The green peacock

tofu kebabs

2008-07-17T19:36:00.004-05:00

It's been a crazy summer here. Hot as Hades to put it nicely. The heat is untolerable and unbearable to say the least. When it's 95 deg, everyone's all happy and confessing how lucky we are that it's "not that hot". What the...???? Are they serious?

Well it couldn't be summer without a little bit of grillin' right? I made these tofu and veggie kebabs. I made tandoori paste from barbeque masala, garlic, ginger, amchur, garam masala and green chillies and mixed it all into yogurt and soaked some pre-pressed tofu and chopped veggies. Serve with biryaani and naan.

gujarati thali

2008-06-29T19:40:00.004-05:00

I tend to make four items when cooking gujarati food - roti (flatbread), sabji (vegetable dish), dal (lentils) and rice.

In the thali above, I made some stir fried cabbage with carrots, sauteed okra with besan (chickpea flour), roti and beet greens dal and some rice which I forgot to get a picture of. So healthy and filling. Really reminded me of some good home food. What's in your thali?

indian chinese dinner

2008-06-22T19:39:00.006-05:00

We had some company drop by and I made some favorite indo-chinese dishes - hakka noodles, garlic broccoli and szechuan green beans.

Everyone was really happy with the choices.

mango kulfi and rose watermelon slushie

2008-06-09T13:41:00.011-05:00

my cousin, his wife, the baby and her parents came over this weekend. it's so hard to decide what to feed out of guests isn't it? first i wanted to keep it simple, but then i start to second guess myself and ended up talking myself out of it. and then i decided on north indian.

this is what i made:

watermelon & rose slushie
stuffed bell peppers in makhni sauce from swati's delicious blog, chatkhor (i baked the stuffed bell peppers instead of shallow frying and added kasuri methi and yogurt to the gravy)
sauteed gingered cauliflower with peas
onion kulcha & chilli naan
jeera rice
vegetable puffs
kadhi
gajar halwa
mango kulfi

mango kulfi: mix some cream cheese until smooth, add a few fresh pureed mangoes and some whipping cream & freeze in popsicle or kulfi molds.

rose watermelon slushie: puree some watermelon, add a few tablespoons rose syrup & takmaria or sabja seeds. serve over crushed ice.

i don't have exact recipes because i just winged it.

so what do you guys think of the menu? what do you make when entertaining? do you go all out or try to keep it simple?

eggplant parmagiana

2008-05-28T20:17:00.010-05:00

my family makes this eggplant parmagiana often when we all get together. this way, all the kiddos are satisfied and none of them complain. well no one complains! even though it may seem long, it comes together really easily and the cool thing is that you can make it earlier and just slide it in the oven whenever you're ready to eat. i've adjusted this to suit my indian tastebuds (read spicy), but feel free to substitute or omit any of the veggies or herbs that go into this dish. try it out, you'll be a complete rockstar at dinner.

eggplant parmagiana

prep time: 4o min

bake time: 50 min

serves: about 6

first prep the veggies:

cut 2 small japanese eggplants, 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash in thin rounds onto a baking sheet, add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and coat all the slices
bake in a preheated oven at 375 deg for about 20-30 minutes or until cooked through
meanwhile, dice one onion and 1/2 green and 1/2 red bell pepper and 4 cloves garlic - at this stage i also add finely diced green chillies for that indian heat ;)

putting it together:

you're going to make 2 layers, so use half of everything in the first layer

grease a large casserole dish with olive oil spray
cover the bottom of the pan with some pasta sauce (about 1-2 cups)
add half of the veggies you baked in the oven
then add 1/2 of the diced onions, bell peppers, garlic and chillies if using
sprinkle with italian seasoning, garlic salt, onion powder and fresh basil (optional)
cover with a good mozzarella cheese (i used soy cheese)
layer again starting with the pasta sauce and use up all the ingredients EXCEPT the cheese (add this in the final 5 minutes of baking)
at this point you can either bake it covered in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or keep it in the fridge to bake off later

Notes: keep the casserole covered when you bake this and you may also want to line the bottom of your oven with foil as sometimes it tends to bubble over a bit. i also add about 1/2 cup of water in between the 2 layers, so the veggies don't dry out, but then again, i like mine really saucy, so it's probably just me!

variations that i've made of this in the past included using mushrooms, spinach and parmagiana cheese. you really can't go wrong and what a sneaky way to get everyone to eat their veggies!

