Recipe Marathon: Day 1: Baked Cauliflower with Puck's Marinara Sauce

Hey its 17th of May, and the first day of our Recipe Marathon. Ye Yeh! I am all excited about it and am ready with some yummy recipes to share with you all. Hope you enjoy them as much I did, preparing them for you.

Lets kick start with a Puck's recipe...;) - my fifth recipe of my weekly series: Straight Out of Puck's Oven .I made his version of Marinara Sauce just couple of days back and must say, it tasted yum.

Since then, I am adding it almost in every dish I make - pastas, pizzas, any dish that calls for a tomato sauce and the newest addition is this recipe which I made a bit differently - Whole baked cauliflower with Puck's Marinara Sauce!.

.. and I must mention that the whole of cauliflower was gone in seconds! Now, that an instant hit for me. What say!..:)

...here is the recipe...with some notes, tips and variations of the classic Marinara Sauce...




Adapted from Wolf Gang Puck: Make it Easy cookbook

Puck's Tip: When tomatoes are not in season, make this sauce with a good brand of canned tomatoes. Recipe-ready chopped and peeled tomatoes will speed things up considerably.

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of Olive Oil (Recommended: Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 small Onion, minced
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp Tomato paste
3 pounds Roma Tomatoes (or) 2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced.
1/2 cup chopped Sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 to tsp sugar
Salt & Pepper to season. (Recommended: Kosher Salt)
1/4 cup Basil

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer, or until fragrant. Add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, sugar and salt & pepper. Cook, stirring often for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is thick.

3. Taste and add salt & pepper if necessary. Stir in the basil.

Variation: If you want a smoother, lest rustic sauce, before stirring in the basil pulse in a food processor.

Baked Cauliflower with Marinara Sauce:
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1. Cut one whole cauliflower into just 3/4 slices. Boil the whole cauliflower florets in salt water for about 15-20 minutes, until properly cooked.

2. Remove and pat them dry. Preheat oven for 350 deg. Place the florets on a baking dish, season with salt & pepper and spray PAM, couple of times.

3. Bake for about 10-15 mins, until slight golden brown.

4. Place each of them on dinner plates, pour Puck's marinara sauce over them. Serve with some hot rice or eat as it is!


This is my entry to Cate's ARF:Tuesday!

Recipe Marathon Day 1 - Menu:

Bhags made some yummy Tomato Shorba.
Dhivs entertained with some crunchy Bhindi Jaipuri
Swati blogs about Dum Ka Murg Zafrani
Divya Vikram cooked up delicious looking Peas Kurma
Srivalli spiced up her kitchen with Chicken Semi Gravy.
Its Raaga and her Masala Lauki Chana Dal !

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Tried and Test Recipes # 3: Suganya's Mor Kali


Have a great Saturday ahead. meet you tomorrow again with a delicious recipe!

- Siri

Announcing AWED: Middle Eastern Cuisine

From earth sprang herbs, from herbs food,
from food seed, from seed man.
Man thus consists of the essence of food.
From food are all creatures produced, by food do they grow..
The self consists of food, of breath, of mind, of understanding, of bliss...

- the Upanishads (circa 1000B.C)

Food is one such thing which binds us all, and A Worldly Epicurean's Delight (A.W.E.D), an event initiated by Dhivya of Culinary bazaar celebrates a world cuisine every month and this time, she passes on the baton to me. Thanks sweety!

.. and In this edition of AWED, lets take a trip into a far-off kitchen to discover some unique recipes - the Middle Eastern way...:)

"The words 'Middle East' can conjure up visions of hot sand, bright blue skies full of sun and the distant outline of camel caravans trekking across a horizon hazy with heat. To many people, the Middle east is a distant, unfamiliar and somewhat mysterious region with a history of violence and turmoil. The region does indeed boast a long, intricate, sometimes violent history balanced with a vibrant modern culture. To many a hungry traveler, reader or local, the Middle East is the home of some of the world's most delicious cooking. "

- an excerpt from Cooking The Middle Eastern Way: Culturally Authentic Foods Including Low-Fat And Vegetarian Recipes by Alison Behnke

I recently grabbed this tiny book (unlike any other cookbook, which are typically 100+ pages) from my local library and found extremely fascinating. Instantly I decided to have 'Middle Eastern Cooking' as the next theme for A.W.E.D.


