Spicy Idli Fingers

Its sort of a ritualistic and soppy end to every episode when Anthony Bourdain, one of my favorite food and travel writer asks many of the connoisseurs and gourmands on his show, No Reservations - What is the last meal you would have if it were your last day on the earth? I laugh when I think of my impromptu response. I'll probably respond with, "Will my meal be breakfast, lunch or dinner?"

Idli-Sambhar is my favorite breakfast item of all times. A heavenly marriage of lentil cakes and lentil soup and you wonder if there is anything more delicious than this motley dish which has fed many South Indian kids since times immemorial. Growing up, Idli-Sambhar and Dosa-Chutney were a staple at my home. A hot and spicy concoction of fiery lentil broth cooked with seasonal vegetables, happily dunked over freshly steamed Idlis. 

I like to use leftover Idlis from previous day for Idli Roast and Spicy Idli Fingers. A co-worker and a friend often makes these as part of Tea time snacks for her brood. She adds all the spice powders and deep fries the fingers. I roasted the Idli fingers in my old and beaten cast iron pan which gives them a good crispy finish.

~ Spicy Idli Fingers ~
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:
Idli (sliced into fingers) - 4 Idlis ~ 12 Fingers

Spicy Oil -
Red Chilli powder - 1/3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Crushed Black Pepper - 1/3 tsp
Salt
Canola Oil
*** Mix everything together ***

Method:
Thaw the Idlis and bring them to room temperature. Slice each Idli vertically to form three fingers which are 1/2" thick. Pour the spicy oil over the fingers and give a gentle toss. Let the spicy oil coat all the fingers. Heat the cast iron pan and spread the fingers side by side. Roast well and flip over after 3-5 minutes. Once roasted on both sides, turn off flame and serve hot with Filter Coffee.

Bansi Rava Upma | Broken Wheat Upma (Bansi Rava Rulav)

Any self-confessed Konkani would wax eloquent on his love or hatred for the most common breakfast item - Rulav or Upma. There are different variations followed by most homes, but the conventional Rulav recipe remains the same. You can either love it hate it, but the dish is here to stay. I am a self-confessed Rulav lover. Rulav is a Konkani version of Upma and is usually made with Ghee aided seasoning and bits of Cashew Nuts. In my home, we rarely use onions and vegetables for Upma hence by default the Upma always ended up being a sweeter version.

A specific type of Rava is used for this dish which is the darling of many Konkani homes - Bansi Rava. The rava is essentially broken wheat and upon cooking renders itself to a soft, smooth and chewy sago like texture but very pleasing for the palate. The tiny broken grains proliferate in size once they come in contact with hot water and since the broken pieces cook very fast, its become a very popular go-to breakfast dish. The tiny wheat granules are made from broken wheat and is a healthy and low-calorie alternative to high-carbohydrate items. The rava can also be used to make Masala Upma, Peas Upma, etc. The dish is very portable and holds well for lunchbox as well.

I am extremely fond of this Rava and could not find a similar tasting brand in US, so the only option for me was to lug a small bag and enjoy hot Rulav in chilly winter mornings for breakfast.

~ Bansi Rava Rulav ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Bansi Rava - 1/2 cup

Sugar

Salt 

Ghee

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Green Chillies (split lengthwise) - 2

Red Chilli (split into two) - 1 

Urad Dal (split) - 1/2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - small pinch

Cashew Nuts (chopped) - 2 tbsp

Hot water - 1:3 (for any standard measurement)

1 part of Rava with 3 parts of hot water

For Garnish -

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Method:

In a deep dish, lightly toast the chopped Cashew Nut  pieces in little ghee. Once lightly browned, transfer to a separate dish. In a separate vessel, bring hot water to boil, add desired amount of salt and sugar in it and stir well. 

Add a bit of Ghee in the same pan used before for toasting Cashew Nuts and season with Mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add curry leaves and Green chillies along with one red chilli. Give a good shake and add the rava now. Toast it well on low heat till nutty aroma oozes from the rava and the color turns a shade darker. This process takes around 2-4 minutes.

