Addictive Green Beans

Last year, I came to love recipes that call for few ingredients. I have started to appreciate flavors more as I use fewer ingredients for each dish, but better quality ones, and ones chosen with care. What follows is another one of the "less is more" type recipes that has us consuming vast quantities of green beans these days.

Again, two ingredients used here were unfamiliar to me just a few years ago but have come to be indispensable in my day to day cooking. Dijon mustard, a paste of mustard seeds, is one of them. There is always a bottle of the supermarket variety dijon mustard in my fridge door, mostly for use in salad dressings and sandwiches.

The other is balsamic vinegar. We were on vacation visiting relatives and stumbled upon a specialty store selling nothing but extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, dozens of them all set out in casks with taps so that we could pour some into little cups and taste the different kinds. V's extremely adorable 8-year old niece was with us, and to my surprise and delight, she gamely tasted the oils and vinegars (I would have expected a prompt "eww" from an 8 yr old) and gave us her solemn opinions on which ones were too tangy or too fruity or just right. With her help, we chose a fig balsamic vinegar.

At 15$ for the bottle, I dare say this is one of the most expensive ingredients in my normally basic and frugal pantry but it is very versatile; I'm getting my money's worth. It turns out that this is a very reasonable price for balsamic vinegar; the aged ones can cost hundreds of dollars.

Roasted Green Beans

1. Wash and dry the green beans. Snap the ends off.
2. Pre-heat oven to 425 F.
3. On a baking sheet, toss green beans with olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the beans start getting dark spots.
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the dressing: 2-3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon honey. Taste the dressing and adjust the balance of flavors to your own taste. Set aside.
6. Once the beans are roasted, pull them out of the oven. Let them rest for 3-5 minutes, then pour on the dressing and mix well. When the dressing hits the hot green beans, it forms a thick glaze. Eat right away.


*** *** *** Puppy Love Ahead*** *** ***
This holiday weekend, we have a little guest staying with us. This is Carter, he is an 8 month old Beagle mix who was adopted by our friends when he was very very little from a local shelter. We are baby-sitting him for 3-4 days while they are out of town.

Carter is just the most affectionate and active little thing. We are accustomed to Dale (80 lbs, sedate, aloof, strictly rations his licks and wags, does not like to cuddle, wants his space, will not come when he is called) and Carter is everything Dale is not (20 lbs when wet, hyper-excitable, cuddles 24/7, a little too liberal with licks and wags, does not want even an inch of space between him and you, and whooshes to your side when he is called). Carter worships Dale and wants to play with him and reach up and give him little kisses; Dale wears a long-suffering expression and stalks off to another room. Carter is missing his parents very much, so I let the poor pup sleep in my arms at night. I'm not getting much sleep, because I wake up a dozen times to check on him.

For a long time, I felt guilty that Dale is an "only dog" and has no company at home, but I've come to realize that Dale is a lone ranger and is happier this way. He barely tolerates sharing the home with us :D But we love and respect his eccentric ways so it's all good!

To all my friends who are celebrating the holiday, Happy Fourth of July! We'll make some veggie burgers and potato salad tonight, with chocolate ice cream for dessert. I'll see you tomorrow, with the winners of the Kolhapuri masala giveaway.

A Pasta Salad I Actually Like

In theory, I love pasta salads. Colorful vegetables and sturdy pasta in a tasty dressing, to be served cold or at room temperature. A dish that can be made ahead of time and scaled up to feed a crowd. All of these sound like very desirable traits.

But a good pasta salad is hard to find. I've had more than my share of pasta salads where you can taste nothing but the mayo, where the pasta is gummy and mushy or pasta salads that are simply too bland and blah.

Well, I tried a new recipe last week that I suspect will be my go-to pasta salad for this summer. The inspiring recipe came from Kalyn's Kitchen. I loved this recipe at first glance- it contains roasted vegetables, a sure way to amplify the flavor, and a flavorful dressing of pesto and balsamic vinegar. How can you go wrong?

Slow-roasted tomatoes play a starring role in this recipe. And this is how I had my oven on for 11 hours last Friday, one of the hottest days we have had all year. To be sure, the oven was at very low heat, only 200 degrees F, which is only slightly warmer than the ambient temperature that day. I used Kalyn's recipe for the roasted tomatoes, flavoring them with dried basil, dried oregano, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper (no salt, mind you). Here are the tomatoes before they went into the oven:


Eleven hours later, the earth had turned half a rotation, my home smelled like what I imagine a nonna's kitchen smells like (what with the aroma of Italian herbs and tomatoes) and the tomatoes looked like this:


We could easily have stopped here and polished off the tomatoes right then and there. Peeled, with a sprinkling of coarse salt, the roasted tomatoes are a delightful summer treat. However, I exercised some self-discipline and saved them to make the pasta salad the following day.

I believe dishes like salads are like fingerprints- no two are the same. I am just noting down how I made it that day; all proportions are to taste. Ingredients can be omitted or substituted with abandon.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Inspired by Kalyn's recipe for Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Grilled Zucchini, and Basil, makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
3-4 cups dry short pasta (I used tricolor fusilli)
10-12 slow-roasted tomatoes, chopped into strips
3 yellow squashes, roasted
¼ cup chopped olives (I used mixed Greek olives)
3 tablespoons pesto (I used prepared pesto from Trader Joe's)
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup parmesan cheese (I used Stravecchio Parmesan)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Boil water and cook the pasta until just tender, then drain and rinse in cool water.
2. In a large bowl, mix the pesto, balsamic vinegar and parmesan together.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked pasta.
4. Toss together and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for a few hours before serving.

The flavors of the pasta salad develop over several hours, and it tasted great even the next day when we ate leftovers for lunch (and I stood over the sink and licked the bowl clean). I altogether loved the contrasting taste of the briny olives, sweet-tart tomatoes and the sweet smoky squash.


It is only fitting that Pesto Pasta Salad should be dispatched to Ruth's Presto Pasta Night, hosted this week at Daily Unadventures in Cooking.

I'll see you in two days with a recipe that has us hopelessly addicted to green beans!

Summer Snacking: Baba Ghanouj

Here's a little appetizer that I served to friends at a pre-ballet supper last weekend. "You made this at home, from scratch??", someone asked incredulously. In fact, it is the easiest thing to make from scratch and needs only a handful of ingredients. Baba Ghanouj is a close cousin of our Indian bharta, a nuttier and creamier version of it.

The two "special" ingredients in this dip are the tahini and the aleppo pepper, both foods that I had not even heard of a few years ago but that I have come to love.

