Quick Salad recipe – Thanksgiving Special

W Winters or summers, salads have no restriction to be cherished. I relish salad always since predominately I know they are healthiest form of eating vegetables and getting vitamins and minerals. But what fascinates me the most is it not just healthy, fresh and rejuvenating but it also can be in just few minutes. So quick to make and eat healthy.

Since, Thank-giving day is round the corner and a season of holidays, we need to spend more time with family and cook healthy for them. This is one recipe which can be transformed into so many variations creating new flavours to suit best to your taste buds, (written below in Notes*).

I’m here sharing a basic version rich in Vitamin C and nice sweet-sour crunchy flavours. This is a salad I often make and also make sure that I eat every alternate day.
Interesting part is we are adding garbanzo beans, the chickpeas and not the chicken ;)
So I’m sure all my dear veg-food lovers will love this easy recipe.

For two pax you will require...

INGREDIENTS:

• Chickpeas/ garbanzo beans: 50 grams (Soaked overnight or for at least 6hrs latter boiled till soft.)
• Black gram: 50 grams (Soaked overnight or for at least 6hrs latter boiled till soft.)
• Cucumber: 1cup (peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes)
• Onion: 1nos. (diced and washed in water)
• Capsicum: ½ cup. (dry roast the capsicum)
• Green chillies: 1nos (fine chopped, OPTIONAL)
• Coriander/Cilantro leaves: 4-5 twigs (fine chopped)
• Orange slice: 4-5 slices (peel, remove the seeds and cut them into small chunks)
• Britannia NutriChoice Cream Cracker biscuits: 4-5nos (OPTIONAL)

SEASONING:

• Salt : to taste
• Sugar: ½ teaspoon
• Lemon juice: 1 table spoon

PREPARATION:

• Wash and soak chickpeas/ garbanzo beans overnight or for at least 6hrs in water.
• Latter boil them or pressure cook them until soft in water with 2 teaspoon of salt. And keep it into the freeze to cool down.
• Now peel the cucumber and dice it. Keep aside.
• Same with onion cut them into dice shape and wash it in water so that the bitterness of onion gets less.
• Take a capsicum/bell pepper, force a fork into it and directly roast on the heat. Keep turning it holding the fork. Roast until you find its skin bit of burning. Cool it down. Then scrap the burnt skin with same fork or knife. It is to give just a bit hint of roasting taste in the salad.
• Chop fine the green chilli. You might like to deseed it to make the salad less hot.
• Take few slices of oranges. Remove the skin, peel it, de-seed it and cut them roughly into small chunks.
• Fine chop the coriander leaves.

METHOD:

• Mix well all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Squeeze the lemon.
• Add the seasoning to taste.
• Take the biscuits, lightly crush them and add them into the same mix of bowl. Mix all and Voila! Serve cold or room temperature.

NOTE:

• You may use one ounce of Chickpeas/ garbanzo beans rinsed and drained from the can.
• I have not used even a drop of oil and any kind of strong spices into it and that was the target to keep it simple, fresh and healthy
• You may like to use carrots, boiled potato, few chopped mint leaves or few crushed pistachio nuts or walnuts.
• You may take any and ‘n’ number of lentils, boiled or sprouted.
• The same recipe with a tint of cream will give a rich flavour.
• I sometimes like to add two spoon of curd.
• You may like to add sweet tomato sauce if serving to kids.
• Britannia NutriChoice Cream Cracker biscuits are amazing, adds crunch and texture to whole salad. It is with no added colors and flavorings for taste. It is this neutral taste that makes it an ideal choice to be consumed with hot beverages, dips, chutneys, and accompaniments. So keep creating new recipes.

Change the ingredients just a bit and you will find a total new dish with same fresh flavours and colors. Cooking is all about just cooking healthy. Innovation in cooking recipe comes naturally to suit best your taste buds.

Perfection at its best – Best Cake in Bangalore

When you eat cake does it make you think anything....?

Well most of the time I’m so into the cake and chocolate that I forget all my stress of the day and indulge into the sweetness of the cake. No doubt studies on chocolates have proved that Chocolate works as a stress reliever apart from adding as a tint of celebration in life.

