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A homesick Puneite…that’s me!
It’s been long since I visited home. I’m from Pune and it’s simply the best place on earth. Its where I grew up, went to school, made my first friends…and the most memorable memories of my life! Pune today is very different from the little city I call home. Decades ago, Pune was a hill station, a little town nestled in the Sahyadri Hills, that attracted hot-shot crowd from Bombay (now Mumbai, but always ‘the city that never ever sleeps’) to come and cool their heels. Rich in culture and filled with the mystical stories of the Peshwas and the exploits of Shivaji Maharaj, Pune was almost frozen in time. Then I went to college, got a new hair do and a new boyfriend and my little hometown got an attitude  . You could dunk a beer at the ‘Black Cadillac’, shake a leg at ‘Ten Downing Street’, shop the brandz on Main Street and be cool at the Swiss Cheese Garden!
Today, going back home is a mixed bag. I love to go back to the places I know and love, and then stand and stare in awe at everything that’s brand-new. I look forward to meeting my family and friends, gorge on mom-made goodies (can’t afford to skip those!) and then get out, visit Pune… my Pune, the city I grew up in…..
Getting down to business.. top eating adventures in Pune; butter chicken at Sarovar, methi mutter malai at Portico, the pav bhaji from Anand Juice Bar, cheese pizza from local pizza joint – Supreme, cold coffee and chicken burgers from Marz-o-rin, and many more.
No more food-ostalgia! I’ve been cooking up all those delicious memories right here in my kitchen. Blast your taste buds with food from the past!
Read on … »
Light, crispy and decadent baklava reminds me of my first and the worst encounter with the phyllo dough. Seeing it on TV, I was inspired make that scrumptious dessert at home, but within no time, I got frustrated dealing with the phyllo dough. I somehow managed to complete the task at hand and ended up with a not-so-bad baklava that day. But I decided I never want to see the phyllo dough ever and switched to the ready-to- use phyllo cups for making cute little concoctions.
…This was a couple of years ago; now I am fearless with the phyllo! After I ran into it again at school, the ultra-thin, incredibly delicate phyllo sheets don’t seem to be scary any more.
Sure, phyllo dough is very high-maintenance and you might be tempted to take the easier route with the puff pastry dough, but with some patience and careful handling you can bake it like a pro!
Some basic ground rules I learnt when working with phyllo:
- Ready to use phyllo dough is sold frozen in the grocery store, usually found near the pie crusts and pastry sheets in the freezers. It needs to be thawed before using, usually overnight in the refrigerator or if you are short of time, a 3-4 hours at room temperature.
- If you don’t need the entire pack, you can separate out a few sheets and refrigerate (up to 2 weeks) or refreeze the remaining sheets by wrapping them back in to the package.
- To prevent the sheets from drying or cracking out, keep them covered in plastic wrap with a damp kitchen/paper towel on top of the plastic.
- Use a soft-bristled brush to butter or oil (canola or vegetable only, no olive oil) the sheets as firm bristles can cause them to easily break or tear. Don’t worry if a sheet tears, just stick it back.
- Prep the fillings ahead of time and save the phyllo for last. Also, do not wrap the fillings too tightly or they may burst the dough.
- When layering or folding the sheets, don’t worry if they are not perfectly aligned or flat. You can always trim the edges.
- Phyllo dough can burn easily, so watch while it’s baking.
Phyllo adds a special flavor and texture to any dish. You can use it as a light and flaky crust for making sweet and savory tarts or pies. It’s also works great when wrapped up with all kinds of fillings for making appetizers. Just keep in mind the basic rules when working with phyllo and you’ll have light, crisp and delicious baked goodies in no time!
Phyllo Triangles with Mushroom Kheema
(Phyllo Pastries with Minced Mushroom Filling)
The appetizer form of the savory Greek pie filled with a mixture of spinach, onions and feta cheese, Spanakopita, comes in the shape of triangular phyllo pastries. I have tried ready-to-bake product from the supermarket and enjoyed authentic Greek pastries at home. After a formal training on phyllo handling at school, I successfully recreated the spanakopita triangles at home from scratch. Once I got the folding technique, all kinds of ideas were bursting in my head and I mixed in some amazing fillings for the triangles – shredded smoked mozarella with sun-dried tomatoes, herbed goat cheese with crushed walnuts and one of the best ones I made were with my very own mushroom kheema
Apart from making triangles, you can roll the phyllo sheets to make spring rolls, wrap it around with the ends open to make cigar-shaped hors d’oeuvres or cut it in squares and bundle the edges up to form little pouches and even make your own phyllo cups by baking the little squares of sheets in muffin pans.
Makes 15-16
phyllo dough sheets, thawed and covered with a plastic wrap and damp towel (refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or refreeze the remaining sheets by wrapping them back in to the package)
about 1 cup melted unsalted butter/canola/vegetable oil, for brushing
1 cup filling (mushroom kheema or any other of your choice)
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
On a clean surface, lay one sheet of phyllo dough. Using a soft-bristled pastry brush, quickly coat the sheet with oil/melted butter. Fold it in half towards yourself, along the length and brush it with a little more oil/butter.
Place about a tablespoon of the filling in the bottom center and fold the corner up towards the sheets opposite edge, forming a small triangle (as shown in picture 2 above)
Fold the triangle along the sheet to form another triangle (as shown in picture 3 above)
Repeat the steps till you reach the end of the sheet (as shown in pictures 4-6 above).
Brush the triangle with oil/butter and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet (as shown in pictures 7-8 above)
Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling.
Bake for about 8-10 mins, until golden brown.
Cool down for a about 5 mins and serve.
…
Phyllo Tart with Roasted Red Peppers, Goat Cheese and Carmelized Onions
After my classic savory and sweet tarts, here’s a crispy, flaky phyllo tart that has all the delicious goodness of a French tart but without all the fat of a regular pastry. I particularly love the combination of caramelized onions, goat cheese and roasted red peppers. It always works wonders, like in the piadina I had made earlier.
Phyllo tarts are made the same way regular puff pastry tarts are made, by lining the tart pan with the dough. But the interim step of blind baking the tart shell is not required. Since the phyllo sheets are so thin, even with a number of sheets stuck to each other to form the shell, the tart turns crispy and golden brown within a few minutes and finishes baking along with the filling in it.
For 1 3×3 tart
2 phyllo dough sheets, thawed and covered with a plastic wrap and damp towel (refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or refreeze the remaining sheets by wrapping them back in to the package)
melted unsalted butter/canola/vegetable oil, for brushing
The Filling:
1 slice of jarred, roasted red pepper in water, diced
about 2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
about 2 tbsp caramelized onions
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
Toss all the ingredients for the filling gently in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.
On a clean surface, lay one sheet of phyllo dough. Using a soft-bristled pastry brush, quickly coat the sheet with oil/melted butter and lay another sheet on top of it.
Cut the the two sheets (stuck to one another) into half (around the edges of the tart pan) and lay each piece on top of the other by brushing butter/oil in between.
Brush the tart pan with butter/oil and line it with the prepared phyllo sheets, making sure it sits it snug, folding the edges over.
Pour the filling mixture in to the prepared tart shell and bake for about 8-10 mins till the crust turns golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
Remove from the tart pan and serve warm or at room temperature.
Montclair has been our home for 6 years now. But all good things must come to an end…..so long Montclair!
It was a great run and I will always cherish all the wonderful memories we have made living in Montclair. I still remember us driving into Montclair’s little downtown several years ago while we were exploring towns closer to my new workplace. We were so taken up by the cozy clutter of eclectic restaurants and antique shops, the hilly, windy roads, pretty parks set against dueling Franco and Anglo architecture from when it was smaller villages called Cranetown, Speertown and Watchung.
I have seen Montclair grow in leaps and bounds during the real estate boom but thankfully it hasn’t crashed and burned like some other neighborhoods. Now, more than six years later, it is time for me to move on and away from Montclair! In the last few weeks, I’ve been busy packing up boxes, keeping the pantry lean and refrigerator clean as we prep for our big move. And today, I’m sharing a few recipes that were inspired by my pantry and refrigerator clean up. The strangest bedfellows can make for some signature concoctions!
Read on … »
This Memorial day, we had another one of our quick picnics by the Lake at the New York City’s Central Park. My daughter, just like her mom, loooves Central Park and we just enjoy dragging Daddy back into the city over the weekend for a summer day in the park. While he may think it is overrated, once we head out to west, I am sure he will miss Manhattan!
We settled down under a nice shady spot overlooking the lake, amongst a thousand other picnickers out there that day. As I took my sandals off and felt the cool soft grass below my feet and in between my toes, I suddenly realized that this was probably the last time we made such an impromptu trip to the park. The next time we want to do it, we’ll have to fly a few thousand miles . Nevertheless, a picnic at the Central Park, is the best summer thing to do in the city!
While most of the time, our last minute picnic plans involved brunch at one of many awesome restaurants that line Central Park, picking up lunch from a local delis or even getting a hot dog from the street carts, this time I made it extra special by bringing homemade sandwiches with refreshing lemonade. Of course, we did to stick to our traditions; which is Nia’s entire face ate an ice cream from the street vendor and the adults went for their indulgence to the Bouchon Bakery at Columbus Circle for their famous melt-in-the-mouth macarons!
Read on … »
Every season brings out the nature’s select fruits and/or vegetables, like Pumpkins for Fall, Asparagus for Spring and the Mango for Summer!
