~*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.

It's Karela, Not Kerala!

We wanted to take this opportunity to clear up some confusion about a certain vegetable that gets mispronounced a lot. Kerala is an Indian state located in the Southwest region of the country.

It is a popular tourist destination, known for its backwaters, natural beauty and Ayurveda medicines. 


Karela, on the other hand, is a tropical vegetable that is also referred to as bitter melon or gourd. It is widely grown in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

 

It can be identified by its prickly green texture and bitter taste. We love Karela and decided to share our love of this vegetable with you so you can grow to like it too.  

After trying a couple of tricks, we came up with one that works and reduces the bitter flavor. This recipe is called Krazy Karela because some might think we're crazy for eating it. The recipe is enough for 5-6 (2 pieces per serving). 

Ingredients for Krazy Stuffed Karela:

- 1 lb of Bitter Gourd/Karela, slender dark green variety

- Lime size of Tamarind or 1 tbsp of Tamarind paste (i.e. Tamcon)

- Vegetable oil, for frying

- Salt, As needed

Ingredients for the filling/stuffing:

- 1 large Red onion, chopped finely

- 3 tbsp of dry coconut powder (should be flaky, not fine)

- 1 tbsp of Chili powder (Adjust to your taste)

- ¼ cup of Fresh coriander or cilantro, chopped

- Salt, as needed

Follow these steps to remove the bitterness of Karela:
1) Cut the ends of the karela and make a slit lengthwise. If there are any woody seeds remove them using a butter knife. Cut the karela into 3” long pieces.

2) In a large pot bring 2 quarts of water to boil. Add the karela pieces along with tamarind, salt, and a pinch of turmeric. Cook karela in the boiling water until they are soft and firm (a knife or fingernail should pass through easily). Drain the water using a colander and remove the remainder of the tamarind from the karela. (skip this step if using the paste)


Then follow these steps to cook the Karela:
1) In a skillet, heat a tbsp of oil and add chopped onion. Saute the onion until it's almost transparent and then add salt, chili powder, and dry coconut powder. 

2) Mix it until the water is evaporated and the oil comes out. Adjust the salt and heat (chili spice) level to your taste. Allow it to cool and then mix in the chopped coriander.

3) Heat oil in a frying pan until you feel the heat on your palm while it's held above the oil (at a safe height, usually 4-5 inches above oil). Turn the heat to medium/high and slowly drop the cooked karela into the oil and fry them to greenish-brown. Remove from oil and stuff them with the onion filling.

It is great as a dish on its own or can be eaten with plain or brown rice. I love eating it on its own; that way you can really taste all the flavors.

***Quick Tip: If coriander or cilantro isn't readily available, try parsley. If you like more gravy-based curries, try the Karela Curry. It's not as bitter. 

Sisterly Love!

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all the brothers everywhere!

Kumkum, rakhi, gulab jamun & carrot halwa
(click on image to enlarge)

In the United States, there are festivals that celebrate mothers, fathers, and grandparents. We have similar festivals in India too. Tomorrow marks a very special festival which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters called Raksha Bandan. On this day, sisters tie a rakhi (sacred thread) on their brother's wrist. The ceremony symbolizes a sister's love and devotion for her brother's well-being and the brother's promise to protect his sister. After the rakhi is tied, the brother presents his sister with a gift and then they both treat each other with sweets. In my family, I have only one sister so early on, we started tying rakhis on our best friends in India. We knew them from a young age and so naturally we considered them to be like brothers. When we moved to the States, we thought we would lose touch and the tradition would end there. However, we managed to keep it going and though we are not there in person, we send them interactive e-greetings that convey the same message. And they send us thank you greetings in return. So, if you are far from your brother on this day, you can send them a virtual greeting from www.123greetings.com; they have a wide selection of cards and it's free to send. It's the thought that matters in the end, you know!

Tandoor Chef Frozen Entrees

Sometimes it's tough to prepare meals for the work week when your schedule doesn't allow it; even on the weekends. It's nice to be able to grab frozen meals like Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, and SmartOnes from time to time to enjoy a day off from cooking. However, a lot of these choices are more appealing for non-vegetarians and we feel that there aren't a lot of variety for vegetarians. That's why we were delighted to find that Tandoor Chef had a variety of meals for us that were healthy and tasty. YAY!!

