tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34913328908203865072024-03-16T18:34:54.545+11:00Cookie's KitchenSharing life's beautiful moments revolving around food, family and travel.Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-71815101388898291942013-09-08T15:22:00.001+10:002013-09-08T15:23:08.769+10:00Basil Pesto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br /></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMNmdDQo2Qm2HB5IhJWx7SSbLLcm2AHdQHsgN-Dz0kn0m0X2vadT3v-Lxr_2rWlwsk0l_PWRHBzz0AR2JWePNlSrI_gj96jKipyuy8QpK5V1yaFpGavJeOL-0Zbfhqr_sBZz6q5dtdT3F/s1600/IMG_7679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMNmdDQo2Qm2HB5IhJWx7SSbLLcm2AHdQHsgN-Dz0kn0m0X2vadT3v-Lxr_2rWlwsk0l_PWRHBzz0AR2JWePNlSrI_gj96jKipyuy8QpK5V1yaFpGavJeOL-0Zbfhqr_sBZz6q5dtdT3F/s640/IMG_7679.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d5i76msppTZxtNm2slKkoAhAsUhXRqh3gjqPQvM9zDI/pub" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/1904/basil+pesto" target="_blank">Taste</a></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50 grams cashew nuts or pine nuts - toasted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50-60 grams Parmesan cheese - grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 cups basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-2 cloves garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and process it till everything is finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly drizzle the oil so that everything is well combined and you get a pesto with the desired consistency.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To serve: Pesto can be used as a dip or a spread on sandwiches. It makes a great pasta sauce, simply add a few teaspoons of pesto to freshly boiled pasta for a simple fuss free meal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOxZjIDPFO91FcBaLETocbtSfnWYgHyeoWuBRO6omYesh329v_4jNR2AlsOVMFJUEp0X9NtAyR3gKqrv1s0OlMkYb_fF-jFBwgGQMvfGaeIUOyyZ5WQuBaf2dwJIjLjLRxIUeC5Frt8o_/s1600/IMG_7691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOxZjIDPFO91FcBaLETocbtSfnWYgHyeoWuBRO6omYesh329v_4jNR2AlsOVMFJUEp0X9NtAyR3gKqrv1s0OlMkYb_fF-jFBwgGQMvfGaeIUOyyZ5WQuBaf2dwJIjLjLRxIUeC5Frt8o_/s640/IMG_7691.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spaghetti with basil pesto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-59425541190974847512013-08-31T16:35:00.000+10:002013-08-31T16:35:06.997+10:00Poached Pear and frangipane tart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Dear Readers,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apologies for the long break but I am happy to say I am back to blogging and very excited to be sharing my culinary discoveries with all of you once again. It has been a glorious winter in Sydney, not too cold and lots of sunshine. Lots of lovely winter fruit and an abundance of pears particularly this season.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have teamed up beautifully poached pears with a frangipane tart encased in a sour cream pastry - sounds divine right! The frangipane tart recipe has been adapted from our very own Australian cooking queen Maggie Beer. Needless to say it's a great recipe with lip smacking results. You can personalize it with a fruit of your choice, berries will work well and so will apricots, just be creative with the fruits in season and you will have a winner in your hands. A word of advise - make extra while entertaining as everyone will want seconds :)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX51tJoN7ITdO_KdSzEGgIyViTEg54HCWYgXDmysuiNNLWrboQC-3UgCcof82qfYe88So3U9_lK-gg-jORzUTRmyhh0Viz3b9goilIgBW4Op0MdaU2jxbi22Jn3PGW_lCF8-Jo8mV5gLRF/s1600/IMG_6600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX51tJoN7ITdO_KdSzEGgIyViTEg54HCWYgXDmysuiNNLWrboQC-3UgCcof82qfYe88So3U9_lK-gg-jORzUTRmyhh0Viz3b9goilIgBW4Op0MdaU2jxbi22Jn3PGW_lCF8-Jo8mV5gLRF/s640/IMG_6600.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br /></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PsV4_actFDcRMZsWUN3OAXfMdxSM_YoC5lfqRvOfxHQ/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Adapted from Maggie Beer's Apricot frangipane tart <a href="http://www.masterchef.com.au/recipes/dried-verjuice-apricots-and-frangipane-tart.htm" target="_blank">recipe</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 6-8</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sour cream pastry</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">200 g Chilled unsalted butter- cut into cubes</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">250 g Plain flour</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Sour cream</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Frangipane Filling</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">120 g Unsalted butter </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">120 g Caster Sugar</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 eggs</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">120 g Almond Meal</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30 g Plain flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Poached Pears</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3-4 Pears</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">500 ml or 2 cups port wine or any red wine of your choice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Cinnamon quill</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 Star Anise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 vanilla bean (split lengthways)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the Poached Pears</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a deep pot combine the wine, water, sugar and spices and let it simmer. Peel and core the pears and place them in the simmering liquid. Let the pears cook for approximately 45-60 minutes or till tender. I usually cover the pot with a round sheet of baking paper with a small hole in the middle, it speeds up the process. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the pears have cooked, take them out and let them cool. The wine mixture should have reduced to a sticky syrup like consistency. This syrup is great to pour over the poached fruit tart afterwards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the Sour Cream Pastry</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pulse the butter and flour in a food processor till you get a coarse breadcrumb resembling mixture. Pour the sourcream and pulse till it is combined. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB7j9qzcy9d-pAMbUVaUW54Lu5t0p1W-Icmz0Xp14V8EIfJxdHMq4u2Zo5wA3Vk1zMjCIDrFwwSq5gHRv6dFk4Huq723ijMZimk3IlkC1ldSuuSN48WWCpJQTf6c5ye0JP_jDXr8g1GcH/s1600/IMG_6394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB7j9qzcy9d-pAMbUVaUW54Lu5t0p1W-Icmz0Xp14V8EIfJxdHMq4u2Zo5wA3Vk1zMjCIDrFwwSq5gHRv6dFk4Huq723ijMZimk3IlkC1ldSuuSN48WWCpJQTf6c5ye0JP_jDXr8g1GcH/s320/IMG_6394.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pulsing butter and flour for the pastry</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now take the dough and shape it into a disc and place it between two sheets of baking paper. Roll the pastry to approx 5mm thickness and then transfer it to a flat tray and place it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk4mpd5sHOdXyXVoQZPczdnkDibEFDfO9NBzMMERbmZQ_bLLjp7i8tIJXHrCLAyZcxBt9paXswdKMTgP8EB1-Ng2bu0k9HHtWCI8kMGjc8DjE6fdVEsphJoum2vCQds77XJv0SRMiFrDK/s1600/IMG_6395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk4mpd5sHOdXyXVoQZPczdnkDibEFDfO9NBzMMERbmZQ_bLLjp7i8tIJXHrCLAyZcxBt9paXswdKMTgP8EB1-Ng2bu0k9HHtWCI8kMGjc8DjE6fdVEsphJoum2vCQds77XJv0SRMiFrDK/s320/IMG_6395.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pastry dough</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Line a 24 cm loose bottomed tart tin with the pastry and then place the tin for another 10 minutes in the freezer to set.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bzE5cvmSZlqgdzFmhcRyFAoD-KMmeZ7Ndx3Fg1qQc8l7LUoKbt83D9-V0n2gfhTuBMaw4Zxur0kt4ZcvNPXh7l_AX-fgp_uT0o3wKD5-2I6qhGGGK1YLX14UQJEUffM2eUn0t2yKyUro/s1600/IMG_6398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bzE5cvmSZlqgdzFmhcRyFAoD-KMmeZ7Ndx3Fg1qQc8l7LUoKbt83D9-V0n2gfhTuBMaw4Zxur0kt4ZcvNPXh7l_AX-fgp_uT0o3wKD5-2I6qhGGGK1YLX14UQJEUffM2eUn0t2yKyUro/s320/IMG_6398.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tart tin with pastry</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line the pastry tin with baking paper and pie weights and let it blind bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove the baking paper and weights and let the pastry cook for another 5-10 minutes till it is golden in colour. Set the tart case aside to cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the Frangipane Filling</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat the butter and sugar till it is pale, thick and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and continue to beat the mixture. Add a tsp of vanilla and then fold in the flour and almond meal till it is just combined. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pour the mixture into the cooled tart tin and smooth the top with a spatula. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVrAYrp0mZCaLpCYarpvaCTs1yYc90g6eSTA4SteeH2Y7oF1dWSMzrDTQUNJC4yHJJp1c9beIPtpxwOb55eIP0OKm0KFnThs4OHZfBlqGMIGH83Z-R1iHCwTMLt_yjlA-KKiGQ6lOE2dC/s1600/IMG_6426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVrAYrp0mZCaLpCYarpvaCTs1yYc90g6eSTA4SteeH2Y7oF1dWSMzrDTQUNJC4yHJJp1c9beIPtpxwOb55eIP0OKm0KFnThs4OHZfBlqGMIGH83Z-R1iHCwTMLt_yjlA-KKiGQ6lOE2dC/s320/IMG_6426.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frangipane filling in blind baked and cooled pastry</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now it's time to be a little fancy with the carving of the pears. I have scored the pear diagonally and flattened it so that it fans beautifully. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can choose to cut halves and place them in the filling. Place the pears on top of the frangipane filling and press them down gently. Brush the pears with the sticky wine syrup to give a final flourish. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5AnKlIIs0RJAa25mwv9I8ga7O9W6pQew6_wcQkyB8rizx9S9oZqw-OQ4JFMbK2yjb85QYHCDygEibBiDz0wXGErDl2NDqPX5TJ9PYDKxscvJUf_kubqwD3OWXi_ZSNhDMdiw42VBMA_8/s1600/IMG_6446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5AnKlIIs0RJAa25mwv9I8ga7O9W6pQew6_wcQkyB8rizx9S9oZqw-OQ4JFMbK2yjb85QYHCDygEibBiDz0wXGErDl2NDqPX5TJ9PYDKxscvJUf_kubqwD3OWXi_ZSNhDMdiw42VBMA_8/s320/IMG_6446.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ready to be baked</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake the tart for 25 minutes or until it is cooked through and a skewer inserted in it's centre comes out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR3PwwsQXElUayK774LSg4jOX3JdcjQGMBzet1ZyI_WCG0AJxo8ya1TFUXL96lcA51TRtH-e2j954dzTov3PoSkhhQ8lcKejqmZ33T63igJg55gRqun7iw3rSMEvHjEq0LJlbTl_LhU_q/s1600/IMG_6460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR3PwwsQXElUayK774LSg4jOX3JdcjQGMBzet1ZyI_WCG0AJxo8ya1TFUXL96lcA51TRtH-e2j954dzTov3PoSkhhQ8lcKejqmZ33T63igJg55gRqun7iw3rSMEvHjEq0LJlbTl_LhU_q/s320/IMG_6460.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pear frangipane tart</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serve the tart with a drizzle of the wine syrup and cream on the side. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCiB7MeuWE3ZM4Pta4rgts0qUFz7wl4rDFY6e_rqshZ8qdm_877s19cZBmEYfpzJAOaU38qRpx_KTI-agreLIwCybsnbZ2OFEoLBHpdYbwbnoIJ8GriwoctzA39RVfALSQ1542TfAcj7z/s1600/IMG_6631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCiB7MeuWE3ZM4Pta4rgts0qUFz7wl4rDFY6e_rqshZ8qdm_877s19cZBmEYfpzJAOaU38qRpx_KTI-agreLIwCybsnbZ2OFEoLBHpdYbwbnoIJ8GriwoctzA39RVfALSQ1542TfAcj7z/s320/IMG_6631.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: #ebebeb;" /></span></div>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-43852136040892832722013-08-29T17:01:00.002+10:002013-08-29T17:07:15.545+10:00'Served with Love' Contest Winning entries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know I am rather late in publishing the winning entries to my contest 'Served with love' but it has been a rather busy period for me and blogging unfortunately took a backseat. I am happy to be back and hope to be more regular in my posts. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ladies and gentlemen I present the three winning entries to the contest, they are three beautiful memories shared by three wonderful people. I hope you enjoy reading this special post. Your prizes will reach you soon and thank you once again for sharing your beautiful memories.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This beautiful memory is shared by a dear friend and published writer Vibha Batra.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Served with Love</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Lifetimes ago when I was a teenager I thought love was all about grand gestures, passionate </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">declarations, musical cards, teddy bears, chocolate hampers and what have you. I guess that’s what happens when you are hooked on to a steady diet of M&B novels and cheesy romcoms. And if my Mum hadn’t dragged me to Meera Aunty’s place one sultry afternoon, it’s entirely possible that the heart shaped blinkers would have stayed firmly perched. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it happened, it was a Saturday, my day off from school and I was looking forward to a weekend that would involve, well, doing nothing. The last thing I needed was to attend a boring oldies reunion. But Mom had other ideas and that was that. Turned out, my worries were unfounded, for Meera Aunty and her husband, Jagdish Uncle were excellent hosts. They were pleasant as opposed to patronising (unlike many other elders) and I was happiest when they decided to give the customary cheek pulling a miss. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was hard being grumpy in such company, even more so when the food was served. There were just three places set on the table but at that time I didn’t think anything of it, enamoured as I was by the sight of steaming bowls laden with rajma chawal, aloo gobhi, karari bhindi, and dahi bhallas. The promise of dessert lingered in the air, making it very indeed tough to pay attention to practical matters. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meera Aunty helped me pile the food on to my plate (not that I needed any help in that department) and then it was Mom’s turn. Finally, Aunty proceeded to serve Uncle. I thought, perhaps, ever the good host, perhaps Aunty would eat after we were down. So imagine my </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">surprise when she went to sit by Uncle’s side and proceeded to spoon some bhindi into her mouth. I was rather taken aback, she was actually going to eat from the same plate. Public display of affection between elders was an alien concept in those days (and dare I say, in the present). </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mom, who must have been familiar with their practice, continued to feast on the dahi bhallas with much gusto. From time to time, Aunty got to her feet, and not minding our protests, heaped food on to our plates. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was instantly charmed by the quaint ritual. Right then and there, I resolved to share a plate with the person I would eventually share my life with. Alas, it didn’t quite come to pass what with me being a staunch vegetarian, and he an absolute carnivore.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aunty Meera is no more, we lost her to cancer a few years ago. But it’s how I remember her, sitting side by side, partaking morsels of love with the person she loved most in life. And instantly I’m reassured that love’s not what greeting card companies, soppy novels, and Hollywood flicks would have us believe. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Love is sharing those little moments which add up to the big event called life.</i></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">This memory has been shared by my dear friend Avanthi, who I met many years ago at a student orientation meeting. We were both preparing to come to Australia to study and who knew at the time that a chance meeting would lead to an everlasting friendship.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Served with Love</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #999999; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><i><span style="color: orange;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">To write this,I am now going back 7 years down memory lane. The year was 2005, the place - Melbourne Australia, the time - chaotic, stressful university life, the reason - a precious, precious friendship. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">It had been just a few months since I landed in Melbourne, a place I hold very dear to my heart, yet in that year it represented a competitive university life filled with stress and challenge. My partner in crime and darling friend, who I had then only recently met was the one who traveled with me to this strange land for the very first time. She was this little child (in my opinion :) - barely out of her teens), although she thought otherwise, as she played mother to many of her friends. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">In those days, I would grab a slice of bread in the morning and disappear to university where I ended up eating junk food through the day until I came back to my apartment where I had to make my own humble dinner. I recall that I had been having one of worst weeks then, where there was practically no time for myself. I had been leaving university past 10 p.m. everyday and that gave me little time to cook a decent meal. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">It was on one such day when I returned home, hungry as ever, that my flatmate told me I had a visitor during the day. Someone had popped by and left me something special in the refrigerator. Intrigued and even slightly shocked that I had a visitor who left me food, (when I barely had time to keep friends), I found the most wonderful strawberry pudding in my fridge. After much interrogation, my flatmate relented and told me that it was in fact my sweet little friend who came all the way to make my day just a little better. I was touched then as I'd never been before as I was truly 'served with love':). She knew how bad my week was and her thoughtfulness meant the world to me. It was a simple gesture of love, but one that I will never forget. </span></span></i></span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">And what makes this story 'especially special' is that my sweet little friend is none other than our darling 'Cookie'. :)</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This last entry is written by my dear friend Aliya, who shares my love for food and was my housemate for 4 years. She has shared a very special memory about family ties with us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Served with love</b></span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a fussy kid I always wondered what made the meals I didn't like always go down better, when fed to me by my mom or grandmom. At the time a child's guess wasn't what it is today. I came to truly understand that added ingredient, the one that completely altered the chemistry of food was love. Love cannot be measured, cannot be doctored, cannot be physically seen, smelt, touched, or heard, but it can surely be tasted!</span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How I can vouch for this needs me to tell you the story of 'the surprise trip'. Back in 2005 I had left India for Australia to study. After my first visit home that same year, I had decided that another visit the following year didn't make sense as I should stay back to gain work experience over the summer holidays. It was the practical thing to do. However being heart over head, I found myself feeling the pangs all alone with most of my friends having headed home. I was homesick beyond belief and to make matters worse there was a congregation of my entire family under one roof. It was my aunt's birthday on X'mas day and other family members from different cities were all in town for that. Two things to point out is that my aunt is a mother to me, and that our family doesn't get together very often, so this truly was a momentous occasion.</span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was too much pull for this mere mortal to handle. I threw reason to the wind, emptied my bank account and booked a last minute ticket to India on Christmas eve for 3,000 $ ! Concocted a cover up story as to why my phone would be out of reach, fed it to my family and set off towards them.</span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still remember standing at the main door of the apartment in Mumbai, feeling my heart beat faster than ever before. I rang the doorbell and waited patiently. What would they all be doing, how would they react? </span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The door opened and I saw a sight that still gives me goosebumps even today. My entire family, under one roof, was seated around the dining table. In front of them lay a small feast. A mountain of crisp hollow puris, and an array of stuffings and condiments to complete the ensemble of a dish that we call 'Pani Puri'.</span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone had a look of utter shock on their face and tears rolling down their cheeks. They couldn't believe I had traversed half the globe, without a whisper and was standing right before them in the flesh. Looks like they had missed me a lot more than I had missed them. Without much concern of how I got there, how my journey was, or even enquiring how I was, my aunt decided that the primary point of action was to feed me. She promptly instructed my poor lil cousin sis to leave the table to make place for me. Sat me down beside her and began the ritual of assembling the perfect pani puri. Allow me to point out to you how much this dish means to my aunt who is a perfectionist. She takes great pains to select her own set of special stuffings that aren't very typical to this dish. She has just the right measure of how much of the various stuffings to use, how much chutney to add, and just how much flavoured water to fill into the hollow that completes just one mouthful of this wonderful dish. I was ordered to open wide, as it takes a mouth of significant diameter to accommodate the entire puri in one shot. Having been a foodie, and grown up sampling street food on countless occasions, I can never replicate the taste of that one home made pani filled puri. It was different to anything I had ever tasted. Sure it looked regular, sure it felt regular, heck it even smelt regular, but I can assure you it didn't taste regular. It was an amalgamation of that entire moment and all the associated emotions in the room into one mouthful. It was a taste I will never forget, the taste of love, served with love.</span></i></div>