In it’s various shapes and colors – green, yellow and orange, mango attracts foodshoppers all over the world… and me too! It usually jumps into my cart during the months of May-September, when it’s in its best form.
The supermarkets around me usually have a few North American mango varieties – Tommy Atkins, Keitt, Haden from Florida or the Ataulfo mangoes from Mexico and Central South America. My husband and daughter love to eat those, but I am a little bit of a picky eater in this case. For me, its gotto be the “Ratnagiri Alphonso” from my homeland, Maharashtra!
This year, we finally got hold of a dozen of the indigenous fruit at a local Indian market and enjoyed it’s out-of-the-world taste after many years of missing the season back home!
Summer’s long gone but the “mango madness” in my house just got over! It all started in June this year with the green mango, followed by a variety of sweet and savory concoctions using the sweet, succulent ripe fruit of the season – the ‘real’ Mango. Of course, we ate most of the fruit straight up, biting in to the vibrant, golden flesh underneath the multi-colored skins and the pulp running down our fingers and hands. But I managed to save some for my kitchen experiements 
So join me and experience the mango madness yourself!
Mango Guacamole
Cool, sweet jalepeño-infused guacamole is one of the most delicious and refreshing Mexican dips thats perfect for snack or appetizer… And then if you add some mango to it, it takes it to a whole new level!
To make mango guacamole, simply mix in some mango chunks to my basic recipe. Try making this simple and colorful guacamole and enjoy it’s melt-in-the-mouth taste with tortilla chips.
…
Chipotle Chicken Panini with Avocado and Mango
Sweet-tart mango and cool-creamy avocado should be perfect to balance the spicy heat of chipotle chilies?! This was my thought process behind creating this delicious panini for lunch one weekend. My Southwestern-style panini is made by grilling two slices of bread with shredded chicken and chipotle chillies in adobo sauce along with mango and avocado slices in between. In just 5 mins on each side, the panini is off the screaming hot grill pan and on to your plate. Ready for lunch?!
Makes 4 paninis
1 tbsp oil
½ yellow onion, sliced
1 small garlic clove, minced
½ can of Chipotle Chillies in Adobo Sauce (use the sauce and dice the chillies)
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (store-bought Rotisserie or oven-roasted at home)
1 baguette, cut into 8-10 slices of ½ inch thickness (or individual panini rolls)
mayonaise (optional)
butter or olive oil
1 ripe mango, sliced, pitted and skin removed
1 ripe avocado, sliced, pitted and skin removed
½ lime (to prevent avocado from darkening)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a small frying pan and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and sauté for a couple of mins, making them sweat a little. Stir in the chipotle chillies with the adobo sauce and mix well.
Continue heating the sauce for another min or so and then remove from heat. Mix in the shredded chicken and set aside.
Preheat the grill pan on medium-high heat.
For each panini sandwich: Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise inside the bottom slice of bread. Spread the chipotle chilli sauce with chicken and then lay 1-2 slices of mango and avocado and close the sandwich with the other slice of bread. Brush olive oil or spread butter on to the top outer side of the sandwich. Grill the sandwich with the buttered side down for 4-5 minutes. While the bottom side grills, butter the other side of the panini and flip over for 4-5 mins on this side so that both the sides of the bread are toasted with nice golden grill marks.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
…
Mango Mousse
Our obsession with tropical fruit continued through the end of the Summer, almost going into Fall. I decided to put an end to the madness by making a luscious creamy mousse with the last batch of mangoes I had picked up at the supermarket.
Mangoes process well into smooth, creamy filling for desserts like this incredibly soft and fluffy mango mousse. This is a basic recipe, made with mango puree folded into whipped cream with a bit of gelatin. The top layer is simple mango jello that holds the berries in place and prevents the mousse from falling inside. The dessert sets up over a few hours in the refrigerator and has a soft and silky texture that melts in your mouth!
Makes 4 individual servings of mango mousse, about ¾ cup each
Mango Mousse
2 cups of mango slices (about 4 mangoes)
¼ cup simple syrup
¼ cup heavy cream (for mango purée)
scant ¼ cup Triple Sec (or any other Orange liqueur)
½ tbsp (½ pkt) unflavored gelatin powder (Knox)
½ cup heavy cream (for whipping and folding into the mousse)
Mango Jello Topping (optional)
½ cup clear mango juice (such as Frooti or Mazaa)
½ tbsp (½ pkt) unflavored gelatin powder (Knox)
you choice of berries, about 4-6 per dessert cup
Alternatively, use mango flavored gelatin
Mango Mousse
Purée the mango slices, simple syrup and heavy cream together in a food processor. Strain and keep aside.
Sprinkle gelatin over the orange liqueur in a heat proof glass bowl and let it soften for about 10 mins. In the meantime, take about ½ cup water in a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place the bowl on top of the simmering water and stir continuously till the gelatin dissolves completely. Let it cool down and then mix it well with the mango purée.
Whip the ½ cup of heavy cream till it forms soft peaks (kinda like meringue). Add it to the mango-gelatin mixture and gently fold the whipped cream.
Pour into dessert cups and set it in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
Mango Jello Topping (optional)
Sprinkle the gelatin on to the mango juice in in a heat-proof bowl and often for ten minutes. Place it over a small saucepan with simmering water. and stir continuously so that the gelatin dissolves completely. As soon as the gelatin melts, the solution will become clear. Let it cool down to room temperature.
Remove the mousse from the fridge and top it with the berries. Pour the mango jello over the mousse and berries and return to referigerator for a couple more hours. Serve chilled.
Living in New Jersey, Montréal is my favorite long weekend getaway. In just over 5 hours I am transported to François! Montréal leads a double life; Vieux-Montréal (Old Montréal), with it’s historic cathedrals and English-French Colonial Architecture lives in retro-chic style alongside its modern twin, with its stylish clothiers, amazing nightclubs and, of course, trendy restaurants. Also, just as incongrously, less than a couple of hours from the border of the most populous English speaking countries in the world, lies the highest concentration of Francophiles. All these paradoxes, come to bear on the food; French with a touché of American.
 Montréal is truly a food lovers’ paradise. Walking around Montréal during our first visit last Summer, we realized that one can’t go more than a single block without hitting a gastronomic jackpot! So, just before the end of Spring season this year, we went on a quick foodie trip to the city. While our first trip was very touristy, our itinerary for this trip included some of the hottest French food destinations like Claude Postel, Eggspectation, Olive et Gourmando, Jardin Nelson, Le Grande Terrasse, Toqué, Vieux-Port and some more! I also managed to squeeze in food shopping at the Marché Atwater and picked up some sweet treats from the Maple Delights store in Vieux Montréal.
… Check out my souvenirs de Montréal!
Atwater’s Meats and Cheese Platter
A foodie heaven, the Atwater Market is an upscale farmer’s market on the southwestern edge of Montréal, housing a number of vendors and stores for local cheeses, organic produce, freshly baked breads, wines and other specialties. When the weather warms up, the local farmers transform the outdoor parking lot into colorful alleys of greenhouses showcasing their fresh seasonal produce, flowers and plants, while the indoor shops are bustling with food shoppers all year round!
In the couple of hours we spent at the market that cool Spring morning, we strolled our way through the outdoor vendors and the made it inside to La Fromagerie du Marché Atwater, where I picked up a few specialty meats (spicy hot prosciutto and salami) and local cheeses with the help from their courteous staff members.
After a trapesing through a series of shops on one side and the vendor stalls on the other, we hopped, skipped and jumped to the last one – a liquor store, SAQ, that had an amazing collection of the local Québec wines and liqeurs. I found a few interesting and very unique local wines – an Ice Wine, a Rose Petals and Honey Wine, a coupe of Dessert Wines and a whisky-like liqeur.
So, after another epicurious tour of Montréal, I lugged back enough edible souvenirs, that could enjoy a taste of Montréal right here in my home. I put together a stunning meats and cheese platter and enjoyed it with a couple of red and white wines.
There’s no cooking involved! Simply arrange the meats and cheeses on a platter. Add a finishing touch by placing some crackers or bread, and fruits like green or red grapes.
With the help of a very friendly cheesemonger at La Fromagerie du Marché Atwater, I picked up cheeses with an interesting mix of flavors, textures, and colors — a hard sharp Québec Cheddar, semi-soft creamy and butterly OKA L’artisan with mellowed nuttiness, a semi-firm melting-in-the mouth De Charlevoix 1608 and soft creamy Grey Owl goat cheese. The butcher at this store recommended two extra hot and spicy varieties of salami (Salami a la Salsa) and prociutto (Capicolli Extra Fort) to keep my cheese company.
Antipasti Pasta Salad with Capicolli Crescents
With the leftover salami and cheeses from the platter, I tossed in another version of my antipasti pasta salad for lunch a couple days later. The dressing is a very simple vinaigrette made by whisking in red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. I purposely kept it to be a mild dressing and not overpowering, so that it could highlight the flavorful meat and cheese in the salad. For added color and texture, I tossed in some peas, shredded carrots, spicy red onion and sweet roasted red pepper along with a pretty Riccette pasta that I picked up from a local Italian store carrying imported specialty products.
… And to go with the salad, may I suggest some freshly baked capicolli crescents?! The capicolli crescents is an interesting twist on the classic butter croissants. I just laid a thin slice of the leftover capicolli (a hot & spicy prociutto on top of every pre-cut triangle-shaped dough, rolled it up and baked it according to the directions on the packet. You can also play around with your favorite cheese slices or any other sliced meat.
