Food Workshop

Apple Pie

2009-03-15T12:51:00.008-05:00

Brown sugar, apple sauceSpices, flourPut them in the ovenFor half an hourBake, bubble, bubble, bakeApple pie is fun to make!!That’s my daughter’s recipe for apple pie. She learned it from TV. I have an audio clip of her singing the above song and I wanted to attach it to this post. I thought blogger had the feature of directly uploading an audio clip from your

Cooking from the blogs

2009-03-15T12:27:00.000-05:00

Melting Moments: Inspiration from Spicyana and Ginger & Mango, recipe from Joy of BakingI sprinkled half of them with powdered sugar, and the other half were sandwiched using nutella.Chicken Roast, Recipe courtesy: MishmashStir-fried Green Papaya, Recipe courtesy: Spicy Chilly

Chocolate Cupcakes

2008-12-31T10:22:00.001-05:00

Cupcake is something you can bake with kids as they love stirring and mixing, lining the muffin pan with paper cups, and filling the cups with batter. For this reason, I often make cupcakes and muffins. When I made muffins last week, my little one made smiley faces on them using raisins and cashew halves. I make cupcakes using any cake batter. Usually it is plain yellow cupcakes as none of

Spinach & Shrimps

2008-12-24T13:16:00.003-05:00

I have a thumbnail gallery on my blog which needs massive updating. I was hoping that would be the next thing I would do when I have some time for my blog. But I never seem to get into it. In the meantime, here is a simple dish with shrimps & spinach leaves. I don’t have any name for this. I make a similar dish with fish using a recipe my husband found somewhere long ago. So I just tried

Beets & Beet Greens Thoran

2008-12-10T11:45:00.004-05:00

The idea is from mallugirl. I took a note of it when she said her mom makes a thoran using beets & beet leaves all chopped together. Thoran is a kerala specialty made by sauteing vegetables along with spiced coconut mixture. I prefer it with leafy vegetables such as cabbage, kale, spinach, collard greens etc. This beets and greens thoran is made with those tiny organic beets that comes with a

Molten Lava Cakes

2008-11-16T13:15:00.002-05:00

I don’t eat candies but I am an ardent fan of plain milk chocolates. Most of the days, I have to have my daily dose of chocolate. A small piece of plain chocolate will do, or even a cup of hot cocoa, but once in a while (very rarely) I opt for some quickly made chocolate desserts such as some silky chocolate pudding, or some decadent warm molten lava cakes. This is super delicious and

Carrot Pickle

2008-11-13T11:56:00.003-05:00

It was truly coincidental that I chanced upon the JFI carrots event. There is no reason to stay away from this now as I already have a carrot pickle picture on my drafts. Not just that, JFI is one of my favorite food events ever. I used to be a participant every month without any fail. But as the passion for food blogging slowly diminished (or it might be the time constraints), I missed many

Can you guess?

2008-11-03T17:04:00.001-05:00

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers (Baked)

2008-09-08T10:22:00.004-05:00

I like stuffed anything (including teddy bears!). The idea of stuffing certain mix of ingredients within another has always fascinated me. Let it be vegetables, fruits, or a flour based shell (like samosa, puffs, egg rolls etc.) stuffed with a spicy or sweet mix, I love it all. I have even stuffed my hash browns. Ela Ada is another favorite stuffed item which has a yummy sweet filling.

Brussel Sprouts - Two Ways

2008-08-31T10:20:00.000-05:00

When I saw them the first time, I really thought they were baby cabbages! They look and taste like cabbages. But they are not cabbage babies even though they relate to the same family. Just like cabbages, brussel sprouts are equally nutritious. So, I thought to give it a try. The first one is the famous kerala recipe, thoran! Coarsely chop the brussel sprouts. About two cups

Should I or Should I Not.....

2008-08-27T12:55:00.003-05:00

I have been thinking for a long time now about the blogger's feature to keep the blog open only for the people I choose. I don't want to be rude but the emails I'm getting about using my blog's content on business sites make me think like this. I usually pay no attention to these kinds of mails because I don't know how to respond. When I checked a couple of links I got by email the other day, I

Mixed Berry Crumble

2008-08-16T10:24:00.005-05:00

If you like home made pies, and if you don’t have the time and patience to make it from scratch, this one is for you. It wouldn’t look like pies, but the taste is very close. I make apple pies using a food network recipe. But after trying out a crumble version, I don’t think I would make a pie again unless I have to! You can use your favorite pie filling recipe and make it a crumble.

