Chocolate Stuffed Cookies for Happy New Year 2012

I hope you all have great time during Christmas, swimming in delicious cakes and cookies. Now let me add another baking delight from my treasure box for the New Year 2012. The whole credit for these chocolate stuffed cookies goes to my aunt, who helps me to bake the lime cake. She was by my side to make this wonderful delight but I must admit the first batch was a funny disaster, my aunt went to attend a phone call and brilliant me add something more and the result was broken batch of cookies. But finally she takes the charge to teach me the perfect chocolate filled cookies and you can see the result. The last batch of the cookies came out perfect and I think they knew that they are the models for the last photo shoot for 2011.They posed perfectly like a super model, now it’s your turn to give them an opportunity to walk on the ramp of your serving dish!


Ingredients:

Unsalted butter softened  1cup
Brown sugar   1cup
Granulated sugar 1cup
Vanilla extract  2tsp
Peanut butter ½ cup
Egg     2 large  
All purpose flour  2 ½ cup
Unsweetened coco powder 1cup
Baking soda 1tsp
Chopped chocolate for stuffing the cookies

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl mix flour, coco powder and baking soda. Cream butter using a electric mixture at medium speed in a bowl. Now with this gradually beat granulated sugar, then brown sugar and peanut butter until everything is well blended. Then add the egg, vanilla extract and continue beating until this whole thing is well combined with each other. Then fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Now wrap the dough in a cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Next roll the dough and then cut out circles of 1.5 inch. Place the chopped chocolate and gather together the side to enclose the chocolate. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove on a cooking rack and just enjoy.

Wishing you All A Very Happy New Year 2012.
Hope you like this video of mine.I make this video to wish you all and the flowers in this video are from my roof top garden.The theme of this video is -"One last look back - and then the best wishes for the New Year:)"



Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Lime Cake for Christmas

You all know by now that I am not a person who excels in baking. Soups, salad and various other easy quick dish and Indian dishes are my forte but when its Christmas there is something magical about baking. So this year I went to my baking expert aunt, asked her to help me out to make a delicious cake but which will be super easy. She suggested me to make lime cake, this is easy for her but not for me..(haha)... it took lot of patience but worth the effort. I make this cake in her house under her supervision which I must admit one of the best cake I ever made till date. I hope you will like this lime cake too!
Ingredients:

All purpose flour  11/2 cup
Baking powder  ¼ tsp
Baking soda  ¼ tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Sugar 1  cup or to taste
Eggs   2
Lime zest ¼ cup 
Lime  juice ¼ cup
Unsalted butter softened   ½ cup
Whole milk   ½ cup
Vanilla extract  1tsp
Lime syrup:
Sugar  ¼ cup
Lime juice ¼ cup

Lime Butter Cream Frosting 
Unsalted butter  softened  ½ cup
Lime zest 1 tsp
Vanilla extract  1tsp
Salt 1/8 tsp
Lime juice 3 tbsp
Milk 2 tbsp
Powdered Sugar to taste

Garnish 
Strawberry jam 1 tbsp
Chopped almond 1 tbsp
Lime zest  1 tsp

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan (8 ½ by 41/4 –inch) and line the bottom by parchment paper or with waxed paper to fit the bottom only. Take flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Mix well. Keep aside. In another bowl take butter and sugar and with a stand mixture beat until fluffy for about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the speed down to medium and then add the eggs one at a time, after adding each egg mixed for about one minute. After that add lime zest and mix well. In another bowl whisk the vanilla extract, lime juice and milk. Now come the tricky part alternatively add the flour and the wet ingredients to the large mixing bowl starting and ending up with flour mixture. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean from the cake. Remove and let cake slightly cool in a pan on a rack. After about few minutes remove the cake from the pan and put it on the rack. It should be still warm, but not hot. Now, simply whisk the sugar and the lime juice together, and slowly spoon this lime syrup on top, so it soaks into the cake. You can skip the lime butter frosting and relish the cake like this but to give this cake a more festive look I make the lime butter frosting. For that beat butter, lime zest, vanilla extract and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and the lime juice and 1tbsp of milk beating at a low speed until blended and smooth. You can add more milk to get desired consistency. Now spread evenly over the cake you can also put some in a piping bag and make a design and to add more color top with strawberry jam and sprinkle some lime zest and chopped almond. Your delicious lime cake is ready to relish.

                                                   Merry Christmas!

Sending this recipe to blog event Christmas Delicacy




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Beetroot Soup

Beet root is one of my favorite veggie, I love it because of its vibrant color and various health benefit. Other day I visited my friend Parsley Sage blog and saw a wonderful red color beetroot soup. I can’t resist making my version of beet root soup the very next day and telling you it comes out great. A warm comfy beetroot soup in winter evening sitting on a cozy sofa listening to my favorite songs is just….. too heavenly.

