No Bake Cheese Cake with Berries and Cherries

Happy New Year to you.  May your life be filled with love and laughter in 2014.  As the Irish proverb says” laughter is the brightest where food is best.”  So may your kitchen be filled with wonderful aromas and may your table have lip smacking flavorful dishes.  Thank you for reading my blog.  Your loyalty inspires me to be a better cook and better writer every time.

As it is said, life is short eat a good dessert.  Here is a recipe of Cheese cake with berries and cherries to sweeten your mouth.  This is a luscious no bake cheesecake which is very easy to make.  Mostly people use cherries as topping but I tried to be little creative and used strawberries, cranberries and cherries which give it a unique flavor.

Some cooks like to buy a ready made graham cracker crust pie plate but I prefer to make my crust with Marie light biscuits.  I generally bake it for five seven minutes to give it a crusty base but if you want to omit baking all together, you may prepare the pie plate as per the recipe and then put in the freezer for 10 minutes.  

Ingredients:

12 to 14 Marie light biscuits, 1 ½  tbsp olive oil,  1 can of condensed milk,  1 tsp of lemon juice,1 package(8 oz) of cream cheese at room temperature, 12  fresh strawberries,  ½ cup of pickled or fresh pitted cherries, ¼ cup of dry or frozen cranberries, 2 tsp of sugar

Method: 

Break biscuits with your hand and then powder them in a mixer.  Take out the powder in a bowl, add oil and mix well.  Take a pie plate and put this mixture on the pie plate by pressing it with your hand.  Bake it in 180 degree C (300 degree F) for 8 -10 minutes.  Keep it aside for cooling.
Beat cream cheese until fluffy in a large bowl.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed Pour into crust, chill for 4 hrs or until set.  Top it with cherries and berries.
Take fresh strawberries put these in a pan, put 2 tbsp of water and 1 tsp of sugar and cook for two minutes so that strawberries turn soft but do not change their shape.
Take out 8 strawberries with a spoon and put them on a paper towel so that water drains out. Decorate these on the chilled pie.
Crush other 4 strawberries along with cranberries, and 1 tsp of sugar in the same pan.  Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes so that all the water evaporates.  Cool for 15 minutes and spread over in the middle of the chilled pie.
Decorate with pitted cherries.
Put in the freezer again so that fruits set well.  Take out of the freezer only a few minutes before eating as it melts fast.  Enjoy.

Eggless Oatmeal and Wheat Flour Cookies

Oatmeal and wheat flour cookies are wholesome yummy cookies which can satisfy the craving for a dessert after any meal.  My oatmeal cookies generally disappear from the plate within a few minutes.  Other day I decided to bring some big change in this recipe of oatmeal and wheat flour cookies by eliminating eggs completely for our daughter’s sake.  She is always looking for baking recipes minus the eggs as her mother in law does not eat eggs.    

The real test of the success of this experiment came when the first cookie went between  the teeth of my husband.  He is a big time connoisseur of eggs and baked good with eggs.  His “Wow” seemed like I had won the Oscars.  Now in our house oatmeal cookies are baked without eggs as they come out to be chewy and soft.  These cookies are very easy to make if you have a food processor.  I put everything in the food processor except the wheat flour which I mix with wooden spatula.

Ingredients:

1 cup canola or any cooking oil, 1 cup white sugar(powdered), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 ½  tsp vanilla extract, 12 tbsp milk, 2 cups oats (powdered), 2 cups wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup roasted and chopped almonds, ¾ cup raisins.

Method:
In a food processor beat oil, sugars, vanilla extract, milk until smooth and creamy.
Put baking soda, baking powder and oatmeal into this mix and pulse it so it gets well blended.
Take it out of the food processor into a regular bowl and put wheat flour little by little by mixing with a strong wooden spatula.
When it gets well mixed add chopped almonds and raisins.  Mix will look like a dough.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (200 degree C).
Make small balls of the dough and keep them half to one inch apart on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake them for 15-18 minutes for chewy and soft cookies.

Oats and Wheat Crackers

On a wintry evening what warms your palate is a hot cup of soup with some home made healthy crackers. You might ask in this day and age when crackers are easily available in the market, why make your own crackers?.  These crackers made of oats, wheat flour and sesame seeds do not have any preservatives and they taste absolutely delicious.  In fact, once you start eating these it is very hard to stop yourself.

Ingredients:

1 ½  cups wheat flour, 1 ½ cups Oats(powdered), 2 tbsp cooking oil, 1 ¼ tbsp butter, ¼ cup sesame seeds, 1 tsp garlic salt, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ cup or less water for kneading.

Method:

In a bowl mix wheat flour, oats, baking powder, salt, sesame seeds and garlic salt.
Add oil and melted butter and make crumbs with your fingers.  Then use water little by little to form firm dough.  Cover it and keep it aside for half hour.
Divide the dough into four five balls.  Roll each ball into a thin chapatti and cut into squares. Place these on a greased baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 350 degree F and bake for 15-18 minutes or until light brown.

Enjoy with a cup of soup or any  vegetable dip.

