FEBRUARY 2015: Kande Pohe (flattened rice or beaten rice with onions)

photoed by A. Rajan

This is a popular regional breakfast item in Maharashtra. Pohe is a nutritious and versatile ingredient and can be turned into porridge or breakfast cereal. But this is more like savory breakfast.

Ingredients:

2 cups pohe

2 medium size onions

Couple of green chillies

1 small potato, boiled and cut in small cubes

Handful of raw peanuts

Mustard seeds

Oil

2 Tbsp of grated coconut

Lime wedges

Coriander leaves (cilantro)

1) First, wash the flat rice (pohe) and

drain the water completely.

2) Heat some oil in flat-bottomed pan or wok.

3) Fry some raw peanuts and keep on the side.

In the same oil, add green chillies and mustard seeds.

4) Once you hear crackling of the seeds, add finely chopped onions and

saute till they become transparent.

5) Add the potatoes followed with some turmeric powder.

6) Saute a little, and then

add soaked and drained pohe into the wok,

add salt to taste, and

let it steam a little.

7) Once done, you can eat this by garnishing it with fried peanuts, coconut, cilantro and dash of lime juice.

I love this recipe, as its very quick, healthy and tasty. Try it out and share your experience with us.

--A.R.

JANUARY 2015: Pizza @ CIBO

(PRINT: caffe paninoteca, bruschetteria, alimentari, pizzeria ... CIBO (R) dal 1997)

photoed by D. Liongson

CIBO (chee-boh) Italian resto serves pizza too. In circles? Nope. In squares? Nope. But in...

photoed by D. Liongson

OVALS!  Hence the term "pizza ovale". They have a wide selection of pizzas. I picked...

photoed by D. Liongson

Pizza #4-- funghi trifolati! It is a tomato based pizza with mozzarella and mushrooms topped with basil leaves. The tomato and cheese are festive enough for the New Year's red and gold.

photoed by D. Liongson

As you may see, the photo has a missing slice. Where did that slice go before I made that photo shoot?

photoed by D. Liongson

On my plate! Just in time before it landed in my mouth. When I ate my slice, I can taste the tasty tomato base, the melted mild mozzarella cheese, the effect of fresh and dried herbs, and the softly crisp crust. I ate the center piece of basil leaves together with some bites of the pizza. Yummo!  

Not only is it delicious to the tastebuds, but also the sight of it, the aroma of it, the touch (with my bare hands), and the bite of it that I forgot to use my cutlery. Now I know why it slipped my mind to take the photo first before getting a slice. I posed the fork and knife on the plated pizza slice just for looks. ;-)

I look forward to order this pizza and eat it all by myself again when my big appetite kicks in. If my appetite is smaller, this will be my cue to share the slices.


Buon appetito!
--D.L.



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D' HAIKU
Pizza shapes can be
either round, square, or oval;
but quality counts.
--D.L.

DECEMBER 2014: Pakora

photoed by A. Rajan

This month's blog is about the finger food, which is a very famous tea time snack. Onion or any other vegetable fritter which is known as pakora. 

We particularly crave for this when it rains. And, the food goddess starts dancing on our tongues asking us to eat this very tasty, lightly spiced, crunchy snack.

Ingredients are simple :-)

* One onion sliced thinly lengthwise, 

* potatoes sliced thin,
* Some long green chillies whole.

Make a batter of:

* chickpea flour, 
* crushed oregano seeds (or Ajwain), 
* pinch of red chilli powder,
* turmeric,
* pinch of baking soda, 
* salt.

1) Add water to make semi-thick consistency. 

2) Now just dip your veggies in this, and transfer them in hot oil to fry them. 

3) Once done, sprinkle a little chaat masala over it. 

4) Serve hot with hot cup of chai tea.

I couldn't wait to eat it immediately after I made it. l especially love spicy green chilli fritter the best! It's all about preference. Do try making this on a rainy day, and you won't regret it ever.

Yummy ...already in my tummy :-)

--A.R.

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D' HAIKU

If red shoes make you

toe-dancing, then pakoras

make you tongue-dancing.

--D.L.

NOVEMBER 2014: Free Birthday Churros!

(SERVIETTE: "Better to have enjoyed & made a mess
than never to have enjoyed at all!")
photoed by D. Liongson

Ahhh... Chocolateria San Churro! It has been more than one birthday where I receive birthday churros for two. This includes a platter of 6 churros and 2 dipping sauce bowls. All I did was register to their free newsletter. Once accepted in the mailing list, I received an email voucher for the free churros (on a few days closer to my birthday!).

Churros are fried pastries. The ones I ate were served hot, subtly salted, crisp on the outside, and soft in the inside. Melted chocolate is the dip for these. I usually choose dark chocolate. Mmm... taste the sweetness with a hint of bitter twang that dark chocolate has. It slipped my mind what other dips do they offer. It helps to ask the staff who takes your order.

To minimize waste of this luscious dip, I recommend you dip the churro in the sauce and bite up to the level within what the sauce covered. As much as possible, no sharing of dip bowls. But if you are okay with the mouth germs of the dip bowl from whom you are sharing with, then I guess sharing is cool.

When you are ready to claim your free churros, bring an ID that bears your photo and birthdate on it.

There are three days to redeem them: 1)on the day before your birthday, or 2)on your birthday, or 3)on the day after your birthday.

Interested to have a go for the free birthday churros for 2? Simply register for a free email newsletter at: 

http://www.sanchurro.com/newsletter.

