One Night Stand from Queen of Nights

Dramatic opening in one of the night at our house in B'lore. Not just one, but more than a dozen of snow white Nishagandhi flowers bloomed spreading a sweet fragrance in the dead of the night

Greens from the Backyard = Ceylon Spinach

Have you seen this spinach? We Indians call this spinach by different names - Ceylon Spinach, Philippines Spinach,  Florida Spinach or Colombo Cheera. 

This common variety of spinach grows without much care in our backyards. After we moved to this house in Bangalore, we have the company of this ever green spinach. During the summer months, it was almost dried up, but with the shower, it has started to spread to its old glory.

This greens is know for its high protein content and its rich in vitamin A and C.

A world of caution, consuming large quantity is not advisable for those having arthritis and gout.

How to Use Ceylon Spinach

You can used in salads, or stir fried on in dal as I've done it today. Or you can make a toran and dal curry with it.

Ceylon Spinach (Talinum Triangulare) is also called Waterleaf

I Got Company 

Green, Green Backyard

Soak it in water for at least 15 minutes and rinse well.

Add oil, mustard, jeera and shallots and turmeric powder and saute for  few seconds

Now add the chopped spinach, cover and cook

Now add the grated coconut, jeera, garlic and green chillie along with salt and cook it well

To make Dal Spinach Curry, just add the cooked dal with lot of garlic, asafoetida powder and the cooked spinach. You can do different variations with the dal, just like the way make palak dal.

Once you've cooked it, you can have it along with hot steaming rice or chapati.  

This spinach is not available in the vegetable shops. Only few times, I've seen it in road side vegetable shops. If you have a terrace garden or kitchen garden, then you can easily grow it. All it needs is a bit of shade and lots of water.

And if you need its sapling, feel free to get it from my kitchen garden (backyard). 

Thanks and Enjoy.

Tiramisu Delight - Celebrating 5 Years of Blogging

For a very long time I wanted to try out Tiramisu, but didn't have the nerve to make one. First I was not confident, second the fear of failure, and finally I was not sure of the recipe. And today, while visiting a bookstore at 1 M.G Road Mall, I found an Italian recipe book with Tiramisu recipe.

With the recipe book in hand and a strong desire to do something special to celebrate 5 long years of blogging, I decided to attempt my first ever Tiramisu.

I started blogging with an aloo parata recipe and then slowly progressed to cakes and bakes, Looking back at my blogging, food experiments, my new found career as a home baker, I'm so delighted that I took this path in life. Yes, so better than than the deadlines at work, the urgent emails, client queries and travel to work..

Thought I still have a long way to become an expert, I'm happy with the little baby steps and the daily progress..

And most important, I want to thank you for visiting this foodie blog, the comments, and suggestion.

Bless You.

Marina

Tiramisu 

Cherry Improvisation 

Slice of this delight

I, Me & Tiramisu

Recipe for Tiramisu

Ingredients.

1. 4 egg yolks
2. 1/2 Cup superfine sugar
3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
4. 2 1/2 Mascarpone cheese
5. 2 egg whites
6. 3/4 Cup strong black coffee
7. 1/2 Cup rum or brandy
8. 24 Ladyfinger
9. 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
10. 2 tbsp grated dark chocolate
11. Cherry to decorate.

Method

• Whisk the egg yolk with the sugar and vanilla extract in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan.
• When the mixture is pale and the whisk leave a ribbon trail when lifted, remove the bowl from the heat and set aside to cool
• When the egg yolk mixture is cool, whisk in the mascarpone until thoroughly combined.
• Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks, then gently fold them into the mascarpone mixture.
• Combine the coffee and rum in a shallow dish, dip the ladyfinger in the mixture and arrange in the bottom of the dish.
• Spoon a third of the mascarpone mixture on top spreading it out evenly. Repeat the layers twice finishing with mascarpone mixture. Chill for 5 hours
• To serve, sift the cocoa evenly over the top and sprinkle with chocolate

Ingredients Kept ready for Tiramisu

Ladyfingers &  mascarpone Cheese

Ladyfinger Soaked in Dark Rum & Coffee

Tiramisu Almost Ready 

Pandi Curry - Coorgi Style

Pandi Curry  - Coorg Special 

This is my first ever pandi curry ( Coorgi recipe) made by following the recipe give by my friend, Champa. Thanks to her generosity, she gave me a bottle of highly prized Kachamplli. This unique syrup is made from a sour fruit called Panpuli. Here's how they make Kachamplli.

