Broccoli Pakora (Fritters) Sticks

“Anything on a stick

Becomes fun to eat,

Be it sweet or savory

It’s a welcome treat.

Colorful and simple

Like burgers gone small,

These cute bright fritters

Should go up on a wall.

Pop them in,

With chutney of any kind,

Keep one eye on them

For they won’t leave your mind.

Like art in your mouth

It’s another bite in line,

This number 27

Is quite a favorite of mine.”

Ingredients

For the pakoras (fritters)

1 cup broccoli, grated or finely chopped

½  cup onion, grated

¼ cup red pepper, finely chopped (optional)

4 tablespoons gram flour

½ teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon coriander powder

3 tablespoons olive oil to pan fry

Salt & pepper to taste

Others

5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved

5-6 baby potatoes, boiled and halved

Coriander or basil leaves

Make the pakoras

Combine all the ingredients for the pakoras (except the oil) and mix well with your hands. Eventually the vegetables will start to leave a little water and the gram flour will help bind them, making a sticky mixture.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Make little ping pong ball sized rounds from the mixture and pan fry till crisp and brown. Rub a little oil on your hands before making the rounds so the batter doesn’t stick to your hands.

Sandwich the pakora between two halves of tomato or potato, secure with a toothpick and serve fresh with yogurt or mint chutney. A really easy & cute bite sized snack!

Baileys Quickies – Chocolate Mousse & Espresso Ice Cocktail

“If you’re lazy & you know it

Clap your hands,

If you want a dessert whipped as fast

As quicksand,

If you like shortcuts & recipes easy

Stand up please,

If you enjoy coffee, chocolate & indulgence

Say Irish cream,

If you grab your cake and to eat it too

You’re not a bore,

If you want to feel lost in magical taste,

Seek no more.”

I know I know. It's wrong to make mousse the short-hand way. It shows lack of skill and a shiftless attitude, not befitting someone who creates. Or cooks. But when it comes to that dreamy-whipped, patience-filled goodness, I get lazy. Believe it. Some things are better left to the experts, and when 'trick' recipes can taste as good, if not better, then everyone's a winner right? At least that's my philosophy.

So here are two very quick and 'cheat' recipes to make a great dessert-drink combo to end a perfect night. And perhaps a great compliment to my Tipsy dinner. Am I turning into an alcoholic?

I think I saw a nod.

Ingredients

For the mousse (adapted from this)

100 gm 70% dark chocolate (I used Lindt)

1 teaspoon sugar (optional- only use if you find 70% chocolate a bit bitter)

½ cup fresh orange juice, strained

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon orange extract/essence

6 tablespoons Baileys Irish cream

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

For the cocktail

½ cup espresso or strong instant coffee in ½ cup hot water

½ teaspoon brown sugar

Baileys Irish cream

Make the mousse

Fill a large bowl with ice and keep 4 ramekins ready.

In another (smaller bowl), mix the chocolate along with the orange juice, sugar and water and place it over simmering water (a water bath). Keep stirring till the chocolate has melted and is smooth and glossy. Take it off the heat and add the orange essence and baileys. Place the bowl immediately over the other one filled with ice, and whisk the mixture for 1 minute or so, just till it begins to thicken. Don’t over mix. Pour immediately into the ramekins and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Easy peasy japanesy…and seriously tasty!

Make the cocktail

Mix the espresso/coffee with sugar and freeze in an ice tray. Once frozen, put the espresso cubes in a freezer bag and crush to a fine dust. Fill a tall shot glass with the dust and slowly pour Baileys over it. Serve immediately. 

Easter Eats – Mango Phirni on Edible Spoons

“Deceptive to the eye

In shape of an egg,

‘Please let me try one’

You earnestly beg,

Surprise in the mouth

Your head swirls in wonder,

If this a miracle

Or a deliberate blunder?

Tastes nothing at all

Like it’s form and shape,

And the spoon crumbles

Making you gape,

Sweet like holiday

A dessert quite neat,

Approved by the bunny

As an Easter eat!”

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Shortbread Spoons (makes about 8-10 spoons)

½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s)

A pinch of salt

For the Phirni (Ground Rice Pudding)

2 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons white rice, soaked in ½ cup water for 3 hours

2 tablespoons +1 teaspoon brown sugar (or to taste)

1 tablespoon rose water

1 teaspoon fresh mango pulp + few pieces for garnish

Make the Edible Spoons

Beat the butter till its light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and mix well. Now add all the dry ingredients and work till the dough begins to come together. Once done, cover with cling film and chill for approximately 30 minutes (can be more but not less).

Preheat oven to 375°F while dough chills.

