Cafe' Mint

Aaloo Sukhi Bhaaji

2011-06-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

A staple for all Indian households, comfort food for most and extremely easy to make - this dish can be churned out in a few minutes.

Recipe:

Poatoes - 4 medium sized

Oil - 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon. Can be replaced with ghee (clarified butter).

Cumin seeds - 3/4 tablespoon
Green chillies - 1
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, grated

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Peanuts (roasted)- 1 1/2 tablespoon

Chaat masala (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Boil potatoes. Make sure not to over boil. Peel and cut it into cubes.
Heat a wide bottomed pan. Add oil/ghee (clarified butter).
Add cumin, ginger and green chillies, saute for a minute.
Add peanuts. Add potatoes in single layer.
Sprinkle salt, turmeric, add lemon juice. A small pinch of chaat masala may be added.
Mix gently such that the potatoes getting mashed.
Turn off the heat after 2 minutes, garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Enjoy with puri, roti, paratha or whatever suits your fancy!

Akbari Paneer.. and a kick start to the 2011 food photo blogging

2011-06-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a kick start to my 2011 food photo blogging. Haven't decided yet, as to what I'll be doing this year - weather a recipe marathon, theme based cooking or just random posts as and when I please :). But here goes..

Carrot Bulgar Salad and Grand Finale'

2010-12-31T18:17:00.000-08:00

Falafel 2.0

2010-12-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

Stuffed Paneer Onion Naan

2010-12-31T18:14:00.001-08:00

Asparagus Soup

2010-12-31T18:13:00.001-08:00

Paneer Kaati Rolls

2010-12-31T18:12:00.002-08:00

Zucchini Basil Soup

2010-12-31T18:12:00.000-08:00

Tabouleh Stuffed Avocado

2010-12-31T18:11:00.000-08:00

Parsley Walnut Salad

2010-12-31T18:09:00.001-08:00

Guacamole

2010-12-31T18:08:00.002-08:00

Chimichurri Sauce

2010-12-31T18:08:00.000-08:00

Insalata Caprese

2010-12-31T18:07:00.002-08:00

Grilled Asparagus

2010-12-31T18:07:00.000-08:00

Shaahi Paneer

2010-12-31T18:06:00.000-08:00

Almond Pesto

2010-12-31T18:02:00.001-08:00

Paneer On Wheels

2010-12-31T18:01:00.002-08:00

Daal Fry

2010-12-31T18:01:00.000-08:00

Fruit Dip

2010-12-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

Lebanese Lentil Salad

2010-12-31T17:59:00.000-08:00

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts

2010-12-31T17:56:00.001-08:00

Roasted Salsa

2010-12-31T17:53:00.000-08:00

Peppermint Chai

2010-12-29T06:45:00.001-08:00

Pita Sandwich

2010-12-27T10:10:00.000-08:00

A happy, healthy, quick and delicious sandwich! One of my favorites.

Recipe:

Pocket pita bread - cut into half

Cheddar cheese slice - 1 (can be substituted with hummus)

Alfalfa sprouts - a handful

Avocado - a few slices

Tomato - a few slices

Cucumber - a few slices

Lettuce - few leaves

Jalapeno (optional) - deseeded, cut

Ketchup (optional) - to taste

Olive oil - 1/4 teaspoon

Cut the pocket pita bread into half, make pocket and put the cheese slice inside.
Brush the top of the pita bread with olive oil (optional)
Heat it for a few minutes in toaster oven, till the cheese starts melting.
Remove from the toaster, add lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado slices and alfafa sprouts and top it with jalapeno.

Enjoy!

Salsa Verde

2010-12-26T23:55:00.001-08:00

A quick, tangy salsa - my favorite!

Recipe:

Tomatillos - 1 lbs.

Jalapeno - 4

Onion - 1 (medium sized)

Garlic - 4 cloves

Cilantro - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Remove the husks from tomatillos. Heat water and soak the tomatillos for about 5-10 minutes to remove the sticky surface.
Heat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tomatillos, jalapenos, onion cut into big pieces, and garlic cloves with olive oil. Place it in the toaster pan. Roast it for about 20-25 minutes until the jalapenos are charred and the onion looks transparent. The tomatillos will change its color from green to yellowish. Turn the vegetables around while being roasted such that surfaces from all the sides get roasted.
Let it cool down. Blend it in a blender by adding jalapenos, garlic, onion, tomatillos, cilantro and salt in that order.

Enjoy with nachos!

Serendipity Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

2010-12-26T04:02:00.001-08:00

Serendipity Frrrozen Hot Chocolate - Yumminess personified! Nothing quite like having it on a Christmas afternoon - pure bliss! This is the best chocolate drink I've ever had!

Recipe:

Serendipity hot chocolate mix - 2 1/2 tablespoons

Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Chocolate - 3-4 oz (I used Swiss dark chocolate and do recommend using dark chocolate)

Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Whipped chream - to taste

Ice - 3-4 cubes

Cut the chocolate into pieces, keeping about an ounce for later use, and heat the chocolate and hot chocolate mix and 1/2 a cup of milk on a double boiler for 2-3 minutes, until chocolate is completely melted.
Remove from heat, add the remaining milk, sugar and ice cubes and blend it using a blender for 2-3 minutes. The ice cubes can be made out of chocolate milk in advance to maintain the density of the drink.
Pour the drink into a glass. Grate the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate, add it to the drink and stir. Garnish with whipped cream and some grated chocolate.

Seasons Greetings and Enjoy!

Orange Fennel Salad

2010-12-25T01:43:00.001-08:00

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

2010-12-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays! 'Tis the season and so strict calorie counting can be left at bay for a little bit :)

Recipe coming soon.

Cream of Carrot and Lentil Soup

2010-11-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

I am back from my cooking-and-photo-blogging hiatus to meet the 30 recipe challenge for 2010 :) Here is the soup that is healthy, tasty, easy to make and perfect for this cold weather!

Recipe:

Carrots - 1 lb.

