Treat for two...Happy Valentines day 2007

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE !!!

I was away because I was a little under the weather and the food that I was cooking and eating wasnt very inspiring or worthy of posting here:) But that couldnt put a dampener on my spirit because Iam back with a bang for Valentines Day 2007 ...

This is the second yr Iam posting pictures from food I cooked,hence the same title as last yr.Valentine's day are always special for my husband and I because we have our anniversary the next day ..and today we celebrate our 5th yr together..big milestone for us both.

So how was your Valentine's day?I cooked a 3 course meal for my hubby of 5 yrs and had a blast.Here are some pictures I want to share :)



Mango Bellini



Spinach salad with shrimp and slivered almonds



Herb Roasted Salmon with Coucous



cheesecake with cherry glaze

Here's hoping your Day was as delectable as mine.

Christmas Recipe 3 - Cornish Hen with Fresh Herbs and roasted potatoes

And now onto the third and final recipe for the Christmas spread I prepared -Cornish Hen with fresh herbs and roasted potatoes.You will find a little backdrop on cornish hen Here.

Before I decided on a menu for Xmas I thought about Cornish Hen with great trepidation because I was scared of cooking it.Why,you ask ..because I have never cooked a stuffed or roasted whole bird..chicken or turkey.Picking up a rotisserie chicken at Safeways or Fred Meyers is as far as I have gone(giggling just thinking about it).Besides,Iam from the land of curry :-) A roasted bird with just a little bit of seasoning could be a little bland for my taste if not marinated with the right spices(kidding)

However,my sister cooked a delicious turkey this past thanksgiving (pics of which I shall post sometime)and that gave me hope.She said I could do it too ..Yeah ,I thought let me not do a 15 pound turkey or 5 pound chicken but a 1 pound cornish hen I can do.

So,I bought a twin pack of Tyson premium rock cornish game hen and after much cleaning ,seasoning and roasting I was able to turn out a fairly tasty and nice looking bird :).Try it , its fun I guarantee you.


A frozen tyson cornish hen

You need :
1 cornish Hen (without giblets)
6 small red potatoes
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary and sage, plus extra sprigs for stuffing cavity and garnishing plates
3 lemon slices
3 slices Onion(red/white/yellow)
Kitchen string (optional)

This is how you make it:
Since this bird was in the freezer for a while,I set it outside to thaw a day in advance.(yes it takes a lot of time to thaw)

Preheat oven to 450°F.Cut potatoes into small,bite-size pieces;toss with salt and pepper,garlic, and sage and place in a large, shallow roasting pan.Set in the oven.

Rinse the hen inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.Fold back wings.Rub with butter and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper.Sprinkle with finely chopped herbs,and place a few more herb sprigs into each hen’s cavity.Also stuff the onion rings and the lemon slices into the bird.You can tie the hen's legs together with kitchen string to hold shape,if you want.(I did not do so.)

Remove potatoes from oven and place the hen on top.Return to pan and roast for 50-55 minutes, or until the hen's juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 180°F.

Remove the cooked hen from the pan and cover with aluminium foil for 10 minutes before serving.(why ?? if you slice right away ,the juices will drip and the bird will be bland.But if you let it sit then the juices are reabsorbed,bird will be taste better).

Garnish with fresh herb sprigs .To serve, place some potatoes and a piece of the hen you desire alongside mushroom-shrimp pulao and bean salad.

Christmas Recipe 2 - Green Bean Salad

Lets go to recipe number 2.This is a recipe my sister picked up from Food Network which I enjoy watching by the way.She and I made for the Thanksgiving getogether.I loved it so much that I had to make it again.Its so so simple and delicious (that's if you are a bean lover).I will admit that I do not know how to make too many things with beans apart from various kind of bhajis .This western take on them was super appealing to me.

Go ahead , try this and Iam sure you will love it.Thankyou to Ellie Krieger whose recipe this is:)

You need :
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 teaspoons walnut oil or olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

This is how you make it :
Bring a large pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil, add green beans and steam for about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a small bowl to cool. Add the parsley and onion to the walnuts and stir to combine.

In another small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Toss the dressing with the green beans, top with the walnut mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Christmas Recipe 1- Mushroom and shrimp pulao

I enjoyed writing about my afternoontea experience in British Columbia and based on the comments from some of you ,you all seemed to have enjoyed reading it too(apparently it took us all back to my Enid Blyton days).Thanks for reading and getting back to me.Hearing back makes me feel that Iam talking to someone and makes it all worthwhile :)

Some of my loyal blog friends read my xmas post and asked for the recipes for the Cornish Hen, Mushroom &shrimp pulao and bean salad .Here Iam posting them one at a time .

