Thandai

Festivals and food in India are very intrinsically linked. We are in a perpetual state of celebration. A harvest festival here, a special God's birthday there, an auspicious date from the Hindu calendar, the festival of lights in fall or the festival of color in spring. There is always something to celebrate with family and friends. And each of these festivals has its own unique food.

Thandai is one such drink that is associated with Mahashivratri and Holi. This cold and refreshing milk-based drink is prepared with an array of nuts, aromatic spices, and flavorings. Served virgin or spiked, enjoyed by all big or small.

'Thandai' literally means 'something cooling'. This energizing and cooling drink is wonderful for those scorching summer months in India. Every ingredient in Thandai has great health benefits. Almonds are a great source of healthy fats and Vitamin E with anti-oxidant properties. Fennel seeds have good digestive properties, pumpkin seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

The recipe below makes about 4-5 cups of Thandai mix. Store in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. For long term storage, freeze in an airtight container. For a party, you can blend the thandai mix with milk and refrigerate in a large container until serving time. Serve virgin shots or spiked glassfuls as required.

Ingredients:
1 cup poppy seeds (khus khus)
1 cup almonds, unsalted (badam)
¾ cup fennel seeds (saunf)
½ cup cashews, unsalted  (kaju)
½ cup pistachios, unsalted  (pista)
½ cup pumpkin seeds (magaz)
⅓ cup green cardamom (elaichi)
⅓ cup whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
1 tsp nutmeg powder
For garnish
Few strands of saffron
¼ cup Rose petals (optional)
Crushed pistachios
To Spike it
Vodka/Scotch

1. Grind the first eight ingredients to form a powder. 
2. Add nutmeg powder and mix well. 
3. Store the thandai powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or freeze for longer shelf life. 
4. To make Thandai: In a blender add a cup of cold milk, a heaped tablespoon of thandai powder and sugar to taste. Blend till well mixed. Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors blend. 
5. Strain and serve chilled sprinkled with crushed pistachios, a few strands of saffron and some rose petals.
6. Sometimes I like to serve it as is without straining. 
7. Spiked Thandai: Make thandai as above and add a shot of vodka or scotch. 

Mishti Doi

Mishti Doi literally means 'sweet yogurt'. This easy to make dessert is a Bangla delicacy; a festive dish prepared during Durga Puja and other auspicious occasions. Sweetened (with caramelized sugar/jaggery) thickened milk is flavored with a hint of cardamom and saffron, mixed with a small amount of active starter growth culture and at the right temperature allowed to set into a thick creamy yogurt. Caramelized sugar/jaggery adds a unique flavor and a lovely hue to the final dish. The cardamom and saffron are completely optional but I find they definitely enhance the taste. Traditionally, this was done in rustic and beautiful earthen pots. Mishti Doi is an absolute delight during those hot summer days.

I have been sampling this delicacy for several years now, courtesy our Bong friend Luna. I finally got down to making it myself a few days ago. I used the quick recipe with superb results. The little mishti bowls came out like a dream, delicately fragrant and awesomely delicious. If you are a stickler for making things from scratch, try the traditional recipe. It will take some time but will be well worth the effort. 

Here are two versions - the traditional and the quick. 

Traditional recipe

Ingredients: (serves 6)

4 cup whole milk
⅓ cup plain yogurt

 ½ cup sugar 

4-5 green cardamoms

2-3 pinches saffron

2 tbsp pistachios

1. Reduce the milk - Bring the whole milk to boil. Simmer and keep stirring till it reduces to half its quantity. Reserve 2 tbsp sugar, add the rest to the milk and mix well. Keep aside to cool. Crush the cardamoms to a fine powder. When the milk cools, add the cardamom powder and a few strands of saffron to the milk mixture and stir to combine.
2. Caramelize the sugar - Heat the reserved sugar in a pan over low heat till it starts to caramelize to a nice golden color. Remove from heat, add a tbsp of water and stir. Mix this into the milk mixture. 
3. Set the yogurt - Preheat the oven to 175°F and then switch off the oven. This step is necessary for a climate like Toronto and creates a perfect environment for the active starter culture to do its magic. When the milk mixture cools down to just warm (little more than lukewarm), add the plain yogurt. Mix well, pour into small ramekins and place them on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Let it sit in the warm oven, undisturbed overnight to set. In the morning, refrigerate for a few hours. Garnish with some chopped pistachios and a couple strands of saffron before serving.