Lentils - 4 tablespoons

Cumin - 1 tablespoon

Garlic - 1 clove

Milk - 1 cup

Olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Water - 1,000 ml

Vegetable bullion (optional) - 1 (can use fresh vegetable stock instead, if available)

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Heavy cream (optional) - 1/2 cup

Dry roast cumin, keep aside
Heat olive oil, add half a tablespoon of dry roasted cumin (keep the remaining half for garnishing)
Add minced garlic, chopped carrots, water (keeping 1 cup water aside), lentils. I used yellow lentils. Any variety of lentil works
Boil 1 cup of water, add the vegetable bullion, dissolve it and add that water to the above mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and milk
Let the mixture boil for about 30 minutes on medium heat, until the carrots as well as lentils are soft and mushy
Remove from heat, puree the above mixture in a blender/food processor
Put the mixture back on stove and add heavy cream
Add 1 tablespoon of lemon (optional). Simmer for a few minutes and turn off the heat
Garnish with heavy cream, roasted cumin and cilantro/parsley
Serve piping hot.

Enjoy!

Chilled Strawberry Soup

2010-07-05T23:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, so yesterday I went Strawberry picking at Swanton Berry Farm (loved the place) and picked like tons of strawberries and so no points for guessing what I made :) Yep, chilled strawberry soup. I pretty much followed the same recipe as I did for chilled raspberry soup, except for minor variations and except for the fact that this soup was made from personally-handpicked, organic strawberries, whereas the other one was made from store-bought frozen raspberries. So here goes the recipe:

Recipe:

Strawberries - 20 oz. (fresh or frozen)

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Sour cream - 3/4 cup

Heavy cream - 3/4 cup

Strawberry juice - 1 cup (any other berry juice will do)

Lemon juice - 2 teaspoons

Mint - few sprigs, very finely chopped

Clean and chop off the greens from the strawberries. Cut into pieces.
Using a blender, puree the strawberries. Use the strawberry juice while blending.
Fold in the sour cream and heavy cream. Add sugar, lemon juice. Mix well. Refrigerate.
Serve chilled. Garnish with heavy cream, very finely chopped mint leaves.

Just like Chilled Raspberry Soup - Although an appetizer, this soup is almost like a dessert in disguise!

Enjoy!

Paneer Bhurji

2010-06-28T01:24:00.001-07:00

Recipe coming soon :)

Kesar-Mango Shrikhand

2010-06-14T00:33:00.000-07:00

Or Aamrakhand, as it is called due to the addition of mangoes, this is a yogurt based Indian dessert, eaten along with the main course meal. A sure way to beat the heat. I added another summer favorite - mangoes - to add to the yumminess. The result was quite nice. Apart from little bit of sugar, this is actually a healthy dessert.

Recipe:

Yogurt - 64 oz. (I used non-fat)

Sugar 0 3 tablespoons (or to taste)

Mango pulp - 1 cup (fresh mangoes or canned pulp)

Almonds - handful, chopped, dry roasted

Saffron - a few strands

Milk - 1 tablespoon

Tie Yogurt in a cheese cloth so that the excess water is drained. Though I kept it over night, 4 hours should suffice.

Warm a tablespoon of milk. Add saffron strands in it and let it stand for an hour or more.

Powder the sugar in a coffee grinder.

Transfer the yogurt into a container. The texture and consistency would be like whipped butter. Add powdered sugar and mango pulp. Mix. I used canned, kesar mango pulp.

If the mixture isn't smooth enough, use food processor to make it smoother.

Chop almonds into small pieces, dry roast for a minute or two.

Add chopped almonds, saffron to the mixture and refrigerate it for a couple of hours.

Garnish it with saffron strands.

Enjoy the chilled shrikhand with puris :)

Spring Razzmatazz

2010-06-13T02:20:00.000-07:00

I cooked up a storm today and thought about kicking off the 2010 cooking marathon with one of those recipes.

This is a spring medley of greens and fruits, combined. The color and combination of ingredients makes it interesting for kids and adults, alike. One of the easiest salads to put together.

Recipe:

Spring greens - 2 cups
Orange - 1 (can use any citrus fruit instead)
Strawberries - 10
Crumbled blue cheese - 1 1/2 tablespoon (Feta cheese or any other cheese may be used instead)
Olive oil - t tablespoon
Lemon juice - 1/2 tablespoon
Salt and Freshly ground pepper - to taste

Mix the salad greens. Cut the oranges in rounds, making sure the white portion and seeds, if any, are removed.
Cut the strawberries vertically into 4 pieces.
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper to make the salad dressing.
Arrange greens on a salad plate, top it with oranges and strawberries.
Add salad dressing and top it with crumbled blue cheese.

Enjoy!

Cooking Marathon 2010 - 30 recipes by the year-end - challenge!

2010-06-13T01:47:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the fun quotient of Cooking Marathon 2009, am back with Cooking Marathon 2010 :)

To recap, I did a cooking marathon during the holiday season of 2009 - you can read about it here and here. Basically, I'll be cooking and photo-blogging 30 different recipes by year end 2010.

Looking forward to 2010 challenge, hoping to learn lots of new things as well and enjoying this journey with my family and friends :)

Falafel

2009-12-31T21:56:00.000-08:00

Falafel is the ultimate favorite of everyone in my family as also all my friends who have tried it. This is part of the Mediterranean cuisine. I love making this as much as I love eating it.

Recipe:

In most of the recipes you will find falafel made using only garbanzo beans. The recipe that I have been using for several years include a combination of green split peas, lentils and garbanzo beans. I have not tried the one which uses only garbanzo beans hence don't know how different it is from this one.