Ingredients:

Beetroot grated 1 cup
Garlic clove    1 chopped
Roasted cumin and coriander powder  ½  tsp
Butter ½  tbsp
Vegetable stock   3 cup
Sour cream  1 dollop
Fresh cilantro chopped
Corn flour ½ tsp (optional)
Sugar   a pinch
Salt and pepper  to taste

Procedure:
In a pan heat butter, add chopped garlic. Saute and then add grated beetroot. Stir and then add vegetable stock. Let it boil and cook it for 7 to 8 minutes then add salt, sugar, pepper and roasted spice mix. Mix well, if you want your soup a bit thick then mix corn flour with little water and add it to the soup and cook for another minute. Put off the flame. Serve hot with dollop of sour cream and few chopped cilantro. Your warm comfy beetroot soup is ready. The mild flavor of garlic when mingle with roasted cumin and coriander powder it taste awesome. I hope you will love this beetroot soup.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Smorgie.com - Make and Share lists of Yummy

I came across an extraordinarily wonderful site that all food lovers will love to try - Smorgie.com. I must say thanks to Foodie Blogroll for giving me the wonderful opportunity to test and review this site. The best thing about this site is, it helps to keep track of the restaurant one have eaten or like to try. The database is huge, you only name the restaurant and the nearby location and it will show all the possible names found and from that you can easily choose the one you are looking for.  It will give the type of cuisine that is served , their address, phone number and the best is, there is an automatic map that's generated of all the restaurant locations on the list. You can make a list of your favorite restaurant and also share it with your friends.


Friends of mine who live in USA send me the names of all the delicious restaurant which prepares awesome Indian meals with the name of all the special menus prepared there, I am telling you it’s very hard sometime to remember them in time of need. So I create a list of the Indian restaurant. I create  this list so that next time when I will visit USA for vacation or any other reason I will not miss my home food. The fun part is I can share this list with my Facebook friends, twitter followers, pinterest and send email to a friend or relatives who are looking for Indian food in USA.

Smorgie is on iPhone too so there is no way you can miss track on the list of your favorite restaurant.One more feature of this site is, you can add friends from Smorgie.com and search their list and add restaurants from their list.This way you can come across many new food spot that are worth remembering and keeping track on.

For me Smorgie com is not only a user friendly site but also very helpful for all foodies who love to eat out. I am fan of  Smorgie.com.

It is a brand new site and I hope it will add many new and interesting features that will make this site more fun filled and exciting in coming days. I want in near future, Smorgie add restaurant from all over the world so that traveler or tourists can easily get the name of restaurant and foods they are looking for. I am looking forward to see more of my foodie friends on Smorgie .com.

I am recommending all my blog readers and friends to try this new website it is absolutely free and easy sign up. I want to see a large Smorgie community where we food lovers can explore new food destination and keep track on our favorites.


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Buttered Peas With Chicken Chunks

Winter means lots of fresh veggies in the farmers market and one of my favorite is sweet fresh peas. The other day when I visited the market I can’t resist buying a large lot of fresh peas. Now the game begins after I buy the lot I could not found out any suitable recipe. Then one of my favorite chef came into my thoughts and she helped me ……. Guess who? Its Julia …..our Julia Child. This recipe is inspired from her buttered peas from her book the Art of French Cooking.
I just add chicken chunks with this recipe and I am telling you when peas and chicken are mixed in such a friendly ambience they work wonder.


Ingredients:

Shelled fresh green peas    2 ½   cups
Chicken cube   ½ cup
Garlic    1 clove 
Sugar   1 tsp
Butter   3 tbsp
Fresh mint leaves 3 tbsp finely chopped
Lemon juice   1 tsp
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure
First take the chicken chunks and boil with chopped garlic and salt till they are tender. Drain. Now in a pan boil water and drop the peas and cook uncover for 5 minutes until they are almost but not quiet done. Now in a pan take ½ tbsp of butter and roll the boiled chicken chunks in it with a little salt and pepper. Keep aside. Now in that pan roll the peas over moderate heat for a moment so that the moisture evaporates. Then roll them with sugar, salt pepper and butter and cover and cook over low heat for about 6 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, till the peas are tender. Now add the chicken chunks adjust seasoning. Put off the flame. Mix freshly chopped mint leaves and lemon juice. Take it in your serving dish and serve hot as soon as possible. I hope you will like my version of buttered peas.

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Hearty Chicken Clear Soup

Chicken soup are always soul soothing. In coming festive season when you will be bombarded with heavy brunch menus in parties what do you do in between to keep yourself fit? Well for me chicken clear soup comes as a savior. The restorative powers of chicken soup are legendary; a ultimate comfy food is what I want to share with you all, as I think this will be very helpful for you in this season. This chicken clear soup is very delicious, simple and easy to make and I promise it will keep you guilt free in midst of all those meaty, spicy, creamy and chocolaty menu.
Ingredients:

Chicken cube    1 cup
Water     3 cup
Bay leaves  1
Garlic    1tsp chopped
Onion     1 medium size chopped
Carrot  1 sliced
Parsley leaves  1 tbsp chopped
Saffron  few sprigs
Butter /diet butter  ¼ tsp
Spring onion  1 tsp chopped
Salt  and pepper  to taste

Procedure:
Heat water in a sauce pan then add all the ingredients except butter and spring onion. Cover with a lid .Let it boil till the chicken become tender and well cooked. Now remove from heat and cool slightly then strain the broth through cheese cloth. Now add butter and garnish with spring onion. If you wish you can sprinkle little black pepper above it. Serve hot. Hearty chicken clear soup is ready. I hope you will love it.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Nutritious Entertaining: Make a healthy grocery list for success

When you are preparing for the Thanks giving party and all the celebration coming up  one after another in the next month, it is very hard to make a healthy grocery list for perfect meal. So today I am not sharing with you any recipes but a guest article which will be a great help for you all. This guest article is from my friend Melissa C. I think you all will enjoy the read and find helpful tips for perfect delicious and healthy meal.

