One Love One World.....

It has been eons that this blog was updated. All bloggers associated with this blog have been busy on their new personal journeys. I sincerely hope that all of them are doing good and enjoying their respective lives.

Also a special thanks to all the readers, many of whom pushed us to revitalize this blog. So without further ado let me get to the post.

In the past year there have been tremendous upheavals around the middle east, latest bombings in my dear city of Bombay (can't still call it Mumbai - feels foreign to me), all sorts of natural calamities and also many joyous occasions around the world. All these events show that we are all striving for justice and freedom from some oppression or just to be able to voice our opinions. I think it is our inherent nature as rational beings.

We as humanity are really ONE just divided by political, religious and mental boundaries. In spite of these differences at the root of our many of our cultures, specially where food is concerned there are uncanny similarities in preparation of food around the globe.

By taking an example of simple filled or wrapped stuffing in a unleavened dough - then fried, baked or steamed - am trying to portray that even though ingredients are local or its meat vs vegetables or sweet, the basic underlying concept is similar. Somehow making me believe that these methods originated some place when we all were still ONE and then took them and modified them as we migrated.


Starting with India - the all time favorite snack Kachori - its filled with peas, or dried pulses or with potatoes or meat - and then fried.

Again in India - Karanji (Maharashtra) or Ghugra (Gujarat) or Kadabu (Karnataka) or Kozhakattai (Tamil Nadu/Kerela) or Gujiya (Rajashthan) - is a same concept of filling dough but here it is filled with sugar, jaggery, nuts, cardomom, saffron etc. and served as a sweet.

Moving to Oriental foods - like Chinese or Japanese - they have Wontons or Dumplings - either steamed or fried - still the concept is the same.

Moving to Italy - this is Ravioli - it is a filled pocket of Dough with usually ricotta cheese and some herbs. In the above picture it is boiled and then served with marinara sauce - but can be eaten in variety of ways - also tasted good simply baked in the oven. They also have a dish called Stromboli which is a larger form of Kachori - and it is a meal not a snack - filled with meat or sauteed vegetables and cheese and served with marinara sauce on side.

Then moving to Poland - this is Pierogi - same concept filled with vegetables or meat and they also have a sweet variety filled with seasonal berries and fruits served with whipped cream. In other parts of Northern Europe it is called by these names - Derelye (Hungary), Bryndzové Pirohy (Slovakia), Kiroște (Romania)


From North Europe moving to South America - these are Pastels (Brazil) - a very common snack served with beer - they have beef, chicken and cheese fillings.

Lastly Empanadas (Argentina and Chili) - similar idea and looks very similar to crescent shaped Kachoris made in India.

There might be many more examples - but I just wanted to portray a point that we all are ONE - so lets enjoy our ONENESS by celebrating the variety that the world has to offer.

I have personally tasted all of the above dishes in their vegetarian forms and do urge you to try them too.....

Lastly tweaking a word in the lyric of the song One Love by Bob Marley....

One Love, One Heart Let's EAT together and feel all right

The Kati Roll Company

Its been a while this blog is updated. But its a pleasure to update it with a small gem of a place called The Kati Roll Company. Kati Roll is found on street corners of Calcutta but its sumptuous fillings and flavors capture the true essence of Indian Fast food.


Started in around 2002 in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan - it now spread its flavors to 49 West 39th Street and also 24 Poland Street in London.

The one in the Village is a quaint little place with its bright orange interiors and hung on its walls are posters from old Bollywood films. Upon entering the restuarant the aroma of the sizzling fillers like the paneer, chicken, beef and shami kabab on the grill reminiscence of the Indian Street Food stalls.




For an Indian or someone from a country where Street Food Vendors are prominent it is a short trip of nostalgia and to people from other countries an introduction to the local lifestyle and flavors.

This is the description of the roll as mentioned on their website :

"The signature dish of The Kati Roll Company, Kati Rolls, are made by wrapping warm paratha, a type of Indian flat bread, around a variety of meats, vegetables and cheese. Each ingredient is marinated in a proprietary blend of Indian spices, creating a distinctive taste available nowhere else. Diners may choose from a select few fillings like beef, chicken, lamb, egg, cheese or potatoes to construct a Kati Roll to their liking. The finished Kati Roll is wrapped and served hot, making it a satisfying meal that can be enjoyed virtually anywhere."

The success of this place lies in its simplicity of the menu, the personal touch of its cooks and waiters - who after a few visits recognize you and are warm and friendly. They customize the roll and its spice level as per your request.


Also it is considered a value Indian meal as it is cheap and filling. A pair of Kati Rolls is enough to fill any hungry stomach. Open late at nights on weekends it is thronged by young party revelers after they have danced away those calories at the clubs.


