Indian Spiced Pizza

Pizza used to be our weekend food for a long time till it suddenly struck me that majority of cheese has animal rennet. it is one of those things you know..but sometimes does not hit you. Now the only time i can eat pizza is when i make it..and i always stock up on vegetarian mozzarella and freeze it and when i make pizza dough i make extra and freeze it too. So when Nandita announced left-overs for WBB i decided to make pizza as brunch instead of dinner.

What are the left-overs??..they were the leftover pizza dough from last time and my leftover marinara sauce that i make Indian style.

Here is the recipe.

The pizza dough is a straight lift-of from my recipe book 'Bread'. Unless one of you comes with a gun to my head..i am going to pass on posting the looong recipe of the dough



Here is the Indian marinara recipe - makes 16 oz jar.



Diced organic Tomato Can - 1 (12 oz)
Onion - 1/2 medium,diced
Garlic- 4 pods
Green Chilly - 4
Ginger - 2"
Jeera - 1 tsp.
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp.
Salt -to taste
Oil- 1 tsp.

1. In a large pan, fry the onions,green chillies,garlic and ginger with one tsp of oil.
2. When the onions start to brown a little, add the tomatoes and cook till the the tomatoes get a little mushy.
3.Now, add the turmeric,red-chilly powder,salt and kasoori methi and let this cook for 5 mts.
4. Cool this mixture and puree this (chunky style)in a bender. Transfer into a large jar or two medium jars and use when needed.

Veggies for the pizza.

I wanted 5 veggies of different colors for the pizza..do not ask me why..but i can be crazy sometimes.

Broccoli - 1 cup - floret ts
Red bell pepper - 1/2 cup - diced
Olives - 1/4 cup - sliced
Carrots - 1/2 cup - diced
Corn - 1 cup
Panch phoran - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Stir-fry all the above and cook till there is a bite to the broccoli.

Other:

Mozzarella - 6 oz (i got the one with vegetarian rennet)(i froze the balance cheese after cutting them in cubes)

Olive oil- 1 tsp.

Pizza Assembling.

1.Preheat oven to 450 F.
2.Brush the olive oil on the pan u r planning to make the pizza
3.Strech the darn pizza dough over ur pizza crisper..in my case cookie sheet..( i had a pizza crisper..but i threw it out..that is another story ;)
4.Ladle some tomato sauce, the scatter the veggies..smother with the cheese blocks and cook for 15-17 mts.
5. When the pizza is done, cut them in wedges or squares and take the largest piece and pretend that u eat less than ur spouse ;) coz u had only 2 pcs...while he had 3!!



This is off to Nandita of the famous
Saffron Trail who is hosting the WBB this time around.....and sorry Nandita i am a day late....

Here are my fav. books

I love cookbooks and so do many of us :) i think i am looks driven on this love of mine (i know..pretty shallow of me) but what can i do... I think books that are bound and have beautiful photos speak to the reader and also in a way show how the final product looks..tho i know the photos are doctored up...but still, there is an idea. i think books with pages and pages of recipes bore me and remind me of good ol' school books and boy! do i dread that :)


I think the only book i have that is a complete recipe book with no photos is ironically one of my favorites..i know i am contradicting myself (not a surprise for people who know me :D ). The book is 'Time Tested Recipes South India - Palghat Kerala'written by Mrs.Parvathi Ramanathan. This is the only book i know, which had recipes tuned to the way Palghat Iyer's cook. So, when i get silly doubts and it is really late at night for amma..i refer this book.



The other book i love is a book called 'Bread' by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno. This is a beautiful book with lovely photos and i have tried many recipes from this book and it has been a success..I love this book, as i enjoy baking and it assures me success and not a major clean-up in the kitchen..which drives me nuts ;)


This is off to Nags who blogs at
For the Cook in me and is hosting a fun event Show Me Your Cook Books!!

Semi-Homemade Banana Pudding

In all honesty i am not a fan of bananas. I used to love them in India..but after coming here, i feel the bananas do not have the flavor we used to get there. I have really lost interest in that fruit....but sadly jeeves has not!! actually it is the only fruit he will eat on his own without any heckling from my side ;)..actually i have stopped asking him if he wants a piece when i eat my fruit...coz i am his wife not his mom!!..and he is a big guy now.....

