tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-129995992012-02-16T04:44:59.938-05:00Wherever food tastes great,<br> And the flavours are First Rate.<br> Where a healthy sumptuous meal,<br> Is served with a homely feel.<br> Somebody has discovered the trick:<br> The recipes of Cookerific!<br>Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.comBlogger681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-24752292389437497082009-05-14T09:42:00.002-04:002009-05-14T09:50:10.789-04:00

Weekday, not enough time to prepare a nice dessert, or make a run to Cake Love? Don't Worry there are ways to make that scoop of grocery store ice cream more exciting. Here is what you need to do:1. Take a frozen waffle and microwave it for 15-20 seconds (till it is soft) [Well, now if you don't even have frozen waffle, take a slice of bread, cut off the sides, sprinkle a few drops of water

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-24698003235630579202007-05-11T12:00:00.000-04:002007-05-11T12:19:40.984-04:00

This warm sald came about by accident...a rather propitious one at that. I wanted to make a Morrocan roasted beet salad from the May, 2007 issue of Gourmet. The same page also had the recipe for a braised carrot dish. I prepped all the ingredients for the beet salad and then realised that I had actually bought carrots instead of beets. But since I really wanted to make the Morrocan salad I just

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-61292151044027210242007-05-07T07:32:00.000-04:002008-12-09T00:02:09.076-05:00

I have been going through two of books on Mexican cuisine by Rick Bayless. Mexican Everyday takes authentic Mexican dishes and gives it a little tweak here and there to make a quick, wholesome meal. Mexico One Plate at a Time is the companion book to his award winning series on PBS by the same name. The second book is little more detailed, with an emphasis on technique and ingredients. I had

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-5185391553785559772007-05-02T10:15:00.000-04:002007-05-02T10:32:46.554-04:00

Swiss Chard is one of our favourite greens. And cooked with pumpkin cubes and dry red chillies, it makes a really pretty dish....with all the greens and oranges and reds in it.Ingredients:Pumpin/Calabaza - 3 cups, cubedSwiss Chard - 2 bunches*Onion - 1/2 cup, dicedGinger - 1/2 inch knob, mincedPanch Phoron - 1 tspDry Red Chillies - 2, brokenCoriander Seed/Dhaniya Powder - 1 tspOlive Oil - 1

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-33888999349020843532007-04-30T15:42:00.000-04:002007-04-30T16:00:14.497-04:00

This is a quick dal for middle of the week dinners at our place.Ingredients:Sabut Massor Daal - 1.5 cupsTomato - 1 large, coarsely choppedCoriander/Dhaniya Powder - 1 tspsRed Chilli Powder - 1 tsps/to tasteSalt - to tasteGinger - 2 inch piece juliened, reserve some for garnishTempering:Ghee - 1.5 tbspsCloves - 6Hing - a pinchGarlic - 1 tsp, mincedCumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tspMethod:1. Pressure cook

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1162394408153179732006-11-01T09:41:00.000-05:002008-12-09T00:02:09.477-05:00

The secret to good cooking is good, fresh ingredients, everyone knows that. But with our hectic nine to five lifestyles it is not very easy to implement. Case in point being jeere-dhone-ada-bata which is a simple spice blend used in most Bengali cooking. Equal quantities of cumin seed, corainder seeds and fresh ginger are ground together into a paste and used for flavouring vegetable dishes as

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1161868385200933302006-10-26T09:12:00.000-04:002006-10-26T15:47:49.470-04:00

The inspiration for this came to me during one of my many net trawling sessions. The original recipe can be found here. I added a red pepper and a few unpeeled garlic cloves in the roasting pan with the tomatoes. I did not have fresh basil so we had the soup without the basil, but it would certainly brighten the soup a lot more. So don't skimp out on the basil.Ingredients:Israel Tomatoes - 2 lbs,

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1161868383078354792006-10-26T09:11:00.000-04:002006-10-26T09:13:03.086-04:00

 

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1161138188889591812006-10-17T21:43:00.000-04:002006-10-17T22:42:31.076-04:00

Lemon Rice was one of the many horrors that the Haryanvi cooks at our hostel mess regularly produced in their misguided attempts at South Indian cuisine. It was so bad that the mere mention of lemon rice would send me stomping out of the mess halls. The rice was yellow, gluey and with no hint of the lemon flavour which gives the dish its name. Luckily in the past few years my relationship with