Once the rava is toasty enough, add the hot water, give a gentle stir and cover with a lid. The rava cooks very fast in less than 7 minutes. Once water's evaporated, open the lid and garnish with grated coconut. Mix well and serve warm with Sev.

Weekday Tomato Sandwich

Few weeks back, I committed myself to a resolve to write down few of Ma's signature recipes lest I forget them. For me, Ma's signature recipes evoke lot of happy emotions and pleasant thoughts. A few weeks back, I had blogged about My Ma's Mixed Vegetable Kurma which is very dear to me.

The second on the list is Weekday Tomato Sandwich. I cannot decide whether I like this Sandwich more or I am simply smitten by the tangy bites of tomatoes slathered with Chaat Masala, bits of onions and coriander leaves with an occasional spicy surprise of green chilli bits thrown in. This Sandwich was typically made on a weekday at my home. The ingredients are simple and can be put together in a snap. They need to be eaten hot, straight from the pan and turn soggy very fast hence are not ideal for lunchbox meals. I adore the taste of this yummy, crunchy Sandwich with a hot cup of filter coffee.

If you are serving the Sandwiches for kids, substitute green chillies with red chilli powder or simply omit it. For best results, use a Cast Iron pan for golden crust formation.

~ Weekday Tomato Sandwich ~
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 Sandwiches

Ingredients:
White Bread Slices - 4

For Filling -

Tomato (ripe, chopped into tiny bits) - 1 large
Onion (chopped into fine bits) - 1/3 cup
Cucumber (peeled, deseeded, chopped into bits) - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup
Green Chillies (finely chopped) [optional] - 1 tsp
Chaat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Ghee - For frying

Contraption - Cast Iron pan

Method:
Chop all the vegetables into fine bits. Add salt and Chaat Masala few minutes before preparing the sandwiches. Mix well and spoon 2 tablespoon of the filling between bread slices.

Heat a Cast Iron pan. Drizzle ghee on the sides if needed. Roast the Sandwich on both sides. Use a flat steel spatula to flip them. Cut them into 2  triangle shaped servings with a bread knife and serve hot with filter coffee.

Jackfruit Chips (Ghare Karo)

Jackfruit Chips are one of my childhood favorite snack items. These chips are made from a special variety of unripe Jackfruit kernels which yield good, tasty chips. The kernel of Jackfruit from which the chips are made are known as Gharo (in Konkani), Karo implies chips hence Ghare Karo. 

Growing up, my grandparents' sprawling backyard had few of my favorite trees easily touching 50 metres in height. We had a massive Jackfruit Tree which was used for Ghare Karo, a large Mango tree which bore tangy-sweet Kairi, a sweet smelling Champa tree (Champe) which blossomed with divine smelling Champa flowers of light orange shade, followed by a medium high Guava tree which yielded  pink, ripe Guava (Peru or Pear) during summer season. Needless to say, our favorite summer activity was to raid the trees. My Grandfather (Ajja) was the only one who supervised the tree and chose the Jackfruits to be used for these chips. He loved the tree and guarded it like a pot of gold. The tree was in demand just for the chips and a source of joy for all of us. With the onset of summer, all cousins and relatives would call us to book for a Jackfruit from the tree. Later my Grandparents moved from that home and the tree was chopped off, only to retain the trunk. Everytime I visit India, I make a point to visit the old home. Large buildings have mushroomed, but the tree stands tall with the trunk sans the foliage, a silent testimonial to an era gone by.

The chips were made by all the family members as a joint activity. Three, strong red and crimson Laterite bricks held a wide mouthed Iron Kadhai which was used once a year, specially lugged and hauled from the family attic, cleaned and sun-dried. The entire cooking was done in the backyard. The flames went high and the heat left us teary eyed all the time. All the kids had paper cones ready to enjoy the fresh batch of these fried chips. We squealed with joy when the salt water was added to the oil, the sound only indicating that we would be enjoying the chips soon.

The biggest chore in making these chips is separating the kernel from the bark of Jackfruit which is a super labor intensive activity. The entire family participated in the activity by oiling their hands and pulling out the kernels, de-seeding them and then slicing them for the chips. Once done, the chips have to be stored in an airtight container. The chips remain fresh and crisp for 2 weeks if stored well.