When JFI-Bananas was announced, i was sure that it is going to be vazhakkai..i also had a recipe in mind,little did i know ripe bananas were the ones that wanted in on the fashion shoot...now who am i to break hearts ;) so here you go you yellow wierd shaped fruits...the field is urs.

I had this pudding at an office get-together and i was like.... shit! there are nanas..damn! but i guess people loved it, as that lady had tons and i mean tons of people requesting her recipe. She was sweet and basically sent out a floor email of the recipe..when i read it..i was like...what! that is soo easy.

So last week...i know, last week and i post today! we had some friends who were moving out of state calling up and wanting to drop in and say bye once more...i did ask them to stay for dinner..but they were busy, so i thought i could make this desert. i had bananas,pudding and nilla wafers and a faint recollection of the recipe...so i put it together, and it was pretty easy and super super super fast ;)

Ingredients:

2-3 bananas - not too ripe,ripe..but not too ripe
1 packet of instant vanilla pudding (i got the sugar one..not the one with splenda)
1 packet nilla wafers
3 cups vanilla soy milk
1 tbls vanilla extract

Method:

1. Prepare the pudding as per directions using the soy milk and adding the vanilla extract for extra vanilla flavor.

2. Slice bananas into thin disks.

3. Take a couple of tall glasses, place 4 nilla wafers, then top with some pudding, then top with bananas. Make one more layer the same way and then top the bananas with pudding and let this hang out in the fridge for a few hours..the longer the better.

4. Just before serving, break a few nilla wafers on top for extra cruch...yummy ( i even had one myself!)

Notes:

1. You can use plain milk instead of soy milk.
2. It is better to get the sugar free pudding for health reasons..i had this full sugar pudding on hand, so i just used it. You can also make pudding grom scratch if you want to make this desert in an hour instead of 15 mts (he he).
3. Vanilla extract can be omitted too...i added for extra vanilla flavor.
4. You can make the pudding in a big container, but may lose out on the looks ;)..i think if you are having guests..this is a better option.
5. I am ashamed to give this as an entry for JFI..as it is soo easy, but i will deal with the shame in my own way....no i am not telling how....

This is my entry for the JFI- Bananas hosted by Mandira of
Ahaar .

Pineapple Kesari Bhath

My earliest memory of eating pineapple kesari was around when i was 10. Our neighbour and my amma's good friend is kannadiga madhwa. Aunty is very religious and would often send over the prasad for us..actually for me to eat, as she was aware that i loved this kesari and her cucumber kosambri. Well, i was not happy to wait for aunty to make and send and would as usual whine about how i never get to eat what i like and all that bakwaas rona-dhona...Well, one day when i came back from school amma had made this for tiffin and boy was i thrilled.

I actually had a deep fried snack planned to RCI - Karnataka..but after frying the last bread batch up..my courage failed me...and Jeeves (my husband) has been asking everyday...kuch meetha hai kya?? and just the other day when he wanted to eat my stash of pineapple i told him to move away (i know..i am a meanie ;)..so i thought this is the best option for RCI and for fixing Jeeves sweet and pineapple fix ;) boy! i am smart

This is off to Asha of Foodie's Hope who is a total sweetheart and is hosting RCI - Karnataka

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Rava: 1 cup
Sugar: 2 cups
Water: 2 1/2 cups
Pineapple: 1 cup (finely diced - do not use the core)
Ghee: 1 1/2 tbls
Almonds: 10 (broken in bits)
Raisins: 2 tbls
Saffron : a generous pinch

Method:

1. Boil water in a kettle and keep it hot to make the kesari.

2. In a pan, put 1 tbls of ghee, fry the almonds and raisins till the raisins are plumped and keep aside.

3. To the same pan, add the rava and fry till fragrant,remove and keep aside.

4. Again in the above pan, add the pineapple, 1/2 cup of sugar (from the 2 cups), 1/4 cup of water (not from the 2 1/2 cups) and cook the pineapple in medium flame till soft and all the water has evaporated.

5. Add the rava to the pineapple and mix well, and gently add the water while stirring the rava-pineapple mix.

6. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the nuts and raisins, 1/2 tbls of ghee,
1 1/2 cups of sugar,saffron and mix well. Switch off the gas and eat it hot or cold.