I first read of Aleppo pepper on Kalyn's blog and finally bought myself some from Penzey's spices. We are lucky enough to have a retail location for this store in St. Louis. Penzey's is candyland for foodies- every spice you can think of (and several that I'd never heard of) arranged alluringly all over the store. I bought many of their barbecue rubs and Cajun spice mixes to give to relatives in India as "American masalas". Anyway, from the day I bought this Aleppo pepper, I've been looking for excuses to use it. I sprinkle it with abandon on anything and everything-the taste is irresistible. It is a completely optional ingredient in this recipe. If you don't have it on hand, substitute another pepper or just leave it out.

As for the tahini, it is nothing but sesame seed paste. If it is not available where you live, you can make some at home . Tahini can sometimes taste bitter but I found a local Missouri brand (East Wind; I've bought this brand in Golden Grocer and from the bulk bin at Whole Foods) that has a mild and pleasing taste. Tahini is useful to have on hand for creamy dips and salad dressings- I use it often in hummus and yogurt-tahini sauce. Because sesame/tahini plays a starring role in this eggplant dip, I'm sending it to Think Spice: Sesame.

Baba Ghanouj (Eggplant Dip)

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
2 tablespoons tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or to taste)
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Wash and dry the eggplant. Cut it in half lengthwise. Brush all over with olive oil. Place it (cut side down) on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes or until the skin is wrinkled and the inside is soft (test with a knife).
3. Place the roasted eggplant halves in a colander and let the excess juices drip away for 30-40 minutes.
4. Peel the eggplant and place the pulp in a food processor. Add all the other ingredients. Pulse the eggplant mixture until it is blended together (some chunks are fine).
5. Taste and adjust the balance of flavors.
6. Garnish with sliced radishes, sprinkle with extra Aleppo pepper and serve with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

This dip is excellent with pita chips, pita bread or crudites. I've been taking a little jar of it to work; it makes for a tasty and filling mid-morning snack.

Coming up next: A dish that needed 11 hours in the oven to put it together! Stay tuned.

Spice Giveaway: Kolhapuri Masala

In the last few weeks, I have been the lucky recipient of many incredible foodie gifts, and in the spirit of passing it on, I want to offer the readers of One Hot Stove a taste of one of my very favorite spice mixtures.

I brought back some Kolhapuri masala, the authentic stuff from (where else but) Kolhapur, and I have two packets of this spice to share with you.

This Kolhapuri Masala is fiery stuff, made with chillies, onion, garlic and other spices. It is also known as Kolhapuri chutney and is similar to Kanda-Lasun Masala. I use it for misal (see recipes from My FoodCourt and me). It is also widely used for meat curries, which can be easily converted to egg curry or vegetable curry. It is a tasty and versatile masala and adds a punch of flavor to simple subzis and rice dishes as well.



I am willing to ship the Kolhapuri masala to two addresses in the United States. I have to restrict this giveaway to the US to keep shipping costs down and also to avoid customs paperwork- sorry!

To enter the Kolhapuri Masala Giveaway-

• Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite meal is for a hot summer day.


• Comments will close on Sunday July 5th at 6 AM Central US time.


• I will randomly choose two winners from those leaving comments and announce them by noon on Sunday July 5th


• The winners will have a week to send me a US address so that I can mail out the spice.

Thank you for entering the giveaway!

Summer Daze: Earl Grey Iced Tea

Yesterday was just the latest in the string of a dozen days (seems much longer than that) of fevered stifling weather in St. Louis. Two things refreshed me like a cool drink of water on this blazing summer day.

One was a ballet performance that I enjoyed for a few hours (in air-conditioned comfort, thank goodness). The light as air ballet dancers transported me to another world of grace and beauty where everyone is lithe and dexterous and spectacularly skinny.

The other was literally a cool drink. I swapped out my usual hot chai for a pitcher of sweet lemony iced tea.

Normally I will only drink Indian blends of black tea- the usual brands like Taj Mahal and Red Label. A couple of years ago, I tried Earl Grey tea thinking it was simply another term like "afternoon blend" and "breakfast blend" and was really taken aback by the unmistakable flavor of this distinctive tea. The aroma of bergamot in the Earl Grey tea was so intensely floral and fruity all at once that it felt like I was sipping perfume. To this day, I can't make up my mind about whether I love or hate Earl Grey tea. I would never drink it on a regular basis but on occasion, it feels very special indeed. And if you have to consume things that taste of perfume, there's no better time than summer. A bag of Earl Grey tea added that special something to my pitcher of iced tea.

Earl Grey Iced Tea

Ingredients:
5-6 cups filtered water
4 tea bags Orange Pekoe black tea (I used Taj Mahal brand)
1 tea bag Earl Grey tea (I used Twinings brand)
3 tablespoons sugar
Juice of ½ lemon

Method:
1. Heat the water until it is just threatening to boil.
2. Immerse all 5 tea bags in the water and turn off the heat.
3. Add the sugar, cover the pot and let it rest for 30 minutes.
4. Remove and discard the tea bags.
5. Add the lemon juice and refrigerate the tea.
6. Taste for lemon and sugar and adjust if necessary.
7. Serve over plenty of ice.

To go with the cold iced tea, I made some potato-cheese patties. I stuffed a mixture of Pepper Jack cheese, sharp cheddar and minced cilantro into a potato mixture (boiled potatoes, a couple of slices of leftover bread, cumin powder, red chilli powder and dried mango powder), then shallow-fried the patties. Melting herbed cheese encased in golden potatoes. Mmm. These re-heat beautifully in the oven/toaster oven so they are perfect for making ahead for a get-together.

Have a delicious* week ahead. I'll be back here in a couple of days with a cool summer dip.

*Oops...there I go, using a lazy food adjective again!

Greens and Beans

Connections are everything, they say. "It's not what you know; it's who you know". Apparently, the right connections can get you a job, a business contract, all kinds of opportunities in life. But the very best connections, as far as I am concerned, are my foodie connections, this network of bloggers that are all tied together by their passion for food and cooking whether or not they have anything else in common. These connections can get you the things that really matter ;)

One such connection landed me a lot of goodies only a few weeks ago. While I was in Mumbai, I got a warm invitation to visit the home of the Saffron Trail. Nandita cooked a wonderful dinner for V and me and we enjoyed several hours of engaging gup-shup even though we had never set eyes on each other before that evening. Before I left, Nandita generously gave me some fantastic gifts, one of which was a nondescript packet of masala powder called "Goldiee chhole ka masala". With a gleam in her eye, she promised me that this is a fantastic spice blend and you need nothing other than the basic onion and tomato gravy to make a authentic mouth-watering chana masala with this stuff.

