Marbled Fudge Bars- brownie & cheescake in a single bite

First, I need to apologize for being MIA. Yes, personal & work 'to-dos' were multiplying like bunnies which is why I could not devote time to my beloved blog. But no worries, here I am and I have a gem to share with you.

Close your eyes, think of Christmas (heck, think of any holiday) and what do you itch to eat....ummm something sweet..ofcourse !

For this Christmas, I am sharing an amazing marbled fudge bar recipe from a guest cook. These bars are moist, chocolaty ( made up word), creamy and perfect with a cup of coffee on a cold afternoon.  Mind you, I have not tried this recipe in my kitchen. But a superb cook made a huge batch of these bars, wrapped them lovingly and gave it to a few lucky ones, like moi. Terri T. thank you for letting me share your recipe.

To make eggless version of these bars, you can use egg substitues. However, to get the richness and texture of a fudge, you may want to check out these eggless baking tips.


Marbled Fudge Bars

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes 15-20

Ingredients:
8 oz unsalted butter, cut into chunks
7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 lb caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 oz plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping
 8oz cream cheese (full-fat)
4 oz caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

You will need
13 X 9 pan/tin, bottom and sides lined with baking parchment

Method:
1) Heat the oven to 350F
2) Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over hot but not simmering water.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until well blended. Stir in flour, salt, chocolate mixture and vanilla extract and then spread this mixture on to the bottom of the tin.
4) For the topping, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract together and spoon this on top of the chocolate mixture.
5) To create a marbled effect, swirl the tip of a cutlery knife through the mixture, making sure you drag the dark brown chocolate and white cream cheese mixtures through each other to leave a swirling pattern.
6) Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top feels firm to touch. Leave to cool in the tin and then transfer to the fridge to cool completely before using hot knife to cut it into bars. Keep these stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Cook's tip: These are really sticky, so you must use baking parchment to prevent sticking, and use a hot knife to cut them into bars.

Chicken Malai Kabab

Who doesn't like chicken malai kabab??? If you are a carnivore, you have to try these kababs. 'Malai ' means creamy so these kababs are spicy, soft and utterly creamy. If you end up with  leftover kababs ( that is a Big if),  wrap them in a fluffy Kawan parantha, throw in some chopped onions and green chutney...viola !....delish meal all set.

Most Peshawari recipes use raw papaya or yogurt as a tenderizer. A tenderizer breaks down the meat, cuts down grilling time and gives the kababs its unique 'melt-in-your-mouth' texture. I use an unseasoned tenderizer ( available in Publix spice aisle) because it acts quickly and lets me control the salt amount.  Regardless of the type of tenderizer you choose,  I would suggest that you do not skip the tenderizer in this recipe because you need the meat to be buttery soft.

The other important point to note is to eliminate water at every step. Ingredients should be fairly dry for the marinade to stick to the meat throughout the cooking process. This is true for all kababs including grilled paneer. Stay tuned for grilled paneer recipe ....

Ingredients:
2 large boneless chicken breast
1 tbsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp tenderizer ( or follow directions on the container)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste ( squeeze out the water)
1 cup of cilantro leaves
4 green chillies ( adjust per taste)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 sprigs of mint leaves
1tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp cream cheese
melted butter for basting
chat masala
lemon wedges
Salt to taste
Sliced onions and green peppers optional

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts. Cut into similar size chunks for even cooking. In a bowl mix chicken chunks, salt, pepper powder, tenderizer, garam masala and ginger garlic paste. Set aside for 15 minutes.

3) In a mortar, pound together cilantro leaves, mint, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and chillies to a coarse paste. Do not add water.

4) To the above paste add cream cheese and sour cream( discard the whey/water content). Add in the marinated chicken pieces. Let it sit for 15 minutes. If using yogurt/ papaya, marinate for  4-5 hours.

5) Skewer the chicken pieces and brush with melted butter. In a casserole dish layer onions and green peppers. For easy clean-up, line the casserole dish with aluminium foil before layering the veggies. Hang the skewers in between the two sides of the casserole dish such that the yummy drippings from the kababs will be caught by the layer of veggies as it cooks.
6) Grill for 10 minutes. Remove, baste with butter. Turn and grill the other side for 5 more minutes. Cooking time depends on the size of the chunks.
7) Remove from the skewers carefully, sprinkle with chat masala and lemon juice. Enjoy..!

