tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83562187017841241312024-03-13T13:50:02.307-04:00A Hint of Spice"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients."
The above quote is my motto.I love cooking.I love experimenting with food,but then again I don't want to spend all of my time in kitchen.Here are some of the recipes that I have made with success.
Hope you like them.Please do pour in your suggestions and comments.Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-41160908768251214732020-10-16T22:52:00.000-04:002020-10-16T22:52:45.084-04:00Spicy Shrimp Taco with Guacamole
I used to have 50-50 success with Shrimp preparations. Some were so good that we would look for second or thirds & yet there were some dishes that well, I’d rather not talk about. But this dish is an all time favorite in our household. Spicy Shrimp sautéed in spices and served over a bed of garden salad and topped with fresh homemade guacamole. What more to ask for?
The trick to get the Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-35544829158374077112019-03-29T22:13:00.000-04:002019-03-29T22:13:27.165-04:00Back with a Murg- Murg Makkhani
Hello fellow followers,
I don’t even know how many followers I have . I know that I have been MIA for a long time ( well 8 years to be exact; bit who is counting 😊). It’s not that I have not been cooking; it’s just that I lost my art of putting my actions in words. So here I am trying it again. Bear with me as I dawdle my way in the blogging world again with the recipe for “Murg Makkhani”Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-44639884693071385782011-03-29T20:44:00.000-04:002011-03-29T20:44:42.701-04:00Bread Rolls
"Bread Rolls" -can refer to different food items.In US bread rolls refers to "A bread roll is a piece of bread, usually small and round and is commonly considered a side dish. Bread rolls are often used in the same way as sandwiches are--cut transversely, with fillings placed between the two halves." The Indian version of Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-88443824927368581612011-02-28T18:25:00.002-05:002011-02-28T18:32:11.158-05:00Spice AdviceI think this has happened to all of us more often than we admit. You are all set to try out a new recipe or even a old one and halfway though you realize…….uh –o “I am missing something important”. What you are missing or running short of is a spice you really really desperately need. So….maybe you can try an alternative. Here are a few of them.
Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-31519145092301243552010-12-11T22:13:00.000-05:002010-12-11T22:13:09.137-05:00Know Your Bay LeavesBay leaves have been known to add a varied taste to soups, stews and sauces. But the bounty of this herb does not stop here. Fresh bay leaves are stronger than the dried ones and can be found in specialty stores. The freshest are the bright green, pliable leaves and can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.
Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-51087731033883963382010-12-09T11:21:00.000-05:002010-12-09T11:21:13.458-05:00Key to Primary Indian Spices and their Healing Properties-Part VMace and Nutmeg
The nutmeg is a spice native to Indonesia.Mace and nutmeg are two different spices from the same fruit.Nutmeg is the dried seed and mace the "cage" that surrounds the seed.Nutmeg is more aromatic,sweeter and more delicate than mace.
Key Benefits of Nutmeg and Mace are-
1.Nutmeg relieves diarhhea and colic.
2.Ground mace is used a s a remedy for rheumatism.Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-53424744500643310462010-12-09T11:20:00.000-05:002010-12-09T11:20:54.961-05:00Back after a Long HiatusI know,I know,I know.....Hiatus is the wrong word .Normally I would use "Hiatus" for a short break or gap and this was a long long one.I was MIA from blogging world for almost 3 and 1/2 months.Many of my friends had mailed or asked what I was up to?Is everything OK?
Well friends,I think I had writers block( or cooking block...for lack of better word).I did not want to try any new recipe or to Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-61277722924838100592010-08-26T10:53:00.000-04:002010-08-26T10:53:15.413-04:00Key to Primary Indian Spices and their Healing Properties-Part IVBenjamin Franklin said "Much Virtue in Herbs, little in Men.”
If you had been following my preceding posts about Indian Spices and their healing properties,you will have known the benefits of each of them.In this post I will give you information about Dill,Fennel and Ginger.