Ulli(Pearl Onions) Curry

2008-08-13T17:17:00.000-05:00

Ulli Curry is one of those mom's recipes this daughter used to enjoy. Even though I used to love this dish, it took a long long time to try it out in my workshop because of the fear of peeling so many small ullis(pearl onions). I hate peeling small onions so I try to substitute large onions wherever possible. But for this recipe, you have to use small onions! In fact you don't need that many

Chip in for Brianna

2008-06-20T10:38:00.013-05:00

I was a little late to know about sweet Brianna of Figs with Bri and her fundraiser. By now all my fellow bloggers would have already done something for her. My blog has been inactive for a long time. But when I checked the stats, wow, there are still around 400 visitors per day, most of them are from google searches. So I thought I would use my little space and try to publicize Brianna’s

Summer Squashes with Panch Phoron

2008-05-12T09:12:00.000-05:00

Summer squashes are one of my favorite summertime delights. So pretty and colorful, they are irresistible during summer! Though there are many, zucchini and yellow squashes seem to be the most common varieties. I have been trying out various recipes using them, and this one turned out awesome. This is an adaptation of Bengali style Summer Squash from Tigers & Strawberries. This recipe

Baked Samosas (Samosa Pies with Peas & Potato Filling!)

2008-02-27T20:46:00.003-05:00

I had always thought of Samosas as India’s own snack. But I was quite surprised to learn that they are not only India’s favorite, but a common snack in the neighboring countries as well. This must be one of the very popular Asian snacks liked by the whole world. Samosa is a triangular shaped pastry with a spicy vegetable filling, usually peas and potatoes, but meat or fish also can be

Chemmeen/Prawn Biriyani

2008-01-18T23:43:00.000-05:00

Big prawns – 1 lbs Chilli powder – 1 tsp Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Salt – to taste Clean and de-vein the prawns. Marinate with the other three ingredients and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Basmati Rice – 2 cups Bay leaves – 1 Cardamom – 3 Cloves – 3 Salt – to taste Lemon juice – ½ tsp Wash the rice, soak for 15-20 minutes, and drain. Bring 3 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T18:48:00.000-05:00

I would love to wish you all A Very Happy New Year.Thank you for all the support you have been giving me and my workshop. It would have been impossible for me to keep this blog alive all this time without your frequent visits and lovely comments. Thanks for all the inspiration. It means a lot to me. :)Here is wishing that all your dreams come true, and that you can keep up all your

May I call it Szechuan Chicken? Or is it Kung Pao??

2007-12-15T10:13:00.000-05:00

Or is it firecracker chicken? This is one of my attempts to replicate a Chinese Chicken dish we had from a take-out. I think they called it firecracker chicken, but when I researched for a recipe, I ended up finding Kung pao Chicken, Szechuan Chicken, and so many other variations. If you are a Chinese cuisine expert, you might be laughing already? Though we love spicy Chinese

Meringue Cookies!

2007-12-11T22:08:00.000-05:00

Meringue(pronounced as muh-rang) is nothing but egg whites whipped with fine sugar. Meringue can be dried in a low temperature oven to make meringue cookies or use as a topping for pies, cupcakes etc. Meringue cookies are one easy way to use up those leftover egg whites. You can flavor the meringue with chocolate, vanilla, nuts etc., or even add food coloring to make it prettier. You can

Guess?

2007-12-07T11:40:00.000-05:00

****************************************Want to play while I find some time to talk about it?You don't need any clues, do you?See you soon.:)****************************************

Two Birds in a Shot!! Date Bars with Cornflakes!

2007-11-19T21:46:00.000-05:00

I did! I just caught two birds in a shot. : ) The birds are 1) AFAM Dates hosted by lovely Chandrika of Akshayapatra. AFAM(A Fruit A Month) event was started by Maheshwari of Beyond the Usual. 2) WBB#17-Corn Flakes hosted by cute Nags of For The Cook In Me. WBB(Weekend Breakfast Blogging) is the

Chicken Pickle

2007-11-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

Boneless chicken – 1lb Chilli powder – 1 tsp Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Salt – to taste Cut chicken into small pieces. Marinate in Chilli-turmeric-salt mixture overnight (or at least a couple of hours) in the refrigerator. In a cooking vessel, cook the chicken along with the marinade until all the water is evaporated. You may omit this part and deep fry directly. Heat cooking oil(enough to

Before I forget...(Noodle Nest)

2007-11-09T14:26:00.001-05:00

...here is my noodle nest for CLICK-Noodles!Should I mention the copyright for the bird in the picture is Burger King Kid's meal? :D

Chilli Chicken

2007-11-07T20:55:00.000-05:00

This is not the kind of chilli chicken you eat at the restaurants. This is the simplest of all my chicken curry recipes, yet loved by all. No fancy ingredients like ajinomoto, soya sauce, corn flour etc. as in the real chilli chicken recipe. Marinate about 1 lbs. of chicken pieces (with or without bones) with enough salt and ½ tsp of cumin powder. Keep aside for at least 30 minutes. While

