Back To Basics - Basic Breads - Roundup

I was happy to host Jaya's event - Back To Basics - Basic Breads. Thanks a lot Jaya for this opportunity.A couple of tutorials and delicious recipes made this event worth...Without further delay let me present to you the entries...

Before going to the recipes, here is a tutorial from Suma Rowjee of Cakes And More.Read her detailed post on Yeast Bread basics for beginners

and a small note on how to make super soft and fluffy Chapathis from my kitchen.

Now to the basic bread....

Rudra of Mom's Corner has 3 delicious flatbreads - Rumali Roti ,

Rajasthani Jaadi Roti and

Kerala Parotta

Vidhya subramony of SweetKaramKapi sent these puffed up Chapathi

Amy of Food Corner sent in Sri Lankan Pol Roti

Kalyani of Sizzling Tastebuds has sent in Butter Kulcha

Sujatha Subramanian of Suja's Inscriptions adds a twist to her bread - Honey Wheat Almond bread recipe

Archana of The Mad Scientist's Kitchen!! made these Raw Banana parathas

Hope you liked this roundup. If any entry is missing, drop me a line and I will include it in this roundup..

Thanks once again to Jaya and all the participants for the support :)

How To Preserve Homemade Tomato Onion Paste

In our hectic life style,we often need to look out for ways to make life simpler. One place that we need shortcuts is in the kitchen.Today's tip is very helpful to make gravy/ curry or dal at the drop of a hat, well almost.

Most of out gravies/dals and curries make use of tomato and onion that are either sauteed and used as such or added as a paste.This process takes somewhere between 15-30 minutes which requires chopping the vegetables, sauteing them,letting them cool and then grinding it to a paste.If all this is done ahead and stored in the fridge /  freezer, it  facilitates the preparation of a quick meal.

Here is what I use / do....

Ripe tomatoes - 1 kilo
Pear onion- 3/4 kilo
Garlic pods - 10 large
Oil
Salt

1. Chop the tomato and onion roughly.
2. Heat enough oil in a pan and saute onion, tomato and garlic till the tomato is soft.
3. Let it cool.
4. Add a little salt and grind the tomato-onion to a fine paste
5. Again heat a few teaspoons of oil in a pan and put in the ground paste.
6. Cook on medium flame till oil oozes out.
7. Cool and store in a airtight container in the refrigerator.I usually freeze this paste in small containers.

Note :

• Usually I use pearl onion.You can use any type of onion for this recipe
• The ratio of the ingredients can be varied to suit your taste.
• Adding garlic is a matter of personal choice.
• Similarly this can also be stored without adding salt. 
• If salt is added as mentioned above, adjust salt in the dish that the paste is used in.
• The quantity of oil can be reduced while sauteing. Oil acts as a preservative and hence can be refrigerated for a longer period.
• If using less oil, it is advisable to freeze the paste is small containers and use as required.

So far in Blogging marathon this month under the topic - Preps and preserves....

Day 6 - Homemade curd / yogurt
Day 5 - Homemade breadcrumbs
Day 4 - How to brew South Indian Filter Coffee
Day 3 - How To freeze coconut
Day 2 - Homemade Ginger garlic Paste
Day 1 - How to blanch almonds in the microwave


Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon

This Day That Year...


2010- Savory Oats Porridge
2008- Pepper flavored rice , Curry leaf powder and Curry leaf flavored rice

Bon Appetit...

Homemade Curd / Yogurt

I can never imagine a meal without curd.Sometimes I can even use it as a side dish for breakfast/ dinner dishes if there is nothing else available.And as for the cooling raitas prepared with the curds, I can eat it as a meal. My love for curd is so much that I have a separate place for it in the recipe index - Yumm Yogurt .Do I need anymore points to prove my love for this delicious thing!!

The health benefits of yogurt are aplenty and mighty impressive!Here are a few that I found interesting...

• Yogurt has a good amount of 'good' bacteria,ie live bacteria or Probiotics that are essential to maintain healthy intestinal flora.For this the yogurt must be prepared with live/active bacteria.It helps in conditions like constipation/ diarrhoea/colon cancer/Inflammatory bowel disease and H.pylori infection.
• Lactobacillus casei,a strain of bacteria helps in boosting the immunity.
• Calcium is one important mineral that is required to prevent osteoporosis and yogurt has loads of this vital nutrient.[Calcium is very important for women].Because of the presence of Calcium,it boosts the body's ability to build bones.
• Prevents and heals arthritis.
• Protects against ulcer.
• It prevents vaginal yeast infections.
• It is also a good source of phosphorus,protein and energy.
• Last but not the least,a study proved that consuming around 90 grams of yogurt/day reduces bad breath and the amount of bacteria coating the tongue,reduces dental plaques,cavities and risk of gingivitis.

