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My mornings are never complete without a sip of chai . This has been a routine since I was a kid when mom would make the first batch of tea early in the morning and the aroma of the freshly brewed chai would compel us to wake up from bed. Chai or Tea is always a part of most of the discussion be it in the morning or in the evening. Sharing the newspaper along with a cup of chai and some biscuits early in the morning is what many of you can relate to. This morning ritual is still a part of my life today when both mom and son would sit down in the morning to have our tea together.

Whenever I have traveled I always make sure to find the best tea stall and have my tea there. Be it a small town in the foot of the Himalayas or a simple Sikkim village selling homemade tea made with yak milk, Tea or Chai evokes a feeling of belonging, a sense of togetherness, a feeling well beyond words. If you happen to travel through north India, you will definitely come across a tea stall at almost each corner offering Chai. Apart from the regular Tea, you will likely to find a delicious Masala Tea.

The spices used in the Masala tea vary according to the region and how strong or light you want to have it. The traditional spices used in chai are cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardamom and black pepper. Tea drinking in India has been popularized by the English in the early 1900's to market their produce.But the Indian people preferred to have tea not only with sugar and milk but also used to add cardamom, pepper, cinnamon as opposed to the way the Englishmen prefer the Indians to follow.

You must be wondering why I am speaking about Tea or Chai in this hot and humid summer, that’s the reason why I choose my favourite hot beverage to give it a cold makeover for our 40^th Foodie Monday Bloghop theme of Summer coolers…. settle for this unusually flavoured Masala Chai Ice cream which is thick,Creamy, Sweet and Perfectly chai-spiced.

This Chai Ice cream is infused with the spices (masala), crushed green cardamom seeds and freshly grated ginger root just like my mother used to prepare for us when we wanted that something extra comfort and warmth. Holding this cup of Chai Icecream in my hand makes me a little nostalgic and brought back memories of sweet playful years which is never going to come back again.

Recipe Type: Dessert

Prep time:30 minutes
Setting time: Overnight
Yields: 400 ml

Ingredients:

200 ml Amul fresh cream
200 ml of Amul Whipping Cream
2 cups milk
2 tbsp sugar
½ cup water
200 ml of condensed milk
4 whole cloves
2 crushed green cardamom pods
2 crushed peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
A pinch of nutmeg powder
1inch piece peeled, chopped ginger
2 tbsp Assam Tea

Let's Learn How to make the Chai Ice cream:

Boil half cup of water with cardamom, pepper, crushed ginger,cloves,nutmeg powder and cinnamon on medium flames . when it starts to boil, add the tea leaves and boil for another 2 to 3 minutes on low flame. Remove from stove and strain. Now transfer the strained tea into the saucepan and add milk and sugar to it and starts boiling the liquid on a medium-high flame till it reduces to half say roughly 1 cup tea. Remove the liquid from the stove and keep aside until ready to use.

Once the chai has cooled completely, add the condensed milk to it and mix till combined.

Place the container as well as the whipping blade in the freezer for 30 minutes along with the cream. Whip the cream till it becomes stiff and then add the condensed milk and tea mixture to it and blend everything well.

Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate over night . After it is set, take it out and churn again in a blender and put it back on the container to set it for another 3 to 4 hours. Your Chai Ice cream is ready to be savoured.

Sending this Chai Ice cream seasoned with rich and warm Chai Spices to the 4oth #Foodie Monday #Bloghop theme of #SummerCoolers ...In the meanwhile you might be also interested to check Sugar Palm Ice cream , Pomegranate Ice Cream or Expresso Choco Chips Ice cream.

'Bhapa Sandesh' or steamed milk fudge need no introduction to any Bengali , for others it is a specific type of sweet or dessert created with chenna (Indian Cheese), sugar and are available in many types and shapes. Bhapa Sandesh is made by steaming home-made cottage cheese and that's why the name is Steamed Sandesh. 'Bhapa' in Bengali means steamed. This steamed Sandesh is usually decorated with saffron streaks or dry fruits or rose petals.

Sandesh are made from Chhena or cottage cheese which is the solid form of milk collected after it is curdled . The process involves kneading of chenna along with some sugar and tossing it on slow heat till it leaves the sides of the pan and then after cooling , various shapes can be given to the sandesh with the help of moulds which are mainly made of stone or wood.

Ingredient :

2 litre full fat milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
8 to 10 tsp sugar
A pinch of green cardamom powder
a generous pinch of Saffron
1 tbsp hot milk
1 tbsp chopped pistachios

Let’s Learn how to make this Steamed Sandesh

Boil the milk in a big pan and stir continuously. Once the milk starts boiling, lower the flame. Pour the lemon juice and stir. Once the milk starts curdling , you will notice the greenish water called whey, switch off the gas and remove the milk.Leave the chenna in this condition for 5-7 minutes.

Pour the chena over a soft cheese cloth and let all the water drain away.Now put this cloth with the chenna under running cold water for 2-3 minutes to help removing the smell of lemon.

Hang the chenna along with the cloth for 30 minutes or till all the water drains away.Soak the saffron in the hot milk.

Soak the saffron in 1 tbsp warm milk and keep aside.

Now transfer the chenna to a large plate and the sugar and start kneading with the back of your palm till it gets soft and smooth, add the cardamom powder. Again knead it nicely, until you feel oil on your palm.

Take a container; line it with parchment paper. Pour the cheese mixture into the container, sprinkle the saffron strands and cover it with aluminum foil and put it on a steamer and let it cook on low to medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once it is done, let it cool down first at room temperature. Then put the container into the refrigerator for half an hour and serve .

Cut it into the pieces. Bhapa Sandesh is ready. Sprinkle or decorated with some chopped pistachios and serve!

Note: Please note that the Chenna shouldn’t get too dry. If it gets dry, the Sandesh won’t be soft enough.

A dish which has accepted worldwide for it’s adaptability and versatile nature, it is none other than the Pizza. When we think of Pizza, we think of Italy simultaneously because Italy is famous for both it’s Pizza and Pasta. Pizza could be thin and thick, cheesy or traditional; it can be made as per your choice. The choice of topings in unlimited from vegetables to meat.Whichever way you make it, it turns out to be yummy.In it’s basic form, pizza is a flatbread, which is later cooked by placing it on a hot stone and seasoned with special herbs. Pizza is made from some simple ingredients like flour, salt, oil and yeast and some herbs.Italian Pizzas have thin crust , whereas American Pizza has thick base.

When it comes to having Pizza , it is my son's favorite food and whenever I have time I try to make this at home for him.For a couple of days, the weather here seems so gloomy and to cheer us up, I decided to made this cheese burst pizza at home which happens to be our 41st Foodie Monday Bloghop theme of #pizzamania.

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Resting Time:30 minutes

cooking time: 12 minutes

Yields:2 medium Pizzas

Ingredients:

For the Pizza Base

2 cups All Purpose Flour
2tbsp Semolina
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp oil

For the Pizza sauce:

12 nos of tomatoes
1 medium size onion finely chopped
8 to 10 garlic pods finely chopped
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 1/2tbsp of dried basil leaves
1 ½ tbsp of dry Oregano
3 tbsp live oil
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
salt

For the Toppings:

I large onions cut into rings
1 Green Bell Pepper cut into rings
1 large tomato cut into rings
100 gms paneer cubes
5 to 6 nos of green olives
5 to 6 nos of black olives
12 tbsp sweet corns
Grated mozzarella cheese
Pizza seasonings
1 tbsp chilli flakes
Basil Leaves for garninshing

Let's learn how to make this Italian Pizza from scratch.

