Submission to the lentil event and my last post for 2008

I love my archives! I sometimes think laziness has it's advantages!..coz if i were not lazy about blogging this recipe in past...i would have zero entry for Sra's event.

I have been on a total blogging hiatus and trust me with a good reason. I also feel bad on not visiting sites..but all that will change next year..i promise!

So coming to the recipe...the main problem with vegetarian food is that the carb component tends to be a little high...so you have to make some efforts to increase the protein in the equation. Yes...lentils do have protein...but they also have a generous level of carbs...so for me to add more protein..i usually depend on soy products. Though i am not a big fan of nutrella nuggets.......Jeeves loves them and as this was made for him...i decided to add the soy-nuggets for him and complet the stock i had ;)




Ingredients:

Soy Chunks - 1/2 cup. soaked in warm water.
Kidney beans - 1 can
Peas - 1/2 cup
Onions - 1, diced
Tomatoes - 2 medium, diced
Tomato Paste - 1 tsp - to add some depth of color
Garlic Chilly Ginger paste- 1 tbls
Oil - 1 tbls
Cumin - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp.
Garam masala - 1 tsp.

Garnish

Avacado - 1/4, diced
Cherry tomatoes - few
Yogurt - 2 tbls

Method:

1. In a pan heat the oil, add the cumin, ggg paste, onions and fry well...till the onions start to change color.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato pste, peas and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame till the peas are cooked but not mushy.
3. Add the kidney beans, soy granuals (squeeze the water out of them), salt, chilly powder, garam masala, 1/2 cup water and cook for 7 minutes.
4. Serve this with the any sort of garnsh.It is really filling.

This is off to dearest Sra who blogs at the amazing
When my Soup came Alive and is hosting My Legume Love Affair that was started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook

Finally....
I would like to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR….and hope all your dreams come true. Remember life is short and cherish the moments you have rather than lament on what you do not have.


Love……

Pea Chutney with Protein Dosa

Hmmmm..i have been mia..in my write up front but not in the eating part ;)...now how can i sustain without food...it would be like Rachel Ray without abbreviations...yeah! could not resist making that dig...i am still a meanie...that does not change with time!
I have to also say i am totally ashamed of not acknowledging my fellow bloggers for the awards they have bestowed on me. I truly appreciate it....i just have the memory of an amoeba (no discussion on this topic..ms. S the highly reputed one :D ).

Priya of Indian Khana has passed on the 'Blogging with a purpose' award...Thank you Priya...much appreciated....



JZ of Tasty Treats has passed me the Yum Yum award..Thanks for giving it to me..makes me feel good :)




Also Laavanya has tagged me for a book meme. Here are the rules


1. Pick up the nearest book
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5.Tag 5 people and acknowledge the person who tagged you.


And the honest gal i am ...i did pick up the book i was reading...and here it goes....may be boring..don't hate me for it....would be hard..i know :D

"Mentors are not necessarily people who make you feel good about yourself or tell you that you can do anything you want to do. Sometimes the best mentors provide tough love by being critical as a means of teaching. Kroger's Dave Dillion told the story of two contrasting mentors he had early in his career."

This excerpt is from "True North" by Bill George with Peter Sims. Jeeves had borrowed it from the library and liked it..so i am giving it a whirl..it is really good.

As for tagging...i think the whole blogging community has done it ;)

Here is a recipe i made somewhere in May..yeah...it has been patiently waiting in the drafts for me...like the tons of other things i am yet to do :D


PEA CHUTNEY ....maybe i should call it pea mash ;)




Ingredients:

1. Peas - 1 frozen pack - the small one
2. Cherry Tomatoes - 425 gms (the small box you get)- halved
3. Red onion - 1 medium
4. Garlic - 4 pods
5. Green chillies - 2
6. Cumin - 1 tsp.
7. Oil - 1 tbls
8. Salt to taste
9. Red chilly - 1 tsp.


Method:

1. Boil the peas with a little salt and keep aside to cool. Drain the water....and if you are obsessed on healthy eating...you can reserve the water for soup or something...if you are normal ;)(kidding!!)...do this in the sink.

2. Heat oil in a wok..add the cumin..onions..garlic...green chillies...tomatoes and fry in medium heat for 15 minutes..till everything is cooked and mushy.

3. Add the salt (remem you added some to the peas when you were boiling it)..peas..red-chilly and cook for 5 minutes. The go ahead and mash it...now it is up to you..on how you want the texture...i like to have to some substance and body to it and not a smooth paste...also my arms were hurting ;)...so decided to put a stop to this :D

It was really yummy...would be great as a spread on bread.



PROTEIN DOSA

This is so freakin easy....

