Chef In You

To “Kitchen Aid” or not to….

DK — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:41:56 +0000

…Kitchen aid. That is the question for today. This thought has been creating havoc in my mind for a loooong time now! I even went to the step of saving up a little money every month to buy this luxury item. But what’s stopping me? The same thing – “Luxury item!”. I am a kitchen [...] Related posts:

Rajma (kidney beans) Paneer Paratha

DK — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:02:21 +0000

Few years back, one of my friends dropped over to my house. She happened to see 2 packets of paneer in my fridge and was like -”any guests coming over? I see lots of paneer?”. I said – “No, its for us!!!”. She was like so much paneer? I know it keeps well in the fridge and all – but don’t you get bored! I mean after all there are only 3-4 dishes one can make with paneer isn’t it? She would have been surprised at my reaction! I was flabbergasted! 3-4??? I can easily think of 30-40 ways one can easily use paneer I said! The number of recipes I have personally tried with it is brobdingnagian and I am sure there are many more! You don’t have to go overboard with eating Paneer, but a little here and there in the recipe never fails to transform it!

Like this recipe. I had some left over cooked rajma (...)
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Post tags: cilantro, cumin-coriander powder, fennel seeds, kidney beans, onion, Paneer, turmeric, wheat flour

Food Riddle 1

DK — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:46:48 +0000

Bloggers who have been in this blog’o’sphere for long and readers who have been following my blogging experience for long would be aware of the time when I wrote few Food Riddles. That was for some event at Dining Hall which I did along with Siri. I thought it would be interesting to start something [...] Related posts:

Blueberry Cheese Pancakes

DK — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:12:32 +0000

Waking up to a morning with someone making you a hearty breakfast and strong coffee/tea!!! That’s bliss! But unfortunately since that’s clearly not happening in any foreseeable future of mine, I do the next best thing! I make it myself – better that than Starbucks mocha whose flavor changes every time I order it – not every time pleasant! But then making a breakfast like this whose aroma fills the house right in the morning is worth getting up to anyways! This recipe of Blueberry pancakes made with cottage cheese is one of the best, I have tasted – EVER!

Mornings are when you gotta eat like a king – lots of protein not necessarily fat but full of flavor (...)
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Post tags: baking soda, blueberries, cottage cheese, eggs, lemon, milk, self-rising flour

Patates sto Fourno (Garlic Lemon Potatoes)

DK — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:29:57 +0000

About a month back, a dear reader Sudha asked me for a Potato recipe which is my all time fav. She said she loved roast potatoes and that which makes it often. She asked me if I had a twist to regular roast potatoes. This recipe “Patates sto Fourno” is a Greek recipe for Garlic and Lemon Potatoes. It is a staple in taverna menus and I read that it is usually served with roasted chicken/grilled fish dishes. The potatoes are mostly cubed and browned. Once its done, lemon juice and garlic is added towards the end. For me personally, cubing always for some reason more often ends up as soggy dish. That’s bad news! So I usually cut them into wedges (tip suggested by a friend who gave me this recipe)

It is also usually Oven Roasted and I have done that too when I have the time but most of the times I just want to do it fast.(...)
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Apricot Vanilla Jam

DK — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:05:15 +0000

Its been a long while since I made a jam last! We have started enjoying other breakfast items which don’t call for jam a lot hence I was not in a dire need to make some at home. For the rare occasion we needed Jam, a small store bought Jam seemed a better idea! But during one of my trips to Grocery stores, I came across some yummy looking fresh apricots. I had quite a lot of fruits stocked at home and knew that it will only spoil if I buy more. If you had already read through the rant about fruits and me, you will realize my hesitation. But those cute apricots won me over and I got few home. But once home, my sense came back and after eating 1-2, I was in a fix! So I did the next best thing to eating them fresh – Made them into a jam, of course!

Using up the jam sounded easier to me than eating them just as they are! Oh well, that’s me! I remembered that I had this one vanilla bean that I was storing for that “one special recipe” (...)
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Post tags: apricots, lemon, orange, vanilla bean

Channa Palak (Chickpeas with Spinach)

DK — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:05:44 +0000

Its funny when many people I know assume I have lots of time to burn, cos I sit and cook so much! Why funny? – you might ask. As long as someone has interest they would find ways and means to do it, is my explanation. Like for example, my husband has been behind me practically for 2 yrs now (yes, that long) to improve my photography skills. He insists that its a good thing to learn the techniques, learn the composition, learn the “Rule of thirds”, so on and so forth!