Serves 4
Capicolli Crescents
1 packet of refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough
8 slices of capicolli (You can use sclices of prociutto, bacon, ham, salami or any other cured meat of your choice.)
Pasta Salad
2 cups of short pasta
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 medium carrot, shredded
2-3 roasted red peppers from jar, sliced
about 1 cup cubed cheeses ( I used a combination of sharp cheddar, a semi-soft and a semi-firm cheese.)
5-6 slices of salami, cut into thin strips
salt
fresh ground black pepper
flat leaf parsley, chopped
Vinaigrette
1:1 proportions of red wine vinegar: extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tbsp each)
1 medium garlic clove, minced
salt
pepper
For the Crescents
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Unroll crescent roll dough sheet and seperate into 8 triangles by cutting along the perforations.
Lay slices of meat on top of each triangle; fold to fit on top of the triangular shaped dough sheet. Roll loosely starting from the base of the triangle to the tip, forming a crescent shaped roll.
Bake for 12-13 mins, until golden brown.
For the Pasta Salad
Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and generously season with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to add to the pasta later, if needed. Let the pasta cool down to room temperature.
In the meantime, chop the vegetables, and slice the meats and cheeses. Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking togetherolive oil and vinegar in a large bowl along with minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Add the pasta, the vegetables, sliced meat and cheeses to the vinaigrette in the bowl. Toss well to coat evenly. Add the required quantity of reserved liquid for desired moisture level.
Stir in some freshly chopped parsley and adjust seasonings with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
While spring and summer are still dueling, I decided to take advantage of a sunny Sunday to plan a quick picnic for the family at one of our neighborhood parks. We spent the day sitting in the shade under the tree, running behind little Nia on the lush green grass, watching the kids practice lacrosse, meeting other picnickers, reading a book, taking a nap and eating a simple homemade meal that I whipped up with a just a little bit of planning and not too much effort.
While, most of the time, we just pick up something for our picnic lunch from local joints, this time I created a semi-homemade picnic-friendly menu that was hassle free and easily portable. My formula: 50% ready-made products + 50% creative personal touch = 100% outdoor fun.
Cranberry Fizz
(Cranberry Juice with Soda)
Here’s an idea for very healthy thirst-quencher – Cranberry Fizz! A good friend once made this simple non-alcoholic drink for me and I am hooked!
It’s a half ‘n’ half mixture of cranberry juice and soda or seltzer and is a perfect for sipping in warm weather outdoors. To give it the summer look, I use some lemon slices along with ice cubes. With its light blush color and sweet-tart flavor, Cranberry Fizz is a refreshing satisfaction, glass after glass after glass!
Make as you need
1:1 Cranberry Juice : Soda or Seltzer
lemon slices (about 2 per glass, optional)
ice cubes
Combine cranberry juice and soda in a serving glass. Slide in a couple of lemon slices along with ice cubes and serve.
To take for a picnic, pack the juice and soda bottles in the bag or basket or in the cooler if using already chilled ones. Slice the lemons and pack the slices in a plastic container. and place it in the cooler along with the ice.
* Try Cranberry Juice Blends (with Apple, Strawberry, Pomegranate, Raspberry) for a change.
** Spike it with Vodka, Rum or Limoncello and turn it into a cocktail.
***
Antipasti Pasta Salad
(Pasta salad with Antipasti Vegetables and Cheese)
Antipasti or antipasto is a mixture of vegetables marinated in oil and vinegar with herbs and spices, a vareity of cheeses and/or cured meats. Usually the taste is spicy and tingly on the palate and is served cold or at room temperature.
For my picnic, I just cooked some spiral pasta and tossed it with the leftover artichokes, mushrooms, olives, beans, sweet red and yellow peppers and feta and mozeralla cheeses that I picked up from the antipasti bar at the Montclair Wholefoods Market.
With hardly any effort, I had a delicious salad of pasta, vegetables, cheese that needed no dressing! The juices from the antipasti - oil, vinegar and spices - are just perfect to season the entire salad. Its great to serve for lunch or light supper and is a perfect for taking along on picnics.
Serves 2-4
½ lb (about ½ packet) spiral pasta like Gemelli (or Rotini, Penne )
½ lb store-bought antipasti vegetables and cheeses (I created my own platter from the antipasti bar at Wholefoods)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnishing
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to add to the pasta later, if needed. Let the pasta cool down to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, add the pasta and the antipasti vegetables and cheeses. Toss well to coat evenly. Add the required quantity of reserved liquid for desired moisture level.
Stir in some freshly chopped parsley and ddjust seasonings with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
To take it for a picnic, transfer it in an plastic container and pack it in the cooler till ready to eat.
*Toss in ham, salami, peppered turkey or smoked chicken if you like!
***
Smoked Chicken Ciabatta Sandwiches
What’s a picnic without sandwiches?! Just stuff in your favorite things between two slices of bread and you’re good to go!
…That’s exactly what I did. My picnic sandwich – slices of smoked chicken, tomato, cucumber along with mixed greens on a ciabatta with a little bit of salt and pepper. I am very particular about my sandwich – it just can’t get soggy! I take care of it by packing my sandwich spread seperately and stacking it up just before we eat it.
Makes 4 sandwiches
1 loaf of ciabatta
12 pre-sliced deli style smoked chicken (I got mine at Wholefoods)
2-3 medium tomatoes, sliced (about 6 sliced per sandwich)
1 long cucumber, sliced (about 6 sliced per sandwich)
mixed greens (or your choice of lettuce)
your favorite sandwich spread or salad dressing (I used a Lemon, Peppercorn and Parmesan dressing as a sandwich spread.)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Cut the bread loaf horizontally in half. Lay the lettuce, chicken slices, tomatoes and cucumbers over the bottom bread and spoon the spread on the top layer.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To take for a picnic, pack the sandwich spread in a container and spoon it over the top layer just before eating. Wrap the sandwiches separately in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Chill until ready to serve, or keep at room temperature up to 1 hour.
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Mini Sandwiches
Have a little one going on the picnic with you?! Here’s my idea for a picnic-friendly food for tots. Just spread your tot’s favorite fruit jam, peanut butter or lay a cheese slice in between bread slices and cut it up into tiny bite size pieces. It’s a perfect finger-food for your toddler!
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Sometime in the afternoon, Mister Softie’s truck stopped by and we got to have ice cream for dessert!
I am sure we all hold dear in our childhood memories, the food prepared for us by the first cook we ever knew – Mom. Her cooking has always more than nourished us; made with love, affection and so many other emotions that only a mother can feel for her child – it has a mystical quality! There is always a dish for the rainy days in life to pick you up from the dumps, the special tidbit for your birthday, mouth watering preparations for festivals……the list is endless… so much so, the food and person simply merge into a single frame. So, I dedicate this Mother’s Day to my mom by making one of her signature concoctions – red, hot Sabudana Khichadi.
My mom has an instinctive cooking style; her implements never include measuring cups, spoons or recipe books. She just tosses a fistful of this or a pinch of that into the kadhai, as she stands by the kitchen counter with her saree pallu tucked, her bangles jingling, and you see the maestro, effortlessly putting together a delicious meal! I believe [hope?! ], some of that has rubbed off on me. I distinctly remember growing up watching her cook and getting impromptu cooking lessons along the way. All along on this website, you will find me writing about her cooking every now and then.
My mom and even my dad (yes, he has his fair share of forays!) are both very good cooks and I grew up on fresh, home-cooked food, that I oh-so miss! Today, the best part of travelling back home to Pune is to sit back, relax and enjoy all the mom-made food, like pohe for breakfast, everyday Maharashtrian family-style lunches and dinners, delicious comfort foods, or those special occassion spreads, that my mom whips up in her kitchen. So for Mother’s day this year, I am sharing one of her unique creations – this dish makes it to the top of menus for fasting days, special occasions, family gatherings and also for some of my girlfriends in India to satisfy their pregnancy cravings! For me, my sister or brother, it just rules! Check it out…
Sabudana Khichadi
(Pearl Sago /Tapioca Pilaf)
Sabudana (Pearl Sago or Tapioca) is the star ingredient in Maharashtrian cooking, especially on religious fasting days. The most favored sabudana concoction is the khichadi, which is definitely on the fasting menu but is also a popular breakfast or snack preparation. The most common and traditional recipes are the ones presented on Divine Taste, Indian Dhaba and Evolving Tastes.
…And what’s so special about my mom’s recipe?! Well, it’s the best sabudana khichadi … ever! While I guess it’s natural for me to think so, I think I can back it up. She uses red chilli powder (not green chillies), which not only adds a spicy kick to the khichadi but also gives it a beautiful deep red color! She likes to “marinate” the sabudana with all the condiments for sometime, which, I think, gives a chance for it to absorb all the flavors and makes this khichadi truely divine.
My mom sometimes adds potato kees to the khichadi. Potato Sali (or Kees, according to the Marathi terminology) is also a special fasting food item and is made by sundrying shredded boiled potatoes that are rehydrated by soaking in hot water before cooking, just the way the dried porcini mushrooms are used in cooking. Maharashtrians usually make a quick stir-fried version of it (like this one made by My Foodcourt). My grandmother sends me homemade kees every year, but if I run out, I get it from one of the local Indian foodstores. For this particular dish, it compliments very well to the overall flavor and texture.
