Honey Mustard Dressing

From Alton Brown's Recipe, seems to work fine. Very simple to make and a very tasty dressing, especially if you want something tangy and not oily.

• 5 tablespoons medium body honey (sourwood is nice)
• 3 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Serve as a dressing or a dip.

Chocolate Souffle Cake

I made Chocolate Souffle Cake following the recipe from Martha Stewart as here.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-souffle-cake

It came out well. The cake had a good lift as a Souflle cake should be and it was very light as expected. I think I could have left it in the oven for 10 more mins to caramelize it further.

I made vanilla cream sauce following this recipe:

http://www.nickstellino.com/recipes_display.asp?ind=244

I served it A La Mode with Vanilla Icecream or Coffee Icecream.

I think it was overall a very successful cake.

Trip to Buenos Aires

Just returned from a business trip to Buenos Aires. Its pretty tough for vegetarians to survive if you do not know atleast some spanish. Most dishes have Ham (jamon) or seafood or chicken in them. The only safe bet often is spaghetti with tomato sauce.

One of my colleague asked me for Masala Dosa recipe. I searched for indian grocery stores in BA but im not getting any good references from googling. There seems to be popular spice store: El Gato Negro . There are a few indian restaurants in BA, but there doesn't seem to be any indian or south asian grocery stores. I am working on an MD recipe that would work for people at BA.

Pesto Is Not Just About Basil Any More - WSJ.com

Pesto Is Not Just About Basil Any More - WSJ.com

Swiss Chard and Chikpea soup

I adapted this recipe from: http://talesfromaveggiekitchen.blogspot.com/2006/10/chickpea-and-swiss-chard-soup.html

I had this soup at Oracle's Bon Appetitt restaurant and it was very earthy and tasty. I bought Swiss Chard from the Fremont farmer's market today. Here is the recipe for a big pot full of soup.

o 1 big bunch of swiss chard

o 2 large onions - diced

o 4 carrots cubed for soup

o 3 stalks of celery - diced

o 1 carton of veg stock

o 1 can of tomato paste (small can)

o 2 cans of garbanzo beans

o Clean the chard, trim the root end of the stem; then cut the whole stems into small pieces and the leaves into ribbons

o Saute the onions, carrots and celery along with the chard stems in EVOO for 10 mins in the soup pot with the cover on the pot.

o Add the chard ribbons and saute for 5 mins

o Add the stock and a lot of water in the pot and bring to boil.

o Add the whole can of paste to the pot and the garbanzo beans and boil for 10 mins

o Optionally take about 3 cups of the soups with veggies and beans and puree in blender gently. Then return puree to pot.

o Reduce the heat, add seasoning (oregano, thyme, parsley etc.) and simmer for 30 mins or more.

o Add pepper and salt to taste before serving.

Recipes — Cooking Ideas — Italian Farro & Beans— SFGate Food & Wine

Recipes — Cooking Ideas — Italian Farro & Beans— SFGate Food & Wine

Bitter Gourd ( Karela ) Curry

I adapted this recipe from a funny show from the Vahchef on youtube

o Bitter Gourd 1/2 pound

o Chilly Powder: 2 tsp

o Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp

o 1 inch ginger diced or grated

o 1 med onion diced

o 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1 pinch Hing

o Cut Bitter Gourd into half, scoop out the inside white pith, but you can keep the seeds as they come out crunchy in this dish. Dice into small pieces

o Soak in hot water with salt and 1 tsp turmeric for 15 mins; then squeeze out the liquid and set aside.

o Fry mustard, cumin seeds, curry leaves, Hing in oil. When mustard seeds pop, add onions and sauté. Add Ginger to onions.

o Add coriander powder and chili powder

o Add bitter gourd; cover for about 10 mins until it is cooked

o Then uncover and cook in high until the veggies caramelize and become crispy

o When it is almost done, add Jaggery or Sugar and some lemon juice

o You can also substitute 1 tbsp of tamarind instead of the lemon juice at the time you cook the vegetable.

This curry is bitter, spicy, tangy and sweet at the same time. This is a fine accompaniment to rice dishes.

Bitter Gourd aka Karela that you can get from Indian markets is a spiky green vegetable. This link shows the differences between the various varieties of this vegetable.

Vegan Cupcake Recipe wins Cupcake war!

