks for sharing the info Mona. Enjoy !

SOS Slow Cooker

2009-05-16T16:36:00.012-04:00

Yay !!! I have officially joined the Crockpot league .....now what ??? This is exactly where I am right now :) I have my Slow cooker sitting on the counter top for quiet some time now, and as any novice would be I am clueless. Of course I turned to the most efficient and reliable source I know , my fellow bloggers and found some interesting recipes at Jeenas, Pravs and Manishas. But my concern is the dos and donts .......So , is there something you can share? your experiences , tips and tricks, biggest no nos :) best crockpot recipe? party recipes ? etc ...etc ...

Announcing the first ever event to be hosted by Lazzat... "SOS Slow Cooker" . This is how it works ...

Share your experiences , tips and tricks, biggest no nos :) best crock pot recipe, party recipes, etc ...etc ... nothing is trivial....anything related to the crock pot/slow cooker .

Archived/Old posts are welcome too, as long as they are reprinted using the logo .

You can email me at bloglazzat@gmail.com on or before June 30th with subject line SOS Slow Cooker with the following details: Your name, Name of your blog, Name of your dish, Url, Picture (Optional)

The round up will hopefully be posted by July 4th.

Non-bloggers may send in their entries with or without a picture to the above email id and I will include it in the roundup.

Please don't forget to link back to this post announcing the event.

Feel free to use the logo.

Looking forward to your contributions. Have a great weekend y'all.

Greek (Yogurt) Goodness

2009-05-12T09:35:00.021-04:00

Few days back, Kristina from The Stonyfield farm emailed me asking if I would like to try their Greek yogurt. And since I have been using and loving their products for quiet some time now I was only happy to oblige. So they sent me this wonderful package full of coupons, info and a cute little hand bag.

Oikos Organic Greek yogurt can be used in a variety of ways while cooking – in baking, as a substitute for sour cream, and mayonnaise, to create tasty low-fat dishes. Greek yogurt is strained, making it thicker and more versatile in recipes than regular yogurt. Oikos is organic, which means it's made without artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners, and it's made from organic milk produced without the use of toxic persistent pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, or artificial growth hormones (rBST).

I could not wait to try it. The yogurt comes in different flavors like vanilla, blueberry and honey . The honey yogurt has a beautiful n delicate golden layer of honey at the bottom n the blueberry flavoured yogurt has kinda like a blueberry jam... so try emptying these containers upside down on a platter for a lovely presentation. I blended the vanilla with some rose syrup and sugar to make rose lassi served with some grated nutmeg, just whipped the honey yogurt and tossed in some toasted walnuts to spread on the breakfast toast , blueberry smoothie was the quickest and refreshing with a hint of mint. I also enjoyed the eating spoonfuls of the plain Greek yogurt, and used the rest to marinate chicken kebabs, the recipe I intend to post soon.

Thank You Kristina for introducing me to these delicious treats ,these will be a staple in my kitchen from now on. Meanwhile for more recipe inspirations using Greek yogurt you can check this out.

Healthy Choco Logs

2009-04-27T13:15:00.008-04:00

Its raining chocolates at "Poornimas For the love of Chocolate "event. One of my favourites, dark chocolate is an excellent source of anti oxidants, combine it with the goodness of dried fruits and nuts and you have a healthy, on the go snack ready in no time .

There are no exact measurements or ingredients for this recipe. Just use your favourite dried fruits, as much or as little you want like dried figs, cranberries, apricots, pineapple, candied ginger, etc.. the list goes on , season it with cinnamon or cardamom and use a syrup like maple or honey to bind it all together. I melted 72% dark chocolate with almonds , the almonds give a nice crunch , and I don't need to go through the process of double dipping. You can totally use plain dark chocolate or any flavoured dark chocolate , try it with even more or less percent of cacao, its totally versatile and very healthy.