To prepare yogurt at home just follow these simple steps.[This is what I do]

• Warm the required quantity of milk.[It should just be 'lukewarm'.]
• Transfer it into a clean bowl.
• Add the 'starter' or a tablespoon of previous days yogurt.
• Mix gently,cover and let it rest in a warm place for a couple of hours.
• Once the yogurt is set store in the refrigerator.

Note:

• If you live in a warm place,then the yogurt sets very quickly ,maybe in a couple of hours.If you are living in a cooler [or colder] region then leave it overnight to set.
• When you need yogurt within a couple of hours,follow the method as mentioned above and place the vessel inside a hotbox. This simple process results in curd setting faster and is a secret that mom shared with me :).
• The curd sets and tastes best when set in earthen bowls. The curd is very creamy and delicious.
• Always use undiluted milk.If water is added to milk while boiling the resulting curd is watery and does not taste good.
• If the yogurt is left outside for a long time in summer [or when the climate is warmer] after it sets,it turns sour and hence best to keep it refrigerated.
• Before you finish off the bowl of yogurt made at home,don't forget to take out a couple of spoons and keep it separately in the fridge for we need it to prepare another bowl of healthy yogurt tomorrow.

Use the fresh yogurt to prepare Khadi , raitas, smoothies,lassi,flavored /fruit yogurt,avial etc and the sour curd can be used to marinate green chillies to prepare Sundried chillies .

Check out Yumm Yogurt which has more than 40 curd/yogurt based recipes.

Selection of yogurt:


In case you are not able to make this at home, here are a few things that can be considered before buying it from the store...

• When buying the commercial brands,look for one that mentions 'active/live bacteria'.Some brands may pasteurise their products thereby killing the 'friendly' bacteria and with it all the benefits are lost.
• It is better to avoid buying yogurt with added sweeteners and flavourings.
• Don't forget to check the 'expiry date' when buying the product.

Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon

This Day That Year...


2010-Yardlong beans Potato stir fry

2008 - Carrot Rice

Bon Appetit...

Homemade Bread Crumbs

This is not an actual recipe but it does come in handy when we have excess bread at hand and not prefer to buy bread crumbs from the store.Last week we got a loaf of bread not realizing that we still had half a loaf leftover.All I did is tear up  [usually a day old] bread slices from half the loaf and pulse it up in the mixer.Store the bread crumbs in the fridge till it is ready to be used up in the cutlet ,tikkis or kekabs.A whole box of bread crumbs ready in a jiffy else the bread would have ended up in the dustbin.

Note:

• Any type of bread can be used.
• Do not use stale bread.
• You can also toast the bread slices before pulsing the slicing.
• To make seasoned bread crumbs, toast the bread cubes in a skillet on low heat for a few minutes. Remove from heat.When cool pulse it along with the seasoning of your choice like garlic powder / pepper powder / dried basil / oregano etc.

Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon

This Day That Year...


2010 - Purple cabbage rice with lentil spice mix and Oats Idli

2008 - Fusion Rice

Bon Appetit...

How To Brew / Prepare South Indian Filter Coffee

For most of us South Indians, the day does not begin until we have our morning cup of coffee. Not just any coffee,it must be a 'filter coffee'

Frothy and piping hot, this coffee rejuvenates us and makes it easier to start the day on an energetic dose. Popularly known as Filter Kaapi,it is really an art to prepare.Each family/ household has its own variations and techniques. I have made an attempt to bring my morning cup of coffee here. 

Before I go any further let me share a few memories.In my childhood, I was strictly forbidden to drink coffee.Mom wanted me to have milk which I hated.So I was given cocoa based drinks. I would yearn for a sip of coffee and mom seeing my craving would pass me just a couple of sips. I wanted to grow up as quickly as possible just to drink this coffee.Later at a certain stage[around high school age,I think],mom realized that she could not keep me away from this aromatic beverage and would pass me a small mug of coffee sometimes.Now there is no keeping me away from coffee :).

The aroma and flavor of homemade filter kaapi is unique and the instant coffee mixes can come nowhere near the flavor of the fresh decoction.

Let us move on to today's post.....

To prepare this filter Kapi, you need a coffee filter as seen below.It has 2 compartments,One is the base[seen in the right] and the top compartment is the one with holes where the coffee powder and water is allowed to drip into. It gets collected in the bottom compartment.

