- Coffee - Chai - Chocolate - Chennai -

Michael Jackson's Inspiring Quotes

2009-07-07T14:55:00.003-04:00

I'm watching the Funeral Service of the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson (1958 - 2009). These inspiring quotes are from the man himself and were displayed on the background of the stage (along with pictures) during the service.

"They say the sky is the limit, and to me me that is really true"

Curried Cous-Cous

2009-01-01T17:17:00.004-05:00

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup small-diced red onion

Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/curried-couscous-recipe/index.html

The history of Chocolate

2008-12-24T00:10:00.003-05:00

I was looking through the "Ghirardelli Chocolate" website to find out details about their "Sweet Ground Chocolate".

I always use "Sweet Ground Chocolate" with 2% milk for my hot chocolate. Since Ghiradelli uses high quality chocolate, sugar and a touch of vanilla, it tastes way better than any other "hot cocoa" mix.

While looking at this, I noticed that their website had a "chocopedia" - that lists the history and other details about chocolate. It is filled with interesting information for us chocolate lovers - check it out..

http://www.ghirardelli.com/chocopedia/history.aspx

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate - Holiday Special - recipe will be posted soon.

Madras Heritage and Music

2008-10-22T17:08:00.004-04:00

Sriram V is a Carnatic Music historian.. I found his blog when I was reading a post on Sanjay Subramanyam's blog.. these people know so much about Carnatic music, and I'm happy that they are sharing their stories and knowledge with us.

http://sriramv.wordpress.com/

Sriram has authored a couple of books.. I'm definitely going to buy them when I am in madras - next week :)

The Sanjay Subrahmanyan Show

2008-10-22T16:55:00.005-04:00

http://sanjaysub.blogspot.com/

I really enjoy listening to Sanjay's show. Apart from being an amazing singer, he is a great host and an effective communicator. The show is available on Itunes and the episodes can be accessed from his blog.

Thanks Sanjay for taking the time to 'educate' us all about Carnatic music!

Rudram

2008-10-22T00:35:00.000-04:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudram_Chamakam

- Tamil -

2008-10-22T00:23:00.003-04:00

When you hear the words "Tamil" and "Poetry", I immediately think of Maha Kavi Subramanya Bharathi.. (one of the greatest poets)

Lately, I have been listening to a lot of his poems that have been rendered by great Carnatic music stalwarts.. The album "Atma" by Bombay Jayashri is awesome! (The name of the complete album is: Atma: Soul - A Glimpse Into The Poetry Of Subramanya Bharathi)..

A specific song that moves me because of its lyrics is "Manathil Uridhi Vendum".. the beauty of this song is that it's timeless..

Here is a translation of this poem..
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~siddhart/tamilnadu/POEMS/poem_man.html

O Mind, be firm in your principles
and Speech be pleasant and refined;
Cherish noble thoughts;
and may your cherished desires be attained;
May your dreams come true
and may you achieve your goals quickly;
Seek Wealth, Happiness,
and Fame in this World.

Awaken the eye of wisdom
and pursue your goals with determination;
Let Women attain liberation
and let God protect us all;
Let the land be bountiful and
let us gaze upon heaven;
Let Truth alone be Victorious
and lasting forever;

--Translated by M.S.Ravisankar

Easy Enchilada Sauce

2008-05-02T16:46:00.001-04:00

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cups chicken stock (i used veggie stock!)
10 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust the seasonings. Serve atop your favorite enchiladas.

Adai

2008-04-25T16:46:00.000-04:00

I.Wash and Soak for about 2 to 3 hours
Par Boiled Rice - 100 Grams
Raw Rice - 25 Grams
ADD to this:
Whole Green Chilli - 3
Whole Red Chilli - 3
Asafoetida - ¼ Tsp
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
Salt to taste
GRIND WELL

II. Wash and Soak for about 2 to 3 hours
Tuvar Daal - 25 Grams
Urad Daal - 25 Grams
Paitham Daal (Yellow daal) - 25 Grams
Bengal Gram Daal - 25 Grams
GRIND COARSELY

ADD I and II. Mix Well. Ready to use.

