The Deep Fried Happiness - Thekua

 Yesterday I pulled out something ancient from the pantry. It’s made of wood and is called Thekua mould. My mother in law had got this for me because she feels I have an inclination for cooking which an ideal daughter in law should have but she knows that I write too and it’s important part of my life.

thekua mould 

So coming back to today’s post. Yesterday I discussed the recipe of thekua with my mother and aunts and finally pulled out all the ingredients together to try it. Since past few days I had been watching Servant series which had too much of food in it. That was another reason which pulled me in the kitchen. The batter was mixed and the patties were shaped and deep fried but I was not happy the way they turned out to be so I had involve my husband who is better cook than me.So in a way whole family was involved and later when my son tasted it, thekua reminded him of cookies. He has not eaten thekua which my grandmother would make but I want him to have this memory, that box of thekua which he can open and eat. That snack which I can pack for him anytime.

thekua 

Sweet and Tangy Memories - Papdi Chaat

 he texted me when I was preparing his lunch 

can you please add sweet chutney?
I always do I wrote him back.

he in this conversation is my son who is enjoying his home based learning which started last week. So now that we eat our lunch together at home I am trying to keep food interesting for him. So today when I asked him what he would eat for lunch his reply was chaat. So the papdi chaat was assembled for him and while I was doing the same he texted him. Chaat is therapy food for us and both the chutneys are essential ingredient for it. Now that we are at home a bowl of this takes us to India and brings back those colours which we have left behind. And I am happy that his childhood has the same old fragrance which I am carrying with me, he is a mcdonald kid but just like me craves Indian street food.

 Papdi Chaat 

paneer curry with methi leaves

I don't experiment much with panner most of the time its matar paneer or chili paneer bust since I had methi leaves in the fridge i thought of using it with cottage cheese.

paneer with methi leaves

Recipe name paneer with methi
ingredients
cottage cheese 300gm
half cup chopped and clean fresh fenugreek leaves
curried paste of onion tomato ginger garlic
salt as per taste
oil to cook
cashew half cup soaked in water
preparation
for the curried paste 
one big onion chopped coarsely
two tomatoes chopped coarsely
two garlic clove
one tbsp chopped ginger
masala powder as per taste - coriander , red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala
i usually sprinkle it
heat oil in wok add pinch of asafoetida and one tsp of cumin seeds let it splutter
add chopped onion and keep frying till it turns brown
add garlic ginger followed by tomato once must add powdered masala and salt
once  oil is seen aloo the sides remove from flame and let it cool.
make a smooth paste of this and keep aside
make paste of cashew and mix with curried paste
fry the cubed cottage cheese and keep aside
fry chopped methi leaves and keep aside.
in the same wok return the curried paste and add cottage cheese and methi leaves
keep stirring and slowly add water for gravy
let it simmer for few minutes
serve warm with chapati

be who you are a reminder for my son

dear advay
this post is about why its okay to eat in bed sometimes
yes sometimes i do this after i have finished all the morning chores carry my breakfast in a tray pick the book i am reading search for my favourite pillow and sit back and read and eat or watch something that's how i slow down or ignore the lists looking back its perfectly normal to drive away sometimes i know you do the same by locking yourself in bathroom very frequently specially during weekends to stay away from the noise and the things to do we list down for you
i love hw you balance your reading and studies
be who you are
love mummy
sharing pic of aloo tikiya chaat which i had when you were in school

aloo tikiya chaat 

phalahari aloo tikiya with chutney

every time my mother asks me did you apply henna a poem starts burning in my mind i think this is what memories does to me and now i have two poems on henna but this post is not about henna its about sawan month and the monday fasting.
yesterday i cooked phalahari aloo tikiya and paired it with dhania chutney
i mixed crumbled cottage cheese also in it for texture perfect with a glass of lassi on a lazy day
for aloo tikiya
in a mixing bowl mix two boiled potato with 100 gm go paneer half tsp of  red chilli powder and one tbsp of chopped coriander followed by pink salt as per taste
shape them in the form of patties and pan fry till brown from both sides
serve warm with chutney

phalahari aloo tikiya 

for chutney
in a blender add chopped coriander leaves one green chili one fourth tbsp ginger and pink salk as water as per required for blending.

a bowl of khichdi

a bowl of khichdi

since past few days i have been having sensitivity in one of the tooth so this menu was planned this weekend and paired with dhania chutney and baingan bharta
for moong dal khichdi

moong dal khichdi

two cup rice
one cup moong dal
salt as per taste
turmeric half tsp
for tempering
ghee one tbsp
cumin seeds one tsp
onion chopped small one

you can cook this in pressure cooker too i cooked this in tefal spherical pot rice cooker on porridge mode the time stated was one hr thirty minutes but this was ready in 40 minutes
for tempering heat ghee in non stick pan add cumin seeds and pinch of asafoetida once it starts spluttering add chopped onion and keep frying till brown and crispy
once the khichdi is cooked do the tempering and serve warm with bharta and chutney

