Spinach & Mushroom Rotini

Spinach and mushroom make for a wonderful combination. And with whole grain rotini, the taste is almost heavenly. This is one of my favourite recipes, one I created on one of those long winter evenings when I had a craving for a hearty yet healthy meal!! I am sharing this with all pasta lovers via Presto Pasta Night, hosted by the lovely Ruth.

Ingredients:
3 cups whole grain rotini
1 cup frozen spinach
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup milk
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
Parmesan cheese, shaved
1 small green pepper, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cornflour
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper, freshly ground

Method:

1. Boil the pasta as per instructions on the packet in plenty of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the garlic and stir. Next add the onions and and fry until golden brown.
3. Add the peppers and mushrooms, stir and cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for 3 minutes.
4. Microwave the spinach for 6 minutes on high, and add to the saucepan. Mix well with the peppers, mushrooms, and onions.
5. In a separate bowl, blend together the stock, milk, and cornflour. Pour into the pan and stir to make a sauce with the cooked vegetables. When the liquid begins to thicken, blend in the cheeses, and season with the salt and pepper. Your spinach and mushroom pasta sauce is now ready.
6. Now add the cooked rotini to the pasta sauce. Mix well.

Serve this deliciously creamy pasta very hot, topped with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Dreamy Vegetarian Pizza

So, I was surfing the internet for interesting food events.... Yup, feels like I have been doing a lot of that lately!! But then there are so many wonderfully enthusiastic chefs out there, each dreaming up new ways to challenge our skills and creativity!! I still continue to be quite literally gobsmacked at the variety and range of food events online.

Anyway, the first site to pop out from the blogosphere was Stephanie's blog announcing a Pizza Party. Just perfect I thought. And then, almost simultaneously - what exactly is a pizza? I mean I know what a pizza is, I have eaten it often enough, I bake it at home quite frequently - and yet - what is a pizza?? Quite simply, a pizza as we know it today is an Italian open pie usually made of thin bread dough spread with a spiced mixture of a.k.a tomato sauce and cheese. According to the Smithsonian, the pizza could be said to be a descendant of the focaccia or bread rounds covered with herbs and spice which made their debut in Naples around 1000 years ago. Essentially a peasant food, it was a way of recycling leftovers by placing them over thin crusts of dough and the baking them. Indeed there was no tomato on the earliest pizzas as Europeans came to know of this beautiful fruit sometime in the 16th century, and it was added to the pizza only sunsequently.

The world's first pizzeria Port'Alba opened in 1830 pizza. The pizzas there were cooked in ovens lined with lava from Mount Vesuvius. Talk about gourmet! The first truly modern pizza was the Margherita Pizza. Named to honour when Queen Margherita Teresa Giovanni, the consort to the Italian King in 1889, it featured fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese (used for the very first time on a pizza), and basil - ingredients that reflected the colors red, white and green for the Italian flag. Pizza was brought to the USA by the Italian immigrants. The first pizzeria in the USA was called Pizzeria Neapolitan and opened in 1905 in New York City. It however gained currency only towards the end of WW II when American servicemen returning from Europe popularised it in the States. More recently, Ike Sewell invented the deep-dish pizza. You can still find it at the Pizzeria Uno in Chicago.

Fun facts about Pizza:

• Americans eat almost 350 slices of pizza each second! With 3 billion pizzas being sold annually, it is no wonder that pizza is a $30 billion industry today.
• Close to 40 per cent of all pizzas sold are pepperoni pizzas. Other popular toppings include onions, extra cheese, and green pepper. The least popular topping is - you guessed it - anchovies.
• Some intriguing topping that one might be tempted to sample include oysters, dandelions, and peanut butter and jelly!!!!
• While Americans prefer meat toppings, a popular pizza topping in Japan is squid and tofu. In India tandoori chicken and chilli paneer are favourites. Brazilians enjoy green peas on a pizza while Russians top it with mockba - a mix of sardines, tuna, mackerel, salmon and onions.
• The original Italian pizza was made with green peppers and mozzarella cheese. The original Greek pizza was simply crust and vegetables - no cheese!!
• And you might be interested to note that October is National Pizza Month.

Now if that's whet your appetite, here's the real deal!!


