Food : EuroGrub : Aubergine and Potato Lasagna

Winter.. has been too prolonged this time. Its April and we are still reeling under the cruel cold. Yesterday, it was almost dinner time, I need to set an alarm now a days for 7:00p.m, because its all nice and bright outside and I almost forget that we are close to having dinner. So with the cold weather outside, I was looking for some Nirvana, food wise of-course  and I have been thinking of a thousand-layer lasagna for long now ;) (only if there were people I could serve up to). I had some nice whisper thin lasagna's lying around for long now, and had finished up with those fresh mushrooms in the morning. So All I was left with was some Aubergine. Aubergine is a classy accompaniment in any lasagna, i'm sure you all will agree with that. I hunted for more ingredients in the refrigerator, and found this paste called the Ajvar, a fine puree of Bell Peppers and Aubergine. I had picked this up from the regular supermarket. And there was My Cheese... Everybody who loves cheese, thinks he/she is the person who loves cheese the most no??

Yeah, so finally, I had
10 sheets of see-through Lasagna
Ajvar - you can make this at home also (just lightly cook the peppers and aubergine, blend them with red chillies)
The Bechamel Sauce (I made this with flour, butter, milk, a little wine, a dash of garlic and salt)
finely sliced (lengthwise) Aubergine -1 no
Finely sliced (lengthwise) Potatoes - 3 medium size
Cheeeeeeeeeeese

How did I do it?? Here it goes,
First I soaked the 10 Lasagna sheets in Luke warm water for around 10 minutes. After 10 minutes removed the lasagna sheets and freed it from all the dripping water.

I preheated my oven to 200 deg C.

I got the Bechamel sauce ready, and added 4 spoons of spiced Ajvar Paste and gave it a good boil.

My Square ceramic dish was greased with butter and kept aside. I lined the bottom most layer with Sliced potatoes, till the bottom of the dish was completely covered.

I layered the just moist Lasagna sheets... over it went the Bechamel'ed sauce, then the Aubergine and a little bit of cheese. Over it, I again set the Lasagna sheets with Aubergine, the sauce (how much of sauce you want over each layer, is a choice I leave it to you). Yes, the last layer, shall be, shall be Cheeeesed up. It feels tooo rich and indulgent.
Bake this for exactly 40 minutes and once done, I advise you to not waste any further time. Sit down and enjoy the meal.

Happy birthday Papa, I miss you

Happy Birthday Papa.

Suddenly this November 8^th feels very different. There has been a vast vacuum in my life for the last 5 months and I know that This November 8^th is never going to be like all the November 8’s that have gone by. It is your birthday, Papa. And I know I won’t be able to call and wish you. You haven’t answered my phone call and I know you never will. It has also been so long I heard you calling out my name... I miss you Papa.

Papa.. I was your little fairy and you doted on me. I was your only child and you spoilt me ... with your love. I remember all the pillow fights we had, pulling your hair, playing with your moustache, pinching your chubby cheeks. I loved those  gifts that you bought for me, on every birthday and even before I would wake up, you would keep it next to me and plant a kiss on my cheek, lift me up and give me that hug. That hug is what I miss today, and it is definitely not the only thing I miss.

Every year, holidays would mean only one thing. TRAVEL. How you took me all over the country... booked tickets, meticulously mapped the travel and made sure we had fun. How in those days in spite of all the hardships, you would save the required funds to make sure you took us somewhere, every year, year after year.  You deserve a medal for being such a sport.

Sports!!! Wasn’t that another interest of yours!??? How you went around places, representing your organisation, won trophies and rewards. Your passion for cricket... You would suddenly get so religious and superstitious when your country was playing. Remember you wouldn’t allow Mom to get up from her chair, cause you thought every time she got up, there was someone getting out!!

How you encouraged me into sports, and when I took to it, I know how happy you were. I cherish those post dinner 9.00p.m to 10.00p.m table tennis practise sessions that you and I had. I recall those early mornings where we would play badminton, not to forget how you would wake up as early as 5’o clock, to prepare that egg omelette when I got into formal training. You were my partner, coach, mentor and everything. You slept with that piece of newspaper below your headrest for months and years which had my little snapshot for winning a trophy and even later continued to treasure it. And now I only get to treasure your memories Papa. Nothing seems more important than you.

There are so many things about you which I understand now. What I thought then, as your behaviour of overdoing is something I appreciate you today for being a person who was so selfless. I so well remember the gentleman in our apartment, who Mom and I were not very appreciative of, was for a period trying to be overly pleasant with you. And at a time of his unwell, you requested Mom to cook food for him which mom flatly refused and then you requested me and saw the same response. I wonder how you could give up on your food for those 3 days, give him your share of breakfast and lunch and without any noise go and have a meal outside. Back then I was mad at you for this, but today, I admire the heart of gold that you were blessed with.

However, I remember you were so firm when it came to other matters of growing up. You were very stern with me otherwise.