Vegan Chef: Chloe Coscarelli Won the recent Cupcake War with Vegan Cupcake recipes!

Here is the link from nytimes article

Her Mango Masala Panini Recipe which won award in another competition is here

Bitter Gourd Kootu

Adapted from: http://www.asvadha.com/2008/04/bitter-gourd-kootu.html

5 or 6 bitter gourds - diced into rings after removing pith
1/2 - 1 cup - cooked Toor dal,
1 1/2 tsp - Salt or to taste
1/2 tsp - Turmeric
1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tsp - Oil

For Coconut-masala paste:
1/4 cup - Coconut , grated
1 tbsp - Coriander seeds
1 tbsp - Channa dal
1/2 tbsp - Urad dal (
1/2 tsp - Fenugreek/Menthia seeds
3-4 - Red chillies
pinch of asafoetida

For Tempering :
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 tsp - Urad dal
1/2 tsp - Fenugreek seeds
Few curry leaves
2 tbsp - Peanuts, roasted

o Cut Bitter Gourd into half circles

o Add salt and turmeric and soak in water for 20 mins; Then squeeze out water and set veggies aside.

o Fry ingredients for masala paste (minus coconut) in oil; Then grind to a smooth paste

o Fry tempering ingredients, then add peanuts then add Bitter Gourd and fry for 5 mins

o Add 1 1/2 cups water and Tamarind and cook for 10 mins

o Add cooked Dal and cook for 5 mins

o Add masala paste and cook for 5 mins

o Add 1 tbsp jaggery to sweeten the dish

o Serve hot with rice.

Cabbage Rice

I built this recipe from several web sites and it came out quite well. It can be had with a Channa masala or some other curry or with Raita.

• 1/2 head cabbage
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp channa dal (soaked for 10 mins in hot water)
• 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds

Spice paste :

• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1/4 cup dry peeled peanuts
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tbl spn coconut
• 4-5 green/red chillies
• 1 tea spn chopped ginger (opt)

o Cook rice and set aside to cook (you can put it in freezer optionally)
o Grind spice paste and set aside
o Heat oil, add mustard seeds, onion and then cabbage and curry leaves; finally add soaked channa dal and fry
o Once the cabbage is somewhat done (still crisp), add the paste and cook for 5 mins
o Then add the rice, mix well and serve

Simplest Raita Ever

Raita cools the palette and hence is often paired with spicy dishes like Biryani or Pulao.
It is mostly yogurt or cultured milk (Kefir) with some vegetables or herbs or just chaat masala.

I made it in the following way and it was very tasty and so simple to make:
o 1 Tomato diced
o about 5 - 10 mint leaves
o 1/4 cup of cilantro
o 1-2 cups of yogurt or kefir
o salt as needed

Mix these. Thats it!

Mushroom Pulao

I made this recipe adapted from:
http://valar-myblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/mushroom-pulao.html
and it came out well. It is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients
Mushrooms - 1 packet of sliced mushrooms from the megamart
Basamti Rice - 2 cups
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 3

Onion , chopped - 1
Salt to taste
Ghee or oil - little

For the Ground masala
Garlic - 6 pods (optional)
Ginger - 1" piece
Green chillies - 3 (5 if you want it spicy)
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Black Pepper Corns - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cardamom - 4
Mint leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

o Soak Basmati Rice for 10 mins
o Grind the above masala ingredients. Set aside
o Cook Rice with cinnamon and cloves and a tsp of butter in rice cooker with 4 cups of water.
o Saute onions with 1 tbsp oil or butter. When it caramelizes add ground masala and leave for 2 mins until the water in masala evaporates. Then add mushrooms and cook for 5 mins.
o Then add cooked basmati rice and gently mix all ingredients.
o Garnish with cashews fried in butter or ghee.

Cooking Basmati Rice in Rice Cooker

Good tips that worked for me are in this link.
More tips :

1. link1
2. link2 talks about cooking in zorijushi. This calls for the same method as below but for soaking in salted water.
   

• Rice to Water Ratio is 2 cup water for 1 cup rice
• Rinse/Wash rice gently and Soak rice for 10 mins and not more than 10 mins
• Optionally add a bit of spices (like 2 cardamom, 1-2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, etc.) and 1 tsp butter
  
• Cook in the regular rice cooking mode of your rice cooker
• Once cooking is done, switch cooker off and Leave closed for 10 mins
• Open after 10 mins and fluff gently with a fork. If you fluff too long after cooking it could get clumpy.
• Keep rice covered. Do not keep it in warm setting of rice cooker as it could get hard and clumpy.
  