Among the box of goodies we received from Deep Foods (such as frozen samosas and vegetarian patties), there were also four frozen entrees by Tandoor Chef (one of their brands).

Kofta Curry with Channa Masala & Spinach Basmati Pilaf 

Vegetable Korma with Dal Rajasthani & Cumin-Infused Basmati Rice

At first when we read through the list of the nutrition facts, we noticed that sodium count seemed a bit on the higher side. However, when we tasted the meals, we didn't feel that it was salty. On a positive note, these meals have a good amount of protein (10g), fiber (8-9g) low fat, made with olive oil, and they are a well balanced meal for a vegetarian diet as compared to the original recipes (made with lots of ghee or oil). 

Palak Paneer with Dal Makhani & Turmeric-Infused  Basmati Rice

Mutter Paneer with Dal Palak & Cumin-Infused Basmati Rice

I felt that the above two meals were more satisfying in terms of nutrition (Paneer - Indian cheese). They have almost twice as much protein with 17g each and they are packed with 8g of fiber (same as the first two). The only drawback is that these two meals have a bit more sodium in them and I think it's because of the paneer. It's hard to flavor the dense cheese without adding more spices. They were all pretty flavorful except the kofta curry which was a bit spicy. 

Overall, we enjoyed trying out these meals for our lunches and found that they were a good replacement for a meal here and there. I liked the fact that the pictures on the box aren't misleading. A lot of times, I find that the other frozen meals' pictures show ample portions of vegetables/meat, but when I open up the box, it's quite disappointing. However, with the Indian entrees, what you see is what you get. You do not feel cheated about anything. An important fact to point out is that although these are Indian meals, they were produced in the USA from fresh ingredients (as per label on the box). 

Now whenever you want to take a breather from cooking during the work week, try one of these meals. You can feel happy you're eating the REAL DEAL!!

"Corny" Rainbow Salad

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One of the best ways to lose weight and boost your health is to add more color to your diet. So we played with that idea and created the Rainbow Salad. It's so easy that even my sister who always claims she's too busy, took the time to make it and loved it. Now that's saying something!!

- 16 oz frozen bag of Yellow Sweet Corn
- 16 oz frozen bag of White Sweet Corn
- 1 Red Bell pepper, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 English Cucumber, cut into 1cm cubes
- ½ cup of Coriander, chopped
-  2-3 of Carrots, peeled & grated
- 2 tbsp of Lemon juice

1) Microwave both yellow & white corn for 4 min each and allow them to cool.
2) Then microwave bell pepper for 3 min and cool.
3) Mix corn, pepper, carrots, cucumber and coriander in a large bowl along with lemon juice. Serve cold.

We make it for all our backyard parties and whenever we need a side dish for lunch or dinner. It requires minimal assembly and spices. And these types of salads are very popular in South India, specifically in the Karnataka region.

Substitutions:

- If coriander/cilantro is not available, parsley can be added.

- English cucumber can be replaced with regular cucumber (peel and seed to avoid watery consistency) or green squash.
- Moong Dal sprouts can be used instead of corn. 

- Use chat masala instead of lemon juice for a zesty flavor.

Tofu Lovers Rejoice

Here's another tofu delight from our culinary chest that we know your taste buds will love and rejoice. We love cooking with tofu because it is low in calories & fat and high in protein and iron. Now that's goodness we can bite into. There are also varieties in tofu, such as Steak (firm), soft/silken, or dried that you can work with to create a number of dishes. We prefer to use the Steak type in dishes like our Potato & Tofu with Spiced Tomato Sauce because the tofu will not crumble so easily when mixed with the other ingredients. This dish can be served with hot naan, roti, rice (brown or plain) or enjoyed by itself as a side dish. 

