Let's cook. And eat.

Had been wanting to try this one for a long long time. Finally came together for Xmas. Sticky toffee pudding is a traditional English dessert - a steamed date cake.  Mr. S did all the chopping of dates. Which really was the hardest part. Other than that, these are super easy to make.  Followed this particular recipe.  https://homemadeandyummy.com/sticky-toffee-pudding-pressure-cooker/ Added some cinnamon and clove powders to add some warm flavors.  Can also be steamed in Instant Pot on Steam setting for 20 minutes. 

On a whim, we picked up some fish from Wholefoods (read expensive). And were on the lookout for a good recipe to do justice to the fish.  Called up lady A. And sure enough she had something up her sleeve just for the occasion.  Pat dry the fish nicely. Sprinkle with salt and pepper nicely. Then add it to a hot cast iron pan with some butter and olive oil. Let it sear undisturbed for a few minutes. Flip over 3-4 times at intervals of 3-4 minutes each till the fish is done - it’s flaky and tender. Remove to a plate.  In the same pan, add some butter , garlic and Italian herbs. Sauté for a few. Then in goes some lemon juice and salt and black pepper. Let the sauce reduce. A spoonful of capers rounds it off. Pour the sauce over the fish. Ta da. It’s done. And you can thank me later for penning down this recipe from lady A. 

Mr. K. A dear friend and our resident Dr Sahib. This recipe came from him, on the spur, as I was talking to his wife about another fish recipe.  https://youtu.be/cvaibAcAFvE The mushrooms came out lovely. I substituted dry herbs because I did not have fresh ones and also used some Parmesan cheese on the top. 

So remember Mr. M. He and his boys made a meat lasagna for Thanksgiving. And that inspired me to make a spinach and mushroom lasagna.  Went looking for a recipe on the web, and found this one that pretty much worked for the most part.  https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/vegetarian_spinach_and_mushroom_lasagna/ I did end up making just a couple of changes.  First I used fresh rolled pasta sheets. And so I did not have to boil the pasta. Just used it as is.  I used Rao's marinara instead of the tomato paste and can of tomatoes. And I did add 2 eggs to my ricotta mixture along with some black pepper and salt.  The coolest part was dry sauteing the mushrooms. I did not even know that was a thing till I saw the recipe above. New skill learned.  But the funnest part was definitely cooking with my little man. Master S has been really handy in the kitchen this year ever since we went into quarantine. Small silver linings. 

Since peri-peri chicken was on the menu, decided to try a vegetarian side dish with cauliflower too. Because why not.  The recipe was straight from Nando’s website.  https://www.nandosperiperi.com/eat/recipes/peri-peri-cauliflower-wings

This one was quick and easy.  Sautéed one finely chopped onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Added 4-5 tbsps of Peri peri garlic sauce.  In a baking dish, add chicken thighs. Slash them so the sauce seeps through. Top with the onion- peri peri sauce. Bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes. Take out and top with green onions. Best eaten with rice. 

Saw this recipe on NY times cooking. And it turned out quickly and easily. Has been made multiple times now during this pandemic, so definitely worth trying.  INGREDIENTS 3   tablespoons honey ¾   teaspoon  black   pepper , plus more to taste   Kosher salt 2   tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 ½   teaspoons ground  turmeric 1   pound boneless, skinless  chicken  thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 1   tablespoon coconut or canola oil 12   ounces asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle 1   teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar or soy sauce 1   lime, cut into wedges (optional) In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together 1/4 cup water with the honey,  pepper  and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set honey mixture aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour,  turmeric  and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the  chicken  and toss until coated. In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the oil over med...

I have been wanting to make this particular recipe for a while now. It finally came together on Diwali 🪔. Definitely worth the effort.  Recipe from here:  https://www.signatureconcoctions.com/2020/04/19/masala-doodh-tres-leches-cake/ Happy Diwali everyone. 