Ukadiche Modak- Ganpati Bappa Morya

 I first experimented with  ukadiche modak  when I was pregnant. I insanely craved for these soft, sweet and steamed dumplings. Having never made modak before and having heard enough horror stories about making these yummy treats, I was skeptical about my success. After much thinking, my cravings won !!! And there I was with a big batch of Ukad and  sweetened coconut filing. Long story short, that day I feasted on  a plateful of  little balls that did not look like conventional modak at all but the taste was heavenly, I tell you.  Moral of the story,  yes the shape is difficult to master but don't let it deter you. Give it a try. Ofcourse, never forget the magic of  a good mould. Note to myself, get a modak mould on my next trip from India

Modaks are usually eaten during Ganesh Chaturthi, however there is no rule not to make these delightful parcels to celebrate your special day.





Here is my mom's recipe :

Ukad ( White dumpling cover)
1 cup of rice flour
1 cup of water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ghee

Filing/Chav
2 cups of grated coconut ( frozen)
1 cup of grated jaggery
1 tsp roasted poppy seeds
1/2 tsp rice flour
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
chopped almonds, cashew nuts and raisins optional
pinch of salt


Method:
To make the filing:
In a microwave safe glass bowl, mix grated coconut and jaggery. Heat at high for 3 minutes. The jaggery will start to melt. Add all the other ingredients and microwave for another 3 minutes until the mixture is dry and smells amazing. Set aside to cool


To make  Ukad:
 Bring water to boil. Add salt and ghee. Slowly add rice flour and stir.  Sprinkle some water, cover and let the dough steam for a minute. Empty the dough on a plate and while warm ( take care not to burn yourself) knead until the dough becomes soft and pliable. Cover with a damp towel.


To assemble the dumplings:
1) Here is a simple trick, break out a small amount of dough and place it between two plastic sheets. The dough is so soft that if you place a flat bottom plate with enough pressure, the dough rolls out into even thickness. This is much easier than the traditional way to  shape the dough with your fingers.

2) Grease your palms well. Hold the rolled out dough in the cup of your hand. Spoon 3/4 tsp of the filing in the dough cup. Oil your fingers. Pinch folds on the side. Bring all the pleats together to close the opening with a peak.

3) Steam the dumplings for 15 minutes. I used an Idli steamer but you can use a pressure cooker without weights or a bamboo steamer.

 How to eat  Modak: Yeah...like you need instructions for that ..!!!

Eggless Linzer Cookies

With a sick child and crazy work deadlines, it seemed ages before I could upload a new post. Not to worry, I am back and this time I have a sweet recipe to share. This Christmas I baked some Linzer cookies to share at my office.

The original cookie recipe that came along with the cookie cutter set included an egg in the mixture. Since we have few people at work with allergies, I made my cookies without any eggs and they turned out great.

A Linzer cookie cutter set looks like this. But you can  use couple small bowls/lids in different diameters to cut out the shapes.

Linzer Cookie:

2 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unblanched almonds, finely ground
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 sticks of softened butter (unsalted)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
pinch of salt

parchment/wax paper

To decorate the cookies:

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1 cup seedless raspberry jam.

Method:
1) Cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes with an electric beater.
2) Add flour, almond flour, cinnamon, cardamon and salt to the butter mixture to form a dough ball.

3) Divide the dough into four equal parts. Sandwich the dough between two parchment/wax paper sheets. Roll it out to 1/8-inch thickness. You will end up with four rolled dough sheets.Refrigerate for an hour.

4) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

5) Peel away top layer of the parchment paper. Using a  cookie cutter, cut out small rounds for the bottom part of the cookie. For the top part of the cookie, cut out round cookies with center shapes cut out i.e dainty hearts, stars or little teddy bears. Make sure you have even number of  bottom cookie and top cookie with a cut out to form a sandwich.

6) Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Cool

To assemble the cookies:

1) Dust the top part of the cookie with powdered sugar.

2) Put a dollop of jam on the bottom part of the cookie and now placed the sugar-dusted top part of the cookie to form a perfect sandwich.

Enjoy !