She wasn't kidding! These Goldiee people know the formula, for sure. I made what tastes like a complex restaurant-style curry using basic pantry staples like black chickpeas, frozen spinach, garlic, tomatoes and onions. If you don't have this brand, use your own favorite brand of chana masala powder, or perhaps a home-made mix.

Palak Chana

Ingredients:
1 C black chickpeas, soaked for 8 hours, then cooked until tender
½ bag frozen leaf spinach
½ large onion, sliced thinly
½ t turmeric powder
1 t chana masala powder (or more/less to taste)
salt to taste
Gravy:
2 t oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ large onions, coarsely chopped
3 C canned whole tomatoes (with juice)

Method:
1. Make the gravy: Saute onions in oil until golden brown, add garlic and saute for couple of minutes, add tomatoes and saute for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool for a bit, then grind together into a thick paste.
2. To make the curry, heat the oil and saute the sliced onion until golden.
3. Add the salt, turmeric and chana masala powder. Saute for a minute.
4. Add the spinach, cooked chickpeas and tomato-onion gravy. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Make this curry a day ahead of serving if possible- the taste improves overnight!

To go with the rich chana masala, I used Shilpa's recipe for a fragrant pulao studded with whole spices. My only tweak was to use blanched almonds instead of cashews because that is what I had on hand. On a whim, I skipped the usual golden raisins and added some dried mixed berries (cherries, strawberries, blueberries) instead.


If I survive another day of this ongoing heat wave in St. Louis, I'll be back with a recipe for a summer drink.

Samosas for Breakfast

Perhaps the biggest charm of being on vacation is that the usual rules don't apply. Normally, I try to live more or less as a responsible adult, setting some ground rules for myself. Making dessert only when we have company. Junk food rationed into small katoris. Every meal built around vegetables. That sort of thing. But once I was on that flight, all bets were off.

I started breaking my rules first thing in the morning. The one about eating a wholesome breakfast did not have a chance. I ate every delicious sinful thing I was offered and then reached for seconds.

Here are some of the morning meals I ate during my month in India; each of them can proudly claim to be the breakfast of champions breakfast of champion foodies:

• Batata vada at home. These homemade batata vadas had an irresistible spicy filling and a crisp golden shell.
  
  
• Batata vadas (again) and sabudana vadas (as big as grapefruits!) at the beloved Hotel Prakash in Shivaji Park, Dadar. I found a great description of this eatery in this post, complete with a look at the menu and a picture of their celebrated sabudana vada.
  
  
• Jalebi, ganthia and patra, bought fresh by an aunt. But who would be crazy enough to eat a lurid orange deep fried syrupy sweet at 8 AM?? Everybody, as it turns out. My aunt patiently explained to me that if you don't rush to this particular famous vendor as soon as you wake up, there will be no jalebis left for you.
  
  
• The classic redolent-with-ghee venn pongal and crisp-as-can-be medu vada combo, made by V's mom.
  
  
• Puri-chhole made by a dear aunt, followed by the most divine dessert, angoor rabdi. And after this breakfast, do you want to know what I had for lunch? Biryani. Seriously.
  

As I look at this list, I can see favorites from many regions of India- the first two are Maharashtrian classics, the third is a Gujarati favorite, the fourth is a taste of Tamilian festival food and the last is more North Indian.

What follows is another breakfast that my mother rustled up one morning. I took some pictures as she was making them and thought I would share this easy "recipe", if you can call it that. Eating samosas for breakfast feels pretty darn decadent but these are not half bad- in fact, you are using up leftover whole wheat rotis and pan-frying these little treats instead of deep-frying them. So this one is a good compromise between indulgence and nutrition.

All you need is some rotis. Whole wheat tortillas would be a perfect substitute. Choose any filling that you like- my mother made a quick one with onions, peas, potatoes and some spices. Leftover subzis would work just as well. To hold the samosas together, my mother uses a thick paste of chickpea flour (besan) in water, as a glue.

1. Cut chapatis (or whole wheat tortillas) into half. Place the filling in the center triangle of each half.


2. Fold in one side. Dab with the paste. You need less paste than is shown in the picture, actually.


3. Fold the other side and press down firmly.


4. Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil. Place samosas neatly around the pan. Cook on low-medium heat on each side until golden and crispy.


5. Eat ASAP!


*** *** ***

The summer solstice is only a couple of days away, and I'm kicking off my not-so-light summer reading...


What are you reading these days?

Instant Amti for Instant Gratification

I'm back home in St. Louis and getting back to the routine. If this post is more incoherent than usual, don't worry, it is the jet-lag talking. We had a great vacation, and enjoyed the most incredible food, but as we got closer and closer to home, I realized how much I missed my own cooking! It's true- I cook to my own taste, so I love the food I make :D

Coming home, the pantry and refrigerator were as bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard. I did have some rice and toor dal stashed away, and found a packet of broccoli florets in the freezer. Aha- the makings of a complete home-style meal were emerging here. The only thing needed to complete the meal was this little packet that I dug out from the depths of my luggage.



It is some instant amti masala, a loving gift from my Madhuri maushi (my mom's friend, she of the pav bhaji fame). Madhuri maushi is always full of new and creative ideas and every conversation with her is enlightening. She is both a maven and a connector, someone who knows everything that is going on in the city. In one minute, she answered my queries about the price of a stainless steel lemon squeezer, where to buy men's shirts in a particular neighborhood and what's playing in the local movie theaters. I suspect that when the folks at the Yellow Pages need to make an update, they simply call her.

Anyway, the point is that she told me about this instant amti masala. The point is to combine all the elements of the amti into one mixture that you can simply add to cooked toor dal. Amti is already rather easy to make, but this one is for desperate times like if you just got off a 14.5 hour nonstop flight.

She made this by sautéing curry leaves and cilantro in quite a bit of oil, then adding jaggery and tamarind, cooling the mixture and grinding it together with amti masala or goda masala and salt so that all the components of amti-making are in just ONE mixture. This can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks. To make amti, add it to cooked toor dal and bring it to a boil. That's it. I think this is a pretty clever idea and a handy shortcut for busy weeknights.

I made a quick broccoli-potato bhaji, and we sat down to a life-rejuvenating meal, complete with freshly-made and imported mango pickle. The pickle was made by a dear family friend who is an absolute expert at making pickles and preserves. This lady is getting older and has arthritis in her hands, but stoutly assured me that as long as she is around, she will keep us supplied with home-made pickles. How my mother manages to pack oily pickles for these long journeys so that not a drop of oil is spilled is simply beyond me.



