Malpua...

Recipe Source: Sonali! :)

Poha...

Was amazed and happy with the way this dish turned out!
Psssst… added a grated potato and sautéed them well before I added the onions & the ‘carb-consicious-worse-half’ didn’t even know! ;)

Mango Salad...

An experiment with a fruit that makes us go crazy every summer! Yummm! :)

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!! :)

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! :)