Raita Cups

I love to transform recipes to give them a modern touch.You will find many such modifications in my blog...
When it comes to food...I believe "Look does matter"....because You eat with your eyes first as they say!!

One such attempt was to make Modak with a modern twist...and the result was "Baklava Modak" which were published in Mid-day newspaper:
 http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2012/sep/160912-Modak-goes-modern.htm

Today I made these lovely looking Cucumber cups and filled them with Raita to make a Modern looking and healthy appetizer---- "Raita Cups".
So easy to make...yet so beautiful looking!!

All you need is:
1 Cucumber
1/4  red onion finely chopped
2tbsp thick yogurt/ Greek yogurt/ strain water out of regular yogurt
2 pinches red chili powder
salt, sugar
Cilantro for garnish

Method:
1) Peel cucumber like this...leaving alternate bands of skin ..to get a pattern on the cups.

2) Cut into 5-6 large pieces and core out the center

3) Mix onion, yogurt, chopped cored out pieces of cucumber,salt, sugar, red chili powder to make raita
4) Spoon the raita into the cucumber cups

5) Garnish with cilantro...keep cold till ready to serve

Dahi Vada/ Dahi Bhalla

The soft urad vadas soaked in Sweet-tangy yogurt and topped with tamarind-date and mint chutney.. Red chili and Cumin powder... A Tasty perfection!!!
Hadn't made this delicacy in like years....but last weekend was perfect occasion.It was a friends baby shower and what she was craving was.... Dahi Vadas!!
Made them under my mom in laws guidance and tips and the result was super delicious!!

Ingredients:
Vadas:
2 Cups urad dal
2tbsp Moong dal (this makes them less oily it seems)
1tsp ginger
3-4 green chilies
salt
Oil to fry 

Luke warm Water for soaking

Yogurt:
3 cups yogurt thinned with water
Add  about 1tsp salt and 2-3 tsp sugar to make a 'sweet-tangy' yogurt. Keep Chilled in the refrigerator.
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2tsp Cumin powder
1tsp Tamarind-Date chutney
1tsp Mint Chutney
2-3 tsp Pomegranate seeds
2-3tsp Chopped cilantro

Method:
1) Soak Urad dal and moong dal together for 6 hrs.Grind into coarse paste along with ginger and green chilies, in minimum water.Add salt and mix/ whip for 1 min.
2) Heat oil in a deep pan. Drop the batter with a spoon/hand. I like to make bite size vadas.The vadas will soak up water and yogurt and increase in size even more.
3) Drain the vadas on paper towel for 15 mins. Drop in the lukewarm water and let them soak for 15 mins. Squeeze out water by pressing in between both hands.
4) In a serving dish, place the water soaked vadas, top with sweet-tangy yogurt, chutneys, red chili and cumin powder, cilantro, pomegranate etc.
Serve cold/ or at room temperature .
Enjoy every bite!

Yogurt- Strawberry frozen bars

You decide to diet and eat 'healthy', but those sweet cravings aren't going anywhere are they??? And then the Lil' ones at home still need a weekend treat...right???
This was a perfect little bar...which wouldn't 'undo' all the exercise of the week, but still make the lil' ones jump with joy:)  'A' wouldn't even share a 'lick' of this bar with anyone!!!

Ingredients:
8-10 Fresh Strawberries
1 Cup fresh yogurt
4-5 tsp sugar (adjust according to the sweetness of the strawberries)
few drops of Vanilla essence

Method:
1) Wash the strawberries and cut of the leaves.
2) Blend together yogurt,strawberries, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
3) Pour into 'kulfi' / Popsicle moulds and insert sticks

 4) Freeze for 5-6 hours until completely frozen.
5) Run the mould under warm water to remove the Yogurt-Strawberry bar!

 Enjoy!!

" The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen"- Guest: Pooja Shah(Recipe-Spinach Brown Rice and Kutchi Beer)

Taste of Columbus 1st Place Winner in "One Dish Meal" Category- Pooja Shah

Recipe: Spinach Brown Rice with Kutchi Beer

(Sorry...I don't have  a good picture of the Spinach Brown Rice)

I had loved Pooja's 'Kutchi Beer" recipe. The name got me interested and I looked it up on the net...why this 'Light Green, frothy, gingery, minty ...non alcoholic yogurt drink'...is called 'Beer'???? The fun fact is...this 'masala chaas' became so popular in Kutch region...that......the drink was sold in beer bottles...and hence called...KUTCHI BEER!!!!

Ingredients:
Spinach Brown Rice
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup chopped spinach fresh or frozen
1/2cup chopped cilantro
1tso cumin
1 clove garlic chopped
1 bay leaves
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1/2tsp turmeric
1tsp garam masala powder
1tbsp butter/ghee
10-15 raisins
Roughly chopped cashews
salt
2 hot cups water

Method:
1) Wash rice 3-4 times. Soak in water for 30 mins.
2) Put the spinach in the blender and make smooth puree
3) Heat ghee, add cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon,cumin, garlic and saute'
4) Add cashews and raisins,turmeric,Pour the spinach puree and allow to boil for few seconds and then add garam masala.Mix well.
5) Add the washed rice , add hot water and allow the rice to cook. Let it sit for 30 mins before serving.


 Kutchi Beer

Ingredients:
1 Cup Greek yogurt (I used plain Dannon yogurt)
1 small green chili
small piece of ginger
few mint leaves
few cilantro leaves
1/4tsp cumin
1tsp sugar
1tsp lemon zest( I didn't add any)
salt
water

Method:
1) In a blender add green chili, mint, cilantro, ginger, cumin and make into smooth paste
2) Add yogurt,some water, salt, sugar and make into smooth consistency..like lassi just little thinner.Add lemon zest.
3) Allow to cool in refrigerator for some time.Garnish with mint/lemon. cilantro.
4) Enjoy this cool drink along with a meal or on it's own!