Middle Eastern cuisine is basically a blend of many cuisines right from Armenia to Turkey. A comprehensive list of recipes - appetizers (a.k.a 'Mezze') to pickles ('Mekhalel') to sauces ('Markat') and spice blends can be found here.

Please do note that all the entries must be made the Vegetarian way. One can always mention the non vegetarian ingredients which are normally added to the ingredients list to let everyone know of the non-vegetarian substitutions which one can make, but the recipe on the whole should be a Vegetarian.

From hearty Egyptian bean dishes to simple pilaf's of Armenia, this region's cuisine offers something to please every palate. and I am sure you would whip up some yummy recipes that would whet anybody's tummy!..:)

Here are some simple guidelines for the event:

1) Make any dish – be it Appetizer, Main Course or Dessert - Vegetarian/Vegan and post the same in your blog and link back to the announcement and also to Dhivya's blog. Feel free to use the logo.

2) Multiple entries are most welcome !.

3) Take a snap of your yummy dish and send it across with a size of 300 X 300 pixels.

4) Send me your Name, Recipe, Recipe URL, Photo and Location to : i.am.awed@gmail.com ( thats i(dot)am(dot)awed(at)gmail(dot)com )

5) Last date for the entries are June 15th 2008.

6) Non-bloggers can also participate by sending their entries with the same details to the above email address.

Let the party begin then ...Shall we !!

Hope you would shower your love and support to this new edition of AWED, as much as you did for AWED:Mexican.

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Recipe Marathon:

From 17th to 31 May 2008
So, are you all set for the Recipe Marathon starting tomorrow..:). Here is list of those enthusiastic bloggers friends who are joining us...:)

1. Srivalli of Cooking 4 all Seasons
2. Bhags of Crazy Curry
3. Ranji of Ranji's Kitchen Corner
4. Raaga of The Singing Chef
5. Lakshmi of The Yum Blog
6. Dhivya of Culinary Bazaar
7. Siri of Siri's Corner
8. Swati of Chatkhor

If you are interested to join the marathon, just drop a comment to this post, I will include u to the list!!

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Tried & Test Recipes # 2: Srivalli's Bendakaya Sambhar (Okra Sambhar)


take care and Have a great weekend ahead!

Siri

AWED: Huevos Rancheros and a Recipe Marathon!!!

Dhivs: You really love Eggs, don't you? (a.k.a: Are you not sick of these egg recipes? huh?)

Me: *devilish smile* No way!!..I will not rest until I make all possible egg recipes, from every cuisine..;) hehehahaha!

... and Here I am with a classic, piquant Mexican breakfast - "Huevos Rancheros": meaning 'eggs ranch-style' or 'eggs country-style' in Spanish. To me, its bean mixture spread on a tortilla topped with a fried egg..! It a simple, delectable blend of Mexican flavors which serves as a great breakfast entree.



Adapted from here

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Hot sauce (Recommended: Chipotle Sauce)
1 tsp ground Cumin
1 can Tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped
1 can Red Kidney beans, rinsed and drained (Recommended: Black Beans)
Fresh Cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Butter
4 large eggs
4 Wheat Tortillas, warmed (Recommended: Corn Tortillas)

P.S: Here some yummy home-made Whole Wheat Tortillas

Preparation:

1. In saucepan, heat oil on medium until hot. Add onion and garlic, and cook until beginning to brown. Stir in hot sauce and cumin; cook for 30 seconds, stirring.

2. Add tomatoes; cover and cook 3 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans, half of cilantro, and season with salt; heat through, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Crack eggs, 1 at a time, and drop into skillet. Sprinkle little salt over them. Cover skillet and cook eggs 4 to 5 minutes or until whites are set and yolks thicken.

