Kung Pao Lotus Root

Blog hopping is one of my favorite pastimes . And I find that I get to pick up a lot of stuff off the blogs these days. Being an avid reader myself, I can tell you that a few of them are so well researched that they may as well compete with books but for the fact that they are so concise. However that is fast turning into a advantage as people increasingly look for short reads to fill up the gaps in their schedule.

Be it when you are waiting for the cab to arrive or a friend to show up at the coffee shop, reading a short blog is just the right way to utilize that time. Of course, it is a matter of habit and one can as well read a book in that time, but I prefer to pick one when I am in a more relaxed setting and with enough time to cover a few chapters. Travelling to a foodie event a few weeks back, I was checking out some blogs to kill the time and take my attention off the crazy traffic at MG Road. And I found this blog called 'The Mala Project' . I liked one of the recipes but it was only when I read the brief about this blog, that I truly fell in love with it. Even though I may not be cooking Chinese on a particular day, I just pay a short visit to this blog and enjoy going through the posts.

Kung Pao Lotus Root is the only recipe that I have had the time to replicate in my kitchen and it turned out to be amazing. Even though I did not have a few ingredients mentioned in the list, I hardly found anything to be amiss. Hot, sweet, sour and spicy, this is a great option when you are in the mood to serve some vegan starters to your family .

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 100 gm lotus root ( Use one that is unblemished and thick )
• 3 tbsp chopped spring onions (greens only)
• 1 tsp chopped garlic (thin slices )
• 1 tsp chopped ginger ( thin slices )
• 3 dry red chili peppers ( medium heat ones )
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 1/3 tsp peppercorns 
• 3 tbsp canola oil

For the sauce -

• 1 tsp thin soy sauce
• 2 tsp vinegar 
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1/5 tsp salt (or to taste)

Preparation - Peel and slice the lotus root. Soak in water till you use them.

Take the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt and cornflour in a cup . Add 2-3 tbsp water to the cup and mix into a thin paste.

Cooking - Heat the canola oil in a wok.

Remove the lotus root from water and dry them on paper towels. Shallow fry in small batches on medium flame till they turn brown on the edges.

Remove from wok and drain on paper towels.

Drain most of the oil from the wok leaving just about 1 tsp oil. Add the broken red peppers and peppercorns. Once they release their fragrance , add the spring onions, garlic and ginger. Fry for 2 mins without browning them.

Add the fried lotus root along with the sauce. Stir fry till the sauce thickens in consistency.

Finally add the peanuts, give it a toss and switch off the flame.

Serve hot.

Note - You can check out the original recipe HERE . I have skipped a few ingredients which are not available easily and substituted the chicken stock with vegetable stock to keep it vegan 

Pumpkin Kidney Beans and Quinoa Salad ( Vegan Lunch Diaries )

In the gastronomic world dominated by upstarts and gorgeous vegetables like the zucchini, purple corn and red cabbage, the humble pumpkin hardly finds any takers. But if you have been following my blog for sometime now, my fascination with the rather out of shape member of the squash family won't come as a shocker to you. I love the vegetable to an extent that one would always find some stocked in my fridge. While it is a rather common ingredient in most of the curries/dal in Odisha, I love to cook the vegetable just by itself. A simple pumpkin fry would do on most days, the spicy Sri Lankan Pumpkin curry is a must-have when I am in a mood to indulge myself.

With kiddo following in my footsteps, our family's love for this vegetable is now widely recognized. Just to ensure that he does not get teased about it, I now have a mission to give this down-market vegetable a sexy new makeover. And this vegan salad recipe, a complete meal in itself, is the first thing that came to my mind. Filling to the core and bursting with fiber, this is something that one must give a try.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins


Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup boiled kidney beans ( or use canned ones )
• 1 cup pumpkin slices
• 1 small onion
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes or crushed pepper
• salt to taste
• a sprig of cilantro

Preparation - Take the vinegar, olive oil, sugar, chili flakes/pepper and salt in a bowl to prepare the dressing.

Chop the onion into thin slices and add to the dressing. Keep aside for 20 mins.

Cooking - Wash and cook the quinoa with 1 cup water and a tiny pinch of salt in a saucepan. Once the water is absorbed, fluff it up .