Ingredients:
Ready prepared pizza dough (I used Pillsbury)
1 can tomato paste
1 red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 large tomatoes, sliced fine
1 large Spanish onion, sliced fine
1 large green pepper, sliced fine
1 Jalapeno pepper, sliced fine
1/2 cup black olives, halved
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Method:

1. First, prepare the pizza sauce. Pour the oil into a saucepan. When warm, add the crushed garlic, and then after a minute the minced red onion. Fry until transparent. Now add the tomato puree, a cup of water, the Italian herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10-15 minutes until you get a sauce of medium thick consistency. Set aside to cool.
2. Roll out the pizza dough as per instructions on a large cookie sheet. Set the oven at 350F.
3. Pour the sauce over the dough and spread evenly. Layer the vegetables over the sauce starting with half the cheese and green peppers. Next place the tomatoes, onions, Jalapeno peppers and olives. Lastly sprinkle remaining cheese over the pizza.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust begins to turn golden and crispy.
5. Slice and serve your dreamy vegetarian pizza hot with your choice of condiments!!
   
   All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Khaman Dhokla

As my husband and I simply adore Khaman, I thought this might be the best treat to share on International Women's Day 2008. Thanks to Zorra, the web today has been flooded with warm, fragrant, and delicious messages of awareness and love!


Ingredients:
1 cup chickpea flour
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ginger-chilli paste
1/4 tsp asafetida
1 tsp baking soda
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients except the baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
2. To this mix, add the oil, water, and ginger-chilli paste and blend well to make a lump-free paste.
3. Put 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker or a steamer, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile grease a cake pan or pie dish that will fit into the steamer such that it can also be easily removed with a few drops of oil.
4. Now add the baking soda and lemon to the chickpea flour mix, blend well and pour into the pan. Leave at least a 3/4 inch space in the pan above the batter.
5. Lower pan carefully into the steamer. If using pressure cooker, do not place the weight. Cook for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the cake pan from the streamer. Let the dhokla cool. Turn out, cut into squares.
7. Serve warm or cold with your favourite chutney or sauce.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Pasta with Chickpeas and Parsley

There is nothing quite like having a few recipes for quick and easy one dish dinners handy. Amongst my favourite recipes is Pasta with Chickpeas & Parsley. This is a deliciously spicy pasta with a tremendously hearty flavour. Its completely no-fuss to make. It was perfect for our move last week - fast to make and truly yummy!!

Ingredients:
3 cups mixed pasta
1 large can chickpeas
2 small onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste
Pepper, freshly ground


Method:

1. Boil the pasta with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil in plenty of water. Set aside when ready.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until transparent.
3. Drain the chickpeas and add to the pan. mix well cook covered on medium heat for 2 minutes.
4. Now add the pepper flakes (you can reduce or increase the quantity according to taste), and the parsley. Blend in and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until the chickpeas are warmed through.
5. Season with salt and pepper and toss the cooked pasta into the chickpea mix.
6. Serve hot with extra freshly ground black pepper and red chilli flakes.

I am sending this across to Meeta's Monthly Mingle One Dish Dinners. This recipe is also my very first entry to Ruth fabulous event Presto Pasta Nights!!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Gujarati Kadhi

Hey Folks! I'm back after a short hiatus. February was supposed to be our home moving month, with the actual move planned for the end of the last week. However we had some rather unexpected warm and sunny weather on the weekend of 23-24 February. Given the 100 plus inches snow that we have plowed our way through since the start of this year, the ray of sunshine seemed promising, and indeed too good to pass up. At the very last minute we decided to take advantage of this good fortune that nature had sent us and move a week before planned. There was some unfinished maintenance at our new home, yet we decided to chance it :)

Moving is tough work and while I am still unpacking the boxes (does that ever end??), I made sure the kitchen was set up and functioning on 'Day One'. Now where have I hear that phrase lately?? LoL, but seriously - I needed the inspiration and the creativity to survive the sheer tediousness of the move, the packing, and the unpacking. And what better way to unwind at the end of a long day than to bring together cereals, lentils, vegetables, and spices and watch them transform into beautifully creative meals - with mouth-watering appeal....

While I am sure that many a blog here will find its way linked to 'the move', I think enough said about it for the present. Onto a dish that turns up in many an Indian home on cold winter evenings. It is heartwarming, delicious, nutritious, and wholesome - it is Gujarati Kadhi. Golden and creamy, yet amazingly light on the stomach, this Kadhi is best served with fresh steamed Basmati rice, and a dollop of ghee!!