Making the Pizza Base:

In a cup of lukewarm water, add the sugar and yeast. Stir well so that it gets mixed up properly. Cover the container and let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. After 15 minutes you will notice the mixture has frothy, then you can use it, or else you have to discard it.

Mix all purpose flour, semolina, salt, oil and the yeast mixture and mix everything with your hands. You will find the mixture quite sticky. Keep on kneading the dough with the help of greasing your palms with oil so that you can knead the dough properly . After 5 minutes you will notice the dough has becomes soft. Cover with cling film and kept in warm place for minimum 2 hours. After 2 hours you will notice the dough has doubled in volume , that means you are ready with your pizza dough.

Making the Pizza sauce:

Boil the tomatoes for 10 minutes ad take away from heat. Let it cool. Once cool, blanch them and puree in the blender. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in the pan and add the chopped garlic to it and saute for 10 to 15 seconds and then add the chopped onions and cook till onions are translucent. Add the tomato puree, basil leaves, oregano, salt, crushed pepper , vinegar and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or till the sauce thickens a bit. Add sugar and check the seasoning and cook for further 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pizza sauce cools a bit.

For making the Pizza:

Preheat the oven to 200 degree .
Cut the vegetables and the paneer cubes and add salt, chilli flakes and Italian seasoning to it and keep aside.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and on a floured surface, flatten them to form a round disk. I keep flatting with the tip of my fingers; you can use the rolling pin also. Brush the parchment paper with olive oil and keep this pizza base on it. Sprinkle generous amount of mozzarella cheese over it and season with chilli flakes and some Italian seasoning and place the other pizza base over it so that the base one gets completely covered. With the help of your finger tips , close the edges properly.
Now spread the pizza sauce over it, Top it with the vegetables , sweet corn, paneer cubes, olives and spread grated cheese over it.
Bake the Pizza in the pre heated oven at 200 degree for 12 minutes or till you see the edges turning a little brown.
Sprinkle seasoning over it and some fresh basil leaves and serve it along with some fizzy beverages.

Sending this to our 41st Foodie Monday Bloghop event called #pizzamania

If you are a confusing soul like me when asked to choose between having Tea or having Amras , then look no further, Mango Iced tea is the perfect summer drink for you. This sweet, tangy and delicious summer drink with the goodness of green tea and a hint of lemon in it, has become a regular drink during this summer .Your Mango Iced tea taste differently with the use of different mangoes, but try to stick to mangoes which is not fibrous. You can create this iced refreshment with green tea, mango and a hint of lemon at the comfort of your own home before the mango season goes away.

Mangoes have marked their presence felt in almost all parts of the World, it's no wonder why it is called the king of Fruits. Being neighbors, Odisha market gets flooded with mangoes from Andhra Pradesh which are truly becoming favourites all over India as well.The two popular Andhra varieties found in Odisha market is Beganpalli and Sundari known as Sapheda and Sundar respectively in Northern India.

You do not require any special ingredients or technique to enjoy this Mango Iced Tea. All you need is some mango syrup, some strong black tea which is cooled in the refrigerator and lemon juice to spice it up and some mint leaves to garnish.

Recipe Type: Beverage

prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time:10 minutes

Serves: 2 glasses

Ingredients:

3 nos of Mangoes chopped and pureed
4 nos of tea bags
4 cups water
I inch ginger finely grated
1 medium lemon
2 tsp sugar
a few mint leaves for garnishing
Ice cubes

Let us learn how to make the recipe:

Wash ,peel and chopped the mangoes and puree them in a blender and keep in the refrigerator to chill.

Heat water using the gas stove. Add sugar and the ginger and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bags and cover . let it steep in hot water for 7 to 8 minutes. Strain and let keep it in the refrigerator to cool.

Before serving , place 3 to 4 ice cubes in a glass ,pour some mango puree, add the lemon juice, tea liquor and stir well .

Serve the mango Iced Tea with lots of ice and garnish with mint leaves and lemon wedges.

With the onset of summer holidays , comes the responsibilities of making varieties of kids friendly recipes to keep them busy. Every time I visit the departmental store for grocery, I simply head towards the fruit zone to check for exotic fruits and whenever I find these juicy fruits on the rack I pick them up . Plums are those rare fruits which comes with such myriad of colors which are not only juicy but taste awesome also. I try making almost all kinds of recipes with fruits but in summer I just fall for the roasted Plums Icecream. The best way to have them is roast them with little sugar and some salt and you get finger licking plums at your disposal.

When you think of one favourite items with the kids , its undoubtedly Ice cream, which is universally accepted as a summer delight. You can never go wrong with the flavors of Ice cream available in the market, but developing your own flavours with the available ingredients is the greatest joy for me and when a flavor is accepted by the kids I seems to be on cloud nine. I always suffer from this guilt pang like any other working women when the time of summer holidays approaches. How to keep them busy, with the healthiest foods and the varieties so that they do not get bored is the concern which is common to all the mothers in this world. So to bring a relief to your summer delight planning, the theme for the 42nd Foodie Monday Blog Hop theme will come very handy to you #kidsdelight.

This summer holiday is a bit different for me this year as my kid has finally completed his Senior High School and about to embark upon a new journey of his life and when I have to think of his favourite foods down the year , one thing tops the list is his love for Oreo Biscuits, Milk and milk related products and his love for fruits especially the juicy kinds as he is very fond of chilled beverages. So I try to put all his favourite things on a platter for this 42^ndFoodie Monday Bloghop theme of #kidsdelight……….Roasted Plum Ice cream on Oreo crumbs and Caramelized Pineapple.

Recipe Type: Dessert

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Setting Time: 1 day

Yields: 400 ml

Ingredients:

For Plum Icecream

200 ml Amul Fresh Cream
100ml Condensed Milk
4 nos of Plums
8 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

For Caramalized pineapple

1 Pineapple
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp black salt

For Oreo Crumbs

8 nos of Oreo biscuits

Let’s Learn How to make this recipe:

For the Ice cream:

Wash and chop the plums and cook with sugar and salt on low flames till the plum gets cooked and become tender. Take off from heat and let it cool completely. Once cool coarsely puree in a blender and keep aside.

Place the container and the blades in the freezer till for 20 minutes.

Beat the cream for 5 to 7 minutes. Add milkmaid to it and blend well.

Now add half of the plum puree into the mixture along with a tsp of vanilla essence and mix it well. Pour into air tight container and let it chill in the refrigerator for minimum 5 to 6 hrs or till set.

Take out from fridge and blend to a fine puree . You will see the volume rising and becoming airy. Repeat this process once more after the ice cream is set and add the remaining plum puree and mix a little so that you can see tiny chunks of plums in the Ice cream and keep in the fridge to set it overnight.

