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August 29, 2008
1:00
Happy 7th birthday, dear Rengoni...
» ‎ sunita's world

You came into our world, one early morning, seven years ago, introducing us to an entirely new experience ...that of being parents. Rengoni, a ray of light (in Assamese)...yes, you have definitely brightened our lives over all these years.

Your cake...decorated according to your wishes...each and every detail :-)

We love to have you around...our very own 'little miss sunshine'....enjoy your special day!
August 25, 2008
4:00
Some indulgence...
» ‎ sunita's world
Firstly, the li'l guy (and of course, his mom) thanks all of you who took the time to drop by and leave warm wishes on his special day...we do appreciate it very much.

On another note, chicken is the meat that is mostly found on our plates, but not that often.We usually have it just once a week, well, sometimes, not even that at all. We are more a 'fishy' type of family(now, wipe off that smirk from your faces....you know what I mean ;-))

The creamy cashew chicken that is featured in today's post is definitely not one for the faint hearted...

is liberally doused in butter, cream and cashewnuts. If this has scared you, you better make your quiet exit now, I'm not looking :-) But, if you've been good with your health for quite a while, and wouldn't mind in indulging in a rich and creamy chicken curry, for a treat, then, you're most welcome to join me in the journey.

This is one curry which we indulged on, after how many days? Well, I simply don't know...let's say 'ages'. But, it was truly a treat...chicken, slow cooked in a mixture of fresh and ground spices and ending with a rich cashew and cream mixture, resulting in a heavenly gravy.The ingredient list is a bit long, but this is supposed to be an indulgence, remember? The process, is also relatively simple, but, with uncompromising results in the taste department. Here's how I made this decadent and creamy cashew chicken .

What's needed-

750gms of chicken pieces (I used mixed pieces from a whole chicken)
3/4 C of cashewnuts, soaked in water for 15-20 minutes and ground to a slightly rough paste(using enough water)
4-5 (more or less) dried red chillies, slit,deseeded and soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes
2 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 and 1/2 inches of ginger, chopped
2 tblsp of butter
3-4 tblsp of cream, mixed with the ground cashews and kept aside
1 tblsp of sugar
1 tblsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1 whole red chilli
3 pods of cardamom
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tblsp tomato puree
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tblsp kitchen king masala
1 tsp garam masala powder
salt to taste

How to-
1. Grind together the onion, ginger, garlic and soaked red chillies to a rough paste and keep aside.
2. Heat the butter in a pan, over medium heat, and add the bay leaves, cumin seeds, whole red chilli, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
3. When the spices begin to release their aroma, add the sugar. When the sugar melts and begins to caramalise, add the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli paste. Add the turmeric powder, kitchen king spice blend and tomato puree, and fry, stirring continuously till the moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes lumpy.
4. Add the chicken and season with salt. Stir well, cover and cook over low heat, stirring now and then, till the chicken is very nearly done and the juices have reduced to half.
5. Add the cashew-cream mixture and the garam masala powder. Stir, and simmer over low heat till the chicken is completely done. If the gravy thickens too much, add a little water.
6. Remove from heat and serve hot with rotis/naans/puris or plain rice and some fresh salad.
That's it...not too hard to make, is it! I got our rotis made while the chicken was cooking away to glory over low heat. As this is a rich curry, there were some left for the next day, which tasted even better :-)

Enjoy!

******************************************************************************

'Think spice...' turns 'One' this month. To celebrate, the choice of spice has been left to you. All that needs to be done is to cook up a dish with your favourite spice, taking care not to drown it with too many others, and send them over. The last date to send in entries is the 31st of August,08. Hurry... 6 more days to go!

The rules for participation can be found here. Non- bloggers are welcome to join in.
August 22, 2008
1:30
Happy 6th birthday, dear Agastya.
» ‎ sunita's world

Happy birthday to you, dear Agastya, you are all and more, than, we can ever wish for, in a son.

As for your cake, I've tried to add your favourite red power ranger, as you wished for (although it's just the head)!

Plain genoise, layered (4 layers) and filled with whipped cream;covered and decorated (the head:-)) with marzipan and light brush strokes with food colour, round the sides.

Have a great day, sweetheart, and keep smiling. We love you!
August 20, 2008
1:35
Spelt bread..
» ‎ sunita's world
Didn't I tell you in my last post that the weather is definitely cooling down. Look at those leaves up there...

and also these ones...

which were strewn across our garden, picked up the li'l ones.Yes, autumn seems to be creeping in quietly.

Now, recently, on the kitchen front, I have been using wholegrain spelt flour in quite a few recipes and have really enjoyed the experience. I have used it in pizzas, pancakes and in a loaf.

'Spelt flour is the name for the original wheat grain that was grown before modern farming techniques, selective breeding and genetic modification took place. It is much easier to digest than modern day wheat and is usually fine for people with an intolerance to modern day wheat flours and products. It has a lovely nutty flavour and also makes excellent pastry, cakes and biscuits with normal wheat recipes.'

I made the loaf of bread with spelt a couple of days ago, and we really enjoyed it.

Regarding the use of spelt in bread, the following should be kept in mind...
- 'Spelt has an "extremely fragile" gluten content. While that may be a negative from the perspective of getting your bread to rise, it is also what makes spelt bread easier to digest. Spelt does not rise quite as high as wheat flour. But, it tastes so good, you probably won't even notice that your bread is underinflated .
- You must use the correct amount of water. Too much, and the dough is sticky and weak and will not be able to hold the gasses that are produced during the fermentation process. Too little, and the dough will be dry and dense. It will not rise properly because the water never fully gets into the protein and there is nothing to hold the loaf up. Also, the dense loaf is too tight to allow the yeast gases to expand the loaf.
- You must also mix it just right. Too little mixing causes the dough to be crumbly (one of the problems you mention) and it will not develop the necessary protein to cause it to expand properly. A dough mixed too long will break down the fragile protein strands that hold in the gases. The first few minutes of mixing are critical. From the moment you add the water to the flour, you should take no more than 4 minutes to mix the dough completely.
- The best way to get a better risen loaf is to make a starter. Spelt flour is high in complex carbohydrates, which should be reduced to simple sugars so that they feed the yeast. By creating the starter in advance, you boost this process, and your bread should have better cell structure, greater loaf volume, and a lighter crust.' (sources- here and here )
I tried to follow all the above, but must admit that I didn't make the starter (plain lazy) and proceeded as normal. The end product was still very tasty.

I used Dove's farm Organic wholegrain spelt flour, which I found in the local supermarket.

This is how I baked our loaf of bread packed with the goodness of spelt...

What's needed-

2 and 1/2 C wholegrain spelt flour and a little extra for dusting and kneading
1c plain flour
3 tblsp fast action dried yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 C warm water
2 tsp of sesame seeds for topping
1 tblsp of melted butter for brushing the top

How to-
1. Mix the flours together.
2. Mix the yeast with half the water, add to the flours and mix roughly with preferably a wooden spoon.
3. Mix the salt with the rest of the water and add to the flour. Mix well.
4. Add the oil and knead for about 4 minutes. add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky, but not too much, a tblsp at a time.
5. Transfer the dough to a clean and oiled bowl and roll it around to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to let the dough rise for an hour or till doubled in volume.
6. Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead for a couple of minutes. Shape into a loaf and place it in an oiled 9 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the sesame seeds. Cover with an oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise for another 20-30 minutes.
7. Pre heat the oven at 220 deg C.
8. Place the loaf tin in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Place a piece of foil over the pan and bake for another 15-20 minutes. This prevents over browning of the crust.
9. Brush the top with the melted butter. Run a knife lightly around the edges and take out the bread. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.
We really loved the nutty flavour of this bread. I made some sandwiches with the bread, which, we had outdoors, to enjoy whatever little bit of summer was still left.