It’s easy to get trapped in the idea that healthful entertaining is too much work. If you plan a healthy grocery list beforehand, there’s no reason your next get together won’t be a rousing success. When you’re in control of the menu, you can make the right choices to ensure every course stays healthy.

Good-for-you appetizers

Many hosts start the meal out on an unhealthy foot and only get worse from there. When you plan in advance, you can avoid this pitfall. Stick to low-calorie and high-flavor dishes, like spiced shrimp or crab ceviche, and your guests will be satisfied but not stuffed before the main event. You can also choose fresh and seasonal vegetables as an easy alternative if you want to cut down on preparation time.

A healthy main course

The main course is the biggest part of the meal, so it’s essential that you choose a healthy dish. You can find some inspiration from the menu at your favorite health-oriented restaurant, or you can check pick out a dish from Eating Well. Don’t be afraid to make two dishes if you’re hosting a large group of people. That way, people can choose the option that suits their tastes better. You should also consider portion size when plating to make sure you aren’t giving your guests too much of a good thing

Delightful, guilt-free desserts

The dessert course is another place where health can be thrown out the window for taste, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Fresh fruit is always a good option for the time and nutrition conscious host. It’s easy to prepare, it contains all kinds of nutrients, and it tastes wonderful. If you’re looking for something a bit more complex, try out a lightened up version of your favorite dish. It doesn’t take much to make a healthy lemon cake or some healthful oatmeal cookies. Dessert is your chance to show off your skills at making delicious treats that are still good for you.

After you’ve planned out the perfect meal, it’s time to put together your list and make a trip to the store. Before you head out, go through the big night in your mind and think about how the cooking and entertaining is going to go. If you don’t see any issues with timing, then you’ll be ready to make your next night of healthy entertaining a success.


Wishing you all A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Herbed Soya Nuggets With Butter Toasted Cashew

Soy nuggets(TVP)which also popular as soy meat or soya meat is a meat analogue or nutritious meat extender made from defatted soy flour. This is also known as textured soy protein is a versatile substance, different forms allowing it to take on the texture of whatever ground meat it is substituting. Using textured vegetable protein, one can make vegetarian or vegan versions of traditionally meat dishes chili, spaghetti bolognese, sloppy joes, tacos, burgers, or burritos. Sometimes I feel like going vegan for a day in such times I use this soy meat or soya nuggets in my dishes and I am telling you it is very good substitute of regular meat. If you try then you too will love it for all those who are new to soy meat and for others who are soy chunks lovers here is my experiment with soy spices and cashew. I am sure you will love these herbed soya nuggets with toasted cashew.


Ingredients:

Soya nuggets  1 Cup
Beet root   ½ cup thick slice blanched
Carrot   ½ cup thick slice and blanched
Green bell pepper  ½ cup sliced
Butter/ Olive oil  2 1/2  tsp
Garlic chopped  ½  tsp
Oregano   ¼ tsp
Basil     ¼  tsp
Tomato sauce 1 tsp
Chilly garlic sauce 1tsp or to taste( optional)
Cashew nuts  ¼ cup
Salt and pepper  to taste 

Procedure:
Soak soya nuggets in warm water with salt for at least half an hour. First in a pan take ½ tsp of butter and toast the cashew, if you are health conscious then you can dry roast the nuts and keep aside. Now in that pan take 1 tsp of butter or olive oil and then add the drained and squeezed soya nuggets now fry for a minute with a pinch of salt and pepper for a minute then keep aside in bowl. Now in that pan give rest of the butter then add chopped garlic stir for few second then add all the vegetable toss add all the sauces , basil, oregano and fried soya nuggets adjust seasoning and toss all the ingredients well. At last add butter toasted cashew mix and serve hot with corn tortillas or tacos or simple flat bread with onion rings. I am sure you will love the taste of this herbed soya nugget with butter toasted cashew.
Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Tomato Apple Date Chutney And Todd Wilbur Cook Book Review

Chutney is one such delicious condiment which always makes our meal more tasty. In winter I prepare a special chutney with tomato, apple and date and this one is my family favorite since ages. My granny use to make it and then my Maa (Mom) and now I take the responsibility to carry forward this heritage recipe to gen next. Lazy me sometimes use this chutney as my bread spread or pour a spoon full in my boiled vegetables. I am telling you this is one of the best way to skip cooking and still have something super delicious.

Ingredients:

Ripe red Tomato   4  pureed
Apple   1 chopped into small pieces
Dates    ½  cup seeded and chopped
Ginger  ½  tsp chopped
Roasted mixed spice powder ¼ tsp
Vegetable oil  1 tbsp
Lemon juice   1 tbsp
Sugar  1 ¼  cup
Salt  to taste
Water  3 to 4 cups

Procedure:
First let me tell you how to make roasted mixed spice. Take ¼ tsp of cumin, 2 cardamom, ½’’ cinnamon, 4 clove,1/2 bay leave, ½ whole dry red chili. Now dry roast this spice and then grind to make a fine powder. You can use this spice mix in your salad or mashed potato. This spice have very unique flavor when used in tomato apple date chutney, it add to its taste.
Now take oil in pan add the pureed tomato and dates mix well. Now add water and salt and let it boil so that the dates completely mixed with tomato. Now add ginger and sugar and sliced apples. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Then put off the flame and the roasted spice mix and the lemon juice . Mix well. You can store it for 4 to 5 days in your freezer. Serve chilled or in room temperature try it with KFC Fried Chicken or anything that you like.