For the caramelized Pineapple

Cut the pineapple and take off its skin and cut into triangular shape. Prick it with a toothpick. Sprinkle some black salt and chilli flakes on it and keep aside.

In a pan take a sugar and 1 tsp of water and heat on a medium flame till sugar melts and starts to caramelize . Now dip the pineapple pieces in the caramelized sugar and keep aside.

For Assembling the whole recipe:

In a plate, crush the Oreo biscuits and place them in the bottom . Take a big scoop out of the roasted Plum Ice cream and place it over the crumble. Place the caramelized pineapple pieces in the side and serve with some chocolatae syrup on top.

Radhaballavi or Stuffed Chana Daal Poori is undoubtedly is the favorite breakfast of a typical Bengali Household. This mouth watering delicacy found its way to the heart of many people just like me who despite not being a Bengali love this lip smacking Radhaballavi served with spicy aloo dum in a bowl of sal leaves . whenever I travel to Kolkatta, I make it a point to have this once, but I have never made it at home, despite it being high on my priority list.You will find this combo mainly made during Pujas and other functions in many Bengali households where it is served either with cholar daal or aloo curry.

This recipe has got it’s name when the Zamindars family offered these stuffed pooris to Lord Krishna in their temples. Though Radhaballavi and Hing er Kachuri are referred interchangeably, there is a huge difference between them. The Hing er Kachuri is smaller in size and flavoured with hing and urad daal as stuffing. However, radhaballavi is made with chana daal paste, ginger, green chilli, fennel and bhaja masala.. In other words both are same with stuffing of different daals.

I got a wonderful opportunity last Sunday, when I was treated with this delicacy at a friend’s place . Her mother taught me this recipe which I am going to share with you all. For a welcoming change from the regular Pooris, do try this Bengali delicacy at your home and treat your family to this traditional regional breakfast recipes from the state of west Bengal.

Cuisine: Bengali
Recipe Source: Jhimki Kar

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time:30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For TheRadhaBallavi

2 cups All purpose flour
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Ghee
Water as require to make a smooth dough.

For Stuffing

1 cup Chana daal
2 tablespoon Oil or ghee/clarified butter
1 inch piece Ginger
Green chili – 3 to 4
1 teaspoon Asafetida or hing
1 tsp Bhaja Masala( 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 2 dry red chillies dry roasted and ground to a coarse masala)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Method

Wash and soak the Chana daal overnight. Wash again and grind the lentils with green chillies , ginger and salt. Keep aside.

Take the flour in a large bowl. Add ghee and salt. Rub the flour till it looks like breadcrumbs. Add lukewarm water gradually and Knead until you get a pliable dough that means when you see that the dough does not stick to your hands. cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Now heat 2 table spoon ghee in a nonstick pan. Add hing or asafetida then add the lentils ginger and green chillies paste. Stir well. Add sugar and the Bhaja masala. Mix well.Keep stirring until the mixture dried up completely. Scrape the sides and let the mixture cool.
Make small balls from the dough. Flatten with your palm. Put one teaspoon stuffing in the middle. Bring the edges together. Close the ball completely. Roll the balls with rolling pin with the help of little oil and see that there is no crack in the surface. Repeat the process for rest of the pooris.
Heat sufficient oil in a Kadhai or heavy bottomed pan. When heated slide the radhaballavi carefully in the oil. Press gently with a spatula to see it all puffed up and fry till both the sides are golden in color.Transfer to a kitchen towel to do away with excess oil in the pooris. Your Radhaballavi is ready to be served.

Ingredients for Niramish Aloo dum

6 nos of large potatoes
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies
1 tsp dry ginger powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp Hing or asafetida
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Let;s Learn how to make this recipe:

Wash, Boil, Peel and coarsely mash the potatoes so that large chunks remain intact.
Make a paste of the dry ginger powder, turmeric powder , red chillii powder, garam masala powder with the help of a little water.
Heat oil in a pan. Add dry red chilli and cumin seeds . Once it starts to splutter add the hing and turn off the gas.
Add the masala paste and stir well and now turn on the gas and add the mashed potato along with salt to it. Saute for 1 minute and then add water as require for the gravy. Let it boil. Cover and cook on simmer for 5-6 minutes or till the desired consistency of the gravy is reached.
Sprinkle coriander leaves on top .Serve this no onion garlic dum aloo or aloor dom with fluffy yummy Radhaballavi.

Note: The original recipe has not used the fennel seeds and Bhaja Masala , but I have added as per my own taste.

This Thai Red Curry with cauliflower made for lunch is the most warm and comforting food I have tasted. The last couple of weeks has been very taxing as far as work goes for me, managing home, office and keeping a balance is always a challenge for me and this always leaves me in a dilemma what should I cook which can be made in a jiffy and yet flavorful and comforting. This red Thai curry fits to my requirement perfectly.

For the last one month I was unable to contribute to Cooking from Cookbook Challenge which is a group of bloggers who will be cooking from their offline content and blogging on the weekends for a month. I have received this Simply Nigella cookbook from Better Butter.in for the Chicken & Mutton Challenges hosted by them where my Chicken Rezela recipe has been selected. You can check this recipe which was awesome. This book has got some awesome recipes but most of the recipes uses ingredients which is not available at my place. So I settle down to try this simple recipe which was awesome in taste.

Cuisine: Thai

Recipe Source: Simply Nigella

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 medium size cauliflower
salt
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp oil
2 onions finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 to 3 green cardamoms
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander stalks
¼ cup Red Thai Curry Paste
400 ml coconut milk
1 lime
Chopped fresh coriander for garnishing

let's Learn How to make this recipe:

Boil the cauliflowers with salt and bay leaves till they are cooked yet firm in shape. Remove and transfer to a ice cold water so that it remains firms and fresh and does not get over cooked.
Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped onions, chopped ginger, cardamom and cumin seeds and the finely chopped coriander stalks over medium heat for a minute or so.
Add the Red Thai curry Paste and the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Transfer the cauliflower to the pan and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.Check Seasoning and squeeze in some lemon juice and take off from heat.
Garnish with chopped coriander and Serve it with steamed rice or naan.

It was a pleasant surprise when I receive a request from Shaheen Ali of https://www.spoonforkandfood.com to do a guest post for her. She is a huge inspiration for me because of the way she manages her Blog. Despite being in neck deep in work, I managed to finish this post because I really wanted to be at her Blog. You have to visit her blog to believe what I say here. Shaheen is not only a gifted food blogger who masters the art of articulating food, but also a very talented food stylist and photographer.

I am truly fascinated by her Baking skills and her creativity at that. Do check out the BLACK FOREST CAKE, VANILLA SPONGE CAKE WITH DDL FILLING AND FRESH CREAMFROSTING, BRITISH BATTENBURG CAKE, FLORAL FONDANT CAKE, WATERMELONCOSMOPOLITAN, PINK LEMONADE, BLUE LAGOON (NON - ALCOHOLIC), POMEGRANATELEMONADE to name a few.

Now coming back to my dish, I just love leading a simple, hassle fee and laid back life and sometimes the simple pleasures of life can be found in simple recipes which are close to our heart. Chickpeas are one ingredient which I can go on about making a lot of varieties with. I have decided to make a pie out of it which can be best enjoyed with some salad and fresh juice. That’s it as simple as that.

