Masala Corn Rice

A quick fix dish, best when you are running out of time and you need to quickly fix lunch box or one pot dinner.

Ingredients:

• Boiled Rice - 2 cups
• Boiled Corn Kernels - 3/4 cup
• Ginger, finely chopped - 1 inch
• Garlic - 2 pods, finely chopped
• Onion ( medium ) - 1
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Pav Bhaji Masala - 2 tsp ( you could replace it with garam masala )
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnish

Directions :

• Heat oil in the pan. Saute garlic and ginger for half a minute or so.
• Add chopped onions and saute that as well.
• Add curry leaves, boiled corn, pav bhaji masala, red chili powder, turmeric powder. Give it a good mix.
• If you think the masalas are getting burnt, you can add 2 tsps of water and cook.
• Add boiled rice to this corn mixture. Add salt and mix gently making sure you don't break the rice grains.
• Garnish it with chopped cilantro. ( I was running out of cilantro hence not shown in picture ).
• You can serve this as is. This really doesn't need any side. But if you like serve it with any raita or even plain curds.

Thunder Cake

Ok, there is small story behind this cake baking experiment.
My daughter came home from her last day of school before summer break. She asked me to bake a thunder cake to mark the beginning of a fun filled summer break.
She said "I can help you with the recipe mommy, I got the recipe from school. There you go"
and this is what she gave me.

She confirmed with me if I had all the ingredients at home. 

Now the measurements were up to me.. haha... Isn't the cute ?

I quietly googled the recipe of the thunder cake. I did not tell her that I was doing so, of course. 

I kept her under an impression that I was strictly following her recipe. 

Well, then I came across the thunder cake recipe by Patricia Polacco

Here's the link:

http://www.patriciapolacco.com/participation/kidstalk/questions_week/week_3/cake_recipe.html

I followed this recipe with a few modifications. 

Ingredients :

• All Purpose Flour - 2 1/2 cups
• Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup
• Baking Soda - 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Pureed Tomatoes - 1/3 cup
• Milk - 1 cup ( the original recipe says 1 cup of water but I added milk because my daughters recipe called for milk )
• Eggs - 3
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Butter - 1 stick (cup)
• Vanilla - 1 tsp  ( I did not add it because I did not have it. It still tasted good)

Directions: 

• Pre heat oven to 350 deg F.
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl beat the eggs, add melted butter, sugar, vanilla and blend together.
• Add milk and pureed tomatoes and blend well.
• To this mixture add the dry mixture which we kept aside. 
• Take a cake pan, grease and flour it. 
• Pour this cake mix into the pan and bake for about 40 minutes.
• You can frost it and add slices fruits of your choice ( strawberries according to my daughter's list ). But I skipped the frosting part. It was too good as is.

My daughter was happy that her recipe was a success.... ;) hushh !!

Thank you Patricia !!!

Pyaaz Ke Pakode ( Onion Pakoras )

What is the first thing that crosses your mind when the weather is like this:

Don't you want to eat hot crispy pakoras with some tea? I am sure.. haha
That's what I did too... Came home immediately and quickly made some onion pakoras.

Now I am going to give you the basic pakora recipe with the minimum ingredients.
You can modify by adding many more ingredients like ginger, garlic, curry leaves, cilantro, fennel seeds, etc.


Ingredients:

• Onion - 2 medium ( I prefer red onions )
• Besan ( chickpea flour ) -  3/4 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Chopped Green Chilies - 1or 2
• Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Carom Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions: 

• Slice onions lengthwise. Add salt. turmeric, chili powder, carom seeds to it , mix well and let it rest for 10 min. It will release some water. That way you will not need to add more water to make the mixture.

• Now add besan and rice flour, green chilies, cilantro and mix in such a way that the flour is just enough to coat the onions.
• You might not have to add water at all 'coz of the water released from the onions. But if you think it's not sufficient then add water by teaspoon, very little at a time.

• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. When the oil is hot, drop small portions of the mixture into the oil and fry till golden brown on all the sides tossing them in between.
• Using a slotted ladle take them out on a paper towel so that the excess oil is drained out. 
• You can sprinkle some chat masala on the pakoras as soon as you take them out from oil. ( optional )
• Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney .along with hot tea or coffee.

Home Made Curd ( Dahi )

You can make curd at home with milk and needs some fermentation in a warm temperature.
In colder places you will have to find a warmer spot inside the house where is can be kept for fermentation for example inside the oven.

Ingredients:

• Whole Milk - 4 cups ( quantity depending on how much curd you want to set )
• Starter Curd ( culture ) - 1 tbsp ( I prefer full fat curd for culture )

Directions:

• First, boil the milk on stove top or in microwave.
• Let the milk cool down in room temperature till it is luke warm. 
• Now add the starter curd ( culture ) in the milk and mix it well with the whisk.
• Transfer it into the bowl with a lid in which you want to set the curd.
• In the warmer place you can cover and leave it on the counter for 5 hrs for it to set.
• However, in colder places, you will need to put in in a preheated oven.
• Preheat the oven at the minimum temperature ( say 170 or 180 deg F ) and turn it OFF.
• Now place this bowl in it and leave it undisturbed for 5 hrs or even overnight. 
• Once the curd is set, refrigerate it. 

Tips:

• Whole milk yields a thick curd or yogurt.
• Use the full fat yogurt as the starter curd for better results.
• Make sure while you add the starter curd ( culture ), the milk is neither too hot nor too cold. The curd will not set at all.
• It should be warm. Touch the milk with your finger it can be slightly more than luke warm.
•  The longer you keep the curd outside the sour it becomes.