Beetroot and Tofu Burger ( Vegan Recipe )

Happy Valentine's day everyone !!

Cheesecake. Brownies. Strawberries. Pomegranate. The visuals on social media have been unrelenting in the run up to the V-day celebrations. And that got my man pissed off. Big time. It's not that he hates desserts but he really wanted to see some real food. Given that I am on a healthy eating streak these days, I had to think hard to come up with something that is not too fussy and yet delicious.

I am yet to find a bloke how can say no to a burger. And that kinda set the stage rolling for a vegan burger which is also low on calories. Giving in to the fascination with hues like pink or red, I added some beetroot for color (and health too) !.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 100 gm tofu
• 1 small potato
• 1 small beetroot
• 2 tsp finely chopped onion
• 1/5 tsp ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp garlic paste
• 2 pinch cumin
• 2 pinch coriander
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp roasted and crushed peanuts
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil 
• oil spray for pan frying the burger patties

For the crust -

• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp besan
• a pinch of salt
• 2 slice of whole wheat bread

For final assembly -

• onion rings
• lettuce
• tomato ketchup
• Burger buns
• 2 tbsp vegan mayo
• a dash of pepper

Preparation - Boil the beetroot and potato in a cooker for 2-3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Remove from cooker, peel and grate them into a mixing bowl.

Grate the tofu into the bowl. Mix everything together.

Mix the besan, cornflour and salt with a few teaspoons of water to get a thin batter.

Tear up and throw the bread slices (removing the sides) into a mixer jar. Buzz for a few seconds to get fresh bread crumbs.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onion and let it sweat a bit. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder and chili powder . Cook for a minute before adding the mashed mixture of tofu, beetroot and potato. Season with salt. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Keep aside to cool. (best to keep it aside for an hour or two so that the flavors get to gel together)

Just before shaping the mix into patties, add the crushed peanuts. Mix and divide into 3-4 equal portions. Shape each one into a round patty ( go for a heart shaped patty if you are feeling extra mushy).

Dip the patties in the batter and roll them over the bread crumbs.

Spray some oil onto a pan. Heat it and place the patties on the pan. Fry on both sides till brown.

Assembling the burger - Toast the burger buns. Layer one with mayo and place the burger patty on it.

Throw on some onion rings and lettuce . Finally season it with some pepper powder and tomato ketchup. Top it with another bun.

Grab it and dig in !!!

No-Bake Strawberry Delight ( V Day Collab with Adollopofthat and Potpourri )

Continuing the tradition of 'idiot proof' recipes for V-day, I have a very easy to do strawberry dessert that tastes much better than the measly effort that goes into it. And also, it sits rather well in a jar just in case you want to show the world what you are eating with that special one. Single ? No problem. That's even better as you can have the whole of it just for yourself.

Discovered this one while browsing through 'Taste of Home', yet another great website for home cooks. Made a few minor changes to the recipe suit myself and voila, I had a dessert in under 30 mins. Best part is that this taste great even when we substitute the sugar with any low calorie sweetener.

That's just not all. Partnering with my blogger friends Parinaaz and Saswati, I have got you more recipes to check out for V-day ! Hop on to Saswati's Blog for sampling some yummy Gajar Halwa Cheesecake Pie  and on to Parinaaz's blog for the ravishing Red Velvet Trifles .

Read on for a great 'do it yourself' dessert recipe for V-day -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 200 gm vanilla sponge cake
• 1 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
• 4 tbsp gelatin
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp rose syrup
• 1 liter milk
• 40 gm custard powder
• 3-4 tsp sugar

Preparation - Sprinkle the powdered gelatin into the cold water. Whisk it with a fork. Let it stand for 10 mins till the grains swell up and it starts thickening.

Place the bowl on a double boiler or in a bigger bowl half filled with hot water. Let the gelatin dissolve completely.

Remove the bowl and allow it to cool down slightly. Stir in the rose syrup and strawberries.

Cut the sponge cake into tiny cubes. Layer the cubes in a mason jar or a small glass. Pour the gelatin mixture over it and press lightly with a spoon.

Let it stand for 10 mins.

Cooking - Take 1 cup milk and dissolve the custard powder in it.

Bring the rest of the milk to a boil. Stir in sugar.  Add the custard powder dissolved in milk. Stir continuously to prevent lumps. Remove from flame after 2-3 mins.

Allow it to cool slightly before pouring over the contents of the jar or glass. Refrigerate for at least 30 mins before serving.

Serve chilled with freshly sliced strawberries.

Pasta Arrabiata ( For a Lazy Valentine Brunch )

Love is in the air. And so are glorious hues like pinks, tangerine and reds. I have been so bombarded by visuals of desserts and starters in the aforementioned hues that I have almost started hating the stuff I cook these days. As we have turned more health conscious, I hardly ever cook any desserts or fried stuff. So, the only color I get to see is that from fresh fruits and veggies in the salads.

