April 2012

Posted in Breakfast, Continental, Desserts, Jams & Pickels, Spring - Summer Special, Superfoods

Blueberry Jam / Compote

I look at Jam as a way to preserve summer in a jar 😛 Every summer my mom used to make mango jam at home. She did the same thing with strawberries last summer and now I am following her tradition with yet another awesome superfood of this planet – blueberries. Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh blueberries 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1/8 cup lemon juice That’s it. Wash blueberries and let them dry completely. No need to chop blueberries, they are so tender they break down easily once heated. In a sauce pan, mix blueberries and sugar and mix it…

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Posted in Continental, Desserts, Entertaining

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

What could be a better occasion than your hubby’s birthday to bake a chocolate cake? It had been a while since I baked a cake. I am a big fan of Ina Garten and I had watched this show when she made this mouth watering cake. She said she practically begged her friend Michael to give her the recipe, which is originally his grandmother’s. She also tells her secret ingredient which make the cake even more chocolaty. I am glad I chose this recipe. We all enjoyed it. The texture was just perfect and the secret ingredient did its magic. I…

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Posted in Continental, Italian

Tomato Basil Pasta

Take a short trip to Italy in the comfort of your own kitchen! The biggest inspiration for this dish was the delicious pasta made by my friend in almost no time. I have promised him not to mention his name in public. I modified his recipe by adding some vegetables. But otherwise, it’s a very simple recipe and in fact I consider it to be a part of “maggie-league”. It’s that simple and yummy! I used Barilla Mezze Penne pasta but you can use any other penne pasta and boil it as per the instructions given on the box AL…

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Posted in South Indian, Subji / Curry

Potato Subji with South Indian flavors

Quick and Easy with flavors you don’t want to miss! Urad daal and curry leaves are very prominent in South Indian preparation. The two ingredients add distinct aromas making any dish instantly tempting. [purerecipe] Tip – The subji tastes better if potatoes become slightly crispy. Once potatoes become tender, remove the cover and let them cook further for a two – three minutes. This way potatoes don’t become soggy.

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Posted in Breakfast, Rice & Dal, South Indian

The Pongal

It was a Saturday morning, 11 am; my friend and I were waiting to be seated in a room packed with people and filled with aromas of Sambar and Madras Coffee. The heavy rains did not have any effect on turnout at this small local restaurant, ‘The Pongal’. As soon as we settled down, my friend ordered two plates of pongal. Wait, what? Isn’t it a name of a festival? Before he could explain, the food arrived. And oh my god it was nothing less than a festive moment. On a big banana leaf, there lies a big serving of ‘pongal’,…

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Posted in Salad, Spring - Summer Special

Spring Salad

Once my friend from China shared her secret behind her zero size figure – ‘Jīng jìjié xìng chī’ That means ‘Eat Seasonally’, a basic mantra of Chinese Medicine. What could be a better season to enjoy salads other than Spring? The vegetables at farmer’s market looked so fresh and luscious, even I was tempted to try my hands on salad. I am not a salad person but I am proud of my creation 🙂  So simple and so yummy! Ingredients – a bunch of your favorite greens – lettuce, spinach, arugula 2-3 tangerines 1 medium cucumber 1 small avocado 1…

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Posted in Breakfast, Superfoods

My New Affection: Oatmeal

When I saw my friend eating oatmeal at Starbucks, I literally laughed at him. It looked like baby food to me. But the price and especially the three toppings – brown sugar, dried fruit and nuts caught my attention. Since then I have become a big fan of oatmeal. Chinese tradition believes that the most important meal of the day is the first meal. So why not make it nutritious and delicious? I like to start my day off with this big bowl of warm and hearty old-fashioned oatmeal topped with fresh fruits such as strawberries, banana, red apple and walnuts and…

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Posted in Entertaining, Subji / Curry

Pav Bhaji – Yum O!

Pav bhaji is my weak point. It tastes best when you have it at a road-side place or not-so-healthy place It was a long time since I made it so when we invited Kandy for dinner, pav bhaji was our first choice. He loved it. This is how I made it. [purerecipe]

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Posted in Superfoods

Not my cup of tea!

Yes, tea is simply not my cup of tea. I just hate it. But my husband is a big big fan of tea and sadly my everyday starts with making tea for him. I am still wondering how to avoid it   If you like tea, here are few simple ways to make it more interesting. You can add a pinch of grated ginger or 1/2 chopped mint leaves or home-made tea masala – grounded powder of black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. I do use tea but for a different reason. Not because it rejuvenates my mind but it does rejuvenate…

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