Sprinkle a few drops of oil on an iron skillet. Once it starts to smoke, throw in the pumpkin slices . Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt and cook them on high till brown spots begin to appear. Flip them over and cook on the other side as well. Once they are done ( not mushy ), remove and keep aside.

Add the boiled kidney beans, the pan-seared pumpkin and the dressing to the quinoa. Toss gently.

Garnish with a sprig of cilantro. Serve at room temperature.

Padma Nada Batibasa ( Lotus Stem Cooked in Quintessential Odia Style )

After the three days of marathon feasting ( aka Raja festival ) last week, I was in the mood for some super light vegan fare. Since pitha and ghuguni had dominated the menu for the festival, I was predictably out of vegetables. Hoping against hope, I scoured the fridge to salvage enough to drum up a simple lunch for two. An opaque container came within my reach and as I picked it up, I could feel the contents sloshing about. Now, I usually make it a habit of using transparent containers in my fridge as one can clearly see what is within them. But these cute 'keep-fresh' tabs from Tupperware were on a discount and I could not help buying half a dozen. And having run out of the transparent ones, I had used one of them to store something in the fridge.

Something ? God what could it be ? I had completely forgotten about it and as I tried hard to remember, I realized that I was having another bout of momentary amnesia. Expecting the worst, I popped it open. But got a pleasant surprise instead. It had about a cup and a half of neatly cut and thoroughly cleaned lotus stems which meant I could directly cook them. No hassles. Just what I would have wanted on a lazy day.

So, I quickly made some 'batibasa' or mustard based semi dry curry with it. The beauty of the 'batibasa' lies in its simplicity. All the ingredients are thrown together and cooked on a low flame. No stirring required. Just a bit of a mustard garlic paste, a little poppy seeds paste, some more crushed garlic, a few green chilis (if you like it hot), a spot of mustard oil, a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste are all that one needs to whip up this super easy dish.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 150 gm lotus stem
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 5 garlic flakes
• 2 green chilis
• 1 tsp mustard oil ( I used Fortune Vivo which is a blend of rice bran and sesame )
• pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

Preparation - Peel the cut the lotus stem. Wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt sticking to the holes.

Grind the mustard seeds, 2 garlic flakes and 1 green chili into a smooth paste.

Soak the poppy seeds in hot water for 1-2 hours. Drain water and crush them into a light paste with a pestle or a grinding stone.

Cooking - Mix all the ingredients evenly using about 3-4 tbsp water. Put it in an oven-proof dish and pop it into the oven for 15 mins at 170 degrees.

Or put it on the stove top in a thick bottom vessel. Cook covered till tender.

Serve warm or at room temperature with steamed rice and yellow dal.

Note - Lotus stem can be cleaned and stored in water for about a week when refrigerated. 

My Coonoor Chronicles

"It feels great to hit the road", I said. Hubby did not dare to disagree. After all, we were taking a trip after a long gap of almost an year. It was just about 5:30 in the morning and Bangalore was slowly edging into consciousness. We drove as fast as we could to avoid the crazy traffic that has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. But little did we know what lay in store for us.

Feeling a little better once we had left the chaos of the city roads for the picturesque Bangalore Mysore highway, we took a quick break for some tea and snacks at one of the Kamat eateries that line the highway. These places always serve quality food at a decent price. Getting back into the car, we drove past Channapatna, Mandya and even Mysore without facing any traffic at any point.

Driving through never-ending forests of Bandipore, we finally reached the foothills of Ooty around 12:30.  And after those negotiating those 37 hair pin bends and encountering droves of tourists ( May being the peak tourist season), we finally reached Ooty around 1:30 pm. Quickly covering a few of the usual tourist hangouts (all of which were packed to capacity and required one to stand in an incredibly long queue), we settled for lunch at the Planter's Paradise, a centrally located restaurant. It is one of the few good places to eat when in Ooty as other options can leave one with a bad taste in the mouth. Food was predictably good and well priced. Service was quick and I was amazed that they could manage to keep it up given the staggering number of folks walking into the restaurant.

Ooty Botanical Gardens - Anyone game for a song n dance ?