Ingredients:

1. Lentils - 1/2 cup each - i used - Moong...Toor...Red...Channa
2. Urad Dal - 1 cup (you need a lil more urad)
3. Red Chilly - 4
4. Cumin Seeds - 1 tbls
5. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dals with the red chilly and cumin seeds for 4-6 hours..you can soak more if you wish...but 4-6 hours are more than enough.

2. Grind to a smooth paste and add the required salt to it. I usually add the salt when i am grinding...makes like so much easier ;)

3. The batter is ready....now all you gotta do is make dosas.

I do hope i am more regular in visiting all the amazing sites....and maybe blogging too....

Halloumi on masala grilled veggies

It has been a while i have blogged...and a thought came to me ..the dreaded thought that perhaps i have gotten bored of blogging. It should honestly not come as a surprise to me or anyone who knows me..coz i have a very short attention span. It actually spreads to everything around me...i have gotten bored of jobs...hobbies...even people! yep...there has been a time i have been smitten by a few...only to yawn at their name later (that does not mean i do not have my share of good friends....but a very few to be honest). But...i am not bored of blogging...the break as i analyze is on account of me not cooking regularly or cooking boring or wierd foods...something that will not go well in the blogging world.

I have been contemplating to buy a grill...even researched on a few...only to put off the purchase...but when my good buddy Siggy announced Monthly Mingle- Grill it ..i decided to initially invest in a stove top grill pan before i spend more moolah on an outdoor one. Well..the purchase for a stove top grill gave me more trouble than i thought!...why you ask...well all the stores carry 'cast iron' grill pans..which is a huuuge no-no on my list..coz i refuse to baby sit cookware....or the non-stick one's cost me an arm and a leg..till i finally went to bed bath and beyond where i got a non-stick one for $50.00..which is cool to me....so here i am madam..an entry for your event.I know..it is a day late...but ;)



Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 medium
Asparagus - 1 bunch
Halloumi - 4-5 oz

Marinade:
Olive oil- 1/4 cup
Garlic Chutney powder - 1 tbls
Goda masala - 1 tbls
Salt - to taste

For the dressing:
Olive oil - 2 tbls
Lime juice - 1 tbls
Garlic chutney powder - 1tsp
a pinch of salt
whisk well...and keep aside

Method:

1. Cut the eggplant into rounds and marinade the eggplant and the asparagus for 30 - 60 mts.

2. Grill the above and cut into medium pcs. Do not make it into bite sized.

3. Toast the halloumi (i used a griddle for this..as halloumi tends to break) till it crisps up.

4. Plate the veggies...top it with halloumi and drizzle the dressing on top.

Has it sunk in and MBP

The minute you switch on the television..there is all this talk about conserving energy..water..basically all natural resources. There are shows talking about 'green earth'..recycling....using a bike to hit nearby spots....organic living...and so much...but my question is does this really sink in with the masses?? From my observation....there are basically 2 sorts of people...one type is the person who is proactive..makes it a point to learn something new..when given an information...makes changes..for this person..conservation comes to a certain level naturally...unfortunately i do not find too many of these people in my vicinity. Then there are people who are basically oblivious to the wastage. You may might as well die screaming about conserving energy...using solar lights..wastage of water..but these morons..take the high road. i guess... so short-sighted in their view..their point is ..i have it right now..so i will do as i please...i guess only when they open their pipes and no freakin water flows thru will they get the point.

Why am i so mad..well...this has been building up in me for a few years and i just felt like writing. I live in a neighbourhood..where 80% of the nut-jobs insist on turning on their porch lights on all night!! What a waste..seriously..and nope!..it is not solar lights...and then many insist on watering their lawns everyday!! Why can't you alternate the days...and honestly...in my opinion..grass is over-rated. Yes..it is nice and green...but it is boring..blah!..no character....all the homes are rows and rows of grass...and people spending gallons of water on them...and also valuable gas on mowing the lawn. People may think i have a case of sour-grapes esp. about the lawn...but i think having a small patch in the front might be ok...but to have a backyard full of grass is just a waste of land and resources. Why not grow veggies..or if that is a royal pain...go ahead and lay a nice tennis court or do something fun on it...why is there so much of grass!!

This months Nupur who blogs at the famous One Hot Stove is hosting the MBP and her theme is less is more which was started by Coffee who blogs at Spicecafe . What a lovely concept Nupur...and i am waiting for the round-up to bookmark all the entries to try em out.

My inspiration is from Kajal's website . I really like her detailed pictures and her simple and straight-forward way of explaining her recipes..and not to mention all the recipes make my mouth water :). I had bookmarked her red-chilly pickle a long back and guess what!! it fit in the MBP theme. So here is the recipe of Raita marcha....