~ Ghare Karo ~

Prep Time: 60 minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes for each batch

Ingredients:

Jackfruit Kernel (Gharo) (sliced into thin strips) - 4 cups

Oil

Salt Water Concentrate -

Water - 1 cup

Salt - as per taste

Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp

*** Mix everything to form a solution ***

Method:

1. Slice the kernels into thin strips and keep aside. If they are wet, air-dry them by spreading them on a paper towel.

2. Mix all the ingredients of salt water concentrate to form a salty yellow solution. If the salt is less, the chips will not catch the salty taste. Adjust salt as per taste.

3. Heat oil in a big Kadhai and let the oil be smoking hot. Pour a handful of sliced pieces of Jackfruit and stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking to each other. Once they are done (they will get a reddish-orange color and will become crispy), add 2-3 tbsp. of the salt water concentrate. Give a good stir and pull them off heat and transfer to a paper towel to absorb excess oil. 

4. Store in airtight container and enjoy.

Note: The chips are made from unripe Jackfruit kernels. Not all unripe Jackfruit kernels are suited for making these chips.

Idli Roast

A quick no-brainer recipe and a family favorite. In my home, excess Idli is saved for Idli Roast prepared the next day for breakfast/ tiffin snacks. Sliced Idlis roasted in Ghee and a divine snack gets ready in less than 10 minutes. This snack made its way into my school and college snack box. 

I pair it with Curry Leaves Dry Chutney powder (Karbev Palley Chutney Pitti). For best results, use a Cast Iron pan for roasting. You will get a nice crust and a crispy texture.

~ Idli Roast ~
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6-8 Slices

Ingredients:
Idlis (sliced into thin bites) - 2
Ghee

Contraption needed - Cast Iron Pan

Method:
Heat a cast iron pan and place the slices side by side. Drizzle ghee on the sides. Flip them once the golden crust is formed and they are crispy. Turn off the flame and serve hot with Dry Chutney powder.

Vegetable Pizza

We both love Vegetable Pizza. Recently, for a get together with friends, one of my dear friend made Pizza from scratch topped with Artichokes, Olives and Mushrooms. I felt it was the yummiest one I had eaten; it had a very gourmet flavour. She shared the recipe with me and vouched for the Jamie Oliver touch to the Pizza dough. I tried this at home; the flavour was very cheesy, gourmet and my choice of cheese meshed beautifully with the vegetables. Both of us love trying and tasting various cheese, especially European ones and this recipe just served the purpose right.

Jamie Oliver opines that the dough be prepared 24 hours in advance for better results, it can be stored in a cling wrap in the fridge and used the next day. I was tempted and gave a resting time of couple of hours. I was amazed at how little amount of planning yields the perfect Pizza.

~ Vegetable Pizza ~
Preparation time: 6 hours
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Size: 8" Pizza

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough -
All Purpose Flour - 4 cups
Extra Virgin Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Luke warm water - 1 and 1/2 cups
High active yeast - 1 sachet ~ approx. 1/2 oz.

Pizza toppings -
Black pitted Olives - 1/2 cup
Mushroom (sliced baby Portobello) - 1/2 cup
Green Bell Pepper - 1/2 cup
Green Olives (optional) - 1/2 cup

Pizza Sauce -
Crushed Tomato (medium) - 2
Parsley - 1 teaspoon
Mixed herbs (Rosemary, Thyme) - 1/2 teaspoon
Oregano - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
*** Grind to a smooth paste in blender and discard the juice, retain the pulp mix ***
*** One can also use Marinara sauce - store bought ***

For garnish - Red chilli flakes, Oregano, Garlic powder
Cheese - shredded Mozzarella (80%) and shredded Monterrey Jack (20%)

Method:

Pizza Dough - Mix the wet ingredients of olive oil, water and yeast. Water should be lukewarm and not hot. Allow the yeast to form a bubbly froth for 10 minutes. Add the dry ingredients now which is flour, salt and sugar. Stir gently with a fork and knead to a smooth pliable dough to form a ball. Coat with a teaspoon of olive oil finally and cover with a wet cloth and leave in a warm oven for an hour with the light on. After an hour the dough will double up in volume. Punch it to let out the air and knead again. The dough will be elastic now. Dust the work surface with flour, roll out a Pizza of desired shape and transfer to a cookie tray lined with foil. Dust the foil with olive oil and flour. Proceed with the toppings.