Ingredients:
1/3 cup chickpea flour
1 cup yogurt
2 cups water, warm
1 tbsp sunflower/canola oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
8 black peppercorns
4 cloves
2 dried red chillies
6-8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste

For tempering:
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp coarsely grated red chilli powder

Method:

1. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy bottomed pan. When hot, reduce the heat to medium.
2. Add the cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and red chillies to the oil.
3. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, and a fragrance emerges from the pan, add the warm water into the spices. Take care when doing this as the oil can sputter when water is added.
4. Now mix the chickpea flour, turmeric, salt, and the yogurt. Blend well so that the mixture is free of any lumps.
5. Gently pour this mix into the the water and spice mixture.
6. Cook the Kadhi on a medium heat stirring constantly. You will notice the mixture thicken and acquire a deeper yellow colour.
7. The Kadhi is ready when you can no longer taste the rawness of the chickpea flour. set aside.
8. Prepare tempering by heating the ghee in a small shallow pan. When warm, add the red chilli powder. Pour over the Kadhi.

The Kadhi is now ready. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Watercress & Potato Soup

Now there's nothing quite like warm soup on a cold winter's day. And here in the Great Lakes area we appear to be having the coldest, snowiest winter ever. In fact, not only do we have 3 feet snow on the ground, the branches of trees have frozen over and are glittering like shiny ornaments in the bright winter sun! Yes I spent the better half of my day admiring this sight and taking loads of photographs. With the setting sun, I decided to get back in and get some hot soup going.

We love soup so much around here that I have taught myself to prepare it 'from scratch'!! Yes, I make my own soup stock, freeze it, and keep it handy to boil up a steaming hot favourite in a snap. Here's my recipe for our favourite Watercress & Potato Soup.


Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 oinion, chopped fine
1 potato, diced
5 oz watercress
2 cups vegetable stock
11/2 cups milk
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt to taste

To Serve:
Pepper, to season
Sour Cream
Orange peel

Method:

1. Warm the butter in a large non-stick saucepan. Add the onion and fry over low heat until it becomes translucent. Add the potato and fry for 3-5 minutes. Cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Wash the watercress, strip the leaves, and chop the stems.
3. Add the stock and milk to the pan and once they are warm, add the watercress. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper, then process in a blender. Return to the saucepan and heat.
5. Adjust seasoning, pour into warmed soup bowls, garnish with sour cream and orange peel.
6. Serve with warmed crusty bread or freshly baked biscuits.

I am sending this delicious and nutritious recipe over to Lisa for her wonderful new food event No Croutons Required....

I am also sending this great winter warmer to Jen at the The Left Over Queen. Jen hosts the delightful and very easily accessible web resource: The Foodie Blogroll. It is a superb link, indeed must-have for all Food Bloggers in the Blogosphere!! Thanks Jen!!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Rose-Coloured Kalakand Hearts

Kalakand is a much-loved sweet in Indian homes. It is milk-based treat that graces festivals, marriages, and many more celebratory events.

Kalakand has a melt-in-the mouth feel. It is grainy in texture often due to the multiple milk based ingredients that make it up. The best Kalakand is that which is gently sweetened and allows the combination of both flavour and texture to explode simultaneously in a single bite. Though almonds, cashews, and indeed even walnuts can be added to Kalakand, I find that this indulgent sweet holds its flavour best when paired with pistachio nuts! Needless to say, this sweet is for everyone who loves milk, adores fudge, and has the desire to give in to toothsome delights every so often. And with Valentine's Day round the corner, what better treat for your sweet than these dainty Rose-Coloured Kalakand Hearts!


Ingredients:
340 gms (12oz) khoya/mava
1 cup full-fat milk
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp pistachio nuts, chopped coarsely
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)


Method:

1. Coarsely grate the khoya.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the milk until it begins to boil. Add the grated khoya to the milk. Reduce heat, and blend well, stirring constantly.
3. Once the khoya melts completely, add the ricotta cheese one tablespoon at a time and mix well.
4. Cook this mixture on medium-high heat until it begins to thicken. Now add the cardamom powder, pistachios, and the condensed milk, stirring constantly.
5. When the mixture starts to dry out and it will begin to leave the sides of the pan. Lower heat and cook till the mix dries out completely and begins to take the shape of a lump. You will notice the mixture change colour and acquire a faint rose shade.
6. Grease a cookie sheet or square cake pan with ghee. Remove the Kalakand on to the sheet, pat down to achieve desired thickness, and let it cool.
7. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut into desired shapes.

