Thursday, June 23, 2011

Chikki...

Had some leftover cardamom flavored jaggery... saw my peanut stack & rushed into making some chikkis... I did intend to use some poppy seeds but forgot to put them in. Next time maybe! :)
Note: You could replace the peanuts with either roasted cashews or puffed rice. Enjoy!! :)

Friday, June 17, 2011

Turquoise Sorbet

Love love love the color of this sorbet! :) - though we ended up having it as a drink thanks to the searing temperature at Vizag. The drinkable look in the pic is for the same reason – peaked degrees outdoors.
You need-
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 60ml blue curacao or a required
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar or as required
- 3 cups water
- grated orange zest
How to-
In a pan, heat water and add the sugar. Stir till the sugar dissolves.
Add the orange zest and stir till it comes to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let it stand for sometime till the flavour bleeds into the mix. Strain out the zest and to this, add the vodka and curacao . Stir. Taste and add vodka as per taste.
Pour into serving glasses and freeze till set. This will set with a coarse texture and not like ice. Serve with a spoon to scoop.
Note:
- You could add on freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Add the curacao part by part. You could stop mid way if you think it is over powering.
- I always use powdered sugar. Saves stirring around.
- Dry up grated orange peels when in season. Make sure that only the orange part of the peel is used. The white fibrous part imparts a biter taste.
- The zest infused mix can be prepared earlier and stored.

Paneer @home...

Making paneer at home is so much more simpler than buying it from the store and constantly worrying if it is healthy for your family...n itz softer too! :)
You need-
0.5 lt milk (Serves well for a nuclear family’s meal)
vinegar or lime juice
Herez how!
Once the milk comes to boil, start adding the vinegar (or lime juice – your pick) little by little, stirring continuously. I just pour directly from the bottle.
Keep stirring & adding till you get a crumbly texture. The water will have a pale greenish hue when done (as in pic). Drain this using a cloth, run cold water through it (makes for easier handling), tie it up real tight and hang for about an hour. Open up and crumble / cut into cubes or as desired. Should stay upto a week in the fridge.
Note:
- If you are using lime, make sure it is deseeded before use.
- Keep stirring, else you might end up with a charred bottom.
- Since it is already ‘cooked’ add the paneer in your dish at the very end. Over cooking will harden it.
Recipe Source: Sonali... :)

Jack-o'-lantern...

The Jack-o'-lantern that I carved out of a pumpkin for Halloween,'09. Thanks to Meenu! :)

Innovative dustbins!

@Kailashgiri, Vizag.

Borra Caves


Inside the Borra Caves, 90km north of Vizag, in the Ananthagiri hill ranges of the Eastern Ghats. 'Borra' meaning hole, these caves are believed to be 150milion years old. The caves, filled with fascinating stalagmite and stalactite formations was discovered by the British Geologist William King in 1807.

A lyrical legend is that the Shiva Lingam representing the Hindu God Lord Shiva, is found deep in the caves, above which is a stone formation of a cow. It is surmised that the udder of this cow is the source of the Gosthani (‘Gov’ - cow, ‘Sthani’ – udder) river which originates here.

Chocolate mousse...


AbSoLuTe InDuLgEnCe...AbSoLuTe SiN!!

Click by Vishu @Vizag. Prepared by urs truly! ;)

Butter chicken / creamed? :)



Stuff that you would need:

For the marinade:
Considering 1/4 kg chicken, I'd say-
Hung curd – about ¾ tea cup
Turmeric – a big pinch
Chilly flakes – 1 & ½ tsp
Ginger - garlic paste – ½ tsp
Juice of half a lemon
Salt
A pinch or two of color (red)
*** You could taste the marinade and change proportions of the above as required.
Marinate the chicken and let it rest for as long as possible. I leave it overnight in the freezer.

For the masala :
For ¼ kg chicken -
4 cloves
Cinnamon (clove sized barks 2 to 3)
Aniseed small - 2
Cardamom 2 to 3 pods
I added a little cumin seeds too (about ½ tsp)
*** Roast the above spice mix dry (should do till the cloves pop out). Keep tossing them frequently to make sure they don't burn. Run in the mixer till it is powdered coarsely/fine which ever consistency you choose. This could be pre-prepared and stored - though nothing beats a freshly prepared one! :)

For the gravy:
Oil – 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 2
Onion – 2 medium
Ginger - garlic paste – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
A splash of pepper powder
Tomato – 3 to 4
Bay leaves - 2
Tomato puree (commercially available)
Milk cream (Amul should do)
Coriander leaves
Butter (but ofcourse! ;))

What and how:
While the chicken is defrosting the next day, pressure cook 3-4 tomatoes and 2 onions with a little salt. I wait for 3 whistles. I guess 2 should be as good.

Grind the onions coarsely (1-2 whirls in the mixer should do) and keep aside. Do the same with the tomatoes (separate). I don’t really like the tomato skins sticking out.. and so I trash them away. You could leave them on if you choose to. Retain the water that the onions & tomatoes cooked in.

By now, your chicken should be defrosted. Remove excess water and stash away the chicken in the tandoor till done. Smear a little oil or butter on the aluminum foil before you place the chicken - else it will stick and also be a little dry. Turn over for even cooking. The 'peaks a little burnt' look makes for an appetizing gravy.

While your tandoor is busy, take a wok with 2tbsp oil .. or butter if you wish and break 2 red chillies into the heated oil. Toss to ensure it doesn't burn and add the pre-prepared masala. Toss again and immediately add onions, ensuring the masala doesn't burn. Add salt as required. Stir well and add ginger-garlic paste.
Wait till the paste changes color and add the pureed tomato. Add 2 bay-leaves, a splash of pepper powder and stir. Once you see the oil seeping through the mixture, add the remaining water from the pressure cooker (quantity- as much as you think is necessary). Bring to a boil. Add the store-bought tomato puree (this gives it a better color), stirring occasionally.

By now, your tandoor should be done. Once the gravy reduces to a thicker consistency, check for salt and drop the tandoori chicken into the boiling gravy and mix well. Add the chicken at the very end since simmering it further in the gravy would harden it. Garnish with coriander leaves.
You could finish off with cream and a dollop of butter. Close & rest till served.
I prefer to use more cream and chuck out the butter. Not that I wouldn’t want to add it, but my worse-half freaks out wit the amount of 'fattening elements' in my cooking. The cream would make the gravy a lesser red - but undoubtedly yummier! Njoyyy!!! :)