Pappu Kori - with idly, pongal and dosa

2008-04-25T16:45:00.002-04:00

I. Cook well in Pressure Cooker
Tuvar Daal - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1 Pinch

II. In a heated pan with 1 Tbsp Oil, Saute:
Mustard seeds - 1Tsp
Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
Jeera - ½ Tsp
Methi seeds - ¼ Tsp
Garlic - 5 to 6 Pods
Green Chilli - 3 to 4 Slit
Red Chilli Powder - ¼ Tsp
Onion - 2 medium cubed
Tomato -2 cubed
Salt to taste
Water - 1 Ladle
BRING to boil till onion is soft.

ADD I, II and coriander leaves for Garnish.

Serve HOT with Salt Pongal, Rice, Idli, Dosa, Upma

Brinjal Gootsu

2008-04-25T16:45:00.001-04:00

I. Cook well in Pressure Cooker
Tuvar Daal - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1 Pinch

II. In a heated pan with 1 Tbsp Oil, Saute:
Mustard seeds - 1Tsp
Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
Jeera - ½ Tsp
Methi seeds - ¼ Tsp
Green Chilli - 3 to 4 Slit
Onion - 2 medium cut fine
Brinjal -5 or 6 cut into small cubes
Red Chilli Powder OR Sambar Powder -½ Tsp
Tomato -2 cut fined
Tamarind Pulp -1 lime size
Jaggery - 1tsp
Salt to taste
BRING to boil till Brinjal is cooked. ADD I.
ADD Corriander leaves and Serve Hot with Salt Pongal, Idli, Dosa, Upma.

Daal Makhani

2008-04-25T16:44:00.001-04:00

I. Wash and Soak overnight.
Black Daal - 1cup
Rajma - 1Handful
Pressure Cook along with :
Cardamom - 1
Bay Leaf - 1
Turmeric - a pinch
Garlic - 2 Pods
Mash and keep aside.

II. Grind Coarse:
Green Chilli - 2
Jeera seeds - 1 Tsp
Corriander seeds - ½ Tsp
Garlic - 2 Pods

III. Thadka:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1
Clove - 1
Add II and Saute.
Garam Masala - ½ Tsp
Add I
Salt to taste.
Bring to boil and garnish with coriander leaves.
Add Cream on top and Serve hot

Bread Upma

2008-04-25T16:43:00.000-04:00

Heat a Deep Pan and add:
Refined Oil - 2 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Bengal Gram - ½ Tsp
Asafetida - ¼ Tsp
Green Chilli cut fine - 2 to 3
Onion cut thin and long - 1 or 2 Medium
SAUTE

ADD:
Bread cut into 1-inch cube - 8 medium slices
Dosai Milagapodi - 2 Tsp
Curd beaten -1 to 2 Tbsp
Sugar - 1 Tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander cut fine
Curry leaves
MIX WELL without mashing the bread.

Note:
Drop the curd randomly on each bread piece and spread well.
If the Bread is too soft add only 1 Tbsp curd.

Moor Koozhu

2008-04-25T16:42:00.000-04:00

I. Mix & keep aside:
Rice flour - 1 Cup
Buttermilk - 2 Cups
Salt to Taste

II. On a hot Pan:
Gingelly Oil - 3 to 4 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Asafetida -1/2 tsp
Urad Daal - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli whole - 1
Mor Milagai - 2 or 3
Curry leaves
ADD I to II slowly while stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.
Add more Oil because this dish drinks all the oil.

