Vanilla cinnamon butter cups

Vanilla cinnamon butter cups

Christmas is round the corner. Before the final evening when Santa would be knocking my door, I thought I should be ready with a new flavour cake. This time I tried Vanilla cinnamon cup cakes. The recipe is almost same for cupcakes and cakes except for the fact that cake can be cut in between and the sauce can be spread between the layers and over the top. I chose cinnamon this year, as its my favourite flavour . the mild sweet smell of cinnamon makes my heart wobble. I bought selected cinnamon sticks from Diu this vacation.

For the cup cakes:

100gm refined flour

80gm salted butter
2eggs

80gms powdered sugar

Vanilla essence

Pinch of grounded cinnamon

3/4tsf baking powder

1/4tsf baking soda

In a bowl whisk eggs, sugar and butter till the froth appears. Add vanilla essence and a pinch of cinnamon powder. In another bowl, sieve flour, baking powder and soda. Fold and mix the flour mixture in the egg mixture. Bake in greased moulds in preheated oven at 120”C for 30-40minutes.

For the cream sauce

Whisk 50ml double cream with 50gm powdered sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon powder until peaks develop.

With the help of cone decorate the cup cakes.

Creativity is all we look for. Merry Christmas.

Colors of my city

Tofu Muttar sabzi

Tofu Muttar 

                                                      Tofu Muttar / muttar paneer sabzi 

I came back home to find that my fridge had peas, tofu, tomatoes. So I came up with an innovation of our regular muttar paneer sabzi. The recipe is same as authentic muttar paneer sabzi, just replaced paneer (cottage cheese) with tofu. Tofu is soya protein condensed in cubes. Its rich in protein, calcium, magnesium and other minerals.

Here is the recipe:

All you need is:

Peas 100gm

Tofu 100gm

Onions 2

Tomatos 5-6

Tomato puree 2tsf

Ginger garlic paste

Green chilli

Chilli powder

Coriander powder

Turmeric powder

Refined oil 4-5tsf(option to desi ghee)

Cream 1tsf

Home made garam masala a pinch

Salt to taste

In a blender, blend garlic ginger, onions, green chilli. Take a wok, heat the oil on medium heat, add the paste. Sauté till the paste starts leaving oil. Add few pepper, cloves. Blend the tomatoes. Add tomato paste and puree in the wok. Add all the masala. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add peas, tofu (diced in cubes). Heat for 20minutes in the covered vessel. The recipe is done once it starts leaving oil in the corners. Garnish with cream. Green coriander leaves.

Savor with roti, phulka, paratha, puri or rice.

Priorities

Need to be rescued
From a cold heart
Far away
With some warmth.

A rocking chair
To introspect within
Courage to loose
To gain within.

I ponder
Looking towards the walls
In empty space
I look for solution.

Right or wrong
I have done before
This time
I am not sure.

Bear pain
Or take chance
Its all I have to do
Deciding my priorities.

My Faith

My faith in you, will never rust.

My love for you, will never get dust.

In you lives my god,

With you, the world ever exist.

Mooli ki bhaji (mooli ki burji)

Mooli ki bhaji (mooli ki burji)

The day was clumsy, I hate my physiotherapy sessions as they aggravate my pain contrary to the fact they will help me recover fast. I got a call from my dear friend that she has an exam near my residence and she wanna drop by afterwards for dinner. She asked for mooli ki bhaji (radish leaves) with chapattis. The request lifted my mood in a jiffy.

Mooli ki bhaaji is a common dish cooked in north Indian houses especially in winters. Though this dish is rich in minerals , I find it medically unbalanced diet. Hence I improvised it with fortifying it with some protein. Being a vegetarian i have limited options of adding protein to a savoury.

Here goes the recipe:

250gms of green leaves of radish (mooli)

1 stem of radish (white one is better as the pink is slightly stingy)

Soya chunks (soya wadi) optional, 50 gm

2tsf refined oil

Cumin (Jeera ) 1 tsf

Asafoetida (hing) a pinch

Lemon half

Garlic 7 cloves finely diced.

Salt, pepper,turmeric powder

Soak the leaves in saline water for an hour (it will clean the leaves, if infected with pests) drain and rinse with clean water. Finely chop the green leaves and radish. Boil the leaves,  radish and soya chunks  in 100ml of water until just soft. Squeeze the excess water from the leaves by putting between the palms. (the drained water can be used in kneading the dough for chapattis, or can be used in dal).