In the beginning of this month, it was my uncle’s birthday; he brought a chocolate cake at home. Well what is so different about that cake...okay...it is just a cake, a silly chocolate cake!

O Heavens! It is chocolate cake...and nothing casual about it, I swear!

I being a foodie am very specific about food and texture it bring while eating. Apart from while eating and enjoying the moment, I look forward to the flavour and feeling that brings in mind and mouth latter on after eating.

“ That day chocolate cake was heaven melting in mouth leaving a long lasting smooth texture of pure dark chocolate. But the thing that struck me about the cake which makes it unique is that after three days keeping in the fridge, it tastes the same. The cake lives through the same as the day it was made fresh. The sponge sandwiched between the chocolate layering making a high layer note. They are still intact, sweet, soft, and moist at the same time not at all soggy or mushy in nature.

Well this is the best part of the cake that after three days also you are not disappointed and feel the same rejuvenation after having even a small bite of the heaven chocolate cake. (Of course I love cake but I can’t eat 2.2 pound cake in one day :P )

Few days back again, it was my marriage anniversary, I thought of getting the cake from that same place. But for a change I thought of having a Vanilla/fruit cake.

“Now how interesting could be the simple fruit cake, decorated with fresh kiwis, pieces of pineapple, red juice cherries on top and raspberry sauce layering in between dashing a sweet tangy the vanilla flavour sponges. Well I know, it sounds usual but what matters at the end of the day in the cake is the cream. The rich cream and so well prepared that even after three days the cream does not tastes sour at all.

It was just as so sweet and so smooths rich in texture, just an absolute perfection lasting longer in mind as a sweet memory of the flavour and food.

Yesterday in a party I interesting got an opportunity to meet those chefs + team who are simply magicians in the bakery.

Young, smart, vibrant...wonder who says one need to be old to be skilled and experienced. One being skilled is God Gifted. And definitely such chefs are gifted who pays attention to little details which reflects perfection in very gesture. Passion diffusing in all little and big efforts bringing in smiling at the guest face. A guest, who remembers and recalls every sweet memory that sweet smell and taste buds created by the chef in the kitchen and celebrates every day.

I still remember and recall the chef who made cake at my birthday in my childhood. (ref. A life time journey from Bombay to Mumbai) And always lots of blessing flow from heart for them who makes our days so unforgettable and exclusive.

Now I give a credit to the techniques taught by the establishment/hotel which teaches some major secrets to create some exceptionally marvelous recipes and also absolutely I adore the gifted skills of the chefs working practically putting together the secrets of the establishment rules and skills of personal experience.

When we asked them, what is the secret of their awesome work? They did not say anything but gave a smile! I think even they are not aware what every time clicks into the perfect cake...is it the recipe in total or an individual skilled hand making a difference or the texture and temperature of the dish!

I believe the secret ingredient of the perfect cake is the happy mood motivating the cake sweetening the celebration!

Tons of thanks to Taj!
Wishing all grace to Chef Gopal and Chef Muthanna!

The Taj West End
#25, Race Course Road Bangalore
Call today to get your delicious cake Tel: (91-80) 6660 5660

NOTE: I’m not here to compare the cakes of other shops or being paid to give a good review....this is my personal view and here I share my taste-buds experience! Share your sweet cake story!

easy quick diet Pink-Sandwich

Hi dear friends,
It’s been quite a long to have come up with a new recipe.
Perhaps, it’s not only a comeback but ‘coming up with a bang’ with an awesome recipe!
However this recipe is contributed by my very dear friend Mahesh, which I have given some of my personal attributed tastes.
I’m simply a lover of sandwiches.
For they are not only very quick to make, yet I do consider them one of the healthiest food one can enjoy at any time of the day. Beautiful amalgamation of colourful fresh vegetables with hints of spicy sauces and tints of sweet touch of honey makes it my favourite sandwich to enjoy at happy hours!

It’s, crunchy, sweet, spicy, juicy, healthy, fresh, bright in color...and just what not...titillating the taste buds!

To view an Enlarge picture Click Here.

Precisely, I loved this combo of vegetables.
And often I make some extra stuffing which I like to eat as a salad. Well that is the beauty of this recipe!

Trust me, the words cannot depict the best of this recipe; you really have to try ones at home. I bet you will be a fan of this pink sandwich.