Click image to enlarge

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients: 

- 6 oz (½ block) Extra Firm Tofu (steak type or plain), drain well and cut into 1”cubes                      

- 1 large Potato, microwave, peel and cut into 1” pcs

-  ½ cup of Crushed tomatoes                                                        

- 5 fl oz or 150 mL (small can) of Evaporated milk            

- 1 large Onion, chopped finely

- ½ cup of  Carrots & Peas (frozen)                                                

- 1tbsp of Dhan-Jeera powder (coriander/cumin)

- 1 tsp of Ginger/garlic paste

- 1 tsp (or to taste) of Chili powder

- ½ tsp of Turmeric powder                                                             

- small handful (approx. 1/8 cup) of Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)    

- 1 ½ tsp (or as needed) of Salt                                                                                        

- 1 ½ tbsp of Vegetable oil                                                                     

Procedure:

1) Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add Dhan-jeera, chili powder, turmeric and mix well. Now add onions, ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.

2) Add tofu and potato cubes and mix well to coat them thoroughly with the spice mixture (3-4 minutes).

3) Next add crushed tomatoes and mix well for 3-4 minutes to remove the raw taste and then add evaporated milk into the mixture. 

4) Then add 1 cup of water. Next add salt, methi leaves and cook under closed lid for 7-10 minutes until the gravy thickens and the spices are infused into the tofu & potato. Remove from heat, mix in carrots and peas, and allow it to sit for 5-6 minutes.

Quick Tips: 

- All the spices help elevate the flavor of the tofu and potato in this dish.
- Cauliflower can be substituted for potato. 
- The curry will taste even better if allowed to sit for a few hours or the next day. 

Tandoor Chef's Samosas

The one thing I've learned since watching my mom cook is that sometimes, shortcuts are necessary to cut cooking time. That's why whenever we have company over, we love serving snacks that don't require a lot of assembling or heating time. Recently Deep Foods, leading manufacturers of Indian food contacted us to review some of their products and we were happy to provide our feedback. 

So today we will be sharing our thoughts on snacks, specifically samosas made by Tandoor Chef, one of Deep Foods' brands. Three varieties of samosas are available: Palak paneer samosas, jumbo samosas with coriander chutney, and tandoori chicken samosas. We tried the Palak paneer samosas and the jumbo samosas (pictured above).

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Samosas contain no artificial flavors and made with 100% natural ingredients. We liked the fact that chutney (dipping sauce) was included but the consistency was watery. We added some ketchup to make it more thicker and bring out the tangy flavor which fit well with the spicy filling. In terms of appetite pleasing, better to grab a samosa than a candy full.

Next up, Palak Paneer samosas:

Click image to enlarge

The flavor test: good taste, medium spicy, and well cooked filling. We liked the crunchy crust and crispy texture after baking them (as per the cooking instructions on the box). Another winning point is that they weren't too oily and are the perfect size for a snack. The spicy taste of these samosas go great with a "cold one" or hot beverages such as Chai or tea. The only con for this snack is that no sauce was included in the box.   

Now I will attempt to read your mind...wait for it...You're wondering where you can get some samosas. Currently, these snacks are available at your local Indian grocery store.   

Begum Palace - Gem of the North

My dad celebrated Fathers Day this past Thursday with his two "little" girls: my sister and I. We started off the day by surprising him with a new Smartphone like ours. We were so proud and so was he! We were so famished after we went over all the cool features and setup of his new toy, that we decided to go out for dinner. After dining at most of the restaurants by our town, we decided to trek a bit farther and went to Begum Palace restaurant in Madison.
Although the restaurant appeared small, it was quite the opposite inside. Since we went on a Thursday night, it wasn't too crowded or noisy, which was perfectly fine with us. I especially enjoyed the music; it was a mix between classical Indian, instrumental, and trance. Here are some pictures from our evening for your viewing pleasure.

We started off the evening with some appetizers: Mirchi pakoras, pani puri, and papdi chaat. I loved the pani (seasoned water) in the pani puri a lot; it was cool and refreshing. My parents love spicy food, so they enjoyed the mirchi pakoras. The appetizers were so tasty, we finished them off pretty quick and couldn't wait to dig into the entrees. We ordered Bhooni Bhindi (Green okra cooked with onion, tomatoes and various herbs and spices), Saag and Paneer Koftas (chopped spinach and Indian cheese dumplings in a tomato based gravy sauce), and Achari Chicken kebabs (Hot and spicy Indian chutney infused into the chicken kebabs tossed with onions and topped with cilantro). We ate these with Peshawari naan (Unleavened bread stuff with coconut, nuts and raisins baked in the tandoor) and basmati rice. After all that food, everyone was pretty full but I was still contemplating about dessert. Our dinner was completed with a plate of warm and juicy gulab jamun on the house...we must have charmed the host.