Pizza Toppings - Roll out a 8" pizza out of the dough. Gently press the entire edge with 1" gap to provide elevation for the pizza toppings not to spill out. Prick the fork evenly into the pizza dough. This prevents the pizza from puffing up in the oven. Pre-heat the oven at 425 F. Add the sauce now leaving 1" border. Sprinkle liberally with Oregano. Add the toppings of Bell Peppers, Mushrooms and Black olives. Sprinkle olive oil liberally. Seal the vegetables with cheese of choice. Add the cheese with low melting point first and finally seal with cheese of high melting point. Bake in the oven at 425 F for 40 - 45 minutes.

Plating - Garnish with oregano, garlic powder and red chilli flakes. Enjoy with soda or beverage of choice.

Note - Use cheese which can withstand high melting point in the oven. I prefer Mozzarella or Parmesan blended with flavoured cheese like Monterrey Jack or Fontina which also melts perfectly (all shredded). Whole milk cheese has high moisture and melts well for a nice tasting Pizza. Use Olive oil in dough as well on topping as it gives the necessary gourmet flavour to the Pizza. Bread flour works better instead of All Purpose flour and gives the desired crispness to the base. I used All Purpose flour for the Pizza dough.

Spinach Cheese Delight

In US, Spinach n' Cheese dip is a popular one which can be matched with Chips of choice. You will find them listed on most dining menus. This recipe is inspired by the delecious combination of gooey Cheese and the humble Spinach. Recently, I made these warm Spinach Cheese Delight adapted from the original recipe available on Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry website. This along with half of Maggi Soup Cube added the right blend of spice and flavour. This was a good discovery for me. I skipped egg wash as suggested. Warm cup of Tea and a snack sets the tone for a perfect comforting evening.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Baking/ Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Recipe Source: Pepperidge Farm

Ingredients:

Puff Pastry Sheet (Pepperidge Farm) - 1

Spinach (chopped) - 3 cups packed

Processed Cheese (chopped into bits) - 1/3 cup

Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Maggi Soup Cube - 1/2 of the cube

Garlic powder - 1 teaspoon

Red Chilli flakes - as per taste

Salt

Oil

Method:

Thaw the Puff Pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes or till the sheet is easy to handle. Dust the work surface lightly with flour, run a rolling pin lightly on the Pastry sheet to stretch it evenly. Clean with a wet kitchen towel.

Pre-heat Oven at 400 F.

Heat little oil in a pan, saute Onions till they are translucent, add chopped spinach now and cook till they wilt and reduce in size, add garlic powder and red chilli flakes. Add in the chopped cheese and soup cube. Adjust salt with discretion as soup cube has sufficient amount of sodium. Allow to cool. The stuffing will form a collective consistency. Pour this stuffing on the sheet and roll the edge facing towards you to form a log. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 F. Flip them over and bake again at 400 F. Bake further more for 10 minutes. The pastry will be crisp, flaky and adopt a golden brown texture. Transfer to a cooling rack. Eat while they are warm.

Fenugreen Leaves Flatbread (Methi Paratha) & 250th Post

Methi Paratha is a healthy, nutritious snack/ lunch/ dinner item. I prefer making them in bulk and packing them off for office lunchbox. They remain intact for 2-3 days and avidly support batch cooking needs. If you are tired for the day, just pop them on the griddle for 2-3 minutes. Eat them away with cream cheese or a cheese spread of choice. They are great for kid meals and breakfast.

There is a particular version of these Parathas which you find at local Indian stores in US. I am very fond of them and this is an attempt to reproduce the same flavour. Glad they turned well and they remained fresh for 2-3 days when packed in Aluminum foil.