*** *** ***
An Update on Dalu
While planning our long vacation to India, the biggest worry was finding a good home for Dale for the time we would be away. This was also the biggest worry for all of our colleagues and friends and neighbors who would gasp, "But what about Dale??" the second we mentioned our travel plans. We certainly did not want to leave the pup in a traditional boarding place, which is often little more than a cramped kennel. After asking around a bit, we found people an hour's drive away who let the "guest dog" have the run of their home, and let the dog run around all day in the acres of land around their home. Luckily, their rates were affordable as well, and that's how Dale spent a month in "doggie summer camp" while we were away. I'm told he chased their cat around the place and took possession of a couch in the living room. He's back home now, doing what he does best- napping here and there, staring moodily into space.

Mango Harvest

A short photo-essay.

There is one lone mango tree in my parents' backyard but it is an old, ample and generous soul that manages to keep us well-supplied with prized alphonso (hapoos) mangoes throughout the mango season. The bright summer sun filtering through the dense mango leaves is a beautiful sight.

It is almost the end of the mango season but two days ago, there was still a lot of fruit hanging off the tree, ready to be picked.

Picking mangoes off such a huge tree without injuring the mangoes (by dropping and bruising them) and without damaging the tree is an art in itself. My Dad fashioned this low-tech device that works beautifully. Atop a bamboo stick, there are two blades and below them is a sack. The blades lop off the mango right at the stem and it falls into the basket.

Mangoes are picked when they are still green and they ripen indoors after picking. If you leave them on the tree to ripen, the birds and monkeys will beat you to it! Trust me, even after picking the mangoes, there are plenty left over in the upper branches for these critters.

After picking comes the sorting. The smaller kairis (raw or semi-ripe mangoes) are set aside for making panha (a beverage) or chhunda (a sweet-spicy-tangy preserve of shredded mangoes). Then the chosen fruits are nestled gently in straw beds where they ripen over several days. I share the room where the mangoes are kept and enjoy the heady fragrance of ripening mangoes as I drift off to sleep and as I wake up. The straw is a wonderful incubator for the ripening mangoes. You pick one up from its straw bed and it is incredibly warm to the touch. You can feel the metabolism burning and transforming the hard astringent raw mango into the sweet silk of the ripe mango.

It is a daily chore to keep an eye on the mangoes and inspect each one carefully. Those with rotting spots are removed immediately. Ones that are fully ripe (they get incredibly fragrant, a little wrinkly, they yield to pressure and turn that gorgeous shade of yellow-orange) are washed and refrigerated.

This one tree provides enough fruit that my parents can share it with everyone and anyone they know. Even after sharing, eating and pickling the mangoes in every imaginable way, in some years, there is heaps of fruit left over. One year my mother contacted a canning company to can the pulp. They politely explained that they undertake large canning contracts with the aamrais (mango orchards) and don't deal with folks who have one tree in their backyard. My mother does not take no for an answer and she pleaded with them until they gave in and processed 30 or so cans for her. A couple of these found their way to me in the US and thrilled me to pieces. This year, we may try freezing or bottling the pulp if we have too many mangoes left over (unlikely, at the rate V and I eat them).

I was watching a Marathi cooking show and the fancy-schmancy chef who was hosting the show confidently said that he would demonstrate some innovative recipes with mangoes, seeing as how many people are drowning in ripe mangoes at this point. He made two recipes that I can only describe as elaborate and outlandish. One was a mango canneloni where mango chunks were sauteed with spring onions, stuffed into painstakingly made fresh pasta sheets and topped with a garlic cream sauce. The other was a mixture of crushed fried banana chips and mango stuffed into peppers. The peppers were dipped in batter and fried. I have two questions for this chef: "Really??" and "Why?".

As far as I am concerned, there is only one sublime recipe you need when you have ripe mangoes on hand. Three Four easy steps-
1. Cut the mango.
2. Eat.
3. Repeat.
4. Thank your lucky stars.

Maushi's Summer Salad

Hello from sunny India! After some travel adventures including missed connections, 10 hours spent in Heathrow airport, 2 consecutive nights on long-haul flights and a lost bag, we are finally here. Bombay feels more like the inside of an pressure cooker than anything else, but Southern Maharashtra is quite nice with pleasant mornings and breezy evenings. And the food, oh the food! Ever since we landed, life has just been a series of delicious meals, punctuated with platters of ripe mangoes.

A couple of days ago, my aunt ("maushi" is aunt in Marathi, specifically the term used for your mom's sister) made us a fantastic dinner. One of the things she made was an unusual salad of fruit and veggies mixed together. As I watched her make it, I admit being a little skeptical of how the flavors would work together. In the end, this salad was a tasty and refreshing counterpoint to the rest of the rich dishes served that night- spinach-mint pulao, paneer-peas curry and okra masala. I had to share this easy recipe in this space.

It could not be simpler. Peel and cut the following into small neat dice and mix together:
1 apple (don't need to peel this)
1 orange
1 sweet lime (mosambi)
1 cup canteloupe melon
2 cucumbers
2 bell peppers (any colors...yellow/red/orange peppers look beautiful but she used green this time)
Toss with salt, freshly ground pepper and a dash of cinnamon powder. Eat!



This sounds like a fruit salad but is actually very crunchy and savory and wonderful with a meal. My maushi is a superb cook and loves to garnish her creations beautifully. She planned to carve some elaborate decorations that evening for the salad. But we dragged her off for some shopping and she was left with very little time. She managed to grab a pair of kitchen scissors and use the orange and sweet lime peels from the salad-making to make these quick flowers and leaves that you see in the picture.

I managed to write this post through a rather uncooperative dial-up connection. I'll keep posting as and when I can. Bye for now!

The Indian Vegetarian 100

In true copycat fashion, here is my list of the 100 Indian vegetarian foods that I think everyone should try at least once in their lives. It is a highly subjective and very eclectic list, featuring what I believe are some unique ingredients, restaurant classics and regional specialties. It demonstrates my biases, because many of my own favorites are in there to the exclusion of other dishes. We are so lucky to be absolutely spoiled for choice while filling this list- India is home to tens of thousands of unique flavors.

I have placed links (don't worry, the links won't be copied when you copy the list) to a picture or a recipe for each food, for someone who may not be familiar with that particular food. I thoroughly enjoying browsing the blogs and flickr looking for suitable pictures. The pictures which thrilled me the most were those depicting the "people behind the food"...the vendors and cooks who earn their humble living by expertly making the foods we crave the most. Hats off to them, and many thanks to the talented bloggers and amateur photographers who document these foods and people for us.

Apart from being a meme to fill a few moments of boredom, I hope this list could be used as a starting point for a traveler looking to try new flavors in India, for us to introduce our non-Indian friends to new foods (as Lavanya suggested) and for home cooks to try and make some of these all-time favorites in our own kitchens.