Ingredients:

• Brown bread – 4 slices
• Shredded carrots beet root - ½ cup
• Shredded cabbage (red) - ½ cup
• Sliced tomato – 1 small
• Sliced capsicum – ½
• Sliced onions – 1 small
• Light diet mayonnaise – 1tablespoon
• Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chat masala (optional) - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil - 1/2 tsp
• Salt for taste
• Lemon juice (optional) - 1 tbsp
• Tabasco - few drops
• Tomato ketchup (optional) - 1 tbsp
• Honey – 1tbsp

Making of Sandwich:

• Take whole wheat bread slice.
• Spread lightly low fat butter over the butter
• Mix all the shredded vegetables in a bowl.
• Add all condiments & sauces in the same bowl.
• Add the vegetable stuffing on the bread.
• Place the sandwich in griller or lightly heat it on the pan.
• When done cut into half and serve with ketchup.

Note:

• Prefer brown bread, diet mayonnaise, and low-fat butter!
• Add as many colours of vegetable to make it much healthy.
• Certain things are optional in the recipe yet each one if added has a completely different flavour.
• And as always, I want you to note your taste buds desires and experiment with certain ingredients you prefer,
• I have added red-cabbage, though you can add normal green cabbage as a substitute.
• However, beetroot is just a must to add, to enjoy completely different flavour of the sandwich.

Chef Bio:
_Mahesh Shrisat:

We studies together Hotel Management from IHM, Guwahati,Assam, which have this year bagged 2nd.rank in academics amongst all IHMs Institutes in India.(clickLINK).  Going back to the lanes of old days, I recall so well, how good Mahesh was with some amazing in culinary skills supporting his style of cooking. When he came up with this recipe, I knew it sure it gonna be something easy yet with a sweet twist. And here it was the 'Beetroot' which gave completely different flavor to this whole simple  sandwich making it the best of all.   

_Today, he being in the hospitality industry serves the high regard hotel. He is a complete food- lover, enjoys Indian as well as Italian cuisine and have recently developed an interest in diet-food to prevail a passion for healthy eating. *Making the best out of the left over or just any thing available at home reflects the spontaneity of his way of cooking. Hope, he contributes “Butter Punch” readers more with his new ideas and healthy diet recipes. Thank you so much for the initiative!!

Quick Indian Snack - Samosa recipe

One fine day one of my friend asked me, “How we-Indians got independence?”
I said we fought, struggled and latter got the freedom.

To this my friend said a story behind this fact that how we actually got the freedom from the Britishers. My friend said that one fine day the Britishers were invited by Gandhiji over a evening snack gathering. Those were served then with ‘Samosas’ with the tea. The Britishers got so amazed to see the Samosas. They wondered how come the potatoes went inside the samosas without a cut, slip or any opening. They were so surprised with the culinary skills of Indians and they gifted us by signing a treaty of freedom, the Independence. Perhaps, it’s the Samosas that we owe our freedom!

Samosa

Well on the serious note, that’s all not true yet there have been so many stories attached the making of Samosas. For Samosas are truly delight tasty little savoury patties originated from India. In India, it is available every hook and corner of the street, quite cheap, easy to make and full of strong appetizing flavour.

Every person have their own signature way of making and adding the ingredient...yet I’m presenting the basic and the easiest way of making this snack that would be served at your tea-time or any time of the day when you like to munch a bit!

::The ingredients make around 15-20 samosas ::

FILLING/Stuffing

• Potatoes – 3-4 Nos.
• Peppercorns -20
• Fennel seed / sauf – 2teaspoon
• jeera/Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon
• red chille powder – 1-2 teaspoon
• coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - 2 teaspoon
• Dry mango powder (aamchur) – ½ teaspoon
• Green peas – ½ cup (optional)
• Oil – 2tablespoon for frying

Samosa-WRAPPERS

• White flour (Maida) - 1 cup
• Oil – 1 tablespoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Enough water to make soft dough

Making of Stuffing:

Making of stuffing for Samosa

• Boil potatoes until tender.
• Clean and roughly mash it (coarsely so that some pieces remain partly mash).
• Now take a pan and heat it.
• Add peppercorns, cumin and fennel seed and slightly roast them to enhance the flavour. Ones the aroma robust out cool it. Now grind roughly into powder.