First see to that all the holes in the top compartment are open. In case a few are blocked use a needle to clear away the clog. Gently warm the top compartment for a couple of minutes...

Put in the ground coffee powder. This powder can be in your preferred ratio.Some coffee powders have higher chicory content, while some are pure coffee.Either way its up to your taste. For the above filter we add around 5 tablespoons of coffee powder.Fit the compartment over the bottom part.

Then lightly press down  the powder. This can be done with the plunger like device that comes with the coffee filter vessel or use a small ladle.If the is loosely packed, the decoction will not be thick / flavorful. At the same time do not press it down too hard as the water will not seep into the coffee powder

In a vessel boil water. Pour it along the edge into the comparment with the coffee powder. The reason why it is poured gently is to make sure that the coffee powder layer is not disturbed.

Fill the water to the brim

Cover and let it sit for sometime..

The decocotion is now ready.....

To prepare the perfect cup of Kaapi, one must not heat the milk and the decoction. Here is what must be done.Pour the required quantity of decoction into a tumbler.Yes, a stainless tumbler and not a cermaic / porcelain mug  cup. In a vessel heat  milk till it is almost boiling. Add sugar and stir to mix. Pour the piping hot milk over the decoction in the tumbler and serve.As you can see this kapi is served in a Davara-Tumbler as it is called.The vessel that holds the tumbler is the Davara.

When served in the Davara-tumbler, the coffee is swished a couple of times between the dawara and tumbler to bring the coffee to the right temperature and make it more frothier.

Note:

• Always remember to serve this coffee piping hot and frothy.
• The time taken for the decoction to seep varies with the size of the filter used. So it is wise to do this at night so that you wake up to a jar full of fresh decoction.
• Play around with the quantity of milk,sugar and decoction till you get the flavor and strength[of coffee] to suit your taste.
• In a TV show, it was mentioned that a spoon of sugar sprinkled over the packed coffee powder in step  3 [before adding water] enhances the taste of the coffee.
• This coffee tastes best[according to me] if there is hint of bitterness. If it is too sweet, then there is no fun in enjoying this coffee.
• To the best taste of filter coffee, roast and grind the coffee beans as and when you want to prepare the decoction. But I do know it is not possible in our busy schedule.To compensate this fact, store the ground coffee powder in the refrigerator and use as needed.
• Sometimes a second decoction which is slightly a thinner version is also prepared with the same powder. After the first extract, boiling water is added to fill half the top compartment.The coffee prepared with the second decoction is not as tasty as the one prepared with the first extract.
• You can store the decoction in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days [provided there is no power cut and your refrigerator is in good working condition]
• Discard the previous days coffee powder, wash and use the filter to prepare another batch of decoction.

Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon

Updated : This post is off to Cooking Challenge - Flavors Of Tamil Nadu hosted at Sweet Karam Kapi...

Bon Appetit...

How To Freeze Coconut

Living in the orient had lead me to adopt some methods that I would normally never use if I was in India. One such method is freezing coconut. Having lived in a land where fresh coconut is abundant and almost each and every household has at least a couple of coconut trees, it was a shock and disappointment for us when we found that we could no longer prepare our favorite coconut chutney to go with breakfast dishes.

The desiccated coconut found here was sweet and not fit for chutney. Our attempts to locate a coconut turned futile. After searching for it in the vegetable aisle in almost all the malls and the farmers market we would return home bitterly disappointed. Then one day when we were looking for something else, we saw a pack of coconut juice and on the carton was a beautiful picture of a coconut tree and a coconut. With renewed enthusiasm, we approached the girls in one of the counters and showed them the picture of the coconut and asked for it.

She took us to the fruits section and pointed to a shiny brown 'object' which has no resemblance to the Indian coconut. Here is what we found......

We picked up a couple of these and came home and had a good laugh. Many a times we had seen this in
the fruit aisle and thinking it was some oriental fruit didn't even bother to find out what it was. Later I found out that these coconuts were not stocked up often especially in winter.So I always buy a couple of coconuts when they arrive and freeze them so that I have a ready stock whenever I need.

Since I don't have the Traditional Indian grater to grate the coconut, I cut the coconut into small pieces and pulse it a couple of times in the mixer.[If you let it run for a long time, it becomes a paste]. Then transfer the 'grated' coconut into a container and push it into the freezer. I keep them in a couple of containers so that I use up one and then start with the other. Since we have to thaw the coconut before using, if it is in the same box, the change in temperature will reduce the shelf life of the coconut.

Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon

This Day That Year...

2010 - Microwave Eggless custard Powder Snack Cake

2008 - Jackfruit Kheer

Bon Appetit...