Bring the dough to room temperature and knead for a few minutes till it soft and workable. Divide into 8-10 equal parts and roll out each part onto a 4 inch oval. If you have a spoon shape cookie cutter, cut out a spoon shape from this press into a spoon mould (use any oven-proof spoons you have at home- I used my ceramic appetizer spoons) If not, just press the dough into the mould and cut off the edges. Using your hands, give the dough the shape of the spoon, leaving the base slightly thicker that the stem (this will make the spoon heavier at the bottom, allowing it to balance better once baked)

Prick the moulds with a fork and bake the shortbreads in middle of oven until centers are dry to the touch and edges are slightly darker, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before removing them from the moulds. Chill slightly by refrigerating for 20 minutes.

Make the Rice Pudding (Phirni)

Grind the rice to a paste in a blender. Mix with the milk and bring to boil. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring continuously till the rice is fully cooked and the pudding starts to slowly thicken. At this stage, add the sugar and rose water. Cook for another 5-6 minutes till the sugar is melted. Remove from heat and cool. Once cooled, add the mango pulp and mix well. Chill for 2 hours.

Put a teaspoon of the phirni on the Chocolate Shortbread spoons, garnish with a piece of mango and serve cold.

Remember to make the mango rice pudding in excess, because one you have tasted it on the spoons you will definitely need- not want- more. It is delicious!

Chicken & Farro Siu Mai

"Made in India

Is a term we often hear,

But rarely for dim sum

Scrumptious and dear.

Dressed as China

But with a 'desi' taste,

Patience created these

Not a hand in haste.

With meat & grains

Whole, healthy, light,

And a touch of spice

The amount that's just right.

Bundled in love

And cooked in steam,

A mouthful of joy

Of meat warm & lean!
Easy as A
And a comfort dish,
Looks like the Farro
Granted my wish!"

This was my first experiment with the Tuscan Fields Farro that I received for the Eat Write Retreat recipe contest. Scrumptious as it was, I felt that the farro wasn't as pronounced as I'd envisioned it to be, and therefore decided to go with the Farro Dosa as my entry. After all, a prize entry is all about showing off.

Having lived in Asia for 12+ years, I wanted to try something authentically chinese- with my own twist of course! I thus took my inspiration from the delectable Shanghainese rice Siu Mai, which are open top dumplings made with meat and glutinous rice. I used chicken, coupled it with indian spices often used in Nepalese/Indian dumplings called Momo or Momocha, and substituted the glutinous rice with Farro Alle Verdure. 

The result? Well the pics speak a thousand words. Warm, soft and comforting, the farro gave a nutty 'bite' to the siu mai, complimenting the tenderness of the chicken. And they were gone as soon as my photo shoot was over. Although, some may have disappeared during it as well. Who's to tell.

Ingredients

10 round wonton wrappers (if you get the square ones, just trim the corners off)

¼ cup Tuscan Fields Farro Alle Verdure, cooked as per instructions and cooled (I tried this dish as an entry to the EWR recipe contest, hence the Farro. But it can be made without it, with glutinous rice, or with vegetables of choice. Be creative, it's fun.)

½ pound minced chicken

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

2 green onion stalks, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste

1 tablespoon sesame oil (or olive oil)

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients (except the wrappers!) and keep aside for 20 minutes. Remember to save some farro & fresh coriander for garnishing.

Make an “o” with your thumb and index finger. Take a wonton wrapper and place on top of this "o". Add a generous teaspoon of the chicken mixture in the centre and press it down. Rotate in anti-clockwise motion to make the wrapper stick to the chicken and form a bundle, with the top open. Put it down on a plate or kitchen counter to flatten the bottom (so it can sit without support). Apply some oil to the bottom and line them in a bamboo steamer. Just before steaming, add some farro and chopped coriander on top of each dumpling.

Steam for 10-12 minutes, till the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve hot with light soy sauce and any chinese garlic chili dip. They also go brilliantly with a mix of soy sauce & chili oil (authentic HK style!)

Tipsy Dinner - Red Wine Pasta + Malibu Mudcake

“If I could drink my meals

I would,

If I could steal an extra dessert

As I should,

If I could be always happy

I’d think,

If I could shy from coffee

I’d blink,

If I could say the perfect things

I’d talk,

If I never fell asleep

And only walk,

If I could be who you are

I’d be you,

If I could not taste

I’d be blue,

If you were a friend,

I’d give,

If life was wine

I’d live….”

This is not my typical post. It has non bite sized items (hurrah!), no curry or Indian touch (another hurrah?) and is not quite an original recipe. I mean pasta is pasta is pasta - right? But I still had to write about it. Just.

Ever had one of those days when ordinary is wonderful? Today was it. I lazed in all day, sat by the window and stared at the morning sun rise over the brooklyn bridge, indulged in a buttery cheese toast+coffee breakfast and... did nothing of significance. It was perfect.

