Popular Recipes

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

"Aroma from a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest Name:Narendra Vaidya)-Sweet corn and Roasted Poblano soup in a Bread Bowl with chopped Scallions and Chipotle lime sour cream

Today's Guest: Narendra Vaidya
Naren and I studied in the same college in Pune,India.But the weird part is, even being in the same college, we did not know each other then.Then after about 10 years, we get in touch with each other due to....GUESS WHAT??
YES.....LOVE OF FOOD!!!!
It has been great reconnecting with Naren and sharing and learning new recipes from him!
Recipe Naren Shared:
Sweet corn and Roasted Poblano soup in a Bread Bowl with chopped Scallions and Chipotle lime sour cream



Here is the recipe in his own words:
I was always a huge fan of the sweet corn soup we get in India. A few days back I came home from work and felt like eating a soup. Just made up this recipe by myself,(my fiancee was away in Boston) so I was not worried even if it turned out bad, I was the only one eating it anyway. So here it goes...

Ingredients:
2 poblano peppers , roasted, deseeded and diced
1-1/2 bag of corn kernel, store brand works just fine.
3 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup water
1/2 th cup half and half
about 1-1/2 cups of milk
2 tablespoon oil
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 medium onion diced
chopped scallions
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 table spoon lemon juice
About a 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or buy dried chipotle (smoked jalapenos) and run them through a blender
Bread boule/bowl ( find them in the bakery section of the store) - if you are lucky you might find flavored ones, like rosemary-garlic or Parmesan
Salt and black pepper according to taste

Method:
1) Heat oil in a pot and add ginger and garlic to it

2) Let it cook for a while then throw in the onions

3) In the meantime, roast the poblano peppers in a pan with little bit of oil

4) After the onions are translucent add the corn, water and the vegetable broth

5) Let it cook for a few minutes, in the mean time deseed the peppers and dice them

6) Add the poblano peppers,half and half and milk

7) Bring the soup to a boil, after 2-3 minutes turn off the heat, boil for a bit longer if a thicker consistency is desired

8) Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree this mixture

9) Move it back to the pot, turn on the heat to a low setting to keep it warm

10) Add salt and black pepper, keep in mind that the broth has salt in it so taste before you add anymore salt

11) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

12) Carve out bread bowls out of the bread boules using a bread knife (sounds funny when you say it out loud....)

13) Stick these bread bowls in the oven with the carved out pieces of bread for about 8 minutes, depends on the kind of oven though, if you have a fairly new oven it might need less time.

14) The bowls should be warm and a bit crispy/crunchy on the outside

15) In the meantime, while the bread is warming, instead of flipping aimlessly through TV channels, chops some scallions for garnish

16) Also, mix the sour cream, chipotle powder, lemon juice and lemon zest into a smooth paste (a fork works well for this)

17) To serve, ladle the soup in the bread bowls, garnish with chopped scallions and a few dollops of the chipotle-lemon sour cream

Enjoy!!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

"Sweet Treats"- Mango Basbousa (Egyptian semolina cakes soaked in sugar syrup)


22nd April is M's Birthday. Every year I bake him a birthday cake...almost for as long as we have known each other as friends and then as husband and wife. Even last year, when I was in India, before I left for the trip...I had baked and frozen a birthday cake for him.This year it was different though.Because of the pregnancy nausea and aversion towards cakes and pastries I couldn't bake him the 'normal' birthday cake....
I baked him one of his favorite desserts....which happen to resemble 'Cake' (more like Egg less Rava Cake made in India) It is called 'Basbousa'. I usually bake this one 'plain' or with vanilla, but this time I made it 'extra' special by adding 'Mango' and of course...tons of love :)



For the Cake:
1 and 1/4 cup Semolina/Rava
1/4 cup All Purpose flour
1/2 cup Yogurt
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2tbsp powdered  sugar (add more if not sweet enough,after adding Mango)
1 and 1/2 cup Kesar/ Alphonso Mango puree (I used the the 'Swad' canned one)
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Almonds for garnishing