I could not like it more. Super easy and so good. Lady A recommended it and it hit all the right notes.  Recipe from here: https://maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/rajasthani-papad-ki-sabji/

I love how Persian or Iranian rice tastes. And after a lot of searching I have found the recipe. It works and the rice comes out all fluffy and good.  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240606/persian-rice/ The potatoes are a byproduct and so yummy too. 

Easy one pot meal. Made it Rajasthani style because sugar in daal would not fly with Mr. S.  Here is the recipe I followed: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/exquisite-rajasthani-dal-dhokli-recipe/ Except I made mine in instapot- pressure cooked for 7 minutes after adding the dhokli and natural release. 

My mom made this a lot right when Master S was born. It was a shortcut recipe but always worked and came together nicely.  Take 2 tbsps ghee and about 1 cup or 1.5 cups of makhana. Roast them till they are crisp. Once cool, blend them coarsely.  Take 3 cups of half and half. Add sugar to taste - maybe 4-5 tablespoons. Add the roasted, crushed makhana. Add 2 tbsps of blanched sliced almonds. Maybe add a few pinches of cardamom powder if you prefer. Put everything in a microwave safe bowl. And put it in the microwave on half power for 15-20 minutes. The kheer thickens on cooling further.  Top off with a few strands of saffron and some crushed pistachios.  This kheer is best served chilled. 

The inspiration came from a friend who made a chicken pot pie. And when I saw the pictures of her  prebaked dish it reminded me of my mom’s own baked vegetables in white sauce.  The process itself was straightforward, especially since Mr. S helped with the prep work.  Sautéed chopped onion and garlic in a little butter. Kept adding chopped veggies to it - carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas etc. Once they are a little done, sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Mix. Add milk - 1.5 cups. Flavor with salt, pepper, paprika. Let the sauce thicken. Top with chopped green onions and thyme.  Put in baking dish, cover with a puff pastry lattice and brush with egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes at 400F. Big hit with Master S too. He called dibs on leftovers for next day lunch. 😃

Finally got around to making home made pasta. So good. And fairly easy. Not going back to storemade pasta anytime soon.  Recipe followed:  https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-pasta/ Used 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup semolina. 

When your friend shares some bhaji, you make some pav from scratch.  Followed this recipe and they turned out great. Gone in a jiffy!  I did use some sourdough starter to replace some of the flour-water. Used a cup of starter and reduced flour and water by half cup each.  https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/homemade-ladi-pav-and-buns/ And I also asked my friend for her pav bhaji recipe - she did such a good job with what she shared with us. Here is what she messaged back with -  “ https://thebellyrulesthemind.net/pav-bhaji-recipe/ I make it in the instant pot, I also add a little bit of beetroot for color.  I’ve used badshah pav bhaaji masala and I don’t add tomato paste, just fresh tomatoes.  Top with chopped onions, butter, lemon juice and cilantro.  “ Life is good. 

Homemade brioche buns just came out of the oven. Master S has braces now and loves to eat them because they are soft.  Recipe followed as is:  https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2013/05/light-brioche-hamburger-buns/ Super easy and I love how my house smells when I have just baked fresh bread. 

Mr. S steps into the kitchen occasionally and always dishes out yummy stuff.  He made Eggs Kejriwal today. Picked the recipe from Dishoom’s cookbook but you can find it (and many variations) online easily.  And to help here is his photo stream of the process. Fairly easy! And colorful. And yummy. 

So hot today it was ridiculous. I was reminded of how my mom used to give us Roohafza with milk on such days.  Made this rose flavored Israeli dessert - it was refreshing and just what we needed. Used rice flour to make it and added cardamom for some extra flavor. Replaced the vanilla essence with rose essence and used rose syrup to top it.  https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/israeli-kitchen/recipes/how-make-malabi-milk-pudding

Greek or hung yoghurt mixed with minced garlic, salt and black pepper to form the base sauce Greek salad with lettuce, red onion, cucumbers, grape tomatoes tossed in lemon juice, olive oil, seasonings for the pickled stuffing.  Halloumi sliced, coated with olive oil, red pepper flakes, dried oregano or Greek seasoning. Grill the halloumi on a hot griddle for 2-3 minutes each side.  All these 3 go on warmed lavash to form a wrap. Oh so good!