And then I had to make dinner. With a half finished Pinot haunting me on the kitchen table, I decided to look for red wine recipes. I have cooked with white wine several times, but rarely with red since 1) my first experiment years ago was a disaster and 2) I always assumed red wine compliments beef & red meat (both of which I don't eat). However, I came across this pasta recipe and thought to myself - why not tweak it and get 'happy' over dinner? Plus, it would go perfectly with the Malibu Mudcakes I made yesterday. Is there a law against that? I didn't think so. If I want tipsy, I get tipsy.

What a great pre-exam send off to the hubby. Nothing like a good night's sleep before a test I say. 

Ingredients

200 gm spaghetti

1 ½ cups red wine

½ cup chicken stock

1 cup broccoli florets (I skin and use the stem too!)

1 cup radicchio, torn into pieces

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon oregano flakes

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 stalk of spring onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon grated parmesan or parmigiano-reggiano, for garnish

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water till it’s half done (around 3-4 minutes). Drain and keep aside (reserve some of the water).

In the same pan heat the wine and sugar. Once it begins to boil, add the half cooked spaghetti and cook on medium flame. Keep stirring, and cook till its almost al dente (another 3-4 minutes). At this stage, switch off the heat.

Meanwhile, heat oil in another non-stick pan. Add the garlic and cook till its brown. Add the broccoli, chicken stock and all the dry spices and cover to steam the broccoli for a few minutes - till it turns dark green in color. Now add the pasta along with the wine and cook till the pasta is al dente. Stir in the spring onion, coriander & radicchio and cook on high heat till any excess wine has been absorbed.

Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately. 

A gently flavored, fragrant & slightly tipsy dinner. What did you eat today?

White Chocolate-Thandai-Malibu Mini Mudcakes

“A reason to bring

Out the color in you,

Laugh, eat and enjoy

And drink a few,

Family, friends

Not a moment dull,

From the corner you’re hit

With a water pistol,

‘Let me get you!’

Revenge is on your mind,

But little sweet treats

You happen to find,

Games are history

When food is not,

A bite of gujia

Or a thandai shot!

Holi is here

If an excuse is what you need,

Otherwise just down a few

Behind the scenes!

Thandai is a spiced cold milk drink, usually alcoholic, drunk during Holi, the Indian festival of colors. Being far away from home, and with the festival less than a week away (March 27), I felt I needed to draw some inspiration from it. I thus captured those wonderful flavors, keeping the 'kick' intact (of course!), and bundled it all into one moist little mudcake! Truly delish and quite potent! *hic*

Warning: may cause a hangover.

Ingredients (makes 12 mini cakes)

For the mudcake

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

110 gm white chocolate (approx 24 Lindt squares)

3/4 cup milk

1 ½ tbsp Thandai spice mix (use a ready mix or from the recipe below)

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vanilla

5 tbsp Malibu

For the icing

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon Malibu

1 teaspoon brown sugar

For the Thandai mix

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

5-6 almonds

2 green cardamoms

2 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

5-6 black peppercorns

Grind all the ingredients for the Thandai mix to a powder and keep aside.

Whip the cream and sugar till it’s stiff enough to be piped and refrigerate.

Heat the butter, chocolate, milk, thandai powder and sugar in a metal pot over simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, mix well and cool to room temperature. Make sure there are no lumps of chocolate or butter. Once cool, whisk in the egg and vanilla extract. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the wet mixture to the flour, constantly folding to ensure no lumps are formed. Once the batter is smooth, stir in the Malibu. Do not over mix.

Pour in a cake dish or mini cheesecake pan and bake at 320 F (160 C) for 30-35 minutes, till the top is firm and a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool to room temperature. 

Mix Malibu with the chilled whipped cream, apply on the mini mudcakes and enjoy!

EatWriteRetreat Recipe Contest - Farro Dosa w/ Curried Chicken Salad

“Farro oh Farro

What are you,

A grain of sorts

Nutty, with a chew.

Great in salads

Forget boring ol’ rice,

Adds a zing to soups,

For a healthier bite.

But what about food

Indian, with some spice,

Can you be versatile

To grab the prize?

Soaked & ground

You mingle and meet

Lentils, chili & others

For a delicious treat.

With a kick of curry

Oh, what a steal,

You’re truly transformed

Into a pancake meal!

Passing the test

You’re a friend new,

Now just make me win

Pretty, will you?”

A short video to start your experience. Did you enjoy it? (I can't figure out why it shows up twice though!)

I usually don't write a story to go with my recipe posts as I believe that poetry and pics can achieve that which words never can. However, since this is an entry post for the Eat Write Retreat recipe contest, I thought I should talk about the inspiration behind the dish.

When I first tasted the Tuscan Fields farro, it reminded me a little of brown rice, yet had a nutty grain or lentil like texture to it. So I decided to re-create something that uses both rice & lentils. That was just the beginning. As I pondered over various dishes I have made, I resolved that I wanted the final result to possess 4 main attributes:

1) Be inspired from an Indian dish (staying close to my roots!)