Spelt bread sandwiches with a spicy poached salmon, sweetcorn and cucumber filling,mixed together with some greek yogurt.

Am sending this bread over to Susan at Wild yeast, as an entry for Yeastspotting.

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'Think spice...' turns 'One' this month. To celebrate, the choice of spice has been left to you. All that needs to be done is to cook up a dish with your favourite spice, taking care not to drown it with too many others, and send them over. The last date to send in entries is the 31st of August,08.

The rules for participation can be found here. Non- bloggers are welcome to join in.
August 18, 2008
1:11
Ready in a jiffy...
» ‎ sunita's world
It has definitely cooled down in our neck of the woods. Even when the sun is shining, the rays don't strike you as harsh. With the rains coming on and off, temperatures have not had that much of a chance to soar, for quite a while, now.

The kids holidays are on in full swing. We haven't been running around like crazy...just letting things be , taking each day as it comes, being lazy at times...just enjoying the feeling of being together. Only a couple of weeks to go before returning to the bustling routine...better make the most of it.

Talking of the kids, Rengoni and Agastya have been reminding me about the pizza that I had promised to make for them, for quite a couple of days. They had been on their best behaviour for quite a while ... been also helping in clearing out 'a lot' of their clutter. I was actually amazed that they managed to let go of so many of their things as ''too babyish''. Hmmm, they must be really growing up!

Last Friday, I wanted to surprise them with the promised pizza for lunch. But, clearing out their clutter did take an awful lot of time, and by the time we were done, it was late morning...and I had not readied the dough. I felt bad...looked around and grabbed the jar of baking powder for a quicker solution than the yeasty one for the base. And I was so very pleased that I did so... a delightful crust was ready in a a jiffy. And, after a short while, the pizza was made and devoured.

What's needed-

For the crust-

1C wholegrain spelt flour or wholemeal flour
1 and 1/2 C plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 level tblsp baking powder
3 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 and 1/4 C water (a little more if using wholemeal flour)

For the topping-

1/2 C of tomato puree
1 carrot, finely chopped
small red onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3-4 close capped mushrooms, sliced
1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 C sweetcorn
1 tblsp of dried oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
100 gms of cheddar cheese, grated

How to-
1. Pre heat the oven at 230 deg C and line a baking sheet.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, salt and oregano. Rub in the oil.
3. Pour the water and knead quickly( a little longer if using wholemeal flour) into a soft dough. If it is very sticky, add a little more flour, but not too much...the dough must be soft.
4. Roll out the dough on a floured board, into a circle of 11 inches in diameter. Transfer the rolled out dough to the lined baking tray and poke lightly over the surface with a fork. Place the tray in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep aside.
5. While the crust bakes, prepare the topping. Heat the oil and add the carrots, sweetcorn, onion and garlic, and fry for a minute. Add the mushrooms and oregano and cook for another couple of minutes, till the mushrooms soften slightly. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and remove from heat. Cool slightly.
6. Spread the tomato puree over the base of the crust, leaving a border of about 1 inch, and follow with the cooked topping, taking care to avoid adding the juices. Sprinkle the cheese and follow with a little more ground pepper.
7. Return the tray to the centre of the pre heated oven (230 deg C) and bake till the cheese melts and is golden...approximately 8-10 minutes.
Now what? Cut into wedges and serve hot, especially to two hungry kids and their mom (leave a couple of slices for the dad to taste) and watch their faces light up :-)

The pizza was wonderful...the soft crust made me, in fact all of us, very happy indeed. I served the pizza along with glasses of mango and saffron milk for a delightful lunch...

and was greeted by four, little, raised thumbs.

Sonny boy, holding it up for a closer inspection!

Related posts-
- Herby pizza crust topped with a mustardy- tomato sauce
- Spinach- base pizza topped with a vegetable sauce and grilled chicken
******************************************************************************

'Think spice...' turns 'One' this month. To celebrate, the choice of spice has been left to you. All that needs to be done is to cook up a dish with your favourite spice, taking care not to drown it with too many others, and send them over. The last date to send in entries is the 31st of August,08.

The rules for participation can be found here. Non- bloggers are welcome to join in.
August 15, 2008
1:30
The Highlands call...
» ‎ sunita's world

Going to the mountains is going home.
-John Muir

Hills, streams and mountains have always fascinated me. Where we come from, they are readily available at a short distance....for Dinesh, it is even more, having been born ,brought up till he was nine and having spent the first few years of his working life in beautiful Shillong, (the capital of Meghalaya, meaning ''the abode of the clouds''). He does refer to himself as a man of the hills from time to time.. Needless to say, when we packed our bags, a couple of weeks ago, to set off for the Scottish Highlands, I was overjoyed. Probably there was a sense of apprehension, too, at meeting the hills and mountains. We live down South-East and it's a long drive to the North, but it was worth it and I'm still reliving the time we spent there. The last time we went to Scotland was nearly three years ago...the children were much younger and we had to restrict ourselves. But, this time, we really let go. The glory of nature, it's splendour, and it's changing faces touched us to the core. Many a time, both me and Dinesh would go silent, very silent...the heart seemed to skip a beat and we knew what the other was thinking. Yes, it was like going home.

The base of our stay was Fort William, the outdoor capital of the UK which forms a large part of the West Highlands of Scotland. Fort William is the largest town in the west Highlands of Scotland and is the commercial centre of Lochaber, an area renowned for magnificent scenery with an important history. It has the highest mountain in the UK - Ben Nevis, and Loch Morar - the deepest loch, with beautiful glens, forests and beaches in between.

The following pictures were taken from the moving car (except the fourth one), while we were on our way to Fort William. Evening was approaching, and the air had that unmistakable , magical feel to it.There is so much to take in, one is sometimes confused as to which way to turn.

Speaking of home, India celebrates it's 62nd Independance Day today, and I wish all my Indian readers a very happy Independance Day.

Enjoy your weekend!!
August 13, 2008
2:00
Peachy squares...
» ‎ sunita's world
A visit to the local farmers market led me to haul back a big load of fresh fruits...plums, cherries, peaches, grapes.

The feel of the fresh and colourful fruits, without all those plastic wrappings have a beauty of their own. On reaching home, as I lovingly unpacked them, my mind was still on those avocados and kiwis and the strawberries that were looking back at me, as if, a bit disheartened, at not being picked up. Well, I would have , if only Dinesh didn't drag me away. Our bags were way too full. 'Next time, next time'...I tell myself.

And what did we do with so much of fruit lying around...well, eat them , of course, in their natural state, just as nature intended. And with the kids around, there was no dearth of eaters...all the fruits were being lapped up. Rengoni, especially was on a roll...she could probably survive on fruits only. Agastya, is not too bad either...though he is not too much of a fan of peaches. So, I put them into pancakes, and he really loved them...I know, not as good as having them raw, but at least, better than not having any at all.

A couple of the peaches also found their way into a simple bake.

I would rather not call it a cake...it had a sort of puddingy feel to it. But, whatever you call it, it did taste good.

