Gobhi Machurian

When I first came to US, I was super excited to see Chinese take-out places everywhere. I was so glad that we could still eat Schezwan Fried Rice, Hakka noodles and Manchurian. But not before long, my bubble of happiness burst when I visited one of those places and ate steamed vegetables and steamed rice for lunch. I searched for a Chinese place that served Chinese like we had in India with no avail. One day at work, I asked my Chinese colleague if she knew how to make authentic Machurian. She looked at me as if I was crazy and asked me "Machurian?" So I googled and image searched to convince her there is indeed a Chinese dish called Machurian. Sadly, she took none of it and told me all she knew was there is a place in China called "Manchuria" but that's it. Sadly, I accepted the fact that you can't find that kind of "Chinese" food anywhere but on the streets of India. If you are one of the lucky people who live in New York, I've heard there are several great Indo-Chinese places there. For other people like me, the only option is to try recreating the magic at home. Which is what I tried to do with this Gobhi Manchurian.

This recipe serves two.

Ingredients
For the sauce
Onions : 1/2 cup
Spring Onions : 3-4 bulbs with leaves, chopped
Garlic : 4 cloves, minced
Tabasco/Sriracha/Red Hot Sauce : 2 teaspoons
Soy Sauce : 2 teaspoons
Tomato Ketchup : 2 tablespoons
Salt : 1 teaspoon
Vinegar : 1 tablespoon
Olive Oil (or any that you use) : 1 tablespoon
Bell Pepper : 1/2 cup, chopped

For the cauliflower fritters
Cauliflower, washed and cut into florets : 2 cups
All Purpose Flour : 3 tablespoons
Corn Flour/ Corn Starch : 2 tablespoons
Salt : 1 teaspoon
Sriracha Sauce/ Tabasco : 1 teaspoon
Oil : As needed, for frying

Procedure
1) We will start with the sauce first, because we don't fried cauliflowers sitting around for too long and losing their crunch.
2) In a pan, heat oil and on a high flame, saute onions until they are pink. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and spring onions (reserve some leaves for garnishing) and mix well, cooking for a minute or two.
3) Add Sriracha/Tabasco sauce, Soy sauce, vinegar, and tomato ketchup. Mix well to combine.
4) Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously. Add little water if the mixture is too dry.
5) Do a taste-test and see if you need salt. Add as needed.
6) Switch off the flame and set sauce aside.
7) Heat oil for frying.
8) Let's prepare the batter for the fritters. Add all purpose flour and corn starch in a bowl. Add in salt, red sauce and mix to combine. Gradually add water as needed. Don't make the batter too thin, as it will not hold to the cauliflower. Don't make it too thick either, or the cauliflowers will not get cooked enough. The batter should be such that it holds on to the florets forming a medium-thick layer.
9) Dip the florets into the batter and fry them. Avoid adding too many at one time of they will stick to one another.
10) Once they have golden spots, remove and set aside on a plate covered with tissue paper.
11) Continue for the remaining florets.
12) Once all the florets have been fried, heat the sauce on a low flame and add the florets. Mix for a minute or two until the cauliflower is well coated with the sauce.
13) Garnish with chopped spring onion leaves and serve!

Gobhi Manchurian makes for a great appetizer or side dish with Fried Rice or Noodles.

Power Packed Spinach Paratha

My favorite pastime during the day is to view YouTube recipe videos and reading food blogs. Favorite pastime during the evening is to think about what dishes I want to make this weekend. At night I snuggle up with a cookbook. You got the idea, I am pretty obsessed with food. During one of the 768958 hours that I was on YouTube, I stumbled across this recipe (among many others) for palak cabbage paratha. I didn't think adding cabbage to the paratha was such a great idea, but since I had some left over, I added it anyway,   and I am so glad I did. It adds a wonderful crunch to the paratha and makes it even more nutritious.

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour or Atta : 2 cups

Grated Cabbage : 1 cup

Spinach - 2 cups
Green chillies - 2-3, or to taste

Salt - 1 tsp 

Ajwain or Carom Seeds - 0.5 tsp (Optional)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Recipe
1) In a blender, puree spinach leaves and green chillies to a fine paste using very little water.
2) In a large bowl, add flour, grated cabbage, salt, carom seeds, and spinach puree.
3) Start kneading the dough. Be very careful and add water only if you need it. The cabbage will let out a lot of moisture and you also added some water to the spinach puree.
4) Add oil and knead again to coat the dough with oil evenly.
5) Cover and keep the dough aside for 10 minutes.
6) Heat a griddle and make golf size balls of the dough. 
7) Roll the parathas taking care that they are not too thin. Use some flour to prevent the paratha from sticking to the rolling surface.
8) Put the paratha on the griddle and let it cook until small bubbles appear on the surface. Flip it and let it cook until it has brown spots all over the surface. Flip it again and let it cook similarly on the other side. At this point you may choose to apply some oil or butter (ghee) on either or both sides of the paratha.
9) Continue the process for other parathas.