2) Be creative - well, because that's what I do.

3) Have an element of fusion cuisine.

4) Be bite size, to honor & respect my (very new!) business focusing on Indian Tapas.

That's it. With those elements in mind I got started, and it wasn't long before I came up with this! (I actually tried only 1 other dish, which is posted HERE). Well, I lie. I also did try farro with indian curry, and it was absolutely divine! But being Indian, it was too simple to enter that in this contest. And i'm a bit of a perfectionist!

Anyway, back to my dish. Dosas are a popular South Indian snack/breakfast dish and are essentially pancakes made of a rice-lentil  batter blend, and eaten with a variety of chutneys or lentil curry. Traditionally you would need to not only soak the grains overnight, but also ferment the batter before you can partake some of the crisp goodness (what people do for food eh!).  I, on the other hand, made my mini dosas from Tuscan Fields Farro Perlato and green lentils - soaked but not fermented. To complete the dish (the fusion) I served it with a cold yogurt based salad of curried chicken & Farro Alle Verdure. So what you see here really is Farro-on-Farro!

Enough said. I will finally let the recipe & the (many) pictures do the rest of the talking.

Ingredients

For the Dosa (makes around 20 mini dosas)

½ cup Tuscan Fields Farro Perlato (original/plain flavor)

½ cup green lentils (moong dal)

1 green chili (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil for cooking

For the Salad

½ pound chicken mince

¼ red onion, sliced lengthwise

½ cup thick yogurt

¼ cup Tuscan Fields Farro Alle Verdure (with garden vegetable)

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 spring onion, finely chopped

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Make the salad

Cook the farro in ½ cup of salted water till al dente (mine took only 12-15 minutes). Drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and cook till they splutter. Now add the onions and cook till they turn translucent and begin to brown. Stir in the chicken, all the dry spices and ¼ cup water and cook covered on medium heat till the chicken is fully cooked. Uncover, cook to dry any excess liquid and remove from heat to cool. In a bowl mix the cooled chicken, yogurt, farro, spring onion and fresh coriander. Adjust seasoning if required and mix well. Keep aside.

Make the Dosas

Soak the farro and green lentils overnight. Drain the water (keep aside) and blend together with the chili (if using) to a fine paste. Add some of the drained water if the mixture is too thick (it should be slightly thinner than a pancake batter). Mix in salt & pepper and keep aside for 10 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

Heat a non-stick skillet. Mix the batter well to remove any settled sediments, and add a tablespoon of the batter to the pan (without any oil or it wont spread evenly). In a clockwise motion, spread the batter to form a thin pancake. Put a few drops of oil on top and on the sides, and cook till the underside is cooked & crisp (approx 1 minute for the mini ones). Once done, flip and cook the other side for a couple of minutes, till slightly brown. Do this with all the batter. 

Remove from heat and serve fresh with the chicken salad. Best way to eat - put a little chicken salad in the centre of the dosa, roll it up and finish in two bites!

It was a gloomy day for pictures, but I hope I did these little fellas some foodly justice!

So, will I see you at Eat Write Retreat? Time will tell. And till then, someone has to do the hard task of eating these mini roll-ups! Who's joining me? 

Paella-style Spinach Biryani

“Green & light

Swells up the rice,

Crisp underneath

With an aroma nice,

The onions brown

And I stir it slow,

Letting the flavors fuse

Like a magic show,

Covered in secret

It cooks in time,

With a personal zest

Of masala & lime

The smells spreads

Over the kitchen walls,

And the neighbors line up

Across the hall

For a taste of gold

If there is spare,

But I may disappoint

And never share.”

Ingredients

1 cup spinach curry (I made a veg version with potatoes, but you can use the original with chicken as well)

1/2 cup basmati rice
1 clove, crushed
1 green cardamom, crushed
1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon oregano flakes

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt & pepper

Separate the pieces of chicken or potatoes from the spinach curry and keep aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the cardamom, clove and bay leaf and cook till the spices become fragrant, about a minute. Stir in the rice and the remaining dry spices. Sauté for a minute till the rice turns slightly brown and all the grains are coated with oil. Mix in the spinach curry, along with 1 cup of water and cover and cook on medium/low flame for 8-10 minutes, till the rice is cooked. If the rice looks too dry, add another ½ cup water at this stage. It should look slightly wet even though it’s fully cooked. Uncover, put the chicken/potatoes earlier removed from the curry on top of the rice, and sprinkle with coriander, lemon juice and another teaspoon of olive oil. Cover and steam for another 5 minutes till all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice looks dry and fluffy. The bottom of the rice should also be slightly crisp and begin sticking to the pan.

Remove from heat and serve immediately. 