For the Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2tsp lemon juice
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
Boil water,sugar,lemon juice,together for 10-15 mins.Keep aside

Method:
1) Mix together melted butter,semolina,yogurt,Mango puree,all purpose flour.Keep aside for 1/2 hour
2) Add sugar,baking soda,baking powder,salt,lemon juice and mix together into smooth batter(Consistency like cake batter) Add little water if necessary.
3) Garnish with sliced almonds and bake at 350F for 40-45 mins.
4) Pour warm syrup over hot cake evenly.Let soak for 15-20 mins.Cut into classic 'diamond' shapes of Basbousa or into wedges like a pie.


5) Enjoy hot/warm/cold!
6) You can also bake them in aluminum cup liners in muffin pans...to make individual servings.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

"Appetizers"- Sabudana vada/ Fried Sago+potato balls

100th Post on the blog!
I cannot believe it, this will be my 100th post on the blog! From September 2009 to April 2010, it has been a fabulous experience so far. Hope you all enjoy it, as much as I do putting it together!

Sabudana Vada
One more Maharashtrian favorite, and ofcourse mine too!!! Sabudana/Sago vadas are made mainly during 'Religious fasting' in Maharashtra (similar to the Sago Khichadi).... but Come On.....who needs an occassion to savor such a yummy dish???
Not me atleast!!!
Sago vadas are famous as 'Religious' food, are famous on the fast food stalls and cafeterias everywhere.

I have a little story/ experience about the vadas ....

When I was about 16 years old, my mom prepared the 'dough' for the vadas and then went to work.She asked me to just  fry them and eat whenever I wanted. I was very 'carefull cook' then, but don't know, how it happened.....the sago in the vadas spluttered in the hot oil and few drops of hot oil came straight on my neck....I had few burn marks on my neck.I was sooooooo scared :(
After that, my mom did not make the vadas for quite a while and needless to say..I wasn't allowed near hot oil anymore!
I have made the vadas countless times after that but....and nothing happened...but just a warning.....move away from the pan when frying these....



Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sago
1 big boiled potato peeled and mashed
3-4 green chillies or 1tsp Chili powder
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/4cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup Peanut powder/ ground up peanuts
Salt
Oil for frying

For Cilantro Chutney:
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/4cup fresh coconut
1/4tsp cumin seeds
1/4tsp ginger paste
2-3 green chilies
salt
sugar to taste
Few drops of lemon juice to preserve the green color of the chutney.
Finely grind all the above into smooth paste.Sqeeze few drops of lemon, mix. Store in refrigerator.

Method:
1) Wash sago thrice in cold water.Drain. Add enough water to cover the sago and let it soak overnight or atleast 5 hours.The sago should fluff up.
2) Mix together soaked sago, mashed boiled potato, peanut powder, finely chopped green chilies, cumin, salt and form into a dough.Make small balls and slightly flatten them with squeeze in the hand.


3) Deep fry in hot oil, over medium heat, till golden brown and crispy on the outside.
4) Serve hot along with cilantro chutney or yogurt.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

"Appetizers"- Bakarwadi...Chitale Bandhu isstyle!


Nothing says more 'Puneri' (localite from Pune,Maharashtra,India) than a fan of 'Chitale Bandhu Bakarwadi'!
Chitale is this famous sweet mart in Pune.They have amazing desserts and maharashtrian snacks is countless varieties. When you visit their shop, you almost should spare a good 1/2 hour, because you might find a big queue ahead of you! They are particularly famous for 'Bakarwadi', which are kind of spicy,tangy, crispy rolls.
Since these days all my cravings go straight back to home...I was craving these wadis like crazy, the other day.But here in Ithaca, there isn't a way to get the wadis till you travel 3-4 hrs  to Subzi Mandi in New Jersey. As it is rightly said, "Necessity is the mother of Invention".....I set out to ...well not to invent ....but give it a try myself and make the Bakarwadis at home!! They were 'semi- succesfull', but they surely did satisfy my craving for few days as I was munching on these crispy wadis!!