With food in our bellies, the tiredness of the journey finally kicked in. Desperate to reach Coonoor for a siesta, we battled the traffic rush which was unbelievably high due to the confluence of the tourist rush and an upcoming election in TN. But it got worse when one reached Coonoor, much of this sleepy town being designed to handle single lane traffic and nothing more. And since our destination, Lamb's Rock, was situated right next of one of the most popular sightseeing spots of Coonoor, we had to battle it out with others who were eager to return back to Coonoor/Ooty after visiting the spot.

Finally, after witnessing traffic queues that could put Bangalore to shame, we managed to reach the villa. Situated in a tea estate, it looked straight out of a dream. Standing in the tiny patch in front of it, I could only manage stare at the beauty that surrounded this place. To use a much abused expression, it was 'fifty shades of green' and a few more that I could spot around me. Buffeted by the undulating slopes of the tea estates on one side and a awe inspiring Shola forest on the other, this place was situated right in the lap of Nature.

Tea estate in front of our stay

The cozy vacation stay 

While one would expect such places to be enveloped by a deathly silence, it was far from quite. The air was rent with the cries of cicadas and a million other insects. This cacophony quickly changed into a strange howling once the winds started blowing though the leaves of the statuesque trees. Being so far from the main town, there were very few lights to be seen and when the fog suddenly descended upon us, even they dimmed out. A primal fear gripped me at the moment but it was mingled with a sense of exhilaration. Something like being cast out of civilization but at the same time, of being ensconced in a cozy capsule. Maybe it was the effect of the villa which was just so warm and cheerful.

The villa had a kitchen which was stocked with all necessities. If you are a pasta lover, I strongly recommend you to carry some pasta, olive oil and a few herbs when you visit this place. But since we were not carrying anything and also being extremely tired, we had an early dinner ( takeaway from Dragon restaurant ) before dropping dead. And slept for the longest time. Waking up around 7:30 in the morning, I was captivated by the dazzling blue of the clear sky. Brewing a cuppa for myself, I took a short walk in the tea estate and came across some over-enthusiastic bees who did not look like they would take kindly to my strange presence in what was obviously their territory. Taking a cue, I beat a hasty retreat and settled down in the tiny patch of a sun-kissed lawn with a Murakami.

Once kiddo was up, it was hard to contain him inside the house. The cozy tent pitched in the lawn proved to be a magnet for him but what made matters worse was the presence of the four-legged furry friends. The shenanigans of Blackie, Puppy, Socks and Pepper were too much to resist. The breakfast was on the house and we were a bit disappointed with what turned up at the table.

A quick shower and we were ready to step out for some sightseeing. A short trip to SIM's park turned out to be good hike as it is landscaped onto the slope of a hill. The pretty flowers, the ancient looking trees and the small lake built in the center of a garden are the major attractions of this place.

Wanted to hug this grand old tree !!

The next point we visited was Dolphin's nose. Nice view but nothing spectacular. View points like these are the usual suspects in any hill station down South. However it was the ride to this place which turned out to be the best part of the trip as we took a breathtakingly beautiful circuitous route through the tea estates of Coonoor. Yes, it did remind me of Munnar and the song 'Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari' from Chennai Express.

The waterfall at the distance !

Yours' Truly striking a pose !

The final stop was the tea factory. It was a quick tour and one ended up much enlightened about what goes into a making of India's favorite beverage. Chai point could not have put it any better than when it claimed that 'India runs on Chai'. And yes, as always I ended up buying every possible variant (read  organic,green, masala, ginger, etc) of the beverage.

How cud I resist this one? Anyone ready to pop the question?

Wrapping up the sightseeing as quickly as we could, we traveled back to the villa. But before that, we stopped for a quick lunch at the Orchid Boutique Hotel. Inspite it's reputation, he food was a complete letdown.

Back to the villa, we settled for a siesta to recharge our batteries. And just one hour prior to sunset, we set out for Lamb's rock. This short walk through the forest canopy was most exhilarating. The thunderous clouds gathered in the sky had darkened the path more than usual. And the chatter of the birds and the insects felt scarier than any of the sound effects in the horror movies. It was enough to send chills down one's spine. But once we reached the point, the throng of tourists broke the spell that had been cast on us. Within a few minutes, it started drizzling and we had to beat a hasty retreat. Half walking, half running we managed to reach our stay but not before we had been drenched completely.