Kind-of-a-Kaima Idli

“I can’t stand wasting

That’s just who I am,

So I re-engineer them all

No, it’s not a sham.

Using leftovers to create

Dishes vibrant and new,

Is an art not quite common

And I will change your view

Take this dish for example

Yesterday had a name,

But I reformed its identity

To bring to it new fame.

Today in shape else

It fed me and a friend,

And that’s how my dear

You start a recipe trend!”

Kaima Idlis hail from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and are traditionally deep fried pieces of idli (steamed indian rice cakes) that have been cooked in spicy & tangy sauce. This is my version- not deep fried, but just as decadent and appetizing!

Ingredients

5 leftover idli, cut into 4 pieces (I used leftovers from here)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ onion, diced lengthwise

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 dried curry leaves, crushed

Salt & pepper

Chopped coriander to garnish

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook till the seeds begin to splutter. Now add the onions and cook till they turn transparent. Stir in the tomato paste, dry spices and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook for a few minutes, then uncover and dry any excess liquid. Stir in the idli pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes, or till they begin to become crisp on the edges.  Remove from heat, sprinkle some chopped coriander and enjoy!

Masala Chai Cookies

“Sharma-ji became famous

Making this road side treat,

A hot cup of masala chai

That you just cannot beat.

Sweet and mysterious

A pick-me-up morning sip,

A small plastic tea cup

And spices till the rim.

Dipped with glucose biscuits

For an added energy kick,

The perfect winter’s entitlement

Till the very last lick!”

Many of us grew up eating glucose biscuits dipped in our little cup of morning tea. With busy lives, and busier minds, that entitlement has somehow been lost with time. So I thought, why not combine the taste into a treat that can be grabbed on the go! I just don't want to let that childhood go. Do you?

Ingredients

For the masala chai (makes a strong 3/4 cup of masala tea)

1 cup water

½ cup whole milk

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

2 cloves, crushed

2 teaspoon black tea leaves

For the cookies (makes around 24 3inch cookies)

2 eggs

1 cup wholewheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup fine brown sugar

6 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ cup honey oat clusters (or plain roasted oats), crushed (optional)

Make the chai

Heat water along with the spices and tea leaves. Once it begins to boil, add the milk, lower heat and let it simmer till the mixture reduces to half its volume. Strain and keep aside.

Make the cookies

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Melt the butter and mix it with the cooled tea.

Combine the sugar and eggs and beat well. Fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the tea mixture slowly. Finally add the oats (if using) and mix well. The mixture will resemble a sticky dough. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time, and place it 2 inches apart on a greased baking or cookie tray. Remember, the cookies will expand a little so you do need some space in between otherwise they'll all stick together.

Bake at 325 F for 20-22 minutes- the bottom will turn brown and become crisp, but the top will be slightly risen and soft.  Cool completely and serve. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Green Cuisine – Our St. Patrick’s Day Bites

“I may not be Irish

But green I can eat,

And any excuse really

To enjoy another feast!

Little boats of cucumber

Floating my appetite,

And bites of deep dish

Going out of sight.

While the couscous and

Chicken, talk into the night,

I devour the brownie pops

With all my might.

The shamrock’s by my side

Time flies in beer,

Wearing green for luck

And a look oh-so-dear.

Now if you’ll excuse me

I need to finish my meal,

Before the leprechauns have

Another trick up their sleeve!”

1. Spinach Corn Deep Dish Pizza Bites

Ingredients

1 cup curried spinach corn (substitute chicken with 1 cup corn kernels)

8 slices of brown bread, centers cut out and made into cups.

(Don’t pre-bake the cups, just butter, press them into the muffin pan and keep aside. You could also use mini tortilla wraps or pizza dough, homemade of store bought)

½ cup grated Gruyere (or Parmesan)

Line the cups in a mini muffin pan. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the spinach corn curry, followed by a generous amount of cheese (yum!) and bake at 350 F till the cheese is just melted and begins to brown around the edges (around 10-15 minutes).

Serve hot.

2. Cous Cous & Mint Chicken Tikka Cups

Ingredients

12 pieces of chicken tikka

½ cup couscous

1 tablespoon salted butter or margarine

½ cup mixed vegetables- I used red/green peppers, carrots & onions

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt & pepper

Prepare the chicken tikkas as per my previous recipe.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the vegetables & dry spices and sauté for a few minutes. Don’t over cook as we do not want them to lose their crunch. Stir in the couscous and roast for a minute. Now add 1 cup boiling water, turn off the heat and cover for 4-5 minutes. The cous cous will soak in the water and cook slowly. Fluff with a fork, add the butter and mix well. Adjust seasoning if required.

Serve hot with the chicken tikka skewers.