Overall, we enjoyed our evening which was filled with nice conversations, delicious food, and good company. My parents were impressed with the courteous wait staff and the friendly nature of the owner who strolled by a couple times to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. That's what I call SERVICE. I would definitely dine there again! 

Here's To Sweet Success

We all have milestones in our lives that are very special to us such as the 16th, 21st, 30th or 60th birthdays or the 1st, 10th, 25th or 50th anniversaries. We celebrated one too this weekend and wanted to share it with you. We have crossed the 10,000 page views mark and are still going. We had a slow start but now the fun is just getting started. 

Thanks for making it possible. We will continue to share our cooking stories and recipes with you so you can learn and enjoy Indian cooking as much as we do. 

"Carrots" - A Girl's Best Friend

My sister and I like to cook but with her busy schedule, it's not as easy. Additionally, she says in the city she can't readily find all the ingredients.

What is a girl to do, she says.

Whenever we both have some free time, we chit chat about our lives and so on...

Today, I told her about our new snack, veggie boats. When she saw the posting, she got very excited and I knew why.

A few of the pita pockets were filled with her favorite vegetable dish, carrots and moong dal.

My dear sister, this recipes is just for you. ENJOY!!

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs Carrots, peeled and grated

- 1/3 cup Moong dal

- ½ cup Frozen peas             

- 1/3 cup Coconut powder (dry), optional

- 3-4 medium sized Green chilies, chopped finely

- 1" piece Ginger, grated

- 1/3 cup Fresh Coriander, chopped*

- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 tsp Whole Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds

- 1 tsp Salt or according to taste

Procedure: 

1) Add ½ cup of water to moong dal and microwave it for 2 minutes, allowing it to soak for 15-20 minutes.

2) Heat oil in a saucepan and add cumin and mustard seeds. When they splatter, add chilies and ginger and stir for a minute. (Hint: In this step, we are sauteing spices to make seasoning for the dish).  Then add grated carrot and soaked moong dal along with water.

3) Add salt, mix and cook under closed lid for 10-15 minutes (on low heat) stirring in between until the dal is cooked and soft but not mushy.

4) Turn off stove and remove the lid and stir in frozen peas and coconut powder. Allow it to sit for a few minutes and serve hot garnished with the chopped coriander.

My sister loves eating this simple dish with rotis or chappatis. You can eat it with soft tortillas or pitas as well.



***Quick Tip: Coriander/cilantro is most often used as a garnish to again heighten the flavor and give color to the dish. Parsley or basil can be substituted if it is not readily available.

Veggie Boats

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After movies like Super Size Me were released, there seems a lot of chatter on the Internet and news about the increase in junk food consumption and obesity. There is also an increase in healthy eating food shows and the importance of educating the public about this matter like Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Well, we wanted to add our ideas to the pot too and introduce some healthy snacks that are flavorful and help maintain a healthy diet. Veggie boats to the rescue! These are the perfect snack that will excite both kids and adults. They are fun to make and eat. The filling combinations in this snack are not only tasty but also comprised of the major food groups: vegetables, protein (lentils and beans) and carbohydrates. The boats are mini pita pockets cut in half and the fillings consist of carrots and moong dal, chickpeas, spinach and garlic. Here are a few more suggestions to help you get started: leftover vegetables and/or scrambled eggs, and diced and sliced up vegetables used in salad like carrots, lettuce, cucumber topped with feta cheese. These are great for backyard parties, cookouts, picnics or even for an afternoon snack.

Go Green Part 2

With the overwhelming storms we had over the last few weeks, it seemed like weren't going to the sun for a while. Knock on wood. However, the rainwater replenished and rejuvenated all our plants and trees making our backyard look like a mini rain forest. The trees spread their branches such that they formed a canopy around our deck. We can now enjoy cool nights and breezy days.