Listening to: The Chemical Brothers, 'Dig your own hole' from their album, Dig Your Own Hole (1997).

gift of summer sunshine

2008-05-22T19:07:00.006-05:00

this evening, i open the front door to check the mail and see a yellow package. i bring it in and it's all i can do to not rip it open when i see the sender's name. i wanted to make sure i get a snap real quick before i tear into the beautifully wrapped package.

guess what? it's from one of the sweetest people in blogdom, Penny of the gorgeous blog, Sew Take a Hike! i commented on one of her posts about some gorgeous yellow fabric she recently purchased and can you believe she sent it to me? she must have known i was secretly longing for it the whole time, LOL! isn't it just so whimsical and sunshiny? it's like summer all bundled up.

seriously, if you haven't paid her a visit, you really need to see what she's up to. if you think all she does is sew and hike, boy are you in for a treat - this lady cooks the most delicious looking food too! please do visit her blog and Etsy shop, you will not be disappointed.

Penny - thank you so much for your kind spirit and generosity and being so motivating in my newfound sewing interest! now i just have to figure out what i'm going to make with it! it's so pretty, i don't know if i will be able to make that first cut. any suggestions???

vegetable calzones

2008-05-19T17:20:00.007-05:00

this is what's been cooking, i mean baking in my kitchen lately. the top two pics are of the veggie and goat cheese calzones made with my whole wheat dough recipe, and the bottom is the pizza i made the next night with the leftover dough.

i used my basic and extremely versatile recipe which includes: 3 cups whole wheat flour, salt, olive oil, sugar, yeast and yogurt or milk to knead with.

this dough is remarkably forgiving and tasty. when you're low on time as i always am, it's a life saver. make a double batch and then you can keep churning out different dishes all week.

i've stuffed mine with sauteed red & yellow bell peppers, chard, olives, sundried tomatoes, onions and a mixture of goat cheese and mozzarella with fresh basil.

here's my method: take small rounds of dough about tennis ball size and roll into a small circle, add pizza sauce or marinara sauce and your toppings, fold over and pinch to seal. prick with a fork and bake in a preheated oven at 400 deg for 20-30 min.

Notes: if you're vegan, substitute with soy cheese or even a tablespoon or two of tofuetti.

easy & healthy palak paneer

2008-05-15T19:17:00.004-05:00

you know through the years, i've met so many people who always ask me about indian food. they might not have known a whole lot about the diversity of foods indians prepare but they all seemed to know what palak paneer is. what is it about this creamed spinach that makes everyone turn to mush? i don't know anyone who doesn't love this. it's truly food for the soul.

I am also posting this for my brother who called me one day out of the blue to ask me how to make my palak paneer. i think the fact that i made it for him once under 20 minutes might have had something to do with it.

because i don't normally measure, it's really taking a toll on me to write up recipes constantly using measures, but since he's relatively new at making this, i'm gonna go ahead and give him the recipe rather than my 'dump this then this' version.

you'll find that my recipe is easy, healthy, fast and pretty damn tasty. you won't miss any of the butter, cream or ghee that is used in the restaurant version. oh and hey, the best thing is you have everything at home for this. i promise you. well, you might have to make a run for the paneer.

Easy & healthy palak paneer
serves: 3-4
prep time: 20 min

vip's:

1 bag of baby spinach
paneer, about 16-20 pieces
1 chopped onion
2 tomatoes cut into large chunks
green jalapenos or chillies chopped, to taste, i used 3 jalapenos because we like spicy
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
red chilli powder, to taste
1/2 tspn turmeric
1 tspn garam masala
salt to taste
2-3 tbspn oil

the play:

heat a pan and add water, spinach, tomatoes and jalapenos
once it comes to a boil, simmer for 10 min while you work on the next steps
in another pan, heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon stick, onions and garlic saute for 5 min
add the chilli powder, turmeric, salt and garam masala
puree the spinach mixture using a handblender and add it to the other pan with the onions
cover and let simmer for 5 minutes

Notes: if you want it slightly creamy and you're not vegan, go ahead and add a few tablespoons of lowfat yogurt. if you're not watching caloric intake then go for it and add 1/3 cup of cream in the last step.