3. Cucumber Boats 

Ingredients

1 large cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds and a bit of the centre removed

1 egg, boiled

1 teaspoon mayonnaise

½ teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon fresh herbs- I used a mix of mint & cilantro. You can also use dill/basil

½ red pepper

1 teaspoon red onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon jalapeno, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

½ teaspoon lemon juice

Salt & pepper

Mash the egg and mix with mayonnaise, paprika, herbs, salt & pepper and keep aside.

Grill the red pepper in a 375 F oven for 10-15 minutes, till it’s soft and the edges begin to brown. Cool, finely chop it and mix with the onion, coriander, jalapeno, lemon juice, salt & pepper to make the salsa.

Put a layer of this red pepper salsa inside the scooped out cucumbers. Top with a layer of the egg salad. Cut into 1 inch pieces and serve immediately.

4. Brownie Pops 

Ingredients

Freshly baked chocolate brownies

50 gm dark chocolate

4 lollipop sticks

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Colorful sprinkles

Cut out small round pieces (or any shape you fancy) from the brownies. 

Melt the chocolate and butter over a water bath (simmering water). Once melted, dip the lollipop stick in it and insert into one end of the cut out brownies (the chocolate will act as the glue to hold the stick). Dip the brownies halfway into the melted chocolate, and immediately into the sprinkles. Keep on a non-stick surface or stand and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before they’re ready to be served. 

.......And of course, a few pints of beer!

Shrimp Red Curry Idli Pops

“Between Asia and India

Amongst coconut grove bends,

There sat a priest

Who worked on fusion trends.

He combined this & that

And tasted with a knowing look,

To make sure the new staple

Was worthy of a book.

He owned many a field

And all the rice he grew

Went either to his tummy

Or into an experiment new!

Thus emerged some gems

Born out of grating, grilling & chops,

And while Thailand mastered the curry

He was converting Idlis into pops.”

What do you eat with red curry? Well, rice of course. And what is Idli made of? Rice! That's the simple inspiration behind this dish.

Ingredients

(Makes around 16 mini muffin sized Idlis)

1 cup white rice, soaked overnight

1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons greek yogurt

6 tablespoons cup fine semolina

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon split chickpea or yellow lentils

½ teaspoon garlic ginger paste

2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

½ cup prawns, shelled & deveined

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped

A pinch of asafoetida

Salt & pepper

Method

Blend the soaked rice to a fine paste with 1/3 cup water, and mix with the coconut milk. Keep aside for 20 minutes.

Roast the semolina in a non-stick pan till it begins to turn brown. Keep aside to cool.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and cook for a few minutes. Once they begin to splutter, add the garlic ginger paste, red curry paste, all the dry spices and the prawns, along with 1/3 cup of water. Cover and cook till the prawns are cooked. Remove the prawns from the curry and keep aside. Continue to cook the curry till any excess water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and cool.

In a bowl, mix the rice paste, semolina, yogurt and red curry paste. Pour into mini idli pan and steam for 20 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with the cooked prawns and serve. A Thai-South Indian fusion!

Feeling lazy? Just substitue the rice, coconut milk, yogurt & semolina with a cup of instant idli mix. Would work just the same.

Don’t worry if you do not own an Idli maker – I don’t either! That’s the beauty of DIY remedies! You have the following options:

1. Bake them at 300 F for 10-15 minutes.

2. Microwave them at high for 7-10 minutes. (not a big fan of this as it makes the idlis slightly harder than steaming or baking)

3. Make your own steamer- this is what I did. Take any deep large pan and fill a little water in it. Put a smaller cake pan (or any pan that has a flat bottom) upside down inside this to make a little stand on the water. Bring the water to boiling point. Now put the idli batter in mini muffin/cupcake pans and put that on top of the ‘stand’. Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes. (refer to pics in the end)

(Setting up the DIY steamer)

The Hot Chocolate Barfee

“A cup of cocoa

For a sleep so true,

Topped with marshmallows

For the child in you.

Warm, like a cuddle

And simple, not clever,

A sip that you don’t quite

Outgrow in forever.

A treat so divine

Easily does woo,

Now you can have your cuppa

And eat it too.”

Ingredients

½ cup whole milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ can sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup mini marshmallows

Line a mini cupcake pan with cupcake covers and keep aside.

Heat the butter in a pan. Warm the milk a little and mix the cocoa powder in it so that there are no lumps. Add the chocolate milk along with the condensed milk to the butter. Stir well and cook with constant stirring so the mixture doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. It will begin to thicken slowly. Turn off the heat when the mixture begins to come off from the sides of the pan and reaches the consistency of thick batter – i.e. can be poured but will also set once cooled. Mine took about 30-35 minutes and is dependent on the quality of milk and condensed milk.  At this stage, stir in about ½ a cup of marshmallows so they melt in the mixture.

Put one tablespoon of the mixture into the cupcake moulds. Add a marshmallow to the centre and cover with another tablespoon of the mixture. Refrigerate and cool for 2-3 hours before serving. A sinful, fudgy chocolate treat, definitely not for the faint of heart!