I served these with just pickle and yogurt, since they are so flavorful on their own!

Fast and Easy Weekday Dinner: Rasam Rice

If you've read my previous posts, you are aware of my love for all things South Indian. I remember having Rasam only one or twice during my childhood, and never really made it myself until a year ago. Last winter, I visited a friend who is South Indian and she made Rasam for dinner. It felt so good to have the simple but yet complex spicy-tangy-watery Rasam with rice! So during the next trip to the Indian store, I bought a packet of MTR Rasam Powder. Please note that this is NOT an authentic recipe, and cooks from South Indian homes will be appalled that I am using a store-bought Rasam powder, but this recipe is quick and easy and a great way of cooking up a meal with less time and effort. This is also a great recipe for students or new cooks.

Ingredients
Toor Dal : 4 tablespoons
Oil : 1 tablespoons
Garlic : 3 cloves, finely chopped
Curry Leaves : 4-5
Jaggery: 1 teaspoon
Tomato : 2, finely chopped
Tamarind paste : 1 tablespoon
Red Chilly Powder : 1 teaspoon
Salt : 1.5 teaspoons, or as needed
Rasam Powder (I used MTR's) : 1 tablespoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Leaves (Optional) : 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Procedure
1) Boil toor daal with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and about 3 cups of water until fully cooked and soft.
2) In a pan, boil a cup of water with tamarind paste.
3) When the above mixture starts coming to a boil, add the mashed toor daal, curry leaves, jaggery,  tomatoes, chopped garlic, rasam powder, red chilly powder, and salt.
4) Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. The rasam is supposed to be more on the watery side, so adjust the water as required. 
5) Do a taste-test and add more spice/tamarind/salt as required.
6) In another pan or kadhai, heat 1 tablespoon oil and once it is hot enough, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the oil into the rasam and mix well.
7) Let it simmer for 6-7 more minutes and if required, add some finely chopped coriander leaves at the end (I was too lazy to do it).

Serve piping hot with rice!

Pumpkin Bread

This is my first attempt of baking with pumpkin and it was surprisingly good. We commonly use pumpkins in India for various curries but I never imagined that flavor with a sweet tinge. I tried the recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook and it turned out amazing. The flavor is not that pumpkin-y and the spices elevate the bread to a whole new level. It is lightly sweet, dense, moist and would go perfectly with a hot cup of coffee. No wonder its one of the most popular recipes during Fall!

This recipe makes 1 loaf.

Ingredients
Sugar : 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
Pure pumpkin puree : 1 cup
Vegetable (or any other neutral) oil : 1/3 cup
Pure vanilla extract : 1 teaspoon
Eggs : 2
All purpose flour : 1 and 1/2 cup
Baking powder : 1 teaspoon
Baking soda : 1 teaspoon
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon
Pumpkin Pie Spice : 1 tablespoon
Chopped Walnuts : 1/2 cup (optional)

Procedure
1) Heat oven to 350F and grease the loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla essence, and eggs.
2) Add all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and stir just until combined.
3) Stir in chopped walnuts (I forgot to add them to the loaf you see below) and pour into the loaf pan.
4) Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Let cool completely before slicing.

Note: I like my bread to be less on the sweet side, but if you like it sweeter, add 2-3 tablespoons more sugar to the batter. Chocolate chips and raisins are also very interesting additions to this bread!

Quintessential Street Food : Vada Pav

Ask any person from Bombay, rich or poor, young or old, what they can have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without any complaints...I bet most people (including me) will say good old Vada Pav! I could describe Vada Pav as "potato fritters sandwiched between buns with chutneys" but that would be an insult to the beloved king of street food. Vada Pav is much more than that - it is a favorite snack for kids, a quick lunch for office going folks, an affordable dinner for laborers and truly a treat for the common man. What makes it so special? It is the burst of flavors at each bite? Or the fact that you can't stop yourself at one? Whatever it is, I have yet to meet person who says he/she doesn't like Vada Pav. I've made these several times for friends on different occasions and it always been a hit. So, thought of sharing the recipe with you all. Hope you benefit from it :)

This recipe will make about 6 Vada Pavs (for us, that's just 2 servings. Greedy? Yes. Ashamed? No.)

Ingredients
For the filling:
Potatoes (I use Yukon Gold) : 5
Chopped Onion : 1/2 cup
Curry Leaves : 4-5
Methi Seeds : 3-4
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder : 1 teaspoon, or to taste
Dry Mango Powder (Amchur) : 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder (Haldi) : 1/2 teaspoon
Salt : 1.5 teaspoon, or to taste (divided)
Oil : 2 tablespoons
Garlic cloves, minced : 4
Hing : a pinch
Coriander leaves : about 10-12 springs, washed and chopped.