What's needed-

2 peaches, skinned, stoned and roughly mashed
1/4 C oil
5 tblsp of honey
3 eggs
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tblsp cornstarch
a pinch of baking powder

How to-
1. In a pan, mix the peaches, along with it's juices, oil and honey and mix well. Place the pan over heat, bring to a boil (stirring continuously) and remove from heat to cool slightly.
2. Pre heat the oven at 170 deg C and line and grease an 8 inch square pan.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs till light and fluffy.
4. Mix together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, and fold into the egg mixture, a tblsp at a time.
5. Add the warm peach, honey and oil mixture, a little at a time and mix in.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the lower rack of the pre heated oven for 30 minutes. Cover the pan with foil (to avoid over browning) and bake for another 30 minutes.
7. Lift the cake out of the pan with the parchment and turn it over on a rack. Peel off the parchment and cool completely before cutting into squares.
- This bake is served upside down, the peachy bits will sink down while baking.
- It will not rise much while baking.
We loved these peachy squares. Small, perfect nibbles. And yes, even the 'don't like peaches' kid liked it too. And so did the rest of us, the other kid, and the two, not so little kids...the squares were all gone by the end of the day!

******************************************************************************

'Think spice...' turns 'One' this month. To celebrate, the choice of spice has been left to you. All that needs to be done is to cook up a dish with your favourite spice, taking care not to drown it with too many others, and send them over. The last date to send in entries is the 31st of August,08.

The rules for participation can be found here. Non- bloggers are welcome to join in.
August 11, 2008
1:54
One for three...
» ‎ sunita's world
A few days ago, we enjoyed bowlfuls of pasta with some almond, roasted tomatoes and bell pepper pesto.

I did set out to make the usual one with basil, nuts, olive oil, cheese and garlic...and then decided to add some roasted tomatoes and bell pepper...and I am really glad I did. The extras made the pesto all the more rich and indulgent.

What's needed-

1/2 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped
a small bunch of coriander leaves
50 gms of fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil+ more for pulsing
a small handful of almonds, chopped and lightly toasted
1/2 tsp crushed red chillies (more or less)
50 gms of Red Leicester or cheddar cheese, grated
250 gms of cooked pasta ( I used wholewheat fusili )
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

How to-
1. Pre heat the oven at 250 deg C.
2. In a baking dish, toss together the tomatoes, red pepper, garlic, 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the tray at the top rack of the pre heated oven and roast, turning them over now and then. When the tomatoes soften and lovely aromas emanate from the oven, they are ready ( rather vague, I know, but forgot the exact number of minutes...should'nt be too many, so, please do keep a watch)
3. Meanwhile , pulse the basil, coriander, almonds, crushed red chillies and half the cheese.
4. Add the roasted vegetables and pulse, pouring in enough olive oil to make a thick paste. Check the seasoning.
5. Toss the pasta with the pesto, serve in bowls and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the top.
This is quite a filing dish, but we enjoyed it immensely.

Am sending bowlfuls of the above pasta dish to three dear ladies...
- Dee for her Basil mania
- DK for her A.W.E.D.-Italian
- Ruth for her Presto pasta nights
Ladies, hope you enjy it :-)

******************************************************************************

'Think spice...' turns 'One' this month. To celebrate, the choice of spice has been left to you. All that needs to be done is to cook up a dish with your favourite spice, taking care not to drown it with too many others, and send them over. The last date to send in entries is the 31st of August,08.

The rules for participation can be found here. Non- bloggers are welcome to join in.
August 08, 2008
2:00
Have you had your colours today?
» ‎ sunita's world
I was drawn to a particular health documentary on the telly a couple of days ago, in which the hostess, a doctor by profession, was talking about how our stomach and intestines work, and how the processing that goes on in there is determined by what we eat. A lady was being interviewed. she looked quite trim from the outside, only her insides told another story. Through the discussion, it was brought to light that she had a great, great love for chocolate and could not do without it at all. In fact, so much, that, chocolate was not only her breakfast, lunch and a part fo her dinner, but, also her snack in between. In her kitchen cupboards, fridge, rooms, car... there was chocolate stashed everywhere. She somehow managed to squeeze in some greasy fried fish and chips for dinner and that was that. Not a single fruit or vegetable could be seen in her menu. Her fridge was always bare, except for those chocolates.

Needless to say, all this lack of fibre, was creating great havoc inside her body and was at a great risk of bowel cancer, which was quite higher, considering her family history.

I was horrified at how much some of us are abusing our own bodies. I too adore chocolates, and quite a lot at that. But I would never, ever imagine of giving up my daily intake of fruits and vegetables. I panic if the fridge or the fruit bowl is less colourful. No, I simply can't do without my colours...of course, I mean the natural, edible ones.

What about you? Have you had your colours today?

And while we are dwelling on food, I made this very simple yet flavoursome salad of couscous, vegetables and feta cheese.

It is very quick to put together and is a nice meal on a hot summer day/night. The soft couscous and the crunchy vegetables were a delight. With such easy recipes, there should be absolutely no excuse for avoiding those all important vegetables in your diet.

What's needed-

1 and 1/2 C couscous
1 and 1/2 C broad beans, shelled, boiled and peeled
1 and 3/4 C of chicken/vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 of a yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
200 gms of feta cheese, cut into small cubes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
some chopped coriander to garnish

How to-
1. In a bowl, mix together the couscous, carrot, yellow pepper and broad beans.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil along with the garlic and the olive oil.
3. Pour the hot stock mixture over the couscous mixture. Cover and let it stand till the stock is completely absorbed and then fluff the couscous with a fork.
4. Mix in the feta cheese, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, garnish with the chopped coriander and serve.
Have a great, 'colourful' weekend :-)

Update-

Since so many of you have seen the tricolour connection, am sending this salad over to dear Pooja, for her "Theme-Independence day 2008". Here's to a healthy nation.
August 06, 2008
2:00
Orangey bread pudding
» ‎ sunita's world
Yes, the holidays are on in full swing...the voices ringing through the house, are definite proof of it. The sounds of giggling, laughing, and of course, of small feet running down the stairs with a complaint. But, hey, what is childhood without a little squabble with your sibling :-)

But, seriously, I am sometimes amazed at the close bond that seems to be developing between Rengoni and Agastya...they seem to have become really good friends. Although, they still do have their differences now and then, they are easily outnumbered by the number of times that they get along...sharing a joke, playing chase in the garden, poring over books and laughing or being bewildered at their contents; ganging up, in whispers, to creep up behind me and give me a scare,(although the whispers are always loud enough for me to hear and forcing me to stifle a laugh)...yes, the house is very much alive these days. And yes, like every other long holiday, makes me wonder as to how fast childhood flies by. Hope they cherish these days forever.

Now, a few days ago, I made this Orangey bread pudding which I really liked...

and would like to share with you. With a slightly citrusy flavour and a crunchy topping, it was a delight. Here's how it was created...

What's needed-

3 eggs
zest of 1 orange
1/2 C fresh orange juice
3/4 C milk
2 large slices of wholemeal bread
4 tblsp of honey
a handful of dates, chopped
a generous helping of almond flakes for topping

How to-
1. Pre heat the oven at 180 deg C and grease an 8 inch round pan.
2. In a bowl, tear the bread into small pieces. Add the orange zest and juice. Mix well and keep aside.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk and honey.
4. Tip the egg mixture into the bread mixture and whisk till smooth.
5. Mix in the chopped dates.
6. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and sprinkle the generous helping of almond flakes on top.
7. Place the pan in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or till nicely browned and a toothpick inserted through the centre comes out clean. It should be firm round the edges and slightly soft round the centre.
8. Serve hot or cold with a sprinkling of icing sugar (optional)
*note-
- It may puff up a bit while baking, but will settle down on coming out of the oven.
- the slices of bread that I used were quite large and thick, if your's are thin, increase the number, but not by too many...the mixture should not be thick.
A simple , but yummy dessert is now ready to be enjoyed...a hassle free satisfaction for sweet cravings. And, if in the mood for indulgence, serve with a dollop of whipped cream. We liked ours simply like this...

