Pineapple Salsa

Pictures speak a thousand words. So be it. Laziness has reached its limits.
Aim - To replenish the diminishing quantities of pineapple salsa without leaving house.

  

Step 1 - Steal ingredients' list from the label.
 

Step 2 - Collect ingredients. Garlic pesto replaced garlic cloves which I was out of.
Left to Right(Standing), Pineapple, Fire roasted tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic pest.
Left to Right(Sitting), Dead looking cilantro, green chillies(spg?), 1/2 onion.
 

Step 3 - Chop-em, open cans.
 

Step 4 - Chop in mixie
 

Step 5 - What happened to the rest of the can of crushed pineapple - fruit salad!
 

Lesson- Fire roasted tomatoes get a thumbs up. Adding raw onion if the salsa won't be finished in 1 sitting, is a bad idea. It is bad for the salsa, it is bad for the refrigerator. It is bad for spousal appeasement.

Almond Cookies

Ingredients

Makes about 20 coookies

Almond paste(roasted almonds -in this case store bought- crushed in a mixer) 1/2 cup

Roasted almond pieces 1/2 cup

All purpose flour 1 cup

Sugar 1 cup

Butter 1 stick

Baking powder 1 teaspoon

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Mix almond paste, sugar and butter well. Add to it, the almond pieces. Sift flour over this mixture and keep beating with an electric beater. Add 1 egg slowly as well until the mixture gets the consistency of a dough without kneading. Keep the dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take out the dough and make 20 small dough balls and place them 2 inches apart on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 375'F for 15 minutes or until golden brown!

You can see I didn't place my dough balls 2 inches apart making for 1 huge cookie made from all cookies fusing with eachother.

Baked egglant

 

Details later. Chef Mahesh's exotic dish from his birthday baking books. 

Invention-III Spicy Buttons

Mushrooms are a fungi that I've developed a taste for because of a house mate who cooked the best mushrooms with cummin and hot spices. This recipe specifically avoids those spices in order to not offend that supreme dish with a subpar preparation of my own.

 
Ingredients-
~1 pound brown mushrooms
1 medium sized onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
chives
basil
2 tablespoons of cream
pepper
salt
vodka(optional)
peas to add color

Preparation-
Slice washed mushrooms no thinner than 3-4mm. Julienne cut onions. Slice garlic so that they can be easily removed by the non-gourmet. Heat oil in a pot that cen be covered, add onions and garlic and saute until onions turn transparent and its edges a little brown. Add cut chives in it(yes, do it). Add ground pepper generously. Stir, sit back. For 5 seconds. At this point for some more heat, you can add either paprika or someother heat adding ingredient. I added 'El Pato' yesterday. You are ready to add mushrooms. Instead of water, to add an extra tang, I tied up plain yogurt in a cloth and drained its water for about 2-3 hours. I used this water to cook my mushrooms. Cook it covered for a while, then take off lid to let the excess water evaporate. Add the peas(if frozen, wash in warm water) and salt. Now twiddle thumbs. Once the water is gone, add the cream and about a handul of basil. This dish is high on herbs and spices as you can tell. Don't worry about the basil, it will lose a little bit of its aroma with the cream. Cook on low heat until it amuses you. For a sharp tastes, vodka(1 shot equivalent) can be added right after one adds cream.

This dish goes well with plain rice as it is spicy. 

Mango Shrikhand

A friend's recipe, haven't tried it out yet.

Mountain Head Yoghurt: 32 Oz
Mango Pulp: 16 0z
Elaichi: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1 cup (or to taste)
Garnish: 1 tbsp sliced pistachios

Put the yoghurt in a thin cloth, tie the cloth tightly and hang it some place so that the water can drain out. Overnight the water should drain out completely. [tip: you can try and put some weight on the bundle as well]

Next day morning, before mixing all the ingredients, strain the mango pulp in a similar way to remove most of the liquid.

Then, grind the dry yoghurt, mango pulp, elaichi and sugar. Shrikhand is ready ! Top the shrikhand with some dry fruits.

Servings 6 to 8.

Walnut Raisin Biscotti

  

The recipe was seen today morning on KQED. Check the details here.

The photo is of chef Mahesh kneading.

  

Saboodana vada like poppers with a spinach dip.