So folks whenever you are in New York do visit this joint and feel free to call me as I will join you too. - Ceedy

Sources -
Websites:
The Kati Roll Company
Midtown Lunch
Blogs
Rampant Reviews
Dozka

Mamoun's

Its been a while for an update here - but we hope to be back on track.

Most places all around the world are famous for small quaint eateries with great food. You can find these places littered in almost every town or city and they are sometimes as or more popular than the big restaurants serving lavish meals.

The advantages of these eateries is the personal service, simple menu, cheaper food and on top of the list the food there is freaking tasty.

The other fun element is interaction with local people on one to one basis at these places allowing for exchange of ideas, culture, habits and quirks.

The first place that I frequent is in the Greenwich Village on MacDougal Street between Bleecker and 3rd Street. It is a small 8' x 20' place called Mamoun's (link to the place) established before I was even born in 1971.

The place serves delicious hot Falafels for very cheap. You have an option of sitting in the semi dark quaint cafe like setting or simply stand outside and eat it enjoying the "cute" crowd that hangs out in the village.


Falafel is basically a Middle Eastern fried ball or patty made of fava and/or chickpeas. It can be had as a sandwich or as an appetizer.

In the sandwich for they are encased in the pita like bread that acts as a pocket, topped with salad, picked vegetables, hot sauce and smeared with tahini sauces.

Here is a very detailed info on falafel.

Going back to Mamouns, the menu is a simple fare with lots of options if you are a vegetarian.

There is a selection from Baba Ghannouj, Hummus, Small Grape Leaves, Makdoos, Tabbouleh, Spinach Roll and Mamouns Salad.


For the non vegetarians there is a variety of Lamb and Chicken dishes like the Shesh Kebab or Steak.

You can check out the detailed menu here.


Also if you have a sweet tooth simply dont miss the Baklawa - A sweet flaky made with walnuts or Tukish Delight - A light flowery flavoured caramel with pistachio nuts.

So the next time you are partying late night in New York City or simply looking for a delicious tasty lunch do visit it. And if you let me know an hour and a half in advance I can surely meet you there - anytime.

Link on Google Maps

Holly Jolly Christmas

Hope you are having a wonderful time and enjoying your holidays.

Sharing with you some traditional goodies that are part of the American culture for the Christmas Holidays -

1) Eggnog - Eggnog is a sweetened dairy-based beverage made with milk, cream, sugar, beaten eggs (which gives it a frothy texture), and flavoured with ground cinnamon and nutmeg; alcoholic versions also exist with the addition of various liquors, such as brandy, rum, and whiskey.

2) Cookies of all different kinds - do read the post on Monster Cookies posted here few months back.

3) Fruitcake - is a cake made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits.

4) Gingerbread - is a sweet that can take the form of a cake or a cookie in which the predominant flavors are ginger and raw sugar.

5) Puddings

* Plum Pudding - is the dessert traditionally served on Christmas day.

* Persimmon Pudding - is another traditional American dessert made with persimmons - known to the ancient Greeks as "the fruit of the gods" and is the edible fruit

6) Pies

* Apple Pie

* Mince Pie - contains minced meat with apple as a base.

* Pecan Pie

* Pumpkin Pie

* Sweet Potato Pie

7) Meats like Roast Turkey and Ham

8) Drinks include Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider, Wines, Champagne

Have fun and a happy new year to you all

Whats on your mind???

Hello people, how are ya all doing eh? Hoping you are all fit and fine. I wonder how did you guys manage to take care of yourselves whilst the cookers of Ambrosia were away. Its just that all the cookers of Ambrosia have gotten busy just around the same time. Just a quick apology for the sudden disappearing act. But hey we are back after a month long hiatus.

So so....this ones not a recipe, not a restaurant review, not some nutrition facts or any tips. Instead how about you particiapte in this post by telling us what's the first thought / thoughts that comes to your mind right now when i say the word 'FOOD'

U wanna know what crosses my mind.....Cookies and Cream ....yippeeeeeeeeeeee me craving for cookies and cream n its 10: 41 pm here and its snowing like crazy but I dont care I am going to pick up a tub of Cookies and Cream.......anyways wanna share? So tell me what r u feeling like right now...come'on quick......everybody at ambrosia is straving...its been over a month now that we talked about food eh....drop in your comments in the mean whhile i'll just get some yummilicious ice cream for moi..

Monster Cookies

All the cookers are in transition at this time - so the delay in this post.



Here is an interesting recipe for MONSTER COOKIES by our second guest blogger - Carolinagal. This recipe includes the Oatmeal that Princess Mia wrote about in the last post.


