Chettinad Chicken Soup / Chettinad Kozhi Rasam!!!

Hi guys!!!

The first thing that pops in my head about soups has nothing to do with the creamy variety that we all associate with soups these days. I remember my mom used to bring me and my sister a glass of hot soup when she is cooking mutton at home. It was more or less the meat stock flavored with salt and pepper and it used to taste really good. She also used to prepare them when anyone at home had cold and it worked like a charm. Also, when dad used to take us to Chettinad restaurants we rarely ordered soups. But when we did, we enjoy every single bit of it. The chettinad soups are unique and burst with flavor. I am an ardent fan of chettinad cooking mainly 'coz I love the spices that we use in them.

Recently, my husband and I have started a soup-only dinner plan. It all started with me arguing with him that it is really difficult to lose weight with just following diet and doing no workout at all. To prove me wrong, he started a very light dinner option and resorted soups. And the lazy person I am, hate to cook just for me so I decided to follow the same :-) Although we were sticking to the canned soups, I really wanted to try the chettinad chicken soup at home. And when I woke up with congestion in my head and blocked nose I thought it was time to scare the cold away with this spicy soup :-) My ears turned red when I was having the soup. But I am relieved of my cold!!!

Like I said, its a spicy soup and you can play around with the spices to alter that to suit your taste. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

To pressure cook:
Chicken pieces - 200 gms
(pieces with bones preferred)
Shallots / Pearl onions - 10
Tomato - 1
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Garlic - 3 or 4 cloves
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water - 5 cups

To grind:
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Corriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Dry red chillies - 3

To season:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a bunch

Procedure:

1. Add all the ingredients under "to pressure cook" in a cooker and let it cook under pressure for 15 minutes.
2. Grind the ingredients listed "to grind" into a fine powder and keep aside.
3. When the pressure is released remove the weight and on low flame let the soup boil. Now add the ground masala powder and let it boil for another 5 minutes.
4. Prepare the tadka by adding the ingredients under "to season" to the heated oil. Pour this tadka to the boiling soup and switch off heat. Add corriander leaves when the soup is boiling. (I was out of corriander so omitted it).

Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy this STEAMING HOT soup!!!!!!

Mixed Vegetable Curry!!!

Hi guys!!!

I believe Mixed veg curry would be one frequently prepared curry in most homes. I sure prepare it quite often. The curry is a great delight when had with rotis or pulao. Cutting the veggies for this curry is sure a tad bit tedious but after that it is just a breeze :-)

I prepare chapathi for dinner almost everyday. Which means I do have a set of curries that are prepared quite often. Some of them 'coz they are easy to prepare and a few others 'coz my husband just loves them. Infact there are a few dishes that brighten up his face when he sees them on the plate. The mixed veg curry is one such dish. He is ever so ready and happy to have chapathis with this curry!!!

Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Chopped mixed vegetables - 300 gms
(I used potatoes, beans, carrots, cauliflower and peas)
Onion - 1 big
Tomatoes - 1 big
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Corriander powder - 1 tsp
Amchur powder - 1/4 tsp
(Dried Mango powder)
Kitchen king masala or Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Curd - 1/4 cup

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the chopped onions and saute till they turn soft.
2. Next add the ginger garlic paste and give it a good stir and toss in the tomatoes. Mix well till they combine together and become mushy.
3. Now add the chopped veggies and stir well. Now add all the masala powders and salt. Add about 11/2 cups of water and close the lid.
4. Cook under pressure for about 10 minutes. When the pressure is released add the curd and mix well.

Serve hot with rotis or pulao!!!

Mac & Cheese - with Frankfurters(Chicken Sausages)!!!!

Hi guys!!!