For the vadas (fritters)
Besan : 1/2 cup
Water: 3 tablespoons, little more or less
Red Chilly Powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric : 1/2 teaspoon
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon
Oil : As needed, for frying

For the Sweet Chutney:
Pitted Dates : 4
Brown Sugar : 1 cup
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon
Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind Paste : 1.5 tablespoons

For the Green Chutney:
Chopped Coriander : 1 cup
Chopped Mint : 1/4 cup
Green Chillies : 3-4 (or to taste)
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon
Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon

For the Dried Garlic Chutney:
Dry Shredded Coconut : 1 cup
Garlic Cloves : 10-12
Dried Red Chillies : 4-5
Tamarind Paste : 1 tablespoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon

Procedure
For the vadas:
1) Boil potatoes with a pinch of salt and when done, peel and mash them. I usually use a pressure cooker to boil them as that's the fastest method.
2) In a pan, add oil and let it heat. Add mustard, methi and cumin seeds and let them crackle.
3) Add a pinch of hing and onions and cook them for a minute or two, until they are pink.
4) Add the minced garlic and curry leaves cook for another minute or two.
5) Add the dry spices (red chilly powder, haldi) and quickly add the mashed potatoes.
6) Give it a good mix and add about a teaspoon of salt (or to taste).
7) Add some dry mango powder and mix again.
8) Let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes on a low flame. Make sure to stir in between to prevent the stuffing from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
9) Add chopped coriander to the mixture and set aside to cool.
10) In the meanwhile, prepare the batter/covering for the vadas. In a bowl, add besan, salt, red chilly powder, turmeric, and salt. Mix well to evenly distribute the ingredients and add water gradually as needed. The batter should not be too thin, otherwise it will not hold on to the filling.
11) Mix well with a whisk to avoid lumps.
12) When the filling has cooled, make even sized balls and set aside.
13) Heat the oil for frying and when it has heated enough (you will know when a small drop of batter dropped in the oil will come right back up), dunk the potato mixture ball into the batter to cover it evenly on all sides and slowly drop it in the oil. Be extra careful when dealing with hot oil!
14) When the vadas are golden brown on all sides, remove them on a plate covered with tissue paper to absorb the extra oil.
15) Continue the process for the remaining vadas.

For the Chutneys:
1) Chutneys look intimidating but are actually the easiest part. Just grind everything listed under the individual chutneys together and you're all set! And if you are not in the mood to make all or any one of the chutneys, you can also use the bottled ones from the Indian Stores.

To Assemble the Vada Pav:
1) Divide the bun into half by slicing through horizontally and apply green chutney on both sides. Then follow up with the sweet tamarind-date chutney and dried garlic one. Usually I use potato/dinner rolls as the Pav but if you can get the traditional Pavs, that would take the awesomeness of this dish just one notch higher.
2) Place the vada between the buns and indulge!
3) I also added roasted green chillies on the side. Just slit the chillies and roast them directly on the flame (slitting is important or chilly tends to burst!)

If this does not make one's mouth water, I honestly don't know what does :)

10-Minute Homemade Salsa

If you suffer from a chips-and-salsa syndrome like us, you will love this recipe. If you don't suffer from it, this will get you addicted. This is so easy and flavorful, that you won't be willing to buy salsa from the store again. And can be made in less than 10 minutes! Did I mention it's super easy? If you can chop, you can make this salsa. Let's get started...

 This recipe serves 2 very hungry people.

Ingredients
Roma Tomatoes: 3
Onion: about a tablespoon, chopped
Garlic: 1 small clove
Jalapeno Peppers (Canned or fresh): a tablespoon, chopped
Bell Pepper: 2 tablespoons, chopped (less than a quarter of a bell pepper)
Corn (I used frozen): 1 tablespoon
Cilantro: 1/4 cup, chopped
Lime Juice: about half a tablespoon (or of half a lime)
Salt: 1 teaspoon (or to taste)
Sugar: 1 teaspoon (or to taste)

Procedure
1) Finely chop the tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, cilantro, and Jalapeno pepper. It is VERY important to chop finely and evenly. Remember, biting on a huge chunk of onion is the last thing you want to do while watching a romantic movie.
2) Mince the garlic, in as small pieces as you can. Show him who the boss is.
3) In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, corn, cilantro, jalapeno and garlic. You can optionally add pineapple or mango for a fun twist.
4) Add salt, sugar, lime juice, and mix well.
5) I would recommend leaving the salsa in the fridge for 4-6 hours to let the flavors mingle, but if you can't wait, dig right in!

 

Note: Go easy on the onion and garlic if you're not a big fan, but I personally think garlic takes this salsa to a whole new level.

I bottled up my salsa in a recycled (salsa!) glass jar. Shh, don't tell anyone it's made at home!

My Favorite Food Ever: Idli Sambar

Is there any such food that you love so much that it makes you feel alive and leaves a smile of satisfaction on your face? I don't mean to sounds crazy but Idli-Sambhar does have that effect on me. It makes me feel better about everything (Pittsburgh and Winter included). My husband always says that I should have been born in south India for my love of all kinds of idlis and dosas. I could eat them all day. And night. But, since you are not here to read about my obsessions, we'll move on to the recipe.