Try my mom’s signature recipe and I am sure it’ll be your favorite too!
Serves 2
1 cup sabudana (If you can’t find sabudana, you can use Israeli/Pearl Cous Cous and follow the cooking instructions for it. Once cooked, use it in the same way as the soaked sabudana in the recipe below)
1 tbsp red chilli powder/cayenne pepper
¾ cup roasted peanut powder (see concoctions 101 for the recipe)
¼ cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen, thawed) + some for garnish
1 tsp sugar
salt
3-4 tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower or corn) or ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup potato sali (optional)
½ lemon, juiced
scant ¼ cup water
cilantro/coriander, for garnish
In a sieve or a colander, rinse thoroughly the sabudana under cold tap water till the water coming out of the sieve is clear and not cloudly white. Let it sit for about half an hour and repeat it once more.
Combine red chilli powder, roasted peanut powder, grated coconut, salt and sugar along with the soaked sabudana and mix well. Let it sit and “marinate” for about an hour or so.
If using, immerse the potato sali in hot water and let it soak in the meantime (for about an hour or so).
Heat oil in a kadhai, wok or deep sauté pan over medium high and add cumin seeds. When the seeds start to splutter, add the potato sali and sauté for a couple of mins.
Add the sabudana mixture and stir to mix it in well with the potato sali. Adjust the salt, sugar and red chilli powder seasonings. Stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle some water. Cover and simmer for 10-15 mins, stirring occassionally.
Garnish with grated coconut and chopped cilantro and serve warm with a side of cool yogurt or cucumber raita.
So, what’s your mom’s signature concoction? Share it with everyone in the comments section below!
We often have fiesta dinners at home. This past weekend, we had one for Cinco de Mayo!
May 5th, a.k.a. Cinco de Mayo, is an important milestone in Mexican history, and people here, in the US are more than happy to celebrate the historic day and the Mexican culture with authentic menus and festive cocktails (even if they often don’t know the real story behind it!). But to be fair, I’ve been told that, despite the growing Cinco de Mayo festivities in the US, it apparently isn’t a big deal in Mexico.
For us, it’s just another excuse to enjoy our favorite Mexican food! Here are some simply delicioso Mexican recipes I created especially for Cinco de Mayo….
Melon Ball Sangria
(Wine Drink with Melons)
Sangria is a traditional wine punch that turns a jug of robust wine and fresh seasonal fruits into a festive drink. You can use a variety of fruits such as apples, pears, different types of berries and all kinds of citrus fruits. I made my signature sangria with cantaloupe or melon! For a festive look, I carved little balls out of the melon using a melon baller.
The result is a pleasant full-bodied drink, with a rich and mellow character. The alcohol brings out the flavors of the wine and the fruit and makes it more of a deep authentic sangria. The melon balls, being soft and porus, drink up a lot of the wine as they float in it and offer a pleasant surprise as you pop them in your mouth!
Here’s to Cinco de Mayo!
Makes 4-6 glasses
1 bottle of red wine, like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
1/4 cup simple syrup
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup Limoncello or lemon juice
1/4 cup cups orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 cantaloupe, halved and seeds removed
1 lemon, zested
Combine the red wine with simple syrup, brandy and the liqueur in a glass pitcher.
Using a melon baller, scoop out balls of cantaloupe and add to the wine mixture. (If you don’t have a melon baller, just cut the melon into 1 inch cubes)
Add the lemon zest to the wine mixture and stir gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or upto 3 days. Divide between wine glasses and serve chilled.
*Try honey dew or even watermelon in place of or along with cantaloupe.
Caliente Shrimp Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa
(Soft Tacos with Spicy Grilled Shrimp and Salsa)
Here’s a refreshing change of pace from the usual beef, chicken or fish tacos. They are super easy to make and offer a light, fresh combination of flavors and textures. I like to marinate the shrimp in a hot and spicy marinade for just a little bit before grilling them. The tomato and avocado salsa is simply a chunkier version of the regular guacomole. It adds a nice, cool contrast to the heat from the shrimp.
Try making my shrimp tacos tonite. It’s a simple and tasty way to spice up your Mexican night!
Makes 8-10 tacos
½ lb large shrimp (size 30-40 count), peeled and deveined, tail removed
1 pack (8-10) flour tortillas
iceberg lettuce, shredded
shredded cheese, preferably with taco seasonings like Sargento
The Marinade
1 jalepeno pepper, roughly chopped, seeds optional (I used the seeds, but discard seeds of you don’t like it to be too spicy)
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp red chilli powder/chipotle chilli powder/cayenne pepper
salt
fresh ground black pepper
½ lime, zested and juiced
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Tomato & Avocado Salsa
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds optional
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 medium tomato, diced
salt
fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
½ lime, juiced
For the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Transfer into a bowl and add the shrimp. Toss to coat and marinate the shrimp for 15 mins to an hour.
In the meantime prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients for it together, except the lime juice and gently mixing them so that the flavors blend in. Finally squeeze the lime juice evenly over the salsa and chill in the refrigerator.
Heat a non-stick pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the shrimp until translucent, about 2-3 mins on each side. Remove and chop the shrimp into chunks.
Warm tortillas on another flat pan about 20 seconds per side or in the microwave for 15 secs each, Lay the shredded lettuce, Spoon the salsa on it, then top with the chopped shrimp and sprinkle some shredded cheese on top.
Mango Crema Catlana
(Mango Flan)
Flan or caramel custard, is one of the most traditional sweet dish that dominates desserts in Hispanic cuisines— from Spain and Portugal to Cuba and Puerto Rico, all the way to Mexico and South America. It’s a delicate, sweet milk-egg custard, balanced by the nutty bitter-sweet caramel on the bottom. To give this dessert an extra special Mexican twist, I added purée of fresh mangoes that are in season now.
Satisfy your sweet tooth this Cinco de Mayo with a delightful, creamy mango flan!
Makes 6 ramekins
Caramel Bottom
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
Custard
1 ½ cups whole, reduced or low fat milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup fresh mango puree (1 small mango, peeled, pitted, and puréed in a food processor)
To make the caramel bottom, combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pot or a saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar begins to melt. Swirl the pan over the heat until the syrup darkens to a medium amber color, about 10 minutes; don’t stir with a spoon.
Meanwhile, set 6 ramekins or shallow 1 cup sized bowls nearby. When the caramel is cooked, quickly pour about 1/4 cup caramel into each ramekin and swirl to coat the sides. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 300 deg F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath and keep it hot.
In another saucepan, bring the milk with vanilla extract to a brief simmer, stirring occasionally. Take care not to let it come to a full boil to prevent it from spilling over.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream together the whole eggs with the sugar. Whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in the hot milk mixture in batches; don’t add it too quickly or the eggs will cook. Finally whisk in the mango purée until smooth. Pass the mixture through a strainer to ensure that the flan will be perfectly smooth.
Pour the custard into the caramel-lined ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath. To create the water bath: pour the hot water into a roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the mold; be careful not get water into the custard.
Bake in the center of the oven until the custard is dry and is set in the center, 60 to 65 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the flan cool in the water bath, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight and upto 24 hours.
When you are ready to serve, run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the flan. Place a dessert plate on top of the ramekin and invert to pop out the flan.
*A special thanks to my friend, Fatema, for reminding me about the holiday and suggesting a post about it on Signature Concoctions!
Come Spring, designers of the fashion world send their glamorous models down the runways showcasing the season’s most chic and trendy styles. So, I decided to drape my food up in the season’s hottest designs…
… Check out my Spring ’09 Collection!
I just love the idea of mixing two of my passions – food and fashion! Spring fashion focuses on a clean look with pretty floral patterns and bright bold colors. I have created a spread of fascinating foods to showcase the fresh flavors of this rejuvenating season. With the advent of Spring, the markets are filling up with the freshest produce of the season. Tender asparagus, delicate spring onions, cool cucumbers, crunchy radishes, refreshing citrus lemons - all of these have inspired me to create a line of contemporary foods that look beautiful and taste delicious.
This is “Foodé Couture” – my first ever creation of fashionable foods!
Coming up…
The Elegant - Phyllo Cups with Asparagus, Spring Onions and Scrambled Eggs
The Colorful – Cucumber and Raddish bites with Smoked Salmon, Dill and Caper Cream Cheese
The Dazzling - Lemon Panna Cotta
Join me for a behind-the-scenes coverage, exclusively on Signature Concoctions.
Phyllo Cups with Asparagus, Spring Onions and Scambled Eggs
With their lush green color and mild delicate flavor, asparagus and spring onions are natural spring-time vegetables. These are the first among my “food models” to enter the green room backstage. I used some pre-baked ready-to-eat mini phyllo cups and filled them up with scrambled eggs, spring onions and asparagus, for breakfast one weekend morning.
With the bright green contrasting the sunny yellow, these decked-up munchies are the showstoppers of my Spring Show!
Makes 15 phyllo cups
1 pack of Athens Mini Fillo Shells (contains 15 shells), thawed at room temperature or slightly warmed up in the oven as per the directions on the box
1 spring onion stem, white and the green parts chopped
3-4 asparagus stems, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1 inch pieces
1 tbsp butter
2 jumbo eggs (3 if using large or extra large)
4 tbsp whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half
salt
freshly ground black pepper
chives, cut into about 2 inch pieces (for garnishing)
paprika (for garnishing)
Heat a medium non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and asparagus and sauté for about 3-4 mins. Season with salt and black pepper.