While I was writing the recipe for this dish,I also realised that while I have posted pictures of some of my food ,I havent posted recipes for those .I guess thats how I started out,unknowingly titillating some of the readers with the pictures.yeah ..just pictures.(Gosh ,I was almost sadistic)

Well,high time I share the recipes .You ask which ones ???Well,I have piyaaz maach(fish cooked in spicy onion and garlic paste), aloor dom(bengali style),keema with vegetables,Doi maach(fish cooked in yogurt),khichudi, Labda (a lovely sweet-savory vegatble mix, bengali style),bandakopi torkari(cabbage with peas),baigun bhaja(panfried aubergine slices ),tomato chutney,khejur guder payish(rice pudding in date palm jaggery),rumali roti)...amongst others..Phew!!I need to stop,the list is getting too long)

Anyhow, so shall return to posting those unposted recipes intermittently .For now ,let me just get back to the pulao I made for Xmas :-)

You need:
2 cups -Basmati(or any other long grained rice)
1 cup sliced button Mushrooms
1 cup (thawed)- Shrimp (frozen precooked baby shrimp)
1 large sliced onion
1 Tsp- Cumin
2 Tbsp- Ghee or Oil
Salt to taste
Chopped corriander to garnish

This is how you make it:
Heat oil /ghee in a skillet and add the cumin.Once the cumin starts popping add the the sliced onions.Saute them till they are golden .Then add sliced mushrooms and shrimp and cook till they they are soft .

Now Add the 2 cups of rice and pour 4 cups of the water into the skillet .Add salt to taste and cover .Cook on medium heat Keep checking for doneness and cook about 20 minutes.Once the rice looks cooked , turn off the heat and let it sit.This leaves the rice fluff up.

Enjoy with Cornish hen, bean salad and yogurt:)

Care for some Tea ..eh??

What is it about little girls and tea parties??When I was a little girl , I would have imaginary tea parties with my dolls(they were not sophisticated and did not include all the fancy-schmancy things kids have today).But they were so much fun. They made me feel grown up and in charge.I have seen my 6 yr old niece have the same tea parties with her freinds.Those tea sets and all that pretend food (scones, cookies, sandwiches )is so pretty ,I sometimes forget Iam an adult and all grown up.I admit I have indulged ina tea party or two with my little niece.

A little girl's tea set
(courtesy: Here)

Talking of various kinds of tea parties and events ,I knew there was something called high tea (The Enid Blyton books during my childhood helped here) but afternoon tea ..now, that I did not know .Apparently they are both different .

Afternoon tea ceremonies began back in the mid 1800s, when the Duchess of Bedford started having a tray of tea with bread and butter served to her in the mid-afternoon. In those days, lunch was served at noon but dinner was not eaten until 8 or even 9 o'clock at night. The Duchess found herself hungry during those long afternoon hours. It became a regular occurance and as she began to invite other high-society ladies to join her, having Afternoon Tea became the 'in-thing' for the upper-class women. Along with tea, there would be small pastries with clotted cream or preserves, delicate sandwiches, and scones. Oh, how Lovely and very Lady like,Dont you agree!!

High Tea on the other hand is a term used by many people to describe the event mentioned above, probably because it sounds more elite. But High Tea is a much different thing. It was served later (around six in the evening) and consisted of a full, dinner meal for the common people. Tea was still served, but there would also be meats, fish or eggs, cheese, bread and butter, and cake. It was more of a man's meal, than a ladies social diversion.
Courtesy:(Here)

Now, that I feel more educated , I have to tell you all about the afternoon tea I had at the Fairmont Empress, BC last week which was not just tea but an experience in itself .The Empress which is an epitome of the British style and grace in the new world has been hosting England's most beloved ritual in its majestic lobby for almost a century.

Afternoon tea , I heard is served at various locations including the harborside room or under the hand painted ceiling of the Library lounge but we chose the very opulent Tea Lobby .I was utterly charmed by the Victorian elegance and grace that permeated the space around me.The dress code is "smart casual" (torn jeans, short shorts, tank tops, sport shoes, etc snottishly looked down at)so we all took care not to dress in typical tourist fare.But, wait ...we made a gaffe, we hadnt made reservations( somehow we were naive enough to think that we would be able to get in at noon .But guess what, that did'nt happen.)So we made reservations for 3:45pm and decided to go have something to eat at Smithy's , go the British Coumbian Museum in the meantime.


