Apricot, Prune And Tamarind Chutney

Okay, this is the chutney that never did make it to the potluck party. Right now its in the freezer waiting for its turn to be appreciated by my family. This experimental chutney has the right amount of Heat, Sweet, Salt and Tang that makes it incredibly appealing..even to non-chutney loving people. I just had a small sampling of this with the Potato Croquette and taste-wise it took the Croquette to a whole new level. Should marry well with Samosa too.

Ingredients(For 1-1/2 Cup thick Chutney):

• 15#s Pitted Prunes
• 10#s Dried Apricots
• A big lemon-sized Tamarind(The left one in the picture below. Available at Indian Stores as "Imli", "Puli" etc etc), shaved
• 3 Tbsp equivalent Jaggery(Unrefined sugar/ Wholesome Sugar. Known as "Panela" in Mexico, South &Central America)
• 1-1/2 Cups Hot Water 
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 3/4 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt

Procedure:

• Wash the tamarind under cold water. 
• Soak the cleaned tamarind in 1-1/2 Cups of hot water. This softens the tamarind and facilitates easy extraction of the pulp.
• Extract as much juice as possible and discard the leftover tamarind.

• Add the apricot, prunes, jaggery shavings,1/2 Cup water, chili,cumin powder and salt along with the extracted tamarind juice and bring to a boil for 10-12 minutes.

• Blend using a blender once it cools down. The end result should look like the one in the picture below.

Enjoy it with Potato Croquette or Samosa.

Makes 1-1/2 Cups Thick Chutney.

Note: More water may be added for a thinner variation of this chutney. More Chili powder may be added if a spicier version is desired.

Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies

This Alton Brown's famous Cocoa Brownies are so rich in texture, taste and not to forget calories that I make them rarely(=very rarely) and only when I am entertaining a large crowd. Besides the Potato Croquettes in my previous post, I had made these too for my hubby's company potluck because hardworking folks deserve some sweet love now and then. Right? Is too much of a good thing fabulous? Only with these brownies I think and that too on rare occasions.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Nestle Tollhouse Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
• 1/2 Cup King Arthur All Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
• 1 Cup(2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, melted
• 4 Large Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• A pinch of Salt

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Grease and flour a 8" square baking pan.
• Cream the butter and eggs until they are light and fluffy.
• Add both the sugars, vanilla extract and combine.
• Sift the flour and Cocoa Powder. Add them to the egg mixture in batches and mix just until combined with a spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  
  
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tooth-pick inserted in the center comes clean.

• Cool the brownie prior to cutting.

Makes 16 Servings.

Enjoy!

Potato Croquettes "Aloo Tikki"

Yesterday was "Potluck Day" at hubby's workplace. After pacing back and forth over thinking what I should make, I settled on this one. MIL wanted to make something too -- she decided on "Deep Fried Cabbage and Dhal Fritters", a variant of "Dhal Fritters" I posted ages ago. Hubby picked up a hot tray of both these appetizers around noon. An hour later he calls me to tell that they were a big hit and were gone in 5 minutes. I was really happy and upset. Happy that people liked it and upset that my hubby had refused to take the chutney I made to go with these croquettes cause I didn't say about that beforehand. Which meant that this chutney wouldn't have a food tag etc etc. The "Dried Apricot, Prune and Tamarind Chutney" is a Pan Gravy Kadai Curry Original.Now I have put it in the freezer, waiting to consume it with either Samosa or a new batch of these croquettes.I will be posting about that in a couple of days. Tikki recipe was minimally adapted from here.

Ingredients(For 35-40 Aloo Tikkis):

• 12 medium firm White Potatoes (Yukon Gold maybe used instead)
• 6 Hot Green Chili, seeds and membranes removed
• 1 large Carrot, peel and grated using the small-eye of the box grater
• 1/4 Cup Frozen Green Peas
• 1/4 Cup Golden Raisins
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro, cleaned and finely cut
• 6 Stale Whole-Wheat Bread, toasted and crumbed
• 1 Large Onion, finely cut
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 
• 1 tsp dry-roasted cumin seeds, coarsely ground 
• Salt for taste
• Oil for shallow frying

Tools:

• Wire Potato Masher

Procedure:

• Add potatoes to a pot with cold water. and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender and drain.
• Peel the potatoes once they are able to be handled with hands. 
• Mash the potatoes roughly using a Wire Potato Masher. Don't make a smooth paste.
• Fry the chopped onions in very little oil until they become translucent.
• Mix all the ingredients except the last one(Oil for shallow frying) in a large bowl.