Split peas – 1 cup

Lentils – 1 cup

Garbanzo beans – 1 cup

Ginger – 2” piece

Garlic – 6 cloves

Green chilies – 1 tablespoon

Chili sauce (optional) – 1 ½ tablespoon

Roasted cumin – 1 teaspoon

Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons

Bread crumbs – 1 cup

Sesame seeds – ½ cup

Warm oil – 1 ½ tablespoon

Salt – to taste

Oil for frying

Baking soda (optional) – a pinch

Soak split peas, lentils and garbanzo beans overnight.
Grind the split peas, lentils and garbanzo beans addingginger, garlic, green chilies, roasted cumin, and salt.
Add the chili sauce (I use the Sriracha hot chili sauce),lemon juice, ½ cup of breadcrumbs and baking soda (optional). Mix.
Make the round falafel balls and flatten these a bit.
Place sesame seeds on a side of the plate and the remainingbread crumbs on other side. Dipeach falafel ball first in sesame seed covering one side, and next inbreadcrumbs covering the rest of the falafel.
Heat oil and deep-fry the falafel balls. Make sure these are properly cookedfrom inside, keeping in mind that the lentils take a little longer to cook.

And this is how the Mediterranean platter looks, which apart from Falafel, includes Hummus, Tabouleh, and Mujadarah, Yogurt Mint Sauce - the items that I blogged about earlier.

This is recipe 30 of 30 :) of my Cooking Marathon and this concludes the cooking-marathon-30-recipes-by-year-end-challenge. I had a total blast doing this cooking marathon and thanks to all my wonderful friends and family for encouraging me every step throughout this marathon. Without that, this marathon wouldn't have been so much fun. I enjoyed the journey as much as the destination! While doing the cooking marathon, I also learned a bit of photography techniques and few of the pictures also got featured on www.foodgawker.com - the ultimate site in food photography. Though I have to admit that cooking is a lot easier than photographing those dishes or typing up the blog. But all in all, it was super fun! Thanks to all of you friends who have been regularly following the blog. Thanks to my family for trying out all the recipes :)

And by the way, I had also taken up a challenge to raise $1,000 (33 free eye surgeries) this holiday season, for Sankara Eye Foundation, a non-profit organization working towards eradicating curable blindness in India. And I am thrilled to announce that I also met that goal today. Total amount raised so far is $1,183 and counting, which translates to 39 eye surgeries! Again, thanks to the support of my friends who donated for the cause. Some of them are anonymous so I really don't know who donated but I truly appreciate all of their support. Together we made a difference in the lives of 39 needlessly blind people and hence, 39 families.

So what next for this blog? I don't know. The purpose for which this blog was set up is served. But I guess I may still keep it active and post some recipes every now and then.

As we bid adieu to this decade and Year 2009, I hope that you had a happy and fulfilling decade and wish that the Year 2010 bring you and your loved ones all the Happiness, Joy, Prosperity and Peace. Have a Very Happy New Year!

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called “Opportunity” and its first chapter is New Year’s Day." - Edith L. Pierce

Black Bean Chili

2009-12-31T20:51:00.000-08:00

Ever since I tried Black Bean Chili several years ago, this has been a regular one on the menu. Tastes delicious when served in a bread bowl. This is a simple yet, very nutritious recipe.

This is recipe 29 of 30 :)

Recipe:

Black beans - 3 cups

Bell pepper (green and red) - 2-3

Garlic - 6 cloves

Onion - 1 large

Tomatoes - 4 medium

Chili seasoning - 1 packet

Lemon juice - 2-3 tablespoons

Oil - 1 1/2 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Parsley (for garnishing) - few sprigs

Parmesan cheese (for garnishing) - 1 tablespoon

Green chillies (for garnishing) - 1 tablespoon

Soak black beans, overnight. Add salt and boil it in a pressure cooker, the next day. Drain. Retain excess water for later use.
Heat oil. Add chopped garlic, onion. Saute it for a few minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, bell pepper. Saute for about 5-7 minutes. This time, I actually roasted the garlic, onion, bell peppers etc in the oven before adding it to the gravy. And the taste and aroma of the roasted veggies was awesome.
Add half the black beans. Simmer it for a couple of minutes.
Puree the gravy in a blender. Return it to heat, adding the remaining black beans.
Add chili seasoning, salt, pepper, lemon juice. Add desired amount of water that was retained from draining the black beans. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Serve hot. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese, finely chopped green chilies, and parsley.

Farfalle Pasta with Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes

2009-12-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

This is an absolute favorite of everyone in our home. I made the walnut pesto for this pasta. The combination of sun dried tomatoes with pesto in the pasta seasoned with dried oregano flakes and freshly grated parmesan cheese makes it really very delicious!

This is recipe 28 of 30 :)

Eggplant Parmesan

2009-12-31T14:26:00.000-08:00

Eggplant Parmesan is one of my personal favorites and there are never leftovers in our home whenever Eggplant Parmesan is made! Those who do not like eggplant also love this dish.

This is recipe 27 of 30 :)

Chocolate Fudge Cake

2009-12-31T14:00:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of first time recipes I made for this blog and cake is one of them. This is the first time I baked a cake (well technically second time.. read on) and was thrilled with the result. Both, my nephew Hersh and niece Nikki helped me with baking the cake and we had a total blast!. This is an eggless cake and you really can't tell much difference!

As I mentioned, this is technically the second time I baked a cake in 2 days! The first time we baked it, my nephew enjoyed the process so much that he made us bake a cake again the next day! It was so yummy, we ate half of it in no time!

This cake is the celebration of our newly purchased car, ringing in the new year as well as first time baking a cake! Who want to count calories when you have so many things to celebrate :)

This is recipe 26 of 30 :)

Rasam

2009-12-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

Rasam is a traditional, South Indian soup and this is the first time I made it. Thanks to my friend Kalyani for sharing her wonderful recipe, It was really nice and hot in this cold weather. Will definitely make it more often.

This is recipe 25 of 30 :)

Mujadarah

2009-12-31T00:37:00.000-08:00

Mujadarah is a very simple, nutritious, delicious rice and lentil dish that is part of the Mediterranean cuisine. The use of fried onion transforms the taste of the dish, making it relish.

