FIVE MEMES IN ONE!!

Hello from (?!):) Look at these photos and see if you can guess where I am right now!!!I will tell you the answer next week although you probably can guess easily.I am having a great time here and checked out all your blogs on Monday for a very short while since it was raining outside although I didn't leave many comments,will resume as usual from Monday!

This is the city where we are staying.Guess where this beautiful structure is located! (Hint:Athens in US!!)



This is where we visited yesterday,a VERY famous "building" in another nearby city.Take a guess! (Hint:Maharaja!;D)


See you next week with lots of photos and answers to these photos!Thank you all in advance for all your comments and guesses:)

Guess who was mentioned in Times of India's "In Times" section?!:D
ME!!!YAY!!!
Thanks to 'My Dhaba's VKN and 'Garam Masala's Dilipbhai,Times of India wrote an article about "Feed a Hungry child" cookbook project we all contributed with recipes and the author and food writer of Times of India, Ms.Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal mentioned my Coorg cuisine and mentioned "Asha Arvind" along with few others too.This is the first time I am in the papers with my own talent!;D
Usually,it's either Dr.and Mrs.Arvind or Trisha and Tushar Arvind's mother in local paper,this time it's solely me!!I was pleasantly surprised when Dilip e mailed me this article.Thanks so much VKN, Dilip,the author of TOI and to all the bloggers who contributed to this great project.We bloggers rock,don't we? You can donate cash for this cause too,check out my side bar and at Vkn's as well!!:)
Click on it to enlarge on the article and hope you can read it.I tried finding this article online but did not know the exact published date.


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Now comes the MeMes:

I have been tagged for five MeMes and are due for the longest time! Since I am vacationing until Sunday,I did these before I left.Here they are,some fun MeMes you could read meanwhile!
Thank you Lady A, Cyber Kitty ,Gattina, Shilpa. and dr for tagging me and for your patience! Better late than never,right?!:D
Have fun this week and I will see you all next Wednesday as usual.Why am I not taking a break did you ask? You will know why on July second week!!;D

"You are what you eat!!"
I am tagged by Lady Amalthea at "Noshes,thoughts&Reves" for this MeMe,thanks Lady A!:))

Here goes:
What is the most unusual food you've eaten?
I haven't eaten any unusual food! I am not very experimental when it comes trying new ones!I am a coward!!:D
What is the most unusual food you've eaten and liked?
Refer to the first answer!;)
What foods will you avoid eating (either because of a dietary choice or allergies or just plain don't like)?
I don't like most Sea food because of the fishy smell.I don't have any food allergies but string dislike for smelly things.I am blind as bat but extra sensitive sense of smell!!:P
Do you cook?(and by that, I mean prepare a meal that you'd serve to friends)
DO I COOK?????!!!!! Hahahaa!!!
If yes, what is your favorite dish to prepare to impress someone?
Anything and everything elaborate,colorful and looks fabulous on the table!!
When you go to a restaurant, what's your ordering strategy/preference?
Appetizers, Entree` and sometimes Dessert(If I still have space left to for that in!);D
Have you ever returned a dish or wine to the kitchen at a restaurant? Why?
I haven't but my husband does often He is very fussy when it comes to restaurant food.He wouldn't DARE return anything at home!!!HAHAHA!!!
My two old bookshelves full of cookbooks!I am crazy indeed:)

How many cookbooks do you own?
Boy!!! More than 200 collected over 20yrs and still hoarding.They are my legacy to my kids,hope they appreciate them one day!!
What is one food that you wouldn't want to live without?
Snacks!I love all kinds of colorful,crunchy and tangy Chaats!!;P



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"Ten Favorite Things"

I have been tagged for this "Favorite things" MeMe by Cyber Kitty from "meowlife". Thanks for that Miss Kitty,I did enjoy it all!:))

Ten Favorites:

Favorite Color:Red and Blue
Favorite Food: Pav Bhaji(Mmm..!!)
Favorite Month: September(Fall colors!)
Favorite Song: Jab Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya!(Anarkali)
Favorite Movie:Anarkali
Favorite Sport:American FootBall
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Day of the week: Monday(everybody's out of my hair and I am free!:D)
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Mango
Favorite Time of Day: Afternoon(time for blogging!)

Eight Currents:

Current Mood: As usual,smiling
Current Taste: Masala Chai
Current Clothes: As always,Pants and shirt
Current Laptop:Compaq
Current Toenail Color:Always,Silver!
Current Time:1.25PM
Current location:Family room
Current Thoughts: joy doing this MeMe! ;D

Six Firsts:

First Best Friend: Vimmi
First Name: Asha
First Pet: Johnny
First Piercing: ear lobes to wear my Diamonds but don't wear them!!HUH!!:D
First Album: Latha Mangeshkar
First Movie: No clue but remember watching lot of Tamil films mom dragged me to and we are pure Kannadigas!!:D

Five things:

Thing You're Wearing:Pants,blouse and earrings
Thing You've did Today:Cooked,took care sick son,ate leftovers and I am doing this thingie!
Thing You Can Hear Right Now: AC cranking up!
Thing You Can't Live Without:Books and now blogging(I can give this up but not books!)
Thing You Do When You're Bored: The word "boring" is for stupid people who cannot find something to do in this big Universe!!
Things you like to Watch: happy kids and colorful birds,nature and Ocean.

