Cabbage in Tomato Base

I am not particularly fond of Cabbage.But this is something Novel and interesting
Also, Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties.

I wanted to make something Mexican..But realized I had no Bell Peppers or Jalapenos or chilly flakes.So decided to make Indian and was happy that this turned out to be nice.Everyone in office seemed to like it too

Ingredients:

Oil
Tomato Ketchup
Ginger Garlic Paste
Cabbage
Vermicelli
Milk/Cream
Chopped Corriander
Kitchen King Masala
Red Chilly Powder
Turmeric

Procedure:
Toss oil in a Pan/Kadhai.Add tomato ketchup to form gravy base.Add ginger garlic paste and let this cook for a while.Add Kitchen King masala,chilly powder and Turmeric.
Now add half -boiled Chopped Cabbage
Add Vermicelli and let it cook for a while
Season with Milk and cream and Corriander leaves
Serve With Roti/ Jeera Rice

Chefs Tips:
Cabbage if not cooked well may give a peculiar smell.See to it that when you half boil, add a little bit of salt and pepper
It hardly takes 7-8 mins to cook.Its good to cook when you are in a hurry and have to rush to work or When you have least ingredients at home
I have not added salt to the gravy as Ketchup already has salt in it.You can add depending on your choice
You can Substitute boiled cabbage with Boiled Sweet corn or Baby Corn or Even Half Boiled Mushrooms
Never tried it with Boiled Chicken though. but guess that should be tasty too

Bon Appétit
Ash

Modified Caesar Salad

I had Caesar Salad in Singapore when my sister introduced it to me and since then have become a huge fan .I tried again after coming in India and then tried my hands at making it. Now even have got my family and friends addicted to it
The salad's creation is generally attributed to restaurateur Caesar Cardini (an Italian-born Mexican). Most times they add bacon, parmesan cheese and anchovies which I have dropped I this recipe
I have modified it with my own creativity and more specifically with all the available vegetables

Ingredients:

Iceberg Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Bread Cut into small square Pieces
Olives
Cherry Tomatoes
Boiled Eggs
Mustard sauce
Olive Oil
Garlic
Herbs like Parsley,Oregano,Basil,Thyme

Take a huge bowl.Tear both Iceberg and Romaine Lettuce with your hands(do not cut as they turn black if they contact a knife).Take a huge Bowl and layer the Lettuce,olives and Cherry tomatoes one after the other.Put a little bit olive Oil and Vinegar mixed with salt, pepper and herbs.Toss the salad.Now put a little mustard sauce and toss it again.
For the Croutons.Toss some olive oil in a pan.Add the garlic and herbs.Now add Bread crumbs.
OR
Alternatively if you are calorie conscious.Just roast the bread pieces in oven.Rub Garlic against it and add herbs
Put Croutons over the salad.Garnish with boiled eggs slices and add the herbs
Serve in a bowl.

As they say.Caesar Salad goes very well with the finest wines.
Here too I didn’t go by the conventionl norms of serving with sparkling white wine. Instead clubbed it with my personal favorite Pinot Noir from Burgundy

So Enjoy!!

Bon Appetit
Ash

Seyal bread

Mo - this ones specially for you.. You love the Seyal bread my mom makes na, so here's the recipe :)

1 bunch of Rs 5. coriander
10-12 garlic
5-6 green chillies
Small piece of ginger
1/2 onion (optional)
Make a paste of all these in a mixie

Heat some oil in a pan, add the masala and cook a bit till oil separates. Then add water, 1 tbsp tamarind pulp and bring to boil. Finally add enough bread pieces to make a nice snack!

Enjoy
-Naina

Black Dal

Saw this recipe on Discovery Channels Rhodes across India.. An amazing show! Here's the link. Will try it out after a couple of months, as I'm not supposed to have these kind of heavy dals while my baby is so small!

The recipe in short:
Take 1 cup washed black dal, add 4 cups water, some chopped onion, chopped ginger, garlic, some mustard oil and boil
Later, add some curd mixed with salt and red chilli powder
Add a tempering of only hing in ghee
Later, add some dried plums
Then add another tempering in ghee of onion, ginger and red chilli powder

Also, want to try this recipe of potatoes

Lets hope I come around to trying these soon!
-Naina

Some masala pastes

Picked up these masala pastes from tv and my mom's cook..
1. Make a Paste of cooked onion, ginger, garlic, dry coconut powder and whole red chillies. Cook some onions, add to it the masala paste, one tomato, dhania powder, red chilli powder, haldi and garam masala powder!
2. Make a paste of onion, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and loads of khus khus and fennel seeds

White Sauce

I really need to clean up the blog, its been a long time, and I guess I'll happily be a passive blogger for another couple of months, with my little baby!
Anyways, just learnt the tips and tricks of making proper white sauce from my mom.

You need
6 cups milk
6 tbsp maida
6 tbsp butter (or less)
Salt
Black pepper
Italian herbs
Grated cheese

Cook the Maida and butter, like sheera, till it gives an aroma, doesn't burn, but the fat kind of starts to separate. Takes around 10 mins
Then, remove from gas, and for the 1st cup of milk, add one spoon at a time and keep mixing, so that no lumps form. Then add the remaining milk slowly, so that no lumps are formed. Return to the gas, bring to a boil and keep stirring. Cook till the desired consistency of thickness.
Finally add the salt, pepper, herbs and cheese! Done. Its yummy!

Burnt Onion n Baby corn Sweet Corn Soup

Simple Soup on a Rainy day

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Sliced onion
Garlic flakes
Oregano
Basil leaves
Sliced Babycorn(boiled)
Boiled Sweet corn
Salt to taste
Cream



Procedure
Fry onions in olive oil.Add garlic and oregano.Let it burn a little.Add salt and some water.Now put it in blender till it becomes completely blended.Bring it to boil.Add boiled corns n baby corns.
Top with cream and basil leaf

Serve hot

Bon Appetit
Ash