tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70382407819620857392012-02-16T11:41:22.567-08:00truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.comBlogger231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-58484750543629261852009-07-31T17:42:00.000-07:002009-07-31T19:17:30.420-07:00

This is very light and fruity salad to perk up a summer meal. I have made this a couple of times now with different kinds of fruits .. this combination turned out to be the best. However , there is still no dearth of combination s if you are willing to be creative : apples, pears, strawberries , grapes,carrots, green onions... anyone ??Ingredients2 cups of pineapple chunks1 cup peeled oranges1

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-49880833289010461692009-07-21T19:07:00.000-07:002009-07-21T19:53:16.578-07:00

The so far mild-summer in the valley is almost over, hopefully ; and our household is desperately exploring creative ways to entertain the little chimp here . One such sunny day, we took a drive to an organic-strawberry farm nearby ,to re-orient with the elements. After half a day of pretend-driving the tractor, pulling the wagon, petting the horsey , picking rocks and eating berries right off

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-81682340131271519732009-07-15T18:32:00.000-07:002009-07-15T21:55:02.232-07:00

"How-to-WOW-your-kid 101"Prep Time :10 minReady in : 4 hoursMakes 8 servingsWhat you will need1 cup of canned* crushed- pineapple1 cup of pineapple juice ( you can also use the juice drained out from the crushed pineapple)2 cup water6 oz packet of strawberry JellOHow to go about In a medium saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil.Remove from heat and sprinkle in the JellO powder.Stir well for about

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-80846574968091830302009-05-27T17:23:00.000-07:002009-06-03T23:28:30.980-07:00

I just gobbled up what you are seeing in the picture .. It looks a plain-jane plate , but I must say, it IS one super-duper sandwich once you take a bite !Coleslaw is my favorite summer-salad.. Well! I do make it in all seasons , but when I think of Coleslaw , summer BBQs comes to my mind ... and in winter I make it just to re-live those summer moments . I do make some other versions of it too ,

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-74895897780305959162009-05-27T17:13:00.000-07:002009-05-27T17:14:52.474-07:00

I have been scouring the internet for the past couple of hours trying to find the origin of this curry. Any mention on the history was available just in this blog and it has the recipe as well. Though fish Moily is very famous in Keralite Christian cuisine, the combination of ginger-garlic with coconut in a fish preparation somehow made me think that it could have been from another cuisine. My

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-9498660639678545302009-05-24T17:27:00.000-07:002009-05-24T22:25:30.737-07:00

Prep time :10 minCook time :15 minReady in :25 minMakes : 4 servingsIngredients2 tbs of cooking oil 1 medium red onion, cut thinly lengthwise12 oz spinach ( 1 small bag )1-2 green chillies, slit lengthwiseSalt to taste You will also needA large panProcedureWash and roughly chop the spinachSet the skillet in high heat, and add the oilWhen the oil is hot, add the onion slices and the slit green

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-4297257210653223172009-04-27T18:22:00.000-07:002009-04-28T21:13:22.381-07:00

Fried Shrimp/ PrawnsHere is something for seafood lovers. It is a basic recipe for shrimp-fry that would serve well as an appetizer or with any rice dish.Prep time: 10 minCook time : 20 minReady in :30 minIngredients1 lb Medium shrimp , cleaned and de-veined1 cup pearl onions , crushed1 tsp coriander powder1 tsp red chilli powder1/4 tsp turmeric powder1/2 tsp pepper powder1/2 tsp fennel powder (

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-59778235642381424302009-04-20T23:39:00.000-07:002009-04-20T12:31:00.140-07:00

Steamed Rice Dumplings with Sweetened Coconut filling.One of my favorite snacks from childhood days .. I have had it made in couple of different ways ; with fillings sweetened with sugar or jaggery and then one without any filling.It was also probably my worst nightmare of a snack while staying in hostels, away from home, for studies. Most school and college hostels in Kerala make this for an

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-85171674638122127282009-04-08T18:02:00.001-07:002009-04-09T15:44:21.431-07:00

It is a typical case of mis-communication ! My friend makes one killer Eggless Chocolate Mousse .. he happens to be a pastry-chef. So the last time we met up I mentioned how good it was; seriously it was not in my intention to extract any of his trade secrets. But being the gentleman that he is he offered up the recipe . However, the recipe was lost in all the hustle n bustle at the restaurant .

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-76837174775791304182009-04-05T17:09:00.000-07:002009-04-05T19:48:26.827-07:00

Chilli-Chicken , the Indo-Chinese preparation, is one of my all time favorites. There are many restaurants in Kerala who make this exceptionally well , at least there used to be. There are couple of Indian-restaurants here in valley who make really tasty versions of it. However, I am in constant fear of what salts are going in them and hence decided to try and make it at home. I was not following

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-62101454896056138302009-03-25T16:10:00.001-07:002009-03-25T19:52:44.897-07:00

Mango Chutney: A tangy chutney made of raw mangoes, coconut and mild spices.It is almost Summer in India. By now the mango trees would be bearing fruits in full form.. At home they would be making all sorts of things with it... pickled mango, mango "achar", mango chutney, raw mango with fish curry,mango juice, ...and that slice from a juicy ripe mango! I would love to go on an on about how much

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-80437427204153021492009-03-19T09:08:00.000-07:002009-03-19T11:53:59.523-07:00