Now this may not be the authentic recipe since I, unfortunately, do not actually come from the South and this recipe is a mixture of my mom's recipe+some blogs+my own touch. But it sure is yummy enough to remind you of Udipi hotels back in India. Let's get ya droolin', shall we?

The recipe serves 4 regular people, or one if it's me.

Ingredients
For the idli batter
Rice (I used basmati, but you can also use Sona Masoori or any other non-sticky rice) : 1 cup
Urad Dal : 1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon
Methi (Fenugreek) Seeds: 4-5
Salt - about 2-3 teaspoons

For Sambhar
Toor Dal : 1 cup
Oil : 2 tablespoons
Hing : 1/2 teaspoon
Green Chillies : 2, finely chopped
Garlic : 2 cloves, finely chopped
Onion : 1 small, finely chopped
Curry Leaves : 4-5
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato : 1
Tamarind paste : 1 tablespoon
Salt : 2 teaspoons, or as needed
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder: 1 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder: 1-2 teaspoons, according to taste
Carrot : about half a cup, chopped
Frozen Peas : about 1/4 cup
Sambhar Masala/Powder (I use Eastern Sambhar masala, but Everest and MTR are good too): 1 tablespoon

Procedure
For the Idlis
1) You need to plan ahead for this one. If you want to serve tomorrow evening, plan to start with the prep today evening. Wash and soak the rice, urad dal, and methi seeds with about 4 cups of water overnight.
2) Next morning, discard the water and grind the soaked mixture to a paste adding little water as required. Too much water will hinder the fermentation process, so only add as little as needed. It might be helpful to grind in batches if your blender does not have supernatural grinding powers (my humble Oster doesn't).
3) Add salt and mix well. Leave the batter to ferment in a warm spot for 10-12 hours. I usually preheat my oven to 240F (or the lowest temperature) and leave it for about 3-4 minutes before placing the batter in the oven. I've also found steel utensils to work much better for fermentation than plastic or glass for their ability to retain heat longer. If you are lucky enough to live in a warm place, you can leave the batter out in the sun.
4) You know the fermentation gods are happy when your batter rises to twice its original volume. Those little air bubbles will make your idlis spongy and soft.
5) Now start heating about 1.5 cups of water in a pressure cooker, without the lid on. Remove the small lid/weight from the whistle to let the steam escape as the idlis are cooking.
6) Grease your idli stand and pour the batter into the cavities. I have a "mini" idli stand so I can only scoop about a tablespoon batter in each.
7) Make sure that you arrange the cavities over the small hole provided for steaming in the idli stand. That way, the water from the above cavity does not directly fall on the idli below. Explaining that was complicated and I'm still not sure if that makes sense. Please let me know if it doesn't. I'm not even sure if it's called a "cavity", but I think you know what I mean. Here's a picture:

8)  By this time, the water in the pressure cooker should be steaming. Place the idli stand in the water and make sure that the bottom layer does not get submerged or even touch the water. Letting idlis go waste is an offence in my part of the town.
9) Let the idlis cook on medium-high for about 15-17 minutes. Then remove from flame and let it rest for 5-6 more minutes.
10) Use a knife or a spoon to run around the edges and dislodge the idlis.
11) Continue the process for remaining batter. Before doing that, eat one to make sure its cooked through and salted enough. Just to be sure, eat another one. And another. Maybe just one more, but that's it.
OK, one last if no one's watching.

Making the Sambhar
1) In a pressure cooker or another pan, cook toor daal until it is cooked through and mashable.
2) In another pan or kadhai, heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add hing, onion, curry leaves, garlic, and chillies. Cook until onions are pink and translucent.

3) Add tomatoes and cook them for 2 minutes, until they are all mashed up.

4) Add turmeric powder and red chilly powder and saute for a minute.
5) Add the mashed toor daal and mix well to combine.

6) When the bubbles start appearing around the edges, add salt, sambhar powder, and sugar. Mix well.
7)  Add tamarind paste and stir to make sure no lumps remain.
8) Add water if the sambhar appears too thick. Do a taste-test and adjust accordingly.
9) Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Don't the idlis above look like a bunch of people chilling in the pool? :) 

Healthy and Yum Vegetable Corn Chowder

Corn chowder is great to have as a soup on the side, or with rustic bread as a wholesome meal. I don't usually cook with meat so I kept this version mostly vegetarian (I did add chicken broth, but you can easily substitute for vegetable broth). Corn chowder has a ton of veggies in it so its very nutritious and great for you.
I love it when healthy does not directly translate to cardboard eating.