Notes:

1. You can definately reduce the sugar to 1 1/2 cups..it was quite sweet actually.

2. I personally prefer adding rawa to boiling water and not vice-versa...but for this kesari it is not possible...i did land up with a few lumps :( which i very lovingly transferred to jeeves bowl ;) ha ha

3. You can make the same kesari with bananas too.....

Veggie Bread Rolls

I have a confession to make..i love all food deep-fried..and am certain there are many who are the same. So, i love the samosas,bajjis,bondas...but i love these veggie bread rolls the best. I think it is because, you have to make these at home to eat them..i have never seen them sold anywhere. I remember as a child asking ..actually begging my amma to make these..as she really did not like to make too many deep fried snacks. I think her her reluctance to make any deep fried food was my basic lack of portion control..which sadly has continued to my adulthood too ;)..anyway i digress..i would basically eat 4 to 5 of these and feel miserable the rest of the evening..but would be ready to eat thair-chadam (curd rice) at dinner time ;) he he. She would make 2 types of filling, one was with potatoes and peas the other was tomato and onion. They both are equally delicious and the last time i went home..amma made these and guess what....i overate again ;)

I made the potato peas bread-roll..here is the recipe. I of-course added garlic, which was a complete no-no in my house..so feel free to add in any veggie you want..

Ingredients:

Bread - 10 slices
Potatoes - 3 medium (boiled and mashed smooth)
Peas - 1 cup (boiled and mashed roughly)
Onion - 1/4 cup ( finely diced)
Green Chilly - 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic - 1 (finely chopped)
Cilantro - 2 tbls (finely chopped)
Ajwain -1/2 tsp.
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Water- to dip the bread in
Oil - to deep fry(yep..this is not healthy or as RR would say figure friendly...bah!)

Method:

1. Mix in all the ingredients except the bread and oil and keep aside.

2. Heat the oil in a pan to deep fry.

3. In a wide bowl, take some water..dip a slice of bread in it for a second, take it out and squeeze all the water..taking care the bread does not lose the shape.

4. Add some of the vegetable filling in the middle of the squeezed out bread and close the edges. Form the bread into an oblong shape making sure the bread is well sealed.

5. Now drop this in the hot oil very gently and deep fry for a few minutes.

6. Eat these when they are hot....and yeah yeah..go ahead and overeat ;)

Notes:

1. Do not get greedy and put too much of filling inside.

2. Preshape the filling in oblongs, so that they fit in the bread easily.

3. Make two at a time and deep fry immidiately, you cannot preform all the bread ahead with filling and fry later,as they will get soggy......water, bread...get it ;)

This is my entry to the WYF- Snacks hosted by Hima of SnackoRama

Wine drunk tofu with sweet sour vegetables

Tofu is a regular feature in our meals...but i usually buy the readymade baked tofu...and use the extra firm tofu that is water packed just for baking or scramble. But, i have been lazy to go and do grocery shopping..to be honest a little scared, as i seem to spend lots and hoard stuff like crazy..the minute i step in whole foods...buying everything in sight! that store does it to me..i wanted to practice restraint ( yeah...just practice..it is very very hard!!). I decided to do the tofu baking myself and this way i control the ingredients.

The baking process is very simple...but the important part is flavor. You must like the way the marinade tastes to enjoy the final product. So, here goes my recipe..as usual everything can be substited.

Ingredients:

Marinade

red wine -1/4 cup (i used cabernet sauvignon)
olive oil -2 tbls
hoisin sauce - 1 tbls
crushed red chilly flakes - 1 tbls
salt -1 tsp

Other

vegetables - 2 cups (i used brocolli,carrots,snow peas,sugarsnap peas,corn)
brown sugar - 1 tbls
rice wine vinegar - 1 tsp.(optional)
peanuts - 2 tbls (toasted)
almonds- 2 tbls
raisins - 1/4 cup
sesame seeds - 1 tbls (toasted)
green Chilly sauce - 1 tbls
red chilly sauce -1 tbls
sunflower oil - 1 tbls
salt - 1/2 tsp.

Method:

1. Drain the tofu over a few paper towels and place a heavy book on it. Let the tofu remain this way for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the marinade by mixing all the marinade ingredients together and keep aside.