Once we had changed into dry clothes, it took a few cups of steaming hot tea to warm us up. Arranging the dinner turned out be another nightmare as it was raining quite a bit. Inspite of being situated very near to the 'De Rock' hotel, the hosts do not have a tie-up for the meals ( can't really blame them as the place is actually a B&B kinda thing. Chk it out on AirBnB ). That proved to be the only con of staying at the "Welaro'. Finally the dinner arrived late and we called it a day.

The next morning I rose quite a bit early to spend more time amidst the lush greenery of the tea estate. I wanted to capture as much as I could of the awe inspiring beauty that surrounded the place. But then, time is a tricky thing and soon it was time for us to make a move. A quick shower and breakfast later, we were ready to hit the roads by 9. As if on cue, our furry friends too turned up at the doorstep to bid adieu to us. It was a tearful moment as kiddo had become rather fond of one of them.

Striking a pose - Baby and Blackie !!

Since we had started early, we manged to avoid a lot of traffic driving through Ooty and down the hills. A pit-stop at Planter's Paradise for breakfast and a short halt for lunch at Empire restaurant on the Mysore-Bangalore highway helped us reach Bangalore in good time ( just before 5 pm ). Yet another eventful trip had come to an end but the memories would stay with us for years to come.

Sijha (Muan) Pitha ( And A Happy Raja to All )

The swings have sprung up all over the city. The latest Odia blockbusters are also out. Malls look all spruced up. Ongoing sales have the people coming out of their home in droves. Pretty girls are everywhere to be seen. And there is even a 'Raja Queen' contest to anoint the prettiest amongst them. That's the typical scene in Bhubaneshwar or even the smaller towns and cities of Coastal Odisha during Raja, the 3 day festival that is celebrated in honor of Mother Earth. Being one of the rare festivals that celebrate menstruation, the three days signal a period of complete rest from physical labor ( in accordance with what Ayurveda prescribes and not what marketeers of the extra absorbent winged protection and menstruation cups would like us to believe ) and eating to one's heart content.

Now for a scene from a typical Odia household that boasts of a hell raiser (aka a teenager). Makeup. Check. New outfits. Check. A spring in the step. Check. Pitha. Skip. "It's so loaded with calories", being the most common refrain with teenagers who are turning weight conscious. "What ? Do these teens think that KFC and their ilk fry chicken in water ?", I want to shout back. But then I already know the answers. As do these people.

But then, some wise Odia lady of yore was obviously thinking ahead of her time as she lovingly doled out pithas to her extended family. The humble pitha or the traditional Odia snack ( both sweet and savoury ) comes in a dazzling array of shapes, sizes and flavors. And thankfully, all of them are not ghee-guzzling entities that could give nightmares to any fitness freak. Or for that matter, any individual who believes in a moderate diet. The 'Muan Pitha' or 'Sijha Pitha' is just one among them. A steamed savoury delight with just the right amount of sweetened roasted coconut stuffed into it, it is usually eaten with a yellow peas curry or Ghuguni.

The traditional method of preparing one is to tie a piece of clean cloth over the mouth of a wide vessel containing water. A thick batter is poured over the cloth, covered with a lid and steamed till it is cooked. But I have employed the steamer attachment of a rice cooker to prepare this Pitha with almost identical results. Plus, it is minus the mess caused by the traditional one.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 1 cup urad dal ( skinless )
• 2 cups rice
• 2 cups freshly grated coconut
• 1/2 cup powdred jaggery ( as par taste )
• 2 green cardamom ( powdered )
• 1 tsp black pepper ( powdered )
• 1 1/2 tsp ghee
• salt to taste

Preparation - Soak the rice and urad dal overnight. Wash and grind into a fine paste the next morning. Allow to ferment for 10 hours or so depending on the climate. 

Season the batter with salt just before steaming the pitha.

Cooking - Heat the ghee in a wok. Add the coconut and roast till it starts getting a little brown.

Add the powdered jaggery and cook till jaggery melts and coats the coconut evenly. Finally add the powdered spices,mix in and switch off the flame.

Grease a steamer pan with ghee . Pour a layer of batter about 1 cm thick. Spread a layer of the sweetened roasted coconut over it and finally cover it with another layer of the batter.