To all those who shared their own lists in comments on the previous post- thank you! It is fun to see how we keep coming back to the same dishes as perennial favorites. And that many of our favorite foods are simple home-style dishes that never fail to comfort us.

Your challenge, should you take up this meme is to:

• Copy the entire list, along with these instructions, into your blog post


• Bold the foods that you have tried


• Strike out the foods you would never try


• Tell us your score in the comments :)


• If you wish to, make your own list or add to this one

Nupur's Indian Vegetarian 100

1. Ripe mangoes
2. Curd rice
3. Chaat
4. Phulka
5. Puran poli
6. Boiled peanuts
7. Samosa
8. Stuffed baby eggplants
9. Aviyal
10. Stuffed paratha
11. Masala chai
12. Tirphal
13. Murukku
14. Curry leaves
15. Banana chips fried in coconut oil
16. Jaggery
17. Vada pav
18. Tender coconut water
19. Paneer
20. Madras filter coffee
21. Boondi laddoo
22. Boondi raita
23. Navratan korma
24. Kokum
25. Masala peanuts
26. A home-cooked Indian vegetarian meal
27. Sugarcane juice
28. Sabudana/sago in any form
29. Horsegram
30. Maggi noodles
31. Podi with rice and ghee
32. Roomali roti
33. Bitter gourd
34. Nylon sev
35. Vegetable biryani
36. Thali at a restaurant
37. Plantain flower
38. Undhiyu
39. Nimbu pani
40. Papad
41. Kotthu parotta
42. Panch phoran
43. Drumsticks
44. Indian "French toast"
45. Sarson ka saag
46. Bhakri
47. Pav bhaji
48. Sitaphal
49. Glucose biscuits
50. Sprouts
51. Chole-bhature
52. Amla
53. Tomato "omelet"
54. A wedding feast
55. Grilled corn on the cob with lemon juice, salt and chilli powder
56. Cadbury's fruit and nut chocolate
57. Sai bhaji
58. Solkadi
59. Indian-Chinese meal
60. Jalebi
61. Black forest cake
62. Bharwa bhindi
63. Kashmiri saffron
64. Misal
65. Ripe jackfruit
66. Idli-chutney
67. 'Tadgola'
68. Bhut jolokia
69. Baby mango pickle
70. Meal off a banana leaf
71. Falooda
72. Moong khichdi
73. Bebinca
74. Daal baati
75. Methi greens
76. Basundi
77. Gunpowder
78. Appam-stew
79. Sweet lemon pickle
80. Ridge gourd
81. Bisi bele bhath
82. Coconut burfi
83. Caramel custard
84. Thecha
85. Rasam
86. Baingan bharta
87. Mysore pak
88. Punjabi wadi
89. Chhunda
90. Dal makhani
91. Paper dosa
92. Gongura
93. Hand-churned butter
94. Pakoda
95. Curd chillies
96. Mustard oil
97. Fresh cashews
98. Tomato pickle
99. Rajma-chawal
100. Chaas

My own score: 95%
I don't remember ever eating horsegram (#29), plantain flower (#37), kotthu paratha (#41), or mustard oil (#95). And I certainly have never tasted bhut jolokia (#68), the newly crowned hottest chilli in the world and currently enjoying fame on the US restaurant scene, I hear.

Next update- in a week or so!

The Vegetarian 100

During my long blogging break, I missed several of the blog events and memes that I enjoy so much. One that was quite interesting started as The Omnivore's Hundred, a list of 100 foods that an omnivore should try at least once in their life.

The idea caught on and before long, the vegetarians among us got a chance to play along. Barbara over at Tigers and Strawberries made her list of 100 vegetarian foods and I'm participating in that meme. She says (emphasis is mine)-

"If you want to play along, here’s how you do it: copy the list, including my instructions, and bold any items you have eaten and strike out any you would never eat, and then post it to your blog. If you want, you can leave a comment here, linking to your results, or you can link back to this post so I can try and keep tabs on what folks have eaten and not eaten."


Barbara's Vegetarian Hundred

1. Real macaroni and cheese, made from scratch and baked
2. Tabouleh
3. Freshly baked bread, straight from the oven (preferably with homemade strawberry jam)
4. Fresh figs
5. Fresh pomegranate
6. Indian dal of any sort
7. Imam bayildi
8. Pressed spiced Chinese tofu
9. Freshly made hummus
10. Tahini
11. Kimchi
12. Miso
13. Falafel
14. Potato and pea filled samosas
15. Homemade yogurt
16. Muhammara
17. Brie en croute
18. Spanikopita
19. Fresh, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes
20. Insalata caprese
21. Stir-fried greens (gai lan, bok choi, pea shoots, kale, chard or collards)
22. Freshly made salsa
23. Freshly made guacamole
24. Creme brulee
25. Fava beans
26. Chinese cold sesame peanut noodles
27. Fattoush
28. New potatoes
29. Coleslaw
30. Ratatouille
31. Baba ganoush
32. Winter squash
33. Roasted beets
34. Baked sweet potatoes
35. Plantains
36. Chocolate truffles
37. Garlic mashed potatoes
38. Fresh water chestnuts
39. Steel cut oats
40. Quinoa
41. Grilled portabello mushrooms
42. Chipotle en adobo
43. Stone ground whole grain cornmeal
44. Freshly made corn or wheat tortillas
45. Frittata
46. Basil pesto
47. Roasted garlic
48. Raita of any type
49. Mango lassi
50. Jasmine rice (white or brown)
51. Thai vegetarian coconut milk curry
52. Pumpkin in any form other than pie
53. Fresh apple pear or plum gallette
54. Quince in any form
55. Escarole, endive or arugula
56. Sprouts other than mung bean
57. Naturally brewed soy sauce
58. Dried shiitake mushrooms
59. Unusually colored vegetables (purple cauliflower, blue potatoes, chocolate bell peppers…)
60. Fresh peach ice cream
61. Chevre
62. Medjool dates
63. Kheer
64. Flourless chocolate cake
65. Grilled corn on the cob
66. Black bean (or any other bean) vegetarian chili
67. Tempeh
68. Seitan or wheat gluten
69. Gorgonzola or any other blue veined cheese
70. Sweet potato fries
71. Homemade au gratin potatoes
72. Cream of asparagus soup
73. Artichoke-Parmesan dip
74. Mushroom risotto
75. Fermented black beans
76. Garlic scapes
77. Fresh new baby peas
78. Kalamata olives
79. Preserved lemons
80. Fried green tomatoes
81. Chinese scallion pancakes
82. Cheese souffle
83. Fried apples
84. Homemade frijoles refritos
85. Pasta fagiole
86. Macadamia nuts in any form
87. Paw paw in any form
88. Grilled cheese sandwich of any kind
89. Paneer cheese
90. Ma Po Tofu (vegetarian style–no pork!)
91. Fresh pasta in any form
92. Grilled leeks, scallions or ramps
93. Green papaya salad
94. Baked grain and vegetable stuffed tomatoes
95. Pickled ginger
96. Methi greens
97. Aloo paratha
98. Kedgeree (the original Indian version without the smoked fish, not the British version with fish)
99. Okra
100. Roasted brussels sprouts

My score: 81%

The only things I had to strike out (I have tasted these but don't care to taste them again) are the stinky cheeses. No thank you. V says he is happy to eat my share every time.

