Tag: Foodie delights

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Karanjee with a difference

Have successfully tried some variations to stuffing for Karanjee (also called Gujiya). For those keen for a different take on traditional recipes, consider this…

Instead of the usual stuffing of fresh grated coconut cooked with khoya and sugar, cook fresh grated coconut with milk and very little sugar. Cool and add gulkand. Mix well and proceed with rest of the recipe as usual.

Another variation is to stuff with Doodhi halwa (bottle gourd) or Gajar halwa. Ofcourse this means some additional effort but the final product is yummy! Use ready made doodhi halwa to save time.

Rainbow coloured Karanjee. For this: divide the dough into as many balls as the colours you want and colour each ball. Roll out each one separately. Then layer the coloured ‘rotis’ one over the other with a coat of cornflour mixed with ghee in between. Tightly roll the final stack and cut into rings. Roll out each ring and stuff and fry as usual. Work on the kitchen platform or a table top when rolling for best results.

Nobody said this was a simple process… But karanjees with colour streaked covering are great to showoff your cooking skills.

Bake instead of fry your karanjee. Set your oven to 200deg C and bake till golden. (you may need to tweak the temperature depending on your oven performance)

Found this link to Baked Anjir karanjees. Click here for the full recipe.

Keep an eye on the calories else you will pay the price for the next couple of months at least…

Wish you all a Happy, Safe and Healthy Divali.

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Steamy Affairs


Jangli Maharaj Road is easily the street food leader in Pune. They say that if one eats dinner out each day on this road then one can easily spend a year and not repeat a food outlet. While this may be an exaggeration, family restaurants stand cheek by jowl with roadside thelas, fast food outlets and more.

For foodies in Pune every new entrant is a subject of study!
‘Steamy Affair’ thus came under our scanner. There are no prizes for guessing what is on offer….
A simple standup outlet, idlees are the USP. Ranging from the normal fluffy white to more exotic sounding Kancheepuram, shevai and corn idlees, Steamy Affairs even offers special ‘varai’ idlis for those on a fast. Of course these are restricted to Thursday and Saturday.
Each serving is accompanied by sambhar and chutney and it doesn’t take long to demolish it. While the sambhar could do with more vegetables, it does have a typical ‘Puneri’ taste. Chutney passes muster. 
Besides idlees there is not much else on the menu except few beverages.
Priced between Rs 12 and 20, the pinch to the pocket is bearable.
Certainly worth a visit when in the area.
Yenjoy!!
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Marathi Fiesta

Published at Rediff.com/getahead on 18 October 2007:

Pune City can well be considered a foodies’ paradise. Gastronomic offerings range from top-of-the-line cuisine to street fare and everything in between, both desi and videsi, vegetarian and non-vegetarian.

A visit to Pune simply must include a typical Maharashtrian meal. Food is always served in a ‘thali’ — restaurants have a preset menu that is changed every week. A thali usually includes two vegetables, a dal, salad, rotis, rice, papad and vadas. Some offer more preparations of each type along with a range of steamed or fried farsans. Food is usually eaten by hand (unless you insist on a spoon) and most eateries have special menus on festivals or special occasions, which are advertised in local newspapers.

My tip — make sure to skip breakfast to do full justice at a Maharashtrian restaurant, even if your dietician advises against it! On the positive side, lunch is available from 11:30 am onwards, so your stomach fire need not burn too long!

I decided to shut my kitchen for the day and check out what some of the popular vegetarian eateries have to offer.

Click here to read more.

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Dragon Fruit

A few weeks back a Pune daily carried reports of the ‘Dragon’ fruit that farmers located on outskirts of Pune were growing for exports. What caught my eyes was the colour! The dark pink skin stood out against the grimy newsprint and I was keen to take a look.
Finally yesterday I found the Dragon at my fruit shop. At Rs 100 a kg I was a bit hesitant to try it. What if it had a peculiar taste or horrible smell? Seeing my hesitation the guy condescended to let me take one piece (that was 500 gms) and I came home with my trophy. The family was most suspicious to say the least of this new addition to the weekly shopping basket
I had detailed instructions on how to ‘slay’ the Dragon as it were! The dark pink armour had scales and seemed really tough so I got out my most evil looking knife. Yet to my surprise it cut through easily (almost like cutting a papaya) and no thanks to the knife mind you! The inside was pure white pulp with a speckling of black seeds like ‘black til’ or ‘kalonji’. The skin is not edible I was told!
I sliced it into rings like a pineapple and viola my family looked on with some trepidation at the unusual desert for that meal. The Dragon is almost devoid of odour and very tender. One bite and you get the impression of eating a crunchy ‘litchee’. The pulp is extremely watery and sweet.
On the whole, we managed to clean the plate without much trouble.
The fruit is from the Cactus family, my research shows. Click here for its nutritive value and here to know more about it.
I believe Pune farmers are exporting the Dragon fruit. I had read about and seen rose farms that were doing the same but this is a first for me.
All the best to our entrepreneurs!
Ciao!
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Cinnamon Spice