Listening to: another suggestion from my friend A... 'Eggplant' by Michael Franks from the album, Art of Tea (1976). thanks A! loved this and why wouldn't i? the album title and song title are sooooo groovy!

dear mommy

2008-05-11T21:36:00.008-05:00

so it's mother's day and there is no way i can go without giving a big props to my mom. of course i'm gonna say that my mom is the absolute best mom in the whole entire world and i am truly truly blessed that of all the people on this planet, she happened to be my mom. i know how fortunate and lucky i am to have someone in my life like her. she's one of those special beings put here on earth to make a real difference. she's one of those people that will leave the earth in a better place than when they found it. she's one of those extremely rare people that can see the good in everyone no matter where circumstances have them.

i don't have the words to say what an amazing person my mom is. i can say without any doubt that when i grow up (hehehe) i hope i can be just like her. she's given me the most perfect role model. i know i wasn't an easy child, shit, i'm still not an easy person to deal with, but through this my mom has always looked beyond and found something that sometimes i don't have the foresight or sense to see. so now, my words fail me and all i can do is say 'thanks mom for everything, i love you.'

so on her special day, i'm going to share some more pictures of india on our last trip together.

labneh lemon tart

2008-05-06T20:23:00.003-05:00

i know, i know, i know my new profile pic is probably creepin you out. so i was messin' with my new phone's camera capabilities and ended up sorta liking this one. anonymous, but you get a glimpse. looking back through all my blog entries, i realize that i've probably already said too much, revealed even more. do you guys ever think you've exposed a little too much about yourselves? not that i mind, but it is nice to be somewhat mysterious at times.

so what has all that to do with my lemon tarts? oh, nothing. anyways, i had bought some labneh this past weekend when i was at the fabulous new Phoenicia. i planned to use it as cream cheese to spread on my whole grain bagels because i like the way it tastes and it's way better for you... oh, it's not? well, i never got around to getting the bagels, so the poor labneh just sat in the fridge. had i seen michael's post earlier i would've made this. but since my sewing machine got in the way of my blog hopping, i just saw it today.

so i had these beautiful meyer lemons and i decided to make an instant lemony cheesecake tart.
you can mess around with the recipe and try different flavor combinations. it's pretty much limitless. and it's sort of embarrassing to use these processed products which i normally don't have around but this was the easiest and fastest way i could make these yellow beauties. they only take 10 minutes to make and a few hours to chill. they're actually perfect for tea parties or special dinners. and no matter what anyone tells you, everyone loves their own dessert! why do you think cupcakes are so popular? everyone wants to have their own cake and eat it too, that's why!

labneh lemon tarts
serves 10-12
prep time: 10 min, plus 3-4 hours chilling time

vip's:

10-12 tart shells, baked and cooled completely
a packet of 3.2 oz any flavor instant pudding (i used vanilla; cheesecake would be good too)
1 cup labneh
1 tub fat free whipped topping
lemon zest & juice of one lemon

the play:

cream the labneh until smooth and creamy
stir in the pudding, lemon zest and lemon juice
fold in the whipped topping
chill mixture covered for a few hours up to a few days
fill the tarts right before serving
garnish with zest, lemon balm or mint

Listening to: a recommendation by my dear friend A - War's 'Four Cornered Room' from the album, The World is a Ghetto (1972)... love it A, thanks!!

Batata poha

2008-05-04T14:39:00.006-05:00

i know i haven't been blogging like i should be, but in my defense, i've been busy with a new hobby - a brand new sewing machine. i've been sewing like crazy. mind you i've only made 1 wearable top so far. my first project was a non-wearable skirt and the other was a non-wearable blouse. i'm really enjoying it and sort of put the blog on the back burner for awhile.

so, like i was saying before, this blog is turning into a breakfast one. so, i present you batata poha minus the batata (potatoes). i know everyone has their own version, but mine is made without potatoes. i really don't care for them all that much so i just leave them out.

i'm not going to give you guys a measured recipe, there are so many blogs who have wonderful exact recipes, but i'll provide the basic method...

wash the thin poha in cold water and let sit for about 15 min
heat some oil, add mustard seeds and let pop
add cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves
add a chopped red onion and green chillies and cook until transparent
add the poha, some turmeric and salt - let cook, stirring occasionally for 5 min
sqeeze some lemon over the top and add chopped cilantro
serve hot

Here are some beautiful spring flowers from my container garden.

walnut and orange buckwheat pancakes (eggless)

2008-04-24T19:46:00.005-05:00

the more i blog, the more i say to myself, 'this is turning into a breakfast blog by the minute'. while i do love dinner, i don't necessarily enjoy lunch. but well, who really likes to eat by themselves in a giant cube maze? i mean, you can't even crunch a potato chip or a carrot stick without people snickering and asking 'what you munchin' on?' .