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1161012185722618012006-10-16T11:03:00.000-04:002006-10-16T11:23:05.850-04:00

After a hectic weekend of partying and wedding festivities our palates and tummies were still dealing with the after effects of over indulgence. We were craving a simple dal and rice dinner. So here's what we made last night.Ingredients:Yellow Moong Dal - 1 cupLauki/Lau - 1 small, chopped to make about 2-3 cups*Tomato - 1 small, choppedTurmeric Powder - 1/2 tspSalt - to tasteGreen Chillies - 3

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1158235226800508392006-09-14T07:59:00.000-04:002006-09-14T09:47:45.813-04:00

Ingredients:Daikon Radish - 1 large, grated (makes about 3 cups)Panch Phoron - 1 tbspsDry Red Chilli - 2 to 3Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspSalt - to tasteDried, shredded Coconut - 1/2 cupVegetable Oil - 1 tbspfor garnishCilantro - 1 tbsp, choppedCumin - 1 tbsp, dry roasted and then powderedIngredients:1. Heat oil, add panch phoron and dry red chilli. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the grated

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1158235101748018392006-09-14T07:57:00.000-04:002006-09-14T09:24:40.390-04:00

This is an everyday kind of dish in Bengali homes and I finally got it right. Green papayas (pepe in Bengali)are available year round in most grocery stores. Just poke a a little under the skin of the one you like. If it oozes out a milky white substance its fresh or else keep looking.Ingredients:Green Papaya - 1 medium sizedKala Chana or Whole Bengal Gram - 1/2 cup, soaked overnightTomato - 1

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1158027803415475502006-09-11T21:22:00.000-04:002006-09-11T22:23:23.693-04:00

As kids my sister and I were fascinated with a particular sort of steel plate- the ones with compartments, like the ones at our local dosa joint-Hotel Madras. In our childish minds these plates were thali's and every other kind of dinner plate was,well just a plate. At one point our parents even bought us a set of thali's and as far as I can rememeber that was the end of our fascination. At

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1157715751272064562006-09-08T07:41:00.000-04:002006-09-08T09:33:49.083-04:00

On our last library trip we got a book on west African food traditions called Mother Africa's Table. It has detailed menu's for various ceremonies and family get togethers that are celebrated by African Americans as well as by West Africans. Jollof Rice was listed on several menu's and the fact that it uses a puree of onions, tomatoes and bell peppers seemed very intriguing. I had most of the

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1156159505852823462006-08-21T07:20:00.000-04:002006-08-21T20:21:28.386-04:00

I finally got myself a proper cast iron pan last week.Thanks to craigslist I got this brand new, pre seasoned Emerilware grill pan for half the market price. I had been looking for one for quite sometime now but could not justify paying 25-30 dollars for a pan that I would use only occassionally. Besides maintaining a cast iron pan takes some effort in this age of non stick pots and pans. Then

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1155268709017458802006-08-10T23:55:00.000-04:002006-08-14T12:10:57.916-04:00

Remove crusts from four slices of whole grain bread. Take the crusts, cut them up into cubes. Put the cubed crusts (to be made into croutons at some unspecified timein the future) in a ziploc bag and forget about it. Now, dice three to four sun dried tomato halves, mince a few basil leaves and thinly slice the white part of three spring onions. Spread cream cheese on all four slices. Top one

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1154916592437481082006-08-06T22:09:00.000-04:002006-08-07T11:27:59.263-04:00

This recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor is listed in the complementary recipes section of his web site. Its rather innovative use of mashed dal as a gravy thickener was what caught my eye. I made two batches of the dish, one with boiled egg halves and one with whole eggs. They tasted the same, though the one with egg halves definitely looks prettier. I also added more than the listed amount of coconut

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1154565373431465692006-08-02T20:34:00.000-04:002006-08-07T11:34:47.113-04:00

Pearl Onions were called sambhar onions back home for a reason. My mother used them only to make sambhar and that is all I knew about them till we started to get a small bag home every now on then. I guess my initial apprehension had everything to do with my misconceptions about peeling them. But the first bag of onions came with a little note with instruction. All you have to do is apparently

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1154564880021350542006-08-02T20:15:00.000-04:002006-08-02T20:28:00.030-04:00