Enjoy!
August 04, 2008
1:07
Announcing the 1st anniversary edition of Think Spice...
» ‎ sunita's world
When I first announced Think spice..., a year ago, I was very unsure, as I was treading on unfamiliar terrirtory. That was the first time I was hosting an event, and I was not even sure how many, if any entries would find their way into the inbox. But, yes, you, my dear readers did shower it with love and soon there were beautiful flavours emanating from my inbox.

After seven months, I felt that it was time for 'Think spice ...' to grow more and given different interpretations by all of you lovely people out there. And thanks to
all of you, the call for guest hosts was answered quite well. After being given homes
in Peru, USA and India, 'Think spice ...' returns to it's original abode for this month's special edition, before leaving for distant shores once again.

This, being a special edition, I am leaving the choice of spice to you. In other words, choose your favourite spice, cook with it, post it and send it over to me. It would be really nice if you shared with us as to why you chose that particular spice... is it because it is the most staple spice in your kitchen or because you find it very exotic, treasure it and use it for special recipes.

See, how simple it is. This month, there is absolutely no excuse at all for not sending in anything , for I'm sure there must be one or the other spice in your pantry which you simply love and can't do without.

So, what are you waiting for...think, and start cooking, clicking and posting. All kinds of recipes are welcome. As for the spice, it can be in any form...fresh, dried, powder, whole, well, anything. While cooking the dish, if you think that it does need to be accompanied by other spices, go ahead... just try to keep your chosen spice as the dominant one. There is no limit to the number of entries... the more , the merrier.

And when you are ready to send over your beautiful creations, please make sure that the following details are present in your post ...
1. Post a recipe of any kind, using your chosen spice, also, in any form you desire (fresh, seeds, powder, bark, etc.) ... it would be really nice if the spice could hold it's ground in the dish and is not overpowered by many others. Feel free to share all your thoughts and information on the chosen spice.
2. Include a link back to this post for the benefit of your readers and future references.
...and then, Email me your entry with your ...
- name
- blog name
- blog URL
- recipe name
- name of the chosen spice
- recipe URL
- a picture of your dish, if any...250 pixels wide, height does not matter
by or before the 31st of August, to sunitasworld@yahoo.co.uk with the subject -Think Spice...think favourite(the name of the chosen spice).

Note- If you have participated in Think spice...hosted at 'Sunita's world...' before, please do note that the Email id for this month's event is a new one...so please make sure that you send in your entries to the right place.
- Non -Bloggers are also welcome to participate. Just e-mail me your entry with a picture(if any) to sunitasworld@yahoo.co.uk
- Feel free to use the logo.
So, now, start thinking...I'm sure, together, we can make this month's edition a really special one ...looking forward to your lovely entries.

If you desire to host future editions of ''Think Spice...'', please send me a mail at sunitasworld@yahoo.co.uk. Click here or on The 'think spice' tab on the navbar at the top of the page for the hosting list and openings.

Now, let's get thinking :-)
August 01, 2008
2:00
A happy ending..
» ‎ sunita's world
I am sure this must have happened to you at some time or the other - you go to great lengths to cook something and it does not turn out as expected. On the other hand, at other times, you throw together a few ingredients and out comes a very satisfying meal. The latter is always the one which gives me, and probably you too, the utmost satsfaction.

Last night, I opened the door of the refrigerator and stared inside...it was virtually empty. A bowl of dal and some boiled potatoes from the previous night's dinner, some coriander, an aubergine and some eggs were all that I could see, along with a couple of very sad looking tomatoes. I was horrified; how could this have happened! I know, probably I'm still in the holiday mood ! But dinner time was approaching fast...with the kids around, it's not easy to keep track of the time...it just whizzes by!

Anyway, the boiled potatoes and dal was mixed with flour and some fresh coriander, kneaded into a soft dough and formed into tortillas. Please refer here for the recipe for plain tortillas.I have not used any other liquid for the tortillas...if your dough is too dry, feel free to add a little water. I eyeballed the ingredients so am not mentioning the measurements.

The eggs and tomatoes (yes, the sad looking ones) were combined to make a quick side dish to go with the tortillas. Along with some achaar (pickle), it did make for a yummy meal.

The recipe for the tomatoes and eggs dish follows. I am sure many of you must be making this in your own way. Usually, in this dish, I add more tomatoes than eggs; say about two large tomatoes for each egg. But, as I had scarce resources at hand and four mouths to feed, I added more eggs than tomatoes, and the finished dish resembled scrambled eggs. But it did taste alright and there was nothing to complain about. This is how I made it-

What's needed-

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
3 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt and 2 tblsp of water
1 tblsp oil
1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
a small bunch of coriander, chopped
salt to taste

For tempering-

1 whole red chilli ,split
1/2 tsp of paas puran
1 bay leaf

How to-
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the ingredients for tempering.
2. When the seeds splutter, add the tomatoes, onions, turmeric and salt and cook covered over low heat till the tomatoes are mushy.
3. Add the eggs and the coriander and stir continuously ( or it will stick to the bottom of the pan), till the eggs resemble a scrambled form, and are not overdone. *** They should be soft.
***If the ratio of tomatoes to eggs, is more, the finished dish should have a sort of thick sauce like consistency.

A very simple dish but which went really well with the tortillas. The sad looking tomatoes did not taste sad at all, and I was pleased to see hands eagerly reaching out for second helpings. The tortillas came out very soft too. Now, wasn't that a really happy ending to a sad start :-)

Enjoy your weekend!
July 30, 2008
13:40
A race against time for a DB milestone...
» ‎ sunita's world

This has got to be the greatest race against time for me to complete a DB challenge. This month's challenge holds dear to me as it completes a year as a part of this amazing group...seems just like yesterday that I was all over the place trying to complete the strawberry mirror cake as part of my first challenge...posted it exactly a year ago.

As for the race, the story is that I have procrastinated before, but not till this last stage...I mean, at least not till the last day. I did read about the challenge when it was announced earlier on in the month, and that was that...hadn't looked back on it...the good old excuse of being engrossed in other activities. I did think of overlooking this challenge, but, this being a special month , I did want to complete it so much.

We came back from our trip, late yesterday night. And, this morning, I decided to give it a go. This month's challenge, Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream, was chosen by Chris.

Reading the recipe a couple of times over, gave me a fair idea of what was needed to be done. The cake consisted of a hazelnut genoise, cut into three layers and filled with praline buttercream,a fruit glaze and topped with chocolate ganache. I halved the recipe and followed the instructions , except for the sizes and decorations...running out of time also meant that the options to experiment were rather limited. I made one 8 inch round cake and cut out 4 smaller circles of 2 and 1/2 inches in diameter. So, instead of one big cake, I had four mini ones.

I made an almond praline for the buttercream filling, but for the topping, I just used the plain buttercream as I forgot to add the praline :-( I also used whipped cream with a little colour for the topping, along with almond flakes, some crushed and silver balls. Dessicated coconut with a hint of colour was arranged round the little cakes.

But the effort was well rewarded...taking into consideration the rush that I was in, accompanied by the all too frequent inspections of two eager kids, awaiting their share, the perfect genoise that came out of the pan was a blessing indeed. There was no way, I could have made it all over again. I did not get three layers as I had halved the recipe and the size of the pan was not exactly half.