The best thing is that you can now make the original KFC fried chicken, Burger King Onion rings, Apple Bee s Oriental chicken salad and many such mouthwatering hot favorite recipe in comfort of your own home. America’s original food cloner Todd Wilbur has opened the vault and shared his best recipes in an exclusive eSpecial from Plume! THE TOP 25 GREATEST TOP SECRET RECIPES. America’s best copycat recipes for duplicating your favorite foods at home. For two decades, Todd Wilbur has worked doggedly to reverse engineer America’s most famous foods. In this eSpecial collection, Wilbur reveals the secret formulas for your all-time favorite restaurant dishes and brand-name foods. With top-secret blueprints and easy-to-follow instructions, it’s simple to fool your taste buds and save money when you make these amazing original clones at home.
I love this small little book which can be with me any time anywhere and with the help of this I can amaze my guest with the some mouthwatering American brand dishes. The best part of this book is, it is written in a very simple language and easy to follow instruction and perfect detail timing instruction needed for preparation and cooking. I think even beginners with little patience and passion can successfully made this favorite dishes. My personal favorite are Apple Bees Oriental Chicken salad …. Crispy oriental greens topped with crunchy chicken fingers, toasted almonds and crispy rice noodles, tossed in light Oriental Vinaigrette, KFC original fried chicken and Olive Garden Italian Salad dressing. I will definitely give try all this recipes from this wonderful little magic cookbook. You will get THE TOP 25 GREATEST TOP SECRET RECIPES: America’s best copycat recipes for duplicating your favorite foods at home (Plume eSpecial, for just $2.99; available wherever eBooks are sold).
Happy Cooking!:)

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Pumpkin And Shrimp Soup For Halloween

A very very happy Halloween to you all. When its Halloween it means loads of pumpkin in your kitchen counter. So today I thought to share a delicious, healthy pumpkin soup with shrimp. The combination of pumpkin and shrimp may seem unusual but this can be a surprisingly, delicious, fantastic fall soup which everyone can enjoy. Pumpkin soup with shrimp is easy, simple and very quick to make. So taste this wonderful soup and let me know how you arrange your Halloween party where terror turned into a treat!


Ingredients

Pumpkin puree 1 cup
Chicken  stock   2 cups
Shrimp    6 to 8
Garlic   1 tsp chopped
Butter/diet butter   1tsp
Sugar  a pinch
Corn starch  1tsp (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
First wash and devein the shrimp and marinate it with little lemon juice and pinch of salt. Now in a pan heat butter add chopped garlic and the shrimp stir for a minute then add pumpkin puree and chicken stock (you can use plain water if you want) let it boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Then add sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well. If you want thick consistency of your pumpkin soup then mix cornstarch with two table spoon of water and add it to the soup. Boil it for another minute or two you will get your desired consistency a thick yummy soup. You can make it richer by adding fresh cream but my waist line will not permit me to be that liberal so I leave that creamy part and have this wonderfully delicious pumpkin shrimp soup with warm crusty bread and believe me its yuuuuuumy!

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Tofu Bell Pepper Curry With Chopped Pistachio

Fist of all I want to wish you all A Very Happy Belated Diwali. I was busy in the entire festival hustle bustle so all my post delayed.
I am sharing today a very delicious recipe which I make this Diwali. In the day of Diwali we don’t eat any non veg items even onion and garlic are not allowed in the dish. So I make a simple curry with little spices but the twist of this simple yet elegant recipe is when you add generous amount of chopped pistachio. I hope you all will enjoy Tofu bell pepper curry with chopped pistachio.



Ingredients:

Tofu/ Paneer cube   1 cup
Bell pepper cube   1 cup
Tomato cubed     ½ cup
Tomato puree      ¼  cup
Potato cubed        ½ cup
Cayenne powder ½ tsp (optional)
Sugar   ½ tsp
Fenugreek seed  ¼ tsp
Carom seed /Ajwain  ¼ tsp
Asafetida/hing  ¼ tsp
Oil    3 tbsp
Pistachio  4 tbsp chopped 
Salt and pepper   to taste 

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan. Add fenugreek seed and carom seed when they start to splutter add the cubed potato and stir until the potato are cooked and fried a little bit. Then add the tomato cube and bell pepper cube and the tomato puree, asafetida, cayenne powder (if using), pepper, sugar and salt and stir and cook for few minutes. Add a cup of water and let it boil for another 4 to 5 minutes on high flame while it is boiling add cubed tofu. The gravy will be almost dry then add chopped pistachio (if you are not that calorie conscious then you can slightly toast this chopped pistachio on butter and use it). Don’t use all the pistachio, keep some for garnish and your tofu bell pepper curry is ready. Have it with bread rolls or naan paratha or simple flat breads. Tofu bell pepper curry has a very unique flavor and a very pleasing and smooth taste. I am sure you will love this taste.