Recipe:

Rice – 1 cup

Brown whole lentils – 1 cup

Onion – 1 large, julienned

Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons

Salt - to taste

White pepper - to taste

Oil – ½ teaspoon

Oil for deep frying onion (optional - see caramelization option listed below)

Bring water to a boil, add rice, salt to taste, few drops of oil and lemon juice each. Make sure the rice is not overcooked and the grains are separate after cooking. A few drops of oil helps keep the grains separate, and a few drops of lemon juice helps maintain the white color of the rice. When the rice is cooked just right, drain excess water.
In another container, bring water to a boil, add salt to taste as well as a few drops of oil. Add the lentils. Boil, making sure it is not overly cooked. Drain excess water. Please note that these lentils cook very fast and you don’t want it to get mushy.
Heat oil, deep fry the onions until golden brown. The onions may be caramelized instead, as a substitute of deep frying. Though, I always use the deep fried onions, and haven't tried the caramelized onion option yet. In case you deep fry it, make sure that these are nice golden brown (as shown in picture). Either way - deep fried/caramelized –onion, when mixed with rice and lentils will give a very flavorful, distinctive taste.
Mix the cooked rice, lentils, and fried onions in a container. Sprinkle white pepper and add lemon juice. Mix well. A bit of olive oil may be drizzled in the end, in case the rice looks a bit dry.

This is recipe 24 of 30 :)

Yogurt Mint Sauce

2009-12-30T23:55:00.000-08:00

Yogurt Mint Sauce is a simple and delicious part of the Mediterranean cuisine and goes well with falafel sandwich.

This is recipe 23 of 30 :)

Tabouleh

2009-12-30T18:30:00.000-08:00

Tabouleh is part of the Mediterranean cuisine. Its a medley of various herbs, and tomatoes and couscous, dressed in olilve oil and lemon. The final product is one of the finest among various salads.

This is recipe 22 of 30 :)

Hummus

2009-12-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

The next few recipes that I will be posting are part of the Mediterranean cuisine - one of my favorite cuisines.

Hummus is an integral part of the mediterranean cuisine and is also one of my favorites. Hummus can be had with pita bread, a regular bread, on a bagel, and lots of different ways. Also, it can be made with a lot of different variations.

This is recipe 21 of 30 :)

Recipe:

Garbanzo beans - 2 1/2 cups

Tahini - 3-4 tablespoon

Olive oil - 2 tablespoons

Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons

Garlic - 4 cloves (roasting is optional)

Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Water - as necessary (no more than 1/2 cup)

Soak garbanzo beans overnight (or use canned garbanzo beans, for which, no soaking required). If using fresh, add some salt and pressure cook until soft.
Puree the garbanzo beans in a blender, gradually adding, tahini paste (available in most grocery stores), peeled garlic, coriander powder, salt (if needed), lemon juice, and water, one after the other. The mixture can be made either very smooth or a little coarse.
Remove it in a bowl, add olive oil, mix.

Thai Yellow Curry

2009-12-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

The reason I call this curry a yellow curry is because, when I make it, it is a shade of yellow and then I add a bit of turmeric to make it proper yellow :) I do combine ingredients from different thai curries and so what I made might not be exactly a yellow curry.. well lets call it grelllow curry (a combination of green, red, and yellow :) ) But whatever it is, I really like it and so presenting the way I make it. I generally make it with coconut rice (forgot to take a picture of the rice and now its all gone :) )

This is recipe 20 of 30 :)

Recipe:

Coconut milk - 2 cups

Baby corn - 1/2 can

Mushrooms - 10-15

Basil - 1/2 bunch

Soya sauce - 1/2 teaspoon

Cornflour - 1 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Yellow food color - 1/8 teaspoon (optional)

For the curry paste:

Dry red chillies - 4 (adjust quantity to desired taste)

Lemon grass - 2 stalks

Onion - 1

Garlic - 2 cloves

Ginger - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon

Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon

Make the curry paste by grinding all the ingredients listed under curry paste.
Heat oil, add the curry paste, saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add coconut milk, soya sauce, baby corn, mushrooms, and turmeric powder. A bit of food color can be added to make it yellower. Let it simmer for about 8 minutes.
Add finely chopped basil leaves and salt. Let it simmer for few more minutes.
Serve hot.

Pad Thai

2009-12-30T01:48:00.000-08:00

Pad Thai can be made many different ways as also a lot of different varieties of vegetables can be used. The following is how I made it.

This is recipe 19 of 30 :)

Recipe:

Rice noodles - 1 pack

Baby corn - 15 oz.

Crimini mushrooms - about 15

Bean Sprouts - 3 cups

Shallots/Onion - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 4 cloves

Roasted peanuts - 3/4 cup

Oil - 3 tablespoons

Cilantro - 1/4 cup

Vegetable bullion - 1 cube

Salt - to taste

Water for boiling the noodles as well as for the vegetable stock

Lemon - 1

For Pad Thai Sauce:

Tamarind paste - 1 tablespoon

Sugar - 2 teaspoons

Soya sauce - 2 tablespoons

Green chillies or chili sauce - 1 tablespoon

Sugar - 2 tablespoons

Cook the pad thai noodles in boiling water, until al dente.
Prepare pad thai sauce by mixing the sauce ingredients listed above. Whisk it for a minute.
Prepare stock by dissolving the vegetable bullion in a cup of boiling water.
Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic, shallots/onion. Stir fry for about a minute.
Add baby corn, mushrooms, vegetable stock. Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
Add the noodles. Gradually pour the pad thai sauce over it, continue to stir fry for 2-3 more minutes.
Add bean sprouts and stir fry about 2-3 more minutes.
Serve hot, topped with finely chopped cilantro, roasted peanuts. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Crunchy Green Salad with Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

2009-12-29T18:17:00.000-08:00

This salad makes eating greens a lot more fun!

