Turnip Kurma

Fell in love with Turnip since the first time I made it a few weeks ago. It's purple skin and white interior thats hard to cut, but crisp n juicy to bite into makes for some melodrama in your mouth!
I made a Kurma with it as a side for Rice and Rotis. S and I loved how the combination tasted, so I decided to put it down here.

Here's the recipe (and a picture, ofcourse!)

Orange Nut Bread

'Cuties' as they are called are my favorite fruits. Tiny, easy to peel, seedless sweet oranges that come in crates of 24 and called 'Cuties' would be the #1 selling fruits if only they were marketed right! Somehow, they are not available in our local supermarket at all times. So when I do find them, I buy them in an instant.

After patiently emptying almost half the cart of cuties myself, I decided to try something new with the rest. You guessed right, I tried to make Orange Bread. It came out pretty well, and I made 2 packets of bread and took them to my colleagues M and J :)

Spinach Cucumber Soup

Eating significantly smaller portions than what I am used to gives me a nagging headache. I usually last 4 meals before I give up and remind myself I should start eating normally n just exercise regularly.

Who am I kidding, Right? We all know how that one ends... And it's not even New Years yet.

Anyway, green has a calming effect on me. And it also makes for a pretty colorful bowl of soup.

So, Monday night I served Spinach Cucumber Soup !

Chayote Corn Soup (Pretty Spicy)

Soup week resurfaces every time our bathroom scale hits a never seen before high. Yes, it happened again this Sunday!

We started our Saturday with a cup of green tea with lemon n honey. (Don't laugh! There is no harm in believing that all those years of bad eating & lack of exercise can be nullified with a glass of tea!)

And, to intensify the regime - we slept through most of Sunday as someone once told us that lack of sleep makes you bloat.

Lastly, while doing our weekly groceries - we stayed clear of the chips, cheese and cake aisles.

Good so far? :)

We still ended up with a fairly fat bill buying just fruits & vegetables. A lot of first time buys this time - including Chayote (Chow Chow), Butternut Squash & Asparagus.

Sunday menu was Chayote Corn Soup. Don't judge me for thinking that the Chayote would be perfect to play the part of a grumpy mean vegetable villain in a children's cartoon. Doesn't it look like it would eat you up, if you don't bite into it first? :P

Rudolph's Red Nose Spritzer

This time, the occasion was Deepavali. There isn't ever a time when there's no reason to celebrate, right? Not when you are surrounded by a bunch of happy souls who are ever ready to raise a glass n toast to good times!

S & I hosted a potluck at our place last night for Deepavali and sure enough - friends from in and around NJ made it a lovely evening by attending and staying over. It wasn't complete without a lunch at Saravana Bhavan and a movie at Edison. Too bad, it had to be a Vijay starrer.

In anycase - the best part of any get-together are those mini conversations that occur in groups of 3 and 4 throughout the night. The guys talk about cricket and the girls whine about the guys talking cricket and many such cliches. Amidst one such chatty session - me and my girl friends came up with some exciting new cocktail recipes. Some borrowed, and tweaked to suit the Indian tongue which still finds melagu rasam the most intoxicating drink amidst all!

Will release each of the cocktail recipes here one by one. First up, is Rudolph's Red Nose Spritzer (Inspired from Pinterest)

Lemon Sponge Cake

Back in Pilani where I spent 4 wonderful years is where I started baking. No fancy ovens, no clean utensils even. With broken hindi and cocoa powder weighed in an old fashioned balance n bundled in a day old newspaper - some of us would set out to make cookies or cakes in one corner of our hostel's mess. Mess, is a good name for it all. =)

Often times, these baking experiments were remedies to forgotten birthdays, bad exams or a way to cope with lonely nights far away from your family. But over the years - they've come to mean something else. The smell from the oven as the cake rises to fill the mold brings with it memories of midnight gossip over coffee n cookies. I cannot imagine life @ Pilani without my wing.

 Here's a toast to good times!

Scrambled Tofu Manchurian

By now, I am fairly certain that the regulars to my blog might have figured out that I am an Eggetarian, with special affection to Paneer.

As you can see, we use Paneer in everything from Pizzas to Tikkas and consume some form of Paneer at least once a week. And since, we are being health conscious n all - I tried to work with its low fat cousin last Sunday. Yes, 'Tofu'.

