Fruity talk

I have been away for long and missed getting connected to all,new ideas keep pouring in and I am back to share my experiences.
Fruits are a big part of my diet and I feel they are natural elements which are complete in themselves(Nature candy).My daughter loves eating them and I love using them in unusual way,so I bring out my little inventions before you.

1)Pomegranate:I used it in chutney recently mixing it with coriander,green chilli,lemon juice and salt.
The grittiness of seeds adds a new dimension and try mixing it with chats and boiled potato.






2)Apple: I used square chunks in batter of muffins and adding little cinnamon powder brings out  more flavour. Grate apples to use like as in coleslaw.Even boiling apple and making puree is used well with pancakes.




3)Pineapple:Kids love eating it and they are fond of the juiciness of this fruit so why not to crush and mix with cake batter.Also try adding it as pizza topping with all veggies, the Hawaiian touch does magic. Try barbecuing it with mint marinade it tastes great.




4)Banana: I am sure banana bread is a try with all  the ripe ones,also try cutting it in pieces and pour caramel sauce to it.Making curry with raw bananas and yogurt indian styles is one version of mine.I would surprise you by saying that I even cook raw banana peel vegetable which tastes exotic.








5)Papaya:raw papaya salad is one of my favourites but going further I make a grated papaya chutney which is composed of all pickling dry herbs like fennel,onion seed and fenugreek seeds,add little ginger too.





6)Guava: I have tried a sweet vegetable of this fruit and it tastes great for kids,try making chaat of it with green chutney and chillies it tastes wonderful.Old people tell that directly burning it on gas stove makes it healthier.






I have shared mine do share yours I would love to have your thoughts on this.....

New found love!!!!!

I had known him briefly before but this time I am hooked to his passion for food and advancement of culinary world.He is no other than Gordan ramsay,he is different and he is one person who sounds arrogant but is seriously sincere for his job.A footballer who turned out to be a great chef and restauranter and my new favourite watch.A scottish in origin,who is as easy with italian as with steaks and samosa too!!! Is it not amazing that he respects food with no bars and boundaries.His british accent and mannerisms are one unique thing to look out for.The idea of food for him is fresh,local produce,simple and single flavour served with fervour.I think we think alike....Well thats just to keep me happy.

He is one person who is 13 michelin star chef and is full of infinite energies.I love the way he loves his work and makes the audience feel passionate for.He tries to catch fresh produce and in that search he has travelled world to try out any and every thing,in one episode he was trying to bake bread in volcanic residue in south arctic circle,and was catching a 'puffin' bird  in Iceland to cook and he faced life threatening slip in cliff and was saved.

In series of 'Kitchen nightmares' he has helped the series of restaurants to revive and stand the tough times,that is one series which is interesting to watch out for...I love him when he is preparing Indian food with so much confidence and usually wins from other chefs...His fingers close the samosa ends with same finesse as any Indian chef would do.....so I am loving it!!!!

Microwave and its use in Indian Rasoi.....

I am born in times when the kitchen is no less than a laboratry and occupies a important place and different gadgets are there to help modern living.If your child watches 'Doremon' then the cat in that series gives gadget to help the male character and things are solved scientifically.I think Microwave is something which is new for indian cooking and we need to take a step forward and make it really work for us,not just heating or reheating food.
How about listing procedures which can make our life easy and quick.
1)Cooking rice without mashing (20 minutes are good)
2)Boiling tomato with water for puree
3)Taking out clarified butter(ghee) from malai,heating it for good 15 minutes and the seperation is non fussy
4)We can set curd with the help of microwave
5)How about getting onion fried for gravy,take oil heat and then add onions and let it get golden
6)For palak paneer,green spinach puree is quick after microwaving spinach with water and blending
7)Try extracting paneer when heating milk in microwave with lemon.
8)Try gajar halwa with easy doing grated gajar(carrot)with milk in microwave.
9)Blanching almonds to remove skin.
10)Roasting papad is my favourite.1minute and it is hasslefree
11)Roasting nuts like cashew without oil,so healthy way of life.
12)How about boiling potatoes it takes  5 minutes for washed and pricked potatoes.
13)We can even freshen our chips and biscuits in a minute
14)Try making bread crumbs with convection mode
15)Drying mint, fenugreek in 4 minutes and then cooling for 2minutes
16)For new moms or moms to be try warming baby milk and even try microwave bags for sterlisation.
17)Dissolving gelatin in 15-20seconds

I am sure all this would help in making things quick and one pot cooking could be possible with less utensils involved.Try inventing new things in your kitchen and share your original idea with all.
I have tried cooking veggies and I tell you with less oil  tastier dishes come out!!!!

