Ginger Rosemary Spritzer

This is my take to mimic Melting Pot's Ginger Rosemary Spritzer. Ideally, this should have Vodka but I skipped it...

Ginger Rosemary syrup
1 cup Sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsps Ginger, chopped
1 1/2 tsps Dried Rosemary

• Combine Sugar, Water, Ginger, and Rosemary
• Simmer until the syrup is golden in color
• Strain the liquid through a sieve
• Refrigerate the syrup for atleast an hour
  

The Lemon Lime Soda works best. You could use Sprite or Seltzer(lemon lime flavor)
If you are using Sprite, use 1 tbsp of the syrup. But if you are using an unsweetened version of Lemon Lime Soda, you can use 2 tbsps of the syrup

1 cup Lemon Lime Soda
2 tbsps Syrup
Crushed Ice
1 lemon wedge, optional

• Combine Lemon Lime Soda, syrup, Ice
• Garnish with a lemon wedge
  

Potato (Urulaikizhangu) Dosa

Even as an adult,I find some of the children's books engrossing. 'The Very hungry Caterpillar' and 'Jamberry' are two of my favorite books that I love to read while putting Shriya to bed. Those books, I know, will later move to my shelf to sit with Calvin and Hobbes or Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
What is your favorite Toddler/Preschooler book?

Recipe: Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan

2 large Potatoes
1 cup Rice flour, softed
1/2 cup Yogurt
2 green chillies
1 bunch of coriander leaves
Salt
Water as needed
Oil

• Boil the Potatoes with their skins.
• Peel and mash them
• Blend the mashed potatoes, yogurt, rice flour, chillies, coriander leaves, and salt.
• Add enough water to make it like a dosa batter consistency
• Heat Tawa and sprinkle some water to see if it is hot enough. It is sizzles, then the pan is ready
• You can smear a little bit of oil but I used Crisco Nonstick Spray.
• Pour the batter with a ladle and spread in a circular motion until dosa is about 6 in in diameter
• Pour oil around the edges and cook for 3 min or until the bottom is golden in color
• Turn gently by lifting the edges
• Cook the other side for a min
• Serve hot with Chutney

Apple Crumble with Vanilla Sauce

As the tragedy in Japan unfolds, it is very sobering to realize what nature can do and the damage it can cause. The earthquake and the tsunami were horrific and coupled with that a nuclear melt down only made the matters worse.
While it is common in Japan to have earthquakes and Tsunamis, the power of the recent 9.0 magnitude earthquake that bent the tip of the Tokyo Tower can fundamentally change the face of the nation. Day after Day on the TV, the devastating pictures and the harrowing stories undeniably makes you dazed.

That said, I think a country with resilient people which recovered from WW II and the Hiroshima Nagasaki destruction will definitely make its way through this one...

Recipe: Mallika Badrinath

6 Apples
4 Tbsps Sugar
1 cup All Purpose flour
3 1/2 oz Butter
5 Tbsps Caster Sugar
2 tbsps Lemon Juice

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Peel the apples and cut them vertically into finger shaped pieces
• In a pan, place the sliced apples, sprinkle a handful of water, 4 tbsps of sugar and lemon juice
• Cook for 5 min and remove from the stove.
• Wit a hand mixer, mix the butter, the flour until well mixed but make sure not to make it into a dough. It should be crumbled
• Apply butter to a pan or a pie dish
• Arrange the apples. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on the top by covering it completely
• Press lightly and you can make shapes if you are feeling upto it
• Bake in the oven until the top is golden brown
• Take a scoop and place it in a bowl. Serve with Vanilla Sauce (Recipe follows)
  

Vanilla Sauce

2 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Corn Starch
1 1/2 tbsps Fine Sugar
1 cup warm milk

• Beat the eggs with Vanilla extract
• Add and corn flour to the egg mixture
• Add the milk and continue to stir until it thickens and has a custard consistency
  

Raw Mango Rice

I have owned the 'Cooking at home' with Pedatha (Pedatha means (elder aunt) in Telugu, typically father's sister) book for a couple of months now. At the risk of making it sound like a review/critique, I wanted to share my thoughts on this book.

It is a very simple cookbook, down to the rudimentary concepts. This book will take you to your grandma's kitchen and memories of her cooking.I have always spent time in preparing desserts from scratch but I rarely prepare(d) Indian masalas & podis, which I am sure most of you know.I end up using the store bought ones.This, I believe is the first or one of the first dishes that I actually went through the whole nine yards- roasting, blending...!! As laborious as it may sound, the results were nonpareil!!

It is very unusual and stimulating to see recipes like Karivepaku pachadi (curry leaves chutney) or Bangaladumpa vepudu(Potato fry) when all you see in Indian cook books are how to cook Biryani or Paneer 100 different ways.

The best thing that I liked is how the book was presented- with clean lines and crisp pictures, with the dishes shown in copper vessels



2 cups Uncooked Rice
2 Medium Sour Mangoes
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

Paste

1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
3 green chillies
2 tbsps coriander

Tempering

1 1/2 tsps Channa dal
2 tsps urad dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3-4 Red Chillies
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
10 curry leaves
2 tbsps roasted peanuts


Boil the rice with turmeric powder; I used Basmati rice and the ratio of rice : water is 1:1.5
Let the rice cool off
Peel and grate the mangoes.
Grind mustard seeds, fresh coconut, green chillies and coriander leaves to a fine paste. Use very little water
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the channa dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, red chillies and let them turn golden
Add curry leaves, asafoetida and peanuts
Add the grated mangoes and paste and stir for 3 min
Add the cooled rice and salt

Chocolate Crackles with M&Ms

Its that time of the year where the Holiday decorations are down and every one I am sure is bracing for the snow storms and blizzards in the next couple of months. While this is definitely not my most preferred season, this will let me relax and unwind on the weekends.No running around theme parks and other outdoor activities.