Four places you have been today: Bathroom,Kitchen,front porch and high school to pick up the kid!

Three people you can talk to:Arvind,Trisha and Tushar.

Two Choices: To smile and to think positive.

One thing you want to do before I die: To see my kids independent and happy!

Two down!!:D

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I have been tagged by Shilpa from "Flog & Rosbif" for this MeMe.Thank you Shilpa:)

"If you had to live on a deserted island for a year, which 5 bloggers would you bring with you and why?"
This is hard,just five people!!I wish I could take about hundred bloggers,my best buddies! Hmm..!!:)

Let's see! First I will be little scared when I am stranded on the Island at first,I need some positive thinking person to cheer me up,right?!
I will take Viji from Vcuisine because she has great this attitude towards life and always puts positive quotes at the end of her posts! I would like somebody like that around me to cheer me up.

Second, we need to eat!! We most probably have loads of edible plants and flowers on the Island!!
I will drag along who else but queen of vegetarian cuisine Trupti!!! That girl cook anything and everything from vegetables she can get her hands on and so well too!! Oh yeah!! I want her there for sure:))

Third, we get thirsty!!!
SIG!!!!She can make mean Cocktails and mixers and cooks mean non-veg too!!I bet she can come up with some fermented liquid over there and some meat,get creative and fill us up AND keep us HAPPY!;D

Fourth, we need somebody to chat when we get bored and keep us entertained.
Supriya/Sia comes to my mind!! She is very chatty and can keep us in better mood for longer time by talking dime to dozen and she knows lot of stuff too because she knows lot of "Did you know?" trivia she ends her posts with every time!:D

Finally,we need some handy man to build some shelter there for us you know? A guy??!! Hmm..!!!Do we need a guy, girls? or shall we keep the Island man free??!!:D I am thinking Sanjay,Deepak,Twisted DNA or DeepSat.Nope,I think we will keep that Island man free!!;D
Then who would I take to the Island last?! Oh wait! Why not the girl who tagged me for this MeMe?! She "deserves" to be there.Shilpa from "Folg and Rosbif" it is!!!Ahoy Shilpa:))

Alrighty then,who is going to crash the ship?! COME FORWARD PLEASE,I am ready with my buddies!!!:D

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Sunday Breakfast or Brunch MeMe:
This MeMe was started by "Rosa's Yummy Yums" and I am tagged by Gattina from "Kitchen Unplugged".Thanks Gattina.

Here is what we are supposed to do."The idea is that you show us your typical Sunday breakfast or brunch table, give us a detailed description of what's on it and tell us why you love to sit around it to eat. If ever you live in a country where Sundays are not free (weekend) or if you don't really do much on this day, then you can also participate by writing about the kind of breakfast/brunch that you have when you are on holiday"!

Well..that's easy.Sundays are always special to us.Because that is the only day we sit together whether it's for breakfast , lunch or dinner as family as we are have different schedules during the weekdays caught up in daily routine.Weekends are relaxed,so we make something special:))

Let's see. In India,where I grew up,Sunday breakfast is usually something like Dosas(Lentil-rice Pancakes) or Chapatis with vegetarian side dishes since my mother is a vegetarian.Being in a tropical country,somehow we are ravenous by 8 am,we would hang around the kitchen waiting to be gobble the delicious food down.
When we moved to UK,we just didn't feel as hungry as we would in India in the mornings (although I kept on making Indian breakfast for the few months), so gave up on traditional breakfast and started having just toast and jelly,cereals. Sometimes during the weekends,the usual English breakfast Toast,Sausages,eggs and bacon etc.
Then we moved to US and had kids,the whole idea of breakfast changed again! Now on weekends, it's a very typical American breakfast/brunch; from Pancakes,Hash Browns,fruit bowl,OJ, Waffles, Bacon to breakfast quick breads!!
Life is a constant change! And what a change for us hopping country to country and changing our food habits and our life styles along with it has been quite a ride!!Thanks Gattina:)

Here are some pictures of weekend brunch I had posted before.



Tagged for the "Currently Reading" MeMe!!

I got tagged again by dr from "A little light" blog for this MeMe.Thank you dr!:))
The rules of this tag are:
1. Name the person who tagged you with a link to his/her blog.
2. Publish the 5th paragraph of page 123 of the book you are currently reading. (If the page does not have a 5th paragraph, take the last paragraph. And if the book doesn’t have page 123, take the last page.)
3. Tag five people (I will skip this part!)
Here is my favorite book I read whenever I have some time and whenever I travel because every page is enlightening and soothing to the soul!!!

"The Treasured Writings of Kalil Gibran" (The author of "The Prophet")
A great book of Philosophy ,wisdom and heart warming and wrenching articles about life in general written by Khalil Gibran (born January 6, 1883; died April 10, 1931), was a Lebanese American artist, poet and writer. He was born in today's Lebanon and spent much of his productive life in the United States.Gibran died in New York City on April 10, 1931.Before his death, Gibran expressed the wish that he be buried in Lebanon. This wish was fulfilled in 1932, when Mary Haskell and his sister Mariana purchased the Mar Sarkis Monastery in Lebanon. Gibran remains the most popular Lebanese-American writer ever.
Gibran willed the contents of his studio to Mary Haskell. There she discovered her letters to him spanning 23 years. She initially agreed to burn them because of their intimacy, but recognizing their historical value she saved them. She gave them, along with his letters to her which she had also saved, to the University of North Carolina Library before she died in 1964. Excerpts of the over six hundred letters were published in "Beloved Prophet" in 1972.All these info obtained from WIKIPEDIA

Here is my own treasured and well read copy!