Spring is in the air! This year I want to try growing some tomatoes (..again!). The last couple of attempts went totally awry .. either lack of watering or too much of it, once there were bugs all over the vines and once i even blamed it on the pot ( it was retaining too much water)! On my last grocery trip, I got an issue of Martha Stewart Living in which there is an article "Tomatoes for all

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-43339663368215213732009-03-18T21:05:00.000-07:002009-03-19T11:55:29.617-07:00

Ethakka Appam : Plantain FrittersPlantains are quotidian in Keralite cooking. We have found ways to incorporate them in pretty much all meals : Ripe plantains as a fruit or snack, Steamed ripe-plantains for breakfast, Plantain fritters as a snack,Plantains cooked in coconut milk for dessert , Plantain Pulisseri & Pachadi with rice and the list goes on.Plantain fritters are much sought after

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-16867638120001744612009-03-16T20:11:00.000-07:002009-03-16T20:27:05.335-07:00

Kachiya Moru : Butter-milk seasoned with mild-spices.This is probably one recipe that evokes most memories for me. The other day I was taking this picture and Joe came with a very intrigued look and aired " are you sure you want to post the kachiya-moru ..it is hardly a recipe".. that's how simple it is to make this curry. No wonder it is such an indispensable item in the day-to-day cooking of a

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-70740225318881427912009-03-02T19:24:00.000-08:002009-03-03T16:48:28.566-08:00

Last weekend couple of us friends got together to give a surprise-baby-shower for a friend, Heera: the girl who loves balloons. The plan was for all of us to get-together at a common point and then barge into her house.... for the most part it worked ; some got delayed due to infant/toddler emergencies. It was potluck party with a very relaxed menu and lots of gifts and goodies for the

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-67917435640137080892009-02-21T23:24:00.000-08:002009-02-25T17:38:31.550-08:00

From the Keralite cuisine , Fish in *Kudam Puli- infused Spicy Gravy.This is a household recipe for many Keralites. Kerala is a state in Southern India , blessed with a very long coast- line. Because of the proximity to the sea and subsequent availability of a variety of fish , majority of Keralites are fish-lovers. Most of our households are blessed with wonder-cooks ( also called "mom"s) who

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-84281138075832733232009-02-18T17:34:00.000-08:002009-02-21T23:24:53.349-08:00

Rasam: Tomato broth with Spices . It is a very common preparation in South India and each region has various versions of it . The basic ingredients are Tomato, Tamarind and some spices . Some prefer to have it as a Soup, where it has the broth like consistency and some like it with rice.The last week has been bad for me ..It was raining all along and I have caught a cold. Thankfully the two men

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-18554759282609395682009-02-18T17:21:00.000-08:002009-02-19T20:43:10.437-08:00

Prep time : 10 min Yields : Approximately 7 tspIngredients : 6 tsp Yellow Pigeon Peas ( Thuvara Parippu/ Toor Dal)2 tsp Coriander Seeds2 tsp Black Pepper Corns1/2 tsp Cumin SeedsProcedure : Dry roast them in a medium skillet till the peas start turning brown.Grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder . Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-89199723532897072422009-02-05T16:04:00.001-08:002009-02-10T13:07:39.277-08:00

I was reading back on my previous posts the other day and felt the compelling need to cook , and subsequently post, some healthy recipes . So,I was pretty resolute on my last shopping trip and decided to cook some Brussel Sprouts for dinner. Though I felt proud of myself picking up that bag of tiny cabbagey- looking-veggie , I had no idea what-so-ever what I was going to do with it. So I decided

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-78133913402543952922009-02-04T12:28:00.000-08:002009-02-09T19:26:28.454-08:00

As the title says, this is my mom’s recipe for a simple butter cake. Maybe “simple “ is a little misleading in this case ; it used to take a good 2 to 3 hours for mom from sifting the flour to getting the batter into the oven. This time it took me about an hour to do the prep work, with Blu behind my back checking “if the cake is ready?”. To a cooking-novice the procedure given below might look

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-7811761629141242292009-02-01T16:15:00.000-08:002009-02-05T22:00:16.975-08:00

This is a recipe to chase away the winter-blues. One winter evening I was visiting my friend Ikki , when she enthusiastically offered me a bowl of Sweet-corn soup. That wasn’t exactly my idea of comfort-food till then, but I surprised myself, asking for more helpings! This recipe has ever-since been a winter-staple at our home and my best customer for Sweet Corn soup is Blu . You can never go

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-46672795815099464902009-01-28T21:54:00.000-08:002009-02-13T15:43:42.971-08:00

This Italian dessert literally means “cooked cream”. Though gourmets would prefer to make it with all cream, our version has part cream and part milk, which makes it a little lighter, but still as good on taste. A variety of toppings can be used with Panna Cotta. In the picture I have used a seasonal fruit-salad tossed with some honey. You could also use fresh strawberries, raspberries,

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7038240781962085739.post-26458782379995994782009-01-20T18:44:00.001-08:002009-02-09T19:11:57.650-08:00

This heavenly tasting thing is an all-time crowd pleaser and Joe’s most favorite ; mine too . I think it originated in one of the European countries , most likely France, where it is called crème caramel. It is quite a popular dessert in India , where the custard is mostly made from scratch boiling down the milk ,egg and sugar mixture and then pressure cooked. After several unsuccessful attempts

truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com5