Garam Masala

Quickie - Raspberry Cheesecake

2007-07-11T02:17:00.000Z

Adear sweet friend recently sent me a lovely cheesecake recipe. It’s eggless and no baking required, ahhhh great, yep my kinda recipe, so thanks dear friend. Anyways, as soon I received the recipe, I had to try it but alas I didn’t have the required ingredients at hand, especially the peanut butter. Yep my friend’s recipe is a peanut butter cheesecake and alas I knew I could not get it locally but needed to go to the supermarket. Ohh boy, suddenly had that ‘need a cheesecake’ craving thing coming on and I needed a fix pretty quick. Suddenly I recalled Sophie Grigson making a raspberry ice cream using mascarpone few days ago on telly. Well I thought why not use the same ingredients to make instant cheesecake.

So a quick dash to the local deli, bought a tub of mascarpone and some raspberries. Headed back home and straight to the kitchen. In a jiffy, pureed most of the raspberries, whisked the mascarpone and hand blended both together with some powdered sugar. Pureed the remaining few raspberries and added some sugar to create sweetened raspberry sauce. For the base I rummaged through the biscuit tin and found a packet of coconut crunch bikies. Took half the packet of biscuits and smashed em into bits and added some melted butter, the result was placed in the fridge for about 10 mins to harden a little. Assembly of the cheesecake was simplicity itself. Placed the cheesecake in the fridge for an hour or so to set whilst I made Briyani for dinner.

So there you have it, a quickie cheesecake to satisfy that deepest of craving. Will try my friend’s recipe next, can’t wait to try it.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Just to make sure folks don’t get confused biscuits and cookies are interchangable in the context of this dessert. Bikies is simply an British/Australian slang for a Biscuits

Verdict: really smooth and richness of the mascarpone was pleasurable. Fresh ripe raspberries were simply brilliant to taste and the colour – outstanding as you can see. The base using coconut biscuits was a real delight, added another dimension to this lovely and yet simple dessert. High wow factor for sure.

For You...Good Song...Great Video...

2007-06-29T17:05:00.000Z

Song: Crush by Garbage

Click here

Pear Pie...Ovens...grrrrrrr

2007-06-20T23:20:00.000Z

Ihad a craving…ohh lord did I have a carving. As you guys know, when I need it, I need it…~grin~. I craved an apple pie. However, just the thought of baking a pie, made me cringe. Well not making the pie itself but the notion of using the stupid oven. I hate it. Thing is, that I have a love-hate (mainly hate) relationship with my oven. How can people use ovens, is beyond me. In theory one puts a food item in this ‘thing’ and out pops a baked/cooked culinary gem, or so it seems. But then not all ovens are the same, are they!, some hotter the others, or some do not retain the heat, so they tell me. So let’s face it, its manly down to how well you know the ‘thing’, Right!!. Plus not to mention the ‘thing’ has three buttons and two knobs and for the life me, I can’t figure out what does what. Is it a guy thing or is it just me. When I walk into the kitchen, I can feel its eyes giving me ‘that’ look, as if I am some despicable unworthy male in the house, believe me; I avoid eye contact with the ‘thing’ at all cost.

Alas, I had a craving and there was no stopping me. So I decided to cast away my personal prejudices and confront my demons and fears. I started by treating the oven with respect and tender loving care. Well surprisingly we are getting on very well. The ‘thing’ is no longer an object of ridicule but a thing of beauty and devotion. I am now a staunch fan of my dear oven (please note, now referred to as the oven not the ‘thing’). See the proof below of the baby we just produced.

So I started my pie making journey with some trepidation. Firstly, I did not have any apples but pears instead, which worked out fine as it turned out. I came across an apple pie post and I loved the pie filling recipe, so had to try it. Please do visit Plate of the Day. I love the spices added to the filling mixture (I added even more spices to give it some kick). The filling was great, please do try it.

Okay now the tricky bit. I have never made pie crust before and I came across the method as described by Pastry Chat awhile back and I decided to try it. For the pie crust, I used the two knives method, decided not to use the pastry blender or the electric mixer. I had to try the authentic way, like mom used to make pastry. Well not my mom, but you know what I mean. The result was enjoyed with single cream drizzled all over the warm pear pie. See my oven did deliver, just goes to show, place trust in something/someone and you never know the rewards you may reap

Pear Pie

Conclusion: It’s a bit tricky making pastry, the secret being everything must be cold and please do not knead the dough too much. Making pastry requires patience and cannot be rushed. The result was amazing, really light, soft and flaky pastry. Not bad for a first timer BUT thanks goes to the Pastry Chat for a lovely crust method and Plate of the Day for the filling.

Ragda Patties

2007-06-10T18:17:00.000Z

Sorry but I have not had much time to surf the foodies blogs I love so much. I am still around just busy.

Anyways here is the superb Ragda Patties a magnificent street food snack, a full meal in its own right. Recipes are all over the blogshere. I have my own version for Ragda but this time I tried a wonderful recipe from our lovely friend Nupur of One Hot Stove. Try it, its simple and easy to make. Great thing about Ragda being one can add whatever spices you like, so adjust the taste as you please. I added crushed pepper corns to add a little kick. There are no strong rules to follow. Enjoy!

Black-eyed Bean Vadas

2007-05-29T23:18:00.000Z

Imagine the scene. It’s 38mins past midnight, it’s now Monday morning and it’s a Bank holiday in the UK. Jyostna is on her all fours, head inside one of the kitchen cabinets, chucking things out one by one. Jars and plastic containers strewed across the kitchen floor. I can hear her growl every now and again, as I stand there in trepidation. Strange sounds reverberating and echoing inside the kitchen cabinet, one can tell she is not a happy bunny. Suddenly she crawls out and stands up, hands on hips and looks me straight in the eye with a stare to scare the devil himself. ‘No we don’t have any’ she screams in silent anger, ‘what no dry Chickpeas babe, ohh you are kidding me Jyostna’, as I reply in a state of anguish and distress.

I had this craving for Falafels and when I have a craving that’s it, I gotta have it. It’s been known for me to roam the streets in the dead of night to seek salvation in order to satisfy that food craving. I know of this food craving thing certain women go through when they are expecting. Boy trust me, I know the feeling.

Anyway, the beloved seeing the sorrow in my eyes, suggested, ‘hey how about making Vadas then’. Okay not Falafels I know but there are lots of technical similarities, no. Colour returns to my cheeks with just the thought. Then she hits the taste button by suggesting, ‘why not make the Vadas using Black-eyed beans’. Wow what a wonderful idea from my beloved, the light of my life. Gosh is that not what marriage is all about, she strikes you down and then slowly lifts you up again…~grin~. Ohh still my journey continues in trying to understand women. My brothers out there, ohh Bhai are any of you any wiser then me, please pass on the secret. Are you able to understand the Bens out there, then enlighten me....~grin~

Hey I got to tell you this joke. I read it on a website but for the life of me I don’t know where. So I am sorry I can’t take credit nor am I able to give it whomever it’s due. Anyways here it is

This chap would every morning go to the sea shore, sit and pray to the Lord.

One day the Lord impressed with his daily prayer sessions, granted him a wish

So my Son what can I grant you, asks the Lord.

The man replied, well my Lord, see that beautiful island in the distant. Can you please build me a bridge, so I can visit whenever I want.

The Lord replied, ohhh no my Son, that’s not a good idea. Think of something more spiritual, something that would enlighten your life.

The man thinks for a moment and askes Okay then Lord, give me the power to understand women

The Lord without hesitation replies, so my Son would you like one or two lanes for this bridge

Silly I know, but I like it.

Okay so here is the Black-eyed Bean Vada recipe.

Ingredients (will yield 25-30 Vadas)

2 cups Dry Black-eyed Beans
2 tbsp of ginger - paste
2 tbsp of Besan flour
3 green chillies - paste
3 gloves of garlic – paste
2 red dry chillies – ground
2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp of warm groundnut oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black peppercorns – coarse grind not powder.
1 tsp sugar

oil for deep frying the Vadas

Method

Soak the dry Black-eyed beans overnight

Grind the soaked beans enough to form a nice texture but not a smooth paste.
Add all the ingredients and mix well.
Form small golf size balls of the mixture
Deep fry till golden brown

Enjoy with chutney/yogurt of your choice

Black-eyed Bean Vadas

Conclusion : Black-eyed beans have a distinctive earthy taste. Vadas are really crispy and soft on the inside. Eat when hot; tends to get too dry when cold and losses all that softness.

Pssst....do you like my new banner....coool or what....hehehe

Now Hiring!!

2007-05-21T23:29:00.000Z

Folks as I mentioned last time, we have now formed a FEEDAHUNGRYCHILD.org Trust in India. The next step is to grow the Trust, such that we are able to grow Trust funds in order to feed the under privileged children in India. We are therefore seeking Volunteers in particular, we are looking for business minded folks that will help us to drive forward and assist in the growth and development of the Trust. Our aim is to operate as not-for-profit business orientated organisation.

We are looking for Department Managers, to lead us on specific aspects such as Marketing, Fundraising and Merchandising. Each Manager can appoint Ordinary Members to fulfil the required tasks if needed.

We are also seeking Regional Associates, who will be the Trust presence in a given Region and will be responsible for Trust operations and fundraising locally. We have two Regional Associates, one in S. India and second in the UK. If you wish to represent the Trust where you live then please join us.

We are also seeking Administrators to help with the administration of the Trust in particular the Marketing and Trust Administration aspects.

The prime requirements being that you MUST be able to devotee regular time to the cause, have expertise in a particular field and focused on delivery of services. If you know of family members, friends or work colleagues who could be interested then please pass on the message.

Please email, if you are interested or want more information.