Spinach Dip
Ingredients-
- fat free sour cream
- spinach
- fromage du blanc
- salt
- chives
- basil
- balsamic vinegar

Preparation- Mix uncooked spinach and the rest of the ingredients in a mixer. Turn it on. Done. I garnished with walnuts.

Sabudana vada poppers

Ingredients-

- saboodana/sago
- peanut powder
- green chillies
- salt and equal amount of sugar
- baked potatoes enough to hold the sago together when made into patties.

For the cover- egg white, bread crumbs, cumin seeds

Preparation-
Wet all the sago. Leave just enough water that it comes to about 0.5cm from the bottom of the bowl you wet your sago in. Set aside for longest of times depending really on the quality of sago. Best ones need about 30 minutes. I used mine after 2 nights. You can tell it is done if the sago feels soft through and through to touch. The better of the sagos will not gather inspite of wetting and will have distinct sago balls instead of becoming one mass of carbohydrate. Add the peanut powder(this powder is to be a loose powder as well, not crushed to be anywhere close to peanut butter), cut green chillies, salt, sugar, baked and mashed potatoes(only if the sago has become too dry or to act as a filler when you fall short of sago). Roll them into patties shaped liked your favorite patty shape. Now, this is where I divert from the standard Indian frying. Sago soaks in a lot of oil and pan fry doesn't work. Hence, I rolled my poppers/patties in egg white then in bread crumb-cumin mix and then deep fried them. Traditionally these are to be eaten when hot with a cold peanut-yogurt chutney. I had a tonne of spinach at home, so I opted for a cool spinach dip. Enjoy, get fat.

Kaju Katli by Jason Balkman

He calls it Cashew Nut Fudge. He writes-

Cashew Nut Fudge:
=================
3/2 cups unsalted cashews
3/2 cups boiling water
2 tbsp milk
2/3 cup zuccherro
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp vanilla xtract
several sheets silver leaf

Pour boiling water over cashews
in a bowl & soak 1 hr. Grease
an 8x8" pan or line with wax
or parchment paper.

Drain cashews and food process
w/milk until smooth. stir in
zuccherro. melt ghee in a skillet
and add processed cashew paste
and cook 15-20 minutes, constantly
stirring. The paste will get
very thick and a little unmanageable.
Stop heating at this point.

Stir in vanilla xtract and lay
evenly into pan (easier said than
done. i soaked a spoon in hot water
to assist, otherwise the nutpaste
clings to everything). Cool 10
minutes or more. Press silver leaf
onto surface (also easier said than
done. silver leaf is difficult to
work with. i also used a little water
to get it to adhere better to the
nutpaste).

Cut fudge into diamond shapes using a wet
knife.

Gulbadan

Gulbadan

Ingredients
Spices-
- Fennel seeds
- Kasuri methi
- 1:1:1 cardamom:cinnamon:clove ground fine
- cumin seeds
- ginger cuts
- paprika(my fav spice these days)


Other
- 1 can regular coconut milk
- 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green peppers,
cut in long strips
- onions, cut long
- baked carrots(peeled first)
- bamboo shoots

Preparation-
Heat oil, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, kasuri methi, ginger and the masala mix and onions until they turn brown(not pink). Add coconut milk and peppers at the same time. Salt and 2-3 spoons of sugar(I also like jaggery), salt. Simmer until veggies are cooked.

Invention-II Left of Leftovers(LOL)

Another creation that can easily pass as an Indian Curry dish for the less informed.
Ingredients-
- Oil for cooking
- Whole peppers
- Bay leaves
- Poppy seeds
- Peanut powder
- Spring onions
- Green peas
- Carrots to add color only.
- 2 spoons of flour
- Fat free sour cream
- Ginger slices
- 1-2 chillies

Heat oil, add peppers, bay leaves and ginger. Saute for 1 minute. Add the spring onion. Then, if you have it, add some Biryani masala for the flavor not the spicyness. Saute. Add chillies, poppy seeds and some peanut mix, green peas. Add water to make the mixture a little watery. Then, add fat free sour cream in any amount that pleases your palate(don't worry, it is fat free). Because the cream is fat free, I have to add some flour(maida) to make the curry thicker. If a redder color than the random color that comes to this preparation is preferred, add paprika as it will add more color but not too much heat. In the end add some carrot chunks to add some more sporadic color. I peel and cook carrots in microwave, then cut them in bite size pieces. Love baked carrots. Since I had some fresh shredded coconut on had, I used it to garnish.