Quick recipe

Ingredients: (serves 6)

1½ cups evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk
½ cup condensed milk
⅓ cup plain yogurt

1 tbsp sugar 

4-5 green cardamoms

2-3 pinches saffron

2 tbsp pistachios

1. Bring the whole milk to boil. Remove from heat.
2. Add evaporated milk and condensed milk and mix to combine.  
3. Heat the sugar in a pan over low heat till it starts to caramelize to a nice golden color. Remove from heat, add a tbsp of water and stir. Pour this into the milk mixture. 
4. Crush the cardamoms to a fine powder. Add this powder and a few strands of saffron to the milk mixture and stir to combine.
5. Preheat the oven to 175°F and then switch off the oven. This step is necessary for a climate like Toronto and creates a perfect environment for the active starter culture to do its magic.
6. When the milk mixture cools down to just warm (little more than lukewarm), add the plain yogurt. Mix well, pour into small ramekins and place them on a baking sheet and cover with foil. 
7. Let it sit in the warm oven, undisturbed overnight to set. In the morning, refrigerate for a few hours. 
8. Garnish with some chopped pistachios and a couple strands of saffron before serving.

Mawa gujiya

खिल उठे कचनार टेसू
फाग का हो राग घर -घर
हवा में हो रंग उड़ते
क्षितिज भीगे; हंसे अम्बर
रंग में त्यौहार भीगे
और मन भीगे सभी का प्रेम से;
सदभावना से-दूरियाँ मन की मिटाए
होली के पर्व की अनगिनत शुभकामनाये

A happy Holi to everyone celebrating the festival of colors. Holi is celebrated all across India in the month of March to bid winter adieu and to welcome spring with its vast array of colors. Fresh leaves and buds bloom, animals awaken and the earth seems to come to life again. Just like Spring, Holi signifies new beginnings. 

Mawa gujiya is a must make recipe for Holi. These are traditional Indian fried crisp pastry filled with sweet coconut and khoya (milk solids) filling. I have fond memories of my mom making gujiyas, samosas and crisp Sev for Holi. 

Gujiyas are made all over India with a variety of fillings. In UP, Bihar, Rajasthan (the northern states) we call it gujiya and filling is almost always khoya and coconut. Sometimes khoya is substituted by roasted semolina. Semolina filling makes for a lighter less calorie dense gujiya, more economical gujiya, and a vegan version of gujiya. In Maharashtra (to the south) we call it karanji and the filling is freshly grated coconut infused with cardamom, jaggery, and raisins (no khoya). In Bengal (to the east) they make lavang latika. Dough and filling are the same as gujiya, but these are folded like a parcel and secured by a clove (lavang) on top. After frying these dumplings are coated in sugar syrup to get a crusty crisp exterior.

If you are a novice to this dish then you will need a mould to shape the gujiya. Using a mould makes it really easy. Hand folding the edges is an art and with practice comes quite easily. Another hack to shaping them is to seal the edges using a dab of water or milk and press lightly with your finger. Using a fork, press the edges to crimp and seal well.

Ingredients: (Makes 25)
For the filling
Khoya/mawa/milk solids, buy from the store or make your own (recipe below)
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
10 green cardamoms, crushed fine
Powdered sugar to taste
Handful each almond and cashews, chopped fine
Palmful raisins
Mix everything in a bowl and keep aside, covered, ready for filling the gujiyas.

For homemade khoya/mawa
1½ cups of milk powder
⅓ cup cream

1. Mix the two ingredients together. Microwave for a minute. 
2. Remove from heat and knead well with hand. 
3. Microwave can vary, and you may need another 30 seconds. Do not overcook
4. Knead again and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
5. Grate and it is ready to use.

For the pastry dough
2½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp ghee (use oil for a vegan option)
Pinch salt
½ - ¾ cup of water
Oil for frying

1. Sift the flour in a bowl. Add ghee and mix with your fingertips till fully incorporated. Mix in the water, a little at a time to form a soft dough.
2. Adding ghee to the flour helps to get a crispy gujiya. Use oil instead, for a vegan option.
3. Dust with little flour and knead for a minute. Cover and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. 

Prepare the gujiyas - traditional method

1. Divide the dough into 25 equal portions. Keep them covered while you work on one.
2. Flatten the dough ball and roll out on a lightly oiled surface to form a 4-inch circle. 
3. Shape the gujiyas using a mould if using one. Otherwise, follow the steps below. 
4. Place the circle on the pastry board, add a generous amount of the stuffing (about a tablespoonful) on one side. 
5. Fold over to form a semi-circle, sealing the edges using a dab of water or milk. Press edges lightly with your finger. Using a fork, press the edges to crimp and seal well. Make sure the gujiyas are sealed well. If they open while frying, the sweet filling can leak out into the hot oil and spoil the entire batch. 
6. Place the prepared gujiya on a plate and cover with a damp cloth while you make the rest of them.
7. Heat oil in a deep pan to medium-low heat. Deep fry a few gujiyas at a time, turning a few times until they turn golden. Frying at medium-low ensures even cooking inside and out and also helps to get a crispy shell.  
8. Fry in small batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. This is a slow process especially if you are making a large quantity, so be patient. 
9. If the filling does leak out of one of the gujiyas, strain the oil to prevent it from sticking to other gujiyas. 
10. As an alternative, you can also bake the gujiyas. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place all the prepared gujiyas over a lined baking tray. Brush with oil or ghee. Bake in the oven until crisp and lightly brown all over for around 15-20 minutes, turning it halfway. Let stand for 10 minutes before digging in.

