It is raining strawberries here. I do not know how many pounds of strawberries we have consumed so far. Couple of weeks back they were for selling for 99 cents a pound. The big, bright red strawberries are luscious & irresistible, & moment I see them my limbs freeze at the spot till I get to grab a few boxes. This preserve is one of the things I did with them. Not just with toasts, a small spoon of the preserve is serving me well to satisfy my after meal “dessert” craving.

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Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful MOMS out there!!  Indulge, Pamper yourselves & Have a Blast!

While I impatiently sat at the dentist’s office, leafing through the stack of magazines, I came across a name of a recipe, which became the inspiration of this Berry Soup. It was  some Chilled  Soup with Mint Vanilla Crisps. I do not recollect reading the recipe. Most of berry soups I looked elsewhere,  had cream or yogurt swirled into it, & somehow all those reminded me of a smoothie. I agree they are not the same, but the way the brain gets wired once, it is hard to let go.

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A no frill, no fancy quick recipe. This is done in my kitchen pretty often, esp. on the weeknights when I need to cook  quick & have balanced meal of veggies & proteins for the family. The carrots are crisp here but brimming with flavors. Cooking them a little bit, brings out the sweetness & richness of the taste.. This serves as great side dish when you have company too.

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We have a very dear friend who has helped me invigorate my kitchen with a very steady supply of Rosemary. He owns two big bushes, & all I have to do is call him to get a bagful of fresh Rosemary. Who can resist cooking with fresh herbs as aromatic as Rosemary?

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From Lisa’s Kitchen!

The very first time I got introduced to Lisa’s blog was when I had participated in the Dec’s NCR, hosted by Holler. Lisa has the most amazing collection of recipes, very original, & with a variety of  wonderful combination of flavors from around the world. I love the way she uses the spices… her passion just shows.

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Potatoes & Fenugreek Seeds

Tucked away among the tiny villages in the colorful and beautiful deserts of Rajasthan, nestles a oasis surrounded by cool shady trees. This haven of peace is the Ashram – Bala. We had the privilege to visit this place last time we visited Jaipur and paid our respects to SatiMata. We also had the privilege to have our lunch here, inside the cool thick walls where no air condition is needed even when it is 90 degrees outside.

Along with all the other delicious dishes we had for lunch, there was this particular dish which I liked the  best even though I did not and could not figure out what I was eating, other than it had cubes of potatoes in it. This was something which I had never eaten before… Later I had found out that the main ingredient which felt like a kind of lentil to me, was actually green fenugreek(methi) seeds cooked like a vegetable!! I cook green fenugreek (methi) leaves, use the seeds and Kasuri Methi as spice/seasoning. But never ever did I imagine that the unripened fenugreek seeds can be cooked too. They lack the bitterness of the seeds which we usually use as spice.

I never found green fenugreek seeds here, but I was suggested to soak the regular ripened fenugreek seeds overnight as an alternative. This takes away some of the bitterness (they are still a wee little bitter), and also swells up to a soft plump, which makes it possible to cook it like a vegetable.

This dish is so very different. I was just going to post it when I came across the Herb Mania Fenugreek Event. What timing!!

This goes to the Herb Mania Fenugreek Event hosted by RedChillies.

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup Fenugreek(Methi) seeds
2. 2 medium sized Potatoes
3. 1 inch ginger peeled
4. 4-5 Cloves of Garlic
5. 4 Hot Green Peppers (like Serrano)
6. 1 Tomato chopped
7. 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
8. 2 teaspoons Red Chili Powder (adjust to your taste)
9. Salt
10. 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
11. 3 tablespoons Oil
12. 1 tablespoon Plain Yogurt
13. 1 teaspoon Ghee (for Tarka)
14. 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder (for Tarka)
15. 1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro for garnish

Preparation:

Soak the fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Wash them thoroughly and strain out the water.

Peel and cut the potatoes in to 1″ cubes. Sprinkle salt and turmeric on them and set aside. Heat oil and fry the potatoes till they start to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Blend Ginger, hot green pepper, garlic and tomato in a puree. Pour this in the same oil the potatoes were fried and simmer till the oil separates from the sides. Add the Potatoes and the Fenugreek seeds. Mix it so the pureed tomato and ginger garlic coats the potatoes and the seeds. Fry for about 8 – 10 more minutes.

Mix Turmeric, salt, coriander powder and red chilli powder in half cup of water and pour it in the pan. Cover and cook till the potatoes are tender. It should not dry up completely. There should be enough water to coat the potatoes and the seeds and a little bit more. Add more water if its too dry. Add the Plain yogurt mixed with little water. Simmer uncovered at low heat for another 10 minutes.

Switch off the heat. Now for the Tarka, heat the ghee and when smoking hot add the chilli powder and immediately pour it on the potatoes and fenugreek. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Fenugreek seeds & Potatoes with Poori

Serve with Poori or any Indian bread. Best tasted with Poori and Shrikhand on the side.

It is Indo Chinese. It is Chinese ingredients given a strange but lip smacking Indian twist. Chinese Bhel is Crispy Noodles with vegetables, tossed with sauce.

College crowd grouped in street corners and Chinese Bhel remind me very much of the street side food stall culture in India and how everything is prepared at lightning speed to cater to so many waiting in the line. And that’s where it tastes the best!!  It is also a great quick fix snack for unannounced guests in the evening. So here it is – the crunchy, munchy Chinese Bhel. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups noodles (Any kind noodles like small bags of Hakka noodles, Ramen or Maggi Noodles are good to use).
2. 2 tablespoon chopped red onion
3. 2 Serrano peppers chopped (Optional)
4. ½ cup cabbage very finely shredded
5. 1 Roma tomato chopped
6. 2 tablespoons green bell pepper chopped
7. 2 tablespoons Cilantro very finely chopped
8. 2 stalks of green/spring onion chopped
9. 1/2 teaspoon very very finely julienned fresh ginger
10. 2 tablespoons Oil

Optional:

Any vegetable of your choice (Shredded carrots, chopped baby corns etc)

For the sauce:

1. 1.5 teaspoon chunky peanut butter
2. 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce
3. 1 tablespoon ketchup
4. 1 teaspoon vinegar
5. 1 teaspoon Sriracha or any hot sauce (Optional)

Preparation:

Break the noodles in to pieces (Do not crumble them), so they are separated, and not in clumps. Heat oil and fry the noodles at low heat, frequently tossing it around so all the noodles are cooked. It should look light brown and should be crispy to taste. Set aside.

Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce.

Place the fried noodles in the serving bowl and add all the above ingredients except the sauce. Toss.

Spoon the sauce uniformly over the noodles and toss again.