if you go out, everybody and their mother wants to place an order like you're their personal admin and then not give you enough money to cover their bill on top of that. then you might say, well get your ass over to the cafeteria. then i would tell you there is no cafeteria. what there is, is a dark and damp storage room that houses a microwave and a dirty fridge and of course the favorite water cooler. but i won't even get into that now. the gross fridge is a post all of its own. and so is the water cooler. and so is the storage room come to think of it. do you know how many times rude people just leave the water bottle empty for the next person? that is so not cool.

well, you must know by now that i loves me a hot cup of tea in the mornings and something warm and toasty on the weekends. isn't there something nostalgic about being able to lazily take the time to actually crush the ginger into the water and letting it steep instead of making it half assed like on the weekdays? i love mornings, i really do, but having to go to work really messes it up for me. so on the weekends, i purposely take my sweet time and actually think before i make something instead of just grabbing the first thing thats dunkable for my tea.

usually i do prefer savory over sweet in the mornings, but sometimes you just want pancakes. i like to make my own because they're so easy, it's quite silly really and they just taste so much better because you can make so many combinations. i have made pineapple, dried cherries & pecans pancakes when i was craving a pineapple upside down cake one time. that was pretty awesome. another time i made one with banana and cocoa nibs - that was pretty awesome. sometimes i just keep it simple and grate some lemon zest and add blueberries. that's always good. i've even added grated carrots and walnuts in order to satiate a carrot cake craving. too bad i didn't have cream cheese frosting! oh man, that would've been killer.

so it's pretty straightforward and simple - make your favorite buckwheat pancake batter (use a box mix if you're not so keen on making your own) but substitute half the amount of milk with fresh orange juice. then add some grated orange zest and chopped pecans. and fold into the batter. no need to whip it and beat it up. this is a batter, be delicate or it will be tough chewin' for you.

Notes: i don't use eggs in my baking, so depending on what i'm preparing, i will substitute using Ener-G egg replacer which is basically potato starch (so don't use this if you're cooking for strict Jains). sometimes i just use applesauce. other times i use sour cream, which works really well but adds unnecessary calories. sometimes, i don't use anything and just add more liquid. you know, just wing it like i do.

super spicy mushroom curry

2008-04-20T20:15:00.006-05:00

we never ate mushrooms growing up. my mom never bought them and i'd never tasted one till i was in my twenties. never having tasted them, i thought they were horrible, nasty, mushy brownish gray things to top pizzas with. i had no idea i was just eating them prepared all wrong.

then after all those wasted years, i had my first portabella burger and that was all she wrote. it was mushroom love after that. i still prefer them lightly sauteed or fresh. more recently however, i had a mushroom curry at an indian wedding and it was outstanding. here is my re-creation of that dish.

spicy mushroom curry

serves 2-3

prep time: 10 min

cook time: 15 min

vips:

1 pint. cleaned and quartered button mushrooms
1/2 onion diced
2 tomatoes diced
1/2 cup yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream
1 clove garlic minced
1/2" ginger minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon coriander-cumin powder
2 teaspoons oil
handful of chopped cilantro
salt to taste

the play:

heat oil in nonstick pan
add onions and saute few minutes until transparent
add the garlic, ginger and all the spices, saute for a couple more minutes
add the tomatoes and salt and fry until mushy - about 5 min
add mushrooms, fry for another 5 min
stir in yogurt or buttermilk or sourcream until it comes to a simmer
garnish with cilantro and serve with roti, toasted naan, lavash or steamed rice

Methi na thepla

2008-04-13T17:22:00.007-05:00

Methi na theplas are one of the breakfasts we look forward to on the weekends. i've never been much of a person who craves donuts and pastries for breakfast, i'd much rather have something hot and spicy. methi na thepla are like whole wheat tortillas made with fresh fenugreek leaves.

i usually make enough to last for the next few days worth of breakfasts. it is best to store them in a ziploc and reheat them for 15 sec in the microwave.

i am giving a basic method, if you don't have access to fenugreek leaves fresh or frozen, just use any grated squash such as dudhi (opo squash) or zucchini. you could even use grated carrots and cabbage. use what you got, this is all about your own family's preference.

methi na thepla

serves 6

prep time: 10 min

cook time: 30 min

vips:

2 cups of whole wheat flour mix together with:
3 tablespoons oil
salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ajwain (caraway seeds)

then add to the flour:

1 cup fenugreek leaves, washed & chopped, or if frozen, thaw first
3 tablespoons yogurt
crush together: 3 green chilis, an inch of ginger, 2-3 garlic cloves (optional)
add enough water to make a soft pliable dough and let rest for at least 30 min

the play:

after the dough has rested for 30 min, make into 12 small round balls and keep covered
take one ball of dough and roll out to about 6-8 inches, use extra flour for dusting
heat a tawa or a flat pan and on medium heat, cook the thepla on one side for a minute or two
flip thepla over and brush with oil and cook for 1-2 more minutes
flip again and brush other side with oil
cook until brown spots appear on both sides and is cooked through (approx 2 min on each side)

Listening to: soft groovy sounds of Stan Getz, 'I'm late, i'm late' off his album, Focus (1997, original recording, 1961).

kathiawadi bhakri and tea

2008-04-07T18:51:00.005-05:00

if you know anything about the kathiawad region of gujarat, you will know this rustic peasant flatbread called bhakri. it is made from the most humblest of ingredients - flour, water, salt and ghee or oil. it is made on a round shaped clay pan. when it is cooked on clay, you will notice the texture and taste is very different than when cooked in a nonstick pan. it is slightly blackened in spots and has a nice slightly smoky flavor to it. it is generally served at breakfast with chai.

the method is simple enough - you just mix whole wheat flour with salt, rub in the ghee or oil until it's a little crumbly and mix enough water just to barely bind it together. this should be a firm, crumbly dough.

form into rounds the size of golf balls (about 1/2 cup) and roll into 6-8" rounds and prick with a fork. place on a heated nonstick flat pan on low until brown spots appear approximately for 2 minutes. flip and do the same, making sure the bhakri is cooked through completely. top with ghee or butter and serve.

tea time

2008-04-03T20:45:00.004-05:00

i was at central market the other day and stumbled right smack into these. i had to have them. i just had to. i coveted them for some reason.

i don't know about you, but when i see teas, i am just mesmerized. i want every flavor, every brand. oh, and God help me if it's loose tea. i am so onto that. currently, i have over 17 different teas in the house. i don't know why, it's not as if i drink them all at once, but like the rest of america, i'm a sucker for packaging and whimsy and the freedom of choice.

luckily, i do drink about 6-7 cups of tea daily. one cup of chai every morning and 4 cups of green tea at work, a cup of lychee tea when i get home and start cooking and then a final cup of ginger tea after dinner. needless to say, i spend half the day in the loo. for real. i wonder if my boss notices.

anyways, i picked up the tea in the pink canister because i've never seen rooibos packaged in tea bag form. i've always bought it loose in bulk. and the green one i bought, because i didn't want the pink one to be lonely in my pantry. no, i really bought it because i wanted to see how the "natural stevia leaf" was going to taste in my tea.

these are both grown completely organically and are fair trade to boot.

which i'm just reminded that i saw a stevia plant for sale at my local nursery. that is so awesome! i wonder how many leaves it will take to sweeten my tea? i didn't get it, and now i'm kind of pissed at myself for not buying it at the time. maybe i'll still go back and get it. have any of you ever used it before in it's plant form? i'm so psyched.

fruits of my neighbor

2008-04-01T19:53:00.007-05:00

there is this wonderful old soul who lives next door. this elderly gentleman, we'll call him Ed for now, is so sweet and he is so old school. my husband was working in the yard the other day - because we live in houston, because everything is growing, because it's already in the eighties here.

so while he was working, Ed and his lady friend call him over to their backyard. of course we can't see each other because we have a 6' wooden fence separating us. i was not dressed if you know what i mean, so i just hung back and my husband went off to visit Ed and said lady friend.

and what do you know? they've been quite the busy ones over there. they have a huge garden that's already producing. a beautiful orange tree with the cutest, tangiest little oranges you will ever see. there are flowers and greenery everywhere. anywho, he came back with this bounty. mind you it was just March. isn't he the most awesomest neighbor ever?

so let the composting and digging and renting tillers and buying earthworm castings begin, ooooh it's gonna be so great...

corn salad or makke ki bhel

2008-03-27T21:57:00.010-05:00

i was reading something somewhere the other day about corn. sorry i can't seem to remember where i read this, but it said that fresh corn has hardly any starch. the starch is created once the corn is cooked. this was music to my ears my friends. all this time, i thought i was in love with the enemy. a practically nutrient deprived vegetable. but oooh, i love me some corn. and i especially love summer corn. i love grilled corn, i love roasted corn, i loved boiled corn. shoot, i even love corn nuts. oh yeah, and i love any items made with corn.