4. Place tortillas on 4 dinner plates; top each with some bean mixture and 1 fried egg. Sprinkle some dry herbs. (oregano and rosemary) for extra flavor.


This is my final entry to dear Dhivya's AWED: Mexican event.

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Now for some more fun stuff! Dhivya and me have conceptualized a Recipe Marathon this month: a non stop recipe blogging from 17th of May to 31st of May 2008. Yohooo!! I will update the post with the logo soon..:)

Some simple rules of how to participate in this Marathon with us..

1. Post a recipe everyday from 17th to 31st of May 2008.

2. Mention the word: Recipe Marathon in your post.

3. We will let you know who all are into this Marathon by 17th... All you have to do is link their sites with your day's posts , so that we all know what our fellow buddies blogged about that particular day!. ( or u can simply copy the links from our posts ;) makes ur life easier )

4. I will put your recipe link into the Dining Hall forum under the specific category it fits in..

The idea behind this Recipe Marathon, is 100% pure fun. and Hope you all will have loads of masti with us in this marathon! Looking forward for your participation. :D

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From today , I plan to have an add-on for each of my posts. These are some yummy recipes that have been tested by YOU and tried & thoroughly enjoied by ME

Tried & Tested # 1: Ashwini's Gobi Ka Kheema.


Enjoi!!

- Siri

RCI: Bedmi Roti with Aloo Kofta Curry

Stepping out of the train in quest of some exotic Rajasthani food, in the midst of an hectic week was indeed a delicious adventure for me. I have never been to Rajasthan, but heard so much about its culinary traditions that stretch back thousands of years.
The scrumptious offerings of the Rajput cusine is unparalleled in their creative preparation and in the range of flavors ..:). It is said that it takes centuries to perfect the authentic, traditional Rajput delicacies and in the cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Ajmer, one can still find the traditional Rajput cooking at its best. Once cooked and tasted, will discover why they have remained favorites all this time.



For this month's RCI: Rajasthani cuisine, I chose to make a simple, yet different kind of roti with a pretty famous North Indian curry. My initial plan was to make Bedmi Puri, but I ended up making Bedmi Roti - just to cut down some calories..:D.



Bedmi Roti:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
4 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
Salt - to taste
1 tbsp Oil

For Masala Paste:

1/2 cup (split) Yellow Moong Dal (soaked in water for 3-4 hours)
Salt - to taste
3 tbsp chopped Green Onion
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1-2 finely chopped Green Chilli
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1" piece Ginger (peeled, finely chopped)
Fresh Coriander leaves


Preparation:

1. Grind all the ingredients listed under 'Masala Paste' with very little water.

2. In a mixing bow, take the flours, add oil, salt and masala paste. Knead into a fine chapathi dough with sufficient water. Pat with some oil 2 to 3 times and knead again.

3. Cover and set aside for some time. Make small balls out of the dough and make regular chapathis.

Note: Though they look similar to our usual rotis, these taste very different and I am sure Bedmi Puris would taste even better. Next time, for sure I am gonna try the deep-fried puris.

Off the Rotis also go to Srivalli's Roti Mela...:)

Aloo Kofta Curry:

For Koftas:

2 cups of Grated (boiled) Potato, Cabbage, Carrot
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
4 tbsp Chickpea flour (Besan)
Oil - for frying

For Gravy:

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 cup finely chopped Onion
Few fresh Mint leaves
2 Tomatoes
Salt to taste
2 cups water



Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients listed for 'Koftas' with very little water. Make small balls out of it and deep fry them. Keep aside.

2. Grind 3/4 of chopped Onion and tomatoes into a fine paste.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, some chopped onions. Saute these until golden brown.

4. Then add turmeric, red chilli powder, mint leaves and (onion+tomato) paste. Cook for about 5 minutes.

5. Season with salt. Add water and koftas. Cover the top and let curry simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat.

6. Serve hot with Bedmi Roti/Puri (or flavored Rice!)


My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased in the bomb blasts that rocked the pink city of India, Jaipur, Rajasthan yesterday. Humanity is again bruised and such incidents are very very unfortunate. May God Bless the affected families.