Caramel Peach Upside-Down Cake

2007-10-23T19:52:00.000-05:00

Upside down cakes are my weakness. Especially the pineapple ones. For upside down cakes, sliced fruits along with a sugary syrup is placed on the bottom of the cake pan before the cake batter is poured in. Once the baking is done, the cake is inverted so that the fruit side comes on the top. The plus point is that you can eat the cake without any icing or frosting. You may also serve it

Asparagus Bhaji/Pakora (Spicy Asparagus Fritters)

2007-10-22T20:53:00.000-05:00

Bhaji aka Pakora is a spicy Indian snack usually made with vegetables. The vegetables are first coated with a spiced besan/gram flour batter and then deep fried until golden brown.To make asparagus bhaji, cut asparagus(take as many as you want) into bite size pieces.Make the batter. I don't measure anything when I make the bhaji batter. So here is the approximate measurements of

When my camera met Mr.Egg!

2007-10-10T21:19:00.000-05:00

Bullseye is a term my mom uses for an egg cracked directly into a hot pan and cooked until just done. And seasoned with salt and pepper of course. One quick and simple way to eat an egg. Egg is partially cooked in this type of preparation. Since I am afraid of consuming raw eggs, I would cover the pan and cook a little more.Here I am adding some natural color, flavor, and nutrition to the

Sambar for GBP!

2007-09-21T20:40:00.000-05:00

Here I am…. Thanks for checking on me. Thanks for all the “where are you” comments and mails. It’s nice to know that you are missed. So, what’s next? How about a sambar? Blogging a sambar was never in my agenda. But, hello Green Blog Project, anything for you! What do I say about sambar? I know you will have your own version of sambar, the version your family adores. I know I

An award & a party!

2007-08-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

I am so thrilled to receive this thinking blogger award from dear Manisha of Indian Food Rocks. Thanks a lot, Manisha. I would like to pass this on to Annita of My Treasure & My Pleasure. To celebrate the joy of my award, I decided to join the puri-bhaji party!Whole wheat flour puris and simple potato bhaji!So...it’s puri-bhaji everywhere! For the past several days, I can’t even step onto the

Rice Makeovers-Quick Shrimp Fried Rice & Asparagus Rice

2007-08-06T12:44:00.000-05:00

Asparagus flavored riceRice makeovers are one way to whip up a meal in a jiffy. That is, when you have leftover cooked rice in the refrigerator. In fact, for any kind of fried rice, refrigerated rice is recommended in order for the grains to stay separated. Freshly cooked rice may get mushy when you stir it with other ingredients to make the fried rice. So when you have leftover rice in the

Unwanted visitor! Rant...

2007-08-03T09:41:00.000-05:00

One of these ran into my dining room, and then to my kitchen. Scared me screamed and ran as fast as I could. When I could breathe again, I checked back and I couldn’t find it anywhere. I made my husband look everywhere- under the cooking range, couch, refrigerator etc… He thinks it might have gone back outside, but the scared me thinks that it is still somewhere hiding inside. Scared me is

New Potatoes for GBP!

2007-07-27T19:26:00.000-05:00

Roasted New Potatoes!I didn’t know what new potatoes meant until I googled for some information about harvesting potatoes. I learned that potatoes can be harvested early while they are still immature and small. Potatoes turn mature when the top of the plant die and fall off before the first frost. But new potatoes are harvested early in summer. You just dig around the plants gently without

Strawberry-Watermelon Cooler & Watermelon Popsicles!

2007-07-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

Watermelon is one of my favorite summer treats. The size of a watermelon usually scares me away from buying it often, as to how I am going to finish off this giant fruit. Nevertheless, if I slash it open and refrigerate as snack size chunks, it will vanish in no time. Watermelon kept this way works great as a thirst(as well as appetite) quencher. The seeds are indeed a nuisance, so I think

Bitter Gourd/Paavakka Pachadi

2007-07-14T23:26:00.000-05:00

I am not a big admirer of bitter gourds, but I like this pachadi that my mom often makes. I can’t tolerate the bitterness of this vegetable, but in this pachadi, the flavor of coconut and yogurt prevail over the bitterness. Grind 3/4 cup of coconut with one or two green chillies. Grind it until it turns to a smooth paste. Use up to half a cup of water for grinding and keep aside. Heat up 1

Baingan ka Bhartha

2007-06-25T18:46:00.000-05:00

Fire Roasted Eggplant for JFI-Eggplants Baingan Bhartha is one of the delicious eggplant recipes. The procedure includes roasting the eggplant directly on fire which may sound complicated, but it’s fairly simple. The direct fire roasting gives this dish a distinct smoky taste and aroma. To begin with, you need one large eggplant. You will need to roast this over fire until it is

Long Overdue Thanks!

2007-06-24T23:36:00.000-05:00

Simply Spicy's Almond MacaroonsJugalbandi's Khajur--Imli ChutneyMicrowave Masala Peanuts from AromaSpicyana's Spicy Meat Puffs !!Blueberry Tea Bread. Thank you Mishmash!Thattukada style Kozhi Porichathu/Kerala Chicken FryKerala MixtureThank you, Sumitha & Mallugirl!