did you know in baroda (in the state of gujarat in india) there is an entire restaurant dedicated to this golden haired sunshine of a vegetable? they make everything out of corn. corn bread, corn roti (tortilla), corn rotlo (flatbread), corn fritters. you get the picture. i didn't get a chance to go this time, but there were some idiots around me who kept talking about it the whole time. people suck. big time.

it's not quite season yet, but my mom couldn't help picking up these 2 lovelies at SunHarvest. here, she's made a popular street food in mumbai called corn bhel. it is basically a salad with some crunchy savories added - sort of like the crunchy noodles you get at a salad bar. but the indian ones come in different shapes, sizes and thicknesses. they are called sev and they are made out of chickpea flour which is sometimes labeled 'gram flour' on the packaging. don't bother making these at home, they have to be deep fried and require a special tool. besides, for the small quantity you need for this recipe, it's just better to buy them ready made at any indian grocers.

Corn Salad or Makke ki Bhel

serves 2

prep time: 10-15 min

into each bowl add:

shuck an ear of corn and season with salt
add a tablespoon of chopped red onions (we used Texas 1015's)
add 1/2 diced jalapeno or to your tolerable heat level
add 1/2 tomato
add 2 tablespoons of sev
add cilantro
squeeze some lime over the top and serve immediately

Notes: not using sev won't comprimise the taste of this dish, however the crunchy texture that it provides will be missing. another alternative would be to cut up a corn tortilla into strips and fry until crispy or bake in an oven and crush over the top.

Listening to: the handsome, the suave, late Gregory Hines track - 'Creole Boy' from the cast recording of Jelly's Last Jam (1994).

Navroz celebration

2008-03-20T13:20:00.003-05:00

here is wishing the parsi community a very happy new year! and please write down your recipes people!!! i can't seem to say that enough. ah, but you will soon see the light my friends...

okay, so now with that out of the way - i was listening to public radio this morning on my way in to work, and what do you know? they had a special on Navroz, the Parsi New Year which occurs on the first day of spring. it was so touching and celebratory on so many levels. with family roots in bombay as well as being from the state of gujarat, this holiday is especially dear to me. for those of you who may not know, the parsi population is largely in the state of gujarat and in bombay.

i was saddened to hear that parsi cuisine is one of the most unknown cuisines in the world despite its origins emanating from 2 continents and expanding many countries. UNESCO has determined that only 75,000 parsis are in existence today and have started efforts to protect this dying culture. of course, being foodheads as we are, it is quite obvious that there will be no food if there is no culture and tradition being passed down.

after reading the transcripts on NPR, i am now encouraged, as i hope you will be too, to put forth an effort in educating yourself on the rich parsi heritage while the the community is still intact. hey, and if you are really inclined, collect some fabulous recipes along the way.

oh, and did i tell you ms. famous chef, alice waters celebrates navroz in chez panisse? i mean really, what more motivation do you need?

now someone please pass me the dhansak and falooda! Happy Navroz guys!

Notes: my mom makes a mean falooda ice cream, which i will post this weekend hopefully!

sweet potato fries

2008-03-18T20:57:00.007-05:00

with so many people watching their carb intake, these gems are perfect. they're a sunset on a plate. try these and don't feel guilty munching...

Sweet potato fries

serves 2

prep time:5 min

bake time: 40 min

wash and chop 2 large sweet potatoes into thick slices or wedges
add a glug of good olive oil
sprinkle with salt, crushed szechuan peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and oregano
bake at 400 deg for 30 -40 min

Notes: optional seasonings could include crushed garlic, cayenne pepper and Old Bay seasoning (love this stuff!). or - go with a sweeter route and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon and brown sugar and dip in pumpkin dip- yummmm!

Listening to: the Sabri Brothers album, Ya Mustafa (1996), track 'Tajdar-E-Haram'. i confess to a deep deep love of qawaali music. and it doesn't hurt that the Sabri Brother's family has been making music since the moghul times.

apricot cherry tea bread

2008-03-16T15:05:00.007-05:00

maybe you have deduced from the lack of chocolate recipes on this blog, that i much rather prefer fruits and nuts in my desserts than chocolate. i'm sure in some circles that would make me an outcast of sorts. well, i'm not ready to retire my passion for fruit, and to celebrate the arrival of spring, i made this lovely tea bread.

first off, lets get one thing straight - this is a tea bread as opposed to a muffin or a cake. this is dense as it is an actual dough, and it holds up well to toasting if you are so inclined. and since this is a real dough, do not beat it and mix it to death. just stir gently. if you mix it too much, it is going to be tough and hard. not to mention it will have a very unappetizing texture. nice way of saying, 'NASTY'.

oh, by the way, i don't measure things when i bake either. i just sort things out as i go along and just wing it. of course, i'm not making Lauderee financiers or anything. in which case, i would most assuredly break out my severely underused measuring cups and spoons.

you can find the original recipe here.

