Cauliflower Bajji/Cauliflower Fritters

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What would you do if it's raining continuously and the temperature is in the 40’s (F)? I would make some fritter and have it with a cup of warm tea.   I am sure you have your own ways to indulge; one of mine for a cloudy day is to relax with some nice bhajjis and tea.   

  On a different note, my 2-year-old’s word power is developing exponentially.  Yes, it’s good news and as his mother I am proud.  What has me pulling my hair and worrying is wondering when he will stop embarrassing me by commanding orders.  He always excludes key words like  ‘please’ and “May I have” in his speech.    

  He does know these words, but conveniently uses them only as a last resort to win his parents over.  The other day at Children's Place (I like this store for its reasonable rates and good quality) he was absolutely firm and determined to buy himself a shirt.  He picked it up, stood his ground and with a resolute face (almost as if he was saying he is not taking no for an answer) said “I want this.”  

  Wow! I said yeah, but could we display some more respect?    I just thought that in my mind and could never say that aloud because the store was definitely not the place to teach him respect.  We dealt with the issue nicely, but what it reminded me of was the lack of politeness in my mother tongue ‘Malayalam.’ There are innumerable times I can remember when I would simply tell my mother exactly what my son told me.  “I need this or that.” and still be polite but in English without those words it comes out so badly.  It was another occasion to experience what my mother would rant all the time “You will know when you have your own child” and I shout out to her now - "Yes, Amma!  Yes!" I am learning humility and patience at the hands of my 2-year-old. 

Now you must be wondering what's the red patch on the side



It's my little imp, Mil, who couldn't stop picking a few fritters, while mommy was busy clicking away before the rain came down. Poured.



Yes, the yellow fritters at the back which my son is giving all the attention to is plantain fritters/pazham pori.  You can find the recipe here.




Ingredients:

Cauliflower Florets- 2 cups
Gram Flour/Besan- 1/2 cup
Rice Flour- 1/4 cup
Salt- To taste
Chilli powder- 1 tsp or more
Ajwain- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Oil- for frying

Method:

1.Steam cook the cauliflower florets.(do not overcook)
2.Mix all the other ingerdients together and add enough water to make a batter that has the consistency of idli batter.
3.Heat oil for frying in a deep pan.
4.Throw in the cooked cauliflower in the batter and mix them so that they are coated well with the batter.
5.When the oil is hot enough ( if you drop a dash of batter it should splutter) slowly slide in the florets in the batter,one at a time and fry till they are golden brown.(turn the sides in between)
6.Drain them on a paper towel.Enjoy with a cuppa.

Notes:

1.If you do not have ajwain add a pinch of asafoetida,instead.
2.I have tried these florets without cooking the cauliflower in advance, but then I will cut the florets thin.
3.Keep the heat on medium to medium high.

Contributor: Namitha

Italian Breadsticks/Grissini

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We have been talking a lot about fall and 'IT' is here! We hope all of you living in America are enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and the cool weather. The leaves look so pretty, but the wind is blowing them off so quickly that I hate it. Soon the trees will be all bare, and the snow will cover them. I don't even want to think about that right now. For the time being, let's talk about warm, toasty Italian bread sticks.

The Italian bread sticks (aka Grissini) originated in Turin, Italy according to Wikipedia. They are usually served as an appetizer in restaurants. I don't mind them having any time , either as a snack, or with a cup of coffee.

I didn't have the patience to make them into perfect ropes, but they still look pretty !



They could be served as an appetizer with a soup of your choice or enjoy them with a cuppa/ as it is :-)



Here is a glimpse from my kitchen.Hope this gives you an idea about rolling, cutting and making the sticks !



Ingredients:

All purpose Flour- 2 to 21/4 cups
Salt- 11/2 tsp
Olive oil- 2 Tbsp
Active Dry yeast- 2 1/4 tsp/one packet
Sugar- 1 Tbsp(divided)
Mixed dried Herbs(I used a mixture of oregano, marjarom, basil and parsley)- 2 tsp
Milk- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp for brushing
Warm water- 1/4 cup

Method:

1.Mix half of the sugar and yeast in the warm water and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
2.In a large mixing bowl, combine flour(start with 2 cups),salt,rest of the sugar,dried herbs and olive oil.
3.Make a well in the middle and add the milk and the yeast mixture.Mix everything well.
4.Knead the dough for a few minutes using your stand mixer or hands.Add more flour,if necessary to make a smooth dough.
5.After kneading for another 4-5 minutes, shape the dough into a ball,cover and keep it for an hour in a warm place so that it will double in size.
6.After the dough becomes double,divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
7.Preheat the oven at 425 degree F.  Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that is slightly greased.
8.Roll out each part of the dough into a 12 inch long and 4-5 inch wide rectangle.
9.Divide this rectangle into 4 equal parts and roll up it lengthwise to make a stick.
10.Keep it on the greased parchment paper and let sit covered for 10-15 minutes. Brush with milk or with slightly beaten egg.
11.Bake for about 15 minutes or until it starts turning golden brown.
12.Cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cuppa.