Ingredients
Frozen (or fresh, boiled) corn - 1 and 1/4 cup
Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
Onions - 1 small, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Thyme - 1/2 teaspoon
Rosemary - 1/2 teaspoon
Boiled Potatoes - 2 small, chopped into bite sized chunks
Celery - 1 stalk, chopped
Carrots - 1, peeled and chopped
Red Bell Pepper - 1/2, chopped
Zucchini  - 1/2 cup when chopped
Milk - 1/2 cup
Chicken (or vegetable) broth - 1/2 cup
All Purpose Flour - 2 tablespoons
Salt - 1 teaspoon, or to taste
Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon, or to taste

Procedure
1) Chop all the veggies and set them aside. Pulse 1 cup corn in a blender with 1/2 cup water until they are a chunky paste.
2) Heat olive oil in a pan or soup pot and add garlic and onions. Saute till onions are translucent.
3) Add thyme and rosemary and saute for a minute.
4) Add the veggies : carrots, celery, bell pepper, potatoes, zucchini. Throw in some salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
5) Add the corn puree and stir.
6) Add the chicken broth and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes on a medium-low flame.
7) In a cup, stir together milk and all purpose flour until no lumps remain.
8) Add the milk to the pot and stir.
9) Let it simmer for a few minutes and then do a taste-test to check if you need to add salt or pepper. You can also choose to add some water if soup appears too thick, but chowder tastes best when its slightly on the thicker side.
10) Add the remaining 1/4 cup corn and serve warm!

This soup is reminiscent of the Veg. Sweet Corn soup that is popular in India.

Kairi Panha (Aam Panna)

It's truly amazing how each season comes along with their own set of recipes. In winter, we make use of nuts and seasonal vegetables that provide warmth. In summer, we make use of veggies and fruits to make cool and refreshing dishes to keep the heat out. There are such recipes that have been passed down from generations with hardly any changes. For me, aam panna or kairi panha as we call it in Marathi, is one such dish. I remember visiting my grandparents during summer as a child, and playing with cousins incessantly in the sweltering heat. When we came back for dinner, there was always a delicious, cool and refreshing drink waiting for us. This drink is made of raw mangoes, something that's only available around summer. It's got good amount of Vitamin C and its believed to be great for the digestive system too. Plan to prepare this a little ahead so that you can let it cool down for at least a couple hours.

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients
Raw Mangoes (Kairi) - 2 large, or 3 medium
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Procedure
1) In a pressure cooker, add 4 cups water and raw mangoes. Cook for three whistles, then reduce the flame to the lowest and let it cook for 10 more minutes.
2) Once the steam has escaped from the cooker, remove the raw mangoes (carefully!) and let them cool on a dish.
3) Peel the mangoes and remove the pulp from the seeds. Discard the seeds.
4) In a blender, blend together the mango pulp, salt, sugar, and cardamom. Start with 1/4 cup sugar and increase gradually. The amount of sugar needed will depend on the sourness of the raw mangoes and your sweet tooth :).
5) The drink will sweeten slightly when cooled so don't add too much sugar if it doesn't seem sweet enough.
6) If your blender does a super job, you don't need to sieve the drink. I prefer to sieve it because that's what my mom used to do :).
7) At this point, you can either add water and refrigerate the drink, or you can use the mixture as a concentrate and add water and ice when required. Because I'm lazy, I added the water once so I wouldn't have to do it later. You can add about 1.5-2 cups of water to dilute the drink.
8) Pour in a bottle and refrigerate for a couple hours till the drink has cooled enough.

Serve!

Spiced Caramel Apple Cake

I don't want to spend much time writing a post on this recipe and keep you away from the utter goodness of this cake. Just follow the three steps first:

Step 1: See picture below.

Step 2: Drool.

Step 3: Make the cake already! Its very easy to prepare and your house will smell divine when it's baking. I wish it was possible to bottle up the aroma to fight dreary days. But, that's another story.

This recipe will serve 4.

Ingredients

For caramel sauce:

Butter, at room temperature - 1/4 cup

Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup

For the cake:

Granny Smith or Golden Delicious Apples - 2 

Butter, at room temperature - 1/4 cup

All Purpose Flour - 1 and 1/3 cups

Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

Lemon Extract - 1/2 teaspoon

Granulated Sugar - 1 cup

Nutmeg - 1/2 teaspoon

Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon

Eggs, at room temperature - 2 small, or one large

Milk - 1/2 cup

Procedure

1) Start preheating the oven at 325 F.

2) Let's prepare the caramel sauce. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter until softened and just starting to melt.

3) Add brown sugar and mix until no lumps remain.

4) Place parchment paper at the bottom and around the edges of a regular cake pan (or if not using, grease the pan).

5) Spread the butter and sugar mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan.

6) Core the apples and slice them thinly. Place the apples in the cake pan over the sugar and butter mixture. Overlap them in layers, if required, to completely cover the base of the pan.

7) In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients : flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon.

8) In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat until creamy. Add vanilla and lemon extracts, and eggs and beat for a minute or two.

9) Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients mixture and mix gently with a spatula until no lumps remain. Do not overbeat!

10) Add half of the milk (1/4 cup) and mix until incorporated.

11) Add another 1/3rd of the dry ingredients mixture and mix. Add milk and mix again.

12) Add the remaining flour mixture and mix gently to combine.