I am sending this recipe over to Zorra's Valentine's Day: A heart for Your Valentine and to Pooja at Theme of the Week - Valentine's Day. Enjoy the Kalakand with the entire family and friends. Mine can testify - there's no better way to say: I love You!!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Mumra Wale Kanda Pohe

Pohe is an all-round favourite at breakfast on weekends or for a heavy tea. My current favourite is a recipe that I learnt from a friend but have tweaked to taste. This pohe is made not with Pohe Rice (flattened rice) but with Mumra or Puffed Rice. It has a different and unique flavour and texture. But I found that the puffed rice absorbed the flavours better than the flattened rice. Also it retained a moisture and softness that pohe rice tends to lose if not served immediately. This recipe of Mumra Wale Kanda Pohe is for Jhiva for Ingredients: Onions, which this time has been hosted by Radhika of Radhi's Kitchen.


Ingredients:
6 cups Mumra (Puffed Rice)
1 tbsp oil
2 large onions, sliced finely
2 green chillies, slit
6-8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Take 2 cups of Mumra in a large bowl. Pour enough tap water over the Mumra tosoak them through. You may have to use your hands to push the Mumra under the water. Allow to soak for 1-2 minutes until they lose their crispness and become soft. Taking one handful at a time, squeeze the water out of the Mumra completely. The Mumra should not retain any water yet hold its shape at this point. Spread out in a large colander.
2. Repeat this until all the Mumra are in the colander.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan. To this, add the mustard seeds, and when they pop add the cumin, curry leaves, sliced onions, and green chillies. Cook on medium heat until the onions become transparent.
4. Now add the prepared Mumra, turmeric, red chilli powder, and salt to taste. Stir in the spices so that all the ingredients are blended well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Remove the cover of the pan, stir, and keep on the heat until the Mumra is completely cooked - about 5 minutes.

Serve Mumra Wale Kanda Pohe hot with a squeeze of fresh lime and your favourite pickle!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Lasun Parathas (Garlicky Parathas)

Garlic is part of the onion family and is packed with antibiotic and antifungal properties, Vitamin B, minerals, and flavanoids! It is believed to have several health benefits and is believed to help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and even regulate blood sugar levels.

Garlic is used extensively in Indian foods. Its sharp, pungent taste adds much flavour and richness to vegetables, lentils, and curries. It is sometimes though rarely incorporated in Indian breads, and I have often wondered why this is the case. I love different kinds of rotis and parathas and am always experimenting with them. Here's my recipe of Lasun Parathas for Think Spice... Think Garlic!!


Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat flour for rolling the bread
1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste
Water
Ghee/oil, as needed

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients except the wheat flour for rolling. Add the garlic and cilantro to these ingredients and mix well using both hands. Knead the dough by adding the 1 tsp ghee and water as needed to these ingredients.
2. Divide the dough into equal-sized ball (size of a key lime). Roll each into a flat disc (paratha) around 3 inches in diameter.
3. Heat a griddle/frying pan, place one paratha on it. Cook both sides evenly on medium heat. When cooked, remove on a plate, smear with ghee, and keep warm in aluminium foil.
4. Make all the parathas in the same way.
5. Serve warm with your favourite vegetable or curry!
   
   
   All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Til Gur (Crunchy Sweet Black Sesame Diamonds)

The change in seasons has always been a cause for celebration amongst peoples across the world. For Indians, one of the most auspicious days on the monthly calendar is marked by Sankranti - the day on which the sun moves from one sign of the zodiac to the other. Of all such days, it it the day of Makar Sankranti that is believed to be the most holy. This is because it is on this day that the sun returns to the Northern Hemisphere thereby marking the end of a long cold winter and the return of spring.

As it is in the month of Magha that the sun enters the Makar Rashi or sign on the zodiac known as Capricorn, this Sankranti is known as Makar Sankranti. The terms come quite literally from the fact that the sun leaves the Tropic of Cancer and enters the Tropic of Capricorn. The ensuing period is also known as the Uttarayan Punyakalam.The most famous celebration of the arrival of this auspicious period is at the Kumbh Mela, celebrated Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik.

