Methi puri...a great snack

Methi Puris

My sister in law T makes amazing khari puris, have tried making it myself ...but have not been too successful...it was not that bad..but you know ...I was not too happy with the result....did not try after a couple of times...

Nyways had dropped the thought of making my own until I saw this on TV - some cooking show had methi puris on - and boy it was so simple the way they did it (at least that's how it appeared)...so I got charged up...and put it on my list of stuff to try out...not the exact same thing as a khari puri...but close enuff...and I love methi...so nothing holding me back...except maybe  'time'...?!?

Finally managed to get the time, get the ingredients...so here's the way I went about making this...by the way I checked the net..and there are so many different proportions of the flours and even the flours themselves...they have mix of all purpose, whole wheat, rava(semolina), besan ( chick pea flour)...with any or all of them and as I said the ratio also differing...
I went with the one I felt sounded right...and it actually turned out pretty good...used a tip from the TV show...roasted the jeera before adding it..

Homemade Pasta Sauce

Pasta Sauce

I like pasta - always have...T on the other hand had phases of like and not exactly dislike - but something of that sort...more of a disinclination for it...

Our first foray into US had me making pasta at least once a week for a meal, either lunch or dinner...our second stay there - uhuh...not so much...I think this was because this time around T had a lot of travelling to do - and most of his meals out were pastas or sandwiches or pizzas...since as a vegetarian he used to have limited options...so when he was at home I would generally cook Indian meals...this was also the period of my life in which I started learning and experimenting with a lot of new dishes, recipes, ideas...looking to the Internet, friends, family for help.

Nyways after our return back to our homeland we both hankered for a occasional Italian meal { for us that translates to pasta and garlic bread...:-) } and thus began my experimenting into the making of pasta sauce (in US the easy availability and wide range of sauces led me to use the store bought ones), but here I prefer to make my own.

I generally prepare it in a larger quantity and freeze - and find it very convenient to use when required for making pastas as well as pizza ( have also made pizzas at home with ready pizza bread, my next experimentation will be with homemade pizza bread).

Home made Ginger Powder

Ginger Powder

I had baked some cinnamon cookies and taken to a get together we had at T's cousin's place to meet some visiting family...it was a big hit..everyone loved it.
T's cousins B,R & A...were planning to go to Pondicherry for a visit and so were we after a month, and they asked me whether I could bake some ginger cookies, cause a dear friend who stays in Pondi loves them.

Now ginger cookies require ginger powder - some time back I had bought some from the store, but did not like them - I could not get any flavour of ginger from it - neither did it smell like it nor taste much like it...not sure how old the product was...I had read that it is best to use it freshly made.

So that was the reason for me getting some fresh ginger from the market, washing, peeling, chopping in thin slices or pieces, and spreading it out on the plate for drying under the sun. 
It takes about a couple of days normally, but we had cold days, cloudy skies, and so it took a bit longer.

Dried Ginger Slices / Pieces

Put the dried ginger pieces in a dry grinder or coffee grinder or your regular mortar & pestle...and dry into a fine powder. If you want it very fine, sieve it and run it thru once more.

In the grinder

Take small quantities of ginger so that you can make it fresh again when you need it next.

This can be stored in a bottle in a cool dark place or the fridge for a couple of months at least. 

I have my ginger powder ready...have to go to the next step of making the cookies...am hoping I will be able to find the time for that before my trip...and will be able to surprise them with yummy ginger cookies.

Sabudana khichdi in a Microwave

Sabudana Khichdi

Microwave is one of the most marvellous inventions of the last century....and I am sure many would agree with me....though there are a few naysayers...and they may have a valid point with regards to the rays of that machine....but boy it does make life soooo much easier...

Take the above mentioned dish...I used to prepare sabudana khichdi on the stove top - but had it turn to mush many a times...and then I discovered this recipe...and thought..duh!?! ...how could I have missed this...this dish is meant for the micro - where every pearl needs to be separate...and yet thoroughly cooked...what better method is available...

I had my own recipe for cooking this dish - but when I read the microwave version on  One stove top's site...I found it so perfect...that I appropriated that for my own and now that is my standard recipe with a minor changes. I find it a bit dry - so add a couple of tablespoons of water while cooking it. I have also reduced the peanuts...though these are just to my taste...you may add more peanuts, chillies, coconut, dhania(cilantro), salt & sugar as per your taste.

The past few days the weather has been kind of chilly, so one feels the need to relish a nice hot breakfast...and T has been out of town the whole week...(missing you sweetie)....so decided that I could make this and share it with my Mom who also loves having something different for her breakfast / mid morning snack.