Ingredients:

1C dried figs, (I used organic Turkish figs),
1/2 C dried apricots,
1/4 C golden raisins,
1/4 C dried cranberries,
1/4 cup crystallized ginger,
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
1 tablespoon honey,
3.5 oz. bar of dark chocolate (I used 72% cacao with almonds), chopped

Directions:

Remove the stems from the figs and discard. Roughly chop all the dried fruits. Put the figs, apricots, raisins, ginger,cranberries, cinnamon and honey in a food processor and process for about 45 seconds, until the ingredients are finely chopped and begin to stick together. Roll the mixture with your hands into logs and keep them aside.

Melt half of the chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler(see below). Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate is melted. Using a fork roll the fruit logs into the melted chocolate 1 or 2 at a time, until they are all covered. Place them back on the waxed parchment paper or silipat and chill in the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

How to use the double boiler:

Place a small bowl over a saucepan, containing barely simmering water, over low heat Make sure the water is at least 2 inches from the bottom of the bowl containing the chocolate.

Also to share is an award passed on to me from dear Srilekha ,"Wylde Woman Award" started by Tammy. Thank You very much Siri , I am so glad to have it.

The Purpose of the Award :

To send love and acknowledgment to men and women, who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. It's been a blessing and an inspiration to meet all of you through your wonderful blogs.

I further pass it on to all my fellow bloggers.

Hot N Sweet Hummus

2009-04-03T14:16:00.007-04:00

When I started with a can of chickpeas, all I knew was , hummus it is ! This one turned out a bit unusual though ....with sun dried tomatoes, honey , cumin , chili powder , cilantro ...well lets just say I got a bit too carried away with the ingredients .....turns out "at times" its a good thing :D

Ingredients:

1 can (16 oz.) Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans
1C sun dried tomatoes
3 tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. cumin pdr.
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 tbsp honey
1/4 C cilantro/ coriander leaves
1 tsp chili pdr
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tbsp chicken stock/veg stock/ water

Method:

Put all the ingredients in the food processor n grind it till desired consistency. Use very little water/stock, if needed. Mix well and store in a glass container tightly covered. Refrigerate overnight (or at least few hrs) to allow the flavors to develop. Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some chili powder(optional) along with some pita chips or toasted bread sticks . It is also a great spread on sandwiches or rolls for a quick n healthy snack.

A tip from me is to use a food processor and not a blender to make hummus. The more its rests the better it tastes and the flavors develop. You can use the dried chickpeas too, just soak them overnight in warm water...for me the canned ones work fine.

Tropical Cake

2009-03-12T13:09:00.003-04:00

Biting into a warm slice of a tropical cake and sipping a strong brew of coffee alongside ....what a pleasure !

Though the year that's gone wasn't much of a blogging year for me , its good to see fellow bloggers reaching out, helping individuals , communities, making a difference. I would personally like to Congratulate Cynthia on her fabulous book release "My Caribbean Cookbook" and wish her all the success. :)

This year ( hopefully ) you will see more of quick and easy n of course tasty recipes being featured here at Lazzat .I would also like you to please excuse the "not so great" pictures that I some how manage to click .

This cake is sure to remind you the freshness of the tropics. The combination of flavors like pineapple and orange works really well. I decided to add yellow food colouring to it at the very last minute , but if you want to I would suggest to first pour half of the batter into the pan , add the coloring , do the swirls n then add remaining batter n bake .

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 C) unsalted butter, softened

1 C sugar

1 whole large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

1 1/2 tsp grated orange zest

1 1/2 tsp Pineapple essence

3/4 C whole milk

Garnish: Confectioners sugar(optional )

Method:

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Butter a loaf pan, lightly dust it with flour.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy,for about 5 minutes. Add whole egg, yolk, zest, and pineapple flavouring and beat 1 minute. At low speed, mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, starting and ending with flour.Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

Coconut Halwa Puris

2008-06-17T16:40:00.008-04:00

Coconut Halwa Puris or halwe ki puri (as we call it) have been my favourite since childhood. When ever there would be a family get together like weddings or summer vacations and a lot of guests and kids would be anticipated , these would be made in huge batches and stored for a quick snack (they have a good shelf life though they disappear quickly).

I got this recipe from from my mother in law, its very easy to make and since the theme for AFAM this time is Coconut I thought of sharing it with you all.