In a sauce pan, heat oil, sauté cumin, asafoetida, and garlic. Wait until garlic is almost burnt. Add salt, pepper, and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add the boil and strained leaves. Sauté for 3-4min. Add lemon juice.

Serve hot with chapattis.

Tofu and Vegetable Clear Soup

Tofu and Vegetable Clear Soup:

Tofu and Vegetable Clear Soup:

Soups are generally considered low calorie diet. Dietians often recommend soups for reducing weight. But they generally forget that soups are deprived of protein. Vegetable soups are generally rich in minerals (unless cream is added, which adds extra calorie and fat). I came up with the idea of fortifying a regular clear soup with extra calcium and proteins.

I recommend this soup especially  obese who have knee problems and trying to reduce weight.

Tofu is soya protein(paneer) which is rich in calcium and proteins.

Here is the recipe

All you need is:

1tsf of olive oil

Tofu 100gm diced in small cubes

Peas, cabbage, cauliflower,spring  onion, beans : 100 gms

1 tsf corn flour

500ml of vegetable stock

Salt

Oregano, chilli flakes

Garlic powder

1sf vinegar

In a cooker, sauté the vegetables and tofu in olive oil. Add salt, garlic powder,corn flour(dissolved in water), oregano,chilli flakes, vinegar and salt.

Whistle the cooker and wait for two whistles.

MANDANA (WALL ART, TRIBAL FOLK ART)

MANDANA (WALL ART, TRIBAL FOLK ART)

Tribal art is the living proof that a traditional or folk artist is at par with the modern urban counterpart. They are equally creative and imaginative as the designers of urban communities.

Mandana is a tribal, folk art originated in some districts of Madhya Pradesh in India. Over time with the migration of communities, this art has taken several forms in the other states of the country. Marked as the beginning of social and religious functions, this art is revolving in the lives of Indian communities. 

I first saw this form in Ahmedabad, where this art is created on the outer walls of fence of a house having some auspicious celebration specially marriage ceremonies.

Originally the artist used to white wash the wall with lime mixture “khariya” and draws the motifs with red colour stone “geru”. 

Now days, various patterns have emerged. While covering this art, the artist chose to colour the wall in red and motifs in golden oil paint. Sometimes the finished product is again decorated with small circular mirrors glued with mud.

The motifs commonly drawn are called “ Varghodo” or the marriage procession where the boy’s family arrives the bride’s house.

The craze of this art form is somewhere decreasing due to availability of various texture paints. People living in flats or apartments don’t have fence walls for this traditional art.

Freedom of speech

             

Insane insight 

Mundane mind 

Seeks, freedom of speech.

Haiku

Time holds grudge against me

Mystery unravels

I open the chest.

Handva

I always get fascinated by the variety of farsans (snacks) savored in Gujarati families. The names are endless, khakhara, handava, khandvi, dhokla, patra etc. and lemme tell you, they all taste unique and awsome.

The curiosity is in the process which is widely in use, these days because of diet awareness and increasing tendencies of obesity among Indians. they use the steam process for the preparation of variety of snacks like dhokla, patra.
Although the snacks are quite healthy and rich in proteins. but, the heavy tempering full of cotton seed oil ruins the charm of low calorie snacks. not to forget that tempering obviously increases the flavor of snacks.

Today I tried Handva (handvo) in my kitchen. I tried making it low calorie (being a diet conscious).
its a very healthy hearty recipe full of proteins and give a fuller effect on satiety. people sometime replace it with the meals. In some gujarati thali, its a part of platter.

Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients:

1 cups rice 

1/2 cup toovar (arhar) dal

1/4 cup urad dal (split black lentils)

1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram)

1/4 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)

1 cup sour curds

2 1/2 cups grated bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki) other vegetables like carrots, potato can be used.

4 tbsp oil

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp soda- bi-carb

1 tbsp sugar(optional, for contrast)

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

3 tbsp green chilli-ginger paste

salt to taste

for tempering optional: 2tsf oil, hing(asafoetida), mustard seeds, sesame seeds, chopped green chilli, chopped coriander.

soak the rice and pulses for few hours. grind them in mixer. add sour curd and ferment for 3hrs (in summers,time for fermentation can be reduced). add the rest of ingredients in the batter. 
spread the batter in a baking dish. bake it on 180.C in preheated oven for 30-40min untill the crust becomes golden brown. 

after that, tempering can be done, in a pan, heat oil, add hing, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, green chillies. heat it untill the seeds start crackling.
another option is, that tempering can be mixed in the batter itself before baking 
garnish with coriander. serve with imli chutney.