Dill
Dill seeds play a specific role in medicine.Dill seeds are often eaten after a meal,since they enhance the Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-75278941966066795782010-08-21T23:00:00.000-04:002010-08-21T23:00:06.460-04:00Fluffy Lemon Couscous SaladA dish of international renown, couscous is the ambassador of North African cuisine and the epitome of the delicacy of Moroccan culinary art.Some people consider it as pasta and attribute its origin to China ;while some others claim its origin to East africa.Couscous granules are made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. The Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-43502806163160529492010-08-19T14:40:00.000-04:002010-08-19T14:40:58.420-04:00Dhania ChutneyChutney is a word incorporated into English from Hindi,describing a pasty sauce in Indian Cuisine.Chutneys usually are wet, having a coarse to fine texture. In the past,chutneys were made using stone mortar and pestle.Nowadays, electric blenders replace the stone implements. Various spices are added and ground, usually in a particular order.
Chutneys come in two major groups, sweet and hot; both Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-49445082028973295792010-08-19T12:56:00.002-04:002010-08-19T12:59:35.327-04:00Key to Primary Indian Spices and their Healing Properties-Part IIII wanted to share the benefits of spices and how they help us.I have shared knowledge of 6 different spices earlier and you can see it here and here.
I will start this post with a quote from Hippocratus "Let thy kitchen be thy apothecary; and, Let foods be your medicine."
Coriander
Coriander is such a vesatile spice that its leaves,seeds and even the roots are used in Indian Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-89919049303136154062010-08-11T10:52:00.000-04:002010-08-11T10:52:18.448-04:00Key to Primary Indian Spices and their Healing Properties-Part III will start this part of our education about spices with a quote from Jack Turner"Chemically, the qualities that make a spice a spice are its rare essential oils and oleoresins, highly volatile compounds that impart to the spices their flavor, aroma, and preservative properties"
In this post I will discuss the following spices Cardamom,Cumin and Cloves.
Cardamom
Indian spices Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-55424650195404606922010-08-09T15:58:00.000-04:002010-08-09T15:58:29.936-04:00Pumpkin Applesauce MuffinsThese muffins remind me of fall season when apples and pumpkin are in season.I have tried this recipe with fresh apples....making applesauce at home and then making pumpkin puree at home and it turned out to be tooo good to be true,but then for saving time I have also used store brought applesauce and pumpkin puree and they are just as scrumptious.This recipe makes quite a few muffins ,so I Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-84573083250392358612010-08-04T22:25:00.000-04:002010-08-04T22:25:23.125-04:00Veggie Wrap with HummusThe first time ever I tried a veggie wrap,will look unusual to many people....well here it goes.My son was admitted in the hospital and I was staying with him.Since I had limited options in the hospital cafeteria (vegetarian options that is)...I opted for Veggie Wrap that was made on spinach wrap.I was enthralled.It is such a fulfilling snack which is also healthy.After that I have Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-76966185912630222182010-08-04T13:27:00.000-04:002010-08-04T13:27:58.761-04:00Key to Primary Indian Spices and their Healing Properties-Part IChristopher Columbus said "But in truth, should I meet with gold or spices in great quantity, I shall remain till I collect as much as possible, and for this purpose I am proceeding solely in quest of them. "
The above statement in itself explains the significance of spices since ancient times.Ayurveda ,the ancient medical system of India,encompasses the healing of body,mind and spirit Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-42315750618463167872010-08-03T20:01:00.001-04:002010-08-04T13:29:42.139-04:00Mango SalsaThis Mango salsa serves great with all types of grilled seafood and meats.You can also use Pineapples and peaches instaed of mango.
Ingredients
4 ripe mangoes
1 medium red onion,peeled and minced
1 tsp ground cumin
Juice of 2 limes(about 6 tblsp)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Directions
1.Dice the mangoes into 1/4 inch pieces.
2.Add the remaining Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-75693359519420309412010-08-03T12:19:00.000-04:002010-08-03T12:19:38.552-04:00Mango LassiLassi's are popular yogurt drink in India.The sweet variety is made with different fresh fruit purees,and the savory drinks may be flavored with different spices.Lassis provide a refreshing complement to spicy Indian dishes,as they cool the body.
