Thursday, March 28, 2013

Chocolate Chunks Cookies | Eggless Cookies


I like to bake cookies. Apart from the taste, I love knowing exactly what they are made of - no artificial ingredients, no colors, nor preservatives, no hydrogenated fats!! This is not to say that I am not occasionally partial to the biscuits I grew up eating in India. Its more that I am now more comfortable with the home baked versions. You can put them together so quickly and most of them can be stored for up to ten days, provided you can keep your hands off them.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Til Chatni | Sesame Seeds Powder | Chutney Powder


Dry Chutney Powders are a perfect accompaniment to a simple dinner of dal, rice, and vegetable. I learnt about these powders when we moved to Mumbai and I began school there. The variety of dry powders and their delicious hot and spicy taste were a treat to my tongue. I loved to eat them with everything - yes pretty much everything! I included them in sandwiches, inhaled them with batata vadas and sago kichidi, and sprinkled them on dal and yogurt.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Food Event: Your Favourite Street Food / Dhaba Food and Giveaway


For its first ever giveaway Annarasa ~ Essence of Food is teaming with CUPONATION, India’s largest coupon portal. CupoNation has generously offered a giveaway for 2 lucky winners. The two winners will each receive a flipcart egift voucher worth Rs. 1000.00 – the winners may purchase their favourite items for this amount via the filpcart website!!

CupoNation is India’s largest coupon portal, specially designed to meet the requirements of online shoppers. It has a broad collection of coupon codes with deals and offers from top online retailers like Flipkart, Naaptol, eBay.in, FabFurnish, Future bazaar, Jabong, Myntra, Home shop 18, Pepperfry and many more. To know about CupoNation and the many deals it offers, visit WEBSITE. To get daily deal details, join them on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+
 
To Enter this contest:
  1. Make your all time favourite Dhaba Recipe / Street Food Recipe and post it on your blog between 23rd March 2013 and 20th  April 2013. As this is a vegetarian blog, kindly send in vegetarian, egg free, or vegan recipes only.
  2. Mention and link back to this recipe contest and giveaway in your post before the recipe.
  3. Like Annarasa ~ Essence of Food and CupoNation on Facebook. 
  4. Archived Recipes related to the theme of this contest may be entered. They must be re-posted as per the rules of this contest. 
  5. Non-Bloggers are welcome to join the contest. Send your recipe(s) and picture to annarasa[at]gmail.com and like Annarasa on Facebook. Follow rules of the contest as well as the Guidelines below for additional entries to contest. Be sure you mention details for all entries in your email when you send in your recipe(s).
 To have additional entries in the contest: 
  • Follow me on Twitter and re-tweet this post for 2 additional entries.
  • Join my food blog Annarasa ~ Essence of Food via Google Connect for one additional entry.
  • Any additional recipe you post as per the contest rules above makes you eligible for one more entry.
  • Leave me a comment on this post letting me know where you have joined the site.   
Guidelines: 
      Please note flipcart ships only in India, so it is a must for you to have an address in India where you may
receive any purchases you make on their site using egift voucher. This contest and giveaway is open to: 
  • Anyone residing in India.
  • Anyone with a mailing address in India.   
  • Anyone who would like to purchase gifts for friends/relatives in India.
The winner will be picked using a Random No. Generator. The winner will be announced in the week following the completion of this contest. DO check back for the announcement so your egift voucher can be mailed to you.

      Kindly use the Link Tool below this post to link your recipes. Thanks for joining in!!
   
