Updated Post: 08/05/2020 What is Tofu? Tofu is prepared from coagulated soy milk. The coagulated white solid mass is pressed much like any cheese or paneer to remove excess water. Depending on the process, tofu can be firm, soft or silken. It is believed that Tofu originates from China. It was accidentally discovered about 2000 years ago by a Chinese cook. He mixed a batch of fresh soy milk with nigari. Nigari is what is left when salt is removed from seaweeds. Nigari is used to coagulate soy milk as it helps to solidify the tofu and keep it firm. Also known as bean curd, some believe that tofu is not good for health while there are some who swear by it as a rich…
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Continue ReadingWhy is it not called purple cabbage? The red cabbage looks purple but is called a red cabbage. Why?? Well avoiding all those scientific facts, I preferred the simple explanation that when cooked the cabbage turns red and therefore the name red cabbage. However, the pigment anthocyanin in the plant changes colour according to the pH value of the soil. The more alkaline the soil the more reddish it grows.Adding anything acidic like apples, lemon juice, vinegar etc will turn the cabbage red on cooking it otherwise it becomes blue. Red cabbage comes with its own nutritional benefits. The red pigment anthocyanin is an antioxidant, an anti inflammatory substance thereby improving immunity. Its high in Vitamin K,E and C. This makes its…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIES_REDOING OLD POSTS RECIPE: QUINOA TABBOULEH SALAD Quinoa Tabbouleh is a different version of the famous Classic Middle Eastern Salad. Bulgur wheat is replaced by protein rich quinoa which adds a lovely nutty kind of flavour to the salad. A healthy, filling, gluten free, vegan salad that is perfect served with pita bread or enjoyed on its own as a light meal. What is Tabbouleh? Also known as Tabouli, it a famous Levantine Salad made with basic ingredients like bulgur, tomato, spring onion and loads of parsley. Some add mint for extra freshness. Many also add chopped cucumber. The dressing is refreshingly simple..virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. My Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad I’ve replaced the bulgur with cooked quinoa, making this salad…
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Continue ReadingEvent: Foodies_Redoing Old Posts Recipe: Watermelon Cucumber Salad Watermelon Cucumber Salad is a refreshingly delicious summer time salad. Easy to make, I love to drizzle homemade watermelon vinaigrette over it. Feta cheese pairs amazingly well with watermelon. If you don’t like feta then go for halloumi. Summer Time This summer I literally went crazy buying watermelon. They are simply so delicious, make an excellent healthy snack option. The watermelons I’ve bought so far have been sweet and most of them are seedless. That is not what we get back in Kenya. Watermelons have seeds. I’ve carried this salad quite a few times for our picnic at the park. I pack the dressing in an empty jar and drizzle it over the salad just before we’re…
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Continue ReadingApple Cucumber Salad Apple Cucumber Salad, the name in a way doesn’t include all the other ingredients. However, I had to shorten the title. But yes, the main ingredients for this salad are apple, cucumber and onion. The rest are what I add depending what is available in my fridge. Apple Cucumber Salad is so easy to put together. It is a healthy, filling and crunchy salad. Several times I’ve made big batches of this salad for pizza parties, potlucks, picnics, etc. The orange vinaigrette adds a deliciously sweetish fruity taste to the salad. Whenever I have to make a larger quantity, I chop the salad ingredients a day before except for the apple. As apple turns brown I prefer to chop it when required.…
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Continue Readingshopping delight It has been a week since we arrived in Montreal. The city is full of restaurants and cafes. Its a clean, green and a very arty place. There are a lot of quaint little shops in the area my son Neel lives selling ceramics tableware, crockery,plants, clothes, organic shops, grocery stores, bakeries and so much more. Its wonderful to walk on pavements and where pedestrians have the right of way. Old Montreal is a wonderful place, full of art galleries, restaurants, huge parks, art stores and souvenir shops. The cobbled path, horse drawn carriages is contrasted by a very modern cocktail place right near the port. Our first trip to a small (according to our son it is small and basic) Metro grocery…
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Continue ReadingUpdated Avocado Mushroom Pasta Salad post with better write up and photos. Recipe remains the same. AVOCADO MUSHROOM PASTA SALAD Avocado Mushroom Pasta Salad is one salad I can have practically everyday. The reason being its got all my three favorites well actually four.. avocado, mushroom, pasta and cheese. Whenever I make a salad that I’m going to have have as a meal, I add cheese not only for the protein part but also to make it more fun. Yes food for me has to be colorful, fun and appealing. Memories: After 8 years, since my son has been in Canada, we finally have decided to apply for the Canadian Super Visa. This visa allows us to visit our son whenever we want. What is…
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Continue ReadingGood music and food go hand in hand While I am blogging this recipe, I am also listening to some very soulful, soothing, upbeat music. You may say so what. But l am listening to Alexandre Desplat, Joshua Radin, Isbells -Elation on Lekha Shastry’s new blog i-heart-beat. She puts a selection of songs together to brighten your day. A while ago I was feeling really low, have had a bad day and decided to blog to take my mind away from all the worldy woos. Then I remembered that Lekha was eagerly waiting for some comment about her blog. I heard Elation by Isbells and felt uplifted instantly. I didn’t realise that the music score from the movie King’s Speech was so soothing and beautiful. I…
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Continue ReadingKanda Keri Nu Kachumber Kanda Keri Nu Kachumber or Mango Onion Salad is a simple but bursting with flavors kind of salad. Enjoy it as a part of your main meal, or with some khichdi or on its own as a snack. Healthy, its the best way to enjoy semi ripe mango during the summer season. Kanda is the Gujarati word for onion, keri is mango and kachumber is salad. Memories I remember whenever we visited my aunt (Manju Aunty) in Mombasa during the Christmas Holidays, kanda keri nu kachumber was always served with our lunch. After all, back then Mombasa was famous for its mangoes, coconuts, cassava and cashew nuts. During our visit to Mombasa, we would stay at my aunt’s (foi) place for…
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Continue ReadingUsing up tit bits Last Saturday turned out to a very busy day. I got busy in the kitchen baking pistachio cranberry cookies, making red chilli sauce and some arvi paan na bhajia. Arvi paan bhajia was suppose to be dinner. I prepared some lunch for Ajay and went to Bollywood Bite with my best friend for lunch and a long chit chat. The dosas were absolutely delicious and the chit chat endless as we both are in the very near future getting our sons married. Came home at around 4 p.m. to find my mamaji waiting for me impatiently. He wanted to apply for the UK visitor visas. Getting most of these forms filled online for the aged is not a laughing matter. He…