Image Credit:Better Health Channel
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My dear blogger friends Srivalli gave me the 'Yummy Blog Award'..:). It feels great when someone is appreciating you and shares the same passion as yours. Thanks dearie...:)


Yummy blog award is the award given to the blog with most yummy recipes/photos

One other person, whom I admire a lot in this blog-o-sphere is Latha amma and the very fact that I received an award from her is so thrilling. Thanks amma, indeed am honored by your gesture..:D

God makes 'Friends and Friendships' in heaven. I strongly believe that and every moment I spent with her is indeed memorable and cherished. Thanks Dhivs, for being with me always and for the 'Forever Friends' award too!..:D

Have a great week ahead folks!

Siri

Straight Out Of Puck's Oven # 4: Chinois Pancakes

Source: Evan CarMichael

I am totally loving this Puck's series of mine. Amazingly, every recipe of his, is a hit in my household...:)

This week, am back with some 'Chinois Pancakes' , which are super duper easy to make and I am so sure you will end up making some too!..:)

In Puck's words:

These pancakes are designed as the accompaniment to Chinese Duck with Plum Sauce. But, there's no reason why you can't serve them with all kinds of things - roast chicken, grilled meat or even steaks. Be adventurous! Have Fun!





Adapted from here.

Makes 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup All-purpose flour
1 egg
Salt - to taste
1 tbsp Olive oil(Recommended: Sesame Oil)
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Variation: I substituted scallions with finely chopped Onion, rinsed in water (to reduce the strong flavor).. :D

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, egg and oil. Whisk in the milk, then unless your batter is completely lump free, strain into another bowl. (The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream). If the batter is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency.

2. Stir in the ginger, garlic and onions.

3. Heat the butter in a non-stick pan over moderate heat. Add 2 tbsp of batter, then swirl the pan to coat the bottom with batter. Cook the pancake over high heat until golden brown. Turn it over and brown the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat the process until all the batter is used.



Verdict:

the taste of these savory pancakes was just awesome and all the 6 pancakes were gone in no time. I had to prepare a fresh batch of pancake batter to satiate my hunger..:))..and am very much sure, these will be on our menu again!

Off these go to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB), this week guest hosted by Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska.

More of Puck's Recipes:

Related posts:
Straight Out of Puck's Oven # 1: Couscous Salad
Straight Out of Puck's Oven # 2: Twice Fried Rice
Straight Out of Puck's Over # 3: Rolled French - Style Omelet

Siri

Mexican Fiesta: Bocadillos (Potato Fritters) with Casera Sauce

This recipe is from 'Culinary Mexico: Authentic Recipes and Traditions' by Daniel Hoyer, discovered during one of my *peek-a-boo* sessions at Barnes and Nobles this weekend. I instantly fell in love with this dish and since A.W.E.D: Mexican is on, I had a nice pretext to try this and satiate my craving for some deep-frying-goodies..:))



Author's Note:

Served throughout Oaxaca and in Mexico City, Bocadillos are Oaxaca's answer to the latke. More commonly made with onions and eggs and served with hot salsa, this recipe, as served at the Oaxaca restaurant 'La Fonda de Santo Domingo is more of a dessert or sweet snack that uses cheese as a binder. Bocadillos make a great dessert, a snack with Cafe de Olla, Mexican Chocolate Caliente, or even as a breakfast or brunch item with eggs.

Savory Bocadillos (Potato Fritters)
I made the savory version added with some green chillies and chopped onion & cilantro..:D

Here is the original recipe as per the book:

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes, boiled with skin on
1/2 cup Panela/Ricotta or Monterey Jack Cheese. (I used Ricotta.)
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Salt - to taste
1/2 cup flour for dredging
Vegetable Oil for frying
1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional- if serving as a dessert)

Preparation:

1. Peel the potatoes while still warm, then mash them with the cheese, flour and salt.

2. Shape the mixture into small, round or oval patties.

3. Dredge in the flour, removing any excess.

4. Heat enough vegetable oil in a skillet and fry these patties until golden on both sides.

5. Drain well and Serve immediately.

Note: If served as a dessert, dust some powdered sugar over the warm bocadillos. Maple syrup, fruit syrup (or) honey would go well too.

