Daring Bakers April 2011: Maple Mousse in an Edible Container

Here' is my version of maple mousse. It is a very light vegetarian option, made with maple syrup, yogurt, and agar agar. Sadly, I am unable to make the edible container as I am off serious sweets for a while. Great challenge Evelyn. Thanks!!

Post Script: The April 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Evelyne of the blog Cheap Ethnic Eatz. Evelyne chose to challenge everyone to make a maple mousse in an edible container. Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 27th to May 27th at http://thedaringkitchen.com!

 Click here for the Complete April 2011 Daring Bakers Challenge.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Oven-Baked Spiced Savoury Canape Cups

For the Daring Cooks April 2011 Challenge, I made some edible containers well suited to Indian-style savoury canapes. Inspired by Chaat-Papdi, Dahi-Puri, and Raj Kachoris, I made a hybrid savoury container that can hold all your favourite chaat fillings! And its not deep fried!! Indeed, instead of frying, I baked these delicious cups in the oven to get a crisp biscuity finish that is perfect in both taste and crunch.

Fresh Fruit Yogurt: Delicious Strawberry & Blueberry Tiers

I love fruited yogurts, but always feel rather uncomfortable buying them in the supermarket. All kinds of added preservatives, too much sugar, artificial flavouring are the ultimate turnoff. There are some great organic brands available, but I feel that are truly overpriced for the quantity offered. All in all I prefer to make my own from scratch, but occasionally I do like to use plain Greek yogurt to make fruit yogurts or deliciously fruity parfaits!!

Crunchy Vegetable Salad with Yogurt Dressing

I just crave the taste of garden fresh vegetables in the winter. Though we are under 9 inches of snow here and it is bitterly cold here, we are lucky to get crisp and juicy salad vegetables in our favourite stores. Last week, I bought sweet bell peppers: red, yellow, and orange, crunchy cucumbers, and some beautiful tomatoes for a salad. This is a salad I love - it has a light home made dressing that I make with yogurt and lots of nuts and seeds to add to the crunch!!

Boondi Ka Raita (Yogurt Salad with Mini Chickpea Flour Dumplings)

Fresh plain yogurt is an integral part of everyday Indian meals. In fact, it is prepared and set at home every morning so that it is ready for the meals of the day! Sometimes fresh yogurt is combined with multiple ingredients and spices to make a delicious tasting salad. Boondi ka Raita is one such yummy addition to any meal. It tastes super with any paratha (Stuffed Indian Flatbread), can be the star of a meal on a festive occasion, and is probably the quickest dish you can rustle up in event of unexpected guests for dinner.

I like home made boondi ( mini chickpea flour dumplings), and always make a batch whenever I get deep frying. But as I fear running out, I also like to keep a stash of good quality store bought boondi in my pantry. You can find it quite easily any Indian grocery - in fact now pre-spiced versions are also available. The key thing to to remember when buying boondi is that the packet in which they are sold must not be lined with grease.

I like to make Boondi ka Raita in multiple ways! Though the basic principle of making the Raita always remains the same, I do like to spice it differently every time. This recipe is made with a Tarka or an oil seasoning that adds a delicious kick to this very simple salad!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups plain yogurt
3/4 cup boondi
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp red chili powder
8-10 curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 green chilies, chopped
1 tsp canola oil

Method:

1. Beat the yogurt until smooth. Blend in salt to taste.
2. Beat in the red chili powder. 
3. Add the boondi.
4. Prepare the tarka by heating the oil in a small pan. 
5. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the cumin, curry leaves, and green chilies.
6. Fry for a minute or until the curry leaves become crisp. Add the turmeric, turn off the heat.
7. Season with the tarka just before serving.

Good to know:

• You can reduce the oil content in the boondi by soaking it in warm water for two minutes. Squeeze the water out of the boondi before adding it to the yogurt.
• Place prepared Raita in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving. This allows the boondi to soak in the yogurt and spices adding tot he flavour of this dish.

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.