This is recipe 18 of 30:)

For the salad:

Mixed greens - 3 cups

Cherry tomatoes - 12

Feta cheese - 2 tablespoons, crumbled

Walnuts - 1/4 cup

For the dressing:

Olive oil - 1/2 cup

Balsamic vinegar - 2 tablespoons

Basil - 5-6 leaves

Garlic - 2 cloves

Parmesan cheese - 1/2 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Dried oregano (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Roast garlic using a few drops of oil.
In a blender, combine basil, roasted garlic, parmesan cheese, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Gradually add olive oil and blend it. Add oregano.
Combine all the greens. Top it with walnut and feta cheese. Add the dressing prepared above. The extra dressing can be saved in the refrigerator for future use.

Mulligatawny Soup

2009-12-28T14:07:00.000-08:00

It is a hearty, healthy soup from Southern India. I love the unique combination of lentils with Indian spices, green apple, and radish, all simmered in coconut milk.

This is recipe 17 of 30 :)

Recipe:

Split pigeon peas (toor dal): 6 tablespoons

Green apple - 1

Carrot - 1

Red radish - 5, small

Onion - 1 small, finely chopped

Garlic - 2 cloves

Ginger - 1/2" piece

Bay leaves - 2

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Coconut milk - 2 cups

Tamarind paste - 2 tablespoon

Ghee/butter - 1 tablespoon

Water - 2-3 cups

Vegetable bullion - 1 cube

Boil split pigeon peas in a pressure cooker, adding salt and turmeric powder. Puree boiled split peas in a blender.
Grate carrot, red radish, finely chop onion, dice green apple. Mince ginger and garlic.
Heat ghee/butter. Add bay leaves. Add garlic, ginger, onion at intervals of 30 seconds each. Saute for about 3 minutes.
Add carrots, radish. saute for a few minutes, Add green apple.
Dissolve vegetable stock cube in 1 cup boiling water. Add it to the veggies. Add red chilli, cumin and garam masala powder.
Add coconut milk, pureed lentils, and tamarind paste. Add about 2-3 cups of water, based on the desired consistency. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Serve hot!

Masala Dal

2009-12-27T17:39:00.000-08:00

If you have ever traveled by train in India, the above picture would make you nostalgic :) One of the primary reasons I like to travel by train in India is all the yummy food available to buy, each time the train stops at a station.

This is recipe 16 of 30 and one of my favorites too :)

Recipe:

Bengal gram (Chana dal) - 2 cups

Oil - for frying

Black salt - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Regular salt - to taste

Chaat masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Fresh lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Cilantro - 1/2 cup, very finely chopped

Green chillies - 2 finely chopped

Red onion - 1, very finely chopped

Raw mango - 1/2, diced

Soak Dal in water, overnight. Drain.
Heat oil. Fry Dal on high heat. Be very careful when frying. Only try with small quantity first. The oil tends to rise when dal is added. Be extra careful. Fry until the Dal is crisp.
Add black salt, regular salt, chaat masala, red chilli powder.
When serving add cilantro, onion, raw mango, green chillies, and lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Missi Roti

2009-12-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

Missi Roti is a North Indian style bread. What makes it interesting and delicious is the combination of ingredients that go into it. It tastes great with Sarson Ka Saag.

This is recipe 15 of 30 :)

Recipe:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Gram flour (besan) - 1 cup

Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped

Green chili - 1, finely chopped

Cilantro - 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Pomegranate seeds - 1 1/2 tablespoons

Chaat masala - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Ghee/Oil/Butter - 2 tablespoons

Knead slightly stiff dough using all the above ingredients. Use warm water for kneading the dough.
Put it aside for an hour.
When making rotis, re-knead dough. Divide dough into equal parts.
Roll it into a circle shaped roti. Due to the use of gram flour, the dough would be very sticky and so it is ok not to roll into very thin rotis. Once the roti is rolled, use a sharp object like knife, slowly running it below the roti, so that when lifting it to put onto the griddle, the roti doesn't break.
Heat a griddle, put roti onto it. Cook on medium heat. Bursh it with ghee/oil/butter on both the sides while cooking. Cook it until golden brown on both sides.
Serve hot.

Sarson Ka Saag

2009-12-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

Sarson Ka Saag is a specialty from Northern part of India. I used 3 different kind of green leafy vegetables in making this. Sarson (Mustard leaves) is generally bitter in taste and so I try to balance off the bitterness by using Spinach leaves. Feel free to change the proportion of the Mustard, Spinach and Fenugreek leaves and the taste will still be great, as the combination of these vegetables is really nice. This recipe generally contains little spices and you can actually taste the greens prominently. Or thats at least how I make it.

This is recipe 14 of 30 :) There are about 8-9 items in the queue, which I have made, but are waiting to be blogged :) Will do so soon.

Recipe:

Mustard leaves - 3/4 bunch (substitute with Broccoli rabe if Mustard leaves not available)

Spinach leaves - 1 bunch

Fenugreek leaves - 1/4 bunch

Oninon - 1, medium

Ginger - 1/2" piece

Garlic - 2-3 cloves

Green chilly - 1

Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Baking soda - a pinch

Cornmeal - 2 teaspoons

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) - 50 grams (optional)

Wash all the green leafy vegetables and roughly chop it.
Peel and finely chop onions, mince ginger, garlic, and green chilli.
Heat water and add a pinch of baking soda. Add the green leafy vegetables and bring it to a boil. After that, simmer it for 5-7 minutes.
Remove from heat and instantly put the greens in a container filled with water and ice. The use of baking soda as well as putting the greens in a container filled with cold water is to maintain the rich green color of the veggies.
Grind the greens into a smooth paste.
Heat oil, add garlic, followed by ginger, green chillies, onions, each at an interval of about 30 seconds to a minute. Saute for about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garam masala, salt, turmeric powder. Let it simmer 2 minutes.
Add the cornmeal to half a cup of cold water and make a smooth paste. Add it to the gravy. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
Add the green vegetable paste and simmer it for 5-7 minutes.
Cut the paneer into cubes and add it to the saag. Remove from heat.
Serve hot.