You were my silent inspiration; it’s amazing how you influenced me with all your ethics. If today, I cannot tolerate lies and appreciate honesty and simplicity in ways of life, it is because of you. I remember how scared I was to tell you that I wasted an entire sheet of craft paper in school and I was falling short of one for the next day. I sat there crying, and you asked me what the matter was, and when I was honest enough in telling you of the same, you calmly told me not to worry and you would buy me another one. Another incident where my gold ring went down the drain of the bathroom and I was so nervous of stepping out of the bathroom. I gathered my nerves and informed you and surprisingly all you said was ‘It’s ok’.

And why am I writing all this!? It’s simply because I want to tell you what being your daughter has meant to me. It will never be possible to write or say how much you loved me, because love of parents to their children is beyond measure. It’s not fair to assess it either.

God blessed you with your dream, like all children are the dream of their parents. But you dint know, that I was blessed with you as my dad even before I was born. 

I know the time and the years you were there, you enjoyed and had a good life... worked hard and honestly to have that good and simple life. You gave more than 100% of yourself to anything that you believed in. You were an achiever. You wanted something, you would go after it, in fair ways and gain it.

You and Mum hid the fact of your illness from me because I was still carrying my baby, my dream within me. You were probably right in your way as parents, but did you ever think what your baby would do without you?? You and mom struggled through the tough times, without giving me a hint and made sure nothing came in the way of my progress. You, I know, were seeing dangerous days ahead, but forced your way to be by my side... flew to another country inspite of all odds, to be by my side and see your grandchild. I wonder where Mum and You got the strength from to support each other. Dad, if I could have done anything to take the pain away from you, I would. But all I could do was to be by you. You went through the surgery with such a positive approach and got out of it. You were fighting physically and mentally to get back to your normal self and you were approaching it. You were a fighter through and through. I know you wanted to live life, like you had all these years. Your dream was to see Anmol grow up, play and mature into a fine handsome man. Inspite of your unwell, I remember your ways of playing and entertaining him. You waited for 7 years to see your grandchild, and he saw you for 7 months. You have no clue how happy and excited he gets when he sees your photograph and talks to you as if there is a conversation ... I believe there is a magical connect between the two of you and I hope it stays on.

God at the end was merciless. Perhaps the reason why my intense belief in God, the supernatural is all washed out today. He deprived me of you, my parent, my Dad, your love and presence. And more than anything silently watched a genuine and a total god-fearing person go through pain and frustration.

Now, With you, a big chunk of me has gone. It will never come back. You are the reason for my being and today I cannot continue the way I have been all these years without you. There are these horrible waves of grief that strike me and the feeling of helplessness of how we tried everything for you, but nothing worked in our favour engulfs me. Blessed, weren’t we, to have a family who stood like pillars through our rough spells?

I am proud of you dad, Yes... I do miss you, every second, today, every day and will forever. Proud, because you were selfless, easy, honest, hardworking, and so much more than what I can say. I, today am like the rocks along the shore. Those horrible waves of pain keep hitting me and I stay soaked in it. The rocks never complain, they just get used to the waves striking them every so often. They get used to it.

What is worse is that each time, my friends say ‘I am missing my dad’, or ‘My dad bought me this’ or even when they complain about their dads, it hits me so hard. Because I know it’s not the same with me anymore. Parents indisputably are the best gifts Children are rewarded with. Unfortunately, more often we realise this late. I have understood that it is very important to tell your parents how much you love them. Even when I was 30, I would sleep next to Mum and you, and you would sing songs for me, pamper me, pretend to put me to sleep and I would pretend to fall asleep. But, I wished I had not had those bitter words with you at times. Those bitter flashes are butchering me. And now I realise how wrong it is for us, your children, for who you sweat and toil your entire life, giving up on all your pleasures for those little happiness of ours, to battle out for our tiny egos. 

I wish there was an option of getting you back and giving up on everything else I have. I still know I would have everything, because you are my everything... You and Mum.

All I can do right now, Papa, is be the person you wanted me to be, try to make you proud of me. And I promise I will make all your dreams for Anmol come true. And about Mum, be sure I am there.

Love you and Miss you forever.

Happy birthday Papa.

Yours forever, Divya

FOOD : Break.. fast : Missal Pav

Ok, now this one is real easy. All you need to do for this dish is to prepare the gravy.
What you need is:
Bread (Pav of the pavbhaji is a better option)
Pharsan (close to chow chow/mixture)
Some left over bajjis of any vegetable (potato, cauliflower)-the crispier portions of the bajjis are preferred.
If you have some poha with you, (avalakki as in kannada) then its even better.
Wedges of Lemon
Onion finely sliced
Coriander finely sliced
and this Gravy

and how to prepare this Gravy... Here it goes :

Soak 1 cup Moat (serves 3-4) overnight. Drain water and tie it in a muslin cloth for a day. So after about 24 hours, you will have sprouted Moats.