Let's play! Can you guess?

2007-06-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

Sauteed Broccoli

2007-06-05T11:26:00.000-05:00

“I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.” Do you know who said that? I have never cooked with broccoli until I came to the U.S. Broccoli is one of the healthiest foods you can think of, and is on the list of cruciferous vegetables. So I wanted to

Butternut Squash Curry

2007-05-29T15:55:00.000-05:00

Butternut Squash!! The only way I cook them is with dal(parippu-mathanga curry). With its sweet and pleasantly nutty taste, this pretty looking winter squash is very much similar to the pumpkin we get back in kerala. I found a recipe similar to this butternut squash curry on the net, but made lots of changes to suit to our taste. You will need:Oil – 2tbsp + 1tsp Onion, finely chopped – 1,

Gooseberry Chutney/Nellikka Chammanthi

2007-05-23T20:12:00.000-05:00

Gooseberries in brine/Nellikka uppilittathuGooseberries are yet another munchies that evoke memories of childhood and school days. Any idea why? These little berries used to be our 10 o’clock snack! Depending on their availability at home, we bring baby mangoes, green/ripe tamarind, bimbool, fresh nutmeg, gooseberries etc.. most probably smuggled from home. During the morning recess, we

Avil Payasam/Pounded Rice Pudding

2007-05-11T16:01:00.000-05:00

“In this quick and easy version of rice pudding, long-grain rice is substituted with avil(pounded rice), which takes very little time to cook.” Says Ms.Ammini Ramachandran. This is one recipe I tried out from her cookbook recently. I halved the ingredients given in the original recipe. This is how I made it: Rinse ½ a cup of avil/pounded rice, and drain. Bring ¼ gallon of whole milk to

Nanaimo Bars

2007-05-04T21:34:00.000-05:00

Nanaimo bar is a no-bake, layered dessert, which got its name from the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. “According to historical legend, a group of friends in Nanaimo, who would later found the Harewood Ladies' Auxiliary, found the recipe in the Vancouver Sun under the name "chocolate fridge cake," and popularized it under the name Nanaimo bar. However, a search through the newspaper's

Chammanthipodi/Dried Chutney Powder

2007-04-30T08:29:00.000-05:00

Curry LeavesCurry leaves are commonly used in most Indian recipes. These flavorful and highly aromatic leaves add happiness to any dish though most of us (including me) ditch the leaves while eating. I always question this act, and I even thought about chopping the curry leaves and adding it to the curry so it will be difficult to pick the leaves and throw it away. Curry leaves are good for

Will we make it to the party?

2007-04-25T08:39:00.000-05:00

Keeping fingers crossed...Some prospepective candidates of GBP-Summer 2007.....

Jihva for Tomatoes Roundup

2007-04-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

Today is the day for tomatoes!I shall stay back.I shall keep mum, and let these 98 100 101109 fabulous entries talk for tomatoes!Breakfast/Brunch Rice & Pasta Baked & Stuffed Curries & Sides Snacks & Appetizers Chicken Pickles & Preserves Soups/Rasam

A Reminder, a Videoclip, and a Tomato Rasam

2007-03-31T20:15:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to remind all those who have forgotten to email me the entries.Time Lapse Video of a tomato:This simple tomato rasam is an adaptation of Inji’s tomato rasam recipe. I tried the original recipe, and I thought I tasted raw garlic! I tried it again by increasing the cooking time. But I tasted raw garlic again! Then I remembered how I dislike when ground onion or garlic is added to

Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts: Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian Legacy

2007-03-26T08:17:00.000-05:00

I left Kerala years ago, and I have been missing it ever since. Now, Kerala is with me right here in the United States in the form of an astounding book that details the culture and the traditional cuisine of Kerala. Dear readers, I am proud to introduce Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts: Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian Legacy by Ms.Ammini Ramachandran, grand daughter

Spicy Shrimp

2007-03-21T08:54:00.000-05:00

This is one lovely preparation of shrimps. I have been keeping this recipe in my drafts for quite a long time now, waiting for a good picture. This is my fifth attempt, and my conclusion is, no, it's not that I am not a good photographer. The truth is "shrimps are not photogenic!". ;)Cook the following with very little water: Shrimps, peeled, de-veined and cleaned – 1 lb. (You may leave

Microplane!

2007-03-16T10:48:00.000-05:00

When the recipe calls for 1 tsp of garlic/ginger paste and you have fresh garlic/ginger on hand, how do you make the paste? Here is an easy tool I have been using for the past few years.Microplane zester! Peel garlic/ginger, and grate through the zester. You will get fine paste of garlic/ginger. This is dishwasher safe. So after using, just throw it in the dishwasher so you don't have to

Balloons?