I am giving the link to her recipe . The only change i made is i added some jalapenos..as i was short of the red-chilly. It was just delicious....

Vegan Laksa

Though i would like to pretend i eat various cuisines when i eat out....in reality i am a wimp..yep! i said it. I am worried half the time..if there is meat or a meat derivative in a dish. Maybe there is chicken stock...beef stock..anchovies...fish sauce..the list is endless. I do ask the wait staff...but i am not convinced. The other thing with me is i have a very strong sense of smell. I usually can smell meat in grilled veggies...at times i smell something different in the pasta i eat..so long story short..i try to cook internationally at home...but eating out..i stick to indian...middle-eastern...and all sandwich and noodle/sushi spots..that have a vegetarian menu in place. Again...i do not eat in sandwich shop like Subway and Jimmy John's...coz they touch the meat and veggies with the same gloved hand right in front of your face...they may do the same in other restaurants too...but i can't see that...yep! i am boring...so what!! :D. This fear has actually reduced my eating out tremendously...and that is a great thing for me..as i have the tendency to pack on the pounds really quick....i personally would like to attribute it to my slow metabolism (years of yo-yo dieting)...but...i think portion control plays a role too ;)

I really love soups and esp. watery and broth based soups..where you have veggies and protein swimming in lots of liquid....but i dare not order it when i go out...coz i am pretty sure...it is made with chicken stock. So when i saw this soup in the VEG NEWS magazine last month..i jumped up and made it....it is actually a street food in Singapore...not sure if they sell the vegan version there...seriously doubt it!...but this one was yummers.






Lovely Laksa (source: veg new magazine) (note...the name was given in the magazine..not something i made up)

8 oz dried rice noodles (i used tofu noodles)
1 cup shallots chopped (i used red-onions)
1 stalk lemon-grass, white part only-crushed (i used a zest of a lime)
2 tsp. Sambaal Oelek
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. curry powder (did not use)
1 tsp. paprika (used 2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne ( used red-chilly powder instead)
1 tbls. canola oil (used coconut oil)
31/2 cups vegetable stock (used a water+ veggie bullion)
1 tbls sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 14oz can of coconut milk (i used lite coconut milk)
8 oz extra firm tofu - cubed
1 cup bean sprouts, blanched (omitted by me)
3 scallions (omitted by me)
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 bunch cilantro (none at home! )
1 cup pineapple (no way!!)
Lime wedges to serve
I also used 2 cups of assorted frozen veggies.

Method:

1. Cook noodles as per directions.

2. Make a paste of shallots,lemongrass,sambal oelek and ginger. Add to it coriander,curry powder,turmeric,paprika and cayenne pepper and make a smooth paste.

3. In a large pot...medium heat..add the oil..then add the shallot mixture from above and cook it for about 3 minutes, stirring well...adding a little stock to it..to make sure it does not burn. Then add the frozen veggies (if using)....stir it well...and add the rest of the stock.

4. Reduce the heat...add the sugar,salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes...then add the coconut milk and heat it through without letting it boil. Add the noodles and the tofu (i toasted the tofu in a pan lightly- can omit this step) and simmer for 5-7
minutes.

5. To serve...add the cucumber, scallions (if using) in a bowl. Pour the laksa over it and garnish with cilantro..pineapple (if using). Plop a lime wedge or half on the side too!!

The ingredient list is long..but it is something majority of us have it at home. The process to make this is super simple...it is delicious...personally for me..i will make it without the noodles however..or use the rice noodles mentioned in the recipe.

Quirks and a Jal Jeera

I do not think i have any quirks....i think they are known as having a personality..a unique one albeit...but to call them quirks in my opinion would be taking it to far. When my buddy Raaga tagged me to bare 6 quirks of mine...i thought why not lay it out...so that everybody can let me know...it is true..i am not quirky (people..this is what i want to hear...)

1. I talk to myself. Actually i should say i HAVE to talk to myself everyday. If we have too many guests or i have too much going on..i excuse myself..go to the bathroom and talk to myself for an easy 10-15 minutes. I need that 'me' time with 'me'. Usually the talk is not some problem solving high funda talk...actually it is usually mundane crap...sometimes fantasy!!...but i need a mirror and i need to talk to me.

2. I am an night owl. I actually have 3 blocks of times that i get sleep..one is around 11:30..the next is around 1:00..the last chance is 2:30...if i miss any of them...i do not sleep the whole night. I can function normally the next day despite of no sleep...but i pretend to be tired..no marks for guessing why!! I usually do a night-out every month...i really like it actually.