Lemongrass : antidote to common cold

Last month I had this feeling that I am about to have cough and cold.  I did not want to take any strong allopathy medicine so I picked up a few leaves of lemongrass from my kitchen garden, crushed them and boiled these along with the tea leaves.  Took this concoction in the evening and next morning I was almost well.  Lemongrass sure is a magical plant.

 
Lemongrass is also known as 'fever grass' and has been used for centuries for treating fever in India. Also used as food seasoning in Africa, India and the Seychelles, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Its main constituent, citrol, has strong cleansing, antiseptic qualities and is used for deodorizing footwear and clothing.
Lemon grass is a long thick grass with leaves at the top and a solid portion several inches long at the root end. The lower portion is sliced or pounded and used in cooking. As a spice, fresh lemon grass is preferred for its vibrant flavor, but is also sold in dried form. The dried spice is available in several forms: chopped in slices, cut and sifted, powdered, or as oil can be extracted from the plant.

Lemon grass is a perennial, aromatic, tall grass with rhizomes and densely tufted fibrous roots.  The blades of the grass are about 90 cms long and 0.5 cm wide. Lemon grass contains an essential oil. This oil is sherry colored with a pungent taste and lemon-like odor with citral as the principal constituent. The contents of this oil vary with the age of the grass. Fresh lemon grass contains an essential oil, which has substantial amount of citral. Dry herb yields 0.4 per cent essential oil containing 72.3 per cent citral.

Lemongrass belongs to grass family poaceae. It is a tall perennial grass that is grown in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Lemongrass also known as Citronella Grass or Fever Grass is a tall perennial grass belonging to the Africa and Old Eurasian countries. It is a widely used herb in Asian (particularly Thai, Lao, Khmer and Vietnamese and Caribbean) cooking. The grass has a lemony flavor.

The botanical name of Lemon Grass is Cymbopogan and it belongs to the family of Poaceae.  Its leaves are used and it originated in Africa-Eurasia.

Lemon grass oil, used as a pesticide and preservative, is put on the ancient palm-leaf manuscripts found in India as a preservative. It is used at the Oriental Research Institute Mysore, the French Institute of Pondicherry, the Association for the Preservation of the Saint Thomas Christian Heritage in Kerala, and many other manuscript collections in India. The lemon grass oil also injects natural fluidity into the brittle palm leaves, and the hydrophobic nature of the oil keeps the manuscripts dry so that the text is not lost to decay due to humidity.

Lemon grass is used in addition to tea, as an antidote to coughs, colds, etc. It has medicinal properties and is used extensively in Ayurveda.  It has powerful pain relieving properties.  It helps in the muscle spasms by relaxing the muscles thereby leading to the reduction of pain related symptoms.  Another benefit of this grass is for improvement in the blood circulation.  As an antifungal and antibacterial lemongrass inhibits bacteria and yeast growth.  Some sources suggest that lemongrass has anti depressant properties and is thus beneficial for nervous and stress related conditions.

There are many different uses for lemongrass. Some people use it to relieve nausea, the common cold, and even high blood pressure. In artificial lemon flavoring, lemongrass is commonly used.

Lemon grass is a very scented herb to add to a bath.  It makes your bed well scented when put under a pillow.

Lemon grass has not just medicinal but culinary uses too.  It is widely used in Asian cuisine in soups, curries, poultry, seafood and beef.  In some cuisines lemon grass powder is used as a taste enhancer.

Leftover Chapatti turned into Noodles

Do you ever wonder what to do with the leftover chapattis (rotis)?   We all face this problem sometime or the other.  This recipe is for you if you dislike wasting any food.

Other day I made noodles from the leftover chapattis, sauteed some vegetables, added some spices and a very tasty and incredibly interesting dish was ready.

Fold leftover chapattis and wrap them in the aluminum foil and put them in the refrigerator overnight.  Next day take these out, take a sharp knife and cut the folded chapattis into very thin noodles. Take a deep pan or wok and roast these thin noodles for a couple of minutes.  Keep these aside in a bowl.  For other ingredients and method read here:

Ingredients:

3 leftover chapattis, 1 cup of washes and shredded cabbage, 1 cup green, yellow and red peppers cut into small pieces, ½ cup onion chopped julienne, ½ cup carrots cut into small pieces, ½ cup boiled peas, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chives, 1 tsp  brown mustard seeds, 1 tbsp cooking oil, salt to taste.

(You may add vegetables like spring onions, broccoli, and beans etc)

Method:

Heat oil in a wok or deep pan, put mustard seeds.  When they stop spluttering add chives and onions.  Saute these for a couple of minutes and add cabbage, peppers, carrots, peas and any other vegetables you wish to. Toss the vegetables and add soy sauce.  Mix it well.  Now add coriander powder and salt.  At the end add your already roasted chapatti noodles to the vegetable mix.  Toss it again and serve hot.  If you want to add a hot punch to it, put some hot and spicy sauce.

Bundt Cake with Fresh Fruits

Every time I bake a bundt cake I think about a scene from a funny movie “My fat Greek wedding”.  Would-be-in laws (American) of a Greek girl (heroine) bring a bundt cake to her home on their first ever visit.   Greek mother and her aunt start to wonder why there is a hole in the cake.  At last they conclude that hole must be for putting a flower vase in it.  Every time I watch this I laugh too hard.