2007-03-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

Cute! Aren't they?

Brinjal Curry/Brinjals in Peanut-Sesame Sauce

2007-03-13T11:54:00.000-05:00

Eggplant haters, pardon me, while I quickly jot down one more eggplant recipe. I will have to write down this recipe anyway. Sometimes I come to my own blog to refer recipes. :D For example, the egg curry I have posted a long time ago. I didn't cook it for a long time, and I forgot the measurements and ingredients. When I was on an egg fiesta again, it would never taste like my old egg curry

Grilled Eggplants

2007-03-07T20:06:00.000-05:00

Daylight savings begin early this year. So why can't the grilling, a hallmark of Summer?It is still cold and windy out there at times, but I had this urge to grill something. Eggplant is what I got in my hand after a refrigerator raid. Since it was windy outside, and the grill needed a big cleaning, I decided to use my grill pan.Grilling eggplants is so simple. Talking about simple, as some of

Jihva for Tomatoes

2007-03-02T22:59:00.000-05:00

Coconut was in my mind when I promised Indira that I would try to take charge of JFI if someone decided to withdraw from the hosting responsibilities. But Ashwini did a wonderful job with coconut, and I was thrilled to see my dream coming true on her blog(without any efforts from me!). Before I get a chance to think about another ingredient, Indira informed me that the prospective host of April

Stuffed Hash Brown Patties

2007-02-28T12:45:00.000-05:00

Hash brown refers to fried diced/shredded potatoes. Shredded potatoes can be shaped into patties or pressed down into a hot pan to form a pancake shape. In some places, any side dish made of shredded potatoes are also known as hash browns. Frozen hash browns are widely available, but it is very simple to make at home.When you have a child who asks for hash brown patties at least three times

Old Fashioned Cake - Cooking with kids!

2007-02-20T22:07:00.000-05:00

This is a very simple, old fashioned and kid-friendly recipe. The batter is mixed with hot milk which gives the cake a melt-in-the-mouth kind of texture. The measures given here make enough batter for a two layer cake. You may halve the ingredients for a single layer cake. You will need: Eggs- 4 Sugar-2 cups Vanilla – 1 tsp All purpose flour – 2 ¼ cups Baking powder – 2 tsp Milk – 1

Dried Tomatoes Chutney

2007-02-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

I am an ardent fan of chutneys. When I was a child, my school lunch box would come home clean if my mom packed some chammanthi with rice. Those chammanthis were made of either green mangoes or gooseberries, and ground using a grinding stone and pestle. But for some unknown reasons, whipping up a chutney is not always a piece of cake for me. I go through a lot of planning and pondering before

Pasta with Chicken & Roasted Garlic

2007-02-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

I ended up with this dish while trying to replicate a dish we had at Romano's Macaroni Grill years ago. This is closer to what they served at the restaurant but not the same. We all love this home made version now, and almost forgot the the taste of the original dish. We have to make another trip to the Macaroni Grill if we want to know how it originally tasted! Nowadays I cook this often,

Puliyinji/Tamarind-Ginger Hot Sauce

2007-01-29T14:19:00.000-05:00

All malayalee bloggers would have thought about this delicacy at least once when they heard that this month's JFI ingredient is ginger. I did, I wanted to cook it, I cooked it, and here I am blogging it, Kerala's own Puliyinji a.k.a Inji Curry.Ginger is perhaps the best herb that aids digestion and we, Indians, use it in small amounts everywhere possible. I wonder if there is any other cuisine

Baked Spaghetti

2007-01-25T12:59:00.000-05:00

Eating spaghetti is messy, do you agree? It stains your clothes and you get sauce on your face. Baked spaghetti is one neat way of having it. Well, sort of.... please don't tell me you tried this and still got sauce on your clothes. Borrow your baby's bib! :)Here, spaghetti is cooked, mixed with sauce and cheese, and baked to perfection. Spaghetti gets softer and absorbs all the sauce

Truffles

2007-01-22T08:55:00.000-05:00

Truffles are basically a ganache (a mixture of chocolate and cream) covered with tempered chocolate and/or different toppings.For making basic chocolate truffles, you will need:Bittersweet Chocolate(good quality) - 8 ozYou can use semisweet chocolate as well. Bittersweet chocolate gives a stronger chocolate flavor.Heavy Cream - 3/4 cupUnsalted Butter - 2 tbspOptional flavoringsHeat up heavy

Three Things Meme

2007-01-20T08:12:00.000-05:00

Thanks for tagging me Shaheen. Just as you said in your write-up, I am too not a fan of memes. But it is fun so let me try doing it.Three things that make me laugh:1. My family2. Reading good jokes or watching it in TV3. Some peopleThree things that make me cry:1. Helplessness2. Sadness3. HappinessThree things that scare me:1. The thought of getting stuck in a small place with no ventilation

Kovakka Fry

2007-01-11T09:59:00.000-05:00

Coccinia Grandis is the scientific name; it is also known as Kovakka, Tindora, Ivy Gourd, Indian gherkins etc. Did you know this is also known as gentleman's toes(like lady's fingers for okra)? This cute little vegetable is always available at our local Indian grocery store. Back in India, we had a kovakka vine growing in our backyard with lots of fruits. So it was nothing special at all. But

Cooking from the blogs...