Panna Cotta

2007-05-04T09:28:00.000Z

Panna Cotta, a dessert with Italian origins. In essence it’s simply, cream which has been cooked with sugar and then set using gelatin. I studied a fair few recipes in the blogsphere and it seems there is a standard method in preparing the base cream. However, the cream can be infused with lots of spices, sauces or fruits and/or the cream can be enjoyed with a topping of almost any kind of fruity sauce. Making this dessert very versatile and guess what, it’s dead easy to make too.

I think Panna Cotta is great shared with a loved one or a cozy dinner party. The texture is amazing; it’s neither a mousse nor a jelly. It’s a luxurious almost decadent. If Shirkhand is my favourite Indian dessert then this has to be my first choice of the non Indian variety. As with Shirkhand, I just want to grab the dessert and sink into sofa and savour each spoonful. I suggest after a this great dessert, grab your running shoes and go for a twenty mile run to burn the calories away.

I found this recipe during my search and it has not failed me. The texture of this Panna Cotta is wonderful. The main difference between most recipes I have seen and this one, is the addition of whipped up cream. The result is light and soft Panna Cotta. I found the recipe on a Rouxbe site. I will hasten to add, I have no affiliation with Rouxbe, which I believe is a subscription site (I am not a member), although it does provide a free trial period.

So here is the recipe for the Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta. I used Summer Fruit Compote (store bought) not the Stone Fruit Compote used in the Rouxbe version. I also used vanilla bean from Madagascar, wow, the aroma and taste is fantastic.

Ingredients (serves 5-6)

Stage 1

1 whole vanilla bean
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp. gelatin powder
1/8 cup milk
Medium pot of Summer Fruit Compote

Stage 2

3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Method

Split the vanilla bean in half length-wise and scrape out the seeds, set aside
To the milk add gelintin and mix well to ensure a smooth paste and set aside
In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, add the whipping cream, salt, powdered sugar and the vanilla bean stalk and seeds. Stir well on low heat and bring to a gentle boil.
When cream starts to boil, turn off the heat. Remove the vanilla bean stalk.
Add the glentin mixture to the cream and whisk well until smooth.
Transfer the cream to a bowl and let it cook to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

While the gletin cream is cooling start stage two.

Add the sour cream into a separate small bowl and whisk to ensure a smooth consistence.
In another separate bowl, add the whipping cream and whisk (by hand or electric mixture) till it reaches stiff peaks.
Gently fold the sour cream into the whipped cream.
Whisk again the cooled gelatined cream to ensure its smooth.
Add the whipped cream mixture to the gelatined cream, small amounts at a time, folding gently. Ensure the mixture is smooth.
Ladle the mixture into the ramkins and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours for the cream to set.
To un-mold the Panna Cotta cut around the edge of the ramkin with a small knife. Place the ramekins in a pan of hot water for a few seconds and turn upside down on a plate. May require gentle taps for the Panna Cotta to release from the ramekins.

Garnish with Fruit Compote and fresh mint leaves

Panna Cotta

FAHC

2007-04-24T11:21:00.000Z

Sorry for not posting in a long time. Well I have started a new job plus been spending time on the Feed a Hungry Child (FAHC) project. In fact I have some great news on the FAHC front. We are forming a FAHC charitable Trust in India and are in the process of registration at this point. We are also planning on developing a Trust website. Will keep you lovely folks posted on progress of the Trust and we certainly look forward to your support (and generosity…~grin~) once we are fully up and running.

We started on this journey with your support and encouragement towards the end of last year. The whole thing taking place with a plan to publish the recipe book with recipe contributions from you all. Vijay (My Dhaba) started with the idea and I then come onboard to start the FAHC campaign rolling. Well the book is being worked on and so please bear with us. But now that we have a formal Trust, this provides us a foundation for a whole host of activities and aims all focused towards helping the under privileged children in India. So thank you lovely foodies out there, for helping to us to get started on this great journey.

I mentioned myself and Vijay but we have a great team of Volunteers helping us on this wonderful cause. Great deal of credit goes to them for giving up their time to work on this project. We have a diverse and dispersed team which as been an honour to work with. Thank you Anita, Chandrika, Indira, Jyotsna, Kala, Megha, Rinku, Rushina, Sonu and Vijay. Did you know, these team members are located in UK, USA, Singapore, Australia, India and Oman. Is that a dispersed team or is that a dispersed team.

So please continue with your support. With your help we can achieve wonders. Don’t believe me; well have a look at the picture below. We had our first FAHC pilot event organised by Vijay at his home town. We gave food in form of Feeding Kits and also provided lunch for 15 fantastic kids. A small beginning but a major step for the FAHC campaign. Is that not simply fantastically wonderful. 15 Kids ranging in age from 2 – 13, with beaming smiles that brought a joyful tear to my eye. For more pictures please visit here. I am sure when Vijay is back from India he will post a lovely story.

Thank you my friends. Love to all.

Thinking of you babe

2007-03-11T12:25:00.000Z

~Love you babe, hey come lets dance, that slow dance that only we can, glide in the air as one, only you and me, as I look in your eyes and melt, ohh come embrace me, as only you can, so what do you say my love~

Tera Intezar - Tera Intezar – by RAHUL VAIDYA

mujhe raat din ab tera intejaar hain
batau tujhe kis tarah kitna pyar hain
tera intejaar hain mujhe tujhse pyar hain
mujhe tujhse pyar hain tera intejaar hain
tanhaaiya bhi hain bechainiya bhi hain
masoom dil bhi hain majbooriya bhi hain
sadaye teri kyo mujhe aati nahi
woh yaade teri dil se kyo jaati nahi
tera intejaar hain mujhe tujhse pyar hain
mujhe tujhse pyar hain tera intejaar hain
le aayenge sanam tujhko manake ham
paagal se ho gaye dil ko lagake ham
deewane ko toh ek naya koi naam de
subah pyar ki pyar ki koi sham de
tera intejaar hain mujhe tujhse pyar hain
mujhe tujhse pyar hain tera intejaar hain

Shirkhand

2007-03-10T22:54:00.000Z

I think this is a dish that reaches a zenith amongst other comparable delights. It’s in a class of its own, in the premier league. Bowl of this nuzzled in arms of your beloved, or simply sinking into the sofa with soft music, or amongst company of friends, okay also with kids running around everywhere causing havoc whatever it maybe, this dish will enhance the experience. It can transcend one into another dimension. Yes it’s a classic dessert Shrikhand. Some see it as a dessert but it’s more then simply that, in fact Shirkand is often eaten with puris as part of a main/side meal. It’s also made during special occasions, especially weddings. Once with my Mother’s lead we made Shirkhand for 200 people on the occasion of son’s Yagnopavita/Janoi ceremony. It was the best I have ever had.

Luxurious, sensual, sweet, creamy, sexy, yes that’s Jyostna for sure. But hey same can be said for the Shirkhand at its best. For Shirkhand to be devine then it has to be made the classical, traditional way using homemade yogurt/curd (are you reading Supriya, do you want me to send you some). Yes, Shirkhand can be made with soft cheeses and can taste very good but hey it’s not the same. I have had Shirkhand in Restaurants and also bought ready made from Indian shops but nah, not the same.

Some preparation tips for making the base curd which forms the Shirkhand. The Shirkhand itself is easy to make, the trick is the base curd. The main thing is to use homemade yogurt itself. Be careful about the fermentation process. If left too long to ferment then the curd goes sour and the Shirkhand will not taste as good. When this happens, one tends to add more sugar to counter balance the sour taste but that does not help. One ends up with sweet-sour yogurt pudding not Shirkhand.

Other trick is the removal of the whey, Often the curd is placed in a muslin cloth and hang, so that the whey drips off. This is fine but I find the whey is not removed uniformly. I think its best to place the curd in a sandwich of muslin cloths and newspapers, weighted at the top. This method taught to me by my mother, never fails and gives consistent results.

Use full cream milk, semi skimmed does not provide the creamy taste or texture.

Finally I think its best to prepare the base curd in small batches if making for a large group of people. For the example below, I used 2 litres of milk which caters for 2-3 people. I find making yogurt with batches of 2-3 litres of milk is comfortable for me but hey if you can make a larger batch then great.

I made the below in a day from start to finish, it was divine as testified by the family members

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

2 litres of full cream Milk
1 ½ tbsp Cardamom powder
4 tbsp Sugar
2 large pinches of Saffron
2 tbsp slivers of Almonds
2 tbsp slivers of Pistachios
2 tbsp Milk

Method

Make homemade yogurt using the full cream milk
Once the yogurt is formed, drain the whey by placing the yogurt between a sandwich of muslin cloths and newspapers. Place large tray(s) with on top with a saucepan or two to provide weight. This will absorb the access water uniformly and quickly.
Remove the curd into a bowl once the whey has been removed. The curd should be really thick.
Mix the curd to form a smooth consistency, if too thick then add a little milk.
Warm the milk in a microwave and add one good pinch of saffron and mix well.
Add into the curd the sugar, cardamom powder, 1 tsp each of almonds and pistachios slivers and saffron milk. Mix well so it amalgamates well
Place mixed curd (now a Shirkhand) in the fridge for several hours for the all the flavours to mingle.
Mix again and transfer to a serving bowl and smooth out.
Take the 2nd pinch of saffron and dry roast for a few seconds, once cooled, crush into tiny pieces
Garnish the Shirkhand with crushed saffron and the remaining slivers of almonds and pistachios, optionally include rose petals as a decoration to highlight the dish.

Eat as a dessert, or with plain puris

Note:

If eaten as a dessert then fruits can also be added once the base curd is made. Pomegranates for example provide a great taste.
The Sugar, Cardamom, Saffron, Almonds, and Pistachios can all be altered to taste.
Freshly crushed Cardamom seeds is best, provides a richer taste and aroma.