Page 123, last paragraph;
He writes about slavery in US and at the end of this article titled "slavery" he writes;
" When midnight came and the spirits emerged from the hidden places,I saw a Cadaverous,dying specter fall to her knees, gazing at the Moon.I approached her,asking "What's your name?"
" My name is Liberty," she said.
And I inquired "Where are your children?"
And Liberty,tearful and weak,gasped "one died crucified, another mad, and the third one is not yet born."
She limped away and spoke further, but the mist in my eyes and cries of my heart prevented sight and hearing".

Phew!! I am choked up now! Let me not write anymore about this fabulous book and I hope you get this wonderful volume(Barnes and Noble), a collection of various writings and poems of Khalil Gibran to read ,feel and enjoy or at least the single and fabulous book called "The Prophet"!

Finally,a rose from my garden for you:)


I enjoyed these MeMes which took me down the memory lane,thanks to all of you. If you would like take on any of these tags,go ahead and do it.I will see you all next week.Have fun buddies.Hugs and kisses to all of you!:)

TOMATO PENNE BAKE,BEAN ENCHILADA AND A MeMe!

Hope you all had a great Super Bowl Sunday and ate lot of food!:D
It was great game this year unlike last year,so much twists and turns and surprises!!We loved it!I cooked some easy Mexican food and enjoyed the game as well.I didn't want cook too much and be too tired to watch the game like I did last year!

I chose to make Enchiladas for lunch on Sunday and for the game before 6pm,I made few Taquitos,Empanadas, Guacamole,Cheese dip(Con Queso on Fondue pot!:D)and hot salsa
for Tostitos,and with some soft drinks for me(Beer is not something I like)and kids and Beers for the big guy to wash it all down! We clear all the furnitures and crash right infront of the TV on the carpet to watch and pig out!:D

I didn't cook too many dishes this week but some random recipes, a MeMe and some photos!! Arvind was toying with the camera while we were watching the game and took some pics of the game on TV,I thought I put one of those up too!

Here is the picture of our NFL grub!


Black Bean Enchiladas: Serves 4

You Need:
7-8 8" flour tortillas,3 cups Red chile sauce or store bought Enchilada Sauce,1 cup shredded cheddar cheese,2 Green Onions for garnish,1 small sweet onion,minced.
You also need Black bean filling ingredients as listed below.You can add Kidney beans,cooked Chicken or browned ground beef if you like but this time it's just vegetarian Enchiladas here!:))

How To:


Take 2 cups Black Beans Canned,1/2 cup Spinach cooked,1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese,2-3 tbsp Hot Salsa,3 chopped green onions,2 garlic, 1 tbsp Cumin powder,2 tbsp chopped cilantro,salt,2 tsp lemon juice or sour Cream ,mash all these into a coarse paste.





Take a 13x9" baking dish,pour 1 cup sauce into the bottom.Keep 2 cups of sauce in a wide pan.Take a 8" Flour Tortilla,dip the whole thing in sauce and lay on a plate.Place 3 tbsp of bean filling and fold both sides over it.Gently lift and place it seam side down in the baking pan.






Make 3 more to cover the bottom,sprinkle sweet onions,1/2 cup Cheddar cheese on top.Make 4 more Enchiladas, layer on top and Pour all the remaining sauce over the Enchiladas.Repeat with cheese and onion,garnish with spring onion rounds.




You can add Pimientos,Jalapenos if you like Pre-heat the oven at 350F and bake the Enchiladas for 20mins or until cheese is bubbly on top.I know the filling doesn't look that attractive but it is very flavorful and nutritious!!Hope you will try!:)



Red Chile Enchilada Sauce:
If you don't have store bought Enchilada sauce at hand ,here is an easy recipe how to make it at home.You can use this with all the Mexican dishes like Burritos,Huevos Rancheros,chili etc.What kind and how many red chillies you use here is up to you.


Boil few red chillies,1 medium onion chopped, 2 garlic in a pan until soft and drain.Add to a blender along with 2 tbsp plain flour,grind smooth.Add to a pan with 2 cups of water,salt,1 tsp Oregano,1 tsp Mexican or regular Cumin pd,1/2 tsp Paprika,1 cup Tomato sauce,stir and heat until fairly pourable, but not very thick though.Cool,add water if it's very thick and heat again.



That's it!! That was one delicious Sunday lunch for us!:)

Tomato Penne Bake:
Here is an easy but delicious dish with Penne pasta smothered in Tomato and cheese and also full of bone building calcium which is good for the whole family.Tastes wonderful just out of the oven. Serve with a salad for healthy balanced meal.

No! I didn't make this Italian dish for NFL but it was in there in my draft for a long time,thought I would add it here!Enjoy!:)


To make it vegetarian, add 2 cups of mixed veg,Soy granules to replace meat.If you don't have canned Basil tomatoes, add diced tomatoes with 1 tsp garlic pd, 1/2 each tsp dry Basil and Oregano.If you would like cut down the amount of cheese to just 8oz,that should be okay too.