Cook them in a pressure cooker for just about 7-8 minutes, till lightly soft. When you open the lid you will find, most of the moats would have shed their skin. So rinse the same delicately under tap water, so that the Skin can be removed easily, after they all come onto the top. (Make sure you are gentle with it, cause you will lose the sprouts otherwise)
For the Masala, Fry
1/2  cup grated coconut
8-9 dried red chillies
2 tea spoons of coriander, 1 spoon of jeera, 2-3 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 5-6 pods of garlic, 1"ginger piece, 1 spoon turmeric, 2" piece of tamarind, 1/2 spoon of chilli powder (deep red color- this is purely for the color)
Grind the above to a FINE paste.

In a pan, with about 7-8 spoons of oil, add finely chopped onions (1 cup) and this Paste. Add the moats and also add some water to make it a light gravy. Add about 1/2 spoon of chilli powder again, now add the finely chopped coriander leaves. Bring the gravy to a good good boil, till you actually begin to see the oil separate and stay afloat.

Now to assemble the dish :
In a wide dish, add the Moat Gravy, over this, add the poha, bajjis, Onion, and finally the Farsan. Finish it with coriander leaves and a dash of lemon. A bite of pav and a spoonful of Missal... Hmm!!! 

FOOD : Star Starters : Fisssshhh

I absolutely know what you are thinking of me!! A fish freak.. Yes I am. I can go fish for it anywhere!!! 

Bring home some fish, and I can't rest till I have made it, till I binge on it, and burp in full satisfaction!!! :) My meal is just complete when there is fish around...

So this is a marinate with Basil in it. I am not sure, how many of you will really like it. Basil You see, Either You will love it, or simply hate it... 

Hardly about 4-5 ingredients apart from the fish, that I assume you have washed well, and marinated it with some salt already and your dish is ready. 

8-9 Whole Walnuts, Basil Leaves, Few Pinenuts, 1-2 Chillies, Salt, 4-5 pods of Roasted Garlic is all you need to marinate about 4-5 medium sized pieces of Pomphret. Let the salt not be too much... remember you already have marinated your fish with it. Before you apply this paste over the fish, Wash it well, till you have drained out all the salt from it. Apply and leave for around 15 minutes. Fry/Grill with Butter/Olive Oil... 

Yummmmmmm

If you want a very Indian Version, then Make a paste of Crushed Garlic, Chilli Powder, Diluted Tamarind Paste and Little Tumeric. Marinate the Fish with this paste, and fry either Directly or apply a coating of Rava/Semolina or even Rice Flour. I prefer Rice Flour.

With Rice Flour

 With Semolina/Rava

FOOD : Break.. fast : Aamlaate...

Before Anything, I must confess : I have the biggest weakness for Eggs!!! I can have them for all 3 meals of the day, through the year!! :)
So it was yet another day, where I woke up really late. At home, we really cannot go without breakfast, come what may. The breakfast is a Mustt!!! So I started to wonder if I could just bake Some Baguette's but as I opened up the fridge, I found some Mushrooms, some Pickled Peppers and yesss... Eggsss.. what Eggxcitement!! There's always Cheese at home.
So I cut the mushrooms finely and saute'd them with some Onions very lightly. I just added some Oregano to it and some salt. I got the eggs out, gave it a good mix. Added the saute'd mushrooms, added the slit peppers, threw in the cheese and there it was... the base was ready!! :) I heated up the pan, threw in some unsalted butter and spread out the egg-mixture. Left it on the medium flame for about 3-4 minutes with the pan covered. I always cover the lid with a pan, since I have noticed the omlette's kinda get fluffy.Flipped it and allowed it to cook on the other side for just about a minute or sooo!! What bliss!!

PENNED DOWN : Life isn't easy!!

Life... is not easy and feathery. Something to realise is that there is always a shadow behind the light. Like they have said, ‘All that glitters is not gold’. 

We wake up each day with the pre-meditated confidence that all is going to be well. Each of our moves through the hours are full of assurances and beliefs that we shall get the better of the challenges that are going to slap those approaching hours. We, from time to time, forget that we live in a period of uncertainty and probability apart from the very verity that life itself as a whole is hazy. There are ups and downs, there is good that happens to everyone, which is passed off, without feeling too thankful to that divine force. The real thing is when bad times hit, living through each moment seems like a mountain to conquer... Like swimming through those rough deep waters. And only the person swimming through those waters knows how tough the tide is and how deep the waters are. But all seems rosy to the outside world, when the person sports a smile, a smile, that covers that dark regret and shadowy soul. But the soul is wounded.

But it is the mind that is everything. What I become, is how I train my mind. But is it that easy in those tricky times?

I have my maternal uncle, who so far I have seen is the most spirited man and I appreciate the way he handles everything. There is always some ease when he is around, irrespective of how harsh the cold winds are around. The amount of security felt is tremendous.

