My "Glassy" Vacation At Corning - Day One

If I had to sum up my vacation in one word, it would be, Magical. My friends pitched in and gifted me with a sweet getaway to a destination of my choice for my big birthday. I chose Corning, New York. 
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we drove up there and it took us about 4 hours to reach. We booked rooms at the Radisson Hotel, which was minutes away from all the tourist attractions. I picked activities that would please everyone, like the Museum of Glass, hiking in Watkins Glen State Park and then wine tasting on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Thankfully the weather was pleasant all weekend long. Since there was a Glass Festival happening there that weekend, we had lots to see and savor.  I love street festivals.

Corning Glass Festival @ Gafford District (Downtown Corning)

It was nice to walk through and find so many various kinds of art forms. A few that caught my eye were stands displaying jewelry made with glass beads, vintage pyrex, sculptures made with glass, metal and/or wax. My friend bought an interesting metal sculpture for his dad called Reading on Toliet. Check it out! I was moved by the artists' passion for their trade and how excited they were in engaging the visitors. In addition to the street vendors, there were bbq parties, a concert in the park and water fountains' sound and light show.

After lunch, we headed to the Museum of Glass for some interactive fun. I signed everyone up for Make Your Own Glass Workshops...it was the most fun I had in a while. Each workshop was about 40 minutes long and in that time they explained the procedure, the tools involved and safety precautions.

Check out my head to toe protective gear! I didn't waste much time and got right down to business. Here's a shot of my finished project:

Beautiful, isn't it? Looks so professional. It was a proud moment for me when I picked it up the next day. After our sessions, we explored the rest of the museum. As you walk through the museum, you can get a sense of how glass making had evolved through the ages; specifically with the usage of tools. They also had live demos such as flame working, optical fiber, hot glass show and glass breaking. Pretty cool stuff!
The only thing left to do after a whole day of fun was to eat. We settled down at a nice spot in the park with pizza and beer and enjoyed the ambiance.

***Quick Tips:
- If you plan on making a trip over a holiday weekend, start early.
- AAA members get discounted tickets at the museum and hotel. 
- It's a good idea to reserve the Make Your Own Glass workshops ahead of time; especially if you're planning to go on a holiday weekend and in large groups.  

Turning Up The Heat with Chili Poppers!!

You know what I miss most about "my India". The street food. And I don't mean like lamb brains or anything weird, like what you see on the travel shows. I'm referring to snacks like bhel puri, aloo tikki chaat, aloo papadi chaat, samosa chaat, and one of my favorites: chili poppers also known as chili pakora.

The chili poppers are made with long green chili peppers, which are usually stuffed with masala and batter fried.
As a kid, I used to love eating the fried batter part since the peppers were too spicy for me. But now I'm all grown up and I love eating every bit of the popper including the pepper. Woohoo, I've matured and figured out the best part of this snack. Either that or my mom figured out a way to get me to eat the peppers with her winning recipe. Isn't my mom the bestest!! For my recent birthday, she made these chili poppers and I ate like 10 of them in one sitting. They were that good!

Heat Seekers, come thither and try these spicy chili poppers...if you have what it takes!!

Ingredients:
- 10 Long Green Chilies (fresh, firm and straight)
- 2 cups of Vegetable Oil (for frying only)
  For the stuffing:
  - ¼ cup of Dry Coconut Powder
  - 1 ½ tsp of Dhan-Jeera powder
  - 1 tsp of Tamarind paste
  - ¼ tsp Salt (adjust to your taste)
  For the batter:
  - 1 ½ cups of Ladu Besan (flour)
  - ½ cup of Fine Besan (flour)
  - ¼ cup of Rice flour
  - 1 tsp of Ajwain seeds (also known as carom seeds, similar to thyme)
  - ¼ tsp of Red chili powder
  - ½ tsp of Salt (adjust to taste)
  - ¼ tsp of Soda Bicarbonate powder (cooking soda)

Procedure:
Make a slit into the green chilies length wise and carefully remove all the seeds. (Making sure not to cut till the very end.) Boil water in a big pot sufficient enough for you to dip the chilies into the water and remove from heat. Close the pot with a lid and allow it to stand for 10 minutes. Drain the chilies, making sure to remove all water. In a microwaveable bowl, measure out the dry coconut powder, add some water to moisten it and heat it with closed lid for 30-40 seconds. Remove from microwave and then mix it together with dhanjeera powder, tamarind paste and salt.

 

Take a teaspoon full of the mixture and stuff it into the chilies.