Now you can have you hot chocolate and eat it too!

Brown Rice Kimono Balls

“I cook, I roll 

Wrap it up nice,

Like a pretty little doll

That has no vice.

With ribbons of red

A bite fulfilling,

This bundle of joy

Is a gift worth giving.

Soft and comforting

With a crunch outside,

No bake, no fry

Just some fuss-less rice.”

Ingredients

For the rice

¾ cup brown rice

½ cup chickpeas, boiled

1 small potato, cut into cubes

½ onion, diced

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup grated carrots

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon amchoor (dry mango) powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

2 cloves, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 green cardamom

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt & pepper

For the Kimono covers

1 cup puffed rice or rice crackers, crushed
Red pepper ribbons, using a potato peeler

Heat oil in a deep pan and add the cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, garlic, ginger, onions and cumin seeds and cook till onion turns transparent. Add the brown rice and stir till well so that all the grains of rice are coated with oil. Add the remaining ingredients, except the amchoor and spinach leaves, along with 3 cups of water. Cover and cook on low-medium flame for 40-45 minutes, till the rice is really soft and all the liquid has been absorbed. Add more water in case the rice is not cooked or if required. Add the spinach leaves and amchoor and cook for a few minutes on high flame till the spinach just wilts. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf, cardamom and pieces of cloves (if you can find them!) Keep aside to cool. You'll be amazed how flavorful the rice is since it cooked in the fresh vegetable broth- no more bouillon cubes. Hurrah!

Put a teaspoon of the rice in your palms and roll into small balls. Coat with the crushed rice puffs -I wanted a little texture so I only partially crushed the puffed rice. The finer you grind, the more even the coating will be. Wrap in a red pepper ribbon and serve immediately. A bite sized snack or a complete meal if you can't stop yourself at a few!

Don't they look cute?!

  

Recipe by Request - Mini Coconut Cupcakes

I had made these a while ago and had no plan of blogging it (I mean coconut muffins/cupcakes are common, and I blog anything but common). With only one pic from Instragram (which explains the shoddy lonely photograph), I had shared it with a few friends for fun. Due to several repeated requests for the recipe, I decided I may as well put it up! 

So here goes...

Warning: Seriously addictive. Bake with caution!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup / 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter

3/4 cup fine brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk or coconut milk (I used coconut but some people find that overwhelming)

3/4 cup toasted coconut flakes (I like them very 'coconutty', but you can reduce this to 1/2 cup if you want)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper cups.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the coconut flakes and keep aside.

Soften the butter and beat with the sugar till it's light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. Now add the flour mixture (2 tbsp at a time) followed by some milk and keep folding slowly till all the flour and milk is over. Just be careful not to overmix as we want the mixture to stay light.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 with the batter and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake just comes out clean.

I ate 6 of these when they were fresh out of the oven. True story.

Caramel Bread Pudding

 

 

“Sister to the bread & butter

And cousin to custard caramel,

Despite a few follies

This dessert turned out swell!

Pay no attention to looks

For taste is not skin deep,

The emotions that come with a bite

Make you want to weep.

For that is how good

Simplicity can taste,

Bread, milk, sugar-the basics

And not a morsel will go waste.”

 

Ingredients

2 slices of brown bread, torn into small pieces

1 tablespoon raisins or dried cranberries

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoon fine brown sugar (to make burnt sugar - see below)

Bread + Milk + Sugar = One Great Pudding!

Grease a brownie/baking dish and keep aside.

 

Mix the bread, cranberries/raisins, 1 teaspoon sugar, milk & coconut milk and bring to simmer over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to thicken, turn off heat and cool.

Burnt Sugar : Heat 2 tablespoons of sugar in a non-stick pan till it melts and begins to caramelize. You will see the sugar fume and start to bubble, with a slight burnt fragrance. At this stage remove the sugar quickly from the heat, and pour into the baking dish. The caramelized sugar will set fast so make sure this is done rather swiftly. (If you made extra burnt sugar, you can store it for use later. Just cool it on a cookie tray, break into pieces & store in an airtight container. It gives a delicious flavor to most milk based puddings!)

Now put the bread mixture on top of this, and bake for at 300 F for 25-30 minutes, or till the top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and put straight into the fridge/freezer to cool completely.

 

Now here’s the challenge. Once cooled, you should be able to invert it on a plate such that it looks like a caramel layered pudding. Mine (sadly) broke while trying to remove it from the pan. But you can't be a creative cook and worry about less-than-perfect results, so in the end I simply mixed it up, scraping the bottoms so all the caramel gets incorporated, and served it in little bowls. The result – delicious! Some of the caramel mixed with the pudding while baking, giving it a deep flavor, while the other bits added quite a crunch. 