In the mean time, in a prep bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the eggs mixture into the pan with the spring onions and asparagus and cook them over medium low heat, folding them over continuously with a spatula, until the desired doneness. Take off the heat and check for seasonings.
Spoon sufficient amount of scrambled eggs mixture into the phyllo shells and garnish with a couple of chives. Sprinkle paprika for some added color and flavor and serve immediately or at room temperature.
Cucumber and Radish Bites with Smoked Salmon, Dill and Caper Cream Cheese
Next in line …. some cucumbers and radishes. I have created a low fat, heart healthy snack that brings out the season’s best colors, textures and flavors.
Silky cream cheese and smoked salmon get an added crunch when served on radish and cucumber slices. Dill goes very well with smoked salmon and it adds a subtle flavor to the overall taste.
Dressed in pretty pinks and cool greens, these bite-size beauties hit the ramp looking absolutely stunning!
Makes about 20-22 snack bites
1 kirby (pickling) cucumber (or about ½ of regular cucumber), sliced into ¼th inch thick slices
3-4 radishes, sliced into ¼th inch thick slices
¼ cream cheese, plain or flavored like garlic ‘n’ herb or chives (I used Philadelphia Whipped Garlic ‘n’ Herb)
1 tsp capers, drained
4-6 slices (about 1 packet) of smoked salmon, ½ chopped and ½ rolled and cut into 1 inch pieces forming pinwheels
dill, chopped and some sprigs, for garnishing
Combine the capers and the cream cheese. Mix well and keep aside.
Lay the cucumber slices on a serving plate, top it with chopped smoked salmon and a dollop of cream cheese. Garnish with chopped dill.
Lay the radish slices on a serving plate. Spoon a dollop of cream cheese and place the cut up smoked salmon roll on top of it. Tuck in a sprig of dill in the smoked salmon for garnish.
Lemon Panna Cotta
Lemons, for me, usher in the taste of Spring! Their contrasting sweet – tart citrusy zing is perfect to perk up the flavor of any dish, even a sweet one! Here’s how I use them to make a luscious dessert that is a great Spring dessert – Lemon Panna Cotta.
This delicate dessert uses the acidic taste from the lemons to accentuate the velvety cream. And I accessorize each dessert cup with some mint leaves and lemon swirls.
Mouth watering and irresistibly attractive, these petite sweeties dazzle on the ramp at this Spring show!
Makes 3 mini desserts -1/3 cup each
1 cup half ‘n’ half (alternatively use ½ cup whole milk and ½ cup heavy cream)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1-2 drops of pure vanilla extract
½ tbsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon zested)
scant ½ tbsp gelatin powder
1 tbsp water
In a sauce pan gently warm the half ‘n’ half over low heat. Add the sugar along with a couple of drops of pure vanilla extract and once dissolved add the grated lemon zest.
Mix the gelatin powder into water and add it to the cream mixture. Bring it to a light simmer, stirring continuously to make sure the gelatin dissolves completely and the citrus flavor infuses the cream mixture, for about 4-5 mins. (The half ‘n’ half should be heated only till it forms tiny bubbles around the edge of the pan and steam starts to rise. It should not be boiled.)
Remove from heat and pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve to seperate the lemon zest and any undissolved gelatin from it. Then pour into the dessert moulds, dividing equally.
Chill until set, about 4- 6 hours and up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, garnish with a lemon swirl and a sprig of mint.
Optional Garnish/Decoration
toothpicks, broken into halves
lemon slices
mint leaves, with a little part of stem
Make a cut from the center to the edge of a slice and then twist it to create a lemon swirl.
Hold the swirl between your fingers and try to squeeze as much juice as possible.
Tuck the two ends using a half broken toothpick to hold it in place.
Insert the stem of the mint leaves and then place the lemon swirl on the side by inserting the toothpick. Try to hide the tooth pick as much as possible!
Crispy & spicy Fish Fries, hot & tangy Shrimp Curry and cool & refreshing Sol Kadhi are all synonymous with Malvani cuisine. Malvan is a quaint little town located on the southernmost tip of the Konkan coast in Maharashtra, surrounded by the Sahyadri mountain range on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. With its beautiful beaches, historic forts and delicious Malvani cuisine, this place is a very popular tourist attaction.
When I was a little girl, my parents took me to Malvan for a vacation. I have faint memories of the boat ride to the Sindhudurg fort, when I tasted the salty sea water for the very first time  , the time I spent on the beach collecting all kinds of sea shells from the sand and ran frantically at the sight of a crab  and had nothing but curds and rice for lunch and dinner all week long  .. Yes, this big seafood buff was once totally aversive to seafood! I hated the smell so much that I wouldn’t even go anywhere close to it. But somewhere along the way ( I don’t remember how) I grew on to it and now I love eating and cooking all kinds of fish and seafood. My all time favorite in this category is, without a doubt, the food of Malvan.
Here are some of my favorite Malvani recipes….
Fish Fries
(Malvani Style shallow- fried Fish Fries)
“Fish Fry” in any Indian lauguage means hot and spicy filet of fish with a crispy coating thats is formed by either deep or shallow frying. Malvani style fried fish is slightly different from the Bengali or South Indian style depending on the regional spices and other ingredients used for the coating the fish before frying it.
I always take the shallow-fry route to making fried fish. With my Maharashtrian roots, my recipe reflects the Malvani style. I created this basic recipe with a filet of farm rasied, fresh, never frozen Tilapia. It also works well with any firm, white-fleshed fish, as well as shrimp or scallops. I like to marinate the fish in fresh ginger-garlic-herb marinade and then dredge them in a spicy rice flour-semolina mixture before shallow frying. The resulting crust is always crispy, not too thick and refreshingly spicy.
Bite into one of these spicy & crispy fish fries and I guarantee you will come back for more!
Serves 4
4 filets of firm-fleshed fish like Tilapia, cut into 2-inch long pieces
(usually made with Pomfret or Bangda fish in India)
1 tbsp turmeric powder (use more than half for disinfecting and cleaning the fish filets)
oil, extra virgin olive oil or any other (for shallow frying)
The Marinade
2 -3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ inch peice ginger, coarsely chopped
1-2 small green chilies, coarsely chopped
1 cup packed (a generous handful) cilantro/coriander, coarsely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
lemon zest from 1 lemon (cut the lemon into wedges for garnish)
¼ cup extra virgin oilve oil
The Crispy Coating
1:1 cup of rice flour: sooji/rava (semolina)
½ tbsp turmeric
½ tbsp red chilli powder (or paprika for less heat)
1 tbsp garam masala or your favorite fish curry masala
Rub turmeric on to both the sides of the tilapia filets, wash, cut into chunks and keep aside.
In a food processor/grinder/blender combine all the ingredients for the marinade and grind it to a coarse-fine consistency paste. Pour it over the fish chunks making sure they are well coated and leave it in the refrigerator for about half an hour. (Marination process is not necessary but recomended)
In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the “crispy coating” in a medium sized plastic container with a tight lid (I use one of these). Snap the lid on and shake the container so that all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Preheat a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle a little amount of oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Remove the fish chunks from the refrigerator and dredge each piece in the mixture for “crispy coating” and drop them into the frying pan. Fry the chunks on each side till they turn golden brown, for about 5 -7 mins on medium high.
Add more oil, if necessary or if the fish chuks seem to soak up all the oil in the pan as they fry.
Serve warm with lemon wedges or with lemon juice drizzled on them while they are still hot, so that they absorb the most flavor.
…
Shrimp Curry
(Malvani Shrimp Curry)
There’s no better shrimp curry than “Malvani Shrimp Curry”. A little heat with all the spices, a little sweet with the coconut milk and a little tangy with the kokum - the flavors wonderfully balance in this beautiful brown rustic curry that’s perfect base for some succulent shrimp to float in.
Living in the US, I haven’t found this type of shrimp curry on the menu of any Indian restaurant here, so I devised my own way of making it just the way I remembered it to be served in the Malvani restaurants in Pune. I truly relish this particular curry every time I make it and it goes very well with chapatis or roti or even when served over a bed of steamed rice or pulav.
Try my Shrimp Curry and check off Malvani food on your to-cook list.
Serves 4
¾ lb shrimp (about 30 shrimp, size: 31-40 count), peeled and deveined
2-3 tbsp oil
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1-2 pinches of asofotida/hing
1 tsp garam masala
salt
1 cup (about ¾ of 7oz. can) lite coconut milk
3-4 petals or 1 tbsp liquid extract of kokum
cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing
Ground Masala
2-3 dried red chilies (or use 1 depending on desired level of heat), soaked in hot water
2-3 tbsp oil
2 medium or 1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 medium garlic cloves, smashed
1½ cup coconut, grated fresh or frozen thawed
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 cloves
2-3 peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds
Start with the “Ground Masala“. In a pan or kadhai heat oil over medium-high flame and add the cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and coriander seeds along with the onion, garlic and coconut. Fry till the mixture gets a light brown color. Cool down and transfer to a food processor/grinder/blender. Add the soaked red chillies and grind to a coarse-fine consistency paste.