A friend’s son requested a chocolate dessert for his birthday gift. So made these quintessential baked desserts (but without the baking) because it does not get more chocolatey than a Pot de creme.  https://thecafesucrefarine.com/blender-chocolate-pots-de-creme/ Substituted half and half for the cream in the dessert and it worked wonderfully. Next morning the chocolate dessert was all set. For the whipped topping added some vanilla essence to the cream for flavor. 

This one was quick and easy. Followed the recipe as is.  https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/swirled-garlic-herb-bread/ The only thing I did was replaced some of the flour-milk with my sourdough starter because I was trying to use some up.  A hit with the family. And baby Yoda approves it too. 

The idea came from Reena Di. She suggested making halwa with quinoa. I was intrigued to no end so decided to make it. After all it was Ganesha’s birthday and he loves sweets.  Start off with dry grinding 1 cup of quinoa. Roast it in 4-5 tbsp of ghee. Meanwhile boil 1 cup of water or milk with 1 cup of sugar. Go less on the sugar if you like it less sweet. Add a tsp of cardamom powder and some saffron threads. I actually ended up using coconut sugar. Once the quinoa is roasted add the boiling liquid into the pan and stir quickly. Roast/stir for a couple of more minutes. Add some slivered almonds. Done. 

The inspiration and recipe came from a friend in the neighborhood who made these on Mother’s Day and promptly left a sample for each of us.  https://www.cookwithkushi.com/nankhatai/ And the effort came from Master S, who has been being really handy in the kitchen these days. I just had to babysit these when they were in the oven.  Delish! 

This recipe has been sitting in the draft box because I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. But I need to post it so it enters my recipe box.  The recipe itself is a mish mash of what I already knew and some of the tips came from my friendly neighbor- Mr. M. He once made the most awesome Kadhi and shared some.  2 cups of room temperature yoghurt whisked with 6-7 cups of water and about 2 heaping spoons of besan. Add turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder along with ginger-garlic paste and whisk.  Dry roast 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 2-3 dry red chilies. Add ghee, 1/4 tsp Asafoetida, thinly sliced onions (1 medium), a few curry leaves, 1/4 tsp methi daana. Sauté for a few till the onions are a bit translucent.  Add the yoghurt mixture and simmer for 30-50 minutes. Salt to taste. Add pakodis and cilantro. Simmer for another couple of minutes.  For the pakodis, use sliced onions with besan, carom seeds, salt, coriander powder. Fry like sma...

Inspired by Lady G. She made it and posted a picture, and it looked good. I went looking for a recipe and found this one.  https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/dahi-toast Used it as is, except I used ghee instead of olive oil. Homemade sourdough made it even better.  Lip smacking good. 

This particular dish got me really excited  Start with a cast iron skillet and 2-3 tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot, place the trimmed and halved brussel sprouts, cut face down in the pan. Let them cook for about 8 minutes undisturbed. The cut faces should now have a nice char. Add garlic salt and pepper and move the sprouts around and let the other sides brown too.  Switch off the heat. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice, some sliced almonds. Let the almonds roast in the hot pan. Top with shaved Parmesan.  Enjoy while it’s hot.   

This is another great recipe by Lady S.  Her instructions were simple:  Cook orzo according to direction but use broth instead of water Olive oil, red pepper flakes, frozen spinach , salt, garlic powder, black pepper. Mix orzo with spinach. Taste On top I added some Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Came together in no time and definitely a winner. 

This just went into the oven.  https://www.thewholesomedish.com/the-best-classic-zucchini-bread/ Did not have applesauce on hand so used puréed peaches instead.  The best part about this recipe was that there was really no heavy lifting- just throw the ingredients together and you are good to go.  I did have to bake longer than 50 minutes. I think I almost went to 65-70 minutes. Wondering if my oven heats up to the right temperature... 

