Thandai Rasmalai ( Holi Special Recipe )

Spring is here. And it is mating season in the animal world. Nothing sinister about it. Just a matter of probability given that the survival chances are maximized by the ambient weather and food. availability. Now is it is possible that some relic of this animal instinct has been overlooked during the evolutionary process and has stealthily made it's way into the human DNA ? Well, the probabilities look high given that most cultures do make a song and dance about the arrival of spring.

Holi, the Hindu festival which falls in the month of March, is first and foremost an announcement of the harbinger of spring. While there are many myths surrounding this festival, most of us believe it to be a show of love between Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. No wonder, this carnival of colors allows for the free mixing on both genders. A fact that has been re-iterated by Bollywood, time and again. 

One of the most special drinks associated with this festival is the 'Thandai', a refreshing concoction of rose petals, various nuts and spices steeped in milk. While it is guaranteed to perk up sagging spirits after hours of playing in the sun, for those looking for a different kind of high, a bit of 'bhaang' or cannabis can do the trick. But what does not come as a surprise is that most of the ingredients in it are loaded with aphrodisiac properties. Trust the humans to elevate (and of course mask) the mating ritual ( uhh!! We are civilized chimps, aren't we ?) to a summit hitherto unexplored by other species. 

But moving on from one basic instinct to another, let us explore the possibilities of consuming this 'passion enhancer' magic potion in other ways. Not a tough call given that milk is the major component of this drink. So, it can be easily used in any milk based dessert. Here I have chosen it to be the fluid component of a very refreshing 'Rasmalai'. Thinner than it's regular counterpart but infused with the mellow notes of rose, fennel, pepper, cardamom, saffron and other nuts, this one is a winner. Serve it to your guests on Holi and watch the pics go viral.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

For the Thandai -

• 1 litre whole milk ( use skimmed if you want to reduce calories )
• 16-18 nos almonds
• 10-12 nos cashews
• 7-8 pistachios
• 1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds (khuskhus)
• 1 1/2 tbsp watermelon seeds (magaj)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
• 4-5 green cardamons
• 1 tsp peppercorns ( reduce by half for kids )
• a few strands of saffron
• 1 tbsp rose water/essence (use fresh petals if you find some, the dark pink ones are best)
• 1 cup sugar

For the rasmalai - 

• 1 litres whole milk
• 3-4 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp maida /all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar 

For the Thandai :

Preparation - Soak the almonds, cashews, pistachios, poppy seeds and watermelon seeds together. (Remove the almond skin once it is soaked)

Dry roast the peppercorns, fennel and cardamom till it gives off a fragrance.

Cooking - Bring the milk to boil in a thick bottomed vessel. Let it simmer till it reduces to 2/3rd of the original volume and then switch off flame.

Add the sugar and saffron strands to the still hot milk. Mix gently so that the sugar dissolves.Allow to cool.

Transfer the roasted spices to a grinder and buzz till they are powdered. Add all the soaked nuts and grind everything till you get a very fine paste. Add a little water to thin the consistency if it is getting too difficult to grind. Add this paste along with rose essence to the milk and allow to stand for 1 hour.

Use a cloth to strain and transfer the milk into another vessel (an earthen pot would be ideal but do not worry if you cant find one).

For the Rasmalai Balls :

Preparation - Bring the milk to boil in a saucepan. Do not let it boil for more than 4-5 mins.

Dilute the vinegar with equal amount of water and add to the milk. This should be sufficient to separate the paneer from the green colored water. However if the water still looks milky, add some some water-vinegar mix. Once all the paneer is separated, add a few ice cubes and 2-3 cup water to the saucepan. This prevents the paneer from cooking further.

Strain all the paneer and wash it under running water to remove any traces of vinegar. Gather it in a piece of cheesecloth/muslin and hang for 20-30 mins to remove excess water.

Transfer to a plate. Knead it with the heel of your palms for 10 mins to get a uniform mixture. Add the maida at this stage and knead for another 5-6 mins.

Divide into 25-30 lumps and shape each into a smooth ball with no visible cracks on the surface.

Add the 2 cups sugar along with 5 cups water to a pressure cooker. Let it boil for 5 mins before adding the paneer balls. Close the lid and cook for 25-30 mins. Remove from the flame and allow to cool down to room temperature.

Putting it together -

Gently squeeze the paneer balls to remove excess sugar water. Then drop them into the thandai. Refrigerate (at least for 2 hours) till you serve it.

Garnish with saffron, pistachios and rose petals while serving.

Happy Women's Day

In the run up to International Women's Day on 8th March, my FB wall is awash with messages pertaining to the day. Reading through some of them and ignoring the majority, I can fairly conclude that it means different things to different people. Some want gifts, other want to be pampered on the day (and secretly, even throughout the year), a few crave for recognition while others could just be as happy with a few words of love. Honestly, just like Valentine's day , I have always had mixed feelings about this day. Well, on any other day, I would just have let the sleeping dogs lie.