13) Pour the batter over the apples in the cake pan and spread it out evenly.

14) Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 60 minutes (check once after 50 minutes to see if it's done. A toothpick inserted at the center of the cake should come out clean).

15) Remove the cake and place on cooling rack for 10 minutes. 

16) Place a plate on the cake pan and invert it to bring the apples and caramel layer on the top. Beautiful, isn't it?

17) This cake is best enjoyed warm and freshly baked, so add some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and dig right in :)

As you see in the pictures, I added some sliced apples on the side for an additional crunch. This cake is not too sweet with just the right balance of the flavors coming from the caramel, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It will go equally well with a cup of coffee or with ice cream as a dessert! I'm sure there won't be any leftovers for this one, but if there are, the cake will freeze well too (i.e., for dreary days).

Baingan Bharta (Vangyache Bharit)

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. In our household, this certainly holds true. Luckily, my husband is non fussy and pretty easy to please when it comes to food. There are some dishes though, that win me more affection and quite a lot of appreciation! Baingan bharta, or vangyache bharit as we call it in Marathi, is of those dishes. The key to a good bharta is the smoky flavor that comes from roasting the eggplant directly on the flame or even better, on coal. For people who are not blessed with a gas stove, you may use the electric stove, oven, or steam the eggplant. Unfortunately, the flavor will suffer a little. If you are cooking for someone special, you may also be able to get their help with cleaning the stove, for these eggplants sure are messy!

Making a bharta starts with choosing the right kind of eggplant. The bigger the better? Absolutely not. The larger ones tend to have more seeds and are harder to cook. You want to go with the ones that are medium sized and a little soft to touch. These are the ones that will have the most juices and impart a beautiful flavor to the dish. These are, unfortunately, also the ones who will make you use your elbow grease for cleaning after cooking on the flame, as a lot of juice will also run out as you cook!

I add my mom-in-law's touch to this dish and use Spring Onions in the recipe. I think it works really well.

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients
Eggplants (Medium sized) - 2
Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon and 3 tablespoons (divided)
Spring Onions - 4 bulbs with leaves
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato Puree - 3 tablespoons
Salt - 1.5 teaspoon or to taste
Green Chillies - 4 (or to taste)
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Ginger - 1 small bulb (about a tablespoon when minced)
Dhania Jeera Powder - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons (or to taste)
Haldi powder (Turmeric) - 1 teaspooon

Procedure
1) Wash the eggplant and wipe them dry. Apply about half a tablespoon olive oil (or any oil that you use) evenly on the eggplants.
2) Place the eggplants directly on the flame (one of each stove) and let it roast evenly on all sides. You may want to roast about 5-7 minutes on each side until it is cooked through and the skin looks charred. Be very careful when dealing with the eggplants directly on the flame!
3) When the eggplants are roasted, place them on to a large plate and set them aside to let them cool down.
4) While the eggplants are cooling, chop the green onion.
5) Prepare a paste of ginger, garlic and chillies. Ever since I've discovered how easy it is to make this paste at home and how much of an difference it makes to the overall flavor of the dish, I have stopped using readymade pastes. I use a small Oster mixer attachment that my parents brought me from India that does an amazing job grinding and making pastes!
Throw the chillies, ginger, and garlic into the grinder..

and two seconds later..voila! It probably costs much lesser too.

6) Place the paste aside and peel the eggplants.

7) Mash 'em up with a potato masher or back of a spoon. Try not to lose any of the precious juice!

8) Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan and add jeera and mustard seeds. Let them crackle and then add a pinch of hing.
9) Add chopped spring onions and a pinch of salt. Let them cook till they are slightly wilted.

10) Add the chilly-ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears, a minute or two.
11) Add tomato puree and let it cook for another minute or two, until bubbles appear around the edges.
12) Add the spices - haldi (turmeric), red chilly powder, dhania jeera powder and give it a good mix.

13) Add the mashed eggplant mixture and salt and mix to combine.
14) Cook on a low flame for 10 minutes. If your eggplants were juicy enough you won't need any water. If they were dry then you can add a tablespoon or two.

I served my bharta with jowar bhakri, thecha (red chilly paste, not for the meek!), and sliced onions sprinkled with lemon juice. I also had salted buttermilk on the side to bring down the spiciness a little :)

Hope you enjoy the dish!

"Frozen" Hot Chocolate

If you love chocolate and are craving for hot chocolate in summer, this drink is for you. If you don't love chocolate (or pretend not to), this recipe will make you fall in love.

It is super easy to prepare and everyone you serve it to will love you even more. I Promise.

This recipe serves two.