In the same pan or kadhai, heat oil over medium high and add turmeric, cumin and asofotida. When the seeds start to splutter, add the “ground masala” and continue frying. Season with garam masala and salt. Stir in the coconut milk along with the kokum extract and simmer for 15-20 mins till oil seperates and the flavors blend in.
Finally add the shrimp and cook for 5-6 mins, till the shrimp turn pink and is perfectly cooked. (*If you don’t plan to serve this dish right away, don’t add the shrimp to the curry. When ready to serve, bring the curry upto a boil and add the shrimp while continuing to simmer for 5-6 mins)
Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander. Serve hot with chapati or tawa roti or over a bed of rice.
…
Sol Kadhi
(Cold Coconut Milk Soup)
Sol Kadhi is a cool refreshing soup from the Malvan/Konkan region that is now gaining popularity throughout India. Made with coconut milk as the base and spiked with kokum, herbs and spices, it is also referred to as an energizing drink and a great coolant, especially in the hot summer months.
Whenever I went to any Malvani restaurants in my hometown Pune - Mahesh Lunch Home or Nisarg, I would order more than a glass of sol kadhi to keep me going, before, during or even after the meal. It’s a perfect “pick me up” drink that sets you in the mood for some Malvani food and also works great during or after the meal to douse the flames if the hot & spicy food gets out of hand!
I am very passionate about my favorite drink; here’s how I make the kadhi for my “soul”….
Serves 4
1 can (about 1½ cups) lite coconut milk
water, equal to the quantity of coconut milk (I usually empty the coconut milk can and fill it with water to get the exact measurement)
1 medium garlic clove, smashed
½ inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
3-4 cilantro sprigs (I use the leaves and stems)
1 small green chilli (optional)
a pinch of hing (asofotida)
salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp kokum extract (Refer to Concoctions 101 for making your own kokum extract)
Combine all the ingredients in the blender and mix thoroughly. Serve chilled in a glass as an appetizing drink or in a bowl as a cold refershing soup.
I miss those days when we went out on dates all the time
Dinners at datesy restaurants, cocktail nights at upscale lounges, crazy clubbing and bar hopping, romantic weekend getaways; we did it all! We went out a lot before we had the baby. Life’s changed now and we spend a lot of time at home, with our little girl. Going out on dates is certainly a bit of a challenge now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a date nights anymore. When the baby’s off to bed, it’s a date night at home!
Here’s a simple but stunning menu that sets the mood right!
A Wine Just-for-Two
Moscato D’Oro from the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley CA, is a fresh, floral and beautifully balanced white wine with a crisp, clean finish and a bit of spritz. Lightly sweet and refreshing as a tropical breeze, lush with honeysuckle aromas and sweet-citrusy flavors, this wine is great for sipping after dinner as a dessert wine or for casual drinking in any season.
With its seductive fruity-floral character and perfect serving for two, this wine is a perfect way to start or end your date night!
Go over to A Meal without Wine for more wine tasting notes.
Grilled Shrimp with Pasta in Alfredo Sauce
There’s something special about shrimp! My date night dinner was indeed a special one and there had to be shrimp on the menu.
I didn’t want to order take-out or spend too much time in the kitchen making dinner. So, to keep it quick and simple yet elegant, I decided to grill some garlic-herb marinated shrimp and serve them along side of pasta tossed in a quick alfredo sauce and crispy garlic toasts. The shrimp absorb all the flavors of the garlic and herbs and are wonderfully succulent when grilled to perfection. The crunchy garlic toasts and the creamy alfredo pasta add a neutral flavor and a different combination of textures. They are a great accompaniment, but certainly don’t steal the show away from the shrimp!
This main dish has three different components, but trust me – it’ll all come together in no time. Be sure to read and understand the steps below thoroughly, if you decide to give it a shot. If you gather the ingredients and stick to my method, you should be done with all the three components within 30 mins (40 tops!). This is kitchen multi-tasking at its best!
Serves 2
Garlic -Herb Shrimp
10-12 large shrimp (size: 31-40 count), peeled and deveined
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsbp (about 1/2 spring) rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp (about 1 sprig) oregano leaves, finely chopped
½ lemon, zested and juiced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
wooden/bamboo skewers (optional for easy grilling)
Pasta
½ lb pasta (rotini, penne, bowtie, etc)
water
salt
Alfredo Sauce
1 cup light (or heavy) cream
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted light (or regular) butter, softened (I used Smart Balance)
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Parmesan cheese)
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Garlic Toasts
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 (1-inch thick) slices French baguette
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves
Combine the garlic and herbs along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the olive oil. Mix well and let the shrimp marinate in this mixture for about a half hour till you prepare the toasts, pasta and alfredo sauce.
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F for making the garlic toasts.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Till the water comes to a boil, cut the baguette into 1 inch slices and peel garlic. Arrange the bread on an aluminium foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set them aside.
Add a generous quantity of salt to the boling water and throw in the pasta. Cook until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), stirring occasionally, about 10 mins.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat the cream over low-medium heat in a deep sauté pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the saute pan, gently toss it to coat in the alfredo. Continue simmering on very low heat.
While the alfredo sauce thickens, preheat the grill pan to medium-high. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and skewer 5 per stick and place the shrimp on the grill pan. Grill on each side until they turn pink, about 4-5 mins, basting with the remaining marinade as they cook.
As soon as you place the shrimp on the grill pan, pop the baking sheet with the bread slices into the oven. You will then be free to turn the shrimp and gently toss the pasta again while the bread bakes for about 5-6 mins and becomes crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and immediately rub the garlic cloves over the hot toasts.
Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Season with more freshly ground black pepper.
Plate the shrimp skewers, pasta and a couple of toasts together and serve warm.
Vanilla Custard with Raspberry Coulis
A date night dinner should end on a romantic note, right? Here’s a perfect dessert that marries the two individuals that were destined to be together- a creamy vanilla custard and ravishing red raspberries.
It’s a simple vanilla custard made by baking milk and eggs together, just like a traditional flan! I love the flan, but I wanted to get creative with the topping (or should I say “bottom”) and make something else instead of the usual caramel. Mmmm, how about a light raspberry sauce?!
Raspberries give this dessert a sexy twist! The deep red raspberry sauce forms a pool of “love” in which the custard sits and soaks. The soft ‘n’silky custard melts in your mouth followed by the raspberries that explode as you bite them leaving a sweet-tart lingering taste behind.
Try my lovely dessert and feel the “love” on your date night!
Makes about 4 ramekins
Vanilla Custard
¼ cup sugar (or more to suit your taste)
1 cup whole/reduced fat or low fat milk
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
Light Raspberry Sauce
a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tbsp water
½ tsp sugar (or more to suit your taste)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In the meantime, add the vanilla extract to the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside.
While the milk cools, whisk together the eggs and the sugar in a bowl till the sugar seems to have dissolved completely. Then add about half of the hot milk into the egg-sugar mixture and continue to whisk. Finally whisk the remaining hot milk into the egg mixture.
Pour the milk-eggs-sugar mixture into ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath. Bake in the center of the oven until dry and set in the center, 60 to 65 minutes.
Remove from the water bath and let cool. Tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.
Just before serving make the raspberry sauce. In a small pan or saucepan, dissolve the sugar in water, then add raspberries. Simmer for about 3 min then stop the heat and let the raspberries cool down in the syrup.
Top it with the raspberries sauce and some fresh raspberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Its that time of the year, when everyone in India is celebrating…..
Navratri & Dasara followed by Diwali, are the two festivals that evoke wonderful memories of the time I spent with family and friends back home. Its been almost eight years since I moved to America and I haven’t been able to time my travel so that I can join them in these festivities. However, the spirit of the season is very much alive in me and I do my best to enjoy the festivals with the same excitement and enthusiasm, at my home away from home.
I grew up in a family where a great emphasis is placed on the religious aspect of the festivals and everything is strictly done by the books. I didn’t get very much involved in all those rituals and customs then, but now looking back, I appreciate all the things my parents do, even today, to preserve and carry on the family traditions. Somehow, I never got those complex rules in my head. So when I left my parents’ cozy nest and took off to a land far far away, I redesigned some of those traditions and created some new ones to retrofit America. I do simple things like placing a jhendu phool on our altar (yes, we have a beautiful altar in our home where Jesus and Ganpati live in perfect harmony) during Navratri, may be a visit to the Indian temple on Dasara, lighting the whole house with diyas for Diwali and celebrating with family and friends here.
Of course, ’tis the season and there’s every reason to enjoy those festive delicacies! Here are a few of my favorite things….
Basundi for Dasara
(Creamy Milk Pudding)
During the Navaratri festival, my parents have the puja performed daily by offering fresh garland of the jhendu (marigold) flowers on each of the nine days followed by naivedya (food offering) before lunch. Mom prepares vegetarian food every morning including a sweet item on the naivedya menu for each of the nine days!
I am not a big fan of sweets and as a kid, I remember getting bored of eating those sweet dishes prepared everyday for nine days. I would only be waiting for Dasara, the tenth day, when dad would go over to the Chitale store in the morning and bring home a litre of their sweet, creamy “basundi “.
Basundi is a very simple sweet dish prepared by boiling milk. Sugar and some spices are then added and milk is simmered till it reduces to half the quantity. The reduced milk is then chilled for a couple of hours to make a thick and creamy milk pudding.
Try my basundi recipe, its as close as you can get to the Chitale store in Pune!