</div>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-84098948856566285412013-06-26T00:18:00.001+10:002013-06-26T00:37:26.880+10:00Madras Special- Ven Pongal with coconut chutney<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ven pongal is a rice and lentil dish similar to a khichdi and is a very popular breakfast in south India especially in my city Madras. Pongal is also the name of the Harvest festival of the South. Pong means "spill or boil over" and this is a ritual that is still carried out during this festival. The milk and rice is cooked in a pot and allowed to boil over and this is considered very auspicious as it symbolizes abundance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pongal which is also known as Sankranti/Lohri/Bihu in other parts of India commemorates the Sun travelling northward towards the equinox and marks the end of the harvest season in the south. This festival is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and involves a lot of feasting. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other variety of pongal- sweet pongal using jaggery is commonly offered during the Pongal celebrations. I am sharing with you my recipe for ven pongal, a simple savoury breakfast paired perfectly with coconut chutney.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8OkdOFomplPoA1BVPufLyd89c-Uw_MxXe4cukxnebaDcJyy8K_QncC2THX3KM_xk6avt9jC7vTsmGQOtMNVY8icePoDKQxr6em9cQxYwqaW9gaAnuIhyphenhyphenKHHrVBg53q9TbU7F9zDPSUBb/s1600/IMG_6240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8OkdOFomplPoA1BVPufLyd89c-Uw_MxXe4cukxnebaDcJyy8K_QncC2THX3KM_xk6avt9jC7vTsmGQOtMNVY8icePoDKQxr6em9cQxYwqaW9gaAnuIhyphenhyphenKHHrVBg53q9TbU7F9zDPSUBb/s640/IMG_6240.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ven Pongal with coconut chutney</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FeRn2swKhmtngxSlM1zwKjjKNFWZ9D6sYzk2NeoP4R0/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 2-3</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Medium grain raw rice (not boiled or parboilled)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Split yellow moong dal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the tempering</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp Cumin Seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Whole Black Pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Curry leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3-4 Cloves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp finely chopped ginger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Asfoetida Powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 tbsp Ghee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Garnish</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10-15 cashewnuts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Ghee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the Coconut Chutney</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Coconut- chopped into small pieces</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 cup Roasted chana dal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 inch ginger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 green chillis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp coriander leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the Chutney Tempering</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of Asfoetida powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Dry red chilli</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp Urad dal (split)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Mustard seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7-8 Curry Leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Coconut Chutney</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grind all the ingredients with enough water to get a smooth paste with the desired consistency of the chutney. I like it thick so I add less water but you can choose to have it as thick or thin as you like. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, asfoetida, curry leaves and dry chilli. Let the mustard seeds pop and then add the seasoning to the chutney and give it a good mix. Coconut chutney is ready.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5n3v2ShCDnZmDUIl-PS4mBpHCO9sKOcgELbn3ztTF0NUFcpvPHQB3m7RsQ4BXG1RLRaP9d8u8CoHHIURYeWYCVJIIk3Q-rrw9XCOfiAgF16hRUHlKvLq6I0yV7QQxozmRKBxgtT_V5wH/s1600/IMG_3559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5n3v2ShCDnZmDUIl-PS4mBpHCO9sKOcgELbn3ztTF0NUFcpvPHQB3m7RsQ4BXG1RLRaP9d8u8CoHHIURYeWYCVJIIk3Q-rrw9XCOfiAgF16hRUHlKvLq6I0yV7QQxozmRKBxgtT_V5wH/s640/IMG_3559.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coconut chutney</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1. I add coriander leaves to the chutney as I like the flavour and the colour it imparts to the chutney, you can choose to leave it out if you don't like coriander.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. The coconut pieces should be cut into small pieces to ensure smooth grinding. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3. Water should be added little by little till you get the desired consistency. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pongal</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wash the rice and dal thoroughly till the water you wash it in remains clear. In the pressure cooker heat a tsp of ghee and add the rice and dal to it. Fry it for 5 minutes in the hot ghee uncovered. Now add 3 cups of water followed by salt (to taste) to the pressure cooker and place the lid on it. Let it pressure cook for 3 whistles or about 10 minutes till rice and dal are completely cooked through and mushy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prepare the tempering by heating 2 tsp of ghee and adding cumin seeds, asfoetida, pepper, curry leaves and cloves to it followed by the ginger. Let the cumin seeds turn brown and then mix the seasoning with the cooked rice and dal mixture. Give it a good mix so that everything is well combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fry the cashew nuts in a tsp of ghee and mix it with the pongal and leave a few for garnish. Serve the pongal topped with crunchy cashews with a side of coconut chutney.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vnz6zsoimAhTL8ttevjna8VWY706yFJ7_ThUDqMFYPEGVBu0bnbj8J0etVx1Kr0xHs3T8l9cSwMcTSLirm1M1T2g4uD7L8C7Rhi1koDdr_KzWd0iuZFnDFrdk-GStf-WhDIxhnKIG8d1/s1600/IMG_6239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vnz6zsoimAhTL8ttevjna8VWY706yFJ7_ThUDqMFYPEGVBu0bnbj8J0etVx1Kr0xHs3T8l9cSwMcTSLirm1M1T2g4uD7L8C7Rhi1koDdr_KzWd0iuZFnDFrdk-GStf-WhDIxhnKIG8d1/s640/IMG_6239.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-48827249575087313232013-06-25T00:36:00.001+10:002013-06-29T22:38:30.260+10:00Super foods special-Banana, Dates and Chia Seeds Muffin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am back with a really yummy and healthy breakfast muffin recipe. You must be thinking yummy and healthy don't really go hand in hand but you will be surprised by this little beauty. The sweetness of the bananas and dates along with the goodness of oats, almonds and chia seeds makes for a very delicious and nutrient packed start to the day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Health benefits:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chia seeds</b> are one of the richest sources of Omega 3 and are considered a super food. They are gluten free, high in protein (it's a complete protein with 8 amino acids) and Vitamin C. They improve our health and general well being and are incredibly versatile and easy to incorporate into our diets. Sprinkle over cereal, or add it to the bread dough, or add it to smoothies, muffins, cookies, the possibilities are endless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oats or Muesli</b> add fibre to our diet and we all know how good oats are to reduce cholestrol levels and improve our cardiovascular health. Muesli is a combination of uncooked rolled oats, fruits and nuts and makes for a nourishing breakfast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dates</b> are delicious and a great source of iron, dietary fibre, vitamin A, B and K and flavonoids like beta carotene and lutein, that <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bananas</b> are not only yummy but are a great source of potassium, magnesium and anti oxidants. They are easy to digest and gentle on the stomach, and that's the reason why mashed bananas are the first solid food gen to babies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The combination of all these deliciously healthy ingredients makes these muffins a very healthy and yummy start to the day.This recipe is very forgiving, feel free to experiment with the proportions of ingredients to suit your needs. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdJqhDInkLJ1y3jL5StR5kK2a7F7EQS5okD5gnQzMqaB-O6vRWEmSGj9wvmhhDwNiKEM6L-KlM2enYtxNkQ77vt4KHDTRnbxnLc9TvxUFgI9CmGXerLKQ5yaKX3E5kd3PoIIqianBFRcZ/s1600/IMG_6174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdJqhDInkLJ1y3jL5StR5kK2a7F7EQS5okD5gnQzMqaB-O6vRWEmSGj9wvmhhDwNiKEM6L-KlM2enYtxNkQ77vt4KHDTRnbxnLc9TvxUFgI9CmGXerLKQ5yaKX3E5kd3PoIIqianBFRcZ/s640/IMG_6174.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hSL7stOOd8LvyUkWnvC_7-P0jmMrIjQ273uXqanhx5U/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">yields 12-14</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">150 g Wholemeal Self Raising Flour (if not available use plain wholemeal flour and add 2 tsp baking powder for every cup of plain flour)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50 g Muesli or Oats - powdered (I grinded mine in a spice grinder)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50 g Almond meal (ground almonds)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp cinnamon powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60 g brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40 g Caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 over ripe bananas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60g Chopped dates</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp Chia seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 tbsp vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60 ml plain yoghurt</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tips:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1. You can reduce the sugar and replace with honey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. You can make the recipe gluten free by completely omit the flour and replace it with powdered muesli, it will make a slightly denser but delicious cake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C and 160 C if </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">f</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an forced.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grind the oats/muesli to a fine powder and set aside. Put all the dry ingredients - flour, almond meal, powdered oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcG-PS_rh_utVXBq2mrabBnldntO7xbdYUjOUdTGWqPBl0q5YEHty1_r2qpzJtS4NaePUS6ckkf6Qc6PFgOcjsV1-cu2XBLIcpd3i-d8pCq5ErusH4fhtCjNquhJZWlUQ67dh3wszM2ja/s1600/IMG_5759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcG-PS_rh_utVXBq2mrabBnldntO7xbdYUjOUdTGWqPBl0q5YEHty1_r2qpzJtS4NaePUS6ckkf6Qc6PFgOcjsV1-cu2XBLIcpd3i-d8pCq5ErusH4fhtCjNquhJZWlUQ67dh3wszM2ja/s640/IMG_5759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Muesli</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a large bowl crack the two eggs and whisk it with the sugar till combined. Now add the vanilla, mashed bananas, yoghurt and oil and mix everything well with a wooden spoon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2P9v5a75QfwxG5Ol72rrczc_1IItJ5AT52g_ynLbSq_Zfm6_mczFyMVSPRT1aE8NGjL5SJ1qwy5UvmSshqS2c8wN5hQlUQmazNHmlQyfynoa25yQJLxZ59lG_fptJVd0ClUYiUxPKsq4O/s1600/IMG_5777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2P9v5a75QfwxG5Ol72rrczc_1IItJ5AT52g_ynLbSq_Zfm6_mczFyMVSPRT1aE8NGjL5SJ1qwy5UvmSshqS2c8wN5hQlUQmazNHmlQyfynoa25yQJLxZ59lG_fptJVd0ClUYiUxPKsq4O/s640/IMG_5777.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liquid ingredients</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix till well combined and lump free. Fold the chopped dates and chia seeds into the batter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmwuuyHt_Pos4cVNVf0qGLJnHqChEPbTx7q4MMSLBdANWXbIKzIDYAjuxHHYXdpsD_qYxwmEF7pJRhQC8Q3Idt3v-79ltxEWYsPW63if6rsPzrSXCBQP7XWdYybio0k8HutSV9fLIqK5W/s1600/IMG_6138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmwuuyHt_Pos4cVNVf0qGLJnHqChEPbTx7q4MMSLBdANWXbIKzIDYAjuxHHYXdpsD_qYxwmEF7pJRhQC8Q3Idt3v-79ltxEWYsPW63if6rsPzrSXCBQP7XWdYybio0k8HutSV9fLIqK5W/s640/IMG_6138.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chia seeds</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Line a 12 cup muffin tray with cases and spoon the mixture into the cups equally. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes till they are golden and well risen and a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the muffins. Let them cool on a cooling rack and then store in an airtight container.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8CkjIYssibZBlSL4H5inFYyhbGmhCsR0EiIB6Int_Fuqf6gPd5zzWCazD6Zgo4mOkmBz38wap4lIA8pEYkiXAngId3PioC46nAc2C0U3_ZimGGms_iQ-t-kY5dxx0Al2P4VLjXdKEmdJ/s1600/IMG_6113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8CkjIYssibZBlSL4H5inFYyhbGmhCsR0EiIB6Int_Fuqf6gPd5zzWCazD6Zgo4mOkmBz38wap4lIA8pEYkiXAngId3PioC46nAc2C0U3_ZimGGms_iQ-t-kY5dxx0Al2P4VLjXdKEmdJ/s640/IMG_6113.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Muffins and tea</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-66477213447613203952013-06-21T17:01:00.000+10:002013-06-21T17:07:21.137+10:00Served with love contest (10,000 hits giveaway) and a recipe - Vegetarian Pho<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food is one of our primal necessities, but it is so much more than just a necessity isn't it. It brings us together, it has the power to engulf all our senses and leave us with ever lasting memories. Memories that can simply be triggered with just a whiff of this and a taste of that and transport you to a different world - that is the power of food. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me share with you a little incident from my time in Vietnam. I was there for a hospital re-development project headed by my university and it was a cross-cultural team meaning we had students from Australia and Vietnam working together on the project. It was my first time in Vietnam and I was really unfamiliar with the language, I had learnt some basic phrases from the travel book I had, but otherwise was reliant on gestures and the local friends I had made there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After arriving in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) from Melbourne, our team travelled from HCMC to Danang where the Hospital was located for our site visit and research. After spending the whole day at the hospital we (a few friends and me) decided to go for a wander and have some dinner. We were four girls, three Aussie and one Vietnamese (our lovely local guide) So we went on a rather long walk and we couldn't spot any restaurants, the road was pretty deserted, there was hardly any traffic and most houses had their lights off. There is an interesting tradition there,many people run house restaurants, meaning guests essentially dine in their homes in their dining rooms, and pay for their meal and leave. This made it really hard for us to spot whether a house was just a house or a house cum restaurant. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally after walking around for an hour we thought we spotted a home cum restaurant. There were a few chairs outside the house, the lights were on and you could see a few ladies pottering around the kitchen. So we made our way to the cosy home restaurant and my Vietnamese friend asked the ladies what they served and to my sheer delight it turned out that they only made vegetarian food. Our friend did all the ordering and the ladies got to work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The place was modest, a pale green coloured room with a few tube lights, a few plastic tables and chairs. The kitchen and dining room was one open space and there was a little passage that led to the rest of the house. You could tell the ladies worked very hard to make a living, I sincerely felt a lot of respect for them. Our food arrived at the table, steaming hot bowls of vegetable noodle soup, vegetables and tofu stir fried with bean paste, fried rice and noodle dishes. We dug in and all of us loved the food. The soup was magnificent, I had never tasted such an exquisite broth in my life. One of the girls who's background was Russian kept asking "Are you sure there's no animal content, it has to have some beef stock in the soup surely." Basically she could not believe that vegetarian food could be so flavoursome and delicious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The old ladies were so happy looking at us eat, they just sat at the next table and stared at us with a smile on their faces. It was just like how my grand mom would beam when we kids would eat her cooking, the same love, the same care and devotion and the same twinkling eyes. You could see the joy on their faces as we relished their cooking-a priceless moment. One of the old ladies, this cute old gran came upto me while I was still eating and touched my hair lovingly and then said something in Vietnamese, smiled at me and then sat down again. My friend translated saying that the lady knew I was from India because I have big eyes and thick dark hair. I smiled and gave her a hug and just nodded while trying very hard to hold back my tears. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My grandmother had passed away the day before I had to leave for Vietnam. It was a very difficult time for me being away from home and having to travel for an important project. The only thought that gave me strength was the thought of her getting angry at me for having left my project mid-way. She was a very stern and hard working lady with a generous heart and she would have wanted me to complete what I started. In an unknown country to have this lovely gran feed me with so much love and attention just reminded me so much of my grandmother. It was one of the most incredible meals of my life, not because the food was good but because there was something more added to it - love and care.We had the rest of our meal surrounded by their happy faces and paid a very modest $6 for a meal for four, we tried to tip them but they did not accept it. They only wanted what they thought was fair, such self respecting, honest ladies. I still think of that night, the meal we had and the incredible women we met who in their own unassuming manner touched our lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is my story about being <b>Served with love</b>, I want to hear yours. It can be about anyone who touched your life with a simple act of love through food. Remember the <b>best story</b> will get a <b>great prize</b> from <b><span style="color: orange;">Cookie's Kitchen</span></b>, it could be anything from a cookbook to assorted cupcakes, it all depends on your geographical location. I am having this contest to celebrate the <b>10,000 views milestone of <span style="color: orange;">Cookie's Kitchen</span></b>. Feel free to write your story in the <b>comment box below</b> or <b>email</b> me at <b>cookieskitchenblog@gmail.com. </b>Contest ends by<b> 5 pm</b> <b>AEST</b> on <b>1 July, 2013</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now for the recipe, it's only fitting I share my Vietnamese Pho recipe with you after that story. Pho (pronounced fuh) is a Vietnamese noodle soup usually made of Beef broth. I have adapted the recipe to make a vegetarian version, it is a very soothing, healthy and delicious soup with lots of room for personalization and tweaking. I hope you enjoy it :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)</span></h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyximyQZTnzlpjUBFTyOJgpxXKmiCY1wONkcMTYXN_oJfK3B1ITj6sL0aAwi7b-YflmFK4v4U67xaDneIp6doe0kyKT6iEtfkrfpOXxaGI5HpPGjUyzFTbHbTZ57L4qlRFUhtBaIY5VW3I/s1600/IMG_5989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyximyQZTnzlpjUBFTyOJgpxXKmiCY1wONkcMTYXN_oJfK3B1ITj6sL0aAwi7b-YflmFK4v4U67xaDneIp6doe0kyKT6iEtfkrfpOXxaGI5HpPGjUyzFTbHbTZ57L4qlRFUhtBaIY5VW3I/s640/IMG_5989.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Adapted from <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-vegetarian-pho-107312" target="_blank">Kitchn</a>)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 2-3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the broth</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Star Anise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Cinnamon stick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4-5 cloves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp coriander seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 garlic cloves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Onion (cut into 2 halves)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 inches long Ginger ( divide into 2 pieces)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Carrots - roughly chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1L Vegetable Stock (salt reduced or unsalted)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp + 1 tsp Vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp Soya Sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Vegetables and protein</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Broccoli - cut into florets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 bunch Choy Sum - trimmed leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Oyster mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a handfull of Enoki mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">200 g Tofu</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Noodles</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">200-250 g Rice stick Noodles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1L Boiling water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Toppings/Garnishes</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Mung bean sprouts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Mint leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Coriander leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 Red chilli (birds eye)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 Lime wedges</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dry roast the spices (cinnamon, star anise, cloves and coriander seeds) and keep it aside. In a mortar and pestle pound the garlic, one piece of ginger and coriander seeds to a rough paste. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI8ErxxvUHxqizzCDl_uMRHwSZI4fIOxjw8rMovxjQFu8g2bQ3I-Ka_-UD_LedNxA5zPIxLjtkSOOhOir4rLGHGn6BLT8OkgwhKKBMeODeXdsPIBWUotaIRKjnBnsqgMiy9PLbBQbLQBl/s1600/IMG_5814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI8ErxxvUHxqizzCDl_uMRHwSZI4fIOxjw8rMovxjQFu8g2bQ3I-Ka_-UD_LedNxA5zPIxLjtkSOOhOir4rLGHGn6BLT8OkgwhKKBMeODeXdsPIBWUotaIRKjnBnsqgMiy9PLbBQbLQBl/s640/IMG_5814.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Making the garlic-ginger-coriander seeds paste</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDRA8M3KnLN1dw_HcU0mtFODhFurd8i5mZ9_TIpnvvDcyL_xXYwYdwZxKJQuaMp-2hKePHtCTy3paYgV4oxievtoWcT_jhvDuD0RXta2ODSqBGdWlhh5MhprUQ0kbuKojy_TwmO0XTmJi/s1600/IMG_5823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDRA8M3KnLN1dw_HcU0mtFODhFurd8i5mZ9_TIpnvvDcyL_xXYwYdwZxKJQuaMp-2hKePHtCTy3paYgV4oxievtoWcT_jhvDuD0RXta2ODSqBGdWlhh5MhprUQ0kbuKojy_TwmO0XTmJi/s640/IMG_5823.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garlic-ginger-coriander seeds paste</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Char a piece of ginger and half the onion on an open flame using tongs, for about 5 minutes. Wash it and keep it aside. Chop the other half of the onion and ginger finely. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo4eJbOwMLd5n3iYQkijwJHkXYomwvhc0TGeBvIvDORTVVa1XRJ4XNJriKAccNwOarW4Y2rYm3_6X3nBR1-b6tth0s-ZEAKImX6-sl2TiGCdgLX2dDREg6PZSI_IlHO2MRfvyjlYIE1Mz/s1600/IMG_5826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo4eJbOwMLd5n3iYQkijwJHkXYomwvhc0TGeBvIvDORTVVa1XRJ4XNJriKAccNwOarW4Y2rYm3_6X3nBR1-b6tth0s-ZEAKImX6-sl2TiGCdgLX2dDREg6PZSI_IlHO2MRfvyjlYIE1Mz/s640/IMG_5826.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charred ginger and onion</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat the oil in a deep pot and add the cinnamon, star anise and cloves to it followed by the garlic-ginger-coriander seeds paste. Let it begin to colour and then add the carrots and charred ginger and onion to it followed by the stock. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQaULJ1wkSTi-4PFR8sKikbveqEItzPf6k9QQwAKBYWO0Lpxw_WlFWEcoviplMACbz_z0ja9dqcubjcxmGaSEs8FlH31xixWLUzDs7DvWEYHqpU2k5FqZhNw7o2WFH62fZDU01iECr6x0/s1600/IMG_5832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQaULJ1wkSTi-4PFR8sKikbveqEItzPf6k9QQwAKBYWO0Lpxw_WlFWEcoviplMACbz_z0ja9dqcubjcxmGaSEs8FlH31xixWLUzDs7DvWEYHqpU2k5FqZhNw7o2WFH62fZDU01iECr6x0/s640/IMG_5832.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broth base</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile you can prepare the vegetables and garnishes. Finely slice the spring onions and chillis. Cut the lime into wedges and assemble the garnishes along with the herbs and sprouts onto a little plate. Garnishes are ready.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ViTt7TzMfNZikV7D6gR2nDTVN2xIB-czqVrWihLjtqUng-PmDRQ03YochLpp45dwLgrtn8M5vtDWvQfKu8fVnBoMeirUIjva4MQDwRCa7BUr2A8oZWKLLyTyaJy1xTMc-QZJOA8A6y67/s1600/IMG_5903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ViTt7TzMfNZikV7D6gR2nDTVN2xIB-czqVrWihLjtqUng-PmDRQ03YochLpp45dwLgrtn8M5vtDWvQfKu8fVnBoMeirUIjva4MQDwRCa7BUr2A8oZWKLLyTyaJy1xTMc-QZJOA8A6y67/s640/IMG_5903.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garnishes plate</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8B8bbXPlJZUqt88GA5tI4l6mqKmbfUljGWVDFHOuyRU4F8DXoWASaOXymoPMmr4Qy93IvwXmYDN6mm3bpZOZ6G-563tuQqP-8alcn61mniIfp8YBq2mz5nUj21u_WoH6q_5D7cNezbM3/s1600/IMG_5863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8B8bbXPlJZUqt88GA5tI4l6mqKmbfUljGWVDFHOuyRU4F8DXoWASaOXymoPMmr4Qy93IvwXmYDN6mm3bpZOZ6G-563tuQqP-8alcn61mniIfp8YBq2mz5nUj21u_WoH6q_5D7cNezbM3/s640/IMG_5863.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garnishes/toppings</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I chose broccoli, choy sum, oyster and enoki mushrooms to have in my soup. I did not think there was any need to steam them before as the hot broth will cook them in the bowl itself and leave them a little crunchy the way I like it. You can add other vegetables of your choice too, lots of room for personalization.