3 Eggs
1 cup sugar
mix
Half box light brown sugar
mix again
Add 12 oz Peanut butter (12 oz. is about 340 grams)
1 stick of butter softened to room temperature (1 Stick = 1/4 pound or 113 grams or 8 tbsp.)
mix all together
Quaker quick-cooking oats (I usually buy the 18oz container and use about half to three quarters of it)
mix all together
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp Baking soda
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips
M&M's - a few (or Cadbury Gems )
stir all in together
Place equal size portions on parchment lined cooking sheet
Preheat oven to 350 deg
Bake 8-10 minutes
Do not over bake unless you prefer Monster Charcoal.


They are called Monster Cookies BECAUSE they have all the 'good' ingrediants.
You don't HAVE to add raisins and M&M's (Gems) if you don't want- they can be substituted with more chocolate chips.
You can also add crushed walnuts if you want - the more creative the better.
For those who are allergic to peanuts, simply eliminate the peanut butter.
This is great recipe if you have an office party the next day, and you are asked to bring something. Once you have all the ingredients ready, it takes about 10 min to put everything together, and another 10 min to bake. And everyone will LOVE these cookies!!

Enjoy!

(P.S. I have asked her to include how many cookies this particular recipe will make and if she has any information on the calorie content - will include the information in the comments)
- Recipe by Carolinagal
- Presented by Ceedy.

Power packed Oats

A lotta people these days are getting health conscious inne? A lot of are readers here are also on a low cal diet inne.....so this ones specially goes out to all the people who go gymming, are on a diet or are thinking of die-eating and ofcourse for all those who have just been putting on weight reading all the Ambrosia posts ......So lets talk about oats today.....

So for those of you who have only heard of white bread n cheese n whole cream milk....lets see what are oats eh?

Oats are grasses that produce grains just like wheat, barley, rice etc. Oats grow on stalks, with kernels more widely distributed along a looser tree-like framework. They are very popular in the West and slowly catching up in the East too. Its very popular in the health food movement cos of its high nutritional value. Oats are high in protein, calcium, fiber, vitamin E.

Why should you have Oats?

• Lowers LDL 'bad' cholestrol which in turns reduces the risk of heart diseases. The fibre absorbs excess fat and flushes it out of the system curing constipation also.
• Highest protein content amongst cereals , which is equivalent to soy protein which has been shown by WHO to be equal to meat, milk & egg protein thus boosts energy. 

• Stabilizes blood glucose levels, balancing blood sugar levels by eating fibre rich food helps mood swings & depression. Oat meal rejuvinates the endocrine systems & enriches sexual pleasure as it matures the nerves. 
• Some fatty acids, antioxidants & vitamin E present in oatmeal slow cell damage n reduce risk of cancer. 
• Being low in fat and salt is a good source of iron. 
• Contain high calcium content thus good for heart, bones n nails. 
• Can be used as a substitue for cornflour, thus can be added in soups & gravies as a thickening agent.

BTW Oats can be eaten as porridge, oatcakes oatmeal cookies. Oats can be found in cold cereals like museli n granola being partly cooked in the mill can be consumed with fresh or dried fruits & yogurt.

FYI - Oats are used for brewing beer and also to feed cattle n horses.

- Princess Mia

Caramel Celebrations!!!

Folks there have been many changes and all good with the cookers in the past one week and thus there have been no updates on Ambrosia.

Since all the news are happy news - the second post on Wine that was mentioned in the last post - it can wait. First sharing the good news -

Vrij and Mrs. Vrij have a new entrant in their life - a cute baby boy :)

D'Sinner got selected to a course to Punjab University as was her dream.

Gunj has got a new job and has moved to a new city.

Princess Mia is looking forward to her vacation to Goa with her friend.

Anindita is looking forward to her vacation.

and as for me Ceedy I am simply celebrating life and new online friends.

Congratulations to one an all!!!!!!!

So to celebrate each of our changes and of any changes of any readers of this blog, I am sharing this easy recipe of Caramel Walnut Brownies by Sanjeev Kapoor of Khana Khazana fame.

I have baked this many a times and it is simple and has been appreciated by all.

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sugar
Oil to grease
250 grams Chocolate
8 tablespoons Butter
4 Eggs
2-3 Drops Vanilla essence
1/2 Cup Powdered sugar
1 cup Refined flour (maida)
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
A pinch Salt
1/2 cup Walnut kernels, crushed lightly

Method of preparaion:

- Preheat oven to 180° C. Grease a baking sheet with oil.

1) Preparing Caramel
- Combine sugar and two tablespoons of water in a pan and bring it to a boil. Cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture is deep brown in colour. Set it aside and keep it warm on a pan of hot water.

(If you want you can skip the caramel part and simply call it Chocolate Brownies)

2)Preparing the Batter for the Brownies

-Combine chocolate and butter in a pan. To melt this mixture, put some water in a bigger vessel and place the bowl with the chocolate in it and cook till it is smooth and even. Or you can microwave it for a minute at a time till both melt enough to be mixed smooth and even.