Very few people convert their weakness into strengths. Like someone said, ‘When you climb a mountain, it’s not the mountain you have conquered, but it is your own mind that you have’. And this weakness seems impossible till it’s done and got over with. Till then the hurdle seems just unrecoverable.

Life to me, suddenly seems like a river, I have no choice but to flow with it. The swifter the wave, I need to drift along... with the want to meet the banks, but if I did, I would not move on. My flow would be arrested, which again is something I don’t wish to. So I learn that it is about moving with a focus. Focus should not be so intense that all the energy is squandered nor focus should be slack that it would break away.

Fighting time is the most complex battle... instead circumstances would seem lighter if Time is made to assist and straighten out Life’s knottiest circumstances.

FOOD : Accompany Me!! : Potato Fry

Hello All,
Has been a while that I penned down anything for myself.

What I have is a very very simple Potato fry. Its really easy and simply deleeeiiiisshhhh... It is the simplest potato dish that I can think of, and is a perfect accompaniment for Curd Rice and Dal and rice as well. Try it  and I swear You will be stir frying this, over and over again.
All you need is/are
Baby Potatoes - I take around 15-16 for 2 people
Garlic Pods - 10-12 - Crushed  Coarsely
Chili Powder
Haldi,
Salt
Curryleaves/Dry Chillies are an option

Cook the potatoes in a pressure pan and peel the skin and keep aside.
In a pan with oil, Throw in the garlic and reduce heat. The garlic at the end of it should be brown and crisp. At this stage, add turmeric, chili powder (curry leaves and dry chillies if you like it-In the picture attached, you will see I have added it. But I dont do it always). Throw in the potatoes and mix till it gets coated with the masala. Add Salt and give it another good mix. Now raise the heat and let the potatoes get crisp. Keep turning over the potatoes and let it be on that side till slightly crisp. Once you think its done, Garnish with coriander leaves.
That's it!!! Gorgeeee

PENNED DOWN : the Unseen Magic of Native Life

The magic of native life
Is unseen and unknown
The mind is far from all the strife
And nature chimes a single tone.

The quiet resonance of water
Gracefully washing over my feet
Tempts me to sit beside her for many an hour
And the virtuous air around me, I devour. 

Happy is nature, when man could care, 
He has moved away and forgotten nature
She still continues to maintain her flow 
Thro the evenings and Brightness
Touching by the banks, Painting the leaf and the skies 
With all the Colours and their radiance

~Divya Hegde

FOOD : Accompany Me!! : Instant Cauliflower and Carrot Pickle

Pickle.. and my mouth waters... Kuch Teekha, Kuch Khattha, Kuch Namkeen, Kuch Meetha,... when all these come together.... it's perfect for Accompanying anything that is laid out on your Thali. Most people have their signature pickles... This is prepared by My Mother in law, But even Tastier, by Her Sister. I remember she gave this big box of Cauliflower pickle for us, on our way to Cochin, just as another accompaniment for the Chapathi's, and by the time we reached and spent a day in Cochin, i had a severe stomach burn, cause I had finished the entire box of This Pickle just like that, depriving my husband of the same. He had this shocked look with 'How did you manage to gobble up all of it' written all over on his face.  Its quite Instant... hardly takes time.
No Indian Household goes without a Jar of Pickle ... I suddenly decided to do this up, for my Mom and Dad who were coming to Konstanz finally, and I was going to see them after a full 6.5 months. Also another reason was that, Raghu had bought 2 big cauliflowers' because it was 'Sasta' and i had no clue what to do with them. I made sabji's, Rice, and what not.. and still had One Cauliflower left... So this pickle.

You will need :
Cauliflower-sliced finely and real small
Carrot chopped finely
Chilli Powder-on how spicy you want it to be
Turmeric
Ginger-3"x3" piece sliced finely
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Oil - i used a  little extra- like about 6 spoons (use coconut oil, all the better)
Salt
Lemon Juice
Hing- Im very generous with this

So, You wash the cauliflower and carrots and allow them to dry. Put them in a bowl, add Lemon Juice and Ginger into it and mix. Add salt.
In a small pan, add oil, allow to get hot. Add mustard seeds and let it sputter. Add the Hing and allow to cool slightly. In the same Oil, I added Turmeric and Chilli Powder. (Add them when the oil is not really hot, so that they don't get burnt and you don't lose the red color). I give it this mix a light whip in the Blender, so that the Mustard is slightly Coarse. Add the same into the Cauliflower carrot and Ginger mix and mix well. Check for salt and Lemon. If you think you need more of it, add it and allow it to all come together for about 2-3 hours.
You could also add many more veggies into this, Like : Peas, Amla cut finely, Raw Mangoes finely chopped,    tender Turmeric stems, etc.