A pie is a baked dish containing a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers it completely. The first thing that comes to our mind is the sweet, fruit-or-custard-filled pastry when you think of pie. But all pies need not necessarily be sweet. Savory pie is one of the all-time hit food with me and my family. Whether eaten in small slices for a snack or as a main course, this vegetarian pie is awesome and satisfying. When it comes to a Quick Brunch, savory pies take the lead.

Course: Brunch
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:25 minutes
Yields:6 Pies

Ingredients for the short crust Pie:

· 500 gms, all-purpose flour

· 220gms butter, chilled and cut in ½ inch cubes

· 4-5 tbsp, ice cold water

Let’s learn how to do this recipe:

· Rub the cold butter with the all purpose flour till it resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice cold water little at a time and using your fingers, mix very gently to bring the flour and butter mixture together to form dough.

· Divide the dough in 4 parts and wrap each portion of the dough with cling film very well and freeze it for 30 minutes.

· Preheat the oven to 160 degree and Grease the tart pans.

· Take out 2 of the dough, place it between two parchment papers and roll it gently to form a circle with a thickness of about 1/4inch depending upon the size of the tart shell you require. Carefully place the rolled pastry onto the tart pan and trim the edges of excess dough. Now fill the tart with kidney beans and bake the tart crust for 20 to 25 minutes.

· Once done, allow it to cool for few minutes and very carefully remove the pie weight.

· You would yield 6 pie shells out of this.

Spiced Garbanzo Beans

prep time:20 mins

cook time:25 mins

Serves:6

Ingredients:

· 1 cup dried white Garbanzo Beans

· water for pressure cooking

· 2 black cardamoms

· 1 inch cinnamon stick

· 2 to 3 cloves

· 1 bay leaf

· 1 black tea bag

· salt as required

for making the gravy:

· 1 large onion, finely chopped

· 3 medium to large tomatoes, finely chopped

· 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste

· 2 to 3 green chilies, slit

· 1 tsp amchur powder

· ½ tsp red chili powder

· 1 tsp coriander powder

· 1 tbsp Chole Masala

· 1 tsp garam masala powder

· ½ cup stock or water

· salt as required

· 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish

· 1 medium onion, thinly sliced for garnishing

how to make the recipe:

· Soak 1 cup dried white Garbanzo Beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse them. Pressure cook the Garbanzo Beans, black cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves along with tea bag and 3 cups water till the beans have softened and completely cooked.

· Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies. Saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away, then add chopped onions, stir and saute the onions on a low to medium flame till they turn golden.

· Then add chopped tomatoes and add the red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix very well and saute till the tomatoes become mushy and you see fat releasing from the sides of the masala. Now add the cooked Garbanzo Beans and stir very well.

· Add the dry mango powder and ½ cup stock or water. Check the seasoning and stir very well and simmer the Garbanzo Beans till the gravy thickens. Mash a few beans which helps in thickening the gravy.

· Simmer for about 12 to 14 minutes on a low to medium flame and lastly add 1 tsp garam masala powder. stir and mix very well.

· Preheat the oven to 180 degree. Take out 2 of the dough, place it between two parchment papers and roll it gently to form a thin circle out of it. Carefully place the rolled pastry onto the tart pan and trim the edges of excess dough. Make some patterns with the help of a cookie cutter and place them on the pie shells. mark some incisions with a sharp knife in few places of the coved pie shells.

· Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till you see the top becoming golden brown.

· Serve it with a salad of your choice and enjoy this treat with a fresh glass of mango juice.

The love for food and understanding the importance of both the consumption and abstinence of it is the core of the holy month of Ramadan which ends in the breaking of the fast in Eid-al-Fitr. Ramadan or Ramzan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar when Muslims around the world engage themselves in prayer, fasting, charity, and religious devotion. During this holy month, Muslims around the world abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. There's more to Ramadan than fasting and avoiding food and drink from dawn to dusk. it’s a month of spiritual detox The holy month of Ramdan helps to cultivate self-discipline which will keep one practicing the rest of the year .

All over the world ,Muslims are encouraged to take their meal before dawn, and break the fast immediately after sunset. The fast is traditionally broken by eating dates and drinking water. The Ramadan fast is one of the five pillars or basic institutions of Islam which help strengthen a person’s faith, obedience to God and every part of their life, be it morals, manners, food or dress.

Shahadah: Professing your faith by affirming that there is no deity but God and Mohammed is his messenger.
Salat: offering Prayerfive times daily.
Zakat: Giving to charityto benefit the poor and needy
Sawm: Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
Hajj: Making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime.

A typical Islam’s household would start their day with a plate of Shir Khurma for breakfast which is a vermicelli and milk pudding spiced with cardamom . Vermicelli is an integral ingredient which finds it’s place in multitude of dishes and sweets eaten during Ramadan and Eid across the world. I take this wonderful opportunity to include this wonder ingredient in my contribution to our 43rd Foodie Monday Bloghop theme of #Ramadan Special.......Egg Croquette.

Recipe Type: Snacks
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
serves:12 nos of croquette

Ingredients

12 nos eggs
1 kg boiled Potatoes
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 /2 tsp garam masala
250 gms bread crumbs
4 nos of Egg whites
250 gms fine vermicelli
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Let’s learn how to make this:

Boil the eggs as per your liking. Peel it and keep aside.

Mash the potatoes well making sure that there are no lumps. Add salt, chilly flakes, grated ginger, cumin powder, garam masala and finely chopped coriander leaves and mix it well.

Make 12 balls out of this potato mix. Flaten each of them, place a boiled egg in the center and make a ball.

Take bread crumbs and vermicelli in two different plates. Dip the potato balls in egg white and roll them well in the bread crumbs. keep in the refrigerate for 30 minutes. Take out of refrigerator and dip them again in egg white and roll them in the vermicelli.

Heat the oil for frying.Deep fry the croquettes on low flame till they turn light golden in color. Drain it and set aside. Repeat this with all the croquettes.

Serve it hot with Sauce of your choice.

Pushpita Aheibam, an Economist by qualification, a freelance writer by profession, a homemaker, a mother and last but not the least a food enthusiast and a dear friend of mine has an amazing Blog Ei Gi Chakhum where she shares her passion for cooking , sharing, reviving & spreading some inherited authentic Manipuri cuisine along with fusion cuisine . I always like the detailed infromation she shares about the recipes and some of my favourites from her Blog is Thandai Souffle, Yongchak Singju,Crispy Chicken Drumsticks/Legs, Kelichana Shots, Butter Garlic Prawns to name a few.

It is absolute pleasure to have her at my place with her recipe Noroxingho Maasor Anja-Assamese styled Fish Curry with Curry Leaves which she has prepared with so much love and care for CulinaryXpress.I would like to thank Pushpita for accepting my request to do a guest post for me this month and I knew it would be a traditional dish with her signature style of writing and narration. Over to Pushpita and read her views and impression on CulinaryXpress.