Homemade Buns with Filling - Sweet / Savoury

Savoury Buns

Maine pehne party shoes...
Gonna let my body loose....
Karli hai.-----------------.....
There's party on my mind....

This song from the movie Race 2 ...which translates as follows "I have worn my party shoes,  and am all carefree...etc etc...with partying on my mind...." comes to my mind, as I get ready to greet the next batch of visitors from overseas who plan to drop in to see us....

If you have been following/reading my earlier posts - you would know that we had quite a few guests recently...and it truly was like one party after another....good fun to meet and spend time with our near & dear ones...also gave me an opportunity to try out my culinary skills...ahem.

So back to the thought processes, shopping for groceries, planning the menu...you would think I am planning a huge dinner or lunch with four courses, salad & dessert...nope...not really...just tea & snacks...what ?!?  :-) ...I know ....but still whether the party is small or big - it is fun planning it out.

Our guests were to join us for tea and snacks - and I thought these buns with savoury filling of cheese, garlic, and cilantro (coriander leaves / dhania patta ) would be just the thing to prepare...
I had tried it out before ...and it had turned out amazing...it was so lightweight, and the taste of the filling - cheese, garlic, with cilantro is a very good combination. I got this recipe from Divya's easycooking...her easy and simple style and pictures makes it very convenient to follow and adapt.

Does this ever happen to any of you - that you try out a new recipe and make something amazing, and at first shot the results are so outstanding that it even surprises you...and then you decide to replicate that success with guests...and guess what - not that great....
Well that has happened a few times to me...so I was a bit wary of trying this one out for our visitors...but the results was so good, maybe even better ( with a few minor changes from the first time around ) that I had to put it down for all of you.

You could try making these plain or with any other stuffing you like - including onion, or even add some veggies mashed - like potatoes, peas etc...

These can be made with a sweet filling of sugar, coconut, chopped dates, chopped nuts etc. too....the main difference between the two with regards to the dough is the amount of sugar and salt you add to it.

Strawberry / Strawberry Apple Jam

Strawberry Apple Jam

While we were in US - our friends there had a share in an organic farm - and during the season would get fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm. I had visited the farm along with them during the peak berry season and we would have fun picking strawberries, blueberries, blackberries...

I think more of it went into my stomach than the basket...:-) and boy was it delish...so yummy, fresh, ripe, sweet...it's so difficult to put into words the pleasure you get while standing under the hot sun in a field amidst the beautiful greenery...and ripe trees...the smell of it all in the air...and the carefree feeling you get when with good friends...and relishing the goodness of fresh fruit...sigh.....miss you guys, A&L ......we had fun...

Nyways enuff with the meandering down memory lane...getting back to the making of strawberry jam....how did the idea come to me...well winter is strawberry season and we got a small box of it from our local fruit vendor...unfortunately they were not too sweet - in fact - you could say they were tart...making it difficult for us to really enjoy it...
So I remembered my friend L ( of the above farm ) - when she would have a surplus of the fruit she would make jam - and get those some jars to can it and store it...she had even passed on some of it to us...

And thus came the idea of using this up by making a jam...if making in large quantities and planning to store for a long time - it requires a proper process and also the canning jars - and pectin which helps in preserving it.

Since I was just making with a small quantity and also for immediate use at home - decided to go the short and easy route...

Cinnamon Cookies & the misadventures in the making...

I guess the title tells it all....but here goes the whole long tale...

Cinnamon Cookies

There was a story which we had heard when we were young, do not remember it properly - but it goes like this - a monkey ( or maybe a kid  who knows ) was given a banana - and asked to split it equally and give it to two children. 
He peeled it and broke it in half - the halves were not equal - so to make it equal - he took a bite from the bigger half...and then he saw that the other half was a bit bigger - so then he bit from that one...and so on...
You can guess how this one ends...lol !!!

My misadventures was sort of like that story - I did follow the recipe as mentioned...but somehow found that my dough was a little dry ...to counter that I added some ghee (Indian clarified butter) - and that made it too soft and moist...so added some maida ( all purpose flour) - and then felt the sweetness was less, so the final batch was rolled in some sugar/cinnamom powder. (Now I am not sure if my story matches the one above...it just somehow bought that one to my mind)

Nyways...I made a batch with every alteration - so have some 5 different varities of the cookies...with just the one dough. :-). 
See below pictures...                                                                                                                                                                                                     

All 5 varities

Different textures of the cookies