Fruit Campote

2008-04-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

1. Frozen Peach, Plums, Blue Berries, what ever
2. Sugar
3. Vanilla
MIX
Microwave for 2 minutes

Serve with Vanilla Ice cream and Almond strips

Chinese Fried Rice

2008-04-25T16:39:00.000-04:00

1. Oil
2. Chilli, Ginger, Garlic
3. Spring Onion
4. Garam Masala
5. Pepper
6. Cooked Rice
7. Corriander

Mix

Juice it! (Fruit)

2008-04-25T16:24:00.005-04:00

I love watermelons, and I buy them all summer. (However, I didn't get them yesterday, because it was $7.99 for a medium sized melon! )

Melon Magic
- Watermelon / any other melon
- Freshly squeezed lime/lemon/orange juice (optional)
- Sugar/Honey (optional)
- Mint leaves (optional)

Blend together and enjoy!

Verry Berry Smoothie
- Strawberry
- Blueberry
- Blackberry
- Raspberry
- Yogurt (healthy)/Vanilla ice cream (Not very healthy!)
- Honey (optional)
- Milk/Soy milk (optional)
- Dates/Figs/Almonds/Cashews (optional)

Blend together and enjoy..

Banananannanana
- Ripe banana
- Vanilla essence - to taste
- Orange juice - to taste
- Honey/Sugar (optional)
- Milk

Blend together and enjoy

Breakfast Shake
- Banana
- Strawberry
- Blueberry
- Milk/Yogurt/Soy milk
- Almonds/Figs/Dates
- Corn/Wheat/Oat flakes
- Vanilla essence/honey/sugar

Blend together and enjoy

Juice it! (Veggie)

2008-04-25T16:07:00.004-04:00

I've been eating out for the last three weeks.. and decided to eat healthy this weekend. I bought fresh organic parsley, spinach, carrots, lemons etc yesterday, so I decided to try a few juices.

I made the juice with my "Magic Bullet". The bullet is very helpful when you are making juice or smoothie for 1-2 people. Less dishes - because you can make the juice and drink it out of the same cup.

Here is the recipe for my "Green Veggie Revolution"
Greens: A bunch of Baby Spinach
Flavor: A bunch of Parsley
Consistency: One ripe tomato
Taste: Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Ice cubes or cold water - just to ensure that everything blends

Wash ingredients and then add to the Magic Bullet/Blender
Blend

Please ensure that you use one from each category - for juice that you'll enjoy
Greens: Baby Spinach, Regular Spinach, Kale, Lettuce, Celery, Cabbage
Flavor: Parsley, Basil, Coriander
Consistency: Tomato
Taste: Mint leaves, Lime/Lemon/Orange Juice/Rind, Jalapeño, Red/Green/Yellow Pepper

Kadlai mave Aloo - Poori Masala

2008-04-06T20:26:00.000-04:00

I. MIX all and keep aside:
Potato Boiled cut & mashed - 4 medium
Kadalai mavu (Channa ka Atta) - 1 Tbsp
Water - 1 to 2 Tumblers
Corriander leaves cut fine
Salt to Taste

II. In a heated pan with 1 Tbsp Oil, Saute:
Mustard seeds - 1Tsp
Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
Bengal gram daal - 1tsp
Green Chilli cut fine - 2 to 3
Ginger cut fine - 1 inch piece
Onion cut thin - 2 medium
Turmeric Powder - ¼ Tsp
Curry leaves

ADD I and II. BRING TO BOIL. Serve HOT with Pooris.

Onion Chutney/Thogail

2008-04-06T20:24:00.001-04:00

I. Saute in a Tsp of Oil till transparent. Cool and keep aside.
Onion - 2 Medium Size

II. Roast in 1 Tsp Oil:
Bengal Gram -1 Tbsp
Red Chilli - 2
Green Chilli -2

III.
Tamarind -1 Marble size
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
GRIND I, II and III. Ready to use

Source: Radha Mummy

Tomato and Onion Chutney

2008-04-06T20:22:00.001-04:00

TOMATO ONION CHUTNEY
I.Saute in a Tsp of Oil :
Bengal Gram Daal 1 Tsp
Red Chilli 2
Green Chilli 2
Onion cut 3 Medium
Tomato cut 3 Medium
Tamarind 1 Marble size
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
COOL & GRIND to Paste

II. Thadka:
Oil 1 Tsp
Mustard 1 Tsp

Add I and II. Ready to Serve with Idli, Dosa, Adai, Upma

Source: Mummy

Corriender and Mint Chutney

2008-04-06T20:20:00.001-04:00

GRIND TOGETHER to a fine paste:
Corriander - 1 bunch (equal to a cup)
Pudina - ½ bunch
Onion -1 small
Green Chilli -4
Garlic -4 pods
Jaggery -1 Tsp
Salt to taste
Jeera - ¼ tsp
Juice of ½ Lime Or ½ tsp Pulp of Tamarind.