But in the age of social media, it becomes important to be heard and seen. Even more when one is a blogger. So, here is my two penny worth opinion on what each woman want's/deserve's on the day. Putting it down succinctly, it would be the 3 R's - Respect, Recognition and Reaffirmation .

Respect - Each women deserves respect for what she is and not what people around her want to become. It is easy to conjure up a fictional person in one's mind, imbibe them with hand picked qualities and fall in love with them. But alas, it does not work that way. We are born with certain traits and others are the cumulative effect of a couple of decades of living and learning. Nothing, that can be changed overnight. Love never comes with a rider that says "Conditions Apply".

For the ladies, it is important to be the good daughter/wife/daughter-in-law/mother/boss. But, even more then the collective roles and responsibilities, it is important to be an individual. To do the things that one loves to do. To have the dreams and ambitions that propel one to push one's limits. To wake to every morning with renewed enthusiasm. Not just because you have to. After all, life is about living and not just following a timetable.

Recognition - 'Thank you' is among the first words that is taught to kids. "Say thank you when someone gives you a chocolate". "Say thank you when your friend shares his/her toys with you". But sadly, nobody uses it when it comes to a woman who has a hundred tasks on her hands and goes about doing her job silently throughout the day. Often 24 X 7.

It is easy to crib that one has not taken a day off from office in that 3-4 months. But spare a thought a homemaker or stay-at-home Mom who have never known what it means to have a day off. On top of that, she is labelled as "socially unproductive" by some pseudo-feminists. Somebody please educate these misguided women that they cannot use jargon just for the sake of it.

The other kind of recognition that I must mention is being recognized as a part of the family. Most married women end up feeling like strangers in their marital homes. And it must be a widespread phenomenon is it has even been mentioned by one of my favorite Indie authors. Mrs Funnybones aka Twinkle Khanna has reflected upon it in her book and while I do agree that celebs sometimes espouse ridiculous causes, I have come across too many such instances to dismiss it as hogwash. "So, when does a women stop being a stranger and becomes a part of the family ?", one might ask. Unfortunately, that happens at a very later stage in a woman's life. Often when the inlaws have become too feeble or have departed for their heavenly abode. And believe me, it is not pretty waiting for someone to die on you.

Reaffirmation - It does not matter that one has uttered those three words a thousand times. Saying it another time is not going to kill anybody. But lack of communication is a sure shot way of burying a perfectly good relationship. Given the daily grind, most folks are totally worn out by the time they reach home. And whatever dredges of energy that one might still retain are sapped up by the social media sites. Often leaving one with no time to interact with loved ones.

Hence, the need to prioritize communication with one's partner. And since actions speak louder than words, what better way to reaffirm your feelings than to take on a shared task. Cooking a meal, doing the dishes, giving a bath to the toddler (or pet), helping the kid's with their homework, planning a small party or a vacation, or even cleaning up the house can all be therapeutic when done without any grudges and can pave the way for opening up those clogged communication lines. Do not forget to throw in some TLC for added effect. It always works.

To sum it up, Women's day is not just about rhetoric. It is about acknowledging and bringing a positive change in the lives of those women whom we love and respect.

Creamy Spinach Granita with Sticky Potato Chips

IMP - This i an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 

Ok...The main course is done and dusted ( Pan Seared Spinach and Potato Cigars in case you have forgotten about it ). Now it's time  to magically transform the same set of ingredients into something delectably sweet and asking for minimal effort. Should I try to bake some muffins ? Pie ? Mousse ? Naah. Has been done to death.

Since it is already summer in most parts of the country and the temperatures are soaring, I am going to go something chilled. So, why not make it a granita loaded with the goodness of Popeye's superfood ! Let's go one step further and make it a creamy one. Done. And I am gonna make it super easy and quick ( just in terms of the preparation time, not the freezing time. I don't fancy the liquid nitrogen stuff ).

Click here to READ more about the amazing benefits of this superfood aka 'Spinach' !!!

Back to the recipe. Read on -

Preparation Time - 3 hours 15 mins ( With 3 hours being the standby time)

Ingredients -

For the granita -

• 1/2 cup spinach puree ( just blanch, strain and puree with 2-3 tsp water )
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp sour cream ( add a little more if you like it creamier or reduce it if cal conscious )
• 4 tsp brown sugar ( adjust as per taste )
• pinch of salt
• 2 pinch chili flakes for seasoning

For the Sticky Potato fries -

• 1 medium sized potato
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2-3 tsp water 
• a pinch of salt
• 2-3 tsp brown sugar

Preparation - Blanch the spinach. Throw into the mixer jar. Whizz till smooth. Throw in some water, sour cream and brown sugar. Buzz it again till mixed thoroughly.