Casera Sauce:

There are many variations of the authentic Casera Sauce..I chose the simplest of all..:D


Adapted from here.

Ingredients:

2 large ripe tomatoes - chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 jalapeno peppers - seed removed, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients in a shallow bowl and let it set for sometime.


Enjoi!

Siri

Frijoles Meneados (Mashed Pinto beans topped with cheese)

'Tacos' are popular mexican snacks and 'Frijoles Meneados' is considered an ideal side dish for them. It has a dip like consistency, ideal for scooping out with tacos..:D It tastes divine and exceptionally tasty when served warm. Now that Dhivya chose in a Mexican fiesta for her AWED event, Frijole dip is a must make from me..:D Hope you all like it as much as I did!

Frijoles spread out on a plate, ready for serving!

Ingredients:

1 can Pinto beans
1/2 cup Fat-Free shredded Cheddar Cheese (one can use normal cheese too!)
1 tsp chopped Garlic
Salt and Black Pepper
2 tbsp chopped Onion
2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp chopped Green Chillies

Note: If using normal dry beans, then Soak pinto beans overnight in 1 quart of water. Place beans into a large saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat until beans are tender, about 1 to 2 hours.

Preparation:

1. Mash the pinto beans with a potato masher or with hand (as I did!)

2. Heat butter in a skillet, add in garlic, chopped onion and green chillies. Saute until golden brown. Add the mashed beans and cook for couple of minutes.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat oven for 375 deg. Spread the bean mixture in a baking dish and sprinkle some cheddar cheese over it.

5. Bake for 10-15minutes, until cheese melts..Serve hot!






Off this goes to Dhivya's A.W.E.D event with a Mexican theme..:)

Reminder for Open Sesame - Did u select your BOX yet..?

Enjoi!!

-Siri

Straight Out Of Puck's Oven # 3: Rolled French - Style Omelet and all about 'Open Sesame'

I am an ardent lover of eggs, in any form(except raw..:D) and my desire to make new varieties of omelets never dies!. Obviously, when I saw this recipe - 'Rolled French - Style Omelet' in Puck's book "Wolf Gang Puck Makes It Easy", I was extremely delighted and the pics accompanied were awesome and drooling!...:)

Let me first share some Puck's tips about this recipe straight from his book -

1. Omelets should be made to order, which is why this recipe serves only one.
2. It's easiest to make an omelet in a heavy, nonstick omelet pan.
3. If your omelet pan does not have a nonstick coating, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan before adding the butter.
4. A perfect omelet should be soft and creamy inside. To assure this, don't use a pan that is too large.

Now, coming to the recipe...



Ingredients:

2 to 3 large eggs
1/8 tsp kosher salt (I used normal salt)
Freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil, if using an omelet pan without a nonstick coating
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Any filling. (I made a simple filling - Onion, Tomato, Peppers and some herbs with little salt and pepper.)

Note: the variations for filling part are numerous. one can add mushrooms, any kind of meat etc.

Preparation:

1. Heat an 8-inch or 10-inch omelet pan over medium-high heat.

2. While the pan is heating, break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the salt and a pinch of pepper, and use a wire whisk to beat the eggs until lightly frothy.

3. If using a pan without a nonstick coating, when you can feel that the pan is hot, by carefully holding your hand an inch or so above its surface, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot enough to swirl easily, carefully tilt and swivel the pan to coat the bottom well.

4. Add the butter to the pan. When the butter begins to foam, tilt and swirl the pan to evenly distribute it. Immediately add the eggs. Let them sit for about 10 seconds.