The inspiration came from a friend and the recipe from NYT Cooking with a few changes.  Mostly followed the recipe as is except I did not have peppers on hand and so I used a frozen stir fry blend and topped the dish with some Zatar spice right before breaking the eggs on top.  3   tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1   large onion, halved and thinly sliced 1   large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 3   garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1   teaspoon ground cumin 1   teaspoon sweet paprika ⅛   teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste 1   (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped ¾   teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed ¼   teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed 5   ounces feta, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups) 6   large eggs   Chopped cilantro, for serving   Hot sauce, for serving   Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and bell ...

I once made it for a wedding party of 100 guests and it came together in less than 30 minutes start to finish. Super easy and ridiculously yummy.  https://www.food.com/recipe/nutella-mousse-63150 I like this recipe, instant coffee is skippable but it adds a nice flavor.  Top with fresh berries or pecans or macarons. 

This one is a guest post - an exquisite black forest cake. It is curated, because my dear friend shared a generous piece of this cake with us (yes, I am blessed to be surrounded by some very caring and generous friends). I have to say - this is quite possibly one of the best black forest cakes I have had. And believe me I have had my fair share over the years. Here is her recipe as she wrote it down for me:  Ingredients:  2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 6 eggs (separate the yolks and egg whites) 1/2 cup melted butter 3/4 cup water 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 cups whipping cream 1/4 cup powdered sugar 2 cans Dark sweet Cherries (Oregon brand) Good chocolate (used the Guittards semi sweet) Chocolate chips For the cake - - Take the separated egg yolks and beat with a hand mixer - Add the water, melted butter and vanilla - Add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating - Thereafter add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder - This will form...

When you don’t feel like cooking, you make Ramen.  Start with 5 cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of sesame oil. Sauté for a few, then add your veggies - I used sliced mushrooms, carrots, and some bokchoy. Sauté for a minute. Next add a 32 oz  box of Ramen broth. I found mine at Whole Foods I think. Let everything come to a boil. Add any seasonings at this point - soy sauce, pepper etc. Also some cut cilantro and green onions. Cook till the veggies are done - al dente.  When ready to eat add boiled egg and cooked noodles. You can also add some cooked chicken or fish for protein instead of egg.  Top with some more green onions and cilantro. You can never have too much of them.  Pour a hearty portion in a bowl and you have a meal! 

There were some leftover egg yolks from another recipe I had made and some leftover cream. So creme brûlée is what came to mind.  The recipe is simple - Preheat the oven to 325 F. Put water to boil in a pot for a water bath for the ramekins. You whisk 4 egg yolks vigorously with 3 tbsp sugar till it’s a pale yellow. Heat up 2 cups of cream (or half and half) till it begins to steam and there are bubbles of the edge - just warm, not hot. Switch off the heat and stir in 1.5 tsp of vanilla essence. Slowly add 1/2 cup of cream to the yolks while mixing continuously. This tempers the yolks and they do not scramble. Add the remaining cream and keep mixing. Sieve the mixture and pour into ramekins.  Put it into a hot water bath (ramekins should be half submerged in water) and move to the oven at 325 F for 40-50 minutes. Take them out when the edges are firm but the center a little jiggly.  Cool the ramekins on a wire rack and then cover and move to the refrigerator for at least ...

Everyone in the family loves focaccia. And with a sourdough starter at hand, it was not long before I got tempted to make a focaccia using the starter.  The recipe for focaccia was:  https://foodgeek.dk/en/sourdough-focaccia-recipe/ I would say it was pretty reliable but you can use any basic focaccia recipe. And then just go crazy with any colorful veggies you like to create your gardenscape.  (Tip: I played with the design and veggies on a flat baking sheet and then transferred it to the dough quickly once I had dimpled it with the fingers)