Dolls

Onion Magic

  “It’s probably illegal to make soups, stews and casseroles without plenty of onions.” -Maggie Waldron

 It’s hard to imagine my food without Onion and Garlic. The flavor of Onions and Garlic being sautéed in the ‘tadka’ is simply irresistible. Especially in the evenings nearing dinnertime, you go for a walk and you are sure to get this irresistible aroma from someone’s kitchen window. Both onions and Garlic add the required ‘zing’ to my food.

Here’s a simple starter from Tarla Dalal. Very quick and easy to make; yummy to taste-family opinion. Baby onions (I used Madras onions) and mushrooms sautéed in butter and seasoned with Tabasco sauce and Oregano (I used the oregano seasoning you get with Dominos pizzas). This can be served as a starter or as a side dish. I served it as a side dish with Tomato- Basil Pasta.

 

Onion Mushroom with Oregano recipe as adapted from Tarla Dalal

 

Ingredients 10 baby onions , peeled 10 button mushrooms 1 teaspoon Tobasco sauce 1 teaspoon oregano 1 tablespoon butter salt to taste  Heat the butter in a saucepan and sauté the onions till they turn light brown. Add the button mushrooms and cook for some time (till the excess water evaporates). Finally add the Tobasco sauce, oregano and salt and mix well. Serve hot with toothpicks pierced in each mushroom and onion.  The original recipe recommends spring onions for garnishing. I did not have any on hand so I have not added.

Here’s some more Allium magic for Click: August 2009 (Allium).

                                 Allium Magic

Thanks Jai and Bee for hosting Click.

Ganesh Chaturthi Wishes

Best Wishes to all my readers on the auspicious occassion of Ganesh Chaturthi .

Purple -for Flower Fest

Flower Fest is being revived by Manisha and now it is ‘Flower Fest by Colour’. This month’s Colour is Purple.

Last date for the purplicious Flower fest is August 25, 2009.

 

My Purplicious entries for Flower fest.

 

 

Health in a Cup- Kadha

With swine flu still dominating the news it has become difficult to distinguish between the regular flu (Influenza) and Swine Flu.  Lot of preventive advice is being given to keep the H1N1 at bay, adding to the confusion.

Here, meanwhile flu like diseases are at its peak. Cold, cough, sore throat, fever…you name it and we have it!

One of the home remedy traditionally used for Cough, cold, sore throat, bodyache and other such infections is this age old Kadha; a Marathi word for ‘Herbal Tea’.

This was my grandmother’s classic medicine when we were growing up; though at that time I did not much enjoy this Kadha; It had to be forced as a medicine.

Now I enjoy it as a ‘Herbal Tea’

For the Kadha you need: 

• Tulsi (Basil) :8-10 leaves washed
• Fennel Seeds:1 tsp 
• Lemon Grass: 1 leaf (Use dried lemon grass if you don’t have fresh )
• Cloves: 3-4
• Soonth (dry ginger powder): 1 pinch

• Jeshthimadh (Licorice): 1 pinch

Add all these ingredients to water and boil till the water reduces to half its original quantity.

Filter (if required) and drink hot.

Note: Jeshthimadh is a natural sweetner so I haven’t added honey. Use honey if not using Jeshthimadh.

                        Thank you for visiting My FoodCourt ..Cheers

Happy Independence Day

    Happy Independence Day

  

Some White Flowers from our garden for Peace and Prosperity

Sontaka

Common name: Sontaka, White Ginger, Garland Lily

 Botanical Name: Hedychium coronarium

Chandni

Common name: Chandni, Pinwheel Jasmine, Crepe Jasmine

 Botanical Name: Ervatamia coronaria

Sadafuli

Common name: Sadafuli, Vinca, Periwinkle,

 Botanical Name: Vinca Major

Jaswandi

Common name: Jaswandi, Hibiscus, Shoeflower 

 Botanical Name: Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis

 

                        Happy Independence Day

 

Quick Roti Quesadilla

 A very simple way to use leftover Rotis and curries: This is a hit with my little one and he doesn’t even know he is eating beans, cauliflower, carrots!  

Left over Rotis are stuffed with vegetable mixed with soya sauce, tomato ketchup, sprinkled with cheese, drizzled with oil, toasted and cut into triangle like Quesadillas.

 The Idea for sealing the Roti edges comes from Nupur’s Aayis samosa. Thanks Nupur and your Aai for this brilliant idea.

  

Roti Quesadilla Recipe:

 Leftover Chapatis (you need them in pairs)

Butter as required

Grated Cheese

Chickpea Flour paste in water (for sealing the edges)

Oil

For the Filling:

Cooked mixed Vegetables of your choice (I have added carrots,   cabbage, capsicum, Green beans, onion and tomatoes)

Tomato Ketchup 2 tbsp

Soya Sauce 2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste-1tsp

•  Heat 1 tsp oil/butter in a pan.
• Add ginger garlic paste.
• Add the cooked mixed vegetables. Fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add salt if not already added, tomato ketchup , soya sauce and mix well. Keep Aside.
• Spread butter on one side of the Roti.
• Add the vegetable filling and spread, leaving ½ inch space from the sides.
• Sprinkle cheese.
• Apply the Chickpea flour paste on the edge of the Roti.
• Cover with another Roti (you can apply the Chickpea paste to the edges of the 2^nd Roti too)
• Press edges using a spoon or fork.
• Heat a flat pan and drizzle some oil.
• Cook the Rotis on both sides till golden brown.
• Cut quarters of the Roti-Quesadilla using a pizza cutter.
• Serve Hot.

   Thank you for visiting My FoodCourt ..Cheers

Veg Soup for the Soul

This is one of my favourite soups. Simple and Easy to make…Simply delicious.

 

 

No specific measurements, just add your favourite veggies                                 

I have used :  

Green Beans (handful) ends trimmed,

1 Beetroot  peeled

1 Small cabbage

2 Small onions

2 Small Tomatoes

8-10 Stalks+leaves Spinach

1/2 Small fresh Bottlegourd peeled

(You may add Carrot, Cauliflower etc)

 

Chop the veggies roughly. Steam/Pressure cook till the veggies are just cooked.( Don’t overcook)

Run for a few minutes in the blender till smooth. Strain or don’t strain through a sieve(I haven’t).

Add 1tsp butter to a pan. Add some part of the pulp to it.(Refrigerate the leftover pulp to be used later)

Add sufficient water to make a soupy consistency(to your liking). Add salt, little sugar and freshly ground black pepper powder. Bring it to a boil. Serve piping hot.

Rakhi Poornima/Rakshabandhan Greetings

‘A brother is a friend given by Nature’

-Jean Baptiste Legouve

    Festive Greetings for  Rakhi Poornima/Rakshabandhan to all of you