The opulent tea lobby at the Empress

We returned again at 3:40pm to be greeted by Pritam who seated us in the tea lobby. We had comfortable,high backed , chairs upholstered in green .The Christmas melodies on the piano provided the perfect backdrop. Our decadent journey then began with a bowl of seasonal fruit topped with a dollop of chantilly cream. Next came the coppery-gold ,signature Empress Blend tea which was poured into our Royal Doulton tea cups. I had my tea with cream and two "lumps" of sugar .Finally, came the porcelain tier ladden with magnificient goodies.Puurfect !!

Here's the sample menu :

• Tea sandwiches filled with cucumber, smoked BC salmon & cream cheese, carrot & ginger with cream cheese, pesto egg salad on foccacia crustini and curry mango chicken salad
• Traditional English raisin scones served with clotted cream and strawberry preserves
• Delicate bite-size pastries, including valhrona caramel chocolate truffles in a chocolate cup, lemon curd tarts with glazed berries, choux pastries filled with green tea white chocolate cream, sour cherry almond pound cakes, and traditional shortbread cookies

Oh Heaven!!!

Afternoon Tea at the Empress

We also ordered some sparkling wine , a mimosa and a glass of sparkling wine with cranberry liquer(not sure ).

After several cups of tea and these bite sized delights we had to cancel dinner because this can be seemingly light but actually hearty meal .We were full and extremely pleased.When it was time to leave our server promptly delivered the check to our table along with a small box of Empress Blend tea for each of us to take home. What a wonderful surprise.

Happy to have afternoon tea for a day

I left the place with a big smile on my face and tonnes of appreciation for my husband who me and my sister dragged to this event.As for my niece and I , looks like we had ourselves a real tea party at last :-)

Kolhapuri Kombdi

I have always loved chicken and toned down the spices and the heat after marraige because hubby dear does not do well with very hot dishes .

Lately however my taste buds were craving something HOT,something spicy that makes me reach out for that glass of water and so I had to look around for a recipe which uses something other than the usual onion, tomato, ginger and garlic ..that gives it a kick ..

I landed this recipe for Kolhapuri chicken also called Kolhapuri kombdi (chicken's called Kombdi in the western Indian state of Maharashtra) cooked with lots of hot dry red chillies to sharpen the tastebuds.Needless to say this dish delivered and was well loved ..even by diserning audience such as my hubby who shies away from such concoctions.While the roasted poppy,sesame and coconut added the "x" factor , the chilli powder gave it that KICK ...

This is a chicken dish I definitely recommend ..

You need :
8 medium sized pieces of chicken (I use chicken drumsticks)
1 cup( browned onions
2 tablespoon(s) each of sesame and poppy seeds dry roasted
2 tablespoon(s) grated coconut roasted till dry
½ teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
1 tablespoon(s) each of ginger, garlic pastes
4 medium onions finely chopped
1 tablespoon(s) red chilli powder (please tone that down if u wish)
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoon(s) coriander leaves finely chopped
2 tablespoon(s) oil
salt to taste
finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

This is how you make it :

Make slits on the chicken pieces.In a bowl make a marinade out of half of the ginger-garlic paste,turmeric powder and salt to taste.Rub this marinade into the chicken pieces very well and allow to marinate for about an hour. Meanwhile ,grind together the browned onions, roasted coconut, sesame and poppy seeds to a paste.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot. Add the chopped onions and fry for a few seconds. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the onions are browned. Add the red chilli powder and fry.Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry on medium heat till the fat separates from the sides of the pan.Add the chicken pieces and fry on high heat for for about 2 minute.

Now,add the ground paste, water and sprinkle salt to taste and mix well. Bring to a boil. Stir in the garam masala and chopped coriander leaves.Cover and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or till the chicken is fully tenderised.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.Enjoy with nan , roti or rice .

Happy New Year

Heres wishing you all a wonderful and eventful 2007 .

Do you know that almost all countries have special and lucky foods which if eaten in the first few days of the new yr bring wealth, luck or success in the new yr.Here are some of those foods and the stories behind them.

