Opening Pandora’s Box.. June 30, 2008

Alright, A-Kay, this post is for you Here are my 10 secrets, if you can call them that:

1. Writing posts that require me to bare my soul makes me extremely squeamish! This post qualifies…
2. If I see something yummy on TV or magazine, regardless of which part of the world the dish is from, I HAVE to try it. Right now, I have to find a place in the Bay Area that makes Arepas. Any ideas???
3. I love checking out new grocery stores or farmers’ markets. These qualify as “adventures” and “fun” in my book.
4. I love a simple meal of Dal-Chawal, especially on cold or rainy days or days I need some comforting.
5. If there ever was an award for eating vegetables (any kind- even veggies I’ve never eaten before), I’d be a strong contender for it. I love all veggies- even the dreaded Karela.
6. I enjoy witty repartees- not too good at them myself, tho…
7. Snakes send the chills down my spine- cannot look at one without screaming filmi style!
8. Travel is about experiences- nature, cities, food and people. I would love to live in different countries to experience them in their totality. Paris and Venice are by far my favorite cities in Europe.
9. I can watch food network or any channel with cookery shows endlessly. In fact, these days I watch little else…
10. Lastly, I do not like it when I’m given instructions or told that things HAVE to be done a certain way. 

Phew…this was hard!  One tradition I will follow is to pass this along- TC, Sreelu, Mythreyee and Mansi, you’re all tagged…

Apple Crumble June 25, 2008

The other day my neighbors invited me over for a barbecue at their place and I decided to take dessert. I’ll be the first one to admit that desserts are not my forte. So, this was a challenge for me. I decided to make Apple Crumble and in true tinkering style decided to make it as healthy as possible. My first attempt at this recipe was resulted in a pretty good Apple Crumble-the second attempt perfected it (if I may say so, myself )

What you need

4 Apples (Granny smith or McIntosh)

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 Cup of unsweetened Mango Juice

1 Tbsp of honey

1-2 tsp of cinnamon

4-5 cloves, powdered with a mortar and pestle

For the crumble

1 Cups of oats

1 Cup of almond flour or meal (or ground almonds)

1/4 Cup of brown sugar

2 Tbsps of Flax seeds, ground

Dash of cinnamon

Mango Juice for additional moisture, if needed

How its done

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees farhenheit
2. Slice the apples and coat them with the juice of the lemons as you slice them so they do not brown
3. Mix the mango juice (or any natural unsweetened fruit juice you have on hand), one teaspoon cinnamon and the powdered clove
4. Layer the bottom of a baking dish with the fruit
5. To make the topping, mix the oats, almond flour, brown sugar, flax seeds and the second teaspoon cinnamon. If too dry, use the mango juice. The consistency should be such that you can make a crumbly ball of the mixture when you take some in your palm.
6. Top the apples with the crumble mix.
7. Place the baking dish in the center rack of your oven (the flax seeds tend to burn easily if you put the dish on the top rack). Bake for 30 minutes till you see a crisp brown topping.

Tastes awesome and light by itself- is decadent with ice cream!!

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon Siri’s Open Sesame 2 and decided to play- it was harder than I thought!! The riddle was as follows:

I am a flower but  adorn a bouquet, I do not
I have an inbuilt perfume in my being
So strong and so intense that my oil will make your insides ‘hot’
My medical impact all over the world seen.

My ‘Yorubas’ infusion is the ’savior’ of star wars
I have been used as a barter by the fellow ’sadiqi’s’ during trades
One does not have to fight tooth or ‘nail’ for me
I am usually pink but mostly available browned in shades

I may be dry , I may overpower your tongue
But add a little for that midas touch
Come now, start thinking of that spice
Whose bite make your ‘teeth’ say Ouch!

It took me two hints to guess….and my recipe today includes the ingredient? Can you guess what it is? You wouldn’t dream of it in an Apple Crumble, but it really complements the sweetness of the Apple…

This quick, easy and healthy (low fat, natural sugars) dessert is my contribution to Dhivya’s and Siri’s OS2

Quinoa Dosa/ Crepe June 25, 2008

 

I love dosas! The only problem is it needs some planning-not only if you’re making the maavu (batter) yourself (which means planning at least a day ahead- soaking the rice and urad dal, grinding and then letting the batter ferment), but also when it involves a trip to the local desi store to get pre-made dosa maavu (dosa batter). Its no secret that Quinoa fascinates me- I’ve made quinoa paella and used quinoa in soups. Considering its nutty flavor and mother of all grain status, I wanted to see if I can make a more nutritious version of dosa using quinoa, that would also be easy and quick to make (i.e, no planning- because dinner every night is decided about 5-10 minutes before I start preparing for it!! )

What you need

• 1 Cup of quinoa
• 2 Cups of Water to soak
• Water to grind
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp Eno or baking powder (optional)
• Cooking oil 

 

How its done

1. Wash the quinoa and soak it in the water for about 15-20 minutes
2. Grind the quinoa with a little water. Make sure that the batter is not thin. It should be of spreadable consistency (like regular dosa batter or a crepe mix)
3. Add salt to taste, and if you want some fermenting action, add the Eno (available at the local desi store).
4. Let it stay for about 5 minutes while you heat up the tawa or griddle. (TIP: To get the best dosas, use a cast iron griddle or tawa- these are thick and pre-treated and hence non-stick; the thickness allows for even, consistent heat)
5. Now, to prepare the tawa for dosa or a crepe, spread some oil on it (or spray some oil with a spray bottle- much less oil than the traditional spoon method). When the tawa is hot (and this is counter-intuitive), use a cloth dipped in ice-cold water and wipe it. Now, the tawa is ready for your batter.
6. Take a ladleful of the batter and drop it in the center of the tawa, spreading it with a movement in concentric circles, till the batter is evenly spread and you have a thin crepe.
7. Spray cooking oil around the edges and in the center. Wait till the batter on the tawa changes color. Use a spatula and flip the crepe over. Cook the other side for about 2 minutes. Flip again- fold and serve. 

Quinoa dosas emit a wonderful, nutty aroma when they roast up. They come out golden brown and don’t brown too much..serve with your favorite coconut chutney or “gunpowder”!!

I just discovered the Pancake on Parade event being hosted by Susan of thewellseasonedcook (interestingly, she announced the event the day I originally posted this recipe for Quinoa Crepe. So, Susan, this is my contribution to your event!