Another new green, snow pea shoots are the fragrant top leaves of the snow pea plant. I got a boxed packet of these greens at the local Asian grocery store. The leaves, the shoots as well as the wispy tendrils are tender and edible. I simply sauteed them with some panch phoron , green chillies, thinly sliced garlic and a minced shallot. As you can see I did add a nice sprinkle of roasted sesame

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1153071465251740042006-07-16T13:36:00.000-04:002006-07-16T18:56:21.500-04:00

I recently bought a copy of Bengali Cooking by Chitrita Banerjee. Part cook book, part autobiography and part of social commentary, I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to enhance his/her knowledge of Bengali cuisine. However, this book is not for the average cooking enthusiast (though there is a detailed glossary of terms and a few suggested menus at the end) as without a

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1152238383677252062006-07-06T22:11:00.000-04:002006-07-07T08:56:55.883-04:00

Grad School is usually one huge juggling act involving classes, research deadlines, unforgiving advisors, TA work and internet surfing. Add to this a lean, mean paycheck and it's no wonder that the average grad student pantry is like this:Fortunately my two years in Grad School had very few Ramen days, thanks to my roommate. She was not only an awesome cook but also a dietician by proffesion so

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1150036046884518302006-06-11T09:54:00.000-04:002006-06-11T10:27:27.143-04:00

This is what you make when your attempts at making green banana kofta's goes terribly wrong because you bought home plantains instead of...you guessed it, green bananas. Wait!! this gets better. You pressure cook the stuff on hand because you have still not realised your mistake and whistle a merry tune while the pressure cooker whistles its own whistle merrily. You sit around and twiddle your

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1150033633735750782006-06-11T09:13:00.000-04:002006-06-11T09:47:13.846-04:00

This is one of my favourite breakfast foods. Back home this was a winter speciality, mainly due to the availability of peas, cauliflowers, carrots, gren peppers during the season. But thanks to the frozen aisle at the grocery store, now I can have it any time, I did not have cauliflowers, but if you have fresh cauliflower at hand, add it to increase the yum factor. But remember to chop it into

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1149442789241669792006-06-04T13:18:00.000-04:002006-06-05T09:04:12.826-04:00

I discovered pickles during my undergrad years when a dollop of some spicy avakkai or a tart lime pickle were the only ways of perking up a bland, tasteless meal which was called “grub”. Till this day I like a little pickled something on my plate if I can have it. Usually it’s the standard mixed vegetable pickle available at most grocery stores, but off late I have been making some of my own

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1143405817480078142006-03-26T15:42:00.000-05:002006-03-26T17:49:48.230-05:00

all fresh and rejuvenated. And look what came back with me from India this time around.A little round pan or call it a large ladle....its upto you. I really don't know if this is called by any particular name but I do know that it comes very handy while tempering dals, chutneys and curries which are seasoned after cooking. I also use it to season my curd rice.I used to have an old hand me down

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1137445883636475702006-01-16T16:08:00.000-05:002006-01-16T19:44:47.233-05:00

I love cooking with new and exotic ingredients. The stranger the better says the Boy. Fennel has been on my to-try list for quite some time. I use fennel seeds quite liberally in my cooking and as a mouth freshener, but fresh fennel by way of fronds and bulbs was something new. So this week, I bought a nice, shiny bulb of fennel for experimentation at the Korean store. After a fair bit of

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1136734476568280552006-01-08T10:33:00.000-05:002006-01-16T07:35:41.966-05:00

A friend of ours gave us some organic home grown sweet potatoes some time back. I had never cooked with sweet potatoes and was stumped for ideas. I did remember my mother making fried sweet potato and coconut balls soaked in syrup...something similar to gulab jamun for Sankranti. Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated in many parts of India on the 14th or 15th of January. Being a harvest

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1136386605313455882006-01-04T09:55:00.000-05:002006-01-08T10:32:51.436-05:00

I had some apples sitting in the fruit platter for over a week. They were getting more and more depressed with every passing day. Finally last night I took pity and put them out of their misery by turning them into an apple crumble. I settled for a crumble as it is less involved than a pie and also a little healthier. The crumble was a mixture of roughly equal parts butter, brown sugar, flour,

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1134519708922422412005-12-13T19:07:00.000-05:002005-12-19T11:51:17.196-05:00

I find the regional variety in India's cuisine quite mind boggling, but then again given the diverse cultural and social mores of each state it is only natural that the food habits be equally diverse. Although for the average North Indian (defined as one who believes the region South of the Vindhya's is inhabited by a strange race called South Indian's or Madrasi's) South Indian food means idli.