Cioccolata Calda - Italian Hot Chocolate

2009-12-25T22:52:00.000-08:00

This, the spirit of Christmas, that forever and ever endures. May it leave its richest blessing in the hearts of you and yours! May the warmth of love and family fill your homes this holiday season!

During this special season, here is a special recipe to keep you warm! Ciccolata Calda - the Italian Hot Chocolate! Very simple to make and once you try this, you will not go back to the regular hot chocolate.

Recipe:

Bitter sweet chocolate - 1 bar ~ 100gms or higher. I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao

Milk - 2 cups

Sugar - 2 teaspoons

Corn starch - 2 teapoons

Heat 1 cup of milk in a non-stick pan on a medium heat. Add chocolate bar. Keep stirring until the chocolate melts.
Add the remaining milk, and continue the stir the whole time.
Dissolve corn starch in some milk, and add it. Stir the mixture until it is very thick - about 10-15 minutes. The consistency would be 3-4 times thicker than what you started with.
Serve hot!

Bombay Pav Bhaji

2009-12-24T00:49:00.000-08:00

Simply put, Pav Bhaji is a sizzling medley of veggies, simmered in various spices, and dollops of butter! Bombay street Pav Bhaji is supposed to be the best of all! This is a recipe given by a friend who grew up in Bombay (now Mumbai, but am not changing the name of the recipe :)) .

Oh by the way, did you recognize the Pav in the picture? Yes, it's none other than the dinner rolls I made :)

This is recipe 12 of 30 :)

Am pasting the recipe as given by my friend, except for a few, minor changes. Try to keep the recipe as close to this to get the real Bombay Pav Bhaji taste. Please note that using tomato sauce, Badshah Pav Bhaji masala is the key here.

Recipe (severs 6-8 people):

Potatoes - 4

Cauliflower - 1/2

Bell pepper - 1

Onion - 1 1/2

Carrots - 3

Peas - 1 cup

Tomato sauce - 1 can (try not to replace it by paste)

Garlic - 4 flakes

Ginger - 3/4"

Cilantro - 1/2 cup

Pav bhaji masala - 2-3 teaspoon (Badshah brand preferable)

Chilli powder - 2 teaspoon (I use deggi mirch)

Butter - 3 tablespoons

Boil all veggies except onions. Mash it.
Shallow fry onions in butter, add garlic, ginger & cilantro for about 6-7 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, saute until oil separates. Add Pav Bhaji masala and chilli powder Add mashed veggies. bring to a boil. You can add water depending upon the consistency you like.
Toast the Pav (dinner rolls) either on a skillet or in a toaster oven, adding some butter
Serve hot with a dollop of butter and Pav.

Dinner Rolls

2009-12-23T01:15:00.000-08:00

The joy and aroma of baking bread at home surpasses all the effort it takes to do so! This is my first time baking a bread. My nephew was very enthusiastic about helping me it was great fun baking the bread with him.

Recipe (makes about 18 dinner rolls):

All purpose flour - 6 cups

Yeast - 1 1/2 packet (I used dry yeast)

Egg replacer - 1 1/2 tablespoon, dissolved in water (see my note regarding this)

Milk - 2 cups

Butter - 2 tablespoons

Sugar - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Water - 1 cup

Warm about 1/2 cup of water for 20 seconds. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and dissolve it. Add yeast. Keep it aside for 10 minutes, the yeast will gradually rise.
Dissolve 1 1/2 tablespoon of egg replacer in 1/3 cup of water. I am not sure if using eggs or egg replacer is necessary for this recipe. Next time, I am going to try it without the egg replacer.
Warm milk and add butter to it, stir until the butter is dissolved.
Mix the flour, dissolved yeast, egg replacer, salt, milk, salt and knead it into a dough. The dough might be bit sticky, but it's okay. When you continue kneading it for a few minutes, it will become smoother. Knead dough for about 12-15 minutes. Keep it aside for about 12 hours. I used it within 1 1/2 hours and the result was still good. But longer the duration, the better.
When ready for baking, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Re-knead dough and roll it out into 2 squares. Cut each into 9 pieces and form balls.
Line the baking sheet with foil. Grease it with little oil. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart. Transfer the baking sheet to oven once the oven is pre-heated. Bake it for 25-30 minutes. Turn the oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes, but keep a close eye while the oven is on broil, so that the bread rolls are not too darkened.

Enjoy hot and fresh, right out of the oven!

Cream of Carrot, Fennel, and Orange Soup

2009-12-22T01:16:00.000-08:00

I used Fennel for the first time in my cooking and it turned out to be a very refreshing addition to the soup.

Before I was leaving for a dinner, my nephew asked me if I could make something nice as his friend was coming over for dinner. I literally had less than half an hour and I had never made this soup before. He also offered help and so both, my niece and nephew helped me with lots of little things and more than anything else, kept me company while I made the soup. They are the sweetest! We completed making it in less than half an hour! It is a very simple recipe and definitely worth a try, hence posting the recipe for those friends who want to make it. Everyone in my family loved it.

Recipe (serves 6 people):

Carrots - 4, large, skinned and chopped

Fennel bulb - 1, medium, thinly sliced (this soup calls for fennel bulb only and not the green stalks)

Orange juice - 1/2 cup

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Heavy cream - 1 cup (can be substituted by sour cream or milk)

Garlic - 1 clove, finely chopped

Butter - 1 tablespoon

Vegetable bullion - 1 cube

Water - 7 cups

Heat butter, add sliced fennel. Stir for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, stirring again for another 2 minutes. Add carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes
Add 6 cups of water. Add the vegetable stock cube in 1 cup of boiling water and dissolve it. Fresh stock can be used instead of the cube, if available. Add this to the vegetables and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let this cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are cooked.
Remove from heat, puree it in a blender.
Heat soup. Add orange juice and heavy cream. As I mentioned, the heavy cream can be substituted by sour cream or milk. If substituting by milk, then you might need to add some corn starch mixture to make the soup thicker. Remove from heat after 2-3 minutes.
Garnish it with fennel leaves. Serve hot.