Makar Sankranti is also celebrated as a harvest festival inalmost all parts of the country. Known as Bhogali Bihu in Assam, Pongal in TN, Lohri in Punjab, Haldi Kumkum in Maharashtra, Khichiri Sankranti in Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarayan in Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is celebrated with kite flying competitions, folk dancing, bonfires, decorating cattle, and of course sharing sweetmeats.

While Mitha Pongal, Kurmure Laddoo, Sarson ka Saag, Khichiri, Ariselu, Ellu, Sugarcane, are all foods made and shared on Makar Sankranti, Til Gur has come to be synonymous with the festival. While Til Gur is often made with white sesame seeds, I have always preferred the taste of black sesame seeds. They impart a delicious flavour and when combined with jaggery give a sparkling look to this evergreen sweet. Here's my recipe for the nuttiest, smokiest, and crunchiest Til Gur ever!!

Ingredients:
1 cup black sesame seeds
1 cup jaggery
1 tsp ghee
2 tbsp raw peanuts
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds on medium heat until it changes colour and gives off a sweet fragrance. Set aside to cool.
2. Roast the peanuts in the same pan until the skin begins to fall off, and the nuts become golden brown. Remove into a separate plate. Once cool, remove the peels, and crush coarsely.
3. Place a heavy-bottomed pan on the hob. Put 1/4 cup water into this and warm slightly. Now add the jaggery and one teaspoon ghee. Cook until it begins to bubble and splutter. Be careful at this stage as the heated jaggery might fly out of the pan. Keep stirring until the jaggery acquires a thickness.
4. Add the sesame seeds, peanuts, and cardamom powder to the jaggery. Mix well, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Grease a cookie plate or pan with some ghee. Remove the Til Gur into the thali. Quickly pat down evenly. Once the Til Gur begins to set, mark out squares or diamonds of a desirable size. Cut into pieces once the Til Gur is completely cool.
6. Store in an airtight container and enjoy with hot tea!!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Cranberry Orange Relish

For Taste & Create V, I have been paired with Jill of Hey, That Tastes Good! Eagerly, I browsed through Jill's site for a recipe to create. Jill's site was an education for me - it was my first encounter with a blogger who blogs gluten free. Hmmmm, I thought, here's a challenge for me!! After reviewing several recipes that appeared delicious, I settled on the Cranberry-Orange Relish, for several reasons! Firstly, I love cranberries. Secondly, I adore oranges. Thirdly, I am fanatical about relishes. And last but not the least, I had never tried making anything with cranberries thus far.

Jill's original recipe can be found at: Cranberry Orange Relish. It calls for the pulp and zest of 1 orange, 3 cups cranberries, and 11/2 cups sugar to be whisked together in the food processor, refrigerated to blend well, and then enjoyed.


Much as I liked this recipe, I found that I could not follow it exactly. Firstly, my food processor had just given way. And secondly, an uncooked relish would not do too well in my home! I had tried a chutney with pineapples recently, and learnt a lot from the experience. Besides, the moment I saw Jill's recipe, my creative cap came on and I could not resist the cook's licence to create. Here's my version of this wonderful relish.

Ingredients:
11/2 cups cranberries
2 oranges
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1" stick cinnamon
1/2 star anise
2tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Peel the oranges, remove any seeds, and chop roughly.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, chopped oranges, water, and sugar. Cook until the sugar melts and the fruit is soft.
3. Add the star anise and the cinnamon stick, and cool the relish until it reduces in half. Now add the lemon juice. Stir well, and cook till all the liquid is gone and the relish acquires a jelly like mass.
4. Turn off the heat. Allow the relish to cool, bottle, and refrigerate. Leave for a few days before use.

Enjoy this relish with biscuits, cheese, and cold meats or on a sandwich! Thanks to Jill for an inspiring recipe.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Winter Warmers: Healthy Vegetarian Tacos

Tacos are a great favourite in my home and I am very experimental with the filling I make for for them. Here's a version of some yummy healthy vegetarian tacos that I made last weekend.


