Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Everyone who knows me knows my passion for food. It's not just trying out different cuisines but creating them myself is what I thoroughly enjoy! Food is something I can talk about endlessly.

As a kid I remember I used to sit with my granny (we used to call her Amma Aaji) in the kitchen and roll chapaatees. She had bought two small polpaat-laatana (rolling pin and board) for myself and my little sister. I think that's when my training for cooking started.

Amma Aaji was a great cook. She was a vegetarian so most of the delicacies that we tasted in our childhood were all veg. My sister and I were her Laadkyaa Naati (darling grand daughters) which is why we got to taste a variety of Maharashtrian dishes right from starters to desserts.

My love for baking started much later. We had a small, Bajaj oven at home. Back then microwaves had not even launched in the market, forget the fancy big ovens. One day we were invited at a family friend's place for dinner. His daughter who had joined a baking class had baked pineapple cake. I was quite surprised as it tasted as good as or even better than the one which we used to get at the pastry shops. I guess that was the day when I got inspired to bake.

A couple of years later when I was working in an advertising agency a colleague of mine was very kind to give me the recipe of Black Forest cake. I couldn't wait to rush home and bake it. It's impossible for me to describe the feeling when I saw and later tasted what I had created.. My first baked dessert! That's how I started baking and continued doing so along with tasting and cooking different dishes from round the world!

We baked Bundt Cake!!!


After ages I'm posting something on my blog and enjoying doing it so much!! I had the recipe of Bundt cake saved in my recipe file and the Bundt cake mold locked in the cupboard for a couple of years. Finally decided to pull both out and you can see the yummy results!!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Moroccan Slow Cooked Lamb

I have always been a big fan of slow cooking. It kind of gives enough time to the ingredients to mingle and get to know each other well :-)

This lamb dish became my favourite in the last couple of years. I think I first saw it on a show on Travel & Living channel. Then tasted it in a couple of restaurants. Since then I had been looking forward to making it myself and guess what.. finally that day arrived!

Most of the ingredients used in it are quite close or almost the same as we use in the Indian dishes. I was a bit worried about using dried apricots in a meat dish but it definitely added to the taste. I didn't have couscous but buttered Basmati topped with finely chopped fresh mint tasted awesome!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Moroccan Carrot Soup

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Chives

Believe it or not but I had never tried preparing mashed potatoes at home.. Always ended up eating it in some fancy restaurant along with Roast lamb or some chicken dish.

The other day I was in my favourite shop, 'Godrej Nature's Basket' and found a bunch of luscious green chives while searching for parsley. I couldn't stop myself from picking it up and appreciating it. I knew what to do next:-)

Searched for a recipe and prepared the potatoes which according to my sis tasted as good as the restaurant one! The oniony flavour of chives added magic to the satiny texture of the potatoes. It looked so artistic too. This really simple dish made my day!





Ingredients

4 Big Potatoes boiled and peeled.
100ml cream or milk
2 tbsp butter
salt & pepper according to the taste
2tbsps or more finely chopped chives and two sprigs for the decoration

Preparation

While the potatoes are still steaming hot heat butter in a pan and add cream to it. Simmer for sometime till the butter melts. Break the potatoes with fork and add the butter-cream mixture along with salt & pepper. Keep mashing till it becomes smooth and there are no lumps. Finally mix in the finely chopped chives. Serve in a nice bowl and decorate with the chive sprigs.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Pan Seared Rawas with Parsley Sauce



This dish is so simple to prepare yet damn tasty!The flavour of the béchamel sauce is enhanced by lots of fresh parsley, little bit of garlic & lime juice.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Saigon Chicken Salad












Vietnamese Chicken Salad- This was my Sunday lunch and I had never had such a refreshing salad. It's filled with the taste minus the calories:-) Lots of veggies topped with grilled chicken which is marinated in lime juice, kafir leaves, lemon grass and cilantro. The sweet-sour & spicy dressing adds more fun to it!