Ingredients
Milk - 2 cups
Hot cocoa mix packets (I used Nestle's) - 2
Semisweet Chocolate Chips - 2 tablespoons
Whipped cream on top (optional)
Chocolate sauce for garnish (optional)

Procedure
1) Boil milk in a saucepan on medium heat just until bubbles appear on the surface. Once they do, turn the heat off.
2) Pour the hot cocoa mix and stir with a whisk for 30 seconds.
3) Pour in the chocolate chips and whisk again until well incorporated.
4) Try not to drink all the hot chocolate. If you have a sweet-er tooth, add some more sugar at this step. Note that the hot cocoa mix already has some sugar.
5) Let the milk come down to room temperature.
6) After the milk has cooled, pour it in the serving glass.
7) Put the glass in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
8) After 30 minutes, remove from the freezer, add some whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings or chocolate sauce.

Note: The above recipe just cools the milk but does not set it. If you like a daiquiri type consistency, then you can pour the cocoa-milk mixture in ice tray, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool a little longer. When set, throw them in the blender and serve chilled. To make life easier, you could also make a bulk of hot chocolate and store it in the ice trays covered with plastic wrap for up to one week.

Strawberry Lassi to Beat the Heat

On our regular days, when my husband and I get home from work, we are super hungry and grab anything edible that's in sight. Most of the time, that happens to be a bag of chips, which is not very healthy. The aim is to be full just for an hour or two, until dinner is ready. One day, I made Strawberry Lassi and we got hooked to it. It is cooling, refreshing, low fat and much healthier than potato chips. Also in scorching temperatures during summers like the current one, it helps keep the body cool and hydrated. The ingredients are very simple and you can tweak the recipe to your preference. Also you can use other fruits such as mango or pineapple to make variations of lassi.

This recipe serves two.

Ingredients
Skim Milk - 1 and 1/3 cup
Plain Yogurt - 2/3 cup
Strawberries - 8-10
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Ice Cubes - 3-4
Honey - 1 tablespoon, or to taste (you can also use sugar, agave nectar, or sugar substitute)

Procedure
1) Blend all the ingredients together for about 10-15 seconds. That's it!

Easy Foccacia Recipe

Foccacia is very easy as compared to other breads, does not need much hard work with kneading or shaping and goes great with most soups and stews. It is also a great appetizer by itself with some herb olive oil! My recipe is adapted from Showmethecurry. I love their recipes!

Ingredients
All Purpose Flour - 2 cups
Warm Water - 1 cup
Yeast (preferably rapid rise) - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
Sea Salt - 1 tsp
Rosemary - 1 tsp
Thyme - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Procedure
1) In a small cup or bowl, add half a cup of warm water, yeast and sugar. Let it sit for about 10 minutes till the yeast blooms.
2) In a mixing bowl, mix in the all purpose flour and salt.
3) After the yeast has bloomed, add the water to the flour and start kneading. Gradually add more water and knead for 5-6 minutes till you get a soft and pliable dough. It should not be too sticky or dry.
4) Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and knead again for a minute or two.
5) Line a baking pan with parchment paper or if not using, grease the surface of the pan with olive oil. Place the dough in the baking dish and spread it so it has uniform thickness. Cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 1.5-2 hours. 
6) Preheat oven to 400F.
7) Mix a tablespoon of olive oil with sea salt, rosemary, and thyme and gently brush the oil mixture over the dough.
8) Let the bread bake in the over for 15-20 minutes. It should be golden-brown on the top.
9) Slice into pieces and save a large one for yourself!

Note: In the picture you see the tomatoes which I have not included in the recipe, because I felt that the tomatoes prevented the bread underneath from getting fully baked and so it would be best to skip them.

Hearty Italian Veggie Soup

There are some days when all you want is a nice and warm bowl of soup. This Italian Veggie Soup is perfect for one of those days, and feels especially satisfying on cold winter nights. It is like a carnival of flavors and is really and canvas, that you can play with endlessly to match your preferences. This soup goes really well with Garlic Pull-Apart Rolls or freshly baked dinner rolls.

Ingredients
Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Onion - 1 small
Diced Green Bell Pepper - 1 cup
Carrot - 1
Canned Crushed Tomatoes - 1 cup
Frozen Corn - 1/4 cup
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - about a teaspoon, or to taste
Salt - 2-3 teaspoons or to taste
Dried Rosemary - 1 teaspoon
Dried Thyme - 1 teaspoon
Chicken broth - 1 cup
Water - 0.5 cup
Italian Seasoning - 1 teaspoon or to taste

Procedure
1) Get all your ingredients ready - mince the garlic, dice the onion (does not have to be too fine), peel and dice the carrot and the bell pepper.
2) In a soup pot or a pan, start heating the olive oil on medium heat. You can substitute for vegetable or canola if you don't have olive oil on hand.
3) One the oil is heated enough, throw in the minced garlic and diced onion and saute for two minutes, until the onion and garlic start browning on the edges.
3) Add in the carrot and bell pepper and saute for two more minutes. You can also add other veggies that you like at this step (artichokes, boiled potatoes, zucchini) or omit some that you don't.
4) Add the crushed tomatoes and cook until bubbles appear on the surface and around the edges.
5) Add the chicken broth and half a cup water and mix well.
6) Add in the seasonings - crushed red bell pepper, salt, thyme, rosemary.
If I ever met the person who discovered thyme and rosemary, I would hug them for 10 minutes. Maybe more.
7) Let the soup cook for about 7-8 minutes on medium heat. Add the corn and let it cook for a minute more. Do a taste-test and adjust the seasonings until you love the balance of the flavors. Add water if the soup appears too thick.

