A Twist To Plain Omelette

An  assortment of  omelettes can be created  by adding  your own twist to it.One way to entice your taste buds is adding together a combination of flavorings to the basic omelette recipe.Savoury omelette can be made by adding a small quantity of herbs and or with a few of the mentioned: minced meat,shell fish,grated cheese, onions, tomatoes and zucchini. At home,plain omelette is not a favourite among the children,though they are coerced into eating it when there  are  no other options.As my younger daughter loves savoury,the  rest of my kids too get to indulge in these treats at least once a week.The taste is so lip-smacking and I bet  no one will actually  get fed up of eating omelettes  day after day.

To get a fairly large omelette,I used 6 eggs, one onion sliced, one tomato chopped,2-3 green chillies diced,a quarter teaspoon red chilly flakes and salt and pepper to taste

 

   whisk eggs with the rest of the ingredients
 and cook in a slighly buttered pan

cook both sides till light golden ( 2 minutes on each side)

keep warm in pan and cut into wedges

Serve with toast bread,lettuce and sliced tomatoes

The difference Between Refined And Unrefined Flour

The  difference between  brown  and  white  flour  is that  white flour(refined  wheat flour) contain  only the endosperm,whereas in whole-grain(unrefined whole wheat flour) all of the grain (bran,germ and endosperm )is intact and  utiilized when processing  flour from  whole- grains.So consuming whole-grain whole wheat flour in our  daily diet is highly advantageous as  nothing is lost in the process of making the flour.The  textured, brownish colour of whole grain flour is due to keeping the  bits and pieces of  the grains intact( without discarding them) in the process of making flour.

Whole-grain whole wheat flour is  a healthy,full-flavored flour, fortified  with vitamins, minerals and protein.Whole-grain  wheat flour is more nourishing than their counterpart , the  refined white flour. Refined white flour  does not,contain the macronutrients  of the wheat's bran and germ,especially protein and fibre,like whole-grain flour does. Whole grain has a good amount  of vitamins like calcium , iron,and minerals like selenium.

Unlike white refined flour,whole grain flour  does not raise sugar levels very quickly.So it makes  a better choice for diabetics who wish to keep their sugar levels under control.

However you cannot store the whole grain flour  for longer periods as it has  a shorter shelf life than white flour. The oil content is much higher in the  whole grain wheat flour causing it to spoil quickly, if  it is not  stored in cool places such as a refrigerator.

buns made with refined flour

 

Ghee Cookies ( Nan khatai)

This is a  very  simple recipe and easy to make.Children and adults  will love this any time

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup ghee( melted at  room temperature )

A teaspoon powdered cardamom

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation

In a bowl smoothly cream the ghee and the icing sugar.Mix together  the baking powder and the flour and add the cardamom powder.Mix gently till a crumbly dough forms.Remove the  dough from the bowl and knead it gently on a board .Leave the cookie dough  covered in plastic wrap for about 1/2 hour in the refrigerator.Remove from refrigerator and make little balls.Flatten  them slightly and place them in the baking tray and bake in a pre heated oven ,250 F for about 20 /25 minutes.

This recipe makes a dozen cookies.

I doubled the recipe since I was expecting guests at home.

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Remove from the oven and cool the cookies in a wire rack

I dusted the cookies with powdered sugar just before serving.

Storage tip:* Store in an airtight container in a cool place.Stays fresh for about 3-4 days. 

*Or wrap each cookie in aluminium foil ,place them in a sealed container before storing in the freezer(upto a month).

*Remove from freezer and leave it at room temperature before letting them melt into your mouth.

Mixed Pickle

Pickle is  an essential accompaniment  to rice and curry.And it can be of any kind.Here’s a delicious preserve which  can be enjoyed  on any occasion.This  is  a necessary side dish, skillfully prepared during  festivals or  any formal meals  hosted at home.I can assure you the guests  will greatly savor the taste.