Sweet Chuthey

2008-04-06T20:16:00.002-04:00

Sweet Chuthey for Aloo Tikki, Bhel Puri, Pani Puri and all other "chat items".. Can also be used as a Salad Dressing!!

Pulp / Extract of Tamarind - 1 lime size
Jaggery - 4 Tbsp
Dates (softened and mashed) - 4 to 5
Red Chilli Powder - ½ tsp
Black Salt - 1 Tsp
Roasted Jeera Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt to Taste
Bring to Boil on slow heat stirring occasionally till it shines.

Source: Radha Mummy

Arci Upma

2008-04-06T20:13:00.001-04:00

Arci (rice) upma.. hot and spicy!

I. Dry Grind Very Coarse
Raw Rice - 1 Tumbler
Tuvar Daal - 1 handful
Whole Pepper - 1 Tsp
Whole Jeera - 1 Tsp

II.In a heavy Bottom Pan heat 2 to 3 Tsp of Gingeley Oil & Ghee (Mix). -
ADD in this order, one by one:
Mustard seeds- 1Ttsp
Tuvar Daal - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida -1/3 Tsp
Red Chilli - 1 (slit)
Green Chilli - 2 (cut fine)
Ginger -1 Inch piece (cut fine)
Curry leaves -Handful
Water - 2 ½ Tumblers
Salt to taste
When Water boils ADD I to II stirring all the time, so that lumps don’t form.
Serve Hot.

Andhra Pesarattu

2008-04-06T20:11:00.001-04:00

A healthy version of the dosai!

Wash and Soak for about 2 to 3 hours
Paitham Daal (Yellow daal) - 1 Tumbler
Par Boiled Rice - 1 Handful

ADD to this:
Onion- 1 Medium Size
Green Chilli - 4
Red Chilli - 3
Coconut fresh gratings - 1 Handful
Asafoetida - ¼ Tsp
Salt - to Taste
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
GRIND TOGETHER to a fine paste. Ready to use.

Source: Radha mummy (my mom)

Elephants - the powerhouse of ancient india

2008-04-06T20:04:00.002-04:00

This is an amazing video about "the lost temples of India"..

Brief: This is a Discovery Channel documentary that talks about Raja Raja of Tanjore and also the Srirangam temple in Tiruchy.. and of course about Elephants (the architects and powerhouse of ancient India!)

http://puretamil.com/tamil-videos/documentary-videos/discovery-channel-lost-temples-of-india.html

Very interesting.. I want to go to Tanjore :)

Quotes

2008-03-28T12:23:00.001-04:00

A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a "Yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.

-Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political & spiritual leader

Washing Veggies..

2008-03-28T12:10:00.003-04:00

Veggies look so green and beautiful when you look at them on the veggie shelves in the grocery store. I personally feel that they use a "Veggie Wash" or a "Clean Veggie spray".. and I'm sure these contain chemicals.. even if doesn't have the spray, I think we need to wash the veggies very well.

Here are a few ways to wash the veggies to ensure that it is completely clean, and free of any bacteria and dirt.

- Wash with Hot Tap Water and then with Cold Tap water
- Add 4-5 table spoons of Lime Juice to a pail of water and soak the veggies for about 4-5 minutes. Rinse in hot tap water, and then cold water.
- Add 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to a pail of water and soak the veggies for about 4-5 minutes. Rinse in hot tap water, and then cold water.
- You can also soak the veggies in Boiling water for 1 to 5 minutes and then rinse in cold tap water

Whole-Wheat Walnut & Raisin Biscotti - no butter :)

2008-03-22T18:00:00.005-04:00

I just saw "Everyday Food" on PBS and I loved this breakfast biscotti recipe. I immediately tried it, and it tasted great.