Alternate - light shell baked gujiyas
To save time and make the Gujiyas a little less calorie dense here is an alternate light shell baked gujiyas. Use either phyllo pastry or spring roll wrappers for the crust and bake them instead of fry. Here is the light version of the recipe. The edges don't look as pretty but it tastes just as good.

Ingredients: (makes 8)

8 Spring roll wrappers
Filling
½ cup khoya (milk food) grated
¼ cup shredded coconut
1 tbsp each chopped almonds and cashew nuts
1 tbsp raisins
3-5 green cardamoms powdered
⅓ - ½ cup powdered or fine sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for filling. divide into 8 portions. 
3. Take several wrappers and trim them at the corners using a large round cookie cutter. 
4. Take the trimmed spring roll wrapper, place one portion of filling on one side of the wrapper, fold it in half to form a semi-circle, sealing the edges using a dab of water. Brush with butter or ghee.
5. Place on a greased or lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning it halfway, till crisp and light brown. 
6. Let stand for 10 minutes before digging in.

Blueberry Cobbler

Truth be told, I am no fan of fruit pies. The goopy and gluey fruit sogging up the bottom crust doesn't do anything for my sweet tooth. But all that's good about the idea of a pie, the hot juicy melting fruit, tender buttery crust and fragrant aromas can be savored in a crisp or a cobbler. In addition to being so much easier than pie crust to make, the crisp or cobbler topping is, frankly, also way more delicious.

Cobbler consists of a sweet or savory filling baked with a biscuit type dough topping. Pie, cobbler, crisps, and crumbles are all in the same family of sweet desserts, often having similar fruit fillings but each with its own distinctive topping. As opposed to a crisp or a crumble, the cobbler dough is a thick dense pastry and more cake-like in nature. Regional variations exist, with some mimicking a pie crust and others more like a dumpling than a pastry.

Most popular cobblers are fruit based, peach, blueberry, blackberry, often served with a scoop of ice cream. This combination of hot and cold, crisp and soft creates a party in the mouth. Some of the savory versions include mutton or beef cobbler.

My favorite cobbler by far is the blueberry one. The best thing about this recipe is that you can enjoy it all year round using frozen blueberries. When fresh berries come in season, it becomes even more of a treat. As a general rule, use 4-6 cups of fruit, fresh or frozen. A little sugar and cornstarch added to the fruit creates a shiny luscious sauce from the fruit's juices. The biscuit topping bakes up crisp on top and fluffy underneath for an ideal contrast to the soft fruit. 

Ingredients: (6-8 servings)
Fruit filling
4 cups blueberries
¼ cup sugar
2-3 tbsp cornstarch (based on fresh or frozen berries)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
Cobbler topping
1 cup flour
¼ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp butter
½ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prep the berries - In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients listed under fruit filling. Pour into a pie dish/baking dish. It should fill the dish halfway to three quarters leaving enough space for the cobbler topping.
3. Prep the topping - In another mixing bowl combine flour,  salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Now add milk to moisten the dough. It should be sticky and quite wet. 
4. Spread the dough evenly on top of berry mixture with your hand and press it down lightly. Or drop spoonfuls of dough all over the fruit. 
5. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown.
6. Serve hot with a blob of vanilla ice cream or as is.  
7. Note - If you are using frozen berries instead of fresh, place the berries on top of a paper towel till they reach room temperature. This will allow any ice crystals to melt off before baking and not wind up making the cobbler too liquidy. Add more cornstarch. 
   
8. Leftovers can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge. 

Antipasto

An easy and fun entertaining idea that comes together rather quickly and requires no cooking, just assembling. Antipasto is the traditional first course of an Italian meal. An assembly of small bites of finger foods served with wine before dinner to stimulate the appetite and may contain an assortment of fresh cheeses, cured cold cuts, a variety of olives and other pickled veggies, fruits, nuts, crackers, and breadsticks. Most of the ingredients can be store bought, but you can add your own touch to a few things to give a flavor boost. For a relaxed and delicious start to any dinner party or cocktail party serve up this beautiful plate of goodness.

Choose from this list of possible candidates. 

1. Olives - serve a variety of different olives. You get excellent marinated olives in the olive bars of grocery stores these days. You can also customize your own by flavoring them with herbs and spices. Nothing better than this briny goodness with a glass of cabernet. 
2. Cheese cubes - serve both aged and fresh kinds of cheese and try to incorporate sharp and mild ones to suit every palate. Pecorino Romano, bocconcini, Havarti, Parmigiano Reggiano, provolone, brie, gouda, provolone. You can marinate bocconcini or cubed feta in olive oil flavored with red chili flakes and fresh or dried herbs.  
3. Cured cold cuts - salami, prosciutto, ham, sardines, pepperoni, turkey breast. 
4. Vegetables - Add a burst of color and freshness, choose from an assortment of jarred marinated artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, pearl onions, roasted red peppers, capers, garlic. Or cut up some fresh carrots, radish. 
5. Fresh and dried fruit - Bright and colorful array of fresh and dried fruit will add an oomph to the antipasti. Choose from fresh figs, grapes, cantaloupe, dried apricots, grape tomatoes, berries.  
6. Nuts - walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, roasted almonds.
7. Breads and flatbreads - Garlic bread, crackers, breadsticks, rustic white, focaccia with rosemary.
8. Dips - marinara sauce, pesto sauce, hummus, tapenade.  