Notes:

1.Instead of adding the dried herbs in the dough, you could use them to make a topping for this bread sticks.After brushing with milk just sprinkle them on top.
2.You could also use sesame seeds to sprinkle on top.
3.The egg wash gives a nicer and better color for the bread sticks, but I prefer to use milk/oil.
4.This makes 16 bread sticks.

Inspired by: Home made breads by Better Homes and Gardens, 1960 edition
Contributor: Namitha

Garlic Mozarella Bread

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   So howz it going?

    Sun shiny weather with cool breeze, it's delicious.  Hope you are enjoying yourself as much as I.

    Talking about today's cooking; on my regular grocery shopping this weekend I decided to bring home one of these long French Breads.  Do you like the way they are displayed in the store.  I love it.  They are displayed outside the bakery section in large baskets or tubs with the bread sticking out like dry stick arrangement as in decor.  Quite fancy, I would say.  However, the size which is so appealing to look at puts me off from buying since it's too much for two people.  This weekend though I had a case of 'butter knees'.  Yeah! they gave way and the next thing I know I had grabbed one and dumped it in the cart.  I did not even look at Vi to see if he approved.  I walked on. He is very sweet never disapproves ;) but I knew it was a risky choice.  Nobody approves wasted food in my house.

    Now that I am home and my knees are back to its bony self and quite sturdy I am quite at loss to what to do with all the bread.  I have decided to tackle it slice by slice.  Therefore, here is a simple, quick and smart recipe for a snack which can also be a nice accompaniment with soups or salads.  A no brainer! 



You will need:
French Bread - 1/2 inch thick slices 8
Cheese          - Mozarella
Parmesan, Asiago  and Romano - I have a box with the three mixed which I use for topping salads and soups so you could just use Parmesan or any other cheese you like or simply do with only mozarella
Oregano         - to taste
Garlic             - 2 cloves chopped fine and gently crushed
Butter             - gobs of it



Method:
1. Slather butter on both sides of the slices and set on a baking sheet
2. Sprinkle oregano and garlic equally on all pieces
3. Spoon over cheese of your taste or liking
4. Top them all with mozarella.  I like to add quite a bit to make it nice and cheesy.
5. Bake in a pre heated oven at 400 D F for 6 to 7 minutes or until cheese has melted and turns a golden brown.
 

Contributor: Sunitha

Patties

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     How are you doing this morning.  It's finally the weekend and I am sure you are feeling as good as me.  I am dying to get out and walk in the woods somewhere.  Yes, as soon as we have had this visit I will scour the internet to find somewhere nice to take off on a day excursion tomorrow.  Guess what I have to make a neat sandwich?  Culmination of English and Indian you could say.  Kabab like patties.  I say that because I sneaked some 'Shan Kabab masala into the ground beef I had together with some more ingredients and popped in the oven.  Oh, boy! never did a spur of the moment idea turn out so well.  Tasted like kababs though the texture was not as good because I refused to grind the meat fine in my mixer.  However, if you do have a way of grinding fresh meat at home do that with the recipe that follows and you will be making some delicious kababs at home.

   It's tart and hot and will go into a wrap or sandwich bread and make a pretty good lunch.



Ingredients:

Ground Meat - 1/2 lb
Onions      - 1 small finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbspn
Salt        - 1/2 tspn
Lemon juice - a squeeze ( I am thinking about 1 tspn)  Please be careful how much you add because the quantity of meat is very little.  Also, if you are using ginger garlic paste its already salted and had a sour taste.
Mint Leaves - 3 sprigs (take out only the leaves and chop fine)
Green chilies - 3 finely chopped or 2 well ground
Shan kabab masala - 1 tspn 
paparika -  a dash
pepper   -  a dash



Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients together.  (Use a glove if you do not like to work with fresh meat)
2. Make small patties, as thin as you can with the palm of your hand and place it on an oven proof tray
4. Bake at 400 D for 20 minutes.  Turn the patties with a spatula after 10 minutes and brush the juices the meat express back on.