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1134518806478760432005-12-13T18:45:00.000-05:002005-12-19T11:53:23.336-05:00

Fresh pumpkin mashed with freshly grated coconut and a dash of mustard oil, seasoned with sliced green chillies and salt will make many a true blue Bengali skip a heart beat. Atleast it's known to have that effect on my mother. But I prefer the vegetable in all its sweet glory and thehigh spice index of the above concotion just does not work for me. Pumpkin simply stirfried with panch phoron and

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1133829362756252832005-12-05T18:23:00.000-05:002005-12-05T19:36:02.773-05:00

This is one of my quick and easy dal preparations. I always associate this dal with our friend Pankaj. I had rustled this up during one of his visits to Greenbelt and he always kept asking me for it on subsequent visits. It was quite difficult to reproduce the results as I had not written down the recipe. But as I broadly remembered the ingredients I kept trying and keeping mental notes ever

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1132283509087887232005-11-17T22:05:00.000-05:002005-11-17T22:11:49.120-05:00

Dear cookerific constituents,Why do we put Kokum into food? Why do we spoil a perfectly nice Dal, by adding these dark inedible whatevers into them? Join me in passing a resolution against adding Kokum to foods. Choose the good life and good taste. Ban Kokum. (If you don't know what Kokum is. . .trust me. It's horrible.)Please place your vote in the reply. From your official eating

Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1131928218913867142005-11-13T19:23:00.000-05:002005-11-13T19:31:05.356-05:00

OK... this is hard core experimental. Its akin to 'exploratory research to pursue bold ideas'!! It resulted from my great love for Bleu Cheese, the need to get rid of some spinach lest it should get spoilt and the habit of starting every dish with some cumin.First wash the spinach and then boil it so that it becomes very soft.Crumble some Bleu Cheese (about half a slab) and about 1/3 of a butter

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1131901973900803892005-11-13T11:41:00.000-05:002005-11-13T12:12:53.920-05:00

Khichuri/Khichdi is one pot meal all of us cherish, specially during the winter months. I am obviously talking about the spicier wholesome version as compared to the yellow mush which is pedalled as sick grub. Last night we found ourselves with company during dinner time and decided to invite them over. Khichuri was the ideal choice as I had a less than full refrigerator at the time.I made the

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1130158668195071402005-10-24T08:40:00.000-04:002005-10-24T08:57:48.216-04:00

Dried figs are a comfort food for me. Drying concentrates the sugars into a jelly like centre sprinkled with crunchy seeds - nature's own soft centered candy. But sometimes these dry out a little too much and get a little too hard for chewing comfort. Here's what you can do with them:Take-1/4 cup water-1/4 cup Bacardi Gold Rum-1 orange, zested and juiced -1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon -1

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1129562641649135752005-10-17T11:07:00.000-04:002005-10-17T11:49:30.873-04:00

I had half a block of tofu, a nearly empty jar of Thai red curry paste and half a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator - crying out to be used. Since I had some of these in the freezer I decided to throw them in as well and overdo the basil and rustle up a very basil-y tofu and sausage curry in a creamy coconut gravy. In retrospect I should have added some ginger and garlic paste for some

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1128474564821063232005-10-04T21:07:00.000-04:002005-10-04T21:09:24.826-04:00

Very quick.Green TomatoesBasilMozarella CheeseVinniagrette dressingOlive oilproportionately mixed. Toss and serve! :)

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1126926880670145452005-09-16T21:57:00.001-04:002005-09-16T23:14:40.676-04:00

I have been quite adventurous food wise off late. This week during our weekly grocery trip to Han-Ah Rheum I went in eager to pick up the first strange looking vegetable to come my way. And believe you me when I say there is no better place to befriend strange and unknown vegetables than the produce aisles of your neighbourhood Korean grocery store. After wandering around aimlessly for some time,

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1126924722920413222005-09-16T21:57:00.000-04:002005-09-16T22:38:42.926-04:00

Coconut barfi's are a stale during any festival in most coastal regions of India. They might be called different names, have slightly different shapes, they might even be garnished differently but one thing never changes and that is the taste which is best described as yummm....As far as I remember my mom has always made some variety or the other of these during Durga Puja. She has this set of

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1125881902037970182005-09-04T20:56:00.000-04:002005-09-04T20:58:22.043-04:00

I protest... I don't have a camera and if you make it mandatory to post photographs of dishes, I will have to stop posting... very very unfair!!!! Grump!!!!Meanwhile, go read the Sept 5th edition of the New Yorker... Its a foodie's delight.