There are probably few people who haven’t heard of bundt cakes. It’s pronounced “bunt” with the “d” being silent. It’s a beautiful ring cake baked in a special bundt pan. The original bundt pans had ridges that gave the cake its classic look

Bundt cakes do not conform to any single recipe; instead their characterizing feature is their shape. A Bundt pan generally has fluted or grooved sides, but its most defining design element is the central tube or "chimney" which leaves a cylindrical hole through the center of the cake. The design means that more of the mixture touches the surface of the pan than in a simple round pan, helping to provide faster and even heat distribution during baking.  The shape is similar to that of the earlier European Gugelhupf or Bundkuchen.

 

Usually bundt cakes are not decorated.  Either powdered sugar is dusted on the cake or some kind of frosting is drizzled on.  But I have tried the drizzle of white chocolate and cream and decorated with fresh pineapple and pomegranate.  Result was a “Wow” from the family and the guests.  My husband who is the biggest critique of my cooking, said,”This is the best cake you have ever made.”  The best part is I made this without any oil.

Since Thanksgiving is in two days, I think this cake can add to the spread on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Ingredients:
6 eggs, 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 ½ cup of white flour, 1 ½ tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of vanilla essence.

Ingredients for topping:
1 cup grated white chocolate, ¼ cup milk, 2 tbsp whipping cream, 2 cup freshly chopped small pineapple pieces, ½ cup pomegranate (peeled and seeded)

Method:
Put eggs and sugar in the food processor and beat them on medium speed for 10-12 minutes depending on your food processor.
Add white flour little by little and blend it well again on the medium speed.
Add baking powder and vanilla essence and again beat for one or two minutes.
Grease a bundt pan and pour the mixture in it.  Bake for 35 – 40 minutes on 310 degree F (200degree C). Test if the wooden prick comes clear, turn off the oven. Take it out of the oven and let it cool off for 10-15 minutes before taking it out of the mould...

Method for topping:
On a medium heat, melt the grated chocolate.  As soon as it melts a little, add milk and cream and mix it.  Turn off the flame and drizzle it on the cake...  As soon as it sets, decorate it with pineapple pieces and pomegranate seeds.
If it is too tempting to resist, go ahead and cut a piece.  Sit back and enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Power Packed Breakfast

What is the better way to say “good morning” to you like a bowl of freshly cooked   warm oatmeal?  Oatmeal is a whole grain and eating it can lower your risk of several diseases like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.  Whole grains like oats are a rich source of iron, magnesium and vitamins B.   Oatmeal is a source of fiber.  That means when you eat oats for breakfast, you are going to feel full for a longer time.

I was taking oats every morning but there came a point when I got almost tired of eating this semi sweet cereal for breakfast.  Keeping in mind the health benefits of oats I started looking for different options. 

About two weeks ago I took a cup full of oats, ground them in a mixer, added multi grain flour, barley flour, black chickpea (kala channa) flour, some salt, caraway seeds and some spices and made a dough with those.  I rolled that into a chapatti and ate fresh with little bit of butter and some mint and coriander chutney. Boy was it delicious or what!  Immediately this hit it off with every member of our house.  Now everyone wants this delicious chapatti and nothing else for breakfast.

Barley flour gave it a wonderful flavor.  Moreover it has fewer calories and has a high nutritive value.  Barley contains eight essential amino acids and can regulate blood sugar for up to 10 hours after consumption.  Barley flour is even lighter than wheat flour.

Multigrain flour refers to a flour that contains more than one type of grain.  Common grains include buckwheat, cracked wheat, flax, and millet.  All these ingredients are rich in mega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B and fiber.

Adding black chickpea or kala channa flour to this dough gave added health benefits.  This flour is low in fat, high in dietary fiber and rich in minerals and vitamins.  Two to three tablespoon of this legume is equivalent to one portion of the daily recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables.  This flour aids in weight loss as well.

So you can imagine this power packed breakfast will pull you through the hectic schedule of morning.  The best part is you can make this dough at night, put it in the airtight container in the refrigerator and make a fresh chapatti for breakfast with your cup of tea, coffee or juice.

Ingredients:

1 cup ground oats, 1 cup multi grain  flour, 1 cup barley flour, ½ cup black chickpeas flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp caraway seeds(ajwain), 1 tsp of coriander powder, 2 tbsp fenugreek leaves(dry or fresh), water to make a semi soft dough.

Method:

Take a big bowl, put all the dry ingredients.  Add water little by little and keep kneading till it turns into semi soft dough.  Make balls of this dough.  With the rolling pin flatter the dough ball into a chapatti.  Heat a griddle; roast the chapatti from both the sides.  Eat fresh with little butter (optional) or cream cheese.  If you don’t want to add calories you can have that chapatti either with chutney or pickle.
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Lauki(Bottle Gourd) Burfi

When I was young I used to dislike Lauki or bottle gourd.    My mother tried her best to explain its health benefits but it fell on deaf ears.  This Diwali I amazed myself by making dessert or Burfi with bottle gourd.