This challenge has probably given me the greatest satsfaction till now. The whole day seemed to pass by in a blur...the cake was cooled, cut into smaller sizes, filled, topped, clicked and half devoured by the 'inspectors'. And the kitchen...well, it seemed to filled up to the ceiling with dirty dishes. But they too smelled of sweet success. Thanks Chris for this wonderful challenge...couldn't have been a better way to celebrate a DB anniversary :-)

Please click here for the recipe...gosh, I'm too tired to even copy it... just sitting down after the kids have gone to bed.
July 25, 2008
2:00
Another version...
» ‎ sunita's world
The house is reverberating with the voices of the kids...the summer holidays have begun, the bags have been packed, and later on today, we are going away for a couple of days to take a breather.

Now, remember these orange cookies I made a few days ago? Well, I made them again... more than double the number I baked earlier. However, I did change the flavours and toppings this time. They were to be sent as gifts and I fancied them a bit. The cookies were given a makeover and assumed a chocolatey avatar. The method of making them and the rest of the ingredients are the same as before, so I am just noting down the substitutions...go here for the original recipe.

For the cookies, I used...
1. 1 tsp of vanila essence instead of the orange zest.
2. 2 tblsps of milk instead of orange juice.
3. 1/2 C of cocoa powder mixed with 1/2 C of plain flour, instead of the 1C of plain flour.
The rest of the ingredients remain the same.

The shaping-

Initialy, I had not thought of the chocolate coating, so tried to make different marks like pressing down with a fork on the balls of cookie dough...but if you're opting for the coating, do not bother...just make balls of the mixture and lightly flatten them with your fingertips.

For the toppings, I dipped the upper halves of each cookie into some melted plain chocolate and topped with almond flakes, dessicated coconut and white chocolate chips, and let them set on aluminium foil, before storing, or in my case, packing them as gifts!

A sneak peek at one, from our share...

Take care and have a wonderful weekend :-)
July 23, 2008
1:00
Comforting...
» ‎ sunita's world
Fish forms an important part of our diet. Growing up on the banks the mighty Brahmaputra, fresh riverine fish found their way into our dining table very, very often. Although we do have our rich versions of preparing them, the most common way of enjoying them would be a light, soup like curry (patla jool/anja). Pieces of fish are panfried and dunked into a light curry, based on leafy and other vegetables. Apart from the occasional sorioh maas ( fish in a mustard paste) or aphu maas (fish in a poppy seed paste), hardly any curry is made only with spices.

When we moved to the UK, we did go in search of the riverine fishes from back home. But, then, after having tried them once, and found that they tasted more like rubber than the fish we loved so much, we gave up. After all, being frozen and flown over half the world was bound to have it's effects. So, we decided to go local and have have been ever since. Salmon remains the strong favourite, but others like mackerel, sea bass, herring , rainbow trout , cod, haddock etc, have also made their way into our kitchen and on our plates.

On a day to day basis,a plate of plain rice accompanied with a maasor patla jool ( light fish curry) would be the ideal comfort food. The following recipe for aloo-bilahi-maas(potato- tomato- fish ) is one of such...

If you want to invest a little more time on it, add a paste of onion, ginger and garlic, instead of the finely choppped ones that I added...

What's needed-

5-6 pieces of rainbow trout
4-5 medium sized potatoes, quartered, boiled and roughly crumbled
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 + 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
3 C of water
4 tblsp of oil
a small bunch of coriander, chopped

for the tempering-

1 bay leaf
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 red chilli, split into half

How to-
1. Rub the fish pieces with the 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat the oil in a pan and fry them. Reserve the oil.
2. In the same oil, add the ingredients for tempering and when the seeds start to splutter, add the tomatoes,onions and garlic, along with the rest of the turmeric powder and a pinch of salt. Cook covered over low heat till the tomatoes are mushy...do not let it dry out too much.
3. Add the potatoes,cumin powder and cook, stirring continuously till everything thickens.
4. Pour the water, increase the heat to high and bring the curry to a boil.
5. Add the fish, garam masala powder and season with salt. Simmer till the oil begins to rise to the top. Mash a few bits of potatoes.
6. Add the coriander and simmer for a few seconds.
7. Serve hot with plain rice, a squirt of lemon and enjoy.
And as I mentioned earlier, serve with plain rice, and if you wish, some salad and a stir fry.
July 21, 2008
4:30
For you, deuta, with love...
» ‎ sunita's world

''Mummy, do you feel sad that you don't have a daddy?'', asks Rengoni, and with tears swelling up in my eyes, I reply, ''Of course, darling''...a short answer, but with so much more, stored in my heart.

For the pain, the sense of emptiness,that lump in your throat, that knot in your stomach, that unspoken grief, is too much for a six year old to understand. The loss of a parent...the loss of that person whom you consider to be invincible, who, you take for granted, that, they will forever be by your side. And then, one fine morning, the same like any other, but one where your worst nightmares come true, that chain is broken. And there is that void, a very big chasm...you cry... cry out for them, but , all to no avail. This is not your parent going off on a work related trip...this time, there is no return ticket. The finality of it all, leaves you with so much helplessness...

I lost my deuta (pronounced de-00-ta ; meaning 'father' in Assamese) nearly fourteen years ago, very much in his prime. How vividly I remember each and every detail of that day...seems just like yesterday. It was the day that our world fell apart...the endless flood of tears that poured from our eyes at the loss of this wonderful man in our lives. How copiously ma wept for the man with whom she had spent the greater part of her life. Spending the greater part of her life was not the only reason she shed her tears... she knew how special deuta was...she was pining for the self made man who was filled to the brim with values...she was pining for the man who had such a high sense of dignity of labour...who did not believe that women were born to serve men, and never restrained from getting hands on with anything, proving to be ma's equal partner, in every respect. Yes, ma was pining for the man, with whom she spent the greater part of her life, and in perfect bliss...yes, in sickness amd in health.

As for us, his three children, deuta was a friend and guide...We refrained from vices, probably because we were afraid to face him.... no, he was not going to punish us, but because we felt ashamed at letting him down... we were more scared of upsetting his calm demeanour. We loved having him around...a quiet presence, but nevertheless, leaving his mark on everything he did. He always took interest in all our little achievements. The great thing about Deuta was that he had an enthusiasm for, and interest in, all the small pleasures of family life...a well cooked meal by Ma, a good school report about us, our extra curricular achievements, birthdays , anniversaries, our studies, a football match (an avid footballer himself in his heydays), taking us to the circus or the zoo, on long walks, and even sharing a laugh over a screen comedy...you name it ...he did it all. He was there by our side, even in our failures, never discouraging us, but urging us to learn from our mistakes and move on.

Deuta was not a boisterous personality, and made his presence felt in an understated way. What he didn't possess in physical stature, he more than made up with his very imposing personality, which commanded the respect of his friends, family and colleagues alike.

And his garden, what can I say about that...he was so, so, passionate about it...flowers, vegggies, you name it...his veggies patch probably boasted the most luscious tomatoes I've ever eaten till date. I remember the day when it rained heavily and he rushed out with his umbrella because a little plant was being bent by the rain and wind and needed to be supported. He would really lose himself in his garden, which, in his hands, came to life. In fact, on the very morning of the day when he lapsed into a sudden coma, he had been painting the flower pots.

The pain of losing a parent hits hard on every child...but when we lost deuta, I was more than crestfallen. He was in every sense, my friend, philosopher and guide. Being the youngest, and with a big gap in ages with my siblings, it was deuta, who kept me company, during my younger years, most of the time... dragging me out, many a time, when I was in danger of losing myself too much in books... playing with me(usually a game of badminton); taking me for walks; asking me with a twinkle, if I needed anything, while going shopping, very much aware of the bar of chocolate I was eyeing; involving me in his garden (which he was really passionate about); all in all, ensuring that I did not feel left out at any moment.