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1125682769200487942005-09-02T13:37:00.000-04:002005-09-02T13:39:29.206-04:00

You know we need to start posting pictures of the food we cook, if we want this space to evolve into a self-respecting foodie blog...

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1125251297671180792005-08-28T13:29:00.000-04:002005-08-28T13:51:38.980-04:00

I cooked this dish last night... if you like subtle tastes, you'll like this.Ingredients:Bone less chicken slices (look for the chicken thats for stir frying)MushroomsHalf an OnionMinced Ginger (use your own measure)Half-boiled Potatoes (3-4 minutes in the microwave)Some plain yogurtSeasoning:- Parsley- Oregano- ThymeSpices:- Cumin seeds (a pinch)Equipment:A skillet. (Preferably something thats

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1125090307132630772005-08-26T16:57:00.000-04:002005-08-26T17:05:07.146-04:00

The morning was spent evaluating bus stop locations and signalized intersections for pedestrian safety with my colleague. Since we were in Takoma Park, we decided to drop by The Savory Cafe for lunch. Located in the heart of dowtown Takoma Park, the exterior belies this really sunny cafe's cavernous interiors (this is horrible grammar...but with an overfed belly who cares!!!). Now now, don't go

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1124205187612134112005-08-16T10:55:00.000-04:002005-08-16T11:13:07.623-04:00

My mom made this dish last night for dinner. We had this with rice, but in retrospect bread might have been a better choice . You will need Chaat Masala and Garam Masala for this dish. Garam Masala is available in most grocery stores in the US now but Chaat Masala is still solely available in the Asian stores. If you don't have it handy just substitute it with a mix of equal parts rock salt and

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1124118219188918192005-08-15T10:29:00.000-04:002005-08-15T11:21:29.106-04:00

I come from one of the most industrialized cities of India located in the heart of the Chotanagpur Plateau – known for its rich natural resources, vibrant tribal life, lush forests and yes, the mildly musical, wildly exotic names. Being a steel town, life revolves around the mammoth blast furnaces for most people. There is a certain discipline to life there, almost bordering on boredom during the

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1124060734855184482005-08-14T18:53:00.000-04:002005-08-14T19:05:34.860-04:00

Sorry folks haven't posted an original recipe in a long time. But then, I've been in the middle of a move and so completely out of the kitchen. Now, if I may lend you some kitchen related advice (if you ignore this you will get yourself a recipe for disaster, as I did), as and when you are moving from one end of the country to the other (or to somewhere in the middle, as in my case) and you are

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1123590168335135922005-08-09T08:21:00.000-04:002005-08-09T08:22:48.343-04:00

As a graduate student I lived in a house with three more students. The meager pay was enough to send us scuttling into the kitchen, experimenting with pots, pans, knives, vegetables and spices to keep body and soul from being rent apart by penury. My initial forays into the kitchen were quite disastrous, much to the amusement of my housemates. After a few mishaps however an emergency meeting(

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1123197143200773382005-08-04T19:12:00.000-04:002005-08-04T19:16:37.620-04:00

Just because we have been so dormant on this forum, here's some news...I bought a new pot for myself. I had been feeling the need for a pot for some time now and then last week while making pasta the lack of a suitable vessel to boil water in really hit us hard (we just moved into our new place and our still setting it up- for those who did not know!!). Hence a trip was made to Bed Bath and

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1122948628822133892005-08-01T18:04:00.000-04:002005-08-04T19:11:49.276-04:00

My Mom and I made this for a party we threw for friends a few days back. The original recipe is from Sanjeev Kapoor but I have experimented with it quite a few times with very good results. For a healthier variation subsitute paneer with tofu.Paneer (cubed)- 250 gmsOnion (sliced) - 1 mediumCinnamon - 1/2 stickCloves - 6Green Cardamoms - 6Bay Leaf - 1Black Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp (may subsitute with

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1119629659167416002005-06-24T12:03:00.000-04:002005-06-24T12:14:45.706-04:00