Pour it into a large cake tray (use a freezer safe one) such that it makes a layer about 4-5 cm thick. Nothing more. Mind you.

Pop it into the freezer. Take out after 30 mins and scrape the sides and along the length using a fork. Pop it back into the fridge and repeat the process every 30 mins for the next 3-4 hours. The creamy spinach granita is ready. Now sprinkle the chili flakes over it and mix in.

(Absolutely no cheating else you end up with a solid frozen mass or small chunks of ice instead of a slurry of ice particles. Once it is ready, it can be served anytime between immediately and the next 12 hours. After that, the ice just starts to stick together. )

For the sticky fries, let prepare some sticky sauce. Mix sour cream, water, brown sugar, salt and olive oil in a saucepan. Boil on low heat it it bubbles and foams up. Keep aside till cool.

Peel and slice the potato into a bowl containing salt water. Strain and throw the slices into boiling water. Let it cook for 2 mins. Remove and dry on kitchen towel. Brush lightly with oil and spread on a baking tray. Bake at 400 F for 15 mins max. Remove from oven and let it cool for half an hour.

Drizzle the sauce on the potato chips ( or just toss the chips along with the sauce) and serve alongside the Creamy Spinach Granita.

Pan-seared Spinach and Potato Cigars ( with a Sour cream dip )

IMP - This i an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 


Six ingredients in common. One main course. One dessert. No omitting any ingredient for either course. On top of that it has to make the cut. Gourmet. Nothing less for the esteemed judges. Sounds like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde situation, doesn't it ? Well, it is part of a cooking contest that I am participating in. Looks tough but then what fun is a contest that does not challenge your limits. Well, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. For one, I am gonna treat this as some much needed motivation for blogging regularly.

So, here is the main course dish that I decided to create. The mashed potato uses just a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of salt and a bit of chili flakes. It is rolled in spinach leaves and seared on a pan which has been sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with chili flakes. End result ? Melt in the mouth cigars that have a beautiful burnt aroma of chili and spinach. I served this with a drizzle of sour cream seasoned with brown sugar and salt. Frugal. Elementary. And yet orgasmic.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

For the cigars -

• 2 medium sized mashed potatoes
• 10 spinach leaves (look for ones that are little big in size)
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• salt to taste

For the dip -

• 3 tsp sour cream
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• a pinch of salt

Preparation -  Take the sour cream in a bowl. Add the brown sugar and salt. Beat till dissolved and a little fluffy.

Cooking - Bake/boil the potatoes. Allow then to cool down.

Peel them and mash roughly. Pass the mashed potatoes through a steel sieve into another bowl. Repeat this procedure twice to get satin smooth texture.

Add 1 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp chili flakes to the mashed potato. Mix well.

Wash the spinach leaves and remove the stems. Dip them in boiling one for 1-2 seconds and remove immediately into a bowl of cold water. Dry the blanched leaves on paper towels.

Take a teaspoon of the mashed potato and place it in the middle of a spinach leaf. Roll it into a cigar. Roll another 1-2 spinach leaves around it to give it volume. 

Heat the remaining olive oil on a pan. Sprinkle the chili flakes on the pan. Place the cigars on the smoking hot pan and cook them on high for 1-2 mins or till they are seared to a brown on all sides.

Remove and place on the serving tray. Drizzle the sour cream dip over each cigar.

Serve immediately.

Note - Make sour cream at home. Take any heavy cream / whipping cream you have. Add some vinegar to it. Beat with a whisk till fluffy. And voila, you never need to buy sour cream again.

Spiced Yogurt with Rice Balls ( Kadhi Chawal with a Twist )

IMP - This i an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 


Technology has changed the way we perceive food. Exposure to various TV channels, YouTube videos and mobile Apps has elevated the entire dining experience from a mundane level that merely seduced the taste-buds to an exotic gastronomic level that tickles one's imagination with terms like molecular gastronomy and food degustation being thrown at us with alarming regularity. Easy availability of exotic ingredients and equipment has further fueled this experimentation process.

If you been a part of the blogging journey since the early days, it will be easy for you to make out the general shift in the way I play with my food. From doing pretty traditional and often obscure Odia recipes, I have graduated to giving them a makeover. The Chuda Ghasa parfait for example, is one such traditional dish that I deconstructed and transformed into a layered dessert that can be loosely termed as a parfait. One of my leading inspirations has been chef Vikas Khanna and one of his television series in which we gives an innovative twist to traditional recipes.

