A Raita without yogurt!

June 3rd, 2004, Viewed: 213 times

Must be thinking of how is it possible to have a raita without yogurt. Well here is a recipe {a low calorie, enriched with minerals and vitamins} in which you replace the yogurt with tomatoes. It is worth trying, specially in summer, the cool moist cucumber with it’s high water content really cools you from inside!

Ingredients
3 tomatoes (large)
2 tsp mint leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp cumin powder (roasted and powdered)
1 cup cucumber peeled and cut in very small square pieces
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Common salt to taste
1 tbsp black salt
1/2 tsp oil

Method
Put some oil on your fingertips and rub it all over the tomatoes.
Broil the tomatoes in the oven. Turn it around and make sure it is roasted well on all sides.
After the tomatoes are broiled, let it cool in a bowl.
Once it has cooled, put the tomatoes {without peeling the black roasted covering} in a blender. Add the red chilli powder, black salt, common salt and blend the tomatoes.
Once done, pour the content of the blender back in the bowl. Add the cut cucumber and the roasted cumin and the lemon juice. Season it with mint leaves.
Enjoy the cucumber in the tomato!

- Shephali

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Rava Upma - Delicacy for all seasons

May 13th, 2004, Viewed: 144 times

In my previous post I mentioned about a recipe named Rava Upma. This is a south Indian dish and can be eaten as a snack at teatime or breakfast. It has been passed on to me by my mother. Well here is how to prepare this dish for which my husband is crazy!

Ingredients
1 cup Rava (Semolina, Suji)
2 tsp.mustard seeds
1 stalk curry leaves
5 tsp. coriander leaves chopped
3 green chillies chopped
1 onion (medium size) chopped coarsely
2 tbsp. oil (refined)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2-3 cups boiling water
2 (medium size) tomato chopped evenly
1/4th cup green peas
1 potato (big size) chopped evenly into small pieces salt to taste

Method
Heat oil in a heavy pan.
Add mustard seeds and wait till you hear a cracking sound.
Add curry leaves and potato. Fry till the potatoes are almost cooked.
Now add the green chillies and onions. Stir and saute till the onions are pink.
Add the green peas, tomatoes, coriander leaves and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add the the semolina and stir continuously till the semolina gives out a nice aroma and is a little brown in color.
It takes about 7-8 minutes to roast the semolina on low heat.
Add the salt and lemon juice and stir. Carefully pour in 2 cups boiling water and stir well.
Use a long handled ladle for stirring to keep away from the spluttering.
Keep on low heat and simmer for 2-3 minute still the water evaporates. If it feels too dry, add more water and stir.

Rava Upma is ready to eat!

- Shephali

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How much I love cooking?

May 13th, 2004, Viewed: 157 times

I always dreaded cooking. Before my marriage, my biggest concern was whether I will be able to cook? Everyday? I guess I need to provide some context hear. I am (for those you haven’t yet figured out) a typical Indian housewife. Indian wives by tradition are supposed to cook wonderful food for their husband - if not the whole household! So coming back to my big concern - how will I have the stamina to sustain myself through the whole process of cooking? And that too Indian food! I discussed my problem with my mother many times. The answer I got was very straight - “you will get used to it “. Well, I must admit she was right. I have really gotten used to it.

Now the question arises - DO I ENJOY cooking? Well, I have a very diplomatic answer for this. I love cooking special recipes on special occasions. Hmm…so the bottom line is, I don’t enjoy cooking everyday! Doing the same meal (the staple diet which consists of rice, pulses and vegetables) is really monotonous affair for me. Anyway, you have to live and for that you need to eat and in order to eat you need to cook.

Now, I can eat outside if I want to instead of cooking, but then both the purse and the stomach won’t allow it! So all these days of cooking has taught me that the key to being a good cook is PATIENCE. Well…Duh! Another important reason for eventually overcoming my fear of cooking (everyday!) is my husband’s unabashed love for whatever I cook! Really! He just loves my cooking and that has helped me in developing a passion for cooking. One of the food he relishes is “Rava Upma”. A south Indian speciality that requires a lot of preparatory work. If he be given a choice to select the food for his three meals, I bet on it that he will choose this dish every single time! And to think that he did not even like it when I had first met him! As I mentioned above, this dish takes a little time to cook but then I cook it almost everytime he wishes to eat. Needless to say my love for cooking is growing for some specific reason but the fact remains that I don’t love to cook everyday!!

- Shephali

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