Whenever I settle down on our swing, I feel like I'm relaxing on a houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala or on a hammock in between two palm trees on a tropical island. With weather like this, it's only natural to prepare dishes that add a little beat to your step. I packed this curry and half a cup of brown rice for lunch the other day. It was so good that I couldn't stop eating until I spooned the bowl clean. At that moment, I wished I was eating my lunch on the swing while enjoying the cool breeze passing over me. This "curry" is such a simple and flavorful dish, but don't take my word for it. Go green and make it for yourself and enjoy it.

Here's the ingredients' list and procedure for this dish called Indo-Thai Green Curry:
- 1 lb Green Bell Peppers, chopped into 1" cubes
-  ½ cup Frozen Peas                                   
- 3 Green chilies, finely chopped             
- 1" piece Ginger, grated                                         
- ¾ cup Grated coconut                                             
- ½ cup Evaporated Milk                           
- ¼ cup Fresh Coriander, chopped
- 1 tsp Whole Cumin or Mustard seeds
- 1½ tbsp Vegetable oil     
- 1 tsp Salt (or as needed)

Procedure:
1) In a blender, blend coconut, green chilies and ginger to a smooth paste.
2) Heat oil in a saucepan and add whole cumin, when they splutter add bell pepper and salt. Mix well and cook under covered lid for about 5-7 minutes until the bell pepper pieces are soft but firm.
3) Now add the coconut paste you made in Step 1 as well as evaporated milk and cook uncovered for about 3-4 minutes or until you notice a gravy consistency.

Remove from stove and mix in the frozen peas. Garnish with coriander & serve hot with your favorite flatbreads: roti, naan or pooris. The curry is also good with rice.

Quick Tips: 
1) For a richer consistency, replace evaporated milk with coconut milk or half & half.
2) You can substitute potatoes for bell peppers (just boil the potatoes in microwave for 5-6 minutes, peel & cube them and follow the directions.
3) Also, coconut can be replaced with 1/3 cup poppy seeds (powder the dry seeds and then add water to make a smooth paste). You can also replace it with coconut milk and dry coconut if fresh coconut is not available with the same measurements. 

Rose Spritzer

Back in my college days, I used to enjoy the hot summer days at this Asian tea house called Babo's. They had a variety of hot and cold teas, but my favorite was Bubble Tea. For those of you who are not familiar with this drink, it is a milk based sweetly flavored tea beverage with tapioca balls or rice pearls at the bottom of your drink. Sometimes I used to take my books to the cafe and study while I sipped the drink. It was cool and very refreshing. After a while though, I didn't care for the tapioca balls' taste in my mouth and tried something else. 

Coincidentally, a few weeks ago, my mom brought out this spritzer for one of our family parties and it was an instant hit. Usually, we have fruit juice and soda for the kids and wine & beer for the adults. However, this drink was so popular that by the end of the party, many of the guests requested us to divulge the recipe.

This unique drink has a bit of everything: sweetness, flare, fizz, fun, and cool taste. The fun part is from making the drink and enjoying it on hot summer days or just any day really. Oh, did I mention that it totally replaced my Bubble Tea craving. I don't have to worry about the taste of the tapioca balls either. It's a Win, Win Baby!

Here's what you need to get started; oh and these measurements are enough for 4-6 servings: 

- 1/3 cup of Roohafza or Rose syrup*

- 3 cups of Seltzer water

- 3 cups of Sprite (soda)

- 1 tbsp of Basil Seeds (Tukmaria), soak in half cup of hot water until they bubble up

Mix all the ingredients together in a water jug or pitcher and add crushed ice before serving! Voila! A perfect spritzer for kids of all ages...even adults.


***Quick Tips: 
- The drink can be enhanced with 1 tbsp of finely chopped Mint leaves or a slice of lime.
- Other flavor combinations are Orange-Mango Juice, Mango-Pineapple juice, Mango. Which ever juice you choose, mix it with Seltzer or Sprite not both. 

Hot Breads Bakery - More than Just Bread!!