FOOD : EuroGrub : Gnocchi (No-chi)

Something I was thinking while i was back in India... when i wasn't really introduced to this. Was basically comparing it with our traditional fresh pasta, where the dough is kneaded with egg and salt and the fresh pasta was ready. Was trying to re-adapt the same, by adding potato into the Flour and egg base, and was sure that it would churn out into something definitely interesting, cause ultimately anything with Potato is 'Bliss Anyday'. But this time when I got to Germany, i realized Gnocchi is something exactly what I was trying to attempt.
so getting down to making the Gnocchi :
You will need
For the Basic Gnocchi:
2 boiled potatoes
Flour (adjust till it becomes a nice soft dough)
Egg white-1
Salt
Olive oil-1 spoon

Mash the Potato real fine. Add egg white, flour, olive oil and salt, and make a soft dough. Now by Soft, I don't mean really soft, something that you can work on. Make sure it's not hard.. Make Little balls of it and roll it thin into 3/4" dia long ropes. Cut them into 1.5" bits and keep them aside.
Even better, if you can pick up a ready-made packet of Gnocchi.

For the Sauce :
Mushrooms-7-8 sliced
Beans-halved and cut
Butter 4-5 spoons
Flour 1 spoon
Milk 1 cup
White Wine 1/4 glass
Oregano
Garlic 4-5 pods finely chopped
1/2 Onion slit lengthwise
Pepper and Salt
Gouda Cheese

In a pan, add 1 spoon of butter and saute the mushrooms and beans with a little salt. Add half of the Garlic chops and onion and let it be on the flame till they are just about done. Add the white wine and let it evaporate on high flame. Let the beans not lose its crispness. Keep aside.

Meanwhile, in another Pan, add the remaining butter. Once hot, add Flour and immediately mix well, so that no lumps are formed. Add the milk, remaining garlic chops, salt and pepper. Mix well, remove from flame and then add the cheese. Add the cheese once its out of the flame, otherwise it may stick to the pan.
Put it back on the flame, add the sauteed veggies, and mix well.

Meanwhile in a pot, boil water with a little salt in it, and add the Gnocchi once the water starts boiling. The gnocchi will rise to the top like in within 2 minutes..  Remove and add to the above mix and mix well. Check for salt. Your Gnocchi is ready.

For the extra zing, Add oregano over it. If you want it more elaborate, Assemble in a Casserole, top it with cheese and Bake for a while. Serve with some Red wine!

FOOD : Nudeln : Schezwan

I remember my boss's son back in 2005, who never ate spicy food ever, enjoyed these noodles soo much. That cute little thing was enjoying the nudeln, with his nose and face all red due to the spice. This is like my own version of Schezwan, which i particularly like, cause they kinda do turn out very close to what is available in the restaurants... of course minus the Ajinomoto. I don't really cook Chinese too much at all, not sure why tho, but I do try the noodles.

you will need
1 packet of Hakka Noodles-available at all stores
Chilli flakes (i powder the red chillies in my blender and have it ready most of the time)
5-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1" ginger, finely chopped
1 cup Spring onion finely chopped
Vegetables(Carrot, tender beans, cabbage-all cut lengthwise and real fine)
1.5 spoons of soya sauce
Salt
Oil

Method:
Boil the Noodles separately. Add oil while doing so,so that they Dont stick to each other.

In a wide bottom pan/Wok, add about 5-6 spoons of oil, keep on a medium flame, add the garlic cloves, ginger, and now increase the flame, and immediately add Spring Onion, and keep stirring constantly. Add the veggies if you intend to, and give it a good stir, and mix well till they are kind of cooked but not fully. They should be crisp and not soft. Add the Chilli flakes at this stage and also the soya sauce and give it a good mix. Add the noodles, salt and mix well and allow on the flame (reduce the flame now) for some time. For a slightly crunchy texture, you can add roasted and ground peanuts here. I like them. Mix well and serve. :) pretty simple a meal, specially when you are in a tearing Hurry and Rush!!

If you like the egg noodles. you can break 2 eggs once you finish adding the Spring onion. Give it a mix and scramble them. Then you can add the Chilli flakes and proceed with the remaining.

For chicken, Add shredded Chicken (cooked) after frying the spring onions. the rest of the procedure remains the same. 

FOOD : Break.. fast : Kande Pohe

Quintessentially Maharashtrian. I was introduced to Maharashtrian food fare, when I moved to Pune. Pune is another place I think is good for food, apart from my high thoughts about Bangalore and its gastronomical food channels.

Some of the ‘In Essence’ Maharashtrian breakfast options are Sabudana Khichdi, Kande Pohe and Missal Pav; Kande pohe however is ranked as the most favourite amongst the locals, as far as what I have seen. A usual Sunday breakfast is Kande Pohe amongst most of the Maharshtrian households.

Interestingly, the word Kande pohe is also associated with marriage talks. A traditional symbol attached to it, in any arranged marriage when a boy goes to the girl’s family, essentially KandePohe is served. So in a lighter frame of mind, if you have to ask a boy about how many girls he has met so far, then you voice it out as ‘How many times have u had Kande Pohe’. Such is the significance to this dish that takes less than 10 minutes to be prepared J, an all time snack with some Ginger Tea.