As I went through my severely limited options ( given that I woke up feel somewhat sick ) for lunch today, red was the theme that dominated my thoughts. With my fridge rather overflowing with tomatoes (got them cheap from a 'thela'), I quickly decided to make a Arrabiata which is an all time favorite. Dunking a few tomatoes in hot water, I quickly got the rest of the ingredients on my kitchen table. Apart from the great taste, the greatest thing about this dish is that even an idiot can cook it to perfection.

[Psssst...gals this is a hint for you if you want to pass on the apron to your better half on V-day which falls on a Sunday this year! What a bounty ! Who knows, providence willing, you might even end up with a rather intimate Tomatina festival in your very own kitchen. But just make sure that the maid not taken a day off on Monday ;).]

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup pasta ( I used Chifferi Rigate though Penne is more popular )
• 3 large ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 3 tsp tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar ( I substitute it with honey )
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chilli flakes ( I used homemade one with lightly roasted Kashmiri chilis for more flavour)
• 3 tbsp EVOO
• 1 tsp dried oregana
• 1 tsp dried basil (fresh is preferable)
• 2 pinch red chili powder or paprika ( just for that red hue else optional )
• salt 

Preparation - Dunk the tomatoes in hot water for a few minutes. Peel them and chop them up.

Cooking - Put the skillet on a flame. Drizzle olive oil. Add the chili flakes and garlic to the cold oil . Let them warm together for a intense flavour.

Next add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet and sprinkle salt on it. Cover with lid and let it turn a little mushy.

Add the puree, ketchup, oregano, sugar and lime juice along with 1/2 cup water. Cook for 15 mins till you get it to the right consistency.

Simultaneously, bring 6-7 cups water to boil in a large saucepan. Once it gets to bubbling, add salt and then when it gets to a rolling boil, throw in the pasta. It will take about 15 mins to cook to an al-dente stage.

Once the paste is done, save a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest using a colander. Give a good shake to the colander to prevent the paste from sticking to each other.

Add the paste to the Arrabiata sauce and sprinkle a few teaspoons of the pasta water over it. Add the basil and toss everything together. Cook for 1 minute.

Remove from flame and serve with a drizzling of cheese (optional).

Note - If using honey, add it along with the basil leaves at the final stages of cooking.

Vegan Ginger and Jaggery Cake ( Whole Wheat Version )

Hola!! I am back after a vacation and still trying to shake off the lethargy that has engulfed my limbs. That's precisely why there have been no food posts on my blog for the longest time. I am just trying to scrape by with no fuss simple meals and doing something off beat had not even crossed my mind for the entire week. That is till last night.

The sudden craving for digging into some cake drove me crazy around midnight. But I had only sparse groceries on hand as I had finished off most of the stuff before going on vacation and had not yet replenished the pantry. And that's when I had the thought of trying something super healthy. Whole wheat cake with no butter and jaggery instead of sugar sounded tempting. Taking inspiration form the Odia Poda pitha, I added some ginger and cardamom to flavor it. Had initially planned on adding a bit of grated coconut but forgot it at the last minute as I was half asleep by the time I was done with it.

Just as I finished mixing everything and was about to pop it into the oven, tragedy struck. My trusted oven gave up and I ended up with a blown fuse and a husband who was threatening to go off any moment. Had to call the security guy and cajole him into fixing the fuse at the earliest. With the power restored, I had to focus on what to do with the cake mix I had on my hands as I could not risk switching on the oven. My first thought was to put it into the fridge and make some pancakes the next morning. But I wanted the cake real bad. Hence took a chance with baking it in my electric rice cooker. And thank God for it !!

A slightly fudge like texture and bursting with traditional flavors, this one turned out to be the best vegan version I had ever come across. Highly recommended for everyone. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup jaggery ( or as per sweetness )
• 1 cup water
• 3 tsp grated ginger
• 1/3 tsp green cardamom (powdered)
• a few drops of vanilla essence
• 1/4 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1/4 cup canola oil + 1 tsp for greasing
• 1 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt

Preparation - Take the whole wheat flour and baking powder in a bowl. Sift a few times using a sieve to remove lumps and ensure even mixing. This also improves the amount of air trapped into the flour which gives a spongier cake.

Mix the jaggery , water, ginger, coconut, cardamom, salt and vanilla essence in a bowl.

Sift in the flour into this liquid (use a sieve) and mix in using a heavy spoon. Mix in one direction only and avoid beating/whisking the mixture.

Finally add the oil and mix in as gently as possible.

Cooking - Preheat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 mins.  Or if using electric rice cooker, pour 3 cups water into the pan and get it to a steaming stage.