• Divide the mixture into 35-40 lemon-sized balls.
• Flatten the balls into patties using both hands.
• Coat a non-stick wide-skillet with little olive oil and add the patties in batches.
• Fry the patties for 2-3 minutes per side on a low-medium flame with little oil until they are lightly browned.

• Serve them warm with Ketchup or tamarind based chutney.

Dry Chicken Curry "Chettinad Chicken Chukka"

"Chukka" and Chettinad Cuisine: Chettinad cuisine originates in Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu state in South India. Chettinad cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India.Chettinad cuisine is famous for its use of a variety of spices used in preparing mainly non-vegetarian food. The dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground masala and the meat is restricted to fish, prawn, lobster, crab, chicken and lamb[Source: Wiki]
Chukka is a dry curry and it could be made with Lamb/Chicken/Pork/Beef. Even though boneless meat is used I like to use chicken thighs with bones for moistness and flavor. And this is how I do it. I usually have this as a side for rice but this can be served as appetizers as well. Nice, huh?While this curry should be really dry, I like mine better if its coated with a little gravy so it doesn't stick in my craw.

Ingredients:

• 6 Chicken Thighs with bones
• 3/4 Large Onion,  Pureed
• 1-1/2 tsp Ginger/Garlic paste
• 2 Small tomatoes(like Campari) 
• 1/4 Cup "Canned Crushed" tomatoes (for Color)
• 1/2 tsp( or more) Chili Powder/Cracked Pepper Or 1/2 minced Jalepeno
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

For the Marinade/Rub:

• 2 tsp Tandoori Powder(Badshaah) or Chicken Masala Powder(Sakthi) [Available at Indian Stores]
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp Boar's Head Yellow Cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp Rice flour (optional)
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• A pinch of Turmeric Powder
• 1-1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 tsp Cracked pepper
• A pinch of salt

Procedure:

• Remove the skin from the chicken thighs. 
• Clean and halve the chicken thighs.
• Mix all the ingredients under "Marinade/Rub" together. It should be a thick paste.
• Rub the marinade over the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 2 hours. The more time the better.
• Heat a tbsp of Oil in a wide non-stick pan. Bring it to the point where it smokes.
• Sear the chicken on both sides.This helps the chicken retain its moisture.Do this in batches.Set aside.

• In the same pan, add pureed onions, ginger/garlic paste and fry till the onions lose raw smell.[Don't add oil as the pan will have some fat from the chicken.]
• Add the crushed canned tomatoes,the pureed fresh tomatoes, pepper/chili powder and salt.
• Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and stir to combine.
• Check for taste.
• Place the chicken pieces in the pan.

• Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes on medium flame.
• Lower the flame to low-medium and allow the moisture to evaporate completely until the gravy clings to the chicken, like in the picture.

• Switch off stove and serve warm by itself or with a bowl of white rice or with sambhar rice.

Enjoy!

Channa Masala & few photos of Common Wealth Games

Cutting carbs is a big no-no as it makes me extremely cranky that I am constantly wanting to kick someone's behind.In an Indian(and in almost all Asian) household a meal isn't really a meal without carbohydrates. While its flat-breads up north its white rice down south.Whether it be bread or rice, a gravy curry as an accompaniment is a must. Since I(We) eat carbs on a daily basis, I have to come up with variety of tongue-tickling gravy-based dishes almost everyday. And I have to say that over the years I have tried at-least a hundred dozen dishes. Most were hits and a few were bloopers but that doesn't stop me from experimenting. But a few, a selective few, gets made again and again and this is one of those.Don't be put-off by that fiery shade of red..its mostly from the tomatoes. ;)

I want to thank Mr.Ghosh of  "Cooking and Recipes" for sharing a few pictures of the Common Wealth Games 2010 that was held in Delhi beginning of this month. Be sure to check out his latest lip-smacking recipe Rashmi Mutton Biryani with plenty of pictures and instructions. He also gives a Vegetarian option for the same. Boy, that post certainly makes me hungry.
Here are some pictures of the opening ceremony. Click on the picture to see it in Original size --

Now onto the recipe-
Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 Cups(Or 2 Cans,19 OZ each) Cooked Chickpea
• 3-4 Roma Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 Medium Red Onion, roughly chopped
• 1 inch Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 Dry Red Chili (For less heat use 2)
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Stalk Curry Leaves
• 1 Tsp Whole Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Garam Masala
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter or Ghee(Clarified Butter)
• 1/4 Cup Reduced Fat(2%) Milk
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add garlic cloves, onion, red chili, black pepper and curry leaves.
• Saute till the onions are well browned. Add Ginger and saute for a couple of minutes.
• Throw in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Cool the mixture and grind to a smooth paste with salt and water.
• In the same pan, heat the remaining tbsp of oil and fry the cumin seeds.
• Add the cooked chickpea, ground paste and garam masala.
• Check for salt and add more if needed. Cook for 10 minutes until the gravy thickens.
• Add milk and allow the gravy to re-thicken.
• Switch off stove and add the butter/Ghee and stir gently.
• Serve hot with Rice or Roti.