Vegetable Dum Biryani

2009-12-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite recipes. It has an elaborate process but not that difficult to make and tastes great. This past weekend, I made it at a Cooking Party hosted by a friend and had lots of fun making it.

This is recipe # 9 of 30 :)

Crispy Hash Browns

2009-12-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

Not the most photogenic of all, nevertheless, yummy to the core! The other day me and my family were out until late on a weekday night and on our way back, got hungry for a midnight snack and I got this bright idea of making hash browns at home for the first time. Of course one can't go wrong with anything prepared with potatoes. Surely enough the 3-4 batches I made were gone in no time, so much so that I didn't get a chance to click a picture for the blog :) Hence, I made it one more time just for blogging, and now who needs a reason to make hash browns anyways :)

Recipe (makes 4 batches):

Russet baking potatoes - 4 large sized

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Black salt - to taste (optional)

Peel and grate the potatoes. I used a food processor to grate the potatoes. Squeeze out the excess moisture. Soak excess moisture with the paper towel.The key is, the moisture should be gone from the potatoes to make it crisp.
Heat some oil in a saute pan. Add the grated potatoes spreading them out at the bottom of the pan such that it is a thin single layer of potatoes. Sprinkle the regular and the black salt as well as pepper. The black salt was my addition to the recipe and I liked the taste. But if you are not a fan, you can skip it.
After one side of the potatoes has become crispy, golden brown, turn it upside down. Try to flip the potatoes all at once, but if you are not able to flip all at once, don't worry as it will still have the same yummy taste :) Cook on the other side until it is crispy, golden brown.

This is a very quick recipe and the preparation time is less than 10 minutes. Use multiple pans simultaneously so that you can cook multiple batches at the same time.

Chilled Raspberry Soup

2009-12-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

I had this soup when I went on a cruise, a couple of years ago. Instantly, I fell in love with the taste. It had been on my mind to try making it for a long time. I searched the internet and got several different recipes. I did not follow one complete recipe but combined a few and then changed the proportions based on what I liked. The result was Y-U-M-M-Y!!! Did it compare to the one I had on the cruise? Well, I don't know as I only have the memories of how I loved it, but don't exactly remember the taste.

Certain recipes I looked at called for using sour cream and certain others called for heavy cream. Instead of using either one, I used a combination of both. I see some eye brows going up - well, if you think its too much fat then try it with some other variations like milk or yogurt etc and let me know of the taste so that others who want to try a variation can do so, after knowing how it tastes.

I was thinking of what to use for garnishing the soup and thought about using a mint leaf. While doing so I happened to try a mint leaf and the soup around the same time - and voila!!! The soup tasted so much yummier with mint leaf. So, a suggestion for garnishing, chop a few mint leaves very finely and add it to the soup. Not too much, but just may be a quarter teaspoon of mint leaves enhances the taste of the soup so much more!

Recipe (serves 6 people):

Raspberry - 20 oz. (fresh or frozen)

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Sour cream - 3/4 cup

Heavy cream - 3/4 cup

Raspberry or Cranberry juice - 1 cup (I used a combination of Raspberry-Crabnerry juice)

Lemon juice - 2 teaspoons

Mint - few sprigs, very finely chopped

Using a blender, puree the raspberries. Use the raspberry/cranbery juice while blending.
Fold in the sour cream and heavy cream. Add sugar, lemon juice. Mix well. Refrigerate.
Serve chilled. Garnish with heavy cream, very finely chopped mint leaves.

Chilled Raspberry Soup - Although an appetizer, it's almost like a dessert in disguise!

Dahi Bhalle

2009-12-16T01:07:00.000-08:00

Dahi bhalle aka Dahi wadas, one of the members of Chaat family - so very tasty, yet so simple to make. It is one of the easiest recipes and takes little time to make.

This is recipe # 6 of 30 :)

Recipe (Makes about 12 mid-size bhalle):

Urad daal (skinned and split black lentils) - 1 cup

Moong daal (skinned and split moong beans) - 1/4 cup

Green chilli - 1

Ginger - 1" piece

Salt - to taste

Oil - for frying

Yogurt - 1 1/2 quarts

Powdered black salt (sanchar) - 1/2 tablespoon

Red chilli powder - to taste

Cumin (roasted and then ground) - 1 tablespoon

Cilantro - few sprigs, finely chopped

Chaat masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Tamarind chutney - 1/2 cup (optional)

Soak both the daals overnight
Grind the soaked daals coarsely, along with green chillies, ginger and salt. Add little water if needed. For the above quantity, about 1/2 cup water should be enough. Add 1 tablespoon of warm oil to the batter.
The key to making soft wadas is to whisk the batter in one direction for at least 5-10 minutes. This would create a fluff in the texture.
Heat oil for frying. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter in oil. Fry until golden brown. Given that the mixture is made of daal, its important for it to fry enough so that the daal is cooked.
Once the wadas are fried, put these in a container full of water for about half an hour. Take the wadas out and squeeze excess water.
Add the chaat masala powder (optional) and powdered black salt (sanchar) to the yogurt. Whisk it until the consistency is very smooth. Refrigerate.
When serving, put wadas on plate, add the whisked, chilled yogurt. Add a teaspoonful of tamarind chutney (optional) and garnish with the roasted cumin powder, chilli powder and finely chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Lasooni Daal Palak

2009-12-11T01:06:00.000-08:00

A dish combining the goodness of greens and proteins. I generally prepare lasooni daal palakcombining 4 different kinds of lentils. It tastes great with plain rice, jeera rice, paratha, roti or just aboutanything. Love the combination of ginger, garlic, spinach and lentils!

This is recipe # 5 of 30 J

Malai Kofta

2009-12-07T00:28:00.000-08:00

This is one is my favorite food items. The recipe has evolved over a few years;trying something different each time I make it. Generally I make Malai Koftaswith Garlic Naan.

