I flipped a pancake! After trying for months! I did it. Yay! I am ecstatic.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Stirring It Up
My life had been losing a lot of flavor. Between work and paying off grad schools loans I was losing my will to do much else. Then me and a friend took a road trip to West Virginia. I tasted fresh apple cider, ate good cheese and got some beautiful wood wick candles that crackle when they are lit. I also went for to the pumpkin patch and ate some more good food and more fresh apple cider. To top it all off I watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love. Which I had been avoiding like plague for a while. Obviously this post then had to be about pasta. But not just any kind of pasta. I am going to share with you my successful pasta-from-scratch recipe. And no you don't need a pasta machine :)
What you do need is:
1. 1 cup of all purpose flour
2. 1 egg beaten
3. Pinch of salt
4. Water to knead the dough & make it soft
5. 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
Add all the ingredients in a bowl and stir till its mixed. Knead the dough to make it soft. Let it sit for 15 mins if you have the time. If not - no problem. Roll out the dough using either of the following: rolling pin, full beer bottle, wine bottle or bare hands. Make it as thin as possible because it is bound to thicken when you boil it. Cut up the strips of dough to the width that you would like. Pour them in boiling water. Check to see whether it has cooked or not. Then add it into a sauce of your preference. Because I am so generous I have shared my simplest pasta sauce recipe with you below:
1. Handful of Basil
2. 2 Handfuls of Spinach
3. 2 cloves of Garlic
4. Half a Tomato
5. Some cheese to sprinkle (optional)
6. Salt to taste
Add the basil and spinach (after quickly blanching in warm water) to a blender. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic to oil. Add in tomato and cook for a while. When tomato is cooked add in the blended basil and spinach. Add salt. Let this cook for about 5-8 mins before adding in your home made pasta noodles (yay!) Sprinkle some cheese on top with flair!
These quantities should be enough for two people. So invite that friend you have been meaning to call for the longest time over :)
It should look something like this without the meat:
What you do need is:
1. 1 cup of all purpose flour
2. 1 egg beaten
3. Pinch of salt
4. Water to knead the dough & make it soft
5. 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
Add all the ingredients in a bowl and stir till its mixed. Knead the dough to make it soft. Let it sit for 15 mins if you have the time. If not - no problem. Roll out the dough using either of the following: rolling pin, full beer bottle, wine bottle or bare hands. Make it as thin as possible because it is bound to thicken when you boil it. Cut up the strips of dough to the width that you would like. Pour them in boiling water. Check to see whether it has cooked or not. Then add it into a sauce of your preference. Because I am so generous I have shared my simplest pasta sauce recipe with you below:
1. Handful of Basil
2. 2 Handfuls of Spinach
3. 2 cloves of Garlic
4. Half a Tomato
5. Some cheese to sprinkle (optional)
6. Salt to taste
Add the basil and spinach (after quickly blanching in warm water) to a blender. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic to oil. Add in tomato and cook for a while. When tomato is cooked add in the blended basil and spinach. Add salt. Let this cook for about 5-8 mins before adding in your home made pasta noodles (yay!) Sprinkle some cheese on top with flair!
These quantities should be enough for two people. So invite that friend you have been meaning to call for the longest time over :)
It should look something like this without the meat:
Monday, July 25, 2011
Palak Paneer (Spinach and Farmers Cheese)
If you haven't guessed already - I am Indian. A very dear Peruvian friend of mine just pinged me asking me how to make Palak Paneer. Boy she knows how to tug at my heart strings. I am ashamed that I have no put up this recipe yet. Its so good and its vegetarian! Double whammy. So here goes:
1. 1 lb spinach (any kind is good)
2. 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
3. One large tomato
4. 4-5 green thai chillies that are slit vertically
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Chili powder - 1 tbsp
7. 1/2 tsp cumin
8. 1/2 tsp coriander powder
9. 1/4th tsp garam masala
10. Cooking oil as required
11. Salt to taste
12. Queso Fresco or Farmers cheese cut into rectangles about 1/2 lb.
Lightly boil the spinach leaves and add it to a food processor/blender till its a smoothie like consistency. Add water while blending if required. In a pan heat some oil. Add the green chillies. After 1 min add the the onions. Let onions caramelize. Once they are brown add tomatoes and spinach blend. Add in spices (tweak if you think its too spicy and add fewer spices.)