Shirkhand

Thanks

2007-03-10T10:56:00.000Z

Can I thank everyone that has provided encouragement and support in recent times during my blogging break. Thanks you dear sweet friends. I love you all. I am very busy at present, so food entries maybe a lil light but bear with me. However I do have a sexy sweet dish coming up, maybe later on today. Watch this space.

Ohh yes I was recently accused of lifting someone’s post, which I of course didn’t. I too will join the fight against Plagiarism. Its not fun being on the other side of the coin.

Spammer leave me alone

2007-03-10T10:13:00.000Z

How do they do it. These spammers out there. I have a spam filter which I am sure catches 90 percent of spams. But some do get through and it starts to get annoying with same old rubbish.

I know you spammers read my blog. So here is a message for you. Please leave me alone to lead my simple life of piety (as if). No, I don’t want to buy Rolex watch. I am a simple mortal and happy with my watch. Anyway who on earth, whom can afford to buy a Rolex, yes a Rolex, would do so from a spammer. As a Management Consultant, let me give you some advice for free (yes free, I normally charge mega bucks you know). I think you need to review your sales model. I suspect the Rich would send their Butler to Harrods to get their Rolex. Maybe you need to set up a Rolex stall outside Harrods. However, I do admire your objective to bring high end goods at a lower cost to the masses.

No I don’t want to give 10 million pounds to some poor person in Nigeria. I rather feed hungry kids in India. However, I do admire your cause, in helping such a social cause.

No I don’t want to lose 30 lbs. in 2 minutes either, mind you Jyostna might be interested your proposal, I will ask her okay. However, I do admire the concern you have on this issue and I am delighted that you are addressing such a health problem.

No No No I don’t want Viagra either (I have my own sources…~grin~). I know your profound research shows that 75% of women are ‘unsatisfied’, ohhhh my, I never knew that. Trust me buddy; I would love to help lower this awful statistic, I really would. It saddens me to know this awful plight women are in. I think it’s great that you are addressing this awful situation. I can see you are worried and concerned (as I am now) and hence your constant emails. I tell you what, let me spread the word. ‘hey you Chaps out there, what on earth are you doing. Nothing it seems. Come on you guys get going will ya. Grab your Lover and strut your stuff man’

I never knew you spammers had a social/health conscious. I wish you luck in your endeavours. BUT please leave me alone, give me a break, cut me some slack okay. Mind you, as they say, if you can’t beat em then join em. Anybody want Viagra.

Winters day in London

2007-03-09T11:25:00.000Z

Days in London in the winter can be very dull and dreary. But even these days can be amazing. Some pictures I took on the River Thames several days ago. The day was gloomy, overcast with occasional showers. What fascinated me, were the cloud formations, the shades of grey were incredible.

Days don’t have to be sunny and bright to make an excellent day, do they? The pictures don’t do justice to the realism of the day But it gives an idea of the atmosphere that was.

Beloved Daughter

2007-02-04T15:21:00.000Z

Hi folks, many thanks for you lovely friends that have enquired as to my whereabouts. Well I am still in blogshere but as a lurker at present. This is a temporary break, so what watch out, lords knows what I shall be unleashing in the future.

I have a very special reason for being here today. My beloved diki (daughter), my betiyaan, is 21 today. Can’t believe my bundle of joy is a fully grown woman. Which father would not as proud as I am, to see their lil ones grown to full adulthood. If I may publicly say, I love very much and god bless her. Tear of joy rolls my cheek, as think of the how blessed I am to have such a lovely daughter. Jysotna and myself wish her all the best for the future, she will always have our blessing and also ALL the best wishes from Dilip’s entire family and friends. Hey I could write a book on Bhavni but I will simply stop at this stage.

Bhavni loves chocolates and homemade Samosas, so here is threat from the heart from Jyostna and myself. Jyostna made the Samosas and I made the Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles. I will not be posting recipes today but happy to do so later, let me know okay. Have a lovely time sweetheart!!!

Hey check out sweet Viniben's site, her daughter had a brithday too...

HOt HOT HOT - Chilli Frenzy

2007-01-14T19:04:00.000Z

Hey friends sorry for being quite in recent days, been kinda busy with ‘stuff’, you know just stuff.

Okay we gonna be HOT HOT HOT today, no no nothing to do with the weather. But we do need something to drive away the chill in the air. So how about some Chillies, what do you say?. I love green chillies, as Jyostna can testify with my groans when there is a distinct lack of chillies on the dining table. The deprecation sets in and withdrawal symptoms clear to see on my sad face. The dreaded thought set in, that she does not love me anymore. I ask you, how can a man, like me so virile, strong and as handsome as George Clooney (okay okay okay, so I made it up!, hey more Charlie Chaplin then George Clooney, me thinks) have a meal without green chillies. Hey Jyostna can play tricks you know, just as I think she does not love me anymore, she unveils my beloved chillies, ohhh, imagine the scene…as I take her into my strong arms in a gentle yet firm hold, I whisper tenderly and softly in her ear…you know how excited you got me…breathless…as I trace my fingers across her face and down her neck…okay okay stop…cut…CUT the scene….too much Mills and Boon me thinks…gosh I am all hot and bothered now…. ~grin~

So for you chilli fans out there; I have several side dishes which I would like to share. I use those standard slender chillies, around 2-3 inches in length and slightly larger ones for another dish, which I will come to later. Hey foodies, the learned folks that you are, I am sure you already know that hotness of a chillies are measured in a Scoville Heat Scale, will I did not know that, but I do now

Okay a caveat, please handle with care, wash those hands and/or wear gloves when handling hot chillies. Please de-seed (more or less or none) depended where you are on the Scoville scale. If you de-seed a lot then, these dishes are really mild. So please don’t be put off, I do urge you to try and so simple to prepare too. In fact I will go straight into the method and explain what you need as we go along. I am gonna start with small amounts, say serving for 2.

The first dish is Marcha (Chilli) with Mustard and Jeera/Cumin seeds. Click on the picture to get a detailed view

Method

Wash and chop around 6 chillies in rounds.
In a pan start the tempering with some oil and with 2 tbsp of mustard and cumin seeds each.
Once the mustard seeds start to pop and cumin seeds start to brown, add 1 tsp of hing
Add the chillies and cook for around 2 mins on medium heat, stirring regularly
Then turn heat to low and cover the pan and cook for another 3 mins.
Empty the contents into a bowl and when the chillies are luke warm/cold sprinkle some salt and mix well. A good idea to have slightly more salt then you would normally have.

The second is Loot na Murcha (Chllies with Besan). Click on the picture to get a detailed view.

Method

Wash and chop around 6 chillies in rounds.
Warm around ¾ cups of water and add the chillies
In a pan start the tempering with 2 tbsp oil and with 1 tsp of mustard seeds.
Few seconds after the seeds have started to pop, add the water/chilli mixture. Please be careful at this point, when the water and hot oil mix, it splutters everywhere, so do it at arms length.
Add a pinch of pinch of turmeric and salt to taste.
Cover the pan and cook for 5 mins on medium heat.
Add 3 tbsp of besan flour (but see below) and stir well, so there are no lumps.
Add more besan if it’s too runny, but really depends on the consistency that you like. I like it really lumpy, like thick porridge. If its looks too thick at tiny amounts of water. Please also remember that besan thickens as it cooks, so consider this when adding besan flour.
Cover and cook on low heat for 5 mins. Stir a few times whilst cooking.
Add a pinch of sugar and cook for another minute. Enjoy

This dish is really great eaten when just prepared, does not keep well. When cooked besan gets cold, the mixture gets a bit dry and does not taste the same, but still good.

Now we have Fried Marchas

Method

Wash around 8 chillies and cut a slit length ways.
In a kadhai, add some oil, enough to fry the chillies.
When the oil is hot, add the chillies and fry and for 30 seconds. Again be careful, the oil will splutter at the start.
Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Season with salt and hing.

Finally Marcha with Split Mustard seeds. Click on the picture to get a detailed view

I used slightly larger chillies for this side dish. As rule of thump, I know that larger the chillies less hot they tend to be and since this dish is using raw chillies, I don’t want it too hot. In terms of split mustard seeds, one can buy packets of these in Indian stores. Don’t bother and split whole mustards seeds in a grinder, since it’s very difficult to remove the very thin husk.

Method

Use about 6-8 chillies, wash and cut into rounds.
Take around ½ tbsp of split mustard seeds and dry grind.
Take another 1tbsp of split seeds and mix with the ground seeds.
Add this to the chillies and mix well.
Add, ½ tsp of salt, small pinch of turmeric and hing, plus add ½ tsp of oil and several drops of lemon juice and mix well.
Let it marinate for a day before eating
Store in a air tight container in the fridge, it will keep for around 2 weeks.

That it guys...

Vagarli Khichdl

2007-01-03T22:35:00.000Z

Okay, another Guajarati traditional dish, its Vagarli Khichdi. It’s very different from what I would call plain khichdi. The whole family loves this dish, goes great batata nu shaak (Potato Curry). Also good with homemade yogurt and very healthy too. In Gujarati we call the tempering process Vagar, therefore this is tempered or Vagarli Khichdi.