Ingredients:

For halwa:
1 lb packet of shredded frozen coconut, or
Flesh of 1 whole coconut, peeled to remove the brown skin
1/2 C chana dal, boiled
1.5 tsp cardamom/elaichi powder,
1/2 C ground almond paste,
1.5 C sugar, or to taste,
1 tbsp. Rose water

For Puris:
5 C all-purpose flour/maida
4 tbsp ghee, melted
3/4-1 C warm milk
water

Method:

Grind the fresh /frozen coconut to a very fine paste using as little water as possible. It should be a thick paste. Also grind the chana dal. Now dump the ground coconut, chana dal, almonds, sugar in a vessel and cook till you see bubbles. Keep stirring and cook til the paste is dry n most of the water is evaporated . Add elaichi powder n cook again . When the mixture is completely cooked n dry remove from heat and let it cool . Add rose water and mix well. The halwa is ready

Knead together maida, ghee and milk using little water to a soft dough. Cover with a wet towel and keep aside.

To make the puris , divide the dough in balls n roll out each into a 6" circle, fold it in half to get a crease line. Fill one half side of the circle with the halwa/ stuffing . Apply water by the edge and seal the other half tightly , crimp the edges . Fry them on both sides . Do not brown them , remove them from oil once they start floating .

For the ones who may find the above description a bit confusing , the process of assembling the puris is just like making pot stickers or pocket pies .

I am sending this recipe to Suganya of Tasty Palettes who is hosting the AFAM event this month and has made a very interesting choice of featuring Coconut. Thanks Suganya , for choosing such a versatile ingredient, I am excited about the round up already :) and while we are talking all things sweet I would like to mention about Jeena who sent me this lovely poem written by herself a few days back .....some people are really blessed ....Jeena not only cooks good n looks good ....she is a poet too ....:) Check out her poem ....

Thanks Jeena, that's one sweet poem and though I cannot pen down something equally good, I do feel the same for you :) I further pass it on to all my fellow bloggers.

Click for Bri

2008-06-01T11:18:00.006-04:00

This is an appeal on behalf of a group of food bloggers who are friends of Briana Brownlow @ Figs With Bri.

Bri was diagnosed with breast cancer two and half years ago. A mastectomy, chemotherapy and two years of relatively good health later, the cancer is back. It has metastasized to other parts of her body. At the age of 15, Bri lost her 41-year old mother to the disease. Now, she’s waging her own war against breast cancer. More about it here.

She is going through intensive chemo and other treatments and needs to focus single-mindedly on healing and finding what treatment works best for her. Her health insurance, unfortunately, does not cover holistic alternatives which she would like to try. Bri and her husband Marc have enough on their plates right now in addition to worrying about her medical bills.

The team organising the JUNE edition of CLICK at Jugalbandi has organised a fundraiser to help Bri and her family meet her out-of-pocket medical costs for ONE YEAR.

CLICK is a monthly theme-based photography contest hosted by Jugalbandi. This month’s theme is: YELLOW for Bri

Yellow is the colour of hope. Through the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, it has also come to signify the fight against cancer.

The entries can be viewed HERE. The deadline for entries is June 30, 2008. The fundraiser will extend until July 15, 2008.

The target amount is 12,000 U.S. dollars. We appeal to our fellow bloggers and readers to help us achieve this. Bri deserves a chance to explore all options, even if her insurance company thinks otherwise.

There’s a raffle with exciting prizes on offer. After viewing the list, you may make your donation HERE or at the Chip-In button on any participating site.

Your donation can be made securely through credit card or Pay Pal and goes directly to Bri’s account.

This month’s photo contest also has some prizes. Details HERE.

You can support this campaign by donating to the fundraiser, by participating in CLICK: the photo event, and by publicising this campaign.

We keep Bri in our prayers and wish her a very very speedy recovery ... Get well soon Bri :)

Out of hibernation :)

2008-03-05T15:19:00.019-05:00

A big "HI" to all my fellow bloggers and friends . Its been a long time .....so much to catch up ....so much to say n blog .....But let me begin by thanking all those who kept checking on me ...emailing me ....n also dropping their comments/feedback . Its very nice of you.

