iDayz

The Frenck Kiss

2010-08-31T10:33:00.002-05:00

So are yo still blogging thesedays??? hmm thats a question i've been asked by many, from the time i had my bundle of joy in last august. And amist all the laughter the cries the sleepless nights and loads of diapers that comes with the bundle, all i could manange was to get a few clicks once in a while. And well with this blog post i am by no means implying that i gonna be the come back kid on blogosphere. So for now its gonna be the same "on-again off-again" story happening on this blog. How frank... ;) And coming back to this post... its a mocktail (the non-acaholic twin of cocktail) that i made as a welcome drink for my son's birthday party.

Kumquat Pudding

2010-05-11T18:09:00.003-05:00

Finally I made it!!! ...."the kumquat pudding".... and how did that happen? well if you ask me that.... i gotta see an amazing tiramisu dessert that was beautifully decorated with these tiny cuties:Kumquats. I had hardly noticed that this stranged named fruit even dwelled among the fruit aisles at the local super market. And each time I laid my eyes on it... I just knew that all I was just waiting for was for an occasion to give it a try. And yes, the occasion was my dear husband's birthday.... so somethings more sweeter than a cake.

I made this over basic milk pudding, decorated it with candied kumquats and topped it off with the thickened sugar syrup left behind from the candying the kumquats.... which gives its beautiful marriage between the unlikely tastes of the sweet & the bitter. All I can say that it was worth trying... for I got a thumps-up from my one I had made it for... my itchu :)

Nadan Beef Olathiyathu

2009-04-23T10:36:00.004-05:00

www.idayz.blogspot.com, on Flickr">

Ice Cream Cake

2009-04-20T09:51:00.002-05:00

My latest cake endevour : "the Ice Cream Cake.... for my ever bubbly friend Fami's birthday bash and she loves ice cream.... So, the theme of the cake. The cake is classic white cake frosted with vanilla buttercream frosting and the ice cream cones done with cream cheese frosting.

iDayz In News

2008-12-15T22:57:00.011-06:00

iDayz had its debut in print news media on the 13th of December 2008.... the blog entry on the Homemade Carrot Wine appeared in the Mumbai edition of the leading daily newspaper in India "Times Of India". The post appeared under the name "Winery at Home" in the Rouge, the lifestyle supplement that comes with The Times of India.

For a closer look, click on the thumbnails below:

Chicken Lollipop / Mock Drumsticks

2008-12-04T11:25:00.001-06:00

"............spiced pulled back chicken winglets."

Chicken lollipops has always stayed among the top list of yummy appetisers while visiting an Indian restuarant. But I always shyed away from the idea of making it at home as sometimes you get to a notion that some stuffs are meant only by a professional chef. Its was the Matha Steward Show that got me on my spritis to give this sizzling appetised a try.

You'll Need...

Chicken Winglets.... 1 lb

Chilli Powder... 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder... 1/2 tsp

Ketchup... 1 tsp

Salt... to taste.

Egg White, lightly beaten... 2 no:s

Bread Crumbs... 1 cup

Oil... for deep frying

Here Is How...

1. In a large non-reactive mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for chilli powder to salt to make up the marinade. Set aside.

2. Cut the wind as the two joints to yield three pieces and discard the tip portions of the wings. Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, loosen the meat around the middle joint & push the meat down gently, scrapping the bone, to about three-forths of the length. Turn the meat inside out around the big joint to form a "drumstick".

3. Transfer the chicken in to the marinate pan and toss to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for one to two hous, or overnight.

4. In a small bowl, place egg whites with a pinch of salt and beat until smooth. Place bread crumbs into another small bowl. Dip the pieces of chicken into the egg mixture and then in the mixturebread crumbs. Allow your chicken to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before frying.

5. Meanwhile, pour enough oil in to a deep skillet and set over medium-high heat and deep fry the "drumsticks" till crispy & golden brown. For heatier cooking options, either arrange the "drumsticks" in a large baking tray & bake for about 25-30 minutes in a 400F oven until crispy & golden brown or grill the "drumsticks" over hot coal for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, or . Serve with desired dipping sauce.

Flower Cake

2008-12-02T20:34:00.006-06:00

Knock Knock at the door.... its a Surprise Birthday Party. I made this cake about half a year back as part of throwing a surprise birthday party for my friend Pam. The basket weave design is made from butter cream frosting & flowers are from royal icing.

Chatti Pathiri ...... "The Malabar Lasagnia"

2008-11-24T19:54:00.009-06:00

Sometimes the best of modern cuisine borrow ideas for the dishes & entrée from traditional cooking.... Chatti Pathiri a.k.a Chatti Pathil a.k.a Adukku Pathiri was just another strange name, that belonged among the rather long list of yummy sounding Malabar dishes, described to me by my friend "Famitha" who hails from the malabar region. Nothing... yes nothing gets my friend excited... not even fashion... and not even our usual gossip talks are good enough to gets her this excited than when talking about malabari food :). You Rock Girl!!! So this time she went ahead and described chatti pathiri as - the malabar lasagnia, similar as to the of layer upon layer of soft chapathi with the deliciously seasoned meat masala, eggs, cashew & raisins between the layers, and baked crispy perfection. I couldn't wait to get into the kitchen and try my hands in making Fami's chatti pathiri.

Traditionally, the baking of chatti pathiri is done in a sealed container with the coconut husk coals at the bottom and more on its lid which also has the added virtue of imparting a very delicate coco-nutty scent of its own to the dish baking crisp in the container. Although the traditional method of preparing them calls for placing them on hot coals, chatti pathiri may be prepared on regular oven or stove-tops.

You don't have to give up good tasting food to eat healthfully. Some smart choices can made in the original chatti pathiri recipe which would not only keep the calories under check but also save you a ton of time too. Rotisserie Chicken : shredded meat from the store bought rotisserie chicken may be used in place of the fried chicken called forth in the recipe. Egg Whites : each whole egg may be replaced with two egg whites. Tortillas/Chappati : the store bought tortillas/chappati makes a good alternative to homemade ones. Furthermore the chatti pathiri can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge and then baked just in time for any feast. Fresh-baked chatti pathil would fill the house with tempting aromas, whetting appetites for any happy feast.

"Happy Holidays!!!"

You'll Need :

For Ottada....
All Purpose Flour(Maida)... 2 cups
Egg, lightly beaten... 1 large
Salt... to taste.

For Erachi Pundam....
Onions, chopped... 1 large
Ginger, grated... 2tbsp
Garlic, grated ... 2 tbsp
Green Chillies, chopped... 4-5 no:s
Chilli Powder.... 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder... 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala... 1 tsp
Chicken, shredded... 1/2 kg
Curry leaves... 1 sprig

Between The Layers....
Eggs, beaten.... 6 no:s
Cardamom Powder... a pinch
Sugar (optional)... 1/2 tsp
Salt.... to taste.
Ghee... 200g
Shallots, sliced... 4 no:s
Cashews... 100g
Raisins... 100g
White Poppy Seeds(Khus-Khus)... 25g

For Ottada:

1. With a electric mixer over medium speed, beat the all purpose flour, egg and salt with required water to blend into a thick batter.

2. Set a flat non-stick pan over medium-high heat & make about 10-12 round thin crepe/dosa of uniform size (approx. about the same diameter as that of the baking dish). This forms the "Ottada" that makes the layers of the chatti pathil. Keep aside.

For Erachi Pundam:

1. Marinate the chicken in chilli powder, turmeric powder & salt for about 30 minutes. Heat oil and shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown. Let cool & shred the fried chicken into fine pieces.

2. Set a bottom heavy Saute Pan on medium-low heat, heat oil and saute onions, minced ginger, garlic & green chili with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook till translucent or golden brown.

3. Add curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder stir. Also stir in the shredded chicken. Sprinkle garam masala and roast for 5-10 minute and remove from heat. This forms the "Erachi Pandam" (Chicken Masala) that goes between the layers of the chatti pathil. Keep aside.

For Egg Mixture :

1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cardamom powder, sugar and salt.

2. Heat ghee a small omelet pan & saute the thinly sliced shallots till golden brown. Remove from heat & cool and add it to the whisked eggs. This form the "Egg Mixture" that goes between the layers of the chatti pathil. Keep aside.

Assembling The Layers :

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use about 1 tablespoon butter to grease the side of a round cake pan(8-inch) or any flat-bottomed oven proof dish.