Thanks to Jyostna for preparing this meal and she made dal dhokli this lunchtime when my parents come around and this evening this meal was prepared as our son and daughter in law were visiting. Jyostna is such a delight, she loves feeding people, so never have to fear that I will ever go hungry…so thanks to Sridevi…opps meant Jyostna. This will be submitted to the FAHC collection.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 handfuls of Toor dal and Rice each
2 tbsp of ginger paste
1 medium potato (chopped into small cubes)
1 medium onion (chopped into small cubes)
2 tbsp of coriander leave (chopped)
Some curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp hing/ asafoetida
Salt to taste
Hot water
Oil for tempering

Method

Wash the rice and the toor dal and soak for 10 mins and drain.
Start tempering in a pressure cooker; add oil and then mustard seeds, after seeds start to splutter, add hing
Then add onions, potatoes, ginger paste and curry leaves mix and cook for 2 mins on low heat.
Add soaked toor dal and rice, plus add salt
Cook for around 3 mins, till rice grains start to get translucent. Mixing all the time so it does not stick to the bottom of the pressure cooker.
Add around 2-3 cups of hot water and the coriander leave, mix well
Turn the heat up to high medium and cover the pressure cooker
Wait for 2 whistles and then turn the heat to low and cook for 10 mins.
Check to ensure it’s cooked, by pressing on toor dal and rice grain to ensure it’s soft.

As a variation the tempering can be done using gee or even a mixture of gee and oil whatever takes your fancy.

On the picture, one can see the Vagarli Khichdi with Batata nu shaak, with some tomato/cucumber/onion side dish and finely cut raw cabbage which is seasoned with some oil, chilli powder, hing and salt

Vagarli Khichdi

FAHC

2007-01-03T17:53:00.000Z

Okay you lovely folks, if you have been visiting My Dhaba you would have noticed we now have a project team and a FAHC blog up and running (this is work in progress, so changing all the time). Please do visit. Now we need your help testing recipe contributions we have received, it will add great creditability to the recipes if they have been tested, before its submitted for submission in the book. At present I am looking for names, so please leave a comment. Hey gonna cook anyway so why not one of the contributions, it will be fun.

So please help this chap, or else no more blogging for me, I will be in the kitchen testing the recipes myself, so give this guy a break okay, please help.

We also need someone to help the design and layout and help from a food photographer, we needs tip and tricks, so we can have succulent pictures in our book. Yes I said our book, since the authors are the contributors. If I can thank all the recipe contributors to this project, it will not happen without you lovely kind people.

So in summary we need:

We would like to assist contributors with taking better pictures. We would like a food photographer and a food stylist to help us put together tips and tricks and basic guidelines.
With a goal of 365 recipes and an aim to test them all each recipe requires testing and we need help. We require volunteers to assist with testing. You can make it a part of your weekly cooking sprees. We will be uploading guidelines for the same.
We need assistance with page layout and design of both the mock up and the book, preferably someone based in Mumbai. (Since the Content Leader (Rushina) is based in Mumbai).

Please please please help you lovely people.

Meme

2007-01-02T22:34:00.000Z

I was tagged by the wonderful blogger and foodie Vini K, a fellow Londoner if I may add. Gee..how to write up a Meme on me. Hey would it not be fun to do one, say on our partners and see how close we get, gosh can you imagine the fireworks if one gets it completely wrong, Okay lets not go there…bad bad bad idea Dilip…~grin~

Anyway thanks Vini K, what made you tag me, I have no idea, it was great fun though. So here we go folks.

3 Things that scare me:

Snakes, frogs… (anything slithery and slimy)
Complete darkness
Being without my beloved

3 people who make me laugh:

My niece and nephew (although they are my brothers kids, I see them as mine). Yesterday my niece suggested we build a rocket and go get a star, ohh made me laugh. NASA are you listening, we need a spaceship.
My beloved (we are both crazy you know)
Dave Allen, Irish comedian, popular in the UK in the 60s-70s.

3 Things I love:

Family which is at the core of my being.
That smile my beloved gives me at certain times makes me go weak at the knees. Just like Sridevi…….~grin~
Listening to music, with my headphones on, I am in a different world

3 Things I hate:

Liars
Two faced people
Did I mention snakes

3 Things I don't understand:

Women, I have given up even trying, I just go with the flow now…~grin~
Greed in people. Ohh yes plus how some people that can listen and talk at the same time, how do they do that, I will never understand. So much to learn by being silent and listening, don’t you think.
Some odd Indian customs and rituals (don’t get me started here….grrrrrr), I think I will write a book on this. There are some deep prejudices which we need to move away from. In this day and age we need to question and evolve not simply follow blindly. I am gonna stop now, not the platform to vent at this time.

3 Things on my desk:

Chai
Laptop
Mobile phone

3 Things I am doing right now:

Pondering how to bring about that smile on my beloved's face….Hmmmm….I can’t help it, I am a silly romantic
Writing this
Watching the windy weather through the patio doors.

3 Things I want to do before I die:

Try and understand women (not a hope in hell I think…~grin~)
Ensure continued happiness of my family and devote time to the under privileged.
Visit major cities of the world and understand other cultures and people

3 Things I can do:

Sketch/Draw (not in the same league as Coffee though, go see her stuff, its great)
Very immature cook, not fully formed as yet…~grin~ But can cook a little
Impulsive and known to be crazy by friends and family. Hey I can do a party trick with a pencil but lets not go there, this is a family blog. Can tell jokes but need to work on the delivery.

3 Things one should listen to:

To your partner (no choice in some cases…..~hehehe~)
To the silence on a warm summers day, whilst laying down on a grassy meadow, eyes closed. Plus sounds of breaking waves as they hit and caress the shore/beach.
The cry of help.

3 Things I would never want to listen to:

Hypocrites
Egoistic people,
Cry of pain

3 Favourite foods:

Almost any street food
Daal dhokli
Mogri (it’s a bean that one gets if you let radishes grow wild)

3 beverages I drink regularly:

Chai
The odd Pint …~smile~ (honest, just the odd one)
Coffee

3 TV shows/books I watched/read as a kid:

Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90, ohhh good ole Gerry Anderson classics
Lots of Craft books, use to enjoy making stuff and exploring generally.
Books on space and astronomy. It’s was the time when the space exploration started. Ohh the dreams I had off walking on the moon. Hey I probably will end up there if I go on about Sridevi to Jyostna….~soft smile~

4 of my dearest friends whom I would like to tag for this meme:

Gujarati Dhebras

2006-12-30T23:30:00.000Z

Simple snack made out of Bajra (millet), corn and wheat flour. We simply call them Vadas or Dhebras. There are many variations of these Vadas/Dhebras but the unique distinction being these are typical made on the 2nd day of Diwali or Kali Choudas. There is lots of superstitions around that day. Making vadas on the day is used to cast off evil spirits. There are various rituals performed on the day, it’s even been known to place vadas on the four corners of a crossroads. I am sure there are lots more rituals which have a direct or indirect link to these vadas.

My mother also reminds me how the vadas where eaten during long journeys, especially when then there was a migration of people that moved from India to East Africa to help build the railways in the 40s and 50s. The steamship crossing took days and Vada were ideal food, since they can keep for days on end. These vadas undoubtedly fits into the traditional category in my household, been in my family ever since I can remember.

This is Jyostna’s (my beloved) contribution to the FAHC, she kindly made them this afternoon. So you see we don’t have to wait till Kali Choudas.or migrate on a steamer in order to enjoy these vadas.

Ingredients (for around 25 vadas)

1 cup of each of bajra, corn and wheat/atta (white) flour
3 tbsp Sesame seeds (Tal)
½ cup yougurt
2 tbsp of ginger and chilli paste
1 tbsp of coriander (finely chopped)
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp of oil (hot)

Method

Mix all the above (except the oil) and leave to ferment over night
Next day knead a little such that the dough is smooth; if it’s too soft add some Bajra flour.
Add hot oil and knead again. The final consistence should be harder the chapatti dough.
Take enough dough to make a round disc around 2 inch diameter. Simply pat into shape between two plastic sheets.
Then deep fry till dark brown. They should puff up a little.
Drain on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil

There you have it, eat hot or cold. Vadas are great with some yogurt (ideally homemade) mix with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of chilli powder. Or great with a coriander chutney. After several days if there are any left, cut the vadas in small pieces and mix with yogurt, a great snack in a jiffy.

Vadas or Dhebras

Pav Bhaji

2006-12-29T16:10:00.000Z

Pav Bhaji, a true splendour of street food snacks if there was ever one. In fact it’s not a snack but a meal in itself, don't you think. Imagine the lazy and hazey days in India, those evenings filled with the scent of perfumed flora as flower vendors make garlands in time for the evening puja. Ohh yes the food street vendor in the corner, the whiff of what can only be pav bhaji lingering in the air. The skill and dexterity of the master at work, how he tosses the vegetables on a tava and on the other side with butter sizzling he roasts the pav. Now the actions starts as he sprinkles the masala on the vegetables and with a bang, presses, stirs and chops the vegetables in a short frenzy to form a perfect bhaji. As I am sure you all know, Pav Bhaji is extremely popular certainly in Gujarat and ohh yes Mumbai too, not been to the South of India so not sure of its popularity there but I suspect it’s enjoyed there too.

Well for those not in India, don’t worry yaar, Priti (yes you guessed it sister in law) has prepared the dish. Many thanks Priti, she has caught the FAHC bug and the recipe will be put towards this great cause.

Ingredients (serves 6)

1 cauliflower
3 potatoes
2 carrots
1 large aubergine
2 cups of peas
large piece of ginger
2 cloves of garlic
3 table spoons of oil or large knob of butter
2 tomatoes tins
2 large onions (chopped)
2 green chillies
Around 20 Bread rolls (dependent on appetite)

Pav Bhaji masala

1 tbsp coriander seeds
5 cinnamon sticks
2 red chillies
1 tbsp cumin seeds Grind all the above.

Method

Cut all vegetables into pieces and steam until cooked.
Grind ginger, garlic and chillies into a paste.
With some oil in a large saucepan, fry chopped onions until golden brown.
Add ginger, garlic and chilli paste, add tinned tomatoes and add all ground masala, add steamed vegetables and roughly mash ensuring that you leave some texture.
Cook for about 20 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and chopped onions
Roast breadrolls on a tava with some butter, both side.

