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 :)