What came about was Scrambled Tofu Manchurian. It's the kind of dish that goes well with English muffins, bread, rotis and even curd rice!

Paneer Pizza

In my home, our work schedules don't allow too much time to hit the gym. So we try to do our best to eat home cooked meals made from fresh organic produce to stay healthy. I am tempted to call ourselves locovores, as we make it a point to buy veggies from our local farmer's market every summer. I also consider myself a kitchen hoarder for I seem to spend most of my shopping budget buying serveware, bakeware and kitchen electronics! My favorite amongst all my kitchen gadgets is the Cuisinart 14 Cup Elite Food Processor that helps me chop all my veggies within seconds.

 

Anyway, with Sandy keeping most of us indoors for a few days - I thought to take on Project Pizza. For some reason I had thought it to be a difficult dish to do from scratch and I managed to break that myth last Sunday. It was super simple to put together and made for a mess-free hearty meal that tasted even better with a glass of wine!

Butterscotch & Chocolate Brownie Bites

13th October, 2012 is going to lock down some bitter sweet memories for a bunch of us in New Jersey. At Rutherford, NJ there's a house that's been home to almost all of my friends on the east coast at some point or the other. A bachelor pad + frat home, one that has always welcomed then girlfriends, now wives of the once-upon-a-time bachelors. A duplex with a huge hall and a carpet that's had much of the wine n biryani from any party!

Ever hospitable hosts (RN & SMK) have made that a second home to all of us. This month, we bid the house farewell and tonight we plan to party... one last time at that venue.

Anyway, just like bitter-sweet memories, I have a batch of semi-smoked, semi-sweet butterscotch-chocolate brownies that I plan to take with me. Recipe follows...

Beetroot Soup

Having made soups for a while, I noticed how some vegetables always fight the rest and take over the flavor n color of the resulting bowl. From pictures in my previous posts you'd have seen carrot and zucchini soup look almost the same. That got quite boring, honestly.

Being a vegetarian, I pride myself in making a colorful meal. Color is almost synonymous with deliciousness (in my mind atleast!). So I set out to make this brilliant purplish-deep-maroon-beetroot soup.

While making it, I couldn't help but think how AWESOME a saree in Beetroot color with a white n gold zari would look. Pair it with some awesome Kemp Temple Jewelry and you have a stunning outfit! I dressed my soup in all the colors I'd love to see in a saree :)
Now, off to the recipe....

Spicy Zucchini Soup

This happens to be Soup week, atleast in my home. My friend's blog Cinnamons & Clove, I am beginning to experiment with vegetables in the kitchen. However, I still hunt for recipes online that I modify and spice up the way I like.

I chanced upon this recipe on NY Times and modified it to suit the Indian tongue. It tasted like Maggi Masala noodles, and we loved it!

Carrot, Ginger & Cilantro Soup

I dream about food. A lot! On some days - the only thing that helps me get through the day is browsing and slow cooking recipes while deciding what to make for dinner. It's funny how therapeutic cooking is for me. :)

Yesterday, I saw on FB that a friend had posted that they had Corn on the Cob and Carrot Soup for dinner. I read that very briefly while switching subway lines, but swear I couldn't stop thinking about it since. Thanks to a Saturday well spent (at the local Farmers market and Wegmans) - the fridge was well stocked and I had all the ingredients I thought I needed to make that much wanted Soup!

Lemon & Poppy Seed Muffin

Last night S & I went out to Palmer Square at Princeton and were amazed at how lively and beautiful the whole place was. Victorian buildings, tiny little coffee shops and home made ice-cream. Not just that, there was music and couples old and young, so full of love and cheer dancing like no one's watching.

So anyway, we were walking around there a lot just admiring everything and wondering why it took us over a year to find this place that was a stone's throw away. We made mental note of the places we wanted to take our parents to, when they visit us here. And I reminded myself that I would one day own a cute lil muffin shop.

But for now, I have some eggs, an oven and 1 sure customer in my very own home. So this Saturday, we made us some Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins ! Pair it with some Ginger Chai and a movie - we have a winner !

Cheesy Spinach Dip

Here's one more from the Party Menu - an easy & quick Spinach Dip. I like serving baked appetizers as it's convenient. It's easy to store in the oven until your guests arrive, and the dish will stay warm even when prepared hours in advance. Turn the temperature up for a few minutes before serving, and its as good as it gets!