It was a sweet and pleasant surprise for me when I received a request from my talented Blogger friend Alka Jena of www.culinaryxpress.comto contribute a guest post for her blog. An inspiration for me who is carrying forth her passion of sharing traditional recipes as well as out of the box recipe ideas through her beautiful blog.Full of detailed information’s, her blog has the magic to attract potential readers. The sole Recipe Developer, Author, Food Stylist and Photographer of her Food Blog, Alka dreams of continuing her passion of cooking, food styling and photography through her lovely blog.Curious to know more about her traditional recipes like I do?

Then, do check out her recipes to name a few of them- Badi Chura, Odia Kanji, Enduri Pitha, Wood Apple Tamarind Aquafresca , Kulfi, Egg Biryani, Spiced Chickoo and Raisin Cake,Oats and Dry Fruits Cigar, Chai Ice-creamamong the varied recipe collection Alka has shared.

Knowing about my interest in traditional recipes, she asked me to do a Guest post for traditional and lesser known recipes from North-East India as I hail from the region.

Hence, I am here to share a not so known Assamese Fish Curry recipe with freshly ground Curry leaves paste.

Curry leaves has numerous health benefits. Curry leaves or Kadi patta helps prevent dandruff and premature greying of hair, the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties help prevent fungal infections and acne.
It helps prevent morning sickness during pregnancy, anaemia, helps control your blood sugar level and help fight against indigestion.

It was during my last trimester of pregnancy, I have had relished this flavourful Assamese Styled Noroxingho Maasor Anja cooked by my Uncle-in-law more than a decade ago prepared with xinghi or shing maach (fossil cat or Asian stinging catfish).

Your taste-buds can never do away with tasty delicacies which you have ever tasted. I happen to experience the same, as such without any delay simply learnt the method of cooking this tasty fish curry from my Mother-in-law, who is an Assamese by birth.

So without further delay peek into the ingredients included and method of cooking this tasty and healthy Assamese styled fish curry with curry leaves.

Cuisine: Assamese

Noroxingho Maasor Anja

Yields 3 serving

Ingredients

300 g small Grey Mullet/Parshe fish, scaled, cleaned and washed properly
150g fresh Curry leaves/Kadi patta, ground to a smooth paste
4-5 small Garlic cloves, smashed or finely chopped
2-3 whole dry Red Chillies/Pepper
1 tsp of Turmeric powder
1/3^rdcup (80ml) + 2 Tbsp of Mustard oil, for deep frying+cooking the fish
Salt for seasoning
½ cup (120ml) of warm Water

Method

Put the fishes in a bowl, rub ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp salt on them and set aside.
Mean while heat the mustard oil in a wok or large pan until it reaches its smoking point.
Reduce the heat and fry the fishes in two or three small batches until crisp and golden brown or lightly brown. Remove them on a plate with blotting paper or kitchen towel to let soak the excess oil.
In the same wok or pan add 2 tbsp of remaining oil, let it heat and smoke.
Reduce the heat to low to prevent further smoking of oil. Now add garlic, whole red chillies/pepper, sauté in for few seconds until the garlic gives out its fried aroma without browning.
Add the curry paste, give it a good stir, add the remaining ½ tsp turmeric powder, salt. Saute and let the oil separate from the fried mixture.
Add half the water, increase the heat to medium. Bring it to a boil uncovered.
Add in the fried fishes one by one gently stir the curry, add the remaining water and let it simmer for few minutes or until done.
Once done turn off the stove, remove and serve the Noroxingho Maasor Anjawith piping hot plan White rice and some sliced onions by the side.

Note:You can use any fresh water fish or small fish for this tasty fish curry.

Mudhi Mansa or puffed Rice with Mutton Curry and Baripada in Mayurbhanj district in Odisha are synonymous with each other. This famous delicacy is served as a main course where goat meat curry or Mansa tarkari is mixed with puffed Rice or Mudhi along with some other side items. It is a belief with the people of Mayurbhanj that if you consume Mudhi after a meal, it will help in digesting the food you eat. No marriage seems complete in Mayurbhanj if you do not offer the Barajatris or Baratis, Mudhi Mansa.The popularity of Mudhi Mansa among most of the Odia people speaks the volume about the delectable taste of the dish. It is rightly said , if you have visited Baripada and not tasted the Mudhi Mansa, you have not tasted anything.

In coastal parts of Odisha where I am born and brought up, Mudhi or Puffed rice is generally considered as an ingredient for the evening snacks where it is mainly eaten with mixture . Whereas in Mayurbhanj, it is eaten during lunch and dinner also. It is such an integral part of their life that, Mudhi can be enjoyed with anything and everything. You name it and they eat it. Mudhi mansa, mudhi aloodum, mudhi tarkari, mudhi machha,singada aloochop mudhi, dahi mudhi, mixture mudhi and even Baigan Poda with Mudhi and list is endless. Try it once and you will fall in love with its taste.

Recipe: Odia

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes

Serves:4

Ingredients for the Mansa tarkari:

500 gms Goat Meat with extra fat
2 large onions
2 medium potatoes cut into halves
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 bay leaf
2-3 cloves
2 to 3 green cardamom
1 inch cinnamon
2 tbsp mustar oil (for the typical taste)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garam masala( grind 4 to 5 green cardamom and 1 inch cinnamon stick)
Salt to taste

Let's learn How to make the Odia Mansa Tarkari:

Marinate the mutton with 1 tsp mustard oil, turmeric powder and red chilli powder for 1 hour minimum.

Chop the onions and tomatoes and keep aside. Peel the potatoes and cut into halves and keep aside.

Heat Mustard oil in a Pressure cooker to a piping hot mode so that it would remove any strong odours from the oil .Shallow fry the potatoes and set them aside.

In the same oil, add the sugar and let it caramelize. Then add the whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and bay leaf).

Add the chopped onions and fry till it turns golden brown in clour. Then add your ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of the paste goes away.

Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till the oil separates from the spice mixture and then add coriander powder, chilli powder and a little water. Tomatoes are not usually added in the recipes in Odia Mutton curry but it is a personal preference , so I add, you can skip if you do not like.

Now add the marinated mutton and coat it evenly with the spices. Keep frying the mutton for a few more minutes on a medium heat. You will notice the fat melting and adding to the richness to the masala. keep sauting on low flame till you see the masalas leaving the sides of the pot.Add potatoes now.

Pour 2 cups of boiling water and cover the lid and allow it to cook on medium flame till you have the first whistle of the pressure cooker. Now lower the flame and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. This would help the mutton fat to gradually melt and add to the richness and flavour of the dish.

Let the pressure cooker release all the steams naturally and then open the lid and sprinkle the garam masala over it.

Your delicious Odia mutton curry is ready. There will be a thin layer of oil over the mutton curry, which indicates a good mutton curry.

Ingredients to make Mudhi Mansa:

1 cup Mudhi
1 onion finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
2 to 3 tbsp chopped cucumber
1 tbsp chopped tomatoes
Fresh sprig of coriander leaves, finely chopped
A pinch of Odia jira lanka gunda (roasted cumin seeds and red chillies grind together )

Let's assemble the dish:

Mix all the ingredients together and finally add a some mutton curry with a few chunks of meat. Your Mudhi Mansa is ready to be savoured.