Click here to see video on how to stuff the peppers

Make sure not to over stuff them. (Hint: You should be able to close the slit once stuffed with masala.) In a medium sized bowl, mix all the dry ingredients for the batter and add water to make it into a pancake mix like consistency. Allow the batter to soak for at least 10-15 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan. When you feel the heat from the oil on your palm from above the pan, you are ready for frying. Take each stuffed chili pepper, dip into the batter and coat it completely. Then slowly drop each one into the hot oil. Fry them until golden brown by turning each one over for even frying.

You are now ready to enjoy these spicy poppers. Kick it up a notch by slitting them open and stuffing them with finely chopped onions and a few drops of lime juice. They are sure to hit any one's spicy spot! Enjoy with a nice cold one!!

***Quick Tips:

- For all you Serious Heat Seekers, go ahead and leave the seeds in for a spicier kick.

A Birthday Bonanza!

I've heard it a million times...as you get older, you gain more wisdom and maturity. I guess that's what happened to me over the weekend. I celebrated my new found virtues with a new hairstyle and outfit.

I decided to keep it simple this year and hung out with family over Sunday brunch. We sat outside and enjoyed the only sunny day from the whole week of rainy weather. On every birthday, my mom prepares our favorite dishes no questions asked. So this year, she made me chili pakora and they were good but not really spicy. (I'm a chicken when it comes to spicy food, so take it from me when I say they weren't).  

~*A Special Mother's Day Weekend*~

Mother's Day started on Friday for us since I couldn't wait to give my mom and grandmother the flowers I bought for them. I left work early and drove straight to the local florist (been going there since my prom). I had a floral arrangement made for both them; sending lots of love from my sister, dad and me.

They loved the burst of color from all the various flowers: lilies, daises, mums, roses, hydrangeas, and carnations. The florist inserted shimmering crystals into some of the flowers for that extra sparkle. Only the very best for the special ladies in my life.

My mom is "one of a kind" and she deserves things that are also just like her. So of course, I had to give her this brooch.

A great find from Red Ribbon Gift Shop, Morris Plains NJ 

Once gift giving was complete, I kicked my mom out of the kitchen and started on the next surprise; it's something crunchy and peanut buttery.

Chunky Chana and Potato Dip

Oh thank heavens for Lentil goodness!

Ingredients: 

- 2 cups of Whole Chana (Black or Green Chana), soaked in water overnight

- 7.75 oz of Salsa (Spice level - Medium)

- 1 medium Potato

- 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Dhanjeera powder 
- ½ tsp chili powder

- ½ tbsp or as needed of Salt

- ½ cup of Cilantro/Coriander leaves, chopped

- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Procedure:

Peel and cut the potato into cubes. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add dhanjeera & chili powder and ginger-garlic paste. Then stir for 2 minutes. Next add salsa, the whole chana (soaked and drained) and potato pieces. Mix well and then add ½ cup of water and cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Slightly crush the chana and potatoes to make some gravy before the mixture cools down; add little bit of water if necessary. Then transfer the mixture into a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander. Voila! It's ready to be served. 

***Quick Tips: 

- We like eating it with toasted naan/pita or multi-grain chips.  It's also great as a side with jeera rice, brown rice, or even quinoa.

- If you like this recipe, you may also like Chole curry made with chickpeas.  
- Dollop of sour cream optional!

~*My Birthday Specials*~

Left to Right: Chunky Chana and Potato Dip, Chili Pakora, Karela Fry, Sarson Ka Saag w/ Makki Roti

Every year, my mom asks us what special dish we want prepared on our birthdays. This year, I asked for chili pakora, also known as stuffed chili fritters. Golden brown battered and fried chilies stuffed with onions and spices. Can't wait to feel the heat. Here are some of my other favorite dishes that I enjoyed on my birthday over the years. Chunky Chana and Potato curry served as a dip or eaten with naan or rice as an entree. Seasoned Karela Fry* is so delicious and not so bitter. Last but not least, is the Sarson Ka Saag with Makki Roti (corn flatbread similar to arepas). This is as authentic as you're going to get with North Indian food and is simply delicious. I ate this on my last India trip and wish they doggy bagged it for me but that concept hasn't reached there yet. Shocking, I know!