"Biscotti" means "double baked". A few good things about this recipe:
- No Butter
- Only 1/3rd cup of Sugar
- Very healthy as it has walnuts and raisins
- You can make it and store for a few days
- You can also make it to take along (to work/ travels) as a snack

The best part is that you use very little sugar, and no butter.. Sounds good right.. let's get into the details now..

Oil spray for the baking sheet
Whole wheat flour - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Sugar (Brown or Regular) - 1/3 cup
Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Walnut halves - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 1/4 cup (Use golden/dark raisins)
Eggs - 2
Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

Optional ingredients in place of raisins:
Cranberries - 1/4 cup
Apricots - 1/4 cup
Mini sweet chocolate chips - 1/4 cup
Or anything else you like!! Just limit the quantity to 1/4 cup

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the baking tray
2. Mix the dry ingredients
3. Beat the egg and the vanilla extract
4. Fold the dry ingredients with the egg mix
5. Make a "loaf" (1 inch thick, 2.5 inches wide and 7 inches long)
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes
6. Cut the loaf into 1/4 inch pieces using a serrated knife
7. Reduce the heat in the oven to 300 degrees
8. Place on the baking tray and bake (turning once after 10-12 minutes) for another 20-25 minutes
9. Store in an airtight container

The link: http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/walnut_raisin_biscotti.html

Chai (tea) spice mix

2008-03-22T17:28:00.003-04:00

A lot of people as me "How to make good Chai (tea in the hindi language)".. the key is in the spices and the quality of tea. We all know that the quality of the end product depends on the ingredients that go into what you are making.

So here is a simple "spice mix" for Chai.. Please feel free to add more of what you like, and avoid what ever you don't prefer. For example, I like cardamom a lot, but don't fancy cinnamon too much.. so I add more of cardamom and less of cinnamon. I like to add the saffron and vanilla bean when the water boils, so I usually don't add them in the mix.

Ingredients:
Cardamom - 8 to 10 pods
Clove - 5-6
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch stick
Star Anise - 1/8 inch piece
Ginger powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Saffron - 6-10 strands
Pepper - 1-2 pods
Nutmeg - 1/8 teaspoon
Vanilla bean - 1/8 inch piece

1. Use a coffee grinder/mortar & pestle set/kitchen counter & knife to mix and coarse grind the spices.

2. Store the mix in a air-tight glass/plastic container.

3. Keep the container in the refrigerator or any cool, dry place.

You only need to add 1/2 teaspoon per cup of tea - so make small quantities to ensure that the mix is always fresh.

Quick tips:
- If your cup of chai tastes "perfect" then write down the ingredients (with the exact quantity used.)
If you think you need more of one spice, you can always add it to the mix.
- If you don't like it all together, you can always throw away the mix and start from scratch. Use small quantities of the spices for the "trial" so that you don't feel too bad about throwing away spices..

Let your taste buds decide the ingredients and the quantity of the same..

Try this, and let me know your "mix".

Some useful links to learn more about spices:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spices
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai

I'm back with Soy Chai

2008-03-22T17:10:00.002-04:00

Hello.. I'm back after a brief break.. with a perfect recipe for a snowy day.. we had a snow storm last night, and it is freezing now! I really wanted to drink something hot tea but realized that I ran out of milk.. I had two cartons of Silk Vanilla Soy milk and decided to quickly try to make "Soy Chai".. and it turned out great!!

Here is what you need for two cups of tea (chai):
Water - 1 cup
Soy Milk - 1-1/2 cups
Tea leaves (four teaspoons) or tea bag (3) - the quantity really depends on the type of tea
A mix of spices
Honey/Sugar to taste

Again, please buy recently packed, good quality tea leaves or bags - it makes a lot of difference..

