.JPG "Prab's Blog") |
| 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).
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| 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.
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| Onion Bread |
Well, this was not the first bread that I had baked - and some of them have turned out pretty good - and some not that great ....some with yeast and some quick bread (of which banana bread is my all time fav.).
But somehow I was quite impressed with this bread that I had experimented with this morning...am not quite sure how I got around to doing this today - had not really planned it so...but sometimes I find myself just working on a new recipe without realising it...it just happens...and those are sometimes the best dishes.
This is one of them...I had earlier backed some buns with coriander, garlic & cheese stuffed in them - it was pretty good...and T and discussed that onion would be a good stuffing too...while reading up some recipes, I got this one which is not exactly a stuffing but the onions are fried ( browned ) and then mixed with the dough - so you get the flecks of it all thru - not just in the centre...
As usual I made some changes - added some garlic too (one of our favourite ingredients) - and also brushed the top with some milk and put some sesame seeds onto it...gave it a more professional look and feel.