3. After the tofu has been drained for 30 minutes, slice the tofu into pcs and place it in a baking dish in one layer and pour the marinade over the tofu. Let the tofu stay in the marinade for 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 400F and bake the tofu for 30 minutes ( close the dish with an alluminium foil). After the 30 minutes are done, flip the tofu and bake for 20 minutes more without the foil. Baked tofu is ready people!!

5. In a large wok, heat 1 tbls of oil, when it starts to smoke add the veggies and 1/2 tsp. of salt and the brown sugar. If you feel the veggies are getting too dry, you can add the marinade on it to go along.

6. When the veggies are cooked, but have a crunch to them, add the peanuts,raisins,almonds,sesame seeds, green chilly and red chilly sauce and coat the veggies well.

7. Serve this on a bowl and top it with tofu pcs. Do eat the veggies hot..as they become limp when cold..and they do not taste good.

This dish has grapes fermented in form of red wine and also 1/4 cup of raisins so it is going to Swapna of Swad who is hosting AFAM and the theme is grapes.



Notes:

1. All the tofu draining and marination can be done a day earlier. If you do not have the time for allowing to marinate..it is ok..you can bake it the minute you add the marinade to the tofu.

2. Please use the wine you would drink for the marinating the tofu.You can use white wine or altogeher skip this and add more soy sauce instead.

2. Extra tofu pcs. can be stored in ziplocks, but be consumed in a few days. You can also freeze the tofu and thaw it when you want.

Amish -Parker House Soft Dinner Rolls

There has been a sisterhood of the bread going around in the blogosphere and there is mailing of the dough in mysterious packages..the usps,fedex and ups guys are fainting when they try to get a wiff of the package...what is there in it???? IT IS THE BATTAH(batter)...(s'pozed to say with a flourish!)

I was pretty excited when i received a package from Suganya and no i did not faint when i smelt or tasted the batter...it was of-course fermented and tasted sweet and sticky ( obvious right...sugar,milk....)

I did think on what i would make..initially i thought something dramatic...but when i saw the way the amish bakers of the blogosphere prior to me had tackled the dough and raised the bar too high..i chickened out and made something simple and basic...and i am glad to say they came out delicious in taste..in the looks department..they are average..huh!

Now i pass on the torch to the three sweetest,nicest and kindest chicks of the blogdom ........they are (drumroll please...)

Laavanya of Cookery Corner
Sig of Live to Eat
Sirisha of Ambrosia...Indian Indulgences




I am not going over the recipe on how to ferment the dough..it is given in detail
here

I followed the recipe of the Parker House Rolls from a book called "Bread" by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno. Keeping to my nature and not following any directions 100%....i did make some substitutions...so here is what i did.

Ingredients:

2 tbls dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tbls flax seed powder
4 tbls butter (unsalted)
31/2 cup bread flour
2 tsp. salt
(i also used the batter which has 1/3 sugar,milk and all-purpose flour in it)

Method:

1. Warm the milk to room temp. and add the yeast to it. Let it remain in the milk for 5 minutes...then stir it well to dissolve.

2. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl and keep aside.

3.Mix the soy milk and the flax seed powder and whisk well till it foams ( this is a sub for 2 eggs)

4. In a large plastic bowl, mix the bread flour and salt. Make a hole in the center and pour the batter,butter,yeast with the milk and the soy milk with flax seed powder. Stir it with a wooden spoon well....and then turn it to a clean counter.

5. Knead the dough well...you can add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky. The dough should feel soft but not too sticky. Knead it for 5-7 minutes and put the dough in a lightly buttered non-mettalic bowl and cover with a dish towel. Keep this aside for 1 1/2 hours.

6. After 1 1/2 hours, take the dough and punch it down and let it rest for 10 mts.

7. When 10 mts are done...divide the dough to 16 portions,form them into balls and place them on buttered baking pans. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes more.

8. Preheat the oven to 425 F and bake these rolls for 15-20 mts..till they sound hollow when tapped underneath and are browned. Cool them on wire-racks...

I forgot one step..that was to give them a brush with the milk before they went in for baking...but they turned out just fine!

We had them with spicy chole and they paired well. I was a little apprehensive that the rolls would be too sweet with that sugar..but it tasted just fine (somewhat like the pillsbury french rolls -freezer section)