Mixed Pickle

250 grams red onions ( the small variety)

10  small green chillies (seeds intact)
1 medium carrot
250 gr. Dates
2 cups vinegar
2 tbsps.Mustard seeds ( coarsely grind)
3 cloves. of  Garlic
A piece of   Ginger( about an inch)
1 1/2 tbsp. red chilly powder
1 ½  tbsps  Sugar
A sprig - curry leaves,
3 cloves,
A piece of cinnamon stick broken into half.
4-5 cardamom pods
Salt to taste

Optional:  dried& salted lemons/mangoes

step 1

Peel,wash and cut the carrot into julienne pieces.
Peel the onions wash and keep aside.Wash the green chillies and keep them whole
Take half quantity of dates, remove seeds .(The other half, with seeds intact,keep aside).
 

Step 2

I used the blender to mix the, garlic, ginger and  half of the dates (deseed) with the 2  cups of vinegar.this will make a thick paste.Remove from blender and pour the contents into a clay pot or a glass container.

Step 3
Stir into the paste, the red chilly powder, sugar , salt, the mustard seeds,cardamon and the cinnamon stick

Now add the remaining  dates with the seeds intact ,the small  onions ( whole : do not cut or chop) green chillies , carrot pieces  and the sprig of curry leaves .Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon to coat the paste evenly  so that the vegetables   soak up  the paste .

Optional tip  For that extra zing and a tangy flavor, add  into the pickle 2-3 dried salted lemons cut into quarters or dried  mangoes .(If you add the lemons and the salted mangoes, reduce the salt  when  you make the paste in step 3.

 

If the paste in step 2 is too thick ,add a little vinegar.

I usually serve mixed pickle  with an array of  curried vegetables, meat dishes and steamed rice.

 

This pickle will keep fresh,tightly sealed  in a  clay pot or a glass jar,for upto about three weeks in  the refrigerator.

 

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Baking Bread My Way

 

 

I love bread especially when its freshly baked.The smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the nostrils and tantalizing the tastesbuds..Hmm  don’t you love that? For a  long period of time I have been trying  baking bread at home ,however, I never achieved  the perfect loaf and  I used to get fed up with the end results.But  I didn’t completely give up my determination.I have turned to cook books,TV demonstrations and even foodies in the internet in a desperate attempt to learn the art of bread making.Somewhere in  the mid month of  November last year,things started changing.I was fortunate to learn some techniques that was being  demonstrated on a Food channel. Like how  light  and fluffy the dough should be when we mix in the ingredients and knead. Since then ,my bread making has  slightly improved.During the past months I had been practising almost every week to get the correct proposition for an enhanced loaf.I think I have somewhat achieved my goal, making it my way.I didnt actually follow any exact measurement.I adjusted it accordingly,with a little extra of this and that,here and there. My children loved the softness of the inside and the crusty texture of the outside.With a generous spread of butter in each slice you could very well satiate the taste buds of everyone at home.I am familiar with only one type of ‘bread making’ whereas there are many ways of  making bread.Bread is eaten all over the world. I find irresistible the  thin breads like Naan and chapattis too.The Middle Eastern bread pronounced "Khubz', is a thin flat circular shaped bread,a pita bread  very similar to tacos and delicious when eaten ‘hot hot’.There is also a variety of fillings wrapped in these breads .My children love the filling with chicken, chopped tomatoes, gerkins and a good amount of mayonnaise.A favourite among the young and old.

 

Though the loaf resembled a pound cake,every bite tasted so scrumptious,like the perfect bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Chicken

This is the  curried chicken I often mention in my blogs.I  make  this frequently and  is loved by the whole family.This recipe can be adjusted according to your palate.Be generous with the spices If you prefer the curry more  spicy or else be kind enough  to  reduce the fiery stuff.Its all in your hands how you want to pamper your taste buds.
These are the ingredients  you need to make this scrumpious curried chicken.