Tastes better than it looks, completely butter free and rather easy to make!  [Update] : I made this pudding - with figs instead of cranberries - for an event and it was a big hit! Instead of baking and trying to relentlessly invert the minis, I simply layered the bread pudding with some crushed burnt caramel and stuck in the fridge for a bit. It tasted just as great. And looked oh-so-cute!

[And the latest pic from the event!]

Okra Chips with Yogurt Sriracha Dip

“Going against all odds

My fries turned green,

An act so criminal

Never before been seen.

The potatoes were nervous

This may be it,

The revolution alarming

End of the Fries, bit by bit.

As skeptical tasters

Took that dreaded bite,

The expressions turned elated

Ah! what a sight.

And the okra crisp

Broke into a generous smile,

This was victory new

And would last a while”

Ingredients

For the Dip

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

2 tablespoon thick greek yogurt

½ teaspoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt & pepper

For the Chips

2 pounds Okra, washed and cut into strips

1 heaped tablespoon gram flour (besan)

2 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon amchoor (dry mango) powder

Salt & pepper

Mix all the ingredients for the dip and refrigerate for an hour.

Mix all the ingredients for the chips till all the okra is evenly coated with the spices. Bake at 375 F for 35-40 minutes, till the okra is crisp and the edges begin to brown. Cool (it will become more crisp) and serve with the Sriracha dip.

A quick, healthy and delicious alternative to Fries. And the Sriracha dip works more than perfectly!

Onion Parantha Cones w/ Pickled Tomato Chutney

“Look and shape new

With flavors old,

A parnatha pickle cone

For a bite so bold.

The perfect size

For a desi fix,

Finding it’s spot

In the western mix.

Pretty in red

Takes me back in time,

And thus is a secret

Favorite of mine.”

Ingredients

For the Paranthas

1 cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup gram flour (besan)

1 onion, grated

1 green chili, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

½ teaspoon amchoor powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)

½ teaspoon carom seeds

Salt & pepper

Oil for cooking

Water if required

For the Chutney

1 large tomato, chopped

2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon mango pickle

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Make the Paranthas

Mix all the ingredients for the paranthas and knead into a soft workable dough. Usually the onions give out enough water to knead without any additional water, but add if required. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts and roll into rounds. Apply some oil on both sides and cook on a non stick pan till both sides begin to brown. Don’t press too much as we want the parantha to remain soft. Once cooked, roll the paranthas into little cones, secure with a toothpick and keep aside.

Make the Chutney

Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for a minute. Mix in the tomatoes, the pickle and a little water. Cover and cok till tomaties are tender and any excess liquid has been absorbed.

Pour a dollop of the chutney into each cone and serve.

Paneer, Edamame & Carrot Stew

"Warm & comforting

A stew is like a hug,

Toasty and helpful

For a flu day bug,

Simmered in flavor

With richness tad,

A mouthful of greens

That aren’t quite that bad,

A bread bowl remedy

When you’re tired of soup,

A bite, then another

Your dine-time loop.”

Ingredients

½ cup baby carrots, chopped

¼ cup shelled edamame

½ cup Paneer cubes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¼ cup thick coconut milk

½ onion, sliced lengthwise

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

2 cloves, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & pepper

Heat oil in a pan. Add the bay leaf, cloves, garlic and onion and sauté till onions turn brown. Add the tomato paste along with ½ cup water and all the dry spices. Cook covered on medium flame for 3-5 minutes. Now add the carrots, edamame and paneer cubes along with ½ the chopped mint & coriander and cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove cover, pour the coconut milk and let it simmer for a few minutes on medium-low flame. Remove from heat, garnish with some lemon and fresh coriander and serve*.

*I served in bread bowls made from left over Naan dough!

1 Dinner, 2 Years & 3 Dishes

"Marriage is tricky

And so is being a Naidoo,

The way to keep going

Is eating the right food.

Why must I toil & click

If not for appetite of love,

What's cooked must be eaten

And eating = a celebration fun!

Year one I was nervous

Of what might be,

But what year two should bring

Was dictated by me.

Now who will win year three

Remains to be seen,

But for now I'll keep creating

A dinner ever so mean.

And as we grow and become

Stronger, yet people new,

Those little disagreements can be forgotten

In a bite of tapas few!"

Our (belated) 2nd Anniversary Menu
For year 1- Learning the family ropes.
Mini versions of The Naidoo Fishcakes (substituted tinned mackerel with fresh boiled tilapia, reduced potato to 1/2 and added some tandoori masala for that added zing! Naidoos- beat that!)

For year 2 - Getting comfortable, being Indian.
Samosa Cups & Mini Naans, generously buttered and with a chipotle mint yogurt dip

For the upcoming year 3- Taking the easy way out.
Layered Rice Cake Bhel Puri

All ungraciously drowned with copious amounts of wine. Hurrah.