Sometimes, well, most of the time, I wish he was here. He would have made such a wonderful kokadeuta (grandfather). There was so much to learn from him. But, then, I think of one of my cousins who had lost his father when he was too young to even remember him properly. Then, it makes me feel blessed to have received so many years of paternal love and that too from such a genuine man. I cherish all the fond memories that I have of him and tuck them away in a special corner of my heart.

Oh! Deuta, how I miss you. 'Time heals all', they say...I'm not so sure. Life, however, does go on...we laugh, we eat, we celebrate...but, that emptiness will always be there.

Tomorrow it is going to be fourteen years since we lost deuta... he passed away as quietly as he had lived. I don't know if there is a life after this; but, if there is, I wish you happiness. Thank you deuta, for the years of love that you have showered upon us, and hope you will continue to look upon us, as fondly.

For you, deuta, a sunflower from our garden...you have been a sun for us in more ways than one.
July 18, 2008
1:45
Easy peesy squares...
» ‎ sunita's world
'Rain, rain go away, come again another day'
The little children want to play...

But the rain refused to budge, and the children couldn't play. Now, what was that? Well, it was the annual fun day at the kids' school, which had to be cancelled due to soggy grounds. So, there were quite a few long and disappointed faces :-(...ah well, nature has it's own way, doesn't it ?

Now, I do love my snacks...recently, the urge has some what grown, and so has the waistline :-( But I still love to nibble :-P The following recipe grew out of such an urge. The best bit about it is how easy it is to put together...moreover the ingredients do give a slightly guiltless feeling.

The peanut buttter and puffed rice squares which follow...

include the remains of an assortment of seeds, dried fruits and nuts. Feel free to use your own favourite combination. These crunchy squares are an absolute delight...we all loved them. The kids had them as after school snacks as well and a couple found their way into Dinesh's lunch box. They would also form a nice breafkast bar on the move.

What's needed-

3 c of puffed rice/muri
1 C of seeds, chopped dried fruits and nuts( I used raisins, walnuts, almonds, cashews,cranberries, pistacchios; sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds)
1 and 1/4 C chunky peanut butter
5 tblsp of low fat blackstrap molasses

How to-
1. Line and grease an 8 inch square dish.
2. Mix together the puffed rice , seeds, dried fruits and nuts.
3. Mix together the peanut butter and molasses. Microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once in between.
4. Add the peanut butter mixture to the puffed rice mixture, and mix quickly using your hands ( be careful, it will be a little hot).
5. Transfer the mixture to the lined and greased dish and press it down as firmly as you can.
6. Cool completely ( placing the dish on a rack helps to speed up the cooling process), cut into squares/bars and enjoy.
update-I have made these bars by substituting the mollasses with equal amount of honey, and they came out equally well...the colour will be slightly lighter, but they taste good too.

There ! A delightful, crunchy snack, ready in minutes . As I have mentioned earlier, they can be had as a breakfast on the move...and if you have time to sit down, break a couple of bars in a bowl, pour some cold milk and enjoy ( did that today...superb!)

Enjoy and have a great weekend :-)

Update-
Dear Mansi wanted me to hand these easy and very tasty squares over to her event showcasing Healthy Cooking, and that's exactly what I'm doing. Now, why did I not find it out earlier. Well, at least, she found me :-P.
July 16, 2008
3:20
No more a rainbow...
» ‎ sunita's world
It was Rengoni's last day as a Rainbow on Friday.

The Rainbow promise...'I promise that I will do my best to love my God and to be kind and helpful'.

Her group, was going to bid goodbye to her and two others. Rengoni has really enjoyed her time in the group, but as she was going to be seven next month, it was time for her to move on. As a gesture of appreciation for the wonderful time that she has had , I offered to bake some goodies for her to take and share with the rest of her mates, for her last meeting. I was invited, by her group leader, to stay back and I am really glad that I did so. It was a real pleasure to see all the little girls' faces, gleam with joy, as Rengoni and I handed round the goodies. I had baked enough, and the adult leaders tucked in too, with great enthusiasm.

I had baked chocolate cupcakes...

and iced, orange flavoured cookies.

Regarding the cupcakes, it was a very random recipe as I just eyeballed the ingredients...I did not see any screwed up faces or complaints as they all thanked me, ...and I was happy to have pulled it off...especially, taking into consideration, how honest and uninhibited children are, in giving opinions :-P They did come out very fluffy. But the cookies, yes, I will definitely share the recipe with all of you...

What's needed-

grated zest of one orange
1 C plain flour
1 and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tblsp of vegetable fat spread (has much lesser fat content than butter), or butter, melted
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
5 tblsp of dark brown sugar(I used muscovado)
2 tblsp freshly squeezed orange juice
icing sugar and warm milk for the topping

How to-
1. Whisk together the zest, flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable fat/butter, sugar and juice.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture,tip in the egg mixture and fold in. Cover the bowl and chill for an hour.
4. Pre heat the oven at 170 deg C and line a baking tray.
5. Make about 30 balls of the mixture and arrange them on the tray, apart from each other.
6. Flatten the balls with the back of a fork, place the tray in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or till firm and lightly golden.
7. Cool on the tray for a couple of minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely before storing in air tight containers. They will firm further on cooling.
8. If icing the cookies, mix icing sugar with enough warm milk to make a free flowing mixture and drizzle over the cookies.
I was really pleased with the way the cookies turned out...definitely a treat, and perfect for winning over little hearts ;-) However, next time, I would probably add a bit more orange zest for flavour. But, all in all, the li'l lady was definitely pleased.

Enjoy :-)
July 14, 2008
10:35
A light dinner..
» ‎ sunita's world
Pancakes are usually reserved for our weekend breakfasts. The ones that we all love are whole wheat and banana ones lightly spiced with cinnamon and served with a drizzle of honey. But, occasionally, on other days of the week, I also make some savoury ones which we like to have, not for breakfast, but with some light soup (usually dal), and make a light meal out of them. Huh? Pancakes for dinner ?!!!...well, why not :-P

The pancakes that I make are almost always the crepe like English ones, where the batter is spread out to make them thinner. However, for the following avocado (can't you see, I'm on an avocado roll :-P) infused pancakes, I kept the sizes smaller and slightly thicker, compared to the ones I usually make, as they proved to be quite tricky to turn over. These pancakes would also form a nice breakfast, or a snack, on their own.

This is how I made the avocado and carrot pancakes...

What's needed-

2 ripe avocados, halved, stoned and the flesh scooped
1 small carrot, grated
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 and 1/2 C fof whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 and 1/4 C milk
1/2 tsp (more or less) crushed red chillies
1 tblsp oil
1 egg, beaten
non stick spray or oil to grease

How to-
1. Mix the avocados(mashing them) with the carrots, chillies,onion, flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Add the milk,egg and the tblsp of oil and whisk to make a batter.
3. Heat and grease (with preferably the spray) a pan over low heat.
4. Add a ladle of the batter and gently spread it out with the ladle itself. Cover and cook for approximately 2 minutes.
5. Lift up the pancake, and while still holding it in the spoon, grease the pan again and turn it over to cook the other side for another 2 minutes. During this time, gently press the pancake with a slotted spoon.
6. Transfer to a plate covered with kitchen roll, stacking one on top of the other as more are being made.
We had ours with some dal (red lentil soup) and some mixed pickle...yummm :-P
July 11, 2008
6:44
The neighbour and some scones...
» ‎ sunita's world
I remember the day, when we were invited to one of our neighbour' s ( who had recently moved into the neighbourhood) house for dinner. The lady of the house was a pleasant and kindly one, and as there were children too, in the house, we, the kids had no problem accompanying our parents. So off we trudged down the lane to their house.

