What is Mexican Rice? As such traditional Mexican Cuisine didn’t feature rice on their menu. Corn was the staple at that time till the Spanish Colonizers introduced rice in Mexico around the 1520s. It was prepared in a similar way to the Spanish Rice but instead of saffron, cumin and red chili was used. Thus the main difference in the rice is the colour, while Spanish rice is yellow, Mexican rice is orange reddish. These days Mexican rice is served as a side dish with tacos, enchiladas, quesadilla, chili con carne, as stuffing for burritos, etc. Main ingredients for a Mexican rice are onion, garlic and tomatoes. Memories….. So when was the first time I ever tasted Mexican Rice? Well, when I was around 16…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIE’S REDOING OLD POSTS #12 Updated: This post has been updated for the Facebook group called Foodie’s_Redoing Old Posts. Its a group that Renu who blog’s at Cook With Renu, thought out and put into action. We’re on our 12th re-doing old post and I simply love this group. Why? Well, its got me to pay more attention to my much neglected old posts. For this post I have updated the pictures and a bit of the write up of the famous Gujarati stew Dal Dhokli/Dhokri but the recipe remains the same. You may want to check out my other posts that I’ve re-done. 1.Vaghareli Bread /Masala Bread 2. Tomato Salsa 3. Strawberries and Cream 4. Coconut Chocolate 5. Cassava in Coconut Milk 6. Baked…
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Continue Readingcreamy and yummy Cowpeas or chora/choli as its called in gujarati are grown in Asia, Africa and US. The variety of cowpeas are many. Right from the black eyed cowpea to the brown kidney shaped variety. For this recipe I have used the brown or deep red variety which is commonly grown in Kenya. I have used whole cowpeas and not the split one or dal. This curry or dal goes well with rotis, flaky parathas or with rice. I even cook them dry to have with kadhi and rice. Check out my recipe on kadhi. Cowpeas are a rich source of protein like most legumes, and in Vitamin B and A. Rich in dietary fibres also. RED CHORA CURRY (COWPEA CURRY) Serves 4…
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Continue ReadingRecipe: Gujarati Style Kadhi Gujarati Style Kadhi is a staple in most Gujarati homes. It is a yogurt based curry that is usually enjoyed with some plain rice, pulao or khichdi. Plain yogurt is whisked with water, chickpea flour and spices are added. It is then cooked over low heat till it becomes thick and creamy. What Is Kadhi? Kadhi is a regular feature for lunch or dinner in most Gujarati homes. Kadhi is usually made to accompany a rice dish, be it plain rice, pilau or even biryani. Yes, some Gujaratis need kadhi with biryani. The type of kadhi will vary from area to area. There is nothing more satisfying than a bowlful of hot kadhi with a generous helping of ghee. I remember…
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Continue Readingall in one meal Every time dada would go to Vrindavan, he couldn’t stop praising the khichdi that was served there,everyday to the devotees as breakfast. I use to think what is so special about the khichdi. Like other temples it must be just plain rice and moong khichdi. I realised the difference when Nunu started making a version of the khichdi at home either for lunch or dinner. Obviously she added a lot more variety of vegetables than the temple does. I took it a bit further and added onions and garlic to it to make it more tastier. Basically you can make it the way you want but it is definitely a filling dish. Great for post pregnancy, just recovering patients and a…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIES_ REDOING OLD POSTS #21 For this event, Foodies_Redoing Old Posts my 21st recipe is Moriyo Khichdi or more popularly known as Sama Chawal or Samo Khichdi. What is Moriyo? Moriyo, Sama Chawal, Samo, Barnyard Millet, Sama, Samvat, Vari, Varai, Swang, Bhagar, shyama rice, kuthiravali, udalu are all different names for a grass seed. The grass seed from the cultivated crop(grown like rice in paddy fields), Echinochloa Frumentacea is not a grain or legume and therefore very popular during fasting days be it navratri fasting or ekadashi. Its wilder more natural cousin is Echinochloa colona which is also known as Jungle Grass, Deccan Grass or Awnless Barnyard Millet. Health benefits of Including Moriyo or Little Millet in your diet Not only rich in…
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Continue ReadingEVENTS: FOODIES_REDOING OLD POSTS RECIPE: SABUDANA KHICHDI Sabudana Khichdi is a popular Indian dish made from tapioca pearls, potatoes, spices and peanuts or other nuts. It is mostly enjoyed as a breakfast dish especially in the State of Maharashtra. However, in many parts of India it is usually prepared on fasting or vrat days. These can be Shivratri, Ram Navmi, Navratri or for Ekadashi fasting or vrat. I usually prepare it for Ekadashi Fasting. I sometimes substitute the peanuts with cashew nuts and raisins for a slight change in taste. FOR MORE FASTING RECIPES CLICK HERE. WHAT IS SABUDANA? Sabudana is the Hindi name for Tapioca Pearls. Also known as sagu, sagudana, chowwary, javvarisi in other parts of India. Sabudana is made from the…
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Continue ReadingRECIPE: Kenyan Style Corn On The Cob Coconut Curry Kenyan Style Corn On The Cob Coconut Curry is a creamy, spicy, delicious vegan curry. Corn cobs are cut into smaller pieces and cooked in a tomato and coconut based curry. The fun part of this curry is that after biting off the kernels you can use the corn to mob up the curry and suck it. To do that, the curry obviously has to be thick and not watery. Tender Yellow |White Pearls Rains mean fresh corn. Yellow or white they are both very tender, milky and taste very nice during the rainy season. Roasted, boiled or in a curry form. Call it anything you like, corn, maize, sweetcorn, makai, bhuta. Corn is rich in…
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Continue ReadingVegetarian ‘bolognese’ sauce All you vegetarian out there, have you ever noticed how limited your choice of a sauce with pasta gets when you go to a restaurant? When a non vegetarian orders spaghetti or any other pasta with a sauce, the sauce is rich not only with tomatoes and meat but also vegetables. So how difficult is it for the chef to make a simple tomato vegetable sauce or a white sauce with vegetables? Not too difficult but all you get served is a plain white sauce or a plain tomato sauce with the pasta. How boring. I love spaghetti and make my own ‘bolognese’ sauce at home sans the meat. I am not out to insult the fine italian chefs but just trying…
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Continue ReadingUpdated on 13/10/2018 Ladyfingers,okra or bhindi is a very popular vegetable in India. Its cooked dry, used in sambhars, made with tomatoes or with a gravy, depending on the type of cuisine. Gujaratis normally cook it dry. The Japanese use okra to make tempura. In Malaysia its stuffed with fish paste and in other parts of the world, the slime helps to thicken a soup. It is a slimy vegetable, which is reduced when cooked dry. Most kids love bhindi. Nikil my son loves stuffed bhindi. Whenever we visit hubby’s aunt (foi), she always gives me some vegetable that has been either grown at home or at their office yard. Right from brinjals, doodhi to spinach. This time round she gave me these fresh young…