Homemade Ginger Garlic Paste

Ginger garlic paste is used in many recipes and though we get this in the store, there is nothing that beats the one made at home.I make small batches of this to last for 10 days.

Judging by the date on the click below, you would have understood that its been in my drafts since then!!I thought this tip would be apt for this months blogging marathon - Preps and preserves.

For this home made paste I use equal quantities of ginger and garlic. Peel garlic and ginger. Chop them roughly and grind to a smooth paste. Usually water may not be required while grinding. In case you need to, add as less as possible. Transfer the paste into a container and refrigerate / freeze.

Note :

• You can alter the quantity of ginger and garlic to suit your taste.
• A pinch of turmeric can be added to give the paste a bright yellow color.
• While grinding the paste you can add a little cooking oil instead of water.
• If you prepare a large batch, freeze half and refrigerate the other half.

Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon

This Day That Year...

2010 - Palak Parathas and Banana Peanut butter Smoothie

2009 - Ridgegourd flavored rice

Bon Appetit...

How To Blanch Almonds In The Microwave

Today we start the second group of the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon, initiated by Srivalli of Cooking for all Seasons and Spicing your Life fame...For this edition I have chosen the theme - Preps and Preserves where I will be sharing  recipes / notes on dishes/ preparations that can be made ahead of the actual cooking and preserved for later use.

The use of the microwave apart from the regular cooking helps me to preserve Curry leaves, blanching vegetables like Tomatoes and is a real boon in the kitchen.To this list, I would also like to add the blanching of almonds that can be used to make gravies like Shahi Paneer Kofta Masala or Badam Kheer

The process is very simple. Take the required quantity of almonds / badam in a microwave safe bowl filled with water. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Drain the water. Hold an almond at one end and apply a little pressure with your fingers and notice the skin slip away easily.If the skin does not peel immediately it means they are not blanched properly. Microwave for another 30 seconds - 1 minute and repeat the process....

I know you can't call this a recipe but it really does save time when you need to blanch a huge batch of almonds.

Sending this to Srivallis - MEC event, hosted this month by Vatsala @ Show and Tell

Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking this week @ the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon


This Day That Year...

2010 - Kollu Paruppu Masal Vadai - Horse gram fritters
2008 - Mom's Rasam

Bon Appetit...

Eggless Whole Wheat Almond Cookies

I am early with my post for Taste and Create. And by ' early' I meant before the deadline. For the past couple of months, my posts for Taste and Create was just on time.I cook and post on the last day in such a hurry that my folks at home wonder 'What's the great rush'!!!!! But not this month :)

I am paired with Veena of Veg Junction this month.She has a wonderful blog full of delicious vegetarian dishes.I have known Veena for quite sometime,meeting often during the blogging marathons. Though I have bookmarked  many recipes from her blog, now I really got down to creating her dishes in my kitchen.I have prepared a couple of other dishes as well from her blog and today I am posting our favorite....

For this edition, the first recipe that I choose is a cookie,as the name of this post suggests,the one with nuts as I was sure my Lil Angel would love it.The whole batch of cookies disappeared in 2 days and she is asking me to make another batch for her as soon as possible!

Before I go on to the recipe here is a glimpse of the crunchy cookie...

I used:
Recipe Source-Veg Junction

Whole wheat flour- 1 cup
Butter- 100 grams
Powdered sugar - 1/3 cup
Sliced almonds-1/4 cup
Salt- 1/4 teaspoon

1.Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

2.In a bowl mix together flour,sugar, salt and almonds

2.Put in butter

3.knead to a dough.

4. Pinch out small balls from the dough. I got around 20.

5.Flatten them slightly.Place them on a baking tray and bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or till golden brown.

6.Cool on a wire rack

7.Store in an airtight container

or serve with a mug of coffee / Tea

Note :

• The original recipe calls for cardamom powder. Since we are not huge fans of cardamom, I have omitted that.In case you prefer,add 1 teaspoon powdered cardamom in step 2.
• Similarly I omitted 2 tbsp milk from the original recipe. The butter was sufficient to bind the dry ingredients and the dough was of the right consistency.So adding milk would have made the dough sticky.Since the butter I used was at room temperature for almost an hour, I guess it was of the right consistency to bind the ingredients.If after using up the butter, the dough does not come together,you can use a little milk for binding.
• I used 1/3 cup of sugar as against the original 1/2 cup. It was sweet enough. Increase the quantity of sugar in case you like it sweeter.
• Next time I will chop the almonds into bits instead of slicing them. The dough with sliced almonds was a little difficult to shape.
• The cookies were soft in the center after 20 minutes of baking.But on cooling they were perfectly crunchy.
• The timing for baking may vary depending on the type of oven you are using.