Just a few commonsense Antipasto Rules.

• Keep it simple and rustic so as not to overpower the main course, unless this is an appetizer and cocktails only party.  
• Antipasto should always complement the main meal that you plan to serve later. 
• To make interesting and eye-pleasing antipasti make sure to blend flavors, colors, and textures. Give your guests a choice of sweet, savory, spicy, sharp, crisp and crunchy. 

The antipasti above consists of three varieties of olives, pickled pearl onions, pepperoncini, sweet pickled bud peppers, 2 types of cheese one sharp and one mild , cured meats - ham and salami, fresh figs, sundried apricots, walnuts, breadsticks and Caprese salad bites (mini bocconcini, grape tomato and fresh basil leaf on a stick sprinkled with a little salt and pepper and drizzled with balsamic reduction).

Vermicilli Pudding

Seviyan payasam (Vermicelli Pudding) is a simple and delicious dessert made with milk and roasted vermicelli, cooked together with aromatic spices to a custard like consistency. Made specially during festivals and special occasions, seviyan pudding is a must make dish for Eid. Served it hot or cold.

Vermicilli is a thin spaghetti like pasta made from either whole wheat flour, semolina flour, rice flour or all purpose flour. It can vary from very fine to thick. Usually I use the fine whole wheat variety as it is the fastest to cook. But you can try any of them. Just adjust the cooking time and amount of liquid.  Pre roasted fine vermicelli is also available in stores. If you happen to buy that then you can skip the first step.
A vegan variation of this pudding is where you leave out the milk and cook the vermicelli in sugar syrup. The dish comes out all caramelized and butterscotchyy and yum. I recommend using the thicker vermicelli for this variation as it will absorb more liquid and caramelize better.

Starting off the new year on a sweet note.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
2 tsp clarified butter(ghee)/oil
1 1/4 cup fine vermicelli, broken
2 cups whole milk
3-4 green cardamom pods, crushed
pinch saffron, in 2 tsp of warm milk or water (optional)
Sugar to taste
Handful chopped mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, raisins)

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and lightly fry the vermicelli till golden. Omit this step if you have purchased pre roasted vermicelli. 
2. Pour milk and bring it to a gentle boil. Add the saffron concoction and stir. 
3. Simmer for -10  minutes, stirring often till the vermicelli cooks thru and the pudding thickens a bit. 
4. Add sugar and mix well till it dissolves. 
5. Remove from heat and flavor the pudding with cardamom powder. Mix half the chopped nuts.
6. Use the remaining nuts as garnish on top. 
7. Serve hot or cold. 
8. As it cools down, the pudding tends to thicken. So add more milk before serving. Alternatively add more milk while cooking and don't thicken the dish too much.

Kaanji

Kanji is a nutritious traditional Indian mocktail made with the simplest of ingredients. This fermented drink has a tangy flavor and a beautiful pinkish red color - a perfect drink for Holi festivities. I remember my mom making this drink with black/dark purple carrots which were only available in the market during the winter-spring months. These contributed to the lovely color of the drink. Since black carrots are not available here in Canada, I have used a combination of red carrots and beets.
This probiotic drink aids in digestion and its sour salty flavor is certainly unique (an acquired taste for sure). For kanji you need to combine carrots, mustard powder and salt in a large glass jar with lots of water and keep this concoction in a sunny spot for several days. Time required to ferment and develop the flavor depends on the temperature in your house. It will take anywhere between 3 to 7 days, or more if its colder. In India the jar is usually kept outside in the sun during the day and kanji fully ferments in 3-4 days during the winter spring temps. Here in Canada, I made this drink at the peak of winter. So leaving it outside was not an option. I kept it in the oven with the light on for 3 days and that did the trick.

Ingredients:
4 large carrots
2 medium beets
12 cups water
Salt to taste
21/2 tbsp mustard (Rai) seeds

1. You will need a large glass jar or container for this recipe. 
2. Peel carrots and beets. Cut into long batons and put them in the glass container.
3. Add 12 cups of water and salt to taste. 
4. Grind the mustard seeds into coarse powder. Add it to the above mixture. Mix the contents well and cover. 
5. Keep the container in a sunny spot and stir the contents every day with a wooden spoon. 
6. Taste the liquid periodically to see if its ready. Once the kanji develops a tangy flavor, your drink is fermented. 
7. Strain the contents and refrigerate the liquid to chill. Also refrigerate the pickled batons and enjoy them with food later or serve them as garnish in the drink. 
8. As it sits in the refrigerator, further fermentation takes place at a slower pace and kanji will get more tangy and yummy. Keep refrigerated. 