 Bottle Gourd or Lauki Burfi is a very healthy and tasty dessert.  This recipe comes from Gujarati cuisine.  This Burfi can be prepared for festival like Diwali or it can be eaten during the fast when grains are not eaten.  It has fibre and protein and does not have too many calories like other desserts.  It is quite easy to make.  There are many ways of making this Burfi but I have tried to prepare it with a simpler and less time consuming method.

I prepared this for Diwali and it took me not more than two hours to prepare it and serve to guests.  Once the guests tasted it their”Wow” was a complement it itself.  

 
Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and grated lauki, ½ cup milk, 3 tbsp milk powder, 1 cup sugar, 1 ¼ cup khoya, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp melon seeds, 2 drops of green (cake icing) color

Method:

Roast grated lauki in a heavy non stick pan till all the water is evaporated and lauki turns soft.  Now add milk and milk powder to this and keep stirring to avoid burning.  Reduce flame to medium. 
When all milk gets evaporated and milk powder blends well, add sugar and cook till mixture thickens.
Add khoya, melon and sunflower seeds and mix well.
Take out the mixture in a greased plate.  Smoothen the top and sprinkle cardamom powder.
Refrigerate for one hour. Cut squares and serve.

Moong Dal(Split yellow lentil)Burfi

We all like to celebrate life, moments, festivals and occasions.  This year Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of lights, falls on November 3.  It is the most celebrated festival of India and it signifies the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.  No Diwali festivities would be complete without sharing sweets with your friends and family.

With this Moong dal Burfi recipe, I share the festival of sweets with everyone and wishing for a happy and joyous Diwali to you and your loved ones.

Moong dal or split yellow lentil is one of the most nutritious of lentils.  It is very high in protein.  So sweets made out of this are delicious as well as healthy.

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow moong dal, 4 tbsp ghee (clarifying butter),  1 cup sugar, 2 cups milk,  10-12 saffron threads, 2 tbsp almonds roasted and chopped, ¼ tsp cardamom powder.

Method:
Soak saffron threads in 1 tbsp of lukewarm milk.
Clean and grind moong dal into a semi coarse powder.  Roast this powder in a heavy bottomed non stick pan for 7-8 minutes.   Add ghee to this and fry for a couple of minutes on low flame.  Take this out into a bowl.
In the same non stick pan, heat the milk, add sugar.  Give it a boil.  When sugar is dissolved add fried moong dal.  Keep stirring.  Mix very well.  Now add saffron milk.
Cook until milk is totally absorbed in the dal.  It takes about 4 – 6 minutes.
 Let it cool off a little and spread the mixture over a greased plate.
Garnish with almonds and cardamom powder.  Cut square or diamond pieces.
Enjoy.

Digestive Lemon Pickle

In August, our lemon tree in the front yard was laden with spongy, shiny and beautiful yellow lemons.  I made lemonade of some but a lot more were still left so I decided to venture out to make lemon pickle.  My mother used to make this digestive lemon pickle which worked like a magic in any stomach disorder situation.  This pickle had zero oil and could be preserved for years.

This lemon pickle is very easy to make.  Moreover, unlike store bought lemon pickles, this one has no oil and is not overloaded with spices.  This pickle is tart and chewy and it is ready in 15 to 20 days.  It just requires a few spices, generally available in any Indian kitchen.  It just has black salt, black pepper, ajwain (carrom seeds) and hing (asafetida):  all these spices aid in the digestion.

Ingredients:

24 big and small size lemons, 2 tbsp black salt, 3 tbsp table salt, 4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), ½ tsp hing (asafetida), 1 cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup white vinegar.

Method:

Put lemons in a colander and wash them thoroughly under the running water.  Let water drain for half an hour.  Spread the lemons over a kitchen towel and put them in the sun for drying.  Lemons should be completely dry before pickling.
Once lemons are dry, wash and wipe your hands dry.  Cut the lemons into quarters or eight wedges, depending on the size of the lemons.  Remove as many seeds as easily possible.  Transfer the cut lemons into a big glass bowl.
Add salts, ajwain, and hing and mix well.  Put these in a glass jar and pour lemon juice and vinegar over the lemon pieces.  Shake well.  Cover the jar.  Now tie a muslin cloth over the lid.
Put the jar in the direct sun for 4-5 hours every day for next 15 days.  Everyday shake the jar before putting in the direct sun.
In next 15-20 days lemon wedges will turn soft and buff in color. 
Enjoy the pickle with rice, dal or pulao.

Samosa: the most delectable appetizer

The samosa is a delectable Indian pastry, quite similar to the Greek spanakopita. Normally the samosa is made in a triangular form with pastry crust or dough. The interior may be stuffed with potatoes, peas, shredded lamb or chicken, and spices. They are generally fried producing a delightfully crispy exterior, though some varieties may be baked to reduce fat content. Often the samosa is eaten with mint sauce called chutney.

The Samosa probably originated in the Middle East where it was called sambosa.  It was mentioned by an Iranian historian in the 10th century in his book Tarikh-e-Beyhaghi.  Samosa traveled to India along ancient trade routes from Central Asia.

