"There's no love sincerer than the love of food" and I'm head over heels in it.Food has always excited me- the smell, flavour,colour,the tangible pleasure... everything about it even cooking.As a child when my kiddy counterparts would play police-thief , doctor-patient, I liked playing chef-diner. Mixing up sand, leaves and water in my little kitchen set and baptising my very own recipe.It was fun,queer though it was.I find it kinda fascinating to put a wet mass of ingredients into the cooker and take out aromatic, tantalising food after a while.Try punching at the atta dough, go chop-chop-chop on the beans or squeeze the life out of a tamarind..phew such a stress reliever!
I love cook-books, not that I try every recipe that I read through but I read it anyway for the heck of it. And when I really do feel like cooking I'd browse and browse for a good recipe, hunt around for the ingredients in the market, and go wild in the kitchen.Mom would be pretty excited too( that is if she chose to overlook the post-cooking clutter in the kitchen).Then I would be in my world-exploring,creating,tasting.
Ofcourse, I've had my fiascos like:
the chewy-centred vanilla cookies that looked more like our conventional soft paniyaarams.
the cabbage soup that sedimented all the minutest ingredients only to leave a super-clear fluid on top and my mom suspected i'd boiled water in the name of soup(sniff)
the fruit kesari garnished with over burnt brown crusts( i should admit i kinda liked the queer taste ;) )
the garlic soup that I'd made to treat my grandpa's light cold that gotten him into a temperature :(
Sometimes I can be the creative one and make up my own recipe from scratch or switch some of the ingredients around a bit to make it “my style” and when I do, I must admit I am taking a pretty big risk because some many turn out to be anything but palatable.But there are times where I'd emerged triumphant in my attempts at ladle-wieldery.First I'd dive head-first into exploration, then the nervous anticipation, and talk about the fulfillment!
Here are a few dishes that turned out to be actually tasty :)
Sproutizza
Sprouts topped PIzza
Things u'll need:
Pizza base from a departmental store,pizza cheese,butter,pepper,onion,tomato,capsicum,moong sprouts,mustard,tomato sauce, garam masala or if possible chaat masala,salt,chilli(red flaked or cut green chilli or chilli sauce).
Heat refined oil in a pan add mustard seeds as they cracle add onion and capsicum, fry for 2 minutes, then addcut or blanched tomatoes, moong sprouts, pepper & salt, cover it cook till mong is slightly soft but the crunchy texture of the sprout should remain.Now grease the pizza base with butter, spread the mong mixture, tomato and chille sauce mix,cover it with grated cheese, sprinke some pepper and garam masala over it.You many also also coriander leaves ,grated carrot and sliced mushrooms.Place the base in a greased tray and cook in micro low for 5-7 minutes or till the cheese melts.
There you have a mouth-watering healthy pizza.My dad,a pizza n junk food hater, actually liked it. If u have parents who are diabetic you can add low-fat cheese.
Fish-O-wraps:
Fish baked in banana leaf- an Indianised Thai dish:
Things u'll need:
Fish(of ur choice) slices, banana leafs,thread,For the MARINADE: shallot(small onion), garlic,ginger,coriander,mint,thick coconut milk,a dash of lemon juice,chilli,chilli powder,salt,( a pinch of sugar-optional, only adds a subtle flavour)
Grind the ingredients for the marinade together in a mixer. Apply the marinade on either sides of the fish slice and allow it to marinate for half an hour in a refrigerator for the flavor to permeate into the fish.
Wrap each of the slice in a strip of banana leaf and secure it with thread.You might slather the extra marinade on it before securing.Bake for 25-30 mins in an oven or pressure cooker. After it is done fold back the banana leaf n serve. And to tell of the aroma of the banana leaf and coriander flavoured fish when u open it.....heaven!!
This again is a healthy dish compared to its deep fried counterparts,rich in proteins and yeah definitely mouth-watering!
Apple kheer
Chop up an apple, add 3-4 tablespoons water, one teaspoon sugar, one clove,a couple of elaichi and heat it over a very low flame. Keep it covered with a lid. Once the apple becomes completely soggy, your stew is ready. Mash it up and serve it plain, or topped with a little roated nuts. This is again very simple to make and is a healthy snack. Although there's nothing as healthy as uncooked fruit, this dish does retain some nutrients.
Chickoo punch
Blend a couple of chickoos with milk,suger, a handfull of dates, raisins and a dash of cocoa. A healthy,yummy,high -nutrient drink is ready.
Now for my best invention.
New-year kulfi:
We had a lot of milk sweets that had come as gifts for the new year- quite an over whelming amount actually. Not wanting to waste them,I blended thick cooled milk, the milk sweets, a handful of nuts, cream and poured them on an ice cream tray.What resulted was a lip-smacking kulfi! It made an instant sensation among my neighbourhood.
It is such a pleasure watching your loved ones heartily eat up ur dish. Food prepared with love sure has the ability to pass it along. I have often wondered why cooking is often chided as a dull necessity when it can easily be a creative craft and an occupying hobby. There are countles combinations to try and different styles of it to give a shot at, just like good old music and results rewarding.Anyway I have plans of spending this summer trying my hand at Chinese sushi, pasta pesto,quiches,french consommes,gourmets etc. You are invited for lunch( If you have the guts!)
Credits:
Priya- the enterprising and occasionally klutzy cook
Dad- who would eat up anything that I make without the slightest hint of cynism or criticism
Mom- makes the best efforts to suppress the grimace on the face when the tasting the newly-tried dish.
Bro- would go to extents of asking for more , so oblivious of the risk factor.