Mango coconut barfi

This quick ten minute dish has the fruity fresh flavor and rich yellow color of mangoes and the nutty bite of coconut. Serve it as an offering to God at any festival specially Basant Panchami or serve it at your next dinner party.
You can use canned mango puree for this dish which is already sweetened, so no need for any sugar. If fresh mangoes are available then peel and remove the flesh, cut into small chunks and blend to get one cup puree. Add sugar to taste and use in the recipe below.

Ingredients: (Makes 32 two bite triangles)
1 cup shredded unsweetened dry coconut
1 cup milk powder
1 cup canned mango pulp
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Pistachios for garnish

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat.
2. Add the coconut and roast gently on medium low heat till lightly toasted and very lightly colored. This takes about a minute or two. Coconut burns easily, so be very careful and stir constantly.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate container to form a lump free batter.
4. Increase the heat to medium high. Add above batter to the pan and cook stirring continuously for 4-5 minutes till the batter thickens a little and leaves the side of the pan
5. Pour it in a greased plate and sprinkle crushed pistachios on top. Smoothen it with your hand to flatten the top.
6. Keep it covered room temperature till it completely cools down. Cut small triangles and serve.
7. You can refrigerate to cool it down faster, but do cut the small triangles before you do so. Even after refrigeration this dish remains soft and slicing later will make it very sticky.  

Mango Fool

Fools are the simplest of desserts. They are just ripe pureed fruit folded in whipped cream and then layered with cut fruit and or chopped nuts. Here is one delicious and delightfully simple recipe - Mango fool. In season you must choose the ripest mangoes for making this. Another option is to use canned mango puree. Just be aware that the canned products are very sweet so adjust your sugar accordingly. Take equal quantities of  mango puree and double cream for a creamy outcome. To make it less calorie dense use half the quantity of cream and substitute other half with Greek yogurt. Tastes just as good. 

Ingredients: (Serves 10-15)
6 ripe mangoes
500 ml Double cream
Powdered Sugar to taste
Strawberries for layering and garnish

1. Peel and chop 2 mangoes to small bite sized pieces and keep aside. Slice the berries and keep aside. 
2. Peel 4 mangoes and slice the flesh away from the stone. Process in a food processor till smooth with no lumps. This should make about 2 cups of mango puree. If the mangoes are too sweet then add juice of 1/2 a lime here. 
3. Take equal quantity of double cream (2 cups) in a mixing bowl placed over ice. Add sugar and beat gently till it thickens. 
4. Fold in the mango puree into the whipped cream until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for half hour to let the flavors blend in. 
5. Two ways to serve - see below.

Two ways to serve: 

• Layer chopped fruit and mango cream in a large serving bowl, top with fruit and keep cold till ready to serve.
• Layer the fruit and mango cream as individual serving in small glasses, top with fruit. Serve cold.  

Thanksgiving Feast 2

Tonight's Menu

Roasted chicken breast

Stuffed tomatoes

Roasted spaghetti squash

Grilled asparagus

Orange spiked cranberry sauce

Hot apple cider

Apple cake

Wine pairing: Pinot Noir, Chianti or Zinfandel 

Roast chicken breast with spaghetti squash, stuffed tomatoes, grilled asparagus and cranberry sauce

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night.

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

For flowers that bloom about our feet,

For tender grass, so fresh so sweet,

For song of birds and hum of bees,

For all things fair we hear or see,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanksgiving, an opportunity to give thanks for everything good in our lives, celebrate nature’s bounty, and enjoy a big meal with family and friends. Here's what we had for thanksgiving this year.

Stuffed tomatoes and grilled asparagus

Stuffed Tomatoes
The soft creaminess of ricotta and crispness of Italian breadcrumbs combine to give a unique texture.You get more than just great flavor and juiciness when tomatoes are at their peak of ripeness, you get a huge helping of vitamin A and vitamin C.
Ingredients: (serves 4)

4 medium tomatoes on the vine

salt to taste

4 tbsp of ricotta cheese

cracked black pepper

2 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

olive oil to brush

1. Cut tomatoes in half. Gently squeeze out the tomato pulp without damaging the shell.
2. Season the tomato shell with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl combine ricotta cheese and some of the tomato pulp along with salt and pepper. Remember the tomatoes are already seasoned. Fill up the tomato shells with this mixture.
4. In another bowl combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and pepper, sprinkle evenly over the stuffed tomatoes.
5. Brush the tomatoes carefully with some olive oil and place them on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
6. Grill on high for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot.  