Ingredients:
For the Filling:

1/2 cup dry roasted grated coconut
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1/4cup Thin sev
1tsp Goda masala (maharashtrian curry powder)
1/2tsp garam masala
1/2tsp tamarind extract ( or use tamarind-jaggery chutney)
1tsp sugar (you can add more)
1/2tsp chili powder (depends on how spicy you want)
salt

For the outer roll:
1cup All purpose flour
1tbsp gram flour
1/2tsp ajwain/owa seeds
salt
1-2tsp oil
water
Oil for frying

Method:
1) Mix together all the ingredients of the filling and keep separately. It looks kind of coarse and dry.
2) Make a 'hard' dough with all purpose flour,gram flour, salt, oil and water.
3) Roll the dough into a 'chapati'.
4) Spread the coconut filling in thin layer over the chapati


5) Roll the chapati tightly into a roll and seal the edges with little water.

6) Cut the roll horizontally


7) Deep fry the rolls gently, without much 'agitation', on low to medium heat,till golden brown.
8) Drain welland store in airtight container.
Bite into these spicy, tangy, crispy rolls along with your cup of hot tea!

Problems I faced when making Bakarwadis: The semi succesfull attempt
1) Loose rolls
Solution: Roll the chapati as tightly as possible to get perfect wadis
2) Filling came out in oil
Solution: My mom suggested using some thick sugar syrup in the filling to help make it stick in the chapati.
another option isto make thick tamarind jaggery chutney and spread it on the chapati, before spreading the filling.
3) Rolls opening up when frying
Solution: Don't cut the rolls all the way through.Fry 5-6 wadis stuck together in oil and then separate them once out of the oil.

The next time I try these....they should surely be a winner!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

"Sweet Treats"- Nankatai ( Indian sugar-butter cookies)




So far through the pregnancy, I have craved the foods that we made and used to get in India. All the tempting chaats, mouthwatering spicy- tangy dishes and some(few) Indian sweets and desserts. Nankatai was one of my favorite cookies as a child. And it happens to be 'M''s too ( as a kid , he called those 'Nankati- taai'  cookies...LOL!!) So few years ago, when M's parents visited us here in USA, M's mom taught me this recipe. It was so easy , quick and gave us the taste of 'Nankatai' here in USA....  away from India. Like parents-like son......'E' loved the 'Nankatta cookies' (as he calls them) and munched on them throughout the day!
Nankatai has a sugar- butter- flour base and then you can jazz it up with whatever nuts and flavors you want. But a typical nankatai will be ' creamish white' in color and may or maynot have any nuts. When you bite into this blissfull cookie it just melts in your mouth....

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour ( approx)
1tsp vanilla essence
1tsp baking powder
Nuts like Cashews, Almonds, chopped Pistachios

Method:
1) Fold room temp butter till very smooth.No lumps should be seen.
2) Mix powdered sugar,vanilla essence
3) Add the all purpose flour(mixed with baking powder) spoon by spoon, to make a smooth dough.Use only as much needed to make smooth dough.
4) Roll into small balls (about size of a 'Pedha' )
5) Garnish with the nuts.Or make a 'grid' or 'Tictactoe' like design on top of the cookie with a knife and garnish with pistachios.
6) Preheat the oven to 250F. Place the nankatai on cookie sheet with some space between each of them.They will 'spread' will baking.
Bake at 250 F for 20 mins. Watch out! They will burn from the bottom easily.You don't want to darken them.
7) Makes about 40 Nankatais.Store in airtight container.
Enjoy this buttery-sugary..'Melt-in- your-mouth' cookie with a cup of hot tea/ coffee

I am back!!!


Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the Spring….good weather...sunshine…new blossoms…daffodils, sprouting of tender green leaves, chirping birds! All this fills me up with…happiness, hope and energy!!!
Well, now that I am back…we will fill our kitchens with more tempting aromas than ever!!