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slice the tofu into rectangles and lightly fry them in a tsp of oil till golden. In a large bowl place the noodles and cover it with boiling water and cover the bowl with a lid and let the noodles cook for 10 minutes till soft, drain and keep it aside, ready to be added to the soup.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 45 minutes, check seasoning and add soya sauce if required. The broth is ready. Strain the larger items like charred ginger, onion, cinnamon, star anise out of the broth. They have infused into the broth and so we can leave them out now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The soup is ready for assembly.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a nice deep bowl. Place the choy sum (any greens of your choice) in it, top with the mushrooms and broccoli. Now place some of the noodles into the bowl. Ladle the hot broth into it till all the vegetables and noodles are covered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaatrSb0_Ayzty_heked7Ql57gTT9AF7FyDtKEO7vx_4LQ_fieErqXfic5-GJEcwLR-zFJPzBf2MoehSh07bHtZfvswc85GRmAEa1-FjlzVdc1yjZApe7mhW6hhD3Gx0PnTyCevM92d3Gd/s1600/IMG_5930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaatrSb0_Ayzty_heked7Ql57gTT9AF7FyDtKEO7vx_4LQ_fieErqXfic5-GJEcwLR-zFJPzBf2MoehSh07bHtZfvswc85GRmAEa1-FjlzVdc1yjZApe7mhW6hhD3Gx0PnTyCevM92d3Gd/s640/IMG_5930.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arranging the vegetables in the soup bowl</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctlWnKmaGXDLCTlGxCVh5LgFZsSPU4WZnSZAeQu9Td0ayao8eptQEiMKQ-m3yhRKOyZJGivgC4AauUIW4povRA_q2vUcfVCG4PbdkZ0OM-iyq1eHzi_DFfc9lltKUjRpWg78AS_nzfBCt/s1600/IMG_5974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctlWnKmaGXDLCTlGxCVh5LgFZsSPU4WZnSZAeQu9Td0ayao8eptQEiMKQ-m3yhRKOyZJGivgC4AauUIW4povRA_q2vUcfVCG4PbdkZ0OM-iyq1eHzi_DFfc9lltKUjRpWg78AS_nzfBCt/s640/IMG_5974.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pho awaiting to be topped with garnishes</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Choose the garnishes you enjoy and start assembling, you can top with fried tofu, sprouts, chillis, spring onions, coriander and mint and squeeze some lime into it. Adding your own garnishes means everyone can customize it to their taste buds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_699vFo9uVafBj3wNSOrsXQwzCFcHzl7lF8mPesL3OEdZ9g3MPNyEJv_E37eegRrt88Zs74I4DXtoRvDDU39Y1VwB-i5aXJe3iUfWGZKMMO3MQXR74TSKaEQqZefap9Kvja42XTnVAqa/s1600/IMG_5995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_699vFo9uVafBj3wNSOrsXQwzCFcHzl7lF8mPesL3OEdZ9g3MPNyEJv_E37eegRrt88Zs74I4DXtoRvDDU39Y1VwB-i5aXJe3iUfWGZKMMO3MQXR74TSKaEQqZefap9Kvja42XTnVAqa/s640/IMG_5995.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-16066559708686372532013-06-18T17:00:00.000+10:002013-06-18T17:00:07.945+10:00Crispy Cheesy Arancini balls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">This is my recipe for turning last night's risotto dinner into a crispy snack. Arancini balls are risotto balls crumb fried or baked with a cheesy center. They make a great party snack as they can be prepared ahead of time and kept. Enjoy!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmyMiSMFkIbi_y7y8F-i8n61qJhVwAKtHpzLvpHm2zSVHoGblX2HPruT4XuibUl14KCuY141XDDzY7DHQgve1uVrUiDyowcFbbSI5D0839oGC-FoO-2LfspjBHAE3WmPABj16Ddd_Nu8t/s1600/IMG_5360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmyMiSMFkIbi_y7y8F-i8n61qJhVwAKtHpzLvpHm2zSVHoGblX2HPruT4XuibUl14KCuY141XDDzY7DHQgve1uVrUiDyowcFbbSI5D0839oGC-FoO-2LfspjBHAE3WmPABj16Ddd_Nu8t/s640/IMG_5360.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0udUbi9sJkNG9c0qahsNcDDFfJjZA5ZsVhu5-C8BZ63N4puNHi878lMCpZqvMGul58QgI0YTX19pA44VDIVEJpoB8js9l9PGdzFXuTCYqoBwtzyC2AsjjWrHJrPHle0_cPsgJdGPBqSWE/s1600/IMG_5388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0udUbi9sJkNG9c0qahsNcDDFfJjZA5ZsVhu5-C8BZ63N4puNHi878lMCpZqvMGul58QgI0YTX19pA44VDIVEJpoB8js9l9PGdzFXuTCYqoBwtzyC2AsjjWrHJrPHle0_cPsgJdGPBqSWE/s640/IMG_5388.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0UtNr9lCTpW3EiTUSIbYPnGZce-lIt44H7jxX-ZP7CZKwlUjb2eOujrFjsKKRnid8GzUuUu7yxJHq0XIIfyAuq-2aUyKoYnXyNXSBjkEj40AHaS4D8ceOu1fupzx-JlRxFqJcyd7DLdk/s1600/IMG_5416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0UtNr9lCTpW3EiTUSIbYPnGZce-lIt44H7jxX-ZP7CZKwlUjb2eOujrFjsKKRnid8GzUuUu7yxJHq0XIIfyAuq-2aUyKoYnXyNXSBjkEj40AHaS4D8ceOu1fupzx-JlRxFqJcyd7DLdk/s640/IMG_5416.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJvMwi3PLCdLLdwITberwE5mGc5QNRWrO0zUBeP1UOl2E_25h9xo63p6TMFcb5hYnEk7kpJXtdVb4OElGgTUKSn0MAbGk5BCUlhWJxLqQpzEWxkorAC7thMN1tHQK8cCct8g_dOZ80VyO/s1600/IMG_5412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJvMwi3PLCdLLdwITberwE5mGc5QNRWrO0zUBeP1UOl2E_25h9xo63p6TMFcb5hYnEk7kpJXtdVb4OElGgTUKSn0MAbGk5BCUlhWJxLqQpzEWxkorAC7thMN1tHQK8cCct8g_dOZ80VyO/s640/IMG_5412.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n8a0o_tsuWSDgkToizyWSqPjFF_lLa5nMwAkKG3vhp0/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leftover mushroom risotto (or any other risotto)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bocconcini (bite sized fresh mozzarella)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bread crumbs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">approx 1 cup Plain flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Eggs- whisked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oil for frying</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: It's not possible to give exact measurements as it depends on the quantity of left over risotto.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slice the bocconcini into thin slices and keep aside. Take a slice of bocconcini, place a basil leaf on it and then keep it as the center and form a risotto ball around it, try to keep it the size of a golf ball.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Repeat the process with the remaining risotto and place the balls in a platter. Now lets start the crumbing process, Take each risotto ball and roll it in flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs. Repeat the process for all the risotto balls. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now heat oil in a pan and once it's hot enough ( check by dropping a piece of bread if it sinks it's too cold, if it browns immediately it's too hot, if it sizzles and colours slowly it is at the right temperature) Place 3-4 risotto balls in the oil at a time and avoid over crowding. Let them fry till they get nicely crisp and brown. Repeat for the rest of the risotto balls. Your crispy arancini is ready.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: If you are preparing ahead of time, keep them in a warm oven to remain warm and crisp. Best served hot with tomato chutny.</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-12485499346877999412013-06-18T01:53:00.001+10:002013-06-18T17:50:01.237+10:00Mushroom Risotto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Dear Readers,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I fell in love with mushroom risotto while dining at Villa Romana Restaurant at Lygon Street in Melbourne. As a student to eat at Villa Romana was expensive and a rarity, I think I only dined there 3 times in 5 years of my student life. We had gone there for a special occasion, two of my friends were moving back to India after finishing their study. It was a funny thing, we (my housemate and I) lived in Carlton right across Lygon St and ate there often but kept to the restaurants and cafes on the left hand side as they were cheaper. The right hand side ones were more expensive and so we never really dined there. Since it was a special occasion it warranted we dine at a restaurant on the right side, it was such a treat to be eating a dish that costed $22 (we only ever ate $8-$10 meals) The risotto was delicious, I still remember the poor waiter had to stand at our table grinding pepper for what seemed like 20 minutes. What can I say, I like my pepper. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I only wish I knew how to cook risotto then, it seemed so exotic and difficult at the time, that way I would have gotten to eat it more often. Anyways I am sharing my mushroom risotto recipe with you, hope you enjoy it :-) Any leftovers ?</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Turn them into crispy arancini balls, find recipe </span><a href="http://cookiedakitchen.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/crispy-cheesy-arancini-balls.html" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9M86xmzC0VRlhgFXKj0WG_gTQ81NczoFZ32KZAo6TNxC6OI99IoucrecdBOB_fX2xVdi1Vc_PQTbckbldWPuHhyphenhyphenFtvbCtOqpOpNtQWzDY_dstridxFvt_Q1FLgwRw_SbaOwOeirhcnri/s1600/IMG_5331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9M86xmzC0VRlhgFXKj0WG_gTQ81NczoFZ32KZAo6TNxC6OI99IoucrecdBOB_fX2xVdi1Vc_PQTbckbldWPuHhyphenhyphenFtvbCtOqpOpNtQWzDY_dstridxFvt_Q1FLgwRw_SbaOwOeirhcnri/s640/IMG_5331.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-U9CpGZzdrH0PBUmpaQ17OxR4t1qcGoGs-1Qqbfhquo/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 2-3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Arborio Rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup white wine (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 cups Vegetable or Mushroom stock </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp Olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a few dried Porcini mushrooms-soaked in hot water (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">250 g Fresh Assorted mushrooms ( I used cup, enoki and oyster)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 large Onion - chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6-7 Garlic cloves- finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juice of half a lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parsley leaves-chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Thyme leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ground Black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 knobs of butter (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parmesan cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onions once the oil is heated. Saute the onions till they are translucent. Add the chopped garlic and saute till the raw garlic smell disappears. Do not let the onion and garlic brown, saute on a med-low flame. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ik9CQgSDai8iSjQj4o0umEa-4-azFo6KSTPzlytTsRV6kLcVy5Zx2HkrPYt4zJaEWK1Y0jpKoSDpLRPqipoOBGgapMU-RS484amA9bL2Gn4Yr3C5-z59Jf5tMv01Icrcs7e1MMceg96p/s1600/IMG_5299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ik9CQgSDai8iSjQj4o0umEa-4-azFo6KSTPzlytTsRV6kLcVy5Zx2HkrPYt4zJaEWK1Y0jpKoSDpLRPqipoOBGgapMU-RS484amA9bL2Gn4Yr3C5-z59Jf5tMv01Icrcs7e1MMceg96p/s640/IMG_5299.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assorted mushrooms</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0pI5JLK28I0BgZ0ENici6NYODgqQlIVFI1kmrVd1VCggUquirTeeyQV7g5LA1lXBAHqMvepb-Shg5roqtXaLlibVMKB-CuvSho0wflzV5Gbgtq9htfacdX3xONEqJeefNHkZRuZtDJL1/s1600/IMG_5310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0pI5JLK28I0BgZ0ENici6NYODgqQlIVFI1kmrVd1VCggUquirTeeyQV7g5LA1lXBAHqMvepb-Shg5roqtXaLlibVMKB-CuvSho0wflzV5Gbgtq9htfacdX3xONEqJeefNHkZRuZtDJL1/s640/IMG_5310.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arborio rice</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the rice and give it a good mix so that the rice is coated in the oil and onion-garlic mixture. now pour the wine into the pan and let the alcohol evaporate. Add the thyme leaves and give it a good stir. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Squeeze the liquid out of the porcini mushrooms and add the brown mushroom flavoured liquid it was soaking in to the pan. This will give an intense mushroom flavour. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJq37G84YIplJZadU1H9-sP_uo4j0Ul9CqbEHgPYSMIzb2oqeLcuJnWxkRXfIi1jXOEubE2wnjX4eQVbmDLGOt76l7PJun7a_zgunOTLEy3cL1sxuo_JXibe5-ecWTDK7lALAJB-wZIc5/s1600/IMG_5306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJq37G84YIplJZadU1H9-sP_uo4j0Ul9CqbEHgPYSMIzb2oqeLcuJnWxkRXfIi1jXOEubE2wnjX4eQVbmDLGOt76l7PJun7a_zgunOTLEy3cL1sxuo_JXibe5-ecWTDK7lALAJB-wZIc5/s640/IMG_5306.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soaked Porcini mushrooms </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now start adding the stock to the rice one ladle at a time and let the rice absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue adding the stock till the rice is cooked but not mushy ( it should still have a little bite to it) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now add a few knobs of butter to it and squeeze the lemon juice into it right before serving. Add some fresh parsley, black pepper and give it a good mix. Serve with a few parmesan shavings on top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SOGarUOTY1Y-FBGA0gwFHEo0_spf8aadrkRlxUYG3f6jrxVgU566wJIzD7A6u-UH9tDGXhY-YSRQ8U1t56EYvA060VR22YFbtXtKpKZm7zY_OAQsvS9_H_rmGd6TdMOrKuk1oLjQRKls/s1600/IMG_5321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SOGarUOTY1Y-FBGA0gwFHEo0_spf8aadrkRlxUYG3f6jrxVgU566wJIzD7A6u-UH9tDGXhY-YSRQ8U1t56EYvA060VR22YFbtXtKpKZm7zY_OAQsvS9_H_rmGd6TdMOrKuk1oLjQRKls/s640/IMG_5321.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mushroom Risotto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-87542574940316527292013-06-17T22:17:00.004+10:002013-06-20T15:13:41.079+10:00Sticky date Pudding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winter is here in all it's glory in Sydney. I know I know being from Melbourne this shouldn't be too bad but I am close to the stage where once I am snuggled in my doona (duvet for my non Aussie friends) dressed in my flannel pjs, even getting up for a glass of water seems like an arduous task. But I love winters, it's probably because I grew up in a tropical country in a city where the only climate is hot and humid. I love the cycle of seasons and the change in activity and pace it brings with it and how nature has a unique way of replenishing itself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what makes winter nights so special you ask? Hot cocoa, my special Baileys hot chocolate, crumbles and best of all gooey sticky date pudding smothered in toffee sauce with a dollop of cream - sends you straight to gooey pudding heaven. I have a secret to share with all of you, I never ate dates while I was in India, they reminded me of cockroaches too much for me to eat them.Only after I developed a serious case of anaemia when I moved to Melbourne and my mom advised me to eat two dates every day to boost my iron levels did I start eating dates and absolutely loved them. I seriously regretted not having eaten them all these years. I shared my dates-cockroach resemblance story to my hubby who then told me that he ate dates as a kid only because he thought they looked like cockroaches and thought it was so much fun because of that. Wow! So alike and yet so not alike!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming back to the pud, this recipe is fail proof, trust me I have made it in the most meticulous fashion and sometimes really carelessly it works every single time. I usually make sticky date puddings in muffin trays so that I have individual servings but you can make one large dish and cut it into slices like in the original recipe. Either way it's a really enjoyable dessert, perfect for those snuggly winter nights or days.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-p7MWbwff7JiebeSuLPJ7YMgeuC2fdxTX8tz45_MNc-DhAdPBgNBZYy12oNohRMnXxqLURdVPmK_AJxRorUCvuOS2LKzES9oo7BbCvekFUQu7K5PwfltMJ91BVlcr8UPK5omYL_7EVD0/s1600/IMG_5481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-p7MWbwff7JiebeSuLPJ7YMgeuC2fdxTX8tz45_MNc-DhAdPBgNBZYy12oNohRMnXxqLURdVPmK_AJxRorUCvuOS2LKzES9oo7BbCvekFUQu7K5PwfltMJ91BVlcr8UPK5omYL_7EVD0/s640/IMG_5481.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXKdUMdwY3E2x2XWvuQQTknLnHDQcl-YRfgpSLqHVR5Kex2t3ib05bGH0p82n1YonKKWzvV6sjkHxckjkeMkH_pPUZCi93f7kWfBF5kGyKIG4bWXRSJEQpvf4U3siQTVRjYN-_YXof_W1/s1600/IMG_5460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXKdUMdwY3E2x2XWvuQQTknLnHDQcl-YRfgpSLqHVR5Kex2t3ib05bGH0p82n1YonKKWzvV6sjkHxckjkeMkH_pPUZCi93f7kWfBF5kGyKIG4bWXRSJEQpvf4U3siQTVRjYN-_YXof_W1/s640/IMG_5460.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyLQGkngYwgaOthUxzy1fxDRUoRp5fbsIXLHg5nTbLKRJHPxnobsQCFcLTq5RJ3qcjawC5U5JebdJ3kOn8QhsVOakrxfwyPVs1UtzBIBvGoC3CoKexmCRkkTobjHzeBnaJAtpbIBR7yfe/s1600/IMG_5487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyLQGkngYwgaOthUxzy1fxDRUoRp5fbsIXLHg5nTbLKRJHPxnobsQCFcLTq5RJ3qcjawC5U5JebdJ3kOn8QhsVOakrxfwyPVs1UtzBIBvGoC3CoKexmCRkkTobjHzeBnaJAtpbIBR7yfe/s640/IMG_5487.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxYsrvvWj_3yv5UHpGaFTnjiY_uKAkhh6_XJ9z_ldcDDB7UbzODvnF-UyhBQPEHP2Vi5t4vIdoaPDg5hiSrLmhQws5WyJjoA8oUu-vNoh2Yd91T878_sGTgKB5h6yIxiEi4aXjc_sylkc/s1600/IMG_5488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxYsrvvWj_3yv5UHpGaFTnjiY_uKAkhh6_XJ9z_ldcDDB7UbzODvnF-UyhBQPEHP2Vi5t4vIdoaPDg5hiSrLmhQws5WyJjoA8oUu-vNoh2Yd91T878_sGTgKB5h6yIxiEi4aXjc_sylkc/s640/IMG_5488.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMrbqi45zLNWGutxvAPP3rxy1Bgl3VHlmn8O_HTG7aecvluWiYmk8a645s_yeNFSBY7tnoeGX-t16ZcjmHFkM1uDJkzTcEVqj-LGD2HrhIlAUen7E4z6qyu1XCzyyn5wNPoaRx7qbiC7E/s1600/IMG_5503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMrbqi45zLNWGutxvAPP3rxy1Bgl3VHlmn8O_HTG7aecvluWiYmk8a645s_yeNFSBY7tnoeGX-t16ZcjmHFkM1uDJkzTcEVqj-LGD2HrhIlAUen7E4z6qyu1XCzyyn5wNPoaRx7qbiC7E/s640/IMG_5503.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf1IJL5NAK7P-yvryqRKMv9v4_VpxLk-Wwkpf4CfB1fw-ga8C4Ad30VmC32ZWxtEP2tCna_uWCScs_ulcNK_dQScLOHgjcdqqn_5QGh-ENe24EEwWmJyLn1qFRj8G_filOTMeuc6kqhV0/s1600/IMG_5511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf1IJL5NAK7P-yvryqRKMv9v4_VpxLk-Wwkpf4CfB1fw-ga8C4Ad30VmC32ZWxtEP2tCna_uWCScs_ulcNK_dQScLOHgjcdqqn_5QGh-ENe24EEwWmJyLn1qFRj8G_filOTMeuc6kqhV0/s640/IMG_5511.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ze1Ds8T_0tvIo6uEpQ4AL9doVMIwELb6-pdl5rSDkXI/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Adapted from Super food ideas July 2004, page 49 recipe by Dixie Elliott, found on <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/7828/sticky+date+pudding" target="_blank">taste</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">yields 12</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">250-300 g Pitted dates -chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp bicarbonate of soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 cups of boiling water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">125 g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13/4 cup Self Raising Flour - sifted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the caramel/toffee sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">300 ml thickened cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60 g butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Double cream or vanilla ice cream to serve with.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees C, fan forced). Lightly grease and flour a 12 cup muffin tray (you can choose to line them with muffin cases if you wish).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put the dates and bicarb in a bowl and cover it with the boiling water, keep it aside for 20 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together till it's fluffy and pale. Now mix in the date mixture till well combined. Now gently fold through the sifted flour till everything is combined and you get a smooth lump free batter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spoon the batter into the muffin tray and let it bake for 15-20 minutes till they are golden brown, well risen and a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the puddings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pierce the puddings with a skewer and drizzle the sauce over it generously. Best served warm with a dollop of double cream or vanilla ice cream. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: The puddings and the sauce can be made a day or two ahead, they keep really well in anairtight container. The sauce can be reheated right before serving.</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-85155239371794313412013-06-15T19:50:00.001+10:002013-06-17T15:07:19.770+10:00Eating my way through Chennai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hubby and I got back from India a few weeks ago. We were there for one of my very good friend's wedding and also to visit family. Our itinerary included Chennai, Delhi (Gurgaon) and Mussoorie. We spent about 6 days in Chennai where my parents live and the place where I grew up. My friend who was getting married is one of my oldest friends, we have seen each other grow from gawky teenagers to thankfully - beautiful, confident women (and all the craziness in between) Every year when I went back home I knew her's would be one of the first few faces I would see, it's a strange feeling knowing that this might not be the case anymore, as she has moved halfway across the world to Washington, D.C. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's amazing how old friends can stop time and even turn it back, whenever we meet we have so much to talk about and reminisce, as if we were never apart. So to be a part of her wedding and see her enter this new phase of life was an exciting and emotional experience. If you know anything about Indian weddings,you know they are dramatic, colourful and full of chaos. If you are ever invited to one, let go of your inhibitions and just go with the flow. Chaos is the ultimate path to having a good time in Indian weddings. Nothing ever happens on time, there is a lot of food and a lot of people trying to feed you, lots of dancing, </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">clothes go missing, people go missing just </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as long as the bride and groom make it on time to the ceremony, all is well. After having a wonderful time at the wedding and partaking in the madness and enjoying Marwari hospitality, we were all set to just chill and enjoy the city for a few days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMAdrGqsb_CSE56kUSF1j3tsmXH9ABSYZ9jCODvNf3HeNxrQoOM24kwXY1my79vhI19pa1bn5g_xABLuLvBzq4GTMHHUMxjXsaeggWOYGKt0ChyGDW8v-yhCHd4hRmJhzitk7LlN5JtiE/s1600/IMG_3474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMAdrGqsb_CSE56kUSF1j3tsmXH9ABSYZ9jCODvNf3HeNxrQoOM24kwXY1my79vhI19pa1bn5g_xABLuLvBzq4GTMHHUMxjXsaeggWOYGKt0ChyGDW8v-yhCHd4hRmJhzitk7LlN5JtiE/s640/IMG_3474.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little about Chennai, formerly known as Madras, it is one of the four largest metropolitan cities in India. It is also the capital of the southern state Tamil Nadu. Tamil is the state's official language and is one of the oldest languages in the world. Now hubby belongs to Delhi and is not a big fan of the south, all those years of conditioning are hard to get rid off that quickly. India's different regions are so varied and culturally different from one another that in spite of living in one country, no one can claim to understand every region, their language, food and so on. It's a culinary adventurer's dream and a traveler's unconquerable conquest. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I took upon myself the task of making him like the city that I know so well and love. He is not a fan of art or architecture, so no temples, churches or galleries would do. I decided that apart from the two days at the wedding we would eat our way through the city. I would take him to my local eateries that I have loved for ages and also enjoy the new culinary hot spots in the city.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Saravana Bhavan</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">101, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chennai - 600 004.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No visit to Madras is ever complete without eating tiffin from Saravana Bhavan. Saravana Bhavan is a Madras food institution, and has branches all over the world. Not much has changed here, the same setting, same delicious food, of course prices have inflated a lot over the years. We ordered idlis, onion rava dosa, vadas, appam with cauliflower side dish and filter coffee. The highlight for me is the consistent good taste and quality of food. I love the sambhar here and the coconut chutney is the best I have ever had. I absolutely love South Indian filter coffee, it is the Indian cappuccino if you will - perfect combination of the bitterness with a hint of sweetness and froth. The food was as good as i remembered, all my south Indian food cravings were satiated and we were both so full at the end of it all.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food 9/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Service 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambience 5/10</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWy7_MJrjZeeghClQap08HmWYcDBP7cwW9tMBLWlzaY5iU2_v-xJbYIdvajPy1-eTfzEmmihBPyoR4OCPOx0MTLRI8YDRFD_rmJ5Njve6GTz9bGjxq1linaOk9mZ3PL9ilXrdSIZkkC6Z/s1600/IMG_3448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWy7_MJrjZeeghClQap08HmWYcDBP7cwW9tMBLWlzaY5iU2_v-xJbYIdvajPy1-eTfzEmmihBPyoR4OCPOx0MTLRI8YDRFD_rmJ5Njve6GTz9bGjxq1linaOk9mZ3PL9ilXrdSIZkkC6Z/s640/IMG_3448.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOMb_K_odTx-T6BdXdQqsT-KK_6jMd2GziAiXWvQAP42VeoPIv3wbTH1xGJXlUI_wByFnbJ1bLED7t-oHwwMWTv_Wucf0klLDqUlWbROC-_BkV3df7NyTZaz2G6OAB92F4tFfdv8JU9HR/s1600/IMG_3449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOMb_K_odTx-T6BdXdQqsT-KK_6jMd2GziAiXWvQAP42VeoPIv3wbTH1xGJXlUI_wByFnbJ1bLED7t-oHwwMWTv_Wucf0klLDqUlWbROC-_BkV3df7NyTZaz2G6OAB92F4tFfdv8JU9HR/s640/IMG_3449.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Idlis with sambhar and chutny</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYwS0t7RLUlJL0bEsrUSYAQLqWFzfL5wjmNP2xOhgdzXzowLtdrwl1Q_Uy06HcWT1Z5tdv06GMm0KXGrG-h09mnq_eW5-A40XbbKVjR1OMz2fcY0lXkseX93Jdmpi0gWo14snYyiu76Ic/s1600/IMG_3450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYwS0t7RLUlJL0bEsrUSYAQLqWFzfL5wjmNP2xOhgdzXzowLtdrwl1Q_Uy06HcWT1Z5tdv06GMm0KXGrG-h09mnq_eW5-A40XbbKVjR1OMz2fcY0lXkseX93Jdmpi0gWo14snYyiu76Ic/s640/IMG_3450.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medu Vada with sambhar and chutny</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fcqOkxoP3Z1S6kFU67TzEl3cbF0bcw-vUtogORl4OHn1ACYFUNpnSbV_SZk9Qa6pd9hOIhZdij5HW0WP5liANmvXiDwBnsF1GUW5u8FBOh7OumMKzfMecS4xpl01cyrgKhd82oTvzXZG/s1600/IMG_3451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fcqOkxoP3Z1S6kFU67TzEl3cbF0bcw-vUtogORl4OHn1ACYFUNpnSbV_SZk9Qa6pd9hOIhZdij5HW0WP5liANmvXiDwBnsF1GUW5u8FBOh7OumMKzfMecS4xpl01cyrgKhd82oTvzXZG/s640/IMG_3451.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Appam with side dish</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6oB3fxQeCCWgS4q93FgiUroeQU-blubMscxGzrMXqkSGk1u8GHh63BKVaDvlK0kbfrvxwOuccWo25OZmXuJofzhKEDWFDBg1ypYspHKV2Gc2QrNT9ICGC4DJdasJMxQZmNE-Fx9DmnAv/s1600/IMG_3453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6oB3fxQeCCWgS4q93FgiUroeQU-blubMscxGzrMXqkSGk1u8GHh63BKVaDvlK0kbfrvxwOuccWo25OZmXuJofzhKEDWFDBg1ypYspHKV2Gc2QrNT9ICGC4DJdasJMxQZmNE-Fx9DmnAv/s640/IMG_3453.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Onion Rava Dosai</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdlRYjlegz7uLyq-OihQ502krdasDJRVpKlSNm1O646TYtctJ49PDCblGDQRPPByicfPvj2nHRrgSLXxN2KDnq53uu-kIAHIl-B_hCtq11-JE_od-qkcInhi5DRtiHefcoWaHPTmbEylP/s1600/IMG_3457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdlRYjlegz7uLyq-OihQ502krdasDJRVpKlSNm1O646TYtctJ49PDCblGDQRPPByicfPvj2nHRrgSLXxN2KDnq53uu-kIAHIl-B_hCtq11-JE_od-qkcInhi5DRtiHefcoWaHPTmbEylP/s640/IMG_3457.jpg" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooling/frothing action</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHxwQN5huVM53wPbqbKs4M6k7aKLJzMmpHsQwA_1AcEKoD-MLQNcjswkcygyuYo-N8BeuA7io8GHo0547vEqgTH0bgVHH7IQdSONjVo7grpqAhCgPvWAVsPhzR2Q7ujxd4cNMKAzXcwDS/s1600/IMG_3463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHxwQN5huVM53wPbqbKs4M6k7aKLJzMmpHsQwA_1AcEKoD-MLQNcjswkcygyuYo-N8BeuA7io8GHo0547vEqgTH0bgVHH7IQdSONjVo7grpqAhCgPvWAVsPhzR2Q7ujxd4cNMKAzXcwDS/s640/IMG_3463.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Filter coffee</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fruit Shop on Greams Road</b></span><br />