2. Now start assembling the layers of the chatti pathil, starting with an initial layer of "Ottada" at the bottom of the pan... top it with a generous layer of "Erachi Pandam".... pour a layer of beaten "Egg Mixture".... sprinkle a few cashews, raisins & khas-khas.

3. Repeat the process by adding layers of Ottada, Erachi Pandam, Egg Mixture, Cashews, Raisins and Khas-Khas, in the order, till its done. On the top of the final layer, arrange a generous layer of cashews and raisins as garnish.

4. Close the pan with aluminium foil and bake in a 350°F oven for about 35-40 minutes till the sides have turned crispy & golden brown. Remove from the oven and keep aside for a few minutes till cool to handle.

5. With a sharp knife, loosen the sides of the chatti pathiri from the pan and unmold the chatti pathil onto a serving plate. Serve hot either as a starter or as a main course.

Homemade Carrot Wine

2008-11-01T00:01:00.041-05:00

"Carrot Wine... a delicious orange coloured wine."

Ican never think about special occasions or celebrations at home without thinking about a special homemade wine. Months before the D-day my grandmother, mom and aunts would gather in the kitchen to celebrate the favorite tradition of creating the homemade wine which is to be serve for the occasion to friends and family. A small wine cup of homemade wine and a piece of fruit cake is served to guests to mark the start of any celebration and this has been a long standing tradition of hospitality among the Kerala Christians. Apart from the tradition part of homemade wines, creating your own wine and sharing it with family and friends is also a great sense of pride for any host. The varieties of homemade wine would range anything from Grape Wine, which is the most common... Beetroot Wine... Carrot Wine... Gooseberry Wine... Banana Wine... and to more rarer varieties like the Cashew-Apple Wine... ~~Jambaka~~Chambaka(Water Rose Apple)Wine... Rose Petal Wine... Yes you read it just right; yes Rose Petal Wine which I look forward to making only if I could lay my hands on the much required rose petals which makes up the basic raw material. Just as interesting as this list of the homemade wine varieties get, my Hus T gets amused to be served various unheard varieties of wine as we go visiting our relatives during our much awaited yearly India trips. And so this time after we got back to US, I decided to try making them at home. Well only that I took quiet a while in deciding on the ingredient. Finally it was carrots that made it... Carrot Wine!!! Carrots have a natural sweetness, but lack acid. With the addition of some freshly squeezed juice of lemon and orange , carrots will make an interesting orange coloured wine. Making your own homemade carrot wine is a simple process and the following is the recipe for carrot wine.

You'll Need.....

Carrot, grated... 1 kg
Ginger, grated... 30g
Water.... 3.5 litres
Granulated Sugar.... 1 kg
Warm water.... ½ cup
Instant Yeast.... 1 tsp
Lemon Juice... 1 no:
Orange Juice... 1 no:
Cinnamon Sticks... 3-5 no:s
Cloves... 7 no:s

Here Is How....

1. Wash and peel the skin of the carrots & ginger and finely grate them using a hand grater.

2. Microwave ½ cup of water till lukewarm and dissolve a teaspoon of yeast and ½ teaspoon of sugar. Let it stand to bubble and rise. This process would revive the yeast cells prior to its use in the recipe.

3. Set a large Dutch Oven on medium-high heat and bring the water to a roaring boil. Add the grated carrots & ginger to the boiling water and boil it till its fully cooked.

4. When the carrots are well cooked, turn off the heat and let it cool off. Once the mixture cools to a temperature safe enough to handle, strain the mixture using a double cheesecloth or muslin cloth into a clean, dry and airtight container, preferably a traditional bharani. Discard the grated portion.

5. Into the wine liquid, add the sugar and the lemon and orange juice and stir with a clean and dry wooden spoon until fully dissolved. Once the wine liquid is cooled to body temperature, add the dissolved yeast froth, the cinnamon sticks and cloves.

6. Close the container airtight and allow to ferment. Store in a dry and dark space, during the fermentation period of 2-3 weeks(15 days). On the 5th day, stir the wine liquid using a clean and dry wooden spoon and let the fermentation to continue.

7. After the fermentation period is completed, strain it though a muslin cloth to remove any dead yeast and solid organic residues. Allow the cloudy liquid to clear before bottling. When clear, pour into dry bottles and store them at room temperature. Cheers!!!

Good Job Award

Wowie!!! I cant be more excited than when I'm getting my very first blog award : " GOOD JOB AWARD" for the latest blog entry on Homemade Carrot Wine. It was passed on to me by Ramya of Ramya's Kitchen Corner. And now I would like to pass this award to five of my fellow bloggers :

Vegan Month Nov 2008

November is Vegan Month!!! November 1st is the World Vegan Day, and all of November is celebrated as Vegan month. My fellow blogger Suganya of Tasty Pallets is hosting the blogging event : "Vegan Month, Nov 2008." And I'm submitting the entry of Homemade Carrot Wine towards this event.

Read more about Vegan Month at "Go Vegan"

Kansas Chicken.... A Diffrent Chicken Curry!!!

2008-10-10T11:29:00.007-05:00

Wondering whats with that name - Kansas Chicken??? What has Kansas, the central most state in United States Of America got to do with the name of an Indian Chicken Curry??? Well its not everyday that you get to scratch your head to name a yummy dish that you just finished making. :) But don't get me wrong on this, its not that I turned the magic wand and came up with this dish myself but its from the pages of my "Recipe Diary". Today I can say that I'm comfortable with cooking and to go a step further I have "iDayz", a food blog to my credit too. But it has not always been so, in the days before my wedding there wasn't a though as cooking that would get me all tensed up. Not that I was totally ignorant to cooking all those years but the though of not having my mom & beloveds around me to clear my seemingly endless doubts that would sprout each time I decide to put my culinary skills to test. And then, as most of you would have had it, I decided my best way would be write down every possible recipe that come my way from the mom & aunts. And when the time finally came to put my culinary skills to test I turned up my recipe diary, right to this recipe which Yeah this was the very first dish that I cooked for my sweet-heart. Simplicity to cook... yet so very different from the usual bandwagon of chicken curries.

You'll Need:

For The Marinade:
Chicken, boneless pieces...
Yogurt.... 4 tbsp
Turmeric... 1/2 tsp
Salt... to taste.

For The Masala:

Onions, finely chopped... 2 medium no:s
Ginger, finely chopped.... 1 inch piece
Garlic, minced.... 5 to 6 cloves
Green Chillies, finely chopped... 2 no:s
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Chilies Powder.... 2 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder(a little)... 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes, pureed... 2 medium no:s
Curry Leaves... 2 sprig
Oil... as required.

Here Is How:

1. Marinate small pieces of chicken with curd, turmeric & salt for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Transfer the marinated chicken pieces, along with the marinade, into a wok and heat on medium-low heat till water starts oozing out and the chicken reaches a half-boil. Remove from the heat and strain the chicken pieces from the chicken stock and reserve the stock for later use in the recipe.

3. Pour the oil into a saute pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the half-boiled chicken pieces and shallow fry till they starts to brown slightly. Keep the chicken pieces aside.

4. Into the remaining oil, add the chopped onions & salt. Stir & saute until the onion is translucent. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies and let them sweat for a minute or two. Add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and stir till the raw smell goes and then add the pureed tomatoes and keep stirring till oil separates.

5. Add the reserved chicken stock and bring to a simmer & then add the fried chicken pieces. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken are just cooked through. Remove the lid, stir once or twice, taste for salt, and serve.

Recipe Source : Dearest Daisy Chechi

Black Forest Cake Recipe

2008-09-28T13:50:00.045-05:00

Black Forest Cake is a wonderful example of German baking tradition. Black Forest Torte, as it is also known, is a classic dessert that originated in the Black Forest region in Germany where it is called "Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte". The classic Black Forest Cake combines a rich chocolate cake with candied cherries and creamy whipped cream. This classic dessert has become a popular dessert throughout the world and hence been endlessly altered in every part of the world to cater to the local tastes. In India, black forest cakes typically consists of thin layers of moist chocolate cake spread with alternating layers of chocolate ganache and whipped-cream filling and covered with fluffy butter cream frosting and then decorated with tons of chocolate shavings. This recipe here is sure to bring back to you the Indian Black Forest Cake that you have always loved to indulge in sinfully. It's not at all difficult to make, so put on your apron and get started !!!!