Chicken about 8-10 pieces (washed and  neatly cut with the bones)
I medium sliced onion
1 medium tomato chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
A piece of ginger chopped
1 teaspoon cummin seeds
2 tablespoon curry powder ( available in Asian supermarkets)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
A sprig of curry leaves
A cup of water
2 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon tomato paste
salt to taste
Juice of half a lemon
Yoghurt ( optional)

Method
Heat oil in pan.Add the sliced  onion and cook till it turns pale.Add the cummin seeds,ginger and garlic.When the aroma  starts wafing  through your nostrils ,turn in the chopped tomatoes,curry leaves and cook for a minute or two.Blend  in the curry powder and the turmeric powder with the ingredients thats being cooked.Then carefully place  the chicken pieces into it.Add  salt and water and mix well.Cook till the chicken is tender.Lastly add the tomato paste and the lemon juice.Simmer till the gravy thickens a little.
Delicious with Rice/ Bread/Chapattis .

Tip: Here's where the yoghurt comes in handy
*You can add yoghurt instead of the water.
*You can mix in 2-3   tablespoons of yoghurt into the curry to reduce the spiciness.
*Simple make a yoghurt sauce as an accompaniment

An Onion That Was Extraordinary For My Palate

As habitual,I was in the kitchen  preparing food for lunch .I was all set  with the chopping board, knife, and the condiments  and was about to make a chicken curry, a dish, favourite among my children.With the chicken pieces washed ,cleaned and set aside,I grabbed an onion from the condiment shelf to start the cooking process,when  something out of the ordinary aroused my curiosity.I just couldnt believe my eyes when I saw what I saw.One  half of the onion  had a facial figure with a 'scary' expression .All the same, it looked like  a character from the Cartoon Network.For a while all I could do was keep looking at it from every angle.The more I kept staring at it,the more I felt  I was having a tete-a-tete with this unusual character which seemed to be saying, 'Please dont eat me'.I was so intrigued by this natural phenomenon that I  didnt want to  disfigure the onion by chopping it  up and cooking. Eventually another  onion for used for preparing  the chicken curry, whereas  I preserved this prized possession  in the freezer.

What To Do With Leftover Food

Whenever I have guests at home ,I tend to cook extra meat,sea food or poultry ,so as to not be in an awkward position when 'Please can I have more', arises, especially from children.However  there are times when the guests feel satisfied  and full with  the first serving itself, that  there will be enough food remaining for a day or two.I always make it a point to use the leftovers in different dishes so as to tempt my children in eating them ( though they sometimes never know they were the previous meal's leftovers).I refrigerate the unused portion of the food and work out a new recipe.I usually  make fillings for  buns and toppings for pizzas using leftover  meat curries.I toss leftover shrimps and prawns in noodles and pastas or remove the remnants from the gravy, mix in with batter and fry.This way I know I can tantalize the taste buds of everyone at home ,and what more the food doesn't go to waste. 

Pizza topping  made with leftover meat

Culinary Quote

It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it.
-Julia Child -

Bittergourd Sambol

Ingredients
A packet of dried bitterguord
11/2 teaspoons  of maldive fish
1 large red onion sliced
1 green chilly sliced
1 tomato chopped
A little turmeric powder ( 1/2 teaspoon).
Oil for frying
Lemom/lime juice
Salt to taste

Method
Soak  the guord for 1/2 hour.( add the turmeric when you soak).Rinse well.Heat oil and fry the bitter guord till golden.Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in another pan and add all the ingredients except the guord and lemon juice and cook till tender.Lastly add the gourds and squeeze in the juice of  a lemon. 

Fry the dried  bitterguord 

Chicken In Yoghurt

I love to try different recipes to satisfy my family's taste buds.I love trying various methods of cooking chicken.Very often I cook chicken with fresh tomatoes and tomato paste .Recently I thought I will make something new with the chicken.Instead of cooking the chicken on the stove, I actually cooked it in the oven.I made this dish in the spur of the moment, I actually didnt have a recipe or didn't know what to expect once done.Nevertheless it was scrumptiously delicious..

Here's how the recipe was created

Add 2 teaspoons of chilly powder,curry powder,turmeric,a few crushed garlic,ginger,salt and mix them well with a cup of yoghurt.Set aside.