Vrat ka Khana | Fasting Foods: Aloo Raita | Potato Yogurt Salad

Aloo Raita is a favourite in North India. It is typically made in the winter and I always associate it weekend lunches in the warm Delhi winter sun!! It is also one of those foods that are made during festivals, especially Sharad Navratri. This year Sahrad Navratri falls between October 8 and October 17. During these nine nights and ten days, Hindus worship the nine forms of Goddess/Mother - Devi/Shakti. On the tenth day, Vijaya Dashmi or Dusshera is observed.

Boondi Ki Kadhi | Buttermilk Curry with Mini Dumplings

Curries made with buttermilk and yogurt are an integral part of the Indian kitchen. In most parts of the north, a creamy yet very light and delicious curry called Kadhi can be found. There are multiple variations of this dish which tastes equally wonderful with rotis, parathas, and rice!! While a spicy Pakode Wali Kadhi is probably the most well known in Delhi and Punjab, in Rajasthan a Boondi Ki Kadhi is served. The spices and flavours very considerably, but Kadhi is one of the easiest and quickest of food you can rustle up in your kitchen.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup chickpea (garbanzo) flour
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1" piece ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp cumin (zeera)
6-8 curry leaves
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds (rai)
1/8 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
6 black peppercorns (Kali Mirch)
4 cloves (lavang)
1" piece cinnamon (Dal Chini)
2 dried red chilies (Saboot Lal Mirch)
1/2 tsp turmeric (Haldi)
1 tsp oil
Pinch asafoetida (Hing)
Salt to taste
1 tsp clarified butter (Ghee)
1/2 tsp red chili powder (Lar Mirch)
1/2 cup ready made boondi

Method:

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it reaches smoking point, reduce the heat and add one by one the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and red chilies. Roast for a few seconds. 
2. Then add the mustard seeds, cumin, methi seeds, and asafoetida. Follow immediately with the curry leaves and grated ginger. Stir well until you get the smell of ginger.
3. Next add half a cup of water and simmer the ginger and spices for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. In a a separate bowl, beat together the chickpea flour, turmeric, and buttermilk. The mixture should be lump free.
5. Pour this mixture into the spice mix. and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Increase the heat to medium, continue cooking and stirring until the mix begins to thicken into a sauce.
6. Add the salt to taste, cook for another 5 minutes on a lower heat taking care the sauce does not stick to the pan.
7. Add the boondi and let it sink into the curry. Turn off the heat. Cover.
8. Prepare the tarka (seasoning) by heating the ghee in a small pan. Add the red chili powder. Pour over the Kadhi.
9. Serve hot with parathas or rice.

I love to serve this Kadhi with Spinach Parathas. The combination is simply amazing. This lip-smacker goes out to Priya @ Mharo Rajasthan who is hosting Think Spice, Think Fenugreek this month. Think Spice is a blogger foodie event created by Sunita @ Sunita's World.

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.

Chukandar Pachadi | Beetroot Pachadi

I always try to buy local and fresh foods for my kitchen. Apart from our world class Farmer's Market, we have loads of other options for seasonal produce around here. We are surrounded by U-Pick operations that sell vegetables and fruits year round or deliver the goodies right to your home. In the summer, I prefer to go out and pick fresh vegetables and fruits. My last trip to the local farm got me a delicious harvest of carrots, beets, and new potatoes!!

Whipped Kiwi-Banana Frozen Yogurt

Kiwis are probably one of the prettiest fruits in the market. When I was growing up they were rarely seen in the fruit stalls of Delhi and Mumbai. My first memory of them is on chilled fruit tarts, sublimely green and rather exotic, sitting very prettily next to strawberries, and pineapples! When they first made an appearance in the local fruit markets, they were assigned a special place - imported and expensive. Interestingly they were also regularly confused with Chikoo or Sapota due to their dull brown-green skin!! The two fruits could not taste more different, though each is lovely in is own way:) I love the sweet-tartness of the Kiwi and when paired with banana, its simply divine.