All about Biryani

Here are some links about a popular dish in India: Biryani
This is a complete meal with protein, carbs and fat. This is a dish of Mughlai cuisine, basically developed with the persian cooks who belonged to the court of the persian Mughal kings of India.

This article talks a lot about the method of cooking Biryani and the difference between Biryani and Pulao both of which are rice dishes: link
Dum Pukht is the traditional method where an earthern pot called Handi is filled with ingredients (rice, meat or veg, spices, etc.) and sealed with dough. It is then kept on hot coals which turn the pot into an oven. The ingredients cook with their own steam which forms inside the pot and remains trapped in it due to the dough seal. Pretty neat!

More links:
wikipedia link
History of Biryani

By authentic standards my recipe for Vegetable Biryani is not a Biryani but a Pulao.
Biryani making process is a bit complex as described here

Armed with all these good information, i cannot wait to craft my own easy to make version of Biryani. I will post the recipe and the method once i figure this out.

Butternut Squash And Apple soup with Cream

I adapted this recipe from multiple sources:
Ina Garten's recipe,
Another one
Williams Sonoma recipe

The idea is somewhat simple and you can adapt it as you like it. Aromatics (diced onions, mire poix or leeks any of these will work) provide the base notes and heat. Stock provides the body. Butternut Squash (pumpkin will also do; Canned squash or pumpkin works just fine) provide the flavor and the sweetness. It is balanced by the tartness of Apples. Tart varieties like Pink Lady and Green Apple are better suited. The soup is ideal for cold months can be served with Sweet French Bread.

• Aromatics - 2 cups
  
• 1 can of butternut squash (or you can roast the squash in the oven and take the meat of the vegetable).
• 3 or 4 apples, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 carton of veg stock or broth
• 2-3 cups of water as needed to adjust the soup's consistency
• 2 cups of cream
  
• 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch saffron (optional)
• Salt and Pepper

o In a stock/soup pot, heat tbsp olive oil and add the aromatics
o when the onions/leeks are well done, add the diced apples and cook for 5 mins
o Add the stock, turn to high heat bringing to a boil and keep for 10 mins
o Add thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper
o Add the squash and cook for another 5 mins
o Take off the heat, puree using immersion blender or blender, return to pot
o Add the cream (or milk) and saffron and leave in the med for 5 mins
o Add salt and simmer until you serve the soup

Ghee Rice / Simple Pulao

Another receipe from my mother.
This is a great dish to have with Vegetable Kurma

• Rice 1 cup
• Ghee 3 tbsp (Use butter if you dont have Ghee)
  
• Cashews - 6
• Raisins - 15 (optionally)
• Green Chilies - 2
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup
• Spices: 1/2 inch cinnamon bark; 2 cloves; 2 cardamoms

o Soak rice for 10 mins
o Dry heat and grind the spices
o In a wide pan heat the ghee, add spices and then the cashews and raisins
o Add chilies and then add rice and fry for 5 mins
o Add cilantro and salt and add 1 1/2 cup water and cook in pressure cooker
o If you want to cook in the wide pan, you need more water ( I will update the recipe with the rice/water ratio after testing this method)

Tomato Rice

This recipe is from my mom. This comes out much like the biryani or a spicy pulao.

• 1 lb tomatoes; diced well
  
• 1 large or 2 med onions; diced
  
• 3 green chilies (or more if you need this to be more spicy) slit into two
  
• Cilantro and Mint 1/4 cup each
• Garam masala powder 1 tsp
  
• Rice 1 cup
• Spice powder:
• 2 cloves; 2 cardamoms; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1/2 inch cinnamon bark
• Dry Heat the spices and powder them
  

o Soak rice for 10 mins
o Add 2 tbsp oil to a wide pan and add spice powder
o And add onions and fry until onions are translucent
o Then add tomatoes and chilies and for 10 mins
o Add Rice and salt and fry for 5 mins
o Add the herbs and garam masala powder and mix well
o Add 1 cup water and cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles
o After the cooker cools, open and mix the rice well and leave to cook in the remaining heat for 10 more mins
o If you are cooking in a wide pan instead of the cooker you need to add more water
o The key is to find the right water/rice/cooktime ratio for your cooking method so that the rice doesn't lose its texture.