Boil water in the main pan. Place the steamer pan over it and close lid. Let it steam for about 15-20 mins.

Switch off the rice cooker/steamer. Remove the steamer attachment carefully. Let it cool down for a while before you cut the pitha into pieces of desired size.

Serve with a curry of your choice.

Oats Chia Pudding

"Did you start taking Amla juice ?"

"Hey what about those yoga classes you were planning to join ?"

"Did you buy that wheat grass powder ? "

"You on started drinking Women's Horlicks . Do you find any difference in your energy levels ?"

"Are you using Olive oil for everyday cooking ?"

Women chatter. Having done with kids and husbands, the female conversation inadvertently steers towards the topic of eating and staying healthy. Most of us are fighting an everyday battle in terms of balancing taste with nutrition. And since we tends to relegate our own needs in favor of those of our spouse or the kids, the results are all too visible. Weight gain and dipping energy levels are some of the most common issues faced by women post their thirties. But ask anyone of them if they are doing anything about it, and the most common response would be " I do not find the time. "

While it is very much true that the household work load distribution ratio in India is very much skewered, there are some simple changes that can be brought about in one's lifestyle. Start with eating the right kind of breakfast. Usually I find women eating breakfast all too late or eating too much of carbs or fat and rarely any fruit. Hence, this is one area where we can definitely improve upon.

And an overnight Oats Chia seeds pudding with a serving  of fruit is definitely one step up the hierarchy of good health. Oats, Chia seeds, milk, yogurt, almonds and fruit make it the most complete and balanced kind of meal that can replenish the depleting sugar levels and keep one going for hours. Plus it is ridiculously easy to put together and can be have had out of jar even as you go about the house pulling out socks and books from the unlikeliest of places.

Read on for the super easy recipe -

Preparation Time - 5 mins

Ingredients -

• 3/4 cup oats 
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 2 pinch nutmeg (optional but recommended
• 2-3 drops vanilla extract
• 2 tsp chopped almonds
• 1 serving of fruit ( apple/banana/strawberry/mango or anything one likes )
• 1 tsp sugar or 1 tsp honey

Preparation - Take a jar or a small glass. Pour in 3/4 cup milk, yogurt, almonds, nutmeg and most of sugar/honey. Mix well and the add the oats. Let it sit for 10 mins.

Mix the remaining milk with vanilla extract, a few drops of honey and the chia seeds. Pout it over the soaked oats. Close it and pop it into the fridge. Leave overnight.

Let it stand at room temperature for about 30 mins to 1 hour in the morning before consumption. Top it with chopped fruits of your choice ( you would be having some left after adding them to the kid's cornflakes or making a fruit chaat for husband's lunchbox) and eat.

Note - Soak about 25-30 almonds overnight. Drain and wash them under running water. Peel and chop up into small pieces. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge and add 2 tsp to your Oats-Chia pudding everyday. The overnight soaking process stimulates the production of enzymes in the almonds and hence one gets the maximum benefit of consuming them.

Kheema Bhindi ( Okra Stuffed with Spicy Chicken Mince ) (Ramadan Special)

The holy month of Ramadan has commenced and the hogging fever has kicked in with full frenzy. Looking at the luscious photographs on social media, I cannot help feeling nostalgic about my Hyderabad days. Haleem and Biryani topped the list as did a plethora of butter/ghee dripping chicken dishes. But having crossed the threshold of thirty, one needs to deal with the stark reality of a slower metabolism. The days of carefree hogging have been left behind and a smart diet is now my prime focus area.

I have always admired the Bengali diet which makes it a point to include veggies and greens even when there is a yummy fish curry or mutton curry on the plate. Since any given person can only eat a certain volume of food, including vegetables reduces the amount of animal protein/fat consumed and hereby the overall calories consumed. Plus one gets a lot of fiber ( it adds bulk and signals the brain that one is full ) and vitamins too. Of course, a lot depends on the preparation method too. For example, lightly sauteing the vegetables or grilling them adds lower calories than what would be added if one curried the same set of vegetables. I will be doing a complete blog post on 'healthy eating' in the near future so watch out this space.

