Pork - Coorg style! :)

Usually served with kadumbutt or otti, this is a favorite dish among Coorgs! :)

@ Sausalito, CA...

This quaint village by the bay is one of the prettiest & most enchanting places that just makes you feel wooooowww!!! :) The place is dotted with bright flowers in pots all around, cozy caffes & oodles of joyyy!!!! This was where we met the supposedly guitar playing dog.. :D The owner did the singing & was a rather colorful character... i just found them on YouTube too! :D This place is a dream! :) Clicks by V... :)

Spinach (Palak) Parathas...

While making the dough, I used sautéed spinach. The spinach had been sautéed with cumin seeds, a pinch of turmeric powder, finely chopped onions & green chillies with salt to taste. If you are in a hurry, you could just chop the spinach finely & add it to the dough with seasoning.

Shahi tukda...with a twist :)

I had some rabdi leftover from the batch i made for some carrot halwa. In a corner, some bread slices looked lonely...so put them together ;) Since we had been high on sugar throughout the week, decided to cut some here. It still tasted real good & T polished off most of it by the time i started on my share. :)
The twist:
Slice off the edges of the bread, brushing them lightly with ghee(clarified butter) & sugar. Toast this till the sugar is caramelized & the toast has some crunch.
Cut each slice in half or 4 pieces and arrange alternating with toast,rabdi, crushed nuts till all the slices are used. Top with rabdi & nuts. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour(if you can put up with the waiting - worth it ;)..tastes better if you let it rest. Yummmmmmm! :)

Strawberries & cream...

Whipped up some fresh cream & arranged alternate layers of red curacao, whipped cream & sliced strawberries. Served this in a champagne flute :D
Made this as a Valentine treat & T LUVd it! :) Flute-scraping yummmm! :D
The pik doesn't do justice since it was taken at night. Wish i'd clicked it earlier!

Cucumber & cottage cheese (/paneer) rolls...

I was browsing through Closetcooking & liked this. Had some French cucumbers & so thought that i'd try them out though cucumber was the only ingredient that i used from the original. I just added stuff in my kitchen as i went along. Makes for a really refreshing & light starter.. hmmmmm did i say quick & real easy? ;)
You need:
2 young cucumbers - seedy ones wont do
For the filling, i used-
cottage cheese/paneer (made this using 1 lemon for 0.5 lt of milk for extra flavor)
a handful on finely chopped mint leaves
1 or 2 fresh red chillies - finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon & more lemon juice if desired
salt & pepper to taste
toothpicks to secure the rolls
Optional...
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cheese spread

How to:
Wash & use a mandolin to slice the cucumber lengthwise, into strips. Keep aside.
Crumble the cottage cheese & mix all the ingredients mentioned above. Check for taste. Drop some filling (about a tsp or more depending on the breath of the cucumber strip) on one end of the strip. Start rolling along with the filling & secure with a toothpick at the end as seen in the pik. Once all the rolls are done, place them on a plate & sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper. SeRvE! :)

Tangy rice with lemon,raw mangoes & cilantro...

I was trying to cook up something to go with the Thai-red-curry-based prawns that i made.. Plain rice or something tangy?? I settled for a little tangy experiment & screened the fridge for add-ons. Found some grated raw mangoes & of course, in they went! I just loved the way this turned out & couldn't stop eating it!:D You need:
1.5 cups rice - washed well till the water runs clear
3 cups water
3-4 tbsp oil
1 small onion - diced
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt to taste
a handful of cilantro/corriander leaves - finely chopped
2 tbsp raw mango - shredded (optional - added them on a whim)
1 tsp chilly flakes - optional
How to:
Heat oil in the vessel you cook rice in. Now add the onions & stir till they are transparent. Add the raw mango,lemon zest, salt & chilly flakes. Add the rice & stir for about a minute. Add water, check for seasoning & let the rice cook. Once done, add the chopped cilantro & mix well. Goes well with anything spicy & is as good on its own too! :)