3. I am extremely reserved in person. I talk a lot over the phone and also get to an easy repartee online...but when i meet in person..i am tongue-tied for easily half an hour to an hour. I think if i meet my blog buddies i may open up in half an hour..but when it is strangers or worse co-workers..it takes me forever to open up. In my first job it took me 6 months to open up to people...it is a different story that those guys were begging me to go back to my shy self a year later :D

4. I get very irritated when things are color co-ordinated. It drives me nuts when all things match (except on kids)...you know..ur purse and stuff matching..or ur curtains matching your decor..it makes me very annoyed..i really don't now why...but i get a lil snippy!

5. I hate...really hate caves. I always feel that the rocks are going to fall in..the cave entrance will be shut and we will suffocate and die. I have no problems with death to be honest..i just don't want to suffer.

6. I am quite messy by nature. Once in two months usually..i get into this habit of super-cleaning. I then for a week go ahead and make jeeves life miserable by stalking him around the house to make sure he keeps things in place 'neatly'..by that..as per my standards. After a week..it is hello! slob-world :).. But no matter how my home looks anytime..my sink is always spotless! I am obsessed with keeping my sink super clean and get really irritated if there is a cup lying there for more than 10 mts. I make sure to wash and clean my sink religiously everyday!

I would like to tag the following:

1. Laavanya ..you gotta have some quirks..i am dying to know..
2. Namratha ...the baker got to be a little nutsy right :D
3. Nags ...the new bride can let her hair loose here
4. TBC ..i am sure she has many...much more than 6..but it is a pity..she will not do it...i kinda know :(
5. Richa ...would love to know the nut in you!
6. Swati ...she should have plenty to share ;)

Hope you girls take it up..if you don't... i understand..just lack of plain good manners right!

The Meme rules --
Link the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules in your blog.
Describe 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs to inform them of having tagged them.



It was a few days back when Sia of the gorgeous blog Monsoon Spice announced MBP- street food and i thought damn...for me street food is chat!!..and i am not too fida on alu right now :(...then a few days back i saw a yummy Indonesian street food recipe in Veg news..got all excited and made that..only to realise it was an MBP!!...so here was my quest for a simple and easy recipe...totally fitting into my life-style and i stumbled on this .(The only change in my recipe was i substituted splenda for sugar.)What made it even more sweeter is that it has tamarind!! so another entry for the nicest...kindest...wonderfullest (not even a word..i know) person in the world..Ms.Sigma Sreedharan :) who is hosting JFI-Tamarind ..so see Sigma...here are 2 entries (total) for ur event and Sia..here is an entry for your MBP - Street food too...i am waiting to publish the soup recipe..waiting for some event to unload it for :D

Bad picture and a chutney for JFI

So when you guys take bad pics of food what do you do?? I basically still save them in the hopes that they will look better in time :D..but seriously..my thought is hmmm...maybe i am being picky now..perhaps in the future i may lower my standards and like it. Does this happen ...no!..but i still blog and put the pic in..coz i am a foodie not a photographer. I do look at pictures taken in many blogs with awe and try to make..yep..i only try to make a resolution that next time i will spend a wee bit more time on pics and it's surroundings. But, anyone who knows me is aware that it is just a momentary thought :D..i still land up on click..click..click non stop for a few minutes..then dive in for the food.

This chutney was made months ago...i still kept the pics in the hope of liking it better...but i am still yet to change my mind. But...JFI is here, the theme is tamarind and one of chicks whom i really like a lot (actually a bit nervous of....to tell u the truth) is hosting it...yep! it is the babe who blogs in Live to Eat ..so i fished it out and am sending it to her...coz. i am on to cooking some wacko food these days ...but i cannot not participate in an event held by her...so here it is Siggy





Ingredients:

Red Cabbage - a big chunk
Green chillies - 9-10 (yeah..i like it hot)
Garlic - 4 cloves
Tamarind - lemon size (soak for 30 mts)
Salt - to taste
Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal,Chana Dal - 1 tsp. each
Red Chilli,Whole - 1
Oil - 1 tbls, 2 tsp.

Method:

1. Saute the cabbage,green chilli,garlic in a tbls of oil..till the raw smell of the cabbage goes.
2. Add the tamarind soaked in water...and dump it in the blender to make the chutney. Do make it chunky...smooth..really defeats the purpose...as usual...a hand mixer will be better..grrr....
3. Add the above to a bowl..stir in the salt.
4. Heat 2 tsp. of oil...and do tadka with the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal and red-chilli...and plop it on the chutney.

I ate this with dosa...would be good as a side with rice too. Jeeves refused to touch it...and it defeated the darn purpose of this chutney...as i wanted him to eat the red-cabbage...oh well!!

