Stuffed Tindora (Ivygourd)

Growing up, my mom would make this stuffed version of Tindora which is very flavorful than her other versions of this veggie.

3/4 lb-1 lb Tindora/Dondakaya (Ivy gourd)
1/2 cup Besan
2 tbsp Sambar Powder
4 Tbsp Olive plus 2 tbsp
1 tbsp Cumin Coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt +1/8 tsp
1 tsp Red chilli powder
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds

• Slit Tindora vertically just enough to open up for stuffing.Do not cut it all the way through
• Boil them in enough water with salt just till tender
• Drain the water in a colander and let the veggies sit until all the water is drained
• Combine besan, sambar powder, cumin and coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder and 1/8 th of a tsp salt.
• Stuff the veggies with the above mixture.The stuffing WILL fall out but that is okay.We will add the rest of the spice mixture later to the Tindora
• Heat 4 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds and curry leaves
• Add the stuffed Tindora and add the remaining of the spice mixture on top an cover till they are browned.If you observe that it is getting too dry, add the extra 2 tbsp of oil
• Serve hot with rice

Hugs,
Shri

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Make the pancakes from scratch and serve with pure maple syrup and tell me you won't do it again!These are fluffy and melt in the mouth pancakes..We loved it!
Recipe:Food Network

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter , and some for frying

• Sift all the dry ingredients-all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar
• Beat the eggs and combine them with buttermilk and melted butter
• Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients into a lumpy batter, making sure not to over mix.Do not over mix; You will end up with a heavy pancakes
• Heat a tablespoon of butter and pour a ladle of batter and sprinkle some blueberries on it Cook for a couple of min on each side
• Serve with pure maple syrup
  
  
  

Love,
Shri

Basundi

Milk and sugar, and that is all there is to this rich, creamy and calorie loaded dessert! Yes, you need some patience while it is boiling. That is when you can get a good movie or watch CSI! I started it at at about 10 PM hoping it would be over in 20 min or so but it does not come anywhere close.So start early and enjoy the dessert for dinner!

2 liters of Whole Milk
2/3 cup sugar
4 -6 strand of Saffron strands
1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
10 or so pistas, chopped or sliced, based on your preferences

• In a heavy bottomed non stick pan, pour milk and boil it for about 20 to 25 min by periodically stirring making sure it is not getting burnt.
• Once the milk reduces to a third, add sugar and saffron
• Continue boiling for another 2o min or so until the milk begins to thicken
• Add cardamom powder and continue to simmer on low heat for a few min
• Garnish with Pistas
• You could serve it cold or warm!
  

Love,
Shri

Bagara Baingan

The 'word' is out and most of you know by now that my little brother (actually,no longer little) is getting married this April. And the bride is Siri. And no, I don't boss her around! Well, may be I will... after the wedding!Just kidding...
Time flies and I can hardly believe that he is getting married.Of course, my parents said the same when I got married.I guess someone in the household has to pass that 'I can't believe ...married' statement. Although we live in the same country, we can hardly squeeze in time to talk.Growing up, we fought a lot and talked very little.In fact we were two violent kids on the block-from biting to pulling hair to kicking in the stomachs. And all of that for a piece of chocolate or Diwali crackers! Looking back, I do cherish those memories although I wish we were more gentle on each other..Nice thing here is we both did okay given how violently we fought!Did you guys fight with your siblings too?I just wonder..
The one thing we never fought was the restaurant!We both love Minerva (in Hyd)and we both love North Indian food or for that matter any food!I could write pages and pages of my memories but I won't bore you to death!
On to this delicious delicacy!I tweaked a little bit to suit our taste but I gave you the link that takes you to the recipe.Since I did not have Poppy seeds, I skipped them.

Recipe: Sanjeev Kapoor

8 small baby brinjals
2 Medium Onions
1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
6-8 Curry Leaves
2 tsps Cumin Coriander Powder
1 1/2 tbsps Sesame Seeds
2 tbsps Peanuts
1 tbsp Dry Coconut
2-3 seeds of methi seeds
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Jaggery
2 tbsps Tamarind Pulp
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Salt

• Wash and slit brinjals vertically making sure they are not slit all the way through.The vegetable should be intact at the stem, so it should open up like a flower when you cut.Start at the opposite end from the stem.
• Cut Onions into quarters.
• Dry roast the onions on a tawa till they are soft
• Dry roast the peanuts, cumin seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, methi seeds till it changes color
• Grind together roasted onions, cumin coriander power, roasted spices, ginger garlic paste and salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery and tamarind pulp to a fine paste
• Stuff this mixture into the cut brinjals.
• Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves and fry for a min.Add the stuffed brinjals and saute for about 10 min
• Add the remaining stuffing and add half a cup water
• Cover and cook until the oil starts to separate and the brinjals are cooked
• Serve hot with rice

Hugs,
Shri

Bagara Rice

I would like to say this is a specialty of Hyderabad but you sure can enlighten me on this!I don't know if there are more versions of the same, but my friend makes it this way and I really like it!

2 cups Basmati, soaked in water for 15 min
10-15 Mint leaves
1 Medium Onion, Sliced thin
4 whole cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
3 green chilies, slit vertically
2 tbsp oil

• Heat oil in a pan and fry cumin seeds and chilies for a min
• To this, add onions and cook till translucent
• Stir in the spices-Cardamoms, Cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves and ginger garlic paste
• Add Mint leaves and cook until the leaves are wilted
• Pour in water (1 cup rice:1.5 cup water ratio) and bring it to a boil
• Add rice till cooked and not soft
• Serve it hot with curry or raita
  

Up next:Bagara Baingan

Till then,
Have fun
Shri

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with herbs

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!It was a relatively quiet Valentine's Day for us today. Usually we dine out but today I have decided to keep it simple and make everything at home.Probably the snow warning/news for Monday evening put me off.The snow/ice on my drive way from last week is still making it difficult to pull in the cars and here there is one more!
We stayed home and I made pasta and Fingerling potatoes along with a chocolate cake that my daughter has been asking for quite sometime.For some reason, she thinks it is her birthday today and was very eager to blow out a candle and cut the cake, which I allowed her to do.It is really funny to see how well she sang a birthday song for herself.These kids are unbelievable!!What did you do for the Valentine's day?
I will post the recipes for pasta and cake in the next week..