When the blend comes to a boil add in the cheese. Queso fresco tends to melt quickly so add it in after cooking the spinach till you see oil on the surface. Let the cheese cook for a bit in the gravy. Take it off when it looks done... tasting is the best way to tell how well its done.
Enjoy with a lightly heated tortilla or naan.
1. 1 lb spinach (any kind is good)
2. 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
3. One large tomato
4. 4-5 green thai chillies that are slit vertically
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Chili powder - 1 tbsp
7. 1/2 tsp cumin
8. 1/2 tsp coriander powder
9. 1/4th tsp garam masala
10. Cooking oil as required
11. Salt to taste
12. Queso Fresco or Farmers cheese cut into rectangles about 1/2 lb.
Lightly boil the spinach leaves and add it to a food processor/blender till its a smoothie like consistency. Add water while blending if required. In a pan heat some oil. Add the green chillies. After 1 min add the the onions. Let onions caramelize. Once they are brown add tomatoes and spinach blend. Add in spices (tweak if you think its too spicy and add fewer spices.)
When the blend comes to a boil add in the cheese. Queso fresco tends to melt quickly so add it in after cooking the spinach till you see oil on the surface. Let the cheese cook for a bit in the gravy. Take it off when it looks done... tasting is the best way to tell how well its done.
Enjoy with a lightly heated tortilla or naan.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Care For A Crepe
So I turned vegetarian. Sigh! I know. Another one bites the dust. What can I say? The Dalai Lama is a persuasive man. Did I say the Dalai Lama? Thats right. I did. Well I saw His Holiness in person when I took my Bodhisattva and Kalachakra vows. I have sworn off alcohol (other than in desserts) and meat (for a while at least.)
I will admit though. When I made this crepe today I was not expecting it to be so good. I am more of a turkey, spinach and goat cheese kind of person. But this crepe is something I am ready to swear by. Anyway here goes:
1 cup refined all purpose flour
1 Egg
1/2 cup milk
Butter/ oil spray for greasing
1 avocado mixed with finely chopped onions (about half a small onion) and a dash of lime
handful of baby spinach
goat cheese - as much or as little as you like
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the first three ingredients till they make a runny paste. Grease a pan with butter and pour the mixture so it forms a fairly thin film. Let it cook for a minute and carefully turn it over. Cook the other side. When done put this on a plate and add the spinach, avocado mix and goat cheese. Sprinkle salt and pepper as you wish.
The best thing about this is that its so easy to modify. If you really like meat you could add some lean slightly sauted ham in it. You can also leave aside everything and just put some nutella and bananas in there. Just make sure to sprinkle some powdered sugar at the end for the professional touch to this extremely simple meal :)
I will admit though. When I made this crepe today I was not expecting it to be so good. I am more of a turkey, spinach and goat cheese kind of person. But this crepe is something I am ready to swear by. Anyway here goes:
1 cup refined all purpose flour
1 Egg
1/2 cup milk
Butter/ oil spray for greasing
1 avocado mixed with finely chopped onions (about half a small onion) and a dash of lime
handful of baby spinach
goat cheese - as much or as little as you like
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the first three ingredients till they make a runny paste. Grease a pan with butter and pour the mixture so it forms a fairly thin film. Let it cook for a minute and carefully turn it over. Cook the other side. When done put this on a plate and add the spinach, avocado mix and goat cheese. Sprinkle salt and pepper as you wish.
The best thing about this is that its so easy to modify. If you really like meat you could add some lean slightly sauted ham in it. You can also leave aside everything and just put some nutella and bananas in there. Just make sure to sprinkle some powdered sugar at the end for the professional touch to this extremely simple meal :)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Decadent Indulgences
Back in grad school every weekend me and my friends would plan to get together for wine and food. We would take turns making something. It didn't have to be anything spectacular. I have some very fond memories of those times we spent together and all the good food. In an attempt to try and re-create some of that spirit in my new house on Capitol Hill I decided to bake a cheesecake last weekend. The simplicity of the process has encouraged me to put it up here. Along with a picture.
Ingredients:
2 cups finely crushed honey graham crackers
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened (philadelphia cheese)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2 slightly beaten eggs
1. For crust, in a bowl combine honey graham crackers, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan. Set aside.
2. For filling, in a large bowl beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in milk until smooth. Stir in eggs.
3. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake in 375 oven 40 to 45 minutes for an 8 inch pan, about 35 minutes for a 9 inch pan.
4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a sharp small knife, loosen the crust from sides of the pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove the sides of the pan; cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. I usually let it chill it for 24 hours before serving.
