-
FRUITS AT WORK…A FRUITY DESSERT & A WIERD MEME!
“There is greater relish for the earliest fruit of the season.” Marcus Valerius Martialis, Roman poet Fruits at work…Strawberry, Kiwi, Orange & Basil The minute winter begins to go away, the mind defrosts & begins to work overtime again. There is so much colour in the fruits & veggies appearing on the shelves, that I find it impossible to sit back & relax!! This is the result of one such instance…one fruity dessert that I tried for the first time last year & we loved it. It’s very simple as there’s no cooking involved; full of fruit, full of flavour, & colourful as ever. Very tropical & summery feel to…
-
TOMATO-CARROT SOUP…DELICATELY FLAVOURED WITH STAR ANISE
“Men are like soup: you always want to have one on the back burner, just in case.”Unattributed feminist quote Tomato-Carrot Soup with Star Anise Tried my hand at a tomato-carrot soup this morning, flavoured delicately with a spice that has intrigued me endlessly over the past few days. None other than the pretty star anise ! A nice & gentle vegetarian soup, beautifully flavoured & great for the winter chill that has descended upon us. This is an adaptation of a soup my mother makes almost everyday in the winter months.Star Anise…the pretty spice! Star anise plays a key role in the slow cooked dishes that characterize Eastern Chinese cuisine.…
-
SEVILLE/BITTER ORANGE MARMALADE…Bittersweet pleasure!
“And the fruits will outdo what the flowers have promised.” Francois de Malherbe SEVILLE/BITTER ORANGE MARMALADE…locally called ‘TANGERINE MARMALADE’ I sent my daughter & her friend off to my neighbours house to get a bagful of these tart little oranges; also referred to as ‘narangis‘ here. My neighbours’ tree was laden with them & she was more than happy to see them put to good use. I sent her a jar too, & distributed all but one, as I have a long list of bitter marmalade lovers waiting for their anual share! Most people here grow these plants for ornamental value. I got this British-style recipe from a friend of…
-
SIMPLE HOME STLYE LAMB CURRY / TAMATAR GOSHT…FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
“What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?” Lin Yutang SIMPLE HOME-STYLE LAMB CURRY…Tamatar Gosht! Food nostalgia is something I am sure all of us hold dear. My mother was, & is still, a marvellous cook, & is famous for her traditional meals like lamb/chicken curry, biryanis etc. People would flock to our place during festivals to grab a bite. Strangely for me, I have few memories of what I ate as a child. The fault lay with me of course, as I was a distracted soul, with little interest in what I ate. Hardly worthy for someone who has such a HUGE interest…
-
ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE-CHIP CUPCAKES…Comfort with a cuppa coffee!
“Food is the most primitive form of comfort” Sheilah Graham ‘Espresso Comfort’…Coffee & Dark Chocolate Here is where my two most comforting & favourite flavours meet…in these ‘Espresso Chocolate-chip Cupcakes’. Meeta’s Monthly Mingle this month calls for ‘Comfort Foods’ & comes just at the peak of winter, where the winds seem to be getting colder by the day. Temperatures are at lows of almost 2 degrees C here in Gurgaon, & we are chilled to the bone. There was frost on the cars this morning & the kids were fascinated. I made these warming cupcakes today…just to get the better of the cold & with the MM in mind. They…
-
SOUP FOR THE SOUL…Roasted vegetable soup with toasted croutons.
“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.” Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949) SOUP FOR THE SOUL…Roasted Veggie Soup! Its been a chilly winter so far, with winds threatening to sweep you off your feet. I read about a roasted vegetable soup eons ago, & its always been at the back of my mind to make it someday. A trip to the market tempted me to buy an array of fresh veggies…& then I trotted back home to set to work. Roasting these vegetables enhances flavours…