By the early 14th Century, it was not only a part of Indian cuisine but also food fit for a king. Amir Khusrao, prolific poet of Delhi royalty, observed in 1300 that the royal set seemed partial to the "samosa prepared from meat, ghee, onion and so on". In 1334, the renowned traveler Ibn Battuta wrote about the sambusak: "minced meat cooked with almonds, pistachios, onions and spices placed inside a thin envelop of wheat and deep-fried in ghee". And the samosa obtained a royal stamp with its inclusion in the Ain-i-Akbari which declared that among dishes cooked with wheat there is the qutab, "which the people of Hind called the Sanbusa.

Samosa is one of the most popular Indian appetizers served all over the world today.  Every region in India makes Samosa different way with varied fillings from spicy potatoes to dry fruits but the basic triangle shape stays the same.
Since Samosa is a fried food, it is not one of the best options for a health nut.  One regular Samosa has 308 calories with 52 percent fat, 42 percent carbohydrate and 6 percent protein.  However, when you are having this comfort food just forget about calories and enjoy every bite of it.

Ingredients for the pastry:

2 ½ cups white flour, 1 tbsp rice flour,  1 tsp carom seeds (Ajwain), salt to taste, 4 tbsp Ghee or clarifying butter.  Oil for deep frying.

Method:

In a big bowl sift flours, add salt and carom seeds.  Add ghee and make crumbs with your fingers.  Then add water little by little to make hard dough.  Cover the dough with wet cloth for 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling:

4 big or 5 medium potatoes boiled and mashed or cut into small pieces, 1 cup peas boiled, salt to taste, 1 ½ tsp dry mango powder, 1 tsp ginger grated or paste, 2 tbsp ghee or clarifying butter, 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp red pepper, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds, 1tsp dark colored anardana (dry pomegranate seeds).

Method:

Roast whole coriander seeds and anardana together and grind them a bit with the rolling pin. Make sure it is not too fine.  Keep them aside.
Heat the ghee; add cumin seeds, when crackling add ginger and sauté.  Add potatoes, salt, dry mango powder, red pepper, coriander powder, garam masala and mix everything well.  At the end add roasted and ground spices and sauté for another five minutes so that all the spices are well blended.  Turn off the flame and let it cool off.

 
Divide the pastry dough into lemon size round balls.  Roll each portion of the dough into 6 inches diameter.  Cut circle into two halves. It will look like a semi circle.  Take a semi circle.  Apply little water on the straight edge of the semi circle.  Hold the semi circle in your hand, fold the straight edge, bringing together the watered edges, seal the watered edges into a triangular pocket or funnel.  Stuff the cooked potatoes and then seal the upper edges with water.  Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

 
Deep fry in oil till golden brown.  Once oil gets heated reduce the flame to medium.  If you fry samosa in very hot oil, it will become soggy.
Now enjoy hot with chutney over a cup of tea or coffee.

Spicy and sweet Karahi paneer with bell pepper

A kadai or karahi is a type of thick, circular and deep cooking pan used in Indian cuisine.  Traditionally made out of cast iron, karahi looks like woks with steeper sides.  The advantage of cooking in a karahi is that heat spreads evenly.  It retains heat for a longer time and that helps with the cooking.

This dish has paneer which is a great source of protein and calcium.  It contains vitamin D and B complex.  Paneer in moderation reduces the risk of developing insulin resistance syndrome.  It is good for stomach as it is easy to digest.

Other important ingredient in this dish is bell peppers.  These peppers are a rich source of vitamin C and A.  They contain capsaicin which has anti bacterial, anti carcinogenic and anti diabetic properties.  They have adequate levels of essential minerals like iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium and selenium.

This karahi paneer and pepper dish can be cooked in different ways.  There is no limitation to what spice or condiment can be added.  What is important is that end result should be lip smacking and make your family and guests take second helpings.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup Paneer(farmer’s cheese)cut into small cubes, 2 onions chopped finely, ¾ tsp ginger-garlic paste, 3 medium tomatoes( one chopped and two pureed), 3 green, yellow, red bell peppers washed and chopped into ½ inch pieces,  salt to taste, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp brown mustard seeds, ½ tsp red pepper powder, 2 tsp coriander powder,  ¾ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1/ 2 cup tomato ketchup, 1 ½ tbsp cooking oil

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. Put cumin seeds and followed by mustard seeds.  When they stop spluttering add ginger garlic paste and then chopped onions. 

When onion turns light brown, add chopped tomato, turmeric, salt and stir.

After two minutes add chopped bell peppers to this mixture.  It is your choice if you want to add just green peppers or yellow and red as well.  Different color peppers add to the look and the nutritional value of the finished dish but I had only green peppers at home so picture shows just that.

Once bell peppers turn little soft, add pureed tomatoes and cover the lid for two minutes.  Add coriander powder and red pepper powder.

Now add cubed paneer and gently mix. Add garam masala and at last add ketchup.

This dish will have slight gravy and sweet and spicy kick.

Enjoy hot with rice, chapati or Nan bread.

Yogurt: healthy alternative for dinner

No Indian meal is complete without yogurt.  In North India yogurt is eaten in the form of raita by adding some vegetables and spices.  In South India yogurt is eaten with plain rice as a finishing touch to a spicy meal.  No wonder some wise guy has said India will come to a standstill without yogurt.

An American friend once asked me “Why do Indians eat so much yogurt with their meals?”  My answer was yogurt has a cooling effect after consuming the spicy hot curries and most Indians are vegetarians and yogurt contains the protein and calcium necessary for daily survival.