For The Chocolate Cake:

Unsalted Butter, at room temperature... 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks)
Dutch Process Cocoa, unsweetened... 3/4 cups
Boiling Water... 1/2 cup
Cake Flour, sifted... 3 cups
Baking Soda... 1 tsp
Salt... 1/2 tsp
Sugar... 2 1/4 cups
Eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten... 4 large
Pure Vanilla Extracts... 1 tbsp
Whole Milk... 1 cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Use about 1 tablespoon butter to grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with circles of parchment paper and use a little more butter to grease paper. Dust with cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Set aside. Sift cocoa powder & whisk in boiling water. Set aside to cool. Once cool, whisk milk into cocoa to form the Cocoa Mixture. Set aside.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl to form the Flour Mixture and set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed until creamy. Gradually mix in sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition; mix until well blended. Mix in vanilla extracts.

3. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, in small batches, to the butter mixture until everything is well mixed.

4. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans; smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. When cakes have cooled remove them from pans and peel off paper.

Assemble The Cake Layers:
Simple Syrup*... 3/4 cup
Cool Whip... 1 tub
Strawberry Preserve(Jam)... 1 pack

Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place one layer on a cake plate for serving. Spoon in the Simple Syrup on top of each of the cake layers just enough to soak lightly and for that extra moisture. Spread about 1/3rd of the Cool Whip over the cake layer and top it with a generous layer of Strawberry Preserve (I used the Smucker's brand of strawberry preserves). Place the second cake layer and repeat layers with Simple Syrup, Cool Whip and Strawberry Preserve and then place the final cake layer, bottom side up. Press lightly to secure layers and use a spatula to smooth outside of cake.

For The Finishing Touch:

Butter Cream Frosting.... 2 cups
Dark Chocolate Bar, shaved... 1/2 cup
Maraschino Cherries, drained.... 6-7 no:s

Frost sides and top of cake with butter cream frosting/Cool Whip, reserving a small amount for garnish. Using a vegetable peeler, grate the chocolate bar into fine shavings. Neatly pat the grated chocolate onto the side of the freshly frosted cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe dallop shapes around top edge of the cake and Shell border around the bottom edges of cake. Top the dallops of frosting with the drained maraschino cherries. Wipe rim of cake plate clean. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Lets Sin!!! :)

Note ~ Chocolate Cake Recipe adapted from "Martha Stewart Living, February 2006".

Tips & Adaptations: The original Black Forest Cake uses the juice reserved from the drained Maraschino Cherries which sometimes has a acidic smell to it. In the above recipe, I have adapted it to my taste by replacing Cherry Juice with Simple Syrup. * Simple Syrup which is made by boiling 1cup water and 2cups sugar until fully dissolved and then cooled. Further the original Black Forest Cake also would have a cherry pie filling between the layers which has also been substituted with a Strawberry Fruit Preserve(Jam). You may further simplify the entire cooking time by starting with a good brand of Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Mix, ~~like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines,~~ which would save you much time.

Love Letter.... Madakku San.... Mutta Kuzhalappam.... Thera Ada.... Coconut Crêpe

2008-09-18T13:14:00.031-05:00

One Dish, Many Names : Love Letter / Mutta Kuzhalappam... in Ernakulam, Madakku San.... in Kottayam, Pola... in Thrissur, Tehra-ada... in Kasargod & Coconut Crêpe... in English. Hmmm... Isn't that a long enough list of names for this simple and easy-to-make tea time munchie? Ever wondered why this four o’clock snack had this many names to it credit. Hah??? might be people found it so in their favorite list that they gave it a name and made it their own :) Well whatever reason it would hold for the long list of names, the Love Letter (my favorite name) and chai still reigns my heart... On a cold monsoon evening, sitting down for a hot cup of tea & mutta kuzhalappam ummm there is nothing like it. Further more this recipe can be whipped up with unlimited variations of fillings. My favorite variation, however, is the one which uses jaggery to make a sweet sticky filling.

You'll Need:

For The Crêpe:
All Purpose Flour(Maida).... 2 cup

Milk... 1/2 cup

Water... 1/2 cup

Egg... 1 large

Butter, melted... 2 tbsp

Salt... a pinch

For The Filling:
Grated Coconut... 1/2 cup

Jaggery*, melted... 1/2 cup

Cardamom Powder... 1/2 tsp

Cashew Nuts... 6-7 pieces

Raisins... 1 tbsp

Salt... a pinch

Here Is How:

For The Filling : Heat ghee in a saucepan. Roast cashew, raisins, grated coconut and add the melted jaggery, stir continuously. On medium low heat, make it into a thick sticky filling. Remove from heat and stir in the cardamom powder. Keep it aside.

For The Crêpe :

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine and make a dosa like batter. If seems too thick, thin it out with a little more milk or water. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly & form a thin round crepe.

3. Cook the crepe until the bottom is light golden. Loosen the side with a spatula and flip the sides and cook the other side and remove from heat. Lay them out flat so they can cool.

4. Once the crepes are cool enough to handle, scoop out about 1 tbsp of the prepared filling into the center of each crepe and roll it into a pipe. Mutta Kuzhalappam ready!!!

*Jaggery : This dark, coarse, and unrefined sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm tree. It has a sweet flavor and usually comes in the form of a solid cake with crumbly texture.

My Desk : EAT THIS... NOT THAT

2008-09-17T10:52:00.001-05:00

My Latest Read : EAT THIS NOT THAT.
Reading though the various featured articles in Yahoo! I got to notice that the source of many of the health article was this best seller book which claimed itself to be incredibly helpful for people trying to eat healthier in this unhealthy world. Lots of great information, good advice, and useful photographs. So having found an interesting pick, my next instinct was to fish out my library bar code and check out if it was available at my local library... Yes! its was right there and even two copies of it... but a closer look showed me a waiting list of... Guess which number I was.. 35!!!! Not bad hah...But that's a long enough a wait for me forget all about this book or rather not... And finally when I got the automated call telling me its ready for pick-up.... Requested this book???.... Who me??? ;)) Well after all the wait the book was a good read or rather a comprehensive guide to what to eat at home, from the supermarket, even at a fast-food counter.

Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu

2008-09-07T14:49:00.029-05:00

Calling all seafood lovers!!! If you haven't tried this traditional spicy prawns entrée -"Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu" which is authentic to Central Kerala yet, then this recipe is a good excuse to do so. The nadan chemmen varattiyathu celebrates age-old recipes used by Christian families in the regions of Central Kerala where high quality fresh seafood are ready available through out the year. The backwaters of Central Kerala can proudly boast that it produces one of the the best fresh water prawns in the world. I have some really fond memories of prawns, whether it be the curious visits as a child to the family paddy fields where a rice-prawn rotation is practised (After the rice is harvested, the paddy fields are leased out to prawn farmers for a certain period) or be it eating the prawns in various spice slathered dishes. Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu - this slow roasted spicy dish is rich tasting, savory and indulgent. How do they do it??? By slow roasting the prawns in spices to release every bit of their delicate flavor. When they came out cooked, dark brown and slathered in spices, you almost could contain the drool!

It is highly suggestive that you use fresh prawns for this dish -"Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu" because of its superior taste & texture. But that's no problem if fresh prawns are not available - thanks to the "Peeled & Cleaned" packaged prawns that are widely available in the freezer aisle of the super-market. If you have bought prawns that have already been cooked, then they should be added a few minutes before the end of the cooking time, just to reheat them, as overcooking would make them tough & rubbery.

You'll Need:

Raw Shrimp, cleaned.... 1.5 lb
Shallots, thinly sliced.... 1 cup
Garlic, chopped.... 6 pods
Ginger, chopped..... 2" piece
Green Chili, chopped.... 5 no:s
Curry Leaves.... 2-3 sprigs
Chili Powder.... 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder.... 1.5 tbsp
Coconut Slices.... 1/3 cup
Coconut Oil.... 3 tbsp
Kudam Pulli (Gamboge)....1 no:
Varatharacha Paste.... 1 tbsp*
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Lime Juice.... half of a lime.
Salt.... to taste.

Here Is How:

1. Wash & soak the kudam pulli in just enough water to make it soft. Keep aside.

2. Peel and devein the shrimp and then rinse them under cold water. Drain well. Marinate the cleaned & deveined prawns with the mixture of garam masala, turmeric, salt & lemon juice and let it stand, for 20 minutes to overnight, in the refrigerator.

3. Set a bottom heavy Saute Pan on medium-low heat, heat coconut oil and saute shallots, minced ginger, garlic & green chili with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook till translucent or golden brown. Now add curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder stir. Also stir in the coconut slices and fry or a minute or two.