Roasted spaghetti squash 

Roasted spaghetti squash

Ingredients: 

1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Herb butter (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 
2. Half and seed squash. Place, cut side down, on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 45 min to an hour or until flesh is easily pierced. 
3. (Alternatively, microwave, flesh side up and covered with plastic wrap, at High for 15 minutes or until easily pierced.) 
4. Using a fork, gently scrape cooked strands from squash and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Pour the prepared herb butter over squash, add grated cheese and toss. Serve hot.

Herb Butter 
3 tbsp butter
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (sage, basil or thyme)
Freshly grated black pepper
In small saucepan, over medium-low heat melt butter and add garlic and salt. Cook for a few minutes till garlic starts to turn golden. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and pepper.

Roast Chicken breast
Ingredients:
4 medium sized chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
3-4 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking dish with foil.
2. Brush both sides of each chicken breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with the seasonings.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Turn and lightly brush again and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork. 
4. Make a small slit in the thickest part to see if it's done (white and opaque, not pink.). The best way to make sure they are done is to insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part. It should read 165 F.
5. Adjust your time if the chicken breasts are smaller or larger. 
6. Transfer the baked chicken breasts to a platter. Loosely cover with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Orange spiked cranberry sauce

Orange spiked cranberry sauce

Ingredients: 

3 cups fresh cranberries

¾ cup sugar 

½ inch ginger grated 

Zest and juice of 1 orange 

pinch salt 

1. Put the juice of one orange in a measuring cup and top with water until you have 3/4 cup liquid in total. 
2. Place sugar and orange - water mixture in a pan. 
3. Add the cranberries, ginger and salt and bring to boil. 
4. Cook stirring occasionally on medium heat till thickened and most of the cranberries have popped, about 7-10 minutes. 
5. Cool completely before serving. 
6. Keeps well covered, refrigerated for a week. 

Apple cake
This one is a lot of fruit and a little bit of cake batter. Makes for a very light dish. Its a quick recipe and can be made anytime. A perfect dish for when apples are in abundance.

Apples and cranberries

Ingredients: 
6 granny smith apples peeled cored and sliced
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
5 Tbs apple juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbs ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 F 
2. Arrange apples in a greased baking dish. 
3. Sprinkle over them evenly half the spice mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. 
4. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl beat till thick and fluffy eggs and sugar. 
5. Add oil, apple juice and vanilla extract and mix. 
6. To this batter add in batches mixture of flour, baking powder and salt to make a smooth batter. 
7. Pour this batter evenly over the apples and sprinkle with remaining spice mixture. 
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes till done, ie. when the cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 
9. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Apple cake

Carrot Payasam

Payasam or kheer is prepared as the end of meal dessert or specially during festivals as an offering to the God. This milk based pudding can be made with anything - rice, broken wheat, vermicelli, mango, rava, sago, carrot, you name it. Carrot kheer is very light and is suitable for a phalahaar fast (No grains are consumed on the day of the fast). 

Carrot payasam 

Ingredients: (serves 2 generously)

2 cups milk

1 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup sugar

4 green cardamoms, crushed fine

Handful Pistachios and almonds

1. Put grated carrots in a pressure cooker with 1/4 cup water and pressure cook on high till the first whistle. Simmer for 5 minutes. Keep aside.
2. Meanwhile bring 2 cups of milk to boil. 
3. When the carrots cool a bit use a hand blender to coarsely puree the cooked carrots. 
4. Add the carrots to the milk and continue to cook on medium heat, stirring often. Make sure the milk doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan. 
5. In about 15-20 minutes the milk will thicken and form a pudding like consistency. Add the sugar (Adjust the quantity as per your taste). Mix and cook again on high this time for a few minutes constantly stirring. Stirring is important here as the heat is high and both sugar and milk can caramelize really fast. 
6. When sugar is fully incorporated, remove from heat and add crushed cardamoms and chopped nuts. 
7. Chill before serving. 

Gajar ka halwa

Gajar ka Halwa, gajrela or carrot pudding is a must make in every North Indian household during the cold winter months when juicy red carrots are at their best. This favorite Indian dessert is made of grated carrots cooked in a large quantity of milk till they soften and cook through and milk thickens up. Served with loads of chopped nuts it warms the body and soul.

Gajrela can be made in several different ways - pressure cooked, using condensed milk, using khoya, etc. This recipe however is the traditional method using milk.

Ingredients: serves 6-8
8 medium carrots
6 cups full fat whole milk
2-3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1/3-1/2 cups sugar as per taste
4-5 green cardamoms pods crushed
Pistachios, cashews and almonds for garnish

1. Peel and grate carrots. In a heavy bottomed pan heat 3 tbsp ghee and add the grated carrots. Saute on medium high for 8-10 minutes till carrot softens and changes color. 
2. Add milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat to prevent the milk from boiling over and cook stirring frequently till milk thickens and and carrots are completely cooked. This process takes about 45 minutes to an hour. 
3. Add sugar and stir well. Addition of sugar makes the mixture watery as the sugar melts. Continue cooking till all moisture is absorbed and you see ghee at the sides of the pan. 
4. Remove from heat and add crushed cardamom and some nuts. 
5. Serve hot sprinkled with the rest of the pistachios and almonds.