***Other vegetables that make awesome fries are Arvi (Taro root), green plantains, sweet potato and of course, potato.

Delightful Veggie Pops

This post is dedicated to my grandaunt who loves to feed everyone. Out of all the dishes my aunt makes, my mom's favorite is Sarvapindi (rice and moong dal flatbread). On our last trip to India, my mom and I visited my grandaunt and she made sure we left her home with a belly full of goodies. Along with my mom's favorite, she also made this yummy snack called Guntapongalalu*, which resembled cake pops but tasted like uttapams (Indian pancakes). 

We filled up on the the savory bites, while my aunt filled us in on the family updates. We enjoyed ourselves quite a bit and even received some recipes for our blog. Woohoo! 

Varli Food Festival - Oh What A Night!!

I have a passion for cooking, especially when it comes to Indian cuisine. Whenever my mom starts cooking, I stroll on over and help her. I also watch cooking shows, read blogs, and attend foodie events whenever possible. Last week, I scored two tickets to the sold out Varli Food Festival through Yelp and Varli Magazine. Boy was I happy, just look at my smile.

~Not So Bitter Karela Curry~

You learn many lessons in life; some stick with you and some don't. My favorite is "don't judge a book by its cover". It applies not only in life but also in cooking. Just because it looks different, doesn't mean it tastes bad or is bad for you.

Sometimes it's quite the opposite; like in the case of the Karela aka The Bitter Melon. Karela is a green, prickly and bitter tasting gourd or melon. It's probably the last to be picked among the more popular vegetables like eggplant or bell pepper. However I don't think people know that this vegetable is really quite good for them. Among the Asian and African countries, Karela is noted to have medicinal value to treat many illnesses. Karela juices and pills are also available for daily consumption.

We enjoy eating Karela in a number of ways: Steamed and stuffed with masala, stir fried, and in a gravy based curry.

 

Last night we picked up some fresh Karela from the Indian grocery and made the gravy based curry as one of the curries for the week. The addition of the peanut butter, brown sugar, coconut and milk tone down the bitter taste of karela.

Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs Karela/Bitter Melon
- 2 Medium Onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 2 Dry Coconut powder
- 2 to 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- ½ tbsp Chili powder
- ½ tbsp Salt
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- ½ tsp Turmeric


Procedure:
Cut the ends of the karelas and chop them longitudinally and then cut into thin slides.  Heat oil in a pan, season with mustard and cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add onion and saute them for 2 to 3 minutes. Next add turmeric and chili powder, karela and salt. Mix well and cook under low-medium heat until karela is cooked well. Now add peanut butter, brown sugar, coconut, and milk and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until all the milk is absorbed. Serve it with rice or rotis. 

***Quick Tips:

- Karela can be substituted with Kantola (another type of bitter melon, which isn't as bitter). You can find it in the frozen section in most Indian grocery stores. If using this vegetable, reduce the brown sugar and peanut butter measurements. 

~Ugadi Specials~

In addition to the Ugadi Pachadi, we made mango rice, garelu (mini cabbage and lentil patties), and halwa puris (also known as bhakshalu). Here are a few other suggestions that you can make for the holiday:

- Tamarind Rice

- Coconut Rice

- Sooji Halwa

- Carrot Halwa  

- Sweet Poha Balls (laddu)

- Vermicelli and Tapioca Kheer (Payasm)

Tangy Tomato Chutney

Who says you can't play with your food and eat it too? These idlis really know how to "chill" out and soak in the flavor! Can't wait to pop 'em in my mouth!

One of my favorite South Indian dishes is Idlis. They are savory steamed cakes made with husked black gram and rice. You'll never find idlis without the accompaniment of the chutney powder and/or sambhar. However lately, I've been craving for something different; that's not traditional and doesn't require a lot of preparation. We experimented with a few ingredients and came up with another option. It's called Tangy Tomato Chutney and it's also a great dipping sauce for vadas, dosas, garelu (mini lentil patties) and even paratha. 

Chutney Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs Firm Red Tomatoes, chopped
• 3 to 4 Green Chilies, finely chopped
• ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp Peanut Butter
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• ½ tsp Salt, adjust for your taste
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil, for seasoning

Procedure:

Heat oil in a saucepan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add green chilies and mix well for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, brown sugar and mix well. Cook them under closed lid for 5 to 6 minutes and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then blend the cooked vegetables along with peanut butter under pulse mode to making sure all ingredients are mixed well. Once it reaches a smooth consistency, transfer the sauce into a serving dish and enjoy with your favorite dish. 

A Plateful of Happiness!