Sending this recipe to Ammaji's Recipe blog event Cooking without Onion And Garlic

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Baked Beans and Shrimp stuffed Bread Rolls

When festive season is over and still you don’t came out from the hangover of all the fun what do you do..... I call few friends and arrange a snacks party. Good thing about this party is all of my friends bring their favorite snacks and with them I get the inspiration to create a lip smacking snacks… stuffed bread rolls with baked beans and shrimp. This dish is easy, quick and taste great.


Ingredients:

White bread slice  8 to 10
Egg 1
Nigella seeds  ½ tsp
All purpose flour   2 to 3 table spoon
Canola oil/ sunflower oil/ olive oil   2 to 3 table spoon
 For stuffing
Canned baked beans   1/2  cup
Mixed vegetable 1/2  cup finely chopped 
(carrot, beetroot, cabbage, red and green bell pepper)
Onion, ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp
Shrimp  1/4  cup chopped
Butter  ½ tsp
Grated cheese  1 tsp
Chopped cilantro ½ tsp
Sunflower oil  1tsp
Salt and pepper to taste 

Procedure:
First heat one teaspoon of oil on a pan then add the ginger, garlic & onion paste. Stir ten add the shrimp stir and cook for ½ minute then add all finely chopped vegetable. Cook for a minute. Then add the baked beans, salt and pepper. Stir and mix the whole thing well. If the mixture become two dry add 3 to 4 table spoon of water. Add butter and cheese mix well. Adjust seasoning and finish with very finely chopped cilantro. Your stuffing is ready.
Now take fresh bread slices and chop the edges. Sprinkle little water on both side then press it with a rolling pin or with your hands. Make sure that the bread is not too wet otherwise you will face difficulty rolling it. Now put a table spoon of the stuffing and roll it with little bit of water in your finger press the ends to seal it. In a bowl beat egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. On another plate mix nigella seed with all purpose flour. Now brush egg on the bread rolls and then roll on the flour mixture. Now heat oil in a pan and shallow fry all the bread rolls till they are little golden in color. Cut them into halves and serve hot with sliced onion.
I am sure you like the taste of this bread rolls.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Durga Puja Festival 2011 From Kolkata

First I want to declare the winner of the book Kitchen Counter Cooking School
by Kathleen Flinn and the winner is Nami from Just One Cook Book.
Congratulation Nami and I am sure you will enjoy the book.

Today I am not sharing any recipes but as I promised I am sharing few festive moments some delicious foods from the grand festival of my town Kolkata and I hope you all will love it for more pics from the event visit me on flicker.

The fist image is of the two signature sweets of Bengal Rosogolla and Chanar Jilapi. Rosogolla are melt in a mouth small balls made of Indian cottage cheese or chana dipped in simple syrup. The other one Chaner jilapi is also made from Indian cottage cheese but this are fried and then dipped in simple syrup. Both are mouthwatering and are hot favorite during this festive season.

This is the traditional idol of Mother Goddess Durga and her two son Lord Ganesha And Lord Kartikeya and her two daughter Maa Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and Maa Swaraswati (godess of knowledge).



This are called pandals where Maa Durga is worshiped for five days. People from all over the world visit Kolkata to see this five days architectural wonders. You will not find any similar pandals, each one is unique in it's own beauty.

Chandelier from a puja pandal.

Catch more action of the festival in my flicker slide show.





I hope you will love it. If you are planning to visit India then I will love to invite you in Kolkata in this festive season next year. Durga puja is not a religious festival but a carnival where you will find celebration of life.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Royal Pineapple Shake

The most grand festival of my city Durga puja( in this festival Mother God Durga is worshipped with traditional ritual and lots of love like a daughter who returned to her parent house after a year with her children for a vacation) is just four days away. The festive spirit is raising high and everyone is taking their last minute preparation to enjoy every bit of this festival. This year if God bless me I will share some rare moments of this event with you all. For this festive season I will make this delicious royal pineapple shake for all my guest who will visit me. This shake signifies the richness of the festival and I hope you will all love taste of this royal pineapple shake.
This glass is half filled and the rest half is filled with love,care and the feeling of oneness. Let see how my guest sip the shake that is filled with love & care and I also want to see will the taste differ.....what do you think!!!:)
My giveaway is still on and all my US friend you can still participate and make your chance to win the book.


Ingredients:

Pineapple grated   ½  cup
Creamy milk      1 glass
Saffron     2 pinch
Mixed melon seed  ¼ teaspoon
Pistachio   ¼ teaspoon chopped
Raisin  ¼ teaspoon chopped
Rose water 2 drops
Cardamom powder a pinch
Sugar  to taste

Procedure:
Boil milk with sugar and saffron. Saffron will add a rich vibrant color to this shake. As the sugar melts put off the flame then mix the cardamom powder. Let it cool down now put it in your freezer for a hour or two. You can pre pare this milk in advance then use it.In your shaker add the chilled saffron milk, grated pineapple and rose water. Give few good shake then pour in your serving glass. Garnish it with mixed melon seeds, pistachio, raisin, few sprigs of saffron. Your rich, vibrant, colorful, super delicious royal pineapple milk shake is ready .