Where have I been all these days ? Well , cut the long story short , I was simply not keeping well n when I did, I went to India .....a totally impromptu visit .....for a month n half ....after coming back I was too lazy :P n also a bit busy .A lot happened in between .... n though I kept dishing out things I just did'nt find time for the elaborate photo sessions.

Also my dear blog turned one ....ya its been more than a year now since I started blogging at Lazzat... my thanks to all the warm hearted people who encouraged me , visited n appreciated my blog , gave their feedback / comments n also inspired me . I hope to blog more regularly n take less "offs" this year :D

My special thanks to Mona of Zaiqa for passing on the Nice Matters Award to me . Mona I really appreciate it !

"Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers that are just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!"

I pass it on to all the creative and generous bloggers who deserve this esp. Asha of Foodies Hope, Cynthia of Tastes like home, Chef Jeena , The Well Seasoned Cook Susan, Zlamushka of Spicy Kitchen n of course back to Mona . I guess most of you have already received this award ...but I still wanted to share it with you.

Finally , its good to be back n see the beautiful events n recipes you all have dished up ....I hope I will be back with a recipe sooon ....till then ...you all have a lovely week !

Coconut-Raspberry Jam Cookies

2007-11-28T11:45:00.000-05:00

Its been a long time since I wanted to share this recipe with you all. What makes these cookies special or different from other thumbprint or jam n jelly cookies is the coconut. And they look so pretty ....I could not resist posting 'too many' pics of them .

The recipe is simple, you make the cookie dough, chill it , make cookie size balls , roll it in coconut , give them your thumbprints, drop the jam n bake them. You don't use any coconut extract/essence , the shredded coconut lends its flavour.

Ingredients:

3 sticks/1.5 cups of unsalted butter, at room temperature,
1 cup sugar,
1 tsp. vanilla extract,
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,
1/4 tsp.salt,
1 egg beaten with approx. 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 oz. sweetened flaked coconut,
Raspberry jam

Method:

Sift together the flour and salt.

Cream together the butter and sugar until just combined using an electric/hand held mixer, add vanilla extract, the flour mixture and mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll the dough into small, walnut size balls.

Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop a little jam into each indentation. Bake in an preheated oven , at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

You can use any jam you like. Using different color jams like mango, grape or even mixed fruit will make a colorful presentation . Also if you dont find the sweetened shredded coconut, I have also tried these with dessicated coconut and it works just fine :)

These are all boxed and packed and shipped to Zlamushka's beautiful event Spoonful of Christmas

Its ME time :)

2007-11-13T19:50:00.000-05:00

Before the labor day weekend Zlamushka tagged me for a MeMe. What happened then was, I went to Bar Harbor and then took a blogging break for Ramadan and since the time i started blogging again, this ones been a work in progress...... until Jeena tagged me :) I thought its high time i complete both the Memes.

SO first up, Zlamushka asked me to write about me / my qualities beginning with each letter corresponding to my middle name. I saw many of the fellow bloggers, due to certain reasons of course, took the liberty to use their own name, and I did the same (I hope its ok ....?...)

Realistic

Absent minded (of course!)

Homely

Indian (Hindustani) at heart

Nature lover (plz....who is not ?.... :D)

Since the words are self explanatory and I have few more things to say , I wont elaborate on those.

Next up , Jeena asked me to share random things about me , well the first one in the series would be , I am bad at talking about myself :) , its not that easy for me :D

I have an inclination towards learning languages,

I like to travel, different people, cultures, traditions, cuisines fascinate me,

I like things to be organised, I think it simplifies ones life,

I appreciate 'good' poetry,

I never thought I could cook,

I am not a big movie buff , i do enjoy music occasionally

I believe simplicity is beauty.....simplicity is happiness

Finally,Thanks to Zlamushka and Jeena for tagging me. Though it was a bit intimidating at first, I really enjoyed participating and had fun writing these memes....