Coconut Water-Nariyal paani

Being from Mumbai, where you get fresh coconut water at every corner, I miss this delicious drink in the land of sodas. Somehow sugary frizzy soda products just cannot satisfy thirst like sipping on cool coconut water on a warm sunny day. Not to mention the guilt of flooding your body with heaps of sugar and caffeine is unbearable.

There is a certain fascination to watch Nariyalwalah ( Coconut seller) expertly slash off  tough coconut skin with a rusty looking knife to make a tinsy hole at the top for a straw. As if the coconut water is not enough, the malai ( cream inside the coconut) is another wonder in itself. In Mumbai, coconut sellers  make a spoon from discarded coconut skin to scoop out the malai. Every bite is creamy, sweet and oh so delish!

Back to my hankering for coconut water, it is impossible to get fresh coconut water in Atlanta. So packaged coconut water is my next best bet. When you think of packaged products , preservatives are inevitable. Not true. At Costco, I tasted VitaCoco. 100% pure coconut water with no preservatives. Sounds too good to be true. So I researched their website to find out more.  The only ingredients in each pack is coconut water ( Not from concentrate) and Vitamin C.  Per the website, young green coconuts harvested in Brazil are used in VitaCoco. So whats the verdict on the taste, you ask? Very very close to a  fresh coconut sans the malai. No fat, no cholesterol, five essential electrolytes, more potassium than two bananas..and super hydration. No wonder coconut water is the new Hollywood fancy diet. Starlets like Demi Moore are seen sipping this natures wonder for fab bod. Packaging of this product is super convenient too. No aluminium cans. 12 individual paper cans with all the natural goodness inside. Perfect to grab on the go. At Costco, price for a pack of 12 cans is around $15.

Post a comment if you have tried this product.

Asparagus and Fennel Soup

Cold weekends call for steaming bowl of creamy soup and a toasty sandwich to warm the insides. This asparagus and fennel soup will not let you down. It is super simple and delish!

Picture coming soon

Asparagus and Fennel Warm Soup

1 bunch of Asparagus
1 big bulb of Fennel
1 cup of  spinach leaves
10 whole peppercorn
2-3 cloves of garlic
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups of vegetable/chicken stock.
1/2 pack ( 4 ounces) cream cheese regular or fat free.
Salt

Method:

1. Trim the the woody stems of the asparagus and cut into 1 inch long pieces. Chop the fennel bulb ( it smells heavenly!). 
2. In a small stock pot, heat olive oil, peppercorn, garlic, bay leaves. Add spinach, asparagus and fennel. Saute until the fennel is soft.
3. Add stock and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the asparagus is soft. Discard bay leaves
4. Shut the heat and using a hand blender, blend right into the pot to get a smooth puree. Be careful while blending hot liquids.
5. Heat the puree on low and add small chunks of cream cheese. Cream cheese will melt to give a minty green colored smooth soup. Adjust seasoning. Add pepper powder if you like some heat. Enjoy with mozzarella, basil and tomato toasted sandwich.

Thalipeeth-Multi grain savory pancake

I decided to take a short break from posting toddler lunch ideas. No worries. I'll resume posting more quick & delicious lunch ideas for toddlers very soon. In the mean time, I wanted to add a post about thalipeeth, since many of you asked for more information.

Thalipeeth is traditionally made by dry roasting different whole grains and then grinding them together to give a wholesome flour mixture, bhajjani,  that is used to make the savory pancakes. Given that it is next to impossible to freshly grind flour here in Atlanta, the other alternative is to use flours and dry roast them on low flame for few minutes until aromatic.  Dry roasting the flours helps in digestion. So try not to skip this step. I highly recommend that you roast the flours individually before mixing them together. Each flour heats up and burns at different temperatures. If you roast all the flours together, chances are that the bhajjani will have a mild burnt taste. You can make a BIG batch of bhajjani, store in it an airtight container and use it over 6-8 months.The proportions listed below are not set in stone. You can add more or less of any flour of your choice. Generally, urad, besan and bajra flours are difficult for little tummies to digest and so they are in lesser amounts. For those who are skeptical about Nachani/finger millet flour, it is a nutrition powerhouse. Nachani Satva / Porridge made of nacahani, milk, ghee and jaggery is given to babies over 6 months because of its exceptionally high iron and calcium content. It also helps in healthy and gradual weight gain. For those with allergies, Nachani chi bhakri/flat bread is another great way to consume this super grain.