Strength of character

Dreams turn into nightmare,

within a eye flutter

I convince myself

reality is better.

Time awaits to see my strength,

hope, faith and trust.

I will stand tall,

against each volatile sputter.

Flustering ad-mist strong winds 

carrying the flag.

I will ascertain,

shades of my character.

thousand thoughts

bounce back

arguing among-self

I seek sanity.

Short poem

Hungry eyes

looks so plaint

thousand cries

tainted brain.

haiku

Shaken Shattered

Restored 

My Faith.

The Break up

Crisp bed

reminds me

your Absence.

Burnt toast

asks me

your Absence.

Trash bin

overflows

in your Absence.

Wallet keys

lost somewhere

in your Absence.

Untended me

looks towards 

your Presence.

Haiku

Blind faith,

messing with my brain

turning Insane.

Chocolate tart

The chocolate mousse turned out very well. You can find the recipe of chocolate mousse in my previous post. The mousse was a very simple recipe and often tried in western homes.
This time I tried using the left over chocolate mousse for my new experiment. Though it’s similar to the recipe of chocolate tart but with a different tweak, hence I decided to keep the name as chocolate tart only.
Here is the recipe,
What you need:
Refined wheat flour 250gm
Salted butter 150gms
Dry fruits  : I chose walnuts and almonds 50gms ( one can use hazelnuts, groundnuts)
Sugar 5tsf
For frosting: look into the mousse recipe
Knead the flour with melted butter. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 1hr. After an hour on the platform, roll out the flour. In the cupcake mould (preferably tin, not silicon) Roll and trim the dough to make a circle large enough to fit the tart moulds.
In a preheated oven, bake the moulds on 180C for half an hour. (till light golden brown).
Prepare the filling: in a pan, heat the sugar till it starts to crystallize. Add the crushed dry fruits and mix properly. A quick way is that one can use the regular dryfruit chikki available in Indian markets. One can take a slab of chikki and crush it and directly use it.
Fill the mixture into the baked tart. In a pipe fill the chocolate mousse and use it as frosting.
 

Chocolate Mousse

This Diwali was little unusual for me. I have never been such sad on diwali.
missing home, broken hand, incapable of doing routine chores made me all day grump.
diwali had always been one of my fav festivals. loads of mithai(sweets) crackers, lights, lamps and rangoli.

This year due to broken shoulder i cud not do all those fancy fancy things i loved to do.
the morning used to be fresh and vibrant with rangoli colors. post rangoli loads of home made mithai like  ladoos, barfi, kaju katri... missed all that fun.

i was lying on my couch grump and cold. then i just felt of making some dessert atleast for my friends.
i looked into my freeze and thought of a quick recipe.
then i came up with chocolate mousse.
although its not a mithai for the occasion and people prefer it as a potluck dessert.
here goes the recipe.

100 gm Bittersweet (cooking) Chocolate  • 3 tbsp  Sugar • 1 cup Heavy Cream • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract • 2 Egg Yolks  • Heat 2/3 cup of cream in pan over low flame until it just begins to steam. • In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. • Add half portion of the hot cream, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thoroughly combined. • Add the warm egg-cream blend back into the rest hot cream in the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for a few more minutes. make sure the eggs dont get scrambled • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. • Chill the chocolate custard thoroughly. • Beat with the help of electric whisker remaining 1-1/3 cups of cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. • Thoroughly stir ½ cup of the whipped cream into the chilled chocolate custard, and then gently fold in the remaining cream.  serve chilled. garnish with grated chocolate

emotions

Dry days,

moist pillow.

this diwali,

heart so low.

