Panfusine

Yes, I was supposed to post a recipe for Valentines day, but that didn't happen. Not because of the lack of trying, but simply because the truffles that I had planned on making was headed for the dud recipe files even before the filling cooled. The initial plan was to make some  scented truffles with a white chocolate center and into a saucepan went 2 bars of good white chocolate (NOT the fake white chocolate morsels that Ghirardelli is being hauled to court for ), 1/4 cup heavy cream... melted beautifully, extra aroma added via 2 pods worth of crushed cardamom and one star anise.. mmm (the kitchen was beginning to smell great) until the addition of 2 teaspoons of that classic brand of Indian herbal sharbat - Rooh Afza.  It was as if the world completely did a turn around.. A synthetic aroma of 'natural flavors' suffused the kitchen and .... as Forest Gump would say 'and that was the end of that'. The resulting color , it reminded me of that denture fi...

Folks from Delhi will swear by a wintertime treat that defines finger licking good. Shakarkhand ki chaat. Coal grilled sweet potatoes enrobed in a mix of spicy mint/cilantro & sweet / tart tamarind date chutney. A sprinkle of chaat masala, a dash of whipped yogurt, a splash of lime and voila, the vendor hands you  this leaf bowl piled with this divine root salad to be noshed on with a little toothpick. And suddenly, a happy ray of sunshine lightens up your life! The term 'Chaat' is derived from the Hindi verb 'Chaatna' (to lick). These street side goodies are thought to have originated in the state of Uttar Pradesh in Central India and have radiated all over the Indian sub continent and neighboring Pakistan & Bangladesh. Every major city in India has its special dish. Calcutta is famous for its Jaal Muri & Puchka, Mumbai has its Bhel Puri & Ragda Patty, Chennai... oh well, they're in the process of defining their partic...

Pan fried green bananas are not something you find in Indian restaurant menus. Sliced thin and fried golden brown with salt, turmeric, chile powder and a pinch of asafetida. and if the oil is coconut, all the more flavorful. In fact this dish isn't all that common even in South Indian homes. Green banana 'kari' is one of those dishes that people absolutely refrain from serving a house guest. The starchy vegetable is mostly relegated to  menus for days that call for austere introspection and remembering the ancestors. You're most likely to find it on the menu on Amaavas (New moon day) served up with a 'moar kuzhambu' , a thick stew made with yogurt and fresh coconut, with different vegetables thrown in for the sake of variety ( given that the bananas are invariably done the same way). I have no idea why this is a constant menu and could not find any suitable explanations as to why this is done. Perhaps one of you readers can enlighten me. The green b...

I had promised a carbo loaded treat in the midst of sensible healthy food, hadn't I?? As delicious as it was making these 3  treats featured today, no, I did not over indulge on them. One portion of each flavor leaving the rest to my 7 year old and my husband, who were quite happy polishing the the rest. To get back to the What, why , who etc.. of this project.. It is the brainchild of Aparna Balasubramanian , the author of the blog 'My Diverse Kitchen' . Her fabulous recipes are matched only by her photographs which give meaning to the term 'Food Porn', because they have you salivating over the keys & trying to take a swipe at her gorgeous culinary presentations. This is a group culinary with a bunch of blogging buddies getting together and giving vent to their individual culinary visions on a single monthly theme. The Theme for January : Herby Cheesy pull apart bread. Pull apart bread , once you actively start looking for them, seem to come in al...

. T  It takes a really steely resolve to keep with a strict regimen when you're down with a combined case of the flu and a cold. The best that one can do under these circumstances is try to stay hydrated and fill up on soups and light stews. When half a ton of stress is added (by way of the little ones falling sick, its time to put any regimen up on a shelf, it can begin to grate on you and the last thing you need is to start resenting a resolution). Tales of my Carb-loading kitchen capers will be posted on the 24th of the month.. stay tuned! In the mean time, here is a sneak peek! When it comes to favorites in the vegetable kingdom, I'd rank the white fleshed winter melon up there at the top. there is something about its crisp yet yielding texture with the explosion of pure liquid when you bite into a well cooked cube. Winter melon is traditionally cooked with a coconut cumin and red chile paste which provide the bulk of its calories. a healthy and hearty al...

 NO, I am absolutely NOT breaking  my resolution, just pushing the line. One of the most essential aspects to a good, healthy dietary balance is to  never deprive oneself outright of any thing that you are particularly fond of. One of the hardest things to gain control over in a diet is not fats, not proteins, its  Carbohydrate . While on my last weight watchers session, I realized that passing up a pack of potato chips was no big deal, but resisting that third slice of toasted bread or an extra ladle of plain rice (and I'm taking the fifth amendment  on specifying the size of the spoon used for the rice!) meant overcoming that little voice inside that gently goads you on to 'go ahead its just one little slice / spoon more'.  t was entirely by chance that I happened to tune into Dr. Richard  Lustig's interview on NPR a couple of days ago that completely validated my own personal observations. Getting healthy is not about  skipping a mea...