Sometimes it's worth driving an hour or more for your favorite snack. This past weekend, we drove down to Moghul Express, and gave into our cravings of popular Indian street food. These are but not limited to pani puri, bhel puri, aloo papdi chaat, aloo tikki chaat, and samosa chaat. Our favorite is bhel puri and boy, was it satisfying. The portion size was good enough for two but one can eat it devour as well. I'm glad my mom ordered her own because I finished mine pretty quickly.

Bhel Puri, Yum!

How shall I describe this snack? There were crispy, sweet, sour, and spicy elements in it that meshed so well together. It wasn't deep fried and was made with healthy and fresh ingredients. After we got our fill, we took a drive through Edison for a bit of shopping. Holi just passed and Ugadi is just around the corner, so we wanted to load up on some savory and sweet treats to celebrate. We stopped at Sukhadia's and bought dry fruit kachoris, masala peas and rasgulla sandwiches. The sweet sandwiches never had a chance; finished them within days.
One thing is for sure, we can't keep driving down to Edison for all our cravings so it's a good idea to make them at home from time to time. So it's good that we know a couple to enjoy at home: aloo papdi chaat or aloo tikki chaat.

Visit WanderFood Wednesdays, for more food adventures and delights. 

Achari Chayote Curry

Achar is a very popular Indian pickle. Raw mango or lemon are most commonly used to make it. Other varieties include mixed vegetable, gooseberry, or coriander. It's a great accompaniment for flat breads and rice. We like using it as the "sour" taste enhancer in many of our curry (gravy based) dishes. One of them is the Achari Chayote Curry. Chayote (from the squash family) looks like a fat green pear and has a mild flavor.

Ingredients:
- 3 Chayote, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 2 tbsp Mango Achar (crushed variety)
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Procedure:
Place the pressure cooker or skillet on medium to high heat and add oil for the seasoning. Then add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add turmeric powder, stir and mix in the chopped chayote. Then add salt and ¼ cup of water and pressure cook for 5 minutes (If using skillet, cook until soft by stirring every couple of minutes, add additional water if needed). When the pressure is released, open the cooker, add peanut butter, achar and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are mixed in evenly. (If using the skillet, just add in the ingredients once the vegetable is cooked thoroughly.) Now it's ready to be served. Enjoy with some rotis or warm rice/quinoa.

***Quick Tip:
- If chayote is not readily available, try the recipe with long squash or zucchini.

Vermicelli Halwa

The best part of our festivals is the dessert for me. It's different for every holiday and easy to make. For Holi, we made a different kind of halwa, using vermicelli. Usually we use vermicelli for dishes like upma or pulihora, but you can use it to make sweets like kheer as well; it's versatile ingredient. 

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of Vermicelli* (Bambino Brand)
- 1¼ cups of Granulated Sugar
- 6 pods of Cardamom, seeded and powdered
- 10 Cashews, halved and roasted in butter
- 10 Raisins
- A pinch of Red Food Coloring
- 2 to 3 tbsp Butter

Procedure:
Boil approximately 3 quarts of water in saucepan and then add the vermicelli. Allow it to come to a boil again. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then drain the vermicelli. Quickly rinse it through cold water to remove excess starch and prevent it from becoming sticky. Set aside. Then take sugar in a saucepan and add ¼ cup of water, cardamom powder and food coloring. Allow the sugar syrup to boil to a 2-string consistency.  Next add vermicelli into the sugar syrup and mix thoroughly for 5 minutes to allow the mixture to come together. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Transfer the contents into a greased dinner plate or pie plate. Distribute evenly and decorate the halwa with fried cashews and allow it to set for at least half an hour before serving. Voila!

***Quick Tip:
- Vermicelli is made from hard wheat semolina.

~*~Happy Holi~*~

Wishing you a Holi colored with joy, sprinkled with laughter, and filled with warmth!!

~*March Into New Beginnings*~

What do sweet, sour, tang and bitter flavors have in common?

Vermicelli Halwa, Achari Chayote Curry, Tangy Tomato Chutney with Mini Idlis, Karela Curry

We're marching into Spring with a variety of exciting, new dishes! We're fortunate to celebrate two wonderfully colorful holidays that truly represent the spirit of Spring this month.
Of course, we're talking about Holi and Ugadi. Holi is a Spring festival and it's celebrated with lots of color. The Ugadi festival celebrates the start of a new year or beginning. If you think about it, Spring is a new beginning. And during Ugadi, we prepare this dish called Ugadi Pachadi and the most common ingredients found in this dish are dry Neem flowers, banana and brown sugar, green mango and tamarind juice. These ingredients were picked specifically because of their flavors, which relate to the emotions of life. We took it one step further and created dishes that exemplify each of these flavors. 