Mac & Cheese is a very popular dish in the US. I have always wanted to try it at home and with the variety of cream cheeses available here it was indeed a piece-of-cake to prepare. I try different versions of pasta at home and picked up a pack of macaroni long back and left it in the pantry. I finally prepared this easy version of mac and cheese a few weeks back.The recipe is very simple 'coz most of the work is done by the oven :-)

Lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Macaroni - 2 cups
Philadelphia cream cheese - 200 gms
Milk - 1/4 cup (approx)
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Frankfurters(Chicken sausages) - 5
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp (optinal)
Cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup (optional)

Procedure:

1. Cook the macaroni as per package instructions. Strain the water and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a baking dish or pyrex bowl and keep it ready.
3. Mix the cream cheese, milk, salt and pepper in a separate dish. Heat the oil in a pan and shallow fry the sausages and keep them ready too.
4. Add the cooked sausages to the cheese mixture. Finally add the cooked macaroni to this and transfer the whole content to the baking dish.
5. Grate the cheddar on the top and toss the breadcrumbs too. This is totally optional. Pop the dish onto the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with just ketchup or plainly as it is!!!

Tandoori Chicken!!!

Hi guys!!!

The very mention of Tandoori chicken reminds me of a small restaurant in Malad (Mumbai) where my dad took our entire family when they all came to set me up in an apartment when I joined work. He told us that was the best place for tandoori chicken. And yes he was right. Every single bit of it was delicious!!! I have had tandoori chicken in so many places and it has always been one of my favorites. This is one dish that cannot go wrong. Just clean the chicken and marinate it with the spices and grill/bake and just enjoy!!!

The best part of this recipe is it has very little or no oil at all. I just used about 1 tbsp of olive oil along with the marinade. The dish turned out perfect and my husband was so excited and has asked me to prepare this on a regular basis :-) Tandoori chicken is a healthy option when cooking chicken. A healthy option that is not tasteless and bland. It is loaded with spices and flavor-rich!!!!

I have used chicken thighs 'coz I feel that is the most apt portion of the chicken that suits the dish.Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs (Skinless) - 4
Curd - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper sauce - 1/2 tsp
(Can use any hot sauce of your choice)
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Olive oil - 1 tbsp (optional)

Procedure:

1. Clean the chicken thighs and make incisions roughly all over the fleshy portion.
2. Prepare a marinade with all the other ingredients and rub the chicken pieces with it. Let the marinade sit in the refrigerator for atleast 8 hours. Overnight works best.
3. Take the chicken out of the fridge about 30 minutes before the cooking time to bring it to room temperature.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C and place the chicken pieces on a baking sheet lined with foil and pop it in when ready. Cook for 25-30 minutes until you see the top browning.

Serve hot with a simple Indian green salad or mint chutney!!!

Palak Paneer Curry!!!

Hi guys!!!

Who does not like paneer??!!! Not me :-) I use paneer atleast once a week in my dishes. Mostly for some curry to go with rotis. I was having a hard time finding Palak here in the supermarkets and finally when I found it, I immediately knew what I was going to prepare with it. Apart from Palak paneer, I love to use palak in palak rice.

The recipe for Palak paneer is very simple. It is one of the dishes that can be easily included in the under-30-minute meals. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green chillies - 2
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Next add the chopped onions and saute till they turn soft and transparent.
2. Now add the ginger garlic paste followed by the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Let them cook for a few minutes till they combine well.
3. Meanwhile blanch the palak leaves (cook in boiling water and immediately wash in cold water) and grind it along with the green chillies into a fine paste.
4. When the tomatoes have cooked well add all the masala powders, salt and the palak paste and mix well. Reduce spice powders if you prefer a lower spice level.
5. Let this mixture cook in low heat for 10 minutes or till the raw smell of the masala leaves.
6. Finally add the paneer cubes and mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. (You can fry the paneer cubes or add as such).

Serve hot with rotis!!!

Jeera Rice!!!

Hi guys!!!