The regular rogan josh

we all have that regular curry which is cooked at home that curry which doesn't need anything special just the regular ingredients which you know will go perfectly with a bowl of steamed plain rice.
its been years since i have been buying goat meat from this particular shop in tekka market little india singapore yesterday because i was in that area i had to go to that shop and the dinner menu was planned

rogan josh with steamed rice 

Roganjosh

now i need not look for recipe in the books i know what to add how much to add
ingredient
400 gm goat meat
three onions chopped coarsely
ginger garlic paste two tbsp
salt as per taste
one tsp each of red chili powder turmeric powder coriander powder and garam masala
curd one cup
pinch of asafoetida
one tsp of cumin seeds

procedure

heat two tbsp oil in a wok
add cumin seeds and hing followed by onions
keep stirring till onions become brown
now add mutton pieces and ginger garlic paste
once the mutton pieces become brown add powdered masala
ginger garlic paste and salt
stir for two minutes add curd and half cup of water
and cook for twenty minutes
after twenty minutes transfer the content to pressure cooker
pressure cook for three to four whistles
garnish with chopped coriander leaves
serve warm with rice.

weekend story - idli sambhar

I don't have many memories about idli being cooked at home dosa yes many times I tried doing the batter at home but now due to the availability of various brands of batter I get the batter and go ahead with the preparation . Last week my friend had passed me homemade dosa batter and I cooked idli for dinner , weekends things become easy when you are passed something like this I paired idli with sambhar cooked with homemade sambhar powder passed by another friend.
on a weekend the aroma of homecooked meal and the taste of other kitchen fragrance of home I could feel it as the family indulged in this simple comforting meal .this post is about the warmth pulled from one kitchen to another .mothers love packed in the pudi powder which I drizzeled on the idli the ghee from india what else you need on a weekend .

phalahari aloo for navratri

Its festival time again and this year has been roller coaster ride for me I can see the days flying and year 2018 will soon be around. As I write I know too many things are knocking on my mind but this post is not about those things its about festival time to reminisce about days gone and celebrate with family. Today is second day of navratri and I am missing the fun and gaiety here.
When did life become so busy as I write this I know what all I have to do today but this post I don't want to crib I want to bring the colours of India here fragrance of food cooked at home from a country where food festival means food.
Yesterday for fasting had cooked phalahari alloo which I had with curd and chai
Recipe blogged here
A simple meal which connected me to home .

and there are many more cakes - steamed cake

While growing up the only cake I has was pan cake , fruit cake and cream roll brought from a small bakery and the occasional birthday cake which would be too creamy slowly there was pineapple cake as we grew up which would have tiny bits of pineapple on the extra sugar cream layer with time I was introduced to black forest during my higher studies and to brownies and other fancy delicacies  and that's when I realised not all cakes are meant for us wheel of time brought me to Singapore and I thought I was in paradise so many to choose from more then cakes it was bun which enticed me so that's how I was introduced to croissant and other kind of bread this is how your childhood when you don't grow up in a metropolitan city and I don't think so I missed anything but yes life was different now a year in Lyon france made me fall in love with the breads there sold in the open market and now that I am back I am still trying each day something new always my eyes are searching for something new to relish - steamed cake is one such delicacy which appeased my taste buds its not creamy there are different flavours to choose from the one I had yesterday had berries in it light and flavourful perfect for my evening cup of chai .

and you were back - a letter

dear advay ,
this time it was different the wait was there but less of anxiety , I read a lot books after books and slept too so it was like holiday for my soul when you were away ,updates were sent but not too many in one pic I recognised you by your shoes in another by the colour of your shirt .only in one pic you were there smiling back as if telling us you are fine and we held that pic , the day you came back you showed us your hand which had a bandaid and the soles were ripped off from your shoes but you looked happy and you had stories to tell what else we needed
I will try to update this space more often
love
mummy

another festival which awashed me with memories - MahaShivratri

Another festival which takes me afar
I remember going to temple
And the mela and the rides
I remember it all
Morning I told my son
Today its shivratri

Shiva

But nobody told us
We knew there would be Shiva songs
On the street queue before temple
But now things have changed I need
To tell him
And I tell because that's how
Stories are shared memories is made
How can I end this just because
I am not in my country
And this is what your mother had
For breakfast
Fried makhana and chai

a soupy letter and other things for Advay

Dear advay
I know again it took me so many days to come here and write to you , what triggered this can be many things
- I am reading letters home by Sylvia Plath , I loved the way the book starts innocence of words excitement of new place its like listening to her yes words have that effect
- yesterday at bus stop you told me you had slight irritation in your throat and I told you why didn't you tell your father because being a doctor he can tell you better but your answer saddened me when you said he said its nothing and the way you said I could see it ,evening when your father was back I told him and he had look of guilt on his face the thing is dear son you are just like me direct , you don't keep anything but if you feel bad you never forget it.
- when you came back from school you had slight cold you asked me to cook soup I could understand why you asked last time when your father was sick I had cooked the same so maybe now you know if you are sick its soup but you are lucky I don't have such memory we would eat the same food cooked and there was no one to ask but lets not go there now just in case in future you have the craving to eat
It was mutton do pyaza which I had made soupy  sharing recipe below

Ingredient
Mutton pieces 4
Onion two chopped
Ginger one fourth chopped
Garlic six chopped
Salt as per taste
To temper
One tbsp mustard oil
Pinch of asafoetida
Cumin seeds one tap
Bay leaves two
Crushed red chilli one
To be added later
Coarsely pounded  cardamom one  black pepper six
Clove five and kebab chini
Pinch of turmeric and garam masala

Procedure
heat oil in non stick wok
Add tempering ingredients followed by
Chopped onion ginger and garlic
Let it brown once translucent
Add mutton pieces let it cook for 10 minutes
After that add powdered masala salt
Coarsely pounded whole spices
Stir nicely and one cup of water
Pressure cook for five to ten minutes
Serve warm with wholemeal bread ..