Monday, August 24, 2015

Peach , Basil, Oats Breakfast Smoothie

I'm a big breakfast girl. Healthy, filling and non oily is my choice.I try to stay close to my roots as much as possible.I can't imagine skipping my breakfast. I might faint thinking about food rather.At times I would go for a lighter version too.



Summer is the only time for North East people to come out and be with Nature, I wouldn't miss one such opportunity.From beaches to road trips, Hiking to picking , I'm ready for everything. I rather wait eagerly for this season. Recently we had been to Tougas Farm for Peaches. Along with picking the fruits , the wagon ride and walking through the fields makes it an experience.



This time I had a sneak peak at the pumpkin patches too. Green fields with small yellow pumpkins here and there waiting to be picked up is a sight to see.But those pumpkins reminded me of Fall though.



Now you know that I have to use those juicy peaches. This is a super quick recipe yet again. gather everything, blitz and enjoy.This is a grab and go kind of breakfast.Also you can think of it as an after gym drink to energize yourself or after school drink for kids.






Ingredients

Peaches ............................ 4 , fully ripen
Basil leaves......................fresh, handfull
Oats / oatmeal .............. 2 to 3 tbsp , quick / rolled oats
Wheat Germ........................ 1 tbsp, optional
Plain yogurt / Fresh curd ..... 1/4 cup
Ice Cold Water .................... 1/4 cup
Sugar / Honey ..................... to taste , if needed

Method

Wash and peel the peaches.
Gather everything in a blender and blitz.








Friday, August 21, 2015

Asian Mushrooms in Coconut Curry

Yet again time for cooking with friends.If you are new here and feeling amused , this is nothing but a themed post along with a group of friends. This time we are bringing some Asian  Flavors to your kitchen. Though I had few choices, the pantry and availability of fresh produce takes an upper hand in deciding the recipe, usually.



This time I was happy as this Asian Mushroom Curry needs nothing fancy ,just basic ingredients. Quite simple and quick and you don't need any expertise. Like always I try multiple times before sharing any recipe here.First time I paired it with Fried rice and then with Singaporean noodles.I made it 3 times so  far in the last week and this curry has  won our hearts.



Fresh coconut milk is the key ingredient here.You can use a store bought can too or the dry coconut milk mix. But nothing matches the flavor of fresh one. Also use the fresh Thai red chile , it has it's own distinct flavor.



I would recommend a  few things before you would proceed to make this. Mushrooms must be cut into big chunks as they cook very fast and the coconut milk has to be real thick to get the exact coating consistency of the curry. Add salt at the end so that you don't curdle the coconut milk.





Ingredients

Mushrooms .................... 2 cup , any variety
Ginger ............................ 1/2 inch piece
Thai red chile ................. 2 , seeded , finely chopped
Garlic .............................. 4 cloves
Shallots .......................... 5 , thinly sliced
Coconut milk .................. 2/3 cup
Cilantro ........................... handful
Salt.................................. to taste
Pepper ........................... freshly crushed
Oil .................................. 2 tbsp
Chili oil ........................ for garnishing

Method


  1. Clean and dice the mushrooms into thick chunks.
  2. Heat oil in a wok.
  3. Add finely chopped garlic, red chilies and fry or a minute , followed by shallots.
  4. Saute until onions are translucent.
  5. Add in the mushrooms and saute for a while.
  6. Stir in the coconut milk and increase the heat a bit and cook until the curry thickens and coats the mushrooms.
  7. Add pepper and salt and finely chopped cilantro.
  8. Transfer to a serving dish and add few drops of chili oil here and there to garnish.


Serve as a side dish to any Asian meal.


Method for Fresh Coconut Milk

Fresh grated coconut ............................ 3 cups
Warm water ..........................................1 1/2 cups

Soak cocnut with warm water for 15 minutes.
Use a blender and grind the coconut.
Squeeze the pulp with a cheese cloth to extract thick milk.

Disclaimer:

This blog post is a part of the monthly "Cooking With Friends" themed blog post challenge.This challenge was started by a bunch of virtual friends united by their love for food , with the aim of  presenting a different theme related challenge each month.If you want to follow our theme of this month , feel free to attach your link in the comments section below and we will be glad to look into yours. Meanwhile check out what others have shared for this theme.

Anjana from At The Corner of Happy and Harried ,Dolphia from The Story Of Cooks,Jayashri from My Veg Fare , Jyothi from Curry Trail and Meena from Elephant and the Coconut Trees.

Here is a recap of what I've shared earlier here.






Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Rustic Butterscotch Pistachio bars


It was almost  10 pm Friday when we decided about our weekend plan.  I was quite happy about it and started the next morning as per the plan. But things got changed after a while when friends called us for picnic lunch. Made some quick plans and we had a great time all together. I agree that I had to put forth lots of effort to make it a complete meal but then that's how life is, everything will not go as per the plan right ? 



Expect the unexpected !  Pulled out the basic ingredients I barely had in my pantry and  made this mild sweet bars as dessert for us. This is a quick recipe I adapted from Taste of Home magazine. I went on with my intuition as I had never tried this recipe beforehand. Luckily it worked for me. 



Today I made another batch upon request. I've used minimum sugar as I like it that way. Also I've used white wheat flour, you can substitute with APF if you want. 