What you need is (for 2 people)

4 fistfuls of Beaten Rice (medium thickness, Pohe)

2 medium sized onions-finely chopped

4 green chillies-cut

2 spoons of Groundnuts

Mustard seeds-1 spoon

Jeera/Cumin-1/2 spoon

Turmeric-1/4 spoon

1 Potato-chopped thin or 1/2 cup Frozen Peas

½ cup Grated coconut

Coriander leaves-finely chopped

Salt- as per taste

Sugar-little

Oil-6-7 spoons

Procedure:

Before you start, Wash the Poha in cold water, clean and drain. Allow to rest.

In a wide Bottom pan, take about 6-7 spoons of Oil - add the groundnuts and allow them to get dark in color/pop up/Get crisp. (Basically-FRY them ;) ) Remove from oil and keep aside.

In the same oil, add Mustard seeds. Once they sputter add jeera (Reduce heat) and chillies. Add the Onions and when they are half done, add the potatoes/Peas into it, and cover for a while, till Potato/peas are cooked. Add turmeric and mix well. Add the Poha (if you find they have formed lumps after you drained out the water, separate them before adding into the pan). Add the Groundnuts, Salt and sugar and mix well. Cover the Poha and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes on Low heat. Remove lid, add the Grated Coconut and Coriander leaves. Give it a good final mix. (If you like and not mind being lenient, then you can add 1 spoon of Ghee in the end-I do it, so it’s completely your call).

So, next Sunday when you wake up late, ... or you have sudden guests You know what you can cook up. After all, Cooking ain’t so difficult also!!! Team it up with a Garam Chai ki Pyali, preferably with some Ginger/Lemon Grass!!! Awesomeness !!! 

CLICK : Click Click, few of my favourite clicks-3

Everyone troubles me... Just because I'm cute!!!! 

Curiosity Quenching its Thirst

If you ask me why I am smiling, its only because I am happy through and Through

CLICK : Click Click, few of my favourite clicks-2

01.
The sun painting the sky, 
With a hue of carroty smear
Secretes itself behind the basilica
Allowing the night to take over


@Constance, 9:15p. 

02. Bottled poetry into my wine glass 

FOOD : Rice Spice : Egg Biriyani

Biriyani-the very thought of it has my tastebuds dancing away like there is no tomorrow. Rice is anyways one of my Favourite Comfort Foods, and Biriyani straight tops the charts. The very thought of Biriyani while writing this, has the smells and flavours of the ghee and the spices hitting my nose. The enchanting and the mystic smells of those spices and flavours that go into it, oh my god, I really have started dreaming about when I would make it again.
And this time, it was even more special for a reason that after years, the want, the dream and the wish to make the Biriyani in a Clay Pot was finally fulfilled!! I have hunted for a wide mouth and a wide bottom Pot for years now in India, but I just coundn't find one. I finally found the perfect pot in Turkey... :O in Cappadocia, where they make the traditional Turkish Ceramic Pots. I had to grab it!!
And even after that, for 1.5 months it sat in my Crockery unit as a display piece... One day I finally pulled it out and got down to making the biriyani... I don't eat chicken, and Raghu doesn't eat fish... So the egg biriyani is what we generally settle down for.

I soaked about 3 cups of rice in water first and started the rest of the preparations. Also soaked some Saffron strands in Warm milk.

When you are making an Egg Biriyani, there is no question about whether is it a Kacchi Biriyani or a Pakki Biriyani. The eggs have to be boiled. :) I boiled 5 eggs and cut them into half once they cooled down.

For the Gravy/Masala
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
7-8 Garlic cloves
4" piece of Ginger
4-5 cloves
1" cinnamon
2 Cardamom Pods
1 spoon Jeera/Cumin
1/2 spoon Coriander
Half Fist of Mint Leaves
8-9 Cashewnuts

Fry all the above in Ghee and Grind into a smooth paste. Give it a final whip in the blender along with
1/2 cup Yoghurt, Little Lemon Juice and Coriander Leaves.

Take a pan, add ghee, and pour this paste into it, add chilli powder to keep it medium spiced. Let it not be too spicy. Add salt. Add water to make it into a consistency that is not tooo thin. (when you pour it into the pot, the clay pot will soak up the water content in the gravy a little and the heat will anyways have the liquid to evaporate)

The masala is ready.

Now for the Rice :
Drain the water
In a pan, take around 3-4 spoons of Ghee, add 6-7 cloves, 2 Green Chillies slit lengthwise (adjust the spice to suit you),Cinnamon and Fry the 3 Cups of rice for 3-4 minutes. Add milk(4.5 cups) or water and little rose essence if and only if u wish to. Add little salt(i add around 1 spoon of salt). Let it be on high flame for around 10 minutes. Reduce the flame and cover it. after around 15 minutes, when the rice is done to almost 70-80%, add some Saffron soaked in warm milk randomly (make sure you dont pour it all over the rice). Its nice to have dual Colored Rice. Let it cook for another 5 minutes till the rice is coated well with the saffron colour.