Nothing Special about this one; but i tried it this week and it was . yummy ... so here goes2 Zucchini Squash2 Yellow Squash (you know, looks like zucchini that has turned yellow)2 Medium Red OnionsRosemary, Basil, Thyme (dry)Oil SprayCut the Squash in 1/4" discs (if you want to be fancy, cut the squash in an inclined angle so you get ellipsoidal crosssections; or use a crinkly knife so

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1119011241361158352005-06-17T08:18:00.000-04:002005-06-17T08:27:21.366-04:00

The basic recipe for this dish was taken from Sanjeev Kapoor's web site. As usual I modified them a little to make use of whatever ingredients I had at home ( the original called for fresh red chillies I used dry ones). I also added some lemon zest to it as I personally love the lemon zest and chicken combination.IngredientsChicken breasts with bone in - 3Garlic (chopped) - 3 big clovesGinger (

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1118863720551964222005-06-15T15:17:00.000-04:002005-06-15T15:28:40.563-04:00

I am one of those lazy people who love baking mixes. My favourite one right now is this. This weekend I experimented with the mix and the result was a batch of amazingly moist and lip smackingly flavourful muffins. I would have put in a picture of my lovelies but I did not have the right size cups, so my muffins looked a little lost in their oversized dresses...will have to wait for the next

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1118424285707805142005-06-10T13:17:00.000-04:002005-06-10T13:24:45.710-04:00

Hello all,Well Begun is Half Done. All's well that ends well. So, let's start the day with some exciting "Pauli Style Breakfast". . . to get you as motivated and roaring to face the day as Pauli is. . .every day. . .of the year. . .because he mostly has the same breakfast, when he does have time to make something up that is. 1. Put two slices of Wheat-Cranberry bread (usually purchased from

Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1118321650350568352005-06-09T08:50:00.000-04:002005-06-09T08:54:10.356-04:00

This is something my colleague made for us and I decided to put it in because it was so good. My colleague said she chose to use yellow pepper instead of green, add more onions, and double the sauce, and let it chill overnight. 1-16oz red kidney beans (drained)1-16oz can cut wax beans (drained) 1-16oz can black eye peas (drained) 1-16oz can cut green beans (drained) 1 med. green pepper, thinly

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1118066657488383112005-06-06T09:48:00.000-04:002005-06-06T10:04:17.493-04:00

This is a nice sweetish tasting rice that I made this weekend. I served it with some stir fried bokchoy and mushrooms.For the rice:Orange Zest - 1 tablespoon and keep some for garnishMinced Fresh Ginger - 1 tablespoonMinced Onion- 1 medium sizedBrown Rice - 1 cupWater /Broth - 2 cupsOil - 1.5 teaspoonsSalt and Pepper to TasteDried Parsley - For garnishHeat oil in a pot, add onions and sautee till

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117731893595677272005-06-02T13:03:00.000-04:002005-06-02T13:04:53.596-04:00

Try this link. It gives a very good recipe for "Tele Bhaja".

Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117655865695611052005-06-01T15:36:00.000-04:002005-06-01T23:21:17.863-04:00

Well, I am a firm believer in learning from the past and re-inventing it to suit the needs of the present. As such the people from Calcutta will not find anything exotic in this recipe of mine, but those who have not seen it will love it. Plus i like answering calls of help from friends, so Anyesha this one is for you!Here goes:6 eggs4 indian store plain Parathas (tortillas will do as well)2

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117568253436934192005-05-31T15:34:00.000-04:002005-05-31T15:37:33.436-04:00

I have to make a quick interesting dish for a potluck...nothing exotic( the target audience in this case would consider ginger an exotic ingredient)...preferably appetizerish requiring minimum effort and having maximum impact..Any ideas? And yes I don't want to spend a lot and I don't care very much for the arteries of the said audience.