   

The open window in my heart

leaves me unguarded

the dark night 

stalks all along

Without you

On high road 

i see you going

i struggle chase you

the endless road

going no where

destination fades, without you

Site at a station

haiku

Bright and shine

the day starts to wind

i gather the autumn leaves

Harsh reality of life

textures and abstracts

Haldi ka doodh (Turmeric milk)

It’s been a fortnight I had an accident and damaged the shoulder.  I am succumbed to bed and mercy of lord. Though my kind and lovely friends are there, all the time to look after me. Yes am blessed with good friends. Some make me laugh, some keep me distracted from pain, few keep worrying about my health and there is one who doesn’t hesitate to apply his medicinal knowledge on me. These days, every morning am being fed with haldi wala doodh (turmeric milk). I googled the properties and medicinal benefits of turmeric in healing.Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

I was having doubts about the recipe of turmeric milk i was given. I inquired with a colleague working in ayurveda section of my hospital. He told me there are various ways to make haldi ka doodh.Here is the recipe he told me for my healing:In a pan take 2tsf of desi ghee (pure ghee), heat it. Add 2tsf of turmeric powder. After 30 sec add 200ml of milk and sugar(as per your taste). Boil and serve.You can add ginger bud in ghee for sore throat.Add cardamom or saffron for flavourAdd ajwain for gastric problems.  

untitled

need some zing to life
final fling to jive

Shades of devil

I travel in stillness

the faith keeps me grounded

chick pea cutlet or diet cutlets

A heavy snack is what i crave for after a busy afternoon. They say snacking is not healthy for my knees. Well a health conscious foodie can be creative sometimes and make snacking lil bit healthier, rich in protein, low in calories and fats.

I came up with an idea of diet cutlets. Well the name diet has become rave these days and i have observed that diet food is not as delicious as fried crisp ahhhannn food.

Here i go with my chickpea cutlets.

Boil 100 gms of chickpea (chole) and 100 gm of desi channa(black pea). Mash them properly. Add chopped coriander, ginger garlic paste 1tsf, black pepper, chaat masala, salt (as per taste, mind well chaat masala has salt in it as well).  Mix properly and make a thick batter. Now make rolls of batters like cutlets (tikki). Take some oats (regular oat meal from your breakfast drawer) and sprinkle over the cutlets. (oats is healthier option than bread crumps. And they are more crispier than bread crumps).

Now shallow fry in regular vegetable oil on a pan. Or you can bake it as well.

Serve it with coriander chutney.

Father and the Child

A Father's Treasure

"Don't you see 

that children are God's best gift, 

the fruit of the womb 

his generous legacy? 

Like a warrior's fistful of arrows 

are the children of a vigorous youth. 

Oh, how blessed are you parents, 

with your quivers full of children! 

Your enemies 

don't stand a chance against you; 

you'll sweep them right off 

your doorstep." 

(Psalm 127:3-5, MSG)

YOU

blinded in your love
i see nothing,
the differences;
between small and big.

YOU teach me
how to live,
forget the past;
learn to forgive.

sun rise

The Awakening

Kopra pak or Coconut barfi

The festive season is around the corner. With just a warm good bye to ganpati, i could not resist the mithai we generally offer to the idol. Before the price of sugar sores, lemme enjoy the extremes of my cravings for desserts... it was a dull day and in no mood to go out for grocery. I thought of enjoying my Sunday eve with the most common sweet made in Indian houses.

“Kopra pak or coconut barfi”

A quick 15 min recipe needs 1 kg sugar, 250 gm of desiccated coconut powder (yes i use plenty of coconut. I am fond of coconut. One can titrate the quantity of coconut as per owns palate) 2tsf of desi ghee, 50gm of milkmaid (condensed milk) and pinch of cardamom powder for flavour.

I prefer desiccated coconut powder instead of fresh one as it doesn’t release oil on heating.

Here we go: in a pan, heat sugar with 100gm of water and make  syrup, thick enough to produce three threads. In another pan heat milkmaid, add coconut powder and mix cardamom powder. Mix properly. Once syrup is ready, add the milkmaid batter to syrup gradually and stirring constantly making sure no lumps left. Grease the tray with ghee. Pour the mixture onto the tray. Freeze it for ten to fifteen minutes. Now cut the cubes once set. Garnish with coconut powder.

Easy to go... lemme know how it tastes.

PRETTY PRETTY YOU

O pretty pretty thy

a blooming rose so shy

like a fast beating wasp

i wander vagrant and amiss.

O pretty pretty thy

alluring as butterfly

humming on my knosp

i wonder see fragrant bliss.

O pretty pretty thy

kind as vast sky

cryptic to grasp

i dare not valiant kiss.

O pretty pretty thy.

Trial with HAIKU

i seen rayon

a fine seam

connecting YOU and me.

i see horizon

an endless journey

without destination.

Monsoon is Here.