-Remove from heat and allow to cool.

-Beat eggs with vanilla essence until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well till all the sugar has been used up.

-Sift refined flour, baking powder and salt.

-Add to the egg mixture, little at a time, folding into it carefully and lightly without losing much aeration.

-Blend in the cooled chocolate mixture. Spread half of this batter onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for around six minutes.

-Remove from the oven and spread caramel carefully over the baked layer. Stir in walnuts into the remaining chocolate batter and spread over the caramel layer. Bake for twenty minutes.
(As an option you can also add chocolate chips at this stage with walnuts)

-Take it out of the oven and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate before cutting into bars or squares.

The brownies can be had on their own or can also be served with a twist.

Once cut into squares before serving warm the brownies a little and serve it with Vanilla Icecream and chocolate syrup smeared on it. I prefer using the Vanilla Bean Icecream instead. Has a richer taste.

Hope you enjoy it!!!!!

Wine -1 (Updates)

Updated the post (in red) under Sparkling Wine and Fortified Wine sections as per inputs from Carolinagal - Thanks

A couple of months back Preethi posted an interesting post on different types of wines. Adding to her input, presenting this two part series on Wines. This post will be an elaboration of what she had mentioned in her post with certain additional information.

In the next post I will talk more about Wine Selection, Grading Process, the Different Types of Wine Glasses and other relevant information.
Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. (Link to major Wine growing regions of the world) Grapes will sometimes grow beyond this range and minor amounts of wine are made in some very unexpected places. The types of grapes used to make a wine are the most important factor in the taste of the wine. However, the flavors are also affected other factors such as soil, exposure to sunlight, climate, how the grapes are handled and fermented, types of yeast used, whether the wine is aged in wood, etc. Because of this, the same type of wine can be produced in several different regions, but various factors result in wines which taste different. Half the fun of experiencing wine is the incredible array of flavors available.

There are 5 basic types of wines namely:
Red Wine
White Wine
SparklingWine (in other words - Champagne)
Rosé Wine
Dessert or Fortified Wines


Red Wines - are made with red grapes. But the color does not actually come from the grape juice itself. Instead it comes from the grapes being fermented with skins still on. Names of the wine are based on the names of the grapes they are made from. There are about 40 important types of red wine grapes grown in the world today.
Some popular grapes and hence the red wines are:
Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese,
Syrah/Shiraz, Tempranillo and Zinfandel


White Wines - Almost every white wine is made with white grapes, though it is possible to make white wine using red grapes. This is because when white wine is made, the juice is separated from the skins before the fermentation process. The juice does not absorb the color of the skins. For the same reason, white wine has much less tannin than red. (Tannin - Wikipedia Link) There are 50 major white grapes grown in the world today, 24 in California alone.
Some popular grapes and hence the white wines are:
Chablis, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewruztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling,
Sauvignon/Fume Blanc, Semillon and Viognier


Sparkling Wine - Many sparkling wines made after the style of Champagne, but only those made in that Champagne region in the north of France, according to the painstaking Méthode Champenoise, can rightfully be called Champagne. All others should be labeled as Sparkling Wine. Apparently how the fizziness in the wine is brought about determines the texture and the taste of this wine. They also make sparkling red wines namely Shiraz, Merlot etc.


Rosé wine- Rosé wines are made with red grapes, but are only allowed to stay in contact with the grape skins for a short time. This allows it to keep only some of the reddish color. The provide a perfect backdrop to many of summer's greatest food fare. Rosé wines are sometimes called blush wines. Sometimes they are even called white despite the obvious pink color. White Zinfandel is a rose wine, not a white.


Dessert/Fortified Wine: Also called dessert wines or liqueur wines, this type of wine has been "fortified" with extra alcohol. The Alcohol content of these wines will be over 14%.
Fortified wines are not generally served with a meal. These types of wines are often served after retiring from the dinner table. Although grape brandy is most commonly added to produce fortified wines, the additional alcohol may be derived from a variety of other sources including sugarcane, sugar beets, and even petroleum.
Some of the examples of Dessert Wines are:
Madeira, Port, Sherry and Vermouth

Sources : About.com, Wine Spectator, Virtual Wine Guide
Hope this will help you distinguish different kinds of wines available. - Ceedy

The Delectable Haleem

The Holy month of Ramzan brings to fore the ultimate delicacies of Hyderabad. For 30 days, the fast is broken with some mouth watering delicacies, mostly made with mutton. The Hyderabadi Biryani has spread its wings wide and is probably the most revered global delicacy along with the pasta and the dosa ! But mostly unseen during the normal days is one dish that will leave you begging for more... The Haleem.