Serves 4
4 cups whole milk (You could use reduced fat milk but I wouldn’t recommend low fat or skim milk for this)
5-6 saffron strands
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Milkmaid, Nestle La Lechara or Carnation)
4-5 green cardamom pods (elaichi), seeds removed and powdered or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
charoli or chironji, for garnishing (These are aparently dried and roasted melon seeds with almondish flavor. Here’s more details on Chef In You and Mahanandi)
In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a boil. Turn the heat down to a low simmer and add the saffron, sweetened condensed milk and cardamom powder. Mix well and continue to simmer for 25-30 mins, stirring continuously, making sure milk does not overflow or stick too much on the sides or bottom of the pot.
Remove the pot from heat, scrape the milk sticking to the sides or bottom and let it cool down to room temperature. Pop it into the refrigerator for atleast 2 hours before serving.
Garnish every bowl of basundi with 8-10 charolis and serve chilled.
Diwali Brunch with Brown Pohe
(Flattened Rice with Cumin and Peanut Powder)
Diwali is one reason to make all the special “faral” items. Back home, even today, my mom goes the whole nine yards and sincerely makes everything for the Diwali faral Laadoo, Chivda, Chakali, Shankarpali and what not! She has been making all that ever since I remember and we have always done justice to her efforts by enjoy all those goodies on all the days of Diwali.
In my family, we usually have the big ”faral” on Narak Chaturdashi. My parents host a morning brunch on this day and have relatives and friends over. Growing up I remember us kids bursting fire crackers outside while mom busy working in the kitchen preparing for the big brunch. Obviously the table would be set with all the faral items, but mom liked to make a couple of freshly prepared dishes to go with them. The most popular request for a freshly prepared dish used to be for the ”Brown Pohe“.
Brown Pohe are not the healthier brown version of regular pohe , like brown rice; nor are they made the usual way with turmeric or mustard or onions or any other ingredients. This pohe recipe is our family recipe that has been handed down through generations and I have never had it anywhere else but home. It’s simply made by stir frying pohe with cumin seeds, few green chillies for some heat and roasted peanut powder with salt and sugar seasoning. The peanut powder gives the white pohe a characteristic “brown” color and hence the name.
With it’s simple and earthy flavor, this elegant dish is a centerpiece of my Diwali spread!
Serves 2
2 handfuls (about 2 cups) thick pohe (flattened rice)
1 cup roasted peanut powder (general rule of thumb is to have 2:1 proportion of pohe:peanut powder)
2-3 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1-2 green chillies, roughly chopped
salt
1 tsp sugar
quartered lemon wedges
cilantro/coriander, finely chopped for garnishing
coconut, frozen thawed or freshly grated, for garnishing
Take the pohe in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly under running water, making sure all of it is completely soaked. Set aside to drain completely.
In the meantime, heat oil in a frying pan/wok/kadhai over medium heat and add cumin seeds. When they start to splutter in a min or two, add green chilies. Then gently fluff the wet pohe in the colander with your fingers to loosen them up and add them to the pan. Stir in the roasted peanut powder and season with salt and sugar.
Mix well, drizzle some lemon juice by squeezing 1-2 wedges and cook covered on low heat for about 5 mins stirring occassionally.
Garnish with cilantro and grated coconut and serve warm with a side of a lemon wedge.
“Fiesta dinner tonite!”, read the text message on my husband’s cell phone, as he was getting down at the train station and rushing towards his car to get home.
After a long day at work and a long commute to and from the city, I like to put a smile on his face by making his favorite foods for dinner. With a Citrus Minty Mojito, Guacamole and Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas on the menu, I turned a regular weeknight into a fiesta night!
Citrus Minty Mojito
We are in “Mojito Mood” all the time. We’ve tried making mojito several times with the simple formula using white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice, but it has been substituted by simple syrup everywhere), lime, seltzer (carbonated or sparkling water) and ofcourse mint, but it never seemed to create the magic concoction that you can get outside at a bar or a restaurant.
For my fiesta dinner, I decided to make the mojito, but there was no seltzer in the house. No problemo! I mixed in some Sprite instead and it did the magic!! Did I crack the Bartenders’ secret code?!
The lemon-lime flavor of the soda adds to sweetness of the mojito and makes it crisp and even more refreshing. The strong minty and citrusy flavors from the orange and the lime mask the pontent flavor of rum. This classic cocktail definitely sets in the ”fiesta” mood for any night!
For one glass of Mojito
10 mint leaves
1 orange slice (or a quarter)
2 lime slices (or quarters)
1 peg rum (I recommend using the 10Cane Rum. This sugar cane rum is light bodied and has a little flavor of its own apart from its general sweetness that makes it a great base for this cocktail. Any other white rum might give a different effect.)
4 tbsp simple syrup (Simple Syrup formula available here)
ice
Sprite, to top it off
Put the slices of orange and lime along with the simple syrup, rum and mint leaves in a small glass. Muddle the leaves and citrus slices by pressing them with a pestle or a wooden spoon until juicy and fragrant.
Fill a tall glass with about 1/3rd level of ice and pour the muddled mixture onto it. Top it with Sprite and serve.
Guacamole
Guacomole was a perfect dip that came along with a little (tortilla) chip and went with every sip of the minty mojito. Its one of our favorite appetizers, that’s ready in minutes and is packed with a nutrient punch. I used to buy it readymade at Wholefoods all the time, until one day when I closely observed our server at Charritos in Hoboken, make it for us right on our table!
The sweet crunchy red onions, refreshing red tomatoes and the hot jalapeño combined in with the creamy decadent fruit, make it a perfect fiesta concoction.
Serves 2
2 medium or 3 small ripe avocados (pop them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before preparation if serving right away)
1/2 a lime juiced or 1/2 -1 tbsp is using from a bottle
1/2 small or 1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 small or 1/4 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
handful cilantro/coriander , finely chopped
3-4 dashes Tobasco/Hot sauce
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Halve and pit the avocados. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh (both yellow and green parts) into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados using either a fork or potato masher, leaving them still a bit chunky. Drizzle lime juice over the mashed avocados to avoid them from turning brown.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients well and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Guacomole can be made ahead of time. Sprinkle a little lime juice and lay the clear plastic wrap tightly close to the surface of the guacomole and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
It can be stored this way for upto 1 day. Once the plastic wrap is taken off, all the quantity has to be consumed, else it will turn brown and lose flavor.
Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas
The crunchy, golden brown quesadillas were the last ones to join the chip, dip and the sip.
Flour tortillas are wrapped with chunks of smoky chorizo sausage sautéed with onions and garlic and loaded with lotsa cheese. They are then baked off on a hot grilling pan that makes the cheese melt and gives them beautiful brown grill marks. Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas are a perfect match for the Guacamole and the Mojito.
Serves 2
2 links of Spanish Chorizo sausages (smoked pork sausage spiced with cumin and garlic), cut up into chunks
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
handful cilantro/coriander, finely chopped
1 tsp EVOO and some for brushing on the quesadillas
salt
black pepper
2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
shredded cheese, Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, jalapeño and the sausage chunks and sauté for about 5 mins till the onions are soft and the sausage is cooked. Add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper and take it off the heat.
Lay out the flour tortillas on a flat surface. Top with the sausage filling and the cheese, spreading evenly over 1/2 the side of each tortilla. Then fold over the remaining 1/2 side of the tortilla and press to seal.
Heat a large grilling pan over high heat. Brush one side of the stuffed tortillas with oil and place that side onto the grilling pan. Then brush the other side with oil. Leave it untouched over medium heat for about 3-4 mins till the cheese melts and deep golden brown grill marks appear on the bottom side. Turn it over and similary cook the other side for 3-4 mins.
Let cool for a few minutes. Slice into 4 wedges and serve with the guacamole.
¡Buen apetito!
Sundays are kinda relaxed in my house. Its family time with a peaceful mornings watching cartoons with our little one, followed by a nice brunch, may be a trip to the supermarket or the mall, some errands here and there, a few chores in between and then its time for the Sunday dinner. With dishes like Herb Marinated Lamb Chops, Chicken Pulav with Creamy Carrot Raita and Berries with Choco-Rum Sauce on the menu, we make Sunday a “fun day” indeed!
Herb Marinated Lamb Chops
Lamb chops are my new found love! A few weeks ago, I tried lamb chops for the very first time at Casa Mono, a Spanish Tapas by Mario Batali in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of NYC. The lamb chops were grilled to perfection and when I took the first bite, it just melted in my mouth. This unforgettable experience was an inspiration to this recipe.
I marinate the lamb chops in a citrusy cilantro-mint marinade and sear them in a pan on high heat to lock in the juices and to form a dark brown crust. Then I finish them off by roasting them in the oven for a few minutes along with the remaining marinade. The roasting process cooks the meat and slightly warms up the marinade, which forms a complementary sauce for the chops. The sauce maintains its nice green color and its fresh flavor as it does not get a chance to fully cook and enhances the flavor of the juicy tender lollipops of meat.
Posing like ballet dancers in a beautiful formation, these chops are a little bites of heaven!
Serves 1-2
3 lamb chops (I picked up the pre-packaged New Zealand Lamb Chops at Wholefoods)
For the marinade:
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (pudina), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, smashed
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
salt
fresh ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Generously season the lamb chops with salt and fresh ground pepper and keep aside.