Pav Bhaji

Pani (Pani Puri)

2006-12-24T20:53:00.000Z

Very simple recipe for the famous pani puri. This snack is universal in Indian streets, however the trick is the pani. Here is the recipe for pani perfected by Priti (sister-in-law).

Ingredients

2 cups of water
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp fresh mint paste mint
2 tbsp fresh coriander paste
2 green chillies paste
2 tpspn black salt (sanchal)

Method

Mix all the green pastes
Add tamarind and black salt
Add to water, stir

Assemble the pani puris with boiled whole moong dal, boiled chana, chopped red onions and potatoes. Optionally can add coriander and/or capsicum and/or tamarind chutney.

Pani puri

Gujarati - Guwar (Cluster beans) Dhokli

2006-12-21T21:37:00.000Z

Okay you folks, guess what another dhokli recipe, but slightly different. Normally dhoklis dough is rolled and cut into diamond shapes. But this time we are making small dhoklis about size of medium sized coin (e.g., English pound coin). They are made taking marble sized dough and pressing between thump and fore fingers. Hey so what we going to have this dhoklis you may wonder. Well it’s not that widely used vegetable, it can be bought frozen but I am lucky I am always able to get it fresh. It’s Cluster beans or Guwar in Gujarati. Well let’s make this original dish even more distinguishable; instead of the typical tempering with mustard/jeera seeds, we will use Ajwain seeds instead, the difference is remarkable. Ajwain seeds can dominate the dish unless used sparingly. I used hate the seeds, every time I had indigestion, my mother used to force feed this stuff, it worked but I still hated it.

Before I go into the recipe, I have to say, I did NOT cook this dish this time, Priti my sister-in-law made this yesterday and we took the picture which you see here. Its such a lovely dish I had to share it with you. This will also be her contribution to the FAHC campaign. So many thanks to Priti.

As a side issue, one can also buy dried Cluster beans, they are great to have as a side dish, simply fry the dry Cluster beans and sprinkle some salt, it’s does have such a unique taste.

Have you noticed I have been on a roll in terms of using Besan, Am I turning into a chickpea flour junkie. Help!!.

In Gujarati we call it Guwar Dhokli nu Shaak.

Ingredients (serves 2)

400 grams Cluster Beans/Guwar (cut into 2 inch pieces, please cut both ends off first)
1 Tomato (blended into a paste)
½ tsp of Garlic paste
½ tsp Ajwain
½ tsp of turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
water
oil Plus ingredients of the dhokli, see preparation below.

Preparation

Prepare dhokli dough by using the around 3-4 tbsp of besan flour. Prior to mixing with water add a pinch of salt, turmeric and chilli powder plus some oil to the besan flour. The dough should be slightly harder the chapatti dough consistency.

Method

Chop cluster beans into 2 inch pieces (cut the ends off first and discard) and wash.
For the tempering, add oil (use a little more oil then usual) into the pan and add Ajwain seeds. Once seeds start to cook, it will start to release an aroma, then add hing.
After a further few seconds add the cluster beans with 3 tbsp of water.
Add chilli, turmeric powder and salt
Then cover the pan and cook on low heat for around 5 minutes, till the beans are almost soft.
Add some more water around 4 tbsp to ensure Clusters beans don’t get dry. We want to steam the cluster beans not boil.
Add garlic paste.
Now we can add dhoklis, by taking a marble size piece of dhokli dough and flatten with fore fingers and thumb. Press to form a small circle and add to the cluster beans, add around 10-15 dhoklies (have more or less, as you prefer).
Cover the pan and cook for around 10 minutes. May need to keep adding some more water, around 2-3 tbsp. Dhoklis tend to thicken the curry as it cooks, so be mindful that the final creation should not be watery but moist.
Once the dhoklis are cooked add tomato paste.
Cook for another minute or so.

Guwar Dhokli nu Shaak

There you have it, enjoy with rotis and rice.

Saragva ni Shing - Drumsticks in Besan flour

2006-12-19T01:17:00.000Z

Here is another comfort food dish. Besan with Drumsticks. Its an acquired taste in his humble abode of mine, I am the only one that enjoys it. I just have to mention drumsticks and all are diametrically apposed to my proposal. The dismay on my beloved and childrens faces is clear to see. So as always have to resort to cooking another dish for the rest of the family. Awww, we foodies are resourceful if nothing else.

Hey go and check out Indian Food Rocks, Manisha has placed Pithla Bhath dish on her blog. I now know was is meant by pithla (Maharati word I believe), simply put it’s tempered besan paste, in which one can add certain vegetables or great on its own with thick rotlis or bhakris. Manisha am I doing pithla justice here, is my simplistic explanation in the ballpark?. Can I ramble for a min, only a min I promise? What is it about Pune, we have some lovely cooks here from that city. You know, it’s thrilling to read about regional cooking and varying tastes across the Indian subcontinent. It’s even more thrilling to see how we adapt our tastes dependent on where we are (kinda east meets west). The evolution of culinary tastes shifting with not only time but also geography. But at the same time we retain a sense of our gastronomy history at our core, e.g. comfort foods that we love are entrenched in our family history and often taught to use by our mothers and grandmothers (fathers too) it’s a something we will never loss, no matter where we live or time we live in. Which after all, is the main thread behind the FAHC book? Please continue providing your great support.

Anyway back to pithla (boy I am even talking Maharati now, Pune here I come), I do love the dish, certainly have it all the time with either methi or drumsticks. My drumstick version is similar to Manisha’s, so try which ever takes your fancy. If you look at the picture, the dish does not look appetising or enticing does it, Manisha has done a far better job.

In Gujarati we call it Saragva ni Shing (Drumstick) nu Lot (Flour).

Ingredients (serves 2)

4 Drumsticks (chopped into 3 inch pieces)
½ tsp hing
½ tsp of turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder (or 2 tsp if you like it hotter)
salt to taste
3 cups of hot water
oil

Preparation

Prepare besan paste, using water used for cook the drumsticks (see below) mix with besan flour to great a paste. Add a pinch of salt, turmeric and chilli powder to the paste. The consistency should be similar to single cream

Method

Cook drumsticks in water with a pinch of salt. Till soft but not too soft, since they tend to break-up.
After the drumsticks are cooked, drain water into a container.
In a cooking pan prepare the tempering, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, once the seeds are crackling add the hing, after a few seconds add the cooked drumsticks, along with the 4 tbsp of water used to cook the drumsticks
Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
Add the besan paste.
Cook for around 10 mins on a low heat, do not stir too often.

As a variation I sometimes add one medium potato (boiled and chopped) which can be added in when you add the drumsticks to the tempering mixture.

Saragva ni Shing nu Lot

The final creation should not be watery but nice and thick (but not one big lump) There you have it. Enjoy; I love it with rotis and plain boiled rice.

Mutter (Peas) Dhokli

2006-12-16T00:10:00.000Z

Something completely different this time, from Dilip’s household. You will not find it in restaurants (well I have never seen it), but it may be offered in some ones home. It’s not in season but I manage to get some really fresh. We used to have it all the time when my son lived with me (he loves it). I got so weary of it, I could not take this dish anymore. But now its been awhile, with deep breath, I desided to go for it. Okay okay, what the heck is it you cry. Its Mutter Dhokli, what you scream!!. Yes you heard right, its Mutter Dhokli. Its way easy to prepare folks, so try it. The dish is not the same using frozen/tinned mutter, so use fresh peas if you can, which can be difficult here in the UK, since it’s out of season. Some supermarkets do have fresh pre-packed peas, so you might be lucky there.

Although it’s very easy to prepare, be careful with the dhokli. For those that have made daal dhokli for example will know what I mean. Too many dhoklis and it will get really thick, too little and you will end with an odd soup. For this dish most of the water should be simmered off such that the peas are nicely cooked and dhoklis should remain moist.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Cup of fresh mutter
½ tsp hing
pinch of turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder (or 2 tsp if you like it hotter)
salt to taste
3 cups of hot water
oil

Preparation

Prepare dhokli dough, using white wheat flour and a tbsp of besan flour, to which add some turmeric, chilli powder and tbsp of oil. Use enough wheat flour to make around 5 chapattis, dough should be slightly harder then chapatti dough. Set aside for a few mins.

Method

In a cooking pan prepare the tempering, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, once the seeds are crackling add the hing, after a few seconds add hot water and then the mutter. Please be careful as the hot water hits the hot oil it will splutter like crazy, put a lid on the pan as quickly as you can.
Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
Simmer on medium-low heat for 5 mins.
Add dohklis using the prepared dough, by rolling out a slight larger than golf size ball size into a chapatti. Cut the rolled chapatti into diamond shapes and add to the simmering mutter. Stir all the time to ensure dhoklis don’t stick to each other. Repeat for the rest of the golf balls. Need to ensure the mixture does not get too thick, as it will thicken as the dhoklis cook, add some hot water as required.
Cook the mutter dhokli for around 20 mins on a low heat, do not stir too much since the dhoklis will get mussy. If its too watery then simmer it off. The final creation should not be watery but nice and thick.

Mutter Dhokli

There you have it. Enjoy with chapattis; I like it on its own in a large bowl garnished with finely chopped onions and some drops of lime (or lemon). Very comforting on a cold winter’s evening.