4. Add marinated prawns and the soaked pulli without adding any water even to cook the prawns.

5. Once prawns cooked, add Varatharach Paste* and roast them on low flame for about 10-15 minutes, until the prawns are in brown colour & the gravy is fully dried up.

6. Just a few minutes before turning off the heat, make a well at the center of the prawn mixture and add a little coconut oil & to it add curry leaves and then cover the well with prawns. This would give this dish its typical varattiya aroma.

Culinary Tips:

If you have bought prawns that have already been cooked, then they should be added a few minutes before the end of the cooking time, just to reheat them, as overcooking would make them tough & rubbery. I highly suggest that fresh prawns be used for this particular recipe which would better absorb the spices as its gets cooked.

* Varatharach Paste : is made by dry roasting various spice & grated coconut till dark brown, which is then dry grinded to form into a thick smooth paste. This paste can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 6 months. Again the fully prepared & ready-to-use varatharacha paste are now available at your local malayali grocers under the brand name *"Saras Varutharacha Paste".

My Desk : Lipstick Jihad

2008-09-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

My latest read.... "Lipstick Jihad : A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America and American in Iran". With its intriguing title, the book gave me the sense of a guided tour through the rather unknown youth culture in Tehran. An intresting read on the Iran.

Indo-Chinese Chicken Manchurian

2008-07-15T11:58:00.012-05:00

Ask me my favorite childhood cuisine and without missing a beat, I would have told its Chinese and it had literally remained unchanged right into my adulthood, or I should rather say until I had the taste of Chinese thats served here in the US. So what I had been my fav all these year was "Indo-Chinese" which are immensely popular with Indians. Indo-Chinese cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. In India, people frequent Chinese restaurants which serves the spicy adaptations of Chinese food which has naturally evolved out from the marriage of Indian spices with classic Chinese recipes & cooking techniques.

You'll Need :

Boneless Chicken.... 1/2" pieces

Corn Flour... 1/3 cup
All-Purpose Flour (Maida).... 1/2 cup

White Pepper Powder 1/4 tsp
Water (approx) 1/3 cup
Salt... to taste.
Dried Red Chili.... 3-4
Onions, sliced.... 3/4 cup

Garlic Ginger Paste.... 2 tbsp

Green Chili, finely chopped... 4-5 no:s

Chili powder.... 1/2 tsp

Soy Sauce... 2 tbsp

Ketchup... 1 tbsp

Chili-Garlic Sauce.... 2 tsp

Ajinomoto(optional).... 1/4 tsp

Carrot Strips.... 1/4 cup

Bell Peppers.... 1/2 cup

Scallions (Sping Onions).... 2 no:s

Chicken Stock..... 3 cups

Salt.... 1 tsp

Vegetable Oil... 1/4 cup

Here Is How :

In a bowl mix maida, corn flour, salt and pepper by adding water to form a fine batter. Add the boneless chicken cubes into the batter and mix well. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken cubes covered with batter until golden brown and cooked. Set aside.

Heat the oil in bottom heavy wok over medium-high heat. Add dried red chillies till they turn dark and stir-fry the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and onion with a bit of salt till the onions look glossy. Now add the chili powder & stir for a minute and pour the sauce mixture of soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, tomato sauce and chicken stock. Sprinkle ajinomoto (MSG) which give the food authentic Chinese flavour. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the deep fried chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes till the chicken is fully cooked and absorbs the sauce. Simmer till the sauce thickens and becomes translucent. Add the bell peppers, carrot strips & spring onion and turn around a few times. Delicious Chicken Manchurian is ready to be served.

Bite-Size Desserts : Almond Marbles

2008-07-14T18:41:00.005-05:00

Bite-Size Desserts topped the list of "WHAT"S HOT & HAPPENING" in a 2008 FOOD TRENDS SURVEY of chefs conducted by the National Restaurant Association. Tiny cakes, pastries, cookies, candies, and tarts are popping up on more and more menus in dining establishments everywhere. Instead of one dessert to end a delightful culinary experience, you dine on a "buffet" of smaller, one and two bite-size goodies.

It was at the seemingly endless grand buffets that we had during our recent trip to "The Sin City-Las Vegas" that totally attracted my attention to these tiny sinful treats. The bite-size versions allowed us to sample several items rather than one big entrée, even after you have gorged all the cusines imaginable right from american, italian, japanese, chinese and seafood cuisine's. This yummy, nutty dessert hails from France and adapted from C&Z. A little chewy, nutty marbles with a bit of chocolate are totally addictive. I bet you would enjoy the look of delight on the faces when you bring out the neatly arranged army of these tiny treats.

You'll Need:

Almonds, husked & toasted... 1 cup

Confectioner's Sugar.... 3/4 cup

Fine Sea Salt.... a pinch

Honey.... 2 tsp

Semi-Sweet Chocolate.... 3 ounce.

Here Is How:

1. Combine the toasted almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl and form a well in the center. In a small bowl, combine the honey with 1 tablespoon hot water and stir to dissolve and pour into the center of the almond mixture.

2. Knead the almond paste for a minute or two, until it comes together and make it into a large ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to a day.

3. Remove from the fridge and scoop out small balls with your finger tips. Line them up on a plate and plant a wooden toothpick vertically in the center of each. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring from time to time.

5. Dip each of the marbles in the melted chocolate, holding it by the toothpick and swirling it around gently to coat. Set on the parchment paper, toothpick pointing skywards. Let it cool (but not in refrigerator) for 2 hours, until the chocolate coating is dry. The marbles will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature in an air tight container.

Makes about 25 marbles.

My Desk : Little Women

2008-07-08T18:50:00.002-05:00

"Little Women".... a timeless classic novel published in the year 1868. Based during the American Civil War, it tells the story of the lives and loves of four sisters. It fascinated me as the story gets you back in time to the rather unknown early american lifestyle & values. Even more than one hundred years later,this book still captures the timeless themes of friendship and the strength of family. It's not difficult to see why this classic still makes in the top list of good reads.

Zero-Oil Simple Cauliflower Potato Masala / Aloo Gobi

2008-06-24T10:44:00.019-05:00

Thanks to the stay-fit spirit that's sweeping India, their eating habits are turning distinctly healthier - more green veggies & fruits and also making the switch from the traditional medium of cooking like vanaspati & coconut oil. Recently my mom has been making numerous trials on "Zero-Oil Cooking" and as part of healthy diet changes but what I found even more interesting in the ease of cooking this dish. This is one of the easiest vegetable curries to make, simple enough to be your best try on the don't-wanna-cook days. So without much of a thought this was the one recipe i turned to as the quickest & delicious way to make dishes turn-up at the table amidst busy apartment shifting. Now guys dont come around asking me how busy I really was to have found time to click these snaps??? ;) Well... "When the student is ready, the teacher appears"

You'll Need:

Cauliflower.... 1 bunch
Potatoes.... 2 no:s medium size
Chili Powder.... 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder.... 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp
Shallots, finely chopped... 3 no:s
Green Chili, finely chopped.... 2 no:s
Ginger, mashed... 1 inch
Garlic, minced.... 2-3 cloves
Tomato Sauce..... 3 tbsp
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Curry Leaves.... 1 sprig
Salt..... to taste

Here Is How:

1. Peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler & dice them into small bite size pieces. Boil the potatoes with 1 inch deep water, slit open green chillies & a pinch of salt until its cooked through, drain them and allow to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, break them coarsely by hand. Keep aside.

2. Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets, with an attached stem so it does not look too squat. Into a non-stick wok, toss the florets and add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, shallots, green chilies, ginger, garlic & salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients together to coat the cauliflower florets well.

3. Set the wok on medium heat. Cover and cook for a 2 to 3 minutes. No extra water need to added as the cauliflower florets will cook itself from the water oozing out. As the florets starts getting soft & cooked, stir in the tomato sauce & the cooked potato squares.

4. Bring to simmer over medium low heat so as to end up with a very thick sauce clinging to the cauliflower. Adjust the heat as necessary to achieve this. Sprinkle garam masala, turn-off the heat & stir in the curry leaves. Serve hot with rice or roti

Recipe Source : My Sweetest Mom

The Friendly Fungi !!!! ~ Mushroom Thoran Nadan Recipe

2008-06-10T14:02:00.039-05:00

Is it a vegetable? a herb? Of all the options it happens to be a “large fleshy fungus” which is yummy too. There is a bit of mystery attached to the mushroom with all its unusual combination of qualities. Mushrooms are a fascinating life forms which seem to appear overnight and disappear just as mysteriously. Their variety of colour and shape is equally as unpredictable as when and where they will appear.