This Mudhi Mansa, an exclusive odia delicacy Which remains a niche in its own state made from the leftover gravy from the mutton curry mixed with onions, green chillies and fresh coriander along with the puffed rice , needs to be brought to the limelight for the world to know. Hence,this delicacy is going to be part of the #44th Foodie Monday Blog Hop theme of #Indianspices.

A south Indian Breakfast is never going to complete without the mention of Idly, Dosa, Sambhar, Vada. You can see these tasty platter of food at any food joint and road side stalls if you visit South India. During my recent trip to Karnataka, I have seen each and everyone asking for Medhu Vadai which are deep fried crispy vadas served with sambhar and Coconut Chutney and a cup of Coffee.

Sambhar Vada is the quintessential South Indian tiffin that features not just in their everyday menu but on special occasions also. Sambhar Vada is nothing but a split black lentils based fried snack soaked in mild and flavourful sambar. During the process, the urad dal is soaked and ground together with spices and then deep fried until golden brown. It is served primarily with coconut chutney and sambhar . The best part of this dish is that you can recycle the leftover Vadas , all you need to do is soak the vadas in hot water and then in hot sambhar. This recipe is a reminder of my beautiful short stay at Bangalore and the food there and it’s taste is going to remember with me for a long time to stay.

Cuisine: South Indian

Type: Breakfast

Prep Time: Overnight or minimum 3 hours

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients for Sambhar:

½ cup Arhar daal
1 small onion
1 Tomato
1 cup of assorted vegetables like Drumstick, Okra, Raddish, Brinjal, Beans cut into lengths)
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
3 tsp Sambhar Masala
1 tsp Red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sugar

For tempering:

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 nos of green chillies
Salt as needed
¼ tsp Asafoetida powder
1 sprig Curry leaves
3 to 4 garlic pods

Ingredients for Vadas:

1 cup Urad daal( skinless)
Salt as required
Water as required
1 sprig curry leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Oil for deep frying
1 tbsp rice flour powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger

Let’s Learn How to make Vadas:

Wash urad dal thoroughly in water and soak overnight or for minimum 3 hours. Now drain the water if any to a bowl and start grinding the urad dal in a running grinder till the batter is smooth and fluffy. The whole process will take 10 to 15 minutes.

Once done, collect the batter to a separate bowl and add hing, curry leaves, coriander leaves, grated ginger, salt and rice flour. Combine everything well with a spoon.

Heat oil in a wide pan with heavy base .Take a ball of batter and make a whole with your thumb and drop the vada in hot oil carefully.

Fry the vadas till it turns golden in color. take out from pan and place on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.

Let's Learn how to make the Sambhar:

Wash and soak daal in hot water for 1 hour and put it in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles with salt, turmeric and onion in it.

Once it is cooked, add the vegetables and tomatoes to it and cook till the vegetables are tender. Add the red chilli powder give it a good stir, let it cook for 5 mins more.

Soak the tamarind in hot water and keep it ready,

In a small pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter, add curry leaves, hing, crushed garlic, green chillies and the Sambhar masala and add this to the dhal mixture. You need to check the consistency of the sambhar and if needed add 1 to 11/2 cup of water to it. The Sambhar needs to be in liquid state.

Now add the tamarind paste and the sugar to the dhal mixture and let it cook for 5 minutes , Switch off the gas.

PLATING the SAMBAR VADA

In a bowl take warm water, dip the vadas one by one in the warm water and with both palms gently squeeze out the excess water. Repeat the same until you use up all the vadas.
Place in a serving dish, now pour sambar on top of the vadas. Garnish with chopped onions and coriander leaves and serve warm.
Enjoy your bowl of sambar vada along with coconut chutney & a cup of coffee.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: June -- Week 3'

This is one of the most old fashioned Soda Bread recipe with just the basic ingredients which can be ready in less than an hour. The addition of buttermilk gives this bread the much required crust and this is the perfect recipe when you are in a hurry. Like any other Soda bread, these buns tastes as good as when it is eaten with a slice of cheese or with butter and jam. The exotic scent of the fennel seeds and the burst of tartness from the cranberries make these buns to have it in a perfect cosy environment with your family.

Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as baking soda) is used as a leavening agent instead of the more common yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, bread soda, salt, and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Other ingredients can be added such as butter, egg, raisins, or nuts to make it as per your recipe. ( Source: Wiki)

If you’ve never made bread before just like me and terrified at the very thought of making homemade bread, simply relax. It is quite easier to make a soda bread than making a pancake or muffin. This is going to be part of my contribution to the 45^th Foodie Monday Bloghop theme of #Bread.

Recipe Source: Simply Nigella

Recipe Type: Bread

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Yields :8

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of whole wheat Flour
½ cup All Purpose flour
½ cup butter
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp Baking powder
¾ tsp soda
¾ tsp all spice powder
150 l runny buttermilk
1 large egg
½ cup dried cranberries
2 tsp fennel seeds

Let's Learn how to make this bread:

Melt the butter and then leave it to cool a little.

Preheat the oven to 220 degree C and line a baking sheet with baking Parchment.

in a large bowl, combine both flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, all spice powder and mix well.

Whisk the egg with buttermilk and then fold in the melted butter.

Pour the wet ingredients over the bowl of dry ingredients, and then add the dried cranberries and fennel seeds and mix everything with a wooden spoon. The final bit of mixing should be done by hands.

Turn the sticky dough into the floury surface and then cut into 4 equal parts and out of those 4 parts make 4 more balls. Now you have 8 balls made from the dough.

Shape each piece of dough into a rough dough ball and place on your lined baking sheet with some space between them.

With the help of a knife, mark a pattern of ‘X’ in each of the dough.

Sprinkle little flour on all the breads and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or untill the buns are brown and sound hollow when tapped on the kitchen slab.

Let them cool for about 10 minutes before you eat them.

these Buns are best eaten the day it is made.

I like to have it with butter and some plum and tomato chutney and a glass of milk.

You can also see my work here:

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To enjoy the whole nutrient of any fruit, it needs to be consumed in it’s whole form. I like to have more fresh fruit juices during the summer and especially to counter the humidity here. All you need is light , healthy and quick breakfast along with some refreshing cold beverages to tackle this hot and humid weather at Bhubaneswar. Cantaloupe or muskmelons are perfect summer coolers as it has lots of water content which reduces the body heat during summer. Though one could consume this directly, you could also this to juice, smoothies, sorbet, icecream, soup, desert etc.

Cantaloupe juice is easy to prepare and could be made in minutes by just adding it to the blender along with some ice cubes and honey or jaggery depending on the sweetness of the fruit and you are ready with this healthy cantaloupe juice. I personally like to eat the fruit instead as it is so juicy.But sometimes I also like to experiment and loves it .Muskmelons have a classic sweet melon flavor and a smooth texture making it ideal for use in as a puree for sauces and soups, smoothies, milkshakes and lassis. it can be added as cubed or pureed when making sorbet, kheer, cakes, ice cream and puddings.