This year it rained a little late. They said that almost 60% of cotton crop gone waste due to delayed monsoon. I was waiting for monsoon desperately. I love the fresh fragrance of earth with the first drizzle. It reminds me of YOU. YOU have that earthen smell which attracts me towards you like an ant for sugar. One evening, finally it rained. My camera was lying in my cupboard unused for a longer time. I picked up to try some shots from balcony. The serene ethereal beauty I saw.

HOOK

Brittle aspects of life

keep me hooked to rusty nail

fragile state of mind

wanders explosively without a trail.

LOST

I stand still

Frozen in moment

I stare

In an empty space

I point

To an unknown dimension

I look

As if a mannequin

I think

I AM LOST

Rajma masala ‘maa style’

Being a vegetarian, i crave for my protein.  I googled it and found that 184 g of kidney beans contain:
Calories: 54
Protein: 43.4 g
Carbohydrates: 110 g
Water: 21.6 g
Dietary fiber: 45.8 g
Starch: 45.8 g
Calcium: 263 mg
Iron: 15.1 mg

Well... not enough for a day’s requirement.  Today I decided to make Rajma Masala similar to what my mom always does.  My mom prefers to make ‘Chitra’ rajma instead of the regular bigger black/ red kidney beans. It’s easier to cook and tastes better than the usual red kidney beans. I prefer the tangy flavour of rajma than the spicy one.

The recipe says: soak rajma overnight (It’s good to soak pulses for a longer time, saves fuel and time when cooking) or at least a few hours before. Boil it, say 5 whistles. Gravy Preparation: In a chopper, add 3-4 cloves of garlic, few inches of ginger, some green chillies, 2 medium size onions and then sing my favourite jingle: Chop! Chop! Chop! ...And it’s done. In a pan, add 3 tsf vegetable oil. When heated, add cumin, carom (ajwain), whole black pepper and 2-3 cloves.  Add the chopped veggies. When golden brown, add 5-6 medium sized chopped tomatoes. (I prefer slightly unripe tomatoes as they are li’l bit tangy). Wait for few minutes. Add salt, turmeric, coriander powder. Mix the gravy with boiled rajma in pressure cooker. Add a pinch of homemade garam masala (the recipe I‘ll share one day though). Whistle again for say 4 -5 times. And it’s done.....

I prefer eating it with pilaf while Vishwa asks for chapattis!  

Muffins

My sweet tooth is an all time problem for my knees. But one has to suffer at the cost of another. Well am glad to announce that we finally bought a beater, blender cum chopper. Thanks to Vishwa for generous part payment. On a usual day, I am hardly awake past 10 pm. But the new gadget was tempting me to try the long lorn muffins, and so, at 11 pm that night, I finally decided to try my hand at the muffins with the newly purchased, opened the first time whisker. Haash!

The recipe is quite easy and quick. In a bowl, take 2 eggs, 100 gm powdered sugar, 50gm salted butter (Amul utterly butterly delicious!) and few drops of vanilla essence. It’s a shame we don’t have vanilla pods available in neighbourhood. Well, whisk it properly until it’s frothy. Add 100 gm refined flour, 1tsf baking powder and 1/4^thtsf baking soda (Yes! I use both egg and baking powder) sieving into the mixture. Whisk again. Pour the mixture in different shape silicon moulds. Bake in preheated oven at 120C for 20-25 minutes. The smell itself is sufficient to know when it’s done, though the best out there have their ways to check the muffin. Poke the knife in the middle. If it comes out clean, it’s done! But my experiment animal (Vishwa J) has his own way to check it. He will cut a wedge shape part of it over knife. If it doesn’t crumbles down, then its perfectly done. Huh! I say, “bade log! bade log!”

Time to enjoy the feast!! 

Mushrooms and greens

The idea came after i clicked this pic during a trip to polo forest. Being a foodie i never leave a chance to try something new. Although the mushrooms and greens in the pic are wild variety and so is my imagination, i thought of trying a new recipe made from button mushrooms and greens available in market.

Green mushroom penne pasta, that’s what i thought of, in first instance.

Here is the recipe: 200 gms of all wheat penne pasta boiled.

The gravy: 100 gm blanched spinach, few lettuce leaves, 2-3 walnuts: blended in a mixer jar.

In a pan, take 2tsf olive oil, sauté one onion, garlic and add 2 chopped green tomatoes. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 2 min.  Add the gravy. Add salt, black pepper, 2tsf cream, some cheese (preferably parmesan). Add the boiled pasta. Sauté for two minutes. Ready to serve. Garnish with parmesan cheese and shredded walnuts