Turns out that this is my 250th post. Kudos to Konkani Foodie! The journey has been tough but sweet with loads of good food along the way!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 8-10 Parathas

Ingredients:

Fenugreek Leaves or Methi (chopped) - 1 bunch or 2 cups

Whole Wheat Flour - 3 cups

Red Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon

Cumin powder - 2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Amchur Powder or Mango powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt

Ghee (molten)

Water to knead the dough

Contraption used: Rolling pin and Base to roll the Parathas

Method:

Take the whole wheat flour in a huge mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add molten ghee and salt. Mix well with hands and add the spice powders one by one. Also add the chopped leaves and knead a stiff dough like Chapati. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

While making Parathas, pinch a lemon sized ball of dough; roll out thin parathas to the shape of circle. Fry them on hot griddle, one by one, slather ghee while frying on both the sides. This enables the Parathas to be soft and pliable. Cover them in a foil and refrigerate them if using for the day after. Consume within 2-3 days. Preferably heat up before eating for better flavour.

Tomato Vegetarian Omelette

Tomato Vegetarian Omelette - An easy breakfast Dosa recipe which works wonders on the taste buds with the crispness, mild mish-mash of vegetables - Tomatoes and Onions with the occasional bits of Coriander leaves.

My mom made this Dosa for breakfast when we were kids and I was whole heartedly led to believe that I am eating an Omelette. Later, as I grew up I came to the understanding that this Dosa is indeed Eggless and is a Vegetarian Omelette. Hence the name, Tomato Vegetarian Omelette. The crunch with the subtle flavours of Tomatoes is what I like about this recipe. Kids in my family love this Dosa and its a nice way to pick on the fun element of the 'Vegetarian' concept of Omelette. Especially with the tiny tots, it is fun to create a surprise dish and ask them to spot the ingredients. This also enables to enhance the kids to improve their cognitive and thinking abilities. My nephew calls this Dosa 'Amoeba Dosa'. :) This recipe was a sure shot formula for my Mother to have the kids wake up early and be decked with the Plate, Fork and Spoon begging for their favorite Dosa. This recipe has fed mighty number of kids, cousins, nephews and nieces in my family and left many a tiny ones with loads of smiles and laughter.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mom's in the world!!

I also liked Nupur's version of Tomato Omelette which you can check here.

Cooking time ~ 5 minutes

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Maida or All Purpose Flour - 1 cup

Besan or Gram Flour 1/4 cup

Onions (very finely chopped) - 1/4 cup

Tomatoes (very finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Green Chillies (chopped) - 1

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Water

Oil-Ghee

Method:

Mix in the Tomatoes, Onions, Coriander leaves, Green Chillies and crush them lightly. Add the Gram Flour and All Purpose Flour. Mix in to remove any lumps and to get a collective smooth consistency. Adjust the water as per consistency required. The batter should not be too thick nor thin. Add salt as per taste.

Heat a frying pan, add a ladle full of batter and spread like a Dosa. Slather Ghee on sides. Flip them once cooked on the other side. Cook completely and serve hot with dollop of Butter.

Suggestion: This Dosa can be a difficult one especially to achieve the exact circular shape owing to the vegetables. So, do not bother much, just slather the batter and enjoy the Dosa.

Edamame

Edamame ~ Boiled Soya Beans is a savoury quick healthy, snack which is a power house of protein. Edamame is a simple dish of boiled baby soya beans popular in China, Korea and various oriental pockets of the world. I first sampled this at a oriental restaurant and loved the healthy bites. In US, you get frozen varieties where the beans are packed in pods. Simple and easy to make; they are quick to eat and kid friendly as well.

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

Soya Beans pods - 4-6 cups

Salt

Water

Method:

Thaw the Soya Beans if specified in the package, else transfer them to a deep bowl of boiling water. Add a teaspoon of salt while boiling. Once completely cooked (check and eat one bean pod open to affirm), transfer to a different dish and drain water completely. Sprinkle sea salt and give a toss. Eat the beans while they are hot.