Ingredients:
4 large taco shells
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 green pepper, chopped
1 green zucchini, chopped
1 yellow zucchini, chopped
1 tin black beans, drained
1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
4 medium tomatoes, chopped fine
1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used a mix of Cheddar and Mozzarella)


Method:

1. Set the oven to 350F. Place the taco shells on a cookie sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Heat for 10 minutes or until they appear toasted and lightly brown. Turn off the heat.
2. In the meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a wide-bottomed saucepan, pour the olive oil. When heated, add the garlic and fry until it releases a fragrance. Now add the onions, and fry them till transparent.
3. Add the chopped green peppers, the yellow and green zucchini, and the black beans for around 6-7 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, the chunky tomato salsa, Jalapeno pepper, crushed pepper, and Italian herbs. Blend well, cover and cook for another 6-8 minutes.
4. Remove cover, reduce the liquid in the sauce if any. Turn off the heat.
5. Carefully, remove the taco shells from the oven. Spoon in the filling. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the grated cheese. Replace on the cookie sheet. Repeat with each of the shells.
6. Set oven to 350F. Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted completely.

Sit back, and enjoy the compliments!!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Rasedaar Aloo-Gobhi (Fragrant Potato-Cauliflower Curry)

Aloo-Gobhi sabzi (Potato-Cauliflower Vegetable) happens to be one of my favourite vegetable combinations. There are so very many ways in which this vegetable combination is cooked and dished out. Yet it is only in winter that one gets the opportunity of enjoying it in this fragrant curry form. Primarily because this recipe uses loads of Dalchini or Cinnamon. Cinnamon which is an essential spice in Indian cooking, is regarded by Ayurveda as a warming spice. It is, in general, used in combination with other spices that complement its flavour and often in its bark form. Also it is used to flavour savoury vegetables and meats from the main course rather than sweets and desserts! Cauliflower curry with cinnamon is a perfect example of this. I find it to be a comfort food - tasty, warming, and utterly delicious once served on a bed of Basmati rice.

Ingredients:
1 medium-size cauliflower
4 small red potatoes
2 medium onions
1 tin tomato puree
1 tsp tamarind extract
8 Curry leaves
4 tbsp dried unsweetened coconut
1" cinnamon stick
4 black peppercorns
2-4 dried red chillies
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp ghee
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash, clean, and divide the cauliflower into florets. Quarter the potatoes, and slice the onions.
2. In a saucepan, roast the cinnamon, peppercorns, red chillies, and cumin. Set aside to cool.
3. Pour the oil in the pan, heat, then add the onions and dried coconut and fry till brownish in colour.
4. Meanwhile, dry grind the cooled spices to a powder. To this powder, add the fried onions and coconut. Grind further till well blended.
5. Heat the ghee in the saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves.
6. Once the mustard seeds begin to pop add the freshly prepared spice paste and fry till the ghee begins to separate.
7. Now add the potatoes, cauliflower florets, salt, and just enough water to make up a curry. Cook till the vegetable is tender. Add the tomato puree and tamarind extract and cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve hot with Basmati rice.

I am sending this Winter Warmer in to Sunita's Think Spice.... think Cinnamon .

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Winter Warmers: Hot Mango Salsa

Mango is a great favourite on the Indian sub-continent. Indeed, as a mango lover one can't help but be passionate about this beautiful fruit. Every summer, desis in the US bemoan lack of access to the over a 100 varieties of mango available freely on the Indian sub-continent. And every so often I get a mango craving and I am tempted to buy one of the beautiful orange, yellow, and green mangoes in the local supermarket. Yet, these mangoes are very fibrous they don't do too well on a dessert plate. So to satisfy my mango cravings I began to experiment using these sweet fleshy fruits in new ways. I remember standing in my kitchen, mango staring at me when memories of eating sour kairi (raw mango) with rock salt and red chilli powder on a hot summer's day, flashed back to me. Mmmmm, the texture of the raw mango mingling with the sharp and mellow flavours was just heaven. And well, just like that I decided to do the same to the nice ripe mango on the kitchen table. An onion here, tomatoes there, green chillies, cilantro, and freshly squeezed key lime juice - hey presto - utterly delicious mango salsa.

This cool salsa is a surprisingly welcome winter warmer. While winter is a time for stews, soups, curries, and hearty cooked meals, I found it really satisfied that desire for fresh uncooked vegetables that I inevitably experience every winter. Serve with your favourite low-fat chips or top your bean burrito with it. This salsa also goes really well with cold cuts and is an excellent accompaniment to fresh grilled fish and prawns. An ideally refreshing accompaniment for a celebratory meal!!!!