A Tasty Memory - Feast Fit For A King

My foodie adventures always cheer me up whenever I'm down about something. One of my most tastiest travel memories was at Choki Dhani in Jaipur last year. Choki Dhani is a re-creation of an authentic Rajasthani village filled with food, entertainment and wonder. The dining hall was decorated with Rajasthani art and hangings. Servers dressed in the traditional garb served a variety of curries (e.g. kofta, dal, korma), flat breads (e.g. naan, roti, paratha), Khichdi, Kadhi, pakora, freshly churned butter, salad and desserts (e.g. sooji halwa, laddu, kheer).

Servers passed by and refilled any dish that was almost empty. My family and I felt like we got the royal treatment when we ate a feast fit for a King. We left the hall with big smiles and bulging stomachs. It was truly a culinary delight. And if that wasn't enough, outside the hall there was a vendor selling a freshly brewed Rabri, sweet and condensed milk based dessert.

 It was a cool and refreshing way to end the night!

Rich food plus great company equals a magical night! I would definitely recommend anyone traveling to Jaipur to visit this place for a night of fun and foodie delight. For more eye candy, check out my post about my Jaipur trip.

Be sure to visit WanderFood Wednesdays for more tasty adventures and add your own.

Instant Uttapams (Indian Pancakes)

Here's a stereotype I can't stand, Indian people are hot heads. What does that even mean? I will tell you something that is true - we do eat a lot of spicy food but not all the time as people perceive it to be. We also like spicing our breakfast up with items like corn flakes with masala or uttapam (Indian pancake).

 You know how pancakes are a popular breakfast or brunch item here in the States. In South India, uttapams are a popular breakfast item. Pancakes and uttapams are similar in that they are both flatbreads except ours is savory. Traditional uttapams are made with a combination of urad dal and rice. Since Urad dal is not available in regular grocery stores, we came up with an easier Uttapam recipe. This blog is called "Indian" Khana (food) Made Easy for a reason.

This recipe makes about 10-12 pancakes or uttapams.

Ingredients:
- ½ packet of Pancake mix (any variety)
- 2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
- Vegetable oil or Pam (toasting pancakes on griddle)
Vegetables:
- ½ of Green Bell Pepper
- ½ of Red Bell Pepper
- ½ cup of shredded Cabbage
- ½ cup of Spinach (Frozen or Fresh)
- ½ cup of Frozen carrots and peas
- ½ of Medium Onion, chopped
- ¼ cup of Fresh Coriander, chopped
- 3 Green chilies, finely chopped or 1 tsp of Red chili paste

Procedure:

Follow the instructions for making the pancake mix from the packet or box. Add in all the chopped vegetables, salt and rice flour and mix well. Add an extra ¼ cup of water and mix to an uniform consistency.

Heat a griddle on medium heat for few minutes. Sprinkle or spray cooking oil onto the griddle and when it's hot, pour in 2 ladles of the dough onto the griddle.

Spread the dough out evenly in a skillet or electric griddle. Add a teaspoon of oil around the pancake and cover the griddle or skillet with a lid to cook evenly. Allow the pancake to cool and serve with your favorite chutney.

***Quick Tips:

- When using frozen vegetables, make sure to drain off the water before mixing into the batter. If the batter is runny, then the pancakes will come out soggy. 

- Also, for thicker pancakes, add 1/8 cup of rice flour. 

Another savory breakfast item that is really popular in South India is Guntapongalalu or Veggie Pops. Check it out!

Where Coffee and Tea Lovers Come Together

Come in and have a cup of tea or coffee at the Coffee and Tea Festival in New York City this weekend. Both days are packed with fun and interesting workshops for any hot beverage enthusiast. Maybe I'll see you there ;)

A Cheesy and Delicious Mystery Dish!

Don't you just love a good mystery? I do, especially when it comes to food. I follow this blog, WanderFood Wednesdays and every Wednesday, there's new mystery dish posted for the readers to guess. I love it. So I thought I would join in the fun and post one of my own.

Baigan Bharta Grilled Cheese

Everyone loves grilled cheese, especially the ooey gooey cheesy part. I love spicing up my grilled cheese with my favorite vegetable curry.

Can you guess the vegetable curry in this sandwich? It's Eggplant bharta and the vegetables in this dish are of course eggplant, onion, and tomatoes. 