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the marinade and mix well pulse it several times. Pour all of the marinade over lamb chops and massage them a little making sure each chop is well coated with the marinade. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
Heat a flat pan or an iron skillet on medium high heat. When the pan is sufficiently hot, shake and remove excess marinade and sear the chops on the pan for about 4 mins on each side, till a dark brown crust is formed. Place them on a baking sheet, pour the remaining marinade over the chops and finish cooking them in the oven for about 5 mins or until they are done to the desired level.
Serve hot.
Chicken Pulav (Pulao/Pilaf)
(Rice with Chicken)
Pulav or Pilaf is a North Indian delicacy and is one of the most popular rice dishes made for everyday meals or for special occassions like parties or even banquets. Indians routinely make this dish with different vegetables like potatoes, peas, green beans or with chicken, mutton (lamb or goat) or even prawns (shrimps). As tasty as Biryani, which is layered rice and meat or vegetable dish, the Pulav, which is simply a seasoned rice dish, is much easier and quicker to make.
In my recipe, I start off by carmelizing onions along with some whole spices and herbs and then sauté the chicken and rice together with the onions to give the characteristic light brown color to this Pulav. I also use chicken stock instead of water which adds incredible flavor to this dish. Simmering on the hot stove, this one pot concoction slowly releases its wonderful aroma in the kitchen that soon permeates throughout the whole house!
Serves 4
2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for about 1/2 hour (*1 cup of raw rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice)
1/2 lb chicken thighs, skinless, boneless or bone in, cut into small pieces
2 medium red (or yellow) onions, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch strips
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
3-4 tbsp tbsp good oil (canola, sunflower, corn, vegetable) or ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp coriander seeds (dhana/dhania)
4-5 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin
2 cinnamon sticks, about 1 inch each
4-5 cloves
4-5 whole black pepper corn
2 bay leaves
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (pudina), finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro/coriander (dhania), finely chopped and some additional for garnishing
3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
salt
4 cups, purchased chicken stock (you can also use water)
In a thick bottomed large pot with a lid over medium high heat, heat oil and add cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add onion, ginger and garlic along with codiander seeds, green cardamom, cinnamin, cloves, pepper corns and bay leaves. Sauté for about 5 mins till the onions are translucent and light brown in color. Add the garam masala along with the chicken, fresh mint, cilantro and green chillies. Season with salt and cook covered for about 5 more mins stirring occassionally.
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the above mixture. Mix well and stir fry uncovered for a few more minutes. Add the chicken stock or water and simmer covered until all the liquid is absorbed and the chicken and rice are completely cooked. Stir occassionally to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot too much.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with cool Creamy Carrot Raita
Creamy Carrot Raita
(Carrot – Yogurt Salad)
Raita is a great accompaniment to any hot and spicy Indian dish. Made with or without yogurt (a lot of typical Maharashtrian raitas or koshimbirs are made without yogurt) they have a super cooling and refreshing effect on the palate.
In my version, shredded carrot and beaten yogurt are tossed with green chillies and cilantro and seasoned with salt and a little bit of sugar. The sugar brings out the sweetness of the carrots and masks any sourness in the yogurt. Simple and healthy, my creamy carrot raita pairs perfectly with the piping hot chicken pulav.
Serves 4
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups beaten yogurt
fresh cilantro/coriander (dhania), finely chopped for garnishing
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Toss together shredded carrots and yogurt. Add green chillies and fresh cilantro, season with salt and sugar and serve chilled.
Berries with Choco-Rum Sauce
I love berries, all kinds, blue, black, red (raspberries) and pink (strawberries). In summer when the stores have great deals on all types of berries, I go on a shopping spree. You will definitely find some or all of the berries in my refrigerator anytime during the summer months. Usually, I simply have them plain as a snack or serving of fruit after dinner, but sometimes I like to jazz them up.
Ice cold berries are generously drizzled with hot white chocolate-rum sauce. The white color of the chocolate sauce adds a wonderful silky backdrop to the colorful berries and the rum spikes it up. It’s a great way to enjoy the explosion of berries throughout the summer!
Serves 2
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup strawberries
For the sauce:
1/2 cup white chocolate chunks or chips (If you have chocolate bar, just chop it coarsely)
2 tbsp heavy/light cream
1 tbsp white rum
3 dashes pure vanilla extract
Pop the berries in the freezer while you prepare the hot chocolate sauce, to get the ice cold effect for the dessert.
Place a heat proof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water below.
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in this bowl and heat just until the chocolate melts, stirring continously, for about 5 – 7 mins.
Remove the berries from the freezer and serve with the hot chocolate -rum sauce drizzled on top.
This summer, as the markets started filling up with all the wonderful veggies, fruits and herbs, I brought home for the very first time a pot (yes! they actually sell the herbs directly in the pots these days, it’s taking “freshness” to the next level, I must say) of leafy, aromatic, vibrant green Basil.
I have seen Giada De Laurentis on TV, going crazy for this one particular herb. She uses it practically in all of her recipes, savory and sweet too! I have had basil in several concoctions before, but never really handled it myself. Talking of basil, what’s the first thing that jumps right at you? For me, it’s the good ol’ pesto! Naturally, that was my first experiment with it.
I followed the renowned chef’s recipe step-by-step.
“
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste.
”
The result was an intensely aromatic and very flavorful chutney-like concoction! I decided to play around with it……
Italian Chutney Sandwich
Yes, that’s what I made first with the pesto, which looked and felt just like our very own desi coriander-coconut chutney. Smothered with generous amounts of pesto and stuffed with grilled chicken and crunchy grilled vegetables, this hearty sandwich is now a lunchtime favorite!
Serves 2
4 individual ciabatta/olive rolls or 1 large loaf of ciabatta
basil pesto
2 portobello mushrooms
1 zucchini, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
1 small Japanese eggplant or 1/2 regular medium eggplant, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 tbsp EVOO (Rachel Ray’s abbreviation for Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil and sprinkle salt & pepper over the chicken breasts, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms. One after another, grill the chicken breasts, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms until they are tender and grill marks appear. Cool completely.
Slice the ciabatta bread in half and spread both sides with pesto. On the bottom slice, stack the grilled veggies and chicken breast pieces. Sprinkle some more fresh ground black pepper and place the top half of the ciabatta.
Alternatively, you can use any of your other favorite vegies, fresh mozeralla cheese slices, prosciutto slices, etc. and have your sandwich your way. Don’t forget the key ingredient, Pesto!
Primavera Pizza
In summer, the vegetables are definitely more flavorful than the rest of the year. With all the fresh vegetables that are suddenly available, you see a lot of “primavera” around you in restaurants, cafes, etc. Pasta Primavera is the most common dish made by tossing all the vegetables with pasta. But another dish that is equally popular is the Primavera Pizza. Smothered with the pesto as a base sauce, loaded with summer veggies, topped with oooey gooey cheese and a little meat factor (the hubby has to have it in every meal!), every slice is a triangle of paradise!
Serves 2
15oz. store-bought whole wheat pizza dough
basil pesto
1 portobello mushrooms
1 zucchini, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
1 small Japanese eggplant or 1/2 regular medium eggplant, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
2 jarred roasted red peppers
2-3 tbsp EVOO (Rachel Ray’s abbreviation for Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup (1/2 packet) Sargento Reduced Fat Mozeralla shredded cheese
Grill the chicken and vegetables as in the above recipe and cut into thin, long slices.
Preheat oven to 425 deg F.
Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thick and transfer it to a pizza or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the pesto, top it with the chicken, onion and green pepper on one half of the pizza and roeasted vegetables on the other half and finally sprinkle the cheese.
 
Bake on the bottom rack for about 18 – 20 minutes till the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.
Take it out of the oven and season with black pepper. Cut it into slices and serve hot with some ice cold beer.
*Recommended Heineken Premium Light beer
Pesto, Pasta & Peas
Pasta dinners are the quickest and the easiest and pesto makes a perfect no-cooking sauce. I toss hot cooked fetuccini in the pesto and throw in some green peas. The peas look like little beads entagled in the fetuccini ribbons, drenched in the pesto sauce. This elegant pasta dish is not only a treat for your eyes but also for your tastebuds!
Serves 2
1/2 pound (i.e. 1/2 packet) of fetuccini ( or other types like rotini, bow ties, fusilli etc that allow the pesto to get in and coat well)
1/4 cup frozen green peas, defrosted
3-4 tbsp basil pesto
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to add to the pasta later, if needed.
In a mixing bowl, add the hot pasta and the peas to the pesto and toss well to coat evenly. Add the required quantity of reserved liquid for desired moisture level. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Serve warm with garlic bread or on a side of vegetables, meat or fish.
Summer Vegetables Au Pistou
So, what else did I do with the pesto, still holding it’s wholesome goodness and sitting in the refrigerator for over 2 weeks? Eureka! I had some zucchini, and red pepper also hanging in the refrigerator along with the pesto. I just sautéed the vegetables in the pesto and look what I got?!
Serves 2
1 zucchini, cut into quarter slices
1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips
2-3 tbsp basil pesto
salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a small frying pan or skillet on medium heat, warm the pesto and add the vegetables. Sauté for 3-4 minutes and season with some salt and pepper. Serve hot as a side dish with pasta, meats or fish or make an elegant bruschetta topping!
You may add other vegetables like asparagus, green beans, summer squash or yellow onions. Chicken tenderloins or shrimps would definitely kick it up a notch!
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