Everything was going on well...at least, until the food was served. Among the various other dishes was a particular chickpeas curry, although I could not make out it's identity at first...the curry was mushy and somewhat slimy. In fact, in every dish , there was something wrong...too much turmeric, too much salt, not having the right consistency...well, you get the flow. We, especially the kids were having a rough time swallowing anything. But, our parents kept eating graciously, although not as much, and, at the same time giving us that sharp look every now and then; the look which says ''No screwing up your faces...behave ''. While we were fiddling with our food, the children of the hosts were relishing their mom's cooking to their heart's content, reaching forward for more helpings, and me and my siblings were left speechless.

On returning home, ma said that the reason that the children enjoyed the food was because they had grown up on it...being fed by the same pair of hands since they were born, thereby getting used to it. We still had trouble understanding at that time...that has been the worst tasting meal I have ever had till date... but life has made us all the more wiser . Now, when I think of that lady, I think of her genuineness, her kindly spirit...the fact that however she did it, she did make the effort to place a home cooked meal in front of her family, everyday, with a dose of love, makes her all the more commendable.

That's the neighbour done...now, for the scones :-P Coming back to my kitchen, scones, are something that we all enjoy...as a snack, as well as accompaniments with some soup (the savoury ones). I make regular scones like this, but I make more of the savoury versions like this. As time has passed, I seem to have become lazy... well, not really, maybe we could call it being innovative, there..it sounds and makes me feel much better now :-P Earlier, I used to make them in the proper way by rolling and cutting out the shapes. Over time, I have omitted this step and just made balls and arranged them in muffin trays...the last time I made them, I didn't do even that, just dropped spoonfulls into the moulds...I can certainly confirm that it did not affect the taste in any way, so no harm done.

The following scones have been made in exactly the same way as these, but, instead of the carrots, 1 and 1/2 c of grated butternut squash has been used. I have also added a handful of raisins. Instead of rolling, I shaped them into balls and arranged them in a mufin tray. The rest of the steps are exactly the same as the ones made earlier.

The following is the recipe for the goats' cheese and red pepper scones that I made a couple of days ago.

Don't they look as if studded with rubies :-P I am noting down the recipe below as the ingredients slightly differ from the others. Moreover these were the ones where I didn't even shape them in any way, just placed spoonfuls in the muffin tray. This is how I made them...

What's needed-

3 eggs
250 gms of goats' cheese
4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 C whole wheat (atta) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tblsp dried mint
1 tsp crushed red chillies
1 red pepper, finely chopped
a little milk for brushing the tops and a few sesame seeds for sprinkling on the top

How to-
1. Pre heat the oven at 180 deg C and grease a muffin tray.
2. Whisk the eggs.
3. Add the goats cheese and whisk till smooth.
4. Add the salt, olive oil, mint and red pepper and whisk again.
5. Sift together the flour and baking powder and fold into the egg mixture.
6. Drop tblsp of the mixture into the moulds,brush with a little milk and sprinkle the sesame seeds on the top.
7. Place the tray in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or till golden.
8. Cool in the tray for a few minutes, run a spoon round the sides of each scone and transfer to a rack to cool completely if storing for later. Reheat in the microwave or wrap in foil and heat in a pre heated oven.
We had our soft scones for dinner, with the avocado and cucumber soup I posted a couple of days ago...

Enjoy your weekend :-)

Related posts-
- Savory scone
- Plain scones
July 09, 2008
4:03
On moms and a soup/dip...
» ‎ sunita's world
As your children grow up, you hear them using words you would not want them to... vague ideas picked up from their surroundings, most of the times, not even realising what they actually mean. Their minds are like sponges, constantly soaking up all that they see and hear around them. And when they are away from home for most parts of the day, the soaked bits of information may not be the best ones, at times... the ones you would like to hear. Then, they need to be told...no, talked to. They need to be explained in such a way that their still growing minds would be able to grasp the meaning and at the same time, realise the seriousness of the situation and how it affects their personality. At the same time, you would not want to lecture them off too much, to the extent, that, next time, they would think twice before opening up to you. No, that would not do at all. Tact, is the name of the game. And no, mothering is not easy...giving birth is probably the easiest bit.

It was my ma's birthday yesterday. When I called to wish her, my sister , cousins and aunts were all celebrating it. I longed to be there...to wish her in person, to give her a hug, to tell her what a wonderful mother she has been for us...for did I not mention a while ago, that it is definitely not easy. Such feelings always evoke something more...makes me think of the future...after many years, when both my children will have grown up, will they have the same feeling...will they feel that tug in their hearts, that longing that I now feel for my mother, not just because she is one, but because she is a good one; but then, let's leave it to the future...time will reveal all :-)

Coming to the kitchen front, avocado is one fruit, that does not find it's way too often into our shopping bags. It is indeed, not a regular guest.

Well, probably, once in a blue moon, for some guacamole, but that's it.

It was one of those rare days when a couple of them made their way into our house. And this time, instead of a guacamole, I combined them with cucumber to make a really refreshing soup. This soup, can be served hot or chilled and can also double as a dip for your tortilla chips and what not. It is ready in minutes and I must say, that the neglected avocado ( in our household) does need to be welcomed a bit more openly :-)

The following is the recipe for the avocado and cucumber soup/dip...

What's needed-

2 firm avocados, halved, stoned,peeled, chopped and coarsely blended with 1/2 a cucumber (regular size), peeled and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 C plain yogurt
1 and 1/3 C of milk
1/2 tsp ( more or less) crushed red chillies
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin
2 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

How to-
1. Heat the oil and cook the onions and garlic, stirring constantly, till the onions are softened.
2. Add the coarsely blended avocado and cucumber, along with the cumin and chilli and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
3. Add the yogurt, stir for about 10 seconds and add the milk.
4. Simmer for a few minutes...it will turn frothy. Keep stirring, for it might stick to the botom of the pan.
5. Remove from heat and blend everything together in a food processor till smooth...I did leave ours very slightly coarse for a little bite.
6. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
As I mentioned earlier, this thick soup tastes great, hot or chilled.

Of this goes to Archana for AFAM-Avocado.

And thaks to JZ (yum yum blog) and Usha( blogging with a purpose) for passing over the following awards...thank you :-)
July 07, 2008
4:59
Wind, rain and pies...
» ‎ sunita's world
After a weekend of tennis overdose, it's time to start another new week...hope you all had a great start to it. We were greeted by howling winds and lashing rain. At times, the sun does seem to peek out of nowhere for a few seconds...probably reassuring us of it's existence. Sonny boy was not in the highest of spirits today, has come down with a slight cold, but, was raring to go back to school. They've still got a couple of weeks to go before breaking up for the summer holidays...really looking forward to it!

But, now , the best part. I had made a few mini pot pies quite some time ago ( make that 3-4 months).

A pot pie is a type of baked savory pie with a bottom and top completely encased by flakey crusts and baked inside a pie tin to support its shape (more here). But, although enjoyed long ago, I still remember the way in which we relished them and how much joy they gave us. In fact I thought that I had posted them and have been ransacking the archives to revisit them...seems almost criminal not to have shared them. The brain does seem to be playing tricks nowadays...I must be getting old :-(

While grazing around, I also found this interesting bit on pastry, and I quote...

Today pastry is a form of dough which can be made using a variety of different ingredients. However the main ones seem to be flour, butter, shortening, eggs as well as baking powder and will then be used to make a variety of different dishes.
In most cases today pastry will be rolled out using a rolling pin in order to be the base for a variety of different baked foods including pies, tarts and quiches. So in order for a person to make perfect pastry they must time the time to blend the ingredients correctly. It is important that the flour and fat are mixed together thoroughly before any liquid is added. By doing this it will ensure that the flour coats the fat adequately and prevent the production of gluten which can cause the pastry to become tough as it cooks.