Getting back to the 'Kheema Bhindi' that I prepared as a part of the Ramadan Series, it can be served as a delicious and slightly more healthy starter as compared to the Kheema samosas or the Kheema pops. Okra being a highly fibrous vegetable helps in alleviating constipation, a common complaint when people gorge on oily and meaty dishes. Plus, it is all too easy to cook. For this preparation, pick ones that are tender  and large enough to hold a good portion of the kheema.

Read on for the recipe -

For the Chicken Kheema -

• Minced Chicken - 200 gms
• 1/3 cup finely chopped tomatoes 
• 1 small onion
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/5 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Others -

• 15-16 nos Okra
• 4-5 garlic flakes (thinly sliced)
• onion rings for garnishing
• lemon wedges for garnishing

Preparation - Grind the onion, garlic and ginger into a coarse paste.


Cooking - Heat 3 tsp oil in a pressure cooker.  Add the onion-ginger garlic  paste and saute till raw smell goes off.

Add the powdered masalas and saute for 1 min.

Add the chicken kheema and turn up the flame for 2-3 mins. Let it brown a bit.

Once it starts to stick to the bottom, add the chopped tomatoes. Stir fry till the tomatoes are somewhat mushy.

Add very little water, sprinkle salt and close the lid. Cook for 1 whistle.

Once steam has escaped, open the lid. Carefully remove 1-2 tsp of the oil that would have separated. This can be used later to pan fry the okra.

Put the kheema back on the flame and cook it a little more till it just dries out. Leave aside to cool down.

Wash the okras and pat dry. Put a slit along the length and remove the seeds. Stuff about 1 - 1 1/2 tsp kheema into each one.

Heat a pan. Add the oil that one had removed earlier from the kheema. Add the garlic flakes and fry till fragrant. Remove the garlic from the pan.

Place the okras carefully on the pan, sprinkle a tiny bit of salt over them and cook on medium to high flame till just done. The okras should retain a slight crunch.

Remove from the pan. Serve immediately.

Bhee Gobi Masala ( Lotus Stem Curry )

Though lotus stem is one of those vegetables that I had never tasted in Odisha, it has become one of my favorites these days. Though it is somewhat bland with a slight hint of nuttiness, it reminds me strongly of the banana stem that we use in authentic Odia cuisine. Both of them tend to be quite fibrous and need to be cooked with the right combination of spices to make a tasty curry. But even more than the taste ( and it's good looks ), I was sold on the health benefits of this vegetable. It is power-packed with minerals like potassium, phosphorous, copper, zinc, iron and manganese while also being a source of vitamins B6, C, thiamine and pantothenic acid. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and protein. Lotus root is recommended to people suffering from blood pressure, slow bowel movements and also for aiding weight loss.

Being a very popular vegetable with the Sindhi folks, I first started looking up Sindhi preparations with lotus root. And I stumbled upon manyrecipes that belonged to Veitnam or Thailand. Turns out that it's a quite popular vegetable in those parts of the world. But anyways, I finally checked this wonder recipe 'Bhee Alu Vadi Masala' by Nisha Madhulika. Did some adaptations to suit my taste and made the curry. Turned out to be nice and easy.

The only time consuming procedure was cleaning the lotus root. The outer layer needs to be peeled and it should be sliced into thin slanting slices . If the holes inside have some mud sticking to them, soak in hot water for sometime and then clean with a soft brush.

Here's the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 300 gm lotus root ( cut into thin slanting slices )
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 small onion
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 1 1/2 inch ginger
• 1 green chili (optional)
• 2 large tomatoes 
• 50 gm paneer ( I think you can leave this out for a lighter gravy )
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder ( or to taste )
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2-3 pinch garam masala 
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Grind the onion, ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Then make another paste out of the tomato, paneer and green chili.

Cooking - Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and cook for few mins till raw smell goes off.

Add the tomato-paneer paste and let it cook for a while ( 8-9 mins ) till oil starts to float on the surface. Sprinkle the turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Cook for 3-4 mins.

Finally add the lotus stem slices, cauliflower florets and green peas. Add 1/cup warm water. Close lid and cook covered on medium flame for 1 whistle.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open lid and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with rotis/white rice and yellow dal.

Note - The original recipe by Nisha Madhulika had used potatoes and Amritsari Masala Urad dal Vadi. 