You Need:
12 oz. penne pasta ( 3 cups), or any other kind,uncooked,1 lb. lean ground beef or Soya Granules or Italian Sausage,Ground Chicken or Turkey,1/2 cup grated mixed veg,2 cans (145 oz. each) Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, undrained,1 can (15 oz.) Tomato sauce,2 packages (8 oz each ) Shredded Mozzarella or Bistro blend Cheese, divided,(Reserve half for topping; stir remaining cheese into pasta mixture)1/4 cup Parmesan cheese,No-Stick Cooking spray or Olive oil.

How To: Serves 6



Cook pasta ,drain and keep it aside. Preheat oven to 350F.Heat 2 tsp butter, saute` grated vegetables like onion, Green bell peper,carrots ,celery etc in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.Add in ground meat ,brown.





Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce, bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 6-8 minutes. Add salt and pepper.Add cooked pasta to meat mixture or veg.Toss well. Add half of the of the cheese; mix again.






Spray a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray,or any deep dish unlike me!:)Pour pasta mixture into dish; top with remaining cheese.Place it in the oven.Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.Take it out of the oven.Serve with salad. (Recipe: courtesy of Hunt's and Sargento.com with my variations of course!)

Another MeMe:
"Five things about me which the world does not know!!"

I am tagged by Supriya of 'Sias Corner' blog who took great delight and immensely enjoyed tagging me! Thank you Sups! This MeMe is short(?) and sweet,so I will let you live!!!:))
I am also tagged by beautiful Shirley of "melting Wok" for the same MeMe!!:)) Thank you sweetie for thinking of me.Reading my rather long MeMe, hope you both don't regret tagging me!! ;D

What the World doesn't know about me? Hmm..!!!

1. I NEVER EVER cooked(I did bake some cakes though!) a single dish until I was married and then I don't remember being scared of that fact that I couldn't cook! Because once I started cooking real food for others by following the cookbooks barely 2 weeks after my wedding, it was as if I had always cooked and it was in me somewhere hidden.I didn't even watch my mom cook or helped her growing up as we always had a cook at home. Am I born with it? I think some of us just are!:)

2. I consider myself "mostly vegetarian", if there is such a thing!:D
I grew up in a 100% vegetarian family,never touched or tasted any meat until I was about 17! I remember throwing up for 3 days when I first tasted the Chicken!! Then I got used to it. Even today,I cook veggies 5 days a week but weekends are always kids' choice for their Sunday lunch and you can guess what they always choose to eat! If I had a choice when we are out and about,I always choose vegetarian!I could easily give up meat,not miss it at all and become pure vegetarian anytime happily if I had to!I said "if I had to"!!!

3. I am not a very religious,do not believe in rituals but I am spiritual.I enjoy reading Philosophy and love cooking for festivals just for the fun of cooking rather than religious reasons!;D
Since I am a born Veera Shaiva(Warriors of Shiva), I choose to believe who else but in the "Big Man" as I call HIM or rather use HIM to scare my kids to behave! I threaten them with HIS "list of bad things you do in life" he keeps and the consequences!(you know like "he deep fries you up there like chicken on Skewers in oil if you are not good to others" etc!):D
In US schools,kids are taught Shiva is a Hindu GOD who is a "destroyer" and do not try to explain any further,so that helps too to scare the kids! (He is a destroyer of our sins,the old order and cycle of birth for Hindus, so we can be free of re-birth and be one with HIM,which is good kinda "destroying", if that is really how it works!)

4. I am not a very emotional person.I have NEVER EVER cried in the movies no matter how tragic the stories are!It's true!If it's real life story,then I will feel empathy and sympathy but never cry.
I used to be short tempered but not anymore.The only very strong feeling I feel is rage when somebody hurts my kids and they come home crying real tears!(not those 'Oh mom, I fell and got hurt" kind)But when adults and kids are mean to them for no reason,racist and prejudiced remarks etc.I see red and I will go to their doorsteps to deal with it.Hope I don't get shot one day,I am in the South remember!:D
(NO!! Carolinians are not that bad except one nalayak(good for nothing) neighbor,who is a grown up guy but lives off of his old parents, told my kids that he will shoot our little Bichon bcos the dog did the doody one day in his yard when my kids were walking him, Which scared the heck out of my kids! Yup! we went there to "his" house, threatened to call the police on him! He never apologized, but his old father apologized to us for him! Why couldn't the macho man talk to us instead of scaring the little kids?!)

5. I pretend to be a Nanny/baby sitter and I am a real Beautician!
When the Jehovah's witnesses or pesky sales people come to my door,they always ask me "can I speak to lady of the house?"!!At first,I used to be polite,smile and say "I am the lady",used to put up with their long talks and goodbyes! But after sometimes I got so fed up,now I say "sorry,she is not home,I am just the nanny" and take the booklets,their cards and promise them I would give them to the "lady"! They believe it without murmur and go away in a jiffy. YAY!!!(Hope they don't come back at 8pm to see the same "nanny" hanging around!);D

After I graduated in Psychology,I had enrolled in Law school,didn't like it and dropped out after a year,got married instead! Arvind went to UK, while I was left behind in India for few months.To kill time,I joined "Shaman college of Beauty" owned by Ms.Shirin,an Iranian Indian in Commercial street ,B'lore.Susheela Vaswani visited us often if you know who she is!I have Diplomas in Electrolysis,Facial,Hair Styles ,Bridal Make up and Henna Art! Of course,didn't use any of those skills as I moved to UK shortly after. But I am the official hairstylist at home for kids and Arvind!:) (I was a Tomboy growing up,never was a "girlie girl",never behaved like a female for a long time! My grandfather always said I should have been a boy and I am in the wrong body!:D And to think that I have these Diplomas in "Beauty Therapy" and became a good cook as well!!Whoa!!Hope grandpa is watching me from up there now!):D

There they are,my can of worms for you! Sia is right when she says I have many Avatars, in other words,multiple personalities!! Any "shrinks" amongst you my blog friends,I do need help!!:D

Here it is the photo Arvind took while watching the game. We bought this 50" Plasma last year just before NFL game.Yeah! Arvind couldn't wait until the price went down a little!!