I make large quantity of the flour mixture, bhajjani,  once a year and then I use the mixture for making the  pancakes throughout the year. This saves me lot of time. 
Bhajjani
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup nachani or ragi (finger millet flour)
1/2 cup moong daal flour
1/4 cup besan ( chick pea flour)
1/4 urad flour
1/4 cup bajra flour ( millet flour)
1 tbsp rava ( cream of wheat)
2 tbsp of fresh roasted  cumin & coriander powder


Thalipeeth:
1 cup Bhajjani
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
Spinach leaves shredded -optional
1/2 tsp  turmeric
1/2 tsp Hungarian red pepper powder (or chilli powder for adults)
Pinch of garam masala
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:
1) Mix all the ingredients with water to make a soft dough.
2) Take 2-3  kitchen paper towels, bunch them together, soak them in water. Squeeze out excess water. Lay the wet towels out on a flat surface. Take a golf ball size dough, place it on the wet towels and usinng your fingers press the dough to form a circular flat shape ( like a thick roti). Make few holes in it.
3) Heat 1 tsp oil in a non stick pan.
4) Pick up the kitchen towel with the dough ( no it won't fall).Gently turn the wet towel upside down near the edge of the pan ( now you see why we soaked the paper towels first, they won't burn despite of touching the scorching hot sides of the pan). Cover and cook on both sides until crispy.

Thalipeeth is generally eaten hot with pat of butter ( yum!) or with yogurt. I like to have some koshimbir ( maharashtrian salsa) with it to make a balanced meal.

Easy Peasy Koshimbir:

1 cup coarsely chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped onions ( Yes, we love onions)

1/2 chopped cilantro

green chillies-optional

salt

pinch of sugar

1 tbsp of ground peanut.

squeeze of lemon juice.

Mix and enjoy!

Hungarian Kiffle- Eggless Cookie

Hungarian Kiffle

I had Hungarian Kiffle for the first time in Ohio. During the Christmas potluck at work, one of my co-worker used to bring a platter of these quaint shaped cookies. Now, let me tell you...these are not your usual Nestle Cookie dough slapped on a baking sheet...bleh. No No...these little morsels are divine. The filling is exotic yet simple. Apricot, crushed walnut, almond paste and prune..yum. Basically, you could tell that it took a lot of time and lot of love to make these phenomenal creations. Needless to say, I chased my co-worker  to share her great grandmother's recipe. The scrap of paper on which I wrote down the recipe was filed away safely and forgotten, until yesterday. I decided to muster the courage and make these cookies for my dear friends as part of the 25th post Giveaway.

This pastry dough has LOTS of butter and cream cheese but very little sugar. Sweetness comes from the different filling and the powdered sugar that is dusted on these cookies right before they are served with a cup of dark coffee or mint tea.  My friend's great grandmother used to make her own filing using dry fruits which takes a loooooong time. The new generation uses canned filing for the cookies. Please use Solo brand pie filing. This is a European brand that makes delectable filings for cookies. DO NOT USE FRUIT JAMS. The filing bubbles and thickens in the oven, some fruit jams will burn and become bitter. Solo is available in local Publix. I used apricot and poppy seed. If you can find a can of prune filing, grab it. Prune kiffle, also called 'Lekvar' are the best!

This pastry is tricky to work with because of the high butter/fat content. You have to work quickly and refrigerate the dough often.

Now, if you don't want to do all the work then there is an easier albeit an expensive way for you to still savor kiffles. You can order kiffles from the Kiffle Kitchen Bakery located in PA here 

Hungarian Kiffle:
Makes 36 cookies
2 1/4 cup All Purpose flour
1 cup of unsalted Butter which is equal to 2 sticks of unsalted butter-at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese-at room temperature
1 tbsp of milk
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cans of 12 ounce pie filling
Lots of Plastic wrap/wax paper

Method:

1) In a glass bowl, cream butter for 5 minutes using a hand mixer. Add cream cheese and continue the creaming process for another 5 minutes. This is an important step to get flaky pastry. Now add milk and sugar. Continue blending.

2) Sift flour, baking powder and salt.