Jeera rice is my favorite dish when it comes to a main course idea to accompany any veg or non-veg subji. I used to have it with dal all the time when working in Mumbai. Last weekend, I was thinking so hard trying to come up with a perfect lunch menu. I did not wanna prepare biryani. So, I decided I will go for Jeera rice. We had it with Aloo Gobi Masala and it was a great meal!!!

The recipe is so easy and yet can be a great addition to any meal. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 2 tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Water - 3 cups

Procedure:

1. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Next add the rice and keep frying them for a couple of minutes.
2. Now add the water and salt. Close the lid and let it cook under pressure for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with dal or veg/non-veg curry!!!

Sweet Chilli Prawn Sauce!!!

Hi guys!!!

OOOOOOH... Long time!!! Right from the start of the month I have not been able to find the time to blog. The reason being that every weekend we have been out having fun with friends and the weekdays just flew away with the shopping for my birthday and my birthday itself!!! Yeah, I turned 26 last week!!! One step closer to the big Three-O!!! Fine let me not grind on that now. Although, I could not get myself to sit at home and post recipes here, I did cook some new dishes 'coz Ganesh was home most of the days and religiously clicked them for the blog :-)

This Sweet Chilli Prawn sauce is my attempt to reproduce a similar dish that I had in a theme park recently. After all the amazing rides I was so hungry and could not settle for a burger or anything similar. So I decided to try the Chinese food. I ordered rice with sweet chilli chicken sauce. It was so delicious and my husband who just tried it said with his mouthful "You gotta try this at home". And yes I did!!! The following week when thinking about preparing something nice for dinner I decided noodles and sweet chilli sauce would be great!!! I had to use prawns 'coz there was no chicken at home. The recipe turned out great and we enjoyed every single bit of it.

The recipe itself is very simple and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare this satisfying meal. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

King Prawns(cleaned and deveined) - 15
Onion - 1
Bell peppers - 1
Garlic - 3 cloves
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Sweet chilli sauce - 2 tbsp
(Not the Maggi sauce. Use the oriental variety)
Salt - as per taste
Seasme/Regular cooking oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil in a wok and add the chopped onions, peppers and garlic. Saute till they turn soft.
2. Now add the prawns and saute till they are cooked completely. Next add the soy sauce and the sweet chilli sauce. Mix well and add salt if necessary.
3. Add chopped spring onions and switch off heat when the sauce is well incorporated with the prawns.

Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles!!!

Morkuzhambu / Buttermilk Curry!!!

Hi guys!!!

Morkuzhambu is one of my favorite vegetarian curries. The recipe is very simple and the dish somehow seems very sophisticated to me. That might sound ridiculous but everytime I prepare this curry, it does not make me think that I am lazy for having prepared such an easy dish. Instead, it makes me feel like I am about to have an elegant meal :-)

You can use different veggies like okra, brinjal, chayote etc. Or just prepare it plain and that is awesome too. I used okra in my curry. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Ingredients 1:
Raw rice - 4 tbsp
Toor dal - 2 tbsp
Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Ingredients 2:
Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
Ginger - 1/2"
Green chillies - 2

Curd - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a bunch
Okra (or any veggies) - 1/2 cup (optional)

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil and shallow fry the chopped okra and keep aside.
2. Soak the items listed under ingredients 1 for half and hour and grind them along with ingredients 2 into a fine paste. Add the curd to the paste and give it a pulse to smoothen the curd as well.
3. Now use the same oil used for frying the okra and heat it on medium flame. Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the curry leaves.
4. Next add the ground curd mixture and keep stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom. Add sufficient water to achieve required consistency. Add the turmeric powder and salt and keep stirring till raw smell leaves.
5. Finally add the fried okra and give it a mix. Switch off heat and serve hot with rice.

Pav Bhaji!!!!

Hi guys!!!

I am back after a few days break. It has been a traumatic few days though. After a lovely weekend, my week started off with the bad news of my grandmother passing away. I was feeling really depressed mainly for the fact that I am miles away and could not make it to her last rituals. I have been lying around doing nothing and could not get myself to blogging too. Finally I made up my mind that I am getting back to my normal routine.