How to:
1. Boil water in a thick bottom vessel until you see bubbles
2. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of spice mix - see my next post for the ingredients
3. Add the tea leaves/tea bag and bring to a boil
4. Add the Soy Milk and bring to a boil
5. Add Sugar/Honey
6. Strain and drink..

I did not add sugar or honey for myself because the soy milk had a hint of vanilla. You can try it without sugar/honey and always add it later if necessary.

The quantity of water and milk can vary depending on how you want your tea. If you want it watery, add more water.. and if you want it thick, you can add more milk

Ani Phyo's Raw Food Kitchen

2007-11-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

I have signed up to listen to talks from the Raw Food Summit (http://rawsummit2.com/free_access). This morning, I heard a talk by Ani Phyo - who is a chef, author, and a raw food expert. As I was inspired by her talk, I went to YouTube to look at the video of some of her easy "raw" recipes.

Here are the links to her videos:
Spanish Breakfast Scramble - This can be a wonderful side for your dinner, or can be had for breakfast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvrEj2H36w&feature=related

Crunchy Donut Holes - This can be a very healthy snack. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuGjDagUWNg

I also saw a video from Wholegormet:
Homemade Pizza Crust - This is a good way to use up my pound of Whole Wheat flour before I go on vacation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAVUFnhP1ZA&feature=related

Kitchen counter top cleaning

2007-11-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

Wo.. I just cleaned my kitchen counter top - and my apartment smells of "Bleach!". To counter that smell, I lit a candle (vanilla flavor) a few minutes back. Now, my apartment smells of a mixture bleach and vanilla - it really seems like I am in a "candle making factory!". Not to forget, my fingers hurt because I scrubbed the counter when there was bleach all over.

Though I love commercial cleaning products, I really want to seek an alternative. I would like something more natural, and that would not burn my fingers. My search for "Natural Cleaning Products" led me to this website:

http://www.bostonhealthcoach.com/nn/nov07.html

It is interesting that White Distilled Vinegar and Baking Soda are "Natural Cleaners". I am certainly going to try these out.

Adai (Indian Bean/Lentil Pancakes/Crepes)

2007-11-19T11:53:00.000-05:00

I love Adai.. My mom and grandmom make the best adai, but I can confidently say that mine comes as a close second. The Adai is not as thin as a crepe and fat as a pancake.. it is somewhere in the middle.

You can make this as healthy as you want - or can cheat a little bit and have just 1 that is crisped with oil.

This is what you'll need:
1 cup mixed lentils and beans (You can go to the Indian store, and get a bag of mixed lentils)
1 cup rice
5-6 red chili's (based on taste, you can also use red pepper flakes)
4-5 green chili's (as you know, the heat of the chili depends on the species)
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Asafoetida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida)
1/2 cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds (Optional)
1/2 inch Ginger (Optional)
1/2 red onion (Optional)
Sesame oil to grease the skillet (or any other oil)

Soak the Rice and Lentils/beans until soft (for about 4 hours; overnight if possible)
Blend everything until it forms a coarse batter

Heat a skillet and until smoking hot (medium-high)
Spread a tsp. of oil on the skillet
Pour a ladle of the batter and spread on the skillet (draw concentric circles from the middle to flatten as you go)
Pour 1 tsp. of oil to crisp the middle and ends of the adai
Turn once a side is done

Serve with butter, brown sugar, any indian pickle, molagai podi (south indian blend chili powder), tomato chutney, or mango chutney.

Notes:
1. You need to have a thick bottom non-stick skillet for the bean crepe to lift off the skillet
2. Making crepes/pancakes is an art - and needs to be perfected over time - need a LOT of practice

See this interesting article about chili: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper

Healthy Mocha Muffins

2007-11-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

Yes, as you realized, the first few posts will be related to Coffee, Cocoa or Chai.

I bought muffin tray last week, and was looking for a recipe to make muffins - not the ones with a lot of butter and sugar - I wanted to make healthy breakfast muffins.

