Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Hare Pyaaz aur Pudina ke Parathe | Spring Onion and Mint Flatbread

Its been a hectic few weeks out here. Writing load has been heavy though enjoyable and I've had little time for cooking. In the last two weeks, summer appears to have arrived in full force, though we are seeing a great number of summer storms too. The sunshine and rain has worked wonders for the plants which are blooming!! I will get some photos of my garden up in the next few posts.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Nariyal Wale Fras Beans | French Beans with Coconut

French Beans were always a great seasonal favourite in Delhi. Fresh and tender beans would flood the markets in early winter. Sweet and crisp and known as Fras Beans they'd dominate the menu in a multitude of ways. Here I get beans all year round, the fresh ones too, as they come from all across the globe. I also grow them in my vegetable garden in the summer, and the yield is pretty good.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Daring Cooks: Spicy Bean, Walnut, and Sun Dried Tomato Pate with Honey Wheat Bread

Pate and bread!! Perfect combination that always reminds me of Michaelmas in London. Brightly lit streets, exotic foods in creatively decorated containers, and loads of colour and warmth all around. Pate is in-season and and so are herbed crackers that go with it. Then again pates remind me of summer in England - they make a wonderful addition to any picnic basket - whether you plan to watch the boat races or head off to the Wimbledon Greens for a day out!!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Tari Wale Chole | Curried Chickpeas

Chole is a favourite dish in our home. While I make chole more suitable for chaat and tikkis, he makes them in  a typically North Indian style. Tari Wale Chole is typical of UP and Delhi where you will find this curry being sold early mornings at railway stations and small eateries near bus stops. It is also popular in the many temple towns there. The curry of this chole is very simple to make yet is very flavourful. Ideal for dunking freshly made pooris!!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Masaledaar Appe | Spicy Mini Appams

Sometimes, when there is extra time on the hand, or we are expecting visitors, I like to make a snack for our evening tea!! Usually, it is something light and salty. At times, its a matter of using the leftovers!!!! Today, it was the latter - I had idli batter left over from the weekend. I decided to make spicy mini-appams using my aebleskiver or appe pan.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Ghari Moong Dal Saag | Thick Yellow Moong with Swiss Chard

This is s typical dal-saag recipe that you will find in North Indian kitchens. It is considered to be a very light and healthy dish and commonly cooked on hot summer afternoons. Dal-Saag is served with fresh hot phulkas (puffed rotis) which are rolled very thin, plain yogurt and cool refreshing summer salads. Such a meal is very light on the stomach and great for any appetite ruined by hot Delhi summers - think 40C (100F+)!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Healing Foods Pomegranate: The Roundup

Last month I was the guest host to a food blogging event series called Healing Foods. This series has been created by Siri @ Siri's Corner. I chose Pomegranate as it is a much loved fruit, has great healing properties, tastes great, and can be used in a multitude of ways. This is a roundup of the entries I received for the month-long event. The entries are arranged as I received them!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Patta Gobhi aur Adrak ke Parathe | Cabbage-Ginger Flatbread

The other day I noticed that fresh local grown cabbage has arrived at our green grocers. I immediately picked up 2 pieces with tender leaves. The fresh cabbage grown locally - the one that has not seen the inside of a storage coolers has a great sweet taste and it is remarkably crisp. It is ideal for making soft parathas, as once grated it literally melts into the flour.