No Ramzan is complete without the Haleem. It can be a snack, a side-dish, an accompliment or a full meal in itself. And all in just one avatar, unlike the 101 varieties of pasta or dosas or pizzas.

It might be a cumbersome to make, but then once you have made it, every drop of sweat spent will seem worthwhile. So lets get cooking for the Iftar party :)

Ingredients:

1kg Boneless diced mutton

400gms Whole wheat

200gms Gram Lentils (Chana dal)

2 Cups Thick Curd

3 Large Onions

2 Cups Ghee / Vanaspati

2 Tsp Chilli powder

2 Tsp Turmeric powder

2 Tsp Coriander powder

1 Tsp Cardomom powder

2 Tbsp Ginger garlic paste

50gms crushed Cashews

50gms crushed Almonds

4 Green Chillis

4 Lemons

2 bunches Fresh Coriander

2 bunches Fresh Mint

2 Eggs

Salt to Taste

Lets get cooking:

Soak the wheat and gram lentils in water for 3-4 hours or overnight. To the curds, add the Chilli powder, Turmeric powder, Cardomom powder, coriander powder, Ginger-garlic paste, green chillis and salt to taste. Mix these into a paste and marinate the mutton in this and leave for 3-4 hours.

Drain the water from the wheat, dry the wheat in a cloth and pound it. Add the marinated meat mixture to this along with the cashews and almonds. Add a cup or so of water and cook the meat and wheat mixture till the meat becomes very tender. Use an old fashioned lentil masher to literally grind this into a uniform thick paste. You can use a blender too, but that will make the mix a very fine paste which is not ideal.

Take about a cup of Ghee/Vanaspati in a pan and heat it. Finely chop 2 onions and add to the ghee and fry till golden. Do not let them go brown. Add a pinch of salt to this too. Add the blended paste of meat and wheat to the pan and mix well. Add finely chopped coriander and squeeze a couple of lemons into this. Add some water and cook till the entire mix becomes very tender and pasty.

While the above gets done, make thin slices of a large onion and fry in heated oil/ghee till golden brown. Hard boil two eggs and slice them into thin slices. Also heat one cup of Ghee/Vanaspati.

When the meat/wheat paste is completely cooked, take it into a serving dish and marinate it with hot ghee, mint leaves, fried onions and slices of boiled eggs. Squeeze lemons to taste.

Dig in and Enjoy !!!

Brazilian Lemonade

This recipe is the quick one when you have guests at home and you want to serve them something other than the regular water/coke etc. It is quick to make and is always a delight with the friends! :D

Ingredients:

* 2 Limes (Not lemons!!)
* 1/2 cup Sugar
* 3 tablespoons sweetened Condensed Milk
* 3 cups Water
* Ice

Directions:

* Wash the limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and squeeze out the juice.
* Take the juice and along with the sugar, water, condensed milk and ice; blend in a blender.
* Serve chilled!
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Enjoy! Cheers.

-Anindita

Kulfi

Presented here is a simple Badam Pista Kulfi recipe. Kulfi is a flavoured frozen dessert that comes from the Indian subcontinent. Western icereams are whipped whereas the Kulfi is not whipped, resulting in a solid frozen dense desert.

The recipe for this delicious treat is provided by our first guest blogger Neeku.

From the entire Ambrosia team we thank you for your enthusiasm and participation.

Here is the recipe :

Ingredients:
1 Can of store bought Condensed Milk

2 Cans of store bought Evaporated Milk
* Note the proportion is 1:2 whatever measurement you choose to take*
1/2 Cup of grated almonds (badaam)

1/2 Cup of graded pistachios (pista)

1 gram of Kesar (saffron)

1/3 cup of whipping cream (optional)

Procedure:
Take a bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix it well. Take sauce pan and pour the mixture and bring it to boil two times.

Let it cool and simmer and then pour the mixture into your kulfi moulds. Here we have used the muffin aluminium moulds.

Let it freeze...

to ENJOY it later.


The above recipe was tried and tested and cataloged by me. It was an awesome treat for the palate leaving everyone who tasted it wanting more of it. Also after discussing with the contributor - one can also add crushed Cardomom (Eliachi) to get some extra flavor.

Also I liked to rename this dessert as Muffis - combining the flavor of Kulfi into a mould of Muffin both real sweet treats.

Hope you guys enjoy this delicious treat.

Contributor - Neeku
Presented by - Ceedy

Kuch meetha ho jaye!! :)

I am sure most of you know that today we are celebrating the completion of 100 posts on “High on life”. It definitely is a nice feeling that the blog is getting older! Had it been me, I would have definitely been sad :P and not eaten any junk n tried to look young :P

But since its my dear blog, I sure wanna indulge in something sweet :D
So here I am, dedicating my favourite sweet somethings to each one of you on my blogroll!