2007-01-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

Archana's Fruitcake, now a reality!!Chicken varuthathu, an adaptation of shynee's and shaheen's recipes.Tomato Rasam, an adaptation of Indira's & VKN's recipes, mostly Indira's recipe with VKN's technique of extracting the tomato pulp.More Fruitcake! The fruitcake turned out great even though I made it without rum. I have seen people asking if this can be made without rum. My answer is "yes". I

Playtime!

2007-01-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

Collard Greens Thoran

2006-12-29T21:39:00.000-05:00

It's Jihva for Coconut!!!In Kerala, coconuts are in abundance and they are extensively used in vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian preparations. The white flesh of mature coconut is grated and ground to a paste before adding to curries. In most kerala recipes, coconut is an essential ingredient that you cannot leave out. In fact, you cannot think about cooking a complete Kerala meal without

Lemon-Date Pickle

2006-12-20T10:01:00.000-05:00

Pickles are indispensable in Indian cuisine and no Indian pantry or refrigerator is complete without a jar of pickle. There are many varieties of pickles, including instant pickles that have to be consumed within a few days, and pickles that store well for a very long time. Ceramic jars are best for storing pickles.You can make this lemon-date pickle using your favorite lemon pickle recipe. Just

Moong Dal Fry

2006-12-12T11:52:00.000-05:00

This is so simple and so delicious. But I had to wait almost 6 years to learn how to make it! We tasted this for the first time while we were flying in some Indian airlines 6 years ago. They served this in small packets as a tea time snack. We enjoyed every bite of it then, and thought it would be so easy to replicate it at home since it seemed too simple. I came

When do I stop this?

2006-12-06T12:40:00.000-05:00

Hmmm...another cast iron pan! Do you think I am done? Well, I have one more thing in my mind. A big rectangular griddle that sits on top of two burners. After that, I will stop looking for more......:) Well, cast iron pans are supposed to last forever if properly used, probably for generations. So....my kids and their kids and their kids all can use these pans. So I don't have to feel guilty, do

Mortar and Pestle

2006-12-06T12:35:00.000-05:00

I bought this last week from our local indian grocery store. Wonder how I managed all these times without this?

Kinnathappam & Jaggery Lemonade!

2006-12-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

New mom Kay chose jaggery, the medicinal sugar, for this month's JFI ingredient. Kay is one wonderful friend who always encouraged me when I started blogging. I really missed her all these times and was desperately waiting for her return. With this jaggery celebration, I hope she would be back to active blogging again. Welcome back Kay!!Ever since I started cooking, I have been substituting

Steamed Cranberry Pudding

2006-11-29T21:47:00.000-05:00

Steamed Cranberry Pudding with Vanilla Ice CreamToo many events.......too many deadlines..........Lovely Anna sent me a reminder about her Festive Food Fair. I came to know about it very late and I thought I wouldn’t be able to participate.Well, I had some leftover cranberries from the Thanksgiving Day and was looking for ways to use it up. I chanced upon this wonderful cranberry pudding recipe

Dessert Pizza

2006-11-28T09:37:00.000-05:00

This was one of the summer holidays project(too late to post I know!). My daughter likes to cook and insisted that she wanted to do something in kitchen during her holidays. This is a kid friendly recipe, but they will need an adult's help in baking the crust.I bought sugar cookie dough from Walmart. It should be easy to make it from scratch. I have yet to try that out. I let her spread the

Orzo with Shrimps & Broccoli

2006-11-25T11:37:00.000-05:00

For my daughter's love of broccoli & shrimps! My daughter loves shrimps & broccoli. So whenever she whines that she has nothing good to eat this is what I do- cook with shrimps and/or broccoli! This is one recipe I whipped up just for her, but we all loved it. Orzo(Rice shaped pasta) - 1/2 cupOil/Butter - 1 tbspOnion/Shallots - 1 small, finely choppedGarlic - 1 clove, mincedShrimps - 1/2 cup,

Garlic Pickle

2006-11-17T12:22:00.000-05:00

Two things I love to do in my kitchen during winter are pickling and baking. Usually people pickle vegetables in summer and save it for winter. But in my house, pickles always have short life. We start eating it the very next day after picking and it would last only a few weeks maximum unless I hide it and deliberately forget about it. When there is pickle, we tend to eat it a lot. So I always

Time for a game?