When i think of mushrooms what comes to mind are the "oyster mushroom" which was the only largely available variety in India, atleast till India opened its doors to globalisation in early 90s. My life in US has made me more familiar with various varieties of these friendly fungi where the most commonly found mushroom varieties on the supermarket shelves are the button mushrooms a.k.a white mushrooms. Now it has happened that I simply love mushrooms of all types and really appreciates how much the flavor differ between each variety of mushroom.

Low in calories... No cholesterol.... and are virtually free of fat & sodium. Oh ya, that quiet a bit of reasons to get you searching out for recipes to incorporate more of this healthy ingredient to your daily meals. And I can't tell you how many times I have gone to the supermarket with mushrooms on my mind.

Culinary Tips: Bought fresh, mushrooms should be used within a couple of days, even if stored in a refrigerator. Most fungi are 90 percent moisture so do not soak them in water as they would soak up the water which causes it to be mushy to cook & also lose its delicate flavors. The best way to clean mushrooms is to wipe them free of any obvious dirt with a clean wet cloth or paper towel. And cutting then into uniform pieces will help in the even cooking.

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms, diced... 1 bunch
Shallots, finely chopped.... ½ cup
Green Chilies, finely chopped.... 4-5 no:s
Turmeric Powder.... ½ tsp
Pepper Powder.... ½ tsp
Grated Coconut.... 1/4 cup
Curry leaves... 2 sprig
Mustard Seeds.. 2 tsp
Oil... as required
Salt... to taste.

Here Is How :

Heat oil in a bottom heavy Sauté Pan on medium heat. Sputter mustard seeds and add diced shallots & green chillies and fry till tender. Now add turmeric powder, grated coconut and stir for a minute. Stir in the diced mushroom pieces. Close the pan with a lid and let it cook, stirring every 3-4 minutes. Mushrooms release a good deal of liquid when heated. The mushroom squares will be fully cooked just as the liquids are finishing off. Now sprinkle pepper powder and the curry leaves and sprinkle salt to taste. Remove from heat and best served with rice.

Recipe Source : Sonya Chechi

Sago Cutlets / Aloo Tikki

2008-06-04T21:01:00.013-05:00

Its been more than a year since i started blogging but haven't yet participated in any blog events. I've been looking forward to taking part in an event and it has turned out that the Monthly Mingle Event on "Appetizers & Hors'Doeuvres" would be my kick start. For a fancy vegetarian appetizers, I already had some ideas sizzling aways in my mind.

You'll Need:

Sago Pearls/Sabudana..... 1/2 cup
Potato, boiled & mashed.... 1 large
Shallots, finely minced.... 2 tbsp
Ginger, minced fine.... ½ inch
Green Chillies, finely chopped.... 5-6 no:s
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Egg, beaten.... 1 large
Bread Crumbs.... 1 cup
Oil.... as required
Salt... to taste.

Here is How:

Soak the sago pearls in luke warm water about 2 hours.
Peel & boil the potatoes till cooked then mash and keep aside.
Now drain the sago pearls and keep for half an hour till the water dried-off.
Mix all the ingredients above together and make it small bite size balls.
Dip the sago balls into beaten egg & then in the bread crumbs.
Heat oil till haze forms on top and gently drop the sago balls and fry till golden brown.
Serve hot with tomato sauce, onion salad & a cup or hot tea. :)
Recipe Source : My Creation

Kerala Fish Curry with Raw Mango

2008-05-30T17:40:00.022-05:00

Mango Mania: Only a few things can flood your mind with the memories of the hot tropical summer back in Kerala than mangoes. Beyond being delicious mangoes really hold many memories of my childhood! Each time any of my fellow blogger blog about uppumanga & kanimanga it makes me wanna go back home. My best memory relating to mangoes are those of having juicy ripe mango slice with ari-puttu for breakfast, at my grandma's place. Ummmm..... I'm sure there are many a surprised faces reading the combination but believe me once you try it out, you'll know what I'm talking about. :)

In this time of the year mangoes are starting to appear in supermarket shelves in US. But the Mexican varieties available here are incomparable with the Indian counter-parts. After about two decades of trade ban on the Indian mangoes, it was in last summer that the first shipment of Indian mangoes arrived in US ports. To not much of a surprise the Indian mango boxes flew off the shelf even at five times the prices, compared to the Mexican varities, and still remained sold out.

This recipe that I'm blogging is a traditional fish recipe during the hot summer months when mangoes are plenty around. The rich sour taste of the raw mangoes replace the tamarind originally used in this typical Kerala style fish curry.

Ingredients:

Fish (Mackrell/Ayeela), cleaned pieces.... 12 pieces.

Shallots, finely chopped.... ½ cup

Grated Coconut.... 1/2 cup

Red Chillie Powder.... 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder.... 2 tsp

Green Chillies, finely chopped.... 1-2 no:s

Raw Mangoes, diced.... 1 no:

Ginger, smashed..... 1 inch piece

Garlic, crushed.... 2-3 pods

Curry leaves... 2 sprig

Mustard Seeds.. 2 tsp

Fenugreek... 1/4 tsp

Coconut Oil... as required

Salt... to taste.

Prep Works :

1. Grind the grated coconut, green chillies & ginger with a required water to a smooth consistency and keep aside.

2. Also dice the raw mango into small bite size square pieces and keep aside.

3. In a small bowl lightly soak the spices with a about a tablespoon of water and keep aside. This step is completely optional but its the authentic was of making traditional Kerala fish curry.

Here Is How:

On medium heat, heat coconut oil in a bottom heavy Saute Pan and sputter mustard seeds and add fenugreek. Add diced shallots & garlic and fry till golden brown to this add the lightly soaked spice paste and stir of a minute. Add required water & the cleaned fish pieces & salt, bring to a slight boil. Now add grated coconut paste, when it comes to a boil add the mango pieces. Close the pan with a lid and let it cook till the fish is fully cooked. Add curry leaves & remove from heat.

Also check-out: "Maanga Chammanthy/ Mango Chutney".

Nadan Manga Chammanthy / Mango Chutney

2008-05-30T15:30:00.026-05:00

Mango Mania: The typical Kerala style "maanga chammanthy" has a unique taste from the simlicity on ingredients which go into making it.

I. Kerala Style: Peel the skin off the unripe mangoes with a vegetable peeler & slice them coarsely and drop in to the blender also pop-in shallots, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, grated coconut & salt. Now run the blender until its has become a smooth chammanthy consistency. Check salt & its done.

II. North Indian Style: Mix together in a blender into a coarse paste:
Unripe Mangoes, chopped into chunks.... 2 cups
Roasted Peanuts.... 1 tbsp
Brown Sugar... 1 tbsp
Fresh Coriander Leaves.... 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds.... 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds..... 1 tsp
Salt.... 1 tsp
Chilli Powder.... 1 tsp
Sugar.... to taste.

Heat in a saucepan until the seeds pop:
Vegetable Oil... 1 tbsp
Hing... a pinch
Mustard Seeds.... 1/2 tsp

Stir the oil mixture into the mango mixture.

Spicy Baked Chicken

2008-05-24T22:51:00.030-05:00

Ingredients:

Chicken....1 lb
Pepper Corns... 1 tsp
Onions, finely chopped... ½ cup
Ginger, minced fine.... ½ inch
Garlic, minced fine.... 4 pods
Yogurt.... 1 ½ tbsp
Turmeric powder..... 3/4 tsp
Chilly powder.... 1 ½ tsp
Coriander powder..... 2 tbsp
Garam Masala..... 1 ½ tsp
Varutharacha Paste.... 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves... 2 sprigs
Oil..... 1 tsp
Salt.... to taste
Green Chillies, finely chopped..... 5-6 no:s

Before i start telling you how to go about this recipe let me tell how the same came around. We were just getting to end a not so happening day with no particular plans for the night and things would change once you answer that ringing phone. Well you just got to know that some of your friends would just drop by and you suggest why not have dinner here??? Phewww!!! the next thing you know the we are running around the house, fixing up things around from the not-so-great menu to the coffee table in the living room. Voilà you scratch-up you survival instincts and comes up with some dish that will run through the night. Yeah you guessed it... the same happened and I'm delighted that i came up with this recipe since i had baked chicken in the fridge. Sometimes you get asked for the recipe and that just make your day. I'm sure everyone of you would have been through these moments... Enjoy!!!