Final Assembly into the Clay Pot to cook the rice completely along with the Masala and Eggs

Heat the Clay Pot. Add ghee into it. When it is getting Hot, Throw in 2 Green Chillies slit lengthwise, add 1/2 of the Masala and 2 eggs cut into half. Layer it with Half of the Rice. Add/Pour 1/4th of the Masala. Layer this again with remaining Rice and Pour randomly the remaining Masala. Stuff the Halved eggs inb.w Cover the Pot with a lid and place a weight over it and let it cook within. Take off the lid after around 15 minutes of cooking over low flame and check for rice. If done, Throw in finely chopped Coriander Leaves and its Ready!! :) Allow it to cool for 5 minutes,   so that the rice(if any) sticking below to the pot will loosen out.

Enjoy with either Raita or simply Jesht like that !!!

CLICK : Click Click, few of my favourite clicks

 Location : Kota, taken on my digicam, i used to surprisingly get some really good shots back then

 Location : South Goa, A pic I love, for the bokeh achieved, with my digicam again

 Location : Hogenakal, River Kaveri, the boat rides are the common activity around.

Location : Konstanz, had the tastiest and sweetest strawberries 

PENNED DOWN : A day in the woods!

Another bright day,
Came by my way, 
Walking along the melodious woods
Strolling by the quiescent waters
Nature draped me with her grace
Cheeks painted a smile on my face. 

My mellow spirit, wanted to spend many an hour
My frantic mind wanted to unwind here
The autumn lady had arrived finally
She gave everything a good red and a carroty smear. 

A gentle cuckoo had perched above
Sang a song, with my every cooing Wow
The flowers danced with grace 
The serene wind blew, gave her a chase. 
The butterly fluttered, flaunting her painted body
She was all dyed, greens and blue, glitzy and gaudy. 

My walk ended in the wood
Departed with those memories etched in gold
The warm sunshine outside greeted me 
turning a blind eye and Craving for sanity
I walked away from the glorious life
Trying to ignore the appalling certainty 

Divya Hegde

FOOD : EuroGrub : Ravioli / Stuffed Pasta

Ravioli... or the Stuffed Pasta... Bliss. As such Pasta means a lot of bliss for me, and to top it you have pasta that is stuffed!! ... aah.. perfetto... Amo la pasta!! ;)
So for the ravioli, you have 2 options, a. you buy ready packets of ravioli from a supermarket, b. you make it yourself. 
If you making it Yourself, then here it is:
You need
1/2 cup Maida/all purpose Flour
1 egg white(you could avoid it)
salt
water to mix. 


Make a tough dough adding all the ingredients mentioned above. Roll it into a thin disc with a rolling pin. Dust the Flour to help you roll the dough out smooth and thin. Now cut the discs into any shape that you wish (You could use the SHANKARPALI ROLLING PIN). Once cut, you can put little quantities of cooked Spinach(for Spinach ravioli) or Cheese (for the Cheese Ravioli) and fold each of cut pieces into half. (you can use a little water with your fingers and apply along the edge to help them stick better) 
Put them in boiling water and boil them. Add oil to the water when boiling so that you can avoid the ravioli from sticking onto each other. Boiling it should not take more than 5 minutes, cause its fresh ravioli that you just made. Boil it for a little longer if you have the ready made ones. 

For the White Sauce:

U need: Maida/Flour-1 spoon, 4 spoons of butter, milk, salt, pepper.

• In a non stick pan, take some generous dollops of butter, 1 spoonful of Flour and mix fast and make sure there are no lumps. Add milk, salt, Nutmegpowder-if you like it, and mix well. You can tip in Pepper if you like. Now if you have a very thick sauce, add milk to lighten it out. and if you have a very thin sauce.... Pour some flour through a sieve and mix at the same time to avoid lumps. And even after this if you have lumps in your sauce, just run your hand-blender through it for a minute. 

Assembly:

Into a wide bottom pan, add butter, finely chopped garlic, veggies if you like (and let them cook on a medium flame, you can use beans, broccoli, mushrooms, fenchel,  etc). Add the ravioli and the sauce and give it a good mix. Check for salt and spice. Add if required. 

In a baking dish add the ravioli, top it with cheese and bake for a while - This step is purely an addition. You can do it if you choose to!!

You could just dust some Oregano flakes over it in the end. 

FOOD : Sweet Bites : Mando

Mando's - each is a quarter of a disc-4 layers and crunchy!! 

'If its no sugar, then throw it out!!'