Fish Fry

2007-11-08T14:30:00.000-05:00

As a child I would eat fish cooked only by my mom , because it would not smell fishy at all, and of course it would be very tasty. Though i love macchi ka salan (fish curry) , my husband prefers the fried fish. You get the Indian varieties of fishes like Pomphret, at the Indian grocery stores, but this is for the first time that i tried the recipe using Indian ingredients with Mahi Mahi, and its a winner!

Before going to the ingredient list , this is my moms tip to get rid of the fishy smell. All you do is sprinkle some lemon juice and salt over it , let it sit for 10 mins, then sprinkle any flour you have handy e.g. maida, besan , rice flour and scrub each piece. Now wash each piece at least 5-7 times, just rinse it. If you have any other way of getting rid of the fishy smell , plz share :)

Ingredients :

6-7 fillets of mahi mahi / pomphret or any you like :D
1 tsp. red chilli pdr,
1 tbsp. dhania pdr/pdrd. coriander,
juice of 1 lemon/ or tamarind pulp,
1 tsp cornflour,
salt to taste,
1/2 tsp each of ginger paste and garlic paste,
1/4 tsp turmeric pdr./ haldi,
1 cup All purpose flour,
Oil for frying.

Method :

Mix all the ingredients together, except the all purpose flour/maida, and make a paste, use little water if required. Apply this paste on each side of the fillet and keep aside for few minutes. Now heat a griddle , place fish n pour sufficient oil from sides. Fry till golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel, and serve hot. If the fillets are thick, make slits on them and apply more paste , also you may want to shallow fry them.

I am sending this recipe for the "Power" less cooking event, hosted by Easy Crafts of Simple Indian Food

To me this was an exciting event, a way to sit back and remember the good old ways of cooking ! I have relatives who still prefer the stone grinder to make their idli batter :D

Individual Cheese Cakes

2007-10-30T17:07:00.000-04:00

Ramadan is over ....n left us in its anticipation for the next year, a joyous day of Eid n you don't want the time to fly.... as it does.

Meanwhile I see I've missed out lot of action and interesting events esp. the Weekend Herb Blogging - two yrs already and still rocking...good going :)

Nevertheless, lets talk cheese cakes, even better....individual cheese cakes , this way you avoid cleaning your knife , wiping it every time you take a slice etc etc :).

I like this recipe because apart from being delicious, it can be made ahead , looks good, easy to serve and clean up too... great for a party !

This recipe also uses many shortcuts , like using Nilla wafers for the base , instead of making individual ones , n using store bought pie filling for the topping. If you don't find the Nilla wafers, go ahead and use any sweet cookie which will fit in the base of your muffin pan. Don't go for the sandwich cookies though, it will be too thick for the base. You can also make your own topping by just using some fresh berries n kiwis or soaking some fresh fruits in simple syrup, or using any home made fruit preserves etc. The options are many , so go ahead , be creative !

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened,
1 cup sugar,
1 tsp. vanilla extract,
2 eggs,
12 vanilla wafers,
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling or other pie filling (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of muffin pan. Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lay a vanilla wafer, flat side down, in each muffin cup. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Serve with cherry filling on top, or pie filling of your choice.

P.S : Refrigerate the cheese cakes for few hours before serving / overnight for a better taste .

Maybe There's A World ...

2007-10-02T08:07:00.001-04:00

Ramadan Kareem !

2007-09-13T06:37:00.001-04:00

Listen, O drop, give yourself up without a thought,
that in return you may gain the Ocean.

Listen, O drop, bestow upon youself this honor,
and in the arms of the Sea be secure.

Who indeed should be so fortunate?
A Sea wooing a drop!

In God's name, in God's name, sell and buy at once!
Give a drop, and take this Sea full of pearls.

-Rumi
[IV, 2619-22, Mathnawi]
Translated by Camille and Kabir Helminski

Ramadan Kareem to you all !

The blessed month has begun and I will be taking a blogging break. Which means I will be checking on you all, just not as often :) Hopefully I will post my Ramadan recipes n pictures later.