GOOEY CHOCLATE WITH ICECREAM from “Market café” for the TALLI sexy naughty bitchy girl gang- Geet, Mia and crazy_neha . Love ya guys sooo much! Muah!

MANGO CHEESE CAKE from “Costa Coffee” for the dearestest ones- Mann, Tanuj, D_sinner_Neha, Echo, Sachi, Vivek, Hitesha, Girish, Rahul_in_the_dream_city, Rohit, Akash, Annu n last but not the least gonecase_sid!:P

CHOCOLATE CHESS PASTRY from “Breads & more” for the lovable girlies- Ayushi, Aditi_jiggs, Anindita, Aqua girl, Arti, Ash89, Bhai with chai, Bulbul, Monica, Crazy_adi, Divkiran, Divya, Elusive, Jane, Shatabdi, Keshi, Lemonade, Ne, Nidhi, Noelia, Pavi, Pooja, Ria, Sahefa, Solitaire, Somya, Vartika, Veens & Zee.



BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE from “Breads & more” for the extraordinary men- Ankur, Anurag, Abhishek_khanna, Aditya, Chacha_shek, Ceedy, Amit, Ataullah, Big_omi, Blogboy, Debashish, Durjoy, Gagan, Jeevy, Kalyan, Love_Joshi, Maverik, Marvin, Mayank, Mysterio, Nits, Nitu, Rushabh, MithuN_Scribbler, Vaibhav,Vrij,--xh-- & Vasanthan.



CHOCLATE CHIP MUFFINS for all the party crashers and others I might have missed out by any chance ;)

Love ya guys loads!!
Cheers :D

Favourites, anyone??

Well, as I sat about trying to figure out what my next post should be, I couldn't come up with anything specific. There were too many random things coming along. I got Pizza and Biryani together (:O :O :O) and then came coffee and fries (eeekkks) but the icing on the cake was paella and milkshake. (yuuuckkkk!!!) So in the end, I decided to do justice to all the food I loved and I made a mosaic instead! (The tag is the inspiration!)

So before I let you all in on my favourites, I would say; take a good look and tell me what your favourites are! What is it that you absolutely cannot do without? Milkshake? Ice cream? Espresso? Coffee? Biryani? Salad ???

So, let me in on your secrets and I will let you in on mine!

So, starting from left to right, I have:

• Espresso
• Pina Colada
• Creme
• Coffee Ice Cream
  
• Soup
• Crispy Chicken
• Russian Salad with Pasta
• Pasta
• Chicken Biryani
• Chicken Breast with flavoured Rice
• Sandwich
• Burger patty with fries
• Cupcakes
• Paella
• Date and Walnut cake
• Chocolate Truffles
• Tiramisu
• Chocolate Sundae
• Milkshake
• Ice cream

Now, tell me what you like, which dish is your absolute favourite and it does not have to be from the list above! ;)

Bon Appetite!

-Anindita.

Feeling Horny???

Yipeee, its Funday Friday, its almost the weekend, so wanna have some fun eh? BTW whats the plan eh? Anything Interesting? Hitting the pub for a few drinks with yur mates? Hitting the dance floor on Saturday night? Having a house party? Or just chillaxing with yur partner eh? Well whatever your plans are Ambrosia is here to add that extra spice to your weekend...... How about something out of the box..... n Horny eh? What say ;)?

Ok! Your pick what would ya like, a 'Slow Screw' or just 'Sex on the beach' or a 'Quick Fuck' eh?

Yeah you guessed it right.....Ambrosia is serving you horny drinks this weekend *wink wink....come one come all for free unlimited drinks on the house....

So lets start with a 'Slow Screw' first

Ingredients

~ 30 ml of Sloe Gin (Red, sweet, plum flavoured liqueur)

~ Orange Juice

So we will take the martini glass with lotsa ice, pour Sloe Gin and fill with Orange juice and stir sloooow. Did ya like it ?

So after some Slow Screw are you ready for some more 'Sex on the beach' eh? Alrighty here we go....

Ingredients

~ 44 ml of Vodka

~ 14 ml of Peach Schnapps

~ 59 ml of Cranberry Juice

~ 59 ml of Orange Juice

So again we take a highball glass with ice and pour the Vodka and Peach Schnapps followed by Cranberry and Orange juice. Stir and served with a smile :) Howzzat?

Alrighty, now they say....save the best for last.....so after the Slow Screw and some Sex on the beach do you wanna have a quickie.....'Quick Fuck'

Ingredients

~ 1cl Bailey's Irish Cream

~ 1cl Kahlua Coffee Liqueur

~ 1cl Midori melon Liqueur

So now lets take a shot glass and pour the Bailey's first, follow by Kahlua and finally top it with Midori and gulp it down....