Apricot cherry tea bread

makes 1 loaf

prep time: 15 min

bake time: 45 min

vip's:

3 oz dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten (i used Ener-G egg replacer)
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel
1 3/4 cups flour
1/ 4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup chopped pecans

the play:

preheat oven to 350º F
grease 9x5-inch loaf pan
cook apricots & cherries in water in a covered medium-size saucepan for 10-15 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain; reserve 1/4-1/2 cup liquid. Set aside to cool
cream together butter and sugar (i used a fork). By hand, gently mix in egg replacer and orange peel and vanilla extract
sift together flour, dry milk, baking powder, soda, and salt. (i used a wisk instead of sifting)add to creamed mixture alternately with reserved apricot liquid and orange juice
stir apricot & cherry pieces and pecans gently into the batter
place batter in loaf pan
bake for 40-45 minutes or until bread springs back when lightly touched in center
cool 5 minutes in pan. remove from pan and completely cool on wire rack before slicing

Listening to: 'Ain't no way', by the original diva number one, Aretha Franklin, off her album, Lady Soul (1968). Love it, love it, love it!

vegetable pot pies and apple tartlettes

2008-03-12T19:26:00.013-05:00

recently, i made vegetable pot pies and some apple tartlettes, because frankly i didn't have much in the way of veggies. i was alone this weekend and i had a lonely little carrot, a zucchini and a red onion - oh, and some frozen peas. so i guessed you've figured the vegetable pot pies aren't really potpies, haven't you? no, they're tarts, so sue me, i just totally misled you. well, if i bothered to cover them with pastry dough, they would've been pot pies right? i knew you'd see my point of view. and as far as the apple tartlettes go, they just sound better than apple tarts. reminds me of this crazy lady who works here who keeps saying, "she's such a tart" in all that southern twang glory.

anywho, they look a lot more fussy than they are. they're very fast and i would highly recommend this for a dinner alone. who wants to be in the kitchen for an hour when they're by themselves? not me. i really only feel inspired when i know they're are mouths to feed. so, it took me all of 5 min of prep, 5 min to cook and then 25 min to bake.

vegetable pot pies

serves 2

prep time: 10 min

bake time: 25 min

vip's:

1 package of individual sized frozen tarts - mine had 8 in there - only use 4
1 zucchini, washed and diced small
1 carrot, washed and diced small
1 red onion, washed and diced
1/2 cup peas
1-2 tbspn oil
pinch of cumin, coriander, red chili powders
pinch of garam masala
juice of 1/2 lemon

the play:

preheat oven to whatever the frozen tart package says - mine said 375
defrosted the tarts while you prepare the vegetables
saute all veggies together in a bit of oil, add a pinch of coriander and cumin powder, red chili powder and garam masala. add salt and cook until cooked thru but still firm - about 5 min
turn off heat, add lemon juice
prick the tarts all over with a fork
divide the filling among 4 tarts
bake according to package instructions - mine were at 375 for 25 min.

apple tartlettes

serves 2

prep time: 5 min

bake time: 25 min

vip's:

1 small granny smith apple, peeled and diced
2 tbspn butter
1 tbspn brown sugar
1 tbspn toasted pecans or walnuts - you can microwave these for 30-45 sec
1 tbspn chocolate chips or butterscotch chips (optional)
1 tbspn pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice or a mixture of ground cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, ginger
tiny pinch of salt
a tiny squeeze of lemon juice

the play:

preheat oven to whatever the frozen tart package says - mine said 375
defrost the frozen tarts while you chop the apple and get the other ingredients together
prick the tarts with fork
add the chips to the bottom if you are using them
mix the apples with brown sugar, nuts, spices, salt and lemon juice
fill the 2 tarts with this mixture
top with 1 tbspn butter cut up over each tart
bake according to package instructions - mine were at 375 for 25 min.