Paneer Tikka

Did I tell you already that I love to host parties? It gives me such pleasure to be able to plan a party in my head and execute it exactly the way I planned. My closes friends and S (am sure) are convinced that its some form of OCD. They call me Monica, and I actually like that! 

I have to make elaborate plans.
I have to send out atleast a 100 mails in the process of preparation.
I have to be able to make as many things to eat as I possibly can, and in record time.
I have to photograph them before anyone digs into it. And it naturally ends up here and on facebook.

I tried to grill Paneer Tikkas for one such party recently, and here it is:

Let's go Cuckoo !

You know... it's summer n all ?

It's super hot on the east coast... so, I had picked up lots of cucumbers and watermelons when I shopped 2 weeks ago.

I chopped up the first one, and sprinkled some salt, pepper and chilli powder and made an evening snack out of it. But then, I came across a cocktail recipe on Pottery Barn and decided to try a variant at the party we were hosting on July 3.

Presenting to you - Let's go Cuckoo ! :)

My Pink Lady

I found this amazing recipe on Pinterest recently. A recipe for a fresh fruit cocktail... with a strawberry and watermelon base. What better time that July 4 to experiment with it? Our friends gifted us a cocktail mixer kit for our first wedding anniversary... and it seemed like the stars had aligned and the time had arrived :)

I modified that recipe a lil bit and made my own first fresh fruit cocktail. I must admit, though the first glass tasted a lot more like watermelon juice than a cocktail... it got progressively better and became S's favorite before the night ended.

The home has a mini bar...

This week is always one of the shortest weeks in a typical year. With Jul 4 falling on a Wednesday, there are perks such as early out days and summer-fridays that leave any office practically empty.
What better way to celebrate than to set up a mini-bar at home?

So here goes, a WIP bar set up at my very own dining area ...

I love Gilt Groupe for the lovely deals I get on Dining & Kitchen items. These beautiful orange glasses with grooves that fit perfectly in an adult palm are my most recent addition! Naturally, they have to be at the bar. No?

That's our Mini Bar. Inspired by Pottery Barn catalogs. The dining table is usually in the center, but we move it around when we host big gatherings at home :)

Slates! How I love them! :)

T-3 hours on the D-DAY!

Pretty good for someone who used to drink only orange juice until a few years ago, ha?

Cocktails and more...

I started off my blog with a specific intent to post only baking recipes. I should have known better, given that my interests are varied and mostly short lived. My most recent fad is mixing cocktails without using mixers and have been doing a lot of research on it online. Being someone who loves to host and have parties at home, I'd love to play bartender for a lil bit!

The thing I love most is not just the drinks but the presentation and an excuse to collect more glassware that I would ever need for 10 lives !

So here goes, a blog within a blog. One where I can post cocktail recipes. Smart me - I kept the title flexible ! :P

Sour Cream Blueberry Bread

Everybody's first choice when it comes to home baked bread defaults to the Banana Bread. I'd have done the same, but then it has been tried and tested and I've gotten bored of it already.

I love the flavor and texture that Sour Cream adds to breads/cakes. After slow-cooking several recipes that I found online in my head... I decided to try a Banana-Blueberry-SourCream bread this afternoon. The bread is baking and the house has this wonderful aroma. I cannot wait to slice them, drizzle butter on top and have them with some coffee! S is away for his Sunday cricket, and I hope the bread 'll last till he is back :)

Plum Buckle

After a very hectic vacation in India and a fairly busy weekend, I needed to do something therapeutic. Some paint and some garden. My mom used to read and I tend to cook.

I went to the market yesterday evening... I like to shop for fruits and vegetables on Saturdays. That's when the fresh farm produce is displayed in aisles, the smell of cinnamon and baked bread fills the air at the local Wegmans Supermarket... the cilantro bunches get a fresh cold sprinkle and wait to be picked up! I usually end up buying more than my fridge can hold. This time, I brought home fresh plums, black berries and straw berries. I also picked up a bunch of asparagus on my way out, thanks to my friend S's recipes on her blog.

Anyway, the berries are likely to end up in the processor along with a few bananas and some milk or yogurt. But, the plums - I had to make something with the plums.  A Buckle? Maybe.. the recipe from William Sonoma sure looked easy!

Applesauce Muffins

Hola !
Am back after a long and much needed vacation @ Puerto Rico. So stepping in here with a quick update, before the next one to India!