Pineapple upside down

Here is an easy recipe for a delicious, super moist, homemade pineapple upside-down cake. This delectably sweet classic treat consists of caramelized slices of pineapple and a buttery white cake batter. I like using fresh slices of pineapple but you can use canned slices as well. Any sugar will work here but brown sugar adds an interesting taste especially when caramelized.
As a variation add some pecans or walnut pieces alongside the pineapple rings, right over the caramelized sugar. The added crunch and nuttiness adds a whole new flavor dimension.
The combination of the rich buttery cake and caramelized pineapples creates a rich, luscious fabulous dessert. Serve it with coffee, tea or as a perfect ending to a tropical meal.

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)
For Topping
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
6 canned or freshly sliced pineapple rings
For Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
3/4 cup milk/buttermilk (or 1/4 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 cup whole milk )
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Juice and grated rind from 1 lime

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. To prepare the cake mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Whisk together melted butter and sugar until soft. Whisk in egg, milk, lime juice and rind, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. The batter will be thick.
3. To prepare the topping place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking (without stirring) for a few more minutes or until bubbles appear around the outside edges and the sugar starts to caramelize. Remove from heat, and pour into 9 inch round cake pan. Evenly arrange the pineapple slices on top of the sugar mixture. Can also garnish with cherries or pecans.
4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. 
5. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and invert cake onto a large serving plate. Slice and serve warm, room temperature, or even cold. Try serving with vanilla ice cream - it's a delicious combination. Cover cake and store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Kheer

Kheer is one of the most popular sweet treats of India. It is prepared during all Hindu festivals and celebrations. It is most often made with rice, but other variations exist such as vermicilli or seviyan kheer, makhana kheer, sabutdana kheer, carrot kheer, apple kheer, and so on. Kheer as its called in North India is also known as payesh in Bengal and payasam in southern India.

It owes its richness and creaminess to the milk which cooks down to almost half making the rice creamy and silky. With the flavor undertones of green cardamom, saffron and pistachios kheer makes for a really special treat. This one is for my brother on the occasion of bhaidooj, love you bro.

Ingredients:
2 litre full fat milk
1/2 cup raw white rice, washed and drained
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
8-10 strands of saffron, lightly crushed
6-7 green cardamoms, crushed to a fine powder
Slivered almonds and pistachios for garnish

1. In a heavy bottomed pan take 2 liters milk, and 1/2 cup white rice. Stir frequently as the raw rice can start sticking to the bottom. Bring to a rolling boil. 
2. Simmer, add saffron and cook stirring often to avoid burning till water content of the milk evaporates and it thickens to a desired consistency. This will take about 40 - 45 minutes. 
3. Add 1/2 -3/4 cups sugar(as per your taste) and stir well for another five minutes . 
4. Remove from heat and add crushed green cardamom powder, chopped almonds and pistachios. Serve hot or chilled. I prefer it chilled.

Besan burfi

Besan ki burfi

Besan ki burfi - the immensely popular sweet treat of India, is made with roasted chickpea flour, sugar and clarified butter. This fudge like sweet bite has a melt in your mouth texture and has exotic flavors of cardamom, pistachio and almond. Perfect for any festival and occasion. I prefer to use the coarsely ground besan for this, but you can use the fine ground besan as well. The main trick here is to patiently roast the flour in ghee at medium heat till it turns golden and fragrant. Requires constant stirring otherwise besan will cook unevenly.
This is my mithai for Diwali this year. Happy Diwali everyone.

Ingredients:
2 cups Gram flour (besan) coarsely ground
1 cup ghee melted
1 cup powdered sugar (or very fine sugar)
5-6 Green cardamoms powdered
10-12 almonds sliced
Chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)

1. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add gram flour to the pan and sauté on medium heat, stirring constantly, till fragrant and browned. This took me about 30-35 minutes on medium heat. 
2. Switch off the heat. Add sugar and stir well till it blends with the gram flour mixture. Add green cardamom powder and mix well. 
3. Grease an aluminium tray. Transfer the mixture into the greased tray and spread evenly. Level the surface. Sprinkle almonds and set aside to cool. It will take a while but the mixture will set eventually (2-3 hours). 
4. Carefully cut into squares or diamonds and serve. 
5. Store in an airtight container for a week.

Kumaoni Malpua -Singhal

Malpua or singhal (सिंघल) - Specially for Diwali

In Kumaon (Hills of Uttar Pradesh, now called Uttarakhand) culture, malpua is a festivity dish. It is made on every festive and auspicious occasion such as Diwali, Holi, Weddings, Birthdays, Child's naming ceremony, etc. When I was a kid my brother and I really enjoyed these yum sweet treats and now my girls do the same. Apart from the delicious taste it keeps alive the festive tradition in our family and I hope to pass it on to my girls some day. Making singhals is a bit tricky and I have spoilt a large quantity of batter when I first tried making these some 12 years ago. You need to hold a lot of batter in your palm and drop it in a continuous spiral shape in the oil. But don't worry the tiny malpuas are just as tasty and are easy to make until you are able to make the spirals. They can also be made using a ziplock bag. Fill a large ziplock with batter and snip a large hole in a corner. Now carefully drop the batter in a spiral pattern into the hot oil.

