Baingan bharta/Vangyache bharit and some Awards.

Back to work after a lazy weekend break. Baingan bharta aka Indian baba ghanoush is a family fav it goes well with phulka, paraha or even steamed rice. Maharashtirans add some roasted peanuts but I haven't just love it in any form.

Ingredients:
 Large black eggplant - 1
ginger and garlic - 1 tbs finely chopped
onion - 2  chopped
tomato - 1 chopped
red chilli powder - 2 tsp
turmeric - 1 tsp
dhania and jeera powder - 1 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 1 spring
asafoetida - a pinch
chopped coriander- handful
salt -to taste
oil


Method:
Wash the eggplant and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Apply oil to the eggplant and start pricking it with the help of a fork. Switch on the gas flame and place the eggplant on it and roast it until the skin it turns soft and well cooked. Let it cool keep aside.Peel off the skin and chop the pulp with knife. Heat some oil add the curry leaves and hing along with onions and  chopped ginger garlic. Cook until onions turn light brown. Now add the dry masalas red chilli powder, turmeric and dhania jeera powder sprinkle some water to avoid burning. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Throw the eggplant pulp along with salt cook for a few minutes and garnish with coriander. Serve as a side dish with roti or rice.

Yippee Award time.

Thanks a lot Meghna from http://megdeliciousadventures.blogspot.in and Meena of http://chattersmusings.blogspot.com/ showering the awards on me. Thanks for recognizing my work it means a lot.Both of you have wonderful blogs filled with mouthwatering recipes kuddos guys. 

Immense pleasure to share the awards with:

• Sanika of http://delectable-delicious.blogspot.com/
• kanchan of  http://personaltadka.blogspot.com/
• Sangeetha of  http://sangeethaskitchen.blogspot.com/
•  Ever encouraging Shobha of  http://foodmazaa.blogspot.com/
• Shabbu of  http://shabbustastykitchen.blogspot.com/

Happy Blogging to all!

sending the recipe to http://cuisinedelights.blogspot.in/2012/06/spotlight-curries-gravies-announcement.html and http://riappyayan.blogspot.com/2012/01/announcement-of-my-event-spotlight.html 

My first guest post - Indian french toast

I was so delighted to see my recipe in Lavanya's http://lavanyasrecipes.blogspot.com/. She has a lovely blog with delicious recipes.
Lavanya also has a Pearl earrings Give away announcement http://lavanyasrecipes.blogspot.com/2012/05/pearl-earrings-giveaway-announcement.html do visit her and grab the earrings.
I am also very excited as it is my first guest post and the recipe posted is one of my favorite and very special as I have learnt from my mother. I have not made any changes in the recipe its exactly the way mummy makes it. Friends I would like to introduce my mother to you, I have grown up seeing her cook all the yummy food. Here I present her to you..

Aparna A. Jadhav - Aai fondly called by her granddaughters

Getting back to the guest post guys please visit http://lavanyasrecipes.blogspot.com/2012/06/indian-french-toast-mummys-way-guest.html and shower your wonderful and encouraging comments as I may also win a appreciation certificate. Above all do try the recipe that is the most important part and above all the awards.Thank you friends for appreciating my recipes in your own ways. God bless you all.

Pani Puri (Gol gappa/Puchka) and some Awards.

Pani Puri the famous Indian chat is quiet popular among Indians as well as foreigners. The crispy puri filled with potatoes, sprouts and chilled spicy water Wow!! The way of making the spicy water varies with every state and so does the name. The Bengalis have given it a cute name "Puchka" NorthIndians call it "Gol Gappa" and the others as "Pani puri" whatever the name is but it tastes just amazing. In Bombay there are some very famous  eating joints only for Pani puri. Now a days people are become very health conscious and prefer making at home and enjoying it with family. लेकिन ठेले के पानी पूरी का कोई मुकाबला नहीं! So here goes the recipe.

As I have said before there are different ways of making the spicy water. I have followed Tarla Dalals recipe and loved it after all she is the master chef.