Japan

Food:New year foods that are believed to be particularly auspicious are soba noodles which are especially long noodles that should be sucked up and eaten without breaking them to ensure long life, and mochi rice, which is a rice that is more sticky than ordinary rice and is pressed into cakes called omochi -- then it's either broiled or eaten in soup called Ozoni

story :large omochi cakes are first offered to the gods, then cut into pieces and eaten by the family to bring the opportunity for luck and good health to every New Year's meal.

Greece

Food: Vasilopita (a cake baked with a coin inside)

Story: the Greek tradition of eating Vasilopita originated from the famously high taxes that the Ottoman Empire imposed on the Greek people during the long Ottoman reign.It is believed that a Bishop of Greece, through some miracle, managed to recover a large portion of the Greek people's riches from the Ottoman's grasp. When he attempted to return the riches to their respective owners fighting among the Greek people broke out -- no one could agree on who had owned what!

The second miracle of the story unveils itself here: Saint Basil asked the women to bake a large cake with the valuables inside. When he sliced the cake, the valuables miraculously found their way back to their rightful owners! Today, a cake is baked in honor of this miracle and one coin is baked inside of it. The person who bites into his piece of cake and finds the coin will be blessed with good luck in the coming New Year.

Italy

Food: cotechino con lenticchie-pork sausage served over lentils

Story:: This New Year food is eaten because of the presence of fatty rich pork sausage and lentils in it.Cotechino sausage is a symbol of abundance because they are rich in fat;while lentils symbolize money (being both green and coin shaped).This New Year food promises a double-packs of luck!

Spain

A magnificently large harvest only happens every so often, and when it does, the year that the harvest blossomed is celebrated. At the turn of the century, Spain experienced a gigantic grape harvest. The harvest was so grandiose that the year is marked as a time of great luck. Every year since, Spanish people have brought in the New Year by eating 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight. At each strike of the Plaza del Sol clock (which is broadcast to the entire country much like the United States broadcasts the Time's Square clock), another grape is eaten in celebration of lucky years past, and in hope of a lucky year to come.
(http://www.123newyear.com)

Do you have any New yr stories and lucky foods you know of ?Let us know how we can bring on the luck and prosperity this yr:-)

A very Merry Xmas

Hope everyone had a great Christmas .I know I did...good food and great times with family..what else does one need? Here's a picture story of all the food and festivities .


Here comes Santa Claus

The stage is set and Dinner is served


Cornish Hen with Fresh Herbs and roasted potatoes

Mushroom and shrimp pulao


Green Bean Salad

Shahi Tukda

Soyabean Matar Pulao with Basmati Rice

Alright, alright -I admit to to being spoilt .After eating long grained , fragrant and beautiful basmati rice which literally melts in your mouth, all my life ..I find it difficult to adjust to coarser, thicker rice .Eating freshly cooked basmati rice is like eating fluffy ,little white peices of heaven .I will also admit that with passage of time I have come to understand the virtues of different varieties of rice..

Did you know that the word ‘basmati’ means fragrant, and refers to the nutlike flavor and aroma of this small, but long grained rice. It has been used in India and Pakistan for thousands of years and is excellent with curries. Several varieties are now grown in the U.S., such as Texmati and Kasmati, and all are growing in popularity. (One U.S. company has made an effort to patent Basmati rice and trademark the name). Their flavor is very good, but not quite up to real imported Basmati. (www.foodreference.com)

The other main ingredients of my pulao which are soyabean and peas are rife with proteins .I make matar pulao often but soyabeans make this dish much more protein packed and give it a twist .I love it and think you all should try it .

So let's get cracking

You need :
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 black cardamom seeds
6 whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 cup cooked soyabeans (boiled in salted water)
2 cups uncooked basmati rice, rinsed and drained
4 cups water
salt to taste

This is how you make it :
Heat the oil in a deep heavy skillet over low heat. Add thecumin, cardamom seeds and peppercorns .Cook for a few minutes to bring out the aroma of the spices. Add the green peas to the pan, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 4 cups of water and rice to the pan. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, and cook for about 10 minutes. Then add the cooked soyabean and cook until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed.

Cover the skillet and let the rice sit for a while .S erve when its fluffy with cool cucumber raita and pickle .

Tilapia with wild rice

Fish and rice are wonderful ...I love fish and always look to making fish in different ways -baked, broiled, poached, fried , cooked in foil ...different herbs, marinades etc .Ofcourse there's always so many different kinds of fish availabe to choose from-salmon, tilapia, sea bass, catfish, mahi mahi, snapper, cod ..the list goes on and on .