Malabar Spinach Soup (Vaali Bhaajji Soup)

Cold winter, being confined to warm indoors and a bowl of soup to slurp is certainly indispensable. I cherish the warmth and nutrition value a soupbowl brings to the table. I'd a pound of Malabar Spinach which I had bought from Indian store recently. Amongst all the greens, Malabar Spinach is one of my favorites. Basella Alba is the scientific name, Vaalchi Bhaaji in Goan-Konkani, Vaali Bhaajji in GSB Konkani, Basale Soppu in Kannada and Mon Thoi in Vietnamese. Its large stemmed laden with leaves, thick and sturdy, semi-succulent one upon cooking with expansive heart shaped leaves. I enjoy this plant-protein. Upon washing they render a slimy texture to the surface. These are great for Vaali Bhaaji Ambat, a common dish made out of Malabar Spinach in Konkani homes. Malabar Spinach is known to be an excellent soluble fiber and plays a pivotal role in eliminating toxins from the body. The Spinach soup packs all the goodness which health requires. Since, the noodles dissolve and give a great texture and body to the soup, its a good Kiddy Brunch-time soup as well. The tiny tots in my extended family love this to the core.

This recipe was passed on to me by a dear Aunty, who specialises in Anglo-Indian Catholic preparations. A descendant from South Africa, she made this soup with different vegetables as a brunch-time eat for kids. I used to happily slurp spoonful of this soup, rather gobble a bowl and run back home, pestering my mom to learn from her.

Preparation + Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4-6 individuals

Ingredients:

Malabar Spinach (finely chopped) - 4 cups

Water or Vegetable stock - 6 cups

Onions (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Maggie Soup Buillion or Maggi Veg Cube - 1

Salt - As per taste

Oil - For frying

Noodles (Uncooked) - 1/2 cup

Method:

Heat oil in a saucepan and saute onions till they are browned and fried well. Add the chopped Spinach, let them wilt a little for 5 minutes. Add the soup cube, salt, water and noodles which are not cooked. Do not add too much salt as cubes essentially carry sodium. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame for 15 minutes. Turn off flame after the vegatable and noodles are completely done and cooked. You will notice a profound color change in the Spinach once its cooked, the broth would have a dark mossy green color. Turn off flame and serve hot with Crackers or warm Italian Bread.

Cold Milk Chocolate Fudge

Nupur's Recipe Marathon: Day 1

Bad weather and no net connection. Totally bad. I felt extremely disappointed since I''d signed up for Nupur's 7 Day Recipe Marathon. My net was totally going bonkers and the connection was off. Thankfully, today the connection was up and restored (thank God!). Sorry for the miss on 25th Nupur. I have backdated the post for 25th and will begin with full gusto for next few days till 31st. I had made this yummy Cold Chocolate fudge since I wanted a sugar rush after lot of salty diet for days together. I wanted to get rid of most of my pantry items before I usher into the New Year. So this was made on a trial-and-error whim. The taste was very good and hubby also appreciated the experiment. You can also see a Chocolate Fudge Piroutte sitting neatly on the stemware in the picture. Cheerz! We had an awesome Christmas lunch with friends and the festive spirit was all in the air.

Merry Christmas to all my friends!! Tis' the season of sharing and giving.

Recipe Source: Ashwini

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Cold Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 teaspoons or as per taste

Vanilla Essence/ Extract - 1-2 drops

Cinnamon powder - 1/6 teaspoon or just a pinch

Chocolate Fudge Pirouttes - 1

Method:

Take a glass of cold milk. Mix in the Vanilla essence, sugar and cinnamon powder. Stir well. Add the Chocolate Piroutte and crush a little bit to allow the Fudge of the Piroutte to blend in the milk. Leave some for the crispies to float around for that extra crunch while drinking. Enjoy the Chocolate-y drink during a cold winter evening.

Simple Fruit Salad

A very easy dessert, something which I used to like eating as a kid. As a kid and even now, I detest eating fruits. I eat them for purely health reasons. This is a kid friendly recipe and makes a special appeal since ice-cream is loved by most of the kids and making kids eat fruits can be quite a tough task. This was my Mom's way of ensuring I got my dose of fruit nutrition albeit with a little more ice-cream.