As for some of the items like imam bayildi, kimchi and pressed tofu, I am fairly sure I have eaten them at some point or the other, but I did not recall specific occasions so I left them as things I have yet to try.

Some other items on this list are recipes that have been on my to-make list for a long time, such as muhammara, fattoush and pear galette.

There are more vegetarian 100 lists over at Feeding Maybelle and Green Gourmet Giraffe. There is a vegan 100 list over at Bittersweet. This last list contains many items that I am frankly terrified to try, such as natto, vegan haggis, durian and green smoothies.

I love lists! I'm planning to write an Indian vegetarian 100 list of my own. But the world of Indian vegetarian food is vast territory and my experience is limited to only a few regional cuisines, and I can hardly say that I am an adventurous eater in any case. I need your help in compiling this list.

So tell me, all ye lovers of Indian food, what 5 foods of the Indian vegetarian persuasion are must-try foods for you? They might be delicious, weird, exotic, seasonal, rare, memorable, daily staples that you can't imagine life without, or anything that stands out to you as something you would like everyone in the world to get a taste of. Want to play along? Leave a comment!

Hello!

Anybody out there? :)

[Hearing echoes of my voice in this poor neglected empty space]

What can I say? Time sure flies! Do people remember how to write rudimentary HTML after months of not writing any, I wonder? Is it like riding a bike?

Over the past several months, I have been writing SAS code instead of blog posts, studying and working as best as I can, and spending quality time with the needles and hooks. Somewhere along the way, I found the time to reach a milestone birthday- the big three-oh (YAY! I think.) For all those who left loving e-mails and comments asking how I am- thank you! I am doing well, busy but happy :) And for all those who could care less about me but want to know how Dale is doing- he is well. A little older and grayer around the muzzle, but much wiser, he says.

Am I "back to blogging"? Yes and no. I'm off to India soon for a vacation, and my schedule is still awry. The plan is to indulge in some guilt-free blogging, writing whenever I can about whatever strikes my fancy food-wise. Visits to India are always sensational in terms of food, and I hope to come back with some tales of meals shared with friends and family. I also intend to barge into the kitchens of homes I visit to learn some new tips and recipes from my favorite home cooks and share them with you.

*** *** ***
I made a quick bread this morning- an eggless carrot cake inspired by Shammi's recipe. I don't do much eggless baking, I realize, but I wanted to bake a sweet treat to take along on a visit to friends, and the family avoids eggs so it was a good excuse to give egg-free baking a try.



We hear so much about baking being an exact science and how you can't really get away with tossing in a bit of this and a little of that. All true- but this recipe is certainly an exception to the rule. I tweaked it merrily and got excellent results. Here's how I made it. Feel free to walk on the wild side and use "proper" buttermilk, yogurt, a vegan substitute or whatever you have on hand. My feeling is that this is a very robust recipe and will turn out fine.

The short-hand I use is: C refers to cup (8 oz), t refers to teaspoon while T refers to tablespoon.

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1¼ C all-purpose flour, 2 T powdered buttermilk, 1 t baking soda, 1 t baking powder, ½ t salt, 1 t ginger powder, 1 t cardamom powder, 1 t nutmeg powder.

3. Stir in 2 T ghee, 2 T canola oil and ½ C water.

4. Use a spatula to gently fold in ½ C sugar, 4 small to medium grated carrots, handful of chopped pecans and handful of mixed dried berries.

5. At this point, the batter was too thick and to be able to fold in everything, I added a splash of milk.

6. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a tester comes clean.

To my delight, the loaf rose beautifully and I got the prized crease on top of the loaf. Oh, the little things that make my day!


I barely waited 10 minutes before lopping off a slice to taste. This tastes like a cakey version of gajar halwa- simply delicious, and, dare I say it, less laborious to make. That's one more awesome recipe from Shammi.

Have a sweet weekend!

Less is More: The Round-up!

(Update in April 2023: I went through the post and removed all the broken links. Alas, many blogs no longer exist)

A couple of years ago, blogger Coffee started the Monthly Blog Patrol as a way for food bloggers to cook and learn from each other's recipes. This month, 64 bloggers from all over the world took up a challenge: choose a recipe that has five ingredients or fewer and show us how less is more!

Based on the entries that I have received, I have organized the round-up in a few different categories: you can grab a hot or cold beverage to begin with, and proceed to look at a delicious list of breads, condiments, small meals and entrees, vegetables and desserts, all made using only a handful of ingredients.


A Mug of White Hot Chocolate- pattern adapted from The A Team

White chocolate. Cardamom. Milk. Cardamom-scented White Hot Chocolate.
~ Bharti of Veggie Foodist; inspired by Delhi Belle

Chocolate. Milk. Arrowroot. Sugar. Orange zest. The Nun's Revenge.
~ Pavani of Cook's Hideout; inspired by Food For Thought

Mango. Yogurt. Sugar. Cardamom. Mango Lassi.
~ Siri of Siri's Corner; inspired by Mahanandi

Mango. Yogurt. Milk. Sugar. Mango Drink.
~ Rachel of Tangerine's Kitchen; inspired by One Hot Stove

Hibiscus. Sugar. Hibiscus Cordial.
~ Jyotsna of Curry Bazaar; inspired by My Kitchen Treasures

Pomegranate. Ginger. Honey. Pomegranate Juice.
~ Shreya of Mom's Cooking; inspired by Samaikalam Vanga

Cucumber. Yogurt. Ginger. Mint. Chaat masala. Cucumber Cooler.
~ Bharti of Veggie Foodist; inspired by Chatkhor


Sliced Bread- pattern adapted from Crochetville

Flour. Yeast. Basic Basic Basic Bread.
~ Arundathi of My Food Blog; inspired by Siri's Corner

Flour. Yeast. No-Knead Bread.
~ Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen; inspired by Jugalbandi

Flour. Yeast. Tomatoes. Onions. Herbs. Ladenia.
~ Renuka of Fusion; inspired by Tangerine's Kitchen

Flour. Yeast. Rosemary. Focaccia.
~ Meera of Dindin Tonight; inspired by Delicious Days