With this post I am taking a week festive break. Catch me when I come back for some great festive shots from my town.
Wishing all my Bengali friends all over the world A Very Happy Durga Puja and my other Indian friend A Very Happy Navaratri. May Mother God bless all species in this world a blessed,peaceful,healthy and happy life.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School Book Review And A Giveaway

From my late teens I am reading cookbooks because I love reading cookbooks. I have special passion for them. So when I got the copy The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Finn who is also my Face book friend I take no time to finish it. After reading I found what Erica Bauermeister, author of The School for Essential Ingredients and Joy for Beginners said -“A life-changing book—entertaining, inspiring, and deeply educational” is absolutely right.  A finished copy of the book is ready for you . You can win this fabulous book!


The book was inspired when Kathleen encountered a woman at the supermarket, loading up on processed foods. Taking a leap of faith, Kathleen persuaded the woman to abandon her overpriced convenience food for fresher alternatives and gave her a few simple recipes for easy meals. She realized what the woman lacked was simply the basic knowledge and confidence to be a home cook; she had found a new calling. Le Cordon Blue graduate Kathleen decided to use her recent culinary training to help a group of nine culinary novitiates find their inner cook. Kathleen in this book The Kitchen Counter Cooking School like a true friend show the reader to create simple recipes, make healthy choices, build culinary confidence and make most of their grocery shopping.

Kathleen feels there’s a disconnect in this country when it comes to food and cooking. On one hand, there’s a culture of hero worship around celebrity chefs that fuels cooking-as-a-spectator-sport on television. At the same time, marketers worked for decades to convince people that cooking themselves isn’t worth their time, and that even simple dishes fall outside their grasp. All this explains why one woman in the book told Kathleen, “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve eaten Tuna Helper while watching Gordon Ramsey.” It’s a funny line about a serious problem. The rise of convenience food and decline of home cooking are inextricably correlated to the surge of obesity and diabetes. If people think they can’t cook, they put themselves at the mercy of companies whose interests are primarily financial to feed them instead. Kathleen believes in the power of home cooking and it’s her mission to help people find their way off the couch and into the kitchen.

Some of simple delicious and awesome recipes from The Kitchen Counter Cooking School.

I enjoyed the journey of Kathleen where her simple approach and elegant delectable yet easy recipes turned those nine culinary novice into fearless home cooks. A very entertaining and inspiring book. (Not officially on sale until October 3, 2011.)

So get ready to be inspired-A finished copy of the book and a special THE KITCHEN COUNTER COOKING SCHOOL magnet for giveaway.

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Giveaway ends October 10, 2011. Open to US addresses. No PO Boxes. Winners will be declared on  October 11,2011.

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Beetroot Salad With Mint Garlic Vinaigrette

We are living in a colorful world. Colors have healing property so sometimes it feels great to present some vibrant color in our dinner table. Beeroot is one such colorful veggies which with simple cooking gives delicious taste and visually appealing dish. Today I want to share with you all a very simple beetroot salad which is wonderfullytasty and looks awesome. This beetroot salad can be a great party dish too as it is easy, fast to cook, very healthy and extremely beautiful.


Ingredients:

Beetroot    1 boiled and peeled
Red onion   ½ sliced
Mustard powder  1/8  teaspoon

Mint Garlic Vinaigrette
Garlic              3 cloves mashed
Fresh mint leaves   1 teaspoon finely chopped
Olive oil/ vegetable oil   1 teaspoon
Rice vinegar    1/2  teaspoon
Sugar      ¼ teaspoon (optional)
Salt       to taste 

Procedure:
Make thin slices of beetroot and arrange on the serving plate. Now in bowl mix all the vinaigrette ingredients. Now pour this mixture over the beetroot . Arrange the sliced onion on the top and sprinkle mustard powder over it. Sweet beetroot with the flavor of garlic and mint and the crunchy onion with the zing of mustard powder give a delectable taste to this visually appealing salad.

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Spicy Potato with Butter Fried Onion

I do remember those young days when Mom used to mash some potato with dollops of butter and we have it with steamed rice or breads before going to school. O….ho … those golden days you don’t have to think about your waist lines, no burden of health foods, no tension of wallets just eat, study and be merry … ha-ha! I hope you too have many such childhood memories share with us in this post. You know the other day there was some leftover boiled potato in my freezer have it been few years back I would just mash it with butter, cheese and cream but now I deliberately make effort to cut short such cheesy creamy desire. I created this spicy potato with butter fried onion for dinner to remember those old days yet to check the calorie count and it so also easy and fast to cook and goes very well with bread so what more can I ask. A quick delicious recipe, you can give it try anytime.

Ingredients:

Potato    1 big boiled and crushed
Red and yellow 
bell pepper    ½ chopped
Baby corn  ½  blanched  and sliced
Tomato sauce   2 teaspoon
Chilly sauce        1 teaspoon ( optional)
Mustard sauce    1 teaspoon
Onion        2  sliced
Green chilly   1  deseeded  and finely chopped (optional)
Vegetable oil   2 teaspoon
Butter        1  teaspoon
Sugar        a pinch
Salt and pepper to taste 

Procedure:
First heat oil on a pan. Then add red and yellow bell pepper and baby corn sauté for a minute then add the crushed potato. Add salt, pepper, sugar and in a small bowl add all the sauces and add it. Put off the flame and place this spicy potato on your serving dish. Keep aside. Heat a pan then add butter and onion sauté with a small pinch of salt and chopped green chilly if using. Fry on medium flame for a minute to two until the onion are transparent. Then top the spicy potato with this butter fried onion.
This way you cut short the use of butter but still get a very subtle delicate taste. Let me know how you like it.