<div class="padb5" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -1px;"># 49/50, Whites Road, SL:22, Base-1,</span><br />
<span class="fs18 lsm1 clr1" style="letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Express Avenue Complex,<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Royapettah, Chennai - 600014</span></span></div>
<div class="padb5" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">
<span class="fs18 lsm1 clr1" style="letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This used to be a popular hangout during my schooling, our very own Pop tates (Archies) if you will. The first one was at Greams Road, hence the name. It has about 10-12 branches in Chennai now and are really popular because f their superb quality of fruit juices and milkshakes. Their juices and milkshakes are as popular now as they were 10 years ago. We had a citrus cooler, kiwi based juice and the famous Jughead milkshake (ice cream based) . The quality and taste was great and the refreshing drinks was what we needed on a hot day. They even gave us a little shot glass for my nephew to have juice out of. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food 9/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Service 7/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambience 7/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg798bSiQn7gGJiHRf40sHa5-8ZgU5fmBuLG1EqPeLAqGzw64YWL0IqZ10oe9eksYMDJFYyYmVTkzI5m1spYLw4lVjKauj2qti07XIBn5b6FzMnin6BTwV86XG75jJAwbcRZQYgaRb-k23i/s1600/IMG_3515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg798bSiQn7gGJiHRf40sHa5-8ZgU5fmBuLG1EqPeLAqGzw64YWL0IqZ10oe9eksYMDJFYyYmVTkzI5m1spYLw4lVjKauj2qti07XIBn5b6FzMnin6BTwV86XG75jJAwbcRZQYgaRb-k23i/s640/IMG_3515.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Citrus cooler</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1c3TNBbIKHKBZms432rBzA4FvgUTsCWtYdsmt0sOLcJJO3B1dUaJkAyFuLe0dmfHW_isQPECHkkdpGf-oYmnH7kKFvnNJx2ocsrCFpBy3R9zZpaQ2t6knN2DPJ3DpY-g90kcPj5RfQbwD/s1600/IMG_3516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1c3TNBbIKHKBZms432rBzA4FvgUTsCWtYdsmt0sOLcJJO3B1dUaJkAyFuLe0dmfHW_isQPECHkkdpGf-oYmnH7kKFvnNJx2ocsrCFpBy3R9zZpaQ2t6knN2DPJ3DpY-g90kcPj5RfQbwD/s640/IMG_3516.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kiwi cooler</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4guPu07iXClxgidLz7JEZ5kC6XrH-nuJnQQnLg0Q-85QhYDtWBBaNezrvmOFUKOnFrI60EKxiA_c8DLp2lS_P7fWicGzOFZgVGhDsJ4hdsYBREZlz7v-O4dtkS1VQeRqcWkewLZ9GobV/s1600/IMG_3517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4guPu07iXClxgidLz7JEZ5kC6XrH-nuJnQQnLg0Q-85QhYDtWBBaNezrvmOFUKOnFrI60EKxiA_c8DLp2lS_P7fWicGzOFZgVGhDsJ4hdsYBREZlz7v-O4dtkS1VQeRqcWkewLZ9GobV/s640/IMG_3517.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jughead special</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyss9G_r8-3Ptxm1IubZkWMTcux72y49_6CcZmd9Ycy7RePGLmD4yJJGckimE3845b04wf-vN6XdmCdv6uGDhrj1D6vt8v3xsBesWY97jozprv4gipwYmu4YiN02lDwTjKYsznknh3UYnu/s1600/IMG_3518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyss9G_r8-3Ptxm1IubZkWMTcux72y49_6CcZmd9Ycy7RePGLmD4yJJGckimE3845b04wf-vN6XdmCdv6uGDhrj1D6vt8v3xsBesWY97jozprv4gipwYmu4YiN02lDwTjKYsznknh3UYnu/s640/IMG_3518.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBvi0ir6uVD7JxUOqWUsPj6WicCBl5is19AmmnBnVulNMkD3clyoLSHpFvwyDh5hJAO9CMbdAsNx-BAWVXAfbWv76OcFkzC18e-EHkXE8vjARbhUyEOxVFYw8GrSbQoD8pfZwn1yR9a1n/s1600/IMG_0102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBvi0ir6uVD7JxUOqWUsPj6WicCBl5is19AmmnBnVulNMkD3clyoLSHpFvwyDh5hJAO9CMbdAsNx-BAWVXAfbWv76OcFkzC18e-EHkXE8vjARbhUyEOxVFYw8GrSbQoD8pfZwn1yR9a1n/s640/IMG_0102.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My nephew enjoying juice in his baby glass</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mainland China</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">44/145,Hotel Tulip Aruna Complex,Sterling Road, </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Nungambakkam,Chennai,TN,600 034, India</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been coming to the Mainland China at Tulip Aruna Hotel ever since it opened. The Hotel boasts of some very nice restaurants like Fusion 9 and Sigree. We went for dinner with my parents who also enjoy the food here. The food was good as usual and the service was top notch, very polite, attentive and professional. I love the Indianised Chinese food and seriously miss it a lot in Aussie Land. It is no wonder that we non resident Indians look forward to visiting the motherland so much. The soups, side dishes and noodles were really tasty, only let down was the creme brulee which had no sugary crunch nor was the custard very creamy and it lacked the orange blossom taste which was promised in the menu.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food 7/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Service 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambience 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphendhzL_rUyTOu_Vk2ceyJO9XHNkdTX-X5EDLPn1CxxpgS5rOUCwbv7ujqs_o3_-229y9QHd23cV5voQyI6Xom7mydQiOefioRiqX64J-EdbyN_FnGNn83c-9PuY3_qnRAaLJhqu2pBP5G/s1600/IMG_0120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphendhzL_rUyTOu_Vk2ceyJO9XHNkdTX-X5EDLPn1CxxpgS5rOUCwbv7ujqs_o3_-229y9QHd23cV5voQyI6Xom7mydQiOefioRiqX64J-EdbyN_FnGNn83c-9PuY3_qnRAaLJhqu2pBP5G/s640/IMG_0120.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wonton soup</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp31nAefSlgS3jjpgoLj45uCa2asJPOwDCmmMLJsZ79CExkUXM2k9TznoSa7AxIEzsHNibho1WUBa4j4uHVp-M8Z6kzrr5BC75dIE_X_-KuEQweXG7t7IZ8V89o_ZXNnaXS5PAz-0j4fV/s1600/IMG_0121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp31nAefSlgS3jjpgoLj45uCa2asJPOwDCmmMLJsZ79CExkUXM2k9TznoSa7AxIEzsHNibho1WUBa4j4uHVp-M8Z6kzrr5BC75dIE_X_-KuEQweXG7t7IZ8V89o_ZXNnaXS5PAz-0j4fV/s640/IMG_0121.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hot and sour soup</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi0i3Zru8ftBQrV6-D9m2o52Diu5Fz3qtdgofq7VHITc9wPKXzzzeiLzW492ALWLB34nIu5TLs1_r776cYwmn1DiPXzzZj3LLczRx7iQFbguW4TOXD6yLlEIe9LZaJifONv66uBtY3f4v/s1600/IMG_0123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi0i3Zru8ftBQrV6-D9m2o52Diu5Fz3qtdgofq7VHITc9wPKXzzzeiLzW492ALWLB34nIu5TLs1_r776cYwmn1DiPXzzZj3LLczRx7iQFbguW4TOXD6yLlEIe9LZaJifONv66uBtY3f4v/s640/IMG_0123.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crispy corn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-Rp8SG9_bh0vK79yz0tRFYKmh5Z3snPy9vCk0Nhip16abPOu3gB-sV13e1RbGAnJK45M-LXvP0KXNbJB4VWYAI2hyphenhyphenM4n0MhztpVqnII2CdXAvYEd3Y7v4m8fNMp3XflLlK6Px34p8ivS/s1600/IMG_0124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-Rp8SG9_bh0vK79yz0tRFYKmh5Z3snPy9vCk0Nhip16abPOu3gB-sV13e1RbGAnJK45M-LXvP0KXNbJB4VWYAI2hyphenhyphenM4n0MhztpVqnII2CdXAvYEd3Y7v4m8fNMp3XflLlK6Px34p8ivS/s640/IMG_0124.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lamb stir fry</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezGEP42fxGhJns5vS4SLg11mpwZ4KSyJVVibgF7MyqyKOcBhe167AI1TAKQ1RNcSiwz6H9AeWFOBKjNnSGBpu-r6V-dGWQZDVpfmW8vobJndMvZ_DaPASY8efhu641xWOj0XgoCkAW3RX/s1600/IMG_0125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezGEP42fxGhJns5vS4SLg11mpwZ4KSyJVVibgF7MyqyKOcBhe167AI1TAKQ1RNcSiwz6H9AeWFOBKjNnSGBpu-r6V-dGWQZDVpfmW8vobJndMvZ_DaPASY8efhu641xWOj0XgoCkAW3RX/s640/IMG_0125.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crispy vegetables</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-u54KnxYms6PyzCGbbUFxQPdZM3GMrtJEoKtDofgX64CSJYMOic4VmFTuXlPqdDLV7Kftq5NKmTN5hrt5S3M2aDf0TAPKL_tEVlXLhDflsB9_nP1mOVvIKDnaEN-SuxGpgQJ9WQ4X8FT/s1600/IMG_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-u54KnxYms6PyzCGbbUFxQPdZM3GMrtJEoKtDofgX64CSJYMOic4VmFTuXlPqdDLV7Kftq5NKmTN5hrt5S3M2aDf0TAPKL_tEVlXLhDflsB9_nP1mOVvIKDnaEN-SuxGpgQJ9WQ4X8FT/s640/IMG_0127.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pan fried noodles</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgat5QbV4sqhs7CRIDs9bIoYINlp0a0QTa3fVJ9yV42cnjJY4DvNb2-VpXFBei28hujPsZs-qgdmN7qQB_wXxb4pILQNBdh7RYLWjbnOe_Zil18lRH16lbVBtmY9HPcRah6KKXI7QKTnQ1Q/s1600/IMG_0130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgat5QbV4sqhs7CRIDs9bIoYINlp0a0QTa3fVJ9yV42cnjJY4DvNb2-VpXFBei28hujPsZs-qgdmN7qQB_wXxb4pILQNBdh7RYLWjbnOe_Zil18lRH16lbVBtmY9HPcRah6KKXI7QKTnQ1Q/s640/IMG_0130.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orange blossom creme brulee</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZVKeq1DSnv0oNSbZ6kybAmWwcyMeB05nPCvbw8QfloouQYZgROZe76PMom8XyMHMcabaQMDLnzujnrSKpfsuKDzWEy3PbmudKkAq5lHlsmyCO31DCbCSEC9re13LOG3Y5NmLDmL-lJUJ/s1600/IMG_0131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZVKeq1DSnv0oNSbZ6kybAmWwcyMeB05nPCvbw8QfloouQYZgROZe76PMom8XyMHMcabaQMDLnzujnrSKpfsuKDzWEy3PbmudKkAq5lHlsmyCO31DCbCSEC9re13LOG3Y5NmLDmL-lJUJ/s640/IMG_0131.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">creme brulee</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Amaravathi</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Opposite Music academy, Cathedral Road, Gopalapuram, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600086</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is one of my favourite places for Andhra meals apart from National Lodge. Andhra food is characteristically hotter and I love the gongura (sorrel leaves) chutney and the sundried salted chilli accompaniment. The food in this visit was a little bit of a let down for me as was the service. It's because I am used to efficient service and piping hot, delicious food from this joint. The vegetarian meals included sambhar, rasam, curd, 3 vegetable side dishes and accompaniments like pickle, gongura chutney and dal powder. I love the first course of rice with ghee, dal powder and chutny - yumm! My carnivorous husband enjoyed prawns and mutton with flaky parathas. I don't think he had tasted anything like it in Delhi and he loved it. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food 7/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Service 5/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambience 6/10</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBJCCq52KAh56BtXe_LDYPeI56NTCjksK1DEy2w4GgAxwIIHmFsaGeQtdu02fRRGTR02ajrjfE80iEsP96bay8tTjmIQXY6BP_6WvNwiEaihXZXFUOl460yZtw3GPXLAYb5gZzdqlgTZh/s1600/IMG_0157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBJCCq52KAh56BtXe_LDYPeI56NTCjksK1DEy2w4GgAxwIIHmFsaGeQtdu02fRRGTR02ajrjfE80iEsP96bay8tTjmIQXY6BP_6WvNwiEaihXZXFUOl460yZtw3GPXLAYb5gZzdqlgTZh/s640/IMG_0157.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdgBg16Uo3L6-CDhGW9b4yT5RO85uzD_1wgnj2uFDg7NWaRYekT7-Jz2JBJ2Cki7jRms6K-wFk-ClRAJwrJ9adoITwgXX0rhyDHamhx3or0SMexYIpqVkJxF6-xnr2Mfd1kgYKjzMb07T/s1600/IMG_0164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdgBg16Uo3L6-CDhGW9b4yT5RO85uzD_1wgnj2uFDg7NWaRYekT7-Jz2JBJ2Cki7jRms6K-wFk-ClRAJwrJ9adoITwgXX0rhyDHamhx3or0SMexYIpqVkJxF6-xnr2Mfd1kgYKjzMb07T/s640/IMG_0164.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegetarian Meals</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2gmdBrC67-TfMeNeaFwsCImOp4eFFJ16PaGD69zzqvy0yx_uRHPGX5MPqqPrIvtuY5mEIW3vhUDwdqIfomGOn7lYnRznZOKemUZAS6jPQXV3AXfm_ciIQHmXIF_TznuRLETc_dkx4ZG1/s1600/IMG_0165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2gmdBrC67-TfMeNeaFwsCImOp4eFFJ16PaGD69zzqvy0yx_uRHPGX5MPqqPrIvtuY5mEIW3vhUDwdqIfomGOn7lYnRznZOKemUZAS6jPQXV3AXfm_ciIQHmXIF_TznuRLETc_dkx4ZG1/s640/IMG_0165.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spicy prawns</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMJg1gGEIFmYcFR_CPYhdoz3Hts_MKBTQ9Nzvp7jOZJADP_jJKIxVjCkacVrnAbP-EbmFpcKUwE15ZuTIfPfCsXPL8l1rP8t3_1nwsUSMlq-FS-OGvRvnBuF4sfsNM93mYMaQ974AXk8c/s1600/IMG_0166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMJg1gGEIFmYcFR_CPYhdoz3Hts_MKBTQ9Nzvp7jOZJADP_jJKIxVjCkacVrnAbP-EbmFpcKUwE15ZuTIfPfCsXPL8l1rP8t3_1nwsUSMlq-FS-OGvRvnBuF4sfsNM93mYMaQ974AXk8c/s640/IMG_0166.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mutton fry</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU9_nZjqS0Gzc3WZkkGVV1fupaGbumUWs1zeiJ2NrjnQYMNiP9y61QekUTT6afdV1cslNyFCdybf0sXqEcEd25ebF5394Y1fO5YYAGH6qkHlCveffzjBTUi6poig2ofYUoLgfKIWzCL9t/s1600/IMG_0167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU9_nZjqS0Gzc3WZkkGVV1fupaGbumUWs1zeiJ2NrjnQYMNiP9y61QekUTT6afdV1cslNyFCdybf0sXqEcEd25ebF5394Y1fO5YYAGH6qkHlCveffzjBTUi6poig2ofYUoLgfKIWzCL9t/s640/IMG_0167.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parathas</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH-1IgToxn1rD9d6LniP3BNDNBkeAVWjy1Kh0E4PUQ2P3Qli5NurxVCHYtC6xwtT5fUyboG0_BBiKcUEAyITnNUidAcs8bh78YXE9NsR6wGVfxtGjNp9F5ELSwTv8ZU4DsiSrgE8iHW4R/s1600/IMG_0168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH-1IgToxn1rD9d6LniP3BNDNBkeAVWjy1Kh0E4PUQ2P3Qli5NurxVCHYtC6xwtT5fUyboG0_BBiKcUEAyITnNUidAcs8bh78YXE9NsR6wGVfxtGjNp9F5ELSwTv8ZU4DsiSrgE8iHW4R/s640/IMG_0168.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweet finish - sweet and bananas with beeda paan</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Flying Elephant</b></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">39 Velachery Road, Near Raj Bhavan, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Chennai, Tamil Nadu, </span><span itemprop="addressCountry" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">India, </span><span itemprop="postalCode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">600032</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span itemprop="postalCode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was our fancy pants night out with two of my girl friends from school. One of them had already been here and was raving about the food so we had to try it out. The restaurant is at the newly opened Park Hyatt Hotel and first impressions were impressive. I loved the interiors and the architectural finishes and use of lighting was beautiful. It even had a beautiful courtyard where I can only imagine what fun it would be to have brunch on a nice sunny day. It has been designed by George Wong and the emphasis is on the theatricality of the art of cooking, multiple levels and open kitchen stations ensures the engagement of visitors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQAwTKDruVS6jvM5P01tG2EA9z7CkV6UIkhyRtlk_hoDbWzN-O5P0eERHzRoenIYxl7X7kBDpbejfld2v10qvXZht7tnKg4chtyWN9R73XJadEZPt1k6PEPXZyqg6pm_-2eSzOgcuD4sv/s1600/IMG_0180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQAwTKDruVS6jvM5P01tG2EA9z7CkV6UIkhyRtlk_hoDbWzN-O5P0eERHzRoenIYxl7X7kBDpbejfld2v10qvXZht7tnKg4chtyWN9R73XJadEZPt1k6PEPXZyqg6pm_-2eSzOgcuD4sv/s640/IMG_0180.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiti8XlwZs7O1g7eUmBRBPgQKevpcLd-JAAMzGQkcO-k4IS83AALh8tvfaypL6Wf76V6tc7M_7haNeVLNloShvT__RJtXF4Qm6Vc7StLTVgNwEqYwQqSkFpvuGfGWlST03NYTy931F9l57h/s1600/IMG_0197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiti8XlwZs7O1g7eUmBRBPgQKevpcLd-JAAMzGQkcO-k4IS83AALh8tvfaypL6Wf76V6tc7M_7haNeVLNloShvT__RJtXF4Qm6Vc7StLTVgNwEqYwQqSkFpvuGfGWlST03NYTy931F9l57h/s640/IMG_0197.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mango chips with Guacamole</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">We were escorted to our table and given the menus. We decided to order some cocktails ( can not remember the names except the mojito) and try their mango chips (seasonal specialty) with guacamole. The mango chips were interesting, they were like dehydrated or air fried thin wafers of mango, quite tasty. The cocktails were delicious and fruity.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sY8cgbWgJNI7f_GkDGk22pw3tgMCQLO9G6raOHs3GupdJOClYUrosDEIqUug3EJxnBJEoXbwh2TtQC5YOvmfDK5CRgRmYrEzke8AXKu7cOFJ4QURnwvuvaRppIC8r-E4Xb7eMXEyyc6n/s1600/IMG_0184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sY8cgbWgJNI7f_GkDGk22pw3tgMCQLO9G6raOHs3GupdJOClYUrosDEIqUug3EJxnBJEoXbwh2TtQC5YOvmfDK5CRgRmYrEzke8AXKu7cOFJ4QURnwvuvaRppIC8r-E4Xb7eMXEyyc6n/s640/IMG_0184.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDwaQ-U-IrVRzwQ6m3sQC5F6yQXGdc-4XBjvg2NOO6dhu5r5v1qSPzDdMFDtfWPXhQc8yX3Fct3sEyQURiuz6urRXO6bkQtHqq77GOr4V9DdCFinQIOkKgSUgH70T3jJa_L_lIovQZjab/s1600/IMG_0187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDwaQ-U-IrVRzwQ6m3sQC5F6yQXGdc-4XBjvg2NOO6dhu5r5v1qSPzDdMFDtfWPXhQc8yX3Fct3sEyQURiuz6urRXO6bkQtHqq77GOr4V9DdCFinQIOkKgSUgH70T3jJa_L_lIovQZjab/s640/IMG_0187.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihR7qWjJIU1OGzubo5ExstKEWMxp57CWKfpS2Kd-dDxuwWn3jMe73p-yVHIWq7FpMnBpDG7rUbY6WOmDY7-NdNVLxq6tIfM4Wp2QDxF1wzOBJeaDVGdP34sP6l1XT-aiSt3YyuS3dsvxxD/s1600/IMG_0207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihR7qWjJIU1OGzubo5ExstKEWMxp57CWKfpS2Kd-dDxuwWn3jMe73p-yVHIWq7FpMnBpDG7rUbY6WOmDY7-NdNVLxq6tIfM4Wp2QDxF1wzOBJeaDVGdP34sP6l1XT-aiSt3YyuS3dsvxxD/s640/IMG_0207.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmAUk2pO0AjQ-OCgEdqeP-eqLXMwPrp0SdN7Gl8F0Y8zAcvXbEkkq_QZU1PzO_HR_FPo9WIO9m3hW352-eoIweXZZK-6Trv-4Ym-xOaO4tlhIMjqBwwtfdY9IgUZQVQ3P53adC8-ql3xW/s1600/IMG_0185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmAUk2pO0AjQ-OCgEdqeP-eqLXMwPrp0SdN7Gl8F0Y8zAcvXbEkkq_QZU1PzO_HR_FPo9WIO9m3hW352-eoIweXZZK-6Trv-4Ym-xOaO4tlhIMjqBwwtfdY9IgUZQVQ3P53adC8-ql3xW/s640/IMG_0185.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VnfpwBooIe8yG5xNdG8X9j67s9NeR_nrlZ4fH8xodWr0gfmqHAb9xheXISZ92yTU7mAPXmA6IcfabHQR9xGVdRcUUF5pCSlAKzJbDoJXJ4ErXh57UXlJoGDDOOWho8FMMHH-v1LVdu28/s1600/IMG_0183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VnfpwBooIe8yG5xNdG8X9j67s9NeR_nrlZ4fH8xodWr0gfmqHAb9xheXISZ92yTU7mAPXmA6IcfabHQR9xGVdRcUUF5pCSlAKzJbDoJXJ4ErXh57UXlJoGDDOOWho8FMMHH-v1LVdu28/s640/IMG_0183.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Complimentary bread</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_xpnLUmuvbocDFFAU2UXz6QKmdUilNuBI1fZGivIw5uabpQ_YZSMKIbkfT9hsBqFZAECX_H9xtZt5oizzP_IAHB0CTYvKgJ2Ksftsumb6uIRid-zU8dcFlbHWyxPgh485nOETSY7cFys/s1600/IMG_0192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_xpnLUmuvbocDFFAU2UXz6QKmdUilNuBI1fZGivIw5uabpQ_YZSMKIbkfT9hsBqFZAECX_H9xtZt5oizzP_IAHB0CTYvKgJ2Ksftsumb6uIRid-zU8dcFlbHWyxPgh485nOETSY7cFys/s640/IMG_0192.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indonesion Gado Gado salad</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then ordered a Gado Gado salad and grilled ricotta in a strawberry syrup for the vegetarians. The salad was good and the satay sauce was tasty but the grilled ricotta was sensational. It had both sweet and savoury notes with hint of cinnamon and cloves. It was sublime and no it was not a dessert.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhCowEmVeq1QQIaGs4sken7EioeiaBUi9z2rk7NAchRrmDHuLPKH4KJLy3qC8TdYaN0OtG2UZ4YktK4tw-JHpZO9mwGUHxC4FKlgCx0Z3DlopX9IHmXRIuo8jtNz2S16HeiWoiNCtdcR6/s1600/IMG_0194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhCowEmVeq1QQIaGs4sken7EioeiaBUi9z2rk7NAchRrmDHuLPKH4KJLy3qC8TdYaN0OtG2UZ4YktK4tw-JHpZO9mwGUHxC4FKlgCx0Z3DlopX9IHmXRIuo8jtNz2S16HeiWoiNCtdcR6/s640/IMG_0194.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grilled Ricotta with strawberry compote</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJyjtK3XQTq2oEtN67RbxTy7vsNNdMpG_Z-snZTsqkl2A-e0U_SgNk7Pcul7GYXuMiGZXRN83OlxnfAThzOkOzuxANz5zlCVlhdDmVB1RZWNV3bvxD0idGqV2gaZNfiJn1hH85TqdSf_V/s1600/IMG_0195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJyjtK3XQTq2oEtN67RbxTy7vsNNdMpG_Z-snZTsqkl2A-e0U_SgNk7Pcul7GYXuMiGZXRN83OlxnfAThzOkOzuxANz5zlCVlhdDmVB1RZWNV3bvxD0idGqV2gaZNfiJn1hH85TqdSf_V/s640/IMG_0195.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grilled Ricotta again!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRUtJg9Z_3a3Tup3x-_IgSy2gBkjOnAAxsf55Lkz3tBDyE6hNRhaA9-nDM-rFYWR6OSNZMIDMXEdpQy6p5GW7S8xvb7jm5RoJa76GdYwdrfCWo-d8PQ4qYI3m_J3NX_o9FFG2A5aEOigr/s1600/IMG_0200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRUtJg9Z_3a3Tup3x-_IgSy2gBkjOnAAxsf55Lkz3tBDyE6hNRhaA9-nDM-rFYWR6OSNZMIDMXEdpQy6p5GW7S8xvb7jm5RoJa76GdYwdrfCWo-d8PQ4qYI3m_J3NX_o9FFG2A5aEOigr/s640/IMG_0200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Burrah kebab</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next we ordered the tiger prawn with olives and burrah kebab for the meat eaters. It was tasty and well cooked and was thoroughly enjoyed by them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKvdWb676nniSMS9cyLdBgx9xbnAOVCmRX_YfHeQYbFJJMThaHhT5boY7lAHyYXZyyVEUiYVdwwMEACVIH6a5TwHzfcsChr8fAWVJfduNitVzNfODJ5fgFf0QD4nyO5mNhVq8sTM0AHF9/s1600/IMG_0202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKvdWb676nniSMS9cyLdBgx9xbnAOVCmRX_YfHeQYbFJJMThaHhT5boY7lAHyYXZyyVEUiYVdwwMEACVIH6a5TwHzfcsChr8fAWVJfduNitVzNfODJ5fgFf0QD4nyO5mNhVq8sTM0AHF9/s640/IMG_0202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tiger Prawn with olives</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyJ2MpqLXWzD080Etu_8Ax2OOL6wTOBIqCS2XPq1LxU1SV-P369ZqKLG4LTAJx5rR6-ZmgeEc1pGz2X1ntC-jlJPbeiJuda5nrMqKbwa-Tu8ItZZsVg8VJLVkV-3Ri-wSqtDuLQwNrVjL/s1600/IMG_0204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyJ2MpqLXWzD080Etu_8Ax2OOL6wTOBIqCS2XPq1LxU1SV-P369ZqKLG4LTAJx5rR6-ZmgeEc1pGz2X1ntC-jlJPbeiJuda5nrMqKbwa-Tu8ItZZsVg8VJLVkV-3Ri-wSqtDuLQwNrVjL/s640/IMG_0204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bar</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then ordered desserts, my friend was keen to try the pavlova which is very Aussie so that we could tell her if it's good or not. A good pavlova is crisp on the outside and soft like a marshmallow on the inside. This unfortunately did not have a soft interior. It was hard and very sugary. The fruits and cream on top were nice and the presentation was good but it failed to impress as a pavlova.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnktgOt1hDqMItsS6abulwVaR7a77UGN4EZT015etoLH60KlIqYUt8YfDOzZC8KbRO28jzT9RS_LtXhGeMBV2ZewDE11o2wky-rjTsXcyIPfuLI7HLEz2BiG8tWCa52luh0bbHGz2AqsNU/s1600/IMG_0216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnktgOt1hDqMItsS6abulwVaR7a77UGN4EZT015etoLH60KlIqYUt8YfDOzZC8KbRO28jzT9RS_LtXhGeMBV2ZewDE11o2wky-rjTsXcyIPfuLI7HLEz2BiG8tWCa52luh0bbHGz2AqsNU/s640/IMG_0216.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pavlova</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally the </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pièce de résistance</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> arrived and it certainly was a show stopper - the Bombe alaska. Beautifully piped meringue exterior ready to be burnished by flaming liqueur. The flaming liqueur crisped up the meringue a little. We then cut through the meringue to reveal the cake and sorbet layers inside. I couldn't wait to get into it and boy was it good. The tartness of the fruit sorbet, soft sponge and sweet fluffy meringue with the hint of liqueur was just divine. This was my favourite dish of the night. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60bybjZlWk2GCvnOBTwURR2yRBOTVS3hgSdRzobmm6s3y_RhJelou7ltP_lIcKge1XUQrQUGyXcXtDTEZA2CGcXfPB-Tfhz8nofAwPULI-UCOnhO1LGR5zn5KOc2NRZCvzOp3hDIfelzS/s1600/IMG_0219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60bybjZlWk2GCvnOBTwURR2yRBOTVS3hgSdRzobmm6s3y_RhJelou7ltP_lIcKge1XUQrQUGyXcXtDTEZA2CGcXfPB-Tfhz8nofAwPULI-UCOnhO1LGR5zn5KOc2NRZCvzOp3hDIfelzS/s640/IMG_0219.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bombe Alaska being lit up</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83GbxERbe9VOegMdLV1Pa3CcLOQzrtmILexeOiIdKsTCfbmzAOEVFJTFC1uBYSnsn-j_K-5jN7VVWBr618yqto8_Q_aFpg5XlOXmsQcwlpK7HDrmtuBft2ag6LVbKCNC_adsjY8GZrTM1/s1600/IMG_0223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83GbxERbe9VOegMdLV1Pa3CcLOQzrtmILexeOiIdKsTCfbmzAOEVFJTFC1uBYSnsn-j_K-5jN7VVWBr618yqto8_Q_aFpg5XlOXmsQcwlpK7HDrmtuBft2ag6LVbKCNC_adsjY8GZrTM1/s640/IMG_0223.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bombe Alaska</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We then strolled around in the courtyard with our drinks and enjoyed the ambience. The waiters were quick to transport our drinks outside and very courteous.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZT8mSTcS75Y4tCASOC4H-51-0Dmc5MEVg-OJ4BzRez355dewT9PA6TVTb86h4IP2f_C363H2iFPoo_YIqvxCUEkYqBcstD_KjbvDHvG0YE8ZKH7IwRIdTtRfGgTvMa7NukEU_TnzmwRT5/s1600/IMG_0229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZT8mSTcS75Y4tCASOC4H-51-0Dmc5MEVg-OJ4BzRez355dewT9PA6TVTb86h4IP2f_C363H2iFPoo_YIqvxCUEkYqBcstD_KjbvDHvG0YE8ZKH7IwRIdTtRfGgTvMa7NukEU_TnzmwRT5/s640/IMG_0229.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Courtyard</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZ2BBF0xnUqgPtrNDguyXM1n-GTsN3g61muEqcDEbPb62VvIcy1dkiDx39_GOgjWzdg83WkeXjr9hhM6iCri7k2aUOxapyrF17O5AERLHx3NtQOWKEdN9HiKlrC8XWXwNyS0jA7IbHKhn/s1600/IMG_0230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZ2BBF0xnUqgPtrNDguyXM1n-GTsN3g61muEqcDEbPb62VvIcy1dkiDx39_GOgjWzdg83WkeXjr9hhM6iCri7k2aUOxapyrF17O5AERLHx3NtQOWKEdN9HiKlrC8XWXwNyS0jA7IbHKhn/s640/IMG_0230.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful reflections in the water - courtyard</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP3fb2n-SmS61xQp9Fb6GSMxje3CG6aiOw6Csy8k1uPDuxOr1XHrDFsZdiLDDLPXjf6VMUX-7bg7-vHxQB_Etii1-65gh_TUk7pM90Zrb9Aww3lX4krqUQyY5SEkb7QByBXpfclnLkA3u/s1600/IMG_0231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP3fb2n-SmS61xQp9Fb6GSMxje3CG6aiOw6Csy8k1uPDuxOr1XHrDFsZdiLDDLPXjf6VMUX-7bg7-vHxQB_Etii1-65gh_TUk7pM90Zrb9Aww3lX4krqUQyY5SEkb7QByBXpfclnLkA3u/s640/IMG_0231.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Service 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambience 9/10</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have written about 5 of my favorite places to eat in Chennai but there are so many more. I can't wait to visit my beloved city again and sample both the old and cherished and the new and hip joints along with my mumma's cooking. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">p.s yes the hubby fell in love with the food and the city is starting to grow on him :-)</span><br />