Ingredients:

Puri - I bought ready made 

boiled potatoes - 1/2 cup

boiled sprouts - 1/2 cup

Spicy water:

Mint leaves (pudina) - 1 1/2 cups

fresh coriander - 1 tbs

tamrind - 1/3 cup

ginger - 2"

green chilies - 4 to 5 

cumin seeds - 1 tsp (roasted)

black salt - 1 1/2 tsp

salt - to taste

Method of making Pani (spicy water)

Soak the tamrind in 1/2 cup water for 1 hour. Strain the pulp. Now combine this pulp with the remaining ingredients except the black salt in a blender and grind into a fine paste  by using little water. Transfer the paste into a bowl and add 1 litre of water to it along with black salt and plain salt.

Chill this water for 1 or 2hrs.

Sweet and sour chutney (khatti meethi chutney):

Ingredients:

Dates (khajur) - 2 cups - deseeded

tamrind - 1/4 cup - deseeded

jaggery - 1 cup

red chilli powder - 1 tsp

asafoetida - a pinch

salt - to taste

Method:

Place the dates and tamrind in a saucepan. Add jaggery, asafoetida, chilli powder, salt and 4 cups of water ans simmer for 15 to 20minutes. Cool and strain the mixture. We can store this chutney in the refrigerator.

Assembling:

Take the puri crack and make a hole fill in some potatoes and sprouts add the khajur chutney immerse in the chilled spicy water and have it immediately!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. You can also make a spicy green chutney along with the khajur chutney this is just to add more taste to the dish.

Puris can be made at home but it takes some time and it becomes difficult as I am working.

We can also add khara boondi to the spicy water.

Sharing some Awards.

Avika of http://varietyisthespiceofyourlife.blogspot.com has shared some Awards with me. Thank you so much Avika for the Awards you made my day. Thank you for recognizing my work.

Know me a bit more.

1. What is the best meal I ever had : It was not in any posh restaurant but a Koli village in Arnala (Mumbai) my uncle had taken us to his friends house and we had a sumptuous sea food meal which is still fresh in my memories.

2. Who has been the source of influence on my love for food and learning to cook: I think it runs in my genes as most of my family members are good cooks including all the males. I never cooked as a child but my mother is an excellent cook and I have learned from her simply by watching and tasting her cooking.

3. The best dish made by me till date :The best of best are Chicken Sizzlers in non - veg and Palak Paneer in Veg.

4. What am I having today afternoon for lunch -  A cup of curd as I fast on Tuesdays.

5. Favorite destination : Goa, I always tell my hubby when we retire I would like to settle in Goa. I just love everything about this place. 

Would like to spread the joy to some of my Blogger friends:

1. Shobha of http://foodmazaa.blogspot.com/
2. Divya of http://divyasculinaryjourney.blogspot.com/
3. Priya of http://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/
4. Sangeetha of http://sangeethaskitchen.blogspot.com/
5. Jay of http://tastyappetite.blogspot.com/

Congratulations!! to you all and please pass these awards and answer any 5 random facts. Happy Cooking & Blogging!!

Tagged

Thank you so much Divya of youtoocancookindianfood for tagging me. Its always a pleasure to receive such encouragement from our blogger friends. Thank you once again.

Few rules

• Post the rules
• Answer and create new set of questions
• Tag other bloggers and link them to your post
• Let them know that you have tagged them

As Divya has her set of questions ready I will go with them. Picked some of my fav Q..

Q : Inspiration to start a blog

Ans: I wanted to be a chef but due to some reasons couldn't pursue hotel mgmt it pinches me really hard. But blogging gave me a way to showcase my kitchen in front of so many good cooks who live their dream daily from their wonderful houses and of course to learn more and more from you all.

Q : Favorite Food

Ans: Chicken Sizzlers and all sort of junk food ( I know its unhealthy but I can't resist )

Q : Whats your idea of perfect living

Ans: Live and let live is my mantra. I love to enjoy every bit of life. I don't know what is in store for me in the next moment, I love to enjoy life.