Have a fun weekend and see Y'all on V day!!

VEG RISSOLES WITH GINGER CHUTNEY,SHEPHERD'S PIE AND A MeMe !

Remember last week I told you we are having a warm winter,in high 60F here in NC Piedmont area. A big oops!! I spoke a little too soon! GOD smacked me on the head and said "Don't gloat too much woman, take that!":D:D

But snow didn't stick around for long though!Blue Ridge mountains on the West and North protects the central NC from any severe weather.We just got some rain,may be about 1" snow and little icy rain on Sunday!That's all,back to 50F again!

Picture taken on last Wednesday afternoon:


Look what happened on Thursday morning's "BIG" storm!!:D

Just wanted to share these photos with you! Yeah! All that Snow disappeared next day and back to the first photo now!!

Anyway,lets get on with the business,shall we? Would you like some veg Rissoles with a tasty tangy ginger Chutney and a non-veg comfort food, full of Protein and Carb ? If yes, you are in the right place!Come on in and enjoy!:)

What's cooking this week?!
JFI-"GINGER"-Veg Rissoles with Ginger-Peanut chutney,
A British dish- Shepherd's Pie,
A MeMe: "10 things to define me!"

I will start with my contribution to JFI-Ginger for Feb hosted by Rosie of "whatstherecipetodayjim". Thank you for hosting Rosie.To learn more about Ginger click here! I have made veg Rissoles including lots of ginger.You can't go more "Gingery" than this dish!:D !

Rissoles are basically burgers or patties usually made of ground beef or lamb and rolled in bread crumbs,pan-fried served with condiments and a salad.I have made it vegetarian which turned out be delicious as you can see! The rissole is also a popular fried snack in Southern-Ireland, especially in the county of Wexford, where the potato is boiled, mashed, mixed with local herbs and paprika, battered and served with chips(French-fries), and/or chicken or battered-sausages.(Info:WIKI)

Plantains-Potato-Splitpeas(Chana Dal) Ginger Rissoles with Peanut-Ginger Chutney topped with more Crisp Ginger!:D

I have used Plantains,potato and lentils to make pure vegetarian Rissoles with lots of minced ginger which gives you a wonderful flavour to this crispy shallow fried patties to serve with Ginger-Peanut chutney. Try it and I am sure you will love the flavors.

How To:


Peel,cube,wash and cook 1 Plaintain,1 medium red Potato in water until soft.Drain and keep it aside.Now cook 1/4 cup Chana dal(split peas) until soft and drain.In a big bowl,add all the cooked plantain,Potato and dal(lentil),salt. Add all the ingredients given below to this.





Add 1 minced onion,3 or more chopped red or green chillies or chilli flakes,2 minced garlic,1 1/2" minced fresh Ginger,Cilantro,2 tsp Cumin powder,1 tsp Coriander powder,1 tsp Garam Masala,1 tbsp Corn starch,2tbsp plain bread crumbs,and mash all these to a smooth paste.







Or put it through blender without water.Do not process too much orelse it gets stringy.I used my new KitchenAid food grinder gadget and it works beautifully as you can see. I love it!:))






Meanwhile, take 3" long ginger,julienne(cut thin long strips) and fry in oil until very crisp and golden.Drain on paper and keep in a seperate plate to garnish later.
Take out the ground or mashed Rissole dough and knead it gently.





Divide the dough into 6-8 balls, flatten and shape into ovals. If the dough is too soft you could add more bread crumbs or soaked,squeezed bread slices.If it's too crumbly,add little milk to make it easier to roll ovals.








Keep them covered in the fridge to chill for 30mins.Heat about 2" of oil in a pan to 375F or on medium high and slowly slide in 3 at Rissoles at a time and fry until golden.





Flip carefully and repeat the same on the other side.Make sure oil is hot to prevent oily Rissoles!Take them out and drain on the paper towels spread on a cooling rack so they don't soggy underneath.Now, prepare some chutney!!:)






Peanut-Ginger Chutney:
Roast 1/2 cup Peanuts,3-4 dry red chillies or chilli flakes,2 tsp Coriander seeds,1 tsp cumin seeds, in 1tsp oil.Grind all these in a blender with 1/2" fresh ginger,1/4 tsp sugar,2tsp tamarind or 1 tsp lemon juice,cilantro,salt to a smooth paste.Adjust the salt and lemon juice and serve topped with crisp-fried julienned ginger.




Serve crunchy Rissoles with a salad,(Dinner rolls if you like) with chutney sprinkled with crisp-fried ginger.You have a whole meal with Protein,carb and lot of ginger flavor!!YUM!!