Recipe Source ~ Mom

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Servings ~ 6-8

Ingredients:

Banana (chopped) - 1 cup

Chikoo (chopped) - 1 cup

Orange pulp (diced) - 1 cup

Pomegranates - 1/2 cup

Apple (chopped) - 1 cup

Cashewnuts (chopped) - 2 tablespoons

Almonds (chopped) - 2 tablespoons

Vanilla ice-cream - 1 litre pack

Method:

Mix in all the fruits and nuts, and add the ice-cream only while serving. This is a fairly simple recipe but something I wish to pen down lest I forget. Kids love this method of eating fruits. Ice-cream adds to the delight.

Garlic Bread ala Ash

There are days when you transport yourself to the Kiddy World. I happened to speak with my niece, the naught brat so much so that I quickly make a Garlic Bread for her which I am sure she would love. I added all her favorite elements as add ons for the Garlic Bread - Chunky Salsa sauce, Coriander leaves and Shredded Mozarella cheese which she loves to devour and gobble up. I named this dish Garlic Bread ala Ash.


Little bit of creativity and soul satisfaction = smiles and cheerz!! Now my niece does not like Coriander leaves, for that matter any humble sight of anything remotely green, so I thought of adding green in a different fashion. Hope she likes the idea of this creative style of consuming Garlic Bread.

Serves: 1 individual

Ingredients:
Garlic Bread - 2 slices
Chunky Salsa sauce - 2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 3-4 sprigs (chopped)
Mozarella Cheese (shredded) - 2 tablespoon

Method:
Take each slice of Garlic Bread from freezer. I used Texas Toast brand as I find their breads tasty and easy to bake and serve. Thaw for some time. Warm up on a frying pan or heat up in in microwave for 2-4 minutes with 1 T each of Mozarella cheese.

For garnishing, add a line of Chunky Salsa sauce and top it with Coriander leaves. I created a tiny coconut tree on my breads. Its important to get little creative with kids to make sure they tuck in their yummy fare without any fuss and tantrums. :)

Beetroot Potato Cutlet - Diana Style

Growing up, Ma made these lovely Cutlets which were inspired by a restaurant which was and still is very close to our hearts. Its Diana Hotel located in the heart of Udupi, a small cosy town near Mangalore. Any visit to Diana would be incomplete without a trip to Diana for their signature dish - Beet-Potato Cutlet. I have some fond memories of dining at this place with my Grandma and Grandpa who are no longer in this world. Every time I visit this place, their memories flash by and my eyes turn misty. So in essence, it is greater part of our family legacy and past that will be cherished always.

This recipe is my Ma's spin inspired the same restaurant. She does not add too many vegetables and keeps it simple, plus its shallow fried so is an healthy option. As a kid, I loved packing these goodies for my school tiffin box. To make life easy, I prepare them way ahead before use. This way they can be easily shallow fried and quickly cooked.

~ Beetroot Potato Cutlet ~
Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 20 Cutlets

Ingredients:

Potato - 4 (Medium - boiled, peeled and mashed)

Beetroot - 2 (Medium - boiled, peeled and mashed)

For Seasoning -

Green chillies - 3 (chopped finely)

Split Urad Dal - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Rava (semolina) - 3/4 cup

Salt 

Method:

1. Boil, peel and mash potatoes and beetroot together. Add salt and keep aside. To make things easy, I use a pressure cooker. 

2. In a small frying pan, heat few teaspoons of oil. Season with mustard seeds and once they splutter add Split Urad Dal. Saute till they change a shade or two in color. At this stage add the chopped green chillies. The chillies need to be well sauted to turn crispy. Allow the seasoning to cool.

3. Pour this seasoning and mix well with the mash mixture done earlier. Using a Cutlet mould, make cutlets of uniform shape and refrigerate till use. This helps in binding the mixture and firms their texture.

4. Heat a cast iron pan and dredge the cutlets in Rava. Pat lightly to let go of extra Rava and place on the pan side by side. After a minute, drizzle oil on sides. Keep the flame medium-to-high. Flip them with a turning spatula after 5 minutes. Let the cutlets cook on both sides. There will be a brown crust formed on either sides making the texture crisp. Once done, turn off flame and serve with Ketchup.

Note - Ensure the Cutlets are refrigerated after done. This process keeps them firm and aids binding when dredged in Rava.