Thursday, August 30, 2012

Summer Sweet Corn and Tomato Pie


Its coming up to the end of summer and corn and tomatoes are available aplenty here. I made this sweet corn and tomato pie last week to enjoy both the flavours at the peak of the season. We had picked up some sweet corn from a farmers market and the tomatoes I got from the farm where I get my summer produce!! The pink tomatoes were just so gorgeous that the moment I saw them all I could think of was making a pie with them.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Methi Matar Malai | Creamy Fenugreek with Peas


Methi Matar Malai is a wonderful and mellow fusion of sweet, bitter, sour, and tart flavours. I adore this dish and though it uses a good quantity of cream, the final result if worth it. Its a perfect dish for a treat, a party, or an add on dish to a complete table! Try it and I assure you there will will no protests at home!!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Chili Tofu | Indo Chinese Kitchen


Chili Tofu is a take on the very popular Chili Paneer served in Indo Chinese establishments! I tasted Chili Paneer many years at Sakoni's - a Gujarati restaurant in Wembley, London. It was such a popular dish that Desis (colloquial for South Asians) living in London would plan special trips to Sakoni's just for a stab at the dish. I was dragged across town by just such an eager friend. Unfortunately at the time the dish I was least impressed with was, you guessed it, Chili Paneer. I am guessing that it was overshadowed by other delicacies like Chaat, Lassi, Samosa, that I focused on during the meal!!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Zesty Onion Chili Bread | Pyaz Mirch ki Dabal Roti


I am baking a lot more these days. And its mostly bread, savoury bakes, and pies. A brief cool down in the last few weeks made it possible to get the oven going and get back to baking. I have so many recipes I want to share with you, but I am going to begin with this Zesty Onion Chili Bread or as it would be called in India Pyaz Mirch ki Dabal Roti!!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Matar Tofu Masala | Spicy Green Peas and Tofu


One dish I have always loved is Matar Paneer! I make it often enough and we love it with parathas. Some days back I was just craving this curry, but there was no paneer at home. So I decided to go ahead and veganize this recipe to Matar Tofu!! The result was wonderful. Tofu picked up the flavours of this curry so well that even I was surprised. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Doodh Peda | Milk Fudge for Krishna Janmashtami


I have been wanting to make Pedas at home for a long time now. I find most Halwai Pedas to contain way too much sugar. Not that they don't taste good - lots of sugar can make for a delicious melt in the mouth Peda. But I was looking for something a little less intense. Here I have used condensed milk for that extra milkiness and sweetness. My recipe has no sugar and I found that the proportions below gave me a delicious milk fudge.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Firni | Phirni | Creamy Ground Rice Custard - Three Ways


Monday night and I was craving some really creamy dessert!! No, not ice cream or even cream cake. I was looking for something smooth, milky and sweet. Phirni, the fabulously easy milk custard had been on my mind for a while! Thickened with rice paste and sweetened with sugar, this dessert harks back to hot Delhi days when cold desserts were a welcome relief. Prepared in the heat of the day, garnished with nuts fried in ghee, and chilled to perfection in the refrigerator, Phirni always marked the perfect ending to spicy meals!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Gobhi Mussallam | Slow Cooked Marinated Cauliflower


Gobhi Mussallam is a wonderfully delectable dish that once again comes from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Heartwarming and delicious, this recipe is typically made in the winter as its stars are winter vegetables. Both cauliflower and peas, today available around the year, were to be found in the sprawling vegetables markets of the north only in winter. In fact, when peas did make an appearance out of season, people rarely purchased them, as they would often have a bitter aftertaste. Winter peas were always sweet!!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Daring Bakers July 2012: Crunchy Crackers


I was delighted that the July 2012 Daring Bakers Challenge featured four recipes for home made crackers!! Yes, that wonderfully salty treat that goes so well with cheese, a wide array of vegetables, and even fruit. Loved the recipes even more as most did not feature butter! I chose two types of crackers: the first Health Crackers. I made just one third of the recipe, replaced the egg with some milk, and topped the crackers with sesame seeds, red chili flakes, and roasted cumin.