Ever gone overboard with buying a dozen apples and then not know what to do with it? Here's a lil something you can try.


AppleSauce

Peel and core 2-3 apples (McIntosh or any semi-tart apple), then chop them up into lil cubes and toss them into a small vessel with hot boiling water. Simmer, and cook partially closed until the cut apples becomes soft and tender. Cool and transfer to a blended and blend until you get it to a sauce like consistency. You may add sugar as you feel necessary.

In an air tight container in the fridge - the sauce will keep up for about 2 weeks.

Blueberry - Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coffee Crumb Cakes are Awesome. Enough said! The crumbs aren't even that difficult to make. :)
For an 8" cake, here's what you'll need.

Brussel Sprouts with Dill Weed Dip

After trying SV's recipe of Brussel Sprouts the Indian way, I tried to go the easier route and make a simple + flavorful version of it last week. What you'll need is a bag of frozen brussel sprouts (or fresh, if you like it like that) and some lemon & pepper.

Veg Frittatas

Waking up and running right out the door is a regular in my home. What comes with it is a bad breakfast habit. So, in an attempt to not starve, and at the same time not wake up early just to make breakfast... I made some Veg Frittatas today (and hope they last me a couple of days) !

It's rather quick and easy to make. You can stick to the non spicy version, if you'd like.

Onions, Garlic & Shallot Muffins

Some more Indian twists !

Shallots, are chinna vengaiyam (for those of you from South India). It's a diminutive member of the onion family and grows in clusters like garlic with a papery skin. To prepare a shallot, cut the ends, remove the papery skin, slit length wise and mince like you would cut up a small onion.

Almond & Lemon Zest Pound Cake

I've seen Chefs in a number of these cook shows reference the use of Orange Zest/ Lemon Zest in recipes. I've wondered how some scrapes of a lemon or orange can actually add any distinct taste to the dish you are trying to make.... and decided to try it out myself. And wow, it does add a unique flavor and surprises you by surfacing at times you'd least expect it to pop !

While a Pound cake is buttery, rich and delicious all by itself... but it tastes equally stunning and can take quite a number of variations. I added some almonds and finely grated lemon zest & lemon juice to it.

Jam Filled Muffins

Remember those Jim-Jam biscuits from Britannia ? 

They used to be my favorite, along with Good Day and Marie Biscuits... the pleasure of digging into cold and delicious jam in between crispy layers of biscuit.. aah. Love those! So, I made my own version of Jam Filled Muffins one Saturday, reminiscing fond memories of Adyar Bakery @ Ashok Nagar :-).

Tomato & Goat Cheese Muffins

While cookies and cupcakes are alright, I enjoy a Pakora / Bajji so much more. And since there aren’t that many stalls that sell Indian chaat where I live, I make spicy muffins that last a week. 

Banana-Walnut Muffin

Banana Walnut Muffins as my friend S says in her blog (which is AWESOME btw !) is a quickie. Come Sunday, we do a usual trip to the Whole Foods nearby and pick up " Organic " Fruits & Veggies (thanks to K's obsession with organic food). A week later, it's a pity to see at-least 3 out of every dozen have dark black wrinkled skin in some forbidden corner of our fairly full refrigerator.

Hence, Banana Nut Muffins or Banana Nut bread gets made every week. This week, it's the muffin. Makes for a good snack (morning/ evening)

If you can get your hands on Walnut Oil, I'd recommend using that instead of Canola. It has a subtle flavor, very nutritious and high in unsaturated fat. Store in a refrigerator to prevent from becoming rancid. It will keep up for 3 months.

Butterscotch Coconut Cookies

I was never a big fan of cookies. Am not one, even now. But every now and then, it's a nice thing to take to your workplace. I tried to make these, as Butterscotch and Coconut are 2 of my favorite flavors - and they turned out pretty nice!

Spiced Cake with Golden Raisins

Despite the multiple cuisines that I have access to, Indian is still the hands down favorite. Come Friday, our dinner choices default to Mylai Masala or Saravana Bhavan. So when it comes to cakes and baking, why not give it an Indian twist?

I baked this cake with a number of spices including Coriander, Cayenne Pepper & Cinnamon, and glazed with Honey on top. The combination was different and quite addictive. I'd urge you to try it. It tastes brilliant with a mug of Ginger chai!