Enjoy!

Basics: Homemade Applesauce

I have never attempted to make homemade applesauce until 3 years ago.Why bother doing it from scratch when they have them bottled and stocked ready for us in the supermarkets. It all started when I started the process of weaning my son when he was about 4 months old when I wanted to make everything from scratch. Ever since then there has been no turning back. I so love the versatility of this sauce that can be a snack for adults and babies alike, an excellent side for roast pork or duck and how well it acts as a substitute for eggs in most of the dessert bakes. And its a cinch to make.I always make them in small batches and they keep well for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. Sometimes I freeze them and freezing doesn't affect the taste.For a creamy version of applesauce like the one in the picture, apples will have to be peeled.
Creamy Applesauce redolent of cinnamon:

I used a combo of Autumn Gala and Cameo that I picked earlier for making this batch of applesauce.
Cameo:

Autumn Gala "Dwarf" Apple Tree. Now this is where I want to camp out and keep attacking those apples until the tree is devoid of apples-

Ingredients(For smoother Applesauce):

• 1 medium Gala Apple
• 4 large Cameo Apples
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup water

Procedure:

• Clean and Core the apples.

• Peel and cut them into chunks.
• Add them to a pan along with the cinnamon stick and 1/2 cup of water.
• Bring to a boil for 15-20 minutes until they apples are cooked.

• Discard the cinnamon stick and either use a food mill or blender to make a creamy sauce.

Yields ~2 Cups of Sweet Cinnamony Applesauce

Note:

• 1/2 cup of sugar may be added if the applesauce is slightly tart.
• Applesauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Dining Table Brings Family Together + Homemade AppleSauce "Click"

Times are changing. In this modern era, life is so hectic and stressful that a family gettogether is almost a thing of the past. I so look forward to the time when I can sit together with my family and rehash the day, however mundane the day was.A dining table is something that brings the family together, be it an important occasion or to create precious memories of day to day life.I remember the good old days when I used to sit the at the table drawing/ playing scrabble with my sister while mom made something wonderful in the kitchen for dinner.

Since I have a small kitchen and even smaller dining area, my preferred choice should have been drop leaf tables due to their excellent "saving space" features and their flexibility to be compact or opened to its full size.But I have a dining table similar to the one below, not quite ornate or adorable as this "Lexington Granada Dining Table" , but it is the most used space in my house and not just for eating alone..Almost all my photography for my blog posts are taken here. Also happens to be a favorite spot to hangout with friends, playing cards and what not.

Did you know that a round dining table, like this "Hooker Furniture Cross Creek Perimeter" table promotes equality and respect within a household? Lack of edges mean that there is no head of the table and everyone is equidistant from everyone.Cozy, no?

I totally adore this "Wildon Home Bay City" breakfast nook with its Tile-Topped Table and counter-height stools. I envision myself and my son huddled together over a lengthy breakfast or me teaching him math or science. 

Lastly, this restaurant style "Linon Azalea White Pine Corner Breakfast Nook" has stolen my heart. I so wish for a bigger kitchen with Bay Windows just so I can have my lazy Sunday morning breakfast with my family right here.

Here comes a "Click" of the applesauce that I made with all the apples I picked last week. Recipe will be posted in my next post.

Enjoy!

Fast, Feast for the "Richest God" in the World

Well I am not kidding about the post title. He is indeed the richest god in the world.And he is none other than Lord Venkateshwara, also known as Balaji, Srinivasa, Govinda etc etc. So why is he the most rich and famous? The Tirumala temple, located in Andhra Pradesh in South India, has 14 tonnes of gold reserves and jewelery worth Rs.5 billion donated so far by devotees alone. **Gulp**. With more than 50,000 daily visitors and an average of 19 million visitors a year, it is almost double the estimated number of people visiting Vatican City. And this is where I got married. Don't ask, longgggg story.