3) Add flour mixture to the butter  mixture to form a loose dough. The dough will be nice and moist but not sticky.

4) Break the dough into 4 equal parts. Use two sheets of  flour dusted plastic wrap to sandwich the dough ball. Using your fingers press down the dough to form a 1/2 inch thick square sheet. Repeat for the remaining dough portions. You will end up with 4 dough sheets each sandwiched between plastic wraps.

5) Chill for 1 hour. The dough with the plastic wraps will look like the frozen parantha you get from the Indian store.

6)Preheat the oven to 375 degree.

7) Take only one sheet of the dough out of the refrigerator. If the sheet is frozen hard. let it sit on the counter for couple minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll over the plastic wrap to make 1/8 inch thick square ( as thick as a roti). The butter will melt in this process making it difficult to work, so pop the sheet back into the fridge for 3-4 minutes.

8) Take out the 1/8 inch thick sheet, using a pizza cutter trim the square to get even edges. Trims can be used again. Now cut out 2'-2' inch squares. Again, if need be, pop the sheet in the refrigerator to stiffen.

9) Put 1/2 tsp of filing in the center of the 2' inch square. Fold and pinch the opposite sides of the square, to form a swaddle around the filing.

10) Working very quickly transfer the cookies from the plastic sheet to the baking sheet. Lay them 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet.

11) Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Caramelized Onions, Potato & Gruyère Pizza

FoodTV is a BAD channel for a foodie like me! I don't remember if it was Rachel Ray or Giada from FoodTV that used potato and Gruyere in a Shepard's pie recipe. It looked soo cheesy and smooth, I was dreaming about it for a while. Yes, I dream about food and No, it is not unusual. Hmm

For dinner I made a white pizza with caramelized onions, sliced potatoes, roasted red peppers and Gruyere. Its a fool proof combinations of flavors. Sweetness of the roasted red pepper, crunchy texture of the onions, velvety potatoes and the cheese..ahhh. Gruyere has this nutty almost hazelnut like flavor that brings the dish together. I keep caramelized onions in my fridge all the time, its a great ingredient to jazz up rice and curries to make them extra special. A jar of roasted red peppers was bought on whim. A hunk of aromatic Gruyere was sitting in the fridge for few days. As if the stars were aligned, I actually had all my dream ingredients in the fridge...wooohooo. Save for the pizza dough, I had to schlep to the grocery store on the way back home.

The base sauce is basic Béchamel with grated Gruyere. Don't worry if there are any lumps in the sauce, after all we are going to slather it on the pizza dough. When the cheese melts it will be a thicker sauce that will stay on the dough. No runny mess. I highly suggest that potatoes are sliced really THIN. I added marinated jalapenos to add some tartness and spice. But its completely optional. Other flavors to consider, crushed garlic and mushrooms. Yummmm

Caramelized Onions, Potato & Gruyère Pizza

Sauce:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all purpose flour

2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of grated Gruyere

Salt

Heavy dose of fresh ground pepper

Pizza dough ( From Publix)

Toppings:

1/2 cup of grated Gruyere

1 medium potato sliced thin

1/2 cup of chopped roasted red pepper

1 cup of caramelized onions

5-6 slices of marinated jalapenos ( or more if you like it spicy)

Method:

Preheat the oven to highest temperature.

Sauce:

Melt butter in a pan and add flour. Roast for few minutes. Since the roux is for a white sauce, do not let the mixture change color. Add milk and stir. Add salt and pepper. Once the sauce starts to bubble add grated Gruyere cheese. Mix thoroughly and let it sit. Simple!

Pizza:

Spread the pizza dough in a greased baking sheet. Slather the sauce. Layer potatoes, red peppers. caramelized onions and jalapenos. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Reminiscing with Basundi

Whenever we have Satyanarayan puja at my home, it brings back memories. Memories... of my mother in silk saree polishing silver, a big pot of Basundi simmering on the stove, delicious aroma wafting from freshly pounded cardamon, dainty puris puffing up in hot oil, my father arranging bright yellow marigold toran and me listening to my grandmother talk about gratitude and devotion. Never thinking once that in few years I'll be remembering these very moments in a land far far away from home....