May the Almighty accept our fasting, accept our tears, forgive our sins, and extend our years. May this blessed month be a source of mercy, guidance, unity, and peace that permeates throughout the world. Ameen.

Click here to know more about Ramadan.

(Image Source: Wikimedia commons)

Food Finds !

2007-09-09T18:42:00.000-04:00

Over the labor day weekend we went to Bar Harbor, Maine. It was a lot of fun, we stayed in a small, cozy, oceanfront cottage, went hiking, explored the Acadia National Park etc... Of our 4 day tour we spent a day in East Boothbay village of Maine. Almost at all places we were fortunate to find good food at unexpected places. No research involved, we would eat when we were hungry and which ever place we were at.

Like, We ate this Italian Veggie sandwich, in a general store ......ya...you heard me right ....a local corner general store in East Boothbay, and it was the best veggie sandwich I ever had. The pesto used was just perfect :P

After the first day of hiking in the Acadia National Park, which was an easy one, all we needed to cool down, was this Wild Blueberry Crisp a la mode at the Jordon Pond Restaurant located in the park ...well, Maine is all about wild blueberries afterall (they even have a wild blueberry soap! :))

Talking about blueberries, We had the most delicious wild blueberry pancakes, a local favourite, here at Jordans Restaurant in downtown Bar Harbor (or should I say BA HAA BA:)). I could not take decent pictures of the restaurant due to the traffic situation on the main street, this one is taken from the parking area :)

Nothing could be a perfect treat to end our trip than the Maple Walnut Ice cream (...yum) . Though we went to the Ben n Bill's Ice cream place in downtown Bar Harbor almost everyday and tasted their specialty flavor .....any guess ? .....ya right .....wild blueberries:), I personally liked the maple walnut flavor, my hands were smelling maple walnut for two days even after we came back ... it was a sweet ending to our short and sweet vacation.

We now intend to go and relive the experience more often , the mountains , the ocean, the calm, its all very inviting.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2007-09-09T17:52:00.001-04:00

Hummus is a traditional mid-eastern dip traditionally served with flat bread. The word itself means chickpeas in Arabic. Its one of those healthy foods which tastes good :) .

Other thing I love about hummus is that its ready in no time and could be made ahead of time . Making your own hummus has its own advantages over the store bought ones . You do not compromise the taste (in fact homemade tastes better), you know what ingredients and the quality of ingredients that goes into it plus its very economic.

The basic hummus recipe includes chickpeas, tahini , lemon juice but you can flavor it with garlic, cilantro, chili flakes, rosemary or roasted peppers like I did.

Ingredients:

16 oz. can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed thrice,

3 tbsp. tahini paste,

juice of 1 lemon,

3 cloves of garlic , coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. cumin pdr,

1/2 tsp. salt,

1 tsp. chili pdr,

1 red peppers, roasted n skinned (tip below)

few tbsps. water, if needed.

Method:

To roast the red pepper:

Rinse n wipe dry your pepper n just roast it on a open flame till it blackens. Put it in a plastic or paper bag n let cool slightly. Remove skin and coarsely chop the pepper into cubes and keep aside.

Put in under a preheated broiler for 5-10 mins. or till the skin of the pepper blackens. Put it in a plastic or paper bag n let cool slightly. Remove skin and coarsely chop the pepper into cubes and keep aside.

Now place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin pdr, salt, chili pdr and garlic cloves in a food processor. Process for 2- 3 minutes until beans are coarsely chopped, now add the roasted red pepper , scrape the sides of the processor and process an additional 2-3 minutes. Use very little water, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency. Mix well and store in a glass container tightly covered. Refrigerate overnight (or at least few hrs) to allow the flavors to develop. Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional) alongside some pita chips.

A tip from me is to use a food processor and not a blender to make hummus.

The more its rests the better it tastes and the flavors develop.

You can use the dried chickpeas too, just soak them overnight in warm water...but I think the canned ones work fine.

Lemon Squash n Pickled Onions !!!

2007-08-30T09:49:00.000-04:00

Labor Day weekend is just around the corner and we are planning a road trip... thanks to Anupama's Picnic Food event, I now have so many tasty options to pack for munching n brunching.