This time I chose Tilapia..which is a fresh water fish and takes on new flavors easily .Tilapia species are native to Africa and the Levant (for example the sea of Galilee, where according to legend Jesus used it to feed the 5000, resulting in the nickname St. Peter's fish).

Wild rice also called Indian Rice, Water Rice, or Water Oats is considered a delicacy, has long been an important food of North American Indians and wild rice is not related to, related to rice (Oryza sativa). I once ate cornish hen with wild rice and was inspired to cook it more often or atleast try it a couple of times . So without further ado , lets start cooking .

You need
2 tilapia fillets !
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil for marinade
Olive oil to pan fry
black pepper
salt to taste
chopped corriander

1 cup wild rice
3 cups water or chicken broth
salt to taste
seasoning to taste (Maggi Chicken Flavored Bouillon )

This is how you make it
Marinate the tilapia fillets in olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt ,black pepper , chopped corriander and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Cooking the rice
Wash 1 cup uncooked wild rice thoroughly. Add to 3 cups boiling water or chicken stock(I use chicken stock for extra flavor) , salted and seasoned to taste(add maggi chicken seasoning according to taste), in a saucepan. Return water to boil and stir. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 50-60 minutes or just until kernals puff open. Uncover and fluff with table fork. This will give you 3-4 cups of cooked wild rice.

Now , heat some olive oil or any other oil in the pan and pan fry the fish so that the it turns brown on both sides and flaky .Take care not to move the fish in the pan or it will break .

Your tilapia is now ready. Serve it on top of a bed of fragrant wild rice. Add salsa for that extra zing and enjoy .

Pasta with catfish

I have found Pasta to be so versatile, there seems to be no end to the ways one can cook with pasta .And the types of pasta is a post or many by itself . On a busy work day with my fridge almost bare of anything , I found a couple of catfish fillets and some pasta and sundried tomotoes .After a minute or two of reflection this is what I came up with ...

You need
2 catfish fillets chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp lemon juice
olive oil to fry
salt to taste
red pepper to taste
3 tbsp julienned sun dried tomatoes
1/4 pound pasta (any shape will do)
1/2 a cup chicken stock
1/2 onion thinly sliced( we get big onions here)
1 tsp chopped garlic
Basil to garnish

This is how you make it
Marinate the catfish cubes in olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and red pepper and set aside for 15-20 minutes. After that, fry the marinated pieces of fish in olive oil till they are brown and firm .take care not to burn them .Set aside
In the meantime cook pasta . On a seperate pan , fry the sliced onion with garlic , once the onion is soft add the chicken stock and let it boil and then turn the heat down .Now add the julienned tomatoes and toss the cooked pasta into the pan.Add salt and pepper to taste and now add the cooked peices of fish.

Mix everything thoroughly and garnish with basil leaves . Serve with white wine and salad and enjoy :-)

Iam BACK ...

hi folks ...

gots tonnes of messages while I was away and I agree I was away for a really long time ..almost 9 months ...was busy ..finishing up Masters, changing jobs, moving to a new city , visiting home and parents visiting ..and ofcourse my digital camera was'nt exactly cooperating ..couldnt take pictures for a while.

Thankyou all for keeping in touch and encouraging me to get back ..and though I was was away , I did not stop cooking ..had a lovely thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey , have cooked other dinners when freinds were over, birthdays , get togethers and hopefully some great stuff for Christmas ...

Keep watching this space

Kesar Pulao

I had posted a picture of this back in December 2005 but did not share the recipe back at that time. I am doing that today .

I have always wondered what is the difference between pulao and biryani and here's what I found .

Before biryanis became Mughlai food, they were part of Persian culture in the royal courts of Delhi during the medieval period. The word biryani comes from the Persian "birian", which means "fried" or "roasted". The Persians had a major rice dish in their pulao.

There is a subtle difference between the biryani and the pulao.

In a biryani, the parboiled rice is layered twice or more between the spices and the meat, and they are all cooked together. In a pulao, the stock of meat forms the base and the rice is cooked with the spices so that it absorbs the flavor of the spices. A pulao is like an assembly of cooked rice and meat.