"Everyday Cooking"- Whole Wheat Tandoori Naan

My friend 'M' made this the other day for the Potluck.She said she learnt it from some friend of hers here in Columbus.I am sure this recipe is pretty much famous in Columbus now! It is one of those 'Wildfire 'Recipes that spreads from ear to ear!
"Naan' is a leavened flat bread. The only 'leavening' agent here is 'Yogurt' and these flat breads are made from whole wheat flour and in our 'Home Tandoors' that is Regular ovens! All these make them a BIG HIT! Not only that they bake in about 2 mins!!!

Ingredients:
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour/Atta/ Chapati Flour
1/3rd Cup Plain Yogurt/Dahi
1/2tsp Kasoori Methi(optional)
1/4tsp Ajwain/Oowa(optional)
Salt
water
Cooking spray
Butter

Method:
1) Mix wheat flour with yogurt, salt, ajwain, kasoori methi and knead into a soft dough with water.

2) Keep covered for 2-3 hrs.
3) Roll out the dough into oblong/ triangle / circle shape with 'light' hand. Do not press hard on the dough while rolling. Roll till about twice the thickness of a 'chapati'

4) Pre heat the oven to 'Broil' or to Max temp(like 500F)
5) Spray the cooking sheet with cooking spray/apply light hand of oil to prevent naan from sticking.
6) Bake for 1 min or so(till light roasted) then turn the naan and roast on the other side.The naan will fluff up and are done quickly.SO WATCH OUT..or otherwise they will burn.

7) Apply butter and serve IMMEDIATELY.
8) Serve with your favorite curry. I served them with 'Paneer Chettinad"!
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/everyday-cooking-chicken-chettinad.html

"Sweet Treats"- Shrikhand/ Fruit and Nut Shrikhand

HAPPY GUDHI PADWA 2011!!!

'Shrikhand' is one of the favorite sweets at home.Back home in India, it was surely on the menu for 'Padwa'. Last night I had all forgotten about 'Padwa' being today. This morning when I remembered,I checked the refrigerator and found 1 can of yogurt and some fruits. There I had the sweet for the occasion!
Earlier ...Shrikhand mostly came in 2 flavors- Elaichi and Mango (Amrakhand)...but now they make various different varieties...Fruit Shrikhand, Nuts Shrikhand, Dry Fruits Shrikhand etc etc...
I decided to sort of combine all of that and make my 'Fruit and Nut Shrikhand'

 Ingredients:

1- 32 Oz can of Plain yogurt(Will make about 1+ cup of Shrikhand)
1/4-1/3rd cup sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)
1/2 tsp Elaichi powder(Cardamon)
1/4tsp Nutmeg powder
1 pinch Saffron
1tsp warm milk

Fruits and Nuts cut up in small pieces:
Mango
Apples
Raisins
Almonds
Pistachios
Cashews

Method:
1) On a cheesecloth, drain the yogurt.Tie the cheesecloth and hang for atleast 4 hrs.

2) All the water in the yogurt should drip away to give thick 'Chakka'. You can do this overnight.But 4-5 hrs will yield sufficient thick chakka.
3) Squeeze the cheesecloth occasionally to help water drain.

4) To the Chakka, add  sugar, cardamon, saffron in warm milk,nutmeg and mix well.Garnish with saffron and nuts.

5) For' fruit and nut' Shrikhand add the fruits and nuts.

"Sweet Treats"- Phyllo cups with Yogurt and Fruits

The long weekend was very much relaxing.We did not travel anywhere....but.....met friends, ate, watched movies, slept.Sometimes.... that is all what you are looking forward too!
So, we were going to have 'P-V-K' over for lunch yesterday.I planned a simple menu and a simple dessert.
It's fun to keep it 'casual' when you have friends over. That way everyone is comfortable and relaxed.
Sometimes 'simple' foods are the ones which are comforting and give pleasure.Infact as kids.....even a small 'M and M' or 'Bread and Jam' sandwich is all you need to get a smile on that face! It is so easy to make kids happy.I have seen 'E' enjoy the 'simplicity' of life! Happinesss comes to him in 'simplest' things!
And that's true.....as they say: Life's Greatest pleasures can often be the 'Simplest' ones!
So....
I put together this 'simple' dessert to end  the meal. It is very easy, quick, 'not too sweet' and looks very pretty! Love the crunch of the phyllo cups and contrast it gives to the smooth creamy texture of the yogurt!

Ingredients:(For making 6 cups)
6 sheets of Phyllo dough ( thawed to room temp)
1tbsp melted butter
2 cups flavored yogurt of your choice (I used 'Raspberry' and 'Vanilla' flavors)
1/2cup Pineapple cut into small pieces( I used 'Dole' canned pineapple)
1/4cup Pomogranate

Method:
1) Carefully unfold phyllo sheets.They are paper thin, so be gentle.
2) Place 1 sheet on a big flat surface.Brush lightly wth melted butter.Place 2nd phyllo sheet on top.Smooth out.Brush with butter and place the next sheet.Repeat for the remaining sheets.
3) Cut out 6 squares from sheet and place them in 'muffin' pans, to create 'cups'.

4) Bake at 350F for 15 mins till the cups are golden brown in color.Let them cool.

5) Just before serving: Place 2-3 spoonfulls of yogurt in the cups, top with fruits.

6) Dig in the crisp phyllo cup and enjoy the  'crunch' along with 'smooth creamy cold sweet ' yogurt and fruits!