Karapappalu - Crispy Rice and Vegetable Patties

Two weeks ago, we posted a recipe about a popular flat bread from Telangana (Southern region of Andhra Pradesh) called Sarvapindi made with rice flour and moong dal. Did you know, you can make another kind of bread with similar ingredients called Karapappalu. The name directly translates as spicy patties.

It's usually served hot with tangy achar (pickled vegetables), but can also be eaten with plain yogurt as shown above. We love making this during the winter season as it warms the senses and fills you up. 

Ingredients:
- 2 Carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 Chayote*, peeled and grated
- 1 bunch of Scallions, chopped finely
- ½ box or 5oz of Chopped Spinach (frozen)
- ½ cup Coriander (Cilantro), chopped
- 1/3 cup Moong dal, soaked in water for 30 min (or microwave for 2 min to reduce soaking time)
- 2 to 3 cups Vegetable Oil (for frying)


Dry Ingredients: 
- 3 cups Rice Flour
- 2 tbsp Dry Coconut powder
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tbsp Chili powder (adjust to your taste)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ¾ to 1 tbsp Salt (or as needed)


Procedure:
Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium to large bowl and mix well. Then add all the chopped & grated vegetables and soaked moong dal to the dry mixture and mix well.

Slowly add water to the mixture and knead until it is of dough consistency. (Note: raw vegetables release water after few minutes of taking in salt, so keep the dough somewhat dry).

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Shape (lemon size) dough balls into round flat ½ cm thick patties. (Hint: To avoid dough from sticking to your fingers, slightly wet your hands.) Make 2-3 holes into each of the patties for uniform frying. Transfer each shaped patty into hot oil and fry to golden brown/reddish color. For best results: Turn each patty in-between for even frying.

***Quick Tips:

- Shredded zucchini or long squash can be substituted for Chayote. 

- You can use wax paper or plastic bag to press the dough into patties.

~Chocolate and Coffee Lovers Unite~

~Happy Valentine's Day~

Decadent Chocolate Espresso Bean Cookies

It's nice to try different things to spice up one's life. I love cooking Indian dishes with my mom because I feel it brings us closer together. However, lately I've been going on a baking binge...from gingerbread cookies, banana and walnut muffins to seasoned potatoes and carrots. I get inspiration from lots of places including what I see on TV and what I think would go well together. I think some of my mom's cooking skill rubbed off on me (in a good way)! Whenever an idea pops in my head, I have to follow through so I don't fuss over it too long.

Recently my mom brought home a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans that she received from one of her friends. My mom wasn't a coffee lover, but she knew my dad might like them. To her surprise, he didn't care too much about them either. So now we were stuck with a bag full of chocolate bitter beans.

What shall we do with them? I immediately Googled espresso beans and found my next baking adventure, thanks to 101cookbooks. I tweaked the recipe a bit by substituting some of their ingredients with the ones we had in our pantry. Below is the list of ingredients I used for my version. 

Ingredients:

- 2½ cups All-Purpose Flour

- 2 tbsp Coffee powder, freshly ground

- ¾ tsp Baking Soda

- ¾ tsp Baking Powder

- ¾ tsp Salt

- ½ cup Cocoa Powder

- 1 cup Unsalted Butter

- 1½ cups Light Brown Sugar and ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar

- 2 Large Eggs

- 3 tsp Vanilla Extract

- ¾ cup Chocolate covered Almonds, chopped

- 6.75oz Chocolate covered espresso beans

- 1.25oz Chocolate covered candied ginger

Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Makes 2-3 dozen chunky, medium cookies.

The procedure is similar to what is listed on 101cookbooks. For your convenience, it's listed below:

1) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, coffee powder and cocoa powder. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl or electric mixer, beat the butter until it is fluffy and lightens a bit in color. Then beat in the sugar - it should have a thick frosting-like consistency. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, making sure the first egg gets incorporated before adding the next. Next add the vanilla and mix well.

3) Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix in about four waves. Stir a bit between each addition until the flour is incorporated well. At this point, you should have a moist brown dough that is uniform in color. Stir in the espresso beans, chocolate covered almonds and candied ginger by hand and mix only until they are evenly distributed through the dough. 

4) Use roughly one heaped tablespoonful for each cookie and place it onto the baking sheets. Don't worry about them being perfect.

I wasn't quite sure how the addition of the candied ginger would work in this recipe, but to my surprise, it was perfect. With each bite of this decadent cookie, you get a different taste: bitterness, spiciness, and sweetness; without overpowering either of those flavors. We are resisting the temptation of eating more than just one...however, we are still trying.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day? Staying in and cooking or dining out? Feel free to share your experiences with us.