I made these during the Holiday season and we definitely enjoyed them. With Shriya not being a fan of Chocolate, I made thumbprint cookies, which I will be posting soon.

Source:Food Network Magazine
Makes 24 cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup M&M's
1 cup powdered sugar

• In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt
• Whisk the melted butter and eggs into the dry mixture until well combined
• Stir in the M&Ms; Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, until firm
• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove the chilled dough. Roll 2 tablespoonfuls of the dough in powdered sugar until well coated
• Place the balls on the sheet, 1 inch apart.
• Bake till the cookies are puffed and the tops are cracked, about 10 min.
• Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool
• Store them in an airtight container.They can be stored for up to a week.

Enjoy the cookies

Till then,
K

Campanelle Pasta with Tomatoes, Spinach and a hint of lemon

Campanelle in Italian means "BellFlowers".The edges of this pasta are fluted and has is hollow in the center for holding the sauce.This is very "Holiday-ish" looking Pasta.

I personally like pasta dishes with little or no sauce. This is a taste that I have acquired over years. Just a dash of Olive Oil will do for me.

I did not add any sauce to this dish as I wanted it to be light.So I tossed it with Sauteed Spinach, Grape Tomatoes and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.I also add lemon zest to enhance the flavors in the dish.

1 lb Campanelle Pasta (I used Barilla)
1 box Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, Halved
1 Block of Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cubed
1 Bag of Spinach, preferably used in Salads
2 tbsps Italian Seasoning
2 Garlic Cloves,crushed
1tbsp of Lemon Zest from 2 fresh lemons

• Add Salt and bring 6 Quarts of water to a rolling boil.
• Add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes, uncovered
• If you want more soft/tender pasta, cook for an additional 1 min
• Heat a table spoon of Extra Virgin olive oil in a saucepan and saute the Spinach until wilted
• Add Garlic and Tomatoes and cook for 3 min
• Stir in the Seasoning
• Add the Mozzarella Cubes and lemon zest
• Add the remaining table spoon of EVOO and toss all the ingredients.

Ciao,
K

Veg Korma

Thank You for all the wishes. The Holidays have been fun and very relaxing. We had a couple of parties and the posts that I will be doing in the next few weeks should be all the dishes that I made. I am very excited and trust me, this time around, I will definitely be visiting your blogs.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular to North Pole Express this Holiday Season were so much enjoyable. What did you do this Holidays?

This recipe is adapted from 'Dakshin' by Chandra Padmanabhan

1 cup Green Beans, Chopped
1 cup chopped Carrots
2 potatoes, chopped
1/2 cup shelled green peas
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tbsp Ghee or butter
2-3 bay leaves

To make Paste-

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
6-8 green chillies
1 small onion, chopped
1 piece of fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
Little water

Masala Powder-

1 tbsp aniseed
1'4 " tsp cinnnamon bark
4 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 tbsp poppy seeds

• Blend the coconut, chillies, onion, ginger, turmeric and coriander leaves to a fine paste, by adding a little water
• Dry roast the spices and poppy seeds in a saucepan, until it gives out strong aroma
• Boil the chopped beans, carrots and potatoes till tender
• In a saucepan, heat a tablespoon of ghee. Add the tomatoes and peas.
• Add the bay leaves and cook for 3 min
• Add the boiled vegetables.
• To this, add the coconut paste. Stir in the masala powder into the paste
• Simmer this for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with Coriander
• Serve hot with Puris or Rice.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

These cookies have a texture somewhere between a shortbread cookie and a cake.I added some color to the glaze just to make it more colorful.You can totally skip it. They are not too sweet but the combination of Ricotta Cheese and lemon flavor is very tasty.

Recipe: Giada, Ofcourse

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 tbsps fresh lemon juice
Grated zest from one lemon

Glaze
1 1/2 cups Confectioners' sugar
3 tbsps fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of one lemon
2 drops of green food coloring, optional

• Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
• Mix the Flour,baking powder and salt in a bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 min
• Adding one egg at a time, beat until well combined
• Combine the Ricotta Cheese, lemon juice, zest in a bowl
• Stir the dry ingredients in the ricotta mixture
• Drop about 2 tablespoonfuls of dough on to the baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 min until golden on the edges
• Remove them form the oven and let them cool down about 20 min
  

To make Glaze-

• Combine Confectioners' sugar,lemon juice,zest and food coloring and mix till well combined
• Pour about 1/2 tsp on each cookie and spread it evenly on the cookie

Have fun,
Shri

Indo Chinese Fried Rice

The Indo Chinese Style, Veg Fried rice is hard to get in an Indian Restaurant in the States. There are 2 good Indo Chinese restaurants in New Jersey- Naan King and the Ming.Let me know if there are any good places that I need to know -

Basic Recipe:From Anubhavati blog ( I have adapted it by adding ketchup and using short grain rice)

2 cups Short grained rice or basmati rice
1/2 cabbage, shredded
4 carrots, chopped
2 Spring Onions, chopped
1 inch Ginger
2 garlic pods, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Ketchup

• Cook the rice with 4 cups water until soft and tender
• In a wok, heat about 2 tbsps oil and add Ginger and garlic
• After a few min, add Cabbage, Carrots and Spring Onions, salt and pepper
• Stir fry the veggies for a few min.
• Add the soy sauce and ketchup and continue cooking till the veggies are soft but not overcooked and mushy.
• Add the rice and combine it well with the Veggie mixture in the wok.
• Garnish with spring onions
• Serve hot with Veg Manchurian

Till next,
Hugs,
Shri