Ingredients

White Wheat Flour ........................... 1 cup
Rolled oats ......................................... 1 cup
Dark brown sugar .............................. 1/2 cup
Butter .................................................1/2 cup , room temperature
Whole milk ......................................... 1/4 cup ( add as per requirement)
Baking soda .......................................1 tsp
butterscotch morsels .......................... 1/8 of a cup
Pistachios ............................................ few
salt ...................................................... a pinch
Vanilla extract .................................. 1/2 tsp

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 8x8 baking tin with parchment paper and grease a bit.
  • Sift the flour with baking soda and salt.
  • Cream butter and sugar well.Add in the vanilla and mix well.
  • Slowly mix the flour with this mixture in parts.
  • Stir in the oats and if needed add a tbsp of milk.
  • Transfer to the prepared tin.
  • Top it up with some butterscotch morsels and pistachios.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.


 








Thursday, August 13, 2015

Strawberry Vanilla Milk Shake



Happy to be back from another short trip. The best part is the fun and excitement to be with nature. Though we've visited Niagara couple times, this one is special as we chose to visit Grape Vineyards along with some beautiful lakes. And should i need to tell you about the not so good part .... nothing but unpacking and laundry, etc. I always wonder why does it take time to get back to the routine i'm following everyday ? Laziness , lack of energy etc .... How to get back that energy . Do something you love the most.




A quick thought flashed, to shoot something which I'm loving these days the most. After I opened I realized there aren't much veggies and fruits in the refrigerator. But I still wanted to shoot something.That's when my eyes fell on the strawberries. I had picked lots this summer and stored some in the freezer. That's it ! There is one more reason behind this drink.It's the cute little patterned  bottle I had picked up recently.



Here in my part of the world  Pink is for girls and Blue is for boys. Growing up in India , I don't remember any such color concept. All my dresses were rich and vibrant colors. Even then I had a craze on baby pink  and peach. I'm not sure why . The color craze continued in food and drinks too. Rose milk tops that list even after Dad repeatedly telling me about colors and preservatives etc. After coming here I have never bought those , can't figure out why .



Today I think that craze is back and I decided to enjoy creamy , luscious and cool milk shake to quench the thirst of color.This time I know Dad can't find reasons to stop me.I'm not sure how many times I'm going to make this may be till no more strawberries in the freezer.



Ingredients 

Strawberries ........................... 1/2 cup fresh / frozen
Whole milk ............................. 1 1/2 cups, chilled
Sugar / honey ......................... to taste
Light Cream ...........................  2 tbsp
Vanilla Extract ...................... 1/4 tsp (optional)
Ice Cubes ............................... few

Method

There is no rocket science, throw everything in a blender jar , blitz . Enjoy !!









Thursday, August 6, 2015

Keerai Molagootal | Kerrai Kootu | Amaranth with Toor Dal



Certain things , how much ever old they are , we still love them, cherish them and celebrate them as we have an emotional bonding with them. An old mirror which no longer serves the purpose, my first hand made embroidery are some of them that tops my list.Where as certain things are passed on to you as tradition, which ultimately becomes part of your life. Food and family recipes are one such thing that you never get bored of. It becomes a comfort meal rather and gives you the sense of satisfaction after you are done with it.



This Keerai Molagootal is one such recipe passed on to me from my paternal Grandma.The unique blend of coconut and dal  makes it different from the other preparations.As my Great Grandma is from Kerala, this molagootal is always there in her list when she had to feed more members, otherwise she would make keerai masiyal.This is a four generation old recipe I cherish the most.



Simple , healthy and filling is what I feel every time I eat this and above all super easy to make. I would never want to make any change to this recipe as it takes me back to my childhood and also I love the taste , so why would I ?

I recommend using fresh coconut and coconut oil for better taste and flavor. Choose any neutral oil if you can't use coconut oil , but the authentic taste and flavor differs a bit.



Ingredients

Amaranth Leaves / Molakeerai...... 1 bunch 
Toor Dal ........................................ 3 tbsp , boiled and mashed
Coconut ........................................ 1/4 cup , freshly grated
Dry Red Chile ............................... 1
Cumin seeds .................................. 1/4 tsp
Salt ................................................. to taste

To Temper

Coconut Oil ................................... 1 tbsp
Mustaed Seeds ................................ 1 tsp
Urad Dal .......................................... 1 tsp
Curry leaves..................................... few
Dry Red Chile ................................. 1
Asafoetida ..................................... 1/4 tsp

Method 

  • Wash and clean the Amaranth Leaves.
  • Bring 1/2 cup of water to boil and quickly blanch the leaves with some salt.
  • Take off the leaves and reserve the water.
  • Once cooled, mash the leaves by traditional wooden mathu or gently pulse in a blender.
  • Meanwhile grind the coconut , cumin, red Chile to a fine paste.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium.
  • Add the Mustard seeds, followed by other mentioned ingredients once mustard starts to splutter.
  • Add the coconut paste , salt, mashed dal and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Finally add in the mashed keerai , check the seasoning and take off the stove after a minute.

Serve with steaming rice with a dollop of ghee and sambar .

You can use palak or any other green of your choice.

NOTE

Do not cook green leaves for a longer time as it looses it nutrients.