Shepherd's Pie!
Shepherd's pie is a traditional British dish. It is made with a bottom layer of ground beef or lamb in gravy covered with mashed potato and a layer of cheese(Optional). When we lived in England,this was regular our Sunday dinner.It is still our favorite dish although I don't make it every Sunday anymore!


It is a great comfort food with meat and potatoes all in one dish! I always add some veggies too.Vegetarians can skip the meat and make it in the same way with lots of veggies or Soy grains.Hope you do,it's delicious! Don't forget to serve with a salad!:)

How To:


Heat 1tbsp butter,saute 1 minced onoin,1 garlic minced,1/4 cup grated carrots,1/4 cup of green bell pepper,1 tsp flour.When reddish add 1lb ground beef and saute until brown.Add 1tbsp Ketchup,1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce,salt and pepper,1/4 cup beef broth or stock and simmer until thickish gravy left on the bottom not too runny.



Add 1 tbsp parsley,some paprika,mix and keep aside.To make mashed Potatoes:Follow mashed potato pack instruction to make about 3 cups of mashed Potatoes or Cook 3 big potatoes until soft,peel and mash with 1 tbsp butte,1tsp garlic pd ,1/2 cup fat-free Half and Half ,some Chives and salt to a smooth thickish paste.




Layer ground beef in a casserole dish.Top with mashed Potatoes in big lumps on top and smoothen to cover the beef or do like I did,put it in a icing bag and pipe on the top of of Beef.Heat the oven to 375F. Now, sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan or Cheddar cheese on top of the Potato layer,and some coarse pepper.







Put it in the oven and bake for 25-35mins or until the top is golden.
Note: Do not burn the top.Take it out and serve with a salad.There you go,a beautiful looking tasty Shepherd's Pie is ready to serve!!Make it veg or non-veg!




A MeMe!!!"Ten things that define my style!"
I am tagged by beautiful Starry Nights !!
Here are some more about me as if you don't know my style already?! Too much sharing going on here people.Okay, I will make it REAL short,I promise!:D

1. I love my home and Family.
I define myself as a good wife and a mother.I am proud of my home and whatever we have.I have two good kids who work hard for their grades and honest.My husband is a workoholic and enjoys what he does.I am proud to be part of all of these people.
2. I am not ambitious.
Some people ask me "where do you want to be in 5yrs?" and I tell them wherever life takes me,I will be there!:D I don't crave for achievement or recognition or accolades.I do have a sense of duty which I carry out honestly and give my 100%.
3. I am a simple and low maintenance woman!
I have never desired for anything designer ever in my life!I don't care for designer clothes,cars,homes ,shoes or Prep schools for my kids.But I do like good well-cut clothes though no matter what labels they come with and little things like Gadgets makes me very happy the whole day!:D
4. I love reading and a little bit of music too.
Any book of any kind on this planet will do for me.I love them all although I am suffering the consequences of all that reading by having to wear a thick Myopic glasses!:D I am the kind who reads Graffitis on the dirty walls and read whatever they have written in the public restrooms with glee!!
I like soothing music like Jazz or old Hindi songs,not into Mettallic rock or Hip Hop!I like to hear the HipHop beats and rhythm but I don't understand what the heck they are singing about really.I need my kids for translatation!:D
5. I am positive and happy most of the time.
I think I have inherited my dad's positive thinking and coping skills.When tough situation arise I am the one who rises up to take charge.Yeah,sometimes little things in life or mean people get me down but I have recovered quickly in the past and will in future.I love life and the Sun shine on my face!:))
6. I love all shades Blue and Red.
I love colors and I enjoy colorful dishes,cloths and nature.I particularly love Blue and Red.Vibrant and soothing colors!:))
7. I don't idolize people:
It's one thing to "like" the leaders and those filmy heroes and heroines but whole another thing to go all crazy over them and try emulate these people!They all look great on screens and as leaders but I think only their immediate family know them who they really are.No!! I don't think anybody deserves my hero worship, I rather like what they do publicly to some extent!That where it ends.
8. I love nature.
Any season for that matter, I love them all.If I have to choose,I prefer Spring and Fall!Colors ,flowers and birds ,they all come back to me.Heaven on Earth!!I love anything or anywhere peaceful, I don't like too much noise or loud people either.My home is so very quiet most of the time,neighbors think we were away on vacaton!!:))
9. I have a dream too!:))
You know it!! Yes!! One day I would love to buy a little home by the water and die there in peace!Not a huge one but just small enough for two people!!:D Hope that day will come soon but if it doesn't ,that's okay too!:)
10. Finally, what do I hope?!
I hope my kids' hopes and dreams come true too and they lead a happy and peaceful life with or without their life partners.I hope they find their true loves and desires fulfilled and they are a source of joy for us parents!That's all we want out of them!:))

That's my style!! Now,I tag anybody who wants to take it up!It's short and sweet.Go ahead and do it gals,let me know what defines you!!

Have a great weekend and I will see you next week with Plate Idlis with side dishes,absolutely no deep frying involved!:)

GOBI-BROCCOLI KURMA WITH PHULKAS AND A MeMe!

To all Hindus,let me greet you first. Happy Makara Sankranti on Jan.14th! Makar Sankranti means transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. More Info here! It's all good for us,have fun!!:)

Keeping with my "only Indian dishes in January" theme (I might break it very soon like next week!:D),here are my second week's Indian dishes.Most Indians are probably familiar with these as they are very homely everyday dishes.But I am posting them anyway with my own style of recipes.They are simple and delicious vegetarian side dishes, give them a try and enjoy.