Some of the other differences would be:
Pulao is made by the absorption method of cooking rice. Biryani is made by the draining method of cooking rice.In pulao the base ingredient is mixed with the rice, while in biryani the main ingredient is at the base of the vessel. In biryani lot of aromatic masala is used. Pulaos are relatively less spiced (www.uppercrustindia.com)

Talking of Kesar Pulao , it is a special rice dish that is usually made in North Indian or Muslim weddings or for other important functions. It is a very aromatic dish and has a wonderful blend of spices and Kesar (saffron).

You need :
3 cups basmati rice
6 cups water
7 in number cardamom (elaichi)
7 cloves
1 cup mixed dry nuts (cashews, almonds, raisins)
1 tbsp saffron water (put 1/2 tsp of saffron in 1 tbsp of hot water and dissolve)
3 tbsps ghee (clarified butter)1 tbsp.
salt to taste
green boiled peas , 1 tomato and chopped coriander to garnish

This is how you make it
Wash and soak the basmati rice for about 1 hour.(always preferable as this makes the rice cook faster and look better)
Add 2 tbsp ghee to the pan and put in the cloves, cardamom and half the nuts (you can use oil too, just that ghee has better aroma)
Fry the nuts for till they start to turn golden and the raisins start to swell up .
Add the rice and water , salt to taste and the add in the saffron water.(If you want to just add strands of saffron, that should be fine .The more saffron you put , the deeper the color.)
Cover the pot or pan you are cooking in ,When the rice is done .Fry the remaining dry fruits in the remaining butter and sprinkle on the top of the cooked rice .
Garnish with boiled peas, chopped coriander and a tomato floret.

Serve hot with other delectable curries (veg or non veg) and enjoy

Pineapple Upside down cake

Some of you had asked for this recipe from my Super bowl sunday spread. I will share the recipe for the cake but before that, time for some trivia on the cake

The term 'upside down cake' wasn't used very much before the middle of the 19th century, but the style of baking probably dates back much further, probably to the Middle Ages.

The early recipes for fruit upside down cakes were made in cast iron skillets on top of the stove.
The classic American 'Pineapple Upside Down Cake' dates to sometime after 1903, when Jim Dole invented canned pineapple. The Hawaiin Pineapple Co. (now Dole Pineapple) held a pineapple recipe contest in 1925, with judges from Fannie Farmer's School, Good Housekeeping and McCall's magazine on the judging panel.

The 100 winning recipes would be published in a cookbook the following year. Over 60,000 recipes were sent in, and 2,500 of them were for Pineapple Upside Down Cake. So it is obvious that between 1903 when canned pineapple was first available, and 1925 when the contest was held, Pineapple Upside Down Cake had become a very popular item.

The Hawaiin Pineapple Company ran an ad campaign in 1926 based on the fact that so many recipes for the cake had been submitted, naturally making the Pineapple Upside Down Cake even more popular.( www.foodreference.com)

You need
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated and beaten separately
2/3 cup water or milk3 tbsp
baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can sliced pineapples
maraschino cherries

This is how you make it
Cream butter, add sugar, beaten egg yolks and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients alternately with water or milk.
Lastly, add stiffly beaten egg whites.
In the pan you will bake the cake in (a large round cast iron skillet works well) melt 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar.
When the butter and sugar becomes melted and syrupy, add slices of pineapple with maraschino cherries in the middle. Pour on batter.
Bake at 325°F for about 35 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly near center.
Remove from oven, loosen cake gently from sides of pan and turn upside down onto a serving plate.
Serve with a sauce of your choice or whipped cream.

Fruit Tray and Devilled Eggs

Thankyou for the appreciation and leaving some wonderful comments on my last 2 entries .I was humbled and hugely flattered. Its now time to share the recipes .Let's start with recipes from the superbowl sunday entry .

How about we begin with the Fruit Tray with peanut butter-honey dip and Devilled Eggs ?

Fruit Tray with peanut butter -honey dip

You need :
1/2 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter (I chose chunky)
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp water
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cups melonballs
1 banana peeled and thickly sliced
1 apple sliced
4 strawberries sliced
1 small bunch- green seedless grapes

This is how you make it
1. Place peanut butter in small bowl , gradually stir in milk and honey until blended .Stir in water and cinnamon until mixture is smooth
2. Served the dip with fruits which has been arranged on a serving dish .
You can use green salad leaves to cover the serving dish before you arrange the fruits on it .


Fruit tray with peanut butter-honey dip


Peanut butter -Honey Dip

Devilled (or Deviled) Eggs

I always wanted to how this dish got its name. Here's a bit of trivia for those are curious about the name .