I am starting off with the recipe for Pav Bhaji. This is a very popular street food in Mumbai. When I was working in Mumbai I used to have pav bhaji for dinner most of the days. I really never got tired of it!!! I also remember my mom making it at home when we were kids. I have been long thinking to try it myself and when I saw the mini dinner rolls all I could think of was pav bhaji. So, I picked up a pack of those cute little rolls and prepared this tongue-pleasing dish for dinner the following day :-)

Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Dinner rolls - 6
Onion - 1 big
Tomatoes - 2
Bell peppers - 1
Potatoes - 1 big or 2 medium (boiled and mashed)
Green peas - 1/3 cup
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1 tsp
Pav Bhaji masala - 1 or 11/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Butter - 2 tbsp
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp (optional)

Procedure:

1. Boil the potatoes and peas and mash them and set aside.
2. Heat the butter and add the chopped onions and bell peppers and saute till they cook well and turn soft. Next add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and let them cook well. Mash the cook veggies in between.
3. When the tomatoes have cooked well add the mashed potatoes and peas and about half a cup of water. Next add all the masala powders and salt and mix well. If using kasoori methi add that too. Mix well and mash repeatedly. Let it all cook well add enough water to get the consistency.
4. When it has cooked well switch off heat and transfer to a different vessel or serving plates.
5. In the same pan add some more butter and a pinch of the pav bhaji masala. Slit the rolls in the middle and toss them well in this melting butter.

Serve hot with a dab of butter on top of the bhaji!!!!

Bread Upma!!!!

Hi guys!!!

I have never really thought about bread upma as a proper meal till the day I actually tried it at home. Like I said this was never my most-sought option for breakfast or dinner. But then I had some bread slices that had to be used up on the same day and I was in a hurry to get myself tucked in to watch our weekend movie. So, I prepared bread upma for dinner. It indeed was a great dinner on a rainy day :-)

You can try this with any variety of bread that you have lying around at home. I have actually tried this plain white sandwich bread and the whole wheat variety. Both tasted good.. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:
Serves 2 people

Bread slices(any kind) - 5 or 6
Onion - 1
Bell peppers - 1
Green chilly - 1
Assorted veggies - 1/2 cup (I used beans, carrots and peas)
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Salt - as per taste
Water - 1/3 cup (approx)
Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Cut the bread slices into 4 cubes each. I used the crust as well. You can remove them if you prefer it that way.
2. Heat oil in a wide kadai and add the onions, peppers and chillies. Toss till they turn soft. Now add all the veggies and the ketchup as well.
3. Add all the masala powders, salt and water and close the lid and let it cook for a while.
4. When the veggies are cooked add the bread cubes and toss well till the masala is absorbed by them.

Serve hot with raita or plain curd!!!

Crab Cakes!!!

Hi guys!!!

I had crab cakes a few months ago in a restaurant for the first time. I should say, I kind of felt bad for not having tried it for so long. I mean, I love sea food but I have never really enjoyed crab when my mom used to cook them back home. The main reason being that I found it REEEEEEEALLY difficult to crack the shell and taste the very little meat present. The curry used to be too good but still I was not a great fan. But, when I found that people here cook dishes with just the meat and infact we find crab meat cleaned in the stores, I could not stop myself from trying the crab cakes at home.

I wanted to make the crab cakes quite like how it is prepared in restaurants here. And by that I mean, no Indian spices. This meat could be used to prepare cutlets just like we prepare fish cutlets with all our glorious spices. But I went for the authentic crab cakes recipe. And with the meat all cleaned and prepared, it is indeed a piece of cake to prepare these tummy-pleasing crab cakes.

Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Crab meat - 1/2 lb
Mayonnaise - 2 tbsp
Bread crumbs - 1/4 cup (approx.) + to dip before frying
Salt - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Green bell peppers - 1/4 cup chopped
Onion - 1/4 cup chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp + for frying

Procedure:

1. Heat the 1 tbsp oil and cook the onions and bell peppers till they turn soft.
2. Now add the crab meat and other ingredients to this and mix well. Add the bread crumbs gradually to get  the right consistency.
3. Divide the mixture into golf ball sized portions and flatten them into patties. Now keep the prepared patties in the refrigerator for an hour. This helps to set the patties well.
4. After an hour, heat the oil on medium flame and deep fry after dipping them in bread crumbs. Fry both sides till golden brown.

Serve hot with ketchup or mayonnaise!!!

Chettinad Chicken Curry!!!

Hi guys!!!

Chicken is something I prepare twice a week. Just to make sure that I am not always stuck with repeatedly making biryani, I try to prepare different chicken curries. While being on this subject, I have to tell you guys that I came up with my very own version of Cashew Chicken curry, which I prepared for dinner yesterday. How I ended up with the ingredients I actually used was a pure accident :-) I will be posting the recipe soon!!!

Now getting back to Chettinad chicken curry.. I have never really experimented with chettinad dishes. The reason being very simple.. I AM LAZY!!!! The basic success of a chettinad recipe lies in using fresh ground masala. Not that it takes a long time, but why take the effort to grind a masala when you can prepare humpty number of curries with just the masala powders you always have in the kitchen??!!! Well, once I tried this curry I came to the conclusion that the extra few minutes is sure worth it. The curry was simply divine and tastes great with both rotis and plain rice. This recipe is definitely a keeper and am gonna make sure I prepare it quite often!!!

Now off to the recipe.

Ingredients:
Serves 2 people

Chicken - 250 gms
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 1 big
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

To grind to a masala powder:
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 5
Cardamom - 2 or 3 pods
Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Whole pepper - 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 8 (adjust according to taste)
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/2 tbsp

To season/ For tadka:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a bunch
Broken red chillies - 3 or 4

Procedure:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients required to grind masala powder except the coconut till they start to release a nice aroma. When they are done, remove them from heat and in the same kadai add the 1/2 tbsp oil and roast the grated coconut till it changes color. Now let all this cool for a while and grind to a powder.
2. Now in the same kadai add the rest of the oil and saute the chopped onions followed by ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook till they blend and form a paste.
3. Next add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Then add the chicken pieces and mix well.
4. When the chicken is half cooked add the ground masala powder (I had to eyeball the measurement. If there is excess powder you can use it in any chettinad curry). Close the kadai and let it cook for around 15 mins.
5. Stir in between to avoid sticking. Add water only if necessary. When the chicken is well cooked and properly blended with the masala, prepare the tadka. (heat oil and add the items listed for tadka)
6. Add the tadka to the curry and switch off heat.

Serve hot with rice or rotis!!!

Mushroom Biryani!!!

Hi guys!!!

I have long wanted to try Mushroom Biryani at home. I remember my college days, when eating out used to be such a big deal. And any dish that had mushroom or paneer made it sound special :-) My mom has never cooked mushroom at home and that was one another reason that mushroom dishes were special to me. If I ever had to eat vegetarian in a restaurant it would be paneer or mushroom. But, the pleasure of cooking the once-so-special dishes at home now is great too.

My husband is very picky and fussy when it comes to food. His taste buds favor a limited number of food items. So, I have got to try hard and wreck my brain to come up with different dishes, appealing dishes actually, for the food items that he does not like right away. It is more like cooking for a kid :-) Mushroom is one such ingredient. Everytime I pick them up, he asks me a few questions about what I intend to prepare and if he is satisfied then he lets me go ahead. When I told him I was gonna prepare biryani he was more than happy..

Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1.5 cups
Button Mushrooms - 200 gms
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 1 big
Green chillies - 2
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Corriander & Mint leaves - a bunch each
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli poweder - 1 1/2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1 tsp
Biryani masala - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 5
Bay leaves - 2
Star Anise - 2
Cardamom - 2
Curd - 2 tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil / Ghee - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil or ghee on medium flame in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and let them sizzle. Then add the chopped chillies and the mint and corriander leaves and saute till the leaves wilt.
2. Now add the chopped onions and saute till they turn transparent. Next add the ginger garlic paste followed by the tomatoes and keep stirring till the tomatoes are cooked well.
3. Add the thinly chopped mushroom followed by all the masala powders and salt. Mix well till the masala is well incorporated. The mushroom lets out water so let it cook well in it.
4. Cook this mixture with the lid closed (without the whistle) for about 10 minutes or till the mushroom is well cooked and is shrunk.
5. When the mushroom is well cooked add the rice, curd and add 2.5 cups of water and close the lid. Cook under pressure for 10 mins.

Serve hot with raita!!!

Kesar (Saffron) Lassi!!!!

Hi guys!!!

Spring is here... With the colors everywhere and the chillness in the air diminishing, there is a continuous need to store some refreshing drink in the refrigerator. Lassi is a classic Indian summer drink. The basic lassi recipe is quite simple and there are a variety of flavors it can be prepared in.

Kesar lassi is an usual form of lassi available across North India. I remember a small restaurant just beside Malad station in Mumbai where I used to pay Five Rupees for a tall glass of cold kesar lassi. That used to be an instant boost and refreshment. Last week in London, I picked up saffron and a bottle of saffron extract as well in an Indian store. So, I thought it was time to prepare Kesar lassi.

Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:
Serves 2 people

Yogurt (Fat free/ Whole fat) - 250 ml
Cardamom - 4 pods
Sugar - 1/3 cup (as per taste)
Kesar/Saffron extract - 1 tsp
Yellow food color - a pinch
Water - 1/4 cup (optional)
Saffron - few strands
Pistachios - 2 or 3 crushed

Procedure:

1. Take the yogurt, cardamom, sugar, kesar extract, food color and water (if using) in a blender and beat well till frothy.
2. Trasnfer to two tall glasses and garnish with crushed pistachios and saffron strands.

Serve chilled or with ice cubes on top.

Garlic Pull-Apart Rolls!!!

Hi guys!!!

I am a big fan of garlic breads. So is my husband. We like every version of it.. the native Italian thin flat version or the chunky version from any chain pizzeria.. When I came across the garlic pull-apart rolls recipe in Nag's space I knew I had to try it. Even if I could not succeed in achieving firm holding rolls, they turned out gorgeous and unbelievably yummy!!!

The recipe is simple and the rolls taste great with tea. This can also be used as an appetizer and is sure to win praises!!! Now lets see the recipe.


Ingredients:
Makes 8 rolls

All-purpose flour - 1.5 cups
Warm Water- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp
Yeast - 1/2 tbsp
Salt - 1tsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

For Garlic Spread:
Salted Butter - 6 tbsp
Garlic - 2 tbsp or 5 big cloves (Grated/Minced)
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Powdered pepper - 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Add the sugar and yeast to the warm water and set aside for 10 mins or till it turns frothy. Once it is ready add it gradually to the flour and salt and knead into a smooth dough.
2. Add the oil and knead well. Keep this covered and let it rise for atleast an hour.
3. Meanwhile prepare the garlic spread. Mix all the ingredients together and keep it handy.
4. When the dough has risen, punch the air down and divide it into 2 equal parts.
5. Spread each into half an inch thick rectangle and spread the garlic spread and roll it from one end to other.
6. Cut this into 4 pieces. Repeat the same with the other part as well.
7. Preheat the oven to 180C and place all the prepared rolls in a greased pan and bake it for 25-30 minutes. Mine was ready exactly at 30 mins.

Serve hot with tea or an appetizer.

Note:
You can either egg wash or brush the rolls with milk to get an even golden brown on the outer sides. This is an optional step. I used to milk for my rolls.