Event: Sunday Funday Theme: Diwali Party On 23rd Oct Recipe: Chocolate Kalakand Chocolate Kalakand takes the ordinary traditional kalakand to a new level. With the addition of grated chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder, this kalakand is much loved by kids and chocolate lovers. To hasten the process of making this time consuming sweet dish or Indian mithai, I have used ready made paneer, milk powder and sweetened condensed milk. Is Kalakand Same As Barfi? No it not. While barfi or burfi sets well on cooling, kalakand as such does not set well. It remains soft. Also one cannot store kalakand at room temperature for days as it contains fresh paneer. It must be stored in the fridge in a container. Chilled kalakand tastes delicious. It…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: JAMS, JELLIES, RELISHES, CHUTNEYS RECIPE: WATERMELON RIND JAM Watermelon Rind Jam is so easy to make, superbly delicious without any preservatives or artificial colouring. It is a fantastic way to use up the white part of the watermelon which in fact is full of healthy nutrients. Why Is Watermelon Rind Good? The white part is equally nutritious as the red part of the watermelon if not more. It contains higher concentrations of certain minerals, antioxidants and vitamins. It has high concentrations of Vitamins A,B6 and C. Also is rich in potassium and zinc. Watermelon contains the highest amount of amino acid citrulline which converts to arginine in our bodies. How To Use Watermelon Rind? Add to smoothies and juices.…
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Continue ReadingRecipe: Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat is a lip smacking, tasty, snack with flavours that are sweet, salty and tangy all present in one dish. It is popular as street food, especially in North India. If you have cooked or boiled chickpeas, then this dish is very easy to put together. And best part is that it is a healthy snack as besides the sev nothing else is deep fried. Is Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat A Salad? Not really, as for salads we either add a salad dressing or use only salt, pepper and lemon juice. Chana Chaat has many more flavours and ingredients added to it. But yes, you can enjoy this dish like a salad, a light…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: SRI LANKAN RECIPES RECIPE: CASHEW CURRY | KAJU MALUWA Cashew Curry | Kaju Maluwa is a mild, vegan coconut based Sri Lankan curry where generous amount of cashew nuts are used to prepare this dish. Usually prepared for special occasions, it is served with plain rice. And it is both gluten free and vegan. In fact, this curry is very easy to make. I think for me the hardest part was to remember to the soak the cashew nuts overnight! Kept on forgetting for three consecutive days. Finally, left the cashew nut container out on the kitchen counter near my sink so I remember when I clear up after dinner. Though I added homemade Sri Lankan curry spice, the curry…
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Continue ReadingEvent: Sunday Funday Theme: Basil Recipe: Honeydew Caprese Salad Honeydew Caprese Salad is a different and fresh twist to the classic caprese. With crunch from the cucumber, sweetness from the honeydew melon, slight tang from the tomatoes and ohhh the taste of fresh mozzarella makes this salad a perfect summer indulgence. What Is Caprese? Simply put it is an Italian Salad with fresh summery ingredients, tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and fresh mozzarella. Add a bit of salt and pepper, and you have a refreshing filling summery salad ready in a jiffy. Variations Of Caprese These days one can easily find variations of Caprese Salad. When possible I make a mixed melon caprese using watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe. It is the best way to…
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Continue ReadingEvent: Sunday Funday Theme: Zucchini Recipe: Moong & Zucchini Pancakes Moong & Zucchini Pancakes, cheela or puda are soft flatbread made from soaked green moong. It is processed to a batter with yogurt and water. Zucchini, onion, garlic and spices are added to make it nutritious, healthy, gluten free and filling breakfast or snack option. You can easily enjoy these pancakes with a curry too as a part of your main mea What Is Green Moong? Green Moong, Mung Bean, Mag, Whole Green Gram is an olive green coloured legume. The beans are tiny but full of nutritional value. You can easily buy whole green moong, split green moong dal, the split yellow moong dal easily in the stores. Definitely you will find them at…
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Continue ReadingEvent: Sunday Funday Theme: Sprouts Recipe: Spicy Tofu Bowl Spicy Tofu Bowl is a healthy, delicious and easy recipe where I serve spicy tofu with salad ingredients and nuts with a light sesame seed dressing. This bowl is perfect as a light meal, for picnics, for lunch boxes or to serve it as a side to a main Chinese meal. And it is completely vegan and gluten free. Memories Tofu is not an ingredient I’ve grown up with. As a kid had no idea that a food ingredient tofu existed. That changed when Bangkok Chinese Restaurant, Nairobi first introduced it on their menu. During one family meal at the restaurant, the owner sent some stir fried tofu to our table to taste. Some didn’t…
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Continue ReadingEvent: Sunday Funday Theme: Fresh Garden Harvest Recipes Recipe: Caprese Skewers Caprese Skewers make a fantastic, easy to make, healthy and super delicious starter or appetizer recipe. With syrupy balsamic vinegar drizzled over it, caprese skewers are simply irresistible. They are so easy to put together. Just make sure you use fresh mozzarella for the best taste. Memories My first introduction to caprese was years ago in London. My son at that time was studying at McGill University, Montreal and we had deiced to meet up in London to visit my family. On the day he was suppose to fly back to Montreal, he was not allowed on the flight. Though he had a student permit, he still required visa to re-enter Canada. So next…
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Continue ReadingEvent: Sunday Funday Theme: Desserts Recipe: Strawberries And Cream Strawberries And Cream, is a simple but absolutely tasty way of enjoying fresh succulent strawberries when in season. Just 4 ingredients and this dessert comes together in a jiffy. It is the ultimate summertime dessert. History Behind Strawberries And Cream Strawberries and Cream is not only the ideal combination but a classic dessert or pudding as the British like to call it. Strawberries have existed for years but how did this combination of fruit and cream become so famous? The story goes that Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was a powerful figure in the court of King Henry VIII. He began building Hampton Court which had the largest kitchen during the Tudor era. It is believed that…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: QUINOA RECIPE: QUINOA TANGERINE SALAD Quinoa Tangerine Salad is a very colourful, flavourful, protein rich and filling salad. Not difficult at all to make, add ingredients of your choice. Colour, different textures and taste makes any salad appealing for fussy eaters. What I like about this salad is that is can easily be enjoyed as a light meal or for picnics. Easy to make for potluck parties. WHAT IS QUINOA? Quinoa (pronounced as keenwah) is not grain but edible seeds which have originated from the Andean region. Quinoa can be white, red and black. It is also possible to buy the tricolour quinoa. Whenever available, I prefer to use that for salads. Rich in protein, half cup of uncooked quinoa has…