You can buy Kachamplli from this online store http://coorgshoppe.com

Now, let's start by following this Pandi Curry recipe.

1. Pork                         1kg
2. Red chilly powder     2 tsp
3. Turmeric powder      1 tsp
4. Salt to taste            
5. Coriander seeds        4 tsp
6. Cumin seeds             1 tsp
7. Mustard seeds          1 tsp
8. Black pepper            2 tsp
9. Cinnamon                 1 inch
10. Clove                        4
11. Shallots                     100gms
12. Green Chillies            10-12
13. Ginger                       1 inch
14. Garlic                        10
15. Coriander leave         handful.
16. Oil                            2-3 tsp
17. Kachampulli             1 tsp

Method

• Clean and cut the pork into small pieces
• In the cooker add water, pork, red chilly powder, turmeric and salt, cook till the cooker gives 3-4 whistles 
• Dry roast all the spices till they are dark brown but make sure you do not burn them, when it is cold powder it in a mixie.
• Now coarsely grind shallots, green chilly, ginger and garlic.
• Heat oil in a deep thick kadai, and all the ground spice and coarsely ground masala, saute for few seconds
• Now add the pork and kachampulli, check for salt and cook for another 5-10mts.
• Serve hot with Akki roti or kadambuttu. 

Try this recipe at home and share your feedback in the comment box.

Thank You.

Explore Italian Cusine in Bangalore

Portion of Chicken Lasagna

Chicken Farfalle

Chicken Lasagna - Baking Tray

Chicken Lasagna

Swrils Bolognese Spaghetti

Bolognese Spaghetti

Italian cusine for beginners at Bangalore and Trivandrum. This month I've scheduled classes on Italian Cooking Class at Trivandrum on 23rd June. Call 09379398865 for details. 

Chicken Jalferzi Recipe

Chicken Jalferzi

Ingredients:

• Oil/ Ghee                   4 tbsp
• Boneless Chicken      8 thighs sliced (750 gms)
• Onion Chopped         1 large
• Ginger Garlic paste    2 tbsp
• Capsicum chopped    1
• Green Chillie              2
• Tomato Chopped      400 gms
• Cumin powder          1 tsp
• Coriander powder    1 tsp
• Chillie powder          1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder      1/4 tsp
• Water                       125ml
• Chopped Coriander leaves to garnish

Method: 

1. Melt half the ghee in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and stir around for 5 minutes, until golden browned but not necessarily cooked through, then remove from the pan and keep it aside.
2. Melt the remaining ghee in the pan. Add the onion and fry, stirring frequently, for 5-8 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and continue frying for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. All the capsicum to the pan and stir around for 2 mintues.
4. Stir in the chilli, cumin, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Add the tomatoes with their juice and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low, add the chicken and leave it to simmer, uncoverd for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the capsicum is tender,the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti

Big lemon Chutney - The Coorg Style

Chutney - Coorgi Style

After a long gap, I took time off this Sunday to visit my friend who stays near Hebal. She being a Coorgi, treated us with home made ginger wine, pandi curry and akki roti. I couldn't resist the overpowering taste of all these Coorgi dishes. Of all the dishes, the biggest surprise was the big lemon (Ponderosa Lemon). This chutney made from coconut and big lemon had a really tangy element.

While I enjoyed both the pork and chutney, I also did'nt forget to ask the recipe from her. Also she gave me one Ponderosa Lemon, a papaya, a bottle of ginger wine and small plantain, all from her estate in Coorg.

So, without any delay I made chutney by following her recipe. So, here's the final product, with that tangy unique taste from Coorg.

Here're the Ingredients for making Lemon Chutney

lemon peels        - 2
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillie      - 2
Ginger grated     - 2 tsp ( This is my addition. You can go without it)
Salt to taste

Method

Put all the above ingredients in the blender and make it into a fine paste. Season it with mustard, curry leaves and dry chillies. Serve it with akki roti and pandi curry.

 I bet you too can recreate the same or even better taste in your kitchen. :-)

With love from Coorg!