Grease a tin with oil. Drizzle flour over it. Pour in the mixture.

Place the baking tin into the oven. Cook for 15 -20 mins till a toothpick  comes out clean.

If rice cooker is used, it will switch off once the water is gone. The residual heat is enough to bake the cake thoroughly.

Wait till it cools down and then overturn the cake tin onto a plate.

The cake can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days in a airtight container. If one needs to preserve it longer, it is best to refrigerate.


Note - The steamed version of this cake ( made in rice cooker ) is softer and spongier but does not have a proper crust.

I have used a lovely semi solid variety of jaggery that I got from Odisha. It has a wonderfully rich caramel flavour and gives a really intense color to the cake. While it is tough to get that variety in superstores, one can try using a mix of the light colored jaggery and some palm jaggery for a similar rich color. 

My Good Morning Mantra !!

Mornings are indeed the best time of the day. It could be just about the freshness of the moment or the feeling of starting on a new page, the first hour of the day definitely has that magical feel to it. I love to wake up early in the mornings (well before everybody else in the house) to savor some 'my time'. Listening to the silent voices of the house and the noisy chirping of the birds while watching people taking their dogs on a morning walk and sipping on some detox drink ( usually it is warm water infused with lemon and honey) may sound non-productive to some but it helps me plan for the day and put things in proper perspective. Indeed it is the most productive time of the day for me as it is hour when I set the goals for the day. And as Aristotle once quoted "Well begun is half done".

The introspection part done, next comes the time for some action. Given the desk bound jobs that most of us lead, regular workout is very much essential to keep one's body in top gear. Stretching out my limbs with yoga ensures flexibility and assurance that I won't be turning senile in old age (though some of my acquaintances might retort that I am already cranky enough). I usually follow it up with half an hour of cardio which helps burn fat. While I try my best to ensure that I am regular with the morning exercise routine, there are days when I just let go. This usually happens when I have a particularly good book on the hands ( or on my Kindle ). That nicely gels with my philosophy of exercise for the grey cells being equally important !

All that good work is that rounded up with a wonderfully healthy and filling breakfast. I have made it into a habit of having my breakfast within two hours of waking up. A mix of fruits, protein, carbs and dairy ensures steady blood glucose levels and lasting energy till the next meal. Breakfast is one of the most important meals as it replenishes the body's energy levels about a gap of almost 9-10 hours. So, skipping it is never an option.

A combination of these little things had been my morning mantra for the last decade. And I had been quite happy with it before I discovered the Colgate 360 Charcoal Gold. I had been pretty happy with my old and trusted Colgate 360 degrees brush but that was before I stumbled upon the gold standards of oral hygiene. Though it is a mere toothbrush, it is pure luxury to behold and cleans the mouth in the most thorough way that can possibly be.

Kudos to Colgate for raising the bar yet again !! I have rediscovered my mornings with #Colgate360GoldMornings . Now it's your turn !

My Top 5 Reads in 2015 !

A big thanks to Narasimha Sharma Vetturi for floating this idea about sharing the books that one read in the year just gone by. Well, for one you had me thinking about my ever growing collection versus the problem of limited shelf space. To be honest, I have added quite a lot of books to my ever burgeoning library. And speaking even more honestly, I covet my books to such a degree that it almost borders on obsession. But not wasting more time going on and on about my love for the written word, this is the list of five books that had me thinking for a long time -

1. All The Light We Cannot See ( Anthony Doerr )

This is one of the most moving books that I have ever come across. The rich imagery, the vivid descriptions and most importantly the strength of each and every character is overpowering. Love can take on many forms and this is what one gets to see in this book. After reading this gem of a book, you can only agree to the fact that there are good books and then there are superlative ones. But a very few have that magical quality of touching one's soul and that feeling gets etched forever in memory even though some of the words get blurred with the passage of time.

2. Mrs Funnybones : She's Just Like You and a lot Like Me (Twinkle Khanna)

Bollywood actress are dumb. Period. Now, when a ex-actress like Twinkle Khanna pens a book, we are pre-programmed to judge it based on our prejudices. And with the kind of movies that Mrs Khanna acted in, one kind of assumes the worst. But her keen sense of observation and often self-deprecating sense of humor shines through. Yep, this book has found its place on my bedside table and I pick it up for a quick mental detox when I am feeling low. 

3. Asura; Tale of the Vanquished ( Anand Neelakantan ) 

This is the best mix of mythology and philosophy that I have ever read. And I can re-read it any number of times. It is one of those life changing books that one should pick up when one is overcome by prejudice and unable to think rationally. Good and Bad coexist in every culture but history is always colored by the victor's perspective, the author tells us. And proceeds to introduce one a Ramayama written from the vanquished Ravana's perspective. 