Ingredients
1 pound ripe mango flesh(about 2 mangoes),skin and pit removed
9 ounces whole-milk plain yogurt
3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp freshly Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-90551421808935384212010-07-29T23:16:00.002-04:002010-08-10T10:23:38.323-04:00"O'Papa" ke Sukhe CholleThe Title yet again may sound confusing.How can a simple dish as Sukhe Cholle have a name "O'Papa " ke Sukhe Cholle.Well this anecdote again comes from my childhood.Growing up in Bhopal(state capital of an Indian State M.P.),there were very few restaraunts that we would go to,reason being my mom had a very sensitive palate and there were times she would get sick from eating if the food was not Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-39837180219351437442010-07-29T10:54:00.001-04:002010-08-17T11:48:01.890-04:00HEARTY HARVEST ST-OUP
Harvest is the season when the evenings start turning chilly.I personally prefer having a hearty hot meal at the end of day .A meal which is filling yet does not require too much work ( by work I mean ..not cleaning too many utensils).It is called a "St-oup" because it is a soup with the consistensy of a stew.This soup has all the ingredients you can find in the fall season.This is a totally Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-8591619844396938682010-07-23T14:09:00.001-04:002010-08-05T10:56:44.272-04:00Tex-Mex Black Bean BurgersThis is one of my go-to dishes on the weekends,when I don't want to spend my time cooking,but need some good,hearty,comfort food to fill me up.We have tried vegetarian burgers (the frozen kind) you get in many stores,but always found that they needed something more ...like the spices I crave or as my dear Husband says...they lack your touch,so finally we started making these faster version Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-52322306345608810502010-07-15T14:52:00.001-04:002010-07-15T14:53:03.871-04:00Master Grocery ListThis posting has nothing to do about cooking.I have known many people who are very very organized in every aspect of life,but when it comes to Organization in the kitchen...they get the chills.I have read so many magazine articles,cookery books and each and every one of them made it a point to say "Keep your pantry organized.Know what is in your pantry."
Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-36540069492695817202010-07-13T13:59:00.000-04:002010-07-13T13:59:24.888-04:00KARAH PRASHAD-Whole Wheat HalwaKarah Parshad is also known as Whole Wheat Halwa,or for many small kids just gurudware wala Halwa.As a kid I remember going to Gurudware on Sundays and on festivals and through out the Kirtaan and Path ,the one thing I eagerly waited for was the Path to get over and for all present to stand up.For me it meant that we are done for now and can move onto getting the Yummy,Delicious Parshad (This is Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-88864076512479059602010-07-11T23:21:00.000-04:002010-07-11T23:21:39.280-04:00GLASSFULL OF A-O.......Strawberry Bluberry DelightAre you Confused with the Title.....thinking what is A-O? Well why worry when I am here.A-O is a abbreviation for Anti Oxidants and what are berries full of if not Anti Oxidants? Therefore the title is so apt-A glass full of antioxidants which is Delighful.
This is such a simple beverage to make and it gives you an instant kick of freshness and energy with a lot of flavor.
Ingredients
3-4 Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-7715400807599128552010-07-08T22:48:00.003-04:002010-08-17T11:49:50.194-04:00MALAI KOFTAGeorges Blanc once said "Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.”
This is a saying very close to my heart and the people who are close to me,know that I would cook on any given day but good things come out only when my heart is in it.NowDeepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356218701784124131.post-17480168640199159492010-07-06T10:03:00.001-04:002010-07-06T10:06:31.490-04:00MASALA CHAACH (BUTTERMILK)
Chaach is Indian skimmed buttermilk with live-culture.The milk is boiled, cooled down to warm, fermented to make Dahi (Yogurt). The Dahi (Yogurt) is churned in the cool morning hours. The Makhan (White butter) would float that is skimmed off. After the butter has been removed, the remainder is called Chaach. Chaach is low in fat (since the butter was removed), with live culture, and most Deepti Sidanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02065956312200282445noreply@blogger.com1