Why do I blog

2006-12-13T19:43:00.000Z

Hey folks, sorry for not being in contact in recent days. Just to let you know. I am alive and still kicking. Well been kinda busy recently with stuff plus I am helping the fantastic FAHC cause. Some of you have already contributed recipes BUT we need more, so come on you lovely people please send then in, so we can fill the book with dishes we love. Hey it has to be the first whereby our dream of creating a book will consist of foodies being the authors. You have to admit thats pretty good right!!. So here is a chance to record authentic recipes, which will then remain timeless. It will capture what our mothers and grandmothers cooked (hey fathers and grandfathers too). Creating a book with recipes from the public domain is a tremendous achievement in itself. But hey that’s not all, well go one step further, all income generated will go towards feeding the hungry children. Wow, that is outstanding, is it not. Hey I can just visualise contentment on a child’s face with belly full of food, I am sure you can too. Thanks to all those that have contributed and thanks in anticipation to those that will. Without your help the objective will not be realised. Sp please help the cause and spread the word. Hey we still need kind hearted folks with professional expertise to help, see my previous post, so press gang your friends and relative. Thanks to those that have already offered help, we will be in touch.

Hey just wanted to mention why I blog recipes. To me it’s like a child, you know when they run home from school holding a picture that they have just painted or made a model of some sort. The enthusiasm and excitement on their faces is fantastic to see. Most of the times I don’t recognise what they have drawn but to them it’s a great creation which they want to share it with passion. To them the drawing is crystal clear and pure in nature. Well I am that child, I want to share my creation with my peers. I rush to place my creation on the dish, take a pic and post as fast as I can. I am not be that articulate, maybe I can't explain the method very well, my English maybe below standards, my pictures are blurry but hey it’s about sharing a creation. Am I a professional blogger, I think not, I only use the medium to share. That’s why I surf food blogs, to share in the creation of my fellow friends. I don’t comment if I don’t particularly like the dish but I will comment if its clear the person has devoted a lot of effort and time towards a particular dish. Finally if the blog looks great and written with flair then great but at the end of the day what counts is sharing in the creation, learing fron others and letting fellow bloggers know that that their effort is appreciated. Because one thing I have learned that blogging does take time and effort. Anyway, enough of my ramblings.

Now this child is hungry and about to enjoy Jyostnas creation which is drumsticks with besan flour for dinner tonite, bye for now.

FAHC

2006-12-06T17:25:00.000Z

Feed a hungry child campaign - request for help!

We need volunteers as project team members for the 'Feed a Hungry Child' campaign. We currently require experts (or team leaders) in the following fields:

Fundraising
Content Development
Publications/Book Production
Marketing.

If you work and/or have professional expertise in anyone of the areas and would like to contribute towards this noble cause, please contact Dilip (dbhattuk@hotmail.com) and/or VK Narayanan (info.vkn@gmail.com). Even if you are not an expert in any of the above fields but would love to take the lead in one of four areas, then also get in touch.

If you are available and want to work with us... please let us know asap. We appreciate every bit of help we can get! Your expertise and leadership help and advice will be valuable to the project. It will provide clarity and guidance that will ensure objective of feeding a hungry child is realised effectively and efficiently.

If you cannot help but know of experts (relatives/friends) in these fields, then please let them know of this campaign.

The expert/team leader will manage that specific area and will develop possible solutions and associated implementation plan. Please note, some time and commitment is required for this task. So please set aside a little time to help this fantastic cause.

FAHC

2006-11-30T01:02:00.000Z

Hey have you heard about the FAHC project, well visit My Dhaba blog for more infomation. Here is a summary

"By participating in My Dhaba's group book project 'You Can Cook for FAHC Campaign', the food lovers and food bloggers are creating new ways to motivate individuals and organizations across the world to expand their mission and join the fight against global poverty. I am pleased to support this effort and urge all food lovers to contribute. May God bless everyone who make a contribtution in this group book project."

Hey folks please participate....thanks...~smile~...

Moong Dal with Dill

2006-11-28T20:59:00.000Z

Okay, here is another daal recipe, yep moong daal again but with fresh Dill this time. The preparation is similar to Tarkla Daal posted earlier. Dill I think is very much an under rated herb. I guess one reason being that Dill has only in recent years been commonly available certainly here in the UK in anycase. Months upon months would pass before one could buy it. Well there is globalization for you. Another reason could be, well I don’t understand it myself…~smile~… but it seems people have a love-hate relationship with Dill. Either you love it or loath it. Yes it does a have a distinct taste I agree but hey folks give the lovely herb a try okay. Hey look what I learned whilst reading the about the herb on Wiki that ‘the plant having the carminative property of relieving gas’. Is that why I like Dill because I am full of it…~grin~

This dish is very simple to make and tastes divine.

Moong Daal with Dill (for 2 people)

Ingredients

½ lb Split Moong daal
Bunch of fresh Dill (chopped)
3 tomatoes (blitz with blender to form a paste – Tinned tomatoes are fine)
1 green chilli (split length ways)
1 tbsp ginger paste
½ tsp hing
½ tsp of turmeric
salt to taste
water
oil

Method

Wash moong daal in water then cook till soft on medium-low heat, add turmeric at the start. Add water as required to ensure lentils don’t get dry.
Once the daal is cooked add the chopped dill, cook for a further 5 mins.
In a pan prepare the tempering, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, once the seeds are crackling add the hing, after a few seconds add the cooked moong daal with dill.
Add salt, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger paste
Simmer on low heat for 10 mins.

There you have it, Moong Daal with Dill.

Enjoy with hot rice and/or, thick chapattis or parathas

Tip – if you have the time, try cooking the daal in a partly covered pan and not the pressure cooker. Not sure why but it does not taste quite the same if its pressure cooked.

Tarka Dal

2006-11-23T18:01:00.000Z

You know what, I (and my prettier other half Jyostna) do like to indulge mentally and physically and get engrossed with our daals. No no no, no nothing kinky like bathing in the stuff but simply enjoy the experience of savouring a tasty daal. A good daal makes a meal, makes a moment, raises a smile of contentment. Not easy to explain the fulfilment a good daal can provide. Boy, its not easy to cook a good daal I don't think (especially toor ni daal). Anyway what do I know…~smile~.

Today I am posting my version of tarka daal using split moong lentils. So many ways to make tarka daal, its very versatile. So here goes my version.

Tarka daal (for 3 people)

Ingredients

½ lb Split Moong daal
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 tomatoes (paste)
1 tbsp ginger paste
3 red chillies
4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp of cumin seeds + a pinch
½ tsp of turmeric
Salt to taste
Water
Oil

Method

Wash the moong daal in water then cook on medium heat, add turmeric at the start. Keep adding water as required to ensure lentils don’t get dry.
Just as the lentils start to get soft, add ginger paste and salt. Cook on low heat till lentils are fully cooked.
In a small pan, add some oil and pinch of cumin seeds, now add the onions, cook till translucent or brown if you prefer that sweeter caramelised taste.
Once onions are cooked, add to the cooked moong daal and mix
Now the tarka, in a small pan, add oil, cumin seeds and red chillies, once the cumin seeds start to brown and the oil has been infused with the red chillies add the tomatoes paste. Cook for a minute and then pour the tarka over the daal and stir the whole mixture.

There you have it, Tarka Daal.

Tarka Daal

Enjoy with rice and/or, thick chapattis

Batata Vada

2006-11-18T23:32:00.000Z

Okay, its street food time and today on the menu is Batata Vada, Dilip style. It’s a simple recipe, requires some preparation but hardly anytime to cook. This recipe is very much made to measure, so I will not go too much into quantity. Experiment and add amounts to suite your palate. Also lots of Batata Vada recipes suggest tempering the potato mix but I have not. I only temper when I make Vada Pav using a similar potato mix but hey the choice is yours.

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes
1 onion (add another if you like your onions)
Handful of Coriander
Several chillies to taste
Lemon juice
Chilli pwds
Cinnamon
Cloves
Salt
Some sugar
Oil for frying

Batter mix

Besan/Gram flour
Pinch of salt.
Water

Method

Boil the potatoes and mash
Chop onions
Finely chop chillies and coriander
Add to the mash, the chopped onions, chillies and coriander
Grind cinnamon and cloves in a spice grinder and add to the mash
Add sugar and lemon juice
Mix well and taste, adjust as required
Make round balls of the mash, around golf ball size.
Prepare batter using gram flour
Drop several round balls at a time into the batter and fry in oil till golden brown.

Batata Vada

Great with coriander chutney and garam chai. Or use Pav to have Vada Pavs (you may want to temper the potato mix) ...enjoy

Veg Biryani

2006-11-15T00:39:00.000Z

Made biryani today, well I say biryani but it’s my own hybrid version. What can one say about biryani, one will find it in royal households or rural/poor household’s. Find it in 5 star restaurants or a street corner food stall. Find it at lavish celebrations or as a humble meal. The influences on the biryani lay outside the Indian subcontinent. Cooking in a sealed earthen pot is well-known in the Middle East and parts of the Gulf.

What is an authentic biryani, well in its simplest sense it’s an earthen pot with cooked (or uncooked) meats/vegetables with rice. Usually the rice and the vegetables/meat are cooked separately. Then layered within the earthen pot, which is then placed in an oven for hours, to ensure all the ingredients mingle and fuse to form what is a distinguished dish. As with most curries, briyanis have developed regionally over time, changing to suite local palates and tastes. The only well known version being the Hyderabadi biryani.

Certainly in the UK, the biryani is very popular in Indian restaurants, just like chicken tikka masala, which incidentally is known as the UK’s national dish. I will hasten to add the eurpoean chicken tikka masala is not an authentic Indian dish but has developed for western palates. Biryani on the other hand has retained it traditional roots.

Okay enough of my verbiage back to my hybrid version, which I usually make several times a month. It’s also great when we have guests or a party, it always goes down well. I will not go with the exact ingredients but focus more on the key steps. Its fairly simple recipe not very sophisticated or elaborate but hey it’s tasty.