Giveaway - Fickle Flat Bread February!! CLOSED

(click on image to enlarge)

Which of these Flat Breads can you identify? (Browse through our blog for clues.) 

With so many breads to choose from, it's difficult to stay loyal to just one variety. Each of these flat breads is prepared with all kinds of flours and lentils and originate from various parts of India. And so, we coined this month as Fickle Flat Bread February, as we explore some of these colorful, flavorful, and healthy breads.

PRIZE: 
$5 Starbucks Gift Card

HOW TO ENTER:

- Email us with your answers at: ikme2010@gmail.com.

- Don't forget to "Like us" on Facebook for more updates. 
- Contest is only open to US resident states and it ends on Feb. 20th. A winner will be selected and contacted. 

We picked a winner and they have been notified. Thank you all for participating and stay tuned for more fun events. 

The answers for this giveaway are:
1) Puris or pooris
2) Dosas
3) Aloo Paratha (potato stuffed flat bread)
4) Garlic naan
5) Karapappalu or Crispy Rice and Vegetable patties 
6) Sarvapindi or Rice and Moong flat bread
7) Rava masala dosa or another type of dosa
8) Vegetable uttapam (Indian Pancakes)
9) Batura or big puri

Rice and Moong Flat Bread

Yesterday was a very special day for both of my parents...it was their birthday! Yes, you read correctly. They were both born on the same day. How cool is that! I decided to surprise them both by cooking them dinner. Nothing can compare to a home cooked meal prepared by their daughter...not even restaurant food.
I wanted to awe them with my skills. The last couple of weeks, I've shown my parents that I'm not all talk in the kitchen and I can hold my own. Last night's dinner was a testament to them that I know my stuff. I made one of my mom's favorites, Sarvapindi.

 

It is a type of flat bread made with rice flour and moong dal, sesame seeds, onion, coriander, chili powder and salt. Additional ingredients such as shredded carrot, zucchini, long squash, scallions, or spinach may be incorporated to make it more colorful and tasty.

 
Ingredients: 
- 3 cups Rice Flour
- ¼  cup Moong dal
- ½ to ¾ tbsp Chili Powder (as needed)
- 3 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
- ½ cup Coriander (Cilantro), chopped
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil (as needed)
- 2 ¼  cups Water


Along with the ingredients listed above, I added shredded carrots (2 medium sized) as illustrated in the pictures below.

Procedure:
1) In a large stockpot, add water, moong dal, sesame seeds, chili powder, and 3 tablespoons of oil. Bring it all to a boil, then lower the heat and mix in the rice flour into the water mixture. When thoroughly mixed, remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

 2) Add chopped onions and coriander to the rice flour and mix it into a dough until it comes together as a smooth ball. (Hint: Sprinkle water if needed) Then divide the dough into 3 portions.

 

3) The flat bread can be made in an electric skillet or stove top in a flat non-stick pan. Add a tbsp of oil into the pan and spread the ball into the pan with your fingers until it evenly covers the pan bottom (to a 1cm or so thickness).

Use a wooden spatula to divide the bread into quarters and make round holes with your index finger in each quarter.
4) Add 1 to 1½ tablespoons of oil on the flattened bread and in the holes. If making this on stove top, then heat the skillet on medium to high heat. If using an electric skillet, then set the heat to 400°F. Cook covered for 3 to 5 minutes and remove the cover. Then cook on medium to low heat or 325°F until the sides of the bread and the holes start to brown and the sides are loosened from the pan (for approx. 7 to 10 minutes).

I really amazed myself and even received praises from my parents! After finishing dinner, they spent the rest of the evening relaxing and answering phone calls from well wishers. All was good!

***Quick Tip: Sarvapindi can be eaten on its own or served with achar (pickled mixed vegetables) or yogurt.

Did you know: It originates from Telangana (region in Andhra Pradesh). The name is a combination of two words, sarva (rounded container) and pindi (dough). Traditionally, the dough was pressed into a rounded brass container or wok and then cooked over stove top.

Simple Coconut and Tomato Rasam

I love rasam. The simplest meaning for rasam is juice. So mango rasam means mango juice. There's also a South Indian dish called rasam. It goes great with any type of rice or also can be eaten as soup. A well known rasam that is offered in most Indian restaurants in the US is Mulligatawny soup (made with pepper).  Did you know there are 25 variations of rasam? That's a lot of rasam. I've probably tasted only about 5 in my life, which means I've still got a lot of ground to cover. I love the one I'm going to tell you about today. It's a step up from the basic rasam recipe; the additional ingredient is coconut powder.