Sprinkle some more Italian seasoning while serving the soup. A spoonful of pesto mixed just before serving also gives a very interesting dimension to this soup!

Serve warm with pull apart rolls, dinner rolls, or a Foccacia and enjoy your supper!

Blueberry Cobbler

There's really nothing much to say about this dish. It's sweet, tart, rich, and very summery. Combine it with vanilla ice cream to make a dessert which reminds you why you are blessed to be alive and taste something so delicious. My recipe is an inspired/modifed version of this one.

Ingredients

Fresh Blueberries - 2 cups
Sugar - 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons (divided)

Orange, Mango, or Pineapple Juice - 2 tablespoons
All Purpose Flour - 2/3 cups
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Milk - 3 tablespoons
Egg (preferably at room temperature) - 1
Butter (regular, unsalted and at room temperature) - 1/4 cup
Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp 

Procedure

1) Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2) Line a cake pan with parchment paper (or grease it with butter and a little flour). I used a regular circular cake pan and it worked great with this recipe.
3) In the baking dish, mix the berries, orange/mango/pineapple juice and add 1.5 tablespoons sugar. Give it a good mix and let it rest while you finish the next steps.
4) In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. If using self rising flour, skip the baking powder. If using salted butter, skip the salt.
5) Take another bowl (I'm making you use a lot of bowls but I assure you it will be worth it) and cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until its nice and silky. Sometimes the egg curdles when you add it to the butter-sugar mixture. This can be avoided by using eggs at room temperature.
6) Now add 1/4 of the flour mixture to the egg-butter mixture and mix lightly, just until incorporated. Then add a tablespoon of milk. Mix well and continue adding flour and milk alternately.
7) Pour the batter over the berry mixture and mix lightly. Let the orange juice get mixed with the batter.
8) Bake in the over for about 35 minutes. After 20-25 minutes, sprinkle the cobbler with about half a tablespoon sugar and let it bake for another 10 minutes.
9) Remove from oven when the surface is golden brown and let it cool if you have the patience. If not, dig right in!

This goes great with a dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Go ahead and have a second serving, you deserve it!

Easy Carrot-Cucumber Paratha

I love Carrot-Cucumber parathas as they are easy to make, pack a lot of punch (Read : whole wheat, carrots, cucumbers, low fat), and they can be served just by themselves! Parathas, in general, are very versatile. There are so many varieties of parathas like Gobi (Cauliflower), Aloo (Potato), Mooli (Radish) and there is always an opportunity to mix and match the ingredients. I make my parathas without much oil or fat. But according to the original recipe, they are to be dunked in butter (ghee) or oil. It just depends on your preference. Either way, these are scrumptious.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour or Atta - 2 cups

Seedless Cucumber (preferred, or with seeds would also work) - 1 large

Carrot - 1

Salt - 3 tsp (divided)

Ajwain or Carom Seeds - 0.5 tsp (Optional)

Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

Haldi or Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure

1) Remove the skin of the cucumber. Grate it and add 1 tsp salt. Let it sit in a for about 10 mins so that all the water has oozed out. If your cucumber was not seedless, pick and toss out all the seeds.

2) In the meanwhile, de-skin and grate the carrot. There should not be much water to get rid of, so you can leave it as it is.

3) To get your dough going, mix together the flour, 2 tsp salt, tumeric powder, ajwain, and red chilly powder.

4) Using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible out of the grated cucumber and reserve the water.

5) Add grated carrot and cucumber to the flour mixture and start kneading.

Add very little reserved cucumber juice at a time to make a soft pliable dough. It is important to add water very little at a time as the cucumber has tendency to give out water and dough becomes very sticky if not careful. If it does, just add some more flour but avoid adding too much as it will throw off the balance of the ingredients.

6) Add oil and continue kneading for a minute or two.

7) Cover the dough with a kitchen cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.

8) Heat a griddle and make golf size balls of the dough. Roll the parathas taking care that they are not too thin. Use some flour to prevent the paratha from sticking to the rolling surf.ace.

9) Put the paratha on the griddle and let it cook until small bubbles appear on the surface. Flip it and let it cook until it has brown spots all over the surface. Flip it again and let it cook similarly on the other side. At this point you may choose to apply some oil or butter (ghee) on either or both sides of the paratha.

10) Continue the process for other parathas.

These parathas are great served just with yogurt and pickle, or can be served with the curry of your choice. I love tomato curry prepared in Gujrati style to go with these parathas. This is a great wholesome option when you want to have a quick dinner and have limited ingredients at hand! You could also skip the cucumber and increase the quantity of carrots to make just carrot parathas, but the flavor that cucumber imparts to this parathas is refreshing to the palate. Give it a try!