Pepper n Lime Cake with a Lime Glaze Icing

My first experience with an olive oil cake was when I made my very first Sauternes cake. The divine combination of the fragrant Sauternes wine and the spiciness of the olive oil just captured my imagination and subsequently my palette. Since then, I have rarely hesitated to experiment with olive oil in my baking. I developed this version of the olive oil cake a few weeks ago after two deeply frustrating attempts at following a recipe that was meant to give me a stunning chocolate cake!! Being an intuitive cook I just knew that something was not quite right - but then the recipe came from what is widely considered a well-trusted source. Anyway, after I chucked 2 cakes in the bin, I went back to my own judgement and vowed not follow recipes after all ;)

Tangy Orange and Fig Smoothie

The holidays this year were fun, busy, exciting, busy.... need I say more :) We had family and friends over almost every weekend in the last 2 months and the Christmas break was no exception. We had a falafel lunch on the 25th - I made parsley hummus, fresh falafel, and home-made pitas. The day before I made a gorgeous three fruit marmalade, and baked a beautiful and crumbly olive oil cake. Freshly squeezed juices and blended smoothie heaven - mmmmm - what more can one ask for at the end of a long, full, and exhausting week.

Cucumber Salad with Peanuts

We've just got past the first few days of spring and already we are feeling the difference in the weather. Its a tad warmer, the snow has almost entirely disappeared and green shoots of grass pushing their tiny heads out of the barren ground!

Warmer weather definitely encourages a change in the menu and I am really enjoying making fresh and light salads now-a-days!! Here's one with cucumber and peanuts! The beauty of this salad recipe is that its very easy to put together, can be added as a side dish to a meal, and serves as a wonderful and tasty starter too :)

Ingredients:
1 medium cucumber, peeled & diced
2 green chilies, minced
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 tbsp fresh coconut, shredded
1/4 cup peanuts, roasted & crushed
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Salt, to taste
Pinch of sugar

Method:

1. Mix the cucumber, chilies, ginger, coconut, and cilantro. all the ingredients together. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Blend salt and sugar into the yogurt. Add to the cucumber mix and coat the cucumber well.
3. Add the peanuts.
4. Mix and serve immediately with a meal.

This salad goes well with parathas, bhaji, or dal. But I often dish it up separately as a starter with roasted papads (poppadums) or as a dip with crunchy corn tortillas. This refreshing recipe goes to Neha @ Easy & Tasty recipes who is hosting AFAM Cucumber this month.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007-2009. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Strawberries with Saffron-Cardamom Yogurt

Yes, it is the end of the summer, and we are in the pushing into autumn. But here's the last of the blush of summer in a really delightfully simple dessert. We love the lovely combination of textures and flavours that come together here: the tart strawberries, the thick yogurt, the fragrant cardamom, and incredible saffron. I hope you will love this one too :)

Ingredients:
2 cups Greek yogurt
2 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 tsp cardamom, powdered
1/2 tsp saffron strands
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp brown sugar, divided equally

Method:

1. Warm the milk for 30 seconds in the microwave. Drop the saffron strands in the milk. Stir, cover, and set out for 5 minutes.
2. Place the yogurt and sugar in a large glass bowl. Whip the yogurt for 5 minutes. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
3. Strain the saffron extract and pour it into the yogurt. Mix well and then cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
4. In the meanwhile, hull the strawberries and slice them. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of brown sugar. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
5. Assemble the desert in individual bowls. Place a tablespoon of the saffron-cardamom yogurt in the bowl. Cover with two tablespoonfuls of the berries. On these berries, add a layer of the yogurt so that it covers the berries completely. Spoon two more tablespoons of berries on the yogurt and finally top with a spoonful of yogurt.
6. Repeat for all bowls. Serve immediately.

P.S. If you can't find any fresh strawberries, fresh frozen ones work just as well. Just follow the thawing instructions on the packet!!

This original recipe goes out to the Original Recipes Round-Up #4 hosted by Culinarty at Culinarty: The Art of Microwave Baking. This is a really interesting and unique event and I would encourage all readers with desire to create and learn to drop by and view the previous and current round-ups:)


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

Gujarati Kadhi | Sweet-Sour Buttermilk Curry

Hey Folks! I'm back after a short hiatus. February was supposed to be our home moving month, with the actual move planned for the end of the last week. However we had some rather unexpected warm and sunny weather on the weekend of 23-24 February. Given the 100 plus inches snow that we have plowed our way through since the start of this year, the ray of sunshine seemed promising, and indeed too good to pass up. At the very last minute we decided to take advantage of this good fortune that nature had sent us and move a week before planned. There was some unfinished maintenance at our new home, yet we decided to chance it :)