4. The Invention Of Wings ( Sue Monk Kidd )

Hope is the greatest weapon of all. This beautiful tale about the unlikely friendship of Sarah Grimke and a slave girl Hetty clearly reiterates that. Based on slavery, this book is enormously powerful and thought provoking. I could not put this book down even for a moment till I reached the end . So engrossed I had become with these characters, that I was literally felt like living and breathing with them. Some of my favorite lines (of course you can relate better only if you read the whole book) -

"There was a time in Africa the people could fly"

"It was his way of telling me. I could not have him and myself both." 

5. Dead Souls ( Nikolay Gogol )

This one is on the list due to the sheer brilliance of the author which has ensured that it never goes out of relevance. Sharing a favorite paragraph from the book to justify why I have put it in the top 5 reads.

"It is much easier to depict large-scale characters: there all you need do is fling the paints on to the canvas unstintingly - dark, burning eyes, beetling brows, furrowed forehead, a black or fiery-crimson cloak thrown over the shoulder - and the portrait is done. But if you take all these other gentlemen, of whom there are many in the world, and who greatly resemble one another in appearance, yet in whom, as soon as you look more closely, you will perceive many highly elusive traits - such gentlemen are dreadfully difficult to portray."

Brilliant lines that refuse to be erased from memory.

Felt so good writing and sharing baout these books. In fact I think we should make it a habit to publish a list of the books read at the end of each year !!

Note : In case you want to read the full length reviews, please check them on my other blog Booksopinionsandbull .

Book Review : Ramayana - The Game Of Life - Stolen Hope (book 3) ( Shubha Vilas )

Have you grown up reading Amar Chitra Katha, the beautifully illustrated series that depicts the tales of various Hindu God, demigods, sages (rishis) and demons (rakshas ) ? Well, I have been lucky enough to have access to the series during my childhood days and the first half of this book felt like I was revisiting those memories. The glorious tales of the numerous combats between good (Gods/sages) and evil (rakshas) are described in such vivid manner that I did not even miss the wonderful illustrations that made Amar Chitra Katha so unforgettable. As with his earlier books, the author has put up very useful footnotes on each page which helps the reader to understand the finer nuances of the story.

The story of King Nahusha is one such story that I read a long time back. The pious human king got a chance to ascend the throne in Heaven when Indra lost out due to a sin committed by him. But the corrupting thing that power is, it gets the better out of everyone except for the best. Getting drunk on power, Nahusha soon starts coveting Indra's wife who reaches out to Brihaspati, the Guru of the Demigods. The Guru devises a scheme which entails that Nahusha would have to reach the queen's Palace by riding on a palanquin carried by most exalted sages. The Guru cleverly ropes in sage Agastya who is famous for his legendary temper. Goaded by the lust filled Nahusha for moving faster, the fearsome sage lost his temper and threw back the words that the king had uttered in haste. While 'Sarpa' is usually taken to mean snake, it also means 'faster' in Sanskrit. An engrossing tale indeed ! And this book is just replete with such examples.

This book describes the journey of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana though the Dandakaranya forests where they meet many of the sages who pour out their sufferings to them. They move from one ashram to another, gathering the blessings of many and at times releasing others from a spell or curse. Settling in picturesque and apparently peaceful Panchavati, they come across the demoness Supanakha ( the one with broad long nails ) who fancies Lord Rama. Given his cool demeanor, the Lord initially indulges her but when her obsession takes a violent turn, he asks Lakshmana to stall her advances. This triggers a major war with a huge army of the demons descending on the trio.  A bloody war is fought and Lord Rama emerges victorious.

This sets off a chain of events which lead to the kidnapping of Sita. The manipulative Supanakha seduces Ravana's line of rational thinking by waxing eloquent about Sita's unmatched beauty. The demon king beseeches his uncle Maricha to help create a web of deceit to kidnap the hapless Sita, more to satiate his lust rather than to avenge his sister's insult. The elderly demon tries his best to dissuade Ravan from advancing towards his impending doom but fails to do so.

Most of us would be very well acquainted with the next episode that follows. 'Sitaharan' or the kidnapping of Sita is one of the most well known parts of the epic and one has much to learn from it. Succumbing to material desires and doubting a genuine well-wisher are some of those. The kidnapping is followed by the fight with the valiant Jatayu who loses his life while trying to rescue Sita from the clutches of Ravana. One is also introduced to the Vanaras for the first time at this stage. Shubha Vilas has done a fabulous job in detailing even the minutest of events that occur during Ravana's flight to Lanka and I learnt quite a few details that I was not aware of.

Lord Rama is distraught once he discovers that Sita is gone. Searching for her, he meets the old and frail Shabari who leads him to Sugriva.

[ To be continued in the next book .... ]

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