Reason for my ‘blogging break’…
I took a break from blogging for almost 3 months now. You must be wondering…WHY???
Well… I have a news to share!!!‘M’ and I are expecting our second baby in August!!!'M' and I are excited about this new addition to our family and 'E' can't wait to become a big brother!!!
I was having a very rough time with the morning sickness (which lasted not only in the morning but also through the day and night).I hardly could eat anything…leave apart cooking anything special. I had tremendous aversion and nausea towards 'anything' related to food….yes I stopped watching ‘Food Network’, we stopped eating out in restaurants…and I ate cold milk and cereal 3 times a day!!! Not fun at ALL...I know.
But now I am at 24 weeks (6th month) and feel much better, have energy and the nausea is pretty much gone (though I still cannot eat pizza and some other Italian food and cakes, pastries, chocolates are not on ‘favorite’ list anymore).
Since I feel better now, I thought of getting back to blogging and sharing some recipes which I have craved in the past few months…
Hope you all will restart visiting ‘MyKitchensAroma’ again and share your comments and ideas…as you did before.
Come let’s get cooking!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Going on Blogging Break...

Since I started this blog.....each and everyday I keep thinking about what I can write....what I can cook and blog about. It has become so much a part of my daily life that I cannot imagine ....not blogging!

But due to personal and health reasons....I am going to take this much needed break. I am going to give myself enough time to relax, recuperate and come back with all the Enthusiasm....Ideas.....Thoughts ....and ofcourse more Delicious food!!!

All you friends out there, who visit my blog.....I really appreciate your interest! You are the ones that motivate me to keep going!!!

I hope you all will return ...once I come back ....

I will let you all know..when I am ready to come back....and then we can start this journey together again!!!

See you soon,
Deepti

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

" Appetizers"- Pea Pesto Crostini


Last month during Christmas sales, 'M' bought me this Solid Cast Iron Grilling Pan that I wanted for quite sometime. I was so excited!!! Before he got me the pan, I kept thinking about all the recipes I could cook in the pan with those amazing 'grill' marks! But after getting the pan....I kept postponing its 'opening' to cook something special in the pan.
Finally yesterday, it occured to me .....I SHOULD open the pan today!!!
My New Grill Pan:

Coincidently ....I was watching 'Food Network' with my afternoon tea, and saw Giada make this really simple but tempting Appetizers- Crostini with Green Peas Pesto. Tadah!!! I had a recipe to cook in my Grill Pan!!
I pretty much followed her recipe with few changes here and there.
Original Recipe can be found here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pea-pesto-crostini-recipe/index.html
 I just had plain white sandwich bread which I cut up into triangles to make the Crostini, instead of the Ciabatta bread mentioned in the recipe. And the tomatoes I used were 'Roma Plum Tomatoes' ..coz..I did not have any cherry tomatoes on hand.
My pan gave beautifull grill marks on the bread and made perfect CRUNCHYYY Crostinis!

 
Peas Pesto:


I hadn't tried this one before , but it tasted pretty good. It was little sweet from the peas, salty and nutty from Parmesan cheese and had hint of garlic.Couldn't imagine at first, how a puree of peas would taste like, but did not taste bad at all!! Only thing I would change next time was to add little 'heat'....may be red pepper flakes...
Pea Pesto Crostini: Perfect Appetizer for Parties Or just a Yummy Snack
Everything can be done in advance...crostinis, pesto,cutting tomatoes.The guests can assemble the crostinis by themselves or you could assemble just before the party.Looks Great...Tastes great!