Place 10-12 chicken pieces ( or desired amount)in a baking tray.Pour the above yoghurt mixture over the chicken and let it marinade for 1/2 hour .Cover the tray with an aluminium foil and bake it for 20 minutes.Check for salt.Add some lemon juice and cook for a further 20 minutes.Add 1/4 cup  water if you want some gravy. Serve with steaming rice and a green salad.

Fancy Egg Toast

Children will love these fancy toasts.An easy to make breakfast that will take only a few minutes of your time in the kitchen.My daughter who is very fussy about eating eggs,enjoyed eating this when I had prepared this for breakfast .Now it's  surprising as she keeps reminding me to make this whenever she feels like she  wants to eat breakfast in style.Nowadays making her eat her breakfast isn't a hassle anymore.

Apply a little butter in a flat pan .Place a  slice of bread and make a hole in the centre. 

Break an egg into the hole and cook for a minute .You can enjoy the bulls eye toast with a dash of salt and pepper.

Or cook either side till golden

Serve hot with a dollop of butter or cream cheese/tomato ketchup.Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spicy Noodles

You could make this for lunch or dinner or when you have guests at home.It's easy and economical.If you are preparing this dish for your guests ,you can  make an additional dish and make it more presentable.Increase the ingredients  if you plan to make for more than 2 persons. 

serving suggestion

Ingredients

150 grams noodles

1 tablespoon sliced cabbage

1 tbsp sliced capsicum

1 tbsp carrot ( julienne)

1 tbsp sliced onion 

10 ml oil

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp ginger ( julienne)

1/2 tbsp crushed garlic

1-2 tbsps chilly paste

Salt and pepper according to taste.

Method

Boil the noodles and drain the water.Set aside.Heat the oil in a wok.Add the onion and cook it till pale in colour.Then add the ginger and garlic.Mix in the chilly paste.Stir in the mixed vegetables and saute gently.Lastly add the noodles,salt,pepper and the soya sauce.Give it a good stir and serve it hot.

This can be served with  fresh  green salad and cooked  chicken.

Banana Fritters In Jaggery Syrup

The bananas were getting ripened too quickly.And the children were not  keen or  hungry  to eat them immediately. However in a day, they will all get over ripened  and will be an excuse for the children to refuse eating the fruits.Since I didnt want the fruits to go waste, I decided to make a sweet dessert out of the bananas.This will keep longer in the refrigerator.

The recipe for banana fritters
Sieve 1 1/2  cups of flour.Mash 5 well ripened  bananas and mix them together..Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda.Add  a little water .( the mixture should be of very thick consistency).Leave aside for 15-20 minutes.Drop spoonfuls into hot oil and fry till golden brown.

 fry till golden brown

Serve the fritters with a syrup made out of with jaggery and sugar.

To make the syrup -In a pan, add about 250 grams of jaggery to 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.Mix into it, about 3-4 tablespoons of sugar,a few crushed cardamoms and a small stick of cinnaman.Remove from heat , cool and add the fritters.

jaggery Syrup

 

 

 

 

Sesame Seed Candy

Do you know that eating sesame seeds is good for your health? A cup of sesame seeds has three times more calcium than a cup of milk.It also has protein and fibre.Here’s a little treat for you to try out.Enjoy!

Sesame Seed Candy 

250 grams sesame seeds
190 grams sugar
A little ghee (2-3 tsp)
2 tablespoons pistachios

Method
Roast the seeds till light brown.( don’t darken).Set aside.In a pan heat the sugar and mix in the ghee.Let it melt.Now add the roasted sesame seeds.Mix well.Take small potions at a time and make tiny balls..Press into it some crushed pistachios.Cool and serve.

Another option-Grease a rolling pin  and  flatten the mixture.Then cut into bars.