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-12936941359837175242013-06-14T23:56:00.003+10:002013-06-15T14:09:51.873+10:00Avocado, tomato and fetta bruschetta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last weekend was a long weekend for us in Sydney as it was the Queen's birthday and the best part of it was that two of our closest friends from Melbourne visited us. It was great to see them after so long and we had such a good time here in Sydney. This was a little breakfast I whipped up in a hurry before we headed out to explore the city. I used some beautiful olive bread from Bourke Street Bakery and other ingredients I had at home. It is a healthy and nutritious start to the day and it can be whipped up in a jiffy. The creaminess of the avocado ensures that no butter or margarine is required, sweet tomatoes and salty fetta make it a beautiful combination. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiNu0t7fn_OahM9lOZF1w-3Qz7O5PAsLOl8NTF4xln87Q6NpZkTFQbXvzNRjOdl4IzSGvv_CPuoQ_jb1odAM-E742njN-63aVxuBkpaK3Zq_oN3fYal_3xgkyGwFwGh42XhEWyaV10_IS/s1600/IMG_5210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiNu0t7fn_OahM9lOZF1w-3Qz7O5PAsLOl8NTF4xln87Q6NpZkTFQbXvzNRjOdl4IzSGvv_CPuoQ_jb1odAM-E742njN-63aVxuBkpaK3Zq_oN3fYal_3xgkyGwFwGh42XhEWyaV10_IS/s640/IMG_5210.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYv6RxLa54xcRoc4iMFHIf01rmXtFTrKHXOc-hxKk6vawAgGSaUI3atsTlV6A7yTHKAEfs4DormSAHdA69CENkuifZ5dccs_L3xlwt1Nh_HYpIm75N9GuGcEHUIal7OUdAvQIgVu0iNRaY/s1600/IMG_5223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYv6RxLa54xcRoc4iMFHIf01rmXtFTrKHXOc-hxKk6vawAgGSaUI3atsTlV6A7yTHKAEfs4DormSAHdA69CENkuifZ5dccs_L3xlwt1Nh_HYpIm75N9GuGcEHUIal7OUdAvQIgVu0iNRaY/s640/IMG_5223.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHuA1Rpnejz1va7Mj1HBMphZ8On4SQhm_CXaUegA0KAmKCD41lRpozfT76YuiPZ2LamS3aCzhyphenhyphenziASuKjsMxY-fAWvCWf-rUsoTQXNrb2TX-6eFbMbjYxLqIrSPzLQBafimhloGic9kIO/s1600/IMG_5225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHuA1Rpnejz1va7Mj1HBMphZ8On4SQhm_CXaUegA0KAmKCD41lRpozfT76YuiPZ2LamS3aCzhyphenhyphenziASuKjsMxY-fAWvCWf-rUsoTQXNrb2TX-6eFbMbjYxLqIrSPzLQBafimhloGic9kIO/s640/IMG_5225.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLE23nmfT8bh-Eex0EmfTB2AXSAxIC6qc67erC72AhOpNaqixFHt3xe8CRIwtC25hClp0E8TwHNpoAWt-7Hak1QBNv9NJFnCqn93qR7Lf6dC8LJGGQyhrf2zJfV5k5DKpNLccU3FOxOYw/s1600/IMG_5233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLE23nmfT8bh-Eex0EmfTB2AXSAxIC6qc67erC72AhOpNaqixFHt3xe8CRIwtC25hClp0E8TwHNpoAWt-7Hak1QBNv9NJFnCqn93qR7Lf6dC8LJGGQyhrf2zJfV5k5DKpNLccU3FOxOYw/s640/IMG_5233.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1juwKM3UZuUe0vfxMaI0zSsLhTGa1Xpusk7CnLCDGMIk/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">yields 4</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Slices of bread</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Avocado</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tomato - sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fetta - crumbled</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cracked pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut the avocado into half and scoop out the flesh and put it in a bowl. Break it up with the back of a spoon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place 1/4th the amount of mashed avocado onto each of the slices. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place 2-3 slices of tomato on each slice and top it with crumbled fetta. Sprinkle some cracked pepper on it and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil onto each of the slices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-88334630121760838642013-06-13T23:29:00.002+10:002013-06-15T14:12:59.701+10:00Kashmiri Dum Aloo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Dear Readers,</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I bring you another spicy dish from India - Kashmiri Dum Aloo. Kashmir is the northernmost state of India and also one of the most beautiful and scenic places in the world. This dish is a Kashmiri specialty, it's hot and spicy and flavoured with the Kashmiri dry chillis. Dum means cooking under slow, continuous heat in a sealed container and alu means potato. The dum pukht style of cooking is very popular in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, influenced by the Persian/Mughal style of cooking. The dum cooking ensures all the flavours stay intact and seep through the dish and slow cooking gives it depth of flavour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many versions of this dish but I have tried to stay as close to the traditional version as possible. there are a lot of different spices used in this dish, don't feel daunted by this. As long as you have the spices in your pantry cooking this dish will not take long. It's a relatively simple process and as with any dish alter the chilli levels to your own liking. I hope you enjoy this recipe.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62pu3AhaXJwXhZ6C2JKmkxm23Mn9kOuTCHh6eZMt8bSeqb3IUSYwqGUQ0D0FTqZ2fTFPLnc5he5-E7bNvLoYVZ3OuLJpjRepdwYJ-N93DA5OT-SxeZV8n4Cx4crsdBEATydioL2qOMsbd/s1600/IMG_4720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62pu3AhaXJwXhZ6C2JKmkxm23Mn9kOuTCHh6eZMt8bSeqb3IUSYwqGUQ0D0FTqZ2fTFPLnc5he5-E7bNvLoYVZ3OuLJpjRepdwYJ-N93DA5OT-SxeZV8n4Cx4crsdBEATydioL2qOMsbd/s640/IMG_4720.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jio4G3Gmky59USjKKjEELY_evEH8vxRWf6u48tYcFLk/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15-20 Baby potatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 cup plain natural yoghurt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp dry ginger powder </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Cinnamon stick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Black Cardamom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup Coriander leaves - chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegetable Oil for frying</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dry spices (to be roasted and ground)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4-5 Kashmiri dry red chillis - roasted and ground</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp cumin seeds - roasted and ground</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 cloves - roasted and ground</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp fennel seeds - roasted and ground</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 green cardamoms - roasted and ground</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parboil the potatoes and remove the skins once cooled. Prick the potatoes with a fork in several places. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67cUF0Q5Yv16MJVAwB6mUfVh979j2j8GjWMkDiRDMNtcSkUw5Yviyujg5CsnIGwuvuXvaM4-nsOU2M91F9kk77z4NPd0wN5H6ED9hklRyTmsWQa7NNVXXqUQxX6feI5XV91SFpkjQXI6Y/s1600/IMG_4679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67cUF0Q5Yv16MJVAwB6mUfVh979j2j8GjWMkDiRDMNtcSkUw5Yviyujg5CsnIGwuvuXvaM4-nsOU2M91F9kk77z4NPd0wN5H6ED9hklRyTmsWQa7NNVXXqUQxX6feI5XV91SFpkjQXI6Y/s640/IMG_4679.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a wok heat the oil for deep frying the potatoes. Once the oil is hot enough deep fry the potatoes till golden brown. The potatoes will become light in weight after frying. This helps them absorb the flavours even more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhFnW0esRabGgIbfMUX5vdep2MYdXQEL6xrEK5ex6aBOY5-fC0SERex2q-HseRWVPKYsB2-2Dhrx0GnSNY18cHyDNs9aTH2Fqp5wOREbUJ-zP9ngvXkZG_C9v2v34DJ_XDyTVwNgPUtnM/s1600/IMG_4698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhFnW0esRabGgIbfMUX5vdep2MYdXQEL6xrEK5ex6aBOY5-fC0SERex2q-HseRWVPKYsB2-2Dhrx0GnSNY18cHyDNs9aTH2Fqp5wOREbUJ-zP9ngvXkZG_C9v2v34DJ_XDyTVwNgPUtnM/s640/IMG_4698.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a bowl whisk the dry chilli powder, clove powder, fennel powder, ginger powder, cardamom powder and cumin powder together and keep aside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkH4ZcZyqdeI10gF8Ti58GJ_yBhUvIc2fOfH2LiOvM4W4DOE1cQuw85LUc3364B5Q7cOLnioedLvEcKBGgf9kRG_F1KFomt9Li3YvM3F3U1nFrwzHrhQO7JEe2hIOKYHnyQJNt-7YaQn9N/s1600/IMG_4685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkH4ZcZyqdeI10gF8Ti58GJ_yBhUvIc2fOfH2LiOvM4W4DOE1cQuw85LUc3364B5Q7cOLnioedLvEcKBGgf9kRG_F1KFomt9Li3YvM3F3U1nFrwzHrhQO7JEe2hIOKYHnyQJNt-7YaQn9N/s640/IMG_4685.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZbAshtechyPYu9brpN0doiy_QqTWWPl63cgGSU6MVqR0OO9yLyjcTr5qo3kbpUbxs6-c6GRFNUXIcMJx4E7dG0a-oPrPzV_leFrzoZftBzHPJxx1xwSERDQJ6W89pqeArJ87YDEuAVSx/s1600/IMG_4704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZbAshtechyPYu9brpN0doiy_QqTWWPl63cgGSU6MVqR0OO9yLyjcTr5qo3kbpUbxs6-c6GRFNUXIcMJx4E7dG0a-oPrPzV_leFrzoZftBzHPJxx1xwSERDQJ6W89pqeArJ87YDEuAVSx/s640/IMG_4704.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat a tbsp of oil in a wok and add the cinnamon stick to it. Now add the yoghurt mixture and about half a cup of water and let it boil till the oil begins to surface. Add the fried potatoes to it and let the gravy thicken. Let it cook covered for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rotis or naans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjh2gg-KnmhuQlMPsNO4jeYszDhqv8Ml3vzDZtHBoBx4iR7eeJFW9tFMmw-EF-MqQO0yemuNxf7gJCj80DyPtBYo0CNbhOUOj6HbZ6FnHlp1jCSEm32ysoJbpAuHi0dndRp3V44H_iRaUc/s1600/IMG_4713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjh2gg-KnmhuQlMPsNO4jeYszDhqv8Ml3vzDZtHBoBx4iR7eeJFW9tFMmw-EF-MqQO0yemuNxf7gJCj80DyPtBYo0CNbhOUOj6HbZ6FnHlp1jCSEm32ysoJbpAuHi0dndRp3V44H_iRaUc/s640/IMG_4713.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-30424258238725282192013-06-13T18:56:00.003+10:002013-06-13T18:56:42.048+10:00The best Guacamole ever<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guacamole is a popular Mexican dip that dates back to the Aztec civilization. It uses avocados as the main ingredient and is a fresh and tasty dip. I love guacamole and love making it at home. I dislike store bought dips as homemade ones are so simple and easy to make why go for the commercial stuff that tastes like nothing. Guacamole should be made right before serving as the avocado tends to darken when kept out for long. A recent visit to Mejico Restaurant in Sydney inspired me to start making dips in a mortar and pestle. The flavours are somehow stronger and more zingy from bruising the herbs. If you do not have a mortar and pestle feel free to just pulse in a food processor or just chop and mix by hand. But trust me once you start making your dips at home you will never reach out for another supermarket jar :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJv3_97qGi1iIboH_QK3ila035JIvfWppK89HpQoLaap0o0p_m3_saAlw7FqJZ2hEd_hsHNvmfNNaRa9sweW8mMSHski9ziZ7_sOJBPf6PB3S5UCXjVb4TEyouax6NMW6hCtbL7Z0rg-h/s1600/IMG_5279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJv3_97qGi1iIboH_QK3ila035JIvfWppK89HpQoLaap0o0p_m3_saAlw7FqJZ2hEd_hsHNvmfNNaRa9sweW8mMSHski9ziZ7_sOJBPf6PB3S5UCXjVb4TEyouax6NMW6hCtbL7Z0rg-h/s640/IMG_5279.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xzJPrraTcdjUhKKObogU6YFSBVDqjWE-N4XmPJcneOM/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp lime juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">zest of one lime</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup coriander leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 fat clove of garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 birds eye chilli (any small red chilli will do, small chillis are hotter than the long ones, I like the heat but if you don't just use half a chilli)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Roasted cumin - finely ground</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Medium Avocados</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Small onion - finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 small tomato - finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tips</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To make roasted ground cumin, dry roast cumin seeds on a pan till they turn dark brown. Grind them to a fine powder and store. I usually make a batch and store it in jars.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a mortar and pestle add the garlic, coriander leaves, chilli, cumin, lime juice and zest and pound till you get a smooth paste. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMODJG8Vpj4MmOgmvdmtJAWyefR3MwJQawOdAbW9XzjGljNOF-aMmSrPwJ04q8nYyh_JKMWQMMh_vouYoXhZOLEZcEaInPyRmcXy1E-Id9QVxMtHMnKVtqIqRUq2vo86XNqVRTYSg6lvDf/s1600/IMG_5248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMODJG8Vpj4MmOgmvdmtJAWyefR3MwJQawOdAbW9XzjGljNOF-aMmSrPwJ04q8nYyh_JKMWQMMh_vouYoXhZOLEZcEaInPyRmcXy1E-Id9QVxMtHMnKVtqIqRUq2vo86XNqVRTYSg6lvDf/s640/IMG_5248.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut the avocados into half and remove the seeds. Scoop out the flesh and add it into the mortar along with the onion and tomato and a generous sprinkling of salt. Mix everything well with a spoon. Crush the avocado with the back of a spoon to get a chunky dip. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHQEs-xb-NkYjPZe5ZB6WfCxg-8ygHWtpcybLc9kHxnf-3LYwq_9trVzYPAndi2NJlFjAuaEkjvhgN6VyK9k7EkxwHg7uIYGuQ7n0cPD-ICe7Cp2v0aiTlRk0IlFFaeiuty6o4S441tXc/s1600/IMG_5252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHQEs-xb-NkYjPZe5ZB6WfCxg-8ygHWtpcybLc9kHxnf-3LYwq_9trVzYPAndi2NJlFjAuaEkjvhgN6VyK9k7EkxwHg7uIYGuQ7n0cPD-ICe7Cp2v0aiTlRk0IlFFaeiuty6o4S441tXc/s640/IMG_5252.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garnish with a sprinkle of cumin powder. Serve with corn chips. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OjfHBQ9dF7jUCbNTbrxem96RfJR8kUBAZGF6IC_NbI50JVfVqdso82fhlo3eA0uwA6LKhwKeSDsQw1J53g3R3Fsqi-26S3R5fhyphenhyphengAlhsFyJihAk6cmhV8wj1jmuf_nxj376GARp53vCi/s1600/IMG_5255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OjfHBQ9dF7jUCbNTbrxem96RfJR8kUBAZGF6IC_NbI50JVfVqdso82fhlo3eA0uwA6LKhwKeSDsQw1J53g3R3Fsqi-26S3R5fhyphenhyphengAlhsFyJihAk6cmhV8wj1jmuf_nxj376GARp53vCi/s640/IMG_5255.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_igeC1oKmq_t_dDhizzTP3exeIfLwoATGyKogNK2bJ-OeUXy8swagJXiYFVr50A_YS04Sss4uBOYpW8ob7dugnPr32kHbH41CgNMk8U1YY00qTTx9PKLkju0tNuBKPsNqHx9gXmpGakL/s1600/IMG_5261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_igeC1oKmq_t_dDhizzTP3exeIfLwoATGyKogNK2bJ-OeUXy8swagJXiYFVr50A_YS04Sss4uBOYpW8ob7dugnPr32kHbH41CgNMk8U1YY00qTTx9PKLkju0tNuBKPsNqHx9gXmpGakL/s640/IMG_5261.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-4899900145100511122013-06-05T01:24:00.001+10:002013-06-13T19:27:28.986+10:00Tadka Idli/Tempered Idli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Idlis are the quintessential south Indian snack. It is one of the most popular tiffin items (tiffin meaning snack) Having grown up in Madras (now Chennai) I have eaten a lot of these little steamed rice cakes. These fluffy rice cakes make a delectable breakfast, I can seriously have them everyday for brekkie with piping hot sambhar and coconut chutny, yumm! The best thing is if you have the batter ready you can make it in a matter of minutes. My husband who is very north Indian in his ways also loves them, dosas are probably his favourite closely followed by idlis drowned in milagai powder. These tadka idlis are made with left over idlis and are a delicious way of using up leftovers. They make a really yummy snack, I always make extra idlis so that I can make this the next day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM2aknKtMcEypw1wiqBG-pcGR_JBjTj-rJoGjKOZ9JvsWZpe9q_7yt-Aoo-P6__DT2IeLGK8AWt6Xou9-nWHf8ndAJ1z4oLYMVSDL1jpmpMr1dm3FSjORUv_MKnhnaKC4mfTybbk6etJA/s1600/photo+%252820%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM2aknKtMcEypw1wiqBG-pcGR_JBjTj-rJoGjKOZ9JvsWZpe9q_7yt-Aoo-P6__DT2IeLGK8AWt6Xou9-nWHf8ndAJ1z4oLYMVSDL1jpmpMr1dm3FSjORUv_MKnhnaKC4mfTybbk6etJA/s640/photo+%252820%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DlSukJ5g_-D5U56fGHT2M84B6XvN1Pjt1d0I7d0WhPo/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 3- 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Idlis - chopped into bite size pieces</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 tsp Mustard seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Asfoetida powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10-12 curry leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut the idlis into bite sized pieces and put them in a bowl. Now sprinkle the turmeric, salt, and chilli powder on them and toss them so that they are all covered in the spices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ6HSY_JpyTUq-CV4cpRoOXASmSjjtXUekCkPE855hxlYqspgGUKLjpOEXGs6k9LJCYE3p6amBLdB4xq3kPzV9O6D_ijbZYC8u0tqw1j4ZSWhdKUpVXeXFYqm3q97Vq3cBrseVoNEPK3U/s1600/photo+(22).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ6HSY_JpyTUq-CV4cpRoOXASmSjjtXUekCkPE855hxlYqspgGUKLjpOEXGs6k9LJCYE3p6amBLdB4xq3kPzV9O6D_ijbZYC8u0tqw1j4ZSWhdKUpVXeXFYqm3q97Vq3cBrseVoNEPK3U/s640/photo+(22).JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpfvN2kyFjR0VPFJG_NdoGc4aOq4KEc0PX4pbreCNWD-4ujIujurInJBmHB3m2jhvqb4vsRbU7GKOvDrB1EzVHPyy2qrR99n0P5O_YoyFhDufQ3nU_qaF4I9ThiT7_US8xM5KQbDSozIz/s1600/photo+(15).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpfvN2kyFjR0VPFJG_NdoGc4aOq4KEc0PX4pbreCNWD-4ujIujurInJBmHB3m2jhvqb4vsRbU7GKOvDrB1EzVHPyy2qrR99n0P5O_YoyFhDufQ3nU_qaF4I9ThiT7_US8xM5KQbDSozIz/s640/photo+(15).JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat some oil in a pan and once it's hot enough add the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop add the curry leaves and asfoetida quickly followed by the spice laden idli pieces. Give everything a good mix so that all the idli pieces are covered in the oil-spice mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cook them till the idli pieces start to crisp up and are golden in colour. Keep an eye so that they don't stick to the pan. Once golden transfer them to a plate and serve with coconut chutny and idli milagai podi (spicy chutny powder or gun powder as it's called in North India)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvI22zPX0rl24njVz0eVUna4hpffdzB23bvXwVSuKF40fmZDyzvWwgnsM2bmWc41r3UFYH7wTBt32XaLv7EC4bd47lSFSl93MagCBwgQlGx1o_KuvO0lk4THTEkx64C6PrAzv-xHXFQu3/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvI22zPX0rl24njVz0eVUna4hpffdzB23bvXwVSuKF40fmZDyzvWwgnsM2bmWc41r3UFYH7wTBt32XaLv7EC4bd47lSFSl93MagCBwgQlGx1o_KuvO0lk4THTEkx64C6PrAzv-xHXFQu3/s640/photo+(18).JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-74319532162577538672013-06-05T00:58:00.001+10:002013-06-05T01:13:39.896+10:00Mejico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hubby and I indulged in our date night tradition after a long long time. Moving to Sydney, crazy work schedule, our India trip had kept us so busy that we hadn't gone on a date, just us two in a while. Hubby had mentioned that he wanted to take me to Mejico restaurant in Sydney CBD as he knows how much I love Mexican food. He had tried the place with work colleagues and thought I would enjoy it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We finally got a chance to go there a few weeks ago, hubby made a reservation and we were all set to go. We got there half hour early and the place was packed. The vibe is young, hip and fun. The design elements have a strong modern industrial/warehousey feel with a pop of bright pink stripes . It's quirky and fun decor along with the sheer number of people waiting at the bar for a table meant business was good, I couldn't wait to tuck in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had to wait for about 20 minutes as they were running a bit behind so I was just enjoying my cocktail while taking in the sights and sounds. They had a little open kitchen (for assembly) at the bar where plantain chips were on display and the chefs were scurrying around adding finishing touches to the food. The bartenders were dressed in striped pink and white tees, and were happily concocting delicious drinks for the happy patrons. After a drink at the bar we were escorted to our table, first thing I noticed was the mortar and pestle at the table. This was used for making fresh guacamole at the table, I knew we were definitely ordering that. We started off with a serve of the plantain chips and guacamole and blackened corn followed by a serve of tacos each. I found it rather interesting that they didn't serve corn chips which was such a staple at Mexican restaurants, instead they were using plantain which is so under utilized in Australia.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13hTDwlt0EFvEmnT0eFmrCc16VgUrxhNOnYubNft2wc390Lu6FsrD7OMgqaszD1lr38mWzb0eDTRul9_JKlJaSwM8DfJT2TD9h3WBja50aXiKZxfUGjVA6zzVTiU3F0XnUSNqsqiuCnAR/s1600/IMG_4136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13hTDwlt0EFvEmnT0eFmrCc16VgUrxhNOnYubNft2wc390Lu6FsrD7OMgqaszD1lr38mWzb0eDTRul9_JKlJaSwM8DfJT2TD9h3WBja50aXiKZxfUGjVA6zzVTiU3F0XnUSNqsqiuCnAR/s640/IMG_4136.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg4gRdg6P5BnAcXCOFdCpiZIGM9s-yvEXInb4EROeu2jsZthyUq_thZaObWPCil2Xgy5d4hidHnGrDLyPs-VL_JjRe2ayFqso-HmXPK8Ski4wG2O8nymQubw6BMPg5H-O3odTWI-m1K2l/s1600/IMG_4140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg4gRdg6P5BnAcXCOFdCpiZIGM9s-yvEXInb4EROeu2jsZthyUq_thZaObWPCil2Xgy5d4hidHnGrDLyPs-VL_JjRe2ayFqso-HmXPK8Ski4wG2O8nymQubw6BMPg5H-O3odTWI-m1K2l/s640/IMG_4140.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For mains I ordered their lone vegetarian option which was portobelo and croquetas and hubby ordered the Angus sirloin. They served my main first and we kept waiting for the sirloin. Then we saw another waitress serving the sirloin to the table next to us and they had only just arrived and hadn't received their entrees yet. And then our waitress discovered the mistake and tried to offer us another one but hubby was tired of waiting by then so we just shared my main and left. </span><br />