As garnish I added freshly cut strawberries which I had added some sugar to on top of the cheesecake.
Go ahead and enjoy this with your friends and a glass of wine :)
Ingredients:
2 cups finely crushed honey graham crackers
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened (philadelphia cheese)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2 slightly beaten eggs
1. For crust, in a bowl combine honey graham crackers, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan. Set aside.
2. For filling, in a large bowl beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in milk until smooth. Stir in eggs.
3. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake in 375 oven 40 to 45 minutes for an 8 inch pan, about 35 minutes for a 9 inch pan.
4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a sharp small knife, loosen the crust from sides of the pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove the sides of the pan; cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. I usually let it chill it for 24 hours before serving.
As garnish I added freshly cut strawberries which I had added some sugar to on top of the cheesecake.
Go ahead and enjoy this with your friends and a glass of wine :)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Aloo Dum!
I had a vegetarian friend visiting me for a few days. I racked my brains about things to make him and never thought about the easiest thing in the book. This dish goes great with everything from rice to paranthas and puris and rotis. Its a personal favourite because its one of those dishes that is really easy to make and genuinely tastes delicious. So here is what you need:
1. 1lb of very small potatoes
2. One large onion finely chopped
3. 1.5 large tomatoes finely chopped
4. Plain Yogurt - 3tbsp
5. Pinch of turmeric
6. 1tsp chilli powder (depending on your spice tolerance)
7. 5 finely chopped Thai chillies
8. 1 tbsp garlic paste
9. Cooking oil
Peel the raw potatoes and par boil them. In a wok heat oil and add onions till they caramelize. Add in the chilli and garlic paste soon after. Once they are all caramelized you can add the tomatoes and let it cook till the tomatoes are pureed and mixed well with the rest of the ingredients. Then add yogurt, spices and salt. Let it cook for about 5 mins till you see some oil on top of the gravy. Add in potatoes and cook till potatoes are boiled. Your end result should look something like this:
1. 1lb of very small potatoes
2. One large onion finely chopped
3. 1.5 large tomatoes finely chopped
4. Plain Yogurt - 3tbsp
5. Pinch of turmeric
6. 1tsp chilli powder (depending on your spice tolerance)
7. 5 finely chopped Thai chillies
8. 1 tbsp garlic paste
9. Cooking oil
Peel the raw potatoes and par boil them. In a wok heat oil and add onions till they caramelize. Add in the chilli and garlic paste soon after. Once they are all caramelized you can add the tomatoes and let it cook till the tomatoes are pureed and mixed well with the rest of the ingredients. Then add yogurt, spices and salt. Let it cook for about 5 mins till you see some oil on top of the gravy. Add in potatoes and cook till potatoes are boiled. Your end result should look something like this:
Saturday, February 26, 2011
For my Vegetarian Readers
I realize its been a while and I have been ignoring this blog like a step-child. Yes, hormonal Gigi has had an overpowering presence lately and just won't let me in peace to write about food! Anyhow, I have been going through ideas for this blog by a dozen and here is a new one. This blog is now going to do the following:
1. Encourage my interest in photography. Thats right, I intend to start putting up more pictures of ingredients and the end result once I possess the latest object of my affection.
2. Since I have been travelling across 3 cities (NY, SF and DC) like its child play I think it is only fair that my readers get a taste of the good and great places in these cities. Stay put for pictures and updates on places to eat while you are in either of these cities. For my readers who are in school, don't worry, because I have been living like a starving artist myself and only have your best monetary interests in mind!
3. More vegetarian food! Vegetarian people seem to have cropped up around me a lot in the last few days. I have decided to give their favored form of gastronomy a fair shot. So I will be making an attempt at posting more vegetarian dishes!
Thats all for tonight!
1. Encourage my interest in photography. Thats right, I intend to start putting up more pictures of ingredients and the end result once I possess the latest object of my affection.
2. Since I have been travelling across 3 cities (NY, SF and DC) like its child play I think it is only fair that my readers get a taste of the good and great places in these cities. Stay put for pictures and updates on places to eat while you are in either of these cities. For my readers who are in school, don't worry, because I have been living like a starving artist myself and only have your best monetary interests in mind!
3. More vegetarian food! Vegetarian people seem to have cropped up around me a lot in the last few days. I have decided to give their favored form of gastronomy a fair shot. So I will be making an attempt at posting more vegetarian dishes!
Thats all for tonight!
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