I'm always on the lookout for cute little places to spend some of my down time...maybe to read a book while I enjoy a treat or catch up with friends on my lappy (laptop). I know there's an array of places like coffeehouses and eateries but I really dislike coffee and I don't like noisy places. Furthermore since I moved back to my hometown, I've been exploring more places around my town. One day as I was running a couple of errands for my mom, I passed by this place. It's one of those places where you could easily miss it unless you were on a mission. Anyways, I walked inside and right away I got a whiff of whatever was baking in the oven at the other end of the bakery. At most bakeries I've been to, the menu items consist of the usual baked goods such as breads and more breads and specialty pastries. At Hot Breads, aside from the usual, as you can understand from my title, they have a variety of items to choose from. Here's a short list of some items I do remember from my visit: curry puffs (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian), snacks like bhel puri, chaat, samosas, and more filling meals like pizzas, paninis and vada pav sandwiches. It was like a One stop shop.

It took me a few good minutes to decide what I wanted to order. I'm not sure if you can tell from my illustration above but the order counter was placed between two shelves adorned with mouth watering and appetizing pastries of all flavors and colors. Savory ones on the left and sweets on the right. You might think weird of me but for as long as I can remember, dessert came before dinner, lunch or whatever. I have a sweet tooth that just doesn't rest until it's satisfied. So, I settled on a few curry puffs that were alright because I was so engrossed with the pleasing view of the sweets before me. Each and everyone of them were calling my name, waiting desperately to be spooned into my mouth. After the puffs, I returned to the counter once more, ordered a chocolate mousse cake and brought it back to my cafe style dining area.

Little did I know that my choice wasn't the most popular pastry. I enjoyed it nonetheless since it was nice, creamy and sweet (my unofficial middle name). I heard from one of the staff members that the Black Forest Cake is delicious too...so I will keep that in mind for my next visit. Now I'm not the PR spokeswoman for this delightful place but I gotta tell ya...their pizzas and paninis must be popular. While I was enjoying every last bite of my cake, I saw one the skilled staff making 5 vegetable paninis in one go and man can he move! My short visit became an extended stay filled with good eats, information and company from the staff in between their orders. I finally made my exit and made a note of the items I will try next time I'm in the area. 

If you're in the neighborhood, stop in and try some of their goodies. And if you're in a hurry or on the run, you can always place an order over the phone. Maybe I'll see you there sometime...

Is It Summer...Already?

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a year since we last posted about our summer treats. Just to recap, last year we shared a few recipes that we knew would fill your stomachs such as the Aloo Papdi Chaat and Aloo Tikki Chaat and cool you down like the Roohafza Milkshake. It's just nice to see the sun out and warming everything in sight. I know I missed it dearly; I was sick of all the cold and rainy weather. This year we have a few more up our sleeves that are not only going to turn heads but more importantly keep you refreshed and feeling healthy. Here's the rundown of the upcoming delights in store for you:

- Rosy Spritzer
- Veggie Boats
- Rainbow Salad
- Desi Green Curry

So keep a lookout!

The Many Uses Of Coconuts

I recently attended a South Indian wedding where the girl's family gifted each of these intricately etched coconuts to the family members of the guy's side (Yay to me). I liked it so much I thought I would share it with you too. They even attached these beaded pins at the bottom so it can be displayed on flat surfaces. I've seen fruit being carved into designs but I've never seen it on a coconut. Now that is a work of art I can appreciate.

Just look at the detail!

I believe that the coconut is a very versatile fruit. Its oil can be applied to the hair to make it more shiny and smooth. Usually the water inside the coconut is very sweet and so most often consumed and then the tender flesh is scooped out and eaten. As you can see in the photograph above, even the dried coconuts are used to make decorations or works of art. The oil and milk are also used in cooking. For our cooking purposes, we mainly use shredded coconut (fleshy part) and in various dishes such as Undrallu or Steamed lentil and rice dumplings, Rice Kheer, and for today's discussion, coconut rice. Coconut Rice hails from the Southern part of India; specifically from Andhra Pradesh. This rice dish has a bit of everything; lentils, nuts, spices, and even vegetables. Now it's important to remember that too much of a good thing is never a good thing. When we post about rice dishes, we're not promoting that one should eat rice everyday but that it's good to try new things.