This is recipe # 4 of 30 J

Initially when I started this blog, the idea was to photoblog the food items that I prepare. I wasn’t planning on typing all therecipes. But I have gotquite a few requests from friends for several recipes, and so I will type it upas and when I get time and will be updating under each blog post. But please be patient with that – I assureyou, I will update all the requested recipes as and when I get time to writethese down.

Garlic Naan

2009-12-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

A semi-tandoori version, as I don’t own a tandoor, butnevertheless, a naan made from scratch.

I love making naan as much I love eating it :). There are different ways of making naan. In the absence of a tandoor, it can bemade either on a stove-top or in an oven. I like to make it on stove-top,using a thick bottomed stock pot or a pressure cooker and inverting the vessel onthe stove top, as and when needed. It allowsthe naan to be cooked using direct as well as indirect heat. This comes closest to the tandoori naanversion.

This is recipe # 3 of 30.. Yes, still a long way to go tomeet my challenge of 30 recipes by the year-end :)

In case anyone wants the recipe, please ping me and I willtype it up and update the post.

Vegetable Sweet Corn Soup and Nostalgia Revisited

2009-11-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

Thinking of Vegetable sweet corn soup at once brings backthe memories of growing up in India. Lot of the restaurants there used to serve this soup prior to the maincourse meal.

Couple of years ago, my friend Rupal gave me this recipe andvoila it brought back my childhood memories. With this particular recipe, the soup tastes exactly likethe one we used to get in some of my favorite restaurants. A hearty soup, so simple and easy tomake, you will instantly fall in love with it!

Preparation plus cooking time is about 30 minutes and it tastesbest when seasoned with soya sauce, green chilies dipped in vinegar and freshlyground black pepper.

Soft Pretzels with Jalapeño and Garlic

2009-11-25T16:07:00.000-08:00

Here goes the first recipe..

This was my first time making pretzels at home and the result was oh-so-yummy. Though, the picture did not come out that great.

Soft Pretzels are my favorite snacks and never knew making 'em at home would be so easy. I made these from scratch last evening, and it's lot easier than it looks. The prep time is about 30 minutes, given the kneading and rolling and all that extra attention deserved by this yummy snack, and the cooking time is about 20 minutes - but it was worth every moment and effort spent making it!

I made 2 different kinds - one with garlic and one with jalapeño. My niece and nephew and everyone else in my family absolutely loved it. My niece helped by kneading the dough and my nephew - well he gave moral support by sitting there and watching me roll the pretzels and when I thought it wasn't gonna work out, he encouraged me by saying 'Sonufoi, you're doing good'!

Hot out of the oven, gone in no time - this recipe is a keeper!

Update: Recipe posted below, upon request.

I am not a good writer, so please pardon any errors in describing the pretzel making process. One thing I can assure you is, these are a lot easier to make than it sounds from the recipe below.

To make 8 pretzels:
All-purpose flour - 5 cups

Salt - to taste

Yeast (I used dry yeast – 2 packets)

Butter – 2 table spoons

Parchment paper
Optional ingredients:

Kosher salt – to taste

Garlic – 6 cloves

Jalapeño - 2, cut into rings

Warm about ¼ cup of water for 15 seconds. Add a teaspoon of sugar and dissolve it. Add yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Knead dough using warm water and yeast. Key is to knead the dough for at least 10-12 minutes to make it smooth. Oil a container and put the dough away in it for an hour or more. I usually warm the oven slightly – for about a minute or so to put the dough so that it rises quickly. Turn off the oven before you put the dough in it.
After an hour (or more), re-knead the dough for about a minute. Make 8 parts from this dough. Pre-heat the oven up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the dough (about 2 feet each long) on a flat surface, using little flour if needed. Shape it into a pretzel by making a heart shape and crossing over each end. Keep it aside on a surface, which is oiled a little bit until you have rolled out all the pretzels.
Line the baking trays with the parchment paper. Be careful using the parchment paper in the oven.
Warm about 1 cup of water, add a teaspoon of sugar in it and dissolve. Dip each pretzel in this warm water before putting it on the baking tray.
Warm 2 tablespoons of butter. Brush each pretzel with butter (multiple times from now until the pretzels are baked).
Sprinkle kosher salt on the pretzel. Also, add either minced garlic or Jalapeño rings on the pretzels, unless you like it plain.
Put the trays in the pre-heated oven. If you have trays on 2 different levels in the oven, switch the trays to the other level after about 8 minutes. From then on, check the pretzels after about every 3 minutes until these are done. Total bake time should be about 20 minutes, varies depending upon the oven.
Put the oven on broil for the last 1-2 minutes, but keep a close eye on the pretzels when you do that, checking every 30 seconds.
Once the pretzels are out of the oven, brush these one more time with melted butter.

The pretzels taste yummy hot out of the oven and dipped in mustard.

Cooking Marathon - 30 recipes by the year-end - challenge!

2009-11-25T02:22:00.000-08:00

I have a passion for cooking, but lately haven't had much time to do so. Hence now that when I got some holidays at work, I decided to challenge myself to cook 30 different recipes by year-end and possibly photo-blog it.

Yes, it's an inspiration from the movie Julie & Julia that I watched a few months ago, as also an inspiration from the Food Network TV shows that I watch once in a while. My niece and nephew have also been an inspiration to me in taking this challenge. Why 30 you might ask - well, its a high enough goal to achieve in little over a month for someone who hasn't done much cooking in long time, but at the same time, it's also an achievable target…or so I think!

I will be uploading the pictures of the food items as and when I cook these, though not the recipes. In case you want any of the recipes, drop me an email and I'll do my best to type it up and send it across - though that will require some patience on your side :)

Some of the recipes will be simple and some not-so-simple. It will include anything from appetizers to entrees to main-course to desserts to drinks.

So, Bon Appétit everyone - well, to your eyes at least :) . Oh, and all my friends are more than welcome to visit my home for tasting any of these food items :)