This year as I stirred Panchamrut for the puja, it suddenly hit me - here I am making memories for my son. Another generation. He was watching me with bright eyes as I laid out fruits and flowers, he was observing the priest arrange the kaalash, he was curious about his father's orange colored sovaale ......it truly hit me then, that traditions bind old and new generations. These seemingly routine rituals, truly inculcate a deep sense of belonging. It is important for our children to know their roots. How fortunate they are to have ancient knowledge in their heart and progressive thoughts in their mind !!

From traditions to food, typically, basundi is made with milk reduced to half by simmering it for a very LONG time. Not for me. It will take you 15 mins to make Basundi, my way. In the past, when I was feeling super adventerous, I added paneer to make rabbdi thicker. Rabbdi-Basundi, all in the same family, so I added grated paneer to the boiling milk. No, the milk does not curdle. Promise. The paneer melts in the boiling milk and gives a super creamy texture. But don't go all crazy with the paneer, adding small amounts will give you better texture.

Basundi

5 cans of evaporated unsweetned milk

1/2 cup of grated paneer

2 tbsp of milk powder

crushed roasted nuts, cardamon and saffron

sugar to taste

Method: Boil evaporated milk in thick bottomed pot. When the milk starts to boil, slowly add grated paneer and milk powder. Add sugar. Stir well. You can add more or less sugar per your taste. Let the mixture simmer for few minutes and it will start to thicken. Add crushed nuts like roasted pistachios, cashews and almonds. Or you can use the couple spoonfuls of Badam Feast mix. Refrigerate before serving with pooris.

Born to Eat Healthy

Why ohh why, will you give your little one those awwwwwful jar food..?? Have you tasted those atrocious goopy things sold as Baby Food. Yuck!

When Y refused to eat organic mashed carrots from the jar, I knew it was going to be a challenging ride. When the going gets tough, the tough gets..cooking.That's what I did, went into the kitchen and made my own batch of mashed carrots. My dear son happily licked his bowl.

This is no sermon but give homemade baby food a try before you outright dismiss it. It is EASY. CHEAP. NUTRITIOUS. Do you need more convincing?

There are zillion ways to make yummy tasty treats for your baby, that will gently nudge him/her to like fruits and veggies early on. If you are pressed for time, you can always make baby food and freeze it. It all works. You are still saving money and giving good nutrition to your child. It also gives you an opportunity to introduce new foods, textures and tastes at a pace that works for your baby. Can you do that with canned foods? Not to mention, think of all the preservatives in those jars.

I remember when Y did not like Avocados. He refused to even look at mashed avocados. Period. A quick search on the web and found this amazing website http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ . I came across a super easy recipe on the website posted by a reader, Dani, that called for Avocados, Blueberries and ripe Peaches. I added a banana and a splash of orange juice to the mix. Mashed it. My baby gobbled it up happily. Avocado -Mission Accomplished.

This and many more websites have tons of baby food recipes, helpful meal menus, potential food allergy alerts and also nutritional information about different fruits and vegetables. Everything, you need to plan a balanced meal for your precious little bundle.

For kids going to daycare, having homecooked meal is better since you don't want him/her to try new foods at daycare in your absence. At home, you can try out different foods and watch out for any potential allergy reactions. Send those 'safe' meals to daycare with your child.

Here are some tips that can help you in sending homecooked meals to daycare:

1) Talk to your daycare/caregivers well in advance. Some daycares do not allow outside food in their facilities, as a precaution for kids with allergy. Eggs and peanuts are common culprits. In our case, we got a doctor's note saying that my son should have home cooked meals and no new foods should be introduced without parental consent. However, given that there could be potential allergy situation, make sure that you don't send meals with eggs, peanuts, citrus or shellfish. EVER.

2) Label the food containers with your child's name and date it. This should avoid any mix up. Also, use microwavable containers which will be easier for the caregivers. Use insulated carry bags.

3) Talk to your child's caregiver about feeding schedules and portion sizes. This will help you portion each meal in different containers, avoid wastage and give you a better idea of how much your baby ate that day.

4) If you have dietary preferences such as no beef or no meat, put it in writing to the daycare management.