Muskmelons also known as sweet melon, kharbuja and cantaloupe are botanically known as Cucumis melo and a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. There are approximately ten different commercial varieties of Muskmelon grown in India today such as Kharbuj, Kharbooj and Karbuja. In addition to fresh eating in India the Muskmelon is utilized to produce Muskmelon oil which is used in skincare, for cooking and in naturopathic medicine.( Source:http://www.specialtyproduce.com).Muskmelon has a lot of health benefits like controlling blood pressure, it is high in fibre, reduces body heat and is an anti oxidant.

Recipe type: drinks

Cuisine: world

Prep time:5 minutes

cooking time :5 minutes

serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 cantaloupe or muskmelon
Sugar or jaggery as required
200 gms fresh greek hogurt
a pinch of black salt
1 tsp cardamom powder
few cherries to decorate

how to make the recipe:

Cut the muskmelon into half. Remove the peel and separate it from the flesh.Discard the seeds. Chop and add in a blender along with sugar or jaggery as per requirement and the black salt. Blend till smooth without adding water.
Pour the Cantaloupe juice onto individual serving glass Mix the cardamom powder in the greek yogurt and pour over the muskmelon juice.
Garnish with Cherries and serve immediately so that the juice retains it’s freshness.

Plattershare is a holistic food social media platform which connects food enthusiasts to share their passion for food. Be it Home-Chefs, Professional Chefs, Food Bloggers, Food Professionals or Foodies who love to appreciate the taste and aroma of dishes around the world. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Plattershare for coming up with an Associate Program named as “BellyNirvana” which helps us associate and connect with various Food and Kitchen brands across the country and gives us an opportunity to try brand new and innovative food products and gadgets; and all this from the comfort of our homes.

Plattershare under their “Belly Nirvana” Associate programme has associated with GoIndiaOrganic - India’s only platform that provides premium, exclusive & extra-ordinary naturally organic food products and I am fortunate enough to have received Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil and under "Plattershare Belly Nirvana Association Program". When I received this product I was a bit skeptical as coconut oil is hardly used in our Odia households. Despite being an coastal area and abundantly availability of coconut , we hardly has explored it’s culinary use . But I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the pack and the light fragrance of coconut oil has taken back to my childhood days when my mother used to prepare this type of oil at home and that was so pure that she used to use it for skin care but never have used it for cooking. This Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil which is not only organic, it is also unrefined, cold pressed making it ideal for baking and cooking as well as great for skincare, hair care and massage.

Coconut oil has emerged as the new olive oil.This is an excellent source of lauric acid and medium chain triglycerides for your healthy diet and body care routine. Coconut oil is now being promoted for it’s protection against heart diseases. Though I am not qualified to speak on it’s health benefits, I do believe it to be healthy and that’s why I have decided to use this product in my kitchen. It’s a great way to replace fat intake and definitely enhance the flavours and textures of the food. If you would like to see how I have incorporated this coconut oil into my cooking, do follow the recipe below.

Recipe Type: Baking

Prep Time: 10 minutes

cooking Time: 12 to 15 minutes

Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all Purpose flour
2tsp baking Powder
A pinch of salt
½ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ cup Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil
¾ cup milk
1/4 cup grated coconut
½ cup castor sugar
few Cherries for garnishing

Let’s Learn how to make these Coconut Cookies

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a parchment paper on the baking tray.
Mix the All purpose Flour, castor sugar, salt, baking powder, grated coconut, cinnamon Powder in a bowl and mix well.
Now slowly pour the coconut oil and combine everything so that it resembles fine crumbs.
Now pour the milk and mix the dough until it is completely combined to form a ball. But do not over knead.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll out until it is ½ inch thick. With the help of a cookie cutter , cut out the cookies. Place a slice of cherries on each cookies. Transfer these to a baking sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy these coconut cookies with a cup of tea with your family.

Last but not the least, I would like to thank GoIndiaOrganic for sending across this extra virgin coconut oil which I LOVE and would like to use it in my kitchen more often in preparing traditional and non traditional food. I mostly love the flavour and the tenderness it lends to baked goods.

Granola is the most healthiest and easy breakfast food that I am hitched onto. Pair it with a silky smooth Greek Yogurt , throw some fruits of your choice like banana, strawberries, blueberries to get the best flavor out of it. Before some months When I used to see someone posting a Granola Recipe , I used to wonder what are these. After a bit of searching, I came to know that Granola consists of rolled oats, different nuts , honey or other sweeteners which are then baked until it is crisp and golden brown. Any dry fruits can be added in the granola like pecans,pine nuts, walnuts, raisins, dates etc. Granola can be used as a breakfast or as an evening snacks or it could be eaten throughout the day, because of it’s nutritious nature . Many people make it in the bar form so that it can be easily packed and carried for outdoor activities. You can also add flax seeds, sunflower seeds , melon seeds in the mix which improves our digestion.

Though Granola is easily accessible through any Departmental Stores, I prefer to make my Granola at home which is not only cheaper than the store brought ones, it is way healthier and tastier also. The most important component of the Granola is the Oats or Oatmeal or Oat bran which is a significant source of dietary fibre which contains a mixture of soluble and non soluble fibres. Beta –glucans is a soluble fibre found in oats which has proven to lower the blood cholesterol. Try to incorporate rolled oats rather than quick cooking oats which will fail to hold up the entire binding process. You can add other dry ingredients like pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, flax seeds.

To get a nice balance of flavor and texture, I follow the 6:1 ratio of 6 parts dry ingredients to 1 part wet ingredient. Out of my 6 parts of dry ingredients, I mix 3 parts of Oats, 1 Parts of nuts, 1 parts of seeds and I parts of fruits or dryfruits. Coming back to wet ingredients, I prefer my Maple syrup and Sunflower oil which is needed to coat the grains, nuts and seeds in sugar and fat and most importantly helps them to bind together. But in this recipe I have for the first time used extra virgin coconut oil and Maple Syrup.Coming back to Maple Syrup, which is one of the more popular sweeteners today as it claims to be more nutritious and healthier than sugar. The main thing that sets maple syrup apart from refined sugar, is that though both are made of 2/3^rdsucrose, the glycemic index score of maple syrup is about 54 compared to 65 for regular cane sugar.( Source: https://draxe.com/maple-syrup-nutrition). Compared to refined cane sugar which has absolutely no nutrients, maple syrup in that case contains some important antioxidants and minerals like Zinc and Manganese.

Recently I have been associated with Plattershare under their “Belly Nirvana” Associate programme where I have received the Coombs Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup from GoIndiaOrganic - India’s only platform that provides premium, exclusive & extra-ordinary naturally organic food products. Maple syrup is made from the sugary circulating fluid (sap) of maple trees and over 80% of the world’s supply of Maple syrup is produced in Canada. You can find different grades of Maple syrup available in the market, which is Grade-A and Grade-B. Grade-A is further classified into Light Amber, Medium Amber and Dark Amber and Grade B is the darkest of them all. Darker maple syrups are made from sap which is extracted later in the harvesting seasons and it has a stronger maple flavor for which it is mainly used in baking and other cooked recipes , while the lighter maple syrup can be used directly on pancakes, crepes etc.