So gals n guys please vote the most orgasmic drink, and drop in yur requests / dedications and messages for ya pals and we will shout ya all a drink......Have a horny weekend ;) Cheers!

- Princess Mia

Baingan ka bharta-another recipe of the eggplant king!

As Ceedy said eggplant indeed seems the king of all vegetables. Everyone seems in love with it and oh, calling it a versatile vegetable won't be an underrating as not only it has so many names but gives us such varied recipes.

Today, we embark on to make 'baingan ka bharta' which is an Indian name for a recipe of eggplant. Trust me, it tastes yum and takes a short time to get ready. So, here we go-

Making time: 40-60 minutes
Makes: 3 servings
Shelf life: Best served hot and fresh. Can be refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours.

Ingredients-
~2 large brinjals or a big one(supposing you are a bachelor, or maybe living alone). Note here that for this recipe you should get seedless oval brinjal(s). While buying take care to opt for the ones with shiny,unblemished skin.
~1 large onion-finely chopped
~2 ripe tomatoes
~1/2 tsp ginger-finely chopped
~ 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
~2 green chillies-finely chopped
~1 tsp coriander leaves-finely chopped
~ Red chilli powder (to taste)
~1/4-1/2 tsp. Turmeric
~salt to taste
~1/2 tsp mustard seeds
~3 tsp. refined/mustard oil (as per preference)
~1 and a half tsp curry powder/garam masala
~chopped coriander for garnishing.
~Peas are an optional ingredient. You can use them to enhance the taste or you may not use them.

Method

Roasting the brinjals-First of all, do make sure to check to see that the brinjal has no germ holes, etc. Wash them and wipe dry. Roast them directly on an open flame. This would take some 7-10 minutes as you have to rotate them over the flame every thirty seconds, making sure that they are roasted even. Cook till they are soft all over and gain a blackish brown texture. Keep them aside and let them cool for a few minutes.

The Masala preparation-While the brinjals are cooling, you can heat refined/mustard oil in a pan/kadhai. Add cumin and mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add finely chopped ginger, onion, green chillies, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, salt, tumeric, curry powder, peas and mashed tomatoes and fry them over low heat stirring frequently until they gain a light golden brown tint and the mixture leaves oil. Make sure to continuously stir the mixture.

The final take-The brinjals must have reached room temperature during this time and now, you can either put them under running water or scrape out them. Both of the methods will cause their burnt skin to peel off. Transfer the contents to a plate and do remember to check the contents for any sort of worms or signs of such infestation. If infested, wait until you get brinjals next time :). If not, mash the contents which would result in pulp and add the pulp to the above prepared masala. Stirfry for 2 to 3 minutes, add one tea cup of water, cover the vessel and let the mixture cook over low heat for another 25-40 minutes (this also depends on the quantity you are preparing, less quantity would require less time) or till the mixture leaves sides of pan. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with fluffy chapatis, paranthas or warm bread rolls.

Tips

~To check for any infestations at the very starting, you can draw two vertical and two horizontal cuts on the brinjal. Make sure you don't dig too deep or the brinjal would slice into four halves. Check for the worms and if the color in even.

~Also, while mashing the brinjals one can think of using mixers but that leaves the pulp very smooth which isn't a preferred option for this recipe.

Happy Cooking! Till next time, splurge on!

-D Sinner!

Saare Baingan

I am not exactly sure how the term 'Saare' came into existance, but in the typical Hyderabadi household, the saare ka masala is a rather common recipe. Add the baingan to this and it becomes Saare Baingan. And guess what, this is exactly how the Hyderabadis make 'Bhagare Baingan'. Yes, both the terms are synonyms. Probably named so because it has saare (all) possible ingredients found in a kitchen added to it!!

The long list includes...

6 Medium sized brinjals
1/2 cup Sesame seeds (Til)
1/2 cup Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1/2 cup Coriander seeds (Dhaniya)
1/2 cup Peanuts
2 Tablespoons Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
2 Tablespoons Fennel seeds (Sonf)
2 Tablespoons Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)
1 Tablespoon Mustard seeds (Rai)
2 Tablespoons Ginger-garlic paste
2 Tablespoons thick Tamarind paste
6 Dried Red Chillis
1 Shoot Curry Leaves
1/2 Cup Oil
2 Tablespoons Ghee/Butter
1 Shoot Fresh Coriander Leaves
Red Chilli powder: To taste
Turmeric (Haldi) powder: To taste
Salt: To taste

Optional:
2 Tablespoons Grated Dry Coconut (khopra)
1/2 cup chopped Onions


Let's get cooking now !

Finely grind the Sesame seeds, Cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, Peanuts, Nigella seeds, Fennel seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds together. Include the cocunut if you are using it. Dry grind the above into a fine powder.