I want to thank my friend Chandrani Banerjee from Cuisine Delight for honoring me with this lovely awards.

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Easy Chocolate Mousse Pots

A very delicious dessert recipe from my weekend party for you all. These easy healthy mini pots are not only eye appealing but a healthy way to treat our chocolate carving. This sweet little cute mini chocolate mousse pot is so complete by itself that it doesn’t need any introduction. Enjoy this little easy, fast to make chocolate mousse pots.


Ingredients:

Greek yogurt     100 gram
Cocoa powder   1 table spoon
Fresh cream    4 table spoon
Sugar          to taste
Chocolate Oreo cookies   2 to 3 
Chocolate  chips few  
Mixed fruit jam  1 table spoon
Mint leaves      few sprigs 

Procedure:
Mix half of yogurt with cocoa powder, 2 table spoon of cream and sugar . In another bowl mix rest of the yogurt and cream. Now take small serving glass first pour the coca mix yogurt. Then above it make a layer of yogurt and cream. Above it spread little bit of mixed fruit jam. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes. When you serve place some chocolate chips and pieces of Oreo cookies. Spread little bit of jam over it. Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint. I am sure this will be a very healthy option if you want to serve it as dessert for your dinner parties and from kids to adults all will love chocolate mousse pot. The crunchy Oreo then the creamy yogurt with the jam and lastly the chocolaty creamy chilled taste is just heavenly. You are serving in small portions so for all those friends of yours who skip dessert and you brainstorm to find something for their sweet tooth, chocolate mousse pot come as soul saver.

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Chicken Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are now very popular all over the world, so I try out my homemade version of hot dogs. Whether you call them hot dogs, wieners, franks or sausage those tasty tube of meat are pure summer. A friend of mine recently visiting back from America told me that now they hardly even call them hot dogs but just dog is absolutely fine for them. Now you my friends living there can tell me that she passed me the right info or not. With any name this fried , steamed grilled or boiled a piping dog in a warm roll is a superb tasty treat no matter how you love to top it. This hot dog is my home made version a healthy twist of the chart topper food. Hope you all will like it.


Ingredients:

Hot dog bun  4

For rolls

Chicken  paste   1 bowl

Onion paste      1 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste  1 1/2  tea spoon

Finely chopped cilantro   1 teaspoon

Egg     1 beaten

Flour   1 teaspoon

Oil     1 teaspoon

Salt and pepper  to taste

For Topping:

Grated cheese    4 table spoon

Onion   1 sliced

Tomato  1 sliced(deseeded)

Mustard sauce   as you please 

Procedure:
Take a pan heat oil and slightly sauté onion, ginger and garlic paste. Now put off the flame in big bowl take chicken paste with it mix sautéed ginger, garlic and onion paste. Add cilantro and the beaten egg little by little(you may not need the whole egg) with salt and pepper. Now make a semi firm dough and dust little flour so that it don’t stick to your hand now shape the chicken mixture into cylindrical shaped croquettes. Place them in your steamer and steam for 10 to 12 minutes or until the chicken are well cooked. To steam your rolls, stack them on top of the dogs in the last two minutes of cooking. Sprinkle some cheese inside the bun then place one chicken croquettes for each bun then top it with little bit of cheese sliced onion , tomato and mustard sauce. Then enjoy this lovely warm chicken hot dog. You can also put the cheese filled chicken hot dogs before topping it with onion, tomato and into your micro for few second and let the cheese melt this will give you an exotic feeling. Choice is all yours.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Spicy Couscous With Vegetables

I first watched a delicious Moroccan couscous recipe on TLC. From then I was looking for this ingredients but the grocery store in my town have never come across this word and I am not getting the perfect Bengali name for this , so I was unable to cook couscous. Then my maid came to help, the other day I was surfing the net and she saw some pics of couscous recipe and she gave me the proper Bengali name for couscous. She brought couscous from local grocery store . I can’t wait to cook them so I started with whatever veggies are there in my freezer. It was for the first time I am cooking couscous so maybe I make a mistake, it is slightly overcooked but then also it turned out awesomely delicious . Now couscous will be in my fav list as it provides plenty of taste and nourishment for a perfect meal. Let me share the experience of my first date with couscous.


Ingredients:

Couscous   1 cup

Clove   3

Cinnamon  1/2  inch

Cardamom    2 crushed

Asafetida      1 pinch

Water              2 1/2  cup

Butternut squash    1 cup cubed

Cauliflower      6 to 8 florets

Green bell pepper   1 /2 cup cubed

Tomato     1 diced

Whole cumin seed   ½ teaspoon

Cumin powder   ½ teaspoon

Onion   1 finely chopped

Garlic    3 clove chopped 

Ginger   ½ teaspoon chopped

Lemon zest  ½ teaspoon

Juice of     lemon

Garam masala powder  2 pinch (optional)

Clarified butter  ½ teaspoon (optional)

Chilly sauce   1 teaspoon (optional)

Sugar          ½ teaspoon

Vegetable oil   2 table spoon

Fresh dill leaves   1 teaspoon chopped

Salt and pepper  to taste

Procedure:
Boil water with pinch of salt cardamom , cinnamon, clove and asafetida. Put off the flame soak couscous ,cover the pan for 5 to 10 minutes . Drain well. On another pan heat oil add the cumin seed. As the seeds starts to splutter add chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Stir and then add the cubed the butternut squash and cauliflower florets. Stir and cook with lid on for few minutes until the get little tender then add tomatoes, bell pepper, cumin powder, garam masala powder and clarified butter (if using). Stir and cook for a minute. Now add cooked couscous, add sugar, lemon zest and chilly sauce(you can use harisha sauce instead or skip the both). Mix well adjust seasoning. Put off the flame then add the lemon juice mix well. Then garnish with fresh chopped dill leaves. Spicy couscous with vegetables in my style is ready to serve. I am sure you all will love it. Give spicy couscous a try and let me know.