L & L Shrikhand

I love Winter..honestly..then followed with Fall then Spring and then really i don't like it..but it just falls in place...yep! talking about Summer. And now that Spring is upon us..i can see all my neighbours scurrying around..planting flowers, veggies...going insane with the mower and just making that darn yard beautiful. Now..usually this does not bother me much..because by nature i am really indifferent to what others do...but this year my front yard is horrible. It was never a sight to behold..but this time it has taken itself personally to the next level. I think i have got weeds enough to fill 10 lawns..so instead of flowers on the flower bed..i got weed people..and nope..this is the garden variety ...pesty crap..don't go get crappy ideas..sheesh!. So i have this Monday chalked out to pull the weeds out...and keep it clean. Nope..i am not planting any flowers..it will look barren..but it will be neat and that is enough for me. Now..you may think Monday!..why did she choose that day? Well..on Monday i officially do not workout..yesssr..it is my official break day...the other days...i pretend that i need to workout..but postpone things long enough to make it late and do a miserly 15 mts or postpone it to the next day with a solemn promise that i will get it done by am!..yeah! i can see that working out (roll eyes)

Anyway...warm weather calls for a cool and refreshing desert and i know there is a million Shrikhand floating around..well...here goes one more to the list. I wanted to make it low fat...and please sub low fat stuff to 'normal' counterparts if you are those lucky chicks who do not have hippa-hips ;)

Btw....L&L stands for Lite and Luscious ;)




Ingredients:

1. Fat free yogurt - 1/2 carton
2. Fat free sour cream - 2 tbls (for a bit of tang)
3. Part skim ricotta cheese - 1/2 cup
4. Splenda - 1 cup,i used 1.5 cups..because the dude loves insane level of sweet
5. Cardamom - 1/2 tsp.
6. Almonds - 20

Method:

1. Strain the yogurt,sour cream and ricotta in a mesh strainer lined with paper towels in the fridge for 4-6 hours. Place a paper towel on them then place a plate with some cans of beans on top of the yog-sour-rico mix to weigh it down.

2. Mix the splenda and the cardamom and keep aside.

3. Take the strained yog-sour-rico mix..add the splenda-cardamom to it and mix it gently...till well incorporated.

4. Refrigerate till you are ready to eat.

5. Before serving..you can top it with some nuts..i had almonds that day...so it was the lucky winner...personally...pistacios would be better.

Note:

1. If you get fat-free ricotta..u can use that in place of part-skim.
2. I like using splenda in cool desserts...feel free to sub for sugar....

This is off to Easycrafts who is so sweet to let me post this really really late entry. She is hosting this month's Think Spice event that was started by Sunita .

Cream Of Mushroom Soup

When i was a kid when i wanted to do something which my mom did not want me to..her answer would be....do this in 'your' home...how rude huh!!..when i wanted a puppy..i got this answer..when i wanted to enter the puja-room when i had my periods (gasp!)..i got this answer....so now when i have my 'own' home ;D..i have added another set of rules. I only cook what we both like..so i refuse to make something that only jeeves likes...but i do at-times make something i like..coz afterall i am the person cooking it ;). But..these rules have taken a toss when i am watching what i eat...i prefer to make things that he likes and i don't..this keeps me away from sampling the no-no food. So..in my kitchen..mushrooms..brinjal..okra and arbi are the kings..atleast for a few months.

For the MBP i decided to make mushroom soup and i got it from a good
buddy's blog. i love her blog..coz the food looks delicious..and i have tried few of her recipes and they were awesome. I also like that there is no fancy ingredients...and are recipes that i usually would make in my kitchen too. I did make some changes...so will be writing the recipe here..but for her recipe..you can go
here




Cream of Mushroom Soup:

Ingredients:

Mushrooms (shitaki) - 1 pack (i used frozen organic ones)
Garlic: 1 pod
Water: 12 oz
Veg Bullion cube: 1
Butter: 2 tbls
Onion: 1/2 cup, diced
Red chilli flakes: 1 tsp.
Heavy Cream: 12 oz
Rosemary: 1 tsp. (dried)
Chives: 2tsp.
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a pan, add the butter and when it melts add the onions,garlic with salt,red-chilli flakes,rosemary,pepper and saute till the onions are soft.

2. Add the mushrooms in and cook till the water evaporates (coz i used frozen) and then add the water and veg. bullion and cook in medium flame for 20 minutes.

3. Cool this mixture down and blend with with heavy cream to a smooth texture.

4. Return this to the pan and simmer till the soup is heated through.

5. Ladle the soup to a bowl and sprinkle with herbs...i used dried chives...

Notes:

I think having a hand blender would make my life so much easier...i know sig, tbc, richa..after buggin u chicks for reco....i still did not buy it..i am going to buy it soon..