Cut the brinjals into halves horizontally and slice the inner parts of each half into a + sign without cutting the skin. This will make the tempering reach the entire brinjal.

Heat half a cup of Oil in a pan and add one teaspoon of cumin and sesame seeds, Curry Leaves, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder, salt, dried red chillis, ginger-garlic paste, tamarind paste and the onions to this and mix well. Once the onions are golden, take the powder we had made earlier and add this to the pan and add a little bit of water to make a medium-thick paste. Add the cut brinjals to this and cook well till the gravy becomes a thickish paste. It should not become very dry. Once the brinjals are done, garnish with ghee/butter and fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

You can also pre-boil the brinjals slightly to help in the cooking or can even fry them for a few seconds before using them here.

Best eaten with Roomali Rotis or with rice accomplied by plain Dal.

Modifications:

The Saare ka masala is good not just with the baigans, but also with Karela, Ladies fingers, Potato and believe it or not boiled eggs! So, you will find Saare Karele, Saari Bhindi, Saare Aloo and Saare Ande quite common in Hyderabad.

Sometimes diced mutton is added to the masala and the preparation is called 'Mahi ka Khaliya'.

And of course, the most famous cousin of Saare Baingan is none other than the famous Mirchi ka Salan with green peppers!

Kingg of Vegetables

Let me introduce to you to Solanum Melongene - the king of vegetables - with its crowning glory like a jester and doning a shiny brownish - purplish coat. It is commonly known as Eggplant or Aubergine or Bringal or colloquially known as Baingan in India.

It is available in various parts of the world in different shapes and sizes as seen in the picture below
Eggplant is one of the most versatile vegetable. If not convinced now you surely will by the end of this post.
As a respect to the Kingg we have dedicated an entire week to it. In this post I shall take you around the world exploring its uses in different cuisines. In the coming days fellow Cookers Vrij and D'Sinner will showcase recipes from the south and north of India.


My liking for eggplant is two fold - first it is native to India. Wikipedia gives a very detailed description of the same and secondly 2/3 of the worlds eggplant is grown in New Jersey where I reside.

Starting the journey with the homeland India we have the :
- Hyderabadi Bhagare Baingan - presented by Vrij next post
- Baingan Bharta - presented by D'Sinner after that.


- Aloo Baingan (Potato Eggplant Curry) - this dish can have variety of tastes depending on the spices and the region it is made in India.
- Karnatakas Badnekayi Gojju - Eggplant dish cooked in tamarind juice and jaggery with chilly powder from South Central India.


- Gujarati Undhiu - A large variety of vegetables are skillfully combined with baked wheat koftas flavored with greens and its unique spices from Western India.

In the Chinese Cuisine a common found recipe is :

- Braised Chinese Eggplant in Garlic Sauce - This popular Szechuan dish is made with Chinese eggplant, which is thinner and longer than the short and thicker eggplant that is commonly available in supermarkets .

Moving to Italian Cuisine few dishes are:

- Eggplant Parmigiana - It is a recipe where layers of cut, sliced and drained eggplants are baked with marinara sauce and layered with grated Parmigiana cheese.


- Eggplant Rollatini - Sliced eggplant rolled around Mozzarella cheese topped with tomato sauce.

- Eggplant Caponeta - This hearty Sicilian dish makes a tasty appetizer served with crusty bread. It can also act as a side dish or salad.


- Grilled Eggplant - This can be had as an appitizer as it is grilled in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.


Also a variation of this is to grill green peppers, onions, zucchini and have it as a Grilled Eggplant Sandwich - either as a panini in Foccacia bread (image link) or regular Italian bread (image link).
Moving on to Middle Eastern Cuisine :

- Baba Ganoush - Eggplant is baked or broiled over an open flame - mashed and mixed with spices and served with dressing of oil and pomegranate concentrate. It is eaten as a dip with Pita Bread (image link)

Most of the food mentioned above has been tried and tasted by me - besides this here are some interesting links
- Eggplant Salads from Around the World
- Beer Battered Deep Fried Eggplant
- Various other Eggplant recipes - this link shows the versatality of the King - if you are stilll not convinced. It not only shows the use of eggplant around the world in Pasta, Vegetables, Dip, Appetizer and Accompaniment but also includes Ukranian Cenea which even though contains onions and garlic is deemed as Russian Desert. This weekend I am going to try and eat this.

Also fellow readers - if you have any interesting recipes for eggplant please do share it with us. We will publish it and dedicate the post/recipe to you. All the names of the dishes are hyperlinked to online recipes - click away.

Hope you enjoyed this post and are now ready to sing Eggplant is Kingg sans Snoop Dogg though.

Egging and out - ceedy