2006-11-16T09:01:00.000-05:00

Pomegranate peels & Fried onions! Thank you all for guessing.

Blueberry Muffins

2006-11-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

Butter at room temperature - 1/4 cupEgg - 1Sugar - 1/2 cupAll purpose flour - 1 cupBaking powder - 1 tspSalt - 1/8 tspMilk - 1/4 cupVanilla - 1/2 tspBlueberies - 1 cup, fresh or frozen Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Take blueberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with some flour and toss to coat.Cream butter and sugar together until it is nice and smooth. Add egg and whisk to incorporate. Sift flour,

Lemon Squares

2006-11-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

For my husband's love of tangy desserts!Yes! He loves tangy desserts, especially when the recipe calls for a lemon. This recipe calls for 2 lemons and it is indeed very lemony. The crust is almost like a shortbread with a sweet lemony custard-like filling on top! The best way to enjoy this is to take small bites of it and eat slowly. It has a strong flavor of lemon and you might not enjoy it if

Kappa Vevichathu/Simple Tapioca

2006-11-03T12:56:00.000-05:00

This is a simple kappa/tapioca preparation. Many people I know, prepare tapioca with a coconut mixture added to it. I like that, but I prefer to eat kappa with coconut fish curry. So, in order to avoid having coconut in both, I make kappa this way and serve it with coconut fish curry. Definitely a comfort food!Boil water in a big pot. Peel and wash 2 or 3 medium sized kappa. Cut into small pieces

Finger Cookies

2006-10-31T11:15:00.000-05:00

Fatty, Dirty fingers for Halloween!Whisk together 1 stick of butter(1/2 cup, softened) with 1/2 a cup of powdered sugar. Add 1/2 a tsp of vanilla and 1/4 tsp of salt. Add 1/2 a cup of powdered oatmeal (You can powder it in a coffee grinder). Whisk to combine. Add a pinch of cinnamon powder or nutmeg powder for extra flavor. Now take a cup of all purpose flour and add in little by little.

Tried & True

2006-10-26T09:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my third grader came back from school asking:"Mom, do you have whipping cream and a glass jar?"I had them, so she told me to get it ready for her. She came after washing her hands and said "Mom, we made butter in the science class today, and we ate it with crackers. I want to make it again. So you can learn it from me". She poured in the whipping cream in the glass jar and I helped her

Spicy Basil-Mozarella Toast

2006-10-16T22:29:00.000-05:00

More from the breakfast table....In a mixing bowl, mix 3 tbsp mozarella cheese(this is for two slices of bread), 1 tbsp finely chopped onion, 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves, pepper powder to taste, a few pieces of dried tomatoes, and 1-2 green chillies cut into thin rounds. Mix together with a spoon.Turn on the broiler. Arrange the bread slices on a broiler safe pan and broil it for about 90

Broiled Eggplant Sandwich

2006-10-09T22:47:00.000-05:00

Broiled Eggplants Sandwich, Strawberries with Nutella Spread Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But ever since I started cooking on my own, I stopped taking good breakfasts. Dear husband supported by saying that he too stopped taking breakfasts after moving to his workplace. We decided we would take bread and butter if necessary. But how long people can live on bread and

Fruit Leather

2006-10-03T09:50:00.000-05:00

Homemade Mango LeatherAnother kids’ favorite!Fruit leather is a dried fruit snack made with real fruit (and no artificial color or flavors and other chemicals added like the store bought fruit rollups).I make this often for my daughter. Once she took some in her lunch box, and the next day I got three recipe requests from her class. The process is so simple, and there is nothing to elaborate.

Mutton Curry

2006-09-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

I don't have a consistent recipe for mutton curry. We love mutton in any form, fried, curried, pulao, or in a biriyani. I would have tried umpteen versions of mutton curry by now, sometimes with an extra ingredient or sometimes with an ingredient missing out. No matter how the recipe goes, it always comes out delicious. Of all the meats, I think mutton has the strongest flavor. Lamb and mutton

Want to play again?

2006-09-25T12:18:00.000-05:00

The first one is bittergourd, second is a piece of kodampuli soaked in water, and the third is lemon. :)

Beetroot Pachadi

2006-09-18T20:26:00.000-05:00

Beetroot -1Turmeric powder -1/4 tspSalt - to tasteCoconut - 1/2 cupCumin seeds - 1/4 tspGreen chillies - 3Shallots - 2Yogurt - 1 cupOil - 1 tbspMustard seeds - 1 tspWhole red chillies - 3Curry leaves - a fewPeel and cut the beetroot into small pieces. Cook beetroot pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Add 1/2 a cup of water for cooking. Grind coconut with cumin seeds, green chillies, and

Cooking from the blogs.........

