Updated and yes, Upgraded!!

Hi People!! I know most of you have been wondering what went wrong with my blog over the weekend. Well, I'll tell you! I have offically moved to higher grounds and greener pastures. No, no, I didn't buy a house in the suburbs (though that does rank high on my list!), but I moved to my very own domain. Please join me in the new home for my blog, Hooked on Heat, at http://www.hookedonheat.com/ Do update your bookmarks and continue to support my site as you always have! See you at the all new, Hooked on Heat...

Simply Irresistable...

When it comes choosing between rice or bread, I often almost always go for rice. Rice just gives me the warm and comforting feel I look for in a pleasing meal. But at times I like to get away from the monotony of rice preparations and steer into the exotic world of Indian breads. Indian breads vary in size, texture, flavour, colour... er, let's just say they vary in almost every possible way from each other ranging for the simple everyday Roti, to heavy "full"filling Parathas, to the fit-for-a-king Naan. But one that reigns high on my list of favourites is none other than the crisy, fluffy, Puri! Fried to a golden crisp texture, this is little treasure can make any meal extravagant. But alas, I'm not here to talk about puris. No dears, we'll get into that some other time. I promise! Today I'm here to talk about the wonderful accompaniments to his favourite of Indian breads. Yes, the curries we all love to dip our crispy goodness into and relished! One of the most standard accompaniments to puris is no doubt the Chole or Chana Masala. I guess its just the blend of flavours and the combination of crispness to the creaminess of the chick peas that make this team up so well. But in the northern parts of India, especial where I come from, New Delhi, puris are enjoyed with a more simpler, yet elegant little fare. Stop by any 5-star restaurant for a weekend brunch and you will undoubtedly be welcomed with a dish of Puri-Bhaji on the menu. Bhajis are simple vegetable curries, cooked to perfection. Here however, the bhaji is ruled by the potato. This potato curry may be the simplest curry dish you ever get to make, but don't let its coy demure look fool you. For with every bite, there lies a flavour so grand, it should be condemened from being called a noble man's meal.

Alu Bhaji

Ingredients: 3-4 mid-size potatoes, boiled and broken into bite-size pieces (Don't cut the potatoes, instead break them by hand to get a more rustic look) 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped 2-3 green chillies, chopped 1 tsp tomato paste 1 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp red chili powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder salt, to taste 2 tbsp cooking oil water as needed fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish Method:

Add mustard seeds to hot oil in a deep pan. Once it begins to sizzle, add in sliced onions and green chillies.

Let onions tenderize and brown slightly, and then add tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes pulp and form a saucy texture.

Add salt, turmeric, chili powder and coriander powder, and cook for a minute to blend in spices. Add about a cup of water and allow it to come to a boil. Throw in potato chunks, check curry consistency, adding more water if desired; and cover cook for 5-6 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve warm with hot, fluffy puris and a side of mango pickle!

Reminder: Don't forget to join in on the "From my Rasoi - Love" event. Do feel free to download and post the banners on your site. Deadline - February 24, 2006!!

From my Rasoi # 3 - Cooking for Love!!

Welcome one and all!! February is finally here to greet us. Can't you just feel all the love in the air? Hehehe, now do I see a twinkle in your eyes, trying to guess and hoping for the next theme of "From my Rasoi"? Now for everyone that knows me, knows that I'm a sucker for holidays and celebrations. So how could I leave the most romantically declared day of the year out? Heck, I've been waiting for this theme since I started the FMR event! So here goes all you foodie enthusiasts!! This month's FMR theme is...

"A way to one's heart is through their tummy!!"

That's right! We are going to celebrate this Valentine's Day the way we know best - through out cooking!! Go ahead, get into that kitchen of yours and cook up a love potion! Make a dish that your loved ones enjoy the most, or create a whole new flavour for them. Do whatever, and keep love in mind. The only rule is that it have an Indian flavour to it! For those of you new to this event, welcome and do join in! The rules are simple: 1: All you have to do, is come up with a recipe to share based on the announced theme, that will highlight the taste on India. It can be anything and in any form, shape or size, sweet, savoury or even drinks! Special points for those who have a story to tell along with it. Is there a childhood memory attached, a family tradition, or just something you associate with, whatever it is, we want to hear about it! 2: Email me the link to your post and a photo if possible, scaled to a 1 inch width by 0.75 inch height and 72 dpi (pixels/inch), this will really help in making my life and doing the round-up easier! Send me your submissions on the last Friday of the month (February 24, 2006), and I will do a write-up on all the participants and their submissions. Do feel free to download and post the "From my Rasoi" banners on your site to let others know you are participating and spreading out the word. I'd greatly appreciate it! So come on friends, lets get together and introduce others to the exotic and wonderful flavours of the Indian cuisine. Happy Cooking!!

Simplicity at ease...

Sigh! Another weekend flew by unnoticed and regretfully unfullfilling... all due to the damn rains! We had showers pouring in non-stop yesterday. All that drowsy weather left us blue and craving for some soul food. That's where I stepped in as comfort queen, all set to reclaim my title! One look into my fridge and I just knew the chicken was going to see his day. Another quick peek into the crisper and the ball was set to roll. Hubby dearie was all too happy to hear what was on the menu. A quick few minutes later, we had a hearty lunch waiting to be devoured!! On a day like this when all I want to do is lounge around and relish good 'ol home-cooking, I want something quick and simple. With a quick thought, one can easily put on a pot of Dal and a deliciously quick meal in minutes! But what if one wants something, not so simple in taste, but just as easy to prepare? Well, then I just take out some chicken and get cooking! But wait, what is that you say? Chicken? Quick? Simple? Well, yea baby! And I'm not talking throwing in a batch of carelessly chopped onions and can of diced tomamtoes and waiting for it to brew into a delicious curry. Oh no! When I say easy chicken in minutes, I mean the big bucks! Take out that kadhai (Indian wok) and lets get working on that age-old oh-so-famous deliciously-mouth-watering-finger-lickin'-good Kadhai Chicken!! Yup, you heard me! It IS that easy!! Kadhai chicken/paneer is probably one of the simplest dishes I can add to my credit. I have made these dishes so many times that I can easily find my way blind-folded! Loaded with crisp veggies and a blend of spices, this dish is definitely a mouthful and an easy contender to the ever-growing list of comfort foods. Kadhai Chicken