“Oh I have no time“,

“Well after I finish cooking and take all the pictures, I am so(...)
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Post tags: cardamom, chickpeas, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, fennel seeds, garam masala, onion, spinach, turmeric

Tuscan Ribollita

DK — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:05:03 +0000

It was another of those fridge cleaning moments -you know, the time when you see bits and scraps of assorted vegetables which cannot be made on their own. But together, they create magic (provided you don’t try too much of weird experiments like me ). I was also in my pantry cleaning process, so was wondering what I can do. Umm..Lets check the fridge – carrots, peas, tomatoes, kale and some Triticale Bread. I checked the section where I store legumes and aha, cannellini beans! Of course – Ribollita!

Ribollita is a Tuscany white bean and bread soup. The term “Ribollita” means “Reboiled” (...)
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Post tags: bay leaf, cannellini beans, carrots, Kale, olive oil, onion, Parmesan, potato, rosemary, tempeh, tomatoes

Triticale Bread

DK — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:01:57 +0000

What does a kid do at the sight of an Ice cream? What do geeky men do at the sight of a latest Gizmo? How do women react to super duper sale in their favorite store? That smile, that surprise with their pupils dilating with unexplainable delight is sure a sight to see, isn’t it? Well, a bread fresh out of the oven does that to me. Not shopping, not shoes, not clothes, not chocolates but fresh home made breads. People feel down if their pets get sick, I feel horrible if my breads don’t puff up or end up like bricks! But nevertheless, I am always experimenting with some bread or the other. Its no wonder that you find lots of breads in this site and I am sure this is just the beginning (hopefully my passion remains consistent!)

I have talked before about Triticale in my Eggless Triticale and Currant scones. I have tried so many recipes with it and this is one of them. Its a rustic bread just like any wholegrain bread. Its a little dense although the texture is much better than the photos here. Well, the mistake is mine. You are supposed to cool down the bread before slicing it but if I am crazy about baking fresh home made breads, my better half is fanatic about consuming fresh home made breads. So, I had just finished baking and I wanted to take photos. But with him around it was getting to be impossible.

Him : I am waiting, waiting , waiting ……….
Me: I know…One sec..one sec….one sec…

Him: one second went by like a second ago…I am waiting , waiting…(...)
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Post tags: Active yeast, bread flour, brown sugar, milk, triticale, wheat flour

Tiramisu

DK — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:05:45 +0000

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

Having heard so much about Tiramisu, you would think I would have had it like ages ago wouldn’t you? Thought wrong! The very first time I had it was exactly 3 months ago! While I was amazed at the mind blowing texture and creaminess of the dessert (for not being a dessert lover, I liked it a lot!) but one thing that put me off completely was the liquor! Too much alcohol that my husband made fun of me when at the end of it, it seemed I looked a little drunk! The kidder in the house – everyone! I decided then and there that I would try to recreate this famous Italian dessert at home but without alcohol.

The beginning of the month saw me finalize on a recipe (which looked close enough to the taste I enjoyed) and the next day I bought home some Mascarpone cheese. I needed to go to a different store to get me ladyfingers when just minutes before leaving, I remembered that I did not check this months Daring Baker’s challenge. I was sure I would need to buy something from the store for the challenge and Whoa!! What was the title I see? Tiramisu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was like shocked for few seconds! With goosepimples, I informed Aparna and Deeps what a coincidence it was! And what more – we had to make everything from scratch!!

The best part I liked about making it all on our own was the Mascarpone cheese! I was like – what? Really? Me? I never knew getting pasteurized anything would be so hard to get! All I found was Ultra pasteurized stuff but whole foods saved me! At the end of making the cheese, the most amazing thing was the taste test which I put my better half through. I first gave him a small spoonful of the store bought Mascarpone cheese (remember the one I bought before I knew about the challenge?). Then I went and fed him another spoon of the home made Mascarpone Cheese. His quip, “Hey! What’s the idea of feeding me the same thing again and again? I thought you wanted me to do some taste test? What is the other thing?” – was the best thing I ever heard!!!!! Home made cheese which tastes like the shop bought ones – I mean what could be better than this?:)

As for the Tiramisu – we loved it! Me, especially since this did not have the overpowering (...)
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Post tags: cake flour, cocoa powder, eggs, espresso, heavy cream, lemon, milk, vanilla extract