Kadhi Chawal is a yummy light yogurt based gravy that is simmered with pakodas ( deep fried gram flour fritters ) and paired with exquisitely aromatic Basmati rice. With the 'meal in a bowl' theme running though my mind and given my desire to assuage my craving for this dish at any time during the day, I started experimenting quite a bit. After a few not so savory outputs, I hit upon the right combination. In this particular recipe rice is transformed into crisp vegetable and rice balls that I serve on a bed of slightly chilled yogurt gravy. And best part is that it can be garnished and passed off as some exotic kind of snack. One can barely guess what goes into it until one has taken a good bite of it. It takes a group encounter with the tantalizing sour-sweet yogurt, the fragrant rice grains and the crisp veggies for one to realize that one is but meeting an old ally in a fascinatingly new avatar.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

For the Kadhi -

• 1 cup dahi
• 2 tsp besan
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1-2 finely chopped green chili
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp sugar
• salt to taste

For tempering the Kadhi -

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• a pinch of fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
• a sprig of curry leaves 
• 2 Kashmiri chilis
• 1 tsp oil

For the Rice Balls -

• 1 cup cooked rice ( use a sticky and aromatic variety like Gobindobhog )
• 1 cup finely chopped veggies ( carrots, green peas, french beans, spring onions )
• 1/4 cup mashed potato ( I prefer the newly dug out ones that are sticky )
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 2 pinch garam masala
• salt to taste
• 4 tsp oil for cooking rice balls in a appam pan

Preparation - Take the yogurt in a mixing bowl and whisk it gently to break down any lumps. Add salt, besan, grated ginger, chopped green chili and salt.

In another mixing bowl, add all the ingredients (except for oil) mentioned for the rice balls. Mix and mash lightly till it come to a stage where the mixture can bind together. Divide into small portions. Roll each portion into a ball.

Cooking - Transfer the yogurt mixture to a wok and bring to boil on a medium flame. Once it starts bubbling, let it simmer for a few mins before removing from the flame.

Meanwhile, take 1 tsp oil in a tadka pan. Add the Kashmiri chili, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Once the seeds start spluttering, immediately remove from the flame, cover and keep aside for 5 mins. Strain the oil which would have imbibed all the flavors and pour it over the kadhi.  Pop it into the fridge to chill for a while.

Heat a non-stick appan pan. Pour a little oil in each hole. Place the rice balls gently into the holes taking care not to splash the hot oil onto your hands. Turn after a few minutes and cook to an even brown color on all sides. Remove from the pan and place on plate.

Serve the crisp and hot rice balls on a bed of chilled kadhi. Do not forget to garnish with some chopped cilantro and a dash of amchur (if you need that extra kick).

It was quite a co-incidence that even as I was putting the final touches to my recipe and looking to share it on my social media channels, I stumbled upon a post that immediately grabbed my attention. A exciting venture by my food inspiration Vikas Khanna, and my favorite food and travel writer cum host Vir Sanghvi was staring at my face. Check out this video to learn what's cooking between the two -

As I went through the video, I realized that my adventures with food might just be the tip of an iceberg. There are limitless avenues to be explored and new dimensions of taste to be developed. If you share the duo's passion for food, you can also share some interesting tale of your experiments with food on the website HERE. It might have been some necessity that drove you to concoct something extraordinary out of the mundane or maybe it was just a stroke of pure genius, you never know what might please the judges. Who know's it might just be your lucky day and you could get a chance to feature in a video with the food visionaries.

Broccoli and Tofu Salad

Yet another vegan recipe !! In my quest to give up meat and dairy, I am slowly and steadily introducing new recipes in our everyday menu. Though it is going to be kinda tough given the fact that both my husband and kid love their fish and poultry, I am not giving up yet. Rather I make it a point to try out alternate dishes for myself which can be prepared in a jiffy.

This recipe for example is simple and yet loaded with nutrients. Broccoli and tofu married with a mild seasoning of Asian flavours, this salad can serve as a major proportion of one's lunch. I prefer to have it with some soup or toasted brown bread.

Read on for this recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups broccoli
• 100 gm tofu
• 2-3 garlic flakes ( finely chopped )
• 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 3-4 dry red chilis
• 1 tsp honey
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp canola oil / rice bran oil
• 1/2 of 1 lemon
• a dash of pepper

Preparation - Steam the broccoli florets.

Cut the tofu into thin long strips.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the dry red chilis and garlic. Fry till fragrant.

Throw in the tofu and soy sauce. Toss for 1-2 mins.

Add the broccoli florets. Season with salt. Toss for 2-3 mins.

Finally add the honey, pepper and lemon juice. Mix gently to coat the broccoli and tofu with the seasoning.

Remove from the flame and sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the salad.

Serve warm.

Note - Additionally nuts and carrots can also be added to this salad to make it more interesting.

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 !