Masterclass with George Calombaris ( Courtesy - Cuisine Regale )

4th June 2016. The most happening address in Bengaluru just got hotter by a few degrees. What else can you expect when the judges of Masterchef Australia descend on 'Namma Ooru' !! Yes, those demi-gods are cooking up a storm even as they tour India as a part of the 'World On A Plate' food festival. And there was nothing that could stop me from travelling to JW Marriott-UB City to catch a glimpse of the Masterchefs. Even if it meant that I had to brave the maddening traffic, the oppressive humidity and the long queues at the venue.

Thankfully, I got an invite (yaay!!) from Cuisine Regale, the modular kitchen brand that ensures that your kitchen interiors look as good ( if not better ) as the rest of your house. Indeed a great way to tempt one to spend more time in the kitchen.

On the day of the event, I managed to reach the venue at the nick of time even though I had left home a good 1 1/2 hours before time. The moment I walked into a conference room that was packed to capacity, the energy of the place just got to me. Everyone was palpably excited to meet George and this was corroborated by the deafening applause that marked his entry.

He talked a bit of his origins, his cuisine and his Indian experiences. True to his words, his prepared a dish inspired by India, a yummy Panner and beetroot thingy with a sweetened papad crumble. And a few chosen ones were lucky enough to taste it much to the sheer envy of the rest of us. But then the audience broke into laughter as his team put out what can only be called a sad caricature of the 'Kerala parantha' . Seems Indian cuisine in not a piece of cake, even for someone who is master of his trade !

The evening ended with the Masterchef taking a few questions from the audience. And finally we were served the 'Soft Shell Crab Souvlaki', a signature creation of the man himself. It was torture enough that I had a fast on the day but looking at the faces of the audience ( some looked as if they were ready to drop dead while the others looked as if they had died and gone to heaven ), I just wanted to kick myself. But as good things do, the event came to an end.

Finally 'THE' moment arrived. We got a chance to get our pics clicked with George , and walked out a lovely hamper by Cuisine Regale.

PRESS RELEASE ****

MasterChef Australia Judge George Calombaris finds his Sous-Chef in Godrej’s

Cuisine Regale

‘World on a plate’ brought together the best restaurants and food places of India under one roof. The festival was a delight for foodies to experiment and experience great food, along with lively music and entertainment.

About Cuisine Regale:

Cuisine Regale is India’s most premium lifestyle modular kitchen gallery brand. An innovation
driver for the group, design thinking has been at the core of Cuisine Regale. The brand has been
developed keeping in mind user and human centricity. Differentiating it from any other local or international brand in this space, Cuisine Regale is built on anthropometric, ergonomics
and our consumers cooking styles. From creating interesting consumer touch points in the
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Redi-(steady)-GO !!

Buying a car is an emotional decision. Especially when it is one's first car. So, when I sought out to buy one of my own, I had a checklist is mind. Having saved up enough to graduate to a four wheel drive, I think I am well within my rights to ask to the sky. And guess what turned out to a best fit for my requirements ?

Image courtesy : http://www.thehindu.com/

Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback. Yes, it's the Datsun Redi-GO which promises everything that I have in mind and even some extras. The compact design, high ground clearance and of course the great price point have me hooked. And it does not really hurt when it comes with a large 222-litre boot which is quite useful to stack up those numerous shopping bags on a trip to the mall.

Having seen my husband struggling with tight parking spaces in most malls, compact design was the first thing on my list. The super light and responsive steering also comes to one's advantage when zipping in and out of those narrow spaces. And the tight turning radius makes maneuvering a dream. Ground clearance came as close second on the checklist as I happen to live in Bengaluru where most of the roads are really bad. Potholes with sharp stones jutting out from them is a scary but common feature here. So is faulty design of the speed-breakers which once caused major damage to the undercarriage of a friend's car. Safety was one of the reasons that prompted me to upgrade from my two-wheeler. 

The price point was the ultimate clincher as we were looking for a second car, one that can primarily be used to run errands. Dropping and picking up the kid from school and the numerous activity classes was turning out to be headache thanks to the bad state of the roads, the crazy traffic and the high levels of pollution. Partly relying on auto-rickshaws and public transport is quite expensive and time consuming. So, getting a car was the obvious choice.  And with a spacious car like the Redi-GO on my hands, I can easily pool in 3-4 kids from our apartment. That would make life a lot easier for moms like me as we can take turns to pick up and drop the kids. 