Ingredients:

- 3 Plum tomatoes, chopped into 1" pieces

- 2 tbsp Coconut Milk Powder (or 4 tbsp of unsweetened coconut milk if coconut milk powder is not available)

- ½ tbsp Madras Rasam Powder

- ½ tbsp Salt

- 400 ml Water

Finely chopped Fresh Coriander for garnish

Ingredients for Seasoning (Taalimpu):

- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil

- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tsp Whole Cumin seeds
- A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)

Procedure: 

Dice tomatoes into cubes and grind them in a blender until sauce consistency. Transfer the sauce into a (2qt) medium saucepan and add water, rasam powder, salt, and coconut powder. (Hint: mix the coconut powder with a little bit of water so when it is mixed into the tomato sauce, it doesn't clump).  Bring the rasam mixture to a boil on medium heat (approx. 7-10min). Check to see if all the coconut powder is mixed into the rasam, and no lumps are noticed. Continue to boil for another 2 minutes and remove from heat. 

In a smaller saucepan (tadka pan), heat oil on low-medium heat. When you feel the heat on your palm, add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add hing. After about 1-2 minutes, remove from heat, and add directly to the rasam. Add chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or as soup with croutons.

I enjoy eating rasam on cold nights; it warms me up instantly. What is your favorite kind of rasam? Please share with us. 

Here's To Another Sweet Jump!!

Woohoo! We crossed the 25,000 page views mark and the year just got started!

Thanks everyone! This year will be even more exciting than last year; with loads of recipes, reviews and giveaways. 

50K page views here we come!!

Udupi's Frozen Mendu Vadas

Dahi Vada is an Indian chaat that is prepared with vada (donut-like shaped crispy lentil fritters) and yogurt. The vadas are made from urad dal and some spices for added flavor. Making vadas from scratch is a laborious process:
1) Soak the dal in water for at least 5 hours and blend it to a smooth consistency.
2) Mix in salt and other spices, press small portions of the dough into donut like shapes on your palm and fry them to golden brown color.
3) Soak the fried vadas in seasoned yogurt for couple of hours until they are ready to be served.

Although I was able to describe the process in a few steps, it typically takes about half a day to make this snack from scratch. And if you are pressed for time but still want to enjoy this delicious snack, then there is a solution. 

The solution is Udupi's Frozen Mendu Vadas. Udupi is another brand under the Deep Foods' Company.

On the Upside
- The vadas are fried and packaged, so there's no need to re-fry them.
- The vadas were moist and not oily. They were very flavorful and light.
- They also do not contain onion or garlic as it is noted on the package.
- The packet contains 8 pieces and costs about 2 USD; so it's reasonably priced. 

Downside
Currently available at Indian Grocers.


Below is how we prepared the Dahi Vada from the Frozen vada packet:
- 1 box Udupi Frozen Mendu Vada packet
- 16-20 oz of Yogurt
For seasoning:

- ½ tsp Whole Cumin seeds (jeera)

- ½ tsp Mustard seeds

- 2 Green chilies, finely chopped

- ½ inch piece of Ginger, grated

- 1tbsp Vegetable oil

- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped

- ¼ tsp Salt or as needed

Tamarind & Date Chutney for garnish

Procedure:

1) Whisk the yogurt and set aside. Heat oil in a small seasoning pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When they start spluttering, add chilies and ginger along with a pinch of salt. Transfer the seasoning into the yogurt and mix well. 

2) Transfer the vadas from the packet into a microwaveable dish. Microwave them for 2-3 minutes with closed lid. Immerse each vada one at a time into a bowl of water. Remove it immediately from the water and squeeze the water out by pressing it between your palms. Then add each one into the seasoned yogurt. (Please Note: Make sure all vadas are in the yogurt and allow them to soak for at least 30 min. - 1 hour. 

3) Garnish them with chopped coriander. Serve each vada along with some yogurt in a small bowl and top it with a tbsp of chutney. 

Enjoy the coolness with tangy sweet taste!

***Quick Tip: If you prefer a less spicy taste, skip seasoning the yogurt.

Our conclusion: We would definitely recommend this product. The pros out way the cons. It's the perfect size for your family or get together. It saves time and lets you enjoy the rest of your day.