Saturday, February 28, 2009

Chocolate Valentino for the February Daring Bakers

Nothing quite like chocolate for a Valentine's Day Treat!! And the Daring Baker's Kitchen has given us just the perfect recipe for this month!! In the words of Wendy and Dharm:

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

I made both and they came out delicious!! The ice cream was Wendy's Vanilla Philadelphia Style Ice Cream Recipe. Sadly, it did not live to see the chocolate cake!! I had some old friends surprise us with a visit the weekend before Valentine's Day, and in my usual excitement I insisted they stay for dinner. For dessert I paired very ice cream with some pears poached in red wine. Sadly, no photographs of this :(

I made the cake on the 14th February, and as it was really too early to repeat the ice cream, I topped with with some walnuts!! The rich, dark and intense flavour of the chocolate was complemented beautifully and truly deliciously with the nuttiness of the walnuts. The recipe is a keeper!!

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Thursday, February 26, 2009

Sarson Ka Saag | Mustard Greens Indian Style

Sarson ka saag is one of the great favourites in the winter months in Delhi, when mustard greens are available in abundance as is fresh spinach. Sarson ka Saag or Mustard Greens are of course an import from Haryana which borders the capital, and can be found as a staple in the many roadside dhabas that dot the state.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Phool Gobi Matar ki Sabzi | Gobhi Matar | Cauliflower Peas Stir Fry


Cauliflower or phool gobi is available in abundance at our farmer's co-operative throughout the year. Being such a versatile vegetable, I tend to buy at least 1 head of flower every week and keep it handy in the refrigerator. From gobi parathas to Thai curries to cauliflower cheese, cauliflower adds its own distinct flavour to each and every dish, while absorbing spices and sauces it is cooked in to perfection. Sweet green peas or matar are my personal favourite. I remember my childhood when we would rush off to Sarojini Nagar Sabzi (vegetable) market every saturday morning to buy fresh produce. Both phool gobi and matar would be plenty in during the winter months!! That first peas of the season would be sweet, freshly shelled, and seasoned with nothing more than butter and salt!! And the cauliflower so creamy that it would melt in minutes once seasoned!! Mmmm....

Friday, February 20, 2009

Sookhi Rajma ki Dal | Spicy Red Kidney Beans


What would Aloo Tikkis be without an accompanying sauce? Of course, every self-respecting chef does stock up on an assortment of chutneys and ketchup!! But the simplicity of the tikkis is somehow jazzed up wonderfully with a tasty legume of some kind - often spicy chickpeas. I simply adore that combination which I love to serve up with tamarind and mint chutney. Yummy:)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Kurkure Aloo Tikki | Crispy Potato Cutlets

Aloo Tikkis are an all time favourite in my home. I remember cold winters in Delhi when we would all pile into my Dad's old Fiat and head off to Bengali Market to get a fix of crispy hot and crispy aloo tikkis. Served with melt-in-the-mouth chole, sweet tamarind chutney and hot green chili sauce, this concoction served as an instant winter warmer!! Just the nostalgia motivates me every year to recreate the magic during the frigid, snowy winters here in the north.