Roz Ka Khana

An easy yet healthy (as always) entry from Anusuya’s kitchen. She insisted that I not call it a Maharashtrian Dal as she isn’t really sure if this is authentic Maharashtrian, but given that it tastes better than the the dals I’ve tried and the fact that it required “Goda Masala”, a must spice ingredient in authentic Maharashtrian cuisine – these were reasons enough for me to give it the original name. I’m adding the quotes just for her sanity:). This is an easy recipe as it calls for red gram dal and Rotel..once again, a creative twist to an otherwise common dish, true to Anusuya’s kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)

4 cups water

1 can Rotel (mild or medium)

1/2 tsp Goda Masala (this was a generous contribution from Anusuya’s kitchen)

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

2-3 green chilies (optional)

1 small red onion

Curry leaves – a few

Oil – 1 tsp

Method:

1. Boil the red lentils in about 3 cups water in a saucepan, till the lentils are cooked.

2. Add a can of Rotel.

3. In a small frying pan, add a tsp of oil. When the oil gets hot, add finely chopped onion, the cumin powder, coriander powder, goda masala, curry leaves. Fry till the onions get transparent. You may also add chopped green chilies for extra spice.

We had it for lunch with some hot quinoa and aloo methi (potato with fenugreek leaves). Finger-licking good!

Thai Food. This was the theme at the Christmas get together at my friend, Mona’s home this past year. I offered to make something, knowing fully well I’d be making something that I’d never tried before. I’ve made Indo-Chinese (Veg. Haka noodles and Veg Manchurian) dishes before but not authentic Thai. Well, this was a challenge, kind of like a Food Blog event, so when Mona asked me if I could help with the fried rice, I was all for it. I didn’t let her know that I’d never made it before, of course..she was expecting at least 100 people:). The good news was that I wasn’t the only one making it, so to keep things consistent between the two cooks making the rice, I suggested if Mona could share the recipe with both of us. Probably a stealthy way of letting her know that I was going to try it for the first time, ever!

Anyways, she sent me the recipe as promised and I tried it the afternoon of the party. Read on to see the verdict of the Thai Veg Fried Rice that I made, thanks to Mona!

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked Basmati rice

4 nos. baby corn, sliced thin

1 large capsicum, sliced thin

2-3 tablespoons green curry paste

2-3 Thai green chillies ,chopped

1 large green bell pepper, sliced thin

Ginger and garlic paste – 1 tsp each

6 spring onions, chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon oil (I used Wok Oil available in Asian stores)

salt and pepper to taste

Chopped basil leaves – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Heat the wok for a few minutes, then add the wok oil. Once you hear the oil sizzle a little, add the baby corn and capsicum and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the green curry paste, chillies and spring onions.

3. Add the rice, soya sauce, salt and pepper.

4. Serve hot

You can add a little more green curry paste and soy sauce depending on how spicy you like the rice.

GREEN CURRY PASTE

Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients

10 green chillies, chopped

6 clove garlic, peeled

1 onion, chopped

3/4 piece of ginger, peeled

1 cup chopped coriander

Rind of 1 lemon, grated

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 stalks lemon grass

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Grind all the ingredients in a mortar or a food processor using a little water.

2. Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator. Alternatively, freeze for upto 3 months.

3. Use as required.

Verdict: Let’s just say I only got to taste a spoon. It was all gone at the party before I knew it! I would add a little more green chilies for additional spice, but that’s only because we tend to eat our food spicier than normal.

Happy 2010 to all! May this year brings you everything you wish for. May you stick with all the resolutions you made on the 1st of the year. And may you have your cake and eat it all!

I hope to be a little more regular this year on Roz Ka Khana. I know, its January 7th already and I’ve been remiss in posting my New Year greetings. So much for a start. But I’m trying. Actually, I have been cooking and baking a lot, its just the writing and posting that takes time. Okay, I resolve to stop with the excuses and get on with sharing the recipes.

The year started off better than I thought. I finally figured out how to bake eggless cakes. Finally! An eggless cake that looks and actually tastes normal! I don’t have any dietary restrictions with eggs (I’m not vegan) but have run into occasions/potlucks where others are, and baking eggless cakes has always been elusive for me. I’ve had some one off successes (like the whole wheat banana nut muffins posted earlier) but for the most part, they literally fall flat. My eggless date and walnut muffins, for one, stuck to the paper with folks having to scrape (rather, gnaw) it off with a fork or their teeth. I could argue that they at least tasted good if people wanted to have every bite, even if they just felt like rocks:), but I’m just using my power of positive thinking here.

Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking was my answer! Her recent post, the vegan chocolate banana cake looked so tempting that I had to try my hand at it. Interesting recipe, as it calls for no milk or eggs. I substituted butter instead of the canola oil she used (per her notes) and the outcome was an amazingly soft and moist chocolate cake. This recipe is a keeper for sure and I will probably try it as a birthday cake with frosting the next time. I used a few variations and also added nuts to give it some crunch.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat Pastry Flour – 2 cups

Dutch Chocolate powder – 2/3 cup (I used the one sold in Sprouts Farmer’s Market but am sure you can use any chocolate powder)

Sugar – 1 1/2 cup

Baking soda – 1 1/2 tsp

Unsalted butter – 1/4 cup

Hot water – 1 1/2 cups

Bananas, mashed and pureed – 1 cup (Per Madhuram, use 2 bananas mashed and add water to make up th 1 cup amount)

Chopped walnuts – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Mix the flour, chocolate powder, baking soda and sugar in a bowl.

3. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and add the vanilla essence at medium speed. Add the hot water. Now add the dry flour and chocolate powder mixture from the bowl to the mixer. beat for a few minutes at medium speed until all the ingredients are mixed well.

4. Add the mashed bananas while the mixer is running and beat again for a minute.

5. Add the chopped walnuts.

6. The mixture is quite runny which probably gives it the soft texture. Pour this in the bundt cake tin (I used the silicone mould and it turned out great) and bake at 350F for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

7. I did not frost the cake but you can if you like after it cools. Madhuram suggests that you reduce the sugar to 1 1/3 cup if you plan on frosting the cake.

Verdict: A soft and moist chocolate cake that was quite the hit with my son and nephew (you can tell they are my food critics, or rather the “guinea pigs”), as they tell me it’s good to the last crumb! That’s what’s left of it anyway!