If you choose to delay introducing meat for couple years, sources of 'good' protein become essential. Enter, yellow Moong daal. This is a staple in India when introducing solids to babies. India's population is over 1 billion, we know a thing or two about raising babies! Moong daal - easy to digest, good protein content, super easy to cook and very mild to taste. It can be used in soups, khichadi or can be easily mixed with veggies such as spinach to make meals more wholesome. Aromatic spices work well with moong daal, as well. Here again, taste and goodness go hand in hand. Roasted cumin powder is carminative and relieves gas aches in little tummies. Turmeric has fantastic anti-inflammatory properties. Fresh coriander leaves dhania, is power packed with iron.

This recipe is for a very basic but yummy Moong daal khichadi for your tot:

1 cup of rice

1/2 cup of yellow Moong daal

3 cups of Water

1/2 tsp of turmeric

1/2 tsp of Cumin Powder

salt to taste

Veggies such as spinach, shredded carrots, sweet potatoes cubes, peas are optional but taste very good.

Fresh coriander chopped

Splash of ghee/clarified butter optional.

Method:

Wash rice and daal. Put all the ingredients, except coriander and ghee, in a rice cooker. If you are cooking for babies, blend the cooked khichadi to a porridge like consistency. Add ghee and fresh chopped coriander.

If you have any ideas or comment about baby food please share them.

Ras Malai- Queen of Desserts

Ras= fragrant sweet, thick milk Malai= creamy dumplings of cottage cheese (paneer)

As newly weds, when we were expecting M's family from Detroit for dinner, I had to pull out a show-stopper from my recipe collection. I made the queen of desserts, Ras Malai. Filled dainty silver bowls with soft paneer discs soaking in delicious golden yellow cool ras, garnished with saffron. It was a huge hit!

Granted it is a bit daunting, but trust me, make it once and you feel like 'Master chef'.

Pro's:

Show-Stopper ( I am lovin' this word)

Tastes divine

Is not your typical, super heavy dessert that is cloyingly sweet

Can be made a day before the party

Once you make Ras Malai, you can make rasgullas, cham cham and other paneer based yummies in jiffy.

Con's

Tedious to make ( worth the taste ....peeps!)

You need to use multiple pots and pans ( Not good for hubby who does all the clean up ...sad)

To make Ras Malai, you have to make fresh paneer. There is no simply no short cut. Also, the paneer needs to be soft and light which means you cannot overcook the paneer or it will become chewy. Big No.

About the Ras, traditionally, the recipe calls for simmering milk to make it rich and creamy. Instead, I use unsweetened evaporated milk. Unsweetened, so I can add sugar as per my taste and still get a yummy rich texture.

Ras Malai

For Malai/paneer dumplings

1/2 gallon whole milk

1/4 cup white vinegar

Cheese cloth

Bowl of ice cubes

2 tbsp powdered sugar

Syrup to cook the dumplings

6 cups of water

1 cup of sugar

Ras:

3 cups of whole milk

1 can of unsweetened evaporated milk

2 tbsp sugar

crushed roasted nuts

Saffron

Rose Water ( optional)

Method:

In pot # 1 , add 6 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar to boil.

In pot#2, warm milk, whisk in evaporated milk, saffron, sugar and crushed nuts. You can use badam feast or Everest milk masala, if you'd like. Be careful with the sugar amount, in that case. Let the Ras cool down, add a splash of rose water.

In another non stick pot# 3, bring the 1/2 gallon milk to boil. When the milk starts to boil, slowly add vinegar in small amounts, keep stirring. When the curd separates completely, shut the heat and pour all the ice cubes in the vessel. This will immediately stop the cooking process and the paneer will be super soft. Drain whey using cheese cloth. You can find cheese cloth in the cleaning section of Publix ( go figure!). Carefully make a small bundle of the cheese cloth with the paneer and hold it under cold tap water. This will again stop the cooking process and wash out the vinegar. Do not rush through this step. Take your time and give the paneer a thorough cold water rinse. Squeeze the bundle to remove excess water and you will see crumbly super soft creamy paneer. Sample some ( hehehe) to make sure that it does not have a tart taste.

Remove as much water as you can, add powdered sugar to the paneer crumbles in a plate, knead the two together to give a smooth dough like texture. This may take 10-15 minutes. Patience my dear Watson!

Break a piece of the paneer dough and roll it into a small disc. When you boil these dumplings in the sugar syrup, it will double in size, so portion it well. The sugar syrup should be boiling before you add the dumplings. Cover and let the dumplings cook in the sugar syrup for about 6-8 minutes. Carefully, remove and cool.