Flour. Potato. Yeast. Margarine. Laadi Pav.
~ Vaishali of Holy Cow! inspired by One Hot Stove

Flour. Yeast. Onions. Sugar. Pepper. Caramelized Onion Bread.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Baking Bites

Atta. Potatoes. Cumin seeds. Green chili peppers. Cilantro. Aloo Paratha.
~ vb of feed yourself; inspired by Manjula's Kitchen

Whole wheat flour. Potatoes. Cilantro. Cumin. Green chillies. Aloo Paratha.
~ Priti of Indian Khana; inspired by A Mad Tea Party

Pizza crust mix. Tomato sauce. Oregano. Baby Spinach. Cheese. Twirly Whirly Pizza.
~ Curry Leaf of Experiments, Emotions, Experiences with Food; inspired by Madhuram's Eggless Cooking


Strawberry- pattern adapted from Pezdiva

Strawberries. Sugar. Lemon. Cloves. Strawberry Jam.
~ Mandira of Ahaar; inspired by Arabic Bites

Blackberries. Sugar. Lemon. Blackberry Sauce.
~ Joy of The Spiral of Seasons; inspired by Kitchen Parade

Tomatoes. Raisins. Jaggery. Lemon juice. Tempering. Tomato Oambal.
~ TBC of The Budding Cook; inspired by Arundathi's Food Blog

Green tomatoes. Onion. Green chillies. Cumin. Tempering. Green Tomato Chutney.
~ Raaga of The Singing Chef; inspired by Flavors of Indian Rasoi

Sun-dried tomatoes. Fresh tomato. Chillies. Tomato Thokku.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Delectable Victuals

Onions. Red chillies. Tamarind. Onion Chutney.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by The Budding Cook

Chillies. Mustard seed powder. Lemon juice. Turmeric. Raita Marcha.
~ Rajitha of Hunger Pangs; inspired by Kajal's

Toor dal. Tamarind. Red chillies. Cumin. Turmeric. Kandi Pachadi.
~ Sireesha of Mom's Recipies; inspired by Daily Meals

Sesame seeds. Toor dal. Cumin. Coriander seeds. Red chillies. Nuvvullu Podi.
~ Bharti of Veggie Foodist; inspired by Sailu's Kitchen

Peanuts. Onion. Red chillies. Tamarind. Tempering. Peanut Chutney.
~ Anita of A Mad Tea Party; inspired by Mahanandi


Open-Faced Summer Sandwich with Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatoes and Dill Pickles- pattern adapted from Craftbits

Snacks and Appetizers
Rice flour. Moong dal. Ajwain. Red chilli powder. Rice Flour Rings.
~ Trupti of Recipe Center; inspired by Talimpu

Puff pastry. Khari Biscuits.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Enjoy Indian Food

Rice flour. Buttermilk. Red chillies. Tempering. Mor Kali.
~ Laavanya of Cookery Corner; inspired by Tasty Palettes

Urad dal. Chillies. Ginger. Curry leaves. Medhu Vadai.
~ Nags of Edible Garden; inspired by Tasty Palettes

Leftover rice. Besan. Chillies. Mustard seeds. Rice Bites.
~ Richa of As Dear As Salt; inspired by 365 Days of Pure Vegetarian

Paneer. Herbs. Yogurt. Green chilli. Onion. Hara Paneer Tikka.
~ Neha of Tasty Recipes; inspired by Tongueticklers

Brunch and Light Meals
Sago pearls. Peanuts. Sugar. Potato. Tempering. Sago Khichdi.
~ Sia of Monsoon Spice; inspired by One Hot Stove

Poha. Jaggery. Tamarind. Tempering. Gojavalakki.
~ Sunshinemom of Tongueticklers; inspired by Mane Adige

Thin pohe. Coconut. Jaggery. Pohe Masala. Kalavalele Pohe.
~ Mints! of Vadani Kaval Gheta; inspired by Aayi's Recipes

Rawa. Cucumber. Flax seeds. Cucumber Pancakes.
~ Meera of Enjoy Indian Food; inspired by Konkan World

Millet flour. Rice flour. Ragi Dosa.
~ Sunshinemom of Tongueticklers; inspired by Essence of Andhra

Rice. Plantains. Plantain Dosa.
~ Suma of Veggie Platter; inspired by Recipe Junction

Rice. Ripe bananas. Methi seeds. Banana Bread Dosa.
~ Anita of A Mad Tea Party; inspired by Recipe Junction

Bananas. Whole-wheat flour. Baking powder. Milk. Maple syrup. Whole-wheat Banana Pancake
~ PG of My Kitchen Stories; inspired by Delectably Yours

Entrees
Tamarind. Onions. Green chillies. Sugar. Pachipulusu.
~ Sireesha of Mom's Recipies; inspired by AkshayaPatra

Toor dal. Tempering. Tamarind. Jaggery. Goda masala. Amti.
~ Miri of Peppermill; inspired by The Cooker

Rajma. Onions. Tomatoes. Chilli powder. Dhaba Da Rajma.
~ Bharti of Veggie Foodist; inspired by Gopium

Basmati rice. Cumin. Bay leaf. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Jeera Rice.
~ Priti of Indian Khana; inspired by Illatharasi

Cooked rice. Onions. Lemon juice. Tempering. Garnishing. Lemon Rice.
~ Illatharasi; inspired by Niya's World

Whole wheat pasta. Canned tomatoes. Sun dried tomatoes. Garlic. Chickpeas. Pasta with Chickpeas and Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce
~ Bek of I Digress; inspired by One Hot Stove and Delectable Victuals

Flour. Eggs. Milk. Oregano. Spaetzle.
~ Nidhi of Sizzling Bites; inspired by Arundathi and Chez Teddy

Tilapia. Chilli powder. Tamarind. Turmeric. Fish Fry.
~ Priar's of Sena's Rasoi; inspired by Samayal Ulagam

10 simple South Indian dishes and 10 three-or-less curries from fellow bloggers
~ Ramki of One Page Cookbooks


Rad Radish- pattern adapted from BitterSweet

Arbi. Chickpea flour. Coriander-Cumin powder. Red chilli powder. Amchoor powder. Bhuni Arbi.
~ Rashmi of Delhi Belle; inspired by Anna Parabrahma

Asparagus. Almonds. Lemon juice. Asparagus Amandine.
~ Mrs. Ergul of Mrs. Ergul in the Kitchen; inspired by Closet Cooking

Beet. Carrot. Lemon juice. Orange juice. Walnuts. Beet and Carrot Salad.
~ Evolving Tastes; inspired by Chocolate and Zucchini

Bitter gourd. Chilli powder. Baked Bitter Gourd Crisps.
~ Cham of Spice-Club; inspired by Place for Authentic Indian Food