I call it Spicy Baked Chicken and since I cook without actually measuring out the ingredients, the measurements included here are just estimates. Feel free to tweak it according to your taste. This recipe is great for all the weight-watchers in us. Comments Appreciated.

Here is How:

Make a batter of chilly powder, turmeric powder, yogurt & salt. Coat the chicken pieces in the marinade & let it marinate for around an hour or two. Make sure that you do not leave out yogurt for the above marinade as it help in keeping the baked chicken moist in the baking process.

Preheat the oven to temp of 350F. Meanwhile place the marinated chicken pieces on a baking mesh/rack, placed over the baking tray. The Baker's Rack would help the fat from the chicken to drip down into the tray thus making it a more figure friendly which is the best part;). Bake the chicken pieces for around 25-35 minutes, till the chicken is cooked. Remove from oven and keep aside.

In microwave safe container, microwave onions, ginger, garlic & green chillies with a pinch of salt for a minute till onions are translucent. Heat oil in a large Dutch Oven over medium heat and add the microwaved onions, ginger, garlic & green chillies and saute for a couple more minute till onions are deep golden brown. Add all the spices and add diced tomatoes & cook till oil separates from tomatoes. Add the chicken & add varutharacha paste** to the pan and mix well to coat in gravy. Bring this to a simmering boil, sprinkle garam masala & remove from flame.

Recipe Source : My Creation.

**Varatharacha Paste : is made by dry roasting various spice & grated coconut till dark brown, which is then dry grinded to form into a thick smooth paste. This paste can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 6 months. Again the fully prepared & ready-to-use varatharacha paste are now available at your local malayali grocers under the brand name "Saras Varutharacha Paste".

Cold Coffee With Ice Cream

2008-05-23T12:33:00.020-05:00

For this delecious Cold Coffee with Ice Cream, You'll Need :

Milk..... 1 cup.
Sugar...... 1/4 cup.
Ice Cubes.... 1/2 cup.
Instand Coffee Powder... 1 tsp.
Vanilla Ice Cream.... 3-4 scoops.
Whipped Cream....a dallop (optional)

Blend all ingedients in blender until smooth. Blend it ahead of time & stick it in the freezer so that by the time you're ready for a sip, they'll be refreshingly slushy. Pour into serving glass and to top it all up, garnish with a dallop of ice-cream/whipped cream & sprinkle a pinch of coffee powder on top. Now kick back & enjoy the summer cool.
Make 2 servings.

Other Summer Cools...
"Mango Lassi" blogged my friend EMI@Truly Godzown

KALE : Indian Stir Fry Recipe

2008-05-21T21:01:00.044-05:00

I never thought I'll say this ever in life that i miss having those veggies back home..... cheera thoran & pavakka Theeyal had always made me wanted to run-away from the table back in my teenage days. But the days has when life has taken you far from home that you just miss every single thing about it. Memories are always sweet....

"Kale is a health superstar veggie!" with its combination of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and phytonutrients. With the current emphasis on the healthy living, kale is a great food if you're looking to protect your health and enjoy a delicious food at the same time. The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around.

Ingredients:

Kale, chopped... 1 bunch
Shallots, finely chopped.... ½ cup
Green Chillies, finely chopped.... 4-5 no:s
Grated Coconut.... 1/4 cup
Curry leaves... 2 sprig
Mustard Seeds.. 2 tsp
Fenugreek... 1/4 tsp
Oil... as required
Salt... to taste.

Here Is How :

Trim the stalks of the kale leaves by folding them in half lengthwise, near the base and with the other hand, gently pull the leaves down. You can also use a knife to separate the leaves from the stems. Now slice the leaves into strips and rinse & drain the chopped kale leaves.

Heat oil in a bottom heavy Saute Pan
on medium heat. Sputter mustard seeds and add diced shallots & green chillies and fry till golden brown. Now add grated coconut, curry leaves and fenugreek & stir for a minute. To this add chopped kale and a pinch of salt. Close the pan with a lid and let it cook, stirring every 3-4 minutes till the kale leaves are cooked(not mushy) but also retains its color & have a bite to it. Add salt to taste & remove from heat.

Mixed Fried Rice

2008-05-21T20:33:00.005-05:00

Mixed Fried Rice was my best bet when I gathered up a little nerve and decided to throw the first party after my marriage, right from my kitchen. Well to make a long story short.... to this day mixed fried rice stays on top of my best shots. And the best part? It's predominantly a make-ahead dish so you have a fuss-free menu leaves you time for more precious matters.... like sharing chit-chats at the party. ;)

Over the years I've learned how to "switch it up", instead of cooking something new from scratch every night, I use up the leftovers into a completely meal that are poles apart & enjoy the ease. This delicious dish is perfect for entertaining since its simple to prepare and never fails to impress. Serve this hot on a platter, so you can see the puffs of steam rising off the rice.

"Thankful For Leftovers"

Ad For The Culinary Academy For Kids

2008-05-18T22:47:00.009-05:00

Think about kids in the kitchen and the first thoughts that run into your mind would be images of a sticky mess from floor to ceiling plus your heart thumping when they would want to take control over a sharp knife. Have you ever noticed how small child’s faces light up when you pull them up onto the counter and get them to stir something? Kids are always dying to be treated like a grown-ups!.

In this era of Food TV & Star Chefs... kids are inspired so much that i've just heard a 10year old tell me he aspire be a "STAR" chef, when asked waht he wanna grow up to. Thanks to Food TV for the glamour & glitz it has attached to the toils behing the heat.

This interesting ad is by a company called "Kochen" which offers fun cooking classes for kids, encouraging them to become chefs in the kitchen with fun and easy recipes.

Wilton Rainbow Cake

2008-05-16T14:11:00.013-05:00

An best part of homemade cake is the pleasure it gives to the cook in creating something with both good-looks & delicious.... I've always been on the receiving end of these wonderful delights from my family & friends... ummm i still cant resist salivating thinking back those memories. Even though i have baked before and by now I've become quiet comfortable around the idea of baking....I was a little hesitant to have my hands in frosting & cake decoration but T's conviction inspired me give it at try... and with this very first try I've learn the lesson on the "secret" to a perfectly decorated cake.... now ask me what??? noting but "Patience" :) which took me a whole way out of my comfort zone. But after all the slow and messy process the feeling when I finished the cake was so worth some memories.

Kottayam Style - Nadan Chicken Paalu Curry

2008-05-14T22:34:00.032-05:00

Strangely enough an impressionable memory of having this very authentic dish was not very long ago. Thanks to my ma-in-law's kitchen i should say that I've been hooked to a whole gamete of kottayam specialities . And after running our telephone meter with many an isd calls... here is my effort to recreate this central kerala speciality.

Ingredients:

Chicken....1 lb

Pepper Corns... 1 tsp

Onions, finely chopped... ½ cup
Ginger, minced fine.... ½ inch

Garlic, minced fine.... 4 pods
Turmeric powder..... 3/4 tsp

Pepper powder.... 1 ½ tsp
Dried Red chili ...... 1 no:s
Coriander powder..... 2 tbsp
Garam Masala..... 1 ½ tsp

Curry Leaves... 2 sprigs

Coconut Milk... ½ cup
Salt.... to taste
Oil..... as required

Green Chillies, finely chopped..... 5-6 no:s

Here is How:

Heat oil in a large Dutch Ovenover medium heat. Add onions & pinch of salt. Now stir in ginger, garlic & green chillies and saute for a couple of minute till onions are deep golden brown. Add all the spices and add diced tomatoes & cook till oil separates from tomatoes. Add the chicken to the pan and mix well to coat in gravy. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat to low, add coconut milk & curry leaves. Bring this to a simmering boil & remove from flame. Sprinkle garam masala & stir in.

My Desk

2008-05-13T18:31:00.010-05:00

its interesting to think back tht each time we chat up wiht my sweet friend "PAM" we somehow sneak in these "i-just read-this-interesting book" topic and just last day history just repeated. And here i've picked up the Shopoholic Series...

Pretty halerious and being somewhat of a shopaholic myself, secretly want to spend loads of money on designer purses, shoes, clothes etc.... I can relate. It's exciting, sure. Pure Fun Read!!!

Check Out : Confessions of a Shopaholic, Shopaholic Ties the Knot & Shopaholic & Baby .