5. Grasp the pan by its handle (using a potholder if necessary to protect your hand) and move the pan forward and backward over the flame while stirring the eggs with a fork or wooden spoon so that the still-liquid egg slips beneath the cooked egg. (I was feeling like a real chef doing this step..:DD)

6. After 15 to 30 seconds, when the eggs are cooled on the bottom but still fairly moist on top, tilt the pan to about a 45-degree angle by raising the handle so that the cooked eggs fall and gather near the opposite end. Top the eggs with any prepared filling at this time. Hold the far edge of the pan over a heated serving plate and continue tipping the handle up so that the omelet folds over on itself, enclosing the filling, and rolls out of the pan onto the plate. Serve immediately!



This my entry to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging, this week guest hosted by Anh of Food Lover's Journey.

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Now, coming to some more fun stuff where you have a chance to win some cool prizes. All you need is the knack of solving a simple riddle. the game is 'Open Sesame'..:D

Here are some rules of the game. For more details: Click here.

Rule 1) We are going to present you with 4 Boxes:


which has an hidden ingredient - an ingredient which could be in the category of Vegetables, Fruits, Grains or Spice.

Rule 2) Lets think grains in a broader sense - Not just rice but , whole grains and sub products of grains ( like cracked wheat product of wheat, corn flour - product of corn etc )

Rule 3) You can make any random selection of the boxes which would contain one of the above mentioned ingredients (only 1 box per person). Send a 'Private Message' (PM) to me (Siri), with your choice of box and I would send you a riddle which will help you to crack what the ingredient. Last Date to send your PMs is - 7th May 2008 12:00 AM EST.

Edit: A 'Private Message' (a.k.a PM) allows the registered forum members to communicate privately. To get to know how to send one, please refer the forum..:)

Rule 4) Then, You have 10 days to crack the code and send in your answers by PM to me( i.e By 17th May 2008 12:00 AM EST ).

If you need help, you will be sent further hints but that means lesser points Here is the points distribution:

No help - 25 points
1 hint - 20 points
2 hints - 15 points
3 hints -10 points

Once we confirm that you have the ingredient right, you will be given a green signal to prepare a super duper recipe from it. :)

Rule 5) Recipe along with the puzzle will have to be posted in the last week of every month with a link back to the forum thread. Also, post the entry URL of your entry in the forum to complete the loop. :)

Rule 6) Next comes the poll where all of us get to vote for their favorite recipe under each of the categories and based on the same come the 4 winners. (They can expect 50 points each along with a Prize!)

Rule 7) Yes, not only the prizes but points help too since every 6 months there is a count of total points which get that person another Prize. Yohooooooooo!

Rule 8 ) Lets be a sport and crack the code by ourselves or ask family members. NO fellow blogger's help allowed!!

Note: Non-bloggers can also participate. All they need to do is once they solve the riddle, send me in the recipe, I will post them on my blog at the end of this month! ...:))

So, Are you ready for the first edition of Open Sesame. Lets get started then! Hop on to the forum and send me your choice of box!

Chao for now folks and Have a fun-filled weekend ahead!

Related posts:
Straight Out of Puck's Oven # 1: Couscous Salad
Straight Out of Puck's Oven # 2: Twice Fried Rice


Siri

JFI Love: Street style Samosas

"Hardships come and go...yet SHE prevails
Everyone may leave, but SHE sure stays

When I cry, SHE feels the saltiness of my tears in HER lips
When I laugh, SHE gets excited and happiness about her drips

My hardships become HER struggle,
My success HER goals
My desires HER wants
My dissapointments HER gloom

Is this what they call the blood bind?
A bind which connects two souls together ?
Is this the doing of the umbilical cord..?
Or the loving gestation of 2 in one body for 10 months?

I have all the questions but I have no answers
Among the millions of Nature's mysteries unanswered

Is from where does the unrequited Love flowing from HER comes from enrapturing us all! "

- written by my best buddy!

Growing up in a traditional Brahmin family, customs and rules are self explanatory which although not likable have to be followed. But SHE never imposed them ever on me for which I will always be thankful. I owe my education ( in a foreign land ) and ' the love of my life ' to her which she unselfishly bestowed , for the sole reason of my happiness.