Ingredients: (about 40 malpuas)
2 1/4 cup suji (semolina)
1/3 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
oil for deep frying

1. Take suji in a large bowl and add ghee. Mix well with finger tips. 
2. Add yogurt and milk and mix to get a batter of droppable consistency.(see image below) 
3. Now add sugar and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave aside for an hour at room temperature. 
4. Heat oil in a deep pan at medium high heat for 7-10 minutes. 
5. After an hour the batter will change in consistency and become drier. Add about 1/4 cup of water to bring it back to the right consistency. 
6. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and deep fry till golden brown. You might need to bring the heat down a bit every so often and then take it back up to prevent them from charring. 
7. Store in an air tight container at room temperature Will keep for 4-5 days.

Batter Consistency

Coconut laddo

For a real quick and delicious dessert make these bite sized delights. This is an almost no cook dish which is ready in minutes and tastes very delectable. Serve them at room temperature for a melt in the mouth treat.  

Ingredients: (makes 45)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
350 gms paneer, grated
Few strands saffron dissolved in 2-3 tsp warm milk
1 tsp rose essence
3-4 green cardamoms crushed fine
1 tbsp Ghee
Pistachio and almond chips for garnish

1. On medium flame saute the coconut in 1 tbsp ghee for a few minutes till fragrant. Do not brown the coconut. 
2. Mix all the ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. Moisten your palms with a little ghee and roll these into even sized balls. Garnish with chopped pistachios and almond slivers. 
3. Refrigerate. Keep at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Janamashtami Special

Janamashtami Special

Jeera Aloo (जीरा आलू)

Pumpkin

Buttermilk

Kuttu ka Cheela (Buckwheat pancakes) 

Phool Makhane ki kheer (Puffed lotus seed pudding)

Panjiri ke laddoo

Fasting and feasting on Kanha's birthday

Jeera Aloo

Jeera Aloo (जीरा आलू)
Ingredients: (serves 4)
8 baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp red chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
• Let them splatter for 30 seconds, then add potatoes. Coat then evenly with oil and cumin.
• Add coriander, turmeric, salt, cracked black pepper and red chili powder to taste. Mix well.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring 2-3 times to allow even cooking. Cook till tender crisp. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin 
Ingredients: (serves 4)
4 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin
1/5 tsp each of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, methi seeds, coriander seeds 
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

• Heat oil in a pan and add all the seeds.
• Let them splatter for 30 seconds, then add the cubed pumpkin. Coat then evenly with oil and seeds.
• Add coriander, turmeric, salt, cracked black pepper and red chili powder to taste. Mix well.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring 2-3 times to allow even cooking. Cook till tender crisp. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Kuttu ka Cheela

Kuttu ka cheela (Buckwheat pancakes) 
Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 1/2 cups of kuttu flour (Buckwheat) 
Water to make a thin batter

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Finely chopped fresh coriander and green chilies
Vegetable oil for shallow frying

• Make a thin batter of pouring consistency using the buckwheat flour and water. Add salt and pepper(if using) and coriander and chilies. Mix well.
• In a medium hot flat pan make small pancakes or cheelas with the batter. Serve hot and crisp.

Makhane ki kheer

Phool Makhane ki kheer (Puffed lotus seed pudding)
Ingredients: (serves 4)
2 cups whole milk

1 cup phool makhana

2 tbsp sabudana (sago pearls) 

sugar to taste

2-3 tbsp sliced almonds

1/3 tsp green cardamom powder

Pistachios for garnish

• Clean phool makhane. Mix these with sago pearls, add 1/4 cup of water and keep aside to soak and soften.
• Meanwhile bring the milk to a rolling boil. Add the soaked lotus seed mixture to the boiling milk and stir well. Keep an eye on the milk as it can boil over. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered stirring frequently. Make sure the milk doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan. 
• Cook for about 15-20 minutes till the mixture thickens slightly and lotus seeds and sago pearls are cooked through. 
• Add sugar and bring to boil again. Remove from heat. Add almonds and cardamom powder. Chill. Serve decorated with crushed pistachios.

Panjiri ke laddoo

Panjiri ke laddoo
Ingredients: (makes 12)
2 cups dry unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup each chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds and almonds 
2-3 tbsp ginger powder (more or less as per taste)
3 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

• Dry roast coriander powder in a medium hot pan till aromatic and lightly brown. 
• Boil water and sugar together till sugar dissolves.
• Now mix all the ingredients together. Work quickly with the warm batter to form laddoos. They will feel a little soft right now but as they cool they will be the right texture.