Ingredient List:

- 1 cup of Cooked Rice                                     

- 15-20 halves of Cashew nuts                                     

- (4-5) sliced Green chilies

- ½ cup of Fresh grated coconut                    

- 1 tsp each of Mustard /Cumin seeds                 

- 2 tbsp of Vegetable oil                                     

- ½ cup frozen of Carrot & peas                                   

- 5-6 leaves of Curry leaves                                       

- 1 tbsp of Coriander seeds                                               

- 2 Dry Red chilies                        

- 1 tsp of Urad dal (black gram)                  

- 1 tsp or as needed of Salt

1) In a small sauce pan, fry coriander seeds, red chilies and urad dal with an ½ tsp oil for 5 min or until the aroma of coriander seeds come out. Cool the mixture and grind to a powder and set the spice powder aside.

2) Heat oil in a skillet on medium and fry cashews until light golden, add mustard & cumin seeds. When they splatter, add curry leaves and green chilies. Fry for a minute. Add salt and rice, mix well for 2 minutes. Then add the spice powder (from step 1), grated coconut and carrots & peas. Mix again and cook under low to medium heat for 5 minutes.

3) Serve hot.

***Quick Tip: We use a lot of spices in our dishes to elevate the flavor of the dish. If you don't have a big spice rack or variety of spices, you can substitute whatever you like. Also, freshly grated coconut can be found in most Indian stores, otherwise you can grate it yourself.                                                       

Hester Street Fair

It's that time of the year again...the start of the street fairs season. I love it! It gives me a chance to get outside, stretch my legs, and support the local talent. The day before Mother's Day, I attended the Hester Street Fair's grand opening day in New York City. I made an excuse to go to the fair just so I could get something for the two special ladies in my life, my mom and grandmother. My friend and I took our time strolling through the fair; taking in all the sights, sounds and smells. I even found some things for the ladies so I wouldn't go home empty-handed. Here are just a few of the highlights:

As we walked into the fair grounds, we that the first stall was adorned with these beautiful mini garden creations, which are custom designed by Ms. Vashali Maria. They are perfect for all kinds of spaces and gardeners-at-heart, whether you live in a small city apartment or have a greenhouse. I love this idea of bringing inside "a piece of nature" into your home and enjoying it all year around.

Casa Helecho

Next up are the simple and colorful Indian wooden block print designs on clothing, accessories, and home furnishings by Juli Raja. I found some great gift items for my friends' kids (cute lil dresses and shirts for boys).

While we visited a few more of the stalls, we heard some weird sounds coming from nearby and realized they were from our own stomachs...we were really hungry from all the walking.

We came across a stall called  La Sonrisa where they were frying empanadas and so we tried one that was filled with coconut curry chicken. It was pretty good. The outside texture and crunchiness of the snack reminded me of these sweets from India called Kajjikayalu or Gujiya which are usually filled with coconut and jaggery. We also had the opportunity to sample some watermelon sorbet where the chefs used nitrogen liquid as the freezing agent as we have seen often on shows like Iron Chef America.
After we sampled more savory treats like cheddar and jalapeno topped pretzels from Sigmund Pretzels and soft tacos from Brooklyn Taco Co., we headed over to Melt Bakery for some dessert. We decided ahead of time we would buy one item from each of the stalls, so we could try more. So at the Melt Bakery, we chose the peach ice cream and brown butter burbon shortbread cookie sandwich. The sweetness of the shortbread cookies complemented the tangy flavor of the ice cream (the one on the far left). It was a winner in my book.

On our way out of the fair, I saw Roni-Sue Chocolates and became super excited. I sampled their chocolate creations at the 2009 Chocolate Show and so I knew how delicious their chocolates were. They didn't have my favorite chocolate and so we went to their store located inside the Essex Market.

I bought a dozen box of truffles for Mother's Day and my friend bought a couple of nickel bags of bacon chocolate for himself and his friends. The next day, I surprised the ladies with a special breakfast and lots of "sweet" love.