Spices plays a major role in making Granola and I always use Cinnamon, ground ginger, Nutmeg, a bit of cloves in my Granola to perk up it’s taste. Besides the spices, I also use Dried Cherries, Raisins and sometimes apricot in my Granola but I add them after baking to avoid the drying of the fruits. The best thing about Granola is that you can customize it from making it more/less sweet, more/less spicy, more/less fruity and do not limit your imagination , go ahead and make your own Granola and for a reference you can always refer my recipe below.

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pistachios
½ cup shredded coconuts
½ cup raisin and cherries
¼ cup melon seeds
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup virgin coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4tsp ginger powder
¼ tsp nutmeg powder
a pinch of clove powder
1/2 tsp salt
400 grams vanilla flavored Greek yogurt

Let's Learn How to Make this :

Pre heat oven to 200 degree C.

Combine the oats, walnuts, pistachios, melon seeds, carrots, grated coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss well till they are perfectly combined.

Transfer these mixture to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and when it is halfway through, do not forget to stir it before the final round of baking.

Remove from the oven and let it cool and comes to room temperature. Then add raisins and dried cherries and toss to combine.

Divide the toasted granola among serving bowls, glasses or even jar like the way I did.Pour the Greek yogurt over it and place some more granola on top along with some fresh cherries. Serve immediately.

Enjoy this homemade granola immediately, or store in a sealed container and store in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.

This granola parfait is going to be a part of our 46th #Bloghop theme of #dryfruits.

Lebanese cuisine is very famous for it’s varieties of sweets. These sweets are heavily laded with sugar, cheese and lots and lots of butter. One dessert stands out for it’s sweet and melt in the mouth texture is the Sfouf . This is a famous Lebanese dessert which is characterized by it's intense yellow color due to the use of turmeric, superfood. It is one of the simplest form of cake where semolina, flour, oil, aniseed , turmeric and sugar are mixed and garnished with blanched pine nuts or almonds before baking in the oven.

This Tea Cake is called Sfouf which in Arabic mean rows. So this cake is traditionally cut into squares or diamonds shape. This Turmeric cake believe it or not, is one of the simplest, most delicious cakes I’ve ever had is a perfect tea-time cake with goodness of turmeric. Turmeric is the quintessential spice in everyone’s kitchen essential is actually a relative of ginger and is one of the healthiest food to add color to our home cooked food.

Cuisine: Lebanese

Recipe Source: Here

Preparation Time:20 minutes

Baking time: 40 minutes

Serves:12 pieces

Ingredients:

Dry Mixture

1 3/4 cup Fine Semolina
1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
¾ cup Ghee / Oil
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Ground Anise Seed
1/4 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp ground green cardamom
12 nos of Blanched Almonds or pinenuts
1 tsp white sesame seeds

Wet Mixture

1 ½ cup Whole Milk
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp orange essence

Let's Learn How to prepare this Cake:

Pre Heat oven to 180 degree C.
Place the almonds in a bowl with warm water. After 10 minutes, peel the almonds and keep aside.
In a pan warm the milk and remove from heat and add the sugar and whisk together until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange essence to it and keep aside.
In a large bowl, combine the semolina, all-purpose flour, ground Aniseed, cardamom powder, salt, and turmeric powder well. Now add the ghee to it and mix properly, your mixture should resemble like fine crumbs. Set it aside.
Now pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well so that no lumps remain and little air is pumped into the mixture. Do not over mix.
Pour the mixture into a well-greased cake pan. Lightly mark the pan into rows so that you have 12 pieces of cake. Place one almond in the centre of each square and sprinkle the white sesame seeds on top.
Bake the cake at 180 degree for 35 to 40 minutes or till a fork comes out clean if inserted. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes . Cut into 12 pieces and serve warm with some Tea.
You can store this in an airtight container for about 1 week. Warm before serving as it tends to become dry when cools.

It’s been raining heavily here and though many parts of the world are still enjoying their summer, we are ready to welcome the Monsoon here. The sounds of the rain drops in the window pane drove me back to my childhood memories when rainy days are welcomed with adrakwali chai and an array of foods like aloo chop, Bara, Singada(Samosa), Mudhi Mixture etc. As my father would never allow us to have those amazing street foods for which Odisha is famous for as he was very strict with hygiene, so my mother used to make all those delicious items at home. If you happen to ever land up in Bhubaneswar, you cannot escape the aroma of street food of the city. Among a plethora of foods to try out , Bara-ghuguni is a typical Odia comfort snack that you must not forget to try. Hot baras dipped in warm ghuguni in the monsoons is a snack to die for.

You must be wondering why am I going on about monsoon foods, you got me right, this is the theme for our 47th Foodie Monday Blog Hop #Monsoon Madness. Monsoon….a cup of tea…..and some hot crispy things on the plate and a good book is what I need to keep myself busy and of course happy.

Through my blog I have always taken you through various lesser known recipes belonging to Odisha , which are not only drool worthy , they are also amazing in taste. One such delicacy had caught my fancy and this seems the perfect backdrop for this crispy regional delicacy to have it’s introduction……CHAULA BARA ( Crispy Rice Vada) . This is very different from the Bara and Ghuguni we eat in the Coastal regions. The major difference is the use of rice in the Rice Vadas whereas we use Urad daal Vadas in our Bara Ghuguni.

Kosli cuisine or Sambalpuri cuisine is integral to the Kosli cultural identity and it is quite different in every sense from that of the coastal Odisha. Rice is the main component of the diet. Some of the important Kosli foods are Kardi (bamboo shoot), Hendua Chutchuta, Paatalghantaa Dhuldhulaa, Lethaa, Aambil, Thukthukaa, Chaul Bara and Bhuja. Basi Pakhal (fermented rice), Sukha jhuri (sun dried fish), Chitka, Rasbaraa (Prepared from green gram and sugar). Among others , Chaula Bara has caught the attention of many and now it has traveled to many places .These crispy rice vadas are very famous street food in Sambalpur and these are savored with fried chillis and green chilli chutney known as Mircha chutney.

Ingredients

1 cup Rice
4 tbsp urad daal
1/2 tsp carom seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1 onion finely chopped
1 to 2 green chilli chopped
salt as per taste
½ tsp baking soda
Few curry leaves
Oil for deep frying

Let's Learn how to make this crispy Chaula Bara:

Wash and soak the rice, urad dal overnight.
Grind the soaked rice, urad dal to make a thick batter using less amount of water .
Add chopped onion, green chillies, carom seeds, cumin seeds, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to form a smooth batter.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan , once the oil is hot, then take a spoonful of rice batter in your hand and carefully drop this in the hot oil . Fry till the colour of the baras changing to golden brown. Flip and cook the other side. Repeat the same with the remaining batter.
Serve it with Tomato chutney and mircha chutney which is nothing but a tangy green chutney made with crushed green chillies, garlic, tamarind paste, coriander/ mint and salt.

It was a pleasant surprise when I receive a request from Shaheen Ali of https://www.spoonforkandfood.com to do a guest post for her. She is a huge inspiration for me because of the way she manages her Blog. Despite being in neck deep inwork, I managed to finish this post because I really wanted to be at her Blog. You have to visit her blog to believe what I say here. Shaheen isnot only a gifted food blogger who masters the art of articulating food, but also a very talented food stylist and photographer. I am truly fascinated by her Baking...

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