~*Pani Puri Time*~

Our heart goes out to all the families that were affected by Hurricane Irene. We hope that in time all will settle down and life will go on. 

We weren't sure how we would be affected by the storm, so we kept cooking to a minimum and munched on snacks. 

Dahi Pani Puri

One of my favorites is Pani Puri. I love pani puri because it's easy to assemble and fun to eat. You know the Pringles jingle, “Once you pop, you can't stop”. That's how I feel about this snack too! It’s so delicious and because it’s a light but filling snack made with healthful, all natural ingredients. You can eat loads at a time without feeling guilty. Also did you know, Pani Puri is an inexpensive and popular snack found all over India?  So have a puri, or two or three and be MERRY! 

Ingredients for this popular snack include:

Potato, canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans, pani puri masala, tamarind-date chutney and bite size puris

Procedure: Microwave the potato for 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Drain and wash the chickpeas. Then mash the potato and chickpeas together to a granulated mixture. Next, dilute the pani puri masala with water to your desired tangy taste (tamarind-date chutney may be mixed in for a bit of sweetness). Now you are ready to enjoy the pani puris. Insert a hole into the puri without breaking through it completely. 

The Puri never had a chance!

Then scoop a bit of the potato and chickpea mixture into the puri and fill it up with the pani puri masala liquid (also known the "pani"). Next, quickly put the whole puri inside your mouth and crunch away. Hint: Don't eat the puri in two bites because all the stuffing will fall apart and you'll create a mess. Make sure to eat the puri in one go (as illustrated above).

***Quick Tip: 

- Alternately if pani puri masala is not available, the combination of tamarind and coriander chutneys and diluted plain yogurt can be used.

- For a more tangy or chatpata taste, sprinkle chat masala over the potato and chickpea mixture. 

How To Awaken The Senses In This Weather...

With all the wet weather we've been having, my mood has been taking a big hit. I should be thankful to Mother Nature for gracing us with so much rain but enough is enough. We've seen more rain than sun these past couple of weeks. Anyways, I didn't let this weather get me down, NO SIR!! My mom bought this tea on my aunt's recommendation and this afternoon was the perfect time to try it out.


Hot Tea + Wet Weather = Perfect for Relaxed and Refreshed Mood!

It's the perfect blend of cardamom and black tea to awaken the senses. I like drinking my tea without milk, so with each sip I was engulfed with so much aroma and flavor that I forgot where I was. I started reminiscing about my trip to Kerala where I was surrounded by hills covered in tea plantations and woke up every morning with the sweet aroma of tea. It was the perfect start to the day and set the mood for an enjoyable time. Then I was back in my arm chair finishing the last drop of my tea. Alas, it was nice while it lasted, I will cherish these few moments of Zen.

Quick Tips: This tea is available at most Indian stores; I bought mine at the local Indian grocer.