Q : How happy will you be to receive comments for your recipe

Ans: I become very curious to read the comments I really feel very nice and get a boost after reading them.It acts like an energy drink for me. I also make it a point to reply to all the comments posted by friends and also work on the suggestions.

Q : Have you tried other blogger recipes

Ans: Yes of course I have tried several and I love to try new things. I have a bunch of recipes which have to be posted. 

Next step is tagging my other blogger friends:

• Manju from http://manjuzkitchen.blogspot.com
• Mythreyi from  http://myerecipecorner.blogspot.com/
• Nupur from  http://uk-rasoi.blogspot.com
• Siri from  http://www.sirisfood.com/
• Anjana ji from  http://maayeka.blogspot.com/

Thank you all!!!!!Happy cooking and Blogging!!!

My First Award

It feels so so good!!Just came to work as always anxious to open my blog and to see the lovely comments from my blogger friends. Your comments mean a lot to me guys it gives you a push to work more on the blog. Ok back to the award Divya from http://youtoocancookindianfood.blogspot.in/ thanks a lot for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award!! You seriously made my day. As it is my first award it will always be special and you will be remembered for it. I am geared up to post more and more recipes. Thanks a lot dear friend.

There are a few rules and regulations to be followed when you accept the award.
1. Create a new post
2. Thank the person who has nominated you for the award
3.  Pass it on to the fellow bloggers
4.  State 7 facts about you
5.  Claim and post the award pic.

Like an obedient blogger its time to follow the rules.

I would again like to thank Divya - http://youtoocancookindianfood.blogspot.in/ for nominating me for the award. Thanks for appreciating & encouraging my work.

Passing the award to my fellow bloggers I hope you all will be delighted to accept the award.
1. Siri from http://www.sirisfood.com/ she has a wonderful blog the pics are just fabulous. I have tried the Dum Aloo and yetserday made the Rajasthani Bhindi they both turned out to be a hit. looking forward for more recipes Siri.
2. Dassana from http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com she too has a good collection of recipes the pics are superb.
3. Nashi from http://nashplateful.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html she has a huge following with very tasty collections of recipes. I have tried the Rogan josh and it was a super hit.
4.Jagruti from http://turmerickitchen.blogspot.com/. She is also a new blogger and I like the way she presents her mouthwatering recipes.
5. Vaidehi of http://chakali.blogspot.com too has a huge collection of recipes she is posted the recipes in english & marathi. i usually refer her blog to make a maharashtrian dish.
6. Pratima rao of http://prathimarao.blogspot.com/ again a huge following with a wonderful collection of recipes.
7. Avika of http://varietyisthespiceofyourlife.blogspot.com/ just visited her blog today and instantly became a fan of her blog.
8. Deeksha from http://deeskitchen-deeksha.blogspot.com/ has a wide range of vegetarian recipes.
9. Lavanya of http://lavanyasrecipes.blogspot.com/ A lovely blogger with lots of mouthwatering recipes.
10.Satya of http://superyummyrecipes.blogspot.com she too has a wide range of delicious recipes.

Fact about me
1. I love my daughter Saisha the most. I know all moms do and I am no different but still like to share with you all.
2. I was born and bought up in Bombay and relocated to kuwait after my wedding.
3. I am a Maharashtrian and married to a North Indian of course it was a love cum arrange marriage.
4. Not many people know but would like to share this fact and I hope you all believe me that my Heart is on the right side of the chest. Yes guys it true. By Gods grace I am a complete normal person.Its a very rare case and very few people are lucky to have it.
5. Just love cooking that's my only hobby.
6. I am a die hard romantic person loves romantic dinner, candles flowers oh this thaught also makes me blush.
7. I believe I have a good sense of humor.

Thank you friends for visiting my blog and sharing such lovely comments.Divya once again thank you for the award.