In India yogurt is consumed from plain to spicy form called Raita.  Raita is a Hindi word derived from Sanskrit meaning sharp or pungent.  Typical Raita is made from cucumber, onion, tomato, potato, carrots or even spinach.  These vegetables are then mixed with roasted and ground cumin, coriander, and brown mustard seeds along with black salt and red pepper.  In Northern India, boondi (tiny balls made from chickpea flour) raita is very popular.  In South India vegetables are boiled and then yogurt is garnished with oil fried mustard seeds, coconut, green chilies and curry leaves.  It is generally eaten with rice and lentil curry. 

Yogurt is popular not just in Indian but other cuisines use yogurt pretty generously too.  For example in the Mediterranean cuisine yogurt is used as a dip while in Africa it is called Amasi which has almost cheesy flavor.  Many cuisines around the world have traditional cultured milk dishes based on yogurt. 

Yogurt's popularity has multiplied in past few decades because researches have found its innumerable health benefits.

Yogurt is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and B 12.   It has nutritional benefits beyond those of milk. Lactose intolerant people can sometimes tolerate yogurt better than other dairy products, because the lactose in the milk is converted to glucose and partially fermented to lactic acid, by the bacterial culture.
Yogurt is a valuable health food for both infants and elderly. For children, it is a balanced source of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals. For senior citizens, who usually have more sensitive colons or whose intestines have run out of lactase, yogurt is also a valuable food.  Yogurt may help prevent osteoporosis, reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Yogurt with active cultures helps the gut and may help one feel fuller.
No discussion on yogurt is possible without mentioning the sweet yogurt with fruits sold in the market as ready to eat.  Only problem is those commercial yogurts have white sugar which depress your immune system, contribute to infertility and increased blood glucose levels. 
The best thing would be to make your own yogurt at home and add either cane sugar or honey and eat that for health benefits.  My favorite light dinner is to eat home made yogurt with fruits and nuts and honey.

How to make home made yogurt:

Ingredients:
4 cups whole or two percent fat milk, ½ tsp starter yogurt, 1 ½ tbsp milk powder

Method:
Bring milk to a boil.  Transfer it to a pan with a lid.  My personal experience is that terracotta pot with a lid makes the best yogurt. Add milk powder to the boiled milk and stir well so no lumps are formed. Allow milk to come to lukewarm to room temperature.  If it is winter let milk come to lukewarm but if it is summer let milk come to room temperature.  Add starter yogurt to the cool milk and stir well with the same spoon. Close the lid tightly and keep it for five to seven hours in a warm place away from draft.  Once yogurt is set, store in refrigerator.

How to make Sweet Yogurt 

Ingredients:
2 cups of yogurt, 1 tsp of brown or cane sugar or honey, 1 cup of chopped pineapple, 1 cup of chopped apple, ¼ cup pomegranate seeds, and 10 almonds roasted and chopped into small pieces. (You may add any kind of fresh or frozen berries for added benefits)

Method:
Take yogurt in a small bowl add honey or brown sugar and whisk it. Add fruits and almonds and mix well.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy.
 This yogurt with fruits makes a good healthy dessert or you may serve it as an accompaniment to your dinner spread.  If you are into dieting this makes a very filling and healthy alternative.

Channa dal(Bengal gram), Lauki(Bottle Gourd) and Wadi Combo

This summer I met my sisters and cousins for a family reunion in California.  We all are connoisseurs of good food.  We love eating and creating new dishes.  Since we had so much time at hand, it was natural to go down the memory lane of our childhood and talk about familiar flavors and aromas.  Our mothers and aunts were great cooks and perhaps that is what inspired us to work with food and exploring the buzz and vibe of cooking.

One of my sisters asked me if I recall the recipe of maternal grandma’s famous Channa dal, lauki and wadi combo.  I told her I don’t know the exact recipe but even after forty years I can still feel the taste of that dish in my mouth.  We set out to create that childhood memory to tickle our palate.  

What amazes me that our mothers and grandmothers fed us healthy food all the time without realizing the food values of every vegetable or lentil.  For that matter even this   combo is full of nutrients.  Since this is my grandma’s recipe, I feel it is a treat to share it with the world.

Channa dal (Bengal gram) has good amount of iron, sodium, selenium and some amount of copper, zinc and manganese.  It has folic acid and fiber and is rich in protein.  It contains phytochemicals called saponins, which act as antioxidants.

Lauki (Bottle Gourd) provides good amount of both soluble and insoluble fiber and water and thus helps in digestion.  This is the best vegetable for dieters as it is high in dietary fiber and provides only 15 calories per 100 gram.  It provides vitamins C and B and some minerals like iron, sodium and potassium.

Wadi is a sun dried dumpling made from ground lentils, pumpkin and some spices.  They have the nutritional value of lentils as well of vegetables.  We generally add wadi for its taste.  It is possible to make wadi at home but the process is little tedious. Most super markets sell Wadi or Wadiyan as they are called.  The best way to add wadi to any food is by breaking into small pieces and pan fry these bits.  Frying enhances the taste of Wadi.