Vegetable Biryani

This is made South Indian Style and the masala is much like in this korma recipe.
The spicing is "Sweet" and "Green" meaning that it doesn't use tomatoes or red chilies.

• Vegetables:
• 1 large Onion (or 2 med) diced well
• 1 cup beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1-2 large potatoes cut into 4 each
• 2 carrots cubed
• 1 Chayote squash cubed
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• The veggies should not be cut too small or they will dissolve when making biryani
  
• Spices:
  
• 2 tsp soonf (fennel seeds)
  
• 8 cloves
• 1/2 inch cinnamon bark (lavang pattai in indian terms)
• 5 cardamom pods
• Heat the above spices in a pan in mild heat to bring out the flavors
• 
  
• Masala to grind:
  
• Use the above spices
• 4-5 green chilies - adjust heat depending on the heat of the chilly
• 1/2 cup coconut (frozen is fine)
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
  
• 8-10 raw cashews
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves optionally
• 1/2 inch ginger
  
• 2 garlic cloves (optionally)
• 1/2 cup of yogurt or sour cream or kefir optionally for tangy flavor

o Soak 2 cups of Basmati or other long grained rice for 30 mins or so; drain and set aside
o In a wide pan add 2 tbsp butter or ghee
o Add 1 tsp soonf seeds and fry the drained rice; set aside
o Add 2 tbsp butter or ghee and fry the onions
o Add Veggies and fry for 5 mins
o Add masala and fry for 5 mins; Add Salt as needed.
o Add rice and 7 cups of water, cover and cook until biryani is done. Cook in mild heat otherwise the dish will burn in the bottom of the vessel. Dont overcook it. Rice continues to cook after the direct heat is turned off.
o Serve with Raita

Tomato Leek Carrot Soup

• 2 Leeks (keep only the white part; split in the middle and washed very well)
• 2 stalks of celery
• 3 carrots
• 2 cans of plum tomatoes (diced)
  
• 1 pkg of vegetable broth (16 oz)
• 2 tbsp rice
  
• 3-4 cups of water
• Dried Thyme of powdered thyme for seasoning

o Dice all vegetables and saute in 2 tbsp olive oil
o Add tomatoes cook for 5 mins
o Add broth; Add 1 tsp of pepper flakes and 1 tsp of pepper for heat
o Add rice to the soup (it will give some body to the soup);
o Add water and seasoning
o Bring to boil and then cook in med heat for 30 mins
o Use a hand blender or blender to puree the soup
o Adjust seasoning and salt
o Serve with garnish (basil, chives, parsley etc. will work)
o Optionally add a dollop of sour cream during the serving

This is a great winter soup, especially if you add heat and spiciness it is very comforting for the cold winter nights.

Cauliflower Korma

This Korma is made with "green" spices, in the sense it doesn't use red pepper or tomato.
So it results in sort of a green curry. This is great to eat with Roti or other flat bread and with Basmati rice

• 1 large Onion (or 2 med) diced well
• Spices: 2 tsp soonf (fennel seeds)
  
• 8 cloves
• 1/2 inch cinnamon bark (lavang pattai in indian terms)
• 5 cardamom pods
• Heat the above spices in a pan in mild heat to bring out the flavors
• Masala to grind:
  
• 4-5 green chilies - adjust heat depending on the heat of the chilly
• 1/2 cup coconut (frozen is fine)
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
  
• 8-10 raw cashews
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves optionally
• 1/2 inch ginger
  
• 2 garlic cloves (optionally)
• Veggies: 1 head cauli flower cut to small pieces and steamed
  
• 4 small potatoes boiled and cut to 4 pieces each
• 1/2 cup of yogurt or sour cream or kefir optionally for tangy flavor
  

o You can steam cauliflower and boil potatoes at the same time and set aside
o Grind the masala ingredients and spices together
o Sautee Onions with a 1/2 inch of cinnamon bark in oil or butter
o Add masala to onions and cover and cook for 5-10 mins in mild heat
o Add veggies to masala and cook for 5-10 mins in low heat; add salt to taste
o Add yogurt/kefir/sour cream optionally for the tangy flavor and creaminess
o garnish with cilantro