Here is a summary(a tip of the iceberg) about Hinduism,why Hindus offer money/gold to Lord Venkateshwara and whats with the fasting business? Well, as a born Hindu I myself find it baffling because there are simply too many gods..well too many incarnations/manifestations of supreme being if you will. So here goes-

Hindu religion, somewhat like Christianity, is based on a three-part God.  In Hinduism, the trinity is based on three Gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.  These three major figures each have a defining role.   

• Brahma is considered the lord of creation,.
• Vishnu is considered the preserver and protector of creation -the embodiment of goodness and mercy, and is the all-powerful force that works unseen to maintain cosmic order or Dharma (a Hindi word and concept meaning, "That which binds together").  Vishnu is most often seen resting on a coiled serpent, with his consort Lakshmi rubbing his feet.  Additionally, Vishnu is usually represented as resting because he never sleeps, keeping an ever vigilant watch on the world.  Vishnu has nine separate incarnations, each with weapons to care for and protect the world. 
• Shiva, the final deity in the Hindu trinity, is the destroyer.  However, Shiva is not seen as a figure of evil.  Instead, he makes change possible by destroying the old elements and people in the world so they can be reincarnated.  Shiva is most often represented as traveling about on his white bull Nandi, and can also be seen cross legged and with his many arms in the air as he rests in his home atop Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas. 

Now to the story why it is raining gold, diamonds and money at the Tirumala hills where sits the Shrine of the richest god in the world-
Goddess Lakshmi(Goddess of wealth), also referred as Shri, consort of Lord Vishnu,once had a fight with Lord Vishnu and left Vaikunta, the heavenly abode.Around the same time the king/ruler of seven hills of Tirumala was tilling the ground, found a baby in a lotus flower and named her Padmavathi(Lady born in Lotus petals) and adopted her as his daughter. She is none other than the manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi.

Lord Vishnu soon arrived on earth searching for Goddess Lakshmi. But He failed to trace Shri and settled on Tirumala hills in form of a forest gatherer and continued his search.During the search, Lord Vishnu met a beautiful girl named Padmavati who was the daughter of the King of the seven hills in Tirumala. They both fell in love and decided to get married.The father of Padmavati asked for a huge bridal price and to pay the money Lord Vishnu took a huge loan from Kubera, the Hindu god who is the treasurer of wealth. But Kubera gave the loan on the condition that Vishnu cannot return to Vaikunta (heavenly abode) without paying off the debt.

So Lord Vishnu resides at Tirumala as Tirupati Venkateswara without returning to Vaikunta(heavenly abode). To help him repay his debt, devotees offer him wealth and in return Lord Vishnu fulfills their prayers.Can you help him repay his debts? I do whenever I visit Tirumala. :)

Puratassi Fasting (Sept 17, 2010 -- Oct 17, 2010)

My MIL keeps strict fasting during the auspicious month [in the Tamil(Hindu) calendar] called Puratassi and the fasting is called Puratassi Viratham/Vratam. This month is of great importance to Tamilians(MIL is Telugu but she keeps fast anyways as she has lived in TamilNadu her whole life) as it is believed that Lord Venkateswara (Balaji) appeared on the earth in this month. Some people observe partial fasting on all days in Puratassi others limit it to Puratasi Saturdays.The strict fast on Puratassi Saturdays which involves not even drinking a drop of water until prayer.Some devotees only eat vegetarian food during the entire month. They also quit smoking and consuming alcohol for one month.

Okay, this is the best/only decent-sized picture of Lord Venkateshwara and this is all I have got since I am not a very pious girl..Yeah, don't have many idols or have an entire room dedicated as a prayer room.Just a small cabinet space with my favorite gods -- a smallish place of heaven and hope to go to when I am upset/state of turmoil.

Hymns dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara are chanted on Puratassi Saturdays.

Clean, cooked and untasted food is offered on a new plate(or any plate unused by mere mortals for eating) on the Saturdays of this month. Food menu should have something sweet, something bitter, something sour and something salty.

A sample of whats on the plate that is fit for the god(s):

• Potato Fry
• Dhal Fritters
• Jaggery and Lentil Payasam(Pudding)
• Dhal With Clarified Butter And Jaggery over white rice.
• Okra fry
• Homemade Yogurt
• Sambhar
• Cabbage Fry

After prayer, everyone takes a small share of this food which is considered to be blessed by the god(s). Delicious! Will upload recipes soon.

There are too many gods in Hinduism. But my favorite is Lord Ganesha(The elephant faced god) and can you guess how many of his idols/pictures are there in the photo?
Curios about how he got that elephant face? Check here.

Enjoy!