Overall, I had a great time at the fair. The food prices were reasonable and fun to learn about the various cuisines and sweet treats. The business owners were really friendly and informative. So, you haven't checked it out yet, go for it. The Hester Street Fair is open every Saturday from 10am-6pm until October. It is located between Hester and Essex streets in Lower East Side, NY. 

Mother In Mind...

Although, mothers should be remembered all the time, I feel that sometimes people remember them even more on Mother’s Day. It almost becomes compulsory to do something extra ordinary on that day. Of course, I am guilty of that as well. Every year, my sister and I pitch in and order my mom flowers. However this year, we went a different route and ordered her an Azalea Bonsai plant to add to her newly sowed garden in our new place. Ever since we moved from our old house, my mom has been reminiscing about her flower garden and how much effort she put into it to bring it to its handsome beauty. And now she has to do it all over again. We thought the bonsai would help her to cope with the loss of the garden and encourage her to add to her collection in the new place. We also ordered Spring Tulips for my grandmother since she is staying with us for a while. They both loved the floral arrangements which are now proudly being displayed in our house. YAY!! I also prepared a healthier version of IHOP’s Belgian Waffle Combo for the two special ladies. I served them a plate of toasted waffles with fresh cut strawberries and bananas. A small gourmet cookie platter with their favorite nutty cookies and more fresh fruit was also served with breakfast.

Since it’s also been a few years since my grandmother came to visit us around this time, my mom made her favorite dish, vada and sambhar*. She soaked the lentils overnight and made the do-nut shaped vadas after her relaxing breakfast.

Oh, what a sight!!

They were both busy for the rest of day since many of our relatives and friends called to wish them for the occasion…just the way it should be.

***The vada and sambhar are very popular in Southern India. Vada is a savory fritter served as a snack but it can be eaten as a meal when dipped in sambhar (spicy lentil and vegetable soup). 

*~*Bhalle Bhalle Chole*~*

This is so much more than your meat and potatoes. It's a dish that can be made fairly easily and because it is made with chick peas, you can rest assured that you are eating a protein enriched meal. I don't know why but every time I eat chole, it makes me want to break into a step. Not just any step, but a Bhangra step...like how these guys are doing it here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26nHoYGn0IQ. That's why it's called Bhalle Bhalle Chole. I find that a lot of North Indian restaurants serve this with what looks like an over-sized poori except it is actually a batura. Baturas are made from all-purpose flour, whereas pooris are made from wheat flour. Anyways, this post isn't about batura, it's about chole and all its goodness. I know you are on the edge of your seats waiting for me to tell you the steps to making this dish, so I'll stop here:

Ingredients:

• 1lb 13oz Can Goya Chick Peas, (chole chana/garbanzos)         
• 2 large Tomatoes (red & firm), finely chopped or crushed
• 1 medium Potato, microwaved to firm/soft (4min)
• 1 large Onion, chopped finely or grated
• ½ tbsp Ginger/Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp MDH Chana Dal Masala*
• ¼ cup Fresh coriander
• 1 tsp or as needed of Salt
• 2-3 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Procedure:
1) Open the chick peas can and transfer the contents into a colander and drain well. Wash the chick peas under running water to wash off all the salts and preservatives.
2) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (pressure pan) or a non-stick saucepan and add grated onion. Fry the onions till golden brown. (Hint: Add a ¼ tsp of sugar to help the onion caramelize quickly). Add ginger garlic paste and mix for 2 min.

3) Now add crushed tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add the drained chick peas, potato (chopped into cubes), chana masala and salt. Then add half a cup of water. 

Mix well and cook on medium heat with closed lid for 7-10 minutes until cooked well. If using pressure pan, cook under pressure for 6-7 minutes.

4) Add chopped coriander and serve with hot pooris or warm rotis.

Actually now that I think about it, chole was served at the Diwali celebration at my mom's work last year and it was a big hit. Amongst all the items made for the event, most people came back for second servings for this one.


***Quick Tip: You can substitute chana masala with garam masala as well. If garam masala is not available, then add your own blend of spices to bring more flavor to this dish. Also, if you do not have raw tomatoes, you can use can of crushed tomatoes or salsa.