Notes: for the veggie pot pies, use whatever firm veggies you have on hand like bell peppers, cauliflower, etc. (i think that line is in every post so far, lol). for the apple tartlettes, you can pretty much use any stone fruit, i'm sure peaches and nectarines would be divine.

Listening to: 'Nickel bag of funk', by the awesome awesome awesome Digable Planets, from their debut album, Rebirth of Slick (1992)... how can you not love their lyrics?

"Tell my pops i'm out earthbound with the crew

He said butterfly may the boogie be with you..."

appey and cardamom tea

2008-03-09T12:17:00.007-05:00

for breakfast i made these appey, is that what they're called? i got the wonderful pan on my trip to india. it's a nonstick but extremely heavy, at first i thought it was cast iron, but it turned out to be nonstick.

it's really easy if you have dosa batter ready, if not you can use one of those instant dosa packets. i'm not going to give a recipe because it's just chop and drop. get the batter ready and add chopped red onion, green chillies, a bit of ginger and a sprig of curry leaves.

heat the pan, add a drop of oil into each hole and add about a tablespoon or two of the batter, cover. flip when the bottoms are brown. this should take about a 3-4 minutes on each side.

serve with a cup of delicious cardamom chai and you'll be set for the day.

Listening to: 'Song of Love/Narayana' by Kula Shaker from album, Strange Folk (2008)

new favorites - stuffed poblano peppers and polish raspberry mazurkas

2008-03-05T20:01:00.010-06:00

readers, i confess, sometimes i have no idea what to make. i don't know about you guys, but for me just the decision on what to make drives me looney everyday around 5pm. i need subtle suggestion. and that's where these guys come in the picture. if their drooling commentary isn't enough to head you into the cold barren kitchen, then i don't know what else could.

ok, enough of all my chatter... this is what i've made recently (this is a relative term for me)...

from blogger, 365 days of pure vegetarian, her stuffed poblano peppers. these came together easily. i just had to make a quick run to the store for the poblanos and everything else i had at home. the only changes i made were to add 2 tbspn of tomato paste and to cut the rice down to 1/4 cup. i served them with a side of home made guacamole and salsa. they were fantastic! my husband wrapped the whole thing in a tortilla and had at it. i think i would like to make these into chilli rellenos type things and smother them with mole the next time. yum yum yum...

from the blogger who needs no introduction - melissa of the very famous The Traveler's Lunchbox, her polish raspberry mazurkas. these were so delicious, with a light yet filling oatmeal coconut crumble layer on top and bottom. i think i got more than 12 pieces though. i took these for an event and didn't get to take a snap beforehand. however, because i know i will be making these again and again, i will definitely update this post with photos. this is perfect for those times when you're chocolated out. know what i mean? the recipe is quick, simple and easy to follow with excellent results. the only tinkering i did was to add just a pinch of lemon zest into the raspberry preserves. i don't know if it was even needed, but i do know that it was just scrumptious. next time i'm going to try these out with either a fig, orange or blueberry preserve. OMG.

i don' t know why i've always got to mess with a perfectly perfected recipe, probably one that's been handed down for more than a hundred years. i just don't know what it is with me. i have tinkering issues. what else can i say?

thanks so much guys for being extremely generous in sharing your recipes and allowing restless hands and minds to tinker on.

whole wheat veggie wrap

2008-03-02T17:28:00.017-06:00

saturday mornings are meant to be savored slowly, lazily and of course hungrily. this weekend, i made a quick stirfry using red potatoes and a yellow pepper i had in the fridge. they came together in a whole wheat wrap. the kick to the dish comes from the jalapeno and cilantro.

whole wheat veggie wrap

serves: 4
prep time: 10 min
cook time: 15 min

vip’s:

4 whole wheat tortillas
4 red potatoes, washed & chopped into cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, washed & chopped
½ onion, diced
2 jalapenos, washed & chopped – use per your personal preference
few sprigs of cilantro, washed & chopped
juice of half lemon
pinch of mustard seeds & cumin seeds
tspn cumin & coriander powders
salt

the play:

heat a wide sauté pan and add 2 tbspn olive oil, add mustard & cumin seeds; let pop
add potatoes, bell pepper, onion & salt, stir & cover for 10-13 min on low heat until potatoes are cooked thru. The last 5 min, add the jalapenos.
add cilantro & lemon juice, stir and let cook 2 more minutes

to serve:
in a flat pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the tortilla on both sides till lightly brown, add the potato mixture and roll like a wrap, serve warm.

Listening to: the soulful groove of India Arie; "ready for love" from, Acoustic Soul (2001)