It is fun creating dishes for  Taste and Create ...Would you like to join ? I am sure you will ,after you read the intro... Taste and Create , started by Nicole, is a food community where we are paired with another blogger and we get to taste and create the recipes from the partner's blog.Got you interested, didn't I? Just email Min @ cowgirlmin07@gmail.com with your name, blog name and a link to your blog to sign up.Hope to see you in the next edition of Taste and Create.....

Sending this to Vardhini's Bake Fest #1 and to Khushi's Bake with your heart

This Day That Year...

2010 - Braised Tofu With Vegetables
2008 - Curd Aval - Pressed rice in seasoned yogurt

Bon Appetit...

Minty Lemon Rasam

I try to maintain a patch of mint leaves in my front yard garden throughout the year.The need for a  few mint leaves that would be required for a garnish or a chutney for breakfast is fulfilled from this patch.One day when I was craving for a different type of soup, these mint leaves got out the idea to make a yummy soup which doubled as a rasamm. I had this as a soup and the rest of the family enjoyed it with steamed rice.This rasam / soup does not have dal and it very light and refreshing.

I used:

Tamarind paste- 1 teaspoon dissolved in a cup of warm water
Mint leaves- a handful
Roasted cumin powder- 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Rasam powder-2 teaspoons
Garlic- 2 cloves, minced and roasted in a little oil
Curry leaves a few, lightly crushed
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste

1. Bring to boil 2 cups of water.
2. Add the cumin, pepper powder, curry leaves,garlic, tamarind extract, salt and rasam powder .Simmer
3. After  8-10 minutes, or when the raw smell of tamarind disappears, remove from heat
4. Add the lemon juice and slightly crushed mint leaves.
5. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve as a soup or as a side dish with steamed rice and pappad.

Rice served with minty lemon rasam , brinjal roast , Curry leaves chutney

Note :

• You can increase or decrease the quantity of lemon juice and mint used in this recipe.
• Seasoning this rasam is optional. I chose not to. In case you like to season it, heat a little ghee and use mustard ,cumin seeds and a pinch of asafoetida powder for seasoning and pour over rasam. This will be the last step in the procedure.
• If serving later, slight reheat the soup/ rasam. Do not heat it for a long time as it might turn bitter.

Sending this to Srivalli's Soups and Salads mela

Other rasam varieties

• Saaru - Mom's style Rasam with Toor dal.
• Poondu Rasam - Garlic Flavored Rasam
• Kollu Rasam - Rasam prepared with horsegram
• Spicy Moong dhal rasam
• Mil's instant rasam
• Thakkali rasam - Tomato Rasam #1
• Tomato Rasam #2
• Lemon rasam
• Nellore Rasam

Bon Appetit...

Bittergourd Stew with Tomato and Tamarind

A long , long time ago,when I wanted to make a simple but delicious gravy to  go with rice on a lazy Sunday noon, I remembered this recipe on Sig's Blog. Since this had our favorite vegetable- Bittergourd, I knew it would be a hit at the table and sure enough it was.This gravy is a lot different from my usual method but we loved it.....

I used:
Recipe Source - Live To Eat

Bittergourd- 1 large
Tomatoes - 2 , large
Onion- 1, large,chopped
Tamarind paste- 1 teaspoon,dissolved in a little warm water
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves- a few
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Roast and powder

Cinnamon- 1" piece
Cloves- 2
Cardamom seeds - from 2 pods
Fennel seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1/4 seeds

1. Blanch tomato and puree
2. Wash the bittergourd, cut it lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop bittergourd into thin slices.
3. Microwave the bittergourd with a little water till it is soft.Drain excess water and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
5. When it pops, add the onion , curry leaves and saute till the onion is translucent.
6. Add the coriander and chilli powder and mix well.Saute for a minute.
7. Put in the tomato puree, mix well and bring to a boil.
8. Simmer and add the bittergourd pieces and the powdered spices.
9. Add around half a cup of hot water, tamarind paste, salt and bring to boil.Add more water depending on how watery / thick you prefer the gravy.
10. Cover and cook till the gravy thickens. If it is too thick add a little water, if it is too watery let it boil for some more time.
11. Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice and pappads.

Other recipes with bittergourd

Bengali bittergourd curry
Bittergourd crisps
Bittergourd stir-fry
Bittergourd Kootu
Bittergourd carrot kootu

Bon Appetit...