"The devil in this particular dish is definitely in the details. In this context, "deviled" refers to the process of highly seasoning a food. Linda's culinary dictionary explains further:

deviled - (1) A term describing food that is dark, rich, chocolate, spicily piquant or stimulating it is "deviled." Means a highly seasoned, chopped, ground, or whole mixture that is served hot or cold. Many foods, including eggs and crab, are served "deviled."

Deviled can also refer to spiced, potted meats such as William Underwood's famous deviled hams and sardines.

Some say the name of the dish originated in Great Britain in 1786, while the oldest known recipe for stuffed eggs appeared in a 15th-century Italian cookbook. Another source claims that the dish originated in ancient Rome.

As for the name, one food historian believes the names for foods such as deviled eggs or Devil's food cake stem from the belief that "healthy foods such as eggs, ham, and cake have been modified to thus become unhealthy." Hence they came under the influence of the evil one and are "deviled." Deviled foods are usually hot with spices, and anything hot is associated with the devil. (Source http://ask.yahoo.com)

You need :
12 Eggs, hard boiled and shelled
8 tbsp Mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
Chopped fresh Parsley

This is how you make it
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise.
Remove the yolks and mash them with the mayonnaise, mustard, until smooth and velvety.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place equal amounts into hollows of each egg half.
Garnish with chopped parsley.

Devilled Eggs

There you go , Two easy and delicious recipes ready in almost no time at all. Both recipes are great as appetizers or to bring to a pot-luck, and perfect for Atkins and low carb diets.

Enjoy .

Treat for two ...continued

So both Valentine's day and my anniversary came and went in a second. That may be so but I now have a new story to pass on to my grandkids...... That Grandpa (thats my husband) loved Grandma(that's me) so much that he beat her to buying her own car.Instead he went ahead and bought it for her as an anniversary present .One of the sweetest and grandest gesture of love.Do people, do that anymore? Well obviously, because Grandpa did :-)

Yes, freinds.I got a new car for my 4th wedding anniversary and that right now,is my new love.

What did I do for him...Lots of presents and ofcourse made a mushy , romantic ,(some would even call it corny but who cares) valentines day meal for him replete with candles,chocolates and roses.That, because I am a die hard romantic .

Witness for yourself as I firmly uphold the old adage "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach "

Sphagetti with Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Shrimp Scampi and Tira Misu cake ,anyone ? I promise to come back with the recipes from this and the superbowl entry.Meanwhile enjoy the pictures .


The set up (sounds almost sinister) :-)


Sphagetti with meatballs


Tiramisu cake


Cards, chocolates and wine seal the deal


Hmm , he likes it , he likes it not? Worry not girl , he loved it :)

Treat for two ..Happy valentines day

Happy valentines day everyone ...More pictures coming up as I go through the day.This is the breakfast .Tomorrow is our Anniversary so its a two day long celebration

What did you folks do today?


Breakfast on a lovey-dovey day



And an especially Happy Valentines day to the Man in my life

My Super Bowl Sunday Spread

Hey everyone , Now that Iam back in the game .I want to tell about last sunday, called the super bowl sunday .Super bowl is considered really important in America. It was especially important for the state I live in ..Washington state ..Our team , the SEAHAWKS made it to the super bowl for the first time and everyone was realy excited .We were pitted against the the STEELERS from Pittsburgh . Unfortunately SEAHAWKS lost .What a shame ??

But my theory is ..Its better to make it to superbowl and have lost then to have never made it . GO..SEAHAWKS :)

We had a small gathering of freinds to watch the game and I prepared a spread . There was a bunch of food - fruit and veggie trays, devilled eggs, seekh kebabs, aloo tikkis, pita bread with Mushroom ratatouille, oatmeal cookies and my favorite ...pineapple upside down cake .

Everybody enjoyed the grub and here are the pictures .I will discuss recipes post by post except for some which I have already talked about before..

Here you go , Feast your eyes:)


The Spread



The fruit tray with my peanut butter -honey dip


the Veggie tray with the Ranch Dip


Seekh Kebabs


Aloo Tikki ..a hit with the crowd


Devilled Eggs


Mushroom Ratatouille


Pineapple Upside Down Cake


Not a recipe ..thats me and my niece :)

Let me know how you found the pics .