Monday, January 18, 2010

"Sweet Treats" - Puran Poli

Since 'Makar Sankranti' was last week, I had made big plans to make TilGul (Sesame sweets) and the typical dish for Sankranti  i.e. GulPoli or Puran Poli. I am actually not a big fan of Gul Poli and to tell the truth haven't tried making it yet. So my goal was to make Puran poli for Sankranti.
After making the tilgul, I had hardly any energy left to make this- time consuming novelty.So postponed it untill the weekend....with the hope that 'M' can take care of 'E' and give me ample time in the kitchen.
The Puran Polis came out delicious, nice and soft, moist on inside (how I prefer, rather than the dry powdery Puran) and we ...including 'E' ate till our hearts content!!!
The Puran Polis are typically eaten in Maharashtra with lots of ghee, milk (either saffron flavored or plain or sometimes coconut milk even) and a 'Special dal' called 'Katachi aamti'. This dal is made from the left over dal stock, left after boling the Chana Dal for Puran. The flavor combination of Puran Poli along with this dal and the 'aroma' of this meal is just very festive and heavenly...instantly it brings you  back to your home in India.....


Ingredients: (Makes about 12-14 Polis depending on size and thickness) 
For Puran:
1.5 cups Chana dal soaked overnight
1/2 cup grated jaggery (adjust as per sweetness desired)
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp Cardamon powder
1/4tsp nutmeg powder
1/4tsp turmeric
1/4tsp salt
1tsp Ghee

For Poli:
2 cups Whole wheat flour
1tbsp all purpose flour
1/2tsp turmeric
salt
oil
Mix everything together and knead into soft dough with warm water.Use oil liberally to make the dough soft.

Method:
1) Pressure cook soaked chana dal till well cooked. Drain all the water and keep aside for 'Katachi aamti'.
2) Mash the dal well in a 'Puran machine' or blender.No lumps to be seen.
3) Heat 1tsp ghee in non stick pan.Add the chana dal paste, jaggery, sugar, spices and cook while stirring continously.The mixture will felt become loose due to melting sugar and then start to come together.Come till the mixture is consistency of 'Mashed potato' .Do not let it dry out.

4) After it cools, make lemon size balls of the 'Puran' and also the wheat dough.
5) Roll out the dough and then place the puran in the center.Close from all sides.



6) Roll out the dough into thick 'Poli'...kind of like 'Aloo paratha.
7) Roast on warm skillet with drizzle of oil. Roast on both sides.

8)Serve the warm Polis with Saffron flavored milk, ghee and 'Katachi Aamti'




Katachi Aamti
2 cups dal stock
1/4cup fresh coconut
2 cloves
1 small cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 tsp tamarind pulp/ amsul
2tsp Goda masala( maharashtrian masala)
5-6 curry leaves
1/2tsp turmeric
Chili powder
Jaggery
cumin, mustard seeds
salt
oil
cilantro

Method:
1)Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, all the spices.
2) Add the daal stock, salt, tamarind, jaggery, goda masala and coconut.
3) Simmer for few minutes.
4) Garnish with cilantro.
5) Serve warm with Puran Poli/ Plain Rice.




Friday, January 15, 2010

"Sweet Treats" - TilGul / Sesame Brittle / Sesame Ladoo

So the other day, I was telling 'E' that we are going to make sweets for 'Sankranti' and say 'Tilgul Ghya god Bola' (Custom in Maharashtra meaning:Take these sweets and talk sweetly!). After that, when I go to drop him off at school, first thing he tells his teacher is 'Laloo'( Way he says 'Ladoo"/Sesame ball) and then...'TilGul Ghya god bola'!! It was sooo cute!!!! Obviously his American teacher did not understand exactly what he was saying, but when I told her.....it did put a smile on her face!
Yesterday I made two types of TilGul/ sesame sweets. One was kind of diamond shape brittle made with Light brown sugar and sesame and the other one with sesame,Jaggery, Peanuts, Chana dalia....called Ladoo.
Both had kind of crunchy /crispy texture.I used to love this kind as kid and even now....But there is a way to make softer ladoos too.Haven't tried that yet though.