These are: Gobi-Broccoli Kurma,Mixed veg Bhaji,Spinach-Mustard greens with Yoghurt along with Phulkas which are basically puffed Chapatis with step-by step photos!
And a mini(?) MeMe "What Your Blogger Friends Look Like and why?" which is just launched by sra of whenmysoupcamealive! blog, who I think as a very intelligent,articulate Journo and my dear friend too!I am tagged by Indosungod!:))

Cauliflower-Broccoli Kurma:


Kurma is really a mild dish with added yoghurt for mellowing the sauce.You can add some heat with more chilli flakes if you like.I know there are lot Kurma recipes around which I love, add mine as well to your collection!No step by step photos for side dishes since there are three of them and because I want to keep this post relatively short.I don't want people to run the other way! For Phulkas,I have to do it to show you!!:D
YOU NEED:
3 cups each Cauliflower and Broccoli,1 small Tomato(optional,just for color),1/4 cup sour cream or thick yogurt,1/2 onion minced,1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste,cilantro.
TO GRIND:
Heat 2 tsp oil,fry 1 big onion chopped until reddish,take it out.In the same pan,add 1 tbsp coriander seeds,1 tsp cumin seeds,1 tsp each poppy seeds and fennel seeds,1" cinnamon (dalchini),3 cloves,2 or more dry red chillies,4-6 Almonds or Cashews,2 tsp yellow roasted chana dal,fry well until you get a aroma and add all these to a blender along with 1 tsp of Paprika, tomato ,pinch of turmeric for color and grind to a smooth paste with no or very little water.

HOW TO:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and butter, add Gobi-Broccoli pieces.Saute with little salt until almost cooked but still whole and take them out on a plate.
2. Heat the pan again with little more oil,saute minced onion until soft,add ground ginger-garlic paste,fry for 2 mins and add the ground sauce with salt to the pan.
3. Cook this on a medium fire until you see little oil specks on top and lower the heat,then add sour cream or yoghurt spoon by spoon until well blended.Keep stirring. Cook until fairly thick and oil shows on top again.Add 1/4 cup water if needed.
4. Add in stir-fried veggies now,cover and simmer for 10 mins.Garnish with some cilantro,(sprinkle pinch of garam masala as optional) and serve with Phulkas.Taste great the next day!

Mixed Vegetable Bhaji:


A very simple healthy dish with very little gravy, goes excellently with Phulkas.You could make this dry stir-fry too but little gravy to dip phulkas sounds good.You don't see gravy in the photo bcos I scooped the veg from the top just to take this photo!Enjoy.
YOU NEED:
3 cups of chopped Cabbage,1 cup grated carrots,1/2 green bell pepper,1/4 cup frozen Green Peas,Mustard seed,cumin seeds,curry leaves,1 red dry chilli,1 tsp Chana dal,1 small onion,1 garlic,turmeric,1 tbsb crushed toasted peanuts or cashews,cilantro,1 tbsp Sambhar pd or Rasam pd (or mixture of 1 tbsp Coriander pd,1/2 cumin pd,1/2 tsp red chilli pd,1/8 tsp pepper pd,1/2 tsp Garam masala) 1 tbsp dry coconut and 2 tsp lemon juice.

HOW TO:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil and butter,add 1/2 tsp mustard,few curry leaves,1/2 tsp cumin seeds,1 tsp chana dal and dry chilli.When they splutter,add and stir-fry onion with turmeric until reddish.
2. Add chopped garlic, stir-fry for 2 mins.Add chopped bell pepper,then carrots and cabbage in that order after frying each until soft.Add green peas and salt.
3. Pour in 1/4 cup water,cover and cook.Uncover,add all the dry spices or 1tbsp rasam or sambhar pd,cilantro and simmer until little gravy is left.
4. Garnish with toasted peanuts or cashews and cilantro.

Mustard leaves-Spinach with Yogurt:(Mor Keerai)


Here is another nutritious and tasty dish for Phulkas or even for Rice rotis.This recipe is almost like Kerala Avial but not quite the same.There are additional ingredients,so I didn't dare say it's Avial and get buried alive by my Keralite bloggers buddies!:D This is a Tamilian dish I found in one my books.It's called "Mor Keerai".It tasted good though whatever we choose to call it!:)
YOU NEED:
1-2 bunches of each Spinach and mustard leaves,chopped (or 1 lb bag each of frozen or 1 canned greens each will do too),1 onion minced,2 garlic minced,1/2 tsp each mustard seeds,cumin seeds,Urad dal,few curry leaves,3 tbsp coconut dry or fresh,2-4 fresh green chillies,2 tsp coriander seeds and 1 tbsp cumin seeds,2 tsp raw rice,1/4 cup yoghurt or sour cream.
HOW TO:
1. Grind coconut,green chillies,curry leaves,coriander seeds,rice and cumin seeds with little water to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and butter,add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,curry leaves.Add onion and saute until reddish,add garlic,stir for a min and add all the chopped greens and (add water only if you use fresh greens not if frozen)cook until almost dry.
3. Add ground masala with salt,mix well and simmer covered for 5 mins until the raw smell of masala goes away.Add 1/4 cup yoghurt or sour cream spoon by spoon until it is well mixed.Make sure heat is on low to prevent curdling.Simmer for 5-10 mins.
4. Adjust the salt and you are done!:)

PHULKAS!