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117567790930497102005-05-31T15:16:00.000-04:002005-05-31T15:29:50.933-04:00

This is a recipe for Hyderabadi khichdi which I got from a Pakistani colleague. Its simple and elegant and tastes quite different, though a little on the drier side. Try it with yogurt and green chutney. My forays into the kitchen this weekend were not very satisfying. My Sindhi kadi turned into a bland sambhar like dish. Will try to perfect it and post it some day.Ingredients:Basmati Rice - 3

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117560576800768172005-05-31T13:06:00.000-04:002005-05-31T13:29:36.806-04:00

I usually consider this as comfort food. Very easy to make and very soothing for the mind and body. Have it on a rainy evening after a long and difficult day.Ingredients:n cups of rice, n/2 cups of Dal (mussor works best, the orange one that is)4 Dollops of Desi GheeHalf an onion, sliced thinPanch Phoron : 1 pinchSome finely chopped gingerA pinch jeera powder, dhanya powder, mirchi and

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117556331462168712005-05-31T12:04:00.000-04:002005-05-31T12:18:51.466-04:00

This is the recipe for a very simple dip that Theron and me tried last weekend. We had it with baked potates, but it can be used with chips, chops, pakodas, rotis, as raita, or just eat it with a spoon. Its YUMMY. The recipe uses yogurt which is very nutritious too!!2 cups of plain lowfat yogurt (you can use non-fat/regular depending on your taste or calorie restrictions)1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117339913379672282005-05-28T23:55:00.000-04:002005-05-29T00:11:53.383-04:00

Sunday ho ya monday,Roz khao ande.I find eggs to be one of the most versatile ingredients, lending itself to so many different dishes, but one all time favourite is omlettes. While in India, I was used to only adding onions and green chillies to them, but here I have experimented with many more additions/fillings.One awesome (not so rare, unique or original) is the following:Chop onions, red bell

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1117129878824557202005-05-26T13:38:00.000-04:002005-05-26T14:08:44.220-04:00

If cooking is an art, then just reproduction is not satisfying to the artist.Following this, I often do not use recipes but use my imagination. Even for things like baking a cake! So this weekend, armed with just my instincts, a few ingredients, and a very helpful boyfriend, I baked a cake! and it turned out so well, I might as well patent it.But i will give you all a sneak preview:Director:

Ayushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17261756018070275963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1116954088581203432005-05-24T12:34:00.000-04:002005-05-24T13:01:28.586-04:00

Hello all,When your girlfriend is angry with you, make dinner for her like this. 1. Boil a bunch of water with a couple of shakes of salt from a normal salt shaker. 2. Add some premium quality Japanese Somen Noodle. I bought mine at Han Ah Reum. . .the stuff that comes in neat perfectly sized packages of straight noodle, tied together in small bunches with little paper belts written with

Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1116464771575300322005-05-18T20:59:00.000-04:002005-05-18T21:06:11.580-04:00

Folks,My housemate Bruce made this recipe a few weeks back. Its his Grandmother's recipe, and I must say we all enjoyed it. He sent me a copy afterwards and here it is.Enjoy,amlanCaptain's Delight1 cup mushroom soup (1 can Campbell`s)1/2 cup milk (generous half cup)2/3 cup grated cheese (I used Vermont sharp cheddar)1 1/3 cups Uncle Ben`s rice (I suggest you use a Basmati variety, and soak it/

Amlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11589736943666339137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1116462034526365482005-05-18T20:19:00.000-04:002005-05-18T20:20:34.530-04:00

Amlan Mukherjee writes: I tried to cook a pasta dish last night with Indian spices. Trader Joe's sells a version that I have relished and was wondering if I could imitate it.Usually when I make pasta I use a prego alfredo/marinara sauce, but yesterday I decided to use a pesto vinaigrette. It was a very nice sauce and I augmented it and things turned out rather well. It did not taste like the

Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1116436263637146952005-05-18T13:03:00.000-04:002005-05-18T13:11:03.643-04:00

These recipes were initially adapted from the original Thai recipes so that I could use up some leftover basil. Then I realized that I did not have galangal either so I used plain ginger instead–worked just as well. And as some of the ingredients are common between both dishes the prep time goes down.Rice Noodles with Thai PestoIngredients:1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro1⁄2 cup fresh basil1 Tbs. garlic1

Anyeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828631537050815636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12999599.post-1116431550214456862005-05-18T11:49:00.000-04:002005-05-18T11:52:30.220-04:00

This is pretty much my first and last word on the subject of cooking. Spoken by my cooking guru Amlan Mukherjee (who has since given up on cooking, and now lives on home grown pumpkins and hungry-man frozen meals). . .rarely have greater pearls of wisdom been handed down the generations. Overhead almost for all dishes: (will be refered to as Ingredient x). Everything marked with a star (*) is

Subhamoy Palhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15956822073445456549noreply@blogger.com1