Prepare the rice

Steam about 4 handfuls of rice. Prior to cooking the rice, add a pinch of saffron strands and 4-5 cloves.
After the rice is cooked remove the cloves.
Set aside

Prepare/cook the vegetables and caramelised onions

Chop 2 medium potatoes into bite size chunks, use florets from a medium cauliflower, chop a carrot into small cubes and finally a cup full of peas.
In a pan, add 6 tbsp of oil, add mustards seeds, 6 cloves and 4 small pieces of cinnamon.
Once mustard seeds start to splatter, add tsp of hing. After a few seconds add all the vegetables
Add chilli, jeera and turmeric pwd and salt.
Cover the cooking pan cook on a low heat.
Just before the vegetables are cooked add garam masala or you use prepared biryani pwd.
In a small pan, cook the chopped onion in oil till brown. Add a pinch of salt and chilli pwd as the unions are about complete. I think browning the onions adds a lovely sweetness to the already spicy dish.

Biryani shaak prior to layering (cooked vegetables)

Oven cooking

In an oven proof bowl, add a layer of cooked rice. Press it down slightly. Now a layer of cooked vegetables and the final layer of rice.
Garnish with the cooked onions, slices of lemon and thin slices of capsicum peppers.
Cover the bowl and place in the oven on a low heat.
I would leave it in the oven for about an hour before serving.
Just before serving add whole raw chillies and chopped coriander on the top

Biryani garnsied with onions

Serve with cucumber raita, pitta breads or naans or chapattis.

Kala Channa Bhatata (Chickpeas & Potatoes)

2006-11-13T22:18:00.000Z

The good ole chana batata, is there anyone that does not like this dish, I think not. The chana batata that myself and the family like are made using kala channa. These kala channas are quite a bit different to the typical channa dishes often eaten in restaurants, which are made with kabuli chanas, with are associated with baturas. I think kala channas are much more flavoursome and have a certain earthy taste and texture. Please note the chana dal comes from kala channa, which are split and the husk removed. Interestingly, I have also found that kala channas can differ from brand to brand. I usually go for the really dark variety, which are normally very dark brown. Not sure why there is a difference, I assume regional variations.

Okay here is the recipe which I cooked today for dinner with help from Bhavni (as always she did the chapattis) and Jyostna the dishes…~smile~.

The chana batata consists of two major steps, firstly cooking the potatoes and then the channas. Can be done in one step but this method works every time for me.

Cooking the potatoes

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes
1 tsp Jerra powder
1/2 tsp Salt.
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Some mustard seeds
1 Cup hot water
2 tbsp Cooking Oil

Method

Chop potatoes into bite size chunks
In a pan add oil and mustard seeds after seeds have started to crackle add hing
After 10 seconds or so, add chopped potatoes with some water to just cover the potatoes
Add Jerra, Chilli and Turmeric powder and the salt
Cook the potatoes on a medium heat till done
Set aside

Cooking the Channas

Ingredients

1 medium onion (chopped)
1 tbsp Jerra powder
1 x 2 tsp Salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp Chilli powder (or 2 if hotter is preferred)
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Channa Masala (or garam masala)
1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing Powder
2 Cups Channa Water (see below)
Water to pressure cook the channas
3 tbsp Cooking Oil
300g Chopped tomato paste (use tinned tomatoes)

Method

Soak the kala channas overnight
Pressure cook channas with a tsp salt
Once cooked, drain the chanas BUT retain the water the water chanas were cooked in
In a pan add oil and mustard seeds after seeds have started to crackle add hing
After 10 seconds or so add chopped unions and cook on low heat till they are slightly browned. I think caramelised unions add a lovely slightly sweet richness to the dish
Add paste of chopped tomatoes. Use a tin of chopped tomatoes and blitz with a blender to get the paste
Add Jerra, Chilli and Turmeric powder and the salt to the paste
Cook the tomato paste till oil starts to separate
Add channas and chana water as required to ensure channas are covered. Adding the amount of water is dependent on consistency of gravy required. I like a medium, neither too runny nor too dry
After about 3 mins add the cooked potatoes, channa masala and sugar
Simmer on a low heat for 15 mins, stirring all time. Add little chana water if it gets too dry or if the gravy is runny, smash some chanas which will thicken it
Garnish with fresh coriander, chopped unions and tomatoes

Chana Bhatata

These channa are very versatile and can be eaten with pitta/nan bread, or chapattis and boiled rice or parathas, or any combination that takes your fancy. I have been known to sprinkle chivda and or potatoes crisps on top. A nice hot bowl of chana bhatata on a grey, rainy day is just the tonic.

Bajra (Millet flour) na Thepla

2006-11-08T15:31:00.000Z

What can one say about bajra, it’s the staple food ingredient for much of rural Gujarat if not all of India. I remember my first trip to Gujarat when I visited some relatives in a small town. We turned up unexpectedly and my hosts made some bagra na rotla with Brinjal shaak. My normal reaction would have been –yuckie--. But nah, the bajra rotlas were really sweet; I never thought these rotlas could taste so good. I think the art of making the bajra na rotlas is dying, which is a real shame. I am gonna do my bit and learn, I encourage all you foodies out there, please give it a go!. For you folks that have mastered the skill, well you are blessed with a great skill.

Now a slight twist not bajra na rotlas but I love spicy bajra na theplas, made out of bajra flour with some wheat flour added. I prefer these theplas to be bit more on the spicy side, so experiment with garlic-ginger-chilli paste to match your taste.

Bajra na Thepla (6 theplas)

Ingredients

2 Cups bajra (millet) flour
1 cup chapatti flour
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsb ginger
2 green chillies
2 tsp salt
0.5 tsp turmeric
Water
Pinch of hing
Oil

Method

Make paste of garlic, chillies, ginger
Mix flour and paste plus all the other ingredients
Make dough with warm water, consistency should slightly harder then chapatti dough Divide the dough into 6 pieces.
Rolled out the dough (slightly thicker then chapattis) dusting with flour so as not to get sticky.
Cook on tawa with oil, as per making normal theplas.

Optional – Add fresh methi leaves

Bajra na theplas

Eat the theplas with hot chai or cold yogurt or pickles or chutney or all of your stomach can handle it.

Farsi Puri

2006-11-05T21:58:00.000Z

Well, its Sunday, we normally have light food, snacks, pizzas and such like. However, today Jyostna and Bhavni were going out and eating out too. So just myself to feed, Ah well, had sometime on my hands so decided to make some Farsi Puris, not eaten them in a long time. Had some from the local indian sweetmart but not as tasty as the home made stuff. For those that are new to gujarari farsi puris, they are savoury snack. They tend to come out when unexpected guests turn up along with the chivda. So now you know, turn up at Dilip’s household and you know what you get with the chai.

Okay here is the recipe - from Priti (sister-in-law)

Farsi Puris (around 60 puris)

Ingredients

1 lb plain flour
125 g butter
1.5 tsp salt
1 tbsp crushed pepper corns (leave coarse not powder)
2 tbsp whole jeera (cumin)
Warm water to make dough.
Oil for frying

Method

Mix all the above ingredients (dry ingredients first)
Add enough water to get dough to a medium consistency, a bit harder then normal puri dough
Rest dough for 30 mins.
Roll out the puris, fraction thicker then normal puris
Make small slits (around 0.5 cm) with the tip of the knife on top of the rolled puris
Would suggest rolling a batch of puris before frying
Place each rolled puri in hot oil and fry till golden brown on both sides.
Drain on kitchen paper.
Store in air tight container

Enjoy with chevda, hot chai (with or without guests).

Farsi Puri

Oh yes I ended up eating a bowl of hot farari bhatata shaak with a dollop of yogurt, watching thunderbirds on my new plasma, ohh heaven.

Methi with gram flour

2006-11-04T20:47:00.000Z

Made another comfort food dish today, again another gujarati affair. Greengrocer has some fresh methi so had to buy it. Bought 2 bunches and now the debate. Typically we have it with gram flour batter or with small cubed potatoes with tiny gram flour beads. I will come back to what we decided later.

Fresh Methi

But just wanted to mention that methi and spinach has always played a major part in our household. The major influence being my parents. During our early year in the UK, it was difficult to find fresh indian vegetables, so my father decided to grow them in garden. Boy during the summer months, myself and Jyostna and the rest of the family were always picking and chopping stuff. Not only did we cook the fresh vegetables on the day but my mother used to freeze the stuff in time for the winter months. Coriander, methi and spinach are easy to grow in the garden, so they were always plentiful. These days we buy from the greengrocer, no need to grow and the vegetables tend to be really fresh now days, thanks to a global market, I guess

Okay back to the methi nu shaak. Today we decided to have methi with gram flour batter. Bhavni prefers it that way, especially after long day at work and to come home to some comfort food. If I may add this methi nu shaak and turai with dill which I posted earlier are both acquired tastes. I know people that love this stuff and also people that hate it. Such is the tapestry of life!!.

Methi nu loot shaak. (Methi with gram flour) (for 3 people)

Cooking process consists of two main stages, firstly to cook the methi and secondly to make the gram floor batter which then added to the cooking methi. Maker sure the batter is prepared prior to cooking the methi.

Ingredients

2 x bunchs of methi
Some mustard seeds
Tsp Asafoetida/Hing Powder
Tsp Turmeric
Tsp chilli powder (or 2 tsp if preferred hotter)
Salt to taste
1 Cup Hot water
4 tbsp Oil

Gram Flour Batter

4 tbsp Gram (chickpea) Flour
Tsp Turmeric
Tsp Chilli powder
Tsp Salt
Water

Method Making the batter

Add the Gram flour batter ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add little water at a time to get a runny consistency, similar to say single cream. Carry on whisking to ensue no lumps are left.

Making the shaak

Remove the mehti leaves, chop, wash and drain.
Have hot water ready
In a cooking pan add oil and mustard seeds, after seeds start to crackle add hing. Let the hing cook for a few seconds
Add the chopped methi
Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt
Add some hot water to just cover the methi
Cook on medium heat.
Add the batter mix little at a time to ensure no lumps. Keep adding the batter to get to double cream consistency.
Cook on low heat for about 15 mins.