• Heat oil in the pan.
• Add the spices, give it a slight stir and then add the mashed boiled potatoes with other dry spices.
• Mix well and fry till evenly dry. Let it cool, keep aside.

Making of Wrappers and samosa:

Making of Samosa Wrapper

• Mix the flour with oil, salt and water and knead about 5 minutes.
• The dough should turn soft and elastic but not sticky.
• Mould the dough into tiny walnut-sized balls.
• Latter sprinkle some flour on ground and roll them into round shape, like we do for making roti (Indian Bread).
• Now, cut sliding the knife the round shape into two parts like half circle.
• Take the one half circle shaped roti into your hands in such a manner that the round shape remains on top.
• Try folding the two ends of the roti making it look like a small cone.
• Now stick the two ends by gliding a drop of water over the ends of the roti making it as a cone.
• Fill the mash potatoes stuffing with the help of the small spoon.
• Ones it is done rub the water with the finger over the opening, again seal the ends.
• It will look more or less like a small triangle shaped.

Making of Samosas

• Mean while heat oil in the deep pan.
• While the oil is being heated make some more samosas.
• Now drop a small piece of dough into the heated oil to see if the oil is ready for frying_if the dough instantly rise and comes floating on the top of the oil surface, the oil is ready to fry.
• Now fry 3-4 samosas in one go in the heated oil.
• Keep stirring with the ladle and ones the color changes to light brown remove them from oil.
• Take then only the tissue paper to remove excess oil.
• They will look golden brown, crisp and tempting.
• Serve hot with tomato sauce or green coriander chutney or curd with pomegranate seed.

Note:

• The dough should be kneaded well. It should barely stick to the fingers, but release easily. The oil shall help in making the elastic consistency of the dough.
• Add as much or less of spices you like. Experiment and keep building new tastes. Stuff with other things like, paneer (cottage cheese), minces chicken stuffing or any other vegetable stiffing. The choice is yours.
• Not necessary to make the Samosas into triangle shape, though originally their shape is such. However, make round, rectangle just any shape you consider is apt and convenient to you. One can also try making by folding the roti in half with the stuffing and frying.
• Do not hesitate to sprinkle some more white flour if the dough sticks.
• Adding aamchur/dry mango power in the stuffing helps to enhance the taste and also helps in preserving the Samosas for some time. Perhaps, you can store samosas for two days at least. Though you won’t be able to for they are so delicious and tempting to consume quickly.

This recipe lip-smacking snack Samosa is dedicated to Cadbury!

Fibromyalgia Cookbook

Cook book are everywhere. And hundreds of more get published every year. Finding a good cook book has become tough. I came across the preview of a wonderful cookbook and I still don't know how to spell 'Fibromyalgia'. Ok, whatever, take a look.
Fibromyalgia Cookbook

So many cook books getting published every day, the best way to find the best is previewing a lot of them and then selecting the one that charms you eye the most.

Corn Veggie Soup Recipe

Manjulaskitchen.com is a great website for Indian recipes. Being a Gujarati means you don't get to eat a lot of soup except you go to a Punjabi or Chinese restaurant once in a while. Cooking soup at home is something I've always wanted to learn.

Manjula Aunty teaches us how. Her insights on cooking are so good and enjoyable. Her style of narration is good and momly. Visit her Manjulas kitchen youtube channel to view more of her cooking.

If you enjoyed the soup, you'll probably enjoy her other recipes too! It's time someone took notice and made a TV show out of her.

Easy Meal – Healthy Pasta

Kindly Note: This recipe is a Guest-Post. The Bio of the Chef is given at the end of the post.

Come one come all to the “tofa-kitchen” *...
Fusion cuisine with lots of innovations makes this recipe quite easy to prepare.
And as goes the words of the chef, he says he wants to win the heart through your little tummy with this yummy Pasta!

The colorful vegetables makes it distinct recipe.
People have this assumption that pasta dish always have cheese…but this recipe does not have cheese added into it yet a quick making method with the charming picturesque will make you cheese instantly!