Disclaimer: This recipe contest and giveaway is organized by CupoNation at Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. The total giveaway amount is Rs.2000.00 (Two Thousand Rupees Only). This amount is divided into 2 flipkart egift vouchers of equal amounts of Rs.1000.00 (One Thousand Rupees Each). As the host of this Giveaway, Annarasa ~ Essence of Food and its author Apu has received NO compensation whatsoever in any form.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Green Beans and Corn with Toasted Sesame Seeds


Green Beans and Corn always makes for a flavourful combination, be it in a bake or a typically Indian style vegetable (sabzi). I make this combination a lot in late summer when fresh green beans and corn are both aplenty in the farmers' markets. At this time the beans are so tender, you barely need to cook them, just a gently fry is good enough. And the corn is wonderfully sweet and available literally at every street corner along with tomatoes and huge juicy watermelons!!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Irish Soda Bread | No Yeast Bread


One of my very favourite tea time treats apart from Raisin Scones is Irish Soda Bread. Slathered with butter and jam, it makes for a tasty and hearty treat. The sheer simplicity of this bread is what makes it shine out amongst the many bakes loaded with butter, sugar, and eggs that could be sitting beside your teacup on any given day. Then there is the taste - Irish Soda Bread has a clean nutty taste (though this will depend on the kind of flour your choose) and a texture that makes every bite satisfying.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Tomato Garlic Kuzhambu | Tomato and Garlic in a Tamarind Curry


Onions, Tomatoes, and Garlic in a curry - a whole host of Indian cooking count this trifecta as the basis of delicious curries that we enjoy in our homes almost everyday. But onions, garlic, and tomatoes as the curry? Why yes and why not?? Seasoned to perfection this combination makes for a perfect side dish for a sit down dinner or lunch any day. In northern parts of India these three ingredients make the most simple but utterly delicious tomato chutney that accompanies so many meals in the winter months. And in the southern and western parts is a differently seasoned curry that makes for the most divine accompaniment to a homely lunch of rice, dal, and vegetables - the kuzambu!!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Chili Baby Corn | Indo Chinese Kitchen


Chili Corn is another dish that is a favourite at Indian Style Chinese Restaurants. Sometimes though I find that it had a little too much chili for our taste. Last week when it was raining cats and dogs here, we were craving some nice hot Chinese food with rice I decided to make Chili Corn. We enjoyed it with Jasmine rice that I had picked up from my last visit to the wonderful Asian store in our city!!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Daring Bakers February 2013: Raincoast Crisps


I chose to make Raincoast Crisps for the February Daring Bakers Challenge. However as my internet was playing hooky, I have been unable to put up my post until today!! Well, here goes - good challenge, tasty crisps. I followed the recipe, but made only one fourth the total quantity of the recipe. They came out really well. Thanks to Sarah for this wonderful challenge.

Post Script: Sarah from All Our Fingers in the Pie was our February 2013 Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to use our creativity in making our own Crisp Flatbreads and Crackers!

Click here to find the complete February 2013 Daring Bakers challenge.

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:) 

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Brussels Sprouts ki Bhaji | Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry


I like a light weekday lunch, usually a roti, a cup of dal, and vegetable. Brussels Sprouts just fit the bill for a simple vegetable on the lunch menu. Though Brussels Sprouts are the bane of many a cook's existence, and often saved for a Christmas meal, at which time they are supposed to be a delicacy, I rather like their bitter nutty taste. This was one vegetable that I loved cooking throughout the year back in London. It really quick, very nutritious, and wonderful with chappatis!

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Hara Matar Kootu | Green Peas Kootu


Here is a simple and healthy recipe for you and your family. A mix of yellow moong dal, green peas and a freshly prepared spice mix, this kootu is simply heartwarming. I love to make this recipe in the winter when its snowing outside and so cold you would not want to budge. The ultimate in comfort food, enjoy this kootu with hot rice and dollop of ghee on the top!!

Friday, March 1, 2013

Navratan Korma | Mixed Vegetables in a Mild Tomato Curry | Vegan Recipe


Navratan Korma is a classic dish from Uttar Pradesh that found its notoriety in restaurant and shaadi meals in India. The idea of nine jeweled curry with lashings of ghee, fresh cream, paneer, pineapple, and cashews seemed to befit special occasions and treats. Today Navratan Korma is still very much a part of the restaurant menu, more so in Indian eateries across the world than in India. The other day I saw it on the lunch menu of my local coop!!