But pastry has been around for many centuries now and was originally used by those living in the Mediterranean regions of Europe during ancient times. However it was until the crusaders began to return home from the wars that pastry begun to become much more popular in the Western parts of Europe including Britain. But as well as the people of the Mediterranean using pastry in their cooking there is strong evidence to show it was also being used by Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans as well.(more here)
I usually try to keep away from the butter in most of my pastries. The pastry for these pies were olive oil based and did come out quite nice.

Now, before the brain plays havoc again, here's the recipe for the pot pies...

What's needed-
For the crust-

2 and 1/2C of whole wheat (chappati) flour
1/4 C chilled water(more or less)
7 tblsp of plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
6 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tblsp of dried rosemary
1 egg, beaten

For the filling-
3/4 of a medium sized butternut squash, chopped, boiled and peeled
1 C peas
5-6 spring onions, chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 stalks of asparagus, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp each of dried rosemary and sage
1/2 tsp crushed red chillies
1/2 tsp sugar
a few raisins
2 tblsp of olive oil
100 gms of grated cheddar cheese

How to-
1. Mix together the flour, salt and rosemary.
2. Add the yogurt and oil and rub in.
3. Add the water, a little at a time and knead very lightly to make a dough ( you may need slightly more or less water, just add enough to form a soft and smooth ball of dough.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.
5. Meanwhile, make the filling...heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
6. When the seeds splutter, add the peas, spring onions,ginger, garlic and asparagus and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add the squash, roughly crumbling it, along with the salt, pepper,chilli, rosemary, sage and sugar.
8. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Keep aside and cool completely( a hot filling makes for a soggy crust).
9. Pre heat the oven at 200 deg C.
10. Divide the dough into five portions.Roll out each portion into about 2mm in thickness and line the bottom and sides of mini tart pans of 4 and 1/2 inches. Trim the edges and keep aside the trimmings.
11. Prick all over gently with afork and bake in the centre of the pre heated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes or till lightly browned, and keep aside to cool If it puffs up while baking, gently press it down.
12. With the trimmings, roll out some 4 and 1/2 inch discs and make a4 intersecting cuts in the centre.
13. Fill the crusts in mounds, with the butternut squash mixture and sprinkle some cheese over it.
14. Brush the sides and of the crust with the egg and cover them each with a disc, taking care to seal. Brush the tops with the rest of the egg...
  
  and bake in the centre of the oven (200 deg C) for about 20-25 minutes or till nicely browned and bubbly.
15. Cool in the pan for a minute and remove to a rack to cool completely if saving for later. Reheat before serving.
Apart from the ones in the pans, I also made a couple of free form(not made in a pan) pies. So you need not fret if you do not have the pans :-P. I rolled out the dough into 4- 4 and 1/2 inch discs, pricked them all over with a fork and baked them on a lined tray till very lightly browned and cooled them. The filling was placed in mounds in the centre,sprinkled with cheese, the edges brushed with beaten egg, covered with another disc with cuts like in the other tarts and the edges sealed with a fork; they were then brushed with egg ; I also cut out small leaves with the tiny bits of leftover dough and stuck them onto the lid...not seen in the following picture, though :-(.

They were then baked till nicely browned and bubbly. They came out equally nice...so not having the pans should not be a reason, but the filling has to be a dry one.

I can vividly remember how crazy we all were about these cute pies...great for a snack, and along with some salad makes for nice meal too. They can also be packed for picnics and lunchboxes. These are very versatile too and is quite forgiving with various fillings.
July 04, 2008
13:30
Bi - coloured...
» ‎ sunita's world
I am trying...trying really hard. At what? At using up the hoarded ingredients before they run out of time. Every time I rummage through the pantry, I am ashamed at the amount of unused ingredients that stare back at me. So many things crying out to be picked and transformed into delicious goodies. This time, it was a pack of pasta flour. Do I even remember at what point in time it made it's way from a shelf along the aisles of the supermarket? Of course...no :-((

Let's leave all that aside...for, the pack of pasta flour that was rescued from it's exile was transformed into a very light and summery meal...ravioli style, samosa shaped bicoloured pasta filled with mushrooms, onions, garlic and peanuts. Of course, I did start out with something in mind but, churned out something entirely different. But, that does not matter...as long as what's served at the table tastes good. By the way, am I babbling? Please ignore me...

I have tried my hand with pasta once before...made ravioli, but the pictures were too gory to be posted. This time, I used type 'O' pasta flour, which is basically a mixture of wheat and durum flour. This light flour is high in protein and can also be used for pizza and bread making.

I made two balls of dough with the flour...one kneaded with spinach juice and the other with beet juice. The two were brought together to form a bi- coloured roll of dough , which was then, divided, rolled, filled, shaped, boiled and brushed with a flavoured oil and a sprinkling of spices. Regular flour works fine too.

Now, let's jump to the recipe for the bi - coloured, triangular, filled pasta (don't know what to call it, really) :-( Ahh, but what's in a name , anyway??

What's needed-

For the doughs-

2C + 2C pasta flour(I used Doves Farm organic pasta flour) or regular plain flour, or a mix of plain and whole wheat flour
2C spinach leaves, pureed with 1C water and strained
3-4 cooked beets(uncooked ones are fine too), pureed with 1C water and strained

1 egg, beaten and divided into half
1 tsp salt

For the filling-

1 and 1/2 C peanuts
1 red onion, finely chopped
6-7 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
8-9 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp crushed red chillies
3 tblsp of dried oregano

Others ( for sprinkling at the end)-

paprika
freshly ground pepper

How to-

The doughs ( both are prepared the same way)-
1. Divide the flour into two bowls, with 1/2 tsp of salt in each and make a well .
2. Add half beaten egg into each well of dough and mix with the flour.
3. Add the liquid (spinach in one and beet in the other), a little at a time( may or may not need the entire amounts).
4. Knead till the doughs are smooth. They should be soft, but not sticky. If the doughs is too dry, add a little water.
5. Cover and leave to rest for half an hour.
The filling-
1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions, garlic, peanuts, chillies and oregano, and cook, stirring continuously over medium heat till the onions are soft.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook till they soften. Keep aside to cool, separating the solid bits from the extra oil...save the oil for later use.
Assembly and cooking-
1. With floured hands,make two long, sausagy bits of dough ( one from each).
2. Entwine one around the other.
3. Cut the roll into small portions ( I made around 24) and roll each out on a floured surface to about 4 inches in diameter and about a mm in thickness.
4. Place a little of the filling in the centre and shape as shown below.
5. Ready the plates to be served in, with some fresh salad. ( I served on a bed of lettuce)
6. Drop them , a few at a time into boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes.
7. Drain and brush with the leftover flavoured oil from the filling. Arrange on the plates and sprinkle a little paprika and freshly ground peppeer.
8. Serve immediately and enjoy an elegant meal, while taking in the sunshine...well, even if there is no sunshine :-P
And wait! I haven't finished yet... if you feel that you might like a little sauce with it...what is pasta with no sauce...or you have two ravished, cheese loving kids, then hurry. In a pan, add some tomato puree, a tsp of chopped garlic, finely chopped red pepper, a handful of sweetcorn and some oregano, with enough water, salt and freshly ground pepper, stir and transfer over heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and add 1/2 a tsp of cornflour. Simmer for a minute and a nice and light sauce is ready to be drizzled over the pasta. Grate a little cheese over it and there....everyone is happy :-D

So, I'll end with this happy ending and hope you all have a relaxing weekend :-)
July 02, 2008

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