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drinks:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apple, kiwi and cinnamon Cocktail</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't remember what it is called but it was a combination of kiwi, apple and cinnamon. It was fruity and delicious, needed more cinnamon in my opinion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfBKoXgC7eS0elFb0otvoOIl-B9del2iPi055mdFdxPZ6LbveAhs0AMXHmhAfEm-aDEyX7g5lvT182-ssIbbDJ4u3Y8Yr9GRuemy9j6S05ht67sCrPqfUnFMKldk8fDi0RHCDzy8x5VNr/s1600/IMG_4154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfBKoXgC7eS0elFb0otvoOIl-B9del2iPi055mdFdxPZ6LbveAhs0AMXHmhAfEm-aDEyX7g5lvT182-ssIbbDJ4u3Y8Yr9GRuemy9j6S05ht67sCrPqfUnFMKldk8fDi0RHCDzy8x5VNr/s640/IMG_4154.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kiwi Apple cocktail</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cerveza Mexicali beer</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not much to get wrong, good Mexican beer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd1zgJzIi6wVenSHPwmWV6xR4knb7tbA2scx8uLyacTbuO5b7ZCALI_POTvCpyzzFYAdrxl6zHCykK4rblUyMNmVUcaJqecqtve1O3ttkJEdvQQpAHVUM3jsCEnbkklBoC7lzXa4kYozZ/s1600/IMG_4158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd1zgJzIi6wVenSHPwmWV6xR4knb7tbA2scx8uLyacTbuO5b7ZCALI_POTvCpyzzFYAdrxl6zHCykK4rblUyMNmVUcaJqecqtve1O3ttkJEdvQQpAHVUM3jsCEnbkklBoC7lzXa4kYozZ/s640/IMG_4158.jpg" width="482" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mexicali Beer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Entree: Market Fresh Guacamole</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Traditional: Avocado. Spanish onion. Coriander. Lime juice. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Fancy dress additional ingredients: Wasabi. Walnuts. Serrano chilli.</i> </span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Made-to-order in a molcajete; Served with our golden plantain chips</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">$9</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The waiter who made our guacamole was chatty and we exchanged recipes for guacamole while he was preparing it for us. I liked this interaction, it was fun and the way food should be served - fresh. Their guacamole has an interesting addition- pistachios, along with the regular ingredients onion, chilli, brown sugar, lime and avocado. It was fresh and tasty and went will with the crispy plantain chips. Only criticism it needed salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR_jGGaUf7B3yCAUwh6U7fmvKBqtinu-vbuTDh-31qLUF_5cjSEhkHSwRqTwBGYPq_fInhczchNCD-ghiX766FI9hOdOT4riPOuDpojDIEFpB49IxVR-PbyWeePbSL6gYyNwusAIEPsIo/s640/IMG_4168.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our very own mortar and pestle or molcajete</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR_jGGaUf7B3yCAUwh6U7fmvKBqtinu-vbuTDh-31qLUF_5cjSEhkHSwRqTwBGYPq_fInhczchNCD-ghiX766FI9hOdOT4riPOuDpojDIEFpB49IxVR-PbyWeePbSL6gYyNwusAIEPsIo/s1600/IMG_4168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_P2sut37pOJvvjnmjrSNTQul0KZgQAbbdUT-0IxvGI9FpnhJef-qhxm2tAqJU0p4CE_xnyMpeFixA37b2o9CfbekBSO6CiL-dNYhEIkLquh86GTanmcOJcVFmbCZ2SPlxjCBmJb8kn1m/s1600/IMG_4175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_P2sut37pOJvvjnmjrSNTQul0KZgQAbbdUT-0IxvGI9FpnhJef-qhxm2tAqJU0p4CE_xnyMpeFixA37b2o9CfbekBSO6CiL-dNYhEIkLquh86GTanmcOJcVFmbCZ2SPlxjCBmJb8kn1m/s640/IMG_4175.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guacamole</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0C7iS_OYiyIbEeKcDMwwhZa_cqvewAz_1jMv3swP64gXOK3MWZGnUTLJ2O8ildMfk3y2rQ5IzIfwYvmM-4Yfj7bSgo-iotzwRbMsS33Oklbcw7LYJN7bONd2XGAaXVtrALZTLPCLxZgk/s1600/IMG_4179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0C7iS_OYiyIbEeKcDMwwhZa_cqvewAz_1jMv3swP64gXOK3MWZGnUTLJ2O8ildMfk3y2rQ5IzIfwYvmM-4Yfj7bSgo-iotzwRbMsS33Oklbcw7LYJN7bONd2XGAaXVtrALZTLPCLxZgk/s640/IMG_4179.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plantain chips</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Blackened Corn</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Smoky paprika. Queso Fresco. Parmesan.</span> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">$7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The corn with the cheese was tasty but was certainly not blackened. I was hoping to get a really nice blistered and blackened corn with chili and cheese. Disappointing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UAu8jC6O6pYCQZmSEjJh5fHJb48SHXLSuEW-ZnVHW2XDH3I_ngJQ4Q7HKbFeFF3pZZpOQwvVSwHqvJgUH6SqMlou0AsOBAW5OPT9GVNrHKER-tgwyfolcZJdZPyN2SFEFjaBSU5u9aL2/s1600/IMG_4182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UAu8jC6O6pYCQZmSEjJh5fHJb48SHXLSuEW-ZnVHW2XDH3I_ngJQ4Q7HKbFeFF3pZZpOQwvVSwHqvJgUH6SqMlou0AsOBAW5OPT9GVNrHKER-tgwyfolcZJdZPyN2SFEFjaBSU5u9aL2/s640/IMG_4182.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blackened corn - not!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Smoked Pork Belly tacos</b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Soft shells Served three at a time)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Black bean hummus. Tomatillo salsa. Twenty hours worth of</i></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>smoking = one tasty pig (the menu said so)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">$16</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Very very very delicious (hubby's words) There really is nothing else to say.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLfGvFh0BQPQoR3SnlobOLHkGD1xCOhoAxG_bzb3RNf77w0QDUzdNTaSmoyb8afi6Bnr7wk4gA8LRABwTUMavLvmnfoYwR9u31DdGkLgr6GwRi76eee2PJQXVysbrifsXVO0wMDVZNt_3/s1600/IMG_4187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLfGvFh0BQPQoR3SnlobOLHkGD1xCOhoAxG_bzb3RNf77w0QDUzdNTaSmoyb8afi6Bnr7wk4gA8LRABwTUMavLvmnfoYwR9u31DdGkLgr6GwRi76eee2PJQXVysbrifsXVO0wMDVZNt_3/s640/IMG_4187.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork belly tacos</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Vegetarian tacos</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Roasted pumpkin, quinoa and manchego cheese</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">$16</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was very tasty too, I love pumpkin and quinoa and i was nice of them to make up a vegetarian taco for me as they did not have this on their menu.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPJ7bjzYu4QD58ubpPQ06eusmxpbhJKyVlwXYyyAJ22x1TKUdCpDLCDOpjgXCr80IMPexsQXQlaxMFIkDUQEEJrOTbodp1tzWz8QgBJyP5ZUPDfCyaGjcP7eSdnah8_tvYv_z6Whseggx/s1600/IMG_4196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPJ7bjzYu4QD58ubpPQ06eusmxpbhJKyVlwXYyyAJ22x1TKUdCpDLCDOpjgXCr80IMPexsQXQlaxMFIkDUQEEJrOTbodp1tzWz8QgBJyP5ZUPDfCyaGjcP7eSdnah8_tvYv_z6Whseggx/s640/IMG_4196.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegetarian tacos</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Main 1:</b></span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Portobello Mushrooms & Croquetas</i></b><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Tomatillo salsa. Black bean puree. Ancho chilli. Sweet potato. Cumin. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Onion. Manchego.</span> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">$28</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a nice change from the usual Mexican fare and I really enjoyed the crispy sweet potato croquetas and the tomatillo salsa. It had a nice hint of cumin and the portobello mushrooms were cooked well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1EqA5FiDDEIb7OeidCH0VfK9hp8zSdbZ1fR10s8b5X20yU2al5PhscBZViRblq5byqAUDBPmyVARc-RTzS9lfMiOKIWrxjcDxC0R2JbDnRq59Nro_zx17zBjhdufbkTzk8Vw4Asjbp0J/s1600/IMG_4198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1EqA5FiDDEIb7OeidCH0VfK9hp8zSdbZ1fR10s8b5X20yU2al5PhscBZViRblq5byqAUDBPmyVARc-RTzS9lfMiOKIWrxjcDxC0R2JbDnRq59Nro_zx17zBjhdufbkTzk8Vw4Asjbp0J/s640/IMG_4198.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Portobello mushrooms and croquetas</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chargrilled Black Angus Sirloin</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Quinoa. Black bean. Pumpkin. Pepitas. Green chimichurri</i></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>(fancy for a mint and parsley sauce.) </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">$36</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No show.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The food had its highs and lows, I missed the seasoning in a few things but otherwise it was fresh and inventive. They also have a nice cocktail list and have a huge range of tequilas, so be sure to try some. The food is modern and Mexican inspired at best, don't go looking for traditional fare It gets really busy so I would recommend reserving a table on weekends. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food 7/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Service 6/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambience 7/10</span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After dinner, we walked to Circular Quay to get a glimpse of the beautiful light show Vivid Sydney. The Harbour bridge, Customs house and the Opera House looked stunning with the beautiful projection displays on their facade. It was a beautiful night to wander around taking in the gorgeous sights, lots of people had set up their cameras to take pictures of the light show.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A great finish to our date night! (excuse the picture quality, I had to use my i phone for the pictures)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsaoQg4CnDodmrQHPYbvif7Q8O-PZBIbqPzrjF873mXcAFZqsOcSVKV-msXhVFZvZRhZYmblxRU20URwarJQ0NqBZf16LWueR1ItgHj5pqK_MPB_OdLucPRyl7mSs_-8kA4iMCqNjToV1/s1600/IMG_4237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsaoQg4CnDodmrQHPYbvif7Q8O-PZBIbqPzrjF873mXcAFZqsOcSVKV-msXhVFZvZRhZYmblxRU20URwarJQ0NqBZf16LWueR1ItgHj5pqK_MPB_OdLucPRyl7mSs_-8kA4iMCqNjToV1/s640/IMG_4237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_G5chkuP1hFVhW0zaFtlZUjxbdWuPufsLyLruYbvBUHkm8bo-2mSFERjv4ZA7J7kNZuq8NBkwbQ1iGonntPkIaQRkW0HDrF0AlBYrix4pC9R6-LhNEcYyeo8xlaRrU-LhW2kSDeeGLS-Y/s1600/IMG_4228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_G5chkuP1hFVhW0zaFtlZUjxbdWuPufsLyLruYbvBUHkm8bo-2mSFERjv4ZA7J7kNZuq8NBkwbQ1iGonntPkIaQRkW0HDrF0AlBYrix4pC9R6-LhNEcYyeo8xlaRrU-LhW2kSDeeGLS-Y/s640/IMG_4228.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidioMueru9mylhBQDD08LyrYASgGtPRc5Xpx83TuoM5tSMUwP-SvU1bfgItLSS5s-oOaJ6CCXnf_DYmz2CKzy6YVUnt0KHQkQOHfQNeGaw9mYchY3SPb_1xEkq0ApQKRRU8gUhIrt8asx4/s1600/IMG_4212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidioMueru9mylhBQDD08LyrYASgGtPRc5Xpx83TuoM5tSMUwP-SvU1bfgItLSS5s-oOaJ6CCXnf_DYmz2CKzy6YVUnt0KHQkQOHfQNeGaw9mYchY3SPb_1xEkq0ApQKRRU8gUhIrt8asx4/s640/IMG_4212.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD939HBjCGn30Zllf5wKI24pO9_ZjH7prRoWx34PccriSXA-s3mqA1g7lLdcaOyV-6YrYmgLy_7izjc6dSu7nWPvtXWD5xTWF_xuzhecdtG4EhODyZp3cp0VrKlVYB84E9jQuY3f_NDbDV/s1600/IMG_4220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD939HBjCGn30Zllf5wKI24pO9_ZjH7prRoWx34PccriSXA-s3mqA1g7lLdcaOyV-6YrYmgLy_7izjc6dSu7nWPvtXWD5xTWF_xuzhecdtG4EhODyZp3cp0VrKlVYB84E9jQuY3f_NDbDV/s640/IMG_4220.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRHYCpcLjbwMReBq2JIanX3YRwkFZ0WRyBOQvH0UMU2vVDnIWbhfhROExq5QH_B91wTWhFuSIm14XLBrxc3JKGlpEPV0KqN5K1AJW4nqsZC84kOBFCiEraWykdYu4U16v3qfGas7c7ZoZ/s1600/IMG_4266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRHYCpcLjbwMReBq2JIanX3YRwkFZ0WRyBOQvH0UMU2vVDnIWbhfhROExq5QH_B91wTWhFuSIm14XLBrxc3JKGlpEPV0KqN5K1AJW4nqsZC84kOBFCiEraWykdYu4U16v3qfGas7c7ZoZ/s640/IMG_4266.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy21pck8w_uXtDoxfPh5vMGPQyDv0w6Ruq3C-u8-IVJuZglQP1umXWPt1YL_bFIK20XFCdb_c-2eMmqH0ufBIHrZ-qurwkterxwLj45ZbVuMVecpZ-cnA2sT6JjkfGRlksHXW47NdQo5k5/s1600/IMG_4267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy21pck8w_uXtDoxfPh5vMGPQyDv0w6Ruq3C-u8-IVJuZglQP1umXWPt1YL_bFIK20XFCdb_c-2eMmqH0ufBIHrZ-qurwkterxwLj45ZbVuMVecpZ-cnA2sT6JjkfGRlksHXW47NdQo5k5/s640/IMG_4267.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzaABs_dFajwWtvHx9FQSkKQBk-wrphVl50_3VLorMoJHXVB1v__xi4qScxHivEqKcrD8aAJuoutoL4hDUD4PRPd0AF6NJc1KHa_0WUcAxSaiBbWKW_DwkmEljuiG9DNtW6x1I_R-x_RF/s1600/IMG_4268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzaABs_dFajwWtvHx9FQSkKQBk-wrphVl50_3VLorMoJHXVB1v__xi4qScxHivEqKcrD8aAJuoutoL4hDUD4PRPd0AF6NJc1KHa_0WUcAxSaiBbWKW_DwkmEljuiG9DNtW6x1I_R-x_RF/s640/IMG_4268.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAb62ljwoaOUt_43O_RotYLI9sYe2AOpLw8x050CAfMKmd8wvhxCB8HcDdf01xTlVg3LD5hM_VhPaWM0Bp4zAwP-7O4XI1mE7ne4wgqAL-rFhfKdZL3X2YAcIEGjsYlUX-22xjaNEGDY70/s1600/IMG_4253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAb62ljwoaOUt_43O_RotYLI9sYe2AOpLw8x050CAfMKmd8wvhxCB8HcDdf01xTlVg3LD5hM_VhPaWM0Bp4zAwP-7O4XI1mE7ne4wgqAL-rFhfKdZL3X2YAcIEGjsYlUX-22xjaNEGDY70/s640/IMG_4253.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDfCsetGPzjE7iNLKZG-lH1KPrp-sJjnJ68W12ogCxl5TQam64AqKOMQmpTDO-HrYopdW7CjNUDmDJAKNISMy5w5Ch556mMpI7B0rSchlxtRtB0Ih_rRL_hapQTgKg8nMw6-pzxhjg4UM/s1600/IMG_4249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDfCsetGPzjE7iNLKZG-lH1KPrp-sJjnJ68W12ogCxl5TQam64AqKOMQmpTDO-HrYopdW7CjNUDmDJAKNISMy5w5Ch556mMpI7B0rSchlxtRtB0Ih_rRL_hapQTgKg8nMw6-pzxhjg4UM/s640/IMG_4249.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cv2TJ9QnvsE8uxqUV0FlK5tvohuNBtt0KD6gBCWoDHnan-uyRXDe5UqKhpUKSLQHTr1l8kUu4F7bQtnluLxNalV9xi7Mn_jp7H_R2DlZodYUo5qdLUEFGvQSbULch55Xnuer4tk8ezUy/s1600/IMG_4240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cv2TJ9QnvsE8uxqUV0FlK5tvohuNBtt0KD6gBCWoDHnan-uyRXDe5UqKhpUKSLQHTr1l8kUu4F7bQtnluLxNalV9xi7Mn_jp7H_R2DlZodYUo5qdLUEFGvQSbULch55Xnuer4tk8ezUy/s640/IMG_4240.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information about Vivid Sydney visit </span><a href="http://www.vividsydney.com/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">vividsydney</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1717505/restaurant/CBD/Mejico-Sydney"><img alt="Méjico on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1717505/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-28159956492333237922013-05-31T17:40:00.001+10:002013-06-01T11:47:45.737+10:00A taste of Hyderabadi cuisine-Qubani Ka Meetha (Stewed Apricot dessert)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me introduce you to a very traditional and beautifully simple Indian dessert - Qubani ka Meetha.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Qubani ka Meetha is a Hyderabadi specialty and a common feature at Hyderabadi weddings.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Qubani is the Urdu name for apricots and meetha mean sweet. It is a dessert made from stewed dried apricots and served with malai (clotted cream). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a little anecdote to share with you about apricots. During my childhood and well even now whenever I see dried apricots, I eat a lot of them not because I like dried apricots but because I love the almond like nut in its stone. As a kid I used to quickly eat the apricot flesh to get to the stone and then crack open the stones using a mortar and pestle to enjoy the delicious nuts. This used to be my afternoon past time while my mother was taking an afternoon nap. Everytime she would find me sitting with a bowl full of nuts and a lot of broken shells. Those were the days! Unfortunately I could not find whole dried apricots in Sydney, so I am using pitted dried apricots. I did go looking for them but unfortunately they weren't available even at the Indian Grocers :(</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This also happens to be my first South vs North Challenge. South vs North is a fun challenge started by Divya of </span><a href="http://www.youtoocancook.net/2012/09/south-vs-north-challenge-learn-excel.html" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">You too can cook</a> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where two teams challenge each other with regional Indian dishes</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. This challenge is hosted by Roha of </span><a href="http://hyderabadicuisinerecipes-angel.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/qubani-ka-meeta-stewedapricot-dessert.html" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Hyderabadi Cuisine</a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It was a great challenge for me as this was my first time making Qubani ka Meetha and I loved the flavours and the simplicity of the dish. I gave it a little twist with the addition of honey and cinnamon, It goes great with thickened cream, custard or even as a side to pancakes. Yumm!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4vJ-J8q2TPFe45EfFxbtbj_Bnp69_nIbmqMQqBP24oRVzm3et4zbDntVqfmZiLu7CGUkxzWQszJxq4buH2PwTjk38WMop7uLiH1JOTgVbeciBN4SkZRwnAJbs6yN-A7J384ir_gMd4F1/s1600/IMG_4625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4vJ-J8q2TPFe45EfFxbtbj_Bnp69_nIbmqMQqBP24oRVzm3et4zbDntVqfmZiLu7CGUkxzWQszJxq4buH2PwTjk38WMop7uLiH1JOTgVbeciBN4SkZRwnAJbs6yN-A7J384ir_gMd4F1/s640/IMG_4625.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PIVa7mB9y2sVzOo3ShIqAsxsdDEOGkZYBMDAGb2akb8/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Part of <a href="http://www.youtoocancook.net/2012/09/south-vs-north-challenge-learn-excel.html" target="_blank">SNC challenge</a>, Adapted from<a href="http://hyderabadicuisinerecipes-angel.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/qubani-ka-meeta-stewedapricot-dessert.html" target="_blank"> Hyderabadi Cuisine</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup dried apricots</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp Sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cinnamon stick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5-6 cardamoms - ground to a fine powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zest of 1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of saffron threads</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thickened cream - to serve</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8-10 Blanched Almonds - chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soak the dried apricots overnight with enough water to just cover the surface. The apricots should be plump and rehydrated the next day. Do not throw the soaking liquid as this is the stewing liquid for our apricots.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35FzYOGIvLr5xtVCwXnrSaB-LRE1rkFeQKb38dqRpg2wpiRPsOkQxNuldZ2IzEv3VCuH_C0jxvbcsROMDN1O8JJsLQes0DSC3QwbFXaVdUf9a8DB4W09eUEJB7wBDQCGUNMtH0gAn9IIL/s1600/IMG_4445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35FzYOGIvLr5xtVCwXnrSaB-LRE1rkFeQKb38dqRpg2wpiRPsOkQxNuldZ2IzEv3VCuH_C0jxvbcsROMDN1O8JJsLQes0DSC3QwbFXaVdUf9a8DB4W09eUEJB7wBDQCGUNMtH0gAn9IIL/s640/IMG_4445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dried Apricots</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z0_vv6QXTwqK3RuSqmy7XedlVJpN3ZSHQfO6RhvHyAEQG3A63o6lWvuU44wcPLBs8tC2JDbrLQQ74K3cRLyCQzA3T8kRy8rSBoMhYlm5qiqsVaUuYtfk2ske6ECVF3IitESfIsraaPQT/s1600/IMG_4442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z0_vv6QXTwqK3RuSqmy7XedlVJpN3ZSHQfO6RhvHyAEQG3A63o6lWvuU44wcPLBs8tC2JDbrLQQ74K3cRLyCQzA3T8kRy8rSBoMhYlm5qiqsVaUuYtfk2ske6ECVF3IitESfIsraaPQT/s640/IMG_4442.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soaked Apricots</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJmkuMmQJf3BFN1CVr5zG6lPygUTG8tr5j9I7pjlv_bW8_uiFb-X1ucDq240uiXhmjehrlRdkwpl631xOlUW-hDYGJpMvkGz3xyPwxXO3AaOO95lg_g8Ow0f6MjsK83pwjRhi01BpvK5c/s1600/IMG_4459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJmkuMmQJf3BFN1CVr5zG6lPygUTG8tr5j9I7pjlv_bW8_uiFb-X1ucDq240uiXhmjehrlRdkwpl631xOlUW-hDYGJpMvkGz3xyPwxXO3AaOO95lg_g8Ow0f6MjsK83pwjRhi01BpvK5c/s640/IMG_4459.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plump and juicy soaked apricots</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now pour the soaking liquid into a pan and allow it to simmer, once it starts simmering add the apricots and the sugar and honey. Add the lemon juice, zest and cardamom to balance the sweetness. Add a cinnamon stick to the stewing fruit and let it cook till the syrup is reduced and the apricots soft and mushy. Remove the cinnamon stick after 10-15 minutes as we don't want it to over infuse into the syrup.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzGETdpEOFHirCLE61ujmSOgNjbP3-pZXMXNc9PyHoeSPlGhcoGV_NA0hyphenhyphenqQQCGIs7iQszW6avboJ__wG7uacWc9GTwdqWPbG4wGntKkEYFfcv-si0icMRn3YOF-DFVNFrooWt2NG5xaq/s1600/IMG_4461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzGETdpEOFHirCLE61ujmSOgNjbP3-pZXMXNc9PyHoeSPlGhcoGV_NA0hyphenhyphenqQQCGIs7iQszW6avboJ__wG7uacWc9GTwdqWPbG4wGntKkEYFfcv-si0icMRn3YOF-DFVNFrooWt2NG5xaq/s640/IMG_4461.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apricots stewing in the soaking liquid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mash the apricots with the back of the spoon.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Keep stirring continuously and add more liquid (water or lemon juice) to prevent caramelisation and burning.Cooking time will be approximately 45 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serve with some thickened cream or malai (clotted cream) and garnish with saffron and almond slivers.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxww8XtpvuhYVIhFZR9c7MNHMpwIUmU_wQG8sknQ88hXFQIjWAA1gjJrxiDH3XEg9H00cV_ZUBMcLZENd5auq2824Pwx2J8X594iwo0gCxy78OCDYrOyMcwK-bk-BmB_xdREewiLJE7CGk/s1600/IMG_4583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxww8XtpvuhYVIhFZR9c7MNHMpwIUmU_wQG8sknQ88hXFQIjWAA1gjJrxiDH3XEg9H00cV_ZUBMcLZENd5auq2824Pwx2J8X594iwo0gCxy78OCDYrOyMcwK-bk-BmB_xdREewiLJE7CGk/s640/IMG_4583.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma1rdegtzffuw3HOmMFAQMwwp_qYY95HtHu-0id5AanifBAzC0Xgdj2EdnN-yX5RBAi_44QEGbv9WUETP9yFFEy2-GVfVF4UP7lSYUjKMoI7iKbKlH3pgZaDvh4P_7wZcgedxXfPK2Kdl/s1600/IMG_4611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma1rdegtzffuw3HOmMFAQMwwp_qYY95HtHu-0id5AanifBAzC0Xgdj2EdnN-yX5RBAi_44QEGbv9WUETP9yFFEy2-GVfVF4UP7lSYUjKMoI7iKbKlH3pgZaDvh4P_7wZcgedxXfPK2Kdl/s640/IMG_4611.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUipqDneVGzBzpRibVrk-x0AE30c4nzBQAX6eKRGonGBbdkGt_cCrvKIXCkKeBt7wQBpY6uGTzK03z2Zs8vOPx3I-AQHM8f1Ufrv4SyxGR-Ix2SouGP26-NGf0_Dboy2TT4kxy3UPLk-n/s1600/pink-1.png" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-25962566089007410372013-05-31T00:24:00.002+10:002013-05-31T00:33:33.322+10:00Roast Cauliflower Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winter is definitely here in Australia. The nights are chilly and the days are fresh. It's time for my flannel pjs and soft bunny slippers to come out and also my winter warmer recipes. I love making hearty, thick, homey soups in winter, they are so comforting. I am sharing with you one of my favourite winter soups - Roast Cauliflower soup. This soup is quite special, roasting the cauliflower does something magical to it, adds a depth to the soup which you don't get by just boiling the cauliflower. It also has a good hit of nutmeg and thyme and other aromats making it beautifully fragrant and delicious. I hope you enjoy this little winter warmer. I will keep 'em coming.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTIEOXMalKQTFGN9wo_5iZVEN39jGN_w1GrcC50hKG12V3rF2eSKErNL2CUujvm91eCxRFxVpm1lHjw7_QR7YIqFB3qyPqJFV-80UpwDVuHDs2QG3CTNB0yOuaXUdbTc6i5zU6zYAaow7/s1600/IMG_4520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTIEOXMalKQTFGN9wo_5iZVEN39jGN_w1GrcC50hKG12V3rF2eSKErNL2CUujvm91eCxRFxVpm1lHjw7_QR7YIqFB3qyPqJFV-80UpwDVuHDs2QG3CTNB0yOuaXUdbTc6i5zU6zYAaow7/s640/IMG_4520.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/10BE8xPmire1vedVrljRBeoq48dPfjPtKx118CpIofTA/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 3-4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 small Cauliflower (approx 400 grams) cut into florets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Carrot- cut into 3 cm pieces</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 medium sized Onion - roughly chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 Garlic cloves - crushed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 tsp ground Nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Bay leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a few sprigs of thyme</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 cups Milk </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-2 cups Water </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 tbsp Olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ground Black pepper (to taste)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius (160 C if fan forced). Take the cauliflower florets and the carrot chunks and put them n a roasting tray. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, a generous sprinkle of salt, pepper and nutmeg to it. Give it a good rub and put the bayleaf and thyme sprigs in it too. Roast the vegetables for 20-25 minutes till tender and cauliflower turns golden.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXQbAQ9Nghyf5LTiYGFmblP9N-pK39NNG60iNDHaqTTsnMesnLG0ItmqnHYmzya-LtFI73vUrkt4mwFVl5q8aaCyW4fZ1ptQ0_TpRtHEdSjr4H2dSgrKYaIq1WHzMNoXOCpzuYeXw-aQv/s1600/IMG_4473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXQbAQ9Nghyf5LTiYGFmblP9N-pK39NNG60iNDHaqTTsnMesnLG0ItmqnHYmzya-LtFI73vUrkt4mwFVl5q8aaCyW4fZ1ptQ0_TpRtHEdSjr4H2dSgrKYaIq1WHzMNoXOCpzuYeXw-aQv/s640/IMG_4473.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the cauliflower and carrot is roasted, take it out of the oven and keep it aside. remove the bayleaf and thyme sprigs from it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic to it. Saute till onion is translucent and garlic is cooked off. Don't let it brown. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuM7uscWtLvNpq4AMiqbJRrLrUWpwcwMX5YBo3toznZ7_6vS96ZrPUyVVgrqvXiYeeO0TIrM1LVxAbPTVyUPfhlQh9ntIewUvZqtaLzQOGh3iFv-uEwzmINS6nm9nb6X3C0v_ePz6O42A/s1600/IMG_4484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuM7uscWtLvNpq4AMiqbJRrLrUWpwcwMX5YBo3toznZ7_6vS96ZrPUyVVgrqvXiYeeO0TIrM1LVxAbPTVyUPfhlQh9ntIewUvZqtaLzQOGh3iFv-uEwzmINS6nm9nb6X3C0v_ePz6O42A/s640/IMG_4484.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the cauliflower and carrot to it and mix well. Check the seasoning and add salt, pepper or nutmeg according to taste.Add the milk to the pan and let it start simmering. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VqCHL84FUommQz2tpIB4S6n6VwzxfnIWVV4Y5Lfc2oY80pzEaZIWZKnL4gQFSvG9g3kmxof1XGAvBeW0UfGS2m_83Fx8-NPYRIMbjnhBDmI97w1S8CYUus-wbr0pblAL8yFZSAGkJUxd/s1600/IMG_4491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VqCHL84FUommQz2tpIB4S6n6VwzxfnIWVV4Y5Lfc2oY80pzEaZIWZKnL4gQFSvG9g3kmxof1XGAvBeW0UfGS2m_83Fx8-NPYRIMbjnhBDmI97w1S8CYUus-wbr0pblAL8yFZSAGkJUxd/s640/IMG_4491.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use a liquidiser or a stick blender to puree to get a nice thick and smooth soup. Add water if the soup is too thick to get the desired consistency. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnx_BCcTAkfkvAHeh8XYFl_owHAtutHZJR9_EyjpKrNgbUHZ_fWtpz01_alMT7z66zeE3Dygq2ZosRCRcKnucfCs6tEJUJrSeMGN_4aDu0XLQC_6JGLlspEPB2okwQy5gv4tK8blPzZB9/s1600/IMG_4494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnx_BCcTAkfkvAHeh8XYFl_owHAtutHZJR9_EyjpKrNgbUHZ_fWtpz01_alMT7z66zeE3Dygq2ZosRCRcKnucfCs6tEJUJrSeMGN_4aDu0XLQC_6JGLlspEPB2okwQy5gv4tK8blPzZB9/s640/IMG_4494.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat the soup before serving and garnish with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg and thyme leaves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayQbC_XHBsEZ_qYlJhAMEKBf9X66_3TjUD2FiRZW4ZTfpZJOURqlaT3ksN-ru8CKpwnCTPW8yqiJzAnI8OY1Dveh6Cm4U7UWYMCS0u3vsxL7iSaSZha7oX7lwnWUw4V41UPrWdh3RvIau/s1600/IMG_4529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayQbC_XHBsEZ_qYlJhAMEKBf9X66_3TjUD2FiRZW4ZTfpZJOURqlaT3ksN-ru8CKpwnCTPW8yqiJzAnI8OY1Dveh6Cm4U7UWYMCS0u3vsxL7iSaSZha7oX7lwnWUw4V41UPrWdh3RvIau/s640/IMG_4529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-89276187133275111192013-05-29T16:37:00.005+10:002013-05-31T00:34:55.283+10:00Creamy Vanilla Custard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A deliciously easy, rich and creamy custard. I have adapted it from our very own Aussie cooking legend Margaret Fulton's recipe and was very pleased with the results. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Itps8G94ZG-_mVyp6quKNaS_pm01V27s00jIp50VwX0/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Adapted from </span><a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/15869/Vanilla_egg_custard" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Margaret Fulton's Recipe</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">)</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 cups milk <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I used low fat and the result was still delicious)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup thickened cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (if not available use 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 egg yolks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp cornflour <span style="font-size: x-small;">( use1/2-3/4 tbsp for a less thick custard)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">¼ cup caster sugar</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This makes a very thick and creamy custard, if you want to have a thinner consistency use less cornflour and vary cooking time accordingly when you reach the desired consistency.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take the vanilla bean and split it across its length and scrape the seeds out with a small knife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xNNwp6cAyVqR2iJhrr2YoBJ9KADhogbh2nGNnRgJ2NLcuvGwXH-70Ws2gGNec6Q4LQ1ZX40UMr-fMSYrvzuxpFjDh3JJezAEfMaepRs_CCA8Bwo5JMJ_PE4ID3Myv3TU6xKKbyPecVm5/s1600/IMG_4358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xNNwp6cAyVqR2iJhrr2YoBJ9KADhogbh2nGNnRgJ2NLcuvGwXH-70Ws2gGNec6Q4LQ1ZX40UMr-fMSYrvzuxpFjDh3JJezAEfMaepRs_CCA8Bwo5JMJ_PE4ID3Myv3TU6xKKbyPecVm5/s640/IMG_4358.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vanilla Bean</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wNDVANxx78dX6okW_sWR-nydpR0tTSsBf0oiS6_CO3RXLCemzRwBmATqWZjEBnFm7hOJtJCwuLRZc630jF8uMW-dOoZ1370SP3FPk2YeT_TYtK2C1N2lP82_V6djOLmJZEL13A8AZe4Y/s1600/IMG_4362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wNDVANxx78dX6okW_sWR-nydpR0tTSsBf0oiS6_CO3RXLCemzRwBmATqWZjEBnFm7hOJtJCwuLRZc630jF8uMW-dOoZ1370SP3FPk2YeT_TYtK2C1N2lP82_V6djOLmJZEL13A8AZe4Y/s640/IMG_4362.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vanilla Bean Seeds</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine the milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a saucepan over a moderate heat, until simmering. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLKw0DnBkE7sgH7QM8-GcToZjxDmcNLKsBnIY9a9BMQbIYn2YBi1FXg9LIVMktornEMGKKmaBrv8rxcR_cBKzff-AxF4kKqs8v0eUhyR8TylOfDtOgZ9I41UzlurBKnG_1Eb0ltcPwBtG/s1600/IMG_4365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLKw0DnBkE7sgH7QM8-GcToZjxDmcNLKsBnIY9a9BMQbIYn2YBi1FXg9LIVMktornEMGKKmaBrv8rxcR_cBKzff-AxF4kKqs8v0eUhyR8TylOfDtOgZ9I41UzlurBKnG_1Eb0ltcPwBtG/s640/IMG_4365.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Milk and Cream mixture with vanilla seeds</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remove it from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes and then remove the vanilla bean after it has infused in the milk mixture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat the egg yolks with the corn flour and sugar till pale and fluffy.. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reheat the milk back to simmering point. Pour onto the egg yolks, whisking continuously. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook on a low heat for 8 minutes. Keep stirring till the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgv8eI_KuE7bycu6-SZAMv4B2hVOakOueWgWkUtzidwdoc1csvQemTSTcYzXh-UaLJI4N-DBnZX59sJy12mWe5QW94pHCMc8ZSE6LzCx91abp3xUExET1G1i6SKUz4OG0LlwQ6INzRruf/s1600/IMG_4366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgv8eI_KuE7bycu6-SZAMv4B2hVOakOueWgWkUtzidwdoc1csvQemTSTcYzXh-UaLJI4N-DBnZX59sJy12mWe5QW94pHCMc8ZSE6LzCx91abp3xUExET1G1i6SKUz4OG0LlwQ6INzRruf/s640/IMG_4366.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsC0xHoRfnvEDDAITDHyaeEov37MSyKiZC8QEbUCFrSazfMwv7O7ecSSOXe8do3gaPZMj40NuYJvRzMlNEjyTb5hqfRR0RyFNgCAMGY8mjG_Zt7c3djTeDCibX5CNZQkINumD7VE6IAiul/s1600/IMG_4369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsC0xHoRfnvEDDAITDHyaeEov37MSyKiZC8QEbUCFrSazfMwv7O7ecSSOXe8do3gaPZMj40NuYJvRzMlNEjyTb5hqfRR0RyFNgCAMGY8mjG_Zt7c3djTeDCibX5CNZQkINumD7VE6IAiul/s640/IMG_4369.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Custard coats the back of the spatula</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remove from heat and let it cool before serving.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqevoj_2RAWy-fsKQ5ICc3gNIoND4shp3iQpaeQxkbH9r2kvvhHWzpStXP5Is8640sYZDbBHPgWqwtfkfHqrS-hxsSpMCHmrq0_2cMJsaQQGRWKSxwH1EZA7ifEyM0Q6kGhHnnhhh_zAu/s1600/IMG_4436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqevoj_2RAWy-fsKQ5ICc3gNIoND4shp3iQpaeQxkbH9r2kvvhHWzpStXP5Is8640sYZDbBHPgWqwtfkfHqrS-hxsSpMCHmrq0_2cMJsaQQGRWKSxwH1EZA7ifEyM0Q6kGhHnnhhh_zAu/s640/IMG_4436.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooled custard</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrUPyUf-OnbS5kCuLwH4KAaHN6t4aH6qov8Dj8pH5Zi9iYLApeje8UxZ1B8WdtNmqwdSMuNYRh18NUGDfY8flB1e0SQrjB4Klmxqx0LGgOHdHBkFDsu5p9vCm7rVVPBKO0Kno1L1ZOlnF/s1600/IMG_4439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrUPyUf-OnbS5kCuLwH4KAaHN6t4aH6qov8Dj8pH5Zi9iYLApeje8UxZ1B8WdtNmqwdSMuNYRh18NUGDfY8flB1e0SQrjB4Klmxqx0LGgOHdHBkFDsu5p9vCm7rVVPBKO0Kno1L1ZOlnF/s640/IMG_4439.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Custard served with almond and berry friands</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-79141806566966407702013-05-29T00:44:00.000+10:002013-05-29T16:39:04.573+10:00Almost French-Mixed Berry Friands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friands are a French cake made of egg whites, almond meal, butter and sugar and usually flavoured with berries. The cake is dense, moist and really delicious. I absolutely adore them, I have a little dream where I am sitting in a little French Cafe eating friands and crepes listening to La Vie en Rose, how touristy I know but it's my little French fantasy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I used to work at an architecture firm in Melbourne, we used to have morning tea every Monday morning and I was in charge of getting the goodies for it. It so happened that there was a cute little bakery called Almost French close to the office, which is where I used to get the sweet treats from and they made such good friands that I almost always bought them for morning tea. Good times!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My version is a mixed berry friand with a hint of vanilla. You can replace the almond meal with hazelnut meal or pistachio meal to mix things up and feel free to try different fruit combinations. I am thinking of trying orange, apricot and white chocolate friand next so watch this space. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really hope you enjoy these little French beauties, I am feasting on one right now with a little side of creamy custard (I know its not traditional but who cares!) I was really looking forward to baking today as I got to try out my new novelty softy kitchen timer - cute isn't it :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok enough said, get baking y'all :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5QFGFiiqaQCytIz9x9dWE83oCQ5V4QBYuTxMBJabD62oWB5e55voBBOEYQzY3wphQG5SjC-Q8Osm5N_nCFP7H__xND0k8s23q6Yx1oLPkRfPHkceRJEGyw29iWkXDDCgmsZ3HnlREEHo/s1600/IMG_4345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5QFGFiiqaQCytIz9x9dWE83oCQ5V4QBYuTxMBJabD62oWB5e55voBBOEYQzY3wphQG5SjC-Q8Osm5N_nCFP7H__xND0k8s23q6Yx1oLPkRfPHkceRJEGyw29iWkXDDCgmsZ3HnlREEHo/s640/IMG_4345.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtD8o_lk3jBmLTgpQUgxEaUvM6JvLnaZgWbg3Ik6cmFiEp0TcTR7rQ_WqsO-WeFQe03aYVcKzzrZSHfGG_twbP5tvWF7_hjkLYxH3_D8ZhyphenhyphenmhnM2l7dUhGeIMaLfS3ah0rNFZyXopFJyT/s1600/IMG_4350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtD8o_lk3jBmLTgpQUgxEaUvM6JvLnaZgWbg3Ik6cmFiEp0TcTR7rQ_WqsO-WeFQe03aYVcKzzrZSHfGG_twbP5tvWF7_hjkLYxH3_D8ZhyphenhyphenmhnM2l7dUhGeIMaLfS3ah0rNFZyXopFJyT/s640/IMG_4350.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwn0aMdO57N4RvTQg3xnhXxNiVt29ELyrbkyw4Uo98U75YcYbzf75fWfHMg-JLstU132Jg3-jLEsFagO-V9RunbYP0EGOFEtZUawd0x5SdKgQIuoZBIbO7kMNwFD133yHdcF6zkTvhqkSh/s1600/IMG_4354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwn0aMdO57N4RvTQg3xnhXxNiVt29ELyrbkyw4Uo98U75YcYbzf75fWfHMg-JLstU132Jg3-jLEsFagO-V9RunbYP0EGOFEtZUawd0x5SdKgQIuoZBIbO7kMNwFD133yHdcF6zkTvhqkSh/s640/IMG_4354.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZW7orQ1HNWFqYhaGCP2leqM5Aei1WPtn2Sbowk0rhXX4FXFf8BSVG7BgjkeqbDKl_DzDVCGqsvnr5dHQnZ6T_q9-B8YfSG1_MlN2jUk65RxeH7OAP2Tv9W1uHjWpsiGxOmliy3y0-Xhd/s1600/IMG_4356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZW7orQ1HNWFqYhaGCP2leqM5Aei1WPtn2Sbowk0rhXX4FXFf8BSVG7BgjkeqbDKl_DzDVCGqsvnr5dHQnZ6T_q9-B8YfSG1_MlN2jUk65RxeH7OAP2Tv9W1uHjWpsiGxOmliy3y0-Xhd/s640/IMG_4356.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZ3Vzoo4luV4ze8MiLPOIKvA0u4ptWXjlHHaZoaN_565OfulJTm_gROMHN51himtEycvFez5PXIzQlyQDaDFvT2klGGdR-SVu8zqPeJ80nbzCjvvYQjjmSmIYSyP2wri2gH-2Sk11wYQB/s1600/IMG_4426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZ3Vzoo4luV4ze8MiLPOIKvA0u4ptWXjlHHaZoaN_565OfulJTm_gROMHN51himtEycvFez5PXIzQlyQDaDFvT2klGGdR-SVu8zqPeJ80nbzCjvvYQjjmSmIYSyP2wri2gH-2Sk11wYQB/s640/IMG_4426.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2e3LCZXLt4nsqUFmW4TAvBtj6CcKR8HJFCOjtOqFqqrpbKjXu5JcTsc2cHo_oWM4Wa9Mxicd7wGxoY7_0XehTbNvZerkM1o4GBtLV4099yoPgI6TCoelGWesLHvHddVMdMRAFrOAagGW_/s1600/IMG_4429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2e3LCZXLt4nsqUFmW4TAvBtj6CcKR8HJFCOjtOqFqqrpbKjXu5JcTsc2cHo_oWM4Wa9Mxicd7wGxoY7_0XehTbNvZerkM1o4GBtLV4099yoPgI6TCoelGWesLHvHddVMdMRAFrOAagGW_/s640/IMG_4429.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhIjAFhQEBxym-vxrT3oZeaEByNnzbvn04eNehFRoyapE5IUEKIkjY5kVMLoDgzovQWD99FlxZ4T4gqCuwUF8CIGj5AxSwqNc64Smo45bjU0IbAeMcEEZUI_Drb_s65WllLGuPrNLo43x/s1600/IMG_4396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhIjAFhQEBxym-vxrT3oZeaEByNnzbvn04eNehFRoyapE5IUEKIkjY5kVMLoDgzovQWD99FlxZ4T4gqCuwUF8CIGj5AxSwqNc64Smo45bjU0IbAeMcEEZUI_Drb_s65WllLGuPrNLo43x/s640/IMG_4396.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMINz6LkRg2hyphenhyphenXhCe0e_R9LS0SeJhjN2OZ7hX7uEZ4itSWtekZHpU24MUkcjHtsu5Or_mutfotq8tPLVMWFYAXCr13zEIcIHecbaq6lykjKBdzQPEEfh-BFOcx1NfHlL_0kuoy753aKxDg/s1600/IMG_4419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMINz6LkRg2hyphenhyphenXhCe0e_R9LS0SeJhjN2OZ7hX7uEZ4itSWtekZHpU24MUkcjHtsu5Or_mutfotq8tPLVMWFYAXCr13zEIcIHecbaq6lykjKBdzQPEEfh-BFOcx1NfHlL_0kuoy753aKxDg/s640/IMG_4419.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WAr2cC_fHExgG3g0euMkohWTImvHh2JXRd0yqHXFqRk/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Adapted from <a href="http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2008/01/blueberry-friand-recipe.html" target="_blank">Exclusively Food</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yields 6</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100g butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 large egg whites </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">140g pure icing sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">85g almond meal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40 g Mixed berries</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Vanilla Extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp Icing Sugar, for dusting</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 170 degree Celsius if fan forced. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grease a 6 cup non stick friand pan or a muffin pan and keep it aside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now melt the butter and keep it aside to cool. In a medium sized bowl whisk the egg whites for about a minute till they are aired and frothy. No need to whisk to soft peaks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Sift the flour, icing sugar and almond meal into the egg whites and fold them in.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix till combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pour the mixture equally in all the friand or muffin cups and top with frozen or fresh berries of your choice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake for 25 minutes in the pre heated oven or till the friands turn golden brown in colour and spring back when the tops are pressed. A wooden skewer or knife inserted into the centre should come out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remove the friands and let them cool on a cooling rack. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Once they have cooled sprinkle some icing sugar on it. You can serve the friands at room temperature or slightly warmed. Enjoy!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What to do with the remaining egg yolks? Why not make a creamy custard along with the friands! Here is the <a href="http://cookiedakitchen.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/creamy-vanilla-custard.html" target="_blank">recipe</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-75370490734563464832013-05-27T18:27:00.001+10:002013-06-26T01:05:04.304+10:00Kheer-of traditions and family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My brother moved into his new home this weekend. I had planned to visit him on Sunday to drop off the goodies I got him from India, his favourites, sweets and snacks all packed with love by mum. Anyways moving houses just got me thinking of the little rituals and traditions surrounding starting life in a new home. I had done my final year thesis on the qualities of home, place making and the rituals that make home "home". Having grown up in India, and having seen the values and traditions across different cultural groups and communities was deliciously fascinating </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Hinduism the first act of cooking in the kitchen is that of boiling milk mixed with sugar and saffron and letting it overflow. This symbolizes the overflowing and abundance of prosperity, wealth and happiness in the new home. The left over milk is then distributed amongst the family members to divide this abundance equally among them all. The other thing we have always done is that a sweet/dessert is the first dish cooked in the kitchen. Now I know my brother wasn't going to think about it or even realise it but these little traditions are a part of our little world and also fun. Its funny I have never really paid much importance to rituals, absolutely have no regard for superstitions and am agnostic in my beliefs. But family traditions and rituals that are inclusive of everyone in the family spread cheer and happiness. As humans we all need these little celebrations to look forward to. And nothing wrong with eating yummy desserts now is there ?! Also I am always looking for reasons to make kheer so I was only too happy to get into it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kheer or Pal Payasam (name used in South India) is an Indian rice pudding made with milk,rice,sugar and flavoured with saffron,cardamom and nuts. It can be enjoyed both hot and cold and is a delicious dessert. My mom makes it the traditional way- by reducing the milk for a few hours and letting it thicken - very delicious but a little time consuming. It is definitely worth the time when you taste it, but for now I am going to show you my cheats way of making a delicious and quick kheer, hope you like it. Also tell me readers, what are your moving into a new home rituals?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYN53EEqZyMDQaApvn0BF-x6BECI66-ddddxOli_gY6mgMzJhs_QNaglqjXxF-Oel2XiEa3tZ_hjfnhjCHO2xfpTzEuCBmgkVG_LP6aACxBeAJNmJvbQdZYTJY1QSzPNryjYcqi1hS0DA/s1600/IMG_4301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYN53EEqZyMDQaApvn0BF-x6BECI66-ddddxOli_gY6mgMzJhs_QNaglqjXxF-Oel2XiEa3tZ_hjfnhjCHO2xfpTzEuCBmgkVG_LP6aACxBeAJNmJvbQdZYTJY1QSzPNryjYcqi1hS0DA/s640/IMG_4301.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn0OEoZ-0KXDivpeknopETUoqetztHR_pFB5EzWFB_vgFGecIbeYnWv9genf2b7xcgK9AOhDmWoz2PpEOU53G8qmKqf124FM_vXdQU9K6uuD6kIHI7mtkoKrgEe98IX1Hlo2AAwng810v/s1600/IMG_4315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn0OEoZ-0KXDivpeknopETUoqetztHR_pFB5EzWFB_vgFGecIbeYnWv9genf2b7xcgK9AOhDmWoz2PpEOU53G8qmKqf124FM_vXdQU9K6uuD6kIHI7mtkoKrgEe98IX1Hlo2AAwng810v/s640/IMG_4315.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5ggzZZKv4bOrM_bpsajyX8ijLCNvDvkhRB8hOf8YjBccisGryBLfTir1NEQY057LONtBosQlGE_BWfdFnn2yOLeF7JCpGXBXaAPr_3lUwRMuZA6FKxUOfaqxmkt0rMRYiyaxvD7ta60S/s1600/IMG_4291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5ggzZZKv4bOrM_bpsajyX8ijLCNvDvkhRB8hOf8YjBccisGryBLfTir1NEQY057LONtBosQlGE_BWfdFnn2yOLeF7JCpGXBXaAPr_3lUwRMuZA6FKxUOfaqxmkt0rMRYiyaxvD7ta60S/s640/IMG_4291.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zKpmKUUP05zf9LmUH1tGh0A6kDBpsSxge48XRn6aVgM/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serves 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Preparation time: 10 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cooking Time 1 hour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Basmati rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 litres whole milk or 1l whole milk and 1l Skim milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">400 g condensed milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3-4 tbsp Sugar (to taste)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10-12 green cardamoms - ground into a fine powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 blanched almonds - chopped or flaked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 strands of saffron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wash the rice till the water you wash in is completely clear. Put the rice in a bowl and soak it in water for 15 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a deep pot add the milk and put it on heat. Once it starts to boil add the drained rice and let it cook on a low to medium flame for 15 minutes. Keep stirring as we do not want the rice or the milk to burn. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the rice is cooked add the condensed milk, cardamom powder, sugar (to taste) and saffron and give it a good mix and let it cook on a medium flame for another 15 minutes, stir often so that the rice doesn't stick. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kheer should have reduced and should be of a slightly thin porridge like consistency. Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios (optional) Enjoy straight out of the pot - steaming hot or chilled for a beautiful creamy dessert!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you are in a real hurry to make it, I suggest putting all the ingredients in a pressure cooker and cooking for 15 minutes or use pre cooked rice and add it to the milk and condensed milk mixture and cook for 10-15 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Use fresh green cardamoms and grind them to a fine powder, the fragrance and flavour will be phenomenal. Avoid pre packaged super market cardamom powder.</span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-78757461865877251662013-05-22T23:56:00.000+10:002013-05-23T00:18:47.828+10:00Cucumber and Mint Raita<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Dear Readers,</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever made something that you consider very ordinary and got unexpected rave reviews for it? During my final year of University study we had to go away to camp for a few days to start off our thesis year. It was meant to inspire us and also set a good vibe for the coming year. We got to talk to our supervisors and spend time with friends after the Summer break. We had set up camp at Wye River near the beautiful town of Lorne in Victoria. </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The place was idyllic and very beautiful. We were all divided into groups of 4 and had a cabin to ourselves. One of the student requirements was that on the last evening each cabin had to cook a dish and bring for dinner which was meant to be shared by everyone. I had put up my hand to do the cooking for my group and everyone was happy to pitch in. We were preparing vegetable Pulao and raita. Vegetable Pulao is a common dish in India, it is similar to the Biryani but milder in my opinion and also it is not layered like the Biryani. </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pulao is a fragrant rice dish, flavoured with different spices and mine was a beautiful vegetarian version with lots of vegetables and herbs. I paired it with a simple raita and with the help of my other three friends we whipped it up in no time for the common dinner. And my what a reaction we got, it was totally unexpected. From an array of dishes like ravioli, spaghetti bolognese, sausages, fried rice, Beef Stir fry and what not, our dish was scraped clean first and everyone wanted more. People asked me for recipes, even people I didn't know - it was a happy and proud moment that we all savoured. I always felt that maybe my home style Indian cooking would not impress the Aussie palate, I am glad I was proven wrong. It just goes to show that simple, honest cooking and good flavours are appreciated everywhere. So my dear readers I am sharing with you my simple raita recipe today, the Pulao shall follow soon. Hope you enjoy it.