One of my favourite things to do before road trips is pickled onions, just because it can be made way ahead of time, its easy to do, is ready in no time , jazzes the taste of any plain old sandwich/ wrap n looks gorgeous hot pink :) .

All you need is :

2 large thinly sliced red onions, i use the food processor,
some boiling hot water,
juice of 1 -2 lime/lemon, preferably lime,
salt , to taste.

Method :

Pour boiling water over the sliced onions n keep aside for few secs. Strain the onions in a colander, remove all the water by tapping the colander and dump the onions in a container, to this add the lemon juice n salt n refrigerate till you use.

You can immediately see the onions start to change their color. These onions go well with tacos too. Though this is the basic recipe for pickled onions, u can add green chillies or sugar or any pickling spice .... try any combination of flavors.

Now time for some home made lemonade. Why not make a lemon squash ? Keep it in your cooler/ icebox n just stir in some water when ever you want to have a cool sip.

I flavored mine with ginger, you can use mint or both ginger n mint ....what ever u like ...

Feel free to add n reduce the quantity of lemons n sugar, depending on how sour the lemons are n how sweet u like your lemonade. The following recipe yields 1ltr. of syrup

Ingredients:

2 cups lemon juice,
3 cups water,
3" ginger root, chopped into thin slices,
2 cups sugar,
1 tbsp white vinegar.

Method:

Boil water n sugar in a pan , till the sugar dissolves (at this stage u can add more sugar if you want , but make sure that u boil the syrup after sugar is added) . When all the sugar is dissolved remove it from heat n let cool completely. Then add the lemon juice and vinegar, mix well, throw in the ginger , cover n let it steep for at least 12 hrs , the more you steep the better. Now remove the ginger slices with a spoon, give it a stir n store in a sterilized glass bottle. You can also strain it before transferring into the bottle. Keep refrigerated.

Once the syrup is made , all you have to do is, stir in 1 part of the syrup (or to taste) to 3 parts of water n enjoy.

Microwave Milk Peda !

2007-08-29T14:00:00.000-04:00

We once had to visit one of my husbands friend who just had a baby girl, we were running late n were not sure if we would have enough time to pick some sweets on the way, that was the first time I tried these Pedas .....ready in a jiffy....n it was a huge hit in their family ... I have made these many times since then ....after all who does not want a quick n fuss free dessert !

So when I learnt about Srivalli's Microwave Easy Cooking Event I thought of sharing this recipe of Milk Peda with all of you.

Come to think of it, it would also make a good picnic food, a traditional Indian dessert for picnic in park :)

Ingredients:

1n 3/4th cup Milk powder,
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.),
1tbsp. butter, at room temperature,
1/4th tsp. cardamom/elaichi pdr.,
few strings saffron, crushed or whole,
few chironji/ sunflower seeds , slightly dry roasted, to garnish, optional.

Method:

Whisk together milk powder, condensed milk n cardamom pdr. You can also beat the mixture nicely using a fork. Add butter n whisk again for a min. Stir in the saffron n mix well . Now microwave this mixture on high for 2 mins. Remove, let cool slightly, so that you can handle it with your hands.Grease your hands with a little ghee, make small balls of the mixture while its still warm n flatten slightly or roll in desired shapes. Garnish with sunflower seeds/ saffron strands. You can also use a toothpick to decorate.

As simple as that, this recipe is also very versatile. You can try the same recipe with different combinations of flavorings and garnishes . You may also add more milk powder if you experience problem forming the pedas. Enjoy !

Good thing !

2007-08-29T06:57:00.000-04:00

I feel extremely happy to share with you all the award which was passed to me by Pravs of Simply Spicy over the past weekend. Thanks Pravs :)

Though most of my Fellow Bloggers have already received this award earlier...I would like to pass it on to,

Sailu

Keep Rockin' :)

Dal Fry

2007-08-23T08:04:00.000-04:00

This is my kinda comfort food ....some hot rice , dal fry , lots of mom-made desi "ghee" (don't panic :D ) , achaar or papad as a side n I am all set.