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Delicious Apple Dessert

This recipe is for those kiddos who are chocolate freak and to bring smiles in their faces you have to make something chocolaty. I make this recipe for my cousin sister children’s, last week they visited my house and rest is history …… I experience a small tornado over my little house. Among all the delicious delicacies none could impress them but this apple dessert. But the fun part is that my sis and I conspire to make them eat fruits in any way or the other because whenever it comes to fruit they magically vanish from the place. But anyway it was not mission impossible but the opposite. If you don’t have problem with the calorie count the with the start of fall you too can relish this recipe.


Ingredients:

Apple    1 sliced

Banana  1 sliced 

Milk        1 glass

Coco powder 2 table spoon

Chocolate sauce  1 table spoon

Cheese    2 table spoon grated

Salt          a pinch

Castor sugar     to taste

Butter     2 table spoon

Cornflower   2 table spoon

Lemon juice   few drops

Lemon zest     1/4  teaspoon

Almond         2 table spoon chopped 

Procedure:
Take a pan and melt 1 teaspoon of butter and coat the sliced apple and banana sprinkle half a teaspoon of castor sugar and keep aside. Now put another pan on fire and melt rest of butter add cornflower stir for few second then add glass full of milk and cocoa powder stir continuously. Add pinch of salt and sugar, go on stirring continuously so that no lumps is formed and the texture become smooth. When the mixture become thick add cheese and let it melt. Put off the flame then add chocolate sauce , lemon zest and lemon juice. Place butter and sugar coated apple and banana slice then pour the chocolate sauce over it . Garnish with chopped almond. Your delicious apple dessert is ready to serve.

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Paneer Kebabs In Indian Curry Sauce

Today I am going to share with you a very delicious Indian recipe Paneer kebabs in Indian curry sauce. This recipe is already super hit in my house and all enjoy this recipe very much. The specialty of this recipe is that it has some very unique Indian spice and as it is grilled and not fried so it is not the greasy version which every health conscious guest avoid nowadays. In this recipe I am using Panch Phoran (Indian five spices this is a mixture of fennel seed, nigella, cumin, fenugreek seed and carom seed.) You can take a teaspoon of each and mix and store. You can add this to vegetable curry and it give a very unique flavor. You can experiment with this five spice and let me know how it come out. I have a successful experiment ready for you and I hope you will like it.


Ingredients:

Paneer/ tofu    200 gram  grated

Cumin powder  2 tea spoon

Coriander powder 2 tea spoon

Red chilly powder  1 tea spoon

Turmeric powder   1/2  tea spoon

All purpose flour     2 table spoon

Onion  1 chopped

Ginger garlic  paste  1 tea spoon

Ginger jullian   ½ teaspoon

Tomato paste   3 table spoon

Water    1/2  cup

Panch phoran  ½ teaspoon

Fresh Cream    1 table spoon

Lime  juice    1 tea spoon

Lime  leaves   2  (optional)

Sugar   1/4  tea spoon (optional)

Salt  and pepper    to taste

Vegetable oil   2 table spoon

Clarified  butter  1 table spoon (optional)

Procedure:
In a bowl take grated paneer or tofu and add 1 teaspoon of cumin and coriander powder, ½ teaspoon of chilly powder, pinch of turmeric powder, flour and mix well with soft hands. Now give them shape of kebabs and pan grill them, brush little clarified butter( if using) or oil while you grill them. Now take another pan and heat oil add panch phoran as it stars to splutter add the chopped onion and sugar stir for a minute as the onions become transparent add ginger garlic paste. Stir and then add tomato paste and rest of chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin and coriander powder, stir all spices so that they get well blended with each other for 1 to 2 minutes but don’t burn it add water and let it boil. Adjust seasoning Then add cream mix and put off the flame . Now add lime juice and dip lime leaves into the curry sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and let the fresh flavor of lime blend with the curry. Now place your kebabs in your serving plate and pour this sauce over it garnish with ginger jullians. Your Paneer kebabs with Indian curry sauce is ready, this is very refreshing and super delicious . I am sure you will give it a try . If you don’t have panch phoran go with cumin seeds and if chilly powder sounds bit too hot then use black pepper and if you don’t get lime leaves then use lime zest , I think with this substitute also this paneer kebabs in Indian curry sauce will rock your dinner table.

With this Indian Curry Sauce and Kebab recipe let me share with you a video which I shoot in ISKCON Ratha yatra festival at my city Kolkata. You will get some beautiful classical taste of Indian culture in this video so don’t miss to see the true essence of India while you relish the kebabs.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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