Enjoy it as is or sandwiched between bread or crumbled into a wrap with your favorite salad dressing.

Contributor: Sunitha

Tandoori Chicken

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Thanks for all your wishes to Sunitha and me.Thanks for your understanding and continued support.

Today's dish is so popular that it doesn't need any introduction.My family just love this and we make it quite often.Usually I do not add any food color,rather I would add more Kashmiri chilli powder for the color.See you all with another delicacy, soon :-)



Ingredients:

Chicken Drumsticks- 6-7
Yogurt- 4-5 Tbsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste- 1 Tbsp
Lemon Juice- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 Tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder-1 Tbsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 Tbsp
Turmeric- a pinch
Red food color (optional)- a few drops
Salt- To taste
Oil- 1 Tbsp



Method:

1.Clean the drumsticks and remove all the water by placing them on paper towels.
2.Prepare the marinade by mixing together all the ingredients except the oil, listed.If you have time it would be great if you could take out all the water from yogurt by letting it hang in a muslin cloth for some time.
3.Make some incisions on the drumsticks and apply the marinade on each of them.
4.Finally sprinkle the oil on top and cover it, keep in the refrigerator for overnight or at least 8 hours.
5.Preheat the oven at 450 degree F.Place an Aluminum foil on a baking tray. (this would help reduce the mess).Place the drumsticks a few inches apart and spray with some oil.
6.Bake for about 30 minutes ,turning the sides in between.
7.If your oven has broil option keep it at 500 degree F, broil for 10 minutes,again turning the sides in between.If you are not broiling, keep it at 450 for another 10-12 minutes or until it is done.
8.If you have a grill, keep it on high until the chicken is done.This takes about 20-25 minutes.

Contributor: Namitha

Egg Rolls

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I doubt egg rolls need any introduction.  They are popular as a starter in all Chinese restaurants.  If you can buy a pack of egg roll wrappers from the store then its a quick snack you can have ready in minutes.  They are great to treat an unexpected guest or even cheer up you kids on short notice, at home.  Have fun biting into the crispy rolls bursting with a savory cabbage filling.  

Egg Roll wraps - 6

Cabbage – 3 cups chopped in long strands

Carrots –  ½ grated

Garlic -  1 clove finely chopped

Soya bean sauce – ½ tspn

Oyster sauce – ¼ tspn

Pepper – as per taste

Salt – as per taste

Method:

1.   In 1 tspn of oil sauté the garlic followed with the cabbage and carrots

2.   Add both the sauce and mix well and sauté till cabbage is cooked yet crispy to bite

3.  Add pepper and salt as per taste.  Most of the sauce is salty so check taste before you add any salt

4.  Follow egg roll wrapping instructions on cover and deep fry in enough oil

Serve with ketchup or sauce of your liking

Contributor: Sunitha

Sizzling Chicken Drumsticks

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   Over weekends, you will agree we all like to have some special food to enjoy family time.  Last weekend, rather than buying frozen nuggets I decided to bake some drumsticks. I like experimenting with chicken because it beautifully adapts with a myriad of flavors.  You add orange juice or mango or garam masala or whatever you can think of and chicken, like a sponge will absorb and blend with it to make a delectable dish.

   So here is how I cooked the drumsticks.  Go ahead and feel free to try different ingredients to personalize it.


Drumsticks – 6 nos
Soya Bean Sauce – 2 tbspn
Garlic Powder – ½ tspn
Chili Powder – 1 tspn
Pepper Powder – 1 tspn
Alcohol – 1 Tbspn
Oil - 1 - 2 tspn
Salt - to taste ( I did not add any because the soya bean sauce I have with me is quite salty, so if you are adding a sauce add salt with caution)

1. Add all the ingredients and marinate the chicken for at least two hours.
2. Line a dish with oil and set aside
3. Preheat oven to 350 degree F/ 180 degree C and bake chicken for 20 – 30 minutes.  Time of cooking  depends upon your oven so adjust accordingly.
4. 10 - 15 minutes through the cooking time check the chicken.  Take the dish out and baste it (pour the juices and oil over the chicken) and flip the pieces to ensure both sides are equally browned.
5. Continue cooking.
6. Once chicken is cooked remove pan from the oven and add the alcohol, I added whiskey. You will hear the sizzling noise and an aroma is imparted which will definitely have your mouth watering.


Serve with pickled chili's, onions and tomatoes. This works well as a starter or make it a full meal by having some cooked vegetables with it.


Awards:


There have been a lot of awards being given away from Priya and Sangeetha and we accept and treasure them.