Upma

Sorry folks ..No post for almost 2 weeks . I was busy and then I was sick .Now Iam feeling much better and raring to go . For those of you , who cared to ask , thanks a ton :)

The recipe I post today was something I was hoping to enter into Meenakshi's " From my rasoi - breakfast series" but could not because I was sick last week and couldnt make the deadline on time . Meenakshi of "Hooked on Heat" fame has been doing a great job and I hope to enter her feb series .

Today's recipe is Upma .Like all dishes upma, has a history behind it .It originated in the South of India and is mighty popular there .Called "Upma" in tamil ,"Uppindi" in Telugu and "Uppittu" in Kannada , its basically a wholesome indian dish made of Wheat Rava or sooji(also called semolina) .There are so many different ways to prepare Upma.

Indeed, every south Indian woman will impart a small difference in flavour when making her Upma. This variation is obtained by varying or emphasising some particular spice, thereby making for variation. Apart from rava,upma is widely made with vermicelli and cous-cous also. These dishes are sometimes not regarded as being Upma, and are known in many regions by other names.

Upma used to be one of the many sunday breakfast items my ma used to make when I was back in India .Sunday breakfasts were always special and elaborate.recently I made upma and my mind jsut went back to those good ole times when I used to watch my ma fiddling with her pots and pans , spices ...........a bit of this , a bit of that ..some stirr and whoosh ....recipe upon delicious recipe appeared in front of me.She made it effortless , as simple as brushing your teeth and unknowingly instilled a love of cooking in me . Let me start with the recipe before I go mushy on you guys and start uttering gibberish :-)

You need
Sooji - upma Rava 1 Cup
Ginger 1 " inch piece chopped
finelyChilies red or Green 2 Nos
Onion medium size 1 chopped
Boiled peas- 1/2 cup
Chopped carrots -1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil 4 tbsp.
Water 2 Cups

For Seasoning
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Hing 1 pinch
dry red chillies 2
Curry leaves few.

This is how you cook it
Dry roast sooji in 2 tablespoon oil for few minutes & keep aside.Take care not to brown it .
Heat oil in the same pan & add the seasoning.
Add chilies, ginger & Onion ,fry till translucent.Then add chopped carrots and boiled peas .Cover the pan with a lid for atleast 5-10 minutes while the carrots soften and cook
Add salt,water & let it come to boil at whichpoint add the sooji gradually.
Keep stirring& take care as not to form lumps.
Simmer the stove,cover & let it cook for 5 minutes.
Switch off the stove. Your upma is ready .& Serve hot with a steaming cup of tea or coffee.

What a delicious beginning to a day .Try it .

Aloo Tikki

The ubitquitous potato.There's nothing one can not make with it .Everything from appetisers to desserts can be made with this humble looking, brown, oblong ,smooth and sometimes rough skinned vegetable.

So from the vast array of possible appetisers ,sides, main course dishes and desserts ,I decided to make aloo tikki the other day .Aloo tikki is one of the items from amongst a collection of hot and spicy snacks that is called chaat.(Others being golgappa, bhalle, papdi etc) .Each of these items are particularly spicy and induce a "kick" into a boring day:)

I used to visit the local ‘chaat walla (street hawker) to eat aloo tikki and chaat when I visited the local market with ma and dad .His shop would be abuzz with customers at any given time and his tikkis and chaat always sold like hot cakes . He fried fresh aloo tikkies on a hot griddle or tava .The wonderfully aroma was often enough to set my stomach churning with hunger .
Standing in the line always paid off in the end because the taste made up for everything .

The best part is , one can always make them at home , they are very easy ,delicious and serve as a wonderful appetiser. Let's get started .

You need:
7-8 potatoes boiled, peeled, mashed
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
3 green chillies grouned1/2 tsp.
garam masala
1/2 cup bread crumbs
salt to taste
chilli flakes/powder to taste
oil for shallow frying

This is how you cook it
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly
Press gently into rounded flattish patties.
Shallow fry on a griddle, drizzling oil to crispen crust.
Serve hot with tamarind chutney and green chutney. or with tomato ketchup

(you can do an optional filling with boiled chana dal or paneer& peas .This mixture is made with mixing either chana or paneer& peas with ginger, corriander seeds , cumin seed powder, salt and chilli .Take a tbspful of potato mixture, spread on palm and place a tspful of dal mixture in centre.Roll so as to keep dal mixture inside and potato out. Press gently into rounded flattish patties)