Ingredients:

1 cup Channa dal washed and soaked for an hour in fresh water, 10 to 12 inches long lauki peeled and chopped into small cubes, 1 wadi broken and pan fried in a tsp of cooking oil, 1 large onion chopped finely, 1 tsp of grated ginger, 4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed, 2 tomatoes pureed, 1 ½ tsp of cumin seeds(Zeera), ½ tsp of yellow fenugreek seeds(methi dana), ½ tsp of brown mustard seeds(rai), 1 tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of garam massala, ½ tsp of red pepper(degi mirch), salt to taste, 1/8 tsp of asafetida(hing), 1 tsp of turmeric powder,  ½  tsp of dry mango powder,  1 ½  tbsp of cooking oil, 1 tbsp of ghee(clarifying butter), 2 whole dry red peppers(optional).

Method:

Pressure cook the channa dal for 10 minutes but adding ½ tsp of turmeric and a pinch of salt.  If your pressure cooker is smart one it might take just ten minutes to make the dal soft and tender.  Mine is not so smart so it took 20 minutes to make dal tender.

Heat oil in a pan.  Add asafetida and yellow fenugreek seeds.  When they turn light brown, add 1 tsp of cumin seeds and when they stop spluttering add ginger onion and garlic and stir it.  After three minutes, add ½ tsp of turmeric and salt to taste.

When onion turn light brown, add lauki pieces and mix it well.  Reduce the flame to low and cover the pan.  Stir the mix time to time. Add fried wadi to the mix so that spiced aroma of wadi blends into the vegetable.

When lauki pieces turn soft, add tomato puree to it and increase the flame to medium.  Add coriander powder and red pepper. Cook for another five minutes and then add boiled channa dal to the vegetable mix.

In the meanwhile heat the ghee in a small pan, add ½ tsp of cumin and brown mustard seeds.  Once these spices stop spluttering, add whole dry red peppers to the mix and reduce the flame to low.  Once red pepper turns maroon, add this tampering to the channa dal and vegetable mix.

Let the dal-lauki mix simmer for another five minutes.  Add dry mango powder and garam massala.  Mix well and turn off the flame after three minutes.

Enjoy hot with rice, parantha or chapatti.

Stuffed Baby Eggplant

When I was very young, I did not relish any kind of eggplant(baingan in Hindi) dish.  As I grew up and started taking interest in different cuisines of India, I understood that eggplant is cooked in every state and region of India in a different way.  So no two dishes are the same.  Being from North India and specially influenced by rich Punjabi cuisine, my stuffed baby eggplant dish became quite a hit in our family.  These baby eggplants are slit half way and then stuffed with a combination of spices and are left to simmer in spicy gravy.  The result is finger licking good.

Ingredients:
10 baby eggplants or bringal (white or purple both will be fine)

Spices for stuffing:
2 tsp of dry mango powder, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of red pepper, 1/4 tsp of garam massala or curry powder,

Ingredients for the Gravy:
2 medium onions chopped finely, 4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed, 1 tsp of grated ginger, 2 tomatoes chopped finely, 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds(Rai), 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp garam massala, salt to taste,1 tbsp of cooking oil.

Method:
Wash, wipe and take off the stems of the eggplant.  Slit half way into quarters.
Mix stuffing spices in a small bowl.  Stuff these spices  in the slits of the baby eggplants.Put these aside.
In a pan, heat the oil, add fenugreek seeds.  When they turn light brown, add cumin and mustard seeds.
Now add ginger, onion and garlic in that order with a gap of ten seconds between each condiment and reduce heat to medium.
When onion mix turns light brown add tomatoes and cover the pan.
Once everything is well blended,  uncover the pan, add coriander powder and salt( keep in mind that stuffed eggplants have some salt too).
Add the stuffed eggplants and stir well but very gently so that eggplant pieces do not break.
Reduce heat to low and let it simmer till eggplants are done.  It takes at least half hour to 40 minutes.
Just before they are about to be done, add yogurt and increase the heat to medium for a couple of minutes. once yogurt dries up, add garam massala(curry powder) and turn off the flame.
Enjoy with nan, chapati or parantha.

Squash Blossoms a delicacy

With the arrival of summer squash comes the dainty beautiful yellow orange flower of the vegetable. I didn't know that these flowers are edible till my niece made a dish out of those.  These bright orange  flowers are available only in the farmer's markets or specialty stores.  The best ones can come from your kitchen garden.  These blossoms have a very short shelf life.  They are so soft and perishable that they can last only for a day even in the refrigerator.  They are available only from July to September.

It is true that squash blossoms can be used for garnishing the salads and soups but to turn these into a gourmet dish would require stuffing them with some soft cheese and frying them.  My niece, the culinary expert stuffed it with ricotta cheese and thyme combination and fried them.  When she invited us over to have a squash blossom,  my sister asked for ketchup.  Her response was: "Mom, this is a delicacy and you are supposed to eat them like that in order to enjoy the true flavor of the blossoms."

The squash blossoms are not just pretty looking, they are high in calcium and iron and especially high in vitamins C and A.  They are excellent for dieters as one cup of squash blossom has merely five calories, unless you are stuffing and frying them.