Although today's post is not an elaborate dish,I am sure you will like the simplicity and the flavor of it.The fingerlings are a variety of potatoes and as the name indicates,they resemble a finger in shape.They are elongated and are not the same as new potatoes.The ones I bought are Russian banana.They possess a nutty flavor and a great texture.

Inspired from Fresh Market Magazine

1 lb fingerling potatoes
3 tbsps Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

• Preheat the oven to 400F
• Cut the potatoes vertically into halves
• Combine oil, pepper, salt, and the seasonings
• Toss the mixture with the potatoes
• Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer
• Bake them until golden and tender, about 45-50 min
  

Hugs,
Shri

Malai Kofta

Since my husband doesn't care to mix sweet and hot, raisins are a big no, no in curries.For that matter, he does not like sweet tamarind chutney with samosas or chaat.But yes, I complement him completely in all these aspects and I love chaat to death.Anyway,I have made a few changes changes to this recipe like skipping raisins.It tasted out of this world.The addition of mawa powder gives the curry creamy texture and delicate sweetness.

Recipe:Sanjeev Kapoor

For the Koftas
4 Red Potatoes, peeled, boiled and grated
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/4 cup Cornflour
100 gms Paneer,grated
Oil to deep fry

Gravy
3 Onions,peeled and cut into halves
3 tbsps Oil
2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
2 green chillies, vertically sliced
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 cup Mawa powder
1/2 cup fresh cream
1 tsp garam masala powder

• Boil the onions in water for about 10 min
• Drain excess water, cool onions and grind them into a smooth paste.
• Mix grated potatoes, grated paneer, chopped green chilli, corn flour and salt until well combined Divide into sixteen equal sized balls.
• Deep fry in hot oil until slightly colored. Drain the oil on a paper napkin and keep them aside.
• Heat 3 tbsps of oil in a kadai. Add boiled onion paste and cook for five minutes.
• Add ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chillies,cumin-coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and cook for a minute.
• Add tomato puree and red chilli powder and cook on medium flame for eight to ten minutes or till oil separates from the masala.
• Mix mawa in two cups of water and add to the gravy.
• Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes on a slow flame by stirring occasionally
  
• Stir in fresh cream and garam masala powder.
• Place warm koftas in a serving dish and pour hot gravy on top

Take care,
Shri

Mango Shrikhand with Fruits and a hint of saffron

One of my very dear friends got me a fine muslin cloth (Indian cotton towel) in 2006.Well, yes, I could have gotten it myself when I visited India but she got it for me.Anyway, I safely tucked it in my closet and forgot about it until I came across a few days back when I was cleaning my closet.I immediately went down and started preparing Shrikhand.It stayed there for 4 years.If I did not do anything with it now, I am sure it had no problem staying in my cozy closet for 4 more years...And it was not complicated at all like I once thought!

2 lb Whole Milk Yogurt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup Mango Pulp
2 threads of saffron
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1 cup of mixed fruits, canned or fresh (Use more of pineapple, grapes, apple, cherries)
handful of pistas, chopped

• Place the yogurt in a muslin cloth and tie it with a ribbon or thread.
• Hang it on a tap, such that the water from the yogurt drained into the sink or place a bowl for the water to drain.
• Hang it overnight or for 8 hours
• Unwrap the cloth and you will get a very thick yogurt, almost like cream cheese
• Combine yogurt with sugar, pulp, saffron and cardamom powder and mix them well
  
• Add the fruits and nuts
  

Hugs,
Shri

Pepper-Parmesan Bread

Recipe: Better Gardens and Homes Baking Book
Makes:2 loaves

5 1/4 to 5 3/4 cups All Purpose flour
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan Cheese
2 packs of active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups warm water
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp water
Cornmeal or Polenta

• Preheat the oven to 375F
• Combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, yeast, and garlic powder.Add 2 cups warm water
• Beat on low to medium speed for 30 secs.Beat on high for 3 min
• Using a wooden spoon stir in as much flour as you can
• Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface.Add just enough flour to knead the dough into stiff , smooth and elastic one, about 8 min
• Shape into a ball and place into a greased bowl.
• Cover and let it rise until it doubles, an hour to hour and a half
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface
• Divide in half.Cover and rest 10 more min
• Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal or polenta
• Roll one half of the dough into a 15X12 inch rectangle
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese on the dough in a narrow row. ( Leaving 3 inches from the longest side, pour the cheese)
• Similar to jelly-roll, start rolling it up tightly .
• Moisten the edges and seal well.
• Repeat the procedure with the other half of the dough
• Place loaves, seam sides down (Cheese will be on the top side of the loaf)
• Cover and let it rise again for another 45 min
• Stir the egg white and a table spoon water
• Brush the egg mixture on the loaves.
• Make about 5 diagonal cuts about quarter inch deep on the top
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 min until the loeaves sound hollow when you tap the tops
• Transfer to a wire rack.Let them cool completely
• You could top with sun dried tomato pesto or basil pesto or just diced tomatoes and onions
  

As promised here is my T&T post that I have been postponing for over a month now..Prathibha's Stuffed Brinjals with Onion mixture!!We loved the curry.It is mild, yet very flavorful.



Luv,
Shri