Heres the picture of sesame seed candy bar

Spice Up Your Cooking

What a whole lot of information I discovered recently when browsing through a newsletter sent via my email.At times newsletters become a pain,when they  are delivered  to our inbox one after the day.Surprisingly,this time it proved me wrong with this information.Newsletters in a way, pass on to us things we are not aware of . I am very fond of spicy food,but I didnt realize that it had a lot of benefits  eating them. Spicy foods imparts  and enhances flavour and taste to the food we eat ,but I was n’t aware of it’s  advantages. Using the fiery stuff like red chilly could do a lot of good  to the body.Aside the burning sensation to the mouth,lips and tongue,Spicy food actually raises  the body‘s  metabolism due to the chemical compounds  found in spices like red chilly..Adding a lot of red chillies or red chilly flakes to your cooking  can be a good thing if you want to boost your metabolic speed. Go ahead and spice up your cooking and your life as well.

I love to add red chilly to my chicken curry.

Cooking With Tomatoes

Tomatoes are full of nutrients like carbohydrates,calcium and vitamins.You get a lot of benefits eating tomatoes.Most relish them when eaten raw as salads or cooked in various meat and vegetable dishes and the most favourable among children is the tomato ketchup and sauce.Wondering what to do when you are left with an abundance of tomatoes.I guess you might have got fed up of making the same dishes over and over.Why not try making something new this tomato season,when you have a huge bag and don’t know what to do with them..Well! try making tomato chutney,which you can bottle them and store in the refrigerator for longer periods and eat them when tomato is off season.Or you can show off your culinary efforts by taking delicious chutneys to the next potluck organized by your circle of family and friends.Wait till they get a taste of it..They will definitely ask for more. Tomato Chutney,is something like jam but with spices added. It is delicious eaten with toast bread or rice alongside other dishes.

The Wondrous Spice Cinnamon

A number of studies advocate that cinnamon may have an unyielding outcome on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. According to a report in the the Readers Digest,cinnamon the aromatic  spice that impart that extraordinary flavor to our food can actually keep our sugar levels healthy.This naturally scented spice diminishes blood sugar swings  that can lead to type 2 diabetes according to studies. Adding a dash or just sprinkling  ½ a teaspoon a day of cinnamon to your yoghurt,cereal or fruit can bring down your raised sugar levels to a normal range.The powdered  spice can be also sprinkled on your  toast, juice or coffee.There are also other benefits using cinnamon in your daily diet .It is a great source of manganese,fiber, iron, and calcium.Studies have also shown  that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.When added to food, it restrains bacterial growth and keeps the food from getting  spoilt, making it a natural food stabilizer.

Sale At Zenni Optical

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Delicious Date Muffins

The weather here is so cold and it makes the children hungry more often .The other day,a little later after we had our lunch,the children wanted me to serve something for dessert.Since I didnt have any prepared ones in my refrigerator,I decided to make something from scratch.I  really enjoyed adding some new ingredients to a recipe that I had tried earlier.I had  first tried this recipe with plums. Since then,I have made with various other  fruits like apples,bananas and raisins and nuts However this time I  thought I will  try with yet another kind.So I added Dates to this recipe.Believe me,this was really, really good.The aroma was so irresistible that we were all waiting with plates and spoons to eat it straight from the oven.Trust me,don’t postpone, try making  them  immediately.It was so delectable eating it still warm and with a steaming cup of tea..This is something    wonderful   to  delightfully indulge  on a cold afternoon.

Date Muffins

1 and 1/2 cups flour

250 grams sweetened condensed milk

60 grams butter or ghee (room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup chopped dates (seeds removed)

cake sprinkles ( I used chocolate sprinkles)

Method

Sieve together the flour,baking soda and baking powder.

Put the above  sieved ingredients in a large bowl.

Now stir into it  the condensed milk,butter or ghee,vanilla essence and water.

Thorough mix and then fold in the chopped dates.

Grease the muffin tray and pour in  the batter ( do not fill to the top)

Sprinkle with  chocolate (sprinkles)

Bake in a hot oven till done ( about 15-20 minutes)

( Makes a dozen large size muffins)

Enjoy!