Delicioso!
--D.L.

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D' HAIKU

Churros with choc'late:

Dry crisp bites; melted sweet dip...

Now a birthday treat!

--D.L.

OCTOBER 2014: Pan Seared Rainbow Trout (Chinese inspired recipe)

photoed by A. Rajan

I am a true Fish-eterian. Being from Mumbai, fish has always been a staple food at home. Simple fish plus curry over rice is my comfort food.

Living in Canada, I have developed and acquired taste for fish that’s available here.  I absolutely love Rainbow Trout, for its mild flavour and good health profile.  This sort of fish isn’t really a curry delight.

I bake the Rainbow Trout with some lemon garlic butter on top, served with mashed potatoes on the side; this is how I usually make it.

This time, I wanted something different. I had some left over rice, which I wasn’t in mood to save for next day. Rice and fish are great with each other. I was not in the mood for any curry, so I decided to experiment with Chinese style Rainbow Trout.

Ingredients:

• Fillet of Rainbow Trout, cut into two pieces
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Crushed black pepper and salt
• Brown sugar (dash on each fillet)
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• A little ginger, minced
• 2 Scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced lengthwise (little bit of greens saved for garnish later)

photoed by A. Rajan

The Procedure is simple…

* Drizzle some soy sauce over the fish, sprinkle salt and pepper and brown sugar on each fillet.

* Put some Olive Oil in the pan; add the scallions in the skillet. Sauté.

* Add minced ginger and garlic.

* Then, place the fillet onto the skillet, skin side down.

* I cooked the fish three minutes on the each side equalling six minutes. It was not over or underdone and turned out moist and flaky. Just the way it should be. Skin was nicely crisp and golden, which made it all the more special.

* I served it on the plate of rice with some garnish of scallion greens.

photoed by A. Rajan

Utterly gluttony delicious! J

--A.R.

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D' HAIKU

Chinese inspired meal

from a trout who stained its scales

from the rainbow's end.

--D.L.

SEPTEMBER 2014: Pad Thai

This is the place that serves the yummy Pad Thai that I keep coming back to:

photoed by D. Liongson

Love that goodness of rice sticks (noodles) --firm to the bite-- with its special sauce, succulent prawns, and topped with spring onions, and your choice to add tangy lime, chilli flakes, white sugar, and crushed peanuts. My, what richness in color (and flavor too)! Feast your eyes before munching away. 

photoed by D. Liongson

Speaking of munching, I recommend to eat this slowly at one bite at a time, and explore the flavors and textures in your mouth before digesting. Take it easy with the chilli flakes; otherwise, the burning sensation will keep you watering it down with glasses of chilled drinks-- obviously this will kill the pleasure of eating this meal.

This can be enjoyed with chopsticks or a fork.  

I usually grab most opportunities to eat with chopsticks. I learned to eat with them when I was little. The motivation was either to learn to eat with chopsticks or don't eat at all. And thus began my quest to eat with them... Learning to eat with chopsticks was more of a fun experience and less of a chore.

from http://studyinchina.universiablogs.net/files/eating-with-chopsticks.jpg
For more toons, see www.lefthandedtoons.com.

If you are somewhere in Broadbeach, have a go with Boonchu Thai. They serve more great food choices than just Pad Thai. (I have no clue what the other dishes are like. Worth a try perhaps? Pardon me for not exploring the other meals because I look forward to eat Pad Thai whenever I am there. Mmm-mm...)

--D.L.

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D' HAIKU

A meal from Thailand:

Rice sticks, sauce, prawns, and flavors

That's delish Pad Thai!

--D.L.

AUGUST 2014: Mumbai Style Sandwich

The name might not describe much, but the sandwich in this style, is an experience extraordinaire.

This is one of a kind Mumbai street food.  Not at number one, as it would be unfair on Vada Pav (potato dumpling with chick pea flour coating, deep fried and served with Dinner Roll).

For me, it’s a delicate slice of soft white bread with layers of goodies sandwiched between the slices.

The process of watching the street vendor making those sandwiches is a very delightful sight. These vendors making those sandwiches versus me making them… a world of difference. 

They win hands down.

How is it made?

• Two Slices of Bread
• Mint Cilantro Chutney (I use a cup of cilantro to half a cup of mint, 3-4 green chillies, a little piece of ginger and salt, grind them into a smooth paste, and use it within 2-3 days.)
• Butter, softened
• Cucumber, sliced              
• Tomato, sliced
• Onion, sliced
• Potato, boiled and sliced
• Beetroot (optional)
• Some chat masala powder (you get it in Indian stores)
• A little salt
• And a slice of cheddar cheese or grated cheddar.

photoed by A. Rajan

The process is way too simple just like any other sandwich.

First, apply butter on the bread slices and slather some chutney on top, and then layer your veggies.

photoed by A. Rajan

Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and a slice of cheese or grated cheese (I used grated Marble cheese).

photoed by A. Rajan

And then, toast the sandwich on the grill... 

Serve it with some Cilantro Mint Chutney and a little bit of Tomato Ketchup …some potato chips on the side will be awesome, and will make it complete.

This Sandwich tastes super good… you can make it without cheese, and without toasting it on the grill. The result will be very delicious still. For I am from Mumbai, any other sandwich in the world can’t compete with this one. With a hot cup of tea, the experience is complete. 

photoed by A. Rajan

Comfort food par excellence. No pretence, nothing gourmet, yet delicious simple flavors. 

Try it, you won’t regret it. :-)

--A.R.