Ingredients:
1 large ripe mango, pulp removed
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, diced
1 Jalapeno chilli, diced
2 key limes
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp roasted cumin, crushed coarsely
Salt to taste

Method:

Place the chopped onions, tomatoes, diced garlic, cilantro, and Jalapeno in a deep bowl. Add the mango pulp and mix will.
Season with salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper to taste.
Squeeze the juice of the two key limes into the salsa, and blend well.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Now if you were wondering about the nutritional value of a mango, you might be interested to know that the mango is an excellent source of nutrition. It is chock full of vitamins particularly Vitamins A, B, and C. Minerals and antioxidants like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Zinc are also found in mangoes. This fruit is also know for aiding in digestion and improving intestinal health. This is largely due to the presence of enzymes such as magneferin and lactese in the fruit. And you know, some of the other stuff in the salsa isn't too bad for you either!!

I am sending my Salsa Recipe in for HotM 10 - Quick and Easy!

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Winter Warmers: Delicious Dal Dhokli

Temperatures below zero degrees always call for especially delicious treats. And last week, while it was snowing like no tomorrow, I decided to treat us to some hearty Dal Dhokli. Now Dal Dhokli is basically a Gujarati dish, though I believe that there are some Rajasthani versions of it too. It was particularly popular in Mumbai where I spent part of my childhood.

Not coming from either Gujarat or Rajasthan, I ate Dal Dhokli the first time when I visited a schoolfriends home. One taste and I was hooked! On my insistence, the dish was cooked every so often at home. Much as I enjoyed eating Dal Dhokli, I never had the chance to cook it in India. But my passion for food ensured that I carried the recipe with me. Yet, that's really no good - as I hardly ever follow a recipe. I work the ingredients available or from a combination of memory and taste. Memory of my Mum's kitchen (did I tell you she is a superlative cook!) and the taste of food I've enjoyed. I tend to innovate, tweak recipes to improve flavour, and taste all the time. I believe my version is somewhat different from the usual preparations of Dal Dhokli - you will see why :)


Ingredients:
2 cups toor dal
2 tbsp raw peanuts
1 onion, finely sliced
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
3/4 tbsp tamarind
2 tsp jaggery
11/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste

For Dhoklis:
1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp Kasuri Methi (Fenugreek)
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp ajwain

For Tempering:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
1/2" piece cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp asafetida
1 tbsp Ghee
6-8 curry leaves

To Season:
2-3 key limes, cut into halves

Method:

1. First wash the dal and peanuts and cook them in water with 1/2 tsp turmeric and a pinch of salt. Allow the dal to cook itself into a soft mush.
2. While the dal cooks prepare the dhoklis. Mix the flours, spices, kasuri methi, and salt together. Rub the dough with both your hands so that all the ingredients are well mixed.
3. Add the oil to this mix, and using hands rub it into the flour as you would for pastry.
4. Add just enough water to knead this mix into a semi-hard dough.
5. Divide the dough into 6 smaller portions and each out into thin chappatis
   Cook each of these chappatis begin to dry out. They need not be completely cooked.
6. Cool and cut into squares. Set the dhokli aside.
7. Heat the ghee in a wide bottomed pan. Add all the tempering ingredients, and stir until the mustard seeds pop and you begin to get the mellow fragrance of blended spices.
8. Add the sliced onions and fry till they turn golden brown. Now add the tomatoes, ginger, green chillies, and stir for a few minutes. Add the remaining turmeric, chilli powder, and tamarind paste, and blend all the ingredients well.
9. Add 3 cups of water to this mix, and simmer for at least 10 minutes. Next add the dal and bring to a boil.
10. Lower the heat on the dal, add the salt, and then start adding the dhokli to this mix. Add only one at a time and stir as you add them. This will stop them from sticking to each other.
11. Once all the dhokli are added, cook the dal dhokli for around 10 minutes, stirring continuously. The dal will thicken and the dhokli cooking in this delicious mix will soak in sweetness of the jaggery and the piquant flavour of the spices and tamarind.
12. Serve steaming hot with key lime juice!
    

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

That Feeling of Coming Home! JFI Toor Dal

You can eat any cuisine in the world, you can travel the globe, you can eat out for days on end - but there is nothing quite like the feeling of coming back home!! Of course, coming home means different things to different people. But in my parents home - it had one simple meaning: "Ghar ka Khana" or simple food cooked at home.