Broccoli. Onion. Garlic. Milk. Cream. Cream of Broccoli Soup.
~ Neha of Tasty Recipes; inspired by The Random Ramblings of a Working Mom

Carrots. Chillies. Peanuts. Lime juice. Tempering. Carrot Salad.
~ Neha of Tasty Recipes, with inspiration from Spicy Chilly

Carrots. Peas. Tempering. Kasuri methi. Tomato. Gajar Matar.
~ Ashima of Tummy Times; inspired by Taste Buds

Capsicum. Moong dal. Cumin seeds. Onion. Garam masala. Bharwan Simla Mirch.
~ A&N of Delectably Yours; inspired by Aayi's Recipes

Collard greens. Red chillies. Asafoetida. Soda bicarb. Kashmiri garam masala. Collard Greens Haak.
~ Enjay of Purplesque; inspired by A Mad Tea Party

Kohlrabi. Chana dal. Phodni. Tomato. Sugar. Simply Spiced Kohlrabi.
~ Manisha of Indian Food Rocks; inspired by Happy Burp

Lotus roots. Khoora kharam. Lemon juice. Baked Lotus Root Chips.
~ Dee of Ammalu's Kitchen; inspired by Jugalbandi

Mushrooms. Eggs. Cumin seeds. Turmeric powder. Red chilli powder. Spicy Egg Mushroom Rolls.
~ My Spicy Kitchen; inspired by What's For Lunch, Honey?

Okra. Toor dal. Pepper. Simply "Delicious" Okra.
~ Meera of Dindin Tonight; inspired by Tasty Palettes

Okra (vendakkai/lady's finger). Red chilli powder. Coriander powder. Turmeric. Tempering. Vendakkai Vadakkal.
~ Radhika of Tickling Palates; inspired by Cooking 4 All Seasons

Plantain. Red chilli powder. Turmeric. Tempering. Vazhakkai Curry.
~ Radhika of Tickling Palates; inspired by Saffron Trail

Plantain. Coconut oil. Vegetable oil. Red chilli powder. Baked Plantain Chips.
~ Madhuram of Eggless Cooking; inspired by Jugalbandi

Potato. Sesame seeds. Red chilli powder. Turmeric. Tempering. Bangala Dumpa Vepudu
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Masala Magic

Potato. Cilantro. Chipotle. Coriander Rosti.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Sunita's World

Potato. Chilli powder. Garlic. Potato & Garlic Roast.
~ Cham of Spice-club; inspired by En Vittu Virundhu.

Potato. Bread slices. Red chilli powder. Cumin powder. Coriander leaves. Aloo Tikki.
~ Jayasree of Experiments in Kailas Kitchen; inspired by Sindhi Rasoi

Radish. Chillies. Tempering. Lemon juice. Mujj Chatin.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by A Mad Tea Party

Spinach. Corn. Cumin seeds. Mustard seeds. Spinach with Corn.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Arundathi's Food Blog

Spinach. Rice flour. Urad dal. Red chillies. Mashed Spinach.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Saffron Trail

Summer squash. Garlic. Lemon juice. Vinegar. Grilled Marinated Summer Squash.
~ Joy of The Spiral of Seasons; inspired by Kitchen Gardeners International

Tendli. Garlic. Red chilli powder. Tamarind. Tendlya Talasani.
~ Rashmi of Delhi Belle; inspired by Enjoy Indian Food

Vegetables. Soy sauce. Sesame seeds. Sesame oil. Pepper. Roasted Vegetables.
~ Abbhirami of Soulful Creations; inspired by Kalyn's Kitchen


Vanilla Cupcake with a Cherry on Top- pattern adapted from BitterSweet

Wheat flour. Jaggery. Ghee. Cardamom. Nuts. Thambittu.
~ EC of Simple Indian Food; inspired by Mane Adige

Broken wheat. Sugar. Cardamom. Lapsi Halwa.
~ Alka of Sindhi Rasoi; inspired by The Cooker

Wheat flour. Almonds. Sugar. Ghee. Rose water. Aate ka Sheera.
~ Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi; inspired by Pedatha.com.

Yogurt. Sugar. Cardamom. Saffron. Almonds. Shrikhand.
~ Sangeetha of I Googled, I Saw, I Cooked; inspired by Aayi's Recipes and 365 Days of Pure Vegetarian

Milk. Condensed milk. Cardamom. Saffron. Oranges. Orange Basundi.
~ Nupur of One Hot Stove; inspired by Bong Mom's Cookbook

Mango pulp. Cream. Gelatin. Sugar. Mango Cream JellO.
~ JZ of Tasty Treats; inspired by Aroma

Almond butter. Sugar. Khoya. Cardamom. Almond Butter Laddus.
~ Madhuram of Eggless Cooking; inspired by Soul Food

Dates. Nuts. Dates Ladoo.
~ Priti of Indian Khana; inspired by Delicious Journey into Vegetarian Food

Besan. Ghee. Sugar. Cardamom. Raisins. Microwave Besan Ladoo.
~ Manasi of A Cook @ Heart; inspired by Bhaatukli

Ricotta cheese. Condensed milk. Cardamom. Saffron. Burfi.
~ The Cooker; inspired by Bong Mom's Cookbook.

Coconut flakes. Egg whites. Flour. Sugar. Lemon zest. Coconut-Lemon Macaroons.
~ Bhags of Crazy Curry; inspired by Alpineberry

Flour. Butter. Sugar. Cocoa powder. Chocolate chips. Granny Boyd's Biscuits.
~ ovenhaven; inspired by Amanda

Digestive biscuits. Peanut butter. Sugar. Butter. Dark chocolate. Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares.
~ Sowmya of Creative Saga; inspired by Lisa's Kitchen

Greek yogurt. Sugar. Vanilla. Frozen Yogurt.
~ Alanna of Kitchen Parade; inspired by 101 Cookbooks

Plums. Sugar. Lemon juice. Arrowroot powder. Heavenly Plum Sorbet.
~ Priya of Live to Cook; inspired by Simply Recipes

Whipping cream. Lavender blossoms. Chocolate. Egg yolks. Sugar. Lavender Chocolate Pots de Creme.
~ Suganya of Tasty Palettes; inspired by The Well-Seasoned Cook

Chocolate. Avocado. Maple syrup. Orange juice. Decadent Chocolate Avocado Pate.
~ Richa of As Dear As Salt; inspired by Diet, Dessert and Dogs


*** *** ***
Summer is coming to an end, and so is my vacation. My days of leisure are soon to be replaced by some serious work and study, so this will be my last post for a while. I am going on an extended blogging break. I'll be a food blog lurker for a change ;)