I have developed a very strong sweet tooth offlate (Those horrible days and nights with my molar's and regular visit to the orthodontist in the recent past was proof enough)... and this is one of my favourites-Mando as we call it and Mandige as how Kannadiga's call it.
This is one of the very traditional Konkani Sweets. Its mildly sweet, i like it that way... its basically made out of Maida/Flour coated with sugar powder. Delectably crunchy and sweet!! :)
2 Steps into this :
a. making rolls of the flour
b. coating the same with sugar powder

For a. You will need
2 cups of Maida/Flour-you will end up with around 17-18 mando's
Milk to mix if you prefer/Water
little salt.
Ghee(my addition)

Take the Flour in a mixing bowl, add salt and mix well. Add 1 spoon of ghee and add warm milk/water and mix to make a dough. Let the dough be slightly tight. Make around 1-1.5" dia balls and roll them out real thin, with a rolling pin. You can use flour when you are rolling them out.

For b. You will need
2 cups of sugar
1/2-3/4th cup of Poha/Beaten rice (I used the thin poha)
Cardamom Powder

Fry the poha well till crisp(not brown though). Add this to the sugar in a blender and make a fine powder and keep it ready on a plate. Add cardamom powder and mix.

Procedure:
Once your Flour rolls/discs ready, let the oil get heated up (I add a spoon of ghee in the oil in which I'm frying anything sweet). You need to fry these on a good flame, but not very high either. So you take each one of the discs, drop it in oil, fry them on both sides not for long, till you think its just going to get crisp. Remove it immediately. Immediately put it on the sugar plate, coat one side of the disc with sugar, again immediately, fold into half, again coat the top layer with sugar powder, fold again into a quarter-immediately and coat with sugar powder.
Notice how many times I said 'immediately'... i really insist that it has to be done immediately, cause the discs could get crisp and you wont be able to fold it and they wont stay as 4 layers held together. You will have 4 separate quarters when you are trying to fold them otherwise! :) Its better you have someone to help you if you are doing this for the first time.

4 Layers with sugar coating

That's it.. It's ready!! :) quite simple and easy, the trick is to fold those discs when hot and just out of the oil and coat them with sugar. They are simply delicious and please count on how many you are bolting down... All chances you can go and on!! I do! ;) 

FOOD : A Snack : Ragada Patties

Though the rainy day brings along with it, all the sluggishness there is something about the rainy day that i Love. The rain is soo refreshing, and the breeze that comes along just braces me up with all the romance in life. I find more delight to dance in the dampness than the bright sun!! :) and My love for all the tangy Indian food shoots up.
Konstanz has been soaked up with rains off late and the skies have been grey for long now. Saturday as usual started with my breakfast, and what followed was the usual lunch plan... Thinking about what I could cook up. I had to also step out to do all my shopping and be back. So i knew It had to be something quick and nothing elaborate. I had some soaked Dry peas luckily and that's when images of 'Chat shops' serving all the flavorful tangy chats back in India flounced my mind. So all i did before stepping out was Boiled 4 potatoes along with the soaked peas in my pressure cooker and left. Yes... I also soaked some tamarind.

Did I continue peacefully with my shopping later? No, how could i... when i knew I would go home and feast on 'Ragada Patties'-the perfect mix of sweetness, tanginess and spice. I only came home, put all the grocery in place and got to a super start.
Here's what i had before I started
Patties:
4 Boiled Potatoes
Chilly Powder
Coriander leaves
Salt

Ragada:
Boiled Peas-had almost 2 cups of soaked Dry Peas
1-2 Garlic
Chilly Powder
Turmeric powder

Chutney: 
Tamarind-Half fistful soaked
Jaggery-depends on how sweet you want it to be-Pls don't substitute with sugar
Coriander Leaves/Coriander Powder
Salt

Other Ingredients to be kept ready: 
Chilly Powder
Chat Powder
Some Sev/Bhujiya (noodle like snack made of Besan/GramFlour)
Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 Onion Finely, Finely chopped

                                                                     PROCEDURE
Patties:
Mash potatoes, add little chilly powder, salt and finely chopped coriander leaves and make a mix. Make round shaped balls, press them slightly to form Patties and shallow fry them on Low-Medium Heat till golden brown on both sides. You could have the 1st round of Patties in the center and push them to the rim of the pan, and put the 2nd round of patties at the center. You will have crispier patties when you fry them longer.

Ragada:
Heat butter in pan, add chopped Garlic(this is my addition- i like the flavor), little chilly powder and then the boiled Peas and Turmeric powder for the color. Add salt and give it a good boil. Let it not be too thick-add water accordingly.

Chutney:
Grind all the Ingredients together in a blender and you could add up any of the ingredients to suit your taste accordingly. Dilute it a little for a watery consistency, but let the flavors not weaken.

Assembly:
01. Place 2 patties on the plate.
02. Pour 2-3 ladles of Ragada over it.
03. Throw in some finely chopped onion, coriander leaves, and sprinkle some Chat Powder, Chilly Powder.
04. Pour on some chutney(as per your taste quotient).
05. Add sev in the end over and above everything.

Shut down all windows, have your room all dark and cozy, get onto your favourite Movie and Settle down with your plate of Ragada Patties...