Pune has fast developed into a foodies paradise. Despite being a relatively small city, getting around is a problem but nothing should stop one in search of a well cooked and attractively served meal.
Cinnamon Spice a ‘dhaba’ style restaurant is one such joint one can safely head for. Situated in Aundh, this is a compact open air well decorated place with welcoming and knowledgeable staff. Now getting a table for 2/3/4 or more people without a reservation in Pune particularly on weekends means spending at least the better part of an hour staring into plates of current table occupants and desperately trying not to show it. Why do people have to keep ordering that extra course??
Yet we found that space was not an issue at Cinnamon Spice which for me was a big plus. No parking woes either as they offer valet services else there is plentiful space for those who do not want that extra bit of feudal service.
The restaurant has an open kitchen which means one is treated to a potent mixture of aromas and fumes as the chefs busily work at the tandoor or the stoves. Additionally it also means, hygiene standards are necessarily high.
Decorated to resemble a dhaba complete with the staff outfits, Cinnamon Spice has a live band (a duo on the day we visited the place) singing what else… Hindi numbers.
Muted lights, terracotta shades, copper serving bowls set the mood and service is quite prompt.
The menu offers limited choice for vegetarians, though the list of kebabs on offer is varied enough. The selection of liquor and mocktails is adequate too. Angrezi tarkari, Dal makhani lived up to expectations as did the butter naan. Pomphret, prawns, chicken all seemed tantalising and delicious as I smelt and watched them being served piping hot right in front of me!
Rates are on the higher side but worth the drive out there.
For those looking for an option this weekend, check this out.

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Try something different this Gudi Padava

Gudi Padava is also celebrated as Bihu in Assam, a state where we have spent over 4 years. The Rangoli Bihu celebrated at this time of the year is dedicated to spring. While people take pride in visiting foreign locales not many are keen or dare to visit the states called ‘seven sisters’. Extensively endowed with natural beauty, the states have much to offer the intrepid traveller.
Food wise too their preparations are quite different from rest of India. Songs by Bhupen Hazarika wonderfully echo the state’s music.

Here is a recipe of Til Pitha– a sweet pancake made of sesame and rice and jaggery.
(Taken from Maharashtra Herald 06 April 2008)

Try it this year and get a taste of Assam. The one we had was made from black sesame though this recipe does not specifically mention so.

Ingredients:
Bora Saul (glutinous rice): 1kg
Til (sesame) : 1/2 kg
Jaggery: 1/2 kg
Method:
Soak rice overnight. Drain water in the morning and grind to fine paste. Roast Til on a griddle till crisp. Grate jaggery and mix with some water till thick. Mix the Til with the jaggery syrup.
Heat griddle. Place big tablespoon of rice paste and spread into pancake. Place the jaggery mixture in the centre. Slowly roll from one end and cook for a minute more.
Serve with tea.

Smiles!

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Xmas Cake

November has begun. Divali is just a few days away. Most of us would have done some shopping, for the entire family and the home. Gifts too should have been taken care of by now.

However do spare a few minutes for something divine to be made next month.
That’s right, the Christmas cake.

I was lucky enough to have learnt this recipie from the legendary baker, Selvaraj at DSSC Wellington. I can share it with you but later…

Right now, what needs to be done is marination of the dry fruits.
Clean and put together equal proportions of dry fruits- cashew nuts, almonds, manuka (black raisins) and candied orange peel. Some tutti fruti will add to the bulk if you do not wish to add too many nuts. Walnuts are not be added at this stage. Add a cup of rum and one teaspoon of Cinnamon and clove powder for 400 gms of the fruit mixture. Mix all ingredients well.

Place is a glass bottle and leave till December. The nuts absorb the rum and the mixture dries up. Shake the bottle once a day to ensure even spreading of the rum which tends to settle down.

I usually do this in August itself but up to 2 weeks prior to baking is fine.

Do this today itself for a delicious Christmas cake.

Ciao,
Archana

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What was that?

This is the view from the eye piece of a microscope of a slide prepared from the supernatant water of dosa batter. The picture on the right shows the bacteria that actually cause fermentation of cereals.

Dosa, idli or dhokla batter ferments due bacteria, yeast or fungi present in the air. They convert carbon elements in the batter to alcohol, lactic acid and carbon dioxide. This fermentation is healthy and does not cause poisoning when the product is consumed. The bacteria etc are killed when we cook the dosa, idli etc. Vitamins of the B group in the batter increase as a result of fermentation.

Fermented Indian cereals are a good source of easy to digest proteins are are low in calories. Hence ideal for weight conscious or those who may be sick and need to eat light food.

Jalebi, anarase, khaman dhokla, kurdaya, idli, bhatura dough, bread are all examples of fermented cereal products.

These microorganisms are present everywhere and begin their action when conditions are right (soaking, grinding, temperature etc).
The bacteria are usually of the lactobacillus variety.
Now u have a glimpse of what made your idlis soft and fluffy and tasty!
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