One mistake I made last time I prepared LOL was that I added tonnes of garlic. For the mild taste I was aiming, garlic didn't work.

The Reluctant Cooks

Some people have greatness thrust upon them, and some people have "roles" thrust upon them. But one tries to make the best of what one is dealt. This blog is an attempt to log our exploits in the kitchen.

Menu for a tapas style game party.

It is the time of the year when everyone is having a penultimate
party before the year ends. I am having one next Friday and have
decided to make it tapas style borrowing from dishes I've tasted in
Indian/Spanish cuisine.

Tapas
- Samosa tarts - Indian origin
- Vegetables with aioli - Spanish origin
- Bite size pizzas on lavash bread - Dunno origin
- Paneer Pudina Tikkis - Indian Origin ( Page 51, Snacks under 10
minutes, Tarla Dalal)

Samosa tarts
- Baked red potatoes with skin on as I like it, green peas
- Ginger
- Turmeric for color
- Paprika for the color as well
- Green chilies
- Lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Can add spinach for some more green look.

Mix mashed baked potatoes, cooked beans, spinach and rest of
spices. This will be the filling. I am going to make the phyllo dough
baskets 2-3 days in advance. Will serve the shells filled with sweet
tamarind chutney on top.

Vegetables with Aioli-
A dish that was an instant hit last time me and my husband were
treated to a quaint Spanish restaurant in San Diego. The dish's
original vegetable was asparagus.
- Bell peppers - 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 red
- Carrots - 2
- Aioli - store bought.

Cut peppers in vertical strips, carrots as well, about 1.5 inch
long, 0.5 inch thick. Spread out the veggies in a single layer on a
baking tray lined with foil in order to save clean up effort. Spray
oil on veggies, sprinkle only slight amount of salt as more of it
makes the veggies ooze too much water. Bake at 425F for few minutes,
turn once midway. Serve with generous amount of aioli. I don't bake
the vegetables completely so that they retain some crunch..that's the
way I love them.

Bite sized pizzas with lavash bread-
There is no end to what combinations one can do with this. The
toppings are unlimited. However, since I've used up carrots, peppers,
peas and potatoes and don't want to work with meat, here is what I am
left with-
- Lavash bread/chapatis/nan/any other thin flat bread
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Capers
- Olives, sliced as well
- Parsley
- 3in1 shredded cheese mix.(I also like feta cheese but don't know
how it takes baking, besides I want the top cheese layer to melt to
hold the other stacked veggies in place).

Use a pizza cutter to make 3 in x 3 in squares that are 2 layers
thick. Layer tomatoes, onions if you like, capers, parsley. Top with
cheese. Bake at 400F, keeping an eye to not burn. Use a foil as we are
not using any oil, some pizzas will stick.

If all the ingredients are ready, this is a dish that allows the
guests to help and get involved.

Paneer Pudina Tikkis
I've never had this dish before but the description looked 'jara
hatke' from standard Indian taste. The book calls for deep frying. I
am going to pan fry.
For 16 tikkis
- 3/4 cups of paneer, grated
- 4 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
- 3 green chillies, finely chopped
- 2-3 cups of cornflour(I am substituting it with flour).
- salt to taste
- oil for deep frying(I am using oil spray)
- chaat masaala for serving( I am going to use 1:1:1 mixture of
dhana pwdr:jeera pwdr:paprika + salt)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Divide mixture in 16
equal portions, shape into a round flattened nugget. Deep fry over
medium flame until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper, Serve hot
with chaat masala.

I am going to microwave paneer so that it gets cooked before
grating, so that I may use crumbled paneer in the end as well! Am also
going to make the patties a day ahead. Will pan fry when guest arrive.
Serve with the 'dhaNa-jeeru' mixture.

Drinks
- Cosmopolitan/Screwdriver

Salad: Spinach/Avacado/Apple

Ingredients-

- Olive oil
- Green olives, pitted
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Apple/Mango
- Avacado
- Walnuts/any other earthy tasting nut like pecan/almonds
- Bacon bits/Chicken sausage sauteed if need meat in salad.
- Salt/Pepper to taste

Mix dressing and spinach. Serve. Eat. Be happy.

I've found that if you'd like to add cheese, only a flavorful
cheese does justice. I suggest Gruyere. A glass of smooth red also
helps.