Ingredients:

16-20 squash blossoms, 3/4 cup white flour, 1 cup beer, salt to taste , oil for frying.

Ingredients for filling:

2 liters of milk, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 small onion chopped finely, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp lemon pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

In a big pan put milk to boil.  When it reaches boiling point, add lemon juice to curdle the milk.  Strain the curdled milk through a muslin cloth to allow all the whey and moisture to drain.  Hang it on the kitchen sink tap.  Once water drains completely(it may take two hours or so), take out of the cloth and mash it well with your fingers.  Heat one tbsp of oil, add cumin seeds.  When they tsp spluttering, add onion and sauté them till they turn light pink.  Add mashed paneer(cheese), salt and lemon pepper and mix it well.  Keep aside so it cools off.

In the meanwhile make batter of white flour, beer and salt and mix it well.  Stuff the blossoms with the paneer mix by opening the petals gently.  Coat the stuffed ones in the batter mix.  Heat the oil to 325 degrees F and fry them until golden brown. Place the fried ones on the paper towel to drain the oil.  

Enjoy.

Fresh strawberry cake

My niece who is an excellent cook made this amazingly delicious cake for the July 4 barbecue party. Her almost four-year-old son helped in this.  The result was velvety textured cake with the freshness of strawberries.
The cake was so yummy that guests asked for second helpings.  The best part is you can put all the ingredients in the food processor and let it work to a perfect cake batter.  Other than baking time, this cake can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

Butter 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp, white flour 1 1/2 cups, baking powder 1 1/2 tsp, salt 1/2 tsp, sugar 1 1/4 cups, eggs 2 small or 1 big,  milk 1/2 cup, vanilla essence 1 tsp,  strawberries 1pound washed and halved.

Method:

Sift white flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a nine inch pie plate and keep it aside.
Put butter and one cup of sugar in a food processor bowl and mix it on a high speed till fluffy and creamy.  It should not take more than 4 or 5 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium and mix in eggs, vanilla and milk.

 

Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture.  Once done pour this mixture on the buttered pie plate and arrange the strawberries on the batter. Place the cut side of strawberries down.  Try putting them very close to each other.


Bake cake for  one hour and ten minutes on 325 degrees F.  When last 15 minutes are left for baking, bring the cake out and sprinkle rest of the sugar on the fruit and cake.


 If you like the caramelized look you may sprinkle the sugar before you start to bake.

Leftovers turned into a Risotto-pasta dish

Leftovers are something we all have to deal with at times.  We are often faced with the extra rice or boiled pasta at the end of the day and very reluctantly we keep it in the refrigerator to toss it in the garbage the following day.  If we stretch our imagination a little, we can come up with innovative dish, something not available in any cookery book.  Moreover you don’t want your family to accuse you of feeding them stale food.

One such day I saw the leftover rice and boiled pasta in my refrigerator.  So I decided to turn that into something relished by everyone.  Here is my experiment.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed cooking it.

Ingredients:

1 cup leftover cooked rice, 1 ½ cup pasta, 1 cup washed and chopped broccoli, ½ cup chopped carrots, ¼ cup chopped green peppers (bell pepper), ¼ cup chopped onion, 1 clove of garlic crushed, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp cream cheese, 1 tsp chives, 1 tsp lemon pepper, ½ tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, ¼ cup ketchup, salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan; add garlic and onion and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add broccoli, carrots, green pepper to it till vegetables turn little tender.

Mix chives, salt, lemon pepper, coriander powder to it and stir.

Add cream cheese and mix it well so that everything gets well blended.

Now add your leftover rice and pasta and stir it for a couple of minutes.

Sprinkle the red wine vinegar and toss it.

At the end pour the ketchup over it and mix it.

Serve hot.

No Cook Chocolate Ice cream

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” has been rightly said by Charles M Schulz.  On a hot summer day, what else can you ask for other than chocolate and ice-cream.  This no cook chocolate ice-cream has cream, condensed milk, nuts and gobs of chocolate.  In other words this is no low fat, low calories or low anything so if you are looking for something guilt free, go for salads and carrots. I must tell you this ice cream is loved by everyone and it is hard not to go for second and third helpings.

 Ingredients:

1 cup grated semi sweet baking chocolate,  ½ cup grated white chocolate,  ½ cup almonds roasted and chopped into small pieces, ½ cup cashews chopped, ½ can condensed milk, 2 cups whipping cream, ¼ cup milk

Method:

Take out half of condensed milk in a big bowl.

Beat the whipping cream till it is smooth and creamier.

In a double boiler, melt dark and white chocolates.  Mix milk into this to make it more liquefy.

Immediately pour this into the bowl of condensed milk.  Wisk  it vigorously so there are no lumps formed.

Now add half of whipped cream and nuts to this and mix it very well.  Save the other half of cream in the refrigerator.

If you feel it is less sweet you may add a spoon full of sugar to it.  Remember we shall add other half of cream to it so add sugar accordingly.

Freeze it in a flat dish for 3 or 4 hours.  Take it out of the freezer, when it melts a little, add the other half of cream to it and blend it well.

Freeze it overnight.  

Note that the ice cream may be quite hard when you first take it out of the freezer, so may want to let it sit for a few minutes to soften it before trying to scoop.