"Cocktail Thoran" - Snow Peas & Black-Eyed Peas

2008-04-23T22:15:00.017-05:00

Ingredients :

Snow Peas... 2 cups
Black-Eyed Peas.... 1/2 cup
Shallots, finely chopped.... ½ cup
Green Chillies, finely chopped.... 2 no:s
Grated Coconut.... 1/2 cup
Curry leaves... 2 sprig
Mustard Seeds.. 2tsp
Feenugreek... 1/4 tsp
Oil... as required
Salt... to taste.

Here Is How :

Soak the beans using either the overnight soak or quick soak methods, detailed at the bottom**, so as to reduce the cooking time and promote even cooking. Cook the black-eyed peas to al dente consistency. Now keep it aside.

Heat oil in a bottom heavy saute pan on medium heat. Sputter mustard seeds and add diced shallots & green chillies and fry till golden brown. Now add grated coconut, curry leaves and fennugreek & stir for a minute. To this add sland cut snowpeas and a pich of salt. Close the pan with a lid and let it cook, stirring every 2 minutes till the snow peas are cooked and yet retain its color & have a bite to it and not mushy. Now stir in the cooked black-eyed peas to the snow peas. Add salt to taste & remove from heat.

Tips: ** Quick Soak.... to quick soak beans, place beans in a dutch oven. Cover with water to two inches above beans; bring to boil & cook for two minutes. Remove from heat; cover & let standone hour, then drain.

A Feast For Eyes

2008-04-22T17:42:00.013-05:00

One lazy afternoon... one coazy couch.... tv disappoints...But not Bloggers!!!
Check out these fabulours works of "Sugar Arts"

ExtraIcing

BettySugarDreams

AlanaHodson Photos

SweetArtShop

ATasteofWhimsy

My Travels - "Drive thru Safari"

2007-10-27T13:42:00.001-05:00

The agressive ostrich that almost decided to taste my finger.

Scary Looks????

FOOD.... or i'll stick ma head in your open window looking for it.

When kiwi take over :)

Destination : Fossil Rim

Happy Onam - Pulli Inji

2007-08-26T18:53:00.009-05:00

Wish You All Very Happy Onam!!!
This recipe is dedicated to my dear friend "Emi of Truly Gods Own" who has been asking me get back to blogging. I don't think if it hadn't been for her i wud have ever collected myself to get back at my deserted blog. Cheers to her for her inspiration :) I made this for our pot-luck ona sadhya that our friends had organised.

Ingredients:

Ginger... 150 g
Green Chillies.... 6-7 no:s
Curry Leaves...2-3 sprigs
Fenugreek...1 tsp
Tamarind... 3 lemon size
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chili powder... 2 tsp
Jagree... 150g
Mustard Seeds.. 2tsp
Oil... as required
Salt... to taste.

Here Is How :

Heat oil in a bottom heavy pan and sputter mustard seeds. Add diced ginger & Green chillies and fry till golden brown. Now add curry leaves & fennugreek & stir for a minute. To this add thick tamarind paste and bring this to a boil. Add turmeric & chili powders and also Jagree which is made into a liquid. Adjust the sweetness so as to get the taste of heat, sour & sweetness which distinguish this condiment. Add salt to taste and remove from stove.

This can be store in fridge in air tight containers. If not for its unique taste alone you are sure to love it for it health benefits.

Enjoy your Thiru Onam !!!

Free Malayalam Internet Radio

2007-04-29T22:10:00.002-05:00

24x7 Live Malayalam Internet radio from Kerala???

When my friend first forwarded me an email with this subject i wasn't much sure if i really can believe this now... only because my endless searches on Google & Yahoo! hadn't got me any worth while results. Checked it out & i really couldn't believe it.... next thing i know I've rung up my better-half "T" who is @ work and boosting-off my latest discovery. Ever since it has stayed in my desktop & still keeps we entertained when i get to my kitchen.

Download Radio Dum Dum here.

**Updates: Other latest Free Mallu Online Internet Radios

Scrybe: Sneak Peek

2007-03-16T22:37:00.003-05:00

South Africa Tourism: Zebra

2007-02-28T22:36:00.002-06:00

"It's closer than you think - South Africa"

Ambient guerrilla advertising idea for South Africa Tourism. Zebra Crossing signs around traffic lights in Mumbai were painted to look like the stripes of a real zebra. I'm rather sure the promotion would have attracted quiet a lot of attention.

The World Is Flat !!!

2007-02-28T15:02:00.001-06:00

Yah Exactly... "the world had been getting flatter, while I was sleeping" states Thomas L.Friedman, the author of the book "The World Is Flat" which i have been vociforously reading lately. The moment i read thru the review of ths book i literally got glued onto it.... So engrossing as it showcases an exciting account of globalisation. We've no real idea how the 21st century's history will unfold... but this book has certainly inspired me to start thinking how life wud be over the surface of our even-more-flattened earth.Well i do have to admit tht i surely had been sleeping whn all these were happening... And if not for ths account of globalisation by Friedman i wud hv continues to be asleep... :). A must must read for GK freak-outs... try and get our hand on this...

Also Read : "New York Times"

SAVE WILDLIFE

2007-02-20T13:09:00.002-06:00

Shambu, the Shikari.... or.... Shambu, the Watcher???

A Print ad by a Kochi based ad agency for The Kerala Forest Department is based on "Shikari Shambu" who was a famous hunter and comic character in a children's magazines in India and now has turned into a security since there is no forest left up, not to say about wildlife.

So guys its high time to save wildlife & help Shambu !!!

Malabar Syle Pasta Recipe

2007-02-16T19:05:00.003-06:00

Pasta recipes are everywhere. The web abounds with them. Malabar Pasta, being the first ever recipe to be posted in my blog, its a long astray from the typical Italian style of pasta and to give it a real face-lift, the Indian way. The recipe happened to be developed by our friend, shortly named P, as pasta was the first choice for a single pot meat on a cold weekend get-away. This is what hunger can do to creative brains, a combinations you've never thought of, hopefully. :)

Ingredients:

Shell Macaroni Pasta - – ½ lb

Onions, finely chopped – ½ cup

Ginger, minced fine – ½ inch
Garlic, minced fine – 4 pods

Green Chillies, finely chopped – 2 no:s

Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp

Red chili powder- 2 tsp

Coriander powder-2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 ½ tsp

Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

For Marinate:

Chicken- 1 lb

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Kashmiri chilli powder -3 tsp

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1½ tsp

Lemon juice -½ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

And Here is How:

Cook pasta al dente, drain and keep aside. Marinate the chicken pieces & shallow fry till golden brown. Drain onto a paper towel to remove the excess grease and shred the chicken, when cool enough to handle, and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan; add onions and pinch of salt. Add ginger, garlic & green chillie and sauté till onions are translucent. Now add all the spices and stir for a minute and then add cooked pasta, shredded chicken pieces and stir in well. Sprinkle soy sauce and toss to coat with the sauce. Keep stirring to avoid the spices from getting stuck to the pan. Sprinkle in some pepper powder and remove from flame.

For now, that's from the recipe department for a grand gourmet INDIAN pasta. Hope you would have fun making it as we enjoyed making it and the dinner, savoring our rather spicy tasty buds, in the cowboy log cabin.

Recipe Courtesy : "P"

Single Baggage is here...

2007-02-14T12:33:00.000-06:00

Be informed before checking an extra bag on British Airways flight...or get ready to pay up.

February 13, '07 : British Airways has announced a ONE Baggage Policy with a maximum bag weight of 23kg. Further the cost of checking in an extra bag on a one-way flight will be $235. Even if travelers in economy check-in two pieces of luggage below the weight allowance they will still have to pay for the second bag.

Yet the good news for American travelers... Flights between the U.K. and USA are exempt from the new baggage policy. :)

Spirit, U.S. low-cost airline is leading the way by becoming the first big American airline to charge passengers for checking more than one bag. For a change, an immediate industry matching did not follow as always. But experts are guessing other airlines are to follow...

So need to wonder if.... "Customer still the KING"??? lol....

Sources: CNN International

A Food Chain???

2007-02-14T11:49:00.002-06:00

A peek out my window...

Vis-a-Vis with the mighty predator...

Amazing Facts.

2007-02-11T22:57:00.000-06:00

Mcdonald's salads contains 60% more fat than the burgers.

The filming of the movie Titanic cost more than the titanic itself.

In florida, penalty for horse theft is death by hanging.

City with the most Rolls Royces per capita: Hong Kong.

General Motors, in 1954, became the first US corporation to have $1 billion in net income.

Before 1913, the U.S. had no income tax.