Til Vadi/ Sesame Brittle


Ingredients:
1.5 cups Light brown sugar / can use jaggery/ white sugar as well
1 cups roasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp ghee/ clarified butter
1/2tsp Cardamom powder

Method:
1) Lightly roast sesame seeds.Let them cool.
2) Lightly grease a flat baking sheet with butter.
3)In a nonstick pan, heat 1/ 2tsp butter, add the light brown sugar.On medium heat let it melt and bubble.
4) Add the sesame seeds, cardamom and mix promptly.Take off heat.
5) Pour on the greased sheet.Spread evenly with buttered spatula or just turning the sheet around.


6) Cut into diamond shapes and let them cool.
7) Carefully break and remove the Sesame brittle from the sheet.


Til Ladoo/ sweet sesame balls

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted sesame seeds
1 and 1/4cup jaggery
1/2tsp cardamom powder
1/2cup coarsely crushed peanuts
1/4cup roasted chana dalia
1/2tsp ghee

Method:
1) Lightly roast sesame seeds, peanuts, chana dalia.Let the cool. Crush the peanuts coarsely.
2) In a non stick pan, heat 1/2tsp butter, add jaggery.Let it melt and bubble for couple minutes.
3) Add sesame, peanuts, chana dalia, cardamom etc and mix well.Remove off the heat.
4) With buttered hands roll the hot mixture into balls.

Caution: The mixture is reaaallllly HOT! Be carefull not to burn yourself!
(I could actually roll only 7-8  ladoos and then my hand were RED....so just reheated the mixture and poured it on sheet to make brittle)
5) Warm a little if it turns dry and roll into balls again.
6) Or simply pour the hot mixture on buttered sheet and make sesame brittle.

                                               Til Gul ghya God Bola!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

"Appetizers"- Aloo Tikki with 'Chutney' surprise


I am reading this novel 'The Last Chinese Chef' by Nicole Mones. In the novel along with the 'story' are some details, tricks, history about 'Chinese Cuisine'. They say that no other cuisine controls 'Texture' and some other qualities of food as the 'chinese' way of cooking.Another aspect of some authentic chinese cuisine is to take the diner by 'surprise factor'. When a plate of food comes in front of you....you think it is something...but actually when you eat it...it surprises you completely.....not at all what you have thought about it....it is totally different.Like they carve chicken  into bite size pieces and put them together as though the chicken has never been cut....has crispy skin but 'melt in your mouth' tender meat. ...
I like chinese food...but have yet to discover these 'authenticities' of the great cuisine.....
So....I liked the idea of 'Surprise factor'. My mom made 'Idlies'( fermented rice+lentil cakes) with chutney in the center.She would pour some batter in the stand, then some chutney and then batter again.The 'Idlies' were steamed along with the chutney in the center.They tasted delicious!
Just as a simple try....I made Aloo Tikki's , but stuffed them with Coconut-Mint Chutney.They look like 'Normal' aloo tikkis from outside, but when you bite into them, you get a 'surprise' of Spicy Coconut-mint chutney!!!


Ingredients:
For Aloo Tikki:
2-3 Potatoes and mashed smoothly
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tsp Ajwain seeds
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1/4tsp chili powder
2tbsp Bread crumbs
Salt
oil to fry

For Coconut-Mint Chutney
1/3 cup fresh coconut
2tbsp mint paste
2-3 green chilies
2tbsp Cilantro
1tsp garlic-ginger
1/2tsp cumin
salt
sugar


Method:
1) Mix together Boiled mashed potatoes, cumin, chili powder, garlic paste,bread crumbs salt etc and knead well. Make small balls with depression in the center.
2) Grind together the coconut, mint, cilantro,chilies and other ingredients to make a smooth chutney.
3) Place a 1/2 tsp chutney in the center of the potato ball.


4) Cover the ball with some more potato mixture and gently roll into flat 'Aloo Tikki's'
5) Shallow fry the Aloo tikkis in non stick skillet on medium flame untill golden brown and crispy on the outside.
6) Serve immediately with ketchup/ Hot-sweet sauce.

Take your guest by surprise of coconut-mint chutney inside the Aloo-Tikki's!!