So, I went to google.com and searched for a recipe with the following terms: "Chocolate Yogurt Muffins". And I found this recipe: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,174,147169-239207,00.html

When I read the ingredients, I thought this was an almost-perfect recipe for healthy mocha muffins. I tweaked the recipe (eliminated sugar and reduced the quantity of oil) and here it is:

What you'll need:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Nestle chips)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (you can increase the quantity)
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup fresh strong brewed coffee (I think this will taste better if we use instant coffee/espresso powder)
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Stonyfield low-fat yogurt)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Egg substitute equal to 2 eggs
1/4 cup prune puree (I bought the baby food brand - Gerber)
1/3 cup applesauce (I bought the baby food brand - Gerber)

Optional:
2 table spoons of Sugar to sprinkle on top of the muffins (Optional)
Add 1/2 cup of brown sugar if making this for dessert

Sugar: Since I eliminated sugar in the original recipe, I added prune puree, apple sauce and semi-sweet chocolate chips for sweetness

Makes 16 muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degress. Grease muffin tray (This is an important step. If using muffin cups, please grease them too. I used olive oil spray and also sprinkled whole wheat flour.) Mix dry ingredients (1 to 8) set aside. Beat the wet ingredients with a whisk. Fold in the wet mix with the flour mix - be careful not to form any lumps.

Half-fill the muffin tins, sprinkle sugar on top (optional) and bake for 20 minutes. The muffins came out very well - and tasted very good. (I had 2 muffins for breakfast this morning.) Drop me a note if this recipe worked for you.

Health Freak or Health Conscious

2007-11-16T20:25:00.000-05:00

I was just thinking of these two words, and wanted to see which one fits me the best.

Health Freak: is someone who is so freaked out about his/her health that they refuse to try anything new or that is remotely unhealthy.

Health Conscious: is someone who knows what they are eating, and is aware of all the implications. That being said, the health conscious people do not 'over-do' the eating, and are 'healthier' than the other group.

Based on my descriptions, I feel that I am 'Health Conscious'. I am glad that I got this clarified. It helps to write things down..

My Famous Choco-chai

2007-11-16T19:46:00.000-05:00

This is slightly complicated, but it tastes so good!

Choco-chai is cocoa + tea + spices + milk

I don't add the cocoa all the time, as I like the taste of plain chai.

To make Choco-chai, add 1-2 heaped table spoons of cocoa to the chai (recipe given below). Please see the previous post (Mocha) for information about the chocolate I use. Feel free to use any chocolate that you prefer.

Here is the recipe for chai:
(makes 2 cups)
You'll need:
1/2 cup water
1 to 2 cups milk (based on your preference, you can add skim, 1%, 2% or 4% milk)
Sugar or Honey
Tea powder/bags (see note 1)
Spices (see note 2)

1. Add the spices to the water and Boil
2. Add the milk when the water is hot (medium heat, this takes at least 8 - 10 minutes)
3. Add 2 table spoons of tea powder or 2-3 bags
4. After 30 seconds, add sugar/honey
5. Mix, pour and drink. (of course, you will have to use a tea strainer if using loose tea leaves).

Note 1: Tea Powder/bags - You can use any high-quality black tea leaves. Ensure that the tea is not stale and is not pre-flavoured.

Note 2: I make my own spice mixture. I usually make small quantities, so that the spices taste fresh.

What you need:
Cardamom - 10 pods (I love cardamom so I add extra. )
Cinnamom - 1/4 inch stick
Clove - 2
(Optionally add any of these spices based on your taste buds: Ginger powder, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, All spice, Star Anise)
Grind all in a coffee grinder until coarse

Suggestion: Initially, please make small quantities of this mixture so that you can try out various combinations.

Mocha

2007-11-16T19:33:00.000-05:00

Mocha in a nut shell is coffee + cocoa + milk

As you know, the end product is as good as the ingredients that go into the dish.

When it comes to coffee, tea, cocoa, I always buy a high quality brand. For my mocha, I always use Ghirardelli chocolate.