Squeeze out excess syrup from the paneer dumplings before you add to the Ras. Refrigerate overnight for super duper taste.

If you make any of my recipes, please post a comment and let me know how it turned out..!

My experiments with 'Naan'

For those who don't know what a Naan is (Where have you been living !). Its the quintessential bread in North Indian meal which is baked in a tandoor-clay oven. A soft buttery creation that looks so complex, you cannot imagine making it at home without the tandoor. Not true. Keep on reading and you'll see how you make this fluffy bread without a tandoor.

I had the best tasting Naans at two places so far. One, at a road side dhabba on our way to Agra ( no surprise !) and the other in an Indian restaurant in Pisa. Do you see the irony here? Eating Indian food 1000 miles away from the source and that too when I was in Italian food heaven. Its one of those silly things you do and then wonder why you did it anyways. The other compelling reasons were that back then, I was a new graduate on a tight budget backpacking through Northern Italy, it was very late and I could count on an Indian restaurant to serve me a decent meal ( even in Italy). Enough said that I had piping hot Naan slathered in butter with tangy chicken tikka masala while looking out in the distance at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Coming back to my post, there are many Naan recipes out on the web and I am going to add mine to that list. Original recipe was from Sanjeev Kapoor, adapted by yours truly.

Naan:

3 Cups Maida

1 tsp self raising Yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 cup of milk

1 tbsp oil

1 Egg Optional

Salt to taste

Butter per taste.

In warm water ( not Hot) add yeast, sugar, salt , milk, oil and beaten egg. Adding egg makes the Naan super moist and rich. You can also add beaten curd/yogurt to give a slight tart taste. Let the liquid mixture sit for couple minutes. Stir. Sieve maida. Slowly, add the liquid mixture to the maida to make soft dough. If you run out of the liquid mixture, just add milk. The dough should be VERY soft and sticky. Sticky dough will get you softer bread. Let it sit for 1 hour. Break of piece, the size of a medium potato, stretch it using your palms and dry flour to form the triangle shape.

To roast there are two methods

Oven: Preheat the oven to the highest temp. Keep the baking rack closer to the heat source. Spray baking sheet with Pam and place the stretched out naan on the pan. It should take 7-10 minutes, depending on the oven temp, for one side to cook completely. Flip the naan and cook the other side for couple minutes.

My preferred method -Stove top: I used the jaali that you get to roast papad. Spray it with Pam and place the triangular Naan dough on the jaali. Place the jaali with the dough directly on the flame. Carefully, without burning, cook one side just like you make phulkas. Flip and cook the other side.

Variations: Garlic naan, stuffed naan, the possibilities are endless.

Sharing the Sweetness

This is my first blog post ever......woohooo!

In almost all cultures, everything begins with food and ends with food. So without being an exception, my first post is about, you guessed it, FOOD.

Last weekend I made these melt-in-your-mouth flaky white chocolate cheese tartlets to take to the Guru Purnima Satsang. Satsangs are sweet celebrations filled with songs, devotion and gratitude. Sharing these little yummy morsels made the moments sweeter.

The original recipe called for bunch of ingredients but I kept it to a few pantry staples. I made the pie crust from scratch, you don't have to do the same. Infact, the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust is so much better and so much easier. The tartlets look complicated but with the store bought crust and a mini muffin pan , you can whip out a batch in no time. If you are pressed for time, grab one of those graham cracker pie shell instead of the pie crust and it is still a winner.

White Chocolate Cheese Tartlets

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust-at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese softened
4 oz melted and cooled white chocolate
1/2 cup of sour cream

Toppings:
Berries of your choices
Melted jam/preserve

Method:
Unroll the pie crust and using a cookie cutter cut out circles of crust that you can line the mini muffin pans. Blind bake the crust at 450 degree for 4-5 minutes. Once cooled, take the tart shells out and set them on a wire rack.

For the Filing: beat the cream cheese lightly, add sour cream and slowly pour the cooled white chocolate. Mix well. Fill the little tart cups with the filling. DO NOT BAKE.

Top the tarts with berries or seasonal fresh fruit. Brush with melted jam of your choice. Refrigerate.

Is this easy or what!