2006-09-14T22:15:00.000-05:00

A taste of Malabar- Kozhi Nirachathu/Stuffed Chicken(Recipe Source: Malabar Spices)More Malabari taste, Mussel Fry(Recipe Source: Malabar Spices) Radish Pachadi (Recipe Source: Salt&Pepper)

Meme - ABOUT ME, ME AND ONLY ME!

2006-09-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

Thank you Archana & Rashmi for tagging me.I am thinking about: buying a treadmill. I want to : visit an island.I wish : Indian Rupees were equal to American dollars!I regret : about shouting at my kids. :(I hear : the music from the Baby Einstein video.I am : sleepy right now.I dance : with my kids.I sing : when there is no one to hear.I cry : very easily.I am : still sleepy.I write : blogs,

Vegetable Pulav/Pulao

2006-09-10T20:17:00.000-05:00

We make biriyani often, but we are not pulav fans. As far as I understood, there is a subtle difference between pulao and biriyani. I wonder if pulav could be an easy and mild version of biriyani for it can be made in a very short time and still tastes good. In a biriyani, rice and masala are cooked separately, and then the rice is layered between the masala at the final stage. But pulao is a

Eggplant Curry

2006-09-06T21:29:00.000-05:00

Saffronhut’s dahiwala baingan has been a staple in my kitchen for quite a while now. I make this whenever I have eggplants no matter what kind. I have even tried it with the big eggplant. The other day I was prepping to make this delicious dish to serve with rice. After shallow frying the marinated eggplants and keeping them aside, I started slicing the onions. That’s when I realized I did not

Can you guess?

2006-09-06T07:49:00.000-05:00

Now you know how I would take a picture for a guessing game! This should be easy for you. I am going to post a recipe using one of these, so please guess it fast. :)Scroll down for answers!Yes, they are eggplant and long beans, not green beans. Here she is again!! Remember she made her debut in my aebleskiver pan post?

Happy Onam!

2006-09-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Onam to all my blogger buddies!!

Macaroni & Cheese!

2006-08-31T20:52:00.000-05:00

Kids love Macaroni & Cheese for dinner. You will never buy those blue boxes again once you try out this easy recipe. Mac & Cheese is so easy to make from scratch, and it will be done in less than 20 minutes. (I didn't mean to sound like Rachel Ray. hehehehe...)Whenever we have something very spicy for our dinner, this is what I make for my daughter who cannot tolerate spicy food. Serve this with

Can you guess what these are?

2006-08-21T12:41:00.000-05:00

Thank you all for participating. Here are the answers. :) Many of you have guessed the second one right, but was the first one a little hard? Had I given a clue, I know you all would have guesssed it right. This is fun!!******************************************************************** *********Scroll down for answers!

Methi/Fenugreek Dal

2006-08-16T11:34:00.000-05:00

Even if you haven’t planted anything yet for LG's green blog project, you can still participate. Here's how: Take some good soil in a container. You may use any container that can hold some soil; it doesn’t have to be deep. Wet the soil. Take a handful of methi seeds and sprinkle it over the soil. Sprinkle more soil to cover the seeds. Spray water twice a day to keep the soil moist. Do this for 2

Happy Independence Day!!

2006-08-14T22:05:00.000-05:00

Radish pachadi(Recipe courtesy: Salt&Pepper)I don’t claim that raita or pachadi is a dish of my region, Kerala. Raita is all over India in different forms. According to Wiki, raita is a South Asian condiment based on yogurt. Vegetables cooked or uncooked and other seasonings are added to the yogurt to make delicious raitas. Tomatoes, onions, cilantro, green chillies, and cucumber are the common

Waffle Dosa & Mint-Onion Chutney

2006-08-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

A waffle iron is not a necessary item in an Indian kitchen. But I bought it when my daughter developed a love for waffles and started buying the frozen waffles from the grocery stores. It is very easy to make a healthier version of waffles at home. You can make your own waffle mix using all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. You can also add berries or other fruits or vegetables such as grated

Moong Bean(Cherupayar) Curry with Coconut Milk

2006-08-05T20:37:00.000-05:00

Whole moong beans– 1/2 cupSalt – to tasteCoconut – 3/4 cup, I used dried grated coconut.Green chillies – 2 or moreCumin seeds – ¼ tspTurmeric powder – ¼ tspShallots or small onion - about 1 tbsp choppedOil – 1 tbspMustard seeds – ½ tspCurry leaves – a fewWhole red chillies – 2Cook moong beans with salt and just enough water until moong beans are soft but not mushy. Grind coconut with green

Chembappam/Sweet Egg Fritters

2006-08-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

Like my entry for JFI-dal, this also was a quick fix endeavor at the last moment. My grandma used to make this as an after school snack for kids. I googled for ChEmbappam to no avail. Maybe this is known in other names too. I saw a similar recipe called Pongappam in a magazine. This is a very very simple recipe. You can also make this using leftover pazhampori batter. Just add more flour and