Phulkas are nothing but puffed up chapatis.It needs some practice to make them,specilly when you are cooking directly on the heat.You have to be ready and quick orelse you will have burnt chapatis.They don't stay puffed after few seconds but chapatis get hollow like Pita and remain soft to eat.It's not hard at all if you make them often.Most Indians do know this.These steps are for new cooks or whoever would like to try.

HOW TO: Makes about 8-10 Phulkas




Take 2 cups Wheat flour,1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp of canola oil. Mix and knead this with enough water to make a soft but sticky dough.







Divide this in to 8-10 pieces depending on the size of chapatis you want.Roll them into smooth balls again,cover and let it rest for 15mins.







Take one ball and roll out to a 6-8" circle 1/16" thickness(not very thick or very thin),place them on a clean towel and cover with another.Repeat the same with other balls too.Heat a Tava or skillet on medium high heat on one burner.




Switch on another burner on high side by side ,place a bakers cooling rack directly on top and get ready for action!:) Take a chapati(rolled out circle),put it on the skillet first and cook just until it gets little bubbles on top.Flip the chapati and cook the other side in the same way.Cook the edges of chapati by pulling it to the side!






Immediately transfer the chapati on to burner with hot rack with a tong and watch it puff! If there is not much water in the dough when you kneaded it ie not a sticky dough,it will puff a balloon.








When it fully inflated which takes literally few seconds, pick it up carefully with a tong to flip and cook the other side.It will deflate as soon as you take them out of the heat but you get a deliciously soft texture with pita like hollow layer!Do not let them burn too much!:)



You can turn and cook the edges too if you feel that it's still raw.Another trick is to cook the edges of chapati when it's still on the skillet rather than on the hot rack.Makes it eaiser to cook the whole chapati that way.





Well...that's all folks!:)) Enjoy making Phulkas or "puffed ones" and don't give up if you don't succeed at first.It took me many burnt Phulkas to learn the skill too!:P

Here are some of my fellow bloggers dishes I cooked and enjoyed few weeks ago with Phulkas.Thanks ladies!:)

One delicious Hotel Kurma from Spice Lover of Box of Spices:
I used cayenne and paprika powder for color.



Madhu of Ruchi's tasty Spring Onion Curry :
I added some potatoes too for texture...



A mini MeMe!:)

I am doing a mini MeMe as Indosungod already covered most of you! Thanks for tagging me Indo! I think of you as a friend who is very observative and a wonderful foodie and blogger because you write and cook so well!:)
I second what she said about all other bloggers she mentioned in her post as well.I will continue from there to add my own short list!:)

I think and I know:
She is a beautiful proud Gujju who loves classical Indian music and a fusion cooking queen!:)
She is a young and wonderful who dishes out different veggie delights every week and sometimes henna art too!
She is my hometown girl who vents and brings out all my own memories!:)
She is a great cook and was on Emeril's show on Food Network!
She is a versatile cook who can bring food around the world!
She is a fantastic cook who makes me drool over her dishes..er..on my Laptop!:)
She is one of my all time fav bloggers,gives me her mom's recipes!
She is Doc who is scared of creepy crawlies and does monthly blog patrol!:)
She is self proclaimed Bong girl,loves to listen to NPR and blogs a cookbook!
She is from Queen's land and has passion for food!
She is Krishna's Priya Radha(;D) from Bengaluru,a city close to my heart!
She is the queen of Vcuisine and a great cook too!
She is from Bengaluru too,shows me beautiful pics of the city and cooks homely meriad tasty dishes!:)
She cooks in Indian Rasoi itself and Boy! what a great cook she is too!
She is a good friend and a fantastic cook,my fav girl!:)
She is a baker and a great Indian cook too.Try her recipes!;)
She is from Mangaluru and brings most delicious dishes of the region and others too!
She is posts some amazing mouthwatering dishes and I love to be the first to comment in her blog!:)
She is a great cook,a wonderful writer but very much under appreciated by foodies other than me!!
Finally,
a bhai!! NO! NO! Not that kind of Mumbai Mafia bhai! He is the most wonderful sweet bhai from Queen's land one could wish for to all us foodie girls!:)

I know!I know! I said it's mini but tried to list everybody!:D If I have left you out,it's not intentional.Hey,let me tag others and give them a chance to cover you as well!
I tag the hostess of this MeMe to begin with:
sra,Pooja ,Vani and Trupti or anyone who like to take up this MeMe and continue with all of your fav bloggers too!

Swami Vivekanada, a brilliant Indian Philosopher's birthday is on Jan 12th!Let's honor,celebrate his wisdom and try to adopt his thinking!You can find a beautiful article written by Deepak Gopi with his friend's help.Hope you read it!:) Happy Birthday honorable Swami V!

Last but not least, my latest Gadget for Kitchen Aid Mixer:)





I ordered this 'Food Grinder' attachment for my KitchenAid mixer before I went on vacation and it was waiting for me when I came back! This is great for grinding veg ,cheese or meat to make cutlets or patties and also for grating, coarse or fine.I haven't used it yet,will soon!Now I will know exactly what goes in to my burger because I can grind my own ingredients,can't wait!



Have a great weekend Y'all! I will be back with some winter munchies and an "Around The World" dish for Coffee's MBP!:))