Obviously, with a car like this one, I would love to take it for a spin on the picturesque Bangalore-Mysore highway. In fact, it is a great fit for our weekend getaways to Mysore, Ooty, Conoor and Coorg. But at the same time, I would like put it through a thorough stress test by driving it on Bengaluru roads during peak traffic time. 

For a relative beginner like me, this is surely the car of choice. The light controls, compact shape, decent leg space and great visibility (thanks to the windscreen and window designs ) make it easy to drive around the town in relative comfort. Plus, it can squeeze into the narrowest of parking spaces which just sweetens the overall deal.

Cranberry and Mango Pilaf ( Back to school Collab )

Ahh. Finally the schools are re-opening after the much needed summer break. As much as it brings relief to the aggrieved mommies like me, planning for the tiffin/lunch box becomes a major headache. One has to ensure things like nutritional value, individual preferences and even variety to ensure that the neatly packed labor of one's love does not return home untouched or half-eaten.

With most of the schools having two recess breaks (usually from standard 1) these days, it is important to plan the boxes in such a way that it includes all the five nutrient groups, i.e., carbs, protein, dairy, fruit and veggies ! For example if one of the boxes contain a whole grain sandwich with a spicy chickpeas and vegetables filling, the other box can have a stuffed paratha or any kind of wrap with yogurt/hung curd and fruits. For a typical Indian variant, one can try a vegetable upma / idli and vegetable chutney for the first box and a simple rice dish with a fruity raita/paneer and vegetables curry for the second box. One can create many such permutations and combinations which not only add variety to the lunchbox menu but also make it possible to provide wholesome and balanced diet to the growing kids. And thankfully, quite a few schools, with the help of nutritional experts, have started sending out circulars as to what should be there in the kid's lunchbox. A different menu for each day to expose the kids to a variety of edibles. I find it to be a great initiative because when all the kids start to carry wholesome foodstuff in their boxes, the demand for junk food automatically dies down.

With my kid having a distinct preference for all things sweet and also a little bit tangy, I often make a sweet fruit pulao for his lunchbox. I complement it with a veggies fry which works quite well for him. But for kids who like yogurt/paneer, a simple Boondi raita or a semi dry Paneer curry can also be packed along with the pulao. For my kid, I prefer to use the small grained fragrant rice as it is easier for him to swallow. For that matter, do you know any kid who chews up properly ? Huh huh. But for grown ups, this recipe goes great with the long grained Basmati brown rice !

Read on for the recipe -
[ And do remember to scroll down to the bottom of this post to check the collaboration recipes with Saswati 's Delish Potpourri and Parinaaz's A Dollop of That ]

Preparation Tim - 15 mins

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup rice ( I used fine grade jeera rice or Gobindo bhog )
• 2-3 cloves
• 2 inch cinnamon
• 2 green cardamom
• 1-2 star anise
• 2 dry red chili ( very mild heat )
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp ghee 
• salt to taste
• a pinch of saffron ( soaked in 2 tsp milk )
• a handful of dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup ripe mango (chopped into small cubes)

Preparation - Wash and clean the rice. Drain the water. Add turmeric powder and mix evenly. Let it air dry for 1-2 hours.

Cooking - Heat the ghee in a cooker. Add all the whole spices and stir fry till fragrant.

Add the rice and fry for 2-3 mins till all the grains are coated with ghee. Finally add 2 cups water, sugar, salt, chopped cranberries and the soaked saffron strands.

Close lid and cook for 1-2 whistles ( about 12-14 mins ). Allow steam to escape before removing the lid.

Stir in the mangoes and let it stand covered for 5 mins for the flavor to get imbibed.

Pack into the lunchbox along with a raita or a semi dry curry of your kid's choice.

For more such delicious recipes, check out these blogs !!

Check out Saswati' blog 'Delish Potpourri' for a yummy Peanut Butter Chocolate Trial mix Granola Bars. recipe

Image courtesy : Delishpotpourri.com

and Parinaaz's blog ' A Dollop of That ' for some lip-smacking Ragi Banana Pancakes  .

That certainly takes care of the Kiddo's snack box. What say !!