There are more female than male millionars in U.S.

Donald Rumsfeld was the youngest & the oldest defense secretary in US history.

New Zealand is the 1st country to allow women to vote.

Happy Birthday (the song) is copyrighted.

American Indians were not made citizens of the U.S. until 1924.

More monopoly money is printed in a year, than the real money.

Iceland was the first country to legalize abortion in 1935.

80% of the 10 year old gurls in US go on diet.

Skylab, the first American space station fell to the earth. Thankfully most over the ocean.

As of 2006, 200 million blogs were left without updates.

Food For Thought

2007-02-11T14:37:00.000-06:00

MODERN VERSION...

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs& dances & plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house.
Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) .
Opposition MP's stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.
CPM in Kerala and West Bengal immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.
Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter.
Arjun Singh makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Institutions & in Govt Services.

The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV. Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice". Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'. CPM calls it the revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden' Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.

XBOX360 India

2007-02-07T15:05:00.003-06:00

Sony Commerical for its XBox 360... "Game On", the Indian way

Wise

2007-02-07T13:25:00.000-06:00

Out of clutter, find simplicity.
From discord, find harmony.
In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.

- Albert Einstein.

Happydent Commercial

2007-02-07T11:02:00.003-06:00

God Save the Creative Brain behind thses ads.. ;)

Essensis: The Beauty Yogurt !!!

2007-02-06T19:32:00.001-06:00

Functional drinks are set to become the next "big thing".

Essensis is Danone's, a French dairy comapny best known for little bottles of gut-cleansing dairy drinks called Actimel, latest entry into the booming functional drinks market.

[Danone] says ....the yogurt will improve the health of the skin of people who eat it for at least a month, by using certain ingredients — including borage oil, vitamin E and antioxidants from green tea — to "feed the cells" of the surface layer of the skin. (La Times)

Its set to be the first-ever mainstream food product claiming to have a beneficial effect on the skin. Aient that interesting??? Sure im on the look-out for its US release... why not??? ;)

Menu Makeover

2007-02-06T18:58:00.001-06:00

cosmopolitan

McDonalds, one of the best known brands in the world is careful considering the local conditions

for thier menu offerings... . McDonald’s regularly tries out new menu concepts around the world, the latest into the smash-hit menu is the rice-based sandwich introduced in across Asia.

McArabia, McCurry Pan would be to name few....

"Think globally, act locally."

But i wonder why the McD's US menu still seem to dead???

US State Capitals

2007-02-02T15:01:00.002-06:00

There is one smart kid...

Wacky Weather '07

2007-01-30T19:14:00.001-06:00

Only a month into the year 2007, the photo compilation by TIME Magazine features the rather unsual climate swings around the globe.

Moving ahead into the year 2007, climate-change experts have set the year to be the hottest year on record around the world. The rising temperatures has been linked to a combination of greenhouse-gas emissions and El Nino, a phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that upsets normal weather patterns.

Finally we are looking at a typical weather forecast with a 60 percent chance. So there's a 40 percent chance that it won't.

Phtoto Essay : "A Month of Wacky Weather"

Lalu's Railway : An IIM Case Study

2007-01-29T23:08:00.001-06:00

A genuine image makeover attempt for the Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav for the much advertised achievement of Indian Railways, which was heading towards bankruptcy(*Annul Report states otherwise) three years ago when he took over, now has a surplus revenue of Rs 11,000 crore.

And with success has come recognition. IIM-A and premier international business schools like Harvard and HEC Management School, France, have shown interest it into case studies for aspiring business graduates.

Lalu claims to have achieved this by taking simple steps like competitive passenger fares and reducing the wagons' turnaround time and also raised the carrying capacity of goods trains , which led to higher freight earnings.

Prasad's management mantra for the Railways has been:

"My mother always told me not to handle a buffalo by its tail, but always catch it by its horns. And I have used that lesson in everything in my life, including the Railways."

"If you do not milk the cow fully, it falls sick," which he is practicing while running the Railways.

But thinking out of the box, one should really wonder if the largest railroad was indeed in debts???? The Annual Reports of Indian Railways stated a revenue surplus in all the years of its operation(only exception 1970-'71 & 1980-'81).

Finally are we looking at a verbal press reporting cum-advertisement of the managent guru against his political rival ex-rail minister???? a million dollar question...

Audacity - Open Source Audio Recorder & Editor

2007-01-29T11:10:00.001-06:00

A free software called Audacity to download any streaming radio from the internet to your hard drive as a WAV or MP3 file.

[Disclaimer: Always read the copyright policies of the content provider, make sure you’re not breaching copyright by downloading their streaming audio streams.]

Step 1: Download Audacity here.

Step 2: Start Audacity and choose View -> Float Mixer Toolbar. In the drop-down menu on Audacity's mixer toolbar, choose "Wave Out" or "Stereo Mix" as the input source.

Step 3: Open the streaming music websiteand hit the Play button. [The technique work with RealOne player, Windows Media, Quicktime or any other player- Audacity just captures the sound coming from your speakers]

Step 4. As the radio player starts to buffer audio content, switch to Audacity and hit the Record button (it's in red color). You'll see a moving waveform indicating that the recording is ON.

When the radio show is over or you want to stop the recording, just hit the Stop button inside Audacity. Save the recording as a WAV file or get the Lame MP3 encoder to save the streaming radio as an MP3 file which you can even carry in the iPod or burn it to a CD.

Courtesy :" Labnol "

Utterly Butterly Hits

2007-01-28T14:03:00.002-06:00

Amul's latest ad in response on engagement of Bollywood celebrity stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai.

Ever since its the Utterly Butterly girl made her debut in 1960s.... its always been more than a source of amusement but they also make us aware of the controversies surrounding us....

Utterly butterly girl was the brain-child of Mr. Sylvester daCunha, the then managing director of an advertising agency, ASP, in the late 1960s.....and 40years down the late Amul is ready to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest running ad campaign ever....

Click here: "Amul Hits thru the Years".

I promise you wont be disappointed.

A.T.T.I.T.U.D.E.............

2007-01-27T14:14:00.002-06:00

John Carpenter, won a one million dollars on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? , used his Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call his father only to let him know tht he is winning a million dollars....

Even though ths clip s been in circlation on the net for some time now.... I get really fascinated each time i get to see the clip, just at the thought of the contestant's Attitide....
Thats what you call Attitude with a capital "A"

Funny Ad!

2007-01-25T15:38:00.002-06:00

Really funny Indian commercial for Camalin Permanent Markers
Enjoy!!!

Management Parables

2007-01-25T14:08:00.000-06:00

Parable # 1

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?" The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Management Lesson:

To be sittingand doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Parable # 2

A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy." "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of
dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Management Lesson:

"Bullshit might getyou to the top, but it won't keep you there. "

Parable # 3

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!

Management Lesson:
1) Noteveryone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
2) Not everyone who gets youout of shit is your friend.
3) And when you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!

Parable # 4

The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along, some people remarked "it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding". The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Later, they passed some people that remarked, "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk." They decided they both would
walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So they both rode the donkey! Now they passed some people that shamed them saying "how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey". The boy and man said they were probably right so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the donkey and it fell into the river and drowned.

ManagementLesson:
If you try to please everyone, you will eventually lose your ass.

An African Proverb

2007-01-24T16:16:00.000-06:00

" Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesnt matter wheather you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running."

Smoky Mountain National Park - 2007

2007-01-23T16:30:00.001-06:00

“Award Winning Showcase” 2006

2007-01-23T14:17:00.000-06:00

Had a bit of a lazy day today, infact I didn’t do anything apart from browsing thru all the day long which was all tht of a bad idea.... came across ths yearly Reuters compilation “Award Winning Showcase” from their press photographers in 2006.
The slide-show features some incredible images from major news stories across the world captured by their media team.

Click Here : Picture Story 2006

Courtesy: Reuters

"Brilliant" not the word

2007-01-23T10:48:00.000-06:00

Isnt thr any better way to advertise for a Stapler....

Jst shows you tht thrs never is a dearth of ideas in ths world...

2007-01-22T13:37:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my Blog "iDayz"
Well its after a great deal of head scraching tht i cud finally get my blog christianed cos what so ever names i hd though about ws already been taken up. Thats actually so intresting in a way half the globe is into blogging theseday. So whr hv i been all these times??? hahaha....
Anyway now tht i hv finally made up my mind to give ths a try...
Let me do it in style ;)
Wish me Luck...

2007-01-21T16:55:00.000-06:00