Her sacrifice with respect to me and my sister is unaccountable.One of best facets according to me would her cooking which remains unparalleled till date. By now I am sure you all realised who I am talking about - yes my MOTHER.

Her beliefs for good education made her pursue her Masters (Economics) at the age of 42 as if her office work, bringing up two children and managing a home was not a struggle enough. My childhood fantasy has always been of opening a restaurant wherein my mom gets to cook, dad gets to supervise the whole venture and me of becoming a manager ( managing the money for personal use more so than for the restaurant. But well thats a different story altogether!). My childish garble would be always patiently acknowledged with a smile. :)

Her signature dish is 'Vegetable Biryani and Aloo kurma', which I already blogged about. But she has one unfathomable favorite - 'Samosas'. No not the typical ones which we make healthy and wealthy at home, but the ones prototyped as Junk with classic characteristics - Oily , simple fillings typical of railway stations and Cinema halls.!! Hard to imagine, but v v adorable I would say especially when my mom in all excitement would insist that my dad get them for her!..:D

When Jigtyasa and Pratibha announced the theme of Jihva as 'Love', I could think of only my mom and her love for those samosas.

I made them at home today, just for her... though she is not there with me physically to relish them...

Dear Mama, these are for you and I promise to make them for my next visit to India..:D

Recipe is the same as the oven baked shingaras, made for RCI. Its just that I deep fried the samosas this time to get the junk food flavor which my mama loves the most!

Psst Psst, have you heard of the new International Food League (IFL) contest, starting tomorrow. I heard its pretty interesting and the best part is we can win prizes!.The first edition of IFL is aptly named - 'Open Sesame'. Wondering whats that. Check this link for a jist and more details soon!
Yohooooooooo! Check back this place tomorrow for the announcement and looking forward for your participation...:)

Update: The secret ;) rules of 'Open Sesame' are out... check out in the forum..:D. So, whats ur choice of box???

Siri

The Renaisance of our 'Dining Hall'

'Food' , 'Photography' , 'Friends' , 'Interactions' - these are just few of the new words in my Life's dictionary right now and I owe it to Blogging and this blog-o-sphere.

… and what is more beautiful here, is the concept of selflessness and sharing their joy with people around. In my short stint of blogging, I was fortunate to meet up with some lovely and adorable people, like Dhivya, who share the same wavelength as mine.

...and Today, We together are happy to let you know Indira’s lovely concept – 'Dining Hall' is out from its oblivion.

Yes folks, U heard it rite, DH is back .. in a brand new forum format..:)

Wanna have a glimpse.. here it is…

So, we (Siri and Dhivya) welcome you all to the new

Dining Hall – Bringing the world together in a palate..

Hope you will find your stay here – joyous, enjoyable!! and all those who had previously contributed to Dining Hall , would publish their articles again.. so that its helpful to all of us!

On an ending note,

Be it spinach or tomato dal,
we shall have it all.
Come join us at Dining Hall,
and Lets all have a ball!!

Yeyeyeyeye!!!

For any queries on the new forum, shoot us as email at : dininghall@reciplicity.com.

- Siri

Straight Out Of Puck's Oven # 2 : Twice Fried Rice

Welcome to the second edition of my weekly series - 'Straight Out of Puck's Oven' and here I present a rice dish - 'Twice Fried Rice' from Puck's cookbook - "The Wolfgang Puck Cookbook: Recipes from Spago, Chinois, and Points East and West".



Its a versatile dish and one can jazz it up with any kind of veggies that are in season. This is definitely one such Puck's recipes which can stimulate your appetite and would want you for more and being a huge veggie lover, I thoroughly enjoyed it...:)

Ingredients

2 cups Rice (Recommended: Long Grain Rice)
4 cups of Vegetable Stock
Salt to taste
Veggies I added- Cauliflower, Green Beans, Broccoli, Tomatoes (Original Recipe: Napa Cabbage, Mushrooms, Green and Red Bell Peppers and Snow Peas)
1/2 Onion - thinly sliced (my addition)
1 to 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (Recommended: Peanut oil)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce

Note: The original recipe asked for 1/4 cup of Soya sauce for 1 cup of Rice. But, I don't like the strong, pungent taste of Soya Sauce, so I halved it.