Hard Boiled Fried Egg

This is such a simple and quick way to jazz up a boiled egg that it doesn't require a recipe.But here it is anyway..I like to have this as a side for Lamb/Mutton Biryani, Lime Rice or Minty Veggie Pilaf.

Ingredients:

• 4 Hard-boiled eggs, shells removed
• 1/2 Red Onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Tsp Cracked Pepper Powder
• A pinch of Salt
• 1 Tsp Olive Oil
• 1/8 Tsp Turmeric Powder, optional

Procedure:

• Make small slit on the eggs. Se aside.

• Puree the onion in a processor.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and pour the Onion puree.
• Add the pepper, salt and turmeric powder(if using). Stir the mixture and cook in low flame until the onions loses raw smell.
• Sprinkle little water and continue to cook until the oil separates, for about 7-8 minutes(Important Step).

• Add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Add the eggs to the pan.
• Stir them around until the thickened onion gravy coats on the surface of the eggs.

• Switch of stove and serve warm with Lamb/Mutton Biryani, Lime Rice or Minty Pilaf.

Enjoy!

Creole Style Stuffed Mushrooms

Creole cooking originates from New Orleans area in Louisiana which has French, Portuguese, Dutch influence and half a dozen more.Creole seasoning is an incredible blend of powdered onion, garlic, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme,sweet basil and salt. With this seasoning, less is more. Let me tell you, any dish flavored with this seasoning hits you in the right spot.

Ingredients:

• 18#s mid-sized button mushrooms
• 1 Cup Fresh Spinach, packed
• 1/2 Cup Red/Yellow Mini Peppers/Bell Peppers, finely chopped
• 1 heaping Tsp Konriko MSG free Creole Seasoning(has salt in it) or any brand
• 1/4 Cup Red Onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack Cheese blend
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Slices of Stale bread, crumbed

Procedure:

• Remove the stalks from the mushrooms. Do not discard.
• Hollow out the mushrooms using melon baller and set aside. 
• Chop the stalks finely using a food processor.

• Prepare the filling: In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onion, mushroom stalks and chopped peppers. Add the Creole Seasoning, bread crumbs and stir till incorporated.Sprinkle water if necessary. Switch off stove and add the spinach. Stir until it slightly wilts. Cool the filling.

• Stuff the mushrooms generously with the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes in the top rack.
• Remove the tray and sprinkle shredded cheese on the top and bake  for 5 more minutes or until the cheese melts.
• Rest the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Enjoy!

And the Winner is..

Plenty thanks to everyone who participated in the Giveaway Contest.

The winner of CSN Stores $100 Gift-Certificate Giveaway is-Comment#108 - Bo. Congrats, dear.Please send me your valid email address to PanGravyKadaiCurry@gmail.com.For everyone else, there is always next time.

TwilightSagaFood: "Eclipse" Chocolate And Flaxseed Meal Cupcakes

I know, I am three months too late. Most of you know that I am a Twilight Buff. And that I am an ardent fan of the gorgeous vampire Edward. When Eclipse, the third novel of Twilight got released I so wanted to celebrate it in my own special way but it somehow didn't materialize. But its been on the back of my mind to add another entry to the other two "Twilight Eatables" in my blog -- Edward Cullen's "Twilight" Drink, "New Moon" Cheesy Crescents and this dark dark cupcake made with Rich Dark Cocoa and Flax-seed meal made the cut. Wicked!
This goes as an entry along with Cocoa Bread With Chocolate Chips And Walnuts,Chocolate-Strawberry Kesari,Cocoa Banana And Applesauce Muffins, Cocoa Pancakes, Cocoa N Saffron Vermicelli Pudding, Spiced Beet N Cocoa Muffins, Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake to "Chocolaty Dreams"

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour 
• 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder
• 3 Tbsp Flax-seed Meal
• 3/4 Cup Hot Water
• 2/3 Cup Sugar ( a little more for a sweeter cupcake)
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 6 Tbsp Butter, at room temperature
• 5 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

Tool:

• Le-Creuset Silicone Baking Cups

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.
• Mix flax-seed meal in the hot water and set aside for 5 minutes till it gets gummy. 
• Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl.
• Add Vanilla Extract, Buttermilk, Oil and Flax-seed meal mixture to the bowl.
• Sift together flour, both cocoa powder and baking powder. Add Salt to it.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
• Stir in the Chocolate chips and divide the batter evenly into 12 baking cups.

• Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or till a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

• Cool completely and peel from cupcakes from the baking molds.
• Serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

Makes 12 standard-sized cupcakes.

Enjoy!