Ingredients: 4-5 boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes 1 large onion, diced into big chunks 2 cups mixed bell peppers (green, read and yellow), diced into 1-inch cubes 1 large tomato, diced into cubes 2-3 green chillies, sliced 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder salt, to taste 2 tbsp cooking oil 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnish Method:

Heat oil in a kadhai (Indian wok), and add cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle, add in diced onions and saute till transparent and tender.

Add chicken pieces, green chillies and giner-garlic paste and fry for a few minutes till chcken begins to firm.

Add salt, chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric and stir fry till spices blend well. Cover cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat, till chicken is cooked through.

Add mixed peppers and cover cook for another 3-5 minutes. You don't want to overcook the peppers and want to still have a slight crunch.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with warm fluffy rotis!

Spicy Notes: To make yummy Kadhai Paneer, simply substitute chicken pieces with cubes of paneer.

From my Rasoi (Breakfast) - The Showdown...

This first month of the new year is almost here; which often makes we wonder, where does all the time go! The year began with a huge bang, and hopefully that should continue... When I decided on "Breakfast" as the topic for the From my Rasoi - January event, little did I decipher how much I would enjoy reading all the posts on various breakfast recipes. Not being an early- morning-breakfast person myself, it was quite a challenge. The whole idea being the breakfast theme was to encourage everyone, myself included, to start the new year afresh. And what better way to do that than with a good hearty breakfast. Take a peek at all the wonderful entries, each with an amazing breakfast recipe to start your day in style. First off to join us at the breakfast table comes Kay, bringing with her a plateful of soft, melt-in-your-mouth idlis and a delicious prawn curry to dip it in. Ooh la la! Next to join us is the lovely Tina, who warms our palates with her yummy Batata Pohas - a traditional Maharashtrian dish! How's that to quick-start your day! Do take a big bite. All the way from Chicago comes Ashwini enticing us with a taste of the state of Maharashtra with her Thalipeeth, to be accompanied by a bowlful of delicious chutney! This is one plateful I'd like to get my hands on. Look no further, for here walks in Sailu with her Matar-Paneer Parathas. All heads turn to this wonderful aroma of the piping hot parathas. Say no more Sailu, bring in the paneer and I'm all ears! (Or should I say mouth?...) Here is one pretty lady I've missed in a while! Priya made it a point to send in her entry just before she left on a long holiday to India. Come back soon Priya, we miss your lovely recipes! Check out her tradition Keralite breakfast dish of Puttu. Lookie what we have here! The only bachelor I know who actually cooks authentic Indian meals for himself. No sir! No instant noodles and canned soup for this guy... he definitely means business in the kitchen! Anthony pleases our egg-cravings once again with this fancy-looking Omelette. Aahh!! The ever so talent Barbara blows me away once again with her take on Bhaturas. After years believing that the Bhatura was not something made for my kitchen rendezvous, she has actually convinced me that they might not be all that hard. One look at these babies of her's and who needs a trip to an Indian restaurant! Can I come to your place for dinner sometime, Barb? A warm welcome to new-to-me blogger Alanna! One look at her scrumptious Cucumber Pancakes, and you'll be asking for more!! Go ahead, take a look, take a good look! Oh Sury dear! You definitely get my vote for your to-die-for Peas Kachori. As if tempting me with plain kachoris wasn't enough, Sury goes a step forward to add peas to them, further bribing me with my love of this greenie!! Oh my! One goodie after another! Check out Saffron's deliciously looking Dhokla. No words can express my greed to savour it! Wait a minute! I knew there was something missing. How could we kickstart a day without a recipe from the lovable Indira! Check out her Cranberry Jam and you may just begin to look for it in your pantry instead of the grocery shelves! Right behind comes Garam Masala bringing in joy with a bowl of Coconut Poha! Now that's nutrition and comfort weaved into one! Can't wait to try this one. Yummy yummy yum yum! When I took a look at this recipe, I so wanted to try it! Thanks Gini for sharing with us your lovely recipe of Madakku Saan. I'm so tempted to make this on a nice relaxing weekend! Reshma was so inspired by the "From my Rasoi - Breakfast" idea, that she decided to take her breakfasts seriously. What a better way than with a plate-ful of Vellapam and Fish Molly to start the day right! Can't wait to see more of your creations Reshma! Oh yes! The lovely Jennifer brings us her Sambhar and Rava Idli. You took right back to the good 'ol days in Bangalore Jenn. Aaahhh, spicy sambhar gives you the right kick for early mornings! If you think all this is to much to take in one sitting, wait till you see what Lera has brought for us. Check out her yummy Chole. Makes me wanna lick the screen clean! On an ending note, let's take a big bite out of VK's Vermicelli and Rava Idli. A perfect end to a great beginning! That's all folks! It goes without saying that I thank you all for supporting my blog and this event and making it such a huge success. Here's looking forward to many more mouth-watering contribtions to many more tintilating themes! Till the next round-up, I leave you with my contribution to breakfast - Sabudana Khichdi!