Preparation:

1. Place the rice in a saucepan and add the stock and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook slowly for 15 to 18 minutes. It is important to cook the rice until dry. Turn the rice out onto a large platter or baking sheet and let it air dry for up to an hour. (or) Place the rice on a baking sheet and dry it in the oven at 200 degrees F for 30 minutes, stirring two or three times with a fork. I followed the latter option as its much quicker.

2. Take a fork and thoroughly fluff the rice.

3. Heat a wok or large skillet until it is very hot, pour the oil in around the edges, and then stir fry all the vegetables for a minute. Add rice and continue to stir fry for another 30 seconds. Pour the egg in around the edges of the wok or skillet and quickly stir it into the rice and vegetables.

4. Finally, stir in the soy sauce. Cook for couple of minutes. Serve hot with the choice of side dish!



Off this goes to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging, this week guest hosted by Coffee and Vanilla.

Have a great weekend ahead folks!

Related posts:

Straight Out of Puck's Oven # 1: Couscous Salad

- Siri

MBP: Burnt Ginger Rice

My next entry to this month's MBP is 'Burnt Ginger Rice', by my dear friend - Dhivya of Culinary Bazaar. It had been on my to do list for couple of months now and I HAD to make this dish ..:). Dhivs is undoubtedly one of the finest cooks I have known and as I said before in one of her comments - " Indian ho ya western.. bas phaad deti hain!!".. hehehe..:D



The combination of subtle taste of ginger and caramelized onions with soya sauce is just out of this world and folks, trust me, U gotta try this one out!!!

She served this dish with baby corns, which I didn't have today.. so I gave it a twist with some boiled eggs, sprinkled some pepper on top of it!.

my first entry to this month's MBP: One pot wonders was Nupur's Pateta-par-Eada!

- Siri

MBP: Pateta-par-Eeda

'Pateta-par-Eada' is definitely one of the yummiest one-pot dish I had in a very long time. Its sumptuous and you just need nothing else as a side dish as 'this has it all' !!!

In Nupur's words:

"It is a Parsee recipe called Pateta par Eeda. "Pateta" as in potato, "Eeda" as in egga and "par" as in "upon which" (approximately). So it is basically eggs on top of potatoes.

The Parsees are a small but vibrant community that fled from Persia and settled in India several centuries ago. They are followers of Zoroastrianism and worshipers of fire. Their tiny community is astonishingly successful and much-admired for its philanthropic spirit. Parsee food is rich in meats and eggs and represents an amalgamation of Persian and South-Asian cooking styles. One of the favorite Parsee styles of breakfast foods includes pan-frying a variety of vegetables (leftovers work fine), pressing them down in the pan, then making wells and cracking eggs into it for a quick brunch dish. This one is my absolute favorite..."

... and now it became our favorite too!! Thanks Nupur for sharing such a gorgeous looking recipe and Off this goes to this month's MBP: One pot wonders initiated by Coffee, this month guest hosted by Pavani of Cook's Hideout.

Hop on to Nupur's blog to check out the recipe. and here is how my 'Pateta-par-Eada' looked like...

*Eeda on Pateta*


*Served Hot!!*

Enjoii!!

- Siri

Bell Pepper stuffed with Black eye bean filling

The soul of typical Mexican cooking lies with the infinite number of *peppers* they have. Sweet or spicy, they are as brilliant as glistening jewels when fresh, but turn darkly mysterious, hinting at complexity and nuance when dried...:D

So, when Dhivs of Culinary Bazaar announced her A.W.E.D event with a Mexican theme, I knew whats my first entry would be - PEPPERS!!
Off I went for pepper-hunting last weekend. My initial idea was to get some Poblano peppers, but I ended up with some gorgeous looking - Green Bell Peppers.

...in Mexican cuisine, I love Grilled Stuffed Chili Rellenos and this was a