niruskitchen----Its all about Food, Fun, Travel et al!

Peaceful Goa.....

2011-02-05T08:34:00.007+05:30

Yes that is how I like it! Just lazing around in different locales at Aashyana Lakhanpal! Right now having tea in the characteristic verandah, looking on to the green cover under the coconut trees, with sounds of the birds and the sea. Not for me the noisy part of Goa--the streets full of humans, vehicles, et al. Getting ready for the ayurvedic massage before relaxing by the pool......

I Love Broccoli.....

2011-01-29T18:36:00.002+05:30

The simpler the preparation, the tastier it is!!
Just cut into florets and chop the stalks to size (they are the juiciest bits). Boil some water, plunge the prepared vegetable into the boiling water...let it come to boil again and quickly drain out the broccoli and plunge in cold water. Now is the fun part. Just before serving put a dollop of butter in a pan, throw the broccoli in, sprinkle some salt and pepper, toss to mix and serve....yum!

Maestro Cooker....

2010-06-12T17:31:00.002+05:30

Just discovered another excellent use of the maestro http://www.shopmania.in/shopping~online-other-kitchen-appliances~buy-maestro-multi-cooker-electric-model-mc-2-plus~p-3447009.html !

Used it like a double boiler---so much more convenient! Was making my souffle custard which I generally do in a pan over another pan of water. And that is when I realised this is also a 'pan' over water, and presto! It worked. Should be good for melting chocolate, scrambled and all such things!! Thank you Maestro!

Quick Chocolate Icing......

2010-05-25T18:30:00.003+05:30

Heat 500ml cream, bring to a boil. Shut off the heat and add 500 gms semi sweet chocolate. Cover and let melt and then cool, stirring off and on. Your icing is ready! Of course if you want it sweeter, dissolve some sugar before adding the chocolate and use hot milk if you want it thinner....

Plums....fallen ones!

2010-05-08T10:24:00.002+05:30

My heart sank when I saw what yesterday's hailstorm had done to the 'growing' plums on our favorite tree in Mussourie. Standing under the wide tree,laden with fruit,I as there, rueing the fallen green fruit (an unusual sight for us urbanites!), I was loathe to let them just be swept away into the trash. Then the idea struck.....if we can use dried ripe plums as souring agents, why not these? So I decided to make a new version of ' Sindhi Kadhi'! No besan in the kitchen so used whole wheat flour and green plums instead of kokum! Voila! the 'Kadhi' was ready! Decided not to indulge into the favorite combination of Toook aloo with it though....

Italian Style Tomato Sauce

2010-03-04T13:54:00.003+05:30

http://www.niruskitchen.com/recipes/details.asp?recipe_id=54
Just realised it's a good time to make some of this and freeze! Very handy for quick pasta dishes. Enjoy!

Mushrooms Bites

2010-02-12T17:36:00.002+05:30

Wipe 200 g button mushrooms with a damp cloth. Chop into halves and saute in a tbsp of olive oil over high heat till glossy. Cool. Place mushrooms along with a slice of chopped bread, salt and black pepper in a blender jar and process. Shape the paste like mixture into balls of desired size (you can add soemmore seasoning or cheese if you like), roll in semolina (soojee) and pan fry or deep fry. The most important next--serve hot with ketchup or chilli sauce.......and say 'Yummmm'!

Lemon Curd

2010-02-02T18:06:00.001+05:30

Sugar 1 cup (240 g)
Butter ½ cup (125 g)
Lemon rind, grated ½ tsp
Lemon (Nimbu) juice ¼ cup (60 g, approx. 3)
Eggs, slightly beaten 2
Method
1. Place the sugar, butter, lemon rind and juice in a pan and place the pan in another pan with hot water in it (or use a double boiler). Stir, till sugar dissolves.
Add the eggs gradually to the mixture, stirring all the time. Continue to cook, taking care not to let the water come to a boil (or else the eggs may curdle).
Cook till a coating consistency is reached. Takes about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and use or cool and store in sterilized, air- tight jars.
Note: The broader the vessel the faster it will cook, since a larger surface comes in contact with the heat.

Idlis

2010-02-01T12:33:00.002+05:30

Discovered that my idlis never come out soft enough unless I add some baking soda before steaming! Even though the batter has risen well, they need soda before I put them in moulds. Any enlightenment on the subject?

Gola-e-Murgh (Minced chicken bites)

2009-08-31T15:11:00.003+05:30

A most welcome rainy day yesterday. I had a great walk in the rain and by the time I returned home, bathed and refreshed---I was hungry. A trip to look at what I had in the fridge, made me notice the minced chicken lying there. Hmm! Put on my thinking cap and behold! This is what I produced (hope you enjoy it as much):

Gola-e-Murgh (Minced chicken bites)
Minced chicken 500 g
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp
Onions, chopped fine ½ cup
Salt 1 ½ tsp or to taste
Powdered black pepper ¼ tsp
Curry leaves (Kadhi patta), chopped fine 2 tbsp
Hung curd ¼ cup
Oil ½ cup (125 ml)
Ginger, finely shredded 2 tbsp ]
Chilli powder ½ tsp ]
Coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbsp ] for garnish

1. Mix together the chicken, ginger-garlic, onions, salt, black pepper and curry leaves. Refrigerate for an hour or so.
2. Add yogurt, mix well and form into small cylindrical rounds.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and put the rounds into it. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Uncover, and turn them over. They should be brown on the underside by now. Cover and let cook through.
5. Serve hot, garnished with the ginger, chilli powder and coriander leaves.
Enjoy this and you can also serve it with drinks along with a chutney!

visit my site: www.niruskitchen.com

Curry leaves (Kadi Patta) pakoras!!

2009-08-14T17:53:00.003+05:30

We were all happily tired, bathed and changed (after a hectic white river rafting trip---month of April!) The evening was amazingly cool compared to the hot morning. The entire group of the camp was gathered waiting hungrily for tea and something to eat! I must say, Snow Leopard proved to be a good choice for the trip. We were well looked after where food was concerned and the utmost luxury was having flush in the loos! I am talking about 15 years ago at least.

There arrived this plate of pakoras which looked unusual. Obviously some leaf, and only when I took a bite did I realise it was pakoras made of Curry leaves! I would have never thought of using these for pakoras---but then why not? We were in this forest area which was dotted all over with kadi patta trees! So you can surprise your guests next time by serving these!

visit my website: www.niruskitchen.com

About me....

2009-08-03T12:26:00.000+05:30

Took me years to realise my passion for cooking! This passion is what led me to using computers to write my books, then on to working on the ndtvcooks site, then on to having my own website, then on to facebook and so on! And now blogging! A pretty interesting concept, what do you say? The only problem is that I see myself getting addicted more and more to the computer!

How did I get into this field of writing cookery books? I started as a novice as a newly married girl. The beginning was not easy, I have to admit. I realised that following the recipe accurately also did not produce good results sometimes. A good ten years or so of persistence inspired me to write a book which should produce fool proof results! So the first attempt was made, with the recipes experimented by twelve and thirteen years old. The result was my book, 'Cook My Dear' which became like a bible for all amateur cooks! Very fullfilling indeed!

And it pleases me to see the collection of books authored by me now. I have eight books to my credit as of date, with precise and simple recipes which produce the correct results. I can proudly say that anyone using my books find it using some other books too. I really feel extreme satisfaction when I hear, 'Oh I like your recipes, they are so simple and easy to follow. I refer to your book sometimes when following other recipes too'! To have a look at my work, do visit my site: www.niruskitchen.com