I remember as a child we would go for our annual trek in the Himalayas, or on summer vacations across the country only to return home to the deliciously heart-warming dal-chawal. Now you can guess that dal on the occasion meant the humble arhar dal or toor dal, served hot with basmati chawal, and methi-aloo bhaji. Over the years this has become my most abiding memory of coming home. Now when ever we travel, the first meal on our return echos that memory.

In fact, this meal is a great favourite in my family. I tend to make toor dal thick and creamy, and top it with a great dollop "ghee ka tarka". Here's my recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups toor dal
1 medium onion
1" piece ginger
3-4 cloves garlic
1 level tsp turmeric`
1/4 tsp asafetida (hing)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 dried red chillies
Salt to taste
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Method:

1. Soak the toor dal in water for 2-4 hours.
2. Pressure cook the dal with the ginger, tumeric, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of salt. Once cooked, continue to boil the dal until it thickens and becomes heavy. Adjust the salt to taste.
3. For the tarka, heat the ghee in a small pan. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Add to the heated ghee and fry until onions become brownish. Then add the remaining cumin seeds, red chillies, and asafetida.
4. Remove the ready dal into a serving bowl. Season with tarka. Serve with fresh hot Basmati rice which has been seasoned with salty butter and a pickle to tickle your tastebuds!!!!
   
   

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Fasting & Feasting: Sabudana Khichiri

In India, feasting very often follows fasting. It is customary to observe fasts on numerous days throughout the year. Indeed, people fast on particular days of a week, month, and year to please and honour particular Gods and Goddesses, to give thanks for blessings received, or to pray for that their wishes be granted.

A fast usually begins at dawn and broken at dusk. During this time those undertaking the fast tend to partake of only water, fruits, nuts and milk. Yet, the entire day is often filled with the joy and camaraderie that accompanies a shared kitchen. Family members regardless of age come together to prepare for the feast that inevitably accompanies the successful completion of a fast. Some feasts are humble and traditional meals where only certain categories of foods permitted on fasts are prepared. And others are grand meals where the host's largess is shared with friends and neighbours.

Sabudana Khichiri or Sago Kedgeree is a traditional dish that is most commonly prepared to end a fast with. This simple yet delicious dish is viewed as a complete meal and oftentimes as the ultimate treat at the end of a day characterised by abstinence from carbohydrates and salt. I developed a taste for Sabudana Khichiri early in life and though it was prepared in several different ways by my Mum and my Grandmum, I choose to make it the traditional way.



Sago itself is tricky to cook. A little over soaking, a little overcooking and it has a tendency to dissolve into a gelatinous, gluey, and sadly inedible mass. My experience with sago has seen all these phases, and after numerous misses (considerably more) and hits, I have this recipe down to a T! Trial and error are a great methodology, yet in the end I have come to believe that it turns out best whenever I trust my instinct.

Ingredients:
2 cups sago
3/4 cup raw peanuts
2 medium sized potatoes
6-8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp oil
2 green chillies
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 level tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean the sago, and soak it in cold water overnight in a deep bowl. The water should cover all the sago in the bowl and should be at least 1 inch over the level of the dry sago. In the morning the sago should be plump and soft. If you see any excess water, drain it completely. Alternatively if the sago is still hard, sprinkle with more water and let sit for a few minutes longer.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan.
3. When oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leafs. Stir them till they begin to pop.
4. Chop the green chillies; peel and cube the potatoes. Stir them into the seasoning in the pan. Cover the pan and and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
5. Coarsely grind the raw peanuts.
6. Mix the ground peanuts, red chilli powder, and salt into the soaked sago.
7. Turn this mixture into the frying pan.
8. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Then remove the cover, add 1 tbsp oil and cook another 10 minutes on medium heat. Stir occasionally. The sago will acquire a translucent appearance once it is fully cooked.
9. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro. Serve with freshly set yogurt.

My husband adores Sabudana Khichiri, and so I do make it with a comforting regularity every weekend and usually during the Navratras. But it will always remain for me a childhood memory where this simple fare would become the feast after the fast. And as I am new to the world of Food Blogging, I am dedicating this entry to all you fabulous food bloggers out there who have inspired me to create my own food blog. As a part of this dedication I am sending this recipe out as an entry to Meeta's Monthly Mingle - Traditional Feasts, 3 December 2007.


All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.