Science of cutting vegetable!!!!

Have you wondered why we are told by all chefs and cooking sessions to cut vegetable in certain size and shape.Its science or just tried and tested habitual way of cooking certain dish.Well if u ask a chemistry student they might say surface area philosophy that is smaller the size and better quicker cooking.

What I have come up with is that cutting vegetable in certain way brings a distinct taste to that particular dish and hence we are doing that for years eg.shredded carrots for noodles.Well may be we try to bring the veggie similar to the core dish that is noodles, that might be enhancing the taste.Why not try cutting on your way and cook the dish.I did that and I tell u the taste changes.                                                                                                      

-Instead of cutting Ladyfinger in usual roundlets try cutting it straight slit and cook.

-I tried cutting Onions in dices and chopped ones and sauteed the taste is different.

-Well change of taste we are aware and evident to us is of Potato(square,long,circle,mashed)

-How about trying this thoery of mine in salad cutting thats practical and immediate tasting.

-Salsa is yummy when we have veggies in tiny form in tomatoes

-Chopping coriander and adding is another evidence of particular taste imparted.

-Chillies cut or slit are different.

-Grating brings different flavours to cucumber and carrots

-Ginger is tasting different in all forms.

-Minced,chopped,diced Garlic all impart different taste .
 Well once I was watching a cookery show in which chefs had to cut certain size veggies and there was a certain measurement done to mark their success,bringing on the idea forward that size and shape does matter in cooking.I suppose thats one reason of molecular gastronomy coming in scene and getting its space in coming of age restaurants.

I hope my shapes and taste theory does have a relevance to all readers and you would do your experiments to check that out!!!Do share your fundamentals here and make my scientific approach gain relevance.

Why would we like lettuce cut in certain shreds in our burgers??????

MAGGI-2 MINUTES - Childhood buddy

Few things on which we have grown...I want to thank this nestle product-Maggi. for this long growing eating association. Now when my daughter is growing and i look for things which can fix her up ,this takes me years behind when i was and still  fixed by my own maggi.

I was hardly six when tasted it  first and it became my real quick fix snack and  till now it takes care of my hunger pangs, my hand goes to yellow coloured packet and i am nearly full of satisfaction once i gobble up my bowl .

I owe a lot to this product as it was the first cooking lesson I learnt when I was in kitchen to play with pans.Lots of flavours came and went' Maggi Masala 'remains my favourite.I have come  out with lovely recipes which makes it healthier and in turn lots of fans for my quick noodles.

Tips for a change with this regular one-

Add butter while cooking makes it yummier

Add lots of veggies like carrots,peas,cabbage,bellpepper

Garnish with chopped coriander

Add raw small chunks of tomato and onion after cooking makes it bhelpuri style

Make pakoras/spring rolls out of left over

Trying it chinese style with spring onion , garlic and chilli sauce

Try your favourite chutney with the noodles and sprinkle sev too
Try it out with pasta sauce or white sauce if fond of italian
Try soupy versions if like soups
Try upma style roasting it and tempering with mustard and curry leaf

and how about adding scrambled eggs. 

25 years of celebrating maggi in our house!!!!May be my two year old daughter in future carries my taste palate forward and hoping that the company makes it more nutritous for coming years

Weekend Foodie....stir fry your favourites

My days in Houston reminded me of a Mongolian restaurant....Weekends are full of food,shopping and fun and that drives us to anywhere in the city.How about picking your own ingredients and watching them cooked right  in front of u through a glass wall!!!!!

The ambience is simple, pick and choose kind for families and youngsters.It invites people for fun and informal dining.You are asked to pick a big bowl which is for all and then select ingredients in your personal bowl from veggies,seafood,eggs,meats and even fruits....colourful sight and interactive kitchen....then go for picking sauces  dressings,vinegar and pickles.finally choosing rice,noodles(flat,thin or rice).we hand over all this to the chef and
then the mystery unfolds as he stirs all this right infront of u on high flame on a flat heating cooking tables.
Yummy dish is ready to eat!!!!

I have had it and its sheer fun to explore the world with so much diversity and enjoy the new culture with its uniqueness...looking forward to go again and may be new experiment this time...