Monday, January 11, 2010

"Everyday Cooking"- Bitter Gourd Crisps


I know this one is not going to be many peoples favorite.Who likes Bitter Gourd???Not many hands raised up there!!! It is not my 'favorite' either. But you know, it is one of those things that take me back to India....
Back home, once in a while, my mom would make either curry or these crisps with bitter gourd....under the reason that " it cleans out your system"....."it controls blood sugar"...."its good for you" etc etc. I guess all that was true....but as kids...we hardly understood.
Then there was this chain of stores..."Hot Chips" was the name...they would make literally zillion varieties of chips.....from different veggies and fruits.It was awesome how much variety they had. They also sold these 'Bitter Gourd Chips"...

Ingredients:
1 small bitter gourd
1/4tsp turmeric
1/4tsp chili powder
1 pinch sugar
salt
oil



Method:
1) Slice the bitter gourd as thinly as possible into circles. Hollow out the center and the seeds.
2) On a flat non stick pan heat a thin layer of oil. Arrange the bitter gourd slices on the oil.
3) Season with turmeric, chili powder, salt etc. Let them fry and 'crisp up'.
4) Turn the crisps on the other side.Let it brown and become crisp on very low flame.Press the crisps with flat spatula while they crisp up to squeeze any liquid out.
5) Once they "Crisp up", turn off the flame.

Friday, January 8, 2010

" Sweet Treats"- Scones with Dark Chocolate and Orange zest


I love to have something along with my afternoon tea. Biscottis, Scones are amongst my favorite ones. Even back in India, we always had either Toasts (cake rusks), Khari (sort of puff pastry without any filling), Nan katai's ( buttery yummy cookie) along with tea. I remember there was this old man, who came weekly once, with his container full of these goodies to sell. We called him 'Chachaji'. He always gave me couple extra nankatai's on my hand , as they were my favorite!!
Even now.....after getting married....after having a kid....when I go back to India, Chachaji will still give me couple nanakatai's on my hand! I feel like my childhood has returned.....and I enjoy it!!!

"Scones" are sort of a quick bread....with crumbly texture ....can be sweet /savory....and can be made with various flavors and additions like cranberries, chocolate chips, poppy seeds ,lemon, chives, cheese, rosemary etc etc. One of my favorite flavor combinations is Chocolate + Orange. I love the way these two enhance each other.I used the recipe given by my colleague at Cornell, few years ago. I believe it was her grandma's recipe. The scones comes out nice and crumbly, sweet and perfect for dunking in tea/ coffee.


Ingredients:
2 cups All purpose Flour
1/2 or 3/4 cups Granulated sugar(adjust according to sweetness desired)
2 tsp Baking powder
1/3 cup Unsalted butter (very cold)
1/2 cup heavy cream/ whole milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2tsp Orange marmalade(for extra orangy taste)
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips/ drak chocolate bar cut into pieces
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp milk

Method:
1) Pre heat oven to 375F.
2) In a large bowl, mix together flour,sugar, salt,baking powder.
3) In a small cup, beat 1 egg. Keep aside 1 tsp ( for egg wash later). To the rest of the egg, add heavy cream, vanilla. Mix together.
4) Cut the cold butter into small pieces and combine with flour- sugar mixture. Use fingers to blend the butter into the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. ( Little pieces of butter should be still seen in the mixture). Add the dark chocolate and orange zest,marmalade.
5) Add the egg- cream mixture to the flour. Stir untill combined. Do not over mix.
6) Knead the dough lightly on floured surface. Roll out or pat the dough into a circle. About 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 wedges like pizza.


7) Place the scones on lightly greased baking sheet. Keep them apart.They will spread while baking.
8) Mix together 1 tsp egg and 1 tsp milk.Beat together. Brush onto the scones to get 'shiny' appearance on baking.
9) Bake at 375F for 15 mins or untill lightly browned.




10) Let them cool completely before taking out from the baking sheet.Store in a air tight container.



Enjoy the sweet crumbly Scones with dark chocolate and orange with your favorite tea or coffee!