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kfj58Gu_CcZKrlwRw-gp4y8xqPA3NSsSzedRog7-vPG26iNVMmCpJ6ZEEmqjkURiR1vmz-AimendFlfQLM9SnlJ1Qg8G_PcFc6MMDsq_iATqGVkzl4tO9CeY6jN-UynlHDMzb7SQGbCe/s1600/IMG_3314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kfj58Gu_CcZKrlwRw-gp4y8xqPA3NSsSzedRog7-vPG26iNVMmCpJ6ZEEmqjkURiR1vmz-AimendFlfQLM9SnlJ1Qg8G_PcFc6MMDsq_iATqGVkzl4tO9CeY6jN-UynlHDMzb7SQGbCe/s640/IMG_3314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RgKYlyE2YI_SR5aF5kc5PDph6v9Yls2-0jpOb7eU-_A/pub" target="_blank"> Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">yields 3 cups</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Lebanese Cucumbers</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4-1/2 cup Mint leaves - finely chopped</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp Coriander Leaves - finely chopped</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">21/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-11/2 tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt)</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups Greek Yoghurt ( I like the creaminess of it, but you can use plain natural yoghurt also)</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup Milk (you can choose to replace milk with just water)</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 tbsp Water</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of Red Chilli powder</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span></span></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pour the yoghurt into a bowl and thin it by adding the milk and water. Do not add too much liquid as we do not want it watery, thickness should be like pouring cream. </span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chop the cucumber into a small dice and add it to the yoghurt. Add the Black Salt (use sparingly if you do not like the taste) a little regular salt, a pinch of chilli powder and 11/2 tsp of roasted cumin powder. </span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following this add the mint leaves and coriander leaves, leaving a little for garnish. Give everything a good mix, so that it is well combined. </span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now pour the raita into the serving bowl, sprinkle the leftover cumin powder and garnish with a few mint and coriander leaves. Serve with your choice of rice dish. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Enjoy!</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Black Salt or Kaala Namak is a salty and pungent smelling salt used in Indian cooking. It is a component in Chaat Masala and is also used widely as a seasoning in raitas, fruits, chutnys and </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">salads. Black salt is made up of mostly Sodium chloride with traces of sodium sulphite, the presence of sulphur contributes to its pungent smell. It is easily available in Indian Grocery stores.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. To make roasted cumin powder, dry roast the cumin seeds in a pan till they colour dark brown. Use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to grind it to a fine powder.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-4823220979739079802013-05-22T00:43:00.000+10:002013-05-23T00:53:26.995+10:00Pumpkin, fetta and walnut tart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I have posted before about my Pumpkin and fetta salad, this time around I decided to convert the ingredients into a tart. Roasted pumpkin, salty fetta and crunchy walnuts paired with crispy, flaky puff pastry - yumm! It's perfect for entertaining, just cut them into slices and reheat before serving.</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eJ9JNExyGkE9jh1DK6dJ9un6apbVV7RtKqQGSBEDcso/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Makes 1 tart</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 sheet of Puff pastry</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 cups Pumpkin cubes</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 tbsp Fetta</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup walnuts - roughly chopped</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp olive oil</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olive oil spray</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp thyme</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Cracked Pepper</span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Roast the pumpkin cubes with a spray of olive oil on them for about 15-20 minutes at 190 degree Celsius till they are nice and tender. You can choose to nuke them in a microwave for 4-5 minutes instead of baking them to save time.</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsoAkRkovJ1dCztHIDUWAejd5jBU-b4PCJfHe09ilDZBOIMQXYXC9zCZjvSW-_pnoS8Rqh7xGGwzc_FKcyvVXNNw5JyLvRD9QeDg5QrJXnOncxFEwHpE4qmQmq2Iq9idrNoWldFckSUHr/s1600/IMG_2959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsoAkRkovJ1dCztHIDUWAejd5jBU-b4PCJfHe09ilDZBOIMQXYXC9zCZjvSW-_pnoS8Rqh7xGGwzc_FKcyvVXNNw5JyLvRD9QeDg5QrJXnOncxFEwHpE4qmQmq2Iq9idrNoWldFckSUHr/s640/IMG_2959.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Take the puff pastry and score (not all the way through) a 1.5 cm border along the pastry. This ensures that the outer ring puffs up nicely and the inner area remains flat. Prick the inner area with a fork and apply some olive oil using a pastry brush. To the pumpkin pieces add the thyme, salt and pepper and a tbsp of olive oil and mix well. Arrange the pumpkin on top of the pastry. Now sprinkle the fetta and walnuts on top, put it in the oven for 20 minutes at 190 C or till the pastry is cooked through and golden.</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCjRAxucNXy31Qpsx2xugRH_jmU81X-wpWZxkpf3TFFBkslIlrwdKXz2PnK98gsE5hfgNUpfXQkLsRWlAmuihrPM0OwIdxRXhRMp0GwQOzliIqBag7VQrgS33Y3NuyoOes0cZkcrw-zxL/s1600/IMG_2996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCjRAxucNXy31Qpsx2xugRH_jmU81X-wpWZxkpf3TFFBkslIlrwdKXz2PnK98gsE5hfgNUpfXQkLsRWlAmuihrPM0OwIdxRXhRMp0GwQOzliIqBag7VQrgS33Y3NuyoOes0cZkcrw-zxL/s640/IMG_2996.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Cut the tart into slices and serve. Enjoy!</span></h3>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-30663125452620928362013-05-21T23:17:00.001+10:002013-05-22T00:48:48.489+10:00Pasta Melanzane (Eggplant Pasta)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I have always found Italian language very sexy and I have to confess I try and use Italian names for food wherever I can - not to sound pompous but merely because it sounds good. Melanzane is the Italian name for eggplant and is the star of this pasta dish. The sauce is of an olive oil, chilli, garlic base and is quite light and goes very well with the gooey eggplant. It's a really fresh pasta dish, and keeps well as a pasta salad at room temperature too making it great for entertaining. I hope you enjoy my Pasta Melanzane - another little Italian adventure.</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVx16bscg2-e8PCa6M2n7C5SSKqr2ZHV9EVWwkGtOUTF6mdYkk-PgBA-h0j9zJtgxuTy80nxqvpgjLtKUELk-Kjwexpi21HIauCYCKIJZa1_SNEeUtH3yXj0DOFy2j3imS1zJtQzC701e/s1600/IMG_2473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVx16bscg2-e8PCa6M2n7C5SSKqr2ZHV9EVWwkGtOUTF6mdYkk-PgBA-h0j9zJtgxuTy80nxqvpgjLtKUELk-Kjwexpi21HIauCYCKIJZa1_SNEeUtH3yXj0DOFy2j3imS1zJtQzC701e/s640/IMG_2473.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TNXHGsnvL-2Dok22H4vvdaPHdIfucx3uamwwp2MQQVs/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">Serves 2-3 </span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange;">Ingredients</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">250 -300 g Fettucine Pasta</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">2 Eggplant - cut into large cubes</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">2-3 long Red Chilli - finely chopped (use less if you don't like it too hot)</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">6 cloves of Garlic - finely chopped</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">3 tbsp Olive oil</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">a generous glug of Extra Virgin Olive oil</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">2 cups Cherry tomatoes - cut into halves</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">3/4 cup Parsley - chopped</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - grated</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Salt to taste</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Pepper to taste</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">Note: To make this dish vegan leave out the parmesan cheese</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Method</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">In a large pot boil about two litres of water, add a generous sprinkling of salt and carefully place the fettucine into the pot to cook. In another pan heat some olive oil and add garlic, chilli and saute for a few minutes. Add the eggplant and mix well so that the eggplant pieces are coated with the garlic and chilli. Cook for ten minutes till eggplant is tender.</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGzMF-MnYlSYatuabgCXS6lNT5Tj-YxhRD9dsoXZlB0GNvI9Rkgt3SHa3aXzUE8DFIadB4MafVSAeCETp3aF_zQn6_3SaEw5ewnXP9V6ETOE8PYTh33ilm-9P55MthWFAWze1pD1lYOIs/s1600/IMG_2443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGzMF-MnYlSYatuabgCXS6lNT5Tj-YxhRD9dsoXZlB0GNvI9Rkgt3SHa3aXzUE8DFIadB4MafVSAeCETp3aF_zQn6_3SaEw5ewnXP9V6ETOE8PYTh33ilm-9P55MthWFAWze1pD1lYOIs/s640/IMG_2443.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Drain the pasta and keep it aside. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook them till they are gooey and begin to release their juices to become a sauce. Now add the salt, pepper and 3/4th of the parsley and mix everything till combined. Mix the pasta in to the eggplant, chilli and tomato sauce and mix it well. Remove from heat and add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, this adds to the sauce making the pasta moist and delicious. Sprinkle some parmesan and cracked pepper and garnish with some fresh parsley. Pasta Melanzane is ready to be served.</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGSr623vk0QuRK6FCe2B8QoQGyu7gZwpPxNkOdHoDAODzEg4ydEnphAwi8o2g837hoh-ANP4H2qRjRW14c3Kj6Bg9kZFGW2gMugYgMRnf9iwHnSeKGoBEJvoqy7SQ7eC_SzBKADhAcaLy/s1600/IMG_2464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGSr623vk0QuRK6FCe2B8QoQGyu7gZwpPxNkOdHoDAODzEg4ydEnphAwi8o2g837hoh-ANP4H2qRjRW14c3Kj6Bg9kZFGW2gMugYgMRnf9iwHnSeKGoBEJvoqy7SQ7eC_SzBKADhAcaLy/s640/IMG_2464.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Enjoy!</span></h3>
</div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-37252553591549887812013-05-21T22:34:00.002+10:002013-05-21T22:37:00.666+10:00My love affair with Bhindi (Okra) continues<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><i>" I had eight, how many can you have?" </i></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These were the words uttered by a very proud, over stuffed 8-9 year old me. I was referring to the fact that I had 8 chappatis with bhindi (okra) and was teasing my cousin who claimed to be another bhindi lover, and was obviously not in the same league as me. The fact that I was a skinny 9 year old who usually ate 1-2 rotis did not matter at the time, all I wanted was glory and lots of bhindi. </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not much changed over the years, even during dinner parties at home mom would keep a secret stash of bhindi fry for me. During my undergraduate studies when I used to return to India every summer this was my first meal - Bhindi Fry and Roti. It's a relatively humble meal but I absolutely adore the crispy yet gooey vegetable doused in a spicy masala accompanied by hot inflated balloon like rotis. I have once eaten almost a kilo of bhindi at one time, talk about dedication!</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bhindi/Okra/Lady's finger whichever name you prefer is a green vegetable with a slimy interior and gooey seeds. It is very popular in Ethiopian, West African and South Asian cuisines. It has great health benefits too, high in Vitamin C, folate, calcium, potassium, antioxidants and fiber content.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am of course showing you the Indian way of making okra. There are numerous ways of preparing the vegetable, bharwa bhindi (stuffed bhindi), Jaipuri bhindi( crispy bhindi with besan coating) and bhindi fry - the little rounds cut and fried with onion and spices - all delicious. Some preparations keep the okra/lady's finger long and some short so as a kid I used to call it choti bhindi (small) and badi bhindi (big) to make my choice clear.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my dear readers I give you choti bhindi fry - one of my most loved vegetable dishes of all time. </span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnO57__2TEwplCJoPDupV96LoIb0yKcxp8cWr7OPcCFmgGjmFvC520TQri9zHz1xHnuAVEH1EjbtuVvc-mSzlX-USmMk9hTgYm_zeiUax7kI_sN3G2KXSGXOSsLs5Rsb5IVzZOWV1wNph/s1600/IMG_2851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnO57__2TEwplCJoPDupV96LoIb0yKcxp8cWr7OPcCFmgGjmFvC520TQri9zHz1xHnuAVEH1EjbtuVvc-mSzlX-USmMk9hTgYm_zeiUax7kI_sN3G2KXSGXOSsLs5Rsb5IVzZOWV1wNph/s640/IMG_2851.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WANDmBGuywZEUDb1GWXDGzSpryK-yAMgvXDQ8lWxi_A/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">serves 2-3</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">500 g Okra</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Medium sized onions - small diced</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 tsp Cumin Seeds</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Asfoetida Powder</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 tsp Coriander Powder</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11/2 tbsp Vegetable/Sunflower oil</span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wash the okra thoroughly and wipe them dry with a tea towel. Slice the okra into thin rounds and keep it aside. (you may need to wipe your knife as the slime will stick to it when you are cutting the okra)</span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvgv7lUZylaKPxiQ2WhdJbccYe1eZn0ytthgPWCU09LPfRcGEmPN0PcBC_U87al9l6pb4sVJ2B6oTalOCyPKzX5rtAyvcBPPRRII9iOMpMQm8pNBZtqiPEbwN23QCqsbthqVvsid_bef1/s1600/IMG_2838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvgv7lUZylaKPxiQ2WhdJbccYe1eZn0ytthgPWCU09LPfRcGEmPN0PcBC_U87al9l6pb4sVJ2B6oTalOCyPKzX5rtAyvcBPPRRII9iOMpMQm8pNBZtqiPEbwN23QCqsbthqVvsid_bef1/s320/IMG_2838.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jzW13cgrHdMllbAPPSE9Opi5Oz4EvZOe2ahWwai9cGg5WH1rSJ4uXi294D3s1vp5KgRLfUnMtdl4dHHpUHISSGM5srUruYd_FwH48LBpLs715RBmj1Kcb2rQ0SAosaIs6OvwUw_21LHd/s1600/IMG_2845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jzW13cgrHdMllbAPPSE9Opi5Oz4EvZOe2ahWwai9cGg5WH1rSJ4uXi294D3s1vp5KgRLfUnMtdl4dHHpUHISSGM5srUruYd_FwH48LBpLs715RBmj1Kcb2rQ0SAosaIs6OvwUw_21LHd/s320/IMG_2845.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a wok heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and asfoetida powder. let the cumin turn a little dark brown and add the chopped onions. Saute till the begin to colour. Now add the sliced okra followed by salt and spices. Give it a good mix so that the spices are uniformly coated. </span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhViXkuOvQfMYA_te7M1z4mPTIV5Gm-9hUMm2OedwmVDIZ5Z6p16Fs6_P-mKSSdc7i2Ua_jnHP4kGtLxOzwKyOnqK3zmXv-9dqCMXQpJDDBoVSDnrdEBbh3f6cHKhls7R_BfIIIzrQkL5/s1600/IMG_2848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhViXkuOvQfMYA_te7M1z4mPTIV5Gm-9hUMm2OedwmVDIZ5Z6p16Fs6_P-mKSSdc7i2Ua_jnHP4kGtLxOzwKyOnqK3zmXv-9dqCMXQpJDDBoVSDnrdEBbh3f6cHKhls7R_BfIIIzrQkL5/s320/IMG_2848.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now cover the pan and let it cook on a low flame for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes give everything a good stir, the okra should have softened. Now cook it uncovered for another 10 minutes on a medium flame to get it slightly crisp.</span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAVBSObn4eV-ATHAA3TtreZhuCLgdACb8r8pcg101UL_7CIfq7lwUzDt7m_F7Qv0lB6IJyBPsjX1ad_LNHECsmY3HZr4evHKELwo28dBzZ-LRclFGHbSCx8lOz3fPboD2XYjVaXyt9P3P/s1600/IMG_2870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAVBSObn4eV-ATHAA3TtreZhuCLgdACb8r8pcg101UL_7CIfq7lwUzDt7m_F7Qv0lB6IJyBPsjX1ad_LNHECsmY3HZr4evHKELwo28dBzZ-LRclFGHbSCx8lOz3fPboD2XYjVaXyt9P3P/s320/IMG_2870.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Choti bhindi fry is ready to be served. Enjoy with hot rotis.</span></span></span></h3>
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3491332890820386507.post-54055059636344037862013-04-21T14:21:00.001+10:002013-06-05T21:58:07.170+10:00Butter Bean Burgers with Coleslaw and Baked Sweet Potato Fries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Readers,</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegetarianism can cause social awkwardness sometimes? I am not sure if any of you have experienced it but sometimes I feel or the situation makes me feel I am being picky/fussy when am merely saying I eat vegetarian food only, This is is particularly true at parties or trying to figure out where to eat with a big group of people.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I seriously never intend to be difficult, but we are all entitled to a choice isn't it. Is it really that difficult for some to understand the notion that not everyone wants to include a heavy animal protein reliant diet. I try to respect other people's choices and expect the same respect and understanding regardless of personal beliefs. I seriously do not want to rant but merely pose a question, is it not important in today's food allergy and intolerances ridden world to be a little more mindful of special dietary needs? I suppose the other alternate is not eating out, but I don't think that's fair to people with food allergies in my opinion.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For now let me share a lovely little healthy burger recipe with all of you - Butter Bean burgers with coleslaw and sweet potato fries.The butter beans are a good source of protein and make the patties hearty. They go really well with the coleslaw and some crunchy sweet potato chips, oven baked not fried! The coleslaw is absolutely divine with the addition of buttermilk. It's light and not at all unhealthy. The crunchy cabbage and carrots and the sweet crisp apple adds a new dimension to the dish. Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you- the healthy burger.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cookie </span></span></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3TTiGJRgS5XNrQYTVxFoeOfVyDyRr-F6ef3fRTcgJ6lqO6QUhoJXYbLriwnYDV4rYIUpqNVDxVdWYSZhl6pE9Xca5E9wTOEW4LSe3x8e3a-VnQgK-HOv4XGH6G0q59TA9fI1kQFeExtl/s1600/photo+(10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3TTiGJRgS5XNrQYTVxFoeOfVyDyRr-F6ef3fRTcgJ6lqO6QUhoJXYbLriwnYDV4rYIUpqNVDxVdWYSZhl6pE9Xca5E9wTOEW4LSe3x8e3a-VnQgK-HOv4XGH6G0q59TA9fI1kQFeExtl/s640/photo+(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ByplHPdA0abo0ci1xeuzIB6eTL_51h_juE9285OlbrU/pub" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">yields 10-12 patties</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the patties</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 can Butter Beans ( you can substitute with chickpeas, red kidney beans, cannelini beans)</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 large Potato</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp Parsley</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp Garlic powder</span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Onion - finely chopped and sauted</span></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Peas</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Corn</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt to taste</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-2 tsp Black pepper</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oats - for crumbing</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tbsp corn flour mixed with little water</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the Coleslaw</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Shredded White cabbage</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Shredded Purple Cabbage</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Capsicum - diced</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Shredded Carrot</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup Shredded Apple (optional)</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Buttermilk</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2-3/4 cup Organic Freerange Mayonnaise</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pepper</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the Sweet Potato Fries</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Large Sweet potato - cut into strips</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paprika</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olive oil Spray</span></span></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the coleslaw</i></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix the mayonnaise and buttermilk with salt and pepper and add it to the shredded vegetables. Mix well and keep it in the fridge covered till it's time to serve.</span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgQ2OGSQbXzOVXI1TUTUnrkp8IxushB2-DAMTRMkwrgjjzj10sPyb_TfZqW_Qx0vPNeiKtaKdmYocan81c7M5GG90wyykXf6v2R1oHNvjvL4pzBQ8UUwoOVMAqoY_jP5PR0O_2KWMUI5E/s1600/photo+(18).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgQ2OGSQbXzOVXI1TUTUnrkp8IxushB2-DAMTRMkwrgjjzj10sPyb_TfZqW_Qx0vPNeiKtaKdmYocan81c7M5GG90wyykXf6v2R1oHNvjvL4pzBQ8UUwoOVMAqoY_jP5PR0O_2KWMUI5E/s640/photo+(18).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVICxdaDW02BYauSimUgRvwhi3V72X1mGJzXBT4s29EZ0ds9z5n8wa30iFQ6QbTbBDWcJDW_WeowzBDR4eEm-hp82pW9e4_RQJ8itZiOVsT-8nCBrq3djW73xYklxv8JHu6l-vWkibvYw/s1600/photo+(17).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVICxdaDW02BYauSimUgRvwhi3V72X1mGJzXBT4s29EZ0ds9z5n8wa30iFQ6QbTbBDWcJDW_WeowzBDR4eEm-hp82pW9e4_RQJ8itZiOVsT-8nCBrq3djW73xYklxv8JHu6l-vWkibvYw/s640/photo+(17).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the Patties</i></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drain the butter beans and put them in a large bowl Boil the potato and add it to the bowl after it has cooled down. Add the rest of the ingredients and mash them by hand and combine them to form a workable mixture. Now make patties by taking the mixture and flattening them into rounds. Do this for all the mixture and keep the patties in the fridge for 15 minutes. </span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6I1NR6X9Qi878FrXQpK9ktBf8NULO3u3bilq2yp7hUPH0qxLdpRtcxO0UJzV7jfOwdMk0iRQfeFrSK2Af4FjoT7yh_rMZ3B5LmiIJOc9sJ9ovOsrzDd188mIxh94pTd6JUAaOJrG1WKkA/s1600/photo+(13).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6I1NR6X9Qi878FrXQpK9ktBf8NULO3u3bilq2yp7hUPH0qxLdpRtcxO0UJzV7jfOwdMk0iRQfeFrSK2Af4FjoT7yh_rMZ3B5LmiIJOc9sJ9ovOsrzDd188mIxh94pTd6JUAaOJrG1WKkA/s640/photo+(13).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 200C.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dip the patties into the corn flour and water mixture and then into the oats, so that the patty is fully covered with oats. Repeat for all the patties. Arrange the patties in a baking tray and put them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes till they are golden brown. </span></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alternatively you can shallow fry them in a pan with 1-2 tbsp of oil til they are golden brown. Be careful while flipping as they are quite delicate.</span></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For the sweet potato chips</i></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In another tray lined with baking paper, arrange the sweet potato strips with a spray of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. cook in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes till crisp and browned. Sprinkle some paprika once they are ready to serve.</span></span></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyPyqxW5IWK1UmzJQikMRbtD-A8ai8BMuBmtMIh2Doo0SRyPCyrtwq2yRxrstmrrJmnL8WDfbG5RZWM35Ly9n9POlbAxjsBY8GhiAa9qYDPxfljeS1xB8D14HE_pXd7CGe3dWB1PyNtRv/s1600/photo+(11).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyPyqxW5IWK1UmzJQikMRbtD-A8ai8BMuBmtMIh2Doo0SRyPCyrtwq2yRxrstmrrJmnL8WDfbG5RZWM35Ly9n9POlbAxjsBY8GhiAa9qYDPxfljeS1xB8D14HE_pXd7CGe3dWB1PyNtRv/s640/photo+(11).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>To assemble</i></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To assemble the burger, cut the buns in half and spread some avocado or butter on it, place a slice of tomato, some coleslaw, burger patty, drizzle some ketchup on top and close the bun. Serve with extra coleslaw on the side and sweet potato chips.</span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Enjoy!</span></h3>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Srishti Mehtahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10897683289696676287noreply@blogger.com12