What you need:
- Expresso shot/thick coffee brew/instant coffee
- Ghirardelli chocolate (1 or 2 heaped tablespoons) - see below
- 1 Glass of milk
- Sugar (optional is using sweetened cocoa; necessary if using Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate)

1. Heat the Milk
2. Add 1-2 heaped tablespoons of cocoa (add more or less based on personal preference)
3. Add coffee (quantity depends on taste and type of coffee)
4. Add sugar (optional)
5. Mix

Enjoy.

Ghirardelli - http://www.ghirardelli.com/products/hotcocoa.aspx
I have used the Drinking Chocolate and Double Chocolate Cocoa mix and both taste good. Optionally, you can also use Chocolate Hazelnut Cocoa or White Chocolate mix.

Madras Filter Coffee

2007-11-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

I am from the south of India, and love the infamous "Madras Filter Coffee". Why is it called "Madras Filter Coffee":

"Madras" because it is the name of the city which is known for coffee. Well, the name of the city has been changed to Chennai now, but thankfully, the coffee is still referred to as "Madras Filter Coffee" as opposed to "Chennai Filter Coffee".

"Filter" because because the thick coffee brew is made in a stainless steel filter. The concept is similar to the "French Press" - but not as complex. This is just a stainless steel cup, with minute holes, atop another stainless steel cup.

The authentic "Filter Coffee" is made with coffee powder made from beans that are grown somewhere in South India (probably Coorg, Malabar hills or some other hill station). If you are not in South India at present, you might wonder where you will get the beans/powder from. You can use coffee from Trader Joe's, Starbucks or Folgers - but need to be careful about the blend/granularity of the beans.

Trader Joe's - House blend, medium roast beans (finely ground)
Starbucks - House blend, medium roast OR Colombian, medium roast (turkish grind)
Folgers - Colombian, medium roast

You can also get fresh roasted coffee beans from Whole Foods, Food co-op or any other store. Ensure that you find a coffee that is sweet, less acidic and has no 'extra' flavor (like chocolate, vanilla etc). The key is to buy small quantities of high quality beans/powder.

Storage: Coffee beans/powder and tea leaves always need to be fresh. Don't use something that is more than 3-4 months old. Ensure that you always keep them in a dry, air-tight container. Also, please do not store it in a cupboard that is right above the stove top. The temperature must be moderate (not hot and humid or freezing). So, please buy small quantities. If I have a lot, or if I am leaving town, I always ensure that I call a friend and give them the leftover coffee/tea. Another way of exhausting the supply of coffee powder or tea leaves is to make good "Coffee Cake" or "Chai-tea cake". (Recipes will be posted at a later date)

Madras Filter Coffee recipe:
You will need: 3 heaped table spoons of coffee powder, fresh boiling water, coffee filter
Making the coffee decoction (thick coffee brew):
1. Attach the filter and the cup and place it on a flat surface (kitchen counter/ stove top)
2. Fill the top portion with the coffee powder and gently press it down to level
3. Pour fresh boiling water (yes, you have to see the bubbles) slowly over the powder
4. Close the filter, and let it stand for about 10 minutes
The coffee decoction may take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to get collected in the cup below. The time depends on the amount of powder, how tight the powder is packed, the heat of the water and the size of the filter.

Trust me - this is a science - you will not get it right the first time. The skill of making good filter coffee is usually cultivated over time. And the good thing is that you will devise your own method to get amazing decoction.

Mixing with Milk:
Heat a glass of milk in the stove top or microwave
Add sugar (desired quantity; optional)
Add the coffee brew

As I had mentioned before, this is a SCIENCE - you will need to adjust the quantity of milk, sugar, coffee brew until you get the perfect cuppa coffee. Perfect this art - and get hooked!!

First post

2007-11-16T18:55:00.000-05:00

Hello!

The title of blog clearly identifies me as a lover of coffee, chai and chocolate. I like to drink these beverages and have also perfected the art of making them. So this blog will include recipes for the above, a bunch of other recipes, my travel logs, random thoughts, and anything else that I want to include in this space.

Read on..