There are many different recipes for dals or dal frys. In fact every Indian household will have its own unique recipe. As a child I loved the dal my Dadi (paternal Grandma) made ...nobody makes it like she used to. Back in my school days, once in a blue-moon my Dad would cook biryani, desserts , Kheema etc ...n it would be a huge event ......all of us would "assist" him ....I mean everyone who was present ...kids, maids, friends, relatives.....distant relatives :D It was fun.

So the point is I had my first lesson about "dal" from my father. While he was cooking he would give us all his expert tips, talk about food n cooking etc...I will share "his" recipes hopefully in near future. For now lets talk Dal Fry...

Ingredients:

For Dal:

0.5 cup yellow Moong dal / split green gram
0.5 cup Masoor dal /split red lentils
1 medium onion, chopped,
2-3 green chillies (or to taste),
1/4 tsp. haldi/turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp. ginger paste,
1/2 tsp. garlic paste,
few coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp. oil,
at least 2 cups water, or more,

1 lemon size ball of tamarind, soaked in warm water,
salt to taste.

For tadka/tempering:

2 tbsp. Ghee,
1 big clove of garlic, smashed with back of knife n roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. zeera/cumin seeds,
1/4 tsp. black mustard seeds,
few curry leaves/curry patta.

Few coriander leaves .

Method:

Cook together all the ingredients for dal except tamarind and salt using sufficient water till the dal is soft n tender/cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat, now smush it using dal ghotni/ rawi/hand blender or just pulse it in ur blender. Return to stove on low-medium heat. Extract and strain the pulp of the tamarind. Add it to the dal. Add more water to get the consistency you want(thinner/ thicker) Now add salt and bring it to a boil. Keep aside.

Meanwhile heat ghee in another vessel(large enough to accommodate the cooked dal) for the tadka/tempering. Add the garlic clove , zeera/cumin seeds , mustard seeds to the hot ghee. Let them splutter then add curry leaves, cook all this till the zeera n mustards turn black. Immediately add the cooked dal to the tempering n cover the vessel , cook on med. heat for a min. Remove from heat add chopped coriander leaves n cover with a lid. Serve hot/warm.

Walnut Cookies

2007-08-16T14:09:00.000-04:00

When I got to know about Anupama's Picnic Food event, the first thought that came to my mind was that it was a brilliant theme , just on time for the labor day weekend !! Good thinking Anupama :)

My idea of ideal picnic food is something which can be made ahead of time (usually), which need not be served warm/hot, does not become soggy, and is easy to serve, eat and clean up.

Stuffed parathas, frankies, spiced rice varieties, sandwiches, one pot meals, soups, savoury rolls, snacks like cakes, cookies, dhokla, sago kichdi, chivda, bhadang , kebabs ,spiced nuts, chips , nachos , fresh fruits n juices etc.... etc.... etc. I was so inspired by the many options one has, that I decided to dedicate a category for picnic foods on my blog :) .....hopefully you will see me sharing some recipes fit for picnics there. For now I am sending this quick and simple Walnut cookie recipe for this event ....Fun in the Sun

If you have never made these cookies , I highly recommend trying out this recipe at least once. The whole process is so simple, and the aroma when these are baked is soooooo good ....you must try it to believe it. So lets get started.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 cups ground walnuts,(I used mini chopper to grind )
2 sticks butter, room temperature,
1/3 rd cup sugar,
½ tsp salt,
1.5 tsp vanilla,
powdered sugar.

Method:

Mix flour, ground walnuts and salt and whisk them together. Beat butter and sugar for 1.5 minutes scrapping the sides of the vessel. Add vanilla and the flour- walnut mixture. Beat till it just mixes well n comes together. Scoop out cookies using a tbsp. measure just to ensure they are of same size.

Roll in desired shapes.

Align on parchment paper and bake at 325 for 17- 19 mins., turning around half way through once.

Remove and let cool for 1 or 2 mins. (not more) , roll them in pdrd. sugar. This recipe will yield approx. 25- 30 cookies