Methi nu Loot Shaak

If left longer the shaak will get lumpy and drier. So best to make the shaak as soon as you are ready to eat. The shaak can be eaten with chapattis and boiled rice. I sometimes like it with naan bread and no rice. Enjoy.

Is there another variation to this shaak. I am wondering if this is a new shaak to most people, please let me know.

Turai (Ridgegourd) with Dill

2006-11-02T21:01:00.000Z

Jyostna is not feeling too well (cold symptoms) …~sigh~…and it’s cold and windy in London. With the autumn closing in, it’s gloomy all round. So what does one do, well make some comfort food of course. Jyostna loves Turai/Ridgegourd and fresh Dill shaak/curry with plain khichdi (I personally like it with plain rice). This being such a typical example of a gujarati comfort food dish, as is plain khichdi with kadhi and bhatata shaak.

Anyway, I dashed to the local indian greengrocer to get the fresh turai and dill this morning and luckily the shop had the really fresh stuff.

Fresh Turai and Dill

The plain khichdi goes well with the turai and dill shaak. Hey, it’s not really surprising that khichdi is often mentioned as the comfort food for many indians. Its incredible how many khichdi recipes there are, not only regional variations but from family to family. Plus variations in terms of consistency, some like it soft, or sticky or flaky....etc. I remember it when I was young, boy I hated plain khichdi, and I show it as the food for the elderly and/or the ill.

I do like spicy khichdi which has masala, some potatoes and onions, which is tempered with typical spices/herbs. As apposed to plain khichdi which is simply rice and split moong dal (unhusked), boiled till cooked. With some salt and turmeric added at the start of cooking process.

split moong dal and rice

So let me describe the how/process of making turai and dill shaak with plain khichdi. Please note, I will go through the process with some indication of measurements. (I don’t tend to measure all the ingredients accurately)

Turai and dill shaak (for 2 people)

Ingredients

2 turai
A bunch of dill
2 cloves of garlic
Some mustard seeds
Tsp Asafoetida/Hing Powder
Tsp Turmeric
Tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Hot water
Oil

Method

Peel turai, so as to remove the ridges and areas of skin which appear tough. Chop into small cubes, wash and drain.
Take the whole bunch of dill and chop off the tough stalks at the end. Cut the rest of the bunch into small pieces. Wash and drain.
Cut garlic cloves into small pieces but not into a paste.
In a pan add oil and mustard seeds, after seeds start to crackle add hing. Let the hing cook for a few seconds
Add chopped turai, dill and garlic.
Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt
Add some hot water if shaak appears too dry. Remember turai will release its own water during the cooking process.
Cook on medium/low heat till the turai is soft. Will normally take around 15 mins.

Enjoy with chapattis and onion & cucumber relish on the side.

Veg Samosas

2006-10-24T18:58:00.000Z

Hey made some samosas using a recipe from My Khazana of Recipes, thanks Rooma. I always find stuffing samosas a major issue. Is there such a thing as a samosa stuffing machine.

Jyostna normally after rolling out the dough into chapatti shape/size, cooks it a little on a tava, and then cuts into halves, rolls and stuffs. Apparently Jyostnas method makes it easier to fill the samosas and also one can roll the dough a little thinner. Ah well no matter whatever the method, I still find it hard to stuff. I guess practice is what I need. Anyway, I did get some help from Bhavni (my daughter), she being the dough queen, normally does anything doughie for me. Like me she too loves indian street food. Mention dhal, bhat, shaak and lotlie (i.e. daal, rice, dry curry and chapatti) and she groans as I do sometimes.

Hey also made bhata vada using the same stuffing as I used for the samosas, tasted different but good.

Mawa Pandas

2006-10-19T22:00:00.000Z

Hey made some pandas from home made mawa/khoya. The mawa recipe is from Mamta’s Kitchen. Once the mawa was completely cold, rubbed it between hands to turn into breadcrumb texture.

Mawa - breadcrumb texture

Made some sugar syrup (two string consistency) and added it to the mawa. Rolled into pandas, decorated it with almonds and pistas.

Home made mawa pandas, wow….what a delightful heavenly taste.

Mawa Pandas

Thanks Mamta for the help with the mawa.

Gujarati - Stuffed Vegetables

2006-10-14T00:31:00.000Z

Well, how is everyone, I am recovering from a bout of fever but okay now. Food is in my comfort zone, so I tend to go there as and when I can and read recipes and peoples experiences. So let me post my latest experience, a Gujarati Style Stuffed Vegetables called Bharelu Shaak in Gujarati. If I may thank Garam Masala from Spice is Right. The results were very good, I did make some changes though to the original recipe. The dish was enjoyed by my lovely partner and yes the two very hungry adult kids, ohh yes plus my parents too. Now please note, I am NOT Garam Masala but my blog is called as such, I am simply me, Dilip in sunny UK. Now we have that out of the way, back to the recipe.

The changes I made were mainly, I did not add the brinjal and why I hear from the Brinjal fans out there (BTW I am no Brinjal fan). Well I made twice the amount stated in the recipe (hey did I mention my two very hungry adult kids) and took longer then I anticipated to stuff the potatoes and onions. Plus I added 5 of those warm but not very hot long chillies, which are not in the original recipe. So due to the longer stuffing time, I decided to leave out the brinjal. Next time I will added them in, I promise I promise. So get of my case you Brinjal fans out there. The other major change was not steaming the onions, only the potatoes and the chillies. In the past I have experienced that onions tend to get too mussy and watery for my liking after steaming. So the final cooking step was little longer then 2-3 mins to allow the onions to cook. So that’s about it and thanks again to Garam Masala

This is such a typical of a Gujarati dish. I don’t know of any Gujarati who does not like this dish. It’s very popular. Please post your stuffed vegetable recipes. I would love to try them.

2006-10-06T16:57:00.000Z

Just made Pav Bhaji using the recipe from Foodies Hope (thanks Asha). I love this street food stuff.

I spend a month in India last March but I was not travelling and stayed mainly in Rajkot in the state of Gujarat. I have to say, I was very cautious of the food street vendors. I was told, its OK to eat hot food. But I have to say, I was not happy to try it even though the some of street food looked great and was often tempted. Even when I visited relatives and friends and had a meal with them, I often ended up with a sore throat. I think it must be quality of the oil they use Or I have a very sensitive throat.

So I missed eating the snacks I love so much. Still not much of problem, i did enjoy eating in restaurants, although the quality varied a lot. Plus I could not get used to eating the main meal at mid-day, how can one do that :-)

Cheers...catch you folks later

2006-10-03T21:24:00.000Z

Hey, just tried the Besan Burfi recipe from Saffron. Ended up with a nice tasty sweet dish. My mother tried the Burfi and was impressed. But as you would expect, she has her own recipe. Its guajarati variation of the burfi called Magaj. Here is the Magaj recipe from the Insurat site.

This again is one of those recipes that I love to cook but not a great fan when it comes to eating. I am not a ghee fan. Do I hear screams of shock and horror from my indian brothers and sisters. Yes, you heard me; I am a guajarati and brahmin at that, who does not like ghee. Am I black sheep of the indian community?. Ah well, I guess I will just have to live on the outer fringes.

Hey, any tips out there when it comes to making thin slivers out of pistas and almonds. Is there a gadget that will do this awful job. Please let me know.

Have to dash, catch you folks later

2006-09-28T19:38:00.000Z

Hey, found a Dal Dhokli recipe for those who are not sure from LuvBites. Enjoy

2006-09-28T18:41:00.001Z

Hey thanks for the warm welcome to those that left a comment.

I am a gujarati chap living in the UK with a beautiful partner and two fully grown (and always hungry) adult kids. As with most Indian families we are an extended family which includes my parents and my brother and his family. We try to eat together at least once a week, normally Saturdays. There is always a lil battle as whose favourite dish will be the main food item for the day (how come I never win!!).

Hey I talked about the need to have the right ingredients but you know what, try getting the quantities from some people. My mum or my partner add ingredients without any form of exact measurements. I too have learned cooking the ‘daily’ dishes (dals and standard curries) the same way. In fact I don’t actually have any scales in the kitchen, which must be a horrifying thought to most cooks out there. Although I have to say the ‘cup’ appears to be a standard measure. Well I do have lots of cups.

Cooking tonight is Dal Dhokli, which I believe is a gujarati dish but please put me right if I am wrong. Anyway, I made the toor dal and the Jyostna (partner) is adding the dhokli for me. Should be ready any moment, hence I am need to leave. Plus Jyostna is off to the garba tonight, so she is in a hurry too.

Will be back later!!.

2006-09-28T04:40:00.000Z

New blogger, not sure if there is a bloggers code of practice that I should be following. Ah well know doubt someone will tell me. Due to ill health, I am home based and not able to work at present. Have time on my hands, something that’s new to me. I have always enjoyed cooking, so I am spending time collecting recipes and reading foodie blogs. Wow, lots out there. Great to see so much passion about food and cooking when I read some of blogs. I am not a great eater, food is not top priority for me but I do enjoy cooking and I try to ensure high standards in terms of quality of ingredients used. However, at the end of the day it’s the experience and skills that makes the difference regardless of anything else. I am a late starter on the cooking front and on a learning curve. How true that most commend their mothers as the best cooks they have ever known, I can say the same. My mum is a great cook and renowned for her high standards and quality of food. With my mother’s lead, we have often cooked for hundred plus people for a given event and the quality is retained regardless of the numbers. One of the big lessons, I have learned from my mum is not to have the ‘it will do’ attitude towards a given recipe. Don’t bother cooking a given dish if you don’t have the right ingredients. Make the effort and it will pay off. I will write more later...chow