This is off to:

Raaga of The Singing Chef who is hosting MBP-Soups and Salads .

Madhuram of Eggless Cooking who is hosting Your recipe rocks series .

Sai-Bhaji...my way!

The first time i tasted sai-bhaji was in school. We used to have a monthly event in where each grade 6-10th would be assigned a month..where they would get food from home and sell it in school for generating money to be used for the hostel run by our convents for children in their boarding school. The purchase was an accident and to be honest..the bhaji was pretty bad. I was pretty pissed on losing my Rs.5 to an inedible dish..but oh! well..i threw it out. i was off this bhaji for a while. When someone would say sai-bhaji..i would gag..seriously!! it shook me to the core ;D...but now as i am an adult who is obsessed with food..i decided to give it a go few years back from a recipe in Deccan Chronicle. The bhaji was delicious and i have to say it does feature quite regularly at my place.
Now...i just follow the guide-lines of the bhaji..but add in couple of ingredients i have at home..instead of shopping for it. Jeeves is hardly at home..and i think i am refusing to go to the grocery stores..as the freshly baked bread keeps calling my name..so i do make do with what i have at home...and the bhaji received the same treatment.

Here is the bhaji my way...as Ina Garten would say 'with the volume turned up'..just kidding :)



Ingredients:

Baby Spinach - 1 10 oz bag
Lima Beans - 1 cup
Asparagus - 1 bunch (dispose the extremely woody part)
Green beans - 1 cup
Peas - 1 cup
Brinjal - 1 cup
Onions - 1
Tomatoes - 2 diced
Chana Dal - 1/2 cup (soak for an hour before cooking)
Tamarind - small lemon (need not soak it prior to making the bhaji)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch
Oil - 2 tsp.
Salt - as needed

Method:

1. Grind the ginger and garlic to a paste. (i use a mortar-pestle)

2. In a pressure cooker..add the oil...then the cumin seeds..then fry the ground ginger-garlic paste...add the onions and fry for a few minutes.

2. Add the rest of the veggies..tamarind,salt, chilli powder,turmeric and saute for a few more minutes...the add the chana dal..2-3 cups of water and pressure cook this for 12-15 mts.

3. When the pressure cooker cools down...open it and mix the bhaji well so that the whole thing comes together. Adjust for salt and serve it with rice..rotis or bread.

The original sai-bhaji in the recipe called for Spinach..Khatta palak (can use gongura),Brinjal,Carrots,Potatoes,Gavar-beans as the veggies....

On a diet...here have some cake!..and Chole masala powder

Seriously....what is it with people who want to stuff your face with food the minute you announce to them you are on a diet. It seems a switch is turned in their warped mind that says 'Must break their diet'- (do incorpotate a robot sound when you read this)....so the dear zombies..flock around you with goodies...cakes..chips...cookies...clamouring that you eat them..insisting..'just take one piece..it is really nothing!!...well..unfortunately it is. I have thought about this at large (yep..nothing better to do) and among hosts of possiblities..these two are garaunteed to happen...

1.One...the minute you eat..ur mind plays dirty tricks on you and soon you are on cake..chip and a big ass land...

2.The person who offers you the food relentlessly will come back to bite you in the butt in a few days by declaring moderation is the key...and how we must learn to say 'no' to food...

Guess what...you are safe if you keep saying no!..it can be quite annoying to both the parties..but it is the best bet...atleast for the dieter...
I think the more i am on a diet...the more i seem to notice all the ads that involve food..and i am so thankful that i am a vegetarian...the chicken mcnuggets...kfc...taco bell beefy something..does absolutely nothing to me...but when i am driving..seeing someone drinking a frap..can make me lose control. i have seriously...closed my eyes and eaten chole-bhature virtually!! ha ha..i have to say ..it tasted pretty pretty awesome :)

So..coming to chole bhature...nope..no recipe for it...i am totally hooked on making Chole-Masala from scratch. I got this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's website and i have to say..i have been adding it to any northie curry that needs garam masala. The ingredient list is long..but i am quite sure that majority of us have it at home. If you do not have a spice or two..ignore it or sub it...but ladies not more than one or two...you really cannot start subbing 50% of the recipe and call it chole masala :)




Chole Masala:

Ingredients:

1. Jeera - 2tbls
2. Coriander seeds - 3tbls
3. Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
4. Cloves - 8 to 10
5. Cardamom (black) - 1
6. Ajwain - 1/2 tsp.
7. Peppercorns - 60 (don't go counting..put a tbls!)
8. Kasoori methi - 1 tsp.
9. Nutmeg - 3
10.Pomogranite seeds - 2 tbls
11.Bay leaves - 8 to 10
12.Red chilly (dried) - 8 to 10
13.Mango powder - 1 tsp.
12.Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp.
13.Black salt - 1 tsp.
14.Salt - 1 tsp.