PASTA snippet :
"The word pasta is also used to refer to dishes in which pasta products are a primary ingredient. It is usually served with sauce.
There are hundreds of different shapes of pasta with at least locally recognized names.
Pasta is categorized in two basic styles: dried and fresh. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored for up to two years under ideal conditions, while fresh pasta will keep for a few days in the fridge. Pasta is generally cooked by boiling." (ref. wiki)

Pasta is nutritious. Pasta is a good source of B vitamins, iron and niacin. It is very low in sodium and is cholesterol free. Pasta meals are efficiently healthy foods. Pasta being paired up with lots of vegetables, tomato sauces, beans, and poultry leads it to be the complete pasta meal which is so nutritious and satisfying.

I hope you will sure enjoy and definitely try this recipe at home! Trust me making own your own pasta at home is so fulfilling especially when the recipe is easy to make!


Ingredient for Pasta-Making:

• Pasta – 1 cup
• Cabbage – ½ cup (shredded)
• Carrots – 1 cup or 1-2 Nos. (sliced)
• Beans – ½ cup (chopped)
• Capsicum - 1 cup (sliced)
• Tomatoes – 3 Nos. (1 cup paste)
• Garlic – 8-10 pods
• Onion - 1 medium (sliced)
• Green chilies – 2Nos. (optional)
• Olive oil – 2 tbps
• Salt – according to taste
• Black Pepper – Fresh crushed

Making of Pasta:

• Heat water in the deep pan. Ones boiling point of water add the pasta.
• Add a 1 teaspoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt into it.
• Cook until pasta turns soft. Pass through the sieve and keep aside.
• Blanch the tomatoes, de-seed them and make the paste out of it.
• Cook the tomato paste with some crushed garlic, chili paste & soya sauce (optional) with mild seasoning.
• Now mix the boiled pasta with the tomatoes paste/sauce and keep aside.

• Cut all the vegetables. Some fine chopped some roughly chopped.
• Heat oil in the pan and add the vegetables and cook. Cook until soft. Keep on medium heat.
• Add the seasonings.
• It will take around 3-5 minutes to turn the vegetables look a bit glossy and soft.
• Then add the pasta soaked into the tomato sauce prepared earliar. Mix it well carefully with the vegetables.
• Cover the pan and let it cook and simmer again for next 4-6minutes on medium heat.
• Add on the top some more fresh roughly crushed black pepper and some sweet-sour tomato sauce (any brand).
• Serve hot with the slice of garlic breads!!

Note:

• Take any kind of pasta you like...in the market variety of shapes and size of Pasta are avilable.
• Do not over cook the pasta while boiling, for it might get messy latter.
• Mix well the pasta and cooked vegetables delicately or else the pasta might break.
• Any sort of indo-chinese recepie is cooked on high flame not low in order to keep it crispy and crunchy.
• Add the baby-corns, mushrooms or any vegetable you like. Make it more colorful and delighting.
• This recipe has no cheese added into it for a fine change. Perhaps this makes this recipe much healthier.
• Olive Oil is good for health and has its superior fine flavor enhancing the recipe.
• You can use any vegetable oil you like as an alternative.
• I like adding “thyme and parsley” seasoning if available to enhance the aroma!
• Add some vinegar too to enhance flavor. However, it's optional.
• One can also add hand full of boiled rice to it or to the sauce....
• Also, I like to add a tiny spoon of sugar to enrich the flavors!
• Enjoy this very easy and delicious recipe!!

Pasta is very versatile, basic food that can be flavored according to your imagination and mood. Add colors of vegetables into it and relish healthy meal!

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Chef Bio:
_Gaurav Verma:

Amazingly this recipe I found few days back in my inbox, a surprise mail from one of my friend, who studied Hotel Management in my yet the same esteem college, IHM, Guwahati,Assam, which have this year bagged 2nd.rank in academics amongst all IHMs Institutes in India.(click LINK)
_Today, he being in the hospitality industry serves the high regard hotel in abroad. He has a passion for healthy eating and does same when it comes to cooking! He likes to call his style of cooking under the name of “Tofa Kitchen” *Olive Oil is his favorite ingredient which reflects the best output of staying fit. Hope, he contributes “Butter Punch” readers more with his new ideas and healthy recipes. Thank you so much for the initiative!!

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