Method:

1. Dry roast 1-12 and let it cool.
2. Add 13-14 to the above and grind to a fine powder.
3. Store and use....how simple is that.

I know some of you will complain and say or think i am nuts to give a list of 14 ingredients ..but honestly...you guys should have 90% of it with you. In the past i did sub black salt with jal-jeera powder!!..use ur discretion :)

All i say is Thank You

Well..it was a couple of months break..and a couple is all i took. I really missed blogging...and more importantly i missed the interaction. I think though i am still not done with what i took the break for...it is getting impossible for me not to blog. But before i come up with an entry and a lot of yak-yak from me..i want to say is THANK YOU to each and every blogger who was so sweet and kind and made it a point to comment and let me know that i am loved and wanted me to come back. I really appreciate it...makes me realise..that virtual bonds are as good as physical ones :)


I do want to thank a few people on a more personal level coz they did give me some cool awards and it is funny...i have not met any of them...but i feel really close to them and thinking about their entries or their names bring a smile to my face..that is friendship in my opinion.


Sig gave me the You make me smile award and trust me honey...you make me smile all the time too..and make me nod my head so many times in union with the rants :) I also love the emails we exchange..where I more than you rant quite a lot ;)



Nammu passed on the Nice Matters award and the Excellence award to me and all i can say is it takes one awesome person to know another ;)...but really...i can never stop drooling at her creations and being amazed at her baking talent...also the jokes she sends me on and off :)

I also want to thank 3 awesome girls...TBC,Laavanya and Sra.............who did not give me any awards :( ..but with whom i have talked or emailed in the 2 months break and it really made me realize how much i missed that friendship.

I really hope i do not have to take a break from blogging and none of you fabulous bloggers in the foodie sites do too :)

On a break.....

Hi guys...i will be taking a break from blogging for a few months.I just have too many things going-on and i feel i am neglecting my blog and not visiting all my fellow bloggers, something i have enjoyed and have looked forward to in the past. I think not visiting bloggers..reduces the community effect and i feel taking a break and coming back with gusto is better than putting a half-baked effort.

So take care all of you and i am sorry Sra,Sunita,Dhivya,Easy,Sia and Suganya...will not be able to participate in ur events..but am certain ur events will be booming with entries...so u will not even miss mine

See you all in a few months :)...

WBB - Round up!!

Seriously..i was thinking i would have this out on Feb 1st..but since procrastination ka doosra naam Rajitha hain..i decided to wait till Monday..when i realised..there was a mistake in the way i was downloading stuff...and long story short..here is the round -up :)

To be honest i was a bit wary because i had an onslaught of...i hate tofu...i hate soy..i hate...!! you know :D....so i was pretty sure i would have about 5-7 entries..but ladies..I really want to thank each one of you who took their time to participate and am glad that my friends are still my friends..despite of me making their life miserable :D..Would also like to say thanks to Nandita for letting me host and be a total hands-off gal..love that!
All the entries here are in the order they were received. As it is Breakfast mainly..there are no categories..i could get detailed if i wanted..but....


Mansi ensures that we get a healthy and a satisfying breakfast with her healthy Cranberry Soymilk and Green tea smoothie. All i say is yum!

Maya has made a delicious pulav which is a great combo of carbs and protein with 1 tsp. oil!! You can check her Soya Cabbage Matar pulav and i have to say soya chunks never looked better...

Meera takes the humble poha to another level by adding edamame to them and giving the usual carb laden breakfast a protein boost..check her recipe for Green Soyabean pohe and you will know what i mean...

Anu recreates a delicious chinese restaurant food at home and shares with her her recipe for Buddhist delight with us.How fabulous does that look!!

Asha plans to make something with soy-beans..but spots a packet of soy flour and decides to bake a bread...how she came up with a pancake is for you girls to go to her site and read. Her Soy-Bell Pepper Carrot Pancakes looks mouthwatering...

Sra tells me that she hates soy and hurts my feelings :(..but then makes up by being sweet and sending me an entry...i do not eat eggs..but her Tofu-egg custards did get me drooling..what say people..

TBC basically told me when i announced that she 'may' come up with something...hearing which i bawled..and so she came up with this fabulous Fruity Tofu Smoothie and put a stop to the crazyness ;)

Who does not love scrambled tofu!! Ashwini has shared a delicious and a fun way of adding a tofu scramble to ur daily breakfast mix and it looks georgeous to boot...check her Scrambled Tofu and see if you disagree with me!!

Basically what Dhivya says is cooking for one sucks..but trust me...eating her
Soy burger will delight you that you are alone..coz you will not be willing to share!!

Going to Namratha's blog leaves me drooling...she not only bakes but has started to decorate them amazingly well...she decides to buy the soy nuggets in her grocery shopping and comes up with this amazing
Pulav with Soya Chunks which looks delicious and nutritious to boot :)

Hima states that she dreams about them if she has not had them for a while and i think i would too if i made some totally droolworthy
Blueberry Pancakes like her..take a look and you will be a convert to the healthy goodness of it...

Kaykat wanted to make a soy-based breakfast and decides to whip up some amazing
Banana Soy Muffins in the microwave and tops with a totally delicious syrup...

Nags tempts me and so many others with this yummilicious
Soy-Oats Cookies which seem more like an indulgence than a breakfast....you have to step to her space to check the recipe out...

Nandita decides to treat our eyes to a yummy and protein intense healthy dish and this time a
Soy Nugget Salad for breakfast which will leave you craving for more...and she makes all of us drool with that side she paired with.....go have a look....

Johanna wanted to make a special meal for Australian day...and zeroed on making a very delicious Tofu Scramble to commemorate the day..

Bharathy had been wanting to try this recipe for a while and sets into action and makes this mouthwatering Tofu Sandwich to devour....you know you need to go there to look and note down the recipe

Raaga makes this delicious and healthy
Mixed Vegetable Poha for breakfast and i am seriously mystified by the lovely color that poha has got..ms.poha is one good looker..must say!!

Vanamala adds an extra healthy element to make her
Chapati higher in protein...and accompanies it with a delicious dal...want to know the extra ooph..visit her site..

Laavanya makes this total delicious protein Soya Upma and is pretty cool about hubby not eating it..as it means more for her..you go girl!!..you have to check the recipe out..can i say she is a girl after my own heart :)

Nanditha deals with the task of feeding her son a snack for after school and comes up with this amazing Soy Samosa. Man! i am impressed...and the filling will flip u guys...go check it out..

Ricki whips up this amazing
Tofu Omelette and is more happy to share it with her husband...which BTW i would have seriously not done so..coz i am a greedy gal :D..this is an awesome recipe..

Lavanya shares with us her usual breakfast fare of
Power Wrap Chapatti and i have to say i am impressed..it looks delicious and is nutritious to boot...now only if i lived in chennai :D


Siri had made a delicious greek dish and adapted it to vegetarian tastes..here is her Soya-Moussaka which looks fabulous!!


Vijaya tries experimenting with new ingredients and comes up with this lip-smacking Soya Granules Curry and her husband tells her that it tastes like...will not say like what..you need to go and read ;D


Zlamushka calls these Soy-Milk Pancakes 'Paincakes'!!..now who can believe that..her pics look so good...and the recipe sounds even better....


Archana presents us with this delicious recipe of
Chilly-Soya Chunks that she has made up on her own!!..what say...ms.talented ?? :)


Cham hits the spot by telling that many of us feel that 'healthy' will not taste good....and that it is actually not so..and to prove us wrong she shares with us her recipe of Healthy Wrap which looks delicious and i bet will taste delicious too...


There lived a girl who hated tofu and now is besotted by it and thanks me everyday for bringing it to her life...( he he)..you guys know Madame Sig..she shares with us a fabulous recipe of Guacamole with tofu and as a side note lets eveyone know..she can hardly taste it...hmmm :)


Sig almost gives me an attack by submitting 2 recipes for WBB...and what makes me so mad is her Tofu Scramble looks delicious..even better than the ones i have make..so not fair!!


Does she need an intro!! i can easily say.. half of the indian blogs have started after looking at her amazing photos and down-to-earth writing style...Indira shares with us her Palak Tofu Soy Spinach and got me drooling...i bet you will feel the same


Richa sends me this entry so that i can be off her back..seriously! isn't she sweet guys...her Ghobi Alu Soybeans ki Sabji can become a easy regular at any table!!

And i have saved the best for the last :D..(just kidding..)...here are my two entries..
Papaya Soy Smoothie which is a great for busy weekend and honestly weekday mornings.

Soy Semiya Upma which adds a healthy element of protein to a dish.

Finally..i sincerely hope all of you found some way of adding soy to your diet..